TWIN FALLS  Jayco Inc. has announced an expansion that will bring another 360 jobs to Twin Falls.

The travel trailer manufacturer will build a 160,000 square-foot manufacturing and warehouse building at its existing site in Twin Falls, Urban Renewal Agency Director Nathan Murray said.

Jayco opened its Twin Falls operations more than a decade ago in order to better serve West coast and Canadian markets.

This is a pretty significant expansion for them, Murray said.

Unemployment has been at record lows around the Magic Valley over the past year, making it challenging for employers to attract workers. Jayco had considered expansion in other locations, but Murray believes the decision to expand in Twin Falls is a testament to their faith in Twin Falls to rally around them.

The new jobs, he said will be added over the next 18 months to two years.

The Idaho Department of Commerces Economic Advisory Council approved the project for tax reimbursement incentives in August. Jayco can begin receiving those reimbursements one it has created at least 50 jobs, Idaho Commerce spokeswoman Megan Hill said. The state reimburses the company 24 percent of its income, payroll and sales taxes.

The estimated incentive value of that incentive is $4.9 million over 12 years.

The average yearly wage for the new jobs will be $43,300. The expansion is projected to bring direct state revenue of $20.4 million.

Our executive team considered several western states when searching for the right fit for expansion, Matt Thompson, Jayco COO, said in a statement. We concluded that capitalizing on the benefits offered in Twin Falls out-weighed benefits outside the state of Idaho.

He commended the work of Gov. C.L. Butch Otter, Idaho Commerce and Twin Falls County Commissioner Don Hall in supporting what the company wanted to accomplish.

There is nothing more heartening than when the economic conditions are right for an existing Idaho company to deepen its roots and create more great opportunities for Idahoans, Otter said in a statement. The expansion of Jayco further confirms Idahos leadership in growing jobs and incomes in America.

Twin Falls County Commissioners are considering offering a tax abatement as an incentive package to Jayco, Hall said. If it happens, it will have been the first time Twin Falls County has offered an incentive package for economic development.

Its a win, he said. Ive had this theory that a community is either growing or dying. You cant stay static in this environment.

The URA and city of Twin Falls have agreed to cover the companys building permit fees.

Bishs RV, the only Jayco dealer in the Magic Valley, sells all lines that the company manufacturers. Its Jay Flight SLX travel trailers, manufactured in Twin Falls, are the most popular item the dealership sells, company spokeswoman Megan Walker said. And the close proximity to Jayco helps cut the cost of freight.

Its great that theyre expanding, Walker said. It means that Jayco is doing good and the RV business is doing good.

Murray said Jayco will expand production by bringing in a product line currently not in Twin Falls.

Local and national Jayco offices could not be reached for comment.

Jayco, based out of Middlebury, Ind., is a subsidiary of Thor Industries Inc. The company said in a statement that it plans to begin and fast-track the expansion project immediately.
Renowned Ghanaian Fashion designer, Tetteh Plahar, is shocked about the shooting incident in Las Vegas in the United States of America (USA).

He said he was lucky to have escaped unhurt as he was at a party at the hotel where the unfortunate shooting took place.

At least 58 people are feared dead and 515 injured when Stephen Paddock, 64, and a resident of Mesquite, Navada, fired hundreds of bullets into a music festival crowd from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino on Monday.

Narrating his ordeal to the Daily Heritage, he said Ghanaians in the city are living in fear after the shooting incident.

Mr Plahar, together with seven other Ghanaians, was attending a friends party and had checked in at the Mandalay Bay Hotel, where the shooting took place.

According to him, they do not feel safe living in Las Vegas as we are so terrified that we couldnt sleep the whole night.

If you look at the layout of the city, you feel everything is fine. But now if I am walking on the streets I have to be extra-careful and look behind me to see who is coming, he added,

We were in our rooms at the Mandalay Bay Hotel, which is directly opposite the place where the shooting happened. When I heard the sound outside, I thought it was fireworks until I saw people running and police vehicles driving to the scene.

I was panicking because we didnt know where he [the gunman] was hiding and what he would do next. We were terrified but things calmed down when the police came around, he narrated.

The former designer for the former First Lady, Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings said Prior to the shootings, security at the hotel wasnt tight. No one was checking what one was carrying inside the hotel.

We cant say were safe now because during our breakfast this morning we were told there was a bomb scare and that we should stay indoors. When you come close to incidents like this, you feel very scared, he said.

He continued that, we are checking out of the hotel in the next 30 minutes because we dont feel safe here.
UK-based Ghanaian music duo Reggie N Bollie have blamed weak foundation of the Ghana music industry for the ailing industry.

According to them, talents abound in the country but there is no support to nurture such talents which renders the few struggling inadequate.

In an interview with host KMJ on Daybreak Hitz on Hitz FM, the runners-up of the 2015 edition of the UK series X-Factor stressed that one doesnt need to be an A level artiste to generate revenue from their musical careers.

According to them, the technicalities required to promote artistes in the country to the international platform is misplaced, noting that is the reason most artistes are not living up to standard.

It is killing talents in Ghana. Think about artistes who have relocated. The industry must get to the level where they dont have to travel to abroad to make music to make money. A lot of talents are coming in.

"We still feel challenges are still around. I think its time our industry elevates to the next level where when a song is among the top 40 or number one, there are lots of revenue coming in; artistes will not fight with their managers

You dont have to be the hottest artiste to make millions elsewhere. You come here [Ghana] and the hottest artistes dont receive the required income and go down the drain. Our industry must get to a level where the money comes from every angle Reggie indicated.

The duo believes the Ghanaian music industry is should be monetised for artiste to reap the fruits of their labour.

The time for talking is over. We should start implementing things now. People are making money and we need to take the music business serious they maintained.

The UK-based Ghanaian musical duo commended Catherine Afeku, the Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture for naming them as Tourism ambassadors.

We are so proud of the Minister of Tourism, Madam Catherine Afeku. Ghanas tourism will go to the next level
Kwame Baffoe otherwise known as Abronye DC

03.10.2017 LISTEN

The outspoken Brong Ahafo Regional Youth Organizer of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kwame Baffoe otherwise known as Abronye DC, has told a controversial musician, Kwame Asare Obeng aka A-Plus to stop attending management meeting at Korle Bu hospital.

Controversial musician, A Plus in a recent Facebook post, described the two gentlemen, Samuel Abu Jinapor and Francis Asenso-Boakye as stupid corrupt thieves". The matter was referred to the police for further investigation following widespread condemnation.

However, on Wednesday 27th September 2017, an audio conversation between A Plus and a senior CID official identified to be the Deputy Director General of the CID, ACP Maame Yaa Tiwaa Addo-Danquah which indicated that the investigative report was cooked, went viral on social media.

Speaking to the media recently, Abronye DC noted that A-Plus is the most corrupt person in Ghana who has lost his moral senses and now resorting to calling others as corrupt just to shield his stingy deals.

In a latest statement issued on October 2, 2017 by Abronye DC indicated that A-Plus is not a member of Korle Bu hospital's management but always attend a meeting as a Special Assistant to Dr. Felix Anyaa the CEO of Korle Bu hospital.

"Kwame A-Plus, you and your boss cannot contest me at all. As for you, you think Korle Bu is for you now because you always attend management meeting as special assistant to Dr. Felix Anyaa the CEO of Korle Bu, even though you are not part of management. I will address the issue at an appropriate time.

Abronye DC however, told A-Plus that his boss, Dr. Felix Anyaa doesn't qualified to handle the position as CEO indicated that Dr. Anyaa is above 60 years and should be on his retirement status now.

He asked, "is Dr. Felix Anyaa current position at Korle Bu for a limited period or what? And if so for how many years did Dr. Felix Anyaa, appointment letter indicated for his retirement since he is over sixty years (60)".

According to Abronye DC, Dr. Anyaa appointment as CEO of Korle Bu is therefore in contravention with PNDL (327) Service Act 1903 subsection 71 of that law says that, a person holding a civil service post shall in accordance with the article 199 of the 1992 Constitution, retire from the service on reaching the age of sixty years.

Below is the statement:

Kwame Baffoe Abronye Writes,

Kwame A plus, you and your Boss Cannot contest me at all. As for you, you think Korle Bu is for you now because you always attend management meeting as special assistant to Dr. Felix Anyaa the CEO of Korle Bu, even though you are not part of management. I will address that issue at an appropriate time.

First and foremost, it is on record that, your boss Dr Felix Anyaa was born on 1950 and he was appointed as the Chief Executive Officer of Korle Bu in April 2017 , an indication that his appointment was in contravention with the Civil Service Act, 1993 327 Section 71 of that law says that a person holding a civil service post shall in accordance with article 199 of the constitution, retire from the service on reaching the age of sixty years. Subsection 1 does not prevent the appointment of a person who is more than sixty years of age on a limited engagement for two years at a time not exceeding five years in total.

Here is the question, Is Dr Felix Anyaa current position at Korle Bu for a limited period or what? And if so for how many years did Dr. Felix Anyaa, appointment letter indicated for his retirement since he is over sixty years (60). If all these were not captured in the appointment letter as CEO of Korle Bu, then his appointment is/was in contravention with PNDL (327) civil service act 1993.

Source: Daniel Kaku /Ghana /Modernghana.com
An operation by the Accra Regional Police Command has led to the arrest of 156 suspected criminals, including 45 women, in some brothels at the Madina, Adentan and Abokobi areas.

The operation was part of moves by the new Accra Regional Police Commander, DCOP George Alex Mensah to clamp down on robberies in the Accra metropolis.

Among the arrested 45 women were 10 Nigerians and a Liberian, believed to be commercial sex workers.

They were said to be in brothels practising prostitution when the police team swooped on them.

Some of them, according to the police, were having sex with their clients when the heavily armed police personnel broke into their rooms.

Some quantities of condoms were discovered on them in the course of the arrests.

At a press briefing, the Accra Regional Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Efia Tenge, said the three-hour operation was conducted in the wee hours of yesterday and was led by the Regional Operations Commander, Chief Superintendent Kwesi Ofori.

After receiving several complaints of bag snatching, robbery and all sorts of criminal activities in the area, the command deployed a team to raid the brothels and nab the suspected criminals.

The police spokeswoman said that the suspected prostitutes were within the ages of 19 and 51.

The ages of the 111 men, ASP Efia Tenge disclosed, range from 18 to 40 years.

Some quantities of dried leaves suspected to be Indian Hemp (wee) and sharp implements were discovered from the men in the process of the arrest.

The suspects have been brought to the Accra Police Command for screening and those found culpable will be prosecuted.

Meanwhile, ASP Efia Tenge has extended invitation to all victims of robbery attacks to visit the regional command to identify the suspects so that they could be processed for the court of law.

By Linda Tenyah-Ayettey

([email protected])
The final report on the investigation conducted by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service into the corruption allegation against the two deputy chiefs of staff by controversial musician and satirist, Kwame Asare Obeng aka A-Plus, is out with startling revelations.

According to the over eight-page report of the investigators, led by COP Bright Oduro, Director General (CID), A-Plus could not provide any evidence which suggested that the two deputy chiefs of staff  Francis Asenso-Boakye and Samuel Abu Jinapor  were involved in any corrupt practices but based his allegation on personal opinion.

The investigators therefore described the allegation by A-Plus as baseless, unsubstantiated and without credibility.

How It Started

On August 27, 2017, Kwame A-Plus accused Messrs Francis Asenso-Boakye and Samuel Abu Jinapor of corruption, thievery, arrogance and stupidity on his Facebook wall and wondered why President Akufo-Addo appointed them to the positions they occupy.

Following the allegation, President Akufo-Addo ordered the Financial Forensic Unit of the CID to look into the matter to establish the authenticity or otherwise of the allegation and to take action against the individuals per Section 239 of the Criminal and Other Offences Act (Act 29).

A-Plus Statement To Police

On September 5, 2017 A-Plus responded to an invitation by the police to give his statement on the allegation.

In his statement, the musician, who is now the special aide to Dr. Felix Anyah, Acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH), denied accusing the two deputy chiefs of staff as thieves, but stood by the allegation of corruption against them.

Giving reasons for his allegation, A-Plus said the acting CEO, having known him for the past six years, particularly requested him (A-Plus) to seek public and the staff perception about the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital with the view of putting corrective measures in place to resolve them.

On his maiden familiarization tour of the hospital facilities, A-Plus said he accompanied the CEO on his rounds and it was observed that the hospital has no knowledge of actual revenue collected for a day or a period because the financial institutions  Stanbic Bank Limited and uniBank Ghana Limited  that do the collections, do not credit the accounts of the hospital on the same day.

The banks decide how much to be credited to the hospital's accounts and there is no way the hospital can confirm total collections for the day or at any given period and due to the fact that there is no interface between the two banks that are doing the billing and the collections, revenue leakages continue to occur at the hospital, A-Plus indicated.

According to him, in his later discussions with the management, it became apparent that an efficient Hospital Management Information System (HMIS), which links units and equipment such as X-Rays, CT scan, and laboratory to indicate actual services rendered and how much is charged for each service was needed by the hospital to stop the revenue leakages to improve KBTH finances.

He said based on the decision by the management of the hospital in June 2017  which he was part of  the CEO directed the head of legal department to write to uniBank to cancel the existing Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the bank.

On July 12, 2017 a letter terminating the agreement between KBTH and uniBank was sent to the bank giving them a 90-day notice after they had detected several weaknesses from the bank's past operations at the Police and Ridge Hospitals, referencing a letter from the deputy controller and accountant general that suggested that Unibank was inefficient in its operations.

According to A-Plus, when the letter to the bank intended to cancel the MoU was delivered, the two deputy chiefs of staff called him and the CEO severally, asking the CEO to withdraw the cancellation of the MoU because uniBank had supported the New Patriotic Party (NPP) financially during the campaign period.

He therefore concluded that in his personal opinion, Francis Asenso-Boakye and Samuel A. Jinapor, who are government officials, had taken advantage of their position to favour a private business entity.

CEO's Testimony

Police investigations were extended to Dr. Felix Anyah, the CEO, by the investigators and were met together with three management members in his office.

According to him, on assumption of office after his appointment on June 1, 2017, he met the management to look into issues confronting the hospital and also find ways of improving the management and for the hospital to give quality health-care and also improve the fortunes of the hospital.

He said he first of all observed that there were revenue leakages, no beds at the emergency department, malfunctioning of life support equipment and poor supply of oxygen, among others.

The management at a meeting, therefore agreed for the use of ICT software to electronically manage the process, he said.

Dr Anyah stated in his statement that another issue that came out during their meeting was the use of two banks operating without an interface system to communicate, worked against the interest of the hospital and needed to select one efficient bank to help resolve the lapses and weakness in managing the revenue mobilization at the hospital.

Management, however, thought it will be in the interest of the public if one Bank (Stanbic Bank) does the collections and so a termination letter was sent to uniBank but before they could respond to the letter, calls started coming in from influential persons asking him to withdraw the termination letter.

The acting CEO said no reasons were given except that he should withdraw the letter.

Notable among the callers were the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, John Peter Amewu; Minister of Health, Kwaku Agyemang-Manu; Deputy Chiefs of Staff Francis Asenso-Boakye and Samuel Abu Jinapor.

Abu Jinapor's Testimony

On September 7, 2017, Messrs Francis Asenso-Boakye and Abu Jinapor responded to police invitation where Jinapor said he received a complaint from the CEO of uniBank that the contract with KBTH had been abrogated in favour of a wholly foreign owned bank to do cash collection at the hospital.

He said uniBank was not given any opportunity to demonstrate its ability to also use electronic means to collect cash for the hospital as given by Stanbic Bank.

Abu Jinapor said uniBank further stated that it had already invested about GH1.4 million at KBTH and thought the bank had not been treated fairly and thought the complaint could reach the chief of staff through the office of the deputy chief of staff.

Mr Jinapor said on receipt of the complaint, he called Dr. Anyah to seek clarity on the complaint but the CEO responded by saying he was at a programme at Sogakope and that he would call back, but never did.

He added that he was therefore compelled to inform the Chief of Staff, Akosua Frema Osei-Opare, and his colleague Francis Asenso-Boakye about the complaint from uniBank.

Asenso-Boakye's Testimony

Francis Asenso-Boakye also stated that in July 2017, he was informed by his colleague, Samuel Jinapor of a complaint by uniBank against Korle-Bu for abrogating a contract between uniBank and KBTH and called the CEO to confirm the matter.

He said he only sought to draw the CEO's attention that abrogating a contract was a major decision and that the CEO should have waited until there was a board in place but never put pressure on the CEO as stated.

uniBank's Statement

The team finally met officials of uniBank at its head office and met the Executive Director, Ekow Nyarko Dadzie-Dennis, and the Legal Team.

The bank revealed that before the current administration, there was an MoU between them and KBTH for cash collection and had invested GH1.4m at the hospital

It said in July 2017, uniBank received a letter from KBTH terminating an MoU between them and gave a 90-day notice to wind up without any reason.

Officials narrated that apart from the initial teething problem during the implementation, KBTH never officially complained to uniBank of any challenge as far as the billing and cash collections were concerned, adding that the bank was not treated fairly.

It claimed copies of its letters were sent to the vice president, the chief of staff, the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Health and the Controller and Accountant's General Department to intervene to allow uniBank to do the cash collection because of investment they had put in at the hospital.

Findings

The investigators, after contacting the parties involved, established that there was an MoU between KBTH and uniBank before the CEO of KBTH, Dr. Felix Anyah took office.

Investigations revealed that there were no discussions between the CEO of the hospital and the two deputy chiefs of staff to explain to the latter the rationale for opting for Stanbic Bank instead of uniBank and that the call by the two deputy chief of staff to intervene was based on a letter from uniBank copied to the office of the chief of staff which was very consistent with the work of the office of the chief of staff and by extension, the deputy chiefs of staff.

By Linda Tenyah-Ayettey

([email protected])
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has reiterated his government's commitment to improving the country's agriculture, especially the cocoa sub-sector, through the mass spraying exercise and provision of subsidized fertilizers to farmers.

According to the president, Ghana will soon regain her pride of place in the cocoa industry with deliberate policies and measures aimed at boosting production.

Speaking at a grand durbar to celebrate Cocoa Day in Kumasi yesterday, President Akufo-Addo indicated that as part of the policy to increase production, the government had taken away the oversight responsibility of the cocoa industry from the Ministry of Finance.

The ceremony was under the theme, 70 Years on: Mobilizing for a Sustainable Cocoa Economy, with the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, being named as Cocoa Consumption Ambassador.

President Akufo-Addo revealed that the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) has now been made responsible for all matters relating to the cocoa industry for effective formulation of relevant policies required to boost agriculture and cocoa production.

Today, one of the greatest threats in the cocoa industry in our country is not disease or death; price volatility on the international cocoa market represents, perhaps, the biggest threat to our cocoa. The prices of cocoa are forecast to remain low till the year 2020, President Akufo-Addo disclosed.

He stated that the fortunes of the country's cocoa farmers unfortunately have become tied to the volatile cocoa beans market.

He explained that this accounted for the cooperation between Ghana and her sister nation, Cote dIvoire  the two largest cocoa producers in the world  to ensure that they do not continue to be victims of trade of the global cocoa industry to the detriment of the hard work of the two countries' farmers.

I have, since assuming office, worked closely with His Excellency Alassane Dramane Ouattara, President of the Republic of Cote d'Ivoire, to provide the necessary leadership, and technical and political cooperation that addresses effectively the international cocoa pricing from short to medium term, he pointed out.

President Akufo-Addo said the two countries were fashioning a far-reaching policy towards achieving a shared vision of an industrialized and profitable domestic cocoa economy.

Together, Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire account for more than 60 percent of the world cocoa output. Ghana, for example, earned US$2 billion for the sale of cocoa beans in the year 2015. Cote d'Ivoire earned US$3.7 billion, he revealed.

According to the president, the two put together, amounted to US$5.7 billion and yet the total proceed realized from the global value of cocoa amounted to US$100 billion, pointing out that that translated to 5.7 percent received, despite the hard work and sweat of the nations' farmers.

President Akufo-Addo said that could not be allowed to continue since it constitutes a manifest injustice to the producers, and intimated further that Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire need to device ways to ensure that farmers reap much better value from their activities.

He disclosed that he had asked the Minister of Food and Agriculture to direct the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) to work towards increasing domestic processing of cocoa beans from the current levels to a minimum of 50 percent annual production by 2020.

In the president's view, this would increase significantly Ghana's export revenues and foreign exchange earnings from cocoa.

He stated that this should go beyond grinding of the cocoa beans to tertiary manufacturing for local consumption.

Chocolate and cocoa products from Ghana should be readily accessible anywhere on the globe. As part of the 'one district, one factory' programme, Cocobod and other private sector activists will roll out programmes that create small scale cocoa processing industries across the cocoa growing districts of our country, he underscored.

President Akufo-Addo challenged the country's youth to take advantage of the opportunities that will be made available.

The export market, nonetheless, should be focused with the processing of the cocoa, he asserted and added that this ought to be done alongside the promotion of the nutritional and health benefits of cocoa consumption.

The celebration attracted top government officials and other international high-profile personalities, including the President of the World Cocoa Foundation, Richard Scobey and representatives of the International Cocoa Organisation.

From Ernest Kofi Adu, Kumasi
The much-anticipated oral examination of Alfred Agbesi Woyome, embattled National Democratic Congress (NDC) businessman and financier, by the Attorney General (AG), could not come off yesterday.

This is because the sole judge presiding over the case at the Supreme Court was indisposed, DAILY GUIDE has gathered.

The Attorney General was expected to resume oral examination of the NDC financier over the GH51.2 million he fraudulently collected from the state.

Mr. Woyome and his lawyer were also nowhere near the court, signaling that they might have been pre-informed that the judge was indisposed.

The oral examination has been rescheduled for October 10, 2017.

In July, this year the Deputy Attorney General, Godfred Yeboah Dame, began an inquiry into the sources of income and assets of Mr Woyome in order to recover the fraudulent judgement debt he collected from the state.

At the last hearing of the case, which lasted for almost two hours, Mr. Woyome argued that it was an error for the Attorney General to haul him before the Supreme Court.

He said there was already a payment plan between him and the AG and wondered why he was before the apex court for grilling.

He also prayed the Supreme Court to stay proceedings on the oral examination since he had filed for a review of the case.

Mr. Woyome indicated that since 2012 he had not been in business, claiming that he had lost all his businesses after his arrest in 2011 and subsequent trial, indicating that he spent all his time in court to the detriment of his businesses.

In an answer to a question on Anator Holding Company Limited, Mr Agbesi Woyome said he is a shareholder of the company, although he could not remember his percentage share.

Touching on his possible landed properties in the country, the deputy AG was sure that the Abelemkpe and Kokomlemle houses belong to him (Woyome).

Woyome averred, I own the Kokomlemle house together with my family; you cannot say that for the Abelemkpe house.

He insisted that the Abelemkpe house belongs to his brother in America.

It's a house owned by my junior brother in America who made it available for the use of the family for a year now, he asserted.

Mr. Yeboah Dame, as a result, urged Justice Benin to compel Woyome to produce the documents on the said house pursuant to Order 46 Rule 1 of the High Court Civil Procedures CI 47.

By Gibril Abdul Razak
Local Governance Think Tank, Centre for Local Governance Advocacy, has called for sanctions against the Northern Regional Coordinating Council for demanding five thousand Ghana cedis each from the 26 assemblies in the region, to support the President's tour of the area this week.

Speaking to Citi News, the Deputy Executive Director of the Centre, Gladys Naadu Tetteh, said the demands from the Coordinating Council were unfortunate, and steps must be taken to discourage such a practice from becoming the norm.

According to her, when the president visits MMDAs, they often overspend and in several cases overstate their expenditure.

Per the new local government Act, the Regional Coordinating Councils (RCCs), are supposed to receive a percentage of the Common Fund to undertake their activities.

She insisted that, if the president is coming to their region, the RCCs should use their percentage of the common fund and not burden the districts.

When the president visits MMDAs, they overspend and even though sometimes they spend much less, they quote higher figures. So even though the RCC directive to the MMDA is not good, for me I think we should discourage that. Definitely, the presidency has their budget. This is coming from the RCC. It is the RCC which is the coordinating body within the region which is asking the Assemblies to pay. Per the new Local Government Act, they are supposed to get a percentage of the common fund to undertake their activities or operations. So they should not burden the assemblies with all their other expenses, she said.

Probably because the president would be moving through the district, you know the assembly too would be a little petty probably (that's what I suspect), that's why this amount of money is being requested. If they have received it and the letter has gone to them then the RCC needs to be talked to, I wont use the word sanctioned, but I think they need to be talked to, to take a second look at some of the things they are doing in the region, she added.

Salifu Saeed, Northern Regional Minister

'Don't pay for President's trips'

Meanwhile, the Northern Regional Minister, Salifu Saeed, has directed all Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) in the region to disregard a circular which requested them to pay Ghc5,000 each to fund President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo's three-day official visit beginning October 6.

The Minister in an official statement copied to citifmonline. com implied that, his office did not endorse the earlier memo.

The statement however admitted that, the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives' caucus in the region, voluntarily made the earlier proposal which his office did not endorse.

Salifu Saeed has therefore dismissed the earlier memo which went viral on both mainstream and social media.

According to him, the President's trip is to be fully sponsored by the Presidency.

The Local Government Ministry has also denied asking the Regional Coordinating Council; to contribute that amount after it emerged that a circular had been sent to all district assemblies.



By: Michael Ogbodu /citifmonline.com/Ghana
The Managing Director of Energy Bank has kicked against segmentation of the minimum capital requirement directive for commercial banks by the Bank of Ghana (BoG).

Christiana Olaoye said there is a need for a leveled-playing field so the argument about special banks meeting a lower capital requirement should not be an issue for debate.

Her comments follow a directive by the Bank of Ghana (BoG), commercial banks in the country would have to increase their capital levels from the current 120 million to 400 million by December 2018.

Speaking to JoyBusiness on the sidelines of the launch of the banks customer service week celebration, the Nigerian said she has seen a similar development in her native country where the same argument was put forth about.

"In that era, we had the number of banks reduced from about 100 to 22 and is currently 23. If you want to make it a level playing field, make it a level playing field and the issue of segmentation does not arise," she stressed.

"If banks want to play in the smaller segment, they can become micro-finance institutions or savings and loans institutions," adding these have been already taken care of in the financial inclusion system and the issue of segmentation has already been taken care of.

She, however, indicated that measures are being put in place to ensure the bank meets the new capital requirement latest by September 2018 and may also consider mergers should the need arise.

Madam Olaoye disclosed that the bank held a meeting Board meeting two weeks ago and the issue of the new capital level was top on the agenda.

"The Board is aware and they have indicated that they will bring an additional capital and they are opening up room for additional investors who want to bring in new capital.

"We are assuring our customers that definitely, we will be one of the banks that will meet the 400 million minimum capital requirement from December 2018," she said.

According to her, the bank may not wait until December 2018 as it is working to with a September 2018 deadline with June 2018 likely to be when they will get the required funds.

She said they have opened their doors to other investors who want to come in through mergers or by acquiring one or two smaller banks.

Story by Ghana| Myjoyonline | Sarah Amelley Djosu| Joy Business
Member of Parliament for Subin Constituency, Hon Eugene Boakye Antwi has called for arrest of Kwame Asare Obeng popularly called A-Plus over a leaked audio tape alleged to be a conversation between him and CID boss, ACP Maame Yaa Tiwaa Addo-Danquah.

The Subin law maker who described the conduct of A-Plus as criminal, cruel and unethical in Ghana said the leaking of the audio on the social media has brought the professional integrity of the Officer to disrepute and for that matter must be arrested and dealt according to the law of Ghana.

As a country we must be able to distinguish between what is good and what is right, what A-Plus has done is criminal and as such must be arrested. How can you record a senior Police officer, he fumed.

He must be arrested and dealt with according to the laws of the land because this is not done anywhere and no serious society will entertain that, he stressed.

A-Plus took to Facebook earlier this month to accuse President Akufo-Addos two Deputy Chiefs of Staff, Francis Asenso-Boakye, and Abu Jinapor of being corrupt.

President Akufo-Addo subsequently ordered the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service to conduct an investigation into the matter.

The department, after its investigations, said it found A-Plus claims to be baseless, but A-Plus in a subsequent media interaction expressed his disagreement with the report.

A leaked audio tape later emerged with a conversation between A-Plus and a senior CID officer in which the officer supposedly indicated to A-Plus that the report was skewed to favour the government officials.

The CID officer in the tape, whos the Deputy Director of the CID, ACP Maame Yaa Tiwaa Addo-Danquah, later claimed that the tape was doctored, adding that A-Plus had threatened to blackmail her.

Speaking on Otec FM, Hon. Eugene Boakye Antwi emphasised that the conduct of A-Plus is a depravity and indecency to the country.

If he was able to record a senior CID officer who can become an IGP tomorrow, he can go and record the President."
03.10.2017 LISTEN

Dubai, UAE  October 3, 2017: Ring , the leader in home security, announced that it is making a foray into the Middle East market and will make its debut at GITEX Technology Week 2017. The company will use the exhibition as a platform to unveil its latest suite of smart home security products such as Ring Video Doorbell, Ring Video Doorbell Pro, Video Doorbell Elite, Ring Floodlight Cam and the new Ring Spotlight Cam in addition to announcing new partnerships across the region.

Ring re-imagined the doorbell so consumers could respond  using a smartphone  to someone at their front door from anyplace, anytime. Ring's mission is to reduce crime in neighborhoods and empower consumers by creating a Ring of Security around homes and communities with our suite of smart home security products. Since its launch in 2012, the company has grown tremendously and our products are well accepted in the US and other global markets. After our global success, we are looking to replicate this in this region as well and GITEX Technology Week 2017, being the biggest technology exhibition, is the best platform to make our Middle East debut, says Mohammad Meraj Hoda, Managing Director of Ring.

Rings mission is simple: to reduce crime in neighborhoods. Rings products globally have been hailed as dependable second set of eyes and ears to deter would-be thieves from entering their homes, and it has been proven that Ring doorbells can reduce crime by up to 55% in neighborhoods across the US, and the goal is to bring the same convenience and security to the Middle East neighborhoods.

With the UAE witnessing a positive growth of the property sector with many developers focusing on building master-planned communities, we believe that the time is right for Ring to introduce its products and solutions to the Middle East market. At GITEX, we want to create awareness of our brand and products, demonstrate how our products can reduce crime, and meet with channel partners and sign on strong partners to expand our market reach. We are confident that our smart home security products will be well accepted in this region, Mr. Hoda adds.

Ring will be showcasing Ring Video Doorbell, Ring Video Doorbell Pro, Video Doorbell Elite, Ring Floodlight Cam and the new Ring Spotlight Cam at GITEX, which will create the neighborhood watch for the digital age and continue to keep homes in the Middle East safe. Senior executives from the company will be available at Hall No. CLD-24, Stand No. 6 to meet with customers and partners and share their global success stories with them.
Members of the Takoradi Technical University (TTU) chapter of the Technical University Teachers' Association (TUTAG), are up-in-arms against the National Council for Tertiary Education (NCTE) for allegedly breaching the Technical University Act, 2016 (Act 922).

According to the TUTAG members, the NCTE had submitted a draft document to the Governing Council of each technical university demanding that there should be harmonized statutes for technical universities.

NCTE is also demanding that there should be harmonized scheme of service for staff of technical universities and harmonized conditions of service for senior and junior members, as well as staff.

It has further directed the Governing Councils of the technical universities that no substantive appointments would be made to positions in the technical universities until the proposed 'harmonized statutes' have been approved.

This move, according to members of the TTU, is contrary to the Act that established the technical universities since the Governing Councils were those mandated to enact statutes and to ensure the implementation of the Act.

Addressing a press conference yesterday on the issue, Peter Awini, TUTAG President of Takoradi Technical University, claimed that the NCTE played a key role towards the enactment of the Technical Universities Act which provides sufficient legal framework for the conversion of polytechnics to technical universities in Ghana.

He emphasised that the Technical Universities Act did not enjoin all the universities to enact harmonized statutes, agree on harmonized conditions of service or institute harmonized scheme of service for staff.

The Governing Council of a Technical University is the body responsible for enacting statutes to ensure implementation of the Act, he stressed.

He noted that the NCTE's directive regarding the enactment of 'harmonized' statutes of a technical university contravenes Section 26 of the Act which confers the power to enact statutes to ensure implementation of the Act on the Council of each technical university.

So even if an interim council of polytechnic converted to a technical university approved statutes in accordance with the Technical Universities Act, those statutes have the same effect as if done by the current Councils, he added.

Mr Awini therefore, threatened that members of TUTAG would resort to the law court for the matter to be settled, if the NCTE did not rescind its directives.

From Emmanuel Opoku, Takoradi
Minister of Trade and Industry, Alan Kyerematen, has indicated that government is in the process of vigorously decentralizing the distribution of heavy-duty equipment or machineries to all 216 districts nationwide.

The Minister was speaking on Monday in Accra during a brief swearing-in ceremony of a seven-member governing board for the Ghana Heavy Equipment Limited (GHEL).

Members of the GHEL Board include Yaw Ntow Ababio, who doubles as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of GHEL; Dr. Kwabena Twum-Nuamah, Robert Bediako Asare, Dorothy Ama Amponsah, Alhaji Alidu Abukari, Prince Opoku Edusei and Chairman of the Board, Yaw Asuo Banim.

According to the Minister, the move is to ensure that every district in the country has ample access to equipment, especially agricultural machineries, to fast-track their developmental agenda.

He said government, through the Ministries of Food and Agriculture, Trade and Industry and other agencies and departments, shall identify private businessmen who will establish mechanization centres across the country to aid the decentralization process.

The Minister further indicated that an assembling plant was going to be established for agricultural machineries, urging the new board to take advantage of the opportunity to make GHEL one of the vibrant state enterprises.

I want your name to start coming up as a leading equipment company, according to Mr. Kyeremanten.

Touching on the operations of GHEL over the years, Mr Kyeremanten said that the company has not optimized its real potential.

He urged members of the new board to use their expertise to provide the needed strategic direction to get the company to contribute meaningfully to national development.

Chairman of the Board, Mr Asuo Banim, also thanked President Akufo-Addo and Mr. Kyeremanten for reposing trust in them.

He said the board would use all resources at their disposal to improve the company to serve the needs of its clients.

GHEL is a limited liability company, solely owned by the Government Ghana.

It was initially the Heavy Equipment Division of the erstwhile Ghana National Trading Corporation.

GHEL is involved in the sale and service of construction and mining equipment, agricultural tractors and implements, generator sets and automobiles.
Motorists may have to endure the poor state of our roads a little longer because funds accruing to the Road Fund are being used to service a loan.

According to Deputy Road and Highways Minister, Anthony Karbo, the Ministry is unable to access the Fund as a result of the decision of the previous administration to use it as collateral for a GHE1.5billion loan it contracted from United Bank for Africa (UBA) last year.

Mr. Karbo disclosed on the Super Morning Show on Joy FM, Tuesday, October 3, 2017, the loan was contracted by the John Mahama-led administration to pay debts owed to contractors who had built some roads.

As part of the deal, the total annual regular inflow of GHE1.2biilion into the road Fund is to be used to finance the loan, leaving the sector Ministry no access to road tolls, taxes and axle load fees paid into the Fund by motorists.

The loan agreement, according to Mr. Karbo, was ratified by Parliament some six months to the elections in 2016.

The state of many of the country's roads has continuously deteriorated while the motorists continue to pay for using such roads, some of which have become death traps and the cause deadly crashes.

But the new government in July said it met no money in the Fund to enable it to undertake maintenance works on roads including the Accra-Tema motorway constructed over half a century ago.

Mr. Karbo said the Ministry has so far settled GHE750million of the loan and expects the full amount to be paid by August 2018.

The Ghana Road Fund was established in 1985 to provide a secure source of funding for preservation of Ghanas road network. It was restructured under the Road Fund Act, Act 536, 1997.

The sources of revenue into the Fund are derived from levies on petroleum products, bridges, ferries and road tolls collected by the Highway Authority. Other sources of funding include; vehicle License and inspection fees; international transit fees, collected from foreign vehicles entering the country.

Monies collected are channelled into the Road Fund accounts established for the purpose.

These sources yield an average of GHE1.2billion each year but the Deputy Minister appears amazed as to why the previous regime would commit itself to road projects costing GHE17billion consequently compelling it to collateralise the Road Fund for a loan.

We get 1.2bn [cedis] but we have commitments of 17bn cedis that we have to pay; where are we going to get that money from?

The Deputy Minister complained that: The entire Roads Ministry is saddled with a lot of financial challenges.

However, Mr. Karbo said the current administration is determined to fix the challenge indicating that maintenance works on some major roads including the motorway would likely start by the end of October. I am aware of discussions ongoing for Ministry of Finance to release some funds so that we can get underway with some maintenance works.

Theres some work going on to deal with the problem of the motorway once and for all and its one of the top priorities of the government, Mr. Karbo assured.

He told the host of the programme, Kojo Yankson that the Government in the process of redesigning [into six lanes] and looking for partners to take up the project fully.

Play attached audio to listen to the discussion with also had contributions from legal practitioners  Samson Lardi Anyenini and Ace Annan Ankoma:

Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | Jerry Tsatro Mordy | Email: [email protected], Twitter: @jerrymordy
The Ghana Health Service (GHS), in collaboration with Ghana Education Service (GES), will today commence the annual national mass drug administration (MDA) exercise to deworm about 1.3million school children in 8,200 schools across the country.

The MDA which will also be done in communities in 47 selected districts is expected to deworm children against intestinal worm and schistosomiasis (bilharzias) infestation to improve the health status of pupils.

Dr Benjamin Kofi Marfo, Deputy Programme Manager, Neglected Tropical Disease Programme, stated that the implementation of the programme has, over the years, prevented millions of children from the effects of worm infestation.

He said the children will be given the two medications for intestinal worm and schistosomiasis (bilharzias) infestation according to their height and weight, adding that volunteers will be seen in the various public schools administering the medicine to children.

Dr Anthony Nsiah Asare, Director General of GHS, said in a speech read on his behalf at a media briefing that intestinal worm and schistosomiasis have been identified as the main cause of malnutrition, reduction in cognitive development and impediment in concentration in class among pupils, hence the exercise to rid their system off the worms and infestations.

It is worth noting that the distribution of drugs to school age children to prevent and treat worms and bilharzia will improve their health and wellbeing and prevent the negative effects of diseases like malnutrition, anemia, and growth retardation among others, he mentioned.

Dr Angela Tina Mensah, Acting Director of Secondary Education at the GES, stated that sensitisation has gone round the various beneficiary schools on the exercise, adding that the smooth implementation of the exercises will, in the long run, benefit the school.

I want to encourage school heads to help facilitate the exercise by organising the children when the volunteers come around to administer the medication, she said.

Dr Joyce Aryee, NTD Ambassador, also encouraged parents to allow their children to participate in the nationwide exercise which will improve their health and well-being.

She said the exercise is to benefit the children, thus, any hindrance of the children from partaking in the activity will go against overall goal of ensure a worm infestation-free society.

She also asked parents to give their children enough food during the exercise to make the programme a success.

Schistosomiasis and intestinal worm are part of the 17 Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), of which 12 can be found in Ghana.

Presently, the GHS through the Neglected Tropical Programmes offers treatment to five of the disease which include elephantiasis, trachoma, schistosomiasis, intestinal worms and onchocerciasis.

Schistosomiasis, commonly known as bilharzias, is a chronic disease contracted due to contact with contaminated freshwater, it is transmitted by a parasite called schistosoma.

Intestinal worm, commonly referred to as soil-transmitted helminthes, is found at places with poor environmental sanitation where the soils are contaminated with human excreta.
ACP David Eklu

03.10.2017 LISTEN

The Director-General in-charge of Public Affairs of the Ghana Police Service, ACP David Eklu, says his outfit is determined to attain its vision of becoming a world-class police service.

He pointed out that the police service would deliver services to meet international standards.

ACP Eklu also revealed that the police administration would collaborate with the media to enhance policing in Ghana.

To this end, he stressed that the police service would soon launch guidelines on how to communicate effectively with the media to reach out to the public and tackle crime in Ghana.

ACP Eklu disclosed this when he interacted with some journalists in the Western Region to outline the vision of the police administration, among others, as part of his three-day working visit to the region.

He underscored the important role the media plays in good policing and stressed that without the media, the police would not be able to operate effectively.

He added, So there is no need for a police officer and a journalist to fight as they complement each other.

He revealed that the service was developing media guidelines which would enhance communication between the media and Police.

The police administration is making strategic restructuring which would, among other things, give specialised training to journalists on correct crime reporting and community policing, he added.

He stressed that the Police Service would improve its investigative mechanisms and the Motor Traffic and Transport Department so that the officers in the unit would act more professionally, as well as introduce technology to support investigations, data collection and analysis.

ACP Eklu entreated journalists to take pictures of police officers who extort money from drivers.

The Director-General, who welcomed constructive criticisms from the media, assured the general public of maximum protection and security and promised that the law would deal with officers who drag the name of the Service into disrepute.

ACP Eklu, who was accompanied by the Western Regional Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Olivia Ewurabena Adiku, earlier visited personnel of the Marine Police in Takoradi to get first-hand information about the operations there.

He also addressed the audience at a town hall meeting on behalf of the Inspector General of Police on illegal mining at Wassa Akropong.
The smuggling of refined petroleum products by some unscrupulous individuals under the pretext of exporting them to neighbouring countries has become major concern for all stakeholders in the industry.

The illegal activity is said to be known to some security operatives at the various fuel depots, but nothing significant has been done to tackle it due to the parochial interests of certain people.

Investigations by DAILY GUIDE at Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) have helped to expose the lucrative illegal activity.

The products are smuggled into tanker yards at Kpone and Tema in the Greater Accra Region with false documents and number plates.

According to sources, the smugglers, after loading their trucks, move into the yards where they discharge the products into 13,5000-litre capacity trucks with the use of pumping machines.

They change the number plates of the trucks bound for Togo, Burkina Faso and Mali immediately after loading and discharging the products into other trucks.

They sometimes collect the invoices and send them to the border area for stamping with the help of some customs officers.

The fuel smuggling is prevalent at TOR, Fuel Trade, Chase Petroleum, Cirious and Accra Plans Depot (APD) of BOST.

A source indicated that immediately some suspects were arrested, the smugglers adopted new tactics.

The unscrupulous people, under the pretext of supplying fuel to vessels at the country's ports, divert them to yards for sale.

Deep throat sources at TOR told DAILY GUIDE that as much as 40 trucks with fake foreign number plates load fuel mostly on Saturdays and holidays at night.

Some senior staff of the country's only refinery are said to be involved in the illegal activities.

Some officials sign delivery orders and liaison officers also collect and distribute them to the drivers. Until a serious reshuffle is conducted at TOR, including the delivery manager, customs officers and people around Mr Isaac Osei, who is not unaware of what is going on, the State will continue to lose. Mr Osei is too weak and needs to do reshuffle at TOR to save the nation because most staff are complaining but cannot tell him, the source said.

Staff of the refinery said the haulage tankers are owned by a cartel made up of politicians, especially members of NDC and well-connected business people, who have been licensed by the National Petroleum Authority (NPA).

Reports indicate that government risks losing GH1.5 billion Ghana cedis to fuel smuggling this year.

But for the smuggling of fuel, Ghana would have gained more than GH5 billion in revenue in 2017.

Last year, Ghana lost an estimated GH800 million in 2016 as a result of smuggling, and even though we are only halfway through the year, conservative figures released by the Chamber of Petroleum Consumers (COPEC) suggest that the nation risks losing a staggering GH1.5 billion this year if we continue to turn a blind eye to the issue,

Bulk Oil Distribution Companies and Oil Marketing Companies have complained that aside revenue losses to the state, the smuggling of fuel negatively affect their operations.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Association of Oil Marketing Companies, Kwaku Agyeman Duah, said the criminal activity resulted in a 15 percent loss of volumes to his members last year.

Since April, this year, the OMCs have been threatening to sack workers at the filling stations and other offices.

The source stated that to tackle the menace, all trucks must be escorted to their destinations with the help of security officers.

Licenses to exporters should be scrutinized, with proper audit and enforcement of proper electronic tracking of fuel to the neighbouring landlocked countries. Tracking devices must be installed on all export bulk road vehicles, the source indicated.
Ussif Mustapha, Acting Executive Director of the National Service Scheme (NSS), has conducted members of the re-constituted Board of Directors of the scheme round some of its projects during a familiarization tour in Accra.

The Acting Executive Director was accompanied on the tour by Deputy Executive Directors, Nana Boakye and Gifty Oware Aboagye, as well as other senior staff of the NSS.

The delegation inspected the stalled GHc1.6 million water project at Medie in the Ga West Municipal of the Greater Accra Region.

According to the project engineer, Gordian Wononuah, the plant, when completed, will have the capacity to produce about 22,000 bottles of water a day.

At the Haatso, Papao Farms in the La-Nkwantanang Madina Municipality, Cyril Tettey-Enyo, Farm Manager indicated that the project comprises livestock and aqua-culture.

According to him, the mixed farm produces about 450 rabbits, 960 layers, 250 pigs and up to 3,000 catfish annually.

Mr. Tettey-Enyo called for more resources to boost work on the feed production unit of the farm.

He further called on management to help improve the quality of livestock breeds at the rabbitry and piggery in order to satisfy current market demands.

Board

Prof Kofi Osei-Akuoko, Board Chairman, who was impressed by the efforts of management to execute the various projects, called for a plan that will guide the board.

He gave assurance that all projects will be re-activated, adding that the projects fall in line with the President's policies of One District, One Factory and 'Planting for Food and Jobs.'

Can you image the huge employment opportunities that will open for people who are at various levels; let us put our heads together and make these projects work, he stated

He urged National Service personnel to take advantage of the rich experience that abound on the various farms to establish businesses after the service.

Issuance of Certificates

In a related development, the management of NSS has called on the 2015/16 National Service personnel to contact the various NSS Regional Secretariats from Wednesday, October 4, 2017 with valid NSS identification or National Identification Cards to collect their certificates.
THE DEPUTY Minister of Environment, Science and Technology and Innovation, Mrs. Patricia Appiagyei, has disclosed that government is finalising a strategic plan to address the country's sanitation challenges.

According to her, the strategic plan will involve the full participation of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in its implementation.

She was optimistic the strategic plan would help Ghana effectively manage waste, and would also go a long way to improve the sanitation situation to make Ghana one of the cleanest countries.

Delivering a keynote address as the Special Guest at the 'Voice For Change (V4C)' partnership programme organized by SNV in Accra dubbed 'Building Vibrant CSOs for Advocacy', Mrs. Appiagyei further revealed that as part of the plan, government will construct waste management plants in some parts of the country.

Touching on post-harvest losses, the Deputy Minister mentioned Planting for Food and Jobs as one of government's efforts in tackling the country's food security, improve nutrition and minimize post-harvest loses.

She noted that government will continue to improve investment in the promotion of clean cooking system for the benefit of the lower income class, believing that it will save lives, prevent the forest from further degradation and reduce the burden of smoke inhaled diseases in households.

For his part, H.E Ron Strikker, the Ambassador of the Royal Kingdom of the Netherlands called on government to continue to create the enabling environment for Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) to operate without any hindrance.

According to him, when CSOs are supported with the required capital and given the opportunity to criticise policies of government through dialogue, it will facilitate change and development in most sectors of the economy.

Civil Society is the voice of the citizens and when they make government accountable it will bring about much development, make democracy stronger and make the country better.

The ambassador believed that advocacy has become a fulcrum of change in most areas of development across the globe, adding that The Voice For Change is a typical example that SNV and its partners have put together to ensure change in key areas of the country.

Mr. Eric Z. Banye, Country Programme Coordinator of SNV in his speech indicated that through the 'Voice for Change Partnership' (V4CP) programme, SNV supports CSOs to foster collaboration among relevant stakeholders, influence agenda-setting and hold the government and private sector accountable for their promises and actions.

By Vincent Kubi
A youth group calling itself Concerned Denkyira New Patriotic Party (NPP) Youth in Twifo Hemang Lower Denkyira District in the Central Region, has warned the Deputy Minister for Employment and Labour Relations, Bright Wereko Brobbey to desist from attacking the District Chief Executive (DCE) for the area.

The Deputy Minister who doubles as the Member of Parliament for the area is alleged to be creating division in the party which would ultimately affect the performance of the NPP in the area.

This is contained in a press statement signed by the president of the group, Osei Boateng and copied to the Chief of Staff, Central Regional Minister, Regional Chairman of the NPP, Constituency Chairman, District Police, DCE and the MP.

It outlines chronology of events that according to the group has given credence to the fact that everything that has been happening in the district as well as the constituency is masterminded by the MP since 2008

The group alleged that Mr. Wereko Brobbey after losing the 2008 NPP primaries went as an independent candidate against NPP's preferred choice and even organized thugs to hoot at Nana Addo, the then Presidential candidate.

In the interest of peace the party forgave him and accepted him back after he lost the 2008 elections. The evidence is that Nana Addo has appointed him as the deputy minister for employment, it said.

According to the press statement, Mr Wereko Brobbey has shown and continues to show that he has not changed.

It explained that, when the current MP lost the Parliamentary election in 2012, he refused to campaign for the elected candidate but rather sabotaged him with all sorts of evil machinations.

Indeed he was able to achieve his selfish ambition as the party lost the seat to NDC. He has shown that if it is not him or anybody from Twifo Hemang then it should not be any one else it said.

The group said that, to show his hatred to the DCE and his mission to make him unpopular in the eyes of the people in the district, the MP organized his boys from Hemang to demonstrate against the DCE during assembly sitting.

They are therefore calling on the Central Regional Minister, Kwamina Duncan as a matter of urgency to call the MP to order for peace to prevail in the district.
Geneva (AFP) - The World Health Organization said Tuesday there was a "moderate risk" that a plague outbreak in Madagascar would spread to other countries in the region, but advised against travel restrictions.

The outbreak of both bubonic plague, which is spread by infected rats via flea bites, and pneumonic plague, spread person to person, has infected 133 people, killing 24 of them, since August 1, according to WHO numbers.

Madagascar has suffered plague outbreaks almost every year since 1980, often caused by rats fleeing forest fires.

But WHO spokesman Christian Lindmeier told reporters the current outbreak had more potential than most to spread further in Madagascar since it has already affected large urban areas, including the capital Antananarivo.

Pneumonic plague, though rarer on the island, spreads more easily, he said, pointing out that 17 of the deaths recorded so far were due to the respiratory version of the disease.

"The overall risk of further spread at the national level is high," Lindmeier said.

At the regional level, the risk was "moderate due to frequent flights to neighbouring Indian Ocean islands", he said.

But the risk of a more international spread of the disease was "low", he said.

For this reason, Lindmeier said the WHO was for now advising against slapping any travel or trade restrictions on Madagascar.

The plague is a highly infectious disease that has killed millions of people across the world in the past before being largely wiped out.

Pneumonic plague can kill quickly, within 18-24 hours of infection if left untreated, but common antibiotics can cure it if they are given early on.

The WHO stressed that most people can recover from the plague if they are rapidly treated and urged anyone in the affected areas who notice respiratory symptoms to seek treatment, which is being provided for free.
Accra, Oct. 3, CDA Consult  The Ghana Oil Company Limited (GOIL) the foremost indigenous Oil Marketing Company in the Country has donated 70 specialized Road Barrier Equipment to the Sekondi- Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly.

The Road Barrier Equipment are to help the Metropolitan Assembly and Security Officials control road traffic and assist in general road safety management at the Airport Round About and the Central Business District of the Port City.

The Donation was in response to appeals for support to help control traffic, unauthorized Parking and general vehicular congestion in the twin city.

GOILs Zonal Manager, West, Mr. Enoch Bimpong who presented the equipment to the Sekondi Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly, underscored the importance the company attaches to safety hoping it will assist the assembly to reduce congestion in the city.

He said GOIL has taken steps to significantly enhance the quality of its petroleum products and explained that its fuel additive, XP3 ensures stronger performance of vehicle engines.

Mr. Bimpong gave the assurance that GOIL, as a local marketing company would continue to sell its products at reasonably cheaper prices and encouraged increased patronage to sustain it on the path of growth and profitability.

That, he noted, was the way to go to enable the company to support the local economy and live up to its corporate social responsibility.

The Metropolitan Chief Executive, Mr. Kobina Sam was grateful to GOIL for the gesture.
I would like to believe that no patriotic Ghanaian will ever shrill and thrill over the spate of sleazes and corruption in the country.

It would appear that in Ghana, the justice system more often than not, descends heavily on goat, cassava and plantain thieves, and let go the remorseless criminals who hide behind narrow political lines.

I must confess, though, I was over the moon when the Supreme Court of Ghana once returned a favourable verdict in the case of Occupy Ghana versus the Auditor General that the latter is obliged to retrieve the embezzled or stolen funds from the culprits without fear or favour.

Disappointingly, however, , my excitement became ephemeral, like the life span of a fly, when the Auditor General later claimed that some culprits have already returned their loots, albeit without the essential prosecutions.

Obviously, the benign and somewhat lenient approach would not circumscribe the widespread sleazes and corruptions which have been retrogressing Ghanas advancement thus far.

How on earth would individuals turn away from their misdeeds if the only punishment for stealing public funds is a mere plea to return the loot?

Let us be honest, much as the paradox of exposure is somewhat relevant in the fight against corruption, it is not an isolated tool, it goes hand in hand with prevention and deterrence.

Regrettably, though, the justice system tends to clampdown heavily on goat, cassava and plantain thieves, and more often than not, let go the obdurate criminals who hide behind narrow political colorations.

Well, if we are ever prepared to beseech the fantastically corrupt public officials to only pay back their loots without any further punishment, we might as well treat the goat, plantain and cassava thieves same. For after all, what is good for the goose is good for the gander.

Verily, reported cases of political criminals misdeeds often leave concerned Ghanaians with a glint of bewilderment.

And what is more, when it comes to the prosecutions of the political criminals, we are often made to believe: the wheels of justice turn slowly, but it will grind exceedingly fine.

Yet we can disappointingly recount a lot of unresolved alleged criminal cases involving political personalities and other civil servants.

Where is the fairness when the political thieves could dip their hands into the national purse as if there is no tomorrow and go scot free, while the goat, cassava and plantain thieves are often locked up?

Indeed, it beggars belief that individuals could form an alliance, create, loot and share gargantuan sums of money belonging to the state and would eventually slip through the justice net.

I will dare state that there is no deterrence for political criminals. For, if that was not the case, how come political criminals more often than not go through the justice net, despite unobjectionable evidence of wrong doing?

Let us admit, though, corruption is a serious economic, social, political and moral impediment to the nation building. To this end, corrupt officials must be held accountable at all times without fear or favour.

As a matter of fact, corruption is found in all countriesbig and small, rich and poorbut it is in the developing world that its effects are most destructive.

In fact, some of us cannot comprehend why the people we have entrusted with the national coffers could team up with shifty individuals and steal gargantuan sums of money belonging to the nation without facing any stiff punishment.

Regrettably, despite the fact that corruption slows down the nation building, some corrupt officials are nonetheless bent on siphoning our scarce resources to the detriment of the poor.

Corruption is an insidious plague that has a wide range of corrosive effects on societies. It undermines democracy and the rule of law, leads to violations of human rights, distorts markets, erodes the quality of life and allows organized crime, terrorism and other threats to human security to flourish (UN 2003).

For the poor, women and minorities, corruption means even less access to jobs, justice or any fair and equal opportunity (UNDP 2016).

Let us however keep our fingers cross for the arrival of the Special Prosecutor and pray that the corrupt public officials are brought to book.

Indeed, it will be gratifying to witness the Special Prosecutor exerting dint of effort and retrieving most of the stolen monies in the last few years, which obviously collapsed Ghanas economy.

It is our anticipation that the Special Prosecutor will go after the greedy politicians and other public servants who have shamefully stolen from the national purse.

Of course, the suspects and their apologists will grumble and squall over the Special Prosecutors lawful interrogations.

Nevertheless, there will be no mercy for the wrong doers. We shall claw-back all the stolen monies which were meant for various developmental projects.

Let us therefore humbly remind President Akufo-Addo that the right antidote to curbing the unbridled sleazes and corruptions is through stiff punishments, including the retrieval of all stolen monies, sale of properties and harsh prison sentences.

K. Badu, UK.
Accra, Oct. 3, CDA Consult  The Ghana Oil Company Limited (GOIL), the nations foremost Indigenous Oil Marketing Company has for the second consecutive year, won the coveted Chartered Institute of Marketing Ghana (CIMG) Petroleum Company of the year.

GOIL has affirmed and consolidated its position as the number one Oil marketing Company in the Country.

The award which was announced at the 28th National Marketing Performance awards held in Accra, confirms the biggest indigenous marketing entitys role also as an important player in the competitive sector.

GOIL won the award in 2015 and its MD, Patrick Apke Kwame Akorli is the immediate past CIMG Man of the Year.

Mr Akorli explained in an interview after the award that GOIL has the largest retail network of over 300 active service stations countrywide with 20 per cent of market share and has been posting impressive results, recording 58.7 per cent increase in profit after tax in 2016, a 26.95 per cent increase in turnover compared to that of 2015.

GOIL as the biggest indigenous marketing entity continues to make strides, venturing big into the bunkering sector.

He said in line with the companys expansion drive, a 13.5m litre capacity MGO bunkering facility has recently been commissioned in Takoradi Port at a cost of $15 million.

The GOIL Group Chief Executive Officer said already, a modern 4000m3 MGO bunkering facility fitted with a filtration and coalescing unit at the Sekondi Naval Base is in operation.

In the medium to long term GOIL wants to become a vibrant energy company with a significant foothold in West Africa, says Mr. Patrick Akorli, MD and CEO of GOIL.

Downstream petroleum analysts says, the bunkering investments especially the Takoradi Project , are significant because they will position GOIL to benefit from the huge trade in MGO, 60 per cent of which is being done offshore, bringing in the much needed revenue to GOIL and to the state in the form of taxes.

Mr. Alex Josiah Adzew, the GOIL Chief Operating Officer, underscored the premium GOIL puts on the quality of products, explaining that this has pushed her to procure a modern mobile laboratory van to test all products at its station before sale to consumers.

He reiterated that the company will invest more resources to ensure products are always of the highest standards and quality.

GOIL is already eying the road construction sector, finalizing plans to construct a bitumen plant to serve the burgeoning industry.
Harare (AFP) - Zimbabwe police have arrested a journalist at a privately-owned daily over a story claiming that President Robert Mugabe's wife, Grace had donated second-hand underwear to supporters, lawyers said Tuesday.

Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) said that Kenneth Nyangani, a NewsDay journalist, was arrested on Monday night "for allegedly writing and publishing a story over the donation of some used undergarments by First Lady Grace Mugabe".

Nyangani was being detained in the eastern city of Mutare and is likely to face "criminal defamation" charges, the organisation said in a statement. He is yet to appear in court.

The NewsDay on Monday reported that a ruling Zanu-PF lawmaker, Esau Mupfumi had over the weekend handed out clothes saying they were donated by Grace Mugabe.

"I met the First Lady Grace Mugabe and I was given these clothes so that I can give you. I have briefs for you and I am told that most of your briefs are not in good shape, please come and collect your allocations today," the NewsDay quoted Mupfumi as saying.

"We have night dresses, sandals and clothes, come and take, this is from your First Lady Grace Mugabe."

Zimbabwe's worsening economic crisis has forced many people to resort to buying second-hand clothes which are more affordable.

The used clothes that include undergarments are mostly imported from Mozambique after being shipped from Western nations.

Zimbabwe once banned the sale of second-hand clothes in 2015 but later lifted the ban.

The southern African country is facing money shortages and high unemployment blamed on long ruling President Robert Mugabe economic policies.

Amnesty International has called for Nyangani's unconditional release, saying his arrest aimed at harassing and intimidating journalists.

"The intention is to send a chilling message to journalists and media workers that they must self-censor rather than expose truths," it said in a statement.
Pretoria (AFP) - Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe returned to South Africa on Tuesday for the first time since his wife claimed diplomatic immunity over allegedly assaulting a model in a Johannesburg hotel room.

Mugabe, 93, was not accompanied by his wife Grace as he met President Jacob Zuma in Pretoria, six weeks after the alleged attack sparked diplomatic tension between the two neighbours.

Mugabe used his opening remarks at the talks to stress the close relations between Zimbabwe and South Africa, but did not mention the incident.

"Had we had a say in the choice of a neighbour, we would have chosen you," he said, to laughter from ministers on both sides.

"We are one -- one people, one revolution, one struggle, one future," he added.

Grace Mugabe, 52, is alleged to have assaulted Gabriella Engels with an electrical extension cable at the chic Johannesburg hotel where the Mugabes' two sons, who are in their 20s, were staying.

Engels suffered cuts to her forehead and the back of her head during the alleged August 13 assault.

The first lady was granted diplomatic immunity by South African authorities and promptly flew out of the country, accompanied by her husband who had arrived for a regional summit.

Earlier, the South African police had vowed to prevent her from leaving as they considered issuing an arrest warrant.

At the time of the incident, Mugabe's two sons Robert Jnr and Chatunga were living in the Sandton business district of Johannesburg, where they have a reputation for partying.

Engels, 20, has launched a legal battle to have Grace Mugabe stripped of immunity over the alleged attack.

"We were chilling in a hotel room, and (Mugabe's sons) were in the room next door. She came in and started hitting us," Engels told local media.

In 2009, Grace Mugabe was granted immunity in Hong Kong after repeatedly punching a British photographer for taking pictures of her at a luxury hotel.

President Mugabe, who came to power in 1980, is due to stand again in elections next year, with his wife seen as one possible successor when he leaves office.

At Tuesday's talks, Zuma also made no reference to the incident and said there was "ever-growing cooperation between the two countries".
03.10.2017 LISTEN

Most of the traditional markets in Accra are in a deplorable states. They do not have modern market facilities to enable them perform their functions as modern markets in the various communities.

Businesses are slow in these markets as people no longer patronise them because of poor infrastructure. Business activities in these markets have virtually come to a halt. This has brought untold suffering to the trader folks who operate in those markets.

In times past, the markets were booming with lots of shoppers, including expatriates shopping on a daily basis. But today, these shoppers hardly come around to shop because of the poor state of the markets.

A careful study conducted by a team of journalists from Journalists In Community Development (JICD) proved that the authorities-district assemblies, members of parliament and the chiefs whose responsibility it is to ensure the wellbeing of the markets, have not been supportive enough.

Interestingly, some of these markets have been in the news in recent times for issues of poor infrastracture, neglet, poor security, low patronage, among others. Traders of these markers often complaint of attacks by armed robbers who rob them of their money and valuables.

Again, traders complain of thieves who steal their wares at night because there are no proper places to keep them.

The lack of proper infrastructure has eventually driven away all of their customers from shopping in the markets. Instead, they go to the malls to shop. Clearly, the customers find these malls better for shopping because the mall have modern infrastructure which make shopping more fun. Afterall, everthing, including "momone" (stinking fish) can be obtained from the malls.

Nonetheless, traders have remained in the markets because they have no alternative source of livelihood.

Obviously, these developments have called for urgent need for our traditional markets to be given a facelift to befit a modern market. This is the only way that we can keep the traders in a more profitable and sustainable business.

A JICD reporter visited the Anyaa market, in the Anyaa Ablekum constituency of the Ga Central Municipal Assembly. In an interview, the Deputy Organiser of Anyaa Market Association, Madam Dina Anum, appealed to Nana Akuffo Addo to construct a modern market in place of the old deplorable one for them. According to her, the Mahama administration promised to provide a bus terminal and a modern market for the people of the constituency but time permitted only the terminal to be completed.

The organiser said ever since the NPP took office nine months ago, there has been no sign of the new administration continuing the project to alleviate the suffering of the traders.

She therefore advised the government not to abandon projects that were started by the previous administration, but to continue and complete them to maintain growth and development for the people.

Complaining further, the Deputy Organiser stressed that anytime it rains, the entire market becomes flooded and muddy, and this makes it difficult for traders and shoppers to come to the market. Again, she complained that traders do not have secured places where they keep their wares. And this, she said has given thieves the opportunity to steal at will.

Madam Anum also recalled that in times past, when the market was not in such a deplorable state, many shoppers including foreigners were always at the market to shop. "Today, many of the customers have stopped buying from the market because of its deplorable state", she added. "Customers prefere going to the malls to do their shopping because of convenience and better facilities", she added.

Madam Anum told the reporter that the poor state of the market has cost traders all their trading capital. "now we have place to turn to, we find it difficult to support our families under the circumstance", she cried.

Concluding, the Deputy Organiser appealed to Nana Akuffo Addo and the Member of Parliament for the area, Hon. Ayokor Botwe to use their high offices to construct the market for the traders in order to restore their economic fortunes.
The National Organizer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has accused the President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo, of peddling falsehood about the state of the economy he inherited from the previous administration

According to Kofi Adams, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government took over the most stable economy of any administration in the fourth republic.

Speaking in response to calls by the President for Ghanaians to be considerate in their demands on his government, Kofi Adams claimed the NDC had inherited and turned around an economy in a far worse state, with the government having to issue bonds initially just to pay salaries of workers

The President is not only showing signs of double standards but he's also peddling falsehood. President Akufo-Addo inherited a better economy than possibly any of our [other] presidents have had in the fourth republic, Kofi Adams said in an interview with Citi News.

The NDC inherited an economy in 2009 that was borrowing to pay salaries. Indeed we went out there and took bonds before we could pay salaries. That was the type of economy we inherited. The NPP inherited an economy that never borrowed to pay salaries. We paid salaries using revenue generated internally.

The President was responding to demands made on him by the chiefs and people of the Dorimon traditional area at Jambusie in the Wa West District, while on a two-day working visit to the Upper West Region as part of 7-day tour of northern Ghana.

The President said his government had inherited an ailing economy which forced them to be measured in the number of projects they undertake.

What we are saying is that, all the things that you have put to me are things that I am very concerned about  extending the school feeding programme, establishing a nurses training collegebut a lot of them depend on the state of our public finances. And the truth of the matter is that, I am not a lucky son, I did not inherit a rich father. The inheritance I got from my predecessor was an empty treasury so I'm having to work my way from the bottom up, Nana Addo said.

However, Kofi Adams touted the Mahama administrations feats in infrastructure development despite the challenges they had encountered, particularly the work that has been done at the various airports.

We had added a lot more infrastructure that did not exist. Go to our air and sea ports today; we've added a lot more infrastructure that did not exist. We have a more expanded Kumasi Airport, Tamale Airport and the Kotoka International Airport is seeing massive expansion he said.



By: Edwin Kwakofi/citifmonline.com/Ghana
YaoundA (AFP) - A home-made device exploded overnight near a police station in Cameroon's restless English-speaking region, where separatist leaders have launched a campaign for independence, concurring sources said Tuesday.

There were no reported casualties, they said.

The bomb detonated near a police unit called the Mobile Intervention Group in Bamenda, the chief city in the Northwest Region, a security official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The information was confirmed separately to AFP by an official with the regional government, who added that another device nearby was safely defused by police.

There was no claim of responsibility by late afternoon.

The blast came after a weekend of violence in which 19 people were killed in the English-speaking Northwest and Southwest regions as the authorities clamped down on a symbolic declaration of independence for "Ambazonia," the name of the state radical anglophones wish to create.

Fourteen died in clashes with security forces, and five were prisoners shot by guards in an attempted jail break at Kumbo, according to an AFP toll.

Cameroon, a francophone-majority nation in central-western Africa, has a large anglophone minority, comprising about a fifth of its population of 22 million.

English-speakers complain they suffer inequality and discrimination -- a resentment that has fuelled a breakaway movement that culminated Sunday in a symbolic declaration of independence from the rest of Cameroon.

President Paul Biya strongly opposes independence, as well as a less radical alternative for a return to a federal structure, which the country once had.

Home-made bombs exploded in Bamenda on September 18 and September 22 in Douala, Cameroon's economic hub, which is in a francophone region.

The blasts prompted the government to ratchet up its response to anglophone agitation, notably calling the separatists "terrorists".

This was followed by orders for a three-day curb on movement in the two anglophone areas, coinciding with the independence declaration.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Amnesty International have called on Cameroon to investigate the fatalities, and the European Union and France, the country's former colonial power, have urged dialogue and non-violence.

Cameroon was a German colony from 1884 until 1919, when it was split into British- and French- run entities at the end of World War I.

Today's anglophone-francophone rift dates back to 1961, when the British-administered Southern Cameroons united with Cameroon after its independence from France in 1960.
A group belonging to the New Patriotic Party in the Northern regional capital, Tamale, has alleged that the partys regional chairman, Mr. Bugri Naabu hired them to stage a massive demonstration against President Akuffo Addo  who is due to visit the region on Friday, 6th October, 2017, as part of a three-day working tour  and some two top regional officers.

This latest disclosure has deepened tensions among party executives in the region after divisions caused by the leakage on Sunday of an official document at the Regional Coordinating Council asking Metropolitan Municipal Chief Executives to finance the visit of the president.

We wish to bring to the notice of Ghanaians and members of our party that the plans of some section of the partys youth to stage a demonstration against His Excellency President Nana Addo, the Northern Regional Minister and the Mayor of Tamale, Mr. Musah Superior, this week before the president arrives is masterminded by chairman, Bugri Naabu, a statement issued by the group on Tuesday revealed.

The demonstration was also targeted at the Regional Minister, Salifu Saeed and Mayor of Tamale, Musah Superior and intended to disgrace the president as revenge for lowering his authority as leader of the party, the statement added.

The group, Get All on Deck said the protest was scheduled to occur this Thursday, a day before the arrival of the President.

The group members said they together with other groups were part of the grand scheme but they decided to blow the cover because they realized after intense deliberations that the chairman only wanted to use us for his parochial and selfish interest.

The group added further that the decision to speak out publicly against the plot was because some of the members hired by the party chairman to join the protest were known members of the opposition party. They claimed they found that the chairmans intention was to destabilize and frustrate efforts of the Minister and the Mayor.

Some of our members who can be identified were Rashid and Habib who are known allies of Bugri Naabu and those who always organize the youth all these while. For the avoidance of doubt, you may have heard that, some youth group last Saturday stormed the chairmans residence with a petition, complaining about some issues against the northern regional minister. This is one of the schemes of Chairman Bugri Naabu. He paid us GH10, 000.00 to carry out the operation this time around.

According to the group, the chairman paid them to protest against the President over issues concerning the appointment of MMDCEs in the region that has upset Bugri who had issued threats to quit his position.

The minister vehemently denies all the charges and maintained he has friendly relationship with the chairman.

The group added that the chairman instructed them to target the Mayor and Regional Minister in the plot because he (Bugri Naabu) believed the two appointees were against his chairmanship ambition. Bugri has repeatedly accused the Minister, in particular of supporting other potential candidates to unseat him as regional chairman. He, at a point suggested to the president to fire the minister.

The group also drew the attention of the security agencies to stop the chairman from causing mayhem and advised the chairman to address concerns through dialogue and negotiations and eschew violent confrontation.

Responding to the statement, Bugri Naabu roundly denied meeting with any group and said the claims by the youth was concoction and nothing but concoction.

I dont know any group at all; no group has come to me neither I have met with any group and I dont see why Im receiving the president and will ask the youth to demonstrate against him.
The Author

03.10.2017 LISTEN

Most leaders will never be what they think they are and will ironically pray to be the persons their dogs think they are: In a date with CIMG marketing man of the year 2015, Patrick K. Akorli, Managing Director (Goil) recently, he made us appreciate the complementary role of the dog whenever it is being misled towards the wrong direction by its manager. In a related development, Ken Banchard concluded that Eagles flourish in organizations where customer is the focus but Ducks multiply in places where boss pleasing is a daily ritual. In every faculty of life, eagles abound in transforming the lives of individuals through activities within the aegis of human relations. Indeed, Max Depree emphasized that the first responsibility of a leader is to define the reality. The last is to say thank you. In-between, the leader is a servant.

From the world book (2001), leadership is important in keeping group work together and directing it to act in certain way. Being one of the elements of human relations, experts believe it is one of the best means in achieving the desired goal with minimum conflict primed on the fact that individuals have inborn and acquired needs. If a leader understands individuals needs, why they act and react as they do and the things that will change their mind, he is better positioned to provide them with the appropriate solution. It is also important to marry individual needs to living together because people are social beings and live in contact with each other. The third reality is the unpleasant ring of conflict that every group situation offers among members with distinct needs.

A royal caretaker must know his sheep just as the dynamics of leadership in salesmanship beholds on the manager to understand the needs of his sales force and the specific situation. The value relevance of this as presented by Anderson provides four kinds of people that will need tailored art of influencing. In the first segment, you will lead experienced high performing team who tend to be competitive with one another. A second set consists of experienced high performing team doing work they know and enjoy amid new hired inexperienced trainees and experienced team likely to do the unpleasant unfamiliar jobs. A study has determined that effective leaders address two kinds of needs within an organization: efficiency and human needs.

These leaders are effective at both planning and implementing task and at working with people in the organization. The journal school of leadership reaffirmed that the more a company focuses on internal leadership growth, the better its sales and profit. A great deal of contributions from the social sciences such as the economist, political scientist, cultural anthropologist, social psychologist and the sociologist enhance this element of human relations.

The genetic engineering on the art of influencing through research from the 1970s and the 1980s has been phenomenal in that while leaders are essential component of organization, they are also one of the most complex components. According to Thomas Carlyle (1840), to suggest that leaders do not enter the world with extraordinary endowment is to imply that people enter the world with equal talents. It is also widely accepted that leadership learning should be a lifetime activity as being practiced by the military.

This puts to rest whether leaders are born or made because a leader will always be born before being grilled by teaching, observation and learning. These manifest in telling people what to do, how to do it and who is to do it. Leaders are also expected to be concerned about how they listen, provide clarification, know the individual motives and providing feedback. In order not to court a leadership failure one fit style to all situations is bad.

Ken Blanchard emphasized that the best leaders are those who understand that their power flows through them not from them. On this journey of influencing you need to know where you are going and have a personal mission statement strongly footed on your strength but be guided by your assumed obituary. According to Ken, you need to set the boundaries as to your purpose, values, goal, role and structures. The world book also admonishes us to consider other factors such as the organizational unit and any outside influences, system control and the group goal.

Human dignity and respect are important because leadership is not something you do to people but something you do with people and committed to helping your people win. All the things leadership espouses has nothing to do with size; it is about knowledge, wisdom and dealing in hope. In the words of Peter Drucker, it is lifting a persons vision to high sight, the raising of a persons performance to a higher standard, the building of personality beyond its normal limitations.

All remarkable leaders are marked with great achievement and history. Pope Francis has attracted non catholic admirers by setting a new direction for the church, refused to occupy the Palatial papal apartment, washed the feet of female Muslim prisoner and created an advisory team of 8 cardinals. Alan Mulally, former CEO of Ford Motors is referred to as miracle worker who saved his company without resorting to bailout as previous leaders tried and failed. Bill Cliton has been a relentless and forceful advocate for HIV/AIDS, Malaria, tuberculosis and the need to stem greenhouse emission. Jeff Bezor is also a life testimony of world leader as CEO of Amazon.com is an extremely rare combination of visionary and master builder for 20 years with the foresight and turning into world number two after Apple.

Warren Buffet, an investor is also an example of leaders who leads 300,000 employees into a value based hands off style that gives managers wide leeway and incentivizes them like owners. The likes of Christine Largarde and Angela Mekel are worth mentioning. Zed Corner in 2015 listed some of the good leaders in Africa as Kwame Nkrumah, Nelson Mandela, Haile Selasie, Ellen Johnson, Kenneth Kaunda, Patrice Lumumba, Jomo Kenyatta, Thomas Sankara and Samora Machel. We venerate them for their boundaries, exemplary lives, truthfulness, self sacrifices, investment in the wellbeing of followers, human relations, and the eagle like characteristics.

You can inspire in your marital decision, business decision, household decision, national decision, global decision and financial decision among the lots because leadership is a high calling. You should think and talk about the solution as suggested by Brian Tracy. Mr Patrick Akorli MD (Goil) advised us to be ready to learn on this journey of leadership while thinking about our followers first because if town folks are happy, the chief deserves thank.
The Oluwo of Iwo Land, Osun state, South-West Nigeria, Oba Abdul-Rasheed Adewale Akanbi, Telu I has called on indigenes in diaspora to come home and contribute their quota to the development of the town as he marks his second anniversary on throne and 50th birthday 7th of October 2017.

Oba Akanbi in a statement released by the palace, disclosed that eminent Nigerians are expected at the twin event. He said: As a responsible father I am thirsty of development. There are two Iwos: the old Iwo and the new Iwo. The new Iwo is the best because we have migrated from obscurity to light. The name is everywhere now and big investments are underway.

The Monarch also charged the indigenes saying that the best they could do as indigenes is to invest in the many community projects in Iwo land.

According to him, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, and the national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, are among the many dignitaries expected to grace the event marking his 50th birthday and coronation anniversary as Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola will be the chief host to the invited guests.

While Oba Abdul-Rasheed Adewale Akanbi also spoke about the guest slated for the event, he hinted that the Olugbo of Ugbo, Oba Fredrick Obateru Akinruntan is the Chairman of the occasion while Haija Abbah Folawiyo is the Mother of the Day.

Other dignitaries expected at the event include: Monarch, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Mike Adenuga, Femi Otedola, all Emirs in Nigeria, as well as other high-ranking monarch across the country.

Recall that Oluwo of Iwo Land recently held a prayer session for President Muhammadu Buhari and other leaders in Nigeria. The event witnessed over 3000 people in attendance from all over the country.
Nollywood actress and Philanthropist Rosaline Meurer has bagged special recognition award for ambassadorial support for mother and Child at the La Mode Green October Event held yesterday at Oriental Hotel, Lagos. The glamorous fashion show and exhibition was designed to mark independence day and also raise fund for Cerebral Palsy.

It was a colourful award ceremony and gala night which attracted several high profile personalities and brands as Meurer was honoured for her benevolence and charity works towards mother and Children.

It would be recalled that she visited a maternity hospital in Delta State where she paid off hospital bills of pregnant and newly delivered mothers, as well as donating for a child in Lagos hospital that had eye cancer. Her philanthropic works cuts across Nigeria and even Ghana with a recent support carried out in Delta State to commission Udu water project.

The talented Actress who was nominated for CityPeople Movie Award 2017 has also joined the league of movie producers with the released of her new movie " The Therapist's Therapy" featuring A'list actors.
Heres why controversial birth control healthcare needs to start putting women first, not financial gain.



In June of 1960, the FDA approved the sale of the first birth control pill, Enovid. Though effective and simple to use, Enovid was far from perfect. Due to the extremely high dose of hormones it carried (far more than necessary to prevent pregnancy), the likelihood and severity of side effects were sky high. Even more disturbing was the fact that these serious side effects had been evident since the first clinical trials.

In the first trials in Puerto Rico, Dr. Edris Rice-Wray reported early on that 17 percent of the women* who took the pill had significantly unpleasant side effects, including dizziness, nausea, headaches, and vomiting. Because of the discomfort caused by the medicine, 25 of the patients withdrew from the trials before completion. In her first report, Dr. Rice-Wray made it known that although the pill provided exceptional protection against unintended pregnancy, she felt it caused too many side effects to be generally acceptable.

Unfortunately, Gregory Pincus, the head of the research team, was more concerned with the pills effectiveness at preventing pregnancy than the side effects  he had little empathy for what he regarded as hypochondria among the women in the trials. But it wasnt hypochondria at all. Besides the distressing side effects mentioned above, one woman died of congestive heart failure and another developed pulmonary tuberculosis. The trial researchers were so focused on watching for damage to the cervix, endometrium, liver, and ovaries, that they didnt stop to consider that these adverse reactions were related to the pill.

Once the pill hit the market, the problems only intensified. Reports of nausea, breast tenderness, water retention, and weight gain poured in from millions of women worldwide. In 1961, G.D. Searle  the manufacturer of Enovid  reported 32 incidents of thrombosis (blood clots) and embolism (clots moving through and blocking a blood vessel) among women using the pill. But the FDA resolved that even if the pill caused these harmful side effects, the rate was much lower than the rate of women who would die from pregnancy complications.

However, Senator Gaylord Nelson elected to hold hearings on whether the women who used Enovid had been provided with enough information about possible risks and side effects to make an informed decision. Some who questioned the use of the pill were motivated by an interest in womens health. Some, such as Hugh Davis, were not. Davis, a gynecologist, was Nelsons lead speaker at the hearings. He testified that women would be safer using a new IUD instead of the pill. He failed to reveal the fact that he had a financial interest in promoting this new IUD  the Dalkon Shield  which was later found to cause pelvic inflammatory disease, loss of fertility, and the death of five women. This wasnt the first time profits were put ahead of womens safety, and it wouldnt be the last.

As a result of the Nelson Pill Hearing, drug companies were required to include a health warning with oral contraceptives  the first informational insert on any prescription drug. Enovid was discontinued in 1988, and oral contraceptives were released with far lower estrogen doses.

The history of the birth control pill is a disturbing one, and unfortunately, it doesnt seem to have had any impact on the modern pharmaceutical industry. If we look closer at the birth control options available for women today, well find that not much has improved in the last 57 years.

Good Enough Doesnt Cut It

As it stands, no birth control currently available on the market is risk free  even those that are generally considered safe. Hormonal birth control (pills, patches, vaginal rings, injections, and implants) is known to cause headaches, nausea, sore breasts, and spotting between periods in many women. Much worse, though, is the increased risk of blood clots, heart attack, stroke, and liver tumors. Women who smoke, especially if they are over 35 years of age, are especially susceptible to these serious side effects.

For the most part, progestin-only birth control doesnt carry these risks. Women who are over 35 years of age and smoke should avoid birth control containing estrogen. Women of any age should avoid combination hormonal birth control if they have a history of uncontrolled high blood pressure, chest pain, diabetes, severe headaches, heart or liver disease, blood clots, or stroke.

Intrauterine devices (IUDs) are one of the most effective forms of birth control. However, they shouldnt be used if you have an active STI, have had a recent pelvic infection, have had cancer of the cervix or uterus, or if youre pregnant. Rare but serious side effects include infections caused by bacteria getting into the uterus when the device is inserted, punctures in the wall of the uterus, ovarian cysts, and ectopic pregnancies. Copper-releasing IUDs can cause intense cramping, longer and heavier periods, and spotting between periods.

Even permanent birth control isnt totally safe. Surgical sterilization (tubal ligation) typically involves general anesthesia and a laparoscopy. Major complications of tubal ligation arent common, but include infection, heavy blood loss, general anesthesia problems, and organ injury during surgery.

Invented to be an alternative to surgical sterilization, Essure is the latest birth control option found to cause serious harm to the women who use it. Essure is a permanent birth control procedure that involves two nickel-titanium coils being placed inside the fallopian tubes to incite the growth of scar tissue that eventually blocks the tubes to prevent pregnancy.

Many women who have used Essure report the implant having migrated and embedding itself elsewhere in the body, chronic fatigue, migraines, joint pain, digestive issues, back pain, heavy periods full of clots, difficulty concentrating, abdominal pain, pelvic pain, hair loss, tooth deterioration, depression, and severe bloating. These problems have been so severe that hundreds have needed surgery to remove the device  a surgery that often ends in a complete hysterectomy.

Bayer, the maker of Essure, failed to properly carry out clinical studies, and actually petitioned the FDA to downgrade the nickel contraindication to a warning  which resulted in physicians not screening patients for nickel allergies. Consequently, many users had severe autoimmune reactions to the device.

The Essure scandal  which is still very much ongoing  has led the FDA to require that Bayer label the device with the agencys strictest black box warning. This alerts both patients and doctors to the risks associated with Essure. Furthermore, Bayer has to develop and conduct a new post-market study to investigate the rate of complications including injuries, pain, unplanned pregnancies, and surgery to remove the device.

Is The Future Of Birth Control Male?

The effect of modern birth control on womens bodies has led many to look to new options for men** as a possible solution. As it stands, men have only two choices for birth control: condoms or a vasectomy. Both these methods come with their own issues and limitations. Fortunately, there are a number of male contraceptives currently in development, the most promising of which is Echo-V, a hydrogel created by contraceptive company Contraline.

The Echo-V gel is injected directly into the vas deferens (the tube that transports sperm from the testes to the urethra) where it solidifies and blocks the flow of sperm  but still allows other fluid to pass through. When the patient is ready to have children, a solution is injected to dissolve the gel. The doctor uses an ultrasound to guide the placement of the injection, so no surgery or stitches are required.

Clinical trials in India have shown that the hydrogel method works with almost perfect results and no serious side effects. However, tests will still need to be carried out in America, and Contraline has had trouble finding financial backing. It may be a while yet before Echo-V is available.

Though contemporary birth control is safe for most women, everything currently on the market is still associated with some risks and side effects. And, with the controversy surrounding contraceptives such as Yasmin, Mirena, and now Essure, we are constantly faced with the question of whether those in the healthcare field can truly balance ethics with financial responsibility.

Our best bet is to do as much research as possible before choosing which birth control is right for us. Other than that, well just have to look to the future.

* Not all women have a womb.

** Not all men have a vas deferens.

Artwork: Brittany Naundorff (brittanyfears.com)
'The big truck is still on ...
I have been a resident of Twin Falls for the last 14 years (having moved here to retire with my husband who is a native). I have lived in many diverse places (LA, Houston, Abadan, Iran to name a few). I usually don't comment too much on what is in our local paper (although I could) but I am compelled to after reading the article Saturday, Sept. 30, titled "Coalition aims to confront hate." One sentence in particular jumped out at me.

I was totally offended by it as I am sure many of the good residents of south-central Idaho probably were. I am quoting Adrienne Evans when she described Twin Falls as a "haven for white nationalists." She lumped thousands of good, hard-working people of this community who give of their time, talents, money and other donations to help people in our community better themselves, and yes, this includes the many fine people who happen to be refugees.

Whether you happen to lean left or right politically, we are all Americans. We need to listen to each other's concerns without attacking them with opinionated facts. We need to learn the art of compromise. We need to respect other viewpoints and not attempt to vilify them if they are different than ours.

As for our president, he is doing his job. As he has said, he views his prime responsibility as protecting the citizens of this country while following the Constitution. He wants to screen potentially dangerous factions from coming to our country under the guise of "refugees." Thus the constraints on certain countries where we are not well-liked.

Pam Woods

Twin Falls
Microphone and US Flag View Photos

During the Democratic Weekly Address Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) said she shares the frustration of those in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands who feel forgotten and neglected.

Cortez was Tuesdays KVML Newsmaker of the Day. Here are her words:

Hello, my name is Catherine Cortez Masto, Im a Senator from the Great State of Nevada.

In the month of September, Americans in the Caribbean and along the southern United States experienced three hurricanes of the century  Harvey, Irma, and Maria.

These historically destructive hurricanes flooded homes, closed businesses, and turned the lives of millions of Americans upside down. So many heroes  including brave DREAMers  answered the call to rescue those that were trapped and provide shelter and comfort to the displaced.

I am proud of the efforts of all of our brave first responders  many gave their lives for their communities. I also want to take a moment to thank the many Nevadans participating in the relief efforts, my best wishes go with the Nevada Army National Guard members from Reno and Carson City, who will soon be headed to Puerto Rico. Your actions make us all proud to be Americans.

This pride is tempered by the recognition that millions are still waiting for help. I share in the frustrations of Americans in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands who feel forgotten and neglected. I encourage Americans to volunteer and donate to legitimate organizations helping in relief efforts. Every dollar and every volunteer hour spent brings hope and relief to the people of Puerto Rico and all those impacted by these tragic hurricanes.

Right now, 3.5 million Americans are without power, food, and clean drinking water in Puerto Rico. Right now, hospitals on the island are unable to serve patients because backup generators do not have fuel. The elderly do not have their medicine. Puerto Ricans are fleeing flooded towns and cities with polluted waters, some with dead bodies floating in them, and looking to mountain streams to find safe drinking water. This is a public health crisis and must be treated like one.

Senate Democrats are standing with the people of Puerto Rico. Republicans in Congress must act now to deliver on the Trump administrations request for additional funding for search, rescue, and recovery operations.

We also call on the President to stand with the people of Puerto Rico, focus on saving lives, and tweet less about Wall Street creditors targeting the island. FEMA must waive any requirement forcing the people of Puerto Rico to contribute additional funds to their own relief effort in the middle of a debt crisis.

We wouldnt do this to Florida, Texas, or any of the other 50 states. Its inhumane and irresponsible to keep an open tab on saving lives.

I commend the efforts of the Federal Emergency Management Agency and of Customs and Border Protection in delivering water and providing rescue workers to assist in relief efforts.

The impact of these hurricanes will be felt for decades. We must render aid and protect all survivors  documented and undocumented.

That is why I joined my colleagues to call on President Trump to extend the arbitrary October 5th deadline for DREAMers to request extension of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals status. DREAMers are fellow survivors of these terrible storms.

And to the people of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, I want you to know that you deserve and will have the full support of our government as you recover and rebuild.

Thank you and we stand with you.

The Newsmaker of the Day is heard every weekday morning at 6:45, 7:45 and 8:45 on AM 1450 and FM 102.7 KVML.
Despite the fact that it is the 21st century, and we live in a civilised world, the issue of human trafficking still exists. Nigeria is one of the countries that have suffered from this problem for a long time. Today, we will try to figure out the major causes of human trafficking in Nigeria. What pushes people towards human trafficking? What is the purpose of human trafficking? Find out here.

What is human trafficking?

According to the UNs protocol that was created in order to prevent trafficking (also known as Palermo Protocol), human trafficking is when people recruit, transfer, transport or harbour other people against their will by using force, blackmail, deception, fraud and other malicious means.

Human trafficking has three elements to it:

The act, or what exactly has been done to the victim. Were they illegally recruited, transported or harboured? The means, or how it has happened. Did they use coercion, force, blackmail, fraud, abduction or deception? The purpose, or why it has happened. Were victims trafficked for exploitation, slavery or organ removal?

While we are going to touch a little bit on the subject of why human trafficking happens in Nigeria, the main thing we are going to discuss is what pushes people into the realm of human trafficking.

The issue of human trafficking in Nigeria

Human trafficking is a global problem. However, a large portion of victims comes from the African countries, particularly Nigeria. Nigeria is both the source and the destination for human trafficking. The country is actually on the U.S. Tier 2 Watch list.

Women and children become the victims of child trafficking more often than men. They are used for the purposes of slavery, exploitation and servitude. However, men and young boys can also be used in human trafficking for the purposes of working in quarries, mines and on the fields.

But what pushes Nigerians towards human trafficking? Find out below.

Five causes of human trafficking

There are many reasons why people might get involved in human trafficking, both as victims and as perpetrators. But today we will focus on the goals that people pursue and the things they are running from that land them in the hands of the human traffickers. Here are the five main causes of human trafficking.

Armed conflict

As Nigeria is quite a tumultuous country, with Biafra conflicts in the south and Boko Haram in the north, it is no wonder that some people might want to get away. This, in turn, makes them extremely vulnerable to the perpetrators of human trafficking.

At the same time, those that are not trying to leave anywhere can also become victims of human trafficking if they stay in the epicentre of the armed conflict. Either side can just barge into the homes and kidnap people to use them in their plans.

Ignorance on the topic of human rights

One of the main causes of human trafficking in Nigeria is the complete disregard for human rights. Women (and also children) are often viewed as objects that can be sold. Thus, they are sold into slavery and sexual exploitation or forced into marriages.

On the other hand, women often resort to seeking alternative opportunities outside of their home country because of the lack of respect or discrimination. When this happens, they are more easily deceived into human trafficking.

Greed

Among other causes of human trafficking, there is also the constant search for wealth. People are often unsatisfied with what they have, even if they have perfectly decent living conditions, so they try to go out there in search of a better life.

This is particularly relevant for Nigerians, as many of them have this incessant idea of getting very rich very fast. The Nigerian web is riddled with ads for earning money with little to no effort (MMM, anyone?), and lots of people actually try them and end up in the hands of very bad people.

Unemployment

Despite the fact that Nigeria has one of the biggest and fastest growing economies in Africa, many of its citizens cannot find jobs. Many people cannot get decent education and learn relevant skills in order to get a proper job. Therefore, they try to search somewhere else.

What is also important to mention is that even those who have a diploma and skills struggle to find a place to work. And as they try to find something in another country, they might encounter fraudsters that might lure them into something terrible under a false pretence of employment abroad.

Poverty as a cause of human trafficking

READ ALSO: Human trafficking in Nigeria  Facts

As a result of unemployment, many Nigerian citizens struggle to keep their heads above water. Those who have large debts can easily become victims of slavery and exploitation. Similarly, people who have no money often have no other choice but to sell themselves in order to at least have some food and a roof over their heads.

In some cases, traffickers are even able to deceive parents into giving up their children. In hope that their kids might have a chance at a better life, parents send them off. That way, when they think their kids are somewhere living happily, they might be slaving away at some sweatshop or somewhere even worse.

What is the purpose of human trafficking?

We have considered what pushes people into human trafficking. What is also important to mention is what spheres call for human trafficking. Why is there a demand for human trafficking in Nigeria? Here are seven main reasons why people are trafficked in Nigeria:

Sexual exploitation. This is one of the biggest branches of human trafficking in Nigeria. Women and young girls are either shipped off to other countries or left in the country to work in prostitution, escort or the adults films industry.

This is one of the biggest branches of human trafficking in Nigeria. Women and young girls are either shipped off to other countries or left in the country to work in prostitution, escort or the adults films industry. Labour exploitation. Victims of human trafficking are made to work in abusive or even hazardous working conditions, as nobody would willingly work there.

Victims of human trafficking are made to work in abusive or even hazardous working conditions, as nobody would willingly work there. Domestic work. Children from as small as five years old are used for performing various domestic tasks. They usually have no documents, rights or knowledge that would help them escape the situation, so they are forced to work for food and shelter.

Military conscription. Sometimes, especially in times of war or major conflicts, children are forced to fight. An example of this would be the use of child suicide bombers by Boko Haram.

Sometimes, especially in times of war or major conflicts, children are forced to fight. An example of this would be the use of child suicide bombers by Boko Haram. Forced marriage. As we have said before, girls and women are often forced into marrying a complete stranger. Parents can either do this because of traditions or for a hefty sum of money.

As we have said before, girls and women are often forced into marrying a complete stranger. Parents can either do this because of traditions or for a hefty sum of money. Organ harvesting. This is arguably the most terrifying reason for human trafficking, as the victims usually do not live long enough to tell the tale if they are not rescued in time. Human organs have always been in high demand, which makes human trafficking for organ harvesting a very lucrative opportunity.

This is arguably the most terrifying reason for human trafficking, as the victims usually do not live long enough to tell the tale if they are not rescued in time. Human organs have always been in high demand, which makes human trafficking for organ harvesting a very lucrative opportunity. Illicit adoption. Often nurses in hospitals tell the mothers that their child was stillborn, when in fact the baby is sold to wealthy adoptive parents (best-case scenario). At the same time, sometimes mothers themselves sell their children.

Human trafficking is a serious issue that should not be overlooked. It is the modern day slavery, and we should do everything we can to stop this menace. Protect yourself and your loved ones.

READ ALSO: 10 Causes of Insecurity in Nigeria and The Way Out

Source: Legit.ng
- Atiku Abubakar, Nigeria's former vice president, denies commencing his 2019 campaign with bags of rice

- Atiku believes that the photographs in circulation are photoshopped

Former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, has cleared the air concerning reports of bags of rice bearing his photographs and inscriptions concerning his plan for 2019.

Atiku, who spoke through his Facebook wall, denied that he had started such campaigns.

READ ALSO: Read the first Independence Day address presented by Tafawa Balewa in 1960

We've seen this flying around. It's fake. Possibly photoshop.

Atiku Abubakar owns a feed factory, employing hundreds, not rice. He hasn't commissioned any posters either, the post stated.

Senator Ben Murray-Bruce also confirmed that the photographs were actually doctored.

"I just confirmed that this is a photoshopped image. Really sad the lengths people go to when threatened by another's popularity," he said.

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Atiku is believed to be gunning for the 2019 presidential election with many waiting to see if he will contest against Muhammadu Buhari if the latter decides to seek a second term.

Legit.ng earlier reported that Atiku Abubakar recently won another massive support ahead of the 2019 general election as he seeks to take over from Buhari.

The Fast Forward Nigeria (FFN) said it is supporting Atikus ambition to rule the country as well as his warning and suggestion concerning the need to restructure the country.

The FFN said the former vice presidents suggestion on restructuring was the only way for national cohesion.

2019 Presidency: Nigerians reveal why they prefer Atiku to President Buhari - on Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit.ng
- Some prominent past and present Nigerian leaders and their counterparts across the world will soon gather in Abuja

- The aim of the meeting will be to discuss how peace can be achieved

- The occasion is meant to herald the golden jubilee and thanksgiving service of the founder of Living Christ Mission Incorporated, Professor Daddy Hezekiah

The need for religious leaders to use their platforms to preach peace and harmony will be the focus as some prominent past and present Nigerian leaders and their counterparts across the world are expected to meet at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) soon.

Those expected at the event include Nigerian Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, former president Goodluck Jonathan, former president Olusegun Obansanjo and other past and serving presidents of other African nations.

The occasion is meant to herald the golden jubilee and thanks giving service of the founder of Living Christ Mission Incorporated, Professor Daddy Hezekiah.

READ ALSO: The Rider's Embassy marks independence with One Nigeria Ride

Legit.ng gathered that the leaders will be discussing on the theme: "The Role of Religious Leaders in a Developing Economy."

Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Monday, October 2, the chairman national planning committee of the event, Professor Obiekwe Nwanolue, said the golden jubilee celebration is put together to discuss how peace, which the celebrant stands for, could be achieved.

Pastor Nwanolue used the opportunity to advise pastors to use their pulpit to preach holiness. Photo credit: Bode Olagoke

While urging Nigerians to rededicate themselves to God so that the country can attain its pride of place in the world, Professor Nwanolue also advised Christians to delve into all legitimate spheres of human endeavour in order to turn the fortunes of the country around.

He advised church leaders to stop pauperizing the people by asking them to 'sow seeds', stressing they should instead focus on preaching holiness and how to make their followers succeed.

According to him, dignitaries across the globe will be gracing this occasion including serving and former presidents of several countries. Zambia, Central Africa Republic (CAR), delegation from America, Britain, among others, adding that the celebration has transcended beyond the activities of the church.

Speaking on the celebrant, Professor Nwanolue said the man of God has trained and empowered many people in several professions who have made serious impact in the society.

His words: He is a man who has predicated his teaching and aspirations on truth, holiness, righteousness and salvation. He does not hear any other language other than being transparent and proven integrity.

Contrary to what some men of God preach, he is a man that genuine children of God should not be politicians, soldiers, policemen, lawyers because such professions should be saturated with genuine children of God so that they can simply sanitize he ills that have bedeviled those participating professions.

Professor Nwanolue aso used the opportunity to give a note of caution to some of religious leaders using their pulpit to score cheap political favour.

We have many men of God using religion to deceive people just to score cheap political goals. Religious leaders should face their pulpit and pray for the country. If they use their pulpit to advice the leaders of this country, the country would have gone far even though the political leaders don't listen to advice.

What they are doing is wrong because politics should be for politicians while raw responsibility of the men of God is to pray for the country. They should call you order with sincerity of purpose the political leaders that are not doing well, he said.

Meanwhile, young American-based Nigerian, who declared his interest to contest for 2019 presidential election three months ago, Chris Emejuru, has stated that restructuring Nigeria is the best way to address the country's problems.

Emejuru made the call in a statement he personally signed and sent to Legit.ng on the 57th anniversary of Nigeria.

He also dismissed calls for secession from some quarters, stressing that they are not realistic.

READ ALSO: 57th anniversary: Don't give up on Nigeria, ACT charges Nigerian youths

Fayose announces his presidential bid, expects an honest victory over Buhari - on Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit.ng
Fluted pumpkin farming is an exponentially growing industry in Nigeria. Both the seeds and the plants leaves have dozens of potential uses, so its no wonder that its getting a lot of attention from farmers and financial investors. If you would like to learn the most interesting production practices for fluted pumpkins in Nigeria, please continue reading below!

Fluted pumpkin production in Nigeria

Fluted pumpkin, otherwise known as ugu (ugwu) or fluted gourd, is a crop native to Southern Nigeria. According to the most recent studies, fluted pumpkins are annually consumed by thirty to forty million people in the country. Thus, they have proven to be one of the top-selling types of crops Nigeria. Even though the fruit itself is inedible, the seeds contained within, as well as the leaves are a valuable resource for a farmer.

Fluted pumpkin production consists of several stages, such as preparation, planting, management, harvesting, and post-harvesting handling. Well talk about all of these in detail below, and well explain the various production practices you can adapt to increase the amount of fluted pumpkin you yield.

Stage 1: Preparation

The first thing you need to do is to select the site where your crops will be planted. Next, you need to prepare the soil for seeding. Fluted pumpkins grow best on well-drained surfaces with a neutral pH level. Get rid of all the weeds and stumps that may prevent your seeds from growing.

The majority of farmers have admitted that they plant the fruits during the dry season, between November and February. Fluted pumpkins are usually grown in-between April and May. The plant is known to be drought resistant and extremely versatile in terms of soil. Seeds that are ripe for planting are taken out of the fruit and air dried for a day before the sowing process.

One of the first production practices youll have to choose from is whether youll sow the fluted pumpkin solely or will it be intercropped with other types of produce. You also have to decide between letting the fruit grow on the ground and stringing it against a wooden fence or bamboo stakes.

Stage 2: Planting

To plant your fluted pumpkins, you need to sow the seeds right into the ground. There are also numerous production practices involved in this process. When youre planting the seeds, you can place them into the holes either by one, two or three. Studies have shown that planting them in groups of three increases the size of your potential harvest.

The seeds need to be put into the soil at a depth of three to five centimeters. The recommended ratio is thirty to seventy thousand seeds per hectare while leaving about 0.3 to 1 meter of space between the groups. There are also three different ways of placing the seed:

Hilum up;

Hilum down;

Hilum sideways.

The only one we dont recommend is to plant the fluted pumpkins with the pointy end sticking upward.

Tip: If you want your fluted pumpkins to yield more leaves, then sow them closer to each other. However, if you want to produce more fruit, leave more space in-between.

READ ALSO: List of industries in Nigeria and what they produce

Stage 3: Management

Heres a list of the recommended production practices that will help you secure a richer harvest:

Stake the plants during the rainy season to protect them from potential infections.

Weed the crops two times before the pumpkins canopy is strong enough to get rid of the weeds on its own. If youre planting during the rainy season, a third weeding may be necessary.

Perform the first pruning a month after the fruit has developed to stimulate its growth.

Water the fluted pumpkins every three days.

Use fertilizers or manure for a better harvest.

Tip: We advise a ratio of a hundred kilograms of K2O and fifty kilograms of P2O5 per hectare.

Stage 4: Harvesting

You can harvest the first leaves, which are usually more important for a fluted pumpkin farmer, four weeks after you sow the seeds. However, professional farmers prefer to delay the first harvest until six weeks after planting. Next, you can continue collecting the leaves in cycles that last from two weeks to a month. The fruits can be picked up within two months of their setting. This occurs mostly between October and December.

Tip: The best way to harvest fluted pumpkins is by slicing the crop under the lowest reachable leaf.

You can yield about five hundred to a thousand kilograms of leaves per hectare, or even higher if you use the right management system. Its also possible to obtain two tons of seeds from three thousand pumpkins.

Stage 5: Post-harvest Handling

The last production practice for fluted pumpkins is their storage. Collected leaves maintain their freshness and health-beneficial attributes only for 24 hours unless contained in jute bags that can prolong their shelf life up to three days. Its recommended to sell the leaves to entrepreneurs wholesale, and let them handle the retail sales.

The seeds are left untouched in the fruits until they are needed for sowing or eating. A fluted pumpkin can be shelved for a period of up to two months.

Now youve discovered all the secret production practices for fluted pumpkins in Nigeria. If you know anyone that might benefit from learning this information, be sure to share it with them! Happy farming!

READ ALSO: Grasscutter farming: A manual for beginners in Nigeria

Source: Legit.ng
- The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has warned politicians to halt campaigning for the 2019 general elections

- The INEC chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, stated that the ban on campaigns had not yet been lifted and anyone who goes about campaigning is carrying out an illegal activity

- The Electoral Act states that the period of campaigning in public by every political party shall commence 90 days before polling day

Ahead of the 2019 general elections, politicians have been warned by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to desist from campaigning, as the ban on campaigns has not yet been lifted, Vanguard reports.

The warning was issued by the commissions chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, during a quarterly consultative meeting with newsmen.

READ ALSO: Christian youths should go into politics - Olagunsoye Oyinlola

He stated: Let me warn political parties and aspirants, we have not released the schedule of activities for the elections.

Anything that anybody does is illegal before the law. They should wait for the time table of the elections.

Legit.ng notes that Section 99 of the Electoral Act 201 (as amended), states: For the purpose of this Act, the period of campaigning in public by every political party shall commence 90 days before polling day and end 24 hours prior to that day.

Upon conviction, anyone found guilty of contravening the law would be liable to a maximum fine of N500,000.

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Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the 2019 presidential campaign posters of Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti state, have flooded some parts of Zaria, Kaduna state.

The Ekiti state governor had earlier launched his presidential campaign on Facebook.

Last week, Fayose officially declared his intention to contest the 2019 presidential election. In an elaborate ceremony at Chelsea Hotel, Abuja, on Thursday, September 28, the governor said his decision to contest the election is borne put of his love for Nigeria.

Buhari 2019 posters hit the streets: Too early or too bad? on Legit.ng TV:

Source: Legit.ng
- The minister of state for petroleum, Ibe Kachikwu, says the insubordination of NNPC GMD Baru could derail recorded strides in the countrys petroleum industry

- He says he wrote to Buhari after being unable to have a one-on-one appointment with the president at the state house

Former petroleum resources minister, Diezani Alison Madueke, pleads with a Federal High Court sitting Lagos to order the AGF to ensure her return to Nigeria

The minister of state for petroleum, Ibe Kachikwu, has called the attention of President Muhammadu Buhari to the alleged illegal practices and insubordination of the group managing director of the NNPC, Maikanti Baru.

READ ALSO: 2019 election: Hamza Al-mustaphas presidential campaign poster surfaces

Kachikwu in a letter dated August 30, told the president that the conducts of the NNPC GMD were counter productive to the countrys petroleum sector, Premium Times reports.

Parastatals in the ministry and all CEOs of these parastatals must be aligned with the policy drive of the ministry to allow the sector register the growth that has eluded it for many years Kachikwu said.

To do otherwise or to exempt any of the parastatals would be to emplace a stunted growth for the industry.

In the letter which emerged on Tuesday, October 3, the minister of state for petroleum said he wrote to Buhari after he was unable to have a one-on-one appointment with the president at the state house.

PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 new app

Copies of the letter has surfaced over the internet, but it is not clear how the letter became public.

See copies of the letter below:

Kachikwu accuses Maikanti Baru of insubordination, photo credit: Premium Times

The minister of state for petroleum says Barus actions are counterproductive to the countrys petroleum sector, photo credit: Premium Times

Kachikwus letter to President Buhari, photo credit: Premium Times

Meanwhile, embattled former petroleum resources minister, Diezani Alison Madueke, has reportedly pleaded with a Federal High Court sitting Lagos to order the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) to ensure her return to Nigeria.

The former minister said she was ready to stand in court and defend a criminal charge linked to her relating to an alleged laundering of N450 million.

Alison-Madueke, has been in the UK since 2015 when Goodluck Jonathan lost the presidential election to Muhammadu Buhari.

The Punch reports that the major defendants in the charge are Dele Belgore, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, and Professor Abubakar Suleiman, a former national planning minister.

Are Nigerians truly tired of President Buhari? - on Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit.ng
- Nigeria's minister of information and culture has revealed the reason behind the high price of foodstuff in the country

- Lai Mohammed also explained the various steps being taken by the government to improve the situation

- The minister blamed corruption, infrastructure deficit among other things for the high cost of food

While speaking on Africa Independent Television's (AIT) current affairs programme 'Focus Nigeria', Lai Mohammed revealed why despite the revolution witnessed in the agricultural sector, the cost of food items remains high.

The minister of information and culture said it was because of infrastructural deficit and export demands.

He said: Despite the fact that the production of staples like rice, grains, yam has increased with the agriculture revolution of the government, food items are still on the high side.

There are many reasons why the prices are still up there but principally, I think it is infrastructural deficit.

By this, I mean what it takes to bring the produce from the farms to the farm gates and from the farm gates to the city centres and this may not improve until various road and rail projects are completed.

The good news, however, is that from october this year, the General Electric, which has the concession for the 3,500 narrow gauge rail routes will commence work.

The Lagos to Kano standard gauge rail project and the Lagos to Calabar rail lines which will criss-cross all the southeastern states are priority projects of the government.

That will help in the transportation of goods and services including agricultural produce at a far cheaper fare and that will percolate to the common man."

READ ALSO: IPOB has shown it is a terrorist group - Lai Mohammed

He also assured that the government would do all that is possible to ensure that the Lagos to Ibadan, Kano to Maiduguri and other critical roads across the country were completed.

"There is so much demand on our grains and cereals from other parts of Africa.

You cannot stop the farmers especially with the ECOWAS protocols that allows for free movement of goods and services.

There is also a lot of demand for our grains from other parts of the world and as a matter of fact, we got over N30 billion from agricultural export in the second quarter of this year.

I believe that with the economy picking up and the various infrastructural development coming up, Nigeria will very soon start to feel some relief.

Also the presidential initiative to employ 10,000 people from each state in the agricultural sector will bring succour and a lot of relief, he said.

READ ALSO: Nigeria does not need to take permission from foreign countries - Lai Mohammed

Trying to assure Nigerians, he said:

Living together for 57 years as an independent country with all the ups and downs and challenges and we are going stronger in all ramification.

The present administration is getting its priorities right and focussed on the economy, good governance, security and improving the quality of life of Nigerians."

The minister also reiterated the position of President Muhammadu Buhari that the administration would not rest on its oars until the impact of good governance is felt by all Nigerians.

Meanwhile, Legit.ng earlier reported earlier said that Lai Mohammed insisted Buharis administration should not be blamed for the infrastructural deficit in the country.

The minister stated this on Monday, October 2, when he featured alongside other guests on the Nigeria Television Authority programme, Good Morning Nigeria, which focused on Nigeria at 57.

How Lai Mohammed 'sold' Nigeria - on Legit.ng TV.

Source: Legit.ng
- The agitation for Biafra by the Igbo people in Nigeria has gained international attention

- One clear indication of the far reaching impact is a recent mention of the agitation in the TIME magazine website

- Biafra supporters posted the mention on their Facebook page as a sign of success

That the agitation for Biafra is gaining international recognition is no news. On Monday, October 2, 2017, the prestigious TIME magazine spoke on the importance of self-determination.

Below is the full quote mentioning the agitation for Biafra, the Catalan referendum in Spain among other separatist movements:

A country of 250+ ethnic groups, Nigeria declared independence from Britain in 1960, but a couple of military coups in 1966 stoked underlying ethnic tensions.

In 1967, southern groups (led by the Igbo people, one of Nigerias three major ethnic groupings) declared the independent Republic of Biafra in Nigerias south.

Nigeria refused to recognize the breakaway state, and a 3-year civil war ensued. All told, more than 1 million people lost their lives, many due to starvation. Biafra surrendered in 1970.

But defeating a secession movement on the battlefield is a far cry from defeating its spirit  and nearly half a century later, the dream of Biafra remains alive.

These and other nationalist currents continue to make Nigerian politics choppy, as does a president whose frail health has the country continuously on edge. Southern leaders have rejected secession calls as impractical.

But the movement for Biafran statehood is still considered enough of a threat that the Nigerian military declared the Biafra separatist movement a terrorist group just a few weeks agoharkening back to a simpler time when just wanting a homeland of ones own was enough to be labeled a terrorist.

A Facebook page, belonging to the IPOB movement had this to say on the mention: "Yesterday it was the London based Financial Times, today its the all powerful Times magazine of USA.

"IPOB has accomplished something hitherto thought impossible. Biafra is the number 1 emerging nation in the world all thanks to millions of Nnamdi Kanus all over the world."

READ ALSO: Kalu fires IPOB, says the groups false opinions about him will not stop his support for one Nigeria

Meanwhile, Legit.ng earlier reported that members of separatist organisation IPOB alleged that their leaders misappropriated funds they contributed as more troubles beset the already embattled group.

It was reported that US mobilization officer of the group Candy Stallworth raised the alarm on Monday, October 2 that funds of the IPOB are not being properly used.

We need to understand the Biafra objective - on Legit.ng TV.

Source: Legit.ng
- A former director of the Institute of Agricultural Research and Training (IAR&T) has been sentenced to 40 years imprisonment

- Benjamin Ogunbodede and tow others got the 40 year jail term for corruptly enriching himself to the tune of N177 million

- However, Ogunmodede claims he and two other persons convicted alongside him spent N177m to bribe lawmakers and some employees of the Federal Ministry of Finance

Justice Nathaniel Ayo-Emmanuel of the Federal High Court, Ibadan, on Tuesday, September 3, sentenced Benjamin Ogunbodede, a former director of the Institute of Agricultural Research and Training (IAR&T) , Ibadan, to 40 years imprisonment for corruptly enriching himself to the tune of N177 million.

Zacheus Tejumola, a former Chief Accountant of the institute, was also sentenced to 40 years imprisonment while Clement Adenose, another staff, bagged four years in jail.

READ ALSO: TIME magazine mentions Biafra supporters among world separatist movements

In a judgment which lasted over two hours, Ayo-Emmanuel said that he convicted the trio based on the overwhelming evidence against them.

The judge, however, said that he had no reason to convict them on count 13 due to want of evidence.

There is no ambiguity in the facts tendered by the prosecution that the three convicts conspired, converted and stole the hazard allowance of N177 million belonging to the staff of IAR&T.

Ogunbodede and Tejumola are therefore, sentenced to 40 years imprisonment each for their roles for counts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15 and 16.

Adenose is sentenced to four years in prison. The sentences will, however, run concurrently, Ayo-Emmanuel stated.

However, Ogunmodede claims he and two other persons convicted alongside him spent N177m to bribe lawmakers and some employees of the Federal Ministry of Finance.

They claimed that a huge part of the money was used to bribe members of House of Representatives and some staff of the Federal Ministry of Finance who facilitated the release of the fund for the research institute, Punch reports.

Earlier, Mr Tunde Olupona, the counsel to Ogunbodede, had pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy in sentencing his client.

He argued that his client lacked administrative experience in running such a sensitive position.

Similarly, Mr I.A Salawu and Mrs Yetunde Adegboye, counsel to Tejumola and Adenose, pleaded with the court to show mercy to their clients, citing various portions of the constitution.

However, Mr Nkwuruka Amana, the counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, urged the court to sentence the convicts in accordance with the stipulation of the law.

Ogunbodede, Tejumola and Adenose along with 10 others had since 2014 been standing trial over a 16-count charge bordering on conspiracy, unlawful conversion and stealing of N177 million hazard allowance belonging to the staff of the institute.

PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 new app

Ten of the defendants had earlier pleaded guilty and opted for plea bargain arrangement.

Nine out of the 10 previously convicted were different companies which Ogunbodede, Tejumola and Adenose indirectly used to siphon the N177 million.

Olupona, who spoke after the judgment, told NAN that he and his other colleagues were still studying the judgment and would in due course take appropriate decision on whether to appeal or not.

Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reports that the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Walter Onnoghen, has ordered heads of the divisions of courts to create special courts for corruption and financial crimes cases.

Onnoghen said this directive is to end the unnecessary delay associated with the prosecution of corruption cases.

The CJN also ordered that all lists of pending corruption cases in the various courts be forwarded to the National Judicial Council (NJC).

Order' placed on her accounts. The EFCC stage a walk against corruption - on Legit.ng TV.

Source: Legit.ng
This is Naked Capitalism fundraising week. 496 donors have already invested in our efforts to combat corruption and predatory conduct, particularly in the financial realm. Please join us and participate via our donation page, which shows how to give via check, credit card, debit card, or PayPal. Read about why were doing this fundraiser, what weve accomplished in the last year and our current goal, more meetups and travel.

Trade

South Korean Trade Minister Kim Hyun-chong had a stark message for lawmakers and other officials he met with last week: Seoul is willing to let President Donald Trump kill the [KORUS trade] pact, rather than bow to unreasonable U.S. demands for concessions to bring bilateral trade more into balance [Politico]. Hes not going to beg and grovel to stay in this, a source familiar with one of Kims meetings told Morning Trade.

Hollywood has been whining about the DMCAs safe harbors quite a bit in the past few years (yes, the same safe harbors that are from the DMCA that it forced the US to pass via international trade agreements). So far, however, heavy lobbying by the RIAA and MPAA to do away with the DMCAs safe harbors has failed to convince Congress (in part because Congress has seen through this game and, in part, because Congress still remembers what happened with its attempt to undermine the internet through copyright law with SOPA) [TechDirt]. But, hey, with the reopening of NAFTA, Hollywood saw an opportunity, and has pushed for language that will undermine the DMCAs safe harbors and fair use  things they cant get through Congress alone. Unfortunately, the latest reports are that the USTR has agreed to support this move.

Politics

2020

At Iowa steak fry, Bustos, Moulton and Ryan call on Democrats to refocus on Midwest working class [Des Moines Register]. We let those people down. We let em down, Ryan, an eight-term Ohio congressman, told the crowd. We didnt see them. We didnt listen to them. We didnt hear them. If we want to be a national party, not a coastal party, a national political party in the United States, weve got to get those workers back from Iowa, Ohio, Wisconsin, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Kentucky Those are our people. We gotta go and get them. Frankly, my fellow Democrats, they dont want resistance; they want results, Bustos said of Midwest voters, twisting the Resist mantra often heard among liberals since Trump became president. Sounds like centrists trying to steal Bernies clothes Also, folks. Ugh.

2018

Collins agonizes over decision to ditch the Senate [Politico]. Im from the northern part of the state, which needs a lot of help  two-thirds of the state is losing population and opportunity, [Collins] said. I have some ideas for economic development that only a governor can pursue.' Challenging. Conservatives furious about Gov. Bruce Rauners expansion of taxpayer-funded abortion in Illinois are threatening to put up a challenger against the first-term governor in next springs Republican primary [AP].

2017

[The Moore v. Strange] race [in Alabama] was yet another sign of the realignment that is taking place within the Republican Party (theres one underway among Democrats, too) because of a culture war within the GOP. The battle pitted the populist, antiestablishment Moore, the candidate of downscale whites as well as evangelical and other social and cultural conservatives, against the traditional, upscale, business-oriented Strange, the candidate of the country clubs and Episcopalians and Presbyterians [Cook Political Report]. To lose, Moore would likely have to make a gigantic faux pas, something along the lines of then-Rep. Todd Akins comment about legitimate rape, which handed the 2012 Missouri Senate election to Sen. Claire McCaskill and cost the GOP a precious seat. Moores track record of explosive comments has to make Republicans nervous, and at least on paper, Jones, the Democrat, looks pretty good, but Alabama is still Alabama, and he needs a huge break to win. Oh dear: All hope is lost for #alsen. Jones is using @teammothership so it will be another abusive email program ala @ossoff with zero winning.  Melissa Byrne (@mcbyrne) October 1, 2017 Mothership Strategies were last seen collecting millions of dollars in the Ossoff debacle. Ka-ching.

2016 Post Mortem

The Resistance in Tribeca (hat tip AM): Nice plates on that Tesla Wish Id thought of this: Like this? pic.twitter.com/iMWTXfNzgQ  Nurse Ratched (@veggie64_leslie) September 29, 2017

New Cold War

Last week, the Russians were responsible for Black Lives Matter. This week, theyre responsible for the NRA: The NRA spent $30m to elect Trump, standing by him after other GOP groups left him. Why? The answer may be in Moscowhttps://t.co/LkP4UnXPyZ  Brian Fallon (@brianefallon) October 3, 2017 Damn. Whats that warbling sound?

Health Care

House candidates back single-payer healthcare plan in Virginia [Inside NOVA]. Lee Carter, a Democrat running for a Manassas-area seat in the House of Delegates, is leading a crop of House candidates pledging to push for a state-level, single-payer healthcare system if they reach Richmond. Carter joined 15 other Democratic hopefuls in announcing the new initiative Oct. 2, which is aimed at radically reforming Virginias healthcare system to cover all of the states 8.4 million residents. This is great, but the currency issuer really needs to run #MedicareForAll. Do we really want to be cutting health care budgets in recessions? Because thats what will happen with state-level funding.

Realignment and Legitimacy

Justices Split on Voting Maps Warped by Politics [New York Times]. In extended remarks, Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. expressed worry that the courts authority and legitimacy would be harmed were it to start striking down voting districts in favor of one political party or another. That is going to cause very serious harm to the status and integrity of the decisions of this court, he said. After Bush v. Gore  without which, Roberts might not even bee on the Court  the Court has no integrity. Focus Group Reveals Democrats Have a Lot of Work to Do With Black Millennials [NBC News]. [T]hey were divided about whether the Democratic Party was for them  or neither for nor against them. I think the Democratic Party took [our] votes for granted, said one participant. Thats true, but the Democrats take everybodys vote for granted. Except wealthy suburban Republicans, of course. Every Member of Congress Who Took Money From the NRA and Tweeted Thoughts and Prayers to Las Vegas [Splinter News]. On prayer, see Matthew 6:5-8.

Stats Watch

Gallup US Economic Confidence Index, September 2017: Confidence in the economy declined slightly to plus 4 in September, down from Augusts plus 6. While the ECI climbed past the plus 10 mark in January, Septembers score of plus 4 represents a continuation of economic attitudes that have held since May, apart from a brief increase in early August after the Dow hit 22,000 [Econoday]. Even if overall confidence in the economy has stagnated recently, confidence remains notably higher compared with any month between 2008 and November 2016.

Coincident Indicators: Philly Fed: State Coincident Indexes increased in 27 states in August [Econintersect]. The reason for the recent sharp decrease in the number of states with increasing activity is unclear  and might be revised away. And but: More data that shows we may already be in recession, and in line with the deceleration in bank lending [Warren Mosler].

Employment Situation: The jobs report provides an important high-frequency feel for the state of the U.S. labor market, the consequences for consumption (the biggest component of gross domestic product, with domestic and international effects), and the implications for policies (both what is likely to occur and what should happen) [Mohamed A. El-Erian, Bloomberg]. More recently, however, there has been a breakdown in these relationships. Neither the rate of growth in wages nor the labor participation rate has responded well to the historic run of high job creation and to the decline in the unemployment rate to historically low levels. In addition, wages, in particular, have evolved into an indicator of a broader economic phenomenon that speaks directly to the notable level of social discontent and feeds into political polarization and the erosion of trust in institutions and expert opinion. Read to the end, and youll see that El-Erian is notably light on solutions.

Commodities: Why lithium, why now? [Mining.com]. Bloomberg reports that global battery-making capacity is set to more than double by 2021, topping 278 gigawatt-hours a year compared to 103 gigawatt-hours at present. Theres a looming problem[:] There isnt enough lithium currently being mined to supply all those gigafactorys. A round-up, well worth a read.

Shipping: Worldwide air freight maintained its strong growth momentum throughout the summer, with a further double-digit year-on-year volume increase in August [Lloyds Loading List].

Retail: More than half of Americans dont think stores should be open for business on Thanksgiving Day. More than another quarter dont care whether stores are open, and just 16% think stores should be open on the holiday [247 Wall Street]. As of Monday morning, 56 retailers, including some of the countrys largest and best-known companies, have confirmed that stores will be closed on Thanksgiving Day. Sensible. The less hysteria over shopping the better. Maybe the online sites can shut down too.

Retail: [Under Amazon, Whole Foods] price cuts were by as much as 43% [MarketWatch]. Whats important here is that after the Whole Foods acquisition  and the price cuts  foot traffic jumped by roughly 33% in the first week, according to the research firm Thasos Group. The firm also noted that Walmart regulars accounted for the largest percentage of first-time customers. During this week, 24% of new Whole Foods customers were previously loyal Walmart customers. [T]he firm said that Trader Joes saw about 10% of its regular customers go to Whole Foods, and Sprouts saw roughly 8%.

The Bezzle: Amazon will be slapped with tax fine by the EU on Wednesday, report says [CNBC]. The European Union is contending that Amazon used Luxembourg as a tax haven and that it had established unfair partnerships with the country in an effort to skirt European taxes on 3 billion euros ($3.5 billion) in royalties. Such moves were seen as unfair by rivals, the FT said. The level of the fine was not reported.

The Bezzle: Exclusive: U.S. mulls further Wells Fargo sanction over sales abuses  source [Reuters]. Wake me when an executive is criminally charged.

The Bezzle: [Tesla,] the Silicon Valley electric-car maker built just 260 of its new automobile in the third quarter with production bottlenecks undercutting Teslas plans to move 1,500 Model 3s to the market [Wall Street Journal]. Looks like Musks production hell isnt working out so well for him. 260. Thats not a lot.

The Bezzle: The most shocking thing about this report isnt even the low Model 3 production number, said Mark Spiegel of Stanphyl Capital. Its that Model S and X sales were only up 4.5% year-over-year despite massive discounting and before all the luxury EV competition arrives next year from Jaguar and Audi and in 2019 from Mercedes and Porsche. This is supposed to be a hypergrowth company' [Los Angeles Times]. Although sales are tiny compared with the major auto companies and Tesla has spent billions in cash without profit, its stock price has exceeded that of Ford and General Motors.

The Bezzle: Anthony Levandowski and Travis Kalanick first meet at a TED Talk [Recode]. I believe it.

The Bezzle: [T]esting of trains and driverless trucks has been plagued by problems such as software glitches. Rio Tintos success this week highlights the near-term potential of autonomous transportation technology in closed-loop systems where vehicles wont have to move in bigger and more unpredictable transport networks [Wall Street Journal]. And when the developers cant get to Level 5 Autonomous Vehicles in open systems, which they wont, you can bet theyll try to turn open systems into closed loops, because thats how programmers think, and thats how Silicon Valley thinks. So, billions of dollars to make our roads safe for robot cars. Why not build trains?

The Bezzle: Goldman Sachs Might Be Desperate Enough To Start Trading Bitcoin [DealBreaker]. Bitcoin may be a bubble. It sure looks like one to Ray Dalio. Even its most ardent admirers think so. But as the dot-come bubble and subprime mortgage bubble and, well, every other bubble in history teaches, there is money to be made on bubbles. And Goldman Sachs? Yea, it needs to make some more money. So where Jamie Dimon sees a stupid fad and firing offense, Lloyd Blankfein sees an opportunity.

The Bezzle: Equifax auditors are on the hook for data security risk controls [Francine McKenna, MarketWatch]. A companys external auditor is supposed to be an objective independent watchdog, the first line of defense for shareholders and the public when company executives and the board fail to protect them. [B]efore [Equifaxs auditor Ernst & Young (EY)] even thinks about reviewing and testing the numbers, it must make sure that company executives set the right tone at the top about controls, including of its IT systems, to ensure Equifax is protecting its biggest assetthe consumer information it sells to banks and other organizations that generates most of its revenues.

Private Equity: The COO at BlackRock explains why the $5.7 trillion investment giant is a growth technology company' [Business Insider].

Five Horsemen: Facebook sails serenely on, as Amazon writhes with Whole Foods heartburn [Hat tip, Jim Haygood].

Todays Fear & Greed Index: 88 Extreme Greed (previous close: 89, Extreme Greed) [CNN]. One week ago: 67 (Greed). (0 is Extreme Fear; 100 is Extreme Greed). Last updated Oct 3 at 11:35am.

Our Famously Free Press

After Las Vegas shooting, Facebook and Google get the news wrong again [Engadget]. Looks like Google needs to tweak that algo

Gaia

Can ice structures solve a Himalayan water crisis? [BBC]. We are freezing water that goes unused in winter and, because of the geometric shape it doesnt melt till late spring, says [engineer Sonam Wangchuk]. In late spring the artificial glacier starts to melt and water can be used for drip-irrigation of crops.

Guillotine Watch

Former congressman Anthony Weiner cried when a judge sentenced him to 21 months in prison last week for sexting with a 15-year-old girl. Prison is tough and most felons have no idea what to expect. For a few thousand dollars, however, high-profile felons like Weiner can hire a prison consultant to help smooth the transition to life behind bars [MarketWatch]. Idea:  Oh, forget it.

Class Warfare

Argument analysis: An epic day for employers in arbitration case? [SCOTUSBlog]. In the first oral argument of the new term, a divided Supreme Court seemed likely to uphold employment agreements that require an an employee to resolve a dispute with an employer through individual arbitration, waiving the possibility of proceeding collectively. More:

The conflict among the justices could be captured by two exchanges this morning. The first came when Chief Justice John Roberts, in a back-and-forth with University of Virginia law professor Daniel Ortiz, who represented one of the employees in the case, observed that a decision in favor of Ortizs client would invalidate employment agreements covering 25 million people  a step that several of the justices would be reluctant to take, particularly given the courts strong support of arbitration in recent years. Justice Stephen Breyer, on the other hand, had a very different concern: He told Paul Clement, who represented the employers in the case, that he had not seen a path for Clements clients to win without undermining and changing radically the labor laws that are the entire heart of the New Deal.

Thats not a bug. Its a feature.

Is the Rise of Contract Workers Killing Upward Mobility? [Knowledge@Wharton]. [A]ll of the net employment growth in the U.S. economy from 2005 to 2015 appears to have occurred in alternative work arrangements, write Katz and Krueger in The Rise and Nature of Alternative Work Arrangements in the United States, 1995-2015. Using data from the Current Population Survey and the Survey of Income and Program Participation, [Wharton management professor Adam Cobb and University of Texas at Austin sociology assistant professor Ken-Hou Lin] find that in 1989, although all private-sector workers benefited from a firm-size wage premium, the premium was significantly higher for individuals at the lower end and middle of the wage distribution compared to those at the higher end. But between 1989 and 2014, the average firm-size wage premium declined markedly. Significantly, the decline was exclusive to those at the lower end and middle of the wage distribution  while there was no change for those at the higher end. They conclude that the uneven declines in the premium across the wage spectrum could account for about 20% of rising wage inequality during this period.

The Rise and Nature of Alternative Work Arrangements in the United States, 1995-2015 [Lawrence F. Katz and Alan B. Krueger, NBER]. Amazingly, I linked to this exactly one year ago, so here it is again.

News of the Wired

A blivet:

Apple now sells an iPhone dongle with a headphone jack and charging port https://t.co/FcSkDw9ePT pic.twitter.com/PRTt29rvB5  The Verge (@verge) October 3, 2017

Not so slim after all, eh?

Facebook Lies [Iain R. Learmonth]. Apparently, you cant actually delete your Facebook account.

Nobel Prize goes to researchers who figured out how our cells tell time [Ars Technica]. Microbes, plants, and animals all run on a 24-hour cycle, one thats flexible enough to gradually reset itself, although it can take a few days after transcontinental travel. The biological systems responsible for maintaining this circadian clock require a lot of proteins that undergo complex interactions, and the new laureates are being honored for their use of genetics to start unraveling this complexity.

Technology is destroying the most important asset in your life [Quartz]. The most important asset in your life isnt time, but attention. The quality of the experiences in your life doesnt depend on how many hours there are in the day, but in how the hours you have are used. But its not your asset any more, is it?

* * *

Readers, feel free to contact me at lambert [UNDERSCORE] strether [DOT] corrente [AT] yahoo [DOT] com, with (a) links, and even better (b) sources I should curate regularly, (c) how to send me a check if you are allergic to PayPal, and (d) to find out how to send me images of plants. Vegetables are fine! Fungi are deemed to be honorary plants! If you want your handle to appear as a credit, please put it in the subject line. Otherwise, I will anonymize by using your initials. See the previous Water Cooler (with plant) here. Todays plant (AE-L):

AE-L writes: A beautiful but poisonous mushroom photographed in a forest near Oslo, capital city of Norway.
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Yves here. I have a small quibble with Gaius piece. He claims No large company can survive with no growth  it will die or be absorbed into another large company. That simply isnt accurate. First, a private company can be managed for any objective that suits its owners: serving a vanity market and only occasionally being profitable (as in being a bragging rights project for the owners), keeping neer do well relatives employed, or being a nice stable business in a mature market that throws off steady cash flow. Public companies are subject to demands from shareholders for growth in revenues or dividends. Even then, some public companies have enough ownership by insiders so as to be able to be run as fiefdoms (think of Larry Ellisons relationship to Oracle).

Most entrepreneurs who do not harbor squillionaire fantasies seek to create businesses in defensible markets (say niches that have barriers to entry or scale factors) and repeat customers. Those are the best candidates to generate good cash flow. A businessman understands that cash flow, and not growth, is what defines a truly successful venture.

Another way to look at it is that the fetish with growth at the business level (as opposed to the economy level, where a pie that keeps getting bigger on a per head basis makes it a lot easier to manage social issues) is to a significant degree a creation of the 1980s and 1990s. In the 1980s, raiders funded by Mike Milken made fortunes by buying overdiversified conglomerates that were trading at a discount in the stock market. These vultures were able to spin what was almost without exception mere financial engineering as entrepreneurs showing up corporate bureaucrats. The fact that these takeover artists became so fabulously rich also led to fawning press coverage as well as advocacy masquerading as academic research arguing that corporate executives needed to be paid like entrepreneurs, as in get more stock incentives. The leading light of that movement, Michael Jensen, has repudiated that work, but as we know, it lives on and continues to have destructive effects.

Mind you, I am not saying that there would not be companies that would be run with growth as a major goal, but the preoccupation with growth is a result of a change in ideology.

By Gaius Publius, a professional writer living on the West Coast of the United States and frequent contributor to DownWithTyranny, digby, Truthout, and Naked Capitalism. Follow him on Twitter @Gaius_Publius, Tumblr and Facebook. GP article archive here. Originally published at DownWithTyranny

The video above comes in two parts  the first four minutes or so deals with the title problem, and the last two minutes offers a solution. Note those two sections and the points they make as you watch. Ill address each point separately below.

Capitalism, Infinite Growth and Climate Change

We seem to have turned the corner on American belief that climate change will result in a bad end for us unless we stop it or alter its trajectory. Most Americans, however secretly, have come at last to that conclusion, even if (or perhaps because) they think the us in the previous sentence is other people, the un- or soon-to-be-born.

Even Republican office holders are starting to affirm the obvious trajectory of climate change, not to mention ordinary Republican voters of all stripes and kinds. Yes, there are still deniers and agnostics in the mix, but I dont think they represent the majority of the nation any more. That tide has turned, if only just.

We have also likely turned the tide on the notion that infinite economic growth, defined as more cans and bottles for you, more and greater wealth for the rich, can be sustained, though most dont realize it yet. Watch the first four minutes of the video above and ask yourself  Who doubts the main point made? Is there anyone you know (or know of) who thinks we can have infinite growth on a finite planet and survive? Likely no one.

Its the connection pf infinite growth to capitalism that hangs people up. Most dont see yet that infinite growth  more cans of coke, more terrible fast food restaurants, more smart phones you cant repair  is required for our present economic system to continue to function. They dont see the present economy, defined as the production of things, as requiring infinite growth. Does a corner grocery store need infinite growth to survive? they ask. Obviously not. And isnt a corner grocery store capitalism?

But todays capitalism isnt the world of the corner grocery store, where the owner who lives upstairs can do well by earning enough to meet his or her expenses, year after sustainable year. That world has become this one, a world of giant companies eating giant companies in order to grow, absorbing others to ensure theyre not the next prey, because quarterly earnings can never be said to be flat when market analysts come calling.

No large company can survive with no growth  it will die or be absorbed into another large company. And at some point, all of this growth will end. Grow or die is one of the marks of late stage capitalism, with die the inevitable end of all of them.

Just as late stage capitalism is unsustainable, by the way, so too is infinitely increasing income inequality, a situation into which were heading, both nationally and internationally. The image of a world collapsing under the burden of extreme wealth inequality brings to mind one of the most memorable lines from the video above:

Imagine what it means for your personal security as a heavily armed civilian population gets angrier and angrier about why this was allowed to happen.

Sound familiar? Sound like it may be nascent now?

Why Dont We Choose Differently?

All of the above situations suggest a grand problem statement  one that American citizens, indeed world citizens, are coming to grips with as we speak. Is this trains journey sustainable into the future? If not, how do we get off?

Just as the first four minutes of the video engender fear, the final two minutes water the tree of hope, suggesting that humankind can fix these problems if only it wishes to. I too believe that we can fix these problems  hold at bay a collapse due to the twin tsunamis of wealth inequality and climate-cause chaos  at least within limits, if we choose to. In fact Ive offered an Easter Island solution to the problem of addressing climate change, offered it many times:

Youre a villager on Easter Island. People are cutting down trees right and left, and many are getting worried. At some point, the number of worried villagers reaches critical mass, and they go as a group to the island chief and say, Look, we have to stop cutting trees, like now. The chief, whos also CEO of a wood products company, checks his bottom line and orders the cutting to continue. Do the villagers walk away? Or do they depose the chief? Theres always a choice 

Its a simple solution, and certainly not unique to me. Naomi Klein, for example, brings it up in a different form every time she speaks  depose the chief and run the island ourselves.

So what prevents us from choosing that?

Manufactured Hopelessness

For the answer Ill turn to David Graeber. This is from his excellent book Debt: The First 5,000 Years (quoted here, my emphasis throughout). Graeber begins:

There is very good reason to believe that, in a generation or so, capitalism itself will no longer exist  most obviously, as ecologists keep reminding us, because its impossible to maintain an engine of perpetual growth forever on a finite planet, and the current form of capitalism doesnt seem to be capable of generating the kind of vast technological breakthroughs and mobilizations that would be required for us to start finding and colonizing other planets. Yet, faced with the prospect of capitalism actually ending, the most common reaction  even from those who call themselves progressives  is simply fear. We cling to what exists because we can no longer imagine an alternative that wouldnt be even worse.

This is in line with the video presenters idea, that fear is our natural reaction to this awareness, and fear can lead us to make changes.

Graeber then explains why, instead of experiencing fear that spurs us to action, were gripped by fear that locks us to inaction:

How did we get here? My own suspicion is that we are looking at the final effects of the militarization of American capitalism itself. In fact, it could well be said that the last thirty years have seen the construction of a vast bureaucratic apparatus for the creation and maintenance of hopelessness, a giant machine designed, first and foremost, to destroy any sense of possible alternative futures.

He means militarization as a metaphor, that the apparatus, the giant machine hes talking about, is a form of capitalism thats been weaponized and propagandized as a defense against its own consumer base, which is all of us. When has any major companys commercial not had as its secondary message, Were doing this because we want to help you, whatever else the primary message  for example, This $1000 drug is your only hope  may be?

Every bought commercial paints its purchasing corporation as noble, as the solution, when in fact its purchaser is the problem. That description is true even of those benign-appearing car ads that offer off-road freedom to wage slaves chained to cubicle farms. The fault is never the corporate-dominated life; the solution is the corporate-dominated life. Or so says the commercial. Do the wage slaves of the car companies buy those cars to experience freedom?

You cant have that

In the passage above, Graeber, writing in 2011 about manufactured hopelessness, also presciently reminds us of Hillary Clintons virtual campaign slogan, You cant have that. This still serves as a slogan for the current neoliberal support for Medicare for All  in Al Frankens words, its aspirational, something to want but never to expect to get.

Graeber then exposes the inner workings of the apparatus of manufactured hopelessness:

At its root is a veritable obsession on the part of the rulers of the world  in response to the upheavals of the 1960s and 1970s  with ensuring that social movements cannot be seen to grow, flourish, or propose alternatives; that those who challenge existing power arrangements can never, under any circumstances, be perceived to win. To do so requires creating a vast apparatus of armies, prisons, police, various forms of private security firms and military intelligence apparatus, and propaganda engines of every conceivable variety, most of which do not attack alternatives directly so much as create a pervasive climate of fear, jingoistic conformity, and simple despair that makes any thought of changing the world seem an idle fantasy. Maintaining this apparatus seems even more important to exponents of the free market, even than maintaining any sort of viable market economy.  Economically, the apparatus is pure dead weight; all the guns, surveillance cameras, and propaganda engines are extraordinarily expensive and really produce nothing, and no doubt its yet another element dragging the entire capitalist system down  along with producing the illusion of an endless capitalist future that laid the groundwork for the endless bubbles to begin with.

He concludes:

Finance capital became the buying and selling of chunks of that future, and economic freedom, for most of us, was reduced to the right to buy a small piece of ones own permanent subordination. In other words, there seems to have been a profound contradiction between the political imperative of establishing capitalism as the only possible way to manage anything, and capitalisms own unacknowledged need to limit its future horizons, lest speculation, predictably, go haywire. Once it did, and the whole machine imploded, we were left in the strange situation of not being able to even imagine any other way that things might be arranged. About the only thing we can imagine is catastrophe.

A being can nibble on itself from time to time, but it cannot eat itself forever and live.

Consumed with that which it was nourished by

In the capitalist vision of infinite growth, we see, to paraphrase Shakespeares words

the glowing of such fire

That on the ashes of its youth doth lie,

As the death-bed whereon it must expire

Consumed with that which it was nourished by.

In other words, that which feeds it, eats it. Infinite growth, the fuel of late-stage capitalism, can only burn it down to a bed of ashes that lingers briefly warm, then dies.

What drags us into hopelessness is the carefully manufactured illusion that there is no possible economy but a free market economy, despite (a) the fact that no free market ever existed anywhere, and doesnt exist now; and (b) that successful communal  non-competitive  markets exist everywhere around us.

Start by looking within your own family. Or at any community that sustains its weaker members rather than feeds on them. At Social Security, say. Or Medicare.

Medicare isnt aspirational, Mr. Neoliberal. Its already here. How do we know we can have that? Because we already do have that. We just want a little more of it.
By Lee Camp, the host and head writer of the comedy news show Redacted Tonight that airs every Friday on RT America and at YouTube.com/RedactedTonight. Hes a former comedy writer for the Onion and the Huffington Post

The corporate media is nervous now. Theyre nervous because people are waking up to the realization that the mainstream media  almost without exception  toes a pro-war, pro-Wall Street, pro-profit-over-people line. Cable news and the other corporate info sources rarely question the heart of our system. We know now they will never provide us with all the information we need to act as an informed republic. Every topic they cover is weighed against a giant sack of dollar bills.

The corporate media is nervous because this awakening has proved so powerful it nearly made Bernie Sanders the Democratic nominee even though Hillary Clinton received at least 10 times as much media coverage as him and Donald Trump received 23 times as much.

They are nervous because Black Lives Matter became a powerful force despite largely negative corporate media coverage.

They are nervous because Occupy Wall Street became an international phenomenon despite zero media coverage for the first several weeks, followed by largely negative coverage.

They are nervous because Standing Rock became a national flashpoint for the fight against big oil and big corporations, even though it also received little to no corporate media coverage.

They are nervous because Americans are talking about things like single-payer healthcare, legalizing marijuana, shrinking our military empire (with roughly 1,000 military bases around the world), keeping net neutrality, and so much more. Even though these issues are nearly blacked out on mainstream corporate media, Americans are talking about them and getting angry.

So where is the information coming from if not the giant media monopolies?

This world-changing news and thought is pouring forth from crucial outlets like Naked Capitalism. If we want to even begin to have hope that human beings can stand up against inverted totalitarianism and the rule of the corporate state, then we all need to support alternative media. That means you. Now. Give whatever you can, whether its $5 or $50 or $5000. The Tip Jar tells you how.

I have a unique relationship with Naked Capitalism because the first time I wrote a piece for Yves was after I was extensively attacked on the front page of the arts section in the New York Times. Apparently the mainstream outlets are so nervous about alternative media, that theyre devoting entire hit pieces to political comedians who say all the things they refuse to.

I penned an in-depth response to the propaganda unleashed against me and none of the outlets I approached were willing to publish it except Naked Capitalism. Once my response went viral, garnering hundreds of thousands of views and forcing the New YorkTimes to issue corrections  Only THEN did other outlets pick up my piece. So without Naked Capitalism, Im not sure the truth about the New York Times utter bullshit wouldve gotten out there.

There is an information war going on right now. Google and Facebook have joined the corporate media forces. Their new search protocols have crushed the traffic to many leading left-wing sites. YouTube has also demonitized and suppressed many, if not all, leading alternative news channels. For all these reasons it is crucial you help Naked Capitalism continue its work.

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(Natural News) The Flemish government has joined the number of countries banning glyphosate, as reported by the Baum Hedlund. The prohibition on the use of glyphosate is not new in the country as the Belgian cities of Brussels and Wallonia have already issued their own laws regarding the individual use of the chemical. In addition to Belgium, four more countries have banned glyphosate for this year. These are:

Malta  The country was the first European country to ban the use of this controversial weedkiller. Sri Lanka  The President of Sri Lanka also banned the use of glyphosate nationwide to protect the health of the its citizens. The herbicide has been linked to a quintuple increase in the prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in the nation and resulted in about 20,000 deaths in northern Sri Lanka. The Netherlands  The Netherlands likewise prohibited the herbicide after hearing the arguments of Party for Animals, an organization that focuses on animal rights issues. Argentina  Meanwhile in Argentina, about 30,000 doctors demanded the prohibition of glyphosate in their country since the chemical is associated with cancer, spontaneous abortions, birth defects, skin diseases, respiratory illness, and neurological disease.

In 2015, the World Health Organizations International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) identified glyphosate as a potential carcinogen to humans. They found a strong association between glyphosate and non-Hodgkin lymphoma, which is a type of blood cancer that affects the white blood cells called lymphocytes. Lawsuits against Roundup  Monsantos flagship product  began piling in after the IARC report. Over 1,100 people all over the U.S.have filed lawsuits against Monsanto. Allegedly, exposure to Roundup caused them to develop non-Hodgkin lymphoma. There are more than 50 lawsuits against Monsanto that continue to pile up in the U.S. District Court in San, Francisco.

Moreover, the glyphosate manufacturer is also facing a class action lawsuit in Wisconsin after six consumers claimed that Roundup was falsely promoted as safe when it actually caused adverse impacts on human gut bacteria.

Earlier this year, the California Environmental Protection Agencys Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment confirmed that glyphosate would be added to Californias Proposition 65 list of chemicals known to cause cancer. (Related: Glyphosate and cancer: Read how this deadly weed killer promotes multiple myeloma, leukemia, sperm damage, infertility, kidney damage, autism, endocrine disruption, DNA damage and birth defects.)

More on glyphosate

Glyphosate is an herbicide that is used on the leaves of plants. It is the most widely-used chemical for this purpose, with about 9.4 million tons having been sprayed on fields to date.

It was first approved for use in the United States in 1974. It was initially produced by Monsanto and is best known as the active ingredient in the companys Roundup herbicides. It will kill most plants since it is a non-selective herbicide, which prevents the plants from producing the important proteins that they need for plant growth. This chemical stops the shikimic acid pathway that is necessary for plants and some microorganisms.

Over 750 products that contain glyphosate are sold in the U.S. market.

Many countries continue to ban the chemical because of the proven health risks that it causes humans.

Sources include:

BaumHedlundLaw.com

News.BackToTheRoots.com

GlobalResearch.ca

NPIC.orst.edu

USRTK.org
(Natural News) As authorities continue to piece together information that will help them better understand the motives behind the Las Vegas murders, one thing has become abundantly clear already: The fully automatic firearms the shooter is believed to have used are extremely rare, heavily regulated and expensive to own/obtain.

Already insane Democrats are blaming the guns and not the shooter, who could be a terrorist operative for all we know at this point. Thats a typical, politically-motivated response for far-Left liberal Democrats who really want to ban all guns regardless of how they function.

That said, its worth noting that the use of an automatic weapon to commit this horrific crime is so rare as to be statistically immeasurable. In fact, the last time an automatic weapon was used to commit mass murder was decades ago.

As for obtaining one of these weapons, there are a number of very expensive hoops you must jump through and several legal hurdles to clear before the government will let you have one.

Fully automatic weapons have been banned for civilians who have not first obtained special permission from local law enforcement and the federal government since 1934, following passage of the National Firearms Act.

If youve been convicted of a felony, you need not even bother to apply. Even some misdemeanors will disqualify you.

There is a form that local police must sign off on before you can proceed any further. If they dont sign, you dont get your weapon.

Each gun is subject to a $200 tax every time it changes hands, and each time that happens, owners must be federally registered and approved by Uncle Sam and local law enforcement before the transfer/purchase can occur. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives regulate the sale and licensure of automatic weapons.

Also, since the Firearms Owners Protection Act of 1986, ownership of newly manufactured machine guns  weapons made after that law was passed  is prohibited outright to civilians. That legislation dramatically limited the number of automatic weapons that could even be obtained by anyone other than police, the military, and federal agents.

Because the number of full-auto weapons is very low  there were some 240,000 registered weapons in 1995  the price of a machine gun is very high and, for most Americans, prohibitively high. Just as an example, I have a friend who bought a 1970s-era M-16 rifle and it cost him $20,000.

There are some states that completely ban automatic weapons, period, despite the federal requirement to be licensed, further limiting where these guns can be legally owned. (Related: Five things that just dont add up about the Las Vegas mass shooting.)

CNN idiot Don Lemon once said that automatic weapons are easy to buy. Broadcasting from Ferguson, Mo., in the wake of the Michael Brown incident and subsequent rioting, Lemon  who was there to further fan the flames of division and lie about what did and did not happen in the Brown case  had a back-and-forth with conservative radio host Ben Ferguson over the issue.

Lets deal with the facts here, Ferguson said. A semi-automatic weapon is a gun that you or I are allowed to own and in different places they have different rules. But to imply that anyone can just go out and buy an automatic weapon is just not true, Don.

What do you mean? Lemon said. During the theater shooting in Colorado, I was able to go and buy an automatic weapon, and I maybe have shot a gun three, four times in my life. I dont live in Colorado. I think most people can go out and buy an automatic weapon.

Thats completely false  and irresponsible because it proves that Lemon did zero research before making that ridiculous claim. An automatic weapon is something that you can shoot off a number of rounds very quickly, he said. But thats not the legal definition of an automatic weapon; turns out Lemon went out and bought an AR-15, which may look like a fully-auto M-4, but is in actuality a semi-automatic rifle.

The truth is, the average Joe or Jane cannot legally obtain a fully-automatic weapon. So it will be interesting to see where Vegas shooter got his.

J.D. Heyes is a senior writer for NaturalNews.com and NewsTarget.com, as well as editor of The National Sentinel.

Sources include:

Politifact.com

Class3WeaponsLicense.com

TheNationalSentinel.com
The victims just kept coming.

In cars, in ambulances waiting four or five deep, from the walking wounded to the barely alive, they arrived in droves.

"I have no idea who I operated on," said Dr. Jay Coates, a trauma surgeon whose hospital took in many of the wounded after a gunman opened fire from his 32nd-floor hotel suite Sunday night on a country music concert below. "They were coming in so fast, we were taking care of bodies. We were just trying to keep people from dying."

It was the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history, with at least 58 killed and 527 injured, some by gunfire, some during the chaotic escape. Scores remained in critical condition Tuesday.

Authorities say the gunman set up cameras inside and outside the hotel room where he opened fire on the crowd at a country music concert.

Sheriff Joe Lombardo said at a news conference Tuesday that he believes Stephen Paddock set up the cameras to see if anyone was coming to take him into custody. He did not release further details.

The sheriff also said authorities had completed their investigation at the gunman's property in Reno, finding five handguns, two shotguns and a plethora of ammunition.

University Medical Center of Southern Nevada was one of many hospitals that were overflowing Tuesday.

"Every bed was full," Coates said. "We had people in the hallways, people outside and more people coming in."

He said the huge, horrifying wounds on his operating table told him this shooting was something different.

"It was very clear that the first patient I took back and operated on that this was a high-powered weapon," Coates said. "This wasn't a normal street weapon. This was something that did a lot of damage when it entered the body cavity."

The gunman, 64-year-old high-stakes gambler and retired accountant Stephen Paddock, killed himself as authorities stormed his hotel room at the Mandalay Bay hotel casino.

He had 23 guns  some with scopes  in the room where he had been staying since Thursday. He knocked out two windows to create sniper's perches he used to rain rapid fire down on the crowd of 22,000 people some 500 yards away.

He also had two "bump stocks" that can be used to modify weapons to fire continuously, as if fully automatic, according to two U.S. officials briefed by law enforcement who spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation is still unfolding.

At Paddock's home, authorities found 19 more guns, explosives and thousands of rounds of ammunition. Also, several pounds of ammonium nitrate, a fertilizer that can be turned into explosives, were in his car, authorities said.

The FBI discounted the possibility of international terrorism, even after the Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack. But beyond that, the motive remained a mystery, with Sheriff Joseph Lombardo saying: "I can't get into the mind of a psychopath at this point."

While Paddock appeared to have no criminal history, his father was a bank robber who was on the FBI's most-wanted list in the 1960s.

"I can't even make something up," his brother in Florida, Eric Paddock, said when asked what might have motivated his brother. "There's just nothing."

President Donald Trump on Tuesday called the gunman "demented" and a "very, very sick individual." Asked about gun laws, the president said, "We'll be talking about gun laws as time goes on."

His muzzle flashes visible in the dark, Paddock began shooting just after 10 p.m. and appeared to fire unhindered for more than 10 minutes, according to radio traffic, as police frantically tried to locate him.

"We can't worry about the victims," an officer said over the radio at 10:15 p.m. "We need to stop the shooter before we have more victims. Anybody have eyes on him ... stop the shooter."

The crowd, funneled tightly into a wide-open space, had little cover and no easy way to escape. Victims fell to the ground, while others fled in panic. Some hid behind concession stands or crawled under parked cars.

Faces were etched with shock and confusion, and people wept and wailed. Some of the injured were hit by shrapnel. Others were trampled or were injured jumping fences.

"It was chaos  people just running for their lives. People trying to get down. Trying to get to their loved ones that had gotten hit," Shaun Topper said.

Marie Langer, 16, of Las Vegas, got to the concert early so she could get to the very front, closest to the stage.

That meant she and her friends were among the last to get out, and could hear shots ringing and people screaming the entire time she was trying to flee. She finally had to climb a fence with points on the top of metal bars designed to prevent people from getting over it.

"We had no other option," she said.

Tales of heroism and compassion emerged: One man grasped the hand of a dying stranger, unable to pull himself away despite the danger. Another borrowed a flannel shirt from a man he didn't know to create a tourniquet for a girl he didn't know.

Couples held hands as they ran. The healthy carried the bleeding off the grounds. Strangers drove victims to hospitals in their own cars.

Authorities put out a call for blood donations and set up a hotline to report missing people and speed the identification of the dead and wounded. They also opened a "family reunification center" for people to find loved ones.

Before Sunday, the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history took place in June 2016, when a gunman who professed support for Muslim extremist groups opened fire at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, killing 49 people.

Sally Ho, Regina Garcia Cano and Brian Skoloff in Las Vegas; Brian Melley and Andrew Dalton in Los Angeles; Sadie Gurman and Tami Abdollah in Washington; Kristin M. Hall in Nashville, Tennessee; and Jocelyn Gecker in San Francisco contributed to this report.
According to a research conducted at the University of Jyvaskyla, estrogen acts as a regulator of muscle energy metabolism and muscle cell viability. Menopause leads to the cessation of ovarian estrogen production concurrent to the deterioration of muscle function. After menopause, the risk of metabolic diseases also increases. Although a healthy lifestyle does not increase the amount of estrogen in circulation, it reduces risks.

The well-known symptoms of menopause include hot flashes, mood swings and other so-called women's troubles. The consequences of the menopausal withdrawal of estrogen production are, however, broader than commonly assumed. Menopause accelerates the aging changes of many tissues, of which perhaps the most known and well-studied is osteoporosis. The effects of estrogen on skeletal muscles are not yet well known. The study from the University of Jyvaskyla discovered that estrogen acts as an upstream regulator for the energy metabolism and viability of muscle cells.

- It has already been well established that the male sex steroid, testosterone, is an important regulator of muscle size. Now we showed that also the female sex steroid, estradiol, has a substantial regulatory role in muscles, says Academy Research Fellow Eija Laakkonen from the Gerontology Research Center at the University of Jyvaskyla.

- These findings help to understand why menopausal women's muscles get smaller and their muscle strength diminishes, Dr. Laakkonen explains. Skeletal muscle is important for whole-body metabolism. Therefore, these results are important when fighting against the elevated risk of metabolic diseases associated to aging.

In total 24 pre- and postmenopausal women participated in this muscle research on middle-aged women. By applying a proteomics approach to investigate the protein content of the muscle and by taking into account the participants' age, menopausal status and the use of estrogen-containing hormonal therapy, the researchers were able to identify 1,353 proteins and quantify 762 of them. In total 137 of the proteins were associated for the first time with skeletal muscle aging. This collaborative study between the researchers of the University of Jyvaskyla and the University of Helsinki was recently published in Aging Cell. The research is part of the larger SAWEs twin study that is led by Docent Vuokko Kovanen from the Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyvaskyla, and funded by the Academy of Finland and the Paivikki and Sakari Sohlberg Foundation.
Absence of a prefrontal activation during sensory gating of simple tones detects the Alzheimer's disease (AD) before the occurrence of the first symptoms. Sanja Josef Golubic Ph.D., physicists at the Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, reveals the high potential, absolutely non-invasive biomarker of AD pathology in a new study published in the journal Human Brain Mapping. Josef Golubic found a discrete, individual biomarker of AD with "ideal" properties.

Highlights of the new biomarker:

Absolutely non-invasive

Detects the illness before the occurrence of the first symptoms (preclinical)

Discrete: localized/non-localized a prefrontal generator

Does not require estimation of uniform cut-off levels and standardization processes

Low sensitivity to individual heterogeneity and variability

Can follow the evolution of the pathophysiological process of AD

Individual

Topographic

Worldwide spread of Alzheimer's disease, a long-lasting morbid type of dementia, is one of the biggest global public health challenges facing this generation. A wealth of evidence emerged during over more than 110 years of disease research suggest that the pathological changes associated with AD start decades before the onset of clinical symptoms. This long progression of neurodegeneration that is irreversible by the stage of symptomatic disease, may account for failure to develop successful disease-modifying therapies. Currently, there is a pressing worldwide search for a marker of very early, possibly reversible, pathological changes related to AD in still cognitively intact individuals, before the occurrence of the first symptoms.

Reisa Sperling, chairman of the National Institute on Aging/Alzheimer's Association Workgroup on Preclinical AD and director of the Neuroimaging Program at Harvard Medical School, reviewing the extensive search for the biomarker of preclinical AD, emphasises: An active line of research is the relationship of intrinsic neural networks and the "topographic" evolution of the pathophysiological process of AD. It is possible, just as in real estate, that "location, location, location" is key".*

Sanja Josef Golubic found the location of the key - it was hidden in the topography of auditory sensory gating network. She uncovered a topological biomarker of preclinical and clinical AD pathology at the individual level that shows a large effect size (0.98) and high accuracy, sensitivity and specificity (100%) in identifying symptomatic AD patients within a research sample. The new biomarker does not require estimation of cut-off levels or standardization processes what is the main problem with so far proposed AD markers. It is absolutely non-invasive, not based on the use of group means and is not associated with statistically significant changes in a continuous variable. Its strength lies in the simplicity of using a binary value, i.e. activated or not-activated a neural generator. The low sensitivity to individual heterogeneity and variability due to its binary nature is probably the most important property of the proposed biomarker.

Neuroscience eBook Compilation of the top interviews, articles, and news in the last year. Download a copy today

"Three years ago we discovered the novel, third fast sensory processing pathway-gating loop, which directly links primary sensory areas to medial prefrontal cortex within first 80ms after auditory stimulation**. We provided strong evidences of the modulatory role of the medial prefrontal generator on the dynamics of generators in primary auditory cortices. We have also noticed the high sensitivity of the gating generators dynamic on AD pathology. It was inspiration to focus our AD biomarker search in the direction of prefrontal sensory gating generator activation", says Sanja Josef Golubic, who together with Cheryl Aine, Selma Supek, Julia Stephen, John Adair and Janice Knoefel form the international research team. The team was formed by the University of Zagreb, New Mexico University, Mind Research Network and New Mexico VA Healthcare System.

"In the present study, we demonstrate the use of the localization of neural sources underlying neuromagnetic fields measured outside a head to detect AD even before the onset of symptoms. The healthy controls activated a prefrontal generator in response to both the deviant and repeating tones of an oddball paradigm. To the contrary, the symptomatic AD group was lacking any medial prefrontal gating generator activation to either the deviant or repeating tones. However, we detected a sub-group of controls characterized by the absence of prefrontal gating generator activation for the repeating tone only and significantly lower scores on a mini mental status exam and delayed visual memory test - Rey-Osterreith Complex Figure Test. It is highly probable that these individuals were captured in a preclinical AD phase since they show both neuropsychological and neurophysiological impairments characteristic of an AD type of dementia, although they did not yet meet clinical criteria for the early phase of symptomatic AD", emphasizes Josef Golubic.

The localization of a discrete prefrontal gating activation is a highly promising biomarker of Alzheimer's disease at the individual level with potential of following the evolution of the pathophysiological process of disease. The next steps in evolving the biomarker include the testing in large independent samples and assessment in longitudinal clinical studies. The large effect size, absolute non-invasiveness, and statistical independence, properties of an "ideal" biomarker, will certainly launch this AD biomarker promptly into clinical use.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has awarded two five-year grants to Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center worth more than $5 million to prospectively study the effects of a genetic variation in organ donors that appears to contribute to survival of kidneys after transplantation.

The funding will establish the APOL1 Long-term Transplantation Outcomes Network (APOLLO) to evaluate donor and recipient apolipoprotein L1 (APOL1) renal-risk variants in all U.S. kidney transplants from African-American kidney donors to determine their effect on transplant outcomes. In addition, the post-donation health and kidney function of African-American living kidney donors will be assessed.

Kidneys transplanted from deceased African-American donors fail more rapidly compared to kidneys transplanted from deceased European- American donors. Reasons for this are unknown, but retrospective studies suggest that the presence of two APOL1 renal-risk variants in the African-American kidney donors may contribute to the disparity.

Genetics & Genomics eBook Compilation of the top interviews, articles, and news in the last year. Download a copy today

These gene variants are common in populations with recent African ancestry, such as African-Americans, where they are strongly associated with non-diabetic end-stage kidney disease, but rare in other racial or ethnic groups. Up to 40 percent of end-stage kidney disease in African Americans is related to variation in this gene.

"Compiling APOL1 data may provide physicians with a more accurate way to assess the likelihood for long-term renal function in transplanted kidneys," said nephrologist Barry I. Freedman, M.D., John H. Felts, III, Distinguished Professor of Internal Medicine, at Wake Forest Baptist and a principal investigator at the Wake Forest Baptist APOLLO coordinating center. "Hopefully, it also will improve our ability to match donor kidneys with potential recipients to improve the success rate of kidney transplants and patient survival."

As the national coordinating center for the APOLLO consortium, Wake Forest Baptist will be closely aligned with the United Network of Organ Sharing, the Association of Organ Procurement Organizations and 13 APOLLO clinical trial centers. Co-principal investigators of the APOLLO coordinating center are David Reboussin, Ph.D., Robert Stratta, M.D., and Donald Bowden, Ph.D., of Wake Forest Baptist.

Pioneering studies led by Freedman demonstrated that two copies of the APOL1 gene in African-American kidney donors were associated with more rapid failure of transplanted kidneys.

In addition, the NIH funding supports an APOLLO clinical center led by Amber Reeves-Daniel, D.O., of Wake Forest Baptist, and Rasheed Gbadegesin, M.D., of Duke University Medical Center. This clinical trial site, with its 12 counterparts around the country, will assist in developing the protocol and recruiting participants for APOLLO.

"Findings from the APOLLO study have the potential to alter clinical practice by increasing the numbers of kidneys available for transplantation and improving matching of kidneys with recipients to extend post-transplant kidney function," Freedman said.
Captain Marvel and the X-Men crossover for Revenge of the Brood and Lord of the Brood

Captain Marvel and the X-Men are about to embroiled in a two-part Brood-centric story
The China National Nuclear Corp (CNNC) has signed an agreement with the Shenhua Group, Chinas biggest coal producer, to promote the development of advanced traveling wave reactor technology, the state nuclear giant said.

At a ceremony on Tuesday, the two sides signed an investment agreement to promote fourth-generation traveling wave reactors (TWR), CNNC said in a notice posted on its website. The deal also involved the Zhejiang Energy Group and the Hebei Construction and Investment Group.

The new organization will be a partnership with four Chinese energy companies and will have /A> starting capital of CNY1bn ($153.2 million).

TWR, one of several new fourth-generation reactor designs, uses depleted uranium and is more fuel-efficient and cheaper to run than conventional nuclear reactors.

Leading developers of TWR include the Bill Gates-backed Terrapower, which is working on large scale projects aimed at providing base-load electricity. CNNC said its chairman, Wang Shoujun, met with Gates in July to discuss cooperation.

TerraPowers traveling wave design is a breeder reactor that produce more atomic fuel than they consume, reducing the need to add costly processed nuclear elements.

In 2006, Intellectual Ventures launched a spin-off named TerraPower to model and commercialize a working design of such a reactor, which later came to be called a traveling-wave reactor. TerraPower has developed TWR designs for low- to medium- (300 MWe) as well as high-power (~1000 MWe) generation facilities. Bill Gates featured TerraPower in his 2010 TED talk.

In 2010 a group from TerraPower applied for patent EP 2324480 A1 following WO2010019199A1 Heat pipe nuclear fission deflagration wave reactor cooling. The application was deemed withdrawn in 2014.

In September, 2015 TerraPower and China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly develop a TWR. TerraPower plans to build a 600 MWe demonstration Plant, the TWR-P, by 20182022 followed by larger commercial plants of 1150 MWe in the late 2020s

CNNC said the technology uses 30 percent to 40 percent of the isotopes in natural uranium, compared with just 0.7 percent in conventional models, and reactors could run for decades without requiring additional fuel.

CNNC and its rival China General Nuclear are both developing small modular reactors that can be deployed in remote regions as well as mobile ship-mounted units that can be used to supply power to offshore drilling platforms or small islands.

Shenhua, which is in the middle of a merger with state power giant Guodian, is seeking to diversify away from coal and coal-fired power, and it has already been in talks with CNNC and CGN to invest in nuclear projects.
Researchers from the University of Bristol have discovered that super-powerful quantum computers, which scientists and engineers across the world are racing to build, need to be even more powerful than previously thought before they can beat todays classical computers.

Research groups at leading universities and companies, including Google, Microsoft and IBM, are part of a worldwide race to realise the first quantum computer that crosses into the quantum computational singularity or quantum supremacy.

This represents a point where quantum computers become faster than any non-quantum supercomputer. Quantum computers have vastly better speed scaling. So once quantum computers surpass classical computers then quantum computers will remain dominant.

A team of scientists from Bristol have discovered that the boundary to this singularity is further away than previously thought.

The results apply to a highly influential quantum algorithm known as boson sampling, which was devised as a very direct route to demonstrate quantum computings supremacy over classical machines.

The boson sampling problem is designed to be solved by photons (particles of light) controlled in optical chips  technology pioneered by Bristols Quantum Engineering and Technology Labs (QETLabs).

Predicting the pattern of many photons emerging from a large optical chip is related to an extremely hard random matrix calculation.

With the rapid progress in quantum technologies, it appeared as though a boson sampling experiment that crossed into the quantum computational singularity was within reach. However, the Bristol team were able to redesign an old classical algorithm to simulate boson sampling, with dramatic consequences.

Dr Anthony Laing, who heads a group in QETLabs and led this research, said: Its like tuning up an old propeller aeroplane to go faster than an early jet aircraft.

Were at a moment in history where it is still possible for classical algorithms to outperform the quantum algorithms that we expect to ultimately be supersonic.

It was believed that 30 or even 20 photons would be enough to demonstrate quantum computational supremacy.

Yet he was able to simulate boson sampling for 20 photons on his own laptop, and increased the simulation size to 30 photons by using departmental servers.

Alex added: With access to todays most powerful supercomputer, we could simulate boson sampling with 50 photons.

But demonstrating such a feat [finding or creating better classical algorithms] meant assembling a crack team of scientists, mathematicians, and programmers.

Nature Physics  Classical boson sampling algorithms with superior performance to near-term experiments

It is predicted that quantum computers will dramatically outperform their conventional counterparts. However, large-scale universal quantum computers are yet to be built. Boson sampling is a rudimentary quantum algorithm tailored to the platform of linear optics, which has sparked interest as a rapid way to demonstrate such quantum supremacy. Photon statistics are governed by intractable matrix functions, which suggests that sampling from the distribution obtained by injecting photons into a linear optical network could be solved more quickly by a photonic experiment than by a classical computer. The apparently low resource requirements for large boson sampling experiments have raised expectations of a near-term demonstration of quantum supremacy by boson sampling. Here we present classical boson sampling algorithms and theoretical analyses of prospects for scaling boson sampling experiments, showing that near-term quantum supremacy via boson sampling is unlikely. Our classical algorithm, based on Metropolised independence sampling, allowed the boson sampling problem to be solved for 30 photons with standard computing hardware. Compared to current experiments, a demonstration of quantum supremacy over a successful implementation of these classical methods on a supercomputer would require the number of photons and experimental components to increase by orders of magnitude, while tackling exponentially scaling photon loss.
Press release: The Nobel Prize in Physics 2017



3 October 2017

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has decided to award the Nobel Prize in Physics 2017 with one half to

Rainer Weiss

LIGO/VIRGO Collaboration

and the other half jointly to

Barry C. Barish

LIGO/VIRGO Collaboration

and

Kip S. Thorne

LIGO/VIRGO Collaboration

for decisive contributions to the LIGO detector and the observation of gravitational waves

Gravitational waves finally captured

On 14 September 2015, the universes gravitational waves were observed for the very first time. The waves, which were predicted by Albert Einstein a hundred years ago, came from a collision between two black holes. It took 1.3 billion years for the waves to arrive at the LIGO detector in the USA.

The signal was extremely weak when it reached Earth, but is already promising a revolution in astrophysics. Gravitational waves are an entirely new way of observing the most violent events in space and testing the limits of our knowledge.

LIGO, the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory, is a collaborative project with over one thousand researchers from more than twenty countries. Together, they have realised a vision that is almost fifty years old. The 2017 Nobel Laureates have, with their enthusiasm and determination, each been invaluable to the success of LIGO. Pioneers Rainer Weiss and Kip S. Thorne, together with Barry C. Barish, the scientist and leader who brought the project to completion, ensured that four decades of effort led to gravitational waves finally being observed.

In the mid-1970s, Rainer Weiss had already analysed possible sources of background noise that would disturb measurements, and had also designed a detector, a laser-based interferometer, which would overcome this noise. Early on, both Kip Thorne and Rainer Weiss were firmly convinced that gravitational waves could be detected and bring about a revolution in our knowledge of the universe.

Gravitational waves spread at the speed of light, filling the universe, as Albert Einstein described in his general theory of relativity. They are always created when a mass accelerates, like when an ice-skater pirouettes or a pair of black holes rotate around each other. Einstein was convinced it would never be possible to measure them. The LIGO projects achievement was using a pair of gigantic laser interferometers to measure a change thousands of times smaller than an atomic nucleus, as the gravitational wave passed the Earth.

So far all sorts of electromagnetic radiation and particles, such as cosmic rays or neutrinos, have been used to explore the universe. However, gravitational waves are direct testimony to disruptions in spacetime itself. This is something completely new and different, opening up unseen worlds. A wealth of discoveries awaits those who succeed in capturing the waves and interpreting their message.

Read more about this years prize

Popular Science Background

Pdf 1.7 MB

Scientific Background

Pdf 2.2 MB

Image  Gravitational waves (pdf 162 kB)

Image  Two black holes (pdf 508 kB)

Image  LIGO (pdf 1.7 MB)

Image  LIGO in the USA (pdf 1.6 MB)

All illustrations: Copyright  Johan Jarnestad/The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences

Rainer Weiss, born 1932 in Berlin, Germany. Ph.D. 1962 from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA. Professor of Physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA.

http://web.mit.edu/physics/people/faculty/weiss_rainer.html B

Barry C. Barish, born 1936 in Omaha, NE, USA. Ph.D. 1962 from University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. Linde Professor of Physics, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA

https://labcit.ligo.caltech.edu/~BCBAct/ K

Kip S. Thorne, born 1940 in Logan, UT, USA. Ph.D. 1965 from Princeton University, NJ, USA. Feynman Professor of Theoretical Physics, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA

https://www.its.caltech.edu/~kip/index.html/

LIGO/VIRGO COLLABORATION

www.ligo.org

Prize amount: 9 million Swedish krona.

Further information: www.kva.se and http://nobelprize.org

Press contact: Jessica Balksjo Nannini, Press Officer, Phone +46 8 673 95 44, +46 70 673 96 50, [email protected]

Experts: Olga Botner, member of the Nobel Committee for Physics, Phone +46 73-390 86 50, [email protected],

Ulf Danielsson, member of the Nobel Committee for Physics, Phone +46 70-314 10 86, [email protected]

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, founded in 1739, is an independent organisation whose overall objective is to promote the sciences and strengthen their influence in society. The Academy takes special responsibility for the natural sciences and mathematics, but endeavours to promote the exchange of ideas between various disciplines.

Nobel Prize is a registered trademark of the Nobel Foundation.

To cite this section

MLA style: Press release: The Nobel Prize in Physics 2017. NobelPrize.org. Nobel Prize Outreach AB 2022. Tue. 15 Nov 2022. <https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/physics/2017/press-release/>
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Authorities have not officially released details on the weapons a gunman used to kill 58 people and wound about 500 more late on Sunday in Las Vegas. But analysis of video posted on social media shows that the gunman, identified by the police as Stephen Paddock, 64, had rifles with rapid-fire capabilities.

An arsenal of firearms was recovered from Mr. Paddocks hotel room, said Sheriff Joseph Lombardo of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. At least one rifle in Mr. Paddocks suite had a bump stock, a device used to retrofit a semiautomatic firearm to make it function like a fully automatic weapon, according to a law enforcement official who requested anonymity to divulge details of the investigation.

This video shows 15 seconds of the attack, with constant gunshots ringing out.

Isolated, the pattern of gunshots looks like this.

Las Vegas About 90 shots in 10 seconds

Compare that with audio extracted from a video of the June 2016 Orlando nightclub shooting, in which 49 people were killed and 53 were wounded. The gunman, Omar Mateen, used at least two guns, including a semiautomatic AR-15-style assault rifle.

Orlando nightclub 24 shots in 9 seconds

In contrast, a fully automatic weapon, like this pre-1986 Colt AR-15A2, sounds different. There are no variations in the firing rate like there was in the Las Vegas shooting.

Fully automatic weapon 98 shots in 7 seconds

How did he fire so quickly?

The Las Vegas gunman modified at least one of his semiautomatic rifles to fire faster using a bump stock.

Slide Fire, a main manufacturer of bump-fire stocks, shows how the product works in the promotional video below.

Promotional video by Slide Fire

The device replaces a rifles standard stock, which is the part held against the shoulder. It frees the weapon to slide back and forth rapidly because of recoil, with the stock bouncing, or bumping, between the shooters shoulder and trigger finger.

The shooter holds his or her trigger finger in place, while maintaining forward pressure on the barrel and backward pressure on the pistol grip while firing. This modification can be done legally and allows the user to fire at rates similar to those of automatic weapons.
A potentially harmful algae bloom covered more than 700 square miles in the western basin of Lake Erie last week, turning the lake bright green and alarming residents and local officials.

Sept. 26 LAKE ERIE TOLEDO 5 miles Sept. 26 LAKE ERIE TOLEDO 5 miles Sept. 26 LAKE ERIE TOLEDO 10 miles Sept. 26 LAKE ERIE TOLEDO 5 miles Source: Landsat 8

Scientists say that algae blooms have been a growing problem for Lake Erie since the 2000s, mostly because of the extensive use of fertilizer on the regions farmland.

The algae blooms contain cyanobacteria, which, under certain conditions, can produce toxins that contaminate drinking water and cause harm to the local ecosystem.

During last weeks bloom, the amount of toxins in the algae remained low at the intake points where towns draw water from the lake, according to officials.

Lake Eries algae blooms are driven by a landscape dominated by agriculture.

LAKE ERIE Toledo Farmland 20 miles LAKE ERIE Toledo Farmland 10 miles LAKE ERIE Toledo Farmland 10 miles Rain causes nutrients from fertilizers on farmland to run off into rivers. River Raisin Maumee River River Raisin Maumee River Sandusky River River Raisin Maumee River Sandusky River The nutrients travel along rivers, eventually reaching Lake Erie.

In the Maumee River, the largest tributary to any of the Great Lakes, green algae was visible last week in an aerial photograph.

According to experts, excess nutrients that are transported by the Maumee River can be a good indicator of how severe an algae bloom in the lake will be.

Maumee River Maumee River Maumee River Source: Aerial Associates Photography, Inc., Zachary Haslick

Millions of people get drinking water from Lake Erie. Previous blooms have been toxic.

While not all algae blooms are toxic, they can produce a type of toxin called microcystin that can cause serious liver damage under certain conditions. Dangerous levels of the toxin caused Toledo, Ohio, to shut down the drinking water supply of a half-million residents for three days in 2014.

In total, almost 3 million people get drinking water from the central basin of Lake Erie. Officials have been testing the intake pipes in the lake where towns draw water and report that the current toxin levels are low.

CANADA MICHIGAN Water intake point LAKE ERIE Algae OHIO CANADA MICHIGAN Water intake point LAKE ERIE Algae OHIO Source: NASA MODIS

Note: Only intake points for towns and cities in Ohio are shown.

The blooms are hurting the regions economy.

Lake Erie attracts millions of visitors for beaches and recreation like fishing, and many businesses stand to lose money during large algae blooms.

David Spangler, vice president of the Lake Erie Charter Boat Association, describes the algae as a musty-smelling, lime-green skin on the lakes surface thats so thick you could write your name in it.

An awful lot of money may go someplace else other than Ohio if we continue having these issues in the lake, Mr. Spangler said. He noted that in 2015, an algae bloom kept boats out of the lake for six to seven weeks.

The algae blooms are getting larger.

Since the 2000s, algae blooms in Lake Erie have become much more extensive.

Area of maximum summertime blooms 1,500 square miles 1,300 square miles 1,000 500 0 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 Area of maximum summertime blooms 1,500 square miles 1,300 square miles 1,000 500 0 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 Source: Carnegie Institute for Science and Stanford University

According to one study by the Carnegie Institute for Science and Stanford University , most of the increase in the size of the blooms can be attributed to a rise in the amount of dissolved phosphorus flowing into the lake.

Cumulative dissolved phosphorous in Lake Erie 5k metric tons 4 3 2 1 0 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 Cumulative dissolved phosphorous in Lake Erie 5k metric tons 4 3 2 1 0 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 Source: Carnegie Institute for Science and Stanford University

In the 1980s, researchers started tracking algae blooms in Lake Erie. They were mostly small, but changes in farming practices caused them to spike.

The blooms are expected to grow more harmful as global warming changes rainfall patterns.

According to local experts, storms have become more intense in the region, carrying more nutrients from the farmland into the lake.

Another study from the Carnegie Institution for Science shows that extensive algae blooms will continue to grow throughout the continental United States and around the globe, especially in Southeast Asia.

The mayor of Toledo, Paula Hicks-Hudson, wrote a letter to President Trump on Sept. 26, calling on the federal government to declare Lake Erie impaired, which would allow for the lakes nutrient loads to be regulated under the Clean Water Act.
Ever since Justice Anthony M. Kennedy left the door open to a workable standard to limit partisan gerrymandering, political scientists have sought to construct a measure to satisfy him. On Tuesday, the Supreme Court will hear a case that will test whether theyve pulled it off.

At the center of the case is the efficiency gap, a relatively new measure of partisan gerrymandering. A federal court in Wisconsin ruled in November that the states Republican-controlled legislature had discriminated against Democratic voters, and it partly relied on the efficiency gap to find that the Wisconsin State Assembly map was an unconstitutional partisan gerrymander.

Whether its persuasive to Justice Kennedy  expected to be the key swing vote in the case  is another matter. The efficiency gap is not a perfect measure. But it would probably address many of gerrymanderings problems, with few downsides.

Heres what the efficiency gap is, what it does well, what it doesnt do so well  and what it might ultimately mean for American democracy.

What Is It?

In general, the goal of a partisan gerrymander is to force the other side to waste votes, and thats exactly what the efficiency gap measures.

A wasted vote is one that doesnt contribute to winning any additional districts. All of the votes beyond what's necessary to win a district are "wasted" in victory. All votes are wasted in defeat, since they didnt result in any seat at all.

There are two types of wasted votes: 1 All the votes cast for the losing candidate 2 All the extra votes for the winning candidate

Partisan gerrymandering follows this logic by employing so-called packing and cracking, two tactics to force the other side to waste votes. With packing, one partys votes are concentrated into a district, resulting in wasted votes in lopsided victories. With cracking, one partys votes are split among several districts that lean safely to the other side.

The efficiency gap measurement aims to summarize the effect of gerrymandering by identifying all of the wasted votes in victory and defeat for both parties. It then adds them up, finds the difference between the two sides, and divides that by the total number of votes in a state. This yields a single percentage figure: the efficiency gap. The creators of the measurement, Eric McGhee, research fellow at the Public Policy Institute of California, and Nicholas Stephanopoulos, professor at the University of Chicago Law School, propose that a gap of 7 percent or higher should be enough to find that a state may have committed an unconstitutional partisan gerrymander.

This process of adding up the wasted votes in each district is a little cumbersome. But this formula can be simplified to a theoretical relationship between vote share and the number of seats that a party should win.

Over all, its a simple measure that elegantly follows the logic of partisan gerrymandering. And it satisfies many of Justice Kennedys requirements for a gerrymandering test. It does not, for instance, require an analysis of hypothetical elections, and its straightforward enough to understand.

What Works Well

Does it work? Well, the results do look about right.

The congressional and state legislative maps that have been considered most notorious are found to be in violation using this standard.

Exactly which states violate the efficiency gap depends a bit on the details. Wisconsins state legislative districts are in question in the case, but the basic issues are the same for congressional maps, and well focus on those here.

There are two potential standards for whether a states congressional map is in violation: the 7 percent threshold suggested earlier, or if the plan costs a party two seats in a state. Small states are likelier to fail the percentage threshold test, while the two-seat threshold is more likely to trip up big states. There are also judgment calls needed on how to handle uncontested elections  here, we impute the results and turnout using a model based on recent congressional and presidential election results. But the conclusion is basically the same no matter the approach.

In looking at the 2016 congressional elections, there are five states in violation by both the seat and percentage measures: Pennsylvania, Texas, North Carolina, New York and Michigan. With the exception of New York, no one would dispute that these lines were ruthlessly drawn to favor the Republicans.

In addition, theres a longer list of medium-size states that violate the percentage measure but dont quite hit a two-seat threshold. Ohio, Georgia, Maryland, South Carolina, Virginia and Alabama all have efficiency gaps over 10 percentage points in favor of the party that controlled redistricting, while Indiana has a 9 percent efficiency gap. All of these congressional maps could be vulnerable to a legal challenge under the proposed standard.

These results would largely pass the gut-check test for most fair-minded observers. But theyre not quite perfect either, and they hint at some of the limitations of the test. Illinois, where Democrats plainly used the redistricting process to their advantage, is considered well balanced by this measure. It actually has a Republican-leaning efficiency gap. And New York, drawn by a court-appointed magistrate, is considered a Republican gerrymander with a 10 percent efficiency gap in favor of the Republicans. But in truth, few would argue that New Yorks map is balanced against the Democrats at all, let alone by so much.

So whats going on? Political geography.

What Doesnt Work Well

Gerrymandering isnt the only reason one party might waste many more votes than the other. Parties can naturally pack or crack themselves, simply because of how their voters are distributed geographically.

The efficiency gap doesnt distinguish between votes wasted by gerrymandering or by natural causes. Thats probably the biggest practical limitation of the measure.

Its not a small issue. Democrats routinely win major cities with more than 80 percent of the vote. Nationally, virtually all of the seats with the most wasted votes in victory are Democratic-held urban districts. For the most part, theyre not gerrymandered at all.

Number of wasted votes in victory by congressional district

2016 presidential election

The effect of all of these wasted Democratic votes in urban areas is considerable. Its enough, for instance, to make a fair map in New York look like a partisan gerrymander. There, Hillary Clinton won more than 75 percent of the major party vote in 10 of the states 27 districts. But no gerrymandering was required as Mrs. Clinton won 81 percent of the major party vote in densely populated New York City.

Similarly, the efficiency gap measure makes Illinoiss Democratic gerrymander look like a balanced map. Mrs. Clinton won 78 percent of the major party vote in Cook County, which includes 40 percent of Illinoiss population. The Democrats made a herculean effort to undo this disadvantage. They unpacked Chicago and Cook County as best they could, spoking the citys districts out to the suburbs, exurbs and even the countryside. But even this was insufficient to give the Democrats a real advantage. Republicans and Donald J. Trump still won seven of Illinoiss 18 congressional districts, even in a state Mrs. Clinton carried easily.

Geography is probably the biggest reason Republicans are skeptical of the efficiency gap. Various amicus briefs contend that the measure is biased against Republicans. They argue that a remedy could even require maps that violate nonpartisan criteria, like those districts that spoke out of Chicago.

Theres some merit to the Republican argument. If Democrats are at a geographic disadvantage compared with the Republicans, Democrats would generally have more flexibility to draw maps that deviate from nonpartisan standards, like compactness or following jurisdictional lines, without generating a 7 percent efficiency gap violation as they have in Illinois. Republicans, meanwhile, might draw relatively fair maps that might seem to disadvantage Democrats. Indiana is a good example.

One could argue that the courts shouldnt view Democratic gerrymanders as especially troubling if they dont create the same burden on Republican voters to translate their votes to seats, but Republicans are unlikely to see it that way.

Making matters worse for the Republicans: The efficiency gap isnt great at measuring the one big Democratic geography advantage: Hispanic districts. Here, the Democrats advantage is that they can translate votes to seats at an efficient rate, thanks to the extremely low turnout-to-population ratio of Hispanic areas, which, for good measure, are not always overwhelmingly Democratic. The efficiency gap, if anything, gets this backward. Its measuring wasted votes, after all, and the low turnout of these districts means that the Republicans waste very few in Hispanic districts.

Right now, Illinois and New York are probably the only two states where the efficiency gap is misled by geography. But it could be a much bigger issue in the future. An easy way to tell is to look at the 2016 presidential race rather than U.S. House races. Based on presidential results, efficiency gap violations would spread to 18 of the 26 states with more than five congressional districts. The nonpartisan maps in Arizona and Minnesota, the bipartisan map in New Jersey, and, incredibly, the Democratic-drawn map in Illinois would all violate the 7 percent threshold in favor of the Republicans.

Its worth noting that there isnt much danger that fair maps will be found to be unconstitutional gerrymanders, even if they fail the efficiency gap. Under the test proposed by the plaintiffs, the courts would have to find motive as well. Similarly, the state would have the opportunity to show that the imbalance was because of political geography.

But the presidential election results nonetheless show how significant the Democratic geography disadvantage has become. It can easily create the appearance of a partisan gerrymander. It is directionally consistent with the notion that the Democratic geography disadvantage would somewhat bias the efficiency gap measure against the Republicans. And it hints at a core challenge for the plaintiffs: The efficiency gap isnt as easy as it looks.

The Role of the Courts

The courts would have to assess whether geography explains the efficiency gap in just about every case.

In the Wisconsin case, the federal court concluded that political geography did not explain the entirety of the Republican edge because there were alternative plans with a smaller Republican advantage.

If this ultimately becomes a standard way to rebut the geography argument, as it has in racial gerrymandering cases, gerrymandering opponents will probably be well off. It is usually possible to draw a relatively fair map, even in states where geography really does significantly burden one party.

But things get more complicated if the courts dont simply accept the presence of an alternative, fair plan as proof that geography isnt responsible. After all, the fact that a more balanced map was possible doesnt prove that a less balanced map was a result of partisan gerrymandering, as the New York and Minnesota maps plainly show.

The difference between the presidential election results and congressional election results hints at another problem: The efficiency gap is very noisy. It can shift back and forth from cycle to cycle. That's mainly because the efficiency gap emphasizes the difference between winning and losing a district. If you win by one vote, all of your opponents votes are wasted, and just one of yours; lose by one vote and the opposite is true.

As a result, the courts would probably need to look across many elections to assess whether a map is in violation. They would also probably check to see whether the result would be very different if the election had gone a little differently. The courts will undoubtedly consider other potential measures of partisan symmetry or gerrymandering, including whether the map violates nonpartisan criteria like compactness or violating jurisdictional lines.

None of this represents an insurmountable challenge to the efficiency gap. But it means that the efficiency gap isnt really what it seems. It is not a test of partisan gerrymandering. It is a test of whether a congressional map burdens the voters of a political party to an extent that is likely to be persistent for a decade. Whether voters were burdened because of an unconstitutional partisan gerrymander, geography or bad luck is another matter. Its the sort of matter that the courts have been resolving for decades in racial gerrymandering cases, but that doesnt mean its easy or clear.

What Might Be Coming in 2020

The efficiency gap has real limitations. But from a practical standpoint, this is not necessarily a deal breaker. The efficiency gap is not the entirety of the plaintiffs proposed legal test. The standard of motive would probably prevent fair, nonpartisan maps from being struck down. The opportunity to show that geography, not gerrymandering, was responsible for the bias would most likely protect those states as well. And the courts could consider other measures, as the federal courts did in the Wisconsin case.

There is a better chance that the efficiency gap will fail to capture some maps that deviate considerably from nonpartisan standards like preserving communities of interest. These maps are likelier to be Democratic-led gerrymanders, given the partys distinct geographic disadvantage.

But anyone afraid of letting, say, the Democratic gerrymander in Illinois get by should be concerned about what might be coming in 2020.

In 1986, Justice Sandra Day OConnor wrote that gerrymandering was a self-limiting enterprise. A majority party must weaken some of its safe seats to win additional seats; therefore, gerrymanders can wind up increasing the number of vulnerable seats. This was probably right in 1986. The countrys political geography wasnt so reliably and deeply polarized, and that limited what a gerrymander could accomplish.

But this wasnt so true by 2010, and it is even less true today. There are now strong incentives for parties to pursue gerrymanders that go much further than they did in 2010. In 2020, many states could all but end competitive congressional districts in their state.

Take Pennsylvania. Today, Democrats hold only five of the states 18 congressional districts. Its hard for Democrats to imagine that it could be worse. But it could be. After all, there are still five competitive, Republican-held districts in southeastern Pennsylvania outside Philadelphia.

Why are there competitive districts in southeast Pennsylvania? At the time Pennsylvania Republicans redrew the map, Justice OConnors point about self-limiting gerrymandering was quite relevant. Democrats had a record of competing across rural and post-industrial Pennsylvania, even though President Obama didnt fare especially well on traditionally Democratic turf. Republicans had little incentive to dilute the Philadelphia suburbs further, and they would have been endangering their central Pennsylvania seats anyway.

That logic may not hold today. In fact, its not a given that there have to be competitive districts in the Philadelphia suburbs anymore. Mrs. Clinton won 41 percent of the major party vote in the 14 districts outside of Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, including the fifth Democratic district in northeast Pennsylvania. Republicans could probably figure out a way to make several or even all of the competitive districts in southeastern Pennsylvania safely Republican. There would be a practical challenge in spoking the Philadelphia suburbs to such an extreme extent, but it could probably be done, and even if it couldnt they could still greatly improve on the map they have now.
IT'S BACK! Amazon Great Indian Festival (4th - 8th Oct) - Upto 80% Off & Win 1 Year's Free Shopping*

Feature

oi-Madhuri

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OneIndia News

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Story first published: Tuesday, October 3, 2017, 16:41 [IST]
Pay matrix at cell one

The Finance Ministry will be improvising this matrix. The Pay Matrix starts at Rs1,18,500 at Cell one and ends at Rs2,14,100 at Cell 21, the ministry said, adding that the said level has been modified. This Index of Rationalisation' has been applied by the Commission on the minimum entry pay corresponding to the successive Grades Pay in the pre-Revised pay structure, the report said.

Pay in the Level-13 is to be fixed by multiplying by a factor of 2.57 or 2.67

The Pay Commission, while formulating the various Levels contained in the Pay Matrix, corresponding to the pre-Revised pay structure, used "Index Of Rationalization" (IOR) to arrive at the starting Cell of each Level (the 1st Cell) of the Pay Matrix. This IOR has been applied by the Commission on the minimum entry pay corresponding to the successive Grades Pay in the pre-Revised pay structure. In Level-13 of the Pay Matrix, as formulated by the pay panel and as accepted by the Government in terms of the CCS(RP) Rules, 2016 promulgated vide notification dt. 25.7.2016, the IOR was 2.57. The IOR in respect of both Levels 12 and Level 13-A, i.e., Levels immediately lower and immediately higher than Level-13, is 2.67. Therefore, the modified Level-13 in terms of the Pay Matrix contained in the CCS(Revised Pay) (Amendment) Rules, 2017 has also been formulated based on the IOR of 2.67. While the concept of the IOR, as applied by the pay panel, is exclusively in regard to formulation of the Levels in Pay Matrix, the formula for fixation of pay in the Pay Matrix based on the basic pay drawn in the pre-revised pay structure for the purpose of migration to the Pay Matrix, as recommended by the commission, is based on the fitment factor of 2.57. The Commission recommends "this fitment factor of 2.57 is being proposed to be applied uniformly for all employees." Accordingly, Rule 7 (1)(A)(i) of the CCS(RP) Rules, 2016, relating to fixation of pay in the revised pay structure, clearly provides that "in case of all employees the pay in the applicable level in the Pay Matrix shall be the pay obtained by multiplying the existing pay by a factor of 2.57........."

Thus, the fitment factor for the purpose of fixation of pay in all the Levels of Pay Matrix in the revised pay structure is altogether different from the IOR. The fitment factor of 2.57 is uniformly applicable for all employees for the purpose of fixation of pay in all the Levels of Pay Matrix. This has no relation with the "IOR". The formula for fixation of pay based on the fitment factor of 2.57, as contained in Rule 7(1)(A)(i) of the CCS(RP) Rules,2016, has not been modified by the CCS (Revised Pay) (Amendment) Rules,2017.

Accordingly, pay in the Level-13 of the Pay Matrix, as provided for in the CCS(Revised Pay) (Amendment) Rules, 2017, shall continue to be fixed based on the fitment factor of 2.57 as already provided for in Rule 7(1) (A) (1) of CCS(RP) Rules, 2016. In case pay has been fixed in the modified Level-13 by way of fitment factor of 2.67, the same is contrary to the Rules and is liable to be rectified and excess amount recovered forthwith.

Pay re-fixed in the modified Level-13 working out lower than the pay fixed in the earlier Level-13:

As mentioned above, earlier Level 13 in operation before the coming into force of CCS(Revised Pay) (Amendment) Rules, 2017 promulgated vide notification dt. 15.6.2017, has become non-existent ab-initio and the modified Level 13 as contained in CCS(Revised Pay) (Amendment) Rules, 2017 is the applicable Level 13 from 1.1.2016. Therefore, the earlier Level 13 is extinct and, hence, no employee can retain the some consequent upon promulgation of CCS(Revised Pay)(Amendment) Rules, 2017.

As such, pay in respect of those, who are entitled to Level 13 either from 1.1.2016 or from any date later than 1.1.2016, has to be re-fixed in the modified Level 13 and the pay as earlier fixed in the earlier Level 13 gets automatically rescinded. Therefore, pay, as fixed in the modified Level 13 in terms of Rule 7 of the CCS(RP)Rules, 2016 in case of those who were drawing pay in the pre-revised pay structure in PB-4 plus Grade Pay of Rs.8700 as on 31.12.2015 or in terms of Rule 13 thereof in case of those promoted to Level 13 on or after 1.1.2016, shall now be the pay for all purposes. However, a few instances have been brought to the notice of this Ministry, where pay fixed in the modified Level-13 contained in CCS (RP) (Amendment) Rules,2017 works out less than the pay fixed in the earlier Level-13 before promulgation of this amendment.

The pay fixed strictly in terms of the applicable provisions of CCS(RP) Rules, 2016 in the earlier Level-13 before promulgation of CCS(Revised Pay) (Amendment) Rules, 2017, was the pay before the date of promulgation of the said Amendment Rules on 15.6.2017. As pay is now required to be re-fixed in the Level-13 contained in the CCS(Revised Pay) (Amendment) Rules, 2017, any overpayment, if taking place, consequent upon such re-fixation is not attributable to the concerned employee.

Re-exercise of option for coming over to the Revised Pay structure in case of Level 13

A reference has been received whether in view of the modification in the Level 13 in terms of the CCS(Revised Pay) (Amendment) Rules, 2017 promulgated on 15.6.2017 with effect from 1.1.2016, the date of effect of the revised pay structure contained in CCS(RP) Rules, 2016, the employees who are entitled to the Level 13 on 1.1.2016 may be given fresh option to come over to the revised pay structure in case of modified Level 13.

The matter has been considered and it has been decided that since the modification of the Level 13 as per CCS(Revised Pay) (Amendment) Rules, 2017 is a material change, the employees, who were entitled to Level 13 as on 1.1.2016 and who had already opted for the earlier Level-13 as per Rules 5 and 6 of the CCS(RP) Rules, 2016, shall be given an opportunity for re-exercise of their option there under. Such an option may be exercised within three months from the date of issue of these orders.

In their application to employees belonging to the Indian Audit and Accounts Department, these orders issue after consultation with the Comptroller and Auditor General of India.
Ahead of Amit Shah's visit to Kerala 3 BJP workers attacked

India

oi-PTI

Kasargod (Ker), October 3: Ahead of the launch of 'Jan Raksha Yatra' today by the BJP, three party workers were attacked by unidentified men allegedly belonging to the CPI(M) in Neeleswaram town in Kasargod district.

The attack happened around 9:30 pm when the BJP workers were decorating a part of the National Highway-66 for the 15- day march, which will be launched by BJP chief Amit Shah.

The three injured BJP workers were being treated at a private hospital in Neeleswaram, the police said. No case has been registered in connection with the incident so far.

BJP Kasargod district secretary Sreekanth said nearly 20 CPI(M) workers attacked BJP activists without provocation, while they were decorating a road side at Neeleswaram market. Flex boards, tube-lights and a two-wheeler was also damaged, he said.

CPI(M) cadres, who could not tolerate the growing political influence of the BJP in the state were indulging in such attacks, he alleged.

Sreekanth further said around 15,000 BJP cadres were likely to participate from the district in stages during the march.

PTI

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Story first published: Tuesday, October 3, 2017, 9:14 [IST]
Only those from political families can eye a CMs post in Congress: Amit Shah

Uniform Civil Code in Himachal if BJP comes to power: Amit Shah

Amit Shah announces padyatra, blames CPI(M) for Kerala violence

India

oi-PTI

BJP President Amit Shah on Tuesday attacked the Left saying that political killings are common in both Kerala and Tripura, both Left front rules states.

Addressing a rally in the CPI(M) bastion, Shah announced a two-week 'padyatra', against the Communist Party of India (Marxist) targeting his party's workers, in all state capitals from Wednesday.

Shah said Vijayan was responsible for the violence in the state. BJP workers were victims of "political murders", he added.

Shah is here to launch a fortnight-long march, called Jan Raksha Yatra, by the party in the state to protest alleged political violence by the Left party. He said his party would use democratic means to fight Left rule in the state.

"CPI(M) leader and Kerala chief minister Vijayan is directly responsible for all political murders in Kerala," he alleged.

As many as 120 BJP workers, 84 in Kannur alone, have been killed in the state since 2001. Fourteen people were killed in Kannur since the CPI(M) came to power last year, the BJP had said yesterday.

Earlier today, Shah offered prayers at the famous Rajarajeswara Temple in Taliparamba near Kannur. The senior BJP leader arrived at Mangalore airport early this morning and reached the temple by road from Bakel, an official in the party's state media department said. He was accompanied by state BJP leaders.

Shah was received by temple authorities. The BJP President, who spent 30 minutes at the temple, offered a golden pot to the deity. The Rajarajeswara Temple at Taliparamba is a famous Shiva temple in North Malabar.

After offering prayers, Shah proceeded to Payyannur to launch the 15-day march in the state against the alleged 'red terrorism' unleashed by the Left party against BJP and Sangh parivar workers.

The Jan Raksha Yatra (people's protection march) from Payyannur will travel through the state before culminating in Thiruvananthapuram on 17 October.

The CPI(M) has, in turn, accused the BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) of resorting to violence and denied the involvement of its government and leadership in political killings.

Several Union ministers will also participate in the march under the theme of "All have to live!! Against Jihadi-Red Terror."

PTI

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Story first published: Tuesday, October 3, 2017, 16:36 [IST]
Armed with a confession and approver, NIA set to crack Kashmir terror funding case

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

The investigations into the Kashmir terror funding case is progressing swiftly. While evidence galore has been gathered, the National Investigation Agency has also managed to get an approver in the case.

Armed with an approver and a confessional statement, the NIA will now take on the top Hurriyat leaders who are allegedly the masterminds of this entire case.

There have been probes in the past as well, but these leaders have never taken it seriously. This time around the documents seized and the huge number of arrests carried out suggests that the NIA is going for the big guns next.

NIA sources suggest that next in line could be Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mirwaiz Umer Farooq. The details against the two Hurriyat hawks is very strong in nature. Moreover these two separatists have been desperately looking for a good lawyer to defend them in court. The arrests of their aides and also Shabir Shah has sent the two into panic mode. They have the most to hide says the NIA official.

The NIA says that it is confident that this case would be taken to the logical end. The cases of the past have not been as strong. In fact the NIA had to drop a 2016 case on the same issue.

The probe this time is different for a variety of reasons. First and foremost the NIA has been given a free hand to probe the cases and there is no political compulsion on the agency on who to arrest and who not to. The probe was carried out in multiple directions.

Moreover if one looks at the manner in which Kashmir is being handled, it is text book Ajit Doval doctrine in which it says that the policy of non-appeasement must be shunned.

The NIA began with the foreign funding which came in from Pakistan, Dubai, London and Saudi Arabia. The agency then studied thousands of documents relating to the cross border trade. It was suspected that this route through the Line of Control was used to pump in the funds.

While these dimensions were already know, the NIA decided that it would actually act upon it and hence carried out the arrests. It was the arrests that became the turning point for the NIA. The questioning of these separatists and their associates only added weight to the evidence that the NIA had already sourced.

The arrests and this hectic probe by the NIA had its ripple effects in Kashmir as well. The unrest is dying a slow death and the funds are gradually drying up. Earlier separatists used to dole out money at will to fund stone pelters and terrorists. However this time they are careful, watchful as they are fully aware that a full-fledged probe with all its seriousness and minus the appeasement is on.

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Tuesday, October 3, 2017, 7:01 [IST]
Ban on PFI: Home Ministry officials begin deliberations

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

Union Home Ministry officials held a series of meetings to study whether the Popular Front of India could be banned or not. The Home Ministry is examining a report submitted by the National Investigation against the radical Islamic group.

The NIA speaks about the killing of RSS worker Rudresh in Bengaluru. Further it details the professor's hand chopping case at Idukki. While giving details about a Kannur training camp from where country made bombs and swords were seized, the NIA report to the Home Ministry also speaks about an Islamic State module case.

The NIA says that the approach of the PFI is radical in nature. It speaks about recruiting only committed Muslims into its fold. It also states that the cadres train with clips of the Babri Masjid demolition and this is clearly a sign that it is trying to radicalise its cadres.

It is trying to run a parallel administration the NIA states. It speaks about the Darul Khada an outfit comprising Muslim scholars, social workers and advocates. This was set up in 2009, by SDPI national chief E Aboobacker. The NIA says that they run a parallel judiciary which settles a host of issues. The NIA dossier also states that in July 2009, a Kerala level declaration was passed by the Darul Khada in Mallappuram in which it had called upon the Muslim community not to attend civil courts, but get all issues sorted out by it.

The NIA also cited the most recent case it is probing in connection with Love Jihad. It speaks about the Sathyasarani Islamic Dawah an affiliate of the PFI. It says that this organisation is running an Islamic conversion centre and also details the rigorous religious training it is imparting.

OneIndia News
Bimal Gurung could settle for bipartite talks with the Union Government

India

oi-Amitava

By Amitava

Darjeeling, October 3, 2017: With fast changing political equations in the Hills, Gorkha Janmukti Morcha President Bimal Gurung stated that he is ready to hold bipartite talks with the Union Government if Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is not ready to sit across the table with him.

During the recent Gorkhaland agitation the GJM seeking the Union Government's intervention had met Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh. Minister Singh had categorically stated that as Home is a State subject the West Bengal Government has to convene tripartite talks.

Later in a political maneuver the State Government had nominated a board to run the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) with rebel GJM leader Binay Tamang as the Chairman. This resulted in a vertical crack in the GJM.

The state Government then started propping Tamang. CM Mamata Banerjee held two round of talks with the rebel leader on the Darjeeling crisis.

Meanwhile after an appeal made by Union Home Minister Singh on September 26 to end the indefinite bandh assuring Gurung and his men of talks with the Union Government on "all related issues," Gurung declared the lifting of the bandh that had touched the 104 day mark.

However in the appeal the Union Home Minister had not clarified the nature (whether bipartite or tripartite) of the Delhi talks neither had he assured that talks would be held on the Gorkhaland issue, preferring "all related issues" instead.

Gurung, when confronted with the question as to what will be the fate of the meeting if West Bengal Chief Minister or the State Government does not want to sit with him, Gurung stated "Then we will hold bipartite talks with the Centre. On the assurances of Union Home Minister that talks would be held within a fortnight, we had lifted the bandh."

When asked whether he would attend the talks in Delhi as speculations were rife that the State Government could try to arrest him in Delhi or during the journey, Gurung stated "I am leading an agitation. Getting arrested is part of an agitation. If the situation demands and I decide to go to Delhi, I will go. Fear of arrest will not stop me."

Gurung implicated in numerous cases and charged under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) is on the run.

To foil the State Government's conspiracy to arrest me and derail the Gorkhaland agitation I am residing in jungles. Soon I will be amidst you" was Gurung's message to the public.

Gurung then questioned Binay Tamang's locus standi to attend talks. "Tamang is not elected. He was nominated as the Chairman of the Board of Administrators by the Chief Minister. How did the Chief Minister nominate him? He is also implicated in hundreds of cases like me. For their own political benefit the West Bengal Government is creating such a situation" alleged Gurung.

Gurung stated that only after date for the Delhi talk is confirmed the composition of the GJM team will be finalized. Meanwhile prior to the Delhi talks a BJP team led by State BJP President will be arriving at Kalimpong on Wednesday.

Political commentators feel that the BJP want to test the ground before the Delhi talks. Already there is growing resentment among the masses over Delhi's calculated silence during the agitation period and the prolonged bandh.

Rebel leader Tamang has asked the BJP to clarify their stand on the Gorkhaland issue before their Hill visit. He has warned the BJP of facing protests and demonstrations in the Hills.

"The BJP has won parliamentary elections twice on the Gorkhaland plank but have utterly failed to address the Gorkhaland issue" alleged Tamang.

Gurung however has appealed to the masses to meet the BJP delegation and apprise them of the alleged police excesses in the Hills and how the Gorkhas have been suppressed by the State Government. "GJM leaders will also be meeting the BJP team and apprising them of the present situation" added Gurung.

Ghosh along with other state leaders will be arriving at Kalimpong on Wednesday. "They will be attending Dusserah Milan Samaraho at the Marwari Palace in Kalimpong on Wednesday and the GDNS Hall in Darjeeling on Thursday. The State President will have an interactive session with the public, political leaders and intellectuals in Kalimpong and Darjeeling" stated Manoj Dewan, BJP Darjeeling District President. From Darjeeling the team will be visiting Sikkim.

Dubbing the BJP teams visit as "fishing in troubled waters" veteran CPIM leader Ashok Bhattacharya talking to media persons in Siliguri on Tuesday stated "Instead of trying to create further unrest, the BJP should try to press the Union Government to arrange for tripartite talks between the Union, State and the GJM so that the impasse can be diffused and a solution can be found at the earliest."

OnneIndia News

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Story first published: Tuesday, October 3, 2017, 22:06 [IST]
BJP forms manifesto committee for Karnataka assembly polls

India

oi-PTI

Bengaluru, October 3: In the run up to election due early next year, the BJP's Karnataka unit has constituted a 17-member manifesto committee. The committee is headed by former minister and MLA from the city S Suresh Kumar.

MPs Shivakumar Udasi and L Prabhakar Kore, and MLAs Basavaraj Bommai, Lakshamana Savadi and Ashwathnarayan, are members of the committee.

The party, which has announced its state unit president B S Yeddyurappa as its chief ministerial candidate, has set a target to win 150 seats in the 2018 Assembly polls.

The ruling Congress has not announced its chief ministerial candidate yet, but has said that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will lead the party in the polls. JDS will be led by former chief minister and party's state unit president H D Kumaraswamy.

In the current Assembly, out of total 225 seats with one nominated member, the Congress has 123 MLAs, BJP 44, JD(S) 40, and rest are from smaller parties and independents.

According to BJP sources, Yeddyurappa is likely to contest from a constituency in a north Karnataka district this time, with an intention to attract more votes towards the party from the region. Shikaripura in Shivamogga district is Yeddyurappa's constituency.

Sounding the poll bugle in the state, BJP president Amit Shah had on a visit to the state in August declared that the party stands united. He is scheduled to visit Mangaluru tomorrow.

Shah's call for unity within the state unit had come amid the open bickerings between some of the party leaders until recently that had embarrassed the party.

Over alleged "arbitrary style" of functioning with another senior leader K S Eshwarappa, Yeddyurappa had come under criticism from a section of partymen until both were told to shun open display of differences.

PTI

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Story first published: Tuesday, October 3, 2017, 16:44 [IST]
Rahul Gandhi has not said a word': Surjewala on 'collusion with BJP' remark

BSF camp attack: Modi govt compromising national security, says Randeep Surjewala

India

pti-PTI

New Delhi, Oct 3: The Congress denounced the government over a militant attack on a BSF camp near the Srinagar airport, accusing it of compromising national security.

Speaking to reporters here, Congress's chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala alleged the government had proved to be a "total failure". He asked the prime minister when his administration would formulate a policy to deal with terrorism emanating from Pakistan.

"The attack is evidence of how the Modi government has compromised and toyed with national security. The question is what are Modiji and his government doing? When will we see the 56-inch chest?" Surjewala asked.

Earlier in the day, security forces gunned down three Jaish-e-Mohammed militants who stormed a BSF camp near the high-security Srinagar airport. An assistant sub-inspector of the force was also killed in the gunfight.

PTI
Lack of development in J&K for decades was one of the reasons behind rise of terrorism: Rajnath Singh

His contributions ignored: Why Rajnath Singh said Netaji was first PM of India

BSF camp attacked: Rajnath compliments security forces for foiling terror attack

India

pti-PTI

New Delhi, Oct 3: Home Minister Rajnath Singh complimented the security forces for successfully eliminating the terrorists involved in an attack on a BSF camp near Srinagar airport in Jammu and Kashmir.

Singh said he has spoken to the chiefs of the Border Security Force and Central Reserve Police Force following the suicide attack near the Srinagar airport.

"I have spoken to the DG CRPF and DG BSF. It was a good operation that they have conducted," he told reporters here. The home minister said one Assistant Sub Inspector of the BSF has martyred and two others were injured but they were out of danger.

A group of militants today launched a suicide attack on a BSF camp near the Srinagar Airport, killing the ASI and leaving four security personnel injured. Two militants were killed in the gun-battle that is raging near the airport, forcing brief suspension of air traffic and closure of schools in the vicinity.

PTI
UP polls: BSP worker Arshad Rana bitterly cries for not getting ticket in viral video

BSP leader shot dead, violence erupts in Allahabad

India

oi-Chennabasaveshwar

By Chennabasaveshwar

Protests erupted in Allahabad after a leader of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) was shot dead on Tuesday morning. Angry protestors set to two buses on fire and damaged a private hospital.

Rajesh Yadav, who had contested 2017 assembly polls on a BSP ticket, was shot at about 2.30 am outside the Allahabad University's Tarachand Hostel. Yadav had gone to meet someone along with a friend. They reportedly had an argument with a group of people, who threw stones at their car and then shot the politician in his stomach.

The police is trying to control the violent mob and described the situation as tense.

This morning, a mob of about 50 attacked the hospital, ransacking it and also allegedly attacked journalists there, snatching and breaking their cameras and mobile phones.

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Tuesday, October 3, 2017, 15:47 [IST]
Central team roped in as dengue cases in Bihar rise to over 5000

CSBS Bihar Constable Exam 2017: Check exam pattern here

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

The CSBS Bihar Constable Exam 2017 is set to be held. The CSBC constable exam is scheduled to be held on October 15 and 22, 2017.

All those appearing for the exam should know the pattern. Here let us take a look at the examination pattern.

In the 100 marks exam, objective type questions will be asked. The syllabus will be of 10+2 standard. The exam duration is two hours.

The Bihar police constable recruitment exam will be held in two sessions on October 15. The first session will begin at 10 am to end at 12 pm while the second session will start at 2 pm to end on 4 pm.

There will be one morning session on October 22. Candidates have to report to the exam centre at 9 am, that is, an hour before the exam time.

Selection procedure for Bihar police recruitment 2017

The selection for the recruitment of constable in Bihar police 2017 will be done in two phases. In the first phase, there will be a written exam and the candidate has to score a minimum of 30 marks out of 100 to appear for the second phase.

In phase II, there will be the Physical Evaluation Test (PET) of 100 marks. The candidates will have to perform well in the race, shot put and high jump rounds. The final merit list will be prepared on the basis of the marks scored by the aspirants in the Physical Evaluation Test (PET).

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Tuesday, October 3, 2017, 7:51 [IST]
Dalai Lama expresses grief over Las Vegas massacre, calls for brotherhood

India

pti-PTI

Dharamshala, Oct 3: Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama expressed sorrow over the Las Vegas gunfire deaths and called for a world based on universal brotherhood. The Nobel Peace Laureate said such violence came out of a lack of compassion and respect for life.

At least 59 people were killed and over 500 wounded when a gunman shot at concert-goers in the American resort city on Sunday night. Advocating religious harmony, the Dalai Lama also lauded India as "a land of diverse cultures and religions".

Despite "isolated incidents", all major religious traditions of the world existed peacefully in India which was a matter of great pride, said the Dalai Lama, who began a teaching session at the main Tibetan temple Thekchen Choeling Tsuglagkhang, in Mecleodganj in upper Dharamshala, today.

"If you keep harbouring anger or jealousy towards others, you will be on the losing end, because you will remain mentally disturbed unless you resolve it," he said, denouncing the "myopic worldview of us-vs-them". He called for faith based on reason and logic rather than blindly following a religion that one was born into. While following any religion, including Buddhism, practitioners should have full understanding of the methods and concepts of that tradition, he said.

"Desire for happiness is universal to all sentient beings. However, unlike animals, we humans have an inborn faculty of thought. Therefore, we should use this faculty to develop happiness through love and compassion," he added. The four-day session has been organised at the request of a group of devotees from Taiwan. Over 5000 followers from 69 countries are attending the teachings which will conclude on October 6.

PTI
Dalit men thrashed and killed in Gujarat, raises question on laws against lynching

India

oi-Shreya

By Shreya

Just when attacks on Dalits and acts of violence on journalists, and the subsequent protests against such acts made headlines, news of Dalits being thrashed in Gujarat made it to the forefront.

Two dalit men were allegedly thrashed by men belonging to the Rajput community in Gujarat in two different incidents for sporting a moustache and in another a dalit man was lynched for attending Garba.

According to reports the incidents took place Limbodara village in Kalol taluka of Gandhinagar district on September 25 and 29.

Krunal Maheria (30), a law student was allegedly roughed up by Bharatsinh Vaghela. In his complaint to police, Maheria said that he was assaulted for sporting a moustache.

Based on Maheria's complaint, an FIR has been lodged against Vaghela, under the IPC section 323 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt) of the IPC and under the Prevention of Atrocities , who was arrested on Sunday.

A similar incident took place on September 25, where some members of the Rajput community allegedly assaulted a 24-year-old Piyush Parmar for keeping a moustache.

On October 1st, a 21-year-old dalit youth was lynched by upper caste Patel community for attending a garba event in Gujarat. According to police all accused have been arrested. According to reports, the victim was thrashed and his head was banged against the wall. He was declared death at the hospital.

If one keeps a track of number and frequency of such acts, one will notice the increasing frequency. Not only people belonging to the lower case, but journalists or rationalists who refuse to toe the line of a certain ideology are falling victims to such terror, mostly.

Recently the nation was shook by the cold-blooded murder of noted journalist Gauri Lankesh, who was shot to dead in front of her residence in Bangalore. After Lankesh, a journalist from Tripura, Shantanu Bhowmik was stabbed to death while covering a conflict. Several journalists in the national capital have received threats on WhatsApp messenger, warning them of same fate of Gauri Lankesh.

The repeated incidents of attacks and acts of lynching have become very common, and numerous protests have failed to ensure action against the perpetrators.

Speaking to Oneindia, Activist Tehseen Poonawalla said, "A similar incident took place on in Gujarat's Una and the PM came out and said don't shoot them, shoot me, the point I am trying to make is that instead of throwing pople who break the law in jail the PM is encouraging people to break another law. This is how people have now got the encouragement to attack Dalits because they belief no action will be taken against them and if things go out of control they will be proptected with stuff 'like attack me don't attack them'.

To fight with the growing terror of lynching, a law called Masuka has been drafted, which if passed will be India's first law dealing specifically on lynching. Masuka not only ensures speedy justice, but also state protection to the victim, witnesses and only provide for compensation to the ones assaulted and the kins of victims.

OneIndia News
Elphinstone stampede: 10-day survey to decide on 'safe' stations

India

oi-Anusha

Days after the Elphinstone station stampede claimed 23 lives in Mumbai efforts are being taken to make railway stations safe. About 150 officials from various departments will carry out inspections at crowded stations in Mumbai for the next 10 days to assess passenger safety and provide inputs to improve infrastructure.

As per the orders of Union Railway minister Piyush Goyal, officials from multiple government agencies will inspect select stations- especially crowded ones- in Mumbai and carry out a thorough study on passenger safety, infrastructure quality, need for improvement and funds.

Officials will divide themselves into groups of seven and inspect all railway stations on the Central and Western Railways line of Mumbai suburbs. Out of the 136 railway stations on the Mumbai Suburban system, the teams are expected to inspect those on the Churchgate-Virar section of Western Railways, and CSMT-Panvel, CSMT-Kalyan sections of Central Railway. These routes are the most crowded and attract a major load of commuters.

Inspection of foot-overbridge, entry and exit points, ticket booking counters, platforms and food stalls will be the focus of the teams. The teams consisting of officials from commercial, engineering, Railway Police Force, railway construction, Mumbai Police, Government Railway Police, Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation will carry out the checks.

The teams will be equipped with cameras to videographs the shortcomings to identify the issues that ail railway stations and trouble passengers. Solutions to each problem will be proposed individually. Corporators from Vasai Virar, Mira Bhayander, Kalyan Dombivali and Navi Mumbai in case of stations beyond Mumbai limits are also expected to be part of the teams.

The teams will visit the stations at peak hours in the morning as well as evening to assess the need for improvement. In the next 10 days, the multiple agency teams are expected to prepare a report that points out problems as well as solutions to put an end to the misery of the commuters and better railway infrastructure. Maharashtra Education Minister Vinod Tawde will chair a meeting of the officials in the month of October to review the suggestions and implementation of the same.

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Tuesday, October 3, 2017, 10:45 [IST]
Elphinstone stampede: PIL seeking NIA probe over 'soft terror angle' filed in Bombay High Court

India

oi-Anusha

A petition seeking either a National Investigation Agency (NIA) or judicial commission probe into the Elphinstone stampede has been filed before the Bombay High Court. The Public Interest Litigation seeks action against those responsible for the tragedy in which 23 lives were lost in Mumbai.

The petition filed by one, Faisal Yusuf Banaraswala, has demanded that the tragedy be probed by the NIA to rule out soft terror angle in the case. This is the third such PIL being filed in connection with the tragedy. THe Bombay High Court will hear the petition on October 5.

The petition comes at a time when the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) has called for protests over the tragedy. On Thursday, MNS chief Raj Thackeray will go on a one-km-long march as a mark of protest. MNS has asked citizens to join the protest that will be held between Metro cinema and Churchgate station.

In a bid to gather numbers for the protest Thackeray has been urging netizens to highlight the plight of the regular Mumbaikar. The MNS has been active on social media, releasing a series of messages and videos about passengers struggling to board trains. The publicity material also highlights the lack of proper amenities and the problem created by hawkers around railway stations.

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Tuesday, October 3, 2017, 15:42 [IST]
RRR box office collection in Japan: SS Rajamouli's flick likely to beat '3 Idiots' record

As 'RRR' performs well at Japan box office, SS Rajamouli confirms sequel to NTR-Charan-starrer

Telangana youth beaten up over remarks on Prophet; 5 arrested

'Yashoda' 1st weekend box office collection: Here's how much it collected in 3 days

Heavy rains in Hyderabad, more expected in next 48 hours

India

oi-Deepika

By Deepika

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Three people died as Hyderabad was lashed for five hours by heavy rain, triggered by a cloudburst, on Monday, leaving the city paralysed.

The city recorded 6.76cm rainfall (up to 8.30pm), which caused waterlogging at perennial hotspots, traffic snarls and power outages.

While it hasn't rained this morning, the weather office predicts more rain in next 48 hours.

Authorities have asked residents to avoid localities like Begumpet, Mojamhahi market, and the Narayanaguda-Liberty route. Civic officials are clearing the roads.

Saroornagar Lake frothing The heavy rain led to Saroornagar Lake in the city spewing foam and froth which entered nearby residential colonies. Water-logging Water-logging in various parts of Hyderabad after incessant rainfall has been reported. Images this morning showed water entering Hyderabad's Holy Trinity Church, following the incessant downpour. Water-logging in Nehru Zoological Park after incessant rain in the city. Safari at Nehru zoo suspended temporarily due to waterlogging Flooding water also entered in Nehru Zoological Park after incessant rain in the city. The authorities have been draining excess water through pumps and by digging channels.There are chances of animals falling sick if they drink such contaminated water. People stranded People returning home from their workplaces were caught in long traffic snarls. Techies were stranded in a long traffic jam in Madhapur, which houses many software giants. Terming it an emergency situation, chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has requested citizens "not to step out unless it is very important". Police play good Samaritan In terribly wet conditions on a very busy road in Hyderabad one absolutely drenched traffic cop was seen stepping up to help public, who were lost in the heavy rains. Schools, colleges shut With the intensity of rain growing, state education ministry declared late at night that all schools and colleges in the Hyderabad region would remain closed on Tuesday.

OneIndia News
Honeypreet Insan, adopted daughter of Ram Rahim arrested

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

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Honeypreet Insan in Punjab police custody, confirms Haryana Police | Oneindia News

Honeypreet Insan has surrendered before the Haryana police. She was on the run for over a month after being accused of inciting violence following the conviction of Gurmeet Ram Rahim in a rape case. Following the surrender, the police formally arrested her. She will be produced before a court on Wednesday said Panchkula DCP Manbir Singh.

Anticipating trouble, security was stepped up at Panchkula.

A lookout notice and an arrest warrant were issued by the Haryana Police against Honeypreet after she was booked at Sector 5 police station in Panchkula along with Dera functionaries Aditya Insan and Surinder Dhiman for allegedly inciting violence in Panchkula in the aftermath of the Dera head's conviction in a twin rape case. Honeypreet denies that she was involved in any of the violence.

The adopted daughter of Ram Rahim, she had earlier spoken to a news channel and said that she had full faith in the law. The Delhi police had last week rejected her plea for anticipatory bail.

She had been booked along with several other Dera members for inciting violence following the conviction on August 25. Earlier there were reports that she had fled to Nepal. However in the interview she had said that she had never left the country.

In an interview with News 24 she had said earlier from an undisclosed location that she was shocked by news reports about her relationship with Ram Rahim. Can't a father touch his daughter lovingly, she had asked. She also said that she had full faith in the judiciary. I will approach the Punjab and Haryana high Court, she also said.

On reports about her relationship with Ram Rahim, she said that these are aimed at tarnishing the image of a father and daughter. Can't a father love his daughter, can't a father touch his daughter lovingly, she also asked.

These comments came after her former husband, Vishwas Gupta alleged that he had caught Ram Rahim having sex with Honeypreet.

"Honeypreet slept in Ram Rahim's bed and had sex with him too. I saw her naked with Baba," he said, adding that Ram Rahim would ask him to stay out of his room while she was inside with him and warned him to not tell anyone about it.

On her whereabouts, she said that she never fled the country. I was shocked to find about a look out notice against me. On September 27, the Delhi High Court had rejected the transit anticipatory bail plea of Honeypreet, facing charges of sedition and inciting violence.

OneIndia News
AAP vs LG fight again and this is time it is on Gandhi Jayanti

How to make Assam alcohol mukt? Group writes letter to Mahatma Gandhi

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia

Guwahati, Oct 3: Mahatma Gandhi was a strong supporter of bringing alcohol prohibition as he considered "drinking" the biggest evil in society.

A pro-prohibition group in Assam, which strongly feels that liquor ban should be imposed in the Northeastern state as "drinking" among Assamese people (mostly men) has reached a great proportion, on the occasion of the 148th birth anniversary of Gandhi on Monday, decided to write a letter (a symbolic one) to the deceased Father of the Nation to help the state get rid of alcohol menace and create public awareness about the ill-effects of alcohol.

The members of the group, which calls itself Mod-Mukta Asom Dabi Samity (Liquor-free Assam Demand Committee), on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti wrote a letter to Bapu ji and also staged a dharna in Guwahati to demand ban on liquor in the state.

The letter to Gandhi also urged the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government to ban liquor in the state.

"Bapu ji, you had always considered liquor as the biggest evil in society and tried to liberate people from its clutches. But after our country attained Independence, the government did not take any initiative in the anti-liquor campaign--instead, considering it to be good source of revenue for the state, it helped in its distribution," said the letter written by the group.

The group hosted dharnas in various parts of the state on Gandhi Jayanti to press for their demand to ban liquor.

"Mahatma Gandhi, whom we consider the Father of the Nation, had spoken for banning liquor. But our government never followed his ideals in real earnest and therefore, they have no moral authority to garland his photograph on his birth anniversary," said Deep Das, a member of the group.

"We appeal to the government for a complete ban on the sale of liquor as in states like Bihar, Manipur and Nagaland," Das added.

The reason behind the demand by the group has been triggered by the fact that liquor consumption has increased manifold in the state. Das said the state government revenue from the sale of liquor has risen alarmingly last financial year and crossed Rs 250 crore.

"As a result, around 25 per cent of the total population of the state consumes liquor and a majority of the road accident deaths in the state are due to drink driving," he said.

According to an estimate, the state has more than 1,400 licensed liquor shops. The group said that because of alcohol consumption many families have been destroyed.

"It is the women who suffered the most if their husbands develop drinking problem. So, we want rehabilitation of women subjected to domestic violence by their husbands under the influence of alcohol and men who spent their earnings on liquor.

"We also appeal to the state government to explore the possibility of including ill-effects of alcohol and drug abuse in the school curriculum to sensitise students," said another member of the group.

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Story first published: Tuesday, October 3, 2017, 8:10 [IST]
IAF's women combat aircraft pilots set to fly Sukhoi-30 this month

India

oi-Chennabasaveshwar

By Chennabasaveshwar

Recommended Video

IAF's women combat aircraft pilots set to fly Sukhoi-30 this month | Oneindia News

India's first female combat aircraft pilots are likely to fly the supersonic Sukhoi-30 jets after the completion of the last leg of their training, said Indian Air Force officials.

Three women, Bhawana Kanth, Mohana Singh and Avani Chaturvedi, are currently training on British Hawk advanced jet trainers at an IAF facility at Kalaikunda in West Bengal, reports Hindustan Times.

They were commissioned at a function at Air Force Academy in Dundigal on the outskirts of Hyderabad in June 2016.

Firstly, they went to Bidar in Karnataka for their stage-III training for a year on Hawk advanced jet trainers in June 2016.

The women are likely to be assigned to a Sukhoi-30 squadron later this month, IAF sources told HT. They are part of a batch of around 40 flying officers training on Hawks at the Kalaikunda air force station.

Women fighter pilots during passing put parade Women fighter pilots Avani Chaturvedi, Bhavana Kanth and Mohana Singh who were inducted in the Indian Air Force pose for photograph during their Combined Graduation Parade at Air Force Academy in Hyderabad on Saturday, June 18, 2016. PTI Photo Pilots with Late Marshal of the Indian Air Force (MIAF) Arjan Singh Marshal of the Indian Air Force (MIAF) Arjan Singh along with Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha meeting with three newly commissioned women fighter pilots at his residence in New Delhi on Friday. PTI Photo Cadets roaring to go The three cadets who will be inducted in the Indian Air Force on June 18 as the first batch of women fighter pilots. PTI Photo Sukhoi Su-30MKI The Sukhoi Su-30MKI, a twinjet Multirole Air superiority fighter lands after a sortie at the forward base in the Western sector. PTI file photo

OneIndia News
This cop from Pakistan became a millionaire overnight: Here is how

With the number of anonymous rogues from Pak rising, here's how BSF is beating down the drones

Jawan killed in ceasefire violation by Pak forces in Poonch

India

oi-PTI

Jammu, October 3: An Army jawan was killed on Tuesday as Pakistani firing from across the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district. In the exchange of fire, Naik Mahendra Chemjung was grievously injured and succumbed to injuries, Army officer said.

"Pakistan Army initiated unprovoked firing on Indian Army posts in the Krishna Ghati sector at around 1250 hours today. Indian Army retaliated strongly and effectively," a defence spokesman said.

Mahendra Chemjung, 35, belonged to Chilingdin in Nepal and is survived by his wife Nayan Kala Chemjung and a son, the spokesman said.

"Chemjung was a brave and sincere soldier. The nation will always remain indebted to him for the supreme sacrifice and devotion to duty," he added.

Two minors were killed and 12 civilians, including five children, injured in cross-border shelling by Pakistan along the LoC in Poonch district on Monday.

The youngest being five-year-old Zobia Kousar, who was airlifted to a hospital in Jammu.

PTI

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Story first published: Tuesday, October 3, 2017, 18:04 [IST]
TNPSC Group 1 Hall Ticket For Prelims 2022 out: Check steps to download

Heavy rains submerge most of Tamil Nadu; 'holiday' declared for schools

CM Stalin visits rain-affected areas; More rains in store for Chennai

'Medicine can also be studied in Tamil medium!' - CM Stalin's efforts are getting a growing response

Mayor Priya is not the puppet but the savior - How did Chennai recover from the floods?

Karnataka Prisons department rejects Sasikala's parole application to meet ailing husband Natarajan

India

oi-Madhuri

Karnataka Prisons department on Tuesday rejected deposed AIADMK leader V.K. Sasikala's parole application to visit her ailing husband M. Natarajan.

Sasikala, who is currently serving her sentence in a Bengaluru prison after her conviction in a disproportionate assets case, had applied for parole to meet her ailing husband M. Natarajan.

Her husband Natarajan is awaiting a liver transplant in a hospital in Chennai.

Her advocates had sought for a 15-day parole, but Mr. Dhinakaran said he was not sure how many days she would be granted leave.

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Tuesday, October 3, 2017, 19:15 [IST]
Mehbooba Mufti asks JKSPDC to exploit potential of solar energy in state

India

pti-PTI

Srinagar, Oct 3: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti asked the State Power Development Cooperation to exploit the huge potential of solar energy in the state in view of the straining future power market in the country.

Mehbooba also asked the corporation to come up with a quantifiable data of the losses suffered by the state due to the Indus Water Treaty. The chief minister said this while chairing the board of directors meeting of the J&K State Power Development Corporation (JKSPDC) here.

Mehbooba advised the corporation to explore the possibility of setting up of small solar power plants at district levels to meet the power requirement locally. "This would be in view of the low cost of production in terms of solar power and also keeping in mind the straining power market of the country in future," she said.

The chief minister also asked the corporation to undertake an in-depth study for quantifying the losses suffered to Jammu and Kashmir due to the Indus Water Treaty, using all professional expertise for the purpose. She also asked it to execute a policy of corporate social responsibility for the welfare and development of its catchment areas.

PTI
Months after big claims, where is the farm loan waiver in Karnataka, Punjab and Maharashtra?

India

oi-Anusha

Three farmers committed suicide in a single day in Punjab as recently as October 1. A debt-ridden farmer in Karnataka's Kalburgi taluk was found hanging dead on September 30. A farmer from Yavatmal of Maharashtra hung himself after holding Minister Narendra Modi government and debts as the reason. Incidentally, all these farmers hail from states that announced big farm loan waiver scheme. Months after the announcement, the benefits are yet to reach the farmers.

While in some cases the scheme is too little, in other cases it is too late. Despite assurances by the government to waive off part of farm loans, farmer suicides continue unabated. The delay in disbursing the loans seems to be a primary reason.

Three months since announcement, Karnataka yet to release funds

In Karnataka, the Rabi season has already begun with abundant rains bringing cheer. For farmers growing in debt, however, the misery continues. The state government is yet to release a single rupee of the Rs 8,165 crore crop loan waiver.

Farmers in Karnataka are caught between the devil and the deep sea. On one hand, the government is yet to release funds to the banks and cooperative societies to ensure that fresh loans are available and balance sheets are cleared. On the other, farmers willing to repay the loans themselves are being turned away by banks awaiting government funds to waive current loans. In the bargain, farmers are losing out on fresh loans for Rabi crops

Farmer suicides continue unabated in Punjab

The assurance of a loan wavier came months ago but the Punjab cabinet cleared the notification for the same only in September. Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh in June announced the waiver that aimed at benefiting 10.25 lakh farmers, including 8.75 lakh farmers up to 5 acres with Rs 2 lakh loan waiver. Months down the line, farmer suicides continue to haunt Punjab- India's food bowl.

A high-level panel headed by NITI Aayog advisor Tajamul Haque has suggested that the center should help Punjab government with financial aid to farmers. The panel has pegged accumulated an institutional debt of the state's farmers as on March 31 this year at Rs 73,772 crore of which Rs 59,621 crore of crop loan and Rs 14,151 crore of the term loan. The total loan works out at Rs 1,20,000 crore, since 39 per cent debt belongs to the informal category, including moneylenders, according to the panel. The numbers are overwhelming but the help that is coming the farmers' way is very less. Yet again, not a single rupee has been released to the farmers from the state.

The farm loan mess in Maharashtra

After a huge protest from farmers, the Maharashtra government announced a farm loan waiver scheme worth Rs 34,000 crore. In an attempt to ensure that the scheme only benefits those who are in need and eligible, the state government undertook online registration and direct disbursal method. The method has only resulted in a mess. "Reading between the lines of a farm loan waiver is very important. It comes with terms and conditions and these conditions become detrimental for the farmer. Loan waiver schemes are an eyewash and at best, a temporary fix to a larger problem. We need to look at long-term solutions," Devinder Sharma, agricultural researcher, and activist told OneIndia.

Maharashtra has a cap of Rs 1.5 lakh for the waiver and leaves out many who need relief. 57 lakh applications have been filed online so far after the extension of the deadline. The number is 31 lakhs less than Fadnavis' claim of the scheme helping 89 lakh beneficiaries. With many conditions and criteria for eligibility, not a single farmer has received any replief from the government that boasted of a 'mammoth relief package'. Seasons are rolling and balance sheets are becoming heavier but farmers in the country are receiving no relief.

Even in states like Uttar Pradesh where the process of waiving loans have started, farmers are being mocked with waiver as low as 1 paise despite having loans of lakhs.

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Story first published: Tuesday, October 3, 2017, 13:41 [IST]
Himachal was valued less on strength, more on Parliament seats before: PM Modi

PM Modi lays foundation stone of AIIMS in Himachal Pradesh

India

oi-Chennabasaveshwar

By Chennabasaveshwar

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday laid the foundation stone of AIIMS and IIIT in Himachal Pradesh's Bilaspur. Governor Acharya Dev Vrat, CM Virbhadra Singh and Union Min JP Nadda were present in the programme.

Pm Modi, said, "Opening of AIIMS in Himachal Pradesh especially in this region of the state has a lot of benefits for people. We're making a campus where over 3000 people will work together. This is also bringing employment opportunities."

This will be This 750 bed hospital will be built at a cost of approximately Rs. 1350 crore. In addition to healthcare, it will also provide medical education at the under-graduate and post-graduate level, besides nursing.

Kicking off the BJP's election campaign in Himachal Pradesh, PM said the Congress leadership was wary of taking action against the Himachal chief minister as it was also sailing in the same boat.

Modi's rally is significant as the BJP lost due to infighting in 2012 and is putting all its might to regain power in the hill state that goes to the polls soon.

In 2012, the BJP, which has 29 seats in the Vidhan Sabha, lost largely due to infighting between former chief ministers Prem Kumar Dhumal and Shanta Kumar.

The Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone for the Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT), at Una.

OneIndia News
Sonia tells Lalu, Nitish to meet her again after Cong gets new president

Railway tender case: CBI summons Lalu, Tejashwi on Oct 5, 6 respectively

India

oi-Deepika

By Deepika

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad failed to appear before the CBI for questioning on Tuesday in connection with a case of corruption.

Fresh summons have been issued to RJD chief Lalu Prasad and his son Tejashwi after their inavailability to appear before CBI.

Lalu, a former railway minister, has been asked to appear on October 5, and Tejashwi the next day, CBI sources said.

Lalu had sought two weeks to appear before the CBI for questioning in connection with a case of alleged graft in giving the maintenance contract for two IRCTC hotels to a private firm.

They had been called on September 11 and 12. Lalu Yadav did not turn up, citing an ongoing court case in Ranchi where his presence was required, while Tejashwi claimed he had political commitments to take care of.

On July 7, the CBI carried out searches at 12 locations after registering a corruption case against former railway minister Lalu and his family members, including wife Rabri Devi and his son former deputy chief minister of Bihar Tejashwi.

The case pertains to allegations that Lalu Yadav, as railway minister, handed over the maintenance of two hotels run by the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation, a subsidiary of the Indian Railways, in Ranchi and Puri to Sujata Hotel, a company owned by Vinay and Vijay Kochhar, in return for a prime plot of three acres in Patna through a benami company.

The FIR alleged that the RJD leader, as the railway minister, abused his official position for extending undue favours to the Kochhar and acquired a "high value premium land" through a benami firm Delight Marketing Company. As a quid pro quo, he "dishonestly and fraudulently" managed award of leasing of the two hotels.

The CBI has registered the case against Lalu Yadav, his wife Rabri Devi, a former Bihar chief minister, son Tejashwi, who was deputy CM until a few months ago, and Sarla Gupta, wife of Prem Chand Gupta, a former union minister.

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Story first published: Tuesday, October 3, 2017, 11:13 [IST]
SC asks govt to update rules on granting of parole, furlough

India

oi-PTI

New Delhi, October 2: The Supreme Court has said convicts too "must breathe fresh air" and be allowed to maintain social ties provided they show a tendency to reform and favoured a "humanistic approach" while dealing with pleas for parole or furlough to those serving long jail terms.

A bench of Justices A K Sikri and Ashok Bhushan asked the government to update its rules, framed way back in 1955, on granting of parole and furlough, saying these were skeletal in nature.

It referred to one of the objectives of awarding punishment and said it was about reformation of the convicts.

"There is an imperative and immediate need for updating these Rules thereby including comprehensive provisions in the light of the discussion...so as to provide suitable guidelines to those who have to consider such applications for grant of parole," it said, adding that the copy of its verdict be sent to the Ministry of Law and Justice.

The bench, however, said a person must remain in jail for the period of sentence awarded to him or her.

"It is in this context that his release from jail for a short period has to be considered as an opportunity afforded to him not only to solve his personal and family problems but also to maintain his links with society.

"Convicts too must breathe fresh air for at least some time provided they maintain good conduct consistently during incarceration and show a tendency to reform themselves and become good citizens. Thus, redemption and rehabilitation of such prisoners for good of societies must receive due weightage while they are undergoing sentence of imprisonment," it said.

The top court, in its verdict, referred to the grounds on which parole can be granted and said "the most important ground, which stands out, is that a prisoner should be allowed to maintain family and social ties."

It said the reason for grant of parole to maintain family and social ties also found justification in one of the objectives behind punishment that was reformation of convicts.

"When we recognise reformation as one of the objectives, it provides justification for letting of even the life convicts for short periods, on parole, in order to afford opportunities to such convicts not only to solve their personal and family problems but also to maintain their links with the society.

"Another objective which this theory underlines is that even such convicts have right to breathe fresh air, albeit for periods," it said.

The verdict came on the plea of one Asfaq, who is serving life term in connection with cases lodged under TADA for his role in serial bomb blasts that had taken took place in five trains on December 6, 1993.

The blasts had taken place in trains at Kota, Allahabad, Kanpur, Gujarat, Malkangiri and Karjat allegedly at the behest of certain miscreants on the first anniversary of the Babri Masjid demolition.

Asfaq had moved the apex court against denial of parole by the authorities. The court, however, upheld the decision of the Rajashtan High Court with a direction that he may file a fresh plea seeking parole after some time, if the situation warranted.

A parole can be defined as conditional release of prisoners on good behaviour, with regular reporting to the authorities for a set period of time. Furlough, on the other hand, is a brief release from the prison which is given in cases of long-term imprisonment.

PTI

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Story first published: Tuesday, October 3, 2017, 10:15 [IST]
PM Modi holds brief discussion with French President at the start of G20 Summit in Bali

'Return to the path of ceasefire and diplomacy': PM Modi's advice on Ukraine crisis at G20 Summit

Temple with 100 foot tall idol of Narendra Modi to be built in Meerut

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

A temple will be built in the name of Narendra Modi at Meerut. J P Singh a follower and supporter of the Prime Minister said that the temple will be built on five acres of land in the Sardhana area of Meerut.

A 100 foot statue of the PM will be installed. "I am inspired by the love Narendra Modi has for mother India. The 'Modi magic' deserves that a temple be built which will also be a kind of commemoration of Modiji's model of development," Singh who retired recently as an assistant engineer in the irrigation department said.

Singh said, "5 acres of land has been bought on Meerut-Karnal highway. A huge statue of Modiji will be installed in the temple. It will take two years to complete the Modi temple."

He said the bhoomi pujan would be held on October 23. He said the estimated expenditure of 10 crore would be generated out of public donations.

OneIndia News
Accession Day: Valley lights up on this day when J&K became part of India

Srinagar: BSF camp attack, 3 terrorists killed, ASI martyred

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

Three terrorists have been killed following an 8 hour long encounter that broke out at a BSF camp in Srinagar. One ASI has been martyred in the attack.

The attack took place on the BSF 182 battalion camp which is near the Srinagar international airport.

The troops of the CRPF, 53 Rashtriya Rifles, BSF and SOG Zonal had cordoned off the building where the terrorists were holed up.

#WATCH Heavy firing at BSF 182 battalion camp, operation underway. (Visuals deferred by unspecified time) #SrinagarTerrorAttack pic.twitter.com/MwhIeHdzhg  ANI (@ANI) October 3, 2017

Earlier flight operations had been suspended. However passengers are now being allowed to move towards the airport. This was being done to avoid any inconvenience to the passengers. Flight services are however yet to resume and a final decision would be taken by the Airport Authority of India following a security clearance.

Meanwhile airports in metro cities have been put on high alert as a precautionary measure.

The Jaish-e-Mohammad has claimed responsibility for the attack. Several infiltration bids and cease fire violations have been reported in the past couple of weeks. The Pakistan army has been providing cover fire to terrorists so that they could infiltrate. Such attempts would go up as Pakistan would want to place as many terrorists as possible in the Valley before the winter sets in.

OneIndia News
Why questioning nationalism of Assam Muslim men, with track record of serving India, is shameful

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia

Guwahati, Oct 3: In Assam, the issue of "identity politics" is back in the limelight, especially after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power in the state for the first time last year.

Since the saffron party has come to power in Assam--which for decades has been fighting over the vexed issue of illegal immigrants from neighbouring Bangladesh--the state is once again witnessing a resurgence of "identity politics", where target is not just the illegal Muslim Bangladeshis, but most often bonafide citizens of the country, unfortunately coming under the scanner of "nationalists and nationalist groups" for their religion.

The latest two cases--involving two Muslim men, both educated and have a proven track record of serving the nation (one who was an ex-Army personnel and another an award-winning disabled rights activist)--but were asked to prove their nationality and nationalism once again showcases the rise and rise of ugly head of Hindutva politics encouraged directly and indirectly by the ruling Narendra Modi government at the Centre.

First, came the news of Mohammad Azmal Haque, a retired army official who had served the country for three decades, but was asked to prove his Indian citizenship by the foreigners tribunal (Number 2) at Boko in Kamrup district of Assam, not only rattled the man for being questioned by authorities about his identity and his very existence, but once again brings to focus how one's religion (read Islam) often brings trouble to people in a secular and democratic country like India.

Then came the story of Arman Ali, an award winning Guwahati-based disabled rights activist, whose recent outing for a film in the city proved how India has started judging people about his/her love for the country (read nationalism) by acts like standing for the national anthem played during the beginning of a film in cinema halls.

When Ali, who himself is physically disabled and uses a wheelchair to move from one place to another, failed to standup during the playing of the national anthem at the cinema hall, a few men accused him of being a "Pakistani" without caring to look at his condition.

After Ali posted the humiliating episode on Facebook, the media has been covering the issue relentlessly. This is what Ali wrote on Facebook:

While Ali's ugly encounter with "nationalism" in a cinema theatre is mostly seen as a plight of disabled people across the country due to lack of availability of facilities and empathy in public places, but the activist himself did not reject the idea that he could have been in a precarious situation had his identity of being a Muslim was also known to his tormentors.

Ali, in the comment section of his Facebook post, stated his fear of being "lynched" inside the theatre for being a "Muslim". "Probably, I would have been lynched yesterday if they knew I was a Muslim guy," Ali wrote.

Ali's fear of being killed has naturally emerged from the fact that a large number of Indian Muslims in recent times have been lynched to death on suspicion of being a beef-eater, a cow smuggler or an anti-nationalist.

Likewise, Haque, who joined the Indian Army as a sepoy on September 13, 1986, and retired as a junior commissioned officer on September 13, 2016, was "hurt" for being questioned about his nationality.

"It hurts to receive such a notice after serving and defending one's motherland for three decades," the ex-serviceman was quoted as saying by The Telegraph.

The local tribunal office in its notice asked the former army personnel to appear before its members on October 13 with required documents to prove that he was not an illegal Bangladeshi migrant.

Similar kind of notice, like the one served to Haque, putting a person in the doubtful-voter ('D' voter) category, was served to 40 others from his native village.

"Considering the current situation in the state, I am forced to think that it had happened to me only because I belong to a particular community. Around 40 others from my village have been given such notices and I personally know that they are all Indian citizens," he added.

Even in the past he had received such a notice. Haque said he received a notice in 2012 saying he was a doubtful voter. "...but I submitted all documents in the tribunal court and it had declared me as an Indian citizen," he added.

"Why do I have to be humiliated so many times? I request the prime minister, the president and the home minister to end this harassment of a proper citizen," Haque was quoted as saying by PTI.

He said a notice was slapped on his wife also in 2012, but the "tribunal declared her an Indian citizen after she furnished proof".

As Assam is in the race of finishing the task of updating the National Register of Citizens (NRC) to identify and detect illegal immigrants by December 2017, thus many Muslims, who are of Indian-origin, fear that they too might be labelled as 'D' voters because of their religion.

Along with Haque, who was a part of the revered Indian Army (the Indian Army employs only Indian citizens), many well-known Assamese Muslims families too have come under the scanner of government officials raising doubts about their nationality.

The family members of Assamese actor of international repute, Adil Hussain, and Padma Shri Eli Ahmed were also branded as 'D' voters. As per the government figures, Assam has identified 141,733 'D' voters.

However, after probe it has been found that more than 92 per cent of the resolved cases of 'D' voters have been declared as genuine Indian nationals, stated a white paper published by the Assam government in 2012.

One of the BJP's main poll promises was to resolve the issue of illegal immigrants which continue to shimmer in the state since the time Assam Agitation broke out in 1979 for a period of six years that demanded the deportation of "Bangladeshis" from the state.

However, successive governments, especially the 15 years rule of the Congress till 2016, never did anything to solve the problems and political parties continue to play vote bank politics over the issue.

The BJP says that Hindu Bangladeshis will be given Indian citizenships, but the saffron party shares no such concern for the Muslim illegal immigrants. The Congress, on its part, has been accused of playing minority politics by giving safe haven to millions of "illegal Muslim Bangladeshis" in the state.

The main regional party in Assam, the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), which came to power after the Assam Agitation got over after signing the Assam Accord that put 1971 as the cut-off year after which anyone who had crossed the Indo-Bangladesh border to take shelter in the state would be considered as "illegal", maintains that both Hindu and Muslim illegal immigrants should be deported, a sentiment shared by many people in the state. The AGP too never did anything to solve the issue forever during its rule.

However, as the BJP and the Congress play their politics over the issue of nationality, experts fear that the state might be heading towards a communal strife between the two communities that would initially start as a fight over land rights.

As politics of communalism and nationalism have reared their ugly heads in the state, it needs a clear understanding over issues like rights of the indigenous people, rights of refugees, how to deal humanely with illegal immigrants and most importantly why not to play politics over one's identity in Assam which is a ticking time bomb that could burst anytime soon.

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Tuesday, October 3, 2017, 12:06 [IST]
Deadliest mass shooting rekindles debate on gun control laws

International

oi-PTI

Washington, October 2: The debate on gun control laws is back after the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history at Las Vegas that killed at least 58 people and injured over 500 others.

Nearly 12,000 Americans have been killed by guns in 273 mass shootings in 2017 so far - one incident for each day.

On an average, more than 90 Americans lose their lives to gun violence every day, a daily toll of heartbreak and tragedy in communities across the US.

Experts believe that the last night incident, which President Donald Trump termed as an "act of pure evil", is unlikely to bridge the bitter differences between the pro- and anti-gun control law lobbies in the country.

Trump, who ran his campaign against any gun control laws, did not mention it in his two remarks today during which he said that this is "a very very sad" day for him.

Responding to questions, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said today that is the day of reflection and mourning and not a day to discuss political issues.

Referring to Chicago, she said gun control laws have not been helpful. Taking a lead, Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic leader, sought off a letter to House Speaker Paul Ryan on creation of a Standing Committee on gun violence and passage of a common-sense legislation on gun control.

"Congress has a moral duty to address this horrific and heartbreaking epidemic. Charged with the solemn duty to protect and defend the American people, we must respond to these tragedies with courage, unity and decisive action," Pelosi said in her letter to Ryan.

The Congress, she said, must pass the bipartisan King- Thompson legislation to strengthen the life-saving background checks that keep guns out of the wrong hands. But this is only a first step, she said.

"I urge you to create a Select Committee on Gun Violence to study and report back common sense legislation to help end this crisis. The bipartisan committee would make recommendations to prevent unspeakable tragedies such as the mass shooting in Las Vegas and to restore confidence in the safety of our communities," Pelosi said.

Congressman Kathy Castor said: "Certainly, we can come together to pass common sense safety requirements such as background checks and limits on civilian use of military-style weapons and to enforce the laws on the books.

"The sorrow that I and so many around the country feel for the innocent men and women whose lives were cruelly cut short by this heartless act of domestic terrorism is immeasurable".

Congressman Earl Blumenauer said: "From Orlando to Roseburg, OR and now Las Vegas, the carnage has only continued. Thoughts and prayers will not stop future tragedy. Enough is enough. My hope is that sanity will prevail, and Republican leadership in Congress will muster up the courage to act".

The right-wing - and NRA - messaging point that nothing could have been done to prevent the horrific attack in Las Vegas is just wrong, he said.

Over two years ago, he had released a comprehensive plan to deal with gun violence like the public health epidemic that it is, the lawmaker said, adding that the solutions should not be hard.

Congressman Andre Carson said it is time people need to stop hiding behind the false narrative that enacting common sense gun policies somehow limits the rights of law abiding Americans.

"Every day that we fail to act puts more innocent lives at risk. It is long past time to fix our gun laws. Congress has a moral responsibility to act and address the daily tragedy of gun violence in our communities," he said.

Last week, he said, Republicans planned to vote on a bill that would loosen gun laws, instead of strengthening them. In light of the tragedy in Las Vegas, and the ongoing tragedy of gun violence in America, this could not be more inappropriate.

The American people deserve a vote on legislation that will curb gun violence, including reinstating an assault weapons ban and instituting new restrictions on gun trafficking, Carson said. Congressman Alcee L Hastings said that more than 33,000 people will die from gun violence this year.

"With each new tragedy that occurs, those who stand in the way of legislation to address our country's gun violence epidemic are increasingly culpable for its continuation," he said.

"Trump, who ran as a champion of gun rights throughout his campaign, is unlikely to directly tackle the issue of gun control and, in fact, rolled back a restriction that made it more difficult for people with mental illnesses to purchase a gun," a report in Newsweek said.

Acts of mass gun violence, reported The Washington Post, "have done little to change the strong partisan divide on the issue".

Most Republicans think Americans should have a greater ability to protect themselves, while most Democrats argue that the incidents heighten the need for tighter gun laws, the daily said.

PTI
Did Las Vegas shooter Stephen Paddock convert to Islam?

International

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

Recommended Video

Las Vegas Shooting: Did Las Vegas shooter Stephen Paddock convert to Islam? | Oneindia News

Following a claim made by the Islamic State, the question being asked is whether the shooter Stephen Paddock had converted to Islam. Stephen Paddock the man who mercilessly killed 58 persons at Las Vegas did not have a criminal history.

While the Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attack, the investigators are not ready to buy it as yet.

A statement published by the group's Amaq propaganda agency claimed the attacker was a "soldier of the Islamic State".

"The Las Vegas attacker is a soldier of the Islamic State in response to calls to target coalition countries," it said.

ISIS also claimed the gunman "converted to Islam several months ago." These claims however could not be ascertained as Paddock's lifestyle and religion are not clear as yet.

This could be a release by the ISIS to stay in the limelight. Attacking the United States has always provided terror groups with enough material to rope in more recruits.

Moreover if one looks at the wordings in the claim, it is very similar to the ones made in the past.

While the ISIS has been propagating lone wolf attacks, there seems to be a change in pattern here. Lone wolves of the ISIS usually do not die in the manner that Paddock did.

He killed himself before the police could storm into his room. A lone wolf of the ISIS would prefer to be martyred and normally takes the battle right to the end with the law enforcement agencies.

For now there is absolutely no confirmation whether Paddock had converted to Islam.

There is also nothing concrete to suggest that this attack was ISIS inspired. At best for now, what one could say is that the claim made by the ISIS is only aimed at spreading its psychological warfare.

OneIndia News
India's stand on Rohingyas gracious so far but housing them would be risky

The Rohingya influx continues as Tripura police nets seven of them

Is Myanmar ready to take back Rohingya refugees from Bangladesh?

International

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia

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Rohingya crisis: Is Myanmar ready to take back Rohingyas ? | Oneindia News

Dhaka, Oct 3: Bangladesh is facing one of its most pressing humanitarian crises in recent times as half a million Rohingya refugees, who have fled Myanmar, have taken shelter in the nation.

For a "poor" country like Bangladesh to allow such a huge number of refugees to enter its soil is a big thing as it is nowhere capable of giving proper shelter, food and clothing to so many refugees who have left their homeland to avoid violence and persecution.

The humanly gesture shown by Bangladesh towards the violence-hit Rohingyas from Myanmar has been well-appreciated by all international aid groups, including the UN.

However, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina also made it clear that Myanmar government needs to stop violence and killings of Rohingyas and restart the process of taking back the Rohingyas.

The process of repatriation of Rohingyas has started on Monday, albeit the entire exercise is in its very initial stage.

On Monday, Myanmar proposed to take back over half a million of its Rohingyas from Bangladesh as the two countries agreed to set up a working group to coordinate the repatriation of the minority Muslims who have fled across the border after a military crackdown.

More than half a million Rohingya have arrived in Bangladesh over the last five weeks after militant attacks on police checkposts in the Buddhist majority country sparked violent reprisals.

Bangladesh has repeatedly urged Myanmar to repatriate them. Bangladesh's foreign minister AH Mahmood Ali on Monday held talks in Dhaka with a senior representative of Myanmar's civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

"Myanmar has proposed to take back the Rohingyas from Bangladesh," Ali told reporters emerging from an over one hour long meeting with minister for the office of the state counsellor of Myanmar Kyaw Tint Swe.

The two sides agreed on forming a joint working group to oversee the repatriation process but its composition would be decided later by both the countries, he said.

Ali said the meeting was held "in a peaceful manner" and Bangladesh handed over the Myanmar representative a proposed agreement for smooth refugee repatriation and suggested implementation of Annan Commission report for peaceful resolution of the crisis.

"Fruitful discussion was also held on security cooperation (in the meeting) when Bangladesh reiterated its zero tolerance policy against all sorts of terrorism," Ali said.

Asked if there was any timeframe fixed for forming the joint working group, the minister evaded a direct answer saying "the process has started" but said Bangladesh's home minister Asaduzzaman Khan would "soon visit Myanmar to discuss the issue".

Hasina earlier called for an end to the violence and for safe zones to be set up in Myanmar to enable refugees to return. She asked the United Nations (UN) to send a fact-finding mission to Myanmar and for Myanmar to implement recommendations drawn up by former UN secretary-general Kofi Annan-led team on solving problems in Rakhine.

Khan and senior Bangladesh officials joined the meeting, which came after the overnight arrival of Kyaw Tint Swe. There was no immediate comment from Suu Kyi's representative, who arrived late on Sunday night to Dhaka amid mounting global pressures on the country over exodus of its ethnic minority Rohingya nationals to Bangladesh.

The latest influx of refugees began on August 25 when Myanmar's military launched a crackdown in the northern Rakhine State over alleged terrorist attacks on its police outposts.

With the latest influx, there are now more than 800,000 refugees living near Bangladesh's border with Myanmar. The refugees claimed the Myanmar security forces were shooting at civilians, setting fire to their homes and raping Rohingya women.

Nobel peace laureate Suu Kyi, who has been severely criticised for her failure to curb the military crackdown on the Rohingyas, said in a speech last month that Myanmar would take back "verified" refugees.

She said Myanmar was ready to start a verification process under a 1993 agreement with Bangladesh and "refugees from this country will be accepted without any problem".

Rohingyas, a Muslim minority, do not qualify for Myanmar citizenship even though many have lived there for generations while its army insists they are interlopers from across the border in Bangladesh.

Meanwhile, India's latest stand to deport around 40,000 Rohingyas staying in various parts of the country has been heavily criticised by several national and international groups. In an opinion piece for Hindustan Times, Colin Gonsalves, senior Supreme Court advocate and founder, Human Rights Law Network, said that the law is clear that India can't deport Rohingyas.

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Story first published: Tuesday, October 3, 2017, 6:48 [IST]
PM Modi holds brief discussion with French President at the start of G20 Summit in Bali

'Return to the path of ceasefire and diplomacy': PM Modi's advice on Ukraine crisis at G20 Summit

Narendra Modi is an elected terrorist, says Pak Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif

International

oi-Chennabasaveshwar

By Chennabasaveshwar

Pakistani Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif during an interview to Geo TV's show 'Capital Talk' called Prime Minister Narendra Modi an "elected terrorist" who has the "blood of Muslims of Gujarat on his hands", referring to the 2002 Godhra riots.

Khawaja Asif also called the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) a "terrorist party".

"What can we say about a country that elects a terrorist [as prime minister]," he said on the show. The minister added that Muslims were being killed in India in the guise of cow protection, and that Muslims, Dalits and Christians were all "fair game" in the country.

"At the (UN) General Assembly, Sushma Swaraj accused us of exporting terror, while in fact, it is a terrorist who is Prime Minister of her country, his (the PM's) hands have the blood of murdered Muslims in Gujarat," said Asif. The minister's comments come days after verbal exchanges between the two countries at the 72nd session of the UN General Assembly.

Khawaja Asif also pointed out that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had won elections in Uttar Pradesh with full majority primarily because of support from "communal upper-caste Hindus".

During the interview, Asif also denied recent reports that Pakistan had received a proposal from Afghanistan to swap former Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav for the militant who attacked a school in Peshawar in 2014 and is currently jailed in Afghanistan.

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Story first published: Tuesday, October 3, 2017, 10:52 [IST]
Africa faces climate disaster but is also a beacon of hope

Can Africa power with renewables as it grows?

Ram Nath Kovind leaves for Africa on first foreign trip as President

International

oi-PTI

President Ram Nath Kovind has embarked on his first international trip since taking office, a four-day visit to Djibouti and Ethiopia.

During his visit to the two African nations, the president is expected to sign agreements on institutionalisation of foreign office consultation and greater economic cooperation with Ethiopia, Neena Malhotra, Joint Secretary (East and Southern Africa) in the Ministry of External Affairs had said earlier.

Press Secretary to the President Ashok Malik has said that Djibouti is an important Indian Ocean partner country with whom India's bilateral trade stands at USD 284 million in 2016-17.

"The president is looking forward to the visit. He recognises that the Africa and Indian ocean region are central to Indian foreign policy. That is why this region was chosen as his first foreign visit," Malik said.

India has extended a line of credit of USD 49 million to Djibouti, mainly for constructing a cement plant. It is a strategically located country just off the Gulf of Aden.

Kovind's visit will be the first by an Indian president to Ethiopia after 45 years. The last visit was by President V V Giri in 1972.

India's bilateral trade with Ethiopia in 2016 was nearly USD 1 billion. The country is among the top three foreign investors in Ethiopia with an approved investment of 4 billion dollars.

President Kovind is also expected to meet Indian diaspora in Ethiopia.

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Story first published: Tuesday, October 3, 2017, 13:20 [IST]
US to ask Cuba to cut embassy staff by 60 percent

International

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The Trump administration will ask Cuba to cut their Washington embassy staff by 60 percent following a mystery illness that spawned diplomatic fracas in Havana.

The US request marks yet another major setback for relations between the United States and Cuba, two countries that only recently renewed diplomatic relations after a half-century of hostility. It comes as the US seeks to protect its own diplomats from unexplained attacks that have harmed at least 21 Americans in Havana with ailments that affected their hearing, cognition, balance and vision.

The State Department is expected to announce the decision Tuesday, officials said, though they cautioned no decision was formalized until publicly announced. The officials weren't authorized to discuss the plan publicly and requested anonymity. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson discussed the plan Monday with President Donald Trump, one of the officials said.

Cuba has denied involvement in the attacks. Though Havana is likely to view the move as unwarranted retaliation.

US Officials claim the move by the State Department is not intended as a punishment but instead will be used to ensure both embassies had an equal amount of diplomats.

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Story first published: Tuesday, October 3, 2017, 10:46 [IST]
Why has the ISIS claimed the Las Vegas attack

International

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

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Las Vegas Shooting: Reason behind ISIS claiming the shootout, a bigger plan| Oneindia News

The Islamic State was quick to call the Las Vegas shooting in which 58 persons were killed. Officials however doubt this claim. The initial investigations do not suggest that the shooter belonged to the outfit or was inspired by its ideology.

The ISIS has been quick to call attacks and this is part of its larger strategy to spread fear and panic. Since the ISIS has lost heavily in Iraq and Syria it has been operating on a concept called inspired modules.

An inspired module is one that draws inspiration from a group's ideology. The members of the group of a lone person is not in touch with the members of the terrorist group. The planning of an attack is not discussed or known to the members of the group. The ideology is in circulation and it is up for grabs. Any person can draw inspiration and carry out an attack in the name of the terrorist group.

In India too several such modules were busted. Most of the members were not in touch with any of the members or handlers of the ISIS. They drew inspiration from the material circulated online and planned and tried to execute the attack on their own. This also meant that the ISIS or the al-Qaeda did not have to fund these modules. The members collect funds and go about their business on their own. For using the ISIS ideology, the group only would seek credit in return.

One needs to bear in mind is that the ISIS does not function like other terror groups. The ISIS does not function on the module theory. It is an outfit that works like an army in Iraq and Syria.

The function it gives its recruits in Iraq and Syria is very different to that it expects from its men in other parts of the world. When Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the boss of the ISIS delivered a message a year back, he made it amply clear that the outfit needed people who were inspired by it. He wanted to spread the ideology of the ISIS across the world and directed all to set up the Caliphate in their respective countries.

Top Intelligence Bureau officials say that the ISIS functions on inspiration. There is no set pattern that it works on. It has thrown a lot of material online about ideology and how it expects its men to function. It does not call for an attack that would require a great deal of planning.

Do not follow the rules is the message that it delivers. For instance, if a 'non-believer' is pushed down a building, the IS would call it an attack. The Nice attack in which a lorry mowed down several people was also called an attack. That attack was carried out by an ISIS inspired man who was not part of any module.

OneIndia News
Risk of his posts 'too great': Facebook, Instagram extend ban on Trump's account till transition is complete

Mark Zuckerberg says 'sorry' as Meta fires over 11,000 employees in one go | Full statement

Zuckerberg apologises for Facebook's negative effects, vows to keep tab on political ads

International

oi-PTI

Washington, October 3: Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg has tendered apology for the social-media platform's negative effects and asked for forgiveness for his work that was used to divide people rather than uniting them. But, Zuckerberg did not mention any specific incident for his apology.

Zuckerberg, 33, apologized in the wake of mounting evidence that Russians had used Facebook he created more than a decade ago to spread propaganda and influence voter sentiment all to tip the US presidential election in Donald Trump's favour, Washington Post said.

He took to his social media account and wrote, "For those I hurt this year, I ask forgiveness and I will try to be better."

"For the ways my work was used to divide people rather than bring us together, I ask for forgiveness and I will work to do better," he wrote in a brief post.

Earlier, Facebook had announced it would turn over to Congress copies of more than 3,000 advertisements that a shadowy Russian company bought for USD 100,000 from June 2015 to May 2017.

The ads were linked to about 470 fake accounts likely operated out of Russia. Alex Stamos, Facebook's chief security officer, said last month that the vast majority of the ads didn t specifically mention the presidential election, but it touched on divisive topics, such as LGBT rights, race, immigration and gun rights.

Facebook had initially declined to share copies of the ads, saying it would compromise user privacy, but Zuckerberg announced a reversal of that decision on September 21, the paper said.

"I don't want anyone to use our tools to undermine democracy. That's not what we stand for," Zuckerberg said in a Facebook Live video.

Zuckerberg vowed that the company will continue to investigate and enhance transparency on who buys political ads. He acknowledged that the amount of problematic activities Facebook has uncovered is "relatively small".

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Story first published: Tuesday, October 3, 2017, 11:19 [IST]
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By Mark Sumner

Donald Trump has already demonstrated that he'll pardon anyone, even if that person is clearly guilty and even if a sentence hasn't yet been handed down. The pardoning of Joe Arpaio is a clear signal to those who took part in Trump-Russia that if they just keep their mouth's shut, a nice pardon is waiting for them when the special counsel comes around.

With that in mind, Robert Mueller has assigned one of his team to finding ways of stopping Trump's pardon power from wrecking their case.

"Pre-emptive pardons are a distinct possibility now that current and former Trump advisers are under Mueller's scrutiny. Trump himself has tweeted that everyone agrees the U.S. president has 'complete power to pardon.' Some of those kinds of executive moves have been well studied, including Gerald Ford's swift pardon of Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton's exoneration of fugitive financier Marc Rich. But the legal territory is largely uncharted over pardons of a president's own campaign workers, family members or even himself -- and how prosecutors' work would then be affected."

If Trump begins blocking the progress of the investigation with pardons, federal courts can expect some exercise. But Mueller doesn't want to leave his case in the hands of Trump-appointed judges.

"Acting as Mueller's top legal counsel, [Michael Dreeben] has been researching past pardons and determining what, if any, limits exist, according to a person familiar with the matter. Dreeben's broader brief is to make sure the special counsel's prosecutorial moves are legally airtight."

And if they do end up in front of the Supreme Court, Dreeben has been there -- more than 100 times.

Dreeben, 62, built that expertise over three decades as an appeals lawyer at the Justice Department. As a deputy solicitor general, he's pored over prosecutors' moves in more than a thousand federal criminal prosecutions and defended many of them from challenges all they way to the nation's highest court.

That hasn't always made Dreeben a progressive favorite. Under the charge of defending cases brought by prosecutors, it's sometimes been Dreeben's task to push cases where collection of evidence collided with the rights of defendants. But as part of Mueller's team, Dreeben is the expert in how to make charges stick.
From Alternet

The Second Amendment is an anachronism that's no longer relevant today.

With the crazed assault in Las Vegas that killed over 50 and wounded hundreds as only the most recent example, America's gun violence problem has reached a breaking point. While we can talk all we want about assault weapons bans, universal background checks and terror watch lists, there's only one real solution to this problem: We need to repeal the Second Amendment.

This, of course, is completely unacceptable to Republicans, but that's because they don't know the real history of the Second Amendment, and the real history of the Second Amendment is as ugly as it gets.



Thanks to corporate media's unquestioning regurgitation of right-wing talking points, most Americans think that Second Amendment is in the Constitution to protect the rights of individual gun owners from the government.



But that's not even remotely true.





Despite what you might hear on Fox So-Called news, there actually was no "individual right to own a gun" until 2008, when the Supreme Court said there was in its decision in the case of District of Columbia v. Heller.



That decision, which struck down Washington, D.C.'s handgun ban, was the culmination of a decades-long push by the gun industry to twist the Second Amendment into something that would help it sell more weapons, and it had zero basis in real Constitutional history.



It's what former Chief Justice Warren Burger called a "fraud on the American public," and it's a fraud that now makes it very, very hard to put in place sensible gun control laws.



So, if the Second Amendment wasn't originally about protecting gun rights, why is it in the U.S. Constitution? What were the Founders thinking?



Well, the first and most obvious answer, and the one accepted by most historians, is that they were trying to prevent the existence of a standing army during times of peace.



The Founders were scholars of classical history, and they knew that history teaches that when given too much power, armies, repeatedly and throughout history, would overthrow democracy and put in place a military dictatorship. There's even a phrase to describe it: a military coup.



As James Madison told the Philadelphia Constitutional Convention in 1787,

"'A standing military force' will not long be safe companions to liberty. The means of defense against foreign danger have been always the instruments of tyranny at home. Among the Romans it was a standing maxim to excite a war, whenever a revolt was apprehended. Throughout all Europe, the armies kept up under the pretext of defending, have enslaved the people.

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From The Nation

The American Civil Liberties Union is flexing the organizing and campaigning muscles it has developed since Donald Trump assumed the presidency to address the structural challenges that undermined American democracy before the 2016 presidential election.

The ACLU's ambitious "Let People Vote" project will work in states across the country to strengthen democracy by extending early-voting periods, making voter registration more accessible, restoring voting rights for disenfranchised communities, and combating "attempts at voter suppression, such as discriminatory voter ID requirements and voter purges."

Those vital initiatives will make it easier to vote. But the ACLU is not stopping there. It is also seeking reforms that will make voting more meaningful by restoring competition to legislative and congressional elections.

"One way politicians have been able to reshape the electorate to their liking is through the redistricting process," explains the ACLU's Brian Tashman. "Gerrymandering is done to protect incumbent lawmakers, especially when they are members of the party in power. This practice creates legislative districts that are so uncompetitive that it discourages voter participation."

The focus on gerrymandering is essential, and the Supreme Court will take up the issue Tuesday, hearing oral arguments on a Wisconsin case that could ultimately transform elections nationwide. The legal scholars and voting-rights activists who brought the case, now dubbed Gill v. Whitford, have asserted that Wisconsin's state Assembly and state Senate district maps were rigged by Governor Scott Walker's hyper-partisan legislative allies to lock in the majorities they gained in the wave election of 2010. Republicans gerrymandered legislative district lines so aggressively that in the next election, even as Wisconsin Democrats won 174,000 more votes than Republicans in races for state Assembly seats, Republicans won a 60-39 majority in the chamber.

The democratic disconnect illustrated by those numbers has strengthened the argument that the gerrymandering of district lines denies voters their right to participate in fair and competitive elections. And jurists have begun to accept that something must be done to make elections more reflective of the popular will. As the lead plaintiff in the Wisconsin case, longtime University of Wisconsin law professor William Whitford, says: "In a democracy citizens are supposed to choose their legislators. In Wisconsin, legislators have chosen their voters."

Click Here to Read Whole Article
This article originally appeared at TomDispatch.com.

I first "met" Noam Chomsky in 1969 by reading these words of his about the My Lai massacre:

"And now there is Song My -- 'Pinkville.' More than two decades of indoctrination and counterrevolutionary interventions have created the possibility of a name like 'Pinkville' -- and the acts that may be done in a place so named. Orville and Jonathan Schell have pointed out what any literate person should realize, that this was no isolated atrocity but the logical consequence of a virtual war of extermination directed against helpless peasants: 'enemies,' 'reds,' 'dinks.'"

Discussing various of America's criminal acts in the larger war in Vietnam, Chomsky then added of the My Lai massacre itself:

"It is perhaps remarkable that none of this appears to occasion much concern. It is only the acts of a company of half-crazed GIs that are regarded as a scandal, a disgrace to America. It will, indeed, be a still greater national scandal -- if we assume that to be possible -- if they alone are subjected to criminal prosecution, but not those who have created and accepted the long-term atrocity to which they contributed one detail -- merely a few hundred more murdered Vietnamese."

Chomsky wrote "After Pinkville" -- areas like Song My were then colored pink on American military maps -- in 1969. Almost half a century later, the question is: Have things improved? After all, in Ken Burns's new Vietnam extravaganza, his 18-hour documentary on that war, he seems to have captured the zeitgeist of the moment by carefully changing the word "murder" in the script for the My Lai episode to "killing." "At lunch, Burns defended his change," wrote the New Yorker's Ian Parker,"on the ground that My Lai continues to have 'a toxic, radioactive effect' on opinion. 'Killing' was the better word, he said, 'even though My Lai is murder.'" To be thoroughly upbeat, perhaps by 2067 Americans will finally be able to take "murder" straight on television when it comes to My Lai.

Almost 50 years ago, Daniel Ellsberg was both celebrated by many and unsuccessfully prosecuted by the Nixon administration, in part under the Espionage Act, for releasing The Pentagon Papers, a massive secret trove of documents that revealed to the American people something of what the United States was actually doing in Vietnam. In our era, Chelsea Manning did something similar. She turned over a twenty-first-century trove of secret documents on the Afghan and Iraq wars -- on, that is, what she's accurately termed "death, destruction, and mayhem" -- to WikiLeaks and for that she was celebrated by few and prosecuted and convicted by the U.S. military. Pardoned by President Obama after seven years in military prison, she recently had her visiting fellowship to Harvard's Institute of Politics at the Kennedy School of Government rescinded after CIA Director Mike Pompeo cancelled a talk there, complaining that Manning had "betrayed her country," and former CIA Acting Director Michael Morell, a senior fellow at the same school, resigned in protest. Or to put it another way, Harvard caved to men who represented an agency that had committed secret acts of horror betraying every imaginable American value. (To give credit where it's due, significant numbers of Harvard faculty members protested this craven act.) The same institute felt no compunctions about offering a visiting fellowship to former Trump press secretary Sean Spicer and, despite alumni protest, not rescinding it. Perhaps there's an essay, "After Punkville," to be written about all of this.

Under the circumstances, it's our good fortune that, with civilians regularly being "killed" by U.S. firepower across the Greater Middle East, Noam Chomsky continues to remind us what our world really looks like if we don't censor either our language or our thoughts. It makes today's TomDispatch post, a recent interview from his upcoming book with David Barsamian, Global Discontents: Conversations on the Rising Threats to Democracy, particularly relevant to our moment. Tom

The Trump Presidency

Or How to Further Enrich "The Masters of the Universe"

By Noam Chomsky and David Barsamian [This interview has been excerpted from Global Discontents: Conversations on the Rising Threats to Democracy, the new book by Noam Chomsky and David Barsamian to be published this December.] David Barsamian: You have spoken about the difference between Trump's buffoonery, which gets endlessly covered by the media, and the actual policies he is striving to enact, which receive less attention. Do you think he has any coherent economic, political, or international policy goals? What has Trump actually managed to accomplish in his first months in office? Noam Chomsky: There is a diversionary process under way, perhaps just a natural result of the propensities of the figure at center stage and those doing the work behind the curtains. At one level, Trump's antics ensure that attention is focused on him, and it makes little difference how. Who even remembers the charge that millions of illegal immigrants voted for Clinton, depriving the pathetic little man of his Grand Victory? Or the accusation that Obama had wiretapped Trump Tower? The claims themselves don't really matter. It's enough that attention is diverted from what is happening in the background. There, out of the spotlight, the most savage fringe of the Republican Party is carefully advancing policies designed to enrich their true constituency: the Constituency of private power and wealth, "the masters of mankind," to borrow Adam Smith's phrase. These policies will harm the irrelevant general population and devastate future generations, but that's of little concern to the Republicans. They've been trying to push through similarly destructive legislation for years. Paul Ryan, for example, has long been advertising his ideal of virtually eliminating the federal government, apart from service to the Constituency -- though in the past he's wrapped his proposals in spreadsheets so they would look wonkish to commentators. Now, while attention is focused on Trump's latest mad doings, the Ryan gang and the executive branch are ramming through legislation and orders that undermine workers' rights, cripple consumer protections, and severely harm rural communities. They seek to devastate health programs, revoking the taxes that pay for them in order to further enrich their Constituency, and to eviscerate the Dodd-Frank Act, which imposed some much-needed constraints on the predatory financial system that grew during the neoliberal period. That's just a sample of how the wrecking ball is being wielded by the newly empowered Republican Party. Indeed, it is no longer a political party in the traditional sense. Conservative political analysts Thomas Mann and Norman Ornstein have described it more accurately as a "radical insurgency," one that has abandoned normal parliamentary politics. Much of this is being carried out stealthily, in closed sessions, with as little public notice as possible. Other Republican policies are more open, such as pulling out of the Paris climate agreement, thereby isolating the U.S. as a pariah state that refuses to participate in international efforts to confront looming environmental disaster. Even worse, they are intent on maximizing the use of fossil fuels, including the most dangerous; dismantling regulations; and sharply cutting back on research and development of alternative energy sources, which will soon be necessary for decent survival.

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I'm reading about how Israeli Security and IDF are teaching our police brutal methods and practices during the ongoing 'Police Exchange Programs'.

Please, our police departments are very well versed in brutal tactics and practices. I was in law enforcement for many years, starting in 1962 in Missouri (Pre Miranda). I learned (and practiced) things that make me blush to think about today, and I wasn't one of the worst offenders. To think that the Israelis could teach our cops more than they already know about illegal, improper and brutal procedures is to be naive to the extreme. I'm not saying every cop uses these tactics. I am saying that they are already known to our police and still practiced today by all too many. In addition to well-established methods, our veterans of Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere are joining police departments upon discharge from active duty and bringing with them new and exotic methods used by our forces overseas.

My point? The forgoing is not the cause for alarm for our country. What is going on is the quiet and subtle infiltration of Israeli influence at every command level of our nation's police forces, from chiefs down to patrolman.

The 'School of the Americas' was established by our military at Fort Benning, Georgia. It's stated mission was to export professional military policies and procedures to armed forces in Central and South America, but few people know the long-term mission of that program. Let me explain: upon arrival at their quarters at Fort Benning, officers from the various countries were assigned a 'Buddy'. This American intelligence operative was fluent in the language of the student officer and well schooled on his country of origin. The Buddy was assigned as a roommate, as a rule, and would take the student under his wing and show him 'the ropes' around the school campus, the post and the surrounding town attractions.

This Buddy would work to establish a close personal relationship with the student over the days and weeks of classes and training. He would hopefully gain his friendship, his trust and his confidence. He would learn of the student's likes, dislikes, family, home life, hobbies, weaknesses, strengths and spiritual beliefs, if any. Everything would be recorded in a file and kept by Army Intelligence. The insidious part of this practice is that this 'Buddy' would stay in touch with the student long after his completion of the school. Regular contact would be maintained to such an extent that the student could be groomed for service to our government while serving in his own government's military. Many military coup leaders around the globe were/are graduates of our School of the Americas. This is a simple verifiable fact.

Am I saying that Israel is grooming our civil police for the possible overthrow of our government? No, I'm saying that Israel is infiltrating our police forces in furtherance of their own national interests. I'm saying this program is a long-standing one. I'm saying it is ongoing today, and I'm saying this is the real danger of this program. Police officers of every rank take an oath to defend the Constitution against all enemies foreign and domestic. There is no room there for foreign entanglements. Israel has been infiltrating and influencing our political, military and commercial interests for decades. The program i'm discussing here is just one more aspect of their continued intrusion into our affairs.

Our officers return from these programs in Israel with their egos plumped, having been flattered, pampered and rewarded in many ways, both official and unofficial. Don't expect them to feel that they've been used by a foreign power. They return flush with a mountain of pleasant memories and exotic experiences. They are the last persons to suspect they were being used badly. Their 'Buddies' are their friends, and you will be a 'conspiracy theorist' and that will be the end of the discussion. I'm only taking the time to write this so that someone, somewhere knows what's going on and why.

Postscript: The FBI has had the exact same program in place for years with their "National Academy; at their primary training facility, Quantico, Virginia. Again, the primary goal is to gain intelligence about various local police officers and their agencies, and additionally, to insure that there is a point of contact in every U. S. jurisdiction where the feds can expect to find a friendly voice that will take their call, if needed.
Congress Switchboard: 202-224-3121

"At 350.org we've always wanted to work from the bottom up, and it's good to see people assembling a theoretical framework for understanding this decentralized approach! "



Bill McKibben, founder 350.org, author of The End of Nature
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CNN's segment describing who Las Vegas mass killer Stephen Paddock was illustrates the problems with the media. To many, the piece is an attempt to humanize Paddock as they promote his neighbor's description of him as a gentle giant.

"The retired accountant, firing dozens of rounds onto thousands of concert goers about five hundred yards away from two hotel windows he smashed on the 32nd floor at the Mandalay Bay," the reporter said.

That antiseptic and matter-of-fact nature of the entry to Paddock's description gives the impression that it was some ordinary crime. It would have been more appropriate after introducing him to refer to him appropriately, the mass killer or the domestic terrorist. He was an accountant but what he is now is a mass murderer. Engrained in many Americans' minds is just an Accountant doing wrong. Is that how the media addressed the mass killers associated with Islam or people of color committing murders of lesser volume and terror?

CNN went out of their way to make Stephen Paddock seem like just the normal guy. CNN highlighted a statement by a gun shop owner who sold Paddock a gun.

"He didn't set off any of my alarms, anything that I felt like there was a problem in any way shape or form with him," said Chris Michel, owner of the Utah gun store. "He was a normal everyday guy that walks into my door fifty thousand times a day."

Really? Is that not the case with most killers purchasing weapons? That is not out of the ordinary.

CNN continues to build Paddocks character pointing out he has no criminal past. A lot of killers don't. They made sure to get his brother stating that Paddock never exhibited any violent tendencies.

The reporter points out that the brother said Stephen Paddock was a successful real estate investor who owned several properties. Instead of calling Paddock a gambler which has a negative connotation, they softened it.

"He also had an affinity for gambling," CNN said.

They then attempted to inject an excuse if only subliminally, maybe a seed from the past that caused him to snap.

"But the family has a troubled past," the reporter said. "Paddock's father, Benjamin, was a convicted bank robber who escaped from prison in the late sixties and was on the FBI's most wanted list."

But here is the kicker at the end of the segment.

"Neighbors shocked by the news," the CNN reporter continued. "Some even describing him as a gentle giant. 'We wouldn't recognize him as being anything out of the norm."

And there you have it. A mass killer, humanized.

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Hurricane damage in Puerto Rico

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From today's violence in Las Vegas with 60 killed and 500 wounded from the actions of an American gunman, the loss of human life in Puerto Rico, Florida, Texas, the US Virgin Islands and the massive property destruction from Hurricanes Maria, Irma and Harvey, over the past two months, citizens of the United States have faced fire and violence from the skies that people in other parts of the world have routinely been enduring.

Other islands of the Caribbean, Cuba, Barbuda, Dominica, Antigua, British Virgin Islands, Turks and Caicos, British Virgin Island, St. Martin, Monserrat, Guadaloupe, St. Kitts and Nevis were also smashed by Hurricanes Maria, Irma and Harvey.

In other parts of the world, one-third of Bangladesh has been underwater from monsoon rains, parts of Nigeria have been flooded. Mexico has endured killer earthquakes.

Rahingya villages in Myanmar have been burned, thousands murdered and over 400,000 fleeing into Bangladesh to escape Buddhist Burmese/Myanmar military violence.



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Endless numbers of homes destroyed by hurricanes and floods in Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Barbuda, Dominica, Antigua -- some of these areas resemble the blown up buildings, streets filled with rubble and the dazed citizens wandering looking for food and water just as in the war zones where people in Afghanistan have been enduring U.S. war and destruction for 16 years... and in Iraq for 13 years... and in Syria for five years.

Afghan, Pakistani, Somali, Iraqi, Yemeni and Syrian civilians have been murdered by U.S. killer drones, whose pilots are trained 60 miles from Las Vegas, raining hellfire missiles from above in the same sudden violence from the skies as people in Las Vegas suffered last night. Death came from different munitions-long-range rifles in Las Vegas and hellfire missiles in the Middle East, but the result was the same -- sudden violent death from the skies.



Hurricanes from space

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Americans are now face-to-face with the human and environmental violence that many parts of the world have endured. Americans are enduring the ravages of both gun violence of a committed sniper and the violence of Planet Earth's environmental war on the frail humans that have been using and abusing her.

Access to guns and gun violence in the United States is out of control. US wars killing people around the world has been the rationale used by some to kill in the United States. Corporate, Congressional and Trump administration denial of the human impact on our environment and refusal to work to reduce the impact of humanity will fuel even more violent attacks by nature on us.

It's time for Congress to enact gun control legislation, for US wars to end, and that we take serious measures to stop further destruction of our climate.
From The National

The unravelling of the map of the region would likely lead to chaos of the kind that a strong, nuclear-armed Israel could richly exploit

Palestinians and Israelis watched last week's referendum of Iraq's Kurds with special interest. Israeli officials and many ordinary Palestinians were delighted -- for very different reasons -- to see an overwhelming vote to split away from Iraq.

Given the backlash from Baghdad and anger from Iran and Turkey, which have restive Kurdish minorities, the creation of a Kurdistan in northern Iraq may not happen soon.

Palestinian support for the Kurds is not difficult to understand. Palestinians, too, were overlooked when Britain and France carved up the Middle East into states a century ago. Like the Kurds, Palestinians have found themselves trapped in different territories, oppressed by their overlords.

Israel's complex interests in Kurdish independence are harder to unravel.

Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu was the sole world leader to back Kurdish independence, and other politicians spoke of the Kurds' "moral right" to a state. None saw how uneasily that sat with their approach to the Palestinian case.

On a superficial level, Israel would gain because the Kurds sit on plentiful oil. Unlike the Arab states and Iran, they are keen to sell to Israel.

But the reasons for Israeli support run deeper. There has been co-operation, much of it secret, between Israel and the Kurds for decades. Israeli media lapped up tributes from now-retired generals who trained the Kurds from the 1960s. Those connections have not been forgotten or ended. Independence rallies featured Israeli flags, and Kurds spoke of their ambition to become a "second Israel."

Israel views the Kurds as a key ally in an Arab-dominated region. Now, with ISIL's influence receding, an independent Kurdistan could help prevent Iran from filling the void. Israel wants a bulwark against Iran transferring its weapons, intelligence and know-how to Shiite allies in Syria and Lebanon.

Israel's current interests, however, hint at a larger vision it has long harbored for the region.

It began with Israel's founding father, David Ben Gurion, who devised a strategy of "allying with the periphery" -- building military ties to non-Arab states like Turkey, Ethiopia, India and Iran, then ruled by the shahs. The goal was to help Israel break out of its regional isolation and contain an Arab nationalism led by Egypt's Gamal Abdel Nasser.

Israeli general Ariel Sharon expanded this security doctrine in the early 1980s, calling for Israel to become an imperial power in the Middle East. Israel would ensure that it alone in the region possessed nuclear weapons, making it indispensible to the US.

Sharon was not explicit about how Israel's empire could be realized, but an indication was provided at around the same time in the Yinon Plan, written for the World Zionist Organization by a former Israeli foreign ministry official.

Oded Yinon proposed the implosion of the Middle East, breaking apart the region's key states -- and Israel's main opponents -- by fuelling sectarian and ethnic discord. The aim was to fracture these states, weakening them so that Israel could secure its place as sole regional power.

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"Those who create a problem can't fix it."--Albert Einstein as quoted by Arnold Schwarzenegger

"It is time to terminate gerrymandering!" former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger told a crowd of about 100 activists today in front of the SCOTUS building once the case Gill v. Whitford had been argued within. He was one of several Republicans, mostly retired from office, who oppose this form of corruption; (John McCain and John Kasich (OH SoS) are the active GOP supporters) who had joined ranks with Democrats and independents to support ending this partisan/racist practice that involves "redistricting" throughout the country, especially in battleground states. Tthe goal is to "pack" and "crack" electoral districts, at the federal and state levels, to guarantee that Democrats, for the most part, are packed into a few districts and diluted ("cracked") over others so that in most cases Republicans control them.

There was about an hour and a half of rallying as the case was being argued, with speakers including U.S. representatives from Wisconsin, New York, Oregon, Florida, Michigan, and California. Sponsors included Common Cause, RepresentUs, and the Center for American Progress (CAP) Action Fund.

Rep. Tom Swazi, first to speak, noted that there are 400 "safe" seats in the House of Representatives out of 435. A "safe" seat contains an incumbent guaranteed reelection unless "primaried," a rare occurrence (it happened to Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) in 2012 when two blue Cincinnati districts were combined into one). On average 10 percent of the populace vote in primaries, he said.

We need competitive seats. . . . Don't underestimate the power of the people!

Hey, hey, ho, ho--gerrymandering has to go!

Tired of your tampering! Stop your gerrymandering!

When politicians choose, the voters always lose!

Several of the speakers mentioned yesterday's Las Vegas massacre that killed at least 59 people and injured more than 520--one context, of course, was the need for the background check requirement wherever guns are sold. Will Congress do anything about it? asked the only GOP speaker at the protest, former U.S. Rep. David Jolly (R-FL). He referred to James Madison's warning in the Federalist Papers #10 against factionalism (George Washington also warned against it in his farewell speech in 1796). Candidates will have to speak to those independent voters who comprise fully one-third of the country, rather than just the battleground areas.

Rachel Brewer, of RepresentUS, said that distrust of the government serves the self-interest of political parties. Of course, gerrymandering alienates voters who lose faith in the system. Gill v. Whitford represents the first time in 15 years that the issue has been argued in SCOTUS. She's heard from 25,000 members of her organization. "Shout like the future depends on it!" she exhorted.

What do we want? Representation! When do we want it? Now!

Rise up! Shout back!

Oregon U.S. Rep. Richard Blumenthal noted that 15 years ago there was more competition in Iowa than in four of the most populous states in the U.S. for the simple reason that Iowa had an independent commission doing the redistricting rather than its state legislature, which in most of the country is in charge, sometimes with the assistance of outside commissions. Since then the situation has deteriorated with the advent of computerized gerrymandering and survey research. [A few states have nonpartisan independent redistricting commissions, including Arizona and California, and five others have bipartisan commissions--Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, New Jersey, and Washington State).

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October Sky begins on the night of October 5, 1957. Residents of the town of Coalwood, West Virginia, peer into the October sky, some with binoculars, searching for a brief glimpse of Sputnik, the first Russian-launched satellite.

The film is based on Rocket Boys, a memoir written by Homer H. Hickam Jr. The memoir tells the true story of four boys in a coal-mining town in Appalachia, each determined to build a rocket that will soar into the sky. It is a serious project. The boys want to help get America back into the "space race."

At the film's conclusion, we discover what their experiences as "Rocket Boys" prepared them what to do as adults.

This is a positive post, so please avoid thinking about the title of Hickam's memoir.

The celebration of the space race between the United States and the Soviet Union is the first of two anniversaries in October, 2017.

The second will arrive October 31, preceded by other events, all pointing to the day 500 years ago when Martin Luther posted 95 theses on the city hall door in the small German town of Wittenberg.

These celebrations look back at one contest between nations, and a second struggle between a church hierarchy and a growing demand for theological openness.

The "thesis" is a list Luther offered to debate with church authorities, who were in no mood to allow this irascible young monk to further arouse the faithful.

It is notable that these two events were of a peaceful nature, though, as sinful nations and institutions are wont to do, subsequent events in those contests turned violent.

In the space race, from commanders like John Glenn to the African-American women who under the burden of racial segregation provided crucial technical assistance, a large number of individuals acted positively to give the U.S. an edge.

The African-American contribution to the space race is creatively portrayed in the recent film, Hidden Figures.

Key to both, however, is that at turning points, key individuals emerged to provide practical and inspirational leadership for movements long in gestation.

For the Reformation, which Luther's defiant 95 theses moment indicates, a single man provided a key movement, and drove it forward. Luther proposed an academic discussion of the practice and efficacy of indulgences in his Ninety-five Theses of 1517.

According to one account, Luther nailed his Ninety-five Theses to the door of All Saints' Church in Wittenberg on 31 October 1517.

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Fluoropolymers Market During 2024 to Perceive Substantial Growth

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The global fluoropolymers market is primarily consolidated as a majority of the market was held three leading players namely Daikin Industries, Solvay, and Chemours. These three companies collectively accounted for 43.3% share in the global market in 2015. Transparency Market Research (TMR) has found that a large number of prominent players in this market are currently focused in Asia Pacific countries, especially China.View Full Report:In the report, Transparency Market Research estimates that by the end of 2024, the global market for fluoropolymers will reach US$10.64 bn, whereas in 2016, it was valuated at US$6.26 bn. This market is expected to expand at a CAGR of 6.8% for the period 2016-2024.Development in Industrial Processing to Stimulate Fluoropolymers MarketScope of fluoropolymers use in industrial processing is expected to increase in the coming years. Industrial processing involves actions such as the application of protective chemical coatings in chemical processing equipment, telecom cables, pipes and valves, and cookware. Usage of fluoropolymers in industrial processing has been growing in recent times as some of the fluoropolymers provides strong physical and chemical resistance, when used as coating. Furthermore, resistance of fluoropolymers coatings to stress cracking, corrosion, and high temperatures, is anticipated to grow its demand in industrial processing over the forecast period. It is estimated that by the end of 2024 the market for fluoropolymers will reach up to valuation of US$3.08 bn.Request to view Sample Report:Asia Pacific has dominating the global market of fluoropolymers, owing to higher disposable income, excellent rate of industrial development, and large number of consumers. The increasing demand for medical devices and electronic devices, and high rate of development in the auto industry in this region is expected to assist the Asia Pacific market to further foster.Resistance to Chemicals and High Temperature to Increase Scope of ApplicationsSeveral types of fluoropolymers are used in the automotive industry for the production of power steering systems, transmission systems, O-rings, gaskets, shaft seals, and fuel hoses. The high resistance to fuels, lubricants, and high temperature, has increased the application of fluoropolymers as elastomers and thermoplastics in the automotive industry. Against this backdrop, the expansion of the automotive industry is expected to be benefiting for the growth of the fluoropolymers market. Furthermore, the rising applications of fluoropolymers for the production of wires, cables, cookware, and semiconductors are anticipated to help this market grow. The Asia Pacific industrial sector is envisioned to grow exponentially in the future. The applications of fluoropolymers is expected to rise across industries thus enabling growth in the market over the forecast period. Excellent physical properties and scope of application in a multitude of industries are most likely to bolster the global market of fluoropolymers.Request to download and view full ToC -Health Concerns Related to Use of Fluoropolymers Could Hinder Markets GrowthAlthough, fluoropolymers find their applications across various industries such as automobile and electronics, the environmental concerns regarding degradation of fluoropolymers could affect its markets growth. Due to strong physical properties and resistance to chemical reactions, fluoropolymers are very difficult to degrade. Furthermore, the chemicals produced due to break down of fluoropolymers are linked with cancers and harmful effects on human health. Volatile pricing and inadequate availability of raw materials can hinder the market growth. However, the growing applications of fluoropolymers in the manufacturing of medical devices and electronics components are expected to sustain its market during the forecast period.Global Fluoropolymers Market Report is available at US$ 5795 -About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.TMRs data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With extensive research and analysis capabilities, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.ContactTransparency Market ResearchState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Blood Bank Refrigerators Market To Witness Growth Owing To Its Usage For Blood And Blood Components Storage Till 2020 | Million Insights

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Global Blood Bank Refrigerators Market is segmented, by Function into Alarm and Safety functions, Biologically Friendly, Stable Temperature Control, and Temperature Variations Prevented. Blood bank refrigerators are used to store whole blood and blood components. This equipment ensures that blood products are stored at temperatures between 2C and 6C so that they can be used for transfusions. The refrigeration system typically consists of a compressor, a capillary tube, a condenser, an evaporator, and interconnecting tubing. The unit comes in numerous configurations, counting countertop, floor, and under-counter units. This equipment has changed in terms of construction, safety, meeting storage requirements, and presentation. Blood Bank Refrigerators market report is sole collaboration of the data and market research procedure to gain uppermost performance. Market info will include difficult sector and opportunities, challenges and future trends.Full Research Report On Blood Bank Refrigerators Market Global Analysis available at:Blood Bank Refrigerators also focuses on development policies and plans for the industry as well as a supposed of a cost structure analysis. Capacity manufacture, market share analysis, import and export consumption and price cost production value gross margins are discussed.In Alarm Safety function, Audible and flashing LED visual alarms with remote alarm contacts, in case of power failure, high or low temperature condition, or any thermal sensor abnormality. Door alarm and key lock are standard features.Re-activating buzzer, lamp and remote alarm contact. (30 min. after buzzer stops), Built-in temperature recorder.Temperature is controlled by two sensors located in the liquid-loaded monitor bottles, which are in the shape of a blood bag. Two thermistor sensors constantly monitor the temperature in both the upper and the lower part of chamber. Microprocessor control protections the most accurate temperature control available. Multi air-flow plenum system ensures outstanding temperature uniformity in larger capacity models. (MBR-705GR, MBR-1405GR). Temperature-maintained defrost designed with thermal sensors and heaters on the evaporator, all under precise microprocessor control.Blood Bank Refrigerators Market is segmented, by Geographical Region, into North America, Europe, APAC, and ROW. The blood bank refrigerators market is expected to witness slow growth with a CAGR of around owing to the effects of the economic crisis of 2008-2009. Healthcare budget cuts have reduced spending on equipment. Advances in disease diagnosis and treatment and an upsurge in the number of blood sample contributions are expected to create growth opportunities. The England and Germany establish the major share of the market, and there are increased research efforts in these countries, as well as in Italy and France. Vendors are progressively focusing on improving energy efficiency as operating costs are rising.Latin America and the Middle East are the more established regions, providing significant growth opportunities because of the improving economic conditions. While consumers in these regions still lack a clear sympathetic of blood donation, instructive campaigns have helped in informing and humanizing consumers about the same thereby refining the market for blood bank refrigerators. This has created chances for the market. The Key Players in the blood bank refrigerators market include Thermo Fisher Scientific, Haier Biomedical, Eppendorf AG, Helmer Scientific, VWR Corporation and ARCTIKO A/S.Request for Free Sample Copy :This report studies Blood Bank Refrigerators in Global market, especially in North America, Europe, China, Japan, Southeast Asia and India, focuses on top players in these regions/countries, with sales, price, revenue and market share for each player in these regions, covering Panasonic Healthcare Dometic Group Thermo Scientific Vestfrost Solutions Follett Helmer Scientific Norlake scientific Telstar GroupMarket Segment by Regions, this report splits Global into several key Regions, with sales (consumption), revenue, market share and growth rate of Blood Bank Refrigerators in these regions, from 2011 to 2020 (forecast), like North America China Europe Japan Southeast Asia IndiaRelated Reports of this Category available at Million Insights:About Million InsightsMillion Insights, is a distributor of market research reports, published by premium publishers only. We have a comprehensive market place that will enable you to compare data points, before you make a purchase. Enabling informed buying is our motto and we strive hard to ensure that our clients get to browse through multiple samples, prior to an investment. Service flexibility & the fastest response time are two pillars, on which our business model is founded. Our market research report store, includes in-depth reports, from across various industry verticals, such as healthcare, technology, chemicals, food & beverages, consumer goods, material science & automotive.Contact Details:Office No. 302, 3rd Floor, Manikchand Galleria,Model Colony, Shivaji Nagar, Pune, MH, 411016 IndiaPhone: 91-20-65300184Email: sales@millioninsights.com
Scuba Diving Equipment Market 2017 Global Analysis, Opportunities and Forecast to 2022

World Scuba Diving Equipment Market

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World Scuba Diving Equipment MarketExecutive SummaryScuba Diving Equipment market research report provides the newest industry data and industry future trends, allowing you to identify the products and end users driving Revenue growth and profitability.The industry report lists the leading competitors and provides the insights strategic industry Analysis of the key factors influencing the market.The report includes the forecasts, Analysis and discussion of important industry trends, market size, market share estimates and profiles of the leading industry Players.Request a Sample Report @The Players mentioned in our reportAqualungJohnson OutdoorsPoseidonTusaAmerican Underwater ProductsSaekodiveCressiSherwood ScubaBeuchat InternationalHeadIST SportsSeacDive RiteAquatec-DutonZeagles SystemsH2OdysseyAtomic AquaticsGlobal Scuba Diving Equipment Market: Product Segment AnalysisOpen Respiratory SystemClosed Respiratory SystemGlobal Scuba Diving Equipment Market: Application Segment AnalysisRecreational DivingProfessional DivingGlobal Scuba Diving Equipment Market: Regional Segment AnalysisUSAEuropeJapanChinaIndiaSouth East AsiaRequest a Sample Report @Table of Content-Key Points CoveredChapter 1 About the Scuba Diving Equipment Industry1.1 Industry Definition and Types1.1.1 Open Respiratory System1.1.2 Closed Respiratory System1.2 Main Market Activities1.3 Similar Industries1.4 Industry at a GlanceChapter 2 World Market Competition Landscape2.1 Scuba Diving Equipment Markets by Regions2.1.1 USAMarket Revenue (M USD) and Growth Rate 2012-2022Sales and Growth Rate 2012-2022Major Players Revenue (M USD) in 20172.1.2 EuropeMarket Revenue (M USD) and Growth Rate 2012-2022Sales and Growth Rate 2012-2022Major Players Revenue (M USD) in 20172.1.3 ChinaMarket Revenue (M USD) and Growth Rate 2012-2022Sales and Growth Rate 2012-2022Major Players Revenue (M USD) in 20172.1.4 IndiaMarket Revenue (M USD) and Growth Rate 2012-2022Sales and Growth Rate 2012-2022Major Players Revenue (M USD) in 20172.1.5 JapanMarket Revenue (M USD) and Growth Rate 2012-2022Sales and Growth Rate 2012-2022Major Players Revenue (M USD) in 20172.1.6 South East AsiaMarket Revenue (M USD) and Growth Rate 2012-2022Sales and Growth Rate 2012-2022Major Players Revenue (M USD) in 20172.2 World Scuba Diving Equipment Market by TypesOpen Respiratory SystemClosed Respiratory System2.3 World Scuba Diving Equipment Market by ApplicationsRecreational DivingProfessional Diving2.4 World Scuba Diving Equipment Market Analysis2.4.1 World Scuba Diving Equipment Market Revenue and Growth Rate 2012-20172.4.2 World Scuba Diving Equipment Market Consumption and Growth rate 2012-20172.4.3 World Scuba Diving Equipment Market Price Analysis 2012-2017Chapter 3 World Scuba Diving Equipment Market share3.1 Major Production Market share by Players3.2 Major Revenue (M USD) Market share by Players3.3 Major Production Market share by Regions in 2017, Through 20223.4 Major Revenue (M USD) Market share By Regions in 2017, Through 2022Chapter 4 Supply Chain Analysis4.1 Industry Supply chain Analysis4.2 Raw material Market Analysis4.2.1 Raw material Prices Analysis 2012-20174.2.2 Raw material Supply Market Analysis4.2 Manufacturing Equipment Suppliers Analysis4.3 Production Process Analysis4.4 Production Cost Structure Benchmarks4.5 End users Market AnalysisContinuedBuy Now@Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports features an exhaustive list of market research reports from hundreds of publishers worldwide. We boast a database spanning virtually every market category and an even more comprehensive collection of market research reports under these categories and sub-categories.WISE GUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, HadapsarPune - 411028Maharashtra, India
Reverse Flame Steam Boiler Market : Growth, Demand, Supply, SWOT, Consumption | 2024

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The Europe reverse flame steam boiler market features a monopolistic vendor landscape, with Bosch Industriekessel GmbH alone holding a massive 87.1% of the overall market in 2015, states Transparency Market Research (TMR) in a recent report. The Germany-based company has established stronghold in the European as well as global market and continues to command a strong position in the overall market through vast manufacturing capacities and an extensive product portfolio. To earn sustainable profits amid the monopoly, companies in the Europe reverse flame steam boiler market need to focus on increasing competitiveness through acquisitions and strategic alliances, technological innovations, and product differentiation.View Full Report:Transparency Market Research estimates that the Europe market for reverse flame steam boilers will exhibit a 4.85% CAGR from 2017 to 2025, rising from a valuation of US$92.70 mn in 2016 to US$142.18 mn by 2025.Boilers of Capacity 1,001 KW and Above to Generate Maximum RevenueIn terms of geography, countries in the Rest of Europe region dominated the Europe reverse flame steam boiler market in terms of revenue in 2016. This regional segment, comprising countries such as Russia, Belgium, Ireland, Poland, Finland, and the Netherlands accounted for a significant 27.6% of the overall market in the said year. Italy is also a key regional market for reverse flame steam boilers, wherein the demand for biomass-fired boilers has surged owing to the trending shift from traditional steam boilers to more refined, energy-saving, and biomass-fired reverse flame steam boilers.Request to view Sample Report:In terms of capacity, the segment of 1,001 KW and above dominated the reverse flame steam boiler market in Europe in 2016. The trend is expected to remain strong over the forecast period as well, with the demand for high capacity-based reverse flame steam boilers to witness a promising rise despite their high costs than low and medium capacity boilers. However, the segment of 101 - 1,0000 KW capacity reverse flame steam boilers is likely to register a higher growth rate owing to their high efficiency and affordability.Rising Demand for Energy-efficient and Clean Energy-powered Boilers Propels MarketThe rising preference to boilers that are powered on cleaner energy sources such as natural gas and biomass is one of the key factors driving the global market for reverse flame steam boilers. It has been observed that nearly 50% of boilers used in energy applications use natural gas as their primary fuel. The lower carbon dioxide emission rates, ready availability, low cost, and abundant supply of natural gas as compared to conventional fuels such as oil and coal are the key factors compelling energy companies to increasingly install boilers compatible with natural gas as a fuel. As reverse flame steam boilers run this advantage, their adoption has witnessed a significant rise in the past few years.The market is also driven due to the increasing usage of flame steam boilers in power plants to generate electricity. The increased adoption of reverse flame steam boilers across the power industry has been encouraged by the need for improved energy efficiency of power plant and encouraging government incentives and rebates.Request to download and view full ToC -High Costs of Maintenance to Hinder GrowthThe prices of natural gas, which is the primary fuel used in reverse flame steam boilers, have been adversely affected post the recent economic slowdown suffered by Europe. The fluctuating prices of natural gas have refrained power generation companies from expanding businesses or taking up new projects in the recent past, slowing down the demand for reverse flame steam boilers to an extent. However, this factor is expected to have only a moderate impact on the overall development of the market for reverse flame steam boilers in Europe in the next few years. The market will, instead, bore a bigger negative impact of factors such as the high initial costs, high costs of maintenance, and the gradually reducing efficiency of these boilers, which often presents the need for replacement.Global Reverse Flame Steam Boiler Market Report is available at US$ 5795 -About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.TMRs data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With extensive research and analysis capabilities, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.ContactTransparency Market ResearchState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Strainer Filter Market Set for Rapid Growth and Trend by 2022

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MarketStudyReport.com adds New Global Strainer Filter Market by Manufacturers, Countries, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 new report to its research database. The report spread across 124 pages with table and figures in it. The report provides information on Industry Trends, Demand, Top Manufacturers, Countries, Material and Application.Strainer Filter is devices used for separating solid from liquids and catching dirt and debris. Filters remove particulates that are smaller than 40 microns (often abbreviated 40 m), strainers remove particulates that are larger than 40 microns. In this report, we statistic strainers only.Request a Free sample PDF of this research to evaluate more @Scope of the Global Strainer Filter Market Report:This report focuses on the Strainer Filter in Global market, especially in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, type and application.Market Segment by Manufacturers, Global Strainer Filter Market report covers as Eaton Filtration, Parker Hannifin Corporation, Krone Filtertechnik, Filter Specialists, Watts Water Technologies, Armstrong International, Ludemann, Apollo valves, Fluidtrol, Pelmar Engineering Ltd, CIRCOR Energy, Fil-Trek Corporation, Hayward Flow Control, Jamison Products, Hellan Strainer, Fluid Conditioning Products, Metrafelx, Viking Pump, Henry Technologies, Keckley Company, Legend valve, Newark Wire Cloth, Vee Bee Filtration, Weamco, Oxford Filtration and YODO.Global Strainer Filter Market Segment by Regions, regional analysis covers:North America (USA, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia etc.)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa).Global Strainer Filter Market Segment by Type, covers as Standard Cast pipeline Strainers, Automatic Backwashing Strainers, Mechanically Cleaned Strainers and OtherGlobal Strainer Filter Market Segment by Applications, can be divided into: Chemical, Food& beverage, Oil and Petrochemical, Pharmaceutical, Power, Pulp & Paper and Water & WastewaterEnquire Discount on Global Strainer Filter Market Research Report @There are 15 Chapters to deeply display the global Strainer Filter market.Chapter 1, to describe Strainer Filter Market Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the top manufacturers of Strainer Filter, with sales, revenue, and price of Strainer Filter, in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 3, to display the competitive situation among the top manufacturers, with sales, revenue and market share in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 4, to show the global Strainer Filter market by regions, with sales, revenue and market share of Strainer Filter, for each region, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, to Strainer Filter Industry analyze the key regions, with sales, revenue and market share by key countries in these regions;Chapter 10 and 11, to show the Strainer Filter Market by type and application, with sales market share and growth rate by type, application, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 12, Strainer Filter market forecast, by regions, type and application, with sales and revenue, from 2017 to 2022;Chapter 13, 14 and 15, to describe Strainer Filter Industry sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, Research Findings and Conclusion, appendix and data source.For more information on this report, Please visit at:Related Reports: -Europe Strainer Filter Market by Manufacturers, Countries, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022This report focuses on the Strainer Filter in Europe market, especially in Germany, UK, France, Russia, and Italy. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, countries, type and application.Marketstudyreport.com allows you to manage and control all corporate research purchases to consolidate billing and vendor management. You can eliminate duplicate purchases and customize your content and license management.Market Study ReportThe Green Suite #4594,Dover, DE 19901United StatesPhone: 1-201-355-0868US Toll Free: 1-866-764-2150Email: sales@marketstudyreport.comWebsite:News:
Commercial Aircraft Seating Market 2017 Global Industry Key Players, Share, Trend, Segmentation and Forecast to 2021

Commercial Aircraft Seating Market 2017

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Commercial Aircraft Seating Market 2017Airline seats are usually arranged in rows and separated by aisle(s) running along the length of aircrafts fuselage, and the diagram that demonstrates the seating arrangement in an aircraft is known as aircraft seat map. Airlines have dissimilar seat maps for similar type of aircraft, which are purely based on the routes and the targeted passenger segment. They also aim to make the seats flexible and comfortable for their passengers. Therefore, they equip the seats with a reclining mechanism, which is usually operated mechanically in the economy and short-haul business class and electrically operated in long-haul business and first class.The analysts forecast the global commercial aircraft seating market to grow at a CAGR of 7.81% during the period 2017-2021.Covered in this reportThe report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the global commercial aircraft seating market for 2017-2021. To calculate the market size, the report considers new installations and aftermarket market sales of commercial aircraft seats.The market is divided into the following segments based on geography: Americas APAC EMEARequest a Sample Report @The report, Global Commercial Aircraft Seating Market 2017-2021, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.Key vendors Aviointeriors Geven RECARO Rockwell Collins (B/E Aerospace) Zodiac AerospaceOther prominent vendors Acro Aircraft Seating Expliseat HAECO Americas JAMCO MIRUS Aircraft Seating EnCore STELIA Aerospace Thompson Aero Seating ZIM FLUGSITZKey questions answered in this report What will the market size be in 2021 and what will the growth rate be? What are the key market trends? What is driving this market? What are the challenges to market growth? Who are the key vendors in this market space?Any Query, Submit Here @Table of Contents Analysis of Key PointsPART 01: Executive summaryPART 02: Scope of the reportPART 03: Research MethodologyPART 04: Introduction Market outlinePART 05: Market landscape Market overview Market size and forecast Five forces analysisPART 06: Market segmentation by aircraft type Segmentation of global aircraft seating market by aircraft type Global narrow-body aircraft seating market Global wide-body aircraft seating market Global regional aircraft seating marketPART 07: Market segmentation by cabin class Segmentation of global commercial aircraft seating market by cabin class Global commercial aircraft seating market for economy class Global commercial aircraft seating market for premium economy class Global commercial aircraft seating market for business class Global commercial aircraft seating market for first classPART 08: Geographical segmentation Geographical segmentation of global commercial aircraft seating market Commercial aircraft seating market in Americas Commercial aircraft seating market in EMEA Commercial aircraft seating market in APACPART 09: Decision frameworkPART 10: Drivers and challenges Market drivers Market challengesPART 11: Market trends Use of new materials to make aircraft seats lighter Enhancing functionality with advanced positioning technology Increasing demand for VIP cabins Collaboration of automotive seat companies and aircraft OEMsPART 12: Vendor landscape Competitive landscape Other prominent vendorsPART 13: Key vendor analysis....ContinuedBuy Now @Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports features an exhaustive list of market research reports from hundreds of publishers worldwide. We boast a database spanning virtually every market category and an even more comprehensive collection of market research reports under these categories and sub-categories.WISE GUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, HadapsarPune - 411028Maharashtra, India
Global Administration Sets Market Forecast and Analysis 2017 - 2027

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- Festive Month Offer -20% discount on purchase of reports from 1st October to 31st October.For more offers post 31st October, kindly contact us. * Terms & Conditions apply!!Contact No. : +16269994607 (US),/+91 7507349866 (IND)Email: sales@researchtrades.comAdministration Sets Industry, 2012-2022 Market Research Report' is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the global Administration Sets industry with a focus on the Chinese market. The report provides key statistics on the market status of the Administration Sets manufacturers and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the industry.Firstly, the report provides a basic overview of the industry including its definition, applications and manufacturing technology. Then, the report explores the international and Chinese major industry players in detail. In this part, the report presents the company profile, product specifications, capacity, production value, and 2012-2017 market shares for each company.Browse complete report atThe total market is further divided by company, by country, and by application/type for the competitive landscape analysis. The report then estimates 2017-2022 market development trends of Administration Sets industry. Analysis of upstream raw materials, downstream demand, and current market dynamics is also carried out. In the end, the report makes some important proposals for a new project of Administration Sets Industry before evaluating its feasibility. Overall, the report provides an in-depth insight of 2012-2022 global and Chinese Administration Sets industry covering all important parameters.Any special requirements about this report, please let us know and we can provide custom report.Chapter One Introduction of Administration Sets Industry1.1 Brief Introduction of Administration Sets1.2 Development of Administration Sets Industry1.3 Status of Administration Sets IndustryChapter Two Manufacturing Technology of Administration Sets2.1 Development of Administration Sets Manufacturing Technology2.2 Analysis of Administration Sets Manufacturing Technology2.3 Trends of Administration Sets Manufacturing TechnologyRequest for sample atChapter Three Analysis of Global Key Manufacturers3.1 Company A3.1.1 Company Profile3.1.2 Product Information3.1.3 2012-2017 Production Information3.1.4 Contact Information3.2 Company B3.2.1 Company Profile3.2.2 Product Information3.2.3 2012-2017 Production Information3.2.4 Contact Information3.3 Company C3.2.1 Company Profile3.3.2 Product Information3.3.3 2012-2017 Production Information3.3.4 Contact Information3.4 Company D3.4.1 Company Profile3.4.2 Product Information3.4.3 2012-2017 Production Information3.4.4 Contact Information3.5 Company E3.5.1 Company Profile3.5.2 Product Information....Who we are:Research 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.
Global POP display Market Research Report 2017

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Global POP display market competition by top manufacturers, with production, price, revenue (value) and market share for each manufacturer; the top players includingCreativedisplaysnow(USA)Empire Packaging & Displays(USA)Packaging Corporation of America(USA)Bling Bling Creative Custom Packaging(USA)George Patton Associates, Inc.(USA)PakFactory(USA)Display Geek, Inc.(USA)Pop Display and Sign(USA)Landaal Packging Systems(USA)Stander(USA)Warneke Box Company(USA)Esko-Graphics bvba. Packaging and printing pre-production solutions?(USA)Sample of this report is available upon request @Table of ContentsGlobal POP display Market Research Report 20171 POP display Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of POP display1.2 POP display Segment by Type (Product Category)1.2.1 Global POP display Production and CAGR (%) Comparison by Type (Product Category)(2012-2022)1.2.2 Global POP display Production Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20161.2.3 Floor Displays2 Global POP display Market Competition by Manufacturers2.1 Global POP display Capacity, Production and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.1.1 Global POP display Capacity and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.1.2 Global POP display Production and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.2 Global POP display Revenue and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)3 Global POP display Capacity, Production, Revenue (Value) by Region (2012-2017)3.1 Global POP display Capacity and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)3.2 Global POP display Production and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)3.3 Global POP display Revenue (Value) and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)3.4 Global POP display Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)About UsQYReseachReports.com delivers the latest strategic market intelligence to build a successful business footprint in China. Our syndicated and customized research reports provide companies with vital background information of the market and in-depth analysis on the Chinese trade and investment framework, which directly affects their business operations. Reports from QYReseachReports.com feature valuable recommendations on how to navigate in the extremely unpredictable yet highly attractive Chinese market.Contact UsBrooklyn, NY 11230United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-518-618-1030Email: sales@qyresearchreports.com
HVAC Systems Market Share 2017-2022 American Standard, Goodman Group, Carrier Corporation

HVAC Systems Market

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Global HVAC Systems Market Research Report 2012-2022A recent report discusses the market study on "HVAC Systems Market" over the global and major regions, from angles of manufacturers, product types and end industries. This HVAC Systems Market research study involved the extensive usage of both primary and secondary data sources, The report on the global HVAC Systems market uses the top-down and bottom-up approaches to define, analyze, and describe the market trends and market size estimation for the next Five Years. Geographically, this report is segmented into several key Regions countries listed in HVAC Systems report with production, consumption, capacity, revenue, market share and growth rate.The HVAC Systems Market research report analyses and provides the historical data for the past five years along with current performance of the global HVAC Systems industry, and estimates the future trend for next five years of HVAC Systems market on the basis of this detailed study. The Global HVAC Systems Market 2017 report includes HVAC Systems market Revenue, market Share, HVAC Systems industry volume, market Trends, HVAC Systems Growth aspects. HVAC Systems Market also focuses on the growth drivers and restraints for the key market players during the forecast period.Do Inquiry For Sample Report:Top key players In HVAC Systems Market: American Standard Goodman Group Carrier Corporation Trane Rheem Lennox InternationalThe HVAC Systems market is divided into Six major geographical segments:1. United States2. China3. Europe4. Japan5. Southeast Asia6. India (Other Regions can be included)Access Complete Report:The competitive landscape of the global market for HVAC Systems is determined by assessing the major industry manufacturers, production capacity, production capacity utilization rate, HVAC Systems market's production chainanalysis, pricing by each manufacturer and the revenue generated by each manufacturer in the HVAC Systems market globally.The HVAC Systems research report splits on the basis product types that are currently in demand and available in the market along with their cost breakup, manufacturing volume, import/export scheme, production and contribution to the HVAC Systems market revenue worldwide. The HVAC Systems research report also provides upstream and downstream analysis along with several data triangulation methods, to perform market estimation and market forecasting for the overall market segments and sub segments listed in this report, The HVAC Systems market also shares list of major raw material manufacturers along with their manufacturing locations.Finally, HVAC Systems market report gives you details about the market research findings and conclusion which helps you to develop profitable market strategies to gain competitive advantage.About Us:"MarketsResearch.Biz" is a leading market intelligence team which accredits and provides the reports of some of the top publishers in the field of technology industry. We are as a firm expertise in making extensive reports that cover all the necessary details about the market assessments such as major technological improvement in the industry.Contact Us5001 Spring Valley Road,Suite 400 East,Dallas, TX 75244, USAContact: +1-214-661-1669Email: sales@marketsresearch.bizWeb:
Global Almond Market Research Study for Forecast Period 2017  2022

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- Festive Month Offer -20% discount on purchase of reports from 1st October to 31st October.For more offers post 31st October, kindly contact us. * Terms & Conditions apply!!Contact No. : +16269994607 (US),/+91 7507349866 (IND)Email: sales@researchtrades.comAlmond Industry, 2012-2022 Market Research Report' is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the global Almond industry with a focus on the Chinese market. The report provides key statistics on the market status of the Almond manufacturers and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the industry.Firstly, the report provides a basic overview of the industry including its definition, applications and manufacturing technology. Then, the report explores the international and Chinese major industry players in detail. In this part, the report presents the company profile, product specifications, capacity, production value, and 2012-2017 market shares for each company.Browse complete report atThe total market is further divided by company, by country, and by application/type for the competitive landscape analysis. The report then estimates 2017-2022 market development trends of Almond industry. Analysis of upstream raw materials, downstream demand, and current market dynamics is also carried out. In the end, the report makes some important proposals for a new project of Almond Industry before evaluating its feasibility. Overall, the report provides an in-depth insight of 2012-2022 global and Chinese Almond industry covering all important parameters.Chapter One Introduction of Almond Industry1.1 Brief Introduction of Almond1.2 Development of Almond Industry1.3 Status of Almond IndustryChapter Two Manufacturing Technology of Almond2.1 Development of Almond Manufacturing Technology2.2 Analysis of Almond Manufacturing Technology2.3 Trends of Almond Manufacturing TechnologyRequest for sample atChapter Three Analysis of Global Key Manufacturers3.1 Company A3.1.1 Company Profile3.1.2 Product Information3.1.3 2012-2017 Production Information3.1.4 Contact Information3.2 Company B3.2.1 Company Profile3.2.2 Product Information3.2.3 2012-2017 Production Information3.2.4 Contact Information3.3 Company C3.2.1 Company Profile3.3.2 Product Information3.3.3 2012-2017 Production Information3.3.4 Contact Information3.4 Company D3.4.1 Company Profile3.4.2 Product Information3.4.3 2012-2017 Production Information3.4.4 Contact Information3.5 Company E3.5.1 Company Profile....Who we are:Research 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.
Rugged Smartphones Market Application, Competitive Analysis, Trends and Forecast: 2017 -2022

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Geographically, this report is segmented into several key Regions, with production, consumption, revenue (million USD), market share and growth rate of Rugged Smartphones in these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), coveringUnited StatesEUChinaJapanSouth KoreaTaiwanFor more information about this report atGlobal Rugged Smartphones market competition by top manufacturers, with production, price, revenue (value) and market share for each manufacturer; the top players includingSONYCROSSCALLIdea Technology LimitedTHURAYASonimtechMotorolaHuadoobrightShenZhen Xin Kingbrand TechnologyCaterpillarGreenOrangeTHE GEMRY COMMUNICATIONSJEASUNGSealsTechnologies LtdTlcenturyConquest Knight XVSHENZHEN VEBCLUBBeiJing MfoxOn the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoOrdinary SmartphoneProfessional SmartphoneOn 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 Rugged Smartphones for each application, includingOutdoor Workoutdoor SportRequest a sample copy atTable of Content1 Rugged Smartphones Market Overview2 Global Rugged Smartphones Market Competition by Manufacturers3 Global Rugged Smartphones Production, Revenue (Value) by Region (2012-2017)4 Global Rugged Smartphones Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by Region (2012-2017)4.1 Global Rugged Smartphones Consumption by Region (2012-2017)4.2 United States Rugged Smartphones Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)4.3 EU Rugged Smartphones Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)4.4 China Rugged Smartphones Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)4.5 Japan Rugged Smartphones Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)4.6 South Korea Rugged Smartphones Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)4.7 Taiwan Rugged Smartphones Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)5 Global Rugged Smartphones Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by Type5.1 Global Rugged Smartphones Production and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)5.2 Global Rugged Smartphones Revenue and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)5.3 Global Rugged Smartphones Price by Type (2012-2017)5.4 Global Rugged Smartphones Production Growth by Type (2012-2017)6 Global Rugged Smartphones Market Analysis by Application6.1 Global Rugged Smartphones Consumption and Market Share by Application (2012-2017)6.2 Global Rugged Smartphones Consumption Growth Rate by Application (2012-2017)6.3 Market Drivers and Opportunities6.3.1 Potential Applications6.3.2 Emerging Markets/Countries7 Global Rugged Smartphones Manufacturers Profiles/Analysis7.1 SONY7.1.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.1.2 Rugged Smartphones Product Category, Application and Specification7.1.2.1 Product A7.1.2.2 Product B7.1.3 SONY Rugged Smartphones Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.1.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.2 CROSSCALL7.2.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.2.2 Rugged Smartphones Product Category, Application and Specification7.2.2.1 Product A7.2.2.2 Product B7.2.3 CROSSCALL Rugged Smartphones Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.2.4 Main Business/Business Overview8 Rugged Smartphones Manufacturing Cost Analysis9 Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream Buyers10 Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/Traders11 Market Effect Factors Analysis12 Global Rugged Smartphones Market Forecast (2017-2022)13 Research Findings and ConclusionPurchase Complete Report at. And get,Discount on report purchase atReportsWeb is a one stop shop of market research reports and solutions to various companies across the globe. We help our clients in their decision support system by helping them choose most relevant and cost effective research reports and solutions from various publishers.Contact Us:533, 5th floor, Amanora Township,Amanora Chambers, East Block,Kharadi Road, Hadapsar, Pune-411028Call: +1-646-491-9876Email: sales@reportsweb.com
Legionella Testing Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast between 2017-2025

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This report on legionella testing studies the current as well as future prospects of the market globally. The stakeholders of this report include companies and intermediaries engaged in the manufacture and commercialization of various products as well as new entrants planning to enter this market. This report comprises an elaborate executive summary along with a market snapshot providing overall information of various segments and sub-segments considered within the scope of the study. This section also provides the overall information and data analysis of the global legionella testing market with respect to the leading market segments based on major products, key applications, end-users, and geographies.Request For Sample Report:Legionella Testing Market: Scope and Research MethodologyThe market for these segments has been extensively analyzed based on their utility, effectiveness, sales, and geographic presence. Market revenue in terms of US$ Mn and market volume in terms of units for the period from 2016 to 2025 along with the compound annual growth rate (CAGR %) from 2017 to 2025 are provided for all segments, considering 2016 as the base year.The market overview section of the report explores the market dynamics such as drivers, restraints, and opportunities that currently have a strong impact on the global legionella testing market and could influence the market in the near future. Market attractiveness analysis has been provided in all the sections of the report in order to explain the intensity of competition in the market across different products/materials/end-users/geographies. The competitive scenario among different market players is evaluated through market share analysis in the competition landscape section of the report. The section also includes completion matrix that analyzes the competition among some of the top global players operating in the market. All these factors would help market players to take strategic decisions in order to strengthen their positions and expand their shares in the global market.Legionella Testing Market: SegmentationThe report on global legionella testing market has been classified on the basis of four categories: test type, applications, end-user, and geography. Global legionella testing market by test type has been segmented as culture methods, urinary antigen test (UAT), serology, direct fluorescent antibody test (DFA), and nucleic acid-based detection. By application the market has been segmented as clinical testing methods, environmental testing methods. By end user the market has been segmented as hospitals, diagnostic laboratories, clinics, others.Geographically, the legionella testing market has been segmented into five regions: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Europe, Middle East & Africa (MEA), and Latin America. Each regional market for legionella testing has been further categorized into major product, applications, and end-user segments considered within the scope of the study. Key country (U.S., Japan, Germany, France, U.K., Australia, Canada, China, Brazil, Mexico, India, etc.) market revenues have also been provided in different regional sections within the report. Market revenue in terms of US$ Mn for the period from 2016 to 2025 along with CAGR % from 2017 to 2025 are provided for all the regions and nations considering 2017 as the base year.Browse Full Report:Legionella Testing Market: Competitive DynamicsThe report also profiles key players operating in the legionella testing market based on various attributes such as company details, SWOT analysis, strategic overview, financials, and business overview. Key players operating in the global legionella testing market are IDEXX Laboratories, Inc., Becton, Dickinson and Company, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc., Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc., BioMerieux Inc., and Qiagen N.V. among others.Enquire About This Report:About UsMarket Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE) is an industry-leading database of market intelligence reports. MRRSE is driven by a stellar team of research experts and advisors trained to offer objective advice. Our sophisticated search algorithm returns results based on the report title, geographical region, publisher, or other keywords.MRRSE partners exclusively with leading global publishers to provide clients single-point access to top-of-the-line market research. MRRSEs repository is updated every day to keep its clients ahead of the next new trend in market research, be it competitive intelligence, product or service trends or strategic consulting.ContactState Tower90, State StreetSuite 700Albany, NY - 12207United StatesTelephone: +1-518-730-0559Email: sales@mrrse.comWebsite:
In Depth Research on US Antidiabetics Drug Market Outlook 2022

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US Antidiabetics Drug Market Outlook 2022 report highlights:* US Diabetes Epidemiology* US Antidiabetics Market Overview* Key Marketed Antidiabetic Drugs in US* US Biosimilar Insulin Market* US Antidiabetics Drug Market Future ProspectsFor Report Sample Contact: neeraj@kuickresearch.comReport Weblink:Table of contentsAntidiabetics: Regimen for Diabetes Mellitus1.1 Prologue Towards Diabetes1.2 Preface to AntidiabeticsAntiquity of Managing Diabetes Mellitus2.1 Trajectory from Diabetes to Insulin2.2 Historical En Route towards Oral Diabetic MedicationTreatments Available for Diabetes Mellitus3.1 Non-Pharmacological Approaches for Diabetes Mellitus3.2 Pharmacological Approaches for Diabetes MellitusCataloguing of Antidiabetic Agents4.1 Antidiabetic: Oral Agents4.1.1 Biguanides4.1.2 Thiazolidinediones (TZDs)4.1.3 Sulfonylureas4.1.4 Meglitinides4.1.5 andalpha;- Glucosidase Inhibitors4.1.6 Dipeptidyl Peptidase-4 Inhibitor4.1.7 Bile Acid Sequestrants (BAS)4.1.8 Dopamine Agonist-2Antidiabetic: Injectable Drugs5.1 Insulin: A life saving Modality5.2 Non-Insulin Alternatives for Diabetes MellitusUS Diabetes Epidemiology6.1 Prevalence of Type 1 and 2 Diabetes6.2 Economic Burden Associated with Type 1 and 2 Diabetes: Productivity Loss and Medical BillsUS Antidiabetics Market Overview7.1 Antidiabetic Injectable Market Trends in US7.2 Antidiabetic Oral Drugs Market Trends in US7.3 Commending Trends of AntidiabeticsUS: Key Marketed Antidiabetic Drugs8.1 Insulin Degludec (Tresiba)- Injection8.2 Insulin Lispro - Injection8.3 Insulin Inhalation(Afrezza) - Inhalation8.4 Insulin Glargine (Toujeo) - Injection8.5 Insulin Glulisine (Apidra) - Injection8.6 Insulin Aspart (NovoLog) - Injection8.7 Insulin Detemir (Levemir FlexTouch) - Injection8.8 Insulin Glargine (Lantus) - Injection8.9 Insulin Aspart/Insulin Protamine Aspart (NovoLog) - InjectionUS Biosimilar Insulin Market: Glargine Basaglar andndash; The First Biosimilar Insulin9.1 First Insulin Biosimilar9.2 Impact of Basaglar LaunchUS Antidiabetics Drug Market Dynamics10.1 Accelerative Parameters10.2 Major ChallengesUS Antidiabetics Drug Market Future ProspectsCompetitive Landscape12.1 AstraZeneca12.2 Bayer12.3 Boehringer Ingelheim12.4 Eli-Lilly12.5 Johnson and Johnson12.6 Merck12.7 Novartis12.8 Novo Nordisk12.9 Sanofi12.10 TakedaFigure 1-1: Illustration of the Categories of Diabetes MellitusFigure 1-2: Percentage of Different types of Antidiabetics UsedFigure 2-1: Historical Pathway of oral Diabetic MedicationFigure 3-1: Control of Glucose Uptake during Muscle WorkingFigure 4-1: Categorization of Oral Antidiabetics Approved in USFigure 4-2: Chemical Structure of Metformin, Phenformin and BuforminFigure 4-3: Illustration of the Sub-Categories of SulfonylureasFigure 5-1: Mechanism of Insulin in Regulation of Blood Glucose LevelsFigure 5-2: Differences between Diabetes Mellitus 1 and 2 over InsulinFigure 5-3: Structure of Differentiation of Peptidic Insulin AnalogsFigure 5-4: Demonstration of Action Profiles of Insulin AnalogueFigure 5-5: Activity Profiles of Different Types of InsulinFigure 5-6: Difference between Lantus and LevemirFigure 6-1: US: Number of Type 1 Diabetes Incidence (Million), 2016 and 2022Figure 6-2: US: Number of Type 2 Diabetes Incidence (Million), 2014 - 2022Figure 6-3: US: Type 1 Diabetes Prevalence Rate (%), 2016 and 2022Figure 6-4: US: Type 2 Diabetes Prevalence Rate (%), 2014 - 2022Figure 6-5: US: Diabetes Prevalence Rate among Adults Aged 18+ (%), 2010 - 2016Figure 6-6: US: Obesity Rate Among Adults Aged 18+ (%), 2010 - 2016Figure 6-7: US: Percentage of Adults with Obesity by State (%), 2015Figure 6-8: Illustration of Total Cost of Diabetes ExpenditureFigure 6-9: Annual Average Cost Of Diabetes per Person in USFigure 6-10: US: Productivity Loss Due To Type 1 Diabetes (US$ Billion), 2014 - 2022Figure 6-11: US: Productivity Loss Due To Type 2 Diabetes (US$ Billion), 2014 - 2022Figure 6-12: US: Medical Cost for Type 1 Diabetes (US$ Billion), 2014-2022Figure 6-13: US: Medical Cost for Type 2 Diabetes (US$ Billion), 2014-2022Figure 7-1: Overview of Diabetic Drug Market SegmentationFigure 7-2: US: Antidiabetics Drug Market (US$ Billion), 2014 - 2022Figure 7-3: US: Share of Antidiabetics Drug Market in Total Drug Market Spending (US$ Billion), 2016Figure 7-4: US - Percentage of Most Common Class of Antidiabetics DrugsFigure 7-5: US andndash; Percentage of Generally Prescribed Anti-Diabetic Drugs (%)Figure 8-1: US - Insulin Degludec (Tresiba) Injection Sales (US$ Million), 2016-2022Figure 8-2: US -Insulin Lispro Injection Sales (US$ Million), 2016-2022Figure 8-3: US - Insulin Glargine (Toujeo) Injection Sales (US$ Million), 2016-2022Figure 8-4: US - Insulin Glulisine (Apidra) Injection Sales (US$ Million), 2016-2022Figure 8-5: US - Insulin Detemir (Levemir FlexTouch) Injection Sales (US$ Million), 2016-2022Figure 9-1: Comparison of Price of Insulin Lantus and BasaglarFigure 10-2: Estimated Insulin Basaglar Sales in DiabetesFigure 10-1: Major Accelerative Parameters for Antidiabetic Market in USFigure 10-2: Estimated Impact of Increasing Trend in Obesity by 2020Figure 10-3: Estimated Increase in Total Number with Diagnosed Diabetes till 2050Figure 10-4: Major challenges in Antidiabetics MarketFigure 10-5: Important Challenges with the Use of InsulinFigure 11-1: US: Share of Antidiabetics Drug Market in Total Drug Market Spending (US$ Billion), 2022Figure 11-2: Illustration of Antidiabetic Drugs Under DevelopmentKuick Research is a market research and analytics company that provides targeted information for critical decisions at business, product and service levels. We are quick, predictive and known by the recommendations we have made in the past. Our result-oriented research methodology offers understanding of multiple issues in a short period of time and gives us the capability to keep you full with loads of practical ideas. By translating research answers into strategic insight and direction, we not only rate the success potential of your products and/or services, but also help you identify the opportunities for growth in new demographies and find ways to beat competition.Neeraj Chawlaneeraj@kuickresearch.comKuicK ResearchL29 - L34, First FloorBlock L,Connaught PlaceNew Delhi-110001India+91-11-47067990
New Report Offers Analysis and Insights on Assessment of Singapore Aviation Industry in 2017

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Singapore aviation industry is showing remarkable growth past few years. This growth is primarily driven by rising demand of airlines from emerging economies such as Latin America and Middle East. According to the new research report titled, Assessment of Singapore Aviation Industry 2017, which has been added in the repository of Market Research Hub, aviation is the key sector which is contributing in the development of Singapores economy. For instance, with more than 50 thousand employees, Singapore aviation sector accounts for 6% of countrys Gross Domestic Product. In assessment of Singapore aviation industry report, some of the factors which are responsible for the growth of this sector have been mentioned, and they are commendable air safety record and world class facility and high efficiency at Changi airport.Request For Free Sample Report:Assessment of Singapore Aviation Industry: Present ScenarioAccording to this research report, presently the greater demand for airlines is coming from Africa, Middle East, Latin America and the CIS. It has been observed that around 40% demand for airlines will come from Europe and North America, while from Asia region this demand would go more than 35%. Thus, it has been forecasted that in next two decades as many as 39,600 planes would be needed worldwide. This need is likely to be fulfilled by Changi airport in Singapore which is one of the best airports across the globe. It was the sixth busiest airport in world which already bagged around 500 awards for the best airport in the world.What Makes Changi Airport the Worlds Best Airport?According to this research report, Changi airport presently caters the need of 100 airlines and it is estimated that this figure would be doubled by 2020. After few years this airport is likely to serve more than 130 million passengers every year. It has been noted that couple of years back, the passenger movements was suddenly increased at Changi Airport and it was grew by 2.5%. This movement was increased due to tremendous travel demand from South East and North East Asia which was accounted for close to 66% of the air traffic at airport of Changi. In the last years, i.e. in 2016, Changi airport witnessed the highest number of passenger movement which was reached up to 58.7 million.Assessment of Singapore Aviation Industry: Key PlayersSome of the key players operating in the Singapore aviation industry are Emirates, Air Asia Berhadalong, Singapore Airlines, Qantas Airways Limited, Tiger Airways Singapore Pte Ltd, and Jetstar Airways Pty Ltd.Browse Full Report with TOC:Why Should You Invest in This Report?In depth secondary research has been conducted while examining this market to arrive at key insights. Data which is collected from various publications and several sources in important public industries has been analysed and scanned thoroughly and impartially to offer crystal clear picture of an entire industry. All recent developments are used to make this report more accurate and various dynamics of sectors have been listed to see an impact of the market.Enquire About This Report:About Market Research HubMarket Research Hub (MRH) is a next-generation reseller of research reports and analysis. MRHs expansive collection of defense and security research reports has been carefully curated to help key personnel and decision makers across industry verticals to clearly visualize their operating environment and take strategic steps.MRH functions as an integrated platform for the following products and services: Objective and sound market forecasts, qualitative and quantitative analysis, incisive insight into defining industry trends, and market share estimates. Our reputation lies in delivering value and world-class capabilities to our clients.Contact Us90 State Street,Albany, NY 12207,United StatesToll Free: 800-998-4852 (US-Canada)Email: press@marketresearchhub.comWebsite:Read Industry News at -
Sonotrode Market 2017 - Sonic Italia, Herrmann Ultrasonics, Telsonic, Sonotronic, Sonimat, Hielscher, Mecasonic

Sonotrode Market

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Apex Research, recently published a detailed market research study focused on the "Sonotrode Market" across the global, regional and country level. The report provides 360 analysis of "Sonotrode Market" from view of manufacturers, regions, product types and end industries. The research report analyses and provides the historical data along with current performance of the global Sonotrode industry, and estimates the future trend of Sonotrode market on the basis of this detailed study. The study shares "Sonotrode Market" performance both in terms of volume and revenue.Get Free Sample Copy of Report Here:Top Manufacturers Analysis of This ReportSonic ItaliaHerrmann UltrasonicsTelsonicSonotronicSonimatHielscherMecasonicR.Rittmeyer GmbHJentschmannSchunk SonosystemsThe market research report explores the Sonotrode market across the globe along with major regions and countries. The research report provides a detailed study on each and every aspect of "Sonotrode Market". The research report studies the entire value chain from raw material to end user industries. The report also shares import/export statistics along with production and consumption for all major regions and countries. Moreover, the research study classifies the Sonotrode market based on major product types, application and end users industries of Sonotrode. Besides, the report also covers geographical segmentation for Sonotrode market. The report further provides production, capacity, price per region, gross margin, production cost, for all major regions and countries listed in report.The competitive landscape of the global market for Sonotrode is determined by assessing the major industry participants, production capacity, production capacity utilization rate, Sonotrode market's production chain, pricing by each manufacturer and the revenue generated by each manufacturer in the Sonotrode market globally.Enquire Before Buying @The worldwide Sonotrode market 2017 is further analyzed on the basis of product pricing, Sonotrode production volume, data pertaining to demand and Sonotrode supply, and the revenue garnered by the product. The report provides upstream and downstream analysis covering major raw material used in manufacturing of Sonotrode along with detailed manufacturing sources. The report also shares list of major raw material manufacturers along with their manufacturing locations. Detailed raw material price trend analysis along with manufacturing cost analysis is also incorporated into the report. Various methodical tools such as investment returns, feasibility, SWOT analysis and market attractiveness analysis has been implemented in the research study to present a comprehensive, detailed study of the industry for Sonotrode across the world.About UsApex Research offer latest market research reports and update to serve you with immediate on-line access to professional insights on global industries, companies, products, and trends. Customers can buys different reports across various categories such as Chemica1l and Material, Biotechnology, Healthcare, Food and beverages, Automobile and various sectors. Our Website offers safe and secure online ordering experience, convenient payment options.Contact UsFrank ValadezBusiness Development Executive| sales@apexresearch.bizPhone: +177390426831155 North Wacker Drive, Suite 4250Chicago, IL 60606
Pacemaker Devices Market Driven by Growing Prevalence of Cardiac Diseases

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Pacemaker devices are a set of devices used to regulate the heartbeat of cardiac patients. Pacemakers have long been a vital part of the cardiac disease treatment sector, but steady technological progression has brought about new generations of pacemaker devices with impressive new features and ergonomic comfort. This is likely to remain a key factor for the global pacemaker devices market, as the market surges due to the growing prevalence of cardiac diseases across the world. Developed regions such as North America and Europe are likely to dominate the global pacemaker devices market, with developing regions such as APEJ and MEA unlikely to feature as dominant contributors in the coming years.According to Transparency Market Research, the global pacemaker devices market was valued at US$5.5 bn in 2017 and is expected to rise to US$8.1 bn by 2022.Request to view Sample Report:Here are the key insights into the global pacemaker devices market:Rising support to the medical devices industry is likely to remain vital for the global pacemaker devices market in the coming years. Several governments across the world have begun to invest in the medical device sector as well as the healthcare research sector due to the strong benefits to the economy as well as to the regions healthcare sector due to the indigenous production of medical devices and technology.The rising incorporation of modern connectivity features in pacemakers is likely to help the global pacemaker devices markets growth. Smartphone connectivity can allow users to keep track of their or a loved ones heart rate, while calling the physician in cases of emergency has also become easier due to the technological progression of modern pacemaker devices. Technological progression is likely to remain a key driver for the global pacemaker devices market in the coming years due to the rapid entry of several new players in the medical device sector and the easy availability of advanced medical technology for incorporation in new medical devices.Request to download and view full ToC @Geographically, North America is likely to dominate the global pacemaker devices market in the coming years due to the rising prevalence of cardiac problems in developed countries such as the U.S., the high number of medical device manufacturers located in the region, and the increasing support for adoption of technologically advanced pacemaker devices in the healthcare sector. The steady support given by the government in the U.S. and Canada, both of which rank among the most lucrative locations for medical device companies, is likely to drive the global pacemaker devices market at a steady rate in North America in the coming years. The North America market for pacemaker devices is expected to rise from US$1.9 bn to US$2.9 bn over the 2017-2022 forecast period at a robust CAGR of 8.7%.Asia Pacific except Japan is a relatively minor contributor to the global pacemaker devices market at present. However, the rising prevalence of cardiac diseases in Southeast Asia is likely to lead to rising demand for pacemaker devices, while the rising disposable income of consumers in APAC countries such as China, India, Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia could help enable steady adoption of technologically advanced pacemaker devices. The APEJ pacemaker devices market is expected to exhibit a 8.3% CAGR over the 2017-2022 forecast period and reach a valuation of US$1.7 bn by 2022.Competitive DynamicsThe global pacemaker devices market is moderately fragmented due to the dominance of established medical industry giants. However, a rising number of specialist players could enter the pacemaker devices market in the coming years. Leading companies in the global pacemaker devices market include Abbott Laboratories, Medtronic Plc., Oscor Inc., Boston Scientific Corporation, Biotronik SE & Co. KG, Lepu Medical Technology, OSYPKA AG, Zoll Medical Corporation, and Pacetronix Limited.View Report @About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector  such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Membrane Separation Market: Future market projections for forthcoming years

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The global membrane separation market is estimated to expand positively at a CAGR of 10.8% during the period between 2013 and 2019. Projects market to be worth US$39.2 bn by the end of 2019. The overall market stood at a valuation of US$19.0 bn in 2012.In the membrane separation technology, a semipermeable barrier controls the rate of movement of various molecules between two gaseous phases or two liquid phases or a gas and a liquid phase. The widely used membrane separation processes include ultrafiltration, microfiltration, reverse osmosis, nanofiltration, dialysis, electrolysis, membrane distillation, and others. In the recent times, the membrane separation technology has gained popularity amid rapid industrialization and water pollution.The report points out that the growing demand for clean water from the municipal sector is driving the growth of the global membrane separation market. The rising interest in water reuse and wastewater treatment, coupled with stringent environmental regulations regarding water pollution, has boosted the demand for membrane separation. The rapid industrialization across the developing economies and the growing population in water stressed areas are expected to augment the growth of the market during the forecast horizon. However, high operational and installation costs and the lack of funds in the developing countries will restrict the growth of the market. Nevertheless, the global membrane separation market has a huge opportunity to grow with the shift towards chemical free water treatment process across industries.Request to view Sample Report:In terms of process, the report broadly segments the global membrane separation market into microfiltration, reverse osmosis, nanofiltration, and ultrafiltration. Microfiltration holds more than 35% of the market. On the basis of end users, the report categorizes the market into industrial, healthcare, and water and wastewater treatment. Water and wastewater treatment is the largest end user segment and accounts for over 36% of the market.The report studies the membrane separation market across four key regions: Asia Pacific, North America, Europe, and Rest of the World. Owing to the growing demand from countries such as Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, India, and China, Asia Pacific is expected to contribute significantly towards the growth of the global market for membrane separation during the forecast horizon. The growth of the market in this region can be attributed to the rapid industrialization which is leading to water pollution. The increasing population in Asia Pacific and growing scarcity of potable water have compelled authorities to focus on waste water treatment measures.Request to Download TOC of the Report:Describing the competitive landscape, the report profiles some of the key players in the global membrane separation market such as Hyflux, Kubota, Asahi Kasei Corporation, Pentair X-Flow, Pall Corporation, Evoqua Water Technologies LLC, GE Water & Process Technologies, IDE Technologies, TriSep Corporation, 3M Company, The Dow Chemical Company, Koch Membrane Systems Inc., and Sartorius AG. The report further provides insightful information about the key players including their product segments, financial performance, and strategic developments.Global Membrane Separation Market Report is available @ US$ 5795 :About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Contact us:Transparency Market Research90 State Street,Suite 700,AlbanyNY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Cement Admixture Market Expected To Experience The Highest Growth In The Upcoming Future

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The report firstly introduced Cement Admixture basic information included Cement Admixture definition classification application industry chain structure industry overview; international market analysis, China domestic market analysis, Macroeconomic environment and economic situation analysis and influence, Cement Admixture industry policy and plan, Cement Admixture product specification, manufacturing process, product cost structure etc.Request For Free Sample Of The Report @Then statistics Global and China key manufacturers Cement Admixture capacity production cost price profit production value gross margin etc details information, at the same time, statistics these manufacturers Cement Admixture products customers application capacity market position company contact information etc company related information, then collect all these manufacturers data and listed Global and China Cement Admixture capacity production capacity market share production market share supply demand shortage import export consumption etc data statistics, and then introduced Global and China Cement Admixture capacity production price cost profit production value gross margin etc information. And also listed Cement Admixture upstream raw materials equipments and down stream clients survey analysis and Cement Admixture marketing channels industry development trend and proposals.Obtain Report Details @In the end, The report introduced Cement Admixture new project SWOT analysis Investment feasibility analysis investment return analysis and also give related research conclusions and development trend analysis on Global and China Cement Admixture industry. In a word, it was a depth research report on Global and China Cement Admixture industry. And thanks to the support and assistance from Cement Admixture industry chain related technical experts and marketing engineers during Research Team survey and interviews.About UsAlltake Market Research is division of the Alltake LLC. that offers premium quality market intelligence, market research, industry analysis reports & forecast data for different domains across the business industry.Alltake Market Research understands the importance of market analysis for any strategy that is implemented in any organization or association. In order to provide the best solution, Alltake Market Research have associated with major organizations within market research and consultancy firm. This portfolio offers market analysis report at one place for different business verticals. Alltake Market Research ensures to offer you with the most reliable and quality market research available.Contact UsAlltake Market Research16192, Coastal Highway Lewes,DE 19958, United StatesUS - 188 8587 9717UK - 4480 0680 0195Email sales@alltakemarketresearch.com
In Depth Research on Global Rheumatoid Arthritis Drug Market Outlook 2022

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Global Rheumatoid Arthritis Drug Market Outlook 2022 report highlights:* Classification and Molecular Mechanism of Rheumatoid Arthritis Drugs* Synthetic DMARDs as Rheumatoid Arthritis Drug* Biological Agents as Rheumatoid Arthritis Drug* Global Market of Rheumatoid Arthritis Drug* Global Tendencies in Use of Antirheumatics* Global Rheumatoid Arthritis Drug Market Future ProspectFor Report Sample Contact: neeraj@kuickresearch.comReport Weblink:Table of contentsAntirheumatoids: Call of Rheumatoid Arthritis1.1 Prologue towards Rheumatoid Arthritis1.2 Obtainable Treatment for Rheumatoid ArthritisMolecular Mechanism of Antirheumatoids2.1 Purpose of DMARDs in Rheumatoid Arthritis2.2 Role of Biological Agents in Rheumatoid Arthritis2.2.1 TNF- Inhibitors2.2.2 Interleukin -1 and IL-6 BlockersClassification of Rheumatoid Arthritis Drugs3.1 Traditional Classification of Rheumatoid Arthritis Drugs3.2 New Proposed Classification of DMARDsSynthetic DMARDs as Rheumatoid Arthritis Drug4.1 Methotrexate (MTX)4.2 Sulfasalazine (SSZ)4.3 Leflunomide4.4 Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ)Biological Agents as Rheumatoid Arthritis Drug5.1 Cytokine Inhibitors5.1.1 Etanercept (Enbrel)5.1.2 Infliximab (Remicade)5.1.3 Adalimumab (Humira)5.1.4 Golimumab (Simponi)5.1.5 Certolizumab pegol (Cimzia)5.2 Interleukin 1 and Interleukin 6 Inhibitors5.2.1 Anakinra (Kineret)5.2.2 Tocilizumab (RoActerma)5.3 T-Cell and B-Cell Inhibitors5.3.1 Abatacept (Orencia)5.3.2 Rituximab (Mabthera)Global Prevalence of Rheumatoid Arthritis6.1 US6.2 Europe6.3 Canada6.4 AsiaGlobal Tendencies in Use of Antirheumatics7.1 Trail from Conventional to Biological DMARDs7.2 Global Trends of Antirheumatic PrescriptionGlobal Market of Rheumatoid Arthritis Drug8.1 Market Overview of DMARDs8.2 Market of Biosimilar DMARDs8.3 Top Leading DMARDs by Revenues (2015 and 2022)8.3.1 Humira (Adalimumab)8.3.2 Enbrel (Etanercept)8.3.3 Remicade8.3.4 Simponi8.3.5 Otezla (Celgene)Global Rheumatoid Arthritis Drug Market Dynamics9.1 Accelerative Parameters9.2 ChallengesGlobal Rheumatoid Arthritis Drug Market Future ProspectCompetitive Landscape11.1 Abbvie11.2 Biogen Idec11.3 Bristol-Myers Squibb11.4 Celgene11.5 Celltrion11.6 JandJ11.7 MedImmune11.8 Merck11.9 Novartis11.10 TakedaFigure 1-1: Representation of the Disease Progression in Rheumatoid ArthritisFigure 2-1: Mechanism of Action of Anti-TNF in Rheumatoid Arthritis TreatmentFigure 3-1: Classified Antirheumatic Drugs Pattern in Course of TreatmentFigure 3-2: Demonstration of New Nomenclature for Antirheumatic DrugsFigure 4-1: Structure of Several Synthetic Antirheumatic DMARDsFigure 5-1: ACR Response Rate of Infliximab vs. Biosimilar CT-P13Figure 5-2: Immunoglobulin Structures of the TNF Agonists including all Five ClassesFigure 6-1: Worldwide Prevalence of Rheumatoid ArthritisFigure 6-2: Percentage of Rheumatoid Arthritis by Gender in USFigure 6-3: Prevalence of Rheumatoid Arthritis over EthnicityFigure 6-4: Incidence of Rheumatoid Arthritis with Increasing AgeFigure 6-5: Illustration of Upcoming Risk of RA in USFigure 6-6: Illustration of Percentage of Prevalence of Rheumatic ArthritisFigure 6-7: Projected Number of Individuals with Rheumatism in CanadaFigure 7-1: Traditional Mode of Rheumatoid Arthritis TreatmentFigure 7-2: Illustration of Changes in Use of DMARDs after MTXFigure 7-3: US: Percentage of Type of DMARDs Used for RA in 2013Figure 8-1: Global - Rheumatoid Arthritis Drug Sales (US$ Billion), 2015-2022Figure 8-2: Patent Expiration of Major Antirheumatic Drugs under Biologics in EU and USFigure 8-3: Global - Top Rheumatoid Arthritis Drugs by Revenue from 2015 and 2022Figure 8-4: Global andndash; Share of Top Rheumatoid Arthritis Drugs in Market (%),2022Figure 8-5: Global - Humira Sales (US$ Billion), 2011-2015 and 2022Figure 8-6: Global - Enbrel Sales (US$ Billion), 2015- 2016 and 2022Figure 8-7: Global andndash; Remicade Sales (US$ Billion), 2015 and 2022Figure 8-8: Global Percentage of Simponi Sale Revenues by Region (2015-2022) (Billions)Figure 8-9: Global andndash; Simponi Sales (US$ Billion), 2015 and 2022Figure 8-10: Global - Otezela Sales (US$ Billion) 2015 and 2022Figure 9-1: Major Driving Forces of Antirheumatics Drug MarketFigure 9-2: Increasing Market Size of Biosimilars WorldwideFigure 9-3: Major Challenges faced by Antirheumatics MarketFigure 9-4: Average Annual Treatment Cost of Humira, Enbrel and Remicade (US$), 2014Figure 10-1: Global - Rheumatoid Arthritis Drug Market by Drug Class (TNF Inhibitors, JAK Inhibitors and Others) 2022Kuick Research is a market research and analytics company that provides targeted information for critical decisions at business, product and service levels. We are quick, predictive and known by the recommendations we have made in the past. Our result-oriented research methodology offers understanding of multiple issues in a short period of time and gives us the capability to keep you full with loads of practical ideas. By translating research answers into strategic insight and direction, we not only rate the success potential of your products and/or services, but also help you identify the opportunities for growth in new demographies and find ways to beat competition.Neeraj Chawlaneeraj@kuickresearch.comKuicK ResearchL29 - L34, First FloorBlock L,Connaught PlaceNew Delhi-110001India+91-11-47067990
Ukraine Telecom Service Market 2017 Analysis, Opportunities and Forecast to 2021

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SummaryThe telecommunications market in Ukraine will generate revenue of $1.6bn (UAH 40.7bn) in 2016. CAGR in local currency will be -0.7%. Market revenue in USD is expected to decline through 2021. Mobile data revenue will grow at a CAGR of 3.7% in local currency to reach UAH 7.2bn ($256m) in 2021, with contribution to overall ARPS increasing from 21.0% in 2016 to 26.1% in 2021. Fixed VoIP will witness strong growth over 2016-2021 (CAGR of 8.2% in UAH), while fixed broadband will register a CAGR of 3.9%, in LCU. Going forward, operators should seize opportunities in mobile data and fixed broadband segments as the demand for data continues to grow, while vendors should position themselves to support operators network expansion plans to address the demand of high data traffic.GET SAMPLE REPORT @Key Findings- The overall telecom service revenue in Ukraine is estimated to decline by 2.1% over 2016-2021 to reach $1.6bn (UAH40.7bn) in 2016.- The telecommunications market in Ukraine will see service revenue growth in mobile data, fixed VoIP and fixed broadband segments.- Mobile revenue will account for 70.4% of the total telecom market in 2016. Mobile data will be an important driver of this trend, as it will expand at a 3.7% CAGR in LCU from 2016 to 2021 driven by growth in the adoption of 3G services and smartphones and data intensive plans.- We expect the contribution of Internet access to fixed services revenue will increase from 46.8% in 2016 to 57.0% in 2021.- Ukraines telecom market will be controlled by two operators  Kyivstar and Vodafone Ukraine (MTS). Operators are focusing on 3G expansion, bundled packages and data based services to strengthen their position in the telecom market.Synopsis"Ukraine: Telecom Service Revenue to Decline through 2021, Due to Pressure on the Voice Segment and Slow Data Growth,"a new Country Intelligence Report by Pyramid Research, provides an executive-level overview of the telecommunications market in Ukraine today, with detailed forecasts of key indicators up to 2021. Published annually, the report provides detailed analysis of the near-term opportunities, competitive dynamics and evolution of demand by service type and technology/platform across the fixed telephony, broadband, mobile and pay-TV sectors, as well as a review of key regulatory trends.The Country Intelligence Report provides in-depth analysis of the following:- Regional context: telecom market size and trends in Ukraine compared with other countries in the region.- Economic, demographic and political context in Ukraine.- The regulatory environment and trends: a review of the regulatory setting and agenda for the next 18-24 months as well as relevant developments pertaining to spectrum licensing, national broadband plans, number portability and more.- A demand profile: analysis as well as historical figures and forecasts of service revenue from the fixed telephony (including VoIP), broadband, mobile voice, mobile data and pay-TV markets.- Service evolution: a look at changes in the breakdown of overall revenue between the fixed/pay-TV and mobile sectors and between voice, data and video from 2016 to 2021.- The competitive landscape: an examination of key trends in competition and in the performance, revenue market shares and expected moves of service providers over the next 18-24 months.- In-depth sector analysis of fixed telephony, broadband, mobile voice, mobile data and pay-TV services: a quantitative analysis of service adoption trends by network technology and by operator, as well as of average revenue per line/subscription and service revenue through the end of the forecast period.- Main opportunities: this section details the near-term opportunities for operators, vendors and investors in Ukraine's telecommunications and pay-TV markets.Reasons to Buy- This Country Intelligence Report offers a thorough, forward-looking analysis of Ukraines telecommunications and pay-TV markets, service providers and key opportunities in a concise format to help executives build proactive and profitable growth strategies.- Accompanying Pyramid Researchs Forecast products, the report examines the assumptions and drivers behind ongoing and upcoming trends in Ukraines mobile communications, fixed telephony/VoIP, broadband and pay-TV markets, including the evolution of service provider market shares.- With more than 20 charts and tables, the report is designed for an executive-level audience, boasting presentation quality.- The report provides an easily digestible market assessment for decision-makers built around in-depth information gathered from local market players, which enables executives to quickly get up to speed with the current and emerging trends in Ukraines telecommunications and pay-TV markets.- The broad perspective of the report coupled with comprehensive, actionable detail will help operators, equipment vendors and other telecom industry players succeed in the challenging telecommunications market in Ukraine.Table of Content: Key PointsExecutive summaryMarket and competitor overviewRegional contextEconomic, demographic and political contextRegulatory environmentDemand profileService evolutionCompetitive landscapeMajor market playersSegment analysisMobile servicesFixed servicesPay-TVIdentifying opportunitiesOverall market opportunitiesContinuedACCESS REPORT @Contact Info:NORAH TRENTPartner Relations & Marketing Managersales@wiseguyreports.comPh: +1-646-845-9349 (US)Ph: +44 208 133 9349 (UK)Get in touch:LinkedIn:Twitter:Facebook:Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe.WISE GUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersPune - 411028Maharashtra, India
Global Noodles Market Steadily Grow At A CAGR Of 5.20% Between The Period 2017 - 2021

Market Research Report

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Global Noodles Market Steadily Grow At A CAGR Of 5.20% Between The Period 2017 - 2021" to its huge collection of research reports.The concept of packaged food originated with the need for easy-to-cook and easy-to-consume foods. Noodles is a staple food made from unleavened dough, which is extruded, stretched, or rolled flat and cut into one or different shapes. A noodle is a narrow strip made from flour or rice or egg dough, which is rolled thin and dried, boiled, and served in soups or casseroles.Technavios analysts forecast the global noodles market to grow at a CAGR of 5.20% during the period 2017-2021.Covered in this reportThe report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the global noodles market for 2017-2021. To calculate the market size, the report considers sales, volume, and value.The market is divided into the following segments based on geography:AmericasAPACEMEATechnavio's report, Global Noodles Market 2017-2021, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.Key vendorsNestlNISSIN FOODSPT INDOFOOD SUKSES MAKMURTing Hsin International GroupToyo Suisan KaishaUnileverTo Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Other prominent vendorsACECOOK VIETNAMAJINOMOTOC.J. GroupConagra BrandsHouse Foods GroupITCInbiscoKraft HeinzNONGSHIMOTTOGIPinehill Arabia FoodSANYO FOODSVIFON (VIETNAM FOOD INDUSTRIES JOINT STOCK COMPANY)Winner FoodsMarket driverGrowing demand for convenient food productsFor a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket challengeHealth concerns affecting salesFor a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket trendUse of natural additivesFor a full, detailed list, view our reportKey questions answered in this reportWhat will the market size be in 2021 and what will the growth rate be?What are the key market trends?What is driving this market?What are the challenges to market growth?Who are the key vendors in this market space?What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the key vendors?What are the strengths and weaknesses of the key vendors?Browse More Details @About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @
Surface Mount Technology Equipment Market Key Players - CyberOptics Corporation, Fuji Machine Manufacturing Co., Ltd., Assembly Systems, Forecast to 2022

Surface Mount Technology

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https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/surface-mount-technology-equipment-market-2248

Market Scenario:Surface mount technology is a technique of producing electronic circuits by mounting the components onto the printed circuit board (PCB) without drilling any hole on the PCB. The components have small metal tabs that are soldered to the printed circuit board (PCB).Surface mount technology is related to global electronics industry.Benefits of Surface Mount Technology can be given as the Surface Mount Technology components are smaller in size; they have higher component density and can be placed on both sides of the printed circuit board. Surface Mount Technology components consist of passive surface mount devices, transistor & diodes and integrated circuits. These components have lower initial costs. But Surface Mount Technology also has a few drawbacks as, repair is more difficult and the components cannot be directly used on a breadboard.The ever increasing demand for smart gadgets is being worldwide which results in demand of many electronic components which require surface mount technology for the printed circuit boards. Therefore the Surface Mount Technology equipment market is driven by the need for miniaturization of products and higher accuracy. In this era of automation, it has been observed that automotive sector has also created a huge demand for Surface Mount Technology for the manufacturing of high-tech vehicles.The global industrial automation market is expected to grow at USD ~4 Billion by 2022, at ~8% of CAGR between 2016 and 2022.Request a Sample report @Major Key Players: CyberOptics Corporation (U.S.), Fuji Machine Manufacturing Co., Ltd.(Japan), Mycronic AB (Sweden), Assembly Systems (Germany), Nordson Corporation (U.S.), Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation (Japan), Orbotech Ltd. (Israel)Regional Analysis:The regional analysis of Surface Mount Technology is being studied for region such as Asia pacific, North America, Europe and Rest of the World. It has been observed that Asia-Pacific region is dominated in Surface Mount Technology market followed by Latin America.Asia  Pacific countries like China, India and Japan are ahead in the Surface Mount Technology market due to the higher availability of skilled labor and increasing penetration of high tech devices which require miniaturization. Countries like India and China with high population results in increasing consumer electronics demand which gives a booster to the use of Surface Mount Technology market.Browse Full Report Details @Segments:Surface Mount Technology Equipment market by Equipment: Pick and place Coating equipment Solder equipment Cleaning agents Rework and repair equipmentSurface Mount Technology Equipment market by end user industries: Telecommunication Consumer electronics Automotive MedicalSurface Mount Technology Equipment market by Components: Passive surface mount devices Transistor & diodes Integrated circuitsIntended Audience Technology investors Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) Smart grid integrators Surface mount component device distributors and providers Research/Consultancy firmsAbout Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.Contact:Market Research Future+1 646 845 9312Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com
Air Conditioning Market Analysis, Growth Drivers, Vendors Landscape, Shares, Trends, Industry Challenges with Forecast to 2022

Air Conditioning Market

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Air Conditioning Market Report by Material, Application, and Geography  Global Forecast to 2021 is a professional and in-depth research report on the world's major regional market conditions, focusing on the main regions and the main countries.The report firstly introduced the Air Conditioning Market basics: definitions, classifications, applications and market overview; product specifications; manufacturing processes; cost structures, raw materials and so on.Air Conditioning Market split by Application -Application 1, Application 2, Application 3. Air Conditioning Industry Segment by Regions- (North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific) and the main countries (United States, Germany, United Kingdom, Japan, South Korea and China).Get PDF Sample of Air Conditioning Market Report @Through the statistical analysis, the Air Conditioning Market report depicts the global Industry Analysis, Manufacturers Analysis, Air Conditioning Industry Development Trend, Sales Demand and Forecast to 2022.Table of Contents:Chapter 1 Air Conditioning Market Overview1.1 Definition1.2 Classification Analysis1.3 Application Analysis1.4 Air Conditioning Industry Chain Structure Analysis1.5 Air Conditioning Market Development Overview1.6 Global Air Conditioning Market Comparison Analysis1.6.1 Global Import Market Analysis1.6.2 Global Export Market Analysis1.6.3 Global Main Region Market Analysis1.6.4 Global Market Comparison Analysis1.6.5 Global Market Development Trend AnalysisChapter 2 Air Conditioning Up and Down Stream Industry Analysis2.1 Upstream Raw Materials Analysis of Air Conditioning Market2.1.1 Upstream Raw Materials Price Analysis2.1.2 Upstream Raw Materials Market Analysis2.1.3 Upstream Raw Materials Market Trend2.2 Down Stream Market Analysis of Air Conditioning Market2.1.1 Down Stream Market Analysis2.2.2 Down Stream Demand Analysis2.2.3 Down Stream Market Trend AnalysisInquire for further detailed information about Air Conditioning Market Report @Chapter 3 Air Conditioning Productions Supply Sales Demand Market Status and Forecast3.1 2012-2017 Air Conditioning Market Capacity Production Overview3.2 2012-2017 Air Conditioning Production Market Share Analysis3.3 2012-2017 Air Conditioning Market Demand Overview3.4 2012-2017 Supply Demand and Shortage of Air Conditioning Industry3.5 2012-2017 Air Conditioning Import Export Consumption3.6 2012-2017 Air Conditioning Cost Price Production Value Gross MarginIn the end Air Conditioning Market report provides the main region, market conditions with the product price, profit, capacity, production, supply, demand and market growth rate and forecast etc. Air Conditioning Market report also Present new project SWOT analysis, investment feasibility analysis, and investment return analysis.About UsReports Monitor (ReportsMonitor.com) is a platform for companies looking to meet their market research and business intelligence requirements. Our aim is to change the dynamics of the Market Research industry by providing quality intelligence backed by data. Your requirement for market forecasting is fulfilled by our exclusive quantitative and analytics driven intelligence. We have a vast collection of reports, covering maximum industries worldwide. Our process is meticulously planned and executed in order to use maximum resources and explore the market for getting genuine insights. The prime focus is to get reliable data, Decision makers can now rely on our distinct data gathering methods to get factual market forecasting and detailed analysis.Contact UsJay MatthewsDirect: +1 513 549-5911Email: sales@reportsmonitor.comWebsite:
US Bottled Water Market to Register a CAGR of 4% by End of 2024

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Consumers in the US are privy to the fact that drinking potable water isnt enough to safeguard ones health from viral diseases and water-borne infections. Consumption of bottled water in the States is expected to be driven by rising awareness regarding the benefits of drinking mineral water. Higher nutritional content in bottled or packaged drinking water continues to play a significant role in protecting lives of millions of US consumers. Nevertheless, a latest research report published by Persistence Market Research projects that years from now, the demand for bottled water in US will lose traction and incur growth at a sluggish pace. According to its report, Persistence Market Research predicts that by the end of 2024, the US bottled water market will have reached US$ 22,226.2 Mn value, registering a modest CAGR of 4%.View and Download TOC of Bottled Water Market Research Report@Contrary to the popular opinion, the demand for bottled water in US is likely to lose out to rising adoption of advanced water purification & distribution systems. The US$ 16 Bn market for bottled water in the US is, thus, expected to attain a restrained growth on the account of following factors:Environmental Impact of Bottled Water: In early 2016, San Franciscos local authorities controlled the sales of plastic water bottles as an initiative to check environmental pollution. Companies producing large volumes of bottled water products will continue to adversely alter the environment through excessive water extraction techniques and extensive use of non-decomposable materials such as plastics and other polymerized materials.Regulations Curbing the Production of Packaged Water: Authoritative bodies in the US will continue to control the production of bottled water by imposing unfavorable regulations. These regulations are directed to reduce the carbon footprint of bottled water manufacturers on the countrys environment. Steadfast implementation of such norms is expected to hinder the production of bottled water in the US.A riveting factor compiled in this report mentions the emergence of eco-friendly packaging materials in production of bottled water. The US bottled water market is slated to incur opportune growth when manufacturers will begin procurement of eco-friendly yet equally competent alternatives for plastic bottles. This will be done by rapid adoption of 100% recycled PET bottles. Nestle Waters is one such leading manufacturer of bottled water in the US that has undertaken similar measures. Other prominent manufacturers of bottled water in the US include PepsiCo, Inc., The Coca-Cola Company, Mountain Valley Spring Company, LLC., Groupe Danone, Suntory Beverage & Food Ltd., and CG Roxane, LLC.Request and Download Sample Report@The report further reveals that in 2016, over 10,000 million units of bottled water products were consumed in the US. The demand for 3-gallon bottled water products is projected to remain high through 2024. Almost two-third of the US bottled water market will continue to be dominated by HDPE materials as PET bottles are likely to lose out competitiveness due to strict environmental regulations. By the end of 2024, nearly three-fourth of revenues amassed in the US bottled water market are anticipated to come from sales of products with screw caps and Snap-On caps. The report also identifies supermarkets as the largest distribution channel for bottled water in the US, accounting for over 35% value share towards the end of the forecast period.Buy Full Bottled Water Market Report@About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a U.S.-based full-service market intelligence firm specializing in syndicated research, custom research, and consulting services. PMR boasts market research expertise across the Healthcare, Chemicals and Materials, Technology and Media, Energy and Mining, Food and Beverages, Semiconductor and Electronics, Consumer Goods, and Shipping and Transportation industries. The company draws from its multi-disciplinary capabilities and high-pedigree team of analysts to share data that precisely corresponds to clients business needs.PMR stands committed to bringing more accuracy and speed to clients business decisions. From ready-to-purchase market research reports to customized research solutions, PMRs engagement models are highly flexible without compromising on its deep-seated research values.ContactPersistence Market Research Pvt. Ltd305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.commedia@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Marine Engine Lubricant Market-Future Demand, Market Analysis & Outlook 2017-2022

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The Global Marine Engine Lubricant Market Research Report 2017 renders deep perception of the key regional market status of the Marine Engine Lubricant Industry on a Global level that primarily aims the core regions which comprises of continents like Europe, North America, and Asia and the key countries such as United States, Germany, China and Japan.For Request a Sample Click @The report on Global Marine Engine Lubricant Market is a professional report which provides thorough knowledge along with complete information pertaining to the Marine Engine Lubricant industry propos classifications, definitions, applications, industry chain summary, industry policies in addition to plans, product specifications, manufacturing processes, cost structures, etc.Scope of Report:The report cloaks the market analysis and projection of Marine Engine Lubricant Market on a regional as well as Global level. The report constitutes qualitative and quantitative valuation by industry analysts, first-hand data, assistance from industry experts along with their most recent verbatim and each industry manufacturers via the market value chain. The research experts have additionally assessed the in general sales and revenue generation of this particular market.In addition, this report also delivers widespread analysis of root market trends, several governing elements and macro-economic indicators, coupled with market improvements as per every segment. Furthermore, the report contains diverse profiles of primary market players of Marine Engine Lubricant Market.Read a Full Report of Marine Engine Lubricant Market Research -@Global Marine Engine Lubricant market competition by top manufacturers, with production, price, revenue (value) and market share for each manufacturer; the top players including ExxonMobil Shell Total BP Chevron? Sinopec Quepet JX Nippon Lukoil Gulf Oil Idem ItsuOn the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split into Low Speed Engine Oil Middle Speed Engine Oil High Speed Engine OilOn 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 Marine Engine Lubricant for each application, including Deep-sea In-land/Coastal OtherThe report is generically segmented into six parts and every part aims on the overview of the Marine Engine Lubricant industry, present condition of the market, feasibleness of the investment along with several strategies and policies.Apart from the definition and classification, the report also discusses the analysis of import and export and describes a comparison of the market that is focused on the trends and development. Along with entire framework in addition to in-depth details, one can prepare and stay ahead of the competitors across the targeted locations.Ask for Discount @The fact that this market report renders details about the major market players along with their product development and current trends proves to be very beneficial for fresh entrants to comprehend and recognize the industry in an improved manner. The report also enlightens the productions, sales, supply, market condition, demand, growth, and forecast of the Marine Engine Lubricant industry in the Global markets.Some points from TOC:-Global Marine Engine Lubricant Market Research Report 20171 Marine Engine Lubricant Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Marine Engine Lubricant1.2 Marine Engine Lubricant Segment by Type (Product Category)1.2.1 Global Marine Engine Lubricant Production and CAGR (%) Comparison by Type (Product Category) (2012-2022)1.2.2 Global Marine Engine Lubricant Production Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20161.2.3 Low Speed Engine Oil1.2.4 Middle Speed Engine Oil1.2.5 High Speed Engine Oil1.3 Global Marine Engine Lubricant Segment by Application1.3.1 Marine Engine Lubricant Consumption (Sales) Comparison by Application (2012-2022)1.3.2 Deep-sea1.3.3 In-land/Coastal1.3.4 Other1.4 Global Marine Engine Lubricant Market by Region (2012-2022)1.4.1 Global Marine Engine Lubricant Market Size (Value) and CAGR (%) Comparison by Region (2012-2022)1.4.2 North America Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.3 Europe Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.4 China Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.5 Japan Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.6 Southeast Asia Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.7 India Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.5 Global Market Size (Value) of Marine Engine Lubricant (2012-2022)1.5.1 Global Marine Engine Lubricant Revenue Status and Outlook (2012-2022)1.5.2 Global Marine Engine Lubricant Capacity, Production Status and Outlook (2012-2022)2 Global Marine Engine Lubricant Market Competition by Manufacturers2.1 Global Marine Engine Lubricant Capacity, Production and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.1.1 Global Marine Engine Lubricant Capacity and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.1.2 Global Marine Engine Lubricant Production and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.2 Global Marine Engine Lubricant Revenue and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.3 Global Marine Engine Lubricant Average Price by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.4 Manufacturers Marine Engine Lubricant Manufacturing Base Distribution, Sales Area and Product Type2.5 Marine Engine Lubricant Market Competitive Situation and Trends2.5.1 Marine Engine Lubricant Market Concentration Rate2.5.2 Marine Engine Lubricant Market Share of Top 3 and Top 5 Manufacturers2.5.3 Mergers & Acquisitions, ExpansionEnquiry before Buying @About Us:QY Research Groups is a company that simplifies how analysts and decision makers get industry data for their business. Our unique colossal technology has been developed to offer refined search capabilities designed to exploit the long tail of free market research whilst eliminating irrelevant results. QY Research Groups is the collection of market intelligence products and services on the Web. We offer reports and update our collection daily to provide you with instant online access to the worlds most complete and current database of expert insights on Global industries, companies, products, and trends.Contact us:Jia Wang, Room B1510, ShijiKemao Building, No.66,Zhongguancun East Road,Haidian District, Beijing, 100190,China
2017 Global Needle Holder Market by Key Players, Type, Application and Region

Global Needle Holder Market

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Global Needle Holder Market Report illustrates the present development status of Needle Holder along with the growth of Needle Holder expected during the forecast period during 2017-2022. Needle Holder Market analyses the industry based on different factors like growth trends, consumer volume, Needle Holder market size and demand and supply status. Needle Holder Market is a beneficial research material which conducts a competitive analysis of the Needle Holder market. This report also portrays the Needle Holder industry structure based on the product cost, major industry players, product applications, import/export details and Needle Holder market competition.A complete study of Needle Holder based on emerging and dominant market segments, major geographical regions, supply chain analysis, Needle Holder revenue analysis will drive important business decisions. This research also lists covers the details related to the downstream buyer analysis, supply chain scenario, distributor scenario, labor cost and the cost of raw materials.More regarding Global Needle Holder Market 2017 Report at:Complete details of Needle Holder are listed in the below TOC, Figures, Charts, Graphs. The major Companies leading to the growth of Needle Holder are covered in this report with their consumer base, company profile, and Needle Holder revenue share.A thorough analysis of Needle Holder based on the primary market segments, sub-segments, emerging market sectors, Needle Holder development trends, opportunities and threats to the market development has been evaluated. Comprehensive details related to Needle Holder market development during the forecast period, investment return analysis, technological advancement taking place in Needle Holder will assist all the market players for planning development strategies.Request A Sample Copy Here:Complete Manufacturer study of Needle Holder Market:TimescoSorinKruuseiM3A. Titan InstrumentsCarl Martin GmbHASA DENTAL S.p.A.Moria SurgicalYDMMajor regions and their revenue analysis covered in Needle Holder include North America,Europe,Japan,China,India,South East Asia. This report also covers the marketing strategies followed by Needle Holder players, distributors analysis, marketing channels, potential buyers and Needle Holder development history.Needle Holder Market analysis based on top players, Needle Holder market gains, sales, product type, production capacity and gross margin analysis will favor the market development.Based on the dynamic market trends, developments taking place in Needle Holder, competitive study, growth opportunities, Needle Holder market will reflect huge development in coming years. All the crucial Needle Holder market factors leading to growth has been covered in this report.About Us:Market.Biz is designed to provide the best and most penetrating research required to all commercial, industrial and profit-making ventures in any sector of online business. We take pride in our ability to satisfy the market research needs of both domestic and international businesses.Market.Biz has access to the world's most comprehensive and up-to-date databases in your business sector, including countless market reports that can provide you with valuable data relating to your business. We understand the needs of our clients, and keep our reports updated as market requirement changes.Contact US:GlobeMetrixJames JohnsonS no. 51/14 First Floor, Office Number 4,Vishwa Arcade, Near Navale Lawns,Pune, Maharashtra, India 411041Tel: +1(857)2390696Email: inquiry@market.bizWebsite:Blog:
2017 Global Induction Pee Market by Key Players, Type, Application and Region

Global Induction Pee Market

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Global Induction Pee Market Report illustrates the present development status of Induction Pee along with the growth of Induction Pee expected during the forecast period during 2017-2022. Induction Pee Market analyses the industry based on different factors like growth trends, consumer volume, Induction Pee market size and demand and supply status. Induction Pee Market is a beneficial research material which conducts a competitive analysis of the Induction Pee market. This report also portrays the Induction Pee industry structure based on the product cost, major industry players, product applications, import/export details and Induction Pee market competition.A complete study of Induction Pee based on emerging and dominant market segments, major geographical regions, supply chain analysis, Induction Pee revenue analysis will drive important business decisions. This research also lists covers the details related to the downstream buyer analysis, supply chain scenario, distributor scenario, labor cost and the cost of raw materials.More regarding Global Induction Pee Market 2017 Report at:Complete details of Induction Pee are listed in the below TOC, Figures, Charts, Graphs. The major Companies leading to the growth of Induction Pee are covered in this report with their consumer base, company profile, and Induction Pee revenue share.A thorough analysis of Induction Pee based on the primary market segments, sub-segments, emerging market sectors, Induction Pee development trends, opportunities and threats to the market development has been evaluated. Comprehensive details related to Induction Pee market development during the forecast period, investment return analysis, technological advancement taking place in Induction Pee will assist all the market players for planning development strategies.Request A Sample Copy Here:Complete Manufacturer study of Induction Pee Market:TOTOAmericanStandardKohlerZilongGlloASRJomooMajor regions and their revenue analysis covered in Induction Pee include North America,Europe,Japan,China,India,South East Asia. This report also covers the marketing strategies followed by Induction Pee players, distributors analysis, marketing channels, potential buyers and Induction Pee development history.Induction Pee Market analysis based on top players, Induction Pee market gains, sales, product type, production capacity and gross margin analysis will favor the market development.Based on the dynamic market trends, developments taking place in Induction Pee, competitive study, growth opportunities, Induction Pee market will reflect huge development in coming years. All the crucial Induction Pee market factors leading to growth has been covered in this report.About Us:Market.Biz is designed to provide the best and most penetrating research required to all commercial, industrial and profit-making ventures in any sector of online business. We take pride in our ability to satisfy the market research needs of both domestic and international businesses.Market.Biz has access to the world's most comprehensive and up-to-date databases in your business sector, including countless market reports that can provide you with valuable data relating to your business. We understand the needs of our clients, and keep our reports updated as market requirement changes.Contact US:GlobeMetrixJames JohnsonS no. 51/14 First Floor, Office Number 4,Vishwa Arcade, Near Navale Lawns,Pune, Maharashtra, India 411041Tel: +1(857)2390696Email: inquiry@market.bizWebsite:Blog:
To encourage cultural exchanges and potential business trade between Taiwan and the Philippines, a delegation of more than 170 exhibitors and vendors from Taiwan presented over 4,500 products and services to the attendees at the Taiwan Expo 2017 held at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City from Sept. 29 to Oct. 1.

The organizers invited a famous Taiwan circus group and several music artists and bands to perform live during the Expo. The performances blended Western influences with traditional Taiwanese styles.

The three-day Expo hosted eight themed pavilions: City Marketing, Inno-Tech, Health and Lifestyle, Agricultural Tech, Study in Taiwan, Culture and Tourism, General Support, and the Taiwan Association Philippines.

TAIWAN OPENS ITS DOORS. New Southbound Policy is Taiwans initiative which calls for the development of comprehensive relations with ASEAN countries to promote economic collaboration and cultural exchanges

Spearheaded by the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) and the Taiwan Association, Inc. Philippines (TAP), top manufacturers and suppliers gave the event visitors a chance to experience Taiwan without having to fly across the sea.

Through this event, we wanted to forge a deeper bond with the Philippines, particularly in economic, talent, and cultural exchanges. The showcase of Taiwanese products and applications comes at an opportune time and amid calls for increased investments and creation of employment opportunities by presenting a bigger and better event, TAP Secretary-General Robert Huang said during the events media launch in Intramuros, Manila, on Tuesday.

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Meanwhile, according to James Chu, Taiwan Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) deputy representative, the exhibition was designed based on current industry developments and market needs.

Officers and executives from TAITRA, TECO and TAP welcome the guests and vendors during the opening of Taiwan Expo 2017 Manila leg

He underscored the Expos alignment with Southbound Policy, which aims to strengthen the Taiwanese economy and its relations with the member-states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), South Asia, Australia, and New Zealand.

Taiwan and the Philippines have very close relationship in many areas. The Philippines is our 10th largest trading partner, and we are the 12th largest foreign investor in the Philippines, said Chu further stating that Taiwans total investment in the Philippines reached $2.3 billion last year.

With this years theme Experience Taiwan! Technology, Culture and Tourism, the Expo emphasized Taiwan being at the forefront of numerous innovations on green technology, agricultural technology, e-commerce service and medical technique.

Apart from a product exhibition, the event also featured other activities, such as industry forum, cultural performances, and outdoor programs held at SM Mall of Asia. These events served as a platform for long-term and mutually beneficial relations between Taiwan and the Philippines.

We are showcasing the best of Taiwan in this event. And we are expecting potential trade deals between the countries as it presents big business matching events, Chu added.

At the opening of the Expo on Friday, TAITRAs chairman James Huang officially announced that visa-free entry for Filipino tourist has been decided during an inter-agency meeting on Sept. 25. And once officially implemented, they are confident that the number of Filipino tourists visiting Taiwan would substantially increase.

Huang was also optimistic that this decision of the Taiwan government will further strengthen tourists ties citing that tourism business between the two countries soared to a record 70 percent to 80 percent in the past three years.

We are hoping that the number of tourists between our two countries will double in the next three years, he said.

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2017 Global Glycocoll Market by Key Players, Type, Application and Region

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Global Glycocoll Market Report illustrates the present development status of Glycocoll along with the growth of Glycocoll expected during the forecast period during 2017-2022. Glycocoll Market analyses the industry based on different factors like growth trends, consumer volume, Glycocoll market size and demand and supply status. Glycocoll Market is a beneficial research material which conducts a competitive analysis of the Glycocoll market. This report also portrays the Glycocoll industry structure based on the product cost, major industry players, product applications, import/export details and Glycocoll market competition.A complete study of Glycocoll based on emerging and dominant market segments, major geographical regions, supply chain analysis, Glycocoll revenue analysis will drive important business decisions. This research also lists covers the details related to the downstream buyer analysis, supply chain scenario, distributor scenario, labor cost and the cost of raw materials.More regarding Global Glycocoll Market 2017 Report at:Complete details of Glycocoll are listed in the below TOC, Figures, Charts, Graphs. The major Companies leading to the growth of Glycocoll are covered in this report with their consumer base, company profile, and Glycocoll revenue share.A thorough analysis of Glycocoll based on the primary market segments, sub-segments, emerging market sectors, Glycocoll development trends, opportunities and threats to the market development has been evaluated. Comprehensive details related to Glycocoll market development during the forecast period, investment return analysis, technological advancement taking place in Glycocoll will assist all the market players for planning development strategies.Request A Sample Copy Here:Complete Manufacturer study of Glycocoll Market:AjinomotoKYOWA HAKKO BIODaebong Incheon factoryParchemTianjin LishengZhengzhou YongheChengyi MedicineKeruiXiyueMajor regions and their revenue analysis covered in Glycocoll include North America,Europe,Japan,China,India,South East Asia. This report also covers the marketing strategies followed by Glycocoll players, distributors analysis, marketing channels, potential buyers and Glycocoll development history.Glycocoll Market analysis based on top players, Glycocoll market gains, sales, product type, production capacity and gross margin analysis will favor the market development.Based on the dynamic market trends, developments taking place in Glycocoll, competitive study, growth opportunities, Glycocoll market will reflect huge development in coming years. All the crucial Glycocoll market factors leading to growth has been covered in this report.About Us:Market.Biz is designed to provide the best and most penetrating research required to all commercial, industrial and profit-making ventures in any sector of online business. We take pride in our ability to satisfy the market research needs of both domestic and international businesses.Market.Biz has access to the world's most comprehensive and up-to-date databases in your business sector, including countless market reports that can provide you with valuable data relating to your business. We understand the needs of our clients, and keep our reports updated as market requirement changes.Contact US:GlobeMetrixJames JohnsonS no. 51/14 First Floor, Office Number 4,Vishwa Arcade, Near Navale Lawns,Pune, Maharashtra, India 411041Tel: +1(857)2390696Email: inquiry@market.bizWebsite:Blog:
Global Ports and Terminal Operations Equipment Market Professional Survey Report 2017

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This report focuses on top manufacturers in global market, with production, price, revenue and market share for each manufacturer, coveringAPW TerminalsDP WorldHutchison Port Holdings TrustPSA InternationalCOSCOInternational Container Terminal ServicesChina Merchants Port Holdings Company LimitedEurogatePorts AmericaGlobal PortsSAAM GroupGulftainerFor more info, get a Sample PDF with TOC:Table of ContentsGlobal Ports and Terminal Operations Equipment Market Professional Survey Report 20171 Industry Overview of Ports and Terminal Operations Equipment1.1 Definition and Specifications of Ports and Terminal Operations Equipment1.1.1 Definition of Ports and Terminal Operations Equipment1.1.2 Specifications of Ports and Terminal Operations Equipment1.2 Classification of Ports and Terminal Operations Equipment2 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Ports and Terminal Operations Equipment2.1 Raw Material and Suppliers2.2 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Ports and Terminal Operations Equipment2.3 Manufacturing Process Analysis of Ports and Terminal Operations Equipment2.4 Industry Chain Structure of Ports and Terminal Operations Equipment3 Technical Data and Manufacturing Plants Analysis of Ports and Terminal Operations Equipment3.1 Capacity and Commercial Production Date of Global Ports and Terminal Operations Equipment Major Manufacturers in 20163.2 Manufacturing Plants Distribution of Global Ports and Terminal Operations Equipment Major Manufacturers in 20163.3 R&D Status and Technology Source of Global Ports and Terminal Operations Equipment Major Manufacturers in 2016About UsQYReseachReports.com delivers the latest strategic market intelligence to build a successful business footprint in China. Our syndicated and customized research reports provide companies with vital background information of the market and in-depth analysis on the Chinese trade and investment framework, which directly affects their business operations. Reports from QYReseachReports.com feature valuable recommendations on how to navigate in the extremely unpredictable yet highly attractive Chinese market.Contact UsBrooklyn, NY 11230United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-518-618-1030Email: sales@qyresearchreports.com
Special Purpose Needles Market to be a US$ 17.26 Bn Market by 2026

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The global special purpose needles market is projected to be valued at US$ 17,261.5 million by the end of 2026, registering a CAGR of 7.4% during the forecast period (20162026). In a new report titled Special Purpose Needles Market: Global Industry Analysis and Opportunity Assessment, 20162026, Future Market Insights delivers key insights on the factors and trends impacting the global special purpose needles market over a 10-year forecast period (20162026).The market for special purpose needles is witnessing steady growth across the globe owing to an increasing geriatric population. According to analysts at Future Market Insights, Increasing prevalence of diabetes and infectious diseases and increasing incidence of cancer and spine disorders across the globe are the primary factors driving the growth of the global special purpose needles market. Availability of better reimbursement options for some types of special purpose needles in developed economies is likely to propel demand for special purpose needles over the forecast period. A key trend witnessed in the global special purpose needles market is the development of advanced techniques in the production of special purpose needles to facilitate enhanced patient safety and comfort. However, rise in awareness on needle free injections and risks associated with injections are major factors expected to hamper the overall growth of the special purpose needles market over the forecast period.View and Download TOC of ABC Market Research Report@The global special purpose needles market can be segmented on the basis of product type (Fine Aspirating Needles, Biopsy Needles, Hypodermic Needles, Pen Needles, Suture Needles, IV Catheter Needles, Implantation Needles, Dental Needles, Ophthalmic Needles, Blood Collection Needles, Spinal Anaesthesia Needles, Epidural Needles, AV Fistula Needles, Cannula Needles); application (Sample Collection, Drug Delivery); and distribution channel (Hospital Pharmacies, Private Clinics, Retail Pharmacies and Drug Stores, E-Commerce).Segmentation highlightsThe Pen Needles product type segment is expected to gain popularity over the forecast period, driven by increasing global adoption of small sized needles for insulin injections. The Pen Needles product type segment is estimated to reach a valuation of US$ 644.3 Mn by the end of 2016, registering a CAGR of 9.1% over the forecast period.The Sample Collection application segment is estimated to register a CAGR of 7.7% while the Drug Delivery application segment is expected to register a CAGR of 7.1% during the forecast period.Demand for special purpose needles over the forecast period is expected to be the highest in the Hospital Pharmacies distribution channel segment, which is expected to register a CAGR of 8.5% in terms of value.Request and Download Sample Report@Regional forecastThe North America market has been estimated to dominate the special purpose needles market while the market in APEJ is expected to be the fastest growing in terms of revenue growth. The markets in North America, Western Europe, and APEJ are estimated to collectively hold 74.7% market share of the global special purpose needles market in 2016.Vendor insightsMedtronic, B. Braun Melsungen AG, Becton, Dickinson and Company, Terumo Corporation, Smiths Medical, Boston Scientific Corporation, Novo Nordisk A/S, Argon Medical Devices, Inc., Stryker Corporation, NIPRO Medical Corporation, Cook Medical, and SERAG-WIESSNER GmbH & Co. are some of the major companies operating in the global special purpose needles market. These companies are adopting innovative strategies to bring in improvements to their product design and are initiating advanced R&D activities and market consolidation to strengthen market foothold and expand customer base.Buy Full ABC Market Report@Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Global Coupled Inductor Market 2017 - TDK CORPORATION , Cooper Industries

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Global Coupled Inductor Market 2017 report presents the fresh industry data and forthcoming industry trends, allowing you to pinpoint the products and clients driving Revenue growth and profitability.The report Global Coupled Inductor Market offers a comprehensive and executive-level overview,including definitions, classifications and its applications. The Coupled Inductor market is expected to reflect a positive growth trend in upcoming years. The pivotal driving forces behind the growth and popularity of Coupled Inductor market are analysed in depth in this report.Do Inquiry Before Purchasing Report at:This industry report enlists the preeminent competitors and presents the insights of vital industry Analysis of the key factors influencing the global Coupled Inductor market.Key Manufacturers Analysis of Coupled Inductor :-1 TDK CORPORATION2 Cooper Industries3 DELTA ELECTRONICS, INC.4 Wurth Elektronik Group5 MURATA MANUFACTURING CO. LTD6 AVX CORPORATION7 Ice Components, Inc.8 Pulse Electronics Corporation.9 TAIYO YUDEN CO., LTD.10 VISHAY INTERTECHNOLOGYIn-depth data associated with global Coupled Inductor Market is included in this report. This data includes business tactics, development plans, import/export details. The Coupled Inductor report also includes the analysis of dominant market players along with their company profile, contact information, their contribution in market share, consumer volume etc.Analysis of Coupled Inductor Market based on regions (other regions can be added as per the requirement):1North America (United States, Canada and Mexico)2Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Southeast Asia, India and Korea)3Europe (Germany, UK, France, Italy and Russia etc.4South America (Brazil, Chile, Peru and Argentina)5Middle East and Africa (Egypt, South Africa, Saudi Arabia)Request for Sample Report at:Analysis of Coupled Inductor Market based on product segment:1 Multilayer Type2 Wire-winding Type3 Thin-film Type4 OthersAnalysis of Coupled Inductor Market based on wide range of applications:1 Industrial2 Automotive3 Telecommunications4 OthersAt last, the key constraints having an impact on market growth and reducing the popularity of specific product segments during the forecast period are also listed in this report.The potential growth opportunities and their influence on the Global Coupled Inductor Market is analysed in the report.What Information does this report contain?> What was the historic Coupled Inductor market data from 2012 to 2016?> What is the Coupled Inductor industry growth forecast from 2016 to 2022?> Which companies lead the Coupled Inductor industry, how are they positioned in the market in terms of sustainability, competency, production capacity and strategic outlook?> What are the technology & innovation trends, how will they evolve by 2022?> Which are the leading market products, applications & regions and how will they perform by 2022?> A detailed analysis of regulatory trends, drivers, industry pitfalls, challenges and growth opportunities for participantsAbout Us:Market.Biz is designed to provide the best and most penetrating research required to all commercial, industrial and profit-making ventures in any sector of online business. We take pride in our ability to satisfy the market research needs of both domestic and international businesses.Market.Biz has access to the worlds most comprehensive and up-to-date databases in your business sector, including countless market reports that can provide you with valuable data relating to your business. We understand the needs of our clients, and keep our reports updated as market requirement changes.Contact US:GlobeMetrixJames JohnsonS no. 51/14 First Floor, Office Number 4,Vishwa Arcade, Near Navale Lawns,Pune, Maharashtra, India 411041Tel: +1(857)2390696Email: inquiry@market.bizWebsite:Blog:
Global Battery Separator Market 2017: ASAHI KASEI, Cangzhou Mingzhu Plastic

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A new research study from HTF MI with title Global Battery Separator Sales Market Report 2017 provides an in-depth assessment of the Battery Separator including key market trends, upcoming technologies, industry drivers, challenges, regulatory policies and issues, opportunities, future roadmap, value chain, ecosystem player profiles and strategies. The research study provides forecasts for Battery Separator investments till 2022.Get Access to sample pages @This study answers several questions for stakeholders, primarily which market segments or Region or Country they should focus in coming years to channelize their efforts and investments to maximize growth and profitability. These stakeholders include Battery Separator manufacturers such as ASAHI KASEI, Cangzhou Mingzhu Plastic, Celgard, Daramic, Dreamweaver, ASAHI KASEI, Cangzhou Mingzhu Plastic, Celgard, Daramic, Dreamweaver, Bernard Dumas, ENTEK, Foshan Jinhui Hi-Tech Optoelectronic Material, Henan Yi Tang New Energy Technology, Hunan Chi, etc.Global Battery Separator (K Units) and Revenue (Million USD) Market Split by Product Type such as Diode Type Battery Separator, Relay Type Battery SeparatorMarket Segment by Type 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022Diode Type Battery Separator xx xx xx xx xx xx xx-Change (%) xx% xx% xx% xx% xx% xx% xx%Relay Type Battery Separatorxx xx xx xx xx xx xx-Change (%) xx% xx% xx% xx% xx% xx% xx%Total xx xx xx xx xx xx xx-Change (%) xx% xx% xx% xx% xx% xx% xx%The research study is segmented by Application as well such as Suvs, Motor Homes, Special Vehicle with historical and projected market share and compounded annual growth rate.Get customization & check discount for report @Global Battery Separator Sales (K Units) by Application (2016-2022)Market Segmentby Application 2012 2016 2022 Market Share (%)2022 CGAR (%)(2016-2022)Suvs xx xx xx xx% xx%Motor Homes xx xx xx xx% xx%Special Vehicle xx xx xx xx% xx%Total xx xx xx 100% xx%Read Detailed Index of full Research Study at @The research provides answers to the following key questions: What will be the market size and the growth rate in 2022? What are the key factors driving the Global Battery Separator market? Who are the key market players and what are their strategies in the Global Battery Separator market? Trending factors influencing the market shares of the . What are the key market trends impacting the growth of the Global Battery Separator market? What trends, challenges and barriers are influencing Markets growth? What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the vendors in the Global Battery Separator market? What are the key outcomes of the five forces analysis of the Global Battery Separator market?Geographically, this report is segmented into several key Regions such as , with production, consumption, revenue (million USD), and market share and growth rate of Global Battery Separator in these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), coveringMarket Segment by Regions 2012 2016 2022 Share (%) CAGR (2016-2022)United States xx xx xx xx% xx%Europe xx xx xx xx% xx %China xx xx xx xx% xx%Japan xx xx xx xx% xx %Southeast Asia xx xx xx xx% xx%Total xx xx xx xx% xx%The report provides a basic overview of the Battery Separator industry including definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain structure. And development policies and plans are discussed as well as manufacturing processes and capital expenditures.Further it focuses on global major leading industry players with information such as company profiles, product picture and specifications, sales, market share and contact information. Whats more, the Battery Separator industry development trends and marketing channels are analyzed.Buy this research report @There are 15 chapters to deeply display the Global Battery Separator market.Chapter 1, to describe Battery Separator Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the top manufacturers of Battery Separator, with sales, revenue, and price of Battery Separator, in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 3, to display the competitive situation among the top manufacturers, with sales, revenue and market share in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 4, to show the global market by regions, with sales, revenue and market share of Battery Separator, for each region, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, to analyze the key regions, with sales, revenue and market share by key countries / regions ;Chapter 10 and 11, to show the market by type and application, with sales market share and growth rate by type, application [Suvs, Motor Homes, Special Vehicle], from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 12, Battery Separator market forecast, by regions, type and application, with sales and revenue, from 2017 to 2022;Chapter 13, 14 and 15, to describe Battery Separator sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, Research Findings and Conclusion, appendix and data source.Thanks for reading this article; you can also get individual chapter wise section or region wise report version like North America, Europe or Asia.HTF Market Report is a wholly owned brand of HTF market Intelligence Consulting Private Limited. HTF Market Report global research and market intelligence consulting organization is uniquely positioned to not only identify growth opportunities but to also empower and inspire you to create visionary growth strategies for futures, enabled by our extraordinary depth and breadth of thought leadership, research, tools, events and experience that assist you for making goals into a reality. Our understanding of the interplay between industry convergence, Mega Trends, technologies and market trends provides our clients with new business models and expansion opportunities. We are focused on identifying the Accurate Forecast in every industry we cover so our clients can reap the benefits of being early market entrants and can accomplish their Goals & Objectives.Contact us :HTF Market Intelligence Consulting Private LimitedUnit No. 429, Parsonage Road Edison, NJNew Jersey USA  08837sales@htfmarketreport.com+1 (206) 317 1218
Blister Packaging Equipment Market to Grow at Over 5.4% CAGR through 2025

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According to the report titled Global Blister Packaging Equipment Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2017  2025 added to the wide database of Market Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE), the market for blister packaging equipment is expected to grow at a 5.4% CAGR during the forecast period 2017 to 2025. The factors driving demand include increased production efficiency, less time in product changeover, massive automation in the packaging line, and increasing number of companies adapting to blister equipment in production lines leading to smart modernization of manufacturing facilities. Conversely, unwillingness in the pharmaceutical industry for adopting new procedures is hampering expansion of the global blister packaging equipment market. The report contains in-depth information about past trends and future prospects for the period 2017 to 2025.The report based on global Blister Packaging Equipment Market begins with an executive summary providing an overview to the readers. The executive summary is then followed by market introduction containing market definition and its taxonomy. The market overview section in the report gives reader insights into the market that studies macroeconomic indicators, market dynamics, region wise market share, and value chain analysis. The report gives 360 degree view of the market as it analyses the global blister packaging equipment market by type of the product, process, equipment, technology, end-use and region. Additionally, it also examines the fierce competition involved in global blister packaging equipment market.Request Free Sample Report:The product type segment is divided into solid, semi-solid and liquid. As per the report, the solid segment dominates the blister packaging equipment market worldwide with a share of 83% by value. Solid products are convenient to fill and more suitable. The semi-solid and liquid products are required to be packed in bottles or ampoules over blisters to avoid leakage due to shocks or load. The process type segment holds more than two-third of market share by value and the remaining belongs to semi-automatic and manual. The increasing trend of automation decreases the human involvement leading to reduction in errors in blisters manufacturing.Further, the end-use industry segment is divided into cosmetics & personal care, consumer electronics, pharmaceutical, food industry and other manufacturing in the report. Out of these, pharmaceutical segment is anticipated to dominate three-fourths of market share by value approximately. In segment equipment type, the inline filler is estimated to reach to a CAGR of 5.6% by value during the forecast period. In terms of technology, the market is categorized into ultrasonic sealing, thermoforming, heat sealing and cold sealing. As per the report, the thermoforming category is ruling the global blister packaging equipment market at present with half of the market share followed by heat sealing. The category heat sealing is further divided into plastic-to-plastic, plastic-to-card and card-to-card.Browse Full Report with TOC:According to the report, Asia Pacific region is currently dominating the global blister packaging equipment market in terms of volume and value. In 2017, this market was valued at US$793.4 mn due to the growing demand of packaging in various applications such as consumer goods, food, and pharmaceuticals. Europe and Asia Pacific are key producers of packaging machinery, mainly with countries like Japan, Germany and Italy globally.The report mentions some of the key companies holding prominent positions in the market are CAM Packaging Solutions, Romaco Pharmatechnik GmbH, Gebo Cermex, Fabrima Maquinas Automaticas Ltda, Korber AG, IMA Industria Macchine Automatiche S.p.A., Marchesini Group S.p.A., Sonoco Products Company, Bosch Packaging Technology and Uhlmann Pac-Systeme GmbH & Co. KG.Enquire About this Report ContactState Tower90, State StreetSuite 700Albany, NY - 12207United StatesTelephone: +1-518-730-0559Email: sales@mrrse.comWebsite:About UsMarket Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE) is an industry-leading database of market intelligence reports. MRRSE is driven by a stellar team of research experts and advisors trained to offer objective advice. Our sophisticated search algorithm returns results based on the report title, geographical region, publisher, or other keywords.MRRSE partners exclusively with leading global publishers to provide clients single-point access to top-of-the-line market research. MRRSEs repository is updated every day to keep its clients ahead of the next new trend in market research, be it competitive intelligence, product or service trends or strategic consulting.ContactState Tower90, State StreetSuite 700Albany, NY - 12207United StatesTelephone: +1-518-730-0559Email: sales@mrrse.comWebsite:
Research Delivers Insight into the Global Outlook for Fillings & Filling Mixes Market

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Global Fillings & Filling Mixes Market: OverviewFillings & filling mixes are the natural or synthetic flavoured fillings used as stuffing or topping on the variety of food products. Fillings and filling mixes are most widely used in confectionary and bakery products. For instance, doughnuts, pastries, cakes, pie are the popular items where fillings have the majority of share. The fillings and filling mixes with the variety of flavours add texture and fine taste to the baked goods which often attracts the consumers and increases the probability point of sale.Besides, filling and filling mixes provides food product manufacturers new ways to diverse there product range with additions of luscious fillings. Primarily, fillings & filling mixes are available veg based, non-veg based and fruit based types. The new product development in the fruit based fillings is considerably strong owing to the increased demand ready to eat diversely flavoured food toppings.View TOC for this Market Report @Global Fillings & Filling Mixes Market: Drivers and RestraintsThe fillings & filling mixes is primarily driven by the growing demand for bakery and confectionary food items. The growth of the confectionary industry is one of the major driving factors for global fillings & filling mixes market. The changing food habits of the consumers, increase in the disposable income, and growing demand for ready to eat food are some of the factors contributing to drive the global fillings and filling market.However, the consumers health concern over intake of sugar-related food items restricts the sugary fillings & filling mixes market to some extent.Global Fillings & Filling Mixes Market: Region wise OutlookThe global fillings & filling mixes market is divided into seven regions, namely North America, Latin America, Asia Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ), Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Japan and the Middle East and Africa (MEA). North America holds major share in the global fillings & filling mixes market owing to the growth of sugar-free product items, fruit based crushes, etc. Also, the robust confectionary industry in the North America region boosts the global filling & filling mixes market.The fillings & filling mixes market in Western Europe, is expected to grow at a significantly high CAGR owing to the fact that, consumers in the Western European countries have the highest spending on confectionary products. Also, consumers inclination towards the adoption of premium fillings is an added advantage for fillings & filling mixes manufacturers.For more information on this report, fill the form @APEJ fillings & filling mixes market is expected to exhibit high attractiveness index for key manufacturers such as Macphie Ltd, Tereos to penetrate more in the region with an aim to increase their market share in the region. However, the economic fall down in the China, has impacted the growth of confectionary industries coupled with consumers limiting sugar products owing to health reasons.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Contact UsTransparency Market ResearchState Tower,90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Smartwatch Global Market Key Players  Apple, Samsung, Sony, Motorola/Lenovo, LG, TomTom Analysis and Forecast to 2022

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SummaryWiseGuyReports.com adds Smartwatch Market 2017 Global Analysis, Growth, Trends and Opportunities Research Report Forecasting to 2022reports to its database.Smartwatch is an information processing device with the basic time function. The watch may communicate with external devices such as smart phones, sensors, and a wireless headset. Smartwatch often consists of two parts: Peripheral devices and software. Peripheral devices of Smartwatch may include camera, thermometer, accelerometer, altimeter, barometer, compass, GPS receiver, speaker and SDcard that is recognized as a mass storage device by a computer. Software may include Map display, scheduler, calculator, and various kinds of watch face. To be more exact, Smartwatches are not only watches, but more like hi-tech equipment.Global and Regional Smartwatch market competition by top manufacturers, with production, price, revenue (value) and market share for each manufacturer; the top players includingAppleSamsungSonyMotorola/LenovoLGPebbleFitbitGarminWithingsPolarAsusHuaweiZTEinWatchCasioTAG HeuerTomTomQualcommRequest a Sample Report @Market Segment as follows:By RegionAsia-PacificNorth AmericaEuropeSouth AmericaMiddle East & AfricaOn the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoBy Main SystemApple Watch KitAndroid WearTizenEmbedded OSOthersBy Screen TypeMirasol ScreenFlexible E-paperLCD ScreenOn 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 Smartwatch for each application, includingPersonal AssistanceMedical / HealthFitnessPersonal SafetyAt any Query @Table of Contents1 Market Overview1.1 Market Segment Overview1.1.1 Product Definition1.1.2 Market by Type1.1.2.1 Triangular Track1.1.2.2 Regular Track1.1.3 Market by Application1.1.3.1 Personal Assistance1.1.3.2 Medical and Health1.1.3.3 Fitness1.1.3.4 Personal Safety1.2 Global and Regional Market Size1.2.1 Global Overview1.2.2 Market by Region1.2.2.1 Asia-Pacific1.2.2.2 North America1.2.2.3 Europe1.2.2.4 South America1.2.2.5 Middle East & Africa.6 Key Manufacturers6.1 Apple6.1.2 Company Information6.1.2 Product Specifications6.1.3 Business Data (Capacity, Sales Revenue, Volume, Price, Cost and Margin)6.2 Samsung6.2.1 Company Information6.2.2 Product Specifications6.2.3 Business Data (Capacity, Sales Revenue, Volume, Price, Cost and Margin)6.3 Sony6.3.1 Company Information6.3.2 Product Specifications6.3.3 Business Data (Capacity, Sales Revenue, Volume, Price, Cost and Margin)6.4 Motorola/Lenovo6.4.1 Company Information6.4.2 Product Specifications6.4.3 Business Data (Capacity, Sales Revenue, Volume, Price, Cost and Margin)6.5 LG6.5.1 Company Information6.5.2 Product Specifications6.5.3 Business Data (Capacity, Sales Revenue, Volume, Price, Cost and Margin)6.6 Pebble6.6.1 Company Information6.6.2 Product Specifications6.6.3 Business Data (Capacity, Sales Revenue, Volume, Price, Cost and Margin)6.7 Fitbit6.7.1 Company Information6.7.2 Product Specifications6.7.3 Business Data (Capacity, Sales Revenue, Volume, Price, Cost and Margin)6.8 Garmin6.8.1 Company Information6.8.2 Product Specifications6.8.3 Business Data (Capacity, Sales Revenue, Volume, Price, Cost and Margin)6.9 Withings6.9.1 Company Information6.9.2 Product Specifications6.9.3 Business Data (Capacity, Sales Revenue, Volume, Price, Cost and Margin)6.10 Polar6.10.1 Company Information6.10.2 Product Specifications6.10.3 Business Data (Capacity, Sales Revenue, Volume, Price, Cost and Margin)6.11 Asus6.12 Huawei6.13 ZTE6.14 inWatch6.15 Casio6.16 TAG Heuer6.17 TomTom6.18 QualcommBuy Now @Continued....Contact Us: sales@wiseguyreports.comPh: +1-646-845-9349 (US) ; Ph: +44 208 133 9349 (UK)ABOUT US:Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports features an exhaustive list of market research reports from hundreds of publishers worldwide. We boast a database spanning virtually every market category and an even more comprehensive collection of market research reports under these categories and sub-categories.ADDRES:WISE GUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, HadapsarPune - 411028Maharashtra, India
Tissue Engineered Skin Substitutes Market Overview and Forecast up to 2023

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According to a research report published by Transparency Market Research, nearly 51.4% of The Global Tissue Engineered Skin Substitute Market was taken up by its three leaders in 2014. Molnlycke, Smith & Nephew, and Acelity, the leaders on the market over the recent past, take up a large volume of the revenue generated by it, pointing to a highly consolidated market. The report also states that the leading players in the global tissue engineered skin substitute market all hold a vast array of products in their offering, allowing them to take up a strong hold over the market. They also manage to stay ahead of the curve through heavier investments in research and development.The remainder of the market is taken up by a significantly high number of regional players. They do, however, face high entry barriers due to the strong hold over the market by the leading players, along with the complex and increasingly stringent government policies and regulations surrounding the market structure. As per the TMR report, the global tissue engineered skin substitute market is expected to reach U$3.87 bn by the end of 2023. The market is expected to expand at a strong CAGR of 17.2% within a forecast period from 2015 to 2023 and was calculated at US$1.2 bn in 2016.APAC Demand for Tissue Engineered Skin RisesFrom a regional perspective, the global tissue engineered skin substitute market has so far been led by the developed regions from North America and Europe. However, some of the top opportunities in the market currently lie in Asia Pacific, a region that is showing the leading growth rate in the global tissue engineered skin substitute market for the reports given forecast period. The swiftly evolving infrastructure of the healthcare industry and the increasing expenditure on it is driving up the demand for tissue engineered skin substitutes. The region is also showing a swiftly increasing rate of awareness in this field.On the basis of types, acellular skin substitutes take up the dominant share in the global tissue engineered skin substitute market as well as the leading CAGR for the given forecast period. Ulcer treatment is expected to be the top application for tissue engineered skin over the coming years.Request to download and view full ToC -Medical Tourism Opening up Massive Scope of GrowthThe multi-billion dollar global industry for medical tourism is one of the more promising aspects of profit in the healthcare sector. The applications of, as well as the demand for tissue engineered skin substitutes in North America and Europe continues to expand on a regular basis, but the over-expensive treatment options and the lack of feasible reimbursement policies are holding a giant percentage of the patient population back. The resultant openings in medical tourism for players in the tissue engineered skin substitutes, a large number of patients seeking tissue engineered skin substitute treatment are doing so through medical tourism, states a TMR analyst. Thailand, Malaysia, India, and Singapore, to name a few, are at the leading end of the medical tourism industry and are capable of providing cheap and state of the art technologies for tissue engineered skin substitute treatment.Furthermore, medical clinics that include day spas  commonly known as medspas  are a being preferred more and more by the elderly, for treatment and healing purposes, especially for the treatment of venous diseases and ulcers. Medspas are becoming more prevalent in emerging economies as well, thanks to the growing scope of the medical tourism industry.Request to view Sample Report -Over Competitive Nature of Market Leaders Could Reduce Cost EffectivenessThe presence of a large number of local players adds a major layer of restraint to the globally prominent ones for the tissue engineered skin substitutes market. Local players can offer products at a much cheaper cost, thereby forcing key players to match their prices and reduce profit margins.Tissue Engineered Skin Substitutes Market Report is available @ US$ 5795About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Semiconductor Assembly and Testing Services Market: Present Scenario and the Growth Prospects with Forecast 2021

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According to the latest market report published by Persistence Market Research, titled Global Market Study on Semiconductor Assembly & Testing Services (SATS): To be Driven by Increasing Demand for High-End Packaging Solutions, the semiconductor assembly & testing services market is estimated to be valued at US$ 29,585.9 Mn by the end of 2015 and is anticipated to expand at a CAGR of 4.7% from 2015 to 2021, to account for US$ 39,050.7 Mn by 2021.Semiconductor Assembly and Testing Services (SATS) market are witnessing increased demand for outsourced SATS services. Presently, around half of the market is exploiting the Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test (OSAT) services, and the trend is expected to continue in the long run. With increasing competition from the leading and regional players, the market is witnessing consolidation. This helps market participants in utilizing resources of other players to meet increasing technological demands.Currently, the semiconductor assembly & testing services market across the world is mainly driven by factors such as increasing demand for mobility and connectivity in the consumer electronic products.Obtain Report Details @An increasing demand for connected devices worldwide including smartphones and tablets having connectivity and multimedia capabilities are fuelling the demand for higher packaging technologies, setting up potential revenue opportunity for the SATS market. Additional features offered by SATS providers over in-house testing and packaging capabilities is also one of the primary reasons for the market growth. Additionally, SATS providers facilitate a more efficient supply chain and in-turn reduces time-to-market for a product, therefore SATS providers are becoming the primary choice of integrated design manufacturers.Increased use of safety systems in the automobile industry is also one of the factors contributing to the growth of the SATS market. . However, factors such as the high capital requirement for offering higher end packaging solutions, fluctuations in exchange rates, and volatility in the market are expected to constrain the growth of the SATS market.Download Table Of Content @On the basis of services, the semiconductor assembly & testing services market has been segmented into assembly & packaging services and testing services. The assembly & packaging services segment is expected to account for 79.4% share of the global Semiconductor assembly & testing services market by 2015 end and is anticipated to increase at a CAGR of 4.9%, during the forecast period (20152021).The Assembly and Packaging services segment is further classified on the basis of packaging solutions (interconnecting technologies) which includes copper and gold wire bonding, copper clip, flip chip, wafer level packaging, and TSV. Copper and gold wire bonding accounted for the 55.5%share of the assembly and packaging services segment in 2014. The wafer level packaging (interconnecting technology) segment in the global SATS market is anticipated to expand at a CAGR of 9.2% during the forecast period.Get Sample copy of the Report @On the basis of application, the semiconductor assembly & testing services market is segmented into communications, computing & networking, consumer electronics, industrial and automotive electronics. Among these, communication segment dominated the market in 2014 and is expected to account for 49.4% share of the global semiconductor assembly & testing services market by 2015 end. This segment is expected to expand at CAGR of 5.9% during the forecast period.Increasing adoption of tablets and wearable devices globally, is expected to drive the market growth of consumer electronics segment during the forecast period. Consumer electronics segment is analyzed to increase at a CAGR of 6.6% during the forecast period.The report provides detailed information about various trends driving each segment and offers analysis and insights about the potential of the semiconductor assembly & testing services market in specific regions. On the basis of region, the semiconductor assembly & testing services market is segmented into six regions; among these, Taiwan is expected to dominate the market representing 46.5% share by the end of 2015. The market in the region is analyzed to represent largest market share by 2021 expanding at a CAGR of 5.8% during the forecast.Key players in global semiconductor assembly & testing services market include ASE Group, Amkor Technologies Inc., STATS ChipPAC Ltd. (JCET), Silicon Precision Industries Co. Ltd., Powertech Technology Inc., CORWIL Technology corporation, Psi Technologies Inc. (IMI), GlobalFoundries and Chipbond Technology Corporation.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.ContactPersistence Market ResearchU.S. Sales Office:305 Broadway, 7th FloorNew York City, NY 10007United StatesUSA - Canada Toll-Free: 800-961-0353
Saudi Arabia and Russia are on the verge of setting up a joint fund worth $1bn aiming at strengthening energy cooperation between the two giant oil producers.

The deal is to be officially unveiled this week during the historical visit of King Salman to Moscow. This visit will enable both economic partners to strengthen cooperation in oil, gas, electricity renewable energy and other projects for oil and gas equipment, said Alexander Novak, the Russian energy minister in an interview with Saudi media Al Arabiya TV on Monday.

King Salman will travel to Moscow Thursday, a trip marking the first visit of a Saudi reigning monarch to Russia.

Novak also noted that both countries are also working on other agreements including the possibility for Russian firms to provide drilling services in the Saudi Arabia and crude oil trading between Saudi Aramco and Russian Rosneft.

The Russian official also let it that Saudi partners were considering joining Russias Novatek in producing gas in Russia.

Novatek is scheduled to enter into a deal with Saudi Arabia on a liquefied natural gas (LNG) project, known as Arctic LNG-2. The project is the second for the Russian company.

Russia and the Gulf country have contributed significantly to maintaining stable the price of a barrel of crude oil. The barrel now trades around $50 and $60; half lower than its price in mid-2014, before the global crash.
Small Animal Imaging Market  Global Industry Insights - 2025

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Small animal imaging is a technique employed using devices and reagents for imaging biological processes in animals such as rats and mice for drug development and gene expression studies. Small animal imaging devices are similar to the devices used for diagnostic purposes in human, due to the smaller size they are referred as micro devices. The system includes the whole body scan of animals that is a cost effective method for regular validation and commercialization of novel drugs. The analysis provided by using small animals imaging system can provide valuable information in preclinical or phase I stage of clinical trials and to understand the activity of pharmaceutical compounds. Small animal imaging is classification and measurement of biological processes at molecular level which involves the study of targeted molecule that is used in clinical research for drug development.Various upgrade in the field of molecular imaging techniques is driving the small animal imaging marketIncrease in market demand for small animal imaging techniques and technological upgrades in the field of small animal imaging techniques are the major factors that are driving the small animal imaging market. According to National Health Services (NHS) UK, diagnostic imaging data showed that around 39.8 million imaging test were registered during 2015 in England. Small animal imaging system has wide applications in oncology area and the increase in cases of cancers globally and high investments in research and diagnostics centers for cancer is the factor owing to growth of small animal imaging market. Various imaging modalities play a crucial role in researches that includes the techniques such as magnetic imaging resonance, computing tomography, micro ultrasound, PAT, and micro photoacoustic, this also helps in studying the animal model longitudinally. However, the regulations by governments regarding usage of animals in experiments and requirement of high operational and installation cost are the factors that might hinder the growth of small animal imaging market. The limitations regarding procedure and technological aspects may pose challenges in the small animal imaging market.Request a sample copy of this report:Oncology application is dominating segment in the small animal imaging market due to increase in number of cancer diagnostics center globallyThe global small animal imaging market is segmented by modality, by applications, and by regionsOn the basis of modality, small animal imaging market is segmented into-Nuclear Imaging Systems-Micro SPECT-Micro-PET-Trimodality-Optical Imaging systems-Optical+ X-ray optical+ CT-Bioluminescence/ Fluorescence Imaging systems-Standalone Fluorescence Imaging Systems-MRI systems-Ultrasound Systems-CT systems-Photoacoustic Imaging systems-Magnetic Particle Imaging systemsOn the basis of applications small animal imaging market is segmented into-Cancer cell detection-Monitoring drug treatment response-Biomarkers-Epigenetics-Longitudinal studies-Bio distribution studiesIncrease preclinical studies on various drug development process to boost the North America small animal imaging marketRegional segmentation of small imaging market by Coherent Market Insights comprises North America, Latin America, Europe, Africa, Asia- Pacific, and Middle East. North America dominates in the small animal imaging market due to the factors such as vast preclinical research, and technological advancements. Europe is another region contributing to the maximum share of the small animal imaging market. The need for drug development through small animal imaging, and large number of pharmaceuticals and clinical research organizations are expected to boost the small animal imaging market in this segment. However, the increase in healthcare expenditure, investments in research and development is propelling the growth of small animal imaging market in Asia-Pacific.Click here to know more about this report:Advanced innovative drug identification technique to boost the revenue and hold the major share in small animal imaging marketKey players operating the global small animal imaging market includes PerkinElmer Incorporated, Bruker Corporation, Fujifilm Holdings Corporation, Mediso Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific, MR solutions Ltd., Aspect Imaging, Miltenyi Biotec GmbH, Life Technologies Corporations, Trifoil Imaging, and many others. The key players are adopting the strategies to expand their geographic presence and hold the major share in the small animal imaging market that includes acquisition strategy, product enhancements, and geographic expansion. For instance, PerkinElmer Inc. has adopted the product launch, product enhancements, and geographical expansion as their key strategy to enhance the market position.About Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity.Contact Us:Mr. ShahCoherent Market Insights1001 4th Ave, #3200Seattle, WA 98154Tel: +1-206-701-6702Email: sales@coherentmarketinsights.com
Specialty Medical Chairs Market Opportunity Assessment and Forecast up to 2023

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The emerging economies are on the cusp of revolutionizing their healthcare facilities, which is likely to create a positive impact on The Specialty Medical Chairs Market as well, observes Transparency Market Research. Companies must invest in Brazil, China, India, and countries of Latin America and Asia to reap benefits of the economic upheaval, says the lead author of this research report. Presently, the analysts have identified Fresenius SE & Co. KGaA, ACTIVEAID, Inc., DentalEZ, and A-dec, Inc., amongst others, as the leading players in the global specialty medical chairs market.Key players will also strive to expand their distribution network by striking strategic alliances with large multispecialty clinics, private clinics, and distributors. Broadening distribution networks will help companies to expand their geographical presence, thereby creating a foundation for higher sales in international markets in the near future.Customization Options Prompt Medical Facilities to Invest in Specialty Medical ChairsCustomization of chairs to serve the unique needs of patients and medical practitioners has propelled the global specialty medical chairs market. Several players are designing chairs to cater to the clinical needs of the patients such as pregnancy, obesity, cardiac issues, and others. Furthermore, the introduction of specialty medical chairs with newer technologies and better comfort is also propelling this market.The market is also witnessing an upbeat momentum due to the consistent rise in the geriatric population as they are far more susceptible to a range of chronic diseases and other physical disabilities in comparison to the younger population. The World Health Organization explains that the geriatric population will reach 1.5 billion by 2050 from 524 million in 2010, thus giving the market a big boost. Investments across emerging economies of the world to upgrade medical infrastructure is also expected to create several growth opportunities for the global specialty medical chairs market.Request to download and view full ToC -High Cost of Modern Specialty Medical Chairs Retains MarketUnfortunately, the market will be stymied by the exponential cost of the modern specialty medical chairs. Thus the reluctance of medical facilities and governing boards to invest in top-of-the-line chairs is expected to restrain the market. Furthermore, the growing trend of refurbishing old medical chairs is also hampering the growth of the market.Request to view Sample Report -High Density of Medical Clinics in North America to Help GrowthAccording to the research report, the opportunity in the global specialty medical chairs market is expected to reach US$6.75 bn by 2023 as compared to US$3.80 bn in 2014, expanding at a CAGR of 6.5% from 2015 to 2023. The global market will be led by the rehabilitation chairs product segment as it will progress at a CAGR of 8.1% over the forecast period.Geographically, North America will hold the largest share in the market as the region will continue to grow at a CAGR of 6.8% between 2015 and 2023. A strong presence of ENT, dental, ophthalmic clinics in the region will be the primary growth driver for specialty medical chairs market in North America.Specialty Medical Chairs Market Report is available @ US$ 5795About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Biotherapeutics Cell Line Development Market | Industry Outlook and Forecast up to 2022

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The Global Biotherapeutics Cell Line Development Market is highly consolidated and is led by Becton Dickinson and Co. and Beckman Coulter, which are the two leading companies within this market. These two companies collectively accounted for a whopping 85% of the total market in 2015, states Transparency Market Research (TMR) in its latest report. There lies a meager chance for new entrants to enter in the market on account of the high shares held by these two companies. It has also led to a reduced market shares for other companies. Some of the other companies in the global biotherapeutics cell line development market include: Catalent Inc., CMC Biologics, Lonza Group Ltd., Partec, Sony Biotechnology Inc., SAFC, Selexis SA, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co KG., ProBioGen AG, and Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. The possibility of business expansion and growth opportunities lies mostly with the established companies. In the years to come, companies will need to focus on advancements and adoption of latest technology so as to gain a competitive edge above each other.According to TMR, the global market for biotherapeutics cell line development market will be worth US$99.8 mn by 2022. On the basis of geography, North America has been leading in the market from many years. The North American market for biotherapeutics cell line development is predicted to be worth US$41 mn by 2022. Asia Pacific on the other hand is estimated to expand at the fastest pace in the coming years. By process, the single cell cloning segment will continue to enjoy leading status throughout the forecast period. On the basis of cell line development option, the outsourcing segment will emerge victorious for biotherapeutics, stated a TMR analyst.Growing Geriatric Population to Continue to Drive MarketThe growing incidences of chronic diseases and increasing population of aged people are two important factors fueling the growth of the global biotherapeutics cell line development market. The growing geriatric population has led to an increase in the number of cases for degenerative, chronic, and autoimmune diseases. This in turn is favoring the demand for biotherapeutics cell line development. Some of the most prevalent diseases today that are boosting the growth of this market include: cancer, diabetes, and multiple sclerosis. The efficiency offered by biotherapeutics is gaining traction from patients as well as those within the medical line, for use in the treatment of the aforementioned diseases. This in turn is aiding the growth of the market.Request to download and view full ToC -New Players Face Entry Barriers on Account of Strict RegulationsThe stringent policies and regulations regarding the cell culture procedures is anticipated to be a key challenge for the growth of the global biotherapeutics cell line development market, a TMR analyst said. These policies regulate the production of biotherapeutics and could crush the growth opportunities for several market players. The development of stable cell line producing biologics requires compliance with standard operating procedures. Monitoring of product quality through tests in line with regulations and SOPs is delaying product development and affecting market players. Moreover, such strict regulations act as entry barriers for new players.Request to view Sample Report -On a positive notion however, the unmet medical needs of the patient population in developing economies of Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Africa will ensure a healthy growth of the biotherapeutics cell line development market. The increasing demand for antibodies will also lead to development and progress of the global biotherapeutics cell line development market.Biotherapeutics Cell Line Development Market Report is available @ US$ 5795About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Hospital Acquired Disease Testing Market | Industry Outlook and Forecast up to 2023

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The Global Hospital Acquired Disease Testing Market is consolidated due to presence of very few number of players. However, these companies are engaged in high rivalry among themselves, exhibiting in the prevalence of a high degree of competition in the market. Transparency Market Research (TMR) in a report estimates that the scope for new players is very limited in the competitive landscape of this market. Some of the key players in this market include Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc., Becton Dickinson and Company, Roche, Abbott Laboratories, and Alere, Inc. These companies are striving to capitalize on the emerging opportunities for expansion in the developing countries. These players are strengthening their position in the market while focusing on extensive research and development programs to build innovative hospital acquired disease testing products.Transparency Market Research has projected that the market value will reach US$2.07 bn by the end of 2023 from its valuation of US$416.7 mn in 2014. The market is anticipated to expand with a healthy CAGR of 19.9% for the forecast period 2015-2023.In the year 2014, North America emerged as the leading regional market for hospital acquired disease testing, holding nearly 38.5% to the global market. Within the region, the U.S held dominance owing to the increasing number of people suffering from hospital acquired infections. In the same year, Europe contributed the second largest share in the global market.Increasing Awareness Regarding HAIs to Propel the Global MarketThe increasing incidence of hospital acquired infections (HAI) is one of the key factors propelling the global hospital acquired disease testing market. For the prevention of these infections many countries such as the U.S. have issued rules and regulations to be mounted in the hospitals and clinics. For instance, the U.S. has regulated HHS Action Plan to reduce infections auqired in hospitals. These government plans and movements and increasing investments are expected to poise to growth of the global market of hospital acquired disease testing. Furthermore, the rising number of pathogens with drug-resistant abilities is foreseen to help the market expand. Numerous hospitals around the world are facilitating the pathogen detection procedures with improved surveillance culture. To prevent the transmission of diseases, various health organizations are demanding for effective hospital acquired disease testing solutions.Request to download and view full ToC -Factors such as growing concerns about control and prevention of nosocomial infections, increasing number of diseases that increase risk of hospital associated infections, initiatives taken up by governments to manage nosocomial infections, and increasing geriatric population are some of the key factors aiding the markets expansion. Furthermore, the developing health facilities of developing countries of Asia Pacific are most likely fuel the global hospital acquired disease testing market.Request to view Sample Report -Poor Regulations of Less Developed Countries Could Hinder the Market GrowthThe majority of regulations regarding molecular-biology-based diagnostics remain un-updated, which can act as a restraining factor. Furthermore, the absence of control authorities and efficient control programs in less developed countries could hinder the market growth. For instance, African countries such as Nigeria do not have any effective programs or authority to prevent or control hospital acquired diseases.Nevertheless, the rising health concerns among patients around the world are anticipated to help the market sustain its trajectory and grow over the forecast period. Furthermore, escalating number of urinary tract infection is anticipated fuel the demand for hospital acquires disease testing. Moreover, the increasing incidence of MRSA, pneumonia, and surgical site infection are expected to boost the market.Hospital Acquired Disease Testing Market Report is available @ US$ 5795About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Kaposi Sarcoma Market Overview and Forecast Analysis up to 2024

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The Global Kaposi Sarcoma (KS) Market is immensely consolidated and the top two players, namely Johnson & Johnson and Merck & Co. Inc. accounted for almost 50% of the overall market in 2015. The contribution of domestic players such as Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Limited is presented low. However, Transparency Market Research predicts that the contribution of these companies will increase during the forecast period owing to the patent expiry of several major drugs.Partnerships, acquisitions, and collaborations with other leading companies for the development of newer products with improved efficacy are part of the growth strategies adopted by a number of players in the Kaposi sarcoma market. For instance, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd launched a new Global Access Program in September 2014 in partnership with the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS, the Presidents Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, the Clinton Health Access Initiative, and the Global Fund. The program was centered on HIV viral load testing.High Incidence of HIV/AIDS, Organ Transplants Driving Growth of KS MarketIncreased organ transplant procedures are a leading factor driving the Kaposi sarcoma market since the incidence of the cancer is high among patients who have undergone an organ transplant. Organ transplant patients are given immunosuppressive agents to prevent their body from rejecting the graft. This makes them highly susceptible to Kaposi sarcoma associated herpesvirus (KSHV) infection, the author of the study explains. The long term use of these agents increases the rate of risk of these patients by more than 100 times compared to the general population.The high incidence of HIV/AIDS associated Kaposi sarcoma is one of the major factors driving the adoption of HAART therapy, which subsequently fuels the overall KS market.Request to download and view full ToC -High Cost of Treatment a Major DrawbackThe cost of cancer drugs used for the treatment of Kaposi sarcoma has been on the rise in the past few years, making it difficult for patients to seek treatment. This is a major concern for both the patients and the payers. The prices of patented drugs have increased by over five times in the past few years in the U.S. and continue to rise, the TMR analyst comments. For instance, prices of major drugs used for the treatment of KS, such as liposomal doxorubicin, liposomal daunorubicin, or paclitaxel in combination with HAART, have been increasing significantly, making these unaffordable for middle and lower income groups.Request to view Sample Report -Slow but Steady Growth in Store for Kaposi Sarcoma MarketThe global market for Kaposi sarcoma is projected to expand at a modest 2.2% CAGR from 2016 to 2024, with the opportunity in the market rising from US$118.5 mn in 2015 to be worth US$143.2 mn by the end of the forecast period. Hospitals formed the leading distribution channel in 2015, generating over US$40 mn revenue that year. The segment is also slated emerge as the fastest growing segment in the KS market, expanding at a 2.6% CAGR from 2016 to 2024.By type of treatment, HAART led the overall Kaposi sarcoma market in terms of revenue, with chemotherapy and immunotherapy poised to register the highest growth rate over the coming years. In terms of region, the global Kaposi sarcoma market was led by North America in 2015 and the MEA region will record the fastest growth by 2024.Kaposi Sarcoma Market Report is available @ US$ 5795About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Heparin Market Opportunity Assessment and Forecast up to 2024

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The Heparin Market in Europe is rather consolidated, with the Sanofi, Aspen, Pfizer, and Leo Pharma accounting for over 65% of the market in 2015. In a new study, Transparency Market Research (TMR) has found that Sanofi is the clear leader in the Europe heparin market, enjoying a 47.5% share in 2015. Increased global sales of Lovenox can be attributed to the companys success.A focus on the expansion of R&D activities, in-licensing and acquisitions, and portfolio management are the key strategies adopted by the market leader, the author of the study finds. In 2015, the company spent over US$5 bn on the research and development of 18 new medicines and vaccines. Companies in the heparin market in Europe are also emphasizing on key BRIC-M countries, developing market-specific innovations, and prioritizing resource allocation.Rise in Incidence of Coagulation and Renal Disorders Spurring Demand for HeparinThe recall of heparin products imported from China in 2008 was a turning point in the heparin market across the globe. The presence of a high level of allergenic substances in heparin products imported from China resulted in over a 100 deaths in the U.S. Tainted supplies were also found in several European countries, forcing the implementation of strict regulations regarding the use of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) produced outside the European Economic Area (EEA).Request to download and view full ToC -This event spurred the domestic development of crude and API heparin and a number of companies entered the heparin processing business in the years that followed. This has had a significant impact on the growth of the heparin market in Europe, a lead analyst at TMR comments.The heparin market in Europe is also fueled by the growing incidence of coagulation disorders such as venous thromboembolism (VTE). These disorders cause nearly half a million deaths in the region each year, even more than the collective deaths caused by breast and prostate cancer, AIDS, and highway accidents, the author of the study finds.Request to view Sample Report -Low-molecular-weight Heparin to Register Remarkable Growth by 2024The opportunity in the Europe heparin market is estimated to be worth US$3.4 bn by 2024, rising from US$2.2 bn in 2015. The market is projected to register a steady CAGR of 5.2% from 2016 to 2024. Among the key product types, low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) accounted for a massive share of close to 80% in 2015, emerging as the leading segment. Generating a revenue of US$2.9 bn by the end of the forecast period, LMWH is also anticipated to post substantial growth, registering a 5.8% CAGR from 2016 to 2024. Unfractionated heparin, on the other hand, will grow at a sluggish pace.On the basis of end user, hospitals led the heparin market in Europe by value and are also anticipated to expand at the most rapid pace by 2024. By region, Germany contributed majority of the heparin market share in 2015. In addition to Germany, France, Belgium, and Portugal are likely to register the highest growth rates throughout the forecast period.Heparin Market Report is available @ US$ 5795About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Urolithiasis Management Devices Market | Key Opportunities And Forecast 2024

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Despite the presence of a large number of regional players, The Global Market For Urolithiasis Management Devices is dominated by few large vendors having substantial budgets for research and development of new technologies and innovative products, observes TMR in a recent report. Companies such as Boston Scientific Corporation, C. R. Bard, Inc., and Cook Group command prominent positions in the global market owing to their strong geographic presence, excellent distribution networks, and the financial power to acquire niche device developers across the globe. The degree of competition is high in the maturing market, with frequent changes to the development dynamics owing to rapid advancements in supporting technologies.Transparency Market Research estimates that the global urolithiasis management devices market will expand at a healthy 4.5% CAGR over the period between 2016 and 2024. The markets worth is estimated to be US$1.26 bn in 2016 and is expected to rise to US$1.78 bn by 2024.Asia Pacific to Emerge as Most Promising Regional MarketOf the key urolithiasis management device types available in the global market, the segment of shockwave lithotripters is presently the dominant revenue generator, with a valuation of US$789.2 mn in 2015, and is expected to account for a share of 65% in the global market by 2016. Of the key end users of urolithiasis management devices, the segment of clinics led the global market, holding a share of 55% of the markets overall revenues in 2015. Geography-wise, North America led with 36% share in the global market in the same year. Over the period between 2016 and 2024, however, Asia Pacific is projected to emerge as the most promising regional market for urolithiasis management devices owing to the large geriatric population and a rising base of high-income patients.Request to download and view full ToC -Technological Advancements to Stimulate Market GrowthThe market for urolithiasis management devices is primarily driven owing to the rising prevalence of kidney stones among the global population. Factors such as obesity, changing lifestyles, and ageing are the chief causes triggering the formation of kidney stones among humans. Studies state that at least 30% of the worlds population is presently obese or overweight. Geriatrics (people with more than 60 years of age) account for more than 900 mn people of the worlds population presently. The United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs states that this number will increase by 56% between 2015 and 2030 and rise to 1.4 bn by 2030.Along with these factors, the introduction of a variety of non-invasive treatment methods in the global urolithiasis management devices market has also encouraged the excellent growth of the market in the past few years. The significant reduction in treatment duration and effective results are compelling an increased number of patients to demand newer and technologically advanced treatment methods for kidney stones.Request to view Sample Report -High Risk of Damage to Urinary Tract Leads to Apprehension about Urolithiasis Management DevicesCertain urolithiasis procedures such as the lithotripsy involve shockwaves that are sent across the body to trigger kidney stones with high precision force. Such treatments may result in damage to soft tissues and could also potentially lead to a permanent loss of renal functions. This factor leads to increased concerns among patient about the potential side-effects of novel technologies and hampers the overall adoption of urolithiasis management devices to a notable extent. Another key challenge for the global urolithiasis management devices is the high cost of certain latest and novel technologies, which restrains markets growth across developing economies to a large extent.Urolithiasis Management Devices Market Report is available @ US$ 5795About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Transcatheter Embolization and Occlusion Devices Market | Key Opportunities And Forecast 2024

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The top three players in The Global Transcatheter Embolization And Occlusion (TEO) Devices Market accounted for over 63% in 2015. Medtronic, plc, Cook Medical, and Terumo Corporation are the three companies that together dominated the market in 2015. Transparency Market Research notes that the degree of competition is moderate due to market consolidation as a result of frequent acquisitions. The competitive rivalry is influenced by the presence of large global players and few local manufacturers of transcatheter embolization and occlusion devices.Business agreements and partnerships among key market players will enable them to expand their global reach and market their products to newer regions, the lead analyst recommends. In January 2016, Terumo Corporation expanded its strategic alliance with Quirem Medical and became the exclusive global distributor of radioembolization solutions developed by Quirem Medical.In terms of revenue, the global TEO devices market was valued at US$2.4 bn in 2015 and is projected to reach US$4.8 bn by 2024 at a CAGR of 7.9% therein. In terms of volume, the global market is anticipated to register a CAGR of 8.1% from 2016 to 2024.North America Emerges as Leading Regional SegmentIn terms of percentage share contribution, the embolization coils segment is expected to reflect a share of 39.5% by 2024. Registering an impressive CAGR of 13.2% from 2016 to 2024 in terms of revenue, embolization particles are likely to emerge as a highly lucrative product segment in the global transcatheter embolization and occlusion devices market. By application, peripheral vascular disease was the leading segment in 2015, while oncology is slated to be the most attractive segment of the market.Based on end use, the hospitals segment accounted for a significant share in the global transcatheter embolization and occlusion devices market in terms of revenue. In terms of percentage share contribution, North America is expected to account for 32.3% by 2024, emerging as the leading regional segment of the global transcatheter embolization and occlusion devices market.Request to download and view full ToC -Rising Prevalence of Cancer Boosts Demand for Transcatheter Embolization and Occlusion DevicesThe TEO devices market is fueled by a number of factors, including an increase in the adoption of minimally invasive surgeries, a rise in the prevalence of cancer, technological innovations, and changing demographics and lifestyle leading to an increase in peripheral vascular diseases.Embolization is a minimally invasive surgery that marks a significant advancement in medical technologies, the author of the report states. The adoption of minimally invasive surgeries has increased significantly over the years owing to the various advantages they present, including less post-operative pain, reduced blood loss, shorter hospital stay, and faster recovery.Request to view Sample Report -Cancer is one of the leading causes of mortality and morbidity around the world and the rising prevalence of cancer globally has driven the demand for chemembolization and radioembolization. This has, in turn, boosted the demand for transcatheter embolization and occlusion devices. In contrast, frequent product recalls, stringent regulations governing product approvals, the lack of skilled professionals, and the lack of reimbursement policies in emerging markets threaten to impede the global market for transcatheter embolization and occlusion devices.Transcatheter Embolization and Occlusion Devices Market Report is available @ US$ 5795About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Bovine Respiratory Disease Treatment Market Opportunity Assessment and Forecast up to 2024

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The Global Market For Bovine Respiratory Disease Treatment features a highly consolidated competitive landscape despite the presence of a large number of regional players, observes a recent report by Transparency Market Research. Owing to the small duration of product exclusivity in the animal health care industry  about three to five years - competition from generics and over-the-counter (OTC) products is a big threat.The rising consumption of bovine products in emerging economies such as India, China, and Brazil, the demand for effective treatment methods for respiratory disease has considerably increased. To exploit the vast growth potential, an increasing number of companies are establishing operations in these countries. A recent example is the 2016 collaboration between Merial and Zoetis, Inc., which is expected to allow the former to effectively market and distribute its product in India. Some of the other key companies in the market are Merck & Co., Inc., Bayer AG, Elanco, Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH, and Virbac Group.TMR estimates that the global bovine respiratory disease treatment market will exhibit a promising 7.6% CAGR from 2016 through 2024. At this rate, the market, which had a valuation of US$805.9 mn in 2015 is projected to reach US$1,543.9 mn by 2024.Asia Pacific to Lead to Lucrative Growth OpportunitiesIn terms of distribution channel, the segment of veterinary hospitals dominated, accounting for nearly 35% of the global market in terms of revenue in 2015. From a geographic perspective, North America which held nearly 37% of the market in 2015, dominated the global market and is expected to easily retain its dominance over the forecast period as well. However, owing to the rising population of cattle and the rising incidences of bovine respiratory diseases, the Asia Pacific market will emerge as one of the most lucrative regional markets for bovine respiratory disease treatment methods.Request to download and view full ToC -Rising Consumption of Animal Protein to Remain High-impact DriverOf the key factors driving the market, the rising consumption of beef is expected to have a prominent impact on the overall development of the market over the forecast period. According to a World Bank Group survey (2016), global human population is estimated to be 7.4 billion in 2016 and is growing at a rate of 1.8% per year. To sustain the ever rising demand for beef as well as other animal products from this mounting global population, there would be a vast rise in the worlds cattle population in the near future. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the global cattle population will increase by 73% between 2015 and 2050, from nearly 936 mn in 2015 to nearly 2.6 bn in 2050.As bovine respiratory diseases account for 65% to 80% of morbidity and 45% to 75% mortality rate in livestock animals, the rising cattle population will also intensify the need for effective treatment modalities for these diseases. This will have a significant positive impact on the global bovine respiratory disease treatment market.Request to view Sample Report -Strict Government Regulations to Restrain MarketSeveral studies have demonstrated that bovine antibiotics can have a highly negative impact on human health. Issues such as induction of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria and disruption of normal human intestinal flora are commonly observed in individuals who consume animal products with excessive amount of antibiotics. According to The New York Times, around 2 million people in the U.S. fall sick every year and about 23,000 of them die from antibiotic-resistant infections induced due to consumption of such products.These factors have urged government bodies to regulate the use of antibiotic therapeutics in animals too. In December 2013, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) enforced a new policy related to the limited use of antibiotics in production animals. This is likely to hamper the growth of the bovine respiratory disease treatment market over the forecast period.Bovine Respiratory Disease Treatment Market Report is available @ US$ 5795About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Ventricular Assist Device Market Opportunity Assessment and Forecast up to 2024

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With a large number of well-established players, such as Berlin Heart, SynCardia Systems, Sunshine Heart, St. Jude Medical, Heart Ware International, and Abiomed, the market for ventricular assist devices (VADs) in North America demonstrates a fiercely competitive landscape, finds a report by Transparency Market Research (TMR).Most of the leading companies rely on innovation and technological advancements for business development. However, in the coming years, their focus is projected to shift towards strategic collaborations in order to curtail the competition within the market.According to TMR, the opportunity in the North America market for VADs, which stood at US$0.4 bn in 2015, is likely to expand at a healthy CAGR of 9.20% between 2016 and 2024 and increase to US$1.07 bn by the end of the forecast period. The destination therapy (DT) segment has been reporting a greater application of VADs than the other two indication segments. It is expected to remain the leader with its share rising to 66.7% in the overall market by 2024, states the report.U.S. to Retain Leadership on Account of Rising Awareness Regarding VADsA geographical analysis of the North America VAD market has also been offered in this research report. As per the study, the U.S. and Canada are the prime domestic markets for ventricular assist devices in this region. Among the two, the U.S. has emerged as the leading contributor to the overall market, thanks to the rise in the awareness level among consumers regarding the benefits offered by VADs.Expanding at a CAGR of 9.70%, this domestic market is anticipated to remain leading throughout the forecast period. The significant increase in patient assistance and clinical research is likely to act as the key driving factor behind the growth of this market over the next few years, notes the research study.Request to download and view full ToC -Increased Application of LVADs to Reflect Positively on VAD SalesCardiovascular disorders have been a cause of concerns among people in North America since the last few years. As per the American Heart Association, nearly 70% of the geriatric population with diabetes die from heart disorders and almost 16% pass away from strokes in North America. Most of the advanced heart failures in humans are caused by left ventricular dysfunction, resulting in the increased application of LVADs, which eventually, is adding substantially to the overall demand for VADs in North America, says the author of this study.Other prominent factors, fueling the demand for VADs in North America are the limited number of heart donors and the growing awareness among consumers regarding the benefits of VADs, states the market report.Request to view Sample Report -High Cost Incurred in Treatment to Limit Demand for VADsWhile the North America market for ventricular assist devices looks thriving currently, the overall cost incurred in the treatment may create obstructions in the growth trajectory of this market over the forthcoming years. The increasing incidence of device malfunctioning and product recalls is also projected to restrict the progression of this market in the near future, notes the research study.Ventricular Assist Device Market Report is available @ US$ 5795About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Five security forces were wounded Monday in a bomb blast when protecting a ceremony in the west of capital Manama, the interior ministry says.

The wounded security forces were securing Ashoora procession on Budaiya Highway in the village of Daih, the ministery tweeted.

Ashoora procession is a festival marking the death of Prophet Mohammeds grandson at the Battle of Karbala around 1,400 years ago. It is performed by Shia Muslims.

The ministry added that necessary steps are being taken.

The tiny kingdom of the Gulf has been rocked since 2011 by protests staged by Shia who represent the majority of the population. The Shia complain about marginalisation.

In June one policeman was killed in a blast in the Diraz home village of the Shia Muslim spiritual leader, Ayatollah Isa Qassim. Two other policemen were injured in the attack.

Police in May killed five people after opening fire on protestors who staged a month-long sit-in in front of Qassims house.

The top Shia cleric was sentenced to one year in prison for corruption.

Manama has accused Teheran of proving support to protestors.
Uterine Fibroids Treatment Market Overview and Forecast Analysis up to 2024

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The U.S. Uterine Fibroids Market shows a strong presence of players. The top three players in the market are Boston Scientific Corporation, Smith & Nephew, and Hologic, Inc., who hold a share of nearly 50% in the overall market. The players are focused mergers and acquisitions to broaden their product portfolio and integration of knowledge base. To remain dominant players are anticipated to lay emphasis on product differentiation. The report published by Transparency Market Research states that the U.S. uterine fibroid treatment market was valued at US$211.6 mn in 2015 and is expected to be worth US$273.6 mn by the end of 2024. During the forecast years of 2016 and 2024, the overall market is anticipated to progress at a CAGR of 2.9%.Hysterectomy Segment to Lead Global MarketOut of all the procedures, the hysterectomy segment is showing a promise of good growth rate in the near future. This segment is projected to account for a share of 79.6% by the end of 2016. The benefits of hysterectomy such as alleviation of pelvic pain, excessive menstrual bleeding, and physical morbidity are driving this segment. Furthermore, hospitals will emerge as the leading end users of uterine fibroid treatment options in the coming years. By the end of 2016, the hospitals segment is projected to account for a share of 67.1% in the U.S. uterine fibroids treatment market.Request to download and view full ToC -Technological Advancements in Minimally Invasive Surgeries Augurs Well for MarketThe introduction of a minimally invasive surgeries to treat the excruciatingly painful uterine fibroids is expected boost the markets growth in the coming years. Advantages of such procedures such as minimal recovery time, reduced chances of infections, and shorter hospital stays are also encouraging patients and hospitals to choose these treatments, states the lead author of this research report. The market is also benefitting from the regulatory approvals being granted to newer types of treatment and surgeries. Thus, the introduction of newer technologies that offer efficient results is creating a positive influence on the U.S. uterine fibroids market. The remarkable changes in technology have also played their supportive part in the growth of the market over the past few years. For instance, Halt Medical, Inc. introduced Acessa Guidance System in 2016. This technology enhances the radiofrequency ablation and electromagnetic tracking technology to treat uterine myomas laparoscopically.The supportive reimbursement policies are also expected to augment the demand for uterine fibroids treatment in the near future. Favorable policies are helping the patients to cover their expenses in hospitals as well the ones incurred in ambulatory surgical centers. Statistics state that there are 20% to 40% chances of development of uterine fibroids in women around the age of 35. Thus, the high prevalence of uterine fibroids amongst women in the reproductive age bracket has become the very basis of the growth of this market. Furthermore, African American women are more likely to develop fibroids, which is also a key population base contributing to the steady rise in the revenue of the U.S. uterine fibroids market.Request to view Sample Report -Possibility of Complications due to Procedures Tugs at Market in Opposite DirectionThe uterine fibroids treatment market is likely to be hampered by the announcement made by the FDA that power morcellators can lead to complications such as spreading metastatic leiomyosarcoma cancer tissue. Availability of wide range of alternative treatments is also anticipated to hinder the markets growth in the near future. The market is also being restrained by the possibility of urinary tract injury while performing minimally invasive procedures.Uterine Fibroids Treatment Market Report is available @ US$ 5795About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Plano sunglasses market to gain prominence through the thriving e-commerce sector over 2017-2024

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Plano sunglasses market held a revenue collection of USD 16 billion in 2016. Considering the future scope of eyewear, Global Market Insights, Inc., estimated the worldwide plano sunglasses market to surpass a revenue collection of USD 29 billion by the end of 2024.The upcoming innovations in eyewear technology has brought about a change in the focus of plano sunglasses market players, prompting them to implement out-of-the-box growth strategies. Recently, FXG International, Inc., the worlds leading designer and marketer of sunglasses, announced a collaboration between their hallmark brand Foster Grant, and PogoTec, a massive giant in electronic wearable device market. FXG international and PogoCam are focusing on the development of the product as per the customers point of view.Request for a sample of this report@The increasing implementation of eyewear innovations and wearable technology is thus, slated to augment plano sunglasses industry share considerably. The rapidly changing consumer lifestyles and their shifting preferences toward multipurpose wearable products have also been boosting the product demand, directly impacting plano glasses market size. Subject to the extensive demand, as per a research report, in 2016, plano sunglasses market held a revenue collection of USD 16 billion.The players in plano sunglasses industry are continuously investing in research activities to bring forth new materials for incorporating superior UV protection, resistance to impact and heat, light weight, and enhanced transparency. Speaking of which, polycarbonate-based plano sunglasses market will register an annual growth rate of 4.5% over 2017-2024, pertaining to the materials property to enhance visibility.The key business contributors in plano sunglasses industry are Safilo Group, Modo Eyewear, Luxottica Group SpA, Vogue Eyewear, Kenmark, De Rigo Rem, Marcolin Eyewear, FGX International, and Silhouette International.Browse Full Report Summary:Plano Sunglasses Market Size By Product (Polarized, Non-Polarized), By Material (CR-39, Polycarbonate, Polyurethane, Trivex, Glass), By Distribution Channel (Optical Stores, Independent Brand Showrooms, Online Stores, Retail Stores) Industry Analysis Report, Regional Outlook (U.S., Canada, Germany, UK, France, Spain, Italy, Russia, Poland, Nordic Countries, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Belgium, Ireland, China, India, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Taiwan, Singapore, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Tunisia), Application Potential, Price Trend, Competitive Market Share & Forecast, 2017  2024Most of the major players have established their manufacturing base mainly across Europe, as this region has apparently witnessed a huge demand for premium products. The rise in per capita income and increased spending capability of consumers are slated to favor Europe plano sunglasses industry, which collected a revenue of USD 110 million in 2016. The expanding e-commerce sector and the subsequent availability of online stores will also boost the product demand over the years ahead.Many other business domains have been depicting an interest in the eyewear sector, pertaining to the tremendous business scope and huge profit margins. For instance, a few months back, the French luxury goods group LVMH has forged a joint venture with one of the renowned spectacles makers  Marcolin, to design and manufacture sunglasses. From 2018, Marcolin plans to make LVMH a preferred partner in the eyeglasses business.Taking into account the widespread scope for sunglasses, most of the eyewear designers, marketers, and distributors are expanding their business across the major geographies. The development of innovative products combined with cost effectiveness and quality will naturally lead to the expansion of the consumer base of this industry over the years ahead.About Global Market Insights, Inc.:Global Market Insights, Inc., headquartered in Delaware, U.S., is a global market research and consulting service provider; offering syndicated and custom research reports along with growth consulting services. Our business intelligence and industry research reports offer clients with penetrative insights and actionable market data specially designed and presented to aid strategic decision making. These exhaustive reports are designed via a proprietary research methodology and are available for key industries such as chemicals, advanced materials, technology, renewable energy and biotechnology.Contact us:Arun HegdeCorporate Sales, USAGlobal Market Insights, Inc.Phone:1-302-846-7766Toll Free: 1-888-689-0688Email: sales@gminsights.comWeb:
Nebulizers Market - Global Industry Insights, Trends, Outlook, and Opportunity Analysis, 20172025

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Nebulizers are drug delivery devices that are used to administer medicines in the form of a mist inhaled into the lungs. This drug delivery method helps in the administration of drugs such as corticosteroids, bronchodilators and anti-inflammatory medications. Nebulizers are mainly used for patients suffering from asthma, cystic fibrosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and other respiratory diseases or disorders. It is much comfortable to use than other forms of ingested medicines, as it targets the respiratory area directly, thus reducing side effects and harm to other body organs and cells. Nebulizers are especially used for delivery of drug to breathing passages, reduce bulging of mucous membrane, to reduce irritation caused by pollutants and activate and thin out discharge. These devices are specially developed for adults and children who are not able to handle inhalers.The use of nebulizer depends on the illness for which it is designed to treat. Various considerations to be taken care of while using a nebulizer are as follows:-The appropriate method of using the nebulizer-Ways to keep the nebulizer clean for maximum safety and effectivenessRequest a sample copy of this report:Nebulizers Market taxonomy:On the basis of product type, the nebulizers market is classified into:-Ultrasonic-Pneumatic-MeshUltrasonic nebulizers include portable and standalone nebulizers.Pneumatic nebulizers are further classified into:-Breath Actuated nebulizers-Vented nebulizersAlso, mesh nebulizers are also further classified into:-Static type nebulizers-Vibrating type nebulizersPneumatic nebulizers hold the major share in nebulizers market due to their ease of handling, efficient design and low cost.On the basis of end user, the nebulizers market is classified into:-Hospitals-Clinics-Ambulatory Surgical Centers-Home Care SettingsProduct innovation driving the preference for nebulizers in treating respiratory conditionsThe advanced nebulizers that features aerosol drug delivery technology with minimal drug wastage is expected to drive the nebulizers market growth. Patients play a vigorous role in supervising their diseases by choosing for devices that assist them in diagnosis and treatment at the comfort of their own homes. This shift in patient preferences will strengthen the global nebulizer market growth scenario in the near future. Also the rise in respiratory cases form a major factor. According to World Health Organization (WHO), around 15.7 million people were reported with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) in the U.S. in 2016 which showed a significant increase of 6.4% from 2015.Nebulizers are also for a variety of diagnostic procedures among which the principal one is in diagnosis of lung function and bronchial activities. This has also added to the rise in demand for nebulizers in the market by the professionals for clinical use and monitoring of various associated respiratory disorders.Medical reimbursement supporting the North America nebulizer market growthThere are guidelines laid for nebulizers which facilitates its proper usage. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and United HealthCare Services, Inc. have defined guidelines for the proper usage of nebulizers in different respiratory issues. In addition to that there are various reimbursement policies that fuel the growth of the market, for instance, policies by Medicaid & Healthcare Partnership in 2012 helped in the easy purchase of nebulizers. Under Hawaii Medical Service Association, in 2014, several cover plans were made for the easy purchases of small volume and large volume nebulizers.Click here to know more about this report:Also, there exists a rental market for nebulizers that assists the usage of these devices in home care settings.Since nebulization is a spraying technique, therefore the dispersion and wastage of the drug during delivery to the respiratory tract is one of the major restraint for the growth of nebulizers market. Moreover, low consumer switching cost and availability of alternative therapies increases the threat of substitute products.By geography, North America holds the major share in the global nebulizers market because of the availability of reimbursement and increasing incidence of respiratory diseases.Key players in the global nebulizers market are GE Healthcare Ltd, Agilent Technologies, GF Health Products, Philips Healthcare CareFusion Corporation, PARI Respiratory Equipment, Covidien plc and Omron Healthcare Co. The players are undertaking various clinical trials and development activities in an endeavor to improve therapeutic effect of the drug. Theravance Biopharma and Mylan announced the initiation of phase 3 studies of revefenacin at the American Thoracic Society (ATS) International Conference in 2017. Revefenacin is a once-daily long acting muscarinic antagonist (LAMA) nebulized therapy. Development of such drugs intended to be delivered via nebulization will also support propelling the growth for nebulizers market. Also Vectura received FDA approval to start testing a smart technology of nebulizers to improve asthma therapies in children.About Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity.Contact Us:Mr. ShahCoherent Market Insights1001 4th Ave, #3200Seattle, WA 98154Tel: +1-206-701-6702Email: sales@coherentmarketinsights.com
Tahini Market Growth with Worldwide Industry Analysis to 2025

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Driven by growing popularity across the globe and steady adoption by the F&B industry, global tahini market volumes are estimated to surpass 314 thousand tonnes in 2016, up from nearly 305 thousand tonnes in 2015. According to the latest report published by Persistence Market Research titled Global Market Study on Tahini: Paste and Spreads Product Type Segment Projected to Remain the Largest Segment During the Forecast Period, global volumes are projected to reach 423,854 tonnes in 2025.Obtain Report Details @Besides the availability of myriad flavors, rising adoption by local eateries are most likely to impact the global tahini market. Market Research Expert, Persistence Market ResearchGrowing popularity of authentic Middle Eastern food flavors is expected to escalate the demand for tahini-based products, such as hummus and tahini spread. The surging significance of social media marketing will play a pivotal role in the promotion of tahini and derived products. Emerging tahini applications in hummus, butter and spreads, halva, salads, bakery products, toppings, and traditional Middle Eastern recipes such as Baba Ghanoush will also influence the market favorably.By product type, tahini paste and spreads will witness the highest demand-Paste and spreads segment will account for over 55% share in terms of revenues by 2025-Desserts and sweets segment, aggravated by growing popularity of halva, will maintain a market share of over 25% during the assessed period-Sustained consumption of tahini dips and sauces will fuel the sauces and dips sub-segment, capturing over 18% market value shareMake an Enquiry @By distribution channel, major tahini sales will be directed through exports-Conventional retail will lose its market share over 2015-2025; from over 37% market share in 2015, this sub-segment will settle at around 34% in 2025-Modern trade is expected to witness decent growth, accounting for a revenue share of over 29% by 2025 end-Exports will, however, exhibit the fastest growth in terms of a distribution channel. With over 20% share of the revenues, this sub-segment is anticipated to reach US$ 465.9 Mn with a promising CAGR of 6.1%Considering product size, the tahini market is projected to gain the highest traction in the 50-150 gm size sub-segment-With over 56% value share in 2025, the 50-150 gm size sub-segment will reportedly reach a consumption of around 243,189 tonnes-Above 150 gm size sub-segment is likely to witness an uptick over the forecast period, capturing a considerable 28% market value share in 2025-Below 50 gm product size will be the fastest growing sub-segment at 5.9% CAGRDepending on the production process, industrial production process will remain dominant over conventional process-With a slight setback from 76% share in 2015 to around 73% share estimated by 2025 end, industrial production process will witness moderate growth with a CAGR to the tune of 5.3%-Conventional process will experience significant growth over the forecast periodAccording to Persistence Market Researchs regional analysis, Western Asia will continue to be the largest market, whereas GCC will emerge lucrative by 2025 end-West Asia, identified as the most lucrative market for tahini, will predictably cross US$ 608 Mn by 2025 end, accounting for maximum revenues in the global market-GCC countries will exhibit the fastest growth at 5.9% CAGR, primarily driven by Kuwait, UAE, and Saudi Arabia. GCC tahini market revenues will reach around US$ 202 Mn by 2025 end-North Africa, followed by the U.K., are projected to grow moderately at respective CAGRs of 5.7% and 5.4%New Production Plants on Key Players AgendaDipasa International S.A., Sunshine International Foods, Inc., Kevala International LLC, Joyva Corp, Premier Organics, Haitoglou Bros S.A., Halwani Bros. Co., Prince Tahina Ltd., El Rashidi El Mizan, Al-Wadi Al-Akhdar S.A.L, Carleys of Cornwell Ltd., Balsam Tahini, Ismail Termurcugil, and Alseedawi Sweets Factories Co. constitute some of the key players in the global market for tahini. While major export opportunities lie in Asia and North America, a majority of leading players are based in the Middle East and North America. Halwani Bros. Co. and Haitoglou Bros. are top Middle East companies, whereas Joyva Corp, Dipasa, and Kevala Int. are the key North American players. Alwadi Al Akhdars new factory in Lebanon is due in 2017 and Sabra Dipping Co. will soon double its tahini hummus production capacity.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA | Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Stevia Extract Market Research on Development, Competitive landscape & Covering Key Players Cargill, Evolva, GLG Life Tech

Stevia Extract Market

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A new research document with title 'Global Stevia Extract Market by Manufacturers, Regions, Type and Application, Forecast to 2021 covering detailed analysis, Competitive landscape, forecast and strategies. The study covers geographic analysis that includes regions like North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Africa, Middle East and important players/vendors such as Cargill, Evolva, GLG Life Tech etc. The report will help user gain market insights, future trends and growth prospects for forecast period of 2017-2021.Request a sample report @Stevia rebaudiana (Bertoni) is a South American plant native to Paraguay that traditionally has been used to sweeten beverages and make tea. The word "stevia" refers to the entire plant and its components, only some of which are sweet. The sweet tasting components of the stevia plant are called steviol glycosides. Steviol glycosides can be isolated and purified from the leaves of the stevia plant and are now added to some foods, beverages and tabletop sweeteners in the U.S. and elsewhere. Stevia is a delicious alternative to tablesugar. It is often said to be up to 300 times sweeter than sugar, making it measurable by the drop or pinch, vs Tablespoon or cup.Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the Stevia Extract in Global market, especially in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Middle East and Africa. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, type and application.Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report coversTereos & PureCircleCargillEvolvaGLG Life TechBiolotus TechnologyLaynTate & LyleHuZhou LiuYin BiologicalHunan NutraMax Inc.Tianjin JianfengMarket Segment by Regions, regional analysis coversNorth America (USA, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)Latin America, Middle East and AfricaGet customization & check discount for report @Market Segment by Type, covers0.50.60.80.90.95OthersMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoPharmaceuticalFoodsCosmeticsBuy this report @There are 13 Chapters to deeply display the global Stevia Extract market.Chapter 1, to describe Stevia Extract Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the top manufacturers of Stevia Extract, with sales, revenue, and price of Stevia Extract, in 2015 and 2016;Chapter 3, to display the competitive situation among the top manufacturers, with sales, revenue and market share in 2015 and 2016;Chapter 4, to show the global market by regions, with sales, revenue and market share of Stevia Extract, for each region, from 2011 to 2016;Chapter 5, 6, 7 and 8, to analyze the key regions, with sales, revenue and market share by key countries in these regions;Chapter 9 and 10, to show the market by type and application, with sales market share and growth rate by type, application, from 2011 to 2016;Chapter 11, Stevia Extract market forecast, by regions, type and application, with sales and revenue, from 2016 to 2021;Chapter 12 and 13, to describe Stevia Extract sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, appendix and data source.View Detailed Table of Content @Thanks for reading this article, you can also get individual chapter wise section or region wise report version like North America, Europe or Asia.HTF Market Report is a wholly owned brand of HTF market Intelligence Consulting Private Limited. HTF Market Report global research and market intelligence consulting organization is uniquely positioned to not only identify growth opportunities but to also empower and inspire you to create visionary growth strategies for futures, enabled by our extraordinary depth and breadth of thought leadership, research, tools, events and experience that assist you for making goals into a reality. Our understanding of the interplay between industry convergence, Mega Trends, technologies and market trends provides our clients with new business models and expansion opportunities. We are focused on identifying the Accurate Forecast in every industry we cover so our clients can reap the benefits of being early market entrants and can accomplish their Goals & Objectives.Contact Us:HTF Market Intelligence Consulting Private LimitedUnit No. 429, Parsonage Road, Edison, NJ USA - 08837sales@htfmarketreport.comPh: +1 (206) 317 1218
2017-2022 Europe and Regional Air & Water Pollution Control Equipment Industry Production-Sales and Consumption Status and Prospects Professional Market Research Report

ReportsWeb

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This report focus on Europe and Regional market, providing information on major players like manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, traders, customers, investors and etc., major types, major applications from global and major regions such as Europe, North America, China, Japan, Southeast Asia and etc. Data type include capacity, production, market share, price, revenue, cost, gross, gross margin, growth rate, consumption, import, export and etc. Industry chain, manufacturing process, cost structure, marketing channel are also analyzed in this report.This report provides valuable information for companies like manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, traders, customers, investors and individuals who have interests in this industry.Major companies are as follows:SpoonerAAF InternationalBionomic Industries IncFLSmidth GroupGulf Coast Environmental SystemsAnguilAdwestCatalytic Products International; IncMEGTECPerceptive IndustriesComplete report is availableRequest a Sample copy atMajor classifications are as follows:Air Pollution Control Equipment?Water Pollution Control Equipment?Major applications are as follows:Chemical IndustryITFood/baking industryMajor regions are as follows:GermanyFranceUnited KingdomSpainItalyRequest a Sample copy atChapter 8 Major Application Analysis8.1 2011-2016 Major Application Market Share8.2 Chemical Industry8.2.1 2011-2016 Consumption Analysis8.2.2 Major Down Stream Customers Analysis8.3 IT8.3.1 2011-2016 Consumption Analysis8.3.2 Major Down Stream Customers Analysis8.4 Food/baking industryEurope8.4.1 2011-2016 Consumption Analysis8.4.2 Major Down Stream Customers AnalysisList of Tables and FiguresFigure 2011-2016 Capacity, Production and Growth RateFigure 2011-2016 Capacity, Production and Capacity Utilization RateFigure 2011-2016 Revenue, Gross Margin and Growth RateFigure 2011-2016 Sales Volume and Growth RateFigure 2011-2016 Sales Revenue and Growth RateTable Company IntroductionTable Product Specification and Major Types AnalysisTable Capacity, Production, Capacity Utilization Rate, Ex-Factory Price, Revenue, Cost, Gross, Gross MarginFigure 2011-2016 Capacity, Production and Growth RateFigure 2011-2016 Capacity, Production and Capacity Utilization RateFigure 2011-2016 Revenue, Gross Margin and Growth RateFigure 2011-2016 Sales Volume and Growth RateFigure 2011-2016 Sales Revenue and Growth RateGet Discount atContact Us:Call: +1-646-491-9876Email: sales@reportsweb.comReportsWeb.com is a one stop shop of market research reports and solutions to various companies across the globe. We help our clients in their decision support system by helping them choose most relevant and cost effective research reports and solutions from various publishers. We provide best in class customer service and our customer support team is always available to help you on your research queries.Pune:505, 6th floor, Amanora Township,Amanora Chambers, East Block,Kharadi Road, Hadapsar, Pune-411028
Global Sleep Apnea Market Revenue, Key Players, Supply-Demand, Investment Feasibility and Forecasts 2024

Global Sleep Apnea Market

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Global Sleep Apnea Market is expected to reach USD 14,119.5 million by 2024 from USD 7,800.0 million in 2016, at a CAGR of 7.7% in the forecast period 2017 to 2024. The new market report contains data for historic years 2015, the base year of calculation is 2016 and the forecast period is 2017 to 2024.Request For Sample:The global sleep apnea devices market is highly concentrated to a few big players and rest to local players who cater to domestic markets only. Resmed dominated the sleep apnea devices market accounting for a highest market share in 2016, followed by Philips Respironics, and Fisher Paykel, Somnetics, Inc. Other players in this market include Somnetics, Inc., Apex Medical, DeVilbiss and SomnoMedSomnetics International, Inc, Nox Medical, Natus Medical, SomnoMedics GmbH, Philips Respironics and Cadwell Industries, Inc., Nihon Kohden, Compumedics Limited.(Australia), Contec Medical System Co.Ltd.(China) and Becton Dickinson & Company (Carefusion) among others holds 29.7% of the global sleep apnea devices market in 2016.This report consists of below pages: No of pages: 400 No of Figures: 20 No of Tables: 341Browse Full Report:RESMED:ResMed was founded in 1989 and is headquartered at California, USA. It focuses on manufacturing devices that can be used for diagnosing, treating and managing sleep apnea, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and other chronic diseases.Recent developments:In January, 2017, ResMed launched Sleep Score Labs is a joint venture between renowned surgeon and television host Dr. Mehmet Oz; ResMed, the global leader in medical devices and digital connected care; and private equity firm Pegasus Capital Advisors, L.P., which invests in companies focused on sustainability and wellness.In November, 2016, ResMed introduced two masks named the AirFit N20 nasal mask and AirFit F20 full face mask for positive airway pressure (PAP) treatment of sleep apnea. The masks are innovatively designed to improve mask fit, comfort and ease of use, the new-generation ResMed masks are the result of more than three years of research and development.In November, 2016, ResMed announced two enhancements to AirView, the worlds largest cloud-based remote patient monitoring platform that enables care teams to securely access therapy data from three million sleep apnea and respiratory care patients every day. AirView Action Groups automatically filters a clinicians sleep apnea patients on positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy into actionable groups based on adherence status or a specific therapy issue they may be having. This will help in reducing time of clinicians and also help patients in getting more responsive and quality treatment.KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.:Koninklijke Philips N.V. was founded in 1976 and headquartered in Murrysville, Pennsylvania, U.S. Koninklijke Philips N.V. focuses on developing, manufacturing and distributing products for personal health, diagnosis & treatment, connected care & health informatics, health tech and many more. For sleep apnea devices, Koninklijke Philips N.V.has devices in diagnosis and treatment segmentRecent developments:In January, 2017, Philips and Bon Secours Charity Health System announce USD180 million, long-term strategic partnership to support transformation of patient care and build healthier communitiesIn February, 2017, Philips announced about partnering with the Mackenzie Innovation Institute (Mi2) in Canada on opportunities to develop, test and evaluate technological solutions and innovations intended to improve patient care across the healthcare system.In March, 2017, Koninklijke Philips N.V. announced that it has signed an agreement to acquire Australian Pharmacy SleepServices (APSS). It will help Philips to provide better access to home sleep testing for those who need it, where and when they need it.Ask For TOC:FISHER & PAYKEL:Fisher and Paykel Healthcare Limited was founded in 1971 and is headquartered at Auckland, New Zealand. The company is focused in designing innovative medical products and therapies which meet the needs of patients and their caregivers. The company entered the respiratory care market by developing the unique respiratory humidifier system. The company now offers a broad range of products and systems for the use in respiratory care and acute care and thus in the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).Recent Developments:In August, 2016, Fisher &Paykel Healthcare Limited launched a new hospital mask named F&P Nivairo, for non-invasive ventilation therapy. The key features of the new mask include unique, world-first TubeFit zones, and an advanced seal for ease of set up and patient comfort.In August 2016, Fisher &Paykel Healthcare Limited announced about updation in its earnings guidance for financial year ending 31 March 2017.The company also announced about the commencement of a new building programme in New Zealand and Mexico.In August, 2016, Fisher &Paykel Healthcare Limited announced the introduction of an innovative new mask anmed, F&P Brevida. This is a nasal pillows mask designed for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). It features an AirPillow seal which inflates to form a pillow of air in and around the nose for a gentle and effective seal. It also incorporates VisiBlue highlights, which are subtle colour cues to help patients with mask orientation, use and assembly.Request an Analyst Call:Other ReportGlobal Drug Delivery Devices Market  Trends and Forecast to 2024Global Drug Delivery Devices Market, By Route of Administration (Oral, Injectable, Topical, Pulmonary, Nasal, Ocular, Implantable, Transmucosal), End-User (Hospitals, Clinics, Home Care Settings), Distribution Channel (Direct Tenders,Hospital Pharmacies), Geography (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East Africa)  Trends and Forecast To 2024Report Access:About Data Bridge Market Research:Data Bridge Market Research set forth itself as an unconventional and neoteric Market research and consulting firm with unparalleled level of resilience and integrated approaches. We are determined to unearth the best market opportunities and foster efficient information for your business to thrive in the market. Data Bridge endeavors to provide appropriate solutions to the complex business challenges and initiates an effortless decision-making process.Contact:Vishal DixitData Bridge Market ResearchTel: +1-888-387-2818Email: Sales@databridgemarketresearch.comInvestor:investors@databridgemarketresearch.comVisit BlogFollow us on LinkedIn:
The Recombinant Vaccines Market was valued at US$ 830.2 million in 2016 and is projected to expand at a CAGR of 6.0% during the forecast period (20172025)

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The Recombinant Vaccines Market was valued at US$ 830.2 million in 2016 and is projected to expand at a CAGR of 6.0% during the forecast period (20172025), as highlighted in a new report published by Coherent Market Insights. There is an increase in awareness regarding prevention of vaccine preventable lethal diseases.Vaccination offer effective protection from various lethal diseases caused by various microorganisms such as bacteria and virus. Recombinant vaccines are much more effective and has less or no side effects over the conventional vaccines and demand for recombinant vaccines are expected to increase and various companies have involved themselves in the development of various recombinant vaccines and few of them are in clinical trial.The growth inhibiting factors of recombinant vaccines market such as increase in awareness, increase in lethal diseases, development of new technology, more effective than conventional vaccines and various vaccination programs conducted by government. Various key players such as Pfizer Inc., Merck & Co. Inc., Sanofi S.A. and GlaxoSmithKline Plc. are involved in the development of new vaccines to strengthen their position and establish an evident presence in the global recombinant vaccines industry. These vaccines ensures the more effective prevention of diseases this would help in the improvement of health and reduction in mortality rates caused by vaccines preventable diseases such as influenza, cholera, mumps and human papilloma virus. Employing the advanced sterilizing procedure would help in reduction of the mortality rates caused as a result of infections due to contaminated tools and equipment. According to Centers of Disease Control and Prevention 2017 report, in the U.S. there were around 4,605 deaths caused by influenza in past one year.Request For Sample Copy@It is expected that increase in focus towards awareness with respect to vaccination against vaccine preventable diseases and increased in the demand for recombinant will favor the growth of recombinant vaccines market in the near future. According to Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia report 2014, there were around 85% of children over the globe vaccinated to protect them against tuberculosis, polio, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, and measles and these vaccines.Government has launched various vaccination program such as global vaccine action plan with aim to introduce new and improved vaccines, increase in research and technology for the development of new vaccines and eradication of vaccine preventable diseases such as rubella, measles and polio. According to Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia report 2014, around 3 million people die from vaccine-preventable diseases each year around the globe. Approximately 1.5 million of these deaths are reported among children less than 5 years of age due to several infectious diseases, as they transmitted from one person to another.Key takeaways of the market:The reprocessed medical devices is expected to expand at a CAGR of 6.0% during the forecast period (20172025). Rise in number of vaccine preventable diseases around the globe and awareness about vaccination and government programs is expected to favor the market of recombinant vaccines over the forecast period.The North America region in the reprocessed medical device market is expected to show high growth rate during the forecast period in terms of value.Infectious disease segment was valued at US$ 556.6 Mn in 2016 and is expected to reach US$ 972.3 Mn by 2025 at a CAGR of 6.5% over the forecast periodDriving factors for infectious disease includes rise in number of infectious disease globally, rise in number of lifestyle disease cases globally, increase in research and development of recombinant vaccinesIncreased healthcare access in emerging economies supported by increase in per capita income and awareness about vaccination will support the growth of recombinant vaccinesSome of the major companies in the recombinant vaccines market are Merck &Co. Inc., Green Cross Corporation, Pfizer Inc., Bayer AG, Sanofi S A., Protein Science Corporation, GlaxoSmithKline Plc., Novartis AG, and Bharat BiotechAbout Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity.Contact Us:Mr. ShahCoherent Market Insights1001 4th Ave,#3200Seattle, WA 98154Tel: +1-206-701-6702Email: sales@coherentmarketinsights.comAsk For the Discount@About Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity.Contact Us:Mr. ShahCoherent Market Insights1001 4th Ave,#3200Seattle, WA 98154Tel: +1-206-701-6702Email: sales@coherentmarketinsights.com
Electronic Health Record Systems Market  Global Industry Insights, Trends

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The systems that are used to maintain digital health record of the patient are called electronic health record (EHR) systems. This systems supports the systematic storage of information such as health progress notes, diagnoses, vital signs, medications, allergies, lab data and past medical history. The electronic storage of the system helps the ecofriendly storage of the information with minimum risk of losing it along with less manual work and other facilities such as easy access to the required information.The EHR systems helps to access and track health records conveniently and also allows for easy sharing of patient information with other healthcare professionals, in order to take clinical decisions during the treatment. Furthermore, the system also helps to get connect with different locations and healthcare departments to collect patient data; for instance, from clinical laboratory, other hospitals, in schools for maintaining students health record, different companies that keeps the health record of their employees, pharmacies, and emergency facilities. For effective use and to avoid reimbursement loss from any treatment some EHR system providers follow some methods to guide the patient and clinician during the course of treatment.As per the data published by Practice Fusion Blog, Inc. (It is the top most cloud based EHR platform in U.S.), it is expected that, by the end of 2017 around 90% physicians will use EHR systems in the U.S. Also, 67% out of all providers of EHR systems have reported that there is 1% growth in the adoption of EHR systems between September 2016 and March 2017. The highest adoption rate of EHR systems is observed in internal medicines departments, pediatrics departments followed by nephrology, family practice and urology department.Request a sample copy of this report@Electronic health record (EHR) systems market taxonomy:Global Market by Product TypeClient Server-based EHR Systems,Web/Cloud-based EHR SystemsGlobal Market by End UserHospitals,Ambulatory Care CentersGlobal Market by GeographyNorth America,Europe,APAC,Latin America,Middle East,AfricaTechnological advancements, highly beneficial applications and raised demand of EHR systems lead the growth for Electronic health record (EHR) systems market towards positive direction in the near futureThe continuous improvements in healthcare sector and supportive government initiatives create a highly conducive environment for growth of the global electronic health record (EHR) systems market. For instance, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 authorizes the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to provide incentive payments to eligible professionals (EPs) and hospitals who adopt, implement, upgrade, or demonstrate meaningful use of certified electronic health record (EHR) technology. The top contributor region in this market is North America, followed by Europe, as this regions has high adoption rate and developed healthcare network and facilities. The increasing development and digitalization in emerging economies are expected to show the high growth rate in electronic health record (EHR) systems industry in the near future. Also, high growth rate is expected from China as, this country is known for the production of low cost electronic devices. Based on end user the hospitals, as the hospitals generate large amount of data on a daily basis and the use of EHR system reduces their work pressure and save time required to keep health record, therefore the EHR systems became an integral part of hospitals in recent years. Also, the rising demand for Web/Cloud-based EHR systems from small healthcare facilities will result in growth of this segment of electronic health record (EHR) systems market in near the future.Low affordability of EHR systems due to their high cost and maintenance and service expenses are some factors restraining the growth of electronic health record (EHR) systems market. The manufacturers are continuously working to reduce the cost of these systems to increase the market penetration in emerging economies.Some of the major players in the electronic health record (EHR) systems market are Cerner Corporation, athenahealth, Inc, Meditech, Allscripts, Epic Systems Corporation, Quality Systems Inc, McKesson Corporation and GE Healthcare. Other emerging players in this market are Healthcare Management Systems, eClinicalWorks, Healthland and CureMD Research & Development. Also, the earliest acquisition in this market is Cerner Corporation acquired Siemens Health Services in February 2015. This acquisition will drive the innovation and development in healthcare IT segment.Get More Details about this Report@About Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity.Contact Us:Mr. ShahCoherent Market Insights1001 4th Ave,#3200Seattle, WA 98154Tel: +1-206-701-6702Email: sales@coherentmarketinsights.com
Nisin Market to reach $618.6 million by 2023 with a CAGR of 5.6

Nisin Market Research

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A new research document with title 'Nisin - Global Market Outlook (2017-2023) covering detailed analysis, Competitive landscape, forecast and strategies. The study covers geographic analysis that includes regions like North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Rest of the World and important players/vendors such as Cayman Chemical, UAB Baltvita, Handary S.A etc. The report will help user gain market insights, future trends and growth prospects for forecast period of 2017-2023.Request for sample pages @According to The Global Nisin market is expected to grow from $420.8 million in 2016 to reach $618.6 million by 2023 with a CAGR of 5.6%. Growing awareness across various economies, decreasing the processing temperatures, protecting the food without spoiling, enlarging the lifespan without changing the taste and its easy to use properties are some of the factors propelling the market growth. The use of Nisin as an antimicrobial agent in active packaging is also fueling the market growth. Also, the soaring demand for safe and convenience food in North America is fueling the market growth.By application, the Meat segment holds the largest market share due to the rising consumption of meat across various nations and application of Nisin in meat protects it from being contaminated. Nisin is an antimicrobial agent and is used as a natural food preservative which helps in controlling the growth of bacteria in food products. Meat contains essential amino acids which acts as a source of protein and helps in maintaining good health. Europe and North America are the largest consumers of meat which is contributing to the growth of Nisin in the market.Geographically, North America holds the largest share in the market due to huge consumption of meat as most of the people prefer meat products on a large scale in this region. In addition the cheese and dairy industries offer a wide opportunity for the growth of Nisin market in the region.Some of the key players in the Nisin market are Chihon Biotechnology, Zhejiang Silver-Elephant Bioengineering Co., Ltd, Siveele B.V., Shandong Freda Biotechnology Co., Ltd, Danisco A/S, Cayman Chemical, UAB Baltvita, Handary S.A, Amtech Biotech Co., Ltd, Royal DSM N.V., Duke Thomson, Galactic and Foodchem International Corporation.Applications Covered: Bakery Products Meat Canned Product Beverages Poultry Dairy Products Other ApplicationsBuy this report @Regions Covered: North Americao USo Canadao Mexico Europeo Germanyo UKo Franceo Italyo Spaino Rest of Europe Asia Pacifico Japano Chinao Indiao Australiao New Zealando South Koreao Rest of Asia Pacific South Americao Argentinao Brazilo Chileo Rest of South America Middle East & Africao Saudi Arabiao UAEo Qataro South Africao Rest of Middle East & AfricaWhat our report offers:- Market share assessments for the regional and country level segments- Market share analysis of the top industry players- Strategic recommendations for the new entrants- Market forecasts for a minimum of 7 years of all the mentioned segments, sub segments and the regional markets- Market Trends (Drivers, Constraints, Opportunities, Threats, Challenges, Investment Opportunities, and recommendations)- Strategic recommendations in key business segments based on the market estimations- Competitive landscaping mapping the key common trends.- Company profiling with detailed strategies, financials, and recent developments- Supply chain trends mapping the latest technological advancementsGet customization & check discount for report @1 Executive Summary2 Preface2.1 Abstract2.2 Stake Holders2.3 Research Scope2.4 Research Methodology2.4.1 Data Mining2.4.2 Data Analysis2.4.3 Data Validation2.4.4 Research Approach2.5 Research Sources2.5.1 Primary Research Sources2.5.2 Secondary Research Sources2.5.3 Assumptions....ContinuedView Detailed Table of Content @Thanks for reading this article, you can also get individual chapter wise section or region wise report version like North America, Europe or Asia.HTF Market Report is a wholly owned brand of HTF market Intelligence Consulting Private Limited. HTF Market Report global research and market intelligence consulting organization is uniquely positioned to not only identify growth opportunities but to also empower and inspire you to create visionary growth strategies for futures, enabled by our extraordinary depth and breadth of thought leadership, research, tools, events and experience that assist you for making goals into a reality. Our understanding of the interplay between industry convergence, Mega Trends, technologies and market trends provides our clients with new business models and expansion opportunities. We are focused on identifying the Accurate Forecast in every industry we cover so our clients can reap the benefits of being early market entrants and can accomplish their Goals & Objectives.Contact Us:HTF Market Intelligence Consulting Private LimitedUnit No. 429, Parsonage Road, Edison, NJ USA - 08837sales@htfmarketreport.comPh: +1 (206) 317 1218
Head of French energy group Total has indicated that instructions from Paris and Washington will not deter him to do business with Teheran in reference to US sanctions against foreign companies dealing with Iran.

President Trump who has threatened to tear up 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world power is expected on October 15 to certify whether Teheran has been in compliance with the agreement or not.

If President Trump administration does not certify Teherans adherence with the deal, the US congress could consider reinstating sanctions.

Patrick Pouyanne who heads the French group notes that any deal with Iran would be at stake. The French group signed in July a deal with the Islamic Republic to develop part of its South Pars gas field. The deal has been estimated at $4.8.

The deal is the first between the Islamic Republic and a European company, following more than a decade of international isolation.

Pouyanne noted that he knew that the road will not be easy but referred to land a deal than having no opportunity.

The French CEO also stressed that Total is committed to the deal and will go ahead to execute it.

I dont receive any order from the French government. I dont receive any order from the US government . . . I respect the fact that each country can have its own foreign policy and of course . . . we take that into account, he said.

Pouyanne told the Financial Time that he does not whether US President will certify Irans behavior with regards to deal, or what US Congress will decide even though important voices within the US institution last week urged the US President to heed calls to remain faithful to the deal.
Robo-Advisors Market Dynamics, Segments and Supply Demand -2025

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Robo advisors are financial adviser class that offers portfolio management or financial advice online with least intervention of human. They offers digital financial advice depending on mathematical algorithms or rules. The algorithms are executed by software and hence financial advice essentially do not require any human advisors. Moreover, the software uses the algorithms to automatically manage, allocate and optimize clients assets. In 2008, the robo advisors emerged with higher acceleration in U.S. and later in 2011 in other countries.Request Sample Copy of the Report@The global robo advisors market is primarily driven by the low fee robo advisory in the market during the forecast period. The robo advisory industries is likely to witness expansion continuously as the robo advisors attend to broader range of customers. With the increase in number of robo advisors, it is expected to see robo advisory requiring very less account minimums to take the benefits of their services. As of now, the minimum investment amount for robo advisors starts at a minimum of USD 500. Robo advisors are reducing the distance between client and wealth management products. They are removing the middle men and fee collectors out of the value chain thereby creating a simple fee structure that is directly related to the cost of the robots and products. Another major drivers in the global robo advisors market is the increasing integration of artificial intelligence. With the integration of artificial intelligence in the robo advisory system it is likely to help the robots to act more like human. For instance, Wealthfront has integrated artificial intelligence capabilities into its services. This is likely to track account activity on its products so as to understand and analyze the way the account holders are taking their financial decisions, spending and investing in an effort to provide more custom-made advices to the customers. With the entry of banks in the robo advisor market, the market is witnessing major driving factors in the global market of robo advisors market during the forecast period. Banks are now partnering with various robo advisor companies to provide various services directly to it customers. Banks like UBS, Schwab and Bank of Montreal has already launched their own robo advisor services.The robo advisors market is facing challenges despite of various driving factors. One of the major factors restraining the market growth is due to the lack of direct communication with the client. The risk profile is continuously changing and is different due to various factors like retirement, income and job. These robo advisors lack the capability of direct communication with the clients and familiarize to the changing situations. Since the robo advisor system are based on single moment in time that is likely to be greatly influenced by the short term emotions or events. Moreover, the algorithms that are considered are based on previous market assumptions and data that is not likely to be correct in the future because of the changing financial market and products.Continuous advancement in technology is one of the major opportunities in the global robo advisors market. Increasing advancement is likely to attract further attention since it is approaching the top of the hype cycle that shows in a phase of high public awareness and exaggerated interests.The robo advisors market based on automation is bifurcated into semi-automated and fully automated. Based on the services, the market has been bifurcated into retirement planning, tax loss harvesting and investment advisors, B2B robo advisors, wealth management, personal financial advisors and others. The regional split of the market encompasses North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa and Latin America.Some of the top players in the global robo advisors market encompasses Bambu (Singapore), Betterment Holdings Inc. (U.S.), Hedgeable, Inc. (U.S.), WiseBanyan, Inc.(U.S.), Wealthfront Inc.(U.S.), Ally Financial Inc. (U.S.), SigFig Wealth Management (U.S.), Charles Schwab & Co.(U.S.)., AssetBuilder Inc.(U.S.) and blooom, Inc. (U.S.) among others.Request TOC of the Report@The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the market. It does so via in-depth qualitative insights, historical data, and verifiable projections about market size. The projections featured in the report have been derived using proven research methodologies and assumptions. By doing so, the research report serves as a repository of analysis and information for every facet of the market, including but not limited to: Regional markets, technology, types, and applications.The study is a source of reliable data on:Market segments and sub-segmentsMarket trends and dynamicsSupply and demandMarket sizeCurrent trends/opportunities/challengesCompetitive landscapeTechnological breakthroughsValue chain and stakeholder analysisThe regional analysis covers:North America (U.S. and Canada)Latin America (Mexico, Brazil, Peru, Chile, and others)Western Europe (Germany, U.K., France, Spain, Italy, Nordic countries, Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg)Eastern Europe (Poland and Russia)Asia Pacific (China, India, Japan, ASEAN, Australia, and New Zealand)Middle East and Africa (GCC, Southern Africa, and North Africa)About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Our data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts, so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With a broad research and analysis capability, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques in developing distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.Contact UsTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Mobile BPM Market Growth, Forecast and Value Chain-2025

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Mobile business process management or BPM offers effective transparency and control in business operation while providing solutions to deal with falling revenue and profit margins and real-time access from remote locations. The key advantages of BPM are automation, integration and transparency. Integration means various type of systems work together. Automation allows carrying out rapidly and constantly, and transparency offers users to monitor processes in real time. In addition, mobile BPM also helps to sales teams and field technicians to do their work efficiently and effectively.The global mobile BPM market is growing rapidly due to the rising need for business agility. Most of the organizations are moving to digital businesses, thus the demand for mobile BPM is rising significantly and is anticipated a stable growth during the forecast period. Mobile BPM mainly provides flexibility and technical integration to the organization and this factor is booming the market globally. This software helps to the organization to combine technical and management capabilities and its allowed to align their objectives with the client requirements. The mobile BPM has the capability to promotes business efficiency by optimizing business operation and this factor is further fueling the growth of this market and is expected a steady growth during the forecast period. The global mobile BPM market is expected a significant growth during the forecast period. Owing to the rising need for the automation solution in different industry vertical such as banking financial services and insurance, transportation and logistics, government and defense, IT and telecom, consumer and retail, and automotive among others. However, the complication of using mobile BPM among the employee of the organization is acting as a restraining of this market. Cost and time of training of this software is bit high but so many organizations investing on that due to its huge application and benefits. Therefore the impact of this restraint is medium and is expecting to be low during the forecast period.The global mobile BPM market is segmented in three categories: by deployment, by solution and by end users. By deployment the market of mobile BPM can be divided into hybrid cloud, private cloud and public cloud. By solution the market is segmented by monitoring and optimization, integration, process modeling and design, automation, content and document management and integration among others. Furthermore, the automation solution held the largest market share in mobile BPM market due to its various applications in this segment. In terms of end user, the market of mobile BPM can be divided into manufacturing, banking financial services and insurance, transportation and logistics, healthcare, government and defense, IT and telecom, consumer and retail, and automotive among others.Request Sample Copy of the Report@By geography the global mobile BPM market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America and Middle East and Africa. In North America mobile BPM markets growing significantly due to the enterprises are now shifting to digital businesses and they are becoming more customer-centric. Additionally, in Europe and Asia-Pacific, organizations are redesigning and modernizing their business process to improve their efficiencies. Asia Pacific is expecting the fastest growth due to the rising economics such as India and China. North America and Europe is showing a significant market share during the forecast period. Middle East and Africa has shown a remarkable growth in mobile BPM market followed by Latin America in recent years.The key players participating in the mobile BPM market are IBM Corporation (New York, U.S.A), Oracle Corporation (California, U.S.A), Fujitsu Ltd. (Tokyo, Japan), Open Text Corporation (Ontario, Canada), Appian (Virginia, U.S.A), Software AG (Darmstadt, Germany), Pegasystems Inc (Massachusetts, U.S.A), TIBCO Software Inc (California, U.S.A) and Hyland Software Inc (Ohio, U.S.A) among others.Request TOC of the Report@The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the market. It does so via in-depth qualitative insights, historical data, and verifiable projections about market size. The projections featured in the report have been derived using proven research methodologies and assumptions. By doing so, the research report serves as a repository of analysis and information for every facet of the market, including but not limited to: Regional markets, technology, types, and applications.The study is a source of reliable data on:Market segments and sub-segmentsMarket trends and dynamicsSupply and demandMarket sizeCurrent trends/opportunities/challengesCompetitive landscapeTechnological breakthroughsValue chain and stakeholder analysisThe regional analysis covers:North America (U.S. and Canada)Latin America (Mexico, Brazil, Peru, Chile, and others)Western Europe (Germany, U.K., France, Spain, Italy, Nordic countries, Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg)Eastern Europe (Poland and Russia)Asia Pacific (China, India, Japan, ASEAN, Australia, and New Zealand)Middle East and Africa (GCC, Southern Africa, and North Africa)About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Our data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts, so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With a broad research and analysis capability, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques in developing distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.Contact UsTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Global GPS Tracking Device Market Size, Key Driving Factors, Latest Trends and Segment Forecast To 2024

Global GPS Tracking Device Market ? Industry Trends and Forecast to 2024

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Global GPS Tracking Device Market By Type (Standalone Tracker, PBD Device, Advance Tracker) By Deployment type (Commercial Vehicle, Cargo and Container, Others), By Application (Transportation & Logistics, Construction, Oil & Gas, Metals & Mining, Government, Others) By Geography (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Europe, South America, Middle East and Africa)  Industry Trends and Forecast to 2024Global GPS Tracking Device Market accounted to USD 1.5 billion in 2016 growing at a CAGR of 13.0% during the forecast period of 2017 to 2024. The upcoming market report contains data for historic years 2015, the base year of calculation is 2016 and the forecast period is 2017 to 2024.This report consists of below pages:No of pages : 350 No of Figures: 60 No of Tables: 220Ask for Free Sample Report @Customize Report of Global GPS Tracking Device Market Also Available On Request (As per Requirement)Global GPS Tracking Device Market Definition:A GPS tracking unit is a device, normally carried by a moving vehicle or person, that uses the Global Positioning System to determine and track its precise location, and hence that of its carrier, at intervals. The latest trend in this market is growth in commercial vehicle leading to the growth of GPS system, they are in small in size, easy to carry, which may further develop the market in future. There is need of GPS tracking devices for several applications like Transportation & Logistics, Construction, Oil & Gas, Metals & Mining,Government, Otherswill create a huge market for the GPS tracking devices.Global GPS Tracking Device Market Competitive Analysis:GPS Tracking Device Market is highly fragmented and is based on new product launches and clinical results of products. Hence the major players have used various strategies such as new product launches, clinical trials, market initiatives, high expense on research and development, agreements, joint ventures, partnerships, acquisitions, and others to increase their footprints in this market. The report includes market shares of flow cytometry market for global, Europe, North America, Asia Pacific and South America.For Any Query Speak to Expert @Major Market Drivers and Restraints: Commercial Vehicles increment leading to large supply of GPS system Smaller Size, Longer Life, and High ROI Low Prices Several Environmental Factors Leads to Poor User Experience Advancement in the SoftwareRequest for Detail TOC@Price (Single User Licence): $ 4200 (Ask for Discount)Segmentation:On the basis of type the GPS tracking device marketis segmented into Standalone Tracker, PBD Device, and Advance Tracker. The advance tracker market is expected to grow in the forecasted period.On the basis of deployment type the GPS tracking device market is segmented into Commercial Vehicle, Cargo and Container, Others.The commercial vehicle market is expected to grow in the forecasted period.On the basis of application the GPS tracking device market is segmented into Transportation & Logistics, Construction, Oil & Gas, Metals & Mining, Government, Others.The transportation and logistic market is expected to grow in the forecasted period.On the basis of geography, GPS tracking device marketreport covers data points for 28 countries across multiple geographies such as North America & South America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Middle East & Africa. Some of the major countries covered in this report are U.S., Canada, Germany, France, U.K., Netherlands, Switzerland, Turkey, Russia, China, India, South Korea, Japan, Australia, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and Brazil among others. In 2017, North America is expected to dominate the market.Avail 10% Discount on Global GPS Tracking Device Market Report at:Major Market Competitors:Some of the major players operating in GPS tracking device market are: Calamp Corporation, Sierra Wireless, Inc., Orbocomm Inc., Queclink Wireless Solutions Co., Ltd, Shenzhen Concox Information Technology Co., Ltd, Laird PLC., Tomtom International Bv, MeitrackGroup, Teltonika UAB, Atrack Technology Inc., Trackimo LLC,Geotab Inc., Shenzhen Coban Electronics Co., Ltd, Xirgo Technologies, Inc., Maestro Wireless Solutions Ltd., Ruptela UAB, Spy tech, Inc., Verizon Wireless among others.In 2017, Volkswagen sign a deal with Sierra wireless Inc. to use the GPS tracking devices in their cars.Report Key insights in-depth @About Data Bridge Market Research:Data Bridge Market Research set forth itself as an unconventional and neoteric Market research and consulting firm with unparalleled level of resilience and integrated approaches. We are determined to unearth the best market opportunities and foster efficient information for your business to thrive in the market. Data Bridge endeavors to provide appropriate solutions to the complex business challenges and initiates an effortless decision-making process.Contact:Vishal DixitData Bridge Market ResearchTel: +1-888-387-2818Email: Sales@databridgemarketresearch.comInvestor: investors@databridgemarketresearch.comVisit Blog:Follow us on LinkedIn:Data Bridge is an organization lead by well versed forecasters, analysts and researchers who indulge in detailed and diligent research on different markets, trends and emerging opportunities in the successive direction to cater to your business needs. Data Bridge aims to make your organization well acquainted with profound knowledge of the global and local market statistics.Data Bridge Market ResearchOffice Number 402 & 317,Amanora Chambers,Magarpatta Road, HadapsarPune  411028Maharashtra, India
Manufacturing Operations Management(MOM) Software 2017 Global Market Size,Status,Analysis and Forecast to 2022

"Manufacturing Operations Management(MOM) Software"

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WiseGuyReports.Com Publish a New Market Research Report On - Manufacturing Operations Management(MOM) Software 2017 Global Market Size,Status,Analysis and Forecast to 2022.This report studies the global Manufacturing Operations Management(MOM) Software market, analyzes and researches the Manufacturing Operations Management(MOM) Software development status and forecast in United States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia. This report focuses on the top players in global market, likeABBSimensMOMsoftwareWonderwareSmartFactoryAprisoGuruIbasetFreestyle SolutionsRockwell SoftwareAtosGet a Sample Report @For more information or any query mail at sales@wiseguyreports.comMarket segment by Regions/Countries, this report coversUnited StatesEUJapanChinaIndiaSoutheast AsiaMarket segment by Type, Manufacturing Operations Management(MOM) Software can be split intoManufacturing Execution SystemAdvanced Planning and SchedulingQuality Management SystemR&D for Process IndustriesOthersMarket segment by Application, Manufacturing Operations Management(MOM) Software can be split intoManufaturing ProductionIndustrialOthersAsk Query @Table Of Contents  Major Key PointsGlobal Manufacturing Operations Management(MOM) Software Market Size, Status and Forecast 20221 Industry Overview of Manufacturing Operations Management(MOM) Software1.1 Manufacturing Operations Management(MOM) Software Market Overview1.1.1 Manufacturing Operations Management(MOM) Software Product Scope1.1.2 Market Status and Outlook1.2 Global Manufacturing Operations Management(MOM) Software Market Size and Analysis by Regions1.2.1 United States1.2.2 EU1.2.3 Japan1.2.4 China1.2.5 India1.2.6 Southeast Asia1.3 Manufacturing Operations Management(MOM) Software Market by Type1.3.1 Manufacturing Execution System1.3.2 Advanced Planning and Scheduling1.3.3 Quality Management System1.3.4 R&D for Process Industries1.3.5 Others1.4 Manufacturing Operations Management(MOM) Software Market by End Users/Application1.4.1 Manufaturing Production1.4.2 Industrial1.4.3 Others2 Global Manufacturing Operations Management(MOM) Software Competition Analysis by Players2.1 Manufacturing Operations Management(MOM) Software Market Size (Value) by Players (2016 and 2017)2.2 Competitive Status and Trend2.2.1 Market Concentration Rate2.2.2 Product/Service Differences2.2.3 New Entrants2.2.4 The Technology Trends in Future3 Company (Top Players) Profiles3.1 ABB3.1.1 Company Profile3.1.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.1.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.1.4 Manufacturing Operations Management(MOM) Software Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.1.5 Recent Developments3.2 Simens3.2.1 Company Profile3.2.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.2.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.2.4 Manufacturing Operations Management(MOM) Software Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.2.5 Recent Developments3.3 MOMsoftware3.3.1 Company Profile3.3.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.3.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.3.4 Manufacturing Operations Management(MOM) Software Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.3.5 Recent Developments3.4 Wonderware3.4.1 Company Profile3.4.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.4.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.4.4 Manufacturing Operations Management(MOM) Software Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.4.5 Recent Developments3.5 SmartFactory3.5.1 Company Profile3.5.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.5.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.5.4 Manufacturing Operations Management(MOM) Software Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.5.5 Recent Developments3.6 Apriso3.6.1 Company Profile3.6.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.6.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.6.4 Manufacturing Operations Management(MOM) Software Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.6.5 Recent Developments3.7 Guru3.7.1 Company Profile3.7.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.7.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.7.4 Manufacturing Operations Management(MOM) Software Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.7.5 Recent Developments3.8 Ibaset3.8.1 Company Profile3.8.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.8.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.8.4 Manufacturing Operations Management(MOM) Software Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.8.5 Recent Developments3.9 Freestyle Solutions3.9.1 Company Profile3.9.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.9.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.9.4 Manufacturing Operations Management(MOM) Software Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.9.5 Recent DevelopmentsContinue.For more information or any query mail at sales@wiseguyreports.comBuy 1-User PDF@ABOUT US:Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports features an exhaustive list of market research reports from hundreds of publishers worldwide. We boast a database spanning virtually every market category and an even more comprehensive collection of market research reports under these categories and sub-categories.Office No.528,Amanora Chambers,Magarpatta Road,Hadapsar,Pune-411028.
Airbag Market Is Expected To Reach $37.3 Billion By 2022

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The Rise In competition among car manufacturers to introduce advanced safety features majorly contributes to the increase in demand for airbags. In addition, rise in demand for cars in the Asia-Pacific region and increased concern about road fatalities majorly boost the growth of the airbag marketFor More Information about This Report:Airbag Market Report, published by Allied Market Research, forecasts that the global market is expected to garner $37.3 billion by 2022, registering a CAGR of 9.4% during the forecast period 2016 - 2022.In 2015, Asia-Pacific contributed a major market share, in terms of revenue, owing to growth in the automobile sector and rise in disposable income of consumers.Passive safety features in automobiles is a prime factor as far as occupants protection is concerned. These features consist of airbags that play a crucial role to reduce the impact of collisions at the time of accidents. The global airbag market is expected to witness significant growth, owing to the increase in consumer awareness towards vehicle safety, use of advanced technology in automotive safety, and growth in the automobile sector. Strict government regulations in India, Germany, and UK about safety features in automobiles are expected to fuel the market growth. However, high replacement cost of airbags and use of enhanced substitute technology for occupant safety are anticipated to hinder this growth.The market is segmented by module into inflator or gas generator and air bag segments. Inflator or gas generator is expected to hold the largest market share; however, air bag is anticipated to grow at a significant rate in the future.Request For Sample:By type, front and side airbags together comprised around 85% of the global market share in 2015. In the same year, front airbag generated the highest revenue, as it is the major passive safety component of automobiles installed in steering wheel and the front side of passenger to protect the head and chest. Knee and curtain airbags are expected to witness significant growth during the forecast period.In 2015, Asia-Pacific generated the highest revenue, with over 30% of the global market share, owing to rise in awareness about safety and increase in technological advancements in passive safety components of vehicles.The key players profiled in the report include Autoliv (Sweden), Delphi Automotive (UK), Takata Corporation (Japan), TRW Automotive (U.S.), Robert Bosch GmbH (Germany), Denso Corporation (Japan), Toyoda Gosei Corporation (Japan), Neaton Auto Products Manufacturing Incorporation (U.S.), Key Safety Systems (U.S.), and Continental AG (Germany).Get Discount:Key Findings Of Airbag Market Front and side airbag segments together comprised around 85% of the global market share in 2015. Knee and curtain airbag segments are expected to witness significant growth during the forecast period. Inflator or gas generator is expected to hold the largest market share; however, air bag is anticipated to show significant growth rate in the coming years. Asia-Pacific generated the highest revenue, with over 30% of the global market share.Allied Market Research (AMR) is a full-service market research and business-consulting wing of Allied Analytics LLP based in Portland, Oregon. Allied Market Research provides global enterprises as well as medium and small businesses with unmatched quality of "Market Research Reports" and "Business Intelligence Solutions". AMR has a targeted view to provide business insights and consulting to assist its clients to make strategic business decisions and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domain. We are in professional corporate relations with various companies and this helps us in digging out market data that helps us generate accurate research data tables and confirms utmost accuracy in our market forecasting. Each and every data presented in the reports published by us is extracted through primary interviews with top officials from leading companies of domain concerned. Our secondary data procurement methodology includes deep online and offline research and discussion with knowledgeable professionals and analysts in the industry.5933 NE Win Sivers Drive#205, Portland, OR 97220United StatesDirect: +1-503-894-6022Toll Free: +1 (800) 792-5285 (U.S. & Canada)Fax: +1 (855) 550-5975E-mail: sales@alliedmarketresearch.com
Clinical Nutrition Global Market Key Players  Baxter International Inc, Abbott Laboratories, B. Braun Melsungen AG, Nestle S.A  Analysis and Forecast to 2027

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Market Synopsis of Clinical NutritionMarket ScenarioWith the increasing aged population, the clinical nutrition spends are estimated to increase in the future. Due to the weak digestive framework at an old age, it becomes difficult for human body to digest all the required nutrients, rom food. Among aged population, the loss of appetite is considered a major issue; due to which, the elderly population does not get necessary amount of nutrients.Therefore to get sufficient supplements, the confidence of the aged population towards clinical nutrition support, is growing. The global clinical nutrition market is going up because of high birth rate, raise in the number of victims receiving malnutrition treatment, and high number of premature births.Request a Sample Copy @Key PlayersBaxter International IncAbbott LaboratoriesB. Braun Melsungen AGNestle S.AGroupeDanoneMead Johnson Nutrition CompanyFresenius Kabi AGHospira IncPerrigo Company PlcMarket Segments:Segmentation by ProductOn the basis of product the market is segmented into:Infant Nutrition (Milk Based, Soy Based, Organic, Others and Probiotic/Prebiotic)Enteral Nutrition (Standard and For Chronic Illness)Parenteral NutritionBrowse Full Report @Study Objectives of Clinical NutritionTo provide detailed analysis of the market structure along with forecast for the next 10 years of the various segments and sub-segments of the Global Clinical Nutrition MarketTo provide insights about factors affecting the market growthTo Analyze the Clinical Nutrition Market based on various factors- price analysis, supply chain analysis, porters five force analysis etc.To provide historical and forecast revenue of the market segments and sub-segments with respect to four main geographies and their countries- North America, Europe, Asia, and Rest of the World (ROW)To provide country level analysis of the market with respect to the current market size and future prospectiveTo provide country level analysis of the market for segment by product types and their sub -segmentsTo provide strategic profiling of key players in the market, comprehensively analyzing their core competencies, and drawing a competitive landscape for the marketTo track and analyze competitive developments such as joint ventures, strategic alliances, mergers and acquisitions, new product developments, and research and developments in the Global Clinical Nutrition MarketRegional Analysis of Clinical Nutrition:In 2014, North America was the third-largest market for clinical nutrition products, which accounted for 23.1% of the global market share. The U.S. dominates the market in the North American region. The growth in consumer awareness about health and wellbeing, along with the increasing healthcare cost is driving the demand for clinical nutrition products in the region. Additionally, high birth rate is one of the major drivers, in the region. In 2013, the birth rate in the U.S. was 13 per thousand people, as compared to less than 12 per thousand people in many European countries.AmericasNorth AmericaUSCanadaLatin AmericaEuropeWestern EuropeGermanyFranceItalySpainU.KRest of Western EuropeEastern EuropeAsia PacificAsiaChinaIndiaJapanSouth KoreaRest of AsiaPacificThe Middle East& AfricaCheck Discount for this Report @The report for Clinical Nutrition Market of Market Research Future comprises of extensive primary research along with the detailed analysis of qualitative as well as quantitative aspects by various industry experts, key opinion leaders to gain the deeper insight of the market and industry performance. The report gives the clear picture of current market scenario which includes historical and projected market size in terms of value and volume, technological advancement, macro economical and governing factors in the market. The report provides details information and strategies of the top key players in the industry. The report also gives a broad study of the different market segments and regions.At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.Akash Anand,Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: akash.anand@marketresearchfuture.com
Global Confectionery Packaging Sales Market Report 2017: Hood Packaging,Kraft Foods,MWV,Aptar

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Global Confectionery Packaging market competition by top manufacturers/players, with Confectionery Packaging sales volume, Price (USD/MT), revenue (Million USD) and market share for each manufacturer/player; the top players includingOwens-IllinoisBemisCrownAmcorSilgan?Sonoco?Graham PackagingSolo?Graphic PackagingHood PackagingKraft FoodsMWVAptarOn the basis of product, this report displays the sales volume (K MT), revenue (Million USD), product price (USD/MT), market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoKink PackingPillow PackingFolding PackagingOn the basis on the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, sales volume, market share and growth rate of Confectionery Packaging for each application, includingDairyBiscuitsKNOW MORE WITH SAMPLE STUDY @Table of ContentsGlobal Confectionery Packaging Sales Market Report 20171 Confectionery Packaging Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Confectionery Packaging1.2 Classification of Confectionery Packaging by Product Category1.2.1 Global Confectionery Packaging Market Size (Sales) Comparison by Type (2012-2022)1.2.2 Global Confectionery Packaging Market Size (Sales) Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20161.2.3 Kink Packing1.2.4 Pillow Packing1.2.5 Folding Packaging1.3 Global Confectionery Packaging Market by Application/End Users1.3.1 Global Confectionery Packaging Sales (Volume) and Market Share Comparison by Application (2012-2022)1.3.2 Dairy1.3.3 Biscuits1.3.4 Other1.4 Global Confectionery Packaging Market by Region1.4.1 Global Confectionery Packaging Market Size (Value) Comparison by Region (2012-2022)1.4.2 United States Confectionery Packaging Status and Prospect (2012-2022)2 Global Confectionery Packaging Competition by Players/Suppliers, Type and Application2.1 Global Confectionery Packaging Market Competition by Players/Suppliers2.1.1 Global Confectionery Packaging Sales and Market Share of Key Players/Suppliers (2012-2017)2.1.2 Global Confectionery Packaging Revenue and Share by Players/Suppliers (2012-2017)2.2 Global Confectionery Packaging (Volume and Value) by Type2.2.1 Global Confectionery Packaging Sales and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)2.2.2 Global Confectionery Packaging Revenue and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)2.3 Global Confectionery Packaging (Volume and Value) by Region2.3.1 Global Confectionery Packaging Sales and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)2.3.2 Global Confectionery Packaging Revenue and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)2.4 Global Confectionery Packaging (Volume) by Application3 United States Confectionery Packaging (Volume, Value and Sales Price)3.1 United States Confectionery Packaging Sales and Value (2012-2017)3.1.1 United States Confectionery Packaging Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)3.1.2 United States Confectionery Packaging Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2017)3.1.3 United States Confectionery Packaging Sales Price Trend (2012-2017)3.2 United States Confectionery Packaging Sales Volume and Market Share by Players3.3 United States Confectionery Packaging Sales Volume and Market Share by Type3.4 United States Confectionery Packaging Sales Volume and Market Share by Application4 China Confectionery Packaging (Volume, Value and Sales Price)4.1 China Confectionery Packaging Sales and Value (2012-2017)4.1.1 China Confectionery Packaging Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)4.1.2 China Confectionery Packaging Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2017)4.1.3 China Confectionery Packaging Sales Price Trend (2012-2017)4.2 China Confectionery Packaging Sales Volume and Market Share by Players4.3 China Confectionery Packaging Sales Volume and Market Share by Type4.4 China Confectionery Packaging Sales Volume and Market Share by Application5 Europe Confectionery Packaging (Volume, Value and Sales Price)5.1 Europe Confectionery Packaging Sales and Value (2012-2017)5.1.1 Europe Confectionery Packaging Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)5.1.2 Europe Confectionery Packaging Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2017)5.1.3 Europe Confectionery Packaging Sales Price Trend (2012-2017)5.2 Europe Confectionery Packaging Sales Volume and Market Share by Players5.3 Europe Confectionery Packaging Sales Volume and Market Share by Type5.4 Europe Confectionery Packaging Sales Volume and Market Share by ApplicationComplete report with detailed table of content is available at:List of Tables and FiguresFigure Product Picture of Confectionery PackagingFigure Global Confectionery Packaging Sales Volume Comparison (K MT) by Type (2012-2022)Figure Global Confectionery Packaging Sales Volume Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 2016Figure Kink Packing Product PictureFigure Pillow Packing Product PictureFigure Folding Packaging Product PictureFigure Global Confectionery Packaging Sales Comparison (K MT) by Application (2012-2022)Figure Global Sales Market Share of Confectionery Packaging by Application in 2016Figure Dairy ExamplesFigure Biscuits ExamplesFigure Other ExamplesFigure Global Confectionery Packaging Market Size (Million USD) by Regions (2012-2022)Figure United States Confectionery Packaging Revenue (Million USD) and Growth Rate (2012-2022)QYReseachReports.com delivers the latest strategic market intelligence to build a successful business footprint in China. Our syndicated and customized research reports provide companies with vital background information of the market and in-depth analysis on the Chinese trade and investment framework, which directly affects their business operations. Reports from QYReseachReports.com feature valuable recommendations on how to navigate in the extremely unpredictable yet highly attractive Chinese market.1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Web:Email: sales@qyresearchreports.com
Tributyl Citrate Market Volume Analysis, Segments, Value Share and Key Trends 2016 - 2024

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Tributyl Citrate (TBC) Market: OverviewTributyl Citrate (TBC), also known as Butyl Citrate, Tri-n-butyl citrate, and Tributyl Ester, is a colorless, non-toxic, and oily liquid with a high boiling point and fruity flavor at room temperature. It is insoluble in water, but dissolves in acetic acid, acetone, castor oil, carbon tetrachloride, mineral oil, and methanol. Known to react with oxidizing reagents, TBC is produced through esterification of citric acid with 1-butanol and concentrated sulfuric acid acting as a catalyst.Request Sample Copy of the Report @TBC is widely used in food wrapping films, soft toys for children, cosmetics, and as a plasticizer for polymers such as poly vinyl chloride (PVC) and its copolymers. It aids maintenance of color when processed with resins due to its excellent heat stability.Tributyl Citrate (TBC) Market: TrendsProducts manufactured using TBC are able to withstand cold, mildew, and water. It is used for granulation of non-toxic PVC, besides being an authorized plasticizer in various industries including food contact, food packaging materials, food additives, pharmaceuticals, medicines, cosmetics, flavors and fragrances, and adhesives. It is also utilized in cigarette filters to retain moisture. TBC is a competent fragrance carrier, and thereby applied on a large scale in cosmetic products.Salient properties of TBC include good compatibility, weather resistance, non-toxicity, limited volatility, and high plasticizing efficiency. It recently replaced phthalate ester, which is carcinogenic and is known to have adverse effects on human health, as a safer, and hence, preferred alternative. With increasing environmental awareness and improvements in regulations, the TBC market is expected to experience a steady growth rate during the forecast period.Tributyl Citrate (TBC) Market: Region-wise OutlookTBC is extensively employed as a plasticizer and food additive in the global market. In Europe, it finds applications in packaging of food and medical products, pharmaceuticals, flavors and fragrances, childrens soft toys, and manufacturing of cosmetics.With prominent economies such as China formulating rules and regulations concerning the limited usage of toxic plasticizers and incorporating TBC in multiple sectors, the market in Asia Pacific is also anticipated to expand in the next few years.Latin America and Middle East & Africa are likely to witness a comparatively sluggish rate of growth during the forecast period owing to the lack of TBC-related awareness in this region.Tributyl Citrate (TBC) Market: Key PlayersSome of the key players operating in the global TBC market include Chemport India LLP, Vertellus Holdings LLC, and Jungbunzlauer Suisse AG.The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the market. It does so via in-depth qualitative insights, historical data, and verifiable projections about market size. The projections featured in the report have been derived using proven research methodologies and assumptions. By doing so, the research report serves as a repository of analysis and information for every facet of the market, including but not limited to: Regional markets, technology, types, and applications.The study is a source of reliable data on:Market segments and sub-segmentsMarket trends and dynamicsSupply and demandMarket sizeCurrent trends/opportunities/challengesCompetitive landscapeTechnological breakthroughsValue chain and stakeholder analysisThe regional analysis covers:North America (U.S. and Canada)Latin America (Mexico, Brazil, Peru, Chile, and others)Western Europe (Germany, U.K., France, Spain, Italy, Nordic countries, Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg)Eastern Europe (Poland and Russia)Asia Pacific (China, India, Japan, ASEAN, Australia, and New Zealand)Middle East and Africa (GCC, Southern Africa, and North Africa)The report has been compiled through extensive primary research (through interviews, surveys, and observations of seasoned analysts) and secondary research (which entails reputable paid sources, trade journals, and industry body databases). The report also features a complete qualitative and quantitative assessment by analyzing data gathered from industry analysts and market participants across key points in the industrys value chain.Request TOC of the Report @About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector  such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Palm Oil Market Value Share, Supply Demand, share and Value Chain 2016 - 2024

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Low to zero trans-fat content and the pocket-friendly pricing of palm oil is fuelling demand from the global palm oil market. Palm oil is one of the most widely used vegetable oils and a common ingredient in biscuits, margarine, breads, instant noodles, cereals, lipsticks, candles, chocolates, shampoos, ice-cream, and detergents. The applications of palm oil are therefore quite diverse, which aids the expansion of the global palm oil market.Request Sample Copy of the Report @Palm oil is derived from a tropical tree, which, once planted, yields palm fruits for more than three decades, ascertaining much needed employment for the rural communities living in emerging nations such as Malaysia and Indonesia. The oil is highly lucrative, particularly because palm trees yield more oil per hectare than any other major oil seed crop.The report provides a comprehensive overview of the global palm oil market, with focus on the factors driving the market and those restraining it. It covers the market from the ground up covering aspects such as the market definition, classification, and growth trajectory. Regionally, the global palm oil market is segmented into Asia Pacific, Europe, North America, and Rest of the World.Overview of Global Palm Oil MarketPalm oil derived from palm fruit is an edible vegetable oil. In the last couple of years, the demand for palm oil has increased in response to the rising consumption of vegetable oils. Apart from its extensive applications in the food and beverage industry and the retail industry, palm oil is also used in biofuels.Palm oil is cost-effective and low in trans-fats, due to which its demand is high in the global market. However, the expansion of palm tree plantations is usually carried out at the expense of tropical forests, particularly in countries such as Malaysia. Rising environmental concerns thus pose a tough challenge in front of enterprises operating in the global palm oil market.Large-scale deforestation for palm oil production has not only aggravated the already worrying issue of climate, but has also led to the extinction of many animal species. However, the market is expected to capitalize in the near future on opportunities created by sustainable palm oil production.To present a 360-degree blueprint of the market, the report studies demand for diverse palm oils available in the market such as red palm oil, kernel oil, while palm oil, fractionated palm oil, and others. Factors leading to the rising application of palm oil in industries such as energy, health, food, and others are also evaluated in detail.Malaysia is the leading producer of palm oil in the world. Over the forecast period, India and China are also expected to substantially contribute to the expansion of the palm oil market in Asia Pacific.Companies mentioned in the research reportSome of the most prominent enterprises operating in the market are Alami Group (Malaysia), Musim Mas Group (Indonesia), ADM (US), the United Palm Oil Industry Public Company Limited (Thailand), and Boustead Group (Malaysia).Request TOC of the Report @About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector  such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Ion Exchange Resins Market Globally Expected to Drive Growth through 2016 - 2024

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An ion exchange resin is a resin that acts as a medium for ion exchange. It is a small insoluble matrix, usually in the form of a tiny bead produced from organic polymer substrates. The surface of this resin bead is typically porous. This assists in trapping and releasing ions without any difficulty. Ion exchange resins are used in various applications in different purification, separation, and decontamination processes. Common applications include water purification and water softening. Ion exchange resins may also be used instead of zeolites in the said processes. They are also highly effective in the filtration process of bio-diesel. Furthermore, ion exchange resins are employed in end-use industries such as food & beverages, pharmaceuticals, and power generation.Request Sample Copy of the Report @Based on type, the ion exchange resins market can be divided into cationic resins, anionic resins, chelation resins, and adsorbent resins. The cationic resins segment held the prominent share of the global ion exchange resins market in 2015. It is anticipated to continue its dominance across during the forecast period. Application in water softening and demineralization in industries such as water treatment, nuclear, and chemical is the primary driver of the cationic resins segment. The chelation resins and adsorbent resins segments are estimated to expand at rapid pace during the forecast period. Chelation resins are used in agricultural and pharmaceutical applications, while adsorbent resins are employed in the food & beverage industry. These segments are projected to expand significantly owing to the increase in demand for processed food and growth in agricultural applications in countries in Asia Pacific such as China and India.Based on end-use industry, the global ion exchange resins market can be segmented into power, water treatment, food & beverages, chemical, pharmaceutical, and others. The power segment constituted the key share of the ion exchange resins market in 2015. It is likely to continue its dominance during the forecast period. Ion exchange resins are extensively employed to demineralize feed water and condensate polishing inside water-steam circuits in the power industry. The power segment is expected to be followed by the water treatment and food & beverage segments, owing to the global industrialization coupled with scarcity of clean and fresh water. The pharmaceutical segment is anticipated to expand at a rapid pace during the forecast period, as ion exchange resins are excellent drug delivery mediums. R&D departments of several manufacturing companies are conducting research on increasing the number of applications of ion exchange resins in the pharmaceutical segment. This is also estimated to drive the ion exchange resins market in the near future.In terms of region, the global ion exchange resins market can be segregated into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa, and Latin America. Asia Pacific held the prominent share of the global ion exchange resins market in 2015. The market in the region is expected to expand at a rapid pace during the forecast period owing to the increase in demand for nuclear power and rise in urbanization. China, India, and South Korea are the key countries contributing to the growth of the ion exchange resins market in Asia Pacific. The region was followed by North America and Europe, respectively, in 2015. The ion exchange resins market in North America and Europe is expanding at a sluggish pace, as it has reached the stage of maturity. This is anticipated to hamper the demand for ion exchange resins in these regions. The ion exchange resins market in Latin America is estimated to expand at a significant pace during the forecast period owing to the growing demand for clean water.Prominent players operating in the global ion exchange resins market are BASF SE, The Dow Chemical Company, Ion Exchange Ltd., Evoqua Water Technologies LLC, Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation, Finex Oy, Lanxess, and Thermax Limited.The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the market. It does so via in-depth qualitative insights, historical data, and verifiable projections about market size. The projections featured in the report have been derived using proven research methodologies and assumptions. By doing so, the research report serves as a repository of analysis and information for every facet of the market, including but not limited to: Regional markets, technology, types, and applications.The study is a source of reliable data on:Market segments and sub-segmentsMarket trends and dynamicsSupply and demandMarket sizeCurrent trends/opportunities/challengesCompetitive landscapeTechnological breakthroughsValue chain and stakeholder analysisThe regional analysis covers:North America (U.S. and Canada)Latin America (Mexico, Brazil, Peru, Chile, and others)Western Europe (Germany, U.K., France, Spain, Italy, Nordic countries, Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg)Eastern Europe (Poland and Russia)Asia Pacific (China, India, Japan, ASEAN, Australia, and New Zealand)Middle East and Africa (GCC, Southern Africa, and North Africa)The report has been compiled through extensive primary research (through interviews, surveys, and observations of seasoned analysts) and secondary research (which entails reputable paid sources, trade journals, and industry body databases). The report also features a complete qualitative and quantitative assessment by analyzing data gathered from industry analysts and market participants across key points in the industrys value chain.Request TOC of the Report @About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector  such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
The World Health Organization on Sunday warned that a highly infectious, deadly form of pneumonic plague is spreading rapidly in Madagascar after the outbreak has claimed 21 lives in the Indian Ocean Island.

Pneumonic plague which a severe lung infection is caused by the bacterium Yersinia and transmitted from person to person, has been detected in several cities in Madagascar, the Malagasy government said.

Cases of bubonic, as well as the human transmissible pneumonic plague have been found in the capital Antananarivo and the port cities of Majunga and Toamasina, WHO spokesman, Tarik Jasarevic, said.

So far, 104 cases of plague were reported since the first case has been identified, Jasarevic said.

Plague is endemic to Madagascar resulting in around 400 cases annually. WHO has released $250,000 from its emergency fund to get immediate action underway. It plans to appeal for $1.5 million to fully respond to the needs.

To avoid a further spread of the disease, the Malagasy government has banned meetings and public gatherings in major cities including the capital Antananarivo as part of series of emergency measures.
Biscuits Market Forecast and Trends Analysis Research Report 2016 - 2024Biscuits Market Forecast and Trends Analysis Research Report 2016 - 2024

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Global Biscuits Market: OverviewThe market for biscuits is very promising and is expected to witness a continuous growth. Product innovation is continuously changing the dynamics of the market worldwide. New flavors, shapes, taste, and attractive packaging are causing consumers of all age groups to buy biscuits. Players in the global biscuits market are making effective strategies on how to sell biscuits, and in contemplating the kind of packing that will prove to be effective, along with the price strategy. As consumers are increasingly concerned about ingredients and health benefits, manufacturers are maintaining transparency in labeling. The emphasis on low sugar and low calorie content is driving manufacturers in the biscuits market to develop nutritious biscuits with low sugar content.Request Sample Copy of the Report @The report on the global biscuits market is an analysis of the changing competitive dynamics. The study offers an unbiased perspective on the growth of industry, by taking into factor different driving and restraining factors. It also takes into consideration the current trends and future opportunities, which are likely to have an impact on the global biscuits market. The report segments the global biscuits market on the basis of key criteria and studies it in an in-depth manner. The competitive landscape has also been discussed in detail. The market share held by the top players and the degree of competition has been analyzed. The buyer and supplier bargaining power and the entry barriers faced by new entrants have also been analyzed.Global Biscuits Market: Trends and OpportunitiesThe global biscuits market is driven by rising urbanization, increasing disposable income, demand for convenience foods, and busy lifestyles. The proliferation of supermarkets and hypermarkets has led to an increased visibility of the wide range of biscuits available in the market. In addition to this, promotional strategies employed by marketing team such as television ads are also aiding the growth of the market. Companies are increasingly experimenting with new flavors, new ingredients, and trying out new combinations, to fuel the interest of consumers.Digestive biscuits have become a rage at present and this trend is expected to last for the coming years as consumers are becoming health conscious. The inclination towards high fiber food products will drive manufacturers to include fibrous and other nutritious ingredients in their products. As consumers are showing interest in premium products, manufacturers are introducing organic products, eliminating artificial flavors and preservatives, high fructose corn syrups (HFCS) and other such unhealthy ingredients. Manufacturers are also introducing variety and convenience in terms of servings and sizes. On the other hand, increased competition, high cost of raw materials, and increasing taxes are expected to be factors restraining the global biscuits market.Global Biscuits Market: Region-wise OutlookThe report segments the global oil and gas automation market on the basis of geography, into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Rest of the World. Of these, Europe and North America are leading in the biscuits market. In addition to this, it is estimated that Asia Pacific will emerge as the fastest growing market in the coming years.Key Players Mentioned in the ReportThe report profiles key players operating in the global biscuits market. The business and financial overview of each of the companies and their recent developments have been discussed in the report. Key players studied in the report are: Parle Products Pvt. Ltd. Nestle UK Ltd. Kellogg Company, Britannia Industries Ltd., Burton's Foods Ltd., Lotus Bakeries NV, ITC, Cadbury, United Biscuits, Walkers Shortbread Ltd etc.Request TOC of the Report @About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector  such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Marine Engines Market Global Industry Analysis and Forecast Till 2016 - 2024

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Global Marine Engines Market: OverviewMarine engines are machines that supply power to several kinds of vessels, auxiliary equipment, generators, and propulsion systems central to maritime activities and vehicles. Different types of marine engines are available that serve different purposes of various marine vehicles and systems. Marine engines can be classified according to different criteria, including the type of propulsion system in use, the power range of the engine, fuel used to power the engine, and major applications.Request Sample Copy of the Report @This report on the global marine engines market provides users a proper understanding of all the crucial elements of the market and its present state. The report presents a 360-degree overview of the market and its major segments, its drivers, restraints, major trends influencing consumer choices, regulatory factors at play across major regional territories, technological and product advancements, and competitive landscape of the market.The exhaustive market data included in the report has been gathered with the help of a number of research methodologies and narrowed-down to conform to the specific needs of business decision makers in the global marine engines market.Global Marine Engines Market: Trends and OpportunitiesRise in the number of leisure marine travelers, vast expansion of the global seaborne transport industry, advent of technologically advanced and highly reliable engines, economic stability, and rising disposable incomes are the major factors that have driven the global marine engines market in the past few years.Stringent government regulations regarding emissions from marine vessels, increased awareness among consumers about the need to adopt greener fuels, and depleting reserves of conventional fuels are likely to boost the growth of the market. The global marine engines market is expected to witness development of products that conform to the stringent regulatory norms about emission and work with greener fuels such as LNG and solar and wind power.Nevertheless, the diesel marine engines segment is anticipated continue to dominate the global marine engines market. Major factors supporting the growth of this segment include easy availability of spare parts and repair networks and availability of trained personnel for repairing diesel engines across the globe. Steam engines have been phased out from several application areas. However, these will continue to dominate traditional and niche application areas such as LNG and coal carriers, icebreakers, and warships.Global Marine Engines Market: Region-wise OverviewThe global marine engines market has been examined from the point of view of the following key regional markets: Middle East & Africa, North America, South America, Europe, and Asia Pacific.Asia Pacific is the largest market for marine engines due to the flourishing shipbuilding industry in countries such as South Korea, India, China, and Japan. Flourishing seaborne transport in the region will allow the region to sustain its leadership position in the global marine engines market during the forecast period.Presence of some of the worlds largest manufacturers of marine engines in North America and Europe is likely to lead to an increase in investments in the marine engines market in these regions.Global Marine Engines Market: Competitive LandscapeMarine engine manufacturers are focusing on the design and development of fuel efficient and cleaner engines due to the stringent emission-related regulations laid down by major regions across the globe. Development of engines that will be powered by greener energy sources such as solar and wind power and LNG have gained increased focus in the past few years. Major companies operating in the global marine engines market are GM Powertrain, Caterpillar, Inc., Cummins Engines, Wartsila Corporation, and Rolls Royce.The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the market. It does so via in-depth qualitative insights, historical data, and verifiable projections about market size. The projections featured in the report have been derived using proven research methodologies and assumptions. By doing so, the research report serves as a repository of analysis and information for every facet of the market, including but not limited to: Regional markets, technology, types, and applications.Request TOC of the Report @About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector  such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
3D Holographic Tapes Market for the forecast period, 2016 - 2024

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Holography has advanced from security to packaging and its introduction in the packaging domain was first utilized for branding security. Nowadays, packaging industry requires safe and secure packaging of products and 3D holographic tapes meets this requirement. 3D Holographic tapes are not only used for packaging but also for sealing and decoration purpose in different commercial and industrial places. These tapes have an edge and advantages over other industrial tapes owing to its properties such as adhesiveness, environment-friendly, easy and safe to use and also provides premium finish on the end product. In the packaging industry, these types of tapes are used for sealing purposes in cartons, boxes and envelopes. Moreover, the demand is expected to rise owing to its tamper-evident packaging option. 3D holographic tapes provide an optimum solution for most of the end-use industries and helps brand owners to distinguish their products with a superior packaging concept that also provides a stimulating visual experience for their consumers. Moreover, the advancement of packaging technologies in 3D holographic tapes is not only aiding the manufacturers but also helping counterfeiters.Request Sample Copy of the Report @3D Holographic Tapes Market: Dynamics3D Holographic tapes are growing on the backdrop of impressive growth in the packaging industry. Furthermore, higher usability in the commercial and household places has collectively augmented the demand for 3D Holographic tapes worldwide. For instance, holographic packaging used in the pharmaceutical sector is gaining traction as it helps in preventing counterfeiting which is an authentication feature. The trend of adopting holographic tape as an attractive form of packaging material is expected to drive the demand for 3D holographic tapes market over the forecast period. Nowadays, transparent 3D holographic tapes are coming up in the market in order to make the packaging appealing while driving sales and also command significant share in terms of revenue generation. The demand for 3D holographic tapes is constantly rising among the leading FMCG companies and is now practiced as one of the distinctive ways of advertising. In addition to this 3D holographic tapes also provides an eye-catching visual impact for all the products it is used for. Furthermore, packaging companies are now offering 3D holographic tapes with customization option for its customers with the logo printed on the same.3D Holographic Tapes Market: SegmentationOn the basis of materials, the global 3D holographic tapes market can be segmented into,Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET)Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)Biaxially Oriented Polypropylene (BOPP)polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC)On the basis of colors, the global 3D holographic tapes market can be segmented into,SilverGoldenBlueRedOthersOn the basis of application, the global 3D holographic tapes market can be segmented into,Carton sealingPharmaceuticalTextileCosmeticsLubricantsDecorationOthers3D Holographic Tapes Market: Region-wise outlookIn terms of geography, the global 3D holographic tapes market has been divided into five key regions including North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the Middle East & Africa. The global 3D holographic tapes market is expected to witness an impressive growth over the forecast period. Asia Pacific is expected to be the dominant market during the next few years, followed by Europe and North America. However, packaging companies in North America and Europe are grabbing opportunities to make a strong footprint in the near future. With introduction of advanced technologies in 3D Holographic tapes market in emerging economies namely China and India is expected to drive the demand for 3D holographic tapes.3D Holographic Tapes Market: Key-PlayersManufacturers are instrumental in offering 3D holographic tapes that are available in various colors and designs as per the customers requirements and meeting the global standards. Some of the key market participants in the global 3D holographic tapes market are Aspac India, Holosecurity Technologies, CFC International, Shanghai Henglei Hologram Co., LTD, Euro Tapes Pvt Ltd, Holostik, 3D LASER HOLO ART, BiofarChemicals.The research report presents a comprehensive assessment of the market and contains thoughtful insights, facts, historical data, and statistically supported and industry-validated market data. It also contains projections using a suitable set of assumptions and methodologies. The research report provides analysis and information according to market segments such as geography, technology, and applications.Request TOC of the Report @About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector  such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Medical Tubing Market Global Industry Analysis and Trends till 2016 - 2024

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Medical tubing plays an important role in variety of healthcare applications and market is experiencing steady growth due to growth of medical procedures such as minimally invasive surgeries and medical devices that uses tubing. Increasing aged population and growing concern about health problems, especially in developing nations like Asia-pacific driving the population to spend money on quality healthcare facilities and services which contributes as one of the drivers for global medical tubing market. Large volume of medical tubing is used in bulk disposable tubing application. Government of several countries are taking initiatives to improve the quality of their healthcare infrastructure which results in increasing demand for medical tubing. The demand for Polyvinyl chloride is expected to remain high during the forecast period because of its equivalent functional properties and low cost as compared to other polymers. Polycarbonate, polyamides, florupolymer, PEEK etc. are some of the specialty plastics used for medical tubing in very small volume.Request Sample Copy of the Report @The drug delivery system segment in the global medical tubing market is anticipated to experience a significantly high CAGR during the forecast period. Many companies are expanding their business across the globe to fulfill the demand for medical tubing. Silicones is the fastest growing material type and it is expected to expand with high CAGR during the forecast period.Based on the material type, the global medical tubing market is segmented into:Polyvinyl chloridePolyolefinTPE & TPUSiliconesSpecialty polymers ( PEEK, polyamide, fluoropolymers, polycarbonate)Based on the application, the global medical tubing market is segmented into:Bulk Disposable TubingCatheters & CannulasDrug Delivery SystemsSpecial ApplicationsPeristaltic Pump TubingGas Supply TubingSmoke Evacuation TubingIn terms of geography, the global medical tubing market has been divided in to five key regions including North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Middle East & Africa. The global medical tubing market is expected to register healthy CAGR during the forecast period. Currently Europe is on the lead for this technology followed by North America. Asia-Pacific region possesses enormous potential for growth of medical tubing market due to the raised standard of living and government initiatives. China, Japan, India and Australia are some of the key countries contributing to the growth of Global Medical tubing market.Some of the key players in the global medical tubing market are Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics, LLC, W.L. Gore & Associates Inc., Freudenberg Medical, Dow Corning Corporation etc.The research report presents a comprehensive assessment of the market and contains thoughtful insights, facts, historical data, and statistically supported and industry-validated market data. It also contains projections done using a suitable set of assumptions and methodologies. The research report provides analysis and information according to categories such as market segments, geographies, type, machine size and end use.The report covers exhaustive analysis on:Market SegmentsMarket DynamicsMarket SizeSupply & DemandCurrent Trends/Issues/ChallengesCompetition & Companies involvedTechnologyValue ChainRegional analysis includesNorth AmericaLatin AmericaEuropeAsia PacificMiddle East and AfricaThe report is a compilation of first-hand information, qualitative and quantitative assessment by industry analysts, inputs from industry experts and industry participants across the value chain. The report provides an in-depth analysis of parent market trends, macro-economic indicators, and governing factors, along with market attractiveness as per segments. The report also maps the qualitative impact of various factors on market segments and geographies.Report Highlights:Detailed overview of parent marketChanging market dynamics in the industryIn-depth market segmentationHistorical, current and projected market size in terms of volume and valueRecent industry trends and developmentsCompetitive landscapeStrategies of key players and products offeredPotential and niche segments, and regional markets exhibiting promising growthA neutral perspective on market performanceMust-have information for market players to sustain and enhance their market footprintNote: Although care has been taken to maintain the highest levels of accuracy in TMRs reports, recent market/vendor-specific changes may take time to reflect in the analysis.Request TOC of the Report @About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector  such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Sapphire Mining Market Analysis and Value Forecast Snapshot by End-use Industry 2016 - 2024

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Sapphire Mining Market: OverviewSapphire is an aluminum oxide that falls under the corundum metal category. Under general use, sapphires qualify as a jewelry item. Certain sediments or rock formations are the major natural sources for sapphires. Artificial or synthetic sapphires are also manufactured for industrial purposes of the remarkable hardness of sapphires and of aluminum oxide in general. These sapphires are used in some non-ornamental applications, including infrared optical components, such as in scientific instruments, wristwatch crystals, movement bearings, and very thin electronic wafers, which are used as the insulating substrates of very special purpose solid state electronics, especially integrated circuits and LEDs.Request Sample Copy of the Report @Most sapphires come from countries with strict guidelines on how mining may proceed. In Sri Lanka, mining is regulated so the land is protected from over-use. Here, sapphire mining is restricted to small-scale operations where heavy machinery is forbidden. Natural untreated sapphires are rare and are mined in a manner that ensures a stable market and secures the deposits for future generations. Strip mining such as in some emerald mining operations creates tremendous environmental damage and only benefits a few large companies that have the capital for a large-scale operation. This type of mining also results in a market that will fluctuate heavily when new deposits are found, as the new production will flood the market and prices will drop. Some sapphire producing countries do not allow mining activities that damage the environment or create unstable economic conditions. These responsible fair trade laws are regulated well and have existed for years.Sapphire Mining Market: Drivers and RestraintsThe sapphire mining market is affected by certain positive drivers, namely the increasing demand of sapphire for the production of jewelry and LEDs. Secondly, new deposits and mining sites have been recently discovered in parts of Australia and South Africa that have attracted a lot of companies to start exploration and mining of the gem.Despite the positive growth, the industry has been facing certain restrictions in terms of extraction methods and the extent of extraction allowed. Government regulations have been put into place over concerns of ecological imbalance and environmental hazards that sapphire mining has caused over the years.Sapphire mining has had a major impact on agricultural lands as well. Intensive capital requirement and availability of expertise for operations are also some of the factors that have hindered the progress of sapphire mining. Despite all the limitations, new opportunities lie in store. With the advent of new eco-friendly mining technologies, sapphire mining could see a spur of growth in the near future.Sapphire Mining Market: SegmentationMost of the worlds sapphire production and mining is carried out in Australia in the Asia-Pacific region followed by Sri Lanka, Myanmar Thailand, Laos, Malawi and Cambodia. The state of Montana in the U.S. leads the market in the North American region. No significant deposits have been discovered in Europe; hence sapphire mining there is limited. The African region also boasts a significant sapphire production dominated by Tanzania, Kenya, Nigeria, Madagascar and South Africa.The sapphire mining market can be classified by the mode of mining undertaken for extraction i.e. from alluvial deposits or from primary underground workings. Mining depends on the content of the surrounding materials and the depth of the mine. Among these the shallow reserves can be penetrated by simple hand mining methods. Deeper ground is mined by digging shafts, while some fields consist of large-scale open-cut mining lease operations involving the use of heavy earthmoving equipment.Sapphire Mining Market: Companies Mentioned in the ReportA few companies that are involved in sapphire mining are Sino Resources Mining Corp Ltd., Coolamon Mining Pty. Ltd., Herbert Drilling Coy., The Natural Sapphire Company and Lapigems Gem CompanyThe report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the market. It does so via in-depth qualitative insights, historical data, and verifiable projections about market size. The projections featured in the report have been derived using proven research methodologies and assumptions. By doing so, the research report serves as a repository of analysis and information for every facet of the market, including but not limited to: Regional markets, technology, types, and applications.Request TOC of the Report @About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector  such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Embedded Non-volatile Memory (eNVM) 2017 Market Segmentation,Application,Technology & Market Analysis Research Report to 2022

"Embedded Non-volatile Memory (eNVM) Market 2017"

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WiseGuyReports.Com Publish a New Market Research Report On - Embedded Non-volatile Memory (eNVM) 2017 Market Segmentation,Application,Technology & Market Analysis Research Report to 2022.Global Embedded Non-volatile Memory (eNVM) market competition by top manufacturers, with production, price, revenue (value) and market share for each manufacturer; the top players includingeMemory Technology Inc.GeneralplusGlobalFoundriesKilopass Technology Inc.Microchip Technology Inc.NXP Semiconductors N.V.Semiconductor Manufacturing International CorporationShanghai Huahong Grace Semiconductor Manufacturing CorporationUnited Microelectronics Corporation (UMC)Get a Sample Report @For more information or any query mail at sales@wiseguyreports.comGeographically, this report is segmented into several key Regions, with production, consumption, revenue (million USD), market share and growth rate of Embedded Non-volatile Memory (eNVM) in these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), coveringUnited StatesEUChinaJapanSouth KoreaTaiwanOn the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoeFlasheE2PROMFRAMOn 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 Embedded Non-volatile Memory (eNVM) for each application, includingAutomobileConsumer ElectronicsOthersAsk Query @Table Of Contents  Major Key PointsGlobal Embedded Non-volatile Memory (eNVM) Market Research Report 20171 Embedded Non-volatile Memory (eNVM) Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Embedded Non-volatile Memory (eNVM)1.2 Embedded Non-volatile Memory (eNVM) Segment by Type (Product Category)1.2.1 Global Embedded Non-volatile Memory (eNVM) Production and CAGR (%) Comparison by Type (Product Category)(2012-2022)1.2.2 Global Embedded Non-volatile Memory (eNVM) Production Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20161.2.3 eFlash1.2.4 eE2PROM1.2.5 FRAM1.3 Global Embedded Non-volatile Memory (eNVM) Segment by Application1.3.1 Embedded Non-volatile Memory (eNVM) Consumption (Sales) Comparison by Application (2012-2022)1.3.2 Automobile1.3.3 Consumer Electronics1.3.4 Others1.4 Global Embedded Non-volatile Memory (eNVM) Market by Region (2012-2022)1.4.1 Global Embedded Non-volatile Memory (eNVM) Market Size (Value) and CAGR (%) Comparison by Region (2012-2022)1.4.2 United States Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.3 EU Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.4 China Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.5 Japan Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.6 South Korea Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.7 Taiwan Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.5 Global Market Size (Value) of Embedded Non-volatile Memory (eNVM) (2012-2022)1.5.1 Global Embedded Non-volatile Memory (eNVM) Revenue Status and Outlook (2012-2022)1.5.2 Global Embedded Non-volatile Memory (eNVM) Capacity, Production Status and Outlook (2012-2022)2 Global Embedded Non-volatile Memory (eNVM) Market Competition by Manufacturers2.1 Global Embedded Non-volatile Memory (eNVM) Capacity, Production and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.1.1 Global Embedded Non-volatile Memory (eNVM) Capacity and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.1.2 Global Embedded Non-volatile Memory (eNVM) Production and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.2 Global Embedded Non-volatile Memory (eNVM) Revenue and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.3 Global Embedded Non-volatile Memory (eNVM) Average Price by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.4 Manufacturers Embedded Non-volatile Memory (eNVM) Manufacturing Base Distribution, Sales Area and Product Type2.5 Embedded Non-volatile Memory (eNVM) Market Competitive Situation and Trends2.5.1 Embedded Non-volatile Memory (eNVM) Market Concentration Rate2.5.2 Embedded Non-volatile Memory (eNVM) Market Share of Top 3 and Top 5 Manufacturers2.5.3 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion..7 Global Embedded Non-volatile Memory (eNVM) Manufacturers Profiles/Analysis7.1 eMemory Technology Inc.7.1.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.1.2 Embedded Non-volatile Memory (eNVM) Product Category, Application and Specification7.1.2.1 Product A7.1.2.2 Product B7.1.3 eMemory Technology Inc. Embedded Non-volatile Memory (eNVM) Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.1.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.2 Generalplus7.2.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.2.2 Embedded Non-volatile Memory (eNVM) Product Category, Application and Specification7.2.2.1 Product A7.2.2.2 Product B7.2.3 Generalplus Embedded Non-volatile Memory (eNVM) Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.2.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.3 GlobalFoundries7.3.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.3.2 Embedded Non-volatile Memory (eNVM) Product Category, Application and Specification7.3.2.1 Product A7.3.2.2 Product B7.3.3 GlobalFoundries Embedded Non-volatile Memory (eNVM) Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.3.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.4 Kilopass Technology Inc.7.4.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.4.2 Embedded Non-volatile Memory (eNVM) Product Category, Application and Specification7.4.2.1 Product A7.4.2.2 Product B7.4.3 Kilopass Technology Inc. Embedded Non-volatile Memory (eNVM) Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.4.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.5 Microchip Technology Inc.7.5.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.5.2 Embedded Non-volatile Memory (eNVM) Product Category, Application and Specification7.5.2.1 Product A7.5.2.2 Product B7.5.3 Microchip Technology Inc. Embedded Non-volatile Memory (eNVM) Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.5.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.6 NXP Semiconductors N.V.7.6.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.6.2 Embedded Non-volatile Memory (eNVM) Product Category, Application and Specification7.6.2.1 Product A7.6.2.2 Product B7.6.3 NXP Semiconductors N.V. Embedded Non-volatile Memory (eNVM) Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.6.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.7 Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation7.7.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.7.2 Embedded Non-volatile Memory (eNVM) Product Category, Application and Specification7.7.2.1 Product A7.7.2.2 Product B7.7.3 Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation Embedded Non-volatile Memory (eNVM) Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.7.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.8 Shanghai Huahong Grace Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation7.8.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.8.2 Embedded Non-volatile Memory (eNVM) Product Category, Application and Specification7.8.2.1 Product A7.8.2.2 Product B7.8.3 Shanghai Huahong Grace Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation Embedded Non-volatile Memory (eNVM) Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.8.4 Main Business/Business OverviewContinue.For more information or any query mail at sales@wiseguyreports.comBuy 1-User PDF@ABOUT US:Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports features an exhaustive list of market research reports from hundreds of publishers worldwide. We boast a database spanning virtually every market category and an even more comprehensive collection of market research reports under these categories and sub-categories.Office No.528,Amanora Chambers,Magarpatta Road,Hadapsar,Pune-411028.
Acupuncture Needles Market Report for Period 2011 till 2023 SEIRIN, Empecs, Cloud & Dragon, AIK Medical, Asiamed and Others

Acupuncture Needles Market

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Global Acupuncture Needles market report provides detailed analysis of companies namely Suzhou Acupuncture, Asiamed, Wuxi Jiajian, Cloud & Dragon, AIK Medical, Suzhou Medical, SEIRIN, Empecs, Dongbang and Others. This report study includes global market statistics and analysis for example, company performance, historical analysis 2012 to 2016, market forecast 2017 to 2023 in terms of volume, revenue, YOY growth rate, and CAGR for the year 2017 to 2022, etc.This report studies the Acupuncture Needles market. Acupuncture Needles has its origin from China. It involves the insertions of thin needles into certain locations of the human body. These locations are generally termed as acupuncture points and form the main focus of the acupuncture treatment. The procedure may also involve the application of pressure, heat or laser light at the acupuncture points.Request for Free Sample Copy of Global Acupuncture Needles Market 2017Top Company Profiles and Analysis included in this report:Suzhou MedicalSEIRINEmpecsDongbangSuzhou AcupunctureAsiamedWuxi JiajianCloud & DragonAIK MedicalOthersGlobal Acupuncture Needles Market: Key Product TypeDisposable NeedleNon-disposable NeedleOthersGlobal Acupuncture Needles Market: Key Application TypeHospitalsClinicsOthersGlobal Acupuncture Needles Market: Key RegionNorth America (USA, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia, Italy and Others)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India, Southeast Asia and Others)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia and Others)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa and Others)The Global Acupuncture Needles Market analysis report provides detailed value chain for analysis of Global Acupuncture Needles Market. The value chain helps to analyze major upstream in raw materials, major equipments, manufacturing process, downstream customer analysis and major distributor analysis.The report also covers in-depth description, competitive scenario, wide product portfolio of prime players active in this market and business strategies adopted by competitors along with their SWOT analysis. Side by side, it also explicitly provides information about mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, and all the other important activities happened in current and past few years. The Global Acupuncture Needles Market report explores manufacturers competitive scenario and provides market share for all major players of this market based on production capacity, sales, revenue, geographical presence and other major factors.Enquire before Buying @Table of Contents:1 Market Overview1.1 Objectives of Research1.1.1 Definition1.1.2 Specifications1.2 Market Segment1.2.1 by Type1.2.1.1 Disposable Needle1.2.1.2 Non-disposable Needle1.2.2 by Application1.2.2.1 Hospitals1.2.2.2 Clinics1.2.2.3 Others........................Continue (Global Acupuncture Needles Market Research Industry Report is prepared with the help of extensive primary and secondary sources, directories, journals, newsletters and with the help of third-party application like Hoovers, Factiva, Bloomberg, Businessweek, etc.About Us:Market Reports Company is a global research and consulting company. We provide customized reports. We can study and analyze any market based on wide range of parameters. We can provide market insights for any particular region, country across the globe within shortest possible turn around time.What we offer: Customized Reports: we provide customized report study on any market or industry. Region Specific Study: If you need region specific or if you are searching for particular region market study then, we have expert research team for that. How we work: We work in all domains and industries, you name it and we provide the market research industry report analysis of it. Expertise: Superior Research Team, 24*7 Customer Care ServiceContact UsJason Smith,Sales Manager, Global Business Development,Website:Email: jasonsmith@marketreportscompany.comContact us: +1-888-220-3424Address: 20 N State Street, Chicago, Illinois, 60602 United States
Medical or Healthcare Market Report for Period 2017 Health-O-Meter, KERN & SOHN, Detecto, MyWeigh, SR Instruments, Seca Medical and Others

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Global Avocado market report provides detailed analysis of companies namely Natus Medical, Shekel Scales, MyWeigh, SR Instruments, Radwag, Befour, Seca Medical, Tanita, KERN & SOHN, Detecto, A&D, Health-O-Meter and Others. This report study includes global market statistics and analysis for example, company performance, historical analysis 2012 to 2016, market forecast 2017 to 2023 in terms of volume, revenue, YOY growth rate, and CAGR for the year 2017 to 2022, etc.This report mainly focuses on the weigh scale designed for medical or healthcare purpose.Request for Free Sample Copy of Global Avocado Market 2017Top Company Profiles and Analysis included in this report:Seca MedicalTanitaKERN & SOHNDetectoA&DHealth-O-MeterNatus MedicalShekel ScalesMyWeighSR InstrumentsRadwagBefourOthersGlobal Avocado Market: Key Product TypeRegular ScalesWheelchair ScalesInfant & Baby ScalesOthersGlobal Avocado Market: Key Application TypeHospitalHouseholdOthersGlobal Avocado Market: Key RegionNorth America (USA, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia, Italy and Others)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India, Southeast Asia and Others)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia and Others)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa and Others)The Global Avocado Market analysis report provides detailed value chain for analysis of Global Avocado Market. The value chain helps to analyze major upstream in raw materials, major equipments, manufacturing process, downstream customer analysis and major distributor analysis.The report also covers in-depth description, competitive scenario, wide product portfolio of prime players active in this market and business strategies adopted by competitors along with their SWOT analysis. Side by side, it also explicitly provides information about mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, and all the other important activities happened in current and past few years. The Global Avocado Market report explores manufacturers competitive scenario and provides market share for all major players of this market based on production capacity, sales, revenue, geographical presence and other major factors.Enquire before Buying @Table of Contents:1 Market Overview1.1 Market Segment Overview1.1.1 Product Definition1.1.2 Market by Type1.1.2.1 Regular Scales1.1.2.2 Wheelchair Scales1.1.2.3 Infant & Baby Scales1.1.2.4 Others1.1.3 Market by Application1.1.3.1 Hospital1.1.3.2 Household1.1.3.3 Others........................Continue (Global Avocado Market Research Industry Report is prepared with the help of extensive primary and secondary sources, directories, journals, newsletters and with the help of third-party application like Hoovers, Factiva, Bloomberg, Businessweek, etc.About Us:Market Reports Company is a global research and consulting company. We provide customized reports. We can study and analyze any market based on wide range of parameters. We can provide market insights for any particular region, country across the globe within shortest possible turn around time.What we offer: Customized Reports: we provide customized report study on any market or industry. Region Specific Study: If you need region specific or if you are searching for particular region market study then, we have expert research team for that. How we work: We work in all domains and industries, you name it and we provide the market research industry report analysis of it. Expertise: Superior Research Team, 24*7 Customer Care ServiceContact UsJason Smith,Sales Manager, Global Business Development,Website:Email: jasonsmith@marketreportscompany.comContact us: +1-888-220-3424Address: 20 N State Street, Chicago, Illinois, 60602 United States
Two-Factor Authentication Market with Focus on Growth Analysis, 19.6% of CAGR and Forecast to 2023

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Market Research Future published a research report on Global Two-Factor Authentication Market Research Report- Forecast 2023  Market Analysis, Scope, Stake, Progress, Trends and Forecast to 2023.Market Synopsis of Two-Factor Authentication MarketMarket HighlightsThe study reveals that Two-factor authentication is trending in North America region. The global Two-factor authentication market is expected to witness a high growth in the coming years. However, the application segment including BFSI, PCI, healthcare, government and among others are major contributors in the market. The BFSI segment is expected to occupy the market share of 43%, in 2016.Get Sample of Report @The study indicates that the introduction of OOB authentication, emergence of cloud-based 2FA, Growing adoption of unified platforms for authentication purposes are the trending factor of this market growth of Two-factor authentication. However, in BFSI sector, the volume of online financial transactions has increased significantly due to their swiftness and ease of use and to ensure safety and avoid cyber-attacks, vendors in the 2FA market are providing software one-time password (OTP) tokens, hardware OTP tokens, e-mail, and phone-based authentication options. The growth in the e-commerce market is also significantly impacting the volume of online financial transactions, leading to increased adoption of 2FA solutions.The Two-factor authentication Market is growing rapidly over 19.6% of CAGR and is expected to reach at USD $~8.78 Billion by the end of forecast period.Taste the market data and market information presented through more than 30 market data tables and figures spread over 100 numbers of pages of the project report. Avail the in-depth table of content TOC & market synopsis on The Two-factor authentication Market Research Report -Forecast to 2023.Study Objectives of Two-Factor Authentication Market:To provide detailed analysis of the market structure along with forecast of the various segments and sub-segments of the Two-Factor Authentication market.To provide insights about factors affecting the market growth.To analyze the Two-Factor Authentication market based porters five force analysis etc.To provide historical and forecast revenue of the market segments and sub-segments with respect to four main geographies and their countries- North America, Europe, Asia, and Rest of the World (ROW).To provide country level analysis of the market with respect to the current market size and future prospective.To provide country level analysis of the market for segment on the basis of type, application, end -users and region.To provide strategic profiling of key players in the market, comprehensively analyzing their core competencies, and drawing a competitive landscape for the market.To track and analyze competitive developments such as joint ventures, strategic alliances, mergers and acquisitions, new product developments, and research and developments in the Two-Factor Authentication.Key PlayersThe prominent players in the Two-factor authentication system Market are Fujitsu Ltd. (Japan), VASCO Data Security International Inc. (US), HID Global Corporation/ASSA ABLOY AB (Sweden), Safran S.A (France), Gemalto NV (the Netherlands), NEC Corporation (Japan), CA Technologies (US), RSA Security LLC (US), Suprema HQ Inc. (South Korea), Crossmatch Technologies Inc. (US) and 3M Company(US), among others.Segments:The global Two-factor authentication system market has been segmented on the basis of types, model, technology, end -users and region.Two-factor authentication system Market by Types:One-time passwordsPublic key infrastructureOthersTwo-factor authentication system Market by Model:Smart Card with PinSmart Card with Biometric TechnologyBiometric Technology with PinTwo-Factor Biometric TechnologyOne Time Password with PinOthersTwo-factor authentication system Market by Technology:Physical and Logical Access ControlSafeNet OTP AuthenticatorsOut-of-Band AuthenticatorsMobilePKI Office SuitePKI AuthenticatorsOthersTwo-factor authentication system Market by End-User:Banking and FinanceConsumer ElectronicsHealthcareGovernmentTravel and ImmigrationMilitary and DefenseCommercial SecurityOthersTwo-factor authentication system Market by Regions:North AmericaEuropeAPACRest of the WorldGet Complete Report @Regional Analysis:The regional analysis of Two-factor authentication market is being studied for region such as Asia pacific, North America, Europe and Rest of the World. The Two-Factor Authentication analyses the market potential for each geographical region based on the growth rate, macroeconomic parameters, and consumer buying patterns, demand and present scenarios in Two-Factor Authentication industry. The Key Vendors such as Entrust, Gemalto, RSA Security, SecurEnvoy, VASCO Data Security International, and many more are the major player in this market. The Two-Factor Authentication Market report includes company share analysis for the major companies operating in this market by major regions. Europe market in 2016, owing to major Two-factor authentication manufacturing companies based out here. This region is expected to grow further in the coming years of the Two-factor authentication marketIntended AudienceRaw material providersCompanies in the MFA technology marketAuthentication applications and software designing companiesElectronics and semiconductor companiesInvestment community interested in the MFA technology marketResearch institutes and organizationsMarket research and consulting firmsGovernment and financial institutionsResearch institutes and organizationsTechnology standards organizationsTechnology investorsResearch institutesSystem IntegratorsResearch/Consultancy firmsAbout Us:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.Media Contact:Akash Anand,Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: akash.anand@marketresearchfuture.com
Mobile Robotics Market : An Array of Graphics and Analysis of Major Industry Segments

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The growing competitions among major players such as Alibaba, Amazon, and JD.com, characterizes the competitive landscape in the global market for mobile robotics, finds a new study by Transparency Market Research (TMR). The established participants are investing significantly in research and development as well as marketing resources, owing to which the competition within this market has intensified.With the producers focusing on manufacturing products at competitive prices, which are similar in functionality and performance and the rising number of new entrants, the degree of competition in this market is likely to remain high over the next few years, states the research report.As per TMRs estimations, the global market for mobile robotics, which was worth US$8.58 bn in 2016, is anticipated to rise at a healthy CAGR of 15.60% during the period from 2017 to 2025 and reach US$30.96 bn by the end of the forecast period. Unmanned ground vehicles have emerged as the key products in this market and are expected to retain their position over the next couple of years.Obtain Report Details @In this research report, the worldwide market for mobile robotics has been classified into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Africa, and Latin America on the basis of geography. Asia Pacific led the global market in 2016 with 32.20% and is projected to maintain its dominance throughout the period of the forecast.The increasing deployment of mobile robots in the manufacturing sector is likely to drive the Asia Pacific mobile robotics market in the near future. Apart from this, the surge in the investment in defense and logistics sectors is also anticipated to increase the uptake of mobile robots in the coming years, reflecting greatly on the growth of this regional market.According to the market study, mobile robots are mostly deployed in industrial and service applications. Among the two, mobile robots find a higher demand in the industrial application segment and the trend is likely to remain so over the next few years, states the reserch report.Make an Enquiry @The recent rise in the e-commerce sector has fueled the demand for efficient order fulfillment, resulting into the rising integration of automation with manual labor to make the delivery system more efficient and reduce the online retail fulfillment costs. This, as a result, has impacted this market positively and is expected to have a high influence over the coming years.The increasing demand for factory automation and the rising adoption of mobile robots in emerging economies, especially China, are also expected to stimulate this market over the forecast period. However, the high initial investments required for the deployment of mobile robots may hamper the growth of this market in the years to come, states the research study.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. We have an experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, who us e proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR Syndicated Research report covers a different sector  such as pharmaceuticals, chemical, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, our syndicated reports thrive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
French Foreign Affairs minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian began an official visit to Niger on Tuesday to boost cooperation between the two nations.

Security and the migration crisis will top the agenda of the visit, according to local media.

Jean-Yves Le Drian will meet with President Mahamadou Issoufou and the Foreign Affairs minister, Ibrahim Yacouba to access the joint plan of action on migration prepared on 28 August in Paris.

Defense is also part of the French ministers agenda. Jean-Yves le Drian will visit the command post of the G5 Sahel force and the European mission Eucap Sahel Niger which is reinforcing the defense capabilities of the police and the gendarmerie in the fight against terrorism and organized crime.

France remained committed to giving further help to Niger  which has often complained in the past that it was left alone to cope with the migrant flows through his borders en route to Europe.

Note that the Northern-town Agadez has become one of the most important hubs for north-bound West and Central African migrants. Up to 4,000 people gather there every week to make the dangerous crossing across the desert to the north.

Some 125,000 people have crossed the Mediterranean by boat this year, according to UN figures.. An estimated 2,400 have died en route.
Coffee Coffee Machine Industry Global and Chinese Market Research Report 2017

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ReportsWeb.com published Coffee Machine Market from its database. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.The 'Global and Chinese Coffee Machine Industry, 2012-2022 Market Research Report' is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the global Coffee Machine industry with a focus on the Chinese market.The report provides key statistics on the market status of the Coffee Machine manufacturers and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the industry. Firstly, the report provides a basic overview of the industry including its definition, applications and manufacturing technology. Then, the report explores the international and Chinese major industry players in detail.For more information about this report atIn this part, the report presents the company profile, product specifications, capacity, production value, and 2012-2017 market shares for each company. Through the statistical analysis, the report depicts the global and Chinese total market of Coffee Machine industry including capacity, production, production value, cost/profit, supply/demand and Chinese import/export. The total market is further divided by company, by country, and by application/type for the competitive landscape analysis. The report then estimates 2017-2022 market development trends of Coffee Machine industry. Analysis of upstream raw materials, downstream demand, and current market dynamics is also carried out.In the end, the report makes some important proposals for a new project of Coffee Machine Industry before evaluating its feasibility. Overall, the report provides an in-depth insight of 2012-2022 global and Chinese Coffee Machine industry covering all important parameters.Table of ContentChapter One Introduction of Coffee Machine Industry1.1 Brief Introduction of Coffee Machine1.2 Development of Coffee Machine Industry1.3 Status of Coffee Machine IndustryChapter Two Manufacturing Technology of Coffee Machine2.1 Development of Coffee Machine Manufacturing Technology2.2 Analysis of Coffee Machine Manufacturing Technology2.3 Trends of Coffee Machine Manufacturing TechnologyChapter Three Analysis of Global Key Manufacturers3.13.1.1 Company Profile3.1.2 Product Information3.1.3 2012-2017 Production Information3.1.4 Contact Information3.23.2.1 Company Profile3.2.2 Product Information3.2.3 2012-2017 Production Information3.2.4 Contact Information3.33.2.1 Company Profile3.3.2 Product Information3.3.3 2012-2017 Production Information3.3.4 Contact Information3.43.4.1 Company Profile3.4.2 Product Information3.4.3 2012-2017 Production Information3.4.4 Contact Information3.53.5.1 Company Profile3.5.2 Product Information3.5.3 2012-2017 Production Information3.5.4 Contact Information3.63.6.1 Company Profile3.6.2 Product Information3.5.3 2012-2017 Production Information3.6.4 Contact Information3.73.7.1 Company Profile3.7.2 Product Information3.7.3 2012-2017 Production Information3.7.4 Contact Information3.83.8.1 Company Profile3.8.2 Product Information3.8.3 2012-2017 Production Information3.8.4 Contact InformationRequest a sample copy atChapter Four 2012-2017 Global and Chinese Market of Coffee Machine4.1 2012-2017 Global Capacity, Production and Production Value of Coffee Machine Industry4.2 2012-2017 Global Cost and Profit of Coffee Machine Industry4.3 Market Comparison of Global and Chinese Coffee Machine Industry4.4 2012-2017 Global and Chinese Supply and Consumption of Coffee Machine4.5 2012-2017 Chinese Import and Export of Coffee MachineChapter Five Market Status of Coffee Machine Industry5.1 Market Competition of Coffee Machine Industry by Company5.2 Market Competition of Coffee Machine Industry by Country (USA, EU, Japan, Chinese etc.)5.3 Market Analysis of Coffee Machine Consumption by Application/TypeChapter Six 2017-2022 Market Forecast of Global and Chinese Coffee Machine Industry6.1 2017-2022 Global and Chinese Capacity, Production, and Production Value of Coffee Machine6.2 2017-2022 Coffee Machine Industry Cost and Profit Estimation6.3 2017-2022 Global and Chinese Market Share of Coffee Machine6.4 2017-2022 Global and Chinese Supply and Consumption of Coffee Machine6.5 2017-2022 Chinese Import and Export of Coffee MachineChapter Seven Analysis of Coffee Machine Industry Chain7.1 Industry Chain Structure7.2 Upstream Raw Materials7.3 Downstream IndustryChapter Eight Global and Chinese Economic Impact on Coffee Machine Industry8.1 Global and Chinese Macroeconomic Environment Analysis8.1.1 Global Macroeconomic Analysis8.1.2 Chinese Macroeconomic Analysis8.2 Global and Chinese Macroeconomic Environment Development Trend8.2.1 Global Macroeconomic Outlook8.2.2 Chinese Macroeconomic Outlook8.3 Effects to Coffee Machine IndustryChapter Nine Market Dynamics of Coffee Machine Industry9.1 Coffee Machine Industry News9.2 Coffee Machine Industry Development Challenges9.3 Coffee Machine Industry Development OpportunitiesChapter Ten Proposals for New Project10.1 Market Entry Strategies10.2 Countermeasures of Economic Impact10.3 Marketing Channels10.4 Feasibility Studies of New Project InvestmentChapter Eleven Research Conclusions of Global and Chinese Coffee Machine IndustryInquire for Report atContact Us:Call: +1-646-491-9876Email: sales@reportsweb.comReportsWeb.com is a one stop shop of market research reports and solutions to various companies across the globe. We help our clients in their decision support system by helping them choose most relevant and cost effective research reports and solutions from various publishers. We provide best in class customer service and our customer support team is always available to help you on your research queries.505, 6th floor, Amanora Township,Amanora Chambers, East Block,Kharadi Road, Hadapsar, Pune-411028
Dust Sensors Market Report for Period 2011 till 2022 Samyoung Electronics, Sharp, Shinyei Group, Nova Fitness, PlanTower and Others

Dust Sensors Market

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Global Dust Sensors market report provides detailed analysis of companies namely Omron Automation and Safety, Nova Fitness, PlanTower, Wuhan Cubic Optoelectronic, Sharp, Shinyei Group, Amphenol Advanced Sensors, Samyoung Electronics and Others. This report study includes global market statistics and analysis for example, company performance, historical analysis 2012 to 2016, market forecast 2017 to 2023 in terms of volume, revenue, YOY growth rate, and CAGR for the year 2017 to 2022, etc.The Global Dust Sensors market is estimated to reach 365 Million USD in 2017. The objective of report is to define, segment, and project the market on the basis of type, application, and region, and to describe the content about the factors influencing market dynamics, policy, economic, technology and market entry etc.Request for Free Sample Copy of Global Dust Sensors Market 2017Top Company Profiles and Analysis included in this report:SharpShinyei GroupAmphenol Advanced SensorsSamyoung ElectronicsOmron Automation and SafetyNova FitnessPlanTowerWuhan Cubic OptoelectronicOthersGlobal Dust Sensors Market: Key Product TypeCommercial UseFamily UseOthersGlobal Dust Sensors Market: Key Application TypeAerospaceAutomotiveIndustrialHealthcareOthersGlobal Dust Sensors Market: Key RegionNorth America (USA, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia, Italy and Others)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India, Southeast Asia and Others)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia and Others)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa and Others)The Global Dust Sensors Market analysis report provides detailed value chain for analysis of Global Dust Sensors Market. The value chain helps to analyze major upstream in raw materials, major equipments, manufacturing process, downstream customer analysis and major distributor analysis.The report also covers in-depth description, competitive scenario, wide product portfolio of prime players active in this market and business strategies adopted by competitors along with their SWOT analysis. Side by side, it also explicitly provides information about mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, and all the other important activities happened in current and past few years. The Global Dust Sensors Market report explores manufacturers competitive scenario and provides market share for all major players of this market based on production capacity, sales, revenue, geographical presence and other major factors.Enquire before Buying @Table of Contents:1 Market Overview1.1 Objectives of Research1.1.1 Definition1.1.2 Specifications1.2 Market Segment1.2.1 by Type1.2.1.1 Commercial Use1.2.1.2 Family Use1.2.2 by Application1.2.2.1 Aerospace1.2.2.2 Automotive1.2.2.3 Industrial1.2.2.4 Healthcare1.2.3 by Regions........................Continue (Global Dust Sensors Market Research Industry Report is prepared with the help of extensive primary and secondary sources, directories, journals, newsletters and with the help of third-party application like Hoovers, Factiva, Bloomberg, Businessweek, etc.About Us:Market Reports Company is a global research and consulting company. We provide customized reports. We can study and analyze any market based on wide range of parameters. We can provide market insights for any particular region, country across the globe within shortest possible turn around time.What we offer: Customized Reports: we provide customized report study on any market or industry. Region Specific Study: If you need region specific or if you are searching for particular region market study then, we have expert research team for that. How we work: We work in all domains and industries, you name it and we provide the market research industry report analysis of it. Expertise: Superior Research Team, 24*7 Customer Care ServiceContact UsJason Smith,Sales Manager, Global Business Development,Website:Email: jasonsmith@marketreportscompany.comContact us: +1-888-220-3424Address: 20 N State Street, Chicago, Illinois, 60602 United States
Commercial Drones Market : Structure and Overview of Key Market Forces Propelling Market

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The global market for commercial drones is highly consolidated as the two leading players, namely Parrot S.A. and DJI cumulatively accounted for over 75% of the overall market in the year 2016. Among these, DJI held the lead on the back of its large global network and product innovations.Transparency Market Research (TMR) has observed that various companies operating in this market are constantly improving the technological aspects of their products to provide highly functional drones to their consumers. Other prominent players include Northrop Grumman Corporation, Draganfly, Denel SOC Ltd., and Aurora Flight. These players are focusing on improving landing capabilities and high image capturing abilities of drones.Transparency Market Research has estimated that the market value of the global commercial drones market will reach US$8.89 bn by the end of 2025 from its valuation of US$2.8 bn in 2016. The market is anticipated to expand at an impressive CAGR of 13.8% for the forecast period 2015-2023.Based on type, the global commercial drones market can be segmented into hybrid, fixed wing, single rotor, multi-rotor, and others. Among these, the multi-rotor segment contributed the major share, accounting over 33.2% in 2016 in the overall market.Obtain Report Details @Regionally, the global market is segmented into the Middle East and Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, and North America. Of these, the North America market held the leading share in the market contributing 35% to the global market in 2016.The increasing use of commercial drones in surveillance applications, precision agriculture, and aerial photography is enabling growth in the global commercial drones market. Videos and images captured by advanced drones provide high resolution and enhanced image quality, which is increasing their applications across various industries. Furthermore, with technological advancements high image and video format supporting TV and smartphones have come into emergence.Make an Enquiry @The rising number of flying drones is raising privacy concerns among many consumers. The drones can capture private activities, this has restricted the use of drones at several areas. Governments are regulating various rules for the usage of drones. Furthermore, the increasing number of spying by drones are motivating various regulatory bodies to implement strict laws against the unauthorized usage of these flying machines.These factors could impede the market growth. Nonetheless, the rising adoption of drones in developing countries is most likely to assist the market sustain its growth. During the forecast period, applications of drones for transportation and delivery are expected to fuel the market growth. They are most likely to be used for delivering small packages and couriers such as beverages, medicines, letters, and pizzas over short distances.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. We have an experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, who us e proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR Syndicated Research report covers a different sector  such as pharmaceuticals, chemical, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, our syndicated reports thrive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Thin Film Drug Market Report for Period 2017 till 2022 Prestige Bands, Sanofi, Church and Dwight, Aavishkar, IntelGenx Corp, MonoSol, BioDelivery and Others

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Global Thin Film Drug market report provides detailed analysis of companies namely Prestige Bands, Sun Pharma, MonoSol, BioDelivery, Arx, ZIM, NAL Pharma, AdhexPharma, Aavishkar, IntelGenx Corp, APR, JandJ, Indivior, Pfizer, Sanofi, Church and Dwight, tesa Labtec, Tapemark and Others. This report study includes global market statistics and analysis for example, company performance, historical analysis 2012 to 2016, market forecast 2017 to 2023 in terms of volume, revenue, YOY growth rate, and CAGR for the year 2017 to 2022, etc.Thin-film drug delivery uses a dissolving film or oral drug strip to administer drugs via absorption in the mouth and/or via the small intestines. A film is prepared using hydrophilic polymers that rapidly dissolves on the tongue or buccal cavity, delivering the drug to the systemic circulation via dissolution when contact with liquid is made.Request for Free Sample Copy of Global Thin Film Drug Market 2017Top Company Profiles and Analysis included in this report:JandJIndiviorPfizerSanofiChurch and Dwighttesa LabtecTapemarkPrestige BandsSun PharmaMonoSolBioDeliveryArxZIMNAL PharmaAdhexPharmaAavishkarIntelGenx CorpAPROthersGlobal Thin Film Drug Market: Key Product TypeTransdermal FilmOral Thin FilmOthersGlobal Thin Film Drug Market: Key Application TypeHospitalsDrugstoresOthersGlobal Thin Film Drug Market: Key RegionNorth America (USA, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia, Italy and Others)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India, Southeast Asia and Others)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia and Others)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa and Others)The Global Thin Film Drug Market analysis report provides detailed value chain for analysis of Global Thin Film Drug Market. The value chain helps to analyze major upstream in raw materials, major equipments, manufacturing process, downstream customer analysis and major distributor analysis.The report also covers in-depth description, competitive scenario, wide product portfolio of prime players active in this market and business strategies adopted by competitors along with their SWOT analysis. Side by side, it also explicitly provides information about mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, and all the other important activities happened in current and past few years. The Global Thin Film Drug Market report explores manufacturers competitive scenario and provides market share for all major players of this market based on production capacity, sales, revenue, geographical presence and other major factors.Enquire before Buying @Table of Contents:1.1 Thin Film Drug Introduction1.2 Market Analysis by Type1.2.1 Transdermal Film1.2.2 Oral Thin Film1.2.3 Others1.3 Market Analysis by Applications1.3.1 Hospitals1.3.2 Drugstores1.3.3 Others........................Continue (Global Thin Film Drug Market Research Industry Report is prepared with the help of extensive primary and secondary sources, directories, journals, newsletters and with the help of third-party application like Hoovers, Factiva, Bloomberg, Businessweek, etc.About Us:Market Reports Company is a global research and consulting company. We provide customized reports. We can study and analyze any market based on wide range of parameters. We can provide market insights for any particular region, country across the globe within shortest possible turn around time.What we offer: Customized Reports: we provide customized report study on any market or industry. Region Specific Study: If you need region specific or if you are searching for particular region market study then, we have expert research team for that. How we work: We work in all domains and industries, you name it and we provide the market research industry report analysis of it. Expertise: Superior Research Team, 24*7 Customer Care ServiceContact UsJason Smith,Sales Manager, Global Business Development,Website:Email: jasonsmith@marketreportscompany.comContact us: +1-888-220-3424Address: 20 N State Street, Chicago, Illinois, 60602 United States
Respiratory Disposable Devices Market Report for Period 2012 till 2022 Philips Respironics, Ambu, Smiths Medical, Besmed, ResMed, Viomedex, Armstrong Medical and Others

Respiratory Disposable Devices Market

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Global Respiratory Disposable Devices market report provides detailed analysis of companies namely Armstrong Medical, Drive Medical, Dynarex, Viomedex, Flexicare Medical, Hamilton Medical, Besmed, ResMed, Philips Respironics, Ambu, Fisher & Paykel, BD, Teleflex, Smiths Medical and Others. This report study includes global market statistics and analysis for example, company performance, historical analysis 2012 to 2016, market forecast 2017 to 2023 in terms of volume, revenue, YOY growth rate, and CAGR for the year 2017 to 2022, etc.These report statistic respiratory disposable devices used in therapeutic for patients with respiratory disorders, and the disposable devices mainly include face masks, tubes and filers.Request for Free Sample Copy of Global Respiratory Disposable Devices Market 2017Top Company Profiles and Analysis included in this report:ResMedPhilips RespironicsAmbuFisher & PaykelBDTeleflexSmiths MedicalArmstrong MedicalDrive MedicalDynarexViomedexFlexicare MedicalHamilton MedicalBesmedOthersGlobal Respiratory Disposable Devices Market: Key Product TypeFace MasksTubesFiltersOthersGlobal Respiratory Disposable Devices Market: Key Application TypeAdultPaediatric & NeonatalOthersGlobal Respiratory Disposable Devices Market: Key RegionNorth America (USA, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia, Italy and Others)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India, Southeast Asia and Others)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia and Others)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa and Others)The Global Respiratory Disposable Devices Market analysis report provides detailed value chain for analysis of Global Respiratory Disposable Devices Market. The value chain helps to analyze major upstream in raw materials, major equipments, manufacturing process, downstream customer analysis and major distributor analysis.The report also covers in-depth description, competitive scenario, wide product portfolio of prime players active in this market and business strategies adopted by competitors along with their SWOT analysis. Side by side, it also explicitly provides information about mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, and all the other important activities happened in current and past few years. The Global Respiratory Disposable Devices Market report explores manufacturers competitive scenario and provides market share for all major players of this market based on production capacity, sales, revenue, geographical presence and other major factors.Enquire before Buying @Table of Contents:1 Market Overview1.1 Objectives of Research1.1.1 Definition1.1.2 Specifications1.2 Market Segment1.2.1 by Product1.2.1.1 Face Masks1.2.1.2 Tubes1.2.1.3 Filters1.2.2 by Application........................Continue (Global Respiratory Disposable Devices Market Research Industry Report is prepared with the help of extensive primary and secondary sources, directories, journals, newsletters and with the help of third-party application like Hoovers, Factiva, Bloomberg, Businessweek, etc.About Us:Market Reports Company is a global research and consulting company. We provide customized reports. We can study and analyze any market based on wide range of parameters. We can provide market insights for any particular region, country across the globe within shortest possible turn around time.What we offer: Customized Reports: we provide customized report study on any market or industry. Region Specific Study: If you need region specific or if you are searching for particular region market study then, we have expert research team for that. How we work: We work in all domains and industries, you name it and we provide the market research industry report analysis of it. Expertise: Superior Research Team, 24*7 Customer Care ServiceContact UsJason Smith,Sales Manager, Global Business Development,Website:Email: jasonsmith@marketreportscompany.comContact us: +1-888-220-3424Address: 20 N State Street, Chicago, Illinois, 60602 United States
Global healthcare IT integration market is expected to reach USD 6.5 billion, growing at a CAGR of 11.8% Till 2024

Global Healthcare IT Integration Market Trends and Forecast to 2024

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Global Healthcare IT Integration Market, By Type (Products (Integration Engines, Integration Software), Services (Installation Services, Maintenance Services, Training), By End User (Hospitals, Radiology Centers, Diagnostic Laboratories, Cath Labs, Clinics, Others), By Applications (Medical Device Integration, Healthcare Center Integration), By Geography (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, Rest of the World)  Trends and Forecast to 2024Global healthcare IT integration market is expected to reach USD 6.5 billion, growing at a CAGR of 11.8% during the forecast period of 2016 to 2024, from USD 2.68 billion in 2016.The new market report contains data for historic years 2014 & 2015, the base year of calculation is 2016 and the forecast period is 2017 to 2024.Request for TOC@Global Healthcare IT Integration Market  Market Segmentation:The healthcare IT integration market is segmented based on type, services, end user, applications and geography. Based on type the market is segmented into products and services..The product segment includes integration engines or platforms and integration software. In 2015, the healthcare IT integration engines segment is dominant with approximately a market share of above 70% growing at the highest CAGR of 12.6% in the forecast period. The healthcare It integration services is further segmented into installation services, maintenance services and training services. The maintenance services segment commanded the largest share of 48.7% of the global healthcare IT integration market, by service, in 2015.Based on end-users the healthcare IT integration is segmented into hospitals, radiology centers, diagnostic laboratories, cath labs, clinics and, others. In 2016, hospitals is expected to be the largest end-user for healthcare IT integration products, owing to the large number of healthcare IT products installed in hospitals, the larger number of products more is the complexity and hence greater needs for integration.Based on applications the global healthcare IT integration market is segmented into medical device integration and healthcare center integration. In 2015, healthcare It integration leads the market, owing to the increasing number of users for healthcare IT products and increasing demand of Electronic Health Records (EHR) solutions in the market.Browse Full Report with Details TOC @Based on geography the market is segmented into 5 geographical regions, North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America and rest of the world. The geographical regions are further segmented into 24 major countries such as U.S. Canada, Mexico, Germany, France, U.K., Belgium, Switzerland, Belgium, Turkey, Japan, China, Singapore, Brazil, India, Russia, South Africa and many others.Request For Sample:Some of the major players operating in this market areSome of the major players operating in this market are Carepoint Health, Oracle, AVI-SPL, Inc., Allscripts Healthcare Solutions, Inc., Epic Systems Corporation, Qualcomm Life, Inc., Interfaceware, Inc., Orion Health, Quality Systems, Inc., Cerner Corporation, InterSystems Corporation, Infor, Inc., Orion Health, Summit Healthcare and Siemens among other vernacular players.Inquiry before Buying @About Data Bridge Market Research:Data Bridge Market Research set forth itself as an unconventional and neoteric Market research and consulting firm with unparalleled level of resilience and integrated approaches. We are determined to unearth the best market opportunities and foster efficient information for your business to thrive in the market. Data Bridge endeavors to provide appropriate solutions to the complex business challenges and initiates an effortless decision-making process.Contact:Vishal DixitData Bridge Market ResearchTel: +1-888-387-2818Email: Sales@databridgemarketresearch.comInvestor: investors@databridgemarketresearch.comVisit BlogData Bridge Market Research set forth itself as an unconventional and neoteric Market research and consulting firm with unparalleled level of resilience and integrated approaches. We are determined to unearth the best market opportunities and foster efficient information for your business to thrive in the market. Data Bridge endeavors to provide appropriate solutions to the complex business challenges and initiates an effortless decision-making process.Vishal DixitData Bridge Market ResearchTel: +1-888-387-2818Email: Sales@databridgemarketresearch.comInvestor: investors@databridgemarketresearch.comVisit Blog
Global Sutures Market growing at a CAGR of 5.3% during the forecast 2024

Global Sutures Market  Industry Trends and Forecast to 2024

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Global Sutures Market, By Product Type (Absorbable Sutures (Natural, Synthetic (Polyglactin 910 Sutures, Poliglecaprone 25 Sutures, Polydioxanone Sutures, Polyglycolic Acid Sutures, and Others), Non-Absorbable Sutures (Nylon, Polypropylene, Polyster, Silk), Automated Sutures (Disposable Automated Suturing Devices, Reusable Automated Suturing Devices)), By Application (Cardiovascular Surgeries, General Surgeries, Gynecological Surgeries, Orthopedic Surgeries, Ophthalmic Surgeries, Others), By End User (Hospitals, Clinics, Ambulatory Centers), By Geography (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Europe, South America, Middle East and Africa)  Industry Trends and Forecast to 2024The sutures market accounted to USD 3.8 billion in 2016 growing at a CAGR of 5.3% during the forecast period of 2017 to 2024. The upcoming market report contains data for historic years 2015, the base year of calculation is 2016 and the forecast period is 2017 to 2024.Request for TOC@Sutures Market  Market Segmentation:By product type the market for sutures market is segmented into absorbable sutures, non-absorbable sutures and automated sutures. The absorbable sutures segment is further sub-segmented into natural and synthetic and synthetic segment is sub-segmented into polyglactin 910 sutures, poliglecaprone 25 sutures, polydioxanone sutures, polyglycolic acid sutures, and others. The Non-absorbable sutures segment is sub-segmented into nylon, polypropylene, polyster, silk and automated suture segment is sub-segmented into disposable automated suturing devices, reusable automated suturing devices.On the basis of application the market is segmented into cardiovascular surgeries, general surgeries, gynecological surgeries, orthopedic surgeries, ophthalmic surgeries, others.On the basis of end-users the sutures market is segmented into hospitals, clinics, ambulatory centers.Browse Full Report with Details TOC @Based on geography, the market is segmented into five geographical regions: North America Europe Asia-Pacific South America Middle East and AfricaThe geographical regions are further segmented into 29 major countries such as U.S. Canada, Mexico, Germany, France, U.K., Belgium, Switzerland, Belgium, Turkey, Japan, China, Singapore, Brazil, India, Russia, South Africa and others.Request For Sample:Some of the major players operating in this market are1. Ethicon Inc.2. Braun Melsungen A3. Medtronic PLC4. Smith & Nephew5. Boston Scientific Corporation6. Peters Surgical7. Demetech Corporation8. Internacional Farmaceutica S.A. De C.V.9. Sutures India Pvt Ltd.10. Endoevolution LLC11. Apollo Endosurgery Inc12. Surgical Specialties Corporation13. Mellon Medical B.V14. 3M15. Demetech Corporation16. L. Gore & Associates, Inc.Inquiry before Buying @Related ReportGlobal Hemostats Market- Trends and Forecast to 2024Global Hemostats Market, By Product Type (Thrombin Based, Combination, Oxidized Regenerated Cellulose Based, Gelatin Based, Collagen Based Hemostat), By Indication (Wound Closure, Surgery), By End-User (Hospitals, Clinics, Ambulatory Centers, Community Healthcare, Others), By Geography (North America, South America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa)  Trends and Forecast to 2024About Data Bridge Market Research:Data Bridge Market Research set forth itself as an unconventional and neoteric Market research and consulting firm with unparalleled level of resilience and integrated approaches. We are determined to unearth the best market opportunities and foster efficient information for your business to thrive in the market. Data Bridge endeavors to provide appropriate solutions to the complex business challenges and initiates an effortless decision-making process.Contact:Vishal DixitData Bridge Market ResearchTel: +1-888-387-2818Email: Sales@databridgemarketresearch.comInvestor: investors@databridgemarketresearch.comVisit BlogData Bridge Market Research set forth itself as an unconventional and neoteric Market research and consulting firm with unparalleled level of resilience and integrated approaches. We are determined to unearth the best market opportunities and foster efficient information for your business to thrive in the market. Data Bridge endeavors to provide appropriate solutions to the complex business challenges and initiates an effortless decision-making process.Vishal DixitData Bridge Market ResearchTel: +1-888-387-2818Email: Sales@databridgemarketresearch.comInvestor: investors@databridgemarketresearch.comVisit Blog
Disc Metal Oxide Varistor Market Report for Period 2017 till 2023 SIEMENS, TOSHIBA, Pinggao, RIGHT ELECTRIC, OTOWA Electric, Nanyang Zhongwei and Others

Disc Metal Oxide Varistor Market

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Global Disc Metal Oxide Varistor market report provides detailed analysis of companies namely Nanyang Jinguan, Pinggao, RIGHT ELECTRIC, Zhejiang Bitai, YUEQING TIANYI, Nanyang Zhongwei, Nanyang Jinniu, Wuhan Yinghe, ABB, SIEMENS, TOSHIBA, Elpro, MacLean Power Systems, OTOWA Electric, MEIDENSHA CORPORATION and Others. This report study includes global market statistics and analysis for example, company performance, historical analysis 2012 to 2016, market forecast 2017 to 2023 in terms of volume, revenue, YOY growth rate, and CAGR for the year 2017 to 2022, etc.These ceramic disks are sophisticated electronic devices manufactured using complex technologies.Request for Free Sample Copy of Global Disc Metal Oxide Varistor Market 2017Top Company Profiles and Analysis included in this report:ABBSIEMENSTOSHIBAElproMacLean Power SystemsOTOWA ElectricMEIDENSHA CORPORATIONNanyang JinguanPinggaoRIGHT ELECTRICZhejiang BitaiYUEQING TIANYINanyang ZhongweiNanyang JinniuWuhan YingheOthersGlobal Disc Metal Oxide Varistor Market: Key Product TypeLV MOVHV-MV MOVOthersGlobal Disc Metal Oxide Varistor Market: Key Application TypeTelecommunicationPowerBuildingRailwayPetrochemicalNew EnergyOthersGlobal Disc Metal Oxide Varistor Market: Key RegionNorth America (USA, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia, Italy and Others)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India, Southeast Asia and Others)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia and Others)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa and Others)The Global Disc Metal Oxide Varistor Market analysis report provides detailed value chain for analysis of Global Disc Metal Oxide Varistor Market. The value chain helps to analyze major upstream in raw materials, major equipments, manufacturing process, downstream customer analysis and major distributor analysis.The report also covers in-depth description, competitive scenario, wide product portfolio of prime players active in this market and business strategies adopted by competitors along with their SWOT analysis. Side by side, it also explicitly provides information about mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, and all the other important activities happened in current and past few years. The Global Disc Metal Oxide Varistor Market report explores manufacturers competitive scenario and provides market share for all major players of this market based on production capacity, sales, revenue, geographical presence and other major factors.Enquire before Buying @Table of Contents:1 Market Overview1.1 Objectives of Research1.1.1 Definition1.1.2 Specifications1.2 Market Segment1.2.1 by Type1.2.1.1 LV MOV1.2.1.2 HV-MV MOV1.2.2 by Application........................Continue (Global Disc Metal Oxide Varistor Market Research Industry Report is prepared with the help of extensive primary and secondary sources, directories, journals, newsletters and with the help of third-party application like Hoovers, Factiva, Bloomberg, Businessweek, etc.About Us:Market Reports Company is a global research and consulting company. We provide customized reports. We can study and analyze any market based on wide range of parameters. We can provide market insights for any particular region, country across the globe within shortest possible turn around time.What we offer: Customized Reports: we provide customized report study on any market or industry. Region Specific Study: If you need region specific or if you are searching for particular region market study then, we have expert research team for that. How we work: We work in all domains and industries, you name it and we provide the market research industry report analysis of it. Expertise: Superior Research Team, 24*7 Customer Care ServiceContact UsJason Smith,Sales Manager, Global Business Development,Website:Email: jasonsmith@marketreportscompany.comContact us: +1-888-220-3424Address: 20 N State Street, Chicago, Illinois, 60602 United States
Thermoplastic Polyester Elastomer (TPEE) Market Report for Period 2012 till 2022 LG Chem, Toyobo, Taiwan Changchun, RadiciGroup, Eastman and Others

Thermoplastic Polyester Elastomer (TPEE) Market

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Global Thermoplastic Polyester Elastomer (TPEE) market report provides detailed analysis of companies namely LG Chem, SABIC, Mitsubishi Chemical, RadiciGroup, Kelong, Eastman, Sichuan Sunplas, DuPont, DSM, Toyobo, Taiwan Changchun, Jiangyin Hetron, Celanese, SK Chemicals and Others. This report study includes global market statistics and analysis for example, company performance, historical analysis 2012 to 2016, market forecast 2017 to 2023 in terms of volume, revenue, YOY growth rate, and CAGR for the year 2017 to 2022, etc.The Thermoplastic Polyester Elastomer (TPEE) is fruit that originally cultivated in Mexico and Central America. The Thermoplastic Polyester Elastomer (TPEE) tree (Persea Americana) is currently widely planted in tropical and Mediterranean climate area. It is classified in the flowering plant family Lauraceae along with cinnamon, camphor and bay laurel. The fruit is also named as alligator pear. Trees are partially self-pollinating and the growers often propagate through grafting to keep quality and quantity of the fruit.Request for Free Sample Copy of Global Thermoplastic Polyester Elastomer (TPEE) Market 2017Top Company Profiles and Analysis included in this report:DuPontDSMToyoboTaiwan ChangchunJiangyin HetronCelaneseSK ChemicalsLG ChemSABICMitsubishi ChemicalRadiciGroupKelongEastmanSichuan SunplasOthersGlobal Thermoplastic Polyester Elastomer (TPEE) Market: Key Product TypeBy GradeInjection Molding GradeExtrusion GradeBlow Injection GradeOthersGlobal Thermoplastic Polyester Elastomer (TPEE) Market: Key Application TypeAutomotive IndustryIndustrial ProductsConsumer ProductsOthersGlobal Thermoplastic Polyester Elastomer (TPEE) Market: Key RegionNorth America (USA, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia, Italy and Others)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India, Southeast Asia and Others)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia and Others)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa and Others)The Global Thermoplastic Polyester Elastomer (TPEE) Market analysis report provides detailed value chain for analysis of Global Thermoplastic Polyester Elastomer (TPEE) Market. The value chain helps to analyze major upstream in raw materials, major equipments, manufacturing process, downstream customer analysis and major distributor analysis.The report also covers in-depth description, competitive scenario, wide product portfolio of prime players active in this market and business strategies adopted by competitors along with their SWOT analysis. Side by side, it also explicitly provides information about mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, and all the other important activities happened in current and past few years. The Global Thermoplastic Polyester Elastomer (TPEE) Market report explores manufacturers competitive scenario and provides market share for all major players of this market based on production capacity, sales, revenue, geographical presence and other major factors.Enquire before Buying @Table of Contents:1 Market Overview1.1 Objectives of Research1.1.1 Definition1.1.2 Specifications1.2 Market Segment1.2.1 by Product1.2.1.1 Injection Molding Grade1.2.1.2 Extrusion Grade1.2.1.3 Blow Injection Grade1.2.2 by Application........................Continue (Global Thermoplastic Polyester Elastomer (TPEE) Market Research Industry Report is prepared with the help of extensive primary and secondary sources, directories, journals, newsletters and with the help of third-party application like Hoovers, Factiva, Bloomberg, Businessweek, etc.About Us:Market Reports Company is a global research and consulting company. We provide customized reports. We can study and analyze any market based on wide range of parameters. We can provide market insights for any particular region, country across the globe within shortest possible turn around time.What we offer: Customized Reports: we provide customized report study on any market or industry. Region Specific Study: If you need region specific or if you are searching for particular region market study then, we have expert research team for that. How we work: We work in all domains and industries, you name it and we provide the market research industry report analysis of it. Expertise: Superior Research Team, 24*7 Customer Care ServiceContact UsJason Smith,Sales Manager, Global Business Development,Website:Email: jasonsmith@marketreportscompany.comContact us: +1-888-220-3424Address: 20 N State Street, Chicago, Illinois, 60602 United States
Thermal Paper Market Report for Period 2017 Guanhao (CN), Jiangsu Wampolet Paper (CN), Appvion (USA), Mitsubishi Paper (JP), Oji (JP) and Others

Thermal Paper Market

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Global Thermal Paper market report provides detailed analysis of companies namely Jujo Thermal Paper, ChenMing (CN), Jianghe (CN), Guanhao (CN), Jiangsu Wampolet Paper (CN), Oji (JP), Koehler (DE), Appvion (USA), Mitsubishi Paper (JP), Ricoh (JP), Hansol (KR) and Others. This report study includes global market statistics and analysis for example, company performance, historical analysis 2012 to 2016, market forecast 2017 to 2023 in terms of volume, revenue, YOY growth rate, and CAGR for the year 2017 to 2022, etc.Thermal paper is a special paper type that is manufactured with specialty coating that aids in inkless printing. On application of heat to the coating, a clear image is formed on the paper with no requirement for ribbons or inks. The coating usually turns black on heating, which, in turn, transfers the image to the paper. Thermal paper is the key component of thermal paper printing, which is considered one of the most economical printing technologies owing to its low energy consumption and low maintenance cost.Request for Free Sample Copy of Global Thermal Paper Market 2017Top Company Profiles and Analysis included in this report:Oji (JP)Koehler (DE)Appvion (USA)Mitsubishi Paper (JP)Ricoh (JP)Hansol (KR)Jujo Thermal PaperChenMing (CN)Jianghe (CN)Guanhao (CN)Jiangsu Wampolet Paper (CN)OthersGlobal Thermal Paper Market: Key Product TypeTop coating and no top coating Thermal PaperStandard and premium Thermal PaperPaper and synthetic mediaOthersGlobal Thermal Paper Market: Key Application TypePOS ApplicationsPlotting and RecordingSelf-Adhesive LabelsTicketsOthersGlobal Thermal Paper Market: Key RegionNorth America (USA, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia, Italy and Others)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India, Southeast Asia and Others)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia and Others)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa and Others)The Global Thermal Paper Market analysis report provides detailed value chain for analysis of Global Thermal Paper Market. The value chain helps to analyze major upstream in raw materials, major equipments, manufacturing process, downstream customer analysis and major distributor analysis.The report also covers in-depth description, competitive scenario, wide product portfolio of prime players active in this market and business strategies adopted by competitors along with their SWOT analysis. Side by side, it also explicitly provides information about mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, and all the other important activities happened in current and past few years. The Global Thermal Paper Market report explores manufacturers competitive scenario and provides market share for all major players of this market based on production capacity, sales, revenue, geographical presence and other major factors.Enquire before Buying @Table of Contents:1 Market Overview1.1 Market Segment Overview1.1.1 Product Definition1.1.2 Market by Type1.1.2.1 Top coating and no top coating Thermal Paper1.1.2.2 Standard and premium Thermal Paper1.1.2.3 Paper and synthetic media1.1.3 Market by Application1.1.3.1 POS Applications1.1.3.2 Plotting and Recording1.1.3.3 Self-Adhesive Labels1.1.3.4 Tickets1.1.3.5 Others........................Continue (Global Thermal Paper Market Research Industry Report is prepared with the help of extensive primary and secondary sources, directories, journals, newsletters and with the help of third-party application like Hoovers, Factiva, Bloomberg, Businessweek, etc.About Us:Market Reports Company is a global research and consulting company. We provide customized reports. We can study and analyze any market based on wide range of parameters. We can provide market insights for any particular region, country across the globe within shortest possible turn around time.What we offer: Customized Reports: we provide customized report study on any market or industry. Region Specific Study: If you need region specific or if you are searching for particular region market study then, we have expert research team for that. How we work: We work in all domains and industries, you name it and we provide the market research industry report analysis of it. Expertise: Superior Research Team, 24*7 Customer Care ServiceContact UsJason Smith,Sales Manager, Global Business Development,Website:Email: jasonsmith@marketreportscompany.comContact us: +1-888-220-3424Address: 20 N State Street, Chicago, Illinois, 60602 United States
Two Eritrean journalists jailed for over a decade in Ethiopia have been released, according to family members.

Tesfaldet Kidane and Saleh Gama, who were arrested in 2006 at the Kenya-Somalia border during Ethiopian invasion of Somalia, were released last weekend.

Family members of Kidane speaking to the Washington-based Voice of America radio, said Saleh  a cameraman had left Ethiopia since the release even though Kidane  a show host was still in Ethiopia.

The Ethiopian Foreign Ministry first disclosed the detention of the journalists in April 2007 and presented them on state television as part of a group of 41 captured terrorism suspects.

Tesfalidet and Saleh had not been tried until their release. Ethiopian and Eritrea authorities have not formally commented on the development or the whereabouts of the journalists.

Note that both countries ranked very low on press freedom index published by Reporters Without Borders (RSF).

According to Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Ethiopia has put 16 journalists behind bars, while Eritrea has 17, as of 2016.

Eritrea is the only African country to have no privately-owned news media and the threat of imprisonment has led many journalists to go into exile, says the CPJ.

Despite having one of the lowest internet penetration rates in the world, Eritrea and Ethiopia seeks to block many websites run by exiles, says Freedom House.
Thermal Lamination Films Market Report for Period 2017 till 2022 Eluson Film, DK, FlexFilm, Royal Sovereign, Ipak, Hongqing, KANGLONG, Shagun Films, Kangde Xin, PKC Co.,Ltd and Others

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Global Thermal Lamination Films market report provides detailed analysis of companies namely PKC Co.,Ltd, J-Film Corporation, Shagun Films, Kangde Xin, New Era, Hongqing, KANGLONG, Dingxin, EKO Film, Eluson Film, DK, FlexFilm, Derprosa, GMP, Royal Sovereign, Ipak, Drytac and Others. This report study includes global market statistics and analysis for example, company performance, historical analysis 2012 to 2016, market forecast 2017 to 2023 in terms of volume, revenue, YOY growth rate, and CAGR for the year 2017 to 2022, etc.This report studies the Thermal Lamination Films market, Thermal lamination film is a decorative film that has been extrusion coated with a thermal adhesive, low temperature melting resin or EVA (Ethylene Viny Acetate), so that a heated lamination nip roll will activate the adhesive layer causing the film to adhere to a printed paper surface. The decorative film can be a biaxially oriented polypropylene film (OPP), a biaxially oriented polyethylene terephthalate film (PET), or a bixially oriented nylon-6 film (Nylon). The decorative film can also be glossy, matte finish, or have a special modified surface for foil stamping or special adhesives such as those used in making case bound books.Request for Free Sample Copy of Global Thermal Lamination Films Market 2017Top Company Profiles and Analysis included in this report:DKFlexFilmDerprosaGMPRoyal SovereignIpakDrytacPKC Co.,LtdJ-Film CorporationShagun FilmsKangde XinNew EraHongqingKANGLONGDingxinEKO FilmEluson FilmOthersGlobal Thermal Lamination Films Market: Key Product TypeBOPP Based Thermal Lamination FilmsBOPET Based Thermal Lamination FilmsBOPA Based Thermal Lamination FilmsOthersGlobal Thermal Lamination Films Market: Key Application TypeIndustrial PrintingCommercial PrintingOthersGlobal Thermal Lamination Films Market: Key RegionNorth America (USA, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia, Italy and Others)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India, Southeast Asia and Others)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia and Others)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa and Others)The Global Thermal Lamination Films Market analysis report provides detailed value chain for analysis of Global Thermal Lamination Films Market. The value chain helps to analyze major upstream in raw materials, major equipments, manufacturing process, downstream customer analysis and major distributor analysis.The report also covers in-depth description, competitive scenario, wide product portfolio of prime players active in this market and business strategies adopted by competitors along with their SWOT analysis. Side by side, it also explicitly provides information about mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, and all the other important activities happened in current and past few years. The Global Thermal Lamination Films Market report explores manufacturers competitive scenario and provides market share for all major players of this market based on production capacity, sales, revenue, geographical presence and other major factors.Enquire before Buying @Table of Contents:1.1 Thermal Lamination Films Introduction1.2 Market Analysis by Type1.2.1 BOPP Based Thermal Lamination Films1.2.2 BOPET Based Thermal Lamination Films1.2.3 BOPA Based Thermal Lamination Films1.2.4 Others1.3 Market Analysis by Applications1.3.1 Industrial Printing1.3.2 Commercial Printing1.3.3 Others ........................Continue (Global Thermal Lamination Films Market Research Industry Report is prepared with the help of extensive primary and secondary sources, directories, journals, newsletters and with the help of third-party application like Hoovers, Factiva, Bloomberg, Businessweek, etc.About Us:Market Reports Company is a global research and consulting company. We provide customized reports. We can study and analyze any market based on wide range of parameters. We can provide market insights for any particular region, country across the globe within shortest possible turn around time.What we offer: Customized Reports: we provide customized report study on any market or industry. Region Specific Study: If you need region specific or if you are searching for particular region market study then, we have expert research team for that. How we work: We work in all domains and industries, you name it and we provide the market research industry report analysis of it. Expertise: Superior Research Team, 24*7 Customer Care ServiceContact UsJason Smith,Sales Manager, Global Business Development,Website:Email: jasonsmith@marketreportscompany.comContact us: +1-888-220-3424Address: 20 N State Street, Chicago, Illinois, 60602 United States
Food Safety Testing Market Share, Demand, New Opportunities and Foresight to 2025

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The Global Food Safety Testing Market is growing with the rapid pace; mainly due the burgeoning Healthcare Sector. According to a recent study report published by the Market Research Future, The global Food Safety Testing Market is booming and expected to gain prominence over the forecast period.Global Food Safety Testing Market Research Report, by Contaminants Detection (Pathogens, GMOs, Pesticides, Toxins & Others), by Testing Technology (Tradition Methods & Rapid Testing Method), & by Food Types (Meat and Poultry Products, Dairy Products, Fruit & Vegetables, Processed Foods & Others)- Forecast to 2025Food Safety Testing Market Report: IntroductionThe Market research future delivers a detailed analysis of 10 years forecast between 2015 and 2025 and it is expected that Global Food Safety Testing market will register the CAGR of more than 7.2% during the forecast period.Food Safety Testing is a technical method of performing development works, handling of products and storing the product to prevent food borne diseases. It is performed under the supervision of experts which continuously keep their eye on the going process. Food safety testing is done to maintain the quality of the food and to prevent the food from unwanted diseases which could happen in form of illness, toxicity or poisoning.Going ahead and looking atmarket share, North America is said to be the largest market with market share of around 38% on the global scale and expected to grow with the CAGR of more than 7% in the forecasted period. Europe is contributing market share of more than 34% and known as 2nd largest market of Food safety testing followed by the Asia Pacific. Asia Pacific is the fastest growing market as compared to other part of globe and has registered the CAGR of more than 8% and said to register the CAGR of more than 9.5% in the forecasted period.The main objective which is driving the market of Food Safety testing is desire for hunger which means opportunities for new companies in the segment of food industry. These companies are developing new products on daily basis which requires the testing before going to general people.Request a Sample Report @Going ahead Market Research Future has identified the top leader in this field and few of them are: SGS SA, Bureau Veritas, Intertek Group Plc, Cotecna Inspection SA and others.Moving ahead, the report comprises comprehensive analysis of industry overview of Food Safety Testing Marketwhich includes market drivers, restrains, opportunities, burning issues, winning imperatives on Global scale .This report alsocovers geographical analysis. Furthermore, the report has been segmented on the basis ofcontaminants detection (Pathogens, GMOs, Pesticides, Toxins & Others), by testing technology (Tradition methods & Rapid testing method) & by food types (Meat and poultry products, Dairy products, Fruit & Vegetables, processed foods & Others)The Food Safety Testing market research report provides detail analysis of market in terms of value market. The report also gives the future outlook of the market till 2024. Moreover, on whole region as well as market share in different countries.Lastly, the report provides company profiles of major players in the market.Research MethodologyTo calculate Food Safety Testing market size, we have considered top players in the market and to offer accuracy, our research is supported by industry experts who offer insight on industry structure and technology assessment, competitive landscape, penetration, emerging products and trends. Their analysis is based(80 to 85%)on primary&(15 to 20%) on secondary researches well as years of professional expertise in their respective industries. In addition to analyse current and historical trends, our analysts predict where the market is headed over the next five to ten years. It varies by segment for these categories geographically presented in the list of market tables. Top-down and bottom-up are important strategies of processing the information and knowledge ordering, used in a variety of fields including humanistic, software and scientific theories and management and organization. In practice, they can be seen as a style of thinking, teaching, or leadership.Speaking about this particular report we have conducted primary surveys(interviews) with the key level executives (VP, CEOs, Marketing Director, Business Development Manager and many more) of the major players active in the market.Scope of the ReportThis market research report covers the Global Food Safety Testing Market research report which has been segment as:On the basis of Geographical RegionsAmericaNorth AmericaLatin AmericaEuropeWestern EuropeEastern EuropeAsia PacificAsiaPacific CountriesMiddle EastOn the basis of ContaminationPathogensPesticides & othersOn the basis of TechnologyTraditional methodsRapid testingOn the basis of Food typesFruits & VegetablesMeat & PoultryDairy & OthersAbout Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services. Contact: Akash Anand, Market Research Future +1 646 845 9312 Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.comWise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports features an exhaustive list of market research reports from hundreds of publishers worldwide. We boast a database spanning virtually every market category and an even more comprehensive collection of market research reports under these categories and sub-categories.Pune, India
Vinyl Tile Market Report for Period 2011 till 2023 LG Hausys, Mohawk, Gerflor, Forbo, Polyflor, Karndean, Hanwha and Others

Vinyl Tile Market

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Global Vinyl Tile market report provides detailed analysis of companies namely Gerflor, Forbo, Beaulieu, RiL, Metroflor, Milliken, Polyflor, Karndean, Parterre, NOX Corporation, Hanwha, Shaw, LG Hausys, TOLI, Congoleum, Mohawk and Others. This report study includes global market statistics and analysis for example, company performance, historical analysis 2012 to 2016, market forecast 2017 to 2023 in terms of volume, revenue, YOY growth rate, and CAGR for the year 2017 to 2022, etc.Theres a lot of ground to cover in the world of flooring. Vinyl has been a popular choice for its durability and wide range of styles for many years. Vinyl tile is a flooring material that is generally inexpensive, easy to install, and easy to maintain. Made primarily from polyvinyl chloride resins and plasticizers, these flooring tiles are waterproof and very durable. There are many types of vinyl tile: vinyl composition tile or reinforced vinyl tile (VCT), luxury vinyl tile (LVT), and solid vinyl tile (SVT).Request for Free Sample Copy of Global Vinyl Tile Market 2017Top Company Profiles and Analysis included in this report:NOX CorporationHanwhaShawLG HausysTOLICongoleumMohawkGerflorForboBeaulieuRiLMetroflorMillikenPolyflorKarndeanParterreOthersGlobal Vinyl Tile Market: Key Product TypeLuxury Vinyl Tile (LVT)Vinyl Composite Tile (VCT)OthersGlobal Vinyl Tile Market: Key Application TypeCommercial UseResidential UseOthersGlobal Vinyl Tile Market: Key RegionNorth America (USA, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia, Italy and Others)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India, Southeast Asia and Others)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia and Others)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa and Others)The Global Vinyl Tile Market analysis report provides detailed value chain for analysis of Global Vinyl Tile Market. The value chain helps to analyze major upstream in raw materials, major equipments, manufacturing process, downstream customer analysis and major distributor analysis.The report also covers in-depth description, competitive scenario, wide product portfolio of prime players active in this market and business strategies adopted by competitors along with their SWOT analysis. Side by side, it also explicitly provides information about mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, and all the other important activities happened in current and past few years. The Global Vinyl Tile Market report explores manufacturers competitive scenario and provides market share for all major players of this market based on production capacity, sales, revenue, geographical presence and other major factors.Enquire before Buying @Table of Contents:1 Market Overview1.1 Objectives of Research1.1.1 Definition1.1.2 Specifications1.2 Market Segment1.2.1 Upstream1.2.2 Downstream1.2 Market Segment1.2.1 by Type........................Continue (Global Vinyl Tile Market Research Industry Report is prepared with the help of extensive primary and secondary sources, directories, journals, newsletters and with the help of third-party application like Hoovers, Factiva, Bloomberg, Businessweek, etc.About Us:Market Reports Company is a global research and consulting company. We provide customized reports. We can study and analyze any market based on wide range of parameters. We can provide market insights for any particular region, country across the globe within shortest possible turn around time.What we offer: Customized Reports: we provide customized report study on any market or industry. Region Specific Study: If you need region specific or if you are searching for particular region market study then, we have expert research team for that. How we work: We work in all domains and industries, you name it and we provide the market research industry report analysis of it. Expertise: Superior Research Team, 24*7 Customer Care ServiceContact UsJason Smith,Sales Manager, Global Business Development,Website:Email: jasonsmith@marketreportscompany.comContact us: +1-888-220-3424Address: 20 N State Street, Chicago, Illinois, 60602 United States
Specialty Insurance Market Report for Period 2017 till 2022 Argo Group, PICC, Manulife, Tokio Marine, Zurich, Hudson, Assurant and Others

Specialty Insurance Market

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Global Specialty Insurance market report provides detailed analysis of companies namely CPIC, Assurant, Sompo Japan Nipponkoa, Zurich, Hudson, Ironshore, Hiscox, Manulife, Tokio Marine, ACE&Chubb, China Life, XL Group, Argo Group, PICC, Munich Re, Hanover Insurance, Nationwide and Others. This report study includes global market statistics and analysis for example, company performance, historical analysis 2012 to 2016, market forecast 2017 to 2023 in terms of volume, revenue, YOY growth rate, and CAGR for the year 2017 to 2022, etc.There is no standard definition for specialty insurance, in this report, specialty insurance includes high-hazard insurance, non-standard general insurance, niche market segments, bespoke underwriting, and excess and surplus lines insurance.Request for Free Sample Copy of Global Specialty Insurance Market 2017Top Company Profiles and Analysis included in this report:Tokio MarineACE&ChubbChina LifeXL GroupArgo GroupPICCMunich ReHanover InsuranceNationwideCPICAssurantSompo Japan NipponkoaZurichHudsonIronshoreHiscoxManulifeOthersGlobal Specialty Insurance Market: Key Product TypeLife InsuranceProperty InsuranceOthersGlobal Specialty Insurance Market: Key Application TypeCommercialPersonalOthersGlobal Specialty Insurance Market: Key RegionNorth America (USA, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia, Italy and Others)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India, Southeast Asia and Others)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia and Others)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa and Others)The Global Specialty Insurance Market analysis report provides detailed value chain for analysis of Global Specialty Insurance Market. The value chain helps to analyze major upstream in raw materials, major equipments, manufacturing process, downstream customer analysis and major distributor analysis.The report also covers in-depth description, competitive scenario, wide product portfolio of prime players active in this market and business strategies adopted by competitors along with their SWOT analysis. Side by side, it also explicitly provides information about mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, and all the other important activities happened in current and past few years. The Global Specialty Insurance Market report explores manufacturers competitive scenario and provides market share for all major players of this market based on production capacity, sales, revenue, geographical presence and other major factors.Enquire before Buying @Table of Contents:1 Market Overview1.1 Specialty Insurance Introduction1.2 Market Analysis by Type1.2.1 Life Insurance1.2.2 Property Insurance1.3 Market Analysis by Applications1.3.1 Commercial1.3.2 Personal........................Continue (Global Specialty Insurance Market Research Industry Report is prepared with the help of extensive primary and secondary sources, directories, journals, newsletters and with the help of third-party application like Hoovers, Factiva, Bloomberg, Businessweek, etc.About Us:Market Reports Company is a global research and consulting company. We provide customized reports. We can study and analyze any market based on wide range of parameters. We can provide market insights for any particular region, country across the globe within shortest possible turn around time.What we offer: Customized Reports: we provide customized report study on any market or industry. Region Specific Study: If you need region specific or if you are searching for particular region market study then, we have expert research team for that. How we work: We work in all domains and industries, you name it and we provide the market research industry report analysis of it. Expertise: Superior Research Team, 24*7 Customer Care ServiceContact UsJason Smith,Sales Manager, Global Business Development,Website:Email: jasonsmith@marketreportscompany.comContact us: +1-888-220-3424Address: 20 N State Street, Chicago, Illinois, 60602 United States
Middle East and Africa blood coagulants market to reach around $ 1784.12 million in 2022

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Middle East and Africa Blood Coagulants Market Information, by Drug Class (Coagulation Factor (Plasma-derived Factors (Factor VIII and IX, Von Willebrand Disease Factor, Prothrombin Complex and others) and Recombinant Coagulation Factors (Factor VIII and IX, Von Willebrand Disease Factor, Prothrombin Complex and others)), Vitamin K analogues, Fibrinogen Analogues and others), by Clinical Indications (Accidents, Surgery, Hemophilia and Others) - Forecast till 2022Market Synopsis of Middle East and Africa Blood Coagulants Market:Market Scenario:Blood Coagulants are drugs and natural factors which promote coagulation, and are used to arrest bleeding or in the treatment of bleeding disorders. Bleeding can occur due to variety of causes ranging from accidents, surgery etc. Patients of hemophilia lack natural coagulation factors and have a propensity to bleed. Bleeding tendency can also occur due to lack of platelets which may be a direct result of low nutrition, poor immunity, old age etc. Chemotherapy also affects the rate of bleeding due to depression of bone marrow and other hematopoietic (blood forming) organs.The market for blood coagulants is growing due to factors such as increasing awareness and prevalence of bleeding disorders, rise in accidents and surgeries, rise in chemotherapy, greater screening of patients with hemophilia and other blood disorders, excellent reimbursement for these class of medicines and their inclusion in essential medicines list etc.The market restraints are growing concern for blood related infections and the difficulty in sourcing plasma from blood due to scarcity of blood donors has reduced the demand for plasma derived natural factors such as albumin, fibrogammin etc. Another constraint is the special requirements for the storage of these class of drugs as these class of drugs especially the naturally derived segment is prone to deterioration and has a short life span. The prohibitive cost of some blood coagulation factors also acts as a strong restrain.The market for blood coagulants favors companies with strong research and development and hi tech in-house skills. The market reflects an oligopolistic nature with a few players dominating the market. The entry barrier is high for new firms and substitution of one product with another manufactured by a different player is difficult. Thus due to high switching costs the market shows signs of a brand market.Taking all these factors into consideration, we expect the Middle East and Africa blood coagulants market to reach around $ 1784.12 million in 2022 from $ 1035 million in 2015, at a good CAGR of ~ 9.5%.Get a Sample report atStudy Objectives Middle East and Africa Blood Coagulants Market: To provide detail analysis of the market structure along with forecast for the next 6 years of the various segments and sub-segments of the Middle East and Africa blood coagulants market To provide insights about factors affecting the market growth To analyze the market based on various factors- price analysis, supply chain analysis, Porters Five Force analysis etc. To provide historical and forecast revenue of the market segments and sub-segments for Middle East and Africa blood coagulants market To provide country level analysis of the market with respect to the current market size and future prospective To provide country level analysis of the market for segments by drug class and by clinical indication and other sub segments. To provide overview of key players and their strategic profiling in the market, comprehensively analyzing their core competencies, and drawing a competitive landscape for the market To track and analyze competitive developments such as joint ventures, strategic alliances, mergers and acquisitions, new product developments, and research and developments globally.Key Players for Middle East and Africa Blood Coagulants Market:Some of the key players in this market are: Shire Plc., Novo Nordisk, Bayer AG, Pfizer Inc., Octapharma, Biogen Inc., CSL Behring and others.Segments:Middle East and Africa blood coagulants market has been segmented on the basis of drug class which comprises of coagulation factor which is further sub-segmented into plasma derived and recombinant coagulation factor; vitamin K analogues, fibrinogen analogues and others. On the basis of clinical indications; market is segmented into accidents, surgery, hemophilia and others.Regional Analysis of Middle East and Africa Blood Coagulants Market:UAE is the largest market for blood coagulant drugs in Middle East and Africas market of blood coagulating drugs closely followed by Egypt. Another market that has witnessed good growth rates is Saudi Arabia, because of the greater expenditure on health by the local government and the rise in per capita income of the people. Noteworthy markets in Africa include South Africa and Algeria. The demand for these products have given rise to many biotechnological firms especially in India. The rest of Africa market is however the fastest growing with a huge unmet medical needs.The report for Middle East and Africa Blood Coagulants Market of Market Research Future comprises extensive primary research along with the detail analysis of qualitative as well as quantitative aspects by various industry experts, key opinion leaders to gain the deeper insight of the market and industry performance. The report gives the clear picture of current market scenario which includes historical and projected market size in terms of value and volume, technological advancement, macro economical and governing factors in the market. The report provides detail information and strategies of the top key players in the industry. The report also gives a broad study of the different market segments and regions.Get a discount atTable Of Contents1 Introduction1.1 Definition1.2 Scope Of Study1.3 Research Objective1.4 Assumptions & Limitations1.5 Market Structure:2 Research Methodology2.1 Research Process2.2 Primary Research2.3 Secondary Research3 Market Dynamics3.1 Drivers3.2 Restraints3.3 Opportunities3.4 Challenges3.5 Macroeconomic Indicators4 Market Factor Analysis4.1 Porters Five Forces Model4.1.1 Bargaining Power Of Suppliers4.1.2 Bargaining Power Of Customer4.1.3 Intensity Of Competitors4.1.4 Threat Of New EntrantsAbout Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.In order to stay updated with technology and work process of the industry, MRFR often plans & conducts meet with the industry experts and industrial visits for its research analyst members.Contact usMarket Research FutureMaharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: sales@Marketresearchfuture.Com
Middle-East and Africa Durable Medical Equipment (DME) Market is Expected to Reach US$ 4.65 Billion By 2022

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Market Research Future has a half cooked research report on Middle-East and Africa Durable Medical Equipment (DME) Market. The market for Middle-East and Africa Durable Medical Equipment market is growing continuously and expected to grow at a CAGR of 4.2% from 2015 to 2022.Middle-East and Africa Durable Medical Equipment (DME) Market Information by Product Type (blood pressure monitors, blood glucose monitors, ventilators, personal mobility devices, traction equipment, wheel chairs, respiratory devices, and others), by End User (hospitals and clinics, healthcare institutions, research centers, home healthcare, and others) - Forecast to 2022Market HighlightsThe Middle-East and Africa Durable Medical Equipment Market has been evaluated as moderately growing market and it is expected that the market will continue to grow at same pace in the near future. Durable Medical Equipment or home medical equipment provides therapeutic benefits to patients. They are easy to use and does not need any special skill or training thus can easily be managed by a caretaker or a family member of the patient. Increasing per capita income, healthcare expenditure and aging population in Middle East and Africa are driving the DME markets growth. The Middle East and Africa healthcare sector is growing by 10% annually and it comprise 2% of the total global healthcare expenditure. Huge Investment in R&D by DME manufacturers are leading to more innovative product development. Developing infrastructure, government initiatives, extended insurance coverage and increasing awareness are major drivers of this market. Growing number of road accidents resulting in accident disability is another factor which has given a growth to the market. There is a wide range of Durable Medical Equipment (DME) present in the market making this market competitive. Middle-East and Africa Durable Medical Equipment (DME) Market was around US$ 3.48 billion in 2015 and is expected to reach US$ 4.65 billion by 2022 which has been growing at a CAGR of 4.2% and is expected to maintain this growth rate in future as well. Factors that are responsible for the growth of this market includes high cost of some products, lack of access or availability of products in some countries, lack of knowledge etc.Test the market data and market information presented through more than 40 market data tables and figures spread over 50 pages of the project report. Avail the in-depth table of content (TOC) & market synopsis on Middle-East and Africa Durable Medical Equipment (DME) Market Research Report Forecast to 2022.Get a sample report atMiddle-East and Africa Durable Medical Equipment (DME) Market Players:There are plenty of large and small market players which operate in this market all over Middle East and Africa region, such as Invacare Corporation (US), Medical Depot, Inc. (US), The Braun Corporation (US), Sunrise Medical (Germany), Permobil (Sweden), Medline Industries, Inc. (US), Compass Health Brands (US), ArjoHuntleigh (Sweden), Hill-Rom (US) and GF HEALTH PRODUCTS, INC. (US)Regional Analysis:In the Middle-East and Africa Durable Medical Equipment Market scenario, Saudi Arabia region is believed to be the largest market. Moreover UAE market is also growing and is the second largest market for DME. On the other hand, Egypts market of DME in these regions is expected to grow at a steady pace during the forecasted period. Rest of Middle East and Africa region is likely to have a limited but steady growth of the DME market.Segmentation:Middle-East and Africa Durable Medical Equipment market has been segmented on the basis of product type which comprise blood pressure monitors, blood glucose monitors, ventilators, personal mobility devices, traction equipment, wheel chairs, respiratory devices and others. On the basis of end user, the market is segmented into hospitals and clinics, healthcare institutions, research centers, home healthcare and others.Study Objectives of Middle-East and Africa Durable Medical Equipment (DME) Market: To provide detail analysis of the market structure along with forecast for the next 5 years of various segments and sub-segments of the Middle-East and Africa Durable Medical Equipment (DME) market. To provide insights about factors affecting the market growth. To analyze the Middle-East and Africa Durable Medical Equipment (DME) market based on various analyses which includes price analysis, supply chain analysis, Porters Five Force analysis etc. To provide past and estimated future revenue of the markets segments and sub-segments with respect to Middle East & Africa. To provide country level analysis of the market with respect to current market size and future growth prospect. To provide country level analysis of the market for segments which includes by product type, end user and its sub-segments. To provide overview of key players and their strategic profiling in the market, comprehensively analyzing their core competencies and drawing a competitive landscape of the market. To track and analyze competitive developments such as joint ventures, strategic alliances, mergers and acquisitions, new product developments along with research and developments in the Middle-East and Africa Durable Medical Equipment (DME) market.Browse complete report atThe report of Middle-East and Africa Durable Medical Equipment (DME) Market by Market Research Future comprises of extensive primary research along with detail analysis of qualitative as well as quantitative aspects by various industry experts and key opinion leaders to gain a deeper insights of the market and industry performance. The report gives a clear picture of current market scenario which includes past and estimated future market size in terms of value and volume, technological advancement, macro economical and governing factors in the market. The report provides detail information about and strategies used by top key players in the industry. The report also gives a broad study of markets segments and regions.About Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.In order to stay updated with technology and work process of the industry, MRFR often plans & conducts meet with the industry experts and industrial visits for its research analyst members.Contact usMarket Research FutureMaharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: sales@Marketresearchfuture.Com
Wireless Connectivity Market Report for Period 2011 till 2023 Intel Corporation, Marvell, Broadcom, Murata, Cypress Semiconductor Corporation, Qualcomm Atheros and Others

Wireless Connectivity Market

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Global Wireless Connectivity market report provides detailed analysis of companies namely Cypress Semiconductor Corporation, Texas Instruments Inc., Atmel Corporation, Stmicroelectronics N.V., NXP Semiconductors N.V., Marvell, Broadcom, Murata, Qualcomm Atheros, Mediatek Inc., Intel Corporation and Others. This report study includes global market statistics and analysis for example, company performance, historical analysis 2012 to 2016, market forecast 2017 to 2023 in terms of volume, revenue, YOY growth rate, and CAGR for the year 2017 to 2022, etc.The wireless connectivity market is highly diversified and competitive with market players including top-tier and mid-tier companies as well as start-up firms. With the rate of proliferation of smart sensors, the increasing adoption of IoT-enabled devices, and mainstreaming of many smart applications, the wireless connectivity is expected to become the most important need across application such as consumer electronics, automotive & transportation, Industrial and healthcare, among Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS).Request for Free Sample Copy of Global Wireless Connectivity Market 2017Top Company Profiles and Analysis included in this report:BroadcomMurataQualcomm AtherosMediatek Inc.Intel CorporationCypress Semiconductor CorporationTexas Instruments Inc.Atmel CorporationStmicroelectronics N.V.NXP Semiconductors N.V.MarvellOthersGlobal Wireless Connectivity Market: Key Product TypeWi-FiBluetoothWi-Fi/Bluetooth SmartZigBeeGlobal Navigation Satellite System (GNSS)Near Field Communication (NFC)Other TechnologiesOthersGlobal Wireless Connectivity Market: Key Application TypeConsumer ElectronicsWearable Devices/Smart AppliancesHealthcareAutomotive & TransportationOthersGlobal Wireless Connectivity Market: Key RegionNorth America (USA, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia, Italy and Others)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India, Southeast Asia and Others)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia and Others)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa and Others)The Global Wireless Connectivity Market analysis report provides detailed value chain for analysis of Global Wireless Connectivity Market. The value chain helps to analyze major upstream in raw materials, major equipments, manufacturing process, downstream customer analysis and major distributor analysis.The report also covers in-depth description, competitive scenario, wide product portfolio of prime players active in this market and business strategies adopted by competitors along with their SWOT analysis. Side by side, it also explicitly provides information about mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, and all the other important activities happened in current and past few years. The Global Wireless Connectivity Market report explores manufacturers competitive scenario and provides market share for all major players of this market based on production capacity, sales, revenue, geographical presence and other major factors.Enquire before Buying @Table of Contents:1 Market Overview1.1 Objectives of Research1.1.1 Definition1.1.2 Specifications1.2 Market Segment1.2.1 by Type1.2.1.1 Wi-Fi1.2.1.2 Bluetooth1.2.1.3 Wi-Fi/Bluetooth Smart1.2.1.4 ZigBee........................Continue (Global Wireless Connectivity Market Research Industry Report is prepared with the help of extensive primary and secondary sources, directories, journals, newsletters and with the help of third-party application like Hoovers, Factiva, Bloomberg, Businessweek, etc.About Us:Market Reports Company is a global research and consulting company. We provide customized reports. We can study and analyze any market based on wide range of parameters. We can provide market insights for any particular region, country across the globe within shortest possible turn around time.What we offer: Customized Reports: we provide customized report study on any market or industry. Region Specific Study: If you need region specific or if you are searching for particular region market study then, we have expert research team for that. How we work: We work in all domains and industries, you name it and we provide the market research industry report analysis of it. Expertise: Superior Research Team, 24*7 Customer Care ServiceContact UsJason Smith,Sales Manager, Global Business Development,Website:Email: jasonsmith@marketreportscompany.comContact us: +1-888-220-3424Address: 20 N State Street, Chicago, Illinois, 60602 United States
White/ Black Board Market Report for Period 2017 Bi-silque, Neoplex, Umajirushi, Lanbeisite, XIESK, Hubei-An Technology, Zhengzhou Aucs, Canadian Blackboard and Others

White/ Black Board Market

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Global White/ Black Board market report provides detailed analysis of companies namely Canadian Blackboard, Lanbeisite, XIESK, Keda, Shandong Fangyuan, Foshan Yakudo, Hubei-An Technology, Zhengzhou Aucs, Deli, Nichigaku, Quartet, Luxor, Bi-silque, Neoplex, Umajirushi, Aywon and Others. This report study includes global market statistics and analysis for example, company performance, historical analysis 2012 to 2016, market forecast 2017 to 2023 in terms of volume, revenue, YOY growth rate, and CAGR for the year 2017 to 2022, etc.The white/ black board is a flat, vertical writing surface on which anything can be inscribed by means of a piece of chalk. The device is generally used for educational purposes, but it can also be found in the workplace, the home, and restaurants.Request for Free Sample Copy of Global White/ Black Board Market 2017Top Company Profiles and Analysis included in this report:QuartetLuxorBi-silqueNeoplexUmajirushiAywonCanadian BlackboardLanbeisiteXIESKKedaShandong FangyuanFoshan YakudoHubei-An TechnologyZhengzhou AucsDeliNichigakuOthersGlobal White/ Black Board Market: Key Product TypeWall-Mounted BoardMobile BoardOthersGlobal White/ Black Board Market: Key Application TypeSchoolsOfficeFamilyOthersGlobal White/ Black Board Market: Key RegionNorth America (USA, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia, Italy and Others)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India, Southeast Asia and Others)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia and Others)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa and Others)The Global White/ Black Board Market analysis report provides detailed value chain for analysis of Global White/ Black Board Market. The value chain helps to analyze major upstream in raw materials, major equipments, manufacturing process, downstream customer analysis and major distributor analysis.The report also covers in-depth description, competitive scenario, wide product portfolio of prime players active in this market and business strategies adopted by competitors along with their SWOT analysis. Side by side, it also explicitly provides information about mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, and all the other important activities happened in current and past few years. The Global White/ Black Board Market report explores manufacturers competitive scenario and provides market share for all major players of this market based on production capacity, sales, revenue, geographical presence and other major factors.Enquire before Buying @Table of Contents:1 Market Overview1.1 Market Segment Overview1.1.1 Product Definition1.1.2 Market by Type1.1.2.1 Wall-Mounted Board1.1.2.2 Mobile Board1.1.2.3 Others1.1.3 Market by Application1.1.3.1 Schools1.1.3.2 Office1.1.3.3 Family1.1.3.4 Others........................Continue (Global White/ Black Board Market Research Industry Report is prepared with the help of extensive primary and secondary sources, directories, journals, newsletters and with the help of third-party application like Hoovers, Factiva, Bloomberg, Businessweek, etc.About Us:Market Reports Company is a global research and consulting company. We provide customized reports. We can study and analyze any market based on wide range of parameters. We can provide market insights for any particular region, country across the globe within shortest possible turn around time.What we offer: Customized Reports: we provide customized report study on any market or industry. Region Specific Study: If you need region specific or if you are searching for particular region market study then, we have expert research team for that. How we work: We work in all domains and industries, you name it and we provide the market research industry report analysis of it. Expertise: Superior Research Team, 24*7 Customer Care ServiceContact UsJason Smith,Sales Manager, Global Business Development,Website:Email: jasonsmith@marketreportscompany.comContact us: +1-888-220-3424Address: 20 N State Street, Chicago, Illinois, 60602 United States
Datacenter Deployment Spending Market: Future Demand and Growth Analysis

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A fresh intelligence study by Transparency Market Research (TMR) notified that the global Datacenter Deployment Spending Market has vast opportunities owing to the emergence of cloud computing and the competitive landscape is experiencing an influx of new entrants, who are eating into the shares of market leaders. Some of the prominent companies currently operating in the global datacenter deployment spending market are: Google Inc., AT&T, NTT Communication Corporation, Equinix, Microsoft, IBM, HP Company, Cisco Systems, and Digital Reality.If the estimations of the TMR report are to be believed, the demand in the global datacenter deployment spending market will expand at an impressive CAGR of 13.5% during the forecast period of 2017 to 2022. Revenue-wise, this market contained opportunities worth of US$44,346.7 mn in 2017, which will nearly double-up by 2022, when the valuation is projected to reach US$83,650.5 mn. The report observes that most of the key players are staying ahead of the curve by expanding their customer base, focusing on digital data, and serving the growing need for high computation power. In the near future, the companies who have effective and efficient data center for their businesses will be able to sustain themselves in this highly competitive environment, while the new enterprises will construct data center facilities of their own rather than depending on managed infrastructure solutions.Sample With Latest Advancements @Based on end-buyers, the global datacenter deployment spending market gains maximum demand for the segment of service provider, which accounted for 52.6% of the overall demand in 2017 and is estimated to constitute 57.3% of the total demand by 2022. In terms of revenue, service provider segment of datacenter deployment spending market is estimated to be worth US$47,897.3 mn by 2022. Region-wise, the report picks out North America are most lucrative region, which is anticipated to serve a demand worth of US$29,389.7 mn by 2022.Browse Our Press Releases For More Information @Big Data and IoT a Boon for the MarketEmergence of the Internet of Things (IoT), increased spending on cloud data center, need for colocation and managed service data centers, and growing usage of big data analytics are some of the key factors driving the global datacenter deployment spending market. The report observes that several cloud service providers are constructing cloud data centers in order to offer cloud-based services to end-users of all kind. Small and medium enterprises are inclining towards cloud data centers as it offers striking benefits such as reliability, scalability, and overall reduction in cost of repeated processes.Browse Our Table of Content @Though it is difficult to gauge exactly how much is spent by companies on datacenters as they simply lump them in with other capital expenditures, cloud service providers confess that datacenter spend accounts for the biggest portion of their capital expenditure. In the recent times, major cloud providers have started shifting from third party datacenter facilities to leased processes. For example, Microsoft and IBM have collaborated with 21Vianet, a Chinese datacenter provider, to cater to Asia Pacific market. A number of businesses are now using consumer based applications that are generating large amounts of structured and unstructured data. Big data comes in very hand for this high volume of data in order to help the organizations of understand their business and make decisions based on them. Big data facilitates faster analysis and increases the efficiency of computing resources. The report also attributes the prosperity of the global data center deployment spending market to the growing usage of RFID sensors to track, tag, connect, and read objects in warehouses and logistics to popularize the concept of IoT. With ever increasing number of smart devices, the ideas such as connected home, connected cars, healthcare, and smart cities are seeing the light of the day.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. We have an experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, who us e proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR Syndicated Research report covers a different sector  such as pharmaceuticals, chemical, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, our syndicated reports thrive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Content Analytics Market: Technologies, Markets and Key Players

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The global content analytics market has been driven in the recent past by the steady development of big data analytics, which has enhanced the utility of content analytics to enterprises. The intensifying competition in application sectors such as retail, telecom, BFSI, and manufacturing has thus made content analytics valuable, driving the demand from the global content analytics market at a steady pace. The growing use of digital resources in various end use industries and the increasing acceptance and popularity of digital tools among the population is likely to enable steady growth of the content analytics market in the coming years.The global Content Analytics Market was valued at US$2.5 bn in 2017 and is expected to grow to US$8.1 bn by 2022 at a strong 26.1% CAGR therein.Here are the key insights into the global content analytics market:The rising use of big data analytics for customer interaction and product advancement is likely to remain a major driver for the global content analytics market in the coming years. The growing use of digital information input channels is leading to rising use of big data analytics in the corporate sector, making content analytics ever more important. Big data analytics are thus likely to remain important to the global content analytics market, especially due to the rising volume of unstructured data received by enterprises.Sample With Latest Advancements @Text analytics is likely to remain the dominant application of content analytics systems in the coming years due to the rising popularity of text input in various media, including but not limited to social media. Accordingly, social media analytics is also likely to remain important for the global content analytics market in the coming years due to its growing popularity. Text content forms the bulk of the material processed in the content analytics due to its widespread use. Text analytics accounted for 24.3% of the global content analytics market in 2017 and is likely to retain a similar share through the 2017-2022 forecast period. The segment is expected to rise to a value of US$1,783.9 mn by 2022.North America is expected to dominate the global content analytics market in the coming years, with the regional market expected to exhibit a robust 26.5% CAGR in the 2017-2022 forecast period and rise to a valuation of US$2,547.5 mn by 2022. The North America content analytics market was valued at US$787.1 mn in 2017. The widespread presence of leading content analytics end users as well as developers is likely to enable steady dominance of North America in the global content analytics market in the coming years, as the telecom and retail sectors are likely to exhibit rapid growth in the region in the coming years. Content analytics are likely to be vital to players in these sectors due to the advantage it can provide against growing competition, making steady growth of the content analytics market likely in the coming years.Browse Our Press Releases For More Information @Europe accounts for more than a quarter of the global content analytics market at present, but is likely to witness a drop in its market share over the coming years. The Europe market is likely to drop 197 BPS over 2017 by 2022, but is likely to remain important to the global market due to widespread adoption of digital resources in the highly developed region.Competitive DynamicsLeading companies in the global content analytics market include Google Inc., IBM, Microsoft Corporation, Oracle, SAS, OpenText Corporation, Nice Systems, Adobe Systems, HPE, and SAP. The global content analytics market is likely to remain intensely competitive over the coming years due to the widespread demand for content analytics, which will lead to proactive action from all established market players.Browse Our Table of Content @Europe, Japan to Remain Important ContributorsThe Europe content analytics market is likely to account for 26% of the global market by 2017 end, while Japan is expected to account for more than 11%. The solid contribution from these regions is likely to be vital for the global content analytics market in the coming years, as the growing technology sector in Japan has led to growing need for content analytics, while the Europe market is driven by the strong presence of digitalized resources in Western and Central Europe.Competitive DynamicsThe moderately fragmented global content analytics market is dominated by companies such as Google Inc., Microsoft Corporation, IBM, SAS, SAP, Oracle Corporation, Adobe Systems, HPE, OpenText Corporation, and Nice Systems.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. We have an experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, who us e proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR Syndicated Research report covers a different sector  such as pharmaceuticals, chemical, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, our syndicated reports thrive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
The U.N. World Food Program on Monday announced that it will cut food rations by 30 percent for more than 400,000 refugees living in camps in Kenya.

According to the UN agency, the decision is due to insufficient funding as it needed $28.5 million to cover the food assistance needs of the 420,000 refugees living in the East African nations camps for the next six months.

WFP provides food to refugees in Kenya as a combination of cash transfers and food distributions. However, beginning this year, it was forced to cut the monthly food ration entitlements by half.

Annalisa Conte, the top WFP official in Kenya said an abrupt halt to food assistance would be devastating for the refugees.

Note that most of the refugees in Kenya are Somalis who fled after the 1991 collapse of the Somalia government and the civil war that displaced about 1.1 million people to neighbouring countries.

Last year Kenya has announced plans to shut the Dadaab camp, which now hosts more than 300,000 refugees.

The government has argued that the sprawling camp has been a haven for Al-Shabaab terrorists planning attacks. The government has also cited environmental concerns.
Application Development and Deployment Software Market: Future Demand and Growth Analysis

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A recent business and commerce study by Transparency Market Research (TMR) has detected that the global Application Development And Deployment Software Market is neither consolidated nor fragmented, owing to the presence of several players while a few of them holding dominant positions. The TMR report identifies IBM, Salesforce.com, Inc., Microsoft Corp., Oracle Corp., SAP SE, Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company, Alphabet Inc., ServiceNow, Inc., CA Technology Inc., and Compuware Corp. as some of the key players who are currently ahead of the curve in the competitive landscape of the global application development and deployment software market.Application Development & Deployment Software Market Projected for CAGR 25.6%As per the estimations of the report, the demand in the application development and deployment software market, across the globe, will increment at a phenomenal CAGR of 25.6% during the forecast period of 2017 to 2022. The report has projected the revenue in this market to reach US$346,434.0 mn by the end of the forecast period, exponentially up from its evaluated worth of US$110,650.7 mn at the start of the forecast period, which is 2017. In the near future, most of the key players are expected to develop customized applications as per the requirements of the clients and gain ground over the intense competition.Sample With Latest Advancements @Based on type, the global application development and deployment software market gains maximum demand for structured data management software, which accounted for 37.7% of the overall demand in 2017 and is expected to push-up to 47.4% of the total demand by 2022. By the end of the forecast period, structured data management software segment of the application development and deployment software market is projected to produce a demand worth of US$164.196.1 mn. The other type segments of this market are: application development software, application server middleware, data access, analysis and delivery, integration and process automation middleware, and quality and life cycle tools. Geographically, the TMR report picks out North America as most lucrative region. By 2022, the North America application development and deployment software market is estimated to reach a valuation of US$96,213.1 mn. The region is exhibiting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 24.9% during the said forecast period.Compatibility to Any Business Environment and Improve Efficiency Driving DemandThe multi-billion software market has been flourishing for past couple of decades and application development and deployment software market is feeding off it. These software are model-driven and translate various domain specific models into workable business application. The application development and deployment software has the ability to radically reduce, if not completely eliminate, the need for computer code. Providing a solution with which focus can be entirely on business requirements rather than the technical details, the market for application development and deployment software can also adapt to changing market dynamics, and hence is gaining uptake.Browse Our Press Releases For More Information @Application development and deployment software provides the architecture and tools to rapidly test, customize, deploy, and manage business applications in virtually any existing environment. Domain specific models such as security, work-flow, data design, processes, and integration can all be integrated into a single application model, which can be executed in real time. As the awareness regarding the apparent benefits spreads, the demand in the global application development and deployment software market is expected to escalate. Application development and deployment software is turning into a boon for various verticals including IT and telecommunications, banking, financial services, and insurance (BFSI), transportation and logistics, energy and utilities, manufacturing, and retail and consumer goods.Cost of the Software Obstructing Markets ProsperityWhile the market for application development and deployment software is doing pretty well in the developed countries, various business enterprises in emerging economies are either unaware of these new tools or are resisting adoptability owing to cost factors. However, these two factors are now expected to pose too many hindrances to the prosperity of the market.Browse Our Table of Content @The global application development and deployment software market is moderately consolidated with a few players holding strong positions. Some of those prominent companies are: Microsoft Corp., IBM, Salesforce.com, Inc., Oracle Corp., Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company, SAP SE, Alphabet Inc., CA Technology Inc., Compuware Corp., and ServiceNow, Inc. However, newer players are creating a niche for themselves by catering to domestic requirements and are expected to eat out good chunk of shares from the market leaders. Product innovation and acquisitions of promising players are the two most common strategies of the established players.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. We have an experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, who us e proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR Syndicated Research report covers a different sector  such as pharmaceuticals, chemical, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, our syndicated reports thrive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Laboratory Information Systems Market Growth Drivers, Trends, Dynamics and Competitive Landscape along with Company Profiles

Laboratory Information Systems Market 2017-2027, MarketResearchFuture.com

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Market Research Future published new report, titled Laboratory Information Systems Market -Research Report: Global Forecast to 2027.Market Synopsis of Global Laboratory Information Systems Market:Market Scenario:Globally the market for Laboratory Information Systems is increasing rapidly. Global LIS market is driven by eight major drivers such as need for advanced techniques, growth in molecular diagnostics, cloud computing, rising government initiatives and increasing demand for laboratory efficiency.GET SAMPLE REPORT @Market Segments:Segmentation by ApplicationsSegmentation for Laboratory Information Systems market involves the following Applications such Clinical LIS Market, Drug Discovery LIS Market, Industrial LIS Market.Segmentation by ComponentsSegmentation for Laboratory Information Systems market involves the following Components such as Software in LIS Market, Hardware in LIS Market, Services in LIS Market.Segmentation by DeliverySegmentation for Laboratory Information Systems market involves the following Delivery such as Web-based LIS Market, On-premise based LIS Market, Cloud-based LIS Market.Key Players:The key players that are involved in Global Laboratory Information Systems market are Cerner Corporation, Recent Developments, Eclipsys Corporation, LabVantage Solutions Inc, LabWare Inc, McKesson Corporation, Medical Information Technology Inc., Merge Healthcare Inc, STARLIMS Corporation, Sunquest Corporation and Thermo Fisher Scientific IncGET FULL REPORT @Americas North America US Canada Latin AmericaEurope Western Europe Germany France Italy Spain U.K Rest of Western Europe Eastern EuropeAsia PacificAsia China India Japan South Korea Rest of AsiaPacificThe Middle East & AfricaMarket Assessment:The report for Laboratory Information Systems of Market Research Future comprises of extensive primary research along with the detailed analysis of qualitative as well as quantitative aspects by various industry experts, key opinion leaders to gain the deeper insight of the market and industry performance. The report gives the clear picture of current market scenario which includes historical and projected market size in terms of value and volume, technological advancement, macro economical and governing factors in the market. The report provides details information and strategies of the top key players in the industry. The report also gives a broad study of the different market segments and regions.Key Findings: The global LIS market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7.3% between 2016 and 2027, driven by growth from both developed and emerging markets. Clinical application will drive the majority of the growth in the global LIS market. Software accounts for the majority of the global LIS market in terms of components North America and Europe together contributed more than 75% of the global total market size in 2014. Emerging markets such as China and India are expected to generate significant demand for LIS during 2016-2027.Study Objectives of Laboratory Information Systems: To provide detailed analysis of the market structure along with forecast for the next 10 years of the various segments and sub-segments of the global Laboratory Information Systems market To provide insights about factors affecting the market growth To Analyze the Laboratory Information Systems market based on various factors- price analysis, supply chain analysis, porters five force analysis etc. To provide historical and forecast revenue of the market segments and sub-segments with respect to four main geographies and their countries- North America, Europe, Asia, and Rest of the World (ROW) To provide country level analysis of the market with respect to the current market size and future prospective To provide country level analysis of the market for segment by Application, Components, Delivery and its sub-segments. To provide strategic profiling of key players in the market, comprehensively analyzing their core competencies, and drawing a competitive landscape for the market To track and analyze competitive developments such as joint ventures, strategic alliances, mergers and acquisitions, new product developments, and research and developments in the global Laboratory Information Systems marketBUY-NOW REPORT @Table of Contents:1 REPORT PROLOGUE2 GLOBAL LABORATORY INFORMATION SYSTEMS: INTRODUCTION2.1 DEFINITION2.2 SCOPE OF THE STUDY2.2.1 RESEARCH OBJECTIVE2.2.2 ASSUMPTIONS2.2.3 LIMITATIONS2.3 MARKET STRUCTURE2.4. MARKET SEGMENTATION2.4.1 MARKET SEGMENTATION ON THE BASIS OF SECURITY SOLUTIONS2.4.2 MARKET SEGMENTATION ON THE BASIS OF SECURITY SERVICES3 GLOBAL LABORATORY INFORMATION SYSTEMS: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY3.1 RESEARCH PROCESS3.2 PRIMARY RESEARCH3.3 SECONDARY RESEARCH3.4 MARKET SIZE ESTIMATION3.5 FORECAST MODEL4 GLOBAL LABORATORY INFORMATION SYSTEMS: MARKET DYNAMICS4.1 DRIVERS4.2 RESTRAINTS4.3 OPPORTUNITIES4.4 MEGA TRENDS4.5 MACROECONOMIC INDICATORS4.6 IMPORTANT POINTERS BY INDUSTRY EXPERTS4.5 REGULATIONS/ACTS4.6 PATENTS4.7 CONSORTIUMS5 GLOBAL LABORATORY INFORMATION SYSTEMS: MARKET FACTOR ANALYSIS5.1 VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS5.2 PORTERS5.2.1 THREAT OF NEW ENTRANTS5.2.2 BARGAINING POWER OF BUYERS5.2.3 BARGAINING POWER OF SUPPLIERS5.2.4 THREAT OF SUBSTITUTE PRODUCTS OR SERVICES5.2.5 RIVALRY AMONG EXISTING FIRMS......11 GLOBAL LABORATORY INFORMATION SYSTEMS: COMPANY PROFILE11.1 Cerner Corporation11.1.1 COMPANY OVERVIEW11.1.2 PRODUCT/BUSINESS SEGMENT OVERVIEW11.1.3 FINANCIAL UPDATES11.1.4 KEY DEVELOPMENTS11.2 Recent Developments11.2.1 COMPANY OVERVIEW11.2.2 PRODUCT/BUSINESS SEGMENT OVERVIEW11.2.3 FINANCIAL UPDATES11.2.4 KEY DEVELOPMENTS11.3 Eclipsys Corporation11.3.1 COMPANY OVERVIEW11.3.2 PRODUCT/BUSINESS SEGMENT OVERVIEW11.3.3 FINANCIAL UPDATES11.3.4 KEY DEVELOPMENTS11.4 LabVantage Solutions Inc11.4.1 COMPANY OVERVIEW11.4.2 PRODUCT/BUSINESS SEGMENT OVERVIEW11.4.3 FINANCIAL UPDATES11.4.4 KEY DEVELOPMENTS11.5 LabWare Inc Corporation11.5.1 COMPANY OVERVIEW11.5.2 PRODUCT/BUSINESS SEGMENT OVERVIEW11.5.3 FINANCIAL UPDATES11.5.5 KEY DEVELOPMENTS11.6 Sunquest Corporation11.6.1 COMPANY OVERVIEW11.6.2 PRODUCT/BUSINESS SEGMENT OVERVIEW11.6.3 FINANCIAL UPDATES11.6.6 KEY DEVELOPMENTS11.7 Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc11.7.1 COMPANY OVERVIEW11.7.2 PRODUCT/BUSINESS SEGMENT OVERVIEW11.7.3 FINANCIAL UPDATES11.7.7 KEY DEVELOPMENTS...CONTINUEDAt Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.Contact:Akash Anand,Market Research Future+1 646 845 9312Email: salesteam@marketresearchfuture.comOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar, Pune  411028Maharashtra, India
Discrete Power Device Market Report for Period 2017 till 2022 STMicroelectronics, Vishay Intertechnology, Fuji Electric and Others

Discrete Power Device Market

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Global Discrete Power Device Market report provides detailed analysis of companies namely STMicroelectronics, Vishay Intertechnology, Fuji Electric and Others. This report study includes global market statistics and analysis for example, company performance, historical analysis 2012 to 2016, market forecast 2017 to 2023 in terms of volume, revenue, YOY growth rate, and CAGR for the year 2017 to 2023, etc.A?discrete power device?(or discrete component) is an electronic component with just one circuit element, either passive (resistor, capacitor, inductor, diode) or active (transistor or vacuum tube), other than an integrated circuit. It is an electronic component widely used in automotive & transportation, industrial, consumer, communication and among others. In this report, the transistor, diodes and tryristors are counted.Request for Free Sample Copy of Global Discrete Power Device Market 2017Top Company Profiles and Analysis included in this report:Infineon TechnologiesON SemiconductorMitsubishi Electric CorpToshibaSTMicroelectronicsVishay IntertechnologyFuji ElectricRenesas ElectronicsROHM SemiconductorNexperiaMicrosemiIXYS CorporationOthersGlobal Discrete Power Device Market: Key Product TypeTransistorDiodesThyristorsOthersGlobal Discrete Power Device Market: Key ApplicationAutomotive & TransportationIndustrialConsumerCommunicationOthersGlobal Discrete Power Device Market: Key RegionNorth America (USA, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia, Italy and Others)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India, Southeast Asia and Others)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia and Others)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa and Others)The Global Discrete Power Device Market analysis report provides detailed value chain for analysis of Global Discrete Power Device Market. The value chain helps to analyze major upstream in raw materials, major equipments, manufacturing process, downstream customer analysis and major distributor analysis.The report also covers in-depth description, competitive scenario, wide product portfolio of prime players active in this market and business strategies adopted by competitors along with their SWOT analysis. Side by side, it also explicitly provides information about mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, and all the other important activities happened in current and past few years. The Global Discrete Power Device Market report explores manufacturers competitive scenario and provides market share for all major players of this market based on production capacity, sales, revenue, geographical presence and other major factors.Enquire before Buying @Table of Contents:1 Market Overview1.1 Discrete Power Device Introduction1.2 Market Analysis by Type1.2.1 Transistor1.2.2 Diodes1.2.3 Thyristors1.3 Market Analysis by Applications1.3.1 Automotive & Transportation1.3.2 Industrial1.3.3 Consumer1.3.4 Communication1.3.5 Others1.4 Market Analysis by Regions.......................Continue (Global Discrete Power Device Market Research Industry Report is prepared with the help of extensive primary and secondary sources, directories, journals, newsletters and with the help of third-party application like Hoovers, Factiva, Bloomberg, Businessweek, etc.About Us:Market Reports Company is a global research and consulting company. We provide customized reports. We can study and analyze any market based on wide range of parameters. We can provide market insights for any particular region, country across the globe within shortest possible turn around time.What we offer: Customized Reports: we provide customized report study on any market or industry. Region Specific Study: If you need region specific or if you are searching for particular region market study then, we have expert research team for that. How we work: We work in all domains and industries, you name it and we provide the market research industry report analysis of it. Expertise: Superior Research Team, 24*7 Customer Care ServiceContact UsJason Smith,Sales Manager, Global Business Development,Website:Email: jasonsmith@marketreportscompany.comContact us: +1-888-220-3424Address: 20 N State Street, Chicago, Illinois, 60602 United States
External Fixation Systems Market Report for Period 2011 till 2022 Smith & Nephew, Wright Medical, Zimmer Biomet, Lima Corporate and Others

External Fixation Systems Market

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Global External Fixation Systems Market report provides detailed analysis of companies namely Smith & Nephew, Wright Medical, Zimmer Biomet, Lima Corporate and Others. This report study includes global market statistics and analysis for example, company performance, historical analysis 2012 to 2016, market forecast 2017 to 2023 in terms of volume, revenue, YOY growth rate, and CAGR for the year 2017 to 2023, etc.External fixation systems use a stabilizing metal frame with bars connected to pins that are drilled into bones above and below the fracture site. The system allows the surgeon to reposition the bone fragments over time to help them heal properly. External fixation systems are typically used in conjunction with internal fixation or other types of treatment, and are not usually a solution to fracture management.Request for Free Sample Copy of Global External Fixation Systems Market 2017Top Company Profiles and Analysis included in this report:Depuy Synthes (J&J)StrykerOrthofixSmith & NephewWright MedicalZimmer BiometLima CorporateIntegra LifeSciencesAcumedResponse OrthoAOSOsteoMedAnd ScienceTechnologyBiotech MedicalDragonbio (Mindray)OthersGlobal External Fixation Systems Market: Key Product TypeUnilateralFixationSystemsBilateralFixationSystemsHybridFixationSystemsCollesFractureFixationSystemsCircularFixationSystemsOthersGlobal External Fixation Systems Market: Key ApplicationLowerFixationUpper FixationPediatricsOthersGlobal External Fixation Systems Market: Key RegionAsia-PacificNorth AmericaEuropeSouth AmericaMiddle East & AfricaThe Global External Fixation Systems Market analysis report provides detailed value chain for analysis of Global External Fixation Systems Market. The value chain helps to analyze major upstream in raw materials, major equipments, manufacturing process, downstream customer analysis and major distributor analysis.The report also covers in-depth description, competitive scenario, wide product portfolio of prime players active in this market and business strategies adopted by competitors along with their SWOT analysis. Side by side, it also explicitly provides information about mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, and all the other important activities happened in current and past few years. The Global External Fixation Systems Market report explores manufacturers competitive scenario and provides market share for all major players of this market based on production capacity, sales, revenue, geographical presence and other major factors.Enquire before Buying @Table of Contents:1 Market Overview1.1 Objectives of Research1.1.1 Definition1.1.2 Specifications1.2 Market Segment1.2.1 by Type1.2.1.1 UnilateralFixationSystems1.2.1.2 BilateralFixationSystems1.2.1.3 HybridFixationSystems1.2.1.4 CollesFractureFixationSystems1.2.1.5 CircularFixationSystems.......................Continue (Global External Fixation Systems Market Research Industry Report is prepared with the help of extensive primary and secondary sources, directories, journals, newsletters and with the help of third-party application like Hoovers, Factiva, Bloomberg, Businessweek, etc.About Us:Market Reports Company is a global research and consulting company. We provide customized reports. We can study and analyze any market based on wide range of parameters. We can provide market insights for any particular region, country across the globe within shortest possible turn around time.What we offer: Customized Reports: we provide customized report study on any market or industry. Region Specific Study: If you need region specific or if you are searching for particular region market study then, we have expert research team for that. How we work: We work in all domains and industries, you name it and we provide the market research industry report analysis of it. Expertise: Superior Research Team, 24*7 Customer Care ServiceContact UsJason Smith,Sales Manager, Global Business Development,Website:Email: jasonsmith@marketreportscompany.comContact us: +1-888-220-3424Address: 20 N State Street, Chicago, Illinois, 60602 United States
Ferrous Slag Market Report for Period 2017 till 2022 ArcelorMittal, Evraz, Tata Steel and Others

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Global Ferrous Slag Market report provides detailed analysis of companies namely ArcelorMittal, Evraz, Tata Steel and Others. This report study includes global market statistics and analysis for example, company performance, historical analysis 2012 to 2016, market forecast 2017 to 2023 in terms of volume, revenue, YOY growth rate, and CAGR for the year 2017 to 2023, etc.This report studies the Ferrous Slag market. Slag is a broad term covering all non-metallic co products resulting from the separation of a metal from its ore, its chemistry and morphology depends on the metal being produced and the solidification process used. Slags can be broadly categorized as ferrous (iron/steel) and non-ferrous (copper, lead/zinc) depending on the industry from which they come. Depending on the iron and steel production process different slag types can be manufactured like blast furnace slag, basic oxygen furnace slag, electric arc furnace slag, secondary metallurgical slag and other slags.Request for Free Sample Copy of Global Ferrous Slag Market 2017Top Company Profiles and Analysis included in this report:NSSMCLevyNLMKArcelorMittalEvrazTata SteelCRHJFEOthersGlobal Ferrous Slag Market: Key Product TypeBlast Furnace SlagSteel Making SlagOthersGlobal Ferrous Slag Market: Key ApplicationConstructionCement ProductionAgriculturalOthersGlobal Ferrous Slag Market: Key RegionNorth America (USA, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia, Italy and Others)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India, Southeast Asia and Others)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia and Others)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa and Others)The Global Ferrous Slag Market analysis report provides detailed value chain for analysis of Global Ferrous Slag Market. The value chain helps to analyze major upstream in raw materials, major equipments, manufacturing process, downstream customer analysis and major distributor analysis.The report also covers in-depth description, competitive scenario, wide product portfolio of prime players active in this market and business strategies adopted by competitors along with their SWOT analysis. Side by side, it also explicitly provides information about mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, and all the other important activities happened in current and past few years. The Global Ferrous Slag Market report explores manufacturers competitive scenario and provides market share for all major players of this market based on production capacity, sales, revenue, geographical presence and other major factors.Enquire before Buying @Table of Contents:1 Market Overview1.1 Ferrous Slag Introduction1.2 Market Analysis by Type1.2.1 Blast Furnace Slag1.2.2 Steel Making Slag1.3 Market Analysis by Applications1.3.1 Construction1.3.2 Cement Production1.3.3 Agricultural1.3.4 Others1.4 Market Analysis by Regions......................Continue (Global Ferrous Slag Market Research Industry Report is prepared with the help of extensive primary and secondary sources, directories, journals, newsletters and with the help of third-party application like Hoovers, Factiva, Bloomberg, Businessweek, etc.About Us:Market Reports Company is a global research and consulting company. We provide customized reports. We can study and analyze any market based on wide range of parameters. We can provide market insights for any particular region, country across the globe within shortest possible turn around time.What we offer: Customized Reports: we provide customized report study on any market or industry. Region Specific Study: If you need region specific or if you are searching for particular region market study then, we have expert research team for that. How we work: We work in all domains and industries, you name it and we provide the market research industry report analysis of it. Expertise: Superior Research Team, 24*7 Customer Care ServiceContact UsJason Smith,Sales Manager, Global Business Development,Website:Email: jasonsmith@marketreportscompany.comContact us: +1-888-220-3424Address: 20 N State Street, Chicago, Illinois, 60602 United States
Film Thickness Measuring System Market Report for Period 2017 till 2022 Filmetrics?Inc, Nanometrics Incorporated, Toho Technology Inc., Rudolph Technologies, Inc. and Others

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Global Film Thickness Measuring System Market report provides detailed analysis of companies namely Filmetrics?Inc, Nanometrics Incorporated, Toho Technology Inc., Rudolph Technologies, Inc. and Others. This report study includes global market statistics and analysis for example, company performance, historical analysis 2012 to 2016, market forecast 2017 to 2023 in terms of volume, revenue, YOY growth rate, and CAGR for the year 2017 to 2023, etc.Film Thickness Measuring Systems can measure and analysis of single layer and/or multilayer films in less than a second. The optical properties are obtained from reflection and thickness is measured by detecting the sinusoidal fringe pattern from the samples specular reflectance.Thin film measurement instrumentation has evolved from complex, difficult to use systems to todays compact, practical tools that provide a simple but powerful and flexible interface.Request for Free Sample Copy of Global Film Thickness Measuring System Market 2017Top Company Profiles and Analysis included in this report:SCREEN Holdings Co., LtdKLA-Tencor CorporationOtsuka ElectronicsFilmetrics?IncNanometrics IncorporatedToho Technology Inc.Rudolph Technologies, Inc.LumetricsBrukerOcean MedicalSemiconSoft, IncStellarNet?Inc.OthersGlobal Film Thickness Measuring System Market: Key Product TypeThickness MonitorSpectrum EllipsometerOthersGlobal Film Thickness Measuring System Market: Key ApplicationSemiconductorsDisplaysMedicalOthersGlobal Film Thickness Measuring System Market: Key RegionNorth America (USA, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia, Italy and Others)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India, Southeast Asia and Others)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia and Others)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa and Others)The Global Film Thickness Measuring System Market analysis report provides detailed value chain for analysis of Global Film Thickness Measuring System Market. The value chain helps to analyze major upstream in raw materials, major equipments, manufacturing process, downstream customer analysis and major distributor analysis.The report also covers in-depth description, competitive scenario, wide product portfolio of prime players active in this market and business strategies adopted by competitors along with their SWOT analysis. Side by side, it also explicitly provides information about mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, and all the other important activities happened in current and past few years. The Global Film Thickness Measuring System Market report explores manufacturers competitive scenario and provides market share for all major players of this market based on production capacity, sales, revenue, geographical presence and other major factors.Enquire before Buying @Table of Contents:1 Market Overview1.1 Film Thickness Measuring System Introduction1.2 Market Analysis by Type1.2.1 Thickness Monitor1.2.2 Spectrum Ellipsometer1.3 Market Analysis by Applications1.3.1 Semiconductors1.3.2 Displays1.3.3 Medical1.3.4 Others1.4 Market Analysis by Regions .......................Continue (Global Film Thickness Measuring System Market Research Industry Report is prepared with the help of extensive primary and secondary sources, directories, journals, newsletters and with the help of third-party application like Hoovers, Factiva, Bloomberg, Businessweek, etc.About Us:Market Reports Company is a global research and consulting company. We provide customized reports. We can study and analyze any market based on wide range of parameters. We can provide market insights for any particular region, country across the globe within shortest possible turn around time.What we offer: Customized Reports: we provide customized report study on any market or industry. Region Specific Study: If you need region specific or if you are searching for particular region market study then, we have expert research team for that. How we work: We work in all domains and industries, you name it and we provide the market research industry report analysis of it. Expertise: Superior Research Team, 24*7 Customer Care ServiceContact UsJason Smith,Sales Manager, Global Business Development,Website:Email: jasonsmith@marketreportscompany.comContact us: +1-888-220-3424Address: 20 N State Street, Chicago, Illinois, 60602 United States
On Sept. 29, the U.N. Human Rights Council put up a fairly uncontroversial resolutionby western standards, anywayfor a vote. The idea was to condemn those countries which instituted a death penalty for certain acts like same-sex relations. Heres the text of the relevant portions:

The resolution specifically condemns the imposition of the death penalty as a sanction for specific forms of conduct, such as apostasy, blasphemy, adultery and consensual same-sex relations and expresses serious concern that the application of the death penalty for adultery is disproportionately imposed on women. It also notes poor and economically vulnerable persons and foreign nationals are disproportionately subjected to the death penalty, that laws carrying the death penalty are used against persons exercising their rights to freedom of expression, thought, conscience, religion, and peaceful assembly and association, and that persons belonging to religious or ethnic minorities are disproportionately represented among those sentenced to the death penalty.

The resolution passed by a 27-13 margin, and was met with a yes vote by every country in the regions of Eastern Europe, Latin America, and the Western Europe and others group, with two exceptions. Cuba, which has an abysmal record on LGBT rights, abstained. And the U.S., led by Nikki Haley, voted no.

The UN resolution condemning death penalty for LGBTs passed by 27-13. Here's who @nikkihaley led in voting NO https://t.co/oeJRY8F8Swpic.twitter.com/a2OhJ2CUcO  Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) October 3, 2017

There are a few possible explanations for this that go deeper than just the U.S. wont publicly support LGBT people. Theres a clause in there condemning the execution of mentally ill peopleexecutions the U.S. carries out on a routine basis. But the more likely explanation is that our good pals in Saudi Arabia objected specifically to the resolution. Its one of ten countries where same-sex relations are still punishable by death, and its not just an obsolete old law that remains on the bookstwo transgender people were recently tortured to death by Saudi police. (Also worth readingthis Atlantic piece on homosexuality in Saudi Arabia.)

Saudi Arabia, along with Russia and Egypt, tried to introduce amendments that would dilute the impact of the resolution, but these were voted down. (The U.S. supported or abstained from each amendment.) The U.S. has a longstanding strategic alliance with Saudi Arabia, who, along with Israel, is our best ally in the Middle East. Per Nicholas Kristoff in the NYTimes, Saudi Arabia is currently conducting a war that amounts to a series of heinous war crimesthe purposeful bombing and starvation of civilians among themwith the support and weaponry of the United States, and weve turned a blind eye to their domestic civil rights abuses for a long time.

Theres another explanation, which is that the U.S. simply didnt want to vote for any bill that criticizes the death penalty in any way. But that would be strange, since although the resolution recognized that many states found the death penalty to be a form of torture, it didnt call for outright abolitionjust a humane application in those nations where it still existed.

Regardless of the true reason behind the vote, its yet another callous shoulder-shrug by a representative of the Trump administration toward a minority group in the United States.
Aside from how they look, there are a lot of changes in this years Pixel 2 lineup, and this is the place to learn all about them:

Google is back with a follow-up to its acclaimed Pixel phone, and its not quite what we expected. Yes there is a Pixel 2 and a Pixel 2 XL, but unlike last year, they arent larger and smaller versions of the same phone. The smaller Pixel 2 looks a lot like last years phone, but the XL version has a new screen size, ratio, and design.

Discover the Pixel 2 XL for the first time with us as we check out the new design and features.

The Pixel 2 XL is a worthy successor to the original Pixel XL, with AI smarts, a stellar camera, and a pristine Android Oreo experience. Check out our full review .

Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL: Display

While the smaller Pixel 2 has the exact same display as last years modela 5-inch 10801920 Full HD AMOLED screen with 441 PPI densitythe Pixel 2 XL has undergone a dramatic change. Not only is it bigger (6 inches vs 5.5 inches), it also has a new ratio (18:9 vs 16:9), and a new manufacturing process (pOLED vs AMOLED) with a 538 psi density. Its basically the same screen as the LG V30.

Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL: Design

Adam Patrick Murray/IDG The Pixel 2 XL (left) is just about the same size as the original Pixel XL from 2016, but offers more vertical screen real estate.

Like the screen sizes, the two Pixel 2s are vastly different in design. The smaller one has the same giant bezels as the original Pixel, but the Pixel 2 XL adopts much skinnier bezels and curved edges on the side of the diplay. Both phones feature the same aluminum rear design, with a camera in the upper left corner surrounded by a glass antenna window that stops just above the fingerprint sensor. And Google has added a dash of color to the power button on some models: On the Kinda Blue Pixel 2 its turquoise and on the Black & White Pixel 2 its red.

Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL: Sound

Adam Patrick Murray/IDG The Pixel 2 XL has front-facing stereo speakers.

Headphone enthusiasts will be bummed to learn that neither Pixel 2 has a 3.5mm jack, so youll need to either use a pair of Bluetooth buds or the bundled USB-C-to-3.5mm adapter. To mark the occasion, Google is selling a pair $159 Bluetooth Pixel Buds. However, Google has added front-facing stereo speakers to both Pixels, giving the handsets a boost in the sound department. And whats more, Google has added 25 volume steps for precise control over the loudness.

Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL: Camera

Adam Patrick Murray/IDG Google reduced the size of the glass visor on the Pixel 2 XL, but now theres a slight camera bump.

Like the original Pixels, both phones have the same camera, and its virtually unchanged from last year, at least on paper: 12.2MP, f/1.8, phase detection & laser autofocus, dual-LED flash. This years camera does have optical image stabilization to aid with low-light shots and shaky videoas well as a slight camera bumpbut most of the enhancements happen behind the scenes. For the Pixel 2, Google has built its own image signal processor called Pixel Visual Core that helps with performance and efficiency. Its also found a way to emulate portrait mode without needing a second camera.

Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL: Google Assistant

Adam Patrick Murray You can now launch Google Assistant by squeezing using the Pixel 2s Active Edge.

The Pixel was the first Android phone to ship with Google Assistant built in, but the Pixel 2 takes it a step further. Now you can summon Assistant in a new way. Along with the home button and hands-free OK Google, you can also squeeze the sides of the phone to launch Assistant on the Pixel 2. Its a feature you might remember from the HTC U11, but you cant customize it on the Pixel 2.

Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL: Android 8 Oreo

Adam Patrick Murray/IDG The Google search bar has been moved to the bottom of the screen.

Like the Nexus before it, the Pixel is Googles showcase for stock Android, so the Pixel 2 is running the freshest version of Oreo, bringing features like notification dots, picture in picture, and adaptive icons. Theres also a new Pixel Launcher with a couple changes. A new At A Glance widget shows upcoming calendar appointments and traffic updates along with the date and weather, and the search bar has been moved to the bottom of the screen for easier access. And the best feature of all: Now Playing will automatically identify songs that your Pixel 2 hears.

Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL: Google Lens

Adam Patrick Murray/IDG Google Lens can spot and extract email addresses and URLs from photos.

Google has included a preview of its new AI-powered Google Lens feature on the Pixel 2. But its not a standalone app, its actually part of the Photos app. When you open a photo, youll see a new camera icon that will launch Google Lens. Its still in beta mode, so the results can vary, but it will attempt to ID whats in the picture and offer information, buying links, or related images. Its particularly useful when scanning addresses or URLs.

And you can use it with Assistant as well. When you pull up the Google Assistant screen, youll see a Lens icon in the lower right corner of the screen. Tap it and youll be taken directly to the viewfinder, where you can tap things youre interested in without needing to snap a picture and open Photos. For example, if you see a landmark, you can launch assistant, tap the Lens icon, then tap the building on the screen, and it will bring up information about it.

Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL: Battery and charging

The Pixel 2 has a 2,700mAh battery and the Pixel 2 XL has a 3,520mAh one, roughly the same as the ones that were in the original Pixels. Of note, however, the Pixel 2 still doesnt feature support for wireless charging, but it does ship with an 18W fast charger.

Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL: Price and availability

The Pixel 2 starts at $649 for 64GB of storage and tops off at $749 for 128GB while the Pixel 2 XL costs $849 for 64GB of storage and $949 for 128GB. Both phones are available exclusively through Verizon, though unlocked models can be bought through the Google Store and other retailers.

Google Pixel 2 Tips

Activate the secret menu button

Back in the early days of Android, there was a button alongside the back, home, and recents buttons that opened menus at the top of the screen. On the Pixel its back, sort of. When in the Settings app, you can open the overflow menu (where applicable) by tapping the empty space next to the square recents button and it will expand the options. Its not clear if this is a bug or a feature, so its possible its removed in the next Oreo update.

Turn on dark mode

Android Oreo doesnt technically have a dark theme, but the Pixel 2 does. However, you cant turn it on whenever youd like. When you choose a dark background (like one of the planet earth images inside the Living universe wallpapers folder), it will automatically switch app drawer, and quick settings to a dark theme.

And more

If youre looking to learn how to turn off Active Edge or use the home screen in landscape mode, check out these tips and tricks.

Google Pixel 2 FAQ

Can I use an SD card for storage in my Pixel 2?

Nope. Google didnt add support for an SD card in the Pixel 2.

Is the Pixel 2 water resistant?

Yes! Both Pixel 2s feature IP67 water and dust resistance, which means you can submerge it in S meter of water for up to 30 minutes.

Google has announced that the Pixel 2 will receive three years of Android version updates, an improvement over the two years that were guaranteed with the original Pixel and Nexus devices.

Will I still get free Google Photos storage with my Pixel 2?

Yes, all Pixel 2 buyers will get unlimited full-sized photo storage in Google Photos. However, the offer is only good until 2020. After that, any new photos you take will be downgraded to high-quality when uploading to the cloud.

Do I need a new Daydream headset for my Pixel 2?

Google released a new Daydream headset alongside the Pixel 2, but you can still use the new phones with the old headset. The new version has a slightly difference design and comes in three colors: black, gray, and pink, but otherwise its very similar to the original model. It does, however, feature wider lenses with 15-degree larger field of view.

Ive read that the screen on the Pixel 2 XL is really bad. Is that true?

Its hard to say. We didnt experience any issues with the Pixel 2 XL screen on our review unit, but other reviewers have noticed inconsistent colors and wonky white balance. If your Pixel 2 exhibits any issues with the display, contact Google about a replacement.
North Central hosting court dedication, home basketball openers Friday

PETOSKEY  North Central Michigan College has had quite a few history making moments come through the school and athletic program over the last year, particularly the last few months.
Where To Go When Your Local Emergency Room Goes Bankrupt?" During the past ten years 84 California hospitals have declared bankruptcy and closed their Emergency Rooms forever. Financially crippled by legislative and judicial mandates to treat illegal aliens have bankrupted hospitals! In 2010, in Los Angeles County alone, over 2 million illegal aliens recorded visits to county emergency rooms for both routine and emergency care. The cost is $1,000 dollars for every taxpayer. VIVA LA RAZA?
A South Korean judge and her lawyer husband were arrested on Guam Monday after their children were found unresponsive in a car parked at Kmart while the parents were shopping.

The two children were found sweating profusely and unresponsive in a completely closed, parked car, according to prosecution documents in the Superior Court of Guam. The children, ages 1 and 6 years old, were later treated and are OK.

The parents were nowhere to be found when the children were found in the car, according to a magistrate's complaint filed in the Superior Court.

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Jungeun Sul, a judge in South Korea, and husband Sangowoo Yoon, a lawyer, are accused of intentionally leaving their two children in their car before heading into Kmart to shop.

At around 2:30 p.m. on Monday, two women were walking past a parked gray Mitsubishi Lancer when one of them noticed what appeared to be two "sleeping" children who were "slumped forward" in their seats, according to court documents.

After observing the vehicle's windows were shut and the engine was off, the two witnesses made attempts to wake the children by knocking on the window. However, the children remained unresponsive, according to court documents.

In the store for 3 minutes

The women phoned police to the site, where officers of the Guam Police Department also made attempts to wake the children, to no avail. Authorities tried knocking on the window, shouting toward the children and even gently rocking the car, court documents state.

By 3 p.m., officers noted the minors had sweat "streaming down their foreheads," as well as the sides of their faces. Guam Fire Department technicians immediately used a plastic wedge to open the driver's side door, which had "hot air" escaping the closed interior.

GFD medics rushed to treat the children. After being assessed, both minors were in "normal condition" with no reported injuries.

By 3:15 p.m., parents Yoon and Sul were seen rushing toward the authorities. "We were only in the store for three minutes," Yoon told police.

In an interview with officers, Yoon further explained that he and his wife "decided to leave their two kids inside their vehicle" while they shopped at Kmart.

Before leaving the car, Yoon admitted that he rolled up the car's windows and turned off the car's engine, the complaint states. Sul corroborated her husband's account.

Yoon and Sul were arrested and charged with two counts of child abuse as misdemeanors and one count of leaving children unattended or unresponsive in a motor vehicle as a petty misdemeanor.
AC Drives Market

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Alternate Current (AC) drives are electronic devices that alternates with voltage, frequency & magnetic flux to regulate the speed & torque of an electric motor. In an energy intensive sector optimal usage of energy and efficient utilization of its consumption is important for managing the overall operating costs of that industry. AC drives can optimize the energy usage and at the same time help in reduction of operative costs by monitoring the speed and torque of electric motors. Reduction in energy usage and the gain from extending the life of electrical equipment make AC drives to have widespread applications in industries such as water & wastewater, oil & gas and mining. The primary reasons leading to growth of AC drives market includes increasing technological improvement in drives market, and improvised application of this product in various industries. This market is expected to register healthy growth due growing usage of AC drives across globe.Increasing urbanization & high industrialization growth rate across the globe are the primary aspects that is driving faster adoption of this product. Diverse processes for earning energy efficiency along with rising need for energy optimizations in different industrial processes are the key factors that are boosting the market growth. Although the reduction in the foreign direct investment in this sector is a key restrictive factor deterring the growth of this market. Also, there is a vast growth opportunities of this market in the auxiliary market. Moreover, increasing applications in Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) will provide growth opportunities for the AC drives market. The major manufacturers have consolidated power in the market but in recent period various local vendors are developing new products in this market which is expected to offer stiff competition to the big market players is a key market challenge to be overcome by key market players to gain stronghold in the market.Browse Full Report With ToC @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=T&rep_id=20198 AC drives market is segmented on the basis of power rating, voltage, end-user industry applications, and region. On the basis of power rating the market is segmented into low power drives, medium power drives and high power drives. The usage of high power variants are predominant in power generation, metals & mining and chemical & petrochemical industries. These industries also hold the largest market share and is expected to remain prominent throughout the forecast period 2016-2024.On the basis of voltage, the market is segmented into low, medium and high voltage. The medium voltage AC drivers are expected to grow at the fastest rate owing to their vast end user base. The increasing growth potential of consumer electronics segment is driving this market.By end-use industry the market is distributed into food & beverage, oil & gas, metals & mining, power generation, water generation, automation, chemicals & petrochemicals and others. The increasing adoption of AC drivers in power generation and automation industry is driving the growth of this market during the forecast period. F&B and automation has high growth potential and are the fastest growing segment.Fill the form for an exclusive sample of this report @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=20198 On the basis of applications, the market is segmented into fans, pumps, compressors, extruders conveyors, among other applications. The increasing use of compressors into different applications has made it the fastest growing segment in the market. Compressors also old the highest market share and will remain dominant throughout the forecast period.On the basis of region, the market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East & Africa and South America. North America has largest penetration for AC drivers and also hold the highest market share. Asia-Pacific is the fastest growing segment in this market.Prominent market players operating in the market are Siemens AG (Germany), Fuji Electric Holdings (Japan), Danfoss Group (Denmark), Schneider Electric (France) Mitsubishi Electrical Co, Ltd. (Japan), Emerson Electric Co. (U.S.), Hitachi Ltd. (Japan), ABB Ltd. (Switzerland), and Rockwell Automation (U.S.) amongst others.
Asia Pacific Nuclear Imaging Industry by Diagnostic Technologies (PET Radioisotopes-(Rubidium-82, Fluorine-18, and Others), SPECT Radioisotopes-(Thallium-201, Technetium-99m, Xenon-133, Iodine-123, and Others)), by Application (PET-(Cardiology, Oncology, Neurology, and Others), SPECT-(Lymphoma, Neurology, Cardiology, Thyroid, and Others))

Market Data Forecast

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According to the report Asia Pacific Nuclear Imaging Industry, published by Market Data Forecast, The Industry was worth $3.13 billion in 2016 and estimated to be growing at a CAGR of 9.64%, to reach $4.96 billion by 2021.Medical imaging is the method of generating a photographic image of the inside of the body for medical intervention. These devices aid in creating a databank of normal anatomy and physiology of internal organs so that any irregularity can be observed immediately.Nuclear imaging is most commonly utilized for cardiovascular and oncology applications. It refers to the method of generating visuals of the organs of the body by processing minor quantity of radioactive tracers. The images are obtained using a gamma camera and can be documented on film or on a computer.Browse Market data tables and in-depth TOC of the Asia Pacific Nuclear Imaging Industry to 2021 @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/asia-pacific-nuclear-imaging-market-1626/ The growth of the Asia Pacific Nuclear Imaging Industry is mainly due to factors such as an increase in the number of cancer and cardiovascular disease cases, predilection towards minimally invasive procedures, ready availability of radiopharmaceuticals, and improving healthcare infrastructure in developing Industrys. However, factors such as costly procedures & equipment, inadequate number of trained medical staff, and shortage of supplies are hampering the growth of the Industry in this region.The Asia Pacific Nuclear Imaging Industry is segmented based on Diagnostic Technologies and Application. The Industry for Nuclear Imaging, on the basis of Diagnostic Technologies is segmented into PET Radioisotopes and SPECT Radioisotopes. PET Radioisotopes are further segmented into Rubidium-82, Fluorine-18, whereas SPECT Radioisotopes are further segmented into Thallium-201, Technetium-99m, Xenon-133, and Iodine-123. On the basis of Application, the Nuclear Imaging Industry is segmented into PET and SPECT. PET is further segmented into Cardiology, Oncology, and Neurology, whereas SPECT is segmented into Lymphoma, Neurology, Cardiology, and Thyroid. PET is mainly being utilized in oncology due to superior quality of imaging; Whereas SPECT is used in the cardiology section accounting for almost 80% of the entire cardiology Industry share.Free sample of the report is available @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/asia-pacific-nuclear-imaging-market-1626/request-sample The Asia Pacific region is geographically segmented into China, India, Japan, South Korea, and Australia. Among Asia Pacific countries, India, Japan, and Australia will be the substantial Industrys due to growing healthcare budgets and rising popularity of several radiopharmaceuticals in numerous clinical indications.Companies are showing a strong interest in enhancing image quality by developing new technologies and creating new devices or novel techniques to achieve images with higher spatial resolution. The major companies dominating the Nuclear Imaging Industry in this region are Mallinckrodt plc, Siemens Medical Solutions, Hitachi Medical Corporation, Medtronic Inc., General Electric Co. (healthcare division), IBA Group, Positron Corporation, Philips Medical Systems, Naviscan, Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation, Carestream Health, Lantheus Medical Imaging Inc., Cardinal Health Inc., and Bayer AG.Inquire before buying @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/asia-pacific-nuclear-imaging-market-1626/inquire Key Points from Table of ContentsOverview Executive Summary Key Inferences New DevelopmentsDrivers, Restraints, Opportunities, and Challenges Analysis (DROC)Asia Pacific Nuclear Imaging Industry: Segmentation Diagnostic Technologieso PET Radioisotopeso SPECT Radioisotopes Applicationo PETo SPECTGeographical Analysis China India Japan South Korea AustraliaStrategic Analysis PESTLE analysis Porters Five analysisIndustry Leaders' AnalysisCompetitive LandscapeAvail discount @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/asia-pacific-nuclear-imaging-market-1626/request-discount About Us:Market Data Forecast is a firm working in the area of market research and business intelligence. With rich experience in research across various business domains, we cater to the needs of both individual and corporate clients. Our analyst team comprises expert professionals in market research, who with their collective knowledge and skillset dedicatedly serve clients from various industries and regions.Contact:Abhishek ShuklaSales Manager (International Business Development)Market Data ForecastDirect Line: +1-888-702-9626Mobile: +91 998 555 0206Mail: abhishek@ marketdataforecast.com Visit MarketDataForecast Blog @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/blog/ View latest Press Releases of MDF @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/press-releases
Asia Pacific Veterinary Diagnostics Industry to grow with a Growth Rate of 9.91% during 2015 to 2020 | Market Data Forecast

Market Data Forecast

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According to the report Asia Pacific Veterinary Diagnostics Industry, published by Market Data Forecast, The Industry which is at $723.93 million in 2015 is poised to reach $1161.13 Million by 2020 at a CAGR of 9.91%. In recent years it has seen a tectonic shift with the emergence of new and technologically advanced products, which had an optimistic impact on the overall growth of the Industry.Diagnostics provide tools for effective and rapid testing to undertake preventative or remedial measures for the health of the animal population. For instance, lateral flow and other rapid tests are used in veterinary medicine to test commercial livestock (large animals - cows, poultry, sheep, pigs, etc.) and household pets (cats, dogs, etc.) to test for the presence of a variety of medical conditions caused by bacteria, viruses, allergies, and fertility issues. Food animal diagnostics assist in livestock and production animal preventive care and complement other measures such as vaccination and selective breeding.Browse Market data tables and in-depth TOC of the Asia Pacific Veterinary Diagnostics Industry to 2021 @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/asia-pacific-veterinary-diagnostics-market-88/ Coming to the Asia Pacific Industry, animal diseases are a major and increasingly important factor reducing livestock productivity especially in developing countries like India. While in many areas traditional methods are still widely used but most of them turn out to be ineffective or too slow to have any direct influence on clinical management of a particular case, providing results after several days. Thus the focus in the development in animal disease diagnostics has been toward rapid methods that can provide a conclusive answer.Immunodiagnostics is expected to grow at a higher CAGR due to the increase in the number of foodborne diseases affecting the animals resulting in the increasing need to perform various tests. The Industry for Molecular diagnostics is also expected to grow due to the wide scope it provides over the likes of immunodiagnostics. Increase in purchase and usage of various diagnostic instruments that are utilized in veterinary practices, in-clinic diagnostic procedures, high income households that keep pets and regularly visit veterinary laboratories are propelling the growth of this Industry. However, increasing adoption of vegetarian food due to changing food habits, the economic downturn, the increasing risk of obesity, exposure to global cuisines are some of the factors affecting the growth.Free sample of the report is available @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/asia-pacific-veterinary-diagnostics-market-88/request-sample The Asia Pacific veterinary diagnostics Industry is segmented by products, type of animals, and geography. The veterinary diagnostics Industry is mainly categorized by product into clinical chemistry, molecular diagnostics, haematology analysers, diagnostic imaging, immunodiagnostics, and others. The animal Industry covers companion animals and food-producing animals. Furthermore, on the basis of geography, the Asia Pacific Industry is analysed under various regions namely, India, China, Japan and South Korea.Some of the key players in the industry include VCA Inc., Heska Corporation, Abaxis, Inc., VIRBAC, IDEXX Laboratories, Inc., Life Technologies Corporation, Bio-Rad Laboratories Inc., Prionics AG, and Pfizer, Inc.Inquire before buying @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/asia-pacific-veterinary-diagnostics-market-88/inquire Key Points from Table of ContentsOverview Executive Summary Key Inferences New DevelopmentsDrivers, Restraints, Opportunities, and Challenges Analysis (DROC)Asia Pacific Veterinary Diagnostics Industry: Segmentation By Producto Clinical Chemistryo Molecular Diagnosticso Haemotologyo Diagnostic Imagingo Immunodiagnostics By Animalso Companion Animalso Food-Producing AnimalsGeographical Analysis China India Japan South Korea AustraliaStrategic Analysis PESTLE analysis Porters Five analysisIndustry Leaders' AnalysisCompetitive LandscapeAvail discount @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/asia-pacific-veterinary-diagnostics-market-88/request-discount About Us:Market Data Forecast is a firm working in the area of market research and business intelligence. With rich experience in research across various business domains, we cater to the needs of both individual and corporate clients. Our analyst team comprises expert professionals in market research, who with their collective knowledge and skillset dedicatedly serve clients from various industries and regions.Contact:Abhishek ShuklaSales Manager (International Business Development)Market Data ForecastDirect Line: +1-888-702-9626Mobile: +91 998 555 0206Mail: abhishek@ marketdataforecast.com Visit MarketDataForecast Blog @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/blog/ View latest Press Releases of MDF @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/press-releases
Capnography Devices Market

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Capnography is the process of extensive measurement and display of concentrations or partial pressures of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the respiratory gases by using a capnograph. It accurately measure the levels of carbon dioxide released into the bloodstream. The readings are presented as a graph of expiratory CO2plotted against time or expired volume called as capnogram. A capnogram is direct monitoring of inhaled and exhaled concentrations of CO2 and an indirect monitoring of CO2 in arterial blood. There is a very small difference in pressure between arterial blood and exhaled CO2 among healthy individuals. On the other hand, a large difference between arterial blood and exhaled gas, sometimes exceeding 1kPa, is observed in people suffering from various forms of lung diseases and some forms of congenital heart diseases.Capnography majorly depicts all the three components of respiration: metabolism, transport, and ventilation and therefore gives an excellent picture of the respiratory process. This is a major help for people who suffer from asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) as it will help in proper patient monitoring and take further medications accordingly. The American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) endorses end-tidal capnography as a standard of care for general anesthesia, deep sedation and moderate sedation. Other specialties include critical care and emergency medicine.Request a sample copy of this report: http://bit.ly/2xNcuDZ The conventional capnography devices have limitations in terms of power, size, weight and ease to use. This is addressed by the emergence of smaller capnography devices that facilitate portability and device performance. Also, among the latest devices launched is a microstream capnography, which has several advantages over the conventional capnography devices. For instance, these can be used on neonatal population and on individuals after a surgery.Capnography Devices Market taxonomy:On the basis of technology, the global market is classified into:CapnographsMainstream capnographsSidestream capnographsMicrostream capnographsDisposablesOn the basis of device type, the global market is classified into:HandheldStand-aloneOthersOn the basis of end user, the global market is classified into:HospitalsClinicsAmbulatory Surgical CentersRecent advancements in technology of medical monitoring has enhanced the development of the capnography devices market. Recurring revenue generated from disposables will be a key driver for capnography devices market growth, as users have to buy disposables frequently to use them along with capnographs to analyze CO2. A disposable only lasts for one or two days on an average. On the other hand, reusable consumables carry contamination risks also. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stated that approximately 1.7 million individuals in the U.S. get infected on the use of reusable consumables every year, of which about 99,000 individuals die. This resulted the rise in preference for disposable consumables over reusable consumables.Ask for customization: http://bit.ly/2xV7XyN Rising demand for effective monitoring of carbon dioxide levels was limited due to involvement of pulse oximetry, which takes 4-5 minutes to reflect respiratory status of the individual while capnographs provides the ventilation status of individuals in real time, thereby improving patient care. According to the American Thoracic Society, approximately 360,000 respiratory failure cases every year are observed in the U.S., and of this 36% of deaths occur during hospitalization, 30% of individuals die post-surgery and up to 7% of all Medicare individuals among them in 2014 were indicated with respiratory compromise--a state characterized by respiratory failures, insufficiency, respiratory arrest or death.Market in emerging economies is expected to augment on account of recommendations by global and government healthcare organizationsNorth America dominates the global capnography devices market due to rampant development of advanced products in the region. Latin America capnography devices industry is experiencing a significant growth majorly due to the recommendations to use capnography in routine hospital settings by esteemed organizations and government bodies. The World Health Organization (WHO) published a report on safe surgery in 2009 that recommended the use of capnography monitoring devices during endotracheal tube placement, hypoventilation and esophageal intubation for better possible outcomes in patients. The Uruguayan Society of Anesthesiologists and the American Society of Anesthesiologists also recommends the usage of capnography monitoring in routine-use during procedural sedation and anesthetics. These guidelines by the organizations substantiate the importance of capnography equipment in hospital use.Click here to know more about this report: https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/ongoing-insight/capnography-devices-market-433 Product innovation by market players contributing towards capnography devices market growthKey players in capnography devices market include Dragerwerk AG & Co. KGaA., Welch Allyn, Inc., Smiths Medical, Medtronic, Inc., Philips Healthcare, Masimo, Nonin Medical, Inc., Nihon Kohden Corporation, CareFusion Corporation and Dia Medica, Inc. Medtronic recently introduced a global study on opioid induced respiratory depression (OIRD), a preventable form of respiratory condition in 2017. It also claims that it is the first study to use capnography in patients undergoing opioid medication. Also Masimo announces the release of Early Warning Score (EWS) on the root patient monitoring and connectivity hub by launch of NomoLine. These strategies aims to help physicians to understand the true incidence of respiratory compromise and relate issues that has been ignored otherwise.About Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity.
PR-Inside.com: 2017-10-03 18:57:04

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Transparency Market Research 90 State Street, Suite 700 Albany, NY 12207 Tel: +1-518-618-1030 USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453 Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.com Website: www.transparencymarketresearch.comHead Internet Marketing+1-518-618-1030

Innovations and progress in the packaging industry are leading to the production of a lot of new products such as envelope release liner. Quality and innovative packaging are being demanded worldwide that is ultimately leading to the growth of Envelope Release Liner market. Envelope release liner is available in the form of a thin strip that can be pulled away from the adhesive side and the adhesive side can be used further. Envelope release liner is made up of materials that can be coated on both the sides with the help of releasing agents. In general, release liners are used with labels and tapes also.Request Sample Copy of the Report @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=29717 Market Overview:Envelope Release Liner is plastic or paper-based film sheets that are applied during the manufacturing process that helps in preventing a sticky surface from prematurely adhering. A release agent is coated on either both the sides or on one side of the sheets that provides a release effect against most sticky materials such as mastic or adhesive. Envelope release liner comes in different colors that may or may not be printed. In envelope release liner, release separates the liner from sticky materials.Market Dynamics:There has been a growing trend of revolution in the packaging industry in past few years. People are demanding not only quality but innovation also in packaging products. Envelope release liner is one such product. Huge investments are being made in the packaging sector in the food and beverages and healthcare and pharmaceutical sectors. This factor is estimated to provide a major boost to the Envelope Release Liner market. New technologies such as Pressure-sensitive Labelling Technology are further helping in providing innovations to already existing envelope release liner. Other such technologies include Sleeving, In-mould and Adhesive applied technologies. One of the features of envelope release liner that makes them highly popular is that they can be easily customized according to the requirements of the end-user.Although the Envelope Release Liner market is growing at a fast pace, there is a lot of potential for growth of the market. Some unused substrates such as the one with lower platinum silicone content or that have the property of radiation curing.Market Segmentation:Global Envelope Release Liner market is segmented into three types based on the labeling technology, substrates, and region.Based on the labeling technology, Global Envelope Release Liner market is segmented into- Sleeving, In-mold, Adhesive applied and Pressure Sensitive Labeling.Based on the substrates, Global Envelope Release Liner market is segmented into- Poly coated Kraft papers, Super calendared Kraft paper, Poly coated BO-PET film, Machine finished Kraft paper, Plastic film, Clay Coated Paper, Glassine, Art Paper and Polyolefin Paper.On the basis of region, Global Envelope Release Liner market is segmented into- Latin America, North America, Middle East and Africa (MEA), Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific Except Japan (APEJ) and Japan.Asia Pacific region is leading the Envelope Release Liner market currently and the trend is likely to continue during the forecast period 2017 to 2027. The reason attributed to the high growth rate in the Envelope Release Liner market in Asia Pacific region is that the region is well-versed with the presence of envelope release liner vendors as well as manufacturers. Construction of new manufacturing facilities in developing Asian countries such as Malaysia and Indonesia is further boosting the growth of Envelope Release Liner market in Asia Pacific region. Increasing growth in the pharmaceutical and food and beverages industry is a major factor boosting the growth of Envelope Release Liner market in North America. Envelope Release Liner market is in its introductory stage in the Middle East and Africa region and is estimated to grow at a steady pace.Key Players:Some of the players operating in Envelope Release Liner market include- Mondi Group, Twin Rivers Paper, Avery Dennison Corp., Technicote, 3M, LINTEC, Spoton Coatings, UPM Paper, Siliconature, Rayven Inc, Shree Arihant Laminates, Blueridge Films, International Paper, Channeled Resources, Griff Paper & Film, Elliott Schultz & Associates and Gascofil.LINTEC manufactures envelope release liner with special functions such as abrasion resistance, releasability, heat resistance and water resistance.Envelope Release Liner market is in its introductory stage and is estimated to grow at a steady pace in the forecast period from 2017 to 2027.Request TOC of the Report @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=T&rep_id=29717
PR-Inside.com: 2017-10-03 13:39:07

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Ethanol Market OverviewEthanol, commonly known as ethyl alcohol or grain alcohol, is a colorless liquid manufactured from starch-based, sugar-based or cellulosic feedstock. The U.S. and Brazil are the major producers of ethanol. Corn is the major feedstock used in the production of ethanol in the U.S., while ethanol is produced from sugarcane in Brazil. According to Renewable Fuels Association (RFA), 25,576 million gallons of fuel ethanol was produced in 2015. According to Sucres & Denrees (Paris), approximately 110 billion litres of ethanol is consumed globally each year. Ethanol has wide range of applications such as biofuel, industrial, food & beverages, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics. Approximately 87% of the global ethanol is used in producing biofuels. The environmental concerns related to greenhouse emissions have resulted in use of ethanol to produce transport fuels. The U.S., Brazil, and Europe are the major producers and consumers of ethanol. According to RFA, the gross output of ethanol industry in the U.S. was US$ 23.33 billion in 2016. Growth of ethanol market in Asia Pacific is attributed to increasing consumption of biofuels. According to International Energy Agency, the biofuel market in road transport application is estimated to expand at a CAGR of 3.9% by 2020. This in turn is projected to fuel growth of the ethanol market.Request Sample of Ethanol Market: https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-sample/276 Global Ethanol Market TaxonomyThe global ethanol market is classified on the basis of the following segments:ProcessWet-millingDry-millingProduct TypeSynthetic ethanolOil derivativesCoalOthersAgricultural ethanolSugarcaneSugarbeetMaizeWheatRyeOthersApplicationFuelsIndustrialPharmaceuticalFood & beveragesCosmeticsOthersTo Get Discount On This Report: https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-discount/276 Prevalent Scenario in Ethanol MarketIncreased applications of ethanol in biofuels, industrial, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and food & beverages sectors lead to burgeoning growth of the ethanol market. According to Independent Chemical Information Service (ICIS), 73% of ethanol is used as fuel, 17% in beverages and 10% of ethanol is used for industrial applications. Increasing demand of biofuels is fueling growth in consumption of ethanol in the renewable fuel energy sector. According to State Council General Research Office, the U.S. government is promoting use of ethanol as a source of renewable fuel and creating awareness regarding the environmental and social benefits of gasoline. Corn, sugarcane, grains, sugarbeet are common sources for manufacturing agricultural ethanol. Ethanol used for in fuel applications are agricultural ethanol as synthetic ethanol is not used for fuel applications. Ethanol is used as solvents in industrial applications for wide range of end users which include cosmetics, detergents and cleaning products, printing ink, paint & coatings. Ethanol has its application in food & beverage sector in manufacturing vinegar, alcoholic beverages, and is also used as glazing agents in bakery & confectionery.Government initiatives play a vital role in development and innovation of ethanol for wide range of applications. For instance, the fuel regulations imposed by the government in Mexico allowed 5.8% of ethanol blends in the fuel supply. The government and ethanol associations are continuously working in coordination to fuel the growth of ethanol market. RFA in partnership with federal government and the industry key players are working to innovate new applications of ethanol and minimize the difficulties related to trade of ethanol and enhance the market growth globally. U.S. and Brazil contributes a major market share in production and consumption of ethanol. Asia-Pacific market is expected to grow due to growing applications of ethanol industrial chemicals to manufacture acetic acid and ethyl acetate and the increasing applications of ethanol as solvents in pharmaceutical and cosmetic sectors.Fragmented MarketThe global ethanol market is highly fragmented due to the participation of many established and emerging players in the ethanol industry. Major players involved in the market include Archer Daniels Midland Company (U.S.), Cargill, Inc. (U.S.), Grain Processing Corporation (U.S.), Ace Ethanol LLC (USA), Advanced BioEnergy, LLC (USA), Chemtex Group (USA), MGP Ingredients (U.S.), Flint Hills Resources LP (USA), Copersucar SA (Brazil), Adkins Energy LLC (USA).Check The Trending Report of Ethanol Market: https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/ongoing-insight/ethanol-market-276
Europe Leukemia Therapeutics Industry to grow with a Growth Rate of 8.4% during 2016 to 2021 | Market Data Forecast

Market Data Forecast

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According to the report Europe Leukemia Therapeutics Industry, published by Market Data Forecast, The Industry has been estimated at USD 1.51 Billion in 2016 and is projected to reach USD 2.26 Billion by 2021, at a CAGR of 8.4% during the forecast period from 2016 to 2021.Leukemia is commonly caused due to the high exposure to radiations, unhealthy lifestyle, genetic factors, and environmental conditions. Leukemia cases are more common in adults and are observed to progress with aging. It can be identified by the spread of the diseases and by the type of the blood cell that is affected.Browse Market data tables and in-depth TOC of the Europe Leukemia Therapeutics Industry to 2021 @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/europe-leukemia-therapeutics-market-824/ The Industry for Leukemia Therapeutics in Europe is propelling mainly due to factors like increased innovation and R&D in the oncology sectors and growing number of biotechnology firms. But due to factors like high cost of drugs and treatments along with large number of entry-to-Industry barriers, the Industry growth is feared to diminish.Europe Industry for Leukemia Therapeutics is segmented based on disease condition, diagnosis, treatments and drugs. By disease condition, the Industry is further sub-segmented into chronic lymphatic leukemia, acute lymphatic leukemia, chronic myeloid leukemia and acute myeloid leukemia. By diagnosis, the Industry is further sub-segmented into CT scan, biopsy and MRI. By treatments, the Industry is further sub-segmented into chemotherapy, radiation therapy, immunotherapy, surgery, targeted therapy, bone marrow transplant and stem cell therapy. By drugs, the Industry is further sub-segmented into Gleevec, Sapacitabine, GA101, Vasaroxine, Tosedosat. By disease condition, chronic myeloid leukemia dominated the overall therapeutic Industry owing to high prevalence rate. Stem cell therapy and bone marrow transplant are the emerging trends in leukemia therapeutic Industry. Gleevec was the one of the major Industry growth contributors, in the drugs category.Free sample of the report is available @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/europe-leukemia-therapeutics-market-824/request-sample Geographically, Europe Industry for Leukemia Therapeutics is segmented into U.K., France, Spain, Germany, and Italy. Europe holds the second largest share in global Industry. A number of factors such as growing awareness of leukemia screening programs, and government support are paving the way for companies to penetrate into European Leukemia Therapeutics Industry.F.Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals Limited, Novartis International AG, Bristol-Myers Squibb , Eisai Co. Ltd, Biogen Idec , ERYtech Pharma , Celgene Corporation, Genmab A/S, Cephalon Inc., Clavis Pharma, and Pfizer Inc. are the major players of Europe Leukemia Therapeutics Industry.Inquire before buying @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/europe-leukemia-therapeutics-market-824/inquire Key Points from Table of ContentsOverview Executive Summary Key Inferences New DevelopmentsDrivers, Restraints, Opportunities, and Challenges Analysis (DROC)Europe Leukemia Therapeutics Industry: Segmentation By Disease Conditiono Chronic Lymphatic Leukemiao Acute Lymphatic Leukemiao Chronic Myeloid Leukemiao Acute Myeloid Leukemia By Diagnosiso CT scano Biopsyo MRI By Treatmentso Chemotherapyo Radiation therapyo Immunotherapyo Surgeryo Targeted Therapyo Bone marrow transplanto Stem Cell Therapy By Drugso Gleeveco Sapacitabineo GA101o Vasaroxineo TosedosatAvail discount @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/europe-leukemia-therapeutics-market-824/request-discount About Us:Market Data Forecast is a firm working in the area of market research and business intelligence. With rich experience in research across various business domains, we cater to the needs of both individual and corporate clients. Our analyst team comprises expert professionals in market research, who with their collective knowledge and skillset dedicatedly serve clients from various industries and regions.Contact:Abhishek ShuklaSales Manager (International Business Development)Market Data ForecastDirect Line: +1-888-702-9626Mobile: +91 998 555 0206Mail: abhishek@ marketdataforecast.com Visit MarketDataForecast Blog @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/blog/ View latest Press Releases of MDF @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/press-releases
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Frequency synthesizer is an electronic circuit which is used for generating any range of frequencies from an oscillator or a single fixed time base. This is the most accepted way of generating accurate and stable RF signals for use in mobile phones to radios and signal generators. A frequency synthesizer uses the technique of frequency mixing, frequency division, frequency multiplication and direct digital synthesis to generate new frequencies that have the same accuracy and stability as the master oscillator.A sample of this report is available upon request @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=23504 The frequency synthesizer is used to generate variable frequency output from a standalone device. The main features of this device are low phase noise performance, stability, high switching speed, output frequency range and many more. The global Frequency Synthesizer market is segmented on the basis of type, application, component and geography.On the basis of type, frequency synthesizer is segmented into direct and indirect. Direct frequency synthesizer is further divided into direct analogue frequency synthesizer and direct digital frequency synthesizer. This direct analogue frequency synthesizer is also called a mix filter divide architecture due to its one or more popular architecture for this form. Direct digital frequency synthesizer are widely used to generate signal frequency. Direct analog synthesizer have several drawback like it requires considerable amount of critical circuitry, significant number of spurious signal due to which it is not used these days. Indirect frequency synthesizer can also be segmented into indirect analogue frequency synthesizer and indirect digital frequency synthesizer. The indirect analog frequency synthesizer is expected to dominate the market due to its better phase noise performance, good signal and clarity.The rising use of mobile phone is a major driving factor for Frequency Synthesizer market. The upcoming technologies like 5G are expected to accelerate the growth of Frequency Synthesizer market for telecommunication application. The product portfolio of the major manufacturers in this market cater mainly to the demand of the aerospace and defense industry, research and measurement and many more. In addition the use of RF capable chips and CIS help in widespread adoption in telecommunication sector. However, the need for high capital investment is required to manufacture frequency synthesizer is one of the key restraining factors that impede the growth generated in this market. In spite of this, the market opportunities for this product lies in the fact that newer techniques are getting developed for frequency synthesizes that will help to improve the performance and widen the scope of the market.On the basis of component Frequency Synthesizer market is segmented into phase detectors, oscillators, loop filters, mixer and others. On the basis of end user industry the market is segmented into telecommunication, aerospace, research and measurement and others. In military and aerospace frequency synthesizer is used in electronic warfare, signals intelligence and radar. In telecommunication it is used in Wlan, Cellular, Satcom, Software Defined Radio (SDR) and others.The global Frequency Synthesizer market is further categorized based on geography into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa, and Latin America. North America is expected to dominate the market in the forecast period whereas Middle East and Africa is expected to grow at highest rate. The expansion and evolution of telecommunication sector is expected to fuel the growth of the market.To view TOC of this report is available upon request @The key vendors of Frequency Synthesizer market are Texas Instruments Inc. (The U.S.), Ultra Electronics (The U.S.), Analog Devices Inc.( The U.S.), Programmed Test Sources Inc. (The U.S.), Mercury United Electronics Inc.( The U.S.),EM Research Inc.( The U.S.), MicroLambda Wireless Inc. (The U.S.), Sivers IMA AB (Sweden), Qorvo Inc. (The U.S.) and many more. These players have adopted different strategies like new product launch, business expansion, partnership and mergers to cater to the various need of consumers.To View Full Report @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/frequency-synthesizer-market.html
North America Head and Neck Cancer Diagnostics Market by Test Type and by RegionIndustry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2016 to 2021

North America Head and Neck Cancer Diagnostics Market

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Currently, North America head and neck cancer diagnostics market is a $2335.2 million market and is poised to become a $3997.38 million market by the end of 2020 which a significant growth rate of 11.35% CAGR during the estimated period.Head and Neck cancer is rated to be among the top ten most prevalent types of cancers in the world, it is extensively prevalent in the regions where the consumption of alcohol and of tobacco is high. For the proper cure of cancer, there is a need for early diagnosis of the cancer and prompt treatment. With the growing awareness among the individuals, there is an increase in number of diagnostic procedures for head and neck cancer, particularly pharyngeal and oral cancers, inducing growth in the market.Browse more details @ http://marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/north-america-head-and-neck-cancer-diagnostics-market-51/ The North America Head & Neck cancer diagnostic market segmentation based on the type of test involved are Dental Diagnostics, Endoscopy, Biopsy and Diagnostic imaging. In addition, based on the geography of North America, market is studied under various regions namely, USA and Canada. The primary reason for the growth of the market is attributed to the fact that there is a rising demand for diagnostic imaging, new advancements and innovations in treatment modes, and incorporation of novel technologies in diagnostic equipment.Get Free Sample Report @ http://marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/north-america-head-and-neck-cancer-diagnostics-market-51/request-sample The head and neck cancer diagnostics market is expected to grow in the future with an increasing number of incidence of the disease. The head and neck cancer is one of the top 6 cancers in the world to affect people. In the United States alone it is estimated to affect close to 55000 people in the year 2014. The market for the head and neck cancer in the region includes the North, central and south America. The US is estimated to have the largest market share in the region and is followed by Brazil Mexico and Canada.Rise in the aging population has also contributed to the increased prevalence of chronic diseases, especially head and neck related cancers, increasing awareness among the individuals towards cancer, and increase in the people and government expenditure in healthcare. However, Low Adoption Rate of Digital Technology Based Systems, Conventional CT and MRI Scanners, Excise Duty Imposed on Sale of Medical Devices in Mature Markets.Some of the key players influencing the market dynamics Philips Healthcare, GE Healthcare, Varian Siemens Healthcare, Medical Systems, Shimadzu Corporation, Velscope VX, Identafi, AdDent Inc.Market Segmentation:By Test typeI) Diagnostic imagingII) BiopsyIII) EndoscopyIV) Dental diagnosticsInquire before Buying @ http://marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/north-america-head-and-neck-cancer-diagnostics-market-51/inquire Scope of the Report: Regional and country-level analysis and forecasts of the study market; providing Insights on the major countries/regions in which this industry is blooming and to also identify the regions that are still untapped Segment-level analysis in terms of technology, component, and type along with market size forecasts and estimations to detect key areas of industry growth in detail Identification of key drivers, restraints, opportunities, and challenges (DROC) in the market and their impact on shifting market dynamics Study of the effect of exogenous and endogenous factors that affect the global market; which includes broadly demographic, economics, and political, among other macro-environmental factors presented in an extensive PESTLE Analysis Study the micro environment factors that determine the overall profitability of an Industry, using Porters five forces analysis for analysing the level of competition and business strategy development A comprehensive list of key market players along with their product portfolio, current strategic interests, key financial information, legal issues, SWOT analysis and analyst overview to study and sustain the market environment Competitive landscape analysis listing out the mergers, acquisitions, collaborations in the field along with new product launches, comparative financial studies and recent developments in the market by the major companies An executive summary, abridging the entire report in such a way that decision-making personnel can rapidly become acquainted with background information, concise analysis and main conclusions Expertly devised analyst overview along with Investment opportunities to provide both individuals and organizations a strong financial foothold in the marketAbout us:Market Data Forecast is a firm working in the area of market research and business intelligence. With rich experience in research across various business domains, they cater to the needs of both individual and corporate clients. From all-encompassing umbrella markets to extremely specific niche markets covering all the major regions across the globe as part of the research scope, their research services offer one of a kind specialties with competitive pricing options.For more information, kindly visit, www.marketdataforecast.com Contact us:Abhishek ShuklaSales Manager (International Business Development)Market Data ForecastDirect Line: +1-888-702-9626Mobile: +91 998 555 0206Mail:abhishek@ marketdataforecast.com Visit Market Data Forecast Blog @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/blog/ View latest Press Releases of MDF @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/press-releases
1080p TV Industry, 2012-2022 Market Research Report' is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the global 1080p TV industry with a focus on the Chinese market.

Research Trades

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- Festive Month Offer -20% discount on purchase of reports from 1st October to 31st October.For more offers post 31st October, kindly contact us. * Terms & Conditions apply!!Contact No. : +16269994607 (US),/+91 7507349866 (IND)Email: sales@ researchtrades.com Global 1080p TV Industry, 2012-2022 Market Research Report' is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the global 1080p TV industry with a focus on the Chinese market. The report provides key statistics on the market status of the 1080p TV manufacturers and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the industry.Firstly , the report provides a basic overview of the industry including its definition, applications and manufacturing technology. Then, the report explores the international and Chinese major industry players in detail. In this part, the report presents the company profile, product specifications, capacity, production value, and 2012-2017 market shares for each company.Browse complete report at https://www.researchtrades.com/report/global-and-chinese-1080p-tv-industry-2017-market-research-report/1235856 The total market is further divided by company, by country, and by application/type for the competitive landscape analysis. The report then estimates 2017-2022 market development trends of 1080p TV industry. Analysis of upstream raw materials, downstream demand, and current market dynamics is also carried out. In the end, the report makes some important proposals for a new project of 1080p TV Industry before evaluating its feasibility. Overall, the report provides an in-depth insight of 2012-2022 global and Chinese 1080p TV industry covering all important parameters.Chapter One Introduction of 1080p TV Industry1.1 Brief Introduction of 1080p TV1.2 Development of 1080p TV Industry1.3 Status of 1080p TV IndustryChapter Two Manufacturing Technology of 1080p TV2.1 Development of 1080p TV Manufacturing Technology2.2 Analysis of 1080p TV Manufacturing Technology2.3 Trends of 1080p TV Manufacturing TechnologyRequest for sample at https://www.researchtrades.com/request-sample/1235856 Chapter Three Analysis of Global Key Manufacturers3.1 Company A3.1.1 Company Profile3.1.2 Product Information3.1.3 2012-2017 Production Information3.1.4 Contact Information3.2 Company B3.2.1 Company Profile3.2.2 Product Information3.2.3 2012-2017 Production Information3.2.4 Contact Information3.3 Company C3.2.1 Company Profile3.3.2 Product Information3.3.3 2012-2017 Production Information3.3.4 Contact Information3.4 Company D3.4.1 Company Profile3.4.2 Product Information3.4.3 2012-2017 Production Information3.4.4 Contact Information3.5 Company E3.5.1 Company Profile3.5.2 Product Information3.5.3 2012-2017 Production InformationWho we are:Research 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.
Small Cell Lung Cancer Therapeutics Market

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Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC) is malignant form of cancer arising within the lungs. SCLC is characterized by high growth rate, shorter doubling time than the non-small cell lung tumors. SCLC is more responsive to chemotherapy than NSCLC. Small cell lung cancer is highly associated with tobacco, unhealthy food, alcohol, HIV infected, chronic infections or related family history, and physical inactivity. The decrease in smoking is reflected as the substantial decrease in the incidence of SCLC. The symptoms include dyspnea, blood in sputum, weight loss, cough, and debility.Global rise in number of cancer cases expected to support the growth of small cell lung cancer therapeutics market in the near futureAccording to the American Cancer Society Statistics in 2016, maximum cases of SCLC occur in individuals aged 60-80 years with an estimated global death rate being 30,000 per year. Also, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), lung cancer is the second most prevailing cancer in men and women causing 1.59 million deaths in 2012. The rising prevalence of lung cancer, rise in unhealthy lifestyle, the launch of innovative radiation therapies, and premium priced drugs are the major factors driving the growth of lung cancer therapeutics market. Additionally, rising demand for targeted therapies and platinum-based chemotherapies is likely to have an optimistic impact on the small lung cancer therapeutics market in the forecast period. Also, increasing diagnostic facilities by the government, provision of guidelines to cancer patients by International Healthcare Organizations are the major factors contributing to the rising of small cell lung cancer market. However, expensive treatments, lack of awareness leading to late diagnosis are the major factors restraining the small cell lung cancer market growth.Request Sample Copy Of This Report: https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-sample/799 Platinum derivatives segment accounts for highest revenue share owing to the higher metastasis control rateThe global small cell lung cancer therapeutics market is segmented on the basis of diagnosis, types, treatment, drug therapy, and end user.On the basis of diagnosis, the global small cell lung cancer therapeutics market is segmented into:Fluorescence Bronchoscopy,Virtual Bronchoscopy,.On the basis of types, the global small cell lung cancer therapeutics market is segmented into:Oat cancer,Combined small cell cancer,Extrapulmonary small cell cancer,.On the basis of treatment, the global small cell lung cancer therapeutics market is segmented into:Real-time Tumor Imaging,Radiation Therapy,Three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3D-CRT),Intensity modulatedradiation therapy (IMRT),Chemotherapy,Platinum Derivatives,Topoisomerase Inhibitor,Surgery,.On the basis of drug therapy, the global small cell lung cancer therapeutics market is segmented into:Targeted Therapy Drugs,Immunotherapy Drugs,.On the basis of end user, the global small cell lung cancer therapeutics market is segmented into:Hospital,Hospital Pharmacies,Drug store,Ambulatory Surgical Center,.Ask for customization: https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-customization/799 Enhanced health care dynamics to boost the Asia Pacific small cell lung cancer marketRegional segmentation of small cell lung cancer therapeutics market by Coherent Market Insights comprises of North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, the Middle East and Africa. According to the American Cancer Society Statistics in 2017, around 222,500 cases of lung cancer were diagnosed with 116,990 prevailing in men and 105,510 in women, where small cell lung cancer accounts for 15 percent of lung cancers in the U.S. North America is expected to dominate the market owing to the high developed regions, improved healthcare setup, and growing awareness about healthcare. Asia Pacific is expected to drive the growth of SCLC market in the forecast period owing to the growing awareness of health care, government funding, and the presence of medical requirements for cancer therapeutics in the emerging economies such as India and China.Key players in the Small Cell Lung Cancer Therapeutics MarketKey players operating the small cell lung cancer therapeutics market include Elekta AB, Bristol Myers Co., Teva parenteral medicines Inc., Siemens Healthcare GmbH, App pharmaceuticals llc Novartis AG, and Bedford laboratories.Complete Report Details @ https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/ongoing-insight/small-cell-lung-cancer-therapeutics-market-799 About Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity.Contact Us:Mr. ShahCoherent Market Insights1001 4th Ave,#3200Seattle, WA 98154Tel: +1-206-701-6702Email: sales@ coherentmarketinsights.com
Transparency Market Research

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Global Insurance Telematics Market: SnapshotAs the global insurance industry becomes more competitive, in terms of the number of carriers available across high-growth potential regions, cost of premiums, and the mounting number of claims from consumers, companies in the sector are resorting to innovative ways of validating claims and the data provided by consumers for deciding premiums. One of the these measures is the use of telematics - a digital device fitted by insurance companies in consumer vehicles to record data such as speeding patterns, distance travelled, braking and accelerating patterns, and the types of roads used.A sample of this report is available upon request @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=25097 With all this data, insurance companies can gain a direct measurement of driver behavior and gauge patterns that denote dangerous or poor driving habits, and understand the innate risk involved in insuring a vehicle. While the technology is still in its early days of development, it is expected to become more competent through research and development activities.The insurance telematics market has been able to tap an encouraging number of consumers across developed economies in regions such as North America and Europe and is expected to strengthen its roots in these regions in the next few years. Thriving automotive markets such as emerging economies across Middle East and Africa, Asia Pacific, and Latin America are projected to be relatively slow in adopting the technology owing to the low numbers of vehicle insurances and apprehensions among consumers regarding the misuse of data collected by telematics systems.Insurance telematics refers to the usage of a black box in a vehicle, by the insurance company, to monitor the driving patterns of the driver, for determining the price of the policy. It is mutually beneficial since the vehicle owner is provided with better safety options, while the insurance company can assess the risk better and determine the policy price accordingly. Insurance telematics functions through installation of a black box inside a vehicle. The black box is a recorder, which records different types of data, such as miles covered, types of roads travelled on, driving pattern, and speed of vehicle at different time points, vehicle braking pattern, vehicle cornering pattern and timings of travel among others. Such factors are monitored since all these data provides critical information to the insurance company. All these data are analyzed and based on the same the policy price for that vehicle is determined. For example, higher usage of the vehicle during peak hours increases the chance of accidents, and hence the price of policy increases, while driving within speed limits can lead to decrease of the policy price. The insurer, in general, charges a fee upfront. The fee commonly includes the price for the black box and the installation charges, among others. Based on analysis of the data received, the premium price may increase or decrease or remain same, from month to month, or depending on the timeframe the insurer chooses. Certain insurers can also send the black box to the client, for self installation, and then request the device to be sent back, post a certain timeframe.The insurance telematics market is still a relatively new concept and is most often practiced in developed nations. The market is primarily being driven by the rising insurance claims from road accidents. As per the World Health Organization (WHO), an estimated 1.2 million people die from road accidents annually, while higher number of vehicular accidents is reported. Such high number of accidents led to large number of insurance claims, which leads to significant loss for the insurer. Hence, insurance companies are resorting to insurance telematics for offering better policy prices and lowering capital loss. This in turn has been furthering the growth of the market for insurance telematics. Additionally, the black box installed offers security for the car as it can be tracked remotely, coupled with bettering of driving for the driver, among other advantages. Such advantages have been generating demand for insurance telematics from the vehicle owners also. This again has been positively impacting the growth of the insurance telematics market globally. However, factors such as privacy concerns and lack of standardized equipment among others, leads to uncertainty in installation of such devices in the vehicle. This in turn has been restraining the growth of the market for insurance telematics to some extent. Currently, insurance telematics has very low penetration rates in developing nations and hence is expected to be provided with high rates of application opportunities, during the forecast period.The global insurance telematics market is segmented, on the basis of region, into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific (APAC), South America and Middle-East & Africa (MEA). Europe was the largest market in 2016, followed by North America. Europes large market share can be attributed to the higher adoption of insurance telematics by the insurers and the growing acceptance from the vehicle owners.To view TOC of this report is available upon request @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=T&rep_id=25097 The major companies of the insurance telematics market globally are Octo Telematics, Ltd. (The U.K.), Tomtom N.V. (The Netherlands), Verizon Enterprise Solutions (The U.S.), Trimble, Inc. (The U.S.), Mix Telematics (South Africa), Aplicom Oy (Finland) and Sierra Wireless (Canada) among various other companies.To View Full Report @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/insurance-telematics-market.html
Market Data Forecast

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According to the report Latin America Alginates Market by Type (Sodium Alginate, Calcium Alginate, Potassium Alginate, PGA, Others) by Application (Food & Beverage, Industrial, Pharmaceuticals, Others), and by Region - Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecasts (20162021) published by Market Data Forecast, The Latin America Alginates Market was worth $16.90 million in 2016 and estimated to be growing at a CAGR of 3.67%, to reach $20.24 million by 2021.Browse details of 131 pages research report on Latin America Alginates Market @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/latin-america-alginates-market-2434/ The market continues to gain a steady momentum owing to the demand for improving food textures. Additionally, uses of alginate such as in textile printing, immobilizing biocatalysts, pharmaceutical products, welding rods coatings, releasing agents, paper manufacturing and binders for fish feeds is likely to fuel growth of alginate market over the forecast period. Also, increase in consumption of processed convenience food products is expected to push growth of Latin America alginate market over the forecast period.The industrial textile has been the dominating sector for the demand of alginate over the last few years. Alginates are generally used as thickeners for the paste containing dye, in the industrial textile sector. In food and beverage industry, mostly the use of alginates comes in sauces and ice-creams, acting in the form of a thickening and stabilizing agent. Also, it is used as a separating agent in water oil emulsions and as a softening agent for bakery applications. Applications wise, food and beverage industry is expected to witness substantial growth in the alginate market.Some Latin America Alginates Market drivers which are inducing the demand of alginate is coming from the food and beverage manufacturers for its thickening, gelling, stabilizing and emulsifying properties. Reason behind its rising demand in F&B industry is pertaining to its natural source: seaweeds, which is generally considered to be the safest food additive in food industry and also certified by FAO and WHO. Additionally, there is also an increased demand from textile industry primarily for its use in designing, printing, and dyeing on cotton and jute fabrics.Request Sample Market Brochure of the report for more information @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/latin-america-alginates-market-2434/request-sample The Latin America Alginates Market is categorized by Type (Potassium Alginate, PGA, Sodium Alginate, Calcium Alginate, Others) and by Application (Industrial, Pharmaceuticals, Food & Beverage, Others). Sodium alginate has many applications in food and textile printing industry and due to which it is expected that it will fuel the market growth of alginate over the given period. Moreover, the demand of alginate in Latin America market is primarily accounted from paper, textile and food and beverage industry. In food and beverage industry, demand of alginate is increasing as it has high demand in preparing products such as jellies, salads, ice cream, alcoholic drinks, lactic drinks etc. Geographically, the market is analysed under various regions namely Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, etc. As per the alginate production, major producing regions are Mexico and contributes majority of market share in Latin America market. In terms of value, it is expected that Mexico and Brazil account for major share in terms of valueand also as lucrative markets in near future.Some of the major companies dominating the Latin America Alginates Market, by their products and services include: Cargill Inc. Dohler Group Ashland Inc. Brenntag AG FMC Corporation Dastech International Inc. Kimica Corporation Dow Chemical Company E.I. DuPont De Nemours and Company Penford CorporationMake an Inquiry before buying @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/latin-america-alginates-market-2434/inquire Browse other region reports:North America Alginates Market - http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/north-america-alginates-market-2431/ Europe Alginates Market - http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/europe-alginates-market-2432/ APAC Alginates Market - http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/asia-pacific-alginates-market-2433/ MEA Alginates Market - http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/middle-east-and-africa-alginates-market-2435/ About Us:Market Data Forecast is a firm working in the area of market research and business intelligence. With rich experience in research across various business domains, they cater to the needs of both individual and corporate clients. From all-encompassing umbrella markets to extremely specific niche markets covering all the major regions across the globe as part of the research scope, their research services offer one of a kind specialties with competitive pricing options.Media Contact:Abhishek ShuklaSales Manager (International Business Development)Market Data ForecastDirect Line: +1-888-702-9626; Mobile: +91 998 555 0206Mail: abhishek@ marketdataforecast.com Visit MarketDataForecast Blog @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/blog/
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Transparency Market Research 90 State Street, Suite 700 Albany, NY 12207 Tel: +1-518-618-1030 USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453 Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.com Website: www.transparencymarketresearch.comHead Internet Marketing+1-518-618-1030

Packaging materials, specifically in the food industry have seen a revolution in recent years. Various types of packaging films such as bio-based films and lidding films are being extensively used in the food packaging industry. Introduction of new materials for packaging and new technology is changing the dynamics of the food packaging market. In order to keep food fresh, manufacturers in the food packaging industry coming up with new and innovative packaging materials.Request Sample Copy of the Report @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=29711 Market Overview:Apart from food packaging industry, lidding films find a lot of application in the production of daily use items such as cups and bowls. Lidding films provide extended shelf life to food materials packed inside them. Busy lifestyle of consumers in developing countries is leading to an increased usage of lidding films. Due to the short shelf life of packaging materials, a lot of food is wasted. Lidding films are a solution to the problem. Lidding films increase the shelf life of food packed inside the packaging by maintaining oxygen transmission rate of the product and decreasing the expiry rate.Market Dynamics:Because of the presence of a comparatively cheaper raw material, lidding films are less costly than other alternatives. This factor is likely to boost the demand for lidding films. Lidding films are eco-friendly and bio-degradable and hence are increasingly replacing semi-synthetic and synthetic films. Governments of various countries have made strict regulations regarding the use of semi-synthetic and synthetic films. Semi-synthetic and synthetic films have adverse effects on food when they come in contact with the food so the governments of these countries are urging against the use of such films. Thus, lidding films are garnering a lot of popularity because of their environment-friendly nature. Other attractive qualities of lidding films that are boosting the growth of Lidding Films market include high stability, high heat resistance, and high tensile strength. Lidding films also find applications in cargo packaging industry. Dual ovenable lidding films are a type of lidding films. Dual ovenable lidding films can be heated in ovens and microwaves to heat up the food. All these factors are estimated to be responsible for the growth of Lidding Films market in the forecast period from 2017 to 2027.One of the factors that are restraining the Lidding Films market is that lidding films are not able to protect the food from chemical and physical damage.Nowadays, consumers have an on-the-go and very busy lifestyle and constantly look for convenience. Consumers nowadays prefer ready-to-eat food or packaged foods as compared to traditional home cooked meals only because of the shortage of time for cooking. This is a great opportunity for growth in the Lidding Films market.Market Segmentation:Global Lidding Films market is segmented into three types based on product type, end-user, and regions.Based on the product type, Global Lidding Films market is segmented into- Breathable Lidding Films, Dual-Ovenable Lidding Films, High Barrier Lidding Films and Specialty Lidding Films.Based on the end-user type, Global Lidding Films market is segmented into- Food packaging industry, Medical and Pharmaceutical industry, Chemical industry, Cosmetics & Personal Care, Electrical & Electronics and Automobile industry.On the basis of regions, Global Lidding Films market is segmented into- Latin America, North America, Middle East and Africa (MEA), Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific Except Japan (APEJ) and Japan.North America is the region with the highest demand for packaged food globally. North America is likely to be the dominant region in the Lidding Films market. Increase in the presence of retail outlets such as supermarkets and hypermarkets in Asia Pacific region is the reason attributed to the forecasted growth of Lidding Films Market in this region. Asia Pacific region is estimated to grow at a high CAGR during the forecast period from 2017 to 2027. Another reason attributed to the growth of Lidding Films market in the Asia Pacific region is increased industrialization activities in countries such as China and India. Latin America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe and MEA regions are estimated to have moderate growth rates in Lidding Films market in the forecast period. Increase in the per capita spending on food and beverages in the Japan region is likely to boost the growth of Lidding Films market in this region.Key Market Players:Some of the players operating in the Lidding Films market are Toray Plastics, Mitsubishi Polyester film, Sealed Air Corp, Shantou Weiyi Packaging Co., Ltd., Wipak, Chaozhou Chaoan Keneng Print Co., Amcor Limited, Dongying Jiachuan Commerce And Trade Co., Bemis Company Inc., Zhongsu New Materials Technology Co., Ltd., Berry Global Inc., Flexopack SA, Danafilms Corp., Cosmo Films Ltd, Eastern Web Handling Inc, Teinnovations Inc., Syntech NZ Ltd., Green Packaging Material Co. Ltd. and Shamrock Packaging Group.In 2016, Toray Plastics introduced White Lidding Films for frozen and refrigerated dairy foods. The base film of white lidding films is a mechanical strength polyester. A sealant layer is used to modify the base film with the help of Toray's extrusion-coated sealant blend. A film with a broad sealing range of 200 degrees Fahrenheit to 350 degrees Fahrenheit is created with the help of this combination that maintains the consistent strength of the seal during the sealing process.Conclusively, it can be said that the Lidding Films market will see a growth in the forecast period owing to a lot of demand in the food packaging sector.Request TOC of the Report @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=T&rep_id=29711
Asia-Pacific HIV Therapeutics Market

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Asia-Pacific HIV Therapeutics Market was worth USD 2.27 billion in 2016 and estimated to be growing at a CAGR of 2.1%, to reach USD 2.52 billion by 2021. The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) refers to a kind of retrovirus that causes (AIDS). HIV affects some immune cells and it weakens immune system bringing about loss of capacity to fight against the organisms that causes diseases.HIV infection has no cure however there are medicines which help to balance out or decrease this infection so it doesn't prompt to AIDS. HIV therapeutics market is developing at a significant rate because of increment in the HIV infected cases and developing awareness about the same.Major Driving factors are Increasing number of HIV affected cases, innovative advancement in HIV diagnosis and therapeutics, ascend in research exercises for developing HIV immunizations and not aware about the methods of transmission of the infection. Moreover, increase awareness about the accessibility of HIV therapeutics in the market and cost effective sedate treatments for HIV are driving the worldwide HIV therapeutics market. Be that as it may, different variables, for example, disappointment of treatment sometimes, absence of gifted experts and presentation of non-specific medications in the market are major restraints the HIV therapeutics market.View full report @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/asia-pacific-hiv-therapeutics-market-2076/ The HIV Therapeutics Market is broadly categorized into Type (Nucleoside/tide reverse transcriptase inhibitors or nucleoside/tide analogues, Non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors, Protease inhibitors, Integrase [strand transfer] inhibitors, CCR5 inhibitors, Fusion inhibitors). And on the basis of Application (HIV Type-1&2). On the basis of geography, the Asia-Pacific market is analyzed under various regions namely Japan, China, Australia, India and South Korea. The Asian, African and South American areas are developing markets as of now contributing under 20% partake in the worldwide HIV market. The current development of the market in Asia Pacific is however a positive sign for potential makers, with whatever remains of the world after a comparable example. Asia Pacific is anticipated to be the fastest developing regional section and will hold its position over the forecast period inferable from the upgrading medicinal services foundation and presence of appropriate government activities favoring development.Some of the major Companies dominating the market, by their products and services include AbbVie, Inc., Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Merck and Co., Inc., and Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH. Gilead Sciences, Inc. was the pioneer in HIV-1 therapeutics sector by considering market share and medication portfolio, took after by ViiV Healthcare in 2015. What's more, in the coming years other little players are required to enter this part with their pipeline drugs.Get free sample report @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/asia-pacific-hiv-therapeutics-market-2076/request-sample About Market Data Forecast:Market Data Forecast is a firm working in the area of market research and business intelligence. With rich experience in research across various business domains, they cater to the needs of both individual and corporate clients. From all-encompassing umbrella markets to extremely specific niche markets covering all the major regions across the globe as part of the research scope, their research services offer one of a kind specialities with competitive pricing options. For more information, kindly visit, www.marketdataforecast.com
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The smart ticketing system is a system which enables storing tickets electronically in a microchip. The microchip is embedded on a pepper card and this is known as a smart card. Some of the key advantages of using smart ticking system include safety from fraud, providing passengers with credit or pre loaded ride travels in case of an advance travel, help is reduction or eliminating long queue. Further smart ticketing system enables the operators and sellers to provide there personalized or customized tickets which suit the requirement of a wide range of individuals and cater to their customized requirements.A sample of this report is available upon request @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=23510 The smart ticketing system is most widely adopted in the transportation sector. Some of the key factors driving the smart ticket market include successful application of a wide range of smart technology. Rising application in tourism and travel industry and applications of systems which are user friendly which could be accessed and easily used by people from all age group is further driving the smart ticketing market growth. Some of the factors restraining the smart ticketing system market include high setup cost and a centralized operating unit for operating the smart ticketing system to operate effectively. Further many governments across globe are adopting demonetization policies and encouraging cashless transactions. This is a key opportunity for the smart ticking market to grow over the near future.The smart ticketing market by ticketing solution could be segmented into HCT Ticketing App, HCE ticketing wallet services, processing systems or host operator system, remote ticket download, smart cards, smart ticket checker app and card management system (CMS). The smart ticketing market by product could be segmented by e-ticket, ticket machine, e-kiosk, e-toll, smart parking system and others. Ticket machine is expected to lead the smart ticketing market segmented by product type. The ticketing machine is an integration of ticketing vending, smart gating and fare collection systems. The ticketing machine enables the flow of passengers in peak hours and effective operation. E-kiosk is expected to grow at the fastest rate over the next few years.The smart ticketing market by component could be broadly segmented into hardware and software. The smart ticketing market by hardware could be further segmented into cards and microchips, POS terminal equipment and card reader. The smart ticketing market by system could be broadly segmented into near field communication system, smart card and open payment system. The smart card segment in the smart ticketing market segmented by system could be further segmented into chip less radio frequency identification (RFID) and chip radio frequency identification RFID. The near field segment in the smart ticketing market segmented by system is expected to grow at the fastest rate over the next few years. A key advantage of using the near field communication system is that it could be easily integrated into a portable computing device like laptops, smart phones and tabs. Thus with the integration of smart devices and NFC technology is expected to gain more popularity over traditionally used printed ticketing systems. Further, rise in usage of smart phones is also driving the demand for near field communication system.Geographically the smart ticketing market could be broadly segmented into North America, Asia Pacific, Latin America, Europe and Middle East and Africa. Europe led the smart ticketing market. Most of the major players operating in the smart ticketing market are based in the region. Moreover, there is high rate of adoption of the smart ticketing system in Germany, U.K. and Sweden. Further, Europe is expected to dominate the smart ticketing market over the next few years.To view TOC of this report is available upon request @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=T&rep_id=23510 Some of the key players operating in the smart ticketing market include Gemalto NV (the Netherlands), HID (U.S.), NXP Semiconductors (U.S), Infineon Technologies AG (Germany), Giesecke & Devrient GmbH (Germany), Inside Secure (France), CPI Card Group Inc., (U.S.) among others.To View Full Report @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/smart-ticketing-market.html
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Chamomile is the common name of a group of plants that have been used since ancient times as herbal remedy. There are several different species of chamomile; however, Matricaria recutita (German chamomile) and Chamaemelum nobile (Roman chamomile) are widely grown across the world. Matricaria recutita is a hardy plant that can be found in a variety of different soils and climate. The plant has historically been used in teas for treating fevers, flu, digestive disorders, and skin ailments.Chamomile oil, also known as blue oil, is the primary extract of the flowers and flower heads of the chamomile plant. This oil contains several compounds that have medicinal benefits with key constituent groups being coumarins, sesquiterpenes, polyacetylenes, and flavonoids. These groups mainly consist of chamazulene, (E)--farnesene, -bisabolol oxides A and -bisabolol oxides B, -bisabolol and terpene alcohol. The Matricaria recutita extracts are included as drugs in the pharmacopoeia of many countries across the globe and are known for their anti-inflammatory, antiseptic and spasmolytic properties.View TOC for this Market Report @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=T&rep_id=20408 Common process of obtaining the Matricaria recutita extract from the blossom of the plant is trough steam distillation. Under this process, hot steam is passed through a still containing the Matricaria recutita flowers. The hot steam penetrates the plant, forcing the essential oil out of the plant. It is then collected separately. Chamomile oil yields obtained from the Matricaria recutita flowers are very low, typical yields being only 0.20.4% of the total weight of the flowers. The extracted oil is used for a variety of medicinal purposes, with the general use being for mental and physical relaxation. Depending upon the therapeutic use, the oil can be ingested orally or can be topically applied.Matricaria recutita oil extract is used to ease insomnia, as a mood enhancer, mild anti-depressant, and an aid to calm nervousness or anxiety problems. Apart from its mental calming properties, the oil is also useful for soothing aching joints and muscles. The Matricaria recutita oil is commonly used as an ingredient in skin lotions and creams due to its anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. The oil is also used to ease digestive problems and soothe conjunctivitis symptoms. In addition to pharmaceutical uses, the oil is extensively employed in a number of commercial products including soaps, alcoholic beverages, detergents, perfumes, lotions, ointments, hair care products, food products, bakery products, and cosmetics.Because of its extensive medicinal and pharmaceutical properties, Matricaria recutita oil possesses good economic value and is in high demand across the world. The plant grows well in temperate and semi-temperate regions and is native to Southern and Eastern Europe. Commercial growing of the plant has been undertaken in the mountainous regions of India and Nepal. Matricaria recutita is an important crop in Hungary, France, Yugoslavia, Germany, Russia, and Brazil. The plant can be found in other regions in North Africa, Asia, North and South America, Australia, and New Zealand. Hungary is one of the most important growers of Matricaria recutita with the majority of the flowers produced being exported to Germany. Germany is one of the largest distillers of Matricaria recutita extracts.Several countries in Eastern Europe export Matricaria recutita flowers in bulk to Germany. Other important distillers of the essential oil are France, India, and the U.S. International demand for Matricaria recutita oil has been increasing at a fast rate in the recent years due to the increasing preference for pharmaceuticals and cosmetics obtained from natural sources. Demand for the Matricaria recutita extract is high in countries in Western Europe and Northern America. Implementation of stringent regulations regarding the use of synthetic ingredients in pharmaceuticals and rising awareness regarding the ill-effects of these ingredients are likely to encourage manufacturers to include natural ingredients in their products.For more information on this report, fill the form @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=20408 Growth in health consciousness in the burgeoning middle class in China and India is expected to boost the market for Matricaria recutita oil in the near future. One of the major challenges facing this market is to provide speedy transport of the flowers, from the growing fields to the extraction units, which may be located at a considerable distance from the fields. This is necessary because the chamazulene content of the flowers decreases during storage. This, in turn, decreases the therapeutic effectiveness of the extracted oil.The Matricaria recutita extract market is fragmented; a number of small players operate in the market. Key players operating in the Matricaria recutita extract market are Silvestris, Bristol Botanicals Ltd, Norfolk Essential Oils, and Mountain Rose Herbs.
The North America Antifungal Drugs Market is estimated at $4.62 billion in 2016 and projected to be growing with CAGR of 3.7% reaching $5.54 billion by 2021.

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In the following years, the market is poised to grow significantly with the rising global population. Antifungal drugs are used commonly for curing fungal infections occurring due to, unclean, unhygienic and damp environment. Invasion of epithelial tissue by microscopic organisms lead to fungal infections.View Full Report @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/north-america-anti-fungal-drugs-market-245/ Systemic fungal infections are those caused due to indigestion or inhalation of spores, leading to fungal pneumonia and diseases like candidaisis, meningitis, mucormycosis, etc. are caused by opportunistic fungus. Although majority of the fungal infections and diseases are commonly non-lethal, they are very uncomforting to the host and their common occurrence is responsible for the rising antifungal drugs market. Antifungal drugs work via various mechanisms such as by inhibiting of cell wall formation, cell membrane disruption and cell division.Free sample of the report is available @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/north-america-anti-fungal-drugs-market-245/request-sample The major factors driving the market are rising awareness of fungal infections with more and more cases of antifungal infections all over the world, increase in government and corporate funding in the industry. Further, the growing public private partnership in the pharmaceutical industry and the mounting popularity of over-the-counter antifungal drugs to cure dermal infections is responsible for the growth of North America antifungal drugs market. Also, the rising population with weak immune system because of cancer chemotherapy or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, in whom the fungal infections occur more frequently than average, is driving the market in North America. Existing high penetration of conventional drugs used for the treatment of common fungal infections is restraining the market growth. High drug costs are a challenge faced by the market. Increasing treatment effectiveness can help in overcoming it.Inquire before buying @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/north-america-anti-fungal-drugs-market-245/inquire The antifungal drugs market is segmented by drug type into Echinocandins, Azoles, Polyenes, Allylamines and Other Drugs. Also, the market is segmented by type of therapeutic indications into Aspergillosis, Dermatophytosis, Candidiasis, Other therapeutic indications. And the market is also segmented by applications into Powders, Ointments, Drugs, Pastes. While Azoles which include fluconazole, itraconazole, ketoconazole, posaconazole and voriconazole, are systemically acting, Echinocandins which include anidulafungin, caspofungin and micafungin are lipopeptides derived from natural fungal fermentation products and Polyenes which include amphotericin B deoxycholate and liposomal amphotericin B. Corifungin are systemically acting and disrupts eukaryotic cellular membranes. Azoles segment is the largest segment of the market followed by echinocandins.Geographically, the North America antifungal drugs market is sub-segmented into the countries United States and Canada. North America has commanded largest share of the global antifungal drugs market. United States contributes to the major share of North America antifungal drugs market due to the presence of the leading companies. Canada antifungal drugs market is expected to grow fastest in the North America region.The major companies dominating the market are Alternaria, Pfizer, Novartis, Sanofi-Aventis, Merck & Co., Asperqillus, Kramer Laboratories, Bayer Healthcare, Enzon Pharmaceuticals, Glaxosmithkline Gilead and Abbott Laboratories to name few.About Us:Market Data Forecast is a firm working in the area of market research and business intelligence. With rich experience in research across various business domains, we cater to the needs of both individual and corporate clients. Our analyst team comprises expert professionals in market research, who with their collective knowledge and sksillset dedicatedly serve clients from various industries and regions.
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Transparency Market Research 90 State Street, Suite 700 Albany, NY 12207 Tel: +1-518-618-1030 USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453 Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.com Website: www.transparencymarketresearch.comHead Internet Marketing+1-518-618-1030

Oleoresin are highly concentrated pure extracts of spices or herbs. These are naturally occurring combination of oil and resins extracted from plants. Oleoresin can be obtained from various plant sources including, chilli, turmeric, valerian, paprika, clove, coriander and others. Paprika oleoresin is an oil soluble extract obtained from the dried and ground sweet pepper pods also called as fruits of Capsicum annum Linn or Capsicum frutescens with the prime function in food coloring and flavoring industry. Capsicum annum Linn is widely consumed as vegetable across the globe and is native to North America and northern South America. Paprika oleoresin is highly viscous and possess coloring properties due to presence of natural carotenoid pigments, especially capsanthin and capsorubin. Apart from this paprika oleoresin also contains capsaicin, which is the main flavoring compound giving pungent taste in higher concentrations. The global Paprika Oleoresin market is expected to witness significant revenue opportunity over the forecast period attributed to its expanded applications in food industry, cosmetic industry and pharmaceutical industry. Increasing demand for natural colours across the globe ispushing the marker revenue growth of the overall paprika oleoresin market.Request Sample Copy of the Report @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=29753 Paprika Oleoresin Market SegmentationGlobal paprika oleoresin market is segmented on the basis of application, sales channels and region. On the basis of application the global paprika oleoresin market can be segmented into, food and beverages industry, cosmetic industry and pharmaceutical industry. The food and beverages segment is further sub-segmented into bakery and confectionary, sauces and seasoning, dairy industry, desserts and ice cream, meat products, convenience foods, juices and others. While the cosmetic industry is further sub segmented into, skin care products, hair care products and others. The food and beverages industry is the largest industry for paprika oleoresin due to increasing application of paprika oleoresin as a coloring agent in various foods. Food and beverage industries commonly use the oil soluble form of paprika oleoresin for coloring. On the basis of sales channels the global paprika oleoresin market is segmented into, direct sales and indirect sales segment. The indirect sales segment is further sub segmented into, wholesaler, trader and retailer.On the basis of region the global paprika oleoresin market is segmented into, North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Middle East and Africa. Europe and North America are expected to account for the maximum revenue share in the paprika oleoresin market attributed to increasing production of paprika oleoresin the regions. Owing to growing consumers demand for clean label natural paprika oleoresin the food products manufacturers are bringing transparency in the origin of their food products offerings. This clean label trend is also followed in cosmetic industry wherein the consumers seek cosmetics with minimal side effects.Paprika Oleoresin Market Global Market Trends and Market Drivers:The global market for paprika oleoresin is relatively large in European countries particularly due to favorable climatic and soil conditions for paprika growth and further harvesting can be done me mechanically thus, contributing towards considerable domestic production. Globally approximately 7-8 thousand tonnes of paprika oleoresin are produced annually with India, Spain, Peru and China as the main suppliers of paprika oleoresin to Europe. As the global demand for coloring food stuff increases the market for paprika oleoresin also increases. Food products manufacturers increasingly use food stuffs with coloring properties instead of synthetic colors thus enabling them to keep their labels clean. Furthermore, a large proportion of consumers across the globe consume excessive amounts of salt then required. Paprika oleoresin is used to color salt and the demand for products containing less salt is strong. In regards to this various food product manufacturers are using paprika oleoresin in order to other to mask the salt reduction. Also growing demand for organic certified paprika oleoresin is contributing towards the market growth of paprika oleoresin over the forecast period.Paprika Oleoresin Market Key Players:Variety of Paprika Oleoresin have been introduced by the manufacturers and some of the global market players manufacturing paprika oleoresin market include; DDW The Colour House, Holland Ingredients, KANCOR Naturex S.A., Synthite Industries, Chr. Hansen Kalsec Inc., Universal Oleoresins, Ingredientes Naturales Seleccionados S.L. and others.Request TOC of the Report @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=T&rep_id=29753
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The global supply chain continues getting more complex with facility managers and warehouse executives facing unique set of challenges on a day to day basis. Issues regarding costs associated with materials and final products seem to get out of control at times which is the reason the yard and dock management systems are used for increasing operational and logistics efficiency.A sample of this report is available upon request @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=25139 A yard management system or dock management systems are basically software systems being designed for monitoring the movement of trucks or trailers within the yard of distribution centers, manufacturing facility or warehouse. These systems provide real-time information about the location of trailers within the yard further assisting yard employees in movement of trailers from staging to the docks fulfilling orders in an efficient manner. Radio frequency identification (RFID) technology may also be built in these systems for faster and more accurate tracking of the trucks. By involving all supply chain partners within this process provides more visibility into requested, scheduled or rescheduled dock appointments. The global market for dock and yard management system has been segmented on the basis of type, application and geography. Based on types, the global market has been segmented into warehouse management systems (WMS) and transportation management systems (TMS) among others. Transportation & logistics, grocery, manufacturing, retailing and parcel post among others form the major application areas for this market globally.Global dock and yard management systems market on the basis of geography has been segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America and Middle East and Africa.The online appointment scheduling for the trailers and carriers has been a major advantage for this market driving the overall growth. Use of dock and yard management systems allow vendors to book appointments in dock over the web along with monitoring the real time status of the shipment that has been another major driver for this market. Application of these systems further allows inbound coordinators to prioritize their shipments, configure prioritization rules, refuse carrier requests and automate the constraints related to the scheduling process. Moreover, these systems also monitors load leveling of the goods flow to the respective dock resources. The historical data analysis, compliance tracking along with improved visibility to the inbound supply has been a few other factors to contribute in the rising demand of this market. With all the respective drivers, presence of certain restraints pose challenges for the market growth as well. Some of these factors include the chances of human errors, mishandling of information received along with wrong interpretation of real time information that is likely to provide challenges in the market growth. Besides all these drivers and restraints, it is the growing demand for well-defined shipment tracking and management systems for monitoring the growth of traffic in ship yards that is expected to provide growth opportunities for this market in the coming years.Geographically, North America followed by Europe formed some major regions contributing to the market growth. Application of real-time information for increasing the process efficiency as well as cost-effectiveness related with these systems has been some of the major drivers for this market. Asia Pacific accounted as one of the fastest growing region for this market globally. South Korea, China, Japan and India among others are some of the major countries contributing to the growth. The rise in demand for automated systems to monitor the shipments along with growing of transportation in waterways has been a few important factors to help in the market growth.To view TOC of this report is available upon request @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=T&rep_id=25139 Some of the key players that are operating in the global dock and yard management systems market include C3 solutions (Canada), Descartes Systems Group Inc. (Canada), 4sight solution (The U.S.), Manhattan Associates (The U.K.), Kelley Entrematic (The U.S.), Zebra (The U.S.), Oracle Corporation (The U.S.), Softeon (India) and Royal 4 systems (The U.S.) among others.To View Full Report @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/dock-yard-management-systems-market.html
Increasing construction activities have boosted the demand for roofing chemicals across the globe.

Roofing Chemicals Market

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Roofing Chemicals Market OverviewRoofing chemicals are generally utilized to improve the performance and shelf life of roof coatings and coverings. These chemicals are vital to keep the temperature low in the interiors of the house. Cool roofing technologies has increased awareness regarding roofing chemicals across the globe. Roofing chemicals are preferred for their various properties such as high reflectivity and insulation. Roofing chemicals are vital for thermal management of buildings and houses. The electricity costs are also reduced owing to lesser energy requirements for cooling the interiors of the house.Request Sample of Roofing Chemicals Market: https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-sample/362 Global Roofing Chemicals Market TaxonomyThe global roofing chemicals market is classified on the basis of the following segments:Product TypeAcrylicAsphaltElastomerEpoxy ResinStyreneOthersApplicationMembraneBituminousElastomericMetalPlasticPrevalent Scenario in Roofing Chemicals MarketIncreasing construction activities have boosted the demand for roofing chemicals across the globe. Asphalt roofing material is widely used for buildings. It is the most-widely used type of roofing chemical. Asphalt provides the best performance in terms of roofing material. Factors such as wide choices in top-surfacing, insulation, reduced deformation, reduced flushing, better texture and durability have further boosted the demand for asphalt roofing chemicals. Other factors such as lower cost, lower crack formation, and flexibility also drive the demand for asphalt. Asphalt roofing also form part of fire, wind and hail resistant roof systems. In terms of application segment, bituminous roofs are in high demand owing to their rigidness and long life. Bituminous roofs are very durable and generally have extended shelf life. They can be used with conventional shingles, which makes them suitable for quick installation.Request To View The Table of content: https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/ongoing-insight/toc/362 Regional Outlook of Roofing Chemicals MarketCurrently, Asia Pacific is the leading market for roofing chemicals. Countries such as China, India, Japan, Australia, and South Korea among others drive roofing chemicals market in this region. China is the dominant player in this market not only in Asia Pacific but also globally. The demand for roofing chemicals in China is growing due to increasing construction activities as well as the real estate boom in the country. This trend is expected to continue throughout the forecast period. India is also a growing market for roofing chemicals. China and India are expected to grow at the fastest rate owing to increasing infrastructure and construction activities in these countries. In Europe, roofing chemicals is in high demand owing to the inclination of the region towards energy security, efficient housing and green buildings. Countries such as Germany, the U.K., France, Italy, Norway, Spain, and Denmark among others drive the roofing chemicals market in the region. North America has high demand for roofing chemicals. The U.S. and Canada have set high standards for energy efficiency which has boosted the demand for roofing chemicals in this region. Middle East and Africa also have huge demand for roofing chemicals. The demand is expected to increase owing to increasing interest in energy efficiency and minimum wastage in this region. Countries such as UAE, Saudi Arabia, Israel, and South Africa among others drive the roofing chemicals market in this region. The share of Latin America in global market in roofing chemicals is expected to increase during the forecast period owing to increasing construction and housing projects in the region. Countries such as Brazil, Argentina, Peru and Chile are expected to drive the market in this region.Market Driven By R&DThe global roofing chemicals market is driven by research and development and new product development by leading companies. Companies are striving to introduce new products in the market with qualities such as better solar reflectance index, longer shelf life, high elasticity, reliable adhesion, and dirt resistance among others. Some of the major companies operating in the global roofing chemicals industry include BASF SE, The Dow Chemical Company, Saint-Gobain S.A., 3M Company, Akzo Nobel N.V, and Sika AG among others.Check The Trending Report of Roofing Chemicals Market: https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/ongoing-insight/roofing-chemicals-market-362
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Deep learning is one of the machine learning algorithms which use many layers of nonlinear processing units primarily for the data extraction and transformation. The deep learning algorithms are basically based on distributed representations. The increasing demand for improved system and human interaction acts as driving factor for the market.A sample of this report is available upon request @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=23561 As the deep learning algorithms offers expert assistance and it primarily helps humans to extend their capabilities. The market has been segmented into by application which includes signal recognition and processing, data mining, machine vision, satellite and medical imaging recognition, robotics among others. The market for deep learning systems by region has been segmented into, Europe, Asia Pacific, MEA(Middle East and Africa), North America and South America.Deep learning systems primarily develop a deep domain insight and transfer the required information to the end-users in usable way. For example, deep learning system has its huge applications in the banking and financial sector as it primarily helps bank employees to extend their work capabilities and allow banking institutions to focus more on customer interaction than the conventional transaction-based approach. Moreover, the deep learning software offers solutions on the basis on analyzing clients background and history and provides evidence and contextual based reasoning for any problems. With the increasing research and development activities the end use area of deep learning systems are expanding which includes defense and aerospace, healthcare, oil and gas, telecommunication and information technology, retail, banking and financial sector, automotive, industrial among others.The deep learning system has huge potential applications in medical domain for image processing drug discovery and diagnosis and identification of chronic diseases. There are few more major applications for the deep learning systems which include autonomous car, cyber security, data analytics, and fraud detection among others. Rising technological advancement in the field of media and advertisement is also fueling the growth of the deep learning systems market. Application and usage of complex algorithms for the deep learning technology is one of the prime restraints for the market which may inhibit the growth of the market. However, advanced analytical tools which primarily deals with a massive volume of data of wide variety are enabling engineers and geoscientists in understanding the nature and extent of oil reservoirs. Increasing research activities in the field of data analytics software, the deep learning systems has huge potential opportunities in the consumer electronics field, research laboratory systems.In 2016, North America accounted for the highest share of the deep learning systems market, followed by Europe and Asia Pacific. Robust growth in the data mining and increasing development in the data generation across end use industry verticals which include the financial services, banking and insurance (BFSI), retail, healthcare, is stimulating the growth of deep learning systems market across North America. The U.S. is dominating the market for deep learning systems across North America. In Europe, Germany, The U.K., Italy, Russia and France is contributing in the positive growth of the market. Increasing research activities and demand for high end algorithms for data processing is pushing the growth of the market. I n Asia Pacific, China, India, Australia among others is holding a prominent position in the deep learning systems market. Huge development in the information technology and telecommunication sector is considered as one of the key drivers for the market across Asia Pacific region. Brazil and Argentina both are prime contributors in the deep learning systems market in South America. Growing retail sector, advancement in the different industrial fields which include oil and gas and mining along with development in the financial sector is also boosting the market for deep learning systems in UAE, South Africa across Africa and Middle East.To view TOC of this report is available upon request @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=T&rep_id=23561 Intel Corporation (The U.S.), Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company (The U.S.), Google Inc. (The U.S.), Microsoft Corporation (The U.S.) and International Business Machines Corporation (The U.S.) among others are some of the key companies operating in the deep learning systems market globally.To View Full Report @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/deep-learning-systems-market.html
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Wearable fitness technology concerns any kind of electronic product that have been designed to be worn by the person so that it can keep a track of its footsteps, heartbeat so that one can keep himself fit and fine and also give a real time information about the health of the overall body. The global Wearable Fitness Technology market is anticipated to witness a robust growth rate during the forecast period from 2017 to 2025 owing to the rise in disposable income in the developing economies that have led to the awareness about fitness among the common peopleA sample of this report is available upon request @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=23444 The global Wearable Fitness Technology market is expected to witness a progressive growth in the coming years due to the increasing consumer preferences regarding Wearable Fitness Technology. This wearable fitness help the consumer to track their footsteps and also display the notification of smartphone. In addition the growing awareness of chronic diseases and obesity have led to the adoption of such wearable devices so that it can give real time information about the overall health of the body. These wearables can provide information like, cholesterol levels, blood pressure, calorie intake and also other information that is required by the body for day to day activities.However, the high initial cost and the limited battery life of the wearable devices is predicted to inhibit its adoption rate to some extent in the coming eight years. In spite of this challenges the increasing demand for connected devices have accelerated the growth of this market.For the purpose of providing detailed research report, the global Wearable Fitness Technology market is segmented on the basis of product type, component, technology, end use and geography. On the basis of product type the market is segmented into wrist wear, body wear, neck wear, eye wear and others. Among the different product types of wearable technology available in the market, the wrist wear is expected to grow at a higher rate owing to its facilities to track the footsteps, heartbeats and manage smartphone notification as compared to the other product types. On the other hand, based on component, the market has been classified into display, processor, memory chip, power management components, sensors and others. The display holds the largest market share compared to the other components due to the fact that day by day display technology is evolving like haptic touch/tactile, active matrix organic light emitting diode (AMOLED), organic light emitting diode(OLED). Thus it is one of the most expensive part of wearable device On the basis of technology the market has been classified into display technology, computing technology, positioning technology, sensor technologies and others.Wearable fitness technology also finds its application across various end user segments including healthcare, consumer electronics, defense, fitness and wellness and others. Among various end user segment, fitness and wellness is expected to witness the growth rate at a highest CAGR during the forecast period. Attributes such growing concern of obesity and other chronic diseases have led to the adoption of Wearable Fitness Technology in the fitness and wellnessGeographically, the global Wearable Fitness Technology market has been further divided into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa, and Latin America. North America is expected to hold the largest share of the wearable fitness technology market among the different regions in 2016. The Wearable Fitness Technology market of North America is majorly driven by the U.S owing to increasing awareness about fitness. On the flip side, the Asia Pacific Wearable Fitness Technology market is expected to witness a high growth rate during the forecast period owing to the rise in disposable incomes in the developing countries.To view TOC of this report is available upon request @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=T&rep_id=23444 Some of the key vendors operating in the global Wearable Fitness Technology market includes Adidas (Germany), Apple, Inc. (The U.S.), Fitbit, Inc. (U.S.), Google, Inc. (The U.S.), LG Electronics Inc. (South Korea), Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd (South Korea), Xiaomi Technology Co., Ltd (China) and many more.To View Full Report @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/wearable-fitness-technology-market.html
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Transparency Market Research 90 State Street, Suite 700 Albany, NY 12207 Tel: +1-518-618-1030 USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453 Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.com Website: www.transparencymarketresearch.comHead Internet Marketing+1-518-618-1030

Global Scuff Resistant Packaging Market: OverviewScuff resistant packaging is a modern way to guard fragile products susceptible to scratching during transportation. Ideally, it is widely used for those products which are made from glass, plastic or rubber, the scuff resistant packaging contains a soft non-abrasive facing on corrugated board, which prevents products from damage during their supply. Scuff resistant packaging removes the requirement of extra materials include bubble wrap or polystyrene. The scuff resistant packaging is significantly used in consumer goods, food and beverages and many other industries. It is easily recyclable.Request Sample Copy of the Report @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=29762 Global Scuff Resistant Packaging Market: DynamicsThe key factors which drive the global scuff resistant packaging market are rapidly growing paper and packaging industry along with growing demand of scuff resistant packaging for product protection during transportation across the globe. The macroeconomic factors which drive the global scuff resistant packaging market are emerging economies such as China, Brazil and India, a rapid rate of urbanization and rising per capita income of consumers. Another factor which fuels the global scuff resistant packaging market is robust growth in food and beverages industry, owing to its significant demand for packaging of food and beverages products. In addition, significantly growing retail industry across the globe leads the global scuff resistant packaging market towards the growth over the forecast period. Furthermore, rising industrialization along with growing demand for consumer goods across the globe is one of the major factors which drive the global scuff resistant packaging market due to its high demand in various industries for packaged foods. The key restraining factors such as government regulation related to usage of scuff resistant packaging and high labor cost in North America region that hinder the growth of the global scuff resistant packaging market over the forecast period.Global scuff resistant packaging market: Regional OutlookAbove mentioned film type, the PET segment is anticipated to witness an extensive growth in the global scuff resistant packaging market over the forecast period, owing to high usage of PET film based scuff resistant packaging for food products packaging. The food and beverages segment is predicted to see significant growth under end-use industry type segment in global scuff resistant packaging market globally. Based on the geographies, the global scuff resistant packaging market is classified into seven regions globally such as Eastern Europe, Latin America, Western Europe, North America, Asia-Pacific excluding Japan, Japan, and Middle East & Africa. Among the regions as mentioned above, North America captures the high market share followed by Western Europe in scuff resistant packaging market across the globe due to a high demand of paper and packaging industry along with growing demand for packaged food across the region. Asia-pacific is predicted to witness highest growth rate in the global scuff resistant packaging market, attributed to rapidly growing industrialization, growing population and rising disposable income across this region. In addition, Japan is anticipated to see the significant growth rate in the global scuff resistant packaging market across the region, owing to growing health awareness among consumers along with significant growth in the automotive industry over the forecast period. MEA is anticipated to showcase high growth rate in the global sealed tray packaging market, attributed to rapidly growing travel and tourism industry in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates.Global scuff resistant packaging market: Key PlayersFew key players of the global scuff resistant packaging market are Smurfit Kappa Group, Whitlam Group, Accredo Packaging, Inc, DS Smith, Rengo Co., Ltd, Georgia-Pacific LLC. The key manufacturers are focusing towards high innovation in products to expand its market presence. For instance, Smurfit Kappa Group is making easily recyclable scuffing resistant packaging to protect the environment from pollution.The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the market. It does so via in-depth qualitative insights, historical data, and verifiable projections about market size. The projections featured in the report have been derived using proven research methodologies and assumptions. By doing so, the research report serves as a repository of analysis and information for every facet of the market, including but not limited to: Regional markets, technology, types, and applications.Request TOC of the Report @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=T&rep_id=29762
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Terrestrial trunked radio is a modern public access mobile radio technology and digital private mobile radiotechnology for transport, security services, medical and fire services among others. In short, terrestrial trunked radio is commonly known as TETRA digital radio.All communications over terrestrial trunked radio are reassuringly secure and private. The fully digital terrestrial trunked radio technology provides low noise and better consistence of voice quality.A sample of this report is available upon request @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=23474 Across the globe, various terrestrial trunked radio manufacturers are focusing on building secure, reliable and efficient communications to meet the growing need of consumers. With the increasing penetration of Professional Mobile Radio (PMR) organization, the demand of terrestrial trunked radio has increased significantly, leading to a significant rise during the forecast period. In addition, the rising uptake of TETRA network in defense and military applications and the rising demand of consumer electronics are also boosting Terrestrial Trunked Radio (TETRA) market extensively.However , Terrestrial Trunked Radio market is anticipated to witness a stable growth during the forecast period.On providing details overview, global Terrestrial Trunked Radio market has been segmented on the basis of frequency range, components, device, end use industry and geography. On the basis of frequency range, global Terrestrial Trunked Radio market has been fragmented into 385-389.9MHz and 395-397.9MHz, 410-420MHz and 420-430MHz, 450-460MHz and 460-470MHz, 870-876MHz, 915-921MHz and 921 MHz and above among others. This wider range of frequency are used to monitor and resolve radio frequency interference of various public mobile services, private land mobile and broadcasting among others. Increasing demand of simplex and duplex calls, group calls, pre-emptive emergency and priority calls among others owing to the increasing trend of digitalization is the major factor anticipated to increase the demand of terrestrial trunked radio at an exponential rate during the prediction period. In addition, global Terrestrial Trunked Radio market is classified on the basis of components into hardware and software. The application of software for automatic position messaging solution, remote radio monitoringand data information and accessing voice is leading to increased demand of software component in the global Terrestrial Trunked Radio market. By device type the Terrestrial Trunked Radio market has been segmented into portable and Vehicular. On the basis of end use industry the market for Terrestrial Trunk Radio has been bifurcated into defense and military, mining, security and safety, medical and telecommunication among others. In addition, across the globe, demand of terrestrial trunked radio is increasing owing to higher level voice encryption to meet the security needs of public safety organizations. This in turn is anticipated to drive the demand of Terrestrial Trunked Radio Market in coming years.Furthermore , terrestrial trunked are also designed with the ability to transfer data at quicker rates than seen earlier in mobile communications.Moreover, increasing demand of mission critical communication and radio communication devices from analog to digital is also expected to rise the demand of installation of terrestrial trunked radio across the globe.This in turn is anticipated to drive the demand of global Terrestrial Trunked Radio market in the coming years. Additionally, terrestrial trunked radio is used to support for next generation public protection and disaster relief communications infrastructure. The growing need for efficient critical communications in home security, defense, fire department and emergency medical services is anticipated to drive the growth of Terrestrial Trunked Radio market.On the flip side, high Infrastructure cost for installation of tetra networks and terrestrial trunked radio is likely to affect the installation of terrestrial trunked radio. Moreover, various terrestrial trunked radio constraints coupled with slower data transfer rate by modern standards are anticipated to affect the demand of the global Terrestrial Trunked Radio market in coming years.Geographically, global Terrestrial Trunked Radio market has been segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle- East and Africa, Latin America. In 2015, Asia Pacific held the major market share in the global Terrestrial Trunked Radio market across various regions. Additionally, increasing population and huge acceptance of Terrestrial Trunked Radio (TETRA) networks and cumulative focus on critical communications operations are driving the growth of this market in Asia Pacific region.North America is estimated to be the second largest market for Terrestrial Trunked Radio market currently, followed by Asia Pacific. In Europe, owing to significant economic development in Terrestrial Trunked Radio (TETRA) network, demand of various countries which includes Germany, Netherlands and France among others are expected to create better opportunity for the Terrestrial Trunked Radio market in coming years.To view TOC of this report is available upon request @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=T&rep_id=23474 The key players operating in the Terrestrial Trunked Radio market includes Simoco Group (U.K) Motorola Solutions, Inc. (The U.S), Hytera Communications Corporation Limited (The U.S), Bitea Limited (U.K), Airbus Defense and Space Corporation (France),Rohill Engineering B.V. (Netherlands), Cellular Systems A/S (Denmark) and Sepura PLC (UK) among others.To View Full Report @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/terrestrial-trunked-radio-market.html
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Tomato Paste Market Introduction:Tomato is one of the major vegetable crop grown worldwide. Tomato paste is a concentrated long shelf life product used as an important food ingredient worldwide. As per Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in 2011, the global tomato production was approximately 130 million tons with China and Europe as leading tomato producing regions currently. Other major tomato producers across the globe are India, U.S. and Turkey. Tomato paste is prepared by removing skin, pulp of tomatoes to create tomato juice which is then concentrated generally by evaporation method in order to obtain a thick paste. Tomato paste market is expected to witness significant market growth during the forecast period owing to its widespread application in food industry.Request Sample Copy of the Report @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=29756 Tomato Paste Market Segmentation:Increasing demand for organic tomato paste is expected to uplift the global market revenues of tomatoes globally in the coming years. The global tomato paste market is segmented into, product type, packaging type, area of application, sales channels and by region. By product type, the global tomato paste market is segmented on the basis of dry matter content into, single concentrate, double concentrate and triple concentrate. Double concentrate is the most common type of tomato paste currently available in the market. By packaging type the global tomato paste market is segmented into, cans, carton packaging, bottles and pouches. Cans are the preferred mode of packaging for tomato paste due to its convenient packing and to increase the shelf life of the tomato paste based products. By application the global tomato paste market is segmented into, industrial, household and commercial applications. In industrial application the tomato paste is widely used in making sauces, and in finished products such as, pizzas, soups jams and others. By sales channels the global tomato paste market is segmented into, hypermarkets/supermarkets, convenience stores, E-commerce and pother retail formats.Tomato Paste Market Regional Outlook:On the basis of region the global tomato paste market is segmented into, North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific excluding Japan, Japan and Middle East and Africa. North America and Western Europe are expected to account for significant revenue shares in the global tomato paste market over the forecast period. In European countries tomato is one of the most important vegetable consumed accounting for an approximate share of 19% as the largest fresh vegetable crop. Per capita tomato consumption is high in countries such as, Germany, Spain and France. Household use of tomato is increasing in countries such as China, India, Africa and U.S. where consumers use it for making several recipes thus, contributing towards escalating market revenues of tomato over the forecast period. Tomato paste manufactured in China enjoys great popularity in the world market because of its high quality. Also, growing manufacturers efforts to increase their tomato production capabilities is expected to fuel the tomato paste market growth over the forecast period.Tomato Paste Market Drivers and TrendsGrowing demand for convenience food products, shift towards organic and clean label products and growing consumption of tomato paste is expected to fuel the market revenue growth of tomato Paste market over the forecast period. Furthermore, growing demand for fresh tomatoes has contributed towards its escalating production across the globe. For example, in the U.S., California is the leading producer of tomato paste with fresh tomatoes production taking place across all the states in the region. Domestic tomato producers have recognized limited market opportunity in the global tomato business hence, a number of new greenhouse/hydroponic operations have come online in several States over the past few years which will further accelerate the tomato paste market growth in terms of value and value both.Tomato Paste Market Key Players:Some of the key players offering Tomato Paste include; Conagra Brands, Del Monte Foods, Inc., Olam Spices & Vegetables Inc., Los Gatos Tomatos, Cento Fine Foods, Muir Glen Organic, Vigo Importing Co., PANOS brands, Bionaturae, LLC and others.Request TOC of the Report @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=T&rep_id=29756
Vacuum Pouches Market

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Vacuum pouches is a type packaging method that includes the process of removing excess air before sealing the bag. The vacuum pouches are primarily used to preserve fresh food and decrease food spoilage. Vacuum packaging is a common technique of extending the shelf life of food related products without adversely impacting their quality. Moreover, vacuum pouches have good machine handling as it does not curl, it provides gas and moisture barrier properties, exhibits excellent mechanical properties at low thickness and low cost, has aroma retention power, provides good resistance to puncture and tearing. All the mentioned features make vacuum pouches makes it a preferred packaging technique in comparison to other traditional packaging.Vacuum Pouches Market- Market Segmentation:Vacuum pouches market is segmented by material type, packaging type, process type, application type and by region. On the basis of material type, the vacuum pouches market can be segmented into polyethylene (PE), polyvinylidenchloride (PVDC), polypropylene (PP), polyvinylchloride (PVC), polyester (PET), polyamide (PA) and others. On the basis of packaging type global vacuum pouches market can be segmented into flexible packaging and semi-rigid packaging. On the basis of process type, vacuum pouches market can be segmented into shrink packaging, skin packaging and traditional packaging. On the basis of application type, vacuum pouches market can be segmented into food and beverages, pharmaceuticals, industrial goods, consumer goods, and others. On the basis of region, we have segmented vacuum pouches market into, North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and the Middle East & Africa.Browse Full Report With ToC @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=T&rep_id=20156 Vacuum Pouches Market - Market Dynamics:The vacuum pouches market is expected to witness a healthy grow rate during the forecast period. Due to speedy urbanization and industrialization the vacuum pouches market is undergoing technological advancements. Other than that growing use of vacuum pouches in pharmaceutical, food and beverage industry is significantly fuelling this market. The retail sector in Asia Pacific is booming, mainly due to changing lifestyle coupled with increasing per capita annual disposable income of consumers in this region. Shelf life of products is an important attribute across all industry verticals, however, is strategically significant in food and beverages industry. This emerging cluster of the globe is also witnessing quick urbanization. Over past five years approximately 20% of the product manufacturers switched to vacuum packaging from conventional packaging options. On the other side high initial cost and rising demand of modified atmosphere packaging market might hamper the growth of global vacuum pouches market globally. The trend towards vacuum pouches is driven by consumer preference for lightweight, portable ease to handle and re-closable products with long shelf life. Thus companies are focusing on developing sustainable, recyclable, lightweight, and tough with long shelf life through barrier film.Vacuum Pouches Market - Regional Outlook:Vacuum pouches market is expected to register a high CAGR for the forecast period. Depending on geographic regions, vacuum pouches market is segmented into five key regions: North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Middle East & Africa. Asia Pacific is expected experience the maximum growth in the vacuum pouches market primarily due to growth in the retail industry, increased sale of online products and rising disposable income. Increased demand for industrial products from the developed economies of North America and Europe is expected to drive the demand in the vacuum pouches market for these regions. Whereas, Latin America and MEA are expected to witness a stable growth in the vacuum pouches market over the forecast period.Fill the form for an exclusive sample of this report @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=20156 Vacuum Pouches Market - Major Players:Some of the major players identified across the globe in the heat sealing tape market are Amcor Limited, Bemis Company Inc., Berry Plastics, Sealed Air Corporation, Wipak Group, Mondi Group, Wenzhou Chuangjia Packing Material Co., Ltd., Dongguan OK Packaging Manufacturing Co., Ltd., Cangnan Kanghui Packaging Co., Ltd., Shenzhen Rishanhong Plastic Packaging Products Co., Ltd. etc.The research report presents a comprehensive assessment of the market and contains thoughtful insights, facts, historical data, and statistically supported and industry-validated market data. It also contains projections using a suitable set of assumptions and methodologies. The research report provides analysis and information according to market segments such as geography type, material type, packaging type, process type, application type.
Voltage Supervisor IC Market

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Voltage supervisor integrated circuits (IC) monitor voltage condition in micro-controller system and embedded system (this kind of embedded system are part of a complete device that includes hardware and other mechanical parts) which are in under voltage condition. When an under voltage condition is detected in any device, the controller is reorganizes the time till which the under voltage condition remains. This kind of voltage supervisors ICs are installed in devices that are prone to damages due to frequent voltage fluctuations. The global marker for voltage supervisor ICs are expected to witness rapid growth during the forecast period.Presently, there is rising demand for energy efficient electronic products. Increasing power consumption lead to power conservation and this power conservation can be achieved with higher consumption of energy efficient products. Voltage supervisors ICs are extensively used in cellular phones, MP3 players, PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants), digital cameras, bluetooth devices, intelligent instruments and industrial controllers. People spend larger proportion of income on consumption of electronic goods and that is expected to drive demand for voltage supervisor IC market. These electronic products are easily damaged from voltage fluctuations; high voltage damages its circuitry while low voltage provide incorrect results. Hence, with the growing trend of electronic products, market prospect for voltage supervisor IC is likely to expand also. This is considered as a major driving factor for voltage supervisor IC market.Browse Full Report With ToC @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=T&rep_id=20147 With the rise in demand for smart homes (also referred to as home automation which includes residential automation for domestic activities such as lighting, air conditioning, heating, ventilation among others), industrialists and manufacturers emphasis on the production of interconnecting devices that will be monitored by mobile applications. This kind of home automation will require rampant use of internet and that is expected to broaden the market scope of electronic goods. Hence, there will be growing demand for voltage supervisor IC and that is likely to act as an opportunity factor for this market.The market for voltage supervisor IC can be segmented on the basis of maximum supply voltage. The segments are 5.5 V (voltage), 10 V and others. Voltage supervisor IC with maximum supply voltage of 10 V is likely to experience growing market share during the forecast period as this would be applicable for high power consumption industrial devices. With the growing share of industry in world GDP, it is expected that market for voltage supervisor IC with maximum supply voltage of 10 V will grow at a faster rate.On the basis of application, voltage supervisor IC market can be segmented into five types such as consumer electronics, communication, industrial, automotive and others. In consumer electronics, voltage supervisor IC have been extensively used in cellular phones, PDAs, digital cameras among others and that is expected to witness growing demand overtime. Industrial automation also uses this device substantially and that is likely to experience significant growth during the forecast period.Fill the form for an exclusive sample of this report @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=20147 According to geographic locations, market for voltage supervisor ICs is segmented into five regions such as North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa (MEA) and Latin America. North America and Asia Pacific is predicted to significantly contribute to the growth scenario of voltage supervisor IC market. Consumer electronics, automotive and industrial segments are thriving growth trajectories of this region and that is likely to drive the voltage supervisor IC market as well. Asia Pacific countries such as Japan, China among others provide this device at competitive prices and this factor will enhance competitive advantage of these economies in global voltage supervisor IC market.Some of the leading key players of global voltage supervisor IC markets are STMicroelectronics, Texas Instruments, On Semiconductor, ROHM, Future Electronics among others.
Zika vaccines are developed for immunization & prevention against diseases caused by Zika virus. This virus belongs to genus Flavivirus and is transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes.

Zika Vaccines Market

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Zika Vaccines Market Overview:Zika vaccines are developed for immunization & prevention against diseases caused by Zika virus. This virus belongs to genus Flavivirus and is transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes. The virus can also be transmitted through blood transfusion, sexual contact or from infected pregnant women to the fetus. Diagnosis of this infection is confirmed by detecting viral DNA through PCR. However, only 1 in 4 people with zika infection are prone to develop symptoms. In November 2016, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared that zika infection no longer constitutes a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) as major cases of zika virus were asymptomatic.In April 2015, a major ongoing outbreak of Zika virus was registered in Brazil, which later affected the population in South and Central America. This outbreak caused mild illness (fever, rashes, joint pains, conjunctivitis, nausea, and muscle pain), though the recent outbreaks showed severe complications such as microcephaly, Guillain-Barre syndrome, and various congenital neurological abnormalities in infants who were born to infected mothers. The link between zika virus and microcephaly and Guillain-Barre syndrome was identified and reported in 2015 in Brazil.According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 70 new zika virus infection cases were reported in the U.S. in 2015, which increased to 41,181 cases in 2016. Lack of reporting is a major factor for lower incidence rate in 2015. Increase in awareness can result in more diagnosis and reporting thus generating growth of the global zika vaccines market.Researchers at the Queensland University of Technology found that the extract of San Francisco plant (Codiaeum variegatum) found in Australia, can kill the zika virus. This extract can arrest the virus and stop it from replicating without causing any damage to the host cells.Zika Vaccines Market Taxonomy:There are different types of vaccines that provide protection against Zika virus:DNA-based vaccinesInactivated vaccinesLive-attenuated vaccinesmRNA vaccinesGenetically engineered vaccinesGlobal market by application:Therapeutic VaccinesPreventive VaccinesGlobal market by end user:HospitalsClinicsContinuous increase in human clinical trials and rise in number of zika cases will drive the growth of Zika vaccines marketAs of March 2016, 67 companies and research institutions were working on various kinds of R&D projects and clinical trials aided to develop effective vaccines against zika virus. The FDA approved the first human clinical trial for GLS5700 in June 2016, a zika vaccine being developed by Inovio Pharmaceuticals. Further in 2017, a grant was approved for phase 2 clinical trials for a DNA vaccine conducted by NIAIDs Vaccine Research Center (VRC).Increasing awareness among the population would aid in controlling the incidence rate of zika infection. The WHO implemented a global framework for creating public awareness through its Zika Strategic Response Framework and Joint Plan in February 2016. This plan outlines all the points to be taken care of at the time of infections. In June 2016, WHO Regional Office for Europe developed a training curriculum to increase awareness by the publication of Zika Risk Assessment for European Region.High investment costs required for R&D and the development of effective zika virus vaccines serves as a restraining factor for the global zika vaccines market.While major of the Zika virus cases occur in tropical regions such as Brazil, Paraguay, Venezuela, Colombia and Suriname, there are higher chances of mosquito infections in tropical areas of the U.S. like Texas and Florida. According to Pan American Health Organization, around 1,246 suspected and confirmed cases were reported between epidemiological week (EW) 10 and EW 14 of 2016 in the sub region which involves Brazil, Argentina, Peru and Ecuador.Competitive LandscapeSome key players operating in the zika vaccines market are Cerus Corporation, Biken Inc, GlaxoSmithKline plc, Bharat Biotech International Pvt. Ltd, GeneOne Life Science, Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Immunovaccine Inc., NewLink Genetics Corp. and Sanofi S.A. The companies launched various R&D measures and clinical trials to attain immunogenicity against zika virus. In February 2016, Sanofi S.A launched a vaccine research and development project, with the introduction of Dengvaxia (Dengue vaccine) that will aid the company understand the Zika virus and develop an effective vaccine against it. Likewise, Inovio Pharmaceuticals initiated a clinical study of zika vaccine (GLS-5700) in Puerto Rico in August 2016. This trial may provide a potential push to Inovios vaccine if positive results are reported as there was a rapid progression of zika outbreak in Puerto Rico at that time. This could benefit the trial in assessing true efficacy and safety of the vaccine. Rapid progression in clinical trials and approval would augment the zika vaccines market growth.Browse Research Report : https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/ongoing-insight/zika-vaccines-market-413 About Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunityContact Us:Coherent Market Insights1001 4th Ave,#3200Seattle, WA 98154Tel: +12067016702E-mail:sales@ coherentmarketinsights.com
@alextdaugherty @patriciamazzei

While President Donald Trump spent the weekend attacking the mayor of San Juan and blasting negative coverage of Hurricane Maria recovery efforts, Florida state Rep. Bob Cortes was worried about his daughter in San Juans western suburbs.

Cortes daughter, Leslie, and her 2-year-old son, Jeremy, had their roof torn off during Hurricane Maria, and two feet of water rushed into their house in Dorado.

I was terrified they were going to lose their lives, Cortes said, as his voice trembled.

The second-term Republican lawmaker from Altamonte Springs spent days trying to reach family members in Puerto Rico and is asking anyone he can for help.

They might not be directly criticizing Trump. But Florida Republicans are taking a noticeably different tack from the leader of their party when it comes to Puerto Rico, an issue that affects some of them, like Cortes, personally  and many of them politically.

Instead of adopting the presidents finger-pointing rhetoric, the federal and state GOP lawmakers are highlighting the need for action in Puerto Rico. Some 1 million Puerto Ricans call Florida home.

Last week, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio urged Trump to let the military lead logistical Hurricane Maria relief efforts. Gov. Rick Scott announced Monday that Florida will open relief centers Tuesday for Puerto Ricans arriving in Miami and Orlando. He also asked schools to give in-state tuition to Puerto Rican students displaced by the hurricane.

How many might come is unknown. A lot, Scott guessed.

Rubio has said this isnt the time to talk hurricane-relief politics, but a day before Trump was scheduled to land in San Juan, the senator acknowledged the initial response from the administration could have been swifter.

In hindsight, we all wish we could get those three or four days back, Rubio told reporters in Miami on Monday after they asked if Washington could have done more  and more quickly  to aid the island. I want us to focus 100 percent on what we need to do to improve the recovery effort. And we have plenty of time in the future to sit there and point to the mistakes that were made.... But right now every minute we spend doing that sort of thing is a minute that isnt being spent trying to improve reconstruction and deal with it.

State lawmakers said that an influx of thousands of Puerto Ricans wont go unnoticed.

Floridas the closest one to Puerto Rico, and its ground zero for relief efforts, said Cortes, who represents a portion of Orange and Seminole Counties. Were going to be shipping most of the things they need to get back on their feet.

Cortes said he expects at least 100,000 Puerto Ricans to relocate to Florida after the storm, and many of them will settle in greater Orlando. Puerto Ricans already tend to vote Democratic, potentially altering the political dynamics of Americas largest swing state ahead of the 2018 elections.

It can be a game-changer politically, said state Rep. Amy Mercado, a Puerto Rican Democrat from Orlando. The speed of whats occurring, thats the million-dollar question. How fast, how much and how long?

A 100,000-vote swing in favor of Democrats would have given Charlie Crist the governorship in 2014 over Scott and would have eaten up most of Trumps margin of victory over Hillary Clinton in 2016.

But the math isnt that simple. Not all Puerto Ricans will vote for Democrats, and many will choose not to vote at all. Cortes argued that Puerto Ricans coming directly from the island are more likely to vote Republican than second-or third-generation Puerto Ricans.

Those that have been coming usually tend to be more ideologically with the Republican Party because they are leaving a place that had fiscal issues, Cortes said, adding that both parties need to do a better job of reaching out to Puerto Ricans in Florida.

Read more here.
@alextdaugherty

The House of Representatives passed a bill on Tuesday that limits U.S. loans to Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega's government until the longtime president implements democratic reforms in the Central American country.

"Our bill is aimed at leveraging Americas influence and conditioning our vote at any of the international financial institutions for Nicaragua until the leadership in that country takes significant steps to restore democratic order," said Miami Republican Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen on the House floor. "These conditions are similar to what this Congress has already passed for the Northern Triangle countries of Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador."

Ros-Lehtinen is the sponsor of the Nicaraguan Investment Conditionality Act along with New Jersey Democratic Rep. Albio Sires. Their bill passed the House by a voice vote, meaning there was not significant opposition to the proposal. The bill passed out of the House Foreign Relations Committee in July.

Ros-Lehtinen and Sires introduced and passed similar legislation last year, but the Senate did not act on it.

Texas Democratic Rep. Vicente Gonzalez was the only member who opposed Ros-Lehtinen's bill during floor debate.

"Enacting this bill could have serious consequences in the region," Gonzalez said. "My district was ground zero for the last immigration surge and I would like to prevent this from happening again. How can we in good conscious support a measure that would publish the poorest country in Central America?"

Ros-Lehtinen and Sires argued that their bill would only target loans that enrich Ortega and the Nicaraguan government. U.S loans that promote humanitarian assistance will still be allowed.

Ros-Lehtinen also said her bill would punish Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who relies on Ortega as an ally.

"If Venezuelas Maduro is using Nicaragua in order to evade U.S. sanctions, we need to take a closer look at these ties, and hold people accountable," Ros-Lehtinen said. "And that is what this bill does Mr. Speaker  it holds the Nicaraguan government accountable just like we have done with other countries in Central America, so that it can truly help the people."
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.




@joeflech

Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine's fiancee Caro Murciano has given birth to their son Henry Joel Levine.

Levine, a potential gubernatorial candidate in 2018, shared the news on his social media profiles Tuesday morning. The mayor has told the Miami Herald he expects to make a decision on a run for governor in November.
Media Contact

John Snow

admin@matsumotofinancialgroup.com John Snow

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-- Matsumoto Financial Group will set up a new charitable disaster fund for both Japan and overseas to aid natural disasters. Following what many consider an increasing number of natural disasters from extreme weather to earthquakes, tsunamis and volcano eruptions. Matsumoto Financial Group will have a charitable fund set up which can be used quickly to aid victims of natural disasters both in Japan and overseas.The management felt that the company could and should do more to help others and the new disaster fund was agreed upon as the best policy at this time. With a short statement from administration, "We hope that this measure will aid and comfort some of those who suffer in natural disasters and perhaps save lives too".Matsumoto Financial Group is a specialist wealth manager who helps clients explore the true potential of their hard-earned money. We achieve this through character-rich engagement and strong relationships based on mutual respect and trust.Our primary focus areas are - Mergers & Acquisitions - Pre-IPO/IPO - Stock Trading/Fund Management - Tax Mitigation/Wealth Management.
Contact

Merge Design Company

***@mergedesignco.com Merge Design Company

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-- Merge Design is pleased to welcome NC based sales firm, TopReps, as the newest member of extremeconcretesales force. TopReps are an experienced group who will be administering extremeconcretecommercial sales and customer service throughout North and South Carolina."We are very excited to have a firm like TopReps working with us seeing their professional sales staff has a proven history of being well liked, knowledgeable and responsive."says Peter Bustin, President of Merge Design.TopReps mission is to provide solutions for thoughtfully designed spaces. Working closely with the A&D community, TopRep's President Don Smith has over 40 years of experience in Sales and the Furniture industry and associate Heloisa Bickmore has a BA of Architecture from NC State University with 15 years of combined experience in Design, Sales and the Furniture industry to assist from inception to installation of projects that range in scale and category.About Merge Design Co.Merge Design Company is the exclusive manufacturer of the award-winning extremeconcreteline of LEED-contributing, eco-sensitive concrete materials and products. From the original extremeconcrete| monochrome, to the newer materials, eco-X, micro and Xposed, Merge Design drives the evolution of cast concrete products by collaborating with visionary designers, architects, and clients to create high impact, LEED-contributing concrete essentials.Visit www.MergeDesignCo.com ( http://mergedesignco.com/ index.html


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Raine & Horne Commercial WA director Anthony Vulinovich has been named the states leading commercial property sales agent at the 2017 REIWA Awards for Excellence announced recently.

Vulinovichs strategic approach was evident in his pre-sales to market large numbers of industrial lots within Northlink Industrial Estate at Wangara, Canning Vales Swan Brewery Estate Canning Vale and Tonkin Highway Industrial Estate in Bayswater.

Terry Menage, director, Raine & Horne Commercial WA said that Vulinovich stood out from the crowd because of his great pre-sale work to secure buyer interest on behalf of land developers and as far as possible, de-risking the land subdivision before development.

There are many hundreds of commercial sales agents in Western Australia, so this is a terrific win for Anthony and testament to his hard work and strategic commitment to selling commercial real estate over many years, said Terry Menage, director, Raine & Horne Commercial WA.

The ceremony was organised at a Crown Perth gala dinner.

We sold pre-title over $40 million worth of land in the Tonkin Highway Industrial Estate, Perth, which is the citys latest inner metropolitan industrial opportunity, said Vulinovich.

Other significant sales in the last 12 months included a 35,500 square metre industrial site at 10 Craft Street, Canning Vale, which was purchased by Sigma Healthcare for $11.557 million. Raine & Horne Commercial WA also sold 9 Brewer Road, Canning Vale to St Vincent De Paul Society WA Inc. for $5.454 million.

These instructions have singularly resulted in Raine & Horne Commercial WA, being the largest transactor of private industrial land subdivisions in the Perth metropolitan area over the last few years, said Vulinovich.

Angus Raine, executive chairman of Raine & Horne Group said that Vulinovich and Menage managed the numbers in spite of the economic downturn in Western Australia.

Its well-documented that times have been challenging, yet Anthony and Terry have managed to double their sales numbers and commission revenues over the last 3 years, said Raine.
Crystalbrook Collection have bought The Reef Marina in Port Douglas and have announced its intention to invest more than $100 million into the marina.

Now to be known as Crystalbrook Superyacht Marina, it sits at the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef and is Queenslands northernmost marina.

Crystalbrook Collection owner Ghassan Aboud said the group believes they can redefine the Australian marina experience and ensure Port Douglas is an essential-visit location for high-end global travellers.

The expansion of the Marina will include an additional 24 berths to the existing 132 berths welcoming superyachts of up to 50 metres in length.

Central to the expansion is the creation of a world-class hotel.

Crystalbrook Collection CEO Mark Davie suggests the site demands a hotel of the highest calibre.

We have been travelling the world for inspiration," he said.

"We want to bring to Port Douglas a globally recognized hotel and an incomparable experience for its guests.

Construction of the luxury hotel and residences is expected to commence in mid-2018, subject to Government approvals, with completion anticipated in 2020.

Douglas Shire Mayor Julia Leu said she was excited to see investment coming to the region.

The work is expected to generate more than 600 jobs during construction and around 240 permanent jobs post completion. Prime Group has been appointed to project manage and construct the expansion.

This will be the fourth development in Queensland for Crystalbrook Collection, which already has three hotels in Cairns under construction with an investment of more than $370 million.

The group also owns and operates Crystalbrook Lodge, a member of Luxury Lodges of Australia, and MV Bahama, a 27-metre luxury motor yacht berthed at Crystalbrook Superyacht Marina.
Disadvantaged Australian suburbs risk having hotspots more than 10 degrees higher than those in greener more affluent areas, according to a study from RMIT.

The report, titled Where Should All the Trees Go is produced with CSIRO Data 61 and the University of Western Australia. The study examined greenness levels across Australias metropolitan areas and how 139 local governments are performing in their greening plans.

Lead author, Associate Professor Marco Amati from the RMIT Centre for Urban Research, said greening efforts of local governments had not been as effective as hoped.

Governments keep track of the green cover in cities as this has implications for adaptability in extreme weather events, biodiversity, and is linked to the communitys overall wellbeing, he said.

Using i-Tree  a method for sampling urban vegetation distributions and land covers  we found there has been a major decline in canopy coverage.

As they lose vegetation, urban areas start to act like heat sponges.

Our study showed areas identified as less affluent are at risk of having urban hotspots that are more than 10 degrees higher than those found in wealthier areas.

"To identify which areas of socioeconomic and health disadvantage also coincide with a lack of green cover and a high incidence of heat, the team developed a new Vulnerability to Heat, poor Health, Economic Disadvantage and Access (VHHEDA) index.

Using this index, we found that green spaces and heat concentration in Australia are spread unevenly, which is contributing to an uneven spread of economic and health circumstances."

The research found Australian metropolitan areas have experienced a loss of vegetation equivalent to the size of Brisbane in the last three years, risking heat spikes particularly in less affluent areas.

Report co-author Dr Bryan Boruff from the University of Western Australia said urban vegetation losses and gains can often be explained by the changing nature of neighbourhoods across the country.

Local governments showing the greatest green space losses across Perth lie in a band that stretches from inland Melville to coastal East Fremantle where the traditional Aussie backyard is losing ground to densification and infill, he said.

While it is known that the Australian backyard is disappearing, much more research is required to understand the factors influencing this unanticipated trend to help get our urban greening back on track.
Newport, Sydney real estate agent Michael Raoul Edwards has been sentenced to three years jail for trust fund fraud.

It is the longest term given for the crime in NSW.

He was sentenced in Downing Centre Local Court on Wednesday to three years in jail with a non-parole period of two years.

Edwards, a former director of real estate agency Pittwater Property Management, Barrenjoey Road, Newport, had pleaded guilty to misappropriating about $400,000 in trust funds.

He ran the business for a decade.

Under the Property, Stock & Business Agents Act 2002, real estate licensees must hold clients' funds in a trust account.

NSW Fair Trading's investigations started in 2013.

He has also been disqualification as a director under the act for eight years.

"Dodgy agents are on notice - I'm putting consumers first," Minister for Better Regulation Matt Kean said.

NSW Fair Trading said no trust fund records were found at Pittwater Property Management, trading as Edwards & Orr, but through the reconstruction of the company's business and co-operation from former clients, they established the fraud.

According to his live LinkedIn account, Edwards was an agent with LJ Hooker for eight years from 1996.

He recently founded a real estate agency community online platform called Local Agent Sites last month.

His application for bail was denied with his appeal will be be heard later this year.

The next biggest jail term for trust fund fraud in NSW after Edwards' sentence was a two year jail term for a Pyrmont agent who defrauded more than $800,000 last year, according to NSW Fair Trading.

The next highest was when former agents Phillip Chau, Roger and Gordana Ocvirk and Mark Kolodynski were jailed for 18 month terms after frauds of between $330,000 to $1.4 million.
When I first came to Sydney in the 1990s, there was a lot of talk about housing being expensive, although in truth it was still possible buy decent blocks of land reasonably close to the city, at least in the less fashionable inner western suburbs.

I can also remember years ago reading a blog by Property Update contributor Stuart Wemyss, which argued that although some parts of Melbourne were evidently expensive, most of the talk about oversupply and a property bubble was just short term noise.

Wemyss highlighted a very similar point: you could still find decent blocks of dirt close to the city, for a price that wasn't absurd - demonstrably not the case in many so-termed 'global cities', which Melbourne aspires to become - and over the years he was proven right.

I feel a bit the same about Brisbane today.

Sure, there are some suburbs that are expensive, as you would expect with the Greater Brisbane population approaching 2.5 million.

But you can still find blocks of land reasonably close to the city, within a 6-8km radius of the CBD, for a relatively good price.

Of course, there will be ups and downs, but over the next couple of cycles the right property types and locations will likely perform very well, in my opinion, especially in good school zones.

Although some areas have been overbuilt with high rise apartments, south-east Queensland will offer some of the best opportunities over the decades ahead, as it expands as a population hub and becomes more popular with Asian migrants.

The forthcoming Commonwealth Games will be a plus too.

Slump, and rebound

Queensland has always attracted migrants from interstate, and as the resources mega-projects kicked off through the early years of the mining boom, the Sunshine State was pulling in tens of thousands of internal migrants per annum.

These were unbridled boom years both for Queensland's economy and Brisbane housing.

From 2010, demand for Brisbane housing slumped, broadly in tune with internal population flows.

Unfortunately, with apartment projects often taking an age from approval to completion, this was also a time at which many interstate investors settled on new units, which are now under water, figuratively speaking (not only in Brisbane, but in other parts of Queensland too).

More literally speaking, Brisbane experienced severe floods in 2010-11, which arguably exacerbated a downturn that was already in the post as LNG projects approached completion.

By March this year, estimated interstate migration to Queensland had risen to its highest level since 2009.

So, what's going on? It's partly a function of the housing market cycle, with Sydney now expensive, and congested.

Another boon for Queensland is that took its capex downturn medicine earlier than Western Australia, so although it was painful, the drag has now ended, with roads and other infrastructure projects having kicked off.





And population growth is in turn ramping up just as dwelling starts now collapse, helping to rebalance the ratio of demand to supply.



And, after a terrible lull, Queensland employment is suddenly now picking up, rising by an outsized +95,400 over the year to August 2017 And population growth is in turn ramping up just as dwelling starts now collapse, helping to rebalance the ratio of demand to supply.

You didn't really need ABS estimates to tell you about the migratory shifts, since every second person in inner city Brisbane seems to have just relocated from Sydney, or from Perth in many cases.

With the Sydney market now slowing, there will no doubt be a great surge in interest in Brisbane property - that's just the way the cycle goes.

White shoes alert

A few caveats, however, if you're thinking of buying a Brisbane property investment.

Of all the capital cities, Brisbane plausibly has the patchiest housing market - some locations and dwelling types are experiencing strong price growth, while others are struggling big time.

Be wary about locations prone to flooding, and definitely watch out for white ants (termites)!

Oh, and real estate laws are different up north, so you need to understand how to make offers subject to certain conditions.

Personally, I would buy established not new property, for way too many heads have been burned buying new of off the plan up north.

Finally, there is a long history of southern buyers getting brazenly fleeced on Queensland property deals by slick sales techniques - the famed white shoe brigade - so make sure you don't become yet another casualty.
Bison from their beginnings to now will be the topic of Lee Sillimans illustrated free lecture at the Lolo Community Center on Thursday.

Silliman will discuss the origin of bison, their natural enemies, bison art and the importance of the bison in Plains Indian Culture. Hell also document the decline of the bison during the period of white settlement of the west and discuss the animals current status.

Silliman is a retired Montana high school teacher, author, photographer, photo archivist and museum curator. His photos and vintage engravings of the American West have been displayed in more than 90 venues throughout Montana and 10 other states since 1988.

The presentation is a feature of the monthly public meeting of the Travelers Rest Chapter of the Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation starting at 7 p.m. The Lolo Community Center is south of the Highway 12 intersection in Lolo at 2345 U.S. Highway 93.

Missoulian Staff
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US network TOKU has kicked off a slate of thrillers and films leading up to Halloween, including the Stateside premiere of the Thai film Still on All Hallows' Eve.





Still, one of the most successful Thai horror films in recent years, is directed by Poj Arnon and stars Mai Charonpura y Akara Amarttayakul. It features four stories pulled straight from Thailand's most gruesome headlines: In Flame, a man is haunted by survivors remorse and a ghost after he survived a terrible fire; in Imprison, a prisoner questions his sanity after his cell-mate hangs himself; in Revenge, a deaf-mute drug lord murders a woman inside his apartment; and in Haunting Motel, an aging stripper, a gay man and his best friend end up facing ghosts.Halloween is one of the popular celebrations among our viewers, which is why weve put together a collection of horror content from Thailand and Cambodia, said Jesus Pinango, director of TV Content Strategy at TOKU parent, Olympusat. Movies such as Still enjoy great popularity in the Asia Pacific, building a large following and becoming part of the cinematic culture of the region. TOKU , which is dedicated to anime, live-action titles and cult classics from Asia dubbed into English, will feature a whole month of holiday programming. On 3 October, it will feature the premiere of Angels, a 16-episode Thai series that follows an intense battle between the evil spirits and a brave group of women. And the screams will continue on 21 October with the premiere of Zombodian, a Cambodian horror and gore film that follows the events after a team of Cambodia-based scientists triggered a zombie apocalypse.
U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis has warned that an American withdrawal from Afghanistan would be "to our ultimate peril," as he briefed Congress on plans to increase American troop levels in the war-torn country.

"Based on intelligence community analysis and my own evaluation, I am convinced we would absent ourselves from this region at our peril," Mattis said on October 3 during testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee.

The administration of President Donald Trump recently unveiled a strategy to try to defeat the Taliban in Afghanistan after nearly 16 years of war.

Mattis said that more than 3,000 additional U.S. troops are being sent to Afghanistan to reinforce the 11,000 U.S. troops already stationed in the country.

The defense secretary added that Afghan security forces were fully engaged in offensive military operations for the first time during the conflict, adding that they were suffering fewer casualties as they continue to improve.

He also said that the United States will soon decide whether to keep open a Taliban office in Qatar as America steps up its Afghan war effort.

Mattis said he and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson had been "in contact on this issue three times in the past 10 days."

"He is looking to make certain we have the right [Taliban representatives], so it's just not an office in existence," he added.

General Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the Senate committee that it's currently a stalemate in Afghanistan.

"We're not at a point where we can bring a successful political solution to the war," he said.

The top U.S. military commander also said that he thinks Pakistan's main spy agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), has ties to militant groups.

"It is clear to me that the ISI has connections with terrorist groups," he said.

An important component of the new U.S. strategy in Afghanistan is a threat to withdraw aid and other support for Pakistan if the country continues to tolerate the presence of the Afghan Taliban and the allied Haqqani network, which are leading the insurgency against Afghan and U.S. forces.

Islamabad denies that it is offering safe havens to extremist groups,

At the opening of the hearing, Senator John McCain of Arizona, the chairman of the Armed Services Committee, said that the Trump administration has failed to inform Congress of the details of the new strategy in Afghanistan.

He also said that it was "bizarre" that Mattis and Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, did not submit written testimony before the hearing started.

"We want to be your partners," McCain said. "But this committee will not be a rubber stamp for any policy or president. We must be well-informed. We must be convinced of the merits of the administration's actions. And unfortunately, we still have far more questions than answers about this new strategy."

The Afghan government is struggling to beat back insurgents in the wake of the exit of most NATO forces in 2014.

A U.S. report found earlier this year that the Taliban controls or contests control of about 40 percent of the country, and security forces are also fighting against militants affiliated with the extremist group Islamic State (IS).

With reporting by AP, Reuters, and AFP


MINSK -- The bookkeeper of an independent trade union in Belarus, Ihar Komlik, who was charged with tax evasion in a case he calls politically motivated, has been released from pretrial detention.

Komlik told RFE/RL hours after his release late in the afternoon of October 2 that he was ordered not to leave Minsk while investigations into the case are under way. Komlik also said that he considers his incarceration to be a form of psychological pressure on him after he refused to cooperate with investigators.

Komlik was arrested on August 2 and charged with tax evasion. The chairman of the union representing workers in the electronic industry, Henadz Fyadynich, was also charged with tax evasion, but not arrested.

Fyadynich called Komlik's release "a general success." He told RFE/RL that "although the charges against us sound economic, everyone understands that it is politically motivated."

Fyadynich also said the case against him, his assistants, and his organization is connected to the union's role in organizing protests in February and March against an unpopular labor law imposing a tax on the unemployed.


The United States has called on "Russian occupation" authorities in Crimea to release prominent Tatar leader Ilmi Umerov and vacate his conviction for separatism.

The State Department denounced Umerov's conviction and two-year prison sentence in an October 3 statement, saying, "This compounds past injustices in the case, including his confinement for several weeks of punitive psychiatric treatment in 2016."

The statement added that the Crimean Peninsula, which Russia illegally annexed in March 2014, "remains an integral part of Ukraine, and the United States remains steadfast in its support for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine."

Russian-appointed judges in Simferopol, the Crimean capital, found Umerov guilty on September 27 and sentenced him to two years in a colony settlement, a penitentiary in which convicts usually live near a factory or farm where they are forced to work.

The sentence was harsher than that sought by prosecutors, who had recommended a three-year suspended sentence with a ban on all public activities for three years.

'Egregious' Rights Violation

Umerov said he would appeal the ruling all the way to the European Court of Human Rights.

The European Union called Umerov's sentencing "a serious violation of his human rights, another example of persecution of the Crimean Tatar community."

Ukraine described the verdict an "illegal and politically-motivated sentence" which it said violated Umerov's human rights.

The court ruling followed a trial that Human Rights Watch called "ruthless retaliation" for his opposition to Moscow's takeover of the peninsula.

Umerov, a deputy chairman of the Mejlis, the Crimean Tatars' elected representative body, has been an outspoken critic of Russia's seizure of the Black Sea peninsula from Ukraine in March 2014 and its subsequent crackdown on Crimean Tatars.

Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) detained Umerov, who suffers from diabetes and Parkinson's disease, in May 2016 in Crimea and charged him with separatism.

He was confined to a psychiatric hospital in August 2016 by the Russian-imposed authorities in Crimea, a decision condemned by Human Rights Watch as "an egregious violation of his rights."

Speaking at the trial on September 20, the 60-year-old Umerov said that the charges against him aimed "to punish those who oppose the annexation."

The charges stem from a March 2016 live interview with the Crimean Tatar TV channel ATR, which was later posted on YouTube. Russian authorities shut down the station in April 2015, and it relocated to Kyiv.

Umerov said the translation of the interview into Russian from Tatar was poorly done and distorted his remarks.

'Persistent Campaign Of Repression'

The Russian authorities have outlawed the Mejlis after deeming it extremist, part of what rights groups and Western governments say is a persistent campaign of oppression targeting Crimean Tatars and other citizens who opposed Moscow's takeover.

Another Mejlis deputy chairman, Akhtem Chiygoz, was convicted of organizing an illegal demonstration and sentenced to eight years in prison on September 11 after what Amnesty International called a "sham trial."

Umerovs conviction follows a similar ruling in Crimea on September 22 against RFE/RL contributor Mykola Semena.

In a report issued on September 25, the UN Human Rights Office said that Russia's occupation of the region has been marked by disappearances and torture, infringements of the Geneva Conventions, and violations of international law.

The European Parliament is scheduled to debate and vote this week on a resolution highlighting what European lawmakers say are human rights abuses by authorities in Crimea.

The October 5 session in Strasbourg will focus on the arrests and trials of figures like Semena, Chiygoz, and Umerov since Russia's annexation of the peninsula.

Following the ouster of a Moscow-friendly Ukrainian president in February 2014, Russia seized control of Crimea by sending in troops and staging a referendum deemed illegitimate by at least 100 countries in the United Nations.

The European Union, along with the United States and other Western countries, have imposed sanctions against Russia in response to the takeover of the Ukrainian territory.
They're using massive subsidies to control Minsk. And they're deploying military might to pressure Kyiv and Tbilisi.

They're trying to buy Belarus's loyalty. And they're attempting to intimidate Ukraine and Georgia into submission.

When you strip away all the rhetoric, all the spin, and all the subterfuge, it's good old-fashioned bribery and blackmail that are the main tools Vladimir Putin's regime is deploying as it attempts to restore Russia's empire in the former Soviet space.

And at the end of the day, neither is working all that well.

When Moscow tried to turn the recent Zapad military drills into a psyop to spook Poland and the Baltic states, Belarus threw sand in the gears by reassuring its neighbors that the exercises would not be used as cover to attack a third party.

Alyaksandr Lukashenka has also resisted Moscow's efforts to turn Belarus into an effective extension of Russia's Western Military District.

And just yesterday Lukashenka publicly touted his efforts to improve relations with the West.

Bribery, it appears, has its limits.

And despite more than three years of Kremlin-instigated war in the Donbas and despite Russia's continued occupation of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, Ukraine and Georgia have implemented association agreements and free-trade pacts with the European Union.

They're moving West, despite the pressure.

Blackmail and intimidation apparently also have their limits.

Authoritarian Belarus and the emerging democracies in Ukraine and Georgia may not have a lot in common politically.

But all three illustrate the limitations of Putin's imperial model in the former Soviet space.

Keep telling me what you think on The Power Vertical's Twitter feed and on our Facebook page.
Jesse Mackin might never say, Discede morator, a Latin phrase written above a Pompeii street mural that tells loiterers to shove off.

But the high school sophomore hopes Latin classes will better prepare him to become a pilot.

Theres a lot of Latin in the aerospace industry, the Bozeman teen said, dressed in Carhartts and leaning against a Doric column in the lobby of the University of Montanas Gallagher Business Building on Monday morning.

Mackin was one of roughly 150 students from seven Montana or Washington high schools to attend UM Classics Day at the Missoula campus. They crafted witticisms in Latin, discussed the relevance of Greek philosophy, took a 3D tour of Pompeii, sat in on a college course, and competed in certamina, a trivia game of sorts about grammar and ancient history.

Classics Day was designed to kindle interest in college-level humanities and to give high school students an opportunity to learn about the Modern and Classical Languages Department at the university. Professor and lead organizer Barbara Weinlich said enrollment in first- and second-year Latin at UM increased this year, which she attributed to freshmen who attended the first Classics Day last year as high school students.

A flier in the folder given to every student asked the big question: Why study classics? Why study ancient languages, long-dead civilizations and centuries-old philosophy?

Enrich your life and be prepared for anything! the departments professors wrote. A Classics major offers the opportunity to explore the beliefs and achievements of antiquity, and to learn just how profoundly they still affect contemporary civilization.

Sometimes you have to look at the past to see the present with clear eyes, University of Montana classics professor Barbara Weinlich said.

You distance yourself from your own culture so you can better understand whats going on in your own culture, she said. Distance yourself and youre no longer blind.

Classics students learn who you are because so much of modern culture is influenced by the Greeks and Romans. But she understands that most high school students are thinking more practically about their futures than about questions of identity or ethics.

In addition to developing grammar and vocabulary, the classics emphasize critical thinking and communication skills that Weinlich said are critical to a broad range of careers. She cites reports from the Association of American Colleges and Harvard Magazine, among others, that say students who major or double-major in the degree are more likely to get into medical school, succeed at law school, or score higher on entrance exams for graduate school.

Its easy to see why, Weinlich said, when Hippocrates, the Father of Modern Medicine was Greek, and Roman law became the framework for much of todays legal system.

Daniel Blackwell, a Hellgate freshman, said he hopes to become a scientist someday, which is why he decided to take Latin.

Most of the scientific terms use Latin, he said. Latin is a really useful language to know. It helps you learn other languages really easily. Its known as the mother tongue because its used in so many languages. And its very logical. I like that.

Blackwell said his favorite part of classics day was a lecture about the humanities version of science: philosophy.

Dozens of teens filled a business school lecture hall Monday for the presentation. They wore Catholic school uniforms, slacks and polo shirts, or jeans and T-shirts. Even here evidence of the classics could be found. The back of one shirt listed spells  all derived from ancient languages  from the popular Harry Potter book and movie series.

UM Professor Hayden Ausland stood at the front, explaining the significance of three philosophical greats: Socrates, Plato and Aristotle.

Socrates brought philosophy down from the heavens and brought it down into the cities of men and inquired about matters that were ethical and political in nature, he said. Why should I do this as opposed to that, for instance?
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) says it will shut five of its seven offices in Russia next year, as the London-based lender pursues a ban on new investment loans in the country.

EBRD spokesman Jonathan Charles said on October 3 that the bank "will be closing five small regional offices in Yekaterinburg, Krasnoyarsk, Rostov-on-Don, Vladivostok, and Samara at the end of first quarter 2018."

However, the Moscow and St. Petersburg branches will remain open.

The EBRD imposed a freeze on lending in Russia after Moscow's illegal annexation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in March 2014 and support for separatists in eastern Ukraine.

Moscow accused the EBRD of becoming a "tool" of western foreign policy in May after the board of governors of the lender rejected its call to overturn the ban.

Despite the ban, the bank is still managing more than 3 billion euro ($3.5 billion) worth of investments in the country.

The bank had around 160 personnel in its seven offices before the 2014 Ukraine crisis, according to the Reuters news agency. Since then, roughly half of those staff have either moved elsewhere in the bank or left it altogether.

"I deeply regret that the EBRD lost Russia, it's largest and most profitable market," said Russia's representative at the EBRD in London, Denis Morozov. "It's also very sad that the bank cannot any more deliver on its mandate and help to change Russia to a better place."

Created after the 1991 collapse of the Iron Curtain, the EBRD loaned billions of dollars to former Soviet republics and Eastern Bloc countries before expanding its reach outside of the region. It currently has investments and trade guarantees in more than 30 countries.

The EBRD's biggest shareholders are the members of the Group of Seven (G7) most industrialized nations -- Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

With reporting by Reuters and TASS


The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has ordered Russia to pay financial compensation to the independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta for violating its freedom of expression during hearings related to the publication's reporting on the sinking of the Kursk submarine in 2000.

The ECHR ruled on October 3 that Russia must pay 3,388 ($3,980) euros to the newspaper and 2,170 euros ($2,550) to its correspondent Yelena Milashina. Russia was also ordered to cover the expenses for the hearing.

The case of Novaya Gazeta and Milashina versus Russia regarded a 2005 ruling by Moscow's Basmanny District Court that obliged Novaya Gazeta to pay 50,000 rubles ($1,740 in 2005) and Milashina to pay 7,000 ($245) rubles for damaging the reputation of Russian Defense Ministry forensic expert Viktor Kalugin and his colleagues.

The ECHR decision ruled that the Russian court's decision was one-sided and contradictory to democratic principles of freedom of expression and freedom of speech.

The Novaya Gazeta reports alleged that forensic experts led by Kalugin made a wrong assessment about the cause of death of 118 crew members of the submarine, therefore assisting Russian Navy officials in escaping responsibility for what the newspaper called a failure to save the sailors.

The Russian Navy's nuclear-powered submarine Kursk sank in August 2000 during military maneuvers in the Barents Sea. Russian authorities rejected assistance to rescue the crew members that was offered by the British and Norwegian navies.

Russian officials claimed later that all crew members died immediately after an explosion occurred inside the ship.

However, several days after the Kursk sank, Norwegian and Russian divers found 24 bodies in one of the submarine's compartments and a note by Captain Lieutenant Dmitry Kolesnikov listing the names of 23 sailors who had been apparently alive when the vessel sank.
Pentagon chief Jim Mattis has said the United States should remain a party to the 2015 nuclear agreement with Iran unless it's proven that Tehran is not abiding by the deal or that it's not in the U.S. national interest to do so.

The U.S. defense secretary made the comments on October 3 during testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee, as President Donald Trump faces a mid-October deadline for deciding whether to certify that Iran is in compliance with the accord.

Asked by Senator Angus King (Independent-Maine) whether he thinks it's in the national security interest of the United States to stay a part of the accord, Mattis replied, "Yes, Senator, I do."

"If we can confirm that Iran is living by the agreement, if we can determine that this is in our best interest, then clearly we should stay with it," he also said.

"I believe at this point in time, absent indications to the contrary, it is something that the president should consider staying with," the defense secretary added.

Mattis's expression of support for the agreement giving Iran relief from international sanctions in exchange for curbing its nuclear activities was in sharp contrast with Trump's assessments that the deal is an "embarrassment.

Other signatories to the accord are Russia, China, Britain, France, and Germany.

If the Trump administration does not recertify that Iran is in compliance with the agreement by October 16, Congress, which is controlled by the presidents fellow Republicans, would have 60 days to decide whether to reimpose sanctions on Tehran suspended under the accord.

The Trump administration has twice certified that Iran is complying with its obligations under the nuclear accord, but it has also frequently charged that Tehran breaks the "spirit" of the deal, including by continuing to test-launch ballistic missiles and rockets capable of carrying nuclear warheads.

Washington has imposed several rounds of sanctions over the missile and rocket launches.

In testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee last month, General Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, warned against pulling out of the Iran nuclear deal, saying doing so would complicate U.S. efforts to reach further agreements with other nations.

But he also warned that Iran continued to destabilize countries and conflicts across the Middle East, and that it was "supporting terrorist organizations in Syria, Iraq, and Yemen."

With reporting by AFP, AP, and Reuters


An Iranian teenager sneaks up behind a cleric in the capital, Tehran, and knocks his turban off his head before dashing off.

The incident, uploaded on social media, is part of a new tactic employed by anti-government demonstrators in Iran.

Nationwide antiestablishment protests have raged across the Islamic republic since the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman who died on September 16 shortly after she was arrested for allegedly violating the hijab law on women's dress.

As the authorities have waged a deadly crackdown on the rallies, some demonstrators have turned to new tactics to sustain the monthslong protests, including tipping off Islamic clerics' turbans in the streets.

Many Iranians associate members of the clergy with Iran's Islamist regime, which many blame for the repression and corruption in the country.

While some Iranians have praised the "turban throwing" as an act of resistance, others have expressed concern that low-level clerics who are not affiliated with the state could become the victims of harassment and violence.

Lawmaker Mohammad Taghi Naqd Ali on November 10 called the new trend "the devil's conspiracy" and warned that young protesters tossing clerics' turbans were "playing with the lion's tail."

State media reported the arrests of two people in recent days who were accused of knocking off clerics' turbans.

London-based human rights lawyer Shadi Sadr said the tactic was a "brave and revolutionary act." Sadr, the co-founder of the rights group Justice for Iran, told RFE/RL that protesters were "humiliating" clerics without resorting to violence. "They're [targeting] the clergy's turban as a symbol of the crimes and corruption of the past 43 years as well as the privileges clerics have enjoyed," she said.

"There is no violence in it, and it also includes youthful mischief, which highlights the spirit of the revolution," Sadr added, referring to the monthslong protests that have posed the biggest threat to the establishment in years.

But Ahmad Zeidabadi, a Tehran-based journalist and former political prisoner, said that some of the clerics targeted in the streets "may be critics or even victims of [state] policies."

"This phenomenon...mainly targets clerics who do not hold any government positions," he said on Twitter, adding that senior clerics in powerful positions rarely appear in public and are often protected by security guards if they do.

Reformist cleric Hojatoleslam Ahmad Heidari, who was jailed in the past for his support for the opposition Green Movement, warned that the new trend could taint the "beautiful face of [the] protest movement against oppression and injustice."

"You're right to be angry at those wearing turbans," Heidari wrote on the news site Esafnews.com. But he added that "those who have a hand in power and are your target" are out of reach. He said many of the clerics targeted were "young and elderly" clerics who are not sitting in "ivory towers."

Attacks on clerics, particularly those who attempt to enforce Islamic codes in public, had been on rise in Iran even before the protests erupted, forcing many clerics to appear in public without their robes and turbans.

Last week, a cleric was reportedly hospitalized after being wounded in Karaj, near Tehran, amid antiestablishment protests in the city. The hard-line Fars news agency claimed that protesters attacked the cleric with knives.

Hassan Fereshtian, a Paris-based Iranian cleric and researcher, said the turban-throwing trend was the result of the "suppressed anger of the past four decades."

"If it aims at eliminating the clergy, we could be facing the start of violence," he warned in comments to RFE/RL's Radio Farda. "In fact, the clergy should be eliminated from the centers of power. But they shouldn't be eliminated from society."

Fereshtian, a student of the late dissident Grand Ayatollah Hossein-Ali Montazeri, expressed hope that Iran will reach a point "where secular people can live peacefully next to the clergy and unveiled women next to those who choose to wear the hijab."

In the past year, regime supporters have knocked off the turbans of clerics who had criticized the establishment, including former Interior Minister Abdollah Nuri and former parliament speaker Mehdi Karrubi, who has been under house arrest since 2011 for disputing the 2009 reelection of former President Mahmud Ahmadinejad.
A court in Iran has sentenced seven reformist politicians, including a brother of former pro-reform President Mohammad Khatami, to one-year prison terms and barred them from political and media activity for two years, a lawyer says.

The seven were leaders of the major reformist party, the Islamic Iran Participation Front, that was banned in 2010 in a state crackdown that followed mass street protests against the disputed election that handed hard-line incumbent Mahmud Ahmadinejad a second term.

Hojat Kermani, a lawyer who represents five of the reformists including Khatamis brother Mohammad Reza Khatami, told the semiofficial ILNA news agency on October 2 that they have been found guilty of anti-regime propaganda activity.

Iran often sentences political activists, journalists, and critics to vague charges, including spreading anti-regime propaganda and acting against national security.

Based on the courts ruling, my clients have also been banned from membership in political parties and press and social media activity for two years, Kermani added.

He said that the sentences, which were issued in September following a trial held behind closed doors last year, are not final and can be appealed.

"I can confirm this report, but we will have to appeal," one of the seven, university professor Mohammad Reza Jalaipour, told the news agency AFP in a text message.

ILNA reported that one of the reformists, Mohammad Naimipour, has been sentenced to two years in prison.

In apparent reference to the seven, Tehran Prosecutor-General Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi said last week that they had been sentenced to prison "and other terms" without providing details.

Lawmaker Bahram Parsayi, who is also the spokesman of the reformist faction in parliament, criticized the sentences against the reformist leaders and called on the judiciary to review them.

He suggested that the sentences are politically motivated.

In our view, these sentences are political rather than having a judicial aspect, Parsayi said on October 3.

Its wrong that the reformists...always have to face threats. This policy has to change," he said.

With reporting by ILNA, ISNA and AFP


Working in the smuggling trade in Iran is a risky business -- one that has cost the lives of hundreds of anonymous "human mules" who carry heavy loads of contraband on their backs across the western border with Iraq and Turkey.

The death of 17-year-old Vahid Dolatkhah provides an exception to the norm -- a face, a name, and an identity of one of those who died plying the perilous trade.

Dolatkhah died on August 21 near the border with Turkey due to an "unnatural accident," according to Irans semiofficial ILNA news agency. Opposition websites and groups documenting rights violations in Iran have claimed, however, that Dolatkhah was shot in the chest and stomach by Iranian border guards while carrying smuggled cigarettes.

Hundreds of the human mules have been killed or injured in past years, according to reports by rights groups. Some have been shot by security forces and border guards; others have died after being caught up in natural disasters, stepping on land mines that remain from the 1980-1988 war with Iraq, or falling from mountains.

As images and videos that emerged online attest, Dolatkhah was much more than a beast of burden. He had his whole life ahead of him, a young man who enjoyed playing the tar and singing in a Kurdish dialect:

When he died of his injuries after being taken to a hospital in West Azerbaijan Province, he unintentionally became the human face of an occupation often born of economic desperation. By Iranian lawmaker Rasool Khezri's estimation, there are currently 70,000 smugglers, often referred to as "porters," working in Irans border regions. The trade is particularly prominent in Kurdish-populated regions, such as Kurdistan Province and West Azerbaijan Province.

In 2016, 42 human mules in Kurdish areas were shot dead by Iranian border guards and 22 died as a result of hypothermia and other causes, according to the France-based Kurdish Human Rights Network.

The New York-based Center for Human Rights In Iran reported in 2012 that between February and March 2011, 70 porters, or smugglers, had died. The overwhelming majority were killed by security forces; four died as a result of mine explosions, avalanches, or extreme cold.



Bent under the weight of their loads -- smuggled cigarettes, alcohol, gasoline, and even home appliances -- the mules, known in Iran as kolbar, are a common sight in Iran's western border regions.

Theyre usually residents of local villages -- both men and women, and children as young as 13 and others in their 70s --who turn to smuggling goods to sustain their families.

The unemployment rate in Irans Kurdish-populated provinces, where many of the porters come from, is about 20 percent. But a lawmaker last year suggested that unemployment in Kurdistan Province is much higher.

"The real rate of unemployment in the province of Kurdistan is between 40 to 50 percent  despite what officials claim -- and this is very worrying," Mohsen Biglari, who represents the people of Baneh and Sagez in the Iranian parliament, was quoted by the semiofficial Tasnim news agency as saying.

Sanandaj-based journalist Soma Safari says some of the mules have university educations.

"They basically have no other choice," Safari told RFE/RL. "They chose this profession because of lack of employment opportunities, lack of investment in the region, and ethnic and religious discrimination they face."

"Being a kolbar is not a choice, it is a compulsion," some 60 Kurdish civil society and political activists said in an open letter issued in January. "If other jobs were available, the majority of porters would definitely not choose their extreme profession."

The activists called on Iranian authorities to reach out to the porters in the short-term and to create jobs in Kurdish-populated regions in the long-term.

Nima Sarvestani, a Sweden-based filmmaker and the director of a documentary about the plight of several Iranian mules, says they risk their lives for little money.

Sarvestani spent about a year and half in the border region with Iraq to make his 2009 documentary, On The Border Of Desperation:



"They would tie tanks with 60 liters of petrol on their backs and carry them out from Marivan to the border crossing of Bashmakh in Iraq, where they would sell it and make about $7 or $8 for a trip," Sarvestani told RFE/RL in a telephone interview.



"If the conditions were right, they would make the trip twice a day," he added.



Savestani says many of the mules must pay bribes to border guards. Those who don't face confiscation of their goods, detention, or even summary execution.

Safari says that in recent months there appears to have been a rise in public awareness and sensitivity about the lives of porters.



In early September, the killing of two of them by border guards led to protests and strikes in Baneh on Irans western border.



Reports say police used tear gas to disperse the angry crowd.



Prosecutor Mojtaba Shiroudbozorgi in Iran's Kurdistan Province was quoted by domestic media as saying that five suspects in the killings of the porters have been identified and detained.



Sarvestani believes that unless jobs are created, the mules' plight is likely to continue.

"The only solution is for the government to create jobs, to create industry where people can be employed," Sarvestani said, suggesting that Kurds be given top regional posts.

He added that hes not hopeful, claiming the establishment "does not care about Kurdistan."

Safari agrees that many in the region believe only permanent and stable jobs and investment in the region can resolve the issue and suggests that the little guy is being singled out for abuse.

"Unfortunately, instead of fighting big and organized smugglers who have crippled Irans economy, authorities are busy eradicating porters," lawmaker Shahab Naderi, who represents people from the majority Kurdish-populated city of Paveh in the Iranian parliament, was quoted as saying by the Mardom Salari daily.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy says Russia destroyed "all critical infrastructure" in the parts of Kherson recaptured by the Ukrainian army over the past week.



Zelenskiy said there is no electricity, no communication, and no television in Kherson, adding that withdrawing Russian troops destroyed everything intentionally.



"This is what the Russian flag means -- complete devastation," Zelenskiy said in his nightly video address after visiting liberated Kherson on November 14, adding all-important facilities in the city and the region are mined.

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.

Earlier on November 14, Ukrainian national energy company Ukrenergo said Russia had destroyed key energy infrastructure supplying the entire right bank of the Kherson region and a significant part of the Mykolayiv region.



"Most of the liberated Kherson region has been without electricity since November 6," Ukrenergo chief Volodymyr Kudrytskiy said. "We are doing our best to supply people with electricity as soon as possible."



The liberation of Kherson at the weekend was one of Ukraines biggest successes in nearly nine months since the start of the Russian invasion.



During his visit to Kherson, Zelenskiy said the liberation of the city was "the beginning of the end of the war."



Ukrainian army chief Valeriy Zaluzhniy said he spoke with U.S. General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on November 14 and told him that the Ukrainian military will not accept any negotiations, agreements, or compromise decisions regarding the end of the war.

"I assured that we will fight as long as we have the strength. Our goal is to liberate all Ukrainian land from Russian occupation, Zaluzhniy said on Facebook. There is only one condition for the negotiations: Russia must leave all captured territories," he said in the social media post.



Zaluzhniy said he also informed Milley about the operational situation and the priority needs of the defense forces.



"The situation at the front is stable and under control. We are closely monitoring the enemy's actions on the border with Belarus and are building a reliable shield to protect Ukraine from the north, Zaluzhniy said. The defense forces, despite the fierce resistance of the occupation forces, continue their offensive in the Kharkiv direction.



He said Russian forces are actively attacking areas in the east, including Bakhmut and Avdiyivka, but they are not succeeding.



We hold the defense thanks to the resilience of our advanced units and combat-ready reserves. In the Kherson direction, we are conducting stabilization actions and strengthening the defense lines," Zaluzhniy added.

U.S. President Joe Biden earlier on November 14 hailed Ukraine's retaking of the city of Kherson as a "significant victory."



Biden commented on the development during a press conference after meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit in Bali, Indonesia.



"I can do nothing but applaud the courage, determination and capacity of the Ukrainian people," he said. "I think you are going to see things slow down a bit because of the winter months.... I think it remains to be seen exactly what the outcome will be."

Biden also raised Russias "irresponsible threats of nuclear use," according to a White House readout on the meeting.

The White House announced separately that CIA Director Bill Burns would meet in Ankara, Turkey, with Russian intelligence chief Sergei Naryshkin, the head of Russias Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR).



Burns underscored the consequences if Russia were to deploy a nuclear weapon in Ukraine, according to a White House spokesperson.

The Kremlin confirmed a U.S.-Russia meeting had taken place in Ankara but declined to give details.

Russian officials have alarmed Western governments by raising the potential use of tactical nuclear weapons after suffering massive setbacks in Ukraine.

The official quoted said there had been no change in the U.S. intelligence assessment and declined to offer further detail on timing of the decision to send Burns to meet with Naryshkin.

The Burns-Naryshkin meeting was the highest-ranking face-to-face engagement between U.S. and Russian officials since before Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion.

Burns was also expected to raise the cases of Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan, two Americans detained in Russia. Washington has pressed Moscow to release the two in a prisoner exchange.

With reporting by Reuters, AP, and RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service
U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said a political settlement in Afghanistan is only possible if Taliban militants reject the support or conduct of terrorism. In a statement during testimony to the Senate Armed Services Committee on October 3, Mattis said that President Donald Trump's new strategy for Afghanistan represents the best approach for creating stability in South Asia. (Senate Armed Services Committee video)
The Kremlin has warned supporters of jailed opposition leader Aleksei Navalny not to hold rallies without permission from the authorities, saying that violators will be prosecuted.

"Public calls for unsanctioned rallies and meetings are illegal...and therefore organizers of such events will be prosecuted," President Vladimir Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, told reporters in Moscow on October 3.

The warning came as supporters of Navalny, who is trying to get on the ballot in a presidential election in March, called for nationwide protests on October 7 -- Putin's 65th birthday.

A Moscow court ordered Navalny held in custody for 20 days on October 2, preventing him from attending what was initially expected to be an October 7 rally solely in St. Petersburg, Putin's hometown.

"I call on all of you to continue to take part in the election campaign and in protest actions -- not only in [St. Petersburg] but across the entire country," Navalny said after the court hearing, according to his campaign website.

He called his third incarceration this year a "birthday present" given to Putin by Putin, while human rights group Amnesty International described it as "yet further evidence of the Russian authorities' relentless stranglehold on civil society."

Navalny is an outspoken critic of Putin, who has held power as prime minister or president since 1999 and expected to seek and secure a new six-year Kremlin term in the March 18, 2018, election.

The 41-year-old lawyer, who has produced numerous reports alleging corruption among key Putin allies, has opened more than 60 campaign offices and held rallies nationwide since announcing in December that he plans to seek he presidency.

In June, however, the Central Election Commission said that Navalny was ineligible to run for public office because of a financial-crimes conviction in a case that he contests was fabricated by the Kremlin for political reasons.

Navalny and some of his campaign workers and supporters have faced attacks and other forms of pressure in recent months.

Navalny was detained by police outside his Moscow home on September 29 as he left to catch a train for the Volga River city of Nizhny Novgorod, where he had organized a rally that evening.

He and his campaign chief, Leonid Volkov, were found guilty of calling for an unsanctioned rally in Nizhny Novgorod and sentenced to 20 days in jail each by different courts in Moscow on October 2.

Navalny and his supporters contended that organizers had received permission for the rally.

Volkov has announced a hunger strike protesting his sentence.

Kremlin opponents and human rights activists say the government frequently violates the constitutional right to free assembly when it withholds permission for demonstrations or places restrictions on where and when they can be held.

In an October 3 statement, Amnesty International called the detention of Navalny and Volkov "a blatant attempt by the Russian authorities to suppress and suffocate any dissenting voices and intimidate people trying to exercise their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.

"Over the last few months, scores of activists across Russia have been subjected to arbitrary detention, over-the-top fines, beatings and intimidation," said Denis Krivosheev, deputy director for Europe and Central Asia at the London-based watchdog.

With reporting by RFE/RL's Russian Service, Interfax, RIA and TASS
Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has been reelected as president of Pakistan's ruling party despite his dismissal from office by the Supreme Court.

His reelection at the helm of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on October 3 came after parliament the previous day passed a measure allowing officials disqualified by courts to hold party offices.

The Supreme Court disqualified Sharif from office in July over the concealment of financial assets, forcing him to step down. He has denied any wrongdoing.

Sharif is now facing trial before an anticorruption court.

Opposition parties have warned that they will challenge the new bill in court, saying it was a vehicle for allowing Sharif to stay on as PML-N party president.

On October 2, the anticorruption tribunal postponed Sharif's indictment for a week after his children, who are co-defendants in the case, failed to appear in court.

The allegations against Sharif, a former three-time prime minister, and three of his children date back to one of his previous stints in power, in the 1990s.

His political adversaries accused Sharif and his family of laundering money from Pakistan and using the sums to buy real estate in London.

Known as a strong supporter of civilian rule, Sharif has a rough relationship with Pakistan's powerful military, and his supporters and some political commentators suggest the military was behind his ouster.

His family says the London properties were acquired as a settlement for investments they made with Qatars royal family in the 1980s.

Meanwhile, Pakistani Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif is due to meet with U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in Washington on October 4.

Relations between Islamabad and Washington have been tense since President Donald Trump singled out Pakistan when he announced a new Afghanistan strategy on August 21, accusing it of tolerating "safe havens" for Afghan militant groups on its territory.

In announcing the new strategy, Trump said, "We have been paying Pakistan billions and billions of dollars at the same time they are housing the very terrorists that we are fighting.... That will have to change."

In a first step, the United States withheld a $255 million military aid payment from Pakistan in September, officials said.

With reporting by Reuters, AP, AFP, and dpa
General Electric executive Seth Bodnar accepted a preliminary offer Tuesday to become the 18th president of the University of Montana.

"I'm honored and humbled by the confidence placed in me by the selection committee and the (Montana) Board of Regents," Bodnar said in a text. "I'm incredibly excited to join the UM team and will pour my heart and soul into helping chart the next chapter for this great institution."

Bodnar, 38, was considered the nontraditional candidate among four finalists. He was the only one without a doctorate and his career has comprised roughly six years at GE and eight years in the military instead of a long tenure in higher education.

He's a Rhodes scholar with two master's degrees from the University of Oxford in England, and ranked first in his class for overall performance at the U.S. Military Academy in West Point.

Commissioner Clayton Christian made the announcement Tuesday, setting the stage for the Board of Regents to consider a contract in November, although possibly sooner. Christian said he's hoping Bodnar will visit campus in the next couple of weeks as well.

"Seth is the leader who is best suited to make this great university even stronger for the long term," Christian said in a statement. "His experience, skills and personal effectiveness are tremendous attributes to propel UM forward in its continuing tradition of excellence."

Tuesday, the announcement drew praise from regents, a faculty leader, and student leader.

Fran Albrecht, chair of the Board of Regents, said she was thrilled that Bodnar would be leading UM. Albrecht was one of two regents on the search committee.

I think that Seth Bodnar is the visionary leader we need going forward, she said.

Albrecht said the regents took the time necessary to carefully examine each of the finalists, weighing strengths and qualifications as well as risks. Once the board settled on Bodnar, she said all members expressed unanimous support for him.

The board discussed the finalists in a private meeting that lasted more than two hours Monday.

Calling Bodnar a transformative leader, Albrecht praised his ability to make plans, clearly express them, and follow through, as well as his financial and business background and being an outstanding team builder.

Albrecht said she expects Bodnar to work with interim President Sheila Stearns to get up to speed and be ready to step into the lead role Jan. 1.

I am excited for him to be able to articulate his vision for the campus and the community, she said. We are so fortunate to have him at the helm.

Student Regent Chase Greenfield also said he would be excited to see Bodnar take charge at UM. Bodnar served in the 101st Airborne Division and the U.S. Army's First Special Forces Group and was a member of the elite Green Berets.

"In my time interacting with Seth, it became very apparent to me that he was an incredible individual, demonstrated amazing and outstanding leadership capacity, and I think that's something that our university has been looking for for a long time," Greenfield said.

"I think he's going to bring a fresh start to UM that is much needed. That's my initial perception."

Greenfield also said it's important to note that Bodnar's contract is subject to a public hearing and formal board approval.

***

Faculty Senate Chair Mary-Ann Bowman said she's looking forward to working with Bodnar and appreciates his energy and optimism. His selection wasn't a surprise to her.

"So many people that I spoke with were very excited about Seth Bodnar and really thought his campus visit was energizing," Bowman said.

At GE, Bodnar is a senior executive for GE Transportation, a unit with $5 billion in revenue and 10,000 employees. He was previously president of GE Transportation's Digital Solutions business and was its first-ever chief digital officer.

Some faculty members have expressed skepticism about Bodnar's lack of experience in higher education, but Bowman said most people she's talked with didn't see his unconventional credentials as a barrier, especially after talking with him.

She said members of the campus also drew confidence in his approach to leadership.

"I think people appreciated his comment about the need for a strong provost," Bowman said of the chief academic officer on campus. "It shows that he sees areas where he can use other team members to strengthen his skillset."

She said he was aware his lack of experience in higher education might be seen as a potential liability, and he came to UM prepared to address it. She said he did it well.

"He said, 'I will get a strong provost. I will listen.' He made it clear that a university is not a business, yet he can bring strategies and ideas from his business background and then work with academic team players to put together a strong administration."

***

Bodnar is married to pediatrician and Missoula native Chelsea Elander, and he had made an attempt to work at UM before.

In 2016, Bodnar declined an offer to serve as the dean of the UM School of Business Administration, citing responsibilities and transitions at GE. When the job for president opened at UM, he said faculty who had gotten to know him through the dean search encouraged him to apply.

"I'm first and foremost driven by a strong sense of service," Bodnar earlier told the Missoulian. "And I firmly believe in the power of higher education to transform lives and community."

***

The search committee of some 20 faculty, staff, students, regents and community members reviewed 99 applications and brought four finalists to campus after interviewing 13 in person. The three other finalists had more traditional backgrounds in academia, although one also is currently in banking.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has told the new U.S. ambassador to Moscow, Jon Huntsman, that he hopes badly strained ties will improve.

Receiving Huntsman's credentials at a Kremlin ceremony on October 3 that marked the start of the new envoy's tenure, Putin said that the current state of U.S.-Russia relations "cannot satisfy us."

"We advocate for constructive, predictable, and mutually advantageous cooperation," Putin said. "We are convinced that it should build upon the stringent adherence to the principles of equality, respect for national interests, and noninterference with each other's internal affairs."

He also offered his "utmost and sincere condolences" to the American people for the "horrendous tragedy" that happened in Las Vegas, where a mass shooting killed 59 people late on October 1.

The severe tension in bilateral ties stems in part from allegations that Putin violated that very principle: In January, the U.S. intelligence community said it found that Putin ordered an "influence campaign" targeting the 2016 presidential election in the United States.

At a confirmation hearing before a Senate panel on September 19, Huntsman said that there is "no question -- underline, no question -- that the Russian government interfered in the U.S. election last year. And Moscow continues to meddle in the democratic processes of our friends and allies."

Ahead of the ceremony, which also included new ambassadors from other countries, Putin's spokesman said the Kremlin hopes that with Huntsman as ambassador, the "American diplomatic mission in Moscow can make a weighty contribution to the restoration of our relations."

Spokesman Dmitry Peskov blamed the United States for the severe troubles in the relationship, asserting that Putin believes closer cooperation is in the interests of both countries and the world but that "it is impossible to realize those intentions on our own, without a partner."

"So far, there are problems with reciprocity," Peskov.

In addition to the alleged meddling in the election, ties between Washington and Moscow have also been frayed by deep discord over issues including Russia's seizure of Crimea from Kyiv's control, its support for separatists in war that has killed more than 10,000 people since 2014, and its military and diplomatic backing for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in a devastating war in the Middle Eastern country.

Huntsman takes over a diplomatic mission whose size has been reduced drastically after Russia ordered the United States to cut its embassy and consulate staff in Russia by 755 people, or by two-thirds, after the U.S. Congress approved legislation tightening sanctions against Russia.

Russian officials initially voiced confidence that Trumps election would help improve ties, but those hopes appear to have faded substantially as the U.S. Justice Department and congressional committees investigate Moscows alleged interference in the election and seek to determine whether associates of Trump colluded with Russia.

Putin denies that Russia meddled in the election despite what U.S. officials say is powerful evidence. Trump, who repeatedly indicated during the campaign that he wanted relations with Russia to improve, denies any collusion.

Huntsman, a former governor of the U.S. state of Utah who at one point called for Trump to drop out of the presidential race, easily won U.S. Senate confirmation as ambassador last week. Now 57, he was ambassador to Singapore under President George H.W. Bush in 1992-93 and ambassador to China in 2009-11, under President Barack Obama, before returning to the United States to run for president in 2012.

With reporting by TASS, Interfax, Reuters, and AP
Russia claims it has killed a Kazakh militant it says was an important commander in the forces of the extremist group Islamic State (IS) in Syria.

Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov told reporters in Moscow on October 3 that the man he identified by the nom de guerre Abu Islam al-Qazaqi was among seven IS commanders killed by Russian air strikes in Syria in the previous 48 hours.

Konsahenkov said that the air strikes, on the eastern bank of the Euphrates River, killed 304 militants and wounded more than 170. The figures could not be independently confirmed.

Konashenkov said the dead included 40 IS militants from Russia's North Caucasus region.

He did not give the alleged Kazakh fighter's real name.



Russian President Vladimir Putin said earlier this year that as many as 10,000 people from the former Soviet Union may have joined the ranks of IS in Syria and Iraq.

Syria is embroiled in a civil war that that has lasted more than six years and killed more than 330,000 people. It has also forced an estimated 5 million more to flee across borders to become refugees.

Russia has backed President Bashar al-Assad's government throughout the war, and stepped up its involvement by launching a campaign of air strikes in September 2015. It has also increased its military presence on the ground.

Iran also backs Assad's government. Turkey and the United States -- which is leading a coalition against IS and in the past has accused Russia of primarily targeting other opponents of Assad rather than IS -- back rebel groups.

Also on October 3, IS claimed responsibility for a pair of suicide bombings in the Syrian capital, Damascus, that killed 17 civilians and security forces the previous day.

IS seized large parts of northern Syria and Iraq in 2014.

With reporting by AP, TASS, and Interfax
MOSCOW -- He's the arch-patriotic culture minister and the best-selling author of books purporting to debunk nefarious Western "myths" about Russia.



But Vladimir Medinsky is under fire from within his own ranks, facing calls from a top education authority to strip him of his doctorate for unscholarly work.



A top Russian academic council on October 2 recommended revoking Medinsky's 2011 doctorate, taking umbrage with his thesis that looked at "problems of objectivity" in the coverage of Russian history from the second half of the 15th century to the 17th century.



The findings of the expert council of the Higher Attestation Commission (VAK) -- which oversees the awarding of advanced academic degrees -- have been passed to the commission's presidium, which will decide in two or three weeks whether or not to implement the recommendation.



Medinsky's detractors say council recommendations are generally followed by the presidium -- although in this case it is likely to be a political decision, they would also need to be approved by the Education Ministry.

'Downright Absurd'



His dissertation has been in the spotlight since April 2016, when philologist Ivan Babitsky and two historians submitted a complaint to the Education Ministry, likening the dissertation to a "propaganda pamphlet."



In a Facebook post on September 2016, Babitsky described Medinsky's dissertation as "simply unscholarly, and in places downright absurd."



The expert council on October 2 appeared to concur with at least some of their assessment in findings reported in Kommersant on October 3.



According to the business newspaper, council experts took issue with various aspects of the dissertation, accusing Medinsky, for instance, of "ignoring sources if they contradict his theses" and of not working dispassionately.



The dissertation seeks to show how foreigners propagate tendentious, biased views about Russia.



But experts said the dissertation did not use original sources, but rather Russian translations, which is not appropriate for a doctoral thesis and had even led to "curious errors." It also found the dissertation omitted a raft of relevant and important foreign voices. The experts also argued that Medinsky "said nothing new."



Medinsky declined to speak about the findings in comments to Russian media, saying simply that he was "not there, so I cannot comment."



'No Plagiarism'



On October 3, Education and Science Minister Olga Vasiliyeva leapt to Medinsky's defense -- although she was careful in the wording she used.



In an interview with the state RIA Novosti agency, she insisted there was "no plagiarism" in Medinsky's dissertation -- although he is not accused of plagiarism. She added that "the author presented his view of historythat very polemical history, which there should be.



The dissertation was first sent for independent reevaluation to academic councils at the Urals Federal University and then Moscow State University, although neither of them examined the thesis.



It was then sent to a Belgorod State University council which in July voted overwhelmingly in support of Medinsky's dissertation, saying he should not be stripped of his doctorate.



Vasiliyeva emphasized these earlier findings in her comments to RIA Novosti.



Medinsky was appointed culture minister in May 2012 as President Vladimir Putin began a six year presidential term in which he has cemented his grip on power with conservative policies and confrontation with the West.

The appointment of Medinsky ruffled feathers -- with liberal intellectuals in the minority dubbing him a "propaganda minister" or "culture cop."



Medinsky is the chairman of the Russian Military Historical Society that has recently raised controversial statues in Moscow to Prince Vladimir the Great and another to Mikhail Kalashnikov, the inventor of the AK-47 assault rifle. The latter monument became the subject of online mockery after an eagle-eyed historian spotted a rifle depicted on the sculpture that was not an AK-47, but rather a German World War II gun developed by the Nazis.



'Important Moment'



Yekaterina Shulman, a political scientist, speculated that the furor around the doctorate might indicate infighting between government groups and attacks being ramped up against Medinsky and his ministry.

"They've gone for the ministry and its resources -- that of course is the first thought."



On October 3, speaking to state news agency TASS, Putin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on whether Medinsky could be sacked if he is stripped of his doctorate.



Others, like Sergei Parkhomenko, a prominent liberal journalist, saw the action against Medinsky as a victory for Russian academia.



"It seems to me that we are witnessing an important moment: the community of Russian historians has managed to uphold the dignity of their profession and put an ignorant and impudent impostor in his place," he wrote on Facebook.


BELGRADE, Serbia -- A transport plane has delivered two Russian MiG-29 fighter jets to Serbia, the initial shipment of a six-jet deal that could add to East-West tensions in the Balkans.

The warplanes arrived disassembled aboard a massive Antonov An-124 transport plane that landed at a military airport in the Belgrade suburb of Batajnica on October 2.

The MiGs are being provided by Moscow at no charge, but their assembly, repair, and refurbishing costs are expected to near $235 million in total.

The four other jets are set to arrive sometime before October 20, when they are likely to be displayed in Belgrade during a Liberation Day parade. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu is scheduled to attend.

In March, Serbias Aleksandar Vucic, then prime minister and now president, confirmed earlier reports that Russia would provide the six MiG-29 fighters "as a gift."

He added that the planes would enter military service by the end of 2017 after refurbishing and pilot training.

Russia also committed to provide 30 T-72 tanks and 30 BRDM-2 patrol combat vehicles to Serbia for free.

Vucic said on October 2 that Serbia also planned to improve its defenses and has been negotiating with Moscow for the purchase of Russian-made S-300 antiaircraft systems.

"We will continue to protect our freedom and independence," Vucic said.

Vucic, a former nationalist, has remade himself as a pro-European Union reformer while seeking to maintain good relations with traditional ally Russia, which is looking to block the Balkan nations path toward possible NATO membership.

Serbias moves to heighten military ties with Moscow have worried the West and many neighboring countries, including Bosnia-Herzegovina and NATO member Croatia.

A NATO official told the Associated Press that "the defense equipment which NATO's partners procure is a sovereign choice for those countries. There are no restrictions imposed by NATO."

With reporting by AP, Defenseworld.net, and InSerbia News
DUSHANBE -- Tajikistan's Anticorruption Agency says a top government official has been caught while taking a $490,000 bribe.

The agency said on October 3 that Askar Nuralizoda of the Economic Development Ministry's department for investments was caught red-handed accepting the cash bribe in a restaurant in Dushanbe on September 28.

Investigators also found $10,000 in Nuralizoda's home, the agency added.

It said that Nuralizoda requested a $1 million bribe and a three-room apartment from a resident of the Jaloliddini Balhi district.

In exchange, the official would have included the development of poultry production in the district in the 2016-2020 state investment program.

Authorities in the economically struggling Central Asian country launched an anticorruption crackdown in April, targeting officials and ex-officials of the Anticorruption Agency and the Customs Service.

Last month, a former top officer at the Anticorruption Agency, Firuz Holmurodzoda, was convicted on corruption charges and sentenced to 15 years in prison.
Tajikistan's state language committee is demanding that Wikipedia correct what it described as "spelling mistakes" in the online encyclopedia's Tajik-language content.

The committee claims that numerous Tajik words have been misspelled and warns the errors violate the country's state-language law and therefore make Wikipedia legally liable for the mistakes.

Tajik officials have been scrutinizing Wikipedia for the past two weeks, the deputy head of the language committee, Saodatsho Matrobiyon, said on October 2.

The committee has warned the publishers of Wikipedia's Tajik-language pages about the errors and suggested that "all spelling mistakes must be corrected," the state agency's official website says.

It remains unclear whether or even how Tajik authorities could potentially take legal action against Wikipedia, a nonprofit, multilingual online encyclopedia that relies on a worldwide community of volunteers to write, edit, and correct its millions of pages.

'Senseless' Demand

Ibrohimjon Rustamov, a U.S.-based Tajik scholar who takes an active part in writing and editing Wikipedia's Tajik-language content, says Tajik officials' demand indicates how "unaware" they are about how the website operates.

Wikipedia "is free and public, it's edited by the world community, sometimes anonymously," Rustamov told RFE/RL. "It's senseless to demand editing from a source that can be edited by anyone, including by Tajikistan's language-committee specialists," Rustamov added.

He urged the committee to "mobilize its own editors to improve the Tajik content in Wikipedia, instead of killing initiatives by others."

Rustamov, who studied educational technology in the United States, was among the first Tajik volunteers to take the initiative to write and edit Tajik-language material for Wikipedia more than a decade ago.

Rustamov wrote his first article for the site in 2006, when he worked as an English-language teacher in his native Isfara, a small town in northern Tajikistan.

Administrative Punishments

In 2014, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon praised the initiative and called on Tajik scholars and writers to help improve Wikipedia's Tajik-language pages.

The language committee has, in the past, warned hundreds of businesses and institutions across the country to correct or change their names according to Tajikistan's state-language law. Dozens of "offenders" have been subject to administrative punishments, including fines.

Founded in 2001, Wikipedia is made up of more than 40 million articles in nearly 300 languages. The website's content can be written, edited, and modified by anyone, and the writers are encouraged to back up their statements with verifiable references and to avoid injecting opinion. Bad content, factual errors, and typos are usually swiftly spotted and deleted or corrected by other editors.

Written and reported by Farangis Najibullah with additional reporting by RFE/RL's Tajik Service
ON MY MIND

As the international community seeks to contain North Korea, Russia continues its efforts to assist the regime of Kim Jong Un.

According to a report by the research group 38 North (featured below), a Russian state-owned telecommunications company is providing Pyongyang with a lifeline to the global Internet at a time when the West is seeking to isolate North Korea over its nuclear weapons program.

Moscow's latest effort to assist Pyongyang is nothing new.

Shortly after Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014, Vladimir Putin wrote off most of North Korea's $11 billion debt to Russia.

About 50,000 North Koreans are working on construction projects in the Russian Far East. And since most of their pay is taken by the North Korean state, it's not a stretch to call them slave laborers.

And a new ferry route was recently opened between Vladivostok and the North Korean port of Rason.

Kim Jong Un, it appears, has joined Syria's Bashar al-Assad as an international pariah that Putin is determined to protect.

In a piece featured below, the Moscow-based foreign affairs analyst Vladimir Frolov argues that Russia's main foreign policy goals are preventing former Soviet states like Ukraine and Georgia from joining the West and diminishing and undermining U.S. influence in the world.

As I argue on today's Daily Vertical, Russia's main tools in achieving its goals with its neighbors are effectively bribery and blackmail.

And as Russia's actions in Syria and North Korea illustrate, a key Kremlin tool in achieving its goals with the West is extortion.

By exacerbating crises in Syria and North Korea that are priorities for the West, Moscow is manufacturing leverage and then using that leverage to extract concessions.

Bribery, blackmail, and extortion aren't the tools of a great power. They more resemble the instruments of a geopolitical protection racket.

IN THE NEWS

Facebook says that an estimated 10 million people saw advertisements that have been linked to Russia on its social-media platform before and after the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

A transport plane has delivered two Russian MiG-29 fighter jets to Serbia, the initial shipment of a six-jet deal that could add to East-West tensions in the Balkans.

Russia's Foreign Ministry has again complained about U.S. law enforcement taking over the Russian Consulate in San Francisco, threatening unspecified retaliation against U.S. diplomats.

A U.S.-based research group on North Korea says a Russian state-owned Internet company has started providing Pyongyang an alternate connection to the global Internet. (The report, by 38 North, an organization housed at Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies, can be read here.)

The presidents of Russia and Turkmenistan have signed a "strategic partnership" agreement in a show of cooperation between two former Soviet republics whose ties are sometimes clouded by disputes.

Lawyers say the authorities in Russia-controlled Crimea have detained four Crimean Tatars on suspicion of extremism in what activists and the Ukrainian government said was part of a discriminatory campaign targeting members of the Muslim group.

WHAT I'M READING

Putin's Foreign Policy

In his column for Republic.ru, foreign affairs analyst Vladimir Frolov explains what Vladimir Putin's foreign policy will look like after a presidential election in March.

Election Season Looms

In his monthly column for Raam op Rusland, Mark Galeotti of the Institute of International Relations in Prague looks at the Kremlin's dilemma in framing next year's presidential election.

Russia And The U.S. Midterms

In a commentary for The Hill, former Deputy Secretary of Defense MIchael Carpenter says we should expect Russia to try to interfere in the 2018 U.S. midterm elections.

Chechen Asylum Seekers

In a piece for Intersection magazine, Olga Gulina, director of the Institute on Migration Policy, looks at what happens when Chechens fleeing persecution in Russia seek asylum in Europe.

Containing Putin

On the sidelines of the UN General Assembly last month, Politico convened a working group of top security leaders on both sides of the Atlantic to discuss how to contain the threat from the Putin regime. Maura Reynolds wrote up the conclusions.

Merkel's Visegrad Challenge

In a piece for The Atlantic Council, Peter Kreko, director of the Budapest-based Political Capital Institute, looks at the challenge German Chancellor Angela Merkel faces in confronting Russia's expanded influence in the Visegrad countries.

Excerpt From Masha Gessen's The Future Is History

BuzzFeed has published an excerpt from Masha Gessen's new book, The Future Is History: How Totalitarianism Reclaimed Russia.

The Peacekeeper Trap

In a piece for Euromaidan Press, Ukrainian journalist Vitaly Portnikov claims that Putin's offer to allow international peacekeepers in the Russian-controlled areas of the Donbas is a trap.
23 Iranian Shi'ite Muslims sit after rubbing mud on their bodies during the Kharrah Mali ritual to mark the Ashura religious ceremony, in the city of Khorramabad, some 470 kilometers southwest of Tehran, on October 1. The ritual commemorates the seventh-century slaying of the Prophet Muhammad's grandson, Imam Hussein. (AFP/Atta Kenare)
Councilwoman Ruth Ann Swaney made two notable statements Monday at the Missoula City Council meeting.

Swaney, who represents Ward 2, announced her coming resignation from the council in the next month. She plans to return home to North Dakota to work for the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation in the tribal education department.

During the pledge of allegiance, she also took a knee, joining a national protest of racism thats been highlighted by athletes. Her act drew praise from fellow Councilor John DiBari, who said he appreciated Swaneys exercise of her First Amendment right.

I think that was brave and fitting, DiBari said.

At the meeting, several members of the public also protested the Festival of the Dead parade in Missoula and asked the council to renounce the event.

"To me, the event smacks of cultural appropriation," said David Beck, one of several people who spoke out against it.

Asking the council to consider a resolution renouncing the festival, Beck said the event takes ceremonial religious practices of central Mexico and uses them for its own purpose.

"The monthlong celebration, which culminates in a parade, is a direct ripoff of Day of the Dead," Beck said.

Ekoo Beck asked the city to put a stop to the parade. She grew up in Missoula with it, then studied at Harvard University, and Beck returned home appalled to see the event still taking place.

She was socialized to believe the parade was normal, and she said if the council allows it to continue, more people will be misguided.

"If we don't stop this, there are going to be generations just like me thinking this appropriation is OK," Beck said.

Rosalyn LaPier likened the face painting that goes along with the parade to "blackface," where white actors used to paint their faces and stereotype black people. Except LaPier said the festival engaged in "whiteface and was part of a couple months in which Native American people endure a series of holidays where others pretend to be American Indian.

She and other members of the public said a quiet protest of the event earlier in the week drew blatantly racist taunts, where opponents of the protesters lunged at them, but only at the people who appeared to be Native American and not at people who looked white. LaPier said one person came within four inches of her nose.

It was a public space in the city of Missoula. It's not their space. It is our space, LaPier said.

In response, several council members offered support. Council president Marilyn Marler said she herself has participated in the past and painted her face, and it was painful to hear that her actions had been hurtful.

I feel now that I was wrong to participate in that, and I will encourage other people not to participate, Marler said.

Councilman Jon Wilkins and other councilors thanked Swaney for her service and insight. He also said the people who heckled the protestors of the parade should be ashamed of themselves.

You should be sorry. I didnt think Missoula did that kind of thing, Wilkins said.

After the meeting, Swaney said she took a knee during the pledge to raise awareness of issues that are troubling nationally and locally. She said one related local problem is the disproportionate number of American Indians who are incarcerated.

One way of effecting change is to be an ally and to stand in solidarity with others, Swaney said.

City Clerk Marty Rehbein said once Swaney sets a resignation date, the council will take applications and then appoint a councilor to the seat.

In other business, the council also approved updates to the sign ordinance to be in compliance with a U.S. Supreme Court order.
A jailed Uzbek human rights activist, Agzam Farmonov, whose 2006 extortion conviction was widely seen as politically motivated, has been released from the notorious Jaslyq prison in northern Uzbekistan.

The U.S. Embassy in Tashkent hailed Farmonov's October 3 release and said that Washington "acknowledges President [Shavkat] Mirziyoev's commitment to strengthening human rights protections in Uzbekistan, as stated in his address at the United Nations, and we look forward to sustained stability and progress towards broad political, social, and human rights reforms."

Farmonov, 40, was convicted and sentenced to 9 1/ 2 years in jail in 2006.

He led a branch of the Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan in the eastern Sirdaryo region at the time of his arrest, which supporters say was the main reason for the trumped-up charges used to have him imprisoned.

Weeks before he was due to be released in 2016, his prison term was extended by five years and 26 days for what the authorities said was "bad behavior while in custody."


The expelled embassy personnel must be out of the United States within seven days. Mr. Tillerson explained in a statement that this order will ensure equity in our respective diplomatic operations. A State Department official said that the Cuban government would need to give a clear assurance that the attacks would not continue before the personnel in either embassy could return. State Department officials said that the Cuban ambassador in Washington was informed of the expulsions in a phone call.



Embassy of Cuba in Washington

However, State Department officials emphasized that they are not accusing the Cuban government of complicity in the attacks, so we continue to maintain diplomatic relations with Cuba, and will continue to cooperate with Cuba as we pursue the investigation into these attacks. F.B.I. agents who had been allowed entry to Cuba have not been able to find the causes of the illnesses. As part of their investigation, the F.B.I. has also visited the homes of the American diplomats and reviewed security footage. Investigators have been also unable to duplicate in a lab the effects the diplomats have experienced. A 22nd American diplomatic employee has been confirmed as suffering in a mysterious sonic attack in Havana.
Straight shot up U.S. 31 to I-94 finally open in Berrien County

Last few miles had been unfinished since 2004 because of a lack of money to pay for it.
Editor's note for Oct. 3, 2017: Astrophysicists Kip Thorne and Barry Barish of Caltech, and Rainer Weiss of MIT won the Nobel Prize for Physics for the first detection of gravitational waves. Below is our coverage of that historic discovery.

WASHINGTON  Gravitational waves, the cosmic ripples that distort space-time itself, have been directly detected for the first time.

In a highly anticipated announcement today (Feb. 11), researchers affiliated with the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) reported the detection of gravitational waves. The signal picked up by LIGO came from the collision of two black holes and was detected on Sept. 14, 2015 by LIGO's twin detectors in Livingston, Louisiana and Hanford, Washington, scientists said.

This cosmic crash sent gravitational waves streaming outward at the speed of light, causing ripples in the fabric of space-time, similar to how a dropped pebble disturbs a still pond. Researchers said the collision occurred 1.3 billion years ago between black holes that were about 29 and 36 times more massive than the sun, respectively. During the crash, about three times the mass of the sun was converted into gravitational waves in less than a second, generating a peak power output of about 50 times that of the entire visible universe, they added.

Gravitational Waves Detected by LIGO: Complete Coverage

The probable location of a black hole collision that spawned gravitational waves detected by the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory is shown in this still from a National Science Foundation press conference in Washington, D.C. on Feb. 11, 2016. The collision occurred 1.3 billion years ago in a region of space over Earth's Southern Hemisphere, scientists say. (Image credit: National Science Foundation)

"Our observation of gravitational waves accomplishes an ambitious goal set out over five decades ago to directly detect this elusive phenomenon and better understand the universe, and, fittingly, Einstein's legacy on the 100th anniversary of his general theory of relativity," said LIGO Laboratory executive director David Reitze, of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, in a statement.

Using laser beams, scientists have detected the physical distortions caused by passing gravitational waves. (Image credit: By Karl Tate, Infographics Artist)

The detection is a milestone moment in astronomy and astrophysics. Unlike light waves, gravitational waves don't get distorted or altered by interactions with matter as they race through space; they therefore carry "pure" information about the objects and events that created them, according to LIGO researchers.

"With this completely new way of examining astrophysical objects and phenomena, gravitational waves will truly open a new window on the universe, providing astronomers and other scientists with their first glimpses of previously unseen and unseeable wonders, and greatly adding to our understanding of the nature of space and time itself," LIGO team members wrote in an online description of the project.

Gravitational waves were first predicted by Albert Einstein in his famous 1916 paper on general relativity. One of the central, and strangest, tenets of general relativity is that space and time are not separate things but rather are linked together in a single fabric: space-time. Massive objects, like stars, stretch and curve this fabric, sort of like how a bowling ball distorts a rubber sheet. These dips cause objects such as planets, and even light, to take a curved path around those more massive bodies.

Gravitational waves affect this fabric as well, causing ripplelike distortions. Previous studies have confirmed the existence of gravitational waves  which are generated by the acceleration (or deceleration) of massive objects  through indirect methods, but the LIGO find is the first direct detection of this enigmatic phenomenon.

"The description of this observation is beautifully described in the Einstein theory of general relativity formulated 100 years ago and comprises the first test of the theory in strong gravitation," LIGO team member Rainer Weiss, of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), said in a statement. "It would have been wonderful to watch Einstein's face had we been able to tell him."

Plots display the signals of gravitational waves detected by the LIGO observatories at Livingston, Louisiana, and Hanford, Washington. The detection of gravitational waves by LIGO was announced on Feb. 11, 2016. (Image credit: LIGO)

LIGO can only spot relatively strong gravitational waves, which are created by dramatic events, such as two black holes swirling around each other and then colliding, or a merger of superdense stellar corpses called neutron stars. The detector can also find gravitational waves generated by an exploding star, known as a supernova, LIGO team members have said.

Spotting these space-time ripples is a serious challenge. As a gravitational wave passes through Earth, it squishes space in one direction and stretches it another direction. LIGO looks for that warping of space-time using two "L"-shaped detectors; one is in Livingston, Louisiana, and the other is in Hanford, Washington.

Each arm of each detector is 2.48 miles (4 kilometers) long. Near the point where the two arms meet, a pulse of laser light is released down each arm simultaneously. The pulses travel down an arm, bounce off a mirror at the far end and come back near the starting point, at the crux of the "L."

The historic detection of gravitational waves by the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory is shown in this plot during a press conference in Washington, D.C. on Feb. 11, 2016. (Image credit: National Science Foundation)

If a gravitational wave passes by, it will compress one arm of the detector and stretch the other. As a result, the light beam traveling down the stretched arm will take slightly longer to get back to the starting point than will the light beam traveling the arm that has been compressed. (If the same signal is spotted by both detectors, researchers can be confident the signal is real, and not the result of environmental conditions at one of the two sites. Recording the signal at two different locations also allows scientists to find the gravitational wave's source in the sky by triangulation.)

That logic seems simple enough, but the change in the length of each arm is far smaller than the width of an atomic nucleus. If the LIGO detector spanned all the way from the sun to the next-nearest star  Proxima Centauri, located 24.94 trillion miles (40.14 trillion km) away  a gravitational wave would shrink the detector by only the width of a human hair, one LIGO scientist said.

This is not the first time gravitational waves have been in the news. In 2014, researchers using the BICEP2 telescope in Antarctica announced they had detected signatures of gravitational waves in the microwave light left over from the Big Bang (known as the cosmic microwave background). But that result fell apart when observations by Europe's Planck space observatory showed the alleged signatures were probably nothing but space dust.

The LIGO team's claim of direct gravitational-wave detection will very likely undergo intense scrutiny before the scientific community fully accepts the result as sound. There are no other experiments that measure the same kind of gravitational waves that LIGO is sensitive to, so there is currently no way to directly compare the results with another experiment.

The research will be published in an upcoming issue of the Physical Review Letters.

LIGO is operated by scientists at the California Institute of Technology and the MIT, and it's funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation. The LIGO Scientific Collaboration has more than 1,000 members, from 83 institutions in 15 countries.

Follow Calla Cofield @callacofield. Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook.
A "fossil" natural nuclear reactor site in the Okio region of Gabon. The large uranium deposit present underwent nuclear fission on and off for hundreds of thousands of years some 2 billion years ago. The yellow rock is uranium oxide.

Life on early Earth seems to have begun with a paradox: while life needs water as a solvent, the essential chemical backbones of early life-forming molecules fall apart in water. Our universal solvent, it turns out, can be extremely corrosive.

Some have pointed to this paradox as a sign that life, or the precursor of life, originated elsewhere and was delivered here via comets or meteorites. Others have looked for solvents that could have the necessary qualities of water without that bond-breaking corrosiveness.

In recent years the solvent often put forward as the eligible alternative to water is formamide, a clear and moderately irritating liquid consisting of hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen and oxygen. Unlike water, it does not break down the long-chain molecules needed to form the nucleic acids and proteins that make up life's key initial instruction manual, RNA. Meanwhile it also converts via other useful reactions into key compounds needed to make nucleic acids in the first place. [How Did Life Arise on Earth?]

Although formamide is common in star-forming regions of space, scientists have struggled to find pathways for it to be prevalent, or even locally concentrated, on early Earth. In fact, it is hardly present on Earth today except as a synthetic chemical for companies.

New research presented by Zachary Adam, an earth scientist at Harvard University, and Masashi Aono, a complex systems scientist at Earth-Life Science Institute (ELSI) at Tokyo Institute of Technology, has produced formamide by way of a surprising and reproducible pathway: bombardment with radioactive particles.

The two and their colleagues exposed water and a mixture of two chemicals known to have existed on early Earth (hydrogen cyanide and aqueous acetonitrile) to the high-energy particles emitted from a cylinder of cobalt-60, an artificially produced radioactive isotope commonly used in cancer therapy. The result, they report, was the production of substantial amounts of formamide more quickly than earlier attempts by researchers using theoretical models and in laboratory settings.

It remains unclear whether early Earth had enough radioactive material in the right places to produce the chemical reactions that led to the formation of formamide. And even if the conditions were right, scientists cannot yet conclude that formamide played an important role in the origin of life.

Still, the new research furthers the evidence of the possible role of alternative solvents and presents a differing picture of the basis of life. Furthermore, it is suggestive of processes that might be at work on other exoplanets as well  where solvents other than water could, with energy supplied by radioactive sources, provide the necessary setting for simple compounds to be transformed into far more complex building blocks.

"Imagine that water-based life was preceded by completely unique networks of interacting molecules that approximated, but were distinct from and followed different chemical rules, than life as we know it," said Adam.

Their work was presented at recent gatherings of the International Society for the Study of the Origin of Life, and the Astrobiology Science Conference.

Masashi Aono, left, in the radiation room at the Tokyo Institute of Technology where his team produced formamine by exposing chemicals to radiation. (Image credit: Nerissa Escanlar)

Putting it all together

The team of Adam and Aono are hardly the first to put forward the formamide hypothesis as a solution to the water paradox, and they are also not the first to posit a role for high-energy, radioactive particles in the origin of life.

An Italian team led by Rafaelle Saladino of Tuscia University recently proposed formamide as a chemical that would supply necessary elements for life and would avoid the "water paradox." Since the time that Marie Curie described the phenomenon of radioactivity, scientists have proposed innumerable ways that the emission of particle-shedding atomic nuclei might have played roles, either large or small, in initiating life on Earth.

Putting formamide and radioactivty together, as Adam and Aono have done, is a potentially significant step forward, though one that needs deeper study.

"If we have formamide as a solvent, those precursor molecules can be kept stable, a kind of cradle to preserve very interesting products," said Aono, who has moved to Tokyo-based Keio University while remaining a fellow at ELSI.

The experiment with cobalt-60 did not begin as a search for a way to concentrate the production of formamide. Rather, Adam was looking more generally into the effects of gamma rays on a variety of molecules and solvents, while Aono was exploring radioactive sources for a role in the origin of life.

The two came together somewhat serendipitously at ELSI, an origins-of-life research center created by the Japanese government. ELSI was designed to be a place for scientists from around the world and from many different disciplines to tackle some of the notoriously difficult issues in origins of life research. At ELSI, Adam, who had been unable to secure sites to conduct laboratory tests in the United States, learned from Aono about a sparingly-used (and free) cobalt-60 lab; they promptly began collaborating.

It is well known that the early Earth was bombarded by high-energy cosmic particles and gamma rays. So is the fact that numerous elements (aluminum-26, iron-60, iodine-129) have existed as radioactive isotopes that can emit radiation for minutes to millennium, and that these isotopes were more common on early Earth than today. Indeed, the three listed above are now extinct on Earth, or nearly extinct, in their natural forms.

Less known is the presence of "natural nuclear reactors" as sites where a high concentration of uranium in the presence of water has led to self-sustaining nuclear fission. Only one such spot has been found in the Oklo region of the African nation of Gabon  where spent radioactive material was identified at 16 sites separate sites. Scientists ultimately concluded widespread natural nuclear reactions occurred in the region some 2 billion years ago.

That time frame would mean that the site would have been active well after life had begun on Earth, but it is a potential proof of concept of what could have existed elsewhere long before.

Zachary Adam, an earth scientist at Harvard University, led the cobalt-60 experiment. (Image credit: Nerissa Escanlar)

Reactions in close quarters

Adam and Aono remain agnostic about where the formamide-producing radioactive particles came from. But they are convinced that it is entirely possible that such reactions took place and helped produce an environment where each of the backbone precursors of RNA could readily be found in close quarters.

Current scientific thinking about how formamide appeared on Earth focuses on limited arrival via asteroid impacts or through the concentration of the chemical in evaporated water-formamide mixtures in desert-like conditions. Adam acknowledges that the prevailing scientific consensus points to low amounts of formamide on early Earth.

"We are not trying to argue to the contrary," he said, "but we are trying to say that it may not matter."

If you have a unique place (or places) on the Earth creating significant amounts of formamide over a long period of time through radiolysis, then an opportunity exists for the onset of some unique chemistry that can support the production of essential precursor compounds for life, Adam said.

"So, the argument then shifts to  how likely was it that this unique place existed? We only need one special location on the entire planet to meet these circumstances," he said.

After that, the system set into motion would have the ability to bring together the chemical building blocks of life.

"That's the possibility that we look forward to investigating in the coming years," Adam said.

James Cleaves, an organic chemist also at ELSI and a co-author of the cobalt-60 paper, said while production of formamide from much simpler compounds represents progress, "there are no silver bullets in origin of life work. We collect facts like these, and then see where they lead."

This story was provided by Astrobiology Magazine, a web-based publication sponsored by the NASA astrobiology program.

Follow Space.com @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+.
The Montana Board of Regents met for more than two hours Monday about the search for a new University of Montana president but did not release additional information about how it plans to proceed.

Three out of four finalists received support after visiting UM last month, according to interviews with members of the campus community who closely observed candidate forums: Andy Feinstein of San Jose State University; Seth Bodnar of General Electric; and Chuck Ambrose of the University of Central Missouri.

Monday after the regents met in a closed session via teleconference, spokesman Kevin McRae said only that the board deliberated and planned to seek more information. McRae, deputy commissioner of communications for the Montana Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education, said he did not know when any information from the discussion would be available.

He earlier said the board may choose to bring one or more finalists back to Montana for subsequent interviews with regents.

Originally, the commissioner planned to talk with individual regents after the search committee met. The plan changed after the committee met last week, and the regents talked Monday as a group via teleconference.

On the call, Chair Fran Albrecht gave a brief update on the search process to date, and she then closed the meeting to the public to discuss candidates. Albrecht said the regents would discuss the recommendation from the search committee in private, and the concern for privacy outweighed the public interest.

Albrecht and Regent Casey Lozar are board members also seated on the search advisory committee, which is made up of faculty, staff, students, and community members.

Last week, the Commissioner's Office declined to state whether the search committee recommended the elimination of any finalists, citing privacy. At the time, McRae said the committee deemed multiple candidates acceptable, but he did not identify them or state the number of finalists the group recommended as a possible president.

Some faculty have asked to know the names of finalists the committee deemed acceptable after campus visits. Last week, Faculty Senate Chair Mary-Ann Bowman said she trusts committee members but she believes identifying the finalists the committee supports is important to transparency and the search.

Former president of Fort Hays State University Mirta Martin also visited UM as a finalist. The current managing director of Kirchner Bank did not receive support from members of the campus community who closely followed the forums and talked with the Missoulian. But she has not been publicly ruled out.
H ow do you become a millionaire? Start with a billion, then buy an airline.

Sure, its the oldest joke in the investment book, but for some reason, as soon as an airplane swishes its tailfin at investors, otherwise entirely sane men (and it is always men) lose their heads and enthusiastically hand over the folding stuff.

So it was with the Meyohas and Perlhagen families who make up Greybull; persuaded to pump unseemly amounts of cash into Monarch. An investment that looked crazy from the get-go, then got worse as they doubled down and ploughed in more.

Perhaps thats not entirely fair. You could kind of understand how they fell for the turnaround story back in 2014.

Monarch, they were told, had some fairly standard legacy issues that could be easily overcome: old-school pension and staff contracts, debt and plane leasing issues, a loss-making operation flying inefficient old workhorses long haul.

This nitty-gritty stuff did actually get sorted, pronto. But Greybull still forgot the core issue: in budget short haul  on which Monarch bet the farm  it would always be up against the super-efficient might of Ryanair and easyJet.

However skilled its managers, Monarch was never going to be able to outcheap those two giant low-cost specialists. Struggling BA, Lufthansa, Air France, Air Italia  all would have told them that for nothing. Terrorism and Brexit accelerated matters, but in an overcrowded market, Monarch would have collapsed in Europe eventually.

Yet Greybull kept pumping in the cash  sticking in a further 165 million as recently as late last year in the hope that a new strategy would save them. This time it was a return to long-haul flights to the US with a new Boeing fleet.

Airlines have been trying and failing with that since Freddy Laker. Yet again, the dazzling exoticism of flight left Greybull blinded.

As it happened, Monarch was never given the chance to test the long-haul wheeze. London-Spain was such a financial bloodbath over the summer that the Civil Aviation Authority stepped in and put the thing out of its misery.

By my reckoning, depending how many pennies in the pound it gets back for the secured loans it made, Greybull will be down about 200 million on the deal.

Will others learn its lessons? Will Greybull be the last investor to be hypnotised by a doomed airlines wing and a prayer business case?

I very much doubt it.
 First they took my business, then they came for my house, and then they went for the homes of my parents.

Thus went one of the many tales told by entrepreneurs last week whose businesses and homes were seized by banks in the financial crisis.

They were speaking at the birthday party of an organisation that, in an open society, should not exist: the SME Alliance.

The SMEA was created to give voice to entrepreneurs who claim to have suffered major losses at the hands of their banks, with no chance of redress.

A minority, it must be said, make you wonder why the bank lent to them in the first place, but most have what seem to be genuine grievances.

You can tell theyre genuine because theyve often resulted in big civil settlements or, in the case of HBOS Reading, jail sentences for the bankers who duped them.

This army of the aggrieved have a simple narrative of what happened in those catastrophic years of the crisis.

It goes like this: after the taxpayer bailouts, banks were ordered by regulators and governments to shrink their balance sheets by any means necessary. In the scramble to turn loans into assets, they foreclosed on their SME customers and flogged off the seized properties as fast as possible.

Ministers, regulators, accountants deliberately agreed to allow the banks misbehaviour in the greater interest of saving the stricken financial system.

As with all conspiracy theories, this seems unlikely. But the absence of effective, no-holds-barred official reports into the issue inevitably puts rumour on the wing.

All weve had so far, bar the Prudential Regulation Authoritys damning paper on HBOS last year (which resulted in, erm, not very much), has been muffled, broad-brushed stuff that lands no punches or sees key findings withheld for fear of litigation.

Take the secrecy surrounding the Financial Conduct Authoritys investigation into RBSs restructuring division. The FCAs chief executive Andrew Bailey has said it was never intended to be published, merely summarised when its finally completed.

Yet today, documents have emerged suggesting it originally commissioned the report to be made public.

So, what has changed?

Why do we now have to put up with the sanitised highlights?

Bailey last month told MPs he doesnt want to get bogged down in the legal appeals full publication would entail. But that clearly was not the original plan.

The Treasury select committee has already demanded the report should be published, warts and all. It must stick to its guns and force the FCA to do so. After all, it has that power if it chooses to wield it.

Otherwise, cock-up or conspiracy, Britains entrepreneurs will assume RBSs failings were the latter. More drip, drip, drip of whitewash and redactions will just further erode trust in our institutions.
I n 1979, the then Labour Prime Minister, Jim Callaghan, is said to have confided to an adviser on the eve of his defeat in the election that there are times, perhaps every 30 years, when there is a sea change in politics.

He was talking about the bankruptcy of post-war socialist thinking and the imminent arrival of the Thatcher free-market revolution.

Now, a little more than three decades on, the claim is made that we are witnessing another sea change.

Ideas of wholesale renationalisation, expropriation of profit and a war against business are suddenly fashionable again  spread on social media and smartphones by people oblivious to the fact that such innovations are the products of private enterprise and would never have been invented by a socialist command economy still trying to hit tractor production targets.

Belatedly, Conservatives have decided to fight back against the very real and alarming revolution that Mr Corbyn and his supporters would visit on us.

On the conference stage, in fringe meetings and in interviews, a succession of leadership hopefuls tell us that they are going to argue from first principles in favour of profit and business. That is welcome  and something that this newspaper has called for. The problem is that we have yet to see the policies match the principles.

The conference opener was a plan to tinker with student loans. Rather than fighting from first principles for a system that has helped record numbers of disadvantaged children go to university, the big idea was to transfer more of the burden of higher education funding for the middle classes to the state (with the taxes of the lower-paid and less well-educated).

Then there was a proposal to extend funding for the Right to Buy scheme. That scheme was introduced in the 2013 Budget to fix problems with the supply of mortgage credit, which at the time was a major impediment to home ownership.

Theres nothing wrong with extending it but it misses the real problem for families in 2017: the lack of supply of new homes.

A Conservative Party on the side of consumers and free markets would be announcing bold plans to cut back the planning laws that favour  as socialist laws often do  the haves over the have-nots.

The promise of Brexit was that it would allow for freer trade and less government regulation  now the conference is awash with plans for new industrial subsidies and export bans that were prevented by EU state aid rules.

We would ask wheres the beef? but we may find there are plenty of Tories who want to ban the perfectly safe, hormone -injected beef that Americans would like to sell us.

The Tory conference takes place a few yards away from the site of the Manchester Free Trade Hall, where the policies that gave us the open markets and private enterprise that provided more than a century of prosperity were first propounded.

If Tory delegates can tear themselves away from the blood sport in Cabinet, they might find the inspiration there to prevent Mr Corbyns sea change in ideas before it sinks us all.

Rudd and acid attacks

This newspaper has called on the Government to respond to the terrifying spate of acid attacks in London, including assaults on delivery drivers, with more stringent laws on possessing and purchasing acid.

The Home Secretary, Amber Rudd, has listened.

Today she promises to make it illegal to carry corrosive substances in public places without good reason, stricter controls on its sale  and a ban on its sale to minors.

This is a proportionate and necessary response to a real threat: good for Ms Rudd.
 I come to Europe every year  mainly to make sure were hiring as few people in Paris as possible. So said the CEO of one of Americas biggest technology companies when we met for a coffee recently.

The guy wasnt kidding. His opinion of France was clear: its a country where traditional industries can lobby politicians to keep out competition from digital businesses.

That impression  whether true or not  matters. It shapes decisions about where foreign companies choose to invest money and create jobs. After all, no smart entrepreneur would employ people in a country where the system is unfairly stacked against you. Thats whats so damaging about Transport for Londons decision to ban Uber  its so clearly the result of political lobbying from the powerful black cab unions.

After all, in 2015, TfL proposed new regulations designed to force ride-sharing apps out of the market, and so protect black cabs and minicab companies. For example, TfL wanted to make users wait for five minutes after ordering a taxi via an app, even if one was just around the corner, and they also proposed a ban on taxi apps showing users the location of available cabs. Those rules would have killed innovation at a stroke  exactly what they were designed to do.

For global investors, thats whats scary  the fact that TfL has repeatedly tried to use regulation to keep out technology thats made it cheaper for Londoners to get around. I understand why TfL is acting like this  its not easy to stick up for disruptive new entrants against Londons taxi unions, especially when black cabs are such a big part of the city.

But even if its hard, our regulators should be on the side of the public. In the past 30 years, Londons population has grown by two million  but weve had only 3,500 more black cabs, which is why ride-hailing apps have made such a difference.

With Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi in London today meeting TfL, the regulators need to understand that banning the service isnt just bad for Londoners, its bad for the economy as a whole. Right now, global investors and entrepreneurs are looking at London and saying: Wow, theyre actually the same as Paris these days.

That perception will mean fewer jobs and less global investment in London. Exactly what we dont need  especially with Brexit ahead.

Reverse mentors are helping to close techs diversity gap

Ten years ago, I was working in Parliament, and something used to really bother me. It was the fact that every youngster who did work experience around me was posh  there was no real diversity of backgrounds.

This wasnt because of discrimination  most teenagers simply had no idea they could even apply to do work experience with us.

So in the end I got in touch with the Social Mobility Foundation, and we started getting kids from poorer backgrounds in every summer.

That diversity made a big difference  which is why it was great to see London entrepreneur Grace Gould, 28, making headlines recently for hiring 54-year-old creative director Jackie Annesley as one of the first employees in her tech start-up, Soda. Thats a very different age profile to the typical digital worker  and Ive no doubt therell be fresh perspectives and better insights as a result.

I hope more entrepreneurs follow suit  whether hiring bright young apprentices (like we do at Second Home), or older employees like Grace has done. Its a real win-win.

Add Eugenides to your reading list

If you read one book this autumn, make sure its Jeffrey Eugenides brilliant new collection of short stories, Fresh Complaint.

Eugenides is one of those authors who seems to be able to predict the future. Back in 2003, he won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for his novel Middlesex, which is about an intersex child  anticipating the big debates today about gender fluidity and identity.

And in his short stories, Eugenides does the most incredible job of putting the reader in the shoes of pensioners, depressed middle-aged men and students. The topics he covers  from transgender teenagers, through to rape allegations on campus  couldnt be more 2017. Perfect reading as the winter nights start drawing in.

Please dont stop the music

Four in 10 of Londons music venues have closed in recent years, making the city a less attractive and fun place  so its always nice to be able to celebrate a rare good news story.

This weekends Hackney Wonderland music festival is one of those  with live performances spread across east London.

Good on Hackney council for allowing the event to happen  and lets hope lots of Evening Standard readers will be out in force. I know I will.


T he appalling images of Spanish government-authorised police thugs brutally attacking its own citizens at polling stations during Sundays referendum in Barcelona is just another example of how the EUs understanding of democracy differs from that of the rest of the world. It would seem that the legacy of the dictator General Franco is alive and well in Madrid.

But the Spanish government will learn, to its cost, that all its heavy-handed response to the referendum has done is give even more momentum to Catalonias desire for independence.

Robert Readman



The extreme violence the Spanish state has deployed against those trying to vote in the Catalonian referendum is shocking. What is also unacceptable is Theresa Mays refusal to condemn Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy. The police have deployed rubber bullets and tear gas while vicious clubwielding riot cops pushed against people trying to decide their own future, leaving hundreds injured.

Rajoy has brought shame on Spain and has shown the world what European democracy really is.

Sasha Simic



The recent events in Catalonia and the brutality of the Spanish governments response to the so-called referendum have demonstrated beyond doubt the folly of any current or future British Government abandoning Gibraltar and its citizens to the tender mercies of the Spanish police.

It is now time for Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn to come together, put aside any Brexit differences and make it abundantly clear to King Felipe VI and his ministers that Gibraltar will always remain British.

Richard Loweth



Robert Foxs article [Madrid ignores Catalonias independence fight at its peril, September 29] reveals an extraordinary ignorance of Spanish history and manipulates information in an unacceptable way.

It is not true that Bourbon troops seized Catalonia for Spain in 1714 or that Catalans had fought for independence since then. Catalonia, as part of the kingdom of Aragon, had merged with the kingdom of Castile in the 15th century, when the unity of Spain emerges.

It is even more preposterous to write that Catalans fought for independence during the Spanish Civil War. Catalonia in 1936 defended the Second Republic against Francos coup, just as several other regions in Spain.

Catalonia is a prosperous region with one of the highest levels of self-government in the whole Western world. To compare their privileged situation with that of the Kurds or other poor and oppressed minorities is not only inaccurate but grossly unfair.

Dr Julio Crespo MacLennan, London School of Economics

America's gun laws must be changed

On Sunday evening, the worst mass shooting in modern American history left at least 59 people dead and more than 500 wounded. We can speculate about the motive of Stephen Paddock for the Las Vegas massacre but the truth is we know what the causes are of such crimes and yet we continue to ignore them.

The fact that any man or woman can go and purchase firearms in the US under the Second Amendment means people can continue to carry out these frenzied attacks. President Trumps response was to offer his warmest sympathies, which lacked any sense of realism or empathy and shows what the US has become: a place where mass shootings are no longer a surprise but an opportunity for Trump to score some political points.

Only this time, Trump cannot blame any member of the Muslim community for crimes against Americans. This was an American killing his fellow Americans  and their blood is on his hands.

Michael Parker



Breast cancer needs more consideration

I recently read with great concern a new report by Breast Cancer Now entitled Good Enough? Breast Cancer in the UK, which highlights how much more needs to be done to save the lives of people with breast cancer.

Although more women are surviving breast cancer than ever before, it is still the most common cancer in the UK with more than 50,000 women diagnosed with the disease each year. And still every year, roughly 11,500 women die of breast cancer in the UK.

The report uncovered a number of issues that need to be addressed in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer. These include the ability to access effective medicines to prevent and treat breast cancer, concerns about having enough specialist cancer doctors and nurses, and unprecedented financial and operational pressures within the NHS.

It is critical that with the number of those living with breast cancer expected to rise in the future, progress is made across these areas.

Caroline Hilton



Corbyn should keep new fame in check

Last week, this newspaper reported from a jubilant and celebratory Labour Party conference in Brighton. Jeremy Corbyn will have reasons to be positive after gaining the biggest percentage-point increase in its vote share since 1945 in the election  Labour is today trending ahead of the Conservatives in the polls.

However, Corbyn need look no further than the Conservative Party for an example of how such jubilation can turn sour. In October 2015, fresh from their victory just months earlier, the Tories hosted a rather triumphant conference in Manchester Central.

Having gained an unexpected but long coveted majority, the tone was arguably justified. But within two years, the Tories would preside over the UK voting to leave the EU, another election in which their majority would vanish, and a level of fighting not seen since the demise of Margaret Thatcher.

Corbyn should be cautious of what his success could bring.

Stephen Brice



Reckless boardroom pay must be tackled

The problem with excessive boardroom pay was addressed in Jim Armitages article [Big business wont be trusted until huge pay is tackled, City Comment, September 28]. For the past few decades, executive pay rises have been stratospheric, and banks in particular paid big money because they had to, to attract the best.

The connivance of remuneration consultants keen to secure juicy fees saw to that. Ironically, the big money failed to stop the financial crash in 2008. The soaring pay can only guarantee further crashes because the lunacy of boardroom pay levels ensure that executives amass considerable wealth so they can afford to walk away from the smoking ruins of businesses they have run into the ground.

Clawing back bonuses and awarding shares is just windowdressing. The basic salaries effectively insulate them from the financial fall-out. The shareholders and pension funds are paying for their boards recklessness  no wonder the public is becoming very angry.

Bill Parish



Blame Hammond for property slump

It is disingenuous for the Evening Standard to assert that falling house prices are due to Brexit. While Brexit might account for a small degree of uncertainty in the market, the fact is that regardless of the political situation, if people need to move house, they will do so.

The property market in London has been slowing since before the Brexit vote, when stamp duty was raised in a ham-fisted response to Labours proposed mansion tax, shortly before the 2015 election. Since then, the property market has slowed and prices fallen, until we arrived where we are now, with families literally trapped in homes they cant sell  since potential buyers are neither prepared nor able to pay this iniquitous tax.

Instead of conveniently blaming the current state of the market on Brexit, the Evening Standard should be calling on Chancellor Philip Hammond to reform stamp duty in the November Autumn Statement.

Jeffrey Mills



Holy day can bring together Muslims and Jews

Last Saturday, Jews and Muslims across the United Kingdom marked the 10th day of this lunar month. For the strange synchronicity of this day is a time held as sacred by both Muslims and Jews. For Jews it's Yom Kippur, the solemn day of fasting, prayer, and most importantly Teshuva the Hebrew word for atonement and repentance. For Muslims, it is Ashura, Arabic for the number 10, and a complicated day. For Sunnis, fasting is recommended; for Shias it is not permitted.

We have been asking Jews and Muslims this question for many years, sharing stories of history and prayer and community and god. Lets use the 10th day as a starting point, to delve deeper into what we share, but also to refine and embrace our differences for the better.

Perhaps what is most holy about this day is its potential to spark conversations. It is a time to reflect upon how we as Jews and Muslims share a sacred day while remembering that it is the unique qualities of our respective faiths that make the day so special.

Mustafa Field and Rabbi Natan Levy, Faiths Forum for London
W althamstow has emerged as a hotbed of acting talent after three young stars from the area were today tipped for the top.

The Screen International Stars of Tomorrow list has predicted the rise of John Boyega, Benedict Cumberbatch, Eddie Redmayne and Carey Mulligan.

This years roster reveals that three of the 16 most exciting breakthrough actors and actresses hail from Walthamstow  a higher concentration of talent than anywhere else in the country.

Paapa Essiedu, 27, Naomi Ackie, 26, and Harris Dickinson, 21, grew up in the area. Michaela Coel, 29, from Hackney, and south Londoners Archie Madekwe, 21, and Jade Anouka, 28, also make the list.

Essiedu became the first black actor to play Hamlet at the Royal Shakespeare Company last year. He is set to appear on the big screen in a BBC adaptation of Jessie Burtons best-selling novel The Miniaturist and has been cast opposite Sarah Lancashire in a Channel 4 drama about a missing girl, written by Jack Thorne, the playwright behind Harry Potter And The Cursed Child. He will also star in BBC1s journalism drama Press. Essiedu told Screen: Im interested in parts that mirror the challenges of living in the world we are in today.

Ackie appeared as a maid to Florence Pugh  a 2016 Star of Tomorrow  in Lady Macbeth. Now she is taking a lead role in Idris Elbas forthcoming directorial debut, Yardie. She said: I dont think theres anything better than being an actor and really thinking about your work and what you want to say.

Arts picks of the week: 2nd-8th October 1 /9 Arts picks of the week: 2nd-8th October Frieze Art Fair Its busiest week of the year for the art world calendar: everything goes bonkers with the return of Frieze Art Fair and Frieze Masters. Its a tough ask to try and keep up with everything thats going on, but our handy guide to the highlights will serve you well. Over 160 of the worlds leading galleries from 31 different countries will be there, showing and selling the work of over 1,000 of todays leading artists. Look out for a special gallery showcasing radical feminist artists, and a series of Frieze Talks exploring artists response to an age of alternative facts.



October 5-8, Regents Park; frieze.com/fairs Labour of Love Wunderkid James Graham is spoiling us - were about to get another new play from him. Following Ink, his deep dive through The Suns history under media mogul Rupert Murdoch which just transferred to the West End from the Almeida, he now turns his pen to the current state of the Labour Party. Martin Freeman stars with Tamsin Greig - she stepped in at the last minute after Sarah Lancashire had to depart on doctors orders. Ten points to the first person who spots Jeremy Corbyn hiding at the back of the stalls.



Until December 2, Noel Coward Theatre; labouroflovetheplay.co.uk The 2017 Hyundai Commission: Superflex Feeling tired and stressed and want to lie face down in a dark room? Danish art collective Superflex have come up with just the thing to get you back in the swing of things: a playground full of swings. The new Hyundai Commission has been unveiled and opens to the public this week, and it feels like the perfect antidote for stressed out city dwellers.



Opening October 3 until April 2, Tate Modern; tate.org.uk Dali/Duchamp Weve had Basquiat, Whiteread and Johns already this autumn, but the blockbuster shows keep on coming. The Royal Academy, which already has a recent hit on its hands with the Jasper Johns exhibition, are about to open a major exploration of the friendship of Marcel Duchamp and Salvador Dali. The first of its kind, it will bring together around 80 works, both familiar and unfamiliar, to examine what this unlikely friendship meant to this irreverent pair.



October 7 - January 3, Royal Academy; royalacademy.org.uk Company Wayne McGregor: Autobiography Leading choreographer Wayne McGregors research for his latest work was slightly unusual: he sequenced his own genome. After 25 years of exploring the possibilities of our bodies, he decided to create a self-study based on his own genetic code. Autobiography gets its world premiere this week and will apparently unfold uniquely for each performance. Sounds like the future is here.



October 4-7, Sadlers Wells; sadlerswells.com B Chilean playwright Guillermo Calderons play B sounds eerily apt given recent events, offering a study of what revolutionary violence means to different generations. Its the world premiere of the play and his Royal Court debut, in a season of focused on international work at the Sloane Square venue.



September 28 - October 21, Royal Court; royalcourttheatre.com And Now What? And Now What? is a season of work at Roundhouse exploring the times that we are living in, from inequality to mental health, Brexit to immigration. The programme is jam-packed with spoken word, music, theatre and film, and will culminate in a music-making spectacle from Grammy winner Angelique Kidjo and 180 young musicians.



October 3 - November 27, Roundhouse; roundhouse.org.uk

Dickinson won rave reviews for his debut feature film performance in Beach Rats, about a teenager struggling with his sexuality. He now has a lead role in Hollywood film The Darkest Minds and is shooting Danny Boyles TV series about the 1973 kidnapping of the late John Paul Getty III, grandson of the oil tycoon. Dickinson, who plays Getty, said: Im mostly interested in roles that challenge me... people who are going through some kind of trouble.

The list features 29 actors, writers, directors and producers, who were photographed at the British Film Institute, where the London Film Festival starts tomorrow.
The London Design Festival 2017 is a creative celebration that brings together some of the biggest global names in the industry, as well as providing a platform for smaller brands to showcase their talent.

The V&A Museum was again the festival hub and recorded a record number of visitors, proving that London really is the design capital of the world.

It was impressive to witness a huge array of talent throughout the show not only from the UK but all across Europe and the world. The number of individual makers has increased significantly over the past two to three years, helping to meet the desire of consumers wanting to have a connection with each purchase and knowing the background of each piece intimately.

Design Junction in King's Cross provided a wonderful collection of designers in Granary Square. The beautifully curated collection of brands throughout The Old Truman Brewery was expertly put together by the striking design magazine Hole & Corner.

Here are the top ten emerging designers and brands who left a lasting impression:

1. &Ratio

&Ratio was founded by Interior and Architectural design team Yassaman and Jehanara. With a keen eye for quality and detail, the pair have created a platform where they can share their love of product and spatial design. Focusing on linking the end customer with the creator, they strive to grow a community where design-conscious individuals can converse over good design plus work that represents quality, authenticity and integrity.

The aesthetic of their first collection  Volume 1  has an eclectic balance of minimalism and luxury by accentuating clean lines through using contrasting materials, giving lightweight pieces an edge with the use of mixed geometry and by giving essential everyday pieces a rich undertone.

2. Kana London

Kana is the creation of Ana Kerin, a Slovenian-born ceramicist based in London. Ana creates a stunning range of ceramics from kitchenware to vases and tableware.

Her style is beautifully unique, plus her approach is experimental and playful, helping her radiant character to shine throughout her collections.

Her studio is based in London Fields and she also offers workshops for those wanting to learn the skill themselves.

3. One Nine Eight Five

One Nine Eight Five is a British homeware brand that specialises in print and interior textiles. The brand offers seasonal collections that are inspired by high end fashion, film and influential exhibitions. Recognised for its innovative prints, colour combinations and dedication to creating British manufactured goods, ONE NINE EIGHT FIVE uses ethically sourced materials wherever possible.

The eye catching Abstract cushion is one of its most popular pieces and was on display at DesignJunction. Buy cushion here.

4. Petra Lilja

Petra Lilja is a Swedish designer based in Malmo who specialises in concept design and curatorial work. With a strong foundation in sustainability, Petra works on projects on an international scale.

With her bold style showcased in her pieces she is putting a spin on conventional design. Her Stairs collection was displayed at LDF for the first time and contains a spirited, geometric element. She first gained inspiration for this from a staircase she saw in Robert Venturis Vanna Venturi House in Philadelphia.

5. Christabel Balfour

Christabel Balfour is a tapestry weaver, creating large rugs and wall hangings from her South London studio. Her work is inspired by architecture throughout the city but through that aspect she wishes to evoke a feeling of tranquillity and openness.

Her designs are beautifully minimal, working well in many interior settings. She too offers workshops for those wanting to try out the art of weaving.

Kullaro is a rising Swedish brand, creating unique and show-stopping pieces by using a rare natural rock called Diabase, which can only be found in a certain area of Sweden. Diabase was formed through large volcanic eruptions millions of years ago and has been forced upwards through narrow cracks in the parent rock. It is a dense and durable material and is a deep black colour, making it striking when used in forms for furniture and other decoration.

Its centrepiece at LDF was the Vilstol recliner which has a solid base made from Diabase that creates a sharp and eye-catching design.

7. Ornamental Grace

Ornamental Grace is a ceramics studio based in London and founded by Claire Baily. As a practising sculpture artist, Claire has exhibited her work all over the world. However, this is her first collection of homeware items, utilising her sculptural background and also combining elements of the modern yet traditional methods of sculpture, resulting in a collection of luxurious and elegant pieces.

Her latest collaboration with Olivia Aspinall Studio is a collection of handmade Jesmonite vessels. Not only are these designs a limited edition, Jesmonite was also voted the material of the year at LDF 2017. These wonderful creations add charm, uniqueness and a sophistication to any home.

8. SUGO Rugs

Sustainable design is extremely important and some designers are helping to increase its popularity. SUGO rugs are a Portuguese brand assisting with cause when making choices for the home.

SUGO produce an amazing selection of wonderfully designed rugs made from cork. Cork is currently one of the most popular sustainable materials to be used in furniture and interior design, and SUGO are committed to making consumers aware of the benefits of using this material and others like it. SUGO ensure all materials they use are ethically sourced, and are helping to change the vision of the interiors industry into a more sustainable one.

9.1213 store

12thirteen is an emerging homeware brand, who have a refined edit of delightfully designed pieces to uplift the home and add a touch of finesse to the space.

They concentrate on handmade, artisanal pieces, which are timeless classics offering the consumer an easy solution to find that one-off piece. Their stunning curation of designs can be browsed on their website.

10. Tim Walker

Tim Walker is a designer creating beautiful industrial pieces using concrete. His lighting collection is designed to offer a warm ambience, which isnt normally associated with the coldness of a material like concrete, making them subtly yet delightfully distinctive.

Based in London, Tim is one of the latest designers attracting attention with remarkable pieces perfect for various interior settings. His pieces can be found on finddesign.co.uk  a site showcasing a selected variety of designs for the home. Buy lampshade here.

Even though these are my top ten there was a huge collection of talent throughout LDF 2017 which was exciting to see!

Roddy Clarke is a Design Journalist and Interior Stylist. Email him at contact@roddyclarke.com or follow him on Instagram @roddyclarkedesign.
T he number of police officers being sacked for misconduct in London is on the rise, figures show today.

A total of 64 Met officers were sacked for misconduct in the financial year 2016-17, compared with 58 the previous year and 55 in 2014-15.

Conservative London Assembly member Susan Hall, who researched the figures, said she welcomed the rise if it meant the force was being more vigilant of wrongdoing in the ranks.

The most common reason given for misconduct cases was disreputable conduct  with 50 cases last year compared with 33 in 2014-15.

Other reasons for dismissal included dishonesty, neglect or failure of duty and use of force.

Insiders say the number of officers engaged in serious corruption involving criminality such as drug-dealing and perjury is falling but there are more cases of officers being involved in dishonesty, assault or misusing police data.

In August this year former Flying Squad officer David Gray was sacked for discreditable conduct after he was convicted of assault. The police constable spat at a member of the public in a road rage incident last year.

In the same month a police constable was sacked after turning up to work high on cannabis. Ms Hall, a member of the London Assembly police and crime committee, said: Our police officers do an excellent job in often difficult, dangerous and demanding circumstances and we are extremely grateful for their work.

Unfortunately, as in any large organisation, there will always be some disciplinary issues. It is important the Met maintains the highest possible standards among its officers because public confidence is vital to the strength of the force.

While these new figures are worthy of further discussion, we should keep an open mind as to their positive or negative implications. Higher figures may mean the force is showing greater vigilance, which would be welcomed.

A Met spokeswoman emphasised that the number of officers sacked was a tiny proportion of the force.

In a statement, the Met said: Securing and maintaining the trust of the community is integral to the principle of policing by consent ... the Met treats each occasion that an allegation is made about the conduct of its staff extremely seriously and will fully investigate each incident.

Where the conduct of staff is proven to have fallen below the standards of behaviour expected, the Met will take robust action to ensure that its staff are appropriately disciplined and that lessons are learnt from each case.
T he Citys newest skyscraper has been given the green light to be built with 10 extra storeys.

The developers of the tower, on the corner of Bishopsgate and Leadenhall Street, announced they have secured a resolution to grant planning permission on the updated design.

It will mean the building, developed by Mitsubishi Estate London and Stanhope, will now rise 50 storeys, with 570,000 square foot of space.

The development was first approved in July 2015 but the new plans included an extra 120,000 sq ft of space.

Tower: It features an eye-catching 'stacked' design

Yuichiro Shioda, managing director and CEO of Mitsubishi Estate London, said: We welcome this decision from the City of London, which recognises the benefits to all stakeholders of the revised proposals.

Development: The tower has secured a resolution to grant planning permission on the updated design

As part of the eastern cluster, this new tower will provide the modern business space required to keep the City of London at the forefront of international commerce.

David Camp, chief executive of Stanhope, added: We are delighted to be continuing our partnership with Mitsubishi Estate on this striking landmark building for London that will further enhance its global appeal and its ability to attract high quality international businesses to locate in the City.
U p the M1 yesterday to the Tory conference. The Londoner was hanging out at the Radisson Blu Edwardian Hotel in Manchester, where Tory activists flocked to hear MP Jacob Rees- Mogg speak at a Leave Means Leave fringe event. As some of the party faithful waited patiently outside for a place in the over-full event, a freshly coiffed Jon Snow sauntered past the activists and demanded entry from the armed police officer. But of course, Mr Snow, said one of the staff as dedicated activists and journalists decried the Channel Four news anchor.

Id love to kick him in the shins, said donor and long-term party activist Tessa Miller as the doors slammed in their faces.

No room at the inn

Less recognisable was Lionel Barber, editor of the Financial Times. He was spotted sauntering into a hotel bar yesterday sporting a Burberry mac flanked by five lackeys. Alas, the Pink Un has less pull north of St Albans, and no spot could be found for him. The group flounced out.

Cashing out

Also making an early departure was Bill Cash. Ive done my speech, the Eurosceptic MP told us. Im leaving today. One is quite enough: quality over quantity. Rees-Mogg, who has been speaking two or three times a day at conference, might take note.

Corrie under cover

Julie Hesmondhalgh, who played Hayley Cropper in Coronation Street, was behind enemy lines  she is staunchly pro-Corbyn. But for her the Conservatives need a style overhaul. Its funny, she said. When we came up for conference in years gone by we blended in with the Tories but now they are back to their old ways: they used to be a bit more urban.

Suits you, Prime MInister

Maybe this could help: one stall at the conference, set up by Shoreditch tailor Fielding & Nicholson, was selling suits that looked uncannily like Theresa Mays Vivienne Westwood numbers. Maybe Philip, her husband, could buy her some new schmutter for her birthday?

Quote of the Day

Bae of Pigs: Michael Gove (Getty Images)

By selling more sows ears to China, we can buy more silk purses for British farmers

Michael Gove wants to send pigs ears to China, where they are a delicacy.

Philips friends show some can-do attitude

ARTIST and costume designer Philip Colbert was left red-faced at the private view of his Saatchi Gallery exhibition New Paintings last night, because he arrived dressed as a lobster. Last night guests embraced his aesthetic by wearing an array of his Warhol-esque gowns  they included baked beans, canned soup and a packet of cigarettes. No sign of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, though, who were at St Andrews University with him: Colbert calls Prince William a sweet guy with a rock star entourage, trying to be normal. This wasnt the kind of party for someone looking to be normal.

---

Yesterday Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson mocked Jeremy Corbyn for acting like hed won the election even though, she said, he hasnae even won a raffle. But it seems that she didnt check her facts. Can confirm this is not true, Highbury East Labours Twitter account posted yesterday  located in part of Corbyns Islington North constituency. He won at Highbury Easts Christmas raffle last December and declined to take a prize.

The disconnected tribe

French Fancy: Niall Ferguson, right, with Christine Largarde

LITTLE cheer for Theresa May from historian Niall Ferguson at the well-attended launch party for his new book The Square and the Tower, on the power of networks in societies through the ages.

Jeremy Corbyn has four times as many followers on Twitter as Theresa May, he says when asked about the importance of networks, adding that he cant see any way the Tories can build a bigger following.

No such problems afflict Ferguson. Those among the impressive array of guests at the launch, in the St Jamess Square HQ of his bankers Kleinwort Hambros, include architect Norman Foster, economist Dambisa Moyo, Charity Commission boss William Shawcross, the writers Charles Moore and Anne Applebaum and the philosopher A C Grayling.

A more immediate illustration of todays ever more connected world is playing on his mind, however, as Ferguson mentioned that his familys nanny was at the Las Vegas concert where yesterdays mass shooting occurred, but escaped after leaving early to care for his youngest child.

Tweet of the Day

IF YOU always have zero expectations from a Theresa May interview you will never be let down. #r4today

Writer Sarfraz Manzoor clearly liked being proved right, after the Prime Ministers Today programme interview this morning.

Rewrite of the day: Russian TV producers are to remake the BBCs Doctor Foster but will make its anti-heroine a bit more sensitive, a bit more self-reflective. Whod think the Russians would find us too callous?

Raise your glasses to the kitchen

Magic moment: Claridge's: The Cookbook launch dinner (@claridgeshotel)

Theres something about Claridges, and last night the beloved Mayfair hotel launched Claridge's: The Cookbook. Chef Marcus Wareing and food writer Tom Parker Bowles were among the throng feasting on lobster risotto and chicken pie and sipping on Dom Perignon, with artist-in-residence David Downton best at expressing its appeal.

When you come through that revolving door and your feet squeak on the polished marble, and you see the sweep of the staircase and the shadows of the Fumoir, you know youre home, he said. Maybe its a magic trick, where you dont know how its done but you know somethings going on. As the world has gone made, as we are dominated by despots and dunderheads, I have never been more happy to be on this side of a revolving door. I say lets bolt the door.

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S enior European politicians lined up today to condemn Britains handling of Brexit and oppose Theresa Mays bid to kickstart trade talks.

In a resolution adopted by a majority of 557 to 92 on Tuesday, MEPs said sufficient progress has not yet been made on citizens rights, the Irish border and the UKs exit bill. They call on EU leaders to block trade talks  and discussions on a post-Brexit transition phase  unless there is a major breakthrough before a October 19 summit.

The resolution comes amid scathing criticism of PM Mays leadership skills from EU politicians, who blamed disunity in the UK Government.

Germanys Manfred Weber, an ally of chancellor Angela Merkel, said Mrs May should sack Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson for his repeated attacks on her, saying the Government is trapped by its own party quarrels and internal contradictions.

Theresa May, please dont put your party first, put, please, Britain first, put, please, the citizens first, and please, no more speeches, said Mr Weber, head of the centre-Right MEPs group.

And please sack Johnson because we need a clear answer, who is responsible for the British position, he added.

To rapturous applause in Strasbourg, Mr Weber wondered aloud: Who shall I call in London? Who speaks for the Government? Theresa May, Boris Johnson or even David Davis?

The European Parliaments Brexit point man, Guy Verhofstadt, also slammed the disunity between the PM and Chancellor Philip Hammond, Trade Secretary Liam Fox and Brexit Secretary Davis, blaming them for the slow progress in EU divorce talks. If youre at the other side of the negotiation table, there is a lack of clarity, there is even disunity. Its difficult to make sufficient progress.

The EUs lead Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, and European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker echoed MEPs doubts that the October deadline could be met.

We first need to agree on the terms of the divorce then we see if we can, half-lovingly, find each other again, Mr Juncker told MEPs this morning. Work still remains to be done and we still have not made the sufficient progress needed.

Reports last week said the EU was readying a fudge in October that would enable Mr Barnier to start exploratory talks on a post-Brexit transition period without signing off on the divorce.

A transition could be welcome in easing the impact of the withdrawal and mitigating the uncertainties affecting citizens and businesses, said Estonian deputy EU affairs minister Matti Maasikas, but to be able to consider the transition in good time, we need far more clarity than what has been provided so far.

MEPs said in their Brexit resolution that the UK must remain subject to EU laws during transition, including on the budget, migration rules and EU court judgements.

They complained that slow progress in talks has caused unnecessary hardship and anxiety for EU citizens living in the UK. Although MEPs do not have a veto on the Brexit talks, they do have to approve a final divorce deal.
T ory MP Jacob Rees-Mogg compared the Conservative Party conference to a Kim Jong-un style rally, claiming party members are not given enough opportunity to speak out.

At a conference fringe event, the prominent backbencher said members are treated appallingly and more of a chance to debate and vote on policy is needed.

He said: Its now become like an American presidential convention where youre expected to just turn up and cheer the great and the good.

It isnt even American but Kim Jong-un style  if you dont clap for long enough youll get in real trouble.

Discussing party members, he added: We treat them appallingly. We expect them to do all the work, deliver all the leaflets, knock on the doors, go out in the rain and then the CPF [the members policy-making forum] sends in its reports and they get ignored.

They come up with brilliant ideas. We used to have system that took the policy ideas from our members seriously.

He also said his party needs to offer more to younger voters.

He said: In the last general election we didnt say anything at all to young people, we pretended they didnt exist because we thought they wouldnt vote, and we were wrong, he said, adding that he was young once, though I wasnt very good at it.

Turning to Brexit, Mr Rees Mogg also said on Tuesday that divorce from the European Union will boost the poorest Brits because the European customs union is "a racket" that has driven up the price of food, clothes and footwear.

The North East Somerset MP said the living standards of the worst-off in the UK had been made worse by the customs union, because it denied businesses from poorer countries access to the British market.

He told a fringe meeting at the Tory Party conference in Manchester: "The customs union is a racket that defends producers in rich countries against producers in poor countries, to the cost of the poorest consumers in the rich countries."

He cited the example of roasting coffee, saying coffee beans were free of duty but roasted coffee beans were not.

He went on: "Why is that? It's to stop poor countries developing an industry of processing foods, so that it can be kept by the Germans and the Italians.

"And who pays for that? The British consumer.

"But these examples are endless. The poorest countries in the world are deprived of access to our market, and this then makes the standard of living of the poorest in our country worse.

"So we have a real opportunity for genuine free trade.

"And what are the biggest tariff areas under the customs union? Food, clothing and footwear.

"Who spends the highest percentage of their income on food, clothing and footwear?"

Putting the question to the audience, he said: "The poor, thank you.

"You're very good hecklers here, you're better quality hecklers than we had in the town hall the other day."

Earlier this week a fringe event featuring Mr Rees-Mogg at Manchester town hall descended into chaos after protesters mobbed the high-profile backbencher.
S ecurity minister Ben Wallace says terrorists are still active in Northern Ireland and has pledged the Government wont take its eye off the ball as Brexit approaches.

He said Britain has kept a lid on violence so far despite potent and dangerous individuals still operating in the province.

They are definitely there and they are not going to go away. They are there for the long term, he said of dissident republican threats.

Mr Wallace, a former Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, said terrorists are still recruiting.

The ones still active are definitely potent and dangerous individuals who have killed prison officers and police officers in the last few years, he added.

However he stressed the quality of British police and security services, adding that Brexit did not automatically mean a flare-up in violence. He said dissident groups are largely disengaged with political events, and have not responded with threats during any of the stalled Stormont talks.

He said: They didnt seem to become more or less active. No one is taking their eye off the ball. We put in a lot of investment in there and will continue to do so.

His warning at Conservative Party conference came as David Camerons former Independent Reviewer of Terrorism, Lord Carlile QC, claimed that a hard border with the Irish Republic after Brexit would lead to trouble.

Asked if terrorism could make a return in the province, he said: Yes it could come back.

If we have a Brexit negotiation that creates a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland I think we are potentially asking for a great deal of trouble.

The Government announced in a position paper this summer the UK and the Irish governments do not want a physical border after Brexit and will find an unprecedented and creative solution.

Checkpoints were removed after the 1998 Good Friday Agreement and there is complete freedom of movement between the countries.

However the EUs lead negotiator Michel Barnier has said he is worried about the UKs proposals for a invisible border, particularly if they affect the integrity of single market and customs union.

Lord Carlile, one of the UKs top legal experts, said the number of terrorists remaining in Northern Ireland is quite small and security services know who they are.

He said: I think we have that under control provided we havent Brexited out of the Good Friday Agreement.

He and Mr Wallace were speaking at a conference fringe meeting.
T heresa May today denied being a weak leader as she rejected calls to sack Boris Johnson from the Cabinet for laying down his own personal Brexit red lines.

The Prime Minister argued that she did not want to be surrounded by a group of yes men.

The Tory annual rally in Manchester has been overshadowed by Mr Johnsons intervention at the weekend which has sparked talk that he is positioning himself as the Godfather of Brexit.

Asked on ITVs Good Morning Britain if the Foreign Secretary was unsackable, Mrs May said: Of course a Prime Minister makes decisions about who is in their Cabinet.

Amid signs that she does not want to make him a Brexit martyr, she defended her stance not to axe him, adding: Weak leadership is having a Cabinet of yes men, weak leadership is having a team of people who only agree with you.

Actually, strong leadership is about having a diverse range of voices around the Cabinet table, who then come together, who discuss the issues and then come up with the answer.

On the move: Boris Johnson out for a run in Manchester / .

Pressed earlier this morning on whether there were any red lines which Mr Johnson himself should not cross, the Prime Minister said: Everybody uses this phrase red lines. I dont set those sort of red lines.

However, former No10 adviser Baroness Camilla Cavendish said: He is a very weak Foreign Secretary. He is not doing the job properly at a time when developing relationships with other countries is of paramount importance.

That is a fundamental issue and she should sack him on that basis.

Mrs May stressed that the Governments position on Brexit had been laid out in her Florence speech last month.

Despite laying down his own red lines on a transition period being no longer than two years and not paying for single market access, Mr Johnson sought to play down differences with Mrs Mays position.

Ahead of his speech to the party faithful today, Mr Johnson insisted: You have a Cabinet that is totally united behind every comma, every full stop, every syllable of the Prime Ministers excellent Florence speech.

Thats the agenda that were going to deliver and were going to deliver a great Brexit for this country.

Mrs May said the Foreign Secretarys speech, being talked up as a let the lion roar on Brexit address, had been through the normal processes - including being checked by her office.

Sources played down claims that David Davis, 68, is planning to quit as Brexit Secretary after the UK leaves the EU in 2019.

I think David was joking with someone in a bar, said the Prime Minister.

Mrs May also confirmed that the transition period for some sectors could take less than two years.

If we find that there are some things that can be changed in a shorter period of time without disrupting economies, without disrupting business, then we will bring those in earlier, she said.

She insisted the Government was examining what actions would be needed in case there is No Deal on Brexit.

Mrs May also told today how she wept when visiting victims of the Grenfell Tower fire in hospital.

She was criticised at the time of the tragedy in June for what some perceived as an unemotional response.
P olice are to resume the search for missing RAF gunner Corrie McKeague.

The 23-year-old was last seen walking through Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, after a night out with friends.

A five-month search of a landfill site was called off in July after no evidence of his body was found.

But Suffolk Police said that after rechecking the information available to them, the investigative team concluded the area of the original search "is still the location where there was the highest likelihood of finding Corrie".

The force said the resumed, extended search, likely to take between four and six weeks, would concentrate on an area next to the site of the earlier search.

Mr McKeague, from Fife, Scotland but based at RAF Honington in Suffolk, was last seen on CCTV at 3.25am on September 24, 2016.

Detective Superintendent Katie Elliott said: "Throughout this rigorous investigation we have remained committed to following all reasonable lines of inquiry in our endeavours to discover what has happened to Corrie.

"Confronted by the variances in the way waste can be deposited and through further investigation we cannot discount the possibility Corrie may be elsewhere in Cell 22.

"Therefore, we believe our decision to extend the search area is the correct one."
P iers Morgan clashed with an American pro-gun campaigner in a furious row over the Las Vegas shooting on live TV.

The Good Morning Britain host became embroiled in a heated argument with pro-gun campaigner Dan Roberts while discussing whether America's relaxed gun laws should be changed.

Morgan  who is known for his anti-gun stance  said he feared for America if nothing changes following the countrys deadliest mass shooting in history.

At least 59 people were killed and more than 500 injured when Stephen Paddock, 64, opened fire on a country music festival from a 32nd floor hotel room.

Good Morning Britain host Piers Morgan next to co-host Susanna Reid / ITV

Its not complex at all, just get rid of guns, said Mr Morgan. He added that most people in the UK would be shocked if laws in the US did not change.

However, Mr Roberts, a member of the National Rifle Association, said supporters of gun control need to stop lying to people or misinterpreting the facts.

Las Vegas Shooting - In pictures 1 /18 Las Vegas Shooting - In pictures People run for cover at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival Getty Images Concertgoers carry a person away Getty Images Police officers telling people to take cover near the scene AP Broken windows seen on a high floor in the Mandalay Bay hotel facing the scene of the mass shooting at the Route 91 Harvest festival on Las Vegas Boulevard EPA Concertgoers scramble for shelter Getty Images Festival-goers run while ducking for cover Getty Images A police officer takes cover behind a patrol vehicle AP A couple comfort each other Getty Images Las Vegas police stand guard along the streets outside the festival grounds of the Route 91 Harvest Getty Images Concertgoers fleeing Getty The crowd at the festival Getty Images Concertgoers fleeing Getty Images A woman sits on a curb at the scene of a shooting outside of a music festival along the Las Vegas Strip AP Police and rescue personnel gather at the intersection of Las Vegas Boulevard Getty Images

He added that he was hopeful nothing would change regarding guns in the wake of the Las Vegas shooting, before the two men descended into a fierce war of words.

Mr Morgan later produced a Kinder Egg to emphasise his point. He explained that some US states had banned sales of the treat yet continued to make guns available.

When Mr Roberts burst into laughter, the opinionated host shot back: Dont laugh, its not funny. 600 people got shot.
A lawyer for CBS has been fired after allegedly writing that she has no sympathy for the 59 victims of the Las Vegas shooting.

Hayley Geftman-Gold, 41, appeared to write on her Facebook page that she didnt feel sorry for the killed and wounded festival-goers because country music fans are often gun-toting Republicans.

The post from her account read: If they wouldnt do anything when children were murdered I have no hope that Repugs will ever do the right thing. Im actually not even sympathetic bc country music fans often are Republican gun toters.

The post was spotted and shared widely on social media before it was deleted. A petition was launched calling for her firing.

CBS confirmed to US media that Ms Geftman-Gold had been dismissed from her job as a legal executive.

A statement read: This individual, who was with us for approximately one year, violated the standards of our company and is no longer an employee of CBS.

"Her views as expressed on social media are deeply unacceptable to all of us at CBS. Our hearts go out to the victims in Las Vegas and their families.

More than 500 people were also injured in what is the deadliest mass shooting in American history.

Las Vegas Shooting Victims - In pictures 1 /18 Las Vegas Shooting Victims - In pictures Bailey Schweitzer was among the 59 killed in the US's worst ever mass shooting Tony Burditus saw his wife Denise die in the shooting Off-duty police officer Charleston Hartfield was among the victims Victim Rachael Parker was a police records technician for California Police AP Adrian Murfitt, 35, a fisherman, was shot in the neck AP High school secretary Lisa Romero died in the shooting Moth-of-three Neysa Tonks was killed The death of Canadian Jordan McIldoon, 23, was confirmed by his parents Jessica Klymchuk Facebook School office manager Susan Smith was among those killed Facebook Sandy Casey was shot dead at the concert Student Quinton Robbins, 20, was also killed in the gun massacre A memorial fund has been set up for victim Angela Gomez San Bernardino County official Dana Gardner was among the victims Country music fan John Phippen died at the scene Chris Roybal served in Afghanistan with the US navy Mother-of-three Hannah Ahlers was among the victims Facebook Young Lawyer Jennifer Irvine Facebook

Gunman Stephen Paddock fired down on the crowd at the Route 91 Harvest festival from a 32nd floor hotel room across the road.

Police stormed the room and found him dead inside, along with 23 guns.
A young woman banned from Irans national chess team for playing without wearing a headscarf has switched allegiances to the US.

Irans semi-official ISNA said that Dorsa Derakhshani, 19, refused to wear the hijab during a competition in Gibraltar in February, and has joined the US national team.

Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Iran has required women to wear the hijab in public places.

However, the semi-official Mehr news agency reported Monday that the president of Irans chess federation, Mehrdad Pahlevanzadeh, said Ms Derakhshani had in fact changed her national federation to the United States, which was not unusual among chess players.

Ms Dorsa left Tehran and moved to Barcelona in 2015 after she received an invitation by a chess club that also supported her studies, according to ISNA.

Ms Derakhshani wears a headscarf at a chess match

She was awarded the titles Woman Grandmaster and International Master by the World Chess Federation in 2016.

At the February competition in Gibraltar, her younger brother Borna Derakhshani, also a chess player, was paired up by a computer against Israeli grandmaster Alexander Huzman. Mr Pahlevanzadeh later announced that Borna was banned from playing for Iran, and that her sister was also banned for not wearing the hijab at that competition.

Iran has a policy of not competing against Israeli athletes.

Shohreh Bayat, the general secretary of Irans chess federation, said: (Dorsa) Derakhshani has not become a member of the US national chess team, she just changed her federation to the United States.
F ifteen stab wounds were found on the torso of a Swedish journalist who died after she went on a trip with a Danish inventor on his submarine, a prosecutor said.

Jakob Buch-Jepsen said the cause of death for 30-year-old Kim Wall has not yet been established.

He was speaking at a pre-trial hearing on Tuesday for inventor Peter Madsen, who says he is innocent of manslaughter.

Ms Wall was last seen alive on August 10 as she departed on a submarine trip with Madsen. She was researching a feature about his submarine.

Peter Madsen (R), builder and captain of the private submarine "UC3 Nautilus" which sank / AFP/Getty Images

The freelance journalist was later reported missing by her boyfriend and the submarine sank hours after the search for her began.

Madsen says Ms Wall died after being accidentally hit by a heavy hatch in the submarine's tower and he buried her at sea.

Ms Wall's headless torso was found off Copenhagen August 21, 10 days after his arrest. Police said the arms, legs and head had been deliberately cut off.

Tuesday's hearing at Copenhagen City Court was not aimed at determining the guilt of Madsen, but to extend his detention to October 31 while police investigate.
T he Las Vegas strip and the Eiffel Tower switched off their lights on Monday night to honour the victims of the Las Vegas massacre.

Both global landmarks went temporarily dark to pay tribute. The shooting came a day after a knifeman shouting Allahu Akbar stabbed two cousins to death outside a train station in Marseille, France.

Gunman Stephen Paddock opened fire on crowds from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel on Sunday night, killing 59 and injuring 527.

A candlelit vigil at the corner of Sahara Avenue and Las Vegas boulevard was attended by hundreds of mourners, who came together to pay their respects.

Where the mass shooting took place / AP

France and the US stood shoulder to shoulder to honour the victims of the weekends attacks, as the lights of the Eiffel Tower were switched off and the Las Vegas strip went dark.

"Tonight we will turn off the Eiffel Tower from midnight in homage to the victims of the attacks in Marseille and Las Vegas," Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo wrote, adding the hashtag "we are united".

The French capital has repeatedly switched off the night-time lights on its most famous landmark to show solidarity with victims of terror attacks from London to Kabul.

The Las Vegas strip lit up with messages for the victims from the mass shooting with one building saying: "Our prayers for the victims."

In New York, the Empire State Building also went dark in tribute to those who died in the Mandalay Bay hotel massacre.

The landmark issued a statement saying it would go dark in sympathy for the victims of the Las Vegas tragedy.

President Trump condemned the mass shooting on Monday, calling it an act of pure evil.
T his is the first picture of two cousins stabbed to death outside a train station in Marseille by a man shouting "Allahu Akbar".

Mauranne Harel, 20, and Laura Paumier, 21, died from their wounds after being knifed as they sat in the sun waiting for a train at Saint Charles station on Sunday.

The assailant was killed by soldiers immediately after the attack, the latest of several to target France.

Ms Harel, from Eguilles in Aix-en-Provence, was about to begin her third year studying medicine at Marseille university, Le Parisien reported.

Paying respect: A woman writes a message of condolence next to a portrait of Mauranne Harel in Eguilles / AFP/Getty Images

Her cousin, Ms Paumier, 21, was studying to become a nurse in Lyon and was visiting for the weekend. She was also a scout leader, according to her Facebook page.

It comes after the suspect was revealed to have been detained for shoplifting and released the day before the attack.

The suspected terrorist is detained at the scene of the attack in Marseille

He was identified by his fingerprints, which matched those taken during previous arrests, according to two police officials. He was not on France's extremist watch list.

French officials are studying the suspect's mobile phone and working to determine whether he had accomplices or direct links to Islamic State (IS), which claimed responsibility for the stabbings.

The man used multiple pseudonyms and identity papers, making it difficult to determine his true identity - or even to find a house to search.

Interior minister Gerard Collomb said police have obtained video that shows the man attacking a woman and running away, then coming back and attacking a second woman.

Some witnesses reported hearing the assailant shout "Allahu akbar" - Arabic for "God is great".
T he latest state-by-state figures show that 1,091 people were killed in gun incidents in California so far this year alone.

Meanwhile firearms were connected to at least 869 deaths in Texas, and a further 772 in Illinois.

The three states top the list of gun-linked deaths by state, according to data from non-profit the Gun Violence Archive, which showed that a minimum of 11,686 people have been killed in 2017 in the US in total.

Meanwhile, Nevada is the state that now tops the list of deaths in mass shootings this year after 59 were killed in Las Vegas on Sunday night.

It is followed by Texas, which saw 28 people killed in mass shootings so far in 2017.

The damaged windows on the 32nd floor room that was used by the shooter in the Mandalay Hotel / AFP/Getty Images

A further 24 people have died this year so far in mass shootings in Illinois, and 24 in Texas.

The macabre statistics came as it emerged police found a giant arsenal of 42 weapons, worth at least $15,000, linked to Stephen Paddock in searches after the Mandalay Bay massacre.

23 weapons were found in the hotel room from which Paddock sprayed hundreds of rounds of bullets indiscriminately on a country music festival crowd, killing 59 and injuring more than 400.

Gun deaths by state Number killed in gun incidents so far in 2017 1. California - 1,091

2. Texas - 869

3. Illinois - 772

4. Florida - 719

5. Ohio - 519

6. Georgia - 496

7. Pennsylvania - 468

8. Missouri - 459

9. North Carolina - 407

10. Louisiana - 402

Total for all states: 11,686

The guns included at least one AR-15 and an AK-47 as well as four Daniel Defense DDM4 rifles, three FN-15s and other rifles made by Sig Sauer. Bought in the US, the guns would likely be worth $15,000 to $30,000.

A further 19 firearms as well as explosives and thousands of rounds of ammunition were found at his home in Mesquite, Nevada. Ammonium nitrate, an explosive, was also found in his car.

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More than 30,000 people die per year in gun incidents in the US, about two thirds of which are suicides.

When it comes to gun massacres specifically, since the Sandy Hook massacre in 2012, in which a gunman killed 20 children and six adults in an elementary school, there have been at least 1,518 other mass shootings on US soil.

In 2017, 346 died in mass shootings and 1307 were injured in 273 incidents. A mass shooting is where there were four or more victims.

That means that, on average, there is more than one mass shooting every day in America.
T heresa May today urged Donald Trump to clamp down on guns in America after the Las Vegas massacre.

The Prime Minister said people in Britain could not understand why the US continued to allow such easy access to weapons despite so many shooting tragedies.

She condemned the latest attack as appalling and completely senseless. We cant understand it because we have a different approach to guns, she told LBC radio.

We have very strong gun laws here, and obviously we tightened the gun laws initially after Dunblane because people saw the atrocity that took place there and we took action as a government.

But of course America has a different approach to guns.

Its up to them to see what they will do now but I think most people here in the UK would say if you look at what has happened here, surely they will want to do something, she said. Her comments may be seen as controversial so soon after the mass shooting.

But they are far more diplomatic than the US presidents criticism of Mayor Sadiq Khan after the London Bridge terror attack and Mr Trumps apparent leaking of intelligence during the more recent hunt for the alleged Parsons Green Tube bomber.

Mrs May added that the Foreign Office was liaising with the Las Vegas authorities but said that so far there were no reports of British casualties.
U S defence chiefs have drawn up nine options for military action against Kim Jong-uns North Korea to destroy its nuclear weapons threat, the Evening Standard has been told.

They escalate to different levels of intensity and could be pre-emptive or retaliatory, and could be ordered by Donald Trump in response to an attack on the US Pacific naval base on Guam or American allies such as Japan or South Korea.

However, all of them risk triggering a devastating response by Pyongyang against South Korea, using conventional weapons. At least one senior Whitehall figure is concerned that there may be a shift in Washington towards military action.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has opened up a diplomatic channel for talks with the pariah regime. However, Mr Trump tweeted just days ago: I told Rex Tillerson, our wonderful Secretary of State, that he is wasting his time trying to negotiate with Little Rocket Man [Kim Jong-un].

The history of Kim Jong-Un v Donald Trump

The US presidents language has raised fears that it could goad the North Korea dictator into an action which escalates into war.

North Korea has tested long-range missiles that potentially could reach the US and on September 3 conducted its largest test explosion to date, believed to be a hydrogen bomb.

Amid fears that Pyongyang is getting closer to developing a nuclear-tipped missile, tensions have escalated as Mr Trump and the North Korean leader have thrown insults and threats of war at each other. China firmly opposes steps that could bring down the Pyongyang regime but has agreed to tougher UN restrictions on trade.

Beijing ordered North Korean-owned businesses and ventures with Chinese partners to close by early January and has said it would cut off gas and limit shipments of refined petroleum products at the start of next year.

China has also banned imports of North Korean coal, iron and lead ore and seafood but has stopped short of turning off the supply of crude oil, which makes up the bulk of Chinese energy supplies to North Korea.

Beijing has urged Washington to cool its rhetoric and open a dialogue with North Korea which says it will only discuss its weapons programme if America abandons its hostile policy towards the regime.
T he US and Cuba are poised to cut their embassies by more than half after bizarre sonic "attacks" on US diplomats in Havana.

The Trump administration will tell Cuba on Tuesday to withdraw 60 percent of its diplomats from Washington, American officials said.

The withdrawal follows the US's move last week to cut its own embassy staff in Havana by the same proportion.

Officials told reporters on Tuesday that the number of victims of mysterious sonic "attacks", thought to cause mild brain injury and hearing loss, has climbed to 22.

Medical officials had previously said the total was 21 victims. It was not immediately clear when the most recently discovered victim was attacked.

The attacks began shortly after President Donald Trump's election / AP

The US request to Cuba to withdraw diplomats marks a major setback for relations between the two neighbours, less than three years after they renewed diplomatic relations.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson discussed the plan Monday with President Donald Trump. The State Department was expected to formally announce the decision Tuesday, officials said, though they cautioned no decision was formalised until publicly announced. The officials were not authorised to discuss the plan publicly and requested anonymity.

The US will formally tell Cuba to pull the diplomats, but will not expel them forcibly unless Havana refuses, the officials said. Cuba's Embassy in Washington did not respond to requests for comment.

President Raul Castro's government denies involvement in the attacks, and is likely to view the move as unwarranted retaliation. US officials meanwhile said the goal wasn't to punish the communist-run island, but to ensure both countries have a similar number of diplomats in each other's capitals.

On Monday, it was revealed that American spies were among the first and most severely affected victims.

Though diplomats have also been affected, it wasn't until intelligence operatives, working under diplomatic cover, reported bizarre sounds and even stranger physical effects that the United States realised something was wrong, several individuals familiar with the situation said.

The mysterious "health attacks" started within days of President Donald Trump's election in November. But it wasn't until last Friday that the US ordered more than half its embassy staff to return home.

The US last week also delivered an ominous warning to Americans to stay away from Cuba, a move that could have profound implications for the island's travel industry. It said that since some workers had been attacked in Havana hotels, it could not assure Americans who visit Cuba that they wouldn't suffer attacks.

"Because our personnel's safety is at risk, and we are unable to identify the source of the attacks, we believe US citizens may also be at risk and warn them not to travel to Cuba," the United States said in a formal travel warning. Cuba called the warning "hasty".

To medical investigators' dismay, symptoms have varied widely. In addition to hearing loss and concussions, some people have experienced nausea, headaches and ear-ringing.

According to officials, the incidents stopped for a period but began again as recently as late August.
H alf the fun of making cocktails is figuring out what youve got left in the cupboards and liberally adding a hint of this or a dash of that and hoping for the best.

But one too many mixologist mishaps may encourage to hit the manuals and perfect a few key classic recipes or dig deeper into wild concoctions to discover your new favourite drink.

When inspiration is not striking, theres a whole world of cocktail recipe books out there devoted to solving this specific problem. You could be looking for a way to spice up your usual G&T or wondering exactly which botanicals will take your long drink to the next level. Theres a book for both of the above as well as literally any other concoction-based query that springs to mind.

We could now break down everything you should keep in mind when mixing up a batch of mojitos or delicately decorating a fancy spritz. But that would defeat the object of recommending the books below, so well leave it to the experts and let you get straight to it.

Summer Drinks: Over 100 Refreshing Recipes to Enjoy in the Sunshine by Ryland Peters Product image A quick flick through Ryland Peters lengthy summer cocktail recipe book and youll find yourself desperate to mix up a round of drinks, even if the weathers dreary and theres no inkling of sunshine in sight. Bringing together more than 100 of the best punches, cocktails, mocktails and slushies with easy-to-follow recipes and easily accessible ingredients, its a must-have book for British summer time. Organising a BBQ? Youll need this book. Getting ready to head out for balmy evening drinks? Have a scroll through this book. Boring afternoon when the suns (finally) shining? You heard: crack open the book. An ice-blended wine Frose or a Strawberry Daiquiri is calling your name. Buy now  9.99 , Waterstones {{#hasItems}} Price comparison {{/hasItems}} {{#items}} {{ merchant }} {{ price }} Buy now {{/items}} {{#hasItems}} {{/hasItems}} The Curious Bartender: Cocktails At Home by Tristan Stephenson Product image Buy this book for the budding bartender in your life: the friend who takes charge when it comes to cocktail creation who always seems to have a well-stocked bar cart and all the fancy equipment. Inside, you'll find 75 different cocktail recipes, bringing together all of the classics as well as some lesser-spotted mixes. Written by Tristan Stephenson, drinks industry consultant, bar owner, restaurateur and mixer-of-great-cocktails, you'll discover industry secrets as well as those little extra steps that'll take your cocktails to the next level. Next time you're out for drinks, you'll find yourself asking for a Martinez or maybe an Aviation. Dont be surprised if you get a few puzzled looks. Buy now  14.53 , Amazon {{#hasItems}} Price comparison {{/hasItems}} {{#items}} {{ merchant }} {{ price }} Buy now {{/items}} {{#hasItems}} {{/hasItems}} The Savoy Cocktail Book by Harry Craddock Product image Do you know your Slings from your Smashes or your Fizzes from your Flips? Nope? Buy The Savoy Cocktail Book and you'll be more than familiar with the most impressive and well-loved cocktails from the Dirty Thirties. The Savoy Cocktail Book was actually first published in 1930 and, with more than 750 recipes inside, it's remained one of the most varied and inclusive books for close to 100 years. As well as a huge variety of London's most famed cocktails, it's filled with beautiful Art Deco illustrations and handy tips and guidance. The updated version even comes with a new introduction from The Savoy. Buy now  17.91 , Amazon {{#hasItems}} Price comparison {{/hasItems}} {{#items}} {{ merchant }} {{ price }} Buy now {{/items}} {{#hasItems}} {{/hasItems}} Gin OClock by Craft Gin Club Product image You've guessed it: Craft Gin Club's cocktail book is all about, well, gin. Called "A year of ginspiration", it's the ultimate gift for the gin-lover in your life who's maybe got a little bored with the same old G&T recipe. While the core of the book is recipe focused (with more than 70 varieties included), it also encompasses a lot of extra details about the world of gin, including interviews with amazing distillers, tips on how to host your own gin tasting evening and even a few edible rather than drinkable gin recipes. The only thing missing? The bottle of gin you're somewhat morally obliged to pair with it when gifting. Buy now  9.80 , Amazon {{#hasItems}} Price comparison {{/hasItems}} {{#items}} {{ merchant }} {{ price }} Buy now {{/items}} {{#hasItems}} {{/hasItems}} Cocktail Codex by Alex Day Product image Cocktail Codex is more than just a cocktail recipe book: it's a beautiful, oversized coffee table book in hardback form that deserves to be admired even by teetotallers. Some cocktail books might push the boundaries of the industry with unusual creations and odd ingredients. Cocktail Codex does the opposite, bringing the art of mixology back to its basics and stripping out anything unnecessary. It offers a step-by-step manual from some of the industry's leading experts to lay the foundations of creating a great drink from scratch. A great reference book for anyone looking to learn more about the cocktail world, it focuses around six "root recipes," and breaks down the how's, what's and why's of each family drink. Buy now  17.79 , Amazon {{#hasItems}} Price comparison {{/hasItems}} {{#items}} {{ merchant }} {{ price }} Buy now {{/items}} {{#hasItems}} {{/hasItems}} The Drunken Botanist by Amy Stewart Product image The Drunken Botanist is a cocktail book that takes things one step further, looking into not only the recipes for the liquid component of each drink but also its root substances. Hitting the midpoint between mixology and botany, The Drunken Botanist breaks down the details of over 150 plants, flowers, trees, fruits, and fungi to explain exactly how they've all been turned into alcohol (or other substances) over the years. If ever you've picked up a plant or leaf and wondered "what would happen if I consumed this?" then The Drunken Botanist is for you. Along with 50 drinks recipes, you'll get growing tips, funny anecdotes and gorgeous, vintage style pages. It's as much a joy to read as it is to admire. Buy now  14.72 , Amazon {{#hasItems}} Price comparison {{/hasItems}} {{#items}} {{ merchant }} {{ price }} Buy now {{/items}} {{#hasItems}} {{/hasItems}} The Aviary Cocktail Book by Grant Achatz Product image Completed all the basics and ready to take your cocktail recipes to the next level? Look no further than The Aviary Cocktail Book, arguably the most prestigious, challenging cocktail recipe book around. It might also be the most expensive, but within those prized pages are beautifully illustrated pictures complete with recipes so intricate you'll scratch your head at least once or twice while making them. It's by no means a quick fix: if you're looking for short and sweet recipes to make up in a quick batch, look away. But if you're serious about mixology and want to elevate your talents, The Aviary Cocktail Book is a must-have. Buy now  140 , Amazon {{#hasItems}} Price comparison {{/hasItems}} {{#items}} {{ merchant }} {{ price }} Buy now {{/items}} {{#hasItems}} {{/hasItems}} Cocktails of the Movies by Stacey Marsh and Will Francis Product image Lovers of film and lovers of cocktails can celebrate together with Cocktails of the Movies. This illustrated guide covers 75 of the most famous movie star cocktails including Marilyn Monroe's Manhattan in Some Like It Hot, The Dude's White Russian in The Big Lebowski and New Orleans' staple Hand Grenade in Girls Trip. Each recipe comes accompanied by a quick synopsis of each famous scene along with a history of the drink and a method to perfectly pour it. And, because it's movie-focused, it also comes full to the brim with colourful illustrations on every other page. Buy now  9.99 , Waterstones {{#hasItems}} Price comparison {{/hasItems}} {{#items}} {{ merchant }} {{ price }} Buy now {{/items}} {{#hasItems}} {{/hasItems}} The Infused Cocktail Handbook by Kurt Maitland Product image The Infused Cocktail Handbook is a game changer for elevating standard cocktail recipes with a unique touch. As its name suggests, this book breaks down individual infusions best suited for a large number of famous cocktails and explains which ingredients go best with each spirit. Disregard the idea of mixing a simple rum and coke or gin and tonic: once you've read The Infused handbook cover to cover you'll replace underwhelming ingredients with the likes of Earl Gray tea, lemongrass and cardamom. There are also a few more unusual recipes in there - if you've ever wondered how to make cocktails with gummy bears and bacon, you'll find the answers here. Buy now  12.99 , Amazon {{#hasItems}} Price comparison {{/hasItems}} {{#items}} {{ merchant }} {{ price }} Buy now {{/items}} {{#hasItems}} {{/hasItems}} The Spirits: A Guide to Modern Cocktailing by Richard Godwin Product image The Spirits: A Guide to Modern Cocktailing is the best all-rounder in the cocktail recipe book. Designed as a larger, more varied and detailed version of Richard Goodwin's popular newsletter (The Spirits), this stylish recipe book covers a lot of ground with hilarious anecdotes, essential recipes and easy to follow methods. Bringing together a mix of the old and the new, A Guide to Modern Cocktailing provides you with all the skills necessary to become the unofficial mixologist of your friendship group, highlighting all of the core features in a compelling way. It also looks a little further back to the golden days of cocktails, bringing in interesting historical facts and stories along the way. Buy now  12.06 , Amazon {{#hasItems}} Price comparison {{/hasItems}} {{#items}} {{ merchant }} {{ price }} Buy now {{/items}} {{#hasItems}} {{/hasItems}} Tequila Mockingbird: Cocktails with a Literary Twist by Tim Federle Product image The same way "Cocktails of the Movies" links alcohol with films, Tequila Mockingbird provides a delicious link between cocktails and literature. The ultimate cocktail book for the literary obsessed, it's almost as fun to read as it is to put into practise, bringing together 65 book-infused recipes with historical commentary along the way. Even if you're not an avid reader or wouldn't consider yourself a big fan of the classics, you'll likely enjoy this recipe book. Open it up on an evening with friends and decide whether you'd prefer a Pitcher of Dorian Grey Goose, a Romeo and Julep, A Rum of One's Own, or The Last of the Mojitos. Intrigued? You should be. Drinking games, food pairings and illustrations guide you from start to finish. 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A riana Grande is just one of the stars calling for tighter gun control laws following the Las Vegas attacks, dubbing the shootings an act of terrorism.

Four months after 22 people were killed by an explosive device at her concert in Manchester, the pop star said her heart was breaking.

My heart is breaking for Las Vegas. We need love, unity, peace, gun control & for people to look at this & call this what it is = terrorism, she wrote on Twitter.

Sending as much love and healing energy as humanly possible out into the world tonight.

Stephen Paddock murdered 59 people and injured hundreds more as he opened fire at the Route 91 Harvest Festival in Vegas on Sunday night.

Author J.K Rowling also publicly condemned the US governments response to gun violence, saying she was stunned that nothing had been done following the Sandy Hook shootings.

The massacre of schoolchildren in Dunblane led to UK gun law reform, which is why many stunned that there was no US change after Sandy Hook, she wrote on Twitter.

Just emerged from a fictional world to news of more horror. Thinking of everyone affected by the terrible events in #LasVegas.

Las Vegas shooting: Theresa May expects gun laws 'action will be taken'

British comedian Russell Brand also blasted lax gun laws in a video rant following the tragic events, saying that mass shootings had become normalised.

Its interesting that Americas ideas about freedom to purchase arms continues to hold the imagination so strongly even after Sandy Hook, he said in a video posted from the US.

Its sort of tragic that as Im looking at this, Im not thinking, What?! Fifty people have died?! Instead, its like one of those things has happened. It is already normalised by virtue of the fact it happens a lot.

He added: This wont stop happening unless we change our mentality.


J immy Kimmel made an emotional plea for the government to tighten gun laws as he teared up while talking about the Las Vegas shootings.

The chat show host struggled to fight back the tears as he condemned the lack of gun control in the US after 59 people were killed by a gun man who opened fire at the Route 91 Harvest Festival on Sunday night.

During his live monologue, the Las Vegas-born star urged Donald Trump and Congress to finally act out against gun violence.

This morning, we have children without parents and fathers without sons, mothers without daughters, he said.

We lost two police officers. We lost a nurse from Tennessee. A special-ed teacher from a local school here in Manhattan Beach. Its the kind of thing that makes you want to throw up or give up.

Kimmel continued: Its too much to even process  all these devastated families who now have to live with this pain forever because one person with a violent and insane voice in his head managed to stockpile a collection of high-powered rifles and use them to shoot people.

Las Vegas Shooting - In pictures 1 /18 Las Vegas Shooting - In pictures People run for cover at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival Getty Images Concertgoers carry a person away Getty Images Police officers telling people to take cover near the scene AP Broken windows seen on a high floor in the Mandalay Bay hotel facing the scene of the mass shooting at the Route 91 Harvest festival on Las Vegas Boulevard EPA Concertgoers scramble for shelter Getty Images Festival-goers run while ducking for cover Getty Images A police officer takes cover behind a patrol vehicle AP A couple comfort each other Getty Images Las Vegas police stand guard along the streets outside the festival grounds of the Route 91 Harvest Getty Images Concertgoers fleeing Getty The crowd at the festival Getty Images Concertgoers fleeing Getty Images A woman sits on a curb at the scene of a shooting outside of a music festival along the Las Vegas Strip AP Police and rescue personnel gather at the intersection of Las Vegas Boulevard Getty Images

The host went on to condemn the government for only acting when someone with a bead attacks the US, rather than an American-born citizen.

Because when someone with a beard attacks us, we tap phones, we invoke travel bans, we build walls, we take every possible precaution to make sure it doesnt happen again, he said.

Las Vegas shooting: What we know so far

But when an American buys a gun and kills other Americans, then theres nothing we can do about that.

Kimmel then proceeded to show the faces of all of the senators who voted against gun restrictions the day after the shootings in Orlando last year.

He said: President Trump is visiting Las Vegas on Wednesday. He spoke this morning, he said he was praying for those who lost their lives.

You know, in February, he also signed a bill that made it easier for people with severe mental illness to buy guns legally.

At least 59 people were killed and more than 500 injured when Stephen Paddock, 64, opened fire on the crowd at the Route 91 Harvest festival from a 32nd floor hotel room across the road.


L ove Islands Chris Hughes and Kem Cetinay have topped the iTunes chart with new single Little Bit Leave It.

The friends, who struck up a bromance on the ITV dating show, released the track on Monday night following the final episode of their series Straight Outta Love Island.

Little Bit Leave It was produced by rapper Professor Green and Zdot productions, and is based on a catchphrase Hughes and Cetinay thought up while in the Love Island villa.

The pair thanked fans for their support on social media, with Cetinay writing: Number #1 in 3 hours HOW HAS THIS HAPPENED! Best moment in my life ever!! Support has been crazy [sic].

Meanwhile Hughes commented: When we bantered about Little Bit Leave It out October in the villa Little did we know. Everyone youre all special love me and Kem [sic].

The duo showed off their rapping skills on several occasions in the villa, teasing that a track would be out this October.

Their spin-off show, Straight Outta Love Island saw the pair develop their song and prepare for a sold-out concert at Londons Ministry of Sound nightclub.

Love Island Series 3 - in pictures 1 /46 Love Island Series 3 - in pictures ITV ITV ITV ITV ITV ITV ITV ITV ITV ITV ITV ITV ITV ITV ITV ITV ITV ITV ITV ITV ITV ITV ITV ITV ITV ITV ITV ITV ITV ITV ITV ITV ITV ITV ITV

As well as a trip to LA to visit the home of rap  LAs Compton, Hughes and Cetinay also met a few of their music industry idols including Stormzy, Yungen, Krept & Konan and Professor Green.

Yungen even joined the pair on stage at their gig to perform his song Bestie.
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Although Russia gives a lot of publicity to its more modern tank designs, like the T-14, T-90 and T-80BV (an expensive T-80 upgrade), most of the new tanks the Russian army has received since 2000 have been refurbished and much upgraded T-72B3s. Currently the Russian Army has about 3,000 tanks in service and most (65 percent) are T-72B3s, which you hear little about. The new breakthrough design, the T-14, has fewer than a hundred in service and cuts in production (which began in 2015) were recently announced with only 10-20 a year being built. The T-14 is mostly about publicity. The T-90 has been produced in large quantities, but not for Russia. The T-90 was a 1980s project that was to incorporate T-80 features into many upgrades of the T-72. Originally it was designated the T-72BU but when Russia finally began production in 1993 it was renamed the T-90. That succeeded in in making the tank an export success with most (84 percent) of those produced were for export. In fact India and Algeria each have more T-90s in service than Russia. Worse Russia has quietly put over a third of its newly 550 built T-90s into reserve. While the T-90 were loudly proclaimed to be the next big thing built the Russian army preferred the refurbished T-72s in the form of the T-72B3. These proved to be more reliable, something that got little publicity. While all the upgrades (new engine, gun, fire control and protection) made it nearly as expensive as the T-90 it was preferred by the troops and the older officers quietly agreed that it was a better tank than the new T-90/T-72BUs.

This apparently has something to do with the design of the T-72BU (trying to merge T-80 elements into the T-72 design) and the decline in manufacturing quality in Russian the defense industry after the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991. Since the T-72B3 was introduced in 2013 it has been produced in far greater numbers than any other tank and that continues. Especially telling was how T-90s began to be taken out of service (and put in reserve) as soon as enough T-72B3s became available. At the same time the most popular Russian tank for export customers is the T-72B (a B3 with fewer of the upgrades) and these cost nearly two million each, but can be delivered in a few months after the contract is signed. The T-72B3 has been so popular with Russian troops that the government is giving it more publicity in the state-controlled mass media.

Russia still has over 3,000 late model T-72s in reserve (storage) because these are so frequently reconditioned and upgraded for Russian use and export customers. It appears that all of these will eventually be returned to service once refurbished and upgraded. Production of the T-72 continues, but mainly under different names and often outside Russia.

The T-72B3 turned out to be nearly as expensive as the T-90 but early tests showed it was worth the cost. This could be seen in early 2015 when the first T-72B3 tanks entered service in the Russian Army. While the T-72B is a 1980s model (with modern fire-control and additional armor) the T-72B3 is a recent upgrade with more modern and expensive equipment. This includes an improved fire control system and 21st century communications equipment. The T-72B3 costs nearly twice as much as the B and is part of the Russian effort to modernize its armed forces. Most T-72s in service are pre-1991 models that are very inferior to the most modern American, European and Chinese tanks.

The T-72 is a Soviet second-generation tank that entered production in 1971. About 25,000 T-72 tanks were built (so far), making it one of the most widely produced postWorld War II tanks, second only to the T-54/55 family. The T-72 was widely exported and saw service in 40 countries and in numerous conflicts. Improved variants are still being built for export customers. The T-72 was the most common tank used by the Warsaw Pact from the 1970s to the collapse of the Soviet Union. It was also exported to other countries, such as Finland, India, Iran, Iraq, Syria, and the former Yugoslavia, as well as being copied elsewhere and built both with and without licenses.

Licensed versions of the T-72 were made in Poland and Czechoslovakia, for other East European countries. These tanks had better and more consistent quality of manufacture but had inferior (to Russian made models) armor, lacking the resin-embedded ceramics layer inside the turret front and glacis armor. The Polish-made T-72G tanks also had thinner armor compared to Soviet Army standard (410 mm for turret). Before 1990, Soviet-made T-72 export versions were similarly downgraded for non-Warsaw Pact customers (mostly the Arab countries). Many parts and tools are not interchangeable between the Russian, Polish and Czechoslovakian versions, which caused logistical problems.

The T-72 shares many design features with earlier Soviet tanks. Some of these are viewed as deficiencies in a straight comparison to NATO tanks, but most are a product of the way these tanks were envisioned to be employed, based on the Soviets' practical experiences in World War II. The T-72 is extremely lightweight, at forty-one tons, and very small compared to their Western counterparts. Some of the roads and bridges in former Warsaw Pact countries were designed so that T-72s can easily use them while NATO tanks could not pass at all, or only at very low speed. Yet this lighter weight is a feature for many less affluent users, like Nicaragua.

The basic T-72 was relatively underpowered, with a 780 hp (580 kW) supercharged version of the basic 500 hp (370 kW) V-12 diesel engine block originally designed for the World War II-era T-34. The 0.58 m (23 inch) wide tracks run on large-diameter road wheels, which allows for easy identification of the T-72 and descendants (the T-64/80 family has relatively small road wheels). One reason the T-72B3 is so popular is because it has a very reliable and capable 1,130 hp engine that old-timers always wished the original T-72 had.

The T-72 has a comprehensive nuclear, biological, and chemical (NBC) protection system. The inside of both hull and turret is lined with a synthetic fabric made of boron compound, meant to reduce the penetrating radiation from neutron bomb explosions. The crew is supplied clean air via an extensive air filter system. A slight over-pressure prevents entry of contamination via bearings and joints. Use of an autoloader for the main gun allows for more efficient forced smoke removal compared to traditional manually loaded ("pig-loader") tank guns, so NBC isolation of the fighting compartment can, in theory, be maintained indefinitely. Exported T-72s do not have the anti-radiation lining and most users dont use or maintain the NBC protection system.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, U.S. and German analysts had a chance to examine Soviet-made T-72 tanks equipped with ERA (explosive reactive armor) blocks attacked to the turret and front. It was found that this ERA rendered most modern American and German tank projectiles ineffective. This led to the development of more modern Western tank ammunition, such as the M829A2 and M829A3. Russian tank designers responded with newer types of reactive and composite armor. ERA is still a popular and relatively inexpensive upgrade for exported T-72s.

The T-72B3 addressed most of the complaints about earlier upgrades, often because the Russians had the opportunity to buy (at least until the 2014 sanctions were imposed) Western armor and fire control equipment. Many export customers preferred to equip their T-72s with this gear as did India with their T-90s. Russian manufacturers managed to match a lot of the foreign equipment, or at least earlier models of it. Thus the T-72B3 has thermal sights that enable the gunner to spot other tanks at night that are up to eight kilometers away and positively identify them at about a third of that distance. The T-72B3 incorporates a lot of world-class protection features. Not just in defense against enemy armor-piercing rounds but also landmines and roadside bombs. The T-72B3 has a modern fighting compartment with flat screen displays, some of them simply showing what is in the vicinity of the tank. In addition to modern communications the T-72B3 has electronic sensors and some electronic jamming capability. But most of importantly the T-72B3 is reliable and, as the saying goes, it just works. That feature hasnt been common with Russian tanks since World War II when the T-34 was a breakthrough design that was technically inferior to Western (especially German) models but it just worked.
Senior Hamas and Fatah officials are currently meeting in Gaza to work out the details of a Hamas proposal for a united Palestinian government. Since 2007 there have been two Palestinian governments, Hamas in Gaza and Fatah in the West Bank. Egypt has been increasingly insistent on unification before it will end its blockade of Gaza. In response Hamas has selected a new leader and made changes that Egypt has long demanded. One of those changes is putting Fatah (the rival Palestinian group that controls the West Bank) in charge of the newly opened Rafah crossing with Egypt. If Iran wants to get anything into Gaza it needs access to Rafah. Egypt wont tolerate Iran using the Rafah crossing to move people or items that will hurt Egypt. But Egypt also knows that if Fatah is running Rafah security the guards can be bribed or intimidated to letting contraband through. Same with the Egyptian side. Egypt wants a through crackdown on Islamic terror groups in Gaza and Hamas seems unable to deliver on that one. Meanwhile Iran has once more established a presence in Gaza.

In the past the Iran link made Hamas an enemy as far as most Sunni Moslem nations were concerned but Egypt is willing to work with Hamas as long as Hamas is not a threat to Egypt. But when it comes to Hamas and Iran promises have proved hard to keep and Hamas will have a difficult time convincing Egypt that anything has changed. Hamas is again receiving aid from Iran and Iranian operatives are in Gaza. Although Hamas declared its civil government in Gaza dissolved on September 17th, that was just for show. The basic problem here is that Hamas will not surrender the military forces (over 10,000 armed men and a large stockpile of rockets, many of them Iranian, and other weapons). Hamas continues to build combat tunnels inside Gaza and tells its armed followers, most of whom are on the payroll, that nothing will change. But according to Egypt and Fatah nothing will really change unless Hamas gives up its armed personnel and all those weapons there will be no united Palestine government.

Hamas will have to admit failure if there is a united Palestinian government because just about everyone (especially Palestinians and Gulf Arabs) has stopped contributing cash. Hamas is increasingly unpopular in Gaza and one way it maintained the peace was via the 43,000 Gazans it had on its payroll. Most of these were unarmed and handling civil administrations and if unification happens most of these Hamas supporters will be out of work and replaced with more trustworthy Fatah supporters (some from outside Gaza).

The new Hamas leadership has already said that a few thousand of the best trained and equipped Hamas security personnel had to remain on the payroll and that was not negotiable. But Egypt and Fatah expect these men to be demobilized. That would be messy because it is no secret that Egypt, Fatah and Israel would like to question many of them and arrest a number of them as well. Hamas hopes to deal with this by getting everyone to agree to a multi-year schedule to carry out the reunification. During most of that time Hamas would keep its core fighters and all those weapons, which could be used to take back control of Gaza when the time was right. Fatah and Egypt have already said they are aware of this possibility and want no part of it. No one knows exactly how this mess will turn out. If the past is any guide the result will please no one and accomplish little besides setting the stage for more violence in Gaza.

Syrian Stalemate

Israel remains openly hostile to a permanent Iranian presence in Syria. Turkey quietly agrees and Russia is seeking opportunities for itself but seems to dislike the Iranian long range plan. Israel is quite blunt about describing Iran as replacing ISIL as the new threat to just about everyone. Russia sometimes supports that openly and Israel keeps trying to improve relations with the unstable Turkish Islamic government. Meanwhile Iran keeps moving in.

Iran and Russia have both signed deals with the Assads to establish military (mainly naval) bases in Syria. Iran and Russia are doing this for different reasons. Russia has always wanted a secure Mediterranean naval base. Iran wants bases in Syria because Iran has openly called for the destruction of Israel since the 1980s and is now seeking leadership of the Islamic world and control of Mecca and Medina.

It is possible for Russia and Israel to continue working together, as they have done since Israel was created in the late 1940s. Even during the communist period (that ended in 1991 along with the Soviet Union did) Russia often worked closely with Israel while also courting Arab states that wanted Israel to disappear. Russia continues this policy of maintaining multiple alliance with Turkey and Iran while also remaining on good terms with Israel and the Arab oil states in the region. Give the Russians credit, they are getting away with it.

And then there are the Sunni Arab states, who want the Assads gone and are more open in opposing Iranian plans for post-war Syria. As part of this the Arab Gulf states are moving closer to an open alliance with Israel. That includes diplomatic relations and dropping the decades of Arab sponsored boycott against Israel. A major reason for these changes is the need to prevent Iran from establishing a land route from Iran to Lebanon and military installations in post-war Syria. Israel has made it clear that it will, and can, make sure that does not happen. Turkey and Russia recognize that Israel is not only the stronger military power here but also has the most at stake. For decades Iran has called for the destruction of Israel and that does not sit well with Turkey and Russia because both nations have had clashes with aggressive Iranian ambitions over the past few centuries and see the current Iranian strategy as eventually taking down Turkey (for being Sunni and an ancient rival) and Russia (for not being Moslem and defeating Iranian attempts to expand in the 19th and 20th centuries). But at the same time Russia and Turkey will play Israel and Iran off against each other to do what is best for Russia or Turkey.

The Lebanon Phantom

Although Iran backed Hezbollah in Lebanon is increasingly active in the media about how soon its next war with Israel will happen, the reality is somewhat different. Israeli wargames and monitoring of attitudes in Lebanon (among Hezbollah supporters and the majority of Lebanese who are hostile or neutral) indicates that another Hezbollah war now would be unlikely. At the moment Hezbollah military power is crippled by losses in Syria and the continued deployment of about a third of their available forces there. In addition a significant number of veteran personnel are working in Iraq and Yemen supporting local pro-Iran Shia militias. More Hezbollah personnel will be heading back to Gaza now that Hamas has resumed its alliance with Iran.

But in the long term (the 2020s) Iran is building something that threatens Israel in a big way. By establishing military bases in Syria and organizing a branch of Hezbollah in Syria Iran has legal justification for stationing Iranian troops in Syria. Unless Israel interferes Iran could rebuild the Syrian military, especially the Syrian ballistic missile stockpile. Iran would have time (and money) to deal with the financial problems that are crippling Hezbollah and Hamas. Thus by the mid-2020s Iran would be in a much stronger position for attacking Israel. That would include the new Israeli natural gas fields off the coast near the Lebanese border.

The UN has told Israel that UNIFIL (the 12,000 UN peacekeeper force on the Israeli border) will now be more assertive on dealing with violations on the Lebanese or Syrian side of the border. That will be a big change, and major challenge, because now Hezbollah is showing up on the border in Syria as well as Lebanon. In the past, when the Israelis reported a particularly obvious example of Hezbollah misbehavior on the border, Hezbollah gunmen would keep all media out and blame it all on false claims by the Israelis. This sort of thing has been going on since the last war with Hezbollah in 2006. In Lebanon Hezbollah refuses to allow UNIFIL to go near any of its rocket storage sites near the Israeli border and insists that the only weapons it has along the Israeli border are those needed to defend itself. But now Hezbollah is preparing to set up shop in the Syrian border. Hezbollah has been bringing in more rockets from Syria since the civil war escalated there in 2012 and there is fear that Hezbollah will also get some of the Syrian chemical weapons. That was apparently a reason for the September Israeli airstrike on a Syrian weapons research facility. Even the UN has to acknowledge that Iranian plans for Syria, and the use of Hezbollah in Syria, is a threat to peace.

Yet the UN still refuses to declare Hezbollah an international terrorist organization, despite the fact that Hezbollah has been caught carrying out terrorist operations in several foreign countries and openly calls for the destruction of Israel. The U.S. and a number of other nations have declared Hezbollah a terrorist organization but the UN refuses to do so. The UNIFIL force has been in place since 1978 and was expanded after the 2006 war. It will probably expand again after any peace deal in Syria. The question will the new UN resolve to make UNIFIL do its job be sustained.

Iranian Nukes

The Americans are accusing Iran of continuing to develop nuclear weapons. So far both sides appear to have complied with the terms of the 2015 treaty where Iran gave up nuclear weapons research for 15 year, although without any more verification it is uncertain if Iran is still in compliance. Meanwhile Iran has become more of an international troublemaker and a growing number of intelligence analysts in the U.S., Europe and the Middle East believe Iran is still pursuing work on nuclear weapons. Iran appears to justify this effort internally by invoking the Israeli threat that, according to Iran, is sustained by the United States. The Iranian government regularly calls for both Israel and the United States to be destroyed. At the same time Iran is concerned that their Arab neighbors are becoming too strong.

The Internal Threat

The Israeli domestic intelligence service (Shin Bet, similar to the British MI5) recently revealed that it had disrupted (and thus prevented) over 200 terror attacks so far in 2017. This includes 70 of them in July and August alone. The Islamic terrorist activity is about the same as in 2016 and 2015 and includes bombings (some using a suicide bomber), kidnappings and shooting attacks. Since 2015 suicidal knife terrorism attacks have lost their popularity despite Fatah still pushing them energetically in all the Palestinian media. This can be seen in the number of Palestinian terror attacks disrupted each year. It was 217 in 2014, 187 in 2013 112 in 2012 and 88 in 2011. Since 1948 some 2,600 have died from terror attacks inside Israel. Nearly five percent of those dead were foreigners. Palestinian terrorism efforts have never recovered from the defeat they suffered, when Israel adopted new tactics that largely shut down the terror campaign the Palestinians began in 2000. Fatah and Hamas have been trying to revive that effort ever since and have largely failed.

October 2, 2017: In Egypt (Cairo) police killed three Islamic terrorists during a raid on a hideout used by Hasm, a radical faction of the Moslem Brotherhood that has aligned itself with ISIL and been responsible for a growing number of attacks on security forces outside of Sinai (where most of the Islamic terrorists activity has been).

October 1, 2017: In Jerusalem an Israeli Arab supporter of ISIL drove a flatbed truck into a large group of soldiers, killing four and wounding 17. The truck driver was shot dead has he sought to move the truck to make another attack. The dead attacker was a 28 year old Palestinian who lived in Jerusalem and had served time in prison.

In Egypt (Cairo) a small bomb went off in the Burmese embassy. Egyptian Islamic terror group Hasm took credit and says the attack (which caused no injuries and little damage) was in retaliation for Burmese treatment of their Moslem minority. This was the first time Hasm had attacked a civilian target as the group normally concentrates on the security forces, judges and prosecutors.

September 30, 2017: Turkey threatened Israel for its support of Kurdish independence. This comes after the September 25th referendum in autonomous Kurdish northern Iraq where 92 percent of the voters approved of efforts to establish a Kurdish state.

Egypt announced the results of the latest census. The population is now 104.2 million but nine percent (9.4 million) live outside Egypt, usually because there are better employment opportunities abroad and the money these workers send back to their families are a major part of the economy (about 5 percent of GDP). The census found a quarter of the adult population was illiterate. Most of the remittance income comes from Gulf Arab oil states (mainly Saudi Arabia) and the West (mainly the United States).

September 29, 2017: Israel and Russia increased trade by 25 percent in the first six months of 2017. That is an increase of nearly $400 million and is a big deal with Russia because trade with most other Western nations is way down because of sanctions related to the Russian 2014 invasion of Ukraine.

September 28, 2017: The U.S. Department of Defense revealed that it had ordered Israeli Trophy ADS (Active Defense Systems) for some American M1 tanks. This is part of a test and evaluation of Trophy which is why the contract was worth only $10 million.

September 27, 2017: Turkey finally signed an agreement on September 12th to purchase the Russian S-400 SAM (Surface to Air Missile) system and paid an initial deposit on the $2.5 billion deal. The contract provides Turkey with four S-400 battalions and technology transfer. Thus two battalions will be built in Russia and the other two in Turkey. This is not the first time a NATO country has bought Russian air defense systems. Greece bought two batteries of the S-300PMU1 (each battery with a radar and command center plus four launcher vehicles, each carrying four missiles) in the late 1990s and stationed them on Crete, where they remain in use. NATO and Israeli tech experts got an opportunity to examine the equipment and was apparently not impressed. More worrisome is that Turkey is on its way towards leaving NATO. Thats because the current Turkish government is pro-Islam, not pro-secular as all Turkish governments had been from the 1920s until 2000. For nearly a century democratic Turkey was a bastion of stability in the Middle East. That ended with the election of an Islamic government and the subsequent efforts by that government to make their rule permanent and decidedly undemocratic. That in itself is a problem for NATO, Israel and the Middle East in general.

September 26, 2017: In the West Bank a Palestinian man with a clearance to work in an Israeli settlement shot dead two security guards and a policeman before he was shot and disabled. Subsequent investigation showed the man had family problems and his wife had left him. He was apparently trying to commit suicide and be declared a hero by Fatah, the Palestinian organization the runs the West Bank. Fatah pays large rewards to Palestinians who kill Israelis. Israel in turn destroys the homes of families involved and seizes other assets to take away the financial benefits of murdering Israelis. In this case Israel also cancelled the work permits of Palestinians related to this shooter.

In Egypt security forces on the Libyan border called in F-16s to attack ten four-wheel drive vehicles trying to smuggle weapons in from Libya. Egyptian F-16s have targeting pods that enable pilots to spot and target (for smart bombs) vehicles on the ground even when the aircraft is more than 20 kilometers away. Egypt also has more reconnaissance aircraft with night vision capability.

September 24, 2017: In Egypt (northern Sinai) three more members of Hamas deserted, used smuggling tunnels to get out of Gaza and joined ISIL. Two of the Hamas deserters were members of an elite commando group trained to attempt to carry out attacks inside Israel in any future war. ISIL publicizes these defections to encourage more. Meanwhile Hamas has been promising Egypt that it would reduce the number of Gazans, especially trained Hamas fighters, from joining ISIL. Although Egyptian counter-terror operations in Sinai have greatly reduced Islamic terrorist activity ISIL continues to carry out daring attacks, some of them successful. This month they had one major success (On September 9th an attack on a convoy killed 18 people, ten of them ISIL or civilians) but mostly losses from raids on their bases or attacks that largely fail. Yet ISIL is the only Islamic terror group that really remains active in Sinai and that attracts those young men who are looking for that kind of action. So ISIL publicizes its successes (and optimistic versions of partial successes or failures) on the Internet and word-of-mouth. Finance is a problem so ISIL has to take advantage of every opportunity (kidnapping, smuggling, extortion) to raise cash.

September 23, 2017: In Syria another Israeli Arab was killed (near Homs) while fighting for ISIL. At least fifty Israeli Arabs are known to have joined ISIL and most appear to have died there or otherwise disappeared from view (or at least contact with their families back in Israel). Since the 2006 and the war with Hezbollah that year there has been a growing problem with loyalty of Israeli Arabs, who make up 20 percent of the population. A 2007 opinion survey of the Israeli Arabs revealed some scary attitudes. For example, 48 percent believed the Hezbollah rocket attacks on northern Israel in 2006 were justified, even though Israeli Arabs suffered a disproportionate number of the Israeli casualties (because most Israeli Arabs live in the north). Moreover, half saw the Hezbollah kidnapping of two Israeli soldiers (which triggered the 2006 war) as justified, and 89 percent considered the Israeli attack on Lebanon a war crime (44 percent believed the Hezbollah rocket attack was a war crime.) A third of Arab high school and college graduates don't believe that six million Jews were killed during World War II (compared to 28 percent of all Israeli Arabs.) Israeli Arabs also have fears, like the possibility of mass expulsions from Israel (60 percent), or transfer of their communities to a new Palestinian state (62 percent). In fact, 68 percent would prefer to live in Israel even if there were a peace deal that led to the creation of a Palestinian state. Meanwhile, 63 percent of Israel Jews avoid entering Arab towns of neighborhoods, and 68 percent fear civil unrest among Israeli Arabs. Since 2007 these anti-Israel attitudes among Arab Israelis has gotten worse and Hamas, Hezbollah and ISIL try to take advantage of it. ISIL has been the most successful, mainly because it is the most radical Islamic terrorist group and that appeals to the young (especially teenage) Moslem males who are most attracted to Islamic terrorism. Thus at least seven Israeli citizens (all Arabs) who have died fighting for ISIL so far.

September 22, 2017: In Iran a new ballistic missile (the Khorramshahr) was displayed during a parade in the capital. This one was described as having a range of 2,000 kilometers. Later in the day the government announced one of the Khorramshahr was successfully test fired. This new missile is similar in performance to the earlier Shahab-3 and it is unclear exactly what the difference is between the two. Israeli and American intelligence officials later reported that there was no evidence the missile test took place and that the video Iran released was actually of another missile test seven months ago.

September 21, 2017: Lebanese media is reporting that an air strike, apparently Israeli, his a weapons storage area near the Damascus airport. Weapons (from Iran) for Hezbollah were apparently the target. Israel admits that it makes these attacks, and does so frequently. The Israelis rarely comment on individual airstrikes.

September 20, 2017: Egypt received the first of four Gowind class warships they had ordered in 2014. The first one was built in France but the next three will be built in in Egypt. These are 2,400 ton corvettes costing about $330 million each. These are armed with a 76mm SRMF (Super Rapid Multi Feeding) automated cannon that can fire shells up to 20 kilometers at aircraft, missiles and swarms of small armed boats. There are also four Exocet anti-ship missiles (180 kilometers range) and a dozen VL-MICA anti-aircraft missiles (15 kilometers range). There are four MU90 torpedoes for anti-submarine work. The 102 meter (332 foot) long ships have sonar and air-search radars.

September 19, 2017: In northern Israel a large (apparently Iranian) UAV was spotted crossing the border and was shot down using a Patriot missile. The wreckage was apparently not available to be studied (to obtain more details) because the UAV was brought down in Syrian air space just before it would have crossed the border into Israel.

Egypt offered to help reorganize LNA (Libyan National Army) forces, especially those operating in eastern Libya and near the Egyptian border. This effort would involve integrating armed men who are currently not part of the LNA and supplying them with weapons, uniforms, training and screening to keep an Islamic terrorist types out.

September 18, 2017: Israel acknowledged the first American military base in Israel. This was a largely symbolic gesture because American troops have been assigned to duty in Israel for decades. There were never a lot of troops involved and they often did not wear their uniforms. All this was to avoid upsetting Moslem states that were U.S. allies. Times have changed. Many Moslem states in the region admit that they have much better relationships with Israel now and the Americans went ahead and declared an area where some American military personnel live in an Israeli base to be an American base. This could consist of putting up a sign and flying an American flag nearby but in this case it involves some construction on an Israeli air defense base and building a fence around housing and administrative facilities for the fewer than fifty American personnel stationed there. The United States has long worked with Israel in new tech and has invested several billion dollars in developing new air defense systems. This often involves manufacturing U.S. developed components in the United States and sometimes Israeli tech as well. Increasingly American troops work in Israel to help operate or maintain new or developing Israeli systems (and occasionally American weapons as well).

September 17, 2017: Russia is having some problems with Israel over where Iranian forces can go in Syria. Russia is enforcing the no-fly aspect of the de-escalation and ceasefire zones that are being set up in parts of Syria that rebels have lost control of. This includes parts of the Israeli border (the Golan Heights) and Hezbollah leaders cant help themselves and boast to the media that Hezbollah has thousands of troops on the Golan Heights border and more are moving in daily. This issue becomes a news item every few weeks because thats how often Russian and Israeli officials meet to discuss mutual concerns about what is going on in Syria and to ensure that Russian and Israeli forces avoid firing on each other. Israeli air attacks still take place in these ceasefire zones but less frequently than outside these zones. The main problem is that Israel detects Hezbollah and Iranian forces using the ceasefire zones, has compiled evidence and is pressuring Russia to stop supporting these ceasefire zones. Israel has said it will attack any Iranian forces (especially Hezbollah) that get within 40-80 kilometers of the Israeli border. Currently Russia says it will only agree to five kilometers and implies that Russian warplanes and air defense systems will side with Iran if there is a problem. That has not been the case so far as long as Israel restricts its airstrikes to some limited list of items Israel and Russia have informally agreed on. This is not working for Israel because five kilometers is close enough for Hezbollah and other Iran-backed militias to fire mortar shells and portable rockets into Israel.

Since July Russia and the United States have agreed with Israeli concerns about Iran setting up bases in Syria and Lebanon. This is another way of saying Russia and the U.S. will not try to block Israeli attacks against Iranian forces getting too close to the Israeli border or Iranian efforts to establish new facilities in Syria and Lebanon. Russia does not want to put this to the test and understand that Israel has more at stake here than anyone else. In other words, nothing has changed and Iran has been officially reminded that they are on their own when they threaten Israel.

Russia and the Syrian government realize that Iran intends to control a post-war Syria and attempt to turn it into a Shia majority nation (via forced conversions and expulsions of stubborn Sunnis). That would make the Assads totally dependent on and subservient to Iran, something that most Assad supporters are not in favor of. But defying Iran does not appear to be a practical option because the most effective troops the Assads have are the 20,000 or so Iranian supplied Shia mercenaries. Meanwhile a pro-Assad coalition of Russia, Turkey, Iran and the Assad government continues their negotiations (also called peace talks) with each other about how bring peace to Syria via de-escalation zones and ceasefires. Russia, Turkey and Iran agreed that each would contribute 500 observers to monitor compliance in the de-escalation zones in rebel held areas of Idlib province, Homs province; along the Israeli border and outside Damascus. No one else monitors the monitors these zones which makes the United States, Israel and several other Middle Eastern nations wary of what Russia, Turkey and Iran are up to. Earlier in 2017 these peace talks also involved some rebel factions but the rebels soon left because they felt the peace talks had nothing to do with peace but everything to do with how to defeat the rebels and put the Assads back in control of Syria. The rebels see the decision to establish de-escalation zones as a ploy to make it easier to defeat the rebel forces there. By the terms of this the zones would be no-fly zones for all aircraft except those from Russia, Turkey and Syria. The Assads and their supporters (Russia, Iran and Turkey) would establish checkpoints around the zones to control ground access. This would, in theory, allow emergency aid to get in (or be blocked) and eliminate air attacks on civilians. But the rebels point out that in previous ceasefire agreements the Russians and Assads ignored the terms and attacked rebels and civilians claiming they were reacting to rebel violence. In the case of the de-escalation zones established already thats exactly what happened.

Israel is also aware, as are Russians, Turks, the Assads and nearly all Syrians, that Iranian efforts to take control of Syria are unwelcome. Since Iran is currently run by a religious dictatorship any opposition in Syria must be overcome because Iran is on a Mission From God and not to be interfered with. The Iranians, as far as everyone but Iran is concerned, are simply replacing one brand of Islamic fanaticism with another as ISIL power is extinguished in Syria.

September 16, 2017: Hamas and Fatah have agreed to jointly administer Gaza. Fatah would take over civil administration while Hamas would be in charge of security. Israel is apparently not interested because this is the sort of arrangement Hezbollah has in Lebanon and that Iran is trying to impose in Syria as well. Iran is once again advising and supplying aid to Hamas so this proposal makes sense, but not to Israel or Egypt.

September 15, 2017: In Gaza Hamas reported that two more of its members died while working on two different tunnels (Khan Yhounis in the south and Gaza City in the north). Neither of these tunnels were near a border and were apparently tunnels built to protect Hamas personnel and equipment from air attack or surveillance. There have been a lot fewer of these deaths in 2017 As of April there had only been two for 2017. Although not all such deaths are reported it appears that so far this year deaths were probably between five and ten. Hamas admitted that 22 of its members (or those employed by them) had died while working on a tunnels in 2016. Most of these tunnel deaths took place in those being built or repaired near the Israeli border. The similar deaths near the Egyptian border are usually not Hamas members. Most tunnel deaths recently have been in deeper and more dangerous tunnels designed to pass under the Israeli security fence or the improved Egyptian security measures. Most of the more than 30 tunnel deaths in 2016 were known to have been Hamas men or Palestinians working for Hamas. Tunnel collapses and accidents have been common in Gaza since 2007, when Hamas backed the construction of more smuggling and combat tunnels. Since 2007 over 400 Gazans have died in tunnel accidents. Hamas usually blames such collapses on natural causes (like heavy rains) but Israel believes Israel and Egypt efforts to limit lumber and cement shipments entering Gaza has played a role because many of these recent accidents seem to be the result of poor tunnel construction compared to earlier, sturdier and safer tunnels. As a result of all these accidents, which began to accelerate in late 2015, a growing number of Gazans are refusing to work in the tunnels because there is a widely believed (in Gazan) rumor that the real cause of all these tunnel collapses (including the unreported ones that didnt kill anyone) are the result of new Israeli anti-tunnel weapons. This sort of thing has been mentioned in the Israeli media, but mainly in terms of new detection sensors not devices that could remotely trigger a tunnel collapse. Hamas denies Israel has any such weapon and Israel wont discuss classified military matters like new tunnel detection sensors. It is believed that Hamas spends about 40 percent of its $100 million annual military budget on tunnels. Israel believes Hamas digs about ten kilometers of tunnels a month. Most of these tunnels remain inside Gaza, to protect Hamas forces and military material from Israeli detection and attack. Israel recently offered Hamas a peace deal that included building an international airport, a seaport and industrial zones in Gaza and lifting the blockade if Hamas would renounce its efforts to destroy Israel, cease all military operations against Israel. Hamas turned the offer down.

September 8, 2017: In Egypt (Giza, south of Cairo) raids on three hideouts left ten Islamic terrorists dead and five policemen and soldiers wounded. Most of these occurred when Islamic terrorists attempted to use a locally made bomb against the approaching troops. But the explosives, designed to be a roadside bomb, went off prematurely. This killed two Islamic terrorists and wounded several of the approaching troops.

September 7, 2017: In the northwest (Hama province) Israeli warplanes bombed a government chemical weapons research center at Masyaf. At the same time other Israeli warplanes destroyed a Hezbollah convoy transporting weapons. Syria later confirmed the attack on the Masyaf facility and said two soldiers were killed. Syria also said such Israeli air attacks will be avenged. Israel has already made it clear that such attacks will continue as long as Syria and its patron Iran try to attack Israel and openly call for the destruction of Israel.
Joanne Harrison, who fleeced the Ministry of Transport of $726,000, has lost her bid for parole.

The former senior manager was sentenced to three years and seven months in jail in February, after charges were laid by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO).

Harrison has been in custody since August last year - a total of 14 months.

In a statement released on Wednesday morning, Harrison was unsuccessful because the board believed she still posed an undue risk to the safety of the community.

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A full written decision will not be available until early next week. Harrison's next appearance before the Parole Board will be in March next year.

STUFF Martin Matthews stood down as auditor-general just hours before a damning report into the Harrison fraud was released.

In making its decision, the board had to consider whether she is likely to reoffend, and the nature and seriousness of any subsequent offending.

Her appearance before the board on Wednesday came just days after details of a ministry-commissioned report were released, showing Harrison "groomed" her business partner, convincing the woman to front two fake companies and shred invoices while an investigation into Harrison's actions was under way.

The ministry-commissioned investigation also found the partner received 30 per cent of the stolen monies, but was never charged.

SUPPLIED Joanne Harrison, also known as Joanne Sharp, was sent to jail after admitting she defrauded taxpayers to the tune of $726,000.

Investigation head Peter Churchman QC found Harrison also "groomed" another ministry employee who tried to interfere in the fraud investigation and remove items from Harrison's office.

Harrison's offending led to auditor-general Martin Matthews quitting his job in August this year, just hours before a damning report into the fraud committed under his watch was released.

The SFO's investigation was triggered after ministry management uncovered "financial discrepancies" linked to Harrison, also known as Joanne Sharp.

She used bogus invoices and fake names to pay three entities in a theft spree spanning 3 years.

The SFO said Harrison's offending took place between November 2012 and March last year. Once fraudulent invoices were discovered and an investigation launched in July last year, Harrison left New Zealand bound for Canada.

Within days, she had transferred ownership of a property in Waimate North, near the Bay of Islands, into her husband's name.

A month later, she voluntarily returned to New Zealand and was taken into custody at Auckland International Airport.
Local law enforcement used spike strips and a patrol vehicle to stop a high speed pursuit Monday morning.

Police say the 44-year-old driver, Carlyn Sue Lewis, is the same inmate who tried to escape from the hospital while being treated there last month. While serving time in the county jail for drug possession, Lewis was taken to the hospital after being found unconscious.

Lewis is back in jail after Monday's chase. She is being held on two counts of felony criminal endangerment.

Just before 10:30 a.m. Monday, the school resource officer for Capital High School was notified by school staff of a reckless driver outside the school driving on the sidewalk near the main school doors on Valley Drive. The school resource officer located the vehicle and attempted to stop the driver, however the driver fled driving northbound on Valley and onto Green Meadow Drive, Assistant Police Chief Steve Hagen said in a news release.

The officer continued pursuing the vehicle north on Green Meadow to Lincoln Road and was joined by Lewis and Clark County deputies and troopers from the Montana Highway Patrol. The pursuit reached speeds of about 85 miles per hour.

The vehicle continued east on Lincoln Road and southbound on North Montana Avenue. A Helena city officer deployed tire spike strips near Forestvale and North Montana Avenue. After the vehicle struck the spike strips, the driver drove through the Helena Trap Club property and back onto North Montana headed northbound.

An MHP trooper used his vehicle to strike the fleeing truck, pushing it off the roadway just north of the trap club. The driver was then removed from the vehicle and arrested.

Lewis also faces misdemeanor charges of reckless driving, fleeing a peace officer, driving with a suspended drivers license, first offense driving under the influence and obstructing a peace officer.
If you live in an area that the Google Street View Car hasn't gotten to yet, the tech giant wants your help. In an effort to improve Street View coverage in hard-to-reach areas, Google is enlisting the aid of individuals and organizations alike via a new initiative.

Called the "Street View Ready" program, the initiative aims to give citizens the power to capture and submit their own high quality Street View images -- whether they're walking, biking, driving or even horseback riding -- by allowing them to purchase and use certain approved third-party cameras.

The first (and so far the only) Google-approved camera comes from Chinese camera manufacturer Insta360, called the Insta360 Pro. With 360-degree 8K "ultra HD" capture technology and an upcoming 5FPS recording mode, the Pro seems perfectly suited to the high-detail imagery Street View is known for.

However, with a $3,500 asking price the Pro will be well out of the reach of many prospective Street View mappers. More certified cameras are on the way (about 20 in total) this year, but for the time being Street View mapping will likely be limited to organizations and individuals with extra cash to burn.

Insta360 noted that Google plans to loan out about 50 Insta360 Pros to certain individuals and groups.

If you do plan to pick up a Pro and start mapping your local area, you'll need to download the official Street View smartphone app to control the camera from within your vehicle. You'll then be able to submit your images to Google, who will accept them if they meet their quality standards.
Facebook has revealed that around 10 million people viewed the political ads taken out by a Russian entity on its platform. In a new blog post, the social network announced that the majority of the advertisements "focus on divisive social and political messages across the ideological spectrum."

In a statement to congressional investigators last month, Facebook said pro-Kremlin "troll farm" The Internet Research Agency paid $100,000 to place more than 3000 ads on its service. The company had released details of the ads only to special counsel Robert Mueller, who is leading the investigation into Russia's election meddling, but later shared the information "more broadly" with congress.

Elliot Schrage, Facebook's vice-president of policy and communications, writes that the ads touch on topics "from LGBT matters to race issues to immigration to gun rights." 44 percent of them were displayed before the US election, with the remaining 56 percent arriving after November 8, 2016.

Around 25 percent of the ads weren't seen by anyone as they didn't target users' interests. Additionally, it turns out that 50 percent of the ads cost under $3, while 99 percent of all the ads cost $1000 or less.

The Washington Post reports that one of the advertisements featured a black woman pulling the trigger of an empty rifle. Another showed Hillary Clinton behind bars. A number of the ads encouraged people to follow Pages on these issues.

Facebook says that it reviews millions of ads each week, and about 8 million people report them each day, meaning it can't catch every one that breaks the rules. It has promised, however, to start requiring that advertisers "confirm the business or organization they represent," which should help identify fakes.

Facebook also said it would make advertising more transparent, tighten restrictions on content, and strengthen enforcement against improper ads. It intends to hire 1000 more people to review its ads globally.
Japanese car maker Nissan has a history of embracing advanced and sometimes unconventional vehicle tech, but its latest prototype could be the most unusual yet: a sweat-sensing material that warns drivers when they're dehydrated.

Nissan joined forces with Dutch design company Droog for the fabric, which is aptly named SOAK. To demonstrate its abilities, SOAK was applied to the car seats and steering wheel of a Nissan Juke vehicle. If you're nicely hydrated, the color stays blue, but if it detects high levels of salt in perspiration, suggesting dehydration, the material will turn yellow.

Paulien Routs, the creator of SOAK, told Dexigner he originally intended it to be used in workout attire, but Nissan approached him to use it as a concept in the company's 'Do drink (water) and drive campaign.'

While this might sound a little pointless, Nissan has cited a 2015 study by Loughborough University in the UK. Funded by the European Hydration Institute, the experiment found that driving while dehydrated can be as dangerous as driving under the influence of alcohol, due to slower reaction times and less alertness. Researchers also discovered that people who only consumed just 25ml of water per hour made double the number of driving mistakes than those who were well hydrated.

Despite SOAK's benefits, it's unclear just how many drivers would be happy to sit on sweat-detecting fabric --- and whether they'd even heed the warnings --- which could explain why Nissan isn't yet offering it as an option in the Juke.

Earlier this year, Nissan revealed the Signal Shield, a compartment built into the Juke's armrest that blocks phone signals using principles based on a Faraday cage.
Are we real? It is a philosophical question dating back to ancient times that has been revisited in popular culture over and over. The movies Videodrome (1983) and Brazil (1985) both deal with the idea of being trapped in a universe within your mind. The Wachowski Brothers' film The Matrix (1999) went one step further when it popularized the idea that maybe we all are living a computer simulation.

The thought that our existence is nothing more than a higher entity's computer simulation has become so popular that even figures like Elon Musk and machine-intelligence expert Ray Kurzweil have suggested the possibility is real.

However, in a new paper published in Science Advances, Zohar Ringel form Hebrew University and Dmitry L. Kovrizhin from Oxford University conclude that it is physically impossible for the universe to be a computer simulation. According to their work, the amount of computing power needed to simulate our universe at the quantum level exceeds what is even theoretically possible.

Ringel and Kovrizhin calculated that a simulation on the quantum level of just a few hundred particles would require a memory storage device built from more atoms than there are in the universe. This is because the rules of quantum physics are so complex and strange that for each simulated particle, the computer would have to double in processing power, memory capacity, and electricity consumption.

The researchers came to this conclusion while working with the Monte Carlo simulation. This model has been used by physicists to help predict and make sense of quantum behavior and relationships. The team was using Monte Carlo to study thermal Hall conductance and gravitational anomalies, which have to do with a twist in space-time that is observed in metals held in a high magnetic field and at extremely low temperatures.

When computing the problem they continually encountered what is known as "the sign problem." The Monte Carlo simulation breaks down when trying to calculate large-scale quantum simulations. In other words, the numbers just become too big and complex to compute.

"Our work provides an intriguing link between two seemingly unrelated topics: gravitational anomalies and computational complexity," Ringel told Eureka Alert. "It also shows that the thermal Hall conductance is a genuine quantum effect: one for which no local classical analogue exists."

While the pair's study may prove that simulating the universe is impossible on any type of computer as we realize them to be, couldn't the theoretical question still apply to a technology that is beyond our comprehension?

Ringel and Kovrizhin's conclusion by no means closes the book on the age-old question of "do we really exist," but it does at the very least show that with current technology, simulating existence is simply not possible.
Brazil's vice-president-elect and coordinator of the transition team of Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's government, Geraldo Alckmin, asked Jair Bolsonaro's government for access to complete... | Read More
A northcentral Montana Indian tribe and the Bureau of Indian Affairs can't fully account for $3.5 million primarily in federal funds, including money for a corruption-plagued water project that's resulted in numerous convictions, according to government audits and federal officials.

The audits by the Office of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Interior examined $3.7 million for Chippewa Cree Tribe transportation programs and a $2 million contract for repairs and maintenance of the tribal water system.

In both cases, tribal leaders were unable to fully document how they spent the money or provide inadequate records to justify the spending, federal officials said. The audits stemmed from a broader investigation of tens of millions of dollars in federal payments for the Rocky Boy's/North Central Montana Rural Water system.

Inspector General's Office spokeswoman Gillian Carroll said the money that was paid to the tribe under the contracts was used for other programs on the reservation.

"We did not look into how the money was spent in those programs, so we don't know if any fraud was involved," Carroll said.

Chippewa Cree Chairman Harlan Baker said Monday that the tribe planned to respond to the audit later this week. He declined further comment.

Auditors also faulted the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs for its poor oversight of the two agreements with the tribe.

A regional director for the agency approved the $2 million for the water system in 2011 despite not having the authority to do so, officials said. Chippewa Cree leaders later told federal officials that the money was spent on "appropriate expenses" related to the operation, maintenance and replacement of the reservation's water system, but did not provide specifics, according to the audit.

"We could not ascertain whether the funds were spent appropriately with no documentation stating how the money would be or had been used," wrote Chris Stubbs, director of audits for the inspector general.

At the time of the contract, the water system at the time was still being built, so it's uncertain what maintenance or operational work was going on. The money for the water system came from a trust established by Congress in 2002 and funded with $15 million from the federal government and $5 million from the tribe.

Carroll said the Bureau of Indian Affairs would give the Chippewa Cree an opportunity to explain what happened to the money. If the tribe cannot do so, the agency would seek repayment, she said.

Indian Affairs spokeswoman Nedra Darling did not immediately answer questions about the contracts.

A long-running federal investigation on the tribe's Rocky Boy's Reservation has revealed tribal officials were given cash and gifts in return for lucrative contracts paid for with federal money. At least 20 people have been convicted on federal criminal charges brought as a result of the probe.
Global Auto Industry Prepares To Converge At Highly Anticipated Automechanika Shanghai 2017

SHANGHAI - October 3, 2017: Automechanika Shanghai is Asia's largest trade fair dedicated to automotive parts, accessories, equipment and services. This year, the fair is expected to welcome around 6,000 exhibitors from 42 countries and regions, and will house some of the latest advancements from both the global and domestic automotive industries. Held from November 29th to December 2nd 2017 at the National Exhibition and Convention Centre in Shanghai, China, the fair will open its doors to around 130,000 visitors and key players from the automotive industry.

For this edition, a number of key sectors will be expanded in correspondence with their growth in the market. For example, the Parts & Components sector will occupy one extra hall, while the Accessories & Customising sector and Repair & Maintenance sector will see an even bigger participation from some of its leading companies. In total, exhibition space will climb to 330,000 sqm this year a 7% increase from 2016.

What's more, the E-mobility and Infrastructure zone at Automechanika Shanghai 2017 will see a bigger participation this year, with exhibitors and research institutes gathering from around the world to discuss connected mobility and its crossover into various automotive sectors. The booming Electronics & Systems sector is also expected to be a big hit amongst visitors, thanks to the growing topic of connected mobility and autonomous driving across the industry.

For the first time, in a bid to represent the tightening relationship between the tire and aftermarket service segments, the fair will welcome the brand new REIFEN Zone - a co-located zone dedicated entirely to products for tyres, wheels and rims, as well as for the repair, management, sales and storage of tires. With the REIFEN Zone, the fair will find the most comprehensive range of products, innovations and news to cover the entire spectrum of the tyre sector.

In anticipation of the fair, Ms Fiona Chiew, Deputy General Manager of Messe Frankfurt (Shanghai) Co Ltd, says: "The growing market in China and the rest of Asia has created a healthy breeding ground for the automotive market to evolve. We have seen that the region plays an increasingly important role in automotive developments, which is reflected in our expanding show scale. We're excited to welcome industry peers to what we expect will be yet another highly successful fair."
Anthony Scaramucci. Photo: Phillip Faraone/Getty Images for Tommy Lasorda

Although Anthony Scaramucci was only able to hold down his job as White House communications director for 11 days, the former hedge-fund financier has managed to make his 15 minutes of fame last for what feels like 637 years. In September, he began teasing the Scaramucci Post, a new media company that seemed to specialize in emojis. After a few weeks of cryptic tweets and videos, the Mooch launched his new company at an event in New York on Monday night, The Hill reports. What exactly did he launch? According to Scaramucci:

We have no idea what the Scaramucci Post is and neither do you. But, we launched it today and we launched with great fanfare and so well have to see how the whole thing unfolds.

What Scaramucci does know, however, is that ScaPo will be a millennial-first media company, and its going to be plain vanilla news that is unfiltered, cold brew news, if you want to say (an extremely natural millennial-first metaphor, I want to say).

Scaramucci also said that he has no plans to launch a website for his media company anytime soon, telling reporters, Actions always speak louder than words, so watch it unfold.
Mourners attend a candlelight vigil for the victims of Sunday night's mass shooting in Las Vegas on Oct 2, 2017. The massacre is one of the deadliest mass shooting events in U.S. history. As stories of the night come out, the heroic actions of many are coming to light. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

A Handful of Heroes From the Las Vegas Massacre

The Las Vegas massacre has left 527 injured and 59 deada number that could still rise. But amid the tragedy there are stories of heroism and self-sacrifice, people who, despite the danger, stopped to save others.

Stephen Paddock, 64, fired hundreds of bullets from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel on concertgoers below, who were watching Jason Aldean at the Route 91 Harvest Festival in Las Vegas on Sunday, Oct. 1. Officials say there was no apparent political or ideological reason.

But the evil deed did reveal shining examples of heroism. Some of those heroics came from expected quarterspolice and firefightersbut others were from regular people doing what they could in a terrible situation.

Protecting Others

Kurt Fowler, a firefighter with Desert Hills Fire District was shot while trying to protect his wife.

They heard the gunfire, him and his wife. Kurt took his wife to the ground and was shielding her and then was struck in the leg, Erickson and Desert Hills fire captain and union president Steve Bunn told CBS 5.

Fowler, a father of three, will survive the injury but faces extensive recovery before he can return to work.

Kurts surgical team has completed the surgery on Kurts leg and the doctors are optimistic, reads a GoFundMe post raising funds for his recovery.

He will have to go through an extensive recovery and rehab that could range from 7 to 10 months before he can return back to the job he loves. His brothers from the Desert Hills Professional Firefighters 4543 are reaching out to all friends, family, and neighbors to donate money to help alleviate this burden.

So far, $17,133 has been raised out of a $50,000 goal.

Sonny Melton, 29, was the first identified among the victims. Melton died while getting his wife, Heather, away from the danger.

He saved my life. He grabbed me and started running when I felt him get shot in the back, Heather told WSMV. I want everyone to know what a kind-hearted, loving man he was, but at this point, I can barely breathe.

Meltons last Facebook post, a check-in to let friends and followers know he was at the concert, was posted just minutes before the shooting. Its now turned into a virtual memorial, with thousands of comments marking his passing.

Melton was a registered nurse in an emergency room and intensive care unit at Henry County Medical Center (HCMC) in Paris, Tennesseethe same hospital as Heather, who works as a surgeon there. They married in 2016.

The hospital sent out a statement mourning Meltons death.

The thoughts and prayers of the entire HCMC family are with Sonny and Heathers families, said HCMC CEO Thomas Gee.

Others at the event did their best, as bullets flew around them, to save those that were already injured.

Best Friend Hit

Retired teacher Mike Cronk was in Las Vegas to celebrate his 48th birthday when he started hearing gunfire.

My buddy, after some of the popping, was like, I got hit! and my buddy got shot three times, Cronk told ABC News.

Cronk said he used his shirt to slow the bleeding and got help from other concertgoers to keep Macintoshs wounds compressed.

Others then helped Cronk carry his friend to a pickup truck being used as a makeshift ambulance that was already carrying three other injured people. The Daily Mail reported that the others in the truck have died, but Cronks friend is expected to survive.

Cronk got emotional as he told ABC how he helped carry another badly injured man into an ambulance. The man died in his arms.

Grazed

Los Angeles fire captain Mark McCurdy saved his sister-in-law Jessi Presten by carrying her back to the hotel room after she was shot.

He and his wife, Kelly Presten McCurdy, were in Las Vegas for the festival.

After bringing his sister-in-law to safety, he went back out to see if anyone else needed help.

Another firefighter, Steve Keys, with the Glendale fire department, narrowly escaped death that night while performing CPR on a woman struck by a bullet when another bullet grazed his torso.

Prayers needed. Lot of people hit. A lot killed. Was doing CPR on a woman in the concert when I got grazed. Im ok. But a lot of people arent. I am lucky, Keys wrote on his Facebook with a video showing the wound.
File photo from 2016 showing Chang An-lo, also known as the White Wolf, leader of the China Unification Promotion Party and a well-known gang boss in Taiwan. Members of Changs party are alleged to have assaulted students following a Sept. 24 protest. (Isaac Lawrence/AFP/Getty Images)

Beating of Students in Taiwan Puts Spotlight on Chinese Regimes Influence

Chinese regime intelligence influences or controls gangs behind the scenes, Taipei-based paper reports

The recent beating of four students in Taiwan has awakened the island nation to a long-running scandal: Taiwanese gangs are the cats paw of the Chinese regime, working for unification with the mainland while using violence to subdue those the regime opposes.

The beatings occurred following a demonstration by hundreds of students on Sept. 24 protesting a concert they considered to be Chinese regime propaganda.

The Sing! China: Shanghai-Taipei Music Festival took place at the National Taiwan University in Taipei on Sept. 24. It was co-sponsored by the municipal governments of Taipei and Shanghai, together with the Chinese reality television show Sing! China.

Students protesting the concert were initially denied admission, but managed to make their way into the venue around 4:30 p.m. About 10 minutes later, facing the protests of the students, concert organizers were forced to cancel the event.

According to universitys report afterward, university officials had ordered concert organizers to shut down the event at 3:30 p.m citing serious safety concerns, an order that was not immediately followed by concert organizers. Even before the event, criticisms had mounted that the university had improperly allowed the venue to be used for the concert.

As the crowds began to disperse, a small number of pro-China groups descended upon the venue and were soon engaged in heated confrontations and physical altercations with the students. Videos of the students being injured were uploaded to social media and widely viewed by the Taiwanese public.

Under heavy public pressure, the Taipei police launched a criminal investigation and identified nine members of two groups that allegedly beat the studentsthe Chinese Unity Promotion Party and the Patriot Alliance Association. Both organizations are well-known for openly advocating Chinese regime rule for Taiwan, a fringe position that has little support among the Taiwanese public.

One of the nine accused members is the son of Chang An-lo, an infamous gang boss who founded in 2005 the Taiwanese branch of the Chinese Unity Promotion Party, which originated in mainland China.

Known as the White Wolf, Chang commands Bamboo Union, a large criminal triad in Taiwan that has been listed as one of the most dangerous gangs in the world by the journal Foreign Policy. The Chinese Unity Promotion Party, which allegedly has 20,000 members, is often seen as a recruitment front for Changs gang.

Upon returning to Taiwan in 2013 after spending 17 years in China as a fugitive, Chang was arrested, but prosecutors dropped the charges, saying the term on them had expired.

Since his return, Chang has described himself as a career politician. But his version of politics involves rough tactics. For instance, in April 2014 Chang led a group of hundreds to confront students who were protesting a trade pact with China. When one of the students fell among Changs group, he was beaten.

Changs extensive ties with and frequent travels to the other side of the strait, together with his high-profile activism in Taiwan advocating for the countrys capitulation to China, have added to the growing public anger over his role as an agent of influence and a mobster working for the Chinese regime.

Chang is also deeply connected to the Patriot Alliance Association, the other group involved in the Sept. 24 assault case. This group has been notorious in Taiwan for more than a decade for harassing and physically attacking Falun Gong practitioners who regularly demonstrate peacefully outside Taipei 101 plaza. Several of the associations members have been convicted of assaulting the practitioners, bringing to Taiwan the persecution of this group being carried out in mainland China.

Zhou Shuguang, a Chinese dissident writer who now lives in exile in Taiwan, shared on his blog photos of a pamphlet from a June 2017 pro-unification conference in Taipei at which Chang was a featured speaker. The pamphlet prominently prints a foreword written by Chang, together with a congratulatory letter from Zhang Zhijun, the head of the Taiwan Affairs Office, the very agency of the Chinese regime directly responsible for dealing with Taiwan.

This letter serves as proof that the Chinese regime is directly supporting pro-China criminal gangs in Taiwan and exploiting them to influence politics there, Zhou wrote.

Alleged Chinese Intelligence Involvement

According to a report by Taiwans Liberty Times, two of Taiwans largest criminal triads, the Bamboo Union and the Four Seas Gang, are both under the influence or even direct control of Chinas Ministry of State Security (MSS), the principal intelligence agency of the Chinese regime comparable to the CIA in the United States.

An office titled the Fujian-Xiamen Bureau of Taiwan Affairs Office has been set up to control the gangs in Taiwan, says the report. The bureau nominally belongs to the Chinese regimes Taiwan Affairs Office, but is actually a front organization under the command of the MSS, with the sole purpose of recruiting Taiwanese gangs and gang members to work for the benefit of the Chinese regime.

Taiwanese officials have yet to confirm the veracity of the report by Liberty Times. However, it is commonly observed that the triad gangs in Taiwan, many of which trace their roots back to mainland China, are remarkably uniform in their tendency to be pro-China and pro-unification.

The government will not tolerate such manipulation and the infiltration of Taiwans democratic society from abroad, said Yeh Jiunn-rong, Taiwans minister of the interior, in response to the furor over Taiwans allegedly treacherous gangs, on Sept. 29.
People run from the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after apparent gun fire was heard in Las Vegas on Oct. 1, 2017. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images)

Dad Called a Hero After Saving 30 People During Vegas Massacre

A man is being described as a hero for saving 30 people during the Las Vegas massacre.

Jonathan Smith, 30, was shot in the neck while trying to get other people to safety, according to the Washington Post. He traveled to Las Vegas with his brother to attend the music festival, and they were seated close to the stage with other family members.

Smith said that when the gunshots rang out, he thought it was fireworks or something else. Then he saw Jason Aldean run off the stage, and realized something was wrong.

Active shooter, active shooter, lets go! We have to run, Smith told concert-goers.

I got a few people out of there, Smith told The Post. You could hear the shots. It sounded like it was coming from all over Las Vegas Boulevard.

Witnesses believe that he saved 30 lives before he was shot in the neck. He was given medical attention by an off-duty police officer before he was rushed to a nearby hospital.

Jonathan Smith, 30, saved ~30 people last night before he was shot in the neck. He might live w/the bullet for rest of his life. #vegasstrip pic.twitter.com/6hLujXWe51  Heather Long (@byHeatherLong) October 2, 2017

I dont see myself that way, he told The Post, after many on social media described him as a hero.

I would want someone to do the same for me. No one deserves to lose a life coming to a country festival, he said.

His sister-in-law Tiffany Jones set up a GoFundMe page to help with his medical bills. It already exceeded its $7,000 goal 14 hours after it began.

He is currently unable to support his family as a result of this horrible event as his body requires time to heal from such an injury. In addition to this, he will need to pay medical expenses  much of which will need to come out of pocket, the page reads. All donations will be used to cover medical and living expenses until he can get back to working.

The page describes him as a father of three children.
Details Revealed on Death of Kim Jong Uns Brother in High-Profile Trial

The half-brother of Kim Jong Un suffered organ failure after he was attacked with the deadly VX nerve agent at the Kuala Lumpur airport earlier this year.

Kim Jong Nam, the son of dead North Korean dictator Kim Jong Il, died after VX was rubbed over his face, which then caused his brain and lungs to swell, a murder trial heard today. Mohamad Shah Mahmood, who carried out the post-mortem on Kim Jong Nam, made the assessment, MailOnline reported.

Indonesian Siti Aisyah and Vietnamese Doan Thi Huong are accused of killing Kim, and theyve pleaded not guilty to murder. If convicted, they face the death penalty by hanging.

Kim died about 20 minutes in agony after the VX was rubbed on his face.

The womens lawyers blame North Korean agents for his death. Pyongyang has denied the allegations. South Korea also accused the reclusive, communist countrys leadership of ordering the hit on Kim.

I saw him clutching his head and he was closing his eyes tightly and his face was very red and he was sweating profusely, doctor Nik Mohd Azrul Ariff Raja Azlan told a Malaysian court Monday, CNN reported.

Malaysian officials claim that the two women were trained by North Korean agents to swab his face with the nerve agent. But their lawyers said they thought they were participating in a game show broadcast live on TV.

I saw the patient having tonic-clonic seizure, Nik Mohd Azrul added. His eyes rolled upward and there was drooling of saliva. He was not responding to our call.

As he was a large patient, we needed many staff to carry him together to the procedure room  A few of us carried him together and managed to take him inside the room but unable to lift him on the bed because of his size.

Kim, 45, was then placed in an ambulance to Putrajaya Hospital, but died on the way there, it was reported.
Dozens of Youth in Wuhan, China Disappear Without a Trace

Police try to silence parents seeking their missing children

A parents worst fear is hearing that something bad has happened to their child.

Even more terrifying is when the police refuse to help.

In Wuhan City in central China, more than 30 young university students have gone missing, but the Chinese authorities have gone out of their way to prevent any information about their disappearance from being made public.

A Chinese journalist surnamed Wang was detained by Wuhan police for 10 days after he published an online story about the missing students. The original article has been deleted.

The story gave detailed information on 32 university students who have gone missing since 2011, including name, age, height, and where they were last seen.

The state mouthpiece Xinhua published an article claiming that the reports of missing people were false rumors.

The Epoch Times has contacted and spoke to several parents of the missing students, who said the information in the detained Chinese journalists article was accurate.

They also described extreme reluctance by the local authorities to file missing persons cases for their children.

Lin Shaoqing explained how he began searching for his son, Lin Feiyang. After Lin lost contact with his son, Lin traveled to Moscow, where his son was attending college, in hopes of finding clues. Local authorities were able to confirm that his son boarded a plane to Wuhan and arrived on Nov. 26, 2015.

The elder Lin then returned to Wuhan, learning from a cab driver that his son took his car to the Wuhan Party School (an academy for training party officials). The father requested surveillance video, which showed his son leaving the premises. That was where he was last seen.

Lin said despite his pleas, local police told him because there were no reports that his son was harmed in any way, and they could not begin an investigation.

Mr. Yang, father of Yang Xin, who went missing in 2015 at the age of 14, said police ignored his tip when he noticed that his sons QQ instant messaging account had been logged on, and asked police to find the IP address.

Ms. Zhou, mother of Cao Xing, a 24 year-old student who went missing in February 2014, said she is in regular contact with about 20 other parents whose children are missing. They often share leads with each other.

Police have warned some family members not to speak with the media, according to a report by Radio Free Asia.

The authorities silencing of information and refusal to investigate have the parents worried that something unsavory has happened to their children.

All three parents expressed to The Epoch Times their fear that their children may have been victims of organ harvesting, given that they are young and in good health. But without the means to investigate on their own, they are only left guessing.

Ive gone from city to city searching for over two years, Mr. Yang said. Ive tried every which way to find him. Now I dont even know if hes dead or alive.

Additional reporting by Annie Wu and New Tang Dynasty Television. Translation by Annie Wu
My wife and I recently ventured from our Missoula home for a two-week road trip to the Southwest. The excursion took us deep into Utahs majestic canyon country and the Wests ongoing clash over our federal public lands, a conflict recently inflamed by Interior Secretary Ryan Zinkes recommendation to shrink a number of our national monuments.

Our first stop was Salt Lake City, which was coming to terms with the decision by the Outdoor Retailer trade show  known as OR  to relocate its annual event to Denver after 20 years in Salt Lake City. The move was provoked by Utahs state and federal officials repeatedly lobbying to reduce regulations on federal public lands and give control to state government.

Advocates for the transfer of public lands clearly expect states would provide less environmental protection and allow increased mining, drilling and clearcutting. While relaxed regulations may benefit specific companies in the short-term, those activities undermine the lands value in other ways.

Support for preserving these public assets was abundant in Salt Lake City, including Save Bears Ears signs, referencing the recently established national monument that Zinke has recommended shrinking. But these were city-dwellers, not the rural folks whose jobs and lives are more traditionally entwined with mines, wells and timber companies. I suspected the displays in favor of public lands would dwindle as we continued South.

I was wrong. As we drove twisting back roads between the small towns around Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, we saw posters in shop windows, hand-painted yard signs. Businesses posted petitions urging Utah politicians to not kill the golden goose that has invigorated their communities. And T-shirts made by the Bear Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition demonstrated support from Native Americans whose past is documented on canyon walls throughout the monument.

Locals clearly see the benefits of protection dwarfing those from extractive non-renewable uses, and the research agrees.

The Montana research organization Headwaters Economics has studied this issue extensively and drawn clear conclusions. Rural communities with more protected lands consistently perform better economically than their neighbors. Importantly, that economic growth is not one-dimensional. Headwaters calls these lands an important economic asset that extends beyond tourism and recreation to attract people and businesses, supporting broad-based community development.

Montanans have long recognized this. When a broadly representative group of citizens convened to rewrite the state Constitution, ratified in 1972, they created a chapter enshrining the citizens right to a "clean and healthful environment."

More recently, Gov. Steve Bullock announced the creation of an Office of Outdoor Recreation to better support outdoor businesses. According to a study by the Outdoor Industry Association, outdoor recreation in Montana produced $7.1 billion in consumer spending last year, 71,000 direct jobs, $2.2 billion in wages and salaries and $286 million in state and local tax revenue, making it one of the states top economic sectors by any measurement.

And thats just one industry. Many others depend, directly or indirectly, on the natural landscape. And our states pro-entrepreneur reputation grows in part from our commitment to environmental health. Zach Millar, co-owner of the Dram Shop, a tap room in Missoula, says protecting public lands also protects his business: Public lands are a big reason our customers live here. The equation is simple: without customers, we have no business."

Across the West, efforts to open public lands to greater resource extraction are being met with an increased awareness about the threat that agenda poses. Robust public lands protections dont just benefit the environment; they serve people, local businesses and the economies on which we all depend.
First Photos Show Hotel Room Used by Las Vegas Shooter

The first photos and footage of the Las Vegas shooters hotel room have emerged.

The photos were obtained by Fox 25 in Boston, and they were later published via other media outlets.

Las Vegas Shooter's Hotel Room, Strewn with Bullets and Rifles via @TMZ https://t.co/ADWHsWBEVz pic.twitter.com/aGOzc5QGH4  Karla Paola  (@_Karla_9) October 3, 2017

Stephen Paddock, 64, is accused of killing at least 59 people during his Las Vegas shooting spree.

At least 500 more were injured.

One image appears to show an assault rifle with a modified stock, allowing the shooter to fire at near-automatic speed.

Police confirmed that he fitted some of his weapons with bump stocks, which are legal and can be obtained for $99.

Photographs from inside Las Vegas gunman's hotel room pic.twitter.com/eZvLoVqAp5  The Narrative Times (@tnarrativetimes) October 3, 2017

Another photo shows an assault rifle with a bipod and a scope, according to The Telegraph.

Police said that Paddock had about 23 guns inside his hotel room suite at the Mandalay Bay. Another 19 guns were found at his home, police added.

A hammer that was likely used to smash the hotel room window was also found.

When police used explosives to gain entry to his room, they found him dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.

He was a sick man, a demented man, President Donald Trump told reporters. Lot of problems, I guess, and were looking into him very, very seriously, but were dealing with a very, very sick individual.

Police said they believed Paddock acted alone.

We have no idea what his belief system was, Clark County Sheriff Joseph Lombardo told reporters on Monday. I cant get into the mind of a psychopath.

Although police said they had no other suspects, Lombardo said investigators wanted to talk with Paddocks girlfriend and live-in companion, Marilou Danley, who he said was traveling abroad, possibly in Tokyo.

Reuters contributed to this report.
Las Vegas Metro Police officers gather near the intersection of Tropicana Avenue and Las Vegas Boulevard South after a mass shooting at a music festival on the Las Vegas Strip in Las Vegas on Oct. 2, 2017. Reuters/Las Vegas Sun/Steve Marcus

Las Vegas Shooting: Death Toll Climbs

The death toll from Sundays mass shooting at a Las Vegas concert in Nevada has climbed further.

The gunman, identified as 64-year-old Stephen Paddock sent more than 22,000 country music fans scrambling for cover as he opened fire on the outdoor crowd.

Paddock used an assortment of weapons including rifles and handguns as he fired from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino on the evening of Oct. 1.

As of Tuesday, at least 59 people were confirmed killed and 527 more injured, up from the previous 58 reported dead and 515 wounded, ABC News reported.

Even before this latest update, it was already the deadliest shooting in modern U.S. history.

In a press conference on Monday, Clark County Coroner John Fudenberg said the death toll from the incident could still go up.

The concert shooting eclipsed last years massacre of 49 people at an Orlando nightclub by a gunman who pledged allegiance to the ISIS terrorist group.

According to FBI Special Agent Aaron Rouse, there is no evidence of any connection to international terrorist groups, even though ISIS claimed responsibility, he said at a news conference on Monday.

The suspect was found dead when a SWAT team burst into his hotel room.

Clark County Sheriff Joseph Lombardo said investigators found an additional 18 firearms, explosives and several thousand rounds of ammunition in Paddocks home, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Paddock lived in Mesquite, a small town of about 18,000 residents on the border of Nevada and Arizona, CNN reported. Authorities are now searching Paddocks home, some 82 miles northeast of Las Vegas.

Paddocks family is dumbfounded by the news. His brother told Daily Mail that Paddock was just a guy.

Paddock stayed at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino since Thursday, Sept. 28, according to authorities.

Police say Paddocks record included a traffic citation issued years ago that was handled in court.

Marilou Danley was identified as Paddocks female companion. She was thought as a person of interest initially, but police have cleared her of any suspicion. She was out of the country when the shooting happened.

Paddock held a private pilots license, according to the FAA.

Shocked concertgoers, some with blood on their clothing, wandered the streets afterward.

Police said they had no information about Paddocks motive and that he had no criminal record.

From NTD.tv
The damaged windows on the 32nd floor room of the Mandalay Hotel that was used by killer Stephen Paddock to fire upon people attending the Route 91 music festival last Sunday, killing 59 people and wounding more than 500 others. (MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images)

Las Vegas Shooting: Gunmans Girlfriend Status Updated

The investigation into Sundays Las Vegas massacre continues as authorities search for the motivation behind the gunmans rampage.

Stephen Paddock, 64, opened fire from a hotel room on the 32nd floor killing at least 59 outdoor concertgoers and wounding 527 more.

Previous reports and comments from police stated that Paddocks girlfriend, Marilou Danley, was a person of interest, but she was soon cleared from all suspicion.

Just two days later, police announced they have upgraded Danleys involvement in the incident.

In a live press conference on Tuesday, Oct. 3, Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo announced the news.

Currently she is a person of interest, Lombardo told reporters in reference to Danley.

This new information comes after Paddock was found having wired $100,000 to his girlfriend, one week before going on the crazed rampage. Danley was in the Philippines at the time.

The motive for the transaction is unclear, NBC reported.

Danley was due to arrive in the Philippines on Oct. 1. She left the United States for Hong Kong on Sept. 25. She is a native of the Philippines and investigators say she likely traveled there to visit family.

According to the Brisbane Courier Mail, Danley is an Australian citizen. She lived on the Gold Coast for 20 years before moving to the United States.

Danleys neighbors said she described herself as a gambler. Investigators found her slot-machine card in the hotel room from which Paddock fired on concertgoers. Danleys LinkedIn profile says that she is a high-limit hostess at a Vegas casino. Paddock was using Danleys slot-machine card which investigators used to find her name.

According to the Las Vegas Sheriffs Department, Danley was in Tokyo on Monday and was expected to return to the U.S. for questioning.

Law enforcement officials puzzled on Tuesday over what motivated Paddock, a retiree with no criminal record, to assemble an arsenal in a high-rise Las Vegas hotel and rain gunfire onto an outdoor concert.

Paddock ended Sunday nights shooting spree, the deadliest in modern U.S. history, by killing himself. He left an arsenal of 42 guns but no clear clues as to why he staged the attack on a crowd of 20,000 from a 32nd-floor window of the Mandalay Bay hotel. More than 500 people were injured, some were trampled.

Federal, state, and local investigators have found no evidence that Paddock, 64, had even incidental contacts with foreign or domestic extremist groups, and reviews of his history show no underlying pattern of lawbreaking or hate speech, a senior U.S. homeland security official said on Tuesday.

We cannot even rule out mental illness or some form of brain damage, although theres no evidence of that, either, the official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss the probe.

Epoch Times staff member Ivan Pentchoukov and Reuters contributed to this report.

From NTD.tv
More Details Sought From Las Vegas Gunmans Alleged Girlfriend Marilou Danley

A person who can provide more details on Las Vegas shooter Stephen Paddock is his live-in girlfriend, Marilou Danley, who was cleared as a person of interest on Sundayhours after Paddock shot and killed 59 people from his hotel vantage point.

Clark County Sheriff Joseph Lombardo said on Monday, Oct. 2, said that Danley, 62, was in Tokyo, Japan. Its unclear if she will return to the United States, Fox News reported.

She was reported to have been in the Philippines at the time of the incident, but there are unconfirmed reports that she is no longer in the Philippines at this time, Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs spokesman Robespierre Bolivar told the Sydney Morning Herald.

He added there was no official confirmation yet on her nationality, original or acquired. Danley was described as an Australian national who is originally from the Philippines.

Ive met her three or four times, Paddocks brother, Eric, was quoted by CBS News as saying. Shes got a Facebook page; she sends my mom cookies.

Danley worked as a high limit hostess at Atlantis Casino in Reno from 2010 to 2013, Fox reported.

Danley was originally married to Arkansas Geary Danley and they divorced two years ago. A person who was listed as a witness in the divorce said shes not connected with Paddocks behavior.

She had nothing to do with this psycho, the man told the Reno Gazette-Journal. The poor lady, she is in the Philippines visiting family.

The Sunday night shooting spree from a 32nd-floor window of the Mandalay Bay hotel, on the Las Vegas Strip, killed at least 59 people before the gunman turned a weapon on himself. More than 500 people were injured, some trampled, in the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history, Reuters reported.

Paddock was not known to have served in the military, to have suffered from a history of mental illness, or to have registered any inkling of social disaffection, political discontent or radical views on social media.

He was a sick man, a demented man, President Donald Trump told reporters. Lot of problems, I guess, and were looking into him very, very seriously, but were dealing with a very, very sick individual

We have no idea what his belief system was, Sheriff Lombardo told reporters on Monday. I cant get into the mind of a psychopath.

Reuters contributed to this report.
People scramble for shelter at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after apparent gun fire was heard in Las Vegas on Oct. 1, 2017. (David Becker/Getty Images)

Navy Vet Killed in Las Vegas Shooting: Final FB Post Answers Question

A Navy veteran who survived the war in Afghanistan was one of the victims fatally shot at Sunday nights massacre in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Christopher Roybal from Corona, California, was among the 59 people killed and 527 injured after gunman Stephen Paddock opened fire on the outdoor crowd from his hotel room.

Roybal had been in the Navy for a decade and recently finished duty in Afghanistan, according to NBC4.

He went to combat and came back without being injured, and then goes to a concert and dies, the victims mother, Debby Allen, told NBC4.

Roybal was in Nevada to celebrate his 29th birthday next week, the mother said. They were both in Las Vegas to attend the Route 91 Harvest Festival, a country music festival.

In the chaos of the shooting, the two got separated, Allen on one side of the venue and her son on the other.

Allen described how she tried to find her son when a firefighter promised her he would try to find Roybal.

He was trying to help him, but the gunfire was coming and he says he saw Christopher take his last breath, Allen told NBC4.

In Roybals last public post on Facebook, posted around three months ago he discusses how it feels to be constantly asked what its like to be shot at, in reference to his time in the military.

Whats it like being shot at? A question people ask because its something that less than one percent of our American population will ever experience. Especially one on a daily basis, he wrote.

The veteran continued, My response has always been the same, not one filled with a sense of pride or ego, but an answer filled with truth and genuine fear and anger.

As Roybal recalled his days on duty, he said it was filled with adrenalin and sensory experiences, but he said the excitement dwindled as time went on.

I remember that first day, not sure how to feel. It was never fear, to be honest, mass confusion. Sensory overload  followed by the most amount of natural adrenaline that could never be duplicated through a needle. I was excited, angry, and manic he wrote.

Unfortunately, as the fights continue and as they as increase in numbers and violence, that excitement fades and the anger is all thats left, Roybal reflected.

The veteran said that the anger he experienced stayed with him long after the fight.

The anger stays, long after your friends have died, the lives youve taken are buried, and your boots are placed neatly in a box in some storage unit. Still covered in the dirt youve refused to wash off for fear of forgetting the most raw emotions you as a human being will ever feel again, he wrote.

Royball concluded with this: Whats it like to be shot at? Its a nightmare no amount of drugs, no amount of therapy, and no amount of drunk talks with your war veteran buddies will ever be able to escape. Cheers boys.

As news of his death spread, comments started flooding under his post, many offered condolences and thanked him for his service to America.

From NTD.tv
Shinzo Abe, prime minister of Japan, addresses the United Nations General Assembly in New York City on Sept. 20, 2017. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

North Korea Threatens Nuclear Clouds Over Japan After Shinzo Abe Speech

North Korea threatened Japan with nuclear clouds and claimed the Japanese prime ministers speech on stopping North Koreas nuclear and missiles programs is a suicidal deed.

The threats were released via North Koreas state-run media Korean Central News Agency. The comments are in response to Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abes speech at the UN General Assembly on Sept. 20, over a week after the U.N. approved a new round of sanctions on North Korea, Daily Mail reported.

We must make North Korea abandon all nuclear and ballistic missile programs in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner. What is needed to do that is not dialogue, but pressure, said Abe at the meeting.

Japans remarks at the meeting were meant to persuade the international body not to take the North Korea nuclear threat lightly. He emphasized how all previous negotiations and appeasement processes between the communist regime and the international community have not resulted in any cessation of North Koreas weapons development.

From the start. North Korea had never intended to abandon its nuclear ambitions. Abe continued, Over the course of more than a decade beginning in 1994, the international community continued its efforts towards dialogue with North Korea with great perseverance, first through the Agreed Framework, and later through the Six-Party Talks. However,what we had to learn is that during the time this dialogue continued, North Korea had no intention whatsoever of abandoning its nuclear or missile development. For North Korea, dialogue was instead the best means of deceiving us and buying time.

Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe https://t.co/1CEhiIlyR1 meeting with the Secretary-General of the United Nations https://t.co/ykFYSo52aU pic.twitter.com/92wPOInI7M    (@alkoursakov) October 3, 2017

He mentioned the increased threat that North Koreas claim of testing hydrogen bombs presents, and how a new approach is needed.

This recent crisis is of an altogether different dimension qualitatively than those we have eluded every time some dictator has attempted to acquire weapons of mass destruction. North Koreas nuclear weapons either already are, or are on the verge of becoming, hydrogen bombs, said Abe. Over the more than 20 years since the end of the Cold War, where and when else, and to what dictators, have we allowed such self-indulgence? As it turns out, it is only towards North Korea that this has been allowed.

Despite two recent ballistic missiles that were shot over Japan, Japans minister of defense said he would not shoot down a North Korean missile shot into the air for a test unless it presented a direct threat to Japanese territory. The official said he would also consider shooting down a missile if it was targeted at an ally of Japan, Fortune reported.

North Koreas response refers to Prime Minister Abe as a headless chicken and threatens to make Japan the first victim of nuclear disaster in the world.
NYPD Chief James O'Neill at a conference on domestic violence in New York on Oct. 2, 2017. (NYPD)

NYPD Steps Up Security After Gunman Kills at Least 58 in Las Vegas

The NYPD has increased security around sensitive areas in New York City after a lone-wolf gunman shot and killed at least 58 people at a country music festival in Las Vegas.

NYPD chief Commissioner James ONeill said at an annual Domestic Violence Awareness Conference on Monday, Oct. 2, that they were monitoring the situation in Las Vegas and that they had deployed personnel to strategic locations out of an abundance of caution.

.@NYPDONeill offers prayers earlier this morning for those affected by Las Vegas shooting. No direct threat to NYC. https://t.co/HzDbmYUttC pic.twitter.com/gprWgjAfue  NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) October 2, 2017

There are no direct threats to New York City but well certainly be maintaining our vigilance, he said, according to an NYPD press release.

Additional counter-terrorism units have been deployed in Times Square and other strategic locations, CBS New York reported.

On Sunday night, a man on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Hotel on the Las Vegas Strip shot at a crowd of about 22,000 attending a country music festival below.

Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Sheriff, Joseph Lombardo, said that in addition to at least 58 people being killed, at least were 515 injured.

Stephen Paddock. (Twitter/Stephen Paddock)

The shooter, 64-year old Stephen Paddock, was unknown to authorities, he said.

Despite the ISIS terrorist group claiming responsibility for the attack, Paddock does not appear to have any connections with terrorist organizations, the FBI said.

Media briefing with LVMPD Sheriff Lombardo on the shooting incident last night. https://t.co/3eUm4Ze30J  LVMPD (@LVMPD) October 2, 2017
O.J. Simpson attends his parole hearing at Lovelock Correctional Center in Lovelock, Nevada, on July 20, 2017. (Jason Bean-Pool/Getty Images)

OJ Simpsons Lawyer Hopes Police Wont Pin Vegas Massacre on Client

O.J. Simpson was planning to go to Florida after being released from prison, but decided against it due to damage from Hurricane Irma.

Simpson instead stayed in Las Vegas. Hours after he settled in his home on Sunday, a lone gunman killed 59 people and injured at least 527.

Simpsons lawyer, Malcom LaVergne, spoke with Simpson on Monday and made a poignant comment, New York Post reported.

I spoke to him this morning, and he was What the heck is going on? LaVergne said.

And I said, Well, I hope nobody tries to pin any of this on you, LaVergne added.

Simpson was acquitted of murder charges in the killing of his wife in the 1995, but served 9 years in prison for an attempted armed robbery in 2007.

LaVergne said that the home Simpsons was going to move into was damaged by Hurrican Irma.

He didnt want any drama, he wanted to wait it out in Nevada, LaVergne said.

According to LaVergne, Simpson has no plans to go out in public right now. He wants to stay back and lay low.

Police sought clues on Tuesday to explain why Stephen Paddock, 64, a retiree who enjoyed gambling but had no criminal record, set up a vantage point in a high-rise Las Vegas hotel and sprayed bullets onto the concert below in what became the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history.

Paddock left no immediate hint of his motive. He was not known to have served in the military, to have suffered from a history of mental illness, or to have registered any inkling of social disaffection, political discontent, or radical views on social media.

He was a sick man, a demented man, President Donald Trump told reporters. Lot of problems, I guess, and were looking into him very, very seriously, but were dealing with a very, very sick individual.

U.S. officials also discounted a claim of responsibility by the ISIS terrorist group.

Police said they believed Paddock acted alone.

We have no idea what his belief system was, Clark County Sheriff Joseph Lombardo told reporters on Monday. I cant get into the mind of a psychopath.

Although police said they had no other suspects, Lombardo said investigators wanted to talk with Paddocks girlfriend and live-in companion, Marilou Danley, who he said was traveling abroad, possibly in Tokyo.

Lombardo also said detectives were aware of other individuals who were involved in the sale of the weapons Paddock had acquired.

The closest Paddock appeared to have ever come to a brush with the law was for a traffic infraction, authorities said.

The death toll, which officials said could rise, surpassed last years record massacre of 49 people at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, by a gunman who had pledged allegiance to the ISIS terrorist group.

Paddock seemed atypical of the overtly troubled, angry young men who experts said have come to embody the profile of most mass shooters.

Public records on Paddock point to an itinerant existence across the U.S. West and Southeast, including stints as an apartment manager and aerospace industry worker. But Paddock appeared to be settling in to a quiet life when he bought a home in a Nevada retirement community a few years ago, about an hours drive from Las Vegas and the casinos he enjoyed.

His brother, Eric, described Stephen Paddock as financially well-off and an enthusiast of video poker games and cruises.

Were bewildered, and our condolences go out to the victims, Eric Paddock said in a telephone interview from Orlando, Florida. We have no idea in the world.

Las Vegass casinos, nightclubs and shopping draw more than 40 million visitors from around the world each year. The Strip was packed with visitors when the shooting started shortly after 10 p.m. local time on Sunday during the Route 91 Harvest music festival.

The gunfire erupted as country music star Jason Aldean was performing. He ran off stage as the shooting progressed.

Video of the attack showed throngs of people screaming in horror and cowering on the open ground as extended bursts of gunfire strafed the crowd from above, from a distance police estimated at more than 500 yards.

The bloodshed ended after police swarming the hotel closed in on the gunman, who shot and wounded a hotel security officer through the door of his two-room suite and then killed himself before police entered, authorities said.

Lombardo said a search of the suspects car turned up a supply of ammonium nitrate, a fertilizer compound that can be formed into explosives and was used in the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing of a federal office building that killed 168 people.

They also obtained a warrant to search a second house connected to Paddock in Reno, Nevada.

Chris Sullivan, the owner of the Guns & Guitars shop in Mesquite, issued a statement confirming that Paddock was a customer who cleared all necessary background checks and procedures, and said his business was cooperating with investigators.

He never gave any indication or reason to believe he was unstable or unfit at any time, Sullivan said. He did not say how many or the kinds of weapons Paddock purchased there.

Lombardo said investigators knew that a gun dealer had come forward to say that he had sold weapons to the suspect, but it was not clear if he was referring to Sullivan. He said police were aware of some other individuals who were engaged in those transactions, including at least one in Arizona.

Reuters contributed to this report

From NTD.tv
Las Vegas police stand guard the streets outside the Route 91 Harvest Country music festival groundss of the Route 91 Harvest on Oct. 1, 2017 in Las Vegas. (David Becker/Getty Images)

Police Find Pounds of Ammonium Nitrate in Las Vegas Shooters Car

Police found about two dozen guns in the Las Vegas shooting suspects hotel roomdays after he killed 59 people and injured hundreds more.

Officials found 19 gunsafter they found 23 guns in his hotel roomin his Mesquite, Nevada, home. They also found something more deadly: several pounds of tannerite and ammonium nitrate, which can be used to make explosives.

Clark County Sheriff Joseph Lombardo said that the ammonium nitrate was found in his car. The tannerite was found in his house, Newsweek reported.

The Irish Republican Army in Britains Canary Wharf financial district, al-Qaeda in Turkey and Saudi Arabia, and the Oklahoma City bombings have used explosives derived from ammonium nitrate, which is used as a high-nitrogen fertilizer.

Las Vegas police find pounds of chemicals used for explosives at shooter's home https://t.co/0Ao5faM3rC pic.twitter.com/NrNh90JKgQ  Newsweek (@Newsweek) October 3, 2017

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is to regulate the sale and transfer of ammonium nitrate by an ammonium nitrate facility due to its potential as an explosive.

Tannerite has been used in attempted attacks like in the September 2016 bombs that were placed in New York and New Jersey, which wounded 29 people. Tannerite is used for explosive powder in long-range target practice, according to Business Insider.

Tannerite only explodes when mixed with another component. Its not clear if he was in possession of the substance for target practice before the shooting.

According to company website Tannerite.com, the substance is legal under federal law to buy, and its described as ammonium nitrate and/or ammonium perchlorate. It explodes with a VERY loud bang, the website said.

Tannerite is the shot indicator target of choice for hunters, law enforcement, and U.S. armed services, the site states.

Federal, state, and local investigators have found no evidence that Paddock, 64, had even incidental contacts with foreign or domestic extremist groups, and reviews of his history show no underlying pattern of lawbreaking or hate speech, a senior Department of Homeland Security official said on Tuesday.

We cannot even rule out mental illness or some form of brain damage, although theres no evidence of that, either, the official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss the probe, Reuters reported.

U.S. officials discounted a claim of responsibility by the ISIS militant group and said they believed Paddock acted alone.

Although police said they had no other suspects, Clark County Sheriff Joseph Lombardo said investigators wanted to talk with Paddocks girlfriend and live-in companion, Marilou Danley, who he said was traveling abroad, possibly in Tokyo.

The closest Paddock appeared to have ever had a brush with the law was a traffic infraction, authorities said.

Police are still looking for a motive in the attack.

Reuters contributed to this report.
The site of the Route 91 music festival mass shooting is seen outside the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Oct. 2, 2017. (REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson)

Police Seek Clues to Las Vegas Mass Shooting, Bloodiest in Modern US History

LAS VEGAS Police sought clues on Tuesday to explain why a retiree with a penchant for gambling but no criminal record set up a snipers nest in a high-rise Las Vegas hotel and poured gunfire onto a concert below, slaying dozens of people before killing himself.

The Sunday night shooting spree from a 32nd-floor window of the Mandalay Bay hotel, on the Las Vegas Strip, killed at least 59 people before the gunman turned a weapon on himself. More than 500 were injured, some trampled, in the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history.

The gunman, identified as Stephen Paddock, 64, left no immediate hint of his motive for the arsenal of high-powered weaponry he amassed, including 34 guns, or the carnage he inflicted on a crowd of 22,000 attending an outdoor country music festival.

Paddock was not known to have served in the military, or to have suffered from a history of mental illness or to have registered any inkling of social disaffection, political discontent or radical views on social media.

U.S. officials also discounted a claim of responsibility by the ISIS terrorist group.

We have determined to this point no connection with an international terrorist group, Aaron Rouse, special agent in charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation field office in Las Vegas, told reporters on Monday.

Police said they believed Paddock acted alone but were at a loss to explain what might have precipitated it.

We have no idea what his belief system was, Clark County Sheriff Joseph Lombardo told reporters. I cant get into the mind of a psychopath.

Although police said they had no other suspects, Lombardo said investigators wanted to talk with Paddocks girlfriend and live-in companion, Marilou Danley, who he said was traveling abroad, possibly in Tokyo.

Lombardo also said detectives were aware of other individuals who were involved in the sale of weapons Paddock acquired.

Still, the closest Paddock appeared to have ever come to a brush with the law was for a traffic infraction, authorities said.

Itinerant Existence

The death toll, which officials said could rise, surpassed last years record massacre of 49 people at a nightclub in Orlando, Florida, by a gunman who pledged allegiance to ISIS.

Paddock, however, seemed atypical of the overtly troubled, angry young men who experts said have come to embody the profile of most mass shooters.

Public records point to an itinerant existence across the U.S. West and Southeast, including stints as an apartment manager and aerospace industry worker. But Paddock appeared to be settling in to a quiet life when he bought a home in a Nevada retirement community a few years ago, about an hours drive from Las Vegas and the casinos he enjoyed.

His brother, Eric, described Stephen Paddock as financially well-off and an avid enthusiast of video poker games and cruises.

Were horrified. Were bewildered, and our condolences go out to the victims, Eric Paddock said in a telephone interview from Orlando, Florida. We have no idea in the world.

Las Vegass casinos, nightclubs and shopping draw more than 40 million visitors from around the world each year, and the Strip was packed with visitors when the shooting started shortly after 10 p.m. local time on Sunday (0400 GMT Monday).

Bloodshed and Pandemonium

The gunfire erupted during the Route 91 Harvest music festival as country music star Jason Aldean was performing. The musician ran off stage as the shooting progressed.

Video of the attack showed throngs of people screaming in horror and cowering on the open ground, hemmed in by fellow concert-goers, as extended bursts of gunfire strafed the crowd from above from a distance police estimated at more than 500 yards (457 meters). Those at the edges of the crowd fled as best they could, many trampled or hurt jumping over fences while the shooting went on, by some accounts, for about 10 minutes.

The bloodshed ended after police swarming the hotel closed in on the gunman, who shot and wounded a hotel security officer through the door of his two-room suite and then killed himself before police entered, authorities said.

Police said 23 guns were found in Paddocks suite, along with more than 10 suitcases.

Lombardo said a search of the suspects car turned up a supply of ammonium nitrate, a fertilizer compound that can be formed into explosives and was used in the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing of a federal office building that killed 168 people.

Police found another 19 firearms, some explosives and thousands of rounds of ammunition at Paddocks home in Mesquite, about 90 miles northeast of Las Vegas, along with some electronic devices, including computers.

They also obtained a warrant to search a second house connected to Paddock in Reno, Nevada, more than 400 miles northwest of Las Vegas.

Chris Sullivan, the owner of the Guns & Guitars shop in Mesquite, issued a statement confirming that Paddock was a customer who cleared all necessary background checks and procedures, and said his business was cooperating with investigators.

He never gave any indication or reason to believe he was unstable or unfit at any time, Sullivan said. He did not say how many or the kinds of weapons Paddock purchased there.

Lombardo said investigators knew that a gun dealer had come forward to say that he had sold weapons to the suspect, but it was not clear if he was referring to Sullivan. He said police were aware of some other individuals who were engaged in those transactions, including at least one in Arizona.

Investigators also want to interview Danley, who police initially described as a person of interest but not a suspect. She is an Australian citizen who is reported to have been born in the Philippines.

By Alexandria Sage and Lisa Girion
Sanctions on North Korea are Working Says Tillerson

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said while visiting China that new sanctions imposed on North Korea are starting to have an effect.

The Chinese are also telling us that its having an effect, and they have a pretty close-up view of it, Tillerson said during a joint press conference with U.S. ambassador to China Terry Branstad on Sept. 30.

Tillerson said that in addition to the sanctions there is a regional military response to North Koreas nuclear threat. According to the Secretary of State, Japan and South Korea have started to increase their defensive military capabilities.

The sanctions imposed on North Korea last month, in response to its sixth underground nuclear test, prohibited all sales of natural gas to the regime and limited the amount of oil that can be sold to it. The sanctions also ban all imports of textile products from the North.

President Donald Trump had initially pushed for stronger sanctions, calling for a complete halt to oil sales to North Korea, but received pushback from China and Russia.

However, Trump has praised China for taking stronger actions against North Korea. Last month Chinas Central Bank announced that it had instructed other Chinese banks to stop providing financing to the North. Last week China announced that it is ordering North Korean businesses located in China to close within 120 days.

Speaking in Beijing on Sept. 30, Tillerson said that were gaining the support of the Chinese.

They are actively engaged in putting pressure on the regime in Pyongyang, he said.

Trump criticized Tillerson on Monday for pursuing talks with North Korea saying they were a waste of time.

I told Rex Tillerson, our wonderful Secretary of State, that he is wasting his time trying to negotiate with Little Rocket Man  Save your energy Rex, well do what has to be done!, Trump said.

Save your energy Rex, we'll do what has to be done!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 1, 2017

Tillerson said at the press briefing on Sept. 30, that he would ask the North Koreans what do you want to talk about.

Difference Between Kim Jong-Il and Kim Jong-Un

North Korea has repeatedly vowed that it will never relinquish its state nuclear program. U.S. intelligence officials have confirmed this assessment saying that the North Korean regime sees it as a crucial tool to its survival.

Tillerson said that while late North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Il conducted 10 missile tests over a period of 20 years, his son, Kim Jong-Un has conducted around 85 missile tests since coming to power in 2011.

According to Tillerson this is because Kim Jong-Uns main concern is about his own security and the survival of his regime.

So I think it was important to say, to us, Look, our objective is denuclearization. Our objective is not to get rid of you. Our objective is not to collapse your regime. Thats not our objective. Our objective is denuclearization, he said.

China

Tillerson said that China is just as concerned as the United States about North Korea becoming a nuclear power.

They want it to become the last country to become a nuclear state in this region, Tillerson said.

However, without Chinas support, North Korea would not have been able to advance its nuclear program this far. The Chinese communist regime is a critical lifeline for North Korea through its trade and financing. It has also played a crucial role in its supporting its nuclear program.

What China has done is create an unholy proliferation cooperation network, Richard Fisher, a senior fellow with the International Assessment and Strategy Center, told The Epoch Times last month. The Chinese have helped Pakistan, Iran, and North Korea to different degrees.

The CCP provides different technologies to each nation to assist in their nuclear weapons programs; North Korea, Pakistan, and Iran then share this technologyand add their advancements to itamong themselves.

The Chinese only need to make discreet material contributions, but all three will eventually benefit from it, Fisher said.

Most of this happened under the purview of former Chinese communist leader Jiang Zemin. Even though Jiang has been officially out of power since 2003, he has still had a major influence on Chinas domestic and foreign policies through his loyalists.

The stronger stance by current Chinese leader Xi Jinping against North Korea could signal that he is gaining more control over his own government.
Mourners attend a candlelight vigil at the corner of Sahara Avenue and Las Vegas Boulevard for the victims of Sunday night's mass shooting on Oct. 2, 2017. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Trump Calls Las Vegas Shooter a Sick, Demented Man

President Donald Trump described the man who killed at least 59 people from his Las Vegas hotel room a sick man, a demented man.

Trumps statements came as he was leaving the White House en route to Puerto Rico.

We are looking into him very, very seriously. But were dealing with a very, very sick individual, Trump said.

The president announced on Monday that he would be spending most of his day in Las Vegas on Wednesday to meet with local law enforcement officers as well as with victims and their families.

President Donald Trump speaks with the press before boarding Marine One with First Lady Melania Trump on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 3, 2017, en route to Puerto Rico. (Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times)

The shooting in which at least 59 people were killed and over 500 injured is the worst mass shooting in U.S. history.

The gunman, who was identified as Stephen Paddock, killed himself after firing from his hotel room on concertgoers at a country music festival.

We cannot even rule out mental illness or some form of brain damage, although theres no evidence of that, either, an official told Reuters.

Trump praised the police department for doing an incredible job.

How quickly the police department was able to get in was really very much of a miracle. Theyve done an amazing job, he said.

Investigation

Public records on Paddock point to an itinerant existence across the U.S. West and Southeast, including stints as an apartment manager and aerospace industry worker. He appeared to be settling into a quiet life when he bought a home in a Nevada retirement community a few years ago.

His brother, Eric, described Stephen Paddock as financially well-off and an enthusiast of video poker games and cruises.

It just makes less sense the more we use any kind of reason to figure it out, Eric Paddock said in a text message on Tuesday. He added that he had not yet talked to Marilou Danley, Paddocks roommate.

Mary Lou is absolutely the closest person to Steve, he wrote. We are going to let her contact us if and when she decides she wants to.

Police said 23 guns were found in Paddocks suite at the Mandalay Bay hotel.

A makeshift memorial for the victims of Sunday nights mass shooting stands at an intersection of the north end of the Las Vegas Strip on Oct. 3, 2017. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

A search of his car turned up a supply of ammonium nitrate, a fertilizer that can be formed into explosives and was used in the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing of a federal office building that killed 168 people, Clark County Sheriff Joseph Lombardo said.

Police found another 19 firearms, explosives and thousands of rounds of ammunition at Paddocks home in Mesquite, 90 miles northeast of Las Vegas.

They obtained a warrant to search a second house connected to Paddock in Reno, Nevada.

Chris Sullivan, the owner of Mesquites Guns & Guitars shop, issued a statement confirming that Paddock was a customer who cleared background checks and said his business was cooperating with investigators.

Lombardo said investigators knew a gun dealer had come forward to say that he had sold weapons to the suspect, but it was not clear if he was referring to Sullivan. He said police were aware of other people engaged in those transactions, including at least one in Arizona.

Reuters contributed to this report
The damaged window on the 32nd-floor room of the Mandalay Hotel that was used by killer Stephen Paddock to fire upon people attending the Route 91 music festival last Sunday, killing 59 people and wounding more than 500 others. Images of two of Paddocks rifles, one indicating recent use, have been obtained by media. (Mark Ralston/AFP/Getty Images)

2 of Las Vegas Killers Guns Revealed in Photos

Rifles modified for rapid firing and maximum damage, says expert

New images obtained by Fox 25 Boston reveal two of the rifles Stephen Paddock had in his possession at the time of the Las Vegas massacre that left more 500 injured and 59 people dead last Sunday.

Fox25 said the images were obtained by police sources. They show two AR-15 style rifles laying on the floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel room Paddock fired down upon crowd attending the final night of the three-day Route 91 Harvest Festival.

Paddock fired hundreds of rounds, the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history with no apparent ideological or political motive.

RocketFFL firearms attorney Ryan Cleckner identified the weapons for Fox News, noting that the vertical foregrip and muzzle brake on one of the rifles can help a shooter control it during rapid fire.

The barrel on that rifle showed a reddish hue, consistent with a gun that had recently been fired repeatedly.

The rifle also had a bump fire stock, a modification that effectively turns a semi-automatic rifle into a legal automatic. The stock springs the rifle forward when the kick from firing it pushes it back into the shooters shoulder. This allows the shooter to hold his finger steady as the semi-automatic rifle bounces forward after each shot and fires again.

Restrictions put in place in the 1930s have significantly restricted the purchase fully automatic weapons in the United States.

The gun is able to articulate in and out of the stock by an inch or so, Cleckner told Fox News. By using the recoil of the firearm, near automatic rates of fire can be achieved.

That rifle also had a high-capacity magazine that can hold 60 to 100 rounds and an EOTech holographic sight better suited for rapid rather than precise firing.

EXCLUSIVE: these are 2 of 23 guns found in #LasVegas shooters hotel room at #MandalayBay  hammer, bipod, optics, ammo. 59 lives. Chilling. pic.twitter.com/gManlUIeZI  Jacqui Heinrich (@JacquiHeinrich) October 3, 2017

Two officials familiar with the investigation told AP that Paddock had two rifles with bump stocks.

Police have said Paddock had 23 firearms in his hotel room, including a handgun and at least 10 rifles.

Several of those rifles had scopes.

The other rifle Fox obtained a photo of has a bipod and scope.

Thats a fairly high-end rifle, Cleckner told Fox. Youre looking at a few thousand dollars to get one of those.

AR-15 rifles are legal to purchase in the United States.

Las Vegas police said they are investigating the crime scene and trying to determine a motive for the shooting.

Assistant Sheriff Todd Fasula said police found 19 firearms at Paddocks home in Mesquite, Nevada.

I want to emphasize that Paddock is solely responsible of this heinous act, he told reporters on Monday.

Fasulo said rumours of more than one assailant have no evidence.

We believe there was only one shooter and that was Stephen Paddock.
Hunewill Ranch in California is One of the Rare Places in America Where the Cowboy Life PersistsAnd You Can Go Experience It
Vegas Gunman Wired $100,000 to Girlfriend Before Massacre

Stephen Paddock wired $100,000 to his girlfriend in the Philippines one week before going on a crazed rampage in Las Vegas and killing 59 people.

The motives for the transaction are unclear, NBC reported.

Paddocks girlfriend, Marilou Danley was due to arrive in the Philippines on Oct. 1. She left the United States for Hong Kong on Sept. 25.

Danley, 62, is a Philipinnes native and investigators say she likely traveled there to visit family.

According to the Brisbane Courier Mail, Danley is an Australian citizen. She lived on the Gold Coast for 20 years before moving to the United States.

Danleys neighbors said she described herself as a gambler. Investigators found her slot-machine card in the hotel room from which Paddock fired on concert goers. Danleys LinkedIn profile says that she is a high-limit hostess at a Vegas casino. Paddock was using Danleys slot-machine card which investigators used to find her name.

Police first considered Danley a person of interest, but she was later cleared of suspicion.

According to the Las Vegas Sheriffs Department, Danley was in Tokyo on Monday and was expected to return to the U.S. for questioning.

Law enforcement officials puzzled on Tuesday over what motivated Paddock, a retiree with no criminal record, to assemble an arsenal in a high-rise Las Vegas hotel and rain gunfire onto an outdoor concert.

Paddock ended Sunday nights shooting spree, the deadliest in modern U.S. history, by killing himself. He left an arsenal of 42 guns but no clear clues as to why he staged the attack on a crowd of 20,000 from a 32nd-floor window of the Mandalay Bay hotel. More than 500 people were injured, some were trampled.

Federal, state, and local investigators have found no evidence that Paddock, 64, had even incidental contacts with foreign or domestic extremist groups, and reviews of his history show no underlying pattern of lawbreaking or hate speech, a senior U.S. homeland security official said on Tuesday.

We cannot even rule out mental illness or some form of brain damage, although theres no evidence of that, either, the official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss the probe.

President Donald Trump told reporters on Tuesday that Paddock had been a sick man, a demented man. He declined to answer a question about whether he considered the attack an act of domestic terrorism.

U.S. officials discounted a claim of responsibility by ISIS and said they believed Paddock acted alone.

Although police said they had no other suspects, Clark County Sheriff Joseph Lombardo said investigators wanted to talk with Paddocks girlfriend and live-in companion, Marilou Danley, who he said was traveling abroad in Tokyo.

The closest Paddock ever appeared to have come to a brush with the law was a traffic infraction, authorities said.

Las Vegas Police said they would next provide an update on the investigation at 1 p.m. PT (1900 GMT).

Atypical Killer

Paddock seemed atypical of the troubled, angry, young men who experts said have come to embody the mass-shooter profile in the United States.

Public records on Paddock point to an itinerant existence across the West and Southeast parts of America, including stints as an apartment manager and an aerospace industry worker. He appeared to be settling in to a quiet life when he bought a home in a Nevada retirement community a few years ago.

His brother, Eric, described Stephen Paddock as financially well-off and an enthusiast of video poker games and cruises.

It just makes less sense the more we use any kind of reason to figure it out, Eric Paddock said in a text message on Tuesday. He added that he had not yet talked to Danley.

Mary Lou is absolutely the closest person to Steve, he wrote. We are going to let her contact us if and when she decides she wants to.

Police said 23 guns were found in Paddocks suite at the Mandalay Bay hotel.

A search of his car turned up a supply of ammonium nitrate, a fertilizer that can be formed into explosives. Ammonium nitrate was used in the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing of a federal office building that killed 168 people, Lombardo said.

Police found another 19 firearms, explosives, and thousands of rounds of ammunition at Paddocks home in Mesquite, 82 miles northeast of Las Vegas.

They obtained a warrant to search a second house connected to Paddock in Reno, Nevada.

Chris Sullivan, the owner of Mesquites Guns & Guitars shop, issued a statement confirming that Paddock was a customer who cleared background checks and said his business was cooperating with investigators.

Lombardo said investigators knew a gun dealer had come forward to say that he had sold weapons to the suspect, but it was not clear if he was referring to Sullivan. He said police were aware of other people engaged in those transactions, including at least one in Arizona.

Reuters contributed to this report.
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Taking the kids to school or getting to work around 8 a.m. Tuesday was a contact sport in Butte.

Butte-Silver Bow police reported six accidents  one a hit-and-run  in half an hour, between 7:52 a.m. and 8:21 a.m.

The temperature dropped to 25 degrees overnight, and it had warmed up only a degree by 8 a.m. Roads were snowy and icy.

The Montana Highway Patrol also reported numerous slide-offs Tuesday morning.

No one was seriously injured in any of the accidents, police said.

The hit-and-run occurred at Rowe Road and Hobson Avenue, where a Montana Department of Transportation truck was struck by an unknown vehicle, police said.
What's next for SD Gov. Kristi Noem as she heads into her second term?

politics
NEW YORKNordstrom Inc. fell 6.3 per cent Monday amid growing concerns about a deal to take the upscale department-store chain private.

The Nordstrom family has struggled to amass the financing needed for the buyout, the New York Post reported on Sunday. And last months bankruptcy filing by Toys R Us Inc. has made lenders more jittery about retail, casting more doubt on the transaction, the newspaper said.

The Nordstrom family first announced it was considering a buyout in June. With the overall department-store industry slumping, a deal would give them a chance to work on a turnaround plan outside of public scrutiny. Private equity firm Leonard Green & Partners has held discussions about supplying about $1 billion in financing, but the total deal could require as much as $10 billion, according to the Post.

Nordstrom stock fell $2.97 (U.S.), or 6.3 per cent, to $44.18. Other department stores also fell on concerns about the value of the companies and their ability to raise money.

While Nordstroms sales have slowed, the chain has generally performed better than most large U.S. competitors. Macys Inc., J.C. Penney Co. and Sears Holdings Corp. have plans to close hundreds of stores as they cope with slow mall traffic and consumers shift spending online.

Representatives for the family and the company didnt immediately respond to request for comment.

With files from The Associated Press

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If Sears Canada is to shut down completely, it would be best to get it done before Christmas, according to a report from the monitor handling the troubled retailers insolvency.

Sears Canada is operating at a substantial weekly loss, according to the report from FTI Consulting Canada Inc., adding that with each passing week the amount of money available to unsecured creditors is reduced as a result.

Liquidation sales in the retail industry yield better results if they are completed before and during the lead up to the December holiday season.

Seven parties thought to have an interest in buying or investing in a restructured Sears Canada were approached after Sears filed for creditor protection, according to the monitors report.

Only three responded with interest, including a group led by Brandon Stranzl, who stepped away from his responsibilities as Sears Canadas executive chairman in order to focus on a plan to rescue the company.

In the end, however, none of the offers that were made met all the requirements, including financing, according to the report.

The monitor is continuing to work with the Stranzl group, but points out that time is running out.

So far, 59 of the retailers stores have been closed and 2,900 employees have lost their jobs.

On Friday, the company announced that another 11 stores, including the Sears locations at Fairview Mall and at Scarborough Town Centre, will also close. Altogether, 1,200 people at those stores will lose their jobs.

In all, 22 applications to the Employee Hardship Fund have been made and 15 approved, according to the monitors report. That fund was created using money donated by company executives, who were being paid retention bonuses. But the funds future is now in doubt, according to the monitors report.

If someone does swoop in with an offer for the company, Sears Canada will not be the retailer it once was, according to Alex Arifuzzaman, partner, Interstratics Consultants Inc.

They sold off the crown jewels, said Arifuzzaman. Sears Canada has sold off some of its prime leases over the past few years, including spots at Toronto Eaton Centre, Yorkdale Shopping Centre and Square One Shopping Centre. The list of stores added to the sale list on Friday also included Oakville Place and Lime Ridge Mall in Hamilton.

Its going to be a smaller network of stores. Maybe they can make something of it, but Sears of the past is done, Arifuzzaman said.

Maureen Atkinson, senior partner, research insights, J.C. Williams Group, said it seemed premature to exit properties that could have been part of a deal to keep the retailer going.

While some landlords may be left in the lurch by Sears stores closing, others will no doubt see it as an opportunity to rent the space to tenants that will draw more foot traffic, Atkinson said. They may also be able to rent the space at a higher rate, because anchor stores such as Sears that negotiated rents decades ago typically pay lower rents than other tenants.

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Songhoy Blues, a rock quartet from Timbutku, Mali riding a wave of critical praise through their first two albums, has been forced to cancel its Toronto show on Tuesday night and the band says visa troubles are to blame.

The four-piece was slated to play the Mod Club on Oct. 3, but on Monday an update was posted on the events Facebook page:

Songhoy Blues are sorry to announce the cancellation of our scheduled performance in Toronto on Tuesday 3rd October due to visa issues.

Over the last week, our team has worked ceaselessly to try and resolve the issues threatening our entry to Canada but unfortunately on this occasion we've been unable to find a solution. We hate nothing more than cancelling shows and are absolutely devastated not to be able to perform in Toronto for the first time. Thanks for all your support and understanding. We'll be back in Toronto as soon as we can.

Promoter Collective Concerts said refunds are available at point of purchase.

The band, whose members met in refugee camps, had recently played New York and will play Chicago on Thursday. Its latest album, Resistance, features guest vocals by Iggy Pop on one track.

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An Edmonton human rights advocate says Muslim women are being attacked following a spree of violence linked to a Somali man on the weekend.

Mahamad Accord, with the Edmonton Coalition for Human Rights, said he heard from one Muslim woman who was hospitalized Monday after she had a bottle smashed on her head while riding the LRT.

He said he heard from two more women by Monday afternoon who had men yell hateful things at them in public.

Women will bear the brunt of the racism, I guarantee you, because they display the hijab, Accord said.

Read more:

Grieve for Las Vegas, Edmonton, but sidestep the trolls: Paradkar

Suspect in Edmonton attacks was investigated by RCMP in 2015

Suspect in Edmonton attack faces terrorism, attempted murder charges

Nuurto Abdirahman said she was driving near Norquest College Monday morning when a man stopped his car to shout at her, calling her a bitch and a terrorist and saying, You should go back to your own country.

I didnt do anything, and I drove, she said.

A man who police have identified as Somali refugee claimant Abdulahi Hasan Sharif, 30, drove his car into a police officer and ran over several pedestrians with a U-Haul truck on Saturday night.

Police said the man had a flag in his car representing the terrorist group Daesh.

While hundreds attended a peace rally and vigil Sunday organized by Edmontons Muslim community, the attack stirred up some anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim sentiment on social media.

Accord gave his condolences to the victims of the attack, but also said he is concerned that the attacks against Muslim women Monday are just the tip of the iceberg.

When we are victims, we dont have that sympathy. But when we become a suspect, this is what we expect, he said. Thats the essence of the issue. Even though we have nothing to do with (the Saturday attack).

The Ogaden Somali Community of Alberta Residents (OSCAR) hosted 20 organizations Monday morning for a discussion on how to respond to hatred.

Its Summit Safety Committee meeting included representatives of the city, police, REACH Edmonton and several Somali and Indigenous groups.

The groups executive director Ahmed Abdulkadir said the focus was keeping Muslims, Somali-Canadians, refugees and other newcomers safe from the backlash they have seen from a minority of Edmontonians.

How to handle it, what they need to do, where they need to go, and how to report it, is some of the things we have been discussing, he said.

Abdulkadir said he has seen many hateful messages on social media since the Saturday attack.

He called the attack unacceptable and inhumane, adding that Edmontons Somali and Muslim communities are concerned and saddened, and praying for a fast recovery for the victims.

OSCAR will meet biweekly and continue monitoring hate activity, and the group is also organizing a unity feast to take place shortly after Thanksgiving.

Whoever did this thing, the purpose was to divide the community, Abdulkadir said.

But this will not divide us. It will unite us and it will make us stronger.

Jibril Ibrahim, President of the Somali Canadian Cultural Society Of Edmonton, said the Somali community is shocked and condemns the attack in the strongest terms.

He said he was encouraged by the solidarity shown by citizens and politicians at Sundays vigil, but also concerned about a potential backlash against recent refugees.

We just want to make sure that this incident doesnt cause some minorities within our community to hate those people, Ibrahim said.

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MONTREALThe election of Jagmeet Singh as leader was a watershed moment for the NDP and for Canadian politics. But the blow dealt to runner-up Charlie Angus on the first and only ballot of the campaign was also revealing of the partys mood.

On Sunday the Timmins-James Bay MP lost both in the real world and on the field of expectations. Angus did not expect to become the NDPs new leader on that day. But nor was his team prepared for a crushing and definitive defeat.

By the time the Liberals picked a leader in 2013, the men and women who had run against Justin Trudeau knew they would be little more than extras on the set of a coronation.

By comparison, Angus entered the weekend of the vote cast as one of two front-runners in the campaign to succeed Thomas Mulcair only to emerge as a distant also-ran.

A well-respected MP with more parliamentary experience than any of his three rivals, Angus had cause to hope his promise to reconnect the NDP to its roots would resonate with the party base.

He had not recruited as many new members as Singh, but polls suggested he was the popular choice among New Democrats of longer standing.

Indeed, at the time of the previous NDP leadership vote in 2012, Anguss decision to rally Mulcairs camp after his own preferred candidate, Paul Dewar, was eliminated, had been considered one of the more significant developments of the day.

And yet, in the end, the result was not even close. Angus  with 19 per cent of the vote  not only finished more than 30 points behind Singh, he barely beat Niki Ashton (17 per cent) for second place.

Angus might have fared better under a riding-by-riding weighted system such as that of the Liberals and the Conservatives. The one-member-one-vote NDP formula does play to regional strengths at the potential expense of broader national appeal. Singhs support was unevenly distributed across the country with a heavy emphasis on the GTA and the larger Vancouver area.

But the final score suggests that a significant part of the party base Angus was counting on to keep his campaign alive and get to fight another ballot was in Singhs corner.

The appetite for a trip back to a future that stood to again feature permanent opposition as an NDP way of life turned out to be limited.

This is the same party that shocked the countrys political class by summarily handing Mulcair his walking papers a year and a half ago.

I did not think we were that kind of people, one New Democrat had told me in the hours after Mulcairs leadership had been disposed of.

Anguss results suggest the New Democrats are indeed that kind of people. Jack Layton spent his tenure urging New Democrats to set their sights on forming a government. In the pursuit of power they are no less cold-blooded than their Conservative and Liberal counterparts.

And then it is not a reflection on Anguss merits to note that his path to victory had the potential to poison both the New Democrat well and that of his leadership. A winning scenario for his campaign featured mostly terrible optics stretched out over two and possibly three divisive weeks.

As proud as the NDP was of the demographic diversity of its leadership lineup, it had the potential to backfire on the party.

Here is how the vote would likely have had to unfold for Angus to win.

On the first ballot, Guy Caron would have been struck from the lineup.

On Sunday, Caron finished last with 9 per cent of the vote. There is no guarantee his supporters would have even bothered to vote for one of the surviving contenders on subsequent ballots.

On week two, Niki Ashton would have been voted off the island. It might then have taken yet another week and another round of voting for Angus to prevail over Singh.

Having beaten in succession a francophone Quebecer, a woman and a runner-up issued from the ranks of Canadas visible minorities and done so over weeks rather than mere hours on a convention floor, Angus would have his work cut out for him trying to convince Canadians that he was taking command of a forward-looking NDP.

Chantal Hebert is a national affairs writer. Her column appears Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

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Bridget Tolley said she never invited Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to the vigil she was holding on Parliament Hill last year, but his office called and asked to come.

For years, Tolley has been involved in the annual Native Womens Association of Canadas Sisters in Spirit vigils to remember nearly 1,200 murdered and missing Indigenous women and girls (MMIWG) that are held from coast to coast to coast every year on Oct. 4. The day is meant to be non-political, a day of remembrance for families and all who mourn stolen sisters, aunts, partners, mothers, daughters and friends.

This is all about our missing sisters, said Tolley, who lost her mother Gladys Tolley on Oct. 5, 2001 after she was struck by a Surete du Quebec police cruiser as she walked across a two-lane highway on the Kitigan Zibi-Anishinabeg First Nation, north of Ottawa. A police investigation into her death revealed no wrongdoing and called the case an accident.

I cant believe I am still doing this, said the grandmother. She has fought, unsuccessfully, for years to get her mothers case re-opened and independently investigated. This year, I want to fill the Hill.

This year, she is expecting the prime minister to return to the steps of the Parliament Hill at noon, along with Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, and remember with them and perhaps speak to some of the families gathered. I want to hear it straight from him, she said. Also expected are the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations Carolyn Bennett and Minister of Indigenous Services Jane Philpott.

After the vigil, there will be a traditional feast for the families in the Centre Block hosted by New Democratic Party MPs including Romeo Saganash.

At least 200 vigils will occur on Oct. 4 at various times throughout the day. The vigils can take many forms. Some are moments of silence, others are assemblies in school gymnasiums, feasts or a gathering of families who are coming together for mutual support and remembrance.

Tolley hopes that on Wednesday everyone will put their concerns surrounding the problem-plagued national inquiry into MMIWG aside and they will focus on what is important  the lost women and girls and the families left behind. The inquiry, which just wrapped up family hearings in Smithers, B.C., has struggled with senior staff resignations and accusations of poor communications with families.

I know it is so hard with all the divisions right now. I hope we can all unite. We all started off together by honouring them. I just hope we can continue. This is about them and for them. I am calling for unity, said Tolley.

Francyne Joe, NWAC president, will be at the Ottawa vigil. She is also hoping to see MMIWG National Inquiry Commissioner Michelle Audet.

I think the families need to see the commissioners as part of this event, said Joe. At the Oct. 4 vigils  there should be no political platforms. This is a moment where we honour the MMIWG and also pay respect to the families involved. We are hoping the families will be encouraged by the support they are getting across Canada, Joe said.

This is a moment where families can get together. They may have bonded over previous vigils and programs before but it is an important they get together now, Joe said.

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The chickens arent coming home to roost in Toronto backyards just yet.

On Monday night, council deferred a vote on a pilot project that would allow Toronto residents in some neighborhoods to keep up to four chickens in their backyards.

The proposed pilot would operate in Wards 5, 13, 21 and 32 for a period of up to three years with an interim review at 18 months. Backyard chickens would not be allowed in apartment buildings, condominiums or properties without sufficient outdoor space.

Eggs produced by the hens could not be sold and roosters would not be allowed in a henhouse because of the noise they make, according to the motion before council. Participants in the program would have to register and agree to regular inspections.

Council is expected to vote on the pilot project Tuesday, the second day of falls first session.

Council also delayed voting on a staff report adding additional animals  including cranes, flamingos and penguins, to the citys prohibited animal list.

Thirteen-year-old Chana shows off her chicken coop and talks about the routine that keeps her family and her chickens healthy. Having a chicken coop in your backyard is presently not legal in Vaughan where Chana and her family live. (Toronto S

Also, council is expected Tuesday to consider changing the bylaw that currently allows for exemptions to the citys prohibited animals list  when used for educational purposes.

Read more: Common sense is key in keeping backyard chickens

City staff recommended ending the exemption over concerns about the proliferation of exotic animals at birthday parties and other circumstances that were not educational. It would take effect Jan. 1, 2018.

City staff did not recommend removing chickens from the prohibited animal list. But public consultations earlier this year triggered a proposal to ask council to consider removing them from the list and launching a pilot project.

During Monday nights debate, councillors used the occasion to joke, cluck and at one point played an audio clip ostensibly of henhouse noise.

I was wondering if Colonel Sanders has beenconsulted, joked Councillor Jim Karygiannis while questioning Tracey Cook, executive director of municipal licensing and standards.

He was certainly welcome to answer our public survey, sir, if he was so inclined, Cook deadpanned.

Councillor Stephen Holyday, firmly in the no-chicken-in-my-backyard-camp, wondered where does the line get drawn if the city removes chickens from the prohibited animal list. Where do we stop? Can I have a cow? I like milk, Holyday stated.

Some councillors raised concerns about what might happen to unwanted chickens. I will say we have had occasions where little pot bellied pigs have been dropped off at animal services, Cook responded.

Councillor Justin Di Ciano, a proponent of the pilot project, said he was tired of the fear mongering, adding his father has backyard chickens.

Di Ciano also noted while many other jurisdictions, including Vancouver, Montreal, New York and Brampton, allow residents to keep a few hens, there has been no massivepublic health issue created by backyard chickens.

Cook told council there have been some examples of Salmonella outbreaks tied to backyard hen flocks but nothing significant.

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Trish Tervits Taj Mahal of backyard chicken coops will soon have new tenants after councils decision Tuesday to approve a pilot project in four Toronto wards.

In 2010, Tervit got three chicks to mostly entertain and educate her two daughters.

They helped keep the backyard clean, there was no increase in raccoons or other pests and the only noise was a little daytime clucking.

Still, somebody in her upper Beaches neighborhood complained and, after a warning from the city and a decisive 2013 council decision closing the door on backyard coops, Tervit gave away her girls to a farm outside the city.

On Tuesday, council reversed course, and approved a pilot project that will allow Toronto residents in wards 5 (Etobicoke-Lakeshore) 13 (Parkdale-High Park) 21 (St. Pauls) and 32 (Beaches-East York)  Tervits east-end ward  to keep up to four chickens in their backyards.

I adored having the chickens, Tervit said. We got used to having fresh eggs and fun little pets. When I heard the (council vote) news today, there was no guesswork  I'm already googling where to get some chicks, we'll have some within days, she said.

The 23-14 council vote removes chickens from the citys list of prohibited animals.

Backyard chickens will not be allowed in apartment buildings condominiums or properties without sufficient outdoor space.

Eggs produced by the hens could not be sold and roosters would not be allowed in the henhouse. Participants will have to register and agree to regular inspections.

The proposed pilot will go into effect by the end of October and will operate for up to three years with an interim review at 18 months.

Its a good day for Torontonians. Chickens are already in our community, this normalizes a practice frankly that is around the world, Councillor Joe Mihevc said after the vote.

To have a few pets in your backyard that also have the benefit of producing eggs, theres nothing wrong with it from a public health perspective, from a nuisance perspective, they are as clean as cats and dogs, they are as clean as the owners who keep care of them.

Thirteen-year-old Chana shows off her chicken coop and talks about the routine that keeps her family and her chickens healthy. Having a chicken coop in your backyard is presently not legal in Vaughan where Chana and her family live. (Toronto S

Council critics said the public had not been adequately consulted prior to the debate and decision. This is ridiculous, government at its worst, Councillor Jon Burnside said.

We should not be entertaining this for a second, agreed Councillor Jaye Robinson. Other councillors questioned why council was wasting any time at all on the backyard chicken issue.

Nevertheless, a majority of councillors voted down a motion to refer the pilot project back to the citys licensing division to hold public consultations.

City staff did not back the move to legalize backyard hens.

Research indicates that the primary human health risk of keeping chickens is infectious disease transmission, such as Salmonella, a staff report said. Another important consideration is the potential public nuisance problems that might arise from the keeping of chickens. Some of these concerns arise from noise and odour.

As well, keeping chickens outdoors in poor enclosures and coops may present animal care, welfare risks for chickens and attract pests such as flies, mice, rats, skunks and raccoons, and coyotes.

While the debate around chickens grabbed all the attention, council voted to delay the come into force date for the deletion of the prohibited animals exception from educational programs from July 1, 2017 to Jan. 1, 2018.

Council voted last December to end the exemption that allowed prohibited animals to be used for educational purposes.

After Jan. 1, prohibited animals, including snakes greater than three metres, tigers and all poisonous and venomous animals, will not be permitted to be used for private or public evens, such as school visits or birthday parties.

With files from David Rider

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Two men have been charged with second-degree murder in a double shooting outside the Rebel nightclub early Sunday that left two other men dead.

Police found the victims at the scene, near Cherry and Polson Sts., around 3:10 a.m.. One man was pronounced dead on scene, and the other was taken to hospital, where he died from his injuries.

On Tuesday, police formally identified the victims as Tyler McLean, 25, and Zemarai Khan Mohammed, 26. Mohammed was also known as Amir Jamal.

Police also said Abdirisaq Ali, 23, of Toronto, and Tanade Mohamed, 24, of Edmonton, had been arrested on charges of second-degree murder. They were scheduled to appear in a Toronto court Tuesday.

The arrests came after officers executed search warrants in the York Mills Rd. and DVP area on Monday, police said in a news release.

Friends and family of the victims were left reeling by the deaths. A Gofundme page raising money to ship Jamals body back to his family in Afghanistan called him the most genuine and kind person.

Adam Mahgoub, a friend of McLean, said he was very well respected, very well liked.

McLean was a promoter for the nightclub who had just returned from a vacation, according to a coworker. Jamal had been sending money back home to his family. The two men were friends.

The deaths are listed as Torontos 44th and 45th homicides this year.

With files from Alanna Rizza and Samantha Beattie

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Weve seen them before: the monsters who are interchangeable, their victims who are not.

There was horror this past weekend for the four people injured by a madman driving in Edmonton, knocking them down Saturday, horror for the police officer who had just been hit and stabbed.

Horror also for the 59 people who died, including Canadians Jordan McIldoon and Jessica Klymchuk, and the hundreds injured as the site of a country music festival in Las Vegas turned into a killing field Sunday.

Theres the continuing shock for the witnesses to the tragedies.

Read more:

B.C. man, Alberta woman among 59 killed in Las Vegas concert shooting

What we know about Stephen Paddock, the high-stakes gambler behind the Las Vegas massacre

Distinctions of terrorism matter: Analysis

There is unending sorrow for the families left bereaved. McIldoon was 23, in the city to celebrate his impending 24th birthday. He was someone with a sense of humour. God youre hideous, a friend commented recently on a Facebook photo of him. God I know, McIldoon responded, dryly.

Klymchuk, who left behind four kids, appeared to have been madly in love with her fiance. Brent you are heaven sent. You are my one and only. Youre one of a kind, she told him in a Facebook post just last week.

One day youre imagining a life together. Suddenly that life is irretrievably lost. Gone.

Each victim lies in the centre of a ripple of grief. Each needs to be mourned. Their loved ones need support.

Thats not enough vicarious suffering, though, for some of those watching from afar.

If online forums can be regarded as substitutes for the street corners of yore, discussions reveal that the first instinct of those asking, Who? is to seek to confirm biases and politicize the violence.

Then basic identifiers are placed in neat boxes.

Muslim  terrorist.

Black  violent criminal.

Refugee  freeloader.

White  mentally ill.

Tragedies are exploited, victims are pushed aside and narratives are created to suit agendas.

The alleged Edmonton attacker whom police identified as Abdulahi Hasan Sharif, 30, faced the triple threat of being Muslim, Black and a refugee, leading to hysterical calls to ban Muslim immigration and dire warnings of Canadas definite slide into a land of Sharia law that nobody is asking for.

The next day, a white mans senseless violence in Las Vegas appeared to leave people bereft of identity-based hate hooks, so the bickering rolled down the now ritualized path of gun control versus the second amendment  a necessary argument that could have easily waited a few hours.

The Washington Post rushed to eulogize the killer with a soft-focus lens, calling him a man who enjoyed gambling, country music, lived quiet life before massacre. That was the headline of a story that described him as having gambling problems and a father who was on the FBIs Most Wanted List.

If the aftermath of tragedies reveal the best in humans  the heroism of those risking their lives to save others, strangers donating blood, the first responders, the police  they also bring out the parasites who feed on pain, the bottom feeders of disasters.

These are people who take pleasure in circulating images of fake victims or fake perpetrators.

On Monday morning, far-right trolls spread the news that the Las Vegas shooting suspect was a man named Geary Danley and said he was a fan of MSNBC host Rachel Maddow. They called him a Democrat and said he was associated with an anti-Trump army.

After the attack in Manchester following the Ariana Grande concert in May, a YouTube personality who calls himself Review Brah was falsely listed as missing. There was his picture again Sunday night, with the words, My brother was in Las Vegas the strip tonight. Hes not picking up my call! Has anyone seen him? Please help.

Projecting comedian Sam Hyde as mass-shooter has become a favourite among trolls, according to a Buzzfeed list of hoaxes about the Las Vegas shooting.

Earlier this year, a tweet with Hydes photo read: Suspect in #Kalamazoo shooting identified as Klansman Stan Hider. In 2016, after a racist attack on a Missouri campus, a tweet captioned Hydes photo thus: Sam Hyde confirmed KKK white racist on #Mizzou campus.

As if on cue, his photo popped up again Sunday.

#Mandalay Bay shooter identified as 32 year OLD ISLAMIC CONVERT SAMIR AL-HAJEED #mandalaybay

A couple of accounts that now appear to be suspended shared a photo of porn actor Johnny Sins and said, My dad is missing after Las Vegas shooting. Please RT and share. We are distraught.

It has responses such as I hope your dad is ok. Sending prayers from BC Canada.

The tragedy, the fake cry for help, the compassion of strangers  these are fodder for humour for the unspeakably sick among us who delight in mining trauma for memes.

That life goes on is both platitude and fact. Tragic will be the day when misfortune comes knocking at the doors of the heartless, and theres no one to cry for them. Then, too, life will simply go on.

Shree Paradkar writes about discrimination and identity. You can follow her @shreeparadkar

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Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel opened his show with a raw, emotional monologue about gun control in America following the mass shooting in Las Vegas that killed 59 people, including three Canadians.

Kimmel, whose hometown is Las Vegas, got teary-eyed and choked up as he talked about the carnage that occurred when a 64-year-old man open fired at concert goers from his 32nd floor hotel room at the Mandalay Bay.

Read more: Three Canadian victims mourned after Las Vegas attack

Americas gun obsession is killing them: DiManno

Its the kind of thing that makes you want to throw up or give up, said Kimmel. Its too much to even process, all these devastated families that have to live with this pain forever because one person with a violent and insane voice in his head managed to stockpile a collection of high-powered rifles and use them to shoot people.

Kimmel went on to criticize the lack of definitive action to change gun laws in the wake of mass shootings in recent years.

When someone with a beard attacks us, we tapped phones, we invoke travel bans, we build walls, we take every possible precaution to make sure it doesnt happen again, said Kimmel. But when an American buys a gun and kills other Americans, then theres nothing we can do about that.

The late-night called out the White Houses response about how it is not the time for a political debate on gun laws. Kimmel argued that now is the time for political debate since we have 59 people dead, it wasnt their time either.

Kimmel went on to castigate President Donald Trump who is praying for those who lost their lives. In February, he also signed a bill to make it easier for people with severe mental illness to buy guns legally.

He also criticized Republican leaders Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan, who also sent their thoughts and prayers today, about not doing anything about gun violence because the NRA has their balls in a money clip.

They should be praying for God to forgive them for letting the gun lobby run this country, said Kimmel.

Then he showed photos of 56 senators who voted against closing loopholes on background checks following last years Orlando Pulse nightclub massacre that killed 49 people.

I want to show you something, here are faces of the Senators who  days after the shooting in Orlando  voted against a bill that would have closed those loopholes, said Kimmel. The House of Representatives will be voting on a piece of legislation this week. Its a bill to legalize the sale of silencers for guns. This is what theyre working on. We have a major problem with gun violence in this country  and I guess they dont care.

The late-night host went on to say that he wants his show to be a comedy show but that is has become increasingly difficult lately.

It feels like someone has opened a window into hell, said Kimmel.

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Ontarios police watchdog is investigating the arrest of a man and woman accused in what police had called a crime spree across southern Ontario.

The Special Investigations Unit says the 24-year-old man was arrested with his partner, a 22-year-old woman, by York Regional Police outside a shopping mall in Vaughan, Ont., Friday.

Before the pairs arrest, Niagara Regional Police said the couple was wanted by police services in several communities  including Halton Region, Brantford, Waterloo Region, Guelph and London  on charges ranging from vehicle and gas theft to shoplifting.

The SIU says that during the course of the mans arrest, there was an interaction with police officers, and he was taken to hospital.

The agency says the man was transferred to Niagara Regional Police custody and then taken back to hospital, where it was determined that he had a serious injury.

The SIU is automatically called in to investigate reports of serious injury, death or allegations of sexual assault involving police.

Related: Stiffer consequences urged for cops who undermine SIU

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The Toronto District School Board said it will change portions of a guidebook that uses a definition of Islamophobia that a Jewish community group has called overly broad.

The guidebook defines Islamophobia, in part, as fear, prejudice, hatred or dislike directed against Islam or Muslims, or towards Islamic politics or culture. Bnai Brith Canada had complained earlier Monday that the reference to politics could lead to students or staff being punished for expressing dislike for the Republic of Irans persecution of LGBTQ people or restrictions placed on women in Saudi Arabia.

Hours later, TDSB chairperson Robin Pilkey said in a letter to the group that the updated guide will reflect the Ontario Human Rights Commissions definition of Islamophobia, which makes no reference to politics.

Read more:

M-103 study should explore how Islamophobia is a form of racism: Paradkar

How two moms and a teacher are helping Toronto celebrate Islamic Heritage Month

Pilkey said the guide was not enforceable as policy and denied it would have led to silencing of staff or students.

The TDSB welcomes important input from the community and from organizations such as Bnai Brith, however we must say that some of the suggestions made in your letter and subsequent news release are outrageous, she said in the letter. To suggest that the TDSB is encouraging students to stay silent about what they experienced in their countries of birth or that the TDSB is somehow banning students and educators from criticizing executions and other human rights abuses around the world is categorically untrue.

The Toronto District School Board created the guide to be used in public schools in October, which it declared Islamic Heritage Month. The Toronto District School Board also celebrates Sikh Heritage Month in April and Jewish Heritage Month in May annually.

Bnai Brith Canada CEO Michael Mostyn said a school board representative told the group the definition was included in the guidebook in error.

We thank the TDSB for acting swiftly to correct this serious problem, he said in a statement. The definition of Islamophobia initially presented by the TDSB was clearly inappropriate, and we look forward to seeing a proper definition presented to Toronto students.

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OTTAWA  Even if the name wasnt there for all to see, there can be no doubt about the meaning of Canadas National Holocaust Monument. Its enclosed spaces, precariously angled walls and raw concrete surfaces speak the language of pain, fear and isolation. There is nothing heroic here  how could there be?  only the offer of an experience not easily forgotten.

Located across the road from the Canadian War Museum in the LeBreton Flats area of Ottawa, the recently opened monument is a powerful addition to the landscape of the capital. Falling somewhere between art and architecture, this is the first memorial of its kind in the country. Devoid of rhetoric and (mostly) of figurative imagery, its an abstract structure that would rather evoke a response than make its point overtly.

The designer, Polish-American architect Daniel Libeskind, has acquitted himself brilliantly. More than any other contemporary practitioner, Libeskind has mastered architectures narrative possibilities. Until the monument, the best example of his story-telling skills was the Jewish Museum in Berlin. When opened in 2001, it was completely empty. Still, tens of thousands showed up to see it. Even without artifacts or exhibits, the building told the history of a people with clear and undeniable eloquence.

The monument, which addresses a more specific episode, has fewer means at its disposal. But its also free from the limits of conventional architectural structures. Other than the need to memorialize, it serves no purpose. What it offers is pure experience.

Its not a building, Libeskind explains. Its not sculpture. It falls between these things. Theres no didactic way to go through it. You have to create spaces for individuals as well as room for 1,000 people. Its about your experience. Its about you.

Just in case there was any doubt, however, a series of black-and-white murals of various Holocaust sites have been painted on a number of walls. These images, based on pictures taken by acclaimed Canadian photographer Edward Burtynsky, add an extra layer of information. But they are unnecessary, intrusive and in some cases distracting. Even more out of place are the metallic panels  in both official languages  that document the Holocaust and its legacy.

This fear of leaving anything unsaid is at odds with a structure that is strong enough to speak for itself, that needs no explanation and that demands we engage with it through our imagination. If words are required, they should be somewhere else. Its always hard to know when to stop, of course, and the monument reminds us once again why less is more.

At the same time, its hidden spaces, slanted ground planes and dark corners  all unexplained  add an appropriate note of mystery and perhaps of threat to the space. But Libeskinds monument isnt without hope: a lone stairwell leads from the ground to an opening in a vertiginously canted wall through which the attentive visitor can glimpse the Peace Tower. On the other side of that opening, a sunbathed balcony looks out over Ottawa and the world beyond. We feel ourselves back in the light, returned to the land of the living. Our response is a quiet sense of exhilaration  and the realization of the power of what we experienced below.

Unlike, say, Peter Eisenmans Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe in Berlin, Libeskinds piece is frankly abstract but not abstruse. Though from above, its outline resembles an elongated Star of David, even thats not necessary to an understanding of the monument.

Libeskind, working with Burtynsky, landscape architect Claude Cormier, Holocaust scholar Doris Bergen and Lord Cultural Resources, won the commission through an international design competition launched in 2013. Best known in Toronto for the Crystal, his addition to the Royal Ontario Museum, and the L-Tower condo at Yonge and Esplanade, Libeskind now lives in New York where he moved after winning another competition to remake Ground Zero in Manhattan.

How lucky we are to be in Canada, he declares, smiling broadly. It doesnt make me feel good to live in America anymore. Theres a darkening of the world. The Germans have broken a historical taboo and elected members of a neo-Nazi party.

The opposite of love is not hate, says Libeskind, paraphrasing Elie Wiesel, its indifference. People forget. Its not just looking backwards. If you stand here you can hear the voice of the victims of the Holocaust. We should be thinking of whos not here.

Christopher Humes column appears weekly. He can be reached at jcwhume4@gmail.com

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A federal agencys admitted harassment of Rileys Meats in Butte and other small-plant operators in Montana is now drawing rebukes at the local-government level.

Butte-Silver Bow Commissioner Jim Fisher has joined Montanas congressional delegation in asking that Jeffrey Legg, a front-line supervisor for the Food and Safety Inspection Service, be investigated and corrective action be taken.

Its the latest response to a series in The Montana Standard last month revealing that Legg imposed conditions on Bart Riley and other small operators that were not based on federal regulations.

In a Sept. 28 letter, Fisher asks that fellow commissioners and Butte-Silver Bow Chief Executive Dave Palmer draft letters to U.S. Sens. Jon Tester and Steve Daines, Rep. Greg Gianforte and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue voicing concerns over the harassment of small business owners in Butte.

I suggest we ask for a complete investigation of Dr. Leggs actions in the willful harassment of our local business owners, Fisher says in the letter, which the council will take up Wednesday night. I also suggest we ask for full disclosure and for corrective action to be taken.

The newspaper series, titled Through the Meat Grinder, detailed a pattern of nonexistent regulations being applied to Rileys Meats and Truzzolino Tamales in Butte and several other Montana meat plants.

The federal actions were often costly and in some cases resulted in businesses closing or canceling expansion plans.

Fisher said Tuesday that local officials have a duty to protect local people, be it small businesses or the little man trying to make a living in this community.

Its just not right what they did and I think the more people that voice their concerns and the more pressure there is, the better the chances something will be done, he said.

Tester, Daines and Gianforte have all sent letters to the Department of Agriculture demanding investigations into Leggs actions against Riley and other Montana plants.

The FSIS and USDA declined numerous requests for interviews and would not answer specific questions about the allegations, saying only that its inspectors take appropriate actions to ensure the nations food supply is safe and wholesome, regardless of the size of an establishment.

An FSIS official once informed Riley, however, that some of his allegations of harassment were investigated and found to be true but no disciplinary action would be taken against inspectors.

Fisher said corrective action is needed because the harassment was totally uncalled for.

He (Legg) put tremendous burdens on small businesses in Butte and theres not that much money in the small businesses of our community, he said.

The Council of Commissioners meets at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday on the third floor of the Butte-Silver Bow Courthouse, 155 W. Granite St.
Provincial inmates must have access to rehabilitation programs and also need more  and more direct  contact with their families, says a new report on transforming Ontarios corrections system that also urges the government to allow prisoners who give birth to remain with their babies.

Howard Sapers, the independent adviser on corrections reform, said the province has to better track any deaths that occur in provincial jails and implement clear rules around strip searches.

Over 150 people have died in Ontarios correctional institutions over the past decade, said Sapers, who released his report at Queens Park on Tuesday. The majority of deaths in custody in Ontario are not subject to a thorough, fully arms-length and independent review. Even when such a review does take place, the extent to which the findings lead to system-wide reflection or change is limited.

Last November, the then-minister of corrections ordered the independent review of Ontario jails, looking at how to reduce the use of segregation and improve the system overall.

In the spring, Sapers  who previously served as Canadas correctional investigator and inmate ombudsman  released an interim report that recommended solitary confinement never be used for mentally ill prisoners, those who are pregnant, or have just given birth. But he stopped short of banning the practice.

His final report makes 62 recommendations that he said will help to create a more humane, and human rights-based system. Its time for the government to address the over-representation of Indigenous inmates in the system, he also said.

However, not all of the issues he looked at are big and complex, says the report. Sometimes it is important to sweat the small stuff. Getting small problems fixed can help prevent big problems, or at the very least, mitigate the impacts of larger concerns.

Improving family visits will help foster information sharing, and better policy around strip searches would improve staff-prisoner relations, the report says.

Sapers noted that across the country, and globally, correctional facilities have put in place a range of measures to help facilitate family contact and support, including child-friendly play spaces, open visiting areas that allow for barrier-free interactions, private family visiting accommodations for longer stays, and mother-child programs that prevent the separation of mothers and young children.

Ontarios correctional institutions offer almost none of these opportunities. The vast majority of visits between inmates and their loved ones in Ontario are limited to 20- to 40-minute sessions during which visitors and inmates are physically separated by a barrier.

Corrections Minister Marie-France Lalonde said the government is opening two new facilities that will be designed to reflect modern corrections practices, and will also hire more staff. New legislation is also expected this fall.

We will not be rebuilding the jails of the past, she told reporters. Most of our existing institutions default to maximum security and this is not the vision we have for our new institutions.

Contact with family is a key support for successful rehabilitation and reintegration, she added. Our new institutions will reflect this reality and we will be examining current infrastructure to identify opportunities to maximize these concepts.

But NDP MPP France Gelinas accused the government of failing to deal with long-standing, known concerns with the system.

(The government) can say all they want that they want rehabilitation and they want reintegration, she said. Well, rehabilitation means staying connected with your family, it means that your kids have an opportunity to see you and know that you exist and that you love them and care about them. But none of that is available to most of the inmates simply because work has not been done.

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Journalists love juggernauts  Jagmeet Singh being a classic in the genre.

Sort of.

Juggernaut is a common appellation, bordering on cliche, to describe the journey of the new NDP leader: Singh has surely come a long way, but he has many miles to go before he sleeps in 24 Sussex Drive.

A juggernaut is defined as a massive inexorable force, campaign, movement, or object that crushes whatever is in its path. Which sums up his unstoppable advance in the NDP leadership race.

But it doesnt tell the full story of his odyssey.

Juggernaut is derived from the Hindi Jagannath, which translates literally as lord of the world. In Hindu mythology, worshippers sacrificed themselves under the wheels of his carriage to be crushed.

A minor caveat is that Singh, as we keep hearing, is a turban-wearing Sikh, so the Hindu term is hardly ideal. But it describes the way he deftly crushed his rivals in the leadership race.

Predicting the future of the Jagmeet juggernaut on the campaign trail in 2019 requires greater precision and astrological propitiousness. For while the new leader is a force of nature, the stars are far from aligned.

Yes, he is overcoming fears of voter prejudice against a politician of colour. A mixed martial arts fighter, he famously deployed verbal ju-jitsu to outmanoeuvre a racist provocateur huffing and puffing at one of his rallies, in a video that went viral.

Yet many believe Singh could still face headwinds in Quebec, whose lawmakers have spent years debating bans on head coverings (such as his) and face coverings. As an observant Sikh, he also wears the kirpan  which remains controversial with Quebecers  but the optimist in me believes he can charm and disarm them over the ceremonial dagger.

His inspirational personal story  of overcoming prejudice, poverty and adversity  will take him only so far. To win over the country, Singh must counter preconceptions about the party he now leads.

Its one thing for a charismatic Liberal like Justin Trudeau to rely on sunny ways to become prime minister when his party can be all things to all people. Its quite another for an NDP leader to coast on a slogan of love and courage when weighed down by his partys baggage  and lack of policy heft.

Singh inherits a divided party, ideologically, geographically, environmentally. The treasury is bare and the brand is weak.

Read more:

Jagmeet Singhs victory ushers in new (and youthful) era in federal politics: Teitel

Can NDPs cool new leader Jagmeet Singh resonate with millennials  and become PM?

Jagmeet Singhs NDP win turns the tide in more ways than one: Hebert

It might be said that he has nowhere to go but up. In fact, there will be ups and downs as he climbs the greasy flagpole of politics, and masters the slippery learning curve of federal leadership (he is a fast learner).

Singh lived a charmed life at Queens Park, making his mark in made-to-measure suits that set him apart from other MPPs for whom sartorial splendour is rarely in their daily horoscopes. Apart from a couple of missteps on sex education (Singh took a stand by stalling, hiding behind parental consultations), he soared to deputy leader status.

Along the way, Singh befriended rivals from all parties. When NDP Leader Andrea Horwath hailed his weekend triumph, all MPPs paid him tribute with a standing ovation in the legislature.

For Ontarios New Democrats, Singhs victory is bittersweet. They invested heavily in his career, and were hoping to reap dividends in next years provincial election.

Diversity has long been the partys weak point, which Singh helped shore up with fresh recruits from suburban Toronto. Now, Horwath insists, the party can still profit from his higher profile as federal leader.

Singh promised her, Ill be there for you on the campaign trail, Horwath told me Monday. More than most parties, Ontarios NDP tends to rise and fall in lockstep with its federal counterpart, so Horwath might share in the halo effect if Singh enjoys a honeymoon or bump in the polls.

But there may be some unpleasant bumps along the way, for as federal leader he will face greater scrutiny than he did in Ontario. For that reason, Singhs absence from the House of Commons until the 2019 election  he has no plans for a seat until then  may prove to be a hidden advantage, rather than a handicap, allowing him to showcase his talents as a retail politician while delaying Parliamentary debate until he is truly ready.

The only certainty is that, for all his strengths and weaknesses, Singh cannot be underestimated. Juggernaut or ju-jitsu, he understands how to use momentum for maximum political advantage.

Martin Regg Cohns political column appears Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. mcohn@thestar.ca, Twitter: @reggcohn

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Community activists are pleading with Queens Park to act upon the recommendations from the coroners inquest into the death of Andrew Loku.

Three months after jurors handed down 39 recommendations to prevent another similar tragedy, Lokus supporters insist nothing has changed.

Although lip service has been paid to some of them, none of them have been implemented, lawyer Howard Morton said Tuesday at a news conference by Across Boundaries mental health clinic.

But Community Safety and Correctional Services Minister Marie-France Lalonde insisted some changes will be coming as part of policing reforms later this fall.

I know that police officers are increasingly interacting with vulnerable individuals, often with complex mental health issues. This is why we need to modernize the police service training, said Lalonde.

Loku, a 45-year-old father of five from South Sudan was shot and killed by Toronto police Const. Andrew Doyle after midnight on July 5, 2015 in an apartment near Eglinton Ave. W. and Caledonia Rd.

Doyle told the inquest he fired as the hammer-wielding man was charging toward him in the hallway of the Gilbert Ave. building leased by the Canadian Mental Health Association.

Ontarios Special Investigations Unit did not lay criminal charges against the officer, determining the use of force was justified.

That sparked protests by Black Lives Matter Toronto and forced the province to appoint Court of Appeal Justice Michael Tulloch to conduct a sweeping review of police oversight bodies.

On June 30, the coroners jury recommended annual anti-Black racism and mental health training for police and Tasers for all front-line officers, among dozens of other changes.

Some 41 organizations and individuals have collectively written to Premier Kathleen Wynne demanding those recommendations be implemented.

This province has a long history of non-responsiveness to inquest jury recommendations, wrote Aseefa Sarang, executive director of Across Boundaries.

A lack of meaningful response to the Loku recommendations by the government and all responsible agencies quite simply will not be tolerated, added Sarang.

NDP MPP Peter Tabuns (Toronto-Danforth) said the time of talk and good intentions is over.

The people of this province dont need another coroners inquest gathering dust on someones desk, said Tabuns.

Lalonde emphasized reforms are forthcoming.

Our government is very committed to making sure that people with mental health issues get access to the services they need, the minister said.

Through the Strategy for a Safer Ontario (initiative), we will be improving the de-escalation training for all new recruits and existing officers across the province, incorporating use-of-force and de-escalation into our upcoming legislation to ensure police can fully respond to individuals in crisis, she said.

We will establish the most appropriate model for police interaction with persons who are in crisis. We will be bringing legislation this fall.

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WASHINGTONThe Trump administration is preparing to ask Cuba to withdraw 60 per cent of its diplomats from Washington, U.S. officials said Monday, in response to last weeks U.S. move to cut its own embassy staff in Havana by a similar amount.

The U.S. request marks yet another major setback for relations between the United States and Cuba, two countries that only recently renewed diplomatic relations after a half-century of hostility. It comes as the U.S. seeks to protect its own diplomats from unexplained attacks that have harmed at least 21 Americans in Havana with ailments that affected their hearing, cognition, balance and vision.

The State Department is expected to announce the decision Tuesday, officials said, though they cautioned no decision was formalized until publicly announced. The officials werent authorized to discuss the plan publicly and requested anonymity.

Read more:

Mysterious health attacks hit U.S. spy network in Cuba

Illnesses among diplomats in Cuba have no known cause: Analysis

U.S. cuts embassy staff, warns against travel to Cuba: sources

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson discussed the plan Monday with U.S. President Donald Trump, one of the officials said.

Cuba has denied involvement in the attacks. Though Havana is likely to view the move as unwarranted retaliation, U.S. officials said the goal wasnt to punish the communist-run island, but to ensure both countries have a similar number of diplomats in each others capitals. The United States will formally ask Cuba to pull the diplomats, but wont expel them forcefully unless Havana refuses, the officials said.

Tensions between the two neighbours have been escalating amid serious U.S. concern about the unexplained attacks on Americans in Havana.

On Monday, The Associated Press reported that U.S. spies were among the first and most severely affected victims. Though bona fide diplomats have also been affected, it wasnt until U.S. spies, working out of the embassy under diplomatic cover, reported hearing bizarre sounds and experiencing even stranger physical effects that the United States realized something was wrong, several individuals familiar with the situation said.

The mysterious health attacks started within days of President Donald Trumps election in November, the AP has reported. But it wasnt until Friday that the United States ordered more than half its embassy staff to return home.

Delivering a one-two punch to U.S.-Cuba relations, the U.S. last week also delivered an ominous warning to Americans to stay away from Cuba, a move that could have profound implications for the islands travel industry. The U.S. said that since some workers had been attacked in Havana hotels, it couldnt assure Americans who visit Cuba that they wouldnt suffer attacks if they stay in hotels there.

Cuba had blasted the American move as hasty and lamented that it was being taken without conclusive investigation results. But several U.S. lawmakers had said that move by Washington didnt go far enough, because President Raul Castros government was being permitted to keep all of its diplomats in the U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., had called the one-sided action an insult in an AP interview.

There was no immediate reaction from Cubas Embassy in Washington late Monday after word emerged that the U.S. planned to ask Cuban diplomats to leave. Yet the move will bring the two countries closer to the chilly state of relations they endured for decades until 2015, when they restored formal ties and reopened embassies in Havana and Washington.

The U.S. previously had roughly 50 American workers at its embassy in Havana, so the 60 per cent reduction will bring the figure down to roughly 20. It wasnt immediately clear late Monday how Cuban diplomats will have to leave Washington to bring the two countries rosters to parity.

In Fridays travel warning urging Americans not to visit Cuba, the State Department confirmed earlier reporting by the AP that U.S. personnel first encountered unexplained physical effects in Cuban hotels. While American tourists arent known to have been hurt, the U.S. said they could be exposed if they travel to the island.

Because our personnels safety is at risk, and we are unable to identify the source of the attacks, we believe U.S. citizens may also be at risk and warn them not to travel to Cuba, the warning said.

At least 21 diplomats and family members have been affected. The department said symptoms include hearing loss, dizziness, headache, fatigue, cognitive issues and difficulty sleeping. Until Friday, the U.S. had generally referred to incidents. Tillersons statement ended that practice, mentioning attacks seven times; the travel alert used the word five times.

Still, the administration has pointedly not blamed Cuba for perpetrating the attacks, and officials have spent weeks weighing how to minimize the risk for Americans in Cuba without unnecessarily harming relations or falling into an adversarys trap.

In 2015, former president Barack Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro restored diplomatic ties, ordered embassies reopened and eased travel and commerce restrictions. Trump has reversed some changes but has broadly left the rapprochement in place.

To medical investigators dismay, symptoms have varied widely. In addition to hearing loss and concussions, some people have experienced nausea, headaches and ear-ringing. The Associated Press has reported some now suffer from problems with concentration and common word recall.

Though the incidents stopped for a time, they recurred as recently as late August.

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LAS VEGASThe Las Vegas gunman transferred $100,000 (U.s) overseas in the days before the attack and planned the massacre so meticulously that he even set up cameras inside his highrise hotel room and on a service cart outside his door, apparently to spot anyone coming for him, authorities said Tuesday.

Meanwhile, investigators are taking a harder look at the shooters girlfriend and what she might have known about the attack, with the sheriff naming her a person of interest and saying the FBI is bringing her back to the U.S. on Wednesday for questioning.

Authorities are trying to determine why Stephen Paddock killed 59 people at a country music festival in the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history.

Read more:

On gun control, Donald Trump has lost his marbles: DiManno

He saved my life: Manitoba woman praises Good Samaritan in Las Vegas shooting

Acts of heroism emerge amid chaos of Las Vegas shooting

They have been speaking with girlfriend Marilou Danley, 62, who was out the country at the time of the shooting and in the Philippines on Tuesday, and we anticipate some information from her shortly, Sheriff Joseph Lombardo said.

Lombardo said he is absolutely confident authorities will find out what set off Paddock, a 64-year-old high-stakes gambler and retired accountant who killed himself before police stormed his 32nd-floor room.

Paddock transferred $100,000 to the Philippines in the days before the shooting, a U.S. official briefed by law enforcement but not authorized to speak publicly because of the continuing investigation told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

Investigators are still trying to trace that money and also looking into a least a dozen reports over the past several weeks that said Paddock gambled more than $10,000 per day, the official said.

The cameras Paddock set up at the Mandalay Bay hotel casino were part of his extensive preparations that included stockpiling nearly two dozen guns in his room before opening fire on the concert below.

I anticipate he was looking for anybody coming to take him into custody, Lombardo said.

During the Sunday night rampage, a hotel security guard who approached the room was shot through the door and wounded in the leg.

The fact that he had the type of weaponry and amount of weaponry in that room, it was preplanned extensively, the sheriff said, and Im pretty sure he evaluated everything that he did and his actions, which is troublesome.

Lombardo said the investigation is proceeding cautiously in case criminal charges are warranted against someone else.

This investigation is not ended with the demise of Mr. Paddock, the sheriff said. Did this person get radicalized unbeknownst to us? And we want to identify that source.

In addition to the cameras, investigators found a computer and 23 guns with him at the hotel, along with bump stock devices that can enable a rifle to fire continuously, like an automatic weapon, authorities said. Nineteen more guns were found at Paddocks Mesquite home and seven at his Reno house.

Video shot outside the broken door of the room show an assault-style rifle with a scope on a bipod. The sheriff said an internal investigation has been launched to find out how that footage was obtained.

Some investigators turned their focus Tuesday from the shooters perch to the festival grounds where his victims fell.

A dozen investigators, most in FBI jackets and all wearing blue booties to avoid contaminating the scene, documented evidence at the site where gunfire rained down and country music gave way to screams of pain and terror.

Shoes, baby strollers, chairs, sunglasses, purses. The whole field was just littered with things, said Nevada Attorney General Adam Laxalt after touring the site Monday. There were bloodstains everywhere.

More than 500 people were injured in the rampage, some by gunfire, some during the chaotic escape. At least 45 patients at two hospitals remained in critical condition. All but three of the dead had been identified by Tuesday afternoon, Lombardo said.

Witnesses described seeing dead and wounded lying on the ground and people in panic trampling on those who fell down as they tried to escape when a gunman opened fire on an outdoor music festival in Las Vegas on Sunday. (The Associated Press)

As for what may have set Paddock off, retired FBI profiler Jim Clemente speculated that there was some sort of major trigger in his life  a great loss, a breakup, or maybe he just found out he has a terminal disease.

Clemente said a psychological autopsy may be necessary to try to establish the motive. If the suicide didnt destroy Paddocks brain, experts may even find a neurological disorder or malformation, he said.

He said there could be a genetic component to the slaughter: Paddocks father was a bank robber who was on the FBIs most-wanted list in the 1960s and was diagnosed a psychopath.

The genetics load the gun, personality and psychology aim it, and experiences pull the trigger, typically, Clemente said.

Paddock had a business degree from Cal State Northridge. In the 1970s and 80s, he worked as a mail carrier and an IRS agent and held down a job in an auditing division of the Defence Department, according to the government. He later worked for a defence contractor.

He had no known criminal record, and public records showed no signs of financial troubles, though he was said to be a big gambler.

Nevadas Gaming Control Board said it will pass along records compiled on Paddock and his girlfriend to investigators.

His brother, Eric Paddock, said he was at a loss to explain the massacre.

No affiliation, no religion, no politics. He never cared about any of that stuff, he said outside his Florida home.

The FBI discounted the possibility of international terrorism early on, even after Daesh, also known as ISIS or ISIL, claimed responsibility for the attack.

Eric Paddock said his brother did show a confrontational side at times: He apparently hated cigarette smoke so much that he carried around a cigar and blew smoke in peoples faces when they lit up around him.

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Our thoughts. Our prayers. Our tears.

What does that even mean?

When mass murder by gunfire in the U.S. turns into a celebrity meme.

Condolences expressed on social media, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau among those who tweeted out his sorrow for victims of the Las Vegas massacre.

To show that youre on the side of sanity, of revulsion for a crime that wiped 59 innocents off the face of the Earth?

One can talk miles about good and evil  an act of pure evil as President Donald Trump described it, a sombre address clearly scripted for him because those are the only occasions where he sounds even marginally rational: The comforter-in-chief, a mantle that rests so unsuitably on his shoulders.

And then Trump got on a plane to Puerto Rico, there to hand out flashlights and such  photo op, coming face to face with the same people hed earlier characterized as politically motivated ingrates  for a calamity which he claimed was nowhere near the tragedy dimensions of Hurricane Katrina. Sixteen versus literally thousands of people.

The death toll from Katrina a dozen years ago: More than 1,833. A real catastrophe, Trump chose to scold Puerto Ricans on Tuesday.

Read more:

Acts of heroism emerge amid chaos of Las Vegas shooting

What was Las Vegas shooter Stephen Paddocks motive? Investigators struggle to piece it together

He saved my life: Manitoba woman praises Good Samaritan in Las Vegas shooting

As if blaming them, Puerto Ricans, for the natural disaster that has befallen their island.

The financial drain of emergency assistance on the American treasury, Trump thought it appropriate to highlight that as well. I hate to tell you Puerto Rico but youve thrown our budget a little of whack because weve spent a lot of money on Puerto Rico.

Less than a hundred helicopters sent to the hurricane-ravaged island, an American territory, in the abysmally slow emergency reaction by Washington. Six thousand troops deployed, compared to 10,000 on the ground in Louisiana under the command of U.S. army Lieutenant General Russel Honore who, now retired, has been scathing in his indictment of the inadequate response.

Trump was scheduled to descend on Vegas next, Wednesday. I can think of hardly anyone more morally unfit to bind a nations wounds in the aftermath of Sunday nights slaughter by a retired accountant sniper, firing from his makeshift fortress room in the Mandalay hotel. Dozens from among the more than 500 wounded remain in critical condition.

This is the president who, in February, put his signature on a measure that nixed a regulation, initiated by his predecessor in the wake of other mass shootings, that would have kept guns out of the hands of some severely mentally ill people. That law required the Social Security Administration to disclose information quarterly to the national gun background check system about individuals with a documented mental illness  specifically and narrowly those receiving full benefits because of a mental illness and those requiring the assistance of third parties because they were incapable of managing their own benefits.

U.S. President Donald Trump arrived in Puerto Rico on Oct. 3 to review the response to the damage left in the wake of Hurricane Maria. (Courtesy: The White House/YouTube)

Even that was too much for Republicans, deeply beholden to the National Rifle Association  the NRA endorsed Trump in the last election  to swallow. (Although it should be noted that loved-by-the-lefty-left Bernie Sanders, Mr. Progressive, was so leery of alienating supporters in his rural Vermont state that hed five times voted against the Brady Bill in the 90s and in 2005 voted in favour of a special immunity law protecting gun makers and sellers from being sued when their weapons are used in a deadly attack.)

Gun control, yearning for it, is in fact a non-partisan issue. Respectable polling has shown that a huge majority of Americans  94 per cent  wanted, at the very least, to restrict the mentally ill from purchasing weapons.

Vegas, Sandy Hook, San Bernardino, Orlando  massacres that seize a nations attention. But only a tiny fraction of gun deaths  about three per cent  are attributable to such rampages.

Mass murder in the U.S. is defined as the killing of four or more people. Its a poor way to frame gun violence. Thirteen hundred miles away from Vegas, on the same day that Stephen Paddock sprayed a crowd of concertgoers with rapid-fire lethality, three individuals were killed and two injured at the University of Kansas. It hardly merited a news digest.

The numbers are staggering.

So far in 2017, 326 killed in mass shootings, 432 in 2016, 369 in 2015.

Since Sandy Hook five years ago  26 slain at an elementary school, including 20 children  there have been some 1,500 mass shootings in America, according to the Gun Violence Archive: 1,715 killed, 6,089 wounded.

And thats just the tip of the bloodshed.

U.S. President Donald Trump is calling upon the "bonds that unite us," following the mass shooting in Las Vegas. He says "our unity cannot be shattered by evil." (The Associated Press)

A country where its estimated that 300 million guns are in the hands of 320 million people, highest in gun possession among 178 countries, according to the Geneva-based Small Arms Survey, a global research agency. Americans comprise 4.4 per cent of the global population but account for fully half of civilian owned guns around the world.

Number of Americans killed in battles in all wars in history: 1,396,733. Killed by firearms in the U.S. since 1968: 1,516,863.

The war is on a homeland battlefield.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides these gruesome statistics: 406,496 killed by guns in the U.S. between 2001 and 2013. Of those, 237,052 were suicides. Because in a society where guns are so readily available, it is the preferred means for taking ones own life.

Homicides accounted for 153,144 of those gun deaths, 4,778 were police shootings, 8,383 categorized as accidental and 3,200 where no cause was determined.

Some 25 children killed by guns every week.

The Second Amendment guarantees Americans the right to bear arms and the intent was aimed at raising a regulated militia. It doesnt guarantee the right to semi-automatic weapons, to high-powered rifles, to personal arsenals such as the 48 guns that the Vegas shooter possessed.

This is NRA-generated hokum. Such bristling caches are not for the purpose of self-defence.

There was a time when even Trump understood this. In the 1990s and early 2000s, he expressed support for a ban on assault weapons and long rifles with military-style features that made it easier to fire multiple rounds. In his 2000 book, The America We Deserve, Trump wrote: I generally oppose gun control but I support the ban on assault weapons and I support a slightly longer waiting period to purchase a gun.

Two years later Trump praised president Barack Obama for introducing, after Sandy Hook, slightly tighter firearm regulations. But in the election campaign, and certainly since he assumed the Oval Office, Trump has lost his marbles on the subject of guns, even railing against government-mandated gun-free zones in places such as schools, churches and military bases. Better, hes argued, that civilians should arm themselves against the potential of such attacks, than go down with hands empty as target practice for the sickos.

Maybe he knows his country better than we realize.

One final fact: After every mass shooting in America, the sale of guns spikes.

Rosie DiManno usually appears Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

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STOCKHOLMThree U.S.-based scientists won the Nobel Physics Prize on Tuesday for detecting faint ripples flying through the universe  the gravitational waves predicted a century ago by Albert Einstein that provide a new understanding of the universe.

Rainer Weiss of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Barry Barish and Kip Thorne of the California Institute of Technology won the 2017 prize for a combination of highly advanced theory and ingenious equipment design, Swedens Royal Academy of Sciences announced.

The scientists were key to the first observation of gravitational waves in September 2015. When the discovery was announced several months later, it was a sensation not only among scientists but the general public.

Its a win for the human race as a whole. These gravitational waves will be powerful ways for the human race to explore the universe, said Thorne, speaking by phone with The Associated Press from California.

I view this more as a thing that recognizes the work of a thousand people, Weiss told reporters at the announcement news conference.

Read more: Nobel Prize for medicine goes to 3 Americans for work on the bodys internal clock

The prize is a win for Einstein, and a very big one, Barish told the AP.

The German-born Weiss was awarded half of the $1.1 million prize amount and Thorne and Barish will split the other half.

Gravitational waves are extremely faint ripples in the fabric of space and time, generated by some of the most violent events in the universe. The waves detected by the laureates came from the collision of two black holes some 1.3 billion light-years away. A light-year is about 5.88 trillion miles.

Ariel Goobar of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said the winners work meant we can study processes which were completely impossible, out of reach to us in the past.

The best comparison is when Galileo discovered the telescope, which allowed us to see that Jupiter had moons. And all of a sudden, we discovered that the universe was much vaster than we used to think about, Goobar said.

With the technology that the three developed we may even see entirely new objects that we havent even imagined yet, said Patrick Sutton, an astronomer at Cardiff University in Wales.

The waves were predicted by Einstein a century ago as part of his theory of general relativity. General relativity says that gravity is caused by heavy objects bending space-time, which itself is the four-dimensional way that astronomers see the universe.

Weiss in the 1970s designed a laser-based device that would detect gravitational waves. He, Thorne and Barish ensured that four decades of effort led to gravitational waves finally being observed, the Nobel announcement said.

The laser device, called an interferometer, must be both exquisitely precise and extremely stable. The beam must hit the mirrors precisely. They should hardly shake at all, not even when leaves fall from nearby trees, according to a Nobel background paper.

The first detection of gravity waves involved two of the devices about 3,000 kilometres apart  in Hanford, Washington, and Livingston, Louisiana. The wave first passed the Livingston facility and 7 milliseconds later at Hanford, consistent with the speed of light.

The announcement said Einstein was convinced that gravitational waves could never be measured. The laureates used laser devices to measure a change thousands of times smaller than an atomic nucleus.

In a moment of poetry aimed at making the distant and infinitesimal phenomenon understandable to non-experts, the academy announcement said gravitational waves are always created when a mass accelerates, like when an ice-skater pirouettes or a pair of black holes rotate around each other.

Professor Alberto Vecchio, from the University of Birminghams Institute of Gravitational Wave Astronomy, said this discovery will produce results for decades to come.

They have taken me, as well as hundreds of my colleagues, through such an intellectually rewarding and recently adrenaline-packed journey that we could not have even remotely imagined, he said. The best part is that this is just the beginning of a new roller-coaster exploration of the universe.

For the past 25 years, the Nobel physics prize has been shared among multiple winners.

Last years prize went to three British-born researchers who applied the mathematical discipline of topology to help understand the workings of exotic matter such as superconductors and superfluids.

The 2017 Nobel prizes kicked off Monday with the medicine prize being awarded to three Americans studying circadian rhythms  better known as body clocks: Jeffrey C. Hall, Michael Rosbash and Michael W. Young.

The chemistry prize will be announced Wednesday, the Nobel literature prize on Thursday and the peace prize on Friday. The economics prize, which is not technically a Nobel, will be awarded on Monday.

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WASHINGTONThe United States expelled 15 of Cubas diplomats Tuesday to protest its failure to protect Americans from unexplained attacks in Havana, plunging diplomatic ties between the countries to levels unseen in years.

Only days ago, the U.S. and Cuba maintained dozens of diplomats in newly re-opened embassies in Havana and Washington, powerful symbols of a warming relationship between longtime foes. Now both countries are poised to cut their embassies by more than half, as invisible, unexplained attacks threaten delicate ties between the Cold War rivals.

The State Department gave Cuba's ambassador a list Tuesday of 15 names and ordered them out within one week, officials said, in a move that aims to "ensure equity" between each nation's embassy staffing. Last week, the U.S. announced it was withdrawing 60 per cent of its own diplomats from Havana because they might be attacked and harmed if they stay.

The dual moves marked a sharp escalation in the U.S. response to attacks that began nearly a year ago and yet remain unexplained despite harming at least 22 Americans  including a new victim identified this week.

Still, U.S. officials emphasized they were not accusing Cuba of either culpability or complicity, merely a failure to stop whatever is happening to Americans working out of the U.S. Embassy in Havana.

Investigators continue exploring the possibility of a sonic attack harming diplomats through sound waves, but have discovered no device and identified no culprit.

We continue to maintain diplomatic relations with Cuba, and will continue to co-operate with Cuba as we pursue the investigation into these attacks, said U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.

Havana blasted the U.S. order, calling it "irresponsible" and "hasty." In the Cuban capital, Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez called a news conference to again deny involvement and defend his country's efforts to assist in the U.S. investigation.

Read more:

U.S. to ask Cuba to cut embassy staff by 60% following mysterious health attacks

Mysterious health attacks hit U.S. spy network in Cuba

Illnesses among diplomats in Cuba have no known cause: Analysis

"The ministry urges the competent authorities of the U.S. government not to continue politicizing this matter, which can provoke an undesirable escalation," Rodriguez said, referring to Cuba's Foreign Ministry.

He did not announce any retaliatory measures.

The Canadian government has also said that an undisclosed number of its consular officials and their families in Havana were affected and that the source of their symptoms remain unknown.

An official speaking on background Tuesday said Ottawa has no plans to expel Cuban diplomats from Canada. Brianne Maxwell, a spokesperson for Global Affairs Canada, said in an email that Canada isnt currently considering pulling its own staff out of Havana, either.

The scope of the attacks has continued to grow. The U.S. disclosed Tuesday that 22nd victim was confirmed the day before. In recent weeks the State Department had said there were 21 individuals "medically confirmed" to be affected by attacks that harmed their hearing, cognition, balance and vision, some with diagnoses as serious as brain injury.

The additional victim was attacked in January but wasnt confirmed to have been affected until symptoms prompted a new medical re-evaluation, said the State Department official, who briefed reporters on a conference call on condition of anonymity.

Both the U.S. and Cuba will see their diplomatic staffing in their embassies drop to the lowest levels in years.

Before full diplomatic relations were restored in 2015, Cuba had about two-dozen accredited staffers at what was then the Cuban interests section, according to a State Department list. That number at times climbed as high as more than 50, and the latest edition of the U.S. Diplomatic List identifies 26 accredited Cubans at the embassy, almost all accompanied by spouses.

The removal of 15 will reduce the Cuban staffing to roughly a dozen accredited diplomats.

In Havana, the U.S. had roughly 54 diplomats in its embassy until deciding Friday to pull more than half of them out and leave behind only essential personnel. The departing Americans are expected to have all left Cuba by weeks end, officials said.

The Cuban diplomats being expelled will not be deemed persona non grata, officials said, a designation that would prevent them from ever returning to U.S. soil. The government often uses that designation to expel suspected foreign spies and ensure they cant come back.

Lawmakers who had called on the Trump administration to expel all of Cubas diplomats applauded the move Tuesday. Sen. Marco Rubio, a Florida Republican and vocal critic of Castros government, called it the right decision in a Twitter post.

Yet U.S. officials said the goal wasnt to punish the communist-run island, but to ensure both countries have a similar number of diplomats in each others capitals.

Tensions between the two neighbours have been escalating amid serious U.S. concern about the unexplained attacks.

On Monday, The Associated Press reported that U.S. spies were among the first and most severely affected victims. Though bona fide diplomats have also been affected, it wasnt until intelligence operatives, working under diplomatic cover, reported bizarre sounds and even stranger physical effects that the United States realized something was wrong, several individuals familiar with the situation said.

The mysterious health attacks started within days of U.S. President Donald Trumps election in November, the AP has reported.

Delivering a one-two punch to U.S.-Cuba relations, the U.S. last week also delivered an ominous warning to Americans to stay away from Cuba, a move that could have profound implications for the islands travel industry. The U.S. said that since some workers had been attacked in Havana hotels, it couldnt assure Americans who visit Cuba that they wouldnt suffer attacks.

Because our personnels safety is at risk, and we are unable to identify the source of the attacks, we believe U.S. citizens may also be at risk and warn them not to travel to Cuba, the United States said in a formal travel warning.

Two years ago, Castro and former president Barack Obama restored diplomatic ties, ordered embassies re-opened and eased travel and commerce restrictions. Trump has reversed some changes but has broadly left the rapprochement in place.

To medical investigators dismay, symptoms have varied widely. In addition to hearing loss and concussions, some people have experienced nausea, headaches and ear-ringing. The AP has reported that some now suffer from problems with concentration and common word recall.

The incidents stopped for a time. They recurred as recently as late August.

With files from Alex Ballingall

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LAS VEGASInvestigators struggled Tuesday with a chilling but baffling array of clues in the wake of the deadliest mass shooting in modern American historyincluding a hotel room arsenal fit for a commando teamyet were still left trying to grasp what caused a 64-year-old retiree to turn a concert ground into a killing field.

I cant get into the mind of a psychopath, said Joseph Lombardo, the sheriff of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, on Monday.

At the same time, the probes stretched from a ranch-style home near the Arizona border to the 32nd-floor hotel suite used by Stephen Paddock as a place to scan the crowds at a country music festival and then open fireleaving at least 59 people dead and hundreds more injured in the rain of bullets or trampled in the panicked rush for cover. He then killed himself as police closed in.

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The massacre was possibly in the planning stages for days.

Police said Paddock arrived on Thursday at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino overlooking the Vegas Strip. He aroused no suspicion from hotel staff as he surrounded himself with stunning firepower in two rooms: 23 guns, some with scopes. One of the weapons he apparently used in the attack was an AK-47 type rifle, with a stand used to steady it for firing, people familiar with the case said.

Authorities said a sweep of law enforcement databases showed Paddock had no known run-ins with police. He was the son of a bank robber, who was once on the FBI wanted list. But investigators have turned up no clear links to any underworld gangs or international terrorist groupsdespite a claim by Daesh, also known as ISIS or ISIL, that Paddock carried out the carnage in its name.

Among the questions they have: How a former accountant with a penchant for high-stakes gambling obtained a weapon that sounded to those on the ground like it could fire as an automatic, and how he was able to bring it and many other weapons into a Vegas hotel suite undetected.

Investigators believe at least one of the guns functioned as if it were fully automatic, and they are now trying to determine if he modified it or other weapons to be capable of spitting out a high volume of fire just by holding down the trigger, people familiar with the case said.

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Gun purchase records indicate Paddock legally bought more than two dozen firearms across a period of years, according to a person close to the investigation. Guns & Guitars, a store in Mesquite, Nev., said in a statement that Paddock purchased some of his weapons there, but employees followed all procedures required by law, and Paddock never gave any indication or reason to believe he was unstable or unfit at any time. Lombardo said Paddock also seemed to have purchased guns in Arizona.

Investigators also found at least 19 additional firearms, thousands of rounds of ammunition and the chemical tannerite, an explosive, at Paddocks home in Mesquite, Nev. They also found ammonium nitrate, a chemical that can be used in bomb-making, in Paddocks vehicle, Lombardo said.

More than 22,000 people had been at the Route 91 Harvest festival, a three-day country music concert with grounds across the street from the Mandalay Bay resort, when the shooting began about 10 p.m. Sunday, according to police. As country star Jason Aldean played what was expected to be one of the last sets of the night, Paddock opened firehis bullets flying from a window on the casinos golden facade, which Paddock had smashed with some type of hammer.

People were getting shot at while we were running, and people were on the ground bleeding, crying and screaming. We just had to keep going, said Dinora Merino, 28, a dealer at the Ellis Island casino who was at the concert with a friend. There are tents out there and theres no place to hide. Its just an open field.

Police in Mesquite, Nevada blocked off streets in an upscale retirement community as they searched through the home Monday of Stephen Paddock, the man police say fired on a crowd of Las Vegas concert goers, killing at least 59 people. (The Associated Press)

The death toll in Las Vegas was massive, surpassing the 49 people slain by a gunman in Orlando in June 2016. That shooter, who later said he was inspired by Daesh, opened fire inside a crowded nightclub. And Lombardo said the number of dead from Sundays concert shooting could rise, as an additional 527 were thought to have been injured.

The dead included a behavioural therapist who was soon to be married, a nursing assistant from Southern California, a commercial fisherman and an off-duty Las Vegas city police officer. Two other officers who were on duty were injured, police said; one was in stable condition after surgery, and the other sustained minor injuries. Another off-duty officer with the Bakersfield Police Department in Southern California also sustained non-life threatening injuries, according to a statement from the department.

Syed Saquib, a surgeon on duty Sunday night at University Medical Center, said the hospital treated 104 patients, most of whom had gunshot wounds.

Those that could be saved, were saved, Saquib said. There were a few that came in with devastating, non-survivable injuries.

Police and hotel security ultimately scoured several floors of the hotel looking for the shooter and came upon Paddocks suite, Lombardo said. At some point, Paddock fired through the door and hit a security guard in the leg, he said, adding that the guard is expected to survive. SWAT officers ultimately stormed the room and some fired shots, though Paddock is believed to have killed himself, Lombardo said. He was not counted in the death toll that authorities reported.

U.S. President Donald Trump ordered flags flown at half-mast and said he would visit Las Vegas on Wednesday. He praised the miraculous speed with which local law enforcement responded to the shootingasserting that their actions saved livesthough he noted that hundreds were still mourning the loss of loved ones. Answers for them, he said, would not come easy.

It was an act of pure evil, Trump said during remarks from the White House.

Steve Sisolak, Clark County Commission Chair from Las Vegas, praised the police for their quick response and commended the outpouring of support from the community; more than 25,000 people have donated to a fundraising effort for victims and people have been waiting eight hours in line to donate blood, he said.

Las Vegas will never be quite the same as a result of this, Sisolak said. But, he said, Well be back.

Eric Paddock, Stephen Paddocks brother, said he was stunned to learn that his brother could be responsible for such violence.

Stephen Paddock had no history of mental illness nor did he have problems with drugs or alcohol, Eric Paddock said, noting that his brother was a high-stakes gambler, sometimes wagering hundreds of dollars on a single hand of video poker.

When he spoke to the FBI, Eric Paddock said he showed agents three years of text messages from his brother, including one that mentioned winning $250,000 (U.S.) at a casino. A federal law enforcement official said investigators had reviewed reports suggesting Paddock engaged in high-dollar gambling, and they are trying to determine whether he faced financial strains.

Eric Paddock said his brother was wealthy, in part because he had no children to support. Stephen Paddock had worked in the past as an accountant, and he had real estate investments in the Orlando area, Eric Paddock said.

Stephen Paddock lived in a tidy Nevada retirement community where the amenities include golf, tennis and bocce. Nothing in his background suggests why he would have shot and killed dozens in Las Vegas Sunday. (The Associated Press)

Eric Paddock said he knew his brother had gunsStephen once took Erics children skeet shooting.

Police said they believe Paddock was a lone wolf attacker, though they were still interested in speaking more with a woman named Marilou Danley who lived with him in Mesquite, Nev., a little more than an hour outside of Las Vegas on the Arizona border. Police had said they were searching for Danley, Paddocks girlfriend, in the immediate aftermath of the shooting, but they later said she was outside the countryas of Monday afternoon, in Tokyoand not involved in the shooting.

We still consider her a person of interest, Lombardo said Monday. He said investigators also are exploring a report that Paddock attended a different music festival in September.

Not long after the shooting, Daesh claimed responsibility, though law enforcement authorities were quick to reject that assertion. We have determined, to this point, no connection with an international terrorist group, Aaron Rouse, the special agent in charge of the FBI in Las Vegas, said at a news briefing.

The FBI had a previous dealing with the Paddock family, though it did not initially seem to involve Stephen. Eric Paddock said his father was Benjamin Hoskins Paddock, a convicted bank robber and con-man described in a wanted poster as psychopathic with suicidal tendencies. But Eric Paddock said that his father, who escaped from prison in 1969 and was at one point on the FBIs list of most-sought-after and dangerous criminals, was not around during their childhood. Benjamin Paddock was apprehended in 1978, according to news reports.

Relatives said Stephen Paddock, a licensed pilot who owned two airplanes, was a quiet man who often went to Las Vegas to gamble and view concerts. In a statement, Lockheed Martin, the defence giant, said that Paddock worked for them for three years in the 1980s.

A former neighbour of Stephen Paddocks recalled that his home in a 55-and-over community in Florida looked more akin to a college freshmans dorm, with nothing on the walls and only a few pieces of furniture.

One of the first times we met him, he told me he lived there, in Vegas, Don Judy, his next-door neighbour in the community until two years ago, recalled. He explained that he was a gambler, and a prospector. He said he was buying this house to check it out for his mother . . . and that if she liked it, he planned to buy another next door with a floor plan like ours.

Soon, Judy said, Paddock put up a for-sale sign and was gone, saying that he was moving back to Las Vegas.

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Words cant describe the scene when I first enter the informal camps that have sprung up in Coxs Bazar, along the Bangladesh-Myanmar border.

Much like the 500,000 Rohingya who have Myanmars northern Rakhine state in the past month, I trudge through calf-deep mud in torrential rain through swampy, flooded streets. The stench is overwhelming, a pungent combination of feces and garbage that permeates the air. With a severe lack of latrines, its immediately clear that open defecation is the norm. These are the conditions in which we have to deliver life-saving aid.

There is not enough food, clean water or shelter. Thousands of Rohingya are acutely hungry, sick, and without protection from the elements as the rains pour down. Many children are visibly alone malnourished. This is hell on Earth.

And yet, the conditions are better than across the border. At least those I speak to are alive. Down the road in Myanmar, villages are visibly burning, corroborating accounts from terrified children and families sharing their stories with me. Stories of looting, burnings, shootings, machete wounds, beheadings, and rape are common. Nearly everyone I speak to has lost a spouse, a parent, or a child.

What strikes me most are the children. They are silent and suspicious. They are not children we see most commonly back in Canada  playful, hopeful, and quick to rebound. They are survivors of the worst atrocities imaginable, and their silence is their scar.

I spoke with one woman, Fatima, who tells me her house was set on fire as she witnessed two of her sons dragged to the street and shot. She jumped through a window to escape with her youngest son Mohamed, breaking her arm as they ran to the border. They walked for 13 days, carrying only the clothes on their backs. Her husband remains behind, unable to cross the border  the ones who try are shot, or blown up by landmines, she says. She asks me to tell the world her story, because Mohamed cant. Like the others, he no longer speaks.

The suffering on both sides of the border is why we have to act, and act fast. Without urgent relief to the Rohingya, we risk not only a public health crisis in camps, but the loss of an entire generation of children to unimaginable desperation. Of the over 500,000 people who have fled across the border in the past month, 60 per cent are children, leaving up to 300,000 without shelter, food, water, or safe places to play or learn.

While my colleagues and I are working around the clock to respond to the huge needs, we cant do this work alone. With more desperate people coming across the border daily, we are now tasked with the monumental effort of constructing and servicing the equivalent of a medium-sized city from scratch. While the Bangladeshi government must be commended for opening their borders and partnering with organizations on the ground, it is clear this must be an international effort.

UNHCR chief Filippo Grandi has called this the worst displacement crisis in the world, and recent reports indicate that more than $200 million is needed to respond. Canadas recent $3.55-million contributions are welcome, as is the inclusion of dedicated funding to meet the needs of children.

But as desperation mounts for those living in extreme conditions, it is clear that Canada must do more. As a Canadian aid worker, I am deeply proud of our response to refugee crises, including the way Canada has stepped up to resettle Syrian refugees.

Canada now needs to step up for Rohingya as well. As a Canadian witnessing this crisis unfold in front of me, it was welcome to see the attention given to the issue by Parliamentarians of all political stripes last week in Ottawa during the emergency debate. Even more welcome was the focus on what next steps Canada can take.

In Myanmar, there are still thousands of Rohingya hiding in forests, mountains and in burnt remains of villages. Canada has rightly been calling for unhindered humanitarian access to northern Rakhine State so people like these can be reached with urgently needed aid. We also need access for the UN Fact Finding Mission so they can assess what has happened.

With the massive need confronting me daily on the Bangladesh side, one crucial next step must be acted on. If our government truly wants to be a leader in stepping up for those in need, the most impactful, immediate option is to increase humanitarian assistance. Like other donors who have significantly upped their contributions in recent weeks, Canada must urgently increase assistance to the many thousands who have already endured unimaginable suffering.

The lives and futures of children and families may depend on it.

Kyle Degraw is a humanitarian manager with Save the Children. He is currently responding to the Rohingya crisis in Bangladesh.

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The 2017 Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine, awarded earlier this week, holds a lesson for Ottawa as it tries to determine the best way forward for Canadian science.

The selection of three American scientists who discovered how our biological clocks are synchronized with the Earths revolutions is a reminder of the power of pure curiosity, divorced from any practical imperatives, to change the world. Lets hope the federal science minister is paying attention.

The three newest laureates in physiology, Jeffrey C. Hall, Michael Rosbash and Michael W. Young, isolated the gene in fruit flies that controls the insects so-called circadian rhythms, a roughly 24-hour cycle of biological changes that occurs in many multicellular organisms, including humans.

It is our circadian rhythms that make us, for instance, alternately sleepy and energetic at regular intervals throughout the day. The three scientists explained how our physiology adapts to the days phases and, in so doing, opened up a vital field of research into what this means for our health and well-being.

Curiosity, not commercial interest or the promise of any immediate application, drove these researchers to explore the physiology of fruit flies. But their discoveries have not only enriched our understanding of ourselves and the world around us, but also hold far-reaching practical implications, promising treatments for jet-lag, obesity and a host of other ailments.

As the Trudeau government contemplates an overhaul of federal science funding, it ought to pause on the meaning of this prize. Over the last decade in Canada, grants available for independent, basic science  the sort of funding that allowed the new Nobel laureates to play around with fruit flies  has shrunk by about 35 per cent per researcher.

As critics have long argued, by abandoning basic research in favour of more industry-driven science, the government has scorched the very earth from which innovation grows. Hall, Rosbash and Young werent looking for a way to treat heart disease, for instance, though their discoveries promise to yield breakthroughs in that area.

This is typical of how innovation works. There would be no television without Albert Einsteins theoretical physics, no computer without Kurt Godels recondite math. Yet no technology company would have had the patience or forethought to pay for such abstract research.

Only government can foster the culture of fundamental science from which innovation arises, and only when it does can we attract the top talent we need to succeed in the knowledge economy. This is why, in his recent report on federal science policy, former University of Toronto president David Naylor recommended a $485-million boost in basic-research funding. Science Minister Kirsty Duncan initially welcomed the report, but has since suggested the money may not materialize after all.

As she decides, the minister should consider the case of circadian rhythms. The timing of this award, like so much scientific discovery, is serendipitous.

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Signature policies include drug decriminalization, electoral reform, Oct. 2

Jagmeet Singhs proposal for electoral reform is to introduce mixed member proportional, try it out for two elections and then have a national referendum.

Assuming that the NDP forms the next government, the next question is: will he actually do it? Cynical Canadians will quickly point their fingers at Justin Trudeau and wearily shake their heads. Theyve seen that electoral reform movie before  it opened to strong reviews two years ago and closed to catcalls earlier this spring.

Is Singh made of sterner stuff? Andy Dufresne said that hope is a good thing and no good thing ever dies. One can only hope so.

Geoff Rytell, Toronto

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Love it or loathe it, Bitcoin is everywhere.

Interest has reached a sufficiently feverish pitch that even Goldman Sachs Group Inc., (GS) - Get Free Report the legendary Wall Street investment bank, is considering how a trading desk dedicated to cryptocurrencies might work and what logistical and legal hurdles making markets in them might entail.

"In response to client interest in digital currencies, we are exploring how best to serve them in the space," the bank said in a statement on Monday, Oct. 2, that didn't provide further details.

The review is in its earliest stages, according to a person familiar with the matter, and ultimately it may lead nowhere. The bank doesn't disagree with JPMorgan Chase & Co. CEO Jamie Dimon's assessment that Bitcoin is highly speculative, and trading in a currency originally valued for its anonymity would face significant regulatory hurdles in the U.S.

One of them is the Bank Secrecy Act, designed to prevent money laundering and terrorist financing, which requires U.S. firms to maintain a paper trail strong enough to reconstruct transactions of $10,000 or more if law enforcement deems it necessary.

At the same time, the Internal Revenue Service has refused to give virtual currency the status of legal tender in any jurisdiction, and the agency considers it property for tax purposes, a Goldman portfolio manager wrote in a report over the summer.

"Still thinking about #Bitcoin," Goldman CEO Lloyd Blankfein wrote on social media site Twitter on Tuesday. "No conclusion -- not endorsing/rejecting. Know that folks also were skeptical when paper money replaced gold."

Only about a decade old and trading at about $4,300, Bitcoin is created when networked computers record and validate transactions in a secure shared ledger known as blockchain, which is accessible around the world.

It remains the largest of the more than 800 cryptocurrencies in existence, accounting for more than half of a combined value of $120 billion, the Goldman portfolio manager said. In the U.S., the currencies can be traded on online exchanges, and options are available on offshore exchanges.

In China, the world's second-largest economy, trading in the cryptocurrency and its rivals was banned last month, with regulators citing disruption "to the economic and financial order."

Many other governments -- which have, since ancient times, created currencies that they can control and monitor -- look at cryptocurrencies as a novelty, JPMorgan's (JPM) - Get Free Report Dimon said at the Delivering Alpha conference in New York earlier this month.

But "wait until someone gets hurt, or someone uses it for illicit purposes, -- and they're using it for some illicit purposes right now -- they'll shut it down," he added.

Payment in Bitcoin, for instance, is frequently demanded by hackers before they'll restore access to a computer system they have broken into and shut down.

Further, Dimon said, the runup in the currency's value this year is similar to the speculation in tulip prices in the Netherlands during the 17th century. One of the early bubbles studied by economists, it's getting heightened attention now because of its exploration in Paramount's "Tulip Fever," which opened in U.S. movie theaters in September.

When the run-up in tulip prices -- which became so frantic that some of the Dutch bought options using their homes as collateral -- collapsed in 1637, many investors were ruined, according to the Rijksmuseum, the national museum of the Netherlands.

Despite the caution and skepticism about Bitcoin itself, however, many finance companies are developing ways to deploy the underlying blockchain technology. The use of a single, secured ledger would let them pare back-office costs and avoid the duplication that occurs when many counterparties and regulators maintain individual ledgers to track transactions.

"That'sa technologywhich isgoing toberolledout," Dimon said last month, noting that JPMorgan is testing it.

"Wethink it'sgood," he added. "Itcouldbebuilt upovertimeanddothingsbetter,faster,quicker, andcheaper."

Updated from 5:36 p.m. ET on Monday, Oct. 2, 2017.

'Wolf of Wall Street' Jordan Belfort Reveals One Big Concern About Bitcoin

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Former Equifax Inc. (EFX) - Get Free Report Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Richard Smith will apologize to the American people during Congressional testimony this week for a data breach that exposed the personal data of nearly half the U.S. population.

But he's done that before. The more relevant points he's expected to be be grilled on include what security measures the credit-scoring firm has in place, why it waited so long to tell people about the hack and why some executives were allowed to sell shares before the news became public.

Smith is scheduled to appear before a House Energy and Commerce Committee on Tuesday and the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs on Wednesday.

"Equifax was entrusted with Americans' private data and we let them down," Smith said in eight pages of prepared testimony for the House committee. "To each and every person affected by this breach, I am deeply sorry that this occurred." The 57-year-old, who retired last week from the Atlanta-based company, blames the breach on both human error and technological failures, and says that as the company's CEO, he was ultimately responsible.

Here are the important points to watch for during his two days of hearings. You can watch the live stream below.

WHAT SECURITY MEASURES ARE IN PLACE

Equifax should have had an intrusion-detection system or an incident-response plan or, at the very least, a data leak-prevention plan, Warren Zafrin, a management and technology consultant at UHY Advisors, said in a recent interview with TheStreet.

Smith acknowledged in his prepared remarks that a vulnerable version of Apache Struts, an open-source web application used by Equifax, was not identified or patched and "allowed hackers to access personal identifying information."

Equifax's security department didn't observe suspicious network traffic until July 29, more than two months after the attackers accessed the sensitive information.

"Where was everything that would have set off the alarms?" Zafrin asked. "It was a complete breakdown" of the company's cyber-security program or miscommunication, he said. "It can't be both."

EXPLAINING THE DELAYED DISCLOSURE

Equifax disclosed on Sept. 7 that the names, addresses, birthdays and Social Security numbers of 143 million Americans were compromised in the cyberattack, which was discovered on July 29.

Equifax said hackers accessed the information starting on May 13, but the Wall Street Journal reported that the first "interaction" with hackers happened on March 10. The company registered the domain name equifaxsecurity2017.com, the website to which it directed concerned consumers, on Aug. 22, more than two weeks before the hack was publicly disclosed, according to the Journal.

"Once Equifax discovered [the cyberattack], why did it take so long to become public?" asked Zafrin. He said the delayed disclosure of the incident just "doesn't make sense" and demonstrates a level of incompetence.

To explain the delay, Smith said in his prepared testimony that there was fear about "copycat" attacks.

"A mounting concern also was that when any notification is made, the experts informed us that we had to prepare our network for exponentially more attacks after the notification, because a notification would provoke 'copycat' attempts and other criminal activity," Smith said.

He waited until Aug. 22 to notify Equifax's lead independent director, Mark Feidler, of the data breach. The entire board learned of the situation in special telephonic board meetings on Aug. 24 and 25, almost a month after the hack was discovered.

WHY EXECUTIVES WERE ALLOWED TO SELL SHARES

Congress will also be keen to hear more about the three executives who sold shares worth almost $1.8 million in the days after the company found the security breach. Equifax said the three people, including Chief Financial Officer John Gamble, had not been informed of the incident when they sold their shares.

The company is reportedly reviewing the actions of its Chief Legal Officer John Kelley in connection with the share sales, according to The Wall Street Journal. Kelley was responsible for approving the transactions.

Equifax "absolutely" should have shut down any trades by company personnel as soon as the breach was discovered, Zafrin said.

Don't miss these top stories on TheStreet
The biggest boardroom battle in the history of U.S. director election contests is set to take place in less than a week with activist investor Nelson Peltz seeking a seat on the board of packaged goods company Procter & Gamble (PG) - Get Free Report .

At the center of the dispute is the activist investor's assertion that P&G suffers from "suffocating bureaucracy" and should be restructured into three global business units rather than the four it has now. Procter & Gamble CEO David Taylor, seeking to defend his turf, recently told TheStreet that giving in to Peltz would be dangerous and result in a complete elimination of the company's Research & Development initiatives.

And with no settlement in sight, it appears that the Taylor vs. Peltz tete-a-tete is likely to go down to the wire and vote at P&G's Oct. 10 annual meeting next week. As such, TheStreet's sister publication The Deal thought it might be a good idea to get a sense of what would happen if Peltz wins his boardroom battle and gains a seat on the $235 billion market capitalization company.

On one level, winning one seat on an 11-person board shouldn't have a big impact on P&G. In fact, Peltz has committed to re-nominate the director he is seeking to oust, which would set up the dissident as one director on a 12-person board. However, taken another way, a Peltz victory would mean that a majority of shareholders - both big institutional investors as well as little retail holders -- support his efforts. That could send a message to P&G's management and the rest of its board that a mandate for change has arrived.

It might make sense to take a look at Peltz's near victory at DuPont Co. in 2015 for some guidance. Until Peltz's Procter & Gamble battle this year his effort to get board seats at DuPont represented the largest proxy fight to go to a vote at a U.S. corporation. Even though Peltz narrowly lost that fight, he threatened to return in 2016. In the months following his defeat, DuPont stock price dropped, and it subsequently replaced its CEO, Ellen Kullman. With Peltz hovering, DuPont began merger discussions with Dow Chemical, which was targeted by another activist, Dan Loeb. In the end, DuPont combined with Dow Chemical in a $150 billion merger to create DowDuPont, which will break up into three companies in the months to come.

One proxy solicitor veteran of director battles suggested that Peltz ultimately succeeded at DuPont even though he lost his proxy war because the company engaged in a significant shake-up, partly to avoid having to face his activist's fund, Trian Fund Management, again in 2016. He argued that if Peltz wins next week, it will mean that shareholders have spoken with a loud voice, setting up a mandate for change, all of which will mean that the independent directors at the company will have to listen at least to some of his suggestions.

A massive restructuring like what Peltz is seeking is unlikely. However, smaller changes, like a push to make more small acquisitions to bring in innovative brands or a wholesale re-evaluation of its R&D spending, are things that the board could agree on in the wake of a Peltz victory. The board might feel pressure to include Peltz on an innovation and technology subcommittee so that he could have a voice in how P&G spends its R&D dollars.

However, it is also very possible that even if Peltz wins that he won't have a meaningful say in the company's future direction. Like at DuPont a lot will have to do with how P&G performs from a revenue and share-price point of view in the months to come. P&G's board could decide not to include Peltz on any subcommittees, limiting his power. Also, Peltz may not have any allies on the board, which means he may not succeed at gaining a second director to support his motions. "Without a second to support his motions the board won't agree to consider them," said the proxy solicitor.

Also, it is possible that if Peltz gets installed on P&G's board that he becomes more amenable to the company's game-plan because he would have access to non-public information about the conglomerate.

April Scee, consumer packaged goods analyst at RenMac in New York, said it made sense to consider Peltz's two-year campaign urging PepsiCo Inc. (PEP) - Get Free Report breakup that ended in 2015 when the two sides settled by bringing a Trian adviser and ex-H.J. Heinz CEO onto its board. "Trian wanted Pepsi to break up, but once Peltz got a director on its board, he stopped agitating for it," said Scee. "He likely learned something that changed his mind once he had full information. The same could happen with Procter."

At Procter & Gamble, Scee expects the company to continue its existing strategy even if Peltz gets a seat on the board. Nevertheless, Scee added that she believes that P&G will take steps to implement some of Peltz's suggestions. However, she adds that the company likely would have done so anyways had Peltz never shown up.

For example, Peltz is urging P&G to focus more on acquiring smaller brands to help bring in more millennial customers who don't want the company's big global brands. Scee suggests that P&G hasn't been making acquisitions of late because it was in the process of purging roughly one hundred brands following a sale of its fragrance, cosmetics, and hair color/styling business to Coty (COTY) - Get Free Report in 2016. "It was always their intention to do acquisitions, but the timing wasn't right," she said. "Peltz came in right before a number of changes were to take place, such as additional acquisitions, and he may get credit for it."

Many observers have suggested privately that what Peltz really wants is to see P&G broken up. Activists often seek to dismantle large conglomerates as a means of extracting value. Peltz, for his part, has explicitly said in statements and reports that Trian has no interest in breaking up P&G. And Scee says that a breakup is extremely unlikely even if Peltz privately would like to see it. Also, she doesn't think that Peltz can convince the board to restructure itself, even if he is granted a board seat.

"If Nelson Peltz gets a board seat, he will be working from a minority position and will need a more compelling argument than we've seen thus far to convince the other directors his plan is superior to the current one," said Scee.

PepsiCo is a holding in Jim Cramer'sAction Alerts PLUS Charitable Trust Portfolio. Want to be alerted before Cramer buys or sells PEP? Learn more now.

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The Senate confirmed Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai's second term by a vote of 52 to 41 on Monday, with debate splitting along party lines.

Democrats objected to Pai's efforts to roll back net neutrality rules put in place under the Obama administration, and to the likelihood that the FCC would approve Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc.'s (SBGI) - Get Free Report $3.9 billion merger with Tribune Media Co. (TRCO) - Get Free Report . Republicans supporting Pai cited his promotion of broadband networks in rural areas and other under-served markets, and market-friendly views.

Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) homed in on a recurring theme for Democrats, an interest in preserving rules preventing Internet service providers from blocking or throttling legal traffic, or creating fast lanes that give priority to some content.

"It's hard to describe a future without net neutrality," Schatz said.

President Obama named Pai an FCC commissioner in 2012, and Trump appointed him chairman in January.

A former telecom lawyer, Pai argues that former FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler overstepped in 2015 when he changed broadband rules. Wheeler reclassified broadband under Title II of the Communications Act, which treats it as a regulated telecom service akin to a utility. Pai says the move treats broadband under 1930s-era telecom regulations that stifle investment. Pai has proposed returning to the lighter broadband regulatory regime from the Clinton era until 2015, which treated broadband as an information service.

While big ISPs such as Comcast Corp. (CMCSA) - Get Free Report and AT&T Inc. (T) - Get Free Report have said they do not want to block or throttle service, they favor the easier regulatory treatment that Pai proposes.

"Without a firm rule these companies may have incentives to change the Internet as we know it," Schatz warned.

Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) said that net neutrality helps support an app industry that has created 1.7 million jobs, with 92,000 of them in her home state. Jobs related to apps are growing at 30%, she said, versus a growth rate of 1.6% for other employment.

"Undoing the existing net neutrality laws that are on the books is not in the public interest," Cantwell said.

Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass) described a "corporate takeover at the FCC," arguing that Pai had "worked at breakneck speed" to make the commission "a big business support group."

Warren and other Democrats warned that Pai would approve Sinclair's merger with Tribune, creating a TV station group that reaches 72% of U.S. households.

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"If the alarm bells haven't already gone off this is where they should start ringing like crazy," Warren said. Sinclair has been a big supporter of Trump and Republican causes generally, she said.

Meanwhile, Jerry Moran (R-Kans.) and Shelley Moore Capito (R.-W.V.) applauded Pai's commitment to expanding broadband to rural and under-served communities.

John Thune (R-S.D.) said that Pai had brought greater transparency to the FCC in his 9 months as Chairman and suggested that Pai was correct to "hit the reset button" on Wheeler's net neutrality rules.

"The best way to provide long-term protections for the Internet is for Congress to pass bi-partisan legislation," Thune suggested to his colleagues.

Such legislation could remove the legal uncertainty that has hung over the FCC's authority to enforce net neutrality rules, as companies have challenged its decisions in courts. Given the difficulty that the Republican House and Senate have had passing tax cuts and repealing Obama's health care legislation, do not count on legislation to resolve the disputes over net neutrality any time soon.

Comcast is a holding in Jim Cramer's Action Alerts PLUS Charitable Trust Portfolio. Want to be alerted before Cramer buys or sells CMCSA? Learn more now.
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Ford Motor Co. (F) - Get Free Report will overhaul its operations in China after its global "One Ford" strategy has been holding the automaker back in Chinese markets, Reuters reported.

The review of "One Ford" in China will likely see the company pivot toward electric commercial vans and electric cars to meet China's growing demand for cleaner energy in its polluted and congested cities, insiders said. The rethinking is part of a broader strategy under new CEO Jim Hackett, who has laid out plans for a revamped Ford since taking the helm in May.

"One Ford" was part of a strategy under former CEO Alan Mulally. While it helped foster a turnaround domestically, the program hasn't fit in India and in China, which is the world's biggest auto market. Ford sales have slowed in both markets of late.

Ford has pushed its Chinese truck-making partner Jiangling Motors Corp. toward electric commercial vans as China's metropolitan hubs ban diesel trucks and vans. Ford is the latest automaker betting commercial and delivery models are the best bet for global electrification and autonomous driving.

Ford stock traded up 2.27% to $12.36 midday Tuesday. Since Hackett took over in May, shares have gained about 7%.

Video: Kawasaki's $55,000 Ninja H2R Is the Baddest, Meanest Motorcycle

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European Union regulators are about to order Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN) - Get Free Report to pay millions of euros in back taxes to Luxembourg, insiders told Reuters.

The order comes as the culmination of a three-year long investigation into whether Amazon received an unfair tax advantage based on a 2003 Luxembourg tax ruling. The 2003 ruling allowed an Amazon subsidiary to pay less in taxes there than other companies did.

The EU estimated a back taxes bill of 400 million euros for Amazon a year ago, but a revised figure is expected following conversations with other regulating bodies.

McDonalds Corp. (MCD) - Get Free Report and Engie SA (ENGIY) are next to face scrutiny over the same Luxembourg tax issue. At least 35 companies including Amazon and Anheuser-Busch Inbev (BUD) - Get Free Report will pay back taxes to Belgium because of their participation in the illegal tax scheme.

Amazon is the latest company facing a tax order from European commissioners. Apple Inc. (AAPL) - Get Free Report , Starbucks Corp. (SBUX) - Get Free Report and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCAU) - Get Free Report have all footed tax bills ordered by European entities recently.

Amazon stock traded up 0.19% to $961.04 mid-afternoon Tuesday.

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Procter & Gamble Co. (PG) - Get Free Report is on the right "transformation journey" and needs to "stay the course" by voting down Trian Partners activist investor Nelson Peltz's bid to gain a seat on the company's board, P&G CEO David Taylor, finance chief Jon Moeller and board member Meg Whitman said in a question-and-answer session with investors Tuesday, Oct. 3.

Activist investor Nelson Peltz of Trian Partners has been gunning for a seat on P&G's board for weeks, and the culmination of the nasty proxy battle happens Oct. 10 as P&G shareholders cast their votes.

In his push to join P&G's board, Peltz has proposed broad changes including a company restructuring into three global business units. In September, Peltz released a 93-page white paper outlining his argument against P&G's "insular" culture that has failed to acquire small-, mid-sized and local brands that could serve to boost P&G market share.

While the proxy battle has been highly dramatic since it began in mid-June, the back-and-forth has intensified in the last month. Peltz has said he "doesn't know how to spell lose," and asked P&G to "step into this century." Former P&G CEO A.G. Lafley said Peltz is "just plain wrong," while current CEO David Taylor "couldn't disagree more" with some of Peltz's proposals, which are "flawed suggestions and outdated views."

"I respect Mr. Peltz as an investor, but after extensive due diligence we do not think the choice to add Mr. Peltz to this board is the right one," Taylor said Tuesday. "We need to stay focused and balanced."

Taylor, Moeller and Whitman struck an optimistic tone Tuesday in their pleas to vote down Peltz. While Taylor and Moeller reiterated P&G's strong performance over the last few years on what was repeatedly referred to as a "transformation journey," Whitman offered her perspective on who might be a better choice to join P&G's board in the future.

"Every board seat is a precious commodity," Whitman said. "I think we have built a world-class board."

"The board is not against activists," Whitman said. But Whitman said boards must consider the timeline of the activist entry, noting now isn't the right time for an activist investor as P&G is already deep into its transformation journey. "It's not about activists. It's about the right board member at the right time," Whitman said.

In his six in-person meetings with Peltz, Taylor said the investor spoke mostly about his experience at food companies. "What he most of the time talked about was food examples that are very different from the business we're in," Taylor said.

Among Peltz's chief concerns was P&G's "insular" culture, but the three were quick to strike the notion down.

"That may have been true of the company maybe 20 years ago," Whitman said. But she said "P&G Think" has transformed into a global, business-savvy system of thought.

"We need and want best available. It's not about inside or outside. It's about best available," Moeller said of hiring at P&G.

As for the consumer goods manufacturer's market performance Peltz has criticized, the leaders highlighted P&G's gains in ecommerce, including deals with Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN) - Get Free Report , Alibaba Group Holdings Ltd. (BABA) - Get Free Report and Tencent Holdings Ltd. (TCEHY) . P&G has also increased market leadership with millennials and "pivoted hard" to digital advertising, Taylor added.

P&G has near-similar market shares in both brick-and-mortar and online sales of its wide array of consumer goods. "This is a field that's changing at lightning speed, but...from where I sit in Silicon Valley ... they're doing a remarkable job here," Whitman said.

"We are a profoundly different company, much stronger and more profitable than we were just a few years ago," Taylor said. "We strongly recommend you give us the opportunity to finish this transformation."

Following the session, P&G shares traded up 0.49% to $92.22 late Tuesday afternoon.

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Former Equifax (EFX) - Get Free Report CEO Richard Smith's two-day Congressional tour of atonement got off to a rocky start on Wednesday.

Rep. Greg Walden (R-Ore.) noted the difficulty of passing legislation that "fixes stupid" during Smith's visit to the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Ranking Member Jan Schakowsky (D - IL), who is co-sponsoring new data protection legislation, informed Smith, "Equifax deserves to be shamed in this hearing."

Shares of Equifax Inc. actually gained 2.9% to $110.94 on Tuesday, though the stock has dropped more than 22% since disclosing the massive breach in early September.

Though Smith is in the hot seat for Equifax's massive breach of consumer information related to credit scores,CEOs in any number of businesses that profit from personal data should take note. As the far-reaching Sarbanes-Oxley Act followed the accounting scandals from 2000 to 2002, similar rules could emerge to protect consumer data.

"Just like Sarbanes-Oxley requires publicly traded companies to have the CEO and CFO sign off on the accuracy of financials I think ultimately you will get to the same place where it won't just be banks and financial institutions and insurance companies that are required to provide a certification," said Scott Vernick, a partner at Fox Rothschild LLP .

The onus, Vernick suggested, would fall on "data rich" companies that collect names, email addresses, Social Security Numbers, driver's license numbers, personal financial information, and even data on political affiliation, religion or ethnicity.

Merchants, for instance, now have to sign off on their compliance with payment card information, or PCI, data security standards set up by the card associations. Eventually, companies in various industries might have to make some kind of notice or affirmative statement that they have met a threshold of consumer data security, according to Vernick.

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"Not only do I think you will see greater regulation and oversight of the three [credit ratings agencies]," Vernick said. "The broader lesson is that just given the way in which data has become so important to companies and given the way I think data governance is trending, these are some of the things that are in store for businesses generally."

As Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Bob Latta (R-Ohio) reminded Smith on Tuesday, Equifax's breach jeopardized 44% of the total U.S. population. While the security failures at Equifax are exceptionally large and involve particularly sensitive consumer data, major breaches such as the recent events at Amazon.com Inc.'s (AMZN) - Get Free ReportWhole Foods and fast-food chain Sonic Corp. (SONC) have become weekly or even daily events.

"These breaches of personal data are a sad but clear example of what economics refers to as 'negative externalities,' which are costs to third parties -- consumers in this case -- of decisions made by others =- companies that didn't protect the data appropriately," Fernando Montenegro, Senior Analyst for Information Security at 451 Research, said in an email.

"Economics has taught us that regulations are one way to address these negative externalities, so we can easily see a scenario where the cause of better regulation for handling consumer data gets more traction in the public sphere," he said. "As other jurisdictions pick up on this -- the European data protection regulations are commonly cited -- we expect the interconnected nature of today's world to raise the likelihood of having similar requirements enforced here, too."

Cloud computing and data analytics software have turned consumer data into a valuable asset. Cyber thieves understand that value, especially when it involves financial information. Montenegro noted that maintaining such "large pools of data also imposes costs and responsibilities, and that we need to constantly navigate the balance between the two - costs and benefits."

If chief executive officers, chief security officers and other corporate leaders missed Smith's testimony on Tuesday, they'll get another chance on Wednesday. Smith testifies before the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee in the morning, and takes part in a Judiciary Committee meeting on privacy and technology in the afternoon.

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Editors' pick: Originally published Oct. 4.
Stoneridge, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, designs and manufactures engineered electrical and electronic components, modules, and systems for the automotive, commercial, off-highway, motorcycle, and agricultural vehicle markets in North America, South America, Europe, and internationally. It operates in three segments: Control Devices, Electronics, and Stoneridge Brazil. The Control Devices segment offers sensors, switches, actuators, and connectors that monitor, measure, or activate specific functions within a vehicle. The Electronics segment designs and manufactures driver information systems, camera-based vision systems, connectivity, and compliance products. Its products collect, store, and display vehicle information, such as speed, pressure, maintenance data, trip information, operator performance, temperature, distance traveled, and driver messages related to vehicle performance. This segment's electronic control units regulate, coordinate, monitor, and direct the operation of the electrical system within a vehicle. The Stoneridge Brazil segment designs, manufactures, and sells vehicle tracking devices and monitoring services; vehicle security alarms and convenience accessories; in-vehicle audio and infotainment devices; and telematics solutions. It provides its products and systems to various original equipment manufacturers and Tier 1 customers, as well as aftermarket distributors and mass merchandisers for use in various vehicle platforms. Stoneridge, Inc. was founded in 1965 and is headquartered in Novi, Michigan.
Kingsway Financial Services Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in the extended warranty business services, asset management, and real estate businesses. The company operates through three segments: Extended Warranty, Leased Real Estate, and Kingsway Search Xcelerator. The Extended Warranty segment markets, sells, and administers vehicle service agreements and related products for new and used automobiles, motorcycles, and ATVs. This segment also sells new home warranty products, as well as offers uninsured warrant administration services to homebuilders and homeowners; markets and distributes warranty products to manufacturers, distributors, and installers of heating, ventilation and air conditioning, standby generator, commercial LED lighting, and commercial refrigeration equipment; and provides equipment breakdown and maintenance support services to companies. The Leased Real Estate segment owns a parcel of real property consisting of approximately 192 acres located in the State of Texas. The Kingsway Search Xcelerator offers outsourced finance and human resources consulting services, including operational accounting, such as bookkeeping, accounting, financial reporting, and analysis and strategic finance services; technical accounting comprising initial public offerings, SEC reporting, and international consolidation services; human resources, workforce management, and compliance support services; and advisory services. The company offers its products and services through credit unions, dealers, homebuilders, and consumers. Kingsway Financial Services Inc. was incorporated in 1989 and is based in Itasca, Illinois.
Conagra Brands, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates as a consumer packaged goods food company in North America. The company operates in four segments: Grocery & Snacks, Refrigerated & Frozen, International, and Foodservice. The Grocery & Snacks segment primarily offers shelf stable food products through various retail channels in the United States. The Refrigerated & Frozen segment provides temperature-controlled food products through various retail channels in the United States. The International segment offers food products in various temperature states through retail and foodservice channels outside of the United States. The Foodservice segment offers branded and customized food products, including meals, entrees, sauces, and various custom-manufactured culinary products packaged for restaurants and other foodservice establishments in the United States. The company sells its products under the Birds Eye, Duncan Hines, Healthy Choice, Marie Callender's, Reddi-wip, Slim Jim, Angie's BOOMCHICKAPOP, Duke's, Earth Balance, Gardein, and Frontera brands. The company was formerly known as ConAgra Foods, Inc. and changed its name to Conagra Brands, Inc. in November 2016. Conagra Brands, Inc. was founded in 1919 and is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois.
Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. operates bookstores for college and university campuses, and K-12 institutions in the United States. It operates through three segments: Retail, Wholesale, and Digital Student Solutions. The company sells and rents new and used print textbooks, digital textbooks, and publisher hosted digital courseware through physical and virtual bookstores, as well as directly to students through Textbooks.com. It also offers First Day and First Day Complete access programs; BNC OER+, a turnkey solution for colleges and universities, that offers digital content, such as videos, activities, and auto-graded practice assessments; and general merchandise, including collegiate and athletic apparel, school spirit products, lifestyle products, technology products, supplies, graduation products, and convenience items. In addition, the company sources, sells, and distributes new and used textbooks; and sells hardware and a software suite of applications that provides inventory management and point-of-sale solutions to approximately 350 college bookstores. Further, it offers direct-to-student subscription-based writing services; and bartleby, a direct-to-student subscription-based offering that includes textbook solutions, expert questions and answers, and writing and tutoring services. The company operates 805 physical college and university bookstores; 622 virtual bookstores; 8 True Spirit e-commerce websites; pop-up retail locations; 73 customized cafes and 11 stand-alone convenience stores; and a media channel for brands targeting the college demographic. Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. was founded in 1965 and is headquartered in Basking Ridge, New Jersey.
Teledyne Technologies Incorporated provides enabling technologies for industrial growth markets in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Belgium, the Netherlands, and internationally. The company's Instrumentation segment offers monitoring and control instruments for marine, environmental, industrial, and other applications, as well as electronic test and measurement equipment; and power and communications connectivity devices for distributed instrumentation systems and sensor networks. Its Digital Imaging segment provides visible spectrum sensors and digital cameras for industrial machine vision and automated quality control, as well as for medical, research, and scientific applications; and infrared and X-ray spectra for use in industrial, government, and medical applications, as well as micro electromechanical systems and semiconductors, including analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog converters. This segment also offers thermal imaging systems, visible-light imaging systems, locater systems, measurement and diagnostic systems, and threat-detection solutions. The company's Aerospace and Defense Electronics segment provides electronic components and subsystems, as well as communications products, such as defense electronics, environment interconnects, data acquisition and communications equipment for aircraft, components and subsystems for wireless and satellite communications, and general aviation batteries. Its Engineered Systems segment offers systems engineering and integration, technology development, and manufacturing solutions for defense, space, environmental, and energy applications; and designs and manufactures electrochemical energy systems and electronics for military applications. The company markets and sells its products and services through a direct internal sales force, as well as third-party sales representatives and distributors. Teledyne Technologies Incorporated was founded in 1960 and is headquartered in Thousand Oaks, California.
STERIS plc provides infection prevention and other procedural products and services worldwide. It operates through four segments: Healthcare, Applied Sterilization Technologies, Life Sciences, and Dental. The Healthcare segment offers cleaning chemistries and sterility assurance products; automated endoscope reprocessing system and tracking products; accessories for gastrointestinal (GI) procedures, washers, sterilizers, and other pieces of capital equipment for the operation of a sterile processing department; and equipment used directly in the operating room, including surgical tables, lights, and connectivity solutions, as well as equipment management services. It also provides capital equipment installation, maintenance, upgradation, repair, and troubleshooting services; preventive maintenance programs and repair services; instrument and endoscope repair and maintenance services; and custom process improvement consulting and outsourced instrument sterile processing services. The Applied Sterilization Technologies segment provides contract sterilization and testing services for medical device and pharmaceutical manufacturers through a network of approximately 50 contract sterilization and laboratory facilities. The Life Sciences segment designs, manufactures and sells consumable products, such as formulated cleaning chemistries, barrier and sterility assurance products, steam and vaporized hydrogen peroxide sterilizers, and washer disinfectors. This segment also offers equipment installation, maintenance, upgradation, repair, and troubleshooting services; and preventive maintenance programs and repair services. The Dental segment provides hand and powered dental instruments, infection control products, personal protective equipment, and water quality products for dental suite. The company serves its products and services to hospitals, other healthcare providers, and pharmaceutical manufacturers. The company was founded in 1985 and is based in Dublin, Ireland.
Allergan plc, a pharmaceutical company, develops, manufactures, and commercializes branded pharmaceutical, device, biologic, surgical, and regenerative medicine products worldwide. The company operates in three segments: US Specialized Therapeutics, US General Medicine, and International. It offers a portfolio of products in various therapeutic areas, including medical aesthetics and dermatology, eye care, neuroscience, urology, gastrointestinal, women's health, and anti-infective therapeutic products. The company also offers breast implants and tissue expanders; and RM-131 (relamorelin), a peptide ghrelin agonist for the treatment of diabetic gastroparesis. In addition, it develops medical and cosmetic treatments; therapies for non-alcoholic steatohepatitis and other liver diseases; inhibitor for the treatment of psoriasis and other autoimmune disorders; atopic dermatitis drug candidate; peri-ocular rings for extended drug delivery and reducing elevated intraocular pressure in glaucoma patients; and treatments for neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer's disease. Further, the company develops RST-001, a novel gene therapy for the treatment of retinitis pigmentosa; small molecule therapeutics for inflammatory and fibrotic diseases; topical medicines for fat reduction; and delivery system and botulinum toxin-based prescription products. It has collaboration, option, and license agreement with Lyndra, Inc.; and strategic alliance and option agreement with Editas Medicine, Inc. Allergan plc also has licensing agreements with Assembly Biosciences, Inc.; MedImmune; and Heptares Therapeutics, Ltd. The company was formerly known as Actavis plc and changed its name to Allergan plc in June 2015. Allergan plc was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland.
UPDATE  The deadline to opt out of the class action is Oct. 15. According to court documents, residents have until Oct. 16 to sign the settlement.

MUSCATINE  More than 5,000 Muscatine residents have until Oct. 15 to decide whether to stay in a class action lawsuit against Grain Processing Corporation, sign a settlement agreement, or hire their own lawyer to sue over harmful pollution.

Monday afternoon, lawyers for Grain Processing Corporation in Muscatine said a recently announced settlement agreement is the best way for the company to resolve lawsuits with around 300 individuals suing over harmful pollution, so it can focus on the class action trial next year.

In 2012, eight Southend residents sued GPC, seeking compensation for the loss of enjoyment of their properties due to the plant's emissions. The Iowa Supreme Court certified the case as a class action in May, and then hundreds of residents began filing individual suits. Residents sought compensation for damages not covered by the class, such as property damage or personal injury claims.

Last month, GPC reached a settlement agreement with the group of lawyers filing individual lawsuits, which is partly led by attorney Ron Parry and being referred to as the Parry Group in court. According to the agreement, residents who have lived within 1.5 miles of the plant for at least eight years could win up to $33,000, depending on proximity to the plant, home ownership status and other criteria.

At Monday's hearing, Kelsey Knowles, a lawyer for GPC, said the settlement was negotiated because it was not "feasible" for GPC to litigate 300 individual claims at the same time as the class action. She added GPC was admitting no wrongdoing by agreeing to the settlement.

Class action counsel accused GPC of working with the Parry Group to essentially create its own class and lessen the power of the ongoing case. Attorney Scott Entin said if GPC wants to negotiate a settlement with members who qualify for the class action, it must be through class counsel, and not through outside lawyers.

Entin also pointed out how the settlement benefits GPC. He said residents who sign the agreement will hand over one-third of the compensation they win to the group of lawyers, which could be a higher fee than what the class lawyers would claim. The settlement also requires residents give up their right to sue GPC in the future, agree to place a permanent easement on their properties allowing GPC to continue polluting at historic levels, assist GPC with future litigation against the class action counsel, plus other provisions.

Opting out of the class action and signing up for the settlement, Parry claimed, is the quickest way for residents to win compensation. He estimates the average resident, who lives near the GPC plant on Oregon Street, could win around $15,000.

Attorney Jeff Carter argued the lawyers were "not in cahoots" with GPC and affirmed the settlement was a negotiation. He said the class action would have to win about $20 million for residents to take home the compensation the settlement offers.

Lawyers on all sides, however, admitted the class action could result in residents winning more money than in the settlement. Although, the class action does not go to trial until next summer and the outcome cannot be predicted. The Parry Group argued most of the Southend residents are elderly or sick and need the money immediately.

The main debate at the hearing was over whether the Parry Group could continue to operate a mobile law office, in an RV parked on Grandview Avenue, to pass along information about the settlement. Class action counsel argued the Parry Group has been convincing class members to opt out without providing them with the full information. About a half-dozen Muscatine residents were called as witnesses to discuss their experiences with the Parry Group.

Muscatine County District Judge Thomas Reidel said he will consider the matter and issue a written statement as soon as possible. It will determine whether the Parry Group is allowed to post a billboard with settlement information, operate the RV, or hold meetings in hotel rooms with current or potential clients.

Options for residents

Any resident who has lived 1.5 miles from the Oregon Street plant between April 2007 and this year is automatically included in the class action. The class action counsel is solely fighting for compensation for nuisance claims, such as the inability for residents to enjoy their properties.

If residents who qualify for the class choose to do nothing, and the class action succeeds in court, they will eventually receive information about how to claim their share of the compensation. If the class does not succeed, class members will not be able to file individual lawsuits against GPC in the future, according to the notice.

Residents have until Oct. 15 to decide whether to stay in the class or opt out of the class action lawsuit.

If a resident chooses to opt out of the class action, they may either hire attorneys in the Parry Group or others negotiating the settlement, or hire an individual lawyer. Residents who agree to sign with the settlement will be given an estimate on how much compensation they may win, depending on location of their home, ownership status, number of residents and other factors.
Standard Motor Products, Inc. manufactures and distributes replacement parts that are used in the maintenance, repair, and service of vehicles in the automotive aftermarket industry with a complementary focus on specialized original equipment parts for manufacturers across agriculture, heavy duty, and construction equipment industries. The company's Engine Management segment provides electronic ignition control modules, camshaft and crankshaft position sensors, ignition wires and coils, switches and relays, exhaust gas recirculation valves, pressure and temperature sensors, variable valve timing components, mass airflow and fuel pressure sensors, electronic throttle bodies, and diesel injectors and pumps; and anti-lock brake, vehicle speed, tire pressure monitoring, and park assist sensors. This segment offers its products under the Standard, Blue Streak, BWD, Intermotor, OEM, SMP Blue Streak Canada, GP Sorensen, Locksmart, Standard Motorcycle, and Blue Streak Race Wires brands. Its Temperature Control segment provides components for the temperature control systems, engine cooling systems, power window accessories, and windshield washer systems of motor vehicles under the Four Seasons, ACI, Hayden, Factory Air, and Maxair brands. Its products include air conditioning compressors and repair kits, clutch assemblies, blower and radiator fan motors, filter dryers, evaporators, accumulators, actuators, hose assemblies, thermal expansion devices, heater valves, heater cores, A/C service tools and chemicals, fan assemblies, fan clutches, oil coolers, window lift motors, window regulators and assemblies, and windshield washer pumps. The company serves primarily automotive aftermarket retailers, warehouse distributors, original equipment manufacturers, and original equipment service part operations in the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia, Mexico, and other Latin American countries. The company was founded in 1919 and is headquartered in Long Island City, New York.
Microsoft's growing fleet of mixed reality headsets just got bigger.

Samsung today (Oct. 3) took the wraps off a new headset built to take advantage of the virtual and augmented reality features being added to Windows.

Samsung's new $499 HMD Odyssey is the fifth Windows mixed headset to make its debut in the recent months. It joins Acer's Windows Mixed Reality Headset, the Dell Visor, HP's Windows Mixed Reality Headset and the Lenovo Explorer as devices designed to work with Windows 10. All five headsets are now available for preorder, ranging in price from $399 to $499. The Acer and Lenovo headsets are the least expensive, with the new Samsung model sporting the highest price tag.

(Image credit: Microsoft's array of mixed reality headsets (Credit: Microsoft))

Since last year, Microsoft has been pushing mixed reality as a central part of the Windows 10 Creators Update. Also known as merged reality, mixed reality taps into elements of both AR and VR, overlaying digital elements on top of the physical world. The headsets being developed by Microsoft's hardware partners use positional head tracking software and spatial mapping technologies to blend virtual and physical spaces.

MORE: Are Microsoft's Mixed Reality Headsets the Affordable Savior of VR?

Meet Samsung's Odyssey

(Image credit: Samsung's Odyssey boasts several high-end features. (Credit: Philip Michaels/Tom's Guide))

The HMD Odyssey is the latest headset to promise this experience. It features dual AMOLED displays, which Samsung will produce vivid colors and sharp resolution. The headset offers a 110-degree field of view, and its spatial AKG headphones are designed to put sound all around you. Other HMD Odyssey features include inside-out tracking, a built-in microphone and motion controllers for navigating your way through merged reality.

Strapping on the Odyssey at a Microsoft demo today, it's clear that Samsung is shooting for a premium experience with its mixed reality headset. The sound is fairly immersive even when it's turned down so that I could still hear demo instructions from a Microsoft rep. Samsung's mixed reality headset is the only one currently on offer to feature built in headphones; as a result, it's the only one with onboard volume controls, which you can adjust at the top of the headset.





(Image credit: Microsoft)

Samsung's headset has something else the others don't  an adjustable wheel for better focusing the two AMOLED screens. While the images are fairly sharp on the other Windows mixed reality headsets I tried, they're just a touch more clear on Samsung's version, which should make for a better experience in mixed reality.

Feeling at Home in Mixed Reality

Microsoft's mixed reality push doesn't end with hardware. The company is also backing up mixed reality with a big software effort, starting with the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update. That updated version of the Windows 10 operating system arrives Oct. 17, bringing with it support for mixed reality.

Alex Kipman, a Microsoft technical fellow who's leading Microsoft's mixed reality push, took us on a tour of the virtual world that Windows 10 Fall Creators Update will deliver. It's all based in what Microsoft calls a cliff house, basically transforming the desktop on your computer into a house with each rumor hosting different apps.



Exploring the cliff house with the help of an Odyssey HMD headset, I poked around Microsoft's Edge browser  a virtual keyboard floats in front of you, and you can tap the keys using your headset's handheld controllers. I also watched a 360-degree video that placed me in the middle of dolphins and took a tour of Machu Picchu from a hot air balloon.



One of the more impressive features of Windows 10's mixed reality experience came during Kipman's demo when he summoned Cortana to tell how how high Mount Rainer is. The Windows virtual assistant dutifully popped up an information card, which Kipman was able to move around with his voice. You can tell Cortana "move this here," and the assistant knows exactly what "here" means because the headset can detect where you're looking. That's a hell of a lot more convenient than dragging and dropping.



"Our very sense of reality is set to be transformed as we enter this new reality of computing, the era of mixed reality," Kipman said.

Attention to Apps

Apps are going to play a big role in whether these mixed headsets prove to be a compelling device, and Microsoft is pushing to make sure there are plenty of apps on hand to use in mixed reality. You'll be able to download apps in the Microsoft Store to use with these MR headsets, and Microsoft is promising a number of VR games  including Minecraft  will be available. In August, Microsoft announced plans to have SteamVR content work with its mixed reality headsets. Developers are now going to get access to the Windows Mixed Reality SteamVR preview to test out their apps, with consumer access coming closer to the holiday season.

(Image credit: Microsoft's Alex Kipman shows off mixed reality in the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update. (Credit: Philip Michaels/Tom's Guide))

News of Microsoft's collaboration with Valve on SteamVR follows an August announcement that the software giant would team up with 343 Industries to bring Halo to its mixed reality platform. Halo: Recruit, teased at an event in San Francisco, gave us our first look at the popular game in mixed reality, with users getting a fuller look on Oct. 17.

I think Halo fans will like what they see with Halo: Recruit. I had a chance to briefly try out the app, in which I'm in the boots of the titular recruit. I got to chance to run a few training exercises with the virtual controllers in my hands turning into Halo weapons, as I blasted away at some monstrous targets.

Microsoft is also folding in Altspace VR, the virtual reality social network that appeared to be at death's door in early summer. Instead, Microsoft announced its purchase of Altspace today with the hope of using the Altspace VR team to build up its own mixed reality community.



Altspace figured prominently in Kipman's presentation, as he was joined by Microsoft's Terry Myerson in a virtual chatroom. Both Microsoft executives appeared as cartoon avatars, which struck me as reminiscent of a virtual reality feature Facebook is working on. But it shows that Microsoft's mixed reality vision goes beyond just you playing games and watching videos on a giant screen to also include social elements in future iterations of the platform.

Updated at 4:45 p.m. ET with more details from Microsoft's mixed reality event.
Abu-Dhabi based aviation company Maximus Air provided vital humanitarian relief to Barbados in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma, which caused catastrophic damage when it swept across the Caribbean and several US states in early September this year.



The airline sent three relief flights to the area between the September 15 and 21 to provide relief cargo for those who were affected by the disaster.



Despite challenges, the commercial team in coordination with the flight operation department and flight and loading crew successfully dispatched the companys Antonov AN-124-100 plane to Barbados and back three times within the space of a week.



Mohamed Al Qassimi, CEO of Maximus Air, said: We are proud to have been able to put our logistical expertise to the service of those affected by Hurricane Irma. Since our inception we have held true to the belief that we have an important duty to help those in need around the world. We would like to thank our customers for their continued trust in us and our team for their determined commitment to supporting this cause, which helped to make our relief mission a success. Maximus Air is prepared to offer its assistance whenever duty calls, and we urge to other companies to embrace this responsibility.



Since it was established in 2005, humanitarian and relief missions have been a key component of operations at Maximus Air, which has gained extensive expertise in managing logistical operations and is fully equipped to respond swiftly and effectively to disasters like Hurricane Irma. - TradeArabia News Service
This week, in Abuja: Seventh meeting of the CFTA Negotiating Forum

The objective of the meeting is to consider the draft texts of the CFTA Agreement and its Annexes and Appendices proposed by the Technical Working Groups. Chief Negotiators will also discuss criteria for designating sensitive products and exclusion list in the modalities for tariff liberalization. Ambassador Chiedu Osakwe, Chair of the CFTA-NF, underlined that the conclusion of the CFTA was a strategic economic priority for the continent for growth, structural transformation, job creation, welfare and prosperity. There was no Plan B and failure was not an option.

This week, in Johannesburg: The first ILO Decent Work Academy in Africa

Under the overall theme of the Sustainable Development Goals and Decent Work in Africa, the key objective of this Academy is to share the latest global thinking on the world of work issues in order to find innovative solutions for some of Africas most pressing labour market challenges.

Tomorrow, in Paris: the AUC/OECD's 17th International Economic Forum on Africa on the theme Entrepreneurship and Africas industrialisation.

OECD Development Matters Africa commentaries: (i) Remy Rioux: Helping entrepreneurs thrive in Africa, (ii) Tabea Lakemann, Jann Lay: Services, informality and productivity in Africa

Mozambique: Baseline assessment of Mozambiques sanitary and phytosanitary measures and road map for reform (SPEED+)

Mozambiques participation in the WTO SPS Committee meetings is occasional and irregular. The country therefore misses the opportunity to share information, hold bilateral talks and eventually seek support from trade partners, explore market access opportunities, and learn from the experiences of other countries with similar profiles, and it excludes itself from the development of natural alliances with countries with similar SPS concerns and profiles. Mozambique is also not an active SADC member state regarding SPS issues. Mozambique suffers from a generalized lack of or limited access to adequate training; the absence of modern technology and control capacity capable of responding to the entrance and rapid spread of new pests/diseases (recently illustrated in the Panama disease crisis in bananas, fruit fly; fall armyworm, aflatoxin, etc.); and outdated legislation, standards, and regulations, often not harmonized with international standards. Several laboratories lack well-qualified and trained staff, and existing equipment is in many cases obsolete or stalled due to malfunctions. Finally, and perhaps most crucially, SPS is not regarded by senior decision makers as a priority issue, and there is no national SPS strategy, which makes it difficult to build a dedicated national SPS agenda. [Download the draft report, pdf]

The cost of borders: Mbembe makes a strong case for African integration through open borders (AfDB)

Renowned African historian, Joseph Achille Mbembe, has made a solid case for Africas integration through open borders that allow free movement of people on the continent. History tells us that the first thing you do to incapacitate people is to restrict their ability to move. Mobility allowed the stretching of societies; was determinant to trade and to building African civilizations, Mbembe said. The erudite scholar made these arguments at the 21st edition of the African Development Banks Eminent Speakers series on the theme, The cost of borders. He said restricted mobility and limited open borders is a serious cost prohibitive issue in a continent saddled with hundreds of internal borders and is highly cost prohibitive. The biggest challenge facing Africa in the 21st century is for the continent to become a vast area of freedom of movement. The future of Africa does not depend on restrictive immigration policies and the militarisation of borders, he says. He further explained how barriers and political issues constrain continental efforts to integrate Africa through investments, trade, finance and free movement of people and skills.

Ethiopia eyes improved export trade in 2017/18 fiscal year (Xinhua)

The Ethiopian government on Thursday affirmed that the countrys export trade would improve during the just commenced 2017-2018 Ethiopian fiscal year. The announcement came amid dissatisfaction in the performance of the east African countrys export trade during the 2016-2017 fiscal year, in which the country was only able to secure $2.9bn, falling way short of the initial target of $4bn. According to the Ethiopian Ministry of Trade, the large number of industrial parks that went operational during the last fiscal year and earlier on the just commenced fiscal year would play a pivotal role in improving the performance of export trade. During the past fiscal year alone Ethiopia had registered a record $866m earnings from coffee exports. The exports of flower and other horticulture products had generated some $271m.

Ghana: Trade Minister inaugurates board of Export Promotion Authority (GhanaWeb)

Mr Alan Kyeremanten, the Minister of Trade and Industry, has inaugurated a 10-member board of the Ghana Export Promotion Authority with the task of focusing on the countrys export drive to facilitate economic growth. The board members were expected to improve the export sector since it has the propensity to create job opportunities and generate foreign capital and resources for the economy. GEPA confident of meeting US$10bn NTEs target: The Ghana Export Authority is confident of meeting its target of taking the volumes of non-traditional export (NTE) to $10bn by 2021. Per the four-year plan, NTEs, which include agriculture products, handicraft and processed and semi-processed products, are expected to rake in US$4 billion by the end of 2017, up from the US$2.46 billion recorded in 2016.

Nigeria earns N13.5 billion from cashew nuts, as federal government shores up non-oil exports (Premium Times)

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Audu Ogbeh, during a presentation on Thursday at the National Economic Council meeting said that the countrys agriculture exports in the second quarter of the year were largely driven by the export of cashew nuts which he said was worth N13.5 billion. Mr Ogbeh was briefing the NEC on Nigerias Strategic Export Initiatives which is a framework and action plan to grow and diversify the export of agro-products. The NEC meeting which is chaired by the countrys Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, has all the state governors, including the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, and the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, as members.

Rwanda: MINAGRI, World Bank, EU launch partnership to increase evidence in agricultural policy-making (RWA News)

The Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources, World Bank Group, and European Commission have officially launched the WB-EU Partnership for Evidence-Based Policy Making in Agriculture. The objective is to increase the role of evidence in agricultural policy-making in the country, through the implementation of rigorous Impact Evaluations in key policy priority areas in the sector. The partnership will be spearheaded by Development Impact Evaluation  a unit within the World Banks Research Group that works with governments to design and implement impact evaluations to inform policy decisions, through its Impact Evaluation to Development Impact (i2i) program.

COMESA: Infrastructure experts review implementation of regional projects

Infrastructure experts from COMESA Member States have concluded a three days meeting in Zambia to review the status of domestication and implementation of programmes in transport and communications, energy and information technology in the region. Among the key projects in focus in the three sectors were; the establishment of a navigational route between Lake Victoria and the Mediterranean Sea known as VICMED, the regional power interconnectors and the proposed establishment of a cybercrime capacity building centre. This is the 10th meeting of the COMESA committee of infrastructure experts representing the 19 Member States. The technical experts meeting, which began on Saturday ended today, giving way to the 37th meeting of ministers in charge of infrastructure. During the technical session, progress report on the implementation of Zambia, Tanzania, Kenya Power Interconnector was presented. The project is under implementation and seeks to interconnect the three countries and create a link between the Southern African Power Pool and the East African Power Pool. This will make it possible for transmission of power from Cape to Cairo. According to a market study conducted on the project in December 2016, the link will make it possible to transfer as much as 600MW from Ethiopia, through Kenya to Tanzania and Zambia in the short-term and vice versa in the long-term.

ICE2017 issues the Douala Consensus (UNECA)

The 33rd meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee of Experts for Central Africa (ICE2017) has ended in Douala with calls for the adoption of well-targeted and sequenced counter-cyclical measures as a means to promoting resources-driven and trade-induced Industrialisation in Central Africa. In a document dubbed, Douala Consensus - issued at the end of the four-day deliberations - policymakers, industry captains and other stakeholders made the case for a paradigm shift from a resources for infrastructure model to a resources for Industrialisation (R4Id) model. The document notes the imperative to promote the "made in Central Africa" label; establish industrial zones and growth poles; accelerate the implementation of the AUs Boosting Intra-Africa Trade programme; focus on the subregions rich natural resources as basis for its industrialization; and re-enforce inter-sectoral coordination and public-private dialogue.

Tanzania: Electronic Certificate of Origin payment system launched (Daily News)

Tanzanian traders are expected to benefit as import and export will become easier thanks to the launch of an electronic Certificate of Origin payment system which is expected to enhance trade efficiency. The system under the Tanzania Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture (TCCIA) project through financial support of TradeMark East Africa was launched in Dar es Salaam over the weekend. It is to expedite application and issuance of delivery of Certificates of Origin (CO) by reducing physical movements and time taken to process the document and thus cutting on days of processing the vital certificates.

Botswana's June 2017 merchandise trade surplus (pdf, Stats Botswana)

Botswana recorded a trade surplus of P1, 146.1 million in June 2017, which is slightly higher than the May 2017 trade surplus of P1, 134.5 million. Five graphical presentations appear in this digest. Chart 1.1 shows imports, total exports and trade balance from January 2015 to June 2017. Charts 2.1 and 2.2 show Principal Commodity groups for imports and exports respectively, for June 2017. Charts 3.1 and 3.2 show imports and exports by major trading partner countries and regions for the month under review. [Matambo forecasts P8bn budget deficit for 2018]

Information Economy Report 2017: digitalization, trade and development (UNCTAD)

The UNCTAD Report shows that Africa is lagging behind the most in key aspects of e-trade readiness: connectivity, payment solutions, trade logistics, Internet security and legal frameworks. For example, less than 40% of African countries have adopted data privacy legislation. Nonetheless, digitalization is increasingly affecting African economies in a number of ways. The use of big data, artificial intelligence (AI) and three-dimensional (3D) printing are examples. In sub-Saharan Africa, large sets of data on soil characteristics are mined to help determine fertilizer needs and increase productivity. In the United Republic of Tanzania, recycled plastic bottles are being used to 3D-print prosthetics. And IBM is using its AI solution, Watson, to address development challenges in Africa in areas such as agriculture, health care, education, energy and water through the Project Lucy initiative. E-commerce is another area that is growing fast. The Jumia Group (formerly Africa Internet Group) founded in 2012, now has a presence throughout Africa. According to the company, half a million local African enterprises are conducting business on its portals every day. Jumia offers retail sales in 7 African countries (Cameroon, Cote d'Ivoire, Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Morocco and Nigeria), and its marketplace is available in 14 countries. Its growth has been strong, with an increase in its Gross Merchandise Value rising from 35 million in 2013 to about 289 million in 2015.

National Assembly will ensure Nigeria is readmitted into EGMONT Group  Dogara (Premium Times)

The suspension of Nigeria from the EGMONT group is a major set back for the Federal governments fight against corruption, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has said. Mr Dogara said the National Assembly was working to ensure that the suspension placed on Nigeria is lifted within the shortest possible time. Speaking when he received in audience the Director General of Inter-Governmental Action Group Against Money Laundering, GIABA, in West Africa, a unit of the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, Adama Coulibaly, who was accompanied by the Director of the NFIU, Francis Usani in his office, the Speaker stated that Nigerias suspension was a rude shock because the APC government is committed to the fight against corruption. He said the fight against corruption cannot be successful without support and cooperation from other countries because in most cases proceeds of corruption are taken out of the country and kept in other jurisdictions.

Today's Quick Links:

Saharawi Republic takes part at 7th Meeting of the Continental Free Trade Area Negotiating Forum

Dangote Group denies 10-year tax waiver agreement

Chinas Foshan City seek to increase trade with Namibia

Tanzania: (i) Peas get three new markets after India ban, (ii) Cereal producers fault India curbs on pigeon peas

Why President Kovind's Ethiopia, Djibouti visit is important for India
Hey everyone...we are here at Dreams La Romana. I can tell you that everything is normal. Everything is open. The drive from the airport was smooth with very little signs of a hurricane coming through here.

If you are thinking of booking here or have booked..don't worry about a thing.
hi there,

I am planing a trip to Vietnam next year in April. We will be 2 persons and plan to stay around 18 days.

What I have so far is that we will arrive in Hanoi and leave through Ho Chi Minh, and I am considering spending 3 nights in Hanoi, 2-3 nights around Ha Long Bay and 2 nights around Sa Pa in the mountains. We also want to visit Hoi An and stay about 4 nights in Ho Chi Minh.

I don't really know if this is a good plan or not. I am missing a few nights on what I have so far, but I am open to suggestions. I would like to see some nature also, besides what I have considered so far. I've hear a couple of good things about Cuc Phuong National Park, and that's not so far from Hanoi, so it might be a good option also.

Any help would be nice anyways.
Similar scenery to Sapa is Bac Ha. Fewer tourists except on Sunday when there's a market.

A place I can recommend that's certainly 'off the beaten track' is Kon Tum in the central highlands. Hardly ever mentioned in the forum. While I stayed there (en route to Laos) I didn't see another Western visitor.

Went cycling up into the hills. Lovely scenery. No tourists at all.
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Many customers find it difficult to decide which Best Jasmine Tea product to buy. The dilemma is brought about by the many types of Best Jasmine Tea in the market. This comprehensive guide will provide you with a clear understanding of how you may choose the most suitable Best Jasmine Tea available in the market.
- Evans Kidero has changed his mind about challenging Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko's victory

- Kidero claims the election was manipulated in favour of Sonko and he has the evidence

- Kidero claimed 308, 819 votes were affected and were used to tilt the election outcome

- Sonko beat Kidero, garnering 869,050 votes to Kideros 695,770 votes

Former Nairobi governor Evans Kidero has changed his mind and is petitioning Governor Mike Sonkos win following the August 8 General Election.

On Monday, October 2, Kidero said that more than 60% of the forms used to declare Sonko the Nairobi gubernatorial winner had irregularities.

Below is a list of Kidero's evidence against Mike Sonko:

1. Among 798 of the 1,300 Forms 37A, some were not signed by party agents and presiding officers, others had varied dates while some were not stamped, said Kidero as quoted in the Daily Nation on Monday, October 2.

READ ALSO: Raila demands arrest and prosecution of Uhuru's chief agent in the next 72 hours

Kidero handing over power to Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko during his inaugural ceremony held on Monday, August 21, at Uhuru Park. Photo: Evans Kidero/Facebook.

READ ALSO: Photo emerges of former professional footballer Dennis Oliech appearing really battered by life

2. Some of the forms had multiple anomalies and others lacked poll station tallies while others lacked security features.

In court papers filed by his lawyer, Tom Ojienda on Friday, September 29, Kidero said some forms had major inconsistencies.

All the inconsistencies affected more than 308,918 votes. The votes were enough to tilt the outcome of the election, added Kidero.

Sonko beat Kidero, garnering 869,050 votes to Kideros 695,770 votes.

READ ALSO: No student was killed by GSU during UoN demo

Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko. Photo: Mike Sonko/Facebook.

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3. In seeking to be enjoined as an interested party in Japhet Murokos petition challenging Sonko, Kidero detailed the stations, their codes, stream, constituencies where the anomalies occurred and the number of votes affected in his suit.

4. Kidero further claimed that 247 Forms 37A had anomalies such as unclear votes, unstamped forms, lack of signatures and varying numbers of votes.

5. Of the 247 forms, 62 were not signed by agents and the presiding officers failed to give reasons why they had not signed 211 of the same forms.

READ ALSO: US express fears about Jubilee's push for change of electoral laws

Kidero and his wife arrive at Sonko's inaugural ceremony. Kidero said his wife was happy that he will now focus on her instead of the county. Photo: Evans Kidero/Facebook.

READ ALSO: Zari Hassan missing conspicuously from Diamond Platinumz party as Hamisa shows up(Photos)

6. The most affected constituencies are Roysambu, Embakasi North and Dagoretti South. 25,462 votes were affected,

7. "12 Forms 37A had different dates of signing. How could one polling station have the same Forms 37A with different dates? This clearly show that the results used to declare the election outcome were cooked. 5,725 votes were affected, said Kidero.

8. 243 Forms 27A did not have vote tallies while 291 forms were not stamped.

The former governors move to petition Sonkos victory comes as a 180 degree turn after he said he will not be challenging the victory.

He said this as he handed over the tools of power to Mike Sonko during his inaugural ceremony which was attended by President Uhuru Kenyatta and DP William Ruto at Uhuru Park.

Have something to add to this article? Send to news@tuko.co.ke

Source: TUKO.co.ke
- One of Atwoli's daughters,identified as Rachael Nasumbu Atwoli has made her family proud after graduating from one of the top aviation schools in South Africa

- The beautiful lass who has been studying at a South African aviation school for some years now has finally graduated,earning herself her first commercial flight licence

COTU secretary General Brother Francis Atwoli is one of the few Kenyan workers' union leaders who have struggled to bring positive changes as far as employees welfare is concerned.

The vocal worker's union leader has incessantly found himself in a number of quandaries thanks to his hard stances,especially when championing for the rights of his member.

Kenyans know him as a loud and fearless leader.However,there is another side of Francis Atwoli that most people do not know.

READ ALSO: Celebrated Kenyan actress Maurine Wanza given an emotional send-off (Photos)

COTU secretary General Francis Atwoli's daughter graduates from a prestigious South African aviation school. Photo: Nation

READ ALSO: Singer Bahati's wife-to-be shares a photo without make-up and she is unrecognizable

Atwoli,just like most men of his age,is a loving and caring father to a number of children. Like other rich kids,Atwoli's children live large with some schooling abroad.

TUKO.co.ke has learnt that one of Atwoli's daughters,identified as Rachael Nasumbu Atwoli has made her family proud after graduating from one of the top aviation schools in South Africa.

Atwoli's hot daughter ,Rachael acquires her first piloting licence.Photo: Instagram

READ ALSO: Diamond offered condoms in a bid to tame his stray bullets

Rachael who has been studying at a South African aviation school for some years now has finally graduated,earning herself her first commercial flight licence.

With her new achievement,rather qualification,the young Atwoli can comfortably fly commercial planes.

News about Rachael's achievement was first shared by her sister ,Malaika as she took to social media to congratulate her.

READ ALSO: Diamond Platnumz Mpango wa Kando leaves tongues wagging with engagement ring

Atwoli's hot daughter acquires her first piloting licence. Photo: Instagram

''Congragulaaaaations On Your Commercial License My Love.........let me just start Fasting For Your BashMY SISTER HAS MADE IT...@ray_ray_n PILOT ATWOLI ..#Godsdoing''she wrote.

Congratulations are in order for Pilot Atwoli.

Have anything to add to this article or suggestions? Share with us on news@tuko.co.ke

From a drug trafficker to a mentor:

Source: TUKO.co.ke
The number of enemy attacks on Ukrainian positions in the Donetsk sector has increased over the past 24 hours, the press center of the anti-terrorist operation (ATO) headquarters has reported.

"Last evening, pro-Russian mercenaries fired for over three hours from different types of grenade launchers, large-caliber machine guns and small arms in the southeastern outskirts of Avdiyivka. The enemy fired twice from IFVs at our fortified positions near Zaitseve. In addition, the defenders of Mayorsk and Nevelske came under enemy fire last night," reads the report.

It notes that in the Luhansk sector, at about 18.00, the invaders used grenade launchers and small arms in the outskirts of the village of Donets and an 82mm mortar near Krymske.

The ceasefire was observed in the Mariupol sector after 18.00.

"In general, since the beginning of the day, illegal armed groups have violated the ceasefire 17 times. Taking into account the life-threatening situation, ATO fighters fired back 12 times. There are no losses among our defenders," the headquarters reported.

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Illegal armed groups have already fired twice at Ukrainian positions since the beginning of the day on October 3, wounding two Armed Forces soldiers.

The spokesman for the press office of the anti-terrorist center (ATO) headquarters, Anatoliy Stelmakh, said this in a comment to the 112 Ukraine television channel on Tuesday.

"Our positions have come under fire twice since the beginning of the day. This is the Avdiyivka industrial zone, where the enemy used large-caliber machine guns and small arms. At about 01.00, the enemy opened fire from grenade launchers near Hnutove. Our military fired back from grenade launchers. Two of our servicemen were injured as a result of this confrontation," he said.

According to Stelmakh, the wounded fighters were hospitalized, and "the best medical specialists" are taking care of them.

At the same time, he said that reports on civilian casualties during yesterday's shelling of residential areas were being clarified.

"According to preliminary reports, there are no victims among the local population," he said.

Earlier, the ATO headquarters reported that militants had violated the ceasefire in the ATO zone 17 times over the past 24 hours.

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PJSC UkrPoshta, Ukraine's state-owned postal services provider, has become a member of the European Business Association (EBA).

UkrPoshta CEO Ihor Smeliansky wrote this on his Facebook page.

"UkrPoshta goes to Europe. Today, Ukrposhta has become a member of the European Business Association. We are ready to work and develop according with the transparent European rules," Smeliansky said.

As the companys CEO noted, this will give an opportunity to develop the country's logistics flows more actively by realizing its transit potential.

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Ukrainians have not been killed or injured as a result of a deadly shooting in Las Vegas, Ukraine's Embassy in the United States has reported on Facebook.

"Ukraine's Embassy in the United States and Ukraine's Consulate General in San Francisco are in contact with the city's law enforcement agencies city and check information on whether there are Ukrainians among those killed and wounded. Preliminarily there are no citizens among those dead or injured. We will provide additional information about the course of events," reads the report.

Late on Sunday, October 1, Stephen Paddock, 64, opened fire on concert-goers from the vantage point of a 32nd-floor hotel room in Las Vegas. According to the latest reports, at least 59 people were killed and a further 527 were injured.

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Head of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people Refat Chubarov calls on the Ukrainian authorities to do everything possible to release 48 political prisoners illegally condemned by Russia.

He said this during a speech from the rostrum of the Verkhovna Rada on Tuesday, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"There are Crimean Tatars, Ukrainians, Russians and people of other nationalities among 48 political prisoners... I want that the Government, the President, and we all do everything to unite with these courageous people [political prisoners] as soon as possible," Chubarov said.

He added that the Ukrainian MPs, the Ukrainian state and the Ukrainian people must make every effort to return Crimea.

ish
Ukrainian MPs have adopted as a whole a presidential bill introducing amendments to the Economic Procedure Code, the Civil Procedure Code, the Code of Administrative Proceedings and other legislative acts, which form a judicial reform package.

The respective decision was supported by 234 parliamentarians, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

Bill No. 6232 was considered for seven plenary days, since 4383 amendments were submitted.

The document foresees the creation of a single judicial information and telecommunication system, which provides for the exchange of documents (sending and receiving documents) in electronic form between courts, between the court and participants in the trial, between the participants in the trial, as well as the recording of the trial and the participation of participants in the trial in a court meeting in a videoconference.

Claims and other applications, complaints and other statutory procedural documents that are submitted to the courts and may be subject to judicial review are subject to mandatory registration in the single system on the day of receipt.

"The persons who registered official electronic addresses in the single judicial information and telecommunication system get any documents from the court in cases in which such persons participate, exclusively in electronic form, by sending them to the official electronic addresses of such persons, which does not deprive them of the right to receive a copy of a court decision in paper form on a separate application," reads the document.

Persons who registered official electronic addresses in the single system may file procedural and other documents and perform other procedural actions in electronic form solely with the help of this system, using their own electronic digital signature.

The mentioned system functions in the courts, the High Council of Justice, the High Qualifications Commission of Judges of Ukraine, the State Judicial Administration of Ukraine, and their bodies and departments. It determines a judge or panel of judges for consideration of a particular case, in accordance with the procedure envisaged by the codes (automated division of cases).

"The single judicial information and telecommunication system begins to function 90 days after the publication by the State Judicial Administration of Ukraine in the Holos Ukrainy newspaper and on the web portal of the judiciary of a report on the creation and functioning of the single judicial information and telecommunication system," the document reads.

The consideration of a case in a closed court session is conducted in cases where an open trial may result from the disclosure of secret or other information protected by law, the need to protect personal and family life of a person, as well as in other cases established by law.

The law stipulates that the High Court on Intellectual Property begins its work from the day following the day of the publication by the head of the High Court on Intellectual Property in the Holos Ukrainy newspaper of a report on the commencement of work of the High Court on Intellectual Property.

According to the law, a court of cassation is the Supreme Court, which will consider cases in a panel of three or more odd number of judges.

On September 7, MPs started considering draft law No. 6232, which envisages amendments to the Economic Procedure Code, Civil Procedure Codes, the Code of Administrative Proceedings and other legislative acts.

Earlier, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Legal Policy and Justice Ruslan Kniazevych said that the new Supreme Court would not be able to work without the adoption of this bill.

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Temporarily occupied territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions are still closed to international humanitarian missions, whereas almost 70 Russian "humanitarian convoys" have been sent there during three years.

The first deputy chairman of the Verkhovna Rada, representative of Ukraine in the humanitarian subgroup of the Trilateral Contact Group, Iryna Gerashchenko, wrote this on Facebook following a meeting with the coordinators of the EU humanitarian projects.

"Donbas occupied by Russia remains completely closed to the international humanitarian missions; at the same time, during three years almost 70 so-called "humanitarian convoys" of the Russian Federation have been sent there in violation of the Ukrainian legislation. Ukraine urges an immediate access for the international humanitarian missions to enter the occupied territories," Gerashchenko stressed.

She notes that the humanitarian and environmental situation in the conflict zone remains difficult, the internally displaced persons are most in need of housing and jobs. According to her, Ukraine needs the greatest support of international partners in these areas.

Gerashchenko said that Head of the EU Delegation to Ukraine Hugues Mingarelli together with colleagues spoke about the EU's joint plan for humanitarian development that provides for the implementation of comprehensive measures to help the civilian population affected along both lines of demarcation.

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Hungary and Romania will act together to seek changes to the new Ukrainian law on education, regarding it as "a stab in the back," reads a report posted on the website of the Hungarian Foreign Ministry.

"It is totally natural and normal for Hungary and Romania to take joint action with regard to the amendment of Ukraine's Act on Education," Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto said after a meeting with his Romanian counterpart Teodor Melescanu.

According to him, the education law violates the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the European Union, the conclusion of which was supported by both Hungary and Romania, and accordingly the two countries now regard the events as a "stab in the back."

Siairto said that the fact that both the language act and the nationality act were currently before Ukraine's parliament was also cause for concern.

As reported, on September 5, the Verkhovna Rada adopted the law of Ukraine on education, which, in particular, regulates the use of the Ukrainian language in the field of education. On September 25, it was signed by President Petro Poroshenko.

The law stipulates that children from national minorities in Ukraine will continue to study their mother tongue, and from the secondary school they will begin to study in the state language. If the language of national minority belongs to the languages of the European Union, one or several disciplines may also be taught in that language.

At the same time, some countries that have a diaspora in Ukraine protested against the law's article that the children from national minorities should study in the Ukrainian language.

The government of Hungary, in particular, stated that it would block all future decisions by the European Union aimed at bringing Ukraine closer to the EU because of the law on education.

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry sent the education law for examination by the Venice Commission.

Ukrainian Education and Science Minister Lilia Hrynevych said she was disappointed that the Hungarian government plans to block Ukraine's further rapprochement with the EU due to the signing of the law on education by President Poroshenko. She noted that there had been a lot of myths around this law, in particular, that schools with instruction in minority languages would be closed.

She said that Ukraine did not intend to close schools with education in the languages of national minorities. Quite the contrary, the law on education broadens the rights and opportunities of children of representatives of national minorities, in particular with regard to further training, opportunities for work in the public service, etc.

Poroshenko, in turn, noted that he was convinced of the need to strengthen the role of the Ukrainian language in education, while leaving free space for the development of languages spoken by Ukrainian citizens.

Deputy Head of Ukraine's Presidential Administration Kostiantyn Yeliseyev suggested that Budapest's reaction to the Ukrainian law on education was connected with the upcoming parliamentary elections in Hungary and was an attempt to divert attention from its own problems. The official noted that in this issue Ukraine was ready both for bilateral dialogue and for the involvement of international experts.

At the same time, Ukrainian First Deputy Parliament Speaker Iryna Gerashchenko said that deputies from the National Assembly (Parliament) of Hungary had refused to meet with a delegation of the Verkhovna Rada regarding explanations of the provisions of the education law, in particular, the language article.

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Page Content

An exhibit commemorating the centennial of the National Parks Service and the life of Wisconsin conservationist John Muir will be displayed at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point October 3-21.

Held at the University Library in Albertson Hall, 900 Reserve St., the exhibit is on loan from the Wisconsin Historical Society. Eight panels include images and manuscripts that explore Muir's youth in Wisconsin, his advocacy for national parks, views on environmental issues and his writings.

Along with the Muir exhibit, the University Library offers the following free activities that are open to the public:

Friday, Oct. 6, 11 a.m.-noon, "Wisconsin's John Muir," University Library

An illustrated presentation about Muir's life, including his youth in central Wisconsin, his exploration of the High Sierra and Alaska and his leadership in protecting the American wilderness. The presenter is state archivist and 1985 UW-Stevens Point alumnus Matt Blessing.

An illustrated presentation about Muir's life, including his youth in central Wisconsin, his exploration of the High Sierra and Alaska and his leadership in protecting the American wilderness. The presenter is state archivist and 1985 UW-Stevens Point alumnus Matt Blessing. Friday, Oct. 13, 5-6 p.m., "Interpretive Walk" of campus

Meet at the University Library lobby for a tour led by Assistant Professor Kendra Liddicoat and Jake Tlachac, accompanied by Muir's thoughts and images.



Meet at the University Library lobby for a tour led by Assistant Professor Kendra Liddicoat and Jake Tlachac, accompanied by Muir's thoughts and images. Conservation Hall of Fame, Schmeeckle Reserve Visitors Center, Muir is a 1985 inductee in the Conservation Hall of Fame. It is open seven days a week, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., at 2419 North Point Dr., Stevens Point.



UW-Stevens Point's

will offer Muir books and t-shirts for sale. The library also has more than 150 books and reports on Muir, available through a

or browsing the subject area on the fifth floor (call area QH31).

The Muir exhibit is funded by bequests from John A. Peters and the Kenyon and Mary Follett family. For more, go to

.




Following a report on Monday that a North Korean ship flying Cambodian colors had been seized with a huge cache of weapons, the Cambodian government has denied its flag of convenience, saying that it completely stopped this business in 2016.

The Washington Post reported that a secret message was passed from Washington to Cairo last August about a mysterious vessel steaming toward the Suez Canal. The bulk freighter, named Jie Shun, was flying Cambodian colors but had sailed from North Korea, it added.

According to the report, Egyptian customs officers swarmed the ship and discovered a cache of more than 30,000 rocket-propelled grenades.

Cambodias Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement on Tuesday, saying that the use of the Cambodian flag of convenience by any ship, including the Jie Shun, is illegal.

The ministry added that the government had terminated its contract with the Cambodian Ship Registration Management Committee (ISROC) in August 2015, but allowed ships with valid certificates to continue using the flag until the end of August the following year.

Any ships claimed to be under the Cambodian flag after this due date are considered illegal and subjected to applicable international laws and regulations, the statement said.

The ministry said a diplomatic note was sent to the South Korean embassy in Phnom Penh in March 2016, notifying them that three vessels owned by a North Korean firm and using the Cambodian flag of convenience had been deregistered in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions.

Cambodias flag of convenience scheme has been a frequent source of controversy since beginning in 1995, with Cambodian-flagged vessels implicated in illegal fishing activities and caught in a string of drug and weapons seizures.

Chan Dara, director-general of waterways, maritime transport, and ports at the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, told VOA Khmer that the government informed the International Maritime Organization of the closure of the scheme last year.

Dara said the government decided to end the scheme because of monitoring problems, technical issues, and reports of illegal fishing.

There was still a cheat in using our flag and we were (finding it) difficult to monitor. Due to these difficulties, we decided to stop since problems occurred constantly, he said.

He added that Cambodia is now attempting to put better mechanisms into place, through laws and training, in hopes of re-opening the flag of convenience scheme in the future.

This work is so complicated and it takes time, he said.

Dara added that the big benefits of the business came not from allowing vessels to register with the Cambodian flag, but having Cambodian workers aboard the ships.

In 2014, The European Union banned fish imports from Cambodia because of illegal fishing operations under flags of convenience.

European Union Ambassador George Edgar told VOA Khmer that the EU has been in talks with the Cambodian government for four years regarding the use of Cambodia's flag and other issues related to illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.

Recent steps including the closure of the shipping register and commitments by the Royal Government to update Cambodia's legal framework in relation to maritime issues have been welcomed by the EU, he said via email.

Paul Chambers, a lecturer in international affairs at Naresuan University in Thailand, said vessels using the Cambodian flag have done so as a cover not only for illegal fishing but drug trafficking, petrol smuggling, and arms trading.

Cambodia does not want great powers such as China, the EU, and the US to consider that Cambodia is supporting nefarious businesses such as these, he told VOA Khmer.

Chambers added that Cambodia also needs to work harder to monitor all vessels passing through its waters.
As the Cambodian government and its allied media continue to ramp up rhetoric against the United States, a government spokesperson in Phnom Penh has urged American investors to remain confident in doing business in the country.

Relations between Phnom Penh and Washington have grown heated since the Cambodian government ordered the closure of the local office of the U.S. National Democratic Institute, and the arrest of opposition leader Kem Sokha over a 2013 speech it claimed exposed U.S. support for regime change in Cambodia.

A series of so-called leaks have been published in pro-government media accusing the U.S. of plotting a color revolution in Cambodia by helping the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party, and funding NGOs allegedly opposing Prime Minister Hun Sens Cambodian Peoples Party.

Less than a week after Sokhas arrest, the US-Asean Business Council warned of the growing risk its members faced doing business in the country because of the governments increasingly anti-U.S./anti-Western rhetoric.

Certain Cambodian politicians and government officials are more likely now to distance themselves from publicly engaging with U.S. firms until after the July 2018 elections, making government advocacy tougher than it normally would be, the council added in the alert obtained by VOA Khmer.

In Cambodia, the U.S. Embassy warned that the escalating rhetoric would only serve to harm Phnom Penh.

The anti-American rhetoric has made many Americans and other western tourists feel less welcome today in Cambodia. This year, they may spend their money in Halong Bay or Phuket instead of Angkor Wat, U.S. Ambassador William Heidt said in a press conference on September 12.

But amid the rising tensions, Soeung Sophary, the spokeswoman for the Cambodian Ministry of Commerce, insisted that it is still business as usual for American investors.

The American Embassy has not been moved anywhere, why would people have to worry? she said, adding that anti-American rhetoric was being expressed in the context of free speech.

American investors and businesspeople should keep being confident here as we [the government] wont let or allow things to escalate to the point that it would damage American business in the country, she said.

Politics is politics and is not a thing you should worry about.

In 2016, 21.3 percent of Cambodian exports went to the U.S., making it the second largest importer of goods from the country after the European Union. American investment in Cambodia also increased in 2016, while some 238,658 tourists visited the country.

More recently, U.S. ride-sharing service Uber launched in Cambodia last Thursday.

Anthony Galliano, CEO of the Cambodia Investment Management Group, said that as the US only makes up a minor share of Cambodias annual direct foreign investments, Cambodia would not be affected by the rising tensions.

America has never really been a major investor in Cambodia, approximately 90 percent of Cambodias Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) comes from Asia. Therefore, Cambodia will not be materially impacted by current events, and American investors will not be encouraged either, he said.

In July, the International Monetary Fund pointed at decreasing private investment in Cambodia in the first half of 2017, blaming election-related uncertainties.

But Miguel Chanco, a lead Asean analyst for The Economist Intelligence Unit, said economic links between the countries are unlikely to be significantly affected.

For a start, Hun Sen's regime will remain cognizant of the fact that Cambodia remains heavily dependent on the U.S. to buy its exports; accordingly, the prime minister is unlikely to push the U.S. too far. Secondly, the US is unlikely to punish Cambodia too much either, even if the health of the latter's democracy continues to deteriorate, he said.

Chanco added that while the acute risk of political instability would likely put American investors into waiting mode until the election is over, a long-term investment would not be affected.

Once the dust settles after the ballot... I believe that US companies will continue to be enticed by what Cambodia's economy has to offer - open foreign investment rules, relatively low-cost labor, and good access to key markets.

Meanwhile, Anthony Nelson, director of the East Asia and Pacific practice at the Washington-based Albright Stonebridge Group, said the tensions could test the resilience of American investors if they escalated further.

For a lot of U.S. companies, they move slowly, they like to take their time, and they like to be thorough. And it is pretty natural right now to look at the type of remarks the Prime Minister is making [due] to the fact that the election is coming up that could be contentious to take a more delayed approach, he said.
President Trump is set to visit Puerto Rico on Tuesday, nearly two weeks after Hurricane Maria heavily damaged infrastructure and left island's 3.4 million residents stranded without electricity and basic needs. In New York, home to hundreds of thousands of people from Puerto Rico, locals are worried and frustrated that the slow aid effort is creating a growing humanitarian crisis.
Gun violence interrupts a peaceful gathering and scores of people die once again. This time it was in Las Vegas, where a gunman fired upon thousands of people attending a music festival Sunday night. At least 59 people died. More than 500 were wounded. VOA's Carol Pearson looks at why people commit these atrocities.
A roadside bomb in Iraq has killed an American service member and wounded one other, Pentagon officials said Monday.

The bomb struck the Americans' vehicle late Sunday as they were traveling in a convoy north of Tikrit, a U.S. military official told VOA on the condition of anonymity.

Eric Pahon, a U.S. Defense Department spokesman, said the name of the deceased American was being held pending notification of next of kin.

More than 5,000 American troops are in Iraq to advise and assist the Iraqi military and Kurdish peshmerga forces battling to retake parts of their country from Islamic State militants.

This marks the thirteenth American death from hostile action in Iraq or Syria since the fight against Islamic State fighters began in 2014, according to the Pentagon.
Australian authorities said they deeply regret not finding missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 and the ongoing mystery is "unacceptable," in their final report on the unsuccessful search which was published on Tuesday.

"The reasons for the loss of MH370 cannot be established with certainty until the aircraft is found," the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) said in the report." It is almost inconceivable and certainly societally unacceptable in the modern aviation era...for a large commercial aircraft to be missing and for the world not to know with certainty what became of the aircraft and those on board."

The disappearance of the Boeing 777 on March 8, 2014, with 239 people on board, on a flight to Beijing from the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur, has become one of the world's greatest aviation mysteries.

It is thought to have been diverted thousands of miles off course out over the southern Indian Ocean before crashing off the coast of Western Australia.

Australia, which led the underwater hunt, and Malaysia and China called off a A$200 million ($160 million) search for the plane in January after finding nothing, despite the protests of families of those onboard.

Australia's main scientific agency said in August it believes with "unprecedented precision and certainty" that the plane crashed northeast of the search zone.

But those findings were dismissed by Australia's government at the time as not specific enough, and the search has not been re-opened. Doing so depends on finding credible, new evidence about the plane's whereabouts.

The ATSB report published on Tuesday detailed the unsuccessful 1,046-day hunt for the plane, above and below the surface of the Indian Ocean, and scientific analyses of satellite pictures, sea currents and even barnacles found clinging to a piece of the plane found on Reunion Island.

"The understanding of where MH370 may be located is better now than it has ever been. The underwater search has eliminated most of the high probability areas," the ATSB said. "We...deeply regret that we have not been able to locate the aircraft, nor those 239 souls on board that remain missing."

It recommends aircraft and aircraft equipment manufacturers investigate providing better methods of automated satellite tracking for planes if they encounter problems during flight in future.

Malaysia has continued to investigate the plane's whereabouts and in August said it received an offer from a private seabed exploration firm, Ocean Infinity, to resume the search.
The prime ministers of Bulgaria, Greece and Romania gave their support to their Balkan neighbor Serbia's bid to join the European Union on Tuesday, saying the integration of the western Balkans would guarantee regional peace and stability.

Serbia, which in the 1990s was seen as pariah of Western Balkans for its central role in wars that followed the collapse of Yugoslavia, expects to complete negotiations on EU membership by 2019.

"All of us know that the natural place of Serbia is in the European Union," Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov said after a four-party summit in the Black Sea city of Varna with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, Romanian Prime Minister Mihai Tudose and Serbian President Alexander Vucic.

Borissov said that the three EU members would work to speed up the process to the advantage of peace and stability in the Balkans and Europe generally.

Bulgaria takes over the rotating six-month EU presidency in January while Romania will take over in 2019.

Many Serbs, however, remain skeptical about joining the bloc and view Western European countries as outspoken advocates of the 1999 NATO bombing to halt the killing and expulsion of ethnic Albanians in the former province of Kosovo, in which thousands of civilians had been killed.

Double standards

Vucic accused the European Union of using double standards by refusing to accept the Catalan independence referendum while largely welcoming a separate Kosovo.

"We support Spain, it is our friendly country," said Vucic.

"But the European Commission responded in a different way [over Kosovo] and it was against my people and my state.

Kosovo's declaration of independence from Serbia in 2008 was accepted by Washington and most EU states, but rejected by Belgrade and its allies.

"Kosovo gained independence without even holding a referendum but Catalonia ... cannot get anything like that," Vucic said. "Sometimes, we, the Serbs, are asking ourselves why we should have been the victim of double standards?"

Serbia's position on Kosovo has been one of the main stumbling blocks in its own bid to join the European Union.

Brussels has said it needs to improve relations with the authorities in Pristina and stop trying to block their efforts to join international bodies.
1 Gift, 2 years old, was condemned by her community when her mother died shortly after childbirth. Among some clans of the Bassa Komo people in Nigeria is a traditional belief that children who lost their mother during or shortly after children are evil.
Spain's National Court has decided to extradite a suspected Russian hacker to the United States.

Pyotr Levashov, a 37-year-old known as one of the world's most notorious hackers, was arrested earlier this year while vacationing with his family in Barcelona. U.S. authorities had requested his arrest, for they want him on fraud charges and unauthorized interception of electronic communications.



The Spanish court said Tuesday the U.S. extradition request has been approved. Russia in September filed a counter-extradition request for Levashov hours before the original extradition hearing.



Authorities in the U.S. have linked Levashov to a series of powerful botnets, or networks of hijacked computers capable of pumping out billions of spam emails.



Levashov's lawyers have alleged his arrest was politically motivated and argued that he should be tried in Spain.
The European Court of Justice has been asked to consider whether Facebooks Dublin-based subsidiary can legally transfer users personal data to its U.S. parent, after Irelands top court said Tuesday that there are well-founded concerns the practice violates European law.

In a case brought after former U.S. defense contractor Edward Snowden revealed the extent of electronic surveillance by American security agencies, the Irish court found that Facebooks transfers may compromise the data of European citizens.

The case has far-reaching implications for social media companies and others who move large amounts of data via the internet. Facebooks European subsidiary regularly does so.

Irelands data commissioner had already issued a preliminary decision that such transfers may be illegal because agreements between Facebook and its Irish subsidiary dont adequately protect the privacy of European citizens. The Irish High Court is referring the case to the European Court of Justice because the data sharing agreements had been approved by the European Unions executive Commission.

Irelands data commissioner has raised well-founded concerns that there is an absence of an effective remedy in U.S. law . for an EU citizen whose data are transferred to the U.S. where they may be at risk of being accessed and processed by U.S. state agencies for national security purposes in a manner incompatible with the EUs Charter of Fundamental Rights, the Irish High Court said Tuesday.

Austrian privacy campaigner Maximillian Schrems, who has a Facebook account, had challenged this practice through the Irish courts because of concerns that his data was being illegally accessed by U.S security agencies.

U.S. citizens would not be allowed to have such mass surveillance as for European citizens and we have to protect our citizens, Schrems said. And actually, Europe protects anybody because we see it as a human right, not as a citizens right.

Facebook said standard contract clauses provided critical safeguards and that such safeguards are used by thousands of companies to do business.

They are essential to companies of all sizes, and upholding them is critical to ensuring the economy can continue to grow without disruption, the company said in statement.

It added that it was important that the European court now considers the extensive evidence demonstrating the robust protections in place under standard contractual clauses and U.S. law before it makes any decision that may endanger the transfer of data across the Atlantic and around the globe.

In an earlier ruling in the case, the European Court of Justice found that the so-called Safe Harbor regime, which Facebook previously relied on when transferring data to the U.S., violated EU law because it didnt provide effective legal remedies. The Safe Harbor regime had been established in 2000 by the EU executive Commission, which found that U.S. data protection laws were adequate to protect the rights of EU citizens.

The Irish Data Commissioner decided to seek judicial review of standard contractual clauses in part because of the very significant commercial implications arising from the value of data exchanges to EU-U.S. trading relationships.

The U.S. government and three other parties were allowed to file friend of the court briefs in the case. The others are the BSA Business Software Alliance, a trade association whose members include Apple, Microsoft and Intel; Digital Europe, which represents the regions digital technology industry; and the Electronic Privacy Information Center, a U.S. civil liberties group.
Studies show mass killings have tripled in the past few years. A massacre Sunday night in Las Vegas left 59 people dead as a gunman in a hotel fired upon thousands of people below who were attending a music festival.

Until that tragedy, last year's shooting at an Orlando nightclub was the deadliest in U.S. history. Forty-nine people died when a gunman opened fire on club-goers. In 2012, a gunman opened fire at an elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut, killing 20 children between the ages of 6 and 7 years old, as well as six others, including the shooter's mother and staff and teachers at the school.

Watch: Profile of mass killers

Mass killers used trucks filled with fertilizer to create an explosion that left 168 people dead at the federal building in Oklahoma City in 1995. The land is now filled with empty chairs, each etched with the name of one of the victims.

That was the worst mass killing until September 2001, when killers crashed airplanes into The World Trade Center's twin towers in lower Manhattan. As in Oklahoma City, the ground where the towers once stood is now a memorial.

Profiling mass killers

J. Reid Meloy, a forensic psychologist, said mass murderers "typically have more in common" with each other than not.

He said the killers tend to have a history of psychiatric problems, are mostly men, and have rocky intimate relationships.

Meloy said the killings are a quest for status and usually are not, despite killers' claims, rooted in a cause.

"Oftentimes, the pathway to violence begins with a personal grievance," Meloy said. "It typically has three components to it. One is there's some kind of loss. Secondly, there's the feeling of humiliation. Then thirdly, there's anger toward and blaming of a person or a group of people who have caused them to have this problem."

Access to weapons is one factor, but social media is another.

Meloy said social media makes killers notorious and, when an attack is shown online, those seeking notoriety decide to imitate the atrocity and gain notoriety for themselves.

It is an appeal that, unfortunately, Meloy predicts will spawn even more mass killings.
France's interior minister says the man who fatally stabbed two young women in Marseille was a Tunisian who had lived in Italy.

Interior Minister Gerard Collomb said on France-Inter radio Tuesday that the assailant had Italian residency and a valid Tunisian passport. The attacker was killed by soldiers after Sunday's stabbings, which were claimed by the Islamic State group.



Collomb urged more information-sharing among governments about such cases.



One of the seven IDs the attacker used in previous encounters with French police was a Tunisian passport identifying him as Ahmed H. A judicial official said Tuesday that authorities have determined that is the Marseille attacker's true identity.



Italian news agency ANSA said Rome prosecutors had opened a terrorism investigation into Hanachi's contacts in Italy, after reports emerged that he had lived in Aprilia, south of Rome, from about 2006-2014. Italian daily La Repubblica said he lived in an area with a sizeable Tunisian community, and had married, then divorced, an Italian woman.



The area  Aprilia, Latina and Fondi  has already seen four people expelled from Italy for alleged radicalization-related reasons, La Repubblica said.



Citing state security, Italy has since 2015 expelled more than 200 people who are suspected of radicalizing others or recruiting would-be jihadis  offenses that wouldn't necessarily hold up in court but which the Interior Ministry uses as reason to expel them.



The French interior minister also said he has ordered an investigation into why the Marseille attacker had seven encounters with French police and had no residency papers, but wasn't expelled from the country. His latest arrest was just two days before the stabbing, when he was picked up for shoplifting and released.
On a normal day in New Yorks East Harlem, rhythms of Puerto Rican reggaeton and salsa pour through car windows along Third Avenue. Bodega storefronts, painted murals and flag merchandise celebrate the islands cultural and historical icons.



But as each day passes without a word of assurance from family on the island territory, a growing cloud of frustration and anxiety thickens the New York air. One of the largest Puerto Rican diaspora communities on the U.S. mainland is uncharacteristically subdued.



The pain has been unimaginable, says Jose, who introduced himself to VOA, but declined a formal interview. The words dont come out, he said, it makes me too sad.

In contrast to his blue cap and red-accent clothing, a variation of his flags colors, Jose echoed a feeling that has overcome an entire diaspora community: I live here, but my heart is in Puerto Rico.



Heightened tension



Nearly two weeks have passed since Hurricane Maria heavily damaged infrastructure and left the island's 3.4 million residents stranded without electricity and basic needs.



Among East Harlem residents, upset by the slow federal aid response and growing humanitarian crisis, a sense of helplessness has bred further anger.



They do not even believe in [President Donald Trump] anymore, said Larry Montes, 37. Unable to contact his 82-year-old asthmatic grandmother, who raised him on the island, Montes worries about her well-being.



I know that shes going to run out of her medication, Montes said. I want to know how shes doing health-wise. I want to know if my family is actually receiving supplies at all.

Gil Morales, a 68-year old Vietnam veteran, was hesitant to directly blame the president for the slow recovery. But as a patriot who says he would give his life to his country in a blink, he expects the same treatment be applied toward his native U.S. territory.



Get your butts down there and take care of them! he exclaimed. Send help!



Last week, Trump said there were 10,000 federal workers and 5,000 National Guard members on the island.



But ongoing distractions, including a series of Twitter attacks by the president, directed at San Juans mayor and major news outlets in response to criticism of the governments response, have done little to ease anxiety.



New York City expecting thousands



New York Mayor Bill de Blasio  while unable to provide a precise estimate  expects that the city will take in thousands of fleeing Puerto Ricans in coming weeks, as more flights become available out of San Juan, the capital.

Clotilde Solis, who has spent days trying to communicate with her husbands family in the small town of Patillas, hopes enough resources can be made available for a smooth transition.

It would make me happy if the government can accommodate them [here], because they need it, Solis said. These people need a roof where they can be reunited as a family.



During a press conference last week, de Blasio said an operations center had been established on the ground, to establish health care needs in New York.



The citys public schools, the mayor added, stand ready to accommodate an influx of children.
After several years of struggling to make a living doing odd jobs in and around his village, 26-year-old Pushkar Singh came to New Delhi from the northern Uttarakhand state three months ago to hunt for a job.

The high school dropout is willing to do anything  cook, work as a security guard, a peon in an office. But not only has he failed to secure a job, he has not even got an interview so far.

Its a huge worry, not having work, said a despondent Singh as he wondered how long he can continue staying with his relatives.

The hopes of young people like Singh had been fueled by Prime Minister Narendra Modis promise of creating millions of jobs for the countrys huge young population when he took power in 2014. Optimism rose after India won the tag of the worlds fastest growing economy.

But the Indian economy has hit a sharp slowdown, leaving tens of thousands of people struggling to find work in mega cities like New Delhi, which are magnets for migrant labor.

The economy clocked a growth rate of 5.7 percent in the April to June quarter, its most sluggish pace in three years.

The bleak number has set alarm bells ringing and raised fears that India could struggle to return to a high growth path.

It is a cause for concern, the economy has slowed down much more than most had expected, said D.K. Joshi, Chief Economist at rating agency Crisil in Mumbai.

Reasons for the slowdown

The slowdown has prompted critics to accuse Modis government of economic mismanagement.

Most attention has turned to two major measures that have disrupted the economy in the last year. Critics have slammed the government for imposing a currency change last November to flush out illegal cash, saying it slowed down businesses amid massive currency shortages and gave an unnecessary shock to a cash dependent economy.

In July, India implemented a long overdue and widely welcomed tax reform  a goods and services tax (GST) meant to clean up a complex tax regime and make it easier to do business.

But many worry that faulty implementation and multiple tax rates have created confusion for businesses struggling with the new system.

Economists point out that the currency change and GST, coming within months of each other, have made the slowdown sharper and deeper for virtually all sectors of the economy, which had already started losing pace last year.

The impact is evident in the markets of the Indian capital, which are usually the most crowded at this time of the year. It is Indias main festive season, when consumer spending hits a high. But shop owners are disappointed because customers are not opening their wallets easily.

A usually buzzing upmarket area in New Delhi wears a deserted look. Manu Talwar, the owner of a shop selling high-end mobile phones, has been struggling to make a sale in a country counted as the worlds fastest growing smart phone market, where a new device is coveted by an aspirational generation.

You can see the market, it does not look like Diwali, the market is so down. Mobiles, accessories, people were crazy about it. As of now, iPhone 8 has launched, but there is no market, said Talwar.

The government says it is looking for ways to rev up the economy  according to reports, it is considering spending billions of dollars to give investment a push.

Prime Minister Modi, seen as a business-friendly, reformist leader, recently announced the formation of a five-member panel to advise him on economic issues.

At the heart of the challenge is the need for jobs in a country where about 10 million enter the workforce every year. Modi had hoped to give manufacturing a push to create jobs for low-skill labor, but a flagship Make in India program he launched to woo foreign investors has yet to show significant results. And a slowing economy means that jobs are even being lost in several sectors.

To think of an overall manufacturing push of the kind China gave, or many East Asian economies that we observed in those economies, that does not seem to be a reality in India. There is a lot of ground to cover to reach that level, said economist Joshi.

Officials are striking an optimistic note, calling the slowdown transitory, but economists warn recovery will be gradual.

That means Pushkar Singhs hunt for a job and shop owner Manu Talwars hopes of the market picking up may not happen anytime soon.
A group of suspected militants has stormed a paramilitary base near the Srinagar airport in Indian-controlled Kashmir.

Three of the militants and an Indian soldier were killed Tuesday in the ensuing gun battle.

Security officials say the militants, dressed in army uniforms, hurled grenades and opened fire with automatic weapons on the base, which houses members of India's Border Security Force. The base shares a common border wall with the airport.

Kashmir has been the center of a deadly tug-of-war between India and neighboring Pakistan since the end of British colonial rule in 1947. The Muslim-majority Himalayan territory is divided between the nuclear-armed rivals, but both claim Kashmir in full.

Kashmir rebels have battled Indian forces for decades, demanding either independence or a merger with Pakistan. The rebels have staged a series of attacks on Indian security bases in recent months, including an attack in southern Kashmir in August that left eight security officials dead.

New Delhi has accused Pakistan of training and arming the rebels to carry out the cross-border attacks, a charge that Islamabad denies.
President Donald Trump's choice to be the next ambassador to India said Tuesday he would make the millions of people reported to be in bonded labor in the South Asian country a very high priority.



Lawmakers pressed the nominee, Kenneth Juster, at his Senate confirmation hearing on human rights issues that irritate generally positive relations between the world's two largest democracies.



Democratic Sen. Ben Cardin said it was unacceptable that an estimated 18 million people in India are in bonded labor or slavery.



Juster responded that the issue was of great concern to both him and the U.S. government.



He said he would seek the best interlocutors to move this forward with India, not just in the national government, but at the state and local level and with non-government groups.



Juster said that if confirmed, the U.S. embassy in India, will take this as a very high priority. He also called for Indian authorities to regulate foreign NGOs in an even and transparent way.



India has often taken umbrage at scrutiny by the U.S. government on issues such as human trafficking and religious freedom, covered in global reports by the State Department. New Delhi has also faced criticism from members of the U.S. Congress for blocking foreign funding for Indian charities and nonprofits.



Despite these niggles, the overall relationship has thrived in the past decade. Trade has multiplied and defense ties have grown. Washington and New Delhi share concerns about China's rise as a military power and in countering Islamic militancy.



Those ties appear set to grow further under Trump. Despite Juster's comments Tuesday, the president is widely seen as less preoccupied with human rights issues than previous presidents. He is, however, determined to reduce the U.S. trade deficit with India which totaled about $30 billion last year.



Juster voiced the administration's concerns about barriers for American companies exporting to India but affirmed the overall importance of relations. He said that the administration views India as a leading power and a true friend whose role in international security and economic growth will be critical in the 21st century.



Juster served as undersecretary of commerce in the George W. Bush administration, where he promoted ties with India including a landmark civil nuclear deal. Under Trump, he served for several months as deputy director of the National Economic Council. Prior to that, he was managing director at the global investment firm Warburg Pincus.

Juster's appointment must be approved by the full Senate. The U.S. ambassadorship in New Delhi has been vacant since Trump took office in January.
Kenyas top university has been closed following unrest and allegations from students of police brutality. It is the latest sign of the deepening tensions over the re-run of the presidential election later this month.

The University of Nairobi was shuttered after days of unrest, following the arrest of a student leader who is also a member of parliament.

The lawmaker was arrested for allegedly insulting the president and also for assaulting a voter.

Last weeks protests prompted some police officers to enter the university compound, where they beat up students, frog marching others.

In an interview with Nation Television, the head of the police said the university administration invited the police to deal with the situation at the school.

The students planned a protest Tuesday against the police brutality and the school administration. But the university announced it was closed until further notice, citing what it called a deteriorating security situation.

Student displeasure



Student leader Ronny Mamba disagreed with the stated reason for closure.

As you can see here, no student is armed. We are armed with our brains. No student is carrying a gun. No students have clobbered another student. Therefore, there is no insecurity, Mamba said.

Angel Mbuthia is the deputy chairperson of the students' union.

Students right now are not happy with the situation. What we planned was to have a demonstration to ask for answers and to find out why our vice-chancellor ordered the GSU to get into university hostels and use excessive force on our students, Mbuthia said, referring to the paramilitary wing in the Kenyas National Police.

Mbuthia did acknowledge tensions over the re-run election between President Uhuru Kenyatta and his challenger Raila Odinga have spilled over into the university.

The country is a bit unstable right now, and it has been reflected in our university because now politicians are running into the university to get a share of the votes they can get from there and influence everything they can, so that is what coming in and dividing students in such a magnified way, Mbuthia said.

Kenya's electoral commission met with ruling Jubilee party officials and opposition leaders Tuesday to discuss preparations for the October 26 re-run.

U.S., British and European Union envoys have called for both sides to give support to the electoral body in preparations for the vote.
Amid an outpouring of grief and condolences as the death toll climbed higher from Mondays mass shooting in Las Vegas, Nevada, one U.S. senator sent out a tweet, pointing an angry finger at his colleagues on Capitol Hill.

Murphy represents Connecticut, where a gunman toting a semi-automatic rifle slaughtered 20 children aged six and seven at Newtown's Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012. Congress enacted no legislation restricting firearms in the months that followed, nor after any subsequent mass shooting, including last years bloodbath at an Orlando, Florida nightclub that left 49 people dead.

Thoughts and prayers need to be matched by action, Murphy said later on the Senate floor. The reason why we exist is to act, is to change the laws of the nation, to address challenges that our constituents face.

During a visit to hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico on Tuesday, President Donald Trump praised Las Vegas police force and said, Well be talking about gun laws as time goes by.

Forcing the dialogue

In both houses of Congress, many Democrats are attempting to force an immediate dialogue in hopes of jumpstarting legislation on measures that have broad public support, such as expanding background checks for gun purchasers and scrutinizing firearms sales at gun shows.

If ISIS had just killed 59 people, every Republican and the President of the United States would be saying we need to take action now," said House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer of Maryland.

For now, most Republicans are attempting to steer clear of the topic, except to assail the timing and motives of Democrats.

The Democrats are going to keep politicizing every tragedy that occurs  I think thats despicable on their part, said Representative Chris Collins of New York. My thoughts and prayers go out to the victims here. This is not the time to automatically reach into the desk drawer and pull [out] gun control [bills].

"When is the time to debate this? Hoyer countered. Is there ever a time to debate this or are we so cowed by the National Rifle Association [gun rights lobbying group] that we can't even talk about this issue and think about how we can make America safe again?"

The NRA did not comment immediately on the carnage in Las Vegas, but other organizations representing gun owners insisted the mass shooting in no way invalidates Americans constitutional right to bear arms.

Theres no way to make a law, any law that would stop an evil person from doing an evil deed, Eddie Fulmer, president of Bama Carry, an Alabama run rights group, told VOA. I dont think restrictions do anything but prevent honest, law-abiding people from getting a weapon they need and deserve to have, with the freedoms we have in America.

Murphy rejected such arguments after the Newtown slaughter and did so again this week.

Laws do work, the Democratic senator said. Though you cant regulate away evil in total, you can do more to protect people.

Although there is little appetite for new gun restrictions among Republicans who control both houses of Congress, legislation to liberalize firearms sales is being put on hold. House Speaker Paul Ryan announced on Tuesday that a bill deregulating the sale of gun silencers has been shelved.

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Trump is visiting Las Vegas Wednesday to mourn the loss of life and honor the citys first responders. Democrats want the president to do much more.

Im glad the president is going to Las Vegas. Thats a good idea, said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York. But he should take it a step further and call us together and lead this nation in some rational laws about gun safety that the overwhelming majority of Americans  Democrat, Republican and Independent  support.

VOA's Katherine Gypson contributed to this report.
The mass shooting in Las Vegas, in which at least 59 people were killed and more than 500 injured, was the saddest day ever recorded on Twitter, according to Hedonometer, a tool that measures sentiment on social media platforms.

The barometer, which measures the happiness of millions of Twitter users based on their posts, showed an average happiness level of 5.77 on Monday when the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history occurred at a country music festival in Las Vegas.

The previous record low was 5.84 on the day of another mass shooting in Orlando, Florida, that killed at least 49 people and injured more than 50 last year.

The third-saddest recorded day on Twitter was Nov. 9, 2016, the day after Donald Trump was elected president of the United States, according to Hedonometer. The barometer on that day was 5.87.

The happiest recorded day on Twitter was on Christmas day of 2008, when the day's score was 6.36. The tool has been tracking Twitter sentiment since 2008.

Hedonometer was invented by Peter Dodds and Chris Danforth, a mathematician and computer scientist at the University of Vermont's Advanced Computing Center. It gathers sentences that start with "I feel" or "I am feeling" and generates a happiness score for the text. Each sentence is then given a happiness score from 1 to 9.
Police in Las Vegas, Nevada say a man opened fire on a country music concert late Sunday, killing 59 people and wounding 527 others, in the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history.

An edited list of mass shootings that have taken place in other parts of the world:

Paris, France

November, 2015

Terrorists claiming allegiance to Islamic State carried out several coordinated attacks in the city, including shootings of pedestrians on the street and a mass shootings at the Bataclan theatre. One hundred and thirty people were killed in the combined attacks.

Paris, France

January, 2015

Islamist gunmen stormed the office of Charlie Hebdo, a satirical weekly magazine, and killed 12 people, including the paper's top editors and cartoonists, in anger over its satirical cartoons of Islamic terrorists and the Prophet Muhammad.

Nairobi, Kenya

September, 2013

Al-Shabab Islamist militants, who are based in Somalia, attacked the upscale Westgate mall in Nairobi, killing nearly 70 people and wounding about 175. The siege latest for three days before government troops could end the attack.

Utoya, Norway

July, 2011

A gunman disguised as a policeman opened fire at a youth camp for political activists on the small island of Utoya, northwest of Oslo. The gunman, who had been linked to an anti-Islamic group, killed 68 campers. Separately, the gunman set off a bomb in Oslo that killed 8 people.

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

April, 2011

A 23-year-old former student returned to his public school in Rio de Janeiro and opened fire on the students, killing 12 children and seriously wounding more than a dozen others, before shooting himself in the head.

Baku, Azerbaijan

April, 2009

A Georgian citizen of Azerbaijani descent killed 12 students and staff at the Azerbaijan State Oil Academy. Several others were wounded.

Winnenden, Germany

March, 2009

A 17-year-old boy shot and killed 15 people at his school, Albertville Technical High School, in southwestern Germany.

Mumbai, India

November, 2008

Islamist terrorists carried out a series of shooting and bombing attacks across the city over the span of several days, including mass shootings at two hotels, the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel and the Oberoi Trident. The attacks left 164 people dead and a further 308 people were wounded.

Moscow, Russia

October, 2002

A group of armed Chechen militants seized the crowded Dubrovka theater and took 850 people hostage. At least 170 people died in the terrorist attack.

Erfurt, Germany

April, 2002

A 19-year-old student opened fire at his secondary school, killing 16 people, including 13 teachers, two students, and one policeman, before killing himself.

Port Arthur, Australia

April, 1996

A 28-year old man opened fire at a cafe on a historic penal colony site in Tasmania, killing 35 people and wounding 23. It was the worst mass-murderer in modern Australian history.

Dunblane, Scotland

March, 1996

A gunman killed 16 children and one teacher at Dunblane Primary School before killing himself.

Montreal, Canada

December, 1989

A 25-year-old gunman shot 28 people at the Ecole Polytechnique in Montreal, Quebec, killing 14 women, before committing suicide.


Afghanistan security forces are fully engaged in offensive combat operations for the first time in their war against al-Qaida and Taliban militants, U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said Tuesday.

For the first time in 16 years, we have all six Afghan army corps on the offensive at the same time, Mattis told members of the Senate Armed Services committee during a hearing on the Trump administrations new Southeast Asia strategy.

While Afghan forces are taking heavy casualties in the fight, Mattis said they are suffering fewer casualties than they did last year, a sign that could point to the forces improving battlefield capabilities.

Under President Donald Trump, the defense secretary said international forces have carried out more airstrikes against enemy forces than any other year since 2012, thanks to removing proximity restrictions that prevented airstrikes on insurgents who were not within a certain distance from American or Afghan forces.

The new Afghanistan strategy announced in August adds about 3,000 American troops and additional NATO coalition partners to the Afghan fight, the bulk of who will advise and assist Afghan forces down to the brigade level.

Afghan special forces that have our trainers, they have won every time they fought the enemy. Those without have not won, said Mattis.

He added that this will allow Afghan forces to be bolder in combat, knowing that American and NATO air power will be there to strike the Taliban and other militants wherever they are on the battlefield.

When they go into the fight, no longer will they worry about the high ground. Having fought in mountainous country, its unpleasant to have the enemy above you," he said. "NATO airstrikes overhead denies the enemy ever having the high ground."

Still, despite the progress in supporting Afghan forces, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Joseph Dunford told lawmakers Tuesday that Afghanistan and members of the coalition supporting the Afghan government are not close to bringing a successful political solution from military pressure - a lack of progress criticized by Vietnam prisoner of war and former Republican presidential candidate John McCain.

After 16 years, should the taxpayers of America be satisfied that we are still in a stalemate? I dont think so, Senator McCain said Tuesday. He was referencing comments by the top commander on the ground earlier this year asking for thousands more international troops to help break the stalemate in America's longest war.



Chairman Dunford added that the international effort must be long-term, saying it will take at least six or seven years to transform the Afghan air force into the fully capable attack weapon needed to fight enemy forces in the country.

Mattis said that political reconciliation with the Taliban is still the goal, as long as they stop killing people, live by the Afghan constitution and break with international terrorists.

Pakistan and Russia

The new Afghan strategy aims to focus on major players in the region, including India, China, Russia, Iran and Pakistan. U.S. leaders have expressed frustration over Pakistan's seeming unwillingness to prevent terrorists from using their territory to escape pressure in neighboring Afghanistan.

Mattis on Tuesday said it will be "highly difficult" to sustain any stability in South Asia unless terrorist safe havens are removed.

When asked about the Pakistani Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency's support of terrorists, Dunford told the Senate committee that was "clear" that the ISI has connections with terrorist groups.

Thus far, the United States has been working unilaterally to push Pakistan toward removing its terrorist safe havens, but Dunford stressed that America should utilize the nearly 40 nations of the coalition in Afghanistan, along with other regional powers China and India, to better motivate Pakistan to do more to counter terrorism.

Mattis expressed concern that Russia also is acting in ways that counter the coalition's fight against the Afghan Taliban and al-Qaida.

If there's an opportunity to, you know, poke us in the eye, they'll do it. Even if it's against their own interest, Mattis said.
The Pentagon "supports fully" U.S. State Department efforts to find a diplomatic solution with North Korea, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said Tuesday.

Mattis, however, added that the actions of the State Department were not necessarily contradictory to President Donald Trump's comments that diplomatic talks with Pyongyang would be a waste of time.

All were doing is probing - were not talking with them  consistent with the presidents dismay about not talking with them before the time is right," Mattis said, testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee. So I do not see the divergence as strongly as some have interpreted it,

On Saturday, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson acknowledged the United States has direct diplomatic channels through which to try to negotiate with Pyongyang about North Koreas continued nuclear and ballistic missile tests.

President Trump appeared to undercut his top diplomat the following day, saying Tillerson is "wasting his time" trying to negotiate with North Korea's leader.

In one of a series of tweets the president said, "Save your energy Rex, we'll do what has to be done!"



Despite Trump's remarks, the White House said Monday that the president still has confidence in Tillerson.
U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said on Tuesday the United States should consider staying in the Iran nuclear deal unless it were proven that Tehran was not abiding by the agreement or that it was not in the U.S. national interest to do so.

Although Mattis said he supported U.S. President Donald Trump's review of the agreement curbing Iran's nuclear program, the defense secretary's view was nonetheless far more positive than that of Trump, who has called the deal agreed between Iran and six world powers in 2015 an "embarrassment."

Trump is weighing whether the deal serves U.S. security interests as he faces a mid-October deadline for certifying that Iran is complying with the pact, a decision that could sink an agreement strongly supported by the other powers that negotiated it.

"If we can confirm that Iran is living by the agreement, if we can determine that this is in our best interest, then clearly we should stay with it," Mattis told a Senate hearing.

"I believe ..., absent indications to the contrary, it is something that the president should consider staying with," Mattis added.

Earlier, when Mattis was asked whether he thought staying in the deal was in the U.S. national security interest, he replied: "Yes, senator, I do."

The White House had no immediate comment on Mattis' remarks, which once again highlighted the range of views on key policy issues within the Trump administration.

If Trump does not recertify by Oct. 15 that Iran is in compliance, Congress would have 60 days to decide whether to reimpose sanctions on Tehran suspended under the accord.

That would let Congress, controlled by Trump's fellow Republicans, effectively decide whether to kill the deal.

Although congressional leaders have declined to say whether they would seek to reimpose sanctions, Republican lawmakers were united in their opposition to the deal reached by Democratic former President Barack Obama.

Iran 'fundamentally' in compliance

In a House of Representatives hearing later Tuesday, Mattis said Iran was "fundamentally" in compliance with the nuclear deal.

"I believe that they fundamentally are. There have been certainly some areas where they were not temporarily in that regard, but overall our intelligence community believes that they have been compliant and the IAEA also says so," Mattis said, using an acronym for the International Atomic Energy Agency.

A collapse of the deal could trigger a regional arms race and worsen Middle East tensions.

Last month, Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said the accord cannot be renegotiated.

Last month, the top U.S. military officer said Iran was complying with the pact and warned that any American decision to walk away from it would make other nations less likely to enter into agreements with the United States.

Marine Corps General Joseph Dunford, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, had said previously that Iran was complying with its obligations under the deal, but had increased its activity in other areas.

Trump has said he has made a decision on what to do about the agreement but has not said what he has decided.

The prospect of Washington reneging on the agreement has worried some U.S. partners that helped negotiate it, especially as the world grapples with North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile development.

The deal was signed by Britain, China, the European Union, France, Germany, Iran, Russia and the United States.

White House national security adviser H.R. McMaster has defended Trump's criticism of the deal, saying it had the "fatal flaw" of a "sunset clause," under which some of the deal's restrictions on Iran's nuclear program expire from 2025.

European ambassadors speaking in Washington last week said they would do everything possible to protect companies based in Europe and that continue to do business with Iran, from reimposed U.S. sanctions.

French Ambassador Gerard Araud noted that the other countries that signed the pact had made clear they do not support renegotiating it.

J Street, a liberal pro-Israel group, said Trump did not have legitimate grounds to decertify the deal.

"If he chooses to do so anyway, he will be acting purely based on divisive politics and dangerous ideology, and endangering the security of the U.S. and our allies," Dylan Williams, vice president of government affairs for the group, said in a statement.
4 The U.S. Capitol dome backdrops flags at half-staff at the foot of the Washington Monument on the National Mall in Washington, in honor of the victims killed in the Las Vegas shooting.
President Donald Trump's emerging Afghan policy has hit Pakistan hard in three sensitive areas: its tangled, acrimonious relationship with India, the denial that terrorist groups operate in its territory, and allegations that it is fomenting trouble in neighboring Afghanistan.

Islamabad contends that it has been an effective partner in the U.S. war on terrorism, has suffered greatly as a result and wants nothing more than a peaceful Afghanistan on its border. That's the message that Pakistani Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif will most likely reiterate on a visit to Washington to meet with U.S. officials on mending tattered relations.

Pakistan is stinging from Trump's long-awaited policy, which focused on bolstering support for Kabul's fight against militants like the Taliban, fostering the growing relationship between Afghanistan and India, and pressuring increasingly conservative Pakistan to do more to root out militant groups, some of which have been linked to its intelligence services.

Russia, China

Delays in cobbling together the policy have coincided with efforts by Russia and China to increase their influence in Pakistan, leading Islamabad to ponder where its loyalties should lie, given that a full breakup with Washington would mean a cut in billions of dollars in U.S. aid.

"The most realistic policy is that Pakistan should strengthen ties with regional powers, including China, along with Russia, Iran and Turkey," analyst Mehmood Shah, a former Pakistani army brigadier, told VOA Deewa. "We have had a long friendship with America but we have only suffered loss in this friendship. We have not received any benefit out of it."

Now, Shah said, the U.S. "thinks it is necessary again to talk to Pakistan, and that makes me believe that Pakistan is still relevant and can play a role in Afghanistan. The U.S. is a superpower, and we do not need to be confrontational in our dealings with them. We should not have a strained relationship with the U.S., though the relations cannot be the same as they were before."

Asif left Pakistan on Tuesday. He will meet Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in Washington to resume bilateral talks and to discuss ways to remove tensions that cropped up after Trump's August 21 speech on Washington's policy on South Asia.

No small task

"It is not going to be easy to pressure Pakistan to change course," said Sadanand Dhume, an expert on the Afghanistan-Pakistan region at the Washington-based American Enterprise Institute. "All three countries  the U.S., India, and Afghanistan  have the same shared concerns about terrorism emanating from Pakistan.

"I think that all three countries are going to have to use a combination of methods," Dhume told VOA Deewa. "It includes more perhaps targeted sanctions at some point. It includes perhaps targeting these havens with drone strikes and other means. The main thing is to send a clear message to the Pakistanis, that what has been tolerated in the past will no longer be tolerated in the future."

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence met Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi late last month on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly session. But when U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis recently visited New Delhi and Kabul, he did not stop in Pakistan, which many observers saw as a snub.

Matiullah Abasin, an Afghan political analyst, said Mattis' itinerary was aimed at telling Pakistan that it is losing Washington's trust and could find itself increasingly isolated if it does not change.

"The U.S. is not going easy on Pakistan anymore. Officials in the White House realized that Pakistan has been playing a double game for many years that needed to be stopped," Abasin said. "In addition, America is looking for a strong partner in the region, and India could be a potential and reliable partner for them."

Mattis said Washington would no longer tolerate terrorist safe havens and would work closely with India to tackle the problem in South Asia.

More problem than asset

"I think that it is very clear President Trump's administration certainly views Pakistan more as a problem than a potential helper, so to speak," said Michael Kugelman, an expert on the Afghanistan-Pakistan region at the Washington-based Woodrow Wilson Center.

"I think it is very clear that Pakistan is no longer a priority in the U.S. policy for South Asia. It is very notable that Mattis went to India and then he went to Afghanistan, without a stop in Pakistan," Kugelman told VOA Deewa. "I do not think this means that the U.S. wants to forget about Pakistan. The U.S. is still interested in making things work with Pakistan."

India has long been Pakistan's prime nemesis  India's Kashmir region is a potential flashpoint for a fourth war between two nuclear-armed nations  so a warming of ties between New Delhi and Kabul is worrisome to Islamabad. So far, the Indian-Afghan relationship has primarily involved trade, and India has vowed it will not send troops to Afghanistan.

India has grown to become the third-largest exporter to Afghanistan, after Pakistan and Iran, and stepped in to provide air cargo services when Pakistan closed critical border crossings after terror attacks on its turf that it blamed on Afghan-based terrorists.

VOA's Deewa, Urdu and Afghan services contributed to this report.
A new Philippine quest for stronger economic relations with the United States, a staunch post-colonial supporter that Manila has sidelined over the past year, appears aimed at offsetting an increasing dependence on help from its new friend China.

The Philippines is now seeking to intensify economic cooperation with the United States in an effort to improve overall relations, the Southeast Asian countrys Department of Foreign Affairs said on its website Sunday. Stronger economic ties, the department said, would go beyond security issues.

Improvement in Philippine-U.S. economic relations would repair damage since Rodrigo Duterte became president in Manila last year. Duterte has thundered against the United States over its criticism of his deadly anti-drug campaign and scaled back joint naval patrols. The two had been steadfast defense allies since U.S. colonialism ended in 1946.

I think (the new economic push) is just really formally outlining the next steps forward just given the hazy time between when Duterte first came into office and the trials and tribulations as it were with the bilateral relationship, said Christian de Guzman, vice president and senior credit officer with Moodys in Singapore.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Peter Cayetano proposed stronger economic cooperation when he met U.S. Senator Cory Gardner, chair of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on East Asia, at a meeting last week in Washington.

Dutertes foreign policy

Since Duterte took office in June 2016, he has tilted foreign policy, including the search for economic aid from China despite a bitter maritime dispute. He is also seeking help from Russia and Japan. Japan and China are helping the developing nations $167 billion, five-year plan to improve public infrastructure.

We would like to be vital partners of every major nation in the world. Of course the U.S. is No. 1 and then China, and Russia and Japan, said Dexter Feliciano, a Filipino voter and founder of a startup firm in Manila. We wont want to distance ourselves with the U.S. because we are really trade partners and culturally we are connected.

Washington traditionally supports the Philippines economically by allowing Filipinos to work in the United States as teachers and nurses. Those workers in turn send money back to family in the Philippines. About 3.4 million of the more than 10 million Filipinos estimated working abroad live in the United States  more than in any other country.

The two sides might also consider a trade liberalization deal, giving Philippine firms more access to the worlds biggest economy, de Guzman said. The United States can further influence aid to the Philippines via its clout with low-interest lenders such as the World Bank, he noted.

American aid

The United States already ranks among the top foreign investors in the Philippines, with more than 235 billion pesos ($4.58 billion) in existing foreign direct investment, U.S. Embassy spokesperson Molly Koscina said. Its also a top trading partner, she said. The two sides exchanged more than $17 billion in goods last year.

The Philippines largest private employer, Convergys, is an American company. The information management firm employs more than 60,000 Filipinos, the embassy says.

Our economic relationship is strong and has a very bright future, Koscina said. We remain one of the Philippines closest economic partners.

But U.S. economic aid comes with conditions, Duterte and some Filipinos have complained. Last year, for example, the U.S. government stopped planned sales of 26,000 assault rifles to the Philippines and said it would redirect $9 million in aid away from Philippine anti-drug training.

U.S. ex-president Barack Obamas government criticized Dutertes use of extrajudicial killings in his anti-drug campaign, leading to a dip in support.

Aid given by the U.S has strings attached, Feliciano said. We have to do this, we have to do that. But what if the government doesnt want to do it?

Duterte may have swung back toward a stronger U.S. partnership because of voices from the military and the public, scholars say. About 70 percent of Filipinos place much trust in the United States, according to an early 2017 survey by Manila-based research institution Social Weather Stations.

As 2017 chairman of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations bloc, Duterte may also feel pressure to moderate his U.S. position, said Carl Thayer, Southeast Asia-specialized emeritus professor at The University of New South Wales in Australia. Much of Southeast Asia relies on Washington for trade and defense support.

Chinese aid has limits too, experts say. In October, after Duterte visited Beijing, China pledged $24 billion in aid and investment. In January, Beijing committed $3.7 billion for 30 projects, but experts fear most are far from final -- stuck possibly on labor and financing issues.

Beijing also may expect the Philippines to keep quiet about its expansion in the contested South China Sea as a condition of receiving aid, experts warned last year.

You get an impression that the leaning to China has had its limits and constraints, Thayer said. Its resulted in a lot of promises and some delivery, but not completely.

A shift back to the United States shows that were seeing a little more realism percolate through, Thayer said.
People in Las Vegas, Nevada took part in a candlelight vigil Monday, honoring the victims of the worst mass shooting by a single gunman in the U.S., which left 59 dead and 527 injured. The shooter, Stephen Paddock, 64, of Mesquite, Nevada was found dead when police entered his room at the Mandalay Bay hotel.

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Chile's conservative presidential candidate Sebastian Pinera has consolidated a strong lead in polls for the November presidential election, a survey by pollster CERC Mori showed Tuesday.

The poll showed that Pinera, a former president, would win 44 percent of the vote in the first round on November 19, up from 35 percent in CERC Mori's previous poll released in early July.

Alejandro Guillier, a center-left senator, would take 30 percent in the first round, the poll said, while hard-left candidate Beatriz Sanchez would take 11 percent.

CERC Mori said it was not able to accurately estimate voting intentions for a possible second round, which would be required if no candidate wins more than 50 percent of the vote in the first round.

With six presidential candidates from the left, there is a possibility of a broad alliance in a second round against the right-wing Pinera.

At present, however, there is no sign of such an alliance forming, according to Marta Lagos, director of CERC Mori.

"If a movement forms against Pinera, then someone could emerge as a leader. The point is that this movement does not exist and nor does the leadership," she said at a news conference.

Other polls have suggested that a runoff vote would likely be much closer than the first round, but that Pinera would most likely prevail.

A win by Pinera, who served as president of the copper-producing country between 2010 and 2014, would be welcomed by the Chilean business community, which accuses current President Michelle Bachelet and her center-left coalition of stoking market uncertainty in one of Latin America's most free-market economies.

But it would disappoint Bachelet's base, as well as a younger generation of Chileans who are demanding deep changes to the structure of the country's politics and economics.
Fifty leading United Nations and international agencies on Wednesday will roll out a global road map for reducing cholera deaths by 90 percent by 2030.

The new strategy from the Global Task Force on Cholera Control will target "hot spots" with simple, effective tools to prevent the disease from taking hold.

The World Health Organization reports cholera kills an estimated 95,000 people and affects nearly 3 million more every year at a cost of about $2 billion to world economies.

WHO says it expects the global cholera situation to worsen because of accelerating conflicts, climate change and population growth.

Currently, 47 countries are affected by cholera. The disease is endemic in 20 of these countries.

The director of WHO Health Emergencies, Peter Salama, said the cholera "hot spots" are relatively small but play a disproportionate role in spreading this fatal disease.



"Just to give you a sense of what we are talking about, in sub-Saharan Africa, around 40 million to 80 million people live in these cholera hot spots," he said. "If we can effectively target water and sanitation and health interventions at those areas, we will make a tremendous contribution in controlling this disease."

Success in Nigeria

Salama told VOA the road map for ending cholera already was in play in some of the world's crisis spots.

"We have seen, for example, in northern Nigeria's Borno state, the very effective use of oral cholera vaccine in a displaced population affected by conflict," he said, noting that there had been "a rapid decline" in cholera cases there.

Salama said this case provided a template for a very early response to any new emergency where a significant risk of cholera exists. For example, he cited the dire situation of a half-million Rohingya refugees who recently fled to Bangladesh to escape violence in Myanmar.

Health professionals say new tools, including oral vaccines, can prevent death from cholera. They note it has been more than 150 years since rich countries achieved cholera control. They say poor countries also can end cholera by improving water, sanitation and hygiene.
Police in Las Vegas, Nevada are continuing to search for a motive behind the worst mass shooting by a single gunman in recent U.S. history.

The attacker, identified as 64-year-old Stephen Paddock of Mesquite, Nevada, opened fire from his 32nd floor hotel room on a crowd of 22,000 people at a country music festival on the Las Vegas strip. At least 59 people were killed and 527 others wounded.

He was a sick man, a demented man, a lot of problems, I guess, so were looking into him very, very seriously, but were dealing with a very, very sick individual," President Donald Trump said Tuesday when commenting on the assailant, who took his own life.

The president also commended law enforcement and first responders.

And what happened in Las Vegas is in many ways a miracle. The police department has done such an incredible job," he said, adding that the issue of gun laws will be discussed "as time goes by."

WATCH: Shooter's motive a mystery



Police have recovered 23 firearms from Paddock's Mandalay Bay hotel room and found another 19 guns at one of his homes.

"We're hunting down and tracing down every single clue that we can get in his background," Clark County Assistant Sheriff Todd Fasulo told reporters Monday.



Fasulo reiterated that authorities believe Paddock acted alone and that there were no known threats to Las Vegas.

At an earlier briefing, Sheriff Joseph Lombardo said, "I can't get into the mind of a psychopath at this point."

Family shocked

Paddock's brother, Eric, is just as baffled as police by his motive. He said the family is "horrified and bewildered."

He said his brother was a wealthy man with no known political or religious affiliations, no ties with white supremacists and no history of mental illness.

"Where the hell did he get automatic weapons? He's a guy who lived in a house in Mesquite and drove down and gambled in Las Vegas," Eric Paddock said.

Eric Paddock also said their father was a bank robber who was at one time on the FBI's most wanted list. The FBI called him psychopathic and dangerous. But that the brothers had no contact with their father.

Islamic State claimed responsibility, saying the gunman was one of its "soldiers" and converted to Islam months ago. The FBI says there is no evidence Paddock was tied to any international terror group.

In Photos: Las Vegas Remembers Victims



Community rushes to help

Monday in Las Vegas brought casinos opening their doors to the families of the victims, people rushing to donate blood and a collection of vigils to help cope with the shocking attack.

"We had an extreme shortage of blood. We put out a call for blood to be donated, as a result of that there is now an eight-hour waiting time to donate blood. You can't get an appointment to donate blood until next week. The community has responded in such a tremendous manner," Clark County Commission Chairman Stephen Sisolak said at one vigil.

Sisolak also started an online fundraising effort for the victims that by Tuesday had brought in $2.7 million from 38,000 donors.

Kenneth Zamora left the area where the concert was held shortly before the shooting, and described to VOA the feeling of wondering about the fate of friends who stayed there.

"It's scary to know that you lose contact with people and you don't know what happened, whether they were injured or even worse, killed," he said. "Luckily we were able to get in contact with them because the hotels opened up their doors and let people hide within the casino rooms."

Las Vegas taxi driver Tamirat Shiferaw dropped off a passenger at the hotel just across the street from the concert venue and told VOA he was "very shocked" to hear what happened.

"I dropped a passenger at the Mandalay Bay like 20 minutes before the shooting happened and I was thinking about getting in line at Mandalay Bay but changed my mind and went to the airport. I did hear, like an automatic gunshot from a distance, but I never thought it would be a gun shooting," Shiferaw said.

National response

President Donald Trump led a moment of silence on the South Lawn of the White House, facing the Washington Monument, to remember the victims.

He ordered flags across the country to fly at half-staff and will go to Las Vegas on Wednesday to meet with first responders and console the victims and their families. The president has called the shooting an "act of pure evil."

Addressing the nation, Trump thanked Las Vegas police for their sacrifices and quick responses during the "terrible, terrible attack."

"To the families of the victims we are praying for you and we are here for you and we ask God to help see you through this very dark period...in moments of tragedy and horror America comes together as one and it always has," Trump said.
In Zimbabwe, researchers say they are breeding maize that is drought and heat resistant as part of efforts to fight hunger across Africa, where maize is a staple food.

In Hezekaya Village in Gokwe, about 200 kilometers west of Harare, cotton is what most people plant because it can grow in hot, dry weather. But that is slowly changing, thanks to a program of the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center, funded by USAID and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

The head of the center's southern Africa program, Cosmos Magorogosho, says the vitamin-A fortified, drought-resistant maize varieties being developed will ensure food security across Africa if they are widely adopted.

"Since its inception, this program has been able to produce more than 50,000 tons of maize seed, not just for Zimbabwe, but for Southern Africa, Eastern Africa and West Africa," Magorogosho said. "And these seeds are certified. They have been produced by seed companies and have been marketed in communities, and communities are benefiting from increased yields."

According to Zimbabwe's Ministry of Agriculture, this year the country harvested about 2.8 million tons of maize  well above the minimum requirement of 1.8 million tons.

One of the farmers who planted the new seeds is Tariro Mudazvose in Gokwe.

"We managed to have a good harvest in relation to the farming seeds that were distributed to us," Mudazvose said. "There is much difference with other existing maize seeds because this maize seed reduces hunger and is drought resistant. It produces high yields, and creates food security in our households. We eat sadza three times a day as a result of this seed."

Eating sadza, a thick corn porridge, three times a day is a luxury for most people in Zimbabwe because of the chronically poor economy and erratic rainfall.

Across much of sub-Saharan Africa, maize production is almost completely dependent on rain, making farmers highly vulnerable to drought.

Magorogosho hopes the new seeds will make farmers more resilient and productive, and put more sadza on tables across Zimbabwe.
U.S. rock legend Tom Petty has died after cardiac arrest at his Malibu, California, home. He was 66.

Petty's family said he was taken to the hospital early Monday, but he could not be revived. They said he died Monday evening "surrounded by family, his bandmates and friends."

Petty was born in Gainesville, Florida, in 1950, and he credits his musical awakening to a chance meeting with Elvis Presley in 1961. The "King of Rock and Roll" was working on a movie nearby and after the two were introduced, a young Petty told his family he was going to be a rock star.

Anti-rock star

But Tom Petty never really saw himself as a rock star, not in the way rock stars are thought of. As a frontman, Petty was no David Lee Roth, or Axl Rose, or Mick Jagger. There was never that larger-than-life swagger and attitude to boot. At times Petty's voice sometimes seemed strained, and quavering, like it was difficult for him to get the notes out.

But that didn't matter because Petty was able, with a little help from his friends, to stand behind his music.

On the cover of his third album, "Damn the Torpedoes," Petty is standing behind his signature red Rickenbacker, on his second, "You're Gonna Get It," he's barely visible, shadowed in blue light surrounded by the Heartbreakers, the extraordinary musicians who made up his band.

Tom Petty was never just Tom Petty, not without Mike Campbell on lead guitar, Benmont Tench on keyboards, Ron Blair on bass, and Stan Lynch on drums, the four who made up the original Heartbreakers. The lineup has changed a bit, but Tench and Campbell remained Petty's constant musical companions.

It's hard to get a feel for the American iconic songwriter on his first album, eponymously titled Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. Petty was 26, but on this album, he and his crew are playing around with the band they would become. There are some straight blues numbers ("Hometown Blues" and "Anything That's Rock and Roll"). There's some rhythm and blues and alt-country in there as well.

But way down there at the bottom of the record is the song that forecasts the iconic songwriter that Petty was becoming: "American Girl" is the last track on the album about "... an American girl, raised on promises." This is a song of longing, and heartbreak and hope, which is at once evocative, and indicative of where this band was heading.

On his third album "Damn the Torpedoes," Petty cements his role as the anti-front man. His songs are about girls, but from the perspective of a a down-on-his-luck guy. The songs show that he needs and adores the women in his life, but is generally terrified and a bit resigned to the pain they will cause him.

"Don't Do Me Like That," for instance, "Even the Losers," and the flawless "Here Comes My Girl," where Petty tells us the tale of the woman "standing right by my side." It's a nearly perfect song  the jangly guitars, the anxious verses, and the soaring triumphant chorus  the sound of a songwriter hitting his stride.

All told, the Heartbreakers released 13 different albums, Petty released three solo albums, played with the supergroup The Traveling Wilbury's, and he also reunited with his first band Mudcrutch for some tour dates around the U.S.

And somewhere along the way he flew into the stratosphere of American songwriters inhabited by people like Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Carole King and Stevie Nicks, American musicians who captured day-to-day life, rather than rock and roll excess.

On his last studio release, Petty channels the anger of a generation left behind in "American Dream Plan B."

"Well, my mama so sad, Daddys just mad," he sings, "Cause I ain't gonna have the chance he had..." managing to capture the frustration of the American dream deferred in 17 simple words.

Petty wrapped his most recent tour last week at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles. In December, Petty told Rolling Stone magazine that he thought this would be the group's last tour together. He said, "It's very likely we'll keep playing, but will we take on 50 shows in one tour? I don't think so. I'd be lying if I didn't say I was thinking this might be the last big one."

Petty leaves behind his wife, Dana York Epperson, a stepson, Dylan, and two daughters, Adria and AnnaKim, from a previous marriage.

"Its shocking, crushing news," Petty's friend and Traveling Wilburys bandmate Bob Dylan told Rolling Stone magazine in a statement. "I thought the world of Tom. He was great performer, full of the light, a friend, and Ill never forget him."
Aid agencies are scaling up efforts to contain an outbreak of diarrheal diseases that could have serious health consequences for many of the more than one-half million Rohingya refugees from Myanmar who are living in squalid, overcrowded conditions in Coxs Bazar, Bangladesh.

The U.N. refugee agency, Bangladeshi public health authorities and other parties are collaborating on several fronts to prevent the outbreak of diarrheal diseases from getting out of control.

They report a 20-bed treatment center has opened in Kutupalong Refugee Camp, which is hosting thousands of Rohingyas who recently fled violence in neighboring Myanmar. The agencies say they plan to open diarrheal treatment centers in three other locations by the end of the week. These will be able to accommodate 80 patients. More treatment and medical consultations centers also are in the offing.

U.N. refugee spokesman Andrej Mahecic says there are no firm statistics yet on cases of acute watery diarrhea among the newly arrived refugees.

We are taking action to try to prevent severe illness and deaths," said Mahecic. "We have seen an increasing trend of diarrheal disease cases, including cases of diarrhea with severe dehydration. So far, refugees with these conditions have been treated at clinics run by UNHCR and other agencies, and at local public health facilities.

Cholera is endemic in Bangladesh and fears of a potential outbreak of the fatal disease are growing. Mahecic notes cholera can spread easily among the hundreds of thousands of Rohingya who are living in overcrowded, unsanitary conditions.

A World Health Organization official tells VOA some 900,000 doses of oral cholera vaccine are expected to arrive in Bangladesh in the coming days. He says a mass vaccination campaign is expected to get under way one or two weeks after.
The Russian Foreign Ministry, saying U.S. officials had broken into residences at Russia's consulate in San Francisco, has threatened retaliation over what it called an illegal act.

Russian staff left the consulate last month, after Washington ordered Moscow to vacate some of its diplomatic properties. The moves were part of a series of tit-for-tat actions during a thorny phase in bilateral relations.

Since then, U.S. officials had occupied administrative parts of the compound, but on Monday they entered residential areas that the departing staff had locked, the ministry said in a statement late Monday.

"Despite our warnings, the U.S. authorities did not listen to reason and did not give up their illegal intentions," it said. "We reserve the right to respond. The principle of reciprocity has always been and remains the cornerstone of diplomacy."

Footage aired repeatedly on Russian state television showed what the broadcaster said were U.S. officials breaking locks that had sealed off parts of the compound and entering the buildings.

The "intruders" had taken over the whole premises, including the consul general's residence, the ministry said.

"Therefore, we understand that Americans, breaking into our diplomatic buildings, have de facto agreed that their missions in Russia may be treated likewise."

A State Department spokeswoman denied Tuesday that U.S. officials had broken into the residences, saying diplomatic security and representatives of the department's Foreign Missions Office had walked through the spaces to ensure they had been vacated by an October 1 deadline.

Spokeswoman Heather Nauert said the United States had "graciously" given the Russian government more time to leave the buildings after discovering they had families and individuals "living in this sort of office-type space."

"Once we learned that, we then offered them extra time there to pack up their items and leave," Nauert said. "So we permitted them living in the apartments until October 1. And their time was up.

"We did not break locks. No FBI [was] involved," she added.

"This is diplomatic security along with the Foreign Missions Office. What they do is they just walk through, look around. The purpose of that is to make sure that people are no longer living there. And they conducted and they completed it."

Expulsions began dispute

In San Francisco, a Department of State Diplomatic Security guard answered the door at the Russian consulate, a six-story brick building surrounded by a modest security fence and manicured hedges in the city's Pacific Heights neighborhood.

The guard declined to comment and left the building in a black SUV.

A sign on the front door said the consulate was closed and gave a new mailing address. The State Department guard left the consulate front door open, behind a closed gate, and sounds of activity could be heard inside, but no one responded to repeated calls by a reporter.

Russian President Vladimir Putin last month accused Washington of "boorish" treatment of Russia's diplomatic premises on U.S. soil, ordering the Foreign Ministry to take legal action over alleged violations of Russia's property rights.

The dispute began late last year when former U.S. President Barack Obama expelled 35 Russian diplomats on accusations of Russian meddling in the election that took Donald Trump to the White House.

Trump took office in January, saying he wanted to improve ties with Russia, while Putin also spoke favorably of Trump.

But the allegations of interference in the vote, which Moscow has denied, have persisted as an investigation by U.S. authorities has widened.

In July, Moscow ordered the United States to cut the number of its diplomatic and technical staff working in Russia by around 60 percent, to 455.
The new U.S. ambassador to Russia presented his diplomatic credentials to President Vladimir Putin at a ceremony in the Kremlin, a move that marks the formal start of Jon Huntsman's work in Russia.



Huntsman, who has twice served as a U.S. ambassador, arrived in Moscow on Sunday to take over from John Tefft who left Russia two days earlier after serving in Russia for three years, a period that was marred by a deep and rapid deterioration of ties, unseen since the end of the Cold War. The relationship soured even further in recent months following a series of expulsions of diplomats and closures of diplomatic missions.



Huntsman, the former Utah governor who once called for Donald Trump to drop out of the presidential race, won easy confirmation as U.S. ambassador last week. He was the nation's top diplomat to Singapore under president George H.W. Bush and ambassador to China under president Barack Obama before returning to the U.S. to run for president in 2012.



Huntsman had an up-and-down relationship with Trump during last year's campaign. The former governor was slow to endorse any candidate for the Republican nomination, though he did back Trump once he became the presumptive nominee. But Huntsman then called for Trump to drop out after the October release of a 2005 audio in which Trump was captured on a hot microphone making lewd comments about women.



Although Trump has called Russia's interference in the 2016 presidential election a hoax pushed by Democrats to sully his victory at the polls, Huntsman said at his confirmation hearing last week that there is no question, underline, no question that Moscow interfered. He also said he would not hesitate to remind Russian officials that they are accountable for their actions.



Huntsman comes into office with a drastically reduced staff after the Russian Foreign Ministry ordered the U.S. to cut its embassy and consulate staff in Russia by 755, or by two-thirds, heightening tensions between Washington and Moscow after U.S. Congress approved sanctions against Russia. In response, the U.S. suspended issuing non-immigrant visas in Moscow for a week in August and stopped issuing visas at its consulates elsewhere in Russia.



Relations between Russia and the United States cooled following Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014 and its support for separatists in eastern Ukraine, where fighting since 2014 has left 10,000 people dead. Reports of Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election put a further damper on hopes for better ties that the Kremlin had pinned on Trump's presidency.



In August, the U.S. adopted a new package of stiff financial sanctions, aimed at punishing Moscow for interfering in the election and for its military aggression in Ukraine and Syria, where the Kremlin has backed President Bashar al-Assad.
The Trump administration has ordered the expulsion of 15 diplomats from Cuba's embassy in Washington less than a week after the U.S. reduced its diplomatic presence in Havana following mysterious attacks on U.S. personnel in Cuba.

"The decision was made due to Cubas failure to take appropriate steps to protect our diplomats in accordance with its obligations under the Vienna Convention," Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said in a statement.

On Friday the State Department announced it would pull all non-essential diplomatic personnel out of Cuba in response to "health attacks" on 21 American diplomats in Havana.

Over the past several months those employees reported a variety of symptoms, including hearing loss, dizziness, cognitive issues and trouble sleeping. In a statement announcing the U.S. draw down, Secretary of State Rex TIllerson said investigators couldn't determine the cause of those health issues or who might be responsible.

So far, the United States hasn't officially accused Cuba of being behind the attacks, but the State Department did expel two Cuban diplomats in May after the attacks first came to light, saying that Cuba had failed to protect the safety of diplomats on Cuban soil.

Cuba has denied involvement in the attacks and said it is cooperating with the U.S. investigation.
U.S. President Donald Trump witnessed first hand the destruction in hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico Tuesday, and met with the islands leaders, including some who have been among the harshest critics of Washingtons response to the disaster.



"Ive never seen people working so hard in my life," Trump said as he spoke to a welcoming party of federal and local officials at Luis Munoz Air National Guard base.



Trump used the occasion to heap praise on federal and military recovery efforts that have come in for harsh criticism for being too little and too late to save the lives of storm victims in isolated areas left without water and other necessities for more than a week.

WATCH: Trump visits Puerto Rico

Just after Trump wrapped up his visit, authorities raised the death toll on Puerto Rico from 16 to 34. The president had compared the relatively low number of fatalities with the more than 1800 people killed by Hurricane Katrina, which hit New Orleans in 2005.

Sixteen versus literally thousands of people, Trump said. You can be very proud. Everybody around this table and everybody watching can really be very proud of whats taken place in Puerto Rico.He made light of the fact that the unexpectedly high cost of hurricane assistance was adding billions of dollars to the federal budget deficit. Now, I hate to tell you Puerto Rico, but youve thrown our budget a little out of whack. Because weve spent a lot of money on Puerto Rico and thats fine. Weve saved a lot of lives, he said.

In Photos: Trump in San Juan

Meeting with governor, military personnel

Trump shook hands with the Democratic Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz, a vocal critic of the federal response, but did not mention her as he complimented Puerto Ricos Governor Ricardo Rossello, also a Democrat, and others for their leadership.

Right from the beginning this governor did not play politics. He didnt play it at all. He was saying it like it was and he was giving us the highest grades and I want to on behalf of our country I want to thank you.

Later, however, the president was overheard telling residents that Mayor Cruz was among those who had done a good job in organizing and leading post-hurricane recovery work.

Cruz incurred Trumps ire last week when she responded angrily to a comment by acting Homeland Security Secretary Elaine Duke that the Puerto Rico rescue efforts were a good news story. She fired back, This is not a good news story. This is a people dying story."

Trump responded to the mayor with a tweet charging that she had been told by Democrats, "you must be nasty to Trump."

Cruz, whose home was damaged in the storm, is living in a shelter with her family. "Theres only one goal and its saving lives," Cruz said Sunday on ABC's This Week, when asked about Trump's comments about her. "Any dialogue that goes on just has to produce results. All I did last week, or actually even this week, is ask for help.

Other critics have been unrelenting in their assessments of the federal disaster relief effort, and of Trump for using the hurricane for political gain.

Congresswoman Nydia Velasquez, (D-NY) who is of Puerto Rican descent and visited relatives on the island after the hurricane, said Tuesday there is a big differences between the dire conditions facing storm victims and the presidents rosy assessment. I totally disagree with the president, she told CNN.

Listening to that shows me the disconnect between the presidents understanding the level of destruction and devastation, Velasquez said. "Most of the people there are in a mode of surviving, attending to their families. They cant drive. They dont have fuel. There is no gasoline."

After leaving the air base, Trumps motorcade passed broken highway dividers and hundreds of downed trees as small pockets of local residents could be seen along the route taking photos, according to pool reports from the scene. One woman held up a sign that read "You are a bad hombre."

The president and First Lady Melania Trump stopped for carefully choreographed events at which they handed out relief supplies. Trump received a huge cheer when he walked into one event, where he was greeted by signs that read "Proud Americans," "Let's Make Puerto Rico Great Again" and "God bless You Mr. President."



Governor Rossello told a news briefing Monday in San Juan that more than 720 of the island's 1,100 gas stations are now up and running, and that he expects more fuel supplies in the coming days. Puerto Rico relies on fuel supplies shipped from the mainland United States.

The governor said more than half the water and sewer services are still not restored, and that federal and local authorities are working together to keep 50 of the islands 69 hospitals operational. He said the U.S. Navy hospital ship Comfort was due to arrive Tuesday or Wednesday.
Supporters and critics are debating reports that U.S. President Donald Trump has adopted a "madman" strategy in international negotiations, with some viewing it as a high-risk but effective tactic and others seeing it as evidence of a foreign policy in disarray.

The "madman" theory is ascribed to former U.S. President Richard Nixon's foreign policy. To negotiate an end to the Vietnam War on favorable terms, Nixon tried to portray himself as a crazy and volatile leader. He even raised the Strategic Air Command's readiness level in 1969 to make it seem as if he was possibly preparing for a nuclear strike, in an attempt to pressure the Soviet Union to intervene to end the war.

The effectiveness of Nixon's strategy remains a point of debate, as a cease-fire agreement was not reached until 1973 and the communist forces ultimately took over all of Vietnam in 1975.

Calculated tweets

Trump, some analysts say, is now employing the "madman" approach to try to prevent North Korea from developing a nuclear-tipped intercontinental ballistic missile capable of targeting the U.S. mainland.

"Today, with Donald Trump leading the United States, the madman doctrine is back with a vengeance," Nina Kruschchva, professor of international affairs and associate dean for academic affairs at The New School, a private research university in New York, and a senior fellow at the World Policy Institute, wrote on the MarketWatch website.

Trump himself urged his top trade negotiator, Robert Lighthizer, to portray him as a madman during an Oval Office meeting last month attended by at least three Cabinet secretaries, according to an article on the website Axios.

According to the account, attributed to unnamed sources "familiar with the conversation," Lighthizer proposed to tell his South Korean counterparts they had 30 days to make concessions or the United States would pull out of its trade deal with Seoul.

"No, no, no," Trump replied, according to the Axios account, which has not been denied by the White House. "That's not how you negotiate. You don't tell them they've got 30 days. You tell them, 'This guy's so crazy he could pull out any minute.' "

Trump's more recent tweets, saying dialogue with North Korea was a "waste of time," and apparently rebuking Secretary of State Rex Tillerson for saying talks with Pyongyang were happening, may be part of a calculated effort to put America's adversaries on the defensive, some analysts say.

"Having Mr. Trump sending out tweets like he sends, saying the things he says, I think those put some unpredictability into the American approach, and presumably into the minds of the North Koreans, and maybe as importantly with the People's Republic of China and even the Russians as well," said security analyst Grant Newsham of the Forum for Strategic Studies in Tokyo.

Trump's confrontational rhetoric on North Korea, warning of an overwhelming "fire and fury" military response to a possible attack, and calling North Korean leader Kim Jong Un "Little Rocket Man," is a sharp departure from the method of past presidents who tried to reduce tensions through traditional diplomacy.

Critics say the president's aggressive tweets, which often contradict senior members of his own security team who have downplayed the possibility of military conflict, reflect growing disagreements over North Korea policy within the Trump administration.

"There's a lot of reckless talk, and it seems to me with the incoherence coming out of Washington, the U.S. is embroiled in a leadership crisis," said Northeast Asia security analyst Daniel Pinkston with Troy University in Seoul.

Dead ends

The Trump administration has indicated a preference for economic sanctions and diplomacy to force the Kim regime to choose between denuclearization and survival. Yet the U.S. has rejected Beijing's proposal that North Korea freeze its nuclear and missile programs in exchange for a halt to U.S.-South Korean military exercises.

Washington needs international cooperation to impose harsh sanctions on Pyongyang, especially from China, which is responsible for 90 percent of all trade with the isolated nation.

But David Straub, a North Korea analyst with the Sejong Institute, said the president's repeated emphasis on possible military action could backfire if China and Russia concluded the "United States is lying when it says that its policy is to seek a negotiated settlement." Beijing and Moscow, he said, could respond by easing sanctions and increasing support for their ally in Pyongyang.

North Korea also has a history of breaking past nuclear freeze deals by operating a secret nuclear weapons program in violation of a 1994 agreement, refusing to comply with a 2007 agreement to allow international inspectors access to suspected nuclear sites, and conducting a nuclear test in 2009 after the U.S. removed North Korea from its list of states that sponsor terrorism.

Straub said it was unlikely that Pyongyang would give up its nuclear deterrent under the threat of force or because of economic pressure alone.

"I am very skeptical that there is a potential for negotiations because of what I believe to be North Korea's true objectives in all of this, which are eventually to use leverage over the United States, to kick the United States off the Korean Peninsula," said Straub, who also participated in North Korea denuclearization talks as a U.S. diplomat during the administration of George W. Bush.

High risk

If North Korea will not yield to pressure, the "madman" approach may draw the U.S. into using military force to stop Pyongyang from developing nuclear ICBM capability, or because of some miscalculation or unforeseen event, Newsham said.

"We are headed that way anyway," he said. "And that risk is coming unless  you can interrupt that trend line North Korea is on."

South Korea has stated it would oppose any U.S. preemptive military action in the region, as millions of its citizens live in range of North Korean artillery positioned along the border.

The peaceful alternatives, often advocated by officials and analysts, are to continue pressuring Pyongyang to change through enhanced military deterrence, containment and sanctions, or to transform Korean society from within though unfettered aid, economic engagement and the influx of information from the outside world.
U.S. President Donald Trump travels Tuesday to Puerto Rico to check on recovery efforts in the U.S. territory after it was hit by a powerful hurricane.

Trump's schedule includes meetings with Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rossello, military personnel and people impacted by the storm. He is also due to hold talks with Governor Kenneth Mapp of the U.S. Virgin Islands, which were also hit by Hurricane Maria last week.

Trump has faced criticism for his administration's response to the hurricane that knocked out power to most of Puerto Rico and left many people without running water, fuel for generators or cell phone service.

WATCH: New York Puerto Ricans react to hurricane

Water, electricity



About two weeks since the storm hit, Governor Rossello said water service has been restored to about half of customers and that he hopes 25 percent of people will have electricity by the end of October.

"There's never been a piece of land that we've known that was so devastated," Trump said. "The bridges are down. The telecommunications was nonexistent and its in very, very bad shape. The electrical grid, as you know, is totally destroyed."

Trump has defended the federal government's efforts, and said Monday a "tremendous" amount of food and supplies have been sent to Puerto Rico.

"Its been amazing whats been done in a very short period of time on Puerto Rico," he told reporters at the White House.

Rossello told a news briefing in San Juan Monday that more than 720 of the island's 1,100 gas stations are now up and running and that he expects more fuel supplies in the coming days. Puerto Rico relies on fuel supplies shipped from the mainland United States.

Infrastructure repairs



Rossello said 47 percent of water and sewer services are up on the island and said federal and local authorities are working together to keep 50 hospitals operational. He said U.S. Navy hospital ship Comfort will arrive Tuesday or Wednesday.

Rossello has generally praised the response to the hurricane by the Trump administration despite criticism from some officials in Puerto Rico, including San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz.

Trump has been critical of the mayor, saying on Saturday that she was told by Democrats, "you must be nasty to Trump."

Cruz, whose home was damaged in the storm, is living in a shelter with her family.

"Theres only one goal and its saving lives," Cruz said Sunday on ABC's This Week, when asked about Trump's comments about her. "Any dialogue that goes on just has to produce results. All I did last week or actually even this week is ask for help."
One year from now, if all goes according to plan, the African Union mission in Somalia will withdraw 1,500 soldiers from the country, in a crucial first step toward Somalia shedding its reliance on outside troops to maintain security and fight off Islamist militant group al-Shabab.

But the plan depends on Somali government forces being ready to protect the government and civilians from the al-Qaida-linked militants.

Last month, Somalia's ambassador to the United Nations, Abukar Osman, told the U.N. Security Council that "the Somali National Army is not ready to take over the security of the country. Premature withdrawal of AMISOM, he said, might be a recipe for disaster."

That's why the opening of a new Turkish military base in Mogadishu is being hailed by some analysts as a possible turning point in the decades-long effort to stabilize Somalia. Turkey, which backs the Somali federal government, plans to train thousands of troops for the Somali National Army in hopes the SNA will become cohesive and powerful enough to handle the al-Shabab threat by itself.

The SNA has existed in one form or another since 2004, when the first transitional government since Somalia's 1990s civil war was created. But a host of factors including corruption, clan rivalries, poor training and a lack of funding have undermined all attempts to make the SNA bigger and stronger.

Ahmed Moallim Fiqi, the former director of Somali National Intelligence and Security Agency, says the Turkish training base is Somalia's best opportunity to acquire a unified, effective army.

This has to be the factory that produces the security forces, to enable the reintegration of a balanced army and to equip them before they are put to operation, he says.

Turkey said it wants to do that. At the opening of the base on Saturday, the chief of staff of the Turkish army, General Hulusi Akar, said that his government plans to help Somalia until the country gets "militarily stronger."

The Turkish ambassador to Somalia, Olgan Bekar, said his government wants to help the Somalis reclaim authority and restore order in the country.

AMISOM threatening to leave

Fiqi says the government of Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, better known by his nickname, Farmajo, is feeling the pressure to get its forces in order.

The Somali government is under constant reminder that time is running out for AU troops, and the only troops who can replace them are Somali soldiers, he says.

The AU force, AMISOM, arrived in Somalia in 2007 as al-Shabab emerged to fight Ethiopian troops who invaded in late 2006 to oust a six-month-old Islamist government from power. AMISOM troops have been the main defender of Somalia's fledging federal governments since Ethiopians left at the start of 2009.

Uganda, Burundi, Kenya, Ethiopia and Djibouti supply the current force of 22,000 AMISOM troops, which ended al-Shabab's control over most of Mogadishu and other Somali cities. But after taking thousands of casualties, the countries have made noise about bringing their soldiers home.

Earlier this year the Somali government unveiled a structure for the future Somali security forces. The plan projects Somalia will have at least 18,000 regular troops and 4,000 special forces, bringing the total to 22,000.

According to military experts, the number of troops currently available to the government is likely half of that, because officials have struggled to keep soldiers on duty due to lack of regular pay.

Heightening the confusion, the troops were trained in different countries, including Uganda, Ethiopia and Djibouti, by different armies. About 500 special forces who make up the battle-tested Danab ("lightning") unit were trained by the United States. EU forces gave some instruction, as did the United Arab Emirates.

Somali military officials say the newly-opened Turkish base will make sure all SNA troops receive the same training.

Its very important for the army, when they are trained outside the country, that they are brought here to have harmonized training, says General Abdullahi Mohamed Ahmed, a senior military officer at the Somali Defense Ministry.

Finding funds

Last week, the government took steps to ease the funding shortage. Farmajo flew to Saudi Arabia to smooth relations ruffled by the diplomatic dispute between the Saudi kingdom and Qatar. Before his departure, the Somali Cabinet reaffirmed its strict neutrality in the matter.

That must have been what the Saudis wanted to hear, because upon Farmajo's return, the government announced that it received $50 million in financial aid from Saudi Arabia, and said it will use that money to pay salaries and provide rations to the army.

Fiqi says if army can get strong enough to handle security on its own, all of Somalia's neighbors should be pleased.

It helps the security of the region because the countries who sent troops to Somalia say they have done so because of a threat coming from Somalia," he says. Building a Somali army that contains that threat, he says, will give those countries "greater confidence in the Somali government."


Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan heads to Tehran Wednesday for meetings with Irans religious and political leadership. Bilateral relations have been strained in recent years, with the countries competing for influence across the region, but they now have found common ground in opposition to the Iraqi Kurdistan independence vote, which took place last month.

The most important motivation for Erdogans trip to Tehran is the crisis in Iraqi Kurdistan, said Professor Jamshid Assadi, an expert on Iran at Frances Burgundy Business School.

They [Iran and Turkey] dont want independence of [Iraqi] Kurdistan because they know its going to lead to [the same in] other countries, in particular Turkey and in Iran. Turkey, along with Iran and Iraq, have large Kurdish minorities. In a related development, Iraqi soldiers recently took part in a joint military exercise with Turkey.

The referendum crisis in northern Iraq is a new attempt to strike the heart of our region with a dagger, Erdogan said Tuesday, in a speech to parliament ahead of his Tehran visit. The Turkish president has been ramping up fiery rhetoric ever since 92 percent of Iraqi Kurds voted for independence.

Forces placed on the border

Erdogan visits Tehran with both Iranian and Turkish forces massed on the Iraqi Kurdish borders.

Analysts, however, suggest the deployments are examples of saber rattling.

They [Iran and Turkey] are not going to have any agreement to joint military action against the Kurds, predicted analyst Assadi, suggesting the main priority of Erdogans visit is to ensure both sides remain in agreement over the crisis.

First of all, they want to be sure they support each other on their position toward the [Iraqi] Kurds. I think they are going to say you dont support them in independence  I dont give them support in independence. We should not send a different message to the world and to the Kurds, making sure neither side is going to change its policy.

On Monday, Turkish government spokesman Bekir Bozdag appeared to downplay any military action.

There are allegations that Turkey will enter the northern Iraqi region; these are mere speculations. Turkey will act in reason, in coordination with its neighbors, Bozdag said.

The Iraqi Kurdistan crisis is being seen as an opportunity to bring Ankara and Tehran closer together. To clear these threats and to move toward shared interests, relations and cooperation between Tehran and Ankara should be broadened, said Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Monday.

'Persian expansionism'

Rivalries between the regional powers have been on the rise, with Turkey increasingly voicing concern over Irans growing influence in Iraq and Syria.

Persian expansionism is how Erdogan described the situation in June, as he accused Iranian-backed militias of carrying out atrocities against Sunni Muslims, Syrians and Iraqis.

The very warm appearance that the two counties are now presenting  united over the Kurdish issue  really shrouds over the fact that the two countries are rivals in terms of regional issues and there are few matters they agree on, said Semih Idiz, political columnist for Al Monitor website. These differences pertain to very, very different visions to what shall emerge in the region and what will emerge in Syria.

Turkey was one of the chief backers of rebels fighting the Iranian-backed Syrian regime. With the opposition facing defeat, however, Turkey has started to engage with Iran and Russia in resolving Syrias civil war. The three countries have agreed to create a de-escalation zone in the Syrian Idlib enclave, the last main base of the opposition. The implementation of the agreement is expected to be high on the agenda of Erdogan's talks in Tehran.

Any headway in this cooperation in Syria will be to Turkey's advantage, so that is what Turkey will be looking for, predicted columnist Idiz. And for Iran, obviously, the more it can pull Turkey into this cooperation, the more it will pull Ankara away from its former position regarding Assad. Both sides have these expectations, but Turkey is in the weaker position, with the Syrian rebels it's backing facing defeat.

Turkey sides with Iran on sanctions

In a possible move to enhance Erdogans hand ahead of his Tehran visit, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu voiced opposition Tuesday to growing calls in Washington to reimpose Iranian sanctions.

It is a grave mistake to corner Iran, warned Cavusoglu.

Relations between Ankara and Washington remain deeply strained, strains that already have been an impetus for a Russian-Turkish rapprochement.

Analysts point out Ankara was among those most concerned over the lifting of sanctions against Iran following an international agreement over its nuclear program.

Turkey has profited a lot from the isolation of Iran from the very beginning, pointed out analyst Assadi. Now, more and more, Iran is a candidate to be the dominant country in the region and this Turkey cannot accept. This tension between them is not going to be solved because they agreed on Iraqi Kurdistan.

Observers predict shared concerns over Iraqi Kurdistan will mean both sides will be keen to downplay differences and emphasize a message of cooperation and unity during Erdogan's visit.
On the day of the worst mass shooting in modern U.S. history, the United Nations observed its annual International Day of Non-Violence with the words of Mahatma Gandhi.

"Nothing enduring can be built on violence," General Assembly President Miroslav Lajcak said Monday, quoting the late Indian independence leader.

"The United Nations must act as a constant reminder of this," Lajcak, the Slovak ambassador, said. "It must not only work through non-violence, but it must inspire others to do so too."

Ten years ago, the U.N. declared Oct. 2 a day dedicated to non-violence in honor of Gandhi's birthday in 1869.

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Monday he was "shocked and alarmed" by the Las Vegas massacre and plans to write a condolence letter for the victims.
An American television channel plans to air a film about Oscar Pistorius and how he murdered girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, drawing criticism from the family of the former South African track star.



Lifetime says "Oscar Pistorius: Blade Runner Killer," which is to premiere on Nov. 11, is told from "the point of view" of Steenkamp and her mother and tells "what allegedly happened" in 2013 when Pistorius shot her.



Carl Pistorius, the double-amputee Olympian's brother, said Tuesday that the film is a "gross misrepresentation of the truth" that reflects the arguments of prosecutors. He said the Pistorius family will take legal action.



South Africa's top appeals court convenes Nov. 3 to hear prosecutors' arguments that the six-year prison sentence for Pistorius, who was convicted of murder, should be increased.
House Republicans and Democrats on Tuesday grilled Equifax's former chief executive over the massive data hack of the personal information of 145 million Americans, calling the company's response inadequate as consumers struggle to deal with the breach.

Former Equifax CEO Richard Smith apologized for the compromise of such information as names, addresses, birth dates and Social Security numbers. Smith was the lone witness at the first of several Capitol Hill hearings this week. No current Equifax official testified.

"The criminal hack happened on my watch, and as CEO, I am ultimately responsible, and I take full responsibility," Smith said. "I am here today to say to each and every person affected by this breach, I am truly and deeply sorry for what happened."

Democrats favor legislation that they say would establish strong data security standards and prompt notification and relief for consumers when their information is hacked. But Republicans tamped down expectations for any congressional action as this year the GOP-led Congress has rolled back several Obama-era rules affecting businesses and the financial sector.

"Equifax deserves to be shamed in this hearing, but we should also ask what Congress has done, or failed to do, to stop data breaches from occurring," said Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill.

Rep. Bob Latta, R-Ohio, the chairman of the subcommittee examining the breach, said there are already laws on the books that require companies to secure sensitive consumer data. He said that hearings before four House and Senate panels this week should run their course before lawmakers make a decision about what to do next.

"The big thing we heard today is it was a very human error on their part," Latta said.

Timeline of breach

Smith offered a timeline of what went wrong, saying the Department of Homeland Security warned the company on March 8 about the need to patch a particular vulnerability in software used by Equifax and other businesses. The company disseminated that warning by email the next day and requested that applicable personnel install the upgrade. The company's policy requires the upgrade to occur within 48 hours, but that did not occur. The company's information security department also ran scans on March 15 that did not pick up the vulnerability.

In late July, data security officials noticed suspicious activity on a website, which Smith said "happens routinely around our business." He said an internal investigation ensued and he was alerted the next day, but he had no knowledge at that time that consumers' personal information had been accessed.

Lawmakers pressed Smith about company executives selling stock in the company after the suspicious activity had been detected. On August 1 and 2, Equifax Chief Financial Officer John Gamble and two other executives, Rodolfo Ploder and Joseph Loughran, sold a combined $1.8 million in stock.

Smith described the executives as "honorable men, men of integrity." He said at that point in time the company was unaware that consumer data had been accessed.

Schakowsky said "for a lot of Americans, that just doesn't pass the smell test."

Smith said the full extent of what occurred emerged during a meeting he had with cybersecurity experts and outside counsel on August 17. The board was alerted the following week and the public on September 7, after the company had made plans for how it would try to help consumers respond.

'Damage control'

The timeline laid out by Smith didn't satisfy many lawmakers, who accused the company of being too slow.

"I worry that your job today is about damage control. You put a happy face on your firm's disgraceful actions, and then depart with a golden parachute," said Ben Ray Lujan, D-N.M. "Unfortunately, if fraudsters destroy my constituent's savings and financial futures, there's no golden parachute awaiting them."

Lawmakers said that at one point Equifax tweeted the wrong link for consumers to check to learn if they were part of the breach.

"Talk about ham-handed responses, this is simply unacceptable," said Rep. Greg Walden, R-Ore.

Smith said he was disappointed in the rollout of call centers and a website designed to help the people affected by the breach. He said the company has increased its number of customer service representatives and the website has been improved. He said more than 400 million consumers contacted the company in the weeks following the announcement of the breach. He said the company wasn't prepared for that kind of volume.

Lawmakers said they're getting scores of calls from constituents concerned that their information was stolen and the potential ramifications in the years ahead. Rep. Ryan Costello, R-Pa., said hundreds of constituents have contacted his office about the company's response.

"The slow rollout and how poorly it was done. To me, it was just inexcusable," Costello said.
Uzbekistan released a prominent dissident from prison Tuesday, on the same day an opposition outlet said one of its contributors in the Central Asian nation had been arrested.

The former Soviet republic has puzzled observers with conflicting signals over the last few weeks, with another prominent dissident, who had been struck off a security blacklist, being detained on his return from exile.

Human rights activist Azam Farmonov, 39, was freed Tuesday, the U.S. Embassy in Tashkent said in a statement welcoming his release.

Farmonov was sentenced to nine years in prison in 2006 on charges of extortion, which other activists called fabricated. His term was extended by five more years in 2015.

Farmonov's early release followed the freeing of several other prominent political prisoners jailed under President Shavkat Mirziyoyev's predecessor, Islam Karimov.

"We applaud these positive steps and hope they signal future releases and a more open approach to civil society," the U.S. Embassy said.

Stern ruler

Karimov had run the nation of 32 million with an iron fist from 1989 until his death in September 2016, and his tough policies resulted in Uzbekistan's international near-isolation.

Seeking to improve ties with the West and attract foreign investment, Mirziyoyev has taken steps to liberalize the nation. He has moved to ease travel restrictions and implemented a foreign exchange reform.

He also ordered 16,000 people struck off a blacklist of potential extremists and dissidents in August. However, when one of them, prominent dissident writer Nurulloh Muhammad Raufkhon, returned to Tashkent from Turkey last month, he was detained.

Although Raufkhon was released this week, he still faces anti-government propaganda charges.

On Tuesday, the People's Movement of Uzbekistan, an organization of opposition activists in exile, said in a statement that a contributor for its website Uzxalqharakati.com had been arrested and charged with seeking to overthrow the constitutional order.

Authorities in Uzbekistan could not be reached for comment on Tuesday.
The White House says it is only interested in talking to North Korea if it is about the release of three Americans held by Pyongyang.

The statement comes a day after Secretary of State Rex Tillerson revealed that the U.S. still has direct channels of communication with North Korean authorities and American officials are seeking a dialogue.

But hours later, Tillersons remarks were undercut by President Donald Trump who said Tillerson is wasting his time speaking with Pyongyang.

Despite Trumps remarks, the White House said Monday that the president still has confidence in Tillerson.

Asked at the daily briefing about Tillersons remarks, Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said, now is not the time to talk.

The only conversations that have taken place, or that would, would be on bringing back Americans who have been detained like that with Otto (Warmbier, the late U.S. student), those were the type of conversations that this administration was willing to have. Beyond that, there will be no conversations with North Korea at this time.

That message appeared to conflict with Tillersons description to reporters following weekend meetings with Chinese officials in Beijing. At the time he said we're probing, so stay tuned.

The apparent mixed messages left some veteran American diplomats stunned.

It's a terrible way to conduct diplomacy, a former acting assistant secretary of state for East Asia, Evans Revere, told VOA. It raises questions certainly on their part about U.S. seriousness but we're also seeing reactions from the international community that it's raised questions among U.S. partners around the world.

A former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, Steven Pifer, said chastising Tillerson is not a way for the president to signal his administration has a carefully thought-out, coherent policy.

Former Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, R. Nicholas Burns, was more blunt in a tweet: Undercutting your Secretary of State publicly is a cardinal sin of Diplomacy. Unpresidential.

But Tillerson's Senior Advisor for Public Affairs R.C. Hammond told State Department reporters that the presidents tweets was directed at North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and not at Tillerson. Hammond told VOA Tillerson saw the presidents tweets very differently.

He did not see it as an insult, he saw it as a demonstration of skepticism.

Hammond agreed with White House Press Secretary Sanders that the channels of direct communication between the U.S. and North Korea, including the one in New York, are for humanitarian purposes to try to win the release of the three Americans still detained.

He said President Trump is familiar with those channels.

Nike Ching, Steve Herman contributed to this report.
At 1600 hours Universal Time on Tuesday, October 3rd, 2017, the United States will begin accepting applications for the 2019 Diversity Visa Program. Applications will be accepted until 1600 hours Universal Time on Tuesday, November 7th, 2017. Through this program, the United States Government makes available 50,000 permanent resident visas to citizens of countries that traditionally have a low rate of immigration to the United States.



The United States is a nation of immigrants. Throughout our history, immigrants from every corner of the world have contributed to life in the United States. Without this diversity, we would not be the nation that we are today.



Historically, though, not all nations and ethnic groups are well represented in our country. The Diversity Visa Program specifically permits entries from countries with a historically lower level of immigration to the United States.

This year, citizens from the following countries are not eligible to participate in the program based on their historically higher level of immigrantion to the United States: Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, mainland China, Colombia, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Haiti, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, South Korea, United Kingdom (except for Northern Ireland) and its dependent territories, and Vietnam.



Entries for the Diversity Visa Program are accepted online only, no exceptions. Those who are interested in entering the DV program should go to dvlottery.state.gov and read the instructions, beginning with the qualification requirements. The entry process takes about 15 minutes to complete.



All winners are chosen by a random drawing. It is very important that entrants save their unique confirmation number. In May of next year, you can begin checking the status of your entry on the website but you can only check using your confirmation number. Successful entrants are not notified by email of the status of their E-DV online entry. Any email claiming to notify entrants they have been selected for the DV program is not legitimate. Entrants can only access information on their application through the online Entrant Status Check at dvlottery.state.gov.



The law allows only one entry per person during the registration period. Entrants who submit more than one entry will be disqualified. Those selected in the DV program may apply for immigrant visas (IVs).



Entry into the DV program is free, so please keep in mind that anyone asking for money to better your chances of winning is running a scam.



Good luck!

That was an editorial reflecting the views of the United States Government.
President Robert Mugabe returned to South Africa on Tuesday, without his wife, Grace, who caused a diplomatic uproar when she allegedly attacked and injured a local model, Gabriella Engels.

Indications are that his wife remained home, fearing that she may be served with summons compelling her to appear in court to face charges of common assault.

The South African government granted Mrs. Mugabe diplomatic immunity though Zuma refused recently in parliament to release details of the move.

Mrs. Mugabe allegedly attacked Engels when she found her socializing with her children  Robert Mugabe Junior and Chatunga - who were living at an upmarket hotel.

The Zimbabwean first lady claims that she was attacked by Engels, who has dismissed these remarks as senseless.

A non-governmental organization, Afriforum, has filed papers in court seeking permission to sue Mrs. Mugabe, for allegedly assaulting the 20 year-old model.

Her attorney, Willies Spies, told VOA Studio 7 recently that they expect to be granted permission by the South African courts to serve Mrs. Mugabes papers on President Mugabe in Harare.

Spies said serving the papers on President Mugabe would ensure that Mrs. Mugabe also gets notice of the application.

He noted that they also want South Africas International Relations Minister Maite Nkoana Mashabane to set aside the diplomatic immunity granted to Mrs. Mugabe.

Afriforum claims that the diplomatic immunity was granted unlawfully.

Meanwhile, Presidents Jacob Zuma and Mr. Mugabe are currently holding discussions over the two nations' progress on bilateral treaties signed in 2016.

Mr. Mugabe, who is on an official visit to South Africa, is among top Zimbabwean officials attending the 2nd Session of the South Africa-Zimbabwe Bi-National Commission (BNC) in Pretoria.

The BNC session, co-chaired by Zuma and Mugabe, is expected to afford the two leaders an opportunity to review the state of the bilateral relations between South Africa and Zimbabwe.

The BNC will further provide a platform to determine the actual progress made on bilateral undertakings and commitments agreed in the inauguration Session of the BNC in October 2016.

Zuma and Mugabe are also expected to exchange views on regional and global issues of mutual concern, particularly peace, security, stability and development in the Southern African Development Community region and some parts of the continent.
One of the leaders of protest group, Tajamuka Sesijikile Campaign, Promise Mkhwananzi has decided to step down while investigations are being carried out following reports that he allegedly misappropriated donor funds.

In a statement, Mkhwananzi said, Following serious allegations being levelled against me by Fadziso Doyce nee Jena, I am temporarily recusing myself from the position of Tajamuka spokesperson to save the movement from my personal troubles and to take time to clear my name and allow my colleagues to take a look at the allegations.

I will continue to serve and participate in Tajamuka activities but no longer in the capacity of its spokesperson. Thank you. God bless you all.

Doyce claims that she has been funding Tajamuka every month but the funds cannot be accounted for by Mkhwananzi.

His a letter to his colleagues at Tajamuka, he noted that You might have seen the allegations and accusations that I have been subjected to. My priorities lie first and foremost with my family but I do understand my obligation to total transparency and personal integrity to the organization.

Given the seriousness of the allegations and the possible impact on the standing of the Tajamuka brand I am temporarily stepping down as the spokesperson to allow the organization the chance to subject me to internal scrutiny and also to accord myself time to personally deal with the allegations.

I will continue upon your approval to partake in the activities of the organization as an ordinary member. It is my hope that you are going to stand with me and also continue to have hope in the organization as we move towards rebuilding trust and strengthening our struggle.

Tajamuka was formed a year ago by various organization numbering more than 42. Its main objective is to fight for the rights of Zimbabweans. The organization has so far organized and engaged in various protests, including at least two that paralyzed Zimbabwe.
Russian operatives set up an array of misleading Web sites and social media pages to identify American voters susceptible to propaganda, then used a powerful Facebook tool to repeatedly send them messages designed to influence their political behavior, say people familiar with the investigation into foreign meddling in the U.S. election.

The tactic resembles what American businesses and political campaigns have been doing in recent years to deliver messages to potentially interested people online. The Russians exploited this system by creating English-language sites and Facebook pages that closely mimicked those created by U.S. political activists.

The Web sites and Facebook pages displayed ads or other messages focused on such hot-button issues as illegal immigration, African American political activism and the rising prominence of Muslims in the United States. The Russian operatives then used a Facebook retargeting tool, called Custom Audiences, to send specific ads and messages to voters who had visited those sites, say people familiar with the investigation who spoke on the condition of anonymity to share details from an ongoing investigation.

People caught up in this web of tracking and disinformation would have had no indication that they had been singled out or that the ads came from Russians.

One such ad featured photographs of an armed black woman dry firing a rifle  pulling the trigger of the weapon without a bullet in the chamber  the people familiar with the investigation said.



A sign at Facebook headquarters in Menlo Park, Calif. (Ben Margot/AP)

[Russian Facebook ads showed a black woman firing a rifle, amid efforts to stoke racial strife]

Investigators believe the advertisement may have been designed to encourage African American militancy and, at the same time, to stoke fears within white communities, the people said. But the precise purpose of the ad remains unclear to investigators, the people said.

Another showed an image of Democrat Hillary Clinton behind what appeared to be prison bars.

A Facebook spokesman declined to comment on Russias exploitation of the Custom Audiences system. Facebook officials have previously said that they were caught off guard by the Russian propaganda campaign because the accounts, pages and ads appeared to be legitimate.

In addition to Custom Audiences, Russian operatives used other Facebook tools to target groups by demographics, geography, gender and interests, according to the people familiar with the investigation. The Custom Audiences tool differs because it allows advertisers to feed into Facebooks systems a specific list of users they want to target.

The conclusions of investigators fit those of several independent researchers, who say that the Russian disinformation campaign exploited the core advertising and tracking technologies that Silicon Valley has honed over a decade to serve corporate America  and that are widely available, with few if any restrictions, to political actors in the United States and abroad.

These are the same methods and sophisticated tools that the pharmaceutical companies were using, that big oil companies were using, said Philip N. Howard of Oxford Universitys Computational Propaganda Project. This was regular ad technology that regular advertisers use.

The revelation about the use of Facebooks Custom Audiences tool, which has not been previously reported, adds to an emerging picture of a Russian effort to shape the U.S. election and sow division using tools built by American technology companies.

And it makes clear that Russians used Facebook to direct their influence campaigns to voters whom they had already tracked and to find new ones wherever they browsed the Internet  even if they used multiple devices such as a smartphone for work or a tablet at home.

[Obama tried to give Zuckerberg a wake-up call over fake news on Facebook]

Targeted people might also have directed that same disinformation  whether intentionally or not  to people linked to them on social networks, such as their friends on Facebook.

This means that any American who knowingly or unknowingly clicked on a Russian news site may have been targeted through Facebooks advertising systems to become an agent of influence  a potentially sympathetic American who could spread Russian propaganda with other Americans, said Clinton Watts, a fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute. Every successful click gives them more data that they can use to retarget. It feeds on itself and it speeds up the influence dramatically.

Jonathan Albright, research director of the Tow Center for Digital Journalism at Columbia University, who has studied the links among fake news, Russian propaganda sites and their relationship to Facebook and other social media platforms, said that hundreds of Russian sites were loaded up with ad tracking software, known as cookies, that would allow them to follow any visitor across the Web and onto Facebook.

The Custom Audiences tool enabled Russian advertisers to feed information from those cookies, which are long strings of numbers that advertisers collect, into Facebooks systems, which could match them with the accounts of particular Facebook users.

The Facebook users were then shown ads featuring divisive topics that the Russians wanted to promote in their Facebook news feeds, which displayed the ads alongside messages from friends and family members.

As targeted users clicked on the Facebook ads, the system would eventually take them to Web pages outside Facebook, where they would be tracked with more-aggressive forms of tracking software, Albright said.

A lot of this content is simply for tracking, Albright said. You need to get people out of the social networks, off the platforms, because thats the place where you can attach the advanced ad technology.

Facebook delivered more than 3,000 ads to congressional investigators on Monday. It is also sharing information on which users those ads were designed to target, how many users viewed or clicked on those ads, and the payment methods used by the Russians.

The company said Monday that modeling shows that these ads were seen by roughly 10 million users. An estimated 44 percent were seen before the Nov. 8 election, and the rest were seen afterward.

Twitter disclosed on Thursday that it had shut down an additional 201 accounts associated with the Internet Research Agency, and it said that three accounts connected with the Kremlin-linked news site RT had spent $274,000 on its platform in 2016. Google said last month that the company had not found evidence of Russian meddling and is conducting an internal investigation into the issue.

The revelations come at a moment when investigators are widening their probe into how Russian operatives used Facebook, Twitter, Google and other technology platforms to widen fissures in the United States and spread disinformation during election season. Those companies have come under increasing pressure from Capitol Hill to investigate Russian meddling and are facing the possibility of new regulations that could affect their massive advertising businesses.

Theres been some thought that the Internet was a goose laying golden eggs, but now theres a sense that all the eggs are not golden, said Jonathan Zittrain, faculty director of Harvards Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society.

Political experts have pointed out that during close elections such as the 2016 presidential contest, a small number of votes by people living in certain states can have a disproportionate influence on the outcome. Without a full accounting of where ads were targeted on the Web and who was targeted  as well as how many times those ads were shared within social networks  it is difficult to assess the impact of the Russian influence campaign.

Facebook introduced Custom Audiences in mid-2012, in the middle of the presidential election contest between Mitt Romney and Barack Obama. Advertisers hailed the tool as a major innovation because it enabled them to know the interests of individuals. People who signal interest in a subject by clicking on a link are also considered more impressionable when they are repeatedly targeted by ads.

Custom Audiences also allowed a business to know when consumers had viewed a particular pair of shoes on a website so that they could be repeatedly shown an ad for those shoes on Facebook and elsewhere online. As consumers spent more time on social media, the tool became a driver of Facebooks ad business  and of the companys sevenfold increase in value since its initial public offering in 2012.

Timberg and Entous reported from Washington
[This story has been optimized for offline reading on our apps. For a richer experience, you can find the full version of this story here. An Internet connection is required.]

Mere hours after a gunman rained fire onto a concert across the Las Vegas Strip, some Democrats were quick to cast blame on the nation's gun laws. The pivot is a continuation of similar statements following the Orlando nightclub shooting in 2016, as our colleague Amber Phillips explains here.

Sen. Chris Murphy (D)

Conn. senator

Oct. 2, 9:22 a.m.

Its time for Congress to get off its a-- and do something. ... To my colleagues: Your cowardice to act cannot be whitewashed by thoughts and prayers.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D)

Mass. senator

Oct. 2, 9:41 a.m.

Thoughts and prayers are NOT enough. Not when more moms and dads will bury kids this week, and more sons and daughters will grow up without parents.

Rep. Seth Moulton (D)

Mass. congressman, 6th district

Oct. 2, 9:56 a.m.

As after #Orlando, I will NOT be joining my colleagues in a moment of silence on the House Floor that just becomes an excuse for inaction.

Rep. Jared Huffman (D)

Calif. congressman, 2nd district

Oct. 2, 10:29 a.m.

Grim win for soulless gun industry. Gun sales will now soar -- from those afraid, & surely from a few who would immitate. $$ all the same.

Sen. Benjamin L. Cardin (D)

Md. senator

Oct. 2, 12:21 p.m.

We need to stop the carnage. More talk and prayers will not save lives. Only action and real changes in our laws can. #LasVegas #GunSafety

Sen. Mark R. Warner (D)

Va. senator

Oct. 2, 12:30 p.m.

I know todays the day we ought to be focusing on the victims.. somehow offering thoughts & prayers doesnt seem like enough.

Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D)

Minn. senator

Oct. 2

I have long supported sensible gun legislation and funding for mental illness. We must open our hearts and minds to new approaches. We must do more than express sympathy, no matter how heartfelt it is.

Sen. Patty Murray (D)

Wash. senator

Oct. 2

Many people may be saying now is not the time to talk about gun safety, but like so many moms and dads in our country, I want to know  if not now, when?

Sen. Kamala Harris (D)

Calif. senator

Oct. 2, 1 p.m.

Another moment of silence wont suffice. Ninety Americans are killed, on average, every day by guns. We cannot simply throw up our hands or continue to justify the presence of weapons of war whose primary purpose is to kill the largest number of human beings in the shortest amount of time possible.

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I)

Vt. senator

Oct. 2, 12:55 p.m.

It is long past time for Congress to take action on gun safety to save innocent lives.

Mark Kelly and former Rep. Gabby Giffords (D)

Former astronaut, and his wife, former Arizona congresswoman, Tuscon shooting victim

Oct. 2, 1:15 p.m.

Your thoughts and prayers arent going to stop the next shooting.

Charles E. Schumer (D)

New York senator and Senate minority leader

Oct. 2, 3:34 p.m.

How did this monster acquire the arsenal he used to rain down death on a crowd of innocents? Were those guns purchased legally? ... What Congress must do is pass laws that keep our citizens safe.

Other Democrats, including those who represent Nevada in Congress, were more reserved, omitting talk of gun laws immediately following the attack.

Rep. Dina Titus (D)

Nev. congresswoman, 1st district

Oct. 2, 6:37 a.m.

My heart aches for the victims, their loved ones, and our community ... We are a resilient and benevolent town that will not be intimidated by acts of violence.

Sen. Catherine Cortez-Masto (D)

Nev. senator

Oct. 2, 7:16 a.m.

Praying for all those affected by this senseless tragedy. Thank you to all the first responders. I will continue to monitor the situation.

Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D)

N.D. senator

Oct. 2, 11:49 a.m.

Thinking of the victims in Las Vegas & their families and friends. Thank you to law enforcement 4 heroic actions during a horrible situation

Meanwhile, Republicans nearly universally stayed within the traditional talking point of offering thoughts and prayers. Some notable reactions:

Sen. Dean Heller (R)

Nev. senator

Oct. 2, 6:31 a.m.

Our communities are all in mourning as we try to understand this senseless massacre on the Strip.

Mike Pence (R)

Vice president of the United States

Oct. 2, 7:32 a.m.

To victims, families & loved ones affected by this senseless violence in Las Vegas, Karen & I are praying for you & offering our love.

Sen. John McCain (R)

Ariz. senator

Oct. 2, 10:06 a.m.

Cindy & I are praying for the victims of the terrible #LasVegasShooting & their families. We appreciate the bravery of all first responders.

Rep. Paul D. Ryan (R)

House speaker and Wisconsin congressman, 1st district

Oct. 2, 10:26 a.m.

America woke up to heartbreaking news from Las Vegas. We stand united in our shock, our condolences, & our prayers.

Donald Trump (R)

President of the United States

Oct. 2, 10:30 a.m.

Hundreds of our fellow citizens are now mourning the sudden loss of a loved one, a parent, a child, a brother or sister. We cannot fathom their pain, we cannot imagine their loss.

Sen. Susan Collins (R)

Maine senator

Oct. 2, 12:57 p.m.

Horrific act of violence in Las Vegas. Worst mass shooting in modern U.S. history. First responders showed extraordinary bravery.
Theater critic

The mind boggles, doesnt it? I mean, at the sheer magnitude of the challenge facing every one of us, as we barrel through the seemingly ceaseless interactions of our days  the personal, professional, romantic, digital, sexual, spiritual and other assorted contacts that define who we are and what shapes our lives, hour by hour.

Those variously humdrum or profound, fleeting or formidable encounters are grist for intellectually restless playwright Caryl Churchill in the flurry of blackout sketches that make up Forum Theatres highly enjoyable actors buffet Love and Information. Knowledge, meaning, memory: The nouns identify key facets of what we think of as being human and, also, of the preoccupations of Churchill, who stitches together through a tapestry of conversation fragments a play almost anthropological in design.

Over the course of 57 skits  some as short as a tweet  a cast of 14 compels us to examine issues that can sound at times like grist for a college course, such as, how much about one another do we really need to know, or can we hope to know? Or, what is it about intimacy that allows people to communicate without words? (One playlet consists entirely of one actor posing the question to the other: Chicken tikka masala?)

But the evening proves to be more than academic, especially when it segues to some funnier and more moving topics, as in a skit in which two young women (Laura C. Harris and Megan Graves) try to argue an older man (Edward Christian) out of the unorthodox object of his ardent affection: a lover who exists only as a virtual character online.

The moments documented in Love and Information feel randomly assembled, snippets that might have been transmitted on radio waves and out into the universe, with hopes they would be intercepted by an alien civilization for a clue as to what life on Earth is like. What would they discover? That our species has a compulsion for connection, whether through pillow talk or job interviews or a suicide hotline. With visual embroidery in the Silver Spring Black Box Theatre by projection designer Patrick Lord, whose images are displayed on mural-length screens on opposite walls of the space, Love and Informations mini-dramas collectively take on an epic quality.



Megan Graves and Lilian Oben in Love and Information. (Teresa Castracane Photography)

This impression is aided immeasurably by director Michael Dove  Forums longtime artistic director  who displays here a superior hand with the plays clipped, episodic naturalism. Rhythm, choreography and even improvisation are essential ingredients of Love and Information, and Dove shows a keen mastery of the plays unusual demands. Churchills script, first performed in London five years ago, leaves to a director many of the decisions usually reserved for the playwright, including the order of some of the sketches, the gender of the nameless characters, even the physical contexts in which each of the playlets take place.

Its always a banner day when a director gets to reveal another elevation of their talent, as Dove does here.

On Andrew Cohens elegantly lean set, lighted by Billy DEugenio with a refined eye for a short scenes inherent tension, a diverse cadre of actors moves with discipline from one light or tragic incident to the next. (One of the payoffs of attending a Forum production is that it tends to look like the America of 2017.) And as the work here is so uniformly good, the only reasonable way to talk about the actors is to name them all: Along with Christian, Harris and Graves, they are Kathleen Akerley, Moriamo Akibu, Samy El-Noury, Nanna Ingvarsson, Jade Jones, Ahmad Kamal, Lilian Oben, Jared Shamberger, Ryan Tumulty, Emily Whitworth and Shpend Xani.

That sense that were eavesdropping at the beginning, middle or end of an encounter becomes ever more convincing as a result of the productions stark, understated style. Sometimes, though, an actor seems so determined to create the illusion of intimacy that audibility is sacrificed. An audience wants to leave that illusion undisturbed, but not when theyre also tempted to shout: Speak up!

And naturally, they want to hear every word  because Churchill is worth listening to.

Love and Information, by Caryl Churchill. Directed by Michael Dove. Set, Andrew Cohen; lighting Billy D'Eugenio; costumes, Frank Labovitz; sound, Roc Lee; stage manager, Jenny Rubin; projections, Patrick Lord; graphics, Ashley Kelley. About 2 hours. $33-$38. Through Oct. 21 at Silver Spring Black Box Theatre, 8641 Colesville Rd., Silver Spring. Visit forum-theatre.org or call 301-588-8279.
Protesters who want Catalonia to separate from Spain march during a demonstration Monday in Barcelona. (Felipe Dana/Associated Press)

The leader of Spains Catalonia region called Monday for help from European leaders in working out the regions move to be independent.

The request comes a day after a violent crackdown by Spanish police trying to block Catalonians from voting on whether they wanted to separate from Spain.

Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont said he would file a complaint against Spanish police after officers fired rubber bullets, smashed into polling stations Sunday and beat back protesters with batons. Puigdemont urged Spains national police reinforcements to leave the area.

Spanish authorities said police acted professionally. And Spains interior minister said that the 5,000 extra officers sent to Catalonia would stay as long as necessary.

Catalan officials say an overwhelming majority of voters supported independence, but Spains central government has repeatedly condemned the referendum as illegal.

Most European governments havent backed Catalonias independence, fearing the same thing could happen in other nations.

The Catalan president said the regional parliament plans to declare independence in the next few days.

So far, the European Union, the United States and most international bodies have backed Spain in its stance against Catalan independence.

The E.U. on Monday urged all sides in Spain to move from confrontation to dialogue.

"These are times for unity and stability," E.U. spokesman Margaritis Schinas said.

Catalonia, with the city of Barcelona as its capital, represents one-fifth of Spain's economy. Polls consistently show that while most of its 7.5 million residents favored a referendum, they are roughly evenly split on independence from Spain.

Those in favor of secession argue that the region contributes more to the national government than it receives in return. Catalonians already enjoy a wide measure of autonomy but the central government still controls taxation and other financial levers, as well as infrastructure projects.

 Associated Press

Read more from KidsPost:

Britain votes to leave the European Union

How has Europe changed over the past century?

Festival picks the best gelato in Europe?
Columnist

Adapted from a recent online discussion.

Dear Carolyn: My son is 14 and interested in politics. He is particularly interested in learning about socialism and communism. He also just started on social media and is connected only with family.

He recently posted his thoughts on why he supports the ideals in communism and has basically been attacked by relatives who had family members in the Soviet Union.

How can I ask them to allow him to express himself freely while acknowledging it is a painful topic for them? Hes supersensitive and now feels ashamed for stating his thoughts.

 Family



(Nick Galifianakis/for The Washington Post)

Family: Such a great opportunity, squandered.

You can get it back, though, I think: Your son is thinking about big, conceptual things, and has family members who have lived (or heard firsthand accounts of) the reality those concepts brought forth. How great would it be to get the people with the institutional memory of the Soviet Union to discuss with your son  civilly  how what seemed like good ideas in theory created some painful realities for the people living in these systems?

That would require two people-wrangling missions for you: First, assure your son he has no cause for shame. Hes learning, and it takes guts to think out loud the way he did. Thats what it takes for us to develop in-depth knowledge: to have the courage to ask questions, to open our thoughts to the critical eyes of others, to incorporate any feedback into our understanding. Tell him that hes a champ for what he did and that you hope hell keep exploring ideas with the same courage. Include a social-media warning here, too, since its not a fact-gathering or idea-sharing forum for the sensitive; with your help, maybe he can find a more forgiving way to explore his interests.

Second, talk to the relatives. Remind them (ahem) theyre talking not to an adult with an agenda, but to a kid with ideas and questions and an appetite for understanding the world. Ask them whether theyd be willing to share their thoughts, discuss his ideas, tell their stories  whatever  as his teachers vs. his critics.

If they agree, then find a way to get them together (in your home if possible, on video-chat if not) in a more hospitable way.

Dear Carolyn: I am on overload with all the drama in the political landscape. I dont want to hear it, but then I dont want to be ill-informed  or worse, complacent by not paying attention. How to balance?

 News Fatigued

News Fatigued: You and me both.

Set limits  x minutes per day, then no more; or take a news vacation every weekend; or [your dosage here]; or identify the most distressing sources and cut them out, and rely on a trusted few. Among TV, radio, print, social media, left-leaning, right-leaning, centrist, American, foreign, long-form, data-driven, fact-checking, satire/comedy, etc., there are enough delivery systems to give us a lot of control over our news feeds. I beg only, of not just you but everyone, to stick to news reported from more than one source, verifiably, and avoid the intellectual laziness of bias-confirmation  as a matter of public health.

Re: News fatigue: Also: Do NOT read the news within an hour of bedtime. Allow yourself to decompress from the day.

 Anonymous

Anonymous: Amen.

Write to

Carolyn Hax

at

tellme@washpost.com

. Get her column delivered to your inbox each morning at

wapo.st/haxpost

.
Since Sunday night, the city that never stops partying has turned somber after a gunman killed at least 58 people and injured more than 500 spectators during a country music concert on the Las Vegas Strip.

Packs of news cameras, police and investigators abound. A memorial with balloons, devotional candles, flowers and signs has materialized near the site on Las Vegas Boulevard.

Meanwhile, according to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, all hotels, casinos and attractions are open. Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, from which gunman Stephen Paddock fired on attendees at the nearby Route 91 Harvest festival, is accepting reservations for rooms and performances, and all of its restaurants are serving guests and gamblers. Only the 32nd floor, the staging ground of the shooter, is off-limits.

The property canceled the Tuesday-night performance of Michael Jackson One, but expects the show to return Friday after two originally scheduled dark days. Ticket holders will receive automatic reimbursement.

Visitors in cars might run across several road closures and detours, especially on Las Vegas Boulevard between Tropicana Avenue and Sunset Road. At Mandalay Bay, a front-desk employee directed drivers to the self-parking lot instead of the main entrance.

Travelers reluctant to visit Vegas so soon after the tragedy should check with their airline about relaxed rebooking rules. United, for one, is waiving the change fee for passengers departing through Oct. 6. The carrier will forgo the fare difference if you book the same cabin class and cities and fly by Oct. 13.

More from Travel:

The lives lost in Las Vegas

Police say Las Vegas gunman planned 'extensively,' used cameras to monitor police as they approached
Stephen Paddocks lethal attack on a Las Vegas country music festival Sunday night was distinguished from most mass shootings by two features: the size of the arsenal he smuggled into the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino and the great height from which he shot.

With a cache of 23 firearms, most of them powerful, Paddock, 64, smashed the windows of his 32nd-floor hotel room and then, from high above the Las Vegas Strip, sprayed bullets down on 20,000 people listening to country music star Jason Aldean.

One of the weapons Paddock apparently used in the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history was an AK-47-type rifle, with a stand to steady it for firing, according to people familiar with the case.

Investigators believe at least one of the guns functioned as if it were fully automatic and are now working to determine whether he modified it or others to be capable of spitting out a high volume of fire just by holding down the trigger, people familiar with the case said.

The ATF hasnt evaluated them yet, Clark County Sheriff Joseph Lombardo said at a news conference Monday evening.

1 of 39 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad  The scene after a gunman opened fire on concertgoers at a country music festival in Las Vegas View Photos A shooter in a high-rise hotel opened fire on concertgoers on the Las Vegas Strip late Sunday, killing at least 50 people and injuring more than 200. Caption A shooter in a high-rise hotel opened fire on concertgoers on the Las Vegas Strip late Sunday, killing at least 50 people and injuring more than 200. John Locher Buy Photo Wait 1 second to continue.

But video from the attack suggests Paddock may have used at least one fully automatic rifle, marking the first time such a weapon has been wielded by a public mass shooter in the United States, experts said.

I really cant recall another case where one has been used, said James Alan Fox, a Northeastern University criminologist who studies mass shooters and believes Paddock was armed with an automatic weapon when he killed at least 59 people and set off chaos that injured more than 500.

It doesnt take that much imagination to know what automatic gunfire sounds like, Fox added. Anyone who has seen a war movie or an Untouchables episode knows what it sounds like.

To Fox and others, the Las Vegas rampage represents a frightening turn in the nations struggle to stop mass shootings.

In addition to Paddocks choice of weaponry, mass shooting experts were struck by his decision to shoot at the concertgoers from high above, rather than walking through the crowd or firing from a nearby secluded spot on the ground.

The tactic echoed two earlier mass shootings, most notably Charles Whitmans 1966 attack from atop the University of Texas Tower. The ex-Marine sharpshooter killed 17 and wounded more than 30, including a pregnant student shot in the belly.

[The carnage when mass shooters take aim from above]

A decade later, Michael Soles, a 19-year-old dumped by his girlfriend, chose the top of a Holiday Inn in Wichita to shoot and kill three people while wounding eight others.

But Paddock was far higher than either Whitman or Soles. Lombardo estimated that he was shooting at victims at least 500 yards away.

Investigators are working to determine if Paddock modified the AK-47 with mechanical components to make it fully automatic, which is illegal, or if he used a legal modification like an attachable crank, which depresses the trigger faster than a finger and can be bought online for as little as $40.

Automatic firearms have been heavily restricted in the United States since 1986, when Congress passed the Firearm Owners Protection Act.

Under the law, such weapons made before 1986 can be legally owned following a stringent background check and registration of the gun. Last year, ATF sent a letter to the National Firearms Act Trade and Collectors Association saying that 490,664 automatic weapons were registered in a government database.

Gun owners with technical know-how can illegally modify rifles to make them automatic. But the industry also sells legal add-ons that can make semiautomatic rifles such as the AR-15 mimic automatic fire.

One way to simulate automatic fire is with "bump" modifications to the rifle stock, which harness the recoil and the shooter's own stance to more quickly move the bolt, according to the Trace, a nonprofit news organization that covers gun violence.

[Heres what makes automatic guns different]

Gun purchase records indicate Paddock legally bought more than two dozen firearms over a period of years, according to a person close to the investigation.

Guns & Guitars, a shop in Mesquite, Nev., released a statement acknowledging that Paddock bought guns at the store, but passed all necessary background checks. He never gave any indication or reason to believe he was unstable or unfit at any time. We are currently cooperating with the ongoing investigation by local and federal law enforcement in any way we can.

Lombardo said Paddock brought the weapons to his hotel room, probably concealed in a duffle bag or some other way.

When Paddock began firing, his victims were confused, defenseless and easy targets as police scrambled to find where the shots were coming from. Las Vegas first responders found Paddock after smoke from his rifles set off fire alarms in his hotel room.

Adam Lankford, a University of Alabama criminologist who studies mass killers, said attacking from such a high location gave Paddock a tactical advantage that "rendered moot" everything Americans have been taught to do in mass shooting situations  to run from the gunfire, hide or even fight back if encountering the shooter.

The people below are at a clear disadvantage, Lankford said. Theyre helpless.

Paddock also had the advantage of time.

The vast majority of active-shooter incidents end within five minutes, with the shooter being stopped by police, bystanders or their own suicides, according to an FBI study of attacks between 2000 and 2013.

[Who was Las Vegas gunman Stephen Paddock?]

Paddock is believed to have killed himself as police closed in, but had ample time before officers arrived to reload and switch rifles if one overheated or malfunctioned. Lombardo said he had used multiple weapons.

Fox, the Northeastern University professor, said the apparent automatic-style firing combined with an elevated shooting position is what led to the extraordinary victim count. If Paddock had been on the ground, Fox said, he still would have killed a lot of people, but he would have been overtaken more quickly.

Now, for experts who study these horrifying events, there is concern about what happens next.

There have been studies suggesting that contagion plays a crucial role in mass shootings  that one shooting leads to another. Will other shooters go for automatic firepower? Will tall buildings become coveted shooting perches?

Fox is concerned about those issues, but hes most troubled by news organizations repeating that Paddocks attack is the worst mass shooting in modern U.S. history. Mass shooters typically revere their predecessors and often leave writings or other evidence (charts, lists, etc.) that show attempts to set new killing records.

Why do we keep such records? Fox said. Thats more of an enticement to follow in his footsteps than anything else.

Tom Jackman and Sari Horwitz in Washington and Heather Long in Las Vegas contributed to this report.
D.C. Attorney General Karl A. Racine, center, will decide this week whether the District will appeal a federal courts ruling against one of its gun laws to the Supreme Court. (Michael Robinson Chavez/The Washington Post)

D.C. officials say they will decide this week whether to ask the Supreme Court to review a ruling striking down the citys restrictions on carrying concealed guns  a choice that could determine the fate of similar laws in cities such as New York and Los Angeles and that is being closely watched by national gun-control activists.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit in July rejected a District law that requires residents to demonstrate a "good reason" to obtain a permit to carry a gun in public. The same court last week declined the city's request to rehear the case.

Appealing the ruling to the Supreme Court would give the city a chance to save the law. But it would also open a window for the justices to further constrain the power of cities and states to regulate firearms.

The dilemma mirrors the choice city officials faced in 2007, when the same appeals court found D.C.'s handgun ban unconstitutional. Led by former mayor Adrian M. Fenty (D), the city took the case, District of Columbia v. Heller, to the high court  prompting a landmark decision that established for the first time that the Second Amendment guarantees an individual right to bear arms separate from military service.

That history looms large as D.C. elected officials weigh the risks of asking the Supreme Court to review the current law, which severely limits licenses to carry concealed weapons in the nation's capital by requiring applicants to show a "good reason to fear injury." If the justices decide to hear the case, similar restrictions in states including California, New York, Maryland, Massachusetts, Hawaii, New Jersey and Connecticut will hang in the balance.

Weve been here before, said UCLA law professor and Second Amendment expert Adam Winkler.

After the D.C. Circuit's ruling against the handgun ban in 2007, he said, many gun-control advocates advised the District not to appeal the decision to the Supreme Court. "D.C. did not follow that advice, and the result was the Heller case," Winkler said.

Maryland Attorney General Brian E. Frosh (D) said the implications of the choice the District now faces could be similarly far-reaching.

Really its the fate of the whole country you have in your hands when youre making this call, Frosh said. You want to protect the people of D.C., but you dont want to make bad law for the rest of the country.

District officials say they expect to announce a decision by the end of the week.

D.C. Attorney General Karl A. Racine (D), who will make the call, said his office has been contacted by multiple state attorneys general and gun-control groups that believe an appeal would put laws in other parts of the country at risk. He declined to say whether he was leaning toward an appeal.

A three-judge panel of the D.C. Circuit ruled against the city in July, saying the restrictions are essentially an outright ban and unconstitutional. Last week, the full appeals court declined Racine's request to rehear the case.

The Supreme Court has declined to hear challenges to decisions by other circuit courts that upheld similar concealed-carry restrictions, including a recent case from California. The D.C. Circuit's ruling conflicts with those decisions, setting up the kind of split that often prompts the Supreme Court to hear a case.

City officials are debating what to do as much of the country is discussing the merits of gun control after the mass shooting in Las Vegas on Sunday.

D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson (D), who has written most of the Districts gun laws for the past decade  including the ill-fated handgun ban  said he thought the city should continue to fight the Circuit Court ruling.

Personally, I think it was a bad decision and we ought to appeal it, he said.

Observers of the Supreme Court say it would be a mistake to try to predict how the justices would receive the current case, Wrenn v. District of Columbia.

Justice Anthony M. Kennedy, often the courts swing vote, has been a reliable supporter of Second Amendment rights and sided with the majority that struck down the Districts handgun ban in 2008.

But legal experts said he might look more favorably on strict regulation of permits to carry concealed firearms than would a future justice nominated by President Trump. Kennedy, 81, is the longest-serving justice, and there have been rumors that he is considering retirement.

From a strategic perspective, some analysts said, it might make more sense for gun-control advocates to seek a decision now on whether the Second Amendment protects the right to carry concealed weapons outside the home  before Kennedys possible retirement  than to wait for a court that could be more hostile to gun regulation.

Indeed, the decision by the D.C. Circuit not to rehear the Wrenn case was somewhat surprising because six of the 10 judges who reviewed the city's request were nominated by Democratic presidents. But by taking a pass, the judges may have given the city a chance to fast-track the case directly to the high court.

"One might think they feel like, 'Better Anthony Kennedy than anyone else we're going to get,' " said Saul Cornell, a legal historian and professor at Fordham University.

You never know whats going on inside their heads, he added. But it does seem hard to come up with another coherent explanation.
MARYLAND

Driver dies after vehicle hits guardrail

A man died after the vehicle he was driving struck a guardrail along Indian Head Highway in Maryland.

The crash happened Tuesday morning, just after midnight, along the southbound side of the busy highway near Livingston Road in Forest Heights, according to Prince Georges County police.

The man was pronounced dead at the scene. His name was not immediately released, pending the notification of his relatives.

 Dana Hedgpeth

Teenager is stabbed at Greenbelt school

A 16-year-old student was stabbed in the cafeteria at Eleanor Roosevelt High School in Greenbelt, police and school officials said Tuesday.

The student, who did not suffer life-threatening injuries, was cut behind the ear and on the arm and stabbed in the back after he and a 14-year-old classmate argued, said John White, spokesman for Prince Georges County Public Schools.

The incident happened about 10:30 a.m. The alleged attacker, who suffered a minor injury to his hand, was charged with assault with a cutting instrument and disruption of school activities, said George Mathews, of the Greenbelt Police Department.

Both students were taken to hospitals, school officials said.

VIRGINIA

Man is accused of assaults on trail

A man charged with sexually assaulting a woman on a Fairfax County walking trail last week was charged in other attacks in the area, authorities said Tuesday.

[Woman sexually assaulted on Fairfax County trail, police say]

On Friday, Jeremiah W. Tolley, 21, of Fairfax was arrested and charged with abduction with intent to defile and sexual assault after he allegedly groped a woman walking near Waples Mill and Random Hills roads, Fairfax County police said in a statement.

On Tuesday, police said Tolley was charged with seven more counts of sex assault in attacks on Fairfax trails that began in late August.

 Justin Wm. Moyer

Jogger hit by vehicle dies in Fairfax County

A Virginia man who was struck by a vehicle over the weekend has died, according to police.

Fairfax County police said Thomas Porterfield Jr., 73, of McLean was jogging at about noon Saturday when the incident happened. He was headed east in the 5900 block of Chesterbrook Road, a few blocks from North Glebe Road, when he tried to cross to the other side of the street and was hit by a BMW.

He died at a hospital.

 Dana Hedgpeth
A 16-year-old student was stabbed in the cafeteria at Eleanor Roosevelt High School in Greenbelt, police and school officials said Tuesday.

The student, who did not suffer life-threatening injuries, was cut behind the ear and on the arm, and stabbed in the back, after he and a 14-year-old classmate argued, said John White, spokesman for Prince Georges County Public Schools in suburban Maryland.

The incident happened about 10:30 a.m. The alleged attacker, who suffered a minor injury to his hand, was charged with assault with a cutting instrument and disruption of school activities, said George Mathews, of the Greenbelt Police Department.

Both students were taken to local hospitals, school officials said.
The Montgomery County Council on Tuesday unanimously approved an additional $843,000 to combat gang violence, a response to a sharp increase over the last 18 months in gang-related killings.

Since mid-2015, about half of the countys homicides  at least 15  have been gang-related, according to the States Attorneys Office. In 2011 there were no gang-related homicides, and from 2012 to 2014 there was only one each year.

Law enforcement officials have attributed a spike in gang activity in the Washington suburbs to thousands of undocumented minors who crossed the southern border illegally in recent years, often joining relatives settled here.

Although only a small fraction become involved in criminal activity, the surge has made gang violence a renewed source of concern in Maryland, Virginia and elsewhere.

Tuesdays vote in Montgomery, Marylands largest and one of its most diverse jurisdictions, adds nearly $597,000 for police and nearly $247,000 for the States Attorneys Office to the 2018 budget.

The funds, which will come from county reserves, will help expand the police departments Gang Unit by six positions  a sergeant, three detectives and two civilian gang analysts.

The States Attorneys Office will add three assistant states attorneys and one senior legal assistant to create a unit that will monitor and prosecute cases related to gang activity.

At a hearing before the vote, Tony Hausner, former chair of Safe Silver Spring, said he supported additional funds for gang suppression.

But he also called on the council to approve an additional increase to tackle the prevention and intervention aspects of combating gang violence. Several council members agreed.

I believe our council is in fact prepared to support this supplemental and any further supplemental that is necessary to get a handle with respect to this matter, said Council President Roger Berliner (D-Potomac-Bethesda).

Council member Marc Elrich (D-At Large),who chairs the councils Public Safety Committee, said: This has to be a multipronged approach, and I think weve always known that.

Elrich encouraged discussions with nonprofit groups to help supplement the efforts of local public safety departments. Council member Nancy Navarro (D-Mid-County) said that particularly in immigrant and Latino communities, church influences "can play a very positive role" in strengthening families affected by gang violence.

Gang activity was a prime concern in Montgomery and other Washington-area suburbs for years in the 1990s and early 2000s. The threat tapered off until the recent resurgence.

In July, States Attorney John McCarthy, who is the countys chief prosecutor, told the Public Safety Committee that violent crime related to gangs is significantly up, especially in the categories of robberies and homicides.

The council approves funding for gang suppression every year, but 2011 was the last time that supplemental funding was awarded in the middle of the budget year, said Susan Farag, a legislative analyst for the county.

That year, county police, the States Attorneys Office and other county departments received a federal grant of nearly $1.3 million to combat gang activity.

Montgomery County Assistant Police Chief Russ Hamill said Tuesday that the resurgence of gang violence remains on the outer edge of what weve experienced in the past.

Whether [gang members] are sending a message or not, youll have to ask them, Hamill said. But were sending a message. Our message is, were not going to put up with this.
Former Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, one of the countrys most powerful and unifying leaders and a man who spent much of his life fighting for the cause of the Kurds of northern Iraq, died Oct. 3 at a hospital in Berlin. He was 83.

His death was confirmed by Sadi Ahmed Pira, a spokesman for the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, Mr. Talabanis political party. He had long struggled with his health and was often treated abroad. In 2008, he underwent heart surgery at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota. He suffered a stroke in 2012 and stepped down as president in 2014.

A good-humored, portly man with a soft smile and a mustache, Mr. Talabani was nonetheless a pragmatic and savvy political operator who knew when to play down his Kurdish nationalism. He had been a frequent emissary to world capitals for the Kurdish people before and after the overthrow of Saddam Hussein in the U.S.-led invasion of 2003.

He was popularly known as Mam Jalal, Kurdish for Uncle Jalal, a nickname ascribed to him in his youth because of his seriousness and that later reflected the affection of his supporters and even some political rivals.

Mr. Talabanis death came just days after the semiautonomous Kurdish region held a landmark referendum on whether to declare independence from Iraq. The yes vote passed by an overwhelming margin  marking a step toward a goal sought by millions of Kurds for a century or more  but it also set off the worst feud between Iraqs central government and the Kurds since the fall of Hussein and fears that the crisis could descend into war.

[Iraqi Kurds vote in favor of independence as crisis escalates]

Many in Iraq have wondered whether the crisis would have occurred if Mr. Talabani had still been active in politics, or if he might have been able to defuse it.

As a Kurd, Mr. Talabani was the first non-Arab president of an Arab nation. Although his office was largely ceremonial, he exerted great influence over the Iraqi political landscape.

He was able to bring Iraqs warring factions to the negotiating table  and keep them there amid violent sectarian conflict from 2005 to 2007. He was credited with preventing the disintegration of the countrys fragile national unity government in the wake of the U.S.-led occupation.

"His biggest victory, and vindication, was to ascend to the presidency of Iraq, succeeding a dictator who had worked long and hard to eradicate the Kurdish national movement," said Joost R. Hiltermann, a Middle East expert with the International Crisis Group, a conflict prevention organization.

Astoundingly, as president of Iraq, Talabani worked hard not to be seen as an advocate of the Kurds but to represent Iraqis, and to a large extent he succeeded, Hiltermann said. Time and again he intervened and mediated in political crises, and each time, he managed to lower the temperature, helped to a great extent by his jocular and avuncular personality.

In the years before his death, Mr. Talabani tried to mediate a deepening political crisis among Iraqs three main groups  Shiites, Sunnis and Kurds.

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As his health deteriorated, he fell from public view, and Baghdad and the semiautonomous Kurdish region hurtled toward a political impasse over revenue sharing, oil and borders. His poor health kept him out of the debate over the independence referendum, which was opposed by Iraqs central government, the United States, Iran and Turkey.

Mr. Talabani was not without his autocratic tendencies, Hiltermann said, and failed to provide for a stable transition to new leadership.

Jalal Talabani was born Nov. 12, 1933, in Kelkan, in the Iraqi Kurdistan region. He showed an early revolutionary streak, founding the underground Kurdish Student Union when he was 13. The next year, he joined the newly formed Kurdish Democratic Party (KDP); by 18, he was a member of the partys central committees, often forced to go into hiding because of his fight for Kurdish rights.

Nevertheless, Mr. Talabani managed to earn a law degree from the University of Baghdad in 1959. But law was his second choice  after medicine.

I was not accepted at the College of Medicine because I did not have the so-called good-behavior certificate, which used to be issued by the security services known as the criminal investigations department,  Mr. Talabani told the Arab daily al-Sharq al-Awsat in 2009.

I had been arrested several times, and even when I was in Kirkuk during my secondary education, I was arrested twice, he said. I was always under observation by the secret police.

By 1961, he began to focus on the cause of Kurdish resistance against the Iraqi government. Mr. Talabani was a battlefront commander and led separatist movements in several Kurdish regions. When not on the front lines, he traveled on diplomatic missions, becoming the face of Kurdish resistance to Europeans and across the Middle East.

You have to judge political objectives according to realistic expectations, Mr. Talabani told the Los Angeles Times in 1991. We dont want to be like the Palestinians and ask for the impossible. If there were a democratic government in Iraq, we would be happy to be Iraqis.

In 1975, Mr. Talabani and others splintered from the KDP and formed the PUK, which launched an armed resistance against Iraqs ruling Baath Party, which in a few years Hussein would lead.

In the 1980s, tensions mounted between Mr. Talabani and KDP leader Massoud Barzani, even as the PUK resisted Husseins regime. In 1994, armed conflict erupted between the two Kurdish parties. Four years later, the feuding factions signed a peace deal that called for them to jointly govern Iraqs Kurdish regions.

When Hussein launched a crackdown on the Kurdish separatists in the late 1980s, using chemical weapons that killed thousands of Kurds, Mr. Talabani sought refuge in Iran, from where he continued the struggle for Kurdish independence.

Mr. Talabani played a key role in uniting the Kurds to help the U.S.-led coalition topple Hussein.

During the 1991 Persian Gulf War, tens of thousands of Kurdish troops advanced to within 90 miles of Baghdad. But U.S.-led forces had been ordered not to overthrow Hussein after pushing his troops out of Kuwait. In the wars aftermath, Hussein launched an intense military assault against the Kurds, but President George H.W. Bush decided not to intervene.

I am very surprised and astonished to see that the United States is now indifferent to the fate of the Iraqi people, Mr. Talabani told the Boston Globe at the time. The Americans, they stopped the war, and the Iraqi people now have to struggle to end the war alone. I sometimes hear rumors  I dont believe them  that the United States is content to have Saddam Hussein in power.

For the next decade, Mr. Talabani would continue to lobby for the overthrow of Hussein. Months before the 2003 Iraq invasion, Mr. Talabani offered to allow U.S. forces to use Kurdish territories as a springboard to attack the regime.

Mr. Talabani helped build a political footprint in the new Iraq. He and his old rival Barzani forged a new pact promising closer cooperation to run the Kurdish regions.

In October 2002, the Kurdish parliament reconvened for the first time in six years; Mr. Talabani and Barzani each apologized to the others followers, endorsed a U.S.-backed peace plan and pledged to support a draft constitution that would lead to the creation of a Kurdish nation. A few months later, both leaders agreed to lead the Iraqi Kurdistan region jointly.

Mr. Talabani was conscious of the impact of world opinion.

In April 2003, he and Barzani sat down to lunch with a group of journalists, according to a Newsday account. Both leaders patted the other on the back, smiled and joked. As the waiters brought plate after plate of delicious dishes, Mr. Talabani asked a photographer not to take any photos.

We want to give the world an image of the Kurds as a suffering people, he said, with a smile. This feast will not do it.

An alliance of Kurdish parties, led by Mr. Talabani and Barzani, won 75 parliamentary seats in Iraqs January 2005 elections. That April, Mr. Talabani was elected president by the countrys transitional National Assembly.

Exhibiting his skills as a mediator, one of Mr. Talabanis first acts as president was to reach out to Iraqs Sunnis and offer an amnesty to woo them away from the spreading insurgency.

We should find the political and peaceful solutions with those Iraqis who were deceived into joining the terrorists to afford them amnesty and invite them to join the democratic process, Mr. Talabani said at the time.

The Iraqi parliament reelected him the next year and again four years later in November 2010.

Survivors include his wife, Hero Ibrahim Ahmed, and two sons, including Qubad Talibani, a former representative of the Kurdistan Regional Government in the United States and now deputy prime minister of the KRG.

Tamer El-Ghobashy in Cairo, Mustafa Salim in Baghdad, and Kareem Fahim and Aaso Ameen Schwan in Irbil, Iraq, contributed to this report.
The Hall of Famer ruled classic rock with hits going back to the 1970s.

May 15, 1977 From left, Mike Campbell, Ron Blair and Tom Petty of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers perform in Hammersmith Odeon, London. Their style was a throwback in many ways, a rejection of arena rock bands like Led Zeppelin and the blues roots music of the Allman Brothers in favor of early rockers like Buddy Holly and Elvis Pressley. Ian Dickson/REX/Shutterstock/AP
A man charged with sexually assaulting a woman on a Fairfax County walking trail last week was charged in multiple other attacks in the area, authorities said Tuesday.

[Woman sexually assaulted on Fairfax County trail, police say]

On Friday, 21-year-old Jeremiah Whitmore Tolley of Fairfax was arrested and charged with abduction with intent to defile and sexual assault after he allegedly groped a woman walking near Waples Mill and Random Hills roads, Fairfax County police said in a statement.

On Tuesday, police said Tolley was charged with seven additional counts of sexual assault in attacks on Fairfax trails that began in late August and is being held without bail.

Police asked that anyone with information about other assaults on trails in the area contact them at 703-691-2131.
Fire damage shown on Oct. 3, 2012, in the main compound villa in which Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens suffered the asphyxiation that killed him at the U.S. mission in Benghazi. (Michael Birnbaum/The Washington Post)

State Department security officers described scenes of chaos and death as September 2012 assaults unfolded at the U.S. diplomatic mission and nearby CIA post in Benghazi, Libya, as the federal trial continued Tuesday of the accused ringleader of the attacks, Ahmed Abu Khattala.

In six hours of testimony, Diplomatic Security special agent Scott Wickland stood as one of the sole surviving human links between the two attack sites and several victims.

As bodyguard to U.S. Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens, Wickland was the last person to see him and an aide alive as they tried to escape a burning mission villa. Wickland also was at the wheel of an armored car evacuating U.S. security personnel that ran a gauntlet of hostile fire to the CIA annex, only to have the attack trail them and mortar rounds kill two more Americans and wound one of Wicklands close friends just feet away from him on a rooftop.

"They all looked like they had seen a ghost," said Wickland, describing agents' reactions at finding him alive outside the villa. "My face was covered in soot, my eyes were black, my teeth were black."

Wickland's riveting on-the-ground testimony in a federal courtroom in Washington set the scene of Americans under fire for prosecutors, but by itself did not directly implicate Abu Khattala, a Libyan militia leader captured overseas by U.S. commandos in 2014.



U.S. Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens in the lobby of the Tibesty Hotel in Benghazi, Libya, in an April 11, 2011, photo. (Ben Curtis/AP)

[Accused Benghazi ringleader is in court in Washington as terrorism trial opens]

Abu Khattala has pleaded not guilty to 18 counts including murder, attempted murder, material support of terrorism and destruction of U.S. facilities in the Benghazi attacks of Sept. 11 and Sept. 12, 2012. He faces a life sentence if convicted.

Stevens was the first U.S. ambassador killed since 1979 in violent actions.

Wickland described how first he heard screams on a security radio as Libyan guards were shot and killed outside the diplomatic compound, then more shots as close to 80 militants overran the grounds and triggered explosions outside Stevens's quarters after 9:45 p.m. Sept. 11, 2012.

Hunkered down in a closet converted into a safe room protected by metal bars in a building designated Villa C, Wickland said he guarded Stevens, handed his shotgun to communications aide Sean Patrick Smith, and then felt the pressure change in his ears as what he thought was a rocket-propelled grenade blew open the outer doors of the building.

"I didn't know that we were going to make it out of there alive," said Wickland, a former U.S. Navy combat rescue swimmer who had arrived in Benghazi only six weeks earlier.



A man carries a large poster of a map of Benghazi, Libya, into federal court in Washington on Monday, as a trial opened for Ahmed Abu Khattala, the suspected mastermind of the 2012 attacks on two U.S. compounds in Benghazi, Libya, that killed four Americans. (Andrew Harnik/AP)

The attackers retreated, but the villa was set afire, pumping acrid, black smoke from ceiling to floor.

With one hand on his M-4 rifle and the other on Stevens, Wickland said he last saw the ambassador and Smith crawling behind him as they tried to reach a bedroom with a window. 'To this day, I don't even know where they went," Wickland said, his voice catching with emotion during testimony. "I was right next to him and then, that's it."

Wickland climbed out of the window alone, then reentered the compound four times to try to find the men without success, vomiting from the smoke, coming under the fire when he was outside, and calling on his radio for help , he said.

Finally, he climbed to the roof, pulling up a ladder after him, testifying, "That's when I knew [Stevens and Smith] were dead."

Wickland was reached by other agents, still barefoot because the attack began so suddenly he did not have time to put on shoes. A Tripoli-based U.S. agent found Smith's body and carried it out with Diplomatic Security agent Dave Ubben.

Reluctant to abandon Stevens but believing him dead and fearing a renewed attack, two carloads of U.S. security personnel fell back to the CIA annex, little more than a kilometer away. Wickland drove one car, and as he passed a crowd of about 90 armed Libyans, they opened fire , striking "the car hundreds of times."

Once inside the gate, Global Response Staff CIA contractors were "shocked" to see the damage, he said. An explosion that Wickland suspected was tossed gelatin dynamite "ripped off" much of the rear of the vehicle, two tires were shot out, windows were spiderwebbed and the body appeared pocked by hundreds of bulletmarks.

Wickland went into a building, while Ubben and the GRS team in the other vehicle, including Tyrone S. Woods, a 41-year-old former Navy SEAL, took positions on the rooftop. Another GRS team from Tripoli arrived, and one member, Glen Doherty, 42, a former SEAL and medic, checked on Wickland, who had been struggling to breathe.

"I was pretty grateful for that. He seemed just like a good guy . . . and then right away, he just went up and joined my friends on the roof," Wickland said. "Right after that I hear the explosions happen."

Four suspected mortar rounds hit, he said. Doherty and Woods were killed. GRS member Mark "Oz" Geist, then 46 and a former police chief, suffered wounds to his neck, arm and abdomen; Ubben, 36, who had come to Wickland's rescue, had severe wounds to his face, arm and leg.

With casualties mounting, the Americans evacuated through Benghazis airport, where Stevenss body was returned by friendly Libyans.

Wickland said he left Libya having never fired a shot through the attacks, and has not gone back.

[How terrorism suspect was captured in secret raid]
Update: Prince George's County Police issued a statement Wednesday saying "detectives have determined that this reported sexual assault did not occur. The girl told a family member she saw a similar crime on a television show. The investigation is closed. "

A young girl was sexually assaulted Thursday in Fort Washington as she walked home from her school bus stop, the Prince Georges County police said.

They said the man grabbed the girl at Devon Hills Drive and Grasmere Court, pulled her between two cars and inappropriately touched her. She broke free and run away, they said.

Police said the attacker was described as a Hispanic male about 5 feet 8 , 260 pounds, with black hair and a mustache. He wore a green shirt and black boots, police said.
A Marine looks at the blazing thatched houses of Duc An after a village raid on Aug. 6, 1965, during the Vietnam War.

Columnist

In a riveting new documentary about the Vietnam War by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick, some U.S. veterans speak candidly about the human capacity for killing. They remind us that our reasons for killing don't have to be good. They may not even have to exist.

For instance, you can annihilate roughly 3 million Vietnamese during a 20-year war and neither you nor the rest of the country needs ever really know why.

Karl Marlantes, who served in the Marines, told the documentarians, Were not the top species on the planet because were nice. Were a very aggressive species. It is in us. People talk a lot about how well the military turns kids into killing machines. I always argue that its just finishing school.

Throughout the 10-part series, we see massive antiwar protests as the immorality of the war pings the conscience of more and more Americans. Some of the largest demonstrations occur near the White House and at the Pentagon. In the end, we arrive at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on the Mall, near the Lincoln Memorial.

More than 58,000 Americans lost their lives.

[Traitors or patriots? Eight Vietnam POWs were charged with collaborating with the enemy]

The documentary features the antiwar songs of the 1960s and 70s that accompanied many of the protests. But the real soundtrack is the rat-tat-tat-tat-tat gunfire of automatic rifles: the M-16 carried by U.S. troops and the AK-47 used by the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces.

Even if you havent seen the documentary, you still know the sound. You heard similar rapid-fire shots coming from the windows of the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas on Sunday. Stephen Paddock, a retired accountant and high-stakes gambler from Mesquite, Nev., reportedly used a weapon similar to an AK-47 to kill at least 59 people and wound hundreds more.

It seems some of us are just as willing to turn the gun on fellow Americans as on our enemies in foreign lands.

Where did Paddock get a gun like that, you ask?

In the documentary, youll see the United States sending massive amounts of military armament to South Vietnam. You might recall that the United States manufactures and exports more weapons than any other country.

We are the worlds Guns R Us store. Surplus military weapons are now going to police departments  to be used for local law enforcement. Moreover, the United States has been at war or involved in some armed conflict with other countries for most of its existence  even when national security was not at stake.

Who can be surprised that a nation addicted to war would be awash in guns  and eager to use them?

In Vietnam, a village of innocent Vietnamese was massacred by U.S. troops. When asked by a TV reporter why he participated in the killing, one soldier just shrugged and said, I dont know. Nobody was held accountable.

As for the tens of thousands of innocent people killed in the U.S. aerial bombing of Vietnam, it took years before America even took notice, let alone complained. In an interview with Washington Post writer Alyssa Rosenberg, Novick observed:

Many, many people were killed by indiscriminate use of firepower, and thats bombing and artillery and naval battery and that kind of thing. And we dont consider those atrocities. That was just collateral damage. Unfortunate. Just what happens. And so theres something sort of inherent in how we waged the war that we have to think about as a society.

The documentary also showed that seemingly normal young adults could don Ohio National Guard uniforms and proceed to shoot and kill students at Kent State gathered for a nonviolent antiwar protest in 1970. In Jackson, Miss., we see bullet holes in a dormitory window at Jackson State where city police shot and killed two nonviolent student activists 10 days later.

Shockingly, a poll after the Kent State killings showed that more than 40 percent of U.S. residents thought the National Guard had acted appropriately.

John Musgrave, a Marine veteran, said that dehumanizing the Vietnamese made it easier for him to kill. Musgrave, who is white, called it racism 101.

This is war, former Marine Roger Harris said of the conflict. Soldiers adapt. Killing, dying, after a while, it doesnt bother you. . . . I was made to realize that this is war and is what we do.

To read previous columns, go to washingtonpost.com/milloy.
As they absorbed the aftershocks of the worst mass shooting in U.S. history, about 150 people organized by Moms Demand Action and the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence convened Monday evening in front of Alexandria City Hall for an candle light vigil and press conference.

Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam, a Democrat who is running for governor, was joined at the vigil for the victims of the Las Vegas shootings by Attorney General Mark Herring (D), whose support for gun control has drawn a barrage of NRA ads for his re-election bid, and U.S. Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.), as well as several Democratic state lawmakers.

They made pleas for gun control -- and one delivered a forceful condemnation of the Republican response, particularly from GOP gubernatorial candidate Ed Gillespie who said Monday it was too soon after the Sunday shootings that killed 59 people to discuss ways to reduce gun violence. Instead, Gillespie said he was praying for the dead and for more than 500 others who were injured.

Today they are talking about thoughts and prayer because thats all they have, said Del. Mark Levine (D-Alexandria). Ed Gillespie has been silent on this issue for decades, and that silence is killing us.

[How the Virginia candidates for governor responded to the Las Vegas shootings]

Northam is running neck and neck with Gillespie in the nations marquee statewide election this year.

Several parents of victims of the 2007 Virginia Tech massacre spoke at the vigial, giving emotional remarks between long, tearful pauses.

Northam, a pediatric. neurologist, shared stories he has frequently told on the campaign trail about treating children who had accidentally been shot and, his voice breaking, he spoke of a woman he had cared for as a toddler who was killed by her husband.

Until I do not have any more breath in my lungs, I will stand up and tell people that we do not need assault weapons on our streets, said Northam. I will continue to stand up, I will continue to fight, I will continue to be proud of my F grade with the NRA.

View Graphic The latest stories and details on the 2017 Virginia general election and race for governor.

The NRA, which has endorsed Gillespie and awarded him an A rating, plans to run political advertising worth more than $750,000 between Oct. 10 and the Nov. 7 election.
Virginia Democratic gubernatorial contender Ralph Northam, who called President Trump a "narcissistic maniac" during his primary race, released a new commercial Tuesday that strikes a softer tone.

As a doctor, nobody ever asks if Im a Democrat or a Republican. They just want my help, Northam, the sitting lieutenant governor and a pediatrician, says to the camera. So if Donald Trump is helping Virginia, Ill work with him. But Donald Trump proposed cutting Virginias school funding, rolling back our clean air and water protections, and taking away healthcare from thousands of Virginians.  Ive stood up to Donald Trump on all of it. Ed Gillespie refuses to stand up to him at all.

Republicans labeled the change as a major flip-flop, but political observers say its no surprise. Candidates are sharper in addressing activists likely to vote in primaries, and generally tack to the center with general election audiences.

[Interested in Virginias governors race? Join our Facebook group]

This is Politics 101, said Stephen Farnsworth, a political scientist at the University of Mary Washington. It seems to me that the people opposed to Donald Trump are already pretty motivated to turn out in this election...It makes sense for Northam to try to expand his support to those voters who are undecided with a more genial approach.

Asked why he dropped narcissistic maniac from his lexicon, Northam offered a less calculated reason.

I think people already know and they are judging for themselves, said Northam at a recent campaign event in Arlington. What we are talking about as we move forward are the policies that are coming out of Washington that are so detrimental to Virginia like the travel ban and pulling away from the Paris (climate) accords.

Polls have shown Trump is deeply unpopular in Virginia. But after he pulled off an upset victory over Hillary Clinton in November, Democrats have debated whether they ran too hard against Trump at the expense of offering voters a reason to vote for Clinton.

Northams communications director said the campaign wasnt necessarily heeding the lessons of the 2016 presidential race.

What we have been focused on throughout the election is how Donald Trump would specifically hurt Virginia, said David Turner. What voters care about- they care about policies that would hurt Virginia.

But a Gillespie spokesman said Northams changing tone on Trump reflects a fickle candidate.

View Graphic The latest stories and details on the 2017 Virginia general election and race for governor.

He changes his positions daily, doesnt put forward any real policy proposals, and is largely invisible on the trail, said Dave Abrams, the spokesman. Its becoming a Seinfeld episode: a campaign about nothing.

Gillespie, who has been trying to attract Trump voters without repelling moderates, has embraced the president more in the general election than during his primary contest. And he has tried to use Northam's signature line about Trump against him. At their first debate in July, the former Republican National Committee chairman questioned how Northam would work be able to work with the federal government.

What are you going to do  call the White House, Please put me through to the narcissistic maniac? Gillespie said.


A damaged house is visible among stripped trees near Caguas, Puerto Rico. (Carlos Barria/Reuters)

When things went bad during Hurricane Maria, they went bad all at once, across this entire island. Suddenly, everything was dysfunctional, including the power grid, the cellphone towers, the banking system. Even the disaster managers, the professionals in charge of responding to hurricanes, were forced to evacuate the buildings where they had sheltered during the powerful storm.

They shifted operations to the convention center here, an improvised maneuver that was just one of the reasons the government struggled to meet the challenges Maria presented. They were in the dark. The islands residents were in the dark. No one knew the extent of what had happened  or what was happening  for days.

Everything collapsed, said Hector Pesquera, the Puerto Rico governors director of safety and public protection. Everything collapsed simultaneously.

Nearly two weeks after Maria caused a historic catastrophe and thrust Puerto Rico into a humanitarian crisis, President Trump on Tuesday is scheduled to make his first visit to the island since the storm hit on Sept. 20.

Trump is expected to meet with Gov. Ricardo Rossello, who has repeatedly expressed appreciation for federal support from Washington. It is unclear whether Trump will encounter San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz, who has sharply criticized the federal effort, saying that Puerto Ricans are dying while the nations bureaucracy stumbles.

Trump has tweeted attacks on Cruzs leadership, and the president has repeatedly said that stories highlighting the slow response to the crisis are fake news.

That view was echoed, if in a more subtle way, by the Federal Emergency Management Agencys administrator on Monday after he flew to the island and, as he told reporters, saw signs of civic vibrancy in San Juan. William Brock Long said he managed to get a cellphone signal when he was 20 minutes outside the capital and heading to a remote area.

As we were going down the road, I saw numerous fuel trucks with security, I saw numerous water trucks with security, he said. I saw a lot of resilient Puerto Ricans. I saw neighbors helping neighbors. I didnt see anybody in a life-threatening situation at all.

[Trapped in the mountains, Puerto Ricans dont see help, or a way out]

The statutory requirements and protocols of disaster management are complex. The Defense Department has authority to send some of its assets where it sees fit, and in the case of Hurricane Maria did not initially deploy as many ships, sailors and soldiers as it could have. But the Defense Department is supposed to support, and follow the guidance of, FEMA. FEMA, in turn, is supposed to support the local and state (and in this case, territory) government.

Political sensitivities enter the calculation  with governors invariably wanting to show command and control  as was the case with Rossello, who on Thursday took pains to say that the government of Puerto Rico is fully in charge of the Maria disaster response.

The last thing a political leader wants to admit is that the problem is beyond their control, said retired Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen, who played a critical role in the federal responses to Hurricane Katrina and the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. There has to be a frank, unvarnished conversation about the scope of the problem and how to deal with it. It is politically hard but operationally essential.



Cars in Vega Alta pass power-line poles downed by Hurricane Maria. (Ricardo Arduengo/AFP/Getty Images)

Even before Maria, Puerto Rico had been hobbling along economically amid a financial crisis and at the same time convulsing politically. Now comes the longer-term question of whether the island can rebuild its economy and stave off wholesale flight of its residents to the mainland.

Rossello, trying to steer attention toward the broader issues facing Puerto Rico, said on Sunday: I invite you to reflect on why Puerto Rico is in the current state of disadvantage and inequality. Its not something that happened just a few months or few weeks before this storm. It is a condition that has happened for more than a century in Puerto Rico. . . . I invite you to reflect on the reality that even after the storm hit Puerto Rico, even when it was evident that it was a disaster in the United States, only half of our U.S. citizens knew that Puerto Ricans were U.S. citizens.

Rosello and other officials have not denied that the government struggled to provide food, water, medicine and fuel in the wake of Maria, but they have pointed to the challenges of being an island 1,000 miles from the mainland, as well as the communication breakdowns they experienced.

The scale of the disaster became clear only when mayors from across the island arrived in San Juan on Sept. 23, three days after the storm, for a meeting at the convention center at which they delivered dire reports in person. The U.S. government did not ramp up all of its capabilities until six days had passed. Last Tuesday, the Pentagon dispatched an Army one-star general to the island and then quickly elevated that command by sending in a three-star general.

[If anyone can hear us . . . help. Puerto Ricos mayors describe widespread devastation from Hurricane Maria]

Every day we get more and more situational awareness, said John Rabin, the acting administrator for the FEMA division that oversees Puerto Rico. As soon as we recognized there was a need for more resources and more capability, we ordered up that proverbial bigger boat.

Asked if the response was slow, he went silent for a few beats.

Its not that it was slow; its complex, is the way I would describe it, Rabin said.

He cited one example of the way the response is evolving: FEMA and the Puerto Rico emergency managers sent relief supplies to 11 locations around the island. But the lack of communication meant that many people were not showing up for the supplies. Officials since have been using military helicopters to carry aid to rural locations.

The difficulty in responding to Maria has revealed how unique each disaster is  and how resistant to a one-size-fits-all approach. Hurricane Harvey, for example, created a flooding disaster in Houston and other cities in southern Texas, and thousands of people had to be rescued from their homes, often by civilians using private boats.

For Maria, numerous Coast Guard and FEMA urban-search-and-rescue teams were on hand or arrived quickly. But it soon became clear that what people needed most were life-sustaining provisions  including water, food and diesel fuel for generators  that the search-and-rescue teams didnt have.

Senior officials in the Pentagon debated sending additional assistance in the first few days after the storm, including deploying a 1,000-bed hospital ship, the USNS Comfort, under their own authority. They decided instead to fill requests from the Puerto Rico government to send a couple of 50-bed hospital units that could be set up on shore.

Long visited Puerto Rico last Monday, and afterward the Pentagons effort changed. The next day Long appeared at the White House and announced the deployment of the Comfort.

Several U.S. military officials with knowledge of Puerto Rico operations said afterward that they hadnt known about the ships deployment. The Comfort was not yet ready to sail.

Military officials said they have filled every request they have received in a timely fashion. The Navy had two amphibious combat ships, the USS Kearsarge and the USS Oak Hill, already in the region in response to Hurricane Irma, and after maneuvering to avoid Maria they sailed to Puerto Rico with a complement of Marines and sailors aboard. The Coast Guard had at least nine ships off the Puerto Rico coast shortly after the storm.

The unpredictable path of the storm played a role in the decision to send some ships, notably the USS Iwo Jima and USS New York, to ports on the mainland rather than to Puerto Rico in advance of Maria, the officials said. When pressed, they acknowledged that the ships could have steered clear of the storm while at sea and responded to the storm sooner.

As of Monday, there were 10 Army helicopters, 17 Navy and Marine Corps helicopters, and 10 National Guard helicopters involved in the Maria response, with an additional 12 Army Black Hawk helicopters and four MV-22 Osprey arriving soon, the Pentagon said.

Lamothe and Achenbach reported from Washington.
KASHMIR

4 dead after rebels raid Indian security camp

A group of rebels fighting Indian rule stormed a paramilitary camp near an airport in disputed Kashmir early Tuesday, in a brazen attack on one of the Himalayan regions most strategic and well-guarded zones that left at least four dead.

Police said the militants breached several layers of security outside and inside the camp while exchanging gunfire with security forces for nearly nine hours.

At least three suspected militants and one border guard officer were killed, police told reporters in Srinagar, the summer capital of the Indian-controlled section of Kashmir. At least three soldiers were injured, police said.

The rebels, dressed in military uniforms, began the attack by hurling grenades and spraying automatic gunfire at the camp, which houses a battalion of Indias Border Security Force, police said.

The camp sits on a plateau next to Srinagars main airport, separated only by barbed wire. Officials said the airport was safe.

Rebels in Muslim-majority Kashmir have been fighting for independence or a merger with Pakistan since 1989. The region is divided between India and Pakistan, with both claiming the territory in its entirety.

 Associated Press

DENMARK

Stab wounds found on dead journalists torso

Fifteen stabs wounds were found on the headless and dismembered torso of a Swedish journalist last seen with a Danish inventor in his homemade submarine, a prosecutor said Tuesday. Police also found videos on the mans computer showing women being tortured and killed.

Prosecutor Jakob Buch-Jepsen said at a pretrial hearing that the cause of death for 30-year-old Kim Wall has not been established.

Inventor Peter Madsen, 46, is being held on preliminary charges of manslaughter and indecent handling of a corpse. Madsen says that Wall died after being accidentally hit by a 155-pound hatch in the submarines tower and that he buried her at sea.

Buch-Jepsen said the videos found on Madsens personal computer are considered real.

Walls torso was found off Copenhagen on Aug. 21, 10 days after Madsens arrest. The two had gone out on Madsens submarine on Aug. 10

Buch-Jepsen said Madsen had killed Wall between Aug. 10 and 11, cut up the body and attached a belt with a pipe to the torso to make it sink.

The hearing was not aimed at determining the guilt of Madsen, but at extending his detention while police investigate.

 Associated Press

UGANDA

Opposition lawmakers homes hit by grenades

Explosive devices were lobbed at the homes of two opposition lawmakers in assaults that they said are related to their resistance to attempts to extend the longtime presidents time in office.

No one was hurt in the Monday night blasts, but the lawmakers, Allan Ssewanyana and Robert Kyagulanyi, said Tuesday that their lives are in danger.

Tensions are rising in Uganda as opposition leaders try to mobilize support against legislation to remove a constitutional limit that bars anyone over 75 from becoming president.

President Yoweri Museveni, 73 and in power since 1986, is ineligible to seek reelection in 2021 if the age barrier stays.

Ssewanyana said he believes his home was attacked by members of Ugandas security forces, who intended to injure me.

A government spokesman said it was possible that opposition members had acquired stun grenades to launch attacks and then frame the government.

 Associated Press

Spanish court backs extradition of Russian hacker to U.S.: Spain's National Court has decided to extradite a suspected Russian hacker to the United States. Pyotr Levashov was arrested earlier this year while vacationing with his family in Barcelona. Levashov is sought in the United States on charges of fraud and unauthorized interception of electronic communications. U.S. authorities have linked him to powerful botnets, or networks of hijacked computers capable of pumping out billions of spam emails.

Pakistan's disgraced former leader is reelected party head: Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif has been reelected president of Pakistan's ruling party, the Pakistan Muslim League-N, despite the scandal surrounding his dismissal from office. Sharif's reelection came after Parliament approved a bill allowing officials disqualified by courts to hold party offices. Pakistan's Supreme Court in July dismissed Sharif as premier on suspicion of concealing financial assets. He is facing trial before an anti-corruption court.

 From news services
Columnist

What does it take to get Congress to act on vital questions of war and peace? The catastrophe in Yemen may test whether Congress is finally prepared to exercise its constitutional responsibility. Four legislators  two House Democrats and two Republicans  have introduced a resolution under the War Powers Act demanding a vote in 15 days to end U.S. involvement in Saudi Arabia's devastation of Yemen.

The resolution, co-sponsored by Democrats Ro Khanna and Mark Pocan (the co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus) and by Republicans Thomas Massie and Walter Jones, requires the removal of U.S. forces from the war in Yemen unless Congress votes to authorize American involvement. Beginning under President Barack Obama, the U.S. military has assisted the Saudi campaign in Yemen, providing tankers for aerial refueling and targeting intelligence against the Houthi rebels said to be backed by Iran. U.S. support was reportedly part of a deal to get Saudi Arabia to be more supportive of the war against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.

The Saudi-led campaign in Yemen has been central to creating what U.N. officials call the world's largest humanitarian crisis. The carpet-bombing of civilian areas has helped produce borderline famine for 7 million, 20 million in need of humanitarian aid and a spreading cholera epidemic that has already reached 700,000 cases and killed more than 2,000.

Saudi Arabia has faced growing global protests over the bombing of civilian areas and other alleged violations of international law. Most recently, the Saudis have barred relief flights from access to Yemen's airport and blocked delivery of four cranes financed by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) that are vital to unloading medicine and food at Port Hodeida. Saudi influence managed to quash efforts by the Netherlands to force an international inspection of war crimes two years ago. Finally last month, the U.N. Human Rights Council passed a compromise resolution calling for the appointment of independent international experts to investigate humanitarian abuses and identify those responsible.

During his campaign, Donald Trump expressed skepticism of failed U.S. interventions across the Middle East. Since coming to office, however, he has ratcheted up U.S. involvement in Afghanistan, Syria and Yemen. The pace of U.S. bombing and interventions by special forces aimed at al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) has increased dramatically. Trump made no mention of Saudi Arabia's brutal attacks on Yemen in celebrating its cooperation in the war on terrorism at the Arab Islamic American Summit in Riyadh. In spite of generally opposing all things Obama, Trump appears to be doubling down on his predecessor's policy toward Saudi Arabia and Yemen.

Although a reactionary monarchy, Saudi Arabia has long enjoyed a special relationship with the United States. A blind eye has been turned toward its support for spreading extreme fundamentalist Wahhabi doctrine and its extensive financial ties to extremist organizations. The fact that the 15 of the 19 9/11 hijackers were Saudi citizens has been virtually ignored. A document on Saudi connections to the attackers (from a larger congressional inquiry into the attacks) was released only last year.

Now that impunity is starting to wear thin. In his foreign policy speech at Westminster College, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) courageously called out our support for Saudi Arabia's "destructive intervention in Yemen," arguing that "such policies dramatically undermine America's ability to advance a human rights agenda across the world."

Later, in an interview with the Intercept's Mehdi Hasan, Sanders elaborated, arguing that Saudi Arabia shouldn't be considered "an ally," because "it is an undemocratic country that has supported terrorism across the world."

The congressional resolution cites the State Department 2016 Country Reports on Terrorisms conclusion that the Yemen conflict is counterproductive to ongoing efforts . . . to pursue Al Qaeda and its associated forces. The Saudi intervention is creating yet another failed state in which terrorists can take root.

As lead co-sponsor Khanna (D-Calif.) argues, the war powers resolution is long overdue: "Congress and the American people know too little about the role we are playing in a war that is causing suffering for millions of people and is a genuine threat to our national security."

The resolution will force Congress to debate this truly deplorable policy that has implicated the United States in Saudi war crimes while fueling the spread of terrorism. The establishment default about the endless wars without victory or sense in the Middle East must end. Indeed, the bipartisan nature of the co-sponsor list for the resolution indicates interest on both sides of the aisle in revitalizing Congress as an effective constitutional check on a long-out-of-control executive branch. Khanna is hopeful that the debate on our support of the Saudi coalition in Yemen will serve as a belated but necessary first step, demonstrating growing bipartisan concern about continued foreign intervention.

Read more from Katrina vanden Heuvel's archive or follow her on Twitter.
Philip N. Howard is a professor of Internet studies at the Oxford Internet Institute and Balliol College at the University of Oxford. Bence Kollanyi is a researcher at the Oxford Internet Institute.

Facebook and Twitter have taken the important step of handing over thousands of ads to Congress that were bought and circulated by Russian strategists to influence our elections. These examples show just how expertly the Russian propaganda machine can craft messages that stoke fear, hatred and panic among American voters.

But sharing examples is only the first small step in what should be a systematic analysis of foreign political influence on American voters through online networks. Facebook and Twitter are unique as media companies because they provide us with platforms for communicating with our networks of family and friends. The next step in understanding Russian interference involves sharing network data  not just ad examples.

At the Oxford Internet Institute, we have been studying how governments use social media to manipulate public opinion  in their own country and in others. Information provided by Facebook and Twitter has already allowed us to fill in some of the details.

We know, for example, that Russian strategists bought 3,000 Facebook ads with a budget of $100,000 and that RT, the news outlet funded by the Russian government and previously known as Russia Today, spent $274,100 on 1,823 promoted tweets. We know Russians set up and managed fake accounts of users who pretended to be voters. We have found them managing networks of highly automated accounts. We know they use such accounts to direct political conversation among their own citizens (some 45 percent of Russian Twitter is managed by bots). We know they know how to use Twitter's and Facebook's algorithms to push propaganda at voters in democracies. And we now know what some of the ads look like.

Yet to really understand the influence of ads  as well as the impact of surreptitious content that isn't as obvious as a purchased ad  we need to understand the networks, not the examples. Twitter recently offered a helpful blog post on its reaction to the ad examples Facebook shared with lawmakers. Twitter used Facebook's list of known fake American voters originating in Russia to identify a set of suspicious users on its own platform. Twitter then closed a handful of accounts and provided the Senate Intelligence Committee with examples of the ads that the main Russian news agency, RT, had pushed across the platform.

Because Twitter now suggests that content from Russian news agencies may be a proxy for the larger campaign of dark ads and bot networks, we can further visualize how the Russian content targeted voters around the United States. For example, my team and I recently found that junk news  propaganda and ideologically extreme information  was concentrated in swing states. Russian content also appears to have been steered into states where the Trump campaign was doing well.

But working without the cooperation of Twitter and Facebook means that our models arent perfect. No doubt, Twitter and Facebook have higher-quality data on all this. They certainly employ some of the best network analysts and data scientists in the world. Yet it has taken an FBI inquiry, congressional investigations, nearly a year of bad press and pressure from outside researchers such as us to dislodge some examples of Russian interference.

Evidence of campaign coordination and election interference will be in the network data, not just the ad buys. The next step should be open collaborations that explain network effects and help restore public trust in social media.
THE IMAGES of Spanish riot police firing rubber bullets and swinging truncheons at would-be voters in Catalonia on Sunday handed the region's leaders the perfect story line: of a repressive central government squashing an attempted exercise in democracy. But the blossoming political crisis in Spain is considerably more complicated than that. The heavy-handed tactics unwisely employed by Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy came in response to a reckless and irresponsible drive by Catalan nationalists to create an independent republic in violation of the law and, most likely, the wishes of the majority of the region's residents.

Catalonia's nationalist forces, which include factions from the far left as well as the right, gained a majority in the regional parliament in 2015 despite winning less than half of the vote. They then pressed ahead with plans for a referendum on independence even after Spain's constitutional court ruled it illegal; the 1978 Spanish Constitution grants considerable autonomy to Catalonia and other regions but unambiguously declares the state "indivisible." Following Sunday's vote, Catalan President Carles Puigdemont claimed a mandate for independence on the grounds that about 90 percent of 2.2 million voters voted yes. But turnout was just 42 percent  opponents of the measure massively abstained  and pre-referendum polls showed a solid majority opposed a split with Spain.

[Why Spains catastrophic handling of the Catalonia crisis is a lesson for the world]

The cold response by European Union leaders to Mr. Puigdemont's appeal for support ought to have tempered his ambitions. The European Commission backed Madrid in describing the vote as illegal and said an independent Catalonia would not be part of the union. President Trump also rejected the independence movement; the Catalan nationalists' only backers are separatist-ruled Scotland, the pariah government of Venezuela and Russia's intelligence and propaganda apparatus, which mobilized its media outlets and social media bots in support of the separatists. Moscow evidently perceives the Catalan movement as another vehicle for dividing and weakening the democratic West.

Mr. Puigdemonts supporters were suggesting Monday that he could declare Catalonias independence later this week, though he has said he would seek approval from the regional parliament. Mr. Rajoys government is meanwhile threatening that it will criminally prosecute senior Catalan officials or use a constitutional provision to suspend the regions autonomy. Either move would be a mistake that would only do further damage to Catalonia and Spanish democracy.

The right course is that which virtually every responsible authority outside Spain is calling for: negotiations between Barcelona and Madrid. Mr. Rajoy could offer the Catalan region more autonomy. Even better, the two sides could agree on a legal means for Catalonia to hold a fair, free and legitimate vote. Genuine democracy is the best way out of Spains crisis; unfortunately, neither side appears ready to embrace it.
Leah Libresco is a statistician and former newswriter at FiveThirtyEight, a data journalism site. She is the author of "Arriving at Amen."

Before I started researching gun deaths, gun-control policy used to frustrate me. I wished the National Rifle Association would stop blocking common-sense gun-control reforms such as banning assault weapons, restricting silencers, shrinking magazine sizes and all the other measures that could make guns less deadly.

Then, my colleagues and I at FiveThirtyEight spent three months analyzing all 33,000 lives ended by guns each year in the United States, and I wound up frustrated in a whole new way. We looked at what interventions might have saved those people, and the case for the policies I'd lobbied for crumbled when I examined the evidence. The best ideas left standing were narrowly tailored interventions to protect subtypes of potential victims, not broad attempts to limit the lethality of guns.

I researched the strictly tightened gun laws in Britain and Australia and concluded that they didn't prove much about what America's policy should be. Neither nation experienced drops in mass shootings or other gun related-crime that could be attributed to their buybacks and bans. Mass shootings were too rare in Australia for their absence after the buyback program to be clear evidence of progress. And in both Australia and Britain, the gun restrictions had an ambiguous effect on other gun-related crimes or deaths.

When I looked at the other oft-praised policies, I found out that no gunowner walks into the store to buy an "assault weapon." It's an invented classification that includes any semi-automatic that has two or more features, such as a bayonet mount, arocket-propelled grenade-launcher mount, a folding stock or a pistol grip. But guns are modular, and any hobbyist can easily add these features at home, just as if they were snapping together Legos.

As for silencers  they deserve that name only in movies, where they reduce gunfire to a soft puick puick. In real life, silencers limit hearing damage for shooters but don't make gunfire dangerously quiet. An AR-15 with a silencer is about as loud as a jackhammer. Magazine limits were a little more promising, but a practiced shooter could still change magazines so fast as to make the limit meaningless.

As my co-workers and I kept looking at the data, it seemed less and less clear that one broad gun-control restriction could make a big difference. Two-thirds of gun deaths in the United Statesevery year are suicides. Almost no proposed restriction would make it meaningfully harder for people with guns on hand to use them. I couldn't even answer my most desperate question: If I had a friend who had guns in his home and a history of suicide attempts, was there anything I could do that would help?

However, the next-largest set of gun deaths  1 in 5  were young men aged 15 to 34, killed in homicides. These men were most likely to die at the hands of other young men, often related to gang loyalties or other street violence. And the last notable group of similar deaths was the 1,700 women murdered per year, usually as the result of domestic violence. Far more people were killed in these ways than in mass-shooting incidents, but few of the popularly floated policies were tailored to serve them.

By the time we published our project, I didn't believe in many of the interventions I'd heard politicians tout. I was still anti-gun, at least from the point of view of most gun owners, and I don't want a gun in my home, as I think the risk outweighs the benefits. But I can't endorse policies whose only selling point is that gun owners hate them. Policies that often seem as if they were drafted by people who have encountered guns only as a figure in a briefing book or an image on the news.

Instead, I found the most hope in more narrowly tailored interventions. Potential suicide victims, women menaced by their abusive partners and kids swept up in street vendettas are all in danger from guns, but they each require different protections.

Older men, who make up the largest share of gun suicides, need better access to people who could care for them and get them help. Women endangered by specific men need to be prioritized by police, who can enforce restraining orders prohibiting these men from buying and owning guns. Younger men at risk of violence need to be identified before they take a life or lose theirs and to be connected to mentors who can help them de-escalate conflicts.

Even the most data-driven practices, such as New Orleans' plan to identify gang members for intervention based on previous arrests and weapons seizures, wind up more personal than most policies floated. The young men at risk can be identified by an algorithm, but they have to be disarmed one by one, personally  not en masse as though they were all interchangeable. A reduction in gun deaths is most likely to come from finding smaller chances for victories and expanding those solutions as much as possible. We save lives by focusing on a range of tactics to protect the different kinds of potential victims and reforming potential killers, not from sweeping bans focused on the guns themselves.
THE NUMBER of refugees resettled annually in the United States is not intended mainly to solve the worlds refugee crisis; given the staggering scale of the problem across the globe, no one country could achieve that goal on its own. But the degree to which Washington opens its door to refugees sends the world a signal about American leadership, confidence and heart. On those counts, the Trump administration is failing.

The admission target for the coming fiscal year is just 45,000 resettlements, by far the lowest since 1980, when Congress enacted legislation enabling the president to recommend an annual cap. That will be understood as an abdication of moral and humanitarian leadership, one likely to encourage other countries to conduct themselves similarly.

The damage done by such a message at this juncture is significant. The world's refugee population stands at 22.5 million, more than half of them children  the highest number since World War II. According to the U.N. Refugee Agency, more than 28,000 people daily are forced to flee their homes because of conflict and persecution. And those figures pre-date the current crisis in Burma, in which a campaign of ethnic cleansing by the military has prompted more than 400,000 Muslim Rohingya refugees to flee across the border to Bangladesh in just the past few weeks.

When Mr. Trump spoke recently at the U.N. General Assembly in New York with the Bangladeshi prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, she mentioned the flood of Rohingya entering her country. The president made no response, according to the prime minister, who said later she expects no help with the refugee crisis from the United States.

In fact, around the world, U.S. allies, including Jordan, Turkey and Kenya, are admitting huge numbers of refugees. In so doing, they act as regional safety valves and forces for stability  and aid U.S. military counterterrorism efforts in those regions. But they take great political risks also. By his stance, Mr. Trump makes their position far more precarious.

Heedless of that interest, Stephen Miller, White House senior policy adviser, and White House Chief of Staff John F. Kelly argued for slashing the annual cap to as low as 15,000, a farcically low number. Pushback from the Pentagon and State Department, among others, limited the damage  but only to a degree. The ceiling of 45,000 set by Mr. Trump represents the first time the cap has fallen below 67,000, the number President Ronald Reagan set in 1986.

The administration makes the disingenuous argument that refugees impose a burden on the United States' resources; in fact, officials from the Department of Health and Human Services found refugees had brought in $63 billion more in local, state and federal revenue than they cost in the decade ending in 2014. That finding was suppressed, but there is no suppressing the fact that the United States is turning its back on the world, and the world's neediest, under the Trump administration.
President Trump walks off after making a statement about the mass shooting in Las Vegas from the Diplomatic Room at the White House on Monday, Oct. 2. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post)

In the face of the largest mass shooting in modern U.S. history, President Trump appeared Monday at something of a loss for words.

I know we are searching for some kind of meaning in the chaos, some kind of light in the darkness, Trump said in morning remarks from the Diplomatic Room of the White House. The answers do not come easy.

Trump somberly followed the practiced script of past presidents in times of crisis. He called the massacre an act of pure evil, praised the first responders, promised support for the wounded, pledged to visit some of the families of the 59 dead and quoted Scripture.

Out of the Las Vegas carnage, however, Trump identified no clear villain. He issued no call to action. A president typically quick to make black-and-white declarations spoke instead in shades of gray.

Trump long ago conditioned both his supporters and detractors to expect him to do the unexpected in the face of tragedy  and time and again, he has capitalized on terror to advance his agenda.



President Trump and first lady Melania Trump appear outside the White House for a moment of silence. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post)

After a bomb attack on a train in London in September, Trump called for a far larger, tougher and more specific travel ban and condemned the person responsible as a loser terrorist, well before London authorities had declared that terrorism was the cause.

When an indebted gambler assaulted a Manila casino in June, killing dozens by starting a fire, Trump called the event terrorism at the White House, even though local police later said the attack was a robbery attempt unconnected to terrorism.

During his campaign, Trump made the shooting in San Bernardino, Calif., which was carried out by Islamic radicals, a centerpiece of his proposal to ban all Muslims from entering the United States. I would handle it so tough, you dont want to hear, he boasted days after the attack.

[More than 50 killed and more than 500 injured in Las Vegas shooting]

And Trump reacted to the shooting at an Orlando nightclub with self-praise, suggesting that the incident was a symptom of weak Democratic policies. Appreciate the congrats for being right on radical Islamic terrorism, he tweeted the day after.

But the Las Vegas massacre was different, both because investigators have found no evidence linking the shooter to a terrorist organization and because he was a white American, as opposed to a Muslim immigrant.

The emerging facts prevented Trump from following his typical playbook  to rally his supporters against Islamic extremism while speaking and tweeting in a combative, even belligerent tone to try to project strength and resolve.



From left, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, vice presidential chief of staff Nick Ayers, first daughter and senior adviser Ivanka Trump and Vice President Pence listen as President Trump makes a statement about the shooting in Las Vegas. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post)

Rather, Trump uttered just 574 words on Monday and tried to play the role of uniter.

In moments of tragedy and horror, America comes together as one, and it always has, the president said. We call upon the bonds that unite us: our faith, our family and our shared values; we call upon the bonds of citizenship, the ties of community, and the comfort of our common humanity.

The one constant in all of Trumps responses is heavy praise for law enforcement and first responders.

Ari Fleischer, a White House press secretary to former president George W. Bush, said Trump was pitch perfect.

He spoke of human suffering. He thanked the first responders. He cited Scripture. He called for national unity. Thats what presidents do, Fleischer said. But the ultimate test is yet to come, and thats when hes on the ground in Las Vegas. Thats spontaneous, its emotional, and its not off the teleprompter.

Trump will visit Las Vegas on Wednesday to visit with families of the fallen, recovering survivors and first responders. A day earlier, on Tuesday, the president will fly to Puerto Rico to survey the devastation of Hurricane Maria after publicly criticizing and demeaning some of the U.S. territory's elected leaders, who have begged for help amid a slow and fractured response by his administration.

[Lost weekend: How Trumps time at his golf club hurt the response to Maria]

At moments of crisis, Trump likes to demonstrate action and insert himself in the scene, as he did in Texas only a few days after Hurricane Harvey made landfall last month. But Trump has struggled with hitting the right notes, and was criticized during his first visit to Texas for not interacting with storm victims or witnessing devastation firsthand. He did so on a second trip to the state a few days later.

You compare Trump to other presidents when theyve seen tragedies in this country, be it from natural phenomenon or from disturbed or troubled people, and he just seems so remote and removed from the suffering, presidential historian Robert Dallek said. He just demonstrates such a lack of compassion and understanding for the troubles of those who are in greatest need and are limited by their circumstances.

Trumps response to the Las Vegas massacre created a clear contrast to the way former president Barack Obama responded to mass shootings in his second term. Trump made no reference to the preponderance of such mass slayings in recent years, nor to the roiling debate over gun restrictions.

Pressed later by reporters about the presidents position on gun laws, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders largely demurred. Theres a time and place for a political debate, she said, but now is the time to unite as a country.

By contrast, Obama said after the Oct. 1, 2015, shooting at a community college in Roseburg, Ore., which killed 10 people, including the 26-year-old shooter, This is something we should politicize.

For Obama, that meant trying to channel the grief over the tragedy to change gun laws. Each time this happens I am going to say that we can actually do something about it, but were going to have to change our laws, Obama said.

[White House: Now is not the time to talk about gun control. But if you look to Chicago...]

Cody Keenan, who wrote speeches for Obama, said that his boss became more convinced over the course of his tenure that the traditional response to tragedy  offering thoughts and prayers  was insufficient in the face of frequent mass shootings.

We know what the debate is, and we shouldnt be starting from scratch, Keenan said. If its just thoughts and prayers, it kind of suggests that you are not going to do anything about it.

As a candidate, Trump had reacted to that same Oregon shooting with less specificity. It sounds like another mental health problem, he told The Washington Post that day. We really have to get to the bottom of it.

Back in 2012, Trump seemed more open to gun control in response to mass shootings. After Obama gave a speech pledging to use whatever power this office holds to stop future massacres after 20 schoolchildren were killed in Newtown, Conn., Trump tweeted, President Obama spoke for me and every American in his remarks in #Newtown Connecticut.

Adam Winkler, a law professor at the University of California at Los Angeles who has written a history of the gun debate, said: Many presidents have tried to use mass shootings to spur gun reforms. We can go back to Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Gang shootings in Chicago led to a push to outlaw machine guns in 1934, and the assassination of President John F. Kennedy led to further regulations in 1968.

But this time, the president declined to make the killings in Las Vegas into a call for specific action.

Instead, he scripted a ceremony that distanced him from the vocal calls for change of his predecessor. On Monday afternoon, Trump walked from the White House with his wife, Melania Trump, Vice President Pence and second lady Karen Pence. For nearly a minute, they hung their heads in silence for the victims in Las Vegas.
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 []
In Jennings v. Rodriguez, the Supreme Court is debating the length of detention for immigrants facing deportation. (Olivier Douliery/Getty Images)

The Supreme Courts liberal justices dominated discussion Tuesday about the prolonged detention of immigrants facing deportation, expressing concern about the government holding noncitizens indefinitely without a hearing.

At issue for the court is whether immigrants slated for deportation have the right to a bail hearing and possible release after six months if they are not a flight risk and pose no danger to the public.

The conservative justices were less vocal but expressed skepticism about whether the court should be setting firm deadlines for hearings in immigration cases.

A lawyer for the Justice Department told the high court that noncitizens  whether documented or undocumented immigrants  have no constitutional right to be in the United States.

The justices were taking a second look at the issue after an evenly divided court could not reach a decision last term and scheduled the case for reargument. With Justice Neil M. Gorsuch having joined the bench since then, he could cast the deciding vote.

['It will be momentous': Supreme Court embarks on new term]

The case reached the high court after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit ruled that immigrants fighting deportation are entitled to bond hearings if they have been held for more than six months. A lawyer for the American Civil Liberties Union, representing a group of noncitizens held for more than a year without a hearing, told the Supreme Court that the outcome of the case will affect thousands of people held in jail-like detention centers.

The outcome takes on heightened significance as President Trump has vowed to broadly increase immigration enforcement across the United States. Immigration arrests are up sharply since he took office in January, but deportations are down this year, in part because of a significant drop in illegal crossings on the southern border with Mexico.

The Supreme Court has previously held that undocumented immigrants are entitled to some form of due process when contesting their detention but also that "brief" detentions were allowed. Courts have interpreted those rulings in different ways, with the San Francisco-based 9th Circuit, for instance, requiring more procedural safeguards for those who would be held for months or even years.

The courts liberals on Tuesday pressed Deputy Solicitor General Malcolm L. Stewart about why immigrants in detention centers are treated differently than criminal defendants, who automatically receive hearings to determine whether they remain locked up pending trial.

Justice Stephen G. Breyer noted that even a criminal suspect accused of "triple ax murders" is entitled to a bail hearing. "That, to me, is a little odd," Breyer said, his voice rising.

Without time limits, Justice Sonia Sotomayor said, noncitizens languish in detention centers, sometimes for years. Thats lawlessness, she said.

During the previous argument last term, Justice Anthony M. Kennedy asserted that the constitutionality of the federal law was not at issue. But on Tuesday, he seemed more sympathetic to arguments in favor of a guaranteed timeline. He asked Stewart whether a lengthy delay because of a shortage of immigration judges was permissible and suggested that there should be a concretedeadline.

Isnt a bright line rule an easier way? Kennedy asked.

Justice Elena Kagan followed up and asked whether a five-year backlog, for instance, was allowed. In response, Stewart said, an immigrant fighting deportation could always choose to return to his or her home country.

[Supreme Court considers whether those facing deportation can be held indefinitely]

The six-month deadline that the 9th Circuit set applies to a wide range of immigrants, from people detained after entering the United States for the first time to longtime legal residents. The case was brought by Alejandro Rodriguez, a lawful permanent resident who came to the country as an infant. The Department of Homeland Security started removal proceedings because of a conviction for drug possession and an earlier conviction for joyriding.

Rodriguez, who was working as a dental assistant, was held for three years before he challenged his confinement. The average detention for the others who joined his lawsuit was 13 months.

At oral arguments Monday, Gorsuch questioned the ACLU lawyer about whether federal law prevents the court from hearing such claims and about what would be gained by establishing a bright line rule of six months.

Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. also seemed skeptical that a firm deadline was the right  or constitutional  approach.

It can be done by Congress or by regulation, Alito said. But, he asked, Where does it say six months in the Constitution?

The case is Jennings v. Rodriguez.

Staff writers Maria Sacchetti and Robert Barnes contributed to this report.
Opponents of political gerrymandering had reason for optimism at the Supreme Court on Tuesday, with Justice Anthony M. Kennedy, the likely swing vote, appearing more in sync with liberal colleagues who seemed convinced that a legislative map can be so infected with political bias that it violates the Constitution.

But its what Kennedy didnt say that could determine whether the court, for the first time, strikes down a legislative map because of extreme partisan gerrymandering. While he has previously expressed concerns about the political mapmaking practice, he has yet to endorse a way of determining when gerrymandering is excessive, and Kennedy give no sign at oral arguments Tuesday that he had found one.

In a case from Wisconsin that could reshape the way American elections are conducted, the Supreme Court heard from challengers that it was the "only institution in the United States" that could prevent a coming wave of extreme partisan gerrymandering that would distort the basic structure of democracy.

Politicians are never going to fix gerrymandering, said Paul M. Smith, representing Democratic voters who challenged a 2011 redistricting plan drawn by Wisconsins ruling Republicans. They like gerrymandering.

Even conservative justices skeptical of Smiths argument seemed to agree that it was unsavory for members of the party in power to draw legislative districts to protect themselves and their own, and make it hard for opponents to ever gain power.

Gerrymandering is distasteful, said Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. But if we are going to impose a standard on the courts, it has to be something thats manageable.

Finding a test that courts could use to determine when political favoritism had become too great  the Rosetta Stone, Alito called it  has always been the hurdle. Kennedy said as much the last time the court examined the issue, in 2004.

If anything, Kennedy seemed more convinced this time around that the courts have a role in finding that partisan gerrymandering can be so extreme as to be unconstitutional.

He pressed lawyers for the state and its legislative leaders about whether it would be unconstitutional for a state to undertake the redistricting process by forthrightly saying it intended to favor one party over another.

Erin Murphy, representing the legislative leaders, hesitated and said that was not the case in Wisconsin.

Kennedy was undeterred. Id like the answer to the question, he said.

Murphy and the states lawyer, Solicitor General Misha Tseytlin, agreed that would be unconstitutional.

Kennedy did not ask any questions of Smith. And the tone of the oral arguments indicated Kennedy seemed to be agreeing more with liberal justices who felt courts must police gerrymandering than conservative justices who were wary of getting involved.

But he also stopped short of indicating that he believed Wisconsins plan was so flawed it should be overturned, or that the challengers had come up with the elusive tests he had said were necessary in his 2004 opinion.

A panel of three federal judges ruled 2 to 1 that Wisconsins leaders went too far in using a secretive process for drawing the maps after the 2010 Census.

The lower court concluded that the districting plans were drawn to eliminate swing districts and create ones favorable to Republicans. That court found that the shape of the districts could not be explained by nonpartisan reasons and that the advantage given to Republicans would be enduring through the decade even if Democrats outperformed Republicans at the polls.

The judges said Republicans packed Democrats into some districts and spread them out across others as a way to create more districts conducive to a GOP candidate.

The plans, developed in 2011 by Republican leaders who controlled the legislature and signed by Gov. Scott Walker (R), were effective.

In the election held after the new district maps were adopted, Republican candidates won 48.6 percent of the statewide vote but captured a 60-to-39 seat advantage in the State Assembly.

If the Supreme Court doesnt rule that such a plan is unconstitutional, Smith told the court, in 2020, youre going to have a festival of copycat gerrymandering the likes of which this country has never seen. States are required to redraw legislative and congressional districts after every decades census.

Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. pushed back. He said Smith was asking the courts to effectively take over the process of redistricting from elected officials. He said the tests to gauge gerrymandering offered by the challengers were based on mathematical tests and political-science theories, which he characterized as sociological gobbledygook.

Every redistricting plan will be contested, Roberts said. We will have to decide in every case whether the Democrats win or the Republicans win.

The court can attempt to explain the complicated tests used in making such a determination, he said, but the intelligent man on the street is going to say thats a bunch of baloney.

But liberal Justice Stephen G. Breyer did not think the courts task would be so hard.

For one thing, only maps produced in states where one party controlled the process could be accused of excessive partisanship, he said.

He suggested the test could be as simple as this: If one party wins only a minority of the statewide vote but still gains a majority of legislative seats, does the same possibility exist for the other party?

The plans developed by Wisconsin Republicans showed that they could hang on to the majority of seats with less than 50 percent of the statewide vote, but that Democrats would need more than 53 percent of the vote to win a majority.

When Alito and Justice Neil M. Gorsuch worried about courts having to apply conjecture to evaluate a states plan, Justice Elena Kagan said the expanding world of technology had made it routine to create maps and evaluate their performance.

I was under the impression that legislators are capable of doing this actually pretty easily now, she said.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor noted that the Wisconsin mapmakers drew and rejected maps until they came up with one that maximized Republican chances, and then it succeeded beyond their expectations.

She and Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg also asked more-fundamental questions.

Could you tell me what the value is to democracy from political gerrymandering? Sotomayor asked Murphy.

Murphy said that even Breyer had noted in a previous case that such districting gives constituents a way to know the legislature and whom to hold accountable. It produces values in terms of accountability that are valuable so that the people understand who isnt and who is in power, Murphy replied.

Sotomayor countered: I really dont understand how that makes it okay to stack the decks.

Ginsburg, too, had the big picture in mind.

If you can stack a legislature in this way, what incentive is there for a voter to exercise his vote? Ginsburg asked. Whether its a Democratic district or a Republican district . . . the result is preordained in most of the districts.

She added: What becomes of the precious right to vote?

The case is Gill v. Whitford.
A widely anticipated agreement between President Trump and top Democratic leaders to work on legislation to protect hundreds of thousands of young undocumented immigrants is in doubt nearly three weeks after it was announced, putting the legal status of dreamers at risk ahead of a spring deadline.

Republican lawmakers who dined with the president Monday night cast doubt Tuesday on Trumps talks with Chuck and Nancy  Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.)  about plans to protect eligible children of undocumented immigrants and make changes to the nations border security. Trump and the Democratic leaders agreed to work on legislation that would couple plans to protect dreamers with legislation to bolster U.S.-Mexico border security, but not include the construction of more border wall. But no specific items were agreed to, and Democratic leaders say they are still waiting for Trump to submit ideas on how Congress should proceed.

[Nancy Pelosi confronted by immigration rights protesters about her DACA talks with Trump]

Hanging in the balance is the legal status of roughly 690,000 dreamers currently protected by Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, an Obama-era program that Trump last month decided to end, though the president gave Congress six months to come up with a solution on immigration. Failure to act also would rob Congress of a chance to strike a bipartisan agreement on a key part of the protracted immigration debate at a time when Americans are fed up with the lack of progress on Capitol Hill on health care, taxes and other matters.

Republican lawmakers, wary of Trumps cutting deals with top Democrats  especially on an issue as contentious as immigration  sought Tuesday to discount talk of a bipartisan agreement. Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), who attended Mondays fish dinner at the White House, dismissed as spin the idea that Schumer and Pelosi had a deal with Trump.



Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi met with immigration activists on the lawn of the U.S. Capitol on Sept. 7. (Jose Luis Magana/AP)

President Trump said theres no deal, [White House Chief of Staff John] Kelly, who attended that dinner, said theres no deal. So there has to be a negotiation that occurs between the House and the Senate, Cotton said.

Cotton also said that Trump agreed with the lawmakers that any agreement to protect dreamers should apply only to the roughly 800,000 people who have ever been protected by DACA  not to all undocumented immigrants children, who number more than 1 million.

[Trumps die-hard supporters are fuming after an apparent about-face on dreamers]

House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), who also was at the dinner, said that Trump urged Republicans not to rush into a debate on immigration.

The first thing he said is he wants to do tax reform first, McCarthy said. He doesnt want to mix them together.

Republican leaders are hoping to complete work on an overhaul of the tax system by the end of the year, a timetable already facing backlash from some Republicans, who are concerned about details of the plan.

But Cotton disputed McCarthys description, saying that we didnt discuss concrete timelines. Sen. John Cornyn (R-Tex.), who also attended the dinner, said, No decisions were made. He added that he expected that the White House could send proposals on how to address the issue as early as this week.



Sens. John Cornyn R-Tex.), left, and Lindsey O. Graham R-S.C.), right, confer during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Capitol Hill, on Oct. 3. (Andrew Harnik/AP)

The White House would not comment on the dinner with Republican lawmakers but said in a statement Tuesday that Trump has made clear he wants Congress to act and pass responsible immigration reform, which will include his priorities of massive border security and interior enforcement. Aides also would not say when or whether Trumps ideas will be shared with lawmakers.

Schumer told reporters that he has no reason to believe Trump is backing off his pledge to work with Democrats on immigration, which he agreed to do during a Sept. 13 White House dinner over Chinese food.

If the president is changing his view, he should tell us, Schumer told reporters Tuesday, adding later, If they want to back off, let them tell us.

Trump has not met in person with Schumer or Pelosi since their September dinner, but the president did speak with Schumer by phone Thursday about the future of DACA and other matters, according to aides familiar with the call. Pelosi and Schumer have spoken several times by phone with Kelly about the matter, the aides said, but they declined to share details of the calls.

The White Houses delay in sharing immigration proposals has caused Democrats and Republicans to use familiar procedural tactics to jump-start an immigration debate and to reintroduce bills that have failed before.

House Democrats last week launched an attempt to force an up-or-down vote on the Dream Act, a bill that would make some DACA recipients eventually eligible for citizenship. The 194 House Democrats have signed a discharge petition that would force a vote on the legislation. The bill is co-sponsored by five Republicans, but Rep. Mike Coffman (R-Colo.) is the only Republican to sign the petition, which requires a majority of House members to force a vote.

[Who are dreamers?]

At a hearing Tuesday about the future of DACA, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa) said that any agreement to help dreamers should include changes in border security, and by that, I dont mean a wall. Of course, tactical infrastructure like fencing is a part of the answer, but border security is more than that.

Grassley also renewed calls to make the E-Verify employment verification system mandatory for all employers  an issue that was a large part of a bipartisan immigration agreement that passed the Senate in 2013 but sputtered in the House.

Cornyn said at the hearing that any agreement to help dreamers should include conservative proposals to tackle security concerns. He cited a bill he has written that would spend $15 billion over four years to rebuild the existing wall, hire more U.S. Border Patrol personnel and build new fencing, but not fulfill Trumps campaign pledge to build a wall along the entire length of the border.

I dont think were capable of passing a comprehensive immigration bill, Cornyn said, suggesting that Congress should instead work step by step on the issue.

Sen. Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.) told Cornyn that Democrats are willing to work with Republicans on certain border security measures, but I cant subscribe to a litany of possibilities here. There are some who have saved up every idea theyve had on immigration and want to slap it onto the Dream Act.

Schumer told reporters that any attempt to include E-Verify or to boost the Border Patrol beyond the actual southern border would spoil the agreement with Trump.

[Hey, dreamers: Who are you gonna believe, the president or his administration?]

During the hearing, officials from the Departments of Homeland Security and Justice repeatedly declined to take firm positions on the Dream Act and related legislation. But under questioning by Sen. John Neely Kennedy (R-La.), Michael Dougherty, a DHS assistant secretary for border and immigration issues, said, Under a rational bill, these individuals would be allowed to become lawful permanent residents.

Schumer and Durbin later seized on the statement as a sign of Trumps support for the Dream Acts eventual passage.

Witnesses also that the administration would not be extending a Thursday deadline for eligible DACA recipients to renew their status and receive another two years of legal protections. Of the roughly 154,200 people whose status is set to expire by March, roughly 48,000 have not applied to renew their status, the department said in a statement.

Mike DeBonis and Jenna Johnson contributed to this report.

Read more at PowerPost
President Trump arrived in Puerto Rico on Tuesday as the territory struggled to recover from Hurricane Maria, which has left nearly all the island without power and most residents without water nearly two weeks later.

But Trump's focus was on the "unbelievable" and "incredible" job that his administration has done so far. He repeatedly played down the destruction to the island, telling local officials they should feel "very proud" they haven't lost hundreds of lives like in "a real catastrophe" like Hurricane Katrina along the Gulf Coast in 2005. But he also complained that the small territory's disaster threw the nation's budget "a little out of whack."

At one brief stop at a church, Trump told the gathering that they no longer needed flashlights, and he tossed rolls of paper towels into the crowd as if they were basketballs. He took a helicopter tour, visited a ship, posed for selfies  and then left an hour earlier than scheduled.

The whirlwind, four-hour visit came amid accusations that the Trump administration did not act quickly enough to help Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands after Maria  and that the president paid less attention to the territories than to Texas after Hurricane Harvey and Florida after Hurricane Irma. Trump and his aides have responded by attacking critics and seeking to discount news coverage of Marias desperate aftermath.

In an interview with Fox News later Tuesday, Trump said that Puerto Ricos large debt  the island territory filed for bankruptcy earlier this year and facing $72 billion in debt  will need to be wiped away.

1 of 30 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad  Photos from President Trumps visit to hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico View Photos The president and first lady visit the U.S. island recovering from Hurricane Maria, which blew ashore Sept. 20. They met with local and federal officials working to restore power and deliver food and supplies to Puerto Ricos 3.4 million people. Caption The president and first lady visit the U.S. island recovering from Hurricane Maria, which blew ashore Sept. 20. They met with local and federal officials working to restore power and deliver food and supplies to Puerto Ricos 3.4 million people. Alvin Baez Buy Photo Wait 1 second to continue.

They owe a lot of money to your friends on Wall Street, and were going to have to wipe that out, the president said. Youre going to say goodbye to that. I dont know if its Goldman Sachs but whoever it is you can wave goodbye to that.

Trump was upbeat and, at times, playful during the visit, often sounding more like an athletic coach congratulating his team after a winning season than a president addressing American citizens at a moment of crisis.

Soon after arriving, he turned what was supposed to be a private briefing on relief efforts into a televised pep talk, praising members of his administration and the military for their long hours responding to several hurricanes over the past 43 days. He uttered "great" 10 times and used "incredible" and "amazing" seven times each.

At one point, Trump asked the islands representative to Congress, Jenniffer Gonzalez-Colon, to repeat some of the nice things she had said in televised interviews.

Its not about me, its about these incredible people, the president said. Ive never seen people working so hard in my life.

Gonzalez-Colon, a Republican, responded with compliments. All the questions and requests that the governor did, the president and his Cabinet accomplished it and sent more people, she said. Thank you, Mr. President, for all youve been doing for the island.

Trump smiled and said: Well, I want to thank you because you were really generous. And I saw those comments, and everybody saw those comments, and we really appreciate it.

[Lost weekend: How Trumps time at his golf club hurt the response to Maria]

Although the administration took a flurry of actions after Maria first hit Sept. 20, the president and his top aides then effectively went dark for four days as he decamped for a long weekend at his private club in Bedminster, N.J. After San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz pleaded last week for the federal government to "save us from dying," Trump accused her on Twitter of having "poor leadership ability." In another tweet, he said the island's residents "want everything to be done for them when it should be a community effort."

As Trump left the White House on Tuesday morning, he suggested that Cruz had come back a long way from her criticism and that its now acknowledged what a great job weve done.

Hours later, Cruz was among the local officials to attend a briefing with Trump in San Juan. The two briefly spoke, but Trump did not mention her in his remarks. She did not join the crowd in applauding him, instead keeping her hands clasped.

Ive been to Puerto Rico many times . . . and Ive always loved it, he said in his opening remarks. And your weather is second to none, but every once in a while you get hit. And you really got hit  theres no question about it.

Trump gave shout-outs to all of my people in the room and to Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rossello, who Trump said has been appreciating what we did.

Right from the beginning, this governor did not play politics, Trump said. He didnt play it at all. He was saying it like it was, and he was giving us the highest grades.

Soon Trump was back to recognizing members of his administration who came along on the trip.

And Mick Mulvaney is here  right there  and Mick is in charge of a thing called budget,  the president said, referring to the Office of Management and Budget. Now, I hate to tell you, Puerto Rico, but youve thrown our budget a little out of whack because weve spent a lot of money on Puerto Rico, and thats fine. Weve saved a lot of lives.

[San Juan mayor continues calls for relief after attacks from Trump]

The president continued: Every death is a horror. But if you look at a real catastrophe like Katrina, and you look at the tremendous hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of people that died, and you look at what happened here with, really, a storm that was just totally overpowering  nobody has ever seen anything like this. What is your death count, as of this moment  17?

Rossello responded: Sixteen certified.

Sixteen people certified, Trump said. Sixteen people versus in the thousands. You can be very proud of all of your people, all of our people working together. Sixteen versus literally thousands of people. You can be very proud.

After Trump left, the governor announced that the official death toll had more than doubled, to 34.

The Katrina comments immediately struck many as callous.

A president should never minimize a single human life, said Douglas Brinkley, a presidential historian and professor at Rice University who wrote a book about Hurricane Katrina, whose death toll was about 1,800. It is never good to make that sort of historical comparison when youre talking about people.

Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) also said the president never complained about the costs imposed by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. Stop blaming Puerto Rico for the storm that devastated their shores, he said.

Kathleen Blanco, a Democrat who was governor of Louisiana during Katrina, said Trump should have taken a more sympathetic approach in visiting the island soon after the hurricane.

When people are in pain because of a disaster, leaders need to acknowledge that pain, she said. Dont take it personally. Its not personal, its pain. Acknowledge the pain, but try to get the resources there. Enough with the insults, on both sides.

Cruz, meanwhile, appeared on MSNBC after the president had left, lambasting him for throwing paper towels and throwing provisions at people.

He was insulting to the people of Puerto Rico, she said. Hes sort of like miscommunication in chief. You dont go to another place when people are in peril and are suffering and you just kind of hover around in a helicopter without having some kind words to say.

[Trapped in the mountains, Puerto Ricans dont see help, or a way out]

But Jason Miller, a former campaign official who worked on the presidents transition team, commended Trumps approach to the visit.

I think theres something to be said for a commander in chief who can both connect with people emotionally when they need support, and who also knows when folks are looking for encouragement and upbeat positivity, when so many of the images around them are so difficult, Miller said. For a trip like today its important . . . to be both the proverbial shoulder for people to lean on but also to give that sense of optimism that the rest of the country is going to be there to help Puerto Rico rebuild the island.

Trump spent most of his time in and near San Juan, Puerto Ricos capital and largest city, where recovery is much further along. As his motorcade sped toward the municipality of Guaynabo, he passed broken highway dividers, hundreds of downed trees and small pockets of locals taking photos, including one woman who held a sign that read: You are a bad hombre.

The area is among the wealthiest and safest places that Trump could have visited and suffered less damage than poorer communities nearby. As Trump and his wife walked through one neighborhood, several families asked to have their photos taken with the couple. As he finished talking with one family, he told them: Have a good time.

Trump stopped by an evangelical church popular with mainland Americans who have moved to Puerto Rico or who have pro-

Republican leanings. The group that gathered there shouted that they loved him and held signs that read: "Proud Americans," "Let's Make Puerto Rico Great Again" and "God bless You, Mr. President."

Trump stood behind a table filled with relief supplies, including flashlights, rice and paper towels. He threw rolls into the crowd and, glancing at a pile of solar-powered flashlights, said: Flashlights, you dont need em anymore. An estimated 95 percent of the island remains without electricity.

Trump then hopped in a helicopter for a quick ride to the USS Kearsarge, where he had a private briefing with military officers and the governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Soon, Trump and his entourage were back on Air Force One, more than an hour ahead of schedule. At one point during the flight, Trump ventured back to the press cabin and deemed it a great, great visit, really lovely.

When asked if he had heard any criticism, Trump replied: Honestly, I heard none. They were so thankful for what we have done. I think it has been a great day. We only heard thank-yous from the people of Puerto Rico. They are great people, and it was really something that I enjoyed very much.

Arelis R. Hernandez in Puerto Rico and Ed OKeefe in Washington contributed to this report.
Jim Mattis, U.S. secretary of defense, testifies during a Senate Armed Forces Committee hearing on Tuesday. Mattis said that he believed it was in the national security interests of the United States to stay in the Iran nuclear deal. (Zach Gibson/Bloomberg)

The nations top military leaders stated unequivocally on Tuesday that they believe the United States should stay in the Iran nuclear deal, staking out a position at odds with President Trumps only days before he decides whether to certify that Tehran is in compliance with the deal.

When asked by Sen. Angus King (I-Maine) if he believed its in our national security interest at the present time to remain in the nuclear pact, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said, Yes, senator, I do.

Mattis and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr. spoke during hearings before the Senate and House armed services committees that were primarily focused on the state of the war in Afghanistan. But at each hearing, the top Pentagon officials faced questions about the Iran nuclear pact, which is hitting critical deadline.

[In U.N. speech, Trump threatens to totally destroy North Korea and calls Kim Jong Un]

Trump must decide by Oct. 15 if he will certify that Tehran is in compliance with the terms of the multilateral pact under which Iran agreed to give up its nuclear ambitions in exchange for a withdrawal of nuclear sanctions. Since his presidential campaign, Trump has spared no kind words for Iran or the nuclear pact, which he called an embarrassment during a speech to the United Nations General Assembly last month.

Should the president decline to certify the deal, the decision of whether to adhere to or rupture the pact would belong to Congress, as lawmakers would have to decide whether to reimpose sanctions. Even the Republicans are divided over what they think is the most prudent course of action.

But Mattis and Dunford were unanimous in their support for the deal.

Even if Trump declines to certify Irans compliance, Mattis told the lawmakers, Congress did not have to rip up the nuclear deal.

Were talking about the law that is passed up here, where we have to certify, plus the agreement  theyre two different pieces, Mattis told Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.). You can talk about the conditions under one of those and not walk away from the other one of those.

Later, in testimony before the House Armed Services Committee, the defense secretary said, Overall, our intelligence community believes that they [Iran] have been compliant, and the IAEA also says so. Mattis was referring to the International Atomic Energy Agency, the United Nations watchdog thats monitoring Irans nuclear activity.

Dunford repeated his testimony from last week, saying that Iran is not in material breach of the agreement. He told Gillibrand, I do believe the agreement to date has delayed the development of a nuclear capability by Iran.

Dan Lamothe contributed to this report

Read more at PowerPost
House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.), with House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif., center) and Republican Conference Chairwoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash., left), responds to a question during a press conference on Capitol Hill on Oct. 3, 2017. (Shawn Thew/Thew/Epa-Efe/Rex/Shutterstock)

The House on Tuesday approved a bill banning most abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy, advancing a key GOP priority for the third time in the past four years  this time, with a supportive Republican in the White House.

The bill, known as the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, is not expected to emerge from the Senate, where most Democrats and a handful of moderate Republicans can block its consideration. But antiabortion activists are calling President Trumps endorsement of the bill a significant advance for their movement.

The White House said in a statement released Monday that the administration strongly supports the legislation and applauds the House of Representatives for continuing its efforts to secure critical pro-life protections.

[Trumps budget proposal aims to cut all federal funds to Planned Parenthood]

The bill provides for abortions after 20 weeks gestation only when they are necessary to save the life of the mother or in cases of rape or incest. Under the bill, abortions performed during that period could be carried out only in the manner which, in reasonable medical judgment, provides the best opportunity for the unborn child to survive and would require a second physician trained in neonatal resuscitation to be present.

Its past time for Congress to pass a nationwide law protecting unborn children from the unspeakable cruelty of late-term abortion, said Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the Susan B. Anthony List.

Trump first supported a 20-week abortion ban in September 2016, during the final stretch of the presidential campaign when he was working to consolidate conservative support. Antiabortion activists argue the bill is justified by emerging scientific research indicating that a fetus can feel pain at 20 weeks, though the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has not endorsed those findings.

[Donald Trump took 5 different positions on abortion in 3 days]

The vast majority of abortions are performed earlier in pregnancy, according to federal statistics, but activists have long focused attention on what they call late term abortions.

In a letter circulated to antiabortion activists by the Susan B. Anthony List, Trump pledged to sign a 20-week abortion bill into law if he became president, which he said "would end painful late-term abortions nationwide."

In that letter, Trump also promised to defund Planned Parenthood, nominate justices to the U.S. Supreme Court who are opposed to abortion, make the Hyde Amendment permanent law and advance the rights of unborn children and their mothers when elected president.

Trump rarely discussed abortion on the campaign trail and did little to promote his stance on the 20-week abortion bill, with his campaign declining to even authenticate the September 2016 letter.

The House passed the bill 237 to 189. Two Republicans opposed the bill, and three Democrats supported it.

Similar bills passed a Republican-controlled House in 2013 and 2015 but did not emerge from the Senate. Democratic leaders did not bring the bill up for a vote in 2013, and when GOP leaders brought it up in 2015, it did not clear a key procedural vote.

Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), the ranking Democrat on the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, called the bill a waste of precious time Tuesday.

Let me be clear: This bill is as dead on arrival in the Senate, she said, just like it was the last time Republicans tried to pander to their extreme base by playing this particular political game with womens health.

Abortion rights groups and Democratic lawmakers panned the legislation ahead of its passage, arguing it is based on faulty science and contains no exception if a pregnancy would threaten a mothers health. They also said the rape and incest exceptions are too narrow and that the bill is likely unconstitutional under existing Supreme Court rulings.

Ilyse Hogue, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, characterized the bill as an attempt to mollify an agitated base and avoid Donald Trumps ire at the lack of legislative action under Republican leadership.

Women making these difficult decisions need medical professionals, not tone deaf legislation, she said in a statement.

Read more at PowerPost


The flat condos at 11Park are priced from $549,000, and the duplexes are priced from $1,314,900. (Benjamin C Tankersley/For The Washington Post)

When Christopher Hanson and his fiance, John Stabile, started looking for their first home to buy, location was a top priority.

The couple, renting an apartment in the Northwest Washington neighborhood of Shaw, both walk to work and wanted to be able to continue to walk after we moved, says Stabile. We looked at two-bedroom resales and new construction in the Logan Circle and Shaw neighborhoods before we found 11Park.

11Park, 1628 11th St. NW, matches another of their priorities: They wanted to be in a boutique building where they could get to know their neighbors, rather than a large, impersonal building.

We like the idea of being in a new building because everyone who moves in will be part of a newly invented community instead of a preexisting one, says Hanson.

[Loft retreat and private terrace complete these new townhouses in Alexandria]

Monument and cathedral views: Converted from a former office building, the 32 condos at 11Park include 24 flats and eight townhouses. The two-level townhouses are accessible only from an interior corridor, not the street. The original lower floors of the building were preserved. Three additional levels were added, along with an elevator and an underground garage.

1 of 15 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad  Buying New | 11Park in Northwest Washington View Photos The flat condos are priced from $549,000, and the duplexes are priced from $1,314,900. Caption The flat condos are priced from $549,000, and the duplexes are priced from $1,314,900. Benjamin C Tankersley Buy Photo Wait 1 second to continue.

Despite its relatively small size, the condo includes multiple amenities.

We wanted to make this building stand out a little from others in the city, so we decided to include the kind of amenities that you usually see only in larger buildings, says George Chopivsky, managing principal of the Fortis Cos., the developer of 11Park. The entire penthouse level is community space.

Residents have access to a roof terrace with a grill and seating, a clubroom with a bar and floor-to-ceiling windows on two sides, and a fitness center with floor-to-ceiling windows. Views from the windows and terrace encompass the Washington Monument, Washington National Cathedral, nearby rooftops and a dog park across the street. Half of the roof will be planted as green space, with the seating areas on the east side of the roof on top of an ipe wood deck. The pet-friendly building has a dog-washing station. The garage also has a bike repair area and storage.

[Fort Washington houses boast a convenient location and large, luxurious rooms]

Chopivsky says he was drawn to the building because of its location.

You can walk for five minutes and get to U Street or to Le Diplomate or to the 9:30 Club or to Logan Circle or the Whole Foods on P Street, he says. At the same time, this is a residential street, so you dont get the noise from all the bars and restaurants.

Living there: Hanson and Stabile picked a top-floor corner unit because they like the views facing west and north through the floor-to-ceiling windows. They were looking for a place with plenty of natural light.

Every unit has floor-to-ceiling windows and high ceilings, says Chopivsky. We also decided to upgrade the level of finishes, so the kitchens and bathrooms have Bosch appliances and Waterworks fixtures, plus Caesarstone counters and full-height backsplashes.



The kitchen has imported European cabinets in a light or dark palette and Caesarstone countertops. (Benjamin C Tankersley/For The Washington Post)

Each unit has a coat closet and additional closets and niches. The bathrooms have tall medicine cabinets and shelves for linens.

The one-bedroom, 751-square foot Unit 402 is priced at $639,900, with a monthly condo fee of $287. This condo has an open floor plan with a kitchen, a niche for a dining area with floor-to-ceiling windows, and a living area with a glass door to a balcony. The bedroom is in the interior of the unit and has a narrow window to bring in light from the living area, plus a sliding barn door with frosted glass. Adjacent to the kitchen are a pantry, a coat closet, a laundry closet and the full bathroom, which has a glass-enclosed shower with a bench, a floating vanity and an adjustable LED light above the sink and mirror.

The two-bedroom, 1,200-square foot Unit 409 is priced at $1,199,900, with a monthly condo fee of $458. This unit has an open floor plan with floor-to-ceiling windows on two sides of the living and dining area, a large kitchen island with seating, and a balcony. The master bedroom has a walk-in closet and a bathroom with a combination tub and shower. The second bedroom has two closets and a full bathroom with a glass-enclosed shower across the hall. The unit also has a coat closet and a laundry closet.

The two-level, two bedroom, 1,633-square-foot Unit 106 is priced at $1,339,900 with a monthly condo fee of $653. This condo has an open floor plan with a large peninsula in the kitchen, a coat closet and a powder room on the main level. A private terrace with planters for trees and shrubs extends from the living area. The lower level has a den with glass doors to a second terrace open to the terrace above. This level has two bedrooms, each with double closets. The master bathroom has a shower with a window, and the second bathroom has a combination tub and shower. A laundry closet is also on this level.



Residents have access to a roof terrace with a grill and seating, a clubroom with a bar and a fitness center. (Benjamin C Tankersley/For The Washington Post)

What's nearby: Residents can easily walk to restaurants, shops and nightlife on 14th Street NW, to a park across the street from the building, to nightlife on U Street, to the 9:30 Club and other venues in Shaw, and to Logan Circle. A few blocks to the west are Le Diplomate and Pearl Dive Oyster Palace, and a few blocks to the south are El Sol, a well-reviewed Mexican taqueria; and numerous restaurants and galleries near the Walter E. Washington Convention Center.

After looking for places to live between Seventh and 15th streets NW, we were both surprised to find this modern new construction in a historic part of the city, says Hanson. We feel like were at the crossroads of the city because were in the middle of so many great neighborhoods.

Schools: Garrison Elementary, Cardozo Education Campus for Middle and High.

Transit: Residents can walk in less than 10 minutes to three Metro stations for Green and Yellow Line service: Shaw, U Street and Mount Vernon Square. The neighborhood is also served by numerous bus lines.
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 []
African migrants who were rescued from the Mediterranean Sea north of the Libyan coast in September. (Darko Bandic/AP)

As Europe makes gains in its battle to stop migrants from reaching its shores, newer routes are seeing fresh traffic, a measure of the demand to reach safer lands and the dangers that await some of the world's most vulnerable people.

Flows across the central Mediterranean Sea from Libya to Italy plunged in mid-July after Italian authorities struck an unusual deal with local Libyan militias to clamp down on human smuggling. But smaller routes have experienced an uptick, with traffic from Morocco to Spain steadily increasing and more people undertaking the perilous Black Sea passage from Turkey to Romania.

The surges do not seem to be directly related to the Libyan clampdown, but they are illustrative of migrants tendency to find new paths to Europe as old ones close, officials and analysts say.

These flows arent necessarily the same people, but they do demonstrate that the migration routes and flows are constantly shifting, said Elizabeth Collett, director of the Migration Policy Institute Europe, a think tank.

[In once-welcoming Italy, the tide turns against migrants]





The sharp drop-off in flows from Libya  from 22,155 people in June to 2,887 in August  has been a relief for European leaders fearful of restive voters who have started to rebel against the arrival of more migrants. Germans last week awarded Alternative for Germany, a far-right, anti-

migrant party, nearly 13 percent of the vote in the national election. That came after June local elections in Italy that rewarded anti-immigrant politicians.

But the bottled-up traffic comes at a steep human cost, trapping migrants in the shifting winds of Libya's conflict, where they often are forced into detention centers against their will and made to do labor that is little different from slavery.

Farther south, in the sub-

Saharan African nations that are the source of much of the migration through Libya, the closed route has led at least some migrants to take new paths, sometimes at the cost of their lives. Countries such as Niger are struggling to accommodate refugees from neighboring countries with no escape valve and often only limited assistance from Europe.

When you shut down the major routes, you see a proliferation of smaller, potentially more expensive routes, Collett said. The fundamentals are not changed in that there are a number of simmering conflicts in sub-Saharan Africa.

European leaders have pressed on several fronts to stem migration after a burst in 2015 of more than a million asylum seekers. Afterward, European Union leaders struck a $7.1 billion deal with Turkey to seal its borders and stanch the flow. They also started to work intensively in sub-

Saharan Africa, tying development aid to countries' willingness to accept returnees from Europe and offering fresh assistance in exchange for pledges to cut flows.

Before Libyan strongman Moammar Gaddafi's 2011 downfall, the Italian government made similar deals with him. But since his death, the absence of a strong central authority has made exerting control deeply difficult  that is, until Italy's outreach to local leaders this summer.

[A far-right group chartered a boat to repel migrants on the Mediterranean. Then part of its crew filed for asylum.]

Italian Interior Minister Marco Minniti, a former spy chief, masterminded the plan, which funds the local governments that, critics say, are often little more than militias deeply entangled in the smuggling business themselves. Minniti denies such charges.

Italy and the E.U. also have worked to train and equip the fledgling Libyan coast guard to turn back migrant ships, an effort that has stopped up to 16,000 people so far this year, according to data compiled by the U.N. refugee agency. But the Libyan coast guard also has been implicated in abuses.

And the Italian government has engaged the warring national factions within Libya, hosting Prime Minister Fayez Serraj, the head of the U.N.-installed unity government, in July, and Gen. Khalifa Hifter, aligned with a rival eastern Libyan government, last week.

So far this year, more than 104,000 people have entered Italy, most of them before mid-July. Even though the flows have settled, many migration analysts are hesitant to declare the route closed. The instability of Libya makes any long-term predictions impossible. A small uptick in departures from the smuggling hub of Sabratha after fighting increased there starting Sept. 17 was the latest reminder of the tenuous situation, said Carlotta Sami, a Rome-based spokeswoman for the U.N. refugee agency.

Its still a bit early to say that the route from Libya to Italy has stopped, she said.

And in the nations leading into Libya, migration traffic also remains volatile. Niger has led a crackdown on the main smuggling route to Libya, but that has caused smugglers to search for new, more dangerous routes northward, as well as try to expand their paths into Algeria, Sami said.

The number of people that are found dead or abandoned in the desert are increasing, she said.

The U.N. refugee agency has pushed for more legal paths for asylum seekers to reach Europe, Sami said, a step the agency says would ease pressure on irregular migrant routes. The agency also favors increasing the range of reunification policies that enable family members to travel to Europe legally if a relative is already there, Sami said.

[They are not treated like humans: Inside Libyas thriving migrant trade]

This year, more than 19,000 migrants have arrived on Spanish shores, compared with about 9,100 over the same period last year. Unlike on the route from Libya, most of those landing in Spain are Moroccan nationals. The increase has caused nervousness among leaders and concerns about what will happen during the height of the migration season next year, after smugglers have had a chance to regroup. Migration numbers typically drop in October as temperatures fall and seas grow choppier.

And in a possible measure of smugglers resourcefulness, six boats this year have landed in Romania after setting sail from Turkey, carrying 572 people. The number is so small that it barely registers against pressures elsewhere, but border officials say that smugglers may be testing vulnerabilities.

We perceive it as something that is being tested as a possibility, said Ewa Moncure, a spokeswoman for Frontex, the E.U. border and coast guard agency. The numbers are definitely lower, but the crisis is not over.

Read more

What would a Russia-NATO war look like? Russias war gaming it right now.

Aid groups say Italy is forcing them to stop rescuing migrants at sea

Italy offers swimming lessons for refugees traumatized while crossing the Mediterranean

Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world

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A woman visits a makeshift memorial to victims of a terrorist attack in front of a train station Marseille, France, where a man stabbed two people to death. (Sebastien Nogier/EPA-EFE/Rex/Shutterstock)

The French Parliament on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved a controversial national security bill that significantly expands the state's power to fight terrorism, although critics say it poses a historic threat to civil liberties.

At the behest of President Emmanuel Macron, the new legislation will extend police powers in an attempt to stop a wave of terrorist violence that has claimed 239 lives in France since 2015. As recently as Sunday, a man  who the Islamic State later claimed was a soldier of the group  fatally stabbed two women at a train station in Marseille. On Monday, police arrested five people in connection with a homemade bomb in a Paris apartment building.

Since the day after terrorist attacks killed 130 people in Paris in November 2015, France has been under an official state of emergency, a temporary regime of heightened security measures that have given local police and administrative authorities heightened powers to arrest and detain suspects without judicial oversight. The anti-terrorism laws approved Tuesday will make many of these special provisions permanent.

[Two stabbed to death in attack in Marseille]

Under the new legislation, French police will be able to conduct home searches and place suspects under house arrest, with limited involvement by the courts. The law will enshrine a version of stop-and-frisk policing, and local authorities will be empowered to close places of worship in which are disseminated the writings, ideas or theories that provoke violence, hatred and discrimination.



Demonstrators protest a new anti-terrorism bill and denounce what they call a "permanent state of emergency," in September in Paris. (Jacques Demarthon/AFP/Getty Images)

Human rights activists and legal scholars immediately decried Macron's new law, which many likened to a French version of the U.S. Patriot Act. In late September, two United Nations officials sent a strongly worded letter to the French government, denouncing the "many restrictions to fundamental liberties" that passing the law would entail.

On a practical level, most critics were quick to point out that the measures in Macrons bill have failed to prevent any of the numerous terrorist attacks that followed the 2015 assault on Paris  including a deadly truck rampage in Nice and the murder of Jacques Hamel, a small-town priest, in July 2016. All of these occurred under the state of emergency.

The principal effect of Macrons new law, critics said, probably will be to legally enshrine de facto discrimination against French Muslims, the countrys largest minority.

According to the Collective Against Islamophobia in France (CCIF), a large advocacy organization committed to fighting discrimination, earlier forms of the same security provisions have affected the Muslim community disproportionately.

Since the imposition of the state of emergency in November 2015, authorities have carried out more than 4,000 warrantless searches of French homes and placed more than 700 people under house arrest.

According to CCIF data, roughly 100 of those put under house arrest were Muslims. The French government does not keep official statistics on race, religion or ethnicity, but independent estimates say Muslims account for 7 to 9 percent of Frances population.

What was problematic and exceptional will now become problematic and normal, CCIF Director Marwan Muhammad said in an interview.

[Why Macron invited Trump to France]

For some legal experts, Macrons new law recalls a dark chapter in Frances colonial past.

"This is the first time since the age of de Gaulle that French law will enshrine a provision that will de facto target French minorities," said Patrick Weil, a French constitutional scholar and a leading historian of French immigration. Charles de Gaulle headed a provisional postwar government from 1944 to 1946 and served as president of France from 1959 to 1969.

"It really is the most regressive attack on minorities since 1944, when de Gaulle abolished the Code de l'Indigenat," he said, referring to France's infamous colonial system of justice, originally from the late 19th century, which created an inferior legal status for subjects in North Africa, West Africa and Southeast Asia.

Furthermore, the emergency powers that Macron has now enshrined into law were created in that colonial context.

France first adopted emergency powers in 1955, when the government sought sharp, severe repercussions against Algerians to prevent unrest across the Mediterranean, said Benjamin Stora, a leading expert on Frances colonial Algerian history.

During the Algerian war that followed in the late 1950s and early 1960s, these same emergency powers figured in some of the most violent episodes in modern French history.

In what was dubbed the Paris massacre of October 1961, French police killed at least 200 Algerian protesters gathered at the Seine River  nominally for violating a curfew under the emergency laws. The French government acknowledged the episode only in 1998, and the full number of victims remains unknown.

The French today? They dont know that history, Stora said. He noted, however, that many of the terrorists implicated in recent attacks come from families that arrived in France as a result of decolonization.

According to Muhammad, the anti-discrimination activist, many French Muslims are well aware of the history of these special powers and see their official enshrinement in French law as a sign from the government that Muslims here matter less than other citizens.

There is no coming back from this, he said.

Late Tuesday afternoon, the new anti-terrorism law passed in the lower house of the French Parliament with 415 of 577 total votes. Macron's administration immediately celebrated the result. Interior Minister Gerard Collomb wrote on Twitter that the law would bring "better tools" to "better protect the French" from "a persistent threat."

Others were less sanguine. "Macron has officially discredited France as a country of human rights and [the] rule of law," Yasser Louati, a prominent French human rights activist, wrote in a statement. "Now stop lecturing other countries."

Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world

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In this Sept. 6, 2017, file photo, Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) arrives to court for his federal corruption trial in Newark. (Seth Wenig/AP)

Former health and human services secretary Kathleen Sebelius testified Tuesday that Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) asked her for help in changing a Medicare billing policy that cost his supporter, Florida ophthalmologist Salomon Melgen, millions of dollars.

Sebelius, testifying as a prosecution witness in Menendez and Melgen's federal corruption trial, recounted the events leading up to an August 2012 meeting with Menendez and then-Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) at Reid's office.

I dont know exactly what [Menendez] wanted, just that he wanted me to do something, Sebelius, a Kansas Democrat who led HHS from 2009 to 2014, testified. My definite impression was that he was very concerned that the policy was inconsistent and unfair and something should be done.

After meeting for about 30 minutes, Sebelius declined to take action, explaining that she thought the policy was consistent and clear and in keeping with safety protocols.

The defense has argued that Menendez was voicing concerns about a national policy issue, an appropriate action for someone with congressional oversight duties, and that he didnt even bring up Melgens name during the meeting.



Marilyn Tavenner, former administrator of Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services leaves the federal courthouse after testifying in the federal corruption trial for Sen. Robert Menendez. (Patti Sapone/AP)

[Supreme Court makes it harder to prosecute corruption]

Menendezs intervention in the Medicare issue is a key prong in the governments case. The senator is accused of fighting for Melgens business and personal interests in exchange for political donations, trips on Melgens private plane and other gifts.

Sebelius testified that she turned down an earlier request from Menendez to meet about the issue and didnt agree to talk to him until Melgens appeal of the case was no longer before her agency.

She said she was surprised when Reid set up the meeting.

It was unusual for Senator Reid to ask me to come to a meeting involving another member of Congress, Sebelius said, adding it was the only time she could recall a member of Congress asking her to discuss a specific Medicare or Medicaid billing policy.

Over the past week, the prosecution has laid out the chronology of events that led to the meeting at Reids office, which came three years after Menendez started advocating for his friend on the Medicare issue.

Menendez worked his way up the HHS ladder until getting all the way to Sebelius. Along the way, Menendez also sought help from former senator Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), who declined to get involved.

At every turn, a sometimes angry Menendez challenged Medicares policy on the multi-dosing of a drug for macular degeneration. At issue was Melgens practice of splitting single vials of the drug into multiple doses and billing Medicare for more than one vial. The agency ended up coming after him, demanding repayment of $8.9 million.

The defense has argued that Medicare policy allowed for the multi-dosing of another similar eye drug.

Prosecution witness Jonathan Blum, a former official with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid, testified this week that a contentious 2009 phone call with Menendez ended with the senator hanging up on him. Blum also attended the 2012 meeting, along with Reid, Menendez staffers and another HHS official.

From the time Menendezs staff first contacted Medicare officials, it was the agencys thought that he was advocating for Melgen, Blum testified, a claim that the defense repeatedly disputed Tuesday.

An internal HHS email introduced Tuesday as evidence notes that Menendezs office said it didnt want Melgen punished if he complied with Medicare regulations.

Two months before the meeting at Reids office, Menendez met with Medicares acting top administrator, Marilyn Tavenner, who said she thought the purpose of the meeting was to discuss her Senate confirmation process.

Instead, Tavenner said, she was confronted with the Medicare billing issue. She backed Blums conclusion that the agencys actions were appropriate. Abbe Lowell, Menendezs attorney, produced a memo from Menendezs office showing that he wanted to discuss a range of issues with Tavenner.

But Tavenner recalled talking only about the Medicare situation.

(Menendez) said he wasnt satisfied with my actions, so he would take additional steps, Tavenner testified on Tuesday. He told he me was disappointed . . . and he wouldnt let it stand.

That led to the meeting with Sebelius, who agreed with her staffers responses.

Blum testified that he didn't recall Menendez or Reid making a specific request during the 30-minute meeting, but he remembered Reid expressing frustration to Sebelius and stating that the Medicare billing policy "doesn't make any sense."

Reid was the only person at the meeting who brought up Melgen specifically, Blum said.

After the meeting, Menendez said he would use the "full power" of his seat on the Senate Finance Committee to get the answers he was seeking, Blum said.

Blum said his only follow-up to the meeting was to look into whether doctors who "multi-dose" can be reimbursed for administrative costs unrelated to the cost of the medicine itself.

With every element of the Medicare dispute discussed in excruciating detail, U.S. District Judge Williams Walls cautioned jurors on Tuesday that they shouldn't parse the details of the dispute, but rather determine "whether the squabble was the subject of a conspiracy to commit bribery."

The seven-woman, five-man jury will be called upon to untangle a web of gifts and campaign contributions to determine whether they amounted to bribes. The trial, now in its fifth week, is taking place against the backdrop of recent rulings in similar cases that have narrowed the definition for what qualifies as an "official act" by a politician.

With the jury out of the courtroom, Walls referred to the most high-profile of those cases, the U.S. Supreme Court's reversal of former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell's (R) conviction on bribery charges.

It is unclear whether Reid will testify.
The Cuban national flag is seen raised over their new embassy in Washington on July 20, 2015. (Carlos Barria/Reuters)

The State Department will expel 15 Cuban diplomats after dramatically reducing the U.S. mission in Cuba last week, citing unexplained injuries among American personnel there.

The decision announced Tuesday is certain to deepen the two countries' rift over what the State Department has called "specific attacks" on U.S. diplomats during the past 10 months. The United States has not blamed Cuba, which has denied any involvement and has cooperated with FBI agents dispatched there.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said in a statement that the expulsion was due to Cubas failure to take appropriate steps to protect our diplomats in accordance with its obligations under the Vienna Convention. This order will ensure equity in our respective diplomatic operations.

[All the theories about whats happening to U.S. diplomats in Cuba]

The expelled Cubans, whose names were on a list presented to the Cuban ambassador Tuesday morning, will have seven days to leave the country. Last week, the State Department said it would pull more than half its personnel out of the U.S. Embassy in Havana, and they are expected to leave by the end of the week.

Neither the FBI nor a separate Cuban investigation has been able to determine what and who is causing the maladies that have befallen at least 22 Americans stationed at the embassy, with symptoms ranging from hearing loss to cognitive disorders. They are believed to have been targeted either in their residences within compounds owned by the Cuban government or in hotels. The most recent incident happened in late August, but some conditions are still being diagnosed. On Monday, the State Department confirmed an additional victim, who is believed to have been attacked in January.

One possibility being explored is whether the diplomats were made ill by a sonic attack, though the State Department has refrained from using that term. It is also possible that they are being singled out by a third country seeking to create tension between Cuba and the United States, which normalized relations and reopened their embassies two years ago after half a century of enmity.

[U.S. slashes embassy staff in Cuba, issuing travel warning]

Now, what had been hoped to be a historic opening is backsliding to an era of mutual suspicion and recrimination. On Friday, the State Department issued a travel warning advising all American visitors to stay away because their safety could not be guaranteed, a measure that is certain to harm Cuban tourism, the most dynamic segment of the economy. It also suspended issuing visas to Cubans, a step that makes it difficult for Cuban Americans to reunite with relatives.

It appears that this plays right into the hands of a potential rogue actor  Russia perhaps  that is trying to create a further wedge between our two countries and other nations in the hemisphere, said Rep. Eliot L. Engel (N.Y.), the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), however, scoffed at the notion that Cuba is not responsible.

No one should be fooled by the Castro regimes claim it knows nothing about how these harmful attacks are occurring or who perpetrated them, he said, calling for the embassy in Havana to be downgraded to an interests section.

But it remained unclear how expelling Cubans would further the investigation into one of the great diplomatic whodunits of all time. And the U.S. response could be playing into the hands of the perpetrators, whoever they are.

If these health incidents are indeed targeted attacks, their intentions are to disrupt bilateral relations and affect dialogue and engagement, said Collin Laverty, head of Cuba Educational Travel. Scaling down embassies gives them the result they are aiming for.

Cuban officials last week expressed disappointment with the U.S. reaction. A concerned Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla flew to Washington in a futile attempt to dissuade Tillerson from withdrawing U.S. diplomats. But the Cubans have said they will continue to cooperate in what is already an unprecedented willingness to allow FBI agents into Cuba to investigate.

If the U.S. government is serious about solving this mystery, they shouldnt make it more difficult to cooperate with the Cuban government during this critical time of the investigation, said James Williams, president of Engage Cuba, a group that aims to strengthen U.S.-Cuba ties.

The 15 Cuban diplomats being expelled represent about the same percentage being withdrawn from the U.S. Embassy, officials said, though the actual number of personnel ordered to leave Havana has not been disclosed.

The Americans will not be allowed to return to Cuba until the government in Havana can ensure their well-being, said the U.S. official assigned to brief reporters on the expulsion. He could not, however, explain how the Cubans could offer those assurances if no one knows the cause, much less when it may be safe for diplomats to return.

We are making it clear that the safety and well-being of our people is being affected by these health attacks, said a State Department official, speaking on the condition of anonymity under administration ground rules for briefing the media. We can no longer expose them to the environment down there.
It was March 2020, and the world was closing down as the COVID-19 pandemic spread. At first, the news of...
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 02/10/2017 (1869 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

About 300 high-level industry, academic and government officials from more than 25 countries are in Winnipeg this week at the 26th Global Forum whose theme is Digitization: Intelligent Pathways.

It is the first time the international think tank, which is focused on the digital future, has met in Canada. It comes at a time when there is growing public discussion about the opportunities  and challenges  new innovation will present for society.

At the opening session of the two-day event the discussion was about how market experts widely recognize that the digital economy can be one of the most powerful ways to address the challenges of innovation, low growth and durable high unemployment all over the world.

MARTIN CASH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Sylvia Albert, dean of the faculty of business and economics at the University of Winnipeg, was one of the leaders of the steering committee that brought the Global Forum to Winnipeg.

Gary Shapiro, the CEO of the 2,000-member Consumer Technology Association, a Washington-based non-profit organization that stages the massive annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, said his organizations main focus is on innovation.

He acknowledged the challenges robotics and artificial intelligence are having on workplaces around the world. He said that there is no denying that technology will displace old structures, but that has been part of human evolution for a long time and will not stop.

We have to deal with it head on and talk about technology and innovation in a way that conveys the fact that innovation is a tool that can be used for good and for bad, he said. And the biggest bad thing we see today is the concern, that is growing, that technologys negatives are starting to outweigh the positives.

He said technology and innovation advocates are up against a rising tide of opposition or anti-innovation. But he said the benefits to society far outweigh the negatives.

For instance, the rapid development of self-driving cars will cause massive disruptions over time, but it will also help eliminate a great number of the one million traffic fatalities that occur annually around the world.

That type of technology can also empower the elderly and disabled in a significant way.

I believe that in 40 or 50 years from now we will not be talking about the same issues (we are talking about today), Shapiro said. Technology can address many of the biggest problems we face today in society.

Sylvie Albert, the dean of the faculty of business and economics at the University of Winnipeg, was one of the leaders of the steering committee that brought the conference to Winnipeg.

She said technology is moving faster than the public can keep up with  there was fear and concern, for instance, about using automated teller machines or online banking but they are now pervasive and we use them comfortably.

Technology does bring an element of quality of life for lots of people, she said. It also brings some element of crime at the other end and we have to find ways to counter that.

Cybercrime and cybersecurity have now become among the most pressing issues for the technology community and the international community at large.

There are pros and cons about anything that we do in terms of innovation, Albert said. There are people looking to game the system. We have to continually try to innovate to make those changes.

She said you need activists, like the people who attend the Global Forum events, to come up with policies and technologies to ensure society can deliver these new services.

Paul Mahon, the CEO of Great-West Lifeco, spoke at the opening session of the conference on Monday about the challenges of keeping up with technology running a global company that is both old and complex.

You probably cant be ahead of the curve but we do try to keep up, he said.

Among other things, he said Great-West Lifeco now invests in financial technology companies to be able to participate in new technologies that may or may not succeed in being commercialized.

He said Great-West Lifeco is very aware of the need to develop the right people with the leadership skills to bridge the different technologies and continue to deliver the kind of products and services its customers need.

martin.cash@freepress.mb.ca
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 03/10/2017 (1868 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

OTTAWA  Niki Ashton says shell continue to champion pulling the federal NDP to the left of the political spectrum, blaming sexist media coverage for her third-place result in Sundays leadership race.

It was under-reported and underestimated, Ashton told the Free Press Tuesday, her first public statement since the partys leadership election in Toronto.

SEAN KILPATRICK / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES NDP leadership candidate Niki Ashton came in third place.

We knew from the contact we were making with people across the country that there was tremendous support and enthusiasm for the ideas that we were putting forward.

The NDP crowned Jagmeet Singh its leader with 53.8 per cent support, defying expectations by winning more than half of votes on the first round.

Ashton placed third with 17.4 per cent support, behind Northern Ontario MP Charlie Angus (19.4 per cent) but ahead of Quebec MP Guy Caron (9.4 per cent).

The northern Manitoba MP said she was really proud of the result as it was announced, adding she believes her efforts pulled other candidates to the left.

It was interesting to sort of watch a lot of the mainstream media ignore our campaign or discount (it) she said, adding the media focused intensely on her pregnancy.

On Tuesday, Singh said Ashton will absolutely have a place in our team, because her values speak to the heart of New Democratic values.

She did a great job with raising incredible issues around gender justice, climate change, precarious work (and) free tuition.

The two havent spoken since the result, aside from the brief initial congratulations. Ashton, however, anticipates having a key role in the caucus. I absolutely believe that we need a bold, progressive vision going forward, she said.

She also pledged to continue raising Manitoba issues, such as the damaged Churchill rail line, and cuts to value-added jobs in the resource sector, such as mines near Thompson.

Ashton, 35, had targeted millennials by pledging higher corporate taxes, no pipelines and federal control over everything from pharmacare to sustainable-energy projects.

THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES Federal NDP leadership candidates Jagmeet Singh, left to right, Charlie Angus, Niki Ashton and Guy Caron are seen in this four composite image made from video as they speak to the media following a debate in Montreal on Aug. 27, 2017.

She pitted Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as someone who doesnt walk the talk, supporting multinational corporations and trade deals after running on an environmental, progressive platform.

Ashton said millennials will likely be the majority of the electorate in future elections, and they were drawn to her ideas in the campaign calls and social-media posts.

Its definitely around the corner, she said. A tremendous amount of young people responded to our campaign.

She told the Free Press last week her focus on inequality was largely motivated by seeing widespread poverty among the 85,000 residents of her sprawling, resource-rich ChurchillKeewatinook Aski riding.

But she also pushed hard against Singh, whom many saw as her top opponent, over how he addressed domestic-assault allegations against new provincial NDP Leader Wab Kinew (who eclipsed her father, former Manitoba MLA and cabinet minister Steve Ashton, last month with three times as many votes).

During the campaign, Ashton called on Singh, a criminal defence lawyer, had to clarify whether he believed Kinews former partner, Tara Hart, because to not take a clear stand is a way of pushing more women into silence.

Singh eventually made stronger statements about the allegations, including Tuesday. I should be absolutely clear: I believe survivors. I believe Tara Hart. We need to make sure its easier to come forward and not face retraumatization, he said.

Ashton said she was very pleased to hear his comments.

Quebec MP Alexandre Boulerice, an influential voice in the party who stood next to Singh at his first press conference as leader, said Singh wont put Ashton on the sidelines after she won one-fifth of the vote.

Of course, she has a big future in the NDP, said Boulerice. Leadership races sometimes leave some scars, but its a normal process.

Boulerice had endorsed a fifth candidate, Peter Julian, who dropped out of the race in July. Boulerice did not throw his support behind anyone else, despite views that generally align with Ashton.

The NDP is a big coalition and everybody has a place.

dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 03/10/2017 (1868 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

On Monday night, Misericordia Health Centre formally shut its urgent care centre and on Tuesday morning, the Victoria General Hospitals emergency department will officially convert to an urgent care centre. These are just two of the changes taking effect this fall as part of the Winnipeg Regional Health Authoritys overhaul to health-care delivery in the city.

That overhaul was outlined in the Peachey report, which was commissioned by the previous NDP government, but is also driven by the Conservative governments demand that the WRHA find $83 million in annual savings. The citys six emergency departments are being reduced to three  Health Sciences Centre, St. Boniface and Grace Hospital. The ER at Seven Oaks General Hospital will be converted to an urgent care centre, while Concordia Hospital, which is also losing its ER, will focus on transitional care for the elderly and rehabilitative services.

Here is a snapshot of whats changing.

HOSPITAL SERVICES

WAYNE GLOWACKI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS The Emergency department at Grace Hospital.

The service: Misericordia Health Centres Urgent Care

How its changing: The urgent care closed at 8 p.m. on Monday night; it will be converted into a community intravenous-care clinic sometime in October. Despite the urgent care closure, Misericordia will continue to see urgent eye cases around the clock. New signage to direct people to the appropriate entrance is in the works.

Whats driving the change? This change is part of the WRHAs consolidation plan. Although closing the Misericordias urgent care was not explicitly stated in Dr. David Peacheys report, a spokeswoman says further analysis revealed the city would be well served by urgent care centres in the north and the south ends and that to keep the Misericordias centre would be an unnecessary duplication of service.

The service: Victoria General Hospitals Emergency Department

How its changing: At 8 a.m. on Tuesday morning, the ER will become an urgent care centre. That means it will no longer treat more acute, life-threatening cases. Paramedics know to take patients elsewhere, but should someone walk in with a life-threatening case, frontline workers will stabilize them and then call for an ambulance transport to an ER.

Whats driving the change? In the Peachey report, released last February, he recommended the WRHA consolidate its ERs from six to three and, if the WRHA was inclined, to convert the ERs it no longer needed into urgent care centres.

The service: Clinical assessment units and critical care beds

How its changing: The clinical assessment unit at Health Sciences Centre will be expanded, while new clinical assessment units are being opened shortly at both St. Boniface and Grace hospitals. Two new critical care beds will also be made available Oct. 10 at Grace Hospital.

Whats driving the change? These changes are part of the regions hospital consolidation plan and are meant to improve patient flow in a bid to help cut wait times.

WAYNE GLOWACKI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Misericordia Health Centre

The service: St. Boniface s emergency department

How its changing: Eight new treatment spaces are being added to the mid-to-low acuity area of the ER effective Tuesday morning. In the longer term, the hospital is looking at a much more comprehensive, $3-million renovation to be completed in approximately two years. That would possibly include a helicopter landing pad.

Whats driving the change? The eight new spaces are part of the consolidation plan, meant to help with some of the extra patients who will be re-routed from Victoria General Hospital. Peacheys report recommended expanding the three remaining ERs.

The service: Rehabilitation and Geriatric Program

How its changing: This 40-bed in-patient program at St. Boniface Hospital will be moved to Victoria General Hospital. The WRHA expects this transition to be completed by the beginning of November.

Whats driving the change? This is being driven by the WRHAs consolidation plan, based on the Peachey report. The plan is to re-focus Victoria Hospital on elder friendly care.

The service: Mature Womens Centre

How its changing: The centre at Victoria General Hospital was closed on Sept. 29 and patients are now being seen by their family practitioners. If they need a specialist, they will be referred to Health Sciences Centre.

Whats driving the change? This change was announced in July as part of the WRHAs savings measures. The Authority expects to save $160,000 annually.

NON-HOSPITAL SERVICES

THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods St. Boniface Hospital

The service: transitional care

How its changing: The WRHA is paying a private company, All Seniors Care, $9 million to operate 65 transitional care beds out of its retirement residence for two years starting this month. An additional 28 beds will open this month at Victoria General Hospital.

Whats driving the change? The WRHA says it needs the extra beds to help shift patients out of hospital and doesnt have the capacity to provide the service on its own right now in the midst of the hospital consolidation.

The service: home care

How its changing: Starting in November, the WRHA is spending $15.7 million over three years on a mixed model enhanced home care program. Of that money, $10.5 million is going to two private companies who will supply the necessary health-care aides and support workers (nurses and specialists will come from the WRHA). The program will handle 250 patients at a time and is meant to be an intensive intermediary for those who no longer need to be in the hospital, but arent ready to transition to standard home care.

Whats driving the change? The WRHA says this program is part of its consolidation, meant to help free up hospital beds.

The service: Outpatient physiotherapy and occupational therapy

How its changing: These services will be moved out of hospitals and into private practice sometime in mid-October. The only exceptions are specialized rehabilitation services at HSC and the Easy Street Program at Misericordia Health Centre. The WRHA says it will ensure accessibility at HSC for those who do not have private insurance.

Whats driving the change? This is a savings-driven decision.

The service: Special needs behavioural unit

How its changing: This program is being added to Deer Lodge Centre in early November.

Whats driving the change? This program addition is a result of the WRHAs consolidation plan.
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 03/10/2017 (1868 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Police are looking for a Winnipeg man theyve identified as a fourth suspect in a fatal shooting in July.

Jason Scott Woodhouse, 23, is described as being Indigenous, six feet tall, weighing 300 pounds, with brown eyes and short black hair.

Police allege Woodhouse was involved in a shooting on July 21. Emergency services were called to the 700 block of Selkirk Avenue following a report of shots fired. An adult male was taken to hospital in critical condition with a gunshot wound, and later died.

Trevor Bodnarek was shot outside a residence in the 700 block of Selkirk Avenue in July. (Phil Hossack / Winnipeg Free Press files)

Two Winnipeg men  Craig Dylan Monkman, 19, and Albert Kelly Thomas, 34  were both charged with second-degree murder in September. Anthony Shane Monias, 32, was also arrested and charged with manslaughter.

The victim was Trevor Bodnarek, also known as Trevor Desjarlais. Police said Bodnarek had no connection in any sort of activity that would have put him in harms way, and said he was visiting the home where he was shot.

Police are asking anyone with information about Woodhouse to call homicide investigators at 204-986-6508 or Crime Stoppers at 204-786-8477.
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This article was published 02/10/2017 (1869 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Steve Heinrichs and his family have been watching people come and go from the West End building near their home at all hours for the last three years. On Sunday, they got a chance to peek at whats been going on inside.

The former appliance repair shop on Ellice Avenue has been gutted and transformed into transitional housing for asylum-seekers who need a place to stay and a guiding hand during their first six months in Canada. Naomi House will be good for the community, said Heinrichs, a dad with three children ages 12 and under.

Were here to celebrate, he said on Sunday while touring the 6,200-square-foot building that has seven bedrooms and will house an estimated 30 refugee claimants a year.

JOHN WOODS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Pastors of Naomi House and City Church Tim Nielsen, left and Indy Cungcin, centre with Director of Naomi House James Leschied at the facilities opening, Sunday.

A private foundation purchased the structure and overhauled it without government money. It opened debt-free, said Tim Nielsen, a pastor at City Church on Maryland Street, whose congregation consists mostly of newcomers to Canada.

The church and congregation launched the housing project three years ago. It relied on private donations and thousands of hours of donated labour and materials. And its beautiful, Nielsen said.

The communal, second-floor living room has doors that open onto a giant patio at eye level with the West Ends tree canopy and neighbouring rooftops. A huge main-floor kitchen and dining area has two stoves and two microwave ovens for residents to cook together.

There will be cooking classes, English lessons and computer instruction on laptops the residents can use while they are staying at Naomi House, Nielsen said, adding that he sees it as being a place where churches and other community groups wanting to help can volunteer.

Each of the beds has a quilt hand-stitched by Hutterites, who made them for the newcomers, said tour guide Shawbaz Khan, a City Church member and volunteer.

Residents will have a key fob to get into the security camera-equipped building and an access code for their bedroom, said Lemlem Aregay, another tour guide and City Church volunteer.

The building will also house City Church offices and some live-in staff. Naomi House director Jim Leschied and his wife, Molly, a resettlement worker, moved in in May. Theyve reached out to other resettlement services in Winnipeg and their neighbours in the West End.

We have gotten to know people up and down the street, Leschied said. Its wonderfully diverse.

On a weekend when anti-immigrant protesters clashed at an irregular border crossing in Quebec and in Ottawa, Leschied said the mood around Naomi House has been a lot friendlier.

I havent experienced or heard a regressive thing in my four months here, he said. Its very welcoming.

A refugee claimant from Ethiopia and her two children are first residents of Naomi House, he said.

The sooner someone takes newcomers under their wing and helps them, the sooner they get connected to the community and jobs, said Indy Cung Cin, who arrived in Winnipeg as a refugee in 1996 from Myanmar and is now a pastor at City Church.

We have so many barriers  language, culture shock  we should be supporting them so they can work hard, he said.

carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca
Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 03/10/2017 (1868 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The neighbours are very cross about the Sept. 25 independence referendum in the Kurdish part of Iraq, which is currently known as the Kurdistan Autonomous Region (KAR). They cant go on calling it that if and when it gets formal independence, and the leading candidate for the new name is South Kurdistan. Which is precisely what annoys the neighbours.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, who governs the Arab majority (80 per cent) of Iraqs population, says he will impose an air blockade on the KAR if it doesnt hand over control of its airports to Baghdad by Friday. Iran has already stopped direct flights to the Kurdish region, and Lebanons Middle East airlines will observe the ban from Friday.

The Iraqi prime minister also said that Baghdad will fight to prevent Kurdish secession, if necessary, and he has sent Iraqi troops to take part in joint exercises with the Turkish army on the KARs northern border. As for the Turkish government, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is enraged and warns that this adventure (the independence referendum) can only have a dark end.

Khalid Mohammed / The Associated Press Files The president of Iraqs autonomous Kurdish region, Masoud Barzani, must step down before the elections scheduled for November.

Turkey is the great power of the region (80 million people and a big, modern economy), so Erdogans threats to shut off the pipeline that delivers Kurdish oil to the world and to stop exporting food to Iraqi Kurdistan have to be taken seriously. The KAR is landlocked, and Turkey is its main trading partner (about US$10 billion of cross-border traffic a year).

Erdogan tried very hard to persuade Masoud Barzani, the president of Iraqi Kurdistan, to call off the independence referendum. He accuses Barzani of treachery for going ahead with it anyway, and warns that If Barzani and the Kurdish Regional Government do not go back on this mistake as soon as possible, they will go down in history with the shame of having dragged the region into an ethnic and sectarian war.

Most of us were under the impression that that war has already been underway for around five years, mainly in Syria, with Erdogan eagerly feeding the flames. But his interventions in Syria were just dabbling in other peoples problems; an independent Kurdish state in northern Iraq, he thinks, would be an existential threat to Turkey itself.

He may be right, because one-fifth of Turkeys population is also Kurdish, and most of them live in the part of Turkey directly across the border from Iraqi Kurdistan. He is terrified that Turkeys Kurds will catch the independence bug too, and hes willing to take strong measures against Iraqs Kurds to stop it.

Thats why the talk of South Kurdistan is so incendiary. Seen through this Kurdish nationalist prism, it is the first bit of a big, united Kurdistan: southeastern Turkey is North Kurdistan, southwestern Iran is East Kurdistan and northeastern Syria is West Kurdistan. The 30 million Kurds are one of the biggest stateless ethnic groups in the world, but giving them all a national state would require dismantling Iraq, Iran, Turkey and Syria.

Thats why it has never happened, although the Kurds were first promised a state of their own when the Western powers were planning the carve-up of the Ottoman empire after the First World War. The Kurds have been seeking it ever since, but everybody else always lines up against them.

Iran has just said that it too will close its border with Iraqi Kurdistan, and Erdogan is confident that Turkey can bring it to its knees: It will be over when we close the oil taps, all their revenues will vanish, and they will not be able to find food when our trucks stop going to northern Iraq, he said this week.

The United States is preparing to abandon its Kurdish allies in both Iraq and Syria, although they have done much of the fighting against the Islamic State group, because it doesnt want borders to start to move in a region that is already turbulent enough. The Kurds havent got a friend in the world, and it is an old international tradition to use them and then betray them.

So why did Barzani hold the independence referendum now? Preliminary results suggest that it was hugely successful at home  a 91 per cent yes vote on a 72 per cent turnout  but theres going to be a big, ugly backlash from the neighbours. There could even be a war, and the likelihood that anybody will actually recognize South Kurdistans independence is minimal.

Barzanis motives are partly personal: he must step down before the elections scheduled for November, and he wants to stamp his own name on the independence project. But many Kurds would argue that there will never be a good time to go for independence, and that they must just push on and hope for the best. After 100 years of oppression and division, you can see their point.

Gwynne Dyer is an independent journalist whose articles are published in 45 countries.
The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley), maintained a massive police presence for Free Speech Week last week. This mobilization cost an estimated $800,000 and points to the advanced plans the university has for the violent suppression of student protest.

Hundreds of police in squads of 20 to 30 with riot gear and automatic weapons marched through campus, snipers were positioned on the rooftops, and undercover informers photographed students while gathering information on passersby. Noticeably absent were the demonstrations and counter-demonstrations the police were allegedly controlling.

Free Speech Week had been called as a provocation by the small right-wing student group Berkeley Patriot, inviting notorious far-right speakers like Milo Yiannopoulos, former White House Chief Strategist Stephen Bannon, Ann Coulter and David Horowitz to speak on campus between Sunday, September 24, and the following Wednesday.

The week of protest completely evaporated, culminating in Yiannopoulos speaking behind a police cordon for 15 minutes Sunday, singing the national anthem, signing condoms, and then going home. The police locked down Sproul Plaza, the main thoroughfare on campus, letting people in only after they passed through a metal detector. A little more than a hundred right-wing supporters came, many driving long distances.

E-mails obtained by the Bay Area News Group between one of the right-wing speakers who withdrew, Lucian Wintrich, and UC Berkeley spokesman Dan Mogulof, show that Free Speech Week was a provocation never intended to go forward. The Berkeley Patriot failed to file paperwork to actually request venues for their speakers, nationally known figures never intended to show up, and several other speakers were added to the event without their consent.

The university administration used the provocation as a pretext for mobilizing police on campus and did everything it could to make Free Speech Week appear credible. They prepared venues for the fictitious speakers, arranged security and told professors to consider canceling their classes that week.

Yiannopoulos had planned to have the event canceled by the university or shut down by counter-demonstrators to depict himself as a victim of censorship. When neither happened and very few of his supporters showed up, he found himself with nothing to say. The university pushed ahead with its plans, and Chancellor Carol Christ e-mailed students to expect police barricades to remain up during the week.

Berkeley has become a popular testing ground for far-right provocations, for the growing militarization of the police, and for the anarchist group Antifas efforts to channel left-leaning students into the political dead-end of violent confrontations.

In February, Yiannopoulos had a speaking arrangement at UC Berkeley canceled in response to protesters. The university spent $200,000 for police at that event. In April, conservative commentator Ann Coulter canceled her appearance on campus after two conservative student groups withdrew their sponsorship. Despite Coulters cancellation, the university spent $600,000 on police for the non-event. Earlier in September, conservative writer Ben Shapiro spoke on campus and the university spent another $600,000.

The pseudo-left has responded to these provocations by appealing to the university administration to ban far-right speakers and supporting violent confrontations with right-wing demonstrators and vandalism under the guise of Antifa.

Mark Bray, in his book Antifa : The Anti-Fascist Handbook , sympathetically describes how their vandalism was an appeal to the campus police to ban Yiannopoulos: In the days leading up to the event, students had met with the chancellor, written op-eds, amassed a petitionall to no avail.

On the night of Yiannopouloss speech, shortly before it was scheduled to begin, black-clad anti-fascists arrived at the larger ongoing demonstration and started to pull down police barricades, launch fireworks, smash windows, and spray-paint graffiti, causing what was later estimated to be $100,000 worth of damage. And what weeks of advocacy, argumentation, and public dialogue could not accomplish was instead achieved in about fifteen minutes, as the police quickly announced the cancellation of the event, citing security concerns.

All told, the university has spent $2.2 million this year on the four events, only one of which actually occurred. The UC administration is using that expense as a pretext for future censorship of controversial views.

UC President, and former head of the Department of Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano, told the Los Angeles Times that the position that we will have these speakers and pay for the security costs associated with thatmay not be sustainable.

On August 14, UC Berkeley implemented a draconian Interim Policy on Major Events, which has gone unreported in the press. It provides for censoring any meeting at the discretion of the UC Police Department (UCPD). Any event where more than 200 attendees are anticipated or where the UCPD determines campus security could be affected are considered major events. Any non-departmental major event-i.e., one sponsored by a student groupmust agree to reimburse the costs of basic event security provided by UCPD.

On page eight, the document allows the administration or UCPD to end an event if an imminent threat to safety or property arises. Throughout the document, the UCPD is constantly given discretionary power to directly censor meetings or throw so many expenses at student groups as to make a meeting impossible.

While Antifa seeks to pressure the university administration to censor right-wing speakers, the university is actually seeking pretexts to censor left-wing oppositional speech.

Napolitano was appointed UC president in 2013 even though she had no background in education. What she did have was a background in was mass deportations and organizing the nationwide crackdown on the Occupy movement on behalf of the Obama administration. Under her supervision, the UC system has installed spyware on campus computers and UC Davis has spent $175,000 to erase from social media the infamous use of pepper spray on unresisting students by campus cops.

More recently at Berkeley, under the previous Chancellor Nicholas Dirks, the school administration tried to suspend a student-run class that was critical of Israel, but retreated after the censorship made international news.
After its worst election defeat in the post-World War II period, Germanys Social Democratic Party (SPD) has wasted no time in repositioning itself. On election night, the SPD announced that it was not interested in the continuation of the grand coalition with the conservative Christian Democratic Union and would go into opposition. Three days later, the SPD parliamentary group elected former labour minister Andrea Nahles as its leader.

Nahles will thereby become the new guiding figure within the SPD. The parliamentary group leadership offers her more opportunities for political influence than the party leader, although there is much to suggest that she will also be the successor to Martin Schulz in the latter position. Schulzs influence is rapidly diminishing after he headed up the SPDs worst election result, with 20.5 percent of the vote, since 1945. The only reason he has not been immediately removed is that the party elected him unanimously as leader in March.

The SPDs decisions to go into opposition and choose Nahles have a clear political content. The issue at stake is not a process of renewal, a combative role in the opposition or challenging the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), as Nahles and the SPD have publicly claimed. As the largest opposition party, the SPD will assume the task of suppressing popular opposition to militarism, the strengthening of the state apparatus and social cutbacks. In the process, the SPD is ever more openly adopting the AfDs slogans.

Faced with mounting social and political opposition, the SPD is exiting government to cover for right-wing policies that the party has played a major role in developing since 1998, with a break of just four years, and which the incoming Christian Democratic/Free Democratic/Green Party Jamaica coalition will continue. The Social Democrats are basing themselves on tens of thousands of bureaucrats in the trade unions, the SPD and the state apparatus, where the SPD continues to enjoy substantial influence at the state level.

The 47-year-old Nahles is better equipped to play this role than almost anyone else. Unlike Martin Schulz, who spent the last 23 years of his political career in European politics, Nahles has at her disposal a close network of contacts both within and outside the SPD.

She is a member not only of the SPD, but also the IG Metall trade union, Attac and the central committee of the German Catholics. She was also for many years a member of the Denkfabrik (Think Tank), a group within the SPD that evaluates the prospects for closer collaboration between the SPD, the Left Party and the Greens. Angela Marquardt, Denkfabriks head of operations, is Nahles secretary in Berlin. Until 2002, Marquardt was a leading member of the Left Partys predecessor, the Party of Democratic Socialism (PDS).

As leader of the opposition, Nahles is striving to establish cooperation with the Left Party. We now have before us four years in opposition and we have to reach an understanding in one way or another about our joint responsibility for our democracy. I am ready for that, she said in an interview with Der Spiegel after her election as parliamentary group leader.

In her various posts in the party and in government, Nahles has perfected the technique of combining demagogic phrases with right-wing policies. After joining the SPD at the age of 18, she led the Jusos, the SPDs youth organisation, from 1995 to 1999. She was a protege of then-SPD leader Oskar Lafontaine, who described her as a gift from God. Nahles was elected to the parliament (Bundestag) for the first time in 1998. In 2009, she became general secretary of the SPD, and in 2013 she became labour minister in Angela Merkels grand coalition government.

She collaborated closely with the trade unions in this role. She bears responsibility for the Contract Unity Law, which effectively created a monopoly for unions aligned with the German Trade Union Alliance (DGB) and prevented strikes by smaller, profession-based unions such as the pilots Cockpit, the doctors Marburger Bund and the Train Drivers Union.

In 2003, Nahles publicly criticised then-SPD Chancellor Gerhard Schroders Agenda 2010, which earned her a reputation as a left. But she drew no practical political conclusions from this, other than the promotion of her own career. During her term as labour minister, Agenda 2010 took full effect: Germany became a low-wage country in which 40 percent of wage workers labour under precarious conditions.

Nahles own projects, the minimum wage, company pensions and the Contract Unity Law, were aimed at bolstering Agenda 2010. They were intended to dampen criticism without placing even the most minimal restrictions on the predatory profiteering of German corporations and banks. In addition, they sought to consolidate the unions influence in the economy.

The centerpiece of Nahles social policy is the minimum wage, which came into force on January 1, 2015. It currently stands at 8.84, so low that it is impossible to live on in any major city. And there are more holes in the minimum wage regulation than a Swiss cheese. The many exceptions target young people, seasonal workers and harvest helpers, the long-term unemployed, and others. Additional conditions have been added that further undermine the minimum wage.

It is a similar story with the company pension law, which mainly benefits the pension funds and insurance providers. Company pensions are financed through deferred compensation, i.e., contributions taken from the wages of employees. Companies are compensated with tax subsidies, and the state pension has been further reduced. In practice, this kind of company pension contributes to an increase in old age poverty. Since 2006, the number of people who have to work after reaching retirement age has doubled.

Nahles interview in the latest edition of Der Spiegel leaves no doubt that the SPD will continue these right-wing policies in opposition.

We now have to take responsibility for our democracy in opposition, Nahles told the magazine. The SPD does not interpret responsibility for democracy to mean defending democratic rights, which it has played a part in systematically undermining over recent years. Rather, it means strengthening the bourgeois states apparatus of repression. It was right for us to demand 15,000 more police officers in our campaign, Nahles stated in the interview.

She adopted the tone of the AfD on refugee policy and advocated the creation of a strong state. We are not naive, she said. When a million people come here they are not all going to be nice. And anyone who doesnt play by the rules must face tough consequences.

Asked whether the state must be capable of closing its borders, Nahles answered, Yes, because a state must be able to be strong. It is a force for regulation, organisation, opportunity-creation, but also punishment and restriction. If that is called into question, it wont be good in the long term.

Nahles insisted on the continuation of Schroders Agenda policies. In reply to Der Spiegels remark, The Agenda 2010 was a mistake, she said, No, the Agenda was a necessary impulse for reform. She rejected the policies of British Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn with the remark, Things work differently here. In Germany, we have a good tradition of a culture of consultation, for example between employers and trade unions.

Above all, Nahles insisted that Germany has to stick to the foreign policy goals set by the grand coalition four years ago. Based on its dominant position in Europe, Germany should once again become a military power. To do this, she appealed for close cooperation with France.

Nahles said she is very grateful to French President Emmanuel Macron for having presented this week his vision of Europe with a strong, constructive state, with a defence union, unified minimum wage, and a harmonised social state. Macrons strong state is seen in the permanent state of emergency he is maintaining in France. And Nahles talk of a harmonised social state can be seen in Macrons right-wing labour market reforms, which have triggered stormy protests by French workers.

Nahles and the SPD are well aware of the widespread opposition among workers and young people to militarism, the strengthening of the state apparatus and social cutspolicies that all of the established parties in one form or another support. The AfD was able to direct this pent-up anger into right-wing channels with its demagogic slogans.

But there are millions who oppose the current political set-up just as much as they do the AfD and are searching for a progressive way out of the capitalist blind alley. The SPD considers its most important task to be maintaining control of and suppressing this opposition.
US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has issued a statement denouncing last weeks referendum on Kurdish independence held by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in Iraq. The vote, which resulted in a large majority backing Kurdish separation, has increased tensions throughout the Middle East, with Turkey and Iraq openly threatening KRG authorities with military violence.

According to official KRG results, over 92 percent of voters backed separation from Iraq. Turnout in the referendum stood at 72 percent.

Tillerson declared that the referendum and the results lack legitimacy. He went on to stress Washingtons support for a united, federal, democratic and prosperous Iraq, and urged Iraqi Kurdish authorities to respect the constitutionally-mandated role of the central government. The central government should reject threats or even allusion to possible use of force, he added.

The Trump administrations position has taken KRG leaders by surprise. KRG President Masoud Barzani hoped to secure the support of the imperialist powers for an independent Kurdistan. The referendum question, which spoke of forming a state out of the KRG and Kurdistani areas outside the regions administration, was worded so as to sanction the expansion of a would-be Kurdish state to include energy-rich Kirkuk and other areas not formally within the KRGs borders and which are home to large numbers of non-Kurdsthe vast majority of whom oppose forced incorporation into a separate Kurdish state.

Washington has a long relationship with Barzanis Kurdish Democratic Party, has backed the KRG with military and financial aid, and has made use of the KRG Peshmerga as shock troops in fighting the Islamic State in Iraq.

Nevertheless, it views the KRGs independence-bid, at least at present, as cutting across its drive to establish unfettered US domination over the worlds principal oil-exporting region.

During his visit to the Middle East in May, President Donald Trump made clear that his administrations chief goal is to isolate, push back and prepare for a military confrontation with Iran. The establishment of an independent state by the KRG would not only complicate the formation of the Saudi-led Sunni Arab alliance Trump hopes to marshal against Iran. It could also drag the US and its allies into an ethnic and religious communal war over the partition of Iraq.

Washington has signaled that it could dramatically escalate its military-strategic conflict with Iran in coming days. Under US law, Trump must decide by October whether to certify Tehrans continued compliance with the 2015 Joint Cooperative Plan of Action, otherwise known as the Iran nuclear accordsomething Trump has all but publicly announced he will not do. Such a move would not only place Washington on a fast track to war with Iran, but intensify already sharp divisions with the European powers, who support the nuclear deal.

With this in mind, the Trump administration has brought pressure to bear on its regional allies to adopt a hard line against the Kurdish referendum. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who initially hailed the vote and declared Tel Avivs backing for Kurdish independence with a view to gaining an ally on Irans western border, has since reversed his position and lined up with the United States.

The central government in Iraq together with the neighbouring powers are also opposed. With the full support of Turkey and Iran, the Iraqi government demanded the KRG cancel the Sept. 25 referendum and threatened it with sanctions, international isolation and possible military action.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has since warned of an impending Iraqi military intervention in the KRG and curtly dismissed Barzanis appeals for talks on the KRGs future.

In a statement last Friday, the Iraqi Defence Ministry indicated that it would take control of the external border posts held by the KRG from the Iranian and Turkish side, in coordination with Ankara and Tehran. According to the statement, the implementation of the Iraqi governments decision to take over all border posts and airports was proceeding in coordination with the related authorities and neighbouring countries, as planned.

Last week, the Iraqi parliament urged the Baghdad government to send troops to take control of oilfields held by Kurdish forces, and called on foreign governments to close their diplomatic missions in the KRGs capital, Erbil.

On September 29, Turkey imposed a ban on flights to the KRG. The Iranian government has also participated in the ban, with an additional sanction of temporarily prohibiting Iranian oil firms from doing business with the KRG. According to media reports, almost all foreign airlines have suspended their flights to the KRG, obeying a request from Baghdad, which controls Iraqi air space.

The Turkish government, which fears that an independent Kurdistan in Iraq could set an example for its own Kurdish minority, against which Ankara has been waging a brutal war since the 1980s, has repeatedly threatened the KRG with the imposition of economic sanctions. Ankara also raised the prospect of cutting the KRGs access to international markets, and has launched military exercises on the Turkish-Iraqi border as a direct threat of military intervention.

The Justice and Development Party (AKP) of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has also gained the support of the main opposition Union Republican Peoples Party (CHP) and the fascistic Nationalist Movement Party (MHP).

The MHP has even declared its readiness to send 5,000 Grey Wolvesmembers of its notorious youth organization that was guilty of killing thousands of leftists in the 1970sto Kirkuk to free the Turkmens from the KRG.

The Turkish government is continuing to issue provocative threats over the KRG referendum. Erdogan, who previously said the vote could trigger an ethnic war, reiterated on Saturday that the KRG authorities would pay the price for it. Speaking to AKP members in Erzurum, he said, They are not forming an independent state; they are opening a wound in the region to twist the knife in it.

In reference to Ankaras development of strong commercial, financial and military ties with the KRG in recent years, Erdogan said, We dont regret what we did in the past. But since the conditions are changed and the Kurdish Regional Government, to which we provided all support, took steps against us, it will pay the price.

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim, for his part, said Saturday that Ankara will no longer deal with Kurdish authorities in Erbil: From now on, our relationships with the region will be conducted with the central government, Baghdad.

There is a real danger that disputes over the KRGs future could serve as yet another flashpoint for military conflict, triggering a war that might not only include neighbouring states, but also the major powers.

While US imperialism bears chief responsibility for destabilizing the Middle East in a series of reckless and ruinous wars, its European rivals are increasingly seeking to assert their own interests in the region.

French President Emmanuel Macron said that the KRG and Baghdad should remain united in their priority to defeat the Islamic State (IS) and stabilize Iraq. According to media reports, a source in Macrons office said that Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi had accepted an invitation to visit Paris on Thursday for talks on the issue.

Russia, whose ties with Turkey have strengthened over recent months, has refused thus far to condemn the vote. President Vladimir Putin visited Ankara last Thursday for talks with his Turkish counterpart Erdogan on the latest developments in Iraq and Syria, as well as economic and commercial relations between Turkey and Russia. This included Turkeys decision to purchase the Russian S-400 missile defence system. Ankara has already made an advance payment, according to Russian officials, and delivery of the system is supposed to begin within two years.

In respect to the KRG referendum, Putin confined himself to briefly mentioning a statement recently issued by the Russian Foreign Ministry on the referendum, stressing that this reflects Moscows position. The written statement from Russias Foreign Ministry declared that Moscow maintains its unwavering commitment to the sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of the friendly Iraq and other Middle Eastern states, while respecting the national aspirations of the Kurds.

Next to Turkey, which has built the KRGs infrastructure, Russia is one of the main investors in the Kurdish autonomous region. In June 2017, the KRG signed a 20-year-long deal with Russias Rosneft to cooperate on the exploration and production of gas and oil. State-owned Gazprom is also currently engaged in three oil projects in the region. Their two main rivals in the KRG are the US Exxon Mobil and Frances Total. According to the KRGs Ministry of Natural Resources, the region has an estimated 45 billion barrels of oil reserves and 5.66 trillion meters of natural gas.

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On Sunday, New York Universitys Student Activities Board (SAB) approved the student group application of the International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE).

The decision comes in the wake of an outpouring of support for the IYSSE among students and professors on campus who defended the right of Trotskyists to have a club on campus. The IYSSE widely publicized the fact that NYU twice rejected its application in the 2016-2017 school year on anti-democratic grounds. It submitted its current petition with the support of 170 students.

NYUs administration is dominated by the military, intelligence agencies, and the Democratic Party, said IYSSE NYU President Isaac Oseas. They did not want a socialist club on campus and put all sorts of barriers in our place. But we put up a fight, we turned the issue of censorship against the censors, and on that basis we educated students and workers. And we won.

The SAB last year employed many excuses in their efforts to prevent the IYSSE from forming a club, despite the fact that all of the clubs applications met the official requirements. In rejecting the IYSSEs previous applications, the SAB claimed the club was too similar to other clubs on campus, that it lacked sufficient staying power among the student body, and that the school had insufficient funds to support the majority of clubs that apply each year.

We said it is for the students, not the SAB and the administration, to decide what political views can be represented on campus, Oseas said. This met a powerful response.

In response to the claim that the IYSSE lacked sufficient staying power, Oseas ran for student governmentand wongarnering 121 votes in May and doubling his nearest competitor, winning 45 percent of the vote.

Oseas recently began his term in student government and became involved in the club selection process as a member of the SAB. Last Friday, when SAB administrators told him there was only enough funding to accept six clubs out of dozens of applicants, Oseas boycotted the selection process in protest. He issued a letter to his fellow SAB members calling for a public campus meeting to democratize the club selection process.

Oseas said, As the IYSSEs representative in student government, I reject the framework that there is no money for student clubs and I refuse to participate in it.

The price of giving 30 clubs $1,000 each is less than the cost of tuition for one student for one year, he continued. It is an insult to our intelligence for the university to claim it cant provide funds for student groups when it drives its students into debt, gets millions of dollars from its network of Wall Street alumni, and treats its top administrators with golden parachutes and penthouse Manhattan apartments.

The decision by NYU to grant the IYSSE club shows that efforts by the ruling class to censor left-wing political viewswhether on campus, on social media, or through online searchescan be defeated. The IYSSE did not accept NYUs lies and fought to educate the student body, winning new recruits and broad support in the process.

While we are fighting censorship at NYU, the World Socialist Web Site is fighting censorship online, Oseas added. Our fights for free speech are inextricably linked, and many students on campus are deeply concerned about the prospect of powerful corporations deciding what views people can and cannot read.

Already, the campaign to block the IYSSE has backfired on the NYU administration, with the membership of the IYSSE more than doubling in the last year. The IYSSE will now enter a one-year probationary period where it will have to prove that it can meet the requirements for group status.

Oseas said the IYSSEs victory marks a new stage in the fight for socialism in New York, the home of Wall Street. We are fighting to turn NYU from a think-tank for Wall Street and the military into a center of political and intellectual struggle against inequality and war. Our club stands for the principle that the working class is the historically progressive force in society. We take our members to Amazon plants, to bus drivers, subway workers, telecommunications workers, and other sections of the working class who are fighting for survival in New York City, the center of world finance capital.

NYU students interested in becoming involved with the IYSSE are encouraged to attend its next meeting, No to war on North Korea!, which will be Wednesday, October 4 at 6:30 p.m. in the Silver Center Graduate Student Lounge (Room 120).
The protests that erupted in St. Louis over the past two weeks, following the acquittal of police officer Jason Stockley for the killing of 24-year-old Anthony Lamar Smith in 2011, raise basic political issues.

The ruling class responded to the demonstrations, which drew as many as 1,000 people, with a ruthless and violent police crackdown, giving officers free rein to terrorize and intimidate the crowds. One chilling video circulating on social media shows groups of officers beating an unarmed protester with their batons before dragging his limp body out of sight. In another, a long line of riot police trample a 65-year-old woman who the police later claimed, did not disperse quickly enough.

The peaceful crowds were attacked with pepper spray and tear gas on multiple occasions. Well over 120 people were arrested, with many media reporters and bystanders caught up in the dragnet. So unrestrained was the level of police force that, at one point, they beat and bloodied one of their own officers who was undercover in the crowd.

Given the significance of the exonerationdespite overwhelming evidence of premeditated police murderand the massive scale of the police riot, it is striking how little attention it has received from the publications of the left in the United States, which orbit around the Democratic Party. No articles can be found on either the website of Socialist Alternative or on Jacobin, which is associated with the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). The fact that the mayor overseeing the violent crackdown, Lyda Krewson, is a Democrat is no doubt a factor.

What has been written from these quarters predictably presents the issue of police brutality as wholly a product of institutional racism (Stockley is white and Lamar Smith was black). An article (St. Louis refuses to be silenced) published September 22 on Socialist Worker, the online news organ of the International Socialist Organization, blames what it calls racecraft cast upon Black people by police. The words race, racism and racist appear seven times, while the word class does not appear once. The decision to exonerate the police officer is presented entirely as a matter of the judges own alleged racism.

The effort of pseudo-left groups to deliberately inject racialist politics into the popular protests found a revealing expression in an event staged on September 21, six days after the acquittal of Stockleya rally under the headline, Call to Action: White Allies Only.

The protest, which unabashedly called for a segregated demonstration, was initiated by Cori Bush, a local pastor and activist currently planning a run for US Congress as a Democrat. The event was enthusiastically promoted and endorsed by the local chapter of the DSA and Black Lives Matter (BLM), and was led by a member of Socialist Alternative.

The fact that a segregated protest was orchestrated by political tendencies that posture as the left in St. Louis is particularly offensive given the citys long history of working-class struggle and solidarity across racial lines. St. Louis is home to the first general strike in the United States in 1877. Born out the Great Railroad Strike of same year, the general strike was largely organized by the Workingmans Party, which had ties to the First International, and was consciously aimed at uniting both black and white workers on the basis of their common class interests.

The White Allies Only event, in contrast, sought to reinforce racial divisions. Organizers led the crowd in chanting the slogan white silence is violence! The social media event page motivated the rally by arguing that systemic apathy of white Americans is a major factor in the brutalization of black people by police. In other words, white people as a whole are responsible for the murder of Smith and other black Americans.

Similar rallies have been called during other protests over police violence throughout the country since the emergence of the Black Lives Matter movement. A statement (White Silence is the New Mob Violence) published on the website of Black Youth Project, an affiliate of Black Lives Matter, in response to the 2012 killing of black youth Trayvon Martin declares, The silence of our White friends, colleagues, family members, and partners around issues perpetrated by White people is not going unnoticed. It is the smothering, dead silence around such issues that gives platform for these types of atrocities to happen all around us.

Among broader sections of the population, there is a general understanding that police violence is not a matter primarily of race. In contrast to the call for a segregation of black and white workers, earlier demonstrations in St. Louis attracted families, workers, and youth of all races and ethnicities. These events were dominated by chants like No justice, No profits! a spin on the commonly used slogan, No justice, No peace!

Whatever role racism may play in particular acts of police violence, the effort to present the epidemic of police violence as a matter of white violence is reactionary and false. The killing of Lamar Smith is just one instance of an unending string of police murders that kill hundreds of poor and working class people, of all races, every year in the United States.

While African Americans are disproportionately the target of police killings, the majority of victims are in fact white. According to conservative estimates from the Washington Post s tally of police murders, 330 of those killed by police this year were white, while 160 were black.

This epidemic of police murders takes place under politicians from both parties and regardless of race. There are scores of examples of black police commissioners and black mayorsand black presidentswho oversee such murders, offer unconditional support to the police departments, and allow the exoneration of murderous cops.

The racialist narrative obscures the class character of the state, which serves the corporate and financial elite, regardless of race and ethnicity. It is a cover for the role of the Democratic Party, which has long promoted racial and identity politics even as it has overseen a policy that has produced social and economic devastation.

Above all, the politics of these groups serves to block what is required to opposed police violence and racism in all its formsa united movement of the working class against the capitalist system.

Completely absent from the political strategy of those organizations that promote racialist politics is any appeal to common social and class issues that face workers of all races: the destruction of education, the lack of health care, unemployment, skyrocketing inequality, unending war. No attempt is made to educate workers in the history of the 20th century, which provides countless examples of how racism is used by the ruling class to divide workers and prevent the emergence of a common struggle.

The exoneration of Stockley and the police mobilization in St. Louis should be taken as a warning to the entire working class: opposition to the policies of the ruling class will not be tolerated. It is not white violence that is responsible for police killings, but the ruling class, its political servants in the Democratic and Republican Parties, and the capitalist system that they defend.
While rapidly strengthening its military ties with Sri Lanka, the Trump administration is voicing concerns over Colombos unsustainable debts to China. These views were outlined last month by Alice Wells, the US acting assistant secretary for South and Central Asia, in a report to the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

Titled Maintaining US Influence in South Asia: the FY 2018 budget, the report deals with Washingtons foreign assistance to South Asian countries including India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Maldives, over the next financial year.

Wells told the House Foreign Affairs committee that Sri Lankas historic elections in January 2015 had ushered in a path to reform and reconciliation She also noted, however, that Washington would continue its oversight of implementation of steps outlined in the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) resolution passed in October 2015.

The historic election referred to by Wells is the US-backed, regime-change operation that ousted former President Mahinda Rajapakse and replaced him with Maithripala Sirisena. The US opposed Rajapakses close relations with China and demanded that Colombo fall into line with Washingtons military preparations against Beijing.

The US supported Rajapakses war against the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). However, after the LTTEs defeat in 2009, Washington sponsored resolutions in the UNHCR calling for an international war crimes investigation into the decades-long conflict. This had nothing to do with exposing Sri Lankan war crimes but was to pressure Rajapakse to end Colombos close ties with China.

The UNHCR resolutions were dropped soon after the pro-US Sirisena government came to power and replaced with a new diluted proposal that allowed Colombo to establish a domestic mechanism to investigate human rights violations.

Wells told the House Committee on Foreign Affairs that the new Sri Lankan government was committed to a reform agenda, but significantly added, that it had a growing interest in expanding engagement with the US, including in military-to-military relations.

US assistance to Sri Lanka, however, will only be $3.4 million for the 2018 financial year, 92 percent less than in 2017. Although Wells did not explain why this cut had occurred, it appears that Washington is concerned about the Sri Lankan governments recent investment deals with China.

The Indian-based Economic Times reported that Wells told the hearing that China is providing non-concessional loans that promote unsustainable debt burdens, which I think are increasingly now of concern to the Sri Lankan people in the government.

Wells also declared that the US is using its tools to reinforce a message of reform, and to bring Sri Lanka into a space where they too will institutionalize the principles of the Indo-Pacificfreedom of navigation, transparency, non-militarization humanitarian assistance and disaster relief at its core.

These statements are significant. Washingtons concerns are not Sri Lankan unsustainable debt burden, humanitarian relief or disaster relief but its ongoing economic relations with Beijing and the requirement that it fall into line with US strategy. Freedom of navigation is the catch phrase used by Washington to justify its provocative challenges to Chinese territorial claims in the South China Sea.

Soon after Sirisena came to power, Colombo halted some investment projects with China, such as the $1.4 billion Colombo Port City Project and South Asias tallest building, the Lotus Tower. But facing a foreign loan default, the cash-strapped government, turned to Beijing to negotiate an easing of the debt burden.

The government eventually signed an agreement with China Merchant Holdings Company to sell a 70 percent of share in the Hambantota Port for $1.2 billion, hoping to offset part of its loan repayments. It has also given a green light for the resumption of other Chinese-financed projects.

Wells remarks are a thinly-veiled warning to Colombo that it must strictly follow Washingtons line. This is the only meaning of her declaration that Sri Lanka must institutionalize the principles of the Indo-Pacific.

Washingtons methods to reinforce a message of reform will no doubt include behind-the-scenes threats to ramp up the UNHRC war crimes allegations against Colombo if it continues to move closer to Beijing.

The Indian Express has reported that the US Senate Appropriations Committee opposed the 92 percent cut in aid to Sri Lanka and last month tabled a separate bill calling for $43 million in 2018. The committee declared that Sri Lanka should be assisted because of its strategic location and the impact of the decades-long war on the country. The Pentagon is nevertheless strengthening its military ties with Sri Lanka.

Addressing the Indian Ocean Conference in Colombo at the end of August, Wells announced the first ever US-Sri Lanka joint naval exercise, Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training or CARAT 2017, which will occur this month at Trincomalee. The exercise will be conducted by the US Seventh Fleet, which is at the centre of Washingtons war plans against China, and follows the Malabar naval exercise held in July, which involved India, US and Japan.

US war ships have been making frequent visits to Colombo since 2015 and the US Marine Corps are training Sri Lankan marines and navy soldiers, including on the Guam naval base in the western Pacific.

India, Washingtons main strategic and military ally in South Asia, has voiced concern over Colombos recent Hambantota Port deal and loan agreements with China. This was reflected in an August 13 article by Indian analyst Swaran Singh in the Daily Mirror.

Entitled, Why India is worried about China consolidating in Sri Lanka? Singh described the loans from Beijing to Colombo as a debt trap that would force India to shore up its defence mechanism with Sri Lanka.

India is currently bolstering defence ties with Sri Lanka. The Indian and Sri Lankan navies have resumed their annual SLINEX exercises. This years event was held at the Viskhapatnam naval base and in the Bay of Bengal from September 414. Joint exercises involving US, Indian and Sri Lankan naval personnel were also held last month at the Welisara navy camp, near Colombo.

Behind the backs of workers and the poor, the Sri Lankan government is tying the country to the US-led war drive against China that will have catastrophic consequences for the working class in South Asia and the world.
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(Photo: Facebook/Jessica Grays Hunting Adventures)

Following in the footsteps of President Trumps trophy-hunting sons is Jessica Grays  an outdoor enthusiast whose Facebook post about killing a moose in Alaska has been drawing the ire of many.

A huge congratulations to my partner in crime on harvesting this monster bull! Grays wrote in her Sept. 19 post featuring a slew of photos from the slaughter, the centerpiece of which features Grays posing with a hunting partner, both grinning, alongside the felled beast. Many years guiding these big animals and now he has one of his own! Alaska is seriously amazing and I count myself lucky for getting to come back every year! Weather hasnt been on our side and may be stuck a little longer

The post has elicited more than 100 comments, the majority of them expressing anger and disgust and calling for karma to deliver its response to Grays and her cohort. Among them:

You are one disgusting ugly vile wench. Nature is something to stand back and admire. Not to murder, cut its head off, and nail to your wall. I can only pray that one day, karma returns the favor, and your head ends up on someones wall.

What horrendous cowards these people are! Not hunters al all. Just murderers killing defenseless animals with high-powered guns. No skill there, just weak acts of [cowardice] by despicable insecure idiots.

(Photo: Facebook/Jessica Grays Hunting Adventures)

Wow, that was a gorgeous animal. Did you kill him to feed your family for the winter? Just wondering, because I wouldve loved to have seen him, from a distance, on my next visit to Alaska.

You think youre a big shot because you were able to take down this gorgeous animal with a bullet? You disgust me.

It truly is beyond my comprehension that anyone gets joy and excitement out of killing magnificent animals. Something is definitely lacking in trophy hunters like you, probably a soul.

Though her post did bring on about 40 likes, more than 120 reacted with angry emoticons and a handful with sad.

(Photo: Facebook/Jessica Grays Hunting Adventures)

Adult moose can range in size from 800 pounds to twice that and can be almost six feet tall, according to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, which reports that about 175,000 to 200,000 moose are widely distributed throughout Alaska, and that annual harvests range from about 40 to 1,200, depending on the region. Hunting the animals in the state is legal and done by lottery in some regions; in other regions, licensed hunters can take part in general moose hunts.

Story continues

Grays did not immediately respond to Yahoo Lifestyles request for comment. (Update: Grays eventually did send a lengthy response. It said, in part, I find it unfortunate that the day after we as a nation suffer the greatest loss of human life in the tragic Las Vegas shooting; that instead of coming together as a nation to preserve and honor the sanctity of human life, I have received hundreds of death threats from the anti hunting community For me hunting is a part of who I am, I am very passionate about it. It has been my husbands dream to harvest a moose for over 20 years. I value the animals life and the process it takes to hunt them. Nothing goes to waste Hunters bring billions of dollars each year to conservation programs. I travel the world giving to conservation so that the animals will be around for my children and theirs to come. Managing wildlife is a balancing act. If we do nothing the numbers animals will drastically decline and we wont be able to enjoy them, let alone our posterity. But with management we are protecting and preserving these animals and helping them THRIVE in the wild!)

Her story  of bragging on social media and then facing a resulting takedown  is similar to that of the Trump sons, Donald Jr. and Eric, who have posed alongside dead trophy animals including a leopard and crocodile, prompting critics over the years (led in part by Mia Farrow) to call them out for being in poor taste and murderers.

In 2014, a game-hunting cheerleader by the name of Kendall Jones also inspired outrage and even a Change.org petition, demanding that Jones be banned from Africa; some claimed that the furious criticism of her was fueled by sexism.

The biggest controversy of this kind of recent years was, of course, the saga of Cecil the Lion  the 13-year-old king of the forest who was shot and killed in Zimbabwe by American dentist Walter Palmer. As a result, Palmer was publicly vilified for his actions and eventually said he felt regret over the hunt.

Much of this weeks blowback over Grays appears to have been encouraged by the Facebook page Coalition Against Trophy Hunting, Poaching & Animal Cruelty, on which a post on Monday features Grays posing with a host of slaughtered and stuffed lions. Check her page out, the post urges. A lot more photos than this please share/tweet name/shame (with her ego? the shame part will take a lot of work. Go for it).

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At first, Shaun Hoff dismissed the loud, successive pops he was hearing, thinking they were exploding fireworks. The Los Angeles casting director who escaped unscathed from the Route 91 Harvest Festival in Las Vegas Sunday evening tells PEOPLE the blasts continued for more than 30 seconds before anyone realized their lives were on the line.

My wife and I were right in front of the stage when someone started screaming, Everybody down, get down, and we just hit the ground, Hoff tells PEOPLE. At that point, the music stopped and at the same time, the shooting stopped, but for about a minute. Then, it just kept going and going. The shooting lasted for 8 minutes, but it felt like it continued for 30 minutes.

It was insane, Hoff recalls. Its unreal.

At least 58 people have been killed and an estimated 515 were wounded after a gunman opened fire on the country music festival Sunday night. The shooting surpasses the Pulse nightclub massacre of 2016 as the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history.

 Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter.

The shooting started just as Jason Aldean began his set.

Police SWAT confronted the shooter  identified as Stephen Paddock, 64, of Mesquite, Nevada  after finding him on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Casino, Clark County Sheriff Joseph Lombardo said. Lombardo said Paddock likely died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Hoff  who attends the three-day country music festival in Las Vegas every year  and his wife laid motionless on the ground for 3 minutes, as people continued falling all around them.

We were waiting until there was a pause in the gunfire, and we ran, Hoff explains. We were just sprinting and then, the shooting started up again, and we dipped into a Porta Potty and hid in there until the shooting stopped again.

When it did, Hoff says he and his wife continued with their escape, ducking behind cars whenever the shooting resumed.

Story continues

There were bodies all over the placewe were just running through all of these bodies, Hoff says. It was nuts. There were people bleeding all over the place and you could not stop to help anyone because the gun shots were still going. No one had any idea this guy was in the hotel, because it actually sounded like the shooting was getting closer and closer.

 PEOPLEs special edition True Crime Stories: 35 Real Cases That Inspired the Show Law & Order is on sale now.

Hoff estimates he and his wife ran two miles before stopping in the parking lot at the Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino. We were there 10 minutes before someone started shouting that there was an active shooter at that hotel, he says. There was all kinds of miscommunication happening in those moments.

The couple continued walking around Las Vegas in a daze before happening upon a parking garage. They met total strangers, and learned the strangers were about to leave town and head back to Ontario, California.

So we hitchhiked with them, and once we got to Ontario, we Ubered it another hour to Los Angeles, Hoff says. We left everything behind in our room. We literally just left with the clothes on our backs.

Hoff says it wasnt until he was halfway home that he realized he could have been killed.

It feels like a bad dream, he explains. I am feeling incredibly lucky, especially after seeing all of the stuff that was around us. Its something Ill never be able to unsee.
A year after the terrorist bombing at her concert in Manchester, Ariana Grande is paying tribute to the 22 victims of the attack on her new album, Sweetener. The final song, Get Well Soon, includes 40 seconds of silence that makes the songs duration exactly 5:22 in length  the date of the Manchester bombing []

Ariana Grande offered her condolences Monday morning to victims of a Las Vegas shooting that left at least 58 people dead and more than 500 injured. In her response, she urged for gun control and asked for people to call the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history an act of terrorism.

Police named Stephen Paddock as the gunman who opened fire at Route 91 Harvest Music Festival near the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas on Sunday evening. The 64-year-old is dead by his own hand, while a motive for the attack remains unclear.

My heart is breaking for Las Vegas, she wrote on Twitter. We need love, unity, peace, gun control & for people to look at this & call this what it is = terrorism.

My heart is breaking for Las Vegas. We need love, unity, peace, gun control & for people to look at this & call this what it is = terrorism.  Ariana Grande (@ArianaGrande) October 2, 2017

In May, 22 people died and 59 were injured after a suicide bombing occurred outside Grandes concert in Manchester. Following the terrorist attack, she held a benefit and tribute to the victims. Over 50,000 people attended the One Love Manchester concert, which included performances by Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus, Niall Horan, Katy Perry, Coldplay, The Black Eyed Peas, Mac Miller, and Pharrell Williams.

In wake of the Vegas tragedy, a number of celebrities reacted on social media. Lady Gaga also labeled the attack as terrorism, and added, Terror bares no race, gender or religion, while Josh Gad made a plea for policy changes. Dear Congress, we dont need your moment of silence. We need your moment of action. NOW, he wrote. Camila Cabello also pushed for gun control, and asked, What more is it going to take to end this madness?

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Former Fox News star Bill OReilly called the shooting at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival in Las Vegas the price of freedom.

In a blog post on his site titled Mass Murder in Las Vegas, OReilly argued on Monday that gun violence is an inevitable byproduct of freedom.

Public safety demands logical gun laws but the issue is so polarizing and emotional that little will be accomplished as there is no common ground, he wrote. The NRA and its supporters want easy access to weapons, while the left wants them banned.

This is the price of freedom, he added. Violent nuts are allowed to roam free until they do damage, no matter how threatening they are.

While many politicians, media personalities, and celebrities are calling for stricter gun laws, OReilly claims that having covered scores of gun-related crimes over the years, I can tell you that government restrictions will not stop psychopaths from harming people.

OReilly said the Second Amendment allows even the loons to have the right to arm themselves for protection. He also dismissed any efforts at passing gun control legislation because the ideological differences are so polarizing between the left and the right that little to nothing would be accomplished.

Sundays shooting left 58 dead and more than 500 injuries. The incident marked the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history since the 2016 Pulse nightclub attack that killed 49. There have been more than 1,500 mass shootings since 2013.

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ABCs Dancing With The Stars will open its show tonight with a moment of silence in honor of the victims of the Las Vegas shooting.

DWTS will begin at 8:05 PM EDT, following a live, five-minute update on events surrounding the shooting by World News Tonight anchor David Muir. The news update will originate from Las Vegas and is in addition to an expanded one-hour special edition of ABC News World News Tonight with David Muir (6:30-7:30 p.m. EDT). ABC News Correspondents Matt Gutman and Linsey Davis will report for the network live in Las Vegas along with Chief Investigative Correspondent Brian Ross in New York.

The Good Doctor will air as originally scheduled from 10-11 PM EDT.

Nightline will air a special edition of the broadcast tonight at 12:35-1:05 a.m. EDT anchored live by Juju Chang in Las Vegas and Byron Pitts in New York.

At least 59 people were killed and 527 others injured when a gunman on a high floor of a Las Vegas hotel opened fire on an outdoor concert festival Sunday night.

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A high school secretary in Gallup, New Mexico, was killed in the Sunday mass shooting in Las Vegas that claimed at least 58 lives and injured at least 527 people.

Lisa Romero, who worked at Miyamura High School, was a happy-go-lucky person, her cousin Ashley told the Huffington Post.

She loved her kids and husband. And for this to happen so senselessly. Its a heartbreaking day for us all, she said.

Another cousin of Romeros, Paul Romero, told the Washington Post that the two grew up together.

She was a very down-to-earth person, she was a very sweet person, he said. As far as I know she never had an enemy in the world.

Lisa Romero

It was on Monday that Louise Leslie, whose 14-year-old great-granddaughter attended Romeros school, heard that she had died.

The last time she saw her was Friday after school and she gave her a hug, Leslie told the Post. She was always telling my granddaughter to stay out of trouble and get somewhere and do the right thing  she was a good friend of hers.

Leslies great-granddaughter told her that everyone was crying at school on Monday.

How to Help and Learn About Loved Ones

Friends and family are asked to report missing people believed to be connected to the shooting using the hotline 1-800-536-9488.

The city of Las Vegas has established a Family Reunification Center to help connect relatives with the more than 500 people who were injured.

In addition, city officials urged those locally who wish to donate blood to visit one of two donation centers operated by United Blood Services, either at 6930 W. Charleston in Las Vegas or at 601 Whitney Ranch Drive in Henderson, Nevada.

A victims fund has been started on GoFundMe by Steve Sisolak the Clark County, Nevada, commission chair. Other groups providing relief include the local chapter of the American Red Cross and the National Compassion Fund.
A number of Vegas performers have offered up their condolences to victims of the fatal attack in the city.

Las Vegas regulars are in disbelief after a gunman opened fire during a Jason Aldean concert in Las Vegas on Sunday night, killing over 50 concertgoers and leaving hundreds injured.

Celine Dion, Britney Spears, Jennifer Lopez, Mariah Carey and the Backstreet Boys are among the musicians who have a residency in the city, and have taken to social media to express their heartbreak following the horrific event that took place at Mandalay Bay Resort and Hotel during the Route 91 Harvest Country Music Festival.

"Praying for all the innocent victims and their families in Las Vegas," Dion, who performs at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace, posted to Instagram.

MORE: Celebrities Speak Out About Gun Control After Fatal Shooting in Las Vegas

Spears, who has a residency at The AXIS at Planet Hollywood, was also taken aback after hearing the tragic news, writing: "Completely heartbroken over the news this morning. Keeping the victims of last night's tragedy in Las Vegas in my prayers."

As for Lopez, whose also performs at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino, she enlisted her Instagram followers to make blood donations. "I  Las Vegas...feeling so broken this morning," she wrote. "Blood donation centers listed above. Please donate #LasVegas."

Boyz II Men is also a frequent performer at Vegas' The Mirage, and tweeted: "Just heartbroken. Cant wait to hug you all this weekend."

The Backstreet Boys are readying their return to The AXIS at Planet Hollywood in November, and tweeted: "In shock. Thankful our team is safe. The Vegas community and all affected need more than thoughts and prayer, but its a start."

Mariah Carey, who performs at Vegas' Caesars Palace, shared her condolences during a live interview with Good Morning Britain on Monday.

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"I pray for the victims and hope all these can stop as soon as possible," she said. "You know, I have spent a lot of time in Vegas and this type of thing anywhere happening anywhere is a huge tragedy."

WATCH: Jake Owen Recounts Terrifying Las Vegas Shooting, Condemns Violence -- I Think Its My Duty to Not Sit Back

She added, "It's terrible because people just going out to listen to music, really they're out for the night and something like this happens, it's shocking."

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The shooter who rained deadly gunfire from a high-rise Las Vegas hotel onto a concert crowd below him on Sunday night had 47 firearms that were recovered by police in three separate locations, as well as a very large amount of ammunition.

The locations were inside the hotel room from which the suspect shot at hundreds of people, as well as Verdi and Mesquite, Nevada. The firearms were purchased across four states: Nevada, Utah, California and Texas.

On Monday, police said 23 guns were found in the shooters hotel suite, another 19 at his home, and several pounds of material used to make explosives in his car.

Even as the number of victims climbed yet again  the revised toll now is 58 dead and 527 injured, in the nations deadliest single-gunman mass shooting in modern times  authorities still say they have no sign of a motive that might have driven 64-year-old Stephen Paddock to act before he shot himself as SWAT officers moved in on him.

Authorities said Monday night that a motive for the homicide investigation was still unclear, but that police were hunting down and tracing down every single clue we can get on his background.

MGM Resorts was coordinating rooms for families of victims who were traveling into Las Vegas, and they were also coordinating travel through Southwest Airlines.

While countless people lined the streets willing to donate blood, authorities said they had enough blood donations to last into the foreseeable future.

I cant get into the mind of a psychopath at this point, Clark County Sheriff Joseph Lombardo said at an earlier news conference Monday

The citys mayor, Carolyn Goodman, told the media: October 1, 2017, will be one of the darkest days ever.

Authorities also confirmed they want to further interview a woman theyve tentatively identified as Paddocks girlfriend, Marilou Danley, who was located out of the country after the attack. I believe she is in Tokyo, Lombardo said.

The investigation is proceeding at four sites, from the 32nd-floor suite in the Mandalay Bay Resort hotel that served as Paddocks snipers perch, to the nearby outdoor concert field that held some 22,000 people when the gunshots rang out, to the shooters retirement community home in nearby Mesquite, and finally to another residence belonging to Paddock in Reno, where a SWAT team stood by cautiously on Monday before entering, because we want to make sure there is no booby traps, the sheriff said.

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He said authorities have learned that Paddock may have attended a festival in Las Vegas in September, before settling last Thursday into his hotel room overlooking the Route 91 Harvest music festival. Country artists Jason Aldean was onstage Sunday night as the initial pop-pop-pop of gunfire sent festival-goers scrambling.

Among the guns discovered in Paddocks possession were those that Lombardo characterized as assault weapons, some of which Lombardo said investigators believe were modified after their original purchase to be fully automatic. The shooter used multiple rifles during his attack, and some of those rifles were equipped with a scope, he said.

Explosives and several thousand rounds of ammunition were recovered at Paddocks Mesquite home, along with several pounds of Tannerite, an explosive powder available at any gun store, the sheriff said.

One Mesquite gun shop, Guns & Guitars, has identified Paddock as a customer, saying in a statement obtained by PEOPLE that Paddock passed all necessary background checks required by local, state and federal law and never gave any indication or reason to believe he was unstable or unfit at any time.

Authorities have identified at least one other gun dealer, in Arizona, from whom Paddock obtained weapons, according to the sheriff.

Asked if gambling debt may have led the real-estate investor and former accountant identified by his brother as a high-stakes gambler, Lombardo said, We havent had the opportunity to evaluate that.

Police and the hotels security staff were able to zero in on Paddocks location in the hotel by moving floor-to-floor before they approached the large two-room suite from which it appeared the shots were coming. From inside the room, shots then were fired through the doorway and injured a security guard in the leg, Lombardo said.

The officers then backed off before SWAT officers responded.

As of right now, all the confirmed fatalities have been recovered, John Fudenberg, the Clark County coroner, told the news conference. He added, however, that number, unfortunately, may go up.

 With reporting by DIANE HERBST
On the heels of Sundays mass shooting in Las Vegas, which left 59 dead and more than 500 wounded, TVs late-night hosts set aside the jokes Monday night to acknowledge the tragedy.

Both Seth Meyers and Stephen Colbert spoke directly to the countrys politicians, urging them to finally pass meaningful gun control legislation.

VIDEOSJimmy Kimmel Delivers Emotional Monologue on Las Vegas Shooting, Calls Out NRA-Backed Politicians

It always seems like the worst displays of humanity in this country are immediately followed by the best, Meyers began his remarks, which are embedded above. And then, sadly, that is followed by no action at all, and then it repeats itself.

Addressing members of Congress specifically, Meyers added, When you say, Now is not the time to talk about [gun control], what you really mean is, There is never a time to talk about it. It would be so much more honest if you would just admit that your plan is to never talk about it and never take any action.

Colbert used his Late Show platform to give a direct plea to President Trump, with whom he agreed that the Las Vegas shooting was an act of pure evil.

He continued: President Trump, youve said you wanted to be a transformative president who doesnt care about the way things have always been done in Washington, D.C. This is your chance to prove it You want to make America great again? Do something the last two presidents havent been able to do: pass any kind of common-sense gun control legislation that the vast majority of Americans want.

The Late Late Shows James Corden and The Daily Shows Trevor Noah, who are not originally from the United States, expressed their shock and incredulity at the frequency of mass shootings in America.

Its hard for me to fathom, but it should be hard for everyone to fathom, Corden said. Forgive me, as Im just a foreigner here and some of you may feel I have no place to say this, but how does every other developed country do a better job of preventing these attacks?

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Noah echoed Cordens sentiments, marveling at how the United States usual response to a mass shooting is to further delay any meaningful conversation about gun violence.

We seem to do everything to avoid talking about guns. Ive never been to a country where people are as afraid to speak about guns, Noah said. To the people of Las Vegas, I cant give you thoughts and prayers. I can only say that Im sorry  sorry that we live in a world where there are people who will put a gun before your lives.

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President Donald Trump addressed the nation on Monday after a gunman killed at least 50 people and injured over 400 at a Las Vegas music festival in the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history.

We are joined together today in sadness, shock and grief. Last night a gunman opened fire on a large crowd at a country music concert in Las Vegas, Nevada, the president said of the massacre that unfolded Sunday night. He brutally murdered more than 50 people and wounded hundreds more. It was an act of pure evil.

Hundreds of our fellow citizens are now mourning the sudden loss of a loved one  a parent, a child, a brother or sister, he continued. We cannot fathom their pain. We cannot imagine their loss. To the families of the victims, we are praying for you and we are here for you and we ask God to help see you through this very dark period. Scripture teaches us the Lord is close to the broken-hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. We seek comfort in those words for we know God lives in the hearts of those who grieve.

In memory of the fallen, I have directed that our great flag be flown at half staff, the president added.

Trump also praised first responders for their quick action that saved lives, and said the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security are working closely with local authorities to assist with the investigation. The president said he will be visiting Las Vegas on Wednesday.

In moments of tragedy and horror, America comes together as one and it always has, he said. We call upon the bonds that unite us  our faith, our family and our shared values. We call upon the bonds of citizenship, the ties of community and the comfort of our common humanity. Our unity cannot be shattered by evil. Our bonds cannot be broken by violence. And though we feel such great anger at the senseless murder of our fellow citizens, it is our love that defines us today and always will forever.

In times such as these I know we are searching for some kind of meaning in the chaos some kind of light in the darkness. The answers do not come easy. But we can take solace in knowing that even the darkest space can be brightened by a single light. And even the most terrible despair can be illuminated by a single ray of hope.

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The president also tweeted about the shooting earlier on Monday, saying: My warmest condolences and sympathies to the victims and families of the terrible Las Vegas shooting. God bless you!

My warmest condolences and sympathies to the victims and families of the terrible Las Vegas shooting. God bless you!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 2, 2017

A gunman, identified by authorities as 64-year-old Stephen Paddock, opened fire on the crowd at the Route 91 Harvest Festival in Las Vegas on Friday night, the Washington Post reported. Witnesses said the shooter fired a fully automatic weapon from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Casino.

Police later found Paddock dead in a Mandalay Bay hotel room, Sheriff Joseph Lombardo said. Paddock is believed to have killed himself.
Vegas: Broken Windows at Shooters Mandalay Bay Hotel Room (Photos) The Mandalay Bay Hotel room in Las Vegas where Stephen Paddock opened fire had multiple windows shattered early Monday morning. Police stormed the room late Sunday night to find Paddock, 64, already dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. Mandalay Bay tweeted their condolences to the victims following the attack. The hotel, owned by MGM []

The Mandalay Bay Hotel room in Las Vegas where Stephen Paddock opened fire had multiple windows shattered early Monday morning.

Police stormed the room late Sunday night to find Paddock, 64, already dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Mandalay Bay tweeted their condolences to the victims following the attack. The hotel, owned by MGM Resorts, had a 10-hour lockdown of the Mandalay Bay and nearby MGM hotel on the Sunset Strip until Monday morning.

Security personnel have lifted all restrictions on access to Mandalay Bay and other MGM Resorts. Guests may return to their rooms.  Mandalay Bay Resort (@MandalayBay) October 2, 2017

Our thoughts & prayers are with the victims of last night's tragic events. Were grateful for the immediate actions of our first responders. pic.twitter.com/Arf8edj1iZ  Mandalay Bay Resort (@MandalayBay) October 2, 2017

Paddock, who lived in nearby Mesquite, Nevada, shot and killed over 50 people and injured 400 after opening fire on attendees of the Route 91 Harvest Music Festival in Las Vegas.

He reportedly checked into the Mandalay Bay hotel on Thursday, Sept. 28.

A woman of interest, perhaps Paddocks girlfriend, had also been located by law enforcement officials, though its unknown if she played a role in the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history.

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Categories Travel

Whenever things feel overwhelmingas they inevitably do for most of us right nowsometimes the best idea is to get out of town. But why take one vacation when you can instead take two for the price of one? Right now, Icelandair is offering round-trip tickets to Europe with optional weeklong stopovers in Iceland from select US cities for just $324.

Helsinki, Oslo, Paris and Amsterdam are the cheapest tickets on the list, but you can also head to Berlin, Brussels, Copenhagen, Frankfurt, Glasgow, London, Munich, Reykjavik, Stockholm and Zurich for less than youd probably pay to fly to, say, New York. Sale fares are good from October to June, which means you should also book your earlysummer 2018 trip to Europe ASAP to take advantage of these crazy-good deals while they last.

To snag your uber-cheap airfare, Travel + Leisure suggests using Google Flights multi-city itinerary builder, which will allow you to find the cheapest flight with an Icelandic stopover built in to the itinerary. We dont know about you, but we may just stopover in Icelandforever.

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This is how easy it is to get a gun in Las Vegas

Were still trying to make sense of last nights horrific mass shooting at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. Right now, 50 people are confirmed dead and over 400 are injured. As the facts  and, unfortunately, the misinformation  continue to pour in, its important to examine what we do know. And we can start with Las Vegass gun laws.

Nevada has some of the most relaxed gun laws of any state in the U.S.

In fact, the Nevada state constitution fiercely protects firearm ownership. The National Rifle Associations website states that Nevada law does NOT require residents to obtain a permit or a license to purchase a firearm. The law also does NOT require residents to register most firearms. Additionally, theres NO limit to the number of firearms an individual can posses, and open carry IS legal without a permit.

Every citizen has the right to keep and bear arms for security and defense, for lawful hunting and recreational use and for other lawful purposes, the NRAs website reads.

The state also doesnt restrict the sale or possession of machine guns or other automated assault weapons.

The guns just have to be registered. Previously, the 1994 Federal Assault Weapons Ban made these types of weapons illegal. But the legislation expired in 2004 and has not been renewed.

Chilling footage captured last night suggests that the shooter used multiple automatic assault weapons during the attack. In the distance, you can hear many shots fired off quickly, one after the other.

President Trump offered his condolences after the shooting but did not immediately call for any action or legislation. According to Newsweek, on his 100th day in office, Trump gave a speech to the NRA siding with gun owners.

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You have a true friend and champion in the White House, Trump said in the speech. No longer will federal agencies be coming after law-abiding gun owners. No longer will the government be trying to undermine your rights and your freedoms as Americans. Instead, we will work with you, by your side.

Maybe now, after the most deadly mass shooting in U.S. history, Nevada will revisit its policies.

Tonight has been beyond horrific. I still dont know what to say but wanted to let everyone know that Me and my Crew are safe. My Thoughts and prayers go out to everyone involved tonight. It hurts my heart that this would happen to anyone who was just coming out to enjoy what should have been a fun night. #heartbroken #stopthehate A post shared by Jason Aldean (@jasonaldean) on Oct 2, 2017 at 1:17am PDT

Our hearts are with Las Vegas. Heres how to help the victims of the mass shooting if you want to know what you can do.
line to donate blood

Across the U.S., people started their days to news of the worst mass shooting in modern American history. Early Monday morning, at least 58 people lost their lives and another 500 were injured after a gunman began shooting at an outdoor concert at the Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas.

If this news makes you feel hopeless, you are not alone. Today was difficult for all of us, individually and as a nation. This pain will take time to heal, so be kind to yourself as well as your peers.

As further news related to Mondays shooting unfolds in your newsfeed throughout the next week, know that you dont have to read every story or do anything that might jeopardize your own well-being.

Once youre ready, here are five ways you can make a difference for those affected by the tragedy in Las Vegas.

1. Donate Blood

Nevada hospitals, as well as the citys sheriff, are asking people in the state to donate blood. Even if you live out of state, donating blood can still help those injured, as blood is often sent to places in need after tragedies and natural disasters.

Related: I Have OCD. This Is What Its Like to Be in My Mind for 3 Minutes.

If you're in Las Vegas and want to be a hero  donate blood. They're desperate for supply to save lives. Here's where to go: pic.twitter.com/DBU86yQtmY  Alheli Picazo (@a_picazo) October 2, 2017

Related: When Robin Williams Comforted Me in the Airport After My Husband's Suicide

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To find a blood donation center near you, visit United Blood Services.

2. Make a Donation

Whether its one dollar or 100, every little bit helps. In less than 24 hours, the Las Vegas Victims Fund has raised more than $1.6 million thanks to donations from around 20,000 people. If you want, you can donate to the fund mentioned above, the National Compassion Fund or organizations in the area.

In situations like this, donated money can go toward things like funeral costs for those killed and medical bills to those injured. Those in Las Vegas are also encouraged to donate blood to help trauma centers supplies.  McClatchyDC (@McClatchyDC) October 2, 2017

Related: I Let My 4-Year-Old With Autism Use My Camera. Here's How He Sees the World.

3. Give Your Time

Earlier on Monday, Mandalay Bay Resort put a call out for trained trauma counselors, asking those qualified to donate their services. Within a few hours, they had enough counselors for the day, but the effects of todays tragedy will be felt beyond Monday. If you are a trained professional in Las Vegas, follow up with Mandalay Bay Resort over the next few days and see if they need additional support or offer your services to other community organizations in the area.

Crisis counselors are now available for any guest or employee who needs to speak with someone. pic.twitter.com/OVobN5bqbH  Mandalay Bay Resort (@MandalayBay) October 2, 2017

If you feel moved to do more, sign up today to become a certified crisis counselor. Many hotlines and hospitals look for volunteers  whom they then train  to help out with crises and in emergencies. If you want to help out on a more regular basis, the Crisis Text Line operates a 24/7 crisis line, where people can give  as well as receive  just by texting.

4. Call Your Representatives

For those saying now isnt the time for politics: its possible to call your representatives while grieving. The two arent exclusive, nor should they be.

You can find your representatives and their phone numbers here. For those who are phone-shy, you can use Resist Bot to fax or mail a message to your representatives.

Now is not a moment for silence; it's a time for action.  Seth Moulton (@sethmoulton) October 2, 2017

both my father and my sister are dead because of guns and I would like to plunge in now https://t.co/BmXyEX4U7w  Ashley Feinberg (@ashleyfeinberg) October 2, 2017

When a 64 year old white man kills 58 and wounds 500 in fifteen minutes from 1200 feet with a knife, I will absolutely call for knife control. Until then, you've made the world's shittiest point.  Timothy Simons (@timothycsimons) October 2, 2017

5. Be Respectful, and Dont Add to the Chaos

As news organizations gather information about the shooter and his potential motives, lots of conspiracies and speculation are bound to make their way onto the internet. Be respectful of those who may be grieving, and only share news from trusted sources. You dont have to share every story you see on your newsfeed or read the stories your friends have shared.

Header image via Aj Sanchez on Twitter.

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The Las Vegas massacre has been weighing heavily on the hearts and minds of everyone, including celebrities. In the immediate wake of the tragedy, we saw stars calling for better gun control laws, and now, a day later, were seeing many famous women share a powerful quote attributed to  but actually not originated by  Gloria Steinem, which compares gun control and abortion, as the House voted on legislation banning abortion after 20 weeks.

Gloria Steinem didnt say that guns vs. abortion quote thats gone viral. (Photo: Getty Images)

Gisele Bundchen, Kate Upton, Karlie Kloss, Kelly Rowland, Elisabeth Moss, Padma Lakshmi, Melanie Griffith, and Melissa Gilbert are just a handful of the women who posted the quote from the feminist icon that contrasts the treatment of young men buying guns with the treatment young women get when seeking an abortion.

I want any young men who buy a gun to be treated like young women who seek an abortion, it reads. Think about it: a mandatory 48-hour waiting period, written permission from a parent or a judge, a note from a doctor proving that he understands what he is about to do, time spent watching a video on individual and mass murders, traveling hundreds of miles at his own expense to the nearest gun shop, and walking through protesters holding photos of loved ones killed by guns, protesters who call him a murderer. After all, it makes more sense to do this for young men seeking guns than for young women seeking an abortion. No young woman needing reproductive freedom has ever murdered a roomful of strangers.

Kate Upton posted the full quote:

#PrayForVegas A post shared by Kate Upton (@kateupton) on Oct 3, 2017 at 7:20am PDT

Gisele Bundchens version was shorter:

Upton captioned it, Pray for Vegas, while Kloss wrote, Powerful thought. Gilberts post noted, Eloquent, poignant and exactly perfectly spot on.

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With so many famous people sharing it, we dug into its origins. And while Steinem has posted it to Facebook  as part of a 2015 list entitled Top Ten Things I Want for Christmas (it was No. 3) that was linked to the BETTY Effect, to which she first shared it  she noted, This riff is not mine, its on the Internet  I thank whoever gave us all this present.

So where did it come from? Well, its been around since at least 2015. Following the Umpqua Community College shooting in Oregon, it was shared by Sharon Stone and MTVs Nev Schulman, the latter of whom received more than 15,000 shares and sparked a big debate on his page. At the time, neither knew where the quote came from, with Stone writing, Not sure who the author is but this says it all.

It went viral again after the Orlando nightclub shootings in June 2016  feminist artist Michele Pred was one of the people to share it in a slightly different format.

Now, as the largest mass shooting in recent U.S. history dominates our news  timed with the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act  it has a new life.

#normalguymyass #whatisnormalanyway whoever buys a gun should get a mental health screening! We do not pay enough attention to mental health in this country.PERIOD! A post shared by Kelly Rowland (@kellyrowland) on Oct 3, 2017 at 9:40am PDT

Yes. A post shared by MELANIE (@melanie_griffith57) on Oct 3, 2017 at 8:02am PDT

A HuffPost piece from Oct. 2015 noted it was shared early on by Facebook user Brian Murtagh, whose feed is filled with political posts. He noted in a since deleted post that the author may have been inspired by William Hambys 2014 Examiner article, in which he likened antiabortion laws to gun laws in the U.S. (That article is gone too, but heres a copy.)

It seems some of the celebs are being made aware that the quote didnt originate with Steinem. Moss changed the caption on hers to, Gloria Steneim quoted this person on her Facebook page would love to know who wrote it originally.

Gloria Steneim quoted this person on her Facebook page would love to know who wrote it originally  A post shared by Elisabeth Moss (@elisabethmossofficial) on Oct 3, 2017 at 7:12am PDT

Regardless of its origins, the quote is poignant now in light of what just occurred in Las Vegas  and keeps happening across the country  as well as the House vote on the Sen. Trent Franks-sponsored bill, backed by the White House, that would make it a crime to perform an abortion after 20 weeks.

For real quotes from Steinem, here she is recently talking about the success of Wonder Woman:





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People standing in line to donate blood in Las Vegas

If you feel hopeless today after waking up to news of the mass shooting in Las Vegas, you are not alone. The shooting, which was the worst mass shooting in modern U.S. history, has ended the lives of at least 50 people and injured another 400. Due to the large scale of the attack, hospitals across the state are putting out calls for blood donors  and thats where you can help.

Nevada hospitals, as well as the citys sheriff, are asking people in the state to donate blood. Even if you live outside of Nevada, donating blood can still help those injured, as blood is often sent to places in need after tragedies and natural disasters.

If you're in Las Vegas and want to be a hero  donate blood. They're desperate for supply to save lives. Here's where to go: pic.twitter.com/DBU86yQtmY  Alheli Picazo (@a_picazo) October 2, 2017

Related: I Have OCD. This Is What Its Like to Be in My Mind for 3 Minutes.

Come to 6930 W. Charleston Rd to donate blood to all of our Las Vegas family  pic.twitter.com/EdpLqUyeX3  Christina Lombardi (@c_lombardii) October 2, 2017

#VegasStrong: Lines to donate blood were out the door this morning in Las Vegas https://t.co/qpKoTdlLA8 pic.twitter.com/M6A8O0sb3H  ABC7 Eyewitness News (@ABC7) October 2, 2017

Related: When Robin Williams Comforted Me in the Airport After My Husband's Suicide

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As a nurse in one of the Las Vegas' ER's this evening there are 2 things you can help us with..donate blood if you are able tomorrow & pray.  ????Sharon Murphy???? (@sharonainvegas) October 2, 2017

We desperately need blood at the United Blood Center at 6930 W Charleston and 601 Whitney Ranch Dr. in Henderson.  Steve Sisolak (@SteveSisolak) October 2, 2017

Related: I Let My 4-Year-Old With Autism Use My Camera. Here's How He Sees the World.

This. Is. Vegas.

This is our community.

These are our people.

Thank you to everyone here donating.#PrayForVegas #VegasShooting pic.twitter.com/wn5RA5jVLX  Shanda (@shanda) October 2, 2017

To donate, you must be 17 years of age (16 with parental consent) and weigh at least 110 pounds. If you are concerned your health prevents you from donating blood, you can learn more about the restrictions and requirements here. Once at the blood center, you will fill out a questionnaire and be screened by staff. If you are ineligible, staff at the blood donation center will let you know before you donate. For your health, be sure to hydrate and eat before giving blood.

To find a blood donation center near you, visit United Blood Services.

Header image via Shanda/Twitter.

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Melania Trump wore a colorful tweed fit-and-flare dress by Alexander McQueen to meet Thailand's prime minister and first lady, Prayut Chan-o-cha and Madame Naraporn Chan-ocha, at the White House on Monday.

FLOTUS and her husband, President Donald Trump, stuck to tradition for the official state meeting, and began the visit by posing for photos with the Chan-o-chas at the South Portico of the White House, before moving inside for a formal sit-down in the Oval Office.

Thousands of miles from Paris Fashion Week, Melania, 47, stood out in the sleeveless woven number with contemporary raw edges, which she accessorized with a pair of orange Christian Louboutin stilettos.

The mother of one kept things casual in the hair and makeup departments, opting for her signature smoky eye and a subtle nude lip, and styled her long brown hair straight, and parted down the middle.
obama wedding anniversary

Thats devotion. President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary on Tuesday, October 3, and the former first lady took to Instagram to commemorate the latest milestone in her marriage.

Happy 25th anniversary @barackobama, she captioned a black-and-white wedding photo. A quarter of a century later, youre still my best friend & the most extraordinary man I know. I [love] you.
Photo credit: Sonny Melton's Facebook page.

From Country Living

Sonny Melton made the ultimate sacrifice during the Las Vegas mass shooting Sunday night for his wife, Heather. The 29-year-old was confirmed to be one of at least 58 people who died after a gunman opened fire on hundreds attending the Route 91 Harvest Festival concert, WZTV reports.

"He saved my life," Heather told USA Today. "He grabbed me from behind and started running when I felt him get shot in the back."

Sonny worked as a registered nurse at Henry County Medical Center in Paris, Tennessee. Heather also worked there, but as an orthopedic surgeon. The hospital released a statement Monday in remembrance of Sonny and the other victims of the Las Vegas shooting.

"The thoughts and prayers of the entire HCMC family are with Sonny and Heather's families," Thomas Gee, CEO at Henry County Medical Center, said. "We ask that all staff, friends, and patients of the couple respect their privacy at this time and refrain from contacting the family and the HCMC Kelley Clinic if they do not have a reason to do so."

Union University in Jackson, Tennessee, where Sonny completed a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree, also issued their condolences. "Our hearts go out to the family of Sonny Melton, a 2015 Union University graduate who was killed in the Las Vegas shooting yesterday," the school wrote on their Facebook page.

Christy Davis, an assistant professor of nursing who knew Sonny personally, also commemorated him on the school's page. "You know how when you met someone and you just know that they're good and kind? That was Sonny," Davis said. "He just had a sweet, kind spirit about him."

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Ariana Grande has spoken out about last night's Las Vegas mass shooting that left at least 59 people dead and 527 injured. "My heart is breaking for Las Vegas," she wrote on Twitter. "We need love, unity, peace, gun control & for people to look at this & call this what it is = terrorism."

By James Rettig

Ariana Grande has spoken out about last nights Las Vegas mass shooting that left at least 59 people dead and 527 injured. My heart is breaking for Las Vegas, she wrote on Twitter. We need love, unity, peace, gun control & for people to look at this & call this what it is = terrorism.

Earlier this year, Grandes Manchester concert was the target of a terrorist attack where a bomb killed 23 people.

Today, President Donald Trump spoke about the attack and scarcely said the word gun and didnt mention terrorism at all. According to police, the shooting is not technically an act of terrorism by federal definitions.

My heart is breaking for Las Vegas. We need love, unity, peace, gun control & for people to look at this & call this what it is = terrorism.  Ariana Grande (@ArianaGrande) October 2, 2017

Jason Aldean, who was performing at the festival at the time of the shooting, also released a statement earlier today.

This post Ariana Grande On Las Vegas Shooting: This Is Terrorism first appeared on Stereogum.
Tom Pettys jarring, sudden death Monday has made an extraordinarily odd year seem even stranger.

It was by any standard unexpected  he just played the last of three sold-out Hollywood Bowl shows a week earlier  and especially cruel in its timing. I want to thank you for 40 years of a really great time, he had said from the stage at his final show at the Bowl. And now hes gone.

If he was in the mood then to look back  at a career that saw more than 80 million record sales worldwide  he was likely pretty happy with how 2017 had been shaping up. While his personal life had been dotted with misfortune since his early days  a troubled childhood, a failed marriage, dalliances with drugs and depression  it was marked even more conspicuously with consistent critical and commercial success. He sold records. He made lifelong fans. He was appreciated.

This was the case at the yearly benefit concert for the Recording Academys MusiCares Foundation in February. We got together last week and rehearsed for this thing, 2017 Person of the Year Tom Petty announced from the stage, and I realized I may actually be in one of the best two or three rock n roll bands there is. What followed then  a nonstop tribute set of Petty material played by the likes of Randy Newman, George Strait, the Foo Fighters, Jackson Browne, Stevie Nicks, Don Henley, and many more  was further confirmation of that fact and much more. He and his music touched many, many people.

It might simply have been a matter of Tom Pettys age and his background. He liked rock n roll; he grew up in the South playing rock n roll in bar bands, and while he loved the music of the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, he was just as likely to be fixated by the music of those artists contemporaries  the Animals, the Searchers, the Zombies  instead of just the big guns, and that showed in his music.

And lets not forget Yanks like the Byrds: When Pettys 1976 debut album emerged, its highlight was the unforgettable American Girl, which many listeners thought sounded uncannily like some previously unheard Byrds track  as did Byrds founder Roger McGuinn, who good-naturedly covered it on his 1977 Thunderbyrd album. In fact, he and fellow ex-Byrd David Crosby show up on the just-released, Petty-produced Bidin My Time album by yet another ex-Byrd, Chris Hillman  who, to further complete the circle, performed Wildflowers at this years Petty tribute. Pettys friends always seemed to stick around.

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He also managed to be in the right place at the right time. When mid-70s punk emerged, both Petty and his Shelter Records labelmates, the Dwight Twilley Band, seemed  to their great fortune  to be sufficiently new and cutting-edge to be filed in both the rock and punk/new wave bins at Americas hippest records stores, thus satisfying AOR (adult-oriented rock) and hipster listening audiences simultaneously. And as the 80s unfolded, when Petty wasnt blaring on the radio via tracks like Refugee and The Waiting, both expertly co-produced by Jimmy Iovine, he was captivating a youthful MTV audience with the Alice-in-Wonderland costumery of Dont Come Around Here No More.

To his long-term credit, Petty tended to stick to his guns and was nobodys pawn. When record companies were at their biggest, toughest, and meanest, he would typically  as the song hed later write would say it  not back down when they pushed. It meant a delay for 1979s Damn the Torpedoes, which after a lengthy court battle between Petty and MCA Records ultimately ended up on a newly created imprint, Backstreet Records. And it didnt stop there: When the label announced plans to initiate a price hike for superstar product with Pettys upcoming Hard Promises, the artist threatened to withhold it from them until they relented. And they did. Tom Petty did it for the kids.

Petty was all over the place during the 1980s, in a good way. He hit the Billboard top five with Stevie Nickss Stop Draggin My Heart Around, which he penned and performed with the Heartbreakers; he collaborated on tracks with Eurythmics Dave Stewart and the Bands Robbie Robertson on 1985s Southern Accents and, significantly, undertook a world tour with no less than Bob Dylan the next year. One result of that pairing was Jammin Me, the opening track of Pettys next album, Let Me Up (Ive Had Enough), penned by Petty/Dylan and Heartbreaker Mike Campbell. And the other result may have been, at least in part, the formation of the Traveling Wilburys.

To those there at the time, the Wilburys were a fascinating combo  three certified icons (Bob Dylan, George Harrison, and Roy Orbison) and two hugely talented players (Petty and Jeff Lynne) who were not quite at their level but gaining on them. That this, by design, was intended to be a fun gathering of equals must have been mind-blowing for Petty, who had probably grown up with a transistor radio glued to his ear listening to his new bandmates sing their distinguished catalog of hits.

It was at some point during this era that Petty attained the status that would never depart thereafter: a top-rank class act, a superstar less concerned with image and sales status than with doing the right thing, playing rock n roll for the sheer love of it  all the while with one of the very best rock n roll bands ever in tow. There were sales lulls here and there, true, but as the current millennium rolled around, the music stayed strong, the most recent albums like 2010s Mojo and 2014s Hypnotic Eye sold strongly  the latter was the bands first No. 1 album  and Petty became, almost by default considering the sales decline of the genre, one of rock n rolls true remaining live icons.

There was something about Tom Petty; something that made the man act outside the normal boundaries of the conventional rock n roll business. There were the two excellent albums he made with his pre-Heartbreakers band from Gainesville  Mudcrutch  in 2008 and 2016. That they made them was one thing; that they were so listenable, and so filled with enthusiasm and love for music, was quite another. Few artists in music have managed to attain Pettys status; even fewer would ever take the time to see that those albums  and all they meant to those who made them  were actually created.

Its funny. Being in the rock n roll business for so many years, Petty had the time to make deep connections with everybody. And those connections varied. Me? I grew up in Miami, and in 1976, when I heard him singing American Girl, about the cars rolling by out on 441/Like waves crashin on the beach, I knew precisely what road he was talking about because Id driven it hundreds of times, and we connected. Years later, Id moved to the San Fernando Valley here in California, and when I heard him singing about Ventura Boulevard and Reseda in Free Fallin, or saw its video featuring the same hot dog stand I drove by every day, we connected.

My older brother went to school in Gainesville and still remembers briefly working with Petty at Shelleys in the early 70s; they delivered sandwiches and pizza. He was a great delivery guy, my brother recalled today. He never got lost. They connected.

In front of that exclusive MusiCares audience this year, at the benefit concert paying tributes to the music that he and his band had created over the years, Petty said, almost bashfully, This is kind of a surreal moment in a surreal life. He noted the performances of a few of the newer bands that had been performing his songs onstage earlier, such as the Head and the Heart, Cage the Elephant, and the Shelters. Theyre going to carry this forward, and we have to be there to support them through it, he said, because there aint nothing like a good rock n roll band, people.

And now, for the first time in 40 years, theres one less rock n roller out there wholl be filling our hearts with joy. And he will be greatly, greatly missed.
Early this morning, police identified the man who opened fire on a concert crowd from his hotel room in Las Vegas, killing at least 58 and wounding more than 500. Stephen Paddock, 64, was staying at the Mandelay Bay hotel, which was adjacent to the Route 91 Harvest Festival, a weekend-long event headlined by country superstars including Eric Church, Sam

By Jordan Sargent

Early this morning, police identified the man who opened fire on a concert crowd from his hotel room in Las Vegas, killing at least 58 and wounding more than 500. Stephen Paddock, 64, was staying at the Mandelay Bay hotel, which was adjacent to the Route 91 Harvest Festival, a weekend-long event headlined by country superstars including Eric Church, Sam Hunt, and Jason Aldean, who was onstage when the gunfire erupted.

Paddock, according to authorities, was perched in his room on the hotels 32nd floor, and killed himself inside the room shortly before police were able to apprehend him. Per reports, police said Paddock had 19 guns and hundreds of rounds of ammunition in his hotel room with him when his body was discovered.

Per NBC, Paddock resided in a retirement community in the Nevada city of Mesquite, about 80 miles northeast of Las Vegas. He had a hunting license from Alaska and was known to law enforcement. On Monday, police were seeking the identity of a female companion of Paddocks, but she was located out of the country and is not believed to have been involved in the attack.

This post has been updated.

This post Police: Las Vegas Shooter Had 19 Guns In Room [UPDATED] first appeared on SPIN.
Washington (AFP) - About 40 percent of all cancers in the United States -- more than 630,000 in all -- are associated with excess weight, health officials said Tuesday, urging a renewed focus on prevention.

In a nation where 71 percent of adults are either overweight or obese, the findings by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention "are a cause for concern," said the agency's director Brenda Fitzgerald.

"A majority of American adults weigh more than recommended - and being overweight or obese puts people at higher risk for a number of cancers," she said in a statement.

"By getting to and keeping a healthy weight, we all can play a role in cancer prevention."

Carrying excess weight has been shown to boost the risk of 13 types of tumors, including cancers of the esophagus, thyroid, postmenopausal breast, gallbladder, stomach, liver, pancreas, kidney, ovaries, uterus, colon and rectum.

The rates of these overweight- and obesity-related cancers are rising, in contrast to the overall rate of new cancer cases which has dropped since the 1990s.

Colorectal cancer was the only weight-associated cancer that decreased from 2005-2014 -- falling 23 percent, due in large part to screening, said the report.

All other cancers linked to weight rose seven percent in that decade.

About two-thirds of the 630,000 weight-associated cancers diagnosed in 2014 occurred in people aged 50 to 74.

Women were particularly susceptible, with 55 percent of all cancers diagnosed in women associated with weight, compared to 24 percent of those diagnosed in men.

According to the latest CDC data, 32.8 percent of people in the United States are overweight, and 37.9 percent are obese.

Being overweight is defined as having a body mass index of 25-29.9 kg/m2, while obesity means a BMI of 30 or above.

BMI is calculated by taking a person's weight in kilograms divided by the square of the person's height in meters.
Consumer Reports has no financial relationship with advertisers on this site.

A number of advocacy groups, including Consumers Union, the policy and mobilization arm of Consumer Reports, are calling on Congress for quick legislative action following the massive Equifax hack this summer.

On Monday, Consumers Union sent a letter to Congress demanding that it take steps to protect consumer credit data and pass legislation that would require companies to adopt reasonable practices to ensure the security of such data.

Given how widespread the problem is, Consumers Union supports comprehensive reforms that would establish strong data breach security notification requirements and free credit freezes, create more transparency over the consumer reporting and credit-scoring process, and increase the accountability of those who develop credit-scoring models.

Other consumer advocates are also seeking tighter regulations on the industry. The National Consumer Law Center has also endorsed the Free Credit Freeze Act, introduced by Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), and the Freedom from Equifax Exploitation Act, introduced by Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.).

The most immediate concern is for Congress to enact a law giving consumers the right to free credit freeze, says Chi Chi Wu, an NCLC staff attorney. But on a broader level weve been advocating for wide reforms in the consumer credit reporting industry.

The NCLC and Consumers Union back a bill for comprehensive credit reform introduced by Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.); that bill seeks to enhance consumers credit reporting rights, create more transparency over the consumer reporting and credit-scoring process, and increase the accountability of those who develop credit-scoring models.

In Mondays letter, Consumers Union outlined steps Congress should take to better protect consumers.

Strong data security and data breach notification requirements for companies. As part of stronger data breach requirements, Consumers Union recommends that Congress include tougher penalties on companies that violate security requirements.

Story continues

Although there are laws currently on the books, they contain many gaps and impose few if any sanctions for noncompliance, the letter said.

It also said a national law should require that companies quickly inform people when their data has been breached. However, it stresses that any new federal law should not preempt strong state laws to protect consumers.

Wu agreed, saying that this was why advocates have not historically been in favor of national laws. Often they preempt stronger state laws.

But Consumers Union says many state-level laws arent muscular enough.

Although data breach laws have been adopted in all but two states, these laws are inconsistent, and some offer insufficient protections. For example, many state laws have high thresholds for notice to consumers, or fail to define personal information broadly enough, Consumers Union said.

Free security freezes and better access to fraud alerts for consumers. Consumers Union wrote that state security freeze laws vary too much. For example, not all states allow parents or guardians to place security freezes on a minors credit reports, and most states allow credit bureaus to charge fees to place or lift a freeze.

Moreover, no states that we are aware of provide consumers the right to place a freeze on their specialty consumer reports, Consumers Union said.

Specialty consumer reports contain information on consumers medical conditions, drug prescriptions, tenant history, employment, check writing, and insurance claims.

Stronger controls over the sensitive data that credit bureaus collect and use. The Equifax breach illustrates the enormous range of information that credit bureaus collect about consumersinformation that determines whether consumers get jobs, loans, insurance, phone service, cars, and many other services that are essential to daily life, the advocates wrote.

To ensure that consumers are not denied these benefits based on flawed information, Consumers Union is calling on Congress to strengthen existing requirements governing credit report accuracy and fairness.

Given the unprecedented level of data collection in todays marketplace, and emergence of new privacy threats every day, now is the time to ensure that all Americans have the data protections they deserve, the letter said. Consumers Union looks forward to working with members of Congress, in a bipartisan fashion, to address these vital consumer protection issues.

The letter was sent ahead of a busy week on Capitol Hill. There are at least four hearings related to Equifax currently scheduled, the first of which will take place at 10 a.m. Tuesday before the Digital Commerce and Consumer Protection Subcommittee of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.





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Best used cars for $25,000 and less

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Consumer Reports is an independent, nonprofit organization that works side by side with consumers to create a fairer, safer, and healthier world. CR does not endorse products or services, and does not accept advertising. Copyright  2017, Consumer Reports, Inc.
In Americans, cases of three common sexually transmitted diseases (STDs)  chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis  have together reached an all-time high, according to a new report.

In 2016, a total of more than 2 million cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis were reported in the United States, according to the report, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That's the highest number of cases ever reported for these three STDs combined since the agency began tracking STDs in 1941.

Of these STDs, chlamydia is the most common, with 1.6 million new diagnoses in the U.S. in 2016, the CDC said. In addition, about 470,000 people were diagnosed with gonorrhea, and 28,000 people were diagnosed with either primary or secondary syphilis, the most contagious stages of the disease, in 2016.

All three STDs can be cured with antibiotics, but if left untreated, they can result in serious health effects, including infertility, stillbirths, life-threatening pregnancy complications and an increased risk of contracting HIV, the agency said. (Having an STD may allow HIV to more easily enter the body.) [Quiz: Test Your STD Smarts]

"Increases in STDs are a clear warning of a growing threat," Dr. Jonathan Mermin, director of the CDC's National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention, said in a statement. "STDs are a persistent enemy, growing in number, and outpacing our ability to respond."

Just 17 years ago, cases of syphilis reached record lows, with only about 6,000 reported cases, or about 2 cases per 100,000 people in the United States, in 2000. But both cases and rates of syphilis infections have climbed every year since 2001, reaching 27,800 cases last year, or about 9 cases per 100,000 people, according to the CDC.

From 2015 to 2016, syphilis rates increased by about 18 percent, with the majority of cases occurring in men who have sex with men. But there was also a 36 percent increase in the rates of syphilis among women over this time period, the CDC said. In addition, there were about 630 cases of syphilis among newborns in 2016  a 28 percent increase from the year before. Syphilis can be passed from mother to baby during pregnancy, and can cause serious complications, including stillbirth, premature birth, and brain and nerve problems in infants. It's recommended that all pregnant women get tested for syphilis at their first prenatal visit, according to the CDC.

Story continues

"Every baby born with syphilis represents a tragic systems failure," said Gail Bolan, director of the CDC's Division of STD Prevention. "All it takes is a simple STD test and antibiotic treatment to prevent this enormous heartache and help assure a healthy start for the next generation of Americans."

Cases of gonorrhea also increased by about 18 percent from 2015 to 2016, with a larger rise among men than in women. The rise in gonorrhea cases is particularly alarming in light of this STD's increasing resistance to available antibiotics, the CDC said.

The rates of chlamydia increased by about 5 percent from 2015 to 2016, and this STD remains most common among adolescent and young adult females, the CDC said.

Reducing the number of STD cases in the United States will require efforts from many players, including state and local health departments, doctors and patients, the CDC said. For example, doctors and other health care providers should make STD screening and treatment a standard part of medical care, especially for pregnant women, and for men who have sex with men. In addition, everyone can talk openly about STDs, get tested regularly and wear condoms or practice monogamy to reduce their risk of acquiring an STD, the agency said.

Original article on Live Science.

Editor's Recommendations
Tom Petty performs at the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival on June 1, 2006. (Photo: AP/Mark Humphrey)

Minutes after the initial news of Tom Pettys cardiac arrest came a slew of texts from friends and acquaintances. How are you doing? You were the first thing I thought of. He is a part of you. I have loved Tom Petty, wholly and fiercely, for four-fifths of my life. He is, indeed, a part of me.

I was almost 9 years old when MTV entered my house and my life. I loved the pretty boys of Duran Duran and flamboyance of Michael Jackson as much as anybody, but the inventive videos of Tom Petty were what truly captured me. Here seemed a man  a man, not a boy  of a different character. Intelligent, attuned, maybe even smug. I wanted in on his secret. I wanted to understand his worldview.

I would stop everything to watch the You Got Lucky video each time it aired. And I do not know anyone who was not blown away by the Alice in Wonderland-themed video for Dont Come Around Here No More. So bold! So clever! So outrageous! People are still blown away more than 30 years later.

When I took my first trip to the used-record store at age 13 with my sister, I was thrilled to find the LPs of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers in the $1.99 bins. I gathered them all. Now I truly had a chance to hear the bands full narrative. A secret world was opened to me.

My sister is the music journalist, the one who lives and breathes and understands popular music. She was the one with an ear for instruments and musicianship. I always liked a good tune, but as a hyperverbal and fairly literal person, the lyrics needed to reach me. And something about Tom Pettys lyrics, sung in a rough voice that is so smooth, described so fiercely the joy and pain of the everyman. There was anger, there was melancholia, there was resignation, there was nostalgia, there was pain, there was ennui, there was empowerment  all expressed so cleverly and fiercely with words, within original, kick-ass tunes, played by the sharpest, tightest musicians in the Heartbreakers. Rock n roll finally coalesced for me.

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When Tom released his solo enterprise, Full Moon Fever, I truly felt I finally had my finger on the pulse of something real and big. That I was part of history. Since then, I have attended nearly every tour that has passed through my city, and watched the crowd grow younger and younger through the years as Petty reached and touched more generations. When I last saw the band play at the Arroyo Seco festival this year, my heart swelled to belt out the lyrics to a multitude of his hits along with a giant crowd. In front of me were couples in their 60s, behind me were millennials, and we all sang American Girl and Free Fallin' in unison. We were all equally charmed and seduced by Toms aw-shucks swagger, his presence and musicianship. We all loved the songs. We all loved the man. It had occurred to me that Tom Petty had truly become the coolest guy on the planet.

Just a couple of Valley Girls singing our anthem! With @mizweeble #tompetty #arroyoseco #freefallin A post shared by Lyndsey Parker (@lyndseyparker) on Jun 25, 2017 at 12:58am PDT

This has been a hard couple of years of music legend losses, but this one truly hits me. Not just because he was only 66, or that it seems so sudden, only a week after his run of triumphant shows at the Hollywood Bowl. And not just because I think he was brilliant. While it feels like a personal loss, as though a large witness to my life has left me, in reality the only thing I will actually lose is the ability to see Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers perform live once again, one of my biggest pleasures in life. Further, we are all robbed of hearing his future songs, as he seemed to have an ever-evolving, unending output. Yet beyond this pragmatic standpoint, I feel real grief at letting go of someone who helped narrate my life and validate my experiences, who has had such a special influence in my life and engaged me to try to understand him more as a person and artist  not just through his albums, but through the interviews, the biographies, the documentaries, as if his music had not already made him familiar and relevant enough.

In many ways, Tom Petty seemed ordinary. A regular fellow. A conflicted man. Not slick. A guy who fought the record companies. A guy with pain in his past. A father. Just authentic. It made him relatable, one of the common folk. Yet what made us elevate and celebrate this man was a truth more powerful: Tom Petty was not ordinary at all. He is extraordinary: an extraordinary artist, lyricist, musician, storyteller, visionary. And that is what awes and inspires.

Beyond all my admiration of his brilliance and gratitude for his contributions to my mental well-being, I confess I have felt connected to Tom Petty over the years in the secret recesses of my mind, as someone who grew up in the San Fernando Valley just miles from his Encino home. I harbor an amusing list of less than six degrees of separation: my best friend went to school with his daughter and got to go to dinner with Tom and family in Chinatown; my sisters beau was roommates with his daughter years later; I worked at a bank down the street from his Encino house, then tutored students in their Malibu homes near the house he later shared with his second wife (and got to hear a story or two about their famous neighbor); my parents still live in the Tarzana home I grew up in, not far from Mike Campbell and Benmont Tench.

I suppose I spun these threads to make Pettys already large presence in my life seem more real or intimate. In some ways, having him be part of the local lore, and hearing him sing about Reseda and Ventura Boulevard, helped me feel some of the regional identification that is difficult to experience for someone growing up in Southern California (as opposed to, say, growing up in Gainesville, Fla., and writing a whole album  Southern Accents  about that identity). And yet none of these things genuinely connect him to me or me to him. And I have always respected the mans privacy. The real connection is in what he has given me and countless others, in bridging the loneliness of the human experience with his song.

The music outlives the man and thereby makes him immortal, and I personally will always have the music and what it means to me. I do not want to live in a world without the vibrancy and voice of Tom Petty. It is true grief to know he does not walk and create among us any longer. I hurt, but more so, I hurt for him, his family, and for all who were touched by the man, the legend. Bless you, Thomas Earl Petty, and your legacy.
By Aaron Maasho BISHOFTU, Ethiopia (Reuters) - Hundreds of people chanting anti-government slogans marched in the central Ethiopian town of Bishoftu on Sunday at a religious festival where a stampede triggered by a police move to quell protests killed dozens of people last year. The incident during the annual Irreecha festival in Bishoftu, which lies 40 km (25 miles) south of the capital Addis Ababa, marked the bloodiest period in unrest that plagued the Horn of Africa country for months in 2015 and 2016. Authorities at the time said 55 had died in the stampede, while dissidents put the toll at around 150. On Sunday, thousands of people attended the thanksgiving event that marks the end of the rainy season, a majority clad in red, black and white attire - the Oromiya region's flag. Although the lakeside event ended without any violence, anti-government slogans rang out soon after the ceremony began. "Down, down EPRDF!" dissidents chanted in small groups as they marched towards the town's centre, referring to Ethiopia's ruling party. Earlier in the week, the regional government announced that police presence would be minimal and that those attending would not hold arms to prevent tensions. The violence in 2015 and 2016 forced the government to impose a nine-month state of emergency that was only lifted in August. The unrest was provoked by a development scheme for the capital Addis Ababa and turned into broader anti-government demonstrations over politics and human rights abuses. It included attacks on businesses, many of them foreign-owned, including farms growing flowers for export. In April, a government-sanctioned investigation said 669 people had been killed during one period in the violence and more than 29,000 people arrested. The violence in Oromiya, the largest and most populous region which surrounds Addis Ababa, and to a lesser extent in the Amhara province north of the capital, cast a shadow over Ethiopia, where a rapid industrialisation drive has created one of Africa's fastest growing economies. (Editing by Elias Biryabarema and Mark Potter)
President Donald Trump on Monday condemned the deadly shooting at the Route 91 Harvest Festival at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, urging national unity and calling the Las Vegas attack pure evil.

Our unity cannot be shattered by evil, Trump said in brief remarks broadcast from the White House. It is our love that defines us today.

The President also announced he is traveling to Las Vegas on Wednesday to meet with law enforcement and families of the victims. At least 58 people were killed and over 515 injured when a lone gunman, subsequently identified by authorities as 64-year-old Stephen Paddock, opened fire from his hotel room on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino onto the Route 91 Harvest country music festival. The death toll, which could still change, makes the massacre the deadliest in U.S. history.

He praised the first responders for their quick reaction to the shooting. The speed with which they acted was miraculous, Trump said. It shows what true professionalism is all about.

Trump was briefed on the shooting earlier this morning, the White House said, and subsequently added these remarks to his schedule. Earlier this morning, he tweeted a message of support. My warmest condolences and sympathies to the victims and families of the terrible Las Vegas shooting. God bless you! he wrote.

The White House also sent a proclamation from the President ordering the American flag to be flown at half-staff through sunset on Oct. 6 to commemorate the tragedy.
When Conor ODonnell realized that gunshots were raining down on the crowd at an outdoor county music festival in Las Vegas, the Rhode Island State Police detective immediately jumped into action.

Right after the attack began, Conor called his father, Retired Rhode Island State Police colonel Steven G. ODonnell, to say he was safe but in the middle of the chaos. Steven ODonnell tells TIME that he could hear gunfire and the ricochets of bullets hitting metal while his son described the scene.

You could hear the background of chaos and rat-tat-tat of machine gun fire. I said, Is that gunfire?' says Steven ODonnell. He said, Yeah its, far away. Were good.

Conor recounted people being shot and the concertgoers fleeing before hanging up.

ODonnell says his family spent the next 75 minutes terrified for the safety of Conor and his girlfriend, Esther Reynoso, as the couple couldnt talk or text. They could only watch news reports about the shooting on television. Officials now say suspect Stephen Paddock, 64, opened fire from his perch at the Mandalay Bay Hotel, killing at least 58 and injuring over 200.

Being fully privy to 9/11, like everyone in this country, Im thinking of how many victims told theyre loved ones they were fine before the World Trade Center collapsed, ODonnell says. So were thinking the worst.

But Reynoso called ODonnell after an hour and 15 minutes to say both were safe, though emotionally distressed  and that Conor had run back to the shooting areas to provide medical assistance. Conor even helped another off-duty officer who was shot.

He went back to help triage, ODonnell says. He got blood all over him.

ODonnell says that he himself encountered death regularly during his years as a first responder, and hes mindful of the toll this may take on his son, and others, psychologically. Its different when its your kid, your child. You worry for them and how it impacts them down the road. How they live, how they go back to the next concert.

As of Monday afternoon, Reynoso and Conor had returned to their hotel, where Conor was trying to get sleep. Theyre scheduled to fly out of Las Vegas Tuesday but are trying to leave earlier.

ODonnell is grateful that his family is safe, but says theres almost no happiness with 58 dead and hundreds injured. The day after the shooting, hes thinking of the families of victims: All those people have to deal with a totally different phone call than I got.
Police havent determined a motive for Sunday nights horrific mass shooting at a Las Vegas country music festival. But a Fox News guest said CNN is at least partly to blame.

Dr. Michael Welner, a forensic psychiatrist, told Fox & Friends on Tuesday that CNN contributes to mass shootings and will have to answer for demonizing gun enthusiasts.

Retiree Stephen Paddock fatally shot at least 58 people and wounded more than 500 from his 32nd-floor hotel room near the weekends Route 91 music festival before killing himself, authorities said. Police said they found more than 20 weapons in Paddocks hotel room and more in his home in Mesquite, Nevada.

Speculating that Paddock, 64, was politically motivated, Welner claimed that shooting for notorietys sake and nothing more is a young mans crime. Hes an older man, theres no definable history of mental cause and yet it happens now.

Paddocks brother, Eric Paddock, told reporters on Monday that his brother had no religious affiliation, no political affiliation and no history of mental illness.

Fox & Friends co-host Brian Kilmeade pointed out that Welners point of view isnt shared by the show. A short time ago we had a contributor on  Dr. Michael Welner  who said CNN contributes to mass shootings, Kilmeade said. Thats his point of view. Not our point of view. He was just a guest on our show.

Others on Fox & Friends, meanwhile, blamed Paddocks apparent lack of religion.

.@IngrahamAngle on Las Vegas shooting aftermath: There is not a government solution for every problem. @foxandfriends pic.twitter.com/RY0oPsrwAm  Fox News (@FoxNews) October 3, 2017

We all have our cross to bear, we all are sinners, Fox & Friends host Ainsley Earhardt said Tuesday morning. But this guy did not have religion in his life.

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She said she feels sorry for Paddock because he didnt have God.

Laura Ingraham agreed, saying weve done a lot to kick Christianity, God, to the curb in our society. She argued that gun control wouldnt have stopped the massacre.

There is not a government solution for every problem, she said.

Kilmeade pushed back, warning Earhardt and Ingraham not to alienate non-religious viewers. He said he knows plenty of people who have never cracked a Bible, but are some of the best people and they dont seem to yearn for anything.

Also on HuffPost

People hug and cry outside the Thomas & Mack Center after a mass shooting at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival on Oct. 2, 2017, in Las Vegas.

A cowboy hat lies in the street.

VIDEO: Rapid fire from shooter(s) in Las Vegas pic.twitter.com/jgzCTQRUZP  Joel Franco (@OfficialJoelF) October 2, 2017

Las Vegas police search for the gunman while protecting fleeing fans.

Fans run from the Route 91 Harvest festival after a gunman opened fire.

Others dive for cover.

Some fans drop to the ground.

People run from the Route 91 Harvest festival.

People scramble for cover.

HORRIFIC SCENE: Do not let this be called anything else but DOMESTIC TERRORISM. AP reports 2dead 13critical & dozens injured. #MandalayBay pic.twitter.com/q7faKkCPpN  Eduardo Samaniego (@EduSamani) October 2, 2017

A man in a wheelchair is helped away.

People run for cover.

EYEWITNESS: Chilling footage of moment active shooter opened fire on concert goers near Mandalay Bay resort in Las Vegas pic.twitter.com/7OfAwg0ReO  Josh Caplan (@joshdcaplan) October 2, 2017

A person takes cover amid the shooting.

A person runs barefoot from the shooting.

Police officers stop a man who drove down Tropicana Avenue near Las Vegas Boulevard, which had been closed.

A pair of cowboy boots lies in the street outside the concert venue.

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This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
Former Representative Gabby Giffords, who was shot in the head in 2011 outside a constituent meeting in Tucson, Ariz. in an assassination attempt while she was meeting with voters, has described the Las Vegas shooting in which 58 people were killed and 515 were injured as a grave tragedy for our nation.

My heart is with the victims, their families and friends, and the law enforcement officers who risked their lives to save others, the former Arizona Congresswoman wrote on Twitter Monday.

Giffords has long been an advocate for gun control; she and her husband Mark Kelly, a retired American astronaut, launched a political action committee called Americans for Responsible Solutions in Jan. 2013. Less than one week ago she took to social media to condemn Republican candidate Roy Moore for pulling out a gun at an Alabama campaign rally.

In a just a matter of minutes, one man killed at least 50 people. Another 200 were injured. This is a grave tragedy for our nation.  Gabrielle Giffords (@GabbyGiffords) October 2, 2017

A lone gunman, subsequently identified by authorities as 64-year-old Stephen Paddock, opened fire from his hotel room on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino onto the Route 91 Harvest country music festival.

The death toll makes the massacre the deadliest shooting in U.S. history.
Thousands of those that fled the area as the shooting started sought help: Reuters

Still wearing a tank top spattered with blood, 29-year-old Daniel Smith tried to make sense of the scene that he faced the night before. Unable to return to the Mandalay Bay hotel  where shooter Stephen Paddock started what became the largest mass shooting in US history  Mr Smith was looking to head back to his home in Southern California.

It was like a mob, he said of the crowds that rushed to flee after the shooting began, as he stood on a street corner covered in police tape. He had run of the country music concert targeted for the attack and hid behind a median in the middle of a road before seeking shelter a hotel bar at the Luxor hotel. he later moved to the Hooters hotel where he saw survivors wrapped in blankets huddled all over.

He is not the only one to struggle for words, as residents and visitors try and process the shock they are felling. Words cant even explain it, says Austin Wayne of Tulsa Oklahoma, 22. Mr Wayne said gunshots were still audible from streets away as he fled the casino next to the concert venue. You didnt know what to do or where it [the gunshots] was coming from, he added.

The whole city of Las Vegas was a much quieter place in the wake of the shooting, which left at least 58 people dead and more than 500 injured. The approach down Las Vegas Boulevard, where visitors are greeted by the iconic Welcome to Las Vegas sign, was almost clear of traffic as clusters of police cars halted those cars that did venture down. A group of women walked down the hot asphalt barefoot, carrying their shoes  one of a number of groups to be doing the same.

Dave Cozort was also trying to make his way back to his hotel on foot, grasping the shoes he had removed with a concert wristband still encircled his arm.

Gunfire was blasting over our heads, Mr Cozort said, the gold Mandalay Bay building gleaming from across a bridge authorities had closed to traffic.

Elsewhere, a number of roads were sealed off around town and billboards beaming out requests for information on vehicles of interest.

Story continues

While some were calling into radio stations asking if they can pick up cars they left at the Mandalay Bay garage as they fled.

Looking for a way to help, Las Vegas residents joined queues to give blood after the city put a call to help victims, with lines stretching down the street outside one centre.

A volunteer said hundreds of people had turned up at relief centres around the city hoping to contribute.

Hospitals and blood drives are overflowing with resources and people wanting to help, said Amanda Khan, who works as an organiser for the progressive leadership alliance of Nevada.

By afternoon, civilians were being directed to the citys convention centre if they wanted to help. A line of cars bearing supplies stretched away from the entrance.

The building also served as a hub for families of victims hoping to learn more about the fate of their relatives.

Casinos on the Strip joined the effort, flashing out messages of support, advertising numbers to contact for help locating injured loved ones and imploring people to donate blood.

Nearly every inch of the Las Vegas Strip is under video surveillance, much of it set up by the casinos to monitor their properties. That could yield a wealth of material for investigators.

But the most heart-wrenching job will be the identification of bodies, with police warn that will be a long, laborious process. Details have started to emerge of a number of victims, but many more of those that died still have yet to be identified.

Clark County Sheriff Joseph Lombardo said that investigators are continuing their collection of evidence and working to reunite people with relatives who were at the shooting site.
In Las Vegas on Sunday night, a gunman opened fire from the windows of the Mandalay Bay Resort into a crowd of music festival-goers. The mass shooting, now the deadliest in modern American history, killed at least 58 people and left at least 515 injured. And, perhaps surprisingly, satire website The Onion had the most poignant response to the attack. It just so happens this isnt the first time the world has seen this response.

No Way To Prevent This, Says Only Nation Where This Regularly Happens, a darkly satirical article from famous mock-news website The Onion, was published for the fifth time on Monday. The city name and specific details  such as the number of people killed and injured  were changed, but, otherwise, the article remained the same. It tells a vague story about what happened before quoting a fake source that echoes sentiments expressed by tens of millions of individuals who reside in a nation where over half of the worlds deadliest mass shootings have occurred in the past 50 years and whose citizens are 20 times more likely to die of gun violence than those of other developed nations.

The 200-word article made the rounds on Twitter on Monday as activists started calling for increased gun control, especially of automatic weapons. The Onion seemed to echo peoples thoughts on the violence, reminding people of the frequency with which mass shootings occur and the vague way in which U.S. lawmakers tend to respond.

As many were quick to point out, shooting suspect Stephen Paddock is not the first mass shooter to, allegedly, take lives in the United States in 2017 with a gun. He also will probably not be the last, just as this is probably not the last time The Onion will run this article.

The Onion has run this story verbatim five times since 2014, switching out only city, photo, and body count. https://t.co/3Wte72H73Cpic.twitter.com/I0ohfOx7rA  laura olin (@lauraolin) October 2, 2017

As reported by The Guardian in 2016, the U.S. has an overall gun violence problem, not just a mass shooting problem. Mass shootings in the U.S. have grown in both frequency and fatalities  But next to the thousands of lives lost each year to suicide and more commonplace acts of [gun] violence, it becomes clear that mass shootings are only a tiny part of Americas gun problem.

The Onion has previously published the No Way to Prevent This article on four occasions before Monday: after the 2014 Isla Vista massacre and three times in 2015 after the Charleston church shooting, the Umpqua Community College shooting in Roseburg, Oregon, and the San Bernardino attack, respectively.

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Photos via Getty Images / Ethan Miller

Photos via Getty Images / Ethan Miller

Written by Caitlin Busch

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AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) - The Austin City Limits Music Festival will offer refunds to people who no longer want to attend for security concerns after the mass shooting at a Las Vegas concert, organizers said on Tuesday. Safety measures at large outdoor venues have come under scrutiny after a retiree armed with assault rifles strafed an outdoor country music festival in Las Vegas on Sunday from a hotel room, killing at least 59 people in the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history. Sandee Fenton, a spokeswoman for the annual Austin City Limits event which starts on Friday, did not offer further details on the refunds. Local media said only a few people had sought to return tickets over fears for their safety. The music festival, which runs through two successive weekends, attracts about 75,000 people a day to a park near the center of Austin. Headliners for this year's festival include Jay-Z, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Chance the Rapper and Spoon. Police in the Texas capital and concert officials said they had bolstered security but would not offer details of the measures. Austin Police Chief Brian Manley said on Monday the event always has a large police presence given its size and this year will include federal and state resources assisting with security. Authorities are watching for copycat attacks and paying close attention to areas where someone could potentially try to attack from above, Manley told reporters. At this time there are absolutely no threats that have been made against ACL, the chief said. But we live in a world now where you cannot protect against every single threat, he added. (Reporting by Jon Herskovitz in Austin, Texas and Colleen Jenkins in Winston-Salem, North Carolina; Editing by Andrew Hay)
By Ruma Paul DHAKA (Reuters) - Bangladesh and Myanmar agreed on Monday to set up a "working group" to plan the repatriation of more than half a million Rohingya Muslim refugees who have fled to Bangladesh to escape an army crackdown, the Bangladeshi foreign minister said. The United Nations has called the exodus of 507,000 Rohingya since late August the world's fastest-developing refugee emergency, and says Buddhist-majority Myanmar is engaging in ethnic cleansing against its Rohingya Muslim minority. Myanmar denies that. It says its forces are battling Rohingya "terrorists" who triggered the latest wave of violence with coordinated attacks on the security forces on Aug. 25. Myanmar says more than 500 people have been killed since, most of them insurgents, whom it has accused of attacking civilians and setting most of the fires that have reduced to ashes more than half of more than 400 Rohingya villages in the north of Rakhine State. Bangladesh Foreign Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali said he and Myanmar official Kyaw Tint Swe had agreed in their talks to set up the working group to draw up plans for repatriation. "We are looking forward to a peaceful solution to the crisis," Ali told reporters. Kyaw Tint Swe did not speak to the media and government spokesmen in Myanmar were not immediately available for comment. Waves of Rohingya have taken refuge in Bangladesh over the years complaining of persecution, in particular in the late 1970s, the early 1990s and in October last year, following smaller insurgent attacks on the security forces. The neighbors have agreed on repatriation plans before, but the fundamental problem - the status of Rohingya in Myanmar - remains unsettled. The Rohingya are denied citizenship and classified as illegal immigrants, despite claiming roots in Myanmar that go back centuries, with communities marginalized and subjected to bouts of communal violence over the years. Ali, asked about agreements in the past having little impact, said: "This time we want to be hopeful. In Geneva, U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi told a meeting problems of statelessness had to be tackled. "Nowhere is the link between statelessness and displacement more evident than with the Rohingya community," he said. RECOMMENDATION ON CITIZENSHIP The crisis over the treatment of the Rohingya is the biggest problem Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi has had to face since forming a government last year after winning a landmark 2015 election. The Nobel peace laureate, in an address to the nation last month, said Myanmar was ready to start a verification process under a 1993 agreement with Bangladesh and "refugees from this country will be accepted without any problem". But many refugees are gloomy about the prospects of going back, fearing they will not be able to furnish the documents they anticipate Myanmar will demand to prove they have a right to return. Myanmar has refused to grant access to a U.N. fact-finding mission but Suu Kyi last year appointed a team led by former U.N. secretary-general Kofi Annan to draw up recommendations on solving problems in Rakhine. The commission presented its recommendations on Aug. 24, a day before the insurgent attacks, among them a review of a law that links citizenship and ethnicity and leaves most Rohingya stateless. The panel also recommended that the government punish rights violations, ensure the right to freedom of movement and invest in infrastructure to lift the state out of poverty. Suu Kyi, in her address to the nation last month, said she was committed to the recommendations. There were already about 300,000 Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh before the latest exodus. 'GHOST TOWN' In Myanmar, the government took a group of diplomats and senior U.N. officials to Rakhine to let them see the situation. "Maungdaw feels like a ghost town," Swiss ambassador Paul Seger said on Twitter, as he arrived in a main town in the north of Rakhine. Myanmar has blocked most aid workers and the media from the area, despite calls from Western countries for access to deal with what aid groups fear is an unfolding humanitarian crisis. The diplomats were taken to various places including the Rohingya village of Ah Nauk Pyin, which Reuters reported last month was cut off and threatened by hostile Rakhine Buddhist neighbors. An itinerary of the trip referred to the report. After the visit, the United Nations repeated a call for an end to the violence, for access to the conflict zone for aid workers and for the safe return of refugees. "The U.N. delegation reiterated the need for a greater access for humanitarian and human rights actors to conduct comprehensive assessments the situation," it said in a statement. It also said the media should have access. Suu Kyi has been accused by Western critics of not speaking out strongly enough on behalf of the long-persecuted minority and of defending the army action. She has no power over security policy under a military-drafted constitution. (Additional reporting by Stephanie Ulmer-Nebehay in GENEVA; Writing by Robert Birsel; Editing by Nick Macfie and Clarence Fernandez)
Former Fox News anchor Bill OReilly said Monday that the massacre in Las Vegas hours earlier  the deadliest shooting in modern U.S. history  was the price of freedom.

Once again, the big downside of American freedom is on gruesome display, he wrote in a blog post titled Mass Murder In America.

OReilly went on to describe the gunman, 64-year-old Stephen Craig Paddock, as psychotic and to argue that strict gun control wont keep weapons out of the hands of violent nuts.

Having covered scores of gun-related crimes over the years, I can tell you that government restrictions will not stop psychopaths from harming people, he wrote. They will find a way.

Public safety, he explained, requires logical gun laws, but unfortunately the issue is polarizing.

The NRA and its supporters want easy access to weapons, while the left wants them banned. This is the price of freedom. Violent nuts are allowed to roam free until they do damage, no matter how threatening they are. The Second Amendment is clear that Americans have a right to arm themselves for protection. Even the loons, he wrote.

At around 10:15 p.m. Sunday, Paddock opened fire from his hotel room onto a crowd of concertgoers during the Route 91 Harvest Festival, according to authorities. At least 58 people were killed and more than 500 others were injured. When they entered his room, police found Paddock dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. They also found a cache of at least 10 firearms, including at least one full-automatic rifle.

In Nevada, it is legal both to openly carry long guns, like rifles and shotguns, and to own fully automatic firearms.

Last year, in the wake of the terrorist attack at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida  then the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history  OReilly voiced support for limiting access to certain types of weapons.

There is too much gun crime in the USA, and high-powered weaponry is too easy to get, he said. Thats the fact. So lets deal with it. We all have the right to bear arms, but we dont have the right to buy and maintain mortars. Even if you feel threatened by gangsters or a New World Order. No bazookas, no Sherman tanks, no hand grenades.

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In a statement on Monday, President Donald Trump condemned the Las Vegas shooting as an act of pure evil, but made no mention of gun control or the plague of mass shootings in the U.S. White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said, Theres a time and place for a political debate, but now is the time to unite as a country.

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UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The president of the Central African Republic, Faustin-Archange Touadera, on Tuesday pleaded with the world to not forget his country and urged the U.N. to bolster its peace-keeping force amid growing violence that threatens to spin the country out of control. Thousands have died and a fifth of Central Africans have fled a conflict that broke out after mainly Muslim Seleka rebels ousted President Francois Bozize in 2013, provoking a backlash from Christian anti-balaka (anti-machete) militias. Although unrest has since subsided, fighting has spiked this year and the United Nations warned this month that ethnic fighting could descend again into a much larger conflict if combatants are not disarmed. "Central Africa is at a critical moment in its history. We need the support of our friends; there are risks that we'll be forgotten," Touadera told a news conference ahead of a high-level meeting at the U.N. General Assembly. Violence has escalated since former colonial power France last year ended its peacekeeping mission in the country, which once had as many as 2,000 soldiers. France has grown concerned by events, although officials say Paris is unlikely to return to Central Africa unless the capital were under threat. The violence continues despite a peace deal signed between the government and rival factions in Rome last month and a 13,000-strong U.N. mission (MINUSCA), which will see its mandate renewed in November. "The only force capable of ensuring security is the United Nations," Touadera said. "The capacities of MINUSCA in terms of men and equipment have to be strengthened." National security forces are too weak to tackle a multitude of armed groups and counter the spillover from conflicts in neighboring countries. Diplomats have also said that Touadera does not have the political strength to impose central government rule. Touadera bemoaned the departure of France's Operation Sangaris, but also the withdrawal of about 2,000 American and Uganda forces that were fighting the Ugandan rebel group The Lord's Resistance Army and the withdrawal of MINUSCA's Congolese battalion in the west. "All of this has created a vacuum that the MINUSCA must fill," he said. (Reporting by John Irish; Editing by Leslie Adler)
Facebook has bought itself a little more time over a major legal challenge in Europe after the Irish High Court decided not to strike down a b2b mechanism it uses to transfer user data between its EU and U.S. businesses for processing. Rather the court said today that it will refer legal questions over so-called Standard Contractual Contracts (SCCs) to Europe's top court, the ECJ, for a preliminary ruling.

This means it could take around 1.5 years before there is a judgement, and Facebook can continue to use SCCs in the meanwhile instead of being forced to suspend these data transfers.

The challenge to Facebook's use of SCCs was brought by European privacy campaigner and lawyer Max Schrems. He had originally complained to the Irish data protection commissioner (DPC), asking it to suspend data flows in Facebook's case. But while the DPC agreed there are legal questions over the mechanism it decided to refer the issue to the High Court to consider the legality of SCCs as a whole.

The five-week court hearing in what is a complex case delving into detail on US surveillance operations took place in February. The court issued its ruling today.

The 153-page ruling starts by noting "this is an unusual case", before going into a detailed discussion of the arguments and concluding that the DPC's concerns about the validity of SCCs should be referred to the European Court of Justice for a preliminary ruling.

Schrems is also the man responsible for bringing, in 2013, a legal challenge that ultimately struck down Safe Harbor -- the legal mechanism that had oiled the pipe for EU-US personal data flows for fifteen years before the ECJ ruled it to be invalid in October 2015.

Schrems' argument had centered on U.S. government mass surveillance programs, as disclosed via the Snowden leaks, being incompatible with fundamental European privacy rights. After the ECJ struck down Safe Harbor he then sought to apply the same arguments against Facebook's use of SCCs -- returning to Ireland to make the complaint as that's where the company has its European HQ.

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It's worth noting that the European Commission has since replaced Safe Harbor with a new (and it claims more robust) data transfer mechanism, called the EU-US Privacy Shield -- which is now, as Safe Harbor was, used by thousands of businesses. Although that too is facing legal challenges as critics continue to argue there is a core problem of incompatibility between two distinct legal regimes where EU privacy rights collide with US mass surveillance.

Schrems' Safe Harbor challenge also started in the Irish Court before being ultimately referred to the ECJ. So there's more than a little legal deja vu here, especially given the latest development in the case.

In its ruling on the SCC issue, the Irish Court noted that a US ombudsperson position created under Privacy Shield to handle EU citizens complaints about companies' handling of their data is not enough to overcome what it described as "well founded concerns" raised by the DPC regarding the adequacy of the protections for EU citizens data.

(Although, in a further irony, a permanent ombudsperson has yet to be appointed by the Trump administration.)

Key conclusion from Irish High Court judgment referring to #CJEU @DPCIreland Facebook Schrems case on validity of #SCCs #EUDataP pic.twitter.com/LBGoQlHPRu  Data Protection Commissioner Ireland (@DPCIreland) October 3, 2017

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The exact questions that will to be referred by the court to the CJEU will be decided at a later date this month.

Making a video statement outside court in Dublin today, Schrems said the Irish court had dismissed Facebook's argument that the US government does not undertake any surveillance.

https://twitter.com/maxschrems/status/915168555745849344

In a written statement on the ruling Schrems added: I welcome the judgement by the Irish High Court. It is important that a neutral Court outside of the US has summarized the facts on US surveillance in a judgement, after diving through more than 45,000 pages of documents in a five week hearing.

I am of the view the Standard Contractual Clauses are perfectly valid, as they would allow the DPC to do its job and suspend individual problematic data flows, such as Facebooks. It is still unclear to me why the DPC is taking the extreme position that the SCCs should be invalidated Facebook across the board, when a targeted solution is available. The only explanation that I have is that they want to shift the responsibility back to Luxembourg instead of deciding themselves.

On Facebook, he also said: In simple terms, US law requires Facebook to help the NSA with mass surveillance and EU law prohibits just that. As Facebook is subject to both jurisdictions, they got themselves in a legal dilemma that they cannot possibly solve in the long run.

We've reached out to Facebook for comment and will include the company's response when we have it. Update: A company spokesperson has now provided the following statement via email:

Standard Contract Clauses provide critical safeguards to ensure that Europeans' data is protected once transferred to companies that operate in the US or elsewhere around the globe, and are used by thousands of companies to do business. They are essential to companies of all sizes, and upholding them is critical to ensuring the economy can continue to grow without disruption. This ruling will have no immediate impact on the people or businesses who use our services. However it is essential that the [ECJ] now considers the extensive evidence demonstrating the robust protections in place under Standard Contractual Clauses and US law, before it makes any decision that may endanger the transfer of data across the Atlantic and around the globe.

While Schrems' original complaint pertained to Facebook, the Irish DPC's position means many more companies that use the mechanism could face disruption if SCCs are ultimately invalidated as a result of the legal challenge to their validity.

Responding to today's ruling, the BSA -- one of the amicus curiae in the case speaking up for the importance of SCCs as "a basis for data transfers that are essential to the economy and job creation on both sides of the Atlantic" -- said in a statement: "We have argued that this case should not be about standard contractual clauses in their entirety, but instead about how the clauses were formulated and used for the specific transfers involved here. We also explained that the SCCs include important safeguards to protect users -- among them, they grant national data protection authorities the power to review specific implementation of these clauses on a case by case basis. We will continue to advocate these perspectives before the Court of Justice of the EU."

Europe's influential Article 29 Working Party, which is made up of representatives from all the data protection authorities of the Member States, has previously voiced concerns about SCCs. It also has ongoing concerns about Privacy Shield.

The latter mechanism underwent its first annual review by EU officials in the US last month -- and a report is due this month. Although the EC, which drove the process to replace the defunct Safe Harbor, was quick to profess itself publicly satisfied with what it has seen.

 Official Visit to Washington D.C and San Franciscohttps://t.co/82LqHEYUbw  Vera Jourova (@VeraJourova) September 22, 2017

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House Republicans passed a bill on Tuesday that would ban abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy  a move the Trump administration said will help to facilitate a culture of life. The move comes three days after Congress allowed a federal childrens health program to expire, potentially leaving millions of poor children without insurance coverage.

The abortion bill, which the House has passed before, would shorten the time period in which a woman can legally seek an abortion, based on the medically unsupported claim that fetuses can feel pain at 20 weeks. Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.), chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, authored an op-ed on the anti-abortion website LifeNews.com on Monday touting the legislation.

All of usRepublicans, Democrats, and Independentscan agree that the government has a vested interest in protecting the rights of children, Goodlatte wrote, and that should include unborn children after 20 weeks.

Yet Republicans in Congress just missed a deadline to reauthorize the Childrens Health Insurance Program, which helped states provide insurance coverage to 9 million children in low-income families. The Senate had put forth a bipartisan, 5-year bill to renew the program, but didnt schedule a vote in time, instead prioritizing legislation to repeal and replace Obamacare. The House never even proposed a bill to reauthorize CHIP, which expired at the end of September.

Republican gridlock has put 9 million children at risk, Rep. Joe Crowley (D-N.Y) tweeted on Sunday. This is unacceptable.

Democrats also pointed out the hypocrisy of Congress and the president doing nothing to address gun violence, which claimed 12,000 American lives this year alone. The abortion vote comes a day after the deadliest mass shooting in modern United States history, in which a man with at least 20 rifles and hundreds of rounds of ammunition opened fire on a country music festival in Las Vegas.

There have been 521 mass shootings in this country in 477 days, and the U.S. has a far bigger gun violence problem than any other developed nation, but the 26 bills in Congress that would address gun violence in different ways are all currently languishing without a vote.

Story continues

If we had an outbreak every day that had over 100,000 people a year killed and injured, Congress would be in a frenzy, Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.) said on the House floor Tuesday morning. Yesterday we found two minutes for a moment of silence, and we moved on.

Meanwhile, bodies are accumulating in morgues in Puerto Rico as the Trump administration lags in its response to the Hurricane Maria disaster. Officials in Puerto Rico have not updated the death toll from the storm in the past week, but people are reporting horrific conditions on the ground  hospitals running out of fuel and supplies, cancer patients missing chemotherapy treatments, mothers begging for water for their babies.

Its tantamount to Mother Natures atomic bomb, and were doing very little, said Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D-N.M.), who chairs the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, in asking her colleagues to expedite aid to the U.S. territory last week.

Trump criticized Puerto Ricans for not doing more to help themselves after the devastating hurricane and lamented the logistical challenges of providing aid to the island.

But the White House applauded House lawmakers for acting on abortion.

The Administration strongly supports the Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, and applauds the House of Representatives for continuing its efforts to secure critical pro-life protections, the White House said in a statement on Monday night.

The legislation passed the House by a 237-189 vote, but it is very unlikely to become law because it lacks the needed 60 votes to make it through the Senate. Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) said Tuesday that the bill is dead on arrival and excoriated her colleagues across the aisle for prioritizing it.

Is the House working on helping families who have lost their loved ones and livelihoods in Puerto Rico? No, she said. Are they answering the calls from moms and dads nationwide who want to know when Congress will finally act on gun control? No.

There is never a good time for politicians to try to tell women what they can and cant do with their own bodies, she added. But the House Republican decision to prioritize politics right now  of all times  is irresponsible and out of touch to a new extreme.

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Dan Bilzerian left some people unimpressed with his actions during the Las Vegas shooting.

Medal of Honor-winning veteran Dakota Meyer expressed his disappointment in Bilzerian after the latter ran away moments after he saw a woman got shot in the head during the Las Vegas mass shooting on Monday, Daily Mail reported. In an Instagram post, Meyer said that he believes Bilzerian had other options at the time instead of just running away from the scene.

"This is why children shouldn't classify heroes by their followers or their photos. @danbilzerian this is what kills me about people like you. Always playing 'operator dress up' and so so tough when the cameras are on," Meyer wrote on Instagram. "A woman just got shot in the head and you are running away filming that's not what operators do. Please stop trying to be someone your not. People are dying, you're running away not helping them and pretending it's worthy of a video is disgusting."

Bilzerian had been among those present in the Las Vegas concert where the shooting occurred and caught the harrowing incident on camera. In the clip he posted on social media, Bilzerian can be heard saying as he runs away, "A girl just got shot in the head. This is so crazy."

Bilzerian is a professional poker player who has tried and failed to become a Navy SEAL. He constantly shares photos of himself working out or hanging out with models, as well as his arsenal of weapons, on social media.

According to Us Weekly, shortly after posting the first clip, Bilzerian posted another video where he vowed to grab a gun and return to the site of the mass shooting. However, he later said that he felt helpless about the situation. "I don't think there's much I can do," he confessed.

The publication noted that Bilzerian is a gun rights advocate and has an arsenal of weapons. Back in 2013, he shared a photo of his collection on Instagram. "My greatest fear is that someone will break in & I won't be able to decide what #gun to shoot them with," he wrote in the caption.

Story continues

What can you say about Meyer's reaction to Bilzerian's choice of running away from the mass shooting? Drop a comment below.

Dan Bilzerian

Photo: Getty Images/Kevin C. Cox

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Doha (AFP) - Iran's foreign minister held talks with the emir of Qatar Tuesday aimed at strengthening "co-operation," nearly four months into a Saudi-led blockade against the Gulf emirate.

Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and Iran's Mohammad Javad Zarif met at a time of heightened Gulf tensions, with Qatari officials warning the ongoing Arab blockade would only drive Doha towards regional powerhouse Iran.

Qatar's state news agency said the pair discussed the impasse in the region, which has seen Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt cut ties with Doha over its ties with Iran and accusations that it supports extremists.

"During the meeting, they reviewed relations of cooperation between the two countries in various fields as well as exchanged views on the current situation in the region," read the statement from Qatar News Agency.

Tuesday's visit was notable as it was Zarif's first since Qatar's political isolation began on June 5. The Iranian foreign minister on Monday visited Oman -- which has remained neutral on the Gulf crisis -- meeting with Sultan Qaboos in Muscat.

Qatar's relationship with Shiite-dominated Iran, seen as the major rival to Sunni-ruled Saudi Arabia in the Middle East, is one of the major factors underpinning the crisis between Qatar and its former allies.

Last week, Qatar's foreign minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani warned that the political and economic boycott imposed on Qatar was pushing Doha closer to Tehran.

"They accuse Qatar of being close to Iran but with their measure... they push Qatar towards Iran. They are giving Qatar like a gift to Iran," Sheikh Mohammed said in a speech in Paris.

Doha in January 2016 had pulled its ambassador from Tehran in solidarity with Saudi Arabia over attacks on its diplomatic mission there -- attacks spurred by Riyadh's decision to execute a prominent Shiite cleric in the kingdom.

But in August, Qatar announced it was restoring full diplomatic relations with Iran by returning its ambassador.

Qatar and Iran share the worlds largest natural gas field  which Doha calls the North Field and Iran South Pars -- and which has been responsible for the emirate's dramatic transformation over the past 20 years
Donald Trump plunged into fresh controversy as he said Puerto Ricos devastation by Hurricane Maria had thrown our budget a little of whack, and claimed officials should be proud that so few people had died, unlike in catastrophes such as Hurricane Katrina.

As Mr Trump arrived in the American territory almost two weeks after the hurricane  on a visit intended to show empathy with millions of Americans whose lives have been turned upside down  he marveled that the death toll had only reached 16. Hours later, and after Mr Trump had returned to Washington, the death toll was revised upward to 34 casualties on the island.

Only a tiny percentage of the 3.4 million people in Puerto Rico have electricity. Around half of residents do not have access to fresh drinking water, and only a third can make use of their mobile phones.

Yet, as he sat with the First Lady Melania Trump and spoke with state and federal officials, it appeared that the cost of the federal response was of chief concern to the President.

Introducing White House budget director Mick Mulvaney, who was accompanying him on the trip, Mr Trump said: I hate to tell you, Puerto Rico, but youve thrown our budget a little out of whack, because we have spent a lot of money on Puerto Rico, and thats fine.

He also said the island should be very proud only 16 people had lost their lives, compared to the hundreds and hundreds and hundreds who were killed by Hurricane Katrina that struck Louisiana in 2005.

Weve saved a lot of lives. Every death is a horror. If you look at a real catastrophe like Katrina and you look at the hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of people who died, and you look here at a storm that was totally overpowering, and you look at your death count  16 certified  then you can be very proud.

He added: You can be very proud of how your people and our people worked together. Puerto Rico is a US territory.

Ahead of his visit, Mr Trump had been criticised by many for what was perceived as the slow federal response to the disaster, especially when compared to how the government helped Florida and Texas after they were respectively struck by Hurricanes Irma and Harvey.

Story continues

Mayor Carmen Yulin inspects donated food rations in San Juan on the eve of President Trumps visit (David Usborne)

Over the weekend, the three-star general leading the US militarys emergency response in Puerto Rico said the damage there is the worst he has ever seen.

Lieutenant General Jeffrey Buchanan underscored the massive challenges facing the island.

Sometimes we dont know whats going to happen until the storm actually hits, he told PBS. And this is the worst Ive ever seen.

Hundreds of thousands of islanders are still without water (AP)

Ahead of his visit, Mr Trump launched a series of attacks on the Mayor of San Juan, Carmen Yulin Cruz, who on Friday accused the Trump administration of killing us with the inefficiency.

She begged the President to make sure somebody is in charge that is up to the task of saving lives and appealed for help to save us from dying.

In one of many tweets published from his private golf club in New Jersey where he spent the weekend, Mr Trump said: We have done a great job with the almost impossible situation in Puerto Rico. Outside of the Fake News or politically motivated ingrates... people are now starting to recognise the amazing work that has been done by Fema and our great military.

We have done a great job with the almost impossible situation in Puerto Rico. Outside of the Fake News or politically motivated ingrates,...  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 1, 2017

In an interview with The Independent , Ms Cruz said she believed Mr Trump had published his tweets, just to spite us.

Ms Cruz, who was told she could participate in a call with Mr Trump and various officials but not make any comment, said she was not concerned if she was now being sidelined.

I respect the office of the presidency of the United States, but I expect whoever holds it to respect the people I represent Talking about ingrates, to me that is an insult, it is indignity and perhaps I will accomplish more out on the streets saving lives.

Before leaving Washington for Puerto Rico, Mr Trump suggested the issue had been smoothed over.

Well, I think shes come back a long way. I think its now acknowledged what a great job weve done, and people are looking at that. And in Texas and in Florida, we get an A+, he said.

And Ill tell you what, I think weve done just as good in Puerto Rico, and its actually a much tougher situation. But now the roads are cleared, communications is starting to come back. We need their truck drivers to start driving trucks.

Ahead of the visit, the White House claimed it had sough to contact the Mayor and involve her in efforts on restoring basic facilities for residents of the island.

Our focus is to bring the Mayor into the coordination efforts, Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters in Washington. This administration, as well as other members on the ground, have reached out to her. We hope that she will join with us in those efforts and be a part of things. Shes been invited to participate in the events tomorrow, as well.

The president and the first lady were expected to spend more than five hours on the ground, meeting first responders, local officials and some residents.

At least parts of the itinerary were drawn to ensure a friendly reception: Mr Trump was visiting the houses of pre-selected families waiting on their lawns.

The president also handed out flashlights at a church, where 200 people cheered his arrival and crowded around him getting pictures on their cellphones.

There's a lot of love in this room, a lot of love, Mr Trump said. Great people. Although, not everyone felt the same. One sign that Mr Trump's motorcade past called the president a "bad hombre".

Ms Yulin Cruz attended Mr Trump's first event, in an airport hangar, shaking Mr Trump's hand as he went around a table greeting officials before sitting in in the shadow of a hulking, gray military plane.

"How are you?" he asked. Her response could not be heard, but he thanked her.

However, Mr Trump appeared to return to the issue in praising Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rossello for "not playing politics".

I just want to tell you that right from the beginning this governor was not playing politics, Mr Trump said during a meeting with local and federal officials. He was giving us the highest grades.
Elon Musk isnt the only contender in the race to get to the red planet. Back in February, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced an ambitious project called the Mars 2117 Strategy, which aims to create an elaborate city on the Red Planet by 2117.

Now, the government of Dubai has released concept art of a city it plans to build as a practice run for its Martian settlement  and its sci-fi chic as hell.

Concept art of Dubai's Mars City

The idea  called the Mars Science City  is expected to span 1.9 million square feet and could cost $135 million dollars to build. According to a press release from Dubais government, the settlement will include laboratories for food, energy and water, as well as an experimental region where teams can prepare for the harsh conditions on Mars. The Mars Science City will also feature a space-themed museum with 3D-printed walls from the Emirati desert.

Its unclear what the timeline for the Mars Science City looks like. While the concept art is truly breathtaking  like a better version of that one ride at Epcot  the UAE has a ton of work to do before it makes something like this on Earth or Mars. Currently, it plans to send its first uncrewed mission to Mars in 2020.

For now, we can all look at these gorgeous photos and dream of living on a world better than our own. A barren wasteland like Mars is looking better by the day.

Photos via Government of Dubai Media Office

Photos via Government of Dubai Media Office

Written by Rae Paoletta

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By Alexandra Valencia QUITO (Reuters) - An Ecuadorean judge on Monday ordered pre-trial detention for Vice President Jorge Glas as part of an investigation into Brazilian construction company Odebrecht's corruption scandal. Glas, a 48-year-old electrical engineer, has been accused by senior members of the government of former President Rafael Correa of corruption while serving as a minister and vice president during seven years of Correa's government. Judge Miguel Jurado approved a prosecutor's request for preventative detention on the grounds that Glas allegedly accepted bribes, and also agreed to freeze his assets. Glas said the accusations lack evidence and are part of a politicized campaign against him. "Don't worry, you don't have to search for me, I'm where I always am," Glas said via Twitter. "I'm not going to escape. Those who are innocent never flee." Fallout from the massive Odebrecht corruption scandal has continued to sweep Latin America. The company, which has admitted to paying bribes to win contracts in a number of countries, has already paid $3.5 billion in settlements in the United States, Brazil and Switzerland. A close ally of leftist ex-President Rafael Correa, Glas served as Correa's vice president from 2013 and retained the position under current President Lenin Moreno. In August he was suspended from his duties by Moreno, who accused him of not being a team player. (Reporting by Alexandra Valencia; Writing by Alexandra Ulmer Editing by Rosalba O'Brien)
The Eiffel Tower went dark on Monday night in tribute to the victims of the attacks in Las Vegas and Marseille.

At least 59 people were killed and hundreds wounded on Sunday when a gunman opened fire on a concert in Las Vegas in the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history.

Earlier on Sunday, a man knifed two young women to death outside the main train station in Marseille, Frances second-biggest city.

The Eiffel Tower is pictured in Paris before switching off lights Credit: AFP

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for both attacks via the jihadists propaganda outlet Amaq, which said they were carried out by its "soldiers". It did not provide any evidence for either claim and Las Vegas police said they had found no link between the gunman Stephen Paddock and the terrorist group.

"Tonight we will turn off the Eiffel Tower from midnight in homage to the victims of the attacks in Marseille and Las Vegas," Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo wrote, adding the hashtag "we are united".

The French capital has repeatedly switched off the night-time lights on its most famous landmark to show solidarity with victims of terror attacks from London to Kabul.

Empire State Bldg remains dark for victims of Las Vegas shooting. Shines orange halo for gun violence awareness. https://t.co/FDJex1Pp4H  NBC News (@NBCNews) October 2, 2017

In New York, the Empire State Building also went dark in tribute to those who died in the Mandalay Bay hotel massacre.

The landmark issued a statement saying it would go dark in sympathy for the victims of the Las Vegas tragedy.

A halo on the tower was also lit orange to raise awareness of gun violence.

50 dead in Las Vegas shooting, in pictures
Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren responded Monday to the mass shooting in Las Vegas that left more than 50 people dead and hundreds injured by tweeting that thoughts and prayers are not enough and calling for more conversation around gun violence.

Im heartsick for the victims of last nights massacre in Las Vegas & their loved ones, she wrote. Im heartsick for people in Nevada & across the country who woke up to this news & are worried that their family & friends are ok, she wrote.

Thoughts & prayers are NOT enough. Not when more moms & dads will bury kids this week, & more sons & daughters will grow up without parents, she added. Tragedies like Las Vegas have happened too many times. We need to have the conversation about how to stop gun violence. We need it NOW.

Warren wasnt the only politician to call for action in the wake of Sundays shooting. Former Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton also spoke out Monday.

Imagine the deaths if the shooter had a silencer, which the NRA wants to make easier to get, she tweeted. Our grief isn't enough. We can and must put politics aside, stand up to the NRA, and work together to try to stop this from happening again.

Massachusetts Sen. Ed Markey, another outspoken supporter of gun control, wrote: The epidemic of #gunviolence in our country is not preordained. It is preventable. It is time #GOP stops blocking #guncontrol legislation.

My heart breaks for the victims, their loved ones & all those injured in Las Vegas. I call on Congress to show they care by taking action, wrote New York Rep. Carolyn Maloney.

Rep. Seth Moulton, another Massachusetts politician, tweeted: As after #Orlando, I will NOT be joining my colleagues in a moment of silence on the House Floor that just becomes an excuse for inaction.

Warren has been an outspoken supporter of stricter gun control. Warren in June joined Markey and Senate Democrats in a filibuster to persuade Republicans to agree to background checks for gun sales online or at shows and deny firearms to individuals listed on federal terror watch lists, Politico reported at the time.

Story continues

The Sunday shooting became the worst in modern U.S. history after suspected shooter Stephen Paddock, 64, opened fire on the Route 91 Harvest festival in Las Vegas from the 32nd floor of the neighboring Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, police said. The death toll as of Monday afternoon reached 58 and well over 500 people were reported injured.

Elizabeth Warren

Photo: Photo by Astrid Riecken/Getty Images

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Consumer Reports has no financial relationship with advertisers on this site.

The recent Equifax data breach exposed the personal financial information of millions of Americans, yet many consumers know relatively little about what credit reporting agencies do and how they operate.

The industry is somewhat shrouded in mystery because credit agencies collect vast amounts of information about you without your having ever signed up for their service.

Yet as the Equifax breach shows, these agencies know a great deal about you, including your bank accounts, credit cards, mortgages, and other financial transactions as well as your name, address, Social Security number and even your driver's license.

How can these agencies collect all this information without your even knowing about it? And what is being done to protect you? Below are some answers to these key questions.

Why Do the Credit-Reporting Agencies Exist?

When you apply for a loan or credit card, banks want to know if you are likely to pay them back. So they pay credit agencies to provide information about you and your financial history. The agencies also provide a credit score, which determines your overall creditworthiness. The higher the score, the better a risk you're considered to be.

What Kind of Information Do Credit Agencies Collect?

Just about every piece of information about you that relates to your credit history makes its way to at least one of the credit bureaus.

That might include: how much you owe on your credit cards and other debts, whether youve paid your bills on time, the credit limit on your cards, and how often youve applied for credit. That information, which is reported to the bureaus by lenders, is usually updated every month.

In addition, the credit agencies collect financial information that appears in public records, such as bankruptcies and tax liens. Some property rental firms also report on tenants payments.

Besides financial data, credit bureaus collect information to verify your identity, such as your birthday, Social Security number, and even addresses and phone numbers.

Story continues

How Secure Is This Information and Who Oversees It?

The Equifax hack has made clear that data security is lacking in the industry. Credit bureaus arent subject to the same regulatory oversight that governs banks and subjects them to regular security audits.

Moreover, no single federal entity oversees data breaches, says Eva Velasquez, the president of the Identity Theft Resource Center, a national nonprofit victim-assistance group.

Depending on the circumstances, regulation could be handled by the FBI, the Federal Trade Commission, or the Securities and Exchange Commission. In the case of Equifax, the FTC has publicly said that it is investigating the breach.

Most states have laws stating that companies must notify customers about data breaches. But requirements about the time frame for notification and what kind of information they need to disclose vary widely.

Still, several state attorneys general have launched investigations into Equifaxs practices, and the company also faces a host of class-action lawsuits.

How Long Do You Need to Worry About the Equifax Breach?

Unfortunately, theres no point at which you can assume youre safe. Thats because the database that was hacked contained permanent identification information, such as Social Security numbers, which cant be changed.

That means someone could apply for credit cards, take out loans, and potentially file for federal tax refunds or apply for government benefits under your namefive or 10 years or even decades from now. Youre exposed in perpetuity, says Velasquez.

What Is Being Done to Prevent This From Happening Again?

Given the publicity surrounding this incident, some legislators and representatives, such as Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Senator Brian Schatz of Hawaii, have called for investigation and increased regulation of the credit reporting industry.

Consumers Union, the policy and mobilization arm of Consumer Reports, has also outlined the steps it believes Equifax must take to remediate the situation.

This week, there will be a number of Congressional hearings to learn more about what happened, including one by the Subcommittee on Digital Commerce and Consumer Protection on Tuesday, two others by the Senate Banking Committee, and also the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology and Law on Wednesday and another by the Financial Services Committee on Thursday.

For now, however, the onus is on you to protect yourself.

Start by freezing your credit with each of the four bureaus, though if you need access to credit it may cost you a few bucks to temporarily halt the freeze (for now, Equifax has agreed to waive all charges; theres no cost to place a freeze at Innovis).

Then take other reasonable steps to protect your assets and credit. Finally, dont forget to order your report once a year from each of the bureaus, which they must provide at no cost. Check those reports carefully for errors and signs of fraud.

Says Ulzheimer: Youll need to become engaged with your own protectionpermanently.





More from Consumer Reports:

Top pick tires for 2016

Best used cars for $25,000 and less

7 best mattresses for couples





Consumer Reports is an independent, nonprofit organization that works side by side with consumers to create a fairer, safer, and healthier world. CR does not endorse products or services, and does not accept advertising. Copyright  2017, Consumer Reports, Inc.
As information trickles out of from Las Vegas about the attack Sunday night, the new deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history, heres what we know about the gun  or guns  believed to be used in the attack.

What kind of gun was used?

Police searched the gunmans hotel room, from where he fired the shots, and found a cache of weapons including at least 10 rifles, Las Vegas Metropolitan police sheriff Joseph Lombardo told reporters. Several recordings taken as shots rang out capture the sounds of rapid gunfire, similar to that of an automatic weapon. Automatic weapons are designed to continuously fire ammunition with just one pull of the trigger.

Police have not said specifically what type of weapon was used, such as a military-grade rifle or a machine gun, or even if just one or multiple of the guns found in the room were actually used in the attack. The weapon or weapons used needed to have sufficient range to reach from the suspects hotel room to the target of the Route 91 Harvest, a country music festival, which was located diagonally across an intersection.

Distance between the hotel room and music festival in the Las Vegas shooting.

CNN reported that officials suspect the gunman may have altered one of the rifles to have a trigger like an automatic weapon, which would allow rapid fire of gunshots.

How many are available in the U.S.?

Assuming a machine gun was used, around a half million such weapons exist in the U.S. as of February 2016, according to the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

The ATF is required to maintain a central database of all registered firearms, called the National Firearms Registration Transfer Record System (NFRTR), per the National Firearm Act enacted in 1934.

More than 300 million total guns exist in the United States, according to a 2012 report from the Congressional Research Service.

Is the gun legal?

Officials have not said if the gun or guns used are automatic or semiautomatic weapons, each of which is subject to different regulations in the U.S. Essentially, both types of guns are legal, despite claims gun rights advocates have made about their being banned.

Story continues

A federal law banning semi-automatic guns and large capacity ammunition magazines was signed in 1994 under President Bill Clinton. But this Federal Assault Weapons Ban expired back in 2004 and has yet to be reinstated. The Hughes Amendment, passed in 1986, prohibited the manufacture of any new machine guns from then on. However, automatic guns owned before then are still legal today as long as theyre registered and approved by the ATF.

Individual states are allowed to regulate their gun laws even further. But Nevada, the site of Sundays attack, has some of the most lax laws. Gun owners  those both with handguns and bigger rifles and shotguns  do not need a license to buy and own their firearms, and dont need to register their guns with the state, according to the National Rifle Association. The state does not have any restrictions on machine guns and assault weapons, or on background checks for gun owners.

Under federal law, anyone looking to purchase a gun must submit fingerprints and photographs to the ATF and submit to an FBI background check. However, Nevadas attorney general said in December 2016 he would not enforce or implement the requirement for universal background checks. This essentially cancels out the federal effort to restrict automatic weapons, and allows for gun sales to take place freely between private citizens.

Such guns have often been used in mass shootings

Automatic weapons have been used in many recent mass shootings, according to a report from anti-gun group Everytown for Gun Safety. Semi-automatic guns were used at Orlandos Pulse nightclub in 2016, the Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012, the movie theater in Aurora, Colorado, in 2012, and Columbine High School in 1999.

Assault weapons are designed to maximize lethality; they are intended to kill as many humans as possible as quickly as possible, says the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence on its website. It should come as no surprise that perpetrators of mass shootings often use these types of weapons.

Guns in general are responsible for around 12,000 deaths in the U.S. each year, which breaks down to about 93 people per day, [according to Everytown for Gun Safety]. The Gun Violence Archive, which classifies a mass shooting as one in which four or more people selected indiscriminately, not including the perpetrator, are killed, says the Las Vegas shooting is the 35th one in the nation this year.

Photos via Google Maps, Getty Images / Ethan Miller

Photos via Google Maps, Getty Images / Ethan Miller

Written by Paige Leskin

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Facebook has activated its Safety Check feature after 64-year-old Stephen Paddock opened fire on a Las Vegas music festival, killing at least 50 and injuring more than 200.

Safety Check, part of Facebooks Crisis Response center, allows Facebook users to mark themselves as safe in times of disaster, or check the statuses of their friends and family. Safety Check is activated after multiple people post about an emergency situation in a given geographic area.

Police say Paddock, who was killed following an encounter with law enforcement, opened fire on the 30,000 attendees of the Route 91 Harvest Music Festival just after 10 p.m. from the 32nd floor of the nearby Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino.

An associate of Paddocks, Marilou Danley, is in police custody; its unclear if Danley has any connection to the shooting.

The death toll makes the Las Vegas shooting the deadliest such event in modern U.S. history.
Facebook fb said it plans on Monday to turn over to the U.S. Congress copies of some 3,000 ads that the social network says were bought on Facebook likely by people in Russia in the months before and after the 2016 U.S. election.

Last month, in response to calls from U.S. lawmakers, Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg pledged to hand over the ads to congressional investigators who are looking into alleged Russian involvement in the U.S. presidential election, but he had left the timing unclear.

The materials would be delivered on Monday, Facebook said on Sunday.

Facebook, the worlds largest social network, has become a primary platform for internet political ads because it has a wide reach and gives advertisers powerful targeting capabilities. For that reason, it may possess valuable clues for U.S. investigators.

Facebook has already provided information about Russia-linked ads to U.S. special counsel Robert Mueller, who is also investigating alleged election meddling, a source said last month.

Moscow has denied any meddling in last years U.S. election, in which Republican Donald Trump defeated Democrat Hillary Clinton.

Facebook said on Sunday it would provide to Congress copies of the ads it has found, as well as related data such as whom the ads were targeted at and how much each ad cost.

The materials would be turned over to the intelligence committees of the Senate and House of Representatives, and to the Senate Judiciary Committee, Facebook said.

For more on Facebook and election interference, watch Fortunes video:

The $100,000 in ads linked to Russia focused on amplifying divisive U.S. social and political messages, Facebook said last month. Some ads mentioned Muslim support for Clinton, promoted in-person events and weighed in on the Black Lives Matter protests against police shootings, according to media reports.

The emergence of Facebook as a battleground for government-sponsored propaganda has become a major challenge for the social networks corporate image.

Zuckerberg, in Facebook posts last month, disclosed a series of steps he said the company would take to prevent governments from manipulating it and said he had earlier been wrong to dismiss the possibility of Facebook being used in such a way.

U.S. Senator Mark Warner, a Democrat, has likened digital political advertising to the Wild, Wild West, and he and others have called for legislation to impose disclosure requirements similar to what is required in the United States for political ads on television.
(Reuters) - A sky-diving mother from California, a youth wrestling coach from Pennsylvania and a commercial fisherman from Alaska were among at least 59 people killed by a gunman who opened fire on a Las Vegas country music festival before killing himself.

The following describes some of the victims:

HANNAH AHLERS

Hannah Ahlers, a 35-year-old mother of three from Murrieta, California, was in a group of sky divers and enjoyed the outdoors, the Los Angeles Times reported. She studied at Crafton Hills College and went to Redlands East Valley High School, according to her Facebook page.

CARRIE BARNETTE

Carrie Barnette, 34, of Riverside, California, worked at Disney California Adventure Park as part of the culinary team, the Orange County Register reported. "A senseless, horrific, act, and a terrible loss for so many. We mourn a wonderful member of the Disney family: Carrie Barnette. Tragic," Robert Iger, chairman and CEO of the Walt Disney Company, said on Twitter.

DENISE BURDITUS

Denise Burditus, 50, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, attended the concert with her husband, Tony, WVVA TV in West Virginia reported. She posted a photograph on Facebook just minutes before the gunman opened fire, the NBC affiliate said.

SANDY CASEY

Sandy Casey was a special education teacher at Manhattan Beach Middle School in California, KGTV in San Diego said. Casey was among a group of Manhattan Beach Unified School District staff, the ABC affiliate reported.

THOMAS DAY JR.

Thomas Day Jr., 54, of Riverside, California, a homebuilder, went to the festival with his four children, who are in their 20s and 30s, the Los Angeles Times reported. "He was the best dad. That's why the kids were with him," his father, Thomas Day Sr., told the newspaper. "They're crushed."

CHRISTIANA DUARTE

Christiana Duarte, 21, had been reported missing but was confirmed dead by her family, NBC Los Angeles said on Twitter. Duarte, of Redondo Beach, California, had begun work as a fan service associate for the Los Angeles Kings, her first full-time job since graduating from the University of Arizona with a degree in business marketing, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Story continues

STACEE ETCHEBER

Stacee Etcheber was a mother of two and hair stylist in Marin County, a San Francisco police statement said. "Stacee was taken in a senseless act of violence as her husband, SFPD Officer Vinnie Etcheber, heroically rushed to aid shooting victims in Las Vegas on Sunday," police said.

DANA GARDNER

Dana Gardner was an employee for California's San Bernardino County for 26 years and most recently worked as a deputy recorder, the San Bernardino Sun reported.

ANGIE GOMEZ

Angie Gomez was a 2015 alumna of Riverside Polytechnic High School PTSA in Riverside, California, the school said on Facebook. "She will always be loved and endeared by our Poly Family," the school said.

CHARLESTON HARTFIELD

Charleston Hartfield, 34, was the off-duty Las Vegas police officer among those killed, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported, citing people who knew the officer. "He was probably busy helping others," Hartfield's friend, Troy Rhett, told the newspaper. "I don't know a better man than Charles." The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, which did not identify the fallen officer, reported the death on Twitter.

JENNIFER TOPAZ IRVINE

Jennifer Topaz Irvine was a family law attorney based in San Diego, according to CBS News. A coworker and friend identified Irvine as a victim to a CBS correspondent.

JESSICA KLYMCHUK

Jessica Klymchuk, 28, of Valleyview, Alberta, was a librarian and the single mother of four children, Canada's Globe and Mail reported. It said she was visiting Las Vegas with her fiance. "She's a very good mother. She's raised four beautiful children," Klymchuk's grandmother Margaret told the paper.

RHONDA LEROCQUE

Rhonda LeRocque, of Tewksbury, Massachusetts, was a wife and mother, devout Jehovah's Witness and worked for a Cambridge design firm, the Boston Globe reported. LeRocque attended the concert with her husband, Jason and their 7-year-old daughter, who were not injured, the newspaper said. "Rhonda would do everything to be the best mom and the best wife she could be," LeRocque's sister, Jennifer Zelenski, told the paper.

JORDAN MCILDOON

Jordan McIldoon, 23, of Maple Ridge, British Columbia, was also killed, said the premier of British Columbia, John Horgan. McIldoon was a heavy-duty mechanic apprentice and about to start trade school, CBC News reported, which said he was attending the festival with his girlfriend. McIldoon died in the arms of a woman named Heather Gooze, CBC said.

KELSEY MEADOWSKelsey Meadows, 27, lived in Kern County, California, according to 23ABC News in Bakersfield.

CALLA MEDIG

Calla Medig of Jasper, Alberta, Canada, was described by her friends as a kindhearted young woman in her 20s, CBC News reported.

SONNY MELTON

Sonny Melton, 29, of Big Sandy, Tennessee, saved his wife, Heather Melton, just before he was shot dead, she told WSMV-TV in Nashville. "He grabbed me and started running when I felt him get shot in the back," she told the NBC affiliate. Sonny Melton worked as a registered nurse and Heather Melton is an orthopedic surgeon at Henry County Medical Center, a statement from the center said.

ADRIAN MURFITT

Adrian Murfitt, 35, was a commercial fisherman in Anchorage, Alaska, the Alaska Dispatch News reported, which said he was at the concert with his best friend, Brian MacKinnon. The pair was taking a picture and a bullet went through Murfitt's neck, MacKinnon told the paper.

RACHAEL PARKER

Rachael Parker was a records technician with the Manhattan Beach Police Department in California, where she worked for 10 years, the police department said in a statement. Parker attended the concert with three other off-duty police department employees, police said.

JENNY PARKS

Jenny Parks was a teacher with Westside Union School District in California, KABC-TV in Los Angeles said. "She touched many lives," a GoFundMe page set up for her said. "She leaves behind her husband, Bobby and young children, Bryce and Leah."

JOHN PHIPPEN

John Phippen, of Santa Clarita, California, was a father of five, grandfather of one and owned a remodeling and repair company, KHTS AM 1220 radio station reported. He attended the concert with his son Travis, who was shot in the arm, the station said. "If you didn't know John you surely missed out. He had a heart that was larger than life and a personality to match," a GoFundMe page said. "Even if you were someone he had never met before but were in need, he was there for you."

MELISSA RAMIREZ

Melissa Ramirez lived in Littlerock, California, and graduated from the University of California, Bakersfield in 2014, according to 23ABC News in Bakersfield.

QUINTON ROBBINS

Quinton Robbins, 20, of Henderson, Nevada, studied at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and worked in local government, Newsweek reported. His aunt, Kilee Wells Sanders, confirmed his death in a Facebook post: "He was the most kind and loving soul. Everyone who met him loved him. His contagious laugh and smile. He was truly an amazing person. He will be missed by so many."

CAMERON ROBINSON

Cameron Robinson, 28, was a legal records specialist with the city of Las Vegas who was fatally shot in the neck while attending the music festival with his boyfriend, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported. He lived near St. George, Utah and commuted to Las Vegas for work, his sister, Meghan Ervin, told the newspaper.

LISA ROMERO-MUNIZ

Lisa Romero-Muniz was a secretary at Miyamura High School in Gallup, New Mexico, the Santa Fe New Mexican reported. In her most recent role, Romero-Muniz offered encouragement and support to students during disciplinary proceedings, the newspaper said. She was described as outgoing, kind and considerate, it said.

CHRIS ROYBAL

Chris Roybal, 28, of Southern California, was a Navy veteran who served in Afghanistan, ABC News said. Roybal was shot in the chest, ABC said.

BAILEY SCHWEITZER

Bailey Schweitzer, 20, was from Bakersfield, California, her brother told the Bakersfield Californian newspaper.

SUSAN SMITH

Susan Smith, 53, was a school office manager in Simi Valley, California, the Ventura County Star reported, citing a school district representative. Smith was an ardent country music fan and worked at an elementary school for three years, the newspaper said.

NEYSA TONKS

Neysa Tonks, of Las Vegas, who worked at Technologent, an Irvine, California-based technology company, was also among the victims, the Los Angeles Times said. She was the mother of three boys, according to a GoFundMe campaign created by Technologent. "Neysa brought joy, happiness, fun and laughter to so many of us. The senseless tragedy in Las Vegas Sunday unnessarily(sic) taken her from our community," the GoFundMe page said.

KURT VON TILLOW

Kurt Von Tillow, 55, of Cameron Park, California was at the concert with several family members, Sacramento television station KCRA reported. His sister and niece were wounded in the shooting, but are expected to recover, the station said. His wife, daughter, and son-in-law were not injured. His brother-in-law, Mark Carson, said Von Tillow "was the most patriotic person you've ever met. ... Guarantee you, he was covered in red, white and blue, with a Coors Light in his hand, smiling with his family and listening to some music."

BILL WOLFE JR.

Bill Wolfe Jr. was a youth wrestling coach from Shippensburg, Pennsylvania, who attended the concert with his wife Robyn. She survived the attack, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette newspaper reported. His death was confirmed by the Shippensburg police department on its Facebook page. "It is with the most of broken hearts, the families of Bill Wolfe Jr. and his wife Robyn share that Bill has been confirmed to be among the deceased as a result of the mass attack in Las Vegas," the posting said.

(Compiled by Suzannah Gonzales in Chicago, Keith Coffman in Denver and Peter Szekely in New York; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Grant McCool)
One of the weapons apparently used by Stephen Paddock inside his room on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel - @Boston25/Twitter

The first photographs from inside the hotel room used by Stephen Paddock during his killing spree show the fire power he used to kill 59 people in Las Vegas.

One image appears to show an assault rifle fitted with a legal modified stock, which uses the weapon's recoil to allow the shooter to fire rounds at a speed approaching that of a fully automatic gun.

Police confirmed that Paddock had fitted two "bump stocks", which can be obtained for as little as $99 (75).

A second picture obtained by Boston25 News shows an assault rifle, abandoned on the carpet, fitted with a bipod and scope.

A photo from inside the hotel room where Paddock launched his attack, showing one of the weapons apparently usedCredit: Boston25 News

Dozens of spent cartridges show the intensity of the attack. And a hammer, possibly used to smash the suite's corner windows, can be seen clearly.

In all police say Paddock had 23 guns inside room 32135 of the Mandalay Bay hotel, and another 19 at his home.

Inside a Mandalay Bay hotel suite

Housekeepers say they noticed nothing that would have alerted them to his plans, but Joseph Lombardo, sheriff of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, said he had used more than 10 bags to carry his weapons up to the 32nd floor.

From his vantage point, Paddock had an uninterrupted view of the Route 91 Harvest Festival where some 22,000 people gathered below.

Security guards were met by bullets as they approached the door to the suite.

Paddock was dead by the time police officers used explosives to gain entry.
Paris (AFP) - France's lower house of parliament on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved a new counter-terrorism bill, making permanent several controversial measures in place under a nearly two-year-old state of emergency.

It will allow the authorities to confine suspected jihadist sympathisers to their neighbourhoods, close places of worship accused of condoning terror and carry out more on-the-spot identity checks -- all without the prior approval of a judge.

The legislation has encountered little resistance from a public traumatised by a string of jihadist attacks, despite criticism it will undermine civil liberties.

The bill was approved on its first reading in the lower house of parliament by 415 votes to 127, with 19 abstentions.

It is expected to become law before the state of emergency declared after the 2015 Paris attacks elapses on November 1 after being extended six times.

Since 2012, France has progressively tightened its legal arsenal to tackle terror threats, passing around 10 different laws.

"The concentration of powers in the hands of the executive and weakening of judicial oversight is not a new characteristic of France's counter-terrorism efforts," said Benedicte Jeannerod, France director for Human Rights Watch.

"But the normalisation of emergency powers crosses a new line."

Tuesday's vote comes after more bloodshed this weekend, when a suspected Tunisian radical stabbed two 20-year-old women to death in the Mediterranean port city of Marseille.

The attack by 29-year-old Ahmed Hanachi, who was shot dead by troops on anti-terrorism patrol, brings to 241 the number of people killed in attacks claimed by, or attributed to, jihadists since January 2015.

- 'State of war' -

"We're still in a state of war," Interior Minister Gerard Collomb told parliament Tuesday, warning of a "very serious threat" level.

Rights groups have countered that the state of emergency did not prevent a string of attacks in the past two years.

Story continues

On Monday, anti-discrimination group SOS Racisme demonstrated outside parliament against provisions that will allow police to carry out more spot ID checks.

"People who are supposedly foreigners, black or north African will be stigmatised," Thierry Paul Valette, head of another anti-racism group, Egalite Nationale, told the Liberation newspaper.

UN experts also raised objections in a letter to the French government last week.

But a poll published by the conservative Le Figaro newspaper last week showed 57 percent of the French in favour.

- 12 foiled attacks -

The Islamic State group, which is fast losing territory across the remaining parts of its self-proclaimed caliphate in Iraq and Syria, has claimed several recent attacks in France as the work of its devotees, including the Marseille assault.

Under the anti-terror bill, which was passed by the upper house Senate in July, the police will have powers to expand border controls to areas around international train stations, ports and airports.

It also allows the authorities to shut down a mosque or other place of worship if preachers are found to promote radical "ideas and theories".

Marine Le Pen, the leader of the far-right National Front who ran a failed presidential bid, complained Tuesday that the law did not go far enough in combatting the "Islamist ideology that is waging war on us".

Ex-president Francois Hollande declared a state of emergency after the wave of bombings and shootings at Paris nightspots and France's national stadium in November 2015, in which 130 people were killed.

It was meant to be temporary but was repeatedly extended in order to protect major sporting and cultural events, as well as this year's presidential and parliamentary elections.

The government says it has helped foil 12 planned attacks so far this year.

burs-gd/cb/kjl/su
The school deemed this 11-year-olds dress distracting because it showed her shoulders. (Photo: Facebook/Sandra Lynn Beeler Darling)

Picture day is the most important day of the school year for a budding fashionista  and possibly the worst day to wear the wrong thing. Which is why 11-year-old Vegas from Montana wore a new dress for the occasion. The heather gray dress with big pink flowers looked lovely on the middle school student. It had a high neck and no sleeves and rested right above her knees. She wore leggings under the dress, making it totally appropriate for school. Or so her family thought.

Unfortunately, leggings were not enough; picture day ended in disaster when Vegas was cited for violating the school dress coded for showing her shoulders, according to her grandmother Sandra Lynn Beeler Darling.

Vegas was devastated, as any little girl in what she thought was a picture perfect outfit would have been. And so was her grandmother, who posted a photo of Vegas on Facebook with a caption explaining what happened. In the photo, Vegas is crying.

My beautiful granddaughter Vegas got dress coded today, her sister bought her this dress and they told her to change it Posted by Sandra Lynn Beeler Darling on Thursday, September 28, 2017

My beautiful granddaughter Vegas got dress coded today, her sister bought her this dress and they told her to change it because it was distracting, Sandra wrote in the post. It was picture day and she wanted to look cute; she is 11. She continued: If you or your kids think it is distracting, dont look at her. Sandra pointed out that shes seen children in much more provocative clothing.

The post has gone viral, with more than 1,300 reactions, 2,000 shares, and a lot of angry comments. I dont understand why this dress would be distracting. And its well below her finger tips. Thats ridiculous. I would argue this as a parent, one follower wrote. Another commenter offered an explanation: The board put in some ridiculous policy that their shoulders cannot show. It is stupid; if they are sexualizing a[n] 11 year olds shoulders they should not be allowed around children!

Story continues

One commenter chimed in: Thats messed up. People at our school wear clothes that are worse than this that never get dressed coded. Another commenter wrote: Theres nothing wrong with that dress. Have they lost there minds??? To which Sandra replied, We think they have.

When one person suggested she get a cardigan to avoid situations like this in the future, Sandra replied, I am going to send her a few of them. Then I am making her a witch dress; that will give them something to think about.

Sandra tells Yahoo Lifestyle the school actually said Vegas shoulders were distracting. In my opinion, that is shaming her for showing her shoulders. She was right when she said they are just shoulders.

Thankfully, the school did allow Vegas to take her class pictures in the dress, but her parents had to bring her different clothes to change into after. Vegas was so hurt by this, Sandra shares.

She explains that Vegas has never been cited for a dress code violation before, but she has bared her shoulders in school before and has never had a problem  until now. The same goes for her siblings, who go to the same school. She has three other sisters and a brother, Sandra says. The older kids wore things like tank tops  never dress coded.

What was so upsetting about the incident, according to Sandra, is that Vegas is a quiet and reserved child. She does not think that boys even look at her! she states. Besides, in Sandras opinion, shoulders are just shoulders! Whats the big deal?

And even if they were a big deal, if boys are looking at the shoulders and saying sexy things to a little girl, they need the attention, not Vegas, Sandra states. If someone from the school had just privately requested a change of clothing that would have been one thing, says Sandra, but accusing her granddaughter of distracting her fellow students with her shoulders is taking things too far.

I had to talk to her  she was crying, Sandra says. I am mad at the school for body shaming her. Vegas said that she does not want to talk about it because it still upsets her.

Sandra also says the school wont talk to them about the incident as the case is closed, she changed her clothes.

Yahoo Lifestyle reached out to the school for comment, but have not received a response.

Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle:

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MELBOURNE, Florida  Melbourne police arrested a man who had barricaded himself in a residence on Monday night.

Just before 10 p.m. on October 2, 2016, the Melbourne Police Department received a 911 hang-up call from a residence on Maderia Circle in Melbourne, Florida.

Officers responded to the residence when dispatchers could not gain understandable information from the caller.

When police arrived at the residence, they could view the caller through the front window talking on the phone with a gun in his hand.

Police say that 67-year-old Carlos A. Flores then fired several rounds within the residence and at one point verbally threatened an officer while holding a firearm by his side. The Melbourne SWAT team and Crisis Negotiation Unit were then called and responded to the scene.

When protracted attempts at communicating with the suspect failed, a Brevard County Sheriffs Office tactical robot was sent into the residence where it helped to determine Flores location.

Police then introduced chemical agents into the home which was followed by a tactical entry into the residence.

Flores was taken into custody without further incident. There were no other occupants in the residence during the incident.

After being medically cleared, Flores was booked at the Melbourne Police Department and turned over to the Brevard County Sheriffs Office.
A father of three is being heralded as a hero after he saved dozens of people during the Las Vegas shooting that took the lives of at least 59 people and injured more than 500.

Jonathan Smith, a 30-year-old copy machine repairman, was visiting the city from Orange County, California, with family for his brothers birthday. The family spent the weekend at the Route 91 Harvest Country Music Festival, and was standing close to the stage during Jason Aldeans performance Sunday when a gunman, identified as 64-year-old Stephen Paddock, began spraying gunfire into the crowd from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino.

Initially, Smith thought the gunshots were fireworks. But when Aldean ran off stage and the music stopped, Smith told his nine family members to hold hands and run to the exit, he told The Washington Post.

When his three nieces got separated in the crowd, Smith went back toward the stage looking for them. Along the way, he saw some people hiding and others panicking.

I ran back toward the shooting and there was one lady that was on the ground, Smith told Good Morning America. I basically helped her up and just told her just to run. I basically just told her, We got to go.

Smith and one of his three children. (Photo: GoFundMe)

He directed some people to follow him away from Las Vegas Boulevard into a field with rows of cars, where they crouched to hide. When he stood to help a few girls who werent completely hidden, he was shot in the neck.

I couldnt feel anything in my neck. There was a warm sensation in my arm, he told the Post.

Smith suffered a fractured collarbone, a cracked rib and a bruised lung. The bullet remains in his neck for now to prevent further damage. I might have to live with this bullet for the rest of my life, he said.

An off-duty cop from San Diego helped save Smith by trying to stop the bleeding. The officer flagged down the pickup truck that brought Smith and other victims to the hospital.

Smith later connected with his family and found out they all made it out safely.

Story continues

Social media users began sharing a photo of Smith wearing bandages in the hospital. One tweet, shared by reporter Heather Long, gained more than 115,000 retweets and 286,000 likes as of Monday.

Jonathan Smith, 30, saved ~30 people last night before he was shot in the neck. He might live w/the bullet for rest of his life. #vegasstrip pic.twitter.com/6hLujXWe51  Heather Long (@byHeatherLong) October 2, 2017

Many people, including Chelsea Clinton, are calling him a hero.

I dont deem myself as a hero, Smith told Good Morning America. I just deem myself as someone whos trying to do the right thing.

Smiths girlfriends sister, Tiffany Jones, created a GoFundMe account to cover his medical expenses and living expenses until he can heal and get back to work. In just a day, the fundraiser surpassed its goal of $7,000.

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Also on HuffPost

Candles are lit during a vigil held at Las Vegas City Hall.

A crowd starts to gather for the vigil.

Mourners place candles and flowers down on the ground during the vigil.

A crowd gathers together for a candlelight vigil held on the north end of the Las Vegas strip.

Mourners attend a candlelight vigil at the corner of Sahara Avenue and Las Vegas Boulevard.

A vigil on the Las Vegas strip for the victims.

People attend a candlelight vigil at the University of Las Vegas student union.

People hold up candles during a vigil on the Las Vegas strip.

People attend a candlelight vigil at the University of Las Vegas student union.

People pray together during a vigil at Guardian Angel Cathedral.

Candles make up a large vigil on the Las Vegas Strip.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
Hillary Clinton criticized the National Riffle Association on Monday morning while offering her condolences to the victims of a mass shooting in Las Vegas this weekend that left at least 50 people dead and more than 400 people injured.

Our grief isnt enough, the former Democratic Party presidential candidate tweeted. We can and must put politics aside, stand up to the NRA, and work together to try to stop this from happening again.

Clintons statement was one of the most politically charged among prominent politicians who weighed in on social media in the hours after the attack. She writes in her book What Happened about how the United States needs to change its gun laws to prevent mass shootings.

Barack Obama and Bill Clinton also tweeted their support for the victims.

Michelle & I are praying for the victims in Las Vegas, Obama tweeted. Our thoughts are with their families & everyone enduring another senseless tragedy.

Thinking of the victims and responders in Las Vegas, Bill Clinton tweeted. This should be unimaginable in America.

According to police, 64-year-old Stephen Paddock opened fire on attendees of the Route 91 Harvest Music Festival near the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas on Sunday evening. The victims were apparently shot with a high-powered assault rifle from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Hotel, with police confirming shortly after midnight that Paddock had been killed in a standoff with authorities.

President Donald Trump offered his sympathy for the victims of the attack, the worst in U.S. history.

My warmest condolences and sympathies to the victims and families of the terrible Las Vegas shooting, Trump wrote on Twitter. God bless you!

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Yaounde (AFP) - A home-made device exploded overnight near a police station in Cameroon's restless English-speaking region, where separatist leaders have launched a campaign for independence, concurring sources said Tuesday.

There were no reported casualties, they said.

The bomb detonated near a police unit called the Mobile Intervention Group in Bamenda, the chief city in the Northwest Region, a security official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The information was confirmed separately to AFP by an official with the regional government, who added that another device nearby was safely defused by police.

There was no claim of responsibility by late afternoon.

The blast came after a weekend of violence in which 19 people were killed in the English-speaking Northwest and Southwest regions as the authorities clamped down on a symbolic declaration of independence for "Ambazonia," the name of the state radical anglophones wish to create.

Fourteen died in clashes with security forces, and five were prisoners shot by guards in an attempted jail break at Kumbo, according to an AFP toll.

Cameroon, a francophone-majority nation in central-western Africa, has a large anglophone minority, comprising about a fifth of its population of 22 million.

English-speakers complain they suffer inequality and discrimination -- a resentment that has fuelled a breakaway movement that culminated Sunday in a symbolic declaration of independence from the rest of Cameroon.

President Paul Biya strongly opposes independence, as well as a less radical alternative for a return to a federal structure, which the country once had.

Home-made bombs exploded in Bamenda on September 18 and September 22 in Douala, Cameroon's economic hub, which is in a francophone region.

The blasts prompted the government to ratchet up its response to anglophone agitation, notably calling the separatists "terrorists".

This was followed by orders for a three-day curb on movement in the two anglophone areas, coinciding with the independence declaration.

Story continues

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Amnesty International have called on Cameroon to investigate the fatalities, and the European Union and France, the country's former colonial power, have urged dialogue and non-violence.

Cameroon was a German colony from 1884 until 1919, when it was split into British- and French- run entities at the end of World War I.

Today's anglophone-francophone rift dates back to 1961, when the British-administered Southern Cameroons united with Cameroon after its independence from France in 1960.
The lights of the Eiffel Tower in Paris were switched off on October 2, 2017 in tribute to the victims of the attacks in Las Vegas and Marseille, France. (Photo: LUDOVIC MARIN/Getty Images)

The usually-bright lights of the Empire State Building in New York City and the Eiffel Tower in Paris did not illuminate the night sky on Monday. Both iconic landmarks went dark in honor of the victims of Sundays mass shooting in Las Vegas.

The Empire State Building announced it would darken its lights in sympathy for the victims and those affected by the Las Vegas attack. Only an orange halo would appear, to shine a light on gun violence awareness.

Empire State Bldg remains dark for victims of Las Vegas shooting. Shines orange halo for gun violence awareness. https://t.co/FDJex1Pp4H  NBC News (@NBCNews) October 2, 2017

LIVE: The Empire State Building remains dark tonight in sympathy with the victims of the Las Vegas massacre: https://t.co/ieH52jwfwD pic.twitter.com/G6wv7QbmHH  Eyewitness News (@ABC7NY) October 3, 2017

In Paris, the lights of the Eiffel Tower were turned off to honor the Las Vegas victims as well as the two women who died in the Sunday knife attack in Marseille.

The darkened tower cast an eerie silhouette against the cloudy sky.

Tonight, from midnight, I will turn my lights off to pay tribute to the victims of the Marseille and Las Vegas attacks. #EiffelTower pic.twitter.com/hf42A2Nu76  La tour Eiffel (@LaTourEiffel) October 2, 2017

Eiffel Tower goes dark to honor Las Vegas and Marseille victims. https://t.co/GTQMTTqMdu pic.twitter.com/jBIxkMJRjJ  ABC News (@ABC) October 2, 2017

In 2015, the Las Vegas Eiffel Tower went dark to honor Paris after the tragic terrorist attacks. Today, Paris honored Las Vegas. pic.twitter.com/pQvlnebAQS  Jordan Dailey (@Jordandailey32) October 3, 2017

Other iconic buildings also changed colors in tribute to those who died in Sundays mass shooting. The Space Needle in Seattle went partially dark, and at One World Trade Center in Manhattan, an orange band of light shone from the buildings spire.

Story continues

VIDEO: Part of the @space_needle goes dark to honor the victims of the Las Vegas shooting. #VegasStrong @komonews pic.twitter.com/w0pSXbZcJ7  Bonnie Moon (@bonniemoon) October 3, 2017

Tonight the spire of One World Trade Center is lit with a single orange band to honor the victims of gun violence in Las Vegas. pic.twitter.com/nJndObGAPT  Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) October 2, 2017

In Las Vegas, the typically-glittering Strip was shrouded in darkness.

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The lights of the Las Vegas Strip are dark tonight in honor of the victims of last night's shooting. https://t.co/d8nW28bERf pic.twitter.com/r2zK1r2dv3  ABC13 Houston (@abc13houston) October 3, 2017

Politicians, members of the military, celebrities and others took part in moments of silence on Monday, gathered for vigils or offered special tributes in remembrance of the lives lost.

US President Donald Trump leads a minute's silence at White House for victims of Las Vegas mass shooting https://t.co/eAAtw7wIVy pic.twitter.com/fseOYpdNZA  BBC Breaking News (@BBCBreaking) October 2, 2017

U.S. House observes moment of silence in memory of Las Vegas shooting victims. https://t.co/rEsy2TYShV pic.twitter.com/p14c9G3wfx  ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) October 2, 2017

.@USNavy sailors salute the ensign on the flight deck of the USS Michael Murphy. It was flown at half-mast in honor of the Las Vegas victims pic.twitter.com/RBYRqJ6MyG  Fox News (@FoxNews) October 3, 2017

Miley Cyrus & Adam Sandler covering No Freedom tonight on @FallonTonight in honor of the #LasVegas terrorist attack victims  pic.twitter.com/BsJjeIe2IQ  . (@theskysobleu) October 3, 2017

This evening's Portland show began with a minute's silence. The entire arena lit only by people's phones.

When words fail, sometimes quiet is the most eloquent.

R42 pic.twitter.com/HvrbO8l56y  Coldplay (@coldplay) October 3, 2017

Students at UNLV gather to honor the victims of the Las Vegas shooting. (Photo by Senator Aaron D. Ford) @NBCNews pic.twitter.com/UmU8jjqf0h  Rob Quirk (@KOAARobQuirk) October 3, 2017

Even hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico, currently grappling with a crisis of its own, mourned with the city of Las Vegas.

All the flags at the Municipality of San Juan will be lowered to show our love and respect for the people of Vegas. @MandalayBay @Vegas pic.twitter.com/sNpJeq1GVu  Carmen Yulin Cruz (@CarmenYulinCruz) October 2, 2017

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This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
In 1976, the late Tom Petty recorded what was then a relatively unremarkable single.

The song, about a girl on a balcony facing a great big world, didnt even chart in the U.S. when it was released as a single the following year. A 1978 Rolling Stone review of the debut album upon which the song appeared, the self-titled Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, takes no notice of the final track on the record. English audiences mightve caught on when it hit the U.K. Top 40 and was praised by NME as one of its favorite singles from 77, but American interest was hard to come by. The band was reportedly frustrated that FM radio program directors didnt push the song back home.

Tom Petty, New York, 1977. (Photo: Michael Putland via Getty Images)

Itd take almost two more decades for the Bo Diddley beat earworm to cement itself on the Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 list, registering at No. 9 in 94 when it was re-released. By then, itd spread across prominent films (FM, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, The Silence of the Lambs) and throughout less prominent karaoke bars. Itd attracted its own urban mythology and was on its way to becoming one of the most covered tracks in music history.

Take it easy, baby, wed all eventually croon. Make it last all night. She was an American girl.

Today, American Girl is pop-rock gospel, hailed as one of the 100 best guitar songs of all time. It mightve entered into this world quietly, but it slowly, assuredly grew into the kind of ubiquitous anthem that every generation hums at traffic stops and local dive bars and quiet evenings at home. An earnest, maybe even saccharine, homage to some woman, on some cold night, it floundered in comparison to other 77 hits like Margaritaville or Tonights the Night, but it doggedly crept into the soundtrack of our shared lives nonetheless.

And it arrived with baggage, like so many great pop culture touchstones do. Rumors swelled around that pained and desperate American woman Petty conjured in the song. Some fans began speculating that the lyrics told the story of a University of Florida student who jumped to her death from the schools Beaty Towers dormitory, perhaps the result of either tripping on hallucinogens or a tragic suicide plan. As evidence, fans noted that Petty, born in the campuss home of Gainesville, Florida, sings about Route 441 in American Girl, a stretch of road that runs past the university.

Story continues

She could hear the cars roll by, the lyrics read, out on 441. Like waves crashin on the beach.

Like most good myths, the Beaty Towers rumor is mostly make-believe. According to Petty himself, the story had become huge urban myth down in Florida, but the song had nothing to do with a university student, which he made clear in an interview reproduced in Conversations with Tom Petty and cited on Snopes. He likely didnt even write the song in Florida.

I was living in an apartment where I was right by the freeway. And the cars would go by. In Encino, near Leon [Russell]s house, he told author Paul Zollo. And I remember thinking that that sounded like the ocean to me. That was my ocean. My Malibu. Where I heard the waves crash, but it was just the cars going by. I think that must have inspired the lyric.

Heartbreakers guitarist Mike Campbell dispelled the story further. We used to have people come up to us and tell us they thought it was about suicide because of the one line about If she had to die, he recounted to Songfacts, but what they didnt get was, the whole line is, If she had to die trying. Some people take it literally and out of context. To me its just a really beautiful love song.

Still, Gainesville residents clung to the myth, reportedly repeating it on campus tours. (Another myth  that students would throw annual Halloween parties at Pettys former house in Gainesville to honor him  was also false; the musician had never lived in a house in the town, aside from his mothers.) A good story is a good story.

In reality, Petty spoke of American Girl as though it were autobiographical, as though he was the one who was raised on promises, who couldnt help thinking that there was a little more to life. He grew up in the redneck, hillbilly part of Gainesville, as he explained to NPR Fresh Air in 2008. My family wasnt involved in the college, you know. They were more of just your white trash kind of, you know, family. And so I have that kind of background, but I always kind of aspired to be something else.

Back in 76, he was still an underdog, singing about things so far out of reach, because they were. So when his music career later soared, atop a wave of more hits like Free Fallin, I Wont Back Down and Mary Janes Last Dance, it was comforting to listen to a version of Petty sincerely wondering about the great big world, with places to run to. The track that almost never charted, that rings sickly sweet to some and like nostalgic white noise to others, is the simplest kind of escape.

For many fans in 2017, not even a day after Pettys sudden death, it still is.

Tom Petty performs live onstage at the Hammersmith Odeon before a concert on May 14, 1977. (Photo: Ian Dickson via Getty Images)

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Sulaimaniyah (Iraq) (AFP) - Iraq's former president Jalal Talabani, a veteran leader of the struggle for Kurdish self-determination and a unifying elder statesman, died on Tuesday in Germany aged 83.

Talabani was president from 2005 to 2014 and a key figure in Iraqi Kurdistan, where voters last week overwhelmingly backed independence in a disputed referendum.

An official from Talabani's Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), which was initially sceptical about the vote before agreeing to it, said he had died in Germany where he was undergoing medical treatment.

A family member said his health had worsened and he been transported to Germany, along with his wife and two children, before the referendum.

Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, a fierce opponent of the referendum, hailed Talabani for his role in "building a federal Iraq".

"He described Iraq as a bouquet made up of several flowers," he said, referring to the country's different communities.

His political rival and the current leader of Iraqi Kurdistan, Massud Barzani, also paid his respects to Talabani.

"I lost a friend and a brother. I'm glad we fought together," said Barzani, who announced a week of mourning during which Kurdish flags would be flown at half-mast.

- 'Great void' -

German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel, in a statement, paid tribute to Talabani for his "great service to his country at a difficult time".

Iraqi Kurdish lawmaker Zana Said described Talabani as "the only president whose death saddens Arabs, Kurds and all other ethnicities".

"We pray to God that his death will help to bring back good relations between the brothers of Iraq."

Masrur Barzani, a senior member of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), also lamented his death.

"The disappearance of Uncle Jalal will leave a great void because he was a great political figure in both Kurdistan and Iraq," he said, using his nickname.

Story continues

Talabani's death, following a decades-old struggle for Kurdish statehood, came after Iraq's Kurds voted 92.7 percent in favour of independence in the September 25 referendum.

The vote, rejected by Baghdad as illegal, has deeply strained ties between the Kurds and central Iraqi authorities, who have cut off international flights to the region and threatened further action.

Talabani was an avuncular politician and a skilled negotiator who spent years building bridges between the country's divided factions, despite his efforts for Kurdish independence.

- Uncle Jalal -

Born in 1933 in the mountain village of Kalkan, he studied law at Baghdad University and did a stint in the army before joining the KDP of Mullah Mustafa Barzani, father of the current Kurdistan regional president.

Talabani took to the hills in a first uprising against the Iraqi government in 1961 but famously fell out with Barzani, who sued for peace with Baghdad, and joined a KDP splinter faction in 1964.

Eleven years later, he established the PUK after Barzani's forces, abandoned by their Iranian, US and Israeli allies, were routed by Saddam Hussein's army.

He became president in April 2005 after the first post-Saddam election in Iraq and continued in the post until 2014, when he was replaced by the current president, Fuad Masum.

Iraq's head of state plays a largely ceremonial role and is elected by members of parliament.

In his mountainous northern fiefdom of Sulaimaniyah, Talabani was known affectionately as Mam (Uncle) Jalal.

In August 2008, the married father of two underwent successful heart surgery in the United States, then in 2012 he was flown to Germany after suffering a stroke, casting doubt on whether he would return to Iraq.

He did go back in July 2014, with Iraq in crisis after the Islamic State group had taken control of swathes of the country, and was replaced by Masum following a parliamentary election.
BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraqi forces and Shi'ite paramilitaries captured an air base from Islamic State on Monday, the army said, gaining a strategic foothold in the north of the country as they push toward the town of Hawija. Iraq launched an offensive on September 21 to dislodge Islamic State from Hawija, which lies west of the oil city of Kirkuk and is one of two areas of the country still under the control of the militant group. Iraqi army commanders said the Rashad air base, which is around 30 km (20 miles) south of Hawija, was used by the militants as a training camp and logistic base. Militants took control of the air base after the Iraqi army collapsed in 2014 in the face of the Islamic State offensive. "After quick rehabilitation works, the air base will play a key role for Iraqi forces by allowing helicopters to transport soldiers and arms in any future operation to maintain security in the north," said army Lieutenant Colonel Salih Yaseen. "The air base will help to put an end to the terrorists pockets hiding in mountainous areas near Kirkuk and remove any possible threat to the energy facilities and oilfields." Hawija, north of Baghdad, and a stretch of land along the Syrian border, west of the Iraqi capital, are the last stretches of territory in Iraq still in the hands of Islamic State. Islamic States self-declared caliphate effectively collapsed in July, when U.S.-backed Iraqi forces captured Mosul, the groups de facto capital in Iraq, after a grueling nine-month battle. (Reporting by Ahmed Rasheed; Editing by Gareth Jones)
Jimmy Kimmel barely held back his tears on Monday night as he spoke about his hometown of Las Vegas, where a gunman killed at least 50 people and left more than 500 injured on Sunday night.

His voice cracking at times, Kimmel turned his monologue into a plea for what he called common sense gun control laws and named those politicians who were standing in the way.

President Donald Trump, Kimmel noted, said he was praying for those killed in the attack.

You know in February he also signed a bill that made it easier for people with severe mental illness to buy guns legally. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, a number of other lawmakers who wont do anything about this because the NRA has their balls in a money clip also sent their thoughts and their prayers today  which is good. They should be praying. They should be praying for God to forgive them for letting the gun lobby run this country.

Kimmel also shared images of the senators who voted against a bill last year to close a legal loophole that allows people to buy a gun without a background check in some situations.

With all due respect, your thoughts and your prayers are insufficient, he told lawmakers who offered thoughts and prayers instead of policy action.

Kimmel, who made headlines earlier this year for his role in influencing opinion on the health care debate, said he doesnt want to keep talking about these issues.

I want this to be a comedy show, I hate talking about stuff like this, Kimmel said. I just want to laugh about things every night, but it seems to be becoming increasingly difficult lately. It feels like someone has opened a window into hell.

See his full monologue above.

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(Reuters) - The Kansas Supreme Court on Monday ruled that even after the state increased funding for public schools this summer, the new plan was still constitutionally inadequate.

The high court set a deadline of June 30, 2018, for Kansas to set up a funding plan that meets the state constitution's definition of adequacy.

In response to the court's unanimous ruling in March that Kansas' schools were underfunded, the state in June enacted a two-year funding boost totaling $293 million. An attorney for school districts suing the state argued before the state supreme court in July that the increase fell far short of needs.

Alan Rupe, the school districts' attorney, on Monday expressed hope the state will finally comply with its obligation.

"Nearly one-quarter of all Kansas public school students (and higher numbers of harder-to-educate students) are currently failing to meet the states standards and are being denied a constitutional education," Rupe said in a statement.

Governor Sam Brownback decried the ruling.

"Todays court decision is yet another regrettable chapter in the never ending cycle of litigation over Kansas school funding," he said in a statement. "The court should not substitute its decision for that of the legislature."

Finding more money for schools may be difficult in Kansas given the legislature hiked income tax rates over Brownback's veto in June to address big budget gaps.

The lawsuit, which dates back to 2010, also resulted in a state supreme court ruling requiring Kansas to address funding disparities between rich and poor school districts.

(Reporting by Karen Pierog in Chicago; Editing by Matthew Lewis)
Kim Kardashian attends the Balenciaga show as part of the Paris Fashion Week on Oct. 2, 2016. (Photo: Getty Images)

Its been one year since Kim Kardashian was robbed and held at gunpoint in Paris. On Oct. 3, 2016, masked men bound and gagged the reality star in the residence she shared with husband, Kanye West, and stole $10 million worth of jewelry. Only she and a girlfriend were home at the time of the incident.

While Im being tied up, Im like, Are we going to die? Are they gonna kill us? And I was just crying and like, Tell them I have babies,' Kardashian recalled on an episode of Keeping Up With the Kardashians. Kardashian continued, I have a split second in my mind to make this quick decision, like, am I gonna run down the stairs, and, like, either be shot in the back? It makes me so upset to think about it, but, like, either theyre gonna shoot me in the back or if I make it and they dont, if the elevator does not open in time, or the stairs are locked, then, like, Im f***ed. Theres no way out.

The E! star admitted she mentally prepped herself to be raped before she was dragged into a bathtub as the men fled with her jewelry.

So how has Kardashians life changed in the last year? How has she changed? (Or has she?) Lets take a look.

Bye, bye, blingy social media posts: Gone are the days of Kardashian flaunting her wealth and flashy lifestyle. The mother of two (soon to be mother of three) has replaced photos of diamonds with photos of her family and business ventures.

Then:

A post shared by Kim Kardashian West (@kimkardashian) on Sep 29, 2016 at 12:40pm PDT

Prior to the robbery, Kardashian was flaunting her jewelry  including a new $4.5 million diamond ring from West  on Instagram and social media. She admitted that probably played a role in the incident.

I really feel like things happen in your life to teach you things. It was probably no secret, and you see it on the show  I was being flashy, and I was definitely materialistic before, Kardashian recalled on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. Like I said, everyone gets so excited when they get things. Or, of course when you get engaged, youre going to show off your ring. If you get a new car  I dont care what kind it is  you get so proud and you get so happy and you show that off on social media. But its just  its not worth it. Like, I dont care about that stuff.

Story continues

Now:

I meannnnnhow cute! A post shared by Kim Kardashian West (@kimkardashian) on Sep 8, 2017 at 6:43am PDT

Kardashian concluded, I dont care to show off the way that I used to. Even though theres nothing wrong, truly  its OK if youre proud of that and you work so hard and you get something  its just not who I am anymore.

Hello, beefed-up security: The experience was eye-opening for momager Kris Jenner, who responded by significantly increasing the famous familys security measures.

Kanye West and Kim Kardashian arrive to their Manhattan apartment after Kardashian was robbed in her Paris hotel room on Oct. 3, 2016. (Photo: Getty Images)

It really changed all of our lives and the way that we live, the matriarch told the Hollywood Reporter. Not only do we now have an enormous amount of security  everyone is armed and licensed; its legit companies that protect all of us  but also the way that we deal with our lives on social media took a huge turn: what we show, what we dont show. If we go to Disneyland, were not snapping pictures with Dumbo; well wait until we leave and then share something we want to share. But it also gave us great pause about what to share.

Putting her kids first: The Kardashians have always prided themselves on prioritizing family time, but with their brand, businesses, and work commitments their attention is obviously split. Fo Kardashian, she admits that 4-year-old daughter North West and son Saint, 1, are now her primary focus.

I definitely get a lot more anxiety now, just people knowing your every move, Kardashian revealed to T Singapore. My whole world is my kids; its all I care about. From literally every last thing that they do, to what they wear, to all their activities. I love being their mom. I definitely dont hang out with my friends as much just because I have to be with my kids.

Still, Kardashian wont share every little thing she does with her family. Its funny  so much can go on at home but if you dont post about it, people think it never happened, she added. So theyll say, She hasnt posted with her sisters; she must be in a huge fight. But its not what consumes me anymore, like how it used to.

A post shared by Kim Kardashian West (@kimkardashian) on Sep 28, 2017 at 11:08am PDT

Finding a renewed bond with Kanye: Less than two months after Kardashians traumatic robbery, the reality star had another crisis on her hands: her husbands mental state. After a series of erratic behavior during shows, West abruptly canceled the Saint Pablo tour. Days later, he was hospitalized for exhaustion after having a breakdown. Kimye reportedly started 2017 living apart, and there were allegations of marital strife.

They went through a really rough time there for a while, a source told People. It was really touch-and-go. She was dealing with the robbery and all that came after, and she felt like he wasnt there for her. He was going through his issues around the holidays, and he felt like she wasnt prioritizing him.

[Kim] kept saying, If we can get through this, well be stronger than ever,' a second insider alleged. They never fell out of love with each other, but it was just one of those times where marriage is hard work, and you have to push through the pain.

us A post shared by Kim Kardashian West (@kimkardashian) on Sep 20, 2017 at 9:15am PDT

Perhaps Kardashians ordeal changed not only how she handled her behavior on social media but also how she handled her relationship in the spotlight. The couple rarely make official appearances together  unless they are caught by paparazzi heading out to dinner  and have become much more low-key over the last year.

Despite the horror, Kim Kardashian has called the incident life-changing.

I know this sounds crazy, but I know that was meant to happen to me. I dont want to start crying, but I feel like that was so meant to happen to me, Kardashian told Ellen DeGeneres, tearing up. Im such a different person.  It was meant to happen to me.

Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle:

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Stephen Paddock, 64, named as suspect in deadly Las Vegas attack



Its faster than any human is able to pull a trigger on a semi-automatic

Las Vegas shooting  latest updates

Law enforcement officials have yet to confirm what kind of firearms Stephen Paddock used to shoot from his Mandalay Bay hotel room into a crowd of people at a country music festival in Las Vegas, killing at least 59 people, though reports suggested he had at least 19 guns, including rifles, and explosives.

The rapid pace of the gunfire suggested that the shooter was using either a fully automatic weapon, tightly restricted under US law, or that he had attached a device to a semi-automatic gun to make it fire more continuously, said Massad Ayoob, a firearms expert, instructor and author. Its faster than almost any human being is going to be able to pull a trigger on a semi-automatic, Ayoob said.

Fully automatic weapons, which fire multiple rounds of ammunition from a single pull of the trigger, are strictly regulated, taxed and tracked under US law. This makes them expensive collectors items, and comparatively rarely used in crimes. Semi-automatic rifles, in contrast, which fire only one round of ammunition with each pull of the trigger, are widely available.

Unlike some states, Nevada, which has laws generally friendly to gun owners, does not ban the sale of assault weapons  semi-automatic civilian guns built to resemble military weapons.

From listening to the footage of the attack, Ayoob said that the gunshots did not sound as consistent as he would typically expect from a fully automatic M-16 or AK-47. The pace of fire is a little bit erratic. At one point its slower than it is at another point.

Paddock could have used a Hellfire or a bump-fire device, which attach to normal semi-automatic rifles and allow them to fire more rapidly, Ayoob said. These devices are legal, but rarely used by serious shooters, he said.

Its hard to shoot accurately with them, and serious shooters want accuracy, he said. He called them not terribly popular and something a gun geek would want.

Story continues

For the Las Vegas shooter, though, the accuracy of these devices would not have mattered, since he was hosing a two-acre area with 30,000 targets, nearly every shot he fired would have hit someone.

On its website, Bump Fire Systems advertises the device as permitting simulated full-auto firing that is absolutely legal. It sells Bump Fire stocks for $99.99.

The Hellfire system uses a hand-operated crank to hit the trigger of the gun more rapidly than a person could fire it, Ayoob said, which could explain apparent changes in the pace of the fire.

Ayoob said he knew of only one previous incident in which a legally owned fully automatic gun was used in a murder. When fully automatic guns do show up in crimes, they have often been stolen, he said.

Semi-automatic weapons patterned to look like fully automatic M-16s have been a political flashpoint for decades, with Democrats arguing that these guns should be banned, and gun rights advocates arguing that semi-automatic weapons such as the AR-15 are no more dangerous than semi-automatic hunting rifles, which are not politically controversial.

The wide availability of large-capacity ammunition magazines, which allow shooters to fire dozens of rounds of ammunition without reloading, has also been a political battleground.

For 10 years, under the 1994 federal assault weapon ban, Congress did limit the production and sale of certain kinds of semi-automatic rifles, as well as higher-capacity ammunition magazines. Congress allowed the ban to expire in 2004, though some states do have their own assault weapons bans still in place. The 1994 law was written in a way that allowed gun manufacturers to market and sell very similar military-style guns with only a few tweaks to make them ban-compliant. The ban also grandfathered in as legal guns and ammunition in banned categories that Americans had already owned.

Following previous mass shootings, some Democrats have argued that Congress should reinstate a broader ban on semi-automatic rifles styled after military weapons. A justice department-funded evaluation of the ban found no clear evidence that it had reduced violence, and concluded that the live-saving effects of even a much stricter ban are likely to be small at best and perhaps too small for reliable measurement.

Most gun murders in the United States are committed with ordinary handguns. Rifles of any kind were used in only about 3.5% of firearms murders from 2010 to 2014, according to a Guardian analysis of FBI data.
Las Vegas gunman Stephen Paddock rented two rooms facing different directions in the Mandalay Bay hotel, where he fired at a crowd of 22,000 concertgoers Sunday night, killing at least 58 people and injuring more than 500.

Paddock rented one room facing north and another facing east, Clark County Commission Chairman Steve Sisolak said during a briefing. The hotel's website allows guests to choose "premium view" rooms when they book a stay. Paddock was on the fourth day of his stay. He had visited the hotel twice before and was using his girlfriends slot-machine card in the hotels casino. (She was in the Philippines during the shooting.)

After breaking the window of his room on the 32nd floor (likely with a hammer, police said), Paddock fired hundreds of shots which witnesses said sounded like machine-gun fire. The smoke from his shots set off a smoke alarm and alerted police to his location.

Police have not yet publicly identified a motive for the gunman but said he had a history of gambling. Paddock was a retired accountant who had audited for Lockheed Martin and managed an apartment building in Nevada. He once filed a lawsuit against a Las Vegas casino that was later dismissed. Eric Paddock, his brother, said the gunman enjoyed playing $100-a-hand poker.

Darrel Stephens, executive director of the Major City Chiefs Association, which represents sheriffs and chiefs of police in major cities across the U.S., told Newsweek that Paddock likely had those [guns] concealed in some way, more than likely in luggage. Rifles are easy to disassemble, he said, and the huge hotel constantly sees people coming and going with luggage.

Stephens has been in contact with Las Vegas police, whom he called well trained and well prepared, and said their next steps would likely be poring over the extensive video footage of the area and processing the enormous crime scene.

Related Articles
The man behind the worst mass shooting in modern US history was a multi-millionaire real estate investor, according to his brother.

Stephen Paddock, 64, was identified by police as the gunman who killed at least 58 people after opening fire from the 32nd floor of a Las Vegas hotel.

The Nevada native targeted concert-goers at the Route 91 Harvest Festival on the Las Vegas Strip late on Sunday night.

Records show Paddock lived in a two-bedroom house in the tiny desert community of Mesquite, 80 miles northeast of Las Vegas, close to Nevada's border with Arizona.

:: Latest updates: Las Vegas massacre

:: Las Vegas shooting: What we know so far

That house is currently being searched by detectives, Clark County Sheriff Joseph Lombardo has said.

His brother Eric Paddock spoke of his shock and described his sibling as a gambler with "no religious affiliation, no political affiliation" who was "not an avid gun guy at all".

He told CBS News: "The fact that he had those kinds of weapons is just... where the hell did he get automatic weapons?

"He has no military background or anything like that. He's a guy who lived in a house in Mesquite and drove down and gambled in Las Vegas."

Eric Paddock told reporters his brother was a multi-millionaire who made much of his fortune by investing in real estate.

He added that his brother was also an accountant for many years, but he was not aware of any recent financial difficulties he may have had.

Paddock lived in the Mesquite property with Marilou Danley, 62, records show.

Ms Danley was named as his "companion" and police initially treated her as a person of interest in the shooting.

But Sheriff Lombardo later said she was out of the country at the time of the shooting and she was not believed to have been involved.

Paddock used some of her identification to get into the hotel, where he had been staying since 28 September.

The suspect had a hunting licence in Texas, where he had lived for a number of years.

Story continues

He also had a pilot's licence, and had at least one single-engine aircraft registered in his name.

Eric Paddock said his brother recently sent a a walking aid to his 90-year-old mother in Florida following the damage caused by Hurricane Irma last month.

Their father, Benjamin Hoskins Paddock, was formerly on the FBI most wanted list after carrying out a string of bank robberies and escaping from a Texas prison in the late 1960s.

FBI agents arrested him in 1978 at the Bingo Center in Springfield, Oregon, which he had been running.

A bureau poster described him as a "psychopath" who should be treated as "armed and very dangerous".

Paddock is believed to have killed himself before a police SWAT team used explosives to blast their way into his room at the Mandalay Bay Hotel.

At least 10 guns, including long rifles, were found inside the room, Sheriff Lombardo said.

He added: "We have no investigative information or background associated with this individual that is derogatory.

"The only thing we can tell is he received a citation several years ago, and that citation was handled as a matter of normal practice in the court system."

Eighteen additional firearms and explosives have been retrieved from a house in Mesquite.

Media reports said Paddock had previously lived in Nevada, California and Florida.

At least 58 people were killed and more than 500 injured in the mass shooting.
When a lone gunman opened fire on a concert in Las Vegas, killing at least 58 and injuring more than 500, it marked the 273rd mass shooting in America in the last 275 days.

That same day, three people were killed in a shooting stemming from a physical altercation in downtown Lawrence, Kansas. The day before that, a 15-year-old boy was killed in a shooting in Memphis, Tennessee. Three others were injured.

The Gun Violence Archive  an independent, online database of gun violence incidents in the US  defines a mass shooting as a single incident in which four or more people are shot. According to their records, there have been 273 such incidents in the US in 2017 alone.

This may be an underestimate, however, as another database, Mass Shootings Tracker, lists the number as 338.

And the current year is not an outlier: There were 383 mass shootings in 2016, and 358 in 2015, according to the Archive.

These numbers far surpass any other developed country in the world, according to research out of the University of Alabama.

Hannah Shearer, a staff attorney for the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, says this is because gun violence in general is more prevalent in the US than any of these other countries.

The reason is just that the type of weaponry that are most commonly used in mass shootings just aren't available in other countries, Ms Shearer told The Independent. ...Thats what contributes to disproportionate rates of mass violence in the US.

Ms Shearer pointed specifically to the accessibility of semi-automatic weapons, or guns that can reload automatically, within the United States. Only seven states in the US currently ban such weapons.

Stephen Paddock, the man identified by police as the Las Vegas shooter, is said to have used automatic or semi-automatic guns in his attack. Police said he had as many as 10 weapons in his hotel room at the time.

Nevada law does not limit how many weapons an individual is permitted to buy.

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FBI agents confer in front of the Tropicana hotel-casino on October 2, 2017, after a mass shooting during a music festival on the Las Vegas Strip in Las Vegas, Nevada (REUTERS/Las Vegas Sun/Steve Marcus)

The Las Vegas shooting has been named the deadliest in US history, surpassing last years record-breaking attack at an Orlando nightclub. That incident killed 49 people, and injured 58.

Ms Shearer said mass shootings have increased in both frequency and lethality in the last 10 years. It has been 13 years since the federal ban on semiautomatic weapons expired.

Gabrielle Giffords, a former congresswoman who was injured in a mass shooting in 2011, urged Congress take action on gun control on Monday.

I am praying they find the courage it will take to make progress on the challenging issue of gun violence, Ms Giffords said of her former colleagues.

She added: Now is the time to take positive action to keep America safer. Do not wait. The nation is counting on you.
Stories of the bravery shown during the deadliest mass shooting attack in modern US history have highlighted the work of US veterans and members of the emergency services who leapt into action to protect those around them, from a firefighter being shot and injured while performing CPR to ex-military members seen plugging bullet holes with their fingers.

Fifty-nine people were killed and 527 injured during the horrific attack carried out by Stephen Paddock, who opened fire on crowds during the Route 91 Harvest country music festival in Las Vegas from his hotel room on Sunday night. Police later found the 64-year-old dead when they stormed his hotel suite on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel.

Russell Bleck, who was in the VIP tent at the Route 91 Harvest festival in Las Vegas on Sunday with his fiancee when the shooting broke out, told Today of the bravery he saw during the attack.

You saw a lot of ex-military jump into gear. I saw guys plugging bullet holes with their fingers, he told the programme.

While everyone else was crouching, police officers [were] standing up at targets, just trying to direct people, tell them where to go. The amount of bravery I saw there, words cant describe what it was like, Mr Bleck said.

One ex-marine who was at the festival with friends fled when he realised the crowd was being shot at.

Taylor Winsont, a 29-year-old Iraq veteran, and friend Jenn Lewis commandeered a pick-up truck and helped take around 24 injured victims to the hospital.

Firefighter Steve Keys was shot while performing CPR on a woman at the concert. He shared a short video showing his wound and praised those working to help the victims.

He wrote on Facebook: Prayers needed. Lots of people hit. A lot killed. Was doing CPR on a woman in the concert when I got grazed. Im OK. But a lot of people arent. I am lucky. Stayed behind on the street to help people. Worked alongside a lot of f****** heroic men and women. Please, please please say prayers.

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Police are still working to establish a motive for the attack by Paddock, who was discovered to have been in possession of an arsenal of weaponry.

Officers recovered 16 guns from his hotel room, another 19 guns, explosives and rounds of ammunition at a property in Mequite, Las Vegas, and fertilizer ammonium nitrate  which can be turned into explosives  in his car.
A fundraising page for the victims of the Las Vegas shooting has raised more than $2.2m (1.66m) within hours of the attack.

Donations flooded in after at least 59 people were killed and more than 500 injured when a gunman opened fire on a music festival from the 32nd floor of the adjacent Mandalay Bay hotel.

Police have named the shooter as 64-year-old Stephen Paddock, who is said to have shot himself after carrying out the massacre.

The GoFundMe fundraising page was set up by Steve Sisolak, Chair of the Clark County Commission, to provide relief and financial support to the victims and families of the horrific Las Vegas mass shooting. Mr Sisolak said he was at the countys main trauma clinic with victims and their families.

More than 30,000 people have donated to the fund, with many leaving messages of condolence for the victims.

The unimaginable has reached Las Vegas, wrote one. My thoughts and prayers go out to everyone.

Another said: Prayers for the victims, family and friends of this heart-breaking and senseless terror attack. I am just sickened to know that another human being this evil could live among us.

In addition to donating to the fund and to the American Red Cross, authorities have asked people in Las Vegas to donate blood for the wounded.

The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department wrote on Twitter: If you would like to donate blood for the injured victims of the Strip shooting visit the Labor Health & Welfare Clinic, 7135 W. Sahara.

Isis claimed responsibility for the attack within hours of it taking place, saying the gunman had recently converted to Islam and was a soldier of the Islamic State.

However, the FBI said there was no indication that there were any links to international terrorism so far.
At least 50 people were killed and more than 400 people were hospitalized after a lone wolf opened fire at the Las Vegas mass shooting Sunday  but the violent act was not immediately deemed one of terrorism. Twitter users wondered why Stephen Paddock, the accused assailant, wasn't labeled a terrorist. Some claimed the color of his skin and religion had something to do with it.

An act of violence is deemed an act of terrorism depending on the motivation.

If the shooter was Muslim,You'd call this a terrorist attack.This was a terrorist attack,committed by a 64-year-old white American.#LasVegas  Ali (@SpookyAly) October 2, 2017

This man, Stephen Paddock, has just killed 50 and wounded 200 people in Las Vegas.







Media still not calling this a Terrorist Attack! _ pic.twitter.com/0QoEb3cShf  Phil Kgopolo Mphela (@PhilMphela) October 2, 2017

The Las Vegas shooting at Mandalay Bay is a terrorist attack. The terrorist was not Muslim but an American. #GunControlNow  Jacob Gil (@jacob4kids) October 2, 2017

Why are they calling this a mass shooting? The incident in Las Vegas is a terrorist attack. Don't try to hide what it really is #mandalaybay  Chandler (@ChandlerK716) October 2, 2017

Trump and Media won't call Las Vegas attack as terrorist attack because shooter wasn't a Muslim . #PrayForTheWorld#GunControlNow  Md Asif Khan (@imMAK02) October 2, 2017

Although acts of war, acts of crime and acts of terror can look very much alike on the surface, they have very different motives, very different reasons for being, and I think that's why people are confused, Robin Lakoff, a linguist at the University of California, Berkeley, told NPR in 2015. They look alike on the surface; they're different underneath.

Still, Lakoff argued terrorism itself, whatever that is has a tricky definition. According to Merriam-Webster, its defined as the systematic use of terror especially as a means of coercion.

Back in 2011, the U.S. declared war against terrorism after Sept. 11, not many people knew what the word meantnot even the U.S. government. No one definition of terrorism has gained universal acceptance, the State Department said in a report on world terrorism in 2000, as per ABC News.

The FBI has another definition. It is the unlawful use of force and violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives, the Code of Federal Regulations reads.

Paddock, 64, did not have a criminal past and his motive wasnt immediately known.

All of the checks that we have been able to do other than a routine traffic violation here in Nevada and nationwide working with our local FBI partners have been able to find no derogatory history on that individual, Undersheriff Kevin McMahill of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department said. Its one of those really sad, tragic things that a man thats 64 years old that really had no other reason that we can find at least in his history here to go out and wound that many people.

Paddock reportedly killed himself after conducting the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history. Previously, 49 people were killed at Pulse nightclub in Orlando last year.

Follow me on Twitter @mariamzzarella

Related Articles
Mark Walkers said gun control was "not public safety issue": Mark Walters/Twitter

A US talk show host and firearms rights campaigner has claimed "no amount of new gun control could have stopped" the Las Vegas shooting.

Mark Walters compared calling for greater restrictions on firearms ownership in the wake of the massacre to "dancing in the blood of victims".

At least 59 people were killed and 527 injured when a lone gunman opened fire on crowds at a music festival in the most deadly mass shooting in modern US history.

Police found 23 firearms in the hotel room from where Stephen Paddock took aim at victims, and discovered more than 19 other guns, explosives, and thousands of rounds of ammunition during a search of his Nevada home.

The massacre, the 237th mass shooting in America this year, prompted renewed calls for tighter gun control in the country.

But Mr Walters, whose Armed American Radio programme is sponsored by the Concealed Carry Association, insisted gun control campaigners were "politicising a tragedy".

"This was not a gang violence episode in Chicago, this was a terror attack in America with guns that were already illegal," he told BBC Radio 4's Today.

"In order to have the type of weapon that [Paddock] had he would have... had to modify it illegally," he added. "He violated every federal law in the books. So no amount of new gun control would have stopped this madman."

He said the US had "tried" gun control but claimed it "doesn't work" and conceded the US would see more mass shootings.

"Unfortunately, sadly, we will see another one," he admitted. "It's more than likely being planned by some psychopathic lunatic right now. And I predict that when that happens we will see the immediate calls from the Democrat left - screaming politics, politicising and dancing in the blood of the victims before the bodies are even taken to a morgue - for more gun control."

He added: "We have tried. We have background checks in America, we have illegal weapons in America. We cherish our right to bear arms. We have great freedoms in America and those freedoms come with great responsibility, but no one... can point to one gun control law [that would stop mass shootings.]"

Story continues

In 1996, Australia introduced sweeping gun control measures 12 days after 28-year-old Martin Byrant shot dead 35 people in a gun rampage in Port Arthur, Tasmania.

The number of mass shootings dropped from 13 in the 18-year period before the massacre to zero after the introduction of tighter restrictions. Gun-related murders and suicides also dropped dramatically.

But Mr Walters said it was "naive" to suggest gun control might lead to fewer mass shootings and claimed it was "not a public safety issue".

He admitted that "if you outlawed all guns, there would be no gun crime," but added: "We would have to do the same thing with box trucks, we would have to do the same thing with box-cutters that brought down four airplanes.

"We are seeing people mowed down, hundreds of people. Human beings have been slaughtering each other since the dawn of time. If it's not a gun, it's something else."

There were 383 mass shootings in the US last year, according to the Gun Violence Archive, which defines a mass shooting as one in which more than three people are shot. The online database says there were 358 such attacks in America in 2015.

The figures far surpass every other developed country in the world.
The veteran is believed to have been in the Nevada city to celebrate his upcoming 29th birthday with his mother: Facebook / Christopher Roybal

In the years stretching from 1968 to 2011, more Americans were killed by gun violence than in all of the wars waged by the country.

Christopher Roybal provides a powerful example of how this grizzly statistic can manifest itself - the Navy veteran survived the war in Afghanistan but was tragically shot in Las Vegas on Sunday.

Carnage was unleashed in Vegas after an outdoor country music event near the Mandalay Bay hotel and casino in the Nevada city was plagued with a shower of bullets on Sunday evening.

At least 59 people were killed and more than 527 were injured after Steven Paddock, a lone wolf armed with 23 weapons and two tripods, opened fire from a hotel room.

Mr Roybal, a 28-year-old southern California native who had recently returned from Afghanistan, was at the concert with his mother. However, the pair ended up getting separated and she ran towards the gunfire to try and track him down.

"He went to combat and came back without being injured, and then goes to a concert and dies," the mother told NBC4.

The veteran is believed to have been in the Nevada city to celebrate his upcoming 29th birthday before getting caught up in the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history.

In his last public post on Facebook, shared around three months ago, Mr Roybal discussed what it was like to be perpetually probed about what it is like to be shot.

He wrote: "What's it like being shot at? A question people ask because it's something that less than one per cent of our American population will ever experience. Especially one on a daily basis.

The veteran continued: My response has always been the same, not one filled with a sense of pride or ego, but an answer filled with truth and genuine fear and anger.

Casting his mind back to his first firefight, he said he did not feel fear but instead felt confused and overwhelmed by a plethora of sensory experiences.

He said: It was never fear, to be honest, mass confusion. Sensory overload followed by the most amount of natural adrenaline that could never be duplicated through a needle. I was excited, angry and manic.

Story continues

Nevertheless, he found his excitement began to dwindle as time went on and was instead usurped by rage.

Unfortunately, as the fights continue and as they as increase in numbers and violence, that excitement fades and the anger is all that's left," he reflected.

"The anger stays, long after your friends have died, the lives you've taken are buried and your boots are placed neatly in a box in some storage unit. Still covered in the dirt you've refused to wash off for fear of forgetting the most raw emotions you as a human being will ever feel again.

He concluded: What's it like to be shot at? It's a nightmare no amount of drugs, no amount of therapy and no amount of drunk talks with your war veteran buddies will ever be able to escape. Cheers boys.

Mr Roybals friend Matthew Austin said the two joined the Navy when they were just boys.

Today Christopher Roybal was taken from us on American soil. Chris and myself joined the Navy together when we were just boys, he said in a Facebook post. It breaks my heart and infuriates me that a veteran can come home from war unharmed and events like these occur. Shipmate you were taken much too soon, and my thoughts and prayers are with your family.

America has once again been thrust into mourning after chaos erupted across Las Vegas on Sunday night. Two festival-goers said they initially heard a noise "like firecrackers" but it became clear a shooter, who discharged hundreds of bullets using an automatic weapon, was unloading "clip after clip" into the crowd.

Related:
The brother of Stephen Paddock, the suspected gunman behind a mass shooting at a Las Vegas music festival, said Monday that his family was stunned by the incident.

We are completely dumbfounded, Eric Paddock, Stephen Paddocks brother, said in an interview with the Orlando Sentinel. We cant understand what happened.

Sixty-four-year-old Stephen Paddock opened fire during the outdoor Route 91 Harvest country music festival Sunday from his 32nd-floor hotel room at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, located across the street from the festival venue. More than 50 people were killed and at least 400 people were taken to area hospitals, in the deadliest shooting in modern U.S. history. Paddock was found dead in the hotel room with at least 10 guns, authorities said Monday.

Eric Paddock told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that hed never known his brother to have so many guns.

He might have had a gun or two, but he didnt have a huge stock of guns, he said.

Other family members told the Washington Post that Stephen Paddock, who lived in Mesquite, Nev., spent his retirement traveling to Las Vegas to gamble and attend concerts in area hotels and that nothing in his past would suggest violent behavior.

Eric Paddock, who is based in Central Florida, told Reuters that the family was bewildered by what happened.

We have no idea. Were horrified. Were bewildered and our condolences go out to the victims, Paddock said. We have no idea in the world.
Less than half of all Americans ages 6 months and up got their flu shots last year, leaving a majority of people unvaccinated against a potentially serious illness, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

About 47 percent of Americans got a flu vaccine during the 2016-2017 flu season, Dr. Tom Price, secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, said at a news conference today (Sept. 28). If that rate had been 5 percent higher, another 490,000 illnesses and 7,000 hospitalizations could've been avoided, according to CDC estimates, Price said. Rates of people getting their flu vaccine, however, have appeared to level off, he added.

Everyone ages 6 months and up needs a flu shot, Price said. [Flu Shot Facts & Side Effects (Updated for 2017-2018)]

Last year's flu season was "moderate," with hospitalization rates almost as high as those seen in the 2014-2015 flu season, Dr. Daniel Jernigan, director of the influenza division at the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, said at the press conference. Almost 600,000 people were hospitalized last season due to the flu, he said.

Last season's vaccine was 42 percent effective, Price said. In general, the effectiveness of the vaccine ranges from 40 to 60 percent. That's "not perfect," Price said, but it does mean that a person's risk of getting sick with the flu and needing to see a doctor are 40 to 60 percent less if they get vaccinated than if they skip the flu shot. "Those are pretty good odds," he added.

In fact, last year's flu vaccine prevented an estimated 5.2 million cases of the flu, 2.7 million doctor's visits due to the flu and 86,000 hospitalizations, Price said.

Up to 166 million doses of the flu vaccine will be available this year, 20 million more than the previous year, Price said. This season, flu shots are recommended, but beyond that, there's no preference for which type of shot people choose, Price said. There are seven different types of flu vaccines available this year, according to the CDC, which vary based on ingredients and if they protect against three or four strains of the flu. As of last year, the nasal spray is no longer recommended.

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Price said it's "remarkably easy" to get a flu shot, with thousands of places across the country offering the vaccine. In addition, the CDC has a "flu vaccine finder" tool on the agency's website, where people can enter their ZIP code and see where to go nearby, he said.

The CDC recommends that people get their flu shot by the end of October. [How to Protect Yourself from Cold and Flu in 2017]

Kids and older adults

The only age group that met  and in fact, exceeded  the target coverage-rates for flu vaccines was young children between ages 6 months to 23 months. More than 76 percent of these children got a flu vaccine, Patricia Stinchfield, a pediatric nurse practitioner and the senior director of infection prevention and control at Children's Minnesota, said at the press conference. The goal was 70 percent, she added.

Severe complications from the flu are most common in kids of this age group, Stinchfield said, but bad outcomes can happen to children of any age. Flu vaccine coverage decreases as kids get older, but it's just as important for kids of all ages to get their flu shots, Stinchfield said.

A recent study published in the journal Pediatrics highlighted the importance of the flu vaccine in kids. The study found that getting a flu vaccine reduces the risk of death from flu by 51 percent in children who have health problems, and by 65 percent in healthy children, Stinchfield said.

And researchers from Stinchfield's hospital looking back three years found that kids who got severely ill from the flu were 57 percent less likely to have gotten flu shots compared to kids who got less sick, she said.

About 85 percent of flu deaths in the U.S. occur in adults ages 65 and up, Dr. Kathleen Neuzil, director of the Center for Vaccine Development at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, said at the press conference. Neuzil noted that although vaccination rates among older adults have declined in previous years, the rates appeared to level off last year.

"This year, we want to see an increase" in flu vaccine rates among older adults, she said.

Originally published on Live Science.

Editor's Recommendations
A group of LGBTQ advocates responded to Sundays mass shooting in Las Vegas by taking to the streets of New York in a poignant display of solidarity.

More than 100 Gays Against Guns (GAG) protesters marched from Manhattans Union Square to Times Square Monday carrying banners and placards outlining their support for stronger gun control. No more massacres! Fuck the [National Rifle Association], many of the demonstrators shouted as they marched, as seen in the video above.

Based in New York, GAG is committed to nonviolently breaking the gun industrys chain of deathinvestors, manufacturers, the NRA and politicians who block strong gun laws. The group formed last year in response to the Pulse nightclub massacre in Orlando, Florida that left 49 people, many of whom were people of color who identified as LGBTQ, dead.

More than 100 Gays Against Guns (GAG) protesters marched from New York's Union Square to Times Square Monday in honor of the 59 people killed in Sunday's mass shooting in Las Vegas. (Photo: Courtesy photo)

Since then, members of the group have staged die-in protests at a number of events across the country in an effort to demonstrate support for gun control laws.

Activist Terry Roethlein told HuffPost that he and other GAG members were empowered by the turnout at Mondays rally, held one day after 59 people were killed and over 500 wounded when Stephen Paddock opened fire at the Route 91 Harvest Festival in Las Vegas.

It was great to see a few hundred folks come out last night for our impromptu action marking the latest disgusting act of gun carnage that happened in Las Vegas on Sunday, he said. Its quite obvious that many Americans are so disturbed by these domestic acts of terror, which happen again and again because our government refuses to take leadership to fight the ignorance, fear and greed that feed the gun violence epidemic.

"Its quite obvious that many Americans are so disturbed by these domestic acts of terror," GAG activist Terry Roethlein told HuffPost. (Photo: Sue Brisk)

Roethlein added that GAG planned to push back against our governments murderous negligence and convince the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to appropriately research the causes of gun violence in the United States.

GAG has mounted a major project doing just that, he said, and we hope that, at the very least, this latest sickening tragedy will empower more people to join us in this effort.

Story continues

GAG is committed to nonviolently breaking the gun industrys chain of deathinvestors, manufacturers, the NRA and politicians who block strong gun laws. (Photo: Sue Brisk)

Catch the latest in LGBTQ news by subscribing to the Queer Voices newsletter.

Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.

Also on HuffPost

People hug and cry outside the Thomas & Mack Center after a mass shooting at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival on Oct. 2, 2017, in Las Vegas.

A cowboy hat lies in the street.

VIDEO: Rapid fire from shooter(s) in Las Vegas pic.twitter.com/jgzCTQRUZP  Joel Franco (@OfficialJoelF) October 2, 2017

Las Vegas police search for the gunman while protecting fleeing fans.

Fans run from the Route 91 Harvest festival after a gunman opened fire.

Others dive for cover.

Some fans drop to the ground.

People run from the Route 91 Harvest festival.

People scramble for cover.

HORRIFIC SCENE: Do not let this be called anything else but DOMESTIC TERRORISM. AP reports 2dead 13critical & dozens injured. #MandalayBay pic.twitter.com/q7faKkCPpN  Eduardo Samaniego (@EduSamani) October 2, 2017

A man in a wheelchair is helped away.

People run for cover.

EYEWITNESS: Chilling footage of moment active shooter opened fire on concert goers near Mandalay Bay resort in Las Vegas pic.twitter.com/7OfAwg0ReO  Josh Caplan (@joshdcaplan) October 2, 2017

A person takes cover amid the shooting.

A person runs barefoot from the shooting.

Police officers stop a man who drove down Tropicana Avenue near Las Vegas Boulevard, which had been closed.

A pair of cowboy boots lies in the street outside the concert venue.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
President Donald Trump just set a new standard in his search for flattery. A few months ago, Trump held a Cabinet meeting like none in modern memory. He invited a tableful of his appointees to describe what then- Chief of Staff Reince Priebus called "the blessing to serve your agenda." With the TV cameras rolling, Trump went around the room, giving each Cabinet member a chance to praise the new administration's work. Today, he staged a replay  but this time with hurricane victims. The president supplied much of the flattery himself. It started at the White House as Trump prepared to depart for Puerto Rico to glimpse the devastation from Hurricane Maria. He told reporters that the mayor of San Juan, who had begged Washington for more help while blasting one federal official for calling relief efforts "a good news story," had "come back a long way" since then. "I think it's now acknowledged what a great job we've done," Trump declared, noting praise for his administration's response to other storms. "In Texas and in Florida, we get an A+, and I'll tell you what: I think we've done just as good in Puerto Rico." Chiding Puerto Ricans again, as he had over the weekend, the president added, "On a local level, they have to give us more help." But he thanked Puerto Rico's governor because "he has said we've done an incredible job." After landing in the storm-ravaged American territory, Trump struck the same tone. Addressing a roomful of administration and Puerto Rican officials, he emphasized the successes of his team rather than the suffering on an island desperate to restore its electric power, drinking water and transportation system. He serially lauded officials in his administration including Federal Emergency Management Agency Director Brock Long, repeating the "A+" evaluation from earlier in the day. He praised the "fantastic general" he placed atop the relief effort, Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Buchanan, as someone who plays "no games." He thanked Puerto Rico's non-voting representative in Congress, Jenniffer Gonzales Colon, for "saying such nice things" about the administration's response. He repeated his appreciation for Puerto Rico's governor, Ricardo Rossello, as someone who "did not play politics." The evidence? "He was giving us the highest grades," the president said. Unwilling to stop there, Trump celebrated the comparison between lives lost to Maria and those lost to "a real catastrophe"  Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The federal response to that earlier storm prompted fierce criticism of President George W. Bush. "What's your death count?" Trump asked Rossello. Told the answer was 16, the president responded: "16 people versus in the thousands. You can be  very proud of what's taken place." Last week, Trump and Republican leaders in Congress outlined their tax-cut plan, which the Tax Policy Center concluded will expand the federal budget deficit while delivering 80 percent of its benefits to the wealthiest 1 percent of Americans by 2027. Even so, the president couldn't resist teasing Puerto Rico for creating fiscal problems with its need for hurricane relief. "I hate to tell you, Puerto Rico, you've thrown our budget a little out of whack ," he said. "We've spent a lot of money on Puerto Rico." He concluded on a note of forgiveness: "And that's fine. We're saving a lot of lives." Soon Trump went outside to chat with ordinary Puerto Ricans affected by the storm. He opened an initial conversation by suggesting an image. "Let's get a picture first," the president said. "Let's get a beauty." WATCH: What CNBC's crew saw in Puerto Rico post-Maria



More From CNBC


By Hugh Bronstein

CAGUAS, Puerto Rico (Reuters) - If the people of the Puerto Rican city of Caguas need to find the police in coming weeks and maybe months, they will have to go to a car repair garage.

The police station where dozens of officers worked before the building was wrecked by Hurricane Maria on Sept. 20 has been moved into a makeshift, open-air office in the area where mechanics used to fix the local police cruisers.

The station in the San Juan suburb is one of hundreds of critical structures being evaluated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which is working with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and local authorities to get the devastated U.S. territory of 3.4 million people back on its feet.

The roads around the station are littered with telephone poles snapped like breadsticks by Maria, the worst storm to hit Puerto Rico in 90 years.

The shell that was once this bustling community's police station provides a glimpse of the challenges facing islanders who can hardly fathom the mammoth rebuilding job ahead of them, with electricity and other basic services not likely to be restored for weeks.

Next to the now dormant car lifts once used to get mechanics under police cruisers for repair, officers in Caguas' tiny new station have put a desk and office chairs on the concrete floor, with the emblem of the island's national police force placed on the office's one full-length wall.

"It's what we have left," says the officer manning the station while other members of the department are out directing traffic at intersections in town that, as in the rest of the island, have no stoplights due to lack of electricity.

The sprawling building that once housed the station is filled with rubble and chunks of the building's collapsed roof. A three-member team of Corps engineers evaluated the scene on Sunday, and agreed the station will probably have to be leveled before it can be rebuilt.

Meanwhile, it is their job to help Puerto Rican authorities and FEMA come up with a functional office space for the police to carry out their work.

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The engineers are among the 150-person-strong deployment by the Corps to the island over the last 10 days, with hundreds more expected over the months ahead.

The Corps' effectiveness could help the Trump administration overcome criticism that the U.S. response to the island has been too slow. And helping to re-establish a power grid downed nearly in its entirety will be central to their success.

"It's a matter of months, not days or weeks before the grid is completely restored," Colonel James DeLapp, commander of the Corps' field office in Puerto Rico, told Reuters.

The mission has started with providing spot electrical generation for critical facilities like hospitals, fire stations and police stations. The next step will be to power up current sub-stations to get portions of the island's grid operating.

They will then reinstall and repair transmission lines. The final step will be distribution, which will involve reparation of the telephone polls that were snapped in two by Maria.

"The overall grid isn't in quite as bad shape as originally reported," DeLapp said in his San Juan headquarters.

"We are still making the final assessments, but it does appear to be better than reported by media sources immediately after the storm."

(Reporting by Hugh Bronstein; Editing by Mary Milliken)
Melania Trump has her fall fashion down pat.

The first lady was spotted on the South Lawn on Tuesday morning in an ensemble reflective of the chilly autumnal temperature.

The 47-year-old stood alongside President Trump a midnight blue turtleneck sweater, cigarette trousers and a pair of matching stilettos as he addressed the press before they boarded Air Force One en route to Puerto Rico. The first couple is headed down to San Juan to assess the damage done by Hurricane Maria.

SEE ALSO: Melania Trump is casual and sporty in $695 Calvin Klein shirt

If you recall, Melania sparked controversy in late August for wearing heels en route to Texas following Hurricane Harvey. Days later, in a subsequent trip to Texas, she rocked a different pair of $650 Manolo Blahnik heels with a $1,590 Ralph Lauren safari shirt dress. It looks like the fashionable first lady defied critics for the third time today with her navy-hued heels.

Chances are, however, that Melania will change into something more casual as soon as she lands in Puerto Rico. Upon arriving in Corpus Christi, Texas, the first lady changed into a crisp white button-down shirt, black trousers and white Adidas Stan Smith sneakers. During her second Texas trip, she sported a pair of Converse sneakers.

For her trip to Florida in the wake of Hurricane Irma just three weeks ago, she ditched her heels and opted for a pair of dual-toned Chanel flats, a black jacket and beige pants. She completed her look with an all-black Hermes Birkin bag.

September may have been Melania's busiest month as first lady, with several public appearances that made many headlines for reasons other than her fashion.

She met Prince Harry during her first solo international trip as first lady -- a meeting that made headlines not only for her stylish Dior suit, but for the cryptic hand symbol the royal flashed in most of their photos together.

Just yesterday, Melania stole the show in an Alexander McQueen tweed dress while meeting Thailand's prime minister and first lady.

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For more on Melania's fashion, watch the video above.

RELATED: Melania Trump's controversial Hurricane Harvey ensemble:


Twenty five years ago, a girl from Chicago and a fellow born in Hawaii got hitched and nothing was the same.

Michelle and Barack Obama are celebrating their 25th anniversary today, and the former First Lady marked the special occasion with a beautiful black and white photograph of the two young love birds on their wedding day.

SEE ALSO: Michelle Obama on Trump, Beyonce, and life after the White House

"Happy 25th anniversary," she wrote to Barack. "A quarter of a century later, you're still my best friend and the most extraordinary man I know. I love you."

Happy 25th anniversary @barackobama. A quarter of a century later, you're still my best friend & the most extraordinary man I know. I  you. pic.twitter.com/y0nevQmatB  Michelle Obama (@MichelleObama) October 3, 2017

Many other folks turned to Twitter to celebrate the couple's love and leadership during their time in the White House with some photographs.

Happy 25th anniversary to Barack and Michelle Obama, may you enjoy another 25yrs together. Nothing but love for my President and First Lady! pic.twitter.com/OT745c5UJA  BA (@thebaemarcus) October 3, 2017

Happy Anniversary Mr. President and Mrs. Obama. You both are an inspiration for America! You are so lovely together, WE miss you every day!  George (@PradaMD) October 3, 2017

Happy 25th anniversary President Obama &your First lady Michelle Obama, you're both loved & missed so dearlywe so do miss your leadership  Sandra E (@SandraE_NYgirl) October 3, 2017

It might just be the perfect day to rewatch Southside With You.
One of the projects seeking to prove that they have a viable route for building one of Hyperloop One's very first actual hyperloop routes has formed a formal public-private partnership to help keep the project moving forward. Missouri's Department of Transportation, teamed with the St. Louis Regional Chamber, the Kansas City Tech Council, the University of Missouri System and the Missouri Innovation Center in Columbia have entered into a partnership to explore the building of a route that would link Kansas City, Columbia and St. Louis.

The route would have a potential reach of around 5 million Missouri residents, and cut the commute time to under 25 minutes. The next step will be producing an RFP for a feasibility study for the route, with the estimated cost of the study set somewhere between $1 - $1.5 million. The private aspect of this partnership enters into play here, since Missouri will seek funding for the feasibility survey from the private sector, "given state budget constraints."

On the Hyperloop One side, CEO Rob Lloyd said in a statement that the "public-private partnership demonstrates Missouri's commitment to building one of the first Hyperloop systems in the world." In past conversations with Lloyd, he's emphasized that Hyperloop One will seek to work on project where strong government and regulatory support for a hyperloop route is in place, since this helps with some of the most challenging aspects of the process.

Hyperloop One revealed its top global entires for proposed hyperloop routes in September, and also announced a feasibility study to be conducted with Colorado on their route plan.
Brussels (AFP) - A senior US general said Monday that he believed controversial Russian military exercises last month involved "more than 40,000" troops, vastly more than Moscow acknowledged, but the event did not involve a simulated nuclear strike.

General Ben Hodges, commander of US ground forces in Europe, said Russia split up the Zapad-2017 (West-2017) drills into smaller events to flout international agreements on reporting military exercises.

The Russian defence ministry said the joint drills with Belarus on NATO's eastern flank involved just 12,700 troops and were "strictly defensive" in nature, but the show of strength caused consternation in Poland and the Baltic states, which only broke free of the Kremlin's grip some 25 years ago.

"My guess is that there probably were over 40,000 service members in this whole-of-government exercise," Hodges told reporters.

He said Moscow broke up the exercises into smaller drills to skirt international protocols allowing foreign observers to inspect events involving more than 13,000 troops. NATO was invited to send observers to so-called visitors' days.

"But in fact from a professional military standpoint these were all connected," Hodges said.

In the run-up to Zapad, NATO complained about Russian secrecy surrounding the event, warning that Moscow could be hugely underreporting the scale of the exercises. Estonia, Lithuania and Germany all said they thought about 100,000 troops would take part.

The war games came with tensions between Russia and NATO at their highest since the Cold War due to the Kremlin's meddling in Ukraine and the US-led alliance bolstering its forces in eastern Europe.

The last two editions of Zapad, in 2009 and 2013, involved a simulated nuclear strike against Warsaw according to various officials, though NATO itself has never said this.

Hodges said that this time, Russian nuclear drills began after the conclusion of Zapad.

"I did not see in the scenario what I had seen before, where the scenario starts off with nuclear strike on a Western city," he said.

The exercises also involved a display of Russia's "powerful, sophisticated" electronic warfare techniques, the US general added, without giving further details.
While the mass incarceration of men has dominated the discussion of policing and prisons over the past few yearsand rightly sotheres been a recent shift in thinking about incarcerated women, and not a moment too soon. According to a report by the Vera Institute, womens incarceration has increased a startling 14-fold since 1970. Like their male counterparts, these women are also overwhelmingly women of color.

Despite the shocking increase in their numbers, however, the specific issues and needs of female prisoners have largely gone ignored. In particular, as National Domestic Violence Awareness Month begins in the U.S., its worth noting that the vast majority of women in prison are single mothers who have been victims of domestic and/or sexual violence.

These concerns have rarely been part of prison-reform discussions, and yet this fact is typical of the history of womens incarceration in our country.

Criminal justice in the American South for decades following the Civil War was meted out unjustly, disproportionately affecting African Americans, regardless of gender. And, thanks to a unique historical record created by women in a Mississippi prison in the 1930s, its possible to see that the similarities between womens incarceration then and now is significant. In both periods, women were more likely to be incarcerated for nonviolent crimes than for violent ones. Likewise, many of the incarcerated women in both cases were victims of domestic and sexual violence whose income was vital to their family household.

Get your history fix in one place: sign up for the weekly TIME History newsletter

The prison in question was a state penitentiary in Jim Crow Mississippi, better known as Parchman. Of the more than 2,000 prisoners there in the mid-1930s, between 60-80 were women, of which only a handful were white. That small group was responsible for sewing all of the convict uniforms and the mattress ticking, canning the food that was eaten by everyone, picking cotton, and even slaughtering cows and hogs that fed the prisoners. There, women left a record of their lives in the form of blues poems and songs. In the early 1930s, Delta journalist David Cohn visited the women at Parchman and provided them with pencils and paper on which they provided details of their lives, their criminal trials and incarceration.

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In My Prison Blues, for example, Fannie Walden wrote about some of the very same issues that concern incarcerated women today. She laments being separated from her child in the lyric One poor little daughter in the cold world behind/for home and her love, my heart doth pine. A later verse explains the reason she is in prison was due to a situation of domestic violence: The only trouble Ive given the land/Was defense of myselfjust killed one man.

Nor did the violence stop at the prison gates. Women at Parchman also wrote about the violence they experienced while in prison, sexual and otherwise. One woman, identified only by the initials M.A.V., describes another female prisoners child, the product of sexual violence at the hands of the white supervisor of the womens camp: Coreannas got a baby and hes got blue eyes, must be the Captains, he aint none of mine.

Another prisoner detailed the physical violence at the hands of the man she calls the Ricketiest Superintendent. In her penitentiary blues, she describes the brutality of prison and thoughts of refuge in the lyric, Got the ricketiest superintendent, Got the worst sergeant on the farm, and if I make it to the bushes, my sergeant cant do me no harm.

Fast-forward to 2017 and we realize that little has changed in the treatment of women in over one hundred years. The vast majority of female prisoners remain women of color. They continue to be victims of sexual violence. Their children are being raised without them.

The difference is that this is not Jim Crow Mississippi. Today, this situation extends well beyond the South. Nationally, as the Vera Institute Report shows, the overwhelming majority of female prisoners are held for nonviolent offenses and most are women of color. Among them, 86% are victims of sexual violence.

The difficulties faced by female prisoners are now attracting the attention of politicians. On July 11 of this year, Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) introduced the Dignity for Incarcerated Women Act, or the Dignity Act, on behalf of himself and Sens. Kamala Harris, Elizabeth Warren and Richard Durbin.

The bill aims To improve the treatment of Federal prisoners who are primary caretaker parents. To that end, the Dignity Act calls for a more generous visitation policy for incarcerated mothers. If passed, it would also prevent restraining pregnant women by shackling them or placing them in strait jackets, among other forms of restraint. Prisons would provide parenting classes and trauma-informed care for those who need it, as well as make basic healthcare products like tampons available. Gynecological care would also be mandatory.

Since July, the Dignity Act has only advanced as far as the Senate Judiciary Committee where no further action has been taken. Given the stark realities of life for incarcerated women, action cannot come soon enough. Our nation can and should do better than to allow Jim Crow-like prison policies to continue unchecked.

Historians explain how the past informs the present

Karen L. Cox is professor of history at UNC Charlotte and the author of Goat Castle: A True Story of Murder, Race, and the Gothic South.
The mother of a child who was killed in the Sandy Hook elementary school shooting said Congress is culpable for the mass shooting Sunday in Las Vegas that has left at least 58 people dead and 515 injured.

Nelba Marquez-Greene, whose 6-year-old daughter was killed in the 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook, tweeted that Congress is at fault for not taking action on gun control. The shooting in Las Vegas became the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history after gunman Stephen Paddock opened fire on the Route 91 Harvest Festival from his room on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino.

This is on every congressperson who said in 13: There is simply nothing we could do, Marquez-Greene said Monday.

I dont know what to say besides this is on every congressperson who said in 13: There is simply nothing we could do. #LasVegas #Newtown  Nelba Marquez-Greene (@Nelba_MG) October 2, 2017

Every day, I am stunned by the level of trauma (direct or vicarious) congress is willing to make us suffer through. #Newtown #LasVegas  Nelba Marquez-Greene (@Nelba_MG) October 2, 2017

Their lack of courage and/or ability to take meaningful action on issues that most matter: healthcare, violence, climate, etc is outrageous  Nelba Marquez-Greene (@Nelba_MG) October 2, 2017

Erica Lafferty, whose mother was the principal at Sandy Hook when she died in the shooting, said in a statement that the attack in Las Vegas made her feel like shes failed.

Im angry. Im triggered. Im terrified. I miss my mom, Lafferty wrote. I hurt for her. I feel like Ive failed. Mostly, I am fing sick of this happening ALL OF THE TIME.
(Via Shaun Donithan on Twitter)

Promotion for Sundays race at Charlotte didnt go too smoothly around the NASCAR Hall of Fame on Tuesday.

NASCAR show cars were part of an event at the Hall of Fame and were parked on the side of a street. Someone in a Toyota show car pulled out into the street to go somewhere and  well, see for yourself.

Thats quite the hit. In this video below, it looks like the SUV involved has just some minor damage to the right-front fender but were not going to be surprised if it has some suspension damage after catching that air.

We also want to know how the lady in the foreground of the video didnt seem startled at all when the contact happened.

Its the first multi-car accident involving a Cup Series car since New Hampshire. Sundays race at Dover had only one crash and it happened when Jeffrey Earnhardt slid into the sand barrels when he was trying to pit.

      

Nick Bromberg is the editor of Dr. Saturday and From the Marbles on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
Maaleh Adumim (Palestinian Territories) (AFP) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday pledged to build "thousands" of new homes in a major West Bank settlement east of Jerusalem, insisting it would one day be part of Israel.

"We shall build here thousands of housing units" and add industrial zones, Netanyahu said during a visit to the Maaleh Adumim settlement of 37,000 people.

"This place will be a part of the state of Israel," he added, speaking in Hebrew.

Netanyahu has repeatedly spoken of major blocs of West Bank settlements being absorbed into Israel in a future peace agreement with the Palestinians.

He did not specify where or when the new building at Maaleh Adumim would take place but settlement watchdog Peace Now has spoken of plans to build in the contentious area known as E1 adjacent to the settlement.

E1 and Maaleh Adumim form an Israeli buffer east of Jerusalem that the Palestinians say would divide the West Bank and badly hurt the possibility of a contiguous Palestinian state.

About 430,000 Israeli settlers live among 2.6 million Palestinians in the West Bank, occupied by Israel in the 1967 Six Day War.
- Egypt defies UN embargo, buys weapons worth $23 million from North Korea.





- The weapons found include 30,000 rocket-propelled grenades from the cold war era.





- U.S planning to cut off aid to Egypt unless it genuinely cuts off trading ties with North Korea.

A United Nations inquiry has revealed that Egypt bought weapons from North Korea in what has been described as a clear violation of the recent embargo placed on the country (North Korea).





Following a tip to Egyptian officials in Cairo about a ship allegedly headed for North Korea, custom officials swarm in and intercepted the vessel. It was discovered that around 30,000 cold war rocket-propelled grenades had been hidden under bins of iron ore.





A UN report following an inquiry has now revealed that some Egyptian business executives had been involved in the illicit trade where around $23 million was paid for the said weapons on behalf of the Egyptian Military.





A statement from the Egyptian Embassy in Washington pointed to Egypt's "transparency" and cooperation with U.N. officials in finding and destroying the contraband.





"Egypt will continue to abide by all Security Council resolutions and will always be in conformity with these resolutions as they restrain military purchases from North Korea," the statement said.





Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump recently withheld a $290 million aid to Egypt stating that this was the time for them to pick sides between the U.S. and North Korea.
The sheriff of Nevada has questioned how the mass shooting in Las Vegas could have been prevented, given the killers status as a lone wolf who had not raised serious red flags with police.

Stephen Paddock, 64, opened fire on a country music festival in Las Vegas on Sunday night before turning a gun on himself, leaving at least 58 people dead and more than 500 injured in what was the deadliest mass shooting in recent U.S. history.

As of Monday, the FBI said it did not believe Paddock had any links with international terrorist organizations, despite a claim from the Islamic State militant group (ISIS) that he was a martyr for its cause. Nevada Sheriff Joe Lombardo said there had been no reason prior to the shooting to alert the authorities to Paddock.

"This individual was described as a lone wolf. I don't know how it could have been prevented," Lombardo, whose jurisdiction includes Las Vegas, said in comments carried by The Hill.

"We didn't have any prior knowledge to this individual. It wasn't evident that he had weapons in his room," he explained.

"We have determined that there has been employees going to and from this room and nothing nefarious was noticed."

Paddock had at least 19 weapons and hundreds of rounds of ammunition in the Mandalay Bay hotel room from which he carried out the attack; a police officer who was on the scene told CNN the smoke from the guns set off the fire alarm in his room, leading the authorities there.

Lombardo did not offer any explanation for Paddocks actions, stating in a press conference: I cant get into the mind of a psychopath right now.

According to Gun Violence Archive, the events in Las Vegas mark the 273rd mass shooting in the U.S. in the 275 days of 2017.

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Nobel Prize for Physics awarded to gravitational wave scientists

The 2017 winners of the Nobel Prize for Physics were announced today. One half of the prize will go to Ranier Weiss from MIT, while the other half is being awarded jointly to Barry C. Barish and Kip S. Thorne, both from Caltech. The three scientists worked on gravitational wave observation, collaborating between the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) and Virgo, its European counterpart. The prize was awarded "for decisive contributions to the LIGO detector and the observation of gravitational waves," according to the Nobel Prize website.

The first confirmed detection of gravitational waves, caused by the collision of two black holes, occurred back in September of 2015. These ripples in spacetime were first predicted by Albert Einstein himself. Subsequent detections followed; the fourth, and most recent detection of gravitational waves occurred just last week. "Gravitational waves contain information about their explosive origins and the nature of gravity that cannot be obtained from other astronomical signals," said France Cordova, the director of the National Science Foundation. "These observations have created the new field of gravitational wave astronomy."

The committee chose these three men because the "2017 Nobel Laureates have, with their enthusiasm and determination, each been invaluable to the success of LIGO." Their hard work contributed to the project's success and ensured that the 40-year hunt for gravitational waves resulted in a successful detection. However, the good people over at Popular Science point out (and rightly so) that three men won the Nobel Prize in Physics for the hard work of over 1,000 people who worked on the project. They list the names of all the people who should be recognized for their contributions to the discovery of gravitational waves.
By Joyzel Acevedo and Kate Murphy

Police named Stephen Paddock, a 64-year-old former accountant, as the gunman who opened fire from a Las Vegas hotel room on a crowd of concertgoers below. Over 50 people have been killed and hundreds have been injured.

Sydney Sievers was there and said, It was the scariest time of my life. I thought it was over. I really did.

While ISIS has claimed responsibility for the shooting, the FBI says theres no link. FBI special agent in charge Aaron Rouse said, As this event unfolds, we have determined to this point no connection with an international terrorist group.

Only in America can whiteness prevent the man who conducted the deadliest mass shooting in American history from being called a terrorist.  Shaun King (@ShaunKing) October 2, 2017

My heart is breaking for Las Vegas. We need love, unity, peace, gun control & for people to look at this & call this what it is = terrorism.  Ariana Grande (@ArianaGrande) October 2, 2017

The lone wolf. The local shooter. The gunman. Any and everything, but terrorist. Wonder why.  Ava DuVernay (@ava) October 2, 2017

So why havent authorities named Paddock a terrorist?

It all comes down to motive.

According to CNN law enforcement analyst James Gagliano, Terrorism is defined as violence or intimidation in the pursuit of political goals.

In 2015, Dylann Roof opened fire and killed nine black congregants in a church in Charleston, S.C. Roof self-identified as a white supremacist, but that wasnt enough by federal standards to call him a terrorist.

Former federal prosecutor David S. Weinstein said of the case, Under the statutory definitions of something that would be domestic terrorism, it doesnt qualify. Hes not trying to influence a certain outcome of the government, hes not affecting interstate commerce, he hasnt received funding from some foreign or domestic organization.

However, according to a Nevada statute, motivation does not need to be established to define an attack as an act of terrorism.

It remains to be seen whether or not the shooting in Las Vegas will be called an act of terror.
Sulaimaniyah (Iraq) (AFP) - An ex-minister in Iraq's first post-invasion government will be the sole candidate for the presidency of the country's autonomous Kurdish region in a November election, an official said on Tuesday.

Mohammad Tofiq Rahim, 64, a staunch opponent of current Kurdish leader Massud Barzani who has repeatedly said he will not stand again for the post, was the only person to put forward his candidacy, the autonomous region's electoral chief said.

"By the deadline for candidates on Tuesday, we had received all the documents necessary for Mohammad Tofiq Rahim to be a candidate for the presidency of Kurdistan. He is the only person to have declared himself a candidate," electoral commission head Yari Hadji Omar told AFP by telephone from the regional capital Arbil.

The Kurdish region, which last week voted overwhelmingly in favour of independence in a referendum rejected both by Baghdad and by Iraq's neighbours Turkey and Iran, will hold presidential and legislative elections on November 1.

The electoral commission has approved 21 lists of candidates for the legislative vote.

Despite repeatedly saying he would not stand for re-election, Barzani has also been seen as reluctant to cede power.

Rahim, a former member of the Kurdish peshmerga security forces, is a member of Goran, a party strongly opposed to Barzani.

The most recent presidential vote in the autonomous Kurdish region was in 2009.

Originally, a presidential term of office was four years, but in 2013 parliament extended it by two years.

A general election was held in September 2013, but Kurdish parliamentary activity has been frozen since November 2015, enabling Barzani to remain in power.

Rahim has opposed Barzani's mandate being extended.

"The commission must now examine the documents and accept his candidacy," Hadji Omar said of Rahim.

In September 2003, Rahim became industry minister in the first Iraqi cabinet that followed the US-led invasion of Iraq and overthrow of Saddam Hussein.

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The September 25 referendum on Kurdish independence, a Barzani initiative, returned a resounding 92.73 percent "yes" result.

- Regional tensions -

But it also provoked a resounding "no" from Baghdad, Tehran and Ankara and sent regional tensions soaring.

Barzani's successor will have a heavy and urgent workload in the wake of the referendum result.

On Monday, Iraq and Iran -- previously sworn enemies that fought a devastating eight-year war in the 1980s -- staged joint military manoeuvres just across the border from Iraqi Kurdistan in Iran.

Iraq, Iran and Turkey all have sizeable Kurdish minorities and have taken measures to isolate Iraqi Kurdistan, including suspending international flights to and from its two main airports.

Iran has also slapped an indefinite ban on the transport of oil and energy products to and from Iraq's Kurdish region.

Officially comprising Arbil, Dohuk and Sulaimaniyah provinces, Iraqi Kurdistan also claims other territory including oil-rich Kirkuk province -- a dispute that is a major source of contention with Baghdad.

Tuesday's electoral commission announcement that only Rahim had registered to stand in the presidential election came shortly before the announcement of the death in Germany aged 83 of charismatic Kurdish leader Jalal Talabani, a former president of Iraq.

On Sunday, the Kurdish region replaced the referendum council with a body dubbed the Political Directorate of Kurdistan, seen by Barzani opponents as a way of him retaining control.

The new body includes members of the two main traditional parties, Barzani's Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and Talabani's Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK).

But it has been criticised including by Talabani's widow Hero Ibrahim Ahmed, a PUK leader.

She has called it "a gross error" and compared it to Saddam's Revolution Command Council, the real decision-making body under the dictator while the government had no role.
Parisians were encouraged to roller-blade, bike or stroll through the City of Light on Sunday for a "car-free" day intended to leave the streets vacant for slower, clean forms of transport.

Sunday marks the third time the French capital has experimented with a car ban, but it is by far the most ambitious with the zone set aside for pedestrians or cyclists covering the entire historic heart of the city -- 105 square kilometres (40 square miles).

"This initiative requires an enormous amount of preparation," city mayor Anne Hidalgo told Le Parisien newspaper on Sunday. "Particularly because this year the zone has been enlarged to the whole of Paris."

Hidalgo, a Socialist, was elected in 2014 promising to tackle pollution in the capital and she has focused on building new bus and cycle lanes and reclaiming roads -- leading critics to see her agenda as too radical and anti-car.

"What's it for?", grumbled Pierre Chasseray, the head of the lobby group "40 million drivers" when asked about the car-free day by AFP. "It's just PR to say that cars aren't good."

The restrictions came into force at 11:00 am local time (0900 GMT) and will last until 6:00 pm (1600 GMT).

Although billed officially as "The Day without Cars", some exceptions apply, meaning the streets are not completely deserted: taxis, buses and emergency or social services vehicles are allowed to drive.

Residents who need to use their vehicle to visit an elderly or handicapped person or with a genuine emergency are also allowed to ply the streets, though they must respect a 30 kilometre an hour (20 miles an hour) speed limit in place.

Hundreds of police and city officials have been deployed to check on drivers, with fines for unauthorised driving ranging from 90-135 euros (105-159 dollars).

"The aim is simply to enjoy the city in a different way," said Paris city transport official Christophe Najdovski on Friday. "It's a day that is meant to be educational, fun and friendly."
Las Vegas shooting victims The names of the 59 victims of the Las Vegas shooting have started to be revealed.

A school teacher and a registered nurse who died shielding his wife from gunfire are among the 59 victims of the Las Vegas shooting.

As the United States comes to terms with its deadliest ever mass shooting, details have started to emerge about the lives of those who died.

They were killed when Stephen Craig Paddock opened fire on an outdoor country music concert from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel tower on the Las Vegas Strip.

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Friends waited for text messages that never came, families learned the worst from hospitals and local authorities.

In a few cases, families were still frantically searching for news.

Many have launched fundraising campaigns for the children and families left behind, while others have vowed to start scholarship funds in their loved ones names.

Here are some of the victims named so far in the tragedy.
Stephen Paddock (Photo: Facebook)

As mass shootings have become almost routine in America  at least 1,518 have taken place since 2012s Sandy Hook massacre, according to the Gun Violence Archive  so too have the details that have typically emerged about the shooters themselves in the hours after these heinous attacks.

He kept to himself, a co-worker will say. (The perpetrator is almost always a he.) Didnt talk much, others will add. Troubled. Angry. Political. Ideological. Bigoted. Even mentally ill. The portrait never matches up in every single one of these respects  but most of the time, its fairly close.

The strange and scary thing about multimillionaire real estate investor Stephen Craig Paddock, the 64-year-old Nevada resident who secretly hauled 10 or more rifles to the 32nd floor of Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas on Sunday before opening fire on concertgoers below, killing at least 58 and injuring more than 489, is that few if any of the details that have surfaced at this point play to type.

A mass killers biography usually helps explain his actions, offering hope that the next shooter can somehow be stopped.

But so far, the man behind the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history is too much of an enigma to provide even that coldest of comforts.

We have no idea how or why this happened, Paddocks brother, Eric, told ABC News, adding that there is exactly no reason for this and that there are no secrets in his [brothers] past.

Eric Paddock, left, brother of Las Vegas gunman Stephen Paddock, speaks to members of the media outside his home in Orlando, Fla. Paddock told the Orlando Sentinel: We are completely dumbfounded. We cant understand what happened. (Photo: John Raoux/AP)

As they drill into his life, there will be nothing to be found, Paddock concluded. We dont understand.

(ISIS released a statement claiming Paddock as a late convert to Islam and a member of the terror group, but as of late Monday, there was no corroboration of the claim. A quick Google search suggests there is no mosque in Mesquite, a city of about 17,000.)

Before Sunday, Stephen Paddock seemed be easing into his older years in relatively unremarkable fashion.

He lived in a new cookie-cutter house in Mesquite, Nev., 80 miles northeast of Las Vegas.

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With the exception of minor citation, now resolved, he had never had a run-in with the law, either in Las Vegas, Mesquite or Texas, where he lived before moving to Nevada.

Paddock was active, being both a licensed hunter and pilot who owned two planes, according to public records.

Police personnel stand outside the home of Stephen Paddock in Mesquite, Nev., Oct. 2, 2017. (Photo: Mesquite Police via AP)

To earn his private pilot license, which recently lapsed, Paddock would have had to prove that he hadnt been diagnosed with psychosis, bipolar disorder or any severe personality disorder.

Paddock wasnt a loner, either: He had a girlfriend, 62-year-old Marilou Danley, and he had been married before, 27 years ago, to a woman now living in Southern California.

And Paddock did well financially, first as an accountant or auditor (at one point for Lockheed Martin), then buying, selling and managing properties, and finally, in retirement, as a professional gambler (his term) who, according to a Washington Post report, would take frequent trips to Las Vegas with Danley to play high-stakes poker.

Neighbors in Florida, where Paddock owned another home, described to the Posts reporters a couple that lived on Vegas time, staying up till midnight and sleep[ing] in till noon  which is unusual, perhaps, for most 60-somethings, but less so for the tens of thousands of casino goers who populate the Silver State.

My brother is not like you and me, Eric Paddock told the Post. He sends me a text that says he won $250,000 at the casino.

Eric Paddock, left, with his brother, Stephen Craig Paddock. (Photo: John Raoux/AP)

Some neighbors in Reno, Nev., where Stephen Paddock owned yet another home, told the Posts reporters that he was reclusive or quiet or unfriendly. But others, in Mesquite and Florida, where Paddock seemed to spend more time, said that he was a good neighbor and that there was nothing strange about him.

Either way, these conflicting accounts could accurately describe the same person; moods change. Neither, however, suggests a man on the verge of shooting hundreds of people.

By far the most unusual thing about Paddock isnt really about Paddock at all. Paddocks father, Benjamin Hoskins Paddock, it turns out, was a notorious criminal himself; he even appeared on the FBIs Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list from 1969 to 1977. Born in Wisconsin in 1926, the elder Paddock, whose nicknames included Old Baldy and Chromedome, robbed banks in Arizona, escaped prison in Texas and tried to start a new life in Oregon as Bingo Bruce, the manager of a bingo parlor  an effort that ended in 1987 when the state attorney general filed seven bingo-related racketeering charges against him. As an FBI wanted poster once put it, the elder Paddock was a man who had been diagnosed as psychopathic, seemed to have suicidal tendencies and should be considered armed and very dangerous.

Left, an FBI Ten Most Wanted poster of Benjamin Hoskins Paddock, left, and a 1977 file photo of Paddock, who went by the name Bruce Ericksen when he was on the lam in Lane County, Ore., following his escape from a federal prison in Texas where he had been sentenced for bank robberies. Paddocks son, Stephen Paddock, was the gunman who opened fire on a country music festival in Las Vegas on Sunday. (Photos: FBI and Wayne Eastburn/Register-Guard via AP)

Perhaps Stephen Paddock inherited some of those traits from his father; perhaps they lay dormant until the son hit his mid-60s and decided, suddenly, to commit mass murder. The rapid spread on social media of stories about Bingo Bruce suggests that we want to believe as much.

Or perhaps not. We simply dont know. So far  and its early yet  all we know is what Paddocks brother Eric has told us.

Theres absolutely no sense, no reason he did this, Eric Paddock told the Post. Hes just a guy who played video poker and took cruises and ate burritos at Taco Bell. Theres no political affiliation that we know of. Theres no religious affiliation that we know of.

We know nothing, Paddock concluded.

Eventually, more information will surface. But right now, in a moment when were used to explaining these shooters in familiar terms  religious, political, psychological, whatever  none of the usual explanations apply. Stephen Craig Paddock seems as if he could have been anyone. And that, ultimately, may be the most terrifying thing about him.

_____
By Pete Schroeder WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The personal information of two individuals was compromised in a recently uncovered hack of a Securities and Exchange Commission database, according to the agency's chairman. Chairman Jay Clayton said in a statement Monday that additional forensic analysis had found that the Social Security numbers, dates of birth, and names of two individuals were made available to the hackers after they breached the SEC's corporate filing system known as EDGAR. The agency is reaching out to those people and offering them identity theft protection services. Clayton had previously said no personally identifiable information had been accessed in the breach, which occurred in 2016. In his statement Monday, Clayton said the agency was still working to determine if additional individuals' information may have been compromised. In addition, Clayton said the SEC is immediately hiring additional staff and outside technology consultants to review and improve its existing cybersecurity policies and practices. The agency is also reviewing its use of EDGAR, including reviewing the types of data companies can submit to it, as well as whether that database is the appropriate mechanism for gathering that sort of information. Clayton said the agency is committing more resources to its efforts to modernize EDGAR, and expects to commit even more in the future. He added that there are five separate reviews under way at the SEC following the hack. The Office of Inspector General, Division of Enforcement, and Office of General Counsel are all conducting separate probes into the hack, while the agency is also reviewing EDGAR and its cybersecurity in general. However, Clayton cautioned that there could be "substantial time" before those reviews are complete. (Reporting by Pete Schroeder; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Andrea Ricci)
Leading progressive organizations hope to turn the reform of government surveillance programs into a litmus test for 2020 presidential candidates.

In a letter to congressional Democrats, 34 groups, led by the digital rights-focused Demand Progress Action, demand new protections for civil liberties in the reauthorization of a key surveillance law. The groups favor allowing the expiration of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which enables the federal government to search the electronic communications of Americans without a warrant.

Given the political difficulty of such a goal, however, the groups are trying to leverage Democrats fear of overreach by President Donald Trump to unite the party behind a more limited, but nonetheless sweeping, set of reforms aimed at preventing surveillance of Americans without a warrant.

The Trump administration has made no secret of its desire to criminalize people of color and activists, the letter says. No Democrat should support a law that grants Trump the ability to spy  without a court-issued warrant  on the more than 325 million people that live in this country.

Section 702, which Congress added to FISA in 2008, allows the attorney general and director of national intelligence to order the surveillance of non-Americans reasonably believed to be located outside the United States for the collection of foreign intelligence information.

The provision is the legal basis for two digital data collection programs revealed by former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden in June 2013. The NSA uses its Prism program to collect data from Google, Facebook, Apple and Microsoft that is sent to or from a foreigner targeted for national security or intelligence reasons, and its upstream collection picks up communications from the international fiber-optic cables that transport phone and internet data across borders.

The law limits data collection to foreigners not on United States soil, but it places no such limits on searching already-collected data. As a result, civil liberties groups say, the provision has been used to create a back-door search mechanism granting the government access to data involving U.S. citizens, green-card holders, and foreigners living in the U.S. who corresponded with a targeted foreigner.

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Until April, the NSAs Upstream program had been collecting data on Americans whose electronic communications contained the contact information of a targeted foreigner, even if a foreigner targeted for security or intelligence purposes was not involved in the correspondence. That tactic is known as about collection.

The NSA discontinued the practice after it could not find a way to maintain it and remain in compliance with FISA court rules permitting the Upstream program.

But were it not for Snowdens leaks, civil liberties advocates noted, the about searching would never have been discovered and stopped. (Snowden argued on Twitter that the cessation of the practice would be the most substantive of the post-2013 NSA reforms, if the principle is applied to all other programs.)

Progressive organizations believe wariness of Attorney General Jeff Session and President Donald Trump could solidify Democratic support for major surveillance reform. (Photo: Taylor Hill/ Getty Images)

For Demand Progress Action  and allies on the letter, including the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund, Color of Change, and Credo  the exposure shows that FISA courts alone are not enough to ensure that the federal government respects the constitutional right to privacy enshrined in the Fourth Amendment. Demand Progress Actions policy arm documented numerous other violations of FISA rules in a September report, making the case that FISA courts have proven incapable of deterring intelligence agency abuses under Section 702.

Section 702 has grown into a tool so powerful that it is changing the way innocent people speak and associate, the letter says.

Left unchecked, the federal government, particularly under Trumps leadership, is liable to abuse its powers in even more pernicious ways, the letter says. It points to intelligence agencies historic use of mass surveillance to engage in political persecution against Martin Luther King Jr. and other progressive leaders as an indication of what is possible.

Surveillance has always been justified on the back of national security concerns, even though on many occasions it has been employed to counter progressive reform movements, and it invariably disproportionately targets communities of color and people working for social change, the letter says.

The progressive organizations propose far-reaching reforms. They want Congress to write into the law the NSAs cessation of about searches in which neither correspondent is a foreigner based in a different country. Further, they would have Congress explicitly forbid the federal government from accessing the data of U.S. citizens, green-card holders and foreigners living in the United States without a court-issued warrant.

Additionally, they are pressing Congress to force the NSA to disclose how much data it has collected on American citizens, green-card holders and foreigners on U.S. soil, and require the Department of Justices Office of Legal Counsel to explain how it is interpreting Section 702.

The groups are also seeking to revise a procedure known as parallel construction, in which the government uses secretly collected information against defendants without disclosing to them or courts the origin of the evidence. The practice prevents Americans and foreigners living in the U.S. from challenging evidence prosecutors launder from national security-related searches and later share with other law enforcement authorities.

Finally, the progressive groups are trying to limit the re-authorization of the FISA Act to a single year so that Congress and the public have the opportunity to re-examine how (and if) the Trump-run surveillance agencies operate under the framework it enshrines.

Even under President Barack Obama, civil libertarians had limited success curtailing the authority of the NSA and other intelligence agencies, thanks to post-9/11 laws expanding their powers.

A June 2015 reform entitled the USA Freedom Act transferred the storage of phone data previously held by the NSA to phone companies and required the federal government to petition a federal court to search the cache.

But civil liberties groups, including Demand Progress Action, considered the measure a fig leaf for real reform, arguing that the NSAs practice of searching personal data on tens of millions of Americans would continue through a different process.

In December 2012, prior to Snowdens revelations, Congress quietly renewed the 2008 amendments to the FISA Act for five years.

Support for substantial reform of the FISA Act has grown stronger in libertarian wings of both parties, but political backing for the status quo has proven resilient. A bipartisan amendment to the annual defense spending bill that would have barred the NSA from using federal dollars to conduct back-door searches on Americans data passed the House twice in 2014 and 2015, before being stripped out in the Senate. In June 2016, following the massacre at the Orlando nightclub, the House defeated the amendment by a narrow margin.

Ahead of the December deadline for reauthorization of the FISA Act, the prospects for deep reforms of the kind advocated by organizations like Demand Progress Action and libertarian conservative outfits like FreedomWorks has grown more remote  not least because of the Trump administrations hostility to those efforts. A White House official said in March that the administration supports a clean reauthorization free from reforms aimed at buttressing privacy rights.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats, FBI Director Chris Wray and NSA Director Michael Rogers are likely to make their views known in a classified briefing on Section 702 for members of Congress on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, a group of hawkish Senate Republicans led by Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) introduced a bill in June that would permanently reauthorize Section 702.

David Segal, executive director of Demand Progress Action, said the groups effort aims to consolidate Democratic support for reform.

There is a broad set of Democratic activists and voters who are very concerned about affording these sorts of powers to Trump, Segal said. Theyll be watching how everybody votes on this issue with particular attention to people running for president  Sens. Bernie Sanders, Kamala Harris, Kirsten Gillibrand, Corey Booker and others  when they consider who has the interests of communities that comprise the Democratic Party in mind.

Democrats who may have been less sensitive to those concerns under the Obama administration might reconsider now that Trump is president, according to Segal.

Because they trusted Obama, they helped erect surveillance structures that amount to a turnkey tyranny that Donald Trump can steward, Segal said. Theres now an understanding of the danger of having people like Trump and Jeff Sessions having control over these extraordinary powers.

Also on HuffPost

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A man holds up a sign during a protest against racism gathered in front of the White House, on August 14, 2017 in Washington, DC.

Protestors rally on Fifth Avenue near Trump Tower.

Hundreds of protesters gather outside of Trump Tower.

A woman raises her fist at the front of a march down Washington Avenue to protest racism and the violence over the weekend in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Protestors rally on Fifth Avenue near Trump Tower ahead of President Donald Trump's arrival, August 14, 2017 in New York City.

Supporters of anti-Trump protestors hold up signs inside Trump Tower ahead of President Donald Trump's arrival, August 14, 2017 in New York City.

Pedestrians walk past a 15-foot tall inflatable rat in the likeness of U.S. President Donald Trump at the corner of Fifth Avenue and 59th Street up the road from Trump Tower, August 14, 2017 in New York City.

A President Donald Trump supporter (left) argues with anti-Trump protesters as they gather outside of Trump Tower.

Protestors rally on Fifth Avenue near Trump Tower.

Hundreds of protesters gather outside of Trump Tower.

Protestors rally on Fifth Avenue.

A man holds up a sign during a protest against racism in front of the White House.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
SIU political science internship to honor Barb Brown

by Pete Rosenbery

CARBONDALE, Ill.  An internship offered by Southern Illinois University Carbondales Department of Political Science is being renamed to honor the life and legacy of a longtime local, state and national political figure and public servant.

The Barb Brown Springfield Internship places well-qualified students with government agencies, select elected officials, political interest groups and lobbying organizations during the spring semester to coincide with the Illinois legislative session. The internship honors Brown, an SIU alumna and former political science lecturer for more than 30 years, who passed away in May 2016.

The paid internship is open to junior and senior political science majors and includes students who have a double major. Students can receive up to 15 hours of academic credit. Interns will perform a variety of tasks, including legislative and policy research, committee monitoring, and other activities focused on lobbying.

I was happy to learn of the decision of the Department of Political Science to name the Springfield internship program in memory of Barb, Browns husband, Richard, said. I know how much she worked to develop the internship opportunities for the students of the department so that they could enjoy the experience of working in fields of government related services as students.

Because of her many contacts and friends in Springfield, she was able to develop continuing opportunities for students of the department, he added. I know that it would be her hope that the cooperation she received for placement of the students will continue for the education of future students in the department.

Brown was Randolph County circuit clerk from 2000 to 2012, earned her doctorate from SIU Carbondale in 1985. She taught American government and democracy classes to international students through a summer program funded by the U.S. Department of State.

Brown was co-founder and former president of the Illinois Womens Institute for Leadership; vice-chair for the Democratic Party of Illinois; co-founder and president of Southwestern Illinois Democratic Women, and founder and president of Southern Illinois Democratic Women. She was a precinct committeewoman, former chair of the Randolph County Democratic Central Committee, and treasurer for the Pierre Menard Democrat Club. She was a nine-time delegate to the Democratic National Convention, a two-time candidate for 58th State Senate District, and served roles in the presidential campaigns of President Bill Clinton and President Barack Obama.

Brown helped establish the American Cancer Societys Relay for Life in Randolph County, served on the Chester Public Library Board of Trustees, started and led Chester Aces 4-H club, and was a longtime Rotary International member and an organizing member of the Daughters of the American Revolution Liberty of the West chapter.

The paid internship is open to junior and senior political science majors and includes students who have a double major. Students can receive up to 15 hours of academic credit. Interns will perform a variety of tasks, including legislative and policy research, committee monitoring, and other activities focused on lobbying.

Randy Burnside, associate professor, is program director. For more information, contact Burnside at 453-3174 or burnside@siu.edu.

Liz Brown-Reeves recalls that Brown was the first woman she personally met who had a passion for politics and public service. Brown was her professor, Model Illinois Government adviser, mentor and friend, Brown-Reeves said.

From a legislative internship in Springfield, to later working on the legislative staff of House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago and then opening her own lobbying firm that sponsors SIU Carbondale interns, Brown-Reeves said she and Brown remained close.

The direction and guidance of Barb Brown in my life has been a cornerstone for my success, Brown-Reeves said.
After a full decade together, Rachel Bilson and Hayden Christensen are definitely done -- and there's a $3.25 million check to prove it.

That's how much Bilson just paid for a 6-bedroom home in Pasadena, Variety reports. The sale price was significantly higher than the $3 million asking price, so while we can't speak on her feelings for Christensen, Bilson is definitely in love with this home!

Bilson and Christensen, who dated for a decade before announcing their split earlier this year, previously lived together in a four-bedroom ranch-style home above Sherman Oaks. That property was sold earlier this year to Barry Perlman, the co-founder of Lucky Brand, for $3.8 million.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Bilson's new purchase resembles her old home: While it's nearly 3,700 square feet, it's much more conservative than those Hollywood mega-mansions seen in magazines. Nestled on a private lane in "one of Pasadena's wealthiest and most coveted neighborhoods," it was built in 1950 and has a very retro feel.

Bilson and Christensen share a daughter, Briar Rose, born in 2014. the two were engaged for about a year.
In what appears to be the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history, a gunman opened fire Sunday night on a crowd at the Route 91 Harvest Festival at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, killing at least 50 people and wounding hundreds more.

SWAT teams quickly descended after receiving reports of gunfire near the Route 91 Harvest Festival. Officials confirmed later that the shooter  identified by police as 64-year-old Stephen C. Paddock and now dead after an encounter with law enforcement  shot at the concertgoers from high above on the 32nd floor of the gold glass Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino.

The death toll the shooting at the Route 91 Harvest Festival surpasses the Orlando shooting at the Pulse nightclub in June 2016, when 49 people were killed.

Heres what you need to know about where this happened.

What is the Route 91 Harvest Festival?

The open-air festival, nicknamed the neon sleepover is three days of some of the big names in country music spread across a 15-acre concrete lot underneath the glittery Las Vegas skyline. Its been held there for for the past four years.

Who was performing at the festival?

Headliner Jason Aldean was the chart-topping country star performing when the shooting took place.

Tonight has been beyond horrific. I still dont know what to say but wanted to let everyone know that Me and my Crew are safe. My Thoughts and prayers go out to everyone involved tonight. It hurts my heart that this would happen to anyone who was just coming out to enjoy what should have been a fun night. #heartbroken #stopthehate A post shared by Jason Aldean (@jasonaldean) on Oct 2, 2017 at 1:17am PDT

Jake Owen, who has toured with Aldean, Brad Paisley and Kenny Chesney, was also onstage when the shooting began. He took to Twitter to express his sorrow for those did not survive the shooting at the Route 91 Harvest Festival at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.

Praying for everyone here in Vegas. I witnessed the most unimaginable event tonight. We are okay. Others arent. Please pray.  Jake Owen (@jakeowen) October 2, 2017

Counted among the lineup of 35 acts are Eric Church, Sam Hunt, Ashley McBryde, Maren Morris, Big & Rich and Midland all performed during the weekend.

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How many people showed up at the festival?

Police say the gunman shot down at the crowd of more than 22,000 people from a room on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. (The villages capacity is 25,000.)

the two Mandalay Bay hotel room windows blown out by the gunman from the 32nd Floor, now visible as the sun rises over Vegas: pic.twitter.com/t2XdO1UzDZ  J.D. Durkin (@jiveDurkey) October 2, 2017

What was the festival venue like?

Doors opened at 2 p.m. every day, and the festivities shut down around midnight, according to the festivals website. Organizers only sold three-day passes for $210, and the venue was mostly concrete. The main stage was AstroTurf. There wasnt parking, so Uber rides were encouraged. Plenty of families piled into RVs to travel there to dance, and children younger than six got in free.

What do we know about the Mandalay Bay hotel?

With more than 3,000 rooms and 43 stories, the popular Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino hotel opened on the south end of the Las Vegas Strip in 1999. Two main draws are gambling at the tables and concerts. Janet Jackson and Arcade Fire are scheduled to perform there in October. Costs change, but as of Monday morning, you could get a room with two queen beds there for around $500 a night.

More than 50 dead as Mandalay Bay Las Vegas shooting becomes worst in U.S. history https://t.co/Je4ZtD3IIh pic.twitter.com/7I84uBkFzI  TIME (@TIME) October 2, 2017

What were the safety regulations at the festival?

Security guards were on site. Fans could bring beach chairs, binoculars, vapes, motorized scooters, and strollers. No stuffed animals, drones, selfie sticks or weapons like box cutters, knives or bats were allowed.
Some in Silicon Valley arent quite sure what to make of SoftBank and its massive, roughly $100 billion Vision Fund. At times, they say privately, it looks like a drunken gunslinger, firing off massive checks in quick succession.

But sources close to SoftBank say there is a method to its madness. In fact, these same sources say SoftBanks investors believe they'll see at least a 20 percent internal rate of return (IRR) over time from Vision Fund as it funds whole sectors being disrupted by artificial intelligence and machine learning -- from pharma, to utilities, to ridesharing -- and whose data SoftBank can leverage into an endless stream of opportunities.

The idea, these people say, is not to produce venture-like returns. The idea is instead to return more money to investors than private equity firms like KKR, whose first 18 private equity funds wound up delivering more than two times total capital invested on a gross basis, and produced a net IRR of 18.9 percent. Says one source close to SoftBank, "If someone is investing in [Vision Fund], he's expecting to get better returns than with KKR and Blackstone."

Indeed, 20 percent IRR over seven years -- the time SoftBank estimates it will take most of Vision Fund's bets to play out -- is the "worst-case scenario" says one source. "Best case," adds this person, is "investors get close to what Masa has done in the past."

It's a reference to the 44 percent IRR on investments that SoftBank can boast over its 18-year history, though more than one critic has noted that much of this number is rooted in SoftBank founder Masayoshi Son's early bet on Alibaba, beginning in 2000. Son would eventually pour $58 million into the company; those holdings, which SoftBank maintains, save for a $10 billion chunk it sold to finance another purchase, are currently worth $130 billion.

Higher and higher

Doing back-of-the-napkin math on this 20 percent IRR -- whether over seven years or a more traditional 10-year time frame -- would translate into between $130 billion and $430 billion for SoftBank's investors -- minus its initial investments, management fees and the debt that makes up roughly $44 billion of Vision Fund's total holdings.

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That's a whole lot of capital to generate for limited partners, so how does it do it? SoftBank thinks it can get there largely through ridesharing, say sources familiar with its thinking. More specifically, SoftBank is counting on the smooth evolution of todays rideshare companies into vast networks of self-driving taxis.

It has already made an array of bets that underscore this theme, including on the China-based ride-hail giant Didi Chuxing; in Grab, the dominant ride-hail startup in Southeast Asia; and in Ola, India's leading ride-hailing company, which reportedly closed on $2 billion just yesterday, including from SoftBank.

Helping grow a U.S. player is also crucial to its strategy, and SoftBank has been openly unsentimental about whether that means funding Uber or Lyft, though Uber would seem to be its strong preference. Says one source close of a meeting that's slated to take place today, wherein Uber's directors will vote on whether to go forward with a $10 billion stock sale to SoftBank: Uber should be scared of SoftBank funding Lyft. They better take [the money].

Well see soon enough how scared or not Uber may be of scorning SoftBank. Certainly, though, concern about the companies that SoftBank doesnt fund is growing in Silicon Valley.

Asked onstage earlier this month about SoftBanks impact on Silicon Valley, venture capitalist Steve Jurvetson of DFJ called SoftBank a kingmaker of sorts thats giving a massive infusion to some companies and not others.

"In the long run, Jurvetson said, thats just noise. The better product and service should win. In the short run, he continued, it could [create] some interesting shifts in the outcomes of companies that would otherwise be in a normal horse race.

Another source who invested recently in the two-year-old, indoor farming company Bowery Farming, said he was taken aback when SoftBank led a $200 million investment in a competitor, Plenty, just one month after Bowery closed its latest round. Bowery has raised $31 million from VCs. "It definitely gives you pause," says this investor.

Down to the wire

Still, even as SoftBank barrels forward -- Vision Fund has so far deployed $20 billion, including investments in U.S. chipmaker Nvidia and the co-working juggernaut WeWork -- questions over its pacing and strategy remain.

Last week, at a small event hosted by this editor in San Francisco, venture capitalist Megan Quinn of Spark Capital acknowledged that there have been times when a company is talking with firms like hers about a sub-$100 million round, and SoftBank has entered the picture "and is like, here's $200 million!"

Quinn likened the deals to "baby buyouts," saying that SoftBank is buying more of its portfolio companies than do traditional investors, sometimes because "SoftBank has been able to convince them that something that looks like a baby buyout is actually the right round for them."

Other times, she added, "the company [that's fundraising] has not been able to raise from traditional Series C investors, so theyre looking for something more meaningful -- someone with more ownership opportunity."

Asked about these comments, one source close to the Vision Fund tells us, "If you can show [SoftBank] where it can invest $10 million and make a billion, who is going to say no? But how many opportunities are out there like that? If you think about size of the fund and you think about whats going to move the needle, then its fair to say [its team] has to invest a few hundred million in something. Otherwise, its not worthwhile."

Some say that no matter what SoftBank's aim -- whether to produce venture- or instead private-equity-like returns -- pouring so much money into tech over a relatively short period is a strategy that's difficult to grasp.

Speaking alongside Quinn at the same gathering, investor Jules Maltz of Institutional Venture Partners meanwhile questioned SoftBank's math, saying it "has some challenges.

"If you think about trying to return $100 billion, you dont just want to get the money back; you want to make a return on that," said Maltz. "So you probably want $200 billion, meaning you want to double your money, which is good."

Still, said Maltz, "after fees and all that, SoftBank's investors [get less than $100 billion in profit]. When you then think that [SoftBank's] average ownership [stake] is between 15 and 20 percent, and you think about how much liquidity they have to generate in terms of the companies sold in that fund just for them to hit the relatively modest returns of doubling the fund, you start realizing they need more than $1 trillion of market cap in their companies."

That's possible if "they get the next Alibaba, the next Facebook," said Maltz. "And I think that must be what they are going for . . . but . . . I dont think they can do it."

Out of the fire

VC Jeff Bussgang of Flybridge Capital Partners seems to suggest it doesn't matter -- that given how fast the money is being put to work, investors should expect that SoftBank will be raising another $100 billion fund soon enough.

"It's incredibly inflationary when that much capital flows into the system," says Bussgang, who says SoftBank routinely pays twice the prices that even deep-pocketed mutual fund investors are willing to pay because it can.

Thanks to that 20 percent IRR that it's targeting, "[Vision Fund] can pay what they're paying. They've promised their LPs a lower return threshold, so they can underwrite to those lower returns while projecting much bigger outcomes."

What "people don't appreciate," adds Bussgang, is that this is just the beginning. "Son is providing a way for sovereign wealth funds to invest $2 billion at a time into an asset class they can't otherwise access," he says.

"If they want to invest through a Spark or an IVP, the most [of their capital that they can invest through the funds] is, say, $50 million. Vision Fund meanwhile [accommodates] a flow of capital that hasnt had a way of accessing this highly fragmented market."

Unsurprisingly, those close to SoftBank's thinking say that the fund is simply misunderstood.

Asked, for example, about the giant checks that Vision Fund is writing, and whether these could limit the upside for its portfolio companies' employees, limit the companies' exit options or promote the kind of reckless spending that has killed many a promising company, these loyalists argue that SoftBank is anything but careless in its check writing, noting that SoftBank typically demands board seats and certain rights that protect its investments.

"I don't think it's overfunding companies," says one source. "The team is definitely holding companies' feet to the fire to ensure they allocate their resources the right way."

It's also not funding as many companies as the press would have people believe, says this same source, saying specifically of the self-driving car startup Zoox that SoftBank will "not fund it in this lifetime." (A report last month spawned many more reports that the company was in discussions with SoftBank for a round that could value the company at upwards of $4 billion.)

Zoox, which reportedly hired a group of 17 Apple auto engineers in late August, after Apple abandoned its own plans to build a vehicle, declined to comment for this story.

Watch it go, bling!

Despite the massive checks it's writing, SoftBank has already appeared somewhat fallible at times.

Last week, for example, just one month after leading a $1.1 billion investment in a biopharma holding company called Roivant, a widely awaited drug candidate that would have been a blockbuster for one of Roivant's subsidiaries, Axovant, was deemed ineffective.

Axovant's formerly high-flying shares tanked on the news; Roivant remains the company's biggest shareholder.

It was a crushing development for Roivant. Yet in what could serve as a reminder that it's too early to judge SoftBank's strategy, Roivant received more promising news yesterday, when a Phase 3 trial in which another of its subsidiaries is involved produced positive results.

Says one source close to SoftBank, "If mistakes have been made so far, no one will know for another 18 months."

This person points to Nvidia, whose value has risen since SoftBank invested $4 billion into the publicly traded company in May, when the company's shares were trading at $137 apiece. (They now trade at $180.) "Whatever is visible," he added, "has made money."
By Abdi Sheikh MOGADISHU (Reuters) - Somalia has received $50 million in new aid from Saudi Arabia but the gesture does not change the central government's decision to remain neutral in Riyadh's dispute with fellow Gulf state Qatar, a senior Somali official said on Tuesday. The money follows a visit to Riyadh last week by Somalia's president and a string of declarations of support for the Saudi side in the Gulf crisis from Somalia's semi-autonomous regions, into which Riyadh and its Gulf Arab allies have poured money Somali Information Minister Abdirahman Omar Osman, announcing the $50 million in Saudi aid, told Reuters that the government appreciated Saudi financial support and called the bilateral relationship "brotherly...and deep". However, he said: "There is no need for us to side with one country over the other". A Saudi government spokesman did not respond to a request for comment. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain cut diplomatic and trade links - including air and shipping routes - with Qatar in June, accusing it of supporting terrorism, a charge it denies. Qatar is the world's biggest exporter of liquefied natural gas and hosts the Gulf's biggest U.S. military base. Unlike Saudi Arabia, Qatar is not a major trade partner for Somalia. However, Somali media say Qatar helped finance the presidential campaign of Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, elected earlier this year. Somali neutrality is important for Qatar as Somali air space remains open for Qatar Airways, a critical lifeline against the blockade. Somalia is also strategically located on the Gulf of Aden, one of the world's busiest shipping lanes. Somalia's position is delicate - it relies on significant trade with Saudi Arabia but is increasingly close to Turkey, which is supporting Qatar in the Gulf crisis. Somali ties with wealthy Saudi Arabia have grown as it tries to rebuild after two decades of war and quell Islamist al-Shabaab insurgents. But Western powers and Turkey remain among the biggest and more prominent donors to Somalia. Turkey opened a military base in Mogadishu on Saturday. [L8N1MB0CN] Last year, Somalia received a $50 million aid pledge from Saudi Arabia on the same day it announced it was cutting relations with Saudi rival Iran. (Additional reporting by Maggie Fick in Nairobi and Stephen Kalin in Riyadh; writing by Maggie Fick; editing by Mark Heinrich)
Madrid (AFP) - The expulsion of police from their hotels in Catalonia under pressure from street protests illustrates Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy's growing struggle to keep control of the separatist-minded region, analysts say.

Police were able to close only about four percent of the polling stations while carrying out a violence-marred crackdown on would-be voters on Sunday, as regional leaders pushed ahead with a banned independence referendum.

Angered by the crackdown, an estimated 300,000 people took to the streets of Barcelona on Tuesday, shouting "occupation forces out".

Hundreds of police officers sent to the region to block the vote were chased out of their hotels by protesters who gathered outside.

For many Spaniards, such scenes highlight a growing sense that the authorities in Madrid are losing their grip on Catalonia.

"They are losing control, it is clear. And the government of the nation is taking steps in a very dangerous direction," Javier Perez Royo, a constitutional law professor at the University of Seville, told AFP.

Spain's King Felipe, the head of state, will address the nation at 9:00 pm (1900 GMT), in a sign that the crisis is deepening.

- Pelting eggs -

Images broadcast on Spanish television showed a crowd of people jeering and pounding on a van taking national police officers away from a hotel in Catalonia.

Locals have thrown eggs and fruit at a barracks housing Civil Guard military police, said Alfonso Merino, a spokesman in Barcelona for the main union representing officers of the force, the AUGC.

"The state is not doing enough. We don't see it," he said.

For Antonio Torres del Moral, a specialist in constitutional law, the Catalan regional government, or Generalitat, "has the initiative and the central government is running behind them clumsily trying to plug the holes."

"The Generalitat has created two or three slogans -- 'Spain robs us,' 'the right to decide', 'We are not subjects' -- and the state none. Their efficiency has been extraordinary," he added.

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"It seems like the government has failed to control the situation and that it lost many points in Catalonia and in the court of international opinion."

- Defiant yet dependent -

Catalonia's leaders have pledged to declare independence from Spain in the wake of the vote, though their next move remains uncertain.

Torres del Moral said he was surprised that Catalonia's financial dependence on the central government had not stopped pro-separatist lawmakers from pushing ahead with their secession plans.

International ratings agencies have given Catalonia a low, "speculative" credit rating, meaning it has difficulty borrowing directly on financial markets and must depend on loans from the Spain's central government.

"They boldly and successfully challenge the state even though they are indebted to it," Torres del Moral said.

Torres added that he fears judges -- who have been thrust into the front lines of the bid to block the referendum by ordering the closure of polling stations -- will eventually become demoralised.

"They agreed to prosecute some personalities, they did their job and despite that, what remains in the minds of international opinion are the images of repression," he said.

Videos beamed around the world showed police dragging voters from polling stations by their hair, throwing people down stairs and attacking Catalan firefighters protecting polling stations.

- 'Clear disobedience' -

Luis Rodriguez Vega, president of the Professional Judges' Association of Catalonia, said he did not believe the state "has lost control".

"But there is a clear disobedience and the proof of this if the holding of the referendum," he said.

Court decisions are "applied with a great deal of difficulty" in the face of the "dictatorship of regional institutions that do not accept the constraints of the constitution or the courts," he added.

Rajoy's critics accuse him of hiding behind judges in the face of the separatist challenge.

"You can't leave the problem solely in the hands of the courts, judges and prosecutors," said Emilio Fernandez, president of the UPF union of Spanish prosecutors.

"You need a political response in addition to a police and legal response," he said.

Jose Cobo, a spokesman for members of Spain's Guardia Civil police force, said the government found itself trapped when Catalonia's regional police force, the Mossos d'Esquadra, failed to close polling stations as ordered, leaving the task to national police.

"If we let them carry out the referendum, we are not carrying out our mission. If we send police to stop it, it is repression," Cobo said.

"Maybe we could have sent more police, but whatever we do, we lose."
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump board Air Force One for a trip to Puerto Rico: AP

Donald Trump has described Stephen Paddock  who killed 59 people and injured more than 500 in America's deadliest mass killing in modern history  as a very sick, demented man.

Multiple government agencies are investigating what led the 64-year-old to open fire from a Las Vegas hotel room into a crowd of some 22,000 concert-goers.

Hes a sick man, a demented man. A lot of problems, I guess, Mr Trump told reporters before boarding his Marine One helicopter as he makes his way to hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico.

We are looking into him very, very seriously. But were dealing with a very, very sick individual, the President added.

Police said they believed Mr Paddock killed himself before they stormed his hotel room on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay, which is next to the concert site.

The shooting has reignited the controversy over gun ownership laws, but the White House and Republicans have brushed aside attempts to discuss gun policy.

When asked whether the Las Vegas shooting would prompt him to take up gun control legislation, Mr Trump responded: Look, we have a tragedy. What happened is, in many ways, a miracle.

The police department, theyve done such an incredible job, he added. And well be talking about gun laws as time goes on. But I do have to say, how quickly the police department was able to get in was really very much of a miracle. Theyve done an amazing job.

Police found at least 23 weapons inside Mr Paddock's hotel room, including multiple rifles.

Mr Trump will visit Las Vegas on Wednesday.

Christopher Sullivan, general manager of Guns & Guitars, a gun shop in Mesquite, Nevada, confirmed that Mr Paddock had bought firearms at his store. Mr Paddock never gave any indication that he might have been unstable, Mr Sullivan said in a statement.

The gun shop owner also said Mr Paddock showed no signs of being unfit to buy guns. All the purchases were legal and cleared routine federal screening, Mr Sullivan said.

Paddock lived in a house in a retirement community in the small city of Mesquite, which is about an hour and a half drive from Las Vegas.
A view of the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, overlooking the Las Vegas Strip after a mass shooting at a music concert: Drew Angerer/Getty Images

The Las Vegas mass shooter set up cameras around the hotel room used in his deadly attack, police have said.

Clark County Sheriff Joseph Lombardo told reporters that the shooter may have installed the cameras both inside and outside his room at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, before opening fire on a country music concert below. At least one camera was installed on the service cart in the hallway.

The shooter may have installed cameras to watch for anyone approaching, Mr Lombardo said. All digital and electronic evidence has been taken into custody.

The shooter, identified by police as Stephen Paddock, was able to fire on the crowd for nine minutes before a SWAT team blasted through his door, Mr Lombardo said. The 64-year-old killed himself before officers could reach him.

Paddock's attack injured more than 500 people, and killed at least 59, making it the deadliest mass shooting in history.

Authorities later found 23 weapons in Paddock's hotel room, 19 in his home in Mesquite, Nevada, and seven in his home in Reno. Explosive substances were also discovered in his home and car.

The amount and type of weaponry found in the hotel room suggest the attack was "pre-planned extensively," Mr Lombardo said.

"The world has changed. And, you know, who would have ever imagine this situation," the sheriff added. "I couldn't imagine it. And for this individual to take it upon himself to create this chaos and harm is unspeakable."

Police have yet to determine a motive in the shooting.

Investigators are still hoping to interview Paddock's girlfriend, Marilou Danley, who remains a person of interest in the shooting. Ms Danley was in her home country of the Philippines on the day of the shooting.

Paddock wired $100,000 to an account in the Philippines prior to shooting, according to NBC News, but it is unclear whether the money was meant for Ms Danley's use.

Employees at the Starbucks near Paddock's Mesquite home said he used to berate his girlfriend in front of them.

Story continues

He would glare down at her and say  with a mean attitude  You dont need my casino card for this. Im paying for your drink, just like Im paying for you'," a Starbucks supervisor told the Los Angeles Times.

Mr Lombardo said on Monday that police were continuing the investigation, into Ms Danley.

There are several questions that need to be answered  but she is currently out of the country," he said. "We are making arrangements to contact her upon her return."
Mr Bannon was remain a very powerful influence outside of the West Wing: AP

Steve Bannon has said it will be the end of everything for Donald Trump if he supports gun control in the wake of the worst mass shooting in US history.

At least 59 people are dead and 515 injured after a gunman fired on a crowd of concert-goers from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel in Las Vegas.

The President has been a staunch supporter of the Second Amendment, and avoided addressing the issue of gun rights during a White House speech condemning the pure evil attack.

But Mr Bannon has warned the billionaire his core supporters would react in horror if he were to back any move to restrict access to firearms, according to Axios.

Asked if Mr Trumps base would respond even more negatively to him tightening gun laws than supporting an immigration amnesty bill, the White House Chief Strategist said: As hard as it is to believe [it is] actually worse.

Roger Stone, another former adviser to Mr Trump, told Axios his supporters would go insane and he knows it.

Since becoming President, the 70-year-old has begun rolling back restrictions on gun ownership, despite calling out Republicans who walk the NRA line in his 2000 book The America We Deserve.

In February he signed an order blocking an Obama-era rule that would have stopped an estimated 75,000 people with mental disorders from buying firearms.

And in April, he told National Rifle Association members: The eight-year assault on your Second Amendment freedoms has come to a crashing end.

The reality TV mogul also assured the association, which donated more than $30m to his presidential campaign, that it now had a true friend and champion in the White House.

Although any move to tighten gun restriction appears remote, a bill that would have loosened restrictions on buying silencers will now not be considered any time soon by Congress, a Republican source told Politico.

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Authorities are still looking into the motive behind the mass shooting at a country music festival in Las Vegas that left 59 people dead and hundreds of others injured, in what has become the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history.

The gunman, Stephen Paddock, a 64-year-old retired accountant, killed himself as authorities got into his hotel room at the Mandalay Bay casino and hotel. The Associated Press reports Paddock had been staying at the hotel since Thursday and had 23 guns in his room. Authorities also found 19 more guns at Paddocks home, along with explosives and thousands of rounds of ammunition.

While investigators believe he acted alone, they still have no explanation as to why Paddock shot into a crowd of concert-goers.

I cant get into the mind of a psychopath at this point, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Sheriff Joseph Lombardo told the AP.

Authorities are also examining the collection of weapons amassed by Paddock. Of the 23 guns Paddock had at Mandalay Bay, some had scopes, law enforcement officers said. Two officials told the AP that authorities found two gun stocks that would have allowed Paddock to modify weapons to make them fully automatic.

A trauma surgeon who operated on numerous shooting victims Sunday night said the injuries he saw did not come from typical weapons.

It was very clear that the first patient I took back and operated on that this was a high-powered weapon, Coates said. This wasnt a normal street weapon. This was something that did a lot of damage when it entered the body cavity.
Governments, car companies must resolve their competing goals for self-driving cars

The director of UFs Transportation Institute observes that if all the elements in the transportation system are going to talk to each other efficiently, the people at the companies and government agencies that make those items need to talk to each other, too.

When will cars be able to talk to their surroundings? posteriori/Shutterstock.com

Lily Elefteriadou, University of Florida

What self-driving cars want, and what people want from them, varies widely. And often these desires are at odds with each other. For instance, carmakers  and the designers of the software that will run autonomous vehicles  know that its safest if cars stay far away from each other. But traffic engineers know that if every car operated to ensure lots of surrounding space, local roads and highways alike would be clogged for miles, and nobody would get anywhere.

Another inherent conflict involves how cars handle crises. No consumer wants to buy a self-driving car thats programmed, even in the most remote of circumstances, to kill its driver instead of someone else (even if it would save a class of kindergarteners or a group of Nobel Prize winners). However, if every car is programmed always to save its occupants at any cost, pedestrians and cyclists are at risk.

As federal regulations for self-driving cars advance in congressional votes and the U.S. Department of Transportation issues guidelines, an important part of real progress will be how everyone involved approaches those inherent conflicts. Research at the University of Florida Transportation Institute, where I serve as the director, shows that the key to resolving these competitions of goals is communication among all the elements of the transportation network  cars, pedestrians, bicycles, guardrails, traffic lights, stop signs, roadways themselves and everything else. And if theyre all going to talk to each other, the people who make all those things need to talk to each other too.

Our institute is providing opportunities to do that. Our efforts include working with the Florida Department of Transportation and the City of Gainesville to set up an autonomous shuttle between the UF campus and downtown Gainesville and partnering with industry to create a testing area for autonomous cars and other advanced transportation technologies on campus roads and surrounding highways. But with so little coordination in todays transportation world, theres a long way to go.

Problems large and small

The road system in the U.S. has serious problems. Americans spend more than 40 hours per year stuck in traffic; more than 30,000 people die each year in crashes on U.S. roads, making cars one of the leading causes of death for Americans under the age of 64. These are serious problems, and many hope that autonomous cars can help solve them.

Nationwide statistics can mask smaller issues, though. The countrys transportation system is full of examples where coordination and collaboration would be extremely helpful., and even where the individual components may work but the system overall isnt as streamlined as it could be.

Many communities have major roads where drivers have to stop unnecessarily because traffic lights arent coordinated among the different towns drivers pass through. And because different government agencies operate highways and local roads, when emergencies happen, drivers arent always rerouted smoothly or efficiently.

Making a place for testing

With the Florida Department of Transportation and the city of Gainesville, our institute is building what were calling I-STREET, a testing infrastructure for autonomous vehicles and related technologies. As new components such as sensors and other monitoring equipment are installed on roads and highways in and around the universitys campus, researchers will be able to evaluate a range of advanced technologies. For instance, well use cars that can talk to the other elements of the system, including each other, and can drive themselves on roads equipped with sensors to monitor traffic conditions.

In preliminary simulations, we have found real savings in travel time with self-driving vehicles that can communicate with their surroundings and adjust their paths on the go. For example, when self-driving cars and traffic lights can talk to each other, they can adjust cars speeds and the timing of red and green lights to help every car move more smoothly. Depending on the level of traffic and the number of self-driving cars mixed into human-driven traffic, travel times can drop by 16 to 36 percent, which may save nearly a minute of delay per car.

On highways, a major bottleneck happens around on-ramps, where entering vehicles may have trouble finding openings in fast-moving traffic. When frustrated drivers force their way onto the road, nearby cars must brake abruptly and may even crash. I helped develop an algorithm that uses information from self-driving vehicles to plan optimal paths for them. It can tell the cars already on the highway to move to the leftmost lane, making room for entering vehicles. Our simulations show that everyones collective travel time can be reduced by as much as 35 percent for the area around the on-ramp, or about 40 seconds per vehicle when traffic is heavy.

This type of intercar communication, coupled with the involvement of road sensors on the highway and in the on-ramp, can be built only if governments, contractors and international car manufacturers work together. That can ensure not only that individual vehicles are safe but also that the entire traffic system functions efficiently.

Lily Elefteriadou, Professor of Civil Engineering; Director of University of Florida Transportation Institute, University of Florida

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.
By Andrew Chung WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Supreme Court justices on Monday expressed skepticism toward part of an immigration law requiring the deportation of immigrants who commit violent felonies because of uncertainty over which crimes fit the bill and which do not. The justices heard arguments in the government's appeal of a lower court's ruling that language in the Immigration and Nationality Act calling for deportation of legal immigrants convicted of a "crime of violence" was so vague that it violated their rights to due process of law under the U.S. Constitution. The case involves a Filipino legal immigrant named James Garcia Dimaya who federal authorities ordered deported after he was convicted in two California home burglaries, though neither crime involved violence. The ruling in the case could help clarify the crimes for which non-citizen immigrants may be expelled, affecting the Trump administration's policy of stepping up the removal of those with criminal records. There has been an intense focus on immigration issues since Republican President Donald Trump took office in January. Conservative Justice Neil Gorsuch, a Trump appointee who joined the court in April, could cast the deciding vote. Monday's arguments marked the second time the court has tried to tackle the case. It heard arguments in January when the nine-seat court was one justice short, but decided in June after Gorsuch brought the court to full strength to have the case re-argued. Several justices questioned the role of courts in judging certain crimes as violent. "Lots of burglaries are done with open doors or with jimmying without injuring a lock," liberal Justice Sonia Sotomayor said. Gorsuch told Trump administration lawyer Edwin Kneedler it was up to the U.S. Congress to clearly specify who is covered by laws it passes "when it's going to put people in prison and deprive them of liberty and result in deportation." Kneedler said Congress had reasonably identified a category of crimes that carry the risk of violence, and suggested that the justices should defer to the immigration authorities. Conservative Justice Samuel Alito appeared to back the government, suggesting that too loose a standard for finding non-criminal laws vague might cause many other laws to fall. "We might do a wonderful job of pruning the United States Code," he said, referring to the compilation of federal criminal and civil offenses. Dimaya came to the United States from the Philippines as a legal permanent resident in 1992 at age 13. He lived with his family in the San Francisco Bay area, and had worked in several retail store jobs, including as a manager. He was convicted in residential burglaries in 2007 and 2009 in crimes in which no violence was used and no one was injured. He was sentenced to two years in prison for each conviction. In 2010, the government began a process to deport Dimaya. The Justice Department's Board of Immigration Appeals, the highest U.S. administrative body for interpreting and applying immigration laws, refused to cancel his expulsion because the law involved defined burglary as a "crime of violence." In the federal criminal code, a "crime of violence" includes offenses in which force either was used or carried a "substantial risk" that it would be used. The San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in 2015 that the definition as applied to non-citizen immigrants was unconstitutionally vague and can lead to arbitrary enforcement of the law. The appeals court relied on a decision that same year by the U.S. Supreme Court, which found that a similar provision in a federal criminal sentencing law was overly broad. The case was argued on the first day of the court's new term. A ruling is due by the end of June. (Reporting by Andrew Chung; Editing by Will Dunham)
Taylor Swift has added her voice to the chorus of celebrities sending their thoughts and prayers to victims of the Route 91 Harvest Festival shooting in Las Vegas, which has already claimed the lives of 50 people and left over 400 injured. The incident has become the deadliest mass shooting in modern American history.

There are no words to express the helplessness and sorrow my broken heart feels for the victims in Vegas and their families, the star said in a message posted to Twitter.

There are no words to express the helplessness and sorrow my broken heart feels for the victims in Vegas and their families.  Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) October 2, 2017

Tonight has been beyond horrific. I still dont know what to say but wanted to let everyone know that Me and my Crew are safe. My Thoughts and prayers go out to everyone involved tonight. It hurts my heart that this would happen to anyone who was just coming out to enjoy what should have been a fun night. #heartbroken #stopthehate A post shared by Jason Aldean (@jasonaldean) on Oct 2, 2017 at 1:17am PDT

Aldean called the scene horrific, but said he was safe in an Instagram post early Monday.

Tonight has been beyond horrific. I still dont know what to say but wanted to let everyone know that me and my crew are safe. My Thoughts and prayers go out to everyone involved tonight, he wrote. It hurts my heart that this would happen to anyone who was just coming out to enjoy what should have been a fun night.

Witnesses reported that a gunman continued to rain bullets on the terrified audience for up to two hours. The victims took the short pauses while the shooter reloaded to run to safety, according to NBC News. Many were trapped in the concert venue as police searched for the gunman.

Police SWAT officers killed the shooter  identified as Stephen Paddock, 64, of Mesquite, Nevada  after finding him on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Casino, Sheriff Joseph Lombardo told reporters early Monday.
Paris (AFP) - Messing with your body's clock is dangerous business, in fact it could make you sick -- or worse.

The inner timekeeper dubbed the "circadian clock", governs the day-night cycle that guides sleep and eating patterns, hormones and even body temperature.

It is important enough that the Nobel Medicine Prize was awarded on Monday to three US scientists whose work illuminated the fundamentals of how it ticks.

The trio identified genes that regulate the clock, and the mechanism by which light can synchronise it.

Yet humans have a long history of overriding the circadian-driven need for sleep, Russell Foster, a professor of circadian neuroscience at Oxford University told AFP -- the most obvious example being night work.

Such tinkering with Mother Nature can have serious consequences ranging from impulsive behaviour to life-threatening conditions such as obesity and cancer, the experts say.

Just look at the poor health records of shift workers such as nurses or factory labourers.

The World Health Organization has already raised the red flag, with a 2007 report noting that "circadian disruption" is "probably carcinogenic" -- which means cancer-causing.

The trouble is that the human body never really adapts to operating outside the normal cycle of working by day, and sleeping at night.

Like everyone else, shift workers' biological clocks are set by the rising and setting of the Sun -- not their work schedule.

"There is no medicine in the world that allows you to... speed up or slow down your body clock," said Claude Gronfier, a neurobiologist at France's Inserm research institute.

- An 'exciting stage' -

When workers force themselves to stay awake, it triggers the release of stress hormones such as cortisol -- the same one that rushes into your blood in a life-or-death situation.

The chemicals may keep you on your feet, but they are a bargain with the devil.

For example, cortisol works to suppress the immune system and in the long run can make you more susceptible to a range of illnesses, including cancer.

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Such a lifestyle also opens one up to eating outside of normal times, when the body's metabolism might be lower and the calories are more likely to be converted into fat instead of being burnt up.

"You're raising your heart rate, raising your blood pressure and insulin levels at a time that you would not ordinarily do that," Hugh Piggins, a neuroscience professor at the University of Manchester, told AFP.

"You're body is basically not ready for it and you're giving it a bit of an insult."

Even short-term disruptions of the circadian clock can wreak havoc with your body. Just think jet lag.

Flying from Paris to Los Angeles deposits travellers nine hours earlier in time, upending eating and sleeping patterns.

The results can be blunted interaction with the world and a lack of empathy, complex thinking, or even clear memories.

In such a state, people can do "overly impulsive things -- jump the red traffic light and fail to see the consequences of actions," explained Foster.

Better understanding of the workings of the body clock has opened up a fascinating field of scientific quest.

Circadian dysfunction has been linked to depression, bipolar disorder, cognitive function, memory formation and even some neurological diseases.

Over the past two decades, scientists have been studying how the timing of administering a medicine can impact how well it works.

Already they have found that changing the timing can reduce the toxicity of some compounds.

"Now we are moving to the exciting stage where we can start translating some of this knowledge into understanding what happens when these systems go wrong and more importantly to develop new therapeutic interventions," Foster said.
By Takashi Umekawa and Kiyoshi Takenaka TOKYO (Reuters) - Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike, whose new party is challenging Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's ruling bloc in the Oct. 22 national election, said she would "100 percent" not run in the poll, the latest twist in a drama giving voters whiplash. Speculation has persisted that Koike, a former LDP member and defence minister, would resign to run for a seat in parliament needed to make a bid for the premiership. "I have been saying I will not run for the election from the beginning," Koike said in an interview with the Yomiuri newspaper reported on Tuesday. "I'm 100 percent not running for the election." She later repeated the comment to reporters. If Koike does not personally contest this election, then analysts believe she would hope her party positions itself to win the next national poll, and that she gains a voter boost from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Abe announced the snap election last week in hopes his Liberal Democratic Party-led coalition would keep its majority in parliament's lower house, where it held a two-thirds "super majority" before the chamber was dissolved. But Koike's new Party of Hope - launched just last week as a "reformist, conservative" alternative to Abe's equally conservative LDP - has clouded the outlook amid signs voters are disillusioned with Abe after nearly five years in power. Koike's dilemma was whether to run for a seat now and face a backlash from voters for quitting as governor little more than a year since she defied the LDP to run successfully for the post, or risk letting a shot at the top job slip through her fingers. Some analysts saw her decision not to seek a seat now as a sign Koike thinks her party's momentum is fading. "She must have thought it would not be worthwhile abandoning the post of Tokyo governor to become a head of an opposition," said Tetsuro Kato, a professor emeritus at Hitotsubashi University. LIBERALS NEED NOT APPLY Koike has been getting negative media coverage for saying she would "exclude" candidates who do not agree with her party's policies - a stance seen as barring liberal members of the failed main opposition Democratic Party from joining. Leaders of the Democratic Party - a fractious mix of conservatives and liberals - decided last week it would not run candidates of its own but let members run from Koike's party. Koike's comment was applauded by some as an effort to ensure policy consistency but by others as a dictatorial manoeuvre. "She's branding a very new party and has to make clear what it stands for, but the danger is that while Abe owned the 'arrogance of power' space, she is now vying for some of that," said Jeffrey Kingston, director of Asian studies at Temple University Japan. Abe's support rates fell earlier this year due to suspected cronyism scandals and many voters' perception that he had grown complacent and arrogant after nearly five years in office. His rating later rebounded but dropped again to 37 percent in the latest poll by public broadcaster NHK. Koike's party is insisting those who want to run on its ticket sign a policy pledge, including revising the pacifist constitution and exercising the right of collective self-defence, or militarily aiding allies under attack-defence, a document seen by Reuters showed. Many liberals balk at those policies. Koike's party on Tuesday unveiled a list of 192 candidates for the lower house election. That compares with 233 seats needed for a simple majority. The party plans to announce more candidates in the coming days, but a senior party member conceded that it will be a tall order to win a majority. "Although (fielding) 233 candidates is a very high mountain, we would like to finish climbing it. On the other hand, in actuality, it would be considerably difficult for us alone to gain a majority even if we fielded 233," said Goshi Hosono, a founding member of the party and former environment minister. Further complicating the outlook, liberals from the Democratic Party launched a Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan. The CSDP could split the opposition vote and help Abe's bloc keep its majority, but by how much is tough to predict. "Koike is tough, she's resilient and she can tap into the fact that Abe's negative ratings are pretty high and a lot of people out there are unhappy with him," Kingston said. (Additional reporting by Kaori Kaneko and Takaya Yamaguchi; Writing by Linda Sieg; Editing by Paul Tait and Michael Perry)
(SHAH ALAM, Malaysia)  Two women accused of fatally poisoning the estranged half brother of North Koreas ruler pleaded not guilty as their trial began Monday in Malaysias High Court, nearly eight months after the brazen airport assassination that sparked a diplomatic standoff.

Siti Aisyah of Indonesia and Doan Thi Huong of Vietnam are suspected of smearing Kim Jong Nams face with the banned VX nerve agent on Feb. 13 at a crowded airport terminal in Kuala Lumpur, killing him within about 20 minutes. The women say they thought they were playing a harmless prank for a hidden-camera show.

After asking for the charges to be read in their native languages, the women shook their heads when asked if they were guilty.

The two women are the only suspects in custody in a killing that South Koreas spy agency said was part of a five-year plot by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to kill a brother he reportedly never met. Police say several North Koreans suspected of involvement left the country on the day of the attack. Others who holed up inside North Koreas embassy were allowed to leave in a deal with Pyongyang to ease tensions, despite Malaysias anger at the public use of a chemical weapon on its territory.

Lawyers for two women, who face the death penalty if convicted, asked the court to compel prosecutors to identify four people still at large mentioned in the charge sheet as having a common intention to kill Kim. The judge denied the request.

A fair trial must include the right to know, Gooi Soon Seng, Aisyahs lawyer, told the court. The charge must be clear, not ambiguous.

Prosecutors began calling witnesses, including an airport information counter worker and a police officer who were among the first to interact with Kim after the attack.

The prosecution phase of the trial is expected to last about two months, after which the judge will decide if there is a strong case for the women to have to mount their defense, said Hisyam Teh Poh Teik, Huongs lawyer.

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Kim, who was 45 or 46, was the eldest son of the family that has ruled North Korea since its founding, yet he reportedly fell out of favor in 2001 when he was caught trying to enter Japan on a false passport, saying he wanted to visit Tokyo Disneyland. He had been living abroad for years and at the time of his death was traveling on a North Korean diplomatic passport under the name Kim Chol.

North Korea has a long history of ordering killings of people it views as threats to its regime, though Kim was not thought to be seeking influence over his younger brother. He had, however, spoken out publicly against his familys dynastic control of the reclusive, nuclear-armed nation.

Pyongyang has denied any role in the killing and has not even acknowledged the dead man was Kim Jong Nam. It has suggested the victim died of a heart attack and accused Malaysia of working with South Korean and other hostile forces in blaming Pyongyang.

During Mondays hearing, Kim was referred to as Kim Chol. The two defendants listened intently and were briefed by their translators during the trial, with Huong seen smiling on several occasions.

Read More: The Mysterious Death and Life of Kim Jong Nam

The trial will be closely watched by the Indonesian and Vietnamese governments, which have hired lawyers to defend the women.

Aisyahs core defense will be that she didnt know she had poison on her hand when she smeared Kims face and was instead the victim of an elaborate trick, her lawyer Gooi said before the trial began. The 25-year-old was at a pub in Kuala Lumpur in early January when she was recruited by a North Korean man to star in what he said were video prank shows, Gooi said.

Over the course of several days, the North Korean, who went by the name James, had Aisyah go out to malls, hotels and airports and rub oil or pepper sauce on strangers, which he would film on his phone, the lawyer said.

Aisyah was paid $100-$200 for each prank and hoped the income would allow her to stop working as an escort, Gooi said.

In late January, Aisyah flew to Cambodia, where James introduced her to a man called Chang, who said he was the producer of video prank shows for the Chinese market, the lawyer said. Back in Malaysia, Chang asked Aisyah to do several more pranks at the Kuala Lumpur airport a few days before Kim was attacked. At the airport on the day of Kims death, Chang pointed him out to Aisyah as the next target and put the poison on her hand, the lawyer said.

Police say neither Chang nor James were who they say they were. Chang was actually Hong Song Hac, one of four North Korean suspects who left Malaysia on the day of the killing, while James was Ri Ji U, one of another three North Koreans who hid inside their countrys embassy in Kuala Lumpur to avoid questioning.

Those three were later allowed to fly home in exchange for nine Malaysians allowed to leave Pyongyang in a deal easing the countries tensions. Gooi said James was key to Aisyahs defense and that his absence could weaken her case.

Aisyah, who has a son, has wrote to her family and told them to pray for her so that the case will be over soon and I can go back home.

The 29-year-old Vietnamese suspect Huong was caught on airport security surveillance camera wearing a white sweatshirt emblazoned with the big black letters LOL  the acronym for laughing out loud. Little is known about her. Raised in a rice farm in northern Vietnam, her family said they had hardly heard from her since she left home a decade ago.

She made postings on a Facebook page under the name Ruby Ruby, according to her niece, Dinh Thi Quyen.

Photos on the page show Huong wearing a white shirt that says LOL, like the one seen during the attack. It shows her posing for selfies in January in Cambodia and in Kuala Lumpur a few days before the attack.

Her last post was on the morning of Feb. 11, two days before the attack, from an area near the airport.
In his final days as Secretary of Health and Human Services, Tom Price got a flu shot and cut outreach to get people to sign up for health insurance. (Reuters/Kevin Lamarque)

Former Secretary of Health and Human Services Tom Price resigned on Friday after being caught in a scandal in which he took expensive chartered flights without justification.

His short and ignominious tenure at the department was characterized by leading the Trump administrations fight of the Affordable Care Act, and involved tactics that many observers saw as sabotage to the 2010 health care law known as Obamacare.

One of his final moves to hinder the ACA is the HHSs shuttering of the federal health insurance exchange HealthCare.gov every Sunday for 12 hours during the open enrollment period, which goes from Nov. 1 to Dec. 15.

The Department said the site will be down for maintenance from 12 a.m. to 12 p.m., preventing people from sorting out their 2018 coverage Sunday mornings, according to a tweet from Kaiser Health News Phil Galewitz.

..@HHSGov plans to shut down @HHSGov for 12 hours during all but one Sunday during the upcoming 6 week open enrollment season pic.twitter.com/0d5WUtLc9G  Phil Galewitz (@philgalewitz) September 22, 2017

Since inauguration, the Trump administration has taken steps to stymie the success of the ACA, despite the law surviving numerous attempts at several repeals. President Donald Trump campaigned on a platform of its repeal, and while in office has repeatedly incorrectly asserted that it isnt failing, its failed  done and wished for its demise.

Obamacare has not died on its own, however. While the problems of high costs are far from fixed  Congress has not attempted to fix it yet  the market is stable, and previously uninsured counties have managed to find insurers for 2018. Now, every county in the U.S. has an option.

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Planned HealthCare.gov downtime during open enrollment

The open enrollment period is when most people buy health insurance for the year, as you can typically only buy outside of that period if you have a qualifying life event like a job change or a marriage. All but 15 states use HealthCare.gov to publicly offer individual health insurance plans. In addition to the 12-hour overnight shutdown for six weeks, Kaiser Health News also reported the site will be down on Nov. 1, the first day of open enrollment.

Why not do it before? Why not do it after, said Abbe Gluck, a Yale University law professor specializing in politics and health law. My own suspicion is that its a technical matter they can justify as an administrative matter. It seems thinly veiled especially when placed alongside the many other instances of intentional sabotage to make it more difficult for people to enroll.

Narrowing the window will likely decrease enrollment, as it reduces the time a person has to sign up for a plan. Anyone who has been through limited enrollment knows the amount of time you have facilitates your ability to get it done, Gluck said.

With each Trump move, the message has gotten louder. Lori Lodes, who previously ran ACA outreach, told Yahoo Finance, the kindest word you could say is that its sabotage.

A spokesperson for the HHS did not respond to comments by publication time.

The enrollment period has already been cut in half

This isnt the first time the Trump administration has narrowed the time period for open enrollment, a move that restricts sign-ups and drives costs for insurers up, something that hurts the market. (Industry groups frequently note that they do better when more people are involved.) In September, the enrollment period for this year was revealed to be cut in half to six weeks from 12. Previously, open enrollment used to run through the end of January, giving families a little more time to get their plans in order.

Former CEO of HealthCare.gov told Bloomberg earlier this year that a huge number of people sign up right at the deadline, and a deadline shift may catch people off guard.

The Trump administration has crippled ACA advertising

The damage from a shorter open-enrollment period was magnified by the Trump administrations suppression of advertising for the program. In January, between the inauguration and the end of open enrollment, the Trump administration pulled $5 million in Obamacare advertising, at the time citing it was searching for efficiencies.

In late August, the Trump administration dealt an even bigger blow by slashing the HHS budget for ACA advertising during open enrollment by one-tenth, to a mere $10 million from $100 million in 2017. With a shorter window and fewer announcements, the Trump administration is following a recipe designed to decrease enrollment.

The ad thing is a really big deal, said Gluck. You cant overestimate how important the cutback on the pre-enrollment period ad events are. Its a deliberate attempt to weaken the law with disappointing enrollment numbers.

In late September, HHS also told its directors in its 10 regions not to participate in enrollment events. Andy Slavitt, former head of Medicare and Medicaid Services for HHS, said not investing in these partnerships will reduce enrollment, drive up costs and the rate of Americans who are uninsured, according to Talking Points Memo.

Foot dragging despite promises of fostering innovative thinking

In March, Price announced that he would make state waivers easier to get, to give the localities flexibility in finding health care coverage that fit their unique regions.

On Friday, however, Oklahoma withdrew a request for a waiver for a reinsurance program. In a strongly worded letter to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Price, the state criticized the unexplained delays in the approval process. The withdrawal was necessary, the letter said, to provide a clear picture of 2018 for insurers. Its a pretty solid rebuke from a Republican state to a Republican president, Gluck said.

The letter concluded: [The] lack of timely waiver approval will prevent thousands of Oklahomans from realizing the benefits of significantly lower insurance premiums in 2018.

The administration has sowed uncertainty over cost-sharing reduction payments

Trump and his administration has significantly equivocated over whether they will follow through with payments to insurers to compensate for individual plans for lower-income consumers. These payments, called cost-sharing reduction payments or CSRs, are such a big deal that the Congressional Budget Office calculated that premiums would spike 20% if Trump suspended them.

However, some damage has already been done. Earlier this year, Dr. Mario Malino, former CEO of Molina Healthcare, told Yahoo Finance that the uncertainty has already driven up premiums, as insurers must hedge if they think theres a chance they wont get reimbursed for the discounts they offer certain individuals. This is causing a lot of destabilization in the marketplace, he said at the time.

What Trump could do to help instead of hurt health care

Trump seems to be dead set on an Obamacare failure, but there are a few ways he could help the market, if he chooses to. The first would be to guarantee that his administration would continue CSRs, which would reassure insurance companies, stabilize the marketplace, and keep premiums from rising even higher.

The administration could also make sure to enforce the ACA mandate and its penalty for noncompliance, something that it tried to loosen with an executive order earlier this year. The Internal Revenue Service, however, indicated it would still impose the mandate penalties. In addition to giving penalties, providing positive reminders through advertising would similarly help the market, though this is unlikely, given the slew of recent measures.

However, the administrations efforts, will depend largely on who succeeds Price. The acting Secretary of HHS, Don J. Wright, has been a careerist and milder in comparison to Price. The two leading candidates to take over may be Seema Verma, Vice President Mike Pence-allied administrator of Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and the milder Scott Gottlieb, head of the Food and Drug Administration. Neither seems likely to generate bipartisan support.

Ethan Wolff-Mann is a writer at Yahoo Finance. Follow him on Twitter @ewolffmann. Confidential tip line: emann@oath.com.

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President Trump seemed to open the door, slightly, to consideration of gun-control legislation Tuesday morning, but his record as a candidate and as president suggest it is very unlikely. It almost certainly  like many of the things he has promised  lies in the indeterminate future.

When asked on Tuesday morning whether the mass shooting in Las Vegas would prompt new gun legislation, Trump said, Well be talking about gun laws as time goes on.

He was speaking to reporters at the White House, a day after 58 people were murdered and another 489 were injured by a shooter on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay casino and hotel. Like many of his positions through the years, Trumps views on gun control had been malleable before snapping into the orthodoxy of the Republican consensus when he began to seek the GOPs nomination for the presidency.

In the aftermath of the deaths at Sandy Hook, former President Barack Obama spoke at a prayer vigil in Newtown, Conn. Obama expressed his condolences, but also called on legislators to pass laws that could help prevent future tragedies.

President Obama spoke for me and every American in his remarks in Newtown, Connecticut, wrote Trump in December 2012. While its possible he was simply agreeing with the first, nonpolitical part of Obamas remarks, his response to someone replying, Good for you, Donald. Stop the insanity was Trying!

Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump holds a Henry repeating rifle that was presented to him after he spoke at the Republican Party of Arkansas Reagan Rockefeller Dinner in Hot Springs, Ark., on July 17, 2015. (AP Photo/Danny Johnston)

Im not a hunter and dont approve of killing animals, wrote Trump in March of 2012. I strongly disagree with my sons who are hunters, but they acted legally and did what lots of hunters do.

Trump has had a concealed carry permit since 2010. As a candidate in 2015, he said that he carries on occasion  sometimes a lot, adding that he likes to be unpredictable. Trump also said, I might feel more comfortable if his employees brought firearms to work.

I generally oppose gun control, but I support the ban on assault weapons and I also support a slightly longer waiting period to purchase a gun, he wrote in his 2000 book, The America We Deserve. With todays Internet technology we should be able to tell within seventy-two hours if a potential gun owner has a record.

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A decade and a half later, in the midst of the Republican primary, he had reversed his position.

Opponents of gun rights often use a lot of scary descriptive phrases when proposing legislative action against various types of weapons, wrote Trump in Crippled America, which was released in November 2015. Ban assault weapons they say, or military-style weapons, or high-capacity magazines. Those all do sound a little ominous, until you understand what they are actually talking about are common, popular semiautomatic rifles and standard magazines that are owned and used by tens of millions of Americans.

That passage presaged the positions of Trump as a candidate and in office, which have aligned with the National Rifle Association. The NRA donated more than $30 million in support of Trumps election and endorsed him in May 2016, months earlier than they came out in support of Mitt Romney and John McCain in the 2012 and 2008 election cycles. He was the first president since Ronald Reagan to speak at the gun lobbying groups leadership forum, stating that the NRA had a true friend and champion in the White House.

The NRA was quiet about the Las Vegas shooting, but it postponed an ad buy in Virginia, which has contests for governor and attorney general in next months election.

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump waves to the crowd after speaking at the National Rifle Association convention on May 20, 2016, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

During the general election campaign, Trump also suggested that the Second Amendment people might be able to do something about the judicial choices of a hypothetical President Hillary Clinton. The remarks  alluding to an attack on the Democratic candidate  sparked outrage, a condemnation from the Clinton campaign and an acknowledgment from the Secret Service, but did not elicit an apology from the Trump camp.

In one of his first acts as president, Trump signed a bill revoking an Obama-era rule that had made it more difficult for mentally ill Americans to buy guns. Weeks before the Las Vegas shooting, the administration eased laws that made it easier for American gun manufacturers to sell small arms abroad.

On Monday, press secretary Sarah Sanders said the White House was not ready to talk about policy measures to prevent mass shootings, but said they knew what kind of laws they did not want to pursue.

I think one of the things that we dont want to do is try to create laws that wont create  or stop these types of things from happening, said Sanders. I think if you look to Chicago, where you had over 4,000 victims of gun-related crimes last year  they have the strictest gun laws in the country. That certainly hasnt helped there. So, I think we have to  when that time comes for those conversations to take place  then I think we have to look at things that may actually have a real impact.

Chicagos gun laws havent been the strictest in the country since at least 2013, when Illinois voted to allow concealed carry. And, obviously, they cant prevent someone from obtaining a gun in another state. Many of the guns used in Chicago come from outside the state, where gun laws are even laxer.

Donald Trump holds a replica flintlock rifle given to him by cadets during the Republican Society Patriot Dinner at the Citadel, the Military College of South Carolina, on Feb. 22, 2015, in Charleston, S.C. Trump and Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., were honored at the annual event. (Photo by Richard Ellis/Getty Images)

Steve Bannon, the Breitbart News executive who served in the Trump campaign and in the White House, told Axios any consideration of gun control laws by the president would be impossible and the end of everything.

Trump, however, did cut a deal with Sen. Chuck Schumer and Rep. Nancy Pelosi to raise the debt ceiling and keep the government running. Do Democratic legislators believe similar collaboration is possible on guns?

The task force on gun violence prevention has drafted legislation, said Mike Thompson, D-Calif., chair of the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force, when asked at a press conference whether Democrats would reach out to Trump. Its being circulated amongst our members today, asking specifically that the president join us.

We ask him to join us to try and figure out a solution to help prevent gun violence. That letter will go out today.

Schumer, in Tuesday morning remarks on the Senate floor, said: I am also calling on President Trump to bring together the leaders of Congress and let both sides know he is willing to address this issue of safety head on. He should tell members of his party that its time to work addressing the epidemic that costs the lives of more than 30,000 Americans a year. Im glad the president is going to Las Vegas. Thats a good idea. But he should take it a step further. Call us together, and lead this nation in some rational laws about gun safety that the overwhelming majority of Americans  Democrat, Republican and Independent support.

Liz Goodwin contributed to the reporting of this story.

Read more from Yahoo News:
President Donald Trump visited local officials and residents in Puerto Rico on Tuesday, congratulating them and boasting almost two weeks after Hurricane Maria left many of the islands 3.4 million people without power, water or food.

At his first stop, a briefing with federal and local officials, Trump lavishly praised them. He then repeatedly turned to individuals around the table and invited them to offer their own praise  while insisting, Its not about me.

When Puerto Ricos governor told Trump that 16 people so far had been reported dead, the president lauded officials and minimized the hurricanes damage, suggesting it was not a real catastrophe like Katrina.

Sixteen people versus in the thousands, Trump said. You can be very proud of all of your people and all of our people working together. Sixteen versus literally thousands of people. You can be very proud. Everyone around this table, and everyone watching, can be very proud of whats taking place in Puerto Rico.

While Trump bragged about the official number of dead, the final death toll will likely turn out to be higher. Poor communication services have hindered reporting, and current living conditions on the island could jeopardize more lives, especially those of the sick and the elderly.

Trump also appeared to joke about the cost of the storm damage.

I hate to tell you, Puerto Rico, but youve thrown our budget a little out of whack, he said.

The group of officials around the table applauded several times. San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz, whom Trump has repeatedly attacked online, did not join in, keeping her hands clasped in front of her, according to a White House pool report.

A car drives under tilted power line poles in Humacao, Puerto Rico, in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria. (Photo: RICARDO ARDUENGO/AFP/Getty Images)

The trip comes after Trump repeatedly bragged about his administrations response to the hurricanes devastation, blamed the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico for its debt crisis and called Cruz nasty for criticizing the federal governments sluggish relief efforts.

Trump, who visited Texas twice in the days following Hurricane Harvey and headed to Florida four days after Hurricane Irma, said last week that he was delaying a visit to Puerto Rico because of the first responders, and we dont want to disrupt the relief efforts.

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Tensions were high ahead of the presidents visit. Trump had attacked the islands residents and leaders, saying they wanted everything to be done for them after Cruz begged for additional aid.

The Mayor of San Juan, who was very complimentary only a few days ago, has now been told by the Democrats that you must be nasty to Trump, he wrote on Twitter.

We have done a great job with the almost impossible situation in Puerto Rico. Outside of the Fake News or politically motivated ingrates,...  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 1, 2017

...people are now starting to recognize the amazing work that has been done by FEMA and our great Military. All buildings now inspected.....  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 1, 2017

Trump contends his administration has done a great job with the almost impossible situation. Puerto Rico, he noted, was already facing crippling debt before the storm. He said Texas and Florida were doing great in the aftermath of hurricanes that hit those states last month.

As he departed the White House on Tuesday morning, the president again lauded the federal response, despite the continued suffering of residents and criticism from officials like Cruz.

I think shes come back a long way, Trump said of Cruz. I think its now acknowledged what a great job weve done. In Texas and Florida, we get an A-plus. And Ill tell you what, I think weve done just as good in Puerto Rico, and its actually a much tougher situation.

Again he said that at a local level, they have to give us more help, while praising the incredible job of federal officials.

Whether its her or anybody else, theyre all starting to say it, Trump said.

President Donald Trump waves to reporters as he and first lady Melania Trump arrive at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, to board Air Force One for travel to Puerto Rico on Oct. 3, 2017. (Photo: Jonathan Ernst / Reuters)

Following the briefing with federal and local officials on Tuesday, Trump visited with storm victims. He again praised officials for doing a fantastic job, as people showed him the storms damage to their homes, pointing out broken windows and noting power outages.

Were going to help you out, he told them. Have a good time.

During a stop at a church, he threw rolls of paper towels into a crowd.

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President Trump chucks rolls of paper towels into a crowd of local residents at Calgary Chapel in San Juan on Oct. 3. (Photo: Jonathan Ernst / Reuters)

In truth, conditions in Puerto Rico remain dire.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has shipped millions of gallons of water and meals to Puerto Rico, but the island no longer has the infrastructure to widely deliver those supplies. Puerto Rican officials said last week that they were unable to move aid across the island without electricity and fuel.

Until last week, shipments to the island were also restricted by the Jones Act, a law that increases shipping costs for goods going to Puerto Rico. Trump allowed a temporary waiver of the law last Thursday.

As of Monday, all 10 of Puerto Ricos airports were open, and about 37 percent of people had cellphone service, according to the Department of Defense. Two Navy ships are due to arrive Tuesday with more supplies.

Still, almost all of Puerto Rico is without electricity, and about half the population lacks drinking water.

This article has been updated with details from Trumps visit.

CORRECTION: A previous version of this article stated incorrectly that all 10 of Puerto Ricos hospitals had been reopened. All 10 of the airports have been reopened.

Also on HuffPost

Maria Lopez cries while walking from her house that was flooded after the passage of Hurricane Maria, in Toa Baja, Puerto Rico, on September 22, 2017. Puerto Rico battled dangerous floods Friday after Hurricane Maria ravaged the island, as rescuers raced against time to reach residents trapped in their homes and the death toll climbed to 33. Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rossello called Maria the most devastating storm in a century after it destroyed the US territory's electricity and telecommunications infrastructure. / AFP PHOTO / HECTOR RETAMAL (Photo credit should read HECTOR RETAMAL/AFP/Getty Images)

Loiza, PUERTO RICO SEPTEMBER 22: Aerial photo of the floadings in the costal town of Loiza, in the north shore of Puerto RicoHurricane Maria passed through Puerto Rico leaving behind a path of destruction across the national territory. (Photo by Dennis M. Rivera Pichardo for The Washington Post via Getty Images)

HAYALES DE COAMO, PUERTO RICO - SEPTEMBER 24: Karlian Mercado, 7, rests on the rubble that remains of her family's home after it was blown away by Hurricane Maria as it passed through the area on September 24, 2017 in Hayales de Coamo, Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico experienced widespread damage after Hurricane Maria, a category 4 hurricane, passed through. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Irma Torres poses for a picture at her damaged house after the area was hit by Hurricane Maria in Yabucoa, Puerto Rico September 22, 2017. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins

Local residents react while they look at the water flowing over the road at the dam of the Guajataca lake after the area was hit by Hurricane Maria in Guajataca, Puerto Rico September 23, 2017. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins

A man looks at damages on his flooded house, close to the dam of the Guajataca lake after the area was hit by Hurricane Maria in Guajataca, Puerto Rico September 23, 2017. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins

A man sits in a wheelchair next to washing machines at a shelter after the area was hit by Hurricane Maria, in San Juan, Puerto Rico September 22, 2017. Picture taken September 22, 2017. REUTERS/Alvin Baez

LOIZA, PUERTO RICO - SEPTEMBER 22: A resident wades through flood water days after Hurricane Maria made landfall, on September 22, 2017 in Loiza, Puerto Rico. Many on the island have lost power, running water, and cell phone service after Hurricane Maria, a category 4 hurricane, passed through. (Photo by Alex Wroblewski/Getty Images)

People stay at the roof of a damaged house after the area was hit by Hurricane Maria in Yabucoa, Puerto Rico September 22, 2017. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

PUERTO RICO SEPTEMBER 23: A devastated house in Morovis Puerto Rico. Hurricane Maria passed through Puerto Rico leaving behind a path of destruction across the national territory. (Photo by Dennis M. Rivera Pichardo for The Washington Post via Getty Images)

SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO - SEPTEMBER 22: Residents line up for gasoline days after Hurricane Maria made landfall, on September 22, 2017 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Many on the island have lost power, running water, and cell phone service after Hurricane Maria, a category 4 hurricane, passed through. (Photo by Alex Wroblewski/Getty Images)

A car submerged in flood waters is seen close to the dam of the Guajataca lake after the area was hit by Hurricane Maria in Guajataca, Puerto Rico September 23, 2017. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

A resident lay on a cot inside a shelter after being evacuated from a home near the damaged Guajataca Dam after Hurricane Maria in Isabella, Puerto Rico, on Saturday, Sept. 23, 2017. Amid their struggles to recover fromiHurricaneiMaria, some Puerto Rico residents found it befuddling that President Donald Trump fired off a number of Twitter rants about professional athletes on Saturday -- yet made no mention of their dire situation. Photographer: Alex Wroblewski/Bloomberg via Getty Images

People stop on a highway near a mobile phone antenna tower to check for mobile phone signal, after the area was hit by Hurricane Maria, in Dorado, Puerto Rico September 22, 2017. Picture taken September 22, 2017. REUTERS/Alvin Baez

A dead horse is seen next to a road after the area was hit by Hurricane Maria in Quebradillas, Puerto Rico September 23, 2017. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins

An aerial view shows the flooded neighbourhood of Juana Matos in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria in Catano, Puerto Rico, on September 22, 2017. Puerto Rico battled dangerous floods Friday after Hurricane Maria ravaged the island, as rescuers raced against time to reach residents trapped in their homes and the death toll climbed to 33. Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rossello called Maria the most devastating storm in a century after it destroyed the US territory's electricity and telecommunications infrastructure. / AFP PHOTO / Ricardo ARDUENGO (Photo credit should read RICARDO ARDUENGO/AFP/Getty Images)

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
A United States surveillance drone was shot down Sunday by Yemeni Houthi rebels in the countrys capital city, Reuters reported, citing the rebels state news agency SABA, and the aircrafts rapid descent and fiery crash were captured on video.

In the video below, captured by Reuters photographer Babak Taghvaee and later posted to his Twitter account, the drone appears to have been already damaged and winds its way down with a screech.

At first, the drone looks like a plume of smoke, but as it gets closer to the ground its form is clearly visible and it is engulfed in flames. The drone crashes behind a building, but the photographer then heads to the fireball crash site. Others later gather to see the wreckage.

Later, the Houthis carry away the drones debris and placed them in the back of a Toyota pickup truck, according to Reuters.

https://twitter.com/BabakTaghvaee/status/914769421599723520

"A military source said [Houthi] air defense shot down a U.S. MQ-9 surveillance drone in Jader area in the Sanaa province, SABA reported.

The Houthi rebels are fighting a Saudi Arabia-backed coalition and the internationally recognized government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, and the U.S. is providing intelligence to the coalition. Linked to the countrys former president, Ali Abdullah, the Houthis have power in northern Yemen as well as the capital Sanaa, where the drone crashed.

The MQ-9, also called a Reaper, is usually armed but can also be used for surveillance.

U.S. Central Command confirmed the drone was shot down Sunday.

We assess that an MQ-9 Unmanned Aerial Vehicle was shot down in western Yemen on Oct. 1, 2017. This incident is under investigation, a spokesperson told Military Times.

Along with advising the Saudi-led coalition, the U.S. provides intelligence and refueling support to the coalition.

The U.S. military is also focused on a counterterrorism mission against Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), and since January has conducted over 100 strikes in Yemen targeted at AQAP, according to CNN. The Pentagon did not explain the drone's mission.

Story continues

Yemens civil war began in March 2015 and has since led to a major humanitarian crisis. Last week, the United Nations Human Rights Council adopted a resolution that will send investigators to root out potential war crimes. Almost 9,000 people have died during the war and another 48,800 have been injured in airstrikes and other attacks.

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In its ongoing war against online extremism the UK government has said it intends to change the law to bring in tougher sentences for people who repeat view terrorist content online -- increasing the maximum penalty to up to 15 years behind bars.

We are announcing plans to tighten the law around online radicalisation  including sentences of up to 15 years for those found guilty. pic.twitter.com/IbLgxXXDAW  Conservatives (@Conservatives) October 3, 2017

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

The Conservative Party is holding its annual conference this week, and Home Secretary Amber Rudd is expected to announce the new powers aimed at tackling radicalization today, The Guardian reports. A Home Office spokesman confirmed the proposed law change, although there is no timeframe attached to the plan as yet.

The government said it is bringing in the new penalties after a review of counterterrorism powers in the wake of a spate of attacks in the UK this year. It wants to plug what Rudd couches as a gap in the law around material that is streamed or viewed online instead of being permanently downloaded.

This follows moves by the Home Office to crank up the pressure on tech platforms to remove extremist content from their platforms -- with the UK government also leading a push to radically shrink average timescales for extremist content to be deleted.

The proposed changes to UK law around viewing terrorist content online are intended to strengthen an existing offense of possessing information likely to be useful to a terrorist, under section 58 of the Terrorism Act 2000. Currently this applies if material has been downloaded or printed out.

But the government wants to expand it to include material that has been viewed repeatedly or streamed online. Although how exactly investigators would be able to determine that a particular individual has repeat-viewed proscribed content is an open question. (But at the end of last year the UK passed a law requiring ISPs keep web activity logs of all users for 12 months.)

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The Home Office says the law will only apply to those found to repeatedly view online terrorist material to try to avoid criminalizing those who click a link out of curiosity or accidentally.

While a defense of reasonable excuse would still be available to academics, journalists or others who may have a legitimate reason to view such material, according to The Guardian.

A new maximum penalty of 15 years in jail will also apply to terrorists who publish information about members of the armed forces, police and intelligence services for the purposes of preparing acts of terrorism, it added.

Following terrorists attacks in the UK this year Rudd has pressurized Internet companies to do more to remove extremist content from their platforms. She has also called for them to limit their use of end-to-end encryption -- a call that has apparently been resisted by the likes of Facebook-owned messaging platform WhatsApp thus far.

Writing in a newspaper article this summer Rudd appeared to claim it was possible for e2e encryption to be compromised without the need for a backdoor.

She also suggested the public is not interested in its communications being private, implying that therefore tech giants should not use the technology -- attracting equal parts criticism and ridicule from privacy rights groups and security experts alike.

The Home Secretary was apparently questioned about her understanding of encryption at a fringe meeting at the Conservative Party conference, where she hit out at the tech industry for being patronizing.

Its so easy to be patronized in this business. We will do our best to understand it. We will take advice from other people. But I do feel that there is a sea of criticism for any of us who try and legislate in new areas, who will automatically be sneered at and laughed at for not getting it right," she reportedly said, adding: "I dont need to understand how encryption works to understand how its helping the criminals. I will engage with the security services to find the best way to combat that."
You have to hand it to them. U.S. officials nailed it. Prior to the Sept. 25 independence referendum in Iraqi Kurdistan, they couldnt have been clearer in setting out the parade of horribles that might come to pass if the vote went ahead. Tensions between the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and its most powerful neighbors  Turkey, Iran, and Iraq  would dangerously escalate, officials warned in private conversations. Kurdish airspace could be shut down. Borders might be closed. Essential trade, including the oil pipeline to Turkey that accounts for the vast majority of the KRGs revenues, could be threatened.

Worst of all, the risks of military clashes between the Kurds and their neighbors would increase as nationalist sentiment and posturing on all sides reached a fever pitch. Of special concern was the possibility that Iran-backed Shiite militias in Iraq could seek to gain political advantage by challenging Kurdish control in the oil-rich, ethnically mixed city of Kirkuk and other disputed territories also claimed by the central government in Baghdad.

In the referendums aftermath, which saw Kurds vote overwhelmingly in favor of independence, virtually all of these threats have, unfortunately, begun to materialize. It has to be said that Kurdish officials and U.S. analysts who downplayed the referendums likely consequences largely missed the mark. Private assurances that the day after the referendum would look much like the day before  that Iraqi, Turkish, and Iranian leaders might feel compelled to whine a bit for domestic consumption but would end up doing pretty much nothing while adjusting to Kurdistans new reality  look, at the very least, overly optimistic.

Instead, a genuine crisis has erupted. Even a brief sampling of the regional reaction is deeply troubling. Iraq ordered Kurdish airspace closed to international civilian traffic. Foreign air carriers have unanimously complied. In apparent coordination with its neighbors, Iraq is reportedly preparing to set up positions just inside Turkish and Iranian territory to seize control of KRG border crossings. The Iraqi parliament is pressing Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi to send the army to confront the Kurdish Peshmerga in Kirkuk and other disputed areas. It has also called on foreign governments to close their missions in Kurdistan and demanded the prosecution of Kurdish leaders responsible for the referendum, including KRG President Masoud Barzani. For his part, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has accused Barzani of treachery, threatened to shut down Turkeys border with the KRG, including the oil pipeline, and explicitly warned the Kurds that Turkish troops could arrive suddenly one night. For good measure, forces from Turkey and Iraq held joint exercises on the KRGs border. As for Iran, it has closed its airspace to Iraqi Kurdistan, launched war games near the KRG border, and is planning its own joint exercises with the Iraqi military.

Again, in the runup to the referendum, U.S. officials accurately foresaw most of these developments. I heard it firsthand several times: We know this will trigger a major crisis that will distract from the fight against the Islamic State. It will create frictions between the Kurds and Baghdad that will only benefit Sunni terrorists and Iran. It will empower the extremes in Iraqi politics, especially the Shiite militias loyal to Iran, undermining Abadi and other moderates before next Aprils national elections.

That was the logic behind Washingtons strong opposition to the vote, including a very aggressive public campaign to kill it in the final fortnight (see, for example, here, here, and here). That was the basis for the bile that U.S. diplomats spewed at Barzani in private conversations with me in the weeks leading up to the referendum. I was taken aback by the intense frustration and anger directed at a critical wartime ally and longtime, loyal U.S. partner whose history of oppression and even genocide at the hands of other nations leaves it with  if nothing else  an almost unimpeachable moral case for self-determination.

Now that many of their concerns are coming to pass, with KRG officials expressing growing alarm that their neighbors might actually proceed to impose a crippling blockade that could bring the region to its knees, American diplomats are clearly thinking I told you so  indeed, theyve said as much to me. More than a few are surely tempted by the opportunity to teach the Kurds a lesson, to show them that theres a price to be paid for so directly defying the repeated requests of their most important and powerful patron on an issue that was clearly of great significance to U.S. interests. Theyre no doubt feeling a sense of schadenfreude as the outside pressure mounts day by day on Erbil.

But they need to get over it  and fast. Difficult as it may be, the United States needs to quickly pivot from warning that disaster could strike to making sure that it doesnt. Yes, the KRG leadership, in direct disregard of U.S. concerns, has set off a crisis that now threatens important U.S. interests. But further escalation would only guarantee that the damage will be amplified manyfold, with potentially catastrophic results. A crucial intelligence and security partner, fresh from its costly battles in defense of civilization against the barbarian hordes of the Islamic State and fiercely pro-American in disposition, Iraqi Kurdistan could be dramatically weakened and destabilized, largely at the hands of forces far less sympathetic to U.S. purposes in the world. Iran and its Shiite militias, leading the charge to defend Iraqi unity against what they allege are U.S.- and Israeli-backed Kurdish secessionists, would be super-charged at the expense of more moderate political forces still seeking to carve out space for a more inclusive, cross-sectarian, and independent Iraq.

There is now a real risk that U.S. warnings about the referendums most dangerous consequences could become a self-fulfilling prophecy. It is almost certainly the case that the ferocity of Washingtons public opposition in the days leading up to the vote unintentionally gave the KRGs neighbors license to bully, threaten, and punish the Kurds. Largely missing from U.S. policy was any corresponding campaign of equal seriousness to deter those neighbors from responding with retaliatory actions that would only escalate the potential harm to U.S. interests and regional stability.

Disconcertingly, in the crucial hours and days immediately following the referendum, there has been a noticeable passivity to the U.S. response. As tensions rapidly ratcheted up against the KRG, the only American official to comment was State Department spokesperson, Heather Nauert. In her statement immediately after the referendum and at several press briefings in the days following, Nauert underscored Americas disappointment that the vote had gone ahead. While affirming that the nonbinding referendum would not affect U.S. relations with the KRG, she unhelpfully repeated predictions that it would result in greater instability and hardships for the Kurdish people. She made it clear that the United States opposed violence from any party and suggested, We want both sides [the KRG and Iraq] to come together and have some conversations and be able to move things forward. When pressed on Sept. 28 about why the United States wasnt doing more to broker a dialogue between two of its most important partners in the anti-Islamic State fight, Nauert offered that Washington would be willing to facilitate a conversation  but, she went out of her way to stress, only if asked to do so.

Last Friday, four days after the referendum and with the crisis dangerously intensifying, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson finally became the first senior U.S. official to comment. Importantly, Tillersons written statement took a far more forceful and authoritative stance against those threatening the KRG. We urge calm and an end to vocal recriminations and threats of reciprocal actions. [W]e call upon the central government to reject threats or even allusions to possible use of force. The United States asks all parties, including Iraqs neighbors, to reject unilateral actions and the use of force. Tillerson concluded by encouraging all sides to engage constructively in a dialogue to improve the future of all Iraqis.

Good  as far as it goes. But the United States simply has too much at stake to just sit on the sidelines waiting for that dialogue to begin. The odds are too high that, left to fester, the crisis will continue to deepen, escalate, and perhaps even turn violent. True, most of the parties may not have an interest in things getting out of control. But then again, this is Iraq. Can the United States really bank on cooler heads prevailing?

The administration needs to go on the offensive diplomatically in an effort to de-escalate the situation. President Donald Trump, Tillerson, Secretary of Defense James Mattis, and national security advisor H.R. McMaster need to be working the phones with the regions leaders, urging an immediate pause to escalatory rhetoric and actions, and immediate dialogue via some form of third-party mediation. With the diplomatic bandwith to see it through, the United States could serve as the sole broker of such a process. But another possibility would be for the United States to mobilize the office of the United Nations secretary-general to take the lead with support from the Security Councils permanent members  all of whom, including Russia and China, happen to have significant political and economic interests in both the KRG and Iraq. (Indeed, Russian energy giant Rosneft just signed a billion-dollar oil and gas deal in Kurdistan.)

The urgent task confronting Washington is to short-circuit the dangerous escalatory dynamic now at work before it gets further out of hand. A high-level diplomatic initiative backed by the worlds major powers could give the parties the excuse they need to pause, back away from the brink, and begin exploring options on how to move past the immediate crisis triggered by the referendum. Substantive solutions may not be immediately available, but the process itself, imbued with sufficient outside support from Washington and other great-power capitals, could buy valuable time and space to calm the waters, begin the search for workable compromises, and at very least keep the very worst from happening.

Photo credit: Chris McGrath/Getty Images
On Tuesday, the court will hear arguments on whether a redistricting plan in the state of Wisconsin was unconstitutional. The case could transform US politics



Our democracy cannot afford another election cycle where voters are a minor detail in determining winners. Photograph: Dominick Reuter/AFP/Getty Images

On Tuesday, the US supreme court hears oral arguments in Gill v Whitford. This will open the door for a potentially precedent-setting ruling on the constitutionality of partisan gerrymandering  the process of redrawing electoral districts in order to favor one party over another.



The past several years have seen a new level of hyper-partisan gerrymandering that defies voters and has subverted our democracy. Thus far, however, the court has refused to rule on the constitutionality of this political ploy, deferring instead to the political process.

The result is a system that demands immediate course correction. While there is progress to be made at the state level, in todays political climate, the supreme court is best poised to demand the needed course correction before this illegitimate political ploy further distorts our elections.



The idea of drawing district lines to benefit one party or the other is not new. However, a confluence of specific events over the past decade has made gerrymandering a lethal science to our democratic legitimacy.



Those events include the 2010 Citizens United ruling that unleashed record amounts of dark money into our elections; the 2013 Shelby County v Holder ruling that undid a central pillar of the 1965 Voting Rights Act and innovations in computer programming.



Our democracy cannot afford another election cycle where voters are a minor detail in determining winners

Broadly speaking, Democrats have an overwhelming advantage in terms of numbers. More voters identify as Democrats in this country than as Republicans, and the margin is growing as our country becomes more diverse.



Republicans experienced this disadvantage in 2008 when President Obama was elected amid a wave of Democratic victories across the country, resulting in Democratic control of the executive and legislative branches. While the loss was devastating to Republicans, the timing was convenient.



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Republicans understood then that they were facing a long-term, if not permanent, numerical disadvantage, and in response they set out to game the system. They looked ahead to the 2010 census, knowing that district maps would be re-examined with the latest census data. They seized upon this in developing a strategy to win more seats with fewer votes using a toxic combination of voter suppression and gerrymandering.



In the 2010 election, Republicans targeted certain individual districts in certain states, aiming to flip state legislatures. In the wake of the January 2010 Citizens United ruling, the floodgates of dark money were opened going into elections that November, enabling Republicans to overwhelm strategic local races.



At the local level, a couple of hundred thousand dollars can swing an election, particularly at a time when Democrats did not see the broader strategy at play and did not anticipate the financial assault on these local races. Republicans gained control of a majority of state legislatures in 2010, giving them control over redistricting in those states.



In control of state houses, Republicans had the intent of gerry-rigging elections, and new technology gave them the means. Whereas gerrymandering used to be done with paper maps and by mapping experts, its now down by computers and mathematicians.



Technology is such now that a computer can compute all the data derived from a census, including race, gender, income and education, and spit out hundreds of different mapping options in no time.



More importantly, computers can draw maps that almost guarantee which party will win which district. Computers can go house by house, using publicly available information to calculate how each house will vote, and then deciding whether to include it in one district or another.



The result is district maps that pack voters of one party into a few districts or crack voting blocs into multiple districts, diminishing their influence. Either way almost guarantees a certain party will win a majority of districts, regardless of whether they win a majority of votes.



In 2013, the supreme court gave the Republican party yet another advantage in Shelby County v Holder, wherein the court overruled a central pillar of the 1965 Voting Rights Act and released certain states from having to seek federal preclearance before making changes to voting laws, including redistricting.



Suddenly, maps that would have certainly raised concern and probably would have been rejected by the Department of Justice were put in place with no federal oversight.



The electoral results since the 2010 census have steadily locked in Republican majorities in multiple states, despite the popular vote continuing to favor Democrats.



This is how President Obama was able to win decisively in 2012, and yet Democrats lost ground in legislative races. The Republicans have successfully installed a system that almost guarantees them a majority of legislative seats with a minority of votes.



This is inherently undemocratic and betrays our system of government. I am not arguing this because my party is receiving the short end of the stick, but rather because it is making a mockery of our democracy.



Our system of government is meant to protect the power of voters and to result in a government that represents the voters. Instead, we now have a system deliberately meant to manipulate and beat the voters in order to lock in a government that intentionally does not represent the voters.



This confluence of events makes it difficult for voters to reverse gerrymandering on their own, and nearly impossible to do so in time for the 2018 elections, and potentially those in 2020. Our democracy cannot afford another election cycle where voters are a minor detail in determining winners.



We need courts to invalidate the practice of hyper-partisan gerrymandering, and force state legislatures to redraw the districts and maps that make voters irrelevant and our elections a rubber stamp. The supreme court will have an opportunity to do just that.
Taylor Winston stole a truck to help victims of the Las Vegas shooting - Facebook

A US Marine veteran has been credited with saving the lives of dozens during the Las Vegas shooting by stealing a pickup truck to carry seriously injured victims to hospital.

Taylor Winston, 29, stayed behind to help as gunman Stephen Paddock opened fire on the open-air music festival from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Hotel.

As bullets rained down on music fans, another group of friends set up an emergency triage area to treat those caught up in the deadliest ever US gun attack.

People scramble for shelter at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival Credit: Getty

Kacy Thompson, from California, told the Daily Beast they began marking patients in the triage area with Sharpies and lipstick as people around them were struck down by bullets.

Our triage area was just civilians, he told the site. I had a firefighter with me, a trauma nurse, and we were going down the line, doing what we could.

He estimates they treated between 40-70 people with gunshot wounds in the civilian-run makeshift triage area, using medical kits they took from police cars.

A cowboy hat lays in the street Credit: Getty

As they treated the injured, Mr Winston and friend Jenn Lewis began taking 10 to 15 people at a time to Desert Springs Hospital Medical Center in the truck.

I luckily found a truck with keys in it and started transporting priority victims to the hospital  and tried to help out the best we could until more ambulances could arrive, said the veteran, who was honourably discharged after serving in the military from 2006 to 2011.

People needed to get out of there, and we tried the best we could to get as many as [we] could.

50 dead in Las Vegas shooting, in pictures

The brave group have been praised as heroes for their quick-thinking actions during the attack in which at least 59 people were killed and more than 500 injured.

Lauren Wardell wrote on Facebook: Taylor Winston is a total badass and hero! My roomie saved dozens during the Vegas attack. Pretty amazing what he did.

Another said Mr Winston was an outstanding example of what we should all strive to be in time of crisis.

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A friend who was also at the concert wrote: It was an absolute war zone. It felt scripted, like it couldnt happen to me or my friends. Yet we were a few yards away from getting hit by bullets, literally a couple of feet away. Taylor, Kacy, Jenn: you guys are one of many who stepped up and saved so many lives tonight.

Meanwhile, another woman who survived the Las Vegas shooting has penned an emotional thank you note to the strangers who helped save her life.
President Donald Trump will give remarks Monday following the overnight mass shooting in Las Vegas, the deadliest in U.S. history, according to the White House.

At least 50 people were killed and more than 400 people were injured Sunday night when a gunman, identified by authorities as 64-year-old Stephen Paddock, opened fire from his hotel room on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino onto the Route 91 Harvest country music festival. Country star Jason Aldean was in the middle of his set when Paddock began shooting.

The White House said Trump was briefed on the Las Vegas shooting Monday morning, and that the administration is monitoring the situation. On Monday morning, President Trump offered his condolences to the victims on Twitter.

Prior to the shooting, Trump was scheduled to meet with the Prime Minister of Thailand Monday as well as the governors of Kentucky, Mississippi, Maine and New Hampshire. He was also slated to have dinner with Republican members of Congress Monday evening. It is unclear if his schedule will change, but all of those engagements were still listed on the public schedule as of Monday morning.

Trump is expected to speak from the White House at 10:30 a.m. (E.T.) Watch his remarks live in the video above.
Sarah Huckabee Sanders is scheduled to hold the daily press briefing at the White House Monday, less than 24 hours after the deadliest shooting in U.S. history occurred in Las Vegas.

A 64-year-old gunman, identified by authorities as Stephen Paddock, opened fire on the Route 91 Harvest Festival from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel in Las Vegas. At least 58 people were killed and 515 were injured, according to police, though those numbers are not final. Authorities found Paddock dead in his hotel room.

President Trump gave a brief statement from the White House this morning, where he called for national unity, offered condolences to the families of the victims, and hailed the actions of law enforcement.

The briefing is set to begin at 2 p.m., and the President and the First Lady will hold a moment of silence for the victims at 2:45 p.m. Watch on the video above.
Reality TV host and New York real estate mogul Donald Trump holds up a replica flintlock rifle awarded him by cadets during the Republican Society Patriot Dinner at the Citadel Military College on February 22, 2015 in Charleston, South Carolina: Getty Images

The mass shooting in Las Vegas, which has left at least 58 dead and more than 400 in hospital, has reignited the controversy over gun ownership laws in the US.

Donald Trump has repeatedly declared he loves the Second Amendment. And since becoming president, he has begun rolling back Obama-era restrictions on gun ownership.

What were Mr Trumps thoughts on guns before he ran for president?

Mr Trump wasnt always such a strong advocate of gun ownership. Before he was a presidential contender, he called out Republicans who walk the NRA line and refuse even limited restrictions on firearms laws, in his 2000 book, The America We Deserve.

I generally oppose gun control, but I support the ban on assault weapons and I also support a slightly longer waiting period to purchase a gun, he wrote.

In April 2015  15 years later and two months before he announced his bid for president  Mr Trump appeared to change his stance: I love the NRA. I love the Second Amendment, he told those gathered at a forum for the National Rifle Association of America.

What did Mr Trump say on the campaign trail?

During a 2016 Republican debate, the real estate mogul said he carries a gun in his home state of New York, "sometimes a lot."

I like to be unpredictable, so people don't know if I'm carrying, Mr Trump said after a CNBC moderator asked him whether he would feel more comfortable if his employees brought guns to work.

Yes, I might feel more comfortable. I would say that I would, and I have a permit, which is very unusual in New York, he added.

Mr Trump also said gun-free zones are target practice for the sickos and for the mentally ill.

I think gun-free zones are a catastrophe, he said. They're a feeding frenzy for sick people.

What has Mr Trump said on the issue since becoming president?

In April, Mr Trump declared to members of the NRA: The eight-year assault on your Second Amendment freedoms has come to a crashing end.

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He also assured association  which had donated more than $30m to his presidential campaign  that it now has a true friend and champion in the White House.

I will never, ever infringe on the right of the people to keep and bear arms, the President said. Never ever.

What has he done on the issue?

In February, about a month after he was inaugurated, Mr Trump signed a resolution blocking an Obama-era rule that would have prevented an estimated 75,000 people with mental disorders from buying guns.

The rule was part of former President Barack Obama's push to strengthen the federal background check system following the 2012 Newtown, Connecticut shooting  the deadliest school shooting in US history.
By Steve Holland WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House on Monday ruled out talks with North Korea except to discuss the fate of Americans held there, again appearing to rebuke Secretary of State Rex Tillerson who said Washington was directly communicating with Pyongyang on its nuclear and missile programs. "We've been clear that now is not the time to talk," White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders told reporters, reiterating a tweet from President Donald Trump at the weekend that was seen as undercutting Tillerson. "The only conversations that have taken place were that ... would be on bringing back Americans who have been detained," Sanders said. "Beyond that, there will be no conversations with North Korea at this time." Tillerson said on Saturday during a trip to China that the United States was directly communicating with North Korea on its nuclear and missile programs but that Pyongyang had shown no interest in dialogue. Trump, who has traded insults and threats with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in recent weeks, later dismissed any prospect of talks with North Korea as a waste of time. "I told Rex Tillerson, our wonderful secretary of state, that he is wasting his time trying to negotiate with Little Rocket Man," Trump wrote on Twitter, using his sarcastic nickname for Kim. "Save your energy, Rex, we'll do what has to be done!" Trump wrote. It was not the first time the White House and State Department have seemed at odds on policy issues, but when asked if Trump still had confidence in Tillerson as secretary of state, Sanders said: He does. A senior administration official said Tillerson misspoke. I think it was just him misspeaking. He was just acknowledging the fact that we do have channels and we might have reason to talk if North Koreas behavior changes sometime down the road, the official said. DIALOGUE WITH NORTH? Tillerson said in Beijing that the United States had multiple direct channels of communication with Pyongyang and that it was probing North Korea to see if it was interested in dialogue. The top U.S. diplomat expressed hope for reducing tensions with North Korea, which is fast advancing toward its goal of developing a nuclear-tipped missile capable of hitting the U.S. mainland. "We are probing, so stay tuned," Tillerson told a small group of reporters. "We ask: 'Would you like to talk?'" He said the United States had "a couple of, three, channels, open to Pyongyang." Another U.S. official said Tillerson may have overstated the status of U.S. lines of communication with North Korea for the benefit of his Chinese hosts, who have been pushing the Trump administration to do more to lure Pyongyang to the negotiating table. Trump has vowed to halt North Korea's nuclear ambitions and tensions have escalated in recent months, with Pyongyang conducting its sixth and largest nuclear test on Sept. 3. It has also threatened to test a hydrogen bomb over the Pacific. The fate of Americans held in North Korea is also a bone of contention. The Trump administration has demanded North Korea release three U.S. citizens it has detained: missionary Kim Dong Chul and academics Tony Kim and Kim Hak Song. The Trump White House and State Department have taken to divergent stances on other foreign policy issues. When a dispute over Qatar erupted this year, Trump strongly backed Gulf Arab leaders who accuse Qatar of supporting Iran as well as Islamist militants. Trump accused Qatar of being a "high-level" funder of terrorism even as the Pentagon and Tillerson cautioned against the military, commercial and humanitarian effects of a boycott imposed by Arab states. Months into the dispute, Trump adopted a position more in line with that of the State Department. (Reporting by Steve Holland in Washington; Additional reporting by David Alexander and Matt Spetalnick in Washington and Ben Blanchard in Beijing; Writing by Alistair Bell; Editing by James Dalgleish)
After a deadly shooting in Las Vegas that left 58 dead and over 500 injured Sunday night, the White House said that now isnt the time to debate gun control.

In a press conference Monday, White House Press Secretary said that it was premature to discuss policy when we don't fully know all the facts.

There is a time and place for political debate, Sanders said. Now is the time to unite.

The shooting is considered the deadliest mass shooting ever in the U.S., surpassing the last deadliest shooting which killed 49 people in an Orlando, Florida, nightclub last year. The alleged shooter, Stephen Craig Paddock, took aim at the Route 91 Harvest Festival from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Hotel across the street.

Paddock killed himself before police stormed his room and found at least 10 guns. Police found more guns in Paddocks Mesquite, Nevada, home. He had legally acquired some guns in California, but it is unclear whether they were used in the attack.

Today is more, again, like I said, a day of reflection, a day of mourning, a day of gratefulness for those that were saved, said Sanders. I think that there will be certainly time for that policy discussion to take place, but that's not the place that we're in at this moment. Certainly, I think there's a time for that to happen.

The violence has caused many to renew calls for stricter gun control. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton went after gun rights and gun lobbying organization, the National Rifle Association (NRA).

Our grief isn't enough. We can and must put politics aside, stand up to the NRA, and work together to try to stop this from happening again, said Clinton on Twitter.

Our grief isn't enough. We can and must put politics aside, stand up to the NRA, and work together to try to stop this from happening again.  Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) October 2, 2017

The NRA has been silent on the issue.

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Nelba Marquez-Greene, a mother who lost her six-year-old daughter in the 2012 Newtown, Connecticut, school shooting in which 26 people were killed blamed Congress for their inaction.

Did you know u have congresspeople who rather than talk about gun legislation implied that we hadnt prayed hard enough? said Marquez-Greene on Twitter. Their lack of courage and/or ability to take meaningful action on issues that most matter: healthcare, violence, climate, etc is outrageous.

Did you know u have congress people who rather than talk about gun legislation implied that we hadnt prayed hard enough?#Newtown  Nelba Marquez-Greene (@Nelba_MG) October 2, 2017

President Donald Trump called for unity and did not mention gun laws in his statement on the shooting.

We call upon the bonds that unite us  our faith, our family, and our shared values. We call upon the bonds of citizenship, the ties of community, and the comfort of our common humanity.

Our unity cannot be shattered by evil, said Trump.

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23-year-old Jordon McIldoon was among the first victims to be identified after a gunman opened fire on a crowd of thousands at the Route 91 Harvest festival in Las Vegas on Sunday, killing at least 59 people. His final moments were reportedly spent in the arms of a complete stranger who never left his side.

"It's what you see on TV and it's never going to be you. It's never going to happen to you. And it was happening," Heather Gooze told CBS News.

RELATED: These are the victims of the deadly Las Vegas shooting



Gooze, a bartender, was working at the concert that evening and managed to escape the gunfire. McIldoon did not, however, and was one of the dying victims Gooze would comfort later that night.

"His fingers were kind of wrapped on my hand. His hand kind of squeezed a little bit, and then just, like, went loose," she said.

Jordan McIldoon, 23, was mechanic from British Columbia. He was one of the kindest, funny and most sincere guys." https://t.co/Ucdve86SLzpic.twitter.com/DfiymlTwb3  Katie Zavadski (@katiezavadski) October 2, 2017

Gooze recalled the moment she spoke to McIldoon's girlfriend on the phone shortly after his death.

"She said, 'Be honest with me, like, what's going on?' And I said 'He didn't make it.' She said to me, 'You know, he's the love of my life, like, are you sure?' I said, 'Yes,'" Gooze said.

SEE ALSO: Parents of Las Vegas shooting victim: 'We only had one child. We just don't know what to do.'

Gooze later posted about the traumatic incident on Facebook.

In a public post she wrote: "I am ok. I am right outside of the festival grounds. We are not allowed to go anywhere. I am with a young man who died in my arms! RIP Jordan Mcildoon from British Columbia. I cant believe this just happened!!!"

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McIldoon, from British Columbia, was confirmed dead by his parents Monday.

RELATED: See photos from the horrific attack


Photo: Glitterandlazers/Instagram

Sofia Agustin is a 10-year-old who dresses up as her favorite bloggers for fun  and doesnt discriminate when it comes to size, because shes all about good style. For a recent photoshoot, Agustin copied Glitter and Lazers, and the results are awesome.

Sofia and I came across Anna OBriens Instagram back in July (wish it was sooner) through the explore page, Sofias mom, Erica, tells Yahoo Lifestyle. Sofia has always been interested in fashion, and after looking through @glitterandlazers page she was hooked. She was so excited because they had a similar fashion sense, and Sofia loved that Anna wasnt afraid to be herself.

OBrien is a plus-size fashion expert known for her relatable looks with a splash of sparkle. Shes also extremely outspoken and promotes body positivity. Whats not to love? Anna inspires her because shes the kind of woman Sofia wants to become, Erica explains. Sofia says she wants to be a model so she can inspire others, like Anna, help them express themselves and love themselves.

Like any aspiring model, Sofia loves having at-home fashion shoots (shes even created her own fashion Instagram account). Recently we went shopping and Sofia saw a black and floral top and asked if she could get it. Its just like @glitterandlazers! she said. Cue the photo session, in which Sofia channeled OBrien in a black floral crop top, a black skirt, a statement necklace and black booties  a look she once saw Anna wear. She even posed the same way as Anna did in her original post! I thought it was very sweet and I decided to share it with Anna, Erica recalls.

And OBrien loved it. On Instagram she shared a side-by-side shot of her and Sofia twinning, with the caption, Ok so this made my morning. This is @_zizi_22s daughter. She told me how much they love to read my feed and sometimes recreate my looks. Its awesome to see such a young fashion diva being inspired by a body type thats very different than her own. Inspiration and motivation doesnt have to come from someone that looks and acts just like you. Seeing and appreciating each others differences is what breeds diversity in thoughts, actions and yes- even fashion.

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Photo: Courtesy of Erica Agustin

This isnt the first time shes recreated one of Annas looks. She even goes for the more complicated shots involving multiple layers, very specific clothing (like Mickey Mouse T-shirts), and props (in one photo Anna posted, shes chugging a bottle of champagne  Sofia used chocolate milk). Shes mastered Annas badass smize and leg positioning. Our favorite involves a flannel shirt, glasses, a laptop, and a lap dog.

Photo: Courtesy of Erica Agustin

Photo: Courtesy of Erica Agustin

Erica shared that Sofia takes her phone to scan OBriens Instagram and then goes to raid her closet until she can recreate her looks. Shes very pleased that she owns similar clothes to Anna. Shes even created a list of Anna-inspired clothing items she would like her mom to buy her. More photo-shoots to come Im sure!

To Sofia, it doesnt matter that she doesnt look anything like Anna  they have different coloring and body types (Sofia is still a kid, of course)  because thats not what she idolizes about her. She fell hard for Annas funny, fierce, and loving personality. Her amazing sense of style, is an added bonus. This is something her mother instills in her. I have always taught my kids to love themselves and love the differences they see in others. We are all unique and beautiful inside and out, says Erica.

Sofias mom feels connected to Anna for other reasons. I am a plus-size woman, mom, and wife, she shares. But sometimes I forget to love myself and start to feel insecure. Then Anna reminds me and thousands of other women to feel gorgeous, feel stunning, feel powerful. I always look forward to Annas posts because she puts into words exactly how Im feeling.

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Wellington (AFP) - New Zealand's maverick "kingmaker" Winston Peters arrived in Wellington Tuesday for talks that will eventually determine the outcome of the country's deadlocked general election.

Peters is poised to anoint the winner of the September 23 poll later this month after conservative Prime Minister Bill English and opposition leader Jacinda Ardern both failed to secure an outright majority.

Under the country's preferential voting system, that leaves Peters' New Zealand First (NZF) party in a position to form a coalition with either side to get them over the line.

Ardern, who entered the campaign on a wave of "Jacinda-mania" hype but faded as English attacked her economic credentials, said Peters had a big decision to make.

"There's a lot of pressure on Winston here, but it's not Winston's fault that he's currently in this situation," the leader of the centre-left Labour Party told TV3.

As it stands, English's National has 58 seats, three short of the 61 needed to win, while Labour (45) and the Greens (7) have 52 combined.

That makes NZF's nine seats decisive and Peters, a populist anti-immigration campaigner, has shown in the past he could go either way if the right offer is made.

He supported National in 1996 in return for being made deputy prime minister and Labour in 2005 when it agreed to make him foreign minister.

The 72-year-old has been clear he will not be rushed and was tight-lipped about his intentions after arriving at Wellington Airport, refusing to answer questions from reporters.

Both English and Ardern say they have had telephone conversations with Peters in recent days and expect "preliminary" face-to-face talks later this week.

But Ardern said discussions would not begin in earnest until Saturday, when the results of "special" votes -- postal and overseas ballots -- are declared.

They are expected to give Labour and the Greens another one or two seats, which Ardern said would give a Labour-Green-NZF coalition an extra buffer if it formed government.

Peters hopes to declare his decision by October 12, when the final election results are officially announced, but Ardern acknowledged it was a tight deadline.

"There's nothing wrong with working towards that deadline but there's no hard and fast rule why they must be concluded by then," she said.
Harare (AFP) - Zimbabwe's main opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, has been discharged from a South African hospital were he had been receiving medical treatment, his spokesman said Tuesday.

"He was discharged last week (on) Monday. He is now fine, he is out of danger," Luke Tamborinyoka told AFP.

Tamborinyoka declined to reveal when the former prime minister would return to Zimbabwe, saying only, "he will be back home soon."

Tsvangirai, 65, was airlifted to South Africa two weeks ago after falling ill.

The local New Day newspaper reported he had been given oxygen and a drip and had been vomiting heavily.

His party said he was undergoing a routine medical check.

The veteran opposition leader announced last year that he had been diagnosed with cancer of the colon and had begun chemotherapy.

Tsvangirai, a former trade union leader, has posed the biggest challenge to President Robert Mugabe's grip on power, and has often accused him and his government of rigging polls.

In 2008 Tsvangirai won 47.9 percent of the vote to Mugabe's 43.2 percent, which led to a run-off.

He has been endorsed by the alliance of opposition parties to stand against Mugabe in the 2018 general elections.

His adversary, 93-year-old Mugabe, regularly flies to Singapore, reportedly for health reasons. Details of his medical condition are kept under wraps, but he recently said doctors had given him a clean bill of health.
He has been serving as prime minister for eight consecutive years. He has been a key player in the political system for more than 20 years. His influence on many facets of our lives cannot be overestimated. He holds immense power, power to build and power to destroy. He heads a stable government, holds a coalition that is preserving itself and wont allow elections, and the polls show that even if were to go to elections todayBenjamin Netanyahu would remain prime minister.

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Is Netanyahu engaging in introspection these days, in the midst of the High Holy Days? Is the wall of cynicism and constant preoccupation with survival penetrated occasionally by different thoughts? Like regret, remorse, shame, a desire to seek forgiveness, a recognition that this is not what he wanted, that this is not how he hoped things would turn out.

What happened to the Benjamin Netanyahu who was raised in the liberal, democratic and cultural home of Tzila and Benzion Netanyahupeople with commitment and respect for history, culture, universal values? (Photo: AFP)

Does he ever consider repentance, not in the religious sense but in the moral sense? Does the prime minister ever reflect on what happened to the man he used to be? To the Benjamin Netanyahu who was raised in the liberal, democratic and cultural home of Tzila and Benzion Netanyahupeople with commitment and respect for history, culture, universal values. And today, he incites against the legal system, urges people to protest outside the Supreme Court chief justices home, allows racist, fascist, undemocratic legislation, backs shallow statements, fails to disassociate himself from the fiery style, organizes support rallies for himself and delivers divisive speeches.

Does he ask himself how, instead of the people he regards highlylike Dan Meridor, Benny Begin, Michael Eitanhe is surrounded by people like Miri Regev, David Bitan, Miki Zohar. These are people who, in the past, he would have despised and stayed away from and whose sycophancy he would have mocked. But today he praises and glorifies them, encourages them to approach the media and speak on his behalf and rant on his familys behalf, and avoids condemning them when they do things he would have been shocked at in the past.

What happened to the man of the world, who was raised on the tenets of American democracy? The man who understood the importance of free press and media and knew how to use it like an artist. How is it possible that this man threatens media organizations and journalists, cynically appoints Ayoob Kara as the communications minister threatens elections over a public broadcasting corporation, changes his mind again and againand all this as part of his survival efforts?

In these days of self-examination, is the prime minister thinking about his father? What would his intellectual father, the man of letters, have to say about the people his son is surrounding himself with? What would he have to say about his son, who associates himself with world leaders but is surrounded by shallowness, who is motivated by feelings of paranoia and suspicion, whose good friends are the stars of gossip columns, whose relations with millionaires are based on give and takemainly take, and mainly luxury products , cigars, champagne, jewelry, to match his extravagant lifestyle? What would Tzila and Benzion, who always lived a modest life, think about their son and daughter-in-laws way of life?

And what does he think his father, the historian, would have to say about his 25-year-old grandson, who is living at the states expense oreven worseat the expense of tycoons, who is posting racist and disgraceful comments and cartoons afflicted with anti-Semitism ? What would he have to say about his grandsons laziness, exploitation and lack of discretion, and about his sons weakness and inability to put an end to his familys embarrassing behavior? Does Netanyahu sometimes say to himself, deep in his subconscious, that its a good thing his father isnt seeing all this? The greed, the hedonism, the behavior of a person who thinks hes entitled to everything, while the streets are blocked by disabled people begging for minimum wage and while Holocaust survivors cry silently over their disgraceful living conditions.

What would Tzila and Benzion Netanyahu, who always lived a modest life, think about their son and daughter-in-laws extravagant lifestyle? (Photo: Avi Ohayon. GPO)

What would happen if his father were still alive? Would the man who once said in an interview that his son is unfit to be prime minister, and would make a good foreign minister at the most, scold him over the way he is leading the country? Would he be the one to point out that the emperor has no clothes?

And what would his parents have to say about the way Knesset members from their sons party treat bereaved parents or parents whose sons are missing ? What would they have to say about their sons weak response in light to the disrespect, the scorn, the lack of empathy?

How would they react to the mass support rallies and the inciting speeches of the son they raised? Even they, who lives as outsiders, who resented the establishment and the way they were treated by the state, would be ashamed of the wretchedness and shallowness of these horror shows, of the hollow and vindictive speeches hitting people and the entire public below the belt.

And what would his father have to say about the corruption affairs threatening his sons term? And about the way he is willing to launch a war against all the systems whose importance and contribution he is well aware of, just so he could save his skin. If Benzion Netanyahu were alive, would his son dare risk all the things he used to believe in, just so he could bend these systems?

Does the prime minister have the time these days to engage in the self-examination of a person who has been in power for the past eight years but has failed to march us toward a better future? A person who has caused the Israeli public, or at least a large part of it, to lose hope. While the Palestinians are hoisting one flag after another in international institutions, we are progressing by leaps and bounds toward a binational or apartheid state.

There will be no more uprooting of communities, Netanyahu said last week in the controversial ceremony marking 50 years since the liberationor occupationof the West Bank. Its not the way to achieve peace, said the expert peacemaker, who has been avoiding any opportunity for progress in the negotiations for the past eight years. Whats the way to achieve peace, Mr. Netanyahu? Why, you have even turned up your nose at the initial plan for a peace agreement, which the man you have pinned all your hopes onthe American presidentwants to present us with. You see it as an imposition.

In the years you have been sitting on this important seat, have you ever considered what could actually be done, rather than how to avoid doing things? How to stop any initiative, from an international conference to a return to direct negotiations. And you had your chances. Windows of opportunity have been opened. Youre the one who slammed them shut. You could have gained peoples support. Youll be surprised at the number of people who would have been willing to take this move with you. The evidence can be found in the empty chairs, in the absence of Supreme Court representatives, of the chief of staff, of the opposition, of the US ambassador and many others from the Gush Etzion event.

How would Netanyahus parents react to the mass support rallies and the inciting speeches delivered by the son they raised? (Photo: AFP)

Instead of constantly looking to the right, toward Bayit Yehudi Naftali Bennett, and trying to appear more rightist than he is, you should have opened your eyes and heart to a huge camp located in the centeryes, in the centerand led it. That public wants security too. That public is also looking at reality through sober eyes. That public is also unwilling to desert its country. These are the common people, who serve in the army and pay taxes, who see the Supreme Court as a supreme value, who simply want the state they dreamed of. A Jewish and democratic state. The State of Israel, not the State of Judea. But leading this public requires an act of leadership, a strong backbone, perseverance, ignoring background noises, a conscientious and moral outlook. Everything you dont have.

What were you thinking, Netanyahu, as you stood there, in front of the empty gallery, and saw that the stage in these jubilee celebrations was occupied by only one side? Did you see it as a sign of a torn society, of the rift between right and left, Haredi and secular Jews, Sephardim and Ashkenazim, a rift which has only grown deeper on your watch?

In your self-examination, Mr. Prime Minister, are you telling yourself that you missed an opportunity? You could have made history as a prime minister who marched the state forward, not as someone who kept sitting on the fence, satisfying your coalition partners appetite.

Even your governments achievements, like the Haredi draft law, were cancelled the following term by your own government. I wonder what your father, the father of three combat soldiers whose son was killed in a bold operation, would have to say about your complete surrender to the Haredim. Or what he would have to say about your treatment of Reform Judaism, which the majority of US Jews belong to, which your family was affiliated with for so many years, and about the rift you managed to create. Because of your weakness, because of your lack of leadership.

These are days of self-examination, personal self-examination and national self-examination. The Israeli public is extremely content, according to polls conducted ahead of the Jewish New Year. Is there really room for content? Is this what we were hoping for on the states 70th yeara controversial celebration of the 50th anniversary of Judea and Samarias liberation?

Do trips all over the world and fiery speeches atone for what is happening inside, among your people? The deep feeling of frustration and despair among such a large public. The growing gap between what we hoped our country would be and what it is.

What do you say to yourself, Mr. Prime Minister, when you engage in self-examination? Are you aware of the short time you have left in office? A year and a half at best, and only if you insist on holding onto your seat in light of the suspicions and maybe even an indictment. Is this how you wish to leave office, with a black cloud casting a shadow on all your years in power? Is this how you would like to be remembered, as a prime minister who is repeatedly led to courts, who heads cabinet meetings under heavy suspicions, who refuses to relinquish his seat at all costs, even at the cost of the state and the peoples best interest?

Its time for self-examination, personal and national self-examination. Your self-examination, Mr. Prime Ministers, and ours.
The trial of Abdelkader Merah, who allegedly helped his brother prepare a nine-day shooting spree in southern France in 2012, began Monday, bringing back haunting memories of the bloodshed for the country's Jews.

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Merah's trial is the first arising from the wave of Islamist attacks that have hit France in recent years.

Abdelkader's brother Mohamed killed three soldiers before targeting a Jewish school in Toulouse , gunning down a teacher and three children aged three, five and eight.

The self-proclaimed Al-Qaeda militant was shot dead in a police raid two days later.





French forces gaurd Jewish center in France (Archive photo: Yisrael Bardugo)

"The terrible shock of 19 March, 2012we still go through it every day, every time we bring the children to school or come to pick them up," France's chief rabbi, Haim Korsia, told AFP.

Some 300 Jewish families have since left Toulouse for Israel or other countries, according to Jewish federation CRIFadding to the estimated 20,000 who emigrated from 2014-2015, spurred by fears over anti-Semitism.

Jerome Fourquet, head of opinion at pollster Ifop who wrote a study on the exodus, said the attack on Ozar Hatorah School was the "trigger event" for the mass departures.

And while the emigration and reports of anti-Semitic abuse have both since slowed, Europe's biggest Jewish communitynumbering half a million people"remains on edge", he said.

Nicknamed 'Bin Laden'

Abdelkader Merah, 35, has been charged with complicity in terrorism, accused of knowingly helping his younger brother with preparations for one of the deadliest attacks against French Jews since World War II.

He helped him steal the scooter used for the three separate shootings.

Mohamed Merah, the terrorist (Photo: AFP)

Another suspect, 34-year-old Fettah Malki, will also go on trial in Paris for giving Merah a bulletproof jacket, an Uzi submachine gun, and the ammunition he unloaded on his victims.

Neither denies giving Merah the items, but both insist they were unaware of his intentions.

Abdelkader faces a possible life sentence, and Malki 20 years behind bars.

Like his brother, Abdelkadernicknamed "Bin Laden" in the neighborhoodwas known to intelligence services for his ties to radical Islamists in Toulouse.

Abdelkader Merah (Photo: AFP)

Prosecutors claim he shared his brother's ideology, and the two men were repeatedly in contact in the days before the killings.

Lingering worries

Simon Cohen, a lawyer representing 160 civil parties including the school, said the trial "comes at a historic moment where we are not finished with the wave of jihadist terrorism."

Merah's shooting spree preceded a string of attacks from 2015 in France that left 239 people dead.

They include four killed by an Islamic State gunman at a kosher supermarket in Paris in January 2015, two days after the attack at satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo.

After that, 10,000 troops were deployed across France under an anti-terrorism operation known as Sentinelle, guarding sensitive sites including synagogues and Jewish schools.

This is credited with contributing to a 58.5 percent drop in reports of anti-Semitic attacks in 2016 compared to a year earlier.

Yet French Jews continue to worry over their security.

There was outrage over the murder of a Jewish woman in April, pushed from a third-floor window by a Muslim neighbor, and over an attack on a Jewish family in their home in the capital's suburbs earlier this month.

Prime Minister Netanyahu and then French President Hollande visiting graves of Toulouse terror attack victims (Photo: Haim Zach, GPO)

Chief rabbi Korsia said Jews were comforted by the outpouring of solidarity that followed the Charlie Hebdo and supermarket attacks, with 3.7 million taking to the streets of France against terrorism.

But he added that many still feel a lack of support.

"There is a kind of keeping us at a distance, an indifference," he said.

"At demonstrations, at ceremonies, we find ourselves very alone."
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-02 23:10:36|Editor: Yurou

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Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim addresses the 10th European Regional Meeting of the International Labor Organization in Istanbul, Turkey, on Oct. 2, 2017. The 10th European Regional Meeting of the International Labor Organization kicked off on Monday in Istanbul with a call for quick solution to the growing migrant workers problem. (Xinhua/He Canling)

ISTANBUL, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- The 10th European Regional Meeting of the International Labor Organization kicked off on Monday in Istanbul with a call for quick solution to the growing migrant workers problem.

The participants at the meeting agreed that poorly-governed labor migration would bring risks and challenges, including growing racism and xenophobia that fuel discrimination in societies and workplaces.

A well-observed labor migration, however, can provide benefits and opportunities to all concerned, mainly in the forms of balancing labor supply and demand, transferring skills and enriching communities both culturally and socially, according to a report presented at the opening session.

The report acknowledged that refugees from Syria have concentrated in a handful of countries, increasing the burden of these countries for their protection and integration.

Addressing the meeting, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said his country has been providing all the sincere care and hospitableness to 3.5 million Syrian refugees being sheltered in Turkey for more than six years.

"This is a burden we have been carrying all along, yet we are expecting closer cooperation from the rest of the world," he said, adding, "Unfortunately, both the European Union countries and the world have been mere spectators."

The EU has promised 3 billion euros (3.5 billion U.S. dollars) in aid to the Syrian refugees after reaching a deal with Ankara last year on stemming the flow of illegal migrants to Europe, but Turkey has received just 80 million euros so far, the premier said recently.

Julide Sarieroglu, Turkey's labor and social security minister, emphasized the risk of growing xenophobia and discrimination toward immigrants in the host countries, noting that immigrants might be subject to inferior working conditions and deprived of social security.

She urged the world to create a convenient social and cultural atmosphere that would ease the integration process of refugees in a move to prevent xenophobia.

The issue of labor migration is set to be discussed in detail at an informal ministerial meeting under the theme of "fair and effective access to labor markets for migrants and refugees."

The four-day meeting brings together government officials as well as employer and worker representatives from 51 countries in the region.
President of Egypt Abdel Fattah al-Sisi continues to push for reconciliation between rival Palestinian factions Hamas and Fatah, saying Tuesday in video message shown at a meeting between Egyptian Intelligence Chief Khaled Fawzy and Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah, that "history will pay its debt to anyone who misses the opportunity for peace."

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"It is necessary that the Palestinian disagreements be resolved internally with the support of the Arab states, and without the intervention of an outside party," he emphasized. "Egypt will invest everything in order to bring about the success of the mission.

"We must work together to emphasize the sincerity of the Palestinian people's adjustment toward a just peace in the region. The whole world is waiting for internal Palestinian reconciliation. We do not have time to waste."

Egyptian soldier standing in front of a poster of Abdel Fattah el-Sisi (Photo: AFP)

Monday's meeting between Fawzy and Hamdallah, which took place in Ramallah, is another in a series of meetings regarding the reconciliation agreement between Fatah and Hamas, signed in Cairo.

"We have clear instructions from President al-Sisi to make all efforts to end the division," Hamdallah said. "We thank the Palestinian Authority and Hamas for their cooperation on this matter."

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu commented on the reconciliation attempts at a Likud faction meeting in Ma'aleh Adumim , saying the reconciliation will only help promote peace with Israel if the Palestinians recognize the Jewish state.

"We expect everyone who talks about a peace process to recognize the State of Israel and of course to recognize a Jewish state," Netanyahu said. "We are not prepared to accept fanciful appeasement in which the Palestinian side seems to be reconciling at the expense of our existence.

Rami Hamdallah and political leader of Hamas Ismail Haniyeh shake hands as Hamas transfers administrative power to the PA (Photo: Reuters)

"Those who want to make such a reconciliation, our message is very simple: recognize the State of Israel, dismantle the military wing of Hamas, sever connections with Iranwhich calls for our destructionand so forth.

"These are very clear things (that need to be doneed), and they're also clearly stated."

For the first time since 2014, the Palestinian government convened for a festive meeting in the Gaza Strip, a meeting that symbolizes the acceptance of the PA's civil administration responsibility for the Gaza Strip. Hamas retained responsibility for the security of the Gaza Strip.

The meeting is a ceremonial high point since the declaration of reconciliation between the two factions.

Hamdallah was expected to declare the lifting of sanctions imposed on Gaza, but despite the positive atmosphere and the supreme effort invested by Hamas in the success of the meeting, the sanctions are still in place and PA President Mahmoud Abbas is not in any hurry to remove them.

Mahmoud Abbas at the UNGA (Photo: Reuters)

On Monday night, Abbas was interviewed by the Egyptian media and made it clear that he would not accept the Hezbollah model in Lebanon and that Hamas' military wing and the other factions in Gaza would have to disarm.

"If someone from the Fatah movement in the West Bank carries weapons illegaly, I will arrest them, and that is what I will do in Gaza. There must be only one security force (in the strip)."

However, he stressed that there is a strong desire to reach reconciliation with Hamas and that this will be possible by renewing the activity of the Palestinian Authority government in the Gaza Strip.

"There is no Palestinian state without complete reconciliation and unity," he added. "The (Palestinian Authority) government returned to Gaza to carry out its duties. We have ideological disagreements with Hamas, but we cannot deny that they are part of the Palestinian people."

"I personally do not want to run in the presidential elections, but if the people demand that I do so, I will. I am optimistic that the day will come when we will achieve an independent Palestinian state, but it will not happen soon."

PA meeting in Gaza (Photo: AP)

Abbas' statements was in contrast with the statements made several days ago by senior Hamas figures, including Musa Abu Marzuq, who argued that the dismantling of Hamas's military wing should not even be considered, since it is "designed to protect the Palestinian people."

After the declarations and ceremonies, the substantive stage will begin next week, when Fatah and Hamas delegations will enter into discussions regarding the implementation of the reconciliation. These discussions will take place in Cairo, and will be off the record.
Do you want to know the phenomenon of boosting property value? Here are some factors that can cause a home's value to appreciate or depreciate in Pakistan.
Commercial Law series

Compensation For Damages In Case Of Data Protection Law Violations - European Developments



Tuesday 6 December 2022, 13.00 GMT/14.00 CET

(Please note this webcast was moved from 11 April 2022)

Host: Robert Griffiths

Presenters: Jens von der Thuesen, Pietro Boccaccini, Bernhard Koeck

More than four years have passed since the introduction of the General Data

Protection Regulation (GDPR). The GDPR also introduced a basis for affected persons to claim compensation for material/immaterial damage for data protection violations. Our panel from Germany, United Kingdom, Italy and Austria will look at how courts within Europe have been dealing with the new rules and damage claims. Could there be potential for mass claims and/or class actions? Well discuss:



Legal basics of compensation claims relating to data protection law violations.

Developments in legal services markets: mass claim service providers at the gates?

How courts in Germany, UK, Italy and Austria deal with respective damages claims, especially the potential of mass claims/class actions in this context.

Corporate defense options against potential mass actions.



Learn more about the newest developments - potential threats as well as defence possibilities.
Kentucky Fried Chicken arrived in Ghana only a few years ago, and has rapidly expanded with several new branches spread across the capital city, Accra and in Kumasi.

Get the latest news in entertainment and politics on YEN.com.gh

KFC which is not the only fast food restaurant in Ghana, is now among the most patronized spots in the capital, mainly due to its quick and relatively affordable service.

An article published by the American news site, The New York Times, debated the rise in fast obesity and fast food joints, where one academic they interviewed described KFC as not just food but a social status.

KFC Ghana

READ ALSO: Ghanaian female celebrities who have a special bond with their children

And then the social media roof came crashing down.

Ghanaians on social media took great offense at the insinuation and decided to give the news site an education:

Maybe we should start a hashtag like #NYTimesGetItRight the same way we did for CNN?

Someone was really upset at this article.

To be very honest.

Some people did not hold back at all

Most Ghanaians stick to the good old restaurants anyway.

Could the article be tagged as misrepresentation of facts?

Noted Ghanaian journalist, Manasseh Azuri, on the other hand, seemed to have different opinions

So what do you think? Is eating at KFC a 'social status'? And do Ghanaians really attach a sense of privilege to something as simple as eating at a fast food restaurant?

READ ALSO: Sulley Muntari flaunts his son as he puts his daddy duties on display in latest photos

YEN is building a platform where Ghanaians can share local news and own experiences with each other. Witnessing an incident? Want to tell about a local problem? Know someone who is extremely talented and needs recognition? Your stories and photos are always welcome. Send us a message via YENs official Facebook page.

Source: YEN.com.gh
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 00:41:18|Editor: An

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BEIJING, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- After saying nihao, or hello, to his Austrian counterpart some 7,000 kilometers away, Bai Chunli, president of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, completed the world's first intercontinental quantum communication in Beijing.

The dialogue between Bai and Anton Zeilinger, Austrian quantum physicist and President of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, on Sept. 29 could be ultra-secret if they keep it private between them.

Encrypted by quantum communication technology, what they said could not be wiretapped, intercepted or cracked.

Bai's greeting was first sent out through a control center in Beijing along the Beijing-Shanghai Trunk Line, the first of its kind for secure quantum telecommunication open for use the same day.

The 2,000-km trunk line had been connected through a ground station to the world's first quantum satellite Micius launched by China in August last year.

Micius was named after a fifth century B.C. Chinese philosopher and scientist who was credited as the first person to conduct optical experiments.

During their talk, Zeilinger expressed congratulations on the achievements Chinese scientists made in quantum communication and hoped to strengthen cooperation.

Earlier that day, Bai had video talks with staff in Hefei, Jinan, Shanghai and Urumqi ground stations through the trunk line.

Pan Jianwei, chief scientist of the trunk line, said the video call between Bai and Zeilinger involved a long distance and multiple nodes.

Given that some nodes were not built by Chinese scientists, the tests showed the ground-space quantum communication network was stable, compatible and good for practical use, said Pan.

Chinese businesses, including the Bank of Communications, the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) and Alibaba, have used the quantum communication technology for information transmission.

Zhu Yu, deputy head of the China Information Industry Association, expected the tests would attract more companies into the sector of quantum communication, and a brand new industrial chain would come into shape.

A number of encryption communication products including quantum USB key, a protecting device for mobile payment, have been put to the market.

In one or two years, China is likely to issue national standards for quantum key distribution equipment, according to sources close to the trunk line project.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 01:31:34|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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KIEV, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- Ukrainian police have detained a group of people suspected to be linked to a series of attacks across the country in the recent months, Ukrainian Interior Minister Arsen Avalon said here Monday.

In a statement on Facebook, Avalon wrote that the suspects were detained in Ukraine's western Transcarpathia region while they were preparing to blow up a monument to Hungarian people in the Carpathian Mountains.

Police have seized grenades from the detainees and launched criminal proceedings against them, Avakov said.

According to him, the preliminary investigation found that the arrested men were members of a criminal group that has prepared and performed five blasts and four other provocative acts since November 2016, aimed at "inciting xenophobia, religious intolerance and international conflicts" across Ukraine.

In particular, the group was behind the explosion in central Kiev during the Independence Day celebrations on Aug. 24, 2017, which injured three people, Avakov said.

According to the minister, the group has also organized a blast near a pilgrimage site for Hasidic Jews in the city of Uman in central Ukraine last month, which hurt two Israeli nationals.

In addition, the police accused the detained people of attacks on the Polish consulate in western Lutsk city and the U.S. embassy in Kiev in March and June this year respectively.

The Interior Minister has not disclosed the number of detainees, but later in the day his aide Anton Geraschenko said that three people were arrested.

The detainees face life prison sentence if the court confirms their involvement in the attacks.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 01:31:36|Editor: Yurou

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Delegates arrive at Sittwe Airport in Myanmar's northern Rakhine state on Oct. 2, 2017. Around 50 delegates from embassies, international organizations and media organizations in Myanmar paid a government-organized visit to northern Rakhine state on Monday. (Xinhua/Lu Shuqun)

SITTWE, Rakhine State, Myanmar, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- Around 50 delegates from embassies, international organizations and media organizations in Myanmar paid a government-organized visit to northern Rakhine state on Monday.

The delegates arrived at Sittwe, capital of Rakhine State early in the morning, before being divided into three groups and took helicopters to visit several villages and Maungtaw District Administrative Department respectively.

The tour was guided by three ministers from the Ministry of Health and Sports, Ministry of Construction and Ministry of Border Affairs.

Local villagers, village administrators, police officials and district governors briefed the delegates on the situation since August when terrorist attacks broke out.

The Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army extremist terrorists launched attacks on police outposts in Rakhine on Aug. 25, displacing residents from a number of areas in Maungtaw district to border areas with Bangladesh.

In Khon Tine village, delegates met the survivors of the attack. The villagers said the whole village was burnt down by terrorists.

According to the villagers, they were attacked at noon on Aug. 28, with six villagers killed and four injured, while other villagers fled away.

The injured showed their scars to the delegates. On the ground there was only burnt wood left.

Throughout the trip, the villagers told the delegates that various ethnic communities all suffered from the attacks. The local officials said the government is distributing humanitarian aid to them.

In Maungtaw District Administrative Department, delegates were shown the pictures of the victims, most of whom were ethnic minority groups in Rakhine.

"The UN appreciates the Government of Myanmar's invitation to participate in the visit to northern Rakhine organized by national authorities for diplomatic community and the UN," said a statement issued by the UN Office of Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator following the visit.

The UN Resident Coordinator, Renata Lok-Dessallien, also participated in the field trip.

The statement said this was a positive step and such visits under appropriate conditions could help in the efforts to explore potential areas where the UN could cooperate with the Myanmar authorities in alleviating the situation in northern Rakhine.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 01:56:44|Editor: Yamei

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Iraq's Kurdish regional President Masoud Barzani (Rear) attends a press conference in Erbil, Iraq, on Sept. 24, 2017. Iraq's Kurdish regional President Masoud Barzani on Sunday reconfirmed holding the referendum on the independence of the Kurdish semi-autonomous region as scheduled on Sept. 25. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi on Sunday reiterated his rejection to the referendum. (Xinhua/Khalil Dawood)

BAGHDAD, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- The Iraqi government on Monday said it will not hold talks with the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) until the latter cancels the results of the controversial independence referendum.

"There is a need for the (Kurdish) region to cancel the results of the referendum which is contrary to the constitution, and then to engage in serious dialogue (with Baghdad) to strengthen the unity of Iraq," the government spokesman Saad al-Hadithi said in a statement.

The central government also said that the KRG "must confirm its commitment with the Iraqi constitution and the decisions of the federal government," according to the statement.

Hadithi also said that the region "must stop the escalation and provocation in areas outside the region (disputed areas, including Kirkuk province)."

Disagreements between Baghdad and the Kurdish regional government have been high for years, as the ethnic Kurds consider the northern oil-rich province of Kirkuk and parts of Nineveh, Diyala and Salahudin provinces as disputed areas and want them to be incorporated into their region, a move fiercely opposed by the Arabs and Turkomans and by Baghdad government.

On Sept. 18, the Iraqi Supreme Court issued a verdict to stop the independence referendum in the semi-autonomous Kurdistan region, which was held later on Sept. 25.

Earlier, the KRG President Masoud Barzani welcomed an initiative launched by former Prime Minister Ayad Allawi aiming at ending the crisis between the central government and the regional government by holding dialogue between the two sides without preconditions.

The Kurdish leadership also welcomed the call for dialogue presented by most revered Shiite cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani to resolve the crisis, which was exacerbated after the Kurdish region held the referendum on Sept. 25.

In the weekly Friday prayer, the representative of Sistani called for dialogue and that the two sides of the crisis must adhere to the constitution and renounce violence and threat.

Tensions have been running high between Baghdad government and the Kurdish region after the region held a controversial referendum on independence of Kurdistan and disputed areas, including Kirkuk.

The independence referendum was opposed by many countries because it would threaten the integrity of Iraq and it could undermine fight against Islamic State militants.

In addition, neighboring countries such as Turkey, Iran and Syria see that such a step would threaten their territorial integrity, as larger populations of Kurds live in those countries.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 03:07:03|Editor: Yurou

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CAIRO, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said on Monday that there is no military solution to the crisis in Yemen.

Shoukry's remarks came during his meeting in Cairo with his Yemeni counterpart Abdel Malik al-Mekhlafi, foreign ministry spokesman Ahmed Abu Zeid said in a statement.

Abu Zeid said the foreign minister reiterated Egypt's support for the unity and stability of Yemen, calling for a comprehensive solution to ease the suffering of the Yemeni people.

For his part, the Yemeni minister appreciated Egypt's support for Yemen at international levels, pointing out to Egypt's stance during the recent meetings of Human Rights Council as Egypt was chairing the Arab group at the council.

The spokesman affirmed Egypt's support for the efforts exerted by Special Envoy for Yemen Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, stressing the importance of the role of effective parties involved in the Yemeni crisis to use their influence to convince the Houthi rebels and former Yemeni President Ali Abdallah Saleh to end the fighting in the Arab country.

Yemen's internationally-backed government, allied with the Saudi-led Arab military coalition, has for more than two years been battling Iran-backed Shiite Houthi rebels over control of the country.

The coalition began a military air campaign in March 2015 to roll back Houthi gains and reinstate exiled President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi and his government to the power.

UN statistics show more than 10,000 people, most of them civilians, have been killed since the coalition intervened in the Yemeni civil war that also displaced around three million.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 03:47:19|Editor: Yurou

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LISBON, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- Portugal's governing center-left Socialist Party (PS) emerged as the major winner in Portuguese local elections on Sunday, in what was a dreadful night for the main opposition center-right Social Democratic Party (PSD).

When the final results were declared on Monday, almost 24-hours after polling stations closed on Sunday evening, the PS had won control of 159 out of 308 town halls, significantly up on its tally of 150 won in the last local elections held in 2013.

The PSD, took 79 town halls outright, down from 85 in 2013.

Prime Minister Antonio Costa described his party's results as the "biggest electoral victory in its history."

Pedro Passos Coelho, meanwhile, leader of the PSD, was forced to admit that for his party it was "one of the worst results ever."

The local elections were seen by some as a chance to endorse the central government and its coalition. In the 2015 general election, the PSD won most seats but the PS was better placed to form a minority government, pacting with the Portuguese Communist Party (PCP) and the Left Block (BE) for parliamentary support.

This so-called "contraption" coalition has proved a relative success, more conciliatory and given to compromise than many people expected.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 04:02:24|Editor: Yurou

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TIRANA, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- After a week of meetings with senior Albanian officials here, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission published its report Monday recommending authorities continue reforms in key economy sectors.

At the end of their visit to Tirana, the IMF mission recommended Albania maintain macroeconomic stability and deepen structural reforms to improve the investment climate, as well as catch up to European Union (EU) income levels.

According to IMF, Albania's economy continues to strengthen, benefiting from rising domestic demand, large, energy-related Foreign Direct Investment, growing tourism, and a recovery in key EU trading partners.

However, further efforts are needed to cement these gains, the mission said.

IMF experts said the reforms momentum had slowed given the elections and extended government transition.

"The growing economy and clear electoral mandate provides a unique opportunity for the new government to redouble reform efforts," the mission said in a statement.

According to the statement, the economic recovery is supported by rising consumer confidence.

"GDP growth is projected to increase to 3.9 percent in 2017, driven by rapid expansion of tourism and construction sectors, offsetting the negative impact of drought on electricity production," the statement noted.

However, the IMF mission said that despite the recovery, fiscal consolidation was expected to slow down in 2017.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 04:22:32|Editor: Yurou

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BUJUMBURA, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- The Burundian parliament on Monday denounced the resolution by the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) renewing the mandate of a commission of inquiry into alleged crimes against humanity in Burundi since 2015.

The condemnation was voiced in two separate events as the Burundian parliament's two chambers, the National Assembly and the Senate, launched their October ordinary sessions.

"We were angered by the resolution passed last week on Friday by UNHRC in its session in Geneva, Switzerland," said Burundian National Assembly Speaker Pascal Nyabenda.

The same condemnation was also voiced by Burundian Senate President Reverien Ndikuriyo.

Last week, the UNHRC passed a resolution which extends, for one year, the mandate of a commission of inquiry into human rights abuses in Burundi.

Three UN investigators appointed by the UNHRC in September issued a report urging the International Criminal Court (ICC) to open a case against the Burundian government on alleged crimes against humanity committed since 2015.

The investigators had collected views from Burundian refugees living in neighboring countries and in Europe, but were denied access to the Burundian territory due to a previous "biased and wrong" report, according to the Burundian government.
Russian security officers work at the site of an explosion near a bus stop at Michurinsky Avenue in Moscow, capital of Russia, Moscow March 9, 2011. (Xinhua/Lu Jinbo)

MOSCOW, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) said Monday that it has detained members of an Islamic State (IS) terrorist group in the Moscow region.

"They planned to commit resonant terrorist acts in September 2017 in the form of explosions in crowded places and transport infrastructure facilities," it said in a statement.

The FSB did not disclose the number of detainees "in the interest of the investigation."

The group, led by foreign emissaries, consisted of Russian citizens from the North Caucasus region, who were "supporters of the violent unification of all Muslims in order to create the so-called World Islamic Caliphate."

Two improvised explosive devices, two pistols, two hand grenades, communication equipment and items for the production of explosive devices were seized at their residence.

Russia foiled 12 terrorist attack attempts in the first half of 2017, according to a recent report by the Russian Prosecutor General's Office.

Over the last few months, the FSB has published several reports on the detention of IS-linked suspects, mostly citizens of Central Asia.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 06:48:15|Editor: Yurou

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By Edna Alcantara

MEXICO CITY, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- Social networking apps did more than connect people after a powerful earthquake toppled buildings in Mexico City on Sept. 19. They served to save lives by getting help to disaster sites where scores of residents were trapped under rubble.

"Society has found an ally in technology," cybersecurity expert Luis Novoa Romo told Xinhua.

In the immediate aftermath of the quake, victims turned to Twitter, Facebook and other networking apps to call for help, while in the hours that followed volunteers used them to organize the rescue efforts.

In the days that followed, accounts were created to address myriad challenges. Some detailed the particular tools needed at certain sites, like hammers and pick axes. Others let volunteers know which neighborhood restaurants were serving free hot meals to support the rescue efforts.

Still another compiled information about the hundreds of cats and dogs that had darted out of their homes when the quake hit, in an effort to pair the frantic owners with their lost pets.

More importantly, technology "allowed the crosschecking of information on missing persons with the data of people who had been located," said Novoa.

It's crucial to "have instant communication to call on people to participate in a particular activity, to request supplies, to report on the current situation at a site, to identify which zones have been affected by the disaster ... all of that, thanks to technology that is well applied and also well used," added Novoa.

Unfortunately, technology also suffers during a disaster, he said, noting "people and organizations have been affected from losing the data they stored" in homes and businesses destroyed by the quake.

"Photos, videos, documents, client and supplier files, invoices, orders, financial statements, information that if not backed up, may have been lost forever," said Novoa.

As a cybersecurity expert, he urges his clients to spend the extra money it takes to backup their digital files.

"In many cases, you're not aware of the advantages (of backing up files) until a disaster strikes," he said.

One case in point, he said, was Mexico City's Secretariat of Urban Development and Housing, which announced a few days ago that it lost the computer files it kept on construction in the capital due to the quake.

The news coincided with an announcement by prosecutors that they were launching investigations into the developers of brand new buildings that had nevertheless collapsed in the quake.

"It only leads us to two conclusions: they are either altering the data they have or those responsible for IT (information technology) are incompetent," said Novoa.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 07:03:17|Editor: Yamei

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U.S. national flags fly at half mast near the Capitol Hill to mourn the victims of a mass shooting at a concert in Las Vegas, in Washington D.C., the United States, on Oct. 2, 2017. At least 58 people were killed and an estimated 515 people transported to hospitals in a mass shooting at a concert in Las Vegas in the U.S. state of Nevada, police said on Monday. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)

NEW YORK, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- People across the United States reacted with shock and sorrow on Monday to what was believed to be the worst mass shooting in U.S. history.

At least 59 people were killed and over 500 others wounded after a gunman opened fire on an open air concert Sunday night outside the Mandalay Bay Hotel in Las Vegas in the U.S. state of Nevada.

The shooting massacre, only 16 months after the deadly mass shooting in the U.S. city of Orlando that killed 49 people, once again brought about furious debate on gun control in the country.

SHOCK AND SORROW

"The shooting was very horrible. It was a big massacre. I was very heartbroken last night when I saw it," New York resident Muhammad, 30, told Xinhua.

Event planner Lenny, 51, was distressed by the fact that innocent people got killed for no reason. "I just don't know what triggered this man to do something like this," he said in New York.

Investigators have identified the shooter as Stephen Paddock, a 64-year-old white man, and did not find any immediate links to terrorism. The motive of the suspect was still unclear.

Information released by authorities so far can barely piece together a clear picture of Paddock.

The shooter was a resident of Mesquite, a town of about 18,000 people on the Nevada-Arizona state line; he'd been staying in the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino since last Thursday; police had nothing more than a routine traffic violation on him.

In Chicago, Bill Weber, a 25-year-old IT consultant, said, "It is just down right tragedy. You have no other reaction besides immediate horror, shock and all."

The gunman rained bullets from a high-floor hotel room of the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino on the Las Vegas Strip when more than 22,000 people were attending the outdoor music festival, the police said.

There are more than 10 rifles in the room where Paddock killed himself, authorities said.

"I was curious about the personality produced by this country that allow someone to bring that amount of weaponry to one place and not being detected. And then clandestinely and evilly, wickedly sit up in a window, and shoot people who can't defend themselves," H.A. Brown III, 65, told Xinhua in Chicago.

Speaking at the White House, U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday called the shooting an "act of pure evil," ordered flags flown at half-staff, adding that he will visit the city on Wednesday.

GUN CONTROL

"The shooting is evidence that we have too many guns in this country, too little regulation of them, and it is time for us to do something about it," New Yorker Milly, 69, told Xinhua.

The manufacture for civilian use of certain semi-automatic firearms was banned in 1994. However, when the ban expired in 2004, the U.S. Congress refused to renew the ban.

In the state of Nevada where Las Vegas is located, gun laws are known to be some of the most lenient in the country.

Nevada law does not require firearms owners to have licenses, register their weapons, or limit the number of firearms an individual possess. Automatic assault weapons and machine guns are also legal in the state as long as they are registered and are possessed in adherence to federal law, according to the National Rifle Association (NRA).

Tax attorney Brain, 57, worried that NRA, as a huge lobbying group, has gained too much power.

"Unfortunately the National Rifle Association has too much power. As a result, we have very relaxed gun control laws in this country. It is time we tackle this," said the New Yorker.

Vincent Smith, a 62-year-old retiree, said "I think we need stricter gun control now. I think people should stop taking money from the NRA. I understand the Second Amendment and right to bear arms, but we have to do something, this is going too far."

Robert Puricelli, in his 70s, said that "My first reaction was it was a terrible but not surprising event."

"The inaction of the U.S. government to enact any kind of fire arms control, magazine size control, automatic weapons control, make these kinds of incidents sort of inevitable. And people are getting kind of numb to them," said the retired security trader.

Some argue that banning guns won't solve the gun violence that has plagued the country.

According to data from the Gun Violence Archive, a total of 273 mass shooting incidents have occurred so far this year in the United States awash with more than 300 million guns.

There are more than 11,600 deaths linked to gun violence so far in 2017, which is roughly equivalent to nearly four 9/11 attacks in terms of the total number killed on Sept. 11, 2001.

"Tighter control on gun ownership may help but will not solve all social problems," Zhiqun Zhu, professor of Political Science and International Relations of Bucknell University.

Related:

Backgrounder: Deadly U.S. mass shootings in recent years

Islamic State claims Las Vegas shooting

DAMASCUS, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- The Islamic State (IS)' Amaq news agency said Monday the executioner of the Las Vegas mass shooting was one of its "soldiers."
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 07:13:19|Editor: Yurou

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UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- President of the United Nations General Assembly Miroslav Lajcak on Monday called for greater efforts to prevent conflict and for the UN to promote the use of non-violence across all three pillars of its work, namely peace and security, human rights, and development.

"Mediation is one of the most effective tools of non-violence. It can turn parties away from conflict, towards compromise," said Lajcak at an event to mark the International Day of Non-Violence.

In his remarks, Lajcak recalled last week's 72nd annual general debate and noted the calls made by member states for more support to local, national or regional actors to use non-violent ways to stop or prevent conflicts.

He also spoke of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' prioritization of prevention in his mandate and underscored that the issue would be a main focus throughout the 72nd session of the UN General Assembly.

He said the organization has entered an era of "UN reform," and in that context urged everyone to remember its common aim: "A UN that is fit for purpose, which can offer non-violence solutions to global challenges."

"The longer it takes to respond to a major development or crisis, the higher the chance of violence being seen as the only answer," he stated.

The UN General Assembly, through a resolution in 2007, designated Oct. 2 as the International Day of Non-Violence to coincide with the birthday of Indian leader Mahatma Gandhi, who led the country's independence movement and pioneered the philosophy and strategy of non-violence.
By Ru Ge

How do two countries which (on the surface) are so different in terms of society and culture, find common ground? How can they exchange ideas and values in a constructive way? These are exactly the questions posed at a high-level seminar between China and Denmark entitled "Play, Creativity and Social Values," which took place at Tsinghua University on September 24, 2017.

It was attended by world-renowned scholars, high-ranking officials and successful entrepreneurs from both countries. On the recommendation of my tutor, Prof. Zhang Xihua, I attended the seminar on behalf of the Center of Denmark Studies at Beijing International Studies University.

I was given the opportunity because I had just finished a half-year-program as an exchange student in Copenhagen University, and have published a dozen articles on life in Denmark in international news outlets.

I was thrilled to see Crown Prince Frederik at the seminar, where he launched the TULLL Fellowship together with Prof. Yang Bin, Vice President and Provost of Tsinghua University, and John Goodwin, CEO of the LEGO Foundation. He also granted scholarships to academically gifted students.

Crown Prince Frederik grants scholarships to academically gifted students.

In addition to this, I was also very honored to listen to a presentation by Prof. Christian Byrge from University of Aalborg, a specialist in creativity research. In his opinion, the ability to be creative can be cultivated by deliberate practice. To demonstrate his opinion, he showed three pictures to the audience. In the first picture, a car is covered by a few pieces of cardboard, and it is impossible to see through the windows what is inside. In the second picture, a woman is cutting onions on a cutting board in a subway car and the passengers close to her look very offended and cover their nose. In the third picture, an iron box with the word "life jackets" on the front is kept closed by a huge lock.

Prof. Christian Byrge speaks in documentary "Students in Denmark vs China: who are more innovative.

"These three pictures don't make sense at the first glance but if we consider them carefully there are some reasonable justifications for the pictures," Byrge said. He asked us to use the shortest possible time to come up with as many explanations of each picture as we could.

According to Byrge, this sort of exercise is really helpful to improve the flexibility of the mind and improve creativity. I really connected with this mindset, because in my understanding, if one often tries to think out of the box and contrives new ideas, one will gradually become more flexible and creative.

So when faced with various challenging situations, one will definitively react more quickly and calmly with constructive solutions from different angles. So one should not be pessimistic about one's lack of creativity or innovation, because all of these can be acquired by deliberate practice and hard work.

Prof. Byrge's presentation was very enlightening and inspiring, and I learned a lot from his speech. He also gave us more faith in innovation and development here in China by showing us a bar chart that depicts the rapid improvement of Chinese industry's creativity.

Following Prof. Byrge's presentation was the speech of Bo Stjerne Thomsen, the head of the LEGO Foundation. He asked us to take out a few pieces of small LEGO bricks which were sealed in a plastic bag assigned to each audience member before the seminar started. Then he gave us 40 seconds to assemble these pieces and make a toy duck. I was surprised to see that after 40 seconds, the LEGO duck each person made was very different from others' versions, although the same six pieces of bricks were given as raw materials. The different ducks that were made illustrated a crucial point. Given the same raw materials and the same amount of time, different people will still come up with a different end product.

Different people come up with a different version.

After the seminar ended, I spoke to Anette Aarestrup, an official with the Danish Embassy in Beijing.

She says that collaboration between China and Denmark is not only crucial, but also provides an opportunity for the peoples of each country to learn from each other.

The author interviews Anette Aarestrup.

"I think it's extremely important that we strengthen collaboration within education and research. Take me as an example. I came here when I was 23 years old studying Chinese. China has always been part of me, through all these years. So not only for academic achievement but also for forming personality and understanding between our respective cultures, it is extremely important to have these exchanges. Of course we can learn from each other. Today the topic has been how to introduce more creativity. There are surely a lot of things that we can develop together," Aarestrup said.

Aarestrup asked me if I would go back to Denmark. I said that I would, to seek a job after I graduate.

In that shared moment, the real potential of China-Denmark exchanges was made clear to both of us. There are undeniable cultural differences, but by sharing our experiences and learning from each other, we can bridge those divides and bring our peoples closer together.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 08:38:31|Editor: Yurou

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ISLAMABAD, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- The National Assembly (NA) of Pakistan passed the Election Reforms Bill 2017 on Monday amid protest by the opposition.

The bill was presented by Minister for Law and Justice Zahid Hamid in the NA where it was smoothly passed by the lawmakers.

The bill needed simple majority to be passed in the 342- member house, and it got most of the votes from ruling Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) party and its allies which have altogether more than 200 seats in the lower house.

The bill was earlier passed by the NA and was sent to the countrys Upper House for approval.

The Senate passed the bill with some amendments and sent it back to the NA for fresh polling.

The bill will be later sent to President Mamnoon Hussain and it will be a part of the law after his approval.

The earlier Political Parties Order (PPO) said that "a person shall not be appointed or serve as an office-bearer of a political party if he is not qualified to be, or is disqualified from being, elected or chosen as a member of Parliament under Article 63 of the Constitution or under any other law for the time being in force."

But with the freshly tabled reforms, it states that "every citizen, not being in the service of Pakistan, has the right to form or be a member of a political party or be otherwise associated with a political party or take part in political activities or be elected as an office-bearer of a political party."

The opposition protested against the bill in the NA and chanted slogans against former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif of (PML-N), who was ousted by the court on corruption charges.

Sharif also had to step down as PML-Ns leader after his disqualification due to the clauses in the previous PPO.

The opposition said that the reforms in the electoral policy are being made to help Sharif lead the party again.

Opposition party Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf said that they will challenge the bill in court.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 09:18:44|Editor: An

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YANGON, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi will pay a visit to Brunei Darussalam soon to attend the Golden Jubilee celebration of King Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah's accession to the throne in Bandar Seri Begawan, said an official announcement on Tuesday.

King Sultan Haji visited Myanmar in March 2014 during the previous U Thein Sein's government tenure.

The two countries are cooperating in energy and agriculture sectors.

To strengthen their existing friendly relations in all fields and simplify the procedures and facilitating the travel of citizens between the two countries, Myanmar and Brunei mutually exempted visa for ordinary passport holders of the two countries in October 2014.

Myanmar and Brunei established diplomatic ties in 1993 and both countries are members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 09:18:46|Editor: An

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BEIJING, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- China's cultural industry saw steady value-added growth last year that has played a bigger role in driving broad economic growth, official data showed.

In 2016, the value added of China's culture-related sectors stood at 3.08 trillion yuan (about 463.9 billion U.S. dollars), rising 13 percent from the previous year, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics.

The value added in the industry accounted for 4.14 percent of China's gross domestic product (GDP), up 0.17 percentage point from the share in 2015.

"Steady growth in China's cultural industry has played an important role in facilitating economic restructuring and maintaining healthy growth," the NBS said.

China is planning to develop its cultural industry into a pillar of the national economy by 2020 by upgrading its industrial structure, fostering major brands and boosting consumption.

China's GDP grew 6.9 percent in the first half of 2017, above the government's targeted annual growth of around 6.5 percent.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 09:38:49|Editor: Yurou

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TRIPOLI, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) on Monday called on the Libyan authorities to arrest those responsible for the assassination of two social reconciliation committee members in western Libya.

"UNSMIL calls on authorities to bring to justice those responsible for the reported assassination of four men, including two from Bani Walid supporting the reconciliation between Mashashya and Zintan," the mission said.

The mission stressed that "resorting to violence must not hamper reconciliation efforts and an inclusive political solution."

Unidentified gunmen last Friday assassinated four members of a social reconciliation delegation near the town of Mezda, 140 km southeast of Tripoli. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the assassination.

The crime was widely condemned in Libya by the Higher Council of State, the UN-backed unity government, the eastern-based House of Representatives and the armed forces.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 09:38:50|Editor: Yurou

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YEREVAN, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Armenia and the European Union (EU) are going to sign a Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement in November during Eastern Partnership Summit in Brussels, an EU official said here on Monday.

It is in the interests of the EU to have strong, prosperous and stable Armenia in the South Caucasus, which will contribute to the further stabilization of the neighborhood, European Commissioner for European Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn told a press conference.

Thanks to a new agreement, "the European Union will provide a serious support to Armenian businesses," said Hahn.

According to the European commissioner, the agreement would show that Armenia, as a part of the Eurasian integration process, is simultaneously establishing a comprehensive and enhanced partnership with the EU.

There were several important parts of the EU-Armenia agenda, ranging from visa liberalization to assistance to small and medium-sized enterprise development, noted Foreign Affairs Minister of Armenia Edward Nalbadian, who also attended the press conference.

"The preparations for the Brussels summit were an important part of our discussions," said the minister.

Armenia and the EU initialed the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement in March.

Armenia was in negotiations with the EU earlier over an association agreement that also includes a deep economic aspect involving free trade between the parties. However, in September 2013, Armenia made a surprising U-turn by announcing it was seeking membership in the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union instead. The government then explained the move as a need to tighten security ties with Russia.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 09:48:52|Editor: Yurou

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MINSK, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on Monday said consistent and pragmatic policy helped his state normalize and strengthen relations with Western countries.

"Belarus and Western countries are building a new platform of cooperation on the basis of mutual respect and balance of interests," Lukashenko said when he received credentials of foreign ambassadors on Monday.

"Belarus is invariably committed to the principles of openness, honesty, equality, and justice in the dialogue with its partners," Lukashenko said.

"This attitude has special value when the global situation is far from quiet," he added.

The president called to build and reinforce political, economic, and humanitarian bridges between countries in the West and East.

The head of state said that Minsk has established itself as an efficient negotiating platform for dealing with the crisis in Ukraine and other issues.

In 2017, Minsk hosted two important international forums -- the meeting of the foreign ministers of the Central European Initiative (CEI), chaired by Belarus for the first time, and the session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

Founded in 1989, the CEI is a regional intergovernmental forum committed to supporting European integration through cooperation among its member states.

At a conference on priorities in Belarusian foreign policy held in July, Lukashenko said Belarus had made "constructive progress" in its relations with the West.

"We have walked a hard way towards normalizing relations with the European Union. Our cooperation with the United States is progressing steadily," he said.

He stressed that Belarus wanted to maintain friendly relations with both the East and the West, noting "it is fundamentally important for Belarus to develop cooperation with the East and West equally, without making a choice between them."

The Belarusian leader stressed that multi-vector policy was one of the most important priorities of the Belarusian foreign policy.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 10:13:58|Editor: Yurou

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CANBERRA, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Australia's new fleet of frigates will be equipped with long-range missile defense systems to deal with the threat posed by "rogue states," the government said Tuesday.

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull announced that the nine "future frigates" would be equipped with U.S. defense giant Lockheed Martin's Aegis combat management system as well as locally-developed SAAB Australia technology.

The frigates, the construction of which will begin in 2020, were initially meant to anti-submarine warfare but Turnbull said that including Aegis would make the ships capable of air and missile defense.

"Recent events in our region have proven that Australia's future frigates must be equipped to defend Australia from the threat of medium and long-range missile attacks," Turnbull said at the Pacific 17 maritime and naval showcase on Tuesday.

"This technology will enable the future frigates to engage missiles at long range."

Australia has only ever purchased combat management systems for individual ships but the 23 billion U.S. dollar frigate project will require a bulk order.

"That approach was short-sighted and we consider it no longer in the national interest," Turnbull said.

"I am determined to keep Australians safe. Giving our navy the best combat management technology will ensure that we can meet and overcome any threat that comes our way -- in the air and at sea."

The Aegis system works as the "brain" of a warship, detecting threats and firing weapons.

SAAB Australia will develop a tactical interface for the vessels, a decision that Tim Barrett, Chief of the Australian Navy, said meant that sailors would only have to deal with one standard system.

Three shipbuilders are competing to be awarded the contract; the United Kingdom's BAE Systems, Italy's Fincantieri and Spain's Navantia. The winner will be announced in 2018.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 10:13:59|Editor: Yurou

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CANBERRA, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Australia's Foreign Minister Julie Bishop praised the country's gun control laws on Tuesday in the wake of the Las Vegas shooting which left at least 59 people dead.

Bishop's comments came after a 64-year-old gunman Stephen Paddock opened fire on a country music festival in the U.S. city of Las Vegas, killing at least 58 people and wounding more than 500, reigniting calls for strict gun control in the United States.

"All we can do is offer our experience," Bishop said.

"After the Port Arthur Massacre (which left 35 people dead in Tasmania in 1996) we established the National Firearm agreement.

"But it would be a matter for U.S. legislators to deal with another horrific incident, which as they say is the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history."

She said that she has reached out to U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to offer Australia's condolences.

Speaking to media on Tuesday morning, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said that Australia was still making inquiries with authorities in Las Vegas to determine if any Australians were affected.

"This is a reminder that we must constantly work to stay ahead of the threat, whatever the motives of threat, whatever the motives of those who seek to do us harm," Turnbull said.

"We must constantly improve our laws and our techniques to stay ahead of those who seek to do us harm. There is no place for set and forget in national security."

Authorities in the United States identified Australian woman Marilou Danley, 62, as a person of interest in the shooting as Paddock's companion.

Bishop, however, ruled out Danley's involvement in the attack, saying she was travelling in the Philippines at the time.

"There are reports that her identification was used to book the hotel but investigations are ongoing," Bishop said.

"The U.S. authorities were in contact with us about Marilou and I understand they have ruled her out as a person of interest as she was not in the United States when this horrific incident occurred."
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 10:39:03|Editor: Yurou

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CANBERRA, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) expressed regret on Tuesday that the search for Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 had been unsuccessful, saying it wished it could have delivered better news to bereaving friends and families of those missing.

In releasing the ATSB's final report on Tuesday, bureau Chief Commissioner Greg Hood offered his condolences to the family and friends of those 239 passengers and crew who were lost with the flight, an incident he described as "a great tragedy."

"We wish that we could have brought complete closure to the bereaved," Hood said in a media release accompanying the publication of the ATSB's "Operational Search for MH370" report.

"I hope, however, that they can take some solace in the fact that we did all we could do to find answers. Governments from around the world contributed to the search, with extraordinary expertise committed to the task.

"Our deepest sympathies remain with those who lost loved ones on MH370... it remains a great tragedy.

"We share your profound and prolonged grief, and deeply regret that we have not been able to locate the aircraft, nor those 239 souls on board that remain missing."

The flight disappeared in March 2014 en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.

Hood praised the international collaboration involved in the search which became the largest of its kind in aviation history. The initial search zone was 60,000 square kilometers but was doubled in April 2015. The recovery effort was suspended in January 2017, after more than two-and-a-half years.

"This was an unprecedented endeavour and there has been an extraordinary response from the global community," he said.

"There were contributions of expertise and resources from private business and organizations, agencies from different governments, and from private individuals.

"The search inspired dedication from so many. I am proud to have worked with people of such commitment."

The governments of Australia, Malaysia and China agreed that the ATSB was best-suited to lead the search for the plane due to the search taking place in the Southern Indian Ocean off the coast of Western Australia.

"It is almost inconceivable and certainly societally unacceptable in the modern aviation era with 10 million passengers boarding commercial aircraft every day, for a large commercial aircraft to be missing and for the world not to know with certainty what became of the aircraft and those on board," the ATSB's report said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 10:59:06|Editor: Yurou

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YANGON, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Residents in Myanmar's former capital city of Yangon have continued to stage protests on Monday, denouncing some western countries' interference in the Rakhine issue and some international media's ignorance of the true situation in northern Rakhine state.

The protesters who staged their demonstration in front of the City Hall, condemned the interference of some western countries on Myanmar's sovereignty and for putting pressure on the country while neglecting the truth.

The protesters strongly rejected the accusation that Myanmar had been conducting genocide in the region, stressing that the Rakhine issue is an internal problem caused by illegal immigrants.

They pointed out that those who died in the clashes include Hindus, ethnic nationals like Rakhine, Mro and Daingnet.

They urged the international media to stand on the side of truth by valuing human rights.

"Purposely biased international media are feeding incomplete information on Myanmar's issue and strengthening terrorism," read on a placard.

Residents staged rallies to show their support for State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi in her handling of the Rakhine issue.

Showing their solidarity with Aung San Suu Kyi, participants noted the state counselor is taking a firm stand in handling the situation in Rakhine, and called for support for Aung San Suu Kyi who is under international pressure with the issue.

The participants also urged unity among the citizens to overcome the pressure put on Aung San Suu Kyi from some other countries and some international organizations.

Aung San Suu Kyi, in her speech on the government's national reconciliation and peace efforts on Sept. 19, called on the international community to cooperate for constructively tackling the issue in northern Rakhine state.

She voiced the government's pledge to implement the recommendations by the Advisory Commission, led by former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, saying that those recommendations will help bring speedy improvement to the situation of the state within the shortest time frame.

She highlighted the government's social economic development in Rakhine, disclosing that the Rakhine state's socio-economic development plan 2017-2021 has been drafted to boost regional development in various sectors including infrastructure and electrification as well as creation of new job opportunities for local people through private-public partnership.

She stressed that all people in Rakhine state inclusive Muslim students have access to education and healthcare services without discrimination.

She also said the government is trying to promote inter-communal religious harmony by engaging interfaced groups.

A day after her speech, Aung San Suu Kyi held a meeting with the Implementation Committee of Recommendations on Rakhine state, disclosing that the Myanmar authorities are also planning to form a committee to implement national verification process, the rehabilitation and resettlement and long-term development programs.

The programs were meant not only for Muslims but also for Rakhines, Mro, Daing-net and Mramagyi as well as the Hindu minority who fled their villages due to extremist terrorists' attacks as part of the refugee repatriation and resettlement process, she stressed.

Meanwhile, foreign diplomats including those from the European Union countries and representatives from UN agencies visited three conflicted areas in Rakhine state, namely Maungtaw, Yathedaung and Buthidaung on Monday.

They reiterated in a statement their condemnation of the Aug. 25 attacks committed by the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) extremist terrorists and voiced their deep concern about the violence and mass displacement.

They also called for unimpeded humanitarian access to all parts of the Rakhine region and expressed their readiness to work with the Myanmar government to help Rakhine reach its potential.

They voiced their support for the full implementation of the report of the Advisory Commission on Rakhine, led by former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, which has set out recommendations for a stable, peaceful and prosperous future for all communities in the state irrespective of ethnicity, religion or citizenship status.

The ARSA extremist terrorists launched fresh attacks on police outposts in Rakhine on Aug. 25, displacing residents from a number of areas in Maungtaw district to the border areas with Bangladesh.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 11:14:09|Editor: Yurou

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SRINAGAR, Indian-controlled Kashmir, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- At least three troops of India's Border Security Force (BSF) were wounded Tuesday in a predawn militant attack on their camp in restive Indian-controlled Kashmir, police said.

The gunmen believed to be suicide attackers indiscriminately used gunfire, while making their entry inside the camp near Indian air force station and airport in Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.

"Three BSF personnel were wounded in today's attack and one body possibly of a militant is lying near the gate," the region's police chief Shesh Paul Vaid told media. "There is heavy gunfire underway and top officials of police are on the spot."

According to police officials, three to four militants are suspected to have entered the camp using heavy gunfire.

"Militants are said to have sneaked inside the camp premises at around 3:45 a.m (local time) today," a police official said.

Authorities have sealed the routes leading to Srinagar airport and operations at the airport have been suspended.

"All morning flights have been suspended," a senior police official said.

Media reports said the army had used helicopters in the area to take on militants.

A guerrilla war is going on between militants and Indian troops stationed in the region since 1989.

Kashmir, the Himalayan region divided between India and Pakistan is claimed by both in full. Since their independence from Britain, the two countries have fought three wars, two exclusively over Kashmir.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 11:29:11|Editor: An

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HANOI, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Police of Vietnam's central Nghe An province have detained a local man, member of a ring which has smuggled drugs from Laos to Vietnam, local media reported on Tuesday.

Pham Van Tung, 27 from Nghe An, was caught red-handed transporting 20 cakes of heroin, 1kg of methamphetamine, and 12,000 pills of lab-made drugs, daily newspaper Tien Phong (Pioneer) quoted the provincial police as reporting.

He is a member of the ring which has illegally traded large volumes of drugs in Laos and Nghe An.

According to Vietnamese law, those convicted of smuggling over 600 grams of heroin or more than 2.5 kilograms of methamphetamine are punishable by death. Making or trading 100 grams of heroin or 300 grams of other illegal drugs also faces death penalty.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 12:00:43|Editor: An

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U.S. national flags fly at half mast near the Capitol Hill to mourn the victims of a mass shooting at a concert in Las Vegas, in Washington D.C., the United States, on Oct. 2, 2017. At least 58 people were killed and an estimated 515 people transported to hospitals in a mass shooting at a concert in Las Vegas in the U.S. state of Nevada, police said on Monday. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)

by Matthew Rusling

WASHINGTON, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- Sunday saw the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history in Las Vegas, one of the most secure cities in America, which killed nearly 60 people and wounded more than 500.

But the question remains why, in recent years, so many mass shootings are occurring in the United States. While lax law gun laws play a role, a number of other factors also contribute, experts said.

At least 59 people were killed on Sunday, according to the latest count on Monday afternoon, when a gunman opened fire on a crowd of people at a country music concert in a high rise hotel in Las Vegas.

The shooter, identified as Stephen Paddock, opened fire at the country music concert from Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino hotel before killing himself in his room where Police found 18 additional firearms and explosives, according to local authorities and news reports.

The tragedy again provoked heated debate on gun control in America, like what happened after previous shootings. ` In reply to a question whether the government will impose stricter gun control policy in the future, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said Monday, "I think that there will be, certainly, time for that policy discussion to take place, but that's not the place that we're in at this moment."
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 12:26:00|Editor: An

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WASHINGTON, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump Monday suggested reducing the U.S. trade deficit with Thailand when meeting with Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha at the White House.

"Our relationship on trade is becoming more and more important. And it's (Thailand's) a great country to trade with," Trump told visiting Thai Prime Minister Prayut in front of reporters ahead of their bilateral talks.

"I think we're going to try and sell a little bit more to you now, make that a little bit better if that's possible," said Trump.

Statistics from the U.S. Trade Representative shows that the United States maintained an 18.9-billion-U.S. dollar's goods trade deficit with Thailand in 2016.

Over the past decade, two-way trade between Washington and Bangkok has grown by more than 36 percent, with U.S. exports to Thailand increased by more than 30 percent to 10.6 billion dollars.

Major U.S. export categories to the southeastern country include electrical machinery, machinery, aircraft, optical and medical instruments, and vehicles.

"We have a very strong relationship right now," said Trump.

Thailand will work closely to further strengthen the cooperation between the two countries, said Prayut.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 13:51:20|Editor: Yurou

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PHNOM PENH, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- A Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)'s ship seized off Egypt with a huge cache of weapons had illegally flown Cambodian flag, a Cambodian foreign ministry spokesman said in a statement late Monday.

Chum Sounry, a spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, said Cambodia had decided to terminate the contract with the International Ship Registry of Cambodia (ISROC) as a sole and exclusive flag state administration in Cambodian ship registration since Aug. 2015 and asked ISROC to discontinue registering the Cambodian-flagged ships since then.

He added that Cambodia also informed the Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization in Aug. 2016 that the country had decided to close down the ship registration since Aug. 2015, and to facilitate the ship owners, whose ships still had valid registry certificates with Cambodian flag, Cambodia allowed their ships to be operated under Cambodian flag till those certificates were expired which was due at the end of Aug. 2016.

"Any ship claimed to be under Cambodian flag after this due date are considered illegal and subjected to applicable international law and regulations," Chum Sounry said.

"Therefore, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation wishes to affirm that the flying of the Cambodian flag of convenience by any ship including the above-mentioned vessel is illegal," he said.

The spokesman's statement came after the Washington Post published on Monday an article entitled "A North Korean ship was seized off Egypt with a huge cache of weapons destined for a surprising buyer".

In the article, it reported that the bulk freighter named Jie Shun was flying Cambodian colors but had sailed from DPRK...and that the Egyptian customs swarmed the vessel and discovered, concealed under bins of iron ore, a cache of more than 30,000 rocket-propelled grenades. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 13:56:23|Editor: Yamei

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BEIJING, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- The Export-Import Bank of China (China EximBank) has signed a 200-billion-yuan (about 30 billion U.S. dollars) agreement with China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC) to help the latter sharpen its competitiveness.

The bank will offer the construction group a wide range of financial services, including credit support and information counseling, according to the agreement.

Through the move, the China EximBank hopes to help CRCC increase its core competitiveness in railway engineering and equipment manufacturing,and encourage outbound cooperation.

CRCC, whose business scope covers virtually every aspect of engineering construction, has constructed hundreds of projects around the world.

In recent years, Chinese enterprises have been quickening their pace of "going global", and have gained a strong competitive edge in the area of railway construction.

China has the world's longest high-speed rail network, with 22,000 kilometers currently in operation. About one-third of the country's high-speed railways were designed to run at a speed of 350 kph.

Chinese-manufactured high-speed trains have been sold to Indonesia, Russia, Iran and India.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 13:56:24|Editor: Yurou

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WASHINGTON, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. government was preparing to ask Cuba to cut its embassy staff in Washington by 60 percent, reported local media on Monday citing U.S. officials.

The U.S. State Department was expected to announce the decision as soon as Tuesday, said U.S. media citing the anonymous officials who were familiar with the plan.

The new move followed the State Department's announcement on Friday which ordered more than half of the staff at the U.S. embassy in Havana to leave, following mysterious "incidents" that caused health problems for American diplomats.

U.S. authorities confirmed in August that at least 21 Americans working at the embassy in Havana had suffered physical debilitations.

Also on Friday, the U.S. government warned against travels to Cuba.

Cuba said on Friday that the U.S. decision to withdraw its diplomatic personnel is a "hasty decision" that will affect bilateral relations between the former Cold War enemies.

Josefina Vidal Ferreiro, director general of U.S. affairs at the Cuban Foreign Ministry, said in a short statement on TV that Cuba has "no responsibility" over the alleged "sonic attacks" on U.S. diplomats.

Earlier last week, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson met with Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez to discuss the incidents. It was the highest-level diplomatic contact between the two countries since Donald Trump became U.S. president in January.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 14:01:25|Editor: Yurou

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Indian army troopers stand guard near the site of a gunfight inside India's Border Security Force (BSF) camp in Srinagar, summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir, Oct. 3, 2017. An Indian border guard and two militants were killed, while as three others and a policeman were wounded Tuesday in a predawn militant attack on India's Border Security Force (BSF) camp in restive Indian-controlled Kashmir, police said. (Xinhua/Javed Dar)

SRINAGAR, Indian-controlled Kashmir, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- An Indian border guard and two militants were killed, while as three others and a policeman were wounded Tuesday in a predawn militant attack on India's Border Security Force (BSF) camp in restive Indian-controlled Kashmir, police said.

The gunmen believed to be fidayeen (suicide attackers) militants indiscriminately used heavy gunfire and grenades, while making their entry inside the border guards camp near highly fortified Indian air force station and international airport at Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.

"Two militants have been killed and during the searches we have found body of a BSF assistant sub inspector," a police official said. "Three BSF personnel and a policeman were also wounded in today's attack."

According to police officials, three to four militants were suspected to have entered the camp to carry out assault at around 3:45 a.m local time.

"The firing has stopped but we know where the militants are hiding," a senior police official told the media.

Authorities have sealed the routes leading to Srinagar airport and operations at the airport have been suspended.

"Employees working at the airport have been allowed to proceed but flight operations are yet to be resumed," the police official said. "The morning flights were suspended."

Reports said the army used helicopters in the area to take on militants.

Indian home minister Rajnath Singh has reportedly called a high-level meeting at 11.30 a.m. to discuss the situation in Indian-controlled Kashmir.

The identity of the attackers was yet to be ascertained but Jaish-e-Mohammad militant outfit has claimed the responsibility of the attack.

In August this year four paramilitary troopers of India's Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), four policemen and two militants were killed in a similar attack on police lines in southern Pulwama district.

A guerrilla war is going on between militants and Indian troops stationed in the region since 1989. However, of late Indian policemen too have been trained to fight them.

Kashmir, the Himalayan region divided between India and Pakistan, is claimed by both in full. Since their independence from Britain, the two countries have fought three wars, two exclusively over Kashmir.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 14:16:29|Editor: Yurou

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UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- Both people and the earth must be put at the center of the development efforts, UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs Liu Zhenmin said on Monday.

"We can only achieve the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals by ensuring that people and our planet are at the center of our development efforts, leaving no one behind," Liu said at a meeting of the Third Committee of the UN General Assembly.

Noting that significant progress has been made while the rate of progress in many areas is far slower than needed to meet the targets by 2030, he said "we must work faster."

"Our efforts require an enabling environment for sustainable development," he said. "All nations, developed and developing, large and small, face complex challenges of economic growth, natural disasters, and impacts of conflict."

The most urgent task now is to "support countries most in need," specifically countries in special situations, he added.

The latest data shows that an estimated 766 million people are still mired in extreme poverty. And under the current growth trajectory and without an improvement in income inequality, nearly 35 percent of the population in Least Developed Countries, highly-indebted poor countries and countries in fragile and conflict affected situations may remain in extreme poverty by 2030, Liu said.

He called for "inclusive growth with full and productive employment," noting that "we continue to witness a global economy that is not creating enough quality jobs, due to the continued disconnection between economic growth and job creation."

"To keep pace with the growth of the global working age population, the global economy needs to create 40 million jobs a year, or 600 million jobs by 2030," he said.

"Cooperation in key areas is necessary to enhance the effectiveness of multilateral efforts," he added.

The UN General Assembly allocates to the Third Committee, agenda items relating to a range of social, humanitarian affairs and human rights issues that affect people all over the world.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 14:21:31|Editor: An

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JAKARTA, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Indonesian President Joko Widodo on Tuesday condemned the recent shooting in Las Vegas, the United States, branding it as an act of terror.

"We condemn such a terror act in Las Vegas which takes so many lives," the president said on the sidelines of a session to declare a national action plan to tackle illegal drugs and drugs abuse.

"I have received reports that no Indonesian was affected by the shooting," said the president.

At least 59 people were killed and over 520 others injured in the brutal shooting during a country music festival held in Las Vegas' Mandalay Bay hotel and resorts on Sunday night.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 14:46:35|Editor: Yurou

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by Xinhua writers Zhu Lei, Qi Zijian

NEW YORK, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- The Las Vegas mass shooting that killed at least 59 and injured more than 500 is a painful reminder of how easy it is for someone in the United State to obtain guns and put innocent people's lives at risk.

The Americans have hoped for actions following similar tragedies in recent years, they are disheartened repeatedly and come to realize that there is no magic cure to the chronic social ills of gun violence given structural problems lying deep beneath.

With painful memories of mass shootings at a gay nightclub, a movie theater, and a public school, among others, still wrenching hearts in the United States and beyond, the Las Vegas slaughter reopened the old wounds of Americans as the world's most developed country, with more than 300 million guns scattered nationwide, has long been plagued by gun violence.

According to the non-profit organization Gun Violence Archive, the Las Vegas tragedy on Sunday night marked the 273rd mass shooting in the United States in the 274 days that have passed so far in 2017.

So far this year, over 46,595 incidents of gun violence happened in the United States, killing at least 11,652 people and injuring more than 23,500, according to the archive.

In recent years, the U.S. society lapses into consternation and introspection following each mass shooting and outbreak of new bloodshed. The losses of life and rounds of terror stand in stark contrast to the inaction of government and institutions.

The western U.S. state of Nevada where Las Vegas is located is an epitome of the gun-ridden country. In the Silver State, it is legal for people aged 18 and over to carry a firearm openly without a permit, according to the website of the gun-rights organization, NevadaCarry.org.

It is also legal in Nevada to purchase or sell a machine gun or silencer so long as the item is registered and meets federal regulations, the National Rifle Association (NRA) posts on its website.

The Las Vegas attack inevitably thrust the topic of gun control back into public debate as many people on social media stood out to call on Congress to act to curb gun violence.

While united in grief, the country lacks solution and resolution to the chronic social illness: gun control has something to do with interest groups, partisan discord as well as gun culture.

Former U.S. President Barack Obama, who has pushed for tougher gun control, once asked the nation: "The American people are trying to figure out how can something have 90 percent support and yet not happen?"

He may have an answer in mind. The support of an overwhelming majority of Americans is simply too weak comparing with the political prowess of interests groups.

Police have retrieved at least 35 firearms and thousands of rounds of ammunition from the suspected shooter Stephen Paddock's hotel room and his house in Mesquite, the state of Nevada.

The possession of huge quantities of weapons is hardly possible without powerful gun rights groups like the NRA.

The lobby groups have funneled millions of dollars into national and local elections to favor lawmakers who promise to block legislation for stricter gun control and pass measures to loose gun regulations. Their clout and influence indirectly open institutional green light for the mass shootings.

Further, the gun rights groups also flex muscles of exploiting partisan division in face of each new bloodshed.

As a result, even modest gun safety legislation is hard to pass Congress. The latest mass shooting doesn't dramatically alter the dynamics of the partisan battle as politicization of gun control continues to spread in society.

Indisputably, gun is ingrained in American culture and society as the right to bear arms is embedded in the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

But as times have changed, guns which were meant to be used for self defense are abused, resulting in endless tragedies. In the world's most developed country, it is the innocent people who pay the highest price for outdated gun ownership.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 14:51:36|Editor: Yang Yi

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Members of the test team of the manned submersible named Shenhai Yongshi, or deepsea warrior, on board the ship Tansuo-1 wait to arrive at port in Sanya, south China's Hainan Province, Oct. 3, 2017. China's new manned submersible, on board the ship Tansuo-1, returned to port in Sanya on Tuesday, after completing deep sea testing in the South China Sea. The manned submersible named Shenhai Yongshi reached a depth of 4,500 meters to test its functions and performance during an over 50-day expedition. (Xinhua/Guo Cheng)

SANYA, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- China's new manned submersible, on board the ship Tansuo-1, returned to port in Sanya, Hainan Province on Tuesday, after completing deep sea testing in the South China Sea.

The manned submersible named Shenhai Yongshi, or deepsea warrior, reached a depth of 4,500 meters to test its functions and performance during an over 50-day expedition.

Bai Chunli, president of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said in a congratulatory letter that the deep sea tests show the new manned submersible performed well and is another achievement for China in developing deep sea manned submersibles.

The development of the submersible took eight years and involved over 90 Chinese organizations and companies. All of its core components were domestically made.

China's manned submersible Jiaolong completed its deepest dive reaching a point of 7,062 meters in the Mariana Trench in June 2012.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 15:11:41|Editor: Yang Yi

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BEIJING, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Long Tianbao, a 44-year-old peasant in China's poorest province Guizhou, did not expect three kilograms of rice to change his family's fate.

Despite a hard life in his home village nestled deeply in the inhospitable Moon Mountain, Long, an ethnic Miao in Baiwang village, Rongjiang county, had no idea what to expect when the government relocated his entire village to the county seat, 25 kilometers away.

"With no education background and only strength, can I find a job? How can I make ends meet in a town with high expenditure level?" he said.

After much deliberation, Long and his wife decided to take three kilograms of rice to their new destination.

"If we find a job before we have eaten the rice, we will stay; if not, we will go back to the mountain and never move out," he said.

They both found a job in a brick company the next day.

Now, they have an apartment only three kilometers from their company, earn more than 6,000 yuan (900 U.S. dollars) a month, roughly equivalent to their annual household income in the past, and two children training to be a teacher and a doctor.

Long, who had never ridden a bike before, has learnt to drive a forklift, ride a motorbike and got a license for electrical welding.

China is closing in on its ambitious goal of achieving an "all-round well-off society," or a moderately prosperous society in all respects, with GDP and per capita income double those of 2010 by 2020.

The baseline task is to lift all people out of poverty.

This entails improving the wellbeing of 43.35 million people living below the national poverty line of 2,300 yuan in annual income at 2010 prices.

If the tasks are completed on time, China will meet the United Nations goal of wiping out poverty in all its forms 10 years ahead of the 2030 deadline.

China had 770 million poor residents in rural areas, or 97.5 percent of the rural population, when it started the reform and opening-up drive more than 30 years ago. Over 700 million have shaken off poverty since, accounting for over 70 percent of global poverty reduction.

These figures prompted The Economist to describe China as the "hero of the world's poverty-reduction efforts."

With 700 million people still struggling with poverty worldwide, more countries are turning to China for inspiration.

THE FINAL BUT PUSH

In past decades, China has built highways, railroads and ports, networks for electricity and water access, and every possible infrastructure to connect every possible place in the country, bringing vast numbers of people out of poverty.

For places like Baiwang village, which are locked in mountains with arid land, a fragile environment and frequent natural disasters, traditional relief methods failed.

Relocation has proved to be effective, ensuring every household a 50-square-meter apartment, access to tailored training and at least one family member employed.

Poverty in Baiwang has reduced to 4.8 percent from 68.9 percent.

To speed up eradication of extreme poverty, Guizhou has singled out 7,654 villages, each with no more than 50 households and poverty over 50 percent, to be relocated by 2020.

Hannah Ryder, a former head of policy and partnerships for the United Nations Development Programme in China, has warned of significant costs as China enters the most difficult phase of poverty alleviation.

"Poverty reduction, like so many important endeavors, is subject to the law of diminishing returns," she said.

The people who benefit first are most likely those who were best equipped to do so, owing to, say, their background or geography. By the time there are only a few - or even a few million - left, one can expect reaching them to be much harder, Ryder said.

Answering such problems, China is seeking to reform and diversify its poverty relief tactics.

The Chinese leadership has underlined high precision in its final poverty eradication push. This means poverty alleviation must focus on individuals, and use the right tools to ensure resources trickle down to the poorest in the most effective way.

China used to rely on sampling surveys to determine which villages or even counties could be legitimately considered impoverished, and concentrated efforts accordingly.

When poverty was widespread and the income gap was small, such a one-size-fits-all approach worked wonders.

In 2014, however, the government mobilized more than 800,000 people to put every poor individual on file, while identifying the causes of their poverty and needs to rid of it.

Nearly 2 million people were organized between August 2015 and June 2016 to make sure those who were really poor were included on the database, according to the State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development.

As a result, apart from a multi-year timetable to wipe out poverty, the Chinese government also created different policies for different regions based on their own conditions, such as developing business, relocation, compensating peasants in ecologically fragile areas, enhancing education and improving social security.

"SHORT PLANK" MATTERS

In a rare recent case, China announced the punishment of senior officials in July, including the vice governor of Gansu Province, who were held accountable for failure to prevent and investigate environmental violations in the Qilian Mountains national nature reserve.

More Chinese officials will face environmental impact audits of their work, according to a new reform endorsed on June 26, which says negative environmental impact will be marked on officials, even after they leave their posts, thus affecting future promotions.

It marked efforts by Chinese authorities to shift to a green development model by rectifying practices that boost economic growth at the cost of the environment, which is one of the country's major "short planks," or areas of weakness.

The "wooden bucket" theory, which states the amount of water a bucket can hold is determined by its shortest plank, has underpinned Chinese governance practices on its way to a moderately prosperous society, said Xu Yaotong, professor with the Chinese Academy of Governance.

To build a moderately prosperous society in all respects, the country must address those short and weak planks, Xu said.

"Achieving an all-round well-off society is not a game of figures or speed," Chinese President Xi Jinping told officials late last year.

At a high-profile workshop in late July, Xi identified three battles that must be won to ensure the goal is achieved on schedule: preventing and defusing major risks, precision in poverty eradication, and pollution prevention and control.

"While maintaining medium to high economic growth, the Communist Party of China (CPC) also moves to improve people's quality of life, which may include fewer hazy days, cleaner rivers, affordable apartments and a better social welfare safety net," said Xin Ming, professor with the Party School of the CPC Central Committee.

"A moderately prosperous society in the world's most populous country would be good news for both China and the world," Xin said.

Though China's economy is no longer growing at the dazzling speed it once was, its systematic efforts on restructuring and defusing possible threats to sustainability make it remain a powerful engine for global growth.

China's rapid development comes at a heavy price to the environment, something the West knows all too well, said UNDP Administrator Helen Clark.

"But we now see that China is really stepping up with leadership on climate change, which is so critical, because what China does is of global significance, given the size of its economy and the size of the population," she said.

CHINA RECIPE

In April this year, Mark van den Boogaard, a senior policy adviser for the UNDP, and Javier Miranda, president of Broad Front in Uruguay, visited mountainous areas in Yunnan Province to get a flavor of China's targeted poverty relief practice.

Mark van den Boogaard was impressed by the CPC's comprehensive guidance and the joint efforts of society in poverty alleviation.

"From what we have seen in the north of Yunnan, under the leadership of the CPC, the Chinese authorities are clearly on the right track," he said.

Many believe China's ability to coordinate nationwide efforts to combat poverty, lies in its socialist system with Chinese characteristics and that this system is the country's institutional advantage.

China has allocated 282.2 billion yuan for poverty relief from the central budget and arranged 270 billion yuan via the local governments between 2013 and 2017.

Meanwhile, more than 195,000 first secretaries have been stationed in impoverished villages, while 775,000 Party cadres have been sent to assist their work.

China's major achievements in past years mean that socialism with Chinese characteristics has expanded the pathway to modernization for developing countries, thus providing Chinese wisdom and Chinese solutions to problems facing mankind, Xi said.

Severino Cabral, head of the Brazilian Institute of China and Asia Pacific Studies, said that what China had done in ensuring social progress while markedly improving people's living standard had won admiration across the globe.

As a major developing country with over 1.3 billion people, China has gradually embarked on a successful path of reducing poverty through development with distinct Chinese features.

"China's growth model and the country's governance style have offered inspiration to other countries, and China's proposal for common development has been increasingly responded to in the face of unstable global economy and security," Cabral said.

There are still 700 million people across the globe living in extreme poverty, with half in sub-Saharan Africa and one-third in South Asia.

What happens in China does not and should not stay in China.

China's successful poverty reduction experience has drawn the attention of the world. Last October, officials from 15 developing countries, including Malawi, Ghana, and Kenya, came to Beijing to attend a seminar on public service and poverty reduction for developing countries.

"China is a country with a large population, a weak economic foundation and unbalanced development. Almost each of its problem involving people's livelihood is a tough global problem," said Wang Jun, head of the information department of the China Center for International Economic Exchanges.

"The journey to a moderately prosperous society, an incessant process of exploring and solving such problems, could offer a China recipe for the least developing nations facing similar issues," Wang said. "It may possibly serve as a fate changer for them."
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 15:11:41|Editor: Yang Yi

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KABUL, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- An Afghan girl student, Mariam Ahmadi, has won a prize at the United Nations WFP 2017 Global Children's Design Competition, said a statement of the World Food Program (WFP) released here.

"Mariam Ahmadi, a student at grade seven and her school were presented with a prize in recognition of excellent work, and was among 20 finalists chosen from a short list of 120 drawings by schoolchildren in 22 different countries," said WFP in the statement.

Mariam Ahmadi's drawing depicts her school experience in the western Badghis province, showing students sitting under trees and open yard due to lack of class rooms.

She received her prize from the head of WFP's Herat Office at a ceremony held in Qala-e-Naw, the provincial capital of the neighboring Badghis province recently.

Mariam Ahmadi, who dreams of going abroad for higher education, said, "I want to continue my study and go to Turkey for higher education," according to the statement.

Around the world, WFP provides food to more than 16 million children in school meals program in 60 countries, the statement noted.

Education plays a significant role in breaking the cycle of hunger, and WFP strives to reach the poorest and most vulnerable children, it said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 15:11:42|Editor: Yurou

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ISLAMABAD, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Pakistani Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif embarked on a three-day visit to the United States on Tuesday for talks on bilateral relations, with focus on regional security and Afghanistan, state media reported.

Pakistani television channels reported that the foreign minister will hold formal talks with his U.S. counterpart Rex Tillerson in Washington on Wednesday.

Asif will also meet U.S. National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster, according to the media.

The foreign minister told a private TV channel on Monday that he would clear Pakistan's position in meetings with the U.S. officials.

The visit comes amid tensions following U.S. President Donald Trump's accusation against Pakistan when he declared his policy for Afghanistan and South Asia.

However, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nafees Zakaria has described the meetings between Pakistani and U.S. high level officials on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly last month as "instrumental."

At a regular briefing last week, he said the meetings have helped in "dispelling impressions created with regard to Pakistan-U.S. relations and Pakistan-Afghanistan relations, bridging gaps, and reaffirmation of similarity of views on the situation in this region and how to tackle the challenges."

A U.S. high level delegation is also expected to visit Pakistan later this month for more talks, officials said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 15:51:47|Editor: Yurou

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CANBERRA, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- The death of Australia's car manufacturing industry has drawn closer on Tuesday, after Toyota's assembly plant in the state of Victoria closed its doors for final time, leaving almost 3,000 workers out of job.

The Japanese manufacturer's final closure of the local plant comes just months after the United States carmaker Ford closed its plant, also in Victoria, while the nation's final assembly plant, that of Holden in South Australia, is set to close later this month on Oct. 20.

Toyota first announced the closure of the Altona base in 2014, at the time citing the unfavorable Australian dollar as well as the high cost of local labor as reasons for the decision, meaning the Aurion V6 large sedan and Camry Hybrid models would no longer be made in Australia.

In a statement released on Tuesday, Victoria's Industry Minister Wade Noonan described the closure as "terribly sad," but blamed the federal government's reluctance to throw support behind the struggling industry in years gone by as "devastating."

"The (federal) government's decision to push vehicle manufacturing offshore by closing local plants has been devastating for Victorian jobs," Noonan said.

"At a time when these workers need certainty, the Commonwealth is missing in action."

But also on Tuesday, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull rebuffed claims that it should have emptied its pockets to keep the ailing industry alive.

"The manufacturers who have progressively closed their operations in Australia have made it clear it is not because of a failure of government subsidies, it's because of changes in market taste," Turnbull said.

"People stopped buying the sedans that were being made in Australia, or stopped buying them in sufficient numbers to support the industry."

Meanwhile, speaking to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) about the closure, 19-year Toyota employee Matthew Kinson said employees had carried themselves well in the finals years of the plant's operation, claiming they've made a "very good car all the way to very end."

He added that as Toyota had warned of the closures years in advance, many workers had been able to secure training for other manufacturing jobs, minimizing the effects of unemployment among former employees.

"To Toyota's credit, they've done a really good job to make sure everybody's in the best position to find another job," Kinson said on Tuesday.

"It's not going to be easy, but we've already got a reference from Toyota. We've had a lot of employers come through and see what we do here and see how much pride people put into their work."

Toyota began manufacturing cars at its Victorian plant in 1963, while Ford, which closed its plant last year, began operations in 1925. Holden, which will close its South Australian plant later this month, has been operating in Australia since 1856, when it began life as a saddler.

Iconic Aussie cars including the Holden Commodore and the Ford Falcon have been discontinued as a result of the slow death of the Australian car industry.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 15:56:49|Editor: Yurou

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Prime Minister of the Palestinian Consensus Government Rami Hamdallah (C) holds a cabinet meeting in Gaza City on Oct. 3, 2017. Prime Minister of the Palestinian Consensus Government Rami Hamdallah on Tuesday chaired the first weekly meeting of his cabinet in Gaza city in over two years. (Xinhua/Pool)

GAZA, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Prime Minister of the Palestinian Consensus Government Rami Hamdallah on Tuesday chaired the first weekly meeting of his cabinet in Gaza city in over two years.

Hamdallah and the cabinet ministers arrived on Monday at the headquarters of the cabinet, the former house of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas that he left in 2007, when Hamas movement seized control of Gaza.

"We are back in Gaza to hand over missions and responsibilities here, and resolve all the outstanding administrative issues, including the file of employees in accordance to previous understandings," Hamdallah told the meeting.

Hamdallah and his cabinet ministers as well as chiefs of security arrived in the Gaza Strip on Monday to take responsibilities in the coastal enclave.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 16:21:54|Editor: Yurou

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MANILA, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- The crime rate in the Philippine capital Manila continued to fall, a government spokesman said on Tuesday, adding that Metro Manila's streets and neighborhoods "are now safer and more secure."

Comparing the weekly crime volume in Metro Manila before and after President Rodrigo Duterte assumed office in June 2016, Duterte's spokesman Ernesto Abella told a news conference that "as of Oct. 1, 2017 robbery and hold-up incidents dropped by 39.5 percent, theft dropped by 35.6 percent, carnapping by 67 percent, and motor mapping by 63 percent."

Abella added that rape cases also dropped by 27 percent.

Abella expressed "hope that the marked improvement in Metro Manila's crime rate is likewise felt and appreciated in the entire country."

Metro Manila is the most populous metropolitan urban areas in the Philippines with around 12.8 million people.

Abella's statement comes as the government intensifies its campaign against drugs syndicates operating in the country, resulting in the killings of thousands of suspected drug suspects.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 16:21:55|Editor: Yurou

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DAMASCUS, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Russian airstrikes killed over 300 Islamic State (IS) militants on the eastern bank of the Euphrates in Syria over the past two days, Ekhbariah TV reported on Tuesday.

The reported quoted Russian Ministry of Defense spokesman as saying that more than 170 terrorists were injured.

The airstrikes destroyed three command posts, nine key localities, eight tanks, three artillery units, 17 SUVs with installed large-caliber weapons, and four ammunition depots have been destroyed, the report said.

And seven field commanders of various levels have been killed, including Abu Islam Al Kazaki, a native of Kazakhstan who coordinated the actions of IS assault units in the Euphrates valley.

An airstrike by Russian forces also destroyed the center for assembly and training of foreign mercenaries from IS, including about 40 militants from the North Caucasus, as well as a terrorist mobile sniper group.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 16:31:59|Editor: Yang Yi

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BEIJING, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- China and the United States will hold their first law enforcement and cybersecurity dialogue this week.

Chinese State Councilor Guo Shengkun, also minister of public security, will travel to the United States from Oct. 3 to 6 to co-chair the dialogue, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang announced Tuesday.

The dialogue is one of four high-level communication mechanisms established during the Mar-a-Lago meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump in Florida in April.
U.S. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump along with Vice President Mike Pence and his wife Karen Pence take part in a moment of silence for the victims of the Las Vegas shootings, on the South Lawn of the White House on October 2, 2017 in Washington, DC. (AFP Photo)

DAMASCUS, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- The Islamic State (IS)' Amaq news agency said Monday the executioner of the Las Vegas mass shooting was one of its "soldiers."

Amaq released two short statements; the first claimed that the mass shooter was a soldier of the IS, and the second said he had converted to Islam months ago.

Amaq said its claims were founded on information passed on by a "security source," providing, however, no evidence to back up its claims.

In Las Vegas, a gunman on a high floor of a Las Vegas hotel opened fire at an outdoor concert where a huge number of people were gathering, killing 59 people and wounding hundreds of others.

The attack was said to be one of the deadliest mass shooting in the history of the United States.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 16:47:01|Editor: Yang Yi

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QINGDAO, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese naval flotilla returned to a military port in Qingdao in east China's Shandong Province Tuesday after a joint military exercise with the Russian navy.

The joint drill, held from Sept. 18 to 25 in the Sea of Japan and Okhotsk, was the second phase of "Joint Sea 2017." The first stage was held in the Baltic Sea in July.

The flotilla consisted of missile destroyer Shijiazhuang, missile frigate Daqing, comprehensive supply ship Dongpinghu, and submarine rescue ship Changdao.

During the week-long drill, naval forces from both sides conducted a string of joint operations, including air defense, anti-submarine and anti-fleet actions as well as maritime rescues.

It was the first time the two sides have conducted joint submarine rescue exercises and joint anti-submarine drills involving multiple arms of service and types of aircraft and ships.

The drill has consolidated and advanced the Sino-Russian comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination, deepened friendly and practical cooperation between the two militaries, and improved abilities to jointly cope with security threats at sea, according to military sources.
Russian airstrikes killed over 300 Islamic State militants on the eastern bank of the Euphrates in Syria over the past two days. (Reuters Photo)

DAMASCUS, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Russian airstrikes killed over 300 Islamic State (IS) militants on the eastern bank of the Euphrates in Syria over the past two days, Ekhbariah TV reported on Tuesday.

The reported quoted Russian Ministry of Defense spokesman as saying that more than 170 terrorists were injured.

The airstrikes destroyed three command posts, nine key localities, eight tanks, three artillery units, 17 SUVs with installed large-caliber weapons, and four ammunition depots have been destroyed, the report said.

And seven field commanders of various levels have been killed, including Abu Islam Al Kazaki, a native of Kazakhstan who coordinated the actions of IS assault units in the Euphrates valley.

An airstrike by Russian forces also destroyed the center for assembly and training of foreign mercenaries from IS, including about 40 militants from the North Caucasus, as well as a terrorist mobile sniper group.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 17:22:18|Editor: Yang Yi

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WELLINGTON, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand Prime Minister Bill English on Tuesday offered his condolences to the people of the United States in the wake of the mass shooting which took place in Las Vegas overnight.

"The thoughts of New Zealanders are with the victims and their families affected by this senseless tragedy," English said in a statement, adding, "Our thoughts are also with the first responders and the emergency services for their selflessness and heroism in carrying out their duties in the wake of such horror."

The New Zealand Consulate-General in Los Angeles is in contact with the local authorities and there is no indication at this stage that any New Zealanders have been caught up in the incident, English said.

New Zealanders in Las Vegas, which are 44, are advised to follow any instructions issued by the local authorities, register their details on Safe Travel, a New Zealand government website, and let their families in New Zealand know they are okay, said the prime minister.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 17:22:18|Editor: Yang Yi

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TOKYO, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike's newly-formed Kibou no To (Party of Hope) unveiled its first contingent of candidates to run in the Oct. 22 lower house election.

The Party of Hope unveiled 191 candidates who will run in single-seat electoral districts in the 465-seat lower house.

Koike had previously said she would be fielding at least 233 candidates in the general election in a bid to wrestle power away from the administration of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

While lower house lawmaker Masaru Wakasa stated Tuesday on unveiling the list that the number of candidates would likely swell to more than 233, Koike put an end to any speculation she herself might run in the election.

"I'm 100 percent not running in the election," she told reporters.

Rumors had been swirling that she was planning to step down as Tokyo governor and make a return to national politics.

Koike is a seasoned politician having served as a lower house member between 1993 and 2016 before she resigned to run in the gubernatorial election, which she won.

She previously held the defense minister portfolio in the cabinet of Abe, but resigned in August 2007 after just 54 days in office.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 17:22:19|Editor: Yang Yi

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CHARIKAR, Afghanistan, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- As many as 15 militants loyal to the Taliban group have been killed and three villages recaptured following Afghan forces operations in Siagurd district of Parwan province with capital Charikar 55 km north of Kabul, an official said Tuesday.

"Joint Afghan security and defense forces launched series of clean-up operations over the past 24 hours, in Siagurd district of the restive Parwan province, where Taliban hideouts were bombed leaving 15 fighters dead and three villages have been recaptured," an army spokesman Shir Aqa Faqiri told Xinhua.

Taliban militants who have been fighting in parts of Siagurd and adjoining areas have yet to make comment.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 17:42:27|Editor: Yang Yi

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HO CHI MINH CITY, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam's Ho Chi Minh City on Tuesday started implementing a program which allows buyers of fowl meat and eggs to easily trace their origin, said the municipal Department of Industry and Trade.

Codes in the form of stamps, which contain such information as fowl strain, feed, vaccination, name of farm and date of slaughtering, are placed on the product's packages.

At 1,750 markets, shops and retail outlets, buyers can use a code reading application on their mobile phones to read the information.

Traceable chickens, ducks and their eggs are mainly sourced from farms in the five southern provinces of Dong Nai, Binh Duong, Binh Phuoc, Long An and Tien Giang.

At present, over 360 poultry farms, which supply Ho Chi Minh City with some 150,000 chickens and two million eggs a day, as well as dozens of slaughterhouses and packing facilities are participating in the program, said the department.

Earlier, the city applied similar programs to trace origin of pork and vegetables.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 17:52:31|Editor: Yamei

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NANCHANG, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- There is almost no space to stand in Xiong Wenyi's storeroom in east China's Jiangxi Province. It is filled with every kind of lock you could imagine, made from wood, brass and iron.

Xiong has been obsessed with collecting locks for more than 30 years.

"I have over 10,000 locks in more than 100 different styles, with the oldest one dating back to the Han Dynasty (202 B.C.-220 A.D.)," he said.

The collector, in his fifties, showed one of his prized possessions: a 'pull lock', that has a small hook with which to pull the key.

Xiong held up another lock that requires an extra step to unlock. "You have to turn the key and press the button on the bottom to unlock it," he said.

His collection includes a large wooden lock, once used on a city gate in Shandong Province, that can be traced back to the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). "This wooden lock is difficult to preserve," he said.

One of the locks he is most proud of finding is a 'maze lock'from Nyingchi Prefecture in Tibet Autonomous Region.

"It's called maze lock because the inner structure is a zigzag," Xiong said. "It's easy to unlock but very difficult to copy the key, as needs to fit the exact angle and length at each turn."

The lock was made in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Xiong paid a Nyingchi resident a daily stipend of hundreds of yuan to search for the rare lock in rural areas of the prefecture during the winter of 2015.

Xiong's lock collection began in his childhood, when he saved money to buy stamps, candy wrappers and small locks from his peers.

"I see folk wisdom in ancient locks. It's easy to see how smart our ancestors were when looking at their locks," he said.

The design and craftsmanship of the locks has amazed visitors at various lock exhibitions Xiong has attended. But the value of the collection far exceeds the locks themselves.

According to Hong Jun, an historian from Wuhan University, the collection allows the public to observe the development of Chinese lock-making over thousands of years.

"They are important in the study of China's national storage and guard systems, public security and aesthetic standards," Hong said.

The larger his collection of locks became the more pressure Xiong felt. "Ancient locks, especially wooden ones, are easily damaged or broken. I must work quickly to preserve these artifacts for future generations," he said.

In 2012, Xiong decided to set up a lock museum, but his plan was put on hold when he was diagnosed with cancer.

Facing death, Xiong's lock collection gave him the strength to fight the disease. "I told myself to hold on because more people need to see my locks."

After recovering, Xiong increased his efforts to collect more locks. He hired more than 20 elderly people across the country to help him search for specific locks. He bought them smartphones so that they could directly send him pictures of each new discovery.

"I want to fulfill my dream of setting up a lock museum to unlock the folk wisdom of our ancestors," Xiong said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 18:02:36|Editor: Yurou

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BERLIN, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Thousands of Amazon employees went on strike in Germany over a long-standing wage dispute, German media reported on Monday.

According to the trade union Ver.di, around 2,000 people stayed away from work at six Amazon locations across the country. Amazon operates a total of nine logistics centers in Germany.

Ver.di representative Thomas Voss said that Amazon had recently raised wages slightly, but the increases remained "significantly below" industry standards and trade union demands.

Trade unionists are urging Amazon to pay its staff in accordance with the collective wage agreement for the German shipment and retail industry. The U.S. technology giant has failed to mirror pay-rises recently agreed in the sector.

According to Ver.di, Amazon is refusing to enter any collective wage agreement negotiations and has been threatened with further strikes in response. Amazon has experienced a long series of strikes at its German locations since 2013.

Amazon insists that it is an attractive employer, despite not adhering to the industry-wide collective wage agreement, and has pointed to benefits such as stock remuneration schemes and bonus payments which it offers. The company expressed confidence that strikes would not cause any delay to its deliveries, as it could re-rout orders throughout its network of 31 logistics centers in seven European countries.

However, Left Party trade union spokesperson in the Federal Parliament, or Bundestag, Jutta Krellman accused Amazon of operating a loan dumping model.

Krellman said it was "time for employees to participate" in Amazon's commercial success.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 18:02:37|Editor: Yurou

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BERLIN, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Germany's population will grow significantly in the coming two decades due to rising fertility rates and migration, Funke media group reported on Tuesday with reference to a study by the Cologne Institute for Economic Research (IW).

According to the study, the number of German inhabitants will grow by more than a million compared to 2015 to reach over 83.1 million in 2035.

The demographic increase will be particularly pronounced in metropolitan centers such as Berlin, Hamburg and Munich. The German capital is estimated to count 4 million inhabitants by 2035, an increase of 500,000 or 14.5 percent from 2015.

Munich and Hamburg are predicted to witness 14.5 percent and 9 percent population growth respectively until 2035.

In stark contrast, steep population declines are forecast for the Eastern German states of Saxony-Anhalt (minus 10.6 percent) and Thuringia (minus 10.2 percent).

Nevertheless, the "long-anticipated decline" in Germany's population was "clearly failing to materialize," the study said.

The key drivers behind the trend towards growth were rising fertility rates, as well as migration. Following the mass arrival of refugees from Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan in 2015, the IW researchers believed that immigration will continue to surpass earlier expectations in years to come.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 18:17:42|Editor: Yurou

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MOGADISHU, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Somalia National Army (SNA) killed nine Al-Shabaab militants in an operation occurred at an area about 35 km to Burdhubo town in Gedo region, southern Somalia, officials said on Tuesday.

Somali Government commander of 48 Division, Abdirahman Ibrahim Mohamed told state-owned radio that the operation which started on Monday evening was well planned that targeted a stronghold of the militants in the region.

"We killed nine Al-Shabaab militants, three of them senior officials in a successful operation near Burdhubo town in this region. We recovered eight AK47 rifles and one PKM during the operation on Monday, we are also in the area at moment for further investigation," Ibrahim said.

Ibrahim did not confirm the number of casualties on SNA side. There was no comment as well from Al-Shabaab militants on the latest military operation by SNA.

Such operation comes three weeks after the militants carried out major attacks at some key towns including Bula-Hawo and El-Wak in Gedo region near the Kenya-Somalia border.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 18:22:44|Editor: Yurou

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GAZA, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- A Palestinian spokesman said on Tuesday that the Palestionian national unity government has taken over the administration of the Gaza Strip from the Hamas movement.

"We've considered what happened yesterday and today, an official handover to administrate the Gaza Strip, so we already started practicing the government's missions," Yousef Al-Mahmoud, the spokesman of the national unity government, said at a news conference after the weekly cabinet meeting in Gaza.

"The cabinet meeting stressed gaining back all establishments. This needs great efforts in order to start working on a right basis and correctly resolve all outstanding issues," he added.

He also voiced the government's appreciation for "the important and historic role of Egypt" in brokering the deal to end the internal Palestinian division.

"Chief of the Egyptian intelligence security Khaled Fawzi has arrived in Gaza and will meet with Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah. He is carrying a message from Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi that the president backs the efforts of ending division and finalizing reconciliation," he noted.

The spokesman said all government bodies will start working on the urgent missions in response to Gaza's requirements, including water, electricity and the reconstruction work.

"During the cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Hamdallah asked the cabinet ministers to prepare full reports on all the initial needs of the population in the Gaza Strip, in order to improve life there," Al-Mahmoud said.

"The cabinet has formed three committees, including a committee running crossing points," he added.

The Hamas movement said in an official press statement that it has done everything to hand over the administration work, calling for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to cancel sanctions against it.

"We have presented everything required in order to help the government its tasks, missions and responsibilities without hesitation, postponement or delay. In return, President Mahmoud Abbas should take an urgent decision calling off punitive measures taken against the Gaza Strip," the statement said.

In response, Abbas said he will undo his recent measures against Gaza including cutting off salaries and reducing the payment of electricity bill, after a review of the government's work in the coastal enclave.

Islamic Hamas movement and Palestinian President's Fatah party are scheduled to hold an assessment meeting in Cairo next week, where they will discuss the progress of the government's first week of work in Gaza.

"The committees will start its discussions and studying all issues right after the meeting," Al-Mahmoud said.

Earlier in the day, the Palestinian government held its first cabinet meeting in Gaza since Oct. 2014.

Prime Minister Hamdallah and his cabinet ministers as well as chiefs of security arrived in Gaza on Monday, the first visit since December 2014, to take over responsibilities in the coastal enclave.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 18:27:46|Editor: Yurou

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NAIROBI, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- University of Nairobi (UON) was Tuesday morning closed indefinitely following student unrest over last week's police assault that left 27 students with injuries.

The sudden closure of the institution came after the students blocked some roads, protesting last Thursday's invasion and assault by security officers who assaulted them in their campus hostels and lecture halls.

The University Senate announced the immediate closure citing deteriorating security situation at the main and other satellite campuses, ordering the students to vacate halls residence not later than 9.00 a.m..

"UON Senate has today closed the University with immediate effect due to the deteriorating security situation. Students have been asked to vacate the halls of residence with immediate effect but not later than 9.00 a.m.," the institution said.

There was tension at the institutions with plans of more protests Tuesday before the closure was announced. Anti-riot police were mobilized and placed at strategic locations to quell the riots.

The students had on Monday night gone on the rampage as they protested the invasion and assault by police last week. The protests forced motorists to seek alternative routes.

At least 27 students were Thursday injured when police invaded lecture halls and hostels and clobbered them to quell riots that were ongoing.

The police and independent oversight institutions are currently investigating the assault of the students by the police.

The students demanded that Vice-Chancellor Professor Peter Mbithi resign, accusing him of inviting the anti-riot police to invade their lecture halls and hostels to assault and steal from them.

The students blocked sections of the road on Monday night before police arrived to disperse them with gunshots that were fired to the air. They chanted "Mbithi must go! Mbithi must go!" with most unrest happening on the main campus.

The students burnt down security offices there, saying the officials had failed to stop the police invasion.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 18:37:51|Editor: Yurou

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ISTANBUL, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Turkish prosecutors issued detention warrants for 254 Istanbul municipality and ministry staff over alleged Gulen links, state-run Anadolu news agency reported Tuesday.

The operations mark a fresh escalation against the movement of Islamic preacher Fethullah Gulen, more than 14 months after the failed coup.

The Interior Ministry said on Monday nearly 1,000 people were detained over the previous week on allegations of ties to the "Gulenist Terror Group."

In Istanbul, prosecutors ordered the arrest of 112 current and former staff of municipalities in the Turkey's largest city, Anadolu agency reported.

They were accused of being users of Bylock, an encrypted messaging app which the government says was used by Gulen's followers.

Thirty-five of these suspects have so far been detained in the operation, stretching across eight provinces, Anadolu said.

Prosecutors in Ankara ordered the detention of 142 staff of the education and sport ministries, the agency said. The vast majority of them had already been dismissed from their jobs over alleged Gulen ties.

Gulen, who has lived in self-imposed exile in the United States since 1999, has denied involvement in the July 15 coup, in which 250 people were killed.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 18:37:52|Editor: Yurou

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NEW DELHI, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Rivers of India are often called its lifeline. They are revered and worshipped by people who got their identities in the ancient times by settling near rivers.

Till today, many states, now metropolises, are situated on riverbanks, thriving from the resources that it provides them.

Water bodies have sustained the country since olden times and continue doing so till date.

However, in the past two decades, the burden of human and river ecosystem interaction have changed the natural processes of various rivers. Unsustainable and indiscriminate use have dried rivers and irreparably damaged their ecosystem.

While environmentalists have been pointing to the alarming situation since a long time with research and activism both, successive governments failed to take tough, even extreme measures that were needed to both create awareness and prevent their deterioration. Thus, while Indian economy ramped up in recent years, its rivers became so polluted that life within them are dying.

"The efforts to clean up the rivers ran into the sand as politicians and environmentalists differed on how to do the job, with none following the green court laws and... projects being blighted by corruption and long delays," said Dilip Bose, an environmentalist.

After coming to power in 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government launched staunch measures which were the need of the hour to save the rivers. The prime minister himself made an emotional appeal to the citizens, turning towards mythology and tradition, to save rivers. He insisted that economic development and elevation of people from poverty would not come at the cost of rivers.

River conservation was the sharp focus keeping which in mind the government set up a ministry dedicated to cleaning up of the holy Ganga river as part of its foremost measures.

The prime minister appointed Uma Bharti to lead the ministry. Bharti had been advocating for long to save Ganga, approaching politicians from across all parties seeking quick and effective action, said a government official.

The ministry set up basic monitoring and compliance mechanisms to ensure rules were met with. The government also attempted to address the issue with the launch of a project, which sought to increase enforcement of regulations against dumping of toxic waste into the river and increasing sewage treatment plants.

As part of the proposal, the government also worked towards discouraging the release of dead bodies to the river and built crematoriums along with the river banks. Toilets were also built near the river banks to discourage people from defecating into the open, especially near the river.

"It was a deep challenge staring in the face of the government when it took over in 2014. After all, the Ganga Action Plan had been launched 30 years ago and since then, two major rivers of India had died," said S.K. Jairam, a former Delhi University professor.

"The government's strategy was anchored towards providing finances, setting up municipalities for rivers, even bringing in private partners to clip in leakages in project implementation and taking loans from banks for the same. These alternatives worked really well in making various agencies active towards saving our rivers," he added.

All these efforts towards rivers coincided with the blue-eyed project of the Modi government, the Swachh Bharat (Clean India) campaign, also touted as India's biggest cleanliness drive.

"Part of the project was to create awareness among people who made rivers part of their rituals to not pollute them. That required a cultural clean-up, a conscious attempt to re-attach people emotionally towards rivers and take responsibility towards protecting them," said the ministry official.

The recent Rally for Rivers is again a social and cultural part of the project to campaign for rivers.

"We roped in celebrities, including Bollywood stars, to pledge their support and plead with their fans to prevent this rapid depletion. The campaign will go all parts of the country to create mass awareness, revive rivers that have vanished and those major ones that have become seasonal," said K.K. Dasgupta, who spearheads one of the campaigns.

"It will lead to development of a sense of solidarity on the issue and we have specially roped in schoolchildren for the same," he added.

To this end, the organizers have been using the platforms of social media, e-mails, calls, web tools, person-to-person contact and more.

The government also started to promote revival of other rivers which were bearing the brunt of ignorance to create small examples of success. One such example is of the Narmada Seva Mission which was launched to save Narmada, also referred to as the lifeline of Madhya Pradesh.

Similarly in Ahmedabad, the Sabarmati was rejuvenated in the heart of the city by planting trees and along the polluted river. Three years later, the river which was toxic with sewage and chemicals, is a source of fresh water. The trees along it form a bio-park and it is a source of pride for the people of Gujarat.

However, there are other groups that have suggested it was time to take some extreme measures to honor the rivers.

"We have failed in our duty to protect, nourish and save our rivers. There is a need to give them their due. We need to give the rivers legal rights, i.e., allow them to flow freely as is their natural course. It is a part of creating awareness towards rivers; the movement started with Ganga and Yamuna which were given legal protection as a person. We are looking to extend it to other major river bodies as well," said Manik Khan, a lawyer based in Delhi.

Activists say while the government moved along with novel intentions, it needs to fasten the pace on these plans and not extend the timeline any further to show tangible results in the near future.

"The concerns of activists are acknowledged by the government. But the fact is that never before any government initiated projects of this magnitude. We are not looking at fully restoring the rivers immediately but we need to see high to reach a midpoint," added the government official.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 18:42:54|Editor: Yurou

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NAIROBI, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- The European Union (EU) election observers on Tuesday called on Kenya to shelve changes to the electoral law ahead of the Oct. 26 polls, urging political leaders to demonstrate commitment to democratic electoral competition and institutions.

The EU Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) also called on the political contenders to come together constructively and overcome the challenges for the upcoming presidential election.

"The intensifying accusations between political rivals and against the institutional pillars of the democratic process, in particular the judiciary and the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), have led to escalating tensions and risk derailing the election," the observers said in a statement issued in Nairobi.

The EU mission which has been monitoring elections preparations before the Aug. 8 general elections said political leaders have a specific responsibility to respect the law and ensure that people's rights are honored.

The observers also said demands for far-reaching changes to the election administration need to be matched with the constitutional requirements for the re-run.

"Changes to the electoral law would also hinder the on-going work of the IEBC in preparing elections in an already limited time frame," said the EU observers.

According to the EU EOM, proceeding to pass the Election Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2017 and the Election Offences (Amendment) Bill, 2017 before the re-run would be a highly problematic process, with changes being extremely controversial.

"If passed, the changes would likely be subject to legal challenge, including on constitutional grounds, resulting in further uncertainty in the electoral process," the mission cautioned.

The proposed changes to the electoral laws by the ruling party Jubilee have created division among Kenyans ahead of repeat polls on Oct. 26.

While some, in particular president Uhuru Kenyatta's supporters, believe the changes are good and are what the country needs before the polls, those supporting Opposition National Super Alliance (NASA) leader Raila Odinga oppose the amendments noting they are a rigging plot.

The changes, which Odinga including civil society and some religious leaders have opposed, widen political divisions in the East African nation.

One of the radical changes Jubilee proposes is that if only one candidate remains in a fresh presidential election, he will be declared president-elect without polls being held.

The bill, currently in Parliament, further proposes a custodial sentence of up to 15 years for any electoral officials who knowingly refuses to sign, submits incomplete forms or willfully alters or falsifies documents relating to elections.

It also proposes to strip the powers of announcing the winner of a presidential poll from the chairman of the electoral commission to any other commissioner.

The observers said excessive demands by political parties, which cannot be met by the IEBC, place an extraordinary burden on the institution and escalate tension and antagonism in the election.

The EU EOM suggested that contenders focus as a matter of urgency on practical and meaningful integrity measures that can be realistically undertaken to strengthen operations and systems.

The observers said decisive improvements in the electoral process are still achievable if Kenyans come together in a constructive manner.

The observers urged the electoral body to provide regular public information on the measures it is undertaking in view of the Supreme Court ruling and demonstrate stronger transparency.

The mission said its analysis of the two bills shows that there are some potentially positive proposals while some proposals weaken safeguards without qualification.

"None of the proposed changes are critical for Kenya to comply with international commitments or appear to be pre-requisites for improvements to the fresh election entailed in the Supreme Court's ruling," the observers said.

"The EU EOM therefore suggests that, for the sake of consistency with recognized good practice and for the smooth running of the current electoral process, the proposed legal reforms are tabled after the current election."

This, the observers said, will enable a more comprehensive approach to amendments, and more time for debate, consultation and legislative development.
Students of University of Nairobi (UON) carry their luggages after the indefinite closure of the campus in Nairobi, capital of Kenya, Oct. 3, 2017. (Xinhua/Charles Onyango)

NAIROBI, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- University of Nairobi (UON) was Tuesday morning closed indefinitely following student unrest over last week's police assault that left 27 students with injuries.

The sudden closure of the institution came after the students blocked some roads, protesting last Thursday's invasion and assault by security officers who assaulted them in their campus hostels and lecture halls.

The University Senate announced the immediate closure citing deteriorating security situation at the main and other satellite campuses, ordering the students to vacate halls residence not later than 9.00 a.m..

"UON Senate has today closed the University with immediate effect due to the deteriorating security situation. Students have been asked to vacate the halls of residence with immediate effect but not later than 9.00 a.m.," the institution said.

There was tension at the institutions with plans of more protests Tuesday before the closure was announced. Anti-riot police were mobilized and placed at strategic locations to quell the riots.

The students had on Monday night gone on the rampage as they protested the invasion and assault by police last week. The protests forced motorists to seek alternative routes.

At least 27 students were Thursday injured when police invaded lecture halls and hostels and clobbered them to quell riots that were ongoing.

The police and independent oversight institutions are currently investigating the assault of the students by the police.

The students demanded that Vice-Chancellor Professor Peter Mbithi resign, accusing him of inviting the anti-riot police to invade their lecture halls and hostels to assault and steal from them.

The students blocked sections of the road on Monday night before police arrived to disperse them with gunshots that were fired to the air. They chanted "Mbithi must go! Mbithi must go!" with most unrest happening on the main campus.

The students burnt down security offices there, saying the officials had failed to stop the police invasion.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 19:08:07|Editor: Yurou

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COLOMBO, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena on Tuesday strongly condemned the Las Vegas shooting which killed at least 59 people and injured over 500.

In a message on his official Twitter account, Sirisena said he was shocked over the shooting, and that collective action against such menace was essential.

Sri Lankan officials in the United States said that there were no reports of Sri Lankans being among the dead or injured.

A gunman opened fire from the 32nd floor of a hotel in Las Vegas in the U.S. state of Nevada towards an open-air music festival on Sunday evening, causing heavy casualties.
Turkish President and Chairman of the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) Recep Tayyip Erdogan delivers a speech during the AK Party's group meeting at the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM) in Ankara, on October 3, 2017. (AFP Photo)

ISTANBUL, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Turkish prosecutors issued detention warrants for 254 Istanbul municipality and ministry staff over alleged Gulen links, state-run Anadolu news agency reported Tuesday.

The operations mark a fresh escalation against the movement of Islamic preacher Fethullah Gulen, more than 14 months after the failed coup.

The Interior Ministry said on Monday nearly 1,000 people were detained over the previous week on allegations of ties to the "Gulenist Terror Group."

In Istanbul, prosecutors ordered the arrest of 112 current and former staff of municipalities in the Turkey's largest city, Anadolu agency reported.

They were accused of being users of Bylock, an encrypted messaging app which the government says was used by Gulen's followers.

Thirty-five of these suspects have so far been detained in the operation, stretching across eight provinces, Anadolu said.

Prosecutors in Ankara ordered the detention of 142 staff of the education and sport ministries, the agency said. The vast majority of them had already been dismissed from their jobs over alleged Gulen ties.

Gulen, who has lived in self-imposed exile in the United States since 1999, has denied involvement in the July 15 coup, in which 250 people were killed.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 19:23:11|Editor: Yurou

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CAPE TOWN, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Minister of Finance Malusi Gigaba has amended the Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Control (MLTFC) Regulations and the withdrawal of exemptions as a fresh bid to combat money laundering and the financing of terrorism, the National Treasury said on Tuesday.

These amendments fall in line with the Financial Intelligence Centre Act (FICA), effective on October 2, 2017, the Treasury said.

These amendments to the MLTFC Regulations and the withdrawal of exemptions coincide with the commencement of a number of amendments to the FICA, which the minister had announced on June 13 this year.

"This provides the legal basis for a shift in the measures to protect the integrity of the South African financial system to a risk-based approach, which modernizes the manner institutions undertake customer due diligence and encourages innovation in the way they deal with their customers," the Treasury said.

Under the amended MLTFC and withdrawal of exemptions, financial institutions should determine what constitutes single transactions in the context of their own business, and provide for the application of a single transaction threshold in so far as they accommodate such transactions.

While the withdrawal of exemptions may impact institutions' compliance approach to the customer due diligence requirements of the FICA; nevertheless, institutions may continue to be guided by the content of the withdrawn exemptions in the implementation of their compliance approaches, the Treasury said.

Although a few objections were received on the withdrawal of some exemptions, these were not supported by adequate empirical data; consequently, sufficient information was not provided to retain the exemptions in question, said the Treasury.

Further consultations on new exemptions may be considered in sectors where it can be clearly demonstrated that such exemptions are necessary and will not undermine the objectives of the FICA, according to the Treasury.

The latest move is expected to further strengthen the transparency and integrity of the South African financial system in its objectives to combat financial crimes, which include tax evasion, money laundering and the financing of terrorism and illicit financial flows.

The amendments also make it harder for persons who are involved in illegitimate activities or tax evasion to hide behind legal entities like shell companies and trusts.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 19:33:13|Editor: Yurou

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ISLAMABAD, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Former Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was re-elected as head of the ruling party Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Tuesday, a day after the country's president approved a parliamentary bill to reform the electoral policy.

Sharif was elected unopposed as no other party member submitted nomination papers to contest for the position.

The party's election commissioner Chaudhry Jaffar Iqbal formally announced the former prime minister as the party president during a PML-N general council meeting, attended by over 500 law makers from both provincial and national assembly.

The country's election commission will formally announce Sharif as the party president later.

Following his disqualification as the prime minister of the country in a corruption case by the Supreme Court of Pakistan in July this year, Sharif had also stepped down as the party's chief because the country's then electoral laws did not allow a disqualified person to head any political party.

However, the country's National Assembly (the lower house) passed a bill on Monday reforming the clause and allowing Sharif to become the chief of his own party.

According to the freshly incorporated clause, every citizen of Pakistan, who is not working as a government employee, has the right to form or be a member of a political party.

The country's two opposition parties jointly filed an application in the Sindh High Court against the election reforms. They requested the court to declare the electoral reforms bill as illegal and unconstitutional.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 19:33:14|Editor: Yurou

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MOSCOW, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Russian warplanes, supporting Syrian troops on the eastern bank of the Euphrates River, killed 304 Islamic State (IS) terrorists in the past two days, the Russian Defense Ministry said Tuesday.

Among the dead were seven IS field commanders of various levels, the ministry's spokesman Igor Konashenkov said in a statement, adding that more than 170 terrorists were wounded in Russian airstrikes.

Russian jets destroyed a foreign mercenaries training center, killing around 40 militants from Russia's North Caucasus region.

The airstrikes also destroyed three command posts, nine strong points, eight tanks, three pieces of artillery units, 17 SUVs armed with large-caliber weapons and four ammunition depots.

Syrian government troops are carrying forward a major offensive against IS in the oil rich areas on the eastern bank of the Euphrates River, the terrorist group's last foothold in this war-torn country.
A visitor poses with the wax figure of actor Bruce Lee at the first wax museum in Selangor State, Malaysia, Aug. 15, 2013. (Xinhua/Chong Voon Chung)

by Ronald Ssekandi

KAMPALA, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- In the shanty slum of Wakaliga on the outskirts of Uganda's capital Kampala is a movie studio that is little known at home but is gaining international fame.

Clogged trenches, semi-permanent houses are what makes part of the set at Wakaliwood, a movie studio run by Ramon Film Productions.

Isaac Nabwana is the brain behind Wakaliwood. In his childhood, Nabwana's brothers used to narrate to him Chinese movies they had watched at the cinemas. Nabwana could only imagine the moves in the movies.

"I was inspired by the stories of the Chinese movies. I remember some names like Wang Yu, Bruce Lee and later on Jet Li and Jackie Chan," Nabwana told Xinhua in a recent interview.

This sparked off his dream in the 1990s that one day he would set up a studio to produce movies. To begin with, he picked Kung Fu trainees from his brother's school to shoot video clips.

"The stories were not connecting because we did not have a script. It was a puzzle to me," he said.

Nabwana learnt how to write a script and in 2010, he released the movie titled, "Who Killed Captain Alex?' Since then, he has directed several movies, in which Kung Fu stunts never missed.

"We love the Chinese culture of Kung Fu which has its own importance like body fitness, self-defense ... we need that in our society, it is almost a medicine," Nabwana said.

"BRUCE LEE OF UGANDA"

As Nabwana continues to get international attention, he is focusing on the Chinese market. Apart from China having a big market, Nabwana hopes the Kung Fu stunts in his movies will speak more to the Chinese population.

One of the latest movies he has directed is "Bruce U," which was acted basing on Chinese film star Bruce Lee.

"Bruce Lee was famous here, and I think he is one of the few Chinese who sold the Chinese image in Uganda. And now we have Jackie Chan, Donnie Yen. But Bruce Lee made a very remarkable impact on us, so that is why I decided to call it 'Bruce U' meaning Bruce Lee of Uganda," Nabwana said.

The movie was acted by both Chinese and Ugandan actors. Some of the scenes of the movie were shot at China's the South Shaolin Temple.

The movie tells the story of a Uganda boy Kiwa, who loved Chinese Kung Fu since his childhood and gets a chance to learn Kung Fu at a Shaolin Temple.

"Smile Africa", a project aimed at helping spread Chinese culture in Africa, played a major role in the production of the movie by inviting Nabwana and his cast to the South Shaolin Temple to shoot some scenes.

AIMING FOR INDUSTRY TAKEOFF

Uganda's movie industry is still in its formative stages. Vincent Bagiire, permanent secretary of the ministry of information, communication, and technology, said partnership with countries like China are critical in developing the industry.

Bagiire, who was speaking during the premiere of "Bruce U" in August, said the movie industry can contribute to a more informed society, help shape attitudes and develop the minds of local viewers.

"We need to expedite the process to protect the huge potential that the industry presents to cause employment, as well as economic and cultural growth," he said.

Nabwana decided to have his studio in Wakaliga as it was not only his home area but also budget friendly.

"I know we need good cameras, computers but even without, you can not just sit, we have the talent, we have the passion, we can do it," he said.

"We have people who can make props, makeup artists, we have so many people coming together," he added.

Nabwana acknowledges that budget constraints are always a key challenge but is optimistic that over time, the industry will start generating revenue.

His dream is to set up a studio on a 10-acre piece of land, though he is currently operating on a piece of land that is less than half an acre.

"We are training children, they are ten in number. They are going to be the future of this industry. If you are to build a film industry, we have to start from children," he said.

"My dream is seeing a big studio with the young generation learning how to edit, direct and write scripts. That is my dream if I get money."

Nabwana has partnered with an American film promoter Alan Hofmanis to ensure his movies reach the international market.

Hofmanis told Xinhua in a recent interview that they have arranged tours to Europe, India, Kazakhstan, and the United States to promote Wakaliwood movies.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 19:53:18|Editor: Yurou

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CAIRO, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian Foreign Ministry on Tuesday strongly condemned a terrorist attack in Bahrain's capital Manama.

"Egypt voices solidarity with the Bahraini government and people, reaffirming that Cairo stands beside Manama in facing all types of violence and terrorism," the ministry said in a statement.

In the statement, Egypt also expressed confidence about the Bahraini government's ability to confront heinous terrorist operations which only aim to destabilize countries and intimidate people.

On Monday night, a blast took place during a Shiite procession commemorating Ashura day in Manama, injuring five policemen.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 19:53:19|Editor: Yurou

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SKOPJE, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- More than 9,000 police officers will be mobilized across Macedonia to guarantee a smooth electoral process on Oct. 15, Macedonian Minister of Interior Oliver Spasovski told reporters Tuesday.

According to the minister, the police forces are currently undergoing training conducted by the OSCE presence in Skopje to make sure that the elections are free and democratic but also to avoid any incident during the elections day.

"The Ministry of Interior will make sure that Macedonia holds successful elections. We are committed to preventing every irregularity or incident that may occur," Spasovski told reporters.

The minister also called on political parties not to cause political tension.

Macedonians will cast their vote on Oct. 15 to elect the new mayors. The country has been in an institutional deadlock since May of this year, when the mandate of current mayors expired.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 20:23:27|Editor: Yurou

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JAKARTA, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- The government of Indonesia has striven to enlarge productive rubber plantation in an effort to comply with rising domestic demand and raise export.

Secretary General Indonesian Industry Ministry Haris Munandar said Tuesday that the ministry supports the hike of the productive area to 3.5 million hectares from 3 million hectare at present.

He said that domestic consumption of the commodity is only 580,000 tons per year, and it is potentially to be increased.

"This is opportunity and challenge for the rubber industry," he said in a statement.

The government would boost growth of downstream industry at the sector to boost domestic consumption, said Munandar.

On export, he said a total of 70 percent of the production is shipped overseas with value of 1.5 billion U.S. dollars per year.

Indonesia, along with Malaysia and Thailand is a major world rubber producer.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 20:28:30|Editor: Yurou

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NAIROBI, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Kenya plans to attract low-cost airlines in order to increase the number of international tourists visiting the country, a senior government official said on Tuesday.

Cabinet Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism Najib Balala told a media briefing in Nairobi that an increasing number of tourists are using low-cost airlines.

"We are therefore developing an aviation strategy for the tourism sector that will offer incentives for low-cost airlines to begin flying into Kenya," Balala said during the Seventh Edition of the Annual Magical Kenya Travel Expo.

The three-day event will showcase Kenya's tourism destinations to overseas travel agencies. Tourism promotion agencies from Tanzania, Rwanda, and Seychelles were also represented in the conference.

The east African nation had previously set aside 12 million U.S. dollars to promote chartered air travel.

"However, charter tourism is facing a lot of challenges due to the changing patterns of international holiday makers who are seeking to spend less on vacations," Balala said.

Kenya already has a number of budget airlines operating in the country, which has helped expand the domestic tourism sector.

Domestic low-cost airlines have contributed to pushing earnings of the local tourism sector to account for over 52 percent of the industry, Balala said.

He said Kenya needs to replicate the successful model of low-cost airlines to attract more foreign tourists.

The country is planning to invest more in domestic tourism because it's more resilient as compared to international travelers, he said.

According to the ministry of tourism, Kenya recorded 1.3 million international arrivals in 2016.

Balala noted that despite a 10 percent increase in tourist arrivals in the first eight months of 2017, overall tourist arrivals the whole year will likely fall as compared to last year due to the prevailing political uncertainty caused by a re-run of the presidential polls, now scheduled for Oct. 26.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 20:33:31|Editor: Yurou

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MANILA, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Philippine Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez on Tuesday thanked China for supporting the country's economic development.

In a statement released by the Philippine Department of Finance, Dominguez said, "We are grateful for the enthusiastic support China has offered to help us grow our economy rapidly."

"I am sure there are many complementary points that will ensure the sustained growth of an inclusive economy in the Philippines," he added.

Dominguez noted that "there is much to look forward to in our trade and investment partnership," stressing that there is also much ground for optimism in the vitality of this partnership.

Dominguez spoke highly of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative and the China-initiated Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB).

He said these initiatives "will bring lasting benefits to all countries in this region and will set conditions for more comprehensive trade" in the region.

"The Philippines is happy to cooperate with both the AIIB and Belt and Road program," he said.

Proposed 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.

Officially launched in January 2016, the Beijing-based AIIB is a multilateral development bank initiated by China and supported by a wide range of countries and regions, which will provide financing for infrastructure improvement in Asia.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 20:38:32|Editor: Yurou

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JUBA, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan said on Tuesday that ongoing border demarcation talks with some of its neighbors will improve security and enhance cordial relations.

Despite financial constraints, ongoing discussions with Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) officials on demarcation of their porous border will help improve security and trade, foreign ministry spokesman Mawien Makol said.

The discusses are still ongoing, Makol said in Juba. "We need to put concrete borders to avoid conflicts."

According to the United Nations, the DRC hosts over 80,775 South Sudanese refugees.

South Sudan also hopes to finalize demarcation of its longest borderline with its northern neighbor, Sudan.

Security analyst Jacob Chol warned of the spillover effect of the South Sudan war on neighboring countries.

"The entire East and Horn of Africa region should be wary of the spillover effect of the South Sudan conflict," Chol said. "Already, refugees are flocking into these countries and cross-border movement of illicit arms is at an all-time high."

South Sudan descended into violence in December 2013 after political dispute between President Salva 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.

A 2015 peace agreement to end the violence collapsed in July 2016, when the rival factions resumed fighting in the capital, forcing the rebel leader, Machar, into exile.

The conflict has killed tens of thousands and forced millions of others to seek refuge in neighbouring countries.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 20:43:34|Editor: Yurou

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HANOI, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong on Tuesday urged the governments of Vietnam and Laos to work out measures to boost two-way trade and connectivity in economy, transport infrastructure and energy.

At a reception for visiting Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith in Hanoi, Trong called on the two governments to remove difficulties and obstacles to ensure the progress and quality of Vietnamese investment projects in Laos, Vietnam News Agency reported.

The party leader also stressed the need to improve the quality and efficiency of bilateral cooperation in education, training and human resource development.

Apart from sharing information and experience in the party building work, state and socioeconomic management and the implementation of party resolutions, Vietnam and Laos should step up collaboration in national defense, security and external affairs, he said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 20:48:35|Editor: Yurou

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British Home Secretary Amber Rudd delivers her keynote speech at the Conservative Party Annual Conference 2017 in Manchester, Britain, on Oct. 3, 2017. (Xinhua/Han Yan)

MANCHESTER, Britain, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Britain's governing Conservatives launched a campaign Tuesday to win young voters to the so-called blue corner of politics.

Some political commentators believe Prime Minister Theresa May's party will have an uphill struggle with figures showing Labor leader Jeremy Corbyn has become a "pied piper" in attracting the crucial vote among 18 to 24-year olds.

Labor says it wants to scrap tuition fees altogether, a huge carrot in attracting the student vote.

Corbyn's party have also vowed to act against zero-hours contracts which sees almost a million people, most of them young, working in jobs that only pay a wage when they are called into work.

To appeal to the young people, the Conservatives at their party conference in Manchester also offered to help students by freezing annual university tuition fees at 23,250 pounds (31,200 U.S. dollars) and increasing the annual salary level at which they start to pay off their loans to 25,000 pounds (33,200 U.S. dollars).

The Conservatives also unveiled a multi-billion-dollar plan to help first time buyers climb onto the property ladder with help for young home buyers.

As the pollsters at YouGov said recently: "In electoral terms, age seems to be the new dividing line in British politics. The starkest way to show this is to note that, amongst first time voters (those aged 18 and 19), Labor was 47 percentage points ahead."

In a survey of the way people voted in June's snap general election, around two thirds of voters aged 18 to 24 voted for Labor, while just about a fifth in the same age group gave their votes to the Conservatives.

The total turnout in June, at around 70 percent, was the highest for 25 years, with the number of young voters taking part in the poll 16 percent higher than the 2015 general election.

Despite an increase in youth turnout, young people are still noticeably less likely to vote than older people, says YouGov. That means there is plenty of scope for party managers to head out prospecting for that young vote.

Conservative leader Theresa May, in an interview for a conference publication, beamed the message: "We need to show young people that we have the policies to deal with issues young people are concerned about."

The British prime minister acknowledged that one of the challenges the June election has thrown up was the Conservatives inability to appeal to young people. Her party failed to win a majority of votes in any of the under-40s age groups.

"I think there is a generation out there who feel that they're going to be worse off than their parents," said May.

May says there is much work to be done to get the message across to young people about the importance of free markets, management of the economy and global trade.

"I think we thought those arguments were done and dusted. I think now we see we have to go back to them and make the case all over again," she said.

One issue, she highlighted, was that a generation has grown up in a different environment and haven't seen the problems that occur when there is a disbelief in free markets or sound management of the economy.

The Independent newspaper in one of its conference reports suggested some Conservatives believe their party's lack of support among the under-45s poses an existential threat to the party.

May said in her cover-story interview in the official conference magazine: "What we want as Conservatives is that people should be able to see a brighter future for their children."
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 20:58:37|Editor: Yurou

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LONDON, Oct.3 (Xinhua) -- People under 18 will be banned from buying acid under proposals, Britain's Interior Minister Home Secretary Amber Rudd announced Tuesday.

Rudd's proposals, announced at the Conservative Party conference in Manchester, follows a series of unprovoked attacks, particularly in London, which has seen innocent victims having acid thrown into their faces.

New laws will make it illegal for people to carry acid in public without good reason.

Rudd announced a new offence to prevent the sale of acids to under 18. She also said it was her intention to drastically limit the public sale of sulphuric acid, the deadly material used, Rudd said, in the production of so-called "mother of Satan" homemade explosives.

Unveiling her get-tough policy, Rudd said: "Acid attacks are absolutely revolting. We have all seen the pictures of victims that never fully recover. Endless surgeries. Lives ruined."

Rudd also said she planned action to prevent children purchasing knives online, in what was another move to make communities safer.

Also announced by Rudd was a tightening of British laws to tackle individuals looking at terrorism material online.

"We will change the law, so that people who repeatedly view terrorist content online could face up to 15 years in prison. This will close an important gap in legislation. At present, the existing offence applies only if you have downloaded or stored such material," she said.

Rudd said people accessing information about police or armed forces for the purpose of preparing an act of terrorism could also face up to 15 years in prison.

She said: "We have seen what could be interpreted as a shift towards crude attacks, with lone or few attackers, using everyday items. There also appears to be a trend towards shorter timescales, from aspiration to attacks. If we're going to keep people safe we need to disrupt plots in their early stages."

Rudd said that while there had been five terror attacks in London and Manchester this year, Britain's security services had succeeded in stopping a further seven attacks.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 21:03:39|Editor: Yurou

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GAZA, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Egypt's President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi said Tuesday that his country will keep backing and sponsoring the internal Palestinian reconciliation until it achieves its goals.

President Sisi's remarks were made in a recorded video speech, monitored in a screen during a meeting held between Gen. Khaled Fawzi, chief of Egypt Security Intelligence and Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah in Gaza City.

"The whole world is observing and watching the efforts of achieving reconciliation between the leaders of the Palestinian people," said Sisi in the recorded speech.

Hamdallah, who pays a first visit with his team to the Gaza Strip since October 2014, has earlier chaired the first weekly cabinet meeting in Gaza City before Hamas movement handed over his various ministers to Hamdallah government.

"The experience of the former years had proved that everyone is a looser due to division and no one gets benefits out it except the powers of extremism and influence other Palestinian factions with their extreme ideologies," said Sisi.

He went on saying that he decided to send gen. Fawzi to the Palestinian territories, Ramallah and Gaza "to express Egypt's interest in providing all types of support to finalize the mission of unity that everyone is looking for achieving."

Meanwhile, Sisi said "there is an opportunity for achieving peace in the region, but with a unified effort to show the faithful Palestinian attitude towards making just and comprehensive peace in the region and gain their legitimate rights."

Before meeting with Hamdallah and Hamas leaders in Gaza city, Fawzi arrived earlier on Tuesday in the West Bank city of Ramallah and held talks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

Fawzi said that Egypt will carry on with its efforts until all aspects and elements of internal Palestinian division ends, according to the official Palestinian state-run news agency (WAFA).

He clarified that Egypt is going to invite leaders of Hamas and Fatah to Cairo next week to continue their discussions on achieving full reconciliation and end full unity.

The meeting will pave the road for a comprehensive meeting that will include all the Palestinian factions and political powers, according to Fawzi.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 21:23:44|Editor: Yurou

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GENEVA, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- The UN refugee agency, UNHCR, Tuesday expressed concern about growing violence in parts of southeastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which has reportedly driven more than 3,360 refugees into northern Zambia since Aug. 30.

"This is the largest influx of Congolese refugees into Zambia in the past five years," said UNHCR spokesperson Andrej Mahecic at a UN press briefing.

"UNHCR is worried that the insecurity in the DRC may lead to further displacement," he said, noting that 60 percent of those arriving are children.

The refugees and asylum-seekers, said Mahecic, are fleeing inter-ethnic clashes, as well as fighting between Congolese security forces and militia groups.

He said those arriving in Zambia report extreme brutality, with civilians being killed, women raped, property looted and houses set alight.

They are mainly from the DRC provinces of Haut-Katanga and Tanganyika.

Many of those escaping DRC were already displaced internally before they crossed the border.

"With the rainy season approaching, UNHCR warns that the humanitarian needs of those displaced could intensify on both sides of the border.

Many of those arriving in Zambia show signs of malnutrition with malaria, respiratory problems, dysentery and skin infections common among the refugees, who are in urgent need of protection and life-saving support.

The Zambian government, UNHCR and the Zambian Red Cross are distributing hot meals and identifying those with specific needs, as well as providing psycho-social support for survivors of sexual and gender-based violence.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 21:48:54|Editor: Yurou

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NAIROBI, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- The Somali government and its international partners will prioritize investments in projects that enhance the resilience of local communities in the face of climate shocks, a senior official said on Tuesday.

Maryam Qasim, Somalia's minister for humanitarian affairs and disaster management, said Mogadishu will commit additional resources to programs that strengthen the capacity of citizens to cope with recurrent droughts that have worsened food and water insecurity in the Horn of African state.

"We are building robust safety net schemes to ensure our communities are strong enough to overcome shocks such as droughts," Qasim told journalists in Nairobi. "The government has also intensified efforts to address impact of climate change on livelihoods."

Statistics from humanitarian agencies indicates that an estimated 6.2 million people, or half of Somali population, are in need of emergency food aid as a result of a prolonged drought.

At the same time, 1 million people in the country have been displaced by the drought, which is expected to last up to next year.

Qasim said that timely intervention by the Somali government in Mogadishu and the international community prevented the drought from transitioning into a famine, though the risks are myriad.

"The threat of famine is looming and weather forecasts have warned of depressed rain next year," Qasim said. "Our priority will therefore be to save lives and build resilient communities."

She said the government is developing a disaster management policy to strengthen response to natural catastrophes like droughts, floods and epidemics.

"Our vision is to move from emergency assistance to resilience," Qasim said, adding that greater efforts will be devoted to addressing root causes of food insecurity like poor crop husbandry, over-reliance on rainfall, and conflicts.

Somalia requires robust institutions and policies to strengthen the resilience of communities and households affected by weather related shocks.

The humanitarian director for Somalia at Save the Children, Thomas Jepson-Lay, said resilience-building should be embedded in ongoing efforts to restore political stability and social cohesion in the strife-torn country.

"There is need for diversification of livelihoods within Somalia community to strengthen their coping mechanisms against a backdrop of climatic stresses," he said.

World Vision's country director for Somalia, Simon Nyabwengi, said climate-resilient farming and pastoralism is key to addressing hunger and malnutrition crises affecting large swathes of the country.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 21:48:55|Editor: Yurou

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HERAT, Afghanistan, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Up to 600 Afghan youths after completion of a nine-week military training course in the western province of Herat commissioned to the national army, said General Mohammad Naser Hedayat, commander of 207 Zafar Corps in the western region of the war-torn country, on Tuesday.

The newly graduated army personnel would be deployed elsewhere in the western region to bolster the war on the ongoing insurgency, the official said.

Afghan government has been encouraging youth to join the security and defense forces to strengthen the war against Taliban and like-minded groups in the insurgency-battered Afghanistan.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 21:53:57|Editor: Yurou

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KABUL, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Afghanistan on Tuesday strongly condemned a shooting attack in Las Vegas of the United States which killed at least 59 people, said the country's Foreign Ministry.

The ministry said in a statement that "Afghanistan condemns in the strongest terms the evil act of shooting in the U.S. City of Las Vegas, in which many people were killed and over 500 injured."

"The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan also extends its deepest condolences to the families and relatives of the victims and wishes those injured in the incident urgent recovery," it added.

On Sunday evening, a gunman opened fire from a hotel in Las Vegas in the U.S. state of Nevada towards an open-air music festival, causing the heavy casualties.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 22:19:05|Editor: Yang Yi

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BEIJING, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Chinese courts have started using technology to punish those who avoid repaying their debts, while plans are underway to build a nationwide social credit system.

Hong Meidi recently received an early morning call from a debtor surnamed Jiang.

"He told me he has paid his medical bill and asked to be removed from the blacklist as soon as possible," said Hong from the People's Court of Songyang County, east China's Zhejiang Province.

The blacklist Hong referred to is a list of debtors the court has passed on to Sesame Credit, a credit-scoring system by Alibaba subsidiary Ant Financial. It rates its users' credit based on data such as their online purchase history and investment.

In 2003, Jiang received treatment at traditional Chinese medicine hospital in Songyang. The hospital later sued him for failing to pay a 2,951 yuan (around 444 U.S. dollars) medical bill.

Normal methods of enforcement for cases such as this would include the freezing and forced sale of assets, but Jiang had left Songyang and there were no assets that could be sold. The court order had been left unfulfilled for a decade.

After Jiang's name was listed on the blacklist his Sesame Credit score dropped dramatically, which encouraged him to repay the debt. A lower credit score can harm one's ability to obtain travel visas and they may face upfront charges to rent a car or book a hotel.

Only 20 percent of court decisions have been implemented in recent years, affecting judicial authority and credibility.

In 2015, the Supreme People's Court began to cooperate with Sesame Credit, which will deduct credit points of those who default on court fines.

Statistics showed that Sesame Credit has helped courts punish more than 1.21 million debt defaulters and over 126,000 of them have paid their debts as of the end of July.

"We should reward those who keep their word and punish those who break their promises," said Chen Wenjin from Ant Financial.

As authorities are working to establish a reliable nationwide credit rating system, Chinese courts are also exploring new ways to punish those who do not pay their debts.

In August, the People's Court of Shunqing District in southwest China's Sichuan Province introduced a recorded message on mobile phone numbers of 20 debtors to push them to pay their fines.

When someone calls one of the debtors they first hear a recorded message telling them that the person they are calling has been put on a blacklist by Shunqing District Court for failing to repay debts and asking them to urge this person to fulfill their legal obligations.

The court said the measure is aimed at shaming debtors who disappear after being ordered to repay debts. "The debtors' relatives and friends are reminded of their lack of credibility, which puts debtors under increased pressure," said Xi Tao from Shunqing District Court.

According to the court, most of the debtors on the blacklist have deliberately hidden or transferred their assets. Some of them have even fabricated proof or refused to fulfill court rulings and threatened violence.

Shunqing is not the only place to adopt the recorded messages. Courts in provinces of Hubei, Henan and Jiangsu have recently introduced similar measures.

The People's Court of Sanmen County in Zhejiang Province has provided the messages as a option for a total of 492 debt defaulters since late June.

However, many debtors have also tried a variety of ways to avoid repayment and escape court orders.

A woman in central China's Hubei Province had plastic surgery to disguise herself after a court asked her to repay debts of over 25 million yuan. She was detained in July.

On July 16, more than 300 Chinese cities jointly released a declaration aimed at enhancing the credit system to improve credit ratings.

"China traditionally cherishes credit. We need technological support as the country works to build a nationwide social credit system," said Ma Guanghai, vice president of Shandong Federation of Social Science Circles.

Ma said that in the future, frequent debt defaulters may be rejected when trying to buy breakfast, take a bus and look for jobs.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 22:24:06|Editor: Yurou

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NAIROBI, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations migration agency said on Tuesday that it has concluded a training program aimed at assisting East African states to strengthen migration governance and migrant protection capacities.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said that in cooperation from the Intergovernmental Authority for Development (IGAD), it organized the two-week program that covered topics such as labor migration and border management, international migration law, and migration and development.

In a statement issued in Nairobi, the IOM said the training aimed to enhance migration governance and migrant protection in the IGAD region, which comprises Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan and Uganda.

"The training provided us with an opportunity to learn about current developments in the IGAD region, and I believe that we gained very relevant knowledge especially now that IGAD member states are in the process of developing national policies on migration and border management," said Mary Mideva Kezzah, from Kenya's Ministry of the East Africa Community, Labor and Social Protection.

Thirty-four attendees were selected from institutions belonging to the National Coordination Mechanisms. They include interior, foreign affairs, and labor ministry officials, lawmakers, and officers of immigration and police services from IGAD member states.

The training sessions resulted in a set of recommendations including the development of a training roadmap to be developed by the African Capacity Building Center (ACBC).

The first draft of the document will be launched at the next training for IGAD participants from Oct. 30 to Nov. 3 in Tanzania.

IOM Tanzania Chief of Mission Qasim Sufi the ACBC has been upgraded to host a forensic laboratory and the Migration Information and Data Analysis System training facility.

"The ACBC is eager to provide technical support to you in English, French, Arabic, Portuguese and Kiswahili," he added.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 22:24:07|Editor: Yurou

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JUBA, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Abraham Lual Mayar, a veteran South Sudanese soldier, decided to quit the disciplined forces thanks to meager perks that confined him to poverty for many years.

Despite his sterling performance in the military, Mayar felt that his sacrifices were not appreciated and after soul-searching, he opted for a civilian life that could open new opportunities to the ambitious soldier.

During a recent interview with Xinhua, the 38-year-old said he has never regretted the decision to quit the army and is now contented in his new life as an entrepreneur where a financial windfall is guaranteed.

"My monthly salary was too meager and could not sustain me and my family. I survived on loans that weighed down on my savings and sometimes it was hard to meet basic obligations like feeding and educating my children," said Mayar.

South Sudan soldiers are most affected by salary delays even as the administration in Juba announced 300 million U.S. dollars in the 2017/2018 fiscal to honor the monthly pay.

Mayar revealed that as a sergeant he used to earn an equivalent of 20 dollars amid economic volatility in the country.

The ex-soldier joined the army in 2005 before South Sudan seceded from Khartoum after having graduated from polytechnic in Uganda as an engineer with basic knowledge in information technology where he got trained in handling artillery by Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA).

He said that he opened his first business initiative in Yei River State in western part of the country near the border with Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) before the renewed clashes of July 2016.

"I rented a small shop and started computer programming to earn daily wages. Currently, I'm involved in installing applications to personal computers," said Mayar.

He told Xinhua he started to pick up well with the business after the renewed clashes that erupted in July 2016 nearly ended his venture. He later fled Yei to Juba where he ventured into hotel business.

"My previous business helped me buy a refrigerator and open a cafeteria in Juba. Currently, I sell all types of juice, fresh milk and clean drinking water at affordable prices. With this business I earn 350 dollars per month," Mayar told Xinhua.

He revealed he has employed two women that now earn 50 dollars every month to help meet the needs of their families.

John Aleu, a former Military Intelligence (MI) personnel, told Xinhua that government employees quit their jobs due to low salary which they said cannot meet their daily needs.

"I left my job as a security officer and later opened a small business to sustain my life after discovering that being in uniform is not helping," Aleu told Xinhua. He graduated from Juba University with a Bachelor's degree in Mass Communication.

He said he joined the army to serve the nation diligently, but unfortunately could not see his ambition come true due to lack of support from the government.

A spot-check by Xinhua revealed that most of the current small businesses being run around the city is either owned by some of the army deserters or civil servants that resigned from their jobs due to low morale as a result of financial needs.

The dire economic situation in the country has negatively affected the ability of the government to honor its debts, pay salaries, provide services and cater for emergency support for communities affected by conflict, thus exacerbating the already grave humanitarian situation.

South Sudan, the world's youngest nation, became independent from Sudan in 2011 and since December 2013, it has been mired in turmoil.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 22:34:10|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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HARARE, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabwe's electoral body has received the remaining 2,600 biometric voter registration (BVR) kits from Laxton Group, paving the way for commencement of a countrywide voter registration blitz ahead of next year's presidential polls.

The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) received an initial 400 BVR kits from the Chinese company in August, which it used to launch district-based voter registration on Sept. 14.

The latest consignment brings to 3,000 the total number of BVR kits that ZEC has received from Laxton Group.

"I can confirm that the kits are in the country now and that at the moment they are undergoing acceptance tests by our technicians and technical experts," ZEC chairperson Rita Makarau was quoted as saying by the state-run Herald newspaper on Tuesday.

Zimbabwe is using BVR technology for the first time which entails capturing a person's fingerprints, facial features and identity card details.

This is meant to address concerns of vote fraud which marred Zimbabwe's elections in the past.

ZEC intends to register 7 million voters for next year's polls, up from 6.8 million registered in the 2013 elections.

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, 93, will seek re-election in next year's polls after being endorsed by his ruling ZANU-PF party as its presidential candidate.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 22:39:14|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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BELGRADE, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- European Union (EU) has double standards when denying similarities between the referendum held on Sunday in Catalonia, Spain and the unilateral declaration of independence brought by Serbia's southern province of Kosovo in 2008, said Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic on Tuesday.

Dacic's statement to RTS, the public broadcaster, came as a reaction after Monday's statement of the European Commission's spokesman Margaritis Schinas, who said that the cases of Kosovo and Catalonia are not comparable, because the first took place in "a very specific context," and because Spain is an EU member state.

Accusing the EU of taking double standards, Dacic continued that Serbia fully supports the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Spain and interprets both cases of Catalonia and Kosovo as "unilateral acts that break international law."

"Pandora's box was opened (in 1999 during Northern Atlantic Alliance Treaty bombing of Yugoslavia). The example of Kosovo justified a unilateral act, and made countries dependent on the affection of Great Powers. This is not international right, but the policy of force," Dacic told RTS.

"Kosovo cannot be an isolated and a specific case... What has been done to Serbia was against the international right," he stressed, adding that Serbia warned the international community that supporting independent Kosovo might fuel similar separatist tendencies in Europe.

Schinas's statement on behalf of the European Commission provoked President of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic to call for an urgent meeting with the government and security services on Monday, where it was decided that Ana Brnabic, the country's prime minister, will take the letter containing complaints of the Serbian government to Brussels and include it among topics to be discussed with European officials during her previously agreed visit from Oct. 10 to 11.

Vucic said on Monday at the Palace of Serbia, referring to the Catalonian referendum, that the "bear has now knocked upon the doors of the EU," and that it was an act of hypocrisy to legalize the secession of Kosovo, which most of the EU member countries recognized as a country, but at the same time to declare the referendum in Catalonia illegal.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 22:44:15|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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VARNA, Bulgaria, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Bulgaria and Romania are looking for investors for three infrastructure projects, Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov said here on Tuesday after a meeting with his Romanian counterpart Mihai Tudose.

The first project is the construction of a new bridge Ruse-Giurgiu over the Danube River, second the construction of the Nikopol-Turnu Magurele bridge and the third a 200-km-long motorway along the Black Sea coast of the two countries, Borissov said.

"We talked a lot about connectivity and infrastructure, but not as an end in itself," Tudose said in turn.

"The railway line or the highway or bridge will be the means by which the two countries will be competitive in Europe, be able to provide investment opportunities, and obviously provide a better life for their citizens," he said.

Tudose said Bulgaria and Romania were two islands of safety for citizens, and expected that within one year the two countries would be admitted to the Schengen area.

The joint meeting between the governments of Bulgaria and Romania ended with the signing of bilateral documents in the fields of transport, energy, labor and social policy, internal affairs and the economy.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 22:44:16|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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File photo taken on Sept. 23, 2011 shows Jalal Talabani addressing the general debate of the 66th session of the UN General Assembly at UN headquarters in New York. Iraqi former President and the leader of Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) Jalal Talabani died Tuesday, the Iraqi official television reported. (Xinhua/Shen Hong)

BAGHDAD, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi former President and the leader of Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) Jalal Talabani died Tuesday, the Iraqi official television reported.

Talabani, who suffered a stroke, was admitted to a hospital in Germany after his health was deteriorated recently, and he passed away in the hospital, the state-run Iraqiya channel said.

Talabani, a veteran leader of the Kurdish struggle for self-determination, was born on November 12, 1933 in Kelkan village near the town of Koy Sanjaq in northern Iraq.

The eighty-four-year old Talabani is a leading Kurdish statesman and founder of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), one of the two ruling parties in the autonomous Kurdish region.

Talabani was an advocate for Kurdish rights and democracy in Iraq for more than 50 years. Apart from his native Kurdish language, Talabani is fluent in Arabic, Persian, and English.

He became the President of Iraq in 2005 and stepped down in 2014, after a long period of treatment following a stroke in 2012.

Talabani was known as Iraq's peacemaker, who played a vital role in the country's unity during the years after the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq. But his health condition and long absence have caused a decline in his influence.

Talabani was the first non-Arab president of Iraq, although Abdul Karim Qasim was of partial Kurdish.

He is married to Hero Ibrahim Ahmed, daughter of Ibrahim Ahmed, a lieutenant of the Kurdish leader Mullah Mustafa Barzani, father of the current regional President Masoud Barzani. His youngest son, Qubad, is the deputy Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government in Erbil.

The death of the Kurdish leader, Talabani, came as tensions are running high between Baghdad government and the semi-autonomous region of Kurdistan after the Kurdish region held a controversial referendum on independence of Kurdistan and disputed areas, including Kirkuk.


        

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Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 22:49:18|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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YEREVAN, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- The Czech Export Bank (CEB) will fund warranties to the tune of 1 million euro (1.18 million U.S. dollars) for Czech manufacturer Skoda JS, enabling Skoda to take part in a nuclear power plant upgrade in Armenia.

Skoda plans to provide the reactor management system for the upgradation of the Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant, Armenia's only nuclear power plant.

Skoda has already installed such systems at nuclear plants in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, and has undertaken a similar project in Hungary.

Metsamor produces around 40 percent of Armenia's electricity. It was built in 1976.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 22:49:20|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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ISTANBUL, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is set to land in Iran's capital of Tehran for a crucial visit on Wednesday, which analysts say may help boost cooperation in war-torn Iraq and Syria but is not likely to produce an all-around deal.

"Given the fluidity of conditions on the ground and the differences in their strategic approaches to the region, deepening cooperation might prove difficult to achieve," observed Faruk Logoglu, a former senior Turkish diplomat.

NO LASTING CONVERGENCE OF INTERESTS

Erdogan spoke on Sunday of a road map to take shape following his talks with his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani and supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on the independence referendum by the Iraqi Kurdish region and the Astana talks about peacemaking in Syria.

Ankara and Tehran have converging interests in terms of opposing the Kurdish independence bid and preventing the establishment of a Kurdish belt in northern Syria, said Yasar Yakis, a former Turkish foreign minister.

The convergence of interests in Iraq and Syria may not, however, last forever, he added.

"Turkey may reach an agreement with (Iraqi Kurdish leader Massoud) Barzani for continued pumping of oil in exchange for more efficient cooperation in fighting the PKK terror and in an accommodation for Kirkuk's Turkmens," he explained.

Ankara has been fighting the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in Turkey's southeast and northern Iraq to suppress its decades-old insurgency, while the wellbeing of Turkmens in Kirkuk, a disputed territory in northern Iraq, is a top concern of the Turkish side.

Turkish Chief of General Staff Hulusi Akar was in Tehran on Monday, where he met with top officials including his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Bagheri and President Rouhani.

"The armed forces of Iran and Turkey can develop constructive relations in addressing regional threats through development of cooperation and transfer of experiences in various sectors," Rouhani said in his meeting with Akar, according to the presidency's website.

Amid concerns that borders may change in the region, Bagheri led a large deletion to Ankara in August, becoming Iran's first top commander to visit the Turkish capital ever since the founding of the Islamic Republic in 1979.

While Akar was in Tehran, Turkish and Iranian troops conducted manoeuvers separately with Iraqi troops along the Iraqi Kurdish border in a bid to force the Kurds to back down, whose insistence on pressing ahead with the vote on secession on Sept. 25 has angered and incurred punitive measures from countries in the region and beyond.

Iran has halted all transportation of fuel products to and from the Kurdish region as part of the sanctions imposed upon demand by the Iraqi central government, while Ankara has not cut off the Kurdish oil pipeline on Turkish land as it has threatened to do.

Oil sales are seen as the lifeline of the autonomous Kurdistan Regional Government headed by Barzani.

Despite opposition from Baghdad, Turkey signed a deal with Iraqi Kurds in 2014 on the flow of oil to Turkey.

"It does not seem possible that Turkey and Iran would agree on a plan for joint action against Barzani under the current circumstances," remarked Cahit Armagan Dilek, director of the Ankara-based 21st Century Turkey Institute.

In his view, Baghdad may well cooperate with Ankara and Tehran separately against the Kurdish region, but that would not mean joint action by the three countries.

Tehran has been militarily supporting the Shiite-dominated Iraqi government in its fight against the Islamic State, while Ankara had accused Baghdad not long ago of sectarianism and Tehran of Persian expansionism.

Dilek, a former staff officer in the Turkish military, believes that cooperation between the two countries in a concrete way could be possible only if Turkey meets Iran's expectations.

Tehran would expect Ankara to give up its discourse about Persian expansionism in the region, downgrade its relations with Israel and threat Syrian President Bashar al-Assad as legitimate, he said.

Concerned that the United States, its NATO ally, may be preparing the ground for the emergence of a Kurdish state in both Syria and Iraq, Turkey has brought its Syria policy more in line with Iran and Russia since last year.

"DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSED POSITIONS"

Visits to Tehran by top Turkish officials come after Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Erdogan in Ankara last week over regional security issues like Iraq and Syria on top of boosting bilateral ties.

Under the Astana deal, Russia, Turkey and Iran agreed to deploy military units to monitor truce in four de-escalation zones in Syria, including Idlib now controlled by jihadists.

The increasing diplomatic traffic between Ankara, Tehran and Moscow points to an effort to deepen cooperation on both Syria and Iraq, but differences among them could eventually overtake their commonalities, said Logoglu.

"All the three look for exclusive spheres of influence based on disparate elements in Iraq and Syria," he said. "Turkey with the Sunni, Iran with the Shia and Russia with al-Assad and the Kurds."

Following his meeting with Putin, Erdogan said both Ankara and Moscow support the territorial integrity of Iraq and Syria.

For his part, Putin simply referred to a statement by the Russian Foreign Ministry regarding the Kurdish independence bid, saying Moscow's attitude is reflected in the statement.

The ministry statement, issued one day before Putin's arrival in Ankara, voiced Moscow's commitment to the territorial integrity of Iraq and other countries in the region while also stating that "Moscow respects the national aspirations of the Kurds."

Ankara's cooperation with Moscow and Tehran following a readjustment of its policy on Syria has been widely lauded at home, as many agree that the collapse of the Syrian government would lead to a breakup of the country and to the emergence of a Kurdish state along Turkey's border.

Yakis feels that Turkish and Iranian cooperation on Syria may, despite common interests in blocking the establishment of a Kurdish state, has its limits as the two "have diametrically opposed positions on other chapters of the Syrian crisis."

Ankara supported until last year, together with its Western allies, rebels fighting to topple the Syrian government, while Moscow and Tehran have been Damascus' key allies in the six-year-old civil war.

In addition, Turkey wants Sunni groups to have a share in the government to be formed after the war, concerned about increasing Iranian influence in its southern neighbors.

Iran is taking steps against the Kurdish referendum more in response to Baghdad's demands, said Dilek.

It is widely argued that Iran has sway over some opposition parties in the Iraqi Kurdish region such as the Kurdistan Patriotic Union, through which Tehran may alternatively be planning to exert control over the Kurdish administration, observed Dilek.

The apparent rapprochement between Ankara and its neighbors comes at a time when Turkey is said to be drifting away from its Western partners to forge an alliance with Eurasian powers.

Whether Ankara's increasing contacts with Russia and Iran will turn into a sort of alliance or not, its Western allies would be highly disturbed by their NATO partner's course of action, the analysts told Xinhua.

Noting Turkey's move from one block to another would be like a tectonic shift, Yakis said, "It would not take place without serious consequences as the countries to be negatively affected by such a shift would not remain idle. (U.S.) President Trump's especially strong anti-Iran policy will make Turkey's task all the more difficult."

Turkey's ties with the West have soured particularly in recent years.

Ankara, among others, has been blasting Washington for heavily arming Kurdish militia forces in Syria which may attempt to unite in the future with the Iraqi Kurds to go independent.

President Erdogan has long talked about joining the Shanghai Cooperation Organization out of apparent frustration with the European Union, with which Turkey's accession talks have stalled.

There is no doubt that Turkey's increasing cooperation with its Eurasian partners would make the U.S. feel concerned and view Ankara in a more and more negative way, said Dilek.

Noting such a development would harm Ankara's cooperation with the West, he argued that Turkey could suffer as well as it has not yet managed to create concrete areas of cooperation with its Eurasian powers.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 22:59:24|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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By Jamila Najmuddin

COLOMBO, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka's popular street art, which has been on display on the streets of Colombo for decades, is now seeing a boom in sales due to enthusiastic Chinese buyers.

China has in recent years emerged as one of Sri Lanka's leading markets with the most number of tourist arrivals here, and while this has benefited the lucrative tourism industry of the country, it has also benefited the local art industry, with Chinese nationals showing a keen interest for Sri Lankan art.

Many well-known local artists who were forced to choose alternative careers due to a slump in sales during the civil war, which ended in May 2009, have now re-emerged in the art field hoping to make Sri Lankan art globally popular.

"During the war, sales were very bad and many of us had to stop painting. But now the war is over and we are seeing a rise in tourists so we are hoping to show our paintings to the world," Sugath Kumara, a 42-year-old artist, told Xinhua.

Sugath's passion for art developed from his father. He watched his father paint for hours a day and then helped him take his painting to the streets of Colombo hoping to find buyers. Sugath decided to follow his father's dream and has now been an artist for 25 years.

"Like my father's art, my paintings also portray Sri Lanka's rich culture and heritage. My paintings are modern, and tourists, especially Chinese customers, really like that," Sugath said.

Sugath's most expensive painting, valued at Sri Lankan Rs.150,000 (about 978 U.S. dollars) was recently bought by a Chinese tourist. He said the Chinese buyer had really valued his painting.

"Chinese tourists are our highest buyers. They appreciate Sri Lankan art. It is because of them that the industry is now booming," Sugath said.

Another artist, 63-year-old Sripala Ratnayake has been selling his art on the streets of Colombo since 1983. Specializing in "woodburn" art, Sripala says that while the industry faced a bleak period during the civil war, it has now improved with many locals and foreign tourists becoming aficionados.

"Foreigners, especially Chinese nationals, are easily attracted towards our art. They prefer art portraying Sri Lankan wildlife and from these pieces we have good sales," Sripala said.

"They also value art portraying our culture and we cater to them," he said, adding that his livelihood had now improved, especially due to Chinese visitors.

The colorful paintings and wooden art on display on the streets of Colombo portray Sri Lanka's famous historical sites, the island's beautiful beaches, the pera hera, which is a Buddhist religious parade featuring dancers, elephants and fire dancers, wildlife and abstract art.

While these streets have now become a popular tourist attraction, the lives of these local artists, many of whom have studied the talent from their parents, is now improving.

"Just as the locals appreciate our hard work, we are proud that tourists also appreciate our work. We hope tourists, especially the Chinese, continue to visit our country so that Sri Lankan art can be taken to the world," art seller Indika Saman said.

"We hope to make Sri Lankan street art a global brand," the art seller added.
(FILE PHOTO)Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan meets with Iran's Chief of Staff Major General Mohammad Baqeri in Ankara, Turkey August 16, 2017. (REUTERS PHOTO)

ISTANBUL, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is set to land in Iran's capital of Tehran for a crucial visit on Wednesday, which analysts say may help boost cooperation in war-torn Iraq and Syria but is not likely to produce an all-around deal.

"Given the fluidity of conditions on the ground and the differences in their strategic approaches to the region, deepening cooperation might prove difficult to achieve," observed Faruk Logoglu, a former senior Turkish diplomat.

NO LASTING CONVERGENCE OF INTERESTS

Erdogan spoke on Sunday of a road map to take shape following his talks with his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani and supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on the independence referendum by the Iraqi Kurdish region and the Astana talks about peacemaking in Syria.

Ankara and Tehran have converging interests in terms of opposing the Kurdish independence bid and preventing the establishment of a Kurdish belt in northern Syria, said Yasar Yakis, a former Turkish foreign minister.

The convergence of interests in Iraq and Syria may not, however, last forever, he added.

"Turkey may reach an agreement with (Iraqi Kurdish leader Massoud) Barzani for continued pumping of oil in exchange for more efficient cooperation in fighting the PKK terror and in an accommodation for Kirkuk's Turkmens," he explained.

Ankara has been fighting the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in Turkey's southeast and northern Iraq to suppress its decades-old insurgency, while the wellbeing of Turkmens in Kirkuk, a disputed territory in northern Iraq, is a top concern of the Turkish side.

Turkish Chief of General Staff Hulusi Akar was in Tehran on Monday, where he met with top officials including his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Bagheri and President Rouhani.

"The armed forces of Iran and Turkey can develop constructive relations in addressing regional threats through development of cooperation and transfer of experiences in various sectors," Rouhani said in his meeting with Akar, according to the presidency's website.

Amid concerns that borders may change in the region, Bagheri led a large deletion to Ankara in August, becoming Iran's first top commander to visit the Turkish capital ever since the founding of the Islamic Republic in 1979.

While Akar was in Tehran, Turkish and Iranian troops conducted manoeuvers separately with Iraqi troops along the Iraqi Kurdish border in a bid to force the Kurds to back down, whose insistence on pressing ahead with the vote on secession on Sept. 25 has angered and incurred punitive measures from countries in the region and beyond.

Iran has halted all transportation of fuel products to and from the Kurdish region as part of the sanctions imposed upon demand by the Iraqi central government, while Ankara has not cut off the Kurdish oil pipeline on Turkish land as it has threatened to do.

Oil sales are seen as the lifeline of the autonomous Kurdistan Regional Government headed by Barzani.

Despite opposition from Baghdad, Turkey signed a deal with Iraqi Kurds in 2014 on the flow of oil to Turkey.

"It does not seem possible that Turkey and Iran would agree on a plan for joint action against Barzani under the current circumstances," remarked Cahit Armagan Dilek, director of the Ankara-based 21st Century Turkey Institute.

In his view, Baghdad may well cooperate with Ankara and Tehran separately against the Kurdish region, but that would not mean joint action by the three countries.

Tehran has been militarily supporting the Shiite-dominated Iraqi government in its fight against the Islamic State, while Ankara had accused Baghdad not long ago of sectarianism and Tehran of Persian expansionism.

Dilek, a former staff officer in the Turkish military, believes that cooperation between the two countries in a concrete way could be possible only if Turkey meets Iran's expectations.

Tehran would expect Ankara to give up its discourse about Persian expansionism in the region, downgrade its relations with Israel and threat Syrian President Bashar al-Assad as legitimate, he said.

Concerned that the United States, its NATO ally, may be preparing the ground for the emergence of a Kurdish state in both Syria and Iraq, Turkey has brought its Syria policy more in line with Iran and Russia since last year.

(FILE PHOTO)Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan meets with Iran's Chief of Staff Major General Mohammad Baqeri as they are flanked by Turkish Chief of Staff General Hulusi Akar (R) in Ankara, Turkey August 16, 2017. (REUTERS PHOTO)

"DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSED POSITIONS"

Visits to Tehran by top Turkish officials come after Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Erdogan in Ankara last week over regional security issues like Iraq and Syria on top of boosting bilateral ties.

Under the Astana deal, Russia, Turkey and Iran agreed to deploy military units to monitor truce in four de-escalation zones in Syria, including Idlib now controlled by jihadists.

The increasing diplomatic traffic between Ankara, Tehran and Moscow points to an effort to deepen cooperation on both Syria and Iraq, but differences among them could eventually overtake their commonalities, said Logoglu.

"All the three look for exclusive spheres of influence based on disparate elements in Iraq and Syria," he said. "Turkey with the Sunni, Iran with the Shia and Russia with al-Assad and the Kurds."

Following his meeting with Putin, Erdogan said both Ankara and Moscow support the territorial integrity of Iraq and Syria.

For his part, Putin simply referred to a statement by the Russian Foreign Ministry regarding the Kurdish independence bid, saying Moscow's attitude is reflected in the statement.

The ministry statement, issued one day before Putin's arrival in Ankara, voiced Moscow's commitment to the territorial integrity of Iraq and other countries in the region while also stating that "Moscow respects the national aspirations of the Kurds."

Ankara's cooperation with Moscow and Tehran following a readjustment of its policy on Syria has been widely lauded at home, as many agree that the collapse of the Syrian government would lead to a breakup of the country and to the emergence of a Kurdish state along Turkey's border.

Yakis feels that Turkish and Iranian cooperation on Syria may, despite common interests in blocking the establishment of a Kurdish state, has its limits as the two "have diametrically opposed positions on other chapters of the Syrian crisis."

Ankara supported until last year, together with its Western allies, rebels fighting to topple the Syrian government, while Moscow and Tehran have been Damascus' key allies in the six-year-old civil war.

In addition, Turkey wants Sunni groups to have a share in the government to be formed after the war, concerned about increasing Iranian influence in its southern neighbors.

Iran is taking steps against the Kurdish referendum more in response to Baghdad's demands, said Dilek.

It is widely argued that Iran has sway over some opposition parties in the Iraqi Kurdish region such as the Kurdistan Patriotic Union, through which Tehran may alternatively be planning to exert control over the Kurdish administration, observed Dilek.

The apparent rapprochement between Ankara and its neighbors comes at a time when Turkey is said to be drifting away from its Western partners to forge an alliance with Eurasian powers.

Whether Ankara's increasing contacts with Russia and Iran will turn into a sort of alliance or not, its Western allies would be highly disturbed by their NATO partner's course of action, the analysts told Xinhua.

Noting Turkey's move from one block to another would be like a tectonic shift, Yakis said, "It would not take place without serious consequences as the countries to be negatively affected by such a shift would not remain idle. (U.S.) President Trump's especially strong anti-Iran policy will make Turkey's task all the more difficult."

Turkey's ties with the West have soured particularly in recent years.

Ankara, among others, has been blasting Washington for heavily arming Kurdish militia forces in Syria which may attempt to unite in the future with the Iraqi Kurds to go independent.

President Erdogan has long talked about joining the Shanghai Cooperation Organization out of apparent frustration with the European Union, with which Turkey's accession talks have stalled.

There is no doubt that Turkey's increasing cooperation with its Eurasian partners would make the U.S. feel concerned and view Ankara in a more and more negative way, said Dilek.

Noting such a development would harm Ankara's cooperation with the West, he argued that Turkey could suffer as well as it has not yet managed to create concrete areas of cooperation with its Eurasian powers.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 23:14:27|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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By Le Yanna & Bui Long

HANOI, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Queues at makeshift stalls selling mooncakes, a harbinger of the approaching Mid-Autumn Festival, are not as long as in previous years, partly due to the economic slowdown, and partly because more and more Vietnamese are opting for Hong Kong-style bakery products.

"For many years, I have chosen Vietnamese traditional mooncakes, which are fairly simple and very sweet, for the festival, but today I am changing my mind," Nguyen Thi Hien, a post office clerk in Hanoi, said on Monday, while standing in front of three colorful mooncake stalls on the campus of the Mipec Tower trade center in Hanoi.

"I want my family to try Hong Kong-style mooncakes, which are said to be not only trendy, but also tasty. Moderately sweet, to be exact," the full-figured, middle-aged woman said, lifting up a red square box for consideration.

The red box contains one big mooncake and seven smaller ones. The shop assistant told the potential buyer that the set of mooncakes is named "Tinh Te" (Delicacy), and they are filled with powdered egg, salted egg, oolong tea, green tea, white lotus, red beans, green beans and durian.

After a few minutes of carefully examining the elegant box, tentatively listening to the shop assistant's explanation, and finally departing with 850,000 Vietnamese dong (37.6 U.S. dollars) in cash, the woman left with the cakes, mumbling "I am getting my money's worth."

"Hong Kong-style mooncakes have won the heart of more and more Vietnamese gourmets because they are not too sweet; very suitable to increasingly bigger numbers of health-conscious people here," Nguyen Van Tho, chief customer officer of local firm Maison, told Xinhua recently.

Ingredients imported from China's Hong Kong are made into mooncakes at a plant in Hanoi under the strict supervision of Hong Kong experts, Tho revealed, adding that there are approximately 100 Maison shops in Vietnam, predominantly in big cities.

"Mainly thanks to their quality, eye-catching design and impressive product names, Hong Kong-style mooncakes in general and Maison products in particular are selling like hot cakes, mainly at prices ranging between 500,000-800,000 Vietnamese dong (22.1-35.4 U.S. dollars) per unit," Tho said, adding that hundreds of major companies in Vietnam have bought such mooncakes for their employees.

However, the local man acknowledged that this Mid-Autumn Festival, which falls on the 15th day of August according to lunar month (on Wednesday, Oct. 4), mooncake sales are not as robust as in previous years.

"Vietnam's economy has yet to recover, so many customers have tightened their purse strings. And I think another major reason is that Vietnam is intensifying fights against corruption and wastefulness, so fewer people are willing to buy too costly mooncakes, which are sometimes accompanied by a bottle of imported alcohol or a bag of rare tea, as gifts for others," Tho said.

For those who want to spend less but still taste Chinese flavors, online distribution channels of Hong Kong mooncakes and home-made Vietnamese versions of Hong Kong products are two feasible options.

A woman from Hanoi, who has developed broad business relations with Chinese producers and traders, but declined to be named, said last weekend that she has bought large volumes of Hong Kong mooncakes over the past two years, and then resold them in the Vietnamese market, mostly via her social media accounts.

During the Mid-Autumn Festival last year, the woman sold hundreds of cartons of Hong Kong mooncakes, with each carton containing 50-60 cakes. During the festival this year, her sales are a little bit smaller.

"My best selling item is mooncakes filled with red beans and walnuts, which cost less than 100,000 Vietnamese dong (4.4 U.S. dollars)," the woman said.

To make Chinese mooncakes even more affordable to Vietnamese customers, many local people, both professional and amateur chefs, are baking Hong Kong-style mooncakes using their own modified methods.

Some chefs strictly follow Hong Kong styles but make the mooncakes smaller to lower the sales cost, while others use local ingredients but remain loyal to Hong Kong flavor and design by keeping their products moderately sweet and their wrappings fairly elegant.

"Powdered eggs, oolong tea and walnuts are fairly expensive, so I use such alternatives as coconuts, green tea and fragrant leaves. But our modified versions of Hong Kong-style mooncakes are still selling well," Bui Thi Huyen, a young cook at the Tan Trieu Nursery School in Hanoi, told Xinhua.

"Seeing that more and more adults and children prefer Hong Kong tastes, I have changed my method of making mooncakes this year, and sold them to my relatives and friends for much lower prices," the cook smiled.

During the Mid-Autumn Festival, especially at night, mooncakes, an indispensable delicacy of the annual event, are eaten while family members and friends gather in their houses or open-air venues, chatting or watching the moon.

In Vietnam, the Mid-Autumn Festival is considered the most important festival for children, and is often associated with lanterns and unicorn dances.

But many adults, especially young couples, also go out into the night and enjoy mooncakes and the autumn spirit together.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 23:19:30|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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PRETORIA, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- President Jacob Zuma of South Africa met here Tuesday with his Zimbabwean counterpart, Robert Mugabe, to discuss stronger ties between the two neighbors.

"It is often said one can choose his or her friends, but he or she cannot choose one's neighbors. Let me assure you that had we had a say in the choice of neighbor, we would have chosen you," Mugabe told Zuma at the Bi-National Commission in Pretoria.

"We are one family because of geography, history, the revolutionary struggle we fought side by side, and of course because of culture, blood totems and marriage," Mugabe said.

"We hope that this phenomenon will continue to bind us forever," he said. "I'm pleased that we have chosen the path of cooperation, consultation, dialogue, engagement and joint action in order to secure our common future. We meet today in common spirit."

Mugabe called for heightened efforts to promote cross-border trade and investment.

Zuma, for his part, said the annual gathering was critical in oiling the relations between Pretoria and Harare.

"Our historical, fraternal and cultural bonds demand that we meet on regular basis to strengthen and consolidate our bilateral cooperation and partnership," Zuma said.

"We note with satisfaction the ever-growing cooperation between our two countries as evidenced by the existing 40 agreements and memoranda of understanding," he said.

The agreements cover a wide range of areas, Zuma said, "including double taxation, justice, defence, transport, water, science and technology, health, migration, labour, economic and trade cooperation, and tourism."

South Africa absorbed 77.8 percent of Zimbabwe's major exports during the first quarter of the year, official figures have revealed. Zimbabwe's major exports to South Africa were nickel, platinum group of metals, and gold.

According to figures from the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, South Africa maintained its status as Zimbabwe's major trading partner with 35.8 percent of the Zimbabwe's imports coming from its southern neighbor.

Mugabe also wished the ruling African National Congress (ANC) well as it heads to its elective conference in December.

"We wish ANC every success at the congress, so that it can continue into the future renewed and strengthened," he said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 23:24:34|Editor: Liangyu

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Islamic Hamas movement chief Ismail Haniyeh (R) shakes hands with the chief of Egyptian intelligence Khaled Fawzi during their meeting in Gaza City, on Oct. 3, 2017. Islamic Hamas movement chief Ismail Haniyeh announced Tuesday that he will lead a senior delegation to Cairo next Monday for reconciliation talks with Fatah. (Xinhua/Wissam Nassar)

GAZA, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Islamic Hamas movement chief Ismail Haniyeh announced Tuesday that he will lead a senior delegation to Cairo next Monday for reconciliation talks with Fatah.

Haniyeh's announcement came during an interview with the Egyptian television at his office in Gaza.

"We are going to Cairo next Monday for dialogue on all issues and agreeing on all these issues will help the government spread its influence," said Haniyeh.

"Today we've turned the page of division forever," he noted.

Asked if Hamas is willing to drop arms in case a unity government is formed, Haniyeh said Hamas believes "there are two kinds of arms and guns."

"The guns of the police and security will remain under the control of the state and the political decision," he said.

But "as long as there is an occupation, it is our people's right to have their arms and resist the occupation," the Hamas chief noted.

"Hamas will pay any price for the success of reconciliation in order to reach peace with our brothers in Fatah movement and other factions to have a united and organized authority," he noted.
People take to the streets to defend Spain's unity, its constitution and protest against the independence referendum set to be held on Sunday which has been declared illegal by Spain's Constitutional Court, in Barcelona, Spain, on Sept. 30, 2017. (Xinhua/Guo Qiuda)

BELGRADE, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- European Union (EU) has double standards when denying similarities between the referendum held on Sunday in Catalonia, Spain and the unilateral declaration of independence brought by Serbia's southern province of Kosovo in 2008, said Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic on Tuesday.

Dacic's statement to RTS, the public broadcaster, came as a reaction after Monday's statement of the European Commission's spokesman Margaritis Schinas, who said that the cases of Kosovo and Catalonia are not comparable, because the first took place in "a very specific context," and because Spain is an EU member state.

Accusing the EU of taking double standards, Dacic continued that Serbia fully supports the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Spain and interprets both cases of Catalonia and Kosovo as "unilateral acts that break international law."

"Pandora's box was opened (in 1999 during Northern Atlantic Alliance Treaty bombing of Yugoslavia). The example of Kosovo justified a unilateral act, and made countries dependent on the affection of Great Powers. This is not international right, but the policy of force," Dacic told RTS.

"Kosovo cannot be an isolated and a specific case... What has been done to Serbia was against the international right," he stressed, adding that Serbia warned the international community that supporting independent Kosovo might fuel similar separatist tendencies in Europe.

Schinas's statement on behalf of the European Commission provoked President of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic to call for an urgent meeting with the government and security services on Monday, where it was decided that Ana Brnabic, the country's prime minister, will take the letter containing complaints of the Serbian government to Brussels and include it among topics to be discussed with European officials during her previously agreed visit from Oct. 10 to 11.

Vucic said on Monday at the Palace of Serbia, referring to the Catalonian referendum, that the "bear has now knocked upon the doors of the EU," and that it was an act of hypocrisy to legalize the secession of Kosovo, which most of the EU member countries recognized as a country, but at the same time to declare the referendum in Catalonia illegal.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-03 23:49:42|Editor: huaxia

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PHNOM PENH -- About 800 Cambodian villagers were evacuated to a safe refuge on Tuesday, as experts began an operation to remove two U.S. tear gas barrel bombs left from the Vietnam war era, an operation leader said.

The two chemical bombs, containing 2-chlorobenzalmalononitrile (CS), a type of tear gas, were dropped from a U.S. warplane during the Vietnam war a half-century ago, Lt. Gen. Ke Da, deputy secretary general of the Cambodian Defense Ministry's anti-chemical weapons authority, said. (Cambodia-Tear gas)

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MOSCOW -- Russian warplanes, supporting Syrian troops on the eastern bank of the Euphrates River, killed 304 Islamic State (IS) terrorists in the past two days, the Russian Defense Ministry said Tuesday.

Among the dead were seven IS field commanders of various levels, the ministry's spokesman Igor Konashenkov said in a statement, adding that more than 170 terrorists were wounded in Russian airstrikes. (Russia-Syria-IS)

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STOCKHOLM -- The 2017 Nobel Prize in Physics are shared by three scientists, announced the Royal Academy of Sciences in Stockholm on Tuesday.

The Nobel Prize in Physics 2017 was divided, with one half awarded to Rainer Weiss, the other half jointly to Barry C. Barish and Kip S. Thorne "for decisive contributions to the LIGO detector and the observation of gravitational waves." (Sweden-Nobel prize-Physics)

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BAGHDAD -- Iraqi former President and the leader of Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) Jalal Talabani died Tuesday, the Iraqi official television reported.

Talabani, who suffered a stroke, was admitted to a hospital in Germany after his health was deteriorated recently, and he passed away in the hospital, the state-run Iraqiya channel said. (Iraq-Former president)

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WASHINGTON -- The U.S. government announced Tuesday that it has informed Cuba to cut 15 of its embassy staff in Washington in response to the mysterious "attacks" that led to the withdrawal of some U.S. embassy employees in Havana.

After the departure of the Cuban diplomats, the number of personnel working in both embassies will be "roughly very close to each other," an official from the U.S. State Department told reporters. (U.S.-Cuba-Diplomatic Row) Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-04 00:14:50|Editor: Mengjie

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BEIJING, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Some 53.1 million people in northern China have benefited from the country's massive water diversion project which has so far transferred 10 billion cubic meters of water from the south to the draught-prone north, authorities announced Tuesday.

The water pumped from the Yangtze River has gone to Beijing, Tianjin and the provinces of Henan and Hebei along the middle route of the water diversion project, according to the South-to-North Water Diversion Office under the State Council.

The middle route of the project carries water through canals and pipes from Danjiangkou reservoir in central China's Hubei Province. It came into operation in late 2014.

The project has supplied 2.7 billion cubic meters of water to Beijing, serving 11 million people.

Currently about 70 percent of Beijing's water supply comes from the project. The city's per capita water resources have increased from 100 to 150 cubic meters. Previously the city's water supply came mainly from underground water.

Tianjin got 2.2 billion cubic meters of water while Henan and Hebei provinces got 3.5 billion cubic meters of water and 1.1 billion cubic meters of water respectively.

Officials with the office said the project has played "an indispensable strategic role" in helping the north ease water shortage, improve water quality and ecology, build a resource-conserving society and prevent natural disasters.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-04 01:10:16|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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TEHRAN, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qasemi on Tuesday condemned the recent deadly shooting in the U.S. Las Vegas city.

Qasemi expressed resentment over what he called the "heinous" crime in which hundreds of civilians were killed or wounded.

He also offered sympathy to the American people and the families of victims.

On Sunday evening, a gunman opened fire from a hotel in Las Vegas in the U.S. state of Nevada towards an open-air music festival, causing heavy casualties.

The mass shooting killed 59 people and injured more than 500, the deadliest of its kind in modern U.S. history.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-04 01:20:18|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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LONDON, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- The number of London's police officers being sacked for misconduct -- including assault, dishonesty or failure of duty -- is on the rise, the London Evening Standard newspaper reported Tuesday.

A total of 64 London police officers were sacked for misconduct in the financial year 2016-2017, compared with 58 the previous year and 55 in 2014-2015.

The most common reason given for misconduct cases was "disreputable conduct" -- with 50 cases last year compared with 33 in 2014-2015.

Other reasons for dismissal included dishonesty, neglect or failure of duty and use of force.

The London force, also known as the Met police, is the largest police force in the United Kingdom, and one of the biggest in the world.

Conservative London Assembly member Susan Hall, who researched the figures, said she welcomed the rise if it meant the police force was being more vigilant of wrongdoing in the ranks, according to the newspaper.

The number of officers engaged in serious corruption involving criminality such as drug-dealing and perjury is falling but there are more cases of officers being involved in dishonesty, assault or misusing police data, the newspaper quoted insiders as saying.

In August this year, former Flying Squad officer David Gray was sacked for discreditable conduct after he was convicted of assault. The police constable spat at a member of the public in a road rage incident last year.

In the same month, a police constable was sacked after turning up to work high on cannabis.

A spokeswoman for the Met police said the number of officers sacked was a tiny proportion of the force.

The Met is the territorial police force responsible for law enforcement in Greater London, excluding the "square mile" of the City of London, which is the responsibility of the City of London Police.

The Met also has significant national responsibilities, such as coordinating and leading on UK-wide national counter-terrorism matters, and the protection of the senior members of the British Royal Family, and also members of the Cabinet and other ministerial members of the British government.

As of March 2016, the Met employed 43,272 full-time personnel. This included 32,125 sworn police officers, 9,521 police staff, and 1,626 non-sworn police community support officers.

This number excludes the 3,271 special constables, who work part-time (a minimum of 16 hours a month) and who have the same powers and uniform as their regular colleagues.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-04 01:30:21|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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MANAMA, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- The Mumtalakat Holding Company, the sovereign wealth fund of the Kingdom of Bahrain, announced on Tuesday the decision to distribute profits of 53 million U.S. dollars to the national budget, local media reported.

The distribution, for two consecutive years of 2017 and 2018 equally, will ease the financial difficulties Bahrain has been facing since 2015 with the dropping of oil prices in the international market, according to the company's statement, reported by Bahrain News Agency.

The company highlighted that it will also pursue some investments, both in and outside the kingdom.

"We are pleased to be in a strong position to make a significant contribution to the national budget while also continuing to pursue our investment strategy," said Bahrain's Deputy Prime Minister and the company Chairman Shaikh Khalid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa.

He added that Mumtalakat's investment model was resilient, although with debt obligations, which they managed to finance independently, and the fund led a net profit of 182.71 million dollar in 2016.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-04 02:00:30|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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RABAT, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- The Moroccan government and the United Nations Industrial and Development Organization (UNIDO) hailed here on Tuesday the level of bilateral cooperation.

Cooperation between Morocco and UNIDO "is one of the most fruitful in the region," the director general of UNIDO Li Yong told the press following meeting with the Minister of Industry Commerce and Digital Economy Moulay Hafid Elalamy.

The UN official hailed the tremendous work done by Morocco to boost its industry.

For his part, Elalamy expressed Morocco's satisfaction with the outcome of the bilateral cooperation, adding that the meeting was an opportunity to discuss means to further strengthen cooperation.

He highlighted the importance Morocco gives to industrial development as main driver of growth in the country.

Morocco aims to create half a million jobs and raise the share of industry in the GDP from 14 percent to 23 percent by 2020.
A footage screengrab of a Russian Su-34 jet bombing terrorists in Syria, provided by the Russian Defense Ministry on August 18, 2016.

MOSCOW, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Russian warplanes, supporting Syrian troops on the eastern bank of the Euphrates River, killed 304 Islamic State (IS) terrorists in the past two days, the Russian Defense Ministry said Tuesday.

Among the dead were seven IS field commanders of various levels, the ministry's spokesman Igor Konashenkov said in a statement, adding that more than 170 terrorists were wounded in Russian airstrikes.

Russian jets destroyed a foreign mercenaries training center, killing around 40 militants from Russia's North Caucasus region.

The airstrikes also destroyed three command posts, nine strong points, eight tanks, three pieces of artillery units, 17 SUVs armed with large-caliber weapons and four ammunition depots.

Syrian government troops are carrying forward a major offensive against IS in the oil rich areas on the eastern bank of the Euphrates River, the terrorist group's last foothold in this war-torn country.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-04 02:55:46|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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ARUSHA, Tanzania, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Tanzanian Vice President Samia Suluhu Hassan on Tuesday inaugurated a long-awaited ultra-modern museum at the Olduvai Gorge, an area that holds the earliest known evidence of human existence.

The new facility built within the Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA) in the northern part of the East African nation is aimed at promoting archaeological sites for tourists and researchers from across the globe.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, the vice president directed local authorities in the country to protect tourist attractions found in their areas.

The VP said the task of promoting the attractions should not only be done by conservation agencies and national parks authorities alone, insisting that local councils also had a stake in the county's resources.

She also challenged regional commissioners and district councils to hold to account those responsible for destroying the attractions.

"District councils should also be on the forefront in preserving name promoting the destinations we are endowed with, we should not wait for Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA), Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority (NCAA) or Tanzania Wildlife Authority (TAWA)," said the VP.

She further challenged the authority to digitize the museum, urging them to borrow a leaf from Dubai.

The EU provided 80 percent of funds to construct the museum while the government of Tanzania footed the remaining 20 percent.

The museum will among other things house artifacts that were initially collected at the two places but preserved at the Dar es Salaam Museum.

It will also exhibit the early stone ages that the early man passed through as well as the cultures of the Datoga, Hadzabe and the Maasais found within the NCA.

The construction of the museum adds to the list of historical sites found in the country which also include the Museum in Dar, Kalenga and the Mwalimu Nyerere mausoleums, Majimaji War Museum and the Bujora Museum in Mwanza.

In 1978, Mary Leakey discovered hominin fossils that were more than 3.75 million years at Laetoli area.

She is also remembered for having discovered the robust Zinjanthropus skull at Olduvai Gorge in Tanzania.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-04 03:00:48|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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TRIPOLI, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Libya's UN-backed Prime Minister Fayez Serraj on Tuesday met with EU senior officials and urged EU to lift arms embargo on Libya, said the PM's media office.

According to the office, the meeting discussed mutual cooperation in the fight against illegal immigration and training of Libyan border and coast guards.

Serraj urged EU to lift the ban on arming and equipping the Libyan coast guards. He also called on EU to coordinate the work of NGO's ships that rescue migrants off Libyan coast, so as not to conflict with the work of Libyan navy.

Admiral Enrico Credendino, commander of EU's Sophia naval operation, praised Serraj's efforts to achieve stability in Libya and the coordination between Libyan navy and Sofia operation against illegal immigration.

The commander also said that 500 Libya coast guard members will be trained before next summer, stressing that cooperation with Libya is moving "in the right direction."

Bettina Muscheidt, head of EU mission to Libya, also attended the meeting held in the capital Tripoli.

EU has launched the naval operation Sophia in 2015 to monitor Libyan maritime border in order to fight illegal immigration across the Mediterranean, as well as applying the ban of the arms on Libya. The EU has extended the mandate of Sofia until the end of 2018.

According to European reports, Sophia has arrested more than 100 smugglers and handed them over to Italy. The operation has also rescued over 40,000 immigrants off Libyan coast.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-04 03:41:01|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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THE HAGUE, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- The outgoing Dutch Minister of Defense Jeanine Hennis resigned on Tuesday after a report on the death of two Dutch soldiers in Mali last year concluded that her Ministry had been negligent.

With Hennis the Commander of the Armed Forces of the Netherlands, Tom Middendorp, the highest soldier of country, also stepped down. Middendorp already intended to quit and was supposed to hand over his responsibilities to his successor Rob Bauer on forthcoming Thursday.

During a parliamentary debate in The Hague on Tuesday Hennis received heavy criticism from other parties. All parties pointed at her responsibility as minister and some asked her to resign. Hennis, 44, was Minister of Defense since November 2012. She did not wait for a motion of disapproval and offered her resignation.

"Every day thousands of soldiers work for our safety under difficult circumstances, with so many kinds of weapons and so many kinds of ammunition," Hennis said. "We must ensure the safety of those soldiers. I have worked as Defense Minister for years with pleasure. But it stops here. I will offer my resignation to the King this evening."

Last Thursday the Dutch Safety Board, which conducted the investigation, concluded in a report that the Ministry of Defense had failed to secure the safety of the Dutch soldiers during the Mali mission. "This concerns both the safety of the weapons and providing good medical facilities," the report stated. "Carrying out the mission had been prioritized over weapon safety and good medical facilities."

The investigation was about an incident in Kidal, Mali, on July 6, 2016. During practice just outside the camp of the Dutch United Nations mission, a mortar set off a grenade, killing two soldiers and seriously wounding another.

The investigation showed that the mortar was properly loaded and that the grenade exploded with the safety lock still on. The grenade went off due to weak spots in the design, which allowed moisture to penetrate, the investigation revealed. The combination of that moisture and the high temperature led to the explosion.

The mortar grenades used by the Dutch soldiers were according to the report insufficiently tested for safety and quality after the purchase, originally for the military mission in Afghanistan in 2006. The Safety Board wrote that "high pressure and a 'can-do mentality' at the Dutch Defense organization meant that risks were underestimated and the usual checks and procedures were not followed". In addition, the investigation revealed that the medical care of the wounded failed.

After the report came out on Thursday Hennis already said that her Ministry would take measures to prevent such accidents in the future. She ordered an immediate operational break to carry out extra security checks for all current missions on ammunition and medical care.

Hennis also stressed she is politically responsible, but at that time she also said she did not yet think that resigning was the best solution. After the debate in the Dutch parliament on Tuesday she made up her mind and decided she had no other choice.

The departure of Minister Hennis is not only bad news for the outgoing cabinet of Prime Minister Mark Rutte. Hennis also was a major candidate for a ministerial post, possibly as Defense Minister again or as Foreign Minister, in the new cabinet of Rutte.

Hennis' and Rutte's rightist liberal party VVD are expected to finalize a coalition deal with CDA (Christian Democrats), D66 (Democrats) and ChristenUnie (Christian Union) at short notice.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-04 03:41:02|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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KHARTOUM, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Sudan on Tuesday condemned the mass shooting in Las Vegas in the U.S. state of Nevada, which left dozens dead and hundreds injured.

"Sudan's Foreign Ministry expresses its condemnation, in the strongest terms, on the criminal shooting incident which took place yesterday in Las Vegas in the United States, and resulted in the killing and injuring of many people," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The ministry described the attack as "a crime contradicting all humanitarian values and principles."

It expressed condolences to the families of the victims and to the U.S. government and people, and wished a speedy recovery of the injured.

It also noted rejection to all terrorist acts aimed at innocent people as these acts are rejected by all international laws.

It further stressed Sudan's full solidarity with the U.S. government, urging the international community to intensify its efforts and cooperation in the face of all forms of terrorist and criminal activities.

At least 59 people were killed and over 500 others wounded in a mass shooting at a concert on Sunday night outside of the Mandalay Bay Hotel in Las Vegas.

According to police authorities, the shooter opened fire from the 32nd floor of the hotel and was found dead inside a hotel room later.

Police Investigators identified the shooter, 64-year-old Stephen Paddock, as a local resident, but said they did not yet have information about the shooter's motives.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-04 03:46:03|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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WINDHOEK, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Following an increase in human wildlife conflict (HWC) cases, communities living in Namibia's conservancy areas are pleading with the government to relocate dangerous wildlife residing there.

The communities who were giving testimonials on the impact of HWC in their areas to the National Council Standing Committee on Habitat that is currently conducting Public Hearings on Human Wildlife Conflict in the northern regions on Tuesday said that they live in constant fear.

A member of Omatjete community Isai Upendura narrated the killing of a young man who was trampled by an elephant in February this year leading them to start a group called "No more elephants in Daures," which helps tackle HWC.

"These wild beasts are terrorizing and killing family and friends as well as damaging property," Upendura said.

The communities have since handed a petition to the Ministry of Environment and Tourism asking for the relocation of elephants to the Etosha National Park.

Incidents of HWC are on the increase in the country in areas inhabited by elephants, especially in Erongo region where desert adapted elephants leave their habitats mainly in search of food and water.

Last week, stray lions escaped from the Etosha National Park and killed 19 goats in one night, leaving one livestock farmer in the area financially devastated.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-04 03:46:04|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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TRIPOLI, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Libya's eastern-based army on Tuesday confirmed that it has no dealings with the Tripoli-based UN-backed government of national accord and has not issue orders to its members, according to an army spokesman.

Abdulsalam Al-Hasi, commander of the army's military operation chamber, denied that the undersecretary of interior ministry of the government of national accord, Faraj Aq'em, is part of the chamber's force, stressing that the chamber has no dealings with the government at any level, spokesman Ahmad Mismari said.

"It is totally untrue and is merely fabrication," Al-Hasi noted that the chamber is acting under orders of the commander-in-chief, not dealing with "parallel bodies that are trying to take power."

Al-Hasi made the remarks commenting on the statement of the undersecretary on coordination with the army in some tasks.

Aq'em acknowledged earlier that there was coordination with the eastern-based army and that he was receiving instructions directly from the army's commander.

Al-Hasi also stated that an order has been issued to "arrest all those who deal with the illegal government" in areas controlled by the eastern-based government.

"Anyone whose actions could undermine the security of Benghazi or break the social structure will be confronted firmly," he said.

The government of national accord has been appointed based on a UN-sponsored peace agreement signed by Libya's political rivals.

With two rival parliaments, namely the internationally recognized one based in the eastern port city of Tobruk, and General National Congress based in the capital city Tripoli, the country remains politically divided amid insecurity and unrest.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-04 03:51:06|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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RABAT, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Morocco and Spain vowed here on Tuesday to further strengthen trade ties after a meeting of senior officials from both sides.

The Moroccan Minister of Economy and Finance Mohamed Boussaid hailed in a statement the steady development of the bilateral trade relations after meeting with Spanish Secretary Minister for Trade Maria Luisa Poncela.

Boussaid called for more cooperation to overcome obstacles hindering trade ties, while Poncela said the economic policies adopted by the two countries have further enhanced economic cooperation.

The meeting was an opportunity to examine the level of bilateral trade ties, Poncela said, praising their constant rise.

Spain is Morocco's largest trade partner. The bilateral trade volume increased to 14 billion U.S. dollars in 2016.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-04 03:51:07|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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VANCOUVER, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Developers in Vancouver are aiming to show builders in other major cities around the world how to construct the world's tallest Passive House structures.

Landa Global Properties, together with Hong Kong-based Asia Standard Americas, recently submitted a rezoning application to the City of Vancouver to build a two-tower residential development in the city's downtown core.

The towers, standing 48 and 43 stories, would be built to Passive House standards and will have 450 homes, including 129 rental apartments, and a daycare.

Passive House is a green building standard developed in Germany that significantly improves energy efficiency and comfort, and it reduces a building's ecological footprint.

The standard can be applied to any building type, ranging from single family houses to towers, and reduces the amount of energy needed to heat and cool a building by almost 90 percent.

The City of Vancouver is aiming at having all new building produce zero emissions by 2030 and the province of British Columbia is aiming to have all new buildings be net-zero by 2032.

There are roughly 1,150 Passive House buildings in the world, the vast majority in Europe. Canada currently has seven certified Passive House buildings.

"Having grown up in Vancouver, I understand the importance of preserving our natural beauty and the environment, so... as an ownership group, we saw an opportunity to take leadership," Landa CEO Kevin Cheung told Xinhua in an interview.

He said they hope to complete the towers in 2022.

The towers, when completed, would climb higher than The Bolueta, a twin-tower Passive House project currently under construction in Bilbao, Spain that will climb to 28 and 31 storeys. That structure is expected to complete early next year.

Cheung said the project was designed in partnership by New York-based Robert A.M. Stern Architects and Vancouver firm MCM.

The towers would hopefully inspire other developers in other major cities around the world to build larger structures to greener standards, he said.

"The City is excited to see industry leaders like Landa Global Properties and Asia Standard take on such an innovative project," said Gil Kelley, the City of Vancouver's general manager of planning, urban design and sustainability.

Vancouver-based Passive House consultant, Eesmyal Santos-Brault, said no current Passive House structures come close to the height of these proposed towers.

"There is no one who has done a project of this scale in the world," he said. "These developers are trailblazing and setting new standards for building large-scale Passive Houses."

He said Vancouver could be recognized for "exporting and showing the world" how to build high performance Passive House structures.

The developers will need to work together with mechanical experts and suppliers to design appropriate mechanical systems for the buildings' unique requirements.

Made out of concrete, the towers will also have to be built with high performance insulation, including insulated wraps of the balconies, he said.

"If we can build a tower that still makes money and is good for the environment and doesn't consume much energy or carbon, that's a win-win for everybody," he said.

When completed, the new towers would mark yet another first among Vancouver building and design achievements.

The world's tallest wooden tower has just opened in Vancouver at the University of British Columbia (UBC). Being the first of its kind, this timber student residence building climbs to 18-storeys and reaches 53-metres.

Hybrid in design, the Brock Commons tower has a concrete podium for its first floor and two concrete core structures. The rest of the building is made of cross-laminated-timber floors and walls held up by pillars of glue-laminated wood.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-04 04:01:12|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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MAPUTO, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Border disputes between Mozambique and Malawi was reactivated last Thursday when a squad of border guard troops from Malawi entered a fishing camp and fired shots in the air in the district of Chiuta in Mozambique's Niassa Province, local authority in Mozambique said Tuesday.

According to provincial police commander Aquilasse Kapangula, who announced the incident on Tuesday in Lichinga, provincial capital of Niassa, the objective of the Malawian military was to remove Mozambicans who were allegedly fishing on Lake Malawi, in Mozambique known as Lake Niassa.

The commander said after the shots the military withdrew by boat to Malawian territory, but their action caused a great scare not only among the fishermen, but also in the communities living near the camp.

"The day after the incident, we went to Malawi and met with the local police authorities, and it was concluded that in fact the Malawians violated our territory. We also admit from our side that there are some of our colleagues from the Lake and River Protection Force who have collaborated with fishermen in using unsuitable fishing net," he said.

This is not the first time border tensions flared up between the two countries. In 2015, the two governments met to discuss about land demarcations, construction of houses and opening of agricultural fields by Malawi in Mozambican regions.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-04 04:26:17|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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BAGHDAD, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi on Tuesday called for joint administration for the disputed areas with the region of Kurdistan under Baghdad command, warning of military buildup by the Kurds in the oil-rich Kirkuk province.

"We call for the administration of the disputed areas to be run jointly and by a federal (central government) command," Abadi said at a press conference after his weekly cabinet meeting.

Abadi also warned that the Kurds' military buildup in Kirkuk province is a "dangerous step," adding that taking control of the province is "unconstitutional."

"Imposing fait accompli in the disputed areas (including Kirkuk) by force is unacceptable," Abadi said.

Abadi's comment came hours after the Kurdish regional electoral commission set Nov. 1 to be the date for holding parliamentary and presidential elections in the Kurdistan region.

"All preparations have been finalized for the elections of the parliament and the president of Kurdistan region, which will be held on the same day of Nov. 1," said Hindren Mohammed, head of the commissioner council of the regional Independent High Election and Referendum Commission.

Mohammed did not say whether the disputed areas are included in the elections or not. If they do so, the move would anger the central government in Baghdad, which is already upset by the controversial independence referendum held earlier on Sept. 25 in the semi-autonomous region and the disputed areas outside the region.

Disagreements between Baghdad and the Kurdish regional government have been high for years, as the ethnic Kurds consider the northern oil-rich province of Kirkuk and parts of Nineveh, Diyala and Salahudin provinces as disputed areas and want them to be incorporated into their region, a move fiercely opposed by the Arabs and Turkomans and by Baghdad government.

Tensions have been running high between Baghdad government and the Kurdish region after the region held a controversial referendum on independence of Kurdistan and disputed areas, including Kirkuk.

The independence referendum was opposed by many countries because it would threaten the integrity of Iraq and it could undermine fight against Islamic State militants.

In addition, neighboring countries such as Turkey, Iran and Syria see that such a step would threaten their territorial integrity, as large populations of Kurds live in those countries.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-04 04:26:18|Editor: Liu

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MADRID, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- King Felipe VI of Spain spoke to the nation on Tuesday, two days after the Catalan independence referendum, which was declared illegal by the Spanish Constitutional Court.

The King spoke amid a growing climate of tension with a general strike and "massive" protests in the Catalan region in which local police say 300,000 people took to the streets to against the actions of the Spanish National Police and Civil Guards during Sunday's vote.

"We are living serious moments for our democracy and in these circumstances. I want to speak directly to all of the Spanish people. We have all seen what has happened in Catalonia with the aim of the Generalitat (Catalan Parliament) for the illegal proclamation of independence of Catalonia," began the King.

Felipe placed the blame for the tension firmly in the hands of the Catalan regional authorities said they "in a repeated, conscious and deliberate manner, have been breaking the Constitution and their Autonomous Status."

"With their decisions," he continued, "they have repeatedly broken the law systematically showing an inadmissible disloyalty to the powers of the state."

He added that the "irresponsible behaviors" of the Catalan authorities had "put the economic stability of Catalonia and Spain in doubt," and insisted that in such a situation it was "the responsibility of the organ of state to guarantee in the stability of the country."

"I want to highlight (to all of the citizens of Catalonia) that we live in a democratic state where anyone can defend their ideas, within their respect for the law. Without that respect there is no living together in peace," continued King Felipe.

The King sent a message of support for Catalans who were not in favor of independence saying they were "not on their own and they will not be; they have the support of all of Spain and the solidarity of the rest of the Spaniards and the guarantee of the law to defend their freedom and their rights."

"These are difficult times, but we will get over them and go forward, because we believe in our country and are proud of what we are. Our democratic principles are strong," he concluded.

Sunday's vote saw scenes of violence with police charges against voters, with the Spanish Interior Minister claiming 431 law enforcement officers had been injured and Catalan medical services reporting 893 people had needed medical attention after baton charges and the region was paralyzed by a strike on Tuesday in protest at the police actions.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-04 04:41:21|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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DAMASCUS, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- At least 45 civilians were killed on Tuesday by a U.S.-led airstrike on Islamic State (IS)-controlled areas in the northern city of Raqqa, local media said, as the Kurdish-led fighters say they are advancing in that city.

Children and women were among those killed in the airstrike by the U.S.-led anti-terror coalition, which targeted two residential buildings in the Tawasoiyeh area north of Raqqa, said pro-government al-Watan online daily.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also reported the airstrike, saying 18 people were killed when the airstrike targeted water wells in the Tawasoiyeh area.

The attack is the latest in a series of airstrikes that have intensified recently by the U.S.-led coalition, in their latest push to control Raqqa with the help of the ground forces of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

With their incessant airstrikes, civilian casualties have been increasing on daily basis.

Syria's Foreign Ministry renewed its condemnation Tuesday of the U.S.-led airstrikes.

In letters sent to the UN, the ministry urged the international community to stop the "crimes" of the U.S.-led coalition.

It said the coalition has committed massacres in Raqqa and Deir al-Zour over the past two days, killing 57 civilians.

The ministry charged that the U.S. is hindering the progress of the Syrian army in the eastern province of Deir al-Zour to prevent the government forces from capturing areas under IS control, "which exposes the real intention behind the destructive U.S. policy in Syria."

The ministry again urged the UN to dissolve the coalition, saying its operations in Syria are illegitimate.

On the ground in Raqqa, the U.S.-backed SDF said Tuesday its fighters have captured a main command center of IS.

And 22 IS militants have been killed over the past two days during the battles in Raqqa, the SDF added.

Meanwhile, the group said that the local council of Raqqa met with "international representatives" to discuss the future of Raqqa after the defeat of IS.

The group, however, has stopped short of giving further details on the meeting and the figures that have taken part in it.

Activists has recently said that the SDF are closing in on IS in Raqqa, with the observatory saying the Kurdish-led fighters are controlling over 90 percent of the city of Raqqa.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-04 05:06:27|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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QUITO, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Ecuador's Vice-president Jorge Glas entered Number 4 prison in Quito on Monday night, after a judge ordered a preventive prison sentence for him as investigators research his involvement in the corruption ring organized by Brazilian construction firm Odebrecht.

Glas was arrested on charges of criminal association at his home in Guayaquil, the largest city of Ecuaduo, and was flown to the capital on an airforce plane. He was accompanied by his uncle Ricardo Rivera, who was detained on similar charges.

As Glas arrived at the prison, supporters of the left-wing PAIS Alliance were there to show their continuing admiration.

The party has been split between loyalists of Glas and former president Rafael Correa, and those of current President Lenin Moreno. While Glas is technically still vice-president, he was suspended from the post in August by Moreno after he criticized the president's dialogue with the opposition.

Prior to being arrested in Guayaquil, the vice-president published a video on Twitter protesting the case against him, calling it an "outrage."

"Before turning myself over to the justice, as I have always said, the innocent do not have to run. I did not. I protest a resolution of an unconstitutional, illegal justice system, with a case full of holes, which cannot be hidden," said Glas.

Glas has denied any relation with Odebrecht, which bribed politicians across Latin America in exchange for public contracts. He has vowed to clear his name even if he has to turn to international courts.

While being in jail does not automatically mean the vice-president will lose his job, constitutional lawyers mean that it will cause a case of "temporary absence," allowing President Moreno to pick a replacement.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-04 05:11:28|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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by Christine Lagat and Wang Xiaopeng

NAIROBI, Oct. 4 (Xinhua) -- Esther Apetet's childhood dream was fulfilled last month when she secured an admission at Kenya Technical Trainers College (KTTC) to pursue a diploma in mechanical engineering.

Defying stereotypes to enroll in a discipline that has for decades been shunned by Kenyan girls, the 19-year-old college student is determined to succeed and leave behind a legacy worth emulating.

Apetet's institution was a beneficiary of several computer numerically controlled (CNC) machines supplied by China's AVIC International Holding Corporation in July as part of its ambitious goal to help transform vocational training in Kenya.

During an interview with Xinhua on Tuesday at her vocational training center located on the outskirts of Kenya's capital, Nairobi, Apetet hailed the state-of-the-art machines, saying they had inspired her to pursue engineering with vigor.

"I would like to thank Chinese companies for providing machines that are easier to use and I look forward to acquiring technical skills that will enable me to become self-employed in future," said Apetet, who majors in automotive engineering.

She noted that automated milling machines supplied by the Chinese company were a departure from their manual counterparts in terms of efficiency and speed.

"These machines look modern and upgraded. They are computerized and easier to operate unlike the manual ones. I expect to learn how to use the machines within a short period," Apetet told Xinhua.

Collins Muriithi, her 19-year-old schoolmate, was equally excited by the prospect of learning how to operate the computerized milling machines that have elevated the prestige of his vocational training institution.

"We thank the Chinese company for equipping these modern machines that are easier to operate by both students and tutors," said Muriithi.

He is pursuing a diploma in mechanical engineering and production option, looking forward to acquiring practical skills that will enable him to stand out in the job market.

Kenya Technical Trainers College, one of the oldest vocational training centers in the country, is set to transform teaching of engineering disciplines.

Hilda Omwoyo, deputy principal in charge of academic affairs at KTTC, said the conventional and automated milling machines provided by the Chinese firm would boost skills acquisition and employability among young learners.

"The equipment will improve standards in technical and vocational training in this institution. They will boost industrial skills of trainees and tutors," said Omwoyo.

She added the modern machines and equipment would help bridge skills gap that is responsible for high youth unemployment in Kenya.

TWO-PHASE PROJECT

AVIC International signed with Kenya's Ministry of Education in 2010 an agreement worth about 30 million U.S. dollars on the phase I of Kenya-China project on the establishment of technical and vocational laboratories in Kenya.

The Chinese company helped equip 10 vocational and technical institutions in the country and provide solutions on areas including curriculum content and instructor training. About 15,000 Kenyans were trained in the phase I of the project.

In 2013, the company inked the agreement on the phase II of the project, which is valued about 158 million dollars and will equip a total of 134 institutions of technical and vocational education and training across the county.

According to the company, about 1,500 teachers and some 150,000 students will be trained in phase II, which is scheduled to end in 2020.

Zhao Leilei, a manager in charge of the program, said the rest of the equipment in the phase II of the project will be handed over to the Kenyan institutions by the end of 2018.

In addition to equipping these institutions, the company also sponsored Kenyan engineering students to pursue post-graduate degrees in China. Likewise, the Chinese firm has been providing internship opportunities to Kenyan youth pursuing technical courses in universities and mid-level colleges.

According to Zhao, the company has signed similar agreements on vocational training with other African countries including Uganda, Zambia and Ghana.

LIFE-CHANGING EXPERIENCE

Joseph Nyakundi, a 23-year-old former cleaner, is currently stationed at Technical University of Kenya's revamped workshop, where he operates with ease the automated machines provided by the company. The university is among the first Kenyan institutions to receive the Chinese machines in 2012.

Nyakundi participated in the first edition of Africa Tech Challenge (ATC) in 2014, which was sponsored by AVIC International. The event provided him a platform to hone his skills in operating industrial machines.

"Am currently able to operate a wide range of computerized machines to produce metal parts. The machines supplied by the Chinese company are efficient and easy to use by ordinary learners," said Nyakundi.

He looks forward to becoming an accomplished machine operator and be a part and parcel of Kenya's industrial transformation.

Joseph Barasa, a mechanical engineering graduate in his early 30s, had accomplished an unusual feat by assembling a car at the university's workshop, using state-of-the-art machines provided by the company.

Barasa participated in the 2015 edition of ATC, where his engineering prowess received a huge boost.

"I have been yearning to apply theories learned in the classroom to solve every day challenges affecting our society. Skills upgrade and modern machines provided by China will enhance realization of our industrialization dream," said Barasa.

Perry Ajuma, a 23-year-old holder of a diploma in mechanical engineering, hailed the internship at Technical University of Kenya, where she is honing her expertise in the use of automated machines to produce metal parts.

The bubbly young engineer thanked China for facilitating her acquisition of technical skills that would be useful in future.

"I thank China for the computerized numerically controlled machines that have improved my technical knowhow," said Ajuma.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-04 05:31:33|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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HAVANA, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez on Tuesday rejected the "unjustified" request from U.S. government asking for 15 Cuban diplomats to be expelled from America.

In a press conference at the ministry, Rodriguez said the U.S. demand was "based" on the fact that "Washington reduced its staff in Havana and that the island's authorities didn't take necessary steps to prevent attacks against U.S. diplomats."

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs protests with energy and denounces this decision without base and unacceptable, as well as the pretext used to justify it when affirming that the Cuban government didn't take all the needed measures to prevent the 'alleged' incidents," said the minister.

Ten days ago, Cuba denounced the attempts to politicize the assumed events in which U.S. officials and their families on the island resulted harmed by "unknown acoustic attacks."

Cuba asked for the U.S. cooperation and demanded Washington not to take "rushed decisions without any evidence."

Last Friday the U.S. State Department announced the decision to pull 60 percent of its staff out of the embassy in Cuba in the wake of "sonic attacks" that have injured 21 people in its embassy in Havana.

But despite an intensive investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the local investigation agencies, the cause and perpetrators of the attacks remain a mystery.

Havana said to have nothing to do with the "attacks" while Washington accused the Cuban government of not protecting well enough its diplomats deployed in Havana.

Cuba and the United States resumed diplomatic ties in 2015 after 54 years of political enmity, but even before taking office President Donald Trump promised to reverse what he called a "terrible and misguided deal" with Havana.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-04 05:46:37|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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by Mahmoud Fouly

HURGHADA, Egypt, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Although three-wheeled motorized rickshaws, known in Egypt as tuk-tuks, operate randomly and cause noise and traffic jam in slums and low-income neighborhoods, they are neat, civilized, orderly and run by specialized travel companies in Red Sea resorts like classy town of El Gouna, north of Egyptian world famous Hurghada resort city.

With well-paved streets free of traffic congestion and surrounded by trees on both sides, it is a common scene in El Gouna to see tuk-tuks running back and forth carrying all kinds of residents and visitors, including hotel guests and foreign tourists.

"Our tuk-tuks are completely different in terms of operation and even shape. They operate through internet applications Uber and Careem and we have specific criteria for our drivers, like having a license, an ID and fair English to deal with foreign guests," said Mohamed Saeed, a department chief of one of the companies operating tuk-tuks in El Gouna.

He added that a tuk-tuk driver must go through a drug test and have a criminal clearance report before being accepted to make sure he would not cause any trouble in the tourist resort.

El Gouna, a resort town with 25,000 residents founded only two-decades ago by business tycoon Samih Sawiris, has recently hosted a massive week-long film festival. Meanwhile, tuk-tuk companies have provided a service to take guests to the gate of the gala for free.

Adnan Mohamed, a 22-year old tuk-tuk driver in El Gouna, said that tuk-tuks are limited in number, about 25 tuk-tuks run by each of the two companies, with unified fares to any place inside El Gouna, stressing that they treat passengers friendly, honestly and respectfully.

"Tuk-tuks here are more convenient than taxis as they are a light and quick means of transport," the driver told Xinhua inside his red tuk-tuk with "Uber" poster stuck and a hotline for booking.

"We have a speed limit of 40 km per hour and we're not allowed to smoke during the ride," he added.

Mohamed Ezz, also in his 20s, said that they, as tuk-tuk drivers, respect each other's turns as well as the systemized operation of their work, and that they never drive in the opposite direction, which all made tuk-tuks a main means of transport in El Gouna.

"Most of the tuk-tuk drivers in El Gouna are educated people and many of them know how to speak English to deal with foreign customers and take them to the places they need, whether a pharmacy, a hospital, a hotel or a general tour," said Ezz, who wore sunglasses inside his pink-colored tuk-tuk, stressing that troublemakers have no place in the resort town.

In downtown El Gouna, with its various supermarkets, restaurants, coffee shops and gift stores, residents and visitors expressed satisfaction with the standards of tuk-tuks and their convenience for quick errands in the small town.

"The tuk-tuks here are well monitored and run by specialized companies, where a passenger can complain if the driver does anything wrong," said Ahmed Mohamed Mahmoud, a waiter at one of the restaurants in downtown El Gouna.

The young waiter told Xinhua that the tuk-tuk drivers in the Red Sea resort are not as noisy and troublesome as in other places nationwide, noting that tuk-tuks are more convenient than taxis in El Gouna.

Nagy Milad, a veteran resident who's been living in El Gouna since it was first established, said that the good organization and systematic operation of tuk-tuks in El Gouna just go in line with the spirit and lifestyle of the resort town in general.

"El Gouna has a specific lifestyle and any misbehavior is immediately discarded. So, everyone here knows their rights and duties, and this is why tuk-tuk drivers are respectful and honest people; some of them are university graduates too," the resident in his 50s said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-04 05:51:40|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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OTTAWA, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will visit the United States and Mexico in mid-October, the Canadian Prime Minister's Office said Tuesday.

Trudeau will visit Washington D.C. on Oct. 10 and meet with U.S President Donald Trump to discuss issues of importance to both countries, including international security and trade and economic relationship.

On October 12, Trudeau will travel to Mexico City for his first official visit to Mexico, where he will meet with President Enrique Pena Nieto to discuss trade, regional cooperation and ways to further strengthen Canada-Mexico ties.

Canada and the United States share one of the largest trading relationships in the world. Bilateral trade between the two countries was valued at nearly 882 billion Canadian dollars (714 billion U.S. dollar) in 2016.

Canada and Mexico are among each other's largest two-way trading partners, and bilateral trade between the two countries valued at over 40 billion Candian dollars (32 billion U.S. dollars) in 2016.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-04 06:11:46|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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ROME, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Italy celebrated the second National Remembrance Day for the victims of immigration with a rally in the southern island of Lampedusa on Tuesday.

The occurrence -- firstly introduced by the parliament in 2016 -- was meant to honor some 386 people who died in the worst migrant shipwreck occurred off the Italian coasts in recent history.

Senate Speaker Pietro Grasso and Education Minister Valeria Fedeli led the parade, cutting through the tiny island up to the five-meter-high "Gate of Europe", a monument devoted to all those who died in the Mediterranean while trying to reach the continent.

In Oct. 3, 2013, at least some 366 people drowned when their 20-meter-long migrant boat sank, after being accidentally set on fire by one of the smugglers on board.

The craft capsized a few hundreds meters off Lampedusa, which is the southernmost part of Italy, lying some 80 nautical miles from Tunisia and 160 from Libya. The boat had sailed from the Libyan town of Misurata, according to survivors.

Some 155 people were rescued by Italian coast guard and fishermen in Lampedusa, while at least 20 people were reported missing, putting the final death toll of the shipwreck at 386.

Students from all over Italy and from Europe joined residents of Lampedusa in the celebration, as well as some of the survivors who now live as refugees across the European Union (EU).

Up to Oct. 2, some 105,900 migrants and refugees have arrived to Italy compared to over 132,400 in the same period last year, according to official data.

So far this year, some 2,655 people were believed to be dead or missing, the UN refugee agency UNHCR estimated. The victims of the Mediterranean crossing in 2016 had been 5,096, according to the UNHCR.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-04 06:16:48|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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LONDON, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- China's 26th naval escort fleet arrived here Tuesday for a five-day friendly visit to Britain. This is the first time for Chinese naval ships to pay an official visit to the British capital city.

The fleet, which composed of the guided-missile frigates Huanggang and Yangzhou, and the comprehensive supply ship Gaoyouhu, is calling at the Canary Wharf in west London from Tuesday to Saturday, the third stop of its global voyage after completing its escort mission in August in Gulf of Aden and Somali waters.

Nearly four hundred people, including Chinese Ambassador to Britain Liu Xiaoming, representatives of British Royal Navy and overseas Chinese attended a grand welcoming ceremony held by the Chinese embassy.

Speaking upon the fleet's arrival, Liu said the visit of Chinese naval fleet is making history for China-UK military-to-military ties as it is the first time ever for Chinese navy ships to call at Britain's capital city, London.

During this visit, the two navies will hold the first humanitarian rescue symposium, according to Liu.

"Our two navies will exchange views on a broad range of issues from anti-piracy to humanitarian rescues. I believe such extensive engagement will help deepen the mutual trust and cooperation between our two militaries," Liu said.

Fleet commander Wang Zhongcai said during the visit there will be a series of events, including an open day, a deck reception and professional meetings between Chinese and British navies, hoping these could offer British people a good opportunity to know the Chinese Navy better.

Before arriving in London, the fleet concluded a five-day friendly visit to Denmark.

China sent its first convoy fleet to Somali waters for an anti-piracy mission in December 2008.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-04 06:26:50|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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RABAT, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Morocco's King Mohammed VI voiced on Tuesday strong condemnation after shooting in the U.S. Las Vegas city.

In a message of condolences and compassion to U.S. President Donald Trump, the king deemed the act as "despicable," extending his heartfelt condolences to the president and the victims' families.

The king also wished the injured swift recovery.

A lone gunman unleashed a rapid-fire barrage of bullets from the 32nd floor of a Las Vegas hotel late Sunday, killing at least 59 people and injuring more than 500 others attending a country music festival.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-04 06:31:52|Editor: Liangyu

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WASHINGTON, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said on Tuesday that it was in America's national interest to stay in a landmark deal clinched between Iran and six world powers to curb Iran's nuclear program.

Mattis' remarks at a congressional hearing came at a time when U.S. President Donald Trump is weighing whether to abandon the deal negotiated during the Obama administration.

"The point I would make is, if we can confirm that Iran is living by the agreement, if we can determine that this is in our best interest, then clearly, we should stay with it," Mattis testified at a Senate hearing.

"I believe, at this point in time, absent indications to the contrary, it is something the president should consider staying with," Mattis added.

The retired four-star general also replied "yes" when asked if it was in America's national interest to stay in the deal that was clinched in July 2015 between Iran and the six world powers of Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States after decade-long negotiations.

Mattis' remarks were seemingly contradictory to Trump's speech delivered last month at the UN General Assembly, who called the agreement "an embarrassment" for the United States and indicated that he may not recertify the deal at its mid-October deadline.

Iranian leaders have reacted strongly to Trump's remarks, saying such hostile words will not intimidate the Islamic Republic.

On Oct. 15, Trump is due to testify to Congress whether Tehran is complying with the deal and whether it remains in the U.S. interests to stick by it.

If he decides it is not, it could open the way for U.S. lawmakers to reimpose sanctions, leading to the potential collapse of the agreement.

The Iran nuclear deal, officially known as Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, has helped defuse the Iran nuclear crisis and bolster the international non-proliferation regime.

Earlier last month, the International Atomic Energy Agency, a UN nuclear watchdog, said that Iran was playing by the rules set out in the nuclear accord.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-04 06:51:55|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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RIO DE JANEIRO, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- A federal judge overseeing a massive corruption probe said on Tuesday that the case was reaching its end as "anti-corruption movements" in Brazil have found new ways to operate.

Judge Sergio Moro, who oversees Operation Lava Jato (Car Wash) into the Petrobras corruption ring, said "I think we are reaching the final phase."

"In Curitiba (the southern city where the case is based), the Petrobras contracts and the people who benefited from them are here. These people have already been charged and I think we are reaching the final phase," he said in Sao Paulo.

Moro did not specify a date for the Car Wash investigation to end, saying that "a good part of the work has been done, but that does not mean there is not more work."

However, the judge denied that he would be passing on responsibility to another judge. "I am tired, it has been hard work, but there is no concrete plan to transfer (the investigation) to another court," Moro said.

The Petrobras case began in March 2014 after discovering a massive corruption ring in which construction companies colluded with officials at the national oil company Petrobras over the awarding of the inflated contracts.

Over 100 Brazilian politicians have been charged, including current President Michel Temer and former President, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-04 06:56:56|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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MINSK, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Belarusian Foreign Minister Vladimir Makei said on Tuesday that cooperation with the European Union (EU) and the United States is encouraging.

"The atmosphere of relations with the EU and the U.S. is expanding steadily, and we should move forward. Dialogue is necessary for all of us," Makei said at the opening ceremony of the first Conference of Honorary Consuls of Belarus.

At the ceremony, Makei expressed gratitude to the Honorary Consuls for the active work on the development of cooperation between Belarus and foreign countries in a wide range of areas.

He stressed that Honorary Consuls became an integral part of the united team which is aimed to establish partnership relations and promote Belarusian interests abroad.

The foreign minister emphasized the importance of the mission of Honorary Consuls, who make a significant contribution to building strong bridges between countries in political, trade, economic, investment, cultural, scientific and other spheres.

According to Makei, Belarus highly appreciates the experience and proposals of Honorary Consuls, who are well aware of the specifics of their countries, their traditions and customs.

The first conference of the honorary consuls of Belarus will last until Oct. 6 in Minsk. According to the Belarusian Foreign Ministry, 80 Belarusian honorary consuls represent and defend the rights and interests of Belarusian citizens in 56 countries.
PM Modi addresses event to mark Swachh Bharat Diwas: 3rd anniversary of the launch of Swachh Bharat Mission

New Delhi, Tue, 03 Oct 2017 NI Wire

PM addresses event to mark Swachh Bharat Diwas: 3rd anniversary of the launch of Swachh Bharat Mission, and conclusion of Swachhata Hi Seva fortnight

The Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, today addressed an event to mark Swachh Bharat Diwas: the 3rd anniversary of the launch of Swachh Bharat Mission, and the conclusion of Swachhata hi Seva fortnight.

He said 2nd October marks the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi and Lal Bahadur Shastri; and is an occasion to reflect on how far we have travelled towards our goal of Swachh Bharat.

He recalled how the Swachh Bharat Movement had been initiated three years ago, amid immense criticism. He said he is convinced that the path that Mahatma Gandhi has shown, cannot be wrong. He said that even if there are challenges, that does not mean one must shy away from them.

The Prime Minister said that today people are expressing their desire for cleanliness in one voice. He asserted that Swachhata cannot be achieved through the efforts of leaders and governments, but can only be achieved through the efforts of the society. Jan Bhagidari has to be appreciated, the Prime Minister said, adding that today, Swachhata Abhiyan has become a social movement. He said that whatever has been achieved till date, is also the achievement of the Swachhagrahi people of India.

If Swaraj was achieved by the Satyagrahis, Shrestha Bharat would be achieved by the Swachhagrahis, the Prime Minister said.

Mentioning the Swachhata rankings of cities, the Prime Minister said they have engendered a positive, competitive atmosphere. Swachhata needs a revolution of ideas as well; and competition gives a platform of ideas to the concept of Swachhata, he said.

The Prime Minister congratulated all those who contributed during the Swachhata hi Seva fortnight; but added that a lot more needs to be done.

The Prime Minister gave away awards to winners of national essay, painting and film competitions, and also visited a digital display gallery.

Source: PIB
Gandhiji Aimed at the Overall Development of Society and believed in the Dignity of Labour, says President at Mangrol, Gujarat

Gujarat, Tue, 03 Oct 2017 NI Wire

The President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, inaugurated/laid the foundation stone of various projects pertaining to the economic advancement of traditional fisherfolk communities in Mangrol, Gujarat, yesterday (October 2, 2017).

Speaking on the occasion, the President said that Gandhiji aimed at the overall development of society and believed in the dignity of labour. The people of Saurashtra are known for their hard work, whether in agriculture, trade or other professions. They have improved their lives by dint of their hard work and diligence while facing natural calamities and other challenges of nature. The President inaugurated various projects today such as the Jetty & other facilities at Jafarabad Fishing Harbour; upgradation of Veraval and Porbandar Fishing Harbour and Navibandar, Miyani & Salaya Fish Landing Centres, and the Mangrol Rural Water Supply Augmentation Scheme for 45 villages. He hoped that these would boost the economic development of the region and improve the quality of life of the people.

The President said that Gujarat has contributed immensely in various areas such as agriculture, industry, education, arts, literature and public life. In fact, coastal Gujarat has contributed to the economic development of the country since ancient times. Around 48% of the cargo entering or exiting the ports of the country is from the ports of Gujarat. The State is the largest contributor in the marine fisheries business in India and its share is around 20% of the total trade. He said the projects inaugurated today are very important for the people of Gujarat, particularly the people of Saurashtra. On the occasion, he congratulated the Government of Gujarat and its Chief Minister, Shri Vijay Rupani for building on the past legacy and working diligently in order to make the projects possible.

Source: PIB
President of India visits Kirti Mandir, Porbandar; addresses a function organised to declare ODF status for Rural Gujarat

Gujarat, Tue, 03 Oct 2017 NI Wire

The President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, visited Kirti Mandir, Porbandar, the birth place of Mahatma Gandhi (October 2, 2017), and paid his tributes to Bapu on Gandhi Jayanti. Later, the President addressed a function organised to declare ODF status for Rural Gujarat at Kirti Mandir.

Speaking on the occasion, the President said that it was a privilege for him to visit the birth place of Mahatma Gandhi on this auspicious day. By achieving the goal of Rural ODF status, Gujarat has paid true homage to Gandhiji. He congratulated the Chief Minister of Gujarat and his entire team for the achievement.

The President said that cleanliness is not the responsibility of only sanitation personnel and government departments; it is a multi-stakeholder national movement. About 100 years ago, Gandhiji had tried to inculcate this by cleaning toilets himself. Achieving the goals of the Swachh Bharat Mission by October 2, 2019, will be an appropriate tribute to the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, on his 150th birth anniversary. Today's achievement by Gujarat is a big step towards Clean India or Swachh Bharat.

The President also remembered Sardar Patel whose birthday too falls in this month, on October 31, and said that while Mahatma Gandhi was the leader of our independence movement, Sardar Patel was the sculptor of our national unity. It is impossible to imagine modern India without the contributions of Bapu and Sardar Patel. And both of these great men were Gujarat's gifts to India.

Source: PIB
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Saudi Arabia officials announced they are lifting a ban on in-app messaging supported on such platforms as Skype (News - Alert) and Snapchat. As The Verge pointed out in this article, the countrys telecommunications authority announced the change in direction on this via a statement on Twitter last week.





Officials in Saudi Arabia put the ban in place about a year ago, according to The Verge. The publication notes that oil prices are down, and that as a result Saudi Arabia is looking to other sectors for growth. One place the country is looking to, the piece indicates, is the internet, and The Verge says theres lots of digital startup investment in the Middle East lately. And the media outlet notes that Sarahah, an offering launched in August by a Saudi company, is now among the most downloaded free apps in the Apple (News - Alert) App Store and Google Play Store.

In March, CBInsights published a brief that said Saudi Arabias massive Public Investment Fund has become active in tech startup investing. That brief also talked about the countrys work to lessen its economic dependence on oil and to diversify. And it noted plans for the Public Investment Fund to partner with Japans SoftBank Group to create a $100 billion tech investment fund.

The Public Investment Funds website lists its investments in the agriculture and food; energy, manufacturing, and mining; technology and communications; and utilities, transportation, and infrastructure sectors. Among the PIFs investments in tech are ELM, which develops secure e-Services and high-profile government support projects; noon, which has an ecommerce platform; STC, which provides internet, landline, mobile, TV, and wholesale communications services; and Uber, among others.

However, a story posted earlier this year on the World Economic Forums website says that while annual investment in startups in the Middle East and North Africa region (not including Israel) was nearing $1 billion as of mid May, most of that came from just two companies  Careem and Souq. Careem is Dubais answer to Uber. Souq is an online retailer, also out of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, that was recently purchased by Amazon. That deal put the regions startup scene on the global map this year, according to the WEF.

Edited by Mandi Nowitz
Ex Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, has encouraged the Federal High Court in Lagos to pressure the Attorney General of the Federation to return her back to Nigeria from the United Kingdom, since her departure from office in 2015.

In her statement she said she desire to appear in Nigeria court to defend the alleged laundering of N45Om, where her name was mentioned in a criminal charges.

The primary defendants in the charge are a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr. Dele Belgore; and a former Minister of National Planning, Prof. Abubakar Suleiman.

Belgore and Suleiman were charged before Justice Rilwan Aikawa for allegedly collecting N450m from Diezani and laundering same in the build-up to the 2015 general elections.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, which filed the charges, claimed that the N450m was part of a sum of $115m which Diezani allegedly doled out to compromise the 2015 general elections.

The SAN and the professor were arraigned on five counts, wherein Diezanis name was mentioned, but she was declared as being at large.

At the resumed proceedings in the case on Tuesday, one Obinna Onya, a lawyer from Abuja, appeared before Justice Aikawa with an application seeking the joining of Diezani as one of the defendants in the charge.

The application, filed pursuant to Section 36(1),(5),(6 (a)-(e) of the Constitution and sections 216 (1) (2) (3) (4); and 217 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, sought an amendment to the charges against Belgore and Suleiman, so as to join Diezani as one of the defendants.

The lawyer contended that contrary to the declaration by the EFCC that Diezani was at large, the former minister was in the UK and was willing to return to Nigeria so that she could appear in court to take her plea and defend the charges..

The lawyer argued that since Diezanis name had been mentioned in the charge, it would be against her right to fair hearing for the case to proceed without affording her the opportunity to defend herself.

The statement made by the prosecution means that the applicant (Diezani) is going to be convicted without being given the opportunity to defend herself, Onya told Justice Aikawa.

The application prayed for an order mandating the Attorney General of the Federation, being the agent of the complainant, to facilitate the prompt appearance of the applicant in court on the next adjourned date, to take her plea and to defend the allegations made against her in counts 1, 2,3 and 4 of the charge, numbered FHC/L/35c/2017.

Onya urged Justice Aikawa to hear and determine the application before proceeding with the case on Tuesday.

But the prosecuting counsel for the EFCC, Rotimi Oyedepo, opposed him, saying the application was not ripe for hearing, as he had yet to be served.

However, Onya told the court that he had attempted to serve Oyedepo on Tuesday morning on the court premises but that the prosecutor declined, adding that his effort to serve the application at the EFCC office on Friday was also frustrated.

But Oyedepo advised him to go and serve the application at the registry of the EFCC, assuring him that the application would be accepted.

Responding, Justice Aikawa said the court could not entertain the application until all the parties had been properly served.

Meanwhile, the trial proceeded with the second witness for the EFCC, Usman Zakari, continuing his testimony.

Through the witness, Oyedepo tendered two letters written to the EFCC in relation to the case Standard Charted Bank Nigeria Limited and Guaranty Trust Bank.

The court admitted the two letters as exhibits in evidence against the defendants.

However, Oyedepos attempt to tender a trail of electronic mail communication between Diezani and the Managing Director of Fidelity Bank was resisted by the defence counsel, Mr. Ebun Shofunde (SAN) and Olatunji Ayanlaja (SAN).

They contended that the document was not admissible as, according to them, it did not meet the requirement of the Evidence Act.

Oyedepo sought an adjournment to counter the objection by the defence.

Justice Aikawa adjourned till Wednesday, October 4 for continuation of trial.

In the charges, Sulaiman, a professor of Political Science and International Relations at the University of Abuja; and Belgore, a former governorship aspirant in Kwara State, were accused of conspiring between themselves to commit the offence on March 27, 2015.

The duo were accused of making a cash transaction of N450m on March 27, 2015, without going through any financial institution.

But they pleaded not guilty to the charges. 
The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, denied yesterday that its members were planning to destroy some police stations in Aba, Abia State, saying the allegation was part of a plan hatched to arrest and detain more members of the group.

This came as scores of youths yesterday stormed Lagos, to kick against the countrys dismemberment; urging the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and other ethnic groups behind the moves to limit their demands within the confines of the law, even as they argued that demands could be achieved through dialogue, rather than through violence which often leads to loss of lives and property in the country.

A statement by IPOB media and publicity secretary, Emma Powerful, accused Abia State governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu of being part of the plan, adding that the plan was a cover to kidnap and abduct innocent Biafrans under the pretext that they were the perpetrators of some heinous crimes in the city. He said: IPOB has never engaged in any crime of any sort from its inception to date.

There is no police station that can claim to have received any complaint of lawlessness or crime allegedly committed by IPOB. Our rallies and evangelism are all done in full view of the public and well attended within communities with no single recorded adverse incident till date. IPOB has never been involved in any retaliatory attacks or killing of any human being because we believe, along with our ancient values, that life is a rare gift from God, which is not in the place of man to take.

Youths decry secession At a gathering organized by a youth group, NaijaDay Foundation, yesterday, in Lagos, with the theme Significance of peace and unity in Nigeria, put in place to commemorate Nigerias 57th independence anniversary, the youths also urged government at all levels to keep their quota of responsibilities, so as to ensure adherence of peace and unity among citizens, especially youths.

The 2017 Mandela-Washington Fellow and Director, Prisoners Right Advocacy Initiative (PRAI), Ahmed Adetola-Kazeem, while addressing the youths, warned agitators to desist from hate speech while demanding for their rights in the country, just as he cautioned against overheating the polity with various hate moves.

He implored Nigerians not to share every post on social media because a lot of them were written to cause discord amongst Nigerians, stressing that every Nigerian needs to be armed with correct information and shun gullibility. We all possess innate weapons to fight intolerance and hatred, lets use it. Most of the people sponsoring and leading the clamour for war will jet out of the country if it happens and the common man who has blindly followed them would be made to suffer, Adetola-Kazeem added.

He stressed that whenever war occurs in a country, the nation would metamorphose negatively and may not regain its potentials several years after the crisis might have ended. The rich will become poor, children will become orphans, wives transformed to widows, landlords of palatial homes will become refugees who will queue for food. Rather than fighting ourselves, we must fight that peace may reign.

It is impossible for all of us to agree on the same thing but it is possible for us to be tolerate one another. For Publisher, Checkout Magazine, and a United Kingdom (UK) based journalist, Lekan Fatodu, pocket of violence within the country, which was due to agitations from the regions for secessions, restructuring and others, indicated that it was time to make peace a national mantra.We are aware that Nigerian security operatives have little or no regard for human life as is their custom and tradition ably demonstrated over the centuries through a series of well documented pogroms.

 Igbo governors, who are essentially Hausa Fulani stooges in government houses across the South East are doing their damned best to turn global opinion against IPOB. However, civilized nations and countries around the world know that IPOB under the leadership of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, is not and can never be a terrorist organization. The APC government of Nigeria headed by President Muhammadu Buhari, in collaboration with Governors Dave Umahi, Okezie Ikpeazu, Willie Obiano and others, is making every effort to tarnish the impeccable global standing of IPOB.

This latest evil plot, already perfected, is designed to legitimize even more brutal deaths, arrests, torture and detention without trial at the hands of Nigerian soldiers and police. Okezie Ikpeazu, in his jealousy fuelled vendetta against IPOB, has unwittingly turned hitherto peaceful Abia State to a killing field for blood thirsty Islamic Jihadists from Arewa North, who are hell bent on spreading Islam to every nook and cranny of Biafraland.

IPOB is therefore calling on all conscientious and civilized men and women, lovers of freedom, the international community especially USA, EU, Britain, Russia and France, to intervene to stop this horrendous ethnic cleansing going on in Abia State, for the sake of humanity. The scale of killings going on is a tragedy of immense proportions and until the world brings this to a halt, injustice will continue to reign supreme in Nigeria.
A former Senior Special Assistant to President Goodluck Jonathan on Public Affairs, Dr Doyin Okupe, has said the general elections slated for 2019 may be shaped by the clamour for restructuring.

Okupe said the electorate, especially those in the South West and other southern parts of the country, might not vote for politicians, who were not favourably disposed to the agitation for the restructuring of the nation.

Okupe spoke in Osogbo on Monday in an interview with journalists on the sidelines of the presentation of two books authored by a former chairman of Egbedore Local Government Area of Osun State, Mr.cand his wife, Oluwaseyi, Leaders of our dreams and Mummy knows the answer.

Okupe disagreed with President Muhammadu Buhari, who said on his return from medical vacation in London that the unity of Nigeria was not negotiable.

While supporting the agitation for the restructuring of the nation, Okupe noted that the call for restructuring was being misconstrued by some people to mean balkanisation.

He said, Some people erroneously believe that when we call for restructuring, we are call for the breakup of the country. No, restructuring which we are calling for means the return of the country to true federalism which was practised at independence.

If care is not taken, we may convert 2019 elections into referendum on restructuring. What I mean is that your party will not matter, your personality will not matter, your programmes will not matter; it will be: are you for restructuring or are you against it?

Those of us who are for restructuring will vote, governors, senators, House of Assembly members, House of Representatives members who are interested in restructuring because we know that the National Assembly is the battleground and we will settle it.
Sensing the social implosion is imminent after simmering for a while, the Algerian authorities resorted to scare tactics in a bid to continue clinging to power, hoping desperately to maintain the status quo.

The Algerian state TV has broadcast lately special reports showing horrible, painful and shocking images of the bloody civil war in Algeria. In 1991, the Islamic Salvation Front Party (FIS) was on the verge of winning Algerias parliamentary elections and defeating the countrys ruling National Liberation Front (FLN).

But after the first round of polls, the government cancelled the elections and banned the FIS. Shortly thereafter, a civil war broke out pitting the government against Islamist rebel groups. About 200,000 Algerians lost their lives in what becomes known as the Black Decade.

The Algerian TV refocus on these tragic events raises the suspicion of opposition parties and civil society groups. Contrary to the expectations of the Algerian authorities, the broadcasting of the civil war reports sparked a furious backlash in social media and fueled hot debates in the country wherein power struggle is raging between presidency inner circles and military intelligence apparatus.

Appalled and outraged by the goals of such as a move, most Algerians say this initiative is a blatant violation of the Charter of peace and national reconciliation.

In their social media chats, Algerians slammed their rulers, saying they seek to terrorize people. The authorities are threatening us. They want to silence us or else, writes an Internet user, while others denounce a psychological warfare waged against Algerian people.

According to some local press reports, the Algerian authorities used the scare tactics to compel Algerian population to swallow their controversial austerity program, avoid protests and uprising as social tension is mounting to dangerous levels. It seems that the social, economic and political crisis has reached its climax in this North African country, member of the OPEC cartel.

The explosive situation in Algeria triggers regional and international concern over the future and stability of the country which has dropped several projects due to lack of necessary funds.

The countrys dinar currency has also plummeted against the U.S. dollar and the Euro, hitting the bottom due to the 50 pc fall in the oil revenues.

Algerian people have already started feeling the impact of the depreciation of the dinar, while foreign products are increasingly becoming out of reach and rare commodities.

In its latest report, International Crisis Group had sounded the alarm bell over the growing popular resentment against Algerian authorities which have so far managed this burgeoning discontent with a stick-and-carrot policy.

Several western countries warn their citizens against travel to Algeria due to high risks of terrorist attacks and kidnappings in this country which has long been run by an opaque military and political group wherein decisions are reached behind the scenes through a system of consensus. That consensus is no longer working in this 21st century which requires transparent, democratic institutions and good governance.
Trump. Photo: Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images

Donald Trump has shown little compunction about drawing policy conclusions from acts of mass violence before all the facts are in. Just last month, the president announced that London had suffered a terrorist attack before British authorities had made any such determination  and called for sweeping travel restrictions to protect Americans from similar acts of violence, even as the identity (and thus, nationality) of the British bombing suspect had yet to be disclosed.

But on Monday morning, in remarks addressing last nights historically deadly mass shooting in Las Vegas, Trump declined to name any policy implications that the bloodshed might have. Instead, the president decried the mass murder as an act of pure evil; praised the courage of Las Vegass first responders; offered the shooting victims his condolences and spiritual guidance; and called for national unity.

To the families of the victims: We are praying for you and we are here for you, and we ask God to help see you through this very dark period, the president said. Scripture teaches us, The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

On Sunday night, a white 64-year-old named Stephen Paddock brought an automatic weapon to the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel, and opened fire on a crowd of 22,000 people attending an outdoor concert below, according to authorities. The gunfire killed 58 people and wounded over 500, making the incident the deadliest shooting in U.S. history (the second-deadliest came at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando last year).

ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack Monday morning, but local and federal authorities have dismissed that claim. Sheriff Joseph Lombardo, of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, told reporters Monday that at this point, the shooting did not appear to be an act of terrorism, but rather, the work of a lone wolf who resides here locally.

In times such as these, I know we are searching for some kind of meaning in the chaos, some kind of light in the darkness. The answers do not come easy, the president said in his remarks. When he attempted to posit one answer, a moment later, Trump opted to search for meaning in the metaphysical realm, rather than the political one, saying, We can take solace knowing that even the darkest space can be brightened by a single light, and even the most terrible despair can be illuminated by a single ray of hope.
The Ayatollah of Alabama. Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images

Roy Moore believes that Gods law supersedes mans law  and thus, that his personal interpretations of scripture can invalidate Supreme Court decisions. The Republican U.S. Senate candidate also believes that Muslims should not be allowed to serve in Congress; that there are Christian communities in Illinois that have been forcibly subjected to the rule of Sharia law; and that gay sex should be a crime.

And yet, somehow, a Democrat is trailing Moore by a only 8 points in the race for Alabamas open Senate seat!

On Tuesday, a poll from JMC Analytics found the former U.S. Attorney Doug Jones trailing Moore by that single-digit sum. Last week, a survey from Opinion Savvy showed Jones down by just 5 percentage points.

Now, an eight-point lead is nothing to sniff at  especially since Moore just survived a bruising primary fight, while Jones has yet to be subjected to a multimillion-dollar barrage of negative ads. But this is Alabama were talking about. Last year, the states conservative Republican senator Richard Shelby won reelection by 30 points. The last time Alabama sent a Democrat to the Senate, Shelby was still a Democrat (Shelby was the one they sent). Alabamians havent elected a non-Shelby, non-incumbent Democrat since 1978.

Democrats may never have a better chance of winning the Heart of Dixie than they will this December. And they have both a moral  and political  obligation to try and capitalize on that opportunity.

As of last week, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee was divided on whether to sink significant resources into Joness campaign. But it shouldnt be. Democrats have plenty of good reasons to compete in Alabama. To name just six:

1) Roy Moores election would be a blight on our republic, and an attack on the basic civic equality of LGBT and Muslim Americans. Trying to keep him out of Congress is a moral imperative.

2) The party isnt in a position to ignore long-shot pick-up opportunities. The 2018 Senate battle map is brutally bad for Team Blue. Democrats have a good shot at capturing Republican-held seats in Nevada and Arizona after that, their best bet looks like an open seat in Tennessee (in 2012, the winner of the Democratic senate primary in the Volunteer State campaigned on his opposition to FEMA prison camps and Arnold Schwarzeneggers secret plan to fulfill Hitlers superman scenario.)

3) By the standards of statewide, Democratic candidates in the Deep South, Doug Jones is a superstar. As a U.S. Attorney, Jones won the long-belated conviction of two Klan members responsible for killing four girls in the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing, and led the prosecution of domestic terrorist Eric Rudolph. He has experience working as a Senate staffer, conventionally center-left issue positions, and doesnt even think that FEMA runs prison camps.

4) As Voxs Matt Yglesias has argued, making this into an even quasi-competitive race will force national Republicans to come to Moores aid  and thus, make the partys craven support for putting a lawless, anti-Muslim theocrat into the Senate more visible to the national electorate.

5) Democrats arent operating with a fixed budget for campaigns over the next 13 months. Competitive off-year elections can motivate donations. Right now, there is a giant reservoir of progressive outrage over the state of the Trump presidency  and a desperate desire to do something to change our sorry political situation for the better. Ideally, something that doesnt require too much personal risk or strenuous effort. Something like typing ones credit-card number into a campaigns donation page.

Roy Moore might well be an even more perfect embodiment of everything liberals loathe about their country than is Donald Trump. It shouldnt be hard to get grassroots progressives to pony up for Joness campaign. You probably wouldnt even have to lie about his chances. A pitch like, If an anti-gay, anti-Muslim, anti-rule-of-law wing nut is going to get elected to the U.S. Senate, lets at least make sure it isnt a cakewalk should be strong enough to open a few wallets.

6) The Democratic Party is never going to gain ground in hostile territory if it isnt willing to invest in losing campaigns. Voting is a habit. In many red states, Democratic-leaning voters have fallen out of that habit, because their party doesnt even run real candidates. The Moore race is an opportunity to mobilize left-leaning constituencies in Alabama, and get them into the habit of identifying with the Democratic Party and turning out on Election Day. Whether or not mobilizing such voters will be enough to elect Doug Jones in 2017, doing so will improve the electoral prospects of another Democratic Senate candidate, at some more auspicious future date.

And that date may prove closer than youd think. The JMC Analytics poll actually suggests the atypical competitiveness of the special Alabama Senate race has less to do with Alabamians alienation from Moore than their surprising openness to the Democratic Party: While voters favored Moore by eight points over Jones, when asked whether theyd prefer to elect a generic Republican senator or a generic Democratic one, voters picked the GOP candidate by the mere four-point margin of 49 to 45 percent. (Apparently, if Republicans hadnt nominated a strong candidate like Roy Moore, theyd really be in trouble.)

The DSCC should strike while the iron is hot  or, at least, while the Establishment GOP is discredited with its voters, and the insurgent right is discredited with everyone else. Lets make Alabama Democratic again.
Donald Trump and Paul Manafort. Photo: Brooks Kraft/Getty Images

Before he took control of Donald Trumps presidential campaign, Paul Manafort ran a political influence operation in Ukraine. Manaforts goal in Ukraine was to elect a corrupt, pro-Russian party led by Viktor Yanukovych, and to prevent the countrys government from falling into the hands of pro-Western opposition. Perhaps the darkest read of the Russia scandal is that Trump was an American Yanukovych  a pro-Russian candidate, elected with Russian backing, at the direction of Manafort. That dark scenario is what the recent revelations about Manaforts role all point to.

Two weeks ago, the Washington Post reported that Robert Mueller and congressional investigators had obtained emails recording correspondence between Manafort and representatives of Oleg Deripaska, a Russian oligarch. Being a billionaire in Russia is not like being a billionaire in the United States. It requires maintaining an intimate relationship with Vladimir Putin. Their foreign policy dealings do not involve freelancing. When he is dealing with Manafort, Deripaska is doing Putins bidding.

In one email obtained by the Post, Manafort asked, How do we use to get whole? Manaforts spokesman tells the Post this means nothing, because its no secret Mr. Manafort was owed money by past clients. But the known contours of the relationship indicate just the opposite. It is not that Manafort was owed money. It appears Manafort owed the money.

The year before Manafort joined Trumps campaign, Deripaska filed a complaint in a Cayman Islands court that Manafort had borrowed $19 million from him and failed to account for it, and even hired a private investigator to track down Manafort, who had essentially gone into hiding. Julia Ioffe and Franklin Foer have obtained the emails that the Post reported on earlier. And while the messages are written carefully and frequently encoded  they refer to black caviar jars to mean payments, for instance  they indicate that Manafort was trying to impress Deripaska with his work as Trumps campaign manager.

Manaforts role as unpaid campaign manager for Donald Trump gave him a position of potentially enormous value to Russia. His massive debts to a Kremlin-aligned oligarch made him enormously vulnerable to being used as an agent of Russian influence. This is probably why the FBI was wiretapping Manafort, as CNN has reported, and why espionage experts have described Manafort as having the profile of an ideal spy. The emails are crucial because they go beyond circumstantial evidence to show Manafort communicating with Russian paymasters.

More specifically, he can be seen displaying his relationship with Trump to the person he apparently owed a massive sum of money. If he was using his position to get whole, as he wrote, it would mean Manafort was delivering favors to Russia through the Trump campaign in order to pay off his debt.

Having a presidents campaign manager secretly working on behalf of a hostile power would constitute a scandal of almost unimaginable scale (unimaginable in the pre-Trump world, anyway). But this might not be the totality of the scandal. Many reports have suggested that Robert Mueller is not only trying to target Manafort, but is hoping to find sufficient evidence of criminality to induce Manafort to flip on Donald Trump. One short passage in a CNN report from last month is worth pinning in your memory: While Manafort left his position as campaign manager in August 2016, he continued to speak with Trump through the campaign and even after Trump took office. Their conversations continued until lawyers for the President and Manafort insisted that they stop, CNN learned.

Whatever problems Manafort faces with Mueller, Trumps exposure to those problems may be fairly extensive.
Mourners attend a candlelight vigil at the corner of Sahara Avenue and Las Vegas Boulevard for the victims of Sunday nights mass shooting on October 2, 2017. Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images

The Latest

 Police found 23 firearms in shooter Stephen Paddocks hotel room, and more guns and explosives in his home.

 Sources say two of the firearms were modified with bump stocks to function like automatic weapons.

 Vigils were held around the city on Monday evening. The death toll stands at 59, and at least 527 people were injured.

The Shooting

On Sunday night, gunman Stephen Paddock opened fire during the final act of the Route 91 Harvest music festival, which was held at the Las Vegas Village and Festival Grounds. Shortly after 10 p.m., as country star Jason Aldean performed, Paddock opened fire on the crowd of 22,000 from his room on the 32nd floor of the adjacent Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino.

At first, some people thought they were hearing fireworks, but with the second spray of gunfire concertgoers began running for their lives.

People were getting shot at while we were running, and people were on the ground bleeding, crying and screaming. We just had to keep going, witness Dinora Merino, 28, told the Washington Post. There are tents out there and theres no place to hide. Its just an open field.

#BREAKING: Unconfirmed footage: Shots heard during a concert near Mandalay Bay Casino, Las Vages pic.twitter.com/zEZxho2riU  Amichai Stein (@AmichaiStein1) October 2, 2017

As of Monday night, the death toll was 59, with 527 people reported injured. That makes the incident the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history, after the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando last year.

The Gunman

In the chaotic early hours after the attack there were reports of multiple shooters on the Strip, and a number of hotels and casinos were put on lockdown. By Monday morning, police had identified Stephen Paddock, 64, as the lone shooter.

Smoke from Paddocks weapons firing set off the smoke alarm in his room, allowing the authorities to narrow down his location within 20 minutes. As hotel security searched the area, Paddock fired through the door of his suite and hit a security guard in the leg. Eventually SWAT officers used explosives to blast their way through the room. They returned fire, but its believe that Paddock died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Police found 23 firearms, including handguns and AR-15-style assault rifles, in Paddocks room. Law-enforcement sources said two rifles were set up on tripods in front of windows that had apparently been broken with a hammerlike object. Sheriff Joseph Lombardo of the Las Vegas police department said that Paddock had brought at least ten suitcases into his room during his four-day stay.

Law-enforcement sources told the AP that Paddock had attached bump stocks to two semiautomatic weapons to make them function like automatic weapons.

Another 19 firearms were found in Paddocks Mesquite, Nevada, home on Monday, along with explosives and several rounds of ammunition. According to CNN, several pounds of ammonium nitrate, which is used to make explosives, were found in Paddocks car.

A family photo of Eric Paddock, left, and his brother, Stephen Paddock. Photo: John Raoux/AP

Paddock had no criminal record aside from a minor infraction, and his strange personal history offered no indication of what his motive might be. His father was a notorious bank robber who spent several years on the FBIs Most Wanted list after breaking out of prison. Paddock worked as an accountant for many years, and made millions off real estate and business deals, according to his brother Eric.

In retirement, Paddocks lifestyle appeared to be centered around gambling. Neighbors said he would leave his various homes abandoned for months while he stayed at hotels for weeks at a time, sometimes gambling more than $10,000 a day. Eric suggested his brother picked up the habit for fun in retirement, but treated it like a job. Hes known. Hes a top player. Hes the small end of the big fish, he said.

Eric said his brother owned a few guns, but didnt appear to be an avid gun guy at all, nor did he know of any history of mental illness. No religious affiliation. No political affiliation, he added. He just hung out.

"No religious affiliation. No political affiliation. He just hung out," brother says of Las Vegas gunman https://t.co/czfMSEMkpu pic.twitter.com/NUxv0xYaxX  CBS News (@CBSNews) October 2, 2017

ISIS has claimed responsibility for the attack, but the FBI says there is no evidence that Paddock had any ties to international terrorist organizations.

Heres a full rundown of everything we know about Paddock so far.

The Victims

Clark County fire chief Greg Cassell said first responders saw a wide range of injuries, from gunshots, to shrapnel wounds, to people who were injured in the mad scramble to flee the concert. Hospitals were quickly overwhelmed, and trauma surgeon Jay Coates described the scene at Las Vegas University Medical Center as something out of a war zone, with victims lining the hallways.

We started divvying them up, taking them to the operating room and doing whats called damage control surgery, where youre not definitively repairing everything, Coates told USA Today. You are just stopping the dying.

On Monday, friends and relatives of the deceased began offering public remembrances of their loved ones. Adrian Murfitt, a 35-year-old commercial fisherman from Alaska, attended the country-music festival with two childhood friends. He had such a great time when he went before, and he wanted to treat himself for a successful fishing season, said his sister, Shannon Gothard. He was shot in the neck and died in his friends arms.

Meet Alaska native, 35 year old Adrian Murfitt of Anchorage. He loved fishing & was a mechanic. Friends & family describe him as a giant teddy bear. He was murdered last night. pic.twitter.com/ZHpRvhvVJa  Simar (@sahluwal) October 2, 2017

Sonny Melton, a 29-year-old registered nurse from Tennessee, died shielding his wife, Heather Gulish Melton. I felt him get shot in the back, she told Tennessees WCYB. I want everyone to know what a kindhearted, loving man he was, but at this point, I can barely breathe.

Sonny Melton with his wife, Heather. He was killed while covering his wife during the Las Vegas shooting. pic.twitter.com/Mv7xydF9at  B DIK (@RobTVLA) October 3, 2017

Lisa Romero-Muniz, a high-school secretary and mother of three from New Mexico, was celebrating her wedding anniversary. Her husband had planned the Las Vegas trip to make up for forgetting their anniversary last year, and she was beyond excited, said Rosie Fernandez, her friend and supervisor at the high school.

We were known as the two loudmouths of the office, Fernandez said. She knew 90 percent of the kids at this school. She would talk to them like she was talking to her own children. Id hear her saying, I know you can do better than this.

Lisa Romero-Muniz, who worked at Miyamura High School, was among the slain victims. Gallup-McKinley

High School.

Several other NM injured. pic.twitter.com/RLX66W7CRD  Mary McLane (@marymac169) October 3, 2017

Sandy Casey, 35, was a special-education teacher in Southern California who attended the concert with her fiance and a friend. She was a person who brings light wherever she is, said Mike Matthews, her districts superintendant. She has a classroom full of light and hope and caring.

Manhattan Beach Special Ed teacher Sandy Casey was shot shortly after this photo was taken in #LasVegas She died in her fiance's arms. pic.twitter.com/PHoPnDSG0I  Angie Crouch (@AngieNBCLA) October 3, 2017

On and off-duty police officers were among the victims. Charleston Hartfield, 34, was a Las Vegas cop who also served in the military. He coached youth football, and recently wrote a book, Memoirs Of A Public Servant.

Charleston Hartfield, 34, was an army vet and "Coach Chucky" to the kids he coached in football. https://t.co/IE5T4b3TAQ via @thedailybeast pic.twitter.com/kj9KlQ52BA  Katie Zavadski (@katiezavadski) October 3, 2017

The Response

Las Vegas pulled together to respond to the tragedy on Monday, with hundreds waiting in line for hours to donate blood. A GoFundMe page set up to support the victims had raised nearly $3 million by Tuesday morning.

Currently in line to give blood in Las Vegas...this is an amazing pic.twitter.com/ibFHczBZDf  Charles Nelson (@cnelsonmba) October 2, 2017

Several vigils were held around the city on Monday evening, including a multi-faith service at Guardian Angel Cathedral on the Strip, and a gathering on the steps of City Hall. Our city has a broken heart, Mayor Carolyn Goodman said. Everyone in his community has been touched by the loss of these lives and the horror at Mandalay Bay by a sick, horrible human being.

Evil can not drive out evil. Only love can do that. Las Vegas City Hall vigil pic.twitter.com/BsfEXEhHUI  Janna Karel (@jannainprogress) October 3, 2017

Right now dozens gathered for candle light vigil on Sunset & Las Vegas Blvd. In memory of Mass shooting victims. #Pray4Vegas pic.twitter.com/430PyDWJov  Gabby Hart (@GabbyNews3LV) October 3, 2017

There was a vigil at Las Vegas City Hall this evening. It's mostly over, but this group is still around singing. pic.twitter.com/ElWuRrkCum  Jim Dalrymple II (@Dalrymple) October 3, 2017

President Trump initially tweeted condolences to the victims loved ones, then called the mass shooting an act of pure evil in a televised address on Monday. Hes scheduled to visit Las Vegas on Wednesday.

Pres. Trump: "Our unity cannot be shattered by evil, our bonds cannot be broken by violence...it is our love that defines us today." pic.twitter.com/99ILImub4k  CBS News (@CBSNews) October 2, 2017

On Tuesday, before heading to Puerto Rico, Trump told reporters, We will be talking about gun laws as time goes by.

Well be talking about gun laws as time goes by," says Pres Trump in exchange with reporters as he departed WH for Puerto Rico visit. pic.twitter.com/pb1OozQvQS  Mark Knoller (@markknoller) October 3, 2017

When asked if the tragedy could have been prevented, Trump said, He was a sick man, a demented man, a lot of problems, and were looking into him very, very seriously, but were dealing with a very, very sick individual. He also praised the response of law enforcement as a miracle.

Pres. Trump praises Vegas police response to mass shooting: "What happened in Las Vegas is, in many ways, a miracle" https://t.co/eyUWoeS3X3 pic.twitter.com/YwgMiXqTsH  ABC News (@ABC) October 3, 2017

House Republicans addressed the mass shooting on Tuesday morning. Majority Whip Steve Scalise, who just returned to Congress after suffering grave injuries in a mass shooing at the baseball field in Alexandria, Virginia, this summer, stood near the podium as Paul Ryan spoke. This is not a good day because we had an awful day two days ago but we will have better days in the future because our country is resilient and we will overcome this, Ryan said.

"We will have better days in the future because our country is resilient and we will overcome this," Ryan says https://t.co/T5uqoA85rO pic.twitter.com/Al2RiWu9Qa  CBS News (@CBSNews) October 3, 2017

Ryan addressed the issue of mental health, citing landmark mental-health reform that the House passed a year ago. That bill provides for greater oversight of federal mental-health programs and offers grants for suicide prevention and early intervention, though many advocates see it as just the first step toward mental-health reform. I think its important that as we see the dust settle and we see what was behind some of these tragedies, that mental-health reform is a critical ingredient to making sure that we can try and prevent some of these things from happening in the past, Ryan said on Tuesday. So thats just one example of the things that Congress has done to make sure we can try to get ahead of these problems.

Mental health reform is a critical ingredient to making sure we can try and prevent these things from happening," Speaker Ryan says pic.twitter.com/Fm5srPF5Xm  CBS News (@CBSNews) October 3, 2017

Several Democratic lawmakers renewed their calls for stricter gun-control measures, and Connecticut senator Chris Murphy said he plans to introduce legislation to enhance background checks for gun purchases. But with Republicans in control of Congress and the White House its extremely unlikely that any action will be taken on that front. (In fact, the House recently advanced a bill that would make it easier to buy firearm silencers.)

On Monday, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders deflected questions about gun control, saying, There will certainly be a time for that policy discussion to take place, but thats not the place that were in at this moment.

But there were still emotional pleas for action, most notably from Las Vegas native Jimmy Kimmel. The late-night host singled out lawmakers who said they were praying for Las Vegas after blocking laws to prevent mentally ill people from obtaining firearms post-Orlando. They should be praying. They should be praying for God to forgive them for letting the gun lobby run this country, he said.
The aftermath of a shooting in Las Vegas. Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Last nights shooting in Las Vegas, the deadliest mass shooting in modern American history, clearly stands out for its toll, venue, and method.

But gun violence on a smaller scale is a constant reality for many of the citys residents. And the problem has been getting worse in recent years.

The Last Vegas Review-Journal reported that Las Vegas homicide detectives investigated 168 murders in 2016, nudging out 1996 as the deadliest year on record. (The police department did not provide the paper with records before 1990.) Though the citys population has swelled in recent years, population growth doesnt account for the considerable spike in the murder rate between the beginning of this decade, when murders hit a low of 76 in 2012, to last year. Most of the killings take place far from the famous Vegas strip that most tourists are familiar with, where Sunday nights massacre unfolded. As of September of last year, 80 percent of the murders involved guns.

Las Vegas was one of a few major American cities whose homicide rates contributed to an overall rise in the violent crime rate over the last two years.

So far, 2017 is following much the same pattern.

What accounts for the proliferation of violence in Las Vegas and other cities is not clear, and the question has been hotly debated. But Clark County sheriff Joseph Lombardo pinned at least some of the blame on gangs that have migrated from California. Domestic violence and young men who are quick to resort to violence appear to be common threads in the killings.

A New York Times report from last year painted a picture of the daily toll the violence takes on the citys residents and police officers, who had taken pride in the clearance rate of homicide investigations, but now find themselves overstretched.

You find out there was a minor altercation and someone pulled out a gun, Lieutenant Daniel McGrath, head of the police departments homicide unit, told the paper. They are so quick to resort to violence that it goes from profanity to shooting.

Most of the killings, as with the majority of homicides in America, are committed with run-of-the-mill handguns, not the semi-automatic  or in Paddocks cause, perhaps fully automatic  weapons that are often the weapon of choice in mass shootings.

Las Vegass murder rate is likely to ebb and flow, but as long as guns are cheap and easily available, which they are in Nevada, it is likely to remain stubbornly high, and everyday acts of violence will continue to fade into the background.
Joe Donnelly. Photo: Paul Morigi/Getty Images

The Republican Party may need Democratic help to overcome their legislative impotence, and realize their top legislative priority  and Democrats just might give it to them.

Last week, the GOP leadership unveiled the partys much-belated framework for tax reform. Like every other tax bill drafted by Republicans in recent months (or years, or decades), President Trumps official plan is a blueprint for radically increasing the deficit and exacerbating economic inequality. In 2018, the Trump tax cuts would deliver 53 percent of their benefits to the top one percent of earners; by 2027, the one percents share of Uncle Sams lost revenue would climb to 80 percent, according to the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center.

Enthusiasm for regressive fiscal policy is, of course, the tie that binds congressional Republicans. But unlike the partys previous tax plans, Trumps final framework includes enough details to widen internal divisions: To partially offset the cost of delivering mammoth returns to the GOPs top investors, Trumps plan would eliminate the state and local tax deduction (SALT)  a loophole much beloved by upper-middle-class households in states with high income-tax rates (which, not coincidentally, are predominately blue ones). That measure  combined with the plans abolition of the personal and dependent exemptions  would leave many number of suburban families paying a higher tax bill, even as plutocrats pocket a break of over $700,000 next year, alone.

This has, predictably, provoked a sharp backlash among blue-state Republicans in the House. The response has been so fierce, the administration is already signaling openness to leaving SALT in place. But without SALTs abolition, Trumps plan would add $3.6 trillion to the deficit over the next decade, instead of $2.4 trillion  and the partys few sincere deficit hawks have already mandated that the plan increase the debt by no more than $1.5 trillion. Meanwhile, the Freedom Caucus is suggesting that it wont accept tax cuts any smaller than the ones currently on the table.

All of which is to say: It is going to be hard for Mitch McConnell to hammer out a final tax bill on which libertarian die-hards like Rand Paul, politically invulnerable deficit scolds like Bob Corker, and purple state moderates like Susan Collins can all agree. And after a trio of Republican defections killed the partys every attempt to repeal Obamacare, the White House is eager to increase McConnells margin for error.

Thus, in recent weeks, Trump has sought to pressure red-state Democrats to get behind his middle class tax cut. The president has given especially keen attention to winning over Joe Donnelly of Indiana, Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota, and Joe Manchin of West Virginia, and has held rallies for his agenda in each of those states.

Trump is focused on this trio for the same reason that liberal activists are: Donnelly, Manchin, and Heitkamp are the only Senate Democrats who refused to sign a pledge to oppose any tax plan that includes cuts for the top one percent back in August. All three are also up for reelection next year, in states Trump won by landslide margins in 2016.

One might assume then, that the choice before these senators is, ultimately: Should I put my own political self-interest above my partisan loyalty (and, perhaps, policy judgment)? Certainly, a lot of the coverage of the White Houses outreach to red-state Democrats has proceeded from that assumption.

And yet, its far from clear that Manchin, Donnelly, and Heitkamp would actually improve their reelection prospects by defecting from their partys line.

To be sure, Donald Trump remains a popular figure in West Virginia, North Dakota, and, to a slightly lesser extent, Indiana. And eccentric Trumpist megadonors  along with corporate Americas various political arms  are certain to plow obscene sums of money into realizing Trumps proposed bonanza. Further, while the actual substantive content of the presidents proposal is deeply unpopular, the idea of an economy-expanding, middle tax cut  designed by business genius Donald Trump  has real appeal in red America.

So, Manchin & Co. have some incentive to court Trumps praise  and corporate donors cash by reaching across the aisle on taxes. And, thus far, all three have declined to sharply criticize the Republican plan.

But these senators would do well to carefully weigh the potential, electoral benefits of cutting a deal with Trump against the accompanying costs.

Republican strategists fear nothing so much as their bases apathy. In interview after interview, GOP insiders have stressed that congressional Republicans are better off passing bad, unpopular legislation than disappointing the conservative base by passing no major agenda items, at all. During the final Obamacare repeal push, multiple GOP senators all but admitted that this crass political calculation was their sole rationale for supporting a hastily written bill that they did not understand.

Midterms are decided in no small part by enthusiasm gaps. If red-state Democrats save the Republican Party from total legislative humiliation, they will be narrowing an enthusiasm chasm that all GOP challengers, including theirs, would otherwise struggle to cross.

And a failed tax-reform bill could also gift at least some vulnerable red-state Democrats with politically weak, ideologically extreme Republican rivals: The worse the GOP leadership performs, the more likely Steve Bannonbacked wing nuts are to win GOP primaries. In 2012, Joe Donnelly snuck into the Senate by defeating a tea party Republican who had knocked off longtime incumbent Richard Lugar. A similar development may help keep in the upper chamber next year. As Morning Consult reported in August:

[A]ttacks on Donnelly raise a familiar danger for Republicans, who want to avoid a repeat of 2012, when [Republican Senate nominee] Mourdock pushed the party far to the right before crippling his own candidacy during the general election with comments on abortion.

The rhetoric between two leading GOP candidates, Reps. Luke Messer and Todd Rokita, has already grown toxic, with each trying to paint the other as a Washington insider; some Republicans fear an ideological purity test between contenders could lead to a backlash beyond the May 18 primary next year.

Theres this lane for a more pragmatic conservative or a moderate to fill, said the former GOP operative. If [Messer and Rokita] are going far to the right and beating each other up, thats definitely what Donnelly wants.

Keeping the Democratic faith would also, of course, endear Manchin, Heitkamp, and Donnelly to Team Blues base  while betraying the party on supply-side tax cuts would subject them to the dismay of the Democratic leadership, and the ire of progressive pressure groups like Indivisible and MoveOn.

And it really shouldnt be all that difficult for red-state Democrats to sell the progressive position on tax cuts for the rich, given that it is also the consensus position among conservative Republicans on that subject. Earlier this year, Trump tried to bully Manchin into voting for a bill that was popular with his constituents in the abstract (West Virginians dont like Obamacare), but deeply unpopular with them in reality (West Virginians dont want to lose the affordable health insurance that they secured through Obamacare). Manchin opposed it. And, by the end of August, one poll found that the Democratic senator was more popular in West Virginia than Trump himself. Donnelly and Heitkamp similarly saw no discernible backlash to torpedoing the presidents first legislative priority.

If Republicans have the votes to pass their bill, it might be in a red-state Democrats narrow political interest to jump on the bandwagon. (Although, even then, if tax reform still includes provisions that hurt upper-middle-class homeowners when it comes up for a vote, its may be unwise for Democrats to claim ownership of it).

But if the choice is between letting tax reform join Obamacare repeal in purgatory  and getting to Susan Collinss right for the sake of bailing out Trumps presidency  there is no good political reason for a Democratic senator to do the latter. If Manchin, Heitkamp, or Donnelly vote for the Trump tax cuts in such a circumstance, they wont be doing it for political expediency  but for the love of upward redistribution itself.
The argument over amnesty for Dreamers is an old one, as this 2013 image shows. Photo: Allison Shelley/Getty Images

A high-ranking official at the Department of Homeland Security told a Senate committee today that the administration supports a path to citizenship for Dreamers (young people brought into the country illegally as children who have met conditions indicating good behavior). This would come as part of the new immigration deal thats been under discussion for the last several weeks after Trump suspended the DACA executive order protecting Dreamers. Heres the report from Reuters:

Under a rational bill these individuals would be able to become lawful permanent residents with a pathway to citizenship, Michael Dougherty, assistant DHS secretary for border, immigration and trade policy, said at a Senate hearing, in response to questioning on the Trump administrations position on whether Dreamers, as they are often called, should be allowed to stay in the United States.

If this change sticks, it would represent a massive change in stance by President Trumps administration. As every good Trumpite populist conservative knows, path to citizenship is a liberal code word for AMNESTY! Even Little Marco Rubio recognized that way back in 2010:

And as the Daily Caller painstakingly documented last month, Trump has attacked immigration amnesty on 69 separate occasions.

After initial accusations of flip-flopping, Trump himself went out of his way a few weeks ago to rule out citizenship for Dreamers after he supposedly reached a DACA-for-border-security deal with congressional Democrats:

Trump said a path to citizenship would not be part of an agreement to codify the DACA program, further muddling the picture about a potential bipartisan deal struck between Democratic leaders and the White House on Wednesday night.

Were not looking at citizenship. Were not looking at amnesty, Trump told reporters before traveling to Florida to survey hurricane damage, reports MSNBC. Were looking at allowing people to stay here.

So either the administration has flip-flopped or Michael Dougherty is about to get himself fired.

I suppose Trumps people could walk crabwise toward some sort of lawyerly distinction that Dougherty meant Dreamers could leave the country and get in line for legal immigration  a path to citizenship for sure  like anyone else. But its pretty clear thats not what he was saying. And Democratic senator Dick Durbin was quick to point out the apparent shift:

Encouraged to see the Trump Administration endorse a path to citizenship for Dreamers at todays DACA hearing. We need the #DreamActNow.  Senator Dick Durbin (@SenatorDurbin) October 3, 2017

This clarification, or whatever you want to call it, does not mean a deal is definitely in the works. There remain differences of opinion about eligibility for renewed DACA protections (e.g., is it available just to people who were already signed up for DACA, or for those who are or who will become eligible in the future?) and about the type and extent of border-security measures Democrats are willing to concede. Border wall might be an even slipperier term than path to citizenship.

But youd expect some sirens to go off in Breitbart-land over the path to citizenship language. They probably have reason to believe its not really official administration policy until its announced by presidential tweet.
A family photo of Eric Paddock, left, and his brother, Stephen Paddock. Photo: John Raoux/AP

Three days after the worst shooting in U.S. history, theres still no indication of what the gunmans motive might have been  and what has emerged about the life of Stephen Paddock creates an increasingly bizarre picture. The son of a notorious bank robber, he made a small fortune in real estate and business deals. As a retiree, the 64-year-old lived an itinerant lifestyle, seemingly centered around high-stakes gambling. He was not known to have strong political beliefs, an interest in firearms, a history of violence, mental-health issues, or anything else that might explain why he would commit such a horrific act. Heres what we do know about the man who viciously took the lives of 58 people, and injured more than 520.

The Shooting

Paddock checked into room 135 on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas on Thursday, September 28. A hotel worker told the Times that he had a do not disturb sign on the door for three days, so no housekeepers entered the room.

Then, on Sunday night, fire from what sounded like an automatic weapon rained down on the crowd at the Route 91 Harvest music festival. Paddock had several cameras placed around the hotel room, including one in the peephole and two in the hallway, apparently to keep a lookout for police. He had also barricaded the doors to his room and the stairwell.

Jesus Campos, an unarmed security guard who arrived on the floor via elevator, discovered the shooters position and drew his attention while radioing police for help. Paddock fired well over 200 rounds through the door, hitting Campos in the leg. Amazingly, Campos was not seriously injured, and said of his heroic effort, I was just doing my job.

A SWAT team used explosives to enter the room, and found Paddock dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He did not leave a note, and officials said it appeared as if he had planned to survive the attack and escape. They recovered 23 guns from his hotel suite, including handguns and high-powered rifles capable of piercing police armor.

Images leaked to the media on Tuesday offer a glimpse of his arsenal.

EXCLUSIVE: these are 2 of 23 guns found in #LasVegas shooters hotel room at #MandalayBay - hammer, bipod, optics, ammo. 59 lives. Chilling. pic.twitter.com/gManlUIeZI  Jacqui Heinrich (@JacquiHeinrich) October 3, 2017

The New York Times notes that at least three AR-15-style rifles are visible in the photos, along with at least a dozen high-capacity magazines. Each can hold up to 100 rounds, compared to the standard U.S. infantry soldiers magazine of 30 rounds.

Two of the semiautomatic rifles are equipped with medium-magnification scopes and two-legged supports, which would have helped Paddock target specific people. It appears he used a hammer to smash hotel windows so he could fire on the crowd of 22,000 below.

Officials said 12 of the rifles were outfitted with a bump stock, which allows a semiautomatic rifle to fire rounds faster, mimicking an automatic weapon.

It was preplanned, extensively, and Im pretty sure that he evaluated everything that he did in his actions, which is troublesome, said Clark County sheriff Joe Lombardo.

Officials said Thursday they are investigating the possibility that Paddock planned additional attacks.

Drapes blow through two broken windows on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino on October 2, 2017. Photo: Denise Truscello/Getty Images

Paddocks Preparations

Paddock may have originally been targeting different locations, including in cities outside of Las Vegas. An NBC News report says Paddock researched hotel rooms near Fenway Park in Boston, the Red Soxs home field. He also allegedly booked two rooms at the Blackstone Hotel in Chicago in early August, across the street from Grant Park, the site of Lollapalooza. Paddock reserved two rooms  both of which overlooked the park  for the same weekend as the music festival. Paddock never checked in, the hotel said.

Paddock may have also scouted another Las Vegas music festival that took place the previous weekend. Officials said he rented a room in downtown Las Vegas through Airbnb at the Ogden during the annual Life Is Beautiful Festival, which was headlined by Lorde and Chance the Rapper this year.

His stay at Mandalay Bay was comped, and he requested a room overlooking the festival. On the night before the shooting, Paddock made two noise complaints about this downstairs neighbor, who was playing country music. That guest, Albert Garzon, said he turned down his music after security guards knocked on his door at 1:30 a.m. on Sunday. About a half hour later, another set of guards showed up, and he turned the music off.

The guards told Garzon that the person above him had complained, but he didnt realize it was the shooter until early on Monday morning. I looked up and I could see his curtain flapping in the wind, he said.

On Monday, law enforcement descended on Paddocks home in Mesquite, Nevada, which is about 80 miles from Las Vegas. Police found another 19 firearms, explosives, and several rounds of ammunition in the home.

Police search Paddocks home in Mesquite, Nevada, on October 2, 2017. Photo: Gabe Ginsberg/Getty Images

SWAT teams also raided another home Paddock owns in Reno, Nevada. Investigators found several pounds of ammonium nitrate, an ingredient used in explosives, in Paddocks car.

Paddock had no criminal background, aside from a minor citation.

All of the checks that we have been able to do other than a routine traffic violation here in Nevada and nationwide working with our local FBI partners have been able to find no derogatory history on that individual, Las Vegas undersheriff Kevin McMahill said. Its one of those really sad, tragic things that a man thats 64 years old that really had no other reason that we can find at least in his history here to go out and wound that many people.

Altogether, police have recovered 47 firearms from Paddocks hotel room and his homes in Mesquite and Reno. Authorities said he bought 33 of the weapons since October 2016. They were purchased at gun shops in Nevada, Arizona, Utah, and Texas, all legally. There were no red flags at all, said Chris Michel, a Utah gun-shop owner who sold Paddock a single shotgun.

A gun shop where Paddock purchased weapons in Mesquite, Nevada. Photo: Gabe Ginsberg/Getty Images

Paddocks Girlfriend, Marilou Danley

In the initial chaotic hours after the shooting, police named Paddocks girlfriend, 62-year-old Marilou Danley, as a person of interest. Later they said she was in the Philippines for the past two weeks, and they do not believe she was involved in the attack.

Danley released a statement upon her return to the U.S. on Wednesday night, saying that a little over two weeks ago, Stephen told me he found a cheap ticket for me to the Philippines and that he wanted me to take a trip home to see my family. He then sent her money  reportedly $100,000 wired to an account in the Philippines.

I was grateful, but honestly, I was worried that first, the unexpected trip home, and then the money, was a way of breaking up with me, she said. It never occurred to me in any way whatsoever that he was planning violence against anyone.

Undated photo of Marilou Danley released by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.

She added that shes cooperating with the authorities, and said, Anything I can do to help ease suffering and help in any way, I will do.

Danleys brother, Reynaldo Bustos, told ABC News that his sister said she has a clear conscience about the Las Vegas shooting. I called her up immediately, and she said, Relax, we shouldnt worry about it, Ill fix it. Do not panic. I have a clean conscience.

Paddock was married and divorced twice, but had no children. His brother Eric said he met Danley several years ago when she was working as a high-limit hostess at Renos Atlantis Casino. Danley was married at the time, and left her husband to move in with Paddock in 2013, according to ABC News. She formally divorced her ex, Geary Danley, in 2015. They had been married since 1990.

Danley previously lived in Australia, where she is a citizen. She has one daughter, from a previous relationship, who lives in Los Angeles and is married to the son of William Linton, a prominent CEO of Promega, a biochemistry company.

Eric Paddock said he doubted that Danley knew anything about his brothers plans to attack the music festival. He manipulated her to be as far away from here and safe when he committed this, he said. The people he loved he took care of, and as he was descending into hell he took care of her.

They were adorable  big man, tiny woman. He loved her. He doted on her, Eric said of their relationship. He told Reuters that Danley was sympathetic to his brothers allergy-driven quirks, like wearing gloves to prevent rashes from contact with the residue from cleaning chemicals. He was also unable to renew his pilots license because he was allergic to pills needed to reduce his blood pressure.

The reason Marilou looks so plain in that picture they keep posting of her is because for him she would not wear perfumes or hair sprays or anything with scents in it because it affected him, Eric said.

But employees at the Starbucks inside Renos Virgin River Casino had a different view of their relationship. Esperanza Mendoza, the stores supervisor, told the L.A. Times that employees winced whenever they came into the store because Paddock would frequently berate Danley.

He would glare down at her and say  with a mean attitude  You dont need my casino card for this. Im paying for your drink, just like Im paying for you. Then she would softly say, okay and step back behind him. He was so rude to her in front of us.

Paddocks Family

While Paddock had apparently avoided run-ins with the law before Sundays tragedy, his father had a wild criminal record. Patrick Benjamin Paddock  a.k.a. Big Daddy and Chrome Dome  was a notorious bank robber who spent eight years on the FBIs 10 Most Wanted list. In 1960, he was charged with stealing $25,000 from three bank branches in Phoenix, Arizona.

Stephen Paddock's dad robbed this bank, now a senior center in Phx. Vault is still there. He was on FBI's 10 most wanted in 1960 #12news pic.twitter.com/MZywLsGJWQ  William Pitts (@william_pitts) October 2, 2017

When FBI agents found him in Las Vegas in the summer of 1960, he tried to run one of them over with his car, but surrendered when an agent fired through his windshield. He was convicted a year later and sentenced to 20 years in prison.

At the time of his arrest, the elder Paddock was living in Tucson with his wife and four children. Stephen was 7 at the time. His brother Eric said of their father, We didnt grow up under his influence. The four boys were told that their father was dead, and their mother raised them on her own, moving them from Iowa to Tucson to Southern California.

In reality, Paddocks father wasnt just alive  he was living as a free man. He managed to escape from La Tuna federal prison in Texas in 1968. His FBI Most Wanted poster warned that he was diagnosed as psychopathic, reportedly has suicidal tendencies, and should be considered armed and very dangerous.

Suspect Stephen Paddocks father Patrick Benjamin Paddock was on FBIs 10 most wanted for bank robberies. #LasVegas (pic from FBI) pic.twitter.com/fzjceHLfdh  Edward Lawrence (@EdwardLawrence) October 2, 2017

Federal authorities caught up to Paddock a decade later, finding him living in Oregon and operating a bingo parlor and running various cons under the name Bruce Ericksen. After serving just one more year in prison, Paddock was released on parole. He began running other scams, which according to Slate included claiming to be the pastor of a nondenominational church. In 1987, he was hit with civil racketeering charges in relation to his bingo parlor, and had to pay a $100,000 fine. Its believed that he spent his remaining years in Texas, and died in 1998.

Apparently, Patrick Paddock had little contact with his sons after his initial arrest. Steve was like a dad surrogate. He took me camping. I liked my brother. He was a good guy, Eric said.

However, it does not seem that Eric and Stephen were recently very close, and as adults, Stephen stopped talking with their other two brothers.

We didnt talk much. We talked when there was something to talk about, Eric said. Steve had no help. Steve did not take help. He was a stand-alone guy.

Paddocks Career

Stephen Paddock attended Cal State Northridge, and his family said he was an accountant. According to federal records, he worked several government jobs from 1976 to 1985: as a postal worker, an IRS agent, and an auditor for the Defense Contract Audit Agency. He was employed at a predecessor to the defense contractor Lockheed Martin for three years in the late 80s. He also owned rental properties across the country, including spots in Los Angeles and a suburb of Dallas, Texas.

Eric Paddock said he and his brother shared a real-estate business for decades, and when they sold it Stephen made about $2 million. Hes a multimillionaire, Eric said. He helped me become affluent, he made me wealthy.

According to CNN, records show Paddock purchased at least nine other houses, condos, and apartment buildings over the past few decades:

While he took an $11,000 hit on the Florida house when he sold it, the records show Paddock bought and sold another property in Reno, two homes and an apartment complex in Mesquite, Texas, and at least four other properties in California. He profited handsomely from the sale of an apartment building he owned with a former wife and other family members. The building, purchased in 1992, sold for $3.2 million in 2004.

In 2014, he paid $369,022 in cash for the home he shared with Danley in Mesquite, Nevada. He erected a mesh privacy screen around the property, and was forced to take it down after his neighbors signed a petition. He was much less private at a home he owned in Melbourne, Florida, giving a neighbor a key and telling him he could borrow tools if he kept an eye on the house during the long stretches when he was out of town.

Paddocks Gambling

Paddocks brother Eric said he took up gambling for fun in his retirement. Its like a job for him. Its a job where you make money, Eric said. He was at the hotel for four months one time. It was like a second home.

He was a math guy, Eric added. He could tell you off the top of his head what the odds were down to a tenth of a percent on whatever machine he was playing. He studied it like it was a Ph.D. thing. It was not silly gambling. It was work.

Eric said he enjoyed perks from the casinos, like a free stay on the top floor of the Atlantic, and once won a car. Hes known. Hes a top player. Hes the small end of the big fish.

Facebook photo of Paddock. Photo: Facebook

Others confirm that Paddock was a frequent visitor to casinos in Reno and along the Las Vegas strip. According to the Post he was known to sit for hours playing slot machines and video poker. He was spotted playing video poker at Mandalay Bay three days before the massacre.

An employee at the Atlantis Casino Resort Spa in Reno  the same place where Paddock met Danley  told the Times that there was not a lot of smiles and friendliness in his demeanor. There was not a lot of body movement except for his hands.

He gambled tens of thousands of dollars and indulged in the perks casinos offer top players  though he was not widely known among the most elite gamblers. A person familiar with his gambling history told the Post he was considered a midrange gambler.

This is a man who clearly enjoyed gambling. He is someone who won and lost money through the years. He paid all of his bills and did so on time  never having any sort of incident, the person said. He has the profile of a responsible gambler.

Neighbors said the couple would leave their homes vacant for months at a time while they stayed at various casinos. Per the Post:

Donald Judy, who was his next-door neighbor in Florida until two years ago, said the inside of Paddocks home looked like a college freshman lived there. There was no art on the walls and no car in the driveway. Just a dining chair, a bed and two recliners. Paddock was constantly on the move, carrying a suitcase and driving a rental car whenever he stayed at the community near Cocoa Beach.

Judy said he never flashed his wealth, often wearing khaki cotton pants, with a polo or other collared shirt and never driving anything nicer than a standard rental car.

It looked like hed be ready to move at a moments notice, Judy said.

Judy said the only other remarkable thing was that they stayed up late and slept until noon. They always seemed to stay on Vegas time, she said.

Paddock reportedly gambled more than $10,000 a day several times in recent weeks, and sometimes more than $30,000. Its not clear whether he made or lost money on those bets.

Court records show Paddock sued the Cosmopolitan Hotel and Resorts in Las Vegas in 2012, claiming that he had suffered significant injuries when he slipped and fell in the hotel in 2011. According to NBC News, Paddock originally sued for $100,000, intended to cover an alleged $32,000 in medical bills for a hamstring tear and sprained/strained wrist, and for pain and suffering. The arbitrator decided against Paddock, in favor of the casino, in 2014.

An attorney for the hotel, Marty Kravitz, described Paddock as unkempt and slovenly and careless. He said nothing hinted at the crime he would commit years later, but he wondered what a guy like this is doing at the Cosmo.

Hes just a guy who lived in a house in Mesquite who drove down and gambled in Las Vegas. He did stuff. He ate burritos, Eric Paddock told CBS News. He said he last heard from his brother after he texted to check in on their 90-year-old mother in Florida after Hurricane Irma.

"No religious affiliation. No political affiliation. He just hung out," brother says of Las Vegas gunman https://t.co/czfMSEMkpu pic.twitter.com/NUxv0xYaxX  CBS News (@CBSNews) October 2, 2017

Paddocks Motive

ISIS took credit for the attack in Las Vegas, and it has since doubled down on that somewhat dubious claim, saying Paddock converted six months ago.

2. Under a picture of the Mandalay Bay drenched in blood they rehash the attack. New info: They are now claiming shooter converted 6 mos ago pic.twitter.com/2t53MSBNHq  Rukmini Callimachi (@rcallimachi) October 5, 2017

But FBI officials said there is no evidence that he had any ties to international terror groups. The ISIS claim has been met with heavy skepticism among experts, who say it would not be the first time in recent months the group has taken responsibility for a completely unrelated attack  a strategy extremists have undertaken as theyve been squeezed on the battlefield.

15. There's 0 evidence to date that Vegas was ISIS-linked. I don't know what to make of ISIS' loud insistence.  Rukmini Callimachi (@rcallimachi) October 2, 2017

Police have described Paddock as a lone wolf, though they are still actively searching for possible accomplices.

Eric said he had no idea what his brothers motive could be. No religious affiliation. No political affiliation, he said. He just hung out. Eric wasnt aware of any history of mental-health issues or substance abuse, and he said he didnt know if Stephen had any gambling debts or financial problems. Paddock had been prescribed the anti-anxiety medication diazepam in June, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported on Wednesday, though its unclear why the doctor recommended that drug. Paddock also filled a prescription for the same drug in 2016.

Eric said he knew his brother had five guns he kept in a safe, but he didnt hunt and rarely used them. He said Stephen once took his children on a skeet-shooting trip paid for by the casinos, but he wasnt an avid gun guy at all.

Not an avid gun guy at all...where the hell did he get automatic weapons? He has no military background, gunmans brother says pic.twitter.com/EMSKLQGYFM  CBS News (@CBSNews) October 2, 2017

Something broke in his head is the only thing possible. Did he have a stroke? Eric mused. Im hoping they cut open his brain and find something. Theres a data point missing.

Nevada congressman Ruben Kihuen, who was briefed by federal agents on Monday, said law enforcement still has no indication of what drove Paddock to commit such a horrific crime. Law enforcement were looking through his computer. They couldnt find a motive. As of a couple of hours ago, there was no motive. Thats all we know, he said.

This post has been updated throughout.
Kennedy. Photo: Eric Thayer/Getty Images

The U.S. Supreme Court today heard oral arguments in the much-discussed and potentially monumental case of Gill v. Whitford, a challenge to Wisconsins 2011 state legislative redistricting map on grounds that it represents an unconstitutional partisan gerrymander. The very idea that there could be a process or result in redistricting that is too partisan absent other factors like impact on minority voting  to pass constitutional muster (under the First Amendment and the Equal Protection clause) is relatively novel. But even as the federal courts drift in the direction of trying to curb partisan gerrymanders, the problem of identifying a measurement of whats too much, which in turn determines the remedy, continues to represent a problem. And that will be the key issue in this case, since the certain swing vote, that of Anthony Kennedy, will be determined by that justices past pleas (most notably in the 2004 decision in Vieth v. Jubelirer) for a workable standard for policing partisan gerrymandering.

The 21 district court decision favoring the challengers to Wisconsin in this case heavily revolved around a new standard devised by two political scientists, called an efficiency gap, which essentially compares the voting performance of districts to what it might have been without such standard gerrymandering practices as cracking (spreading the minority partys voters across districts so as to diffuse their power) and packing (concentrating the minority partys voters in a minimal number of districts to waste their votes).

The majority of district court judges in the current case agreed with the plaintiffs argument that an efficiency gap of more than 7 percent would be enough to guarantee the majority party continued control of a legislative chamber regardless of adverse trends, triggering judicial scrutiny. In 2012, actually, the Wisconsin efficiency gap was 13 percent for State Assembly races; Republicans won 60 of 99 seats despite losing the statewide vote.

An analysis by the Upshot of states (limited to those with at least five House districts) with congressional maps that would violate the 7 percent efficiency gap standard showed 13 states with impermissibly partisan gerrymanders, 12 of them favoring Republicans. You can see how the impact of judicial intervention in such states could be a really, really big deal politically, particularly if it is applied not just to future maps drawn in 2022, but retrospectively to maps that will be used in 2018 and 2020.

As expected, most of the justices seemed to split down partisan lines in oral arguments in the Gill v. Whitford case, as Sam Levine reported:

[T]hree of the courts more conservative justices, John Roberts, Samuel Alito and Neil Gorsuch, seemed skeptical there could be a workable standard for courts to determine whether a partisan gerrymander violated the Constitution. The courts more liberal justices, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Elena Kagan, Sonia Sotomayor and Stephen Breyer, seemed more optimistic a manageable standard existed.

Clarence Thomas, as is usually the case, was silent during arguments, but theres little doubt based on earlier cases that hes with the conservative bloc on this issue.

Levine thinks Kennedy did not tip his hand during the arguments. But Ian Millhiser thought otherwise:

Justice Anthony Kennedy, the Courts swing vote in this case, asked a number of critical questions of the lawyers defending the gerrymandered maps and literally no questions of [plaintiffs attorney Paul] Smith. At one point, he appeared to grow angry with an attorney defending the maps for not answering one of his questions.

Millhiser also noted a striking aspect of the Chief Justices attitude toward this case and the entire issue of judicial scrutiny of gerrymandering:

The conservative flank of the Courts defense of the map can be summarized in four words: John Roberts hates math 

Roberts  recoiled at the very idea that courts would play around with something so vulgar as maps and social science. In an especially candid moment, he told Smith that his primary concern is that, should Smith prevail, multiple partisan gerrymandering cases will be brought to the Court in the future, and the justices will have to explain why they side with a particular party in each case. If the Courts response is a mathematical equation, Roberts feared, voters will find that answer unsatisfying, and the Courts reputation will suffer.

What makes Roberts position especially reactionary aside from its practical partisan impact is that maps and social science, and for that matter math, have increasingly dominated redistricting decisions by state legislatures, or at least those controlled by one party. They use sophisticated software to give their own party every conceivable advantage, in complete disregard of basic principles of representative democracy, as Joseph P. Williams recently observed:

[A]s big data gets better at identifying voters, and their preferences, with near-surgical precision, gerrymandering  partisan mapmakers ability to pack Democratic voters into single majority state districts and crack apart party support by diluting it through squiggly, irregular districts  is only going to get worse.

Legislative minorities can do nothing to help themselves in cases of partisan gerrymandering. Thats why the courts need to curb the practice, and why its important that Anthony Kennedy recognizes this as one of the last chances he may have for a landmark opinion.
America. Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Over the last decade, some once-polarizing behaviors have gained acceptance in American society to a degree that seemed unthinkable just a few years ago. The most prominent among these are gay rights and marijuana legalization. In both cases, the sea change in public opinion was driven by a younger cohort of Americans that proved far more open-minded than their elders; one could glance at an opinion poll in 2005 and predict with a certain degree of confidence that a more progressive generation would simply crowd out their more conservative forebears simply by virtue of demographic math.

But guns arent like that.

A Pew Research survey released in June found that 47 percent of Americans think its more important for the government to protect gun owners rights than it is to control gun ownership. And 51 percent favor stricter enforcement of ownership.

A timeline of responses to this question shows that, for reasons that are not clear, America has become significantly more conservative on the issue since the 1990s  despite the fact that, notwithstanding a recent uptick, crime rates have dropped precipitously since then.

Perhaps more surprisingly, a look at the differences in polling by generation found that millennials havent differed very much from Generation X, Baby Boomers, or the Silent Generation in their attitudes over the last few years.

The Washington Posts Catherine Rampell drilled into the data a bit more in 2015, and found that millennials lined up with the population at large in their views on proposed background checks for gun purchases  large majorities favor the measure  and some other provisions. But they were actually less likely than those ages 50 through 64 to support a ban on assault-style weapons, with only 49 percent of people under 30 favoring such a measure. (Such a ban was in effect from 1994 to 2004.)

Pews numbers have been corroborated by Gallup, which reported a similar trend in 2015. Millennials are  less interested in gun control than those who are older, so the data suggests its unlike a number of other attitudes say like, gay marriage where young people are much more liberal, Gallups editor in chief Frank Newport told NBC News. We did not see that in our data on guns.

The findings may seem like a head-scratcher, since millennials have a reputation for being more liberal than the population at large on economic and social matters.

But, as Pew found in its recent survey, gun culture is simply ingrained in many American households, especially rural ones, and especially among men. Many American gun owners exist in a social context where gun ownership is the norm, and experience with guns starts relatively early particularly for those who grew up in a gun-owning household, as the organization put it in a summary of its findings. These facts of American life have not seemed to change much in generations, leading to a frozen-in-amber dynamic.

The best predictor for support or opposition for gun control isnt age, but party identification. The Pew survey shows a yawning divide on the issue between the two parties: 79 percent of Republicans think its more important to protect gun rights than it is to control ownership, with only 20 percent of Democrats concurring. The split holds even among Republicans and Democrats who both own guns. Partisanship has spiked in recent years, and the parties have major differences on pretty much every issue on the table in 2017, but guns may be the most divisive one of all:

Stark maps ... 50-state view of 2016 vote in gun vs. non-gun households via @SurveyMonkey pic.twitter.com/0NB0L3fYj1  Jon Cohen (@jcpolls) October 2, 2017

The hot-button issue guns may resemble most is abortion. When it was legalized nationally in 1973, opinions on the issue were split along generational lines. But that schism has narrowed significantly in recent years, and the fight over access and restrictions looks to be as divisive as it is now for a long time to come.

There are all kinds of reasons Congress, and most states, never do anything to reform gun laws, from the considerable electoral clout and political access of the NRA to lawmakers cozy relationships with gun manufacturers to personal ideology. Even a measure with overwhelming public support, like background checks for all firearm purchases, went nowhere in the Senate in the aftermath of the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre.

But if hopeful liberals are counting on a rising tide of public opinion to put recalcitrant GOP lawmakers feet to the fire, they may be waiting a long time.
The fourth edition of Kampala Fashion Week that took place over the weekend (Thursday to Saturday) at Kampala Forest Resort Muyenga, has, like the previous editions, left a couple of talking points on the fashion scene.

This year, however, the number of fresh Ugandan talents blew many fashion enthusiasts away by the sheer creativity showcased during the three-day event. This is in line with founder Gloria Wavamunnos dream of supporting and growing the fashion and artistic community in the region, particularly Uganda.

Ronald Waiswa showcases an outfit by Ras Kasozi (L) and Njola Impressions label is into recycle

Day one was curated for the finale of the Skilled Expressive Entrepreneurial Designers (SEED) show, which had started weeks earlier, setting the pace for awesome creations during the next two days.

The 10 competitors under the mentorship of Ras Kasozi, and in partnership with the US embassy, pulled all stops to emerge victorious and follow the success of past winners Aggrey Twinomugisha, Olivia Nanfuka and Charles Semanda.

Competition was quite tight, but the judges had to pick one. Joanita Nakiguddes sack dress and elaborate jewelry made out of maize cobs and dyed gourds put her at the top.

Some of the guests who attended the event

She is a seasoned artist who loves to work with maize cobs alongside other organic and inorganic materials, and her brand name is aptly named Kongoliro - short for kikongoliro - Luganda for maize cob.

Semanda, whose label Say-Manda was born following his SEED show victory last year, opened day two. His collection had an intricate combination of sporty and feminine sophistication.

Olivia Nanfuka of NFKA Clothing made her return to the runway following last years success.

Models showcasing outfits by by Cirra-Sue (L) and NFKA Clothing

A collection from Bayimba Festival of The Arts showcase had two designers with totally different styles. Allen Nabukenya of Njola Impressions is fast establishing herself as the queen of recycle with her standout bags, belts and shoes. She showcased alongside Hilda Babirye.

The event also had seasoned labels like Ras Kasozi, Eguana Kampala and Gloria Wavamunno, among others. There were also showcases from Cirra-Sue, Halisi, Kahvarah, Katungulu Mwendwa, Catherine & Sons and Nadrey Laurent.

On the sidelines, there was the Uganda Waragi cocktail bar, after-party and pop-up shops where clothing, beauty products, underwear and accessories were available for purchase.



barangasam@gmail.com
Information and Communications Technology minister Frank Tumwebaze has warned members of the public against attacks on legislators that support changing article 102(B) of the Constitution which caps the presidential age limit at 75 years.

Tumwebaze has also cautioned MPs opposed to lifting of the age limit to stop desperately investing in violence and intimidation after failing to contain the debate in parliament.

Government has been firm on this; nobody has a right to take the law in his or her hands. Those perpetuating violence will be dealt with in accordance with the law. Nobody has a right to stifle another from expressing his/her view, Tumwebaze told The Observer yesterday.

ICT minister Frank Tumwebaze

The warning follows three recent attacks on a minister and two NRM legislators by their constituents accusing them of supporting the removal of the age limit.

Last week, Mityana North MP Godfrey Kiwanda Ssuubi, also the state minister for Tourism, and Judith Nabakooba, the Mityana Woman MP, survived angry youths in Kiyoganyi town in Mityana who wanted to pelt them with stones.

Similarly, Kabula MP James Kakooza survived being lynched by mourners in Lyantonde who accused him of supporting the scrapping of the presidential age limit.

Opposition MPs attacked

Meanwhile, three opposition MPs homes have so far been attacked by unknown assailants who dropped explosives within their precincts.

Homes of Robert Kyagulanyi (Kyadondo East) and Allan Ssewanyana (Makindye West) were attacked last night while Rubaga North MP Moses Kasibantes home was attacked last week.

The legislators claim that the explosives have caused damage to some property although no one has been injured.
Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg has publicly apologised for the social-media platform's negative effects and asked for forgiveness for his work that was used to divide people rather than uniting them.

Zuckerberg, 33, did not mention any specific incident, but his apology came in the face of mounting evidence that Russians had used Facebook he created more than a decade ago to spread propaganda and influence voter sentiment all to tip the US presidential election in Donald Trump's favour, Washington Post said.

He took to his social media account and wrote, "For those I hurt this year, I ask forgiveness and I will try to be better."

"For the ways my work was used to divide people rather than bring us together, I ask for forgiveness and I will work to do better," he wrote in a brief post.

Earlier, Facebook had announced it would turn over to Congress copies of more than 3,000 advertisements that a shadowy Russian company bought for USD 100,000 from June 2015 to May 2017.

The ads were linked to about 470 fake accounts likely operated out of Russia. Alex Stamos, Facebook's chief security officer, said last month that the vast majority of the ads didn t specifically mention the presidential election, but it touched on divisive topics, such as LGBT rights, race, immigration and gun rights.

Facebook had initially declined to share copies of the ads, saying it would compromise user privacy, but Zuckerberg announced a reversal of that decision on September 21, the paper said.

"I don't want anyone to use our tools to undermine democracy. That's not what we stand for," Zuckerberg said in a Facebook Live video.

Zuckerberg acknowledged that the amount of problematic activities Facebook has uncovered is "relatively small", but he vowed that the company will continue to investigate and enhance transparency on who buys political ads.
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Woke Bingo ISLAMABAD: An odd situation emerged at the Judicial Complex, where former prime minister Nawaz Sharif appeared before an accountability court hearing graft references filed against him by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), on Monday when Islamabad district administration and the police deputed for the security of the accountability courts was sidelined and Rangers took over the control of the venue.



Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif accompanied by his political secretary Senator Asif Kirmani, legal team and other political aides - Leader of the House in Senate Raja Zafarul Haque and federal ministers Ahsan Iqbal, Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, Daniyal Aziz, Talal Chaudhry, Khawaja Saad Rafique, Senator Pervez Rasheed and MNA Maiza Hameed - reached the Judicial Complex at 8:35 am.



While Nawaz and his political secretary along with the legal team were allowed entry into the Judicial Complex, all other leaders of the PML-N, media persons and lawyers were barred from entering the premises.



On the last hearing of Nawaz Sharif's case on Sep 26, media was barred from covering the proceedings. However, after that hearing the accountability court registrar and district administration after due consultation with the media representatives had prepared a list and about 28 media persons, one from each media outlet, were issued passes to cover the proceedings on October 2.



Besides, a list of Nawaz Sharif's aides was also prepared by the court's registrar and the district administration who would be allowed to enter the courtroom along with Nawaz Sharif to witness the proceedings.



However, on Monday no one was allowed to enter the Judicial Complex by the paramilitary troops. At 7:00 am, when the security of the Judicial Complex was in the hands of the district administration and police, some media persons were allowed to enter the Judicial Complex.



However, at 8:00 am, all of a sudden Rangers appeared on the scene and took control of the Judicial Complex. The media persons who were inside the complex were forced to get out. On the insistence of media persons that they were allowed by the district administration and court registrar to cover the proceedings, a Rangers personnel said, "We don't know what is the court  you people just go out." Another tense situation emerged at about 9: 30 am when Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal tried to enter the Judicial Complex and Rangers personnel did not allow him.



The minister asked the Rangers personnel to tell their commander, who was reportedly inside the court, to come out and tell him on whose orders they were holding the security of the complex.



The minister was kept on waiting for about 15 minutes and after that he was told by the Rangers personnel that their commander, Brig Asif, was not present inside. The interior minister got furious and lashed out at the Rangers for barring entry of the PML-N leaders, media persons, lawyers and supporters of Nawaz Sharif.



While admonishing an assistant commissioner at the spot, the minister asked him to sort the matter out and submit him a report, adding, "This is not a banana republic this is a constitutional republic."



Speaking to media, the minister said courts are always an open space, where lawyers, litigants and even any citizen can enter and witness the proceedings. He said closed trails are conducted only during the martial law regimes. In democracy, he said, trials are always open and transparent.



The minister said that security of the complex was under the control of district administration and it had also prepared a list of the names of media persons and PML-N leaders and supporters who would be allowed to enter the court. However, he said, Islamabad chief commissioner informed him in the morning that Rangers had suddenly appeared and taken over the security of the Judicial Complex. He said he did not know on whose orders the para-military troops had taken over in the presence of police and district administration.



He said Rangers were deployed under the command of the chief commissioner, however it was strange that on whose orders they took over the control.



He said the chief commissioner informed him that when he asked the Rangers officials that a plan had been prepared in advance which would be followed regarding entry into the court premises, the Rangers official in command refused to accept the plan and said they would follow the orders they had received and would not allow anyone except Nawaz Sharif to enter the court.



The minister said he was forced to take notice of the situation because Rangers is a force that is subordinate to the Interior Ministry and when they are deployed, they are supposed to work under the command of the civil administration.



He said since Rangers had violated orders of the civil administration, thus a high-level inquiry would be held and it would be determined who challenged the writ of the government. He said disciplinary action would be taken against the responsible and delinquent officials. He also threatened to resign saying, "I cannot be a puppet interior minister." "Whose orders the paramilitary force was following when the ministry he heads did not issue any such orders to the force," he asked.



The minister said there will be one law and one government, adding no state within state will be allowed. He said he also brought the issue to the notice of the prime minister and has directed the district administration to submit a report.



Later, at 12: 20 pm, when the court proceedings were near to end, a Rangers official came out to talk to PML-N leaders Daniyal Aziz and Maiza Hameed. In his brief talk, he asked them that they could enter the court, but the PML-N leaders refused to enter, saying their other leaders had gone back and it was no use going in when the hearing had already ended. Meanwhile, Nawaz Sharif came out of the court and left for the Punjab House, where he is staying.



Later, a delegation of reporters met accountability court judge Muhammad Bashir and apprised him about ban on their entry. The judge told the reporters that he did not pass any orders regarding barring entry of the media persons.
From Greg Swank, 12-4-2 You are about to read a list of 45 goals that found their way down the halls of our great Capitol back in 1963. As...
FORT EDWARD  A convicted drug runner's inability to keep a urine sample warm led to his arrest on a felony charge last week in Washington County.

Khylan L. Hunt, 33, of Saratoga Springs, had been summoned to the Washington County Probation Department on Sept. 27 to provide a urine sample as part of his probation on a felony criminal possession of marijuana conviction.

His probation officer noticed the sample seemed cooler than body temperature, and when Hunt was confronted, he admitted getting the urine from another person and bringing it to the probation meeting in a plastic bottle, according to the Washington County Sheriff's Office.

Hunt was charged with felony tampering with physical evidence and released, pending prosecution in Fort Edward Town Court.

Sheriff's Investigator Michael McWhorter and county Probation Officer Daniel Boucher handled the case.

Hunt was sentenced to 5 years on probation for a 2016 arrest in Fort Edward, during which he was found to have more than a pound of marijuana.
BALLSTON SPA  A Glens Falls man who was arrested over the summer in a drug sale case has pleaded guilty to a felony charge in Saratoga County Court.

Vasco D. Hale Jr., 41, of Lawrence Street, pleaded guilty Monday to attempted third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, a felony.

He was arrested in July by the Saratoga County Sheriff's Office for narcotic sales in Moreau in May. Authorities did not say what drug he was accused of selling.

Hale, who has a prior felony conviction for selling cocaine in Warren County in 2011, is being held in Saratoga County Jail, pending sentencing Nov. 24 by Saratoga County Judge James Murphy.
FORT EDWARD  A police search for a man who allegedly made threats toward police resulted in a lockout at Fort Edward Union Free School and lockdown at Fort Edward town and village hall on Tuesday.

Fort Edward Police Chief Justin Derway said the decisions to restrict access to the public buildings were precautionary out of concerns that the man police were seeking had become irate and may try to harm others. There were no threats toward the personnel in either complex, but there was a police presence at the school campus as students were released at the end of the school day.

Derway said police were searching for Devin A. Pratt, 43, of Fort Edward, after they were sent to a home on Culvert Street for a complaint about a man pointing a rifle at a dog.

Derway arrived to find Pratt holding an AR-15 style rifle, but not pointing it at a dog or anyone as he stood in a driveway. Derway questioned the legality of the rifle, as the states gun law changes in 2013 made some sporting rifles illegal, and the gun was confiscated.

Derway said Pratt was not charged as police researched whether the gun was legal and learned through several people that Pratt was allegedly making threats to shoot Derway, and after talking to a lawyer about the matter, became angry and fired his counsel.

We were concerned because it was a completely unreasonable response to the situation, Derway said.

Police determined the gun is illegal, and a warrant for felony criminal possession of a weapon has been issued for Pratt. Numerous police radio bulletins were issued for him, with cautions that he had made threats to harm police and may be armed.

Derway said that police developed information that Pratt had left New York as of late Tuesday afternoon, but Tuesday night they learned he had gotten a black Ford Fusion rental car with Pennsylvania license plates.

Anyone with information as to his whereabouts was asked to call Fort Edward Police at 518-747-6365.
GLENS FALLS  New St. Marys-St. Alphonsus Catholic School Principal Patricia Balmer said she feels blessed to have been appointed to the position.

I have an excellent staff. The children are awesome. The parents are very involved in their childrens education, she said.

Balmer said she wants to keep the school, which has 286 students in prekindergarten through eighth grade, moving in the current direction.

I just want to reinforce our mission, which is to create a joyful learning environment where the children have powerful minds, prayerful hearts and helping hands, she said.

Balmer replaces Timothy Forti, who left after two years to take a position as principal of St. Johns Catholic School in Brunswick, Maine.

Balmer has been an educator for more than 28 years in public, private and religious schools. She received her undergraduate degree from Medaille College in Buffalo and earned her masters degree and school building leadership certificate from the University at Albany.

Balmer comes to St. Marys-St. Alphonsus after serving as interim principal of St. Marys Institute in Amsterdam. Before that, she was principal at St. Augustines Catholic School in Troy. She also served as principal of Bet Shraga Hebrew Academy of the Capital District.

I love the school, she said of St. Marys-St. Alphonsus. I love the atmosphere. I heard really great things above how academically rich the school community was. It just seemed like a really wonderful place to be.

Among new initiatives Balmer is working on this year are the creation of laboratories for science, technology, engineering and math and geography and history.

The lab would include items like Legos, sewing machines and some woodworking tools so students can create projects, according to Balmer.

She said the geography and history lab would have computers with some new software that focuses on geography and history. There will be globes, maps and games that students can use to increase their global awareness.

Balmer said she loves being a principal.

I love watching the children learn and create. I love watching the teachers when theyre really into something and teaching it  their enthusiasm and how it rubs off on the kids. Its amazing, she said.

Its fun to be the person who drives the direction of the school and sets the tone of the school, and I hope I am setting a positive tone, she added.
The president of Saratoga & North Creek Railways parent company met with Warren County leaders behind closed doors on Monday to try to convince them to back off a resolution opposing the companys plan to store hundreds of tanker train cars on its line north of North Creek.

The Warren County Board of Supervisors will schedule a special meeting of its Public Works Committee on Oct. 13 to allow the rail company to more fully explain its plans.

Ed Ellis, president of Iowa Pacific Holdings LLC, met Monday with Bolton Supervisor Ronald Conover, chairman of the Warren County Board of Supervisors; Warrensburg Supervisor Kevin Geraghty, who is the countys acting administrator; and Horicon Supervisor Matt Simpson, chairman of the Public Works Committee.

Conover said Ellis asked for the meeting to explain his position and provide more information about the train cars that would be stored indefinitely on the Tahawus line between North Creek and the former NL Industries mines in Newcomb.

Simpson said a special meeting of the Public Works Committee will be held before the Oct. 20 Board of Supervisors meeting to give Ellis a chance to talk to the full committee.

Saratoga & North Creeks general manager, Justin Gonyo, briefed county supervisors Sept. 20 about the plan to bring hundreds of train cars to the line for storage indefinitely, but supervisors later learned the cars were tank cars.

The proposal resulted in opposition and questions about legality from environmental groups, and the Public Works Committee passed a resolution Sept. 28 denouncing the plan. That resolution was mostly ceremonial though, as Saratoga & North Creek owns the line to the north of Warren Countys tracks, and federal law regulating railways supersedes the countys action.

The county, though, does control whether it contracts with Saratoga & North Creek, and with the rail company chronically late with reports and payments to the county, some supervisors have questioned whether the apparent contract violations should be pursued.

The county and environmental groups had also spoken out about a 2015 Saratoga & North Creek plan to bring oil tank cars to the line, and the company ultimately backed off the idea.

In this situation, Geraghty said, Ellis reported the cars will not have any remnants of their former cargoes, although it hasnt been disclosed what they had carried when in use.

He said these are certified clean cars and they are not hazardous, Geraghty said.

The first delivery of the cars was expected to reach the region at some point this week.

Iowa Pacifics counsel David Michaud, who has served as its media contact in recent days, did not respond to a request for comment Tuesday.

Saratoga & North Creek has run tourist trains on the line since 2012, but outside of light, occasional freight traffic, has struggled to develop freight trips company officials have said are needed to pay the bills.

Conover said Ellis indicated the storage plan would provide needed capital for the company.

He indicated he needs the revenue to maintain the tracks, Conover said.

Conover said Ellis told supervisors that Saratoga & North Creek also plans to resurrect its snow train this winter, after not running it last winter because of low ridership in previous years.
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Joseph Lemon did not officially own the former Western Illinois University campus in Moline before he was offering it up to the Moline-Coal Valley School District as an alternative home for the fire-damaged Franklin Elementary School.

The Lemon family, whose interests include The Abbey Station in Rock Island, The Abbey Addiction Treatment Center in Bettendorf, as well as Sausalito Shipyard in California, acquired the 60th Street campus on Monday. It was the same day that Joseph Lemon had the privilege of welcoming nearly 300 Moline elementary students to his new building and their new temporary school.

"The whole thing was so sweet," said Lemon, who anxiously arrived at the building at 5 a.m. to open the doors and turn on the lights. "I feel very fortunate (to help). How often do you get a chance that they need a school and I have a school in my back pocket?"

Franklin School was forced to close its doors Sept. 24 after an electrical fire.

Lemon, whose development business include his wife Joan and son Joe Jr., said the real estate deal was supposed to close on Friday but was delayed by Western Illinois. "But we all behaved like it closed on Friday," he said, adding that the school staff was given several days to transform the building into an "instant school."

"This was a true community-based effort that involved a lot of late nights to get the deal put together so quickly," said Joe Lemon Jr. He shared credit with "a small army of WIU leaders" including Dr. Joe Rives and Bill Brewer from the Moline campus as well as the city of Moline, which fast-tracked the inspections process to clear the building for immediate occupancy.

The Lemons agreed to discounted rent and atypical lease terms for the school district to occupy the building through May. They also have put redevelopment plans for the 60,000-square-foot building on hold. The three-story building sits on 10 acres north of John Deere Road.

As for the potential tenants he thought might be interested in the space, Joseph Lemon said they will have to wait. The family had not lined up a firm tenant ahead of the purchase but had been meeting with various prospects.

His son said the family would be pleased if Franklin decides to keep the site as its permanent home. If not, he said "We could easily see this building returning to its roots as a corporate headquarters for a financial institution or similar company ..."

The building was once a regional headquarters for IBM.

Franklin Principal Michele Pittington, who was thrilled to have her students back in school, said "It was the best birthday ever (her's), being together in one location. We are so thankful for Mr. Lemon."

She said Joseph Lemon spent most the morning visiting classrooms. "I think him seeing all the students he was impacting made it come to life for him. He just became a grandfather of 270 students, he's going to be busy," she said.

Pittington said but "for a few hiccups" the first day went "great." "The kids felt comfortable and back at home. They were surprised by the classrooms and how they looked the same."

David Levin of NAI Ruhl Commercial Co. brokered the sales deal, just as he did back when Western Illinois purchased it from IBM. The building was built in the 1970s for IBM and became home to Western Illinois' Quad-Cities campus in 1997. In fact, the Lemons wanted to purchase the building then, he recalled.

"To have a large vacant building that is already laid out as a school was kind of a bit of divine intervention really," Joe Lemon Jr. said.
QCR Holdings, Inc. announced Monday that is has completed its previously announced acquisition of Guaranty Bank and Trust Co. from Guaranty Bankshares Ltd.

Established as a de novo bank in 1934, Guaranty Bank is headquartered in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. It will be merged into QCR's subsidiary Cedar Rapids Bank & Trust Co.

The Moline-based QCR also is the parent company to Quad-City Bank & Trust.

Under the terms of the $42.9 million deal, QCR Holdings will acquire 100 percent of Guaranty Bank outstanding common stock and certain other assets for aggregate consideration in the form of 79 percent QCR Holdings common stock and 21 percent cash.

"We are delighted to welcome the Guaranty Bank employees, clients and shareholders to QCR Holdings," QCR President Douglas Hultquist said in a news release. "This transaction provides the opportunity for us to expand our footprint in Cedar Rapids, partner with a financial institution with a rich legacy and help create the dominant community bank franchise in the Cedar Rapids area."

Guaranty Bank had approximately $272 million in assets and approximately $218 million in deposits as of Aug. 31.

"Together, we are creating an even stronger institution that will benefit our clients and communities...," said Todd Gipple, QCR's chief operating officer and chief financial officer.

Robert Becker, Guaranty's chairman and president said, the acquisition and merger "continues the local community bank values on which Guaranty Bank was founded over 83 years ago."
iStock/Thinkstock(LAS VEGAS) -- In the wake of the mass shooting in Las Vegas Sunday night, which left at least 58 people dead and more than 515 others injured, there was an outpouring of support for the victims of the tragedy and questions about how to help those in need.



One of the clearest immediate needs was for blood donations and the Las Vegas Police put out a call for help.



At least one of the hundreds of people who answered that call was Tyler Anderson, a 25-year-old nursing student who had traveled from California to attend the music festival.



Anderson ran out of the concert area after hearing "what sounded like firecrackers" and entered a nearby casino to hide in a crawl space with some of her friends for several hours before eventually making it back to the hotel where they were staying.



She told ABC News that while she has some scrapes and scratches "just from running through bushes and trying to hide," she hasn't been able to sleep because of "the anxiety of all of it." Instead, she wanted to help.



A friend who lives in Las Vegas picked her up and they went to one of the city's several blood donation centers Monday morning.



"There's not much else I can do to help and at least this is something I can do to save a life," Anderson said.



When she spoke to ABC News on Monday afternoon, she said she had been waiting in line for two hours to donate, but someone who worked at the facility told her that she can expect to wait for five hours, given the number of people who have come to donate.

If you would like to donate blood for the injured victims of the Strip shooting visit the Labor Health & Welfare Clinic, 7135 W. Sahara.  LVMPD (@LVMPD) October 2, 2017

Julie Scott, a spokesperson for United Blood Services, told ABC News that the wait is reportedly between five and six hours for people who are currently in line at any of the three donation sites in and around Las Vegas.



Donations are coming in across the country, Scott said, adding that their call center fielded 26,000 calls this morning. She said that's "very high, by about 20,000" more calls than normal.



She said that the victims of the shooting "are likely going to require surgeries in the weeks and months to come" and since blood donations have a 42-day shelf life because of the red blood cell count, United Blood Services is urging people to book appointments to donate blood in the coming days and weeks.



"We could face a shortfall in the weeks and months to come so we are really asking folks to make an appointment so that we can ensure that we are being good stewards of the gift that these donors are giving," she said.



The shooting occurred on the Las Vegas strip near the Mandalay Bay Casino and the Route 91 Harvest Festival, which was taking place nearby.



The number of fatalities make the incident the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history, and local hospitals are dealing with the influx of people who need to be treated.



Local news channels showing footage of lines at blood donation centers spanning city blocks.

The line to donate blood is now wrapped through the parking lot & around the the block. #PrayForVegas pic.twitter.com/wbeFIK46t9  Yasmeen Hassan (@YasmeenTV) October 2, 2017

Las Vegas police also provided a number for those concerned about their loved ones to call.

For families looking to locate missing loved ones, please call 1-866-535-5654.  LVMPD (@LVMPD) October 2, 2017

Copyright  2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
Dennis Appleby said he always has hope of one day locating the remains of his daughter, Trudy, who at age 11 was last seen getting into a car in 1996.

On Monday, Appleby watched as Moline police detectives and members of the Illinois State Police crime lab spent several hours digging on an empty lot at 595 Island Ave., Campbells Island, where a house once stood.

That house once belonged to David L. Whipple, the son-in-law of the man Moline police have named as a person of interest in Trudys disappearance, William Ed Smith, who died in December 2014 at the age of 72. The house was razed by Rock Island County in 2004.

Moline Police Detective Michael Griffin said Monday at the scene of the dig that a relative of Smith  whom Dennis Appleby identified as Whipple, which has been previously reported  came forward with information that the lot should be searched.

Two cadaver dogs from Canine Search Solutions of Verona, Wisconsin, were walked around the property.

Both dogs indicated the presence of human decomposition, Griffin said. He added that it did not specifically mean that Trudy was buried there. War of 1812 battles were fought there and it was Native American land.

While no human remains were found, officers found a couple of items that will be tested, Griffin said. He did not specify the items found.

Trudy was here once, Appleby said pointing to the empty lot as tears began welling up in his eyes. The items recovered will be taken for evaluation and testing and well know more when all of that is complete. Until then, were right back where we started.

Appleby said that Trudy was friends with Whipples daughter.

Her grandma is gone, her mother is gone, Appleby said, adding that it is time the family gets closure. Were getting close.

A lot of people know what happened that day," Griffin said. "A lot of people know what happened to Trudy Appleby and theyre withholding information.

Its time to come forward and give Dennis and the rest of the family some peace, Griffin said.

In the meantime, Appleby said he is not giving up hope. Ive been waiting 21 years, he said. Im always hopeful. 

Earlier today, the Moline Police Department released a news release about the investigation:

The Moline Police Department, with the assistance of Illinois State Police Crime Scene Investigators and Canine Search Solutions are following up on information received regarding the disappearance of Trudy Appleby.

During interviews with those associated with the person of interest in this case, information was gathered that directed police to look for potential evidence in two lots on Campbells Island, East Moline.

The Moline Police Department contacted Canine Search Solutions out of Wisconsin who brought K9s certified in the detection of human remains, more commonly known as cadaver dogs.

Canine Search Solutions-certified human remains detection dogs are trained to detect and indicate to the odor of actively decomposing or decomposed human remains, which occurs from the point of immediate death to many years post-mortem.

The properties searched are connected to the family of the person of interest.

The dog indicated to the presence of an odor and further investigating will be done on one of the properties.

The K9 could be alerting human remains or the odor of human remains and not specifically Trudy Appleby, officers said in the news release.

The family of Trudy Appleby has been informed of the search and is being kept updated throughout the investigation.

The Rock Island County States Attorneys office is also aware and monitoring the search.
UPDATE:

12 jurors and two alternates have been selected to hear the Sean M. Freese murder case. Opening statements will begin at 1:30.  Tara Becker (@TaraBecker_QCT) October 3, 2017

EARLIER REPORT: Jury selection will continue Tuesday in Scott County District Court for a Davenport man charged in the fatal shootings of his parents in their home in October 2016.

Prosecutors and defense attorneys for Sean M. Freese, 21, questioned prospective jurors Monday. Twelve jurors and two alternates will be selected to hear the case.

Freese is charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of Kevin and Donna Freese, 58 and 57, respectively. If convicted, he faces a mandatory sentence of life without the possibility of parole.

Davenport police and EMS were called about 4:45 a.m. Oct. 5 to the Freeses' home in the 1100 block of West 59th Street for a reported shooting and found the the couple dead.

Police say in court documents that Freese "with premeditation" shot his parents just before 4 a.m.

He is represented by attorneys Michael Motto Jr. and Joel Walker. The case will be tried by Scott County Attorney Mike Walton and Assistant Scott County Attorney Andrea Glasgow. District Court Judge John Telleen will preside over the trial, which he said is expected to last a week.

Freese remains in the Scott County Jail on a $1 million cash-only bond.
Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt will meet with farm state lawmakers over concerns about the future of the Renewable Fuel Standard, officials said Tuesday.

President Donald Trump asked Pruitt to schedule a meeting after speaking with Sen. Chuck Grassley on Friday, according to the Iowa Republican's office.

Advocates for the renewable fuels industry, as well as Grassley and other legislators, have been upset since the EPA raised the idea last week that it might lower required levels of advanced biofuels for 2018 -- and that it could count exports of traditional ethanol toward meeting the mandate. The renewable fuels industry objected on both counts.

Officials have complained that the changes would do "severe harm." And on Tuesday, a range of biofuel advocates wrote to the president. Among other complaints, they said that the export proposal and the possibility of making biofuel imports ineligible for the RFS "would serve no purpose other than to paralyze growth in U.S biofuel markets ..."

Trump pledged during the 2016 election campaign that he would support renewable fuels. But Pruitt, who is a former attorney general in Oklahoma, has been a critic of the RFS in the past.

Pruitt is scheduled to meet Oct. 17 with Grassley, Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, and Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Nebraska, Grassley's office said.

Earlier this year, before Pruitt was confirmed, Grassley and Ernst said they had been reassured after meeting with him that he would follow the law. And over the weekend, Ernst said in Davenport that while she still believes Pruitt is the right person for the job, she would hold him accountable. "We will hold his feet to the fire, just as we did with the former EPA administrator, Gina McCarthy," she said.

The EPA said last week that nothing had been finalized and it was seeking input from stakeholders.
DES MOINES  This week's unanimous decision by the State Appeal Board to approve a $1.75 million settlement with a former state employee came with an apology from State Auditor Mary Mosiman to the women and taxpayers of Iowa that sexual harassment was taking place in state government.

This should not happen, said Mosiman, a Republican who chairs the appeal board that agreed 3-0 to pay the settlement to Kirsten Anderson and her attorney.

The deal settles charges of sexual harassment she leveled against Republicans in the Iowa Senate. In July, a jury awarded Anderson $2.2 million after she asserted she had been fired in 2013 only hours after she complained of a toxic work environment in the Capitol. The state was appealing the verdict when the settlement was reached.

As the state auditor, as a fellow woman in public service, I just feel the need to apologize that this was able to happen, Mosiman told reporters after the vote by her, State Treasurer Michael Fitzgerald and David Roederer, director of the Iowa Department of Management, to end a legal dispute with Anderson, the former Iowa Senate GOP communications director.

Harassment, discrimination should not happen in the workplace, specifically in government, said Mosiman.

A Polk County jury found for Anderson, but then the two sides agreed the state would drop its appeal and pay $1,044.776 to Anderson and $705,224 for legal fees to the law firm representing her to end the case.

We did our best. We lost the verdict, said Jeffrey Thompson, solicitor general in the Iowa Attorney Generals Office, who advised the appeal board members to approve the compromise and shield the state from further expenses.

We decided that under the circumstances it was best to resolve the claim, he said. We resolved it for less than the judgment, but we also gave up our right to appeal.

Anderson  who worked in the Iowa Senate for five years  told jurors she was fired in 2013 about seven hours after she complained to her boss about lewd and sexist behavior she experienced there. Her assertions were backed up by others who also testified.

Senate Majority Leader Bill Dix, R-Shell Rock, contended Anderson was fired for poor work performance. But he told reporters that things he learned from the trial "that I was not aware of" prompted him to have the Secretary of the Senate launch an internal investigation and contract with the Iowa Department of Administrative Services to provide human resources services to the Senate. A Senate Republican Caucus staff employee who was at the center of the lawsuit resigned his Senate job.

Fitzgerald, a Democrat, said he was outraged and appalled by the toxic work environment that was described during the trial, and he expressed concern that more lawsuits could be forthcoming.

He said the board was offered a terrible choice but he voted to approve the settlement to save the state further loss of money.

This is not something that exists throughout state government. We have a very professional operation through the state government. These are the leaders of our state. People that set the laws, and if we cant expect them to follow the spirit of the law, were in bad shape. I think this is an outrage, he said.

Im appalled that Sen. Dix is not taking responsibility, has not indicated that this wont happen again  all the things that Iowans would expect, the treasurer added. I think the governor should ask for Sen. Dix to step down. Legally, the state is on the hook. I think it would be a very good gesture if the Republicans, because they have a lot of money, would raise it to pay back the Iowa citizens.

Dix declined to comment on the situation Monday.

In August, GOP Gov. Kim Reynolds backed Republican Senate leaders but called sexual harassment in the workplace unacceptable and suggested it would be healthy to have an independent investigation to ensure state employees are adopting a zero tolerance policy for inappropriate behavior.

During her weekly news conference Monday, the governor reiterated that sexual harassment is not to be tolerated in state government, but she added lets stop taking incidents like this and making it a political issue. This is ridiculous.
CEDAR RAPIDS  One of Iowas new abortion laws cleared a judicial hurdle on Monday after a Polk County district judge upheld a three-day waiting period that is now required before obtaining the medical procedure.

Planned Parenthood of the Heartland and the ACLU of Iowa already have filed an appeal of the ruling and will seek a temporary injunction of the law, the organizations said.

If this law indeed goes into effect, it will leave Iowa with one of the most restrictive abortion laws in the country, said Suzanna de Baca, president and chief executive officer of Planned Parenthood of the Heartland, in a statement.

This unconstitutional disregard by lawmakers  including Gov. Kim Reynolds  for women and their right to abortion access, is unacceptable. We will fight with every available resource until we ensure that all women have access to the care they need.

This spring, the Republican-controlled legislature passed a bill  signed into law by then-Gov. Terry Branstad  creating new abortion restrictions that include a ban for most abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy and a 72-hour waiting period for every woman seeking the procedure.

The law also requires a woman to receive an ultrasound and be given the option of hearing a description of the baby as well as its heartbeat.

The law went into effect briefly earlier this summer before the Supreme Court intervened, causing confusion among medical providers and patients. To that end, Judge Jeffrey Farrell said the act will go into effect after a 30-day period.

Twenty-seven other states already have enacted waiting periods, according to information from the Guttmacher Institute, a reproductive health care policy and research organization  though Iowa joins only a handful of states that have extended that time frame to three days.

The ACLU of Iowa and Planned Parenthood Federation of America, on behalf of Planned Parenthood of the Heartland, challenged the state in court, arguing the second appointment is medically unnecessary and burdensome, especially for low-income women.

The state argued that regulatory agencies have a legitimate interest in regulating the medical profession in promoting public safety and protecting life.

Farrell acknowledged that the law could negatively affect low-income women and is likely to change few peoples minds. But, he said, the law itself does not pass the undue burden test.

There is no question that the second trip will have some impact on low-income women and those who have to drive longer distances, the judge wrote. However, the fact that there is some burden is not dispositive if the act does not place a substantial obstacle in the way of women getting an abortion.

Reynolds office on Monday said it supported the law and was pleased by the decision.

The law makes it so that a doctor cant perform an abortion unless the mother has an opportunity to see her child through an ultrasound and hear the childs beating heart, said Brenna Smith, a spokeswoman for the governors office. The law then requires the mother wait 72 hours, giving her time to think about whether or not she wants to stop that beating heart.

If that time of reflection changes just one mind, then the law has accomplished what it set out to do  to save a life.
Scott County governments are ready to lessen the boom as the next fireworks sale and use window approaches.

The cities of Bettendorf and Davenport and Scott County have come to an agreement on restricting the use of fireworks that would limit detonation of commercial-grade products to three days over the year.

Bettendorf City Administrator Decker Ploehn said the three entities have agreed on confining use to July 3 and 4 from 2 to 11 p.m. and Dec. 31 from 10 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.

"People this year were overwhelmed with how much was out there," Ploehn said.

Earlier this year, former Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad signed a bill that permitted the use and sale of fireworks from June 1-July 8 and Dec. 10-Jan. 3.

State law prevents cities and counties from banning sales, but does give them the authority to limit the window of use or institute an outright ban on their use.

Local municipalities opted to wait on modifying the window of use to see how residents would act in summer, but after a slew of complaints about fireworks use, including some neighborhoods inundated with artillery barrage-like sounds, elected officials knew the state's window was too liberal.

Before the first window closed in July, Davenport took it one step further and chose to reinforce its ban on fireworks in the interim period. Bettendorf and Scott County also discussed limiting use over the New Year's Eve holiday period.

In Bettendorf, Alderman Scott Webster, 5th Ward, expressed concerns that by condensing the window so much, it would lead to rampant use again during the periods when fireworks are legal.

"What I see happening is people are going to buy $200 worth of fireworks and now they are going to let them off over two days instead of a week," Webster said. "If we end up with Armageddon going on in our town for two days, we might have to think about adding a day so that this gets spread out a little bit."

Webster conceded that a lot of the use happened during times which were already illegal, but said there needed to be a way to enforce the law to lessen the concerns.

Ploehn said that the local governments spoke about enforcement at length and agreed a citation would be issued if use comes outside the three dates.

"If we do not cite the individual, we cite the homeowner based upon evidence supplied by the officer or the complainant who said it was coming from that house," Ploehn said. "There is no warning."

Bettendorf City Attorney Chris Curran said the law prevents law enforcement from imposing fines geometrically so it would need to work within the parameters of a simple misdemeanor, which carries a minimum fine of $250 and a maximum of $625.

Ploehn suggested that officers keep records of violations so that if there is a habitual offender who pleads guilty, the city attorney could recommend to the court that the maximum fine be administered.

In Bettendorf, the discussion and vote of a first ordinance to limit use will take place in two weeks. Other jurisdictions are expected to follow suit in order to have the rules in place by December.

With the Iowa Legislature considering changes to the law and the court system expected to issue a ruling on whether sales can be restricted through zoning, Ploehn said the fireworks issue will likely be a topic again in the future.

"I think we'll be back here next year a little bit after July 4 assessing how it went on all sides," Ploehn said.
It's the same every time: Extend "thoughts and prayers" to the victims and their families, laud first responders, avoid saying anything with real policy heft.

America's post-mass shooting ritual is a joke.

That ceremony played out again Monday in the wake of yet another gunman breaking yet another record on the scale of deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history.

The new record? As of 1 p.m. Monday, it's now 58 dead and more than 500 wounded, after Stephen Paddock opened fire on thousands of concert goers from an elevated hotel window, according to police.

Virginia Tech, 2007. Fort Hood, 2009. Sandy Hook, 2012. San Bernardino, 2015. Orlando, 2016. And now, Las Vegas, 2017. These are just a few of the hundreds of mass shooting in the past decade in the U.S., a country that's cornered the world market on rampaging "lone wolves." Each instance is unique in outcome, death toll and the motivation of the shooters.

The common thread, though, is the almost chant-like response from the political class.

U.S. Rep. Cheri Bustos provided a fine example of just how hard politicians twist to avoid saying anything of substance after such a slaughter.

Once again, Americans are waking up to learn of another mass shooting that has claimed the lives of mothers, fathers, sons and daughters -- this time at a concert in Las Vegas. I am deeply saddened by this senseless loss of life and will be praying for all of the victims and their families. While there is no single solution that will prevent all mass shootings, as Americans, we must come together and work to do what we can to prevent these kinds of tragedies.

Note the "no single solution" line. Correct? Yeah, probably. But why not offer a few possible solutions, since the phrase implies solutions do exist? Well, doing so would inexorably require mentioning gun control. For a Democrat like Bustos, whose primary mission is segregating herself from her party's coastal left, such a conversation is too politically perilous to risk it.

It's all thoughts and prayers and nothing of real value.

Bustos wasn't alone. Hers is merely an example of this ridiculous ceremony that solves exactly nothing. Official after official kicked out carefully worded statements saying precisely zilch. The president was notably reserved in his rendition of saying absolutely nothing. Paddock was a white man, a fact that, doubtlessly shaped President Donald Trump's approach. Other attacks, by people of a darker hue, have been met with immediate tirades about immigration crackdowns, whether they applied or not.

Admittedly, the facts of Sunday night's massacre aren't fully known. Las Vegas police will spend weeks piecing together what made Paddock tick. They may never know, since Paddock took his own life before police got to him.

So, at some level, there's a reasonable excuse to not spout off. But that doesn't justify an unwillingness to even broach the known, certifiable facts.

Paddock used an easily accessible, high-powered, fast-firing rifle to mow down 600 people. In that way, his is the kind of attack that happens in the U.S. with alarming frequency and is almost non-existent in other developed nations. There's something unique plaguing the U.S.

These are tough, complex issues. But tackling such problems is the precise responsibility hefted on those who seek out high-level elected office. Any legitimate solution probably requires a bit of what both Republicans and Democrats want. A combination of limits on assault-weapon style rifles combined with bolstered mental health and security programs would be a starting point for debate in a world where earnest people grapple with complicated political questions.

That's not America, right now, though, where officials are terrified of tiny special interests with massive wallets.
PIERRE | Secretary of State Shantel Krebs has told a federal panel it can buy the list of South Dakota registered voters for the same $2,500 that any person would pay.

Krebs sent a data-request form for the list with her Sept. 29 letter responding to the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity. Her reply went directly to the commission vice chairman, Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach.

Krebs is running for the Republican nomination for South Dakotas seat in the U.S. House of Representatives against Dusty Johnson, a former state Public Utilities Commission member.

Kobach is seeking the Republican nomination for governor in his home state.

Krebs rejected the presidential commissions first request because it sought information that is protected by South Dakota law against public dissemination, such as Social Security numbers, driver license numbers and full dates of birth.

The commissions second request, dated July 26, asked for more limited information that Krebs said in her response was data that is available to anyone under state law.

She said the commission would be required to buy it. This data can only be used for election purposes and may not be used for any commercial purpose, she wrote.

Krebs suggested the federal panel consider a nationwide voter crosscheck administered by state election officials. Full participation by all states in a nationwide voter crosscheck would improve the integrity of voter registration files for all secretaries of state, she said.

She also suggested the commission encourage citizens to be poll workers, watchers and poll observers.

The more citizens participate in the voting process, the more citizens there are to ensure and validate the integrity of the election, Krebs wrote.

Krebs listed the procedures that have proven successful in South Dakota:

 Photo identification, with an affidavit available that a voter can sign under penalty of perjury that the voter is who she or he says and is allowed to vote.

 Voter registration crosschecks with the Social Security Administration, South Dakota office of vital records, South Dakota Unified Judicial System and state Department of Public Safety.

 Use of paper ballots, a ban against internet connections to tabulating equipment and a ban against online voting. This prevents hacking and keeps intact the ballot challenge process, Krebs said.

South Dakota has shared voter registration lists with other states for at least the past 10 years, according to Jason Williams, a spokesman for the secretary of state office.

Chris Nelson, who was South Dakotas secretary of state at the time, confirmed that he entered an agreement in 2007 with Kansas, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri and Nebraska. Nelson is now an elected member of the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission.

Krebs has continued Nelsons practice. She most recently signed a memorandum of understanding Aug. 1 to crosscheck registration data with 31 other states. They send voter information to Kobachs office in Kansas and receive it back, using encryption and passwords. The agreement calls for original data to be destroyed afterward.
SIOUX FALLS | A South Dakota man is recovering after being shot in the leg during the attack by a gunman in Las Vegas that killed at least 59 people and injured hundreds of others.

KSFY-TV reports that Brian Wills returned to Sioux Falls on Monday still wearing jeans bloody from his wounds. Wills says he is happy to be home and feels "extremely fortunate."

Wills says he was hit as he and others tried to leave the area after the gunfire started. He was shot twice in the leg and suffered a broken fibula.

He says the experience is a reminder of "why you hug your family every day." Wills didn't immediately return a request for comment from The Associated Press.
Big Kenny Alphin, half of the music duo Big & Rich, told the Rapid City Journal on Monday that the country music industry was devastated by Sundays mass shooting at the Route 91 Harvest Festival. But it wont quiet the guitars.

Big Kenny, who with John Rich wrote their first album together in Deadwood, had performed in the closing hours of the three-day country music festival, about 90 minutes before headliner Jason Aldean took the stage. Then, a lone gunman identified as Stephen Paddock, 64, began his deadly assault, firing from his perch high in the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, killing 59 people  the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history.

It dont get any worse, said Big Kenny, whose own hotel room at Mandalay Bay was right beneath the shooters. Its such a shock to everyone, our brothers and sisters lost loved ones and others are in the hospital struggling for their lives. It was such a celebration going on yesterday; it was beautiful. The country music world is just one big family.

As they do in the majority of their musical performances, Big & Rich had called up veterans and first responders, introduced them to the audience, toasted them and together sang, God Bless America.

It was a beautiful site, Big Kenny said. But an hour and a half later, this happens, this tragedy. Its heartbreaking in every way.

The veteran Nashville musician said he and the bands crew had just loaded up their tour buses and pulled down the street to play at an after-party when the shooting began.

We were told this was going down and we pulled everybody into a room, and the texts started flying, immediate news of an active shooter, he said. Within minutes, there were police and SWAT teams across the city, and people were running scared everywhere.

At one point, a SWAT team member even pointed an assault rifle at Big Kenny, then apparently recognized him and lowered the weapon, he said.

Despite the heartbreak, the devastation and the loss of life, Big Kenny said the acts of a lone gunman wont dissuade him from performing in the future.

Our hearts go out at this senseless loss, but we wont let this stop us or put fear in our hearts when we go out there and celebrate our music with our fans, he said. Well continue to shine that light, to keep this type of thing at bay.

We play tomorrow night again in Phoenix, Big Kenny noted. We cant go on that stage with fear in our hearts, and we wont.
Steve Malone heard the "pop, pop, pop" and immediately recognized the sounds as gunshots during Sunday nights Route 91 Harvest Festival music concert in Las Vegas.

Malone, of Rapid City, was with his daughter Jennie Clabo, son-in-law Darren Clabo and friends Steve and Daneen Jacquot of Spearfish in a VIP area just to the right of the stage where country music star Jason Aldean was performing.

It was at that moment  around 10 p.m. when 64-year-old Stephen Paddock reportedly opened fire from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino across the street, killing at least 59 people and injuring more than 520. Authorities believe Paddock took his own life just before police stormed his hotel room.

I heard a gun start shooting  'pop, pop, pop, pop, pop, pop,' Malone said in a telephone interview with the Journal.

He went to the end of the white VIP tent to investigate the noise but didnt see anything unusual. Then another round of gunshots rang out. This time Malone saw people scrambling and Aldean flee the stage with the other musicians.

Then you realized it was real, Malone said.

He took cover with his group. The firing came in spurts over what Malone described as the next five minutes, although it could have lasted longer, he said. There would be a pause, and people would start running, and then hed start shooting, and everybody would duck back down," Malone said. "Then he was picking them off when they started running.

There were a lot of things (that) happened really quick. Tables were flying. Chairs were flying. There were people running, people hiding under stuff."

Malone said a couple of people in the VIP area had been hit by gunfire. He saw more bodies in the general concert area  no more than 30 to 40 yards from the tent. Nobody knew what was going on," he said. "They just started running away from the gunshots. We got out, and there were a lot of people laying around that didnt make it."

He and his group eventually made it to a gate in the fenced concert venue. By then, the shooting had stopped, he said.

Malone returned to his hotel, the New York-New York Hotel & Casino, about a half-mile from the concert venue. It was on lockdown, and staff werent allowed to leave. Armed security personnel were still patrolling the lobby Monday morning, Malone said.

Malone's daughter and son-in-law, Jennie and Darren Clabo, were in a hotel across the street from the New York-New York. Shes a little shook. Everybody is really shook, Malone said. A couple of hours ago she said she was going to try to get some sleep. I told her to call me when she woke up."

They had originally planned to fly back to Rapid City on Monday. Malones plans had included staying in Las Vegas for a few more days, then continuing a motorcycle tour of the Grand Canyon.

He wasnt sure how the shooting would affect those plans. Malone had gone to Las Vegas to attend the country music festival and have a good time. Being an eyewitness to such a horrific tragedy drove home the importance of staying close to loved ones.

Just tell people to hug their kids before they go to bed, Malone said. Were glad were alive.

Gunfire sounded like fireworks

Jesse Horst was enjoying the opening minutes of the Aldean concert with his girlfriend, Robin Frost, from a second-tier suite to the left of the stage when they heard what initially sounded like fireworks.

The Rapid City couple scrambled for cover inside the suite when they saw other concertgoers running and screaming. A few moments later, they joined the thousands of spectators desperately trying to get away. Horst said the rain of gunfire sounded like marbles as it peppered the aluminum walls of the suites.

As we ran out away from it, people were hiding behind cars," he told the Journal in a phone interview. "There was a parking lot across the street. People were tearing down fences. There were 60 people on a fence knocking it down."

Automatic weapons fire was continuous for a minute or two, and then would stop, he said.

The darkness and confusion made it difficult to tell if people were falling from being hit by gunfire or were just trying to take cover. Some were trampled by the mad rush of spectators trying to escape.

Absolutely chaotic, Horst said.

The couple found cover behind steel construction-style trash bins in a parking lot for several minutes as others tore down fencing. They finally made their way about four blocks south to the Hooters Casino Hotel, entering through an open basement door and taking a maintenance elevator to the 15th floor, where they encountered a guest leaving to catch a flight.

After telling the man the airport had been shut down, they spent the night in his room on the 15th floor.

A reported bomb scare and rumors of up to three active shooters at other hotels, including the New York-New York and the MGM Grand, kept everyone up all night. Helicopters hovered near the Mandalay Bay Hotel, where the suspected shooter had targeted victims, Horst said.

Horst said he will always remember watching four police officers make their way through the fleeing crowds, going toward the danger. He also had praise for those converging in police cars, ambulances and helicopters.

All I can say is hats off to the first responders. They did an amazing job to get this shut down in a big hurry, he said.

Horst and Frost found their way back to their own hotel, the Luxor Las Vegas, on Monday morning, forced to take the long way around police lines surrounding the scene of the shooting.

They slept for a few hours before getting ready to attend the wedding of Frosts brother Monday afternoon in Las Vegas. They were still in shock and disbelief, he said.

Praise God we made it through. Prayers for everybody involved. Thank God, it wasnt our turn to go, he said.

'The unknown was crazy'

Deadwood Mountain Grand Assistant General Manager Rich Turbiville and his wife, Karen, flew into Las Vegas to attend todays World Gaming Congress just as the mass shooting unfolded late Sunday night.

As they rode in their taxi from the airport to Harrahs Las Vegas Hotel & Casino, Turbiville said suddenly their world was surrounded by flashing lights and the sound of sirens emanating from dozens of ambulances, firetrucks and police cars.

At one intersection, eight police cars came flying through with lights and sirens, and I looked at Karen and said, 'Theres something really bad happening somewhere, the 55-year-old gaming manager said. We werent really sure what was going on.

After arriving at Harrahs, Turbiville said a college friend who was at the concert texted him that a person had been shot who had been standing right in front of him. Moments later, a sea of concertgoers stormed through the front doors of Harrahs screaming, "Theres a shooter. Get down, he said.

Dazed by the disturbance, Turbiville grabbed his wife, got low and scurried behind the bar, then to a walk-in cooler where they holed up for the next 20 minutes.

Weird things go on in your mind when something like that is happening, Turbiville said Monday morning. We had no idea what to expect. The unknown was crazy.

Eventually, the Turbivilles saw people milling around on the casino floor, so they exited the cooler, spoke with a security guard and were told to go to their hotel room. The couple sat wide awake in their room until nearly 4 a.m., watching TV news as the body count rose from the shooting.

After walking the Strip on Monday morning, Turbiville said he and his wife were amazed by the heightened police presence, with officers carrying automatic weapons manning virtually every street corner.

Disbelief is the only way I can describe it, he said. No one understands why things like this are happening in America today. Im just glad its over after sitting last night in that beer cooler wondering if we were going to survive.

But Turbiville said he wouldnt let the acts of a lone gunman deter him from travel outside South Dakota.

If you dont continue to live, they win, he said. You have to live your life.

Deadwood businessman and Deadwood Mountain Grand co-owner Tim Conrad, who with his wife, Monica, was on the same flight as the Turbivilles, lamented what would have happened had they caught an earlier flight into Las Vegas.

If we had been an hour earlier, we would have been in the middle of that concert crowd, Conrad said.
Theyve lived inside barbed wire. Theyve fled genocide or other violence.

One student from the Middle East had lived through a kidnapping, while another experience the kidnapping and murder of a sibling. The child was killed while the family listened on the phone.

School doesnt matter after that, said a teacher in the newly released Nebraska Loves Public Schools film Seeds of Hope. The film was screened at Chadron State College last week at the launch of Chadron High Schools strategic planning outreach.

Its difficult to get a student to focus on math when they are still dealing with those types of trauma, another teacher pointed out in the film.

Seeds of Hope put a human face on the English-language learners (ELL) programs in Chadron, Omaha and Schuyler. The state has experienced a 113 percent increase in ELL since 2000, and the goal of such programs is to teach them English as fast as possible so they can be successful.

Not all ELL students are fleeing violence. Chadrons population of about 40 Marshallese students arent recovering from that kind of trauma, but still face challenges.

Its an overwhelming feeling being in a brand new culture. Its the hope for their childrens future that keeps the parents going, said Cheryl Welch, the ELL teacher at Chadron Public Schools.

My job is really multi-faceted and quite exciting, she continued. She has to help them navigate both the culture and the language so they can survive in the classroom, working with them on speaking, writing, reading and listening skills.

Learning another language is very difficult, Welch said. While students may be able to carry on an informal conversation (how are you, what did you do this weekend), it takes 7-10 years to master the academic terms crucial for classroom success.

We were not prepared for an ELL population coming in 15 years ago, said Chadron High Principal Jerry Mack.

Some of the districts Marshallese students are in America with relatives and havent seen their parents in years, he said; thats just one challenge they face.

Were trying to find ways to help these kids, Mack said. They give us a lot of effort. Theyre just a great group of students and worth all of the effort we give them.

That effort often extends beyond the student at any school that has ELL kids. The movie made it clear that the programs must focus on the entire family, and a panel of Panhandle educators from Chadron High, Chadron Head Start, the Pine Ridge Job Corps and ESU 13 reinforced that afterwards.

Its about the family as a whole and teaching them how to live in America, said Chadron Highs social worker Heather Berry.

They may not know what a rental agreement is or how to set up a bank account. If theyve lived in poverty or been in refugee camps for years, they have no understanding of how to use a refrigerator, stove or microwave. Many of them are coming from warmer climates and have no concept of the necessary clothing required to survive a Nebraska winter.

Those types of obstacles can have an impact on the students learning, but the panel was unanimous that it can be overcome with one simple action by the schools and the community at large: reaching out.

Nancy Swiftbird, an instructor at Pine Ridge Job Corps, said her students have said they learned more English in one week after making an American friend than they did in the six months before that event.

Everybody can be a teacher and reach out, she said. It can be as simple as teaching them to use the stove.

Opportunities abound to sit down and visit with the families, Welch said, while Julie Downing from ESU 13 noted that food and music are universal and great ways to connect. But it shouldnt be a one-way street. DeeAnn Koerber of Head Start and Berry said some of the best memories they have come from learning something about the Marshallese culture.

The immigrant and refugee population brings so many good things, Swiftbird agreed. Ive learned just as much from them as they have from me. Theyre my heroes. Different is different. Its not right. Its not wrong.

Realize the incredible potential. The very resilience and grit that got these people here is what makes them incredible assets, added Kiowa Rogers from ESU 13.

The screening and panel served as the kickoff for Chadron Public Schools two to five year strategic planning outreach initiative. The film is a good example of just how far reaching public education is.

Its more than you can see from the street, said Superintendent Dr. Caroline Winchester.

As part of the outreach, Winchester is asking that local organizations or groups contact her about speaking during their regular meetings to learn about whats going on in the schools. The district is also seeking answers to the following questions:

*What is particularly satisfying to you about Chadron Public Schools. What is particularly concerning?

*What value does CPS bring to the community?

*How might CPS increase their collaboration in the community?

*Given the declining approval of schools, whats your hunch about what is producing that?

The public at large is invited to answer those questions as well. Simply drop the information off or mail it to the school. The district also welcomes suggestions on what the public would like to see for programming.

We may not be able to accomplish them right away, but sow those seeds for us, Dr. Winchester said.
MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan. (AFNS) | The National Aeronautic Association announced a McConnell Air Force Base Airman won the Katharine Wright Memorial Trophy by the National Aeronautic Association Aug. 31, 2017.

Maj. Chrystina Jones, 22nd Air Refueling Wing Plans and Programs chief and Wichita, Kansas, native, was chosen for her commitment to encouraging women across the globe to pursue and succeed in aviation careers.

The Katharine Wright Memorial Trophy is awarded to an individual who has contributed to the success of others or made a personal contribution to the advancement of the art, sport and science of aviation and space flight over an extended period of time.

Throughout her career, Jones has shared her passion for aviation with others across the world.

While deployed to Iraq in 2010, Jones founded the Horizon East chapter of Women in Aviation International, a non-profit organization dedicated to the encouragement and advancement of women in all aviation career fields and interests.

Through the chapter, Jones contacted the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad to host a reception to highlight aviation opportunities for women. Iraqi women traveled across the country to attend the event, which taught them how to build a career as a pilot, air traffic controller or airport manager.

"We started this important dialogue to encourage women in these fields," said Jones. "We wanted to educate the women on their opportunities in an industry they may not have considered."

Later in her career, while stationed at Yokota Air Base, Japan, Jones reached out to Caroline Kennedy, the U.S. ambassador to Japan, to speak to U.S. and Japanese leadership on womens issues as part of the Womens History Month program. She also led a womens career fair to showcase more than 30 professional fields to more than 550 American and Japanese women.

The Iraqi and Japanese women taught me so much, said Jones. Collectively they are changing the course of their countries history. Really, I was the one left inspired by women all over the world, who are hungry to succeed and willing to go for it despite all odds.

Currently, Jones is a board member and outreach chair for the WAIs local Air Capital City chapter in Wichita. Jones recently arranged for McConnell AFB Airmen to attend the 2017 Women in Aviation Conference in Orlando, Florida, and is currently organizing an event for young girls to learn about aviation.

Im just fortunate to have crossed paths with these all-stars at a truly amazing time in history, said Jones. Ive seen so many glass ceilings shattered by so many others in my career, which is completely energizing. This work has truly been the highlight of my life and career, said Jones.

Jones will receive the trophy at a banquet later this year in Washington.
Video recording meetings, jail exercise pen, ambulance district issues discussed

HOT SPRINGS  Fall River County commissioners approved a $7 million final budget figure that was a tad lower than previously expected at their Tuesday, Sept. 26 meeting.

The changes were brought about by ups and downs in utility payments to the county: While some railroad and pipeline incomes fell, this was augmented by increases in electric and other utilities, revising the mill levy for the countys general fund from 4.593 to 4.557, a reduction.

Auditor Sue Ganje told the commissioners she should have waited until the utility figures from the state came in before finalizing the numbers, which resulted in the change.

In other business, the county dealt with several other issues:

Jail exercise pen

Building Supervisor Lyle Jensen returned to the county commissioners with an estimate on what it would cost to install one-eighth-inch plate steel on the west side of jails exterior exercise area, currently open and screened by a chain-link fence, as asked to by the commissioners.

Jensen said the cost for this would be about $4,000, versus the $1,940 figure for pole barn steel, from a previous estimate Jensen gathered.

The covering was considered to segregate jail prisoners from the outside world  particularly to prevent contraband from being passed to jail prisoners from outside, and to thwart comments made by prisoners to county employees and others. Some female county employees complained about prisoners cat-calling at them as they walked across the parking lot.

Jailer Wally Campbell said enclosing the west side of the exercise area was not something Sheriff Bob Evans was interested in doing because it would create a hot box for the jail prisoners, with no air circulation, especially during summer heat.

Campbell said hed had prisoners faint from heat exhaustion in the current exercise pen, had seen them sweating just standing there.

I think youre playing with fire, Campbell told the commissioners.

Also, a female county employee, a victim of the cat calls, said she thought the commissioners were not taking the catcalling seriously enough. She said it was offensive what female employees have to go through when parking in the parking lot next to the jail. Many park in the lot across the street from the courthouse to avoid cat calls. I dont care if the prisoners get hot, she said.

Falkenburg asked Campbell if people were handing things to prisoners through the jail fence. Campbell said yes, recently a person threw some cigarettes in to the prisoners and was arrested for this.

Campbell said more cameras  eyes on the prisoners  would also help prevent this. Also, Campbell suggested closing off the exercise area, creating an enclosed, indoor exercise pen. This could be air conditioned and prevent contact between prisoners and the outside world.

Allen said installing the $1,940 pole barn steel on the west side of the exercise area wasnt a big deal, and disputed the idea that this would create a hot box. He called the jail an eyesore, especially for people entering Hot Springs from the north.

Allen also said the recent security team evaluation of the county courthouse wrote up the county for the possibility of contraband slipping through the exercise area

Nabholz thought that the plate steel idea was a better way to go, to keep the west side the same as the other sides of the pen. He said a mural could be painted on the side  prisoners breaking rocks. Nabholz wasnt so worried about the cat-calling, but someone slipping a Glock (pistol) under the fencing for a prisoner to use to escape.

Commissioner Deb Russell agreed with Campbell that screening the west side with plating would create a hot box, and worried about air flow. She said shed been in a Quonset hut in summer and experienced this first hand. She suggested leaving the exercise area as it is. She would be for the plating if there was a way to circulate air in the exercise yard, she said.

Abbott said those in charge of the jail will have to deal with the issues arising from the exercise area, and agreed with Russell about leaving the exercise pen as it is. However, she said the county should begin considering a new jail plan because the existing facility is clearly not adequate for the needs.

Nabholz proposed a motion to cover the exercise pen with plate steel, a motion that failed. Only he and Allen voted for this.

Resident John Renstrom suggested a chain link fence surrounding the exercise pen, screened to segregate prisoners from the outside world, yet allow air flow through it. Falkenburg suggested a portable wind break, as is used on ranches, made of decking materials. Jensen said he would look into the cost of this.

Ambulance district issues

At the Sept. 5 commissioners meeting, John Renstrom, who said he helped create the Hot Springs Ambulance District by carrying a petition door-to-door in Hot Springs for people to sign  a petition that he believed promised third party billing for services rendered, not direct billing from the ambulance service  raised a question about how the ambulance service was being funded.

The ambulance district covers the central and northeastern third of the county (school district boundaries), with Edgemont and Oelrichs districts covering the southwestern and southeastern portions.

Renstrom was under the assumption that tax dollars collected by the county for the ambulance district would be used to pre-pay ambulance service deductibles. This is what he said he was told to promise signers of the petition. Now, however, county residents are paying ambulance district taxes and getting billed by the ambulance service as well. Renstrom thought the ambulance district should honor the promise he made to urge people to sign the petition.

To resolve the issue, the commissioners invited Renstrom and ambulance district officials to the Sept. 26 commissioners meeting.

Ambulance service and district officials Randy and Wen Stombaugh, Ryan Walz and Director of Operations Jacki Conlon explained that the tax money collected, some $77,000 annually, for the ambulance district covers a small portion  7 percent  of its overall operating expenses. This money was intended to cover capital outlays, items like new ambulances, equipment, land and other large ticket items, not to cover billing for services.

Conlon also pointed to rising health care costs, using enormous jumps in items like Epipens and Narcan (a drug overdose medicine) as examples of how tax money could never support the ambulance service.

Stombaugh said he was proud of the ambulance service and what all it does because the services offered rival what a larger community like Rapid City offers. The service, even though it is a non-profit 501c3 organization, couldnt survive on the tax money collected alone, he said.

Walz and Stombaugh said anyone interested in learning more about the service, the district and what it provides, should attend district meetings, held twice annually.

Renstrom said he recognized that things had evolved and that all he wanted to do was raise a question about how the money was being used. A copy of the petition Renstrom circulated had no language in it about how district taxes would be used.

Video recording meetings

County resident Dusty Pence asked the commissioners to reconsider their stance on video recording county meetings.

Pence, who said she liked the informal style of current meetings, said shed circulated an informal petition to gauge the pulse of the community on this issue  nixed by the commissioners earlier this year.

Pence collected 224 signatures in favor of video-recording county meetings by sharing the petition at coffee shops and other locations throughout the community. Pence said she didnt work hard to get the signatures, and noted it would only take 250 signatures to bring this issue to a vote.

I dont want to create a controversy with this, Pence told the commissioners, but I was amazed by the names on this. They crossed political viewpoints, and there were only five or six people who wouldnt sign it, and some of them worked for the county and didnt think it was appropriate.

Pence said people were shocked that the county didnt record its meetings  many assumed the county did this.

Please reconsider this, she implored the commissioners, I dont want to force a vote, but the vast majority of the county wants to do this.

Abbott noted that the reason the commissioners rejected this in the past was due to courtroom rules against video recording meetings.

Nabholz, who pushed for video recording the meetings earlier this year, suggested that the commissioners at least consider tape recording meetings, as did the Edgemont city council, that this would clear up discrepancies in who said what, who proposed various motions and seconded them at meetings. He noted that getting things on tape would help solve issues like those that arose with the Soil Farm.

Falkenburg said the courtroom was a pleasant place to meet, rather than the smaller room on the basement of the courthouse, which is why the commissioners met there.

Pence said she was more concerned about the publics right to know and transparency than comfort.

The commissioners took no action on this.

Delinquent property

Nabholz proposed that surplus and delinquent county properties falling under tax deeds be sold using realtors, rather than auctions.

Falkenburg said he agreed with this because auctions in the past had not netted the county enough money.

No formal action was taken on this issue.
WHITEWOOD - The second South Dakota Historical Marker - Whitewood Cattle Industry - was dedicated in a ceremony held by the Whitewood Elementary School students recently.

A third-grade student held the flag high so the ceremony could open with the Pledge of Alliance.

Whitewood's Mayor Mitch Harmon gave the opening remarks complimenting the school staff and student for their involvement in Whitewood's history.

A fifth-grade student and kindergartner had the honor of unveiling the marker, then a fourth-grader read the marker wording.

The fourth grade students had dressed in traditional pioneer garb to enhance their experience. All the students were interested what the marker told about their town's history.

After the ceremony, the entire Whitewood Elementary school staff and students walked a block south to read the first South Dakota Historical Marker - Whitewood's Railroad History.

On the walk back to the school, teachers took students past the Black Hills Sales Pavilion concrete foundation that still remains as a reminder of this livestock barn.

In the days before the ceremony, students completed history worksheets that helped them understand the purpose of a livestock sales barn and the timeline of Whitewoods commercial history.
A Pine Ridge man was sentenced Tuesday to 18 years in federal prison for fatally shooting another man on the reservation last year.

Thomas Brewer, 27, said he didnt intend to kill Shawn Stevens but had made a bad choice while under the influence of drugs and alcohol. He admitted firing a round from a 9 mm pistol while they were arguing near Stevens home in the early hours of Nov. 30.

Brewer said he fired the gun to warn Stevens, because he was intimidated by the mans size.

According to an FBI report, the mens argument started after Stevens and his wife saw Brewers SUV spinning in circles near their mobile home at East Ridge housing. The couple was apparently worried the SUV might hit their parked vehicle, so Stevens and another man went to speak to the SUVs occupants.

Brewer said he and three companions drove away, then returned on foot. Brewer drew a gun and fired about 50 feet away from Stevens.

His lawyer, John Dorsey, described the incident as a drug-fueled argument that went out of control.

Investigators believe Stevens was hit by a bullet ricocheting from the ground, said Dorsey, a finding that corresponds with Brewers statement about slipping while pulling the trigger.

Dorsey asked the court to sentence Brewer to 10 years for discharging a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence, the mandatory minimum for the offense, and one day for voluntary manslaughter.

Brewer pleaded guilty to the two charges in May as part of a deal that would dismiss his original charge of second-degree murder. Stevens death is among 17 homicide cases on the reservation last year, according to the FBI. Dorsey said two of the victims, Annie Colhoff and Vinny Brewer, were related to his client.

In a letter that Dorsey read in court, Brewer admitted being responsible for Stevens death. He asked the victims family for forgiveness and said he had much to atone for. Listening in the gallery were about 25 people, including a dozen who came to support Brewer.

Brewer had a tough childhood on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, Dorsey said, including seeing both his parents go to jail. There are pictures of Brewer as a boy, showing him with his mother brandishing a gun, his attorney said.

Stevens was also to blame for the shooting, Dorsey said, since he started the confrontation by banging on Brewers SUV. Stevens, who had meth in his system at that time, presented a danger in Brewers mind.

Federal prosecutors opposed the defenses sentencing request. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ben Patterson asked U.S. District Court Chief Judge Jeffrey Viken for a prison term of 18 years, which would include eight years for voluntary manslaughter. It was a recommendation reflected in the judges sentencing decision.

The defendant seeks virtually no punishment at all, Patterson said, adding that Brewer is asking the court to let him walk out free after having killed someone.

Brewer had not taken responsibility for his offense by trying to blame the victim and evading authorities, Patterson said.

He called on the stand a Rapid City police detective who was part of the team that arrested Brewer at a local motel in December. Brewer, the detective testified, initially refused to surrender and tried to escape from a back window.

Patterson also played audio clips, retrieved from Brewers cellphone, in which he could be heard freestyling about Pine Ridge being his territory, shooting his gun and defying law enforcement. They were reportedly recorded less than 24 hours after Stevens shooting.

The defendant is rapping about what he did and bragging that someone stepped up to him and is now dead, Patterson said.

The bullet from Brewers handgun struck Stevens in the upper abdomen, puncturing his liver, pancreas and a vein carrying blood to the heart, according to court records. The gunshot could be heard in the background of a 911 call made by Stevens' wife, Heaven High Hawk, which was played in court.

He was my family, High Hawk told Judge Viken between sobs. He was everything I ever wanted, and now hes gone.

She said of Brewer: All I want is for him to go away. I want him to hurt, like I hurt every day.

High Hawk was pregnant during the shooting and later gave birth to a stillborn child, Patterson told the court.

Viken, in explaining his sentencing decision, said he had a responsibility to protect the community from Brewers negative attitude, which included violence being a fact of life.

He sentenced Brewer also to five years of supervised release, as well as substance abuse treatment.

Brewer was lucky, Viken said, that he had a supportive family and three children who are inspiring him to turn his life around.

Brewer wrote letters to his three children, to be given at different ages, to show he would continue to be a part of their life even while he was in prison. And to tell them he wanted them to make better choices than he did.
Two Rapid City men charged with attempted first-degree murder in separate incidents pleaded not guilty on Monday. These comprise two of three such cases in Pennington County this year, compared with one last year.

On Monday morning, 21-year-old Cruz DeLeon entered not guilty pleas before 7th Circuit Judge Jeff Davis. He is accused of firing at Sheriffs Deputy Jakob Whittle during a fugitive search at a Box Elder home in July.

DeLeon was injured in his right arm during the exchange of fire, according to a report from the state Attorney General's Office, whereas Whittle was not hurt. The attorney general ruled Whittle's firing of his gun as justified.

DeLeon is also facing charges of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, commission of a felony with a firearm and false personation for allegedly providing Whittle with a false name. He is additionally charged with possession of a controlled substance after investigators said they found meth in DeLeons vehicle.

He is facing up to 25 years each on the counts of attempted murder, aggravated assault and commission of a felony with a firearm.

On Monday afternoon, Zachery Moore, 24, similarly gave not guilty pleas before 7th Circuit Judge Robert Mandel. Besides attempted murder, Moore is charged also with aggravated assault (domestic abuse), discharge of a firearm at an occupied structure and third-degree intentional damage to private property.

According to law enforcement reports obtained from the Pennington County Courthouse, Moore fired a pistol at his ex-girlfriend Sabre Anderson while they were arguing in July. He reportedly shot at her while he was outside her home and she was speaking with him from her upper-level bedroom window.

Anderson was not injured, the reports said, but her window suffered minor damage and her car tail light was believed to have been broken by Moore.

He was arrested in California in August and extradited back to South Dakota.

Prosecutors also accuse Moore of being a habitual offender, with a 2013 conviction for second-degree burglary in Pennington County.

If he is convicted in the July incident and proven to be a repeat felon, the sentences for aggravated assault and discharge of a firearm could each be enhanced from 15 to 25 years in prison.

DeLeon and Moore are both detained at the county jail and are due back in court Oct. 23.

Also at the jail is Michael Wisecarver, charged with attempted first-degree murder, aggravated assault and commission of a felony with a firearm for allegedly shooting and seriously injuring a Rapid City man in July. Wisecarver, of Piedmont, is scheduled to go on trial Dec. 5-12, according to court records.

Last year, Jarrad Smith was leveled the same charges after shooting another man outside a Box Elder strip club. A jury acquitted him in May of attempted murder but found him guilty of aggravated assault. He was sentenced to seven-and-a-half years in prison.
The driver of a semi truck died early Monday when he crashed into an overturned semi sprawled across both eastbound lanes of Interstate 90 six miles east of Wall, according to the South Dakota Department of Public Safety.

Two people from inside the overturned truck exited safely before the impact. They were treated at Rapid City Regional Hospital and released.

The name and identity of the 65-year-old driver killed was not released, pending notification of family. The names of the other driver, age 29, and his passenger, 27, both men, were also not released.

No other vehicles were involved. Tremendous debris from the accident shut down both eastbound lanes of I-90 for several hours, causing detours.

The crash occurred at 5:22 a.m. when the 29-year-old driver lost control of his 2014 Volvo semi truck and overcorrected, causing the tractor and trailer to tip over across both eastbound lanes, investigators said. The second driver died when his 2010 Freightliner, pulling double trailers, crashed into the first. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The South Dakota Highway Patrol is investigating the crash. Other agencies on scene were the Pennington County Sheriffs Office and Wall Ambulance.
When the Rapid City Council rejected an appeal by an area developer for a proposed subdivision just southeast of Rapid City limits on Monday night, the project was declared dead by the realtor behind the project.

And to some council members, its just another example of the citys failure to support affordable housing projects the area so desperately needs.

During Monday nights council meeting, Prairie Valley Development Company LLC, represented at the meeting by local realtor Stuart Martin of Re/Max Results, argued that the city should allow their proposed development to sidestep city requirements to install curbs, gutters and sidewalks along Reseda and Abelia streets about 2.5 miles southeast of city limits.

Though the lots are in a markedly rural area, they fall within the citys three-mile platting jurisdiction, requiring the development to meet the citys development and building criteria.

But in a 5-4 decision that required Mayor Steve Allender to cast the deciding vote  Alderwoman Darla Drew was absent and Alderwoman Laura Armstrong abstained due to a conflict of interest  the council rejected the developers appeal. Aldermen Ritchie Nordstrom and Steve Laurenti and Alderwomen Becky Drury and Amanda Scott voted against the appeal while Aldermen Chad Lewis, Jason Salamun and John Roberts and Alderwoman Lisa Modrick voted to grant it.

Nordstrom expressed hesitation about the subdivisions current drainage system, and both Nordstrom and Laurenti said they were concerned that when the area was eventually annexed into city limits, the cost of the improvements would fall on the city.

When asked by Modrick to estimate when the city would possibly annex the area, Public Works Director Dale Tech was noncommittal.

I have no idea, he said.

Modrick said she would vote for the developers appeal as a result.

Another decision on whether the developers would need to install a 12-inch water main was continued to the councils next meeting on Oct. 16, but outside the council chambers after the decision on curb, gutters and sidewalks, Martin said he believed the project was already unfeasible.

According to Martins estimates, the now-required improvements would cost around $300,000, with the to-be-determined water main issue costing $130,000. Martin said he was trying to keep the lot costs to between $30,000 and $35,000 but now, that was impossible.

Is there enough profit to be made in this to actually do it? Roberts asked Martin after the councils decision to require the installation of curbs, gutters and sidewalks.

No, Martin replied.

And thats exactly what I thought, Roberts said. Were always talking about affordable housing on this board, but we dont do anything for affordable housing. In my opinion, this one is so isolated that we would have had an opportunity to do something with affordable housing, and it really wouldnt have affected the city that much.

Allender, addressing the sparse crowd after another decision on the development granted them an exception to the required 52 feet of right-of-way, countered Roberts claim.

Its a false narrative to claim that the reason that lot costs are too high is because there are development rules, he said. There is a landowner who sells land and there are construction costs that go into that land, and to think that none of that has to do anything with the cost is naive.

Lewis was visibly frustrated with Allenders remarks, asking if there would be an opportunity to respond to the mayors statement, to which Allender simply replied, No.

Immediately afterward, Roberts laughed aloud.

Outside city hall following the meeting, Lewis and Roberts discussed the matter and two other recent council decisions that killed affordable housing developments in the area before they ever broke ground.

Lewis, still angered, walked to his car in the rain-soaked parking lot but not before giving his final, candid and unimpeded take on the matter.

Rapid City grows in spite of itself, he said. And you can put that in the paper.

In other action, the council:

 Acknowledged the citys sales tax collections for the month of July, which came in at $2,285,169, essentially even with July 2016 collections, at $2,288,753. For the first seven months of 2017, collections are up 1.6 percent compared with 2016, at $14,366,688.

 Confirmed the appointment of Ken Young as director of the citys Community Planning & Development Services Department. Young, who worked as the Community Development Director in Pleasant Grove, Utah, for the last 11 years, began his career in municipal government in the 1990s when he served as assistant city manager for Mesquite, Nev.

The director position has been vacant since March 2016 and has been filled on an interim basis by Public Works Department Director Dale Tech since that time. In May 2016, the city council approved a request from Allender to hire and pay recruiting firm Waters & Company up to $44,000 to fill both the Public Works and Community Planning and Development Services director positions. This February, the council approved increasing the director positions advertised salary range from $96,000 to $115,000, to $105,628 to $125,260, depending on experience. At the time of departure, former director Brett Limbaugh was paid $110,628, according to city communications coordinator Darrell Shoemaker.

 Approved a resolution that will transfer the remaining monies in the citys Utility Support Fund to the Capital Improvement Plan fund and Vision Fund after the reallocation was approved during the citys budget hearings in September. Of the 2 percent sales tax that Rapid City collects, 50 percent of collections will now go to the general fund, 29 percent to the capital improvement plan and 21 percent to the Vision Fund. Previously, 8 percent was disbursed to the Utility Support Fund, which will be eliminated once ongoing projects paid for by the fund are completed.
Russian police detect over 12,000 members of suicidal social media groups

MOSCOW, October 3 (RAPSI, Nikolay Merkulov)  Over 12,000 members of the so-called Groups of Death have been found on the Internet, Russias Interior Ministry announced on Tuesday.

Moreover, about 1,400 suicidal groups have been revealed, the statement reads.

According to the Interior Ministrys press service, police officers are working in cooperation with Russias communications watchdog Roskomnadzor and social networks administration to promptly block such groups and accounts related to them and therefore, to check the growth of illegal content.

Recently, over 230 criminal cases have been opened against suicidal groups admins and curators, in the age from 13 to 25 years predominantly, the Interior Ministry reports.
An Anchorage accountant and her husband, both with deep connections to the Bitterroot Valley, are charged in U.S. District Court in Alaska with defrauding a medical practice of at least $550,000.

Jill and Darin Applebury, both 52, were named in a 39-count federal indictment on Sept. 22 that charged them with bank fraud, wire fraud, fraudulent transactions with an access device, and aggravated identity theft.

Jill Diane Applebury, also known as Jill Wetzsteon, turned herself in to Montana authorities on Thursday. Federal magistrate Jeremiah Lynch of Missoula released her on condition she appear for arraignment in U.S. District Court in Anchorage on Oct. 10.

The U.S. attorneys office in Alaska confirmed Monday that Darin Wade Applebury is in custody after he was arraigned Thursday in Anchorage. A detention hearing was set for Monday afternoon.

According to the indictment, Jill Applebury owned Applebury Accounting Services in Anchorage and from the mid-1990s provided bookkeeping services on an independent contract basis to a practice owned and operated by an unidentified physician.

Darin Applebury, a commercial airline pilot, was a shareholder and the president of a medical equipment supply company, Rapid Recovery Medical Service.

The indictment alleges that from 2004 until March 22, 2013, the Appleburys used the medical practices business bank account and Bank of America credit card to pay for items for their own personal and/or business benefit.

The unauthorized charges included automobile insurance and personal internet service; a coffee maker for Darin Appleburys mother; a vacuum cleaner for their daughter; an alarm clock for Jill Appleburys sister; cell phone service for their family; and business licenses for Darins medical supply business and for Alyeska Getaway Lodging, a rental property in Girdwood, Alaska, owned by Jill.

Darin Applebury is alleged to have used, with his wifes help, the medical practices credit card for four transactions totaling nearly $3,000 to buy products for his former business in October 2012.

In addition, Jill Applebury is accused of participating in the medical providers profit-sharing plan, even though as an independent contractor she didnt qualify for it. The indictment charges she falsely represented to the third-party administrator that she had become a full-time employee in 2009.

In all Jill Applebury fraudulently caused the physician to unknowingly allocate $62,722.90 to her in unauthorized profit-sharing plan contributions for the years 2010 and 2011, said a news release from the U.S. Attorney, District of Alaska.

The indictment does not detail many other fraudulently obtained goods and services that totaled more than half a million dollars.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Anchorage Police Department.

Acquaintances of the Appleburys in Montana say both families have long ties to the Bitterroot and both lived in the Darby area before moving to Alaska in the early 1990s.

Max Johnson said Jill Applebury signed his checks and prepared his taxes in his eight years as a chef at the Rocky Knob Lodge in Conner. Her father, Sterling Wetzsteon, was co-owner of the Rocky Knob as well as the 1,100-acre Lazy J Cross Ranch in Sula until his death in April 2013.

Jill Applebury has been identified in recent news stories as part owner of the Lazy J Cross, where a $945,000 conservation easement initiated by Sterling Wetzsteon was completed in 2015. Wetzsteon's ancestors settled the Sula basin in 1888. Its currently the site of an ongoing stream restoration project on the East Fork of the Bitterroot involving high school students from Corvallis, Darby and Hamilton.

Darin grew up in the valley, and I know he still has family there, Johnson said from Minnesota, where he moved in September after quitting his job at the Rocky Knob.

Ownership of the lodge is listed on tax rolls as Rocky Knob No. 2, Inc. Johnson and another former employee who asked not to be named were both unsure if the Applebury name is on the deed and liquor license. Both said the couple still plays an active part in the management of the Rocky Knob.

They're kind of absentee owners," Johnson said. "They pop in and out.
Montana Craft Malt and Butte-Silver Bow are about to sign a lease agreement allowing a $15-million malting plant to be built and operate at the Montana Connections Business Development Park west of town.

The new malt business led by Buttes Ron Ueland would pay $1,000 a year to lease 8.6 acres in the Tax Increment Financing Industrial District (TIFID), with an option to buy it later for $2,000 per acre.

But the pact says the county recognizes the value the plant will bring to the community as a barley malting facility. The TIFID board has recommended commissioners approve the lease, which it could do Wednesday night.

TIFID administrator Kristen Rosa acknowledged Monday that the annual lease payment as well as the possible purchase price were on the low side. But the county and TIFID are looking at the bigger picture.

We feel that it is a fairly incentivized land cost because we are looking for job creation and tax (revenue) creation and diversification of the economy, she said. There is a big public benefit to having this happen.

Ueland announced in January that he and other investors planned to build a plant in Butte to make malt for craft brewers. It would employ 10 to 15 people and produce up to 10,000 tons of malt each year.

They later chose the countys business park as the site of their plant. Besides his love and bias for Butte, Ueland said, it was a great location for his and other businesses because of plentiful, pristine water available from Silver Lake.

Montana Craft Malt will use barley grown exclusively in Montana to produce a variety of specialty malts for the craft brewing industry inside and outside of the state.

Ueland said Monday that if commissioners agree to the companys strategy and the lease/buy pact, We will be working with everyone to break ground yet this fall and be in production in 2018.

The new company had planned to locate the plant near Scoular Grain inside the TIFID but decided on a different parcel a little to the west. It is still inside the business park but would be closer to possible new railroad extensions.

The county recently began a big initiative to extend rail connections from the nearby Port of Montana to more of the business park, saying it could entice more companies to locate there and grow the local economy.

The lease/buy agreement says Montana Craft Malt is responsible for getting all utilities from a nearby public right-of-way to the actual plant, but the county will use its best efforts to provide rail spur to the premises at its cost.

It was big for us and others to take advantage of this industrial park, and rail connections are a big selling point," Ueland said. I just think its good for the industrial park.

TIFID board chairman Todd Tregidga said Ueland recognized the benefits of being close to a possible rail spur, even though it was not yet in place.

Both sides agreed to the new location, Tregidga said, and the overall arrangement should benefit everyone.

It is a $15-million investment, and it will create jobs, and its doing exactly what our district is trying to accomplish by adding value to Montana products, he said.
The crowd at Missoula International Airport was far more tense than usual while waiting for the 3 p.m. Allegiant flight from Las Vegas on Monday.

Aboard were about 20 Missoulians coming back from the Route 91 Harvest Festival, which had turned into a killing ground on Sunday night. While none wound up among the more than 500 people injured in what's now considered the United States' worst mass shooting, with at least 58 dead, all appeared shaken as they hugged anxious relatives.

Several wound up helping rescue the hundreds of victims injured by gunfire and the subsequent stampede as 22,000 concert-goers tried to escape the open-air Las Vegas Village venue.

We were right down where the shooting happened, said Shane Cole, a nurse at Providence St. Patrick Hospitals cardiac catheter lab. It was chaos. People were running and screaming and laying everywhere.

Wife Michelle Cole recalled how the gunfire seemed to change direction, cutting into new parts of the Las Vegas Village festival site.

People were dropping right in front of the VIP tent, said Michelle, who also works at St. Pat's as the trauma program manager. And then the crowd shifted because we thought there were two shooters. Everyone was listening to see which way you could go.

The Coles got their young adult son Kolter, who uses a wheelchair, to safety before returning to provide what assistance they could. Michelle helped triage victims, directing first responders to the people most in need of immediate care and transport. Shane provided some of that first aid and helped load people into ambulances and other vehicles.

Although the actual shooting lasted perhaps 10 minutes and law enforcement found the suspected gunman dead of a self-inflicted wound about two hours later, uncertainty reigned over the scene far into the night.

Its no fun running away from what you dont know is out there, said Missoulian Pamela Wilson, also among those who attended the festival. We had just gone to get some food at the back of the area when we saw people running and all hell broke loose. We wound up locked in a Jamba Juice for a few hours. We jumped the counter of the first open door and ran into a storage room until they told us it was clear to go out. Everybody was heading north to get as far away as we could. We wound up at the Planet Hollywood in the Miracle (Mile) Mall for about four hours.

We werent allowed to get back to our rooms until 4:30 (a.m.), brother Dylan Wilson added. They had moved roughly 2 miles from the festival site to the mall and back to their New York New York hotel.

The Coles were staying on the 39th floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel, seven flights above the shooters 32nd-floor corner room. After most of the 515 injured had been cleared from the scene, they spent hours trying to reconnect with Kolter. Like many over the long night, their cellphones struggled for service and battery power. Many people reported tales of others sharing spare battery chargers to keep the communications going.

The people of Las Vegas  they were amazing to us, Shane Cole said. The medics, the hotel, the police, even the cab drivers.
A former Shepherd man was sentenced to 80 years in prison in the murder of a Glasgow woman on New Years Eve.

Jay Witkowski was sentenced for deliberate homicide in the killing of 31-year-old Evelynn Garcia on Monday in 17th Judicial District Court in Glasgow. A plea agreement called for 70 years, with 10 additional years to run consecutively for the use of a dangerous weapon.

If he follows his sentencing requirements for chemical dependency and other classes in prison, Witkowski will be eligible for parole in 20 years.

Charges say Witkowski stabbed Garcia before hitting her with a tire iron and later a car. Garcia's body was found on Jan. 30 on the side of a road outside Glasgow. She died days later.

Friends and family of Garcia declined to speak in court but wrote letters in advance about the impact of her murder.

Two Division of Criminal Investigation agents testified about blood spatters inside Witkowskis car and other details of the killing.

Witkowskis mother took the stand to say that Witkowskis meth use drove him to kill Garcia, and that violence was out of his character. Witkowski did not make a statement in court on Monday.

The sentencing took roughly four hours.

Witkowski recently tried to escape from the Valley County Detention Facility and has pleaded not guilty to charges from the August incident. Those are: attempted escape, aggravated kidnapping and criminal mischief, all felonies, and unlawful restraint and disorderly conduct, both misdemeanors.
Black contractors group protests Amazon North Randall project

Norman Edwards, president of the Black Contractors Group, holds a sign during a Monday protest at the Amazon fulfillment center construction site in North Randall. The organization claims that black workers are being barred from the site - an assertion that the mayor and other parties to the project dispute.

(Gus Chan/The Plain Dealer)

NORTH RANDALL, Ohio - A dust-up over minority construction hiring at the Amazon fulfillment center project in North Randall is casting a cloud over long-awaited activity on the former Randall Park Mall site - and spurring a war of words between the mayor of this largely African-American village and the outspoken president of the Black Contractors Group.

In email blasts and flyers, Norman Edwards claims that black workers are being shut out. On Monday, he organized the first of what could be many protests, in a very public push to put e-commerce giant Amazon and North Randall Mayor David Smith on the spot.

Seefried Industrial Properties, Inc., of Atlanta bought the former mall site in August and is developing a sprawling distribution building there for Amazon, which has signed a long-term lease. The fulfillment center, expected to open next year, will employ more than 2,000 full-time workers who will gather up, pack and ship small items such as books and consumer electronics.

Edwards, known for his fiery rhetoric, says he'll stage protests and bring in busloads of clergy and contractors from other states to join him until at least 20 percent of the workers on the site are black or Hispanic. "Damn them," he said of Amazon.

"We don't want them in the neighborhood," he added. "We're going to have a national boycott on them. We're going to keep coming."

Workers at the Amazon construction site in North Randall watched Monday as members of the Black Contractors Group and the Cleveland Clergy Coalition held a protest to highlight their concerns about minority hiring.

Smith, who also is black, said he's committed to inclusion and has no quibbles with the quest for more diversity on construction sites. But he's frustrated by Edwards' tactics.

"You can't stop people from protesting," Smith said. "But what really irritates me is that you don't have all the facts, and you have people that are following you in the protests."

Some cities and counties do attach hiring requirements - for local workers and minority- and female-owned contracting businesses - to public projects, though there's a statewide fight going on over the legitimacy of local-hiring regulations.

The Amazon fulfillment center, though, is a private construction project.

The village, Cuyahoga County and the state are chipping in - in the form of property-tax abatement, money for road improvements and job-creation tax credits tied to Amazon's tenure and employment on the site. But those incentives don't carry race-based hiring requirements.

The Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority's board signed off in July on the agency's plan to issue and sell up to $123 million in taxable bonds to help fund construction. That bond-financing transaction doesn't involve taxpayer money. The port, which has a two-tiered mission of supporting maritime activities and economic development, is a conduit. The agency collects a fee for issuing bonds sold to a private investor. Amazon's rent payments will cover the debt.

The port does have an inclusion policy, which applies to the North Randall project and its other development-finance deals. That policy sets a benchmark of 20 percent participation in a project by certified minority-owned or woman-owned businesses.

The port doesn't have legal authority to force developers and contractors to hire certain workers - or to punish builders who don't. But 90 percent of port-assisted projects meet that 20 percent goal, and the rest aren't far off, said Jade Davis, vice president of external affairs.

"What we have done is as much as we could, given the current regulatory and legislative framework in which we're working," Davis said of the port's inclusion efforts. "We have tracked numbers, and we've been pretty successful in compelling people we have worked with on the development finance side to hit those numbers - or get very close."

Protesters hold signs at the edge of the Amazon construction site in North Randall on Monday.

Clayco, a real estate and construction firm based in St. Louis, is the general contractor on the Amazon project.

A Sept. 28 status update provided by the port showed that much of the work, from fencing to painting to masonry, hadn't been awarded yet to subcontractors. Of the jobs that had been assigned, almost 25 percent of the spending was going to businesses owned by women or minorities - exceeding the port's threshold.

Edwards said that doesn't cut it, since some companies are owned by white women.

"We want black companies that are going to come in there and have black workers or Hispanic workers," he said. "We have contractors that are confident and that are capable."

Seefried, the developer, referred questions about the project to Amazon.

In an email, an Amazon spokeswoman wrote that the company has "a long-standing dedication to diversity and inclusion" and is fully meeting its commitment in North Randall.

"From the very beginning, our project partners reached out to and included [minority-owned and woman-owned] trades and business owners in the bid process," Lauren Lynch, the spokeswoman, wrote. "We are always listening to the community and striving to be valued contributors. When we open a new building, bringing thousands of jobs to a community, we offer competitive wages and great benefits starting on day one."

Congresswoman Marcia Fudge, a Democrat who represents Ohio's 11th district, said in an emailed statement that Amazon has assured her that the company is committed to diversity and inclusion.

"I'm now asking that they honor that commitment," she said. "This new facility will be built in a community that is 98 percent African-American. It is essential that the people who live there not only have the opportunity to work there but also provide the goods and services to bring this project to fruition."

Amazon recently announced plans for a second fulfillment center, employing 1,000 workers, in Euclid. That building won't open until 2019, and the financing still is taking shape. But Edwards already is planning to take his protests to that city, where Seefried expects to buy and demolish the empty Euclid Square Mall and nearby buildings to create a development site.

"This isn't stopping," Edwards said. "It's not a one-time deal."

Smith, who views Amazon as the centerpiece of a turnaround for his tiny, cash-strapped community, is fed up. A recent meeting between the parties, including representatives for the developer, public officials, the port and the Black Contractors Group, didn't lead to a resolution.

"We met Mr. [Edwards] with an olive branch, and he meets us with a sledgehammer," Smith said. "And, might I add, none of his support is anybody that resides in the village of North Randall."
One Lakewood Place mid-rise Oct. 2017

A rendering shows the more modest, mid-rise proposal that Carnegie Management & Development Corp. offered up for the longtime Lakewood Hospital site in downtown Lakewood. A selection committee unanimously recommended Carnegie to redevelop the 5.7-acre site, which the city owns.

(KA Architecture)

LAKEWOOD, Ohio - A Westlake developer has emerged as the leading candidate to bring apartments, retail, offices, parking and public spaces to the longtime Lakewood Hospital site.

After an eight-month process of soliciting and dissecting proposals, a selection committee unanimously recommended Carnegie Management & Development Corp. as the most qualified company to tackle what could be an $80 million to $130 million project. Now the city of Lakewood and the developer will start hammering out deal terms, in hopes of entering a development agreement this year.

If that timeline holds, they'd spend most of next year planning and start construction in 2019. The project, called One Lakewood Place, could debut in 2020.

"It's really important for us that, as with all real estate development projects, this project will be flexible and will respond to the marketplace," said Bryce Sylvester, Lakewood's planning director. "That's one important point that we'll continue to reiterate."

Carnegie bested seven competitors in a process that started in February, when the city solicited proposals for the 5.7-acre downtown site. The property, which is city-owned, sits just south of Detroit Avenue between Belle and Marlowe avenues.

After a fierce community battle, the century-old hospital closed last year, though the emergency room will remain open until the Cleveland Clinic opens its new Lakewood Family Health Center across the street in the spring.

In a Sept. 27 letter to Lakewood City Council members, Mayor Mike Summers, Council President Sam O'Leary and Sylvester wrote that Carnegie submitted a true, mixed-use proposal, one that stood out for its approach to public financing - the developer hasn't asked for much - and the company's understanding of the market.

"Specifically," the officials wrote, "Carnegie continued to address the importance of job creation, high quality urban design, opportunity for a diverse and sizable product mix ... and a commitment to forming a true partnership with the city on this project to ensure its success."

A rendering shows Carnegie's mid-rise redevelopment proposal for the Lakewood Hospital site, where businesses and apartments could open in 2020.

Carnegie offered up two iterations of its plan - one with a high-rise apartment tower and one without.

Both designs involve first-floor retail, such as an ice cream shop, a pet store, a coffee shop, cafes and restaurants; possible second-story retail, such as a small grocer, a fitness facility and a day-care center; office space, including a "university anchor;" high-end apartments; and, possibly, 60 for-sale townhouses at the southern end of the site.

The larger, high-rise vision for the project includes 340 apartments, 200 of them in a tower. But the developer and the city seem more focused on the lower-rise version, with 200 apartments, fewer construction complexities and less need for public financing or tax breaks.

The project also would include garage parking, concealed at the core of the complex; a banquet facility; meeting spaces; and public areas including a 35,000-square-foot entry plaza.

"We're most excited about the public space," project manager Rustom Khouri III said, mentioning opportunities to host festivals, art shows and live music.

Carnegie executives said the mid-rise proposal might cost $80 million to $90 million. The high-rise project could run between $120 million and $130 million. The developers won't have firm numbers until they finish refining their designs and sorting through details with the city.

"We will work closely with the city to come up with a collaborative, final plan," said Dr. Rustom Khouri, Carnegie's president and chief executive officer. "Everybody on our team, as well as the city, has a long-term view for this project, and we think that's important."

On the public-finance side, Carnegie is asking Lakewood to throw in the site and pay for demolition and abatement of hazardous materials at the old hospital. The city is still analyzing the site clean-up needs, Sylvester said, but it could cost $7 million to $10 million to raze the old hospital and prepare the land for development.

"Those discussions will be a big part of the term sheet and development agreement that we work with City Council on," Sylvester said of Carnegie's request.

As part of a multi-party agreement tied to the hospital's closure, Lakewood Hospital Association will set aside $7 million in a reserve fund that the city can use to redevelop the site.

Carnegie, which develops many government buildings and owns a portfolio of shopping centers and offices, tends to hang on to its projects. Khouri III said One Lakewood Place will be no exception. "The way we're viewing this project," he said, "is to have it be a flagship property in our portfolio for a long time."
Guwahati : After witnessing the devasting flood four months back, which led to deaths of over 300 wild animals including one horned rhinoceros, the Kaziranga National Park in Assam on Monday reopened for tourists.

Accompanied by state Agriculture minister Atul Bora, chairman of the Assam Tourism Development Corporation (ATDC) Jayanta Malla Baruah and other top officials of state forest department, Assam forest and environment minister Pramila Rani Brahma on Monday had opened the world heritage site for the 2017-18 tourist season.

Cutting the ceremonial red ribbon, the Assam forest minister said that, this year the state forest department has opened the tourist season by one month advance.

Pramila Rani Brahma said that, many roads inside the park, which are used by the tourists to go jeep safari are yet to be repaired, which were damaged in the last flood.

'But we have reopened two ranges under the park for both domestic and foreign tourists,'A Brahma said.

'The park always attracts both domestic and foreign tourists and we hope maximum tourists will arrive here this year to see world framed one horned rhinoceros,'A the Assam forest minister said.

Over 300 wild animals including 31 rhinos were died in the world heritage site in this year flood.

Earlier, the park opened for the tourists between November and April and the park usually remains closed between May and September every year due to flood.

On the other hand, the park director Satyendra Singh said that, the damaged roads repairing are continuing hope it will be completed within short period.

Now jeep safari will be allowed only in Kohora and Bagori ranges of the park and elephant safari will be allowed only in Kohora range,'A the park director said.

On the other hand, another home ground for rhinos, Pobitora wildlife sanctuary also reopened for the tourists on Monday.

MLA of Jagiroad assembly constituency Pijyush Hazarika accompanied with BJP MLA Ramakanta Deuri and other dignitaries had reopened the wildlife sanctuary.

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)
Guwahati : In a rich tribute to Mahatma Gandhi on his 148th birth anniversary, the Assam government on Monday has announced to gift Khadi clothes to all the state government employees from next financial year.

While attending in a function on the occasion of 148th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, Assam Khadi and Village Industries, Finance minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that, the state government has decided to gift two sets of Khadi clothes to all 4 lakhs state government employees.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led state government has asked state Khadi board to execute the plan by March 31, 2018.

'We will gift two sets of Khadi shirt to men and salwar or Mekhela Chador to women employees. There would not to be any compulsory directive to the state government employees to wear Khadi clothes,' Himanta Biswa Sarma said.

'The gifts will hopefully be given to the state government employees before Rongali Bihu in April next. For it, the state government would likely to bear more than Rs 12 crore and the state government had already allocated Rs 5 crore to the Khadi board,'A Sarma said.

'The Assam minister said that, it will help to revamp the Khadi industry in the state.

'If the Khadi board can execute it properly, the state government will make school uniforms of Khadi cloth,'A the Assam minister said.

'Stressing on Gandhi's dream of the spinning and weaving movement that was elevated to an ideology for self-reliance and self government, the Assam minister said that, it was for economic, cultural and social reasons and not merely political that Bapu established the Khadi Movement.

Assam Khadi and Village Industries board chairman Kamala Kalita during his speech read out a letter from the Assam Chief Minister to the audience on his not being able to attend the celebrations due to unavoidable personal engagements.

In his speech Kalita said that the Chief Minister has consented to grace the occasion of unveiling a bust of Mahatma Gandhi that the Khadi board has installed at its office premises.

'The meeting was also attended among others by Kabita Deka, CEO, Assam Khadi and Village Industries board, Meghna Hazarika, Board of Directors, Assam Khadi and Village Industries Board and Bhubaneswar Barman, Freedom Fighter and former MLAs.

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)
Guwahati: Following the call from the national media fraternity, the city based journalists will also demonstrate their resentments against the relentless killing of scribes across India on Monday in front of Guwahati Press Club. The Journalists' Action Committee Assam has appealed to all media persons to participate in the program.

The largest democracy of the globe remains a bad place for working journalists irrespective of the regimes in power at New Delhi or any province capital. The populous country witnesses the murder of around five media persons on average in a year and that has not been changed for decades.

The land of Bhagawan Vishnu, Gautam Buddha and Mahatma Bapu has however hardly succeeded in resolving any of those journo-murder cases logically and legally. The year 2017 alone witnessed the killing of eight journalists in nine months.

The media fraternity will observe the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, a lawyer turned journalist turned India's Father of the Nation, on October 2 with the countrywide demonstrations. The JAC reiterated its demand for justice to all journalists killed and raised voice for a protection law to safeguard the media persons on duty.
Guwahati : Meghalaya police on Monday had recovered huge cache of arms and ammunition from Dosorge forest area in South Garo Hills district, which were buried underground by banned outfit Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA), officials said.

South Garo Hills district Superintendent of Police Abraham T Sangma said that, the South Garo Hills police with Commandos had conducted an operation at Dosorge forest area near Chipigittim following inputs from a militant of the outfit, who was arrested on September 29 last.

'The arrested militant identified as Bande Ch Marak alias Border revealed during interrogation that the outfit group had buried huge cache of arms and ammunition at the remote forest area and we have immediately launched operation at the area,'A the top police official said.

'The security personnel had recovered one AK-56 rifle with a magazine, one SLR rifle with one magazine, 76 rounds AK ammunition, 13 rounds SLR ammunition, which were buried underground.

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)
Guwahati : While Union Home ministry has directed all north eastern states and BSF and other security agencies to keep tight vigil along with India-Bangladesh and India-Myanmar following over 4 lakh Rohingya have fled violence churning through Rakhine state of Myanmar into Bangladesh, a sensational report has came to light that, several Rohingya's had infiltrated into Tripura and Assam in recent times.

The Rohingya's exodus continued into north east India and they were felicitated by some touts and it was revealed by three persons, who were arrested last night from Tripura.

Assam police on Sunday had arrested three touts from Tripura who were facilitated Rohingya people to enter Assam.

Assam police ADGP (Special Branch) Pallav Bhattacharya said that, in connection with apprehension of six Rohingya persons from Churaibari area in Assam's Karimganj district along with Tripura border on August 17 last, a team of Karimganj police had launched operation in the neighbouring state.

'Assam police had arrested the persons from NC Nagar area under Sonamura police station in Sipahijala district with the help of 145 Bn BSF and Tripura police,'A Bhattacharya said.

The arrested persons were identified as Sahajahan Choudhury, Faruk Mia

Choudhury and Suman Choudhury and they are hailing from NC Nagar area.

During the preliminary interrogation, the arrested touts revealed that, they had provided all arrangement to the Rohingya's to enter north east India by crossing India-Bangladesh border.

Meanwhile, the arrested persons were brought to Karimganj and the officials of Assam police, BSF, SIB, DSB have interrogated them to collect further information.

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)
A documentary film on the life and work of Gauri Lankesh, the journalist and secular activist who was assassinated in Bangalore in September 2017. The was directed by Deepu and produced by Pedestrian Pictures
SAHMAT

Safdar Hashmi Memorial Trust

29 Ferozshah Road,New Delhi-110001

Email: sahmat8[at]yahoo.com

Tel - 23381276/23070787

3.10.2017

Press Statement on Prof. Kancha Iliah Shepherd

The social and political hounding of Kancha Iliah Shepherd with death threats is another dark page in the recent turn of events, where intellectuals in the country have been at the mercy of hoodlums and fanatics of all hue and color, while the state is a mere bystander. In Professor Iliahas case the state has gone one step further where Telangana home minister has threatened him with legal action while Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister has stated that he will ensure that his book which at the centre of acontroversya will not be allowed in Andhra Pradesh. Prof Kancha Ilaiah Shepherd is the Director, Centre for the Study of Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy at the Maulana Azad National Urdu University, Hyderabad. The booklet in question titled aSamajik Smugglurlu Komatullua (Vysyas are social smuggler) is a reprinted version of a chapter titled aSocial Smugglera from Prof Iliahas earlier work called aPost-Hindu Indiaa (2009).

The booklet at the center of this row, explains the age old centralization of wealth in the hands of baniya caste in cohoots with Brahmins at the expense of dalit-bahujans and Adivasis. It also explains how due to the monopolization of the wealth by the upper castes makes them completely oblivious to the socioeconomic status of dalit-bahujans and Adivasis and regard them as ameritlessa. The umbrage taken by the Vysyas community of Andhra and Telangana on the said text, speaks volumes about their social and political dominance and how the same could be used to silence the opposing voice. This reaction of the Vysyas community also underlines the rising intolerance in the country where a work of critical importance and academic repute is physically opposed instead of its being debated, if required.

The Arya Vysya Association (AVA) has filed a petition in the Supreme Court saying the abook hurt feelings of the Arya Vysya communitya and sought a ban and legal action against Shepherd. The community staged protests in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, and burnt the authoras effigies. Telugu Desam Party MP T.G. Venkatesh addressed a press conference against the author and sought that he be ahanged publiclya . His car was attacked at Parkal by a mob from the community when he was returning to Hyderabad from Bhupalapalli where he had gone to attend a public meeting of the Telangana Mass and Social Organisations Forum.Kancha Ilaiah lodged a complaint with the Osmania University police station as he received threatening and abusive phone calls from unidentified persons.

The sheer impunity enjoyed by these blood thirsty goons, patronized by their political masters is increasingly being bolstered by the conservative and jingoistic posturing of Narendra Modi government at the centre. After the brutal murder of Govind Pansare, Narendra Dhabolkar, Kalburgi and the recent brutal killing of Gouri Lankesh, this tide of hounding the intellectuals to their brutal death is becoming a new normal. Prof Iliahas name is the latest in this order, where the act of writing has become threat to the status quo of the dominant castes. Lest we as civil society become conditioned to such targeting and threatening of our intellectuals, we must stand together against this calculated and deliberate suppression of critical voices of our society - voices which are absolutely central to the functioning of a political democracy. Civil society must stand up against this goondaism and demand for security for Prof Kancha Iliah as well as punishment to those issuing open threats, before we have another Gauri Lankesh.

Ashok Kumari

Secretary
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Oct-03-2017 11:07 TweetFollow @OregonNews Plane Crash Kills Oregon Couple The crash site was difficult to locate due to the weather and thick timber.

A Cirrus SR-22 crashed Sunday morning into the mountains in western Klamath County, killing two. Photo: OSP

(KLAMATH COUNTY, Ore.) - A Cirrus SR-22 crashed Sunday morning into the mountains in western Klamath County, killing two people from Glendale, Oregon. They were on their way to Medford from Klamath Falls. At 10:43 a.m., October 1st, an Oregon State Police Fish and Wildlife Trooper was working with a volunteer between Burton Butte and Old Baldy Mtn. in a remote section of western Klamath County near the Pacific Crest Trail when they heard a low flying airplane. The plane sounded as if it was having engine trouble. The cloud cover was at treetop level and the airplane was not visible. Then the crash was heard, as the plane made impact with the ground, less than a mile away. First responders immediately started getting resources en route to assist and locate the plane. An initial check of the area by Troopers and subsequent searches by Search and Rescue were unable to locate the plane. Weather conditions improved, but it wasn't until the morning of October 2nd before a helicopter was able to spot the wreckage and rescuers made their way through the thick timber to the location. The plane was occupied by 54-year old Juan Canopii, and his wife 60-year old Chantal Canopii, both of Glendale, Oregon. Both were pronounced deceased at the scene. The investigation is still continuing to determine the cause and who was the pilot. The FAA and NTSB have responded to the scene to assist and take over the investigation. The Oregon State Police was assisted at the scene by Klamath, Jackson, Lake, Douglas, Del Norte and Siskiyou County Sheriff's Office SAR teams, Oregon Department of Forestry, Bureau of Land Management, Brim Aviation and members of the Oregon Air National Guard 173rd Fighter Wing. Source: Oregon State Police _________________________________________

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 "Whats Behind the Decline in the Death Penalty?" | Main | Interesting comments from the new Justice during reargument of vagueness issues in Sessions v. Dimaya 

October 3, 2017

Five notable GOP Senators introduce Mens Rea Reform Act of 2017

As reported in this press release, yesterday "Senators Orrin Hatch (R-UT), Mike Lee (R-UT), Ted Cruz (R-TX), David Perdue (R-GA), and Rand Paul (R-KY) introduced legislation to strengthen criminal intent protections in federal law." Here is more from the press release:

Their bill, the Mens Rea Reform Act of 2017, would set a default intent standard for all criminal laws and regulations that lack such a standard. This legislation would ensure that courts and creative prosecutors do not take the absence of a criminal intent standard to mean that the government can obtain a conviction without any proof a guilty mind.... Prosecutors should have to show a suspect had a guilty mind, not just that they committed an illegal act, before an American is put behind bars, Sen. Lee said. Unfortunately our federal laws contain far too many provisions that do not require prosecutors to prove a defendant intended to commit a crime. The result is criminal justice system that over penalizes innocent acts which only undermines the rule of law." Im proud to join Sen. Hatch in addressing one of the biggest flaws in our modern criminal justice system,Sen. Cruz said. Currently, the federal government can send men and women to prison without demonstrating criminal intent. As Congress works to address criminal justice reform, the Mens Rea Reform Act needs to be enacted to protect the rights of all Americans.

The press release includes "Statements of Support" from John Malcolm of the Heritage Foundation, Norman Reimer of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, and David Patton of the Federal Defenders of New York. And in conjunction with this bill introduction, Senator Hatch Senator Hatch yesterday delivered this speech on the Senate floor about the need for mens rea reform. Here are excerpts from that speech:

Like many of my colleagues, I believe Congress has criminalized far too much conduct and has mandated overly harsh penalties for too many crimes. A number of my colleagues have sought to address these problems by cutting prison sentences, altering statutory minimums, or releasing prisoners earlier for good behavior. But as we seek to reform the criminal justice system, we must be careful not to overlook one of the major roots of the problem: the lack of adequate criminal intent requirements in federal criminal statutes.... Unfortunately, many of our current criminal laws and regulations contain inadequate mens rea requirements  and some contain no mens rea requirement at all. This leaves individuals vulnerable to prosecution for conduct they believed to be lawful. In recent years, as Congress and federal agencies have criminalized more behavior, they have often been vague about mens rea requirements, or even silent about mens rea altogether. In a 2014 Tennessee Law Review article, Michael Cottone investigated how many federal criminal statutes there are in the US code. Mr. Cottone explained that tellingly, no exact count of the number of federal statutes that impose criminal sanctions has ever been given. Most scholars agree there are approximately 5,000 federal statutes that impose criminal sanctions. But those criminal statutes do not include the nearly 300,000 federal regulations that also carry criminal penalties. With so many criminal laws on the books, its far too easy for Americans to break federal laws unwittingly, with no understanding whatsoever that their behavior is illegal. For example, did you know its a federal crime to write a check for an amount less than $1 dollar? Or that its a federal crime to allow a pet to make a noise that frightens wildlife on federal land? Even more incredibly, did you know its a federal crime to keep a pet on a leash that exceeds six feet in length on federal land? Mr. President, these are only a few examples of unlawful activities that reasonable people could not reasonably be expected to know. Whats worse, many of these unlawful activities are punishable by time in prison. This is not only ridiculous; its immoral. The lack of adequate mens rea requirements in our federal criminal code subjects innocent people to unjustified punishment.... Our bill sets a default intent requirement of willfulness for all federal criminal offenses that lack an intent requirement. Additionally, the bill defines willfulness to mean that the person acted with knowledge that his or her conduct was unlawful. Naturally, our bill does not apply to any offenses that Congress clearly intended to be strict liability offenses. Our proposal has garnered widespread support from a variety of organizations, including the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Koch Industries, the Federal Defenders, the US Chamber of Commerce, the Federal Defenders, and the Heritage Foundation, just to name a few. Importantly, our bill does not remove any crimes from the books, nor does it override any existing mens rea standards written in statute. Moreover, it does not limit Congresss authority to create new criminal offensesincluding strict liability offenses. Mr. President, mens rea really is a simple issue. Individuals should not be threatened with prison time for accidently committing a crime or for engaging in an activity they did not know was wrong. If Congress wants to criminalize an activity, and does not want to include any sort of criminal intent requirement, Congress should have to specify in statute that it is creating a strict liability offense. I believe this simple legislative solution will go a long way in reducing harsh sentences for morally innocent offenders. It will also push back against the overcriminalization of innocent behavior. As Ive said many times, any consideration of criminal justice reform or sentencing reform is incomplete without reforms to mens rea requirements.

I cannot yet find the full text of the Mens Rea Reform Act of 2017 on-line, but I suspect it is very similar if not identical to the previously introduced Mens Rea Reform Act of 2015 available here. It does not seem that Senator Hatch was a cosponsor of the 2015 version of this bill, so I think it is a very good sign that Senator Hatch is now apparently leading the charge for this reform (and doing so by stressing that he believes Congress has "mandated overly harsh penalties for too many crimes").

As long-time readers recall (and as detailed in some prior posts below), there is reason to believe that misguided opposition to this kind of mens rea reform by the Obama Administration and some Democrats contributed to the failure of bipartisan sentencing reforms to make it through Congress. I am hopeful (but not optimistic) that the current Administration is more supportive of this kind of mens rea reform; I am also hopeful that this bill might be linked to broader sentencing reform efforts and that both might get moving forward in the legislative process in the coming weeks and months.

Some recent and older related posts:

October 3, 2017 at 10:36 AM | Permalink

Comments

If this law is enacted, I may have to challenge it in federal court, because it violates the Establishment Clause by its use of Latin, its supernatural content, its Catholic origin.

Senator Hatch wants less criminalization. He may propose the doctrine of desuetude at the national level, require proof all criminal laws be safe and effective prior to enactment, and require testing of effectiveness after enactment.

Posted by: David Behar | Oct 3, 2017 1:52:16 PM

Ah yes, "one of the major roots of the problem" of mass incarceration is that a few federal crimes don't have a mens rea requirement. Interesting how we have moved from Cj reform, with mass incarceration as a focus, to overcriminalization, to the real problem with the explosive growth of local jails and state prisons is federal mens rea. (I thought it might have something to do with race...)

The main effect of this will be to give a number of corporate executives leeway -- "freedom" -- to make questionable statement and get away with harms against consumers, workers and the public. Opposition isn't misguided, Doug.

Further, criminal laws that do not specify mens rea can have a purpose in protecting the public in situations where corporations provide plausible deniability or structured unaccountability.

Posted by: Paul | Oct 4, 2017 3:22:17 PM

A major root of modern mass criminalization, Paul, is a denigration of mens rea and the view that "questionable statements" ought to prompt criminal investigations funded by taxpayers and subjecting persons to criminal sanctions without proof of culpable/dangerous mental states by the actor. The MPC rightly warned that we would bastardize the criminal law if we allowed criminal sanctions without requiring proof of mens rea, and they rightly foresaw the risk of criminal law creep if any and every effort to "protect the public" led to the creation of a criminal law without this fundamental element of criminality.

I trust you realize, Paul, that any and every law you might not like or find too harsh --- e.g., severe mandatory minimum prison terms for even low level drug offenses, extremely broad and onerous sex offender restrictions --- can be readily defended with the claim that any harsh or seemingly extreme use of criminal liability is part of "protecting the public in situations where [groups or institutions] provide plausible deniability or structured unaccountability."

I think it quite fair to criticize anyone who claims mens rea issues represents the only problem that needs fixing, but I think it quite misguided to suggest it is not a problem or to think we can use the criminal law in an extreme manner in one arena and not see that kind of extremism extend to other spheres.

Posted by: Doug B | Oct 4, 2017 8:38:33 PM

For many years some of us have, in assisting criminal defense counsels and defendants, attempted to establish the necessity of charging both the actus reus and the mens rea. Experiencing the continual blockade by prosecutors, we reworked the "Bill of Particulars" to seek to expand the charging instrument to list each one of the 'essential elements' of the crime being charged. In some 200 plus attempts, the response from the government was simply that the "Bill of Particulars" was unnecessary and that 'at trial' these 'elements' would be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

The obvious problem with that statement is that virtually no defendant would elect to go to trial. In most criminal cases the defendant would rather enter into some agreement thus relieving the prosecution from the necessity (other than some simple proffer at the change of plea hearing that they could have proven at trial...) as to the charging and proofing of the crime's essential elements.

This always presented the problematic sentencing issues of both 'relevant conduct' (i.e. drug weights, amount of loss, conspiratorial conduct not charged) and the criminal sanctions including forfeitures and restitutions.

This proposed change by these five notable GOP Senators who have introduced the Mens Rea Reform Act of 2017 goes a long way to mandate that the mens rea is not run over or tucked away within some change of plea proffer. Such proffer is mostly known to be little more than story telling by the prosecution and accepted by the Courts as standard operation procedure.

The next critical aspect will be to educate and support defense counsels in mandating this become the benchmark in the pre-trial process by at the least instituting the use of such tools as the Bill of Particulars or Procedural Rule 201's Taking of Judicial Notice.

Kudos to those that will mandate such actions to protection of the defendants rights.

Posted by: Doug MacCachran | Oct 5, 2017 2:25:52 PM

For many years in assisting criminal defense counsels and defendants, we attempted to establish the necessity of charging both the actus reus and the mens rea. Sensing the blockade by prosecutors we reworked the "Bill of Particulars" to seek to expand the charging instrument to list each and every essential element of the criminal crime being charged. In some 200 plus attempts the response from the government was simply that the "Bill of Particulars" was unnecessary and that 'at trial' these elements would be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

The obvious problem is that virtually no defendant would elect to go to trial and rather enter into some agreement thus relieving the prosecution from the necessity (other than some simple proffer at the change of plea hearing that they could have proven at trial...) as to the essential elements.

This always presented the problematic sentencing issues of both 'relevant conduct' (i.e. drug weights, amount of loss, conspiratorial conduct not charged) and forfeitures and restitutions.

This change via S.2298 - Mens Rea Reform Act of 2015 goes a long way to mandate that the mens rea is not run over or tucked away within some change of plea proffer of storytelling by the prosecution and accepted by the Courts as standard operation procedure.

The next critical aspect will be to educate and support defense counsels in mandating this become the benchmark in the pre-trial process by at the least instituting the use of such tools as the Bill of Particulars or Procedural Rule 201's Taking of Judicial Notice. For many years some of us have, in assisting criminal defense counsels and defendants, attempted to establish the necessity of charging both the actus reus and the mens rea. Experiencing the continual blockade by prosecutors, we reworked the "Bill of Particulars" to seek to expand the charging instrument to list each one of the 'essential elements' of the crime being charged. In some 200 plus attempts, the response from the government was simply that the "Bill of Particulars" was unnecessary and that 'at trial' these 'elements' would be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

The obvious problem with that statement is that virtually no defendant would elect to go to trial. In most criminal cases the defendant would rather enter into some agreement thus relieving the prosecution from the necessity (other than some simple proffer at the change of plea hearing that they could have proven at trial...) as to the charging and proofing of the crime's essential elements.

This always presented the problematic sentencing issues of both 'relevant conduct' (i.e. drug weights, amount of loss, conspiratorial conduct not charged) and the criminal sanctions including forfeitures and restitutions.

This proposed change by these five notable GOP Senators who have introduced the Mens Rea Reform Act of 2017 goes a long way to mandate that the mens rea is not run over or tucked away within some change of plea proffer. Such proffer is mostly known to be little more than story telling by the prosecution and accepted by the Courts as standard operation procedure.

The next critical aspect will be to educate and support defense counsels in mandating this become the benchmark in the pre-trial process by at the least instituting the use of such tools as the Bill of Particulars or Procedural Rule 201's Taking of Judicial Notice.

Kudos to those that will mandate such actions to protection of the defendants rights.



Posted by: Doug MacCachran | Oct 5, 2017 2:27:39 PM

https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/senate-bill/1902/text

Posted by: Philip D Cave | Oct 25, 2017 8:35:33 AM

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As the 40th anniversary of Harvey Milk's election to the Board of Supervisors approaches next month, local nonprofit Illuminate  the folks behind the Bay Lights on the Bay Bridge and the Summer of Love projections at the Conservatory of Flowers  is commemorating the historic event with two installations at the former Bank of America building (now SoulCycle) facing Harvey Milk Plaza in the Castro. First, a temporary set of rainbow beacons called "Harvey's Halo" shooting directly up to the sky from the roof of the building will be unveiled on the evening of November 8, marking 40 years since Milk's November 8, 1977 election as the first openly gay elected official in the country. Second, a set of words in white neon that will be permanently featured on the facade of the building, just below the cornice where the Bank of America sign once was (see below), is being installed and they will read "Hope will never be silent"  a famous quote from Milk.

The 15 rainbow beacons, shown above, will only remain on for seven nights beginning November 8, but Illuminate's executive director, Ben Davis, tells the Chronicle that the neon words will remain indefinitely as a "permanent greeting" to everyone arriving in the Castro.

"The art is designed to honor the life and legacy of Harvey Milk through lights power of attraction," Davis said in a statement.

A crowdfunding campaign to fund the two pieces has so far raised about half of its $60,000 goal.

These works arrive just as a design is being chosen for a complete redo of Harvey Milk Plaza, which currently just consists of the sunken entryway to the Castro Muni station. In two of the finalist designs, the Muni entrance is moved up Market Street in order to create a larger street-level plaza.

See more about Illuminate's installations and Milk's legacy in the brief video below.





Related: Check Out The Harvey Milk Plaza Redesign Competition Finalists


A couple of photos are circulating showing two iPhone 8 Pluses bought in two different countries that spontaneously split open at the seam, one after being plugged in to charge.

As 9to5Mac reports, the first photos came via a woman in Taiwan whose brand new rose gold iPhone 8 Plus had only been connected to an Apple charger for three minutes when "she reported seeing the front panel bulge, and eventually lift completely from the device." The story, which made headlines in Chinese and Taiwanese media, was picked up by The Next Web, who explain that the woman's phone was replaced by her carrier, which shipped the phone back to Apple for analysis.

9to5Mac notes that the photos are consistent with a swollen battery.

Above you can see photos of another iPhone 8 Plus, this one purchased by a Japanese man who said he found the phone split open upon its arrival at his home, still in the box.

Now, two incidents do not necessarily portend a widespread epidemic, but the reports bring to mind the early days of the first plus-sized model, the iPhone 6 Plus, when users discovered that the phones were strangely easy to bend particularly when shoved in a back pocket. That was three years ago now, and lots of people have these larger phones, and we don't hear about "Bendgate" anymore.

Related: Apple Recommends Avoiding Face ID If You Have A Twin Or If You're Under 13
The San Francisco Arts Commission has unanimously voted to remove a Civic Center statue depicting a Spanish vaquero and a missionary standing over a prone Native American figure.

As KTVU tells it, dozens of people turned out to an open Arts Commission meeting where they discussed the statue and made cases for its removal. Most of the comments made to the commission were in favor of taking it down, as it represented a time in history that was rife with racism and genocide.

Artist Hailey Clarke said, "How would you feel if someone came into your home, killed your family and then put up a statue commemorating the people who killed and enslaved your family?" Dee Dee Manzanares Ybarra, a member of the Rumsen Ohlone tribe, wrote a statement on a Facebook group dedicated to the statue's removal. It reads, in part: "It implies that natives were subhuman and that their survival was due to their colonization by outsiders when in reality the natives had survived for thousands of years. Changes need to be made by educating people of the true history."

One of the commission members, Marcus Selby, also urged the rest of the commission to vote in favor of the statue's removal, which garnered cheers of support from the assembled crowd.

Back in August, television host and stand-up comic W. Kamau Bell tweeted about an online petition to remove the statue, also urging for its removal while drawing a parallel to the current wave of Confederate statue removals going on across the United States.

Not all racist statues are Condfederate.  https://t.co/zCO8FCVGE9  W. Kamau Bell (@wkamaubell) August 30, 2017

The statue, titled "Early Days," is seen by many as a symbol of white supremacy, and it's one of four bronze statues by the sculptor Frank Happersberger that were commissioned for the plaza depicting California history, and installed in 1894 in front of SF's Old City Hall. Looking at the way it presents the Native American figure  lying back, in need of help, made to be perceived as "lower" in placement  versus how it presents the vaquero and the missionary  standing, looking up, "helping"  it's not hard to make that connection. The use of religion and, oftentimes, violence to colonize the Americas is well-documented, and this statue can be seen as a means of glorifying these colonial acts.

It's important to note that this vote comes less than a week away from "Columbus Day," a day that many Native Americans feel glorifies another historical figure who engaged in imperialist, colonialist activities to annex land that wasn't theirs and subjugate an entire people. Other cities, the first of which being Berkeley, have already renamed Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples' Day, celebrating the Native Americans/Indigenous Americans who lived here long before the Americas were "discovered" by Columbus and Spain.

Mayor Ed Lee has already come out in support of the statue's removal, too. KQED reported on a statement from Mayor Lee where he said, "Certainly on the streets of San Francisco, there ought to be symbols that dont oppress people or remind them of oppression. That symbol continues to be a symbol that bothers [Native Americans], and it bothers all of us if it bothers them." Joining Mayor Lee was Supervisor Jane Kim, who said, "Preserving a monument for the sake of history holds less weight than respecting all of our community members."

Only two things stand in the way of the statue's removal now, the first of which, according to SF Weekly, is the Historic Preservation Committee, which will be taking their own vote on whether to remove it or not. Second, there's the cost; estimates for the statue's removal stand between $160,000 and $200,000.



Related: Ohlone Indian Gravesite With 32 Skeletons Could Turn Into Lawsuit For Fremont Developer
Of the 10 homicides that have occurred in the Tenderloin this year, arrests have been made in seven of those cases. But one unsolved murder has gained a higher profile  the fatal September 8 shooting of nightclub personality Anthony Bubbles Torres  and now nearly a month afterward, Bubbles friends and neighbors are growing restless over an apparent lack of progress with the investigation. The SFPD held a community meeting Monday night to address residents of the Tenderloin neighborhood where the shooting took place, a crime-blighted area where a deli had been openly selling heroin over the counter, where the late-night strip club New Century Theater is long alleged to be responsible for shady after-hours activities, and where residents feel left in the dark on police communications as they see the Larkin Street and OFarrell Street corner turning into some lawless equivalent of Hamsterdam from The Wire.

Supervisor Jane Kim, who moderated the meeting, said This is probably my third or fourth meeting that weve held on just this intersection, and how we can make this intersection safer.





First, an update on the Bubbles homicide investigation  there is no update. Theres not a lot of questions we can answer. This is a very active case, said SFPD deputy chief Mike Redmond, a onetime Tenderloin beat officer. In every homicide, we are very, very careful in what we release, especially when there hasnt been an arrest made in the case. Things could get out that could jeopardize [the] investigation.

This is totally understandable, but has also left the rumor mill churning as concerned residents fling accusations, largely in the direction of one party.



Image: Joe Kukura, SFist

Here we see the marquee for the New Century Theater, on which the strip club is still promoting After Hours! despite the recent homicide just outside on Larkin Street, after hours. We have a bad actor in terms of our neighbor, the New Century [Theater]. Theyre suspiciously involved with this case, said neighborhood activist David Elliott Lewis. Theyve been a bad actor for a lot of years and allowed a lot of illegal activity to happen in front of their business.

Neighbors feel that club has an odd hold over the Tenderloins homeless population, with many people afraid to speak out about crimes they see on the New Century front sidewalk. From my understanding and the feedback weve gotten, a lot of folks did witness [the murder], said Bubbles attorney Jim Reilly, who asked that a reward be offered for any information. I hope that the tipline information is well-distributed in the community. That homicide tipline, by the way, is (415) 575-4444.

A lot of the community feels like this was clearly a case of a hate crime, Reilly said to applause, asking if the SFPD Hate Crimes Unit was involved. Police responded that all the resources of their units were going to this case.

Residents asked that more cameras and lights be installed on that Tenderloin block  home to a childrens playground  where even the most pedestrian pedestrians are cornered and harassed with unusually aggressive drug sale pitches. Locals also wondered why no composite sketches of suspects have been released on this case.

Tenderloin Police Captain Teresa Ewins noted that measures are being taken, though may not be immediately visible. We are going to be looking into the New Century with the city attorney, Ewins said, also noting that shes adding more beat cops to that corner. I asked them to do this assignment for a very good reason. Its because of who they are and how they work, she said of those officers.

But neighbors argued the police could be doing more with what they already have. They havent checked this whole block for tapes and there are over 15 cameras, said one resident of the specific block, though also noting her buildings tape had been checked.

That sentiment was backed up by no less than the host of this community meeting with police, RS94109 record shop owner Sohrab Harooni. Not one time have any police come in here and asked us, Hey, can we see your camera? Hey, whats going on with this?. Or asked us any questions, Harooni said.

We see so much stuff happening out our windows, we never, ever get anyone to come talk to us, said Strand Barber and Beauty owner Adriel Lively, also a neighborhood resident and mother of four-year-old. We see more than you guys.

To be fair, there are challenging externalities that really hamper these police investigations. In addition to witnesses being spooked or intimidated, neighbors feel that most drug dealers in the area come from out of town. That means that if a search warrant can be produced, SFPD often has to hand that warrant off to other cities and just hope for the best. Additionally, courts tend to treat drug offenses as non-violent crimes, even though violence so frequently accompanies them, so offenders easily return to the street..

We cant give up just because we have challenges in our justice system, deputy chief Redmond said. We know as a police department, the way we can get close to the community is to do a fair and good investigation, and that an arrest is made to get some closure. That is our goal.

Neighborhood residents add that there are other contributing factors. Id like to see the city remove the toilet! a bartender from the nearby Gangway shouted at the meeting. He was referring to the public toilet at Larkin Street and Myrtle, which some feel attracts additional sketchy elements, and outside of which Bubbles was found shot. These toilets, while seen as a vital resource for the homeless, have frequently been the target of criticism for being havens of drug use, muggings, and small-time prostitution.

Related: Bubbles Eulogized With Actual Bubbles And Bubbly At Dolores Park Memorial Service


With jury selection in one of San Francisco's highest-profile slayings set to begin, at least a thousand San Franciscans have been summoned for jury duty in an effort to find twelve people with no opinions on the controversial case and plenty of time to spend on a likely-lengthy trial.

We're talking, of course, about the trial of the man now known as Jose Ines Garcia-Zarate, who police say in July of 2015 fatally shot SF woman Kate Steinle as she stood on Pier 14, using a gun previously stolen from a Bureau of Land Management officer's car.

As Garcia-Zarate (he was previously known as Juan Francisco Lopez-Sanchez) is an undocumented man who (in compliance with the city's sanctuary policies) had been previously released from police custody in SF on drug charges without being turned over to ICE, the case turned into a lightning rod for immigration opponents like then-presidential hopeful Donald Trump, who promised a law in Steinle's name, even as Steinle's family repeatedly asked that her name not be used for political purposes.

Of course, you know all this. And you likely have an opinion on the matter! Which makes the task of choosing a qualified juror all the more difficult, and is likely why the net has been cast so widely.

According to the Associated Press, on Monday the first of 1,000 jurors sent summons in the case arrived at a San Francisco courthouse, where they filled out questionnaires asking them "if they can sit through a lengthy trial or have moral qualms about the case."

Which, Jesus Christ, who doesn't? It's a horrific tragedy regardless of politics, a case perhaps complicated by some longer-time SF residents' reactions to Garcia-Zarate's public defender: Matt Gonzalez, a one-time District Five Supervisor who ran a close race Mayoral race against Gavin Newsom in 2003 and was Ralph Nader's vice-presidential running mate in the 2008 presidential election.

The questionnaire phase is just the first for prospective jurors, as attorneys on both sides will then sort through the documents to decide who might fit the juror bill. Those who appear worthy will be required to return to court the week of October 16, where they'll be asked "about their views on immigration and other issues in an effort to seat an impartial jury," the AP reports.

That stage is expected to last about two weeks, and will involve questions from lawyers on both sides in an effort to find "jurors who can see past, or set aside, the immigration issues, and decide the case purely based on the law and on what happened on the waterfront, the Chron reports. After that, it's on to the trial, the starting date of which is presently unknown.

Related: Photos Surface Of Accused Kate Steinle Killer Two Months Before Shooting
SIOUX CITY  American Airlines is expanding its efforts to help Siouxlanders get where they need to be during the holiday season.

The airline, the only carrier at Sioux Gateway Airport, will add a second daily flight from Sioux City to its hub at the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport from Dec. 23 to Jan. 5.

The latest additional booking will help to accommodate Christmas and New Year's travel while the November flight is expected to ease Thanksgiving-related travel congestion.

In a release, Darrell Jesse, president of the Sioux Gateway Airport Board of Trustees, commended the additional effort by American.

We are pleased that American has decided to add another daily flight during the holiday season in December," Jesse said. "This is obviously a busy season for travelers and we are happy to be able to offer travelers another option out of Sioux Gateway Airport.

In a previous interview with the Journal, Jesse noted if enough locals support the holiday flights American would consider making the second flight out of SUX a permanent addition.

This isnt complicated: If we, as Siouxland residents, use it, well keep these flights. If we dont, we wont keep them, he said at the time. Its like a lot of things you use it or you lose it.

American, which started flying between Sioux City and Dallas in May 2016, also offers two daily flights between Sioux Gateway and Chicago's O'Hare International Airport.
STORM LAKE, Iowa | Students and staff evacuated Storm Lake High School Monday afternoon following the discovery of a bomb threat written on the wall of a men's restroom.

Police are now offering a cash reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible for the threat.

Storm Lake police and fire personnel responded to the school, 621 Tornado Drive, shortly after 1 p.m., according to a news release from the Storm Lake Public Safety Department. The release said a school administrator had seen a "threatening message" written on a wall in one of the men's restroom, and administration promptly called 911 and evacuated the high school. The Iowa Central Community College attached to the east end of the high school was also evacuated, the release said.

Police shut down streets and parking lots around the school and sent in search teams around 2:15 p.m. The building was determined to be safe, and faculty and staff were allowed back inside around 3:15.

Police are conducting an investigation and encouraging anyone with information to contact the department at 712-732-8010.
SIOUX CITY | Help could be on the way for several Morningside residents looking to tame a widening channel that's eroding their backyards.

More than a dozen residents who live along South St. Marys Street, Mulberry Lane and Sergeant Road have in recent years watched soil behind their homes slide into a deep ravine used as a drainage way for area storm water. During heavy rains, as soil slides down the cliff, their backyards have been shrinking as a result due to the erosion.

Following more than a year of research on ways to alleviate the cause, the Sioux City Council on Monday voted 5-0 to adopt construction documents for a project to clean out and stabilize the ravine. If bidding and construction proceeds according to schedule, the approximately $100,000 project could be complete by April 1.

"The neighborhood's pleased that something is getting done," area homeowner Dennis Bullock told the Journal.

Last spring, the city had consulted Howard R. Green Co., a Midwest-based firm, to complete a study of the drainage ravine and see what could be done. Study results presented to the council showing the price tag to fix the problems could run as high as $2 million to $3.5 million.

The study showed that trees and other debris had fallen to the bottom of the bank, eliminating the natural water channel and creating a swirling water effect. Groundwater springs had also surfaced midway up the bank, hurting the upper bank's stability. Roof drainage and improper attempts by some residents to stabilize the bank added to the problem.

Special assistant to the city manager Rick Mach said the city saw the proposal approved Monday as a cost-effective solution.

Ultimately the city is helping out on a private channel, but we recognize there is city stormwater being dumped in there, he said. We thought this would work out as the best solution  the most cost-effective.

Bullock said the city has received permission by the neighbors to access the ravine and to stage on a lot he owns next to his house.

"We all as a neighborhood gave them access to our properties in exchange for them to complete the work," he said.

Bullock credited the work of Mach, who he said kept the project moving. He said he plans to wait and see how the changes affect the drainage before doing his own improvements toward the top.

Bullock said some residents "wish more would get done," such as a full box culvert, but he said he's happy to see the city moving forward.

Prairie Park

In other action Monday, the council voted 5-0 to approve agreements with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to fund the purchase of $720 worth of native grasses and flowers at a three-acre portion of Prairie Park, a new Sioux City park scheduled to have an official opening next spring.

The portion will serve to attract butterflies and pollinators to that section of the new 58-acre park, located just south of the city's wastewater treatment plant.

Sinkhole settlement

In other action Monday, the council voted 5-0 to authorize a $33,301 settlement of a property damage claim related to the formation of a sinkhole at 3015 Pierce St.

City documents say on Aug. 26, heavy rainfall caused large amounts of runoff in front of the residence, causing a large sinkhole to develop.

This residence, owned by Marlus Mammen, sits directly north of the property purchased by the city in August as part of a settlement with Joyce Downing, who had sued the city in 2014 after multiple sinkholes formed in her yard. That settlement cost the city $195,000.

The city has been repairing a large sinkhole at the intersection of 30th and Pierce streets caused by a failed storm sewer.

Cook Pool demolition

The City Council also voted 5-0 to approve a nearly $35,000 contract with Sioux City-based Herbert Construction for demolition, removal and site work at the former Cook Pool, 501 Market St.
LAS VEGAS | A family member Tuesday evening confirmed the death of Sutherland, Iowa, resident Carly Kreibaum, a victim in the largest mass shooting in U.S. history.

Kreibaum, a native of Sibley, Iowa, was believed to be one of at least 59 persons shot and killed during a Sunday night incident in which lone gunman Stephen Paddock opened fire on a crowd of some 22,000 people attending the Route 91 Harvest Festival, a country-music extravaganza on the Las Vegas Strip. Paddock injured more than 500 people before turning the gun on himself in his room at the Mandalay Bay resort which overlooked the outdoor concert venue.

Kreibaum attended the festival with friends, Alison Huckaby, of Sutherland, and Amy Douglas, of Cherokee, Iowa. The latter two concert-goers escaped the melee and were separated from Kreibaum just after she was hit with a bullet.

Kreibaum's husband, Chris Kreibaum, flew to Las Vegas Tuesday morning to search for her whereabouts.

Tuesday morning, Kreibaum's husband, Chris, posted a public update to his Facebook page thanking friends for the support. Early Tuesday evening, a Facebook post for Las Vegas United listed Carly Kreibaum as one of the victims, a post that touched off a reaction from Facebook users across Northwest Iowa, including those who left prayers and sentiment of sympathy and support for the Kreibaum family on the Facebook page of the Sutherland Church of Christ, which hosted a community prayer gathering for Carly on Monday night.

According to Kreibaum's Facebook page, she is a native of Sibley, Iowa, who graduated from Sibley-Ocheyedan High School and Wayne State College. She and Chris have two small children.

A public photo on her timeline shows her and her two friends in front of the Venetian Las Vegas. It was posted just after 2 p.m. Sunday.
Todays top picks from our online calendar. Find more events at siouxcityjournal.com/calendar.

Auditions: "Our Town" at SCCT

Director Rick Myers will be holding auditions "Our Town" 7 to 9 p.m. at Sioux City Community Theatre, 1401 Riverside Blvd. Please arrive early to fill out the audition form. Everyone auditioning will read aloud from the script. Show dates Nov. 24-25, Dec. 1-3, Dec. 7-10. For more information, please contact the theater at 712-233-2788 or email imacting@yahoo.com.

Human Library

The Human Library is a library of Human Books  individuals, that each represent a group in the community. Several WITCC students, staff and community members have volunteered to share their unique perspectives, one-on-one, and give the reader a chance to learn from their life experience. Stories will be shared 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Western Iowa Tech Community College, 4647 Stone Ave. Call 712-274-6400 for more information.

Tangled Yarns

Join us at the South Sioux City Public Library, 2121 Dakota Ave., at 6:30 p.m. Work on string or thread crafts, chat and learn with others doing the same! Crochet, knitting, embroidery, cross-stitch, etc. are welcome to join in our group. Call 402-494-7545 for more information.
SPIRIT LAKE, Iowa | The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is monitoring Big Spirit Lake after two zebra mussels were found in the lake.

A resident found a juvenile zebra mussel attached to a rock in the lake on Sept. 23, and biologists found a single larval zebra mussel in a water sample collected from the lake in August.

The findings indicate that the invasive species is present in the lake, Kim Bogenschutz, the DNR's Aquatic Invasive Species Program coordinator, said in a news release.

"It's too early to tell if there is an established population in the lake, but it is likely since the other lakes in the chain have growing populations," Bogenschutz said.

Zebra mussels were discovered in 2012 in East Okoboji Lake.

The zebra mussel competes with native fish and mussels, clogs pipes, cuts swimmers' feet and will pile up on rocks, docks, swimming platforms and anything else in the water. The mussel is often transported on boats and in water that has not been drained from boats.

Biologists will inspect boat hoists and docks after they are pulled out of Big Spirit Lake this fall for storage to seek indicators of how prevalent the mussels are in the lake.

The microscopic young mussels can be unintentionally transported with water in boat bilges, live wells or bait buckets. Adults can attach to boats and trailers.

The DNR reminds boaters to drain water from boats and clean and dry all boats, trailers and other equipment before leaving a body of water.
The gravity of the existential threat we face from Islamic Jihad is truly of epic proportions. It is essentially a battle pitting free-civilized man against a totalitarian barbarian. What is at stake is the struggle for our very soul - namely who we are and what we represent. The lives that were sacrificed for individual rights and freedoms that we've come to cherish are being chiseled away from right under our noses by the stealth jihadists. And many of us are in denial and totally clueless.



The left's appeasement and pandering to evil is nothing new. What makes their utopian delusions so infuriating and unpardonable is that it is not only they who will have to pay the consequences, and deservedly, so, they are thwarting and undermining our best efforts at resistance and are thus dragging us down in the process as well.







By Peter Lancz,, the head of the Raoul Wallenberg World Campaign Against Racism.
Robert (Bob) A. Augustine, 71, of Leonardtown, MD passed away at Georgetown University Hospital on Thursday, September 28, 2017. He was the husband of Anneliese Nitsch Augustine, with whom he shared 8 years of marriage. Born in Brooklyn, NY he was the son of the late Harriet and John Matthew Augustine.



Bob was an active Member of First Saints Community Church in Leonardtown, where he played in and ran the soundboard for the Praise Band. He is survived by his wonderful wife Anneliese; his son Christopher (Myra) and daughter Jaime, both by his first wife, Cathy Walker; grandchildren Caitlin, Michael, Ehmilae; great-grandson Cody; his sister Susan Brennan (Tom) and numerous cousins.



After serving for 4 years as a Sonar Technician in the U.S. Navy, Bob worked in Norfolk VA, Jacksonville FL, and St. Louis, MO, as a Field Engineer for Grumman. In 1999, he moved to St. Mary's County, where he worked as a Program Manager for PMA 260 where he utilized his ability to unite people and execute activities to deliver products in support of our Sailors and for Marines until his retirement in 2011. In retirement he loved being with Anneliese, making music, traveling and their dog Rocky.



Bob was a past president and keystone lifetime member of Southern Maryland Traditional Music and Dance, a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of traditional and contemporary folk music and dance in American culture. He began the HomeSpun Coffee House concerts and open mics, bringing talented performers from all over the U.S. to Southern Maryland, as well as providing a venue for local musicians to play and hone their skills. Prior to moving to Leonardtown, Bob worked with his late wife Lorie O'Connor and music legend Bob Zentz to launch similar traditional efforts in Norfolk, VA.



Bob had a wonderful singing voice, and was a talented guitarist, mandolin, and bouzouki player, having performed since he was 14 years old. He performed with numerous musicians and was an essential member of several local bands, including Folk L Point, Fortunes Turn, the Folk Salad Trio and Harmony Grit.



Services will be held at First Saints Community Church, Leonardtown, MD on Saturday, October 14, 2017 with visitation at 10:00 am and services starting at 11:00. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society. Arrangements by the Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A.
To say that Storks is a Wilton Manors landmark is an understatement. Now celebrating its 20th anniversary the bakery/cafe has been a popular meeting spot since Jim Stork opened it in 1997. Those who think of it as just a coffee shop couldnt be more wrong. While it does serve eight different styles of brew, as well as an array of teas, smoothies, cappuccinos and lattes, iced or hot; folks can also grab a pastry to go along with their cup of Joe, or sit and enjoy a full breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Although hes no longer involved in the business, Storks still bears the name of its founder, who led quite a different life before he came to Wilton Manors. As Stork explains, Prior to Stork's, I ran a small pharmaceutical company called Campbell Laboratories. After the sale of the company in 1996, I wasn't sure what my next career would be. The coffee trend was exploding and I watched the growth of Starbucks. At that time, there were no Starbucks in the Fort Lauderdale area.

More and more gay people were also moving into Wilton Manors and I wanted to capitalize on that growth. At the urging of friends, I started looking into opening a coffee house. We wanted to create an upscale place that could compete with the eventual arrival of Starbucks. We also wanted to become an integral part of the growth of the community in Wilton Manors. To compete with Starbucks, we had to make everything from scratch. Founding chef Jerry Pond and Stork soon brought on Peter Dekaj, who had been a baker for Gran Forno, as Storks head baker and managing partner. I was fortunate to have the workhorse in the kitchen, says Stork.

As locals flocked to the bakery/cafe, Stork became a popular figure in the growing LGBT community and, eventually, became the citys second openly gay mayor.

Stork explains his decision to run for office, Storks was a big influencer to run for mayor. Many of the customers of Storks were residents of the city, and it gave me an opportunity to learn their ideas and concerns. It also led to me being involved in many civic organizations; these experiences integrated me deep into the fabric of the community.

The city was headed in the wrong direction; there was lots of infighting on the commission, the gay and straight community needed to work together more and there were growth issues that were not being properly communicated. Even though both of my opponents had contributed positive things to the community, we needed new voices. We needed a positive nudge and some vision. Serving the community, both as the owner of Storks and the mayor of Wilton Manors, was a true honor for me.

Ten years after opening the doors to Storks, he turned over ownership to his business partner Peter Dekaj. Stork now enjoys a quieter life with his husband Ronald Ansin. The snowbirds spend the summers in Massachusetts and are still active in Democratic politics and philanthropy, working behind the scenes for ACLU. Now Dekaj runs the company with the assistance of his head chef Rose Klein, while catering and marketing is overseen by John Emmet.

Chef Klein tends to lean toward the Mediterranean, even though her own heritage is Eastern European. She learned to cook from her mothers recipes and much of the fare still has that comforting home-cooked feel. John Emmet is a New York native with years of experience from a food service career that took him from running a catering company of his own to businesses in New York City and the Hamptons. He has been the driving force behind Storks successful entry to the catering business.

All the principals involved in Storks are committed to continuing Jim Storks belief in giving back to the community. Whether its donating a gift certificate, a bountiful basket or catering an event, Storks is willing to step up. If youve attended an event at Sun Serve, Pride Center, Kids in Distress, Equality Florida, Minority Empowerment & Development, AIDS Healthcare Foundation, Artopia or the GLBX, youve no doubt sampled Storks yummy delights. As Dekaj puts it, Community involvement is important. We try and do as many sponsorships as possible. Wilton Manors is a small city and we need to be there for each other and also to help each other out. Ive always tried to build a sense of community, home and warmth through the store. I think I have succeeded.

Its that connection to the community, along with high quality products and services that have allowed Storks to not only survive the onslaught of massive chains such as Starbucks and Panera, but to thrive in a community in which it has deep roots.

As for the future, Dekaj is excited, We have a new website. We are setting up online ordering, which I have always wanted to try out. My catering manager John Emmet is always looking for opportunities that sometimes are a little more long-term than just a one night event. So who knows what he may come up with?
Its been almost 26 years since the last major gay bar raid occurred in South Florida.

That story is still very well known by those around today. Then Broward County Sheriff Nick Navarro orchestrated a raid of two well known LGBT establishments, The Copa in Fort Lauderdale and Club 21 in Pembroke Park. Dozens of gay men were rounded up and humiliated in front of live television. It was an act Navarro defended stating he was only attempting to crack down on South Floridas drug problem in night clubs, but the effort is very clearly seen in history as a move based on bigotry by a publicity-seeking individual.

South Florida Gay News Publisher, Norm Kent, was the attorney that defended many of the gay men arrested that night.

That raid may have been the last big anti-gay bust, but it certainly wasn't the first. Gay bars and clubs have existed as far back as the 1930s in Miami, For Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach areas. And, for a while they existed in obscurity featuring what media at the time innocently called female impersonators and even male dancers.

That all changed in the summer of 1954 as described by Fred Fejes' book, Gay Rights and Moral Panic. A national moral panic over homosexuality that began to spur around the country, and the 1954 Miami murder of William T. Simpson, a gay Eastern Airlines flight attendant, began to entice local progressive leaders in South Florida to crack down on this issue.

That in turn spread awareness throughout the South Florida community that there were gay people amongst them, maybe even as many as 5,000 of them according to a Miami Herald article from the time. As a result, the City of Miami among others quickly passed laws outlawing cross-dressing as well as bars and clubs catering to the gay community.

Concerned about gays congregating in bars or clubs then Dade County Sheriff, Thomas Kelly, organized the first pervert round up as the Miami Herald called it. This targeted known gay establishments that existed in the northeastern part of downtown. The pervert round up consisted of locating and arresting any people looking gay or acting gay around the county, usually with a vagrancy charge.

The following is a concise list of some notorious gay club/bar raiding that took place throughout South Florida.

It is impossible to know the true extent as to how many were raided and unreported:

March 9, 1947 - Police raided Club Jewel Box, located in Miami, and arrested owner Danny Brown for allowing consumption of alcohol after hours even though this was by no means regular practice to do at the time. The Miami News even reported this act as unusual by the police department. Two other Miami area clubs known at the time to cater towards gay men and have drag shows; Clover Club and Zissens were also raided that night for similar faults.

August 12, 1954 - At 2 p.m., then Miami Beach Police Chief RJ Shepard, organized a raid of the 12th Street beach (which is still a gay beach today) in South Beach. With a sharp eye and a team of officers they harassed 35 gay men on the beach with questions and ultimately arrested some of them for wearing what they considered effeminate bathing attire.

August 14, 1954 - This evening in particular was sure to live in infamy for many gay men in South Florida at the time. Circus, Charles Hotel Bar, DeMarco, Alibi (unrelated to today's Georgies Alibi), Leon and Eddies, and Singapore Lounge were all small operating bars catering to men and were all raided by Dade County Sheriffs officers that evening. The officers reported seeing men dressed as women and one officer was quoted by the Miami News stating we dont want perverts setting up house keeping in this county. We want them to know theyre not welcome. Another sheriffs officer even stated he learned of a recent syphilis outbreak amongst homosexuals and considered it alarming. About 79 were arrested in total for vagrancy.

March 2, 1957 - The Dive, a bar on NW 79th Street was raided by the Dade County Sheriffs office and broadcast live on TV. According to the Miami News, 75 people were charged with vagrancy and drunkiness. One Dade County deputy was even quoted as stating "I don't know how they managed to pack 'so many' into the place"

April 6, 1957 - Patrons of the Red Carpet Lounge on Alton Road in Miami beach found the rug pulled out from under them when, under the direction of Miami Beach deputy Joe Gorman, 35 men were arrested for vagrancy. Local TV stations were present filming the raid.

April 17, 1966 - About 150 patrons of a small private Oakland Park nightclub called Vals Caterers Inc. scrambled as 15 Broward Sheriffs deputies stormed the club at 2 a.m. Neighboring businesses had been complaining of all male parties frequently taking place at the business whose front was catering. Because so many scrambled so quickly, only four people were arrested for being drunk, one of which shamefully admitted he was a Broward County school teacher, a fact that did not go unnoticed by local media at the time.

March 19, 1972 - A Miami police officer, Bill DuPriest, who was off duty, was with his wife at Bachelors II, a small gay establishment on Coral Way in Miami. He described to the Miami News how in minutes police swarmed the bar and harassed patrons because they were suspected of being homosexuals. He described how men were making out in the bar and some were holding hands. Disagreeing with his departments actions in this effort, DuPriest quit his job.

August 1, 1979 - West Palm Beach police claiming to be doing a routine check happened to find themselves in Mans Land on 25th street around 2:30 a.m. Police found that obscene films were being projected onto the walls of the club and arrested the bars manager as well as several patrons of the bar. They were charged for lewd and lascivious conduct even though the police report doesn't actually state they were physically doing anything.

June 9, 1992 - Now this raid was driven by fierce competition in West Palm Beach at the time. At 11:30 p.m., West Palm Beach Police, acting on a tip from a competing bar owner, entered H.G. Roosters on Belvedere Road and arrested 2 dancers and several bar patrons for lewd and lascivious behavior. The dancers were caught exposing themselves to the bar patrons and, for a time, Roosters was shut down.

Fortunately due to local human rights groups and activists, the idea of a bar being raided simply because it is gay or has gay-themed programming is now a thing of the past.

To view more LGBT History Month stories, visit sfgn.com/history2021.
Elaine Lancaster, the controversial Miami Beach drag queen, delivered a low blow during the high holidays.

Using the hashtags #JewishCollusion and #FacebookFraudsters, Lancaster retweeted a story on Friday about meetings between the Hillary Clinton campaign and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg. The tweet came as the Jewish community, which has a sizeable population in South Florida, was celebrating Yom Kippur.

Sharon Kersten, owner of a public relations firm that specializes in reaching the LGBT community, was none too pleased.

JEWISH collusion? What does Zuckerbergs religion have to do with this story?! I had no idea you were also an anti-Semite. I guess Ill get blocked too.

Lancaster is also rocking the boat elsewhere these days. She was removed (or quit) as featured entertainer at Senor Frogs sunday brunch, reports the Miami Herald.

Before the Trump era, in 2015, Lancaster, aka James Davis, was honored by the Harvey Milk Foundation for its inaugural Diversity Honors awards show at Seminole Hard Rock.

We were looking for people who are constantly giving back to the community or people who are tremendously authentic. James is both categories. He brings forth, with glitz and glamor, authenticity. And he brings forth, with glitz and glamor, giving back to the community, Stuart Milk, president of the Milk Foundation, told the Miami Herald at the time.

Lancaster didnt start making waves until her support of Donald Trumps presidential campaign. She appeared out of drag on CNN to criticize the Affordable Care Act, former President Barack Obamas signature piece of legislation.

She is now scheduled to join Fort Lauderdale resident and Trump confidant Roger Stone for a free speech bash Oct. 13 in Orlando.

First the lgbt community, then Hispanics, now Jews. What happened to you that you are so filled with anger and hate? Kersten tweeted at Lancaster.
Update: A White House National Security Council spokesperson explained why the U.S. made its decision to vote against the death penalty condemnation. The United States unequivocally condemns the application of the death penalty for homosexuality, blasphemy, adultery and apostasy, they said. As in years past, we voted against this resolution because of broader concerns with the resolutions approach to condemning the death penalty in all circumstances.

The United Nations Human Rights Council passed a measure to condemn the death penalty for gay individuals. The United States was among 13 countries who voted against it.

The resolution asks for countries not to use the death penalty in a discriminatory manner for LGBT people, those with intellectual disabilities, people under 18 and pregnant women. A majority 27 of the 47 countries in the Human Rights Council voted to condemn the use of the death penalty, according to Gay Star News.

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has said in March that the country would leave the HRC if there was no considerable reform. Tillerson took issue with the inclusion of countries like China, Egypt and Saudi Arabia, due to their poor human rights records, according to The Hill.

If they dont make these reforms, were going to question the value of our membership, a senior aide to Tillerson said. "Were not taking withdrawal off the table. Our aim is to fix the organization.

Despite this statement, the U.S. voted in line with China, Egypt and Saudi Arabia in an attempt to shoot down the measure. Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Russia also made six total attempts to alter the wording of the measure, but did not succeed.

According to Adre du Plessis, the Head of UN Programme and Advocacy for the International Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transexual and Intersex Association said the U.S. voted against because it has the death penalty and has a consistent record of voting no on resolutions that are against it. Six countries, including Iran, Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Sudan, widely perform the death penalty on LGBT individuals.

Previously, the now defunct U.N. Human Rights Commision passed a similar measure about the death penalty a decade ago. The resolution is the first of its kind passed by the HRC.

Here is the list of countries that voted against the resolution below.
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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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Le Collectif Cheikh Yassine a organise un certain nombre dactivites et de festivites pour les enfants de Gaza sous le theme  La joie des enfants de Gaza pour lAid . Ces activites ont commence le premier jour de lAid et continue jusquau 4eme jour de lAid dans la bande de Gaza.



Plusieurs activites, ont ete organisees parmi lesquelles : des competitions recompensees par des prix, des jeux, des animations et des chants presentes par un groupe ainsi que des distributions de cadeaux et daides financieres.




If theres just one Basque word you remember, let it be bihotz. That means heart in the language of an estimated million people living across northern Spain, a swath of southwest France, and even Boise, Idahoand it is the name of the one cafe not to miss in Bilbao.

Craft-beverage-crazed couple Cristina Mairal and Pedro Sainz opened Bihotz in December 2014. The two Spaniards moved to the Basque Countrys capital to start a new life and because we love the city, says Mairal. Uncoincidentally, they met in the nations specialty coffee epicenter, Barcelona, where Sainz regularly patronized the first iteration of Satans Coffee Corner and eventually found himself taking barista lessons from owner Marcos Bartolome.

Bihotzs facade blends in with the terracotta-toned buildings of hilly San Francisco. The gentrifying neighborhood is a 15-minute walk from Bilbaos medieval quarter, over the Nervion river, though away from the glare of the Guggenheim Museum. A modest blade sign hangs above the shaded street to advertise the cafe, its logo a chainring encircling two crossbones-style portafilters.



Inside, Bihotz is snug, though the vintage-schoolhouse tables and seats are comfortably mixed and matched. Sainz is an avid cyclist, and bike parts and tools are incorporated like readymades. A nook with a communal table and a mantle topped by faux trophy heads could be the set of a Michel Gondry dreamscape. Decor notwithstanding, Bihotz sometimes struggles to attract natives the way it does expats and blogged-in tourists.

Its hard for people in the area to [appreciate] what specialty coffee means at the moment. They like coffee and they know something different happens here, but not many people know exactly what they are having, observes Mairal.

Acclaimed Spanish specialty roaster Right Side Coffee provides the two or three weekly changing single-origin espressos. Framed by the roaster, a featured profile description is proudly displayed atop a Nuova Simonelli Mythos One grinder. Beside it, off-bar, is a La Marzocco Linea PB, its two groups facing towards the customers.

Weve got it outside the bar so they can see how we work with it, Mairal notes of the equipments placement. Sometimes we speak to the people. When they ask for a coffee, we spend two, three minutes explaining.

For filter, Bihotz relies on Sakona Coffee Roasters, established in 2016 by Spanish barista champion Javier Garcia in the Basque town of Irun. V60 is the preferred method, though such orders remain scarce.

For Bilbao, doing five, six a week is quite gooood, Mairal laughs. Were happy that we can make [filter coffee] at least once a day.

Plus, Bilbainos are inclined to have a quick morning coffee and pastry at their local bar, adventuring to other watering holes after work. This reality dictated Bihotzs hours, opening 3 PM most weekdays and 11 AM on weekends (though closing at 10 or 11 PM). Moreover, it compelled the couple to begin purveying another long shared love: craft beer.

Turnover in drinks is currently 70% beer and 30% coffee, estimates Sainz. There are six taps, rotated every few days, and 50 different bottles imported from as far away as San Diego, USA (Pizza Port), and as nearby as Hernani, Spain (Basqueland Brewing Project).

But for those seeking still more craft beer, the fiercest competition may well be Mairal and Sainzs second business, Penguin Bar. Opened in April 2016 in Indautxua couple neighborhoods west and levels of chichi up from BihotzPenguin has 16 taps, up to 80 bottles, and coffee.

The coffee program is guided by the same principles and suppliers as Bihotz, though each bar tries to offer distinct origins. Penguin is also larger and operates until 2 AM several days a week. Illustrations of penguins vivify the dark walls and 3D-printed penguin skulls cap the tap handles. The atmosphere is Audubon goth-punk, in a good way.

Asked about selecting beers versus coffees, Mairal explains: The variety of beer styles is massive so its a bit harder work, but the concept is the same. We know its fantastic ingredients, its been worked with love, and [the producers] live for what they do.

She adds: Its the concept we have for our business, and thats what we want.

So yes, when in Bilbao, for your new-wave coffee fill, visit Bihotz. But then consider a chaser at Penguin. Its a rare bird, this venue serving up seriously curated craft beers on the same surface to so heartfeltly handle a La Marzocco Linea PB, two Kyoto-style syphon brewers, andthis is Mediterranean Europea huge slab of Parmesan.

Karina Hof is a Sprudge staff writer based in Amsterdam. Read more Karina Hof on Sprudge.
It was recently announced that a Standardbred trainer in Australia has been suspended for a period of 15 months after a camera on a drone obtained footage of the conditioner tubing his horse on race day.

According to a report by the Herald Sun, Down Under trainer Brian Sylvia recently pled guilty to tubing his horse, Elslatsy, on race day while at his training facility.

Although he pled guilty, Sylvia, who was also fined $2,000, said that the use of the drone was an invasion of his privacy. The drone was used as part of a stewards investigation.

Sylvia pled guilty to a total of five charges.

A barrister representing the interests of Harness Racing Victoria stated that Sylvias actions were deliberate and premeditated.

(With files from the Herald Sun)
If you gaze at his recent resume, it should be no secret that In Secret has been chosen to fill out the field for the million-dollar Yonkers International Trot at Empire City Casino.

The five-year-old gelded son of 2008 US Trotter of the Year Deweycheatumnhowe becomes the second American representative for the world-class, mile-and-a-quarter event, which will be hosted by Yonkers Raceway during the afternoon of Saturday, October 14.

In Secret has been unbeatable of late locally, having won the last four Open Handicap events and six consecutive races overall. In this breakout season, hes won nine of 20 starts (with five seconds and a pair of thirds) while banking $229,595.



In Secret, pictured victorious at Yonkers Raceway (Photo courtesy Georgia Panagi)

In Secret has been driven by George Brennan for trainer Ron Burke, who (as Burke Racing) shares ownership with J&T Silva Stables, Larry Karr and Weaver Bruscemi.

The field for the event (alphabetically, with country of representation) appears below.

Dreammoko (FRA)

In Secret (USA)

Marion Marauder (CAN)

Midnight Hour (FIN)

Oasis Bi (ITA)

On Track Piraten (SWE)

Resolve (USA, defending champion)

Shadow Woodland (FIN)

Tripolini VP (DEN)

Twister Bi (ITA)

Post positions for the race will be drawn during the afternoon of Tuesday, October 10 at a midtown press luncheon. The 39th International (the third since it was renewed in 2015) will highlight the states richest-ever ($3.3 million) harness program, which will also feature the $1.8 million New York Day of Champions and a pair of $250,000 Invitationals (all other races will be drawn on Monday, October 9).

(With files from Yonkers Raceway)
Gary Miller/Getty ImagesTom Petty, who with his band The Heartbreakers and as solo artist became one of the most acclaimed and beloved rock artists of the past 40 years, has died at age 66.

"On behalf of the Tom Petty family we are devastated to announce the untimely death of of our father, husband, brother, leader and friend Tom Petty," said Tony Dimitriades, longtime manager of Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, in a statement. "He suffered cardiac arrest at his home in Malibu in the early hours of this morning and was taken to UCLA Medical Center but could not be revived. He died peacefully at 8:40 p.m. PT surrounded by family, his band mates and friends."

Petty was born in Gainesville, Florida, and as a teenager he dropped out of high school to focus on playing music. With his early band Mudcrutch, which featured future Heartbreakers members guitarist Mike Campbell and keyboardist Benmont Tench, he relocated to Los Angeles in 1975.

After that band broke up, Petty, Campbell, Tench, bassist Ron Blair and drummer Stan Lynch formed Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers in 1975, and the group released their eponymous album the next year. They went on to put out 15 additional studio albums over the years that yielded such enduring hits as "I Need to Know," "Listen to Her Heart," "Don't Do Me Like That," "Refugee," "Here Comes My Girl," "The Waiting," "You Got Lucky," and "Don't Come Around Here No More."

Tom also mounted a successful solo career, highlighted in 1989 by the release of Full Moon Fever, which has sold five million copies in the U.S. and featured the hits "Free Fallin'," "I Won't Back Down" and "Runnin' Down a Dream." In addition, Petty was a member of the supergroup The Traveling Wilburys, alongside George Harrison, Bob Dylan, Roy Orbison and Jeff Lynne.

Petty and the Heartbreakers received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1999 and, in 2002 they were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Earlier this year, Petty was honored with an all-star tribute as the 2017 MusiCares Person of the Year.

Petty and the Heartbreakers most recently had mounted a lengthy 40th anniversary tour that wrapped up on September 25 in L.A. On September 29, he posted a message thanking his fans for supporting The Heartbreakers for 40 years. His songs, he told ABC News, meant the world to him.

"They're magic, you know," he said. "Songs are gifts from God."

Petty is survived by his wife of 16 years, Dana York Epperson, and two daughters from a previous marriage, Adria and AnnaKim Violette.

Copyright  2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
On Tuesday morning (October 3), OBrien Award winner Marion Marauder prepped for the upcoming $1 million Yonkers International Trot by putting in a qualifying mile over Mohawk Racetrack in Campbellville, Ont.

The 2016 Trotting Triple Crown winner has battled some sickness as of late. Last week, trainer Mike Keeling explained to Trot Insider that the career winner of $2.3 million in career purses had scoped sick after his disappointing eighth-place finish in his Maple Leaf Trot elimination. In turn, Marion Marauders connections gave the son of Muscle Hill time to get over his ailment. The bay four-year-old is now being pointed to the million-dollar International showdown at Yonkers Raceway, which will be contested on Saturday, October 14.

Keeling had veteran horseman Roger Mayotte up behind Marion Marauder for the Tuesday qualifier, which kicked off the seven-dash session.

Mayotte got away second from the outside Post 6, as Wild And Crazy Guy (driven by Phil Hudon) led the field to the quarter pole in :29.2 over the fast track.

After having been overland at the first call, Marion Marauder cleared to the point in the second quarter. He and Mayotte settled on the engine in the second panel, and the duo was two lengths the best by the time they trotted past the half-mile pole in :58.

Marion Marauder trotted his third panel in 28 seconds. He held a two and three-quarter-length advantage on the field at the three-quarters pole, which he clicked off in 1:26.

Mayotte allowed Marion Marauder to trot a bit more in the final quarter. The 14-time career winner was ahead by four and a half lengths at the head of the lane, and he completed his :27.4 final quarter by posting a solid nine and a half-length victory.

Marion Marauder is owned by Marion Jean Wellwood, of Stratford, Ont., and Devin Keeling, of Cambridge, Ont.

The second race on the card saw the Gregg McNair-trained and Doug McNair-driven Solar Sister record her third consecutive qualifying win, which was recorded in 1:53.3. The millionaire daughter of Mach Three has not raced in a pari-mutuel dash since early July of this year. After having started from Post 4, she posted a wire-to-wire win by a head in 1:53.3.

To view the harness racing results for the Tuesday qualifying session at Mohawk, click the following link: Tuesday Results  Mohawk Racetrack (Qualifiers).
Mateo, a horse with a blind left eye, and Justin Currie, the horses young co-owner and trainer who not so long ago was left with only one horse in his barn, are the favourites for Saturdays $138,430 Western Canada Pacing Derby at Northlands Park.

If that isnt a heck of a story nothing is. But it even gets better. Currie is also the trainer of Yoga Pants, who will likely be favoured in the $132,390 Northlands Filly Pace the same evening.

Ive been very lucky, said trainer Justin Currie. Ive had my share of ups and downs in this business but now, hopefully, Im back climbing the stairs up again."

Mateo has won 10 of his 21 lifetime starts including a smashing three-and-a-quarter length 1:54 victory in last weeks Pacing Derby eliminations. Yoga Pants, who won her Filly Pace elimination, has won 11 of her 12 career starts.

Yet, despite those formidable forms, Currie is still going to need some more luck come Saturday. Yoga Pants drew post seven in the Filly Pace; Mateo got post eight in the Pacing Derby. Getting the outside posts is always a hurdle for any horse to overcome, said Currie, 26. Only time will tell. They are both going into their races in good shape. But were going to need some racing luck and a couple of good trips. It is what it is. Someone has to draw the outside.

While Currie said Yoga Pants form speaks for itself, Mateo is a whole different story. But lets allow Currie tell the story which begins when Curries good friend, Jim Marino -- one of B.C.s top drivers and trainers -- was involved in a horrific racing accident at Fraser Downs on January 23, 2015. The horse Marino was driving, Mood Light, broke stride. Coming almost to a complete stop, Mood Light and Marino were then hit hard by the horse pacing just behind. Catapulted into the air and landing hard on the track, Marino broke his left femur, tore his left ACL and broke bones in his left wrist. Marino would require multiple surgeries and spent two full months in the hospital.

But as is almost always the case in horse racing, his friends were quick to come to his aid. Currie was one of the first. I just did what any friend would do, said Currie. And I wasnt the only one. A bunch of horsemen chipped in to make things happen. I was down on horses and didnt have any serious plans to go anywhere so I wound up helping Jim more and more. When the meet at Fraser Downs ended I went to Alberta with Jims horses.

With Jim on the sidelines -- he was on crutches and could barely walk -- we became a team and I ran his barn as much as I could. Marino was so appreciative he offered Currie a trip to Mexico. Currie, however, had another idea.

I said why dont we buy a yearling together instead. Maybe we can find a good one that can win us more money than a trip to Mexico is worth. Jim agreed and we went to the Alberta Standardbed Yearling Sale later the same year Jim was hurt. We went through the catalogue and found a few we liked. The trouble was we didnt have much of a budget so we were thrift shopping. When we came across Mateos page we both loved what we saw.

He was by Blue Burner, a sire that Jim had always liked and I saw the mare, Mater Deo, win a stake at Mohawk. But a full sister to Mateo sold for $28,000 a few years earlier so I figured wed never get him. Then they disclosed that Mateo was blind in his left eye and was pulled from the sale.

Not dissuaded by the horses infirmity, Currie and Marino went to the horses breeders and arranged to buy the horse privately for an undisclosed price. We just took a chance. He was well put together and like I said, we both liked his breeding. Anyway, I didnt have $2 to my name so I was willing to take a shot on just about anything. You miss 100 per cent of the shots you dont take. This shot has obviously worked out. We were lucky to get him.

No kidding. Racing with a full cup over his left eye, Mateo won four of his nine starts as a freshman and placed second or third in the other five races he contested for earnings of $68,281. This year has even been better. Much better.

Mateo won two $50,000 stakes at Century Downs in Balzac. He won one of those by three-and-a-half lengths, pacing in 1:52.2 and the other by 11-and-a-quarter lengths, in 1:54.1. As well, Mateo finished second in the $60,000 Brad Gunn as well as in the $152,410 Ralph Klein Memorial. In both of those latter races he finished behind Da Magician, who he will have to try and defeat again on Saturday.

Da Magician, however, didnt draw well either and will start from post seven. Its going to be interesting. Da Magician is a tough colt. But then so is mine, said Currie, who owns Mateo with his wife, Christine, and Marino. Mateo has also been freshened up. Until last weeks Derby elimination, he hadnt raced since he lost [the Klein] in early August.

Giving the horse a rest certainly looked like it paid off last Saturday. Opening a huge lead early through fractions of :27.1, :56.1 and 1:24.2 en route to that 1:54 win, driver Jean-Francois Gagne said he did it all on his own. He was overly sharp and I tried not to fight him; I didnt want to wrestle with him. Marino will drive Mateo on Saturday.

By comparison, Da Magician won his elimination in 1:57 after coasting on the lead through dawdling fractions of :28.3, 1:00.1 and 1:29.3.

Whatever happens, he certainly doesnt owe us anything, said Currie. Hes exceeded all expectations. Im very grateful to have the horse.

Getting his trainers license when he was only 16, Currie has had to fight to get to where he is now. Ive gone through some peaks and valleys. I won the Northlands Filly Pace with Mystic Maiden when I was just 19. But Ive had my downs too. When you are young you think your luck is never going to run out. I had a couple of solid years but then I went to Ontario. I took nine horses with me but they all got sick and it drained all of the funds from the farm. We were spending money and not getting anything back.

At one point I had just one horse. I was sleeping in my mothers spare room and I had to take a job with an insulation company to try and get by. Another time I was down to no owners at all. Just five of the cheapest horses on the grounds. Combined they were probably only worth $2,500. But we toughed it out and I never quit."

Christine, my wife, has been my backbone. Before I met her I guess you could say I was a bit of a wild horse. We met two years ago; shes a fantastic caretaker and now shes also the mother of our six-week-old son. Its been a big year for us. Now, hopefully we can overcome the posts. We are working as hard as we can and hopefully thats enough. Weve done everything we can do. Its up to the horses now.

To view the entries for Saturday's stakes-packed card at Northlands Park, click the following link: Saturday Entries - Northlands Park.

(HRA/thehorses.com)
New Marist Poll: Americans Support Celebration of Columbus Day by Nearly 2:1 Margin

76% say historical figures like Columbus should be judged by criteria of their time, not ours



Contact: Joseph Cullen, Knights of Columbus, 203-415-9314, Joseph.Cullen@kofc.org



NEW HAVEN, Conn., Oct. 3, 2017 /Standard Newswire/ -- Almost 6 in 10 Americans (57 percent) believe that celebrating Columbus Day is a "good idea," while only 29 percent oppose the holiday, according to a nationwide poll released today.



The survey, conducted by The Marist Poll, also showed that an overwhelming majority of Americans (76 percent) believe that Columbus and other historical figures should be judged by the standards of conduct of their own lifetimes, as opposed to modern standards. Only 16 percent disagree.



The poll found a majority of Americans (56 percent) view Christopher Columbus either "favorably" or "very favorably." Half as many (28 percent) take a negative view.



Columbus Day will be celebrated on Monday, Oct. 9, by countless Americans at Columbus Day parades and other commemorations.



"The Knights of Columbus joins the vast majority of Americans in celebrating Columbus Day," said Knights of Columbus CEO Carl Anderson. "He was a man ahead of his time, who brought two worlds together and began the process that led to the founding of this country. It is a testament to Americans' commitment to a fair reading of history that the explorer's popularity has endured despite the unfair and hateful attacks by British propagandists, the Ku Klux Klan and revisionist academics."



Among respondents identifying as Catholic, approval of the navigator is even higher, with almost two-thirds (65 percent) of respondents expressing a "favorable" or "very favorable" opinion of Columbus and the national holiday that honors him.



The world's largest Catholic fraternal organization, the Knights of Columbus was founded in 1882 by Venerable Father Michael McGivney, who chose to honor Columbus because he was a widely acclaimed Catholic figure from American history during a time when Catholics were frequently discriminated against and marginalized.



Poll Methodology

The survey of 1,224 adults was conducted Sept. 11-13, 2017, by The Marist Poll and funded in partnership with the Knights of Columbus. Survey participants were 18 years or older and residing in the continental United States. Participants were reached through randomly selected landline or mobile numbers. Responses were recorded by live interviewers.



About the Knights of Columbus

Today, the Knights of Columbus counts nearly 2 million members throughout the world, including in North America, Latin America, Asia, Europe and the Caribbean. Last year, the Knights set a new all-time record for charitable donations, with more than $177.5 million in donations and more than 75 million hours of service valued at $1.8 billion.
In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs affirmed "its solidarity with the brotherly Federal Republic of Somalia in its efforts to eliminate all terrorist organizations and bring peace and security.

"The ministry expresses its sincere condolences to the families of the victims and wishes a speedy recovery to all those injured as a result of this terrorist act.

"The ministry also stresses the need for concerted regional and international efforts that aim to eradicate terrorism in all its forms and drain its sources of funding."



Source-www.bna.bh

Manama, Sep. 30 (BNA):Bahrain has condemned the terrorist attack that took place in the Somali city of Mogadishu, killing several people and injuring others.
CHICAGO  Nicole Clarks first encounter with fentanyl-laced heroin came a decade ago, when it was a novelty in Chicagos drug scene. What she remembers still haunts her.

She snorted a small line of the drug soon after she bought it on a street corner, but before she and her friend could reach the nearby expressway for the ride back to Huntley, she fell unconscious. When she awoke, she was in a hospital bed, her body bristling with tubes.

That was enough to scare Clark, now 41, away from fentanyl, a synthetic opioid 40 times more potent than heroin. But her friend, 42-year-old Keith Glissendorf, said the drugs dangerous power wasnt a red flag  it was exactly why he wanted it.

I was (patronizing a particular dealer) because he had the fentanyl dope, said Glissendorf, who, like Clark, is now in a methadone treatment program. I crashed three vehicles in a week. I went to jail. But I liked it. I loved it  the rush, the euphoria, everything that came along with it. I was getting ripped.

Whether feared or desired, fentanyl, carfentanil and other man-made opioids have become a mainstay in the citys drug trade, found in about 40 percent of the heroin sold here, according to a Chicago Police Department estimate.

Experts say these powerful synthetics are responsible for a spike in fatal overdoses in the Chicago area and nationwide: Users are consuming drugs stronger than they can handle, often without knowing what theyre putting into their bodies.

I believe thats contributing to the increase in deaths, said DuPage County Coroner Richard Jorgensen, whose jurisdiction has seen 23 fentanyl-related fatalities this year, compared to 13 involving heroin alone. How do you as a dealer or user know the strength of your drug?

DROP DEAD

Fentanyl patches have long been used as a treatment for chronic pain, but starting around 1980, dealers began mixing the drug and its close cousins into the heroin supply, causing irregular outbreaks of overdose deaths.

The synthetics hit Chicago hard in the mid-2000s, when the Mickey Cobra gang obtained a supply from a clandestine lab in Mexico and passed it off as heroin that became known as Drop Dead. About 350 people died within 20 months, according to a study by pathologist Dr. Scott Denton, former interim chief of the Cook County medical examiners office.

It didnt stop until the (U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration) busted the lab in Mexico, Denton said. The demand wasnt going away.

Synthetics flared again about four years ago, but this time the supply hasnt stopped. Chief Anthony Riccio of the Chicago Police Departments organized crime bureau said local gangs are mixing heroin from Mexico with fentanyl from China to create super-potent hybrids.

Death often follows when those drugs circulate, but in the perverse world of heroin sales, thats like putting up a Times Square billboard.

Its the best advertising they can have, Riccio said. The true addicts want that (powerful) high. When word gets around, business booms.

Fatal opioid overdoses in Illinois had been rising for years even before the rise of synthetics, reaching more than 1,000 in 2013. Just 8 percent of those deaths involved fentanyl and its analogs, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.

Three years later, overdose deaths rose to nearly 1,900  and about half were fentanyl-related.

Kane County Coroner Rob Russell saw synthetic-related overdoses jump sixfold between 2015 and 2016. He expects that to continue, given the ease of smuggling fentanyl; one study estimates that while a mere 300 pounds entered the country last year, it was enough to supply 1 million doses a day.

Theres quite a bit of enforcement out there to try to thwart this, but its hard, Russell said. Its like trying to shoot a fly from outer space.

The same acceleration is happening elsewhere in the country, leading federal officials at a congressional hearing earlier this year to label fentanyl an even more dangerous threat than heroin.

Matthew Allen of the Department of Homeland Security told the panel that drug cartels have learned that lab-crafted opioids like fentanyl are more cost-effective and easier to manufacture than heroin, which requires fields of opium poppies for its raw material.

Leo Beletsky, a drug policy researcher at Northeastern University in Boston, said that evolution is a predictable outcome of the iron law of prohibition, which holds that any banned substance will become more concentrated to maximize its financial return.

It takes a lot of effort to produce heroin, he said. It takes much less effort to synthesize fentanyl in a lab, so I imagine the market will continue to turn in that direction.  I think weve not seen the peak of the overdose crisis.

COPS ENDANGERED

As fentanyl proliferates, its effects are rippling outward. The DEA this summer warned first responders that exposure to even small quantities can cause serious negative health effects, respiratory depression and even death, leading some departments to change how they handle suspected narcotics.

Riccio said fentanyl-laced drugs once looked different than pure heroin, prompting officers to exercise greater caution, but thats no longer the case. Chicago police now send all suspected narcotics to a crime lab instead of performing field tests.

The more the product is handled, the greater the potential to go airborne, Riccio said.

Even drug-sniffing police dogs are endangered by synthetics; some have reportedly died after inhaling the drugs. The University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine recently released a video advising veterinarians on how to treat dogs that accidentally overdose (naloxone, the overdose-reversing medication, works on canines, too).

Many people who overdose end up at Loretto Hospital on Chicagos West Side, in the midst of one of the citys most active drug markets. Dr. Lois Clarke, head of Lorettos emergency department, said the effects of the surge have been obvious.

A few years ago, we maybe saw one or two overdoses in a week, she said. Now were seeing multiple people in a day.

Chris Pinkard, a clinical supervisor with the hospitals addiction center, said he and his colleagues are rethinking how to treat people who get hooked on fentanyl. They are considering using larger doses of Suboxone, a medication that staves off withdrawal symptoms, and introducing Vivitrol, a one-shot opioid blocker.

Dr. Sonia Mehta, Lorettos CEO, said that for all the work done in the hospital, resources to help people struggling with opioids are still far too limited. A lack of psychiatrists, counselors and job opportunities  not to mention the funding to pay for it all  makes addiction even harder to kick, she said.

This is definitely a crisis, almost an epidemic right now, she said. We can treat them, we can send them out with naloxone kits, but where do they go from there?

(EDITORS: STORY CAN END HERE)

STREET-LEVEL VIEW

Standing on a street corner in North Lawndale, a longtime heroin user named Jose wondered where he was going to go. He had just gotten out of Cook County Jail, he said, and wanted to see if there was room in a treatment program.

He wasnt counting on it. Thats why he was picking up clean needles from a van operated by the Chicago Recovery Alliance, a group that provides health services to drug users.

People leaving incarceration are among the most at-risk for an overdose, their tolerance lowered from months of abstinence. Potent synthetics heighten the danger even more, but Jose, 47, said he wasnt worried: His dealer had always been straight with him.

Ive known him a long time, he said. Whatever he puts in, he tells me.

A woman named Angel, 51, wasnt so nonchalant. She said she recently overdosed on fentanyl, having received no warning from her dealer.

We dont know what were putting in our systems, she said. For all we know, theyre opening up the kitchen sink and just putting in anything.  Its a losing battle out here.

Daniel Ciccarone, a professor of family and community medicine at the University of California at San Francisco, said highly dangerous drugs tend to have a short run  the cannabinoid K2, which in 2015 caused a spate of zombie-like overdoses in New York, is one example  as users and dealers alike grow leery of the carnage.

Synthetic opioids are lethal mainly because of erratic doses, he said, and could become more predictable over time. But he fears that with cartel hierarchies in flux and China rising as a new supplier, it might be too late for anyone to gain control.

What happens next is unknown, Ciccarone said. Its more unknown than weve ever had in any drug epidemic.
Local student in new med school

Longview native Christie Kirkpatrick is one of 60 students in the inaugural medical school class at the new Washington State University Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine.

Up until two years ago, WSU was forbidden by state law to have a medical school, with exclusive rights granted to the University of Washington.

In March 2015, after years of work and lobbying by then-WSU president, the late Elson Floyd, the state Legislature passed a bill giving WSU the legal authority to start its own medical school, according to a story in the The Spokesman Review newspaper in Spokane.

Kirkpatrick graduated from Mark Morris High School in 2012 and earned a bachelor of science degree in health science from Spokanes Whitworth University in 2016.

The daughter of Dr. Richard and Susie Kirkpatrick of Longview, Christie Kirkpatrick is following in the medical footsteps of her grandfather, the late Neal Kirkpatrick; her father; and her brother Scotty Kirkpatrick, who is in his fourth year of medical school at the University of Washington.

According to information from Susie Kirkpatrick, her daughter is interested in primary care.

This is the real focus of the new (college of medicine) since there is such a shortage now and significantly worse numbers (are) forecast for the future, Susie Kirkpatrick wrote in an email. They are also specifically selecting students who meet three of four criteria that they believe will increase the likelihood they will eventually practice in Washington, especially in rural and/or underserved areas.

Kirkpatrick said the entire family is pleased Christie Kirkpatrick chose to become a doctor, but her father especially so.

As you might suspect, Rich is delighted because he thinks medicine is still a wonderful career, Susie Kirkpatrick wrote. As for me, Im happy both my kids are able to study something about which they are passionate in a program that is a good fit for them  right here in Washington!

Shulke receives

$1,500 scholarship

Olivia Shulke of Castle Rock has been awarded a $1,500 scholarship from the Washington State Employees Credit Union.

Schulke will attend Lower Columbia College this fall.

The scholarship is one of 30 awarded by the credit union this year. The credit union has provided $64,500 in higher education support for students enrolled in the 2017-18 academic school year, according to a press release from the WSECU.

 The Daily News
Orange Business Services and Microsoft are collaborating to deliver large-scale, end-to-end Internet of Things (IoT) solutions that boost the digital processes of companies in the manufacturing sector. Enterprises can use the Orange modular IoT solution, Datavenue, strengthened by Microsoft Azure IoT Suite, to transition to Industry 4.0 and optimize the entire manufacturing value chain.

Through this collaboration, companies can take advantage of the combined expertise of Orange and Microsoft regarding data protection, as well as device and data management. This includes the opportunity to leverage Orange Business Services many IoT connectivity options, in particular LoRa. Use cases range from supply chain and smart inventory management to digital operations, such as predictive maintenance, employee safety and facility and equipment management.

For its long-term customer e.l.m. leblanc, Orange delivered a customized IoT platform on Microsoft Azure, which provides a tailored solution for remote monitoring, along with curative and predictive maintenance. Subsidiary of the Bosch Group, e.l.m. leblanc manufactures gas boilers and water-heaters since 1932. The company is a major player in the French housing and industrial markets for heating & cooling systems and hot water for sanitary use.

Innovation is part of e.l.m leblancs DNA, continuously providing our customers with new services and more comfort. We have a vision of a connected world where every heating system optimizes its energy performance to protect the environment. This ambition is illustrated in the Optibox solution for our connected boilers. e.l.m. leblanc has fully relied on Orange Business Services expertise to develop this solution. Using the Azure Cloud allows for high-level scalability and efficient machine learning solutions with reasonable costs, said Philippe Laforge, chief executive of e.l.m. leblanc.

The remote monitoring solution collects the boilers data and alerts technicians of any malfunction. This allows for more efficient maintenance intervention, with fine-tuned predictions on the probable causes of failure based on real-time data analytics. Preemptive alerts can also be raised by the platform through predictive maintenance algorithms. Benefits include optimization of intervention processes, and increased end-customer satisfaction, thanks to innovative and responsive customer support.

With Datavenue, Orange Business Services offers a comprehensive set of solutions and services to securely manage IoT projects and their integration with information systems, providing:

 certified connected devices best suited to the projects use cases,

 connectivity solutions (cellular 3G and 4G, LoRa, LTE M),

 a device and data management platform,

 extensive expertise to manage the project from conception to implementation: consulting, development, data protection, integration, data analysis, maintenance, etc.

Datavenue boasts over 700 experts working on data and IoT projects, 14 million connected devices managed by Orange, and the capacity to handle over 160 million items of technical data per minute.

With its Azure IoT Suite, Microsoft offers a powerful and consistent software environment to facilitate setting up and scaling large device and data management projects. In order to accelerate the roll out of industrial projects, Azure IoT Suite provides pre-packaged solutions and allows companies to swiftly get familiar with the set-up and explore the most common IoT project scenarios (e.g. remote monitoring, predictive maintenance, connected factory).

The software environment provided by Microsoft will allow for the use of advanced solutions such as Cortana Intelligence Suite (advanced analytics and AI), Power BI (data visualization) and Mobile Apps (Xamarin) to ensure a flawless mobile user experience.

Beatrice Felder, executive vice president, Customer Experience, IoT and Analytics, Orange Business Services, said, This partnership between Orange and Microsoft is an important step in our growth strategy targeting the IoT and data analytics B2B market. By adding Azure IoT solutions to our Datavenue portfolio, we provide our customers with powerful software with the assurance that it will seamlessly integrate with Microsofts business applications, an industry standard. This partnership is a remarkable opportunity for us not just to expand our business, but also to contribute more actively to the development of the IoT market around the world.

Maziar Zolghadr, Microsoft EMEA Director of Strategic Partnerships, said, Orange Business Services and Microsoft have been partners for several years. We are excited to engage in this new collaboration tackling the growing market of the Internet of Things. With a partner such as Orange Business Services, we can offer a full end-to-end solution, relying on Orange expertise in IoT connectivity and particularly LoRa, and its proven know-how in integrating IT projects surrounding connected sensors and devices.

Technuter.com News Service
Steps taken to send more women workers abroad



The government has taken initiatives to send more women workers to different countries including Japan, Russia, Mauritius, Maldives and Hong Kong.

Besides, several developed countries expressed keen interest in taking skilled and semi-skilled women housemaids from Bangladesh. As many as 82,510 female workers went to overseas till August this year.

"Different countries expressed keen internet to receive women workers from Bangladesh. A delegation of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Ministry has already visited Japan in this regard," Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Ministry Acting Secretary Dr Nomita Halder told BSS on Tuesday.

She said a 4-mmeber delegation also visited Russia to send women workers to the country.

"The government has set a target to send 8,00,000 workers to overseas this year. A total of 6,90,046 workers went to overseas till August this year," she said.

Among the workers, 3,92,602 went to Saudi Arabia, Halder said, adding that of them, a total of 55,298 women were sent to the KSA as housemaids this year.

Besides, 13,963 women workers went to Jordan while 6,703 to Oman.

The acting secretary said the government is providing trainings including foreign language courses at 34 training centres.

Halder, in a discussion of Bangladesh Mahila Parishad, recently said Bangladesh Embassy to Saudi Arabia has established special shelter centre for tortured and fraudulence-victim women.

She said the ministry has taken special rehabilitation programmes for expatriate workers who returned home.
AL leader killed in Bhairab

Staff Reporter, Kishoreganj :

A local Awami League leader was stabbed to death by miscreants at Mendipur area in Bhairab Port town on Saturday night.

The victim was identified as Md Manik Bhuiyan (52), son of Lalu Bhuiyan and General Secretary of Sedekpur Ward Committee of Bhairab Pura Awami League Bhairab Model Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Md. Muklesur Rahman said that, received on information, Police rushed to the spot and dead body recovered.

Police also arrested his rival groups named Babul Miah (60), Mostafa (25), Sumon (34), Amanullah (40) adn Nurul Haque (60) in this connection.
Prices of vegetables soar in Sylhet markets

Sylhet Correspondent :

The prices of vegetables went up in the Sylhet citys and Districts kitchen markets.

Almost all the vegetables were selling at above Tk 60 a kilogram in the kitchen markets during the week.

Traders said that a supply shortage due to recent floods and high cost of transportation pushed up the prices of vegetables.

Auvergne was selling at Tk 60-80 a kg, bitter gourds at Tk 70-80 a kg, bottle gourd at Tk 50-60 a piece, okra at Tk 60-70 a kg, papaya at Tk 30 a kg, cucumber at Tk 50-60 a kg and tomato at Tk 100-120 a kg.

The price of green chilli also increased by Tk 40 a kg and the item was selling Tk 140-160 a kg.

The prices of rice remained high in the citys markets and the coarse varieties of rice were selling at Tk 45-52 a kg.

BR-28 rice was retailing at Tk 55-62 a kg while fine varieties of Miniket rice were selling at Tk 65-68 a kg on the day.

Beef was selling at Tk 500-520 a kg while mutton was selling at Tk 750-800 a kg in the city markets.

Broiler chicken was selling at Tk 125-130 a kg while locally-bred hens were selling at Tk 300-350 a kg on Friday.

The prices of onion remained unchanged over the week in the citys kitchen markets and its local variety was retailing at Tk 45-50 a kg, while the imported variety was selling at Tk 35-40 a kg.

The prices of garlic remained unchanged and the local item was selling at Tk 90-100 a kg, while garlic imported from China was retailing at Tk 120 a kg on Friday.

Garlic imported from India was selling at Tk 100-110 a kg on the day.

Potato was selling at Tk 20-25 a kg over the week.

The price of egg remained unchanged and the item was selling at Tk 28-32 a hali (four pieces) in the city markets over the week.

The prices of fish remained unchanged over the week.

Rohita was selling at Tk 230-350 a kg, Katla at Tk 220-350 a kg, Pangas at Tk 120-260 a kg and Tilapia at Tk 120-160 a kg, depending on size and quality.

A one-litre container of soya bean oil was selling at Tk 105-107, while a five-litre container at Tk 505-525 in the citys kitchen markets on Friday.

Unpacked soya bean oil was selling at Tk 98 a kg, while palm oil was selling at Tk 85 a kg.

Fine quality packet salt was selling at Tk 40 a kg, while the refined one was retailing at Tk 28 a kg in the city markets.

The price of sugar remained unchanged and the item was selling at Tk 55-60 a kg in most of the city markets.

The price of red lentil remained unchanged over the week. The local variety of red lentil was selling at Tk 130-140 a kg.The coarse variety of imported red lentil was retailing at Tk 80-90 a kg over the week.
Uber's Kalanick reignites power struggle, names two to board

Reuters :

Uber Technologies Inc co-founder Travis Kalanick on Friday said he had appointed two new directors, a surprise move that publicly reignited a board battle over the role of the ousted former chief executive.

Uber investors are divided over whether Kalanick, who was pressured to step down as CEO earlier this year in the wake of several company scandals, should himself be on the board and whether he can name two other directors.

The company and new Chief Executive Dara Khosrowshahi are scrambling to portray Uber as a reformed company that is responding to concerns including sexual harassment claims and a US bribery probe.

Kalanick, still one of the largest shareholders, said in a statement he had appointed former Xerox Chief Executive Ursula Burns and former Merrill Lynch Chief Executive John Thain as directors.

"I am appointing these seats now in light of a recent board proposal to dramatically restructure the board and significantly alter the company's voting rights. It is therefore essential that the full board be in place for proper deliberation to occur, especially with such experienced board members as Ursula and John," he said. He did not specify the proposals he opposed.

The appointments were a "complete surprise" to Uber and its board, the company said in a statement. "That is precisely why we are working to put in place world-class governance to ensure that we are building a company every employee and shareholder can be proud of," it added.

An investor who has supported Kalanick, Yucaipa Companies managing partner Ron Burkle, praised the appointments on Friday, calling Burns and Thain "smart, high-quality people."

Division among Uber investors exploded in public in August, when Benchmark Capital filed a lawsuit to force Kalanick off the board and rescind his ability to fill two other seats on the panel, accusing him of concealing a range of misdeeds. Yucaipa and other Uber investors defended Kalanick and asked Benchmark to divest its own shares and step down from the board.

A Delaware judge later that month stayed the Benchmark lawsuit and sent it to arbitration, pushing the dispute out of public view and delivering Kalanick a victory.

Kalanick's action on Friday could be subject to a new legal challenge. Benchmark or other Uber investors could attempt to block the appointments by asking the Delaware judge to issue a so-called "status-quo order." The judge last month did not grant such a request.

Kalanick's lawyer at the time told the court that Kalanick had not rushed to fill the seats.

The New York Times also quoted Kalanick's lawyer as telling the court Kalanick had the power to fill the seats under the pre-arbitration "status quo."

Benchmark did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Caption: [Uber CEO Travis Kalanick speaks to students during an interaction at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) campus in Mumbai, India, Jan 19, 2016. Reuters]




Housewife commits suicide





One housewife committed suicide by hanging herself with ceiling fan at Sitakunda in Chittagong on Sunday night.

The victim was identified as Shanta Nag, wife of Sonjoy Nag Saju at Choto Komol Doho at Sitakunda in Chittagong. Sources said, the body of the victim Shanta Nag was recovered from her house in the morning.

She was allegedly hanged herself following the family dispute. Sources said, Shanta Nag married Sonjoy Nag Saju at Choto Komol Doho at Sitakunda in Chittagong before seven months. But, her conjugal life was not happy. She informed her parent that her husband and relatives of husband used to torture on her for dowry.

However, the parent of victim Shanta Nag claimed that the husband of the victim might hanged the body of Shanta Nag with ceiling fan after her murder. However, police arrested the husband of the victim in this connection. The body was sent to Chittagong Medical College Hospital for autopsy. After getting the postmortem report, the law enforcers will record the case in this connection.
Kriti Sanon channels Breilly Ki Barfi success on the cover of this magazine

After charming the audience in her de-glam look as witty in Bareilly Ki Barfi, Kriti Sanon turns into an exotic beauty for the cover of Hello! India magazines October issue.

The actress who took off to Oman soon after delivering to Bollywood audience one of the sweetest films this year shot for the magazine across the exotic locations of Oman over a three-day outdoor shoot.

Looking vibrant and fresh after the success of her latest outing Bareilly Ki Barfi, Kriti Sanon channels her exotic beauty by wearing a dull - gold embroidered strapless outfit with rusty embellished maang tika, adding richness to the attire for the shoot.


Rohingya refugees scoff at Myanmar`s assurances on going home

Cox'S Bazar, Bangladesh (Reuters) :

Rohingya Muslims in Bangladesh were skeptical on Tuesday about their chances of ever going home to Myanmar, even though the government there has given an assurance it would accept people verified as refugees.

More than half a million Rohingya have fled from a Myanmar military crackdown in Rakhine State launched in late August that has been denounced by the United Nations as ethnic cleansing.

Myanmar denies ethnic cleansing, saying it is fighting Rohingya terrorists who have claimed attacks on the security forces. The government has said anyone verified as a refugee will be allowed to return under a process set up with Bangladesh in 1993.

Bangladesh and Myanmar agreed on Monday to work on a repatriation plan, and a Myanmar government spokesman confirmed it would go along with it, provided people could verify their status with paperwork.

But many refugees in camps in Bangladesh are scornful.

"Everything was burned, even people were burned," said a man who identified himself as Abdullah, dismissing the chances that people would have documents to prove a right to stay in Myanmar.

At the root of the problem is the refusal by Buddhist-majority Myanmar to grant citizenship to members of a Muslim minority seen by a mostly unsympathetic, if not hostile, society as interlopers from Bangladesh.

Though Myanmar has not granted Rohingya citizenship, under the 1993 procedure, it agreed to take back people who could prove they had been Myanmar residents.

But a day after Bangladesh and Myanmar announced apparent progress, a Bangladeshi foreign ministry official appeared resigned to a difficult process.

"This is still a long procedure," said the official, who declined to be identified as he was not authorized to speak to media.

There were already nearly 400,000 Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh before the latest exodus, but Myanmar had said it would only accept, "subject to verification", those who arrived after October 2016, when a military offensive in response to Rohingya insurgent attacks sent 87,000 Rohingya fleeing to Bangladesh, the Bangladeshi official said.

"We said that many Rohingya refugees have no documents, so this process should be flexible. Myanmar said they will decide who will get involved in the verification," the official said, adding that Bangladesh wanted international agencies to be involved.

Myanmar's government spokesman said under the 1993 pact, even a hospital record was enough to prove residency, but it was only Myanmar, not Bangladesh, that could verify citizenship. "We have a policy for the repatriation process and we will go along with that," the spokesman, Zaw Htay, told Reuters. But even if refugees have documents, many are wary about returning without an assurance of full citizenship, which they fear could leave them vulnerable to the persecution and curbs they have endured for years.
WZPDCL for 10.36pc hike in power tariff



West Zone Power Distribution Company Ltd (WZPDCL), which operates in 21 districts of Khulna, Dhaka and Barisal divisions, has sought a 10.36 percent hike or Tk 0.36 per unit in the retail electricity tariff.

As per its proposal, the WZPDCL wants its existing average tariff of Tk 6.38 per unit be refixed at Tk 6.74.

The company placed the proposal at the public hearing arranged by Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (Berc) at the TCB Auditorium in the city on Tuesday.

Placing the proposal, WZPDCL Managing Director Md Shafique Uddin said mainly the future extra expense following the impact of possible increase in bulk tariff rate and the increased management cost for increased staff salary have pushed his company to seek the hike in existing tariff.

A Berc technical committee which evaluated the proposal found it overstated in their calculation and recommended that WZPDCL's retail tariff could be increased by maximum Tk 0.11 per unit.

However, the five-member Berc, headed by its chairman, will make the final decision after conclusion of the current hearing. Opposing the proposal, Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) Advisor Prof Shamsul Alam said the WZPDCL was created huge financial burden on it from the Power Development Board. As a result, the company has been operating as a sick company since its inception.

He also found huge irrationalities in its tariff structure which gave advantages to the large consumers than the small ones.

CPB leader Ruhin Hossain Prince in his written statement alleged that the company has been performing poorly and providing very poor service to the consumers.

He raised a number of allegations against the WQZPDCL, including an unfair practice in pre-paid metre operation.

The Berc will hold public hearing on the tariff hike proposal of North-West Zone Power Distribution Company Ltd on Wednesday.
Justice Wahhab new acting CJ

Staff Reporter :

The government has made Supreme Court's Appellate Division senior most judge Md Abdul Wahhab Miah as the acting Chief Justice of Bangladesh after the Chief Justice, Surendra Kumar Sinha, sought one month's leave.

The Law Ministry issued a gazette notification in this regard and the notification reached Abdul Wahhab Miah around 11:30pm on Monday, said Supreme Court officials. Hours after taking responsibilities of the Chief Justice on Tuesday, Md. Abdul Wahhab Miah held a full court meeting with the participation of judges of both the Appellate Division and High Court Division.

The meeting was held at 2:15pm at the Supreme Court Judges Lounge. A notice in this regard signed by Azizul Haque, Deputy Registrar of the High Court, was published on the Supreme Court website.

According to a gazette notification issued by the Law Ministry last night, Md Abdul Wahhab Miah, a senior judge of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court, will discharge the duties of Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha as he went on a month long leave from Tuesday.

Justice Wahhab and four other judges of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court yesterday heard several cases for around an hour from 9:05am. Later, he along with other judges of both the Appellate Division and High Court Division took part at a courtesy meeting at the Supreme Court premises. Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha went on one month's leave on health grounds.


Diplomats seek greater access to Rakhine

Anadolu Agency :

UN officials and foreign diplomats who visited Myanmar's western Rakhine state on Monday called on the government for greater access to the region from where more than 500,000 Rohingya villagers fled to Bangladesh to escape a military crackdown.

A total of 48 UN officials and foreign diplomats based in the commercial capital, Yangon, made the one-day visit to the Maungdaw area of Rakhine on Monday to learn about conditions there, according to the Myanmar government.

"We saw on our visit the dire humanitarian need. We call once more for unimpeded humanitarian access to northern Rakhine and the resumption of life-saving services without discrimination throughout the state," said the statement issued by foreign corps late Monday.

The diplomats met some Rohingya villagers who had not fled and family members of non-Muslim victims who the government alleged had been killed by the Rohingya and also visited some villages allegedly attacked on Aug. 25.

"This was not an investigation mission and could not be in the circumstances," it said, adding the government should allow a UN fact-finding mission into the region.

"An investigation of allegations of human rights violations needs to be carried out by experts."

The diplomats stressed to the authorities that the people they met during their visit must not be subject to, and should be protected from, any reprisals such as physical attacks or arbitrary arrest.

"We sincerely hope that our visit is only the very first step in an urgently needed opening up of access for all, including the media, to all parts of northern Rakhine," said the statement.

The statement was signed by Ambassador Nicholas Coppel, Australia; Ambassador Karen MacArthur, Canada; Ambassador Jaroslav Dolecek, Czech Republic; Ambassador Peter Lysholt Hansen, Denmark; Ambassador Olivier Richard, France; Ambassador Ito Sumardi, Indonesia; Ambassador Giorgio Aliberti, Italy; Ambassador Wouters Jurgens, the Netherlands; Ambassador Steve Marshall, New Zealand; Ambassador Tone Tinnes, Norway; Ambassador Miodrag Nikolin, Serbia; Ambassador Paul Seger, Switzerland; Ambassador Kerem Divanlioglu, Turkey; Ambassador Scot Marciel, the United States; Ambassador-designate Kristian Schmidt, the European Union; Ambassador designate Dorothee Janetzke-Wenzel, Germany; Mr. Bibian Zamora Gimenez, Chargee d'Affaires a.i. Spain; Mr. Johan Hallenborg, Head of the Swedish Section Office; Mr. David Hall, Deputy Head of Mission, the United Kingdom; Ms. Silja Rajander, Deputy Head of Mission, Finland.

Since Aug. 25 when the military launched a crackdown against Rohingya militants, 501,000 Rohingya have crossed from Myanmar's western state of Rakhine into Bangladesh, according to the UN.

The refugees are fleeing a military operation in which security forces and Buddhist mobs have killed men, women and children, looted homes and torched Rohingya villages.

According to Bangladeshi Foreign Minister Abul Hasan Mahmood Ali, around 3,000 Rohingya have been killed in the crackdown.
Influx continues

30,000 more Rohingyas arrived in last two days

About 30,000 Rohingya refugees continue to pour in Cox\'s Bazar in the lost two days. This photo was taken on Tuesday.

Rohingya refugees continue to pour into Bangladesh fleeing persistent violence in the Rakhine state of Myanmar.

More than 30,000 Rohingyas have arrived in Cox's Bazar in the last two days through porous borders between Bangladesh and Myanmar, sources said.

"They burnt our houses and drove us out by shooting. We walked for three days through the jungle," said Mohammed, who fled to Bangladesh with his family of seven, including a baby born along the way.

Rohingya refugees have been fleeing violence in Myanmar at a staggering rate and the numbers keep growing, UNCHR spokesperson Vivian Tan told media on Tuesday.

"They arrive exhausted, hungry and sick They are in need of international protection and humanitarian assistance," he added.

According to the UNCHR, the vast majority of Rohingya refugees reaching Bangladesh are women and children, including newborn babies. Many others are elderly people requiring additional aid and protection.

"As more refugees arrive every day there is an acute need for emergency shelters and land to them, blankets and other forms of aid. The vast majority of newly arriving refugees are now living outside the camps, in makeshift settlements and temporary shelters," said Vivian Tan.

He mentioned that infrastructure and services of existing camps are overstretched. Refugees continue to arrive there in extremely poor condition. Even, they are in risk of waterborne and airborne diseases.

"We are working with the Government of Bangladesh and other authorities to identify suitable spaces to accommodate them," said Vivian Tan.

The UN Refugee agency spokesperson further said the refugees and the host communities are in urgent need for more clean water, health care and other supplies to lessen the risk of diseases.

"Pregnant women, young children and the elderly are especially vulnerable," he added.

UNHCR last week said an estimated 501,000 Rohigyas have arrived Bangladesh since violence erupted on August 25 in Myanmar.

The two existing refugee camps of Kutupalong and Nayapara, established in the 1990s, were already home to over 33,000 Rohingya refugees before this influx. Now the camps' population has soared to an estimated 77,000, well beyond existing capacity, with many new arrivals taken in by refugee families or hosted in the camps' schools, community centres and other covered structures.

UNHCR earlier sought US$30 million urgent fund to respond to the ongoing refugee emergency in Bangladesh, which was already coping with devastating floods before the refugee influx.

Of this amount, US$6 million is immediately needed for shelter and core relief items for Rohingya refugees. Much more needs to be done to meet the acute needs of children, women and men fleeing conflict.
It is unbelievable but most humiliating for the nation

It happened when the Prime Minister is away but it happened. She must have known. The Chief Justice of the country had to go on leave for a month in unbelievable circumstances. The official explanation is that justice SK Sinha took leave for a month on personal account.





He was in Japan to attend the international conference of judges. On his way back he visited his daughter in Canada. He arrived Dhaka only a few days ago and came to the court on Monday to do some official work. Also issued a notice as Chief Justice inviting the lawyers to tea for the traditional get together after a long vacation of the Supreme Court.





The news came at the last moment that the Chief Justice applied for leave and had gone on leave. Nobody can blame anybody if in such a situation all sorts of ugly stories got circulated. Nobody believed the official story, especially because of the intolerant criticism directed by the government men against him for the unanimous judgement rejecting the constitutional provision empowering the Parliament to impeach the judges of the Supreme Court. All the eminent lawyers appearing as amici curiae also found the provision unconstitutional depriving the judiciary to play its role independently as the protector of the country's Constitution.





Humiliating the Chief Justice is humiliating the nation. The Chief Justice enjoys a hallowed position internationally and special sanctity as the dispenser of justice to the people and upholder of the Constitution for the rule of law. In a way he represents democracy.





In these days modern technology nothing remains unknown about who does what in public affairs. We do not want to repeat what many others including lawyers are saying in public arena. But we must say that the most shameful thing should not have happened.





Not to take the Chief Justice seriously for his constitutionally and nationally exalted position is a dangerous sign of disrespect to the Constitution and the rule of law. This cannot be good for political stability either.





The government should seriously think how to repair the damage to the whole system of government apart from dishonouring the nation. The threat is the breakdown of the rule of law.





The Chief Justice has only three months to retire. The Chief Justice of a country is not just a person, he is the symbol of justice and constitutionality.





It is internationally accepted for protecting the independence of the judiciary that judges must be judged by their peers and not politically by the politicians.





Surely, the government does want to convey the message to the civilised world that it has no respect for the rule of law or the system of justice independent of politics.


Move to ban slow-moving vehicles on highways

Staff Reporter :

The Road Transport and Highways Division (RTHD) is on hard-line to stop plying of three-wheelers and slow-moving vehicles on the national highways across the country.

The division on Tuesday sent a letter signed by Joint-Secretary (RTHD) Kamrul Ahsan to the Chairman of Bangladesh Road and Transport Authority, Cabinet Secretary, Inspector General of Police and Deputy Inspector General of Police (Highway) to take measures in this regard.

It will also make clear to all concern authorities that the vehicles with a speed below 60km per hour are not allowed to ply on highways and will ask to take stern action if the slow moving vehicles do not follow the direction.

According to the Road Transport and Bridges Ministry officials, most of the accidents occurred due to the slow moving vehicles. So, the government will not give any scope to ply such vehicles on the highways.

In 2014, the High Court banned local human haulers like Bhotbhoti, Nasiman and Kariman from the highways after they had led to a number of crashes and deaths.

The government had also taken stern measures to implement that order in 2015.

But the plying of the unauthorised three wheelers as well as horse carts, bull carts, tractors, power tillers and rickshaws continues on the highways.

The drivers of bus and trucks said they face a lot of problems due to these slow moving vehicles.

They said that many accidents on the highways occurred due to these slow moving vehicles.

Seeking anonymity, a driver of JR Paribahan said, "Sometimes these vehicles ply on the highway in such a way that it is very difficult to control the bus."

We have been demanding ban on such vehicles for long time blaming the small vehicles for most of the accidents, he said.

On the other hand, the drivers of slow moving vehicles said that the ban would harm hundreds of owners of auto-rickshaws and transport workers and their families.

"We have no alternative but to operate the vehicles for a living. If police stop us, we pay them money," claimed a battery-run easy-bike driver who makes regular trips to Medical intersection from Modern intersection on Rangpur-Dinajpur highway.
US-Cuba row: 15 Cuban diplomats expelled

The US has expelled 15 Cuban diplomats, saying Havana failed to protect US diplomats from mysterious acoustic attacks.

The Cuban personnel have been given seven days to leave.

The Department of State move follows last week's US withdrawal of more than half of its own diplomats from the Cuban capital.

Nearly two dozen US personnel have suffered ill health after unexplained attacks in the Cuban capital.

"The decision was made due to Cuba's failure to take appropriate steps to protect our diplomats in accordance with its obligations under the Vienna Convention. This order will ensure equity in our respective diplomatic operations," US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said in a statement on Tuesday.

At least 21 people working at the US's embassy in Cuba have reported health problems, ranging from mild brain trauma and deafness to dizziness and nausea.

Earlier reports suggested sonic attacks were to blame, but nothing has been proven.

Cuba denies targeting embassy staff, and the US has not blamed the country's government for the suspected attacks.

The US State Department's decision will only further strain the much-damaged relations between the two countries. A senior State Department official has argued that this move means that Cuba's embassy in Washington was now reduced by a similar percentage as the US mission in Havana.

The Cuban Government, however, is unlikely to see it that way. They consider the initial decision to remove US staff from the island as "hasty" and said it would affect bilateral relations.

The biggest casualties in all of this will probably be ordinary Cubans. The issuing of visas to travel to the US has been suspended until further notice and the Cuban embassy will struggle to carry out its other normal consular functions too.

"We continue to maintain diplomatic relations with Cuba, and will continue to co-operate with Cuba as we pursue the investigation into these attacks," Mr Tillerson added in his latest statement.

Last week US officials said: "We don't know the means, the methods or how the attacks are being carried out."




What happened to CJ was great disaster on Judiciary: Sr lawyers

He was forced to take leave: SCBA

Staff Reporter :

Senior lawyers of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) on Tuesday decided in a meeting that what happened to Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha was a great disaster on the Judiciary.

A press release, issued by the Supreme Court Bar Secretary, Barrister A M Mahbub Uddin Khokan, said referring to the decisions taken in the meeting.

The meeting was held in the conference room of the SCBA at 3:00pm.

The senior lawyers also decided that sudden leave of the Chief Justice was an unexpected event. They expressed deep concerned as the Supreme Court Bar Association leaders failed to meet with Chief Justice after his leave, which was not expectable for the independent judiciary, the press release said.

They also thought that what happened to Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha was a great disaster on the Judiciary. They decided to send a delegation to the President to appeal to take effective steps for protecting the dignity of the judiciary. Even they will try to meet the Chief Justice again, the release said.

They will take some other decisions in the adjourned meeting to be held today (Wednesday), it said.

Former Law Minister Barrister Moudud Ahmed, former Advisor of the Caretaker Government Barrister Mainul Hosein, Justice Khademul Islam, Justice Abdul Awal, former Attorney General A J Mohammad Ali, former President of the SCBA Khandker Mahbub Hossain, Barrister Jamir Uddin Sircar, SCBA President Zainul Abedin and Secretary Barrister A M Mahbub Uddin Khokan, Advocate Subrata Chowdhury, Advocate Sanaullah Mia was present in the meeting along with others.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) on Tuesday claimed that the Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha was forced to take leave.

"We believe the CJ was put under tremendous pressure. We all know that the government and a political party were pressurising him after a judgement," Advocate Zainul Abedin, President of the Bar, told a press conference after an emergency meeting of the executive body of the organization.

He said, "We believe that he was sent on leave as part of such pressure."

Attorney General Mahbubey Alam, however, refuted such allegations and said it was an evil ploy of the association to tarnish the reputation of the judiciary.

"We know, he (CJ) is a cancer patient. We also know he went on leave because of physical illness," the Attorney General said.

Mahbubey Alam also said, "The SCBA, which is controlled by a certain political quarter, is trying to make a gain by bringing such allegations."

Nationalist Lawyers' Forum, a group of pro-BNP lawyers, also claimed that the Chief Justice was forced to take leave. They held a meeting in the Supreme Court Bar building at 1.30pm on Tuesday.




Tuesday, October 3, 2017 at 12:15PM

By Glenn Dunks

There is a knack to watching Laura Poitras latest film, Risk, her first as a director since winning the Academy Award for Citizenfour. And its not being abreast of the life and controversies of its on-screen subject, Julian Assange. Although that certainly helps to a point, his journey felt to be of little consequence to me in regards to how I ultimately felt about the movie. The film is messy and often perplexing, no better personified by an utterly surreal and bizarre sequence with Lady Gaga that is not kind to either of its participants.

Rather, the key to Risks success is to not view the film as about Assange at all, but rather Poitras herself. Sure, the WikiLeaks co-founder is front and centre in the film, and documenting him was the modus operandi, but as a documentary subject hes often far less interesting than the people that orbit him. I am not unaware that I am cutting Poitras an awful lot of slack here...

Its obvious before even its first scene that this is a compromised film for a liberal filmmaker to be pursuing and this internal struggle is obvious throughout. Its also what makes the finished product entirely fascinating.

Risk is split into what is essentially two very distinct halves. The first begins in 2010 when Poitras chooses to shadow the then predominantly underground figure of Julian Assange who had suddenly come to global prominence for the leaking of classified material obtained by Chelsea Manning. With the aid of WikiLeaks staffer Sarah Harrison, he becomes celebrated and disgraced in equal measure. When Risk premiered at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival, it was apparently far more sympathetic. But here is where Risk diverts from not just the norm for documentary, but swiftly swerves from what is considered documentarian 101.

A series of personal conflicts with Assange and Jacob Applebaum, a WikiLeaks supporter who Poitras also dated, resulted in a blatant conflict of interest for Poitras. She remodelled the film to be more critical of Assange, questioning his conduct as he holed himself up in the Ecuador consulate of England under threat of extradition to Sweden on sexual assault charges. Risks second half is more introspective as she attempts to navigate through her own film the challenging dichotomy of making a film about Julian Assange. His involvement in the election of Donald Trump to the US Presidency seemingly the final nail in the coffin of what was once supposed to be a glowing tribute (well, at least of sorts) to him. She states in voice-over, her voice flat and monotone yet no less steeped in disappointment (as a filmmaker and a human being it would appear), that she hoped she could ignore the contradictions and that this is not the film [she] thought [she] was going to make.

Poitras has spent the years since winning her Oscar predominantly focusing on producing. Her name is attached to the likes of Strong Island, Nobody Speak: Trials of the Free Press and the "visual journalism" outlet Field of Vision, which has offered up some great documentary short films, particularly by women filmmakers like Adele Free Phams State of Oregon and Nadia Hallgrens Gavin Grimm Vs. Citizenfour is actually an important part of Risks narrative  it was during the production of this film that she received encrypted contacts from somebody who would later be identified as Edward Snowden.

This break in Risk is importantly stylistically almost as much as it is dramatically. A marked shift can be seen in her eye as a filmmaker. Music and sound play a vital part in ratcheting up the tension, the images her camera captures and the way they are constructed begin to have greater purpose and stronger impact. The sombre final act, the final kick in a film that makes it even harder to support Assange no matter how much one might agree with his political actions.

In many ways, Poitras film goes against all the rules of a documentary. In many ways, thats why it works. Those after a traditional Assange documentary may be disappointed, but those after a film about the creative process will surely find something potent in Poitras struggles. Whatever the ethics in question, Risk doesnt so much break them as it does force us to think at least for a moment about how we're all shaped by our biases and how even a filmmaker can be compromised for better or worse.

Release: Currently available to stream on Showtime OnDemand or through the regular online retailers like iTunes and Amazon Instant.

Oscar Chances: Laura Poitras is respected among the doc community and that can go a long way. It's more mixed critical response likely means a nomination will be hard, but Poitras and her subject's infamy could definitely push it into the shortlist.
Gyda Henningsdottir, White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla)



As I've mentioned before, sometimes a "Random Excellence" post is just about the one picture, and sometimes it's about the photographer's work as a whole. Gya Henningsdottir, born 1973, is one of the latter. Iceland has gotten to be a popular destination for landscape and nature photographers from other places in the world; Gyda is one of the leading Icelandic photographers of Iceland.

Her "about" page says she grew up photographing her family in B&W, working long hours in the darkroom, but that later her interest shifted to outdoor photography. She adds, "nature photography is not my only subject. I photograph fitness and bodybuilding competitions for fitness.is and the most popular fitness magazine in Iceland. My most fascinating subject is probably the Icelandic arctic fox. There goes one difficult subject but at the same time exciting. Wandering in the lava fields or the Icelandic mountains is the highlight of my photography so far."

Her caption for the photograph above: "The White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla), also known as the Sea Eagle, Erne (sometimes Ern), or White-tailed Sea-eagle, is a large bird of prey in the family Accipitridae which includes other raptors such as hawks, kites, and harriers. It is considered a close cousin of the Bald Eagle and occupies the same ecological niche, but in Eurasia."

Many photographers get "spectacular overload" just visiting Iceland. It must be amazing to be a landscape and wildlife photographer and live in such a small but scenic country.

Here's Gyda at work. You can check out the rest of her work at her website.

Mike

(Thanks to Gyda for permission to publish)

Original contents copyright 2017 by Michael C. Johnston and/or the bylined author. All Rights Reserved. Links in this post may be to our affiliates; sales through affiliate links may benefit this site.

B&H Photo  Amazon US  Amazon UK

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(To see all the comments, click on the "Comments" link below.)

Featured Comments from:

Mike R: "My wife and I did a self-drive tour around Iceland in June of 2016. It is everything people say about it, and often more, jaw-dropping at times. We drove counter-clockwise starting and ending in Reykjavik, with our basic itinerary and overnight stays arranged by the good people at nordicvisitor.com.

"So many places to visit on our list, but this is one we'll go back to."

Phil Stiles: "A marvelous body of work, well presented. Thanks for the link. I'll be going back there a few times, there's so much. Don't miss the aerials and the 'the hide.' Meanwhile, Kevin Raber has complained that Iceland has become too popular, and his latest workshop will be the last, at least for while. Cue Yogi Berra: 'Nobody goes there anymore, it's too crowded.'"

Mike replies: Didn't Yogi Berra also say "I never said half the things I said"? But then again maybe he didn't.

Ken Tanaka: "Some beautiful work that also conveys a lovely relationship between Einar and Gya. My constructive suggestion to them would be to invest the time and/or money to more tightly curate their online presentation."

Sor: "It really is a visual overload living here. Even just random trips to the hardware store often show incredible scenery of distant mountains and the ocean."
ABC News(LAS VEGAS) -- Multiple loaded high-capacity magazines were found in the suspected Las Vegas shooter's hotel room, according to multiple law enforcement sources.



Police found the guns and ammunition in the room being used by suspected shooter Stephen Paddock at Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino. Among the guns were high-powered rifles considered capable of penetrating police armor. There were also some handguns in the room. According to Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo, 16 guns were found inside the suspect's hotel room.



The additional ammunition indicates that the shooting, which left 59 people dead and injured 515, could have been worse, had police not intervened when they did. Police believe that Paddock took his own life.



A modified bump stock rifle was also found, which allows a gun to simulate rapid automatic gunfire. Law enforcement officials are still in the process of examining firearms to determine if they were capable of firing automatically.



One official said Paddock had a camera mounted in the room, apparently to record himself.



In a separate location searched by authorities, tannerite, an explosive used in target practice, was found, sources said.



Earlier, Clark County Sheriff Joseph Lombardo said there were at least 10 rifles in the room but noted that the investigation was still underway.



The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives released a statement announcing that it is "currently conducting an urgent trace on firearms recovered from the scene in Las Vegas."



The shooting is the deadliest in modern U.S. history.



A gun shop owner in Mesquite, Nevada, confirmed to ABC News that he sold guns to Paddock, but he did not specify how many and whether they were the ones used in the shooting.



"We mourn for this tragedy and our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the lost and injured," said Christopher M. Sullivan, the general manager of Guns & Guitars, Inc.



"Mr. Paddock was a customer and purchased firearms from our store; however, all necessary background checks and procedures were followed, as required by local, state, and federal law. He never gave any indication or reason to believe he was unstable or unfit at any time. We are currently cooperating with the ongoing investigation by local and federal law enforcement in any way we can," Sullivan said.



Guns & Guitars, Inc., sells semi-automatic weapons but not fully automatic weapons.



John Cohen, a former Department of Homeland Security undersecretary who previously worked as a police officer, said that recordings of the shooting suggest that the shooter used an automatic weapon.



"Listening to the video, it sounds like the weapons were fully automatic," said Cohen, who is now an ABC News consultant.



He said that when a gun is automatic, that means "you pull the trigger once and rounds are fired in rapid succession."



"[The bullets] were coming out very quick, and you heard a large number of shots very quickly. That would be very difficult to do with anything other than an automatic weapon," Cohen said.



"It's not legal to purchase a fully automatic weapon, but it's not that difficult to convert legal semiautomatic weapons so that they are fully automatic," he said.

Copyright  2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
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A person suffered injuries Monday at Little Grand Canyon, although it was not clear how.

According to a news release from the Jackson County Sheriffs Office, deputies arrived at the scene just after 5 p.m. in response to reports of a subject lying at the base of a rock bluff near the trail, under the lookout area. The person was injured and not responding well, the report said.

The report said deputies, along with members of the Murphysboro Pomona Somerset Township Fire Department and a Jackson County ambulance, responded. The person had to be carried out of the area using a Stokes stretcher. The report said a small boat was used by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources once the person was carried out to the river and ferried to an area where a helicopter was waiting to transport the person to a St. Louis hospital for treatment.

A representative from Jackson County Sheriff's Office declined to say what happened  it was not clear from the release how the person was injured. The representative also declined to say where the person where was from, and the person's age was not provided. The representative also declined to give any information about the person's condition.

The report said although an investigation is ongoing, there is not foul play suspected.

An earlier version of this post identified the injured person by name. The Jackson County Sheriff's Office provided the victim's name to the newspaper, but after a representative from the sheriff's office declined to give other relevant information about the person, the newspaper felt it would not be appropriate to identify the person.
By Trend

The consortium for construction of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) plans to invest a total of 800 million euros in Albania in 2017-2018, said TAP country manager for Albania Shkelqim Bozgo.

Overall, TAP project is expected to bring a total of 1.5 billion worth investment in Albania, Greek media quoted Bozgo as saying.

TAP is a part of the Southern Gas Corridor which is one of the priority energy projects for the EU.



TAP project envisages transportation of gas from the Stage 2 of development of Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz gas and condensate field to the EU countries.



The pipeline will be connected to the Trans-Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP) on the Turkish-Greek border, run through Greece, Albania and the Adriatic Sea, before coming ashore in Italy's south.



TAPs shareholders are: BP (20 percent), State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (20 percent), Snam (20 percent), Fluxys (19 percent), Enagas (16 percent) and Axpo (5 percent).

TAP will be 878 kilometers in length (Greece 550 km, Albania 215 km, Adriatic Sea 105 km, and Italy 8 km). Its highest point will be 1,800 meters in Albanias mountains, while its lowest point will be 820 meters beneath the sea.
By Trend

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev offered his condolences to President of the United States of America Donald J. Trump.

I was deeply saddened by the news of heavy casualties and injuries as a result of a brutal shooting at a music festival in Las Vegas, said President Aliyev in his letter to President Trump.

On the occasion of this tragic event, on behalf of the people of Azerbaijan and on my own behalf, I extend my deepest condolences to you, families and loved ones of those who died and all the people of the United States, and wish those injured recovery, added the head of state.
By Trend

Azerbaijans Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov received newly appointed Ambassador of Greece Nikolaos Kanellos, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry said in a message on October 2.

Ambassador Kanellos presented a copy of his credentials to Foreign Minister Mammadyarov.



Mammadyarov congratulated Ambassador Nikolaos Kanellos on his appointment and wished him every success in his future activities.

Ambassador Kanellos noted that he would spare no efforts to contribute to further enhancement of bilateral relations between the two countries during his diplomatic mission.

At the meeting, views were also exchanged on development of cooperation between Azerbaijan and Greece in energy, transport, tourism, culture and other spheres.




By Trend

The Consulate General of Azerbaijan in the US is checking the presence of Azerbaijani citizens among victims of Las Vegas shooting, Azerbaijani Foreign Ministrys Spokesman Hikmat Hajiyev told Trend on October 2.

We express our deepest condolences to the US government and the whole American people, families and relatives of those killed as a result of the bloody and terrible tragedy that occurred in Las Vegas. We wish the swiftest recovery to the people wounded as a result of this terrible attack, noted Hajiyev.

The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the shooting that killed at least 50 people and wounded over 400 in Las Vegas.
By Trend

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev sent a congratulatory letter to President of the Federal Republic of Germany Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

On behalf of the people of Azerbaijan and on my own behalf, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to you and the people of your country on the occasion of the national holiday of the Federal Republic of Germany - German Unity Day, said President Aliyev in his letter.

The current level of Azerbaijani-German relations is satisfactory. Based on mutual understanding and constructive dialogue, our political relations are accompanied by a broad and fruitful cooperation in the economic and humanitarian fields, noted the head of state.

I hope that we will continue our joint efforts to strengthen relations between our states and deepen our cooperation in a multilateral format, added the president. On this remarkable day, I extend my best wishes to you, and wish the friendly people of Germany everlasting peace and prosperity.
By Azernews





By Kamila Aliyeva

Ashgabat hosted high-level talks between Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.

Following the October 2 talks, the sides signed 14 bilateral documents, including on cooperation in culture, tourism, agriculture, humanitarian spheres and other areas, the Turkmen government reported.

The presidents have put their signatures to a bilateral treaty on strategic partnership, TASS reported.

During the talks, Turkmen leader expressed hope that the Caspian Seas status will be resolved soon. A convention on the legal status of the Caspian Sea may be finally coordinated at a next summit of the regions states which will be held in Kazakhstan, he said.

"We hope that the issue of finishing joint work on a convention on the Caspian status may be considered already at the fifth summit of the Caspian Sea states. This issue is of strategic importance for us, and I think that all of us, the Caspian Sea countries, will come out in favor of settling it," Berdimuhamedov said.

The sides also voiced aim to improve trade and business relations between two countries.

A plan of actions and projects for the implementation of the Program of Economic Cooperation between the Governments of Turkmenistan and Russia for 2017-2019 was agreed during the meeting. This is a kind of road map of interaction for a three-year period.

The quality and volumes of bilateral trade and economic cooperation can and should be significantly increased, brought into line with objective opportunities and the available potential, the Turkmen President said at the meeting in expanded format.

Putin, in turn, said that the countries put much emphasis on trade-economic cooperation.

"Unfortunately, last year our trade saw a certain decline for different reasons, I think first of all for objective reasons - currency exchange rate fluctuations, unfavorable world situation and some other factors," the president said.

He reiterated that Moscow and Ashgabat have created a system of cooperation mechanisms in different sectors, and the key role in this belongs to the intergovernmental commission.

Besides, the president said, the program of economic cooperation until 2018 is aimed at improving the structure of trade. It includes 80 events and projects.

"The implementation of this document will help to expand investment cooperation, which in my opinion is very important," the president said.

The Turkmen leader, in turn, noted that it is necessary to implement specific projects, use the geographical and infrastructural advantages of both countries and seek new directions. First of all - in strategic spheres such as industry, transport and communications, energy, agro-industrial complex and new technologies.

We highly appreciate and welcome the work of large Russian companies on the Turkmen market, in particular, in such areas as automotive, aircraft building, shipbuilding, Berdimuhamedov said.

Cooperation in the field of logistics also came to the forefront. The use of the port infrastructure of the two countries on the Caspian Sea - in the cities of Turkmenbashi and Astrakhan and the ferry between them  appears to be promising.

The most important part of such cooperation is the creation of a Turkmen trade and logistics center on the territory of the Astrakhan region.

As for the partnership in the agro-industrial complex and the textile industry, Turkmenistan also confirmed readiness for its further development, increase of supplies of Turkmen agricultural products and textiles to Russia.

Turkmenistan is also ready to establish mutually beneficial cooperation in the supply of oil, gas and chemical products, consumer goods to Russia.

Stressing the interest of the Turkmen side in raising the level and quality of interaction with Russia in the sphere of high technologies, the Turkmen leader expressed his belief in the need to give the bilateral economic partnership a clearly expressed innovative, high-tech character.

The priority areas of trade and economic cooperation also include the banking and financial sector, support for export-import operations and joint foreign economic projects.

Both countries cooperate effectively in a wide range of areas, including the trade and economic sphere, energy and transport and communication sectors as well as the agro-industrial complex.

Russia holds a leading position in the ranking of Turkmenistans biggest foreign trade partners. In recent years, cooperation at the regional level has intensified, including with Tatarstan, St. Petersburg, Astrakhan, Sverdlovsk regions of Russia.

More than 190 enterprises with the participation of Russian capital are registered in the Turkmen market, and they execute more than 240 investment projects.

Gas supply was one of the strategic areas of partnership between Turkmenistan and Russia until recently. But in 2016, Russia - a traditional buyer - has stopped the purchase of Turkmen gas.

In 2015 bilateral trade volume between two countries decreased by 21 percent to $0.97 billion compared to $1.23 billion in 2014. Turkmen exports to Russia fell to $0.07 billion (by 20 percent) while imports fell to $0.90 billion (by 21 percent).
By Azernews





By Laman Ismayilova

Just few days ago Azerbaijan was bathing in beautiful sunshine following the hottest late September on record.

But the weather in the country has taken quite a turn on weekend with daytime temperatures cut in half, and torrential downpours set to sweep across the country, bringing an abrupt end to clear blue skies.

Temperatures have dropped from about 35C to 15C in some areas, and there could even be a touch of frost in the northern regions in the week.

Since 1881, there has been no sharp drop in air temperature in Baku and Absheron peninsula. The temperature dropped from 35 C degrees to 20 C degrees, said Maharram Hasanov.

The deputy director of the Institute of Geography of ANAS, Doctor of Philosophy in Geography told Trend that the hydrometeorological station was built in Baku in 1881.

There has never been such a sharp change of weather in September since that time," he said. Such weather is a rarity. Similar weather conditions were observed in Baku only in 1996 and 2003.

Unstable weather conditions are expected to continue in the country with heavy rains and even snow in several areas.

On October 2, snow fell on high mountainous areas - Khinalig, Giriz, Shahdagh. The snow depth reached 17 cm in Khinalig, 7sm - in Giriz and 3sm in Leze.

The amount of precipitation hit 3-39 mm in Baku and Absheron peninsula, 9-110 in Lankaran-Astara region, 9-70 in the Greater Caucasus, 8-56 in Central Lowland regions, 22-35 in the Lesser Caucasus, 8-25 in Gazakh-Ganja zone and 2-10 in Nakhchivan AR.
A total 900 education professionals from over 80countries are expected to take part in the upcoming Qudwa 2017 Global Teachers Forum in Abu Dhabi, UAE.



The second edition of the forum themed Teaching for the Future' will take place on October 7 and 8 at the Emirates Palace.



Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, will deliver a keynote speech on the first day of the event.



Sheikh Abdullah said: "The UAE spares no effort in helping its young people unlock their creative abilities and in empowering them to achieve their full potential so that they can lead their country towards a prosperous future for generations to come. The UAE is proud of its global reputation as a visionary nation and an incubator for future ideas aimed at developing human capabilities and building a society that is rich in knowledge, science and culture.



The role of teachers as role models for all generations shall not change regardless of what tools and techniques science and technology may create to facilitate the learning process. These are only means to enable teachers to engage the new generation that uses different methods to acquire knowledge, but still needs a human being to look up to, to instil values and ethics, to stimulate creativity, and to drive home the importance of contributing to the advancement of society, he added.



During the forum, renowned speakers, including several leading UAE officials, will highlight the country's achievements in the education sector in line with the National Agenda of the UAE Vision 2021. On the first day, Hussain Ibrahim Al Hammadi, Minister of Education, will deliver a special address on the countrys progress in developing its education system throughout its history.



A series of sessions titled Meet the Mentor is set to host, among other eminent prominent personalities, Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi, Minister of State for Federal National Council Affairs, who will elaborate on how to empower students with critical thinking, innovation and cultural skills as part of the digital revolution. Meanwhile, Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi, Minister of State for Tolerance, will discuss the role of teachers in formulating initiatives that enrich the cultural and scientific content of the UAEs National Tolerance Programme.



On the second day, Jameela bint Salem Al Muhairi, Minister of State for Public Education and Dr Ali Al Nuaimi, chairman, Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge, will participate in a plenary session on equality in education to deliver on Sustainable Development Goal 4. The session will also host Julia Gillard, chair of the Global Partnership for Education and former Prime Minister of Australia. Dr Amal Belhoul, community affairs advisor at the Watani Al Emarat Foundation, will explore the role of teachers in instilling a sense of identity, belonging and connectedness in students.



The list of international speakers at Qudwa 2017 includes Michael Horn, co-founder and distinguished fellow of Clayton Christensen Institute for Disruptive Innovation, a US-based non-profit think tank, who will address the topics of teaching for tomorrow and reinventing education on the first day of the event.



In a plenary address to Qudwa teachers on Day 2, Ron Clark, Founder of the pioneering Ron Clark Academy in the US will argue why environments that prioritise academic rigour and discipline, while celebrating self-expression and creativity, should serve as benchmarks for the way teachers teach and students learn.  TradeArabia News Service


UAE-based Paris-Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi (PSUAD) said it has signed a partnership agreement with ABB, pioneering technology leader in electrification products, robotics and motion, industrial automation and power grids.



This partnership aims to develop the universitys research activities and programmes as well as enhance the students academic development to prepare them for their professional careers, said a statement from the Abu Dhabi-based university.

This is to be achieved through the annual career event the university organises and student internship opportunities at ABB, it stated.



With this agreement, ABB joins the companions of enlightenment of PSUAD that support the universitys research in the fields of history, geography, archeology, history of art, philosophy, sciences and languages, remarked Prof Eric Fouache, the vice chancellor after signing the deal with Pierre Leretz, the regional president IA Div at ABB and Mostafa AlGuezeri, the managing director at ABB in the UAE.



"Academic research is crucial at our university as it creates knowledge and expands research in different fields through using various methodologies and theoretical approaches. It also reinforces the universitys international exposure and its position as a prestigious cultural institution," remarked Prof Fouache.



"Accordingly, we are proud to welcome ABB as one of our companions of enlightenment especially that they share the same research interest as our university through their Research Grant Programme," he stated.



AlGuezeri said: "We are delighted to join the university as a companion of enlightenment as ABB is first and foremost a technology company, and every year we devote more than $1.5 billion to various research and development activities globally."



"We maintain seven corporate research centers, employ 8,000 scientists and support 70 universities through collaborations around the world. We are very proud to establish a collaboration in the UAE, where universities are furthering the cause of sciences," he added.-TradeArabia News Service
US-based flow assurance and production optimisation specialist, ClearWell Oilfield Solutions, has appointed industry veteran Alasdair Fergusson as the new managing director in a major boost to its global expansion plans.



Fergusson brings more than 25 years of oilfield management and marketing experience to ClearWell, having worked for major service companies in Europe and the Middle East.



Most recently he held the Paris-based position of business manager for Europe and Africa, Production Technologies at Schlumbergers M-I SWACO, where he led and grew business capability in new markets, said a statement from the company.



Before joining Schlumberger, Fergusson was the director for eastern hemisphere, Engineered Chemistry for Weatherford, based in the UAE, where the team delivered its largest ever contract win.



As well as diversifying the business and delivering strategies for growth, he was also responsible for managing the ClearWell product line, then distributed exclusively by Weatherford.



This was preceded by a 10-year stint at Baker Hughes in production chemistry, drilling fluids and completion tools businesses with a sales and marketing focus.



The appointment follows FrontRow Energy Technology Groups recent acquisition of 50 per cent of ClearWell

from previous owner MSL Oilfield Services, which retains the remaining 50 per cent.



ClearWell is a non-intrusive scale control technology which uses pulsed, high-frequency signals to prevent the formation of mineral scale in oil wells and process systems.



Its innovative, low-cost, chemical-free solution has significant growth potential in an oil and gas market demanding cost-effective flow assurance, said a top official.



On his appointment, Fergusson said: "I am delighted to be appointed to lead ClearWell at such an exciting time for the business. This technology can deliver huge value to oil asset operators as theres no risky intervention to the well and no chemical hazard, discharge or pollution."



"ClearWell offers a step-change in treatment cost for a huge number of wells world-wide and we now have a business totally focused on delivering this technology," he added.



FrontRow CEO Stuart Ferguson said his appointment is a significant boost not only to ClearWell, but also to the wider FrontRow group.



"The results he has achieved throughout his career to date are impressive and the experience he brings to our team will be extremely valuable moving forward," he noted.



"This is the first appointment for ClearWell post acquisition, however we expect to see staff numbers continue to increase as the company fulfils its high-growth potential and deploys more units in the field. We have set ambitious targets, and are confident these targets will be met under Alasdairs leadership," he noted.



Martin Clark, the managing director at MSL Oilfield Services, said: "Alasdairs experience in the oilfield industry, combined with his motivation and drive, makes him the ideal candidate to lead ClearWell successfully. We are delighted he is now part of the team."-TradeArabia News Service
German industrial group Siemens and its French rival Alstom are joining forces to create a new European champion in the rail industry with a combined revenue of 15.3 billion ($17.7 billion).



The duo signed a MoU granting exclusivity to the two innovative players of the railway market for combining their mobility businesses in a merger of equals. The corporate name of the combined group will be Siemens Alstom.



The transaction brings together two innovative players of the railway market with unique customer value and operational potential. The two businesses are largely complementary in terms of activities and geographies.



As per the deal, Siemens will receive newly issued shares in the combined company representing 50 per cent of Alstoms share capital on a fully diluted basis and warrants allowing it to acquire Alstom shares representing two percent points of its share capital.



"This Franco-German merger of equals sends a strong signal in many ways. We put the European idea to work and together with our friends at Alstom, we are creating a new European champion in the rail industry for the long term," remarked Joe Kaeser, the president and CEO of Siemens.



"This will give our customers around the world a more innovative and more competitive portfolio," he stated.



Kaeser pointed out that the global market-place had changed significantly over the last few years.



"A dominant player in Asia has changed global market dynamics and digitalisation will impact the future of mobility. Together, we can offer more choices and will be driving this transformation for our customers, employees and shareholders in a responsible and sustainable way," he noted.



The new entity will benefit from an order backlog of 61.2 billion, revenue of 15.3 billion, an adjusted EBIT of 1.2 billion and an adjusted EBIT-margin of 8 per cent, based on information extracted from the last annual financial statements of Alstom and Siemens.



In a combined setup, Siemens and Alstom expect to generate annual synergies of 470 million latest in year four post-closing and targets net-cash at closing between 0.5 - 1.0 billion.



Global headquarters as well as the management team for rolling stock will be located in Paris area and the combined entity will remain listed in France. Headquarters for the Mobility Solutions business will be located in Berlin, Germany. In total, the new entity will have 62,300 employees in over 60 countries.



On the Siemens tie-up, Henri Poupart-Lafarge, the chairman and CEO of Alstom SA, said:"Today is a key moment in Alstoms history, confirming its position as the platform for the rail sector consolidation. Mobility is at the heart of todays world challenges. Future modes of transportation are bound to be clean and competitive."



"Thanks to its global reach across all continents, its scale, its technological know-how and its unique positioning on digital transportation, the combination of Alstom and Siemens Mobility will bring to its customers and ultimately to all citizens smarter and more efficient systems to meet mobility challenges of cities and countries," he stated.



By combining Siemens Mobilitys experienced teams, complementary geographies and innovative expertise with ours, the new entity will create value for customers, employees and shareholders, he added.



As part of the combination, Alstom existing shareholders at the close of the day preceding the closing date, will receive two special dividends: a control premium of 4 per share (in total = 0.9 billion) to be paid shortly after closing of the transaction and an extraordinary dividend of up to 4 per share (in total = 0.9 billion) to be paid out of the proceeds of Alstoms put options for the General Electric joint ventures of approximately 2.5 billion subject to the cash position of Alstom.



According to Siemens, the businesses of the two companies are largely complementary. The combined entity will offer a significantly increased range of diversified product and solution offerings to meet multi-facetted, customer-specific needs, from cost-efficient massmarket platforms to high-end technologies.



The global footprint enables the merged company to access growth markets in Middle East and Africa, India, and Middle and South America where Alstom is present, and China, US and Russia where Siemens is present.



Customers, said the company, will significantly benefit from a well-balanced larger geographic footprint, a comprehensive portfolio offering and significant investment into digital services.



The combination of know-how and innovation power of both companies will drive crucial innovations, cost efficiency and faster response, which will allow the combined entity to better address customer needs, it added.



The new board of the combined group will consist of 11 members and will be comprised of 6 directors designated by Siemens, one of which being the chairman, 4 independent directors and the CEO.



In order to ensure management continuity, Poupart-Lafarge will continue to lead the company as CEO and will be a board member. Jochen Eickholt, CEO of Siemens Mobility, shall assume an important responsibility in the merged entity, he added.-TradeArabia News Service
Two-thirds of IT decision-makers in Saudi Arabia rank cybersecurity as their top IT priority, according to research from VMware, a global leader in cloud infrastructure and business mobility.



However, the current levels of cybersecurity investment alone may not be enough.

About half (46 per cent) of Saudi organizations still expect to be hit by a cyber-attack, almost three times the amount of respondents in the wider Europe, Middle East, and Africa region (16 per cent), VMware announced on the sidelines of the IDC CIO Security Summit 2017 Saudi Arabia.



As Saudi organizations drive digital business competitiveness in support of Saudi Vision 2030, connecting applications and devices to networks is exposing them to more and complex cyber-threats, from malware to advanced persistent threats.



As a result, research from VMware finds that two-thirds (64 per cent) of Saudi organizations rank cybersecurity as their top IT priority, with businesses in the region increasing funding for cybersecurity solutions across data backup (74 per cent), encryption (66 per cent), threat monitoring (64 per cent) and firewalls (60 per cent).



Despite increased spending on cybersecurity, traditional security models need to change. To better protect business brands and customer trust, IT departments should shift their spending focus to securing applications, which are at the heart of business success and competitiveness. That is why we have added VMware AppDefense to our security transformation portfolio, to enable organizations to further secure the interactions between users, applications, and data, said Jean-Pierre Brulard, senior vice president and general manager, Europe, Middle East, and Africa, VMware.



VMware is committed to helping organisations through their transformation journeys and we are delighted to be announcing our expanded presence in the region with a new office opening in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, this year.



Experts agree that staff training on cybersecurity is important as well. Over half (52 per cent) of Saudi respondents said the threat of cyberattacks has caused a high or very high impact on investment in technology without awareness or education. As a result, the greatest threats in the Kingdom are the use of non IT validated cloud services (44 per cent) and bring your own device (42 per cent) employees (40 per cent).



Cybersecurity has moved from an IT team discussion to a boardroom discussion, with every employee being responsible for protecting their organization from cyber-threats. Saudi organizations are among regional leaders in recognizing the importance in delivering end-to-end cybersecurity strategies. By leveraging security across the cloud, mobility, and data centre, CIOs can embed security in the IT infrastructure, and keep their employees up-to-date on the best practices and methods on how to protect their data, said Ahmed Auda, managing director, Middle East and North Africa, VMware.



Having a new office in Riyadh will enable us to better service our customers here in The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and we look forward to that opening later this year.



For the IDC CIO Security Summit Saudi Arabia, VMware is serving as Platinum Partner, and presented on digital transformation and how Good Technologists Solve Problems. Great Innovators Create Opportunities.  TradeArabia News Service


A total of 16 global innovators from 14 countries are to receive funding from Expo Lives flagship Innovation Impact Grant Programme after pitching their solutions to an evaluation committee in Dubai in August.



The recipients  from five continents  operate in an array of fields, including healthcare, education, renewable energy, fintech, waste management and sustainability, and join Expo Lives community of other Global Innovators who have already received support from the programme.



Among the latest recipients is a Nigerian doctor who co-launched a mobile app and website, Omomi, to help save childrens lives after watching a baby unnecessarily die in an emergency room.



The Omomi application helps expectant mothers and parents of under-five-year-olds monitor the wellbeing of their children from home, which can be life-saving for families living in remote areas or those who cannot afford to attend a medical facility.



Since it was launched in Benin City in 2015, more than 30,000 parents have used the platform. The grant from the Expo Live programme will help it reach even more families.



Expo 2020 Dubais Expo Live programme has an allocation of $100 million to back projects such as Omomi that offer creative solutions to pressing challenges that impact peoples lives, or help preserve the world  or both. Organisers are looking for projects that would not reach their full potential without its support.



The programme will grant up to $100,000 per initiative to be made available incrementally depending on progress and results.



Yousuf Caires, vice president, Expo Live, Expo 2020 Dubai, said: We see innovation not as the process of generating ideas, but as the relentless commitment to solving a problem worth solving.



It is the Global Innovators character, their drive and their reasons for choosing this path  the path of a change-maker  that earns them a place in our Expo Live family and the opportunity to inspire millions at Expo 2020 Dubai.



I would like to congratulate all the recipients and we look forward to working with them to develop their innovative solutions further, he added.



World Expos, which trace their origins back to the 1851 Great Exhibition in London, have always celebrated the latest in innovation and technology, from the x-ray machine to television and the Eiffel Tower.



The Expo Live programme was launched in January 2017, following a pilot phase last year. It aims to stimulate innovation that has a social benefit by supporting projects with funding, business guidance and promotion. Successful applicants will also have the chance to showcase their work to many millions of visitors to Expo 2020 Dubai.



To date, the programme has attracted more than 1,100 applicants from 107 countries around the world. Following a rigorous evaluation process, 16 grantees from 14 countries have joined Expo Lives community of Global Innovators. With these new members from the second cycle, the community now comprises 45 Expo Live Global Innovators from 30 countries.



The third cycle of the programme is now open and will receive creative and innovative solutions to real life challenges by 2December.



Caires added: We want to prove that innovation can come from anywhere, to everyone. If you have a solution that improves lives, we are here to listen and we are here to welcome you to our community of innovators.



Among the other latest grant recipients is the Afghan Institute of Learning, an initiative that is using mobile phones in the classroom to educate and empower illiterate women in Afghanistan.



The course teaches women and older girls how to read and write with the help of mobile phones rather than pen and paper, as well as education on topics such as health and hygiene, values and human rights. Expo Lives grant will help the institute hold more literacy classes in rural and urban areas.



Dr Sakena Yacoobi, founder and CEO of the Afghan Institute of Learning, said: My mandate is to make sure there is no girl without education in Afghanistan. Even after 25 years, its still not easy to persuade people that a little investment into education goes a long way. Despite the difficulty, I remain convinced and committed to this cause, especially because now many of the students have grown to become valuable members of society.



Through the Expo Live grant, I hope to reach more women and communities, and I want to change peoples perception about women and education.  TradeArabia News Service
Transguard Group, a provider business support services and Diebold Nixdorf, a leader in connected commerce, have partnered to provide financial institutions and retailers in the UAE with best-in-class services and technology.



Transguard Group is now a certified Diebold Nixdorf solutions service provider across the UAE.



The partnership will enable Transguard to provide authorised maintenance services to the majority of financial institutions across the UAE. As financial and retail markets converge and expand, the synergies created by the partnership will successfully respond to consumer demand for convenient, secure and seamless transaction experiences.



Our partnership with Diebold Nixdorf further accelerates our mission to deliver total business support solutions and to enable our customers to focus on their core business, said Dr Abdulla Al Hashimi, chief executive officer, Transguard Group.



Together, we will be able to provide our customers with optimum convenience for their networks, ensure availability and enhance efficiency with a single point of contact from cash-in-transit (CIT) and maintenance services, to managed services. We are confident that the feedback from our customers will be very positive, he added.



Transguard Group currently services more than 90 per cent of the ATM network in the UAE, with more than 1,400 field engineers. As part of the partnership, Transguard Group will provide 24/7 maintenance across Diebold Nixdorfs installed base in the UAE.



Combined with Transguards managed services and the cash-in-transit (CIT) solutions, the new development enables financial institutions to have a single point-of-contact for all their technology and servicing needs. It also enables financial institutions to increase network efficiency and availability, while elevating the end consumer experience.



Our strategic partnership and collaboration with Transguard Group enables us to further ensure we provide our customers in the UAE with around-the-clock availability, said Habib Hanna, managing director, Middle East, Diebold Nixdorf.



We have a momentous opportunity to expand our innovation capabilities to manage and shape the convergence of physical and digital platforms. This partnership is a testament to Diebold Nixdorfs promise to service customers seamlessly, securely and with industry-leading quality.  TradeArabia News Service
The International Air Transport Association (Iata) is calling on the European Union to significantly strengthen economic regulation of major European airport monopolies by focusing on the interests of passengers.



Enforcing greater cost-efficiency at Europes airports will feed through into cheaper air fares, stimulate travel and enhance European competitiveness. In turn, this will support jobs and grow the economy.



The case for stronger airport charges regulation is seen in how European passengers have been denied the full benefits of cheaper air travel, as illustrated over the period 2006-2016 in a just-released Iata study:

 The average cost of an air ticket remained virtually the same (including all ancillary charges such as hold bags)

 The revenue portion of the ticket price for airlines fell from 90 per cent to 79 per cent

 The portion of the ticket price taken by the airport doubled. Passenger taxes also doubled



Had airport charges remained constant over the 2006-2016 period, consumers could have benefitted, on average, 17 per one-way trip. That price stimulus of nearly 10 per cent of average tickets costs would have improved Europes competitiveness, and potentially generated an additional 50 million passengers. In turn that would have unlocked 50 billion in European GDP and created 238,000 jobs.



"Airlines, like all competitive businesses, are in a constant struggle to improve efficiency. Europes airports however are largely insulated from competitive forces. Europes light-handed Airport Charges Directive has failed Europes travellers and its own competitiveness by letting airport charges rise. Tighter EU regulation is needed to stop airport monopolies from taking money from the pockets of travellers to reward investors. The goal should be economic regulation of airport monopolies that is an effective proxy for competitionpromoting efficiency while protecting consumers. In that regard the voice and interests of airlines  airports main customers - should be carefully listened to. This will ensure effective regulation that will broadly balance the interests of travellers, investors, citizens and economies," said Alexandre de Juniac, Iatas director general and CEO.



The trend of increasing private ownership of European airports adds urgency to the situation. Since 2010 the number of European airports in private hands has almost doubled. "In many cases privatization has failed to deliver promised benefits to passengers and the local economy often suffers the results of higher costs. The balancing role of effective and strong economic regulation is essential," said de Juniac.



In its Aviation Strategy , the European Commission has rightly identified the need to boost the efficiency of airport services and has engaged in an assessment of whether and how the Airport Charges Directive needs to be reviewed. Iata fully supports the urgent finalization of this assessment under the leadership of Commissioner Violeta Bulc and of her team. - TradeArabia News Service
The chairman of Natrona Countys school board said the potential closing of four area schools is tough and will cause pain but that officials likely had no other choice and that the shuttering of one middle school was probably inevitable.

I dont think we had any choice, Kevin Christopherson said. ... Its been known that if things dont change with enrollment that there would be more closings this year.

A small group of board members  including Christopherson  has recommended the closure of Frontier Middle and University Park, Willard and Mountain View elementary schools, the district announced Friday. A downturn in the economy has spurred a recent decline in elementary enrollment in the Natrona County School District, which has 970 open seats in its lower grades.

If the buildings are closed, it will be the second straight year that the board has voted to shutter schools: In November, officials decided to close Grant Elementary, an under-capacity school that needed $500,000 in repairs.

Christopherson said the discussion about closing schools has been ongoing for months. In mid-September, when the first hard enrollment numbers were available for this school year, officials learned how serious the situation was: More than 150 students have left Casper elementary schools since last fall. Roughly 350 have departed since 2014.

We had way too many open seats after we closed Grant last year, he said.

The recommendation released Friday also calls for the closure of the districts special education building, as well as the North Casper, Willow Creek and Westwood Elementary schools, none of which currently house students. The full board will consider the recommendation at its Oct. 23 meeting.

Michael Jennings, the districts executive director of human resources, said Friday that the targeted schools are generally small and inefficient.

Struggling middle school

On Monday, Christopherson echoed Jennings. He said he and others on the board had been considering closing Frontier for some time. He said the middle school  which shares a campus with Casper Classical Academy  has been failing academically and is shrinking.

Frontier has been rated as not meeting expectations for the past three school years, according to the state Department of Education. Should it close, Casper Classical Academy would remain open and would take over the building.

Frontier is the smallest of the districts traditional middle schools by several hundred students.

It likely wouldve been targeted for closure in the coming years, Christopherson said, as state funding grows tighter amid an education-funding crisis thats likely to leave Wyoming schools $530 million in the hole by 2019.

Im chair of the board, and weve had a lot of push from some of the trustees that we need to do something about Frontier, Christopherson said, adding that were getting pressure from the state on finances, and it costs a lot of money to keep a principal over there, with all that support staff.

He added that no district employees  from principals to maintenance workers  are slated to lose their jobs, should the board approve the closure recommendations. But, he said, some will likely be transitioned into new jobs.

Small elementary schools

As for the three elementary schools, contrasting fortunes have left them on the chopping block. Mountain View, for instance, has been plagued by declining enrollment: The school has been losing students for five straight years, Christopherson said. Officials had hoped that when Mills Elementary closed in June, enrollment at nearby Mountain View would climb.

But it actually dropped, and Mountain View is now at less than half capacity.

Mountain View is a tough one because its the only school in Mountain View, Christopherson said, adding that he expects pushback on the recommendation. Mountain View didnt have enough kids to have its own kindergarten. ... Its the same position as Grant. In order to bring the building up to current codes, it would be almost a million dollars to do that. We just had to look at it and say, Do these kids deserve to go to better schools?

University Park and Willard, meanwhile, are both near capacity. But Christopherson said theyre two of the districts smallest schools. Closing them is about cutting costs and maximizing space elsewhere.

Just the inefficiencies of running those small schools tells us we need to cut, he said. Like Frontier, University Park and Willard both have the same administrative costs as much larger elementary schools that have open seats, like Journey. Its all about saving money right now.

The district received approval for Journey years ago, when elementary enrollment in the district was on the rise. Natrona County would need to build a new elementary school every two years to keep pace, state officials told the district.

So Journey was OKd, as were Lincoln Elementary and an addition to Bar Nunn.

Then came the bust, which took dollars from state coffers and students from Natrona County schools. The district now finds itself with too little funding and too many empty seats.

Christopherson said that each school closure could save the district around $500,000 a year in salaries alone. That doesnt include utilities (Dennis Bay, executive director of business services, said Friday that could be between $20,000 and $40,000 annually) and the support services  like IT, maintenance and other staff  the district sends to schools on a regular basis.

Realistically, the savings for shutting down a school like that could approach $750,000 per school, he said. Were still trying to do it where were not having to lay off any current employees.

Christopherson said he couldnt predict whether the board would approve the recommendation and close the schools. He said he supports the move but expects some members to come out against the Mountain View closure in particular.

Messages left for other members of the board were not returned Monday.

Christopherson said he knows that if the board decides to close even one school, it will cause pain for the effected community.

We have 13,000 kids and 3,000 employees, and we have to do what we have to, he said. If that means cutting off one of the tentacles thats bleeding us dry, if thats what needs to be done, thats what needs to be done. Its not the happiest thing I get to do.
RAPID CITY, S.D.  Crews are close to finishing highway projects to improve the well-traveled byways from Interstate 90 through Rapid City and on to Mount Rushmore National Memorial.

The Rapid City Journal reports workers this month are putting the final touches on a $32 million project to rebuild a prime connector for tourists coming into downtown Rapid City.

A three-year, $30 million rebuilding of Mount Rushmore Road is slated for completion early next year. That road is considered the gateway to the Black Hills and Mount Rushmore.

State Transportation Department Engineering Supervisor Steve Palmer says more big construction projects are set to begin in the near future, including repairs of an interstate bridge.
Winter storm hits southern Wyoming

Portions of southern Wyoming were under a winter storm watch or winter storm advisory, with up to 9 inches of snow expected Monday in higher elevations.

The National Weather Service posted a winter storm warning over Laramie with 3 to 5 inches of snow predicted on Monday and Monday night. It was the first major snowstorm of the year about two weeks after the beginning of fall.

Saratoga was under a winter weather advisory, with 1 to 3 inches of snow predicted. Centennial was forecasted to receive between 4 and 8 inches.

The Wyoming Department of Transportation advised no unnecessary travel on Highway 130 between Laramie and Saratoga on Monday afternoon.

The snow likely wont stick around for long. Temperatures could reach into the 50s on Wednesday and Thursday.

South Dakota asks Supreme Court to take up sales tax case

PIERRE, S.D.  South Dakota is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to review whether retailers can be required to collect sales taxes in states where they dont have a physical presence.

Attorney General Marty Jackley announced Monday hes petitioned the high court for review.

South Dakota is taking aim at legal rulings issued mostly before the online shopping boom.

As internet shopping has grown, states argue its costing them unfairly in sales taxes.

South Dakota legislators passed a law last year requiring collection of the tax. The law was struck down this summer by the state Supreme Court due to precedent. The state had welcomed the defeat so it could try to get the U.S. Supreme Court to take up the case.

Storm brings up to 18 inches of snow to Colorado peaks

DENVER  An early autumn storm brought heavy snow to northern Colorado mountains on Monday and led to power blackouts for thousands of customers.

The National Weather Service said 18 inches fell near Steamboat Springs. Red Cliff, south of Vail, reported 14 inches and Winter Park reported nearly 10 inches.

About 21,600 customers lost electricity for five minutes or longer starting Sunday night, Xcel Energy said. About 23,000 had shorter blackouts or saw their lights flicker because of storm damage, utility spokesman Mark Stutz said.

Heavy snow caused trees and branches to fall onto some lines, and high winds blew other lines into each other, he said.

Power was restored to all but about 8,000 customers by mid-day Monday, Stutz said.

Most highways were open, but the storm prompted Rocky Mountain National Park to close Trail Ridge Road. It is the highest continuous paved road in the United States and reaches an elevation of 12,183 feet.

The slow-moving storm dragged cold air into Colorado from Canada, National Weather Service meteorologist Dennis Phillips said.

This is about the time of year we start to see these systems, he said.

The storm was expected to begin moving by Monday night, followed by a couple days of dry weather.

Another storm is expected to bring snow to higher elevations of the southern and central Colorado mountains in mid-week, Phillips said, while lower elevations will likely see only rain.

Major road projects near Mount Rushmore close to completed

RAPID CITY, S.D.  Crews are close to finishing highway projects to improve the well-traveled byways from Interstate 90 through Rapid City and on to Mount Rushmore National Memorial.

The Rapid City Journal reports workers this month are putting the final touches on a $32 million project to rebuild a prime connector for tourists coming into downtown Rapid City.

A three-year, $30 million rebuilding of Mount Rushmore Road is slated for completion early next year. That road is considered the gateway to the Black Hills and Mount Rushmore.

State Transportation Department Engineering Supervisor Steve Palmer says more big construction projects are set to begin in the near future, including repairs of an interstate bridge.

Utah Medicaid expansion ballot initiative filed Monday

SALT LAKE CITY  Advocates who have spent years unsuccessfully pushing Utahs Republican Legislature to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act filed paperwork on Monday for a ballot initiative.

If the initiative makes it on the November ballot and is approved by voters in 2018, it would cover residents earning up to 138 percent of the poverty line. That is about $34,000 a year for a family of four.

There are about 127,000 people in Utah who would be eligible for the program.

Utah lawmakers chose not to expand Medicaid under President Barack Obamas signature health care law, citing concerns about the states ability to pay for the program and questions about whether the federal government could afford to pay its share of the cost.

Wyoming Supreme Court justice to retire

CHEYENNE  The longest-serving justice currently on the Wyoming Supreme Court is planning to retire.

The high court announced Monday that Justice William Hill plans to step down in February.

Hill has served on the high court since 1998. He previously was Wyoming attorney general, an assistant U.S. attorney and an attorney in private practice. He also was chief of staff for Wyoming Sen. Malcolm Wallop.

Hills wife, Mary Kay Hill, is Gov. Matt Meads policy director.

Hills departure gives Mead the opportunity to appoint his fourth justice out of the five on the state supreme court. Mead previously appointed justices Michael Davis, Kate Fox and Keith Kautz.

The state judicial nominating commission is taking applications for the job. Mead will select the next justice from three finalists chosen by the commission.
U.S. Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming says he wont be joining the Trump administration as Health and Human Services secretary.

Barrasso confirmed Monday that the White House had reached out to him about the role but said he preferred to remain in the Senate.

Barrasso, a medical doctor by trade, has been vocal in supporting GOPs repeated efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act but said his job was to serve the people of Wyoming.

I was honored to speak with the White House. I know there are others who will serve the president well at HHS. I believe I can best represent Wyoming and help the president by fighting for a conservative agenda as an ally in Congress, Barrasso said in a statement released to the Star-Tribune.

Political news website Axios first reported that Barrasso was being considered for the HHS post, citing sources who said President Donald Trump believed Barrasso was one of the best advocates for Republican health care policies.

The Casper surgeon frequently appears on cable television to discuss health care policy, including efforts to repeal Obamacare. Trump is known to frequently watch cable news shows to keep up on political events.

Barrasso is the fourth-ranking Republican in the Senate.

He is now the second statewide official in Wyoming to bow out of consideration for a position in the Trump administration. Gov. Matt Mead, a Republican, said he was considered among a list of potential candidates to head the Interior Department following Trumps election last fall but made clear that he was not interested in the job. Mead said recently that he did not regret turning down the post.

The HHS job became available following the ouster of previous secretary Tom Price, who faced criticism over the use of private charter planes.

The Health and Human Services chief oversees a $1 trillion department, with 80,000 employees and jurisdiction over major insurance programs, advanced medical research, drug and food safety, public health and disease prevention.

Trump has named Don J. Wright, a deputy assistant secretary of health, to serve as acting secretary.

Price, 62, a former GOP congressman from the Atlanta suburbs, resigned Friday afternoon. His pattern of costly trips triggered investigations that overshadowed the administrations agenda and angered his boss. Prices regrets and a partial repayment couldnt save his job.

Price became the first member of Trumps Cabinet to be pushed out in a turbulent young administration that has seen several high-ranking White House aides ousted. He served less than eight months.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
CHEYENNE  The longest-serving justice currently on the Wyoming Supreme Court is planning to retire.

The high court announced Monday that Justice William Hill plans to step down in February.

Hill has served on the high court since 1998. He previously was Wyoming attorney general, an assistant U.S. attorney and an attorney in private practice. He also was chief of staff for Wyoming Sen. Malcolm Wallop.

Hill's wife, Mary Kay Hill, is Gov. Matt Mead's policy director.

Hill's departure gives Mead the opportunity to appoint his fourth justice out of the five on the state supreme court. Mead previously appointed justices Michael Davis, Kate Fox and Keith Kautz.

The state judicial nominating commission is taking applications for the job. Mead will select the next justice from three finalists chosen by the commission.
The State Department has approved a possible $815 million sale to Australia of nearly 4,000 small guided glide bombs made by Tucson-based Raytheon Missile Systems.

The proposed sale of the GBU-53/B Small Diameter Bomb Increment II (SDB II) supports the ongoing sale of the F-35A Joint Strike Fighter to the Royal Australian Air Force, the State Department said in a foreign military sales notice.

The deal would include 3,900 SDB IIs, plus test and training rounds, test equipment, transportation, maintenance, warranties and test and engineering services.

Despite fitment issues that prompted an engineering redesign, Raytheon says the F-35 will be able to carry up to eight SDB IIs in its internal weapons bay by the time the weapon is deployed in 2022.
If you go

The lineup for the monthlong Tucson Humanities Festival:

 7 p.m. Oct. 3: "Punk Prayer: Pussy Riots Fight for Global Freedom of Expression" with the band's founder Nadya Tolokonnikova. Rialto Theatre, 318 E. Congress St., downtown.

 7 p.m. Oct. 4: "Imperfect Legacy: From National Liberation to Meaningful Freedom in Africa," with Phyllis Taoua. Poetry Center's Rubel Room, 1508 E. Helen St., near the UA campus.

 7 p.m. Oct. 10: "Crown vs. Cross: Resistance and Resilience of Religion in the Roman Empire, with a panel that includes Grant Adamson, Cynthia White and Courtney Friesen from UA Religious Studies and Classics; and Judaic Studies prof Ed Wright. Poetry Center, Rubel Room.

 7 p.m. Oct. 12: "Poetry of Resistance: A Plea for Social Change," featuring readings by Martin Espada and Odilia Galvan Rodriguez, with moderator Mari Herreras. Poetry Center, Rubel Room.

 5 p.m. Oct. 13: "Virtual Study Abroad: A Digital Humanities Experience." The Owls Club, 236 S. Scott Ave.

 7 p.m. Oct. 17: "Forces Unleashed: Why the Spanish Civil War Still Matters," with speaker Malcolm Compitello. Poetry Center, Rubel Room.

 7 p.m. Oct. 24: "Symbols of Revolution: Legacies of Luther in Germany," with German Studies prof Steven D. Martinson. Poetry Center, Rubel Room.

 10 a.m. Oct. 27: "Exploring the Universe: Science & Humanities United," with Planetary Sciences prof Dante Lauretta, Planetary Sciences. Flandrau Planetarium on campus.

 5:30 p.m. Nov. 1: "Seeking Life on the Roads of Death: The Madres Movement in Central America," with New York University's Diana Taylor. Center for Creative Photography, North Park Avenue and East University on the UA campus.

 7 p.m. Nov. 7: "The Mexican Suitcase," film and discussion. Loft Cinema, 3233 E. Speedway.

Festival details: humanitiesfestival.arizona.edu
It sounded like fireworks at first, but when they realized it was gunfire, Mark and Misty Lacy and fellow Tucsonan Deborah Jane Power found themselves in the middle of the worst mass shooting in modern U.S. history.

More than 500 people were injured and at least 59 were killed in the shooting late Sunday night in the finale of the three-day Route 91 Harvest Festival in Las Vegas.

A sniper perched on the 32nd floor of Mandalay Bay Hotel, across from the makeshift parking lot amphitheater on the bustling Las Vegas Strip, fired into the crowd of 22,000 four songs into headliner Jason Aldeans festival-closing concert.

Nothing that Ive witnessed being in Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Honduras  Ive seen nothing like this, said Lacy, a retired military law-enforcement officer who serves as a National Guard reservist in Tucson. Its something that will not be easy to erase out of my mind.

Lacy and his wife, separated in the chaos from Power, joined other concertgoers to help victims reach safety.

For two hours, he carted victims in makeshift gurneys created from barricades and tables to an area where people in their cars took the wounded to hospitals. An emergency staging site was created once ambulances were given the all-clear to enter the festival grounds.

The guy next to me was shot in the head. He didnt make it. We tried to get him out, Lacy said Monday morning, still unable to shake the images of the victims. Another lady was shot; we got her out of the area. Then we started evacuating people. ... There was so many bodies and we started assessing who needed help.

Lacy had assumed that Power, a Tucson doctor, was off helping victims as well.

But Power had been swept up into a crowd of concertgoers ushered to safety away from the festival grounds next to the Mandalay and the shooter.

They were yelling at us to run. I dont think they were police. But they told us to run to the Tropicana, Power said Monday morning from her hotel room in Henderson, Nevada, recalling how she hid for 30 minutes behind a giant air conditioner in the back of the Tropicana until she saw ambulances arriving and realized the shooting had stopped.

First responders were loading the wounded into the ambulances, but Power said she wasnt sure if the victims were injured at the festival or at the Tropicana.

The rumors were that there were multiple casinos involved and multiple shooters, she said. There were even rumors of bombs planted in some casinos, she added.

At the Tropicana, she and the other concertgoers were told to run to the nearby Hooters, which emergency workers had assured them was safe.

When I got around the backside of Hooters there was a woman in a car and she said, Do you need a ride somewhere? I said, Yeah. Yeah I do, Power recalled.

It was nearly 2 a.m. when the Lacys finally got to their Henderson hotel and reunited with Power.

All Lacy, who left the military 11 years ago, wanted to do was close his eyes and have those images of the injured and the chaos disappear.

When you see parts of individuals heads off and lifeless individuals that look like theyre sleeping but theres no pulse and you dont know whats happened, he said, his voice trailing off.
We've collected a few front pages from newspapers.com to give you a look at some Oct. 3 papers in history. With a subscription to newspapers.com you can search the Arizona Daily Star and many other newspapers using keywords or dates, and download articles or pages.
PHOENIX  The Arizona Democratic Party goes to federal court Tuesday, Oct. 3, in a bid to overturn a ban on ballot harvesting and ensure that ballots cast in the wrong precinct are counted anyway.

The Democrats attorney, Bruce Spiva, contends the Republican-controlled Legislature acted illegally last year in making it a felony for an individual to take anyone elses early ballot to a polling place. Spiva said he will present evidence that the measure will cause undue harm to minorities and other groups.

But Sara Agne, attorney for the Arizona Republican Party, who is defending the law, will argue that lawmakers were entitled to put procedures in place designed to prevent fraud.

Spiva could have an uphill battle.

U.S. District Court Judge Douglas Rayes last year refused to stop the state from enforcing the law while its legal merits are being debated. He concluded there was no quantitative evidence to show minorities were more likely to be harmed than anyone else.

The full 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which heard arguments last year in San Francisco, thought otherwise and agreed to enjoin enforcement. But that decision was stayed by the U.S. Supreme Court, with the justices concluding they did not want to make such a radical change so close to last years election.

In the meantime, the appellate court sent the case back to Rayes to take a closer look. Rayes has set aside 10 days to hear evidence.

The law criminalizes what had been a practice by civic and political groups of going out to see if people who had requested early ballots had remembered to return them by mail. If they had not, group members would offer to take them to the polling place themselves.

Now, such action could result in a presumptive one-year prison term and a potential $150,000 fine.

There are exceptions. The law does not apply to family members, those living in the same household or certain caregivers who provide assistance to voters in various institutions.

The legislation is based on claims of fraud  or at least the potential for that.

Rep. Don Shooter, R-Yuma, a member of the Senate in 2016, said there are a lot of shenanigans ... down in my neck of the woods.

Ive been told the way they do it is they collect the ballots early, they put them in a microwave with a bowl of water, steam then open, take the ballots, he said during legislative debate. If they like the way its voted they put them back in. If they dont like the way its voted, they lose the ballot.

But Shooter, who said he passed the tip on to state election officials, acknowledged nothing ever came of it.

Spiva said he intends to prove theres no evidence of fraud in the legislative record. And theres no evidence anywhere.

But Republicans contend they do not need proof of actual fraud to justify the law. Agne said the statute is justified because it helps protect against election fraud.

Its in the states interest to have that chain of custody information, she told the appellate court during last years hearing. Thats one of the reasons the state has implemented this sensible election regulation.

Agne also said a majority of other states have similar laws, though only a handful make it a felony like Arizona.

Spiva has one other argument. He said the evidence will show the Arizona law has a disproportionate impact on minorities, meaning it runs afoul of federal voting-rights laws.

His other legal challenge is to a law that governs what happens when people show up at polling places on Election Day and their names are not on the list of those registered to vote there.

If the would-be voter is simply at the wrong place, poll workers can  but are not required to  direct them to where they need to go. Voters who insist they are registered and entitled to vote there are given a provisional ballot.

After other ballots are counted, county election officials go through their records to see if that person was entitled to vote at that place. If not, the ballot is not counted.

Spiva contends this law also disproportionately affects minorities. So he wants Rayes to rule that counties must count any vote that the person was entitled to make had he or she gone to the proper polling place.

So, for example, a voter who should have been in Tempe but ended up in Glendale would not have votes counted for city elections or school boards. But under Spivas argument, that persons vote would be counted for statewide offices like governor and U.S. senator.
The Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona has received a $50,000 grant from the Walmart Foundation.

The grant was among nine given to Arizona charities by Walmart and the foundation totaling $460,000.

The foundation also gave the Southeastern Arizona Community Unique Services in Safford $58,000, according to a news release from Walmart.

Michael McDonald, CEO of the food bank, said the grant would be used for hunger relief in Southern Arizona.

Too many children and families in Southern Arizona go hungry. Thats why we are so grateful for the assistance of Walmart and the Walmart Foundation as part of this important effort, McDonald said in a news release. This contribution will support and strengthen our efforts to promote a healthy, hungry-free Southern Arizona.
Nearly two weeks after Hurricane Maria pummeled the island of Puerto Rico, President Donald Trump touched down for the first time and immediately downplayed the devastation.

"Every death is a horror," Trump began, before comparing Puerto Rico's official death toll of 16 to "a real catastrophe, like Katrina," in which more than 1,800 people perished from the 2005 storm that ravaged New Orleans.

Just hours earlier, Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rossello warned reporters that he expected the death toll to climb. After Trump departed, he announced the death toll had risen to 34.

Trump's post-storm visit checked all the boxes: He was briefed by local and federal officials, toured a residential neighborhood to speak to locals about storm damage and doled out emergency supplies at a church. He did it all while lauding the disaster relief response.

"The job that has been done here really is nothing short of a miracle," Trump said.

Earlier in the day, he offered his administration an A+ grade for its disaster relief efforts in Texas and Florida, adding that Puerto Rico was right up there with them.

In his visit to Calvary Chapel, Trump applied his typical showmanship to the normally staid task of distributing emergency supplies.

"I've never seen that before," he remarked, as he held aloft canned meat. He lobbed rolls of paper towels into the crowd as if he were tossing out free t-shirts at a football game.

At one point, he handed out flashlights. "You don't need them anymore," the President remarked. By Tuesday, power had been restored to less than 7% of Puerto Rico.

Magnitude of devastation

Local officials had hoped to impress upon the President the magnitude of the devastation. Puerto Rico's governor had printed out photos of destruction from across the island to give Trump a better sense of the scope. He said efforts to rebuild this US territory would only be successful with a robust federal aid package.

More than half the island still doesn't have access to drinkable water or telecommunications systems. The power grid will have to be almost entirely rebuilt.

The price tag was already on Trump's mind, too.

"Now, I hate to tell you, Puerto Rico, but you've thrown our budget a little out of whack because we've spent a lot of money on Puerto Rico," Trump said, during a briefing on relief efforts Tuesday. "That's fine. We've saved a lot of lives."

After days of touting his administration's response -- and taking aim at the mayor of San Juan -- Trump appeared prepared to bury the political hatchet Tuesday, inviting Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz to join him for a briefing.

Shortly after meeting her, he pivoted to lavish praise upon Rossello.

"I just want to tell you that, right from the beginning, this governor did not play politics. He didn't play it at all. He was saying it like it was, and he was giving us the highest grades," Trump said.

He made no mention of the San Juan mayor.

The President's comments about the budget and comparison of Hurricanes Maria and Katrina didn't sit well with her. The mayor dismissed Trump's "foul communication" in an interview with CNN's Leyla Santiago Tuesday afternoon.

Yulin Cruz said the most productive portion of the day came when the cameras flickered off -- a meeting with White House staff.

"I truly believe that they finally saw the connection -- or the disconnect -- between what they were hearing on the one hand and the reality of what is happening on the ground," Yulin Cruz said.

View from the ground

All told, the President's visit to Puerto Rico lasted about four-and-a-half hours, less time than many Puerto Ricans have spent waiting in line for gas in recent days.

The trip was met with some eye rolls from locals anticipating Trump would see the recovering city of San Juan and pat himself on the back for a job well done.

Others didn't have the bandwidth for that brand of cynicism. When asked about Trump's proclamations that the government was doing a "fantastic" job, they mainly expressed concern that the President would fail to the grasp the severity of the crisis they continue to face.

"At least in this part of town, we haven't seen no military. We haven't seen nobody coming," said Edwin Hernandez, a 32-year-old resident of the impoverished coastal town of Loiza. "I don't know if they forgot about us."

Hurricane Maria ripped the roof off the Hernandez household. Ever since, Edwin, his wife and his two daughters, ages four and five, have been huddling in one room at night. They patched that portion of the roof with scraps they found in the neighborhood.

"They're treating us like we're not citizens," Hernandez said of the government's response so far. "Many of our ancestors, our soldiers, went to war and died for the country. And just cause we're apart, don't mean we're not citizens."

There's no power and only intermittent access to drinkable water in Loiza. No one's cell phone works. The neighbors said they needed FEMA's help. But what were they supposed to do, put in an application online?

Even as some banks and grocery stores reopened, lines stretched hundreds of people long. Hernandez waited in both to buy his daughters Ensure nutrition shakes to keep them somewhat satiated.

"I just tell them that it's gonna get better," Hernandez said, his eyes, red-rimmed from crying, as one of his daughters clung to his leg. "We believe in God. We believe we're gonna get back up."

Near the eastern tip of the island, Elba Bonano said she had seen only a single aid truck pass through her neighborhood as of Monday.

"They gave you a couple bottles of water and they gave you Skittles ... and tuna fish and that's it," she said.

She and her neighbors were helping one another gut and clean their homes. Nearly everything inside was destroyed by Maria's floodwaters, which climbed nearly six-and-a-half feet up the walls.

Her biggest worry in the next few weeks was a simple one: "An epidemic," Bonano said.

She and her neighbors have been piling debris and spoiled food in a lot across the street. There was no sign of trash trucks yet. In the oppressive humidity, mosquitoes were beginning to swarm.

"We help each other," she said. "And I hope Donald Trump helps us. I'd be glad if he helps us."

Bonano didn't have a chance to deliver her message directly to the President. He didn't pass through her neighborhood, some 34 miles outside of San Juan.

By Tuesday evening he was back on Air Force One touting his administration's relief efforts once again.
Its amazing reading letters from all those who say you never publish their letters, especially while reading those letters in the very paper they say never publishes them.

But, to the point. Several old-timers are complaining about how so many of our soldiers sacrificed lives or limbs for the flag or for the anthem. These people should read the Constitution, as should many Republican politicians. Or, the politicians should actually read and recall their oaths of office. Members of Congress say:

I, _____ do solemnly swear or affirm (as the case may be) that I will support the Constitution of the United States. This oath was used for all federal officials except the president, whose oath was prescribed specifically in the Constitution (Article II, section 1, clause 8).

Nowhere is the flag, anthem or pledge mentioned in that oath. Those who paid the ultimate sacrifice were defending the Constitution, which allows for freedom of speech and religion, and protecting those very same unknowledgeable people who ignore it.

Sheldon Metz

Northeast side
The bazaar, named Ex-Lover, consists of 20 booths and is held from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm on the first Sunday of every month on To Ngoc Van Street in Tay Ho District.

Most of the items on sale are diaries, love letters, handkerchiefs, clothes, jewelry and other accessories, all once gifts exchanged by couples in romantic relationships.

One booth displays its items behind a sign, listing prices from VND40,000 (US$1.7) to VND110,000 ($4.8) or as the sign reads, as cheap as you ex-lover!

The man behind the idea, Dinh Thang, said he wants the flea market to give new life to keepsakes that belong to an old love.

Thang said the idea came during a meeting with his friends, who were all in poor spirits after bidding farewell to old partners.

These are all items closely associated with ex-lovers that we dont want to use again, but getting rid of them harms the environment, Thang explained.

We decided to open this bazaar as a place to find new owners for them.

The market allows sellers of keepsakes to run their booths for free, and only charges those who sell brand new goods.

Debatable idea

Luu Thuy Ha, 20, one market-goer, said it was a great idea for people to come to the market and get to know the love memories of strangers.

I can see myself in the souvenirs and love letters of others, she said.

These may be old goods to them but they are new to me.

However, not everyone is pleased with the ex-lover flea market, as well as the cheap as your ex-lover slogan.

So we will all become cheap if we are no longer a lover to someone? one Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper reader questioned.

This is such an impolite, uncivil and shocking promotion.

Another reader reminded people that if one considers their ex cheap, this also works the other way round, as you are also the ex-lover of your ex-lover.

If you want to make a creative or fun ad, think more wisely, the reader advised.

Others say that memories or lovers gifts should not be something up for sale.

Doesnt it mean you want to sell your past and memories? one reader said.

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Vietnamese Ambassador Duong Chi Dung has been voted in as chairman of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) General Assembly for the 2018-19 tenure.

Dung, who is head of Vietnams Permanent Mission to the United Nations, the World Trade Organization and other international organizations in Geneva, was elected by representatives of 191 member nations during the WIPO General Assemblys 49th session in Geneva, Switzerland on Monday.

The Vietnamese diplomat was the candidate from the Asia-Pacific region, which hasnot had a representative serving as chairperson of the WIPO General Assembly for 12 years.

Speaking at the gathering, Ambassador Dung said his election with the support of all 191 member countries proved the bodys trust in Vietnam.

It was also the result of active contributions made by the Vietnamese mission in Geneva to WIPOs activities, he added.

Founded in 1967, WIPO is one of 16 specialized agencies of the United Nations.

The organization currently has 191 member countries, with Dr. Francis Gurry being the Director General.

The WIPO General Assembly is the highest authority in approving decisions and policies, appointing the director general, and other essential activities.

WIPO is the first and most important partner of Vietnam in terms of international cooperation in the field of intellectual property.

It has provided Vietnam with assistance in law making, capacity building, personnel training, and public awareness improvement.

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Laotian Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith joined talks with his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Xuan Phuc in Hanoi on Monday evening, as part of his visit to Vietnam from October 2 to 6, the Vietnam News Agency has reported.

During their meeting, PM Phuc asserted that the Vietnamese Party, government, and people treasure their relationship with Laos, and prioritize the enhancement of the two countries traditional friendship and collaboration.

Replying to his host, the Laotian head of government congratulated Vietnam on its achievement and development in recent years, which have raised the countrys status in the international arena.

The two premiers reviewed the implementation of their cooperation agreements, bilateral investment and trade projects as well as the common goals of both nations.

The two sides agreed to continue high-level exchanges and visits and effectively realize agreements reached by Vietnamese and Laotian leaders made in previous meetings.

The two countries will focus on expediting important projects, including the Laos National Assembly building, which is a gift from Vietnam to Laos, the Hanoi  Vientiane expressway, the Hon La oil and gas bonded warehouse and pipeline in the north-central province of Quang Binh, construction of the Vung Ang Port, as well as several energy and transport projects.

PM Phuc and PM Sisoulith reached consensus on increasing trade turnover between the two countries, providing favorable conditions for Vietnamese businesses to invest in Laos, and boosting cooperation in defense, security, education, and training.

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Here are todays leading news stories:

Politics

-- Laotian Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith joined talks with his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Xuan Phuc in Hanoi on Monday evening, as part of his visit to Vietnam from October 2 to 6.

-- Duong Chi Dung, head of Vietnams Permanent Mission to the United Nations, was voted as chairman of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) General Assembly for the 2018-19 tenure during a meeting in Geneva on Monday morning.

Society

-- The Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs has submitted a proposal to the central government, suggesting that laborers in Vietnam will have a seven-day break for the Lunar New Year holiday in 2018.

-- Three attendants at a tollgate on National Highway 5 in the northern city of Hai Phong were temporarily suspended from work after attacking a truck driver on September 25, as he was attempting to dodge the toll booth.

-- Chau Thi Thu Nga, a former member of the law-making National Assembly, stood trial at the Hanoi Peoples Committee on Monday for scamming over 700 people and appropriating up to VND348 billion (US$15.2 million).

-- The operator of an accommodation establishment in the north-central province of Thanh Hoa has been fined VND41 million ($1,798) for causing food poisoning for 109 guests on September 25.

-- Police in Vinh City, located in the north-central province of Nghe An, are verifying an accusation that a woman was beaten by a local police officer.

-- Deputy Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Peoples Committee Tran Vinh Tuyen has suggested that an anti-flooding pumping system, which has been operated on Nguyen Huu Canh Street, be used in other flooded areas in the city.

Business

-- Ho Chi Minh Citys second food street was opened on Monday morning at Bach Tung Diep Park in District 1, featuring 15 different stalls serving diners daily from 6:00 am to 9:00 am and from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm.

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The National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion (NIHBT) was filled with emotion and tears on Monday morning, as its top doctor retired after nearly 15 years steering, and transforming, the Hanoi health center.

During his last morning at the NIHBT, Professor Nguyen Anh Tri joined his colleagues in the regular Monday morning flag raising ceremony, after which he was stunned to see hundreds of patients waiting to bid him farewell.

As seen in photos provided by the institute, patients of all ages stood in line, some with tears in their eyes, as the professor greeted them.

Some children hugged Tri while others stood around, overcome with emotion.

Many of the institutes staff members were also seen in line waiting to say goodbye to their former leader.

Tri visited every one of the institutes departments and bid farewell to his colleagues, many of whom hugged him with teary eyes.

Many of the NIHBTs doctors expressed their love for professor Tri on their social media page.

Tri led the NIHBT from March 2003 to September 2017, with his retirement effective from Sunday.

During his leadership, Tri transformed the health center via a number of reforms and innovations.

He tripled the number of beds at the clinic, adapting numerous new treatment technologies and initiating multiple successful blood donation campaigns.

Professor Tri has contributed to the transformation of the hematology and blood transfusion sector in northern Vietnam.

Donated blood now accounts for most of the blood used at hospitals in the region, thanks to the success of his signature blood donation campaigns.

Following his retirement, Tri will continue his public service in a new role, a delegate of the lawmaking National Assembly.

Tri was the only self-nominated candidate in the 2016 National Assembly election to win a legislative seat.

Below are some photos of Tris tearful goodbye:

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A former member of Vietnams lawmaking National Assembly (NA) has been put on trial for scamming over 700 people and illegally appropriating more than US$15 million.

Chau Thi Thu Nga, who was a member of the NA for the 2011-16 tenure and chairwoman of the Land and Housing Construction and Investment JSC (Housing Group), stood trial at the Hanoi Peoples Court on Monday.

Nine other accomplices, who were ex-deputy general directors, officials, and chief accountants of the Housing Group, were also present at the trial.

According to the indictment, Nga gave inaccurate information regarding the real estate project B5 Cau Dien in Bac Tu Liem District, Hanoi, which was developed by a partnership between the Housing Group and Hanoi Import-Export Investment Construction and Development Company, and sold properties included in the project before it was approved by the relevant authorities.

Between 2009 and 2013, Nga and her accomplices signed contracts of investment mobilization with over 700 clients, worth a total of VND377 billion ($16.5 million).

The B5 Cau Dien project remains incomplete in Bac Tu Liem District, Hanoi. Photo: Tuoi Tre

As per the deals, Nga promised to hand over 752 apartments to her customers once the construction was complete.

However, the victims reported that they were not given the properties as agreed and never got their money back.

Nga refunded about VND28.7 billion ($1.25 million) to 43 clients and appropriated the rest of the money, totalling more than VND348 billion ($15.2 million).

The indictment also revealed that Nga had spent over VND47 billion ($2 million) lobbying for her companys projects as well as for her appointment as a member of the National Assembly.

However, those involved in the scheme pleaded not guilty to any violation.

Investigators from the Ministry of Public Security are continuing their investigation into the case.

The trial is expected to last for 20 days.

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A top official from the Lao journalism agency led a delegation of visitors to Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper on Monday, touring the Vietnamese dailys headquarters and studying its news production procedures.

After a reception by Tuoi Tre leaders, Somsavath Phongsa, Deputy Director of the Lao Press Department, and Lao journalists were briefed on the daily papers news production and had many questions.

Speaking with Tuoi Tres acting editor-in-chief Le The Chu, Phongsa asked him how his newspaper can maintain growth in both print and digital publications.

In response, Chu said it is an issue for news organizations around the world to maintain growth in print and digital media.

Tuoi Tre is presently a high-quality print daily in the Vietnamese press, Chu said. Besides cementing this position, we are also finding new solutions to boosting our online publication, Tuoi Tre Online, in order to make it one of the leading news websites in Vietnam.

Following a brief discussion, the visiting journalists toured Tuoi Tres media convergence model, where the teams in charge of print, online and social media work in one newsroom to ensure seamless news production across all publications.

Below are some photos of the visit:

Tuoi Tre representative Cao Huy Tho (left) briefs the guests on the news production procedures. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Le The Chu, acting editor-in-chief of Tuoi Tre, talks to his guests. Photo: Tuoi Tre

The hosts and guests pose for a group photo. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Vo Hung Thuat (second left), deputy general managing editor in charge of Tuoi Tre Online, briefs his guests on the media convergence model at the newspaper. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Somsavath Phongsa, Deputy Director of the Lao Press Department, puts a question to his hosts. Photo: Tuoi Tre

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TEN has now confirmed a return date for NCIS.

As expected it moves back into Tuesdays from October 17, to follow the premiere of new panel show, Cram (which means it should also start on time).

TEN had previously promoted a return last Tuesday, surprisingly a day ahead of its US return, but a change in the schedule sees it return in a fortnight. NCIS: LA resumes tonight.

Two months after Gibbs and McGee were last seen fighting an elusive group of rebels in a Paraguay jungle, the pair is still missing.

Fearing the worst, the NCIS team in Washington DC begin a tireless search for their lost colleagues.

Vance and Torres are summoned to a congressional hearing regarding the fallout from the Paraguay mission.

8:30pm Tuesday October 17 on TEN.
Las Vegas: @AshleeMullany was staying in the same hotel as gunman Stephen Paddock. #7News pic.twitter.com/TbV3cATWjx  7NEWS Melbourne (@7NewsMelbourne) October 2, 2017

Seven News US correspondent Ashlee Mullany was staying at the Mandalay Bay Hotel in Las Vegas when gunman Stephen Paddock opened fire on crowds below.

I was on the 27th floor, so just 5 floors below, she told Sunrise.

You could hear it, but you could feel the power of these weapons too.

It was just after 10.30 when I woke to the sound of these gunshots, we were staying in the Mandalay Bay Hotel and it was a thundering volley of gunshots that we could hear, so we evacuated, got down to the lobby of the hotel and thats when it was just utter chaos, she also told Seven News.

It sounded like hundreds of shots and weve not heard there are two people confirmed killed 24 injured which would explain the number of gunshots we were hearing. When people have come out onto the street here. Police have started moving us back, we were initially about 50 metres across the road from the hotel and they started moving us back.

Source: Perth Now
Help India!

By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter

Support TwoCircles



Photos courtesy Feminism in India

In another case of alleged discrimination against Dalit students in Indian Universities, Akunth, a second-year BA student at the Ambedkar University, Delhi, was debarred from attending classes for a year for failing one subject out of 14 papers. Akunth has alleged that this is a clear case of discrimination against his Dalit and queer identity.

In an open letter published on social media in the last week of September, Akunth said he had been time and again targeted for his identity. A Bachelors second year student needs to pass at least 14 courses to be promoted to the third year; I passed 12, failed 1 and challenged the results of 3 courses. This makes it impossible for me to be promoted unless I pass in at least two of the challenged courses.

In the same open letter, while explaining about the causes of his detainment, Akunth wrote, One of my course coordinators had refused to accept my assessments on the day of the submission because they were handwritten, which resulted in me failing the course. In the process of rejecting the submission in various formats, she also went as far as to remark and question my Dalit Queer identity multiple times on email, despite having full knowledge that I was seeking therapy to deal with homophobic and casteist elements on campus. The teacher deliberately failed me despite knowing that not grading my report, on the basis of which she took a viva and graded it, can result in me failing my year. To look into this case the present Dean of School of Undergraduate Studies, Dr Tanuja Kothiyal instituted a 4 person internal committee comprising of two teachers at least from the department of the teacher involved (School of Human Studies) with no student representation on the committee, let alone a Dalit.

This act of the University has not gone down well with students from the Dalit-Bahujan community in the campus and outside it. Birsa Phule Ambedkar Students Association (BAPSA) and the National Campaign on Dalit Human Rights (NCDHR) on the September 22.

A memorandum was immediately sent out after the protest with the demands of the student body on it. Some of the demands being stated as The university needs to establish the equal opportunity cell, the ST/ SC cell and various other cells which serve as redressal mechanisms for marginalised students. There should be a proper quasi-judicial, arbitrary body with student representation to address student grievances of any kind or a redressal mechanism with proper policy and representation of student body on it.

The correspondent also talked to the signatories of the memorandum and enquired about the issue. One of the signatories, Rani Sinha, said As an OBC student, I understand how casteist agony inflicted on Akunth can ruin our lives. I am appalled and angry because this should be allowed to happen. We were told that we dont have any agency to decide our own harassment. We were told that we were outsiders. I am with Akunth because I have to do away with the hegemony of Caste Hindus in the Academia.

Another student, Abha Muralidharan, said, This hierarchy is not just in terms of the relationship of professor-student but caste, gender, sexuality. As more and more layers of systemic errors that were foreclosed began to emerge over the course of this case, I realised that the university encashes on caste and gender. I am still appalled by the fact that a university in the name of Ambedkar doesnt have an SC/ST grievance cell nor a liaison committee with just representation to redress issues.

While the issue is far from over, it has once again exposed how difficult it can be for students from marginalised communities to make their way through an academic world dominated by upper castes.
Help India!

Patna, (IANS): Over two dozen people were injured in incidents of communal violence in various districts of Bihar following the immersion of Durga idols and Tazia processions, police said on Tuesday.

People from both communities clashed in Katihar city on Tuesday, pelting stones and even opening fire at each other, police said, adding some shops were looted and ransacked by anti-social elements.

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Transport services were disrupted, markets and schools shut down and internet services were suspended following the clashes in which some some shops and vehicles were also set ablaze.

Incidents of communal violence were also reported from Nawada, Bhojpur, Rohtas, Siwan, Sitamarhi, Jamui and West Champaran districts, following which authorities imposed prohibitory orders and banned internet services.

In Akbarpur bazaar in Nawada, communal tension continues for the last six days. Section 144 of the CrPC has been imposed and internet services again banned on Tuesday, a district official said.

Five persons from both communities have been arrested for alleged involvement in anti-social activities, Nawada Superintendent of Police Vikas Barman said, adding additional security forces were deployed in the sensitive areas.

Tension began last week during Durga Puja and clashes between the two communities took place again in Nawada on Monday night during the Tazia processions.

In Jamui district, communal tension continued for the third day on Tuesday with markets and schools shut, internet services temporarily suspended and additional security forces deployed.

In Siwan, there has been tension since Monday following a violent clash between members of both communities at Karbala bazaar in Barharia.

A group of people on Monday attacked shops belonging to the another community that led to tension, Siwan Superintendent of Police Saurav Kumar Shah said, adding that the situation was now under control.

Over 50 people were arrested following the communal clashes in Sitamarhi on Sunday and Monday.

In view of communal tension in Bhojpurs Piro and Rohtas Nokha, the district administration has temporarily banned internet services and deployed additional security forces.

Six shops were torched in Nokha after clashes between the two communities, police said, adding 17 people have been arrested.

Rohtas District Magistrate Animesh Parashar said that additional security forces were deployed.

The situation is under control but tense. We are alert and keeping a close watch, he added.

There was communal tension in West Champaran after allegedly provocative slogans were raised during a Tazia procession on Monday.
Many people in the United States including Donald Trump hold the view that China has the levers to control the North Korean regime. This was the standard U.S. policy for close to seven decades. Is this true? There is substantial evidence that brings out that Kim Jong-un, has a strained relationship with China and he has been curtailing Chinese influence in his country. The Koreans, for centuries, have been distrustful of the Chinese who at one time colonized Korea.

Kim Jong-un is wary of his big neighbor as he has the example of China going to war with Vietnam in 1979 when 300,000 Chinese troops invaded Vietnam.

China attacked a close ally, one which it had supported since the early 1950s  underlined the fact that ultimately it cannot be trusted.

The War of Dragons

The Sino-Vietnamese War showed to Pyongyang that China was a ruthless power and it would go to any lengths to look after its perceived national interest. For over two decades, from 1950 to 1975, China had provided Vietnam with more than $20 billion in economic and military aid. It also dispatched political and military advisors to help support the war against the French and later the Americans. However, Sino-Vietnamese relations quickly deteriorated in the middle of the 1970s and China felt it needed to teach Vietnam a lesson. This led to an invasion of Vietnam, though in the bargain they suffered heavy casualties.

The Legacy of the Sino-Vietnamese War

The Sino-Vietnamese War has left a deep impression on North Korea and it is clear to Kim Jong-un that China would not hesitate to use force to advance its national interests. It has already sided partially with the U.S. by tightening the screws on the North with a trade embargo as per the Security Council resolution.

The North Koreans have realized that China could tighten the screws further to get a more lucrative trade deal with the US.

Not a puppet of China

The Korean dictator knows that if China could turn against Vietnam, it could very well turn against him. In such a scenario, the nuclear weapons he has are his security not only against the U.S.

but also against China. In all likelihood, he will never give up his weapons or stop further testing. The U.S. and Trump must factor in the deep antagonism between the Korean people and China and draw lessons from history. Kim Jong-un is a nationalist and he may very well end up as the Ho- Chi- Minh of North Korea. He is not a puppet of China and Donald Trump must think on these lines. Mollycoddling to China may not bring the desired results.
Over the last 24 hours, the United States has mourned the worst mass shooting in its history. On Monday, First Lady Melania Trump gave her thoughts on social media, but was met by angry critics of Donald Trump.

Melania on Vegas shooting

On Sunday night along the Las Vegas strip, thousands attended the Route 91 Harvest Festival not far from the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. As the concert was coming to an end, shots could be heard as they fired down onto those in attendance. As the people scattered in an attempt to find safer grounds, hundreds of shots were unloaded, which resulted in 58 deaths and over 500 injuries, according to the most recent reports on the incident.

Law enforcement quickly arrived on the scene, as they were made aware that the suspect was on the 32nd floor of a nearby hotel. As police rushed to the shooter's room, they found that he has already taken his life. The shooter has since been identified as 64-year-old Stephen Paddock, who lived not far in Mesquite, Nevada. As the nation reflects back in horror at the events of the last day, Melania Trump offered her well wishes to the victims in a October 2 tweet.

My heart and prayers goes out to victims, families & loved ones! #PrayForLasVegas  Melania Trump (@FLOTUS) October 2, 2017

Taking to her Twitter account on Monday, Melania Trump gave her thoughts and prayers to the victims of the mass shooting in Las Vegas.

"My heart and prayers goes out to victims, families & loved ones!" Melania tweeted out, before using the hashtag, "#PrayForLasVegas." Not long after Melania sent out her tweet, those who oppose Donald Trump and the Republican Party took out their frustrations on the first lady.

Trying to keep up with developments around the tragedy in Las Vegas? Find our summary of what's happening here. https://t.co/b3mZ2NLdKC  The Associated Press (@AP) October 3, 2017

Twitter reacts

After Melania Trump offered her prayers to the mass shooting victims and their families, it didn't take long before critics piled on.

"In Feb your idiot husband signed a bill reversing an Obama rule to ban mentally ill from buying guns... go away sl*t," one tweet read.

Stephen Paddock..a christian terrorist...oh shit... how media will justify this christian born terrorism ?????  saad hasan (@saadmalikkhokhr) October 2, 2017

They don't need your prayers. They need ,we all need, for a ban on this type of weapon. Weapons that can cause mass death in one clip.  Terry Kinney (@RealTerryKinney) October 2, 2017

"Oh shut up.

No believes you're sincere. Oh wait, country music might mean white people to you & racist husband. But not about 3mil in PR," a Twitter user replied. "They don't need your prayers. They need ,we all need, for a ban on this type of weapon. Weapons that can cause mass death in one clip," an additional tweet noted.

Prayers are a waste of time. Do something about gun control. There is no 2nd Amendment reason why any civilian needs a machine gun.  Ferne Arfin (@Ferne_Travels) October 2, 2017

Oh shut up. No believes you're sincere. Oh wait, country music might mean white people to you & racist husband. But not about 3mil in PR.  Renee Luke (@ReneeLukeNovels) October 2, 2017

In Feb your idiot husband signed a bill reversing an Obama rule to ban mentally ill from buying guns... go away sl*t  Hercules Mulligan (@SewPants) October 2, 2017

"Stephen Paddock..a christian terrorist...oh sh*t..how media will justify this christian born terrorism?????," another tweet added.

"Prayers are a waste of time. Do something about gun control. There is no 2nd Amendment reason why any civilian needs a machine gun," a post noted. With another mass shooting taking place in the United States it appears the debate on the issue of gun control isn't going to end anytime soon.
Kim Jong-uns regime was held responsible for the numerous cyber attacks in recent years. Some of the major attacks were done against Sony Pictures and a number of banks. The most recent cyber attack was the WannaCry ransomware attack, but North Korea denied any involvement, Haaretz reported.

Is Russia sabotaging the United States again?

Reuters reports that TransTeleCom, Russias state-owned company, recently provided North Korea a new internet connection. This was confirmed by Cybersecurity experts.

Russia was resolute to help North Korea cut its dependence on China, which lately imposed harsher sanctions against its communist ally, 38 North reported.

Apparently, Russia just reinforced the cybersecurity capabilities of Kim Jong-uns regime at a crucial time during escalating tensions with the United States Government. Martyn Williams, who runs the North Korea Tech blog, told Newsweek that officials of the North might have reached out to Russia for fear that China would totally give in to the demands of the United States government.

In the past, the internet traffic from Kim's regime was deliberately funneled via one link only. The link was provided by China Unicom, a Chinese telecommunications firm. But now, Kims regime got some support from Putins country because of the new internet connection. And while Russia and North Korea shared the same stand against US intervention in running their state affairs, China might go in a different direction.

The internet boost that boosts Kims morale

According to Bryce Boland, a cybersecurity expert with FireEye, the new link provided by Russia would actually heighten North Koreas resilience to attacks, Reuters reported.

Moreover, the report of the new internet connection in Kims regime followed an operation by the U.S. Cyber Command.

They stealthily carried out an operation that attacked hackers who were affiliated with the regime's military spy agency over the weekend. This was how the Cyber Command came across the new link in Kim's regime.

Now things could get more complicated with Russias involvement with the Norths internet link. Obviously, all the attacks against hackers or computer servers in Kims regime could now freely travel through the internet infrastructure of Russia, 38 North reported.

Boland further explained that an attack by the United States on North Korea could be seen as a provocative move against Russia," Reuters reported. Reading between the lines, any cyber attack could likely escalate the tensions between Russia and the United States.

Russias provision of internet traffic for North Korea gave it more influence over Kims regime. Russia could now easily peer into the United States link through the North Korean internet traffic. "It's a win-win for Russia," Boland concluded.
Just days after Donald Trump insulted the mayor of San Juan on social media, the two met during the president's trip to Puerto Rico. Not long after the two shook hands, the mayor gave her honest thoughts about the commander in chief.

Trump in Puerto Rico

After the devastating hurricanes in Texas, Cuba, and Florida, Hurricane Maria ripped through Puerto Rico nearly two weeks ago. In its aftermath, 16 people have been confirmed dead, with thousands having to evacuate their homes in an attempt at finding safer grounds. With power out on the entire island, food and water became a major issue to the point that CNN reported people eating dog food.

After nearly a week, Donald Trump finally spoke about the issue, doing so in a series of tweets where he made sure to bring up Puerto Rico's "massive debt" to the United States. In addition, Trump responded to San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz's criticism by questioning her "leadership" in a follow-up tweet. On Tuesday, Trump arrived on the island, but not before complaining about the high cost of the recovery to the United States' debt, in addition to downplaying the death toll. As reported by Mediaite on October 3, Cruz met Trump face to face before ripping into him during a an interview later on.

With reporters surrounding them, Donald Trump and San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz finally met and politely shook hands.

In a pair of tweets, Cruz made sure to praise the White House staff for their hard work. "Meeting with WH staff productive," Cruz tweeted, before adding, "They REALLY understood the disconnect between how things are supposed to happen and how they really happen." "Hopefully the newly open channels of communication with WH staff will put in motion what is needed to accomplish our goal: save lives," she added in a follow-up tweet.

Hopefully the newly open channels of communication with WH staff will put in motion what is needed to accomplish our goal: save lives.  Carmen Yulin Cruz (@CarmenYulinCruz) October 3, 2017

Cruz doubles down

Despite her in words for the White House staff, Carmen Yulin Cruz wasn't as positive when it came to Donald Trump. While speaking to CNN during an interview on Tuesday afternoon, Cruz hit back at Trump for his aforementioned comments about Puerto Rico's debt to the United States, and his remarks about the body county.

"It just goes to prove the lack of sensibility," Cruz said.

Not stopping there, Carmen Yulin Cruz went on to say she hopes Donald Trump "stops spouting off comments that really hurt the people of Puerto Rico." "Rather than Commander-in-Chief, he sort of becomes Miscommunicator-in-Chief," Cruz said of the president." As Trump prepares to leave the island and head to Las Vegas following the worst mass shooting in American history, it appears his relationship with Cruz is no better than it was before he arrived in Puerto Rico.
The worst mass shooting in the history of the United States occurred late Sunday night in Las Vegas. As the country mourns, the issue of Gun Control has once again been highlighted.

Sanders on Vegas shooting

Just after 10 p.m. local time on Sunday night outside the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino on the Las Vegas Strip, gun shots were fired down into a crowd of thousands of country music fans. The event was the Route 91 Harvest Festival where tens of thousands of fans enjoyed a fun evening, before horror quickly unfolded. It was at this time when 64-year-old Stephen Paddock, a resident of Mesquite, Nevada, fired hundreds of rounds from the 32nd floor of a nearby hotel.

Police quickly rushed to the scene as panic could been seen in the videos that were uploaded onto social media. As law enforcement located Paddock and made their way to his room, the suspect took his own life. In the aftermath of the shooting, 58 people have since been reported dead, with over 500 injured, packing local hospitals and emergency rooms in the process. Since then, Donald Trump has addressed the situation, condemning the act as "pure evil." Despite this, critics have hit back at the president for not calling on stricter gun laws. These issues were discussed with Sarah Huckabee Sanders during the October 2 press briefing, as reported by NBC News.

Sarah Huckabee Sanders: It would be premature to call Las Vegas shooting domestic terrorism during investigation https://t.co/10dmx1Jtgl  NBC News (@NBCNews) October 2, 2017

While addressing reporters on Monday afternoon, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders was pressed on whether or not Donald Trump would call for tougher gun laws.

"Today is a day for consoling the survivors and mourning those we lost," Sanders said, before deflecting further and adding, "Our thoughts and prayers are certainly with all of those individuals."

Sarah Huckabee Sanders: "There's a time and place for a political debate, but now is the time to unite as a country" https://t.co/nUHQt5a3NU  NBC News (@NBCNews) October 2, 2017

"There's a time and place for a political debate, but now is the time to unite as a country," Sarah Huckabee Sanders went on to say.

Not stopping there, Sanders also explained that it was "premature" to discuss policy at this time.

Latest in Las Vegas: https://t.co/Nsz6Rnsw7U



 58 people killed

 515 injured

 Gunman had 10+ rifles in room

 FBI: No int'l terror link pic.twitter.com/Moi5UMMutM  NBC News (@NBCNews) October 2, 2017

Twitter reacts

Following the remarks from Sarah Huckabee Sanders, critics of Donald Trump and the administration continue to push back.

"(SHS) brought up Chicago while discussing Vegas, because even her maladroit ass can adeptly spew racist talking points," Ira Madison tweeted out.

Sarah Huckabee Sanders is one of the most vile people on the planet. I hope she enjoys her time in hell  Ghoullian (@piratesmiles) October 2, 2017

So Sarah Huckabee Sanders (predictably) says now is not the time for a debate on gun control. I'd like to ask her: when IS a good time?  Bufkinite (@Bufkinite) October 2, 2017

Sarah Huckabee Sanders brought up Chicago while discussing Vegas, because even her maladroit ass can adeptly spew racist talking points  Ira Madison III (@ira) October 2, 2017

"(SHS) vocabulary is very limited, she had to use the word UH about 60 or more times, some one else with out experience," one Twitter user wrote.

"So Sarah Huckabee Sanders (predictably) says now is not the time for a debate on gun control. I'd like to ask her: when IS a good time?" an additional Twitter user wondered.

Sarah Huckabee Sanders is awful. Cant bear to watch her spin bullshit on the regular.  PJM (@pauljmorse) October 2, 2017

Sarah Huckabee sanders vocabulary is very limited, she had to use the word UH about 60 or more times, some one else with out experience.  US VET (@dem4_life) October 2, 2017

"Sarah Huckabee Sanders is one of the most vile people on the planet. I hope she enjoys her time in hell" yet another tweet read. "(SHS) is awful. Cant bear to watch her spin bullsh*t on the regular," a social media post added. The negative reaction continued as the American people continue to be divided on the issue of gun control.
It happened on Monday, one day after the brutal and tragic shooting massacre in Las Vegas that killed at least 59 and wounded 527 people. A professor at the University of Southern California reportedly suffered an episode as she was distraught and upset after hearing news of the Mandalay Bay shooting, urging students to take cover as there was an active shooter in Fertitta Hall on the campus. That professor, later named as Amy Granados, has since been arrested for the false alarm.

Students call 911 after professor warns of active shooter

After several students called 911 to report what they believed to be an active shooting, the response was rapid, with police on campus soon after the alert had been given. Helicopters flew over the university, surveilling the scene, as a SWAT team searched the building where the active shooter was reported to be holed up. KABC-TV reports students were evacuated and a full lock-down of the campus was put in place while officers were investigating the report. However after police found no evidence of an active shooting, they cleared the campus, allowing the students to return.

Police have ordered students to seek shelter at the University of Southern California amid reports of active shooter https://t.co/Gg6CIoUJaD pic.twitter.com/MFOX13qYNo  Daily Express (@Daily_Express) October 2, 2017

After police searched the grounds, the LAPD headed to Twitter to say their investigations at Usc had shown was no danger to the community.

We can confirm theres been NO shooting on @USC Campus. Systematic search was conducted in coordination with @USCDPS. No danger to community  LAPD HQ (@LAPDHQ) October 2, 2017

While some students had believed a drill might have been ongoing at the time of the alert, Deputy Chief Phillip Tingirides went on to say police did not believe it had been a test or drill, adding that the professor had been arrested.

Student reactions to false 'active shooter' alert

USCs student newspaper, the Daily Trojan, quotes one student, Christopher Rawlings, as saying Granados had told them of the alleged active shooting while teaching a business class. He said the professor ran from the room, telling the students she was getting help and leaving them alone in the room.

They remained in that room for one hour before the LAPD released them.

Rawlings said he believed it was a drill and that the professor had been acting. However, as he started getting messages, asking if he was OK, the incident began to get more real for the students.

USC professor's 'episode' led to active shooter scare on campus, LAPD says: https://t.co/egMhhuCBmF pic.twitter.com/T3rurmRnqJ  ABC 7 Chicago (@ABC7Chicago) October 2, 2017

Another student, Remy Porsella, said he was in Fertitta Hall at the time, when he suddenly heard people screaming and saw hundreds of students running from the building, adding that it was a full panic situation.

In a statement on Monday evening, the chief of the Department of Public Safety at USC, John Thomas, went on to laud the rapid response by both his department and the Los Angeles Police Department. He went on to say that a faculty member had falsely told her students of an active shooter in the building and that she had since been detained by the LAPD and is undergoing a mental health evaluation.
Animal cruelty, abuse, and neglect seem to be an ongoing issue throughout the country, despite the efforts of enforced laws and regulations. Such laws are strict in the state of Vermont, so the discovery of numerous dead animals in a womans trailer home shocked authorities to the core. The incident occurred in South Hero, Vermont under the jurisdiction of the Grand Isle County Sheriffs department who was called upon to head the investigation and possible rescue.

Report of findings by the Grand Isle County Sheriffs

The sheriffs department was summoned to the home at 51 South Street in South Hero, Vermont after the landlord of Ms.

Ashleigh Tillson detected a horrendous stench coming from her trailer home. Flies also covered the windows of the residence, causing more concern. When peering in the windows, the landlord made a gruesome discovery, noting dead animals left throughout the home, many locked in cages.

The Grand Isle County Sheriffs responded to the call and could not believe the devastation within the trailer of Ms. Tilson. The deceased animals included ferrets, birds, guinea pigs, rabbits and several reptiles. Numerous other dead animals were also found in the freezer. Among the living were four lizards, two rabbits, a chinchilla, and a hedgehog.

When entering the home, officials found nearly 100 animal crates in extremely unsanitary conditions.

Because of the conditions within the trailer, they had to wear masks and jumpsuits during the rescue and investigation. There was no power to the trailer, and all windows were closed. The investigation continues, and the surviving animals are undergoing medical treatment with hopes of rehabilitating them and finding them new homes.

The fate of Ashleigh Tillson

The tenant in question from South Hero, Vermont that is allegedly facing several animal cruelty charges is Ms. Ashleigh Tillson, 30 who has reportedly not lived in the trailer home for quite a while. All the animals were abandoned and left to die. It was incredible that eight of the animals found did survive the ordeal.

Authorities could not fathom how such a situation with animals got so out of hand, resulting in devastating results. Despite the charges, the woman was released and given a citation to go to court. Tillson is expected to appear in court to face her charges of animal cruelty on October 19th, and it is unclear at this point whether an attorney will represent the woman.
It is almost time for a new season of "Grey's Anatomy" and it turns out that one doctor is not coming back again next season. TV Line shared the details about who won't be back next season and how this could change things on "Grey's Anatomy." Lucky for fans, it is someone they like but not a fan favorite like Meredith Grey or Alex. When Sandra Oh moved on from the show, it was really hard for a lot of fans to deal with and get used to the idea.

A doctor is moving on

Last season, everyone got to know Dr. Leah Murphy and it turns out that she won't be back next season at all.

Fans are surprised to hear that she isn't returning, though. Leah won the viewers over. Multiple sources have been sharing that Leah Murphy, played by Tessa Ferrer hasn't been on the set at all and filming has been underway for a bit. The source even said that there are no plans for her to show up either.

At this time, ABC is not commenting on the fact that she won't be back again. They may just act like she moved on or there may be a bit of a story line about her leaving the show. This news came out today and is pretty surprising because there were no clues at all that she would be gone.

Dr. Leah Murphy's storyline

She started the show in season nine and things were going well but in season 10 she ended up getting fired for being a bad surgeon.

Last season she came back again and was starting a love story with Arizona, but now that is going to be over. That will leave Arizona single once again. There have been rumors that Sara Ramirez would return as Dr. Callie Torres, but it doesn't sound like that is actually happening either. The fans have really never gotten over the fact that Arizona and Callie aren't together.

A lot of things are going to change this season. Now that it has been revealed that Owen Hunt's sister is still alive this is going to shock everyone. Teddy is also going to be back this season for a while, but not the entire time. Stephanie and Eliza are both gone as well after this season. It does sound like Owen Hunt's storyline is going to be a big one this season with all of the changes going on.

The fans have been waiting on "Grey's Anatomy" to return for a while now and in just a few short weeks it will be back.

Are you shocked to hear that Tessa Ferrer will not be back on "Grey's Anatomy" for next season? What do you think about this decision? Sound off in the comments section below, and don't miss "Grey's Anatomy" when it returns to ABC. The show will be back on September 28 with new episodes.
In the aftermath of the most horrific mass shooting in American history, the debate over gun control is back on the front page. As Donald Trump and his administration do their best to deflect from the topic, celebrities out in Hollywood are using their popularity to try and force the discussion.

Hollywood on Vegas shooting

As the third and final night of the Route 91 Harvest Festival was coming to a close on the Vegas strip Sunday night, shots could be heard firing towards the crowd of tens of thousands of people. Hundreds of rounds were unloaded from the 32nd floor of a nearby hotel, as 64-year-old Stephen Paddock carried out his act of horror.

Law enforcement rushed to the scene and eventually located the shooter, but before they could have a chance to take him down, Paddock took his own life rather than face off with police. As of press time, 58 deaths have been confirmed, with over 500 others left injured. In the hours since the attack, the entire country has had various reactions. As seen on his Twitter feed and later during a speech at the White House, Donald Trump condemned the hate and violence, but left out any mention of gun control. The issue was later dismissed by Sarah Huckabee Sanders during a press briefing, with partisan politics quickly taking control of the debate. In response, Hollywood stars wasted no time reacting, as was seen across their social media accounts on October 2.

Prayers are important but @SpeakerRyan @realDonaldTrump blood is on the hands of those who have power to legislate. #GunControl act quickly. https://t.co/bXZQ7enuEp  xoxo, Gaga (@ladygaga) October 2, 2017

Taking to Twitter on Monday afternoon were many Hollywood celebrities who expressed their sympathy for the victims in Las Vegas, while also calling out Donald Trump, Republicans, and even the NRA for what took place.

"With terrible, heart-wrenching news filling national headlines, we are met with tone-deaf inanities from our president. He cannot lead us," actor George Takei wrote.

Unless your THOUGHTS are about gun control or your PRAYERS are that we legislate sane gun control, theyre worthless today.  John Leguizamo (@JohnLeguizamo) October 2, 2017

"Prayers are important but @SpeakerRyan @realDonaldTrump blood is on the hands of those who have power to legislate," Lady Gaga tweeted, while adding, "Gun Control, act quickly." "People calling for #GunControlNow aren't 'exploiting a tragedy;' they're trying to prevent the next one," comedian John Fugelsang posted in an apparent response to the routine right-wing defense on the issue of gun control.

With terrible, heartwrenching news filling national headlines, we are met with tone-deaf inanities from our president. He cannot lead us.  George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) October 2, 2017

People calling for #GunControlNow aren't "exploiting a tragedy;" they're trying to prevent the next one.  John Fugelsang (@JohnFugelsang) October 2, 2017

"Unless your THOUGHTS are about gun control or your PRAYERS are that we legislate sane gun control, theyre worthless today," actor John Leguizama added. "This is what Republicans stand for. Gun rights and the gun lobby who pays for their campaigns. Even when one of their own is shot on a field," comedian Chelsea Handler posted.

I believe in prayer, but it's not enough by itself. We need better LAWS. In no world does a CIVILIAN need a MACHINE GUN. Let's fix this.  Emmy Rossum (@emmyrossum) October 2, 2017

This is what Republicans stand for. Gun rights and the gun lobby who pays for their campaigns. Even when one of their own is shot on a field  Chelsea Handler (@chelseahandler) October 2, 2017

Double down

"I believe in prayer, but it's not enough by itself.

We need better LAWS. In no world does a CIVILIAN need a MACHINE GUN. Let's fix this," actress Emma Rossumm pointed out. The negative response from Hollywood continued to pour in on Twitter, as the stars used their large following to bring attention to the issue of gun control.
Jenelle Evans and David Eason got married last Saturday afternoon, September 23, and a short time later, the "Teen Mom 2" star revealed that she and her husband were celebrating their two-year anniversary. In a post to her fans and followers on October 3, Evans shared a throwback image of herself and her husband from when they first began dating.

"[Two] years ago today. [David Eason] still makes me this happy," she wrote in the caption of the photo.

Jenelle Evans and David Eason began dating one another in 2015 after the longtime reality star and Nathan Griffith, the father of her middle son, Kaiser, called off their engagement.

Then, months later, Evans and Eason announced the upcoming birth of their own child.

The 'Teen Mom 2' couple was reportedly paid for their wedding footage

The Ashley's Reality Roundup revealed that the "Teen Mom 2" couple actually received a decent sized check for allowing MTV to film their ceremony and reception, which were held in the backyard of their North Carolina home. Days ago, The Ashley told readers that Evans was refusing to film her wedding with MTV unless the network agreed to pay her a lump sum for doing so. Although the network reportedly refused to do so at first, they ultimately came around and agreed to give the mother of three a location fee for allowing them to document her wedding to Eason on her land.

Jenelle Evans and David discussed their wedding date on 'Teen Mom 2'

As fans saw during last night's episode of "Teen Mom 2," Evans and Eason wanted to get married on the two-year anniversary of the day they began dating. However, they ultimately chose the date of September 23. Evans and Eason share one child together, daughter Ensley Jolie, eight-months, and each have two older children from previous relationships, including Jace, Kaiser, Maryssa, and Kaden.

Will Jenelle Evans' nuptials be seen in a magazine?

According to The Ashley's Reality Roundup, Evans and Eason were reportedly offered an alleged $15,000 by American Media Inc., who wanted to cover their wedding day. However, the couple reportedly turned down the idea initially before Eason supposedly accepted a contract without his wife's knowledge.

To see more of Jenelle Evans, David Eason, their wedding, and their family, don't miss new episodes of "Teen Mom 2" season eight, which air on MTV at 9 p.m. on Monday nights. The series also includes Leah Messer, Briana DeJesus, Kailyn Lowry, and Chelsea Houska.
The "Real Housewives" franchise is reportedly headed back to Florida, but fans shouldn't hold their breaths for a fourth season of the canceled Bravo Tv series, "The Real Housewives of Miami." While a new cast is expected to be based out of the Sunshine State in the coming months, a new report claims the show will not be returning to Miami with its former cast.

On October 1, TMZ shared a report with readers in which it revealed that Bravo TV had allegedly hired casting directors to help find a new group of women to launch their potential new franchise in Florida.

As the outlet explained, the network isn't yet set on a specific area of the state but has reportedly taken an interest in a number of cities, including West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale, and Boca Raton.

While not much is known about the potentially upcoming series, TMZ told readers that Bravo TV is on the hunt for drama and will base their new "Real Housewives" franchise out of whatever town they find it in. According to the report, good storylines are their main motivation when it comes to choosing a town and a cast of women.

'The Real Housewives of Miami' aired for three seasons

As fans of the franchise will recall, the Miami-based installment of the reality series aired for three seasons on Bravo TV and included a number of cast members, including Lea Black, model Joanna Krupa, and Scottie Pippen's wife, Larsa Pippen.

While the show appeared to have a good cast, the ratings on the series were terrible and after Krupa was seen getting married to her now-ex-husband, Romain Zago, in the show's third season finale in November 2013, the series came to an end.

The first season of "The Real Housewives of Miami" included a cast of Larsa Pippen, Cristy Rice, Marysol Patton, Lea Black, Adriana De Moura, and Alexia Echevarria and began airing on Bravo TV in February 2011.

Then, ahead of season two, Lisa Hochstein, Karent Sierra, Joanna Krupa, and Ana Quincoces were added to the cast.

News of a new 'Real Housewives' franchise hit the web last month

After Andy Cohen claimed years ago that he was not planning to add more cities to his popular franchise, LALATE shared a report with readers in which they revealed that a Florida-based "Real Housewives" franchise would be returning to the network as early as 2018 -- or as late as 2019.

The outlet also said that the series would likely be based out of a South Florida town and noted that Bravo TV hadn't yet ruled out having members from the Miami show make guest appearances on the new show.
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ABC News(LAS VEGAS) -- At least 59 people were killed and 527 were injured in Las Vegas Sunday night when a gunman opened fire on a music festival crowd from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. It was the deadliest shooting in modern U.S. history.



The "nonstop gunfire," according to one witness, sent more than 22,000 country music fans scrambling for their lives. Two sources familiar with the investigation said there was a combination of rifles and handguns at the scene, and one of the sources said there were 19 weapons in the room.



Terrified bystanders ducked, ran and then sprang into action, frantically caring for the wounded. Concertgoers who had just been enjoying the final night of the Route 91 Harvest Music Festival, which was taking place across the street from Mandalay Bay, made makeshift stretchers out of police barricades.



As ambulances rushed to the scene, they plugged wounds with their bare hands and used their clothing to try to stanch each other's bleeding. At least one man described a stranger who died in his arms.



An off-duty Las Vegas police officer who was attending the concert was among the dead, police said.



Jason Aldean was the headliner of Sunday night's concert; video showed his rushing off the stage amid the gunfire. Other performers from this weekend included country stars Jake Owen, Big & Rich, Luke Combs and Dylan Scott.



In the wake of the shooting, the Las Vegas Police Department said authorities responded to a room on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel, where police said the suspected gunman, 64-year-old Stephen Paddock, was dead. Police said they believe Paddock killed himself prior to police entry.



Mark Mullen -- who was staying on the 29th floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel -- told ABC News that when the shots broke out, he was sitting in his room and listening to the concert while doing prep work for a conference scheduled for Monday.



Mullen said he thought the noise was fireworks at first, but when he looked out the window, he couldn't see anything.



"The noise continued, but there were no fireworks, and it quickly became apparent what was happening," he said.



The crowd would hunker down as the shots rang out and begin running again when they stopped, Mullen said. The crowd would then stop again as the gunshots resumed, he said.



From his vantage point, it wasn't clear where the shots were coming from, Mullen said. But his colleagues who were staying on the 32nd floor texted him when they heard the SWAT team arrive, so he knew that something was going on at the hotel, he said.



Mullen could see sheriff's officers walking through the hall with guns drawn through the spy hole in his hotel room door. He could also see a police helicopter flying very close to the hotel and shining a light near the shooter's room, he said.



The motive for the attack was unclear. "I can't get into the mind of a psychopath," Sheriff Joseph Lombardo said at a news conference this morning.



Officials said this morning they have found no connection between the shooting and any international terrorist group. Officials added that the suspect was not known to law enforcement.



Authorities said the suspect checked into the hotel Thursday and that they are searching hours of surveillance video. Authorities said the suspect brought the guns in himself. Police said Paddock, of Mesquite, Nevada, had no criminal history, save a minor citation. Authorities believe the suspect used a device similar to a hammer to smash the hotel room windows.



Videos filmed by onlookers gave a window into the chaos that ensued as the gunfire rang out, with some thinking that fireworks were going off.



Witness Brian Claypool said on "Good Morning America" that after the first round of gunfire, he ran into a little room that he described as a production area.



"The hardest for me was, I saw six young women. They were maybe 20, 22. They were all crying on the ground. I was trying to be calm," Claypool said, appearing emotional.



"I thought [about] the Orlando shooting," he said of the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting that left 49 people dead. "Because we were in this room. We didnt know where the shooter was. We thought he was going to jump the fence and come in this room and shoot us all. ... Im thinking, 'Am I going to die in this room?'"



Claypool said he tried to bring comfort to the young women who were sheltering in the room with him.



"I said to myself, 'These girls arent going to die. Im not going to die,' he said. 'I need to get home to see my daughter. This is not happening.'"



"Then the shooting stopped," Claypool said, "And I peeked out the front of the door ... police officers scream, Go! Go!"



Concertgoer Mike Cronk told ABC News that as Aldean was playing, it "kind of sounded like some fireworks going off. I think there was the first kind of volley, and then all of the sudden second volley. My buddy's like, 'I just got hit, you know.' He got hit three times. Then people started diving for the ground.



"It was pretty much chaotic," Cronk continued. "Lots of people got hit."



Cronk said EMTs and ex-military members hunkered down to help his friend and other victims stay alive. Cronk said he started to staunch his friend's bullet wounds under the direction of a woman who was with them.



Stabilizing his friend as best he could, Cronk said he and four other people tending to the wounded attempted to get to a hospital by hopping into the bed of a pickup truck.



Cronk was beside himself with emotion as he described helping a badly injured man into a ambulance. The man ended up dying in Cronk's arms.



Jasmine Barbusca, a mother of two, told ABC News, "All you heard were just gunshots. And every time the gunshots would come down, you just start getting to the ground. And when they would stop, you get up and you just try to climb the fence again. We finally made it over. We were running through the parking lot; everybody just ran through the streets."



She said she was thinking, "'I got to get out, Im going to be dead in five seconds.'"



"There were men going over their wives, their girlfriends, to block them," she recalled. "Unfortunately, those men got shot, but I mean, there was lives saved."



Barbusca said she saw one man as he helped many women climb the fence to escape.



"I dont know who the man was, but there was a man who probably saved a good 20 womens lives. He was really brave," she said.



Tearing up, she said, "How I did not get shot. By the grace of God. I honestly, we ran. I dont know."



An official with McCarran International Airport said "an airport perimeter fence near the concert venue was breached by people fleeing the scene of the incident" and airport staff "transported those people to the designated evacuation site."



A spokesperson for Allegiant Air said about 30 people who fled onto the airfield were sheltered overnight at one of the airline's facilities there. The airline said its staff helped people get clothes, charge their phones and contact loved ones.



Flights in and out of the McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas were temporarily halted. The airport later tweeted, "With heavy hearts @LASairport is pressing on this morning with full operations."



Agents for the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives have responded to the scene and the FBI is assisting with the investigation. ATF said it is "conducting an urgent trace" on the recovered weapons.



Eric Paddock, the suspected shooters brother, told ABC News, "We have no idea how or why this happened."



As far as we know, Steve was perfectly fine, Eric Paddock said.



Authorities initially said they were looking to speak with a companion of the shooter, Marilou Danley. Police later said this morning that "detectives have made contact with her and do not believe she is involved with the shooting." Police said she is out of the country and it's believed the suspect was using some of her identification.



Mandalay Bay Resort tweeted, "Our thoughts & prayers are with the victims of last night's tragic events. Were grateful for the immediate actions of our first responders."



The resort said in a statement that "law enforcement requested that we put hotels in the vicinity on lockdown to ensure guest safety."



Police said family and friends looking for their loved ones can call 1-866-535-5654.



President Donald Trump addressed the public this morning, calling the shooting "an act of pure evil."



Trump said he will visit Las Vegas Wednesday to meet with law enforcement, first responders and victims' families.



"In moments of tragedy and horror, America comes together as one," Trump said.



He added, "In memory of the fallen, I have directed that our great flag be flown at half staff."



U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions said in a statement, "The investigation into the horrific shooting last night in Las Vegas is ongoing."



To the many families whose lives have been changed forever by this heinous act, we offer you our prayers and our promise that we will do everything in our power to get justice for your loved ones," Sessions said.



Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval said at a news conference, "I don't know if I have words to describe what we are going through. ... We are angry, we are grieving, we are confused. People are hurting."



"To the people at the concert, you see courage and compassion there," Sandoval said . "People helping total strangers. Risking their own lives to help people. That really speaks highly to the character of America. "



Nevada Attorney General Adam Paul Laxalt said at a news conference, "When you see one of these men and women who are wearing a badge, tell them, 'Thank you.' Their selfless actions saved the lives of hundreds of people. Not a dozen, but hundreds of people. This death count would have been many hundred more were it not for [their] brave work."



Aldean, who performed at the country concert Sunday night, wrote on Instagram, "Tonight has been beyond horrific. I still dont know what to say but wanted to let everyone know that Me and my Crew are safe. My Thoughts and prayers go out to everyone involved tonight. It hurts my heart that this would happen to anyone who was just coming out to enjoy what should have been a fun night."



Copyright  2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
What do you do when you buy a watch that turns out to be a dud? A man whose Facebook moniker is Tuan Idol came up with an unusual way to handle the dispute with the watch store, although its effectiveness is in doubt.

He went along to the ang Quang Watch store on Tran Duy Hung Street in Ha Nois Cau Giay District accompanied by a posse of scantily dressed young women. As seen on the video clip that has gone viral in recent days on social media, Tuan and the women stood outside the shop and used a microphone and loudspeaker to demand justice.

Tuan bought an Epos watch at the ang Quang Watch store, a famous chain with 86 stores across the country, for VN56 million (US$2,400). He said that after using it for three days, the watch appeared to have tired itself out and the hands stopped moving. Tuan took the watch to the store and asked to replace it or get his money back.

However, the store demanded that he pay an additional VN10 million ($440) for a new watch.

A representative of the store said Tuan used the watch for 13 days, from September 14 to 27, during which the watch acquired many scratches. The extra charge was for the scratches, he said, a compromise that would ensure the rights of both sides.

Tuan was not appeased and appealed to the local police. Resolution of the case is pending.  VNS
The Can Tho City Police intends to prosecute a local woman for embezzling VN8.4 billion (US$373,300) from her employer.

Vo Thi Hong Yen, 33, was the head of the Finance Division at the Can Tho Vocational Tourism College. According to the police investigation, from September 2010 to July 2016, Yen took advantage of her position to fake salary and allowance reports, receipts for stationery and school upgrades, in order to steal the money.

Yen, according to police, used some of the money allegedly spent on a school makeover for a different kind of makeover: cosmetic surgery.

However, her new look is unlikely to be of much help in jail where she seems headed, proving that corruption is ugly, no matter how you look at it.  VNS
Quang Hung Commune has gone to the dogs. Or, more specifically, the pigs, chickens and ducks.

Many spacious houses in the commune in Phu Cu District, the northern province of Hung Yen are now home to these animals instead of people.

Has the small commune witnessed an Animal Farm style uprising? Have the pigs declared all animals equal?

Not quite, as shockingly, an administrative cock-up has led to residents of the commune being forced to trade places with their livestock.

Bureaucratic madness in Viet Nam you say? Surely not! Unfortunately its true; Hung Yen Peoples Committee issued an instruction on March 26 last year, asking local residents to destroy their houses that were build on land zoned for agricultural purposes.

To avoid destroying perfectly good houses, residents of the commune moved their animals into the houses, and started living in the animals old cages, meaning the lucky animals now live in houses worth some VN1 billion (US$44,400) each.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development did recently run a campaign to save the pigs, but no-one said anything about housing the pigs.  VNS
NINH THUAN -- Diageo Vietnam Company Ltd has donated 108 used computers to schools in Ninh Thuan Province for the 2017-18 academic year.

The 103 laptops and five desktop computers have been provided so that students and teachers have more tools to improve the quality of learning.

Diageo has donated hundreds of computers to students and people with disabilities throughout the country, often their first.

With community support activities part its operational strategy, Diageo has carried out a number of charity programmes, including Water of Life, which has since 2011 provided thousands of families and students in schools in remote areas in Ninh Thuan with access to clean water, and Plan W - Empowering women through learning in 2013-2017. VNS
The national index of industrial production (IIP) increased 7.9 per cent year-on-year in the first nine months of this year, the General Statistics Office (GSO) reported. Photo vietnambiz.vn

HA NOI  The national index of industrial production (IIP) increased 7.9 per cent year-on-year in the first nine months of this year, the General Statistics Office (GSO) reported.

The metric was higher than the 7.1 per cent growth recorded in the first nine months last year, and 7.2 per cent in the first eight months of this year, GSO said.

While the first quarter IIP growth was 3.9 per cent, it surged to 8.1 per cent in the second quarter. The office estimates third quarter growth at 9.7 per cent.

The GSO attributed this years IIP growth to the breakthroughs in the processing and manufacturing sector, which made big strides with a rise of 12.8 per cent, contributing 9 percentage points to the overall IPP. This helped offset the strong drop of 8.1 per cent in mining, which reduced 1.8 percentage points from the nine-month figure.

Many industries enjoyed significant growth including electronics, computer and optical products (25.1 per cent), prefabricated metal products (14.2 per cent), metal production (21.4 per cent) and rubber and plastic products (11.6 per cent).

Among key industrial products that posted high IIP increases in nine months were television sets (31.6 per cent), raw steel and iron (28 per cent), urea (15.9 per cent), fabric (16.8 per cent) and processed seafood (9.4 per cent).

However, some other sectors saw lower growth rates, such as food processing (6.6 per cent), cloth (6.3 per cent), beverage (5 per cent) and coal and lignite exploitation (2 per cent).

Some sectors recorded industrial production declines. Medicine, pharmaceutical chemicals and pharmaceutical material production went down by 1.7 per cent, tobacco by 2 per cent and crude oil and natural gas by 10.7 per cent.

Locales where the IIP registered high growth were HCM City at 7.8 per cent; Can Tho at 6.9 per cent; Binh Duong at 9.5 per cent; ong Nai at 8.3 per cent and a Nang at 8.9 per cent; besides Bac Ninh at 25.1 per cent; Hai Phong at 20.1 per cent and Ha Noi at 6.7 per cent.

According to the GSO, the consumption index of the processing and manufacturing industry rose 9.9 per cent year-on-year, higher than the growth of 9 per cent year-on-year in the first eight months of 2016, contributing to the production growth in this industry.

The GSO said that to continue growth in industrial production, the industrial sector should reduce inventory because the inventory index of the sector in the first eight months witnessed a year-on-year surge of 10 per cent, 0.01 per cent higher than the growth recored in the first seven months.  VNS
Mekong Capital, a Viet Nam-focused private equity firm, reported total earnings of nearly US$79 million from its divestments this year to date, including the recent sale of its remaining holdings in the agricultural company Loc Troi Group. Photo vietnambiz.vn

HA NOI  Mekong Capital, a Viet Nam-focused private equity firm, reported total earnings of nearly US$79 million from its divestments this year to date, including the recent sale of its remaining holdings in the agricultural company Loc Troi Group.

Mekong Capital on Monday said in the first nine months it has fully divested from Loc Troi Group and Vietnam Australia International School and completed several partial sales of its shares in the biggest local mobile device retailer Mobile World.

On September 28, Vietnam Azalea Fund, one of its four investment funds, sold its remaining 25 per cent stake in Loc Troi Group for $2.8 million. Combining that with the $9.2 million divestment of a 75-per-cent stake in July, the fund earned cumulative proceeds of $12 million at the selling price of VN68,000 (US$3) a share.

The divestment has generated for the fund a gross return multiple of 3.6x in USD and a gross internal rate of return (IRR) of about 18.7 per cent after eight-and-a-half years of holding.

After completing the exit of Loc Troi Group, the funds last remaining portfolio company is pharmaceutical firm Traphaco.

Also in September, Mekong Enterprise Fund II continued to divest from Mobile World with a partial sale worth nearly $18 million. This is considered one of the most profitable investments of the fund with a realized gross IRR of 62.6 per cent and gross return multiple of over 133.2x on the shares sold.

Previously, the fund sold its entire holding of Vietnam Australia International School for over $25 million in April, resulting in a gross return multiple of 4.5x (including dividend received) and a gross IRR of 25.8 per cent over the six-year holding period.

Last year, Mekong Capitals funds made four full exits from Phu Nhuan Jewelry, FPT Corporation, Intresco, and Nam Long and several partial exits of MobileWorld.

Meanwhile, another investment vehicle Mekong Enterprise Fund III (MEF III) has made a sixth investment this year so far. Launched in May 2015 with committed capital of $112.5 million, MEF III is a private equity fund focusing on Vietnamese consumer-driven businesses in the retail, consumer products and consumer services sectors. MEF III invests between $6 and $15 million in each company. VNS
by Vo Tri Thanh

On September 21, Trade and Industry Minister Tran Tuan Anh signed a historic decision cutting 675 business and investment procedures, equivalent to 55.5 per cent of total business conditions under that the ministry (MoIT) had reviewed.

State leaders and the business community have hailed the move as the most active and strongest among the countrys ministries in implementing administrative reforms.

Media reports have also applauded the decision and businesses eagerly awaiting its implementation, fully expecting it to diminish difficulties in doing business and make the country more competitive in the international market.

In the World Economic Forums 2017-18 global competitiveness index, Viet Nam has advanced five spots to 55th place. This is a significant improvement, clearly demonstrating the countrys efforts in reforming business conditions and improving the investment and business environment.

However, we need some broad, comprehensive insights into this process even as we acknowledge the advances made.

Historic reform

Vo Tri Thanh

Freedom to do business is a vital feature of a fully functioning market economy. In Viet Nam, the way we think about business freedom has changed a lot for the better since the advent of the Law on Enterprises.

In late 2014, a new Law on Investment and a new Law on Enterprises were introduced, carrying a strong spirit of reforms, increasing flexibility for investors and businesses, cutting business conditions and reducing administrative procedures. The spirit of reforms really encouraged entrepreneurship, and there was a wave of business establishment in the second half of 2015 when the two laws came into effect.

The gains have been maintained thus far. From only around 30,000-40,000 companies being newly established each year in early 2000s, the number has risen to more than 110,000 a year now.

Recently, this reform has been fortified and demonstrated powerfully in two ways.

First, it can be seen in the negative list approach by the Government, following which enterprises have freedom to conduct businesses not prohibited by law. Second, the cutting of red tape by ministries has helped cut both entry costs and the cost of doing business.

The MoIT has made a breakthrough decision with its latest abolition of business conditions. Early in September, the Government had asked all ministries to remove about half of more than 4,000 business conditions in total.

As one of 13 ministries and sectors assigned by the Government to simplify procedures and business conditions, MoIT has been a leader in implementing this task.

Now, investors and the business community are awaiting similar actions from other ministries and hoping it will boost development of the private economic sector, not just in the number of enterprises, but also in the quality of operating businesses.

Four issues

Securing the freedom to do business and reducing cost for business operation through administrative reforms are very encouraging but it is not sufficient for private sector development.

First, the Viet Nam 2035 Report by the World Bank and Ministry of Planning and Investment shows that the productivity and competitiveness of Vietnamese private sector is decreasing. The low quality of growth in the private sector can be attributed to many factors, including weak enforcement of property rights, uneven playing field, difficult access to production factors like land, capital and labor, as well as high transaction costs.

All these areas need reforms to ensure sustainable growth of the private sector.

Second, from the business cycle perspective, besides conditions for market entry, Vietnamese companies have demonstrated weak contract enforcement.

The World Banks 2016 Doing Business Report ranked Viet Nam 69th out of 190 countries and territories in terms of enforcing contract indicators (which measures the time and cost for resolving a commercial dispute through local courts as well as the quality of judicial processes).

Enforcing contracts in Viet Nam takes 34 procedures and 400 days to complete. Meanwhile, though Viet Nam has a Bankruptcy Law, resolving insolvency is a painstaking process, taking about five years on average to complete, and this is accompanied by a low recovery rate.

More than 110,000 new companies were established in 2016, but the total number of businesses temporarily being suspended, awaiting dissolution and bankruptcy last year was about 73,000.

Third, cutting administrative procedures is not enough to cut the cost of doing business. Costs of compliance with business conditions such as pre-check expenses, inspections and special examination fees and information disclosure also constitute the total expense of doing business.

We want to have fewer investment and business procedures but unclear regulations could push up business costs. Thus, it is essential to promote transparency, and through that, to reinforce trust between the authorities and businesses.

Fourth, deliberation about decreasing business conditions should not be limited to the domestic market. It should also be attached to the process of opening up the economy. In many countries, investment and business procedures can be treated as effective measures to protect domestic businesses.

Heavy business procedures may harm the countrys competitiveness, but when and how much to cut them should be a matter of prudent decision making, one which ensures competition as well as sustainable development of domestic businesses.

* Vo Tri Thanh is a senior economist at the Central Institute for Economic Management (CIEM) and a member of the National Financial and Monetary Policy Advisory Council. A doctorate holder in economics from the Australian National University, Thanh mainly undertakes research and provides consultation on issues related to macroeconomic policies, trade liberalisation and international economic integration. Other areas of interest include institutional reforms and financial systems.
HA NOI  Viet Nam has become the first country allowed to export star-apple fruit to the United States. The breakthrough follows 10 years of negotiations.

This follows a report sent by the US Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to the Viet Nam Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Developments Plant Protection Department.

The breakthrough was based on the findings of a pest-risk analysis and public reviews and comments that found the fruit could be safely exported into the US.

Together with litchi, longan, rambutan and dragon fruit, star-apples are the fifth Vietnamese fruit allowed into the American market.

The requirements for entry are similar to quarantine for the other fruits, including the growing area. The shipments are subject to inspection upon arrival.

The US requires mandatory pest control for eight pests, mainly fruit flies and aphids.

In addition, the star-apples must meet requirements for the importation of vegetables and fruits into the US market in accordance with the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)s Article 319.56-3.

Each batch of fruit must have a plant quarantine certificate issued by Viet Nam Plant Protection Department.

Star-apples are highly valued by US importers for their quality.

Preliminary statistics show that Viet Nam has about 5,000 hectares of star apples, mainly in the Mekong Delta provinces of Tien Giang (3,100ha) and Can Tho (1,200ha).

Fruit productivity is about 18-22 tonnes per hectare. Total annual output is more than 60 thousand tonnes. Until now, most of the fruit has been either eaten locally or exported to China and ASEAN nations.

The successful export of the fruit to the US market opens up great opportunities to develop growing areas.  VNS
HA NOI  LienVietPostBanks general director, Pham Doan Son, has denied rumours about the bank merging with Sacombank.

Rumours about the merger have been afloat since LienVietPostBanks former chairman, Duong Cong Minh, became Sacombanks chairman and Him Lam Cos divestment from LienVietPostBank. Minh last week also registered to buy an additional 18 million shares of Sacombank, expecting to raise his stake at the bank to 3.15 per cent.

Son affirmed that there will be no merger, adding that LienVietPostBanks business performance is currently very good and will be even better in the next few years, so that it does not need to merge with anyone.

According to Son, LienVietPostBank has gradually become strong with more than 200 bank transaction offices and more than 1,000 post offices, which have eased the bank in capital mobilisation and lending. The banks mobilised capital and lending through the post offices last year reached more than VN40 billion (US$1.76 million) and VN14 trillion, respectively. It also makes retirement salary payments through the post offices.

By September 30, the banks capital adequacy ratio (CAR) was good, at 11 per cent, as against the central banks 9 per cent regulation.

The bank also nearly meets the 2017 pre-tax profit plan of VN1.5 trillion as it gained a pre-tax profit of VN1.45 trillion in the first three quarters.

LienVietPostBank will be listed on UPCoM this Thursday at an initial price of VN14,800 per share.  VNS
HA NOI  Uber Viet Nam has confirmed that CEO ang Viet Dung stepped down from his post on October 1 after three years of running the ride hailing service firm in the country.

Information on the reason for Dungs departure or the new CEO has not been disclosed, till date.

The company said it would still operate normally in the country.

Dung, 32, quit from a Harvard University master course to take the position at Uber in 2014 when the ride hailing firm penetrated Viet Nam.

Dungs departure comes at a time when Uber is struggling with a numerous challenges, including tax scrutiny by the authorities and increasingly harsh competition in the tech-driven transportation market in the country with a population of more than 90 million.

Besides the crisis faced by Uber globally, Uber Viet Nam, which reportedly has four million users, is faced with complaints from users and objections from drivers following a decision to increase transportation fees from VN7,000 (US$0.3) to VN8,500 per kilometre in August, together with an increase from 20 per cent to 25 per cent in the amount it collected from drivers.

In September, the HCM City Tax Department decided to collect VN67 billion in tax arrears from Uber Viet Nam, which triggered a rumour that Uber has ceased operation in the country. However, the company immediately denied the rumour.

Services of Uber in Viet Nam include UberX, Uber SUV, UberBlack, uberMoto and uberDelivery.

Fierce competition

Uber entered Viet Nam along with Malaysia-based Grab, which received massive funding from SoftBank Group Corp. and Chinas ride behemoth Didi Chuxing.

With a more localised development strategy in Viet Nam, which was evaluated to be more suitable to the demand of a majority of Vietnamese users, Grab pushed aggressively in Viet Nam and won significant market share over Uber.

In addition, Indonesias first billion-dollar startup Go-Jek was reported to be looking to expand its ride-hailing services in three to four countries in Southeast Asia. While the targeted countries were not specified, Viet Nam was anticipated to be among Go-Jeks preferred countries

The penetration and aggressive expansion of tech-driven transport services firms in Viet Nam ended up pushing traditional taxi firms into a lot of difficulties, who called for more intensified management measures against Uber and Grab.

Traditional taxi firms said the rapid increase in the number of Uber and Grab vehicles was creating pressure on the countrys transport infrastructure, which was already overloaded, and causing tax losses to the State budget.

Traditional taxi firms said they faced unfair competition from tech-driven firms, calling on passengers to use their services as they paid taxes to the Government budget.

Recently, the Ha Noi Taxi Association proposed to stop the implementation of a pilot project to apply technology in passenger transportation, adding that Uber and Grab vehicles outnumbered 50,000 in the country. The association also estimated that Uber and Grab sent some VN36 trillion ($1.58 billion) abroad each year, causing losses in tax collection.

A representative from the Ministry of Transport, however, said there were no grounds to ban the operation of Uber and Grab in the country. Businesses were allowed to do anything that the laws did not ban, and this was fair competition.

The ministry said operation of firms such as Uber and Grab was under their own management.

Regarding reports of tax evasion by Uber, the ministry said that the company must pay taxes in line with established regulations.

New effort

Mai Linh Mien Bac, a major taxi company in Viet Nam owned by Mai Linh Group, is reported to be preparing for the launch of motorbike transportation services M.Bike and M.Bike Premium to compete with GrabBike and uberMoto.

The company recently sought approval from its management board for adding passenger motorbike transport to its business line.

In an announcement, Mai Linh Ha Noi said its charge for the M.Bike will be VN11,000 for the first two kilometres and VN3,800 for each subsequent kilometre.

The charge for the M.Bike Premium is some two times higher.

The planned motorbike transportation services fees of Mai Linh is similar to that of Uber and Grab.

However, competing with Uber and Grab will not be easy for Mai Linh, which is facing financial difficulties.

Mai Linh Mien Bac reported increasing losses from 2014. The company incurred a loss of VN5 billion in 2014, VN13 billion in 2015, VN45 billion in 2016 and VN37 billion in the first half of 2017, according to its financial reports.  VNS
BERLIN  A conference to promote investment in central Thanh Hoa Province was held in Berlin, Germany, on Monday afternoon (local time).

The conference marks a new development in relations between the province and Germany in general and the German business community in particular.

The event is part of a working trip of the provinces senior officials to the European country.

Chairman of Thanh Hoa Provinces Peoples Committee and Vice Secretary of the provincial Party Committee Nguyen inh Xung introduced the strengths and potential of the province, including rich mineral resources, abundant human resources and preferential policies.

Over the past years, Thanh Hoa has made vigorous and comprehensive development in all sectors. It ranks among the top 10 provinces and cities of Viet Nam in attracting foreign direct investment.

Germany is one of the leading developed industrial countries in Europe and the world. German businesses have tremendous potential and have reached high levels of science and technology, which Thanh Hoa authorities are keen to emulate, he said.

The investment promotion conference is a good opportunity for Thanh Hoa Province to introduce to German businesses its strengths and potential, and is also an opportunity for German businesses to exchange information and seek investment opportunities in sectors of their concern and in sectors that Thanh Hoa is seeking investment.

We pledge favourable conditions and best preferential treatment for German investors, with the slogan The success of businesses is the success of the province. Business profits are the imminent and long-term profits of Thanh Hoa, he said.

Vietnamese Trade Counsellor in Germany Nguyen Huu Trang said the European nation, with strengths in industry and services, is proactively seeking investment cooperation opportunities with countries, including Viet Nam. Thanh Hoa has a lot of attractive fields for German investors, he said, urging local authorities to devise more incentives to facilitate their investment. Many German businesses attending the event expressed their wish to explore investment opportunities in the Vietnamese locality.

On this occasion, Chairman Nguyen inh Xung and Vietnamese Trade Counsellor Nguyen Huu Trang co-chaired a discussion to answer queries from Germany businesses regarding mechanisms and policies of investment attraction in the province.  VNS
HA NOI  With a new series of 3D colouring books, children can scan their pen-and-paper creations into an app that lets them digitally render their drawings in the real world.

TADA books are a new product from ADT Creative Company. The company has released two TADA books so far with the theme of Twelve Zodiac Animals and Mid-Autumn Festival in Viet Nam. The company introduced these products at the recent book fair organised at the Thang Long Imperial Citadel and received attraction of thousands of readers to experience.

Readers at pre-school and primary school age can better understand the beauty of the culture and customs Viet Nam through the stories, said Pham Mai Anh, co-founder of ADT Creative Company. As the books are created by Vietnamese authors, we have an ambition to promote the Vietnamese traditional culture with the technological support.

After painting or colouring in as usual, readers can use the application TADA Magico Colour (can be downloaded for free) to interact with their creations in the real world.

They can approach the book content in a new and attractive way allowing them to interact with the figures in the stories, Anh said. From a tablet or a smartphone, it is possible to scan the coloured drawings and see them move following the users desire.

Joyous: A young reader paints in a TADA book.  VNS Photo Minh Thu

The books were created with content support and advice from experts in pre-school education and childrens books.

All the interests of TADA Books will be donated to the fund of technology development for students in remote areas.

TADA Books distribution is a part of the non-profit project Viet Nam Ky Dieu (Amazing Viet Nam) carried out by ADT Creative Company, with the aim of preserving cultural values and promoting the image of the country worldwide.

The company creates 3D images of famous destinations in Viet Nam such as Ha Long Bay, Lak Lake in the Central Highlands province of ak Lak, Hoi An Town and Ngu Hanh Son tourist area in a Nang City. Users can enjoy a 3D tourin Vietnamese or Englishof these beauty spots.

"The 3D tours cant replace the truthful experience and emotions we have when we come to these places and witness them with our eyes," said Anh. "However, they give people a glimpse at the destinations and help lure visitors to come in person."  VNS
By Bach Lien

The northwestern region of Viet Nam is a magical combination of alpine landscapes, ethnic culture, and bracing mountain air.

This region draws travellers not only to its scenery and colourful hill tribe residents, but also to its dishes, the most popular of which is "buffalo meat hung up in kitchen" (otherwise known as smoked buffalo meat). In Vietnamese, it is called thit trau gac bep. The closest Western equivalent would be beef jerky.

Visitors to the provinces of Son La, Lai Chau, Yen Bai, and Lao Cai must try the dish to round out the unique experience of this land.

Smoked buffalo meat is a specialty of the Black Thai ethnic group. Lo Van Thoa, a resident of Mai Son District in Son La, explains that centuries ago, his ancestors created this dish for rainy days and other times when they were forced to stay indoors.

A long time ago, my ancestors believed that if marinated and then dried, buffalo meat, beef or pork will be kept longer. If they wanted to bring meat to the forest for a few days, they were not afraid that the meat would spoil, he said.

Smokey: Many prefer to eat "buffalo meat hung up in kitchen" with spicy lemon pepper salt, sipping cups of aromatic corn wine.  Photo dac-san-tay-bac.com

Smoked buffalo meat is a time-consuming creation, requiring patience. It begins with taking a piece of buffalo shoulder, rib-eye or back meat and cutting it into smaller pieces.

It is then seasoned with salt, chili powder, ginger, and special aromatic forest seeds named mac khen that grow in the northwestern mountains of Viet Nam. After being marinated for about two hours, the meat slices are skewered on sticks, which are then hung upstairs the kitchen. Hence the name.

The buffalo meat is dried slowly by the smoke from the kitchen, which turns it into a deep brown colour but keeps the insides looking red and fresh. About eight months or one year later, the meat skewers are taken down and the dish is ready to eat.

We usually make this dish to treat our guests or to use for special occasions, such as the New Year Festival or a wedding, Thoa said.

Different dishes can be made from this dried buffalo meat. Many prefer to eat it with spicy lemon pepper salt, sipping cups of aromatic corn wine to wash down the delicacy. The salty, sweet, spicy tastes combining with the smell of the smoke are unique.

Creative chef: Lo Van Thoa explains about local culture around the kitchen in his stilt house, under hanging skewers of smoked buffalo meat.  VNS Photo Bach Lien

Forest plants

Another specialty of the northwest is a salad made from a forest plant called in Vietnamese Rau don. Thai people call it pac cut.

Don, which belongs to the fern family, often grows by streams or large rocks. Its leaves curl into a shape reminiscent of an elephant trunk.

The plant is considered a herbal remedy helpful in curing a cough, cold or constipation.

The best time to pick and eat this plant is between the flood season (late summer) and late spring.

To make salad, local people steam its young stalks in a wooden steamer for about 20 minutes. Once cooked, they are placed in a large bowl and seasoned with different spices including lemon, chili, ginger and salt. They are then mixed with crushed peanuts.

The dish, though simple, has been a local source of pride for generations.  VNS
HA NOI  Acclaimed Russian artiststhe world-renowned Beryozka Folk Dance Ensemble and two classical musicianshave upcoming performances in Ha Noi and HCM City.

The Beryozka Folk Dance Ensemble will perform at the Ha Noi Opera House on October 5 to kick off Russian Cultural Days in Viet Nam. The dancers will impress local audiences with dances that are a trademark of Russian culture.

The ensemble was founded in 1948 by Russian choreographer Nadezhda Nadezhdina, who created the groups famous style of footwork known as the floating step. The Ensemble has performed in 80 countries, bringing audiences its rich and unique repertoire which consists of round dances, comic dances, quadrilles and sketches of Russian life.

A critic for the French newspaper Le Figaro once wrote it is better to see one performance by Beryozka than it is to read more than 200 books about Russia.

The Ha Noi show will highlight the round dances, characterised by a floating pace, poetic beauty and grace. The ensembles compositions have become classics in the female lyric dance repertoire, according to the current troupe leader Mira Koltsova.

The dancers will also perform at HCM City Municipal House on October 6.

That same day, the Viet Nam National Academy of Music will host a concert by pianist Andrey Diev and violinist Aleksey Koshvanets. Both of them have been named Honoured Artist of the Russian Federation.

The concert will feature pianist Diev playing pieces by Tchaikovsky; Chopin and Sergei Rachmaninoff. The pianist was born to a musical family. He completed his post-graduate studies at Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatoire. He has toured with Russian and foreign orchestras and performed with famous musicians such as violinist Andrey Korsakov, cellist Alexander Knyazev and conductor Vladimir Ziva.

Diev was selected as Musician of the Year by Music Review in 1999 and awarded the Moscow State prize in 2000.

At the concert he will accompany violinist Koshvanets to perform pieces by Tchaikovsky and Polish composer Henry Wieniawski.

Having studied at the same conservatoire with Diev, Koshvanets won first prizes at the Bach Competition in Leipzig; the Carl Nielsen Competition in Denmark and the Bellini Competition in Italy. He has appeared as soloist with many orchestras including Staatskapelle of Dresden; Hanover Symphony Orchestra and Tokyo NHK Orchestra. Recently, he has begun working to apply technology to the creation of richer musical sound on recordings.

All the shows will begin at 8pm. Entrance is by invitation only.  VNS
HCM CITY  A collection of seven books featuring the history, politics, economy and culture of Viet Nam in the second half of the 18th century by Vietnamese-American researcher Nguyen Duy Chinh has been awarded Best Book for 2017 by the nonprofit group IRED Institute of Education and the Phan Chau Trinh Foundation in Viet Nam.

The award, first given in 2011, is for books in the fields of research, economics, management, education, self-development or life values, literature and childrens books.

Chinh was born in 1948 in Son Tay Province (now Son Tay town of Ha Noi), and moved with his family in 1954 to HCM City. In 1979, he studied in the US, and now lives in California.

He began to conduct research on the history of Viet Nam in 2002, publishing research works Xua & Nay (Past & Present) and Nghien Cuu & Phat Trien (Research and Development) under the Thua Thien-Hue Provinces Science and Technology Department.

He has released 10 books on Viet Nam in the 18th century.

The award for the best book in the education category was given to Nuoc uc the ky XIX  Cuoc cach mang giao duc khoa hoc & cong nghe (Germany in the 19th Century  The Revolution of Education, Science and Technology) by Nguyen Xuan Xanh.

The 295-page book was published by the Dan Tri (Peoples Knowledge) Publishing House last year.

Author Tran Mai Anh received an award for her childrens book Hanh Trinh Yeu Thuong  Nhat Ky Thien Nhan (Love Journey  Diary of Thien Nhan), while Tinh Cat (Love and Sand), a romantic novel by Nguyen Quang Lap, was recognised as the best book in the literature category.

The organisers also granted prizes to Pham Sy Thanh and Alan Phan for books on economics and management, respectively.

The award for books about self-development or life values was shared by authors Nguyen Vinh Nguyen, Huynh Trong Khang and Nguyen Lan.

Philosopher Bui Nam Son, a member of the organisations board, said at the awards ceremony in HCM City on Sunday that the Best Book Awards introduce readers to quality and significant publications, as well as promote peoples reading habits and elevate their reading taste.

At the ceremony, the organiser launched a special programme called Books for Prisoners, which will collect books from the community to donate books to prisons nationwide.

Books on law, education, vocational guidance, lifestyle, history and culture are encouraged.

The programme is expected to create opportunities for prisoners to re-educate themselves, Son said.  VNS




HCM CITY  The Viet NamRepublic of Korea (RoK) Friendship Week was launched on Sunday in HCM City to celebrate the 25th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries as well as the RoKs National Foundation Day (October 3).

The event was organised by HCM Citys Union of Friendship Organisations, the RoK Consulate General in HCM City and the Youth Cultural House.

Huynh Minh Thien, the chair of the friendship organisation, and Park Noh Wan, the general consul of the Republic of Korea in HCM City attended the event.

Vu Van Hoa, president of the municipal Viet NamRoK Friendship Association, said Viet Nam and RoK had achieved progress in improving the two countries trade, investment, culture and education ties.

While about 140,000 Vietnamese people, including 50,000 workers and 10,000 students, are currently staying in South Korea, about 140,000 Koreans, mostly businesspeople, are living in Viet Nam.

Hoa thanked the RoK Consulate General, the RoK Businesspeople Association and the RoK community in the city for their valuable contributions to the bilateral relationship.

Consul General Park Noh Wan said more such events would connect the entrepreneurs and people of the two countries.

In addition to photo exhibitions capturing memorable moments of Viet Nam and RoKs strategic partnership over the last few years, artistic performances were also highlighted.

On the occasion, the RoK Businesspeople Association in HCM City presented 46 scholarships to university students with outstanding academic records and 20 bicycles to disadvantaged students.  VNS
HA NOI  Veteran theatre artists were honoured at a ceremony held at the Ha Noi Opera House on Sunday to mark the 60th anniversary of the Viet Nam Theatre Artists Association.

The artists that were honoured are those who have contributed to developing theatre in Viet Nam, including cheo (popular theatre) artist Tran Bang. Bang, 92, is regarded as one of the artists who successfully revived old cheo performances.

During a long 60-year period, the association has had many members engaged in a wide range of art forms, such as tuong (traditional opera), cheo (popular theatre), cai luong (reformed theatre) and modern drama. Several of these members were awarded Peoples Artist and Meritorious Artist titles.

The association has made significant efforts to preserve culture and art treasures and develop Vietnamese theatre.

Several activities were held on the occasion, which also celebrated Stage Ancestors falling on lunar August 12. A gala gathering nearly 100 popular artists from the whole country was held in Ha Noi featuring Vietnamese stage extracts.

The best stage works and artists were presented the associations awards for 2016 at the ceremony.  VNS
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) receives President and Chief Executive Officer of Boeing Commercial Airplanes (BCA) Kevin McAllister in Ha Noi yesterday.  VNA/VNS Photo Thong Nhat

HA NOI  Viet Nam considers co-operation with Boeing a long-term priority, and the Government will create all favourable conditions for the US company to expand investments in the country, said Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc at a reception for President and Chief Executive Officer of Boeing Commercial Airplanes (BCA) Kevin McAllister in Ha Noi yesterday.

He added that he hoped Boeing and Vietnamese Airlines will reach co-operation agreements in the future.

The PM asked the biggest airplane manufacturer in the US to continue supporting Vietnamese partners in conducting efficient flights with quality aircraft.

He called for Boeings assistance in opening a pilot training centre in Viet Nam in the near future.

Vietnam Airlines has purchased a large number of Boeing airplanes. The PM expressed his belief that this development, and the growing cooperation between Viet Nam and the US, heralds an ever-strengthening relationship with the American company.

He noted that Viet Nam had launched direct flights to the UK and Australia, and expressed his hope that Boeing will support Viet Nam in operating direct flights to the USa development that would be a significant milestone in Viet Nam-US relations.

For his part, McAllister said he is impressed by Viet Nams socio-economic development, especially the rapid growth of the countrys aviation market.

Viet Nam could become a partner to supply components for the production of Boeing airplanes, he said, adding that the US company would continue providing the best-quality aircraft for Viet Nam.

Boeing is willing to send its experts to help Viet Nam improve aviation infrastructure and aircraft quality, he said.  VNS
HA NOI  New draft amendments to the Fisheries Law will allow lease of sea surface areas to be used as collateral for bank loans.

This aims to address difficulties faced by aquaculture investors to raise funds for their operations, National Assembly deputies said yesterday.

The National Assembly Committee on Science, Technology and Environment held the 6th plenary meeting to review and discuss amendments to the revised laws on Fisheries and Forest Protection and Development.

Committee members said regulations on lending water surface areas for aquacultural production should be reviewed to make sure they are in line with existing land and sea laws.

The committees standing sub-committee said it has co-operated with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in drafting amendments to the Fisheries Law, ensuring that leasing sea surface areas for aquaculture will follow land laws, but maintain the lending term at 30 years.

Deputy Nguyen Bac Viet of Ninh Thuan Province said that after many revisions, the law remains focused on sea surface areas, while leasing out surface areas in other water bodies like lakes, rivers and ponds for aquaculture have not received due attention.

Viet suggested that the draft law dedicates a separate section for regulations on allocating, leasing, and reclaiming such water surface areas for aquaculture.

Discussing the recognition of property rights when using leased sea surface areas, the deputies said this was not a new concept. However, reality, the decision to lease sea surface areas doesnt confer legality for mortgage, capital contribution, or transferring rights, so investors face a lot of difficulties in mobilising capitals for production.

The draft law takes notice of this issue and provides for properties rights on leased sea surface areas so that the lessee can access credit, they said.

Forest ownership

In reviewing amendments t the revised Forest Law, the NA committee said the draft amendments have incorporated previous feedback and made adjustments to provisions on the scope and the name of the law, forest owners and ownership, forestry planning, forest allocation and leasing, among other issues.

On the issue of different categories of forest owners, Phung uc Tien, the committees deputy head, voiced his objection against suggestions that artels, household groups and overseas Vietnamese should be added in the draft law.

An artel is a co-operative economic entity that has at least three members with equal business rights, needs and propositions working together to produce goods and services based on a contract with their local government. They are often based in rural areas, sharing the work and spoils of rice fields.

Tien said that the legal responsibilities of artels or households groups have not been provided for clearly in existing laws like the Co-operatives Law, Civil Law, Criminal Law, or Land Laws, so these categories cannot be included.

The current Law on Forest Protection and Development and the Law on Land both allow overseas Vietnamese to be forest owners. However, because only 2.7 million hectares of land remain in the national forest fund, residents whose demand for local production, stable livelihood and accommodation remain significant will be given priority.

Overseas Vietnamese who want to invest in forestry can still partner with local forest owners to do their businesses, so at the moment, the standing sub-committee feels they cannot be included among forest owners in the draft law.

The committee will also hear the Ministry of Science and Technologys report on progress made in tasks set for the year, and discuss budget plans and tasks for 2018.  VNS
HA NOI  Four Cat Linh-Ha ong trains were delivered to Ha Noi on Monday. In November, eight more trains are planned to be transported from China to Viet Nam.

Vu Hong Phuong, vice director of the Cat Linh-Ha ong elevated train project, said it had not yet been decided when the trains would be transported by crane on the elevated railways track.

To avoid traffic congestion, the trains were transported to Ha Noi at night.

On February 19, the first two locomotives and passenger trains of this project were delivered.

According to Phuong, the railway project has 12 trains, including 48 carriages. Each train with four carriages can carry 1,200 passengers.

The Cat Linh-Ha ong elevated railway project with 12 stations has investment of US$868 million. As planned, until October 2017, the pilot run will be implemented. The trains will begin officially operations in the second quarter of 2018.

However, many categories of the project are being delayed due to capital injection.

On September 28, the Chinese contractor ran a locomotive from Cat Linh station to Lang station to check the railway line.  VNS
LAS VEGAS  Police recovered a huge cache of guns and explosives Monday from the Las Vegas hotel room and home of the man accused of killing at least 59 people and injuring over 500 in the deadliest mass shooting in US history.

US officials reacted cautiously meanwhile to an Islamic State claim that Stephen Craig Paddock, 64, had carried out Sunday nights massacre on the Las Vegas Strip on behalf of the jihadist group.

Police said Paddock, a retired accountant with no criminal record, smashed windows in his 32nd floor hotel room shortly after 10:00 pm and trained bursts of automatic weapons fire on thousands of people attending a country music concert below.

Investigators recovered at least 16 guns, including assault rifles, from Paddocks room at the Mandalay Bay hotel, and another 18 firearms along with bomb-making materials at one of his two homes.

Country music star Jason Aldean rushed off stage when the shooting began, and concert-goers scattered in panic, frantically seeking cover as bullets rained down from above.

"We saw bodies down. We didnt know if they had fallen or had been shot," said Ralph Rodriguez, an IT consultant from the Pomona Valley, near Los Angeles, who was at the concert with a group of friends.

"People started grabbing their loved-ones and just strangers, and trying to help them get out of the way," Rodriguez said.

The Islamic State group claimed that Paddock was one of its "soldiers" but the FBI said it had found no such connection so far and the local sheriff described him as a lone "psychopath."

Police said Paddock killed himself before a SWAT team breached his room in the Mandalay Bay hotel overlooking the venue for the country music concert.

Sheriff Joseph Lombardo said a security guard was shot in the leg as officers stormed the hotel room where Paddock had been staying since September 28.

He said a search of Paddocks house in Mesquite, Nevada, 80 miles (130 kilometers) northeast of Las Vegas, recovered "in excess of 18 additional firearms, some explosives and several thousand rounds of ammo."

Lombardo said investigators had discovered several pounds of an explosive called tannerite in the Mesquite home, as well as ammonia nitrate, a type of fertilizer, in the gunmans car.

Lombardo said the death toll had risen to 59, while 527 people had been injured. The authorities appealed for blood donors.

'Lone wolf'

Lombardo said the authorities had not found any manifesto or anything else that could explain Paddocks actions.

"This individual is a lone wolf and I dont know how it could have been prevented," he said. "I cant get into the mind of a psychopath at this point."

President Donald Trump denounced what he called "an act of pure evil" and said he would visit Las Vegas on Wednesday.

But the White House said it would be "premature" to reopen the US debate on tighter gun controls in the wake of the shooting.

"A motive is yet to be determined and it would be premature for us to discuss policy when we dont fully know all of the facts or what took place last night," White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said.

Lombardo said Paddock had apparently used some kind of hammer to smash the window of his hotel room before opening fire on the concert crowd of some 22,000 people.

IS described Paddock as a "soldier of the caliphate," saying he converted to Islam several months ago and went by the nom de guerre Abu Abdel Bar al-Amriki -- "The American."

The group provided no evidence to back up its claims and the Federal Bureau of Investigation said it had found no such link so far.

"We have determined to this point no connection with an international terrorist group," FBI special agent Aaron Rouse said.

CIA spokesman Jonathan Liu said "the Intelligence Community is aware of the claim of responsibility by a foreign terrorist organization."

"We advise caution on jumping to conclusions before the facts are in," Liu said.

Paddock, according to his brother, was a high-stakes gambler and their bank-robber father was once on the FBIs 10 Most Wanted list.

But Eric Paddock stressed that his brother appeared to be completely normal, doting on their mother.

"He liked to play video poker. He went on cruises. He sent his mother cookies," he said.

"Were trying to understand what happened," his brother said. "Were lost."  AFP
LONDON  British short-haul carrier Monarch Airlines went bust Monday in the biggest airline failure in Britain, prompting the government to take emergency action to return home 110,000 stranded passengers.

Monarch and its holidays business went into administration, with KPMG appointed to oversee the financial chaos that has left nearly 2,000 employees having to find new employment.

The airline had been struggling financially for a while and won a cash injection a year ago that allowed it to continue flying and fund growth plans, as the sector faced turbulence from Brexit and terrorism.

The UKs Civil Aviation Authority described the events on Monday as "the biggest ever UK airline failure."

"All future holidays and flights provided by these companies have been cancelled and are no longer operating," it said.

The CAA said that the government had asked it "to support Monarch customers currently abroad to get back to the UK at the end of their holiday at no extra cost to them".

Passengers are being flown back from numerous countries, including France, Greece, Israel and Turkey on aircraft leased by the CAA.

"I got a text message... to say that the airline had ceased business," Irish graphic designer Aine Cassidy told AFP, after returning on a CAA-chartered flight from Menorca, Spain, to Luton airport, north of London.

"I thought it was maybe a joke or a mistake so I did a quick Google and saw that Monarch was in trouble."

Among planes being leased were Airbus A320s from Qatar Airways, according to the flight-tracking site Flightradar24.

"The handling by the government and the CAA was excellent," said David Banks, who returned to Luton with his wife after spending a week in Menorca.

"But, by Monarch, some kind of contact would have been nice."

Hundreds of thousands of customers will be affected by Monarchs collapse, most of whom have future bookings, the CAA said.

"We are quite upset... we dont know anything. I suppose its just a waiting game," holidaymaker Desmond Morland told AFP in Cyprus after being told he may face a delay returning to Britain.  AFP
WASHINGTON  The White House reaffirmed Monday that "now is not the time" to talk with North Korea, putting a lid on Secretary of State Rex Tillersons attempts to exploit the narrow diplomatic channels with Pyongyang.

White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said the only exception would be talks aimed at bringing home Americans detained by North Korea.

"There is a difference between talking and putting diplomatic pressure and we strongly support putting diplomatic pressure on North Korea which were continuing to do. But now is not the time simply to have conversations with North Korea," she said.

Tillerson revealed Sunday that US officials are in exploratory contact with their North Korean counterparts, despite an escalating war of words between the two countries leaders over Pyongyangs missile and nuclear programs.

President Donald Trump undercut his top diplomat hours later, saying that negotiating with North Korea over its nuclear program would be a waste of time.

The State Department later clarified that North Korea has "shown no indication that they are interested in or are ready for talks regarding denuclearization."  AFP
HA NOI  President Tran ai Quang and Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc yesterday conveyed their condolences to US President Donald Trump over the tragic gun attack at a music festival in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The shooting killed at least 59 people and injured 527 others. As of 11:00 pm on October 2 (local time), there was no information about Vietnamese casualties in the shooting, according to the Embassy of Viet Nam in the US.

Vietnamese Ambassador to the US Pham Quang Vinh has directed staff to constantly monitor for updates on the shooting. The Embassy staff is also in close contact with the Las Vegas Department of Police to follow the situation of the Vietnamese community in the city. He noted that Las Vegas authorities pledge to quickly provide information for the Vietnamese Embassy through a hotline if they discover any Vietnamese casualties, be they Vietnamese tourists or expatriates.  VNS
AMVETS events in Evansdale

EVANSDALE  The Evansdale Sons of AMVETS will serve chicken wings from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday.

The AMVETS will have a steak supper from 5 to 7 p.m. Saturday, with karaoke from 7 to 11 p.m.

Girls Night Out planned in C.F.

CEDAR FALLS  A Cedar Falls Girls Night Out is set for 5 to 9 p.m. Friday in downtown Cedar Falls.

The Pink Ribbon Run is a partner, and packet pick-up is scheduled.

Girls Night Out is sponsored by Community Main Street and businesses Basket of Daisies, Chocolaterie Stam, Cup of Joe, Escape Cedar Valley, Fashion to Five, Fig & Frolic, Hatchlings & Hens, Heres Whats Poppin, Ivy Trellis, Jennifers, Jiva Salonspa, Kitchen Essentials, LBL, Little Prairie Girl, LR Jewelers, Main Street Sweets, Main Street Exchange, Miss Wonderful, Montage, Peek-a-Boo, Pump Haus, Purse-N-ality, Red Owl Tattoo, Root, The Runners Flat, Scratch Cupcakery, Soho & The Stuffed Olive, Spotlight Style Boutique & Salon, Stone Feather Road, Tea Cellar, Twirl Boutique, Urban Pie, Worlds Window and Vintage Iron.

Womans Club events slated

CEDAR FALLS  The Cedar Falls Womans Club activities during the month of October will include three regularly meetings, the monthly book club gathering and the annual rummage and bake sale.

Cedar Falls Mayor Jim Brown will discuss The Status of Our City at the Cedar Falls Womans Club luncheon and meeting at 12:15 p.m. Wednesday.

Cedar Falls Fire and Rescue members will present 150 Years of Cedar Falls Fire and Rescue during the Cultural Affairs department luncheon and meeting at noon Oct. 18. The program will present historical background along with information regarding the Nov. 4 Five Alarm Chili Cook-Off, a coordinated event of the club and the Cedar Falls Historical Society.

Club member Erica Sadler will share her expertise regarding Healthy Skin Care and Cosmetics during the Business Womans 5:30 p.m. department dinner and meeting Oct. 23.

Norma Caquelin will lead the book club discussion of Our Souls at Night by Kent Haruf at 10 a.m. Oct. 13. All members and guests are welcome.

The Cedar Falls Womans Club welcomes new members and those interested in the historic organization.

Food bank rep to speak Friday

WATERLOO  The Church Women United of the Waterloo area will host a forum meeting at 9:30 a.m. Friday at the YWCA.

The speaker will be a representative from the Cedar Valley Food Bank. There also will be information for the upcoming World Community Day Celebration on Nov. 3.

This is an ecumenical meeting, and everyone is welcome.

Film group

to meet Sunday

CEDAR FALLS  The Film: Talk discussion group will gather at 1:30 p.m. Sunday at St. Lukes Episcopal Church.

The group will discuss Lion, the story of a 5-year-old Indian boy lost on the streets of Calcutta. He survives many challenges before being adopted by a couple in Australia and, 25 years later, sets out to find his lost family. It is a 2016 release, running just under two hours and is PG-13.
WATERLOO  Police are investigating a Monday night shooting that damaged a Waterloo home.

Neighbors called 911 around 8:10 p.m. Monday after hearing a single gunshot and seeing two people running from the area, said Capt. David Mohlis with the Waterloo Police Department.

No injuries were reported, but police found a bullet had struck a home at 840 Logan Ave., and investigators recovered the bullet, Mohlis said.

No arrests have been made in the shooting.
WATERLOO  U.S. Rep. Rod Blum, R-1st District, wants the rest of the country to emulate Iowa in drawing congressional districts.

Iowa does it right, and Im very proud of that, Blum said.

Blum, a second-term congressman from Dubuque, joined a bipartisan delegation of 34 current and former members of the U.S. House in submitting a brief to the U.S. Supreme Court supporting the appellants in Gill v Whitford.

Oral arguments were presented Tuesday in the case, which will decide whether partisan gerrymandering used to draw district maps in Wisconsin violates the Constitution.

Blum remains optimistic about Obamacare repeal WATERLOO  There was a moment this spring when U.S. Rep. Rod Blum, R-1st District, saw what 

Blum said opposing hyper-partisan gerrymandering is a natural fit.

I think its part of draining the swamp, Blum said. ... If we can have a favorable ruling by the Supreme Court and make congressional districts more competitive, that will help drain the swamp as well.

Blum said competitive districts make members of Congress more responsive to the people and more willing to cooperate.

The principal problem with partisan gerrymandering is that it encourages partisanship for its own sake, reads the brief Blum signed on to.

Blum is the only member of the Iowa congressional delegation to sign the brief.

Iowa, though, is well known for its system of redistricting. Every 10 years, proposed maps are drawn by a committee to make the population in each district as close as possible while trying not to separate counties into different districts.

The map is then voted on by the Legislature, without amendment. If lawmakers reject it, the committee has to draw even more evenly split districts.

Blum said he doesnt see representative democracy when he looks at the rest of the countrys districts, however. He said in the brief you probably have 25 to 35 congressional districts that are actually competitive out of 435. Another lawmaker estimated even fewer swing districts.

When I see colleagues of mine that are in safe districts, they kind of go Washington, it seems like, and they become career politicians and they care more about what the Washington (D.C.) media says about them than what their constituents say, Blum said.

Though Blum signed onto the amicus friend of the court brief, he did not attend oral arguments Tuesday. He said it was an easy decision to instead visit veterans who traveled from Cedar Rapids to Washington, D.C., with the Eastern Iowa Honor Flight.

But he planned to hear to hear about the arguments over lunch with someone who was there, actor and former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who has been outspoken against gerrymandering.

At a press conference on C-SPAN after the hearing, Schwarzenegger said, You know it is a fixed system  so I say it is time to say hasta la vista to gerrymandering, and it is time to terminate gerrymandering.
WATERLOO  A new lease agreement should create even more room to boat on Brinker Lake.

Waterloo City Council members voted unanimously and without discussion Monday to approve a new 10-year lease with BMC Aggregates to continue mining sand and gravel from city property around the lake at George Wyth State Park.

The company has been mining materials from the property owned by Brinker Lake Development Inc. and the city since 1997, which has helped create some 180 acres of surface water for boating, fishing and other water recreation there.

Brinker Lake expansion area opens WATERLOO  Boaters will find more open water this year at Brinker Lake.

The city would continue to receive 3 percent royalty payments on the extracted materials with a minimum $5,000 annual payment. The city has been receiving between $35,000 and $40,000 annually on the previous agreement.

While there has been some concern from residents in the Greenbrier Neighborhood, who questioned whether the mining has raised the water table and affected their basements, there were no objections to the lease extension.

Thomas Lown spoke in favor of continued development at Brinker Lake and has been working behind the scenes for even more improvements.

Lown is the president and director of Tall Ship Harbor LLC, a company he formed to promote a marina and development around Brinker Lake.

Its a potential $75 million development that could put the Cedar Valley as a special attraction on the map, like the local water park, like the museum in Dubuque, like McCovey Cove and Fishermans Wharf in San Francisco, Lown said.

Lown said hes presented his plans for a marina, dinner boat, mall and other development at Brinker Lake, which would include a connection to the Cedar River.

The project would need major approvals from a number of government bodies and, of course, investors, he noted.
DUBUQUE (AP)  The indoor migration of a brown insect, about half the length of a quarter, has made its way into Iowa, including Black Hawk County.

Kalyn Wernimont of Dubuque vacuumed up 10 to 12 of them nearly every day for a week from the walls and ceiling of her finished attic, which serves as her 11-year-old son Ethans bedroom.

But the bugs  specifically, brown marmorated stink bugs  are persistent.

I vacuumed them all up, she said. Today, there are another 10 to 12 of them up there.

Ethan is not having it at all, Wernimont added. He runs up there to grab his clothes and is sleeping in the living room.

As the leaves turn, the insects are appearing throughout much of Iowa, including the Cedar Valley.

The outbreak has been occurring for about a week already, said Roger Voss, co-owner of Voss Pest Control in Dubuque. Were seeing them on more and more of our houses.

He observed brown marmorated stink bugs in about 60 to 70 buildings this season.

They resemble brown shields with a marbled backside. They can be distinguished from other stink bug species by the alternating dark and light bands on the last two segments of their antennae.

Brown marmorated stink bugs are an invasive species native to China, Japan and Taiwan. They have been detected in 44 states, according to the website Stop BMSB, a project funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

In Iowa, the insects have been detected in at least 20 counties, including Black Hawk, Dubuque and Jackson.

We are kind of at the edge of the invasion, and were starting to see increasing populations, said Laura Jesse Iles, director of the Iowa State University Plant and Insect Diagnostic Clinic.

Mike Price, president of Aable Pest Control in Waterloo, said although Black Hawk County hasnt seen the proliferation other counties have, he has gotten some calls about the smelly bugs.

They are not at this point heavily on our list, however, Ive had people send me pictures wanting to know what they are, he said.

Although harmless to humans  they do not sting nor bite  they are destructive to crops, which they feed upon.

Most disagreeable to city residents might be the odor they produce when disturbed.

They are not going to hurt anything in the house. They dont feed on our food. They are just really an annoyance, Iles said. I understand they smell like cilantro.

The stink bugs spend winters hibernating inside buildings, which they enter during the fall.

They dont pose any health hazard. Like everything else, they are coming inside now to get out of the weather, Price said.

They are looking for a place that is sheltered and cool, Iles said. A lot of times, they are attracted to the light of a vertical surface.

Price said weather-stripping windows and doors can help keep stink bugs outside. If they do get in, squish them at your own peril.

If you smash one they have a foul odor, thats for sure, Price said.

Instead, he recommends people vacuum them up and empty the receptacle outside.
Second in a series of stories from our fall Inclusion magazine, highlighting diversity in the area.

WATERLOO  During a forum on immigration this spring, an attendee took issue with one of the panelists for bringing race into the discussion.

It was one of many statements that gave Lisa Munoz pause that night. She is a member of Cedar Valley Advocates for Immigrant and Refugee Rights.

So, she noted the nations first immigration law very much considered race. The 1790 Naturalization Act welcomed only any Alien being a free white person.

The attendee thanked Munoz for enlightening him.

A similar scene happened at an immigration forum at the University of Northern Iowa. Attendees were presented with 10 statements about immigration that were quickly debunked or explained.

Every one of those arguments against immigration, those misconceptions, they can be picked apart easily, just very easily if people would just listen, said Nilvia Brownson, a member of CVAIRR. Its just a matter of getting enough people to listen.

That is the mission of CVAIRR, founded after the closure of El Centro Latinoamericano in 2010. Many of the services the nonprofit provided were transferred to the YWCA, but supporters felt a vacuum in its absence.

So, they stepped up.

I think all of us believe in those ideals of democracy, freedom, justice and rather than just saying we have it, like no, we can do better, and we can strive toward it, Munoz said. I think all of us see ourselves as active players in democracy.

Part of the mission is speaking to groups to change hearts and minds. They see it as imperative to not be silent, especially as hate crimes increase against immigrants and refugees, said CVAIRR member Tom Kessler.

Brownson has Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals status after being brought to the United States as a child from Mexico. She said its important that everybody should be standing up against hate.

Its clear that extreme nationalist groups are feeling emboldened, and theres always been that fear within those  immigrant communities, of course, but I feel like theyre so much more emboldened now to come out and attack our communities, so its important to have those discussions so its clear why were not a threat, Brownson said.

Group members say despite progress locally, theres much work to be done. Umaru Balde, a CVAIRR member and YWCA employee, said as new immigrant groups move to the Cedar Valley, the education campaign generally has to start anew.

We can have these events, workshops and all kinds of presentations in the community, but those who dont want to know will not attend. They will always be there, and its very sad to know that, Balde said.

But he doesnt lose hope.

Education, education, education, because tolerance is not enough. We have to move to acceptance, he said.

The group is working to build its profile and has events scheduled in October, but the members say even small encounters fall under the banner of being an advocate.

Cyndi Ritter, CVAIRR member and youth and family services director at YWCA, recognizes getting involved in politics can sound daunting. But she sees advocacy as starting with just a conversation.

Groups are better, but just our individual interactions with people can make such a difference too, Ritter said. If you think you dont know how to advocate, you are doing it in your interactions every day.

To get involved with the group, find them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/cvairr or email cvairr@gmail.com.

We welcome people to join us, whether they feel they know a lot about the topic, or just want to learn a little more, Munoz said.
Chartwells is looking for part- and full-time associates to work in our school cafeterias. For more information, view the new district website.

Last Printed: 8/3/2022 11:00 AM

Posted: Aug 03 2022, 10:38 AM

SUMMER LEARNING Summer is upon us, and many options exist for continued learning. SUMMER LEARNING AT HOME As a fun reminder to keep the learning going throughout the summer, please see the summer learning calendars and choice boards for Kindergarten to 8 students below. These calendars contain learning activities for each day. Print them and put them on your fridge! ASD-W Accelerated Learning Calendars and Choice Boards 2022.pdf

SCHOOL-BASED SUMMER LEARNING New to the district during July and August, several elementary, middle and high schools will be running school-based summer learning opportunities for their students focusing on science, math, social studies, language arts and physical education/personal wellness and more. In addition, many programs will take place outdoors using outdoor classrooms and learning spaces. Schools that are participating will be sharing information with families.  COMMUNITY PROGRAMS There are several local camps and opportunities for youths that are running independently of the district. Please see our ASD-W Summer Learning Catalogue 2022 for a convenient list of programs running in your community. ASD-W Summer Learning Catalogue 2022.pdf



PROVINCIAL PROGRAMS ONLINE COURSES FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development is offering free summer learning courses for students entering grades 10, 11, or 12 in the upcoming school year and those who graduate in June 2022. To be eligible to participate, students need to be registered in a New Brunswick High School, in June of this year, in one of the four Anglophone districts. All courses are online. Summer Learning for Students 2022.pdf

PARTNERSHIP PROGRAMS The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development is offering exciting summer learning sessions with Education Partners in News Brunswick. Learn more about these free learning opportunities that focus on entrepreneurship, science, health, mindfulness, and more. 2022 Student Summer Learning Sessions.pdf



Last Printed: 6/22/2022 12:00 PM

Posted: Jun 22 2022, 2:08 PM

Tuesday, June 21, marks National Indigenous Peoples Day, on the summer solstice! ASD-W shares in the celebration of the First Nations, Inuit, and Metis peoples across Turtle Island (North America). Each day this week, in honour of National Indigenous Peoples, we are sharing a Wolastoqey Phrase of the Day. To hear the daily phrases, click here: Wolastoqey Phrase of the Day 

Last Printed: 6/20/2022 2:00 PM

Posted: Jun 20 2022, 1:52 PM

 News Release  Bliss Carman Middle School Wins Prestigious 2022 ENERGY STAR Canada Award June 8, 2022

Fredericton, NB  Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) selected Bliss Carman Middle School to receive the prestigious 2022 ENERGY STAR Canada Award for being the highest ENERGY STAR Certified K-12 school in Canada in 2021. ENERGY STAR Canada is a voluntary partnership between the government and more than 1,000 organizations working on using natural resources more wisely through greater energy efficiency. This year was the first time NRCan separated schools into their own award category, and Bliss Carman Middle School had the unique honour and distinction of being the inaugural winner. "Having the real work of energy savings be recognized by this award is a proud achievement and demonstrates the school district's commitment to energy management in our buildings," says Shawn Tracey, Anglophone West School District's Director of Finance and Administration and a key leader in the district's sustainability efforts. "This award also sets a good example to the students that their school's impact on the environment matters." Equipped with heat recovery systems and state-of-the-art building management controls, Bliss Carman Middle School was built in 2009 with energy efficiency in mind. In 2018, the school district's facilities team shifted to incorporating energy management as part of their day-to-day operations, and with the help of the school's custodians, staff and students, they have been able to uphold their commitment to efficiency. Benchmarking energy consumption, setting improvement objectives, monitoring and optimizing operations, implementing energy-efficient upgrades, and making smart choices like turning lights and electronics off when not in use have made this award-winning school a shining example of how energy management works. In 2021, compared to the national median, the school prevented 163 metric tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions, which is the equivalent of 50 cars off the road. According to Tim Cross, Energy Manager, Service New Brunswick, who works closely with the school district on their energy management plan, this is a result of teamwork. "Everyone is working together to make a difference - from the government who designed the school and provided the bones to be an energy-efficient building to the district team and the students and school staff who proudly take care of it. Everyone strives to be aware, understand their personal impact on the environment, and do better." Anglophone West School District has recently adopted an energy management policy and continues to work on reducing energy consumption district-wide. So far, it has one other ENERGY STAR Certified school in its midst and is working on getting more schools on board in the coming years. Media Contact: Jennifer Read, Director of Communications, ASD-W Jennifer.read@nbed.nb.ca Social Media: Twitter: @ASD_West, @BCMSEagles Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Bliss-Carman-Middle-School Websites: Anglophone West School District

Bliss Carman Middle School Natural Resources Canada News Release: ENERGY STAR Canada Recognizes Leaders in Energy Efficiency - Canada.ca

Last Printed: 6/8/2022 9:00 AM

Posted: Jun 08 2022, 8:52 AM



Students from all over the world come to NB to learn. Being a host family is a great way to share Canadian culture and learn about a new culture. Watch this video and get inspired: NBISP Host Family Recruitment - YouTube Apply today! Visit www.nbisp.ca

Last Printed: 10/27/2021 2:00 PM

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Posted: Jun 08 2022, 8:50 AM

Oromocto Education Centre Schools

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Fredericton Education Centre Schools

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Posted: Mar 11 2022, 9:01 AM

For the most up-to-date guidelines on Healthy and Safe Schools 2021-22, please click here: 2021-22-guidelines.pdf (gnb.ca)



Last Printed: 8/20/2021 5:00 PM

Posted: Mar 11 2022, 9:01 AM

March 4, 2022 Dear ASD-W Families, Last week the province announced that all remaining COVID-19 measures would be lifted on Monday, March 14, with some exceptions in vulnerable areas. This means that there will be some significant changes for our schools: 1. Masks will no longer be required, at any time, in our schools or buses. 2. Effective immediately, proof of vaccination will no longer be required for students to participate in extracurricular and sports activities. Students wishing to join clubs, committees, and other activities may do so regardless of immunization status. Also, spectators are now permitted to attend all applicable extracurricular activities without proof of vaccination. Please note: sports teams currently in mid-season will continue to follow the vaccination protocol, and no new unvaccinated players will be permitted to join at this time. 3. At this time, proof of vaccination will remain a requirement for all public servants (including those in education) as well as volunteers in our schools. 4. After today, March 4, families will no longer need to inform the school if their child tests positive for COVID-19, and we will no longer be updating the COVID-19 Dashboard. However, as with missed time for any reason, families will still be responsible for informing the school of their childs absences. 5. Isolation rules are no longer in place. As always, if your child is feeling unwell and displaying illness, cold, or flu-like symptoms, you are advised to keep them home until they are feeling better. It is important to note that while students and staff will no longer be required to wear a mask in school, some will still choose to do so. This will be a personal choice. We understand that our families will have different perspectives on COVID-19 safety measures. While some families are relieved to see the protocols ending, there are families, students, and staff who will experience anxiety as restrictions and safety measures are lessened. Everyone has experienced this pandemic differently, and we ask that everyone be treated with respect and kindness. While formal safety measures will be lifted, it is important to encourage your children to continue frequent hand washing/sanitizing, proper cough/sneeze etiquette, and monitoring for symptoms of illness. If your child or any of our staff is more comfortable wearing a mask, they are welcome to do so. Hand sanitizer will continue to be available in schools. We are again permitted to hold extracurricular events such as dances and end-of-year activities. There is much planning and organizing in the lead-up to these events, and schools will have to assess what is feasible and what resources they have available. Schools will be in touch with their families in the coming months with plans for the end of school year activities. We understand that each familys readiness and comfort level may be a little different at this time. However, we hope that our students will feel optimistic upon returning to school after the March Break. We thank staff, students, and families for their cooperation during this time of the global pandemic. I wish everyone a safe and restful week! Sincerely, David McTimoney, Superintendent, ASD-W

Last Printed: 3/4/2022 3:00 PM

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Last Printed: 1/19/2022 10:00 AM

Posted: Feb 28 2022, 3:54 PM

Last Printed: 1/25/2022 12:00 PM

Posted: Feb 28 2022, 3:53 PM

February 22, 2022 Dear ASD-W Families, The province of New Brunswick has moved to Level 1 of the Winter Plan. As a result, updates to the Healthy and Safe School Guidelines are now available online and are outlined below for your convenience. SYMPTOMS Under the Level 1 Winter Plan, Public Health has updated the guidelines on what to do if you have symptoms. Students and staff with one of the following symptoms should isolate and get tested for Covid-19: fever

loss of sense of taste

loss of sense of smell Students and staff with two or more of the following symptoms should isolate and get tested for Covid-19: a new cough or worsening chronic cough

difficulty breathing; runny nose

sore throat

headache

diarrhea

new onset of fatigue

purple markings on fingers or toes of children ISOLATION Unvaccinated students who test positive will be required to isolate for ten days before returning to school or five days for fully vaccinated staff and students.

Students and staff members are also required to isolate if a household member tests positive.

Staff and students are considered fully vaccinated 14 days after their second dose of vaccine.

If a student or staff member tests positive for Covid-19 while they are isolating, their isolation period will start over. The isolation period of other household members is not extended unless they also test positive for Covid-19.

Fully vaccinated students who test positive must wait five days following their isolation before participating in any extracurricular or intramural activities. Under level 1 in the Winter Plan, masking requirements have not changed. We encourage all students to bring at least two well-fitted, three-layer masks to school each day as per Public Health guidance. IMPORTANT LINKS For more information about vaccines, testing, and isolation, please refer to these GNB websites: Information about COVID-19 vaccines (including booking first, second or booster doses)

Information on getting tested (PCR or rapid tests)

Information and guidelines on isolation Id like to thank you, our staff, and our students for your continued patience as we work through this changing pandemic. The move to Level 1 is a positive step towards lessening restrictions, and we are pleased to once again have the opportunity for activities such as field trips, dances, and in-person assemblies. Sincerely, David McTimoney, Superintendent 

Last Printed: 2/22/2022 5:00 PM
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Oct 3, 2017 | By Tess

Royal DSM, a Dutch multinational specializing in life and materials sciences, has entered into a new partnership with 3D printing service 3D Hubs. Through the agreement, 3D Hubs customers will now have the opportunity to order their prints in Royal DSMs Somos PerFORM material.

Initially launched in 2014, Somos PerFORM is a composite material marketed for 3D printed tooling parts and molds. Developed for use with stereolithography 3D printing, Somos PerFORM is hailed as having the lowest viscosity of any SLA material.

By collaborating with 3D Hubs, a network with 3D printing services in over 150 countries, Royal DSM is aiming to offer its 3D printing material to more makers, increasing its overall accessibility.

According to a press release put out by DSM, its Somos PerFORM 3D printing material is well suited for rapidly producing precise and high-quality molds and tools. Interested clients are invited to request a quote via the 3D Hubs website to see the cost and time for a part to be 3D printed from Somos PerFORM. (Clients can expect a prompt reply within 24 hours.)

3D printed molds and tooling parts are proving to have a number of advantages over traditionally manufactured counterparts. While materials have remained the main obstacle for this 3D printing application, the emergence of stronger and higher-resolution 3D printing materials is enabling the production of molds and tools on a wider scale.

The main benefit of using additive manufacturing for such parts is the turnaround time. That is, while it may have taken weeks to produce tools using traditional manufacturing techniques, the same parts can be made in just days using 3D printing.

As DSM explains, its Somos PerFORM material can help clients to drastically reduce their product development times, because molds and tools can be manufactured in mere days and subsequently tested and verified quickly. If changes need to be made to the mold or tool, the 3D model can simply be tweaked and reprinted.

We are excited to collaborate with 3D Hubs to offer the market a place where they can obtain high-quality 3D printed tools and service, commented Brigitte Jacobs, manager of Application Development at Somos, DSMs branch of SLA materials. We work closely with 3D Hubs to verify the 3D printing tooling service providers in their network to ensure that the quality and expertise for creating the tooling is top notch.

Somos PerFORM reportedly offers a high level of surface smoothness, as well as good detail, high heat resistance, and good impact strength. It is the combination of these properties that makes the material well suited for producing complex molds which are compatible with materials such as ABS, polyethylene, polypropylene, polycarbonate, and glass-filled nylon.

3D Hubs offers 3D printing services in over 150 countries

3D Hubs Ceo Bram de Zwart also commented on the new partnership, saying: The collaboration with Somos on 3D printed tooling further expands our network of manufacturing services and product offering. We are always targeting to offer our customers cutting edge materials and service. Adding Somos PerFORM to our portfolio expands what our customers can do and allows them to create high-quality 3D printed tools.

You can order your own Somos PerFORM molds and tools via the 3D Hubs website.

Posted in 3D Printing Service

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Oct 3, 2017 | By Tess

The European Federation of Chemical Engineering (EFCE) has given a number of awards to innovative chemical engineering projects at the 10th World Congress of Chemical Engineering hosted in Barcelona, Spain.

One of the initiatives recognized by EFCE is an innovative project by Air Liquide, a French industrial gas company, which involves the development of a 3D printed reactor used to increase the efficiency of hydrogen production.

The World Congress of Chemical Engineering, ongoing until October 5, is an event that has brought together over 3,000 delegates and representatives from various chemical engineering companies and organizations. In addition to awarding notable innovations in the field, the showcase is also used as an opportunity to discuss current trends and future potentials of chemical engineering technologies.

After the first award of the conference was given to Richard Darton, president of IChemE, Air Liquide was presented with the second: EFCEs 2017 Process Intensification Award for Industrial Innovation.

Whether or not the French company puts the award up on its mantel, the technology for which it was recognized is certainly worth talking about.

Air Liquide has developed a 3D printed milli-structured heat exchanger reactor designed specifically for the production of hydrogen by steam reforming natural gas. How does that work? Well, basically, the 3D printed reactor is built to optimize the hydrogen-making process by reusing the heat used in the initial excess steam production and increasing the heat transfer between the hot process streams.

According to Air Liquide, reusing heat has helped its innovative 3D printed reactor to reduce operating costs by 20 per cent and CO2 emissions by an impressive 12 per cent.

This reactor is a very interesting example of the use of 3D printing in the manufacture of this new intensified reactor, and has the potential to be a disruptive innovation for industry, commented EFCEs Working Party on Process Intensification.

Raphael Faure and Matthieu Flin from Air Liquide accept the EFCE award

Air Liquide began work on the 3D printed reactor in 2015, and has successfully tested the device at its Paris Saclay research center (where the reactor was operational for over 3,000 hours). Currently, the company is building an industrial pilot plant (expected to be up and running by late 2018), and says commercial applications for its 3D printed reactor technology could be available as soon as 2020.

The company is confident that its efficient reactor technology will positively impact a number of hydrogen-using fields, including oil and gas, floating liquefied natural gas, and even small scale hydrogen microgeneration.

At the EFCE event, a third award was given to Professor Sauro Pierucci from the Politecnico di Milano in Italy for his work promoting chemical engineering in Europe. A lifetime achievement award was also given to Professor Luis Puigjaner from the Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya, in Barcelona, Spain, for his long and continued dedication to the field of chemical engineering.

Within France, Air Liquide has been a strong proponent for additive manufacturing technologies. In fact, in 2016, the company teamed up with Poly-Shape to launch FAIR, a multi-million euro project aimed at advancing Frances industrial additive manufacturing industry.

Posted in 3D Printing Application

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Oct 3, 2017 | By Benedict

ING, a Dutch bank and financial services company, has compiled a report that says 3D printing could wipe out almost a quarter of world trade by 2060. The report predicts a reduction in cross-border trade, with locally 3D printed parts eliminating the need for importing and exporting.

Does 3D printing signal the end for cross-border trade? Its a question at the heart of INGs new report, 3D printing: a threat to global trade, and its a question that seems particularly significant in a time where Brexit, Russian-American tensions, and various other global affairs could potentially make cross-border trade much more complex than it once was.

ING is perhaps best known as a bank, in both the Netherlands and elsewhere, but its range of financial and business services cover many areas that could be of interest to investors, commercial bankers, and other clients.

And this report, functioning as both a warning to global trade and a sign of encouragement to the additive manufacturing industry, comes packed with some very interesting claimsboth for those in business and the general reader.

Perhaps the biggest claim of the bunch is the prediction that 25 per cent of world trade could be wiped out by 3D printing in just four decades.

ING justifies the prediction by forecasting that companies in automotive, industrial machinery, and consumer products will turn to localized 3D printing production methods that will reduce the need for cross-border trade. These industries, the report explains, are top investors in 3D printers andlarge players in world trade.

Whats particularly striking about INGs report is the assertion that, at present, the effect of additive manufacturing on trade is virtually negligible. Sure, many companies are just starting to get a foothold in 3D printing, but dont forget that additive manufacturing is already a six-billion-dollar global industry.

3D printing could "catch up" with traditional manufacturing by 2040 or 2060, depending on certain variables

That, ING says, is just a tiny stepping stone to what the technology will soon become.

In terms of figures, the report forecasts that additive could be responsible for half of global manufacturing in as little as 20 years time, while a more conservative estimate puts the timescale at 40 years.

It is tricky to define the exact potential of 3D printing, but some experts expect a share of 50 per cent in manufacturing over the next two decades, the report states. Tentative calculations show that, if the current growth of investment in 3D printers continues, 50 per cent of manufactured goods will be printed in 2060with this figure possibly being achieved as early as 2040 [if] investment doubles every five years.

Its hard to even picture a world in which half of manufactured goods are made on 3D printers, but whats even harder to picture is how this will affect certain industries, countries, and particular businesses.

For the U.S., which is given plenty of attention throughout the report, the advent of an additive manufacturing era looks to be a positive omen. Locally 3D printed car parts, the ING report says, will increase jobs at U.S. automotive factories. Thats good news for Chrysler, Ford, and even high-tech car manufacturers like Tesla, and also good news for average workers who have been faced with unemployment in recent years.

But for international companies and sectors engaged in trading with the U.S., the additive manufacturing shakeup could have negative consequences. In the automotive industry, Mexico, Japan, Germany, and Canada all have significant bilateral trade flows with the U.S., but these could be stemmed by an increase in localized 3D printing production.

3D printing will have a huge impact on global automotive trade, with the U.S. lowering its trade deficits as a result

In the industrial machinery and consumer products markets, China could be badly hit, with the Asian country the main origin of these goods, many of which end up in the U.S.

The cumulative effect of these changing trade relations could ultimately see a lowering of U.S. trade deficits.

The direction of flows in the most important 3D printing industries will lower US trade deficits with Mexico and Germany (automotive) and China (machines, consumer products), all large contributors to the US trade deficit, the report states, adding that countries with a surplus in manufacturing trade will see their surpluses shrink, especially if they currently export many products that will be 3D printed in the near future.

Interestingly, ING supplemented the information it gathered by interviewing various key players in the 3D printing industry, including Eric Sas, CFO of Dutch 3D printer company Ultimaker, and Lauren Slowik, Design Evangelist for Education at 3D printing service Shapeways. Sas was cautiously optimistic about 3D printing growth, though he did foresee hurdles to overcome, while Slowik warned of the high current entry cost for 3D printing.

The report offers the following conclusion: Once 3D printing becomes widely applicable and economically viable for mass production it will boost local for local production with 3D printers at the expense of imports. The first steps in the direction of high speed printing have been taken but it is uncertain when and to what extent high speed/mass production with 3D printers is possible in all industries.

So while 3D printing really could be a threat to global trade, one can also see it as a godsend for localized production. That will obviously be good for the biggest importers and bad, at first, for the biggest exporters, though hopefully additive manufacturing will provide enough jobs to compensate for those lost through minimized trade.

Interestingly, the U.S. might not even be the biggest winner if INGs forecasts turn out to be correct.

The report doesnt go into it, but reduced cross-border trade would be a fantastic boost for the environment. Additive manufacturing on a mass scale does require a lot of power, but the elimination of global shipping could be hugely significant, and could have a big impact on efforts to reduce global carbon emissions.

Looking at those consequences in detail, however, is a report for another day.

3D printing: a threat to global trade was published on September 28.

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Oct 3, 2017 | By Benedict

Rolls-Royce has teamed up with AMAZE, a collaboration of 26 European institutions from academia, research, and industry, to improve additive manufacturing processes using the Diamond Light Source synchrotron, which produces incredibly bright flashes of light.

Rolls-Royce uses additive manufacturing to produce aircraft engine blades

You might come across many 3D printing companies describing themselves as the Rolls-Royce of 3D printing. But now that the actual automotive icon has started getting involved with additive manufacturing projects, those claims will probably have to cease.

After launching a $45 million aerospace 3D printing facility in Singapore last month, Rolls-Royce is now turning its attention to another high-tech additive scheme: improving its own metal 3D printing processes using a flash of light that is 10 billion times brighter than the sun.

What? you might well ask. The reasons for needing an impossibly bright light are quite complex, but when you learn more about what Rolls-Royce is doing in the world of 3D printing, it starts to make sense.

Rolls-Royce, as you may know, isnt just a manufacturer of luxury cars. Its also a manufacturer of aeroplane jet engines, and has been since the First World War, when the car companys engineering expertise was seen as a potentially game-changing tool for the British military.

And while production of 3D printed cars is certainly accelerating around the world, its the aerospace division of Rolls-Royce that has turned to additive manufacturing for some seriously innovative projects.

To make its aircraft engine blades, Rolls-Royce uses a form of laser deposition 3D printing, melting metal powder particles by blowing them into the path of a high-energy laser beam.

Sometimes, these blades get damaged due to heat and pressure conditions, and Rolls-Royce then has to fix them by milling off the damaged areas and replacing them using additive manufacturing.

The team looking to improve additive manufacturing for Rolls-Royce

But the engineering company also wants to find ways of preventing damage altogether, by eliminating as many defects from the engine blades as is humanly possible.

To do so, it has teamed up with AMAZE, a collaboration of 26 European institutions from academia, research, and industry, to take a closer look at the 3D printing process and find out how it can be improved.

The main weapon at their disposal is the Diamond Light Source synchrotron in Harwell, Oxfordshire, which Diamond Light Source CEO Andrew Harrison describes in a feature with Eureka as a storage ring which circulates electrons close to the speed of light.

As it goes round the ring, the current of electrons gives off a brilliant flash of light in the x-ray part of the spectrum, Harrison adds. We use that light to feed instruments that we think of as very high-powered microscopes.

The synchrotron is a huge donut-shaped structure with a circumference of 561.6 meters, making it twice as long as Londons The Shard skyscraper is tall. 500 members of staff operate the machine, whose electron speed is three gigaelectronvolts. For perspective, thats fast enough to go round the world 7.5 times in a second.

But its those high-powered microscopes that Rolls-Royce and AMAZE are using to take a closer look at the laser deposition 3D printing system that is used to make the engine blades. And it is indeed a very close look: regular lab X-ray technology allows for the capture of 100 frames per second, but the synchrotron can capture 10,000.

This phenomenal frame rate allows the Rolls-Royce and AMAZE team to see exactly whats happening during the laser 3D printing processeven if they don't necessarily understand what they're seeing.

You can see molten pools forming and also defects developing during the melt track evolution, says Alex Leung, an aerospace materials engineer from the University of Manchester, one of the research partners on AMAZE. We also see lots of powders that are blowing off (ejecting away from) the powder bed. Some of them may be melt droplets which could add to surface roughness on the additive manufacturing component.

Its aspects like this roughness that the engineers want to understand and, ultimately, eliminate. They believe that surface roughness could adversely affect turbine blade performance, while the splattering droplets also waste valuable metal powder, increasing the cost of 3D printing.

The Diamond Light source synchrotron in Oxfordshire, UK

You want to make something that is perfectly smooth, Leung says. You want to get all of the powder into there. Looking at just a single layer may not be representative. What we have done is add more powders onto the layer above and then repeat the process which is exactly what happens in the real-life process.

Using the synchrotron, the team can gather around 500 terabytes of data per year on the 3D printing process, but what they need to do is use that information to find areas of potential improvement. At present, the engineers say, its a bit of a crapshoot.

The controllable point [of laser metal deposition is] just above the surface, where the laser hits the powder, explains Peter Lee, Professor of Materials Imaging at the University of Manchester and leader of the AMAZE project. No one actually knows what happens from then on. We are not really sure whether the laser is melting it on the surface or melting the powder in the air. You get powder blowing off the side, you get oscillations in the surface and we are not sure why.

But by employing the synchrotron for longer periods, Lee and the team think they will be able to discover what is happening inside the nozzle.

Ultimately, the most satisfying conclusion to the project would be developing a closed-loop control system for Rolls-Royce using machine learning, creating the most uniform deposition possible. Whether that is possible, however, depends on the teams results, which could be published in the near future after a year and a half of research.

If Rolls-Royce is able to improve its additive manufacturing process using the results of the study, the benefits could include faster, cheaper, and more high-quality 3D printing, as well as increased engine performance, reduced CO2 emissions, and quieter takeoff and landing.

Posted in 3D Printing Technology

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Steve Garrey wrote at 10/10/2017 9:24:53 AM:Wow, almost there to enable the construction of an engine.David Wimpenny (MTC & coordinator of AMAZE Project) wrote at 10/4/2017 10:46:30 AM:VERY confusing article AMAZE (EU FP7 project) was led by ESA and then MTC took over for the last 2 years of the project ...Rolls-Royce Plc were not a partner.Eddie Cassidy wrote at 10/4/2017 9:47:39 AM:good article but you should have been aware that the automotive part of the business you refer to has nothing to do with Rolls-Royce Aerospace. It is in fact part of BMW and has not been part of Rolls-Royce for 43 years!!




Oct 3, 2017 | By Tess

GE Healthcare, a subsidiary of General Electric, has officially opened its first healthcare-oriented European 3D printing facility. Called the Innovative Design and Advanced Manufacturing Technology Center for Europe, the facility is located in Uppsala, Sweden, and will be the site of various medical 3D printing research initiatives.

Uppsala, Sweden

Over recent years, American multinational General Electric has become a key player in the development of additive manufacturing technologies across a range of industries.

The company has invested a lot into 3D printing technologies, and has already turned over some pretty impressive developments: a 1,300-horsepower 3D printed ATP aircraft engine, the large-format ATLAS SLS 3D printer, software to transform CT scans into 3D printable models in the click of a button, and more.

With its new Sweden-based medical 3D printing facility, GE Healthcare is increasing its stake and scope in the additive healthcare market.

The new Innovative Design and Advanced Manufacturing Technology Center is equipped with various manufacturing technologies, including both metal and polymer 3D printers, as well as collaborative robotic systems, known as cobots, and other more traditional manufacturing machines.

Notably, the new medical tech center will be focused not only on leveraging additive manufacturing for existing medical devices, but on fully redesigning medical products to reap the advantages of AM.

The centers Research and Design and engineering teams will therefore work with clients from the conception stage all the way to the manufacturing of products, seeking to optimize the design, form, and function of 3D printed medical devices.

We are exploring opportunities where additive can bring cost savings and technical improvements to our supply chain and products, commented Andreas Marcstrom, Manager of Additive Engineering at the new facility. Simply printing a part doesnt really deliver that much improvement to a product or process. You have to re-think the entire design. To do this, you need your R&D teams and your additive manufacturing engineers working from the start of the development processour center in Uppsala ensure that critical step."

One of the main benefits that 3D printing can offer the medical manufacturing sector is the ability to produce single-piece parts, rather than products that must be assembled from a number of separate parts. That is, by redesigning a product as a whole, single piece, manufacturers can cut back on manufacturing costs, materials, and even production time.

Unsurprisingly, the Uppsala facility will be using an M2 Cusing metal 3D printer. The machine, which has a build volume of 250 x 250 x 280 mm, was developed by German company Concept Laser, which was last year acquired by GE. The cobots in use at the facility were created by GE Healthcares Advanced Manufacturing Engineering team and have been dispatched to its various manufacturing centers.

Currently, GE Healthcare says it is working with biotech experts at Amgen to develop and test a 3D printed chromatography column, a device used in the development of biopharmaceuticals. The custom-designed column could be used for the development of improved processes for the purification stage of biopharmaceutical production.

Having recently launched, the new European Innovative Design and Advanced Manufacturing Technology Center will begin by working closely with GE Healthcares facility in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Teams from both centers will share their research and collaborate on certain projects.

Posted in 3D Printer Company

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John Berger in Literary Hub:

A few days after our return from what was thought of, until recently, as the future state of Palestine, and which is now the worlds largest prison (Gaza) and the worlds largest waiting room (the West Bank), I had a dream.

I was alone, standing, stripped to the waist, in a sandstone desert. Eventually somebody elses hand scooped up some dusty soil from the ground and threw it at my chest. It was a considerate rather than an aggressive act. The soil or gravel changed, before it touched me, into torn strips of cloth, probably cotton, which wrapped themselves around my torso. Then these tattered rags changed again and became words, phrases. Written not by me but by the place.

Remembering this dream, the invented word landswept came to my mind. Repeatedly. Landswept describes a place or places where everything, both material and immaterial, has been brushed aside, purloined, swept away, blown down, irrigated off, everything except the touchable earth.

Theres a small hill called Al Rabweh on the western outskirts of Ramallah, its at the end of Tokyo street. Near the top of this hill the poet Mahmoud Darwish is buried. Its not a cemetery.

The street is named Tokyo because it leads to the citys Cultural Centre, which is at the foot of the hill, and was built thanks to Japanese funding.

It was in this Centre that Darwish read some of his poems for the last timethough no one then supposed it would be the last. What does the word last mean in moments of desolation?

More here.
All the news that's fit to eat.



Eight Tables, An Elaborate Yet Intimate Fine Dining Experience

Drawing from Chinese culinary history and a recent renaissance of epicurean magnitude in China, George Chen opens fine dining concept Eight Tables on the second level of China Live. Drawing inspiration from shifan tsui ("private chateau cuisine"), the experience is like visiting a private home for a banquet prepared by a top chef. The $225 10-course tasting menu presents Chinese fine dining in modern interpretations through a San Francisco lens. For example, opening dishes may include velvet chicken with Burgundy truffles and matsutake mushrooms with veal soya jus, and red braised pork belly with tea quail egg and yuba knots. There is also an optional wine pairing for an additional $125. // China Live, 644 Broadway (Russian Hill), eighttables.com





Foxsister Presents Korean Bites With Booze

Foxsister, a new Korean restaurant and bar in the Mission, opens with Chef Brandon Kirksey (of Flour+Water and Slanted Door) at the helm. Try authentic Korean anju (drinking snacks) alongside soju cocktails and slushies, wines, and a rotating program of local and imported beers. The menu is family style and includes spicy fried chicken, handmade noodles and rice cakes, ribs, bulgogi, pancakes and hotpots. All fermented items and spicy miso paste are made in house by Kirksey. // 3161 24th St (Mission), foxsistersf.com





Celebrate Golden Week at Hakkasan

Golden Week is one of China's largest annual national holidays, marking the founding of the Republic of China. Hakkasan is celebrating with a special collaborative menu from the group's executive chef, Tong Chee Hwee, and chef Dabiz Munoz of StreetXO in London. The duo will create Cantonese-meets-Spanish dishes with delicious mashups like hot and sour soup with foie gras, lamb dumpling with chocolate and mint, Spanish tortilla dim sum with truffle and quail egg, and stir-fry rib eye with gnocchi. Though they're celebrating the seven days of Golden Week, the menu will be available from October 9th through 22nd. // 1 Kearny St (Union Square), hakkasan.com





Ottolenghi and Helen Goh's Sweet Indulgence at JCCSF

Join Yotam Ottolenghi and pastry chef Helen Goh as they share stories of their culinary backgrounds at the Jewish Community Center (JCCSF). They have a new cookbook out called Sweet which includes 120 recipes for, you guessed it, desserts. In the book, the two chefs divulge their secrets for recipes like chocolate, banana and pecan cookies, rosemary olive oil orange cake, flourless chocolate layer cake with coffee, walnut, and rosewater, and cinnamon pavlova with praline cream. Premium tickets include a signed copy of Sweet and a catered reception. // Tuesday October 3rd, 3200 California St. (Presidio Heights); get tickets at jccsf.org.





California Cuisine at Toy Soldier in Belden Place



Step into Toy Soldier's warm dining room for a house-brewed beer and comfort cuisine. The new restaurant, featuring Californian fare, includes items like rabbit arancini, lobster escargot, IPA-braised beef short ribs, and warm Brussels sprouts caesar salad. Created by chef and co-owner Fred Turner, the space goes beyond a dining room to offer a full bar, upstairs lounge, outdoor dining area, and onsite micro-brewery with 14 beers on tap. // 52 Belden Place (FiDi), toysoldiersf.com
Why do some memories remain vibrant while the rest of our days whirl past in a blur of dullness? Brothers as well as business and leadership consultants, Chip Heath, 54, and Dan Heath, 44, answer that question and more in their new book, The Power of Moments: Why Certain Experiences Have Extraordinary Impact. It follows previous best-sellers, including Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die, which offers examples of successful ideas and analyzes what made them work, and Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard, about how to overcome the conflict between our rational and emotional minds that's an obstacle to change in both our business and personal lives.

While the authors are university academics at Stanford (Chip) and Duke (Dan), The Power of Moments is aimed at all who are looking to deepen connections through memorable experiences, whether between boss and employee, business and customer, teacher and student, or grandparent and grandchild. It's a book about making the most of the moments and the transitions of our lives, whether they are major or minor.

We talked with Dan Heath, who offers a few tips:

Break the Script



Ask yourself, why are the years between the ages of 15 and 30 so memorable for most people? Because they are filled with firsts, says Heath. First kiss, first time away from parents, first job, first apartment, first marriage, first baby. Although routines can be comfortable, novelty makes moments memorable. Thats why time seems to slow down when we travel. New place, new bed, new food, doing new things.  When you disrupt your normal routines, you lay down a richer set of memories.

Courtesy of Simon and Schuster

Heaths advice: Mix up your usual weekend routine or tweak your holiday traditions. If you usually go for brunch and take a nap on a Saturday, consider a day trip to a nearby city. Contact old friends. Find a new park to visit. It doesnt have to be expensive, but it should be different.

There's no need to take memory making to extremes, however. "A little bit of variety can go a long way," he says. "You want enough novelty to keep things fresh and to keep creating new memories without feeling the need to generate some kind of dislocation. ... It would be very easy to create a really memorable experience by divorcing your spouse and moving to Botswana and herding cattle, but that doesnt mean its a good idea."
Lynn Goldsmith/Corbis/Getty Images

Thomas Earl Petty, born in Gainesville, Fla., quit school at 17 to join Mudcrutch, a Southern rock outfit that broke up after relocating to Los Angeles. His 1976 debut with the Heartbreakers foundered, but 1979s album, Damn the Torpedoes, with Refugee and Dont Do Me Like That, established him as a hitmaker.

The Petty classics piled up: The Waiting, Stop Draggin My Heart Around (with Stevie Nicks), Dont Come Around Here No More, Learning to Fly, Mary Janes Last Dance, Free Fallin. He enjoyed global success with collaborators like Dylan, Roy Orbison, George Harrison and Jeff Lynne on the 1988 supergroup project Traveling Wilburys, Vol. 1.

Dark days marred his career  bankruptcy, divorce, heroin addiction  and Petty sometimes retreated to address his pain. But those ordeals eventually fed his imagination and found their way into lyrics, wailing guitar solos and driving rhythms that struck a universal chord, from the despondent plaints on 1999s Echo to the scathing indictments of the music industry on 2002s The Last DJ.

Petty and his band, inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002, gradually transitioned to veteran status, selling more concert tickets than albums, leaving the rocker more liberated to flout commercial expectations. In 2008 he reunited Mudcrutch and in 2010 released the blues album Mojo. To Pettys surprise and delight, years after settling into a less commercial lane, he notched his first No. 1 album with 2014s Hypnotic Eye, a nod to raucous 60s garage rock.

Petty and the Heartbreakers had just wrapped up a 40th anniversary tour with a three-night blowout of hits last week at the Hollywood Bowl, where the trailblazing firebrand took his final bow in peak form. In late 2016, the rocker told Rolling Stone that the tour might be the last big one. Sadly, the stage is dark. Put a quarter in the jukebox.


Questions & Answers with Rob Bills

Perth, Sep 29, 2017 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Emmerson Resources Ltd ( ASX:EMR ) attended and presented at the 2017 Beavor Creek Precious Metals Summit this week.



Rob Bills, managing director for Emmerson, talks exclusively with Proactive Investors about the interaction with investors at the summit, and the next steps for the company's portfolio.



Welcome Rob.



Proactive Investors: What were the take home messages from investors?



Rob Bills: The interest in smaller precious metals companies at the conference was intense, as investors are now looking at the next generation of producers, given most of the larger companies are fully valued.



Also, the macro settings for gold have never been better, largely driven by global uncertainty and high levels of government debt.

Proactive Investors: How did this interest translate for Emmerson, and how did the company distinguish itself from the other junior explorers?



Rob Bills: We had unprecedented interest in the company - on one of the days we set a record of 12 back to back meetings with well credentialed American, London and German funds.



We do have a unique story as we are one of the few companies that are developing an ultra high-grade gold mine at Edna Beryl, and have aggressive but fully-funded exploration underway at our Tennant Creek project in the Northern Territory.



We are also exploring five new gold and copper-gold projects within the highly metal endowed, Macquarie Arc of New South Wales.



The company's tenement package at Tennant Creek Mineral Field covers 2800 square kilometres.



Proactive Investors: How does Emmerson use technology to pinpoint where to drill and does it work?



Rob Bills: Firstly, we have made four discoveries within our Tennant Creek project so have a solid track record.



These discoveries are at various stages but all are distinguished by their above average gold and copper grades and thus I remain confident that with further drilling they have good potential to become mines.



The use of technology by Emmerson is all about increasing the probability of both predicting where the next deposit will be within a large package of tenements, and then detecting it or being able to find it.



As typically all the easy deposits that crop out at the surface have been discovered, leaving the next generation hidden, so this is why technology becomes increasingly important.



On the predictive front we have formed a strategic alliance with a small New Zealand-based company called Kenex Limited that specialise in putting together multiple levels of computer generated data such as geology, geochemistry and geophysics.



These independent data layers are interrogated in an unbiased manner to ascertain their correlation with mineralisation.



If highly correlated, the predictive probability increases.



This reduces the area to a manageable size, and allows deployment of various detection tools/techniques to pinpoint the mineralisation.



The overall aim is to be at the forefront of discovery and use new and innovative ways to objectively target new underexplored areas for gold and copper.



Proactive Investors: With gold production impending from the Edna Beryl mine, can you provide an update on progress?



Rob Bills: As most will know, Emmerson is monetising a pipeline of small ultra high-grade gold projects at Tennant Creek.



We are using a unique Tribute style agreement with a specialist small mining company.



This agreement mitigates the risks for Emmerson as the onus is on the miner to develop and process the ore, with Emmerson receiving a portion of the gold dore, depending on the amount produced.



The first of these Tribute areas is at Edna Beryl, where we have excised a 3D envelope around one of the high-grade ore shoots.



To date most of the development is complete and interim processing via the State Battery at Tennant Creek is about to commence.



As the gold mostly occurs as free gold, it is believed that this simple process will liberate 70-80% of the gold.



Longer term, plans are underway for either a modular Central Toll Treatment Plant - which is the subject of a feasibility study by the Northern Territory Government, or alternatively our Tribute miner is looking at the installation of a dedicated, mobile plant.



This is a very unique and innovative addition to the main focus of exploration.



Proactive Investors: Can you elaborate on the advantages of the small mines strategy from a shareholders' view?



Rob Bills: The small mines provide a revenue stream but perhaps most importantly it de-risks exploration/discovery - for example at Edna Beryl we have been grappling with the distribution of the gold based on drilling, yet the first 1200 tonnes of development ore, which is sitting on the surface ready for processing, has a bulk grade of 35-40g/t gold.



Statistically this is a much better representation of the likely head grade and would make Edna Beryl one of the highest-grade gold mines in Australia.



We also know that small mines often turn into large mines and so are now in the throes of planning an underground exploration drive from the bottom of the Edna Beryl shaft.



This drive is outside of the designated tribute area and will provide more effective and cheaper underground drilling and sampling, plus enable our geologists to get a better handle on what controls the mineralisation.



Proactive Investors: Outside of the small mines initiative at Tennant Creek, what is happening on the Joint Venture with Evolution Mining?



Rob Bills: It is business as usual as we prepare for the next round of drilling.



In contrast to previous drill campaigns that have been focused solely on gold, this drilling will be looking for extensions to the Goanna, high-grade copper and gold project that Emmerson discovered back in 2012.



It marks the realisation of the potential for a big high-grade system but requires more drilling to ascertain the size of the resource.



Some of the better drill results from this discovery include: 15 metres at 8.13g/t gold, including 3 metres at 34g/t gold and 11.1% copper.



So we are looking forward to getting this program underway within the next month.



Proactive Investors: Lastly what can you tell us about your new gold and copper foray into New South Wales?



Rob Bills: These five new projects are early stage but have been targeted using the predictive approach outlined above.



Interestingly they also drew the most attention at Beavor Creek, as the early drill results from the Kadungle project are highly encouraging, intersecting shallow, high level epithermal gold and deeper copper-gold.



We are now in the detection mode and have just completed a large, deep penetrating Induced Polarisation survey - which for the non-technical is a geophysical technique that can assist in pinpointing sulphides and alteration at depth.



Preliminary results are very encouraging and consistent with the presence of a large, underlying porphyry copper-gold and associated shallow epithermal gold system.



Once all the data is interpreted, further drilling will be scheduled for later this year.



For the other projects, we have finished flying detailed aeromagnetics over most and are now out on the ground reviewing the results.



These projects are not part of the joint venture with Evolution Mining, but given the interest from many larger companies, may become the subject of a joint venture down the track.





About Emmerson Resources Limited





Emmerson Resources Limited (ASX:ERM) (FRA:42E) recently commenced exploration on new gold-copper projects in NSW, identified (with our strategic alliance partner Kenex Limited) from the application of 2D and 3D predictive targeting models  aimed at increasing the probability of discovery. The highly prospective Macquarie Arc in NSW hosts >80Mozs gold and >13Mt copper with these resources heavily weighted to areas of outcrop or limited cover. Emmerson's five exploration projects contain many attributes of the known deposits within the Macquarie Arc but remain under explored due to historical impediments, including an overlying cover (plus farmlands) and a lack of exploration focus. Kadungle is a JV with Aurelia Metals covering 43km2 adjacent to Emmerson's Fifield project.

In addition, Emmerson is exploring the Tennant Creek Mineral Field (TCMF), one of Australia's highest-grade gold and copper fields producing over 5.5 Mozs of gold and 470,000 tonnes of copper from deposits including Warrego, White Devil, Orlando, Gecko, Chariot and Golden Forty. These high-grade deposits are highly valuable exploration targets, and to date discoveries include high-grade gold at Edna Beryl and Mauretania, plus copper-gold at Goanna and Monitor. These are the first discoveries in the TCMF for over a decade.


Zhaopin Announces Completion of Going Private Transaction

Melbourne, Oct 2, 2017 AEST (ABN Newswire) - SEEK Limited ( ASX:SEK ) ("SEEK") advises that its subsidiary Zhaopin Limited ("Zhaopin"), has announced the completion of its merger as detailed in SEEK's announcement on 7 April 2017. Following completion of the merger, Zhaopin's American depositary shares will be suspended from trading prior to the opening of trading on the New York Stock Exchange on 2 October 2017, and thereafter will be delisted.



Further details are set out in the attached copy of Zhaopin's announcement.





Zhaopin Limited Announces Completion of Going Private Transaction



BEIJING, September 29, 2017 -- Zhaopin Limited ( NYSE:ZPIN ) ("Zhaopin" or the "Company"), a leading career platform1 in China focused on connecting users with relevant job opportunities through their career lifecycle, today announced the completion of its merger (the "Merger") with Zebra Mergerco, Ltd. ("Merger Company"), pursuant to the previously announced agreement and plan of merger (the "Merger Agreement"), dated April 6, 2017, among the Company, SEEK International Investments Pty Ltd. ("Parent") and Merger Company. As a result of the Merger, Parent together with affiliates of Hillhouse Capital Management, Ltd. and FountainVest Partners acquired the Company and the Company ceased to be a publicly traded company thereafter.



As previously announced, on June 19, 2017, the Company declared the final amount of a cash special dividend (the "Special Dividend") of US$0.94 per ordinary share of the Company (each a "Share"), corresponding to US$1.88 per American depositary share of the Company (each, an "ADS") (each representing two Shares) as contemplated under and determined in accordance with the terms of the Merger Agreement, payable to holders of record of issued and outstanding Shares and ADSs as of immediately prior to the effective time of the Merger (the "Effective Time"), subject to and conditioned upon the consummation of the Merger. The Special Dividend will be paid by the Company as soon as practicable and no later than three business days (as such term is defined in the Merger Agreement) following the Effective Time.



In addition, under the terms of the Merger Agreement, which has been approved by the Company's shareholders at an extraordinary general meeting held on September 25, 2017, other than certain of the Company's ordinary shares described below, each Share that was issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time of the Merger has been cancelled and converted into and exchanged for the right to receive US$8.16 (which represents US$9.10 per Share minus the US$0.94 per Share amount of the Special Dividend) (such amount, the "Per Share Merger Consideration"), and each ADS, together with the two Shares underlying each such ADS, has been cancelled in exchange for US$16.32 (which amount represents US$18.20 per ADS minus the US$1.88 per ADS amount of the Special Dividend) (such amount, the ''Per ADS Merger Consideration'') to be paid, net of the cancellation fee of US$0.05 per ADS, pursuant to the terms of the Deposit Agreement, dated as of June 11, 2014, among the Company, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., in its capacity as the ADS depositary (the "ADS Depositary"), and the holders and beneficial owners of ADSs issued thereunder, in each case, in cash, without interest and net of any applicable withholding taxes.



The US$8.16 Per Share Merger Consideration, together with the US$0.94 per Share amount of the Special Dividend, will result in holder of Shares immediately prior to the Effective Time being entitled to receive a total of US$9.10 in cash per Share, and the US$16.32 Per ADS Merger Consideration, together with the US$1.88 per ADS amount of the Special Dividend, will result in holder of ADSs immediately prior to the Effective Time being entitled to receive a total of US$18.20 in cash per ADS, in each case in connection with the Merger.



Notwithstanding the foregoing, the following Shares (including Shares represented by ADSs) were not converted into or exchanged for the right to receive the Per Share Merger Consideration or the Per ADS Merger Consideration described in the immediately preceding paragraphs:



(a) 54,503,586 Shares held by Parent immediately prior to the Effective Time, which are deemed "Continuing Shares" pursuant to the terms of the Merger Agreement, which do not entitle Parent to payment of the Per Share Merger Consideration or the Per ADS Merger Consideration in respect therefor (but entitle Parent to payment of the Special Dividend in respect therefor), and were not cancelled and instead continue to exist without interruption, and each represents one validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable Class B ordinary share of the surviving company,



(b) ordinary shares (including Class A ordinary shares represented by ADSs) held by the Company or its subsidiaries and the ADS Depositary and reserved for issuance pursuant to the Company's share incentive plans immediately prior to the Effective Time have been cancelled and ceased to exist without payment of any consideration or distribution (including the right to receive the Special Dividend) therefor, and



(c) ordinary shares held by holders who have validly exercised and not effectively withdrawn or lost their rights to dissent from the Merger pursuant to Section 238 of the Cayman Islands Companies Law Cap. 22 (Law 3 of 1961, as consolidated and revised) have been cancelled at the Effective Time for the right to receive the fair value of such Shares determined in accordance with the provisions of Section 238 of the Cayman Islands Companies Law.



Shareholders of record as of immediately prior to the Effective Time who are entitled to the Per Share Merger Consideration will receive a letter of transmittal and instructions on how to surrender their Share certificates in exchange for the merger consideration. Shareholders should wait to receive the letter of transmittal before surrendering their ordinary share certificates. The Special Dividend will be paid to shareholders of record as of immediately prior to the Effective Time pursuant to the Company's memorandum and articles of association, applicable law and the Merger Agreement.



ADS holders of record as of immediately prior to the Effective Time who are entitled to the merger consideration and the Special Dividend will automatically receive from the ADS Depositary, per each such ADS held by them, US$16.32 (less an ADS cancellation fee of US$0.05 per ADS) as the Per ADS Merger Consideration and US$1.88 as the per ADS amount of the Special Dividend, in cash, without interest and net of any applicable withholding taxes, in exchange for the cancellation of such ADSs. Payment of the net per ADS Merger Consideration and Special Dividend will be made to such ADS holders as soon as practicable after the ADS Depositary receives the merger consideration and Special Dividend. ADS holders which hold their ADSs in "street name" through their broker, bank or other nominee will not be required to take any action to receive the net Per ADS Merger Consideration and Special Dividend for their ADSs as the ADS Depositary will arrange for the surrender of such ADSs and the remittance of the net Per ADS Merger Consideration and Special Dividend with The Depository Trust Company (the clearance and settlement system for the ADSs) for distribution to the applicable broker, bank or nominee on behalf of such beneficial owners. Any questions concerning the receipt of the Per ADS Merger Consideration and Special Dividend from holders who hold ADSs in "street name" should be directed by such holders to their applicable broker, bank or nominee.



The Company also announced today that it requested that trading of its ADSs on the New York Stock Exchange (the "NYSE") be suspended as of the close of trading on September 29, 2017. The Company requested that the NYSE file a Form 25 with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") notifying the SEC of the delisting of its ADSs on the NYSE and the deregistration of the Company's registered securities. The deregistration will become effective 90 days after the filing of the Form 25 or such shorter period as may be determined by the SEC. The Company intends to suspend its reporting obligations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, by filing a Form 15 with the SEC in approximately ten days. The Company's obligations to file with the SEC certain reports and forms, including Form 20-F and Form 6-K, will be suspended immediately as of the filing date of the Form 15 and will cease once the deregistration becomes effective.



About Zhaopin Limited



Zhaopin is a leading career platform in China, focusing on connecting users with relevant job opportunities throughout their career lifecycle. The Company's zhaopin.com website is the most popular career platform in China as measured by average daily unique visitors in each of the 12 months ended June 30, 2017, number of registered users as of June 30, 2017 and number of unique customers2 for the three months ended June 30, 2017. The Company's over 140.0 million registered users include diverse and educated job seekers who are at various stages of their careers and are in demand by employers as a result of the general shortage of skilled and educated workers in China. In the fiscal year ended June 30, 2017, approximately 49.3 million job postings3 were placed on Zhaopin's platform by 613,083 unique customers including multinational corporations, small and medium-sized enterprises and state-owned entities. The quality and quantity of Zhaopin's users and the resumes in the Company's database attract an increasing number of customers. This in turn leads to more users turning to Zhaopin as their primary recruitment and career- related services provider, creating strong network effects and significant entry barriers for potential competitors. For more information, please visit http://www.zhaopin.com.





About SEEK Limited





SEEK Limited (ASX:SEK) (OTCMKTS:SKLTY) is a diverse group of companies, comprised of a strong portfolio of online employment, educational, commercial and volunteer businesses. SEEK operates across 18 countries with exposure to over 2.9 billion people and approximately 26 per cent of GDP. SEEK makes a positive contribution to people's lives on a global scale. SEEK is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange, where it is a top 100 company with a market capitalisation close to A$6billion and has been listed in the Top 20 Most Innovative Companies Globally by Forbes, and Number One in Australia.
ABCNews.com(NEW YORK) -- The sheer number of mass shootings in America means that presidents  and recent presidents more than most -- have had to deal with the aftermath.



Former President Obama addressed mass shootings roughly 18 times during his administration, with some of his most damning comments coming exactly two years before this weekend's deadly shooting in Las Vegas.



For Obama, it was the shooting at a community college in Roseburg, Oregon, where nine people were killed Oct. 1, 2015. And for President Trump, it was the Sunday shooting at a country music concert in Las Vegas, where at least 59 people were killed and 527 others injured.



While both mass shootings included deaths, life-saving first responders and acts of heroism, the two presidents responses were starkly different.



The 2015 Roseburg shooting



Obama opened his remarks in the press briefing room by saying "there's been another mass shooting in America."



"That means there are more American families -- moms, dads, children -- whose lives have been changed forever," he said.



Obama went on to talk about how the response of many people to mass shootings has become almost routine, and to criticize those who only offered words instead of actions.



"Our thoughts and prayers are not enough, he said. Its not enough. It does not capture the heartache and grief and anger that we should feel. And it does nothing to prevent this carnage from being inflicted someplace else in America -- next week, or a couple of months from now.



"Of course, whats also routine is that somebody, somewhere will comment and say, Obama politicized this issue. Well, this is something we should politicize. It is relevant to our common life together," Obama said.



"When roads are unsafe, we fix them to reduce auto fatalities. We have seatbelt laws because we know it saves lives. So the notion that gun violence is somehow different, that our freedom and our Constitution prohibits any modest regulation of how we use a deadly weapon, when there are law-abiding gun owners all across the country who could hunt and protect their families and do everything they do under such regulations doesnt make sense," he added,



Obama wasn't the only one calling for action.



Then-candidate Trump also reacted to the Roseburg shooting and shared his thoughts with ABC News chief anchor George Stephanopoulos.



"No matter how you cut it, you have people that are mentally ill and they have problems and they're going to slip through the cracks," Trump said.



He went on to say that "the gun laws have nothing to do with this" but said he wouldn't be passive if he were president.



"This isn't guns. This is about, really, mental illness. And I feel very strongly about it. And, again, politically correct, oh, we're going to solve the problem. They'll be no problem," Trump said in 2015.



Reaction to the latest shooting



Trump gave a statement from the White House Diplomatic Room the morning after the Las Vegas shooting, which struck a somewhat different tone.



He called the shooting "an act of pure evil," thanked first responders and offered condolences to the victims.



"Hundreds of our fellow citizens are now mourning the sudden loss of a loved one -- a parent, a child, a brother or sister, the president said. We cannot fathom their pain. We cannot imagine their loss. To the families of the victims: We are praying for you and we are here for you, and we ask God to help see you through this very dark period.



Trump quoted Scripture, ordered federal flags to be flown at half-staff and announced that he would be traveling to Nevada two days later.



He made no mention of gun laws or steps to be taken to prevent mass shootings from happening again.



"In times such as these, I know we are searching for some kind of meaning in the chaos, some kind of light in the darkness, he said. The answers do not come easy. But we can take solace knowing that even the darkest space can be brightened by a single light, and even the most terrible despair can be illuminated by a single ray of hope.



The day after Trump gave his formal statement, he was asked by reporters this morning whether the Las Vegas shooting, which is now the deadliest in modern U.S. history, would prompt him to pursue gun control legislation.



"We'll be talking about gun laws as time goes on," Trump said.



Copyright  2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
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Innovative aircraft cabin lighting specialist, STG Aerospace, has won its first contract in the Americas for its saf-Tglo blu.

Bolivian airline, Boliviana de Aviacion (BoA), has ordered the unique, blue-glowing, photoluminescent floor path marking system for two of its Boeing 737-300s and one of its 737-700s aircraft.



Carlos Alba, BoAs Avionics Engineer, commented: As an existing customer of STG Aerospace, we have always been impressed by the proven operational performance of saf-Tglo products, especially their robustness. With saf-Tglo blu we can now seamlessly blend our brand identity with our cabin aesthetics due to its exclusive blue glow.



Currently flying to 13 destinations in 5 countries, BoA is the largest airline in Bolivia in terms of both fleet size and passenger numbers. BoA is the flag carrier airline of the Plurinational State of Bolivia and is wholly owned by the country's government.



Latin America is a very important market for us, said Dan Rice, STG Aerospaces Americas Sales Director, so we were particularly pleased that BoA saw the many benefits of saf-Tglo blu, our latest research-driven photoluminescent product. It helps place us in a very strong position to promote our total cabin lighting system - photoluminescence and LED - throughout the region.



STG Aerospace currently serves over 50 customers in Latin America including airlines, MROs, and regional operators. To support the growing MRO market in Latin America, STG Aerospace has recently strengthened its team in the region with the appointment of a new Regional Sales Manager. The company anticipates further orders for its saf-Tglo blu - the worlds only blue-glowing, photoluminescent floor path marking system, which fits better with cabin interiors and customer branding.



With FAA and EASA approvals for the majority of Boeing, Airbus and Embraer aircraft types, BoA is the latest airline to join a number of major global airlines to select the award winning saf-Tglo blu technology including; one of the worlds largest low-cost carriers, Icelandair and a major Boeing 777 operator.
From accessories to temples, Indian politics has seen it all from their Bhakts. A temple in the name of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in India is not scandalous, but the fact that it took so much time for it to come up is more shocking. Modi likes to take selfies and his face is used noticeably in all government initiatives. In February 2015, some Modi supporters built a temple with his statue as the God in a village located around 300 miles from Ahmedabad. However, the temple was dismantled after a rap from Modi himself. Last year, he was in the news after Khadi India used his image in place of Mahatma Gandhi on its calendar. However, the opposition alleged that the PM did it purposely. It didnt stop here. After the completion of three years of Modi government at the Centre this year, BJP is celebrating Modifest across India, which has gone unnoticed by the party leaders and people. Most of the places only the volunteers were seen and no other visitor and lumpsum money were wasted on these fests. Corruption does not mean getting caught in some scandal but this type of misuse of public funds is also corruption, and Modi needs to realize this. For self-glorification, he cannot waste public funds.

His worshippers are one step ahead of him when it comes to glorifying their leaders lord. A temple in the name of Modi will be built on five acres of land in the Sardhana area of Meerut where the PMs admirers can worship. A 100-foot statue of Modi would be installed there. Five acres of land has been bought on Meerut-Karnal highway. A huge statue of Modi will be installed in the temple. The temple will take two years to complete and its bhoomi pujan would be held on October 23. The estimated expenditure of 10 crore would be generated out of public donations.

It seems politicians in India take such beliefs very seriously and never lose an opportunity to project their face and name, even at the risk of frustrating the public forever. Probably, they also believe that their photos can win more votes than their work for the people. Sometimes, when they dont project themselves on their own, their followers do that to show their devotion for the leaders. In 2013, Puducherry government proposed to offer subsidized cement to low and middle income group people and named the scheme after Congress president Sonia Gandhi. She was also in news in 2014 when a Congress legislator from Andhra Pradesh built a Goddess Sonia statue, depicting her as Telangana Talli (Mother of Telangana) to show his devotion towards the leader. Tamil actor, director and former CM of Tamil Nadu, Late Maruthur Gopalan Ramachandran has a temple dedicated to him in Thirunindravoor, Chennai.

A couple that had been an ardent of the late actor MGR built this temple in his memory. On one occasion, MGR was having a cool drink and left it unfinished. The remains were sprinkled on the ground as holy water. Just like the woman who constructed the temple in his honour, there were others who thought of him as a holy man. In India, we often think of politicians as miracle-makers. To a certain extent, what we have is a form of hero worship. But it doesnt last very long.

Former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayees temple is located at Satyanarayan ki tekri in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh. It was constructed 17 years ago, ostensibly for the politicians work for the cause of his mother tongue. Late Jayalalithaas image was displayed prominently on almost all schemes of her government in Tamil Nadu. She was omnipresent in the state. From salt to canteens to pulses to cement, several schemes were named after her. Not only this, her photo was prominently displayed on almost all items distributed by her government. Though former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister projected himself as a development-oriented leader, Akhilesh never shied away from putting his image on most of the schemes of his government  be it Samajwadi cycles, school bags or laptops. Interestingly, Akhilesh also used the image of his father and former Samajwadi Party president Mulayam Singh Yadav prominently alongside him. As Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, BSP supremo Mayawati was attacked by the opposition for using public funds for building elephant parks and statues of Dalit icons like Babasaheb Bhim Rao Ambedkar and Kanshi Ram. Mayawati also became probably the first politician in the country to have installed her own statues alongside these icons in the state.

Not only politicians but the film stars too have their temples and worshipper. In South Kolkata there is a temple, which is deeply devoted to megastar of Bollywood Amitabh Bachchan. There is a specially carved out chair (from movie Aks) on which a photo of Big B is kept and his shoes. On daily basis, the head priest recites the well-written Amitabh Chalisa amid his ardent fans and worshippers.

There was a temple devoted to film star Khusbhoo, later torn down by her fans after she made controversial remarks on pre-marital sex in 2005. Some temples are hole-in-the-wall shrines with a small idol; others are like fan clubs for supporters. Tamil Nadus top heroes like Rajinikanth, and the current crop of movie stars, Joseph Vijay are worshipped as demi-gods today. Fans garland their posters and throw flowers, coins and cash notes when their heroes appear on screen in frenzy imitating rituals of temple worship.

Telugu film star turned politician late NT Rama Rao was an icon, especially for playing roles in films as the Hindu god Krishna. During his election campaign, supporters showcased large images from his films in his avatar as the god Krishna. In 1993, the matter went to the courts in Andhra Pradesh after someone complained that the depiction of NT Rama Rao as an incarnation of Lord Krishna amounted to exhorting voters in the name of religion to vote for his Telugu Desam party.

Film stars and politician have their own set of Bhakts, flattering fans in India give divine status to politicians and movie stars, building temples and deifying them. Hero-worship gages new statures in India.

(Any suggestions, comments or dispute with regards to this article send us on feedback@afternoonvoice.com)
Police recovered a huge cache of guns and explosives from the Las Vegas hotel room and home of the man accused of killing at least 59 people and injuring over 500 in the deadliest mass shooting in US history.

US officials reacted cautiously meanwhile to an Islamic State claim that Stephen Craig Paddock (64) had carried out Sunday nights massacre on the Las Vegas Strip on behalf of the jihadist group.

Police said Paddock, a retired accountant with no criminal record, smashed windows in his 32nd floor hotel room shortly after 10pm and trained bursts of automatic weapons fire on thousands of people attending a country music concert below.

Investigators recovered at least 16 guns, including assault rifles, from Paddocks room at the Mandalay Bay hotel, and another 18 firearms along with bomb-making materials at one of his two homes.

The Islamic State group claimed that Paddock was one of its soldiers but the FBI said it had found no such connection so far and the local sheriff described him as a lone psychopath.

Police said Paddock killed himself before a SWAT team breached his hotel room overlooking the country music venue.

Sheriff Joseph Lombardo said a security guard was shot in the leg as officers stormed the room where Paddock had been staying since 28 September.

He said a search of Paddocks house in Mesquite, Nevada, recovered in excess of 18 additional firearms, some explosives and several thousand rounds of ammo.

Lombardo said investigators had discovered several pounds of an explosive called tannerite in the Mesquite home, as well as ammonium nitrate, a type of fertiliser, in the gunmans car.

The sheriff said the death toll had risen to 59, while 527 people had been injured.
Pakistan Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif reportedly referred Prime Minister Narendra Modi a terrorist who has the blood of Muslims on his hands.

Asif, who was speaking in a show on Geo News, made the statement in an attempt to rebut External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, who recently ripped Pakistan at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) for supporting and exporting terror.

Sushma Swaraj has accused us (Pakistan) of exporting terrorism. (However) one terrorist (in India) is the countrys prime minister himself. He (Modi) has the blood of Muslims murdered in Gujarat on his hands, Asif made the statement, while talking to Geo Newss Hamid Mir.

India is being ruled by a terrorist party  the RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh), Asif further said.

These remarks have come after Sushma Swaraj ripped apart Pakistan at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and said India has risen despite being the principal destination of Pakistans nefarious export of terrorism.

India has risen despite being the principal destination of Pakistans nefarious export of terrorism. There have been many governments under many parties during 70 years of Indian freedom, for we have been a sustained democracy, Swaraj had said while addressing the 72nd UNGA session in New York.

Every government has done its bit for Indias development. We have marched ahead consistently without pause, in education, health and across the range of human welfare. We established scientific and technical institutions which are the pride of the world, she added.
Aiken, SC (29801)

Today

Cloudy this evening with showers after midnight. Low 46F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Cloudy this evening with showers after midnight. Low 46F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.
End The UN's Christian Refugee Double Standard

Assyrians attend the first Palm Sunday procession in the burnt out main church of the Assyrian city of Qaraqosh since Iraqi forces retook it from Islamic States militants, Iraq April 9, 2017. ( Reuters/Suhaib Salem ) One million Syrian Christians have fled their homes fearing death at the hands of Islamic extremists and the Iran-backed Assad regime since 2011. Christians across the Middle East regularly face persecution and violence for their faith. These hundreds of thousands of Christian families have fled to nearby countries which host large United Nations refugee camps. These camps which are in part funded by American tax dollars, are unsafe for Christian refugees. Christian families face violence at the hands of Islamic extremists within these camps and are unable to seek refuge there. The Trump administration must force the United Nations to take all necessary steps to make these camps safe for Syrian Christians. These reforms vary from creating refugee camps specifically for the Christian population, cracking down on Islamic extremism in existing refugee camps, and setting up specific zones for Christians within each refugee camp guarded by United Nations peacekeepers. Christians fled Syria in record numbers as one million individuals sought safety in nearby countries amid the bloody Syrian civil war. Families who escaped Syria faced a new problem once they arrived at United Nations refugee camps. Christians discovered that these refugee camps, which are generously funded by United States taxpayers, were not safe for them to settle. Nowhere is this better seen than within the Zaatari refugee camp in Jordan. Zaatari, the largest Syrian refugee camp in the Middle East, does not host a single Christian family of the approximately 80,000 residents. Christians are not technically barred from these camps, but they face persecution, violence, and death from Islamic extremists if they dare enter. Since Christians cannot safely settle in these camps, they wander aimlessly searching for a place to call home. Many are forced to sleep on the streets, churches, or other accommodations waiting to return to Syria or relocate to a foreign country thanks to lack of support from the United Nations. The seemingly hopeless plight of these refugees stems from the Obama administration's failed foreign policy approach. The Obama administration relied heavily on a "leading from behind approach" throughout its disastrous eight-year tenure failing to contain the bloody Syrian civil war and spread of radical Islamic terrorist groups. ISIS and other radical Islamic groups have gained a significant foothold in Syria since the start of the war. And once considered a friend of Christians, Assad has shown his true colors as the war has escalated. More than 60% of the churches destroyed since the start of the war has been as a result of Assad's forces. Worse, Assad and his forces indiscriminately drop barrel bombs with little regard for civilian life. Many of these bombs have resulted in the deaths of Syrian Christians. With nowhere to safely settle, now more than ever do Syrian Christians refugees need our help. President Trump has made helping Christian refugees a top priority of his administration unlike the previous one, but there is still much work to be done. The Trump administration must hold the United Nations accountable for its failure to help Syrian Christian refugees relocate safely to these camps. Not only as Christians should we demand action, but American tax dollars should not be used promoting policies that effectively bar Christians from safety. We as Christians have a moral obligation to right this wrong and must continue to advocate the Trump administration to enact change. The future of the Syrian Christian community depends on it.
Qatar Airways Cargo has added Finnish capital Helsinki to its expanding pharma network, the Middle East carriers 74th pharma destination.

Qatar Airways chief officer cargo, Ulrich Ogiermann, said: The expansion of our pharma network helps us meet the growing air freight requirements in the pharmaceutical industry where time and temperature management are of paramount importance.

"We understand the intricacies in maintaining a seamless cool chain for pharmaceuticals. With the inclusion of Helsinki in our QR Pharma network, we can now offer pharmaceutical importers and exporters in Finland seamless connectivity, while adhering to the highest cool chain standards.

Finland is a part of the strongly international pharmaceutical market and attracts hundreds of clinical trials in Finland every year. The pharmaceutical service system in the country is dependent on imports, while exports of pharmaceutical substances and medicinal devices from Finland grew by over 6% in 2016.

Qatar Airways launched flights to Helsinki in October last year. The daily direct B787 Dreamliner flights provide more than 70 tonnes of belly capacity each way, connecting pharma import and export businesses to a global network of over 150 destinations via the airlines GDP compliant hub in Doha.

Qatar Airways Cargo recently signed an agreement with Dokasch to offer its Opticooler range of temperature-controlled containers for pharmaceuticals and healthcare products.

The cargo carriers customers can now choose from a range of active containers such as Envirotainer, CSafe, DoKaSch and va-Q-tec to transport their pharmaceuticals to and from the cargo carriers extensive network globally.

Qatar Airways Cargo commenced operations of a dedicated airside Climate Control Centre earlier this year. The 2,470 sq m facility, with two zones operating for 2C to 8C or 15C to 25C, enables the cargo carrier to handle an additional 2m tonnes throughput per annum.

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Schiphol Airport could see as many as 37 freighter flights per week disappear this winter as a result of slot restrictions at the hub.

Last month, the Schiphol airport communitys worst fears were confirmed when Air Co-ordination Netherlands (ACNL) announced where slots would be allocated for the winter season.

Amsterdams airport can handle a maximum of 500,000 slots per year and growth at the airport means that limit will be reached this year, with all-cargo flights accounting for around 18,000 of those.

When ACNL decides where slots should be allocated, those airlines that fail to adhere to 80% of their requested flight schedules are more likely to lose out as per IATA and European Union regulations.

The unpredictable nature of air cargo means freighter operators are less likely to hit the 80% mark.

Netherlands transport group Air Cargo Netherlands estimates that as many as 37 of the 150 freighter flights per week could be lost during the winter season as a result of the slot restrictions.

The organisation warned that most freighter operators are looking to move flights to Brussels, Liege or German airports, where they are received with open arms.

Ostend airport and Paris Vatry could also pick-up some freighter flights, one contact said.

Concerns have also been expressed over the impact the restrictions will have on ground handling jobs.

Dutch press reports quote the FNV union saying that as many as 100 jobs could be lost from ground handler Menzies as a result of the slot restrictions.

To try and mitigate the situation, Air Cargo Netherlands has proposed the creation of a local rule that would give priority to freighter operators when unused slots are re-allocated.

The organisation argues that other airports have their own local rules and that it would not contravene European regulations.

However, it is understood that the government is seeking approval of passenger airlines before pushing ahead with the local rule, which could hinder its progress.

The local rule is also backed by AirBridgeCargo, Cargolux, Emirates SkyCargo, Kalitta Air, Singapore Airlines and Qatar Airways, which each stand to lose out because of the slot restrictions.

Following on from the allocation of slots for the winter season, Schiphol cargo director Jonas van Stekelenburg said: The slot coordinator has now allocated slots for the IATA winter season and, as we expected, we believe this will result in a 10.5% reduction in Full Freighter slots for 2018 compared to 2017.

We expect that there will be some movement within this, with some carriers lending slots to others and some ad hoc slots allocated by the co-ordinator. In addition, some slots will not be used and will be handed back to be redistributed.

Schiphol cannot intervene in the slot allocation, which is undertaken by an independent body, but we continue to support our stakeholders and customers through this period of adjustment.

We understand that there is an initiative by Air Cargo Netherlands to give preference to full freighter operators when redistributing slots.

This is under discussion and if the aviation community at AMS can agree on this preference, Schiphols position would be to support this, as long as it fits in with the current and/or future slot framework set up, and does not interfere with the vested historic slot rights of carriers. We expect some news regarding this in the coming weeks.

Read more cargo airport news

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October 2, 2017

CAIRO  The Egyptian governments approval Sept. 20 of a proposal to amend the country's nationality law raised controversy among politicians, legal experts and rights activists amid fears that the amendments might be targeting opponents of current regime policies.

According to a Sept. 20 statement by the Council of Ministers, the governments proposed amendments would broaden the powers of the prime minister when it comes to taking nationality away from citizens. The proposed changes would add a provision that could revoke the nationality of Egyptians convicted of a crime harming state security, whether in Egypt or abroad, even if the person's parents were both Egyptian. The proposal also has a provision that would revoke Egyptian nationality acquired by a foreigner who joins any group or organization, inside or outside the country, aimed at harming the public order of the state.

Human rights activists and observers fear that if the amendments become law, the government would misuse them to take Egyptian nationality away from persons opposed to the regime under the pretext of protecting the country's security. The proposed amendments are expected to be submitted to the Egyptian Council of State for legal review before being referred to parliament, whose majority supports President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and his government.

The assistant interior minister for passports, immigration and nationality, Gen. Ahmed Anwar, told Youm7 news website Sept. 26 that the proposed amendments aim to preserve Egyptian identity and nationality.

Some from among the new arrivals to Egypt from countries with an unstable security situation took advantage of legal loopholes to acquire Egyptian nationality, thus the need to amend this law, Anwar said.

He said revoking nationality falls within the scope of the permissive and discretionary power of the Council of Ministers only, which must issue a reasoned decision in accordance with the supreme interests of the country and the requirements of national security.

Asked about former President Mohammed Morsi and others affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood, classified by the government as a terrorist group, Anwar said that the amendments provide for withdrawing nationality after a final judicial ruling. He said that stripping Morsi of his nationality is a decision subject to the Council of Ministers.

The administrative courts at the Egyptian Council of State have their hands full with lawsuits that call for Egyptian citizenship to be withdrawn from political figures opposed to the regime and also from Muslim Brotherhood leaders, whether in Egypt or abroad, against whom criminal judgments were issued or who are accused of communicating with foreign countries or working abroad with anti-Egypt entities.

In June 2016, the Administrative Court refused to strip Morsi of his nationality for lack of evidence proving he committed any act that undermined national security or harmed the country's supreme interests. But when Morsi was convicted of communicating with Qatar on Sept. 17, a new lawsuit was quickly filed that seeks to have his Egyptian citizenship withdrawn.

Nasser Amin, a member of the Egyptian National Council for Human Rights, told Al-Monitor, The government proposal explicitly violates Article 6 of the Egyptian Constitution and is contrary to the international conventions signed by Egypt, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. He said that nationality is a basic human right and that nationality may not be revoked even by law. No state, government or regime has the right to do so, he said.

Article 6 of the Egyptian Constitution says, "Nationality is a right to anyone born to an Egyptian father or an Egyptian mother, and legal recognition through official papers proving his/her personal data, is a right guaranteed and regulated by law. Requirements for acquiring nationality shall be specified by law.

Amin said of the amendment proposal, If passed, it will be a major legislative disaster that will forcibly turn citizens into aliens. The amended law might be used by the government or the regime to persecute a given civilian group or a group of citizens for political reasons.

Amin said he did not think the changes will pass, saying the government is expected to refer the proposal "to the State Council's Fatwa and Legislation Department  which is responsible for reviewing draft laws submitted by the parliament or the government and examining their conformity with the provisions of the constitution and international covenants" before forwarding the amendments to parliament in preparation for discussion and approval.

Salah Fawzi, a constitutional law professor at Mansoura University who participated in the drafting of Egypts 2014 constitution, told Al-Monitor that the amendments do not violate the constitution or the Universal Declaration on Human Rights. The constitution did not prohibit the withdrawal of nationality from Egyptian nationals and left it to the government to regulate the process of granting or withdrawing nationality, he said.

He said the amendments were proposed to counter increased support for terrorist groups, escalating terrorist operations, crimes involving foreign communications and financing aimed at harming Egypts national security.

Fawzi said the amendments provide for guarantees by requiring a justification for the decision to revoke someone's nationality and by allowing citizens stripped of their nationality to have recourse to the court to reverse this decision. The law sets forth a general framework and does not target specific persons, he noted.

On Dec. 14, 2016, parliamentarian Mustafa Bakri, who supports Sisis regime, along with more than 60 members of parliament, had submitted a less stringent version of the government's proposed amendments to revoke the Egyptian nationality of "terrorists."

Bakris proposal specified that anyone convicted by a final and conclusive judgment of committing a terrorist crime would be stripped of Egyptian nationality. His proposal was rejected by the government at the time and postponed.

In an article in Al-Watan newspaper, Bakri criticized the current governments proposal, saying, It might be exploited to punish anyone with a dissenting opinion.

Author and journalist Abdullah al-Senawi described the governments proposal as a serious legislative development that deprives the state of its jurisdiction over its citizens and its right to prosecute the perpetrators of crimes abroad according to international laws. He told Al-Monitor, The proposal also would revoke the nationality of the adult children of Egyptian women married to a foreigner, but not that of her minor children.

Senawi said the amendment proposal is a setback, considering that Egyptian women married to a foreigner have obtained the right for their children to be granted Egyptian nationality. This is a serious violation of the rule of equality that threatens the stability of the family, he said.

Many believe that the government will not back down from the proposal and that parliament will likely approve the amendments since most lawmakers support Sisis regime.
October 3, 2017

Turkeys president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, is scheduled to fly to Tehran tomorrow for talks with his Iranian counterpart, Hassan Rouhani, and the Islamic Republics supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The visit follows a flurry of high-level exchanges between the historic rivals who seem united, at least for now, in seeking to reverse the referendum on Kurdish independence in Iraqi Kurdistan and to cement shaky de-escalation zones to end the conflict in Syria.

The state-run Anadolu news agency reported that Erdogan and Rouhani will chair the fourth meeting of the Turkey-Iran High Level Cooperation Council, which gathered for the first time in Ankara in 2014 to bolster trade ties between the regions non-Arab heavyweights.

Turkeys Chief of General Staff Hulusi Akar was in Tehran on Monday to reciprocate an August visit to Ankara by Iranian counterpart Mohammad Hossein Bagheri, the first such visit by an Iranian army chief since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

In a joint news conference Bagheri said Iran and Turkey were unanimous in their determination to preserve Iraqs territorial integrity and called the Iraqi Kurdish referendum unacceptable. Bagheri added that Turkey and Iran will collaborate in matters of military training and border security. They would also take part in each others war games, he said.

Yet, for all the recent mutual back-slapping, Iran and Turkey continue to disagree on a broad array of issues. Galip Dalay, the research director at Al Sharq Forum, explained in a recent essay, This recent uptick in diplomatic activity should be seen in the context of a recent convergence of concerns and threat perceptions in the Middle East. Dalay cautioned, However, it should not be interpreted as anything more than that, as Turkey and Iran continue to have diverging, if not conflicting, interests, especially in Iraq and Syria.

Still, Persian-Turkish hobnobbing is being observed with mounting worry in Iraqi Kurdistan as leaders from both sides keep up their calls on Massoud Barzani, Iraqi Kurdistan's president, to annul the referendum results. In a show of force, Iran and Turkey have deployed additional troops to the Iraqi Kurdish border and invited Iraqi forces to join in training drills.

Khameneis chief of staff, Mohammadi Golpayegani, has called the referendum a Zionist plot, a view that was echoed by Bagheri.

In Turkey, too, the pro-Islamic and nationalist media is awash with claims of how Barzani and his family are in fact crypto-Jews who are bent on establishing a second Israel. Israel is one of the few countries to say it will recognize an independent Kurdish state in Iraq.

An Iraqi Kurdish official told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity the Iraqi Kurdish leadership had reached out to several ethnic Kurdish members of parliament in Erdogans ruling Justice and Development Party for their help. But so far, their intervention appears to have had little effect. This has further alienated pious, pro-Barzani Kurds who normally vote for Erdogan.

An unswayed Erdogan renewed threats to impose further sanctions on the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) if it failed to rescind the referendum, saying, If they do not come to their senses, [sanctions] will grow.

Erdogan was due to discuss such measures with his ally Devlet Bahceli, the leader of the far-right Nationalist Action Party, who is leading the chorus of xenophobic howls against the referendum.

Meanwhile, Baghdad, which shut Iraqi Kurdistan's airspace to international flights on Sept. 29, is continuing to pile on pressure as well.

The Kurdish news outlet Rudaw reported today that the Iraqi parliament had asked the countrys federal court in a letter to strip Kurdish lawmakers who backed independence of their parliamentary immunity. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi says he will not resume any dialogue with Erbil until the KRG cancels the results of the plebiscite, which was approved by a crushing 93% of voters. Reuters, quoting banking and government sources, reported that Iraq's Central Bank told the KRG today that it would halt selling dollars to four top Kurdish banks and stop all foreign currency transfers to the Kurdish zone. Yet Barzani shows no signs of cracking.

Many Iraqi Kurdish officials blame the United States for Iraqi intransigence. They insist Washingtons noisy campaign against the referendum has emboldened their enemies and deepened instability and that Washington stands to lose as well. The United States has several key bases in the Iraqi Kurdish territory and the CIA is known to run a huge regional intelligence-gathering operation out of the region. Moreover, the US-led anti-Islamic State coalition ferries arms and other critical supplies to their Kurdish and Arab allies in Syria via Iraqi Kurdistan.

Iraqi Kurdish officials aired hopes that Baghdad would reopen the airspace to allow the return of former Iraqi President Jalal Talabanis body to his native Sulaimaniyah.

A larger-than-life figure beloved by journalists for his accessibility and sly wit, Talabani died in Berlin today after a long bout of illness. His death is expected to spark further infighting in the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, the party he founded and led in opposition to Barzanis Kurdistan Democratic Party.

Then again, in death Talabani may become a vehicle for unity among the Kurds and for cooling tensions with Baghdad, Iran, Turkey and the United States. All are expected to send emissaries to his funeral. Anadolu, quoting unnamed sources, said Erdogan had called Talabani's widow Hero today, offering condolences.
October 3, 2017

Iran devoted enormous energy to try to prevent Iraqi Kurds from holding their Sept. 25 independence referendum, accusing the Kurdish leadership of recklessness and endangering the stability of the region. Having failed in that endeavor, officials in Tehran are now at a loss as to what punitive measures they can realistically take to punish the Kurds without causing further instability on their doorstep.

As the pressure mounts on Iraqi Kurds following the plebiscite in which nearly 93% of voters cast ballots in favor of seceding from Iraq, Iran as a historical ally of the Iraqi Kurds appears to be hesitant to take extreme measures against its western neighbor, fearing further instability that could easily spill over into Iran's own Kurdish areas. Nonetheless, Tehran has taken some half measures against the Iraqi Kurds, seemingly mainly for domestic consumption.

Tehran imposed fuel sanctions on Sept. 30, flights from Iran to the two main airports in Iraqi Kurdistan have been suspended and the Iranian armed forces are engaged in joint drills with the Iraqi military on the Iraqi Kurdish border. Iranian officials have also met with their Turkish and Iraqi counterparts to reportedly take some joint measures against the Kurdish administration in northern Iraq.

But Iran cannot afford to alienate the Iraqi Kurds, who are currently an important security, political and trade partner and a historical ally of Tehran. Historically, Iran has had better relations with the Kurds than other countries, said Ebrahim Rahimpour, the Iranian deputy foreign minister for Asian and Pacific Affairs. We hope that they stop at this referendum and demonstration of peoples sentiments. Rahimpour implies that Tehran can live with the referendum if the Kurds do not take further steps toward independence, and he believes that the pace of events is so fast that it is difficult for Tehran to predict what is going to happen.

The Iranian parliaments national security and foreign policy commission held an extraordinary session Sept. 27 behind closed doors to discuss the Kurdistan referendum. Representatives of the Foreign Ministry, Intelligence Ministry, Quds Force were present, as was Ali Shamkhani, the secretary of the Supreme National Security Council. Iran does not recognize the referendum for Kurdistan independence, and he [Shamkhani] discussed the territorial integrity of Iraq and mentioned measures that should be taken by our country and regionally, said Behrouz Nemati, the spokesman for parliaments presiding board. Nemati also attended the meeting. However, our measures are mostly dialogue oriented  there are problems with trade and exporting oil from the Kurdish areas, and we believe it should be resolved through diplomacy, Nemati said.

For decades, Iran has propped up regional alliances and proxy forces to do its bidding outside its borders; Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps commanders often boast about the level of security that exists in Iran as one of their biggest achievements. The last thing Iran wants, given the American presence in Iraq, is a security threat from thousands of Iranian Kurdish peshmerga forces stationed on its western border that could be used by the United States and other regional foes against Tehran. The referendum in Iraqi Kurdistan created a wave of demonstrations and celebrations across the Kurdish region in Iran that caused alarm in Tehran, which deployed thousands more troops to keep the area peaceful. Qassemlou Qassemlou, your path will continue, shouted a crowd in the city of Sanandaj in Kurdistan province, referring to the secretary-general of the Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran who was assassinated by Iranian agents in Vienna in 1989. Iran fought a bloody war against Kurdish peshmerga forces in the 1980s, and Iranian officials realize the potential for unrest in the countrys Kurdish region. Despite arresting a large number of Kurds who participated in the demonstrations, Iranian security services were careful not to kill any protesters. "Two-thirds of the army was bogged down in Kurdistan," said Maj. Gen. Hussein Hassani Sadi on Sept. 24, referring to the nascent Islamic Republics conflict with Kurdish militants in the 1980s.

The regional dynamics and the suspicion with which Iran sees the Turkish role in Iraq and in the region also play crucial roles in the way Iranian officials calculate their policies. Tehran has helped its main ally, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, to survive six years of civil war despite the best efforts of Turkey, the West and the Sunni Arab world to oust him. On top of Hezbollah in Lebanon, an indispensable regional ally, Iran has three more important relationships: the Houthis of Yemen, the militias in Syria and the Popular Mobilization Units in Iraq  most of whom are loyal to Tehran. Iran is in a strong position in the region and does not need to be involved in another conflict.

Despite rhetoric of mutual cooperation against the Kurds by Tehran and Ankara, the two countries have a history of suspicion and betrayal. In the 1980s, Turkey indirectly assisted the Saddam Hussein regime against Iran by allowing large quantities of oil to be exported from Kirkuk to Ceyhan and from there to the international market, allowing Saddam to buy more weapons to fight the Iranians. In the 1990s, Turkey and Iran were in a bitter rivalry during the Kurdish civil war, during which Turkey established several military bases in the Iraqi Kurdish region, increasing its influence with the Massoud Barzani's Kurdistan Democratic Party, the main ruling party in Iraqi Kurdistan.

As such, any unnecessary economic or security pressure on the Kurds could backfire on Tehran. It would likely alienate the Kurdish public  who backed the referendum overwhelmingly  and also jeopardize Tehrans influence with its main ally in the Iraqi Kurdish region, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan.
October 3, 2017

The recurring debate in Iran over reviving the position of prime minister has been resumed. This time, however, the discussion appears to be taking a somewhat more serious turn, with a number of parliamentarians preparing to obtain the backing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to proceed from talk to action.

For a decade after the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Iran had a parliamentary political system. Mehdi Bazargan served as the country's first post-revolutionary prime minister, before his government resigned following Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini's endorsement of the US Embassy takeover in November 1979. The last prime minister was Mir Hossein Mousavi, who held the office from 1981 to 1989, concurrent with much of the Iran-Iraq War. Mousavi is currently under house arrest stemming from protests against the disputed 2009 presidential elections.

In 1989, the constitution was amended to abolish the premiership, with the responsibilities of the office divided between the president and first vice president. The move was primarily driven by repeated disputes between the prime minister and president, including tensions over their areas of authority and the appointment of ministers. During the past decade, however, reverting to a parliamentary system has been raised on several occasions.

In 2011, the supreme leader stated, If one day in the distant or near future, which is not likely to happen in the near future, [the need to change] the presidential system to a parliamentary [one] is sensed, that would be no problem. A conservative member of parliament has now announced that lawmakers are preparing a letter to Khamenei, asking for his backing to once again amend the constitution.

On Oct. 1, conservative member of parliament Ezzatollah Yousefian Molla told a news agency, A parliamentary system would have good results, but to do so, we need a constitutional review, so the MPs are thinking of what to do for reviewing the constitution, and [whether] they should send a letter to the supreme leader for [his permission to] review the constitution or [whether] the leader [himself] orders the president to [pursue] the constitutional review.

Following Molla's statement, another member of parliament clarified the thinking in the legislature. There are two views in parliament, Mohammad Javad Jamali Nobandegani told a news site on Oct. 3. Some MPs want the presidential term to be extended, and a number of them seek [to reinstate] a parliamentary system.

He further explained, MPs seek to extend the presidential term to seven years in order to prevent the country from being engulfed by the [issue of] elections and campaigns every four years. Nobandegani added, These lawmakers believe that by extending the [presidential] term, the country wont face electoral tensions and conflicts anymore. Besides, seven years is a good opportunity for the government to take control of the country.

During the current debate over whether the presidency should be abolished, Reformist members of parliament and analysts have mostly kept quiet or have voiced their opposition to such a move. Changing the presidential system is the end to direct voting by the people, and Im opposed to it, wrote Sadegh Zibakalam, a prominent pro-Reform analyst, in the Oct. 3 edition of the daily Ghanoon.
October 2, 2017

On Sept. 24, the United States announced a revised travel ban that, unlike its predecessors, may face fewer legal hurdles. Making America Safe is my No. 1 priority. We will not admit those into our country we cannot safely vet, President Donald Trump tweeted just after his administration released the details of his new proclamation.

Given that 62% of nonimmigrant travelers impacted by what many dub Travel Ban 3.0 are Iranian citizens, this indefinite ban  if upheld  could have long-term consequences on the Iranian-American community.

Unlike the previous two bans, the new measure  which adds Chad, North Korea and Venezuela to the list of blacklisted countries while removing Sudan  may be upheld as legal for a number of reasons, as Elie Mystal, editor of Above the Law, has pointed out. First, the ban says the United States requires certain information from countries before giving their citizens visas for travel to the United States, and puts forward that Iran, Libya, Syria, Yemen, Somalia, Chad, North Korea and Venezuela cannot meet those requirements. Second, it says countries can get off the list if they provide this information. And third, it treats different countries differently.

These parameters, which did not exist in the first two versions of the travel ban, could mean that the ban could potentially be upheld in court. Furthermore, the new ban does not affect those with validly issued green cards, visas or travel documents. It also does not apply to refugees; new rules governing refugees will apparently be announced soon. However, unlike the other two bans, this ban has no end date  it only requires periodic reviews.

The first ban, which attempted to prohibit the entry of green card holders and those with valid visas, came under immediate attack by activists and civil rights groups. The second ban, which had a focus on families of US citizens, also faced immediate pushback.

Amy Malek, a scholar of the Iranian diaspora and professor at the College of Charleston, told Al-Monitor, Travel Ban 2.0 placed kinship at the fore, requiring travelers from these countries to possess bona fide relationships with US citizens. In doing so, the Trump administration made bizarre assumptions about who we regard as kin, which relationships are real and therefore which deserve to be preserved through granting rights to travel. She added, In response to community protests and judicial challenges to these interpretations, Travel Ban 3.0 dealt with that pesky kinship problem by imposing a blanket ban on nearly everyone, regardless of any relationships or bona fides.

Although the Trump administration claims that it is no longer a Muslim ban because of the addition of non-Muslim majority countries, Becca Heller, director of the International Refugee Assistance Project, has argued, Of [the newly added] countries, Chad is majority Muslim, travel from North Korea is already basically frozen, and the restrictions on Venezuela only affect government officials on certain visas. As such, the Trump administrations claim that Travel Ban 3.0 doesnt single out Muslims appears far-fetched.

As the bans have disproportionately affected Iranians, the Iranian-American community has organized itself in the past few months with a series of lawsuits, amicus briefs, direct actions and campaigns to reverse the bans. Organizations such as NIAC Action have teamed up with 12 major civil rights groups to oppose the ban. Along with organizations such as the ACLU, Muslim Advocates and Amnesty International, NIAC Action will in coming weeks deliver petitions from constituents demanding Congress take action. The National Iranian American Council has stated, Amending this ban does not change what its intent has been since its inception, which was clearly to ban Muslims. The Trump Administration has simply tried to make the presidents racist proclamation to ban all Muslims more palatable.

If it becomes indefinite  which could very much be the case given the absence of diplomatic relations between Iran and the United States  Travel Ban 3.0 will have severe consequences for the Iranian American community. Neda Maghbouleh, a professor at the University of Toronto and author of a book on race and Iranian-Americans, told Al-Monitor, One short-term consequence is that Iranian nationals working in America wont even be able to renew their work visas, much less stay on a more permanent basis. This is disastrous for American industries that have long relied on Iranian human capital to grow our economy and maintain a competitive advantage in sectors like biomedical science, tech and engineering.

Al-Monitor also spoke with Mana Kharrazi, the executive director of Iranian Alliances Across Borders. The group filed an amicus brief that was cited in the 9th Circuits ruling deeming the revised travel ban unconstitutional in June. Commenting on the revised travel restrictions, she said, The administrations ban is an attack on our communities and discriminates based on national origin and religion. Barring our families from the United States protects no one and only perpetuates the hatred that has left us vulnerable to violence over the past year. We must challenge this ban and the hatred at its root. We absolutely have a right to exist in the United States and refuse to be pawns in a political agenda that has little to do with safety and security.

The issue of "safety and security is the animating question of the new proclamation. It claims that the new ban will allow the United States to know that the people traveling from the blacklisted countries are who they say they are. But as Amy Malek told Al-Monitor, Diaspora communities often rely on travel and transportation to thrive, whether to maintain social networks, operate transnational businesses or sustain family relationships across borders. And these relationships benefit America in numerous ways, whether cultural, economic, political or social. So to claim this blanket ban benefits all American citizens  as the proclamation does  ignores the millions of American citizens whose relatives, partners and colleagues are effectively and indefinitely blacklisted by this new proclamation. She added, This is not a minor inconvenience. It is deeply painful, it is callous and it is rooted in anything but a genuine concern for the safety and well-being of this country and all its citizens.

Yet the direst consequences could be for the future of the Iranian-American community. Maghbouleh told Al-Monitor, [The ban] represents a foreclosure of possibilities for the future of Iranian-Americans. Relative to other groups, we havent been in the United States as immigrants for very long  only really the last 40 years. But now, because immigration from Iran is banned indefinitely, those of us who are already here  either as naturalized citizens or born to our Iranian immigrant parents  have to imagine a future where we might as well be the last Iranian-Americans.
October 3, 2017

Israeli Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon was wearing a bright white shirt and a red tie as he sat down behind his desk Oct. 2 for a video chat with the public. Throughout the entire conversation, the Kulanu Party chairman attempted to relay the sense that he has been very busy lately. He made sure to show off his past achievements and to present his plans for the future. The questions submitted by the viewers came in as he was talking. It was obvious that someone behind the scenes was sorting through them carefully and picking only the ones that would help the finance minister sell his message to his audience.

In this way, Kahlon expressed a measure of reservation against recent decisions by the Supreme Court, including the decision to overturn the tax he wanted to introduce on people who own a third apartment  the flagship piece of legislation in his efforts to reduce housing costs. He also promised that he would resubmit his law to the Knesset in its winter session, which begins Oct. 23.

The last question was about Kahlon's plan to put together a budget for 2019 over the next few months. News of this was first reported by Channel 2 one day earlier, generating considerable buzz in the political arena. After all, proposing a budget this early is such a rare step that it immediately raised questions as to Kahlon's motivations. At the same time, it also had people asking how it would affect Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the future of his fourth government.

In his response, Kahlon confirmed that he may start working on the budget now, sayingt Israel needs a budget for 2019 in order to relay a sense of stability. "There doesnt have to be some conspiracy or anything behind this," he said. "It is something that a finance minister does to signal that we have a stable economy with a bright future ahead of us."

This is, of course, an official and partial answer by someone who is preparing himself for the most extreme scenarios as a result of the criminal investigations into the prime minister's dealings, which could eventually lead to the sudden collapse of this government.

Kulanus chairman realizes that he needs more time so that he can present the public with significant achievements in the areas of housing and reducing the cost of living. Putting together the 2019 budget long before this would normally be done sends a message of stability to the economy and investors, but at the same time, it is also a sophisticated maneuver that will benefit Kahlon politically.

His greatest fear is a quick decision by Netanyahu to advance the next elections as the investigations proceed and the prime minister becomes more likely to face indictment. Should that happen, Netanyahu could claim that he is the victim of a political witch hunt. In fact, many consider this to be a reasonable scenario.

If that happens, Kahlon and other coalition partners who have no interest in going to the polls anytime soon could find themselves facing a snap election. Kahlon still suffers from the trauma of his big fight with Netanyahu in April over the prime minister's attempt to shut down the new Public Broadcasting Corporation, threatening to call early elections. Kahlon walked away from that limping and scarred and has been preparing himself for elections ever since. He operates on the assumption that Netanyahu is unpredictable, and that the prime minister could surprise everyone.

The early approval of the 2019 budget would ensure that Kahlon has billions of shekels at his disposal to implement his programs, particularly his "Net Family" one, even during an election year. This is a program intended to benefit young families by increasing their net earnings by hundreds of shekels per month. Furthermore, he also realizes that Netanyahu will give him almost anything he asks for over the next few months  while facing the police investigations. Given the relatively harmonious state of the coalition, it should be easy for him to pass a budget.

The result of Kahlon's maneuvering less than three weeks before the Knesset meets for its winter session is that it creates the sense that the coalition is stable. Since Netanyahu benefits from this, Kahlon could be said to have strengthened Netanyahu, at least publicly.

This has another advantage for Kahlon, too. He hopes that the new chairman of the Labor Party, his nemesis Avi Gabbay, will lose popularity over time. As one senior minister told Al-Monitor, the surprising election of Gabbay as head of the Labor Party in July ensured that Kahlon, who was once the weakest link in the coalition, is now its strongest one. Gabbay leads a social-oriented agenda from the opposition; Kahlon is considered the champion of the working class within the government.

Obviously, Netanyahu could announce an election whenever he wants. Nevertheless, senior members of the coalition believe that nothing dramatic will happen to Netanyahu on the legal front before April 2018. The investigations are still underway, and it will take time to decide whether to indict him. What this means is that there is no reason to break the coalition apart now. Therefore, Netanyahu will begin the Knesset's winter session as a strong prime minister with solid support from the public and a stable and functioning coalition, with no major crises on the immediate horizon. As long as the diplomatic process plods along in place, with no major decisions to set the prime minister on a collision course with HaBayit HaYehudi, Netanyahu's fourth government could continue to function despite the mountain of investigations he faces.

Netanyahu is benefiting from the fact that none of his coalition partners want elections anytime soon, and their aversion to another round of elections only gets stronger over time. Most of these partners are not particularly fond of Netanyahu in the best of circumstances, but their narrow political interests cause them to hold on to their seats in government as tightly as they can for as long as they can, and that means maintaining the integrity of the coalition.

The chairman of Shas, Interior Minister Aryeh Deri, is in a bad situation. His party is losing support, and he is entangled in criminal investigations of his own. In other words, the last thing he needs right now is an election. We have already seen how Kahlon needs more time. Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman, the chairman of Yisrael Beitenu, enjoys his job, so he also wants the government to remain in power. As for HaBayit HaYehudi, its leader Naftali Bennett wouldn't dare bring down a right-wing government. Even having Netanyahu in power is not a good enough reason for him to do that.

As far as the opposition is concerned, no good news will come out of the Knesset's winter session. They expected this to be the session in which Netanyahu falls, but that isn't happening  at least not yet.

What's worth noting is that this will be the first time that the head of the largest opposition party will not be serving as chairman of the opposition in the Knesset. Gabbay is not a Knesset member, so he will try to present an alternative to Netanyahu from outside the legislature. At the very least, that should be interesting.
October 3, 2017

The Israeli left made no bones about its glee over the empty bleachers at the Sept. 27 jubilee celebration of the liberation of Judea, Samaria, the Jordan Valley and Golan Heights organized by the settlers in the occupied West Bank. The left views the photos of the empty seats as proof of the settlers failure to occupy the hearts and minds of the general Israeli public. The leftists argue that not only did the billions poured by successive Israeli governments into the settlements for 50 years lure fewer than 5% of Israelis to live there  about 400,000 according to the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics  the vast majority avoided the wasteful liberation festival.

Yet the pleasure taken by the left in the seeming failure of the settlers and their patrons is somewhat pathetic. Granted, the right-wing concept of a return to the land of the forefathers has not created a major demographic shift of Israelis moving to the settlements. Nonetheless, the notion has ingrained itself in the minds of broad swathes of the Israeli public and of tens of thousands of visitors from around the world. It happens daily in Jerusalems Old City and throughout the West Bank.

This occupation is alive and very well, for example, at the site of Biyar Aqueduct that lies within walking distance of the failed jubilee ceremony in the Etzion settlement bloc that was organized by Culture Minister Miri Regev. Every year, some 100,000 women, children and men visit the Biyar Aqueduct that was built some 2,000 years ago to supply water to Jerusalem and the Jewish Temple. The aqueduct epitomizes the importance of the entire area as the source of life for Jewish Jerusalem in its golden age. The website of the Kfar Etzion Field School that operates the site reads, Various researchers date the Biyar Aqueduct to different times over a 200-year period that began with King Alexander Yannai [of the Hasmonean period in the first century B.C.], through King Herod and even the Roman era. Despite this uncertainty, the aqueduct is presented to visitors as a relic of the early Roman era, also known as the days of the Second Temple. According to official reporting by the field school to the nongovernmental organization registrar, the aqueduct tours brought in more than 16 million Israeli shekels ($4.5 million) in 2014.

The Biyar Aqueduct is an example of a 'tourism settlement'  creating a tourist site on ancient relics and marketing the place as an Israeli heritage site, archaeologist Yonathan Mizrachi told Al-Monitor. Mizrachi heads the Emek Shaveh center that seeks to prevent the use of ancient relics as a tool in national conflict or a value justifying harm to weak groups. Such use is made by the operators of the City of David site below the walls of Jerusalems Old City, on the land of the Palestinian village of Silwan. Almost every Israeli high school student and soldier is brought to visit the site, becoming an advocate of an Israeli presence there. Silwans Muslim past and the link of its residents to the place is presented as random and negligible, if at all.

At the jubilee event, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared, There will be no more uprooting of communities in the Land of Israel.  We will uproot neither Jews nor Arabs. Constraints imposed by his hard-line coalition partners will prevent him from evacuating Jewish outposts in the West Bank, but the Palestinians arent counting on his declaration to thwart the uprooting of their homes and schools in the Jordan Valley and Hebron Hills. The Netanyahu government has been pulling them out by their historic roots for years.

We have restored our historic continuity, Netanyahu boasted in his speech, referring to the 1967 Israeli conquest of the Etzion bloc and other areas of the West Bank and East Jerusalem. What was in these lands when we did not control them? the prime minister asked. A foreign army, terror activity, mine fields, he offered as a reply. Is that really all that was there up to June 1967? Is there really historic continuity in the Land of Israel? What about 350 years of Roman rule and more than 300 years of rule by the Byzantine Empire? And how did 400 years of Arab rule (638-1099) slip the mind of Netanyahu, the son of a noted historian, Benzion Netanyahu?

There is clear evidence at the Biyar Aqueduct  as there is at other sites  of the presence of the sons of the Judean Kingdom or of Jews at various periods, Mizrachi conceded. The problem is that these sites are being used as propaganda tools to establish the right of Jews to those lands, and the multicultural aspect of thousands of years of history is sidelined or even wiped out of the whole story. Israelis talk a lot about the first and second temples in Jerusalem, Mizrachi added, but they dont tell you that the land continued to develop also under the Romans and Byzantines, and that Emperor Saladin not only conquered the land, but also orchestrated demographic shifts there.

The director of the small organization, consisting of four employees and some 10 volunteers, brought up the 2010 government resolution to turn Shiloh into a central tourism and heritage site in the Samaria region of the West Bank, at significant investment. Although excavations have unearthed churches and decorated mosaics from the Byzantine period, Mizrachi noted, clear attempts are being made through archaeological research to prove the biblical tale of Shilohs importance as an ancient center of Jewish worship. A private settlers organization that runs the site has established a park at the site entirely dedicated to the story of the shrine tent built by the Israelites. The site attracts tens of thousands of devoted Christians, mostly evangelists from the United States, Europe and South Korea.

Israeli law on archaeological sites resembles that of other countries around the world. When development and construction works are to be executed near ancient sites, the state must run salvage excavations" to preserve the findings. A new study conducted by Emek Shaveh, based on documents obtained from the Israeli militarys civil administration authorities in the West Bank, refutes the accepted assumption that archaeological digs are largely conducted for research purposes. The study found that during a period of seven years (2007-2014), 90% of the salvage excavation requests submitted by the state were designed to enable construction of or within settlements, and only a small part in Palestinian villages. These findings demonstrate once again Israels discriminatory approach against West Bank Palestinians; most of the infrastructure work conducted prior to salvage excavations were designed to strengthen the settlements through the building of fences and developing infrastructure. Of note, the 1995 Oslo II Accord between Israel and the Palestinians stipulates that responsibility for archaeology throughout the West Bank would be handed over to the Palestinian Authority.

How can one blame those among the Palestinians who demand the right of return to their ancestors lands, when they base their claim on the 1947 United Nations Partition Plan that created the State of Israel? Israel uses slanted archaeology to steal the past of the Palestinian people. Israel is ruled by a politician  Netanyahu  who relies on the story of David and Goliath, the Hasmonean wars against the ancient Greeks and of Bar Kohba against the Romans to shatter any vestige of hope by the two people for a better future. The Jewish nation is deeply rooted within the Land of Israel; a land that has room enough also for the roots of the Palestinian people.
October 3, 2017

Israel facilitated the entry of Palestinian Authority (PA) Cabinet ministers into Gaza on Oct. 2 to attend a reconciliation meeting between Fatah and Hamas. It took Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a day to respond to the event. Speaking at a Likud meeting in the West Bank settlement of Maale Adumim, Netanyahu said, We expect everyone who talks about a peace process to recognize the State of Israel and, of course, to recognize a Jewish state. He added, Whoever wants to make such a reconciliation, our understanding is very clear: Recognize the State of Israel, disband the Hamas military arm, sever the connection with Iran, which calls for our destruction.

Contrary to past statements by Netanyahu opposing Palestinian reconciliation, his props this time did not include threats against Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas or warnings of sanctions. Most of all, his choice of words differed in expression from that in April 2014, when Hamas and Fatah announced the establishment of a national unity government. Abbas would rather have unity with Hamas than peace with Israel, Netanyahu had tweeted.

Netanyahu's foreign minister at the time, Avigdor Liberman, concurred, saying that Abbas had to decide whether he wanted to make peace with Israel or with Hamas. Liberman described the signing of the unity agreement as tantamount to a signature on the end of negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. This time around, at least for the moment, Liberman is keeping quiet. In fact, it was the Defense Ministry, which he now heads, that was responsible for the Palestinian delegation getting into Gaza for talks.

Indeed, Israeli military authorities oversaw the arrangements allowing the 350 Palestinians from the West Bank to cross quickly and efficiently through the Erez crossing into Gaza. The delegation included PA Cabinet members, advisers, officials and security teams. It went over like a well-coordinated military operation, an Israeli military source told Al-Monitor, speaking on the condition of anonymity.

Thus, on Oct. 3, a new Palestinian unity government convened in Gaza for a special session, and the previously estranged sides ceremoniously announced that the decadelong rift between them had ended and that a new chapter in their relationship had begun. As reported in Al-Monitor, however, true reconciliation is still far off.

Despite the discernible difficulties clear to the leaders on both sides, a sense of heady optimism nonetheless prevails. On the evening prior to the festive meeting, news broadcasters in Gaza and the West Bank announced that this would be the last night of division, as both sides had chosen to restore the unity of the Palestinian people for the sake of the national interest.

So why didnt Netanyahu threaten Abbas with sanctions or condemn him for an alliance with those who aspire to destroy Israel? Why did Liberman order Defense Ministry officials to arrange for the efficient entry of the Palestinian delegation into Gaza? Why didnt Liberman condemn Abbas in his usual manner?

This time is different, a top Fatah official explained to Al-Monitor on the condition of anonymity. Israeli threats against the Palestinian Authority, sanctions or even just [verbal] attacks on the PA and Mahmoud Abbas would, in fact, constitute direct threats against Egypt and its president, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who is sponsoring the reconciliation talks.

According to the Fatah source, Egypt notified the United States and Israel on the progress of the rapprochement, making it clear that a Palestinian unity government is not only in Egypt's interest, but has positive implications for Israel and the Palestinians as well. Egypt regards such an agreement as vital to a regional peace deal, in which it hopes to play a major role. From Cairo's perspective, the Palestinian split between the West Bank and Gaza is an obstacle that must be removed for a diplomatic breakthrough on resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The United States appears to share this view. President Donald Trumps Middle East envoy, Jason Greenblatt, who visited Israel and the West Bank at the end of September, updated Netanyahu on the American position on the reconciliation and the significance of such a move for a US peace blueprint soon to be unveiled.

Trump had promised Abbas at their brief, Sept. 20 meeting in New York to present the principles of his blueprint within a few weeks. Yet it now seems clear that he will not do so until the fate of the internal Palestinian negotiations, due to continue in Cairo next week, becomes clearer. That means that as far as the Trump administration is concerned, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict will only be resolved under a regional umbrella, with Egypt playing a central role.

Should the Palestinians actually reconcile, it remains unclear what the Americans might consider a good agreement. Meanwhile, one cannot ignore that the Americans, like the Israelis, have not issued an official response to the talks in Gaza, even with Hamas still on the Department of State's list of foreign terrorist organizations.

As noted previously in Al-Monitor, Palestinian intelligence chief Majid Faraj enjoys a warm relationship with the Trump administration. CIA Director Mike Pompeo and Greenblatt see him as a moderating, calming influence that provides stability to Abbas regime and serves the interests of the United States and Israels security. Faraj is a pivotal participant in the Gaza talks. He is among those engaging with Hamas' leader in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar. The core issue on which everything depends is whether Hamas is willing to hand Abbas security control of Gaza. Israel would regard such an agreement by Hamas as a positive development, and the United States would see it as removing a major obstacle to launching Israeli-Palestinian negotiations. That is why Israel and the United State have decided to lay low, at least until they see whether Sisis plan withstands the test of reality.

Meanwhile Netanyahu, while careful not to threaten Abbas, is thinking several steps ahead. His words have been intended first and foremost for American ears. He is already trying to block whatever diplomatic initiative the Trump administration might present in the near future.
October 3, 2017

During the Moammar Gadhafi era in Libya, the regime was intolerable of any opposition, political parties were illegal and free press did not exist. Many Libyans who opposed the regime left the country and lived abroad. Many settled in the United States and Europe, mostly as political refugees. As the years passed, many of them gained the citizenships of their host countries.

However, in the late 1990s, as the country was opening up and relations with the West were improving, many such individuals returned to Libya  except the high-profile opposition leaders who were afraid to come back to Libya. After the regime was overthrown with NATO help in October 2011, most of the opposition leaders came back to the country and held high-ranking positions, including prime minister, speaker of parliament and even directors of the security apparatus in the new Libya.

However, no one seemed to pay attention to the fact that Libyas Law No. 24 of 2010 stating that any Libyan who gains another citizenship without written permission from the minister of interior at the time automatically loses his Libyan citizenship and his right to hold public office, either elected or otherwise. The law is still applicable and has not yet been annulled.

In the euphoria of deposing the regime and the high hope of freedoms in the new Libya of 2011-12, no one seemed to care about the law. The Constitutional Assembly was elected on Feb. 20, 2014, to draft a new constitution, and many former exiles were elected to its chamber. One of them is Libyan-American Ali al-Tarhouni who became the head of the new body.

Of the members of the new body, Daw al-Mansouri, a lawyer by profession, questioned the legality of Tarhounis membership and quietly started considering his options. Mansouri noticed that Tarhouni is indirectly backed by Islamists in the Constitutional Assembly helping him dominate the discussions, get elected to head the new body on April 20, 2014, and have the final say on the internal working procedures within the 60-member assembly. Mansouri tried to have more members join him in taking the case to court, but no one seemed interested, either out of fear or believing the case would be inadmissible.

Mansouri told Al-Monitor, Right after Tarhouni became chairman of the assembly, I started to question his membership in the assembly and how he got elected in the first place. Once I was sure, I decided to press ahead with the case  even without the support of other members.

He said, I became even more determined to have Tarhounis election invalidated as I watched him increasingly dominating the discussions trying to impose his own opinions despite the fact that we were required to vote on any proposed articles to be drafted and included in the new constitution. The Constitutional Assembly was required to pass any draft of the constitution by simple majority of 35 members.

And indeed Mansouri complained to the court in eastern Libya in January 2016, and the case was postponed three times. But Tarhounis membership was suspended pending the outcome of the trial. When asked why so late, Mansouri said, We had many complications and interruptions including the war of 2014, so practically we did not do much during the intervening period.

On Sept. 20, Libyas High Court in Tripoli issued its final verdict that indeed Tarhouni should not have been a member in the first place since he is a dual citizen of Libya and the United States. Tarhounis defense team failed to present the required documents set out in law No. 24, such as a written permission from the relevant authorities in Libya allowing him to have another citizenship and invalidating his Libyan citizenship once he became a US citizen. He is required to go through another legal procedure to reclaim his original Libyan citizenship and renounce his American one in order to be elected.

Asked by Al-Monitor what proof he had to present to court, Mansouri said, It was a video recording of Tarhouni speaking in Seattle, the United States, where he lived and worked for many years teaching at the University of Washington before returning to Libya in March 2011.

However, the case, underreported in the local media, made history in the judiciary system in the new Libya, and is likely to have wide implications, since there are many other former and current officials who should not have been appointed or elected in some positions as they have dual citizenship.

The list includes the former speaker of the first elected General National Congress (GNC), Mohamed Yusuf al-Magariaf, and at least four others including former Prime Minister Ali Zeidan, former GNC member Abdulrahman Swehli and former Deputy Prime Minister Mustafa A.G. Abushagur.

Al-Monitor asked Mansouri what can be done now with such individuals and if they can be prosecuted for forgery. He said, Indeed they can be prosecuted even if they are no longer in their positions as per the law. They at least have to return the salaries and any other benefits they were paid while working. They also have to answer in court as to how they got elected while they were not eligible. Asked if their work in the relevant bodies is no longer legal, Mansour said, No, this is very unlikely since they were not a majority.

In light of the new dialogue started in Tunis Sept. 26, to try to solve the political crisis, a group of Libyan activists took to the internet Sept. 29 to petition Ghassan Salame, the United Nations envoy to Libya, leading the talks, to make sure he is aware of the applicable Libyan laws as not to accept the nomination of any Libyan with dual citizenship to any position.

One of the leading activists is Fowzi Omaar who first started the petition on his Facebook page. Al-Monitor tracked Omaar down in Tripoli and asked him what he expects from his petition. He said, I am expecting to alert Salame about the applicable Libyan laws as to make sure [he will] not break them by accepting the appointment of any person with dual citizenship.

When told that such a law was passed under Gadhafi and many would dispute it, Omaar said, As long as they are still valid and have not been repealed or amended, everyone must respect them.

By visiting Omaars Facebook page, it appears that hundreds of Libyans are supporting his efforts. He said, I expect thousands of Libyans to sign the petition. On Oct. 2, Omaar sent a written message confirming to Al-Monitor that his petition was indeed delivered to Salames office in Tunis. He also noted that he is still urging more Libyans to start their own petition to the UN envoy about the same issue.

Omaar added, [I] think more Libyans will come forward and petition the UN envoy now that I opened the way for them.

It remains to be seen if the laws will be upheld while not repealed, or if they will be broken again just like in so many other situations. It would be a bad start at a time Libyans are seeking the rule of law and a new country where the judiciary is respected.
October 2, 2017

WASHINGTON  Former Israeli National Security Adviser Uzi Arad is urging Washington to build on the 2015 Iran nuclear deal rather than abandon or undermine it.

My position is in support of preserving the agreement and strengthening the agreement, Arad said on a call Monday hosted by the liberal Jewish-American group J Street, ahead of a week of events in Washington urging members of Congress and the Donald Trump administration to work with allies to address what comes after certain provisions in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) expire in a decade.

Doing away with the agreement is no real option, said Arad, who served as national security adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during 2009-2011. It simply removes from existence something that had been established, that presented certain assets and certain things that are tangible  and replacing that [with] nothing.

Arads presentations this week in Washington come ahead of an Oct. 15 quarterly deadline for Trump to certify to Congress that Iran is complying with the nuclear deal. Trump hinted at diplomatic meetings in New York last month that he is unlikely to do so. If Trump declines to certify, Congress has 60 days to decide if it should vote to reimpose US sanctions suspended under the deal in exchange for Irans rollback of its nuclear program.

The Trump White House, asked about Arads contention that building on the deal was better than abandoning it, said it considers the deal negotiated by six world powers and Iran during the Barack Obama administration as deeply flawed.

This administration believes strongly that the deal is bad for the US, a White House official, speaking not for attribution, told Al-Monitor on Monday. In particular, the sunset clauses, inadequate inspections provisions and lack of coverage of the full array of Irans malign activities make the deal fundamentally flawed.

The Trump administration is fully committed to addressing the totality of Iranian threats and malign activities and seeks to bring about a change in the Iranian regimes behavior, a State Department official, speaking not for attribution, told Al-Monitor.

The JCPOA was expected to contribute to regional and international peace and security, and Irans regime is doing everything in its power to undermine peace and security, the State Department official added.

But the former Netanyahu national security adviser, a two-decade veteran of Mossad, said that the 2015 nuclear accord had clear tangible benefits for Israeli and international security and that Iran, to date, had honored its strict terms.

Iran has indeed done away with those things that it committed itself to do away with, said Arad, who is now a professor at Israels Technion University and fellow at the Institute for National Security Studies think tank. He said he was speaking for himself and not on behalf of the Israeli government.

He said, It reduced inventories, it removed some of the centrifuges, it blocked the plutonium route. It undertook all kinds of restraints, quantitative and qualitative restraints, on its nuclear program. In doing so, it stopped the progression. It stopped the advance toward nuclear weapons. That is tangible, and that is good.

The agreement also established a legal edifice of yardsticks, goals, purposes, obligations that are very useful to uphold, Arad said. Now, if you take that away, you are in a void.

Arad also said that while the agreement may have room for improvement, he saw no serious alternative US strategy at all for what to do to prevent Iran from pursuing nuclear weapons capability if Washington abandons the deal.

Near as I can tell, there is no serious contingency plan what to do in service of the goal not to have nuclear weapons in the hands of Iran through the abrogation of the agreement, said Arad. So it is not a full-fledged option.

Washingtons European allies have urged the Trump administration to keep the JCPOA and said it cannot be renegotiated. But they have proposed that if the United States honors the deal, they would be willing to work with the Trump administration to try to address other concerns it has about Iran, including Irans support for military proxy groups in the region and its testing of ballistic missiles.

Arad said Washington needed to keep consensus with its European allies to most effectively use the time provided by the JCPOA to address longer-term threats.

Improve the verification, improve implementation, clarify ambiguities, Arad argued. Do it, strengthen it  and [do] not take it away, because in its absence you will be simply clueless as to what to do and you may end up losing in the process.
October 2, 2017

Encounters between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan tend to leave Middle East watchers pondering the implications of their discussions for the region. The recent meeting in Ankara between the "friends," as they referred to one another at a Sept. 28 press conference, was no different in that respect.

On the surface, the pragmatic meeting wasnt anything extraordinary; no concrete agreements were announced. The parties reiterated their commitment to de-escalation zones that help create conditions to end the fratricidal war in Syria. They also discussed the Iraqi Kurdistan independence referendum, as well as Russian-Turkish trade and energy cooperation. The confidential character of the negotiations in parallel with a meeting of Russian and Turkish security and military services and the recent statement from Erdogan that Turkey will be deploying its own forces in Idlib all indicate the Syrian agenda dominated Putin's visit to Ankara.

Remarkably, before the visit, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said Turkey is working alongside Russia and Iran to set up a new de-escalation zone in Afrin, a Syrian town populated mostly by ethnic Kurds. On the same day, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu criticized Russian airstrikes in Idlib that he said killed civilians as well as militants of the moderate opposition forces and could damage the credibility of peace negotiations in Astana, Kazakhstan.

As Al-Monitor previously reported, the guarantor states of the Astana agreements  Russia, Turkey and Iran  finally on Sept. 14-15 charted key parameters of the four Syrian de-escalation zones. Moscow has been deploying Russian military police on the border of Hama and Idlib provinces.

Yet since the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham coalition of Islamist factions attacked Russian forces Sept. 19 in the Idlib zone, the situation in northwest Syria has deteriorated. Russias chiefs of general staff accused US intelligence services of initiating a large-scale offensive by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham-affiliated Jabhat al-Nusra forces in western Syria. Moscow claims the Americans, seeking to disrupt the Syrian army's advance in the east, passed on sensitive information about the location of Russian military police on the southern side of the Euphrates in Deir ez-Zor. Subsequently, the Russians delivered a series of strikes in the Idlib zone, which includes parts of Aleppo, Hama and Latakia provinces.

Moscow said it delivered strikes only to suppress Hayat Tahrir al-Sham forces, which continue to attack Russian military police. On Sept. 28, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov went even further, saying, Throughout the week, all strikes by Russian aircraft in Idlib province have been zeroing in on the equipment, reserves and groups of Jabhat al-Nusra militants who tried to carry out surprise attacks to set free terrorists from the Akerbat pocket in eastern Hama.

Given that the Akerbat pocket is known for the presence of Islamic State (IS) forces rather than Jabhat al-Nusra, the statement seemed to imply that Jabhat al-Nusra was trying to save IS.

The very idea that Hayat Tahrir al-Sham would come to the rescue of its archrival IS is a strange one. And just looking at a Syrian situation map makes it clear Konashenkov's statement was purely populist. The Akerbat pocket is far from Hayat Tahrir al-Sham positions. Militants have been operating hundreds of miles away in northern Hama, while some IS members and their families were evacuated from the Akerbat pocket to rebel-held Idlib under a deal with the Syrian regime. Besides, the locations of the police deployment cannot be secret, by default. Similarly, any foreign forces within reach of radical groups are always a desirable target. This is especially true given the word that Russia and Turkey have been coordinating their efforts to further weaken Hayat Tahrir al-Sham's potential in the Idlib zone.

In the past few months, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham has been launching more offensives against other opposition forces that opted to participate in the Astana negotiations. The Hayat Tahrir al-Sham objective has been to secure a stronger presence on the ground and replace local administrative authorities with people loyal to the radical group. Yet Hayat Tahrir al-Sham unilateral actions against Faylaq al-Sham, Ahrar al-Sham and other groups, as well as the possibility that Turkey potentially would create a buffer zone in Idlib, triggered a Hayat Tahrir al-Sham internal crisis. Additional defections  of such factions as Nureddin Zengi Brigade and Jaish al-Ahrar, and cleric Abdullah al-Muhaysini  put Hayat Tahrir al-Sham on the verge of collapse.

Under these circumstances, the only efficient way for the group to save itself was to initiate a massive offensive on pro-government forces to provoke them into retaliation and thus attract other opposition forces to its side. And that's what happened: Hayat Tahrir al-Sham launched an offensive to undo the progress made at Astana. Russian intelligence services could not have missed that intent. Deploying Russian military police in Hama and Idlib was arguably an accurate but hasty decision. Moscow moved to deploy its monitoring force in a dangerous zone, probably putting too much trust into Syrian government forces. President Bashar al-Assad's regime launched its own offensive on the Ain Tarma and Jobar fronts, right inside the Eastern Ghouta de-escalation zone.

In other words, the situation took a dangerous turn and indeed needed a serious conversation at the top level. Following the Putin-Erdogan meeting, Russian air forces continued delivering strikes on Idlib while Turkish troops sent reinforcements to Hatay province bordering Idlib. However, if Moscow and Ankara are to save the cease-fire and the Astana agreements, it is time for them to come to terms with reality by shaping a buffer zone in Idlib, supporting the opposition and targeting Hayat Tahrir al-Sham.

In its attempts to help Damascus  and Tehran  control more territory in eastern Syria and curb the advance of the US-supported Syrian Democratic Forces, Russia found itself in a difficult situation. On the one hand, weakening Hayat Tahrir al-Sham demands the concentration of forces and coordinatiion with allies in Idlib. Ankara will probably transfer some of the opposition forces it supports from northern Aleppo to the border with Idlib. To prevent clashes between Kurdish and pro-Turkish forces, another de-escalation zone would be needed in Kurdish Afrin. On the other hand, Moscow would need to continue its fight against IS, which has demonstrated its strong potential to resist and counterattack.

Current developments require the clearly definition of priorities and a decisive response to emerging challenges; successful IS actions at al-Sukhna and the group's advance toward Palmyra, both in Homs province, have showcased how vulnerable the regime is in those directions. Opposition forces' rising activity in southern Syria also threatens the Astana agreements. Shabab al-Sunna, a group affiliated with the Free Syrian Armys Southern Front, operates in Daraa province and said it would launch operations against the regime should Damascus and Moscow continue their attacks on the opposition in the country's northwest.

Russia currently is operating from a position of power. But its carrot-and-stick approach is undermining the hard-won trust of regional players. Alexander Lavrentiev, Putins special envoy for Syria, said Moscow does not approve of opposition attempts to create the Syrian National Army. The opposition has been worried that the de-escalation zones arent really designed to create stability in Syria, but rather are about weakening and taming the opposition, using a pretext of providing humanitarian aid to restore Assads control over the territories.
October 3, 2017

ZURICH  Uncertainty over what US President Donald Trump will do with the Iran nuclear deal hung over a conference here on Europe-Iran business that showcased both progress as well as continuing internal Iranian obstacles to foreign trade and investment.

European diplomats have put forward a tough and united front against any US reimposition of nuclear-related sanctions at a time when the International Atomic Energy Agency has repeatedly confirmed Iranian compliance with the 2015 agreement. But European executives appear less confident about their ability to shield Iran deals from a potential resumption of US penalties if Trump decides not to certify that Iran remains in compliance with the deal later this month.

We should be able to continue to work, Philippe Delleur, a senior vice president of the French train manufacturer Alstom, said in response to a question from Al-Monitor about the impact of a possible return of US sanctions.

At the same time, Delleur conceded that any such US action would negatively affect long-term financing for investments such as a recent Alstom contract to build railway and subway cars in Iran.

The situation will not improve for sure, Delleur said.

Because of unilateral US sanctions that were not lifted by the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)  sanctions that impede most US business in Iran  European companies have been the chief beneficiaries of the agreement. According to Masoud Khansari, president of the Tehran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture, Iranian trade with European Union members doubled in the first half of 2017 compared with the same period last year.

The next four years will be the most suitable time for development of economic relations between Europe and Iran, Khansari told about 400 people gathered in Zurich at the fourth Europe-Iran Forum.

An Iranpoll.com survey commissioned by the website Bourse & Bazaar showed strong Iranian support for foreign investment in Iran and positive attitudes toward foreign products. German goods topped the list of those that found favor with Iranians in the poll conducted in August, with 69% of Iranians seeing German wares in a positive light. (While attitudes toward the United States were extremely negative, 44% of those polled had a favorable view of US products.)

Esfandyar Batmanghelidj, the founder of the Europe-Iran Forum, said the poll demonstrated an emerging vision for the future of Iran that is open, innovative, productive and prosperous.

Iranian trade with European Union members doubled in the first half of 2017 compared with the same period last year.

In recent months, the French oil giant Total has signed a $5 billion contract with Iran to develop and produce natural gas. German, Swedish, Italian and Swiss companies have also returned to the Iranian market since the JCPOA was implemented in January 2016.

But Iranian officials have been disappointed that more major deals have yet to materialize.

Mehdi Karbasian, a deputy minister and chairman of the Ministry of Industry, Mines and Trade, told the conference that Irans goal is to attract $50 billion in investment from abroad over the next five years  a target that will be especially hard to reach if US sanctions return.

So far, no major European banks have come back to Iran since the nuclear deal. Some small- and medium-sized institutions as well as the export credit agencies of Denmark, Austria and Italy, however, are providing limited credit, as are banks in China and Japan.

Much of the discussion at the conference, in a five-star hotel overlooking the Swiss financial capital, focused on steps Iran could take to become more attractive to foreign and local investors  whether or not the Trump administration remains within the JCPOA. The Iranian banking sector has made strides in improving its conformance with international standards against money laundering and terrorism financing but is still struggling with antiquated reporting structures and billions of dollars in nonperforming loans.

Parviz Aghili, the chairman of Irans privately owned Middle East Bank, estimated that as much as 20% of bank loans in Iran were nonperforming. He said the government could not afford the $180 billion to $200 billion it would cost to restructure the banking sector in one go, and would instead move in phases over the next six years to give time for failing banks to increase their capital, merge with other financial institutions or close.

According to Mahdi Seifollahi, the chairman of financial data firm Pouya Finance, Iranian banks are improving their reporting standards, updating software and providing monthly activity reports. The more frequently they provide data, the more transparent and reliable they get, he said.

Ulrich von Zanthier, director for financial services at Dutch auditing giant KPMG, said Iranian banks should disclose their ownership structure to make it easier for foreign financial institutions to do the due diligence necessary before forming correspondent relationships. Already, he said, There is improvement. I think we will get there.

Other impediments to foreign interaction with the Iranian economy include myriad regulations and a labor force that is highly educated but lacks advanced management skills. The government has also been slow to privatize industries such as the pharmaceutical sector, where 40% of the market is still government-owned, according to Haleh Hamedifar, the chairwoman of CinnaGen, a local drug manufacturer.

Sharif Nezam-Mafi, who chairs the Iran-Swiss Chamber of Commerce, said labor costs 30% more in Iran than in India in part because of government regulations. He added that corruption remains a major challenge.

Having attended all four Europe-Iran forums since 2014, Nezam-Mafi said he keeps hearing about Irans potential for foreign investors. When will it become a reality? he asked rhetorically, answering, When the government and private sector make the right decisions.

Aseyeh Hatami, the founder and managing director of IranTalent.com, which seeks to connect educated Iranians with job opportunities, acknowledged what she called a disconnect between foreign and Iranian business styles. She said that the more Iran is exposed to Western business practices, the more the gap will close.

If the walls around Iran come down, if we have that international exposure, I believe Iran can grow a lot, she said.

That depends, of course, in part on the nuclear deal surviving any new challenges from Washington.
Birmingham Bucket List

Think you've done it all in Birmingham? Think again. A new book, "100 Things to Do in Birmingham Before You Die," begs to differ. Written by Alabama author and journalist Verna Gates, the book is perfect for Birmingham natives looking to explore new parts of the Magic City, as well as out of towners discovering Birmingham for the first time. As a contract press trip coordinator for the Alabama Department of Tourism, Gates knows her way around the state, including all its hidden gems. In her new book about Birmingham, she takes readers from a legendary juke joint and a famed movie cafe to a Civil War battle site and a gas station barbecue stop. Intrigued? Grab a copy at local bookstores or online at reedypress.com.

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Celebrate Halloween Around the City

Birmingham knows how to party, and this month the focus is on all things spooky and scary. Three awesome events are lined up for Halloween Weekend. The Greater Birmingham Humane Society Young Professionals Board is hosting Howls & Growls at Old Car Heaven on Saturday, October 28. The event will feature a show from Neon Electric, carnival games, food trucks, and a costume contest. Tickets include beer and wine and can be purchased via gbhs.org. Also on Saturday, Roots & Revelry in the Thomas Jefferson Tower is hosting another Halloween bash, Peaches & Scream, which will feature multiple rooms boasting different themes, as well as DJs, live acts, a costume contest, dance floors, Halloween-themed cocktails, and a VIP area with more specialty cocktails and a chef-inspired buffet. The event benefits Cahaba Riverkeeper, and tickets can be purchased via Eventbrite. The fun will continue on Sunday, October 29 with the Second Annual Zombie Run at Railroad Park from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. The run begins at 7 p.m. and the event benefits HGOL Kids, a free performing arts program for children.

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The men of Aviate wearing pink in support of the cause.

Real Men Wear Pink

If you happen to stop into Slice, Sky Castle, or Sol's in October, be on the lookout for owner Jason Bajalieh, and make sure he's wearing pink. Same goes for Van Sykes of Bob Sykes BBQ, George McMillan of FoodBar, and Haller McGee of The Yard at the Elyton Hotel. And if you see James Spann on the news, he had better be wearing pink too. These men, along with 20 other local male "celebrities" (like the crew of Aviate, the Barons' manager, and local brew masters) are participating in the American Cancer Society's Real Men Wear Pink campaign. As part of the awareness campaign, they will wear pink every day in October and work to raise money through an online fundraising contest. At the wrap-up party on October 26, the participant who raised the most money for the cause will be named the "Pink Man of the Year." Way to go, Birmingham men!

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Ruffner Turns 40

The city's original greenspace is celebrating a huge milestone this month. Ruffner Mountain was founded in October of 1977, when a small group of individuals realized that the land was being threatened by a developer's plans to build an apartment complex on it. This year, the nonprofit and nature preserve turns 40! Since its beginnings, the area has grown from a few acres to more than 1,000 acres, and it is now one of the largest urban land preserves in the country. Celebrate the park this month by heading over for a hike or run on any of the park's 14 miles of trails, and don't forget to stop into the nature center while you're there!

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Hot Cake from Daylight Donuts

Hot and fresh donuts are at the top of our to-do list this month. Every Friday, you can head over to Daylight Donuts' Acton Road location for their Hot Cake special. From 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., Daylight offers fresh, made-to-order cake donuts, served with ice cream and toppings. There are multiple flavors, but past favorites include the Ice Cream Sandwich, Peanut Butter Oreo, Cinnabomb, Donut Cobbler, Apple Pie, and S'mores. They've even tested out savory creations like their Hoo-Dawg, a jalapeno cheddar sausage dipped in sweet donut batter, fried, and covered in glaze. Now that's indulgent. For more information about Daylight Donuts, visit magiccitydough.com.

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Magic City Fashion Week

Fashion Week in Birmingham is back--and this time with a bit of a different mission. A departure from Birmingham Fashion Week, Magic City Fashion Week will be held during Magic City Classic, October 24-28. Founder Daniel K. Grier says the event's goal is to fill a void in the Birmingham creative community and "allow emerging talent to express themselves artistically through fashion, bring social change, and promote diversity, while educating the community at large." Magic City Fashion Week has partnered with Birmingham AIDS Outreach for its inaugural multi-day event. For more information about MCFW, including how to apply to be a featured designer or how to volunteer, visit magiccityfashionweek.com.

This story appears in Birmingham magazine's October 2017 issue. Subscribe today!
Farm Burger, a Georgia-based, fast-casual restaurant chain that prides itself on serving grass-fed beef hamburgers and using fresh produce from local farmers, will open its second Alabama location next week in the new The Waites development on Birmingham's Southside.

The restaurant, located at 707 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. North, will open Monday, Oct. 9. Hours will be 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

Founded in Decatur, Ga., in 2010 by organic farmer and rancher Jason Mann and restaurateur George Frangos, Farm Burger opened its first Alabama location in Huntsville in the Shops at Merchants Walk development last year.

"The Farm Burger family has been humbled by the warm welcome we've received in Alabama," Frangos said in a media release today. "We're thrilled to connect with our Birmingham neighbors and to plant roots in The Waites, a community gathering place for food and drink."

The chef-driven menu features burgers made from 100% grass-fed beef that's dry-aged, ground fresh and cooked to order, according to the release. Dishes also include burgers made from antibiotic-free chicken, pasture-raised pork, and vegetables, as well as seasonal salads, hand-cut fries and a variety of daily specials.

Beverages include milkshakes, floats, and a curated and changing list of local craft beers and small-production wines.

Working with local farmers and purveyors, the Birmingham location of Farm Burger will feature ice cream from La Michoacana, goat cheese from Stone Hollow Farmstead, hot sauce from Helena Pepper Company, apples from Crocker Farms, and fresh produce from Snow's Bend Farm and Owls Hollow Farm, according to today's release.

The restaurant will also serve local beers from TrimTab Brewing Co., Avondale Brewing Company. Good People Brewing Company, Cahaba Brewing Co, and Ghost Train Brewing Co.

The 2,200-square-foot restaurant will have interior seating for more than 50 diners, with covered outdoor patio seating that will accommodate an additional 20 guests.

In addition to Birmingham and Huntsville, Farm Burger has four locations in Georgia, two in North Carolina, two in Tennessee, and two in California.

The original location in Decatur, Ga., has been featured on Food & Wine magazine's list of the Best Burgers in the U.S.

Birmingham-based Taco Mama, a fast-casual Mexican restaurant concept, was the first restaurant to move into in The Waites, opening in September.

The residential and retail development also will include Smoothie King, Which Wich Superior Sandwiches, and Roll Up, a sushi restaurant.
Officials in Eufaula recently decided to erect a 10-foot-tall statue of a bass to draw visitors downtown. The project was announced in September by Mayor Jack Tibbs and Ann Sparks, director of Main Street Eufaula. The fish should be completed by Thanksgiving, according to the Eufaula Tribune.

Don't Edit

Kelly Kazek | kkazek@al.com

At some point, Eufaula residents will have the chance to submit names for the fish on the Main Street Eufaula Inc. Facebook page. The giant fish adds to a menagerie of over-sized animals across the state. We've listed 13 below. Which ones did we miss? Email kkazek@al.com.

READ MORE:Take a road trip to south Alabama's over-sized attractions

READ MORE:Take a road trip to north Alabama's over-sized attractions

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(Source: CraneWorks)

The Big Dog, CraneWorks, Birmingham

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(Source: Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce)

Crappie, Bass and Bream, Weiss Lake Lodge, Centre

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Kelly Kazek | kkazek@al.com

Haunted Chicken House, Heflin

Nothing says Halloween like a chicken on a hearse. A larger chicken on the sign promotes the Hollis Haunted Chicken House held each Halloween by the local fire department.

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(AL.com file/Lawrence Speckler)

El Camino Chicken, Irvington

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(Source: Souvenir City Facebook page)

Giant Shark, Souvenir City, Gulf Shores

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(Source: DiscoverAlabamaBeaches.com)

The Purple Octopus, Gulf Shores

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(Source: SanRoc Cay Facebook page)

Blue Marlin, SanRoc Cay Marina, Orange Beach

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Kelly Kazek | kkazek@al.com

Big Red, Kentuck Arts Center, Northport

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(Source: Ronald Godwin)

Car-Bumper Rooster, Brundidge

Built by artist Larry Godwin, the iconic rooster was moved from the spot on the roadside where it had been for 50 years and taken to the studio of Ronald Godwin, Larry's brother, at 522 N. Main St., in Brundidge for repair.

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(Source: Pike County Cattlemen and Cattlewomen)

Pike County Bull, Troy

Built by artists Larry and Ronald Godwin

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(Source: Alabama Farmers Market Facebook page)

Giant Cow, State Farmers Market, Montgomery

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(AL.com File Photo)

Penny the Dog Sign, Regions Field, Birmingham

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Kelly Kazek | kkazek@al.com

Wacky Elephant, Roanoke

This crude elephant-shaped building on Main Street in Roanoke was once a gas station.

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Skeletal remains found in Aruba are not those of Natalee Holloway, who vanished 12 years ago while on a graduation trip with her Mountain Brook classmates.

Her father, Dave Holloway, and private investigator T.J. Ward in August said an 18-month investigation led them to bone fragments that were undergoing DNA testing to determine if they belonged to Natalee Holloway. Tests on the fragments came back negative for a possible match to Holloway, forensic scientist Jason Kolowski told the Oxygen cable network, NBC's Today reported on Tuesday.

The DNA bone sample was ruled out as Holloway after it failed to match to her mother, Kolowski said.

"Out of the four individual bone samples only one was found to be human," said Kolowski, who led the testing and interpretation of the results for the six-part Oxygen series, "The Disappearance of Natalee Holloway," that aired in August.

Dave Holloway and Ward in August 19 launched a new series on the Oxygen network called, "The Disappearance of Natalee Holloway." The showed documented Dave Holloway's journey for justice and described the discovered bone fragments his most credible lead in over 12 years.

Natalie Holloway disappeared May 30, 2005 while in Aruba with 130-plus of her graduated classmates.

For several days during that 2005 graduation trip, the teens - of legal drinking age in Aruba - sunned and snorkeled during the day, and at night donned their sundresses for dinner and partying at Carlos' N Charlie's, which at the time was located in downtown Oranjestad, a decent cab ride from the high-rise district. The group often ended up at Excelsior Casino, which was, and still is, connected to the Holiday Inn where the Mountain Brook group stayed.

On their last night, Natalee and her friends met Joran van der Sloot, who lived with his family in the nearby Montana neighborhood and attended the Aruba International School. She was last seen about 1 a.m. getting into a gray Honda with van der Sloot and the Kalpoe brothers as they left Carlo 'N Charlie's.

Natalee was scheduled to fly home on May 30 but failed to show up when the group met in the lobby to leave for their flight. Van der Sloot and Surinamese brothers Deepak and Satish Kalpoe, reportedly the last people to see Natalee alive, were arrested multiple times in her disappearance, but were always released without being charged. The Kalpoes continue to live and work in Aruba. Van der Sloot is serving a 28-year sentence in Stephanie Flores' death. He also faces charges in Alabama for extorting $25,000 from Holloway.

Both of Natalee's parents have continued their hard-fought battle for justice in the disappearance of their daughter, who in 2011 was declared dead by a Jefferson County judge. Just three months ago, Beth Holloway, as well as television news personality Nancy Grace, appeared on ABC's Dr. Oz show where Holloway talked about "her personal health struggle and never-ending battle for justice."

In 2015, Dave Holloway returned to Aruba yet another time, chasing a lead after a man named Jurrien De Jong told Holloway and Inside Edition that he saw Joran van der Sloot chase her into a small building under construction. De Jong said he never went to the police because he was involved in illegal activities at the time. He says he has come forward now because of a recent TV report where van der Sloot claims he was part of an undercover operation in which Holloway was buried at sea. Prosecutors in Aruba have dismissed De Jong's claims, saying his claims couldn't be true because the building to which he referred had not been built at that time.

Even before his trek back to Aruba that time, along with private investigator TJ Ward and a cadaver dog, Holloway said he was reluctant to get up his hopes. "I don't know how many times I've buried Natalee,'' he told AL.com, "and I don't want to go through that again."

He said then that in his heart, he thinks he knows what happened. He is certain van der Sloot paid a bartender in Aruba to drug Natalee with GHB. He is sure van der Sloot took her home, killed her and, with the help of his influential father, hired South American drug runners to remove Natalee's body from the island, because "they couldn't afford to find a body on the island."

On the Today show in August, Dave Holloway said an informant known as "Gabriel" put Ward and Holloway in contact with a man they claim had direct knowledge of Natalee's disappearance. "We have a person who states he was directly involved with Joran van der Sloot in disposing of Natalee's remains,'' Holloway said. "I thought, you know, there may be something to this."

The scientist told Today that they still don't know if the remains belong to a male or female.
It's not the double-digit advantage he frequently enjoyed in polling against Luther Strange but Republican Roy Moore still has a solid lead on Democrat Doug Jones in the early stages of Alabama's Senate general election campaign.

According to a poll released Tuesday by JMC Analytics and Polling, Moore garnered 48 percent support from the 500 poll participants. Jones received 40 percent of the vote. The landline phone poll, conducted Saturday and Sunday, has a margin of error of 4.4 percent.

The poll also included a question that perhaps indicated the race could get tighter. Poll participants were asked if they would prefer for a Democrat or a Republican and 49 percent said Republican while 45 percent said Democrat.

According to the poll summary, "There are three main takeaways from this poll: (1) Roy Moore starts off with a comfortable lead, but he is not at or above 50 percent in the ballot test, (2) the slim margin by which respondents prefer a generic Republican candidate (in a state Donald Trump carried 62-34% last year) should be of some concern to Republicans both in Alabama and nationally, (3) while an absolute majority of voters believe that Roy Moore is qualified to be a U.S. Senator, it is a slim 50 percent majority."

Former Vice President Joe Biden is visiting Birmingham today to headline a rally for Jones.

The poll found that softening support for President Trump could be a troubling sign for Moore. Only 51 percent of poll participants said they approve of Trump's job performance while 41 percent disapproved and 8 percent were undecided.

And while 65 percent of evangelicals - considered the backbone of Moore's base - approve of Trump, 8 percent are undecided, according to the poll.

"The ballot tests show Roy Moore in decent shape, but he still faces a competitive race, particularly since respondents are only narrowly inclined to support a 'generic' Republican candidate," the poll summary said.

This is the second Senate poll conducted since Moore defeated Strange in the Sept. 26 GOP primary runoff. That poll, by Decision Desk HQ, had Moore leading by six points.

Alabama Senate poll 10.3.17 by pgattis7719 on Scribd
The Atlanta City Council unanimously passed legislation this week that decriminalizes small amounts of marijuana.

Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed said he will sign the legislation, which doesn't legalize the drug but lessens penalties associated with it. Under the old law, people found with an ounce or less of pot faced a fine of up to $1,000 and six months in jail. Now, violators would face a fine of $75 and no jail time.

City Councilman Kwanza Hall, who sponsored the measure, said the vote passed 15-0.

"Reforming the racist marijuana laws on the book in Atlanta has been just one in a number of reforms that I have fought for," Hall told Atlanta's FOX 5 News.

Hall said between 2014 and 2016, 92 percent of those arrested for marijuana possession within Atlanta city limits were black.

The measure had the backing of the Atlanta Police Department, who said the new law would be handled with a citation similar to a traffic ticket. The change only applies within the Atlanta city limits; Georgia state law still requires jail time.

In recent years, Kansas City, Dallas, St. Louis, Pittsburgh and Nashville have passed legislation changing penalties for residents who possess, grow or share certain amounts of marijuana.
By Louis Jacobson for PolitiFact

The defeat of Sen. Luther Strange, R-Ala., in a Sept. 26 runoff election was a blow for President Donald Trump, who had endorsed Strange over his Republican rival Roy Moore. Strange's loss even led Trump to delete several of his pro-Strange tweets shortly after the election.

But Trump didn't drop the subject, tweeting a few days later, "In analyzing the Alabama Primary race, FAKE NEWS always fails to mention that the candidate I endorsed went up MANY points after endorsement!"

In analyzing the Alabama Primary race,FAKE NEWS always fails to mention that the candidate I endorsed went up MANY points after endorsement!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 30, 2017

When we took a closer look, we found weak support for Trump's claim.

The White House pointed us to a news release from Emerson College's polling unit, which conducted several polls of the Alabama contest.

The news release announcing the results of the Emerson poll conducted Sept. 21-23 included the following analysis: "Moore still leads Strange 50 percent to 40 percent, but the gap has narrowed. Strange trailed Moore by 14 points two weeks ago in Emerson's previous Alabama poll ... President Trump's ardent support of Luther Strange in the recent weeks is the likely cause of the gap closing." (Trump's rally in support of Strange was held on the evening of Sept. 22, meaning a portion of the survey occurred after that event.)

The lines from the news release don't provide as much support as Trump seems to think they do.

For starters, there's some question whether a four-point gain merits the label "MANY" -- or whether it's even mathematically significant, given that the poll had a five-point margin of error.

There are also questions about the timing. The Sept. 22 rally for Strange wasn't actually the unveiling of Trump's endorsement -- it had been public for weeks. Trump officially endorsed Strange on Aug. 8, a point Trump glossed over in his tweet. In other words, voters who had been paying attention during either the Aug. 15 primary (which included three major Republican candidates) and the Sept. 26 runoff (which included just Moore and Strange) would have known that Strange was Trump's endorsed candidate.

Finally, focusing solely on the Emerson poll leaves out a lot of other polling data that showed little movement toward Strange after either Trump's formal endorsement or his rally.

Here's a rundown of polls from the RealClearPolitics.com archive:

These 11 polls show little convincing evidence that Trump's official endorsement or his rally moved the needle for Strange.

One Emerson poll, taken just after Trump's official endorsement from Aug. 10 to Aug. 12, showed Strange up by three points. That was 11 points better than his eight-point deficit in the last pre-endorsement poll.

However, in context, that Emerson poll looks like an outlier. To believe that Strange was really up by three points at that stage of the contest would require dismissing two polls by the Republican firm the Trafalgar Group that bookended the Emerson poll by two days on each side. One had Moore ahead by 12, while the other had Moore ahead by 15.

As for polls after the rally, those undertaken at least partially afterward showed high and expanding leads for Moore.

Indeed, if you look at the actual ballots cast -- the only vote that really counts -- Moore ended up outpacing Strange by an even wider margin in the runoff.

"Moore's edge over Strange grew from six points in the first round to nine in the second, so the actual votes suggest that Trump did not help Strange close the gap on Moore," said Kyle Kondik, an analyst at the University of Virginia's Center for Politics.

Kondik also pointed to analysis of data from the polling firm 0ptimus by the Republican firm Firehouse Strategies. The analysis found that even as knowledge of Trump's endorsement of Strange became better known among the electorate, Moore's margin grew, from seven points on Sept. 13 to 10 points on Sept. 24, two days before the election.

"We can concretely say that Donald Trump's endorsement and active campaigning for Sen. Strange had absolutely no impact on the ballot," Firehouse Strategies concluded.

Trump tweeted that in the recent Alabama Senate runoff, "the candidate I endorsed (Luther Strange) went up MANY points after endorsement!"

Trump can point to one poll that showed Strange narrowing Moore's lead by four points after his rally. But other polling data doesn't back this up, and his tweet glosses over the fact that he had announced his endorsement weeks earlier and that the increase in that one poll is so modest as to be within the margin of error. We rate his statement Mostly False.
Las Vegas shooting suspect Stephen Paddock

Las Vegas gunman Stephen Paddock legally purchased firearms at two Nevada gun shops in the last year, according to the stores.

Paddock, 64, purchased a rifle and a shotgun from New Frontier Armory in North Las Vegas and Guns and Guitars in Mesquite, Nevada, officials said. Paddock passed FBI background checks before the purchases.

It's not known if Paddock used the weapons in Sunday's night's massacre outside Mandalay Bay Casino and Hotel. Paddock opened fire around 10 p.m. Sunday night as 22,000 people were gathered for the Route 91 Harvest Festival concert. Police said 59 people were killed and more than 500 were injured in the attack, making it the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history.

Paddock killed himself as police reached his 32nd floor room. Police said the Mesquite, Nevada resident had no criminal record. ISIS initially claimed responsibility for the massacre but investigators said there is no indication Paddock had ties Islamic militant groups.

"Right now, we believe it's a sole actor, a lone-wolf-type actor," said Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo.

The motive behind the attack remains unknown, police said.

Here's the latest on the Las Vegas shootings:

Names of victims released

We're now learning the names of some of the shooting victims. Among those killed in the attack were West Virginia grandmother Denise Burditus; Adrian Murfitt, a commercial fisherman from Alaska; Sonny Melton, a registered nurse from Paris, Tennessee; Danae Gibbs, a recent graduate of Texas Tech University in Lubbock.

Paddock shot at officers outside hotel room

Paddock shot at SWAT team members who arrived at his hotel door, officials said Monday evening.

SWAT searched Mandalay Bay floor-by-floor before encountering Paddock's room. When they arrived, police said the gunman shot at law enforcement officers through the door before turning the gun on himself. A casino security guard was injured in the exchange.

Twenty-two rifles and a handgun were found in the Las Vegas strip room. Police said some of the weapons appear to have been altered.

Eighteen additional firearms, explosives and several thousand rounds of ammunition were found in Paddock's home.

Go Fund Me tops $2 million

A GoFundMe page established by Clark County Commission Chair Steve Sisolak surpassed its initial $1 million goal, raising $2.2 million as of Monday night. The effort has a new goal, $2.5 million, with proceeds going to provide relief and financial support to the victims and their families.

County declares state of emergency

Clark County, Nevada, home to Las Vegas, has declared a state of emergency. The declaration allows the county to become eligible for emergency assistance funding to assist with recovery efforts following the shooting.

Recovery efforts continue

Las Vegas police said efforts will soon be underway to help people recover items left at the scene of the shootings.

"Regarding personal belongings left at the scene, we'll make arrangements after the scene is processed for people to retrieve their items," police said.

Meanwhile, several hotels on the Las Vegas strip are offering free rooms to those arriving to check on loved ones while the Las Vegas Airport has special arrangements in place to allow those who lost their identification to fly home.

World mourns

World leaders have reached out to President Trump to offer condolences on the attack, the White House said.

Flags were lowered to half staff on Monday in honor of the Las Vegas victims and a memorial was held in the city Monday night. President Donald Trump is expected to visit Las Vegas Wednesday.

The Empire State Building darkened its lights in honor of the victims with an orange halo added to draw awareness of the problem of gun violence.

Tonight our lights darken for the victims & those affected by the Las Vegas attack, w/an orange halo effect shining a light on gun violence. pic.twitter.com/96gpsrQDaD  Empire State Bldg (@EmpireStateBldg) October 2, 2017

The Eiffel Tower also dimmed its lights in honor of the Las Vegas victims.

The lights of the Eiffel Tower in Paris are switched off in tribute to the victims of the attacks in Las Vegas and Marseille pic.twitter.com/SYWaTwgWbn  AFP news agency (@AFP) October 2, 2017

Israel also showed its support.
President Donald Trump on Tuesday told Puerto Rico officials they should feel "proud" they haven't lost thousands of lives like in "a real catastrophe like Katrina," while adding that the devastated island territory has thrown the nation's budget "a little out of whack."

Trump's remarks came as he touched down in San Juan amid harsh criticism of the administration's slow response to the natural disaster and after he praised himself earlier in the day for the "great job" and "A-plus" performance he said the administration deserved for its response to Hurricane Maria.

This is Trump's first visit to Puerto Rico since the storm ravaged the island nearly two weeks ago,

"Every death is a horror, but if you look at a real catastrophe like Katrina, and you at the tremendous - hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of people that died, and you look at what happened here, with really a storm that was just totally overpowering, nobody's ever seen anything like this," Trump said, before turning to a local official to ask how many people had died in storm. "What is your death count as of this moment? 17? 16 people certified, 16 people versus in the thousands."

Trump then praised officials in the room over the death toll.

"You can be very proud of all of your people, all of our people working together," he said.

The president also seemed to fault the small island for imperiling the United States's budget by requiring hurricane relief funds, saying, "I hate to tell you, Puerto Rico, but you've thrown our budget a little out of whack.

Before Trump's impromptu remarks, the president's visit was intended to be highly scripted, including a briefing on relief efforts, a meeting with senior military personnel - as well as with Govs. Ricardo Rossello of Puerto Rico and Kenneth Mapp of the U.S. Virgin Islands - and an opportunity to visit with people impacted by the storm and the Navy and Marine Corps.

The president, who was accompanied by the first lady, is not expected to stray far from San Juan, Puerto Rico's capital and largest city, where recovery is much farther along than much of the rest of the territory.

San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz, who has been deeply critical of the government's relief efforts and whom Trump has criticized on Twitter, also joined Trump for his first briefing on the island. On Monday, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Cruz had been invited to participate in Trump's visit, but the mayor's name did not appear on the president's public schedule and it was not clear until Tuesday morning that Trump would encounter Cruz.

Trump's mixed reviews for his response so far, however, did not stop him from lavishing praise on himself and his administration. As the president, clad in a black windbreaker and khakis, departed the White House, he said Cruz has "come back a long way," before returning to one his favorite topics - himself and his performance.

"I think it's now acknowledged what a great job we've done, and people are looking at that," he said. "And in Texas and in Florida, we get an A-plus. And I'll tell you what, I think we've done just as good in Puerto Rico, and it's actually a much tougher situation. But now the roads are cleared, communications is starting to come back. We need their truck drivers to start driving trucks."

He also thanked Rossello for positive comments he had made about the administration's work in Puerto Rico, saying, "He has said we have done an incredible job, and that's the truth."

Trump's response to Maria offers a sharp contrast with his actions in the wake of Hurricane Harvey, which ravaged Southeast Texas. Trump visited Texas twice in the week after Harvey's landfall, first in his role as commander in chief, checking in on relief efforts, and then as a "consoler in chief," offering hugs and prayers.

Though Trump and his administration initially offered a flurry of action as Maria tore through Puerto Rico, the president then effectively went dark, decamping for a long weekend at his private club in Bedminster, New Jersey.

The president at points also seemed to the blame Puerto Ricans themselves for their plight, lashing out at the mayor of San Juan - after she pleaded on cable television for the federal government to "save us from dying" - for her "poor leadership ability" and writing on Twitter that the island's citizens "want everything to be done for them when it should be a community effort."

Trump's visit comes as he is facing yet another tragedy not of his own making: a shooting at a country music concert in Las Vegas that left at least 59 people dead and hundreds more injured. The mass shooting is the deadliest attack on U.S. soil since Sept. 11, 2001, and Trump is scheduled to visit Las Vegas on Wednesday.
A little more than a day after the deadly mass massacre in Las Vegas, details are emerging about Marilou Danley, the girlfriend of shooter Stephen Paddock.

Police said Paddock used Danley's identification to check in to the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. On Sunday night, Paddock opened fire from the window of his 32nd floor room during a country music concert, killing 59 and injuring more than 500 in the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history.

Shortly after Paddock - who killed himself as police arrived at his door - was named as the suspect, Danley, 62, was identified as a person of interest. Her status changed several times during the day, until police said she was in the Philippines at the time of the shooting and was not considered a suspect. She will be questioned upon her return to the U.S., police said.

Danley is an Australian citizen who moved to Nevada 20 years ago. She is a mother and grandmother who reportedly worked as a high-staked dealer in Las Vegas casinos. Danley and Paddock shared a home in Mesquite, Nevada.

An associate of Danley's said they could not believe she had anything to do with the shooting.

"She had nothing to do with this psycho," the person said. "The poor lady, she is in the Philippines visiting family."

Police said Paddock wired $100,000 to an account in Danley's home country of the Philippines in the week before the shooting. It's not clear who or what the money was for.

Among the questions police are expected to pose to Danley is how Paddock obtained his arsenal of weapons. Paddock had more than 20 firearms in his hotel with another 19 weapons, thousands of rounds of ammunition and explosives at his home.

Paddock's motive remains unknown. ISIS initially claimed responsibility for the shooting but the FBI said there is no evidence to back up those claims.
This story is a part of Ask Alabama, a weekly interaction with our readers, where you ask the questions, you vote to decide which questions we answer, and then we investigate. Jon Reed, a former resident of Alabama asks: Why aren't all local governments in Alabama regularly audited by the state?



I completely understand what you're going through right now, people. Like me, you saw the word "audit" and got really, really sleepy. It's not a sexy topic, and it turned out to be surprisingly awful to answer.

But here's the thing, audits are extremely important. They can be a crucial last line of defense that guards against corruption and misspending, or the mechanism that catches it. Audits ensure that your hard-earned money is being tracked and spent on the right thing, or at least that's how it's supposed to work.

Remember the Jefferson County bankruptcy? Well, multiple audits of the county's sewer project revealed rampant mismanagement. It was audits like this that ensured officials were charged with corruption and bribery.

And do you recall when Greene County was $3 million in debt? The county's finances were placed under review after two state audits found rampant mismanagement, according to an Associated Press story from 1997.

Without audits, there would be no accountability.

So, the next thing you need to know is that question asker Reed is a former employee of AL.com and now covers state government in Ohio. In a follow up interview, Reed said that his question was prompted from his time covering Fairfield, a suburb of Birmingham.

"The people who didn't like the mayor were always calling for an audit, but the city couldn't afford one and I believe the mayor/city council would have had to request one," said Reed in an email. "Which is like the chickens asking for the fox to guard the henhouse."

"That's where a lot of the corruption and government malfeasance happens and there's an easy way for the state to put eyes on it and encourage best practices," he added.

By comparison, Reed said, that in Ohio, the state auditor's completes financial audits or contracts them out for the smaller townships and villages every two years.



You can tweet at Reed here:



Tweet to @JonDReed

So what are the rules on auditing in Alabama?

I tried to speak with the Chief Examiner at the Alabama Department of Examiners of Public Accounts for an explanation. I called probably 15 times within 10 days and left numerous messages. My conclusion was that the department is about as useful as an accordion player on a deer hunt. I was assured that the Chief Examiner and his assistant did receive my calls. No answer.

Fortunately for all of us, part of the answer we were looking for appears on the department's website.

It says that the Examiner of Public Accounts has the authority to "examine and audit the books, accounts and records of all state and county offices, officers, bureaus, boards, commissions, corporations, departments and agencies, according to its statutes."

No mention of when and how often. Also, what about cities and towns?

With the Chief Examiner incommunicado, I had to find someone else to help. I started looking up audit reports for Mobile City and Mobile County. I discovered in my research that the City of Mobile is audited by Smith, Dukes & Buckalew LLP in Daphne, Baldwin County, under a contract. So does that mean that cities in Alabama have to hire independent auditors?

Yes and also no. Mark Chapman, an auditor with Smith, Dukes, & Buckalew LLP, kindly gave me an explanation.

"My understanding is that they [Examiner of Public Accounts] audit all counties, and they have the authority to do the cities as well, but most cities have other reasons to do audits, and often the public examiner can't get to them for two to three years anyway," said Chapman. "Cities have other people to satisfy, they have bond companies, banks who are saying they need an audit within six months so they have to pay out of pocket."

"They just don't have the resources to audit every single town and city," Chapman said of the Examiner of Public Accounts.

So basically, all cities and towns do audit themselves if they need to satisfy lenders, whether it be a bank, the federal government, or the conditions of a bond issue.



For example, Chapman explained that if a city or town in Alabama spends more than $750,000 of federal money they must be audited under U.S. law. The auditor's job is to ensure that federal money has been spent in the way the municipality said it would spend it. Those audits are done regardless of the size of the town or city.



However, as you might imagine, a small town with a few hundred people might never end up spending that amount of federal money. Does it get audited by the state? It depends on the size.

Chapman said that he and his firm rarely audit such small municipalities. He said the cut off for audits was either 500 or 1000 people. So if your city has under 500 or 1000 people and took no federal money, no loans, and no bond issue, it may not be getting audited. Furthermore, a lack of resources within the Examiner of Public Accounts might also mean larger towns and cities that haven't taken money from the federal government or a lender may not be audited for up to two or three years at a time.



Does that mean there are small towns and cities going unaudited?

"To my mind, I would probably say that a vast majority of towns and cities are being audited," said Chapman. "Just in Mobile County, to my knowledge, just about every city and town - all with a couple of thousand all have audits. I bet there is probably ten municipal audits in that county alone. Same goes for Baldwin County.

"Silverhill that just has a stop light is probably not being audited," added Chapman.

_

Vote here.
A Bay Minette man is now behind bars after making threats that piggy-back the devastating Monday mass shooting attacks in Las Vegas, law enforcement officers say.

Bay Minette Police Department and Baldwin County Sheriff's Department officers say they received numerous threats regarding posts made on Monday from a Facebook page linked to 23-year-old Joel Logan Gilliam. In the posts, Gilliam made direct references to the shooting at a Las Vegas country music festival in which a gunman shot from his overlooking hotel room into the crowd below, police say. The posts directly threatened violence against citizens in Bay Minette, according to a release by officers.

Officers were able to obtain a warrant for making a terroristic threat, a Class C Felony. Gilliam was arrested at his home on the 300 block of West Railroad Street in Bay Minette. As officers searched the suspects residence, they found no weapons, police say.

In a release by the Baldwin County Sheriff's Office, authorities speak to the suspect's demeanor when apprehended by police:

"Gilliam told deputies that he was bored and wanted to see how people would react to his Facebook posts. Gilliam showed no remorse in the interview and continually stated the posts were a joke."

Gilliam is currently being held at the Baldwin County Sheriff's Corrections Center without bond, as he awaits a pending judicial hearing.
The alt-right has been hit by a wave of cancellations since a deadly rally in August, Author Shane Burley explains.

In the wake of a white supremacist rally that turned deadly in Charlottesville, Virginia, in August, the far-right movement in the United States has been plagued by a wave of disavowals, cancellations and counter-protests.

On August 12, hundreds of white supremacists and neo-Nazis from travelled to Charlottesville for Unite the Right, a demonstration called to protest against the citys decision to remove a statue of Robert E Lee, the Confederacys foremost military leader during the US Civil War (1861-1865).

Jason Kessler, a white supremacist activist and former journalist, organised the event.





Unite the Right participants descended on Charlottesville and clashed with community members, anti-racist activists and anti-fascists.

James Alex Fields, a 20-year-old Ohio resident who travelled to Charlottesville, was charged with second-degree murder and other charges after he allegedly ploughed his car into an anti-racist march, killing 32-year-old Heather Heyer and injuring dozens more.

The Traditionalist Worker Party, the League of the South, Identity Evropa, Vanguard America, the National Socialist Movement and other organisations affiliated with the so-called alt-right were among the groups in attendance.

The alt-right is a loosely knit group of far-right populists, white supremacists, white nationalists and neo-Nazis, among others, who advocate an exclusively white ethnostate in North America.

After Unite the Right, US President Donald Trump outraged critics when he denounced the alt-right and its anti-fascist opponents, claiming that the two sides were moral equivalents.

Despite the presidents comments that there were some very fine people on both sides, prominent alt-right activists, groups and affiliates had already been under heavy public scrutiny.

Politicians across the country denounced the alt-right, several activists were prevented from speaking on university campuses and they were booted from a number of website hosting services and social media platforms.

Meanwhile, comparably moderate nationalist groups and pro-Trump figures  often described as the alt-light, distanced themselves from the alt-right.

READ MORE: Campuses, cities reject far right after Charlottesville

Al Jazeera spoke to Shane Burley, author of the upcoming book Fascism Today: What It Is and How to End It, about the long-term consequences of the Charlottesville rally and what it will mean for the alt-rights ability to continue holding large demonstrations.

Al Jazeera: More than one month has passed since the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville. What kind of impact has that event had on the alt-right and broader far right?

Shane Burley: It was the biggest failure theyve had in the last several years. I dont want to overstate it, but I honestly dont think it can be toned down  the level to which they [failed].

In the week after Charlottesville, there was an effort to basically go after every one of their outreach tools. It attacked them so specifically as a group. We havent been able to see fully what effect its had on them because its still too early; but its going to limit their outreach so effectively. Its hard to see how they could maintain themselves as an ever-increasing movement.

Al Jazeera: What is the alt-rights primary means of outreach, and how has it changed since Charlottesville?

Burley: The alt-right really survives on a few online platforms. They survive on social media by being on the same platforms as mainstream journalists and political commentators. They also survive by using desktop publishing and podcasts. All of that has allowed them to reach their base very effectively and also be available to the outside public. But thats not happening any more.

Twitter went through and shuttered many of the main alt-right figures accounts. SoundCloud has been dropping alt-right podcasts. SoundCloud has been doing that for a while, but theyve really gone after these podcasts aggressively [since Charlottesville]. PayPal was a major one; it pulled most of these websites from their services. A lot of the more long-standing far-right websites were pulled [offline]. MailChimp dropped them. Patreon dropped them.

READ MORE: How US neo-Nazis burn crosses from behind a keyboard

There was such an effective effort to drop all of the mediums they use to get any type of success. They had been able to create a financial infrastructure through crowdfunding, but they cant do that any more. They were able to manage very professional looking websites, but they cant do that any more.

The problem now is that we dont know what it will be like in six months or a year from now, when they arent really able to do any outreach at all.

Al Jazeera: In the lead-up to Charlottesville, many commentators argued that the alt-right was attempting to build a broader street presence by holding joint rallies with more mainstream Trump supporters. How has that changed since Charlottesville?

Burley: Fascist groups always need a crossover point that bridges them with the mainstream right. There were always different groups  such as the alt-light and the paleo-conservatives  which they could use for that bridge. But the reality is that these people in the alt-light were never going to stand up for white nationalism and open racialism.

That always put them at odds because at some point, comparably moderate movements were going to be pressed to make a statement about whats going on and they always were going to choose the moderates.

Militia organisations (armed civilian groups who claim to protect the Constitution) have been on the front line of that. They just dont want to be associated with groups [on the alt-right]. Theyve had some success in recruiting people of colour, so they want to keep that going.

OPINION: No, Antifa is not the moral equivalent of neo-Nazis

All these groups  those associated with [far-right news outlets] Breitbart and Rebel Media  were forced to move away from folks like [white supremacist activist] Richard Spencer because hes talking about open fascist politics.

With Unite the Right, what you ended up seeing was the best coalescence of racialist groups. Now theyve been completely pushed aside from those people [on the alt-light].

People on the alt-light also have careers. With someone like Richard Spencer, this is their thing  they dont have those institutions backing them.

Al Jazeera: The alt-right became a household name in the US largely due to its vocal support of Trump during the 2016 presidential campaign. However, the group has openly criticised many of the presidents policies. How do you describe the groups view of the Trump administration now?

Burley: Their position towards Trump is essentially the same as their position on the alt-light. Thats because Trump is essentially an alt-light figure. This is a contention between white nationalism and civic nationalism. Trumpian populism is different than the kind of elitist fascist vision [the alt-right] advocate, so those approaches were never going to completely line up.

Trump did more so in [the alt-rights] favour than I thought he would do so this fast. He really did prioritise racial issues [such as launching the Muslim ban, targeting affirmative action] but he did much of it unsuccessfully. Theyre unhappy about the DACA measures, threats against North Korea and bombing of [Syrian President] Bashar al-Assad. But they did see it for what it is. They didnt expect him to push a white nationalist agenda. Hes not going to do that, and I dont think they were ever blind to that.

They get caught by their own internal narratives. There could be a point when they say Trump has been taken over by Jews and is capitulating to multiculturalism.

OPINION: Car-ramming  The signature move of the American fascist

Al Jazeera: We havent seen them in the streets since Charlottesville. Should we expect to see another alt-right show of force in the future?

Burley: I think theyll continue. Theyve experienced many moments when they were in decline and then ramped back up. Since the [November] elections, theyve been on a downward spiral in many ways because theyre dealing with internal conflicts and theyre bad at organising.

It took a long time for the world to catch up to what the alt-right means. Its only now that people are coming around to understand that alt-right means fascist politics. Its going to be tough for openly alt-right figures to hold crossover events like free speech rallies. But theyve been able to cultivate a large enough base to ensure that theyre not going to disappear.

*This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.

Follow Patrick Strickland on Twitter: @P_Strickland_
Recent weeks have seen a sharp surge in the number of refugees and migrants reaching Greek islands.

When Arash Hampay set out from his native Iran, he envisioned Europe as a safe haven from the torture and interrogations he had endured in his homeland.

Before leaving Tehran, Hampay, a 32-year-old activist and community organiser, had been imprisoned for several months for allegedly forming an illegal political group. He insists that he was targeted for his political activism and had no choice but to flee the country.





Yet, he found a different reality when he landed on Greek shores after taking a dinghy from Turkey across the Aegean Sea in September 2016.

I have not experienced my human rights being respected here in Greece, he told Al Jazeera, citing poor living conditions in refugee camps and residences, police discrimination, being barred from employment and institutional deprivation.

Although Greek authorities eventually granted Hampay asylum, his brother, who travelled with him from Iran, was denied. While his appeal remains under consideration, Hampays brother is not allowed to leave Lesbos.

In the meantime, Hampay is waiting with his brother on the island. Here they deal with us as prisoners and hostages, he said.

His sentiments are common among refugees and migrants stuck on Greeces eastern Aegean Islands. And with aid groups observing a sharp surge in the number of arrivals, tensions are boiling over.

Nearly 200 refugees and migrants are reaching Greek shores each day, putting the arrival rate at the highest since March 2016, according to the UK-based charity Save the Children.

Slow asylum processes mean people are stuck on the islands indefinitely, and families with children are having to live in makeshift shelters with water shortages, poor sanitation and insufficient toilets, Save the Children said in a recent press release. Rats and insects have infested living areas, and improvised electrical wiring poses danger to children.

Since the beginning of August, the group estimates, more than 6,000 people have arrived.

Addressing the Greek parliament last week, Migration Minister Yiannis Mouzalas cited a noticeable increase in refugee arrivals.

The minister insisted that the uptick is not at a level to create the sense that the deal between the European Union and Turkey for stricter inspections and hampering [refugee] flows is collapsing.

Unacceptable

Elinor Raikes, the International Rescue Committees regional director for Europe and North Africa, points to the March 2015 European Union-Turkey agreement to stem the flow of refugees to Europe as one of the main reasons behind declining living conditions.

As part of that agreement, the Greek government is meant to send refugees who arrived after March 20, 2016, back to Turkey for asylum process. From Turkey, successful applicants should be relocated in Europe.

That agreement led to tens of thousands of refugees and migrants being bottlenecked in Greece.

Since the agreement was made, the Greek government has barred travel from the islands to the mainland for asylum seekers whose applications have yet to be accepted, although exceptions are made for emergencies.

As a result of the so-called geographical restriction, some of the most vulnerable cases, including those suffering from PTSD, survivors of torture, and pregnant women, are being forced to wait in overcrowded, ill-equipped hot spots, in some cases even in tents, for months at a time, to have their asylum claims heard, Raikes told Al Jazeera.

Not only is this unacceptable, it also adds to the backlog.

READ MORE: Why some refugees in Greece are being driven to suicide

She added: Every effort must be made to allow vulnerable cases to travel immediately to the mainland to apply for asylum there. Political considerations cannot get in the way of peoples safety and wellbeing.

The United Nations refugee agency, known as the UNHCR, says most refugee sites have become more efficient since the initial outbreak of the refugee crisis in 2015.

As of September 30, the UNHCR had recorded the arrival of 136,423 refugees and migrants to Europe via the Mediterranean Sea. Of that total, nearly 20,000 had made it to Greece, while the rest had travelled from Libya to Italy.

Since the start of 2017, at least 2,681 people have gone missing or died at sea, according to the UNHCR.

Overcrowding and self-harm

Although the number of arrivals pales in comparison the peak months in 2015, when around 10,000 refugees and migrants arrived each day, the surge has resulted in worsening living conditions on Greek islands.

On the eastern Aegean Islands, and particularly in the hotspots, the situation has once again become alarming and the hosting capacity has been overwhelmed, said Boris Cheshirkov, UNHCRs Associate Communications Officer on the Greek islands.

Explaining that the vast majority of arrivals since the spring of 2017 are fleeing the ongoing bloodshed in Iraq and Syria, Cheshirkov explained that more than 4,800 people made the treacherous journey from Turkey in September.

On Samos Island, some 2,000 asylum seekers are crammed in a refugee centre designed to accommodate only 700 people.

On nearby Lesbos Island, more than 5,000 people are currently living in an area equipped for only 2,000, and the declining humanitarian conditions have had tragic consequences. Pregnant women, people with disabilities and families are enduring the deteriorating conditions, Cheshirkov added.

Tensions are rising and the risk of violence, including sexual violence, is increasing  Conditions and prolonged stay for some is affecting peoples mental health, he continued, adding that reports of incidents of self-harm are routine.

READ MORE: Refugees in Greece  We are living in a prison here

Overcrowding, a lack of resources and slow transfers of asylum seekers to mainland Greece have exacerbated the poor living conditions.

Critics and activists say the humanitarian situation has only grown worse since the government took over aid services in August after the European emergency funding for refugees ended.

Progress made in reception facilities must be maintained and reinforced, but overall conditions need considerable improvement, Cheshirkov said.

Waiting for a Greek court to decide his brothers fate back in Lesbos, Hampay recalled a humiliating incident in which a police officer recently detained him and a fellow asylum seeker while he arbitrarily checked their documents.

I see this as fascistic behaviour because it only targets refugees, he said.

The island is relaxing and beautiful [for Greeks and tourists], but it is torture and prison for us refugees.

Follow Patrick Strickland on Twitter: @P_Strickland_
The royal decree came on a Tuesday during the month of Muharram, while many of the worlds Muslims were mourning. Announced simultaneously on Saudi state television and via a live media event in Washington, DC, King Salmans directive granted Saudi women, eternal passengers until now, the freedom to drive.

They would be able to apply for and obtain drivers licenses, and when they had them, they could drive around the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia without the presence of a male guardian. The news, eagerly disseminated via Twitter, engendered great jubilation just about everywhere. This is a huge step for us, one Saudi woman breathlessly exclaimed; the lifting of the ban was not just about driving, she gushed, it was a metaphor for Saudi women taking control of their own lives. Western women lavished their congratulations, their public praise underscoring a covert recognition of their own advanced freedoms; their luck at not being born in Saudi Arabia.

READ MORE: Saudi women driving ban lifted  Euphoria and sarcasm

It is no surprise that the driving decree was greeted with such profuse praise. The world loves simple solutions and here was a particularly appealing one, basic and binary, black and white, easy to applaud. Now that Saudi women could drive it suggested; a constricted society, proudly patriarchal until now, had been transformed into the venue for a feminist victory.





But simple solutions are often deceitful ones, using how things may appear to cover up how things actually are. The Saudis did just that this past Tuesday, utilising the simplicity of the driving-as-freedom metaphor as a front to distract from the real complications of faith and gender and long-denied equality. The proof is in the pronouncement itself, its glib grant of the freedom to drive without a male guardian covering up its smug silence on the larger issue of guardian-free travel itself. The detail is just the sort to be overlooked by all those unfamiliar with the whims and fiats of the Kingdom, an oversight the architects of this Tuesdays ban-lifting spectacle were counting on. The grant of an almost freedom thus stood in for a promise of actual change or any real recognition of equality.

A real advance in the project of empowering Muslim women and recognising their right to equality can never come from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The reason is simple: championing as it does literalist and de-contextualised readings of Islamic holy texts, the Kingdom and its clerics will never support the teachings of Muslim feminists who are pushing for just that. These women, who include scholars such as Dr Amina Wadud and Dr Asma Barlas among others, have used textual analysis of Muslim religious sources to argue that the Holy Quran enshrines gender equality as a central tenet of faith. Barlas, author of Believing Women in Islam, shows how only six out of six thousand verses in the Holy Quran have been used by male scholars to impose male-dominated readings on Muslim women. It is just these sorts of male-dominated readings, intent as they are on discounting the patriarchal context of the men who first produced them, that are the mainstay of the Saudi understanding of gender, their insistence that gender equality is antithetical rather than inherent to Islam.

READ MORE: Saudi Arabia should stop bloody execution spree

Saudi intransigence towards Muslim feminism and the project of recognising gender equality could be ignored were it not for the fact that the Kingdom and its scholars claim the provenance of defining true Islam for the rest of the Muslim world. It is on just this basis that they insisted the driving ban (and all other restrictions on womens autonomy and leadership) was grounded in Islamic teachings. Driving may be off the list of forbidden acts for females, but everything else remains on it.

The intrigues of strategic manoeuvring should not detract from the truth that the Kingdom's orientation towards the position of women within Islam is diametrically opposed to those who are pushing for a gender-egalitarian understanding of Islam. by

The lifting of the Saudi driving ban is not motivated out of concern for womens rights but rather strategic interest. The story proceeds thus; for as long as it served their purposes, the Al Saud monarchs of old refused to budge in their insistence that women could not be permitted to drive. Then came the pressing prerogatives of the present moment; the lifting of the driving ban now had the potential to be just the feel-good smokescreen that could detract from more noxious issues such as the suppression of dissent within the Kingdom and the slaughter of Yemeni civilians just beyond it.

In the interest of rescuing brand Saudi Arabia, a shred of misogyny was thus sacrificed; that the lifting of the ban was telecast not only in the Kingdom but also via a live media event in DC explains all the rest

The intrigues of strategic manoeuvring, however, should not detract from the truth that the Kingdoms orientation towards the position of women within Islam is diametrically opposed to those who are pushing for a gender-egalitarian understanding of Islam. In still insisting that women can never lead, must beg guardians for permission to travel, to open a bank account, to enroll in university, must be subservient to husbands, to fathers and even to sons, Saudi clerics deny outright any possibility of equality between the sexes, discarding the precept as a foreign imposition.

Viewed under this overarching lens, the lifting of the driving ban is best understood as an allowance of convenience, instituted not because it is likely to have wide and far-reaching implications, but precisely because it will have few or none. The reality of Saudi Arabia substantiates this reading; a majority of Saudi women (none of the kingdoms millions of migrant workers are included in this designation) are able and willing to afford chauffeurs, and driving for many will be a matter of sport or spectacle, an opportunity to have his and hers editions of fancy new cars. Jaguar and Cadillac know this and have already begun advertising to them.

The precept that the lifting of Saudi Arabias driving ban suggests a new and different future for Muslim women disregards the work of Muslim feminists who have actually been working towards this goal. Jubilation at the lifting of an arbitrary edict, an example of how the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has used Islam to cover up its misogyny, is to recognise the legitimacy of the use of faith as a cover-up for laws and edicts that have nothing at all to do with it. Muslim women can do better than that; Muslim women are doing better than that. As long as the rights of millions of Muslim women remain subject to the whims of male monarchs, driving around is at best a fake freedom.





Rafia Zakaria is an attorney and author of The Upstairs Wife: An Intimate History of Pakistan; and Veil.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy.
At first glance, a legislator, a circus performer and an NGO worker might not appear to have much in common. But all three Palestinians are former or current political prisoners who have been subjected to an obscure legal procedure called administrative detention, which allows Israel to imprison people without charge or trial for an indefinite amount of time.

Israeli authorities have been using this procedure for more than half a century, basing it on secret evidence. The Palestinian Prisoners Society, a detainee support group, noted a sharp rise in administrative detentions in August, with more Palestinians held without trial than during any other month this year. The rise, to 84 detentions, came amid increased tensions in the occupied West Bank after the stabbing of three Israeli settlers by a Palestinian on July 21.

As of September, there were 449 administrative detainees being held in prisons inside Israel, almost all of them Palestinian, according to data provided to rights group Hamoked by the Israel Prison Service.

Administrative detention is the worst of all possible worlds because all the evidence is secret, Sari Bashi, the Israel/Palestine advocacy director at Human Rights Watch, told Al Jazeera. We would expect administrative detention to be the rarest as opposed to being standard practice. There are about 500 people in administrative detention. Thats not an exceptional number.

READ MORE: Israeli prison like being inside a grave

Human rights activist Salah Hamouri, a Palestinian-French dual citizen, was among those arrested in August in a predawn raid at his home in the occupied East Jerusalem neighbourhood of Kufr Aqab. No reason was given for the arrest, his family said.

Hamouri, 32, was previously released in the 2011 Gilad Shalit prisoner exchange deal between Hamas and Israel, after spending seven years in prison. The deal was also backed by France. Israel alleged that Hamouri was part of a plot hatched by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) to assassinate Ovadia Yosef, the founder of the ultraorthodox Shas party, who routinely incited against Palestinians.

Hamouri was taken to al-Muskubyeh (the so-called Russian Compound) interrogation centre in Jerusalem, where he was held for several days without access to a lawyer. He was later told he was in violation of his parole and that he would have to serve out the remainder of his sentence from 2005, which was three months.

His wife, Elsa Lefort, said the Israeli prosecution appealed this decision, asking to hold him indefinitely, and the court sentenced him to six months in administrative detention.

The Israelis broke their deal with Hamas, but also with the French government, Lefort told Al Jazeera from France, where she has been living since Israel banned her from Jerusalem for 10 years in 2016. I was pregnant at the time [when I was denied entry to Jerusalem]. I had come in to see Salah and I was placed in detention for three days. The court was told I was a danger to Israel. I was deported and my son was born in France. Hes never been to Palestine.

Hamouris case has attracted the attention of French politicians and international human rights groups. Hamouri has been a vocal advocate for Palestinian rights. We cannot allow for his voice to be silenced, Patrick Le Hyaric, a French member of the European Parliament, told fellow legislators during a recent session.

Amnesty International has also spoken out against Hamouris detention, calling it arbitrary.

For the last 50 years, Israeli authorities have been using administrative detention as a substitute for criminal proceedings in cases where theres not enough evidence, to target different people, Magdalena Mughrabi, the groups deputy director for the Middle East and North Africa, told Al Jazeera. We do believe that some of the people in administrative detention could be potentially prisoners of conscience or targeted for exercising their right to speak.

READ MORE: Palestinian circus performer jailed for no reason

Many activists, journalists and political figures who challenge Israels military rule have found themselves in administrative detention. That has included several people affiliated with the PFLP, a political party that Israel deems a terrorist group.

People can be detained indefinitely and its hard to find rhyme or reason for who authorities place in administrative detention, Bashi said. Israeli authorities accuse many people of activism in groups that they consider illegal, including PFLP and Hamas. Part of the problem is we dont know the reasons.

Khitam al-Saafin, chairwoman of the Union of Palestinian Womens Committee, was recently released from administrative detention after being held for three months. She was arrested on July 2 in Beitunia, near Ramallah, on the same day as politician Khalida Jarrar. The Israeli army said at the time that both women were detained for their leading roles in the PFLP. Jarrar remains in detention.

Meanwhile, Palestinian circus trainer and tightrope walker Mohammed Abu Sakha, 26, was released this summer after spending two years in administrative detention, accused of being active in the PFLP.

While in prison, Abu Sakha joined a mass hunger strike that lasted more than 40 days to protest open-ended incarceration and demand better prison conditions. His case caught the attention of European diplomats in Jerusalem, who voiced concerns about Israels extensive use of administrative detention and said that detainees should be informed about the charges underlying any detention, must be granted access to legal assistance, and be subject to a fair trial.

In the coming weeks, Lefort hopes the French government will lobby Israel on her husbands behalf and work to secure his release, as it did in the case of French reporter Loup Bureau, who was recently imprisoned in Turkey on terror charges. We are asking for the same treatment. Just because Salahs in a jail in Israel doesnt mean he cant be afforded the same treatment.
Despite concerns over recent secret arms deal with North Korea and human rights abuses, US aid to Egypt seen continuing.

Egyptian businessmen ordered more than 30,000 rocket-propelled grenades from US rival North Korea in a secret deal last year, the Washington Post reported on Sunday. The United Nations described it as the largest seizure of ammunition in the history of sanctions against the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea.

The UN revealed that the business executives sought to buy weapons for the Egyptian military. The report prompted US criticism, while the Egyptian embassy in Washington pointed to Egypts willingness to cooperate with UN officials in finding and destroying the contraband.

The Post reported that the North Korea incident was among a number of factors that led US President Donald Trumps administration to freeze nearly $300m in military aid to Egypt in August.

Egypt also remains unaccountable for human rights violations.

Over the past several years, there have been many concerns over human rights abuses, including suppressing freedom of speech and the implementation of laws that limit the operations of civil society groups.

Does Egypts human rights record really matter?

The US has not taken any substantial punitive measures against Egypt, even as organisations such as Human Rights Watch describe Egypts current human rights crisis as the worst in the countrys modern history.

Egypt will likely continue to receive assistance regardless of legal provisions it might be violating, said James Gelvin, a professor of Middle East history at the University of California, noting that human rights-based restrictions are almost routinely ignored when committed by a government the US wishes to support.

Along with Israel and Afghanistan, Egypt is one of the three biggest recipients of US funding and weapons.

How much aid does the US provide to Egypt?

Since 1979, Egypt has been receiving uninterrupted aid at an average of $1.6bn a year, the bulk of which goes to the military.

Military support has come in the form of arms distribution and military training services. A biennial series of joint military exercises led by Egyptian and US troops in Egypt commenced in 1980.

Referred to as Operation Bright Star, the coalition training is designed to strengthen ties between the two countrys forces and to assist the United States in solidifying its strategic alliances in the Middle East.

In August, the US cut tens of millions in aid from Egypt, citing the countrys failure to make progress on human rights and democratic norms  but experts described these cuts as largely symbolic.

Why does Egypt get US aid?





For a country to become an eligible recipient of US aid, it must align itself with American interests and foreign policy, analysts say.

In the case of Egypt, US aid granted since the signing of the 1978 Camp David Accords was untouchable compensation for maintaining peace with Israel.This deal is considered a cornerstone of US-Egyptian relations.

Robert Springborg, a Middle East expert and non-resident fellow at the Italian Institute of International Affairs, told Al Jazeera that US economic support was intended to stabilise Anwar Sadats [former Egyptian president] government and succeeding ones.

How does the US benefit?

The primary benefit is the cessation of hostilities against Israel by Egypt and other Arab states that could not wage war against Israel in the absence of Egyptian participation, Springborg said.

In addition to Egyptian support for American counterterrorism and counterinsurgency campaigns, Springborg says the US also enjoys marginal benefits, including access to Egyptian airspace and the prioritisation of US naval vessels through the Suez Canal.

The high amount of military aid, in particular, has also helped to create jobs and to reduce unemployment in the US. More than 1.3 million Americans work in manufacturing weaponry for defence companies, and more than three million others support the industry indirectly.

The US is among the worlds top five arms producers and distributors, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.

The United States does not give money to Egypt for military equipment; it gives the Egyptian military a list of equipment the American government will purchase on its behalf in the United States, Gelvin told Al Jazeera.

What about economic aid?

Economic assistance, or American investments in Egypt, are a relatively small part of the package, analysts say.

Economic aid now stands at less than $200m annually, compared with more than $1bn from the early 1980s through the early 2000s, Springborg said.

Egypts domestic stability is important to the US, and so there is a sustained interest in its local economy. If the Egyptian economy collapses, it will render the region unstable, Gelvin said. And since the Egyptian military controls up to 60 percent of the Egyptian economy, it is unlikely that it will relinquish economic control to other institutions or factions in Egypt.

According to Gelvin, this was part of the Camp David package: Since the army was not going to fight its main enemy of 30 years, it had to have some reason for being, and being so large.

Aid stream for Egypt continuing despite violations

There are both political and legal conditions that must be met by countries on the US foreign aid list.

In 2012, US Congress made aid to Egypt conditional on the secretary of state certifying that the country was supporting human rights and democratic values. This came in response to an Egyptian crackdown on American NGO workers.

The amendment also required the secretary of state to ensure that Egypt was upholding its commitments to the Egypt-Israel peace treaty.

Yet these provisions have not affected the aid stream to Egypt, a country infamous for its human rights abuses.

In 2012, then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton waived the certification requirements after the Obama administration claimed that there was no way of ensuring such provisions were met.

In 2013, a military takeover that led to the removal of Egypts first democratically elected president, Mohamed Morsi, struck concern among top White House officials, but they fell short of calling it a coup, which would have prohibited them from providing Egypt with military equipment.
Activists fear the new law will create a permanent emergency situation in the country.

The French parliament on Tuesday approved a controversial anti-terror bill, which activists say will create a permanent emergency situation in the country.

MAJOR ATTACKS SINCE 2015, WHEN EMERGENCY LAW WAS IMPOSED: January 7, 2016: A man wielding a meat cleaver and carrying an ISIL emblem was shot dead as he tried to attack a police station in Paris. June 13, 2016: Larossi Abballa, 25, killed a police officer and his partner, Jessica Schneider at their home in Magnanville, west of Paris. Abballa was killed by a police SWAT team, but he had already claimed the murders on social media in the name of the ISIL group. July 14, 2016: A truck ploughed through a crowd on Nices Promenade des Anglais after a Bastille Day fireworks display, killing 84 people and injuring over 330. The driver, Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, 31, is shot dead by security forces. ISIL claimed responsibility. July 26, 2016: Attackers slit the throat of a priest in a hostage-taking at his church in the Normandy town of Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray. February 3, 2017: A man armed with a machete in each hand attacked four soldiers on patrol at Pariss Louvre Museum, shouting Allah Akbar. The attacker, a 29-year-old Egyptian, was seriously injured. March 18, 2017: A 39-year-old man was killed at Pariss Orly airport after attacking a soldier. The attacker shouted: I am ready to die for Allah, according to the Paris prosecutor, Francois Molins. April 19, 2017: Police arrested two Frenchmen in their twenties in Marseille on suspicion of planning an attack, with bomb-making materials and guns found in searches. April 21, 2017: A known terror suspect shoots dead a French policeman and wounds two others on the Champs Elysees, before being killed in return fire, in an assault claimed by the ISIL. September 15, 2017: A man wielding a knife attacked a soldier in a Paris metro station. October 1, 2017: Two people, including one woman, are dead following a knife attack at the main train station in the Mediterranean port city of Marseille, according to the French interior ministry.

The bill, approved by 415 votes to 127 and 19 abstentions grants police exceptional powers.

On Sunday, a knifeman used multiple aliases before killing two women at the main train station in Marseille in an attack claimed by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS).

Investigators said the attacker, a Tunisian, had gone by eight different names during various brushes with the law, including for shoplifting and illegal weapons possession.

READ MORE: Is French secularism feeding Islamophobia?

Since the Paris attacks in 2015, France has repeatedly extended the nation-wide state of emergency, the longest state of emergency since the Algerian War of the 1960s.

In July, French President Emmanuel Macron pledged to lift the order and transfer certain exception emergency policing powers into permanent law.

This, according to human rights advocates, will not only harm the rights to liberty, security, freedom of assembly and freedom of religion across the country, but will also risk creating a permanent emergency situation.

The anti-terrorism law will give the state only extraordinary powers of something that we dont even have a proper definition of. This law will dismantle France, Yasser Louati, a leading French human rights and civil rights activist, told Al Jazeera.

READ MORE: Far-right feasts on Frances unchecked Islamophobia

Louati stressed that the state of emergency for the past two years has not changed anything in the country and has proven to be ineffective and insufficient.

This law has instead, incited fear among people, especially the Muslim community, he said.

Muslims are actually the ones who are the victims of terrorism in the country. They are equally being killed in terrorist attacks and then later, specifically targetted by the laws, adding that the state has adopted an ideological position on fighting terrorism.

All [the emergency laws] measures target Muslims in the country, mosques, and the businesses owned by Muslim, its a secret to no one.

What is the new anti-terror law?

The exceptional measures under the new anti-terrorism law will allow the police to conduct house raid and searches without a warrant or judicial oversight, including at night.

It also gives extra powers to officials to place people under house arrest without the normal judicial process.

The bill also allows for restrictions on gatherings and closures of places of worship.

The necessary control exerted by the judges to prevent abuses of individual rights are considerably weakened, leaving more discretionary powers to the police and administration, Pierre Bocquillon, a lecturer of politics at Britains University of East Anglia, told Al Jazeera, said explaining the anti-terrorism law.

By weakening the judiciary and empowering the executive, this represents a threat to the rule of law.

PEOPLE AND POWER: Backlash: Frances New Hard Line on Terror (25:01)

Bocquillon explained that such measures can be adopted on civilians based on mere suspicions and stressed that it will fuel discriminations and are a threat for individual rights.

Although in principle the law doesnt target particularly ethnic minorities and Muslims, in practice in the current context of suspicion and rampant Islamophobia, these groups tend to be the primary targets, he said.

There is also the risk that these measures will be used for other purposes, not just terrorism, but also as against protesters and social movements.

At the moment, thousands of Sentinelle special force are deployed to patrol the streets across the country to guard vulnerable sites such as stations, tourist attractions and places of worship.

Operation Sentinelle is the armys first wide-scale peacetime military operation on mainland France.

It was launched after the killings at Charlie Hebdo magazine in Paris in January 2015. But the armys presence were increased to 10,000 troops across the nation, with about 6,500 of them in the Paris area.

This new law leans towards creating a society based on suspicion, explains RimSarah Alouane, a researcher in Public Law at the University Toulouse Capitole.

We are witnessing the emergence of a policy definition of public threats that is putting at stake the basic principles of French criminal law. For example, this bill will impose measures on a person not to punish him for a crime he has committed, but to prevent those that he may possibly commit, she said.

This could affect anyone: most likely minorities, but also political/social activists whose views might be deemed suspicious by public authorities.

Has the state of emergency functioned?

Sundays attack was the tenth major attack since the state of emergency was imposed, Yasser Louati asks: why do attacks still happen in state of emergency which has been imposed for more than two years?

Can we ask the state, why are we still facing such attacks in the country? if a two-year state of emergency cannot stop such attacks, how will the permanent anti-terrorism bill stop it? he said.

However, Gerard Collomb, the new interior minister, told reporters in July that seven terror plots were foiled since the start of 2017.

In 2016, at least 17 attacks were thwarted in France and the former French Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said it was absolutely necessary to extend the state of emergency.








Amnesty International says at least 17 people were killed in clashes between security forces and protesters.

The death toll from the ongoing unrest in Cameroons English-speaking region has risen to 17, as the government tries to quell a separatist movement, a rights group said.

Security forces opened fire on Sunday on protesters calling for the independence of the region of about eight million people.

In order to avoid further bloodshed, the security forces must cease unnecessary and excessive use of force, and protesters should be peaceful if they want to make their voices heard. The government should investigate these killings, Ilaria Allegrozzi, Amnesty Internationals Lake Chad region researcher, said in a statement on Monday.

READ MORE: Cameroon shuts down internet in English-speaking areas

Internet was blocked in the region for the third day on Tuesday  the second time in less than a year. Earlier this year, the internet was blocked for three months following similar unrest. Electricity was also cut in the area.

The reported unlawful killing of several people in the Anglophone regions by the security forces coupled with the blocks on Facebook and WhatsApp represent an extremely worrying escalation of the governments ongoing campaign to silence any form of dissent in the West and South-West regions of Cameroon, Allegrozzi said.

Analysts have called on the United Nations and the regional bloc, ECOWAS, to intervene in the crisis.

We have seen a government that is not responsive to the demands of the Anglophone, Hans de Marie Heungoup, Cameroon analyst at International Crisis Group, told Al Jazeera on Monday.

There is a need to strengthen and better coordinate the response of the international community since the beginning of this crisis in October 2016. It is time for the international community to act in a very strong way to avoid irreversible deterioration of the situation on the ground, Heungoup said.

Late on Monday, the UN urged Yaounde to investigate the death of protesters and to show restraint.

The Secretary-General takes note of the calls by the authorities for dialogue and encourages representatives of the Anglophone community to seize the opportunity in their quest for solutions to the communitys grievances, Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for the UN secretary-general said.

But some Cameroonians said a government-led dialogue would not solve the unrest in the region.

The government cannot mediate on this crisis when they are the first people responsible for this escalation. They cannot mediate on the crisis they caused, Albert Nchinda, a Cameroonian political blogger, told Al Jazeera.

READ MORE: Cameroon teachers, lawyers strike in battle for English

President Paul Biya, who has been in power for 35 years, condemned the latest unrest and called for calm.

It is not forbidden to voice any concerns in the Republic. However, nothing great can be achieved by using verbal excesses, street violence, and defying authority, Biya wrote Sunday on his official Facebook.

Cameroons English-speaking minority say they are being marginalised by the French-speaking majority. Dissent in the two Anglophone regions  the northwest and southwest parts of the country  has been growing over the past year, with protests taking place intermittently.
Rights groups probe police brutality claims with about 900 civilians injured in referendum, allegedly by Spanish forces.

Human rights groups are investigating claims that Spanish police used excessive force to crack down on participants in Catalonias referendum on secession.

At least 893 civilians and 431 police officers were injured in Sundays clashes, according to regional and national authorities.

Human Rights Watch, a New York-based NGO, told Al Jazeera on Tuesday that it has sent a representative to Barcelona, the capital of Catalonia, to examine allegations it has received of police brutality.

There are some serious allegations of excessive use of force by police against people who were assembling peacefully to express their views on the referendum, said Kartik Raj, a researcher with HRW.

Videos filmed on voting day appear to show Spanish security forces using a heavy-handed approach as they mobilised.

Some officers are shown wielding truncheons as others shot rubber bullets.

Reports said force was used under orders from Madrid to shut down polling stations and seize ballot boxes.

The pictures and videos we have received so far indicate instances in which the police used force where they werent facing imminent danger or physical threat, Raj said, speaking from Barcelona. It appears there are cases that could have been handled altogether different and more peacefully. Our job, along with others, is now to investigate and verify.|





More than two million people, or 90 percent of those who cast a ballot, voted Yes to Catalonia breaking away from Spain.

Several of the more than five million people who were eligible to vote said they were prevented from casting their ballots.

Others who objected to Catalan secession abstained.

In June, about 40 percent of voters said they would vote Yes to independence, according to the Centre for Opinion Studies, the Catalan governments polling body.

Spain defends police action

READ MORE: Yes wins Catalonia independence vote marred by chaos

The national government has defended Sundays police action as proportional, with Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy thanking officials on Monday for acting with firmness and serenity in upholding the rule of law.

Rajoy had pledged to do everything in his power to prevent the October 1 vote from taking place following a judicial ruling last month  a day after the plebiscite was announced  by the countrys constitutional court ordering its suspension.

Spains 1978 constitution decrees that the country is indivisible, and grants the national government exclusive power to hold referendums.

Witnesses of Sundays referendum, however, said police had acted indiscriminately in targeting both those who supported and opposed independence.

The police didnt beat just people who were going to vote Yes, they forced and kicked at everybody, old people included, Pau Subira Zurita, 22, told Al Jazeera from Barcelona.

READ MORE: Catalonia referendum  What happens next?

Human rights observers on the ground on Sunday confirmed there had been a number of incidents of unwarranted police aggression, according to IRIDIA, a Catalonian centre for the defence of human rights.

Anais Franquesa Griso, a human rights lawyer with IRIDIA, said the centres 70 observers on Sunday reported several instances of the excessive use of force by security forces.

Police officers were not acting in self-defence, we are completely sure of that, she told Al Jazeera.

We have reports of peaceful protesters, including children and very elderly people, being injured.





The centre is working with other organisations, including HRW, to collect testimony from those who claim they were injured or had their rights infringed upon, on Sunday and in the period leading up to the referendum from September 20 onwards.

We will be collecting information until October 7, and will then send a report to a number of international human rights organisations to inform them of what has been happening here, Griso said.

Its a critical moment, and [Sunday] was a critical attack on democracy and human rights.

Meanwhile, Zeid Raad Al Hussein, the UNs senior human rights official, on Monday said he was very disturbed by Sundays violent scenes.

With hundreds of people reported injured, I urge the Spanish authorities to ensure thorough, independent and impartial investigation into all acts of violence, he said in a statement.

The concerns over human rights came as a large number of Catalans and regional institutions observed a general strike on Tuesday in condemnation of the alleged police violence. The strike had been called for by Catalan trade unions.
Pre-dawn attack occurs at paramilitary camp outside a regional airport in Kashmirs main city of Srinagar.

At least one suspected rebel has been killed and three soldiers have been wounded in Indian-administered Kashmir after fighters stormed a paramilitary base, according to police.

The attackers assaulted the heavily-guarded camp outside a regional airport in the areas main city of Srinagar in the early hours of Tuesday, hurling grenades and spraying automatic gunfire.

We have neutralised one of the attackers. Two are remaining, Muneer Ahmed Khan, inspector general of police, told AFP news agency, adding two security personnel had suffered wounds.

READ MORE: Kashmir victim  Life since pellet guns blinded me

The camp houses a battalion of Indias Border Security Force and only barbed wire separates it from the Srinagar airport, which is controlled and run by the Indian Air Force.

It has previously been a notorious interrogation centre where suspected rebels and their sympathisers would be detained, questioned and allegedly tortured.

Officials said the airport, which is on a plateau and encircled by military and paramilitary camps, was safe.

Residents in the neighbourhood said they heard dozens of blasts and intermittent gunfire was still ongoing.





Besides being a highly guarded security zone because of the location of the strategic airport, many top former bureaucrats, police officials and politicians have residences in the area.

Reinforcements of counterinsurgency police and paramilitary commandos rushed to the scene and armoured vehicles dotted the entire road leading to the airport.

No anti-India rebel group immediately commented on the fighting.

India and Pakistan each administer a portion of Kashmir, but both claim the territory in its entirety. Most people in the Indian-controlled portion favour independence or a merger with Pakistan.

Nearly 70,000 people have been killed in the rebel uprising and a subsequent Indian military crackdown.

Rebel groups have largely been suppressed by Indian forces in recent years. However, public opposition to Indian rule remains deep and is now principally expressed through street protests marked by youths hurling stones at government forces.
Pre-dawn raid at Indian paramilitary camp leaves at least three attackers and one soldier dead, Kashmiri officials say.

Srinagar, Indian-administered Kashmir  At least three suspected fighters and one Indian soldier have been killed in Indian-controlled Kashmir after an assault on a paramilitary base, according to local government officials.

The attack began in the early hours of Tuesday when three fighters raided the heavily guarded Border Security Force (BSF) camp outside a regional airport in Humhama, 17km from Kashmirs main city, Srinagar.

The operation against the fighters continued into the afternoon as hundreds of police, paramilitary and army personnel surrounded the area.

Munir Khan, Kashmir police chief, told Al Jazeera that the operation ended later on Tuesday when all three attackers were neutralised. He said one BSF soldier died and three others were wounded.

READ MORE: Kashmir victim  Life since pellet guns blinded me

Flights to and from Srinagar International Airport were initially suspended after the attack, but resumed later on Tuesday.

The flights are continuing and one flight has just landed in the airport from Delhi, Khan said.

Locals residing close to the airport said they had been woken up by the sound of heavy gunfire.

Initially, we thought it is the usual airdrop that happens around the army camps here, Qazi Anjum, who lives 100 metres away from the airport, told Al Jazeera.

But it continued intensely for a long time, after which we panicked and came to know that it is an attack.

Anti-India sentiments

Khan, the police chief, said Jaish-e-Mohammad, a Pakistan-based armed group, had taken responsibility for Tuesdays attack.

Armed groups have been fighting for decades for the Indian-administered portion to become independent or merge with Pakistan.





Nearly 70,000 people have been killed in the fighting and the ensuing Indian military crackdown.

Anti-India sentiment runs deep among Kashmirs mostly Muslim population and most support the separatists cause against Indian rule.

India has accused Pakistan of arming and training the fighters, which Pakistan denies.

The latest attack comes amid a major offensive by the Indian army in south Kashmir districts.

More than 130 fighters have been killed by the military this year, according to officials.

In August, suicide attackers stormed a heavily guarded police installation in the southern part of Indian-administered Kashmir, killing four policemen and four paramilitary personnel.

Last year, fighters attacked an Indian army base near the frontier town of Uri, killing 18 soldiers.
Refugees escape inter-ethnic clashes and fighting between DRC security forces and militia groups, says UNHCR.

More than 3,000 people have fled to Zambia in the past month to escape escalating violence in Democratic Republic of Congo (Congo), according to the United Nations.

The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) said in a statement on Tuesday that unrest in parts of southeastern Congo has driven more than 3,360 refugees into northern Zambia since 30 August  the largest influx of its kind in the past five years.

READ MORE: Displaced and desperate  IDPs flee violence in DRC

People are escaping inter-ethnic clashes, as well as fighting between Congolese security forces and militia groups, Andrej Mahecic, UNHCR spokesman, told reporters in Geneva.

Those arriving in Zambia described escaping extreme brutality, with civilians being killed, women raped, property looted, and houses set alight, he said.

Most are children

The majority of those fleeing come from the northern Katanga and Tanganyika regions.

In recent years, these areas have been the scene of multiple deadly clashes between the Pygmies and Bantus from the ethnic Luba group.





A full 60 percent of those arriving in Zambia are children, including many showing signs of malnutrition, the UNHCR said.

Malaria, respiratory problems, dysentery and skin infections are common among the refugees, who are in urgent need of protection and life-saving support, it added.

Many of the new refugees had already been displaced inside Congo by the violence before crossing the border.

The lack of roads and the long distances  make it difficult to monitor the situation and provide them with assistance, said Mahecic.

The approaching rainy season is expected to worsen the plight of those on the move, he warned.

The new arrivals, who bring the number of Congo refugees and asylum seekers in Zambia to around 27,300, are mostly being taken to the Kenani transit centre in the Nchelenge district, 90km from the border.

But Mahecic said some were opting to remain close to the border, waiting for their families to join them.

UNHCR was helping the Zambian government and the Zambian Red Cross distribute hot meals and basic items like tents, plastic sheeting, mosquito nets, and hygiene kits.

Aid workers were also providing psycho-social support to survivors of sexual violence.

Due to overcrowding, UNHCR said it had begun work on a second transit facility and was helping develop a more permanent settlement for the refugees.
Myanmar and Bangladesh have agreed on a repatriation deal for half a million Rohingya civilians who reportedly fled military atrocities in Rakhine state. The UN has described the crisis as the worlds fastest developing refugee emergency.

Myanmar and Bangladesh have agreed on a repatriation deal for half a million Rohingya civilians who reportedly fled military atrocities in Rakhine state.

The UN has described the crisis as the worlds fastest developing refugee emergency.

But human rights organisations are concerned that the deal may leave Rohingya worse off.

Al Jazeeras Yaara Bou Melhem reports from Yangon, Myanmar.
Protesters set to bring Barcelona to a standstill as part of protest against police violence during Sundays referendum.

Several thousand people have gathered in Barcelona in protest against an alleged excessive use of force by Spanish police during Catalonias referendum on independence this weekend.

Tuesdays protest follows a call by Catalan trade unions for a general strike in Spains northeastern region to condemn police violence, which left almost 900 injured, during Sundays unauthorised vote.

Authorities said up to 50 roads in the region had been blocked as a result of the action, with bus and taxi services also having been affected.

Many businesses across Catalonia have closed for the day, with schools and medical centres also operating at minimal levels, if at all.

READ MORE: Yes wins Catalonia independence vote marred by chaos

Carles Puigdemont, president of Catalonias regional government, has offered his support to protesters.

I am convinced this strike will be widely followed, he said on Tuesday.

A number of protests are scheduled to take place outside of polling stations where outbreaks of violence occurred between state officials and civilians participating in the referendum.

In Barcelona, the regions capital, public transport is expected to remain suspended for most of Tuesday.

Severe disruption

Port operations have also been severely disrupted, according to union officials.

Union spokespeople have said the widespread protest will vigorously condemn the police response to Sundays poll, in which 90 percent of voters backed independence from Spain.

Mariano Rajoy, Spains prime minister, defended police actions  which included the use of truncheons and shooting of rubber bullets  and praised officers for their firmness and serenity in upholding the rule of law.





The central government in Madrid said the vote, which had a 42 percent level of turnout, is illegal and contravenes the Spanish constitution.

Al Jazeeras Laurence Lee, reporting from Barcelona, said: Many people are saying that the mandate, as they see it, of the referendum needs to be accepted and mirrored by the Catalan parliament. And they want their independence this week.

If the Madrid government thought it was going to be able to crush the referendum and crush the Catalans on Sunday in the way it did with the police, then they misjudged it badly.

Spains 1978 constitution decrees that the country is indivisible, and grants the national government exclusive power to hold referendums.

Catalonias leaders appear intent on declaring independence from Spain in the coming days. Following the vote, Puigdemont said Catalonia had won the right to an independent state.

Such a declaration, though lacking legal force, would present a historic constitutional challenge to Rajoy who has accused supporters of independence of trying to blackmail  the whole nation.
A UN investigation has revealed that the Egyptian government violated an international embargo on trading weapons with North Korea.

A UN investigation has revealed that the Egyptian government violated an international embargo on trading weapons with North Korea.

UN and US experts say North Korea has built a vast network of overseas clients to evade international sanctions and sell cheap weapons to a long list of clients across the world.

Al Jazeeras Hashem Ahelbarra explains.
Foreign ministers visit comes after restoration of full diplomatic ties with Qatar and against backdrop of GCC crisis.

Mohammad Javad Zarif, Irans foreign minister, has met Qatars Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani for talks on relations and strengthening cooperation between the two countries after almost four months of a blockade against Qatar.

The visit is Zarifs first to Doha since four Arab countries  Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Egypt  cut diplomatic ties with Qatar on 5 June and imposed a land, air and sea blockade.

During the meeting, they reviewed relations of cooperation between the two countries in various fields as well as exchanged views on the current situation in the region, a statement from Qatar News Agency said, referring to Tuesdays talks.

Zarifs trip comes after Qatar restored full diplomatic relations with Iran in August.

READ MORE: Qatar-Gulf rift  The Iran factor

In January 2016, Qatar had pulled its ambassador from Tehran over attacks on Saudi Arabias diplomatic mission there, after the kingdom executed a Shia religious scholar.

Iranian state media published images of Zarif at the Doha meeting and quoted him as saying: None of the regional crises have a military solution.

All sides should give priority to regional initiations for restoring collective stability and security.

Zarif on Monday met Omani officials, including Sultan Qaboos bin Said, who has ruled Oman since 1970 and has served as an interlocutor between the West and Iran.









Kuwait has tried unsuccessfully to mediate the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) crisis, as has the US, which has a major military base in Qatar.

On June 22, the Saudi bloc issued a 13-point list of demands, including the shutdown of Al Jazeera, limiting ties with Iran and expelling Turkish troops stationed in the country, as a prerequisite to lift the sanctions.

The quartet accuses Qatar of supporting extremism and fostering ties with Iran. Qatar has rejected the allegations as well as the demands, and the quartet now consider the list null and void.

Survey on Iran

Against this backdrop, a new academic survey published this week suggests that the average citizens in the Arab members of the GCC do not see Iran as an existential threat in the same way some of their leaders do.

Face-to-face surveys of over 4,000 GCC citizens conducted in recent months found that with the exception of Bahrain, the spread of violent organisations like al-Qaeda and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group represented their biggest worry, said Justin Gengler, a senior researcher at the Social and Economic Survey Research Institute at Qatar University.

READ MORE: Qatar-GCC crisis: All the latest updates

Gengler said the survey, funded by the Qatar National Research Fund before the Gulf crisis began and conducted along with researchers from the University of Michigan, was conducted in every GCC country except the UAE.

Gengler first published his results on Monday in the prestigious Foreign Affairs magazine. The margin of error was below four percent among the surveys in each country.

Asked about the results, Gengler told the Associated Press news agency, Iran offered a convenient foe for Arab Gulf states struggling with internal problems and low global oil prices.

Political differences

Leaders in the Arab Gulf countries, those in Saudi Arabia and the UAE especially, view Iran with suspicion after its recent advances on the battlefields of Iraq and Syria.

They also worry about Irans nuclear programme and the 2015 deal that Iran struck with world powers over it.

Late last month, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Qatars foreign minister, said the quartets blockade was pushing Qatar into closer economic ties with Iran despite political differences.

They said Qatar was now closer to Iran. By their measures they are pushing Qatar to Iran, he said in comments in Paris.

Is that their objective, to push one country, a GCC member state towards Iran? This is not a wise objective.
Kurdish politician held office from 2005 to 2014 following the overthrow of Saddam Hussein by a US-led invasion.

Jalal Talabani, former president of Iraq and Kurdish politician, has died in Germany aged 84.

He was Iraqs president from 2005 to 2014 and a key figure in the Kurdish region of Iraq, where voters last week overwhelmingly backed independence in a controversial referendum.

Our leader died in Germany, an official with Talabanis Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) said on Tuesday.

A family member said Talabanis health had taken a turn for the worse and he been transported to Germany, along with his wife and two children, before the referendum.

Zana Said, an Iraqi Kurdish politician, paid tribute to Talabani as the only president whose death saddens Arabs, Kurds and all other ethnicities.

Q&A: Iraqi President Jalal Talabani

Iraqs head of state plays a largely ceremonial role and is elected by members of parliament.

Talabani was one of the longest-serving figures in contemporary Iraqi Kurdish politics, but for much of the past 40 years, he opposed successive governments in Baghdad.

Among Kurds, he was widely referred to as mam (uncle) Jalal.

Talabanis death, following a decades-old struggle for Kurdish statehood, came after Iraqs Kurds voted 92.7 percent to split from Iraq in the September 25 referendum.

The vote, rejected by the Iraqi central government as illegal, has put a deep strain on ties between the Kurds and central Iraqi authorities, who have cut off international flights to the region and threatened further action.

Political career

Talabani was an avuncular politician and a skilled negotiator, who spent years building bridges between the countrys divided factions, despite his efforts for Kurdish independence.

Born in 1933 in the mountain village of Kalkan, he studied law at Baghdad University.

In 1956, while still a student he went into hiding to evade arrest for his political role as founder and secretary-general of the Kurdistan Student Union.

After graduating from law school in 1959, he was called to serve in the Iraqi army where he commanded a tank unit.

When the Kurds sought independence and rose against the Iraqi government in 1961, Talabani led battles at home in Iraq, as well as diplomatic missions to Europe and elsewhere in the Middle East to drum up support for his people.

Joining the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) of Mullah Mustafa Barzani, father of Masoud Barzani, current president of the Kurdistan Regional Government, Talabani took to the hills in a first uprising against the Iraqi government in 1961.

However, abandoned by their Iranian, US and Israeli allies, Mustafa Barzanis forces were routed by Iraqi leader Saddam Husseins army, and the Kurdish revolt collapsed in 1975.

Talabani split from the KDP to form the PUK in an attempt to redefine the Kurdish political movement.





The PUK suffered badly when Saddams generals used chemical weapons against the Kurds in 1988.

Talabani fled northern Iraq to seek asylum in Iran, from where he continued to lead an armed resistance against Saddam.

Talabanis political career took a fresh turn after the 1991 Gulf War and the subsequent Kurdish uprising against the Iraqi government.

The establishment of a no-fly zone and a safe haven for Kurds above the 36th parallel by Britain, France and the US, after Iraqs defeat in Kuwait, marked the beginning of a short-lived honeymoon with the KDP.

Elections were held in the Iraqi Kurdish regions, and a PUK-KDP joint administration was established in 1992.

However, the underlying tension between the two parties spilled over into armed confrontation, dubbed the fratricide war, in 1994.

Peace agreement

Shortly after violence broke out, the KDP under Masoud Barzani called on Saddams forces to help in routing the PUK. Talabani again fled to Iran.

However, their four-year conflict ended in 1998 with Talabani and Barzani signing a peace agreement in Washington, DC, after concerted efforts by the US and, to a lesser extent, Britain to defuse tensions between them.

The peace accord was further strengthened on October 4, 2002, when the regional parliament reconvened in a session attended by MPs of both the PUK and KDP.

Talabani became president in April 2005 after the first post-Saddam election in Iraq and continued in the post until 2014.

In August 2008, Talabani underwent successful heart surgery in the US, then in 2012, he was flown to Germany after suffering a stroke, casting doubt over his ability to ever return to Iraq.

He did go back in July 2014, with Iraq in crisis after the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) group had taken control of big expanses of the country.
Last week, a secession referendum was held in the Kurdish region in defiance of the government in Baghdad, as well as neighbouring Iran and Turkey.

Iran has massed its tanks along its border with the semi-autonomous Kurdish region of Iraq.

Last week, a secession referendum was held in the Kurdish region in defiance of the government in Baghdad, as well as neighbouring Iran and Turkey.

The tensions following the vote have also had an impact on trade in predominantly Kurdish areas along the Iraq-Turkey border.

Al Jazeeras Hoda Abdel-Hamid reports from the Ibrahim Khalil Crossing along the border of Turkey and Iraq.
Despite monthly demolitions, residents of al-Araqib say they will never leave their ancestral land in the Negev.

Israeli forces have destroyed a village in the countrys southern Negev region for the 119th time.

Residents of al-Araqib village said that armed forces and riot police stormed into the village with bulldozers at 7:15am on Tuesday, razing its remaining buildings to the ground.





They stormed in and destroyed everything, every single building, every single home, village leader Siyah al-Touri told Al Jazeera.

The village, home to around 220 people, was first demolished on July 27, 2010. Since then, displaced residents have sought help from local activists to rebuild.

Were now living in makeshift homes, thanks to the states racist and criminal policies, al-Touri said.

They want to forcibly move us and do not comprehend that we are citizens of the state. They dont recognise us, and if they did, they would have granted us our rights.

Israeli authorities regularly carry out demolition orders in the Negev, arguing that these villages lack building permits, but residents say it is impossible to obtain a permit to build legally. Al-Araqib is one of some 40 unrecognised Bedouin villages in southern Israel that are under existential threat.

No matter what, we will remain on our ancestors lands, al-Touri said. Our cemetery has been here since 1914, and we have six water wells that we arent even allowed to drink from.

The last time al-Araqib underwent a demolition order was on September 14. Demolition orders against the village are executed on a monthly basis.

An estimated 200,000 Bedouins live in Israel, centred mainly in the countrys southern region. They are often denied state services, including water, electricity and educational facilities.

Israel plans to relocate the residents of unrecognised villages to planned townships. The process of replacing Bedouin villages with Jewish-only towns is under way, with villages such as Umm al-Hiran being slated for demolition.

A lawyer representing al-Araqibs residents said that they had rejected a court order stating that they did not have ownership of the land and that it was lent to them by the state.

FEATURE: How Israeli citizens are becoming stateless

We called for the immediate halt to demolition orders, lawyer Sahbi Ibn Thuri told Al Jazeera. But the state refused to recognise the tribes ownership of the village, claiming that the land was lent to them by the state back in the 1950s.

Following the establishment of the state of Israel, Palestinian Bedouin villages and towns were declared closed military zones. At the time, many were unable to leave their towns without permits and were unaware that their lands had become property of the state.

People like the residents of al-Araqib only realise their land had been confiscated when the police arrive with bulldozers to destroy their homes, Thuri said. The state claims these lands belong to them, but in reality, this is not the case. These people have inhabited the land way before the state ever existed.

According to Thuri, the state will not grant the residents ownership of the village, even if they prove that they are the rightful owners. The state also compiled a criminal file on al-Touri, claiming that he has trespassed on public land.

At best, theyll [al-Araqib residents] be provided with compensation in the form of an alternative piece of land, Thuri said. But that, they have completely refused.
Rami Hamdallah leads session a day after a Fatah delegation arrived in Gaza Strip for talks with Hamas officials.

Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah has chaired a unity cabinet meeting in Gaza as part of national reconciliation efforts between his Fatah party and Hamas.





We are here to turn the page on division, restore the national project to its correct direction and establish the (Palestinian) state, said Hamdallah, in his opening remarks on Tuesday.

An Egyptian security delegation is monitoring the reconciliation process.

It was the first meeting of the cabinet in Gaza since November 2014, although Hamdallah visited a year later without his ministers.

Upon his arrival in the Gaza Strip on Monday, Hamdallah announced that several committees have been established to handle issues such as border crossings and Palestinian Authority (PA) employees in the Strip.

The reconciliation will last 

Last month, Hamas announced it had agreed to demands by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas Fatah party to dissolve what is seen as a rival administration in Gaza. It also said it was ready for elections and negotiations towards forming a unity government.

Hopes are that reconciliation will end a decade of bitter feuding between Hamas and Fatah  and a parallel entrenchment of territorial divisions between Gaza and the occupied West Bank.

Hazem Qassem, Hamas spokesperson, told Al Jazeera that the reconciliation efforts reflected peoples wishes.

Hamas demanded that the peoples grievances be addressed in the meeting, he said. This time, both parties are serious about making the reconciliation project/unity government last.

Qassem pointed out that Hamas decision to dissolve its administrative government was a strategic step that they will uphold.

Usamah Qawasmeh, Fatah spokesperson, said the group expected that this time, the reconciliation will last.

Qawasmeh told Al Jazeera: The project requires patience and perseverance, and were surrounded with a hopeful atmosphere. This time, and in accordance with Palestinian law, were not going to back down and we will continue to only move forward.

Huge differences

Yet, most analysts expect the reconciliation process to fail, as previous attempts have.

While administrative control will be handed over, the Hamas government will retain authority over security, a factor that political analysts say is likely to result in the failure of the unity government.

Both sides are cautious and moving cautiously towards each other, Mohammed Daraghmen, a political analyst based in Ramallah, told Al Jazeera.

There are still huge political, security and administrative differences that are unsolved, he added.

I think Gazans need to wait a long time until they see significant changes happening on the ground.

READ MORE: Is Hamas, Fatah rapprochement a win-win deal?

Hamas has been the de-facto ruler in the Gaza Strip since 2007 after the party defeated Abbas long-dominant Fatah party in parliamentary elections.

Hamas then pushed Fatah out of Gaza in a bloody conflict, when the latter refused to recognise the result of the vote. Hamas and Fatah have ruled the Gaza Strip and the West Bank respectively ever since, and multiple attempts at reconciliation have since failed for several reasons.

The latest attempt in 2014 was thwarted when Israel launched a 51-day war against Gaza.

Hamas control over security and its nature as an armed resistance movement have also constituted an obstacle for the PA, which cooperates with Israel on security-related matters, as laid out in the Oslo Accords, signed in 1993 and 1995 between the Palestine Liberation Organization and Israel.
Top court asks the government and the Rohingya petitioners to present arguments on October 13 in the case.

Indias Supreme Court has heard arguments from the government and the two Rohingya, who have petitioned against the governments plan to deport the persecuted refugees.

The apex court on Tuesday fixed October 13 as the next trial date and asked both the parties to desist from emotional arguments.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra asked both the parties to compile all documents and international conventions for assisting the court, according to the timesofindia.com.

Government lawyer Tushar Mehta told the court during the hearing that Rohingya refugees will cause wages to decrease, adding to its earlier arguments that the Rohingya were a security threat.

READ MORE: Rohingya in India fear deportation to Myanmar

Ravi Nair of the South Asia Human Rights Documentation Centre told Al Jazeera that the Modi government suffers from Islamophobia and it sees in every Muslim a potential terrorist.

It is not following the main thrust of the fundamental rights chapter of the Indian constitution. Article 21 of the Indian constitution clearly says that right to life is available to both nationals and non-nationals, he said.

Out of the estimated 40,000 Rohingya refugees, more than 16,000 are registered with the United Nations refugee agency, but the government has said that even those registered with UNHCR would not be spared from deportation.

The lawyer representing the Rohingya, Prashant Bhushan, has denounced the plan. This is clearly a case of religious discrimination and an attempt to arouse an anti-Muslim feeling, Bhushan said.

Modis government has been criticised by activists for not speaking out against Myanmars recent military offensive against the Rohingya, and right-wing groups in India have begun vilifying Rohingya living there.

The Rohingya are denied citizenship in Buddhist-majority Myanmar and regarded as illegal immigrants, despite claiming roots that date back centuries.

Arijit Sen, a researcher with Amnesty International, has termed the Modi governments stand a mix of paranoia and xenophobia.

It is an approach that welcomes Hindu refugees from Indias neighbouring countries, but shuts the door on Rohingya, who are predominantly Muslim, in the name of national security, he wrote in an Al Jazeera article.

But this move goes against Indias international legal obligations, and also its constitutional guarantees of human rights.

OPINION: Is India contributing to the Rohingya catastrophe?

Indias opposition leader and former Foreign Minister Shashi Tharoor has criticised the governments stand on the Rohingya.

India has thousands of years old tradition of giving shelter to those seeking refuge, which it should not jettison, Tharoor, the former UN undersecretary-general, was quoted as saying by the UNI news agency.

More than half a million Rohingya have fled their homes in Myanmar and taken shelter in squalid refugee camps in Bangladeshs Coxs Bazar district near the border since August 25.

Myanmars military launched what it called clearing operations against the Rohingya ethnic community after an army base came under deadly attack.

Hundreds of Rohingya have since been killed, women have been gang-raped and vast swaths of Rohingya villages have been burned down in apparent revenge attacks, backed by Buddhist mobs.

I do not know what the government is thinking when it is talking of deportation, Nair said.

If refugees are sent back forcibly, they will certainly face torture and might face possible death. Clearly, this is a violation of the article 21. This is the main ground on which the Supreme Court will hear the petition.
As political talks continue over the Rohingya refugee crisis, pressure is increasing on surrounding countries to accept them. While many in Indonesia have shown support, Rohingya refugees have been stateless and stuck there for years.

As political talks continue over the Rohingya refugee crisis, pressure is increasing on surrounding countries to accept them.

While many in Indonesia have shown support, Rohingya refugees have been stateless and stuck there for years.

Local governments consider the Rohingya as illegal immigrants.

Theyre not allowed to leave the city, nor work or educate their children  a situation very similar to what they have been facing in Myanmar.

Al Jazeeras Step Vaessen reports from Medan, Indonesia .
King Felipe VIs televised warning comes two days after banned Catalonia referendum marred by police violence.

Spains King Felipe VI has voiced his opposition to Catalan leaders bid for secession, urging the state authorities to defend what he calls constitutional order.

Felipe abandoned his previously measured tone on Tuesday, saying that it is the responsibility of the legitimate state powers to ensure constitutional order.

He issued the warning in a televised address two days after Catalans held a banned referendum marred by police violence.

He spoke after hundreds of thousands of Catalans rallied in anger at violence by police against voters during a banned referendum on independence for their region on Sunday.

READ MORE: General strike brings Catalonia to a grinding halt

Catalan regional leaders held the vote in defiance of the national government which labels it illegal.

With their irresponsible conduct they could put at risk the economic and social stability of Catalonia and all of Spain, Felipe said of the Catalan leadership.

They have placed themselves totally outside the law and democracy.

It is the responsibility of the legitimate state powers to ensure constitutional order.

Plea for harmony

Felipe repeated his earlier calls for harmony between Spaniards, but it was a delicate balancing act for the Spanish sovereign after Sundays violence.

Police unions and political experts say Spains government risks losing control of the northeastern region.

It is considered Spains worst political crisis since an attempted military coup in 1981, which was defused by Felipes father, King Juan Carlos I.

Crowds in Barcelona on Tuesday screamed for national security forces to get out of the region, branding them occupation forces and raising their middle fingers at a police helicopter circling overhead.





City police put the number of demonstrators at 700,000.

The government of Catalonia is pushing the population to the abyss and inciting rebellion in the streets, Juan Ignacio Zoido, Spains interior minister, said on Tuesday.

He said his government would take all measures necessary to stop acts of harassment.

Pictures of police beating unarmed Catalan voters with batons and dragging some by the hair during Sundays ballots drew international criticism.

Carles Puigdemont, Catalans regional leader, said nearly 900 people had received medical attention on Sunday, though local authorities confirmed a total of 92 injured. Four were hospitalised, two in serious condition.

The national government said more than 400 police officers were hurt.

Claims for statehood

A rich industrial region of 7.5 million people, Catalonia accounts for a fifth of Spains economy.

It has its own language and cultural traditions.

Its claims for statehood date back centuries but have surged during recent years of economic crisis.

The Spanish central government blames the Catalan regional authorities for the tensions.





Puigdemont declared on Sunday that Catalonia had won the right to an independent state.

His regional government claimed that 2.26 million people took part in the poll, or just over 42 percent of the electorate, but the vote was held without regular electoral lists or observers.

The regional government said 90 percent of those who voted backed secession, but opinion polls indicate Catalans are split.

Puigdemont has said he will present the results to the regions parliament, where separatist legislators hold a majority.
Its been exactly two years since the UN adopted a resolution calling on Sri Lanka to ensure justice for victims of the civil war. Thousands went missing during the 30-year conflict.

Its been exactly two years since the UN adopted a resolution calling on Sri Lanka to ensure justice for victims of the civil war.

Thousands went missing during the 30-year conflict.

Just before arriving in New York for the UN General Assembly last month, Sri Lankas president announced the setting up of an office to look into the disappearances.

But critics say more needs to be done.

Al Jazeeras Minelle Fernandez reports from Colombo.
Student protests draw anti-riot police, disturbing normal functioning of one of the countrys oldest institutions.

The University of Nairobi has closed following a series of violent clashes between the administration, students and police.

The top Kenyan university, with more than 84,000 people enrolled, announced that students had until 9am on Tuesday to leave their residence halls.

This meant students had less than 12 hours to move out. Many of them refused to leave until they got their fees back.

Students took to social media to complain about the universitys closure, fearful of the consequences on their studies.

At this rate,this will be my Graduation photo when I finally graduate from University of Nairobi Med school. #MbithiMustGo pic.twitter.com/Gxj5ufDDYO  _Okech.. (@AdOketch) October 3, 2017

The closure follows the institutions vice-chancellors decision to call anti-riot police to the campus on Thursday, when students were demonstrating for the release of an imprisoned opposition politician.

Police officers clashed with students and dozens were injured, according to local media.

https://twitter.com/Sandrahnk/status/915138547119792128?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

On Monday there were new rounds of demonstrations, this time for the resignation of the universitys vice-chancellor, Peter Mbithi.

A few hours later his Twitter account announced the closure of the university, one of the oldest in Kenya.

Leaders of the Kenya Universities Student Organisation (KUSO) condemned the brutality meted out by police and demanded swift investigations of the rogue officers.

How comes the students who organized demos in University of Nairobi have been identified & expelled yet police who attacked them are free?  Betty Luke (@bettyowino) October 3, 2017

Freedom of speech and peaceful demonstrations are fundamental and irrevocable rights of every citizen, a member of KUSO wrote on Facebook.

More than 84,000 students attend the University of Nairobi and more than 2,000 people work there.
Winners project observed waves of energy created by violent processes such as colliding black holes for the first time.

US astrophysicists Rainer Weiss, Barry Barish and Kip Thorne have been awarded the Nobel Prize for physics for their pioneering role in the detection of gravitational waves.

Predicted by Albert Einstein more than 100 years ago as part of his theory of general relativity, but only detected in 2015, gravitational waves are ripples in the fabric of space-time caused by violent processes, such as colliding black holes or the collapse of stellar cores.

Scientists say the detection of gravitational waves will open a new window on the universe.

READ MORE: Einsteins gravitational waves detected by scientists

This is something completely new and different, opening up unseen worlds, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said in a statement announcing the winners of the nine million Swedish krona ($1.1 million) award.

A wealth of discoveries awaits those who succeed in capturing the waves and interpreting their message.

Weiss won half the prize, with Barish and Thorne sharing the other half.

First-ever direct observation

The three scientists cocreated the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) at the prestigious California Institute of Technology, which has taken home 18 Nobels since the prizes were first awarded in 1901.

The first-ever direct observation of gravitational waves was made in September 2015 at LIGO, the result of an event some 1.3 billion light years away.

Since then, the enigmatic ripples have been detected three more times: twice more by LIGO and once by the Virgo detector located at the European Gravitational Observatory (EGO) in Cascina, Italy.

Gravitational waves spread at the speed of light, filling the Universe, as Albert Einstein described in his general theory of relativity. They are always created when a mass accelerates, like when an ice skater pirouettes or a pair of black holes rotate around each other, the Nobel jury said.

Einstein was convinced it would never be possible to measure them. The LIGO projects achievement was using a pair of gigantic laser interferometers to measure a change thousands of times smaller than an atomic nucleus, as the gravitational wave passed the Earth.

Physics is the second of this years crop of Nobel Prizes and comes after Americans Jeffrey Hall, Michael Rosbash and Michael Young were awarded the Nobel Prize for physiology or medicine on Monday.

The prizes for achievements in science, literature and peace were first awarded in 1901 in accordance with the will of Swedish business tycoon Alfred Nobel, who bequeathed much of the fortune he generated from his discovery of dynamite.

Among the science prizes, physics has often taken centre stage with laureates including scientific superstars such as Einstein, Niels Bohr and Marie Curie, one of only two women to win a Nobel Prize for physics.
Actor, comedian and former White House employee Kal Penn will speak at UF later this month.

Accent Speakers Bureau is bringing Penn, known for his work in the Harold and Kumar comedy film series and his former role as White House Associate Director of Public Engagement, will be paid $65,000 to speak, Accent chairwoman Shelby Buchanan wrote in an email.

Penn will speak on Oct. 11 in the Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, with the show beginning at 8 p.m. and doors opening at 7 p.m. Student can pick up two tickets with a Gator 1 Card on Oct. 10.

This year, we're really interested in finding speakers who have amazing stories to tell who will still appeal to as many students as possible, Buchanan said. Kal's acting experience and time spent in the White House are a unique combination, and we're very excited to hear him share his experiences.

Buchanan said Penn will participate in an hour-long discussion and a student question and answer session.

Dustin Tyson, a UF history junior, said hes excited to hear from Penn as a fellow comedian. Tyson does stand-up comedy at The Midnight and Rockys Piano Bar.

Tyson said hes seen Penns movies and thought they were funny, but isnt sure what to expect at the event.

Some of the people are just actor types and not that funny when you go see them in person, the 21-year-old said.

Penn

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PLEASE NOTE!

Due to the March 23, 2020 NM DOH Public Health Order, These Event Listings Are Not Accurate!

All non-essential businesses are closed, public gatherings are prohibited!

(One day some of these events will be rescheduled or will resume, but they are not happening now!)
The media, having found a successful play to cripple a Republican president, is trying to run the same play against President Trump. They forget that their entire playbook has been thrown at Trump since he announced his candidacy in 2015, without any success.

Hurricane Katrina was thought to be a turning point in the George W Bush presidency. The less than stellar response from the federal government was hung around his neck. Successfully. Despite ineptitude at the state and local levels. The New Orleans mayor at the time, Ray Nagin, is now in federal prison for bribery and fraud.

They tried the Katrina pass play in Houston and Florida after their recent hurricanes, stymied by a strong defense of competent governors and other state and local officials. Relief efforts in Houston and Florida were efficient and competent. The media had to take a knee.

Puerto Rico is different. San Juan Mayor Yulin Cruz is busy bashing President Trump and hurricane relief. Anderson Cooper from CNN, Johnny on the spot, was there to feel her pain and report her criticism of Trump.

How ironic that the mayor was interviewed with a backdrop of pallets of food and water sitting in a warehouse, rather than being distributed.

Anderson didnt ask why supplies that are so desperately needed by the people were being used as a photo prop instead.

He also didnt comment on the fact that nine days after Hurricane Maria hit, Less than half of the 8,000 members of the Puerto Rico National Guard are on duty according to the Washington Post. Or how the Teamsters Union, a branch of the Democrat Party, refused to deliver supplies, instead using the hurricane as contract negotiating leverage.

Interestingly, Mayor Cruz, while speaking to Mr. Cooper, perhaps auditioning for a gig on CNN or MSNBC, was wearing a t-shirt with Help us we are dying written on the front.

The 2017 version of Hands up dont shoot. Amazing that an island with no food, water, electricity or other basic services has a t-shirt shop up and running, printing a shirt for the mayor to wear while being interviewed on CNN. Unless Mr. Cooper brought her the t-shirt to wear specifically for the interview, which would be a new low in media propagandizing.

Also, not likely to be reported on CNN is a phone call from a female police officer in Puerto Rico to a US radio station. She was upset and sharing how the Mayor of San Juan is politicizing the situation and not offering help. She highlighted corruption within government within Puerto Rico and the Municipal authority of San Juan. Sound familiar? Mayor Nagin and New Orleans?

If AG Jeff Sessions is paying attention, maybe these accusations could be investigated by the Department of Justice. Ray Nagins federal prison may have a womens prison with a few extra cells. In fact, Sessions might want to consider building an all Democrat prison given the demand. Blago. Anthony Weiner. Nagin. Senator Menendez. Maybe even Mayor Cruz.

Even two-time failed presidential candidate, Hillary What Happened Clinton chimed in with a tweet. President Trump, Sec. Mattis, and DOD should send the Navy, including the USNS Comfort, to Puerto Rico now. These are American citizens. Is the irony not lost on her that the same tweet, with just a few name changes, could have been sent during the Benghazi massacre which she presided over?

Obviously out of the loop due to her book tour, Mrs. Clinton was unaware that,

The Navy had long been coordinating with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and several Marine amphibious ships were operating off the coast.

Washington Post resident #NeverTrump blogger Jennifer Rubin chimed in with, Many Americans think foreign aid is a waste. Puerto Rico shows why its not. Apparently not realizing that Puerto Rico is a US territory, not a foreign country. Not surprising as the Beltway media believes most of the noncoastal America is a foreign country.

Also not mentioned are the Vieques protests in 2001, led by none other than the Reverend Al Sharpton, assisted by Democrats Jesse Jackson, Robert Kennedy, JR, and Luis Gutierrez, which led to Reverend Als arrest and the shuttering of the Roosevelt Roads Naval Station. Imagine if, instead, it was developed into a true naval base? And how much easier and more efficient hurricane relief could have been, despite the caterwauling of the San Juan mayor.

If the media had any semblance of honesty and integrity (yes, I know Im dreaming here), we would hear the entire story, not just the Bush is Katrina is Trump narrative. Sure, the federal government can be slow, certainly not as quick as Anderson Cooper getting jetted to wherever he can report on anything potentially damaging to President Trump. But that doesnt let local government and workers off the hook.

The San Juan mayor can complain and blame, wearing a t-shirt with the latest anti-Trump hashtag, while her city languishes. Or she can do her job, as officials in Houston and South Florida did, ignoring CNN and instead shedding the virtue signaling t-shirt, putting on a normal shirt, roll up her sleeves, and serve her constituents and city.

Brian C Joondeph, MD, MPS, a Denver based physician and writer. Follow him on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.
Between the revelations of Ivanka Trumps husband being female and Dr. Seuss being racist, last week was an amazing week for tabloidy mainstream news. Sadly, the media let the American public down yet again, offering cheap journalism, little context, blatant falsehoods, and inadequate corrections.

Lets start with poor Jared Kushner, son-in-law and senior advisor to President Trump. Wired.com, described by Media Bias Fact Check as a left-of-center media source, reported that Kushner has been registered to vote as a woman since 2009. Using this fact as the basis for their hatchet job, Wired shreds Kushner with accusations ranging from purposeful voter fraud to sheer incompetency, including this doozy:

Is Kushner a woman? Did he just accidentally fill out the form incorrectly? Is he the victim of a malicious voter impersonation scheme? Unfortunately, there's absolutely no way to know for sure, because he has yet to provide WIRED with a comment. But based on his recent history with paperwork, option two seems like a pretty safe bet.

Predictably, the usual media suspects pounced on the scandal as breaking front-page news, including CNN and the Washington Post.

Surprisingly, New York Daily News engaged in rudimentary investigation, bothering to track down Kushners original voter registration. The result? Kushner filled out the registration form correctly: The mistake was due to a data entry error by the New York Board of Elections. (Before we give New York Daily News kudos, note it has yet to update their original unflattering post on the story.)

CNNs rather short piece, which includes two authors plus two contributors, has been updated but still contains specious jabs at Kushner and Trump about inappropriate email use and voter fraud. The Washington Post contains similar nefarious inferences as CNN but manages to go a step further, declaring that maybe Kushner was not responsible for the registration error. Of course, there is no maybe about it, as confirmed by Board of Elections Executive Director Michael Ryan, a Democrat. Furthermore, The Post update is minimally and shoddily edited, with this line duplicated twice within the piece: Democratic opposition research group American Bridge spotted the error, which was first reported by Wired on Wednesday.

At least CNN and The Post offered some semblance of a timely correction. Despite Wired snarkily stating it would be updated with any new information, it took three full days to edit, with the disclaimer that it has been corrected to remove any implication that Kushner was at fault for the error. Unfortunately, the piece still includes cheap shots at Kushner, including conjectures of voter fraud, nepotism, and a chronic inability to correctly fill out boxes.

Meanwhile, First Lady Melania Trump donated ten Dr. Seuss books to an elementary school in Cambridge, Massachusetts, only to have them publicly rejected by librarian Liz Phipps Soeiro, who responded:

And then theres the matter of the books themselves. You may not be aware of this, but Dr. Seuss is a bit of a cliche, a tired and worn ambassador for childrens literature. As First Lady of the United States, you have an incredible platform with world-class resources at your fingertips. Just down the street you have access to a phenomenal childrens librarian: Dr. Carla Hayden, the current Librarian of Congress. I have no doubt Dr. Hayden would have given you some stellar recommendations. Another fact that many people are unaware of is that Dr. Seusss illustrations are steeped in racist propaganda, caricatures, and harmful stereotypes.

Clearly, the story here is Dr. Seuss being racist, and the appropriateness of a sanctimonious, lecture-style letter to a sitting First Lady. However, one would never know this based on the reporting of AOL (via Yahoo). AOL only suggests Mrs. Trump slammed a librarian whose sole motivation was to supply more contemporary books to less advantaged children.

Such cherry-picking, meager reporting is astonishing. No mention of racism. No mention of Soeiro dressing up as The Cat in the Hat on her schools twitter blog to help celebrate Seuss birthday. No mention of the Democrat mayor of Seuss birthplace saying Soeiros "comments stink and are ridiculous." No mention of previous First Ladies reading Dr. Seuss books to children, including Michelle Obama, or if Soeiro would ever dare write Mrs. Obama a similarly toned rejection letter. No mention of Soeiros responsibility to teach her students how to graciously accept gifts, also considering Mrs. Trumps letter was addressed to the students, not their librarian.

And most overlooked of all, despite Soeiro imploring Mrs. Trump to contact Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden for book recommendations, there has been no mention of Hayden being pro-Dr. Seuss! She must be a fan! After all, Hayden wrote the foreword to the Library of Congresss recent release, The Card Catalog: Books, Cards, and Literary Treasure, described as follows:

Packed with engaging facts on literary classics -- from Ulysses to The Cat in the Hat to Shakespeare's First Folio to The Catcher in the Rye -- this package is an ode to the enduring magic and importance of books.

News readers desire unbiased journalism, not lazy reporting containing partisan taunts aimed at bolstering the Trump Resistance. Read cautiously, folks.

Evan Boudreau is a freelance writer whose work has appeared in The Daily Caller. Evan detests social media but can be reached at evanboudreaufeedback@gmail.com.
Within hours of a man carrying out a horrifyingly successful mass shooting in Las Vegas, in which the death toll as of this writing is almost sixty, Democrats are out in public demanding gun control legislation. As disgustingly cynical as this is, it is not in the least bit surprising. Many more will join the chorus in the coming days, while a complicit news media will keep the horror fresh to facilitate the Democrats' exploitation of sadness and pain.

Never wishing to appear to their neo-communist handlers as weaklings inclined to put humanity before politics, or willing to pre-empt the revolution out of respect for human suffering, progressive politicians at America's moment of "fundamental transformation" seem to want to look callous and inhuman, even as they claim to represent the interests of the suffering and downtrodden.

Rahm Emanuel's infamous cat-out-of-the-bag moment  "never let a crisis go to waste"  has quickly evolved from an awkward instance of progressive self-revelation into the proud mantra of the American left. Leftists are no longer even ashamed at the old accusation of "politicizing a tragedy." Tragedy  the bigger, the better  is the grease in their wheels. Politicizing hardship has always been their stock in trade, and now, through years of practice, they have trained to the public to regard this extreme cynicism as the norm, so that the accusation no longer carries any meaning.

Democratic congressman Seth Moulton, refusing to participate in the moment of silence for the Las Vegas victims on the House floor, tweets this perfect example of crisis exploitation: "Now is not a moment for silence; it's a time for action." Action, of course, means laws restricting individual liberty and property rights, in defiance of the U.S. Constitution.

The essence of the strategy indicated by this crisis-exploitation mantra always comes in the form of precisely this kind of exhortation: stop thinking and pass laws, right now, precipitously, without a moment to reflect on all those little matters of constitutionality and individual liberty that a thinking population would remember were intended by the Founding Fathers to serve as moral limits on the extension of government power.

A huge storm devastates a populated region? "Stop thinking; pass laws restricting greenhouse gas emissions now!"

Hundreds of people are shot, and a nation is in shock at the inhumanity of the crime? "Stop thinking; pass laws restricting gun ownership now!"

This is how communist revolutions, whether direct and violent or indirect and gradual, must proceed, especially in a nation with explicit structural limits in place to thwart state overreach. Catch the population with their intellectual guard down, at a moment of feeling weak, heartbroken, forlorn, or angry, and pounce on them with demagogic cries of "Forward!" Before they know it, they will have acceded to things no freedom-loving people would ever accept if they were thinking clearly.

The progressive advantage, however  and this explains the "ratchet mechanism" of progressivism's advance  is that once a society has been forced or hoodwinked into increased social control, the newly restrictive conditions tend to become new psychological and moral norms quickly. Hence, it becomes almost impossible to rescind even the most draconian assaults on the individual, as most people get "comfortable with" (i.e., inured to) living within the smaller range of personal freedom, like sheep herded into smaller and smaller pens.

When it comes to using death, hardship, and bloodshed to achieve their authoritarian aims, the only difference between "democratic" progressives and old-style communist revolutionaries is that the latter promote the death, hardship, and bloodshed directly and openly, whereas the former, in order to keep up the appearance of being respectable public servants, need to exploit the death, hardship, and bloodshed they find along the way. They do this by "never letting a crisis go to waste"  i.e., turning any large-scale moment of pain and suffering into a rallying cry for new laws, meaning more power  for themselves, of course.

Think, finally, of the psychology behind this crisis-exploitation strategy. If you truly believed that human suffering  particularly sudden, unanticipated suffering on a mass scale  is not merely pragmatically useful to your aims of greater government authority, but actually necessary to prodding the public toward your aims, what would your attitude have to be toward such suffering?

How, for example, would you have to train yourself to look at instances of violence and destruction if you regarded your political platform as being practically dependent on such instances as tipping points for pushing your desired legislative action? Wouldn't you sort of have to hope for them? Wouldn't you gradually come to feel that these horrors, though "regrettable," were sort of beneficial, in the sense of being necessary conditions for the advancement of your policy agenda? Wouldn't you, in effect, start to find such violence and destruction desirable, at least as means to your ends? And what would such a moral reasoning process do to your character?

Among other things, it might make you cold and calculating regarding legitimate human suffering in a moment of crisis, as Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton were during the Benghazi attack. It might make you hatefully nihilistic about the value of other people's lives, as Robert Reich was when he playfully told university students how a properly managed government health care system would simply tell sick old people, "We're going to let you die."

And let me be clear about this. The perspective I am talking about is completely different from saying, "Everyone benefits from suffering" or "What does not kill me makes me stronger." The progressive is saying, rather, "Without other people's suffering, I cannot further my own aims of increased power."

Furthermore, it may well be true that certain kinds of hardship are necessary to move a population to important political action. For example, a civilization long oppressed in conditions of what Tocqueville called soft despotism  as we are today  may well need the suffering of utter social collapse to shake it out of its submissive slumber.

But to revel in human suffering  or at least instinctively appreciate it  as the means to promoting soft despotism  i.e., as the impetus for enacting oppression through regulation  is pure inhumanity. The psyche that could train itself to want or count on such moments of exploitable suffering is truly tyrannical in the literal sense defined by Plato  namely, the condition of being ruled by irrational desire. In such a soul, reason has been utterly usurped by power-lust  the same condition such souls seek to impose on whole societies.

Daren Jonescu writes about politics, philosophy, education, and the decline of civilization at http://darenjonescu.com.
President Obama's former deputy national security adviser, Ben Rhodes, is all upset that President Trump is booting Cuban diplomats from Washington in retaliation for Cuba's failure to protect U.S. envoys in Havana.

Goal of whoever is behind attacks seems to be sabotaging US-Cuba relations. Would be a shame if they succeed. Cuban people wld suffer most https://t.co/CkEn4fTMqu  Ben Rhodes (@brhodes) September 29, 2017

The steps announced by Trump Admin go well beyond what's necessary. Will help worst forces in Cuba / harm US interests and the Cuban people https://t.co/2fEPDhu5ZS  Ben Rhodes (@brhodes) September 29, 2017

Lack of visa processing in Havana will separate families. Travel warning will harm Cuban small business owners already reeling from Irma.  Ben Rhodes (@brhodes) September 29, 2017

Hurt Cuban small businesses? Cuban people would suffer the most? Harm U.S. interests?

What, exactly, does Rhodes think Cuba has done to American diplomats?

Let's scroll back to what this is about, from the editorial page of the Washington Post:

Twenty-one U.S. diplomats in Cuba have reported being hit with unexplained illnesses, including hearing loss, dizziness, tinnitus, visual difficulties, headaches, fatigue and cognitive, balance and sleeping difficulties. Some accounts have attributed the illnesses to strange "sonic" attacks that surfaced 10 months ago. Originally described by the State Department as an "incident," they are now being called an "attack," and Post staff writer Carol Morello reports that U.S. officials say specific Americans were targeted, that the assaults are ongoing and that they occurred in at least one case in a Havana hotel.

Contrary to the statements of some anonymous State Department officials, and probably Rhodes himself, who was the architect of the Obama administration's opening of U.S.-Cuba ties, the Post thinks the Castroites are playing dumb and know exactly what they are doing to U.S. diplomatic personnel, given that they are a tightly controlled police state. It wouldn't be the first time.

It begs disbelief that Cuba does not know what is going on. Unfortunately, this kind of deception and denial is all too familiar behavior. The regime took the same "don't blame us" coverup pose when the dissident Oswaldo Paya was killed in a suspicious car wreck five years ago.

Rhodes would have you think the U.S. and Cuba are all in for great relations, the ones he himself set up, and only some dark force would be up for halting that great scenario. Anyone who opposes Cuban relations (read: Republicans, or "worst forces in Cuba") would have to be the guilty one.

He tweets without a scintilla of knowledge about the hatred for Americans that Cubans have been brainwashed into having by the Cuban Communist Party, and their police-state government is completely capable of manifesting that hatred, relations or no relations. These people truly hate us. They hate our success, our freedom, and our beacon to their nationals, ten percent of whom have fled to the U.S., often on tire rafts over the high seas. This hatred for the U.S. has been drummed into Cuba's people as an ideology and is held as doctrine by its party elite since day one. There is no bottom to the malice of the only nation that really tried to set off a nuclear weapon on our soil, which has mercilessly shot down U.S.-based civilian airliners searching for Cuban nationals at sea, which has sent spies to marry into our communities, and whose secret police have urinated into the mouthwash of U.S. envoys in the pre-rapprochement era, all with impunity.

It's likely that impunity that drives the Castroite willingness to launch the harmful attacks  the Castroites figured the gringos were so desperate for good relations with them they'd do nothing about any attacks, and they could snicker back on the sidelines at how dumb los yanquis really were as they harmed Americans yet again. What's more, they probably watched Ben Rhodes himself on Benghazi, observing how the State Department and National Security Council under President Obama blissfully sacrificed the lives of four U.S. diplomatic personnel, including a U.S. ambassador, to preserve Rhodes's peachy ''narrative" about al-Qaeda being "on the run" ahead of re-election time. Surely the U.S. would do the same if they attacked Americans with their new sonic wave device...

This shows that even as Rhodes cries crocodile tears about "harm" to "the Cuban people" and "Cuban small business owners," he really does expect the American side to just go on allowing our diplomats to be harmed, taking one for the Obama legacy. Supposedly, it's because he's a humanitarian.

In reality, it's because he wants to preserve the Obama legacy. Instead of admitting that he and his Obama team have been duped by a slimy, corrupt, truly evil communist regime, he wants the Obama legacy of reopening relations to Cuba to be paramount, no matter what the human cost to U.S. diplomats.

By any means necessary, as they say on the left.
Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) was a guest on ABC's This Week October 1, with George Stephanopoulos. Here is an excerpt from the "This Week" transcript, with Stephanopoulos asking Sanders about his Medicare-for-all views.

STEPHANOPOULOS: You have got more than a dozen Democrats now supporting your Medicare for all plan in the Senate. You're campaigning hard all across the country.

Two quick questions, how do you respond to those who say you're pulling the party too far to the left? And is it fair to say given your activities, you're not ruling out another run for president in 2020?

SANDERS: Well, let me just say that the idea of a Medicare for all, the idea that the United States of America should join every other major country on Earth in guaranteeing health care to every man, woman, and child, this is not a radical idea. In fact, poll after poll shows that a majority of the American people support that idea. People want to know why, as a nation, George, we are spending twice as much per capita on health care as the people of Canada or many of the European countries while our health care outcomes are not necessarily as good. And people also want to know why we pay by far the highest prices in the world for prescription drugs.

So, I don't see this as a radical idea. I see it as an idea that more and more people want. Medicare today is a very popular program. It's the most popular health insurance program in the country. Let's expand to it to everybody over a four year period.
A four-month-long budget impasse in Connecticut is starting to have serious ramifications for education funding for local communities.

At issue is a $3.5-billion budget gap that Democrats can't decide how to close. Until the governor and state lawmakers can agree on a plan, a shortfall in state aid to municipalities is wreaking havoc in towns and cities.

Wall Street Journal:

Dannel Malloy, a Democrat, signed an executive order to keep state operations running. But the order can only provide funding based on the state's current revenue projections. That required cuts to municipal aid in excess of $900 million, most of which fell on education funding. The Malloy administration has said the solution to avoid painful spending reductions is to pass a budget as soon as possible. Some of the cuts can be reversed, but that will require a fully enacted budget. Reaching agreement on how to close a two-year $3.5 billion deficit has been difficult. Republicans lawmakers, along with a few Democrats, passed a budget in September that gave more funding to towns but slashed spending for the University of Connecticut. It also required teachers to pay more for their pensions. Mr. Malloy vetoed that plan last week. The House of Representatives will convene a veto override session Tuesday. Leo Paul, first selectman of the town of Litchfield, said lawmakers should overturn the governor's veto. The governor's executive order would eliminate state education funding this year for Litchfield, which received $1.5 million from the state last year. Mr. Paul said the cuts to municipal funding could force his town to raise taxes by up to 8%. "That is unacceptable," he said. The executive order could reduce school funding for West Hartford by $21 million, or about 7% of the town's budget. Town officials said they have reined in spending to offset potential cuts and want to avoid tapping their reserve fund to keep their AAA bond rating intact. West Hartford Mayor Shari Cantor said she wants state lawmakers to pass a budget that supports schools across Connecticut. "We understand the state is in a fiscal crisis," Ms. Cantor said. But "we are going to hurt our young people if we don't invest in them." Mr. Malloy's executive order keeps education funding flat for the municipalities that have the lowest-performing school districts. That means New Haven will get $154.3 million in education funds from the state, which is the same as last year. But the executive order cuts funding for reimbursements of nontaxable property and other payments by $67 million in New Haven.

As the tax base shrinks in blue states like Illinois and Connecticut, the sharing of scarcity becomes public policy. And Democrats are unable to decide which of their precious interest groups will feel the ax.

Asking teachers to pay more for their pensions caused the union to howl in protest. Better that the kids suffer rather than they. As for the rest of the deficit, it will be a question of moving decimal points around, hoping to stave off the day of reckoning when imaginary cuts and accounting tricks will no longer suffice.

Illinois is at that point now. The increase in fees and taxes passed after a two-year budget impasse is driving residents out of the state in droves. Of course, fewer residents means less revenue, so the vicious circle is complete. Without massive budget and pension reforms, and reducing the power of public unions, the state will eventually become a fiscal basket case.

The blue state model is already dead, as Walter Russell Mead said in 2012. States like Connecticut and Illinois are only the harbingers of what's to come.
Even as the president prays that God "bless the souls of the lives that are lost" and "give us the grace of healing" and "provide the grieving families with strength to carry on" in the wake of Las Vegas, Democratic politicians are off to the gun control races.

The off-year Virginia gubernatorial election, which has national import, is likely to be a focus of the renewed anti-gun rhetoric from the left, as noted at washingtonpost.com.

Virginia Democratic candidate for governor Ralph Northam wasted no time in politicizing what the president called "an act of pure evil." Just "hours after" the shootings, the Democratic candidate, speaking at a forum in a northern Virginia suburb, said:

There is a tremendous proliferation of guns throughout this country[.] ... We as a society need to stand up and say its [sic] time to take action, and stop talking.

The Post reports that Northam added that "such actions in Virginia include requiring universal background checks for firearm purchases and reinstating a Virginia law that restricts purchases to one gun per month," a Virginia law that "expired in 2012."

Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe, a close Clinton ally and presidential hopeful who "embraced his 'F' rating from the NRA when he ran in 2013," has dropped more than $1 million on "his state's Democratic candidates," with the "bulk of the money" going to support the Democrat nominee to replace McAuliffe, Lt. Gov. Northam.

The NRA-endorsed Republican, Ed Gillespie, who is a former Republican National Committee chairman and was a 2014 Senate candidate, trails Northam by 4-5 points in the Real Clear Politics average, in a state that Hillary Clinton won by 5 points.

The Post adds that Virginia is home to the NRA's headquarters along with the 2007 Virginia Tech mass shooting and the June shooting of House majority whip Steve Scalise (R-La.), and that guns "have long been a major factor in political races in Virginia":

After long avoiding gun control, Democrats running for statewide office in Virginia in the aftermath of Virginia Tech and several other mass shootings began calling for tougher laws  and found they could still win.

McAuliffe proves the point, as does Democrat senator and Hillary Clinton running mate Tim Kaine, who also carries an NRA "F" rating.

Post reporter Fenit Nirappil points out, however, that Republicans, who control both houses of the Virginia legislature, "remain opposed" to Democrat gun control measures, "calling them an infringement on Second Amendment protections."

The power of the Virginia Republican legislature in a state divided between the liberal northern suburbs and the more conservative rural and military areas was demonstrated when McAuliffe's attorney general announced in December 2015 that "the commonwealth will no longer recognize out-of-state concealed handgun permits, part of a national push to circumvent legislatures opposed to tightening gun laws."

A month later, after the issue "had threatened to poison the remainder of the governor's term in office," McAuliffe "agreed to legislation that says the state must recognize concealed-handgun permits from nearly all states  a reversal of Attorney General Mark R. Herring's decision" a month earlier "to sever the reciprocity rights of gun owners in 25 states," in a deal that was backed by the NRA.

On top of the money McAuliffe has poured into the Northam gubernatorial campaign, Michael Bloomberg's gun control group is adding $700,000 to the Northam coffers, and former Democratic Rep. Gabby Giffords's "gun control group" has pledged $150,000 to Northam.

At a Monday D.C. press conference, Giffords's husband, Mark Kelly, didn't hesitate to politicize the Nevada shootings:

Don't let anyone tell you not to talk about politics when we talk about guns.

The NRA will spend "more than $1 million" in support of Gillespie, on "ads airing on broadcast networks in markets around Virginia," according to thehill.com.

Hillary Clinton, meanwhile is "headlining" a New York City fundraiser for the Democrat candidate Northam this Wednesday, according to another washingtonpost.com account. Northam at last count had more than twice as much cash on hand as Gillespie, in a race that has "garnered national attention as a proxy for partisan battles in Washington."

Mrs. Clinton politicized the Las Vegas event Monday morning by demanding we "put politics aside":

We can and must put politics aside, stand up to the NRA, and work together to try to stop this from happening again.

Mrs. Clinton was ridiculed for another Monday-morning tweet in which she said, "Imagine the deaths if the shooter had a silencer, which the NRA wants to make easier to get."

Among the responses to Hillary's typically ham-handed silencer comment were:

Ben Shapiro: "Ignorant, irrelevant and exploitative"

Buck Sexton: "She knows nothing about firearms, and even worse, she doesn't care."

Dana Loesch: "Suppressors only reduce by a few decibels, still same decibel level as a jackhammer."

An NRA-ILA post less than two weeks ago quoted a washingtonpost.com article that finds that "a suppressed firearm is as loud as a jackhammer." The article reviews noise reduction ratings for ear plugs and ear muffs used by shooters and concludes that suppressors, also known as silencers, provide "around the same reduction level of typical ear protection gear often used when firing guns."

The NRA-ILA post also cites a politico.com column that quotes the "head of the Fraternal Order of Police," which "claims to be the nation's largest police union," on the House suppressor bill:

With respect to the silencer provision, we have taken a position that we do not object to that provision. The reasoning is because silencers are not  and have not been in the recent past  a law enforcement problem.

(The "Hearing Protection Act" has nevertheless been put on the back burner in the wake of Las Vegas, according to politico.com.)

The point of this suppressor digression is that, to paraphrase Mr. Sexton above, Hillary Clinton either has no idea what she is talking about or just doesn't care about the facts. What a surprise either way.

With Mrs. Clinton headlining support for the Northam campaign, what could go wrong?
The coda to a sad day in the U.S. was a doozy  the unexpected death of rocker Tom Petty, apparently of a heart attack at his home in Malibu.

It's hard to see him go. He came to the fore about when I came of age in the late 1970s, early 1980s, not quite punk, certainly not disco, not heavy metal, just the resurrection of good rock and roll, with evocative, memorable melodies, depicting great highs and lows that imprint on the time when they are heard. To me, his songs evoke San Diego beaches, Los Angeles highways, San Francisco bars, wind-whipped Monterrey cypress trees at the end of Golden Gate Park, the first Silicon Valley nerds, and student all-nighters at the Foghorn, the student newspaper at the University of San Francisco. That's just the dredgings of one person. It's likely everyone has a slew of comparable memories when thinking of Petty's music.

Despite his music's capacity to capture a moment and sustain the emotionism of youth, it wasn't ephemeral. It was well crafted, with high musicianship, fine lyrics, and original melodies that one can notice only if one plays the music again at a much older age. It lasted. It was art. It was classy as a fine wine and could be played at a party without seeming dated. And he kept producing more, all of it as good as his first stuff, so his career didn't really seem to be over. And one reason we are sad is that we wanted more.

Petty himself, unlike many rock musicians, wasn't a jerk, either. I would have forgiven him if he were, but he always came off as a professional music nerd, not an idiot who wanted to change the world by popping off and saying stupid things. Nor did he show bad behavior at airport lounges or hotel rooms, let alone get busted for pot; Petty never made offensive statements to alienate at least half of his music base, something others might take heed of. For that I was glad to read he died rich, with a net worth of $95 million and a nice place in Malibu.

The amazing and gratifying thing here is that so many celebrities, and people from all walks of life, are mourning his passing. It's bigger than his low profile would suggest  from Bob Dylan to Sheryl Crow to Gene Stanley to Peter Gabriel, they all owe him a debt of gratitude  and there are a lot of them. He spoke to all sides of the political spectrum, and the left and right are mourning him equally. Even Ben Rhodes took a break from his Twitter "narratives" to put in a statement of grief.

All that's left now are his records. It's not nothing. Rest in peace, Tom Petty.
Hate-filled progressives seem to be no longer able to mimic mentally healthy human beings in their reactions to the mass slaughter and maiming of innocents at a country music festival. So anxious are they to display their superiority that they unmask their inhumanity and their eagerness to exploit suffering.

MSNBC sent Chris Hayes to Las Vegas to cover the story, and it appears from his fractured syntax that the stress and possible a lack of sleep were getting to him when he interviewed Danny Tarkanian, who is running for the Senate seat in Nevada on the ballot next year. Video of the entire five-minute segment is embedded below. The highlight was when Hayes lapsed into partial incoherence but managed to get to his agenda item of gun control (rush transcript via Grabien).

... there are Senate Democrats today who were talking about guns. And Chris Murphy who represents Connecticut where Newtown happened and things like that that in the absence of that, that there is [sic] some concrete things that Congress can do to reduce the incidents of gun violence and mass shootings in this country. That something you think is achievable, I guess, is the question before you think it's advisable?

Tarkanian's response shamed Hayes and challenged the logic of passing more laws to control someone who already has broken multiple laws.

Look, I think that any time an activity like this can happen in our country, it's wrong. And something needs to be done to stop it. The bodies aren't even cold yet. And we're going to sit here and politicize this thing? Why don't you wait until there is some time for the people to grieve and get over this, and then you can figure out exactly how did the guy get his guns, how did he get ten guns like that? Did he break the law to get them? Are you going to pass laws that will stop someone from breaking the laws? We don't even know what happened yet. I think the best thing to do is one, focus on the great work people here in Las Vegas did, first with the police officers and the firemen, helping to minimize what the shooter was able to do. The incredible work by all the people in the hospitals and the emergency rooms. You know, the people that are giving blood. It's four hours just to get for you to wait in line to give blood here in Las Vegas. The churches are involved. I'm going to a vigil at 6:00 at my church. We're doing some wonderful things in this community to try to minimize this horrendous act that happened here there is going to be time to politicize this later on. And if there are solutions, to come up with those solutions.

Hayes could not let it drop. Though he offered ritual acknowledgment of the many heroes, he went right to his Trump-hating agenda with a non sequitur reference to a phony charge made by the left on Trump's policy on entrants to the U.S. from terror states:

And I understand and respect what you're going through here. I just want to follow up on that question politicize. Because when a murderer killed dozens of people at the pulse nightclub in Orlando, the president of the United States, the man you support, and whose support you boasted of called for banning a billion people worldwide in the wake of that, and the bodies hadn't even been identified. Isn't that politicizing too?

Tarkanian would have none of it:

I think you love to misquote President Trump. And that's all good and well for your viewership. I'm not going to get into that today when this has been the worst tragedy that happened to my city and you want to start taking potshots at the president. Let's talk what happened here, what our city is going through and what we're trying to do to get through this really, really difficult period of time.

Hayes's response was weak. He had been called out on his own airwaves. It seems that fewer people are willing to let media slanders pass unnoted.

Here is the video:
(ANSA) - Rome, October 3 - Italy's growth prospects for the coming months appear "favourable," Giorgio Alleva, the president of national statistics agency ISTAT, told a joint hearing of the Lower House and Senate's budget committees on the update of government's DEF economic blueprint on Tuesday. Alleva spoke of "signals of improvement in the economy" driven by demand for investment goods and equipment.

He said the expectation was of "growth at a higher pace that that observed in the second quarter of the year". Bank of Italy Deputy Director General Luigi Federico Signorini told the hearing that cutting Italy's public debt of over two trillion euros was necessary and achievable.

He said that a "significant" reduction was "an imperative for Italy" and was "within our reach".


ROME - The masterpieces of 17th-century painter Carlo Bononi - described as having Madonnas who cry real tears and "colors mixed from liquified hearts" - are being brought together for the first time in a large show from October 14 through January 7 in the exhibition spaces of the Palazzo Diamanti in Ferrara.

The show, titled "Carlo Bononi: The Last Dreamer of the Ferrarese School", is a celebration by Bononi's own city of the painter of emotions and feelings, who was also an extraordinary naturalist, a Mannerist in the mind, and among the precursors of the Baroque in his style.

A recent critical study has brought Bononi and his work to the level of other masters such as Guercino, Carracci and Guido Reni.

Organized by the Ferrara Art Foundation and the Ferrara Modern and Contemporary Art Galleries in collaboration with the Ferrara Museums of Ancient Art, the exhibition has two 17th-century art experts as its curators: Giovanni Sassu and Francesca Cappelletti.

They chose works that testify to the depth of an undisputed master, who suddenly fell into the shadows and was forgotten.

The slow but determined critical review progressively brought back to light the unique artist's ability to use painting as a language where emotion and the intimate relationship between the painted figures and their observers were made the focus. In the dramatic years of religious conflicts, earthquakes and plagues, Bonini used light and theatricality to become one of the first Italian Baroque painters, as shown by the decoration in Ferrara's Santa Maria in Vado Church.

Bononi's naturalist side is shown in works such as "Miracle of Soriano" or "Guardian Angel", where it becomes evident that the artist needed to bring religion into everyday life, placing the figures of saints and madonnas in real and concretely recognisable people. Guido Reni, a few months after Bononi's death in 1632, praised him as an "unordinary painter" with "great wisdom in design and in the strength of colour".

One century later, Bononi attracted the attention of travellers on the Grand Tour, from Charles Nicolas Cochin to Goethe, who described Ferrara as "beautiful, large, but flat and unpopulated" and appreciated Bononi's naturalist paintings.
ISTANBUL - Mass arrests in the Turkish public administration are still taking place for suspected ties to Fethullah Gulen, who the government claims is responsible for the July 2016 coup attempt.

In Istanbul, the prosecutor's office issued 112 arrest warrants for current and former city workers accused of having downloaded a messaging app called ByLock, which investigators said was used by "Gulenists" to exchange encrypted information. Turkish news agency Anadolu said at least 67 of those employees have already been arrested.

The Ankara prosecutor's office issued 142 arrest warrants for employees of the Turkish Education Ministry and Turkish Sport Ministry, some of whom are still in service despite purges that have already brought the arrests of more than 50,000 people and the driving out of more than 110,000 civil servants following the failed coup attempt.


BEIRUT - A consortium of NGOs from Italy and other countries is managing an EU-funded scholastic project in Lebanon titled "Back to the Future", which will provide for the opening of 19 educational and community centres for the social and educational integration of Syrian refugee children.

The project is financed by the Madad EU Regional Trust Fund and will allow more than 18,500 children to return to school.

Participating organisations include AVSI, Terre des Hommes Italy, Terre des Hommes Netherlands, and War Child Holland.

It is estimated that there are over 200,000 Syrian refugee children without access to school in Lebanon, a country that hosts more than one million refugees.


Netanyahu blasts Hamas-Fatah reconciliation agreement At the expense of our existence, Israeli PM says

(ANSAmed) - Tel Aviv, October 3 - Israeli Premier Benyamin Netanyahu on Tuesday spoke out against the recent reconciliation agreement between Hamas and al-Fatah. "We expect everyone who talks about a peace process to recognize the State of Israel and, of course, to recognize a Jewish state and we are not prepared to accept bogus reconciliations in which the Palestinian side apparently reconciles at the expense of our existence," Netanyahu said during a meeting of his Likud party in the West Bank settlement of Maale Adumim. "Whoever wants to make such a reconciliation, our understanding is very clear: Recognize the State of Israel, disband the Hamas military arm, sever the connection with Iran," he added. Meanwhile, leader of the right-wing religious Jewish Home party Naftali Bennett has called for an urgent meeting of the Israeli government's defence council, military radio reports. Bennett has already championed economic sanctions against the PNA following its agreement with Hamas. (ANSAmed).




Palestinian Authority govt takes up management of Gaza Mahmoud Abbas tells Hamas illegal weapons won't be tolerated

(ANSAmed) - GAZA, OCTOBER 3 - Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah held the first session of his government in Gaza City on Tuesday, following a more than two-year interruption due to conflicts between Hamas and al-Fatah.



Hamdallah announced his ministers will take over administrative management of the Gaza Strip.



In a warning to the military wing of Hamas, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) said illegal weapons will not be tolerated in the Gaza Strip, just as they aren't tolerated in the West Bank.



"If someone in al-Fatah has an illegal weapon in the West Bank, I arrest him. The same in Gaza," he said.



On Tuesday the head of Egypt's intelligence service, Khaled Fawzi, who had a central role in the reconciliation between Hamas and al-Fatah, will visit Ramallah.



Fawzi will meet with Abu Mazen and then travel to the Gaza Strip.



He will also meet with Israeli officials, according to Israeli Army Radio. In an interview with CBC, Abu Mazen said he called on Hamas to soften its positions after the Palestinian National Authority imposed a 22% cut on financing to the Gaza Strip.



He said he opposes intervention in internal Palestinian matters by any Arab country, "with the exception of Egypt".(ANSAmed).






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The Space Agency delegation, which exhibited and participated in events throughout the 68th IAC held in Adelaide, Australia, was led by . Dr. Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of State for Higher Education and Chairman of the UAE Space Agency.

Dr. Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi said: The IAC is the worlds premier event for the space sector and industry, providing an excellent opportunity to showcase the latest trends and developments from the UAEs rapidly developing national space program. The papers presented by our esteemed colleagues further demonstrate to the world that the United Arab Emirates is a major contributor to the global space sector.

Al Falasi continued: Our presence at the 68th IAC bolstered our strategic imperative of working with the international community to strengthen the UAEs role in space affairs. As one of the most significant global space events, it provided excellent opportunities for advancing our relationships with partners around the world, and we made excellent progress in this regard.

Dr. Muthanna Al Mahmoud, Engineering and Design Manager at the UAE Space Agency and Professor Dr. Ingyn Zaw of New York University, Abu Dhabi, co-authored a paper titled The Benefits of a Deep Space Ground Station in the UAE. The paper assessed the benefits and unique advantages of the UAEs geographical location for building a site similar to NASAs deep space network. The authors noted its potential to contribute to future deep space missions as well as international astronomy activities by joining existing long-range networks.

Another paper submitted by Abdulla Shehhi, Trainee Engineer at the UAE Space Agency, provided an aerodynamic analysis of airplanes gliding on Mars. Despite the wide scientific interest in Mars, no man-made object has yet glided in the Martian atmosphere. The research paper used computational fluid dynamics simulations and wind tunnel experimental analyses to propose and modify conceptual designs.

Dr. Fatima Al Aidarous, Space Science Senior Specialist at the UAE Space Agency, submitted a paper titled How holistic interactive experience can inspire the younger generation through voluntary engagement, which discussed means of inspiring youth to engage with fields related to aerospace and space sciences. The paper assessed the effect of immersive or hands-on experiences, such as the Boeing capsule, the Genes in Space competition and the James Webb Space Telescope. Nurturing the next generation of space pioneers is a major focus for the UAE Space Agency as it works towards significant space missions, including the Mars Hope Probe project.

Heyam, Al Blooshi, Design Engineer at the UAE Space Agency, presented her paper assessing the role of the Space Fundamentals Training Program developed by the UAE Space Agency, Lockheed Martin and Mubadala. As well as providing an overview of the program, the paper assesses its role in enhancing international cooperation and knowledge exchange, in addition to highlighting the technical and strategic importance of such courses.

Mohammed Nasser Al Ahbabi, Director General of UAE Space Agency, said: The Agencys participation in last weeks international space event was essential, due to the rapidly changing nature of space science and exploration. We intend to support the space sector in the UAE with the latest international developments, which will be reflected on existing and future projects in accordance with the Agencys strategic plans. Additionally, because the Agency is responsible for numerous scientific and exploratory initiatives, we need to remain informed of all the latest developments in the field of space exploration. Attending the IAC provided us with the opportunity to develop an in-depth understanding of the most recent innovations and technologies within the sector.

Finally, a number of members of the Emirates Mars Mission team from the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre, presented their latest research, observations and academic papers at the Congress.

Mariam AlShamsi, Instrument Science Lead, EMM, MBRSC had a presentation titled Emirates Mars Mission 2020: Science Targets and Observations which focusses on science objectives and investigations that will improve the science community understanding of the global circulation in the Martian lower atmosphere and the connections to the upward transport of energy of the escaping atmospheric particles from the upper atmosphere. This will be accomplished using a suite of instruments covering the Infra-Red, visible and ultra-violet ranges. The presentation also highlighted the different observation strategies of the instruments.

Amel Amin, strategic planning senior engineer presented a paper called "Emirates Mars mission 2020: education and outreach challenges and outcomes" in the Space Education and Outreach Symposium. The paper focuses on how the strategic objectives of the mission are met through the education and outreach objectives team. It also highlights the different programs under the project, but focus on the activities and programs conducted for the general public.

Mohsen Al Awadhi, mission system engineer, EMM at MBRSC presented two papers. The fist paper is titled, EMM Mission Overview which describes the missions strategic overview and its scientific objectives, in addition to the spacecraft and the instruments probe. Al Awadhis second paper was titled, EMM Spacecraft Design Overview Description which talks in details about the design of the Spacecraft and probes subsystem.

Khalid AlZarooni, EMIRS Electronics Engineer at EMM, MBRSC presented a paper, titled Emirates Mars Mission instruments design, operations and data, in which it illustrates the three different instruments on board the probe, clarifying each instrument in two approaches scientifically and technically.
If the plan materialises then this will be the largest employment stock option plan by any startup in the country.

Flipkart board has approved a plan to repurchase employee stock option, sources familiar with the development said.

Bengaluru: In a bid to attract and retain its 6,000 employees, the Flipkart board has approved a plan to repurchase employee stock option, sources familiar with the development said.

Companies traditionally use ESOP to compensate, retain, and attract employees. "The overall corpus reserved for buyback of shares from employees is over USD 100 million," said one of the sources to Economic Times.

If the plan materialises then this will be the largest employment stock option plan by any startup in the country.

This development comes after the online retail giant raised about USD 4 billion from Japanese investor Softbank Corporation and the Chinese investor Tencent.

Employees of subsidiaries Myntra and PhonePe will also be a part of the ESOP. The plan is likely to close by December.

ESOPs are contracts between a company and its employees that allow employees to purchase a specific number of the companys shares at a fixed price within a certain period of time. Flipkarts stock options are dolled out over four years. Employees can vest in them every month after the one-year threshold.

Senior executives can make tens of crores, the sources told ET.
The government has since said it would not take any hasty decisions.

New Delhi: Indias ambition to become a smartphone-making powerhouse are foundering over a lack of skilled labour and part suppliers along with a complex tax regime, industry executives say.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has championed a manufacturing drive, under the slogan Make in India, to boost the sluggish economy and create millions of jobs. Among the headline-grabbing details was a plan to eventually make Apple iPhones in India.

Three years on, as executives and bureaucrats crowded into a Delhi convention centre for an inaugural mobile congress last week, India has managed only to assemble phones from imported components.

While contract manufacturers such as iPhone-maker Foxconn and Flextronics Corp have set up base in India, almost none of the higher value chip sets, cameras and other high-end components are made domestically. Plans for Foxconn to build an electronics plant in the state of Maharashtra, which local officials said in 2015 could employ some 50,000 people, have gone quiet.

According to tech research firm Counterpoint, while phones are assembled domestically because of taxes on imported phones, locally made content in those phones is usually restricted to headphones and chargers  about 5 per cent of a devices cost.

Rather than feeling that India is a place where I should be making mobile phones, its more like this is the place I need to (assemble) phones because there is lower duty if I import components and assemble here, a senior executive with a Chinese smartphone maker said. He declined to be named for fear of harming business.

Others listed the lack of skilled workers and a sparse network of local component makers. They also cited high-profile tax disputes between India and foreign companies such as Nokia. Nokia eventually suspended mobile handset production at its southern India facility.

The Nokia escapade is in peoples memory when they try to come here, a second industry source told Reuters at the first Indian Mobile Congress in capital New Delhi, which ended on Friday. The GST, which kicked in this year to replace a string of different levies, is also fraught with its own challenges, such as a lengthy tax-refund process that delays payments to suppliers, the source added.

Last week, India rattled investors after publicly musing about possible changes in a $2.6 billion 2015 diesel locomotive contract with GE. The government has since said it would not take any hasty decisions. We needed some push from the government to start manufacturing, said Neeraj Sharma, the India head of Chinese chipmaker Spreadtrum.

It was required, because without that nothing was happening. But India now needs more sophisticated technology  such as surface-mounting technology, which places components directly on top of a printed board  to build a supply chain, he said.
Dileep, who's been arrested for 85 days, had been denied bail a good four times by the high court.

Mumbai: Malayalam actor Dileep has finally been granted bail in the actress molestation case under strict conditions.

Dileep, whos been incarcerated for 85 days, was granted bail by a bench headed by Justice Sunil Thomas.

The actor was asked to surrender his passport and issue a bond worth rupees one lakh.

The actor, whod been denied bail a good four times, was arrested on July 10.

Dileep, eleventh accused in the case, had been arrested after the police found credible evidence connecting him to the abduction and alleged molestation of a top Malayalam actress.

The Kerala HCs move to grant bail to the actor within days of the SITs official statement submission has come as a shock to many.

The disgraced actors film Ramaleela which released amid widespread condemnation, is meanwhile running to packed houses.

The high court has imposed many restrictions on the actor, severely warning him against trying to influence witnesses or tampering evidence. Main accused Pulsar Suni is still in the custody of the state police.

The incident had occurred on February 17, when the actress was traveling to Kochi from her house in Thrissur. A gang had followed her in a tempo traveler and hit her vehicle from behind when it reached Athani near Nedumbassery.

The gang members then reportedly entered her car by force and assaulted her inside the moving vehicle over the next three hours. They are said to have clicked and recorded invasive and objectionable pictures of the actress. The Special Investigation Team had reported that Dileep was in possession of the explicit content.
35-year-old Chemung belonged to Chilingdin in Nepal and is survived by his wife Nayan Kala Chemjung and a son, the spokesman said.

In the exchange of fire, Naik Mahendra Chemjung was grievously injured and succumbed to injuries. (Representational Image | PTI)

Jammu: An Army jawan was killed, on Tuesday, as Pakistani forces violated the ceasefire by firing from across the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district, an official said.

"Pakistan Army initiated unprovoked firing on Indian Army posts in the Krishna Ghati sector at around 1250 hours today. Indian Army retaliated strongly and effectively," a defence spokesman said.

In the exchange of fire, Naik Mahendra Chemjung was grievously injured and succumbed to injuries, he added.

Earlier on Tuesday, a BSF jawan was killed after a group of three Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) militants stormed a Border Security Force (BSF) camp at Humhama near the Srinagar Airport and the Air Force Station.

Three terrorists were also killed in the firing.

Read: J&K: JeM claims responsibility for terror attack on BSF camp, 3 militants killed

35-year-old Chemung belonged to Chilingdin in Nepal and is survived by his wife Nayan Kala Chemjung and a son, the spokesman said.

"Chemjung was a brave and sincere soldier. The nation will always remain indebted to him for the supreme sacrifice and devotion to duty," he added.

Read, J&K: 3 kids killed, 8 others injured as Pak violates ceasefire in Poonch

On Monday, two minors were killed and 12 civilians injured in cross-border shelling by Pakistan along the LoC in Poonch district.

Five children were among the injured, the youngest being five-year-old Zobia Kousar, who was airlifted to a hospital in Jammu.
The 36-year-old has been charged with sedition and trying to help the Dera Sacha Sauda chief escape after being sent to jail for rape.

Honeypreet alias Priyanka Taneja, went missing after violence broke out in parts of Haryana, Punjab and Delhi on August 25. (Photo: File)

Haryana: Honeypreet Insaan, the adopted daughter of self-styled godman, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was, on Tuesday, arrested along with another woman by the Panchkula police from Zirakpur-Patiala road in Punjab.

"We will produce her in court tomorrow," Panchkula Police Commissioner A S Chawla said.

"We are probing her links to the August 25 violence. We will find out the people who helped her abscond for so long and they will be punished," he added.

Also read: Papa and I are innocent, says Honeypreet; likely to surrender today

Earlier on Tuesday, reports had claimed that she would surrender in court after being on the run for over a month.

Honeypreet alias Priyanka Taneja, went missing after violence broke out in parts of Haryana, Punjab and Delhi on August 25 following Ram Rahim's conviction in two rape cases.

Also read: FIR lodged against Ram Rahim's 'angel' Honeypreet in Panchkula violence case

The 36-year-old has been charged with sedition and trying to help the Dera Sacha Sauda chief escape after being sent to jail for rape.

The Delhi High Court, on September 26, had rejected the transit anticipatory bail plea of Insaan.

For almost 40 days, Haryana Police had been tracking leads on Honeypreet in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan.

Also read: Ram Rahim sentenced to 20 years in jail for rape, fined Rs 30 lakh in 2 cases

While talking to a news channel, on Monday, Honeypreet downplayed all allegations framed against her claiming that she and her foster father, Gurmeet Singh were innocent.

"I urge people to not believe in these hoax reports. Nothing which is being assumed about me and my father is true," she said.

She also criticised reports of her inciting riots in Sirsa and in other parts of Haryana and Punjab.

"I was in the chopper with papa (Ram Rahim) when he was being taken to jail. We were not even aware of any unrest. My movement was being monitored, how could I have instigated riots?," she had said.

(With agency inputs)
Around 21 farmers participated in the protest which reached its 14th day on Gandhi Jayanti.

The farmers performing 'Samadhi Satyagraha' said, If the government takes our land, they will take away our lives. (Photo: ANI | Twitter)

Jaipur (Rajasthan): In order to get their plight heard, farmers at Ninder village near Jaipur went on a unique strike against the acquisition of their lands by the Jaipur Development Authority for housing projects.

Around 21 farmers participated in the protest which reached its 14th day on Gandhi Jayanti.

The farmers performing 'Samadhi Satyagraha' said, "If the government takes our land, they will take away our lives."

The Jaipur Development Authority (JDA) in 2011 had allegedly acquired 1300 acres of land and since then the farmers have been protesting against it in various ways.
A police official said, 'the third terrorist is also believed to have been neutralized but the search operation is going on.'

Jaish-e-Muhammad claimed the responsibility for carrying out attack at BSF camp at Humhama near the Srinagar Airport and Air Force Station. (Photo: PTI)

Srinagar: All the three gunmen were killed by the security forces in their step-by-step- counter assault against a group of three Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) militants who had stormed a Border Security Force (BSF) camp at Humhama near the Srinagar Airport and the Air Force Station at dawn on Tuesday.

BSF confirmed that all the three terrorists involved in attack were killed.

Jaish-e-Muhammad while claiming responsibility for carrying out the attack has said that the members of its Shaheed Afzal Guru squad did it.

Briefing the media after the encounter was over, IGP Kashmir Munir Khan said, "One terrorist was killed initially, two terrorists were killed later during the operation; Total 3 terrorists were killed."

He added, "We are looking for six to seven terrorists and we need to neutralise them very fast."

The IGP said that one ASI was also killed in the encounter.

Munir Khan also requested media to be 'reasonable before running news'.

He said, " Request media to be reasonable before running news, as such attacks will continue to happen as long as Pakistan is our neigbour."

Four others, including a Jammu and Kashmir policeman were injured in the initial militant attack and subsequent encounter.

The gunmen barged into the campus of the BSFs 182 battalion at 4:30 am and took positions in administrative building and JCO Mess.

The police sources said the militants hurled hand grenades and simultaneously opened fire at the sentry posts to sneak inside the camp.

One of the three fidayeen was gunned down at the main gate while two others managed to enter barrack number 07 of the camp and then moved to other buildings, the sources said.

The Armys 53 Rajput Rifles, the BSF, Jammu and Kashmir polices counterinsurgency Special Operations Group (SOG) and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) quickly launched an operation to flush out militants.

The area, where the attack took place falls is an area of central district of Budgam which is considered as most secured.

While the Srinagar Airport and Air Force Station fall in close proximity of the BSF camp, other security forces including SOG and the CRPF too have their important installations and camps in the area.

Given the gravity of the situation, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh called a high-level meeting on Tuesday to review the situation in Jammu and Kashmir in the aftermath of the attack on the BSF camp.

Flight operations at the Srinagar airport has resumed after cancellation of some of the morning flights.

Morning flights were cancelled, However, Air Asia flight from Delhi landed at the airport at 10 am. Also, the passengers scheduled to fly out of Srinagar are being allowed to proceed towards the airport, a police official said.

Earlier, groups of people chanting slogans hurled stones at the Jammu and Kashmir police and CRPF deployment and also forced the shopkeepers to drop their shutters nearby Ompora market but they were chased by the police, witnesses said.
Pakistan has denied the charge of violating ceasefire along the LoC, saying that Indian troops started firing in Poonch-Rawlakote area.

Srinagar: Three minors were killed and about a dozen other civilians were injured, a few of them seriously, when the Pakistani troops pounded civilian areas and forward military posts along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmirs Poonch district with mortars on Monday.

Later during the day, a BSF jawan was injured in sniper firing incident along the de facto border in neighbouring Rajuri district, officials said.

The critically injured civilians were airlifted to Jammus Government Medical College Hospital whereas the others are being treated at Poonchs district hospital. The officials said that rescue teams sent to worst affected villages of Kerni, Shahpur and Dhigwar started work immediately.

As the shelling caused panic among the border-dwellers and many of them were preparing to leave, the authorities advised them to remain indoors and not to venture out to avoid more casualties.

Poonchs DC Tariq Ahmed Zargar said that a 10-year-old boy Asrar Ahmad of Mohalla Qasba in the Kerni area and a 15-year-old girl Yasmeen Akhtar of Kerma village of Dighwar were killed in the shelling. A third civilian, identified as 16-year-old Tazeem Akhter, succumbed to her injuries later, taking the death toll to three.

A defence spokesman said in Poonch that the Pakistani troops resorted to unprovoked heavy firing and shelling in Kerni, Shahpur and Dhigwar sectors of the LoC at around 6. 50 am. The Indian troops guarding the border effectively retaliated, he said. The firing stopped at around 11 am. Several residential houses were damaged and a number of livestock perished in the firing and shelling from across the de facto border, he said.

He said that five children are among the injured, the youngest being five-year-old Zobia Kounsar who was airlifted to Jammu in a helicopter. Eight of the injured were being treated in a local hospital, DC Zargar said. Among them is a man and his three daughters. The police added that most of the casualties occurred in Dighwar sector which was worst hit in the shelling.

Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti, expressed grief and anguish over the killing of three minors and said, It is very unfortunate that these teenagers became victims of fire power when they were yet to understand the nuances of politics. She asked the district administration to ensure specialized treatment to the people injured in the shelling.

Her deputy and BJP leader Nirmal Singh Termed the unprovoked ceasefire violation by the Pakistan troops as coward act. He said, Pakistan is a terrorist state. On one hand, it is showing white flags but on the other, targetting innocent civilians. He added that the Indian troops are giving befitting reply to them

But Pakistan has denied the charge saying that like in past instances of cross-LoC skirmishes, it were the Indian troops who initiated the firing in Poonch-Rawlakote area on Monday. The Pakistani authorities have also said that several people were killed in the Indian firing on their side of the de facto border past week, prompting them to summon Indias Deputy High Commission JP Singh to the Foreign Office is Islamabad to lodge protest.
Flight operations at Srinagar airport were suspended for three hours during the operation.

Srinagar: In a pre-dawn fidayeen attack on Tuesday, three Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) militants stormed a Border Security Force (BSF) base near Srinagar Airport, killing a BSF ASI and injuring four others before being shot dead by the security forces in a 10-hour-long encounter.

The heavily armed militants, dressed in combat fatigues, drove to the main entrance of the BSF 182 Battalion base at Humhama in Budgam district at about 4.30 am, possibly from neighbouring Friends (residential) Colony by cutting the fence, police sources said.

They first hurled hand grenades towards the sentry post and then fired from automatic weapons to force their entry into the campus, they said.

One of the attacker was killed when the BSF sentry retaliated, while the other two entered barrack number 7 and then moved to other buildings, they said.

BSF assistant sub-inspector B.K. Yadav, 50, was killed and four others, including a J&K policeman, were injured during the standoff that ended around 2.30 pm with the killing of the remaining two militants, they said.

Flight operations at Srinagar airport were suspended for three hours during the operation.

A CRPF official said during the operation one of the attacker pretended to be a soldier and fired in the same direction as the security forces until he was spotted and killed.

The area where the attack took place falls in the central district of Budgam which is considered most secured. Apart from the civlian airport and Air Force station, bases of other security forces, including the CRPF, are also present in the zone.

Soon after the attack, JeM claimed responsibility. It said its Afzal Guru squad had carried out the attack.

Inspector general of J&K police Munir Ahmed Khan confirmed the JeMs involvement. No doubt, the terrorists were from JeM, he said.

Undoubtedly, the JeM is a threat. Its cadres believe in these kind of acts  attacking camps and doing sensational things, he said.

He added that such attacks will continue to take place in J&K, squarely blaming Pakistan for violence and terror. As long as Pakistan is our neighbour such attacks will continue to take place, he said.

Mr Khan said that an alleged aide of the BSF camp attackers who drove them to the area had been identified. Security officials termed their retaliatory operation as the quickest possible end to the terror attack by militants who had planned to engage us for a longer period than it turned out to be.

Had we used the airpower, the operation would have finished much earlier but we decided not to do so to avoid civilian casualties as the BSF base is close to residential areas, said an official. Soon after the attack, the Armys 53 Rajput Rifles, the BSF, J&K polices counter- insurgency Special Operations Group (SOG) and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) collectively launched the operation to flush out the militants. Union home minister Rajnath Singh held a high-level meeting in New Delhi to review the situation in the attack.
A report said that the Army jawan was killed in a sniper attack from across the de facto border.

Srinagar: An Army jawan was killed on Tuesday as the Pakistani troops continued to pound the Indian forward posts and civilian areas with mortars in different sectors of Line of Control (LoC) in J&Ks Poonch district. However, a report said that the Army jawan was killed in a sniper attack from across the de facto border.

Mn Monday, two minors were killed and 12 others, including women and children, were injured in the alleged Pakistani firing and shelling in Poonchs Dhigwar, Kerni and Shahpur sectors.

In New Delhi, Pakistans deputy high commissioner Syed Haider Shahand was summoned to the ministry of external affairs to lodge a protest against alleged unprovoked ceasefire violation by his Pakistanis troops.

An MEA statement said that India conveyed to Pakistan that such deliberate targeting of civilians was not acceptable and was against humanitarian norms and practices. It added that India also expressed strong concern at continued unprovoked firing by Pakistan forces across the LoC and the International Boundary in violation of the 2003 ceasefire understanding.
BJP means RSS so one who is with the BJP cannot stay away from RSS, a top BJP leader told this newspaper.

Patna: Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumars decision to avoid meeting RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat during his visit to Bihar on Wednesday may not go down well with BJP, which is part of the government.

Chief minister Nitish Kumar is scheduled to attend the same event in which Mohan Bhagwat is a chief guest. JD(U) sources said that Nitish Kumar has asked the organisers to keep his programme in the afternoon in order to avoid sharing the stage with RSS chief.

BJP means RSS so one who is with the BJP cannot stay away from RSS, a top BJP leader told this newspaper.

Mohan Bhagwat will be visiting Bihar for the first time after JD(U) returned to NDA fold and formed a government in Bihar. As per the schedule, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat will be attending the event in the evening on Wednesday.

The two are expected to participate in a programme that is taking place to mark the 1000th birth anniversary of Ramanuja Acharya, whose teachings had an influence on the Bhakti movement.
Mr Gandhi, who will be in Gujarat from October 9 to October 11, will start with a visit to Santram temple in Nadiad.

New Delhi: In its bid to widen its appeal and make an impact in the forthcoming Assembly elections, a desperate Congress is once again trying to play the soft Hindutva card in the BJP citadel, Gujarat.

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, who began his three-day tour of Gujarats Saurashtra region on 25 Septmber by visiting the Dwarkadhish temple in Dwarka, is all set to continue with his temple run in the second leg of his campaign in the central region of the state.

Mr Gandhi, who will be in Gujarat from October 9 to October 11, will start with a visit to Santram temple in Nadiad. He is also expected to visit the Bhathiji Maharaj temple in Fagvel, Ma Kali temple in Pavagadh, and Dakor temple in Kheda district.

Mr Gandhis tour of temples in the BJP-ruled state is a two-pronged strategy. On one hand it is hoped that the soft Hindutva card will take the sting out of the Italian jibe the BJP is so fond of making, on the other, each of these temple trips is aimed at wooing specific communities.

The Congress hopes that the temple visits will bring back the communities that have shifted their allegiance to the BJP.

In his first visit, Mr Gandhi visited four key temples in the Saurashtra region of Gujarat, including Khodal Dham temple in Kagvad village to offer prayers to Khodiyar Mata, the reigning deity of the Leuva Patel community.

Mr Gandhi also visited a temple dedicated to Dasi Jeevan, revered by Dalits and Buddhists.

In his next visit he will be visiting the Pavagadh temple, dedicated to the reigning deity of Patels, and the Bhathiji Maharaj temple, which is revered by the Kshatriyas.

The influential Patel community constitutes almost 13 per cent of the population of Gujarat. As they are unhappy with the BJP, the Congress is going all out to woo them.

The Congress also has its eye on the Kshatriyas vote, especially since Shankarsinh Vaghela, former chief minister of Gujarat and a tall Kshatriya leader, left the Congress.

While playing the Hindutva card, the party is being careful not to alienate the minority vote bank. Local Congress leaders are in constant touch with influential Muslim leaders, sources said.

In his third visit, which is scheduled after Diwali, Mr Rahul Gandhi will be campaigning in north Gujarat and visit Ambaji, Bechraji and Unjha among other places.

A section of leaders in the BJP claimed that with the saffronites accusing the Congress of minority appeasement, Mr Gandhi is trying to negate the charges with his temple run. However, the Congress has been denying the charge of soft Hindutva.

Former finance minister P. Chidambaram said, I dont think you should read political meaning into that. I think there is much else that is happening in his visit to Gujarat. I think we should focus on that.

As Mr Rahul Gandhi leads the campaign in Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bharatiya Janata Party chief Amit Shahs home turf, leader of the Patidar community, Hardik Patel, continues to give the BJP sleepless nights.

While the Bharatiya Janata Party is desperately trying woo the dalit voter, Mr Patel claimed in a TV interview that his main aim is to defeat the BJP.
The attack on Monday night came ahead of the launch of 'Jan Raksha Yatra' on Tuesday by the saffron party.

The attack took place around 9:30 pm when BJP workers were decorating a part of the National Highway-66 for the 15-day march. (Representational Image)

Kasargod (Kerala): A case was registered, on Tuesday, against CPI (M) workers who attacked three Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) activists in Neeleswaram town in Kasargod district, the police said.

The attack on Monday night came ahead of the launch of 'Jan Raksha Yatra' on Tuesday by the saffron party.

The attack took place around 9:30 pm when BJP workers were decorating a part of the National Highway-66 for the 15-day march, which was launched by BJP chief Amit Shah, on Tuesday.

The three injured BJP workers were being treated at a private hospital in Neeleswaram, the police said.

BJP Kasargod district secretary Sreekanth alleged that nearly 20 CPI(M) workers attacked BJP activists without provocation, while they were decorating a road side at Neeleswaram market.

Flex boards, tubelights and a two-wheeler were also damaged, he said.

CPI(M) cadres, who cannot tolerate the "growing political influence" of the BJP in the state were indulging in such attacks, he alleged.

Around 15,000 BJP cadre are likely to participate in the march, Sreekanth said.
The family of the victim have alleged that the police refused to take action against the accused because of his strong political links.

The children, in a video, appealed to the MEA to help their mother return home. (Photo: AP/Representational)

Jalandhar: After making unsuccessful attempts to get help from police to save their mother, children of one Paramjit Kaur, who was allegedly sold as slave in Saudi Arabia, have now knocked the doors of Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to contact the concerned authorities.

39-year-old Kaur from Bilga village had gone to Saudi Arabia on July 13 to work as a domestic help, reported Hindustan Times. She informed her family on August 21 that she has been held captive by her employer.

The children, in a video, appealed to the MEA to help their mother return home. The video was shared by a social activist Rajvinder Sharma, who has been helping the economically weak family.

We are Gorsiya Nihal residents. My mother Paramjit Kaur was sold by an agent Resham Lal Bhatti for Rs 4 lakh in Saudi Arabia. The police have not taken any action yet. We are poor and our mother has been suffering a lot, Kaur's 17-year-old daughter Rajni reportedly said in the video.

I request foreign ministry and the state government to help us get our mother back as soon as possible, she added.

The family and relatives of the victim have alleged that the police refused to take action against the accused travel agent, Resham Lal Bhatti, because of his strong political links.

In an FIR, Kaur's husband Malkeet Ram said that Bhatti had promised to get her a job in Saudi. He told them that his wife also worked there and that the family would get Rs 40,000 once she settles down there.

He also said that after Kaur reached Saudi Arabia, the employer confiscated her passport and did not allow her to leave the house.

According to HT, Bhatti, who is absconding, has been booked under Sections 370 (buying or disposing of any person as a slave), 420 (cheating) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
The corporator was rescued by a team of police officers that rushed to the area and took him to a nearby hospital for treatment.

: Angry residents of a municipal ward in Vadodara, on Tuesday, tied a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) corporator to a tree and beat him up. (Photo: Youtube Screengrab | hri joshi)

Vadodara: Angry residents of a municipal ward in Vadodara, on Tuesday, tied a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) corporator to a tree and beat him up for "failing" to prevent demolition of their slum in May by the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC).

In a video of the incident that went viral, the corporator, with his clothes torn, was seen tied to a tree in Bapod area and pleading to the people gathered around him that he had no knowledge about the civic body's decision to raze the slum.

"This land belongs to the Collector (state government) and he is the one who passes an order. I am a small councillor. I have no idea about the decision taken by the municipal commissioner (regarding demolition)," the corporator, identified as Hasmukh Patel, was heard saying in Gujarati.

Patel represents Bapod (Ward number 5).

The corporator was later rescued by a team of police officers that rushed to the area and took him to a nearby hospital for treatment.

Police have confirmed that Patel was thrashed.

City Police Commissioner Manoj Sashidhar said 66 people were arrested in connection with the case and further investigation is on.

"When Hasmukh Patel was taking a round of his ward, around 20 people protested against him over a demolition carried out some months ago. They took him to a nearby area and tied him to a tree and beat him up," Sashidhar said.

The residents of the slum that was located around Nani Bapod lake under ward number 5 were given alternative houses under a government rehabilitation programme, the commissioner said, adding that the attack was not pre-planned.
Shah also questioned the silence of human rights activists on the issue of political violence allegedly unleashed by CPI (M) workers.

Amit Shah flagged off the Jana Raksha Yatra from Payyannur, a protest march to expose communist atrocities and killing of BJP & RSS karyakartas in Kerala. (Photo: Amit Shah | Twitter)

Payyanur (Kerala): BJP chief Amit Shah on Tuesday announced a 'padyatra' in all state capitals against CPI(M)'s alleged targeting of his party workers and questioned Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan over the political violence in the state.

Inaugurating the 'Janraksha Yatra' led by Kerala BJP president Kummanam Rajasekharan in Payyanur in the north Kerala town, Shah also questioned the silence of human rights activists on the issue of "political violence" allegedly unleashed by CPI (M) workers against the BJP and RSS workers in the Left-ruled state.

"More than 84 BJP and RSS workers have been killed in the district alone and I want to ask Pinarayi Vijayan, who has killed them in the state. If he does not have answers, then I am saying Chief Minister Vijayan is responsible for the killings," Shah said.

Shah, who met the family members of RSS-BJP workers killed in the political violence in the state, said 11 crore BJP workers were with them to carry forward the mission they had undertaken to build a better society.

He also announced the 'padyatra' campaign against political killings in Kerala in all state capitals from Wednesday till Rajasekharan concludes his 15-day 'padyatra' in Thiruvananthapuram.

"From Kashmir to Kanyakumari and Gujarat to Assam, BJP workers will take out padyatra in every state capital to protest against the Marxist violence. The BJP workers will take out protest march towards CPI(M) office in New Delhi and sit in Dharna there", he said.

The BJP chief said more than 120 BJP and RSS workers were killed in the political violence in the state.

"Wherever the Left rules, that state has history of political violence", Shah said.

Noting that Kerala is the land of great saints and social reformers like Adi Shankara, Sreenarayana Guru and Chattambi Swamikal, Shah alleged this land of social reforms has been turned into a state of bloodshed with the rise of the Left.

Questioning the silence of the human rights activists, Shah appealed to "all champions of human rights that there is no colour of violence and please remove this perception that red violence is not violence."

"Violence is violence. More than 120 BJP workers were killed who were working on nationalist agenda. You are silent on these murders . It raises question marks on your allegiance," he said.

This 'Jan Raksha' yatra is a 'satyagraha' against the atrocities and killings by the CPI(M). The Jan Raksha Yatra (people's protection march) from Payyannur will travel through the state before culminating in Thiruvananthapuram on October 17.

Several Union ministers will also participate in the march under the theme of 'All have to live! Against Jihadi-Red Terror'.

As many as 120 BJP workers, 84 in Kannur alone, have been killed in the state since 2001 with 14 of them in the chief minister's home town since he took over the reigns last year, the BJP has alleged.

The CPI(M) has, in turn, accused the BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) of resorting to violence and denied the involvement of its government and leadership in political killings.

Shah started his visit by offering prayers at Rajarajeswara Temple at Taliparamba, a famous Shiva temple in North Malabar.

After offering prayers, Shah proceeded to Payyannur to launch the 15-day march in the state against the alleged "red terrorism" allegedly unleashed by the Left party against BJP and Sangh parivar workers.
The CPM charged the BJP chief of deliberately inciting violence against its leaders and cadres in Kerala.

New Delhi: With Kerala becoming one of the major target areas of the BJP, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath would be visiting the state on Wednesday. On Tuesday, BJP chief Amit Shah launched his partys Jan Raksha Yatra in the state and the first to take forward the baton will be Yogi Adityanath.

The Uttar Pradesh chief minister will lead the yatra on Wednesday from Kechery to Kannur, the official Twitter account of the Kerala wing of the BJP stated.

In Marxist Kerala, the BJP intends to rely on religion to counter the Reds.

Before launching his yatra, Mr Shah played the Hindutva card by offering prayers at the Rajarajeshwara temple in the northern district of Kannur in the state. Mr Adityanath would take forward the fight against the so-called jihadi red terror.

In a scathing attack, the BJP chief, while launching his yatra, accused Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan of being directly responsible for all political murders in Kerala.

The CPI(M) was quick to react in Delhi. The party charged the BJP chief of deliberately inciting violence against its leaders and cadres in Kerala. Mr Vijayan used a Facebook post to hit back at the BJP.

The Sangh Parivar shouldnt think that they can make inroads into Kerala by false propaganda, Mr Vijayan posted and later making a jibe at Mr Adityanath, the Kerala chief minister tweeted, We invite UP CM Yogi to visit Kerala hospitals to learn how to run hospitals effectively.

CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury tweeted: Amit Shah should attend to trouble his party is causing to citizens in BJP-ruled states. Dont try and create trouble in Kerala.

Mr Yechury said that data shows that ever since the election results in Kerala in May, the BJP/RSS have started this spree of violence against the CPI(M) cadres.

Amit Shah is deliberately inciting violence against CPI(M) leaders and its workers. We are a recognised national party. We are here not because of Shah, but because of the people. We will not tolerate this, CPI(M) politburo member Brinda Karat said.

She accused the BJP, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, of manufacturing lies. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh is not the victim. In fact, a large number of CPI(M) cadres have been killed by the RSS. It wants to intimidate those who stand up against its terror tactics and communal hatred.

The BJPs Jana Raksha Yatra is expected to travel through Kerala before culminating in Thiruvananthapuram on October 17.

As part of the padayatra, Mr Shah will on October 5 walk past the residence of chief minister Vijayan in Kannur, as a mark of protest against the ruling CPI(M)s political violence.

The BJP is organising the padyatras in all states over the next two weeks, including a march to the CPI(M) headquarters in the national capital.
Sayyed visited the page out of curiosity in July and saw that the page was uploading such pictures.

The Kashi Media page regularly posts pictures of girls with a caption saying they are looking for friends.

Mumbai: The Facebook page Kashi Media continues to exist, complete with pictures of girls captioned, Do you want to friendship? nearly two months after The Asian Age reported about it being under the cyber polices scanner. A Kuwait-based woman had complained to the cyber police mid-July but the complaint seems to have fallen on deaf ears.

Shaheen Sayyed, who hails from Kuwait, registered a complaint with the Mumbai police cyber division on July 15 about the said page, which regularly posts pictures of girls  adult and minor  with a caption saying they are looking for friends and those interested should leave a message in the comments section.

Ms Sayyed visited the page out of curiosity in July and saw that the page was uploading such pictures. She immediately took to Mumbai polices Twitter handle to report the matter, along with a link to the Facebook page. Within minutes, the polices Twitter team replied saying the complaint had been forwarded to the cyber police station and they would take cognisance of it. Unfortunately, the swift move eventually lost pace and the cyber police did not follow the complaint further.

Mumbai police spokesperson Deepak Devraj said, The police will take necessary action, and we will look into why the case has not been pursued further. The Facebook page in question will be scanned for objectionable content.

Meanwhile, Ms Sayyed said, Firstly, I reported the matter out of pure concern as I too have a daughter and sisters at home. I am sure these pictures are posted without the girls consent. Would any 15-year-old post a picture of herself asking people to connect with her for a naughty chat?
One may fault the BJP and the Left parties for many things, but dynastic politics is not one of them.

The family becoming central in a democracy is anathema to its very concept. The defining feature of monarchy is that one gets the highest position by the virtue of family, not talent or toil. But the distinction between monarchy and democracy is now wearing off and a monarchical form of democracy is being practised with the placebo of elections trying to confer legitimacy as the electorate doesnt seem too bothered either.

Amid the raging debate over dynastic politics, Rahul Gandhi is likely to take over as Congress president soon. What he said at the University of California at Berkeley is apposite  that dynasty is the hallmark of Indian politics. But there are some happy exceptions. One may fault the BJP and the Left parties for many things, but dynastic politics is not one of them.

In 2005, during the Jharkhand Assembly polls, I interviewed Shibu Soren and asked him about the putra moh that he was accused of, to which he gave an ingenuous reply: Putra moh nahin hoga to aur kaun moh hoga? (If someone doesnt have attachment to his son, what other attachments will they have?) He didnt go into the sophistry that its the people who elect leaders  like Farooq Abdullah, Lalu Prasad Yadav, Mulayam Singh Yadav, Karunanidhi, Parkash Singh Badal, and many others brazened it out by throwing the ball into the peoples court. Its the same Lalu/Mulayam who earlier used to spit fire against the Nehru-Gandhi clan over dynastic politics.

The genesis of dynastic politics goes back to the freedom movement era when Motilal Nehru was succeeded as Congress president by his son Jawharlal in 1929. The succession was well-orchestrated by Motilal who projected his son for the post when, in 1928, a debate was going on inside the Congress over whether the partys reins should be retained by the old guard or be handed over to young, energetic leaders. Motilal projected his son for the Congress presidency. Initially, Mahatma Gandhi wasnt in favour of Jawaharlal, and instead suggested Motilal should take over. On June 19, 1928, Gandhi wrote to Motilal: Sen Gupta writes to me saying that I should move the Gujarat Provincial Congress Committee to vote for you (Motilal) as the president of the coming Congress... Perhaps it is not yet time for Jawahar to occupy the throne... Sen Gupta suggests Malviyaji as an alternative. Motilal wrote back to Gandhi on July 11, 1928: I am clear that the hero of the hour is Vallabhbhai and the least we can do to appreciate his public service is to offer him the crown. Failing him, I think that under all the circumstances Jawahar would be the next best choice. Our race is fast dying out, and the struggle will sooner or later have to be continued by men of Jawahars type. The sooner they begin the better.

So it was written all over his face that he wanted the top post for his son. However, at the Calcutta Congress (December 1928), he took over as president and was succeeded by Jawaharlal at the Lahore Congress in 1929. The succession was smooth as the foundation work was done by the doting father.

After his election, Jawaharlal was taken around the city in a carriage pulled by Congress workers, and Motilal was one of them to give the support of his shoulder to the carriage. In fact, he groomed his son for the top post in a very calculated way. In those days, Congress leaders moved around with long pieces of cloth spread out to collect funds. When Jawaharlal went on the mission, the mobilisation was huge. The fact was that Motilal deployed his own people with heavy amounts in different parts of the city to be dropped in his sons kitty. It created an impression about Jawaharlals soaring popularity.

Jawaharlal continued the tradition after becoming Prime Minister and gave important positions to his sister and cousins Vijayalakshmi, B.K. Nehru, Ratan Nehru. Then Indira Gandhi was made Congress president in 1959. Mahavir Tyagi protested against it when her name was mooted in a letter to Jawaharlal Nehru dated January 31, 1959, asking him to stop Indira from becoming president, or else he (Nehru) should step down as PM. Nehru replied that her election would be quite appropriate for various reasons. Indira Gandhi went a step further and did away with the system of party elections in the early 1970s, that was revived by P.V. Narasimha Rao in 1992, but it was more to sideline the Nehru-Gandhi family loyalists than to restore internal democracy in the party. Sitaram Kesri was the last elected president, who was ousted unceremoniously in 1998 when Sonia Gandhi took over without an election, and continues as such till this date. Now it has to be seen if Rahul Gandhi prefers an election or comes through the backdoor.

Unfortunately, most political parties in India are functioning like single proprietor firms having one supremo, not subject to any law. The Constitution recognised political parties for the first time in 1985, when the anti-defection law came into force, creating Schedule X. Apart from it, there is no law to regulate them. The Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution (2002), headed by Justice M.N. Venkatachaliah, recommended the enactment of some laws to regulate them. But no action has been taken so far. In the United States and Canada, progressive movements in the first two decades of the last century brought an end to parties high command culture by enacting suitable laws. In the US, party members decide on candidates in every election  senatorial, gubernatorial or presidential. If India can also make appropriate laws to end the supremo culture, it will be the death knell for dynastic politics.
Trump tried to offer consolation and called for unity -- an act that has become a grim rite of passage for modern US presidents.

US President Donald Trump said he has directed flags to be flown at half-staff in memory of victims of shooting. (Photo: AP)

Washington: President Donald Trump condemned the massacre of at least 59 Las Vegas concert goers as an "act of pure evil" Monday, but refrained from addressing calls for gun control or the motives for the worst mass shooting in recent US history.

Delivering televised remarks, Trump tried to offer consolation and called for unity -- an act that has become a grim rite of passage for modern US presidents.

Barack Obama wept as he tried to soothe the nation after the 2012 Sandy Hook primary school shooting, George W. Bush told Americans that the "nation grieves" after a similar outrage at Virginia Tech university.

Trump ordered that flags be flown at half-staff until sunset Friday, offered prayers for the victims and announced he would visit Las Vegas on Wednesday.

Later, he led White House staff on the South Lawn for a moment of silence.

"In moments of tragedy and horror, America comes together as one -- and it always has," Trump said.

Police have identified the gunman behind the Sunday night massacre -- which injured more than 500 people -- as a 64-year-old former accountant named Stephen Craig Paddock, who killed himself before a SWAT team breached his 32nd floor hotel room.

Investigators recovered at least 16 guns, including assault rifles, from Paddock's room at the Mandalay Bay, and another 18 firearms along with bomb-making materials at one of his two homes.

Officials have reacted cautiously to an Islamic State group claim that Paddock was a "soldier of the caliphate" but while his motive remained unclear, the shooting instantly rekindled the divisive national debate on gun control.

- 'Right to bear arms' -

White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said that now was not the time for politics, a tactic frequently used by gun advocates to diffuse public outrage.

"There's a time and place for a political debate, but now is the time to unite as a country," said Sanders.

Trump insisted, "our unity cannot be shattered by evil. Our bonds cannot be broken by violence."

But in the immediate aftermath of the shooting, that unity was difficult to find.

Trump's vanquished election rival Hillary Clinton hit out at the gun manufacturers lobby -- the National Rifle Association -- which has backed a congressional push to make it easier to obtain a gun silencer.

"The crowd fled at the sound of gunshots. Imagine the deaths if the shooter had a silencer," tweeted Clinton, whose Democratic Party has tried in vain to introduce lasting gun control measures.

"Our grief isn't enough. We can and must put politics aside, stand up to the NRA, and work together to try to stop this from happening again."

There have already been over 270 mass shootings in the United States this year alone, according to www.massshootingtracker.org, although the exact definition is contested.

Gun violence accounts for more than 33,000 deaths each year in the United States, and according to the latest Gallup poll, 55 percent of American voters would like to see stricter rules for buying guns.

But the issue is highly sensitive and Trump's own views have changed markedly over his years in public life.

After the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, where 20 six and seven-year old children and six adults were mowed down by a disturbed 20-year-old, Trump appeared to favor stricter rules.

Back then, his predecessor Obama -- who often called Sandy Hook the worst moment of his eight year presidency -- called for the deadlock to be broken and for Congress to act.

At that time Trump tweeted: "President Obama spoke for me and every American in his remarks in #Newtown Connecticut."

But since then Trump -- whose White House bid was endorsed by the NRA -- has positioned himself as a defender of the constitutional "right to keep and bear arms."

The NRA donated an estimated $30 million to Trump's campaign in 2016, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

US Senator Chris Murphy, who was the congressman for Sandy Hook, renewed a call for action in the wake of the Las Vegas attack.

"This must stop. It is positively infuriating that my colleagues in Congress are so afraid of the gun industry that they pretend there aren't public policy responses to this epidemic," he said.
Police said the attack was carried out by Stephen Paddock, a 64-year-old retired accountant.

A police officer runs along a sidewalk near a shooting near the Mandalay Bay resort and casino on the Las Vegas Strip, Sunday (Photo: AP)

Las Vegas: Investigators have so far found no connection between international terrorist groups and a mass shooting in Las Vegas that killed at least 58 people and injured more than 500, an FBI special agent said on Monday.

The Islamic State group, through its propaganda arm, had earlier claimed responsibility for the attack, claiming the shooter was a recently converted soldier.

Police said the attack was carried out by Stephen Paddock, a 64-year-old retired accountant.

As this event unfolds we have determined to this point no connection with an international terrorist group, said Aaron Rouse, the special agent in charge of the Las Vegas office of the FBI.

Meanwhile, the deadly attack on concertgoers in Las Vegas has prompted a debate about security measures at hotels and open-air venues, but little could have been done to prevent Sunday's carnage, experts say.

The challenges lie in part in the difficulty of imposing harsh policies on places and events meant for fun and relaxation, and foiling a perpetrator bent on bloodshed.

"This was an unpreventable incident, period," said Patrick Brosnan, a former NYPD detective who now runs a private security firm called Brosnan Risk Consultants.

Brosnan and several other security experts interviewed by AFP said the shooting at a country music festival that left at least 59 people dead and more than 500 injured underscored the difficulty for law enforcement to stay one step ahead of someone planning such attacks.

The gunman, retired accountant Stephen Paddock, 64, shot at concertgoers from a room on the 32nd floor of the nearby Mandalay Bay hotel before killing himself, police said.

His motive was not immediately known.

"The ironic part of this thing is that security in Vegas is actually very good but with a halfway creative mind and a means to do something in a free country, it causes issues like this," said Tegan Broadwater, president and founder of Tactical Systems Network, a security consultancy firm based in Texas.

He said Paddock probably very easily sneaked his arsenal -- which included at least 16 rifles and ammunition -- into his room given relatively lax security measures at hotels.

"It would actually be very simple for anyone to get into a hotel on any typical day with that kind of armament because hotels don't usually vet the type of baggage that's being brought in," Broadwater told AFP. "You usually pull up to a concierge, you load your bags and you wheel them up to your room."

Any radical changes in security at hotels in Las Vegas -- a gambling hub that attracts some 43 million visitors annually -- are unlikely to be put in place for fear of driving away tourists, the experts said.

"Hotels and casinos have to find a fine balance between security and staying a welcoming place," said Jason Porter, vice president of Pinkerton, a risk management services company.

Brosnan said should hotels in Las Vegas adopt stringent security protocols that include metal detectors and searching guests' luggage, which would likely impact the region's tourism industry which generated nearly $60 billion in economic activity in 2016, according to a study by Las Vegas-based Applied Analysis.
More than 90 Americans lose their lives to gun violence every day, a daily toll of heartbreak and tragedy in communities across the US.

At least 59 people were killed and more than 500 wounded in Las Vegas shooting in US (Photo: AP)

Washington: Indian-American lawmakers have called for changes in the gun control laws in the US, as they condemned the Las Vegas mass shooting, the deadliest in the countrys modern history which claimed nearly 60 lives.

Gun violence is a public health crisis that has claimed thousands of innocent lives and the Congress must do everything it can to address it, Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal said, hours after a gunman opened fire on a large crowd during a music concert in Las Vegas.

The American people are tired of being outraged, sending thoughts and prayers, seeing men, women and children die because the gun lobby does put profit over people, Jayapal said during her speech on the floor of the US House of Representatives on Monday.

That is not what our founders intended by the right to bear arms, the first-time lawmaker from Washington State said, as she joined several of her Congressional colleagues calling for changes in gun control laws.

With rights come responsibilities: the responsibility to stop gun sales loopholes, to enact protections that make sure our children and those with severe mental illnesses dont have access to guns, to address funding for mental health, and to oppose any efforts to make it easier to purchase silencers, Jayapal said.

The first ever Indian-American women elected to the House of Representatives said 87% of gun owners and 74% of NRA members support those commonsense solutions like criminal background checks.

I have a plea for gun owners across this country: Urge the non-resident aliens (NRA) to represent your views. Show them that you mean business by speaking out or even terminating your NRA membership. Show that you care about your fellow Americans, she said.

She added: Act now. Enough is enough.

The Las Vegas shooting on Sunday night, in which at least 59 people were killed and more than 500 wounded, has rekindled the debate on gun control laws in the US.

Nearly 12,000 Americans have been killed by guns in 273 mass shootings in 2017 so far  one incident for each day, according to the Gun Violence Archive, a not-for-profit corporation that tracks gun-related violence in the US.

On an average, more than 90 Americans lose their lives to gun violence every day, a daily toll of heartbreak and tragedy in communities across the US.

Other Indian-American Congressmen too joined Jayapal in condemning the incident.

No community should have to fear going to the movies, a concert, or dropping their child off at school, said Ami Bera, the three-term Congressman from California.

In the wake of this tragedy, I hope well all be able to take the time to look for the helpers and that each of us, in our own way, will seek to help our nation heal, move forward, and work to prevent similar tragedies, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Democrat Congressman from 8th district Illinois, said.

We must end this senseless violence, said Congressman Ro Khanna, Democrat Congressman from 17th district California.

In a statement, UNITED SIKHS condemned the senseless act of terror.

Its volunteers have teamed with Gurdwaras, where shelter, hot meals (langar) and other assistance is being offered to all who may need it.

Sikh taxi drivers are volunteering to drive people to their destinations safely, it said
Tillerson said on Saturday during a trip to China that the United States was directly communicating with North Korea.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, center, celebrates what was said to be the test launch of an intermediate range Hwasong-12 missile at an undisclosed location in North Korea. (Photo: AP)

Washington: The White House on Monday ruled out talks with North Korea except to discuss the fate of Americans held there, again appearing to rebuke Secretary of State Rex Tillerson who said Washington was directly communicating with Pyongyang on its nuclear and missile programs.

Weve been clear that now is not the time to talk, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders told reporters, reiterating a tweet from President Donald Trump at the weekend that was seen as undercutting Tillerson.

The only conversations that have taken place were that ... would be on bringing back Americans who have been detained, Sanders said. Beyond that, there will be no conversations with North Korea at this time.

Tillerson said on Saturday during a trip to China that the United States was directly communicating with North Korea on its nuclear and missile programs but that Pyongyang had shown no interest in dialogue.

Trump, who has traded insults and threats with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in recent weeks, later dismissed any prospect of talks with North Korea as a waste of time.

I told Rex Tillerson, our wonderful secretary of state, that he is wasting his time trying to negotiate with Little Rocket Man, Trump wrote on Twitter, using his sarcastic nickname for Kim.

Save your energy, Rex, well do what has to be done! Trump wrote.

It was not the first time the White House and State Department have seemed at odds on policy issues, but when asked if Trump still had confidence in Tillerson as secretary of state, Sanders said: He does.

A senior administration official said Tillerson misspoke.

I think it was just him misspeaking. He was just acknowledging the fact that we do have channels and we might have reason to talk if North Koreas behavior changes sometime down the road, the official said.

Dialogue With North Korea?

Tillerson said in Beijing that the United States had multiple direct channels of communication with Pyongyang and that it was probing North Korea to see if it was interested in dialogue.

The top US diplomat expressed hope for reducing tensions with North Korea, which is fast advancing toward its goal of developing a nuclear-tipped missile capable of hitting the US mainland.

We are probing, so stay tuned, Tillerson told a small group of reporters. We ask: Would you like to talk?' He said the United States had a couple of, three, channels, open to Pyongyang.

Another US official said Tillerson may have overstated the status of US lines of communication with North Korea for the benefit of his Chinese hosts, who have been pushing the Trump administration to do more to lure Pyongyang to the negotiating table.

Trump has vowed to halt North Koreas nuclear ambitions and tensions have escalated in recent months, with Pyongyang conducting its sixth and largest nuclear test on Sept. 3. It has also threatened to test a hydrogen bomb over the Pacific.

The fate of Americans held in North Korea is also a bone of contention. The Trump administration has demanded North Korea release three US citizens it has detained: missionary Kim Dong Chul and academics Tony Kim and Kim Hak Song.

The Trump White House and State Department have taken to divergent stances on other foreign policy issues.

When a dispute over Qatar erupted this year, Trump strongly backed Gulf Arab leaders who accuse Qatar of supporting Iran as well as Islamist militants. Trump accused Qatar of being a high-level funder of terrorism even as the Pentagon and Tillerson cautioned against the military, commercial and humanitarian effects of a boycott imposed by Arab states.

Months into the dispute, Trump adopted a position more in line with that of the State Department.
Asif while speaking in a show on Geo News, made his statement in an attempt to rebut External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj UNGA speech.

Islamabad: Pakistan Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif termed Prime Minister Narendra Modi a "terrorist, who has the blood of Muslims on his hands."

Asif, who was speaking in a show on Geo News, made his statement in an attempt to rebut External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, who recently ripped into Pakistan at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) for supporting and exporting terror.

"Sushma Swaraj has accused us (Pakistan) of exporting terrorism. (However) one terrorist (in India) is the country's prime minister himself. He (Modi) has the blood of Muslims murdered in Gujarat on his hands," Asif made the statement, while talking to Geo News's Hamid Mir.

India is being "ruled by a terrorist party - the RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh)," Asif further said.

These remarks have come after Sushma Swaraj ripped apart Pakistan at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and said India has risen despite being the principal destination of Pakistan's nefarious export of terrorism.

"India has risen despite being the principal destination of Pakistan's nefarious export of terrorism. There have been many governments under many parties during 70 years of Indian freedom, for we have been a sustained democracy," Swaraj had said while addressing the 72nd UNGA session in New York.

"Every government has done its bit for India's development. We have marched ahead consistently without pause, in education, health and across the range of human welfare. We established scientific and technical institutions which are the pride of the world," she added.
A telegram signed by Card. Parolin to the bishop of Las Vegas. Condolences of South Korean President and Chinese Xi Jinping. 59 people killed and more than 500 injured. The killer is a 64 year old man, very rich, maybe a psychopath. The Islamic State claims the attack, but claim without foundations.

Vatican City (AsiaNews) - Pope Francis is "spiritually close" to all those who have been targeted in the "senseless tragedy" of Las Vegas, where the 64-year-old Stephen Craig Paddock (photo No. 3) committed a massacre killing participants at a concert leaving 59 dead and over 500 wounded. In a telegram sent yesterday to the Bishop of Las Vegas, Msgr. Joseph Anthony Pepe and signed by the Secretary of State card. Pietro Parolin, the Pontiff, "appreciates the efforts of the police and the staff of emergency services," who immediately intervened, and "offers the promise of his prayers for the wounded and all those who are dead, entrusting them to the merciful love of almighty God ".

Among the first in Asia to send telegrams of condolence, South Korean President Moon Jae-in, "representing the Korean people," expressed his "deepest condolences for the tragic and horrible" incident. "Such violence that causes so many innocent victims is to be condemned and cannot be justified by any reason."

"Profound condolences to the victims" and "closeness to the US government and the people" were also expressed in a message sent by Chinese President Xi Jinping as well as sincere solicitude to those wounded

The author of the massacre opened fire on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Hotel, overlooking the area where the concert was taking place. The police found 23 types of rifles and machine guns in the hotel room. The killer had 19 weapons and more explosives at his home.

Investigators are still attempting to discover the motives for the massacre, the bloodiest in the recent US history. Although the Islamic State has claimed the assassination, saying that Paddock converted to Islam a few months ago, law enforcement agencies have found no elements linking him to the network of international terrorism.

Paddock was a wealthy resident of Mesquite, 130 miles from where the massacre took place, he loved hunting and gambling. According to his brother, he has never shown signs of wanting to commit suicide. There could be the influence of his father, a bank robber, once among the 10 most wanted men in America, defined as a psychopath. After carrying out the massacre, Paddock committed suicide before the police arrived.
The country has been in mourning for the past year. King Bhumibol was the longest reigning monarch in the world. About 250,000 people will take part in the funeral. Groups of dissidents could cause disruptions.

Bangkok (AsiaNews/Agencies)  Two days before the deadline for paying tribute to the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the number of Thais paying their respect before the Royal Urn at the Bangkok's Great Palace topped 12 million.

As the year of mourning comes to an end, preparations are underway across the country for the royal funeral (25-29 October) and the cremation ceremony (26 October) of the late sovereign.

King Bhumibol, 88, was the longest reigning monarch in the world. After his death on 13 October 2016, massive public demonstrations of sorrow followed. Many Thais chose to wear black or white for the duration of mourning.

Very popular with ordinary Thais, he was the symbol of national unity and protector of all religions.

The Royal Household Bureau reported today that about 12.5 million mourners visited the Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall in the past 334 days. Thursday is the final day for public viewing.

The deadline had been set for 30 September, but the new king, Maha Vajiralongkorn, ordered postponement because of the great number of visitors and outpouring of devotion. Donations made in the late kings honour now total Bt 870,377,871 (US$ 26 million)

Meanwhile, Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha ordered tighter security measures before and during the various ceremonies, after intelligence sources reported that dissident groups might try to cause disruptions. About 250,000 people are expected at the funeral service at Saman Luang Square.

Although vast, the Royal Crematorium will not be able to accommodate everyone who wishes to attend. For this reason, the government has approved the erection of replicas in 85 sites around the country.
by Christopher Sharma

The festival of Dashain is currently underway in the Himalayan nation. The number of people trying to join the retreat outstripped capacity. For the apostolic vicar to Nepal, the Churchs service to the community is reflected in those who decide to follow Jesus as the ideal of life.

Kathmandu (AsiaNews)  Whilst Hindus celebrate the festival of Dashain, amid protests by animal rights activists opposed to ritual slaughter, more than 100 young Catholics and non-Catholics are taking part in a three-day spiritual retreat in Godavari, 30 km northwest of Kathmandu, until tomorrow.

The Church's service to society is "reflected in the interest shown by non-Catholics in joining our community, said Mgr Paul Simick, apostolic vicar to Nepal. Hundreds of young people visit our churches and follow Jesus as an ideal in their lives."

"We are happy to see this growing interest among young non-Catholics," noted Richard Rai, parish priest of the Assumption Cathedral.

Fears that few people would participate were dissipated quickly by the arrival of large numbers of applicants. "We were forced to turn away people because we could not handle more than a hundred."

"Initially, we were expecting 30-40 participants," said Fr Robin Rai, head of the pastoral centre. "At present, we have more than 100. We are adapting to numbers beyond our means. It is good news that so many people want to join our community and seek conversion."

The clergymen plans to repeat the event for those who could not attend this time.

Regina KC, a young woman who attended the retreat, said she was grateful to God for this opportunity. "We praise Jesus, read the Bible, sing the hymns, and speak to each other on how to reach other friends who are in need but do not know Jesus. I want to be a missionary who in every society spreads the need for Jesus to achieve peace, solidarity and respect."
Ethnic Kachin, Chin and Naga endure suffering. Religious discrimination is in some cases even institutionalised. Christians are seen as the expression of a foreign religion, outside of the nationalist view. For years the military regime has applied stringent discriminatory measures.

Yangon (AsiaNews)  The humanitarian crisis that touches Rohingya Muslims in Rakhine State is not the only of its kind in Myanmar. Religious freedom and human rights violations by the military, Buddhist nationalist movements and ethnic Burmese affect also other ethnic minorities in other parts of the country.

All these groups share the same suffering, but have not received the same media coverage or attention by the international community as the Rohingya struggling along the Myanmar-Bangladesh border.

This is the case of the Kachin (north), Chin (west) and Naga (north-west), ethnic groups with large Christian communities that have been persecuted for decades.

By exploiting the Buddhist roots of the countrys culture, Myanmars military regime has for years discriminated against Christians, seen as the expression of a foreign religion contrary to its "one nation, one race, and one religion" policy.

Many of these measures are still in force and anti-Church bias is strong even though the latter has been present in the country for more than 500 years.

In Myanmar all Christian communities are subject to restrictions on land acquisition for religious purposes. Military bureaucratic procedures prevent the release of permits to communities. Just to have a place to worship, some Christians are forced to use private properties or homes.

In predominantly Buddhist areas, especially in the strongholds of Ma Ba Tha's ultra-nationalist monks, it is almost impossible for Christians to gather together. At the same time, the government spends public money to build pagodas and monasteries, part of its policy of promoting and spreading Buddhism.

In December 2016, a report by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom of the (USCIRF) highlighted some of the worst episodes of intimidation and violence against Christians in the Asian country.

These violations include forced transfers, destruction of cemeteries, attacks on places of worship, and the ongoing campaign of forced conversions and brainwashing, which takes place in schools funded by the government in border regions, particularly in areas inhabited by ethnic Chin and Naga. Another common practice is the unjustified grab by local authorities of resource-rich land.

In Kachin areas, violations of religious freedom are intertwined with the ongoing conflict between armed groups and government forces. The military routinely occupies churches and summons entire congregations for mass interrogations and indiscriminate arrests. Very often the faithful and clergymen are considered allies of the rebels and therefore punished.

Myanmars powerful Armed Forces (Tatmadaw) have devastated, damaged, and destroyed many places of worship. With almost total impunity, the former continue to commit serious human rights abuses such as sexual violence inside church compounds and the torture of clergymen, believers and ordinary citizens.

In Kachin, after more than five years of conflict, more than 120,000 people have been forced to flee and live in desperate conditions, waiting to return. As long as the conflict endures, there is no real prospect for internally displaced Kachin to return to a situation of security and dignity.

Religious discrimination is in some cases institutionalised. Kachin, Naga, and Chin Christian public servants and others employed by the government are usually overlooked for promotion in favour of Buddhists.

When Christians hold government positions, they face sanctions if they do not support Buddhist initiatives. In some cases, the authorities take contributions from Christian civil servants salaries for Buddhist activities. In the Chin State, government employees are also forced to work on Sundays, without compensation.

Buddhism, though not officially, is considered Myanmars state religion. The military, whose power is not subject to the control of civil authority, has stressed the religions "special position" and stands as the defender of Burmese culture and tradition.

Over the years, this has led to deep rifts between the countrys various ethno-religious groups. This, in turn, has allowed the Armed Forces to reiterate their power.

With her victory in the November 2015 elections, Myanmars Democratic leader Aung San Suu Kyi began a difficult process of pacification and national reconciliation.
by Vladimir Rozanskij

The new orthodox cathedral consecrated in Tashkent. In Samarcanda, the patriarch visited the tomb of the prophet Daniel, worshiped by Christians and Muslims. In the country there are 2239 religious communities of 16 different confessions, with at least 50 Orthodox churches. Lukashenko proposes a new meeting between Pope Francis and Kirill in Minsk.

Moscow (AsiaNews) - On October 1, Orthodox Patriarch of Moscow Kirill (Gundjaev) made an official visit to Uzbekistan to celebrate the 145th anniversary of the establishment of the Orthodox Eparchy of Tashkent, the capital of Central Asia's most populous nation. The Russians have close ties with the Turkish-Mongolian populations of these countries, who from rulers at the time of the Tatars, were dominated by Russians in the 19th century and Soviet times, with Uzbekistan being one of the 15 republics of the USSR.

The Russian minority, almost 2 million out of 27 million people, is the most important in size after the Uzbek people, and alongside ethnicities from other countries. It is an important part of the "Russian world" for which the Moscow Patriarchate is pastorally responsible outside its own borders, and is largely found in the former Soviet republics where an intense Russification policy was conducted . At the official ceremony held in the Turkestan Palace in Tashkent, the head of the Russian Church met with the widow of President Islom Karimov, who led the country from the end of the Soviet Union until his death just a year ago, and his successor Shavkat Mirziyoyev , elected last December after serving as long-time prime minister and Karimovs main right hand man.

The previous day, visiting the historic city of Samarkand, the patriarch knelt before the relics of the prophet Daniel, located in a city mausoleum and revered by Christians and Muslims. According to local tradition, the prophet inspired preacher Kusama ibn Abbas, protagonist of the city's conversion to Islam.

Good relations between Orthodox and Muslims

During the visit, Kirill praised the good relations between the local orthodox and the Muslim majority, inviting the people of the country to safeguard peace in interreligious relationships and to be an example for all. "This capacity for reciprocity is not easy to maintain," said the patriarch during the consecration of the new Tashkent cathedral - "in many countries there are bloody conflicts between religions, which complicate coexistence in society... That is why we must to have particular regard for the social and inter-religious cohesion of a country where religions learn to cooperate with each other. "

According to government data, there are 2239 religious communities in Uzbekistan of 16 different confessions, including some fifty Orthodox churches.

Kirill acknowledged that this favourable condition would not be possible without the active support of the political institutions, guaranteeing equal opportunities for all confessions, orthodox as well as Muslims. This means that the Russian, Ukrainian, and Belarusian citizens of Uzbekistan not only actively participate in the life of society, but are also exemplary orthodox, showing the evangelical and dialogic face of the Christian faith. At the same time, in front of representatives of the Uzbek institutions, the patriarch pointed out that the Orthodox Church has no pretence of interfering in the political life of any country: "The testimony of faith in our Church - he said  has never been an instrument to pressure or spread of our influence among people ... If we compare the orthodox mission to that of some Western confessions, which has often been accompanied by violence, oppression and pursuit of political ends, we have never attempted to affirm our faith on anyone, not even on our own faithful. "

There should be no hidden agendas in the witness of Orthodox faithful, which "would soon be discovered" and would contradict the Gospel. The Russian Church seeks only to assist its faithful, though "it is not a national community, nor a political order or a representative of another state." In it there is room for everyone, the patriarch has said, and it is ready to collaborate with any state and with its institutions. Kirill's words seemed to be addressed also to other countries, in particular the Ukraine, of the "enemy" Poroshenko, with whom there has been an ongoing exchange of accusations of interference that further poisons the conflict between the two Slavic countries Eastern.

Lukashenkos proposal

Meanwhile, just as Kirill visited Central Asia, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko, leader of the third "orthodox" nation, said he was following the process of dialogue and collaboration between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Catholic church. Speaking at the plenary of the Council of European Bishops' Conferences (CCEE), which met recently in Minsk, Lukashenko recalled the 2016 Cuban meeting between Kirill and Francis, hoping it would be possible to repeat such a meeting in a place that is not too distant, maybe in Minsk. In Belarus, the collaboration between Orthodox and Catholics is very fruitful; the Catholic Church has nearly 2 million faithful out of 10 million inhabitants, over half of whom are Orthodox. For the president, Belarus is "the ideal country to discuss the problems of East and West, North and South and all over the planet."

The Holy See did not comment on Lukeshenko's proposal, but some Orthodox representatives agreed with the president. The Russian-Ukrainian conflict has also found space for mediation in the capital of the white Russia, with those "Minsk agreements" that have so far stopped the degeneration of the clashes, and which everyone wishes return to in order to finally reach a lasting peace.
Doan Thi Huong and Siti Aisyah claim they were part of a TV prank. They accuse North Korean agents repatriated following an agreement between Kuala Lumpur and Pyongyang. Tensions between North Korea and the United States remain high. US president discourages Secretary of State from holding talks. North Korea is preparing a new test and celebrations for the autumn festival.

Kuala Lumpur (AsiaNews/Agencies)  The two women charged with murdering Kim Jong-nam, the half-brother of North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un, have pleaded not guilty as their trial in Malaysia got under way under tight security.

The two accused, 29-year-old Doan Thi Huong from Vietnam and 25-year-old Siti Aisyah (pictured) were arrested three days after the assassination. The two women were accused of rubbing Kim Jong-nam's face with a highly toxic nerve agent known as Vx agent, which overcame his central nervous system in just 20 minutes.

The two women are the only suspects in Malaysian custody for what South Korean intelligence calls a plot carried out by Pyongyang to assassinate the leader's brother, seen as a dissident.

If convicted, the defendants face the death penalty. They claim they were tricked by North Korean agents who told they were part of a TV prank.

Malaysian police said that four North Koreans involved in the plot left the country on the same day as the assassination. Three others were allowed to return to North Korea following a diplomatic agreement for the repatriation of nine Malaysians detained by Pyongyang.

Meanwhile, tensions between North Korea and the United States remain high. US President Donald Trump said yesterday that he has discouraged US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson from talking to North Korea over its nuclear weapons programme because it was a waste of time.

"I told Rex Tillerson, our wonderful Secretary of State, that he is wasting his time trying to negotiate with Little Rocket Man," Trump wrote on Twitter, using his nickname for North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. "Save your energy Rex, we'll do what has to be done!"

In an apparent bid to ease the tensions, Tillerson said a day earlier that the US maintains channels of communication with Pyongyang and is not in a "dark situation, a blackout. [. . .] We can talk to them. We do talk to them," he told reporters.

As analysts announce a new provocative North Korean atomic test, Pyongyang is getting ready to celebrate Chuseok, Koreas traditional autumn festival, which this year falls on 4 October. However, whilst the holiday will last 10 days in South Korea, in the north it will be a one-day affair.

Since 1945, when the Korean Peninsula was divided after its liberation from Japan, the time-honoured celebration was not observed in the North until it was reinstated it in 1989. During this time, the traditional holiday was denounced as being "in breach of the manners of socialism".

Now Chuseok is one of North Korea's 18 national holidays, but it is observed in a much more modest way, as the communist regime puts more emphasis on the birthdays of North Korean founder Kim Il-sung on 15 April, and his successor Kim Jong-il on 16 February. Two-day holidays are given for those anniversaries.


(Daviles/Bigstock.com) (Daviles/Bigstock.com)

Structural changes to the visa system in Australia are on the horizon with the Government aiming to have well-targeted skilled migration policy that expands opportunities, improves living standards and increases productivity.Immigration Minister Peter Dutton believes that there is rising support for high skilled migration in the country and its system should be an example to the rest of the world that voters will accept immigrants if they believe the system is being run fairly.He indicated that immigration is a major issue, not just in Australia, but also the UK and the United States and said in a speech in London that research shows that taking control of Australia's borders has been a popular move.He told the audience at the offices of think tank the Policy Exchange in London that anti-migration sentiment has had a significant impact on the last three Australian elections, the Brexit referendum in the UK and the election of President Donald Trump in the US last year.He said it also has had an impact on the rise of anti-migration parties in Europe including in last week's German election and he believes that a key driver is 'the very high level of irregular migration across the world today'.He spoke about how support for migration actually remains relatively strong in Australia and indeed has strengthened over recent years and pointed out that a survey last year by the Australian Scanlon Foundation showed broad support for migration of 59% and even higher for skilled and family reunion migration.'I think there are three basic explanations for Australia's situation. The first is that migration is intrinsic to our national identity as much as it is to our economic fortune and is widely seen as such,' said Dutton.'Secondly, that public support cannot be taken for granted. Secure borders are fundamental to a well-managed and truly compassionate migration programme that is capable of securing public backing.'And thirdly, migration policy cannot be set and forget, it must be constantly adjusted. Australian Governments, if not of course all Governments, have a duty to ensure that migration works first and foremost for its citizens, not just the migrants themselves,' he added.He told the audience that around two thirds of Australia's annual planning ceiling of 190,000 permanent places is filled by skilled migrants. 'Properly managed and well-targeted skilled migration expands opportunities, improves living standards, increases productivity and helps our country to reduce the budget deficit, Dutton said.He pointed out that skilled migration makes Australia more internationally competitive and has helped achieve more than 20 years of uninterrupted economic growth. The Migration Council of Australia estimates migration will add $1.6 trillion to Australia's GDP and 16% to workforce participation by 2050.Dutton also pointed out that temporary migration is also increasingly important and Australia's Productivity Commission expects migration to add another 13 million people to the population by 2060.'The Commission advises the gains will depend on having a system that attracts younger migrants who are more skilled. And it advises that we need to get our social, economic, environmental, and I would argue at the top of that list, security policy settings right,' Dutton said.'This is why the Australian Government is adjusting its migration and border policies to counter threats to Australia's security to meet the reasonable expectation of Australians that migrants share and uphold our values and laws and ensuring skilled migration serves our national interest.Foreign workers, including from the United Kingdom, are of course still welcome and able to be employed in Australia where there is a genuine need for their skills. Indeed Australia remains committed to a migration programme that is biased towards skilled migration that meets the needs of Australia and its people,' he added.
Ford has begun coordinating the development of its electrified vehicle initiative by setting up an internal team known as "Team Edison" as it begins rolling out 13 electrified vehicles in the next five years, according to a company spokesperson.

The team will focus on battery-electric vehicles and will be able to help the company move more quickly, according to the company.

Ford is investing $4.5 billion and will introduce the 13 electrified vehicles in various global markets. In the U.S., Ford will offer two hybrid police vehicles, including the Police Responder Hybrid Sedan; the F-150 Hybrid pickup; the Mustang Hybrid; and a fully electric small SUV. Ford will also offer the Transit Custom plug-in hybrid in Europe.

Team Edison will include a new dedicated central team responsible for global profit and loss, strategy, planning, product development, marketing and advanced manufacturing. The team will orchestrate work with existing electrification teams in the regional business units and with engineering teams already working on Ford electrified vehicles, according to the company.
How our readers feel

TBC Media posed the question on Facebook: Do events like the mass shooting at a concert in Las Vegas affect whether or not you go to public events? Here are some answers.

Raymond Paul West: "No, it will not affect whether or not I go out, because, rationally, statistically, the probability of something like this happening to ME is still very small at this point. The real issue for me is the disturbing reality that yet another mass murder means to the concept of "America." Nowhere else in the world does this kind of thing happen so regularly. And given the right events and environment, it could balloon to the point we may all be in danger on a larger scale, a frightening and real possibility."

Angelica Torres: "Whether or not I'd like to admit it, it's something that sits in the back of my mind. I still go out and do things, but with a tinge of paranoia. I know our mindsets are all to combat fear, but it gets harder to feel confident in having a good time when bigger events are becoming targets."

Jennifer Savoeun: "It used to, but I'm at a point in my life where I refuse to allow the cowardly acts of others to control my life. We are all appointed a date with death and though that may come sooner than it should for many, I know what waits for me when my time in this world is over so I will enjoy my time here."

Chandra Beaty: "Personally, you cant live life in fear or youre not living. Be aware of your surroundings the best you can but enjoy life. You never know when your bell will ring to take you home."

Carrie Hinde Eveland: "I don't let it affect whether or not I go anywhere, but it does cross my mind while I'm at the events. I was in the cramped and steep cheap seats for Tim & Faith on Saturday and it crossed my mind that if there was an emergency I'd be in big trouble."

Destiny Hallver: "Hell yeah, it does! I've grown so scared and I'm always in fear... I panic ANYTIME I'm in a crowd of people. My heart starts racing, my palms get sweaty, and I freak out!"

Tarra Huffman-Smith: "It will make me more aware of my surroundings, but I'm going to a concert on Friday. I'm not going to allow the crazies to keep me home."

Raymond Carmichael: "No, I dont get fearful of the society I live in. Trust of humanity is still greater than my fear of death."

Comments have been edited for clarity and grammar
Forethought and planning are obviously critical steps when companies consider new plant construction or renovations to existing facilities. Location, physical size, products, markets, potential for growth and many other factors cram the agenda. Pepperidge Farm was no different in 1987 when it built a new bakery in Lakeland, FL.

The expertise and knowledge Pepperidge gained from that project and the new plant startup in 2003 at Bloomfield, CT, allowed the quick and efficient expansion of the Lakeland bakery during 2008.

When it opened the now 320,000-sq-ft Lakeland plant, Pepperidge ran three cookie lines,a Goldfish-brand cracker line, a bread line producing 1-lb loaf bread, a roll line and a hearth line. But forethought from management anticipated up to nine production lines at the facility. Although cookie production was transferred to other Pepperidge facilities in the mid-1990s, infrastructure for these lines was only decommissioned, not removed. Benefits from this action were the companys later ability to add a Goldfish cracker line and move production of its Distinctive variety crackers in-house from contract packers.

The plant currently runs one line producing Distinctive variety crackers, which are distributed across the country. It is the only Pepperidge plant producing this product. Its single Goldfish cracker line focuses on Flavor Blasted varieties. Together, biscuit operations occupy about one-half of the available production space.

As demographics in Florida changed over the years, so did the demand for fresh bread.It got to the point where we were out of capacity on the original line here in Lakeland, said Gary Tarr, plant manager.

Production was soon supplemented by its sister plant in Aiken, SC.

Pepperidge plants do not complete with one another for territory, technology or people, certainly not in a destructive sense, said Dave Watson, former vice-president of engineering at Pepperidge, now vice-president of engineering international and bakery technology at Campbell Soup Company (Pepperidge Farms parent company).

That is a big deal for Pepperidge Farm, Mr. Watson said. Its a culture  to do the right thing for the company. We have a shared mission and a cooperative mandate. The needs of company come first versus needs of any one plant.

Both men noted that although the company has a centralized decision-making structure, the plants work together to deliver their commitments. Plants work with each other. Of course, each has its own goals and budgets, but we make it work, Mr. Tarr said. We never say no to another plants needs.

COLLECTIVE DECISION.

Over time, it became apparent that the Florida bread market was on a long growth ascent, and the Aiken plant had its own market to supply. Volume rose to the point that a second bread line was justified at Lakeland.

As the plan to increase bread capacity went forward, best practices and cooperative mandates were at its core. Lakeland was originally designed to be the most automated bakery in the US. However, the desired technology level was ahead of its time, according to Mr. Watson. It was the first plant built by Pepperidge in 10 years, and it had its share of challenges and went through several modifica- tions throughout its early history to run smoothly.

The Denver, PA, plant was next in succession, followed by Bloomfield, CT. We learned a lot from each of these major projects, and technology advanced to a point that it was much more in line with the bakeries capabilities, Mr. Watson added.

We studied the bread operations at Bloomfield and Denver, compared with the methods used here, Mr. Tarr said. While similar in concept as bread production goes  mixing, moulding, proofing, baking  we were using high-speed mixing in small batches, while the other plants used horizontal mixing techniques. This plant was in for a major change.

Lakeland was the last Pepperidge plant on the East Coast to use high-speed mixing. When the current project was complete, not only were Peerless horizontal mixers then installed on the plants original bread line but also at Denver as a parallel project. The Lakeland plant still uses two Stephan high-speed mixers for its roll line.

Bread demand and plans for new products prompted the company to go with a double line, which uses two mixers, two dividers, two rounders and two moulders to feed the oven. The new lines annual capacity is 31 million units, and it currently runs 210 lb per minute. Total capital investment for the line was $23 million.

The plant had a Winkler hearth line, but it was removed because of reduced product demand and to help accommodate the new line. The plant now has its original bread line, a roll line and the new bread line.

PLANNING AND EXECUTION.

During the planning stages of the new line, key Lakeland employees were sent to Bloomfield for training. There were high expectations to deliver the new line flawlessly, said Glenn Wright, manager of engineering and maintenance at Lakeland. That included vendor, engineering and project management.

Mr. Wright was involved in the Bloomfield startup, thereby bringing firsthand experience.Its been five years since the Bloomfield installation, he said. We learned a lot about high-speed bakery production lines at Bloomfield, but there have been advances in technology since then. This line is similar, but not identical, to the others.

Maintaining a similar project budget, delivering on time and doing it flawlessly was a challenge, and we, in turn, challenged the vendors, he continued. They all came through to get the project done as directed.

Project planners used experiences from Bloomfield to decide what to do and not to do and minimized risks wherever possible. For example, the original Bloomfield design included extrusion dividing while Lakeland decided to stick with traditional ram-and-knife systems. The plant also postponed installation of a fully automated pan handling system as used at Bloomfield but instead relies on Turkington APV stackers/unstackers. Bloomfield has 11 pan types, while the new line at Lakeland initially has only four.

Bread wrapping is another example of minimizing risk, said Jack Weinstein, corporate project engineer. Bloomfield uses flow wrappers  a first in the industry for bread at the time. Here we went with UBE fin-seal, die-fold systems. The Lakeland inner wrap does not include easier opening fin-seal ends, but the die-fold systems are much easier for production.

Bread feeds long-edge-leading, so height and width variation have no negative effects on the procedure. You actually get a tighter, more custom-looking wrap by leading with the girth of the loaf, Mr. Weinstein added. With flow wrapping, there is, by nature of the wrapper, much tighter tolerance required on product variables because the bread has to flow through a fixed-dimension forming box where the wrapping material is formed around the loaf. The former has to be set for the tallest and widest acceptable dimensions, which leaves some loaves with loose inner wraps. It is still sealed and sanitary, just not as tight fitting. All Pepperidge bread items are inner wrapped and bagged.

Reimelt was a key vendor for ingredient handling when the plant was built, so it was a fairly easy decision to bring that supplier in on this project to tie into and expand the current system, according to Mr. Tarr. At Bloomfield, we use a Shick system, but for Lakeland it made sense to stay with the vendor that was already in place.

TILT OUT, RAMP UP.

One of the biggest challenges of the entire Lakeland project was how to complete all the improvements, physical expansion and installations without shutting down production on any of the other lines. Bloomfield, in comparison, was a greenfield project.

In addition to removing the hearth line, an additional 20,000 sq ft were needed to house the new line. Physical expansion required several steps. First, half of the bread side of the plant was isolated with a temporary floor-to-ceiling wall. Once it was in place, the hearth line was removed.

Forethought in the original structural engineering plans included tilt-panel construction for the walls. A 400-ft section of panels was tilted out and moved 45 ft outward from its original position, providing 20,000 sq ft of new space.

Infrastructure and utilities were extended and installed. Epoxy flooring was laid in the new section instead of the dairy brick used in the rest of the facility. Inner walls are a combination of insulated panel and block vs. block and tile found elsewhere in the plant.

Renovations and additions are always a bigger challenge than starting from ground zero, the managers agreed. Each manager was part of two of the three startups  Lakeland, Denver or Bloomfield. Mr. Tarr was at Lakeland and Denver for both startups, and Mr. Wright helped open Bloomfield and Lakeland. Both noted that this latest project startup was the smoothest they ever experienced.

On the second day of mixing dough, we were able to run it through the entire line all the way through packaging, Mr. Tarr said. Thats unheard of. We had saleable product within 11 days. The first dough was mixed on June 2, and first-quality product shipped on June 13. Of course, a lot of stuff happened in those 11 days.

The line must be readied from a quality standpoint, Mr. Tarr added. It could have vendors still working or making adjustments to the equipment while we run dough. That product may look fine, but we wouldnt ship it because the quality may have been compromised. It took another two weeks to get fully comfortable with the line and process and get all the kinks worked out.

Full production started June 30. Management ran one shift until July 21 and then added a second shift. The new line requires 16 people to run and typically produces 21 SKUs daily.

DOUBLING UP.

Total bread output from the two lines at Lakeland went from 22 SKUs to 35. In addition to startup and qualifying existing products on the new line, the plant needed to learn 13 new products it had not previously run. All of that was going on during startup and addition of a second shift, Mr. Tarr said. We were fortunate we already had the knowledge and formulas within the Pepperidge Farm family, so we were able to incorporate that knowledge more quickly than other companies might.

New-line startup included Bloomfield supervisors and maintenance employees who all had very specific suggestions on modifications and adjustments. We would have figured it out eventually, recalled Mr. Tarr. But having people with the expertise and experience on hand facilitated a rapid and smooth startup. The sharing between the two plants was extremely valuable, and not every situation or company has this opportunity very often.

BREAD CAPABLE.

Each bread line uses four pan sets. Line No. 1 can run all products but now produces mainly 1-lb loaves as well as some 1.5-lb items and two lidded sandwich breads. Depending on the product running, the line uses either 4- or 5-strap pans.

Line No. 2, the new line, is much bigger with more throughput, thus it runs large-volume items. This includes mainly 1.5-lb products. All pan sets for this line are 6-strap. Both bread lines currently run two shifts, five days per week, so there is significant growth capacity.

Part of the installation included recommissioning silos, ingredient handling and flour brew capacity. The plant has eight 120,000-lb-capacity silos, of which seven are actively used today. Each feeds flour through Great Western Manufacturing in-line sifters as flour makes its way to mixing.

Bread production uses cream yeast, and two yeast tanks accommodate its flour brew formulation needs. Installation of the new bread line required increased capacity from the brew system, and Reimelt, which installed the entire ingredient handling system up to the mixers, modified the existing brew system and increased capacity by 50%.

Some of the improvements were a new 850-gal mix tank and additional fermentation tanks. Brew is stored in two cold-hold brew tanks  1,500 and 2,000 gal. This is sufficient for the two bread lines as well as the roll line. Reimelt installed a new blower system for flour feeds and a new minor and micro ingredient handling system. We also needed new mixers, Mr. Tarr said. The three Stephan mixers we installed for bread in 1987 were only 500-lb capacity. We now use four Peerless 2,500-lb mixers  two for each bread line  and two Stephans for rolls.

The bread process moves standard patent and wheat flours to day bins from which flour is pulled for use. These vessels are on load cells for more accurate weighment. Adjacent to the day bin area is a bag dump room for minor ingredients.

Additional forethought went into the layout of the new bread line. There is sufficient open space for expansion not only of the lines pan handling system, according to Mr. Wright, but also for down-the-road addition of a sheeting line for Swirl bread production.

Once raw materials are brought to the Peerless mixers, dough is mixed then dumped into a chunker hopper and dough elevator system situated on rails in front of the two mixers. Dough is chunked to the elevator and transported to an overhead conveyor that brings it to two Peerless 90-piece-per-minute dough dividers. These dividers can deliver up to 180 pieces per minute on soft white dough, but the large number of whole-grain bread varieties produced at Lakeland requires operation at reduced speeds to deliver consistent product quality, Mr. Wright said. The dual divider design also provides some redundancy that assures uninterrupted production.

After an intermediate proof, dough is moulded and deposited in the 6-strap pans, oiled using a Mallet pan oiler. A Turkington APV double-spiral continuous proofer moves pans through in about 60 minutes. Most of the new lines products have some treatment or topping applied, and a Burford splitter/topper system treats the panned dough according to product criteria. Pans then enter the 122-ft Turkington APV directgas-fired oven where loaves bake for 25 to 30 minutes at around 400F.

After baking, depanned product enters an I.J. White Multi-Pass dualspiral cooler. The cooling system enclosure incorporates fully insulated metal panel walls and ceiling. This energy efficient design is temperature- and humidity-controlled with filtered air. Product feeds in single file at the top of the first spiral working its way down the 20 tiers then up the second spiral. The single-file loaves then re-enter the first cooling spiral and travel back to the second spiral before exiting single file to slicing.

Once cooled, loaves are sliced on one of three AMF slicers, which feed the UBE overwrappers. All packaging lines are equipped with Safeline metal detectors and Heat and Control checkweighers. Overwrapped loaves feed either of the two Formost GT4 duallane bagging lines, which monitor and control product flow by electric eyes and diverter arms. Each bagger has a 90-loaf-per-minute capacity.

Finished product makes its way to the two Foodbotics robotic basket loading systems, which discharge full baskets to corresponding AMF basket stackers. Stacks of 17 baskets are discharged to waiting employees who move them to appropriate trucks that take the fresh product to distribution centers and depots throughout Florida.

By using loaf counters at strategic locations  dividers, the depanner and basket loaders  we not only track yield but also pinpoint areas of product loss, Mr. Wright pointed out. This information is used to focus improvement efforts on these areas and quickens our ability to improve operating efficiency.

Process yield improvement is critical to the long-term success of the line, Mr. Wright added. There were the nuts-and-bolts and physical issues related to a smooth startup, but then there are the efforts to continuously improve yield. These efforts continue far beyond the time first-quality product comes off the line.

For Pepperidge Farm and its Lakeland facility, knowledge, experience and dedicated employees are among its most valuable assets.
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A 15-year-old Zephyrhills High School student is accused of forcing a 14-year-old girl into a campus bathroom to perform a sex act, according to the Pasco County Sheriffs Office.

Incident allegedly occurred on Sept. 19

Accused not being charged as adult

Suspect, alleged victim were known to each other

The alleged incident happened on Sept. 19 at the high school located at 6335 12th Street in Zephyrhills. We are not identifying the 15-year-old boy because he was not charged as an adult.

During a non-custodial interview, the teen admitted to guiding the victim into the bathroom against her will, but advised the sexual act was consensual, according to the report.

It didnt happen the way that he was charged with, said David Giles Sr., a family member of the suspect. This was all planned out between him and her. Something come up where the other kids found out about it and it got back to her parents and this is where it all started.

Deputies said another student witnessed the 15-year-old forcibly guide the victim into the bathroom, but did not report it that same day. The suspect was also accused of fondling the same girl in a classroom the next day, on Sept. 20.

The following day, on Sept. 21, the teen was charged with kidnapping and two counts of lewd and lascivious molestation.

The suspect admitted to meeting the victim in the classroom but denied touching her, according to deputies. Students said theyre not sure what to make of the alleged incidents.

Its just kind of unbelievable. You dont really think of it happening in your school, said Sajon Pohren, 17. Also, someone was supposed to witness it and why didnt they report it?

Detectives said the suspect and the victim were personally known to each other. Pasco School District spokeswoman Linda Cobbe said she could not discuss any individual students discipline.
A new plan for the Howard Frankland Bridge calls for more lanes created and a bicycle and pedestrian path.

FDOT introduces new plan for Howard Frankland Bridge

Northbound lanes would be torn down.

New southbound lanes would be built with express lanes in both directions

And it could be in place for drivers by 2024.

Plans for a new bridge have been batted around for several years. The more recent plan failed. But on Monday, the Florida Department of Transportation announced an even bolder plan.

The northbound side of the bridge, which travels from St. Petersburg to Tampa, was built in the early 1960s and will be torn down.

The southbound lanes will be expanded from what is now a 4-lane bridge to an 8-lane bridge. Six lanes for traffic, with two express lanes going in both directions. Plans also include a bike and pedestrian path along the southbound lanes.

FDOT officials also said the construction would leave room for light rail if it ever gets approved - and some lanes could be used for driverless cars in the future.

So what happens with the southbound side?

That span was completed in 1990 and still has life remaining.

Once the northbound side of the bridge is complete, traffic would be flipped, it would be used for people driving from St. Petersburg into Tampa.

The new bridge would then become the southside, bringing traffic from Tampa to St. Petersburg.

The price tag on the new structure would creep near $750 million.

And if the plan moves forward on schedule, construction would begin in 2020.
President Donald Trump visited storm-ravaged Puerto Rico on Tuesday, highlighting its relatively low death toll compared with a real catastrophe like Katrina as he opened a tour of the islands devastation.



Trump pledged an all-out effort to help the island but added: Now I hate to tell you, Puerto Rico, but youve thrown our budget a little out of whack because weve spent a lot of money on Puerto Rico. And thats fine. Weve saved a lot of lives.

He said his visit was not about me but then praised local officials for offering kind words about the recovery effort and invited one to repeat the nice things shed said earlier. Trump also singled out Gov. Ricardo Rossello for giving us the highest praise.

Every death is a horror, he said, but if you look at a real catastrophe like Katrina and you look at the tremendous, hundreds of and hundreds and hundreds of people that died, and you look at what happened here ... nobodys ever seen anything like this.

Air Force One brought the president, first lady Melania Trump and aides to Puerto Rico late this morning. They were expected to spend more than five hours on the ground, meeting first responders, local officials and some of millions of people whose lives have been upended by a hurricane that, in the president's words, left the island U.S. territory flattened.

The plane descended over a landscape marked by mangled palm trees, metal debris strewn near homes and patches of stripped trees, yet with less devastation evident than farther from San Juan.

The president, who in recent days took to Twitter to exchange barbs with San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz about hurricane response timeliness, repeated his praise of the federal recovery operation on Monday.

On Sept. 16, Hurricane Maria swept across Puerto Rico with sustained winds of 64 mph and gusts that reached 118 mph. Heavy rainfall occurred throughout the territory as the strongest storm to hit the island since 1928 roared across the island.

Puerto Rico's 3.4 million residents have mostly been in the dark since the storm and have struggled with getting water, fuel, and supplies throughout the island in the storm's aftermath.

Debris still litters the scene.

"We are going to be seeing all of the first responders, the military, FEMA, and frankly, most importantly, we are going to be seeing the people of Puerto Rico," Trump said in the Oval Office ahead of talks with the Thai prime minister. "It's been amazing what's been done in a very short period of time on Puerto Rico. There's never been a piece of land that we've known that was so devastated."

Trump administration officials suggested Cruz had refused invitations to participate in FEMA briefings, opting instead to appear on television. The mayor, in turn, insisted that she would not be distracted by "small comments, by politics, by petty issues."

The White House said Monday that Trump will visit Las Vegas on Wednesday in the aftermath of the nation's deadliest mass shooting.

Information from CNN and the Associated Press was used in this report.
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A third lawsuit has been filed alleging negligence against Beaumont ISD by the parents of a student who was airlifted to Houston after an April school bus crash that sent two dozen students to hospitals.

The unnamed student "suffered severe and debilitating injuries and his parents, Helen and Ra'mon Mouton, witnessed their son in the hospital shortly after the accident go into a seizure and convlusions, thinking he was dying before their eyes, and washing him be taken via life-flight to Houston," according to the suit filed last week in the Jefferson County District Clerk's Office.

The suit alleges that the bus driver, Michelle Lewis, was texting and falling asleep before the accident, and accuses her of negligence while driving the bus. She was cited by Lumberton Police for failure to control speed.

More than 40 Charlton-Pollard students were on the bus returning from a field trip to Big Thicket when Lewis, 53, hit another vehicle from behind, veered into oncoming traffic and landed in a ditch on the other side of U.S. 69 in Lumberton.

The suit alleges BISD is responsible because Lewis was employed by and working for the district at the time of the crash. "BISD knew, or through the exercise of reasonable care should have known, that Lewis was a reckless and incompetent driver," attorney Mitchell Toups wrote in the suit.

A camera on the bus, which should have recorded the crash, had not worked correctly since 2015, LPD Chief Danny Sullins said in April. Efforts to retrieve footage by the manufacturer were unsuccessful.

The Moutons are seeking between $200,000 and $1 million from the district for past and future pain and suffering, impairment, anguish and future medical care.

In responses to two previous suits related to the crash, filed by parents in July, Beaumont ISD has denied the claims. The district has also argued that it should not be ordered to pay any medical expenses over $100,000 per person under state law and said the "recovery of medical expenses, if any, should be reduced."

While school districts are exempt from most legal claims under governmental immunity, personal injury claims resulting from the use of a motor vehicle are an exception, and the district can legally be found liable under state law.

BISD does not comment on pending litigation.

In April, the district told The Enterprise that parents should use their own insurance for healthcare needs, and spokeswoman Nakisha Burns said the district planned to talk to parents who were asking for financial help with claims.

LTeitz@BeaumontEnterprise.comTwitter.com/LizTeitz
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The woman seen in Snapchat videos shooting from a moving car in Houston has been arrested.

Sierra V. Tarbutton, 27, was taken into custody Monday morning by the Harris County Sherriff's department, the Houston Police Department (HPD) tweeted. The other person in the videos was 29-year-old Michael Anthony Cuellar, who remains at large, HPD added.

Tarbutton and Cuellar could be seen smiling in the short videos as they fired about 14 rounds into a neighborhood near the 15800 block of Memorial Drive. The two were identified after police compared the videos to other social media platforms and law enforcement search engines, according to the charging documents at the Harris County District Clerk's office.

WE SPOKE WITH WHO POSTED THE VIDEOS: Unbelievable videos show man, woman shooting guns from a moving car in Houston

Now Playing: One has past with drugs, the other has threatened an officer's daughters, documents show Video: Houston Chronicle

Both of them have had run-ins with the law in the past. Cuellar, a local rapper who goes by the name "Money Mike," is a known drug dealer, according to court documents.

Tarbutton, who has a retaliation against a public servant on her record, previously threatened the life of a police officer's daughters stating, "those are two cute little girls, those are going to be two cute little tombstones," according to court documents. She also reportedly stated she knows cartel members.

These threats were made on Aug. 18, 2015, at 1:55 a.m. after police responded to a car accident call at 3300 West Sam Houston Parkway northbound, the police told Chron.com Monday afternoon. Tarbutton was driving the car involved in the accident and was transported to 61 Riesner St. where she made the threatening remarks.

Cuellar is wanted on a charge of felony criminal mischief and felony deadly conduct. Anyone with information on his whereabouts is encouraged to call Houston Police Department at 713-884-3131 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-8477.
Aerospace manufacturing has a long and proud history in Northern Ireland.

Around 10,000 people here are directly employed in the industry and it is helping to generate 1.3bn a year for the local economy.

Government and industry have forged a successful partnership to help the sector double in size during the next 10 years, creating more high value, long-term jobs.

An aircraft that offers perhaps the greatest potential for the growth of aerospace in Northern Ireland is Bombardier's C Series.

The revolutionary composite wing for this new entrant into the international market is manufactured at state of the art facilities in the company's Belfast factory.

The CS100, with around 110 seats, and the larger CS300 have already found enthusiastic customers in Europe, Asia and North America.

Global orders for new aircraft are at close to record levels, with more than 13,400 currently on the books of manufacturers.

Demand is expected to remain high in the years ahead as the aviation market continues to grow. There is a real opportunity for the C Series to become a significant player and an order from Delta Airlines in the US for 125 C Series aircraft is the model's largest yet.

This is what makes last week's preliminary ruling by the US Department of Commerce to apply tariffs to the C Series in response to a case brought by Boeing extremely disappointing, as well as unsettling for companies and their employees across the aerospace sector in Northern Ireland.

The decision is not final and there is still a long way to go before the end of this process.

A final ruling by the US International Trade Commission is due to be made in February next year.

However, an amicable resolution before this stage is reached would be the best option for Bombardier, for the thousands who work in its Belfast factory, for 800 suppliers in the UK and Ireland, and for the global aerospace sector as a whole.

It has been heartening to hear political leaders in Northern Ireland, Canada and London make clear how seriously they take the threat posed to jobs and growth by this dispute, and show they will defend the interests of Bombardier workers in their engagement with Boeing and the US government.

We now need to see leaders on both sides of the Atlantic working together to find a solution and remove the threat to jobs and growth in Northern Ireland. There is no doubt that any support Bombardier has received in the UK is fully compliant with World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules, and Boeing has not brought a case through WTO procedures.

All major aircraft manufacturers around the world have received some form of support from governments to help manage the costs and risks associated with researching and designing new aircraft, whether in the UK, Europe, Brazil or the US.

Aerospace is a truly global industry, a low tariff sector built on openness to trade between its major manufacturing nations. To build a complete aircraft, extensive supply chains cross multiple borders as companies in different countries each contribute key components towards the final assembly.

Tariffs destroy trade and reduce the choices available to consumers, preventing them from seeing the benefits of innovation and productivity that are driven by healthy commercial competition.

In the UK aerospace industry we expect all those involved to work hard to reach a resolution as soon as possible and allow the C Series to continue its ascent - flying on wings made in Belfast.
Bombardier's thousands of Belfast workers remain concerned after a meeting with Northern Ireland Secretary James Brokenshire as they await another major decision on a make-or-break US deal for its C Series jets.

Belfast boss Michael Ryan met Mr Brokenshire, along with Unite trade union members, to discuss the concerns of the workforce.

Last week's US government decision could scupper a multi-billion pound deal with Delta for Bombardier's narrow-bodied C Series jets, and was described as "unsettling for companies and their employees across the aerospace sector in Northern Ireland".

There are fears that the US commerce department's proposed tariff of almost 220% on Bombardier's C Series aircraft could threaten jobs here.

That follows a legal challenge by US rival Boeing, which has now erupted into a transatlantic trade row involving the Prime Minister and US President Donald Trump.

Davy Thompson of Unite said the next big decision for Bombardier will be on Thursday, when it learns whether the US government believes Boeing's claim over aircraft 'dumping' - selling the planes at a cut-price or below cost.

He said the atmosphere among workers "is one of concern" and that Bombardier did not expect to be dealt such a hefty tariff of almost 220%.

Paul Everitt, chief executive of aerospace group ADS, also told the Belfast Telegraph that "there is no doubt that any support Bombardier has received in the UK is fully compliant with World Trade Organisation rules".

Meanwhile, yesterday Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn stepped up the pressure on Theresa May to intervene in the trade dispute.

In a letter to the Prime Minister, he urged her to join with Canadian premier Justin Trudeau in summoning the head of Boeing to an "urgent summit" to demand the US aerospace giant drops its claim against Bombardier.

Following a meeting in Belfast yesterday, Mr Brokenshire said "we will continue to work with the senior management at Bombardier, the trade unions and the workforce as well as with the Canadian and US Governments to find a resolution".

"Bombardier jobs are absolutely vital to the Northern Ireland economy," he added.

"The visit to meet Bombardier NI chief executive Michael Ryan provides assurance on the UK Government's continuing commitment and efforts, to protect jobs and the livelihoods of so many people across Northern Ireland and discuss how we can continue to work together to resolve this very serious issue."

Mr Everitt said the preliminary ruling was "... extremely disappointing, as well as unsettling for companies and their employees".
From left: Gordon Davidson of Ulster Bank with Habintegs Derek Johnston and Darren McKinney

A major housing association has secured over 10m to build new homes in Northern Ireland.

Habinteg Housing Association has said it plans to build hundreds of dwellings after borrowing from Ulster Bank.

It said it's already building homes in Londonderry, Lisburn, Newry, Coalisland and Belfast, with another 200 planned to follow elsewhere.

Chief executive Darren McKinney said: "The long-term financial arrangements between Habinteg and Ulster Bank help underpin our programme of development, which has widespread economic and social benefits.

"Ultimately it will allow us to provide new homes for some of the 37,000 people on the waiting list for social housing in Northern Ireland."

Gordon Davidson, relationship director at Ulster Bank, said: "Habinteg's development programme will create jobs, provide homes and improve local communities, so Ulster Bank is very pleased to support the association's work."

According to the Department for Communities' housing bulletin for January to March, there were 1,699 new dwelling starts over the quarter - up 20.8% on the same quarter a year earlier.

However, there were 184 new starts in the social housing sector, down 13.6% on the same quarter a year earlier.
Sir Kenneth Branagh has called it an "incredible honour" as he is to become the 82nd recipient of the freedom of Belfast.

The request was put forward in April 2017 by the then Lord Mayor of Belfast, Brian Kingston, who asked that Sir Kenneth be recognised for his outstanding achievements and international status in drama and cinema, as an actor, director, producer and screenwriter.

A special meeting was held at City Hall on Monday night ahead of the council's monthly meeting where members unanimously agreed to bestow the honour upon the north Belfast native.

Reacting to the news Sir Kenneth said it was an "incredible honour from his home town".

In a statement he said: Belfast has always given me more than I could ever repay.

It took great care of me til the age of 9. It gave me a profound sense of family, a magnificent landscape to play in, and a Belfast sense of humour that is a constant boisterous reminder to never take yourself too seriously.

It gave me my first professional job, in Graham Reid's Billy Plays. It gave me the sharpest and most generous of audiences at the Opera House and at the Lyric theatre, and at cinemas across the years, who welcomed and supported my films.

Im proud to say that you can take the boy out of Belfast, but you can't take Belfast out of the boy.

He added: This is an incredible honour from my home town and I am humbled to be included in a roll call that includes artists like Van Morrison and Michael Longley and the nurses of the city who were recognised last year.

I used to run home for my lunch when I was at the Grove Primary School in North Belfast. My granny looked after me while my folks were at work. My father a joiner, my mum working in the local chippy. Granny lived in a very small but spotlessly clean house which I particularly remember for the eccentric and temperamental outside loo.

If she and my parents from those humble beginnings had been told that the Freedom of the City could ever come my way, they would have expired with pride. They loved this place and these people, as do I.

I thank Belfast City Council for their generosity, and please know that I will continue to shout aloud to the world at large about the many amazing developments happening in the place I am proud to call home.

Lord Mayor of Belfast, Councillor Nuala McAllister, said: Hailing from north Belfast myself, I am especially delighted to see a fellow north Belfast native receive this very special honour.

The granting of the Freedom of the City is the greatest honour which Belfast City Council can bestow on any person, and Sir Kenneth Branagh is a most worthy recipient.

As someone who has reached the very pinnacle of his career in acting and film, he has never forgotten his Belfast roots and is a fantastic ambassador for the city.

Other recent recipients include Michael Longley, Van Morrision, and Dame Mary Peters.

Details of the official Freedom of the City ceremony for Sir Kenneth will be announced at a later date.
PARIS, FRANCE - OCTOBER 02: Alicia Vikander attends the Opening Of The Louis Vuitton Boutique as part of the Paris Fashion Week Womenswear Spring/Summer 2018 on October 2, 2017 in Paris, France. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)

Paris Fashion Week has seen a host of famous faces step out to view the latest looks on the catwalk - plus given them the chance to show off their own fashion choices.

Irish actress Ruth Negga, 35, was among those attending the opening of the Louis Vuitton Boutique in the city on Monday, arriving at the event in a multi-texture coat with suede, leather and a leopard print collar over a plain white t-shirt.

Expand Close PARIS, FRANCE - OCTOBER 02: Ruth Negga attends the Opening Of The Louis Vuitton Boutique as part of the Paris Fashion Week Womenswear Spring/Summer 2018 on October 2, 2017 in Paris, France. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images) Getty Images / Facebook

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The Limerick star was joined at the event by US actress Michelle Williams who wore a blush pink leather shift dress with a vintage LV mini bucket bag, while Swedish actress Alicia Vikander showed off her leopard print mini-skirt with a cut-out top and a clasp crossbody bag.

Expand Close PARIS, FRANCE - OCTOBER 02: Michelle Williams attends the Opening Of The Louis Vuitton Boutique as part of the Paris Fashion Week Womenswear Spring/Summer 2018 on October 2, 2017 in Paris, France. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images) Getty Images / Facebook

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Expand Close PARIS, FRANCE - OCTOBER 02: Alicia Vikander attends the Opening Of The Louis Vuitton Boutique as part of the Paris Fashion Week Womenswear Spring/Summer 2018 on October 2, 2017 in Paris, France. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images) Getty Images / Facebook

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Elsewhere, some stars have been appearing on the catwalk as opposed to the front row, with Cheryl Tweedy, Dame Helen Mirren and Jane Fonda all walking in the recent L'Oreal Spring/Summer 2018 show.

Expand Close British singer Cheryl Cole takes part in the L'Oreal fashion, which theme is Paris, on the sidelines of the Paris Fashion Week on October 1, 2017, on a catwalk set up on the Champs-Elysees avenue in Paris. / AFP PHOTO / CHRISTOPHE SIMONCHRISTOPHE SIMON/AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images / Facebook

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Cheryl, 34, wore a satin dress and tartan jacket, teamed with bright pink and purple lipstick.

Dame Helen, 72, looked every bit in charge as she accessorised with a cane, while Jane, 79, impressed with an animal-print dress and diamond choker.

Expand Close British actress Helen Mirren poses during the L'Oreal fashion show, which theme is Paris, on the sidelines of the Paris Fashion Week on October 1, 2017, on a catwalk set up on the Champs-Elysees avenue in Paris. / AFP PHOTO / CHRISTOPHE SIMONCHRISTOPHE SIMON/AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images / Facebook

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Expand Close US actress Jane Fonda takes part in the L'Oreal fashion, which theme is Paris, on the sidelines of the Paris Fashion Week on October 1, 2017, on a catwalk set up on the Champs-Elysees avenue in Paris. / AFP PHOTO / CHRISTOPHE SIMONCHRISTOPHE SIMON/AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images / Facebook

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Other stars to be spotted at the city's events include Cate Blancett, Salma Hayek, Cindy Crawford, and Pamela Anderson.

Expand Close PARIS, FRANCE - OCTOBER 02: Cate blanchett attends the Opening Of The Louis Vuitton Boutique as part of the Paris Fashion Week Womenswear Spring/Summer 2018 on October 2, 2017 in Paris, France. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images) Getty Images / Facebook

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Expand Close PARIS, FRANCE - OCTOBER 03: Cindy Crawford attends the Chanel show as part of the Paris Fashion Week Womenswear Spring/Summer 2018 on October 3, 2017 in Paris, France. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images) Getty Images / Facebook

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Two Northern Ireland restaurants have retained their Michelin stars in the 2018 guide.

Belfast favourites Ox and Deanes Eipic kept their coveted status for the third year running.

The new guide - considered the foremost authority on the world's greatest dining establishments - was launched in London yesterday.

Judges said the awards recognise the very best dining experiences in Britain and Ireland.

Ox, in Oxford Street, was first awarded a Michelin star in 2016's guide.

For Eipic, owned by Michael Deane and based at Howard Street, it is also the third year it has maintained its Michelin star status. His other restaurant, Deanes at Queen's, retained its Bib Gourmand accolade.

The Bib Gourmand is not a Michelin star, but is awarded by inspectors for their favourite restaurants that they think are value for money.

Mr Deane has won 17 stars over the past 21 years.

He said: "It's a true reflection of the dedication to high standards and the dogged hard work of the team at Deanes."

Deanes at Queen's was one of seven Bib Gourmand recipients in Northern Ireland. The others were Fontana and Noble, both in Holywood; Bar+Grill in James Street South and Home in Wellington Place, both Belfast; The Old Schoolhouse Inn in Newtownards, and Wine & Brine in Moira.

Belfast Telegraph food critic Joris Minne said: "The much anticipated publication of the Michelin Guide each year is a moment about which some of us have mixed feelings.

Expand Close Ox at Oxford Street has retained its Michelin star / Facebook

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"On the one hand it's marvellous for a restaurant to secure a star, on the other it raises questions as to why them and not a specific other? Two other contenders in Northern Ireland should by now have been recognised by Michelin at this level.

"The same goes for the Bib Gourmand award which is probably more pertinent to Belfast and the north than any other.

"This is because we have developed an international foodie reputation based on that mid-priced range of bistros and brasseries which offer high quality ingredients and cooking, classy environments and excellent service but keep it informal, relaxed and comfortable.

"Yet we can only claim seven Bib Gourmands. I am thrilled for Noble entering the Bib Gourmand chart, but it's a very disappointing broader picture as there are at least half-a-dozen others across the north who deserve to be included."

This year's Michelin Guide lists a total of 350 establishments in the Republic and 74 in Northern Ireland. Speaking at its launch, Michelin Guide Great Britain and Ireland editor Rebecca Burr said: "I'm confident the demand for good food in Ireland, from tourists and locals alike, will see further development of its culinary landscape over the next few years."
European Parliament Brexit chief Guy Verhofstadt (right) speaks with farmer Arthur Hughes at his farm on the Armagh and Monaghan border. Photo: Getty Images

Brexit negotiator Guy Verhofstadt said Northern Ireland was stuck in a "frozen conflict" and he was shocked at the sight of Belfast's "peace walls".

He was addressing the European Parliament in Strasbourg during a debate on a motion on if "sufficient progress" has been made on Brexit talks in order to advance them to discussions on a future trade deal.

A majority of MEPs, 557, voted that there had not been enough progress on the important matters of the Irish border, financial settlements and citizens' rights before talks could be advanced saying there needed to be a "major breakthrough".

Guy Verhofstadt, who is the European Parliament's Brexit negotiator, spoke of his recent visit to Northern Ireland for the first time. He said it struck him that the problems were not over and despite the peace, tensions still remained.

Stressing the importance of the Good Friday Agreement, he said if a border returned, so too would violence.

MEPs heard how he was "shocked" during the visit at seeing the so-called peace walls dividing communities, describing it as having a "frozen conflict".

"There are fences 12 metres high and this is in the 21st Century," he said.

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He said any solutions will have to respect the integrity surrounding the legal order of the EU and the Good Friday Agreement. He argued that peace should not be damaged by Brexit and the Good Friday agreement should be attached to the final article 50 deal.

He noted that the Common Travel Area will require detailed work, which he said both the EU and the UK were committed to.

Expand Close Guy Verhofstadt demanded a swift start to Brexit negotiations (Yui Mok/PA) / Facebook

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DUP MEP Diane Dodds said Northern Ireland could not be a "bargaining chip" in the Brexit talks.

"It is not flexible or imaginative to claim that a trade solution can only be found if Northern Ireland remains within the single market or customs union. Northern Irelands brexit solution will be part of the United Kingdoms solution."

UUP MEP Jim Mr Nicholson accused Mr Verhofstadt of taking sides by calling for an international border between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK.

He said Brexit could not be used as an excuse to break up the UK.

"We joined as one country and will leave as one United Kingdom", he told MEPs.

Sinn Fein MEP Martina Anderson suggested support was growing for Northern Ireland to have special status within the EU.

"It also means being in the single market and the customs union," she said.

The parliament also heard how divisions between Theresa May's own Cabinet ministers were hampering talks. One senior MEP urged the Prime Minister to sack Boris Johnson.

European Commission President Jean Claude Juncker welcomed the "conciliatory" tone of Theresa May's Florence speech in which she said no EU member state would lose out financially as as result of Britain's decision to leave.

Mr Juncker said the negotiations had made "good progress" on the issue of citizens' rights but the "indispensable" role of the European Court of Justice in enforcing them had yet to be agreed.

A fifth round of negotiations is expected to begin on October 9 but it's thought highly unlikely they'll resume before the council summit on October 18.

Juncker welcomed Mrs May's recognition that the UK had to honour its financial obligations but added: "The devil will, as always, be in the detail.

"The taxpayers of the EU27 should not pay for the British decision."
The jury of seven women and five men sitting on the trial at Belfast Crown Court heard that the sexual abuse allegedly happened between 1979 and 1981.

A Belfast man has gone on trial accused of sexually abusing two young girls while he helped to babysit them.

Victor Mark Egerton (51), of Rossmore Park in the south of the city, denies five counts of indecent assault and four charges of gross indecency.

The jury of seven women and five men sitting on the trial at Belfast Crown Court heard that the sexual abuse allegedly happened between 1979 and 1981.

Prosecution counsel Kate McKay said the girls told police that they were in primary school when Egerton came to their east Belfast home with his girlfriend to babysit.

One of the complainants, now aged 44, told police that she was seven-years-old at the time the abuse allegedly started.

She said the family home was cold and when she sat on the sofa at weekends, a blanket was brought down from upstairs to keep her warm while watching television.

The court heard claims that Egerton, who was in his early teens at the time, would use the cover of the blanket to sexually abuse the girls dressed in their night clothes, who sometimes sat either side of him on the sofa.

She told detectives from the PSNI's Child Abuse Unit that she remembered Egerton would at times "send his girlfriend out to the local shop to get himself something''.

The woman said that while Egerton's girlfriend was out of the house he would allegedly carry out acts of indecent assault and gross indecency.

The complainant also alleged the sexual abuse also happened while Egerton's girlfriend was in the kitchen making tea.

Mrs McKay told the jury that the child sex abuse allegations came to light years later when the complainant told her younger sister about what had happened to her.

"She had been keeping this to herself. Her younger sister had also been keeping things to herself about what she said happened to her. A number of years then passed before anyone else was told.''

The younger sister, who is now in her early 40s, told detectives she was aged six at the time Egerton is alleged to have sexually abused her on three separate occasions.

The prosecution lawyer said Egerton was later questioned by detectives about the allegations.

"He was given his chance to give his side to the story,'' Mrs McKay told the jury sitting on the trial with Belfast Recorder Judge David McFarland.

"He said that he did babysit in the house, however, he completely denied that anything of an inappropriate manner took place with the girls.''

At hearing.
Woodside was handed a two-year-three month sentence with half to be spent in jail.

A 34-year old Belfast man who groomed and sexually abused a "vulnerable" teenage girl was sent to prison today.

Belfast Crown Court heard that Johnathan Woodside's offending came to light after the girl's father saw sexually explicit messages between the pair on her Facebook account.

Handing Woodside a sentence of two years and three months, Judge Patricia Smyth told the Highfield Drive man: "You exploited a crush that the complainant developed in order to feed your own sexual preoccupation and fantasies at the time."

Informing him that he will spend half his sentence in prison with the remainder on licence upon his release, the Judge also told Woodside that he "exploited and manipulated" a relationship with her, which he controlled for "sexual gratification."

Woodside pleaded guilty to six offences which he committed over a four-month period from September 2013 to January 2014.

During that time, Woodside persuaded the girl to send him indecent images of her private parts, as well as meeting her following grooming. He also admitting causing a child to engage in sexual activity with him.

The complainant - who has a degree of mental impairment and attended a special school - believed she was Woodside's girlfriend. The court heard she is socially and emotionally immature, and has basic speech, language and learning difficulties.

The sexual abuse occurred in both the complainant's and Woodside's home, and also in the car park at Cave Hill.

Contact between the pair in that four-month period, the court heard, also amounted to over 100 calls and around 30 texts, as well as communication on Facebook and WhatsApp.

Judge Smyth told Woodside there was "no doubt" he was aware of both her age and her vulnerability when he started an "inappropriate relationship" with her.

The Judge also said that while it was clear any sexual activity between Woodside and the girl was fully consensual, and that the girl believed Woodside was her boyfriend, at the time she was 14 and he was 30.

Judge Smyth said that after reading a statement made by the girl, Woodside's offending has had an impact on her - but she also spoke of other traumatic issues that have affected her life.

Telling the court "there is no question these offences are serious", Judge Smyth said she was taking into account Woodside's lack of relevant offending, and the fact the Probation Board has not deemed him to present a risk of harm to the public.

Woodside was sent to jail and was told: "You took advantage of a vulnerable girl for your own sexual gratification."

The Belfast man was also placed on the Sex Offenders Register for ten years, and was made the subject of a ten-year Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO).
A historical enactment, with participants dressed up as terrorists, has been criticised by the DUPs Gregory Campbell

A historical enactment, with participants dressed up as terrorists, has been criticised by the DUPs Gregory Campbell

Mainstream republicans have dressed up as masked Provisional IRA members and wielded an array of replica weapons on the streets of Londonderry.

The scenes unfolded in the Bogside last weekend as half-a-dozen young republicans appeared wearing combat gear, balaclavas and berets.

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They carried a range of imitation weapons including an Armalite rifle, Kalashnikov, Dragunov sniper rifle and a stick grenade.

They adopted firing positions on the streets as part of a history tour by a republican band that supports Sinn Fein.

East Londonderry MP Gregory Campbell last night claimed that the event glorified paramilitary violence.

"I was alarmed when I saw photographs of what had occurred," he said.

"I see them as seeking to glorify and sanitise IRA violence.

"The Provisionals' campaign took a terrible toll on our community and these scenes are not appropriate.

"I believe they will convey to children that it is OK to join a paramilitary group when that is most certainly not the case.

"These images send out a very negative message that is in direct conflict with Sinn Fein's stated political position on a peaceful way forward for Northern Ireland."

Alliance Justice spokesperson Trevor Lunn MLA said: Masked men in paramilitary uniforms have no place in modern society, whether a re-enactment or otherwise.

Paramilitary displays are sinister and must be left in the past where they belong. The appearance of firearms, even imitation ones, is always concerning, said Mr Lunn.

If we want to build a united community which is welcoming for everyone, this type of activity should be seen for the unacceptable spectacle it is.

A Sinn Fein spokesman told the Belfast Telegraph that the party was not behind the event, which, he said, was organised by a local republican band.

And he revealed that the PSNI had been warned in advance that the history tour would include "historical re-enactments with period costume and... imitation firearms".

The event, which was a fundraiser for the Spirit of Freedom Republican Flute Band, was held in the Bogside on Saturday to coincide with the anniversary of IRA member Jim Friel, who was a member of a local flute band.

In a statement on social media before the event, Derry republican Micky Kinsella noted Jim Friel's anniversary and named other IRA members who were also in flute bands.

He said: "Connections between the armed struggle and the local flute band scene will be discussed on the tour."

Mr Kinsella explained that the tour would include 17th century sieges, the origins of The Fountain, the 1920 June riots, a 1943 IRA jail escape "and some recent modern IRA operations in the area". He said: "I hope that some band members will dress as armed volunteers etc. to help authenticate some scenes along the way."

Mr Kinsella stated that "historical turning points" would be mentioned on the tour such as the Battle of the Bogside, internment, Bloody Sunday, prison struggles and the peace process.

"It will be an opportunity to learn how events from the past contributed to events of the present day. It will be especially helpful to the young party and band members and to those who have never really been given a proper idea of Irish history at school," he added.

The Sinn Fein spokesman last night said: "The pictures were taken during a history tour organised by the Spirit of Freedom Flute Band.

"The tour covered the history of the area from St Columba, the Siege of Derry right up to and including the period from the 1920s to the recent conflict and peace process.

"The organisers informed the police in advance that the tour would include historical re-enactments with period costume and that imitation firearms, which cannot be fired, would be on display."
Police are investigating serious offences including blackmail, fraud and money laundering.

Two men and two women have been arrested during searches of properties in Co Fermanagh on Monday.

The PSNI are working along with colleagues in the South Eastern Regional Organised Crime Unit, Sussex Police and Lancashire Police in relation to a number of ongoing investigations.

A total of 12 searches at properties in Northern Ireland, Sussex and Lancashire were carried out with five people arrested.

A fifth man arrested in Sussex was questioned and subsequently released.

Police are investigating serious offences including blackmail, fraud and money laundering.

Detective Inspector Andy Hamlin said: This proactive operation against organised criminality was made possible because of the cooperation of multiple law enforcement agencies throughout the United Kingdom.
Five people have been arrested in Northern Ireland and England as part of an organised crime probe.

Five people have been arrested in Northern Ireland and England as part of an organised crime probe.

Detectives from the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) apprehended suspects in Fermanagh and Sussex during an investigation into blackmail, fraud and money laundering.

A total of 12 properties were searched in Northern Ireland, Sussex and Lancashire.

Two men aged 39 and 54 were arrested along with two women aged 31 and 48, during searches in County Fermanagh on Monday.

A fifth man arrested in Sussex was questioned and subsequently released.

Detective Inspector Andy Hamlin said: "This proactive operation against organised criminality was made possible because of the co-operation of multiple law enforcement agencies throughout the United Kingdom."
Four people arrested over the murder of Carrick ex-UDA chief George Gilmore have been released pending reports to the PPS.

Three women aged 24, 31 and 36 and a 30 year old man were arrested on Tuesday morning and taken to Belfast for questioning.

The PSNI said they were released on Tuesday evening.

Former UDA commander Gilmore died after being hit in the neck, torso and leg when shots were fired into his car on the Woodburn estate on March 13.

He died in hospital the following day.
A deputy head who sat a GSCE exam along with pupils at his school has urged fellow teachers to try out life on the other side of the classroom.

Al McConville, an arts graduate who set himself the task of learning chemistry in a year, suggested the experience of mastering an alien subject could also help parents in empathising with their children's efforts to take in new things.

The senior staff member at Bedales private school in Hampshire is a passionate advocate of a new neuroscience-based approach to learning and took on the challenge to demonstrate its worth.

It clearly worked for him as, after sitting in on classes and taking the exam in the same hall as the students, he emerged with an A*.

"I think it would be a really good idea for other teachers and other parents to get involved in learning something new for themselves alongside their kids, so they can have deep, meaningful conversations about what it is like to struggle with something," said Mr McConville.

"It's not just about talking at them about the learning process, I think it's really desirable for people in schools to be learning new things and be talking about the difficulties of learning those new things."

Mr McConville is a devotee of techniques advocated by US academic Dr Barb Oakley, whose brain training video lessons on how to defeat procrastination and embrace challenging subjects have become one of the world's most popular online courses.

Dr Oakley and Mr McConville, who are now collaborating on a book aimed at adapting her methods for a younger audience, are relating their experiences this week at the annual Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference (HMC) in Belfast.

Mr McConville said understanding how your brain works was key to learning something new.

"Unless you understand why and what's going on in your head to make that work, then it's just someone telling you what to do," he said.

"But as soon as a kid understands the processes that are going on physically in their brain, that means that those things lead to the kind of outcomes that they want.

"I think that casts an enormous light on it."

Dr Oakley, an engineering professor at Oakland University Rochester Michigan, says the method she teaches is based on the premise that the brain has two thinking modes - focused/concentrated and resting/diffuse.

Adopting an approach that combines these modes - such as working for a short burst and then walking away and enjoying a treat, like playing some music - maximises an individual's capacity to take things on board, she says.

As his treat, Mr McConville used to recite what he learned to his dog Violet.

Repetition, or "chunking", also helps the brain build up neural pathways, says Dr Oakley.

The more you repeat an equation or phrase in a foreign language, the more likely you will be to locate that pathway under the stress of an exam, she says.

She has helped create a hugely popular Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) with home-made videos, shot in her basement, that explain the science behind how the brain absorbs and retains information.

Her Learning how to Learn course has been taken by two million people from more than 200 countries.

"Neuroscience is making extraordinary new advances and many of these advances provide practical insights so you can learn more effectively," she said.

"People are fascinated by learning and before we have always thought teachers are the ones we should teach about learning but actually students are the ones we want to reach and teach about learning, so I think that's going to be the revolution in new education."

Both academics believe their experience with Learning how to Learn demonstrates the need for schools in the UK to embrace online courses more.

Mr McConville thinks it could be a way to address teacher shortages in key subject areas such as maths and physics - with an online expert presenting certain theory elements and the classroom teacher helping with the associated learning exercises.

Dr Oakley insists that the introduction of more online learning in schools would not be a threat to classroom teachers.

"In the old days, in the 1500s when textbooks first came out, teachers were saying, 'This is horrible, it's going to destroy our profession because people will be able to learn from the books without us'," she said.

"It just didn't happen. And now it's the same with online.

"They are great enhancements, but in no way do they replace teachers - they just allow teachers to play to their strengths in being able to interact more personally with the student."
A Belfast care home says a "full investigation has commenced" after a resident's grandson posted a shocking photo of the meagre Sunday dinner he claimed his grandmother received in the facility.

Robert Cinnamond posted a picture showing what appeared to be two thin slices of corned beef and a small dish of baked beans, which he said were served cold, on social media on Sunday night.

He said that Cregagh Nursing Home, where he claimed the meal was served to the pensioner, should be "ashamed" for serving the paltry dish.

Asking people to share his Facebook post on social media, Robert stated: "People need to see this. This is what my grandmother got for her Sunday dinner. 600 per week. For a woman that's worked all her days and has now ended up in care home to be fed like a dog!

"Not only serving this but the fact it was freezing on arrival!

"There's one thing my grandmother isn't, a dog, nor will (she) be fed like one.

"Am just glad now I was there this evening to see for myself. I am really upset with the care my grandmother is getting."

The Co Antrim home, run by Spa Nursing Homes, states online that it offers a "varied and nutritious menu".

In a statement, Spa Nursing Homes told the Belfast Telegraph that it was "working closely" with the Belfast Trust and the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA), and that a "full investigation has commenced after which any points raised will be actioned."

They added: "As a company we take residents' wellbeing very seriously, treating every resident as an individual, incorporating all aspects of care."

Expand Close Dinnertime: Robert Cinnamonds picture / Facebook

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The Commissioner for Older People for Northern Ireland, Eddie Lynch said: "I am very alarmed by a photo of what was alleged to be the dinner of a care home resident.

"If this is how any home treats older people within its care then this is wholly unacceptable.

"Aside from the issue of what is a value for money service from any care home charging hundreds of pounds a week, nutrition is key to good health in older people. For older people, just like with anyone else, a decent meal is fundamental to having a good quality of life," he added.

"I will await the investigation findings and have asked the Belfast Trust for an update on the situation."
A Northern Ireland mum-of-three has told how she feared she would never see her children again during Sunday night's terrifying mass shooting in Las Vegas.

Cafe owner Heather McCrudden (49) was eating dinner at Denny's restaurant on the famous Strip during a birthday trip with husband Uel (53) when shots rang out, forcing diners to flee for cover.

Only 40 minutes earlier the McCruddens had been near the location of the shooting, but decided to move further up the Strip as they viewed the attractions.

A gunman opened fire on guests at the Route 91 Music Festival, claiming at least 58 lives and leaving hundreds injured.

Heather and Uel, from Larne in Co Antrim, told the Belfast Telegraph of the mayhem as diners raced to the back of the restaurant and sheltered under tables for protection.

"I think we're still in shock at the minute," Heather said from the couple's hotel, which is located a mile from the Las Vegas Strip.

"We keep thinking 'what if?', as we had been down at the MGM Grand earlier and were going to eat down there before we changed our minds.

"After the shots rang out panic broke out, and everyone ran to the back of the restaurant and got under the tables or took shelter in the bathroom.

"Seeing grown men crying and running towards a bathroom to take cover, that's when the reality hits you.

"At one point I thought I would never see my kids again.

Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close People scramble for shelter at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival October 1, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Getty Images People run from the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after apparent gun fire was hear on October 1, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Getty Images Las Vegas police stand guard along the streets outside the the Route 91 Harvest country music festival grounds after a active shooter was reported on October 1, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. There are reports of an active shooter around the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images) Getty Images People carry a person at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after apparent gun fire was heard on October 1, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. There are reports of an active shooter around the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images) Getty Images A crowd of people at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after apparent gun fire was heard on October 1, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. There are reports of an active shooter around the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images) Getty Images People run for cover at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after apparent gun fire was heard on October 1, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. There are reports of an active shooter around the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images) Getty Images A man in a wheelchair is taken away from the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after apparent gun fire was heard on October 1, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. There are reports of an active shooter around the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images) Getty Images People tend to the wounded outside the festival ground after an apparent shooting on October 1, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. There are reports of an active shooter around the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images) Getty Images Las Vegas police stand guard along the streets outside the festival grounds of the Route 91 Harvest on October 1, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. There are reports of an active shooter around the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images) Getty Images People tend to the wounded outside the festival ground after an apparent shooting on October 1, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. There are reports of an active shooter around the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images) Getty Images People run from the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after apparent gun fire was heard on October 1, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. There are reports of an active shooter around the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images) Getty Images LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 01: People run from the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after apparent gun fire was heard on October 1, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. There are reports of an active shooter around the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images) Getty Images LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 01: (EDITORS NOTE: Image contains graphic content.) People carry a peson at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after apparent gun fire was heard on October 1, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. There are reports of an active shooter around the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images) Getty Images LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 01 People run from the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after apparent gun fire was heard on October 1, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. There are reports of an active shooter around the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images) Getty Images / Facebook

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"At the time we were just going through the motions, and I was thinking: 'What if the gunmen came up the stairs, would you be able to get out of the way, or would you just freeze?' Uel and I took cover under the table with another girl who was having palpitations. All of the hotels and restaurants were in lock-down, so we were in there for a couple of hours.

"The Strip was full of security officers, police, army and sniffer dogs.

"We didn't know if there was more than one shooter - there could have been more."

Her husband, who owns a furniture shop, said the pair initially feared the incident was a terror attack similar to those which have occurred in London and Paris.

"We heard four or five pops of gunfire and everyone jumped up and ran to the back of the cafe - staff, everybody - sprinting down and into the toilet area," he said.

"That wasn't big enough, so we went under the tables. I was thinking: 'Oh my God, this can't be happening!'

"Heather was comforting a wee girl, there was a young lad who was just beside himself, it was absolute mayhem. It was a hairy experience.

"The owner said everywhere was in lockdown, and the police had told him to keep everyone inside. He closed the door and was looking up and down the strip from the balcony.

"We also heard that there was 'activity' in the building right beside ours, which was scary.

"We stayed in there for an hour-and-a-half to two hours. There was no mission that we were going out that door."

After the lockdown ended the couple cautiously made their way back out onto the Strip to hail a taxi to their hotel.

"We weren't able to get a taxi from directly outside as they weren't allowed up that far, so we went to the Venetian and were able to one from there. I've never been so relieved to get into a car in my life," Uel said.
A Co Antrim council has blamed environmental protesters for leaving ratepayers with a legal bill of almost a quarter-of-a-million pounds.

Last June a council-approved search for oil in Woodburn Forest near Carrickfergus ended without success.

The exploratory drilling operation was met with furious resistance from protesters who feared pollution of a nearby reservoir.

A recent High Court challenge against Mid and East Antrim Borough Council's decision to allow the drilling was dismissed, with the judge claiming that as no further developments were due to take place at Woodburn, a judicial review was not in the public interest.

A council spokesman revealed yesterday the legal fees had been 241,000, with "substantial additional cost" for staff working on the queries.

He added: "The level of vitriol directed at individual employees and elected members of the council by some was wholly unacceptable and inappropriate.

"This is a huge spend of public money, which could have been used on other projects."

The council also insisted the decision had been legally sound and environmentally safe.

James Orr, Northern Ireland director of Friends of the Earth, said the council had won its case on "an obscure academic point", and added he remained convinced the drilling operation had not been lawful.

"This happened to be the most significant planning controversy in the history of Northern Ireland, one that wasted millions in taxpayers' money and policing, created lots of community tension and conflict," he said.

"For something like that not to require planning permission is preposterous.

"I think it's a shameful opinion by the council to say that others wasted this money, when in fact they squandered ratepayers' money defending the indefensible."

He added: "It's a bizarre argument for the council to blame others for this money being spent when they hid behind very significant legal costs to protect their reputation rather than protect the environment or the public interests at Woodburn."
A rainbow over Grasmere in the Lake District, as more strong winds and rain sweep across northern parts of the UK

A new band of wind and rain is set to bring more stormy conditions to the north of the UK.

Following a wet and windy start to the week, Tuesday brought a respite for most of the country but forecasters said it would be a short-lived break.

The Met Office said a cold front will bring high winds and rain down through Scotland overnight on Tuesday and into Wednesday.

This will move south into Northern Ireland, northern England and North Wales - bringing prolonged rain to many of these areas, with the heaviest bouts on Wednesday afternoon.

No formal weather warning has yet been issued but forecasters say wind gusts could reach 40mph to 50mph in some places, accompanied by heavy showers.

Met Office meteorologist Emma Sharples: "It's really nothing particularly unusual for this time of the year but it does come after the windy weather we had yesterday.

"The good news is that Thursday and Friday are looking quite a lot better for most people."

Earlier this week, b ookies cut the odds on this being the wettest October on record as the month began with heavy rain and gale-force winds leading to severe weather warnings.

People were urged to keep an eye on the forecast as the weather is being influenced by what is left of tropical systems Lee and Maria in the Atlantic.

Bookmaker Coral even began offering odds of 5-2 for there to be snow in October.

On Tuesday morning, the Environment Agency had three flood alerts in force but all these related to predicted high tides on the east coast of England.
An exhibition marking the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation has officially opened at Belfast's Linen Hall Library.

The display of memorabilia and literature relating to Martin Luther, open to the public throughout October, is the highlight of a programme of events organised by the Orange Order to commemorate the evangelical milestone.

The exhibition contains a number of historical pieces, including two extremely rare books provided by the library. They are Luther's Divine Discourses, dated 1652, translated from German to English and Luther, a play by John Osborne first performed in Paris in 1961.

The theological display was officially opened by Belfast's High Sheriff, Alderman Tom Haire.

Orange Grand Chaplain, Rev Dr Ron Johnstone, said the purpose of the presentation was to aid a greater understanding of Luther and the legacy of the Reformation.

He said: "One cannot understand the modern benefits enjoyed in Belfast politically, educationally, scientifically, religiously, musically, socially and linguistically without recognising the influence of Luther upon our everyday life."

The Linen Hall Library is open Monday to Friday, from 9.30am to 5.30pm, and on Saturday, from 9.30am to 4pm.
DUP leader Arlene Foster and Sinn Fein's Northern Ireland leader Michelle O'Neill attend the Ulster Fry breakfast at Manchester Town Hall during the Conservative Party conference

Sinn Fein will not be shoe-horned into a power-sharing deal cobbled together by the Government to appease to the DUP, Michelle O'Neill has warned Tories.

Speaking at an event on the fringes of the Conservative Party conference alongside her DUP counterpart, Ms O'Neill said the unionist deal to prop up the Conservatives posed "real challenges".

Arlene Foster insisted the electoral pact with the Tories was "not a distraction" from the negotiations in Belfast.

But despite breaking bread together at the Ulster Fry, the leaders clashed over Britishness.

Ms O'Neill told the event organised by peace charity Champ: "The north isn't British."

"I don't want this to turn into a row but Northern Ireland is British," the DUP leader insisted.

The rare joint appearance saw the two women share a table for breakfast before sitting side by side on the stage in the Great Hall in Manchester's Town Hall.

One Tory activist told the pair he hoped they would become known as the "Chuckle Sisters" - a reference to the Chuckle Brothers tag given to the surprisingly warm relationship Ian Paisley and Martin McGuinness developed when they led the power-sharing government.

But the leaders showed no sign of reaching a breakthrough despite both insisting talks had intensified.

Ms O'Neill said: "The British Government should not think that they can cobble together a deal acceptable to the DUP and then shoe-horn Sinn Fein into acquiescing to it.

"That will not happen. The shape of a deal is very clear. The two Governments know this. So do the DUP and the other parties."

Mrs Foster warned that "decision time is soon upon us" as the prospect of a return to direct rule from Westminster loomed large.

The UK Government is warning that it will have to step in to pass a budget for the region's rudderless public services at the end of October.

Ms O'Neill insisted an agreement must be reached on an Irish language Act - the main obstacle in the way of a return to devolved government - but Mrs Foster said any deal must be acceptable to unionists and nationalists.

Asked if she had been too high-handed with Republicans while in office, the DUP leader replied: "Anybody who looks back at their life and doesn't say 'Oh, I should have done that in a different way' would be telling you a lie.

"I don't think I was high-handed but, of course, it's for others to decide if I was or not."

Mrs Foster said "solid progress" had been made but "differences do remain".

"While our electoral strength in the House of Commons is now widely recognised, I have always made it clear that our important role in London will not be a distraction from what we need to do in Belfast," she said.

"It is not a choice for the DUP between influence in London and executive power in Belfast. What is in the best interests of Northern Ireland is operating in tandem and this remains our goal."

Northern Ireland has been without a first and deputy first minister since January and a functioning executive since March. The institutions collapsed when Mr McGuinness resigned over the DUP's handling of a botched renewable heat scheme, laying the blame at Ms Foster's door.

Pressed on whether the DUP leader must stand aside in order for a deal to be reached, Ms O'Neill said until all outstanding issues had been dealt with, they "will never get to position of Arlene standing aside".

The event was cut short because Ms Foster was heading off to a private meeting with Prime Minister Theresa May.

The DUP leader's talks with the Prime Minister are understood to have covered Brexit, the power-sharing situation and the Bombardier trade dispute.

In a sign of the DUP's increased influence at Westminster, a reception hosted by the party at the conference attracted Cabinet ministers including Brexit Secretary David Davis, Chief Whip Gavin Williamson, Tory party chairman Sir Patrick McLoughlin and Mrs May's de facto deputy Damian Green.

Mrs Foster told the gathering that the DUP would not accept any solution to the issue of the post-Brexit frontier with the Republic of Ireland that involved a border being effectively drawn in the Irish Sea.

"We really, really believe in the single market - the single market of the United Kingdom," she said.

"That is the one that is most important to us. So all of this talk about a border down the Irish Sea is a complete non-starter to the people and the business community of Northern Ireland."
Max Schrems claims his privacy rights as an EU citizen have been breached through the transfer of his data by Facebook Ireland to US parent company Facebook Inc

Europe's highest court should decide whether to ban how internet giants like Facebook send users' data to the US, a judge in Ireland said.

The case could have huge ramifications on EU trade with the US and centres on whether Europeans enjoy enough protection from American mass surveillance.

Thousands of companies rely on current arrangements to transfer information like credit card payments between countries.

They are essential to firms of all sizes, and upholding them is critical to ensuring the economy can continue to grow without disruption, Facebook said.

Privacy campaigners like Edward Snowden and Max Schrems have highlighted major issues surrounding how information stored by internet companies is used across the Atlantic.

On Tuesday, Ireland's High Court said concerns raised by the Republic's data protection authorities were "well founded".

Ms Justice Caroline Costello said: "Union law guarantees a high level of protection to EU citizens as regards the processing of their personal data within the EU.

"They are entitled to an equivalent high level of protection when their personal data are transferred outside the European Economic Area."

She said she was referring the matter to the European Court of Justice (CJEU), which interprets EU law, for a preliminary ruling.

A previous agreement on data-sharing between Europe and the US, Safe Harbour, was largely overturned by the European Court of Justice.

The US has sought to assuage concerns about its successor, Privacy Shield, by proposing an ombudsman to oversee the deal.

Ms Justice Costello added: "The introduction of the Privacy Shield ombudsperson mechanism in the Privacy Shield decision does not eliminate those well-founded concerns.

"A decision of the CJEU is required to determine whether it amounts to a remedy satisfying the requirements of Article 47 (of the Charter of Fundamental Rights)."

Under US law, companies with Europeans' data can be compelled to hand over information to state agencies for national security purposes.

The judge said EU citizens are entitled to an effective remedy before an independent tribunal if their rights or freedoms are violated.

She added: "These include the rights under Articles 7 and 8 to respect for private and family life and protection of personal data concerning him or her."

The case was heard in Ireland because Facebook has its European headquarters in Dublin.

Austrian lawyer and campaigner Mr Schrems has claimed his privacy rights as an EU citizen have been breached through the transfer of his data by Facebook Ireland to US parent company Facebook Inc.

He said: "US citizens would not be allowed to have such mass surveillance as for European citizens and we have to protect our citizens.

"Europe protects anybody because we see it as a human right, not as a citizens' right."

He said in the long run politicians would have to sort it out.

"So far Europe has just butted out, did not do much, just hoped that it did not come back.

"Today we have heard that it does come back so probably the EU will have to come up with a better solution."

Facebook said the standard contract clauses being scrutinised during legal proceedings provided critical safeguards to ensure Europeans' data is protected once transferred to companies that operate in the US or elsewhere around the globe.

It said they are used by thousands of companies to do business.

Its statement added: "They are essential to companies of all sizes, and upholding them is critical to ensuring the economy can continue to grow without disruption.

"This ruling will have no immediate impact on the people or businesses who use our services.

"However, it is essential that the CJEU now considers the extensive evidence demonstrating the robust protections in place under standard contractual clauses and US law before it makes any decision that may endanger the transfer of data across the Atlantic and around the globe."
A senior Sinn Fein politician has lashed out at former members who he accused of intentionally trying to portray the party as being "autocratic and bullying".

In a bizarre online rant, Dublin's Lord Mayor Micheal MacDonncha accused members involved in recent disputes of trying to establish a "conspiratorial pattern" that has been seized upon by the party's "sworn enemies".

The councillor said Sinn Fein are "overwhelmingly sound people" and that the party, "for all our faults", is on the "right road".

While admitting the party needs to improve its structures of dealing with disputes, the Lord Mayor rounded on some of those who have gone public with their claims of a bullying culture.

Mr MacDonncha wrote on his Facebook page: "Some people in disputes have gone public and others, estranged from the party for various reasons, or simply hostile, have taken these up, regardless of the facts of what are diverse issues and cases, and tried to establish a conspiratorial pattern, using this to characterise Sinn Fein as autocratic and bullying."
Divisions among British ministers are hampering progress in Brexit negotiations, the European Parliaments co-ordinator on the talks has warned.

Addressing the parliament in Strasbourg, Guy Verhofstadt said they would struggle to move to the next phase of negotiations  including a free trade deal  while ministers in London were fighting among themselves.

There is a lack of clarity, there is even disunity. There are oppositions between Hammond and Fox. There are divisions between Johnson and May, he said.

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It is difficult to make sufficient progress. It is difficult to make the steps towards the second phase of the negotiations.

Manfred Weber, the leader of the centre-right EPP grouping in the European Parliament and seen as a close ally of German chancellor Angela Merkel, went further, calling on Theresa May to sack Boris Johnson as Foreign Secretary.

By reading Johnsons attacks against his own Prime Minister, he shows the British government is trapped by their own party quarrels and political contradictions, he said.

Please sack Johnson because we need a clear answer who is responsible for the British position.

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The calls came as MEPs  as expected  backed a motion declaring the negotiations had not made sufficient progress to begin trade talks by 557 votes to 92, with 29 abstentions.

Updating MEPs on the talks, European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker welcomed the conciliatory tone of Mrs Mays Florence speech in which she said no EU member state would lose out financially as result of Britains decision to leave.

However, he backed the verdict of the EUs chief negotiator Michel Barnier that more progress was needed on the issues of citizens rights and the border with Ireland as well as the financial settlement, before they could move to a trade deal.

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When it comes to Brexit we still cannot talk about the future without any real clarity. We first need to agree on the terms of the divorce and then we see if we can half-lovingly find each other again, he said.

He issued a warning against any attempt by the UK to bypass Mr Barnier and the commission by appealing directly to EU leaders.

For those who think the UK should just go over Michel Barniers head, I remind them that the commission has been appointed by the 27 member states and my choice of Michel Barnier has been welcomed by them, he said.

He acts on their behalf on the basis of a clear negotiating mandate.

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Mr Barnier suggested Mrs Mays offer to fulfil Britains EU budget commitments up to 2020 did not go far enough to convince Brussels that the UK would fully honour its financial obligations.

He was applauded by MEPs as he said: We will never accept for the 27 to pay what was decided on by 28, its as simple as that.

The taxpayers of the 27 dont have to pay for the consequences of the decision that they didnt take. So, no more, no less.

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Commenting on behalf of the Open Britain campaign for remaining in the single market after Brexit, Labour MP Stephen Doughty said: It is an indictment of this Governments division and incompetence that talks on Britains future relationship with the EU may be pushed back and not start for months.

With every fruitless negotiation round that goes by, the time left to negotiate a deal with the EU shrinks, and the likelihood of a hard and destructive Brexit that puts jobs at risk grows.
Police officers outside Marseille's Saint Charles station after a man stabbed two women to death (AP Photo/Claude Paris)

Five people are in custody after being detained by French authorities over an apparent failed bombing attempt in an apartment building in a chic district of Paris.

Police in the capital said a neighbour alerted authorities to suspicious activity in the building in the 16th arrondissement early on Saturday.

A judicial official said an explosive device was found and deactivated and that counter-terrorism prosecutors have opened an investigation.

One of the suspects was under government surveillance for radicalism, Interior Minister Gerard Collomb said on Tuesday.

Asked to explain how someone under surveillance could carry out an attempted attack undetected, Mr Collomb said radicals usually have "friends, networks that can carry out the act", people who do no't show outward signs of radicalisation "but are ready to help".

He said the incident shows that the threat against France remains "extremely big".

"Blowing up a building in a chic neighbourhood of Paris - is this not a sign that no-one is safe? This doesn't happen just in suburbs in working-class neighbourhoods," he said.

The incident came on the same weekend as a man who used multiple aliases stabbed to women to death outside Marseille's main railway station. His motives were unclear, though the attack was claimed by the Islamic State group.

Mr Collomb also stressed the importance of a new counter-terrorism law which expected to win parliamentary approval on Tuesday. Critics say it tramples on individual liberties and puts France in a permanent state of emergency.

"We are still in a state of war, even if the Islamic State group has seen military defeats," said the minister.

AP
Kurdish flags in the streets after the polls closed in the controversial Iraq Kurdish referendum (AP)

Kurdish representatives stayed away from a parliament session under way in Baghdad as tensions escalate further between Iraq's central government and the region following its controversial independence referendum.

MP Mohammed al-Karbouli said Kurdish politicians did not show up for Tuesday's session.

The Shiite-dominated legislature rejected the September 25 referendum in Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region and areas the Kurds captured battling the Islamic State group since 2014.

The Kurds voted by more than 90% in support of independence.

Parliament has asked for harsh measures in response to the vote, including sending federal troops to retake the contested oil-rich city of Kirkuk, held by Kurdish forces but claimed by Baghdad.

Politicians also dismissed the ethnically mixed Kirkuk province's Kurdish governor who supported the referendum.

AP
LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 01 People run from the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after apparent gun fire was heard on October 1, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. There are reports of an active shooter around the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images)

LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 01: (EDITORS NOTE: Image contains graphic content.) People carry a peson at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after apparent gun fire was heard on October 1, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. There are reports of an active shooter around the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images)

LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 01: People run from the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after apparent gun fire was heard on October 1, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. There are reports of an active shooter around the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images)

People run from the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after apparent gun fire was heard on October 1, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. There are reports of an active shooter around the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images)

People tend to the wounded outside the festival ground after an apparent shooting on October 1, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. There are reports of an active shooter around the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images)

Las Vegas police stand guard along the streets outside the festival grounds of the Route 91 Harvest on October 1, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. There are reports of an active shooter around the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images)

People tend to the wounded outside the festival ground after an apparent shooting on October 1, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. There are reports of an active shooter around the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images)

A man in a wheelchair is taken away from the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after apparent gun fire was heard on October 1, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. There are reports of an active shooter around the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images)

People run for cover at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after apparent gun fire was heard on October 1, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. There are reports of an active shooter around the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images)

A crowd of people at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after apparent gun fire was heard on October 1, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. There are reports of an active shooter around the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images)

People carry a person at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after apparent gun fire was heard on October 1, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. There are reports of an active shooter around the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images)

Las Vegas police stand guard along the streets outside the the Route 91 Harvest country music festival grounds after a active shooter was reported on October 1, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. There are reports of an active shooter around the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images)

People run from the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after apparent gun fire was hear on October 1, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

People scramble for shelter at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival October 1, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The multi-millionaire gunman responsible for the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history was the son of a bank robber once on the FBI's most wanted list, according to his family.

Stephen Paddock (64) was named by police as the gunman who massacred at least 58 people on the Las Vegas Strip.

Eric Paddock, speaking to CBS News, said he was "not an avid gun guy at all" with "no religious affiliation, no political affiliation", or history of mental illness.

"We have no idea how this happened," the 55-year-old who lives in Orlando, Florida, added to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. "It's like an asteroid just fell on top of our family." Eric Paddock also said his brother had made a fortune as a property developer and recently sent his 90-year-old mother a Zimmer frame.

He described his brother as a gambler who played slot machines and video poker on the Strip while living in retirement.

The brother also said that their father was bank robber Benjamin Hoskins Paddock, who was on the FBI's 10 most wanted list until 1977.

Described as an avid gambler, he spent nearly a decade as a fugitive after springing from a Texan prison in 1968, the Arizona Republic reported at the time.

An FBI poster described him as a "psychopath" who should be treated as "armed and very dangerous".

Stephen Paddock lived in Mesquite, Nevada, 80 miles north east of Las Vegas, with 62-year-old Marilou Danley, who had been his partner.

Guns and ammunition were found in a search of Paddock's "nice, clean" home, a Mesquite Police spokesman said.

Eric Paddock, telling reporters his brother had made millions in property, said he was not aware of his brother having any recent financial difficulties and that he had recently sent the walking aid to their mother.

Paddock is believed to have killed himself before a police Swat team burst into his room at the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino, where at least 10 "rifles" were found, Clark County sheriff Joseph Lombardo said.

"We have no investigative information or background associated with this individual that is derogatory," he added. The motive for the attack on the Route 91 Harvest Festival remains unclear, with FBI special agent Aaron Rouse saying Paddock had no connection to an international terrorist organisation.

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His comment came after Islamic State, which is known to have made false and exaggerated claims in the past, claimed Paddock was a "soldier" who had recently converted to Islam.

Paddock's former brother-in-law Scott Brunoehler also expressed his shock at his involvement.

"He seemed like a normal, good guy. I don't remember anything bad back then at all," the 62-year-old told the LA Times of the man married to his sister until the 1980s.

"I'm still in shock."
A Jewish rights group has urged a Polish state historical institute to sack an official who has published several books by British Holocaust denier David Irving.

The Simon Wiesenthal Centre said the official, Arkadiusz Wingert, published books by Irving between 2009 and 2014.

Mr Wingert is now the deputy director of the publishing office of the Institute of National Remembrance, a state body that investigates crimes in Poland during the Second World War and the subsequent communist era.

"If the (institute) is to maintain any shred of credibility it must end its relationship with Wingert immediately and stop all efforts aimed at undermining the history of the Holocaust in Poland," Mark Weitzman, director of government affairs for the US-based Wiesenthal centre, said in a statement.

The history institute has defended hiring Mr Wingert, arguing that none of the works that Mr Wingert published violated Polish law, which makes Holocaust denial a crime.

It also noted that the Polish editions of Irving's works Mr Wingert had already been published elsewhere first.

Irving is a revisionist historian who has declared that the Auschwitz gas chambers were a hoax.

He has been declared guilty of Holocaust denial by courts in Britain and Austria, where he served a 13-month prison sentence.

AP
US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump visit residents affected by Hurricane in San Juan, Puerto Rico on October 3, 2017. Nearly two weeks after Hurricane Maria thrashed through the US territory, much of the islands remains short of food and without access to power or drinking water. / AFP PHOTO / MANDEL NGANMANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images

US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump greets military personnel upon arrival at Luis Muniz Air National Guard Base in Carolina, Puerto Rico on October 3, 2017. Nearly two weeks after Hurricane Maria thrashed through the US territory, much of the islands remains short of food and without access to power or drinking water. / AFP PHOTO / MANDEL NGANMANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images

US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump arrive at Luis Muniz Air National Guard Base in Carolina, Puerto Rico on October 3, 2017. Nearly two weeks after Hurricane Maria thrashed through the US territory, much of the islands remains short of food and without access to power or drinking water. / AFP PHOTO / HECTOR RETAMALHECTOR RETAMAL/AFP/Getty Images

US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump arrive at Luis Muniz Air National Guard Base in Carolina, Puerto Rico on October 3, 2017. Nearly two weeks after Hurricane Maria thrashed through the US territory, much of the islands remains short of food and without access to power or drinking water. / AFP PHOTO / HECTOR RETAMALHECTOR RETAMAL/AFP/Getty Images

US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump step off Air Force One upon arrival at Luis Muniz Air National Guard Base in Carolina, Puerto Rico on October 3, 2017. Nearly two weeks after Hurricane Maria thrashed through the US territory, much of the islands remains short of food and without access to power or drinking water. / AFP PHOTO / MANDEL NGANMANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images

CAROLINA, PUERTO RICO - OCTOBER 03: President Donald Trump and Melania Trump arrive on Air Force One at the Muniz Air National Guard Base for a visit after Hurricane Maria hit the island on October 3, 2017 in Carolina, Puerto Rico. The President has been criticized by some that say the governmentOs response has been inadequate. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump step off Air Force One upon arrival at Luis Muniz Air National Guard Base in Carolina, Puerto Rico on October 3, 2017. Nearly two weeks after Hurricane Maria thrashed through the US territory, much of the islands remains short of food and without access to power or drinking water. / AFP PHOTO / MANDEL NGANMANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images

CAROLINA, PUERTO RICO - OCTOBER 03: President Donald Trump and Melania Trump arrive on Air Force One at the Muniz Air National Guard Base for a visit after Hurricane Maria hit the island on October 3, 2017 in Carolina, Puerto Rico. The President has been criticized by some that say the governmentOs response has been inadequate. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump greet military personnel upon arrival at Luis Muniz Air National Guard Base in Carolina, Puerto Rico on October 3, 2017. Nearly two weeks after Hurricane Maria thrashed through the US territory, much of the islands remains short of food and without access to power or drinking water. / AFP PHOTO / MANDEL NGANMANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images

CAROLINA, PUERTO RICO - OCTOBER 03: President Donald Trump waves as he arrives at the Muniz Air National Guard Base for a visit after Hurricane Maria hit the island on October 3, 2017 in Carolina, Puerto Rico. The President has been criticized by some that say the governmentOs response has been inadequate. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

US President Donald Trump shakes hands with San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz (L) during briefing on Hurricane Maria relief efforts at a hanger at Luis Muniz Air National Guard Base in Carolina, Puerto Rico on October 3, 2017. Nearly two weeks after Hurricane Maria thrashed through the US territory, much of the islands remains short of food and without access to power or drinking water. / AFP PHOTO / MANDEL NGANMANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images

US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump attend a meeting with Governor Ricardo Rossello (light blue shirt) and other officials after stepping off Air Force One upon arrival at Luis Muniz Air National Guard Base in Carolina, Puerto Rico on October 3, 2017. Nearly two weeks after Hurricane Maria thrashed through the US territory, much of the islands remains short of food and without access to power or drinking water. / AFP PHOTO / MANDEL NGANMANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images

CAROLINA, PUERTO RICO - OCTOBER 03: US President Donald Trump greets U.S Air Force airmen as he arrives at the Muniz Air National Guard Base as he makes a visit after Hurricane Maria hit the island on October 3, 2017 in Carolina, Puerto Rico. The President has been criticized by some that say the government's response has been inadequate. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

CAROLINA, PUERTO RICO - OCTOBER 03: US President Donald Trump greets U.S Air Force airmen as he arrives at the Muniz Air National Guard Base as he makes a visit after Hurricane Maria hit the island on October 3, 2017 in Carolina, Puerto Rico. The President has been criticized by some that say the government's response has been inadequate. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump attend a meeting with Governor Ricardo Rossello (3rd L, light blue shirt) and other officials after stepping off Air Force One upon arrival at Luis Muniz Air National Guard Base in Carolina, Puerto Rico on October 3, 2017. Nearly two weeks after Hurricane Maria thrashed through the US territory, much of the islands remains short of food and without access to power or drinking water. / AFP PHOTO / MANDEL NGANMANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images

US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump attend a meeting with Governor Ricardo Rossello (2nd L, light blue shirt) and other officials after stepping off Air Force One upon arrival at Luis Muniz Air National Guard Base in Carolina, Puerto Rico on October 3, 2017. Nearly two weeks after Hurricane Maria thrashed through the US territory, much of the islands remains short of food and without access to power or drinking water. / AFP PHOTO / MANDEL NGANMANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images

US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump attend a meeting with Governor Ricardo Rossello (unseen) and other officials after stepping off Air Force One upon arrival at Luis Muniz Air National Guard Base in Carolina, Puerto Rico on October 3, 2017. Nearly two weeks after Hurricane Maria thrashed through the US territory, much of the islands remains short of food and without access to power or drinking water. / AFP PHOTO / MANDEL NGANMANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images

US President Donald Trump attends a meeting with Governor Ricardo Rossello (L)and other officials after stepping off Air Force One upon arrival at Luis Muniz Air National Guard Base in Carolina, Puerto Rico on October 3, 2017. Nearly two weeks after Hurricane Maria thrashed through the US territory, much of the islands remains short of food and without access to power or drinking water. / AFP PHOTO / MANDEL NGANMANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images

US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump attend a meeting with Governor Ricardo Rossello (L)and other officials after stepping off Air Force One upon arrival at Luis Muniz Air National Guard Base in Carolina, Puerto Rico on October 3, 2017. Nearly two weeks after Hurricane Maria thrashed through the US territory, much of the islands remains short of food and without access to power or drinking water. / AFP PHOTO / MANDEL NGANMANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images

US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump arrive at Luis Muniz Air National Guard Base in Carolina, Puerto Rico on October 3, 2017. President Donald Trump strenuously defended US efforts to bring relief to storm- battered Puerto Rico, even as one island official said Trump was trying to gloss over "things that are not going well," two weeks after devastating Hurricane Maria left much of the island without electricity, fresh water or sufficient food. / AFP PHOTO / HECTOR RETAMALHECTOR RETAMAL/AFP/Getty Images

US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump arrive at Luis Muniz Air National Guard Base in Carolina, Puerto Rico on October 3, 2017. President Donald Trump strenuously defended US efforts to bring relief to storm- battered Puerto Rico, even as one island official said Trump was trying to gloss over "things that are not going well," two weeks after devastating Hurricane Maria left much of the island without electricity, fresh water or sufficient food. / AFP PHOTO / HECTOR RETAMALHECTOR RETAMAL/AFP/Getty Images

US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump make their way to board Air Force One before departing from Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland en route Puerto Rico on October 3, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / MANDEL NGANMANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images

US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump visit residents affected by Hurricane in Guaynabo, west of San Juan, Puerto Rico on October 3, 2017. Nearly two weeks after Hurricane Maria thrashed through the US territory, much of the islands remains short of food and without access to power or drinking water. / AFP PHOTO / MANDEL NGANMANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images

US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump visit residents affected by Hurricane in Guaynabo, west of San Juan, Puerto Rico on October 3, 2017. Nearly two weeks after Hurricane Maria thrashed through the US territory, much of the islands remains short of food and without access to power or drinking water. / AFP PHOTO / MANDEL NGANMANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images

US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump visit residents affected by Hurricane in San Juan, Puerto Rico on October 3, 2017. Nearly two weeks after Hurricane Maria thrashed through the US territory, much of the islands remains short of food and without access to power or drinking water. / AFP PHOTO / MANDEL NGANMANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images

US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump visit residents affected by Hurricane in San Juan, Puerto Rico on October 3, 2017. Nearly two weeks after Hurricane Maria thrashed through the US territory, much of the islands remains short of food and without access to power or drinking water. / AFP PHOTO / MANDEL NGANMANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images

US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump visit residents affected by Hurricane in San Juan, Puerto Rico on October 3, 2017. Nearly two weeks after Hurricane Maria thrashed through the US territory, much of the islands remains short of food and without access to power or drinking water. / AFP PHOTO / MANDEL NGANMANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images

US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump visit residents affected by Hurricane in San Juan, Puerto Rico on October 3, 2017. Nearly two weeks after Hurricane Maria thrashed through the US territory, much of the islands remains short of food and without access to power or drinking water. / AFP PHOTO / MANDEL NGANMANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images

US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump visit residents affected by Hurricane in San Juan, Puerto Rico on October 3, 2017. Nearly two weeks after Hurricane Maria thrashed through the US territory, much of the islands remains short of food and without access to power or drinking water. / AFP PHOTO / MANDEL NGANMANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images

US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump visit residents affected by Hurricane in San Juan, Puerto Rico on October 3, 2017. Nearly two weeks after Hurricane Maria thrashed through the US territory, much of the islands remains short of food and without access to power or drinking water. / AFP PHOTO / MANDEL NGANMANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images

US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump visit residents affected by Hurricane in San Juan, Puerto Rico on October 3, 2017. Nearly two weeks after Hurricane Maria thrashed through the US territory, much of the islands remains short of food and without access to power or drinking water. / AFP PHOTO / MANDEL NGANMANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images

US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump wave after visiting residents affected by Hurricane in Guaynabo, west of San Juan, Puerto Rico on October 3, 2017. Nearly two weeks after Hurricane Maria thrashed through the US territory, much of the islands remains short of food and without access to power or drinking water. / AFP PHOTO / MANDEL NGANMANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images

US President Donald Trump takes part in a food and supply distribution at the Cavalry Chapel in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico on October 3, 2017. Nearly two weeks after Hurricane Maria thrashed through the US territory, much of the islands remains short of food and without access to power or drinking water. / AFP PHOTO / MANDEL NGANMANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images

US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump (R) take part in a food and suplly distribution at the Cavalry Chapel in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico on October 3, 2017. Nearly two weeks after Hurricane Maria thrashed through the US territory, much of the islands remains short of food and without access to power or drinking water. / AFP PHOTO / MANDEL NGANMANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images

US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump meet with US Virgin Islands Governor Kenneth Mapp (unseen) in the Ward Room aboard the USS Kearsarge, off Puerto Rico on October 3, 2017. Nearly two weeks after Hurricane Maria thrashed through the US territory, much of the islands remains short of food and without access to power or drinking water. / AFP PHOTO / MANDEL NGANMANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images

US President Donald Trump highlighted Puerto Rico's relatively low death toll compared with "a real catastrophe like Katrina" as he saw for himself the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria.

Mr Trump pledged an all-out effort to help the island but added: "Now I hate to tell you, Puerto Rico, but you've thrown our budget a little out of whack because we've spent a lot of money on Puerto Rico. And that's fine. We've saved a lot of lives."

He said his visit was "not about me" but then praised local officials for offering kind words about the recovery effort and invited one to repeat the "nice things" she had said earlier.

He also singled out Governor Ricardo Rossello for "giving us the highest praise",

"Every death is a horror," he said, "but if you look at a real catastrophe like Katrina and you look at the tremendous, hundreds of and hundreds and hundreds of people that died, and you look at what happened here ... nobody's ever seen anything like this."

The most prominent critic in Puerto Rico, San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz, attended Mr Trump's first event, in an airport hangar, shaking his hand as he went around a table greeting officials,

Days earlier, she accused the Trump administration of "killing us with the inefficiency," pleading for more effective federal leadership in the crisis.

Air Force One brought the president, first lady Melania Trump and aides to Puerto Rico.

They were expected to spend more than five hours on the ground, meeting first responders, local officials and some of the 3.4 million people whose lives have been devastated by a hurricane that, in the president's words, "flattened" the island.

At least parts of the itinerary were drawn to ensure a friendly reception: Mr Trump was visiting the houses of pre-selected families waiting on their lawns.

He president also handed out flashlights at a church, where 200 people cheered his arrival and crowded around him.

"There's a lot of love in this room, a lot of love," Mr Trump said. "Great people."

Asked by reporters what he had to say to people still without power, food and water, he spoke of the generators brought to the island and said the electrical grid was being fixed.

"Again the job that's been done here is really nothing short of a miracle," he said.

In his first moments on the island, Mr Trump remained focused primarily on drawing praise. "He didn't play politics at all," he said of the governor, making clear that he considers those who have criticised him to be politically driven.

The president had misstated Maria as a Category 5 hurricane; it was Category 4 when it hit Puerto Rico.

"I appreciate your support and I know you appreciate ours," he said. "Our country has really gone all out. It's not only dangerous, it's expensive. But I consider it a great honour."

Before leaving Washington, he said Puerto Ricans who have called the federal response insufficient "have to give us more help."

Large-scale protests against Mr Trump, talked about in advance, failed to materialise by early afternoon, with only a few knots of people gathering around San Juan to decry his criticism of local politicians.

As he headed out from the White House to visit the island, Mr Trump told reporters that "it's now acknowledged what a great job we've done".

The trip is Mr Trump's fourth to areas battered by storms during an unusually violent hurricane season that has also seen parts of Texas, Florida, Louisiana and the US Virgin Islands inundated by floodwaters and hit by high winds.

Nearly two weeks after the Puerto Rico storm, much of the countryside is still struggling to access such basic necessities as food, fresh water and cash.

Mr Trump's visit follows a weekend in which he aggressively pushed back against critics, including Cruz.

Mr Trump responded angrily on Twitter, deriding the "poor leadership ability by the Mayor of San Juan, and others in Puerto Rico, who are not able to get their workers to help."

"They want everything to be done for them when it should be a community effort," he added, scoffing at "politically motivated ingrates" who had criticised the federal work, and insisting that "tremendous progress" was being made.

For many, however, Washington's response is not enough. On Monday, the nonprofit relief group Oxfam announced that it would be taking the rare step of intervening in an American disaster, citing its outrage over what it called a "slow and inadequate response".
Militant positions in the Idlib province of Syria hit by Russian air strikes (Russian Defence Ministry Press Service photo via AP)

Russia's military has said its air strikes in eastern Syria this week killed more than 300 Islamic State militants.

Moscow has been a major backer of Syria's President Bashar Assad, whose government troops have been advancing in the eastern province of Deir el-Zour against IS under the cover of Russian air strikes.

Meanwhile, Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces are also marching against the Islamic State, backed by the US-led coalition.

Russia's Defence Ministry said in a statement early on Tuesday that its air strikes just outside Deir el-Zour, on the eastern bank of the Euphrates River, killed more than 304 IS fighters and injured another 200.

The ministry said the air strikes also hit and destroyed an IS training centre, as well as artillery positions, tanks and ammunition depots belonging to the militants.

AP
Thai police are seeking an international request for the arrest of former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra, who is now believed to be in the UK after fleeing to Dubai to evade a prison sentence.

Deputy police commissioner general Srivara Rangsibrahmanakul said on Tuesday that the United Arab Emirates confirmed that Yingluck went from Dubai to the UK.

He said he asked international police body Interpol to issue a red notice, a request to locate and provisionally arrest someone pending extradition.

Yingluck, whose government was ousted in a 2014 coup, was sentenced in absentia to five years' imprisonment on September 27 for negligence in instituting a money-losing rice subsidy programme.

She fled Thailand before the verdict and has called the case against her politically motivated.

AP
Donald Trump is due to meet some of the 3.4 million Puerto Ricans struggling to recover from Hurricane Maria, as criticism of the federal government's sluggish response continues.

The US President is expected to spend more than five hours on the ground, meeting first responders, local officials and some of the residents struggling to recover from a hurricane that, in Mr Trump's, left the island territory "flattened".

Mr Trump and First Lady Melania Trump are scheduled to attend briefings, visit a church, and meet Governor Ricardo Rossello, as well as the governor of the US Virgin Islands.

They will also meet Navy and Marine Corps personnel on the flight deck of the USS Kearsarge.

AP
Cuba's foreign minister has said Washington's response to mysterious attacks on its diplomats was "reckless" and "hasty".

Bruno Rodriguez spoke on Tuesday after the US government expelled 15 of Cuba's diplomats to protest against its failure to protect Americans from the unexplained attacks.

He said at a press conference in Havana that his government fulfils all its obligations toward foreign envoys.

On Friday, Washington issued a travel warning for the island and said it was reducing by about 60% its diplomatic staffing at the US embassy in Havana.

The scope of the attacks has continued to grow and the US disclosed on Tuesday that the 22nd victim was confirmed the day before.

In recent weeks the US state department had said there were 21 individuals "medically confirmed" to be affected by attacks that harmed their hearing, cognition, balance and vision, some with diagnoses as serious as brain injury.

"The ministry of foreign affairs strongly protests and condemns this unfounded and unacceptable decision as well as the pretext used to justify it," Mr Rodriguez said.

He did not announce any retaliatory measures.

Cuba has said it allowed US investigative agencies to work on the ground in its country for the first time in more than 50 years as part of the investigation into the attacks on American diplomats.

The foreign affairs ministry was detailing its efforts to help in a lengthy statement responding to the Trump administration's decision to expel the 15 Cuban diplomats.

The ministry said US "specialised agencies" visited Havana three times, in June, August and September. The US has said the FBI is leading the investigation.

Cuba said during the second and third visits, it let the US import special equipment and granted access to all facilities.

It also said new, faster communications channels have been opened between the US embassy in Havana and Cuba's diplomatic security department.

US secretary of state Rex Tillerson had earlier said that kicking out 15 Cuban diplomats would "ensure equity".

He said the decision was made "due to Cuba's failure to take appropriate steps to protect our diplomats".

The unexplained attacks in Havana have allegedly harmed at least 22 American government workers and their family members.

Mr Tillerson said the US is maintaining diplomatic relations and will co-operate with Cuba while the investigation continues.

But he said the move to reduce staffing at the Havana embassy was needed to "minimise the number of diplomats at risk of exposure to harm".

Washington has given Cuba a list of 15 of its diplomats who must leave the US within seven days although they are not being declared "persona non grata".

That designation would prevent them from ever returning.

AP
The new US ambassador has taken up his post in Moscow

Vladimir Putin called for improved relations between the US and Russia as he welcomed Washington's new ambassador to Moscow.

Jon Huntsman presented his diplomatic credentials to Mr Putin at a ceremony in the Kremlin.

Mr Huntsman arrived in Moscow on Sunday to take over from John Tefft, who left after serving in Russia for three years, a period marred by a deep and rapid deterioration of ties, unseen since the end of the Cold War.

The US-Russia relationship has soured even further in recent months following a series of expulsions of diplomats and closures of diplomatic missions.

In his address to Mr Huntsman, Mr Putin offered Russia's condolences over the deadly shooting attack in Las Vegas and expressed hope for better ties with the US.

"The current level of the ties cannot satisfy us," Mr Putin said.

"We stand for constructive, predictable and mutually beneficial cooperation."

Mr Putin also said both the US and Russia should not meddle in each other's "domestic affairs".

Mr Huntsman, the former Utah governor who once called for Donald Trump to drop out of the presidential race, won easy confirmation as US ambassador last week.

He was the nation's top diplomat to Singapore under President George H.W. Bush and ambassador to China under President Barack Obama before returning to the US to run for president in 2012.

Mr Huntsman had an up-and-down relationship with Mr Trump during last year's campaign.

The former governor was slow to endorse any candidate for the Republican nomination, though he did back Mr Trump once he became the presumptive nominee.

But Mr Huntsman then called for Mr Trump to drop out of the presidential race after the release of a 2005 audio in which Mr Trump was captured on a microphone making lewd comments about women.

Although Mr Trump has called Russia's interference in the 2016 presidential election a hoax pushed by Democrats to sully his victory at the polls, Mr Huntsman said at his confirmation hearing last week that "there is no question, underline, no question" that Moscow interfered.

He also said he would not hesitate to remind Russian officials that they are accountable for their actions.

Mr Huntsman comes into office with a drastically reduced staff after the Russian foreign ministry ordered the US to cut its embassy and consulate staff in Russia by 755 people, or by two-thirds, heightening tensions between Washington and Moscow after the US Congress approved sanctions against Russia.

In response, the US suspended issuing non-immigrant visas in Moscow for a week in August and stopped issuing visas at its consulates elsewhere in Russia.

AP
It's getting better all the time kind of perhaps According to the latest (deep breath) Northern Ireland Good Relations Indicator Report, this is a less sectarian place than five years ago. Or rather we feel that it is a less sectarian place. Or, to be more strictly accurate, we feel that community relations between Catholics and Protestants are improving

It's getting better all the time kind of perhaps According to the latest (deep breath) Northern Ireland Good Relations Indicator Report, this is a less sectarian place than five years ago. Or rather we feel that it is a less sectarian place. Or, to be more strictly accurate, we feel that community relations between Catholics and Protestants are improving.

The key finding is that 52% of adults and 59% of young people feel things are better on this front. Last year's figures were 47% and 52% respectively. Progress 1 Sectarianism 0. Except

It doesn't really feel like that does it? Or rather it isn't quite the whole picture. In our political sphere there is deadlock - with side-orders of fear and suspicion. Look at the last two election results: in the Stormont poll nationalist voters united behind Sinn Fein to give the RHI/Irish Language Act embroiled DUP a bloody nose and try to snatch the (theoretically useless, remember) idea of being the top party. And at the Westminster election unionist voters turned out in numbers not seen for years to strike back at the nationalist surge.

In both polls the 'centre ground' - to speak rather generously - was effectively thrown into reverse, with both the SDLP and the UUP effectively on political life support machines. The doctors haven't quite given up hope, but the mood music isn't good. A couple of percentage points on the Alliance vote and two Green MLAs does not constitute a revolution in political attitudes.

It wouldn't be too big of a stretch to conclude that attitudes are becoming more deeply entrenched and that we are further away than ever from mutually climbing out of our political/cultural trenches and stumbling hopefully across no-man's land to the loving embrace of the former 'enemy'.

Indeed, it could be that our sectarianism is becoming formalised. Certainly, you get a sense of that from another finding in the report - ironically trumped as being rather positive.

Some 91% said they felt they could be open about expressing their cultural identity in their neighbourhood and 89% felt that about their workplaces. Meanwhile, 76% believed the traditions of both Protestant and Catholic cultures added to the richness of Northern Ireland.

Added? A cynic might say that if we took away the, er, traditions of both Protestant and Catholic cultures, we'd be culturally stripped to the bone.

The strange thing about the survey is that we're all somehow allocated a 'cultural identity' at birth, never to be changed, modified or returned to the shop unused.

Yet who can deny things are getting better here? A bit like 'love', progress is all around us. You can feel it in the air.

Belfast has been transformed beyond recognition. We are a less uptight city.

Look at the thousands who enjoy Culture (note, not Protestant or Catholic) Night. We have a vibrant nightlife. We are on the tourist map. The city has been - whether in terms of architecture or economic infrastructure - recalibrated, rebranded and, to a certain extent, reborn.

But the change is more than buildings. There has been a collective unclenching; not a revolution as such, more a gentle relaxation of muscles kept hyper-taut for decades.

It is both a pleasant but slightly unnerving and disorientating experience.

In our everyday lives, I suspect, fewer of us 'see' ourselves overtly as nationalists or unionists, Protestant or Catholic. We don't greedily hoard the injustices that history has served up. We don't wish to provoke the traditional enemy. We're not that interested in 'victory' anymore.

Open up Facebook and see the plethora of issue politics or wider cultural politics. For every one Orange or Green page, there will be more pages trumpeting a new style of politics and ideas of belonging. True, some of this is the merest gesture politics, but isn't that the point?

Gestures towards a normal 'polity' that is interested in the environment, social policy, hastily adapted US-style culture wars.

Still, you can't help get the feeling much of this is 'add on' attitudes - not 'instead of'. We can ramble on about Trump, Brexit, North Korea. Indeed, at times we now revel in it. We love going for a swim in the sea of normality but we're not keen to venture too far out we don't want to lose sight of those Orange and Green lifebelts.

And that's where we are - divided selves. Yearning for change but refusing to let go (entirely) of the old certainties.

We play little sleights of hand, small tricks on ourselves. As, on the surface, we grow more tolerant, we cordon off and rebrand our past - hence the generally positive culture ratings in the latest report. Sure, isn't it really a bit like Pride? Doesn't it provide a wee bit of local colour? We have a kind of twisted nostalgia for the old days where at least you knew who you were - look at us being buck eejits (conveniently forgetting that being a buck eejit involved causing murder and mayhem).

In other words, it isn't that our new normality is a 'lie' as such, but it is a bit of glad-handing, an act. We are less sectarian, less hate-filled, less bombastic.

But push us into a corner and we're still capable of bearing the fangs, snarling with hatred and less than perfect reason.

And every election we are pushed - or push ourselves? - into a corner. Can't let the other side win - what will happen to 'us'?

Nor should we delude ourselves that it is the working class alone clinging on for dear life to the old shibboleths. In the swish offices, boardrooms, 'club' there will also be those - orthodox to the last - hanging on to the old ways. Business as usual.

I've no statistical evidence but it seems obvious that all those voting for the old politics aren't out there in the dark estates and the mean streets. Nope, they're sitting beside you enjoying an almond slice and a frappachino.

They're pushing their way around Victoria Square wondering if their credit card can take much more of a bashing. They're salsa-ing away at Culture Night.

In other words, they're very much like you.
David Carpenter writes (Comment, September 29) that, in the 1970s, a housing allocation system based on need was introduced in Northern Ireland.

He omits that, long before the 1970s, in 1945, the Housing Trust was established by William Grant, then Minister of Health and Local Government at Stormont, with precisely that mandate.

Local councils, however, were not brought under the scheme and so, whether unionist or nationalist, could continue to allocate housing to applicants and in doing so to their supporters. Nationalists no less than unionists were good at the preferential option.

But under the Housing Trust, chaired by Sir Lucius O'Brien, not only were Housing Trust houses allocated according to need under a points system as required, but also in Belfast housing estates were deliberately integrated: either two-thirds Protestant and one-third Catholic, as in Highfield or, as in the adjoining Ballymurphy and New Barnsley, two-thirds Catholic and one-third Protestant. And relations were such that, later, a new Holy Cross Catholic school could be built without raising any problem (that came later) in a mostly Protestant area of Ardoyne.

All this was to go up in smoke, literally - the Church of Ireland's little Luther Church was set alight on what is now the Upper Whiterock Road. It was burnt down, following the exodus of Protestants from Ballymurphy and New Barnsley at the beginning of the Troubles, as though suggesting don't come back. There was a similar exodus of Catholics from Highfield; each lot, Protestant and Catholic, feeling more secure among their "own".

This was the achievement of those who saw in the then Northern Ireland prime minister, Terence O'Neill, a threat to their brand of "unionism" and their brand of "nationalism".

WA miller

Belfast
Indian police stand near the site of gun battle between suspected militants and government forces in Srinagar, Oct. 3, 2017.

Security forces Tuesday gunned down three suspected suicide bombers with a Pakistan-based terror outfit who allegedly attacked the Border Security Force (BSF) headquarters near Indian Kashmirs heavily militarized Srinagar airport, police said.

A BSF official was killed and four soldiers were wounded in the attack in the insurgency-torn Himalayan region that was blamed on Pakistan-based organization Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM).

Police said the attackers lobbed grenades and started shooting after breaching the BSF camp.

Investigators have identified a JeM member who drove the attackers to the camp, a police official said without divulging the suspects identity.

Pakistan-backed JeM group is behind the attack. We know a member of the group drove the attackers to the BSF headquarters, Munir Khan, Indian Kashmirs inspector general of police, told BenarNews, adding that the police had launched a manhunt.

The three militants, who entered the BSF headquarters after cutting through the compounds fence and opened fire, were killed in retaliatory action, Khan said.

The BSFs 182 Battalion that came under attack manages the security at the Srinagar International Airport. However, Khan said the airport was not the target.

JeM claimed responsibility for the attack, according to the Press Trust of India.

An unidentified caller who identified himself as a JeM spokesman said that its operatives carried out the attack, the news agency reported.

The assault came a day after the Indian Army claimed to have killed five unidentified Pakistani militants when it foiled two attempts to infiltrate the Line of Control  the de-facto border dividing Kashmir between India and Pakistan. Both sides lay claim to the territory in its entirety.

India blames JeM for attacks on the countrys security forces, including the 2016 assault on an airbase in Punjab that killed seven Indian soldiers.
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte meets with troops during his sixth visit to the southern city of Marawi, Oct. 2, 2017.

Communist guerrillas have stepped up attacks against Philippine targets as the military struggles to end a siege by Islamic State-linked (IS) militants in Marawi, President Rodrigo Duterte said while visiting troops in the southern city.

The communist New Peoples Army (NPA)  which also operates in parts of the south averaged 12 offensives against the army and agricultural firms in the countryside since he called off peace talks in February, the Philippine president said Monday during his sixth visit to troops deployed to Marawi.

The communist rebels try to collect illegal revolutionary taxes from firms and if those firms refuse to pay, their facilities are burned or attacked by gunmen.

Every day, the countryside has become a battlefield. This cannot continue, Duterte said in a speech to troops, a copy of which was released to the press on Tuesday.

The conflict between the government and communist rebels has been on the back burner since May 23, when IS-backed gunmen laid siege to Marawi, a predominantly Muslim city in the southern island of Mindanao. The government was surprised and has been struggling to contain the enemy side.

Nearly 1,000 fighters and civilians have been killed in the fighting in Marawi.

Army 4th Infantry Division spokesman Capt. Patrick Martinez said the NPA had continued to mount attacks elsewhere, taking advantage of the military concentration in Marawi.

We did not stop hunting them either, Martinez said.

NPA clashes

Martinez said the latest clash occurred on Friday, when soldiers attacked an NPA camp in a remote village in Agusan del Sur province, in northeastern Mindanao.

Two rebels were killed and troops recovered six rifles and explosives from the clash site, he said.

In the central Philippines on Tuesday, two Swedish nationals and their Filipino driver were apparently wounded by crossfire when suspected NPA guerrillas tried to attack a police car in Negros Occidental province, a report by the Associated Press quoted local authorities as saying.

Duterte terminated a ceasefire with the rebels on Feb. 3, following the deaths of several soldiers who were killed in clashes even as peace negotiations were ongoing. He had offered some leniency in exchange for the rebels surrendering and ending their 48-year-old Maoist insurgency, Asias longest running rebellion.

The rebels rejected the peace overture. Early last month, they called Dutertes offer unacceptable.

The line has been drawn to separate, fight and overthrow the U.S.-Duterte regime. Duterte would have a hard time to act convincingly again, said communist party founder Jose Maria Sison, who lives in self-exile in the Netherlands.
A member of the Philippine military stands on the beach at Thitu island (Pag-asa), which hosts a small Filipino town and airstrip used for civilian and military flights in the disputed Spratlys islands in the South China Sea, June 1, 2014.

Chinese vessels are still harassing and intimidating Filipino fishermen near Pag-asa (Thitu), an island claimed by the Philippines in the disputed Spratlys chain in the South China Sea, a Philippine opposition legislator said Tuesday.

At least three Chinese maritime militia boats backed by a navy ship were recently spotted one to five nautical miles from three sandbars that were very near Pag-asa, House of Representatives member Gary Alejano said, citing intelligence sources.

Alejano, an opposition member and an ex-Marine captain, said the sandbars were near Pag-asa and Subi Reef, once a low-tide elevation that was later reclaimed by China.

But a 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague had categorized Subi as a low tide elevation feature, meaning it lies below the waters surface, and therefore is not considered an island that could have territorial waters, the lawmaker pointed out.

Chinese forces are employing new tactics, Alejano said. They are harassing our patrolling vessels by continuously sounding their sirens to signify their opposition to our vessels visiting or patrolling the sandbars.

He said his office would release a more detailed account of his allegation on Wednesday.

Representatives from the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Chinese Embassy in Manila were not available to comment.

Alejano first made the allegations in August, when he accused China of preparing to invade a sandbar near Pag-asa.

But his allegation was strongly dismissed by the President Rodrigo Dutertes government, widely seen as a pro-Chinese administration that has bent over backwards to appease Beijing and normalize bilateral relations that were frazzled by the arbitration ruling.

The foreign affairs department then said it had quietly inquired about Alejanos claim. It said it had received a satisfactory answer from Beijing, but did not go into details.

Alejanos allegations came shortly after China and the 10-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations agreed to a framework for talks on a code of conduct in the sea region.

Both sides expect to begin negotiations for the code later this year, in time for a leaders annual summit scheduled in November and hosted by Manila.

Pag-asa is part of the contested Spratly island chain that is believed to lie atop vast mineral deposits. Besides the Philippines and China, Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam and Taiwan have territorial claims.

Duterte flatly rejected Alejanos claim, even as he said that the Chinese were in the area.

Why should I defend a sandbar and kill the Filipinos because of a sandbar? Duterte said at the time.
Moncks Corner, SC (29461)

Today

Partly cloudy skies this evening will become overcast overnight. Low near 50F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies this evening will become overcast overnight. Low near 50F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph.
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For Immediate Release, October 3, 2017 Contact: Howard Crystal, (202) 809-6926, hcrystal@biologicaldiversity.org Lawsuit Challenges Trump Administration's Refusal to Release Records on Climate Committee Dismissal WASHINGTON The Center for Biological Diversity sued the Trump administration today for refusing to release public records about its sudden termination this summer of a federal climate advisory committee. The expert committee was working in support of the next National Climate Assessment, a congressionally mandated scientific report on global warmings threats to the United States. After axing a panel full of climate experts, the Trump administration is illegally refusing to release public records about what motivated that dangerous decision, said Howard Crystal, a senior attorney at the Centers Climate Law Institute. Kicking these experts to the curb is a ridiculous rejection of scientific reality that will leave us even less prepared for monster hurricanes and other climate change devastation. Todays lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, seeks records about the Trump administrations Aug. 18 announcement that it was disbanding the Advisory Committee for the Sustained National Climate Assessment. The 15-person panel, created by the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration in 2015, advised the public and private sectors on long-term climate change planning. This included analyzing the effects of current and projected climate change on ecosystems, public health, agriculture, energy production and infrastructure. The administration has not explained whether or how these efforts will continue without the committee. The Center submitted a Freedom of Information Act request for relevant records to the agency on Aug. 31, but the agency failed to provide any response by the mandated deadline. The request seeks records on who was involved in the decision, the factors considered and how the committees unfinished work will now be completed. A 1990 law requires the federal government to issue a National Climate Assessment every four years, but the assessment has only come out three times since the laws passage. In 2006 the Center successfully sued President George W. Bush after his administration repeatedly stalled the release of a previous Assessment. It is unclear how the advisory committees sudden elimination will affect the Fourth Assessment, due in 2018. We need to find out whether the administration nixed the committee as part of a plan to censor or delay the upcoming National Climate Assessment, Crystal said. Well fight in court to prevent any interference with this crucial scientific report.
For Immediate Release, October 3, 2017 Contact: Collette Adkins, Center for Biological Diversity, (651) 955-3821, cadkins@biologicaldiversity.org

Bruce Morrison, Great Rivers Environmental Law Center, (314) 231-4181, bamorrison@greatriverslaw.org Missouri Proposes Ban on Commercial Trapping of Wild Turtles Thousands From State Rivers Have Been Caught, Sold JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. In response to a petition filed by the Center for Biological Diversity and Great Rivers Environmental Law Center, the Missouri Department of Conservation yesterday proposed a ban on commercial collection of the states wild freshwater turtles  following a national trend of ending unsustainable turtle harvesting. Under current law turtle traders can legally collect unlimited numbers of common snapping and softshell turtles to sell domestically or export for Asian food and medicinal markets. Thousands of Missouris turtles have been caught and sold over the past 10 years. Im so glad Missouri is poised to do the right thing for its turtles, said Collette Adkins, a biologist and senior attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity. The science shows for-profit trapping is putting the states turtles at risk. If its finalized, this ban would protect the states turtles from trappers seeking to make a quick buck. Under current regulations in Missouri, holders of a commercial fishing permit may take unlimited numbers of common snappers, spiny softshells and smooth softshells from portions of the Missouri and Mississippi rivers with no closed season. According to the Department, 1,100 river miles are open to commercial turtle collection. Scientists have repeatedly documented that freshwater turtles cannot sustain any significant level of wild collection without leading to population declines. For example, in a 2014 Missouri study researchers found that no commercial collection could be sustained for softshells and common snappers could withstand only minimum rates of juvenile collection and no adult collection. The survival of Missouris wildlife is in the hands of Missouris Department of Conservation, said Bruce Morrison, general counsel for Great Rivers Environmental Law Center. Thankfully the Department appears ready to take this step to protect these animals as a vital part of our States ecosystems. The public has 30 days to submit comments, which will be compiled and presented for consideration by the Missouri Conservation Commission. The state is expected to publish a final rule in February. Background

Millions of turtles classified as wild-caught are exported from the United States every year to supply food and medicinal markets in Asia, where native turtle populations have already been depleted by soaring consumption. Because turtles bioaccumulate toxins from prey and burrow in contaminated sediment, turtle meat is often laced with mercury, PCBs and pesticides, posing a health risk. Adult turtles are also taken from the wild to breed hatchlings for the international pet trade. As part of a campaign to protect turtles in the United States, the Center for Biological Diversity has been petitioning states that allow unrestricted commercial turtle collection to improve regulations. Of the states that share a border with Missouri, only Arkansas still allows unlimited commercial collection of turtles. Just last week the Center and several Arkansas-based environmental organizations petitioned the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission to end commercial collection of the states wild turtles. Also in September, Nevada created a statewide ban on the destructive commercial collection of all reptiles and New York halted all commercial terrapin turtle harvesting. Before that, in March, Iowa adopted new regulations setting closed seasons and possession limits for commercial turtle trappers. In 2012 Georgia approved state rules regulating the commercial collection of turtles, and Alabama completely banned commercial collection. And in 2009 Florida responded by banning almost all commercial collection of freshwater turtles from public and private waters.
For Immediate Release, October 3, 2017 Contact: Tierra Curry, (928) 522-3681, tcurry@biologicaldiversity.org Two Southeast Freshwater Fish Proposed for Endangered Species Act Protection Trump Administration Denies Two Different Fish Protection in Fishy Decision WASHINGTON In response to a legal victory by the Center for Biological Diversity, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today proposed protecting two colorful Southeast fish under the Endangered Species Act, but denied protection for two other fish. The trispot darter in Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee and the candy darter in Virginia and West Virginia will gain final protection one year from todays proposal. The Service simultaneously denied protection for the holiday darter and the bridled darter, despite status reviews indicating theyre in poor condition. The Trump administration is such an enemy to the environment that were surprised and elated to see even two of these imperiled fish move closer to protection, said Tierra Curry, a senior scientist at the Center. The decision not to propose protection for the holiday darter and the bridled darter sure smells fishy, though, so well carefully review the best available science and consider challenging those determinations in court. There are six surviving populations of the bridled darter, all in poor condition. Of the seven surviving populations of holiday darter, six are ranked as being in poor condition. The Center petitioned for protections for the four fish in 2010, along with hundreds of other imperiled Southeast freshwater species. The rivers of the southeastern United States are a global hotspot of biodiversity that supports more kinds of freshwater mussels, crayfish and fish than any other region. Freshwater species are being lost to extinction at 1,000 times the natural rate. More than 50 species have already been wiped out from the Southeasts waterways. Under the Fish and Wildlife Services work plan, and in accordance with legal victories by the Center, the Service is slated to issue decisions on Endangered Species Act protection for 53 more species this fiscal year, meaning the findings should have been sent to the federal register last week and come out in the next week. The Endangered Species Act has prevented the extinction of 99 percent of the plants and animals under its care, and its protection is the best lifeline to prevent more imperiled species from being lost forever, said Curry. Background

The trispot darter has been lost from 80 percent of its range. It was first identified as needing federal protection in 1982. It grows to about 1.5 inches long and eats midge fly larvae; its eaten, in turn, by black bass and other large fish prized by anglers. It is found in the Coosa River watershed in northern Alabama, northern Georgia and southeastern Tennessee and in the Conasauga River watershed above the confluence with the Coosawattee River in Georgia and Tennessee. The trispot darter was thought to be extinct in Alabama for more than 50 years until it was found in Little Canoe Creek in 2008. It is threatened by sprawl because stormwater runoff from urbanization degrades the water quality it needs to survive. It is also threatened by runoff from logging roads and by dams and drought. Of the four management units where it survives  Little Canoe Creek Basin, Ballplay Creek Basin, Conasauga River Basin and Coosawattee River Basin  only the Little Canoe Creek trispots are ranked as having moderate resiliency, with the populations in the other three watersheds being ranked in poor condition. The candy darter has been lost from half its range. There are 18 surviving populations, only six of which are considered to be very healthy. It was first identified as in need of federal protection in 1982. It lives in a portion of the Kanawha and New rivers in Virginia and West Virginia and is threatened by pollution, stocked trout and introduced darters, primarily by hybridization with the variegate darter. Candy darters need cool, clean water and eat caddisfly and mayfly larvae. A population is found in the Monongahela National Forest. The candy darter is very brightly colored and 3 inches long. In todays publication the Service states they plan to issue a proposal to designate critical habitat for the candy darter in the near future. The bridled darter is a small fish discovered in 2007, found only in northern Georgia and southeastern Tennessee in the Conasauga and Etowah river watersheds. It is a slender, 3-inch fish with overlapping dark, circular blotches on its sides that form undulating stripes. The darter is very sensitive to water pollution and is threatened by runoff from development, logging and agriculture. Holiday darters are 2 inches long and are found in the Coosa River watershed in Alabama and in the upper Conasauga, upper Coosawattee and upper Etowah watersheds in Georgia and southeastern Tennessee. The tiny fish are threatened by sprawl, dams, natural gas extraction and runoff from logging. Males turn bright red, blue and green during the breeding season. Populations of the holiday darter in different areas may actually be different species, and scientists are studying the different populations and writing new species descriptions.
For Immediate Release, October 3, 2017 Contact: Kristen Monsell, (510) 844-7137, kmonsell@biologicaldiversity.org Lawsuit Targets California's Dungeness Crab Fishery for Harming Endangered Whales, Sea Turtles Wildlife Agency Sued Over Record-breaking Whale Entanglements SAN FRANCISCO The Center for Biological Diversity sued the California Department of Fish and Wildlife today over the commercial Dungeness crab fisherys skyrocketing entanglements of imperiled whales and sea turtles. At least 19 humpback whales, two blue whales and one leatherback sea turtle  all protected by the Endangered Species Act  were found tangled up in crab gear off the West Coast last year. Entanglements in ropes connected to heavy commercial Dungeness crab traps cause injuries and death as the ropes cut into the whales flesh, sap their strength and lead to drowning. Dungeness crab dinners shouldnt come with a side of whale. These entanglements are heartbreaking, illegal and way too common, said Kristen Monsell, a senior attorney with the Center. California officials cant let this minefield of crab traps continue to slaughter endangered whales and sea turtles. Each entanglement of a humpback whale, blue whale or leatherback sea turtle violates the federal Endangered Species Act. The department is liable for causing these unlawful entanglements because it authorizes and manages operation of the fishery. The lawsuit seeks common-sense reforms to the fishery such as restricting the amount of gear in whale hotspots like Monterey Bay and reducing the amount of rope running through the water. West Coast whale entanglements have broken records each of the past three years. There were 71 reported whale entanglements last year, up from 62 in 2015 and 30 in 2014. Before that, whale entanglement reports averaged fewer than 10 per year. Many of last years entanglements were clustered around the biologically rich Monterey Bay, where migrating whales came to feed. The California commercial Dungeness crab trap fishery entangles more endangered whales and sea turtles than any other U.S. West Coast fishery. Whales can drag fishing gear for hundreds of miles and often die from their entanglement injuries. In one particularly gruesome example, a severed humpback whale tail was found with two sets of Dungeness crab ropes and buoys attached. In another, rope from commercial Dungeness crab gear cut into the tissue of one humpback whale so deeply that the rope was barely visible. Ropes wrapped around humpbacks heads, flippers and tails can tighten as they swim and may never come loose, Monsell said. These tragic entanglements are happening in record-breaking numbers. Thats why weve had to sue to force California officials to finally take their responsibilities seriously. The recovery of humpback whales off California has been hindered by fishing gear entanglements, according to the federal government. One population of endangered humpback whales that feeds off Californias coast numbers just over 400 individuals, meaning any death or injury from entanglement could hurt the entire population. Eliminating entanglement in fishing gear is also the number one action the federal government says is needed to recover critically endangered Pacific leatherback sea turtles.
The digital advertising industry in Kenya has often been accused of being fixated on the future, discussing hypothetical solutions that aren't yet available locally. The most elusive of these marketing solutions is location-based mobile marketing. Location-based advertising hinges around the fact that wherever we go these days we always carry a mobile with us. And most of us quite happily share our location data with the various apps we use. The sales impact connected with a clever location-based mobile ad is every marketer's dirty fantasy.

Think about it. Which ad is more likely to score a sale? A tantalising beer advert thats served up to a consumer walking past a bar, or the same ad that plays to someone already in their pajamas on the couch at home? Its a no-brainer, right? You would think it would be easy - Advertise to a target audience based on where they are - but in reality, its far more complicated and we see limited examples in Kenya.

Thanks to global innovations, a few Kenyan marketers are now leveraging real-time data to better target consumers based on where they go. They are effectively measuring how digital ads drive foot traffic into stores, and even connect the consumer journey from ad exposure to store visit to purchase data. Location-based marketing has the potential of becoming a massive industry. It allows marketers to leverage the consumer obsession with mobile devices to create significant amounts of location data and insights.

One company that has seized the opportunity in Kenya is iProspect. iProspect is a global, media agency that drives digital performance for many of the worlds largest brands. Over the past nine months, their Kenyan offices top priorities have been payments, beacons and coupons. It collects location data thats both explicit and implicit, meaning there are Facebook and Instagram check-ins, but there are also indirect location data such as mentions, photos, and geo-fences on other social networks. In other words, if you make your location known publicly online in Kenya, youre ripe for an iProspect ad. The company aggregates around 63 million location data entries a month, the majority of which are implicit from five million unique users.

Location-based mobile advertising has started working wonders for few early adopters in Kenya. Companies can no longer afford to ignore the power of location data, and marketers that are slow to adopt location intelligence will soon be trounced by their competitors. Better location targeting means less time and money wasted on sending your message to people who literally couldnt care less about it.

For consumers, location-based ads mean less noise and more relevant content. Ads containing offers and promotions for nearby stores and products provide real value for shoppers, transforming an ad from a potential nuisance into something consumers may be grateful to receive.




The Creative Circle, which promotes creativity in advertising and brand communication, met at Black River FC in Rosebank, Johannesburg to judge South Africa's best advertising for the months of June, July and August 2017.

July Print First  DDB SA, Commission for Gender Equality He She - Eric July Print First  DDB SA, Commission for Gender Equality He She - Ethan July Print First  DDB SA, Commission for Gender Equality He She - Steve August Digital & Interactive First  King James Group, Sanlam Uk'Shona Kwelanga August Digital & Interactive First  King James Group, Sanlam Uk'Shona Kwelanga

The judging panel included 12 creatives from Creative Circle member agencies:

Bridget Johnson (Jury President), Executive Creative Director, Black River FC;

Lapeace Kakaza, Creative Director, TBWA Johannesburg;

Loyiso Twala, Creative Director, FCB Johannesburg;

Gaby De Abreu, Executive Creative Director, Switch;

Kean Hartnady, Graphic Design Head, Grey

Larissa Elliotte, Creative Director, JWT Johannesburg;

Nkululo Masiba, Senior Copy Writer, Y&R Johannesburg;

Judith Mafutsanyana, Group Head, Avatar;

Rethabile Ledwaba, Art Director, M&C Saatchi Abel;

Katlego Phatlane, Head of Promise Luxe, Promise;

Michael Zulu, Senior Creative Director, Ogilvy Johannesburg;

Sarah Colville, Creative Group Head: copy, The Niche Guys.

Categories judged included Outdoor and Out of Home; Print; Radio; Television, Video & Cinema; Digital; Experiential; and Integrated Campaign.

Xolisa Dyeshana, Creative Circle Chairperson & Chief Creative Officer at Joe Public, said that regular judging and acknowledgement helped to maintain high levels of creativity in advertising.

Were very proud of the fact that South Africas advertising industry is rated world-class and our goal is to keep it that way. I think all agency creatives love the acknowledgement of winning awards. It stretches and stimulates them. In fact, it keeps all of us inspired because its always gratifying to see the creative excellence that South Africa is capable of producing.

The Creative Circle represents advertising agencies, and only Creative Circle members are eligible to enter the awards. All monthly winners are shortlisted for the Annual Awards which will take place in March 2018.

All the winners are listed in the table, with links to the winning work.

Entries for September to December 2017 awards will open on 8 January, 2018 and will be judged on 1 February 2018.

June 2017

Category Entry Agency Prize Brand Title View work here Outdoor & Out of Home J. Walter Thompson Johannesburg Second Ford SA Curb Kisser http://bit.ly/2ybUdRy Outdoor & Out of Home Havas Johannesburg Third Samson Party Strong http://bit.ly/2ycTsaY Print DDB South Africa Second Wrigley Lobster, Fish http://bit.ly/2fDjo83 Print FCB Joburg (Pty) Ltd Third Netflorist Same-Day Delivery. Same-Day Forgiveness Married http://bit.ly/2k9vIOu Radio Joe Public Pty Ltd Second Chicken Licken Inja Peace - Lion, Danger, Killer http://bit.ly/2xGLp2M Radio Joe Public Pty Ltd Third Adcock Ingrams Panado dose of... - Breaking Bad, Thrones http://bit.ly/2ydSLOo Television, Video & Cinema FCB Cape Town Second Western Cape Government - Safely Home Boys TVC http://bit.ly/2x0mNFi

July 2017

Category Agency Prize Brand Title View work here Outdoor & Out of Home DDB South Africa Second The South African Scouts Building Future Scouts http://bit.ly/2x07ufG Outdoor & Out of Home NATIVE VML Third Nandos Nandos VS. That other chicken place http://bit.ly/2x0nD51 Print DDB South Africa First Commission for Gender Equality He She - Eric, Ethan, Frasier, Steve http://bit.ly/2fw2Nix Print Joe Public Pty Ltd Third PNET.co.za A Better Job is Waiting - Moss, Cobwebs, Dust http://bit.ly/2fVj8y0 Radio Joe Public Pty Ltd Second Edcon Limited Jet Hand Me Downs - Isikhaftini sika Nu, Isicathulo sika Petunia http://bit.ly/2xKr0f0 Radio Joe Public Pty Ltd Third People Opposing Women Abuse Rape News - Zukiswa, Sibongile http://bit.ly/2ycNyqe Television, Video & Cinema King James Group Second Santam I'd Rather - Forest, Orchestra, Haircut, Car Wash, Birds http://bit.ly/2hBMhSy Television, Video & Cinema Ogilvy & Mather, Cape Town Third Metropolitan I See You http://bit.ly/2xHpKYi

August 2017

Category Agency Prize Brand Title View work here Print Joe Public Pty Ltd Third Adcock Ingram Headaches - Burning, Violent, Exploding http://bit.ly/2fwuHLq Radio FCB Africa (Pty) Ltd First Cell C iGugu - Lebo, Nomsa, Siya http://bit.ly/2ycKuKH Radio Joe Public Pty Ltd Second Adcock Ingram Save Yourself The Drama - Hospital, Mafia http://bit.ly/2k7mP8j Television, Video & Cinema TBWA\Hunt\Lascaris Johannesburg First Joburg Ballet Bite Size Ballet - The Money Fight, G.O.T.7 http://bit.ly/2xKbBeJ Television, Video & Cinema FCB Joburg (Pty) Ltd Second ABSA Rivalry http://bit.ly/2ycDOMy

Combined June  August 2017

Digital & Interactive King James Group First Sanlam Uk'Shona Kwelanga http://bit.ly/2k7SEOg Digital & Interactive Ogilvy Johannesburg Second KFC KFC Soundbite Chart http://bit.ly/2xOS9Op Digital & Interactive J. Walter Thompson Cape Town Third SANBS Blood Bag http://bit.ly/2x01ljG Experiential TBWA\Hunt\Lascaris Johannesburg Second Goodbye Malaria Beautiful Pathogens http://bit.ly/2x0wYti Integrated King James Group First Sanlam Uk'Shona Kwelanga http://bit.ly/2xB7GS7 Integrated Ogilvy Johannesburg Second KFC KFC Soundbite Chart http://bit.ly/2fvGmtY Integrated Joe Public Pty Ltd Third Chicken Licken Pharaoh http://bit.ly/2xGsENb

About the Creative Circle

The Creative Circle is a non-profit organisation dedicated to promoting creativity as a business resource and maintaining high levels of creativity in the South African advertising industry.

Its purpose is to inspire the transformation of product, people and perception through the power of creativity.

The Creative Circle promotes creativity as a business resource, endeavours to raise and maintain high standards of creativity in advertising and provides input into official industry bodies ACA and ASA. The Creative Circle decides on which international and local advertising awards are formally endorsed (currently Creative Circle Monthly Awards, Creative Circle Annual Awards, Cannes, D&AD, One Show and the Loeries). It also nominates judges for awards to ensure fair and unbiased judging and maintain standards and, where appropriate, supports the education of creative talent.

Members are eligible for valuable benefits.




ABIDJAN, Cote d'Ivoire - Ivory Coast, the world's top cocoa grower, on Sunday set its minimum rate for farmers at 700 CFA francs per kilo for the 2017-18 crop, a steep drop over the previous year, due to falling global prices. Although production increased 28.5 percent to a record 2.15 million tonnes in the 2016-17 season, world cocoa prices have fallen by more than a third.

The minimum price guaranteed to farmers was 1,100 CFA francs (1.68 euros, about $1) per kilo at the start of the 2016-17 season.

But the Ivorian government had to lower the price to 700 CFA francs in April due to falling prices in international markets, which was linked to overproduction in relation to demand and aggravated by the weakness of the pound against the euro.

"The price of market quality and well-dried cocoa for the 2017-2018 harvest season is fixed at 700 CFA francs per kilo," Lambert Konan Kouassi, the head of the Coffee and Cocoa Council, said on Sunday.

Cocoa industry vital to the country's economic welfare

Last month, Konan mentioned problems with inventory management and failures of operators to explain the year's difficulties, as well as mutinies in the Ivorian army that scared markets earlier in the year.

The cocoa industry, which accounts for 15 percent of Ivory Coast's GDP and more than 50 percent of export receipts - as well as two-thirds of jobs - is absolutely vital to the country's economic welfare, according to the World Bank.

Price is disappointing

"The price is disappointing," said Cisse Sidikiba, the head of the national cocoa growers' association. "But one mustn't be ungrateful towards the Ivorian state, for two years our prices have been higher than in neighbouring countries," he said, referring to Ghana, the world's number two producer.

"If this price is maintained throughout the 2018-2018 season, I don't think the farmers will have too many problems," said Anderson Koua, the head of a cocoa cooperative in the southern Grand Lahou region.

However, Moussa Kone, the head of the National Farmers' Union for Ivory Coast's Progress said he was "disappointed. "We expected at least 850 CFA francs," he said.

Source: AFP
A delegation of South African companies is currently on a trade and investment mission in Tunisia and Algeria, where they are exploring export markets.

The trade and investment mission, which is led by the Department of Trade and Industry (dti), will serve to promote South African products and service offerings, while creating partnerships between the business communities of the respective countries. The trade mission, which got underway on Sunday, will conclude on Thursday.

Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies said the mission is aimed at advancing Tunisia, Algeria and South Africas trade and investment relations. Both Tunisia and Algeria feature as strategic partners for South Africa in the North Africa region and are pivotal partners towards advancing integration on the continent.

Minister Davies said the mission will provide South African companies with a platform to introduce their products into the Tunisian and Algerian market.

This mission will serve as a stepping stone in cementing trade relations and encouraging investment with the two nations. Also, it is an ideal platform for South African companies who would like to export value-added products and services and those looking for investment opportunities in the region, said Minister Davies on Sunday.

Algeria has been South Africas largest export trading partner in the North Africa region, having accounted for 43% of South Africas total trade with North Africa in the period 2011 to 2015. The value of trade between the two countries reached over R13.4 billion, from 2011 to 2015. South African exports were estimated at R13 billion while imports from Algeria were R463 million.

The trade mission comprises a trade and investment seminar, business-to-business meetings and site visits in both countries.

Sectors targeted for the mission include energy, construction, agriculture and agro-processing, information and communication technology, infrastructure development, services, pharmaceuticals, clothing and textiles, manufacturing and mining.
Blockchain, the same technology that powers cryptocurrency, creates opportunities to deliver new services in new ways that previously were not possible. It also has the potential to bring transparency, security, accountability and efficiency to existing government services. This is because blockchain allows users to verify the legitimacy and validity of fund transfers without trusting a third-party to maintain account balances or relying on a single user to authorise.

Saurabh Kumar, CEO at In2IT Tech

The decentralised technology is the solution South Africa has been searching for, providing the ability to enable our government to deliver services to its citizen in a manner that is faster, more reliable, secure and transparent. In short, the arrival of blockchain should be welcomed by citizens and the public sector alike, for its potential to prevent financial crime and eliminate the opportunity for corruption and mismanagement of public funds.

While such a system can effectively be used by South African government in many different applications, before this kind of technology can be adopted, leaders first need to understand how blockchain works to see why such technology will be so beneficial.

The potential to stop corruption

As it stands currently, public administration of funds is a mysterious, time-consuming business. When government announces an annual budget, this needs to be spread across different departments, which all have different allocations earmarked for various expenditure. These intra-government transactions are arduous and it takes months to submit documents, get budgets, and have these verified and audited. This situation would be entirely different on blockchain  and the allocation of funds would be almost instantaneous, once approved. Since blockchain technology is all validated and auditable and stored in a non-erasable format, it becomes an easier task for government to see and show what they have allocated and spent, and where. This ensures no expenditure is inexplicable and removes the possibility of financial crime. Finally, the citizen will be able to call for accountability in public spending, and know that with blockchain technology in play accountability will be delivered.

The potential to remove silos in government

Public-sector offices tend to generate their own silos of data and information-management protocols which prevents other government departments from viewing them. One of the most important functions our government performs, is the maintenance of a record of trusted information about individuals, organisations, assets, and activities. Local, provincial, and national public service agencies are tasked with maintaining records, that could include, for example, birth and death dates, information about marital status, business licenses, property transfers, health records and even criminal activity. The use, sharing and management of this data can get complicated, especially as certain records exist only in paper form.

Consequently, amendments to official registries require the individual to appear in person at the government institution to apply for such changes, which is inconvenient and time-consuming. So, can blockchain enable a transparent South African government that shares data between departments? Furthermore, does this technology have the ability to guard such data against unauthorised access or manipulation, protecting the citizens right to privacy.

The potential to restore trust in government

Since, blockchain is an encoded digital ledger that is stored on multiple computers in a public or private network, the very nature of blockchain enforces transparency and accountability. As each block in the blockchain cannot be changed or deleted at the whim of a single actor, each amendment or action taken must be verified and managed by multiple stakeholders using automation and shared governance protocols. This eliminates the possibility of any public sector misconduct, as the entire process of managing important public records is visible and auditable.

Such a system has already been successfully piloted in Ghana, and they have begun placing the land registry record on blockchain. Solving a deep-rooted problem of corruption, the land registry is no longer paper-based, nor is it situated solely with one agency, where details could be deleted or changed at whim. Now, if there is a transfer of ownership of land, it is clearly verifiable on the land registry record  blockchain has helped to restore the integrity of an important public record.

In addition, blockchain technology can empower faster decision making and roll out of government services to citizens. By issuing citizens their own digital key, situations that require identification to be verified will be made much easier and more secure, preventing identity theft, fraud and any other financial crime. Whether it be filling out government forms, accessing healthcare information, tax returns or land ownership records, having digital identities stored online removes the need for any physical signatures. Applications or amendments could be processed entirely online reducing time spent queueing, for example, at Home Affairs or the vehicle licensing or labour departments.

In short, blockchain is the key weve been waiting for that will help us restore the balance of public power. Government organisations worldwide are exploring the possibilities of using blockchain to improve operations, cognisant that the ability to record transactions on distributed, secure ledgers is a surefire way for the public administration to improve transparency, assure accountability, stamp out corruption and re-establish trust between the people and its government.
From theft to trespassing and illegal hunting, farmers across the globe are subject to crime. What makes it different in South Africa? The extremely brutal farm attacks farmers must contend with.

vasin leenanuruksa via 123RF

Farmers alone can never be held responsible for combating crime, said Agri SA president Johannes Moller. This remains the governments responsibility. Farmers primary task is to produce enough food, a task which requires considerable time from farmers and farmworkers.

Our farmers are already doing a great deal to ensure their own safety and that of their farm workers and loved ones. They are involved with farmer associations to help implement the Rural Safety Strategy and to form farm guards. They also assist with the implementation of security initiatives by using technology.

Moller said Agri SA last year raised the issue of farm attacks and violence with the World Farmers Organisation (WFO). The WFO called on governments worldwide to offer appropriate protection to farming communities, said Moller.

Emphasis on liaison between agricultural organisations and government

During the first International Rural Crime Conference last week, the emphasis was on liaison between agricultural organisations and the government. Agricultural organisations must liaise constantly with policymakers regarding rural crime and must try to influence them to incorporate workable solutions into policy.

Sound crime intelligence needed

Without sound crime intelligence, it will be impossible to prevent crime. The worldwide trend is that crime is not reported to law enforcers. This is also the trend in South Africa, which hampers the police in allocating resources. For example, if the police do not have case numbers to determine what types of crime are committed in specific areas, they are unable to devise plans to make provision for more vehicles and police officers at the grassroots level.

Task team to investigate

Agri SAs discussion with Police minister Fikile Mbalula serves as proof that the organisation will continue to draw governments attention to farm attacks and crime and to search for solutions in this regard. The minister confirmed the importance of farmers and farm workers and undertook to work with agricultural organisations to protect them.

A task team consisting of members of Agri SA and top management of the police will investigate the further implementation of the Rural Safety Strategy and make recommendations to the minister regarding possible improvements. The task team will also look into farm attacks as a strategic focus within the highest security structure of the police.
Six out of nearly two dozen products that were entered in the Automechanika Johannesburg 2017's Innovation Awards, were honoured for their innovative qualities following evaluation by a jury of automotive experts.

Wynter Murdoch (left), convenor of the Innovations Award competition, Philip Lutz, of Monroe, and Konstantin von Vieregge, CEO of Messe Frankfurt SA

The competition was open to any recently introduced automotive products which the manufacturers or distributors deemed worthy of recognition, and the range of entries included anything from sophisticated electronic automotive products, to spare parts, tools and fuel additives.

Gold

The gold certificate went to Bosch's KTS Diagnostic Tester which jury members described as a small, super-efficient device which promoted diagnostic competence and workshop efficiency using simple, quick and easy-to-operate technology.

In their notes, the judges said the ability to quickly and accurately diagnose vehicle problems was integral to professional, high-quality repair work - and the KTS represented an enviable example of a state of the art, technical aid. The unit, which is made in Germany, was introduced to South Africa in April this year.

Silver

The silver certificate went to Monroe's OE Spectrum shock absorber, which made its public debut at the trade fair. In their summation, the jury said: "Today's drivers expect world-class control and steering response, without the harshness associated with many conventional ride control technologies.

"Monroe has responded with a shock absorber for the aftermarket which offers twice the usual number of internal tuning points to promote driving precision, agility and responsiveness. In this sense, the product helps to support road safety. What's more, it's backed by an extended, five-year warranty."

Bronze

The bronze award was won by Qwerty Tyre Solutions' Str8-Lign Wheel Alignment unit - a locally designed and manufactured, portable system which the judges rated highly for the promise it showed in delivering cost-effective benefits for both workshop and in-the-field applications.

Developed in Durban by startup organisation Qwerty, the laser-based system took two years to reach manufacturing stage and, since April, has been undergoing tests with vehicle manufacturers, wheel alignment specialists and industry bodies, among them Toyota Gazoo Racing, Thomas Tyres, SupaQuick and Tune-Tech BMW.

Highly Commended

Highly Commended certificates were awarded to Gondolier, for its Walcom Carbonio 360 Spray Paint Gun; Jackhub, for its electronic vehicle jack; and Wise Cracks, for its Apollo Windscreen Repair Kit.

The repair kit - manufactured in Port Elizabeth - was described by jury members as "very neat in appearance, compact and cleverly thought out." Their view was that it would prove ideal for service providers who travelled from customer to customer while remaining equally handy for use in workshop applications.

The Walcom Spray Gun - which is manufactured in Italy - was perceived to be well-suited to a variety of panel shop applications thanks to its ergonomic design, lightweight and robust construction.

The Jackhub electronic jack - another imported product - was described as likely to find favour among private motorists as well as industry professionals for its simple plug-in and jack-up operational system.

The awards were presented to representatives of each of the winning companies by Konstantin von Vieregge, CEO of Messe Frankfurt South Africa, organisers of Automechanika Johannesburg.
SYDNEY, Australia: The last Australian-made Toyota rolled off the production line on Tuesday, ending more than five decades of manufacturing by the Japanese firm as the once-booming local car-making industry grinds to a halt.

Toyota announced in 2014 that it would stop making vehicles at its unprofitable Australian plants, joining the country's other two large automakers - Ford and US giant General Motors' Holden offshoot.

Ford closed its production line last year and Holden will shutter its only remaining car factory in Adelaide later this month.

All three companies blame the Australian dollar's strength and an increasingly competitive market for the local sector's decline.

"Toyota became the top automobile manufacturer in Australia," Toyota Australia president Dave Buttner told close to 3,000 employees at the closure of the Altona plant in Melbourne Tuesday.

"The vehicles produced here became a byword for quality and reliability not only in Australia but also in the world as the vehicles were exported to other regions like the Middle East."

Some 2,600 workers have lost their jobs, although the company has retained 1,300 for distribution and sales, as well as research and design.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said it was a sad day but pointed to new higher-end manufacturing opportunities as a means to help offset the job losses.

"The investment that we're making in defence, in naval shipbuilding, in particular, is going to deliver thousands of advanced manufacturing jobs," he told reporters.

Australia has been producing cars for almost a century, with the industry employing tens of thousands of workers until its decline over the past decade.

It has struggled with the effects of the high local dollar, squeezing exports and compounding rising production costs.

Source: AFP
Prudential Investment Managers, one of the top three shareholders in PPC, says it opposes a proposed merger between SA's largest cement group and its unlisted South African rival AfriSam.

Prudential, which holds 13%-14% of PPC, said it wanted "other shareholders to think twice" about such a transaction.

It said AfriSam's recent revised offer, which had the backing of Canada's Fairfax Africa Investments, undervalued the group. It believed PPC's share price would double in the next three to four years with the ramp-up of its rest of Africa operations including in Ethiopia, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

"The shareholders have been asked to back a short-term gain," Chris Wood, Prudential's head of equity, said on Monday, 2 October. "From this point forward, there will be a material improvement in [PPC's] cash flow."

Fairfax was using PPC's earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation in the year to March 2017 as a basis of reported profits. This was not a fair representation of the group's earnings, Wood said. Critically, though, the Public Investment Corporation, which holds about 15% of PPC shares, has supported the latest AfriSam conditional partial offer.

Fairfax has undertaken to buy R2bn of ordinary shares in PPC at R5.75 a share. The proposed merger ratio is based on a share exchange of 58 PPC shares for 42 AfriSam shares.

This values PPC at a 62% premium based on pro-forma earnings multiples applied to the two businesses, according to AfriSam. This proposal includes a R4bn recapitalisation of AfriSam before any merger.

PPC recently raised R4bn in a rights offer to help bring its rest of Africa plants on stream. It was also spending R1.2bn on a new kiln at its Slurry cement plant in North West province to boost operating efficiencies.

The company also received a nonbinding "communication of interest" from Nigeria's Dangote Cement to buy its entire share capital. PPC's board earlier advised of indicative proposals from two other bidders.

AfriSam and PPC previously said they were looking to create a merged cement producer that could compete in Africa. PPC also reduced its capital expenditure guidance in September for the next two years, to help assuage fears about its liquidity.

The group said it would cut capex between 16% and 35% until 2019, and would focus on bringing its other investments in the rest of Africa into operation, including in Zimbabwe. These new operations would raise group cement production capacity, from 8-million tonnes a year in 2015, to 12.4-million tonnes a year by 2018.

Among its rest of Africa operations, the Zimbabwe and Rwanda assets had continued to deliver high double-digit volume growth, the group said.

Cement market analysts did not respond on Monday to queries whether a merger between PPC and AfriSam would be good, bad or indifferent. But Mish-al Emeran, an equity analyst at Electus Fund Managers, said earlier there would be several hurdles to such as deal, including competition issues. It would "take some time to play out".

Given that PPC was trading well below its replacement value, it was easy to understand why there was interest from other players in African cement markets, Emeran said.

Source: Business Day
The court hearing was originally set on September 29, but the judges didnt come. So it has been rescheduled for October 9, said Major Sai Main, in-charge of the RCSS/SSA liaison office in Keng Tung, Shan State.

The two soldiers  Sai Sur Loun and Sai Loun  belong to the RCSS/SSA military based in Mong Ping township in eastern Shan State. They were arrested on July 25 by the Mong Hsat-based 527th Light Infantry Battalion in Kain Hain village and were transferred to Kengtung on August 26, according to the Tai Freedom website, which is owned by the RCSS/SSA.

The JMC-S [Joint Ceasefire Monitoring Committee] meeting will be held either in Nansang or Kholam within a few days. We will discuss this issue at the meeting. As we have signed the NCA [National Ceasfire Agreement], we need to find a solution through negotiation, said RCSS/SSA spokesperson Colonel Sai Ngan.

The RCSS/SSA soldiers were arrested when they entered the village on a motorcycle to buy soap and toothpaste and call their families, according to Tai Freedom. The Tatmadaw has accused them of possessing weapons and collecting taxes from civilians.

The RCSS/SSA also arrested a soldier who deserted a Tatmadaw unit in Mong Kung Township. Although the RCSS/SSA contacted the Tatmadaw to return the detained soldier, they have not yet received a reply, according to the RCSS/SSA. The RCSS returned a Tatmadaw soldier who was captured during clashes around Mong Kung in August.
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King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard

Completely fried 7-piece garage punk band of theremin-wielding psychopaths half originating from the flat salt bush plains of Deniliquin and the other from the sea-stained Anglesea coastline, brought together through a share house in Melbourne and a mutual love of Pavement, Thee Oh Sees and Nuggets.

They released their debut EP Willoughbys Beach on a limited run of 10 vinyl in October 2011. The first single Black Tooth pricked the ears of Triple Js Dom Alessio, who dubbed the band : a tour de force of reverberated rocknroll.

The band soon gained a devoted and at times visceral Melbourne following  selling out several residencies and their debut EP launch at the Tote Hotel. In the following weeks King Gizzard were nominated for Best New Talent at The Ages EG Awards alongside Kimbra, Lanie Lane, Royal Headache and Husky.

Their newest collaborative with the Mild High Club available here:

kinggizzard.bandcamp.com

Sun Dog

Albuquerque desert dogs with guitars, drums, and synths. Influences reaching into the far out and beyond.

New singles from their upcoming album release available here:

sundogtheband.bandcamp.com

$15 advance / $18 door

Presented in conjunction with Townie Productions.
By Ann O'Loughlin

A couple are prepared to leave a Cork property acquired by a fund and return to the Netherlands by the end of March next year, the High Court has heard.

Colm O'Nuanain and Melanie Mook (pictured below at a previous court appearance) have been living in and running a coffee shop/bed and breakfast business from the property in Barrack Street, Cork, for the last four years.

It was bought by Targeted Investment Opportunities (TIO) who sought vacant possession. TIO claimed the couple had not paid rent to them or the previous owners.

Last July, the court heard they were to remain on until this month to allow for negotiations between the fund whereby the couple might buy the property. Ms Mook was also pregnant and she and her partner were in court today with their two-month-old baby.

Mr O'Nuanain told the court they had sought to buy the property and were willing to offer 165,000 for it, but the fund had refused to say how much it would be looking for it.

Counsel for TIO, Nevan Powell, said this was because his client had not got access to the property for its valuer. Once a valuation took place, the couple were free to seek to purchase it.

Mr O'Nuanain said they had allowed access and Mr Powell agreed this was so following an order for an inspection under health and safety grounds.

At the suggestion of Mr Justice Paul Gilligan, he said they would allow the valuer unfettered access but did not want large numbers of people visiting them home to view it once it was put up for sale.

He said they had now decided to return to his partner's native Netherlands as their last option. They were now out of business and unable to find alternative accommodation. They were "up against the wall", he said.

He was prepared to undertake to the court to leave by March 31 and they had their tickets to the Netherlands bought.

The judge adjourned the matter to the end of November to allow TIO take instructions about that proposed undertaking.
The Defence Minister has today increased pay for new recruits in the Defence Forces, begun the commencement of over 300 promotions and discussed a review of the conciliation and arbitration scheme.

Speaking at the Annual Delegate Conference of the Permanent Defence Force Other Ranks Representative Association in Ballyconnell, Co Cavan, Paul Kehoe said pay was of particular concern for members.

The Government is committed to improving the pay of all public servants through the implementation of the Lansdowne Road Agreement. The bulk of the pay increases accruing to members of the Defence Forces have been focused on the lower paid  this is only right," he said.

The Minister urged the members of PDFORRA to accept the terms of the Public Service Stability Agreement 2018-2020.

He said this will allow members to receive the first phase of pay increases of 1% on annualised salaries from 1 January 2018 and to avail of subsequent pay increases, ranging from between 5.75% to 7.25%, over the lifetime of the agreement.

He said the Government is committed to maintaining the strength of the Permanent Defence Forces at 9,500 personnel.

Historically high levels of recruitment are being pursued, over 800 personnel will be taken in by the end of this year. This includes general service recruits, apprentices, cadets and direct entry officers," Mr Kehoe added.

The Minister went on to outline a range of further measures aimed at increasing the attractiveness of a career in the Defence Forces.
Four people have been arrested by detectives investigating the feud murder of a loyalist.

George Gilmore, 44, was shot in the neck as he sat in his car in the Pinewood Avenue area of Carrickfergus on March 13. He died the following day in hospital.
The Government is being urged to ditch plans for tax cuts in the Budget.

Social Justice Ireland says investment in infrastructure, and tackling inequality would be better for the economy.
Ibrahim Halawa's family has said they still do not know when he is coming home.

The 21-year-old from Dublin has been locked up in an Egyptian jail for four years.
Labour Party spokesperson on Housing, Jan OSullivan TD has said that the Government's proposal to provide cheap loans to private developers from Nama does not go far enough.

She added that the State must take a much more active role in financing public housing.

"The Governments plans for Nama should not just be another funding vehicle for private developers. Following sustained market failure to deliver new builds, the State must now take a leading role in the development of affordable housing, and the long term financing of social housing through local authorities.

"The State needs to pick up the slack from where private developers have failed. There are simply not enough homes being built."

Deputy OSullivan first put forward a proposal on repurposing Nama in summer 2016.

"While I am glad to see the Government taking up this idea over a year on, it is simply not enough to funnel money to private developers. The repurposing of Nama should be transformational, not a private finance initiative," she said.

"Including public housing in a new remit for Nama would provide a framework for the construction of social and affordable homes through Nama's remaining land banks. It would also allow the State to tap into the existing expertise and resources already in place at Nama, and negate the need for the setting up of a new quango to deal with the housing crisis.

"What we now need to see from Government is a sense of urgency about ensuring social houses are built, and a national scheme that ensures homes that are built, are affordable."
A record number of 8,101 patients were on trolleys in the past month, according to the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation.

This represents a 7% increase from last year, and a 132% increase from ten years ago.
Sinn Fein will not be shoe-horned into a power-sharing deal cobbled together by the Government to appease to the DUP, Michelle O'Neill has warned Tories.

Speaking at an event on the fringes of the UK Conservative Party conference alongside her DUP counterpart, Ms O'Neill said the unionist deal to prop up the Conservatives posed "real challenges".

Arlene Foster insisted the electoral pact with the Tories was "not a distraction" from the negotiations in Belfast.

But despite breaking bread together at the Ulster Fry, the leaders clashed over Britishness.

Ms O'Neill told the event organised by peace charity Champ: "The north isn't British."

"I don't want this to turn into a row but Northern Ireland is British," the DUP leader insisted.

The rare joint appearance saw the two women share a table for breakfast before sitting side by side on the stage in the Great Hall in Manchester's Town Hall.

DUP leader Arlene Foster and Sinn Fein's Northern Ireland leader Michelle O'Neill attend the Ulster fry breakfast. Photos: Owen Humphreys/PA Wire

One Tory activist told the pair he hoped they would become known as the "Chuckle Sisters" - a reference to the Chuckle Brothers tag given to the surprisingly warm relationship Ian Paisley and Martin McGuinness developed when they led the power-sharing government.

But the leaders showed no sign of reaching a breakthrough despite both insisting talks had intensified.

Ms O'Neill said: "The British Government should not think that they can cobble together a deal acceptable to the DUP and then shoe-horn Sinn Fein into acquiescing to it.

"That will not happen. The shape of a deal is very clear. The two Governments know this. So do the DUP and the other parties."

Mrs Foster warned that "decision time is soon upon us" as the prospect of a return to direct rule from Westminster loomed large.

The UK Government is warning that it will have to step in to pass a budget for the region's rudderless public services at the end of October.

Ms O'Neill insisted an agreement must be reached on an Irish language Act - the main obstacle in the way of a return to devolved government - but Mrs Foster said any deal must be acceptable to unionists and nationalists.

Asked if she had been too high-handed with Republicans while in office, the DUP leader replied: "Anybody who looks back at their life and doesn't say 'Oh, I should have done that in a different way' would be telling you a lie.

"I don't think I was high-handed but, of course, it's for others to decide if I was or not."

Mrs Foster said "solid progress" had been made but "differences do remain".

"While our electoral strength in the House of Commons is now widely recognised, I have always made it clear that our important role in London will not be a distraction from what we need to do in Belfast," she said.

"It is not a choice for the DUP between influence in London and executive power in Belfast. What is in the best interests of Northern Ireland is operating in tandem and this remains our goal."

The North has been without a first and deputy first minister since January and a functioning executive since March. The institutions collapsed when Mr McGuinness resigned over the DUP's handling of a botched renewable heat scheme, laying the blame at Ms Foster's door.

Pressed on whether the DUP leader must stand aside in order for a deal to be reached, Ms O'Neill said until all outstanding issues had been dealt with, they "will never get to position of Arlene standing aside".

The event was cut short because Ms Foster was heading off to a private meeting with Prime Minister Theresa May.
Maia Dunphy has taken to Twitter to thank the kind men of the Dublin fire service who came to her rescue when her son Tom fell ill in the middle of the night.

The producer explained that she couldnt get her two-year-olds temperature down so rang the emergency services in a panic.
Boris Johnson is facing calls for his sacking after saying a Libyan city could become the next Dubai once it had cleared the dead bodies away.

A Tory MP said the Foreign Secretary's comments were "100% unacceptable" and insisted he must lose his job.

His Labour counterpart, Emily Thornberry, said the remarks were "unbelievably crass, callous and cruel".

Mr Johnson was made to "move on" after he told Tory activists that investors want to transform the coastal city of Sirte, where dictator Muammar Gaddafi was killed during the 2011 civil war, into a new version of the emirate.

But when he said their only obstacle is to "clear the dead bodies away", the host of the conference fringe event stepped in.

As Mr Johnson continued to speak, Baroness Stroud, a former special adviser to ex-Cabinet minister Iain Duncan Smith, said: "Next question."

The Legatum Institute chief executive officer added: "The dead bodies was the move on moment."

Mr Johnson had been asked about his recent visit to the country, which has been wracked by violence since the fall of its former leader.

The Foreign Secretary said: "I look at Libya, it's an incredible country.

"Bone white sands, beautiful sea, Caesar's Palace, obviously, you know, the real one.

"Incredible place. It's got a real potential and brilliant young people who want to do all sorts of tech.

"There's a group of UK business people, actually, some wonderful guys who want to invest in Sirte on the coast, near where Gaddafi was captured and executed as some of you may have seen.

"They have got a brilliant vision to turn Sirte into the next Dubai.

"The only thing they have got to do is clear the dead bodies away," he said before laughing.

Heidi Allen, a Tory MP who represents South Cambridgeshire, tweeted: "100% unacceptable from anyone, let alone foreign sec. Boris must be sacked for this. He does not represent my party."

100% unacceptable from anyone, let alone foreign sec. Boris must be sacked for this. He does not represent my party. https://t.co/v2RHlbjlnB  Heidi Allen (@heidiallen75) October 3, 2017

Ms Thornberry said: "It is less than a year since Sirte was finally captured from Daesh by the Libyan Government of National Accord, a battle in which hundreds of government soldiers were killed and thousands of civilians were caught in the crossfire, the second time in five years that the city had seen massive loss of life as a result of the Libyan civil war.

"For Boris Johnson to treat those deaths as a joke - a mere inconvenience before UK business people can turn the city into a beach resort - is unbelievably crass, callous and cruel.

"If these words came from the business people themselves, it would be considered offensive enough, but for them to come from the Foreign Secretary is simply a disgrace.

"There comes a time when the buffoonery needs to stop, because if Boris Johnson thinks the bodies of those brave government soldiers and innocent civilians killed in Sirte are a suitable subject for throwaway humour, he does not belong in the office of Foreign Secretary."
The first names of the victims of the Las Vegas shootings are starting to come through.

Nurse Sonny Melton, 29, who lived in Big Sandy, Tennessee, and worked at a nearby hospital, was the first victim publicly identified. His brother-in-law confirmed to the news station WSMV that he was killed in the gunfire.

His wife Heather said Sonny saved her life, grabbing her when the gunfire started. She said she felt the bullet hit his body, adding that through her shock and grief: I can barely breathe.

She said she wanted everyone to know what a kind man Sonny was.

He saved my life and lost his, she said.

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation reported that a 23-year-old British Columbia man, Jordan McIldoon, was also among the dead, according to his parents. Another concertgoer posted on Facebook on Sunday night that McIldoon had died in [her] arms.

We only had one child, McIldoons parents told CBC. We just dont know what to do.

23 yr -old Jordan McIldoon was killed in last nights shooting. His mother says he grew up in an acreage in Maple Ridge BC. #lasvegas pic.twitter.com/rVbF2PkbpW  Briar Stewart (@briarstewart) October 2, 2017

The New York Times also reported the death of Lisa Romero-Muniz, who was in Las Vegas with her husband Chris on a wedding anniversary trip.

An aunt of another victim Quinton Robbins confirmed his death on facebook. Kilee Wells Sanders said: " Everyone who met him, loved him...Please pray for his parents and siblings at this time.

"For those who are asking us how you can help. Prayer will be the biggest help. For them and the other victims and families."
Latest News Clawbacks, commissions discussed at FBAA conference Over 700 brokers attend successful Gold Coast event

CBA becomes an official partner of FIFA Women's World Cup 2023 Bank's sponsorship boosts its strong support of female sport in Australia

While brokers here may be feeling squeezed by government regulation, this is not a unique trend to Australia but one being experienced by small business owners worldwide, a leading governance and compliance expert has said.Adrian Pay, business development officer and EMEA director of regtech firm Dynamic-GRC, spoke to Australian Broker about the global push by governments and regulators against informal and smaller business setups.Its a shame. Im not exactly sure why this is happening but it seems like down in Australia as well, theyre getting into this global trend.To adapt and affect this movement towards greater regulation in Australia, the broking industry has a good case to work together, Pay said. Industry associations have a huge role to play in helping brokers save time they may otherwise spend keeping up with rapid change on their own, he added.If they can centralise this through the broker associations, then that would be a better way of doing this. You could have a team of five or ten people centrally whose job it is to read through all the rules, deflect a lot of the silly stuff, communicate with brokers, and keep them informed.Pay said the idea of collectivising administrative overhead had been used to great effect in Ireland. There, the national credit union association has established the Credit Union Compliance Centre which fields questions from its members for a single annual fee.If the industry can pull together on that and the individual broker or broker firm pays a few thousand dollars a year, they could have access to that centralised resource which keeps their records and keeps them up-to-date.The industry has reached this influx of heavier regulation because brokers have not been effective in lobbying government against these changes, Pay said.I get the feeling reading through the ACL requirements that the industry didnt get its views across right at the very beginning and thats a shame. If you can organise your industry and lobby, then you can actually influence the rules that are imposed on you. Otherwise, youre just waiting to get hit with more rules.While the ACL requirements were reasonable for brokerages with 100 people in the firm, Pay said they didnt work for very small brokerages or individual brokers.The regulators shouldnt be taking a one-size-fits all approach. I know they take into account whats appropriate but thats their judgement. What they think is appropriate might be more than what a one-man band thinks is appropriate.Thats why its important to get your views across right at the very beginning. Once rules have been published, its quite hard to then go back and argue about them.Although some degree of regulation is necessary, Pay said the entire industry seemed to carry the cost for a few rotten apples.Regulators seem to think that more rules make the rotten apples good apples and it doesnt work that way. For people who are going to be dishonest, you can put in all the rules that you like  you can almost train them to be cleverer about their dishonesty  but it doesnt make them good people.Fintech can also play a part in helping brokers stay on top of these changes, especially for those still relying on spreadsheets, word documents and emails for items such as breach, training and complaints registers, he said.At the moment, the individual broker may hack something on Excel. That means they have to go and set it up, they have to store it, and there are minimum time requirements for how long youve got to keep that data.A purpose-built technology platform will make it easier for brokers to enter in information and then access it through the cloud without physically installing software or setting up a server in the office.Practical fintech solutions that can be used on-the-go are especially useful for brokers covering wider regional areas which may have been overlooked.I think the regulators dont get outside of Melbourne and Sydney very much, Pay said. They dont really understand. You go to these small places and this is their real lives. Brokers might need to drive out to a farmstead in the middle of nowhere and actually deal face-to-face with people.
How you can help Give A Christmas to Lower Bucks families in need
A 24-year-old man is facing a slew of felony charges for illegal straw purchase of 21 guns at gun stores, almost exclusively in Bucks County. Leonard Truesdale was arraigned on Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2022, on 21 counts each of making false statements on firearm purchase forms, criminal conspiracy to make false statements on firearm purchase forms and selling or transferring...
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...
Gillian Keegan, the Conservative MP for Chichester, cut the ribbon to officially open the newly refurbished Covers Home Ideas on Thursday 28th September.

Mrs Keegan was given a tour of the showroom by Store Manager Richard Murrell who explained how the store had undergone an extensive redevelopment programme to make it easier for customers to navigate. She was also shown the wide number of new products that had been added to the range.

Gillian Keegan MP said: Its important to celebrate successful local businesses. Companies like Covers are important for the economic development of the Chichester area and I was delighted to visit and officially open the refurbished showroom.

Richard Murrell said: Weve worked hard to become one of the leading businesses in the area. Weve built a loyal customer base and encourage the local community to use us for their DIY needs. It was a pleasure to welcome Gillian Keegan MP to give her a tour and show how were heavily investing in Covers Home Ideas for the benefit of people in the area.
How international students in South Jersey celebrate the holidays

South Jersey's international students share how they cope when they can't make it home for the holidays by finding new ways to celebrate the season.
Plagued by poor earnings, Britain's biggest steel plant, located in Port Talbot, is likely to be first in line for job and output cuts after the planned European merger of Thyssenkrupp and Tata Steel, industry sources told Reuters.

Germany's Thyssenkrupp and India's Tata Steel have signed a memorandum of understanding for a 50-50 joint venture which, if approved, would forge Europe's No.2 steelmaker after ArcelorMittal, with sales of around 15 billion euros ($17.70 billion).

The merger was driven chiefly by a need to address chronic overcapacity in Europe's steel market and should conclude late next year. The company will begin reviewing its combined production network from 2020 onwards.

This is expected by industry analysts to include further job cuts in addition to 4,000 already announced along with the deal, leaving open the question where the hammer will fall hardest.

Tata's century-old steelworks in Port Talbot, Wales, employing some 4,000 people directly and up to 16,000 more indirectly in a region with few other major industries, is a prime target for cuts in the event of a steel market downturn after 2020, industry analysts said.

"They'll only invest in the UK operations if they earn money," said Rakesh Arora, managing director at Go-India Advisors in Mumbai, who has been following Tata for decades.

"It's difficult to make a call, but one thing I can tell you for sure, earnings will not be higher than they are now because we're at a cyclical peak in the steel cycle."

According to brokerage Jefferies, Port Talbot will have core earnings (EBITDA) of 12 euros per tonne, a margin of 2 per cent, in the first year of the merger.

This compares with 92.4 euros, or a margin of 14 per cent, at IJmuiden, Tata Steel's other main production site in the Netherlands. Thyssenkrupp's key plant in Duisburg, Germany, will earn 85.4 euros per tonne, at a profit margin of 11 percent.

"It would logically make sense to cut capacity at lower margin sites, which I believe are mainly the Tata assets.

Thyssenkrupp's sites are amongst the best earners in Europe," one of Thyssenkrupp's top-20 shareholders said.

A Tata Steel spokesman said it was the clear intent of both shareholders "to continue with the current asset configuration at all upstream sites including Port Talbot".

Thyssenkrupp declined to comment.

Fears stoked

Concerns resurfaced about Port Talbot's future after the UK government wrote to Tata Steel Chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran, asking him to commit to relining Port Talbot's blast furnace 5.

That process typically costs over 150 million pounds ($201 million) and gives the furnace about 20 additional years of life.

Chandrasekaran said this was Tata Steel's intent should the funds be available, but he declined to commit.

"As you know, its (blast furnace 5) relining was not included in the memorandum of understanding signed earlier this year (with the unions)," he replied in correspondence posted on a UK government website.

A spokesman for UK union Community said: "Relining blast furnace 5 is something that in the next weeks and months we will continue to push for."

Unlike Port Talbot's blast furnace 5, Thyssenkrupp's Duisburg furnaces will not need relining in the next five years, people familiar with the matter said, because all had been relined or started operations during the past decade.

A source close to Tata's IJmuiden plant said one of its blast furnaces will require relining within the next 3-5 years. Experts, however, say the merged group is still more likely to invest in IJmuiden rather than Port Talbot in a downturn because the Dutch operation is more profitable.

"Thyssenkrupp flagged potential for additional savings beyond 2020 from upstream crude steelmaking and hot rolling capacity adjustments, which we believe are most likely at Port Talbot," Jefferies analyst Seth Rosenfeld said.

Profitable enough?

According to a filing with UK government database House, Tata Steel UK made an operating loss (EBIT) of 449 million pounds in the year ending March 2017. This included a 413 million pound one-off in relation to the British Steel Pension Scheme, which the group has since separated from.

Excluding exceptional items, the business made an operating profit of 106 million pounds, but only after European steel prices rose 66 percent, raising doubts over whether earnings can be sustained during a downturn.

Tata Steel Europe as a whole, which includes Tata Steel UK, posted core profits (EBITDA) of 536 million pounds in the same year, suggesting its British business accounted for just a fraction.

A UK government spokeswoman said: "It's too early to be speculating on the future direction of individual sites. Both Tata Steel and Thyssenkrupp have acknowledged the improved performance at Port Talbot over the past 18 months."

Thyssenkrupp's steel unit is on average more profitable than Tata EU assets - which have burnt about $1 billion of cash a year over the past decade - giving German unions more muscle to extract job and plant guarantees from management at the expense of Tata Steel jobs.
A spurt in funding and large acquisitions in India's consumer internet space over the past year has led to employees of these firms cashing out their stock options and making huge returns.
Last month, ten that transport sand to and coal from Western Coalfields, a subsidiary of Coal India Limited (CIL), were fined Rs 11.8 crore for rigging bids to win the contracts. The Competition Commission of India order, on a complaint by the Mini Ratna company, also imposed fines on eight officials of these operators. These are among hundreds that dot Nagpur and nearby towns, running on low-technology operations that earn high returns by exploiting shortages.
Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) is likely to take a short-term bridge loan for about one year to fund the acquisition of the governments stake in Hindustan Petroleum Corporation (HPCL).
incurred losses of Rs 30.7 crore between August 2016 and March 2017 of FY17, the firm has said in its filing to Registrar of (RoC). The company, however, is not considering this as losses but as operational costs, as it happened before the payments bank started operations in May.
Ola, the countrys largest taxi hailing company, has been mandated to step up its play in the electric mobility segment as part of its latest funding round that would see it raise $2 billion from investors including SoftBank and Tencent.
If diplomacy and persuasion succeed, there could be an historic homecoming, albeit temporarily, of the Bakhshali Manuscript  the oldest recorded evidence of the origin of the zero symbol, an Indian invention. A government source disclosed the Indian High Commission in London is making efforts to take the manuscript to India for display. It remains to be seen if the Bodleian Library, owners of the priceless document, grants permission to ship such a precious item all the way to India.
Heavy rain lashed the city of Hyderabad on Monday evening, causing waterlogging, traffic jams and power cuts at several places. At least seven persons have lost their lives in the city and in the adjoining districts in the past 24 hours. The city received 13 cm of rain.
In this file photo Honeypreet Insan is seen with Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh at the promotion of the film MSG - The Warrior Lion Heart in Bengaluru. Photo: PTI
With reports surfacing of Dera Sacha Sauda Chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh's 'adopted' daughter likely to surrender before the police today, Panchkula police commissioner AS Chawla clarified that no specific intimation has been received in this regard, adding that all necessary arrangements have been done.

"Whether she wants to surrender or approach courts is a decision she has to take. We have not received any specific information. Based on available leads, our teams have been deployed and arrangements are ongoing. It will be inappropriate to give statements at this time. Whatever is the case, we will proceed as per the law. The moment we have information, we will let you know," he told reporters here.

Reportedly, Priyanka Taneja alias Honeypreet is likely to surrender before a court today after being on the run for over a month.

Insan, has cried foul and downplayed all allegations framed against her.

While talking with a Hindi news channel, Insan said that false news is being spread about her relationship with her adopted father and described bond she shared with the Dera Sacha Sauda chief as "pious".

"I am scared, I cannot believe that people are saying such foul things about me. I am depressed. My father is innocent and so am I. I am sure that one day the real truth will come out in the open. I will urge people not to believe in these hoax reports. Nothing which is being assumed about me and my father is true," she told the news channel.

Honeypreet added that she had slipped into depression post the conviction of Ram Rahim and that it took her a while to muster courage and come out in the open to air her views. She also criticized reports of her inciting riots in Sirsa and in other parts of Haryana and Punjab.

"I cannot believe that I am being dubbed a traitor. We have been making films on patriotism and they are calling us traitors. The allegations are not true. They accuse me of being involved in riots, but do they have any evidence against me. I don't know why my name has been brought into this. I was in the chopper with papa (Ram Rahim) when he was being taken to jail. We were not even aware of any unrest. My movement was being monitored, how could I have instigated riots?," she said.



She also said she was seeking legal opinion on her next step and was likely to move the Punjab and Haryana High Court. On being asked about her image being portrayed as a "villain", a "conspirator", Honeypreet replied, "How are they making me an accused. I was there with my Papa (Ram Rahim) and discharging my duty as a daughter (on August 25)."



"Every daughter remains with her father, I went with him. Have you heard me saying a word where I instigate people. I had gone there (to CBI court in Panchkula) with a hope that my father will return by evening, but when he was held guilty, I went into depression, how could I think about anything else, I was totally devastated," she said.



On being asked where she had been hiding for so many days after she left Rohtak, she said, "..later, I went to Delhi. Now, I will go to Punjab and Haryana High Court".



She said that she has "full faith" in the judiciary and will get justice.



Responding to the allegations levelled by her ex-husband Vishwas Gupta surrounding her relations with Ram Rahim, Honeypreet said, "I cannot understand how anyone can point fingers at pious relations that are there between a father and his daughter. What proof have these people got to level such allegations. All those who are spreading such rumours, please do not believe them."



On being asked about skeletons being buried inside the Dera at Sirsa and the sect chief's exploitation of some female disciples, Honeypreet said, "Did anyone find skeletons. As regards what is being said about my Papa, he is innocent and in times to come you will see this.."



The Haryana Police has been conducting searches at various locations to trace Honeypreet and two other key Dera functionaries.



The Haryana Police had earlier said that a court in Panchkula had issued arrest warrants against Honeypreet Insan, Dera spokesperson Aditya Insan, and Dera's top functionary Pawan Insan in connection with the incidents of Panchkula violence.



Honeypreet, had earlier been booked at Sector 5 police station in Panchkula. The police added her name in FIR number 345 as an accused in connection with the violence.



Her name has been included in the same FIR in which other Dera functionaries Aditya Insan and Surinder Dhiman, among others, had been booked for allegedly inciting violence and arson, the police had said earlier.

Honeypreet is wanted by the police in connection with the violence that broke out in Panchkula in August the day a court there held Ram Rahim guilty on charges of rape.

The Delhi High Court, on 26 September, rejected the transit anticipatory bail plea of Insan.

For almost 40 days, Haryana Police has been tracking leads on Honeypreet in UP, Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan.
award winning actor Prakash Raj on Monday described as "chilling" the silence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on those "celebrating" the killing of journalist Gauri Lankesh, including the ones "followed" by him on Twitter.

While questioning Modi's silence, Raj said that he felt like "returning" his awards to "such actors who are acting as though nothing has happened" but later insisted that he was "not such a fool to give back the awards."



Lankesh, who had strident anti-right wing views, was shot dead from close range by unknown assailants at her home here on the night of September 5.

Raj posted a video statement on Monday night on his Twitter account, saying that he had not said that he "wants to reject the awards".

"I saw on news channels that Prakash Raj has decided to give back the national awards. I am not such a fool to give back the national awards. It has been given for my work, which I am proud of," Raj said in the video statement.

Earlier, at an event here on Sunday, he had said, "When I see such actors who are acting as though nothing has happened, I have been given five national awards, I feel like returning it to them. They are bigger actors than me."



Raj, who described Lankesh as his close friend, said, "Who is celebrating? I am pained at the celebrations of inhuman killing. I have vented out my pain and my anguish at those who are celebrating. I have been trolled..."



He went on to add, "At the same time, my question is, as the prime minister of this country, if such people are being followed by the prime minister and the prime minister is not taking a stand on them or not commenting on them, as a citizen of this country, I am disturbed, hurt. I am afraid of the silence of my prime minister."



Emphasising that he did not belong to any political party and was speaking as a citizen of the country, Raj said, "I am not talking against any party. I am talking to my prime minister. I am saying your silence is chilling. I am hurt by the silence....I have a right to say this."



On Sunday, the actor had said, "...My problem is that -- who killed (her) is not important -- but who is celebrating is clearly seen (on Twitter)."



He had added, "Who is happy can be clearly seen. There may not be proof (regarding the killing), but things can be seen. Today through social media the hidden cruelty is known."



He made the remarks after inaugurating the 11th state conference of the Democratic Youth Federation of India, the youth wing of the CPI(M), here yesterday.

"We have a prime minister amidst us who is sitting with his eyes shut to this," Raj said.

In further comments, he had said, "I'm bigger actor than you, don't try to act in front of me, please respect me as an actor. If you act in front of me as though you know nothing-- am I a fool (to believe it) or are people or today's younger generation fools?"



He has won national awards as best supporting actor for his film 'Iruvar' in Tamil, special jury award for 'Anthapuram' in Telugu, special jury award for various movies in multiple languages, best actor for 'Kanchivaram' in Telugu, and best film for 'Puttakkana Highway' in Kannada.
Pakistan Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif termed Prime Minister Narendra Modi a "terrorist, who has the blood of Muslims on his hands."

Asif, who was speaking in a show on Geo News, made his statement in an attempt to rebut External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, who recently ripped into Pakistan at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) for supporting and exporting terror.

"Sushma Swaraj has accused us (Pakistan) of exporting terrorism. (However) one terrorist (in India) is the country's prime minister himself. He (Modi) has the blood of Muslims murdered in Gujarat on his hands," Asif made the statement, while talking to Geo News's Hamid Mir.

India is being "ruled by a terrorist party - the RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh)," Asif further said.

These remarks have come after Sushma Swaraj ripped apart Pakistan at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and said India has risen despite being the principal destination of Pakistan's nefarious export of terrorism.

"India has risen despite being the principal destination of Pakistan's nefarious export of terrorism. There have been many governments under many parties during 70 years of Indian freedom, for we have been a sustained democracy," Swaraj had said while addressing the 72nd UNGA session in New York.

"Every government has done its bit for India's development. We have marched ahead consistently without pause, in education, health and across the range of human welfare. We established scientific and technical institutions which are the pride of the world," she added.
Beleaguered liquor baron Vijay Mallya was arrested here on Tuesday in a money-laundering case filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), before being released on bail by the Westminster Magistrates' Court.
On the back of higher sugarcane acreage this year and record sugarcane payments during 2016-17 crushing season, Uttar Pradesh government has projected sugar production of almost 10 million tonnes (MT) in the coming season.
In November last year, Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) officials moved around in the city in twos or threes to ensure that every household without a personal toilet was enumerated. Nanjubais house was one among 40  all belonging to the Bhil community  built on one end of the Sukhniwas road. An official meeting was called with all the residents, details collected from each household and the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan scheme explained.
Amid growing uncertainties in the seafood trade, exporters from India have now a reason to cheer as the country is expected to be the standout performer in 2017 along with Chile.


Securing the nation's airspace could soon become a more challenging task for the Indian Air Force, as it faces delays in inducting additional airborne warning and control aircraft, even as Pakistan is slated to see its own fleet of such aircraft increase by year-end.
After registering a phenomenal 40 per cent growth in the financial year 2016-17, India's are finding it difficult to sustain the momentum in the coming years.


With the Centre making its intent on electric vehicles clear, state governments are swinging into action to lure the new investments that automakers will pump into manufacturing them. Three weeks ago, Karnataka became the first state to roll out an electric vehicle policy to encourage manufacturing, while Telangana, another state with an automobile manufacturing base, is learnt to be working on its policy.
State Bank of India Chairman Arundhati Bhattacharya will hang up her boots on Friday on completion of her term. But, there is little clarity on who will succeed her, especially at a time when Indias largest lender is in the midst of a transition  the merger of its associate .
British short-haul carrier faced an annual loss in excess of 100 million ($133 million, 113 million euros) when it went bust, chief executive Andrew Swaffield said today.

The airline declared bankruptcy on Monday after failing to secure fresh capital or sell the business, leaving British authorities racing to rescue tens of thousands of customers stranded abroad, while Monarch staff were made redundant.

"Yesterday was a heart-breaking day as 2,000 people lost their jobs and we are all absolutely devastated for the customers and for all of us," Swaffield told BBC Radio 4.

The Civil Aviation Authority regulator launched an emergency repatriation scheme on Monday to fly back 110,000 Monarch customers to Britain at an estimated cost to taxpayers of 60 million.

Monarch has been badly hit by a legacy of weak demand in previously key markets Turkey, Tunisia and Egypt that have each suffered terrorist attacks in recent years.

In turn, the events have sparked fierce competition and oversupply for popular destinations Portugal and Spain.

Consequently, the airline suffered a 25-percent reduction in ticket prices which created a "massive economic challenge" for the group, Swaffield said.

Monarch therefore faced the daunting prospect of a huge loss for the next financial year.

"The figure was well over 100 million" (that the group was projected to lose next year) ... and we could not figure out a way of reducing those losses significantly," Swaffield said.

"We couldn't find a way in the end and we reached the end of the road on Saturday night, made the decision and filed on Monday morning."



He added: "We spoke to a variety of sources, trying to leave no stone unturned, including raising capital to fund trading losses, selling the company and part of the company, and concluded that we had no prospect.
The Russians who posed as Americans on last year tried on quite an array of disguises.
Goldman Sachs Group Inc. is weighing a new trading operation dedicated to bitcoin and other digital currencies, the first blue-chip Wall Street firm preparing to deal directly in this burgeoning yet controversial market, according to people familiar with the matter.
America has experienced yet another mass shooting, this time at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino on the strip in Las Vegas, Nevada . It is reportedly the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history.

As a criminologist, I have reviewed recent research in hopes of debunking some of the common misconceptions I hear creeping into discussions that spring up whenever a mass shooting occurs. Heres some recent scholarship about mass shootings that should help you identify misinformation when you hear it.
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Editors note: This is a roundup of gun control articles published by scholars from the U.S. and two other countries where deadly mass shootings are far less common.
Stephen Paddock was a high-stakes gambler recognised in the casinos of Nevada. He dabbled in real estate investments in Texas. His last known full-time employment was 30 years ago. He was twice divorced. He had a pilots licence and had owned two single-engine planes.
An honour bestowed on Myanmar leader by the city of Oxford has been withdrawn as a reaction to her perceived inadequate response to the plight of Rohingya Muslims in the country.

The 'Freedom of Oxford' had been granted to the de facto leader of Myanmar in 1997 for her "long struggle for democracy" by the Oxford City Council.

A cross-party motion was unanimously passed by the council yesterday which said it was "no longer appropriate" for her to hold the honour.

Oxford City Council leader Bob Price supported the motion to remove her honour and confirmed it was an "unprecedented step" for the local authority.

The city council will hold a special meeting to confirm that the honour is removed on November 27.

Suu Kyi, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, has close links to the city of Oxford, having lived in Park Town with her family and earlierattended St Hugh's College from 1964 until 1967.

The city council's move comes days after her alma mater, St Hugh's, removed her portrait from the main college entrance.

While the exact reasons for the portrait's removal were attributed to a new replacement, there is a wider view that the allegations of ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya Muslims fleeing their homes to Bangladesh is likely to be behind the move.

Nearly 500,000 people belonging to Myanmar's Rohingya minority have been displaced after violence allegedly instigated by the country's military, causing a major humanitarian crisis.

Suu Kyi has been Myanmar's State Counsellor, a position similar to prime minister, since April, 2016.

She spent years under house arrest as a campaigner for democracy while Myanmar was ruled by a military dictatorship.

She became a worldwide icon for freedom before leading her National League for Democracy to victory in open elections in November, 2015.

The UK government has made repeated calls for her take a more firm stance on the violence being suffered by the Rohingyas.
Facing global flak, Myanmar on Monday proposed to take back the hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims who have fled to neighbouring Bangladesh, a media report said.

Kyaw Tint Swe, a Minister in the office of Myanmar State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, made the proposal during talks with Bangladesh Foreign Minister A.H. Mahmood Ali here, Daily Star reported.

At the meeting that lasted for over an hour, both countries also agreed to form a joint working group to resolve the .



ALSO READ: Head of UN food agency says world must step up Rohingya aid



Foreign Minister Ali, briefing media persons later, disclosed about Myanmar's proposal to take back its nationals.

"Talks were held in a peaceful manner," Minister Ali said after the meeting at state guest house Padma. "Myanmar proposed to take back the Rohingyas from Bangladesh."

According to him, both sides decided to form a joint working group soon which will draw up plans for the repatriation of Rohingya refugees.

Under pressure, Aung San Suu Kyi, in her speech last month, had spoken of taking back the Rohingyas, but said Myanmar would conduct a process of verification.





At Monday's meeting, Bangladesh proposed signing a bilateral agreement for the repatriation process and handed over a draft to the Myanmar delegation, the Minister added.

Asked when the process might start, Ali said: "One meeting cannot solve all the issues. The joint working group has to be formed first. Both sides will propose names. We are moving it fast."

His reply to how long it would take to form the joint panel was: "Very soon."

Ali said Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal will visit Myanmar soon, Dhaka Tribune reported.

"The Home Minister will discuss with the Myanmar government regarding border security and border management issue," he said adding that four Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) are expected to be signed during the visit.



ALSO READ: Rohingya crisis a great opportunity for India to set its house in order



Home Minister Khan Kamal, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister's Office, state minister for foreign affairs, Foreign Secretary and other high officials attended the meeting.

Over half a million Rohingyas have fled to Bangladesh since the start of a military crackdown in the Myanmar border state of Rakhine.

The refugees have claimed that the Myanmar security forces are shooting at civilians, setting fire to their homes and raping Rohingya women.
Europe has had a rocky ride with referendums in recent years: think of Greeces anti-austerity vote in 2015, or the Brexit shock and Italys failed constitutional referendum in December 2016. As the UK found with the 2014 Scottish independence vote, even holding a referendum at all can be highly destabilising to the traditional political order and political party systems.

But something different happened in Catalonia on October 1 2017: a referendum that in practice wasnt a referendum at all. It was considered a referendum by the supporters of Catalan independence, but not their opponents  the Spanish government  who called it illegal  for the EU, or any known government in the world. The reported 42.3% turnout and near-90% vote for independence do not carry any meaningful legitimacy. Even for those who did turn out, anything approaching normal voting was prevented by a heavy and at times violent Spanish police presence.
In a landslide victory, Jagmeet Singh has become the new leader of Canadas New Democratic Party.

Despite predictions that voting could go into multiple rounds and ostensibly drag on until mid-October, Singh won 53.6 per cent of the first-ballot votes on Sunday. He easily beat out his closest rival, Charlie Angus, who garnered only 19.3 per cent.
Among the top eight cities in India, only Chennai reported a rise in net absorption of office space, with a 60 per cent jump for the January to September period.
Supportive global helped the domestic market recoup some of the losses made in the past fortnight. Strong US factory data and the prospect of tax cuts in the worlds largest economy fuelled a rally, as the US climbed to a new record on Monday and the MSCI Asia Pacific added 0.6 per cent on Tuesday. Indias benchmark BSE Sensex gained 214 points, or 0.7 per cent, to close at 31,497; the National Stock Exchanges Nifty 50 gained 71 points, or 0.7 per cent, to close at 9,859.5. The broader also remained positive, with the BSE mid- and small-cap indices gaining 0.8 per cent and 0.5 per cent, respectively.
Tata Motors surged 7% to Rs 428 on BSE in early morning trade after the company reported a strong 25% increase in domestic sales at 53,965 units in September. The company had sold 43,031 units in September 2016. The stock recorded its sharpest intra-day gain since November 8, 2016, when it rose 6.9% in intra-day trade.
Another terrorist was gunned down on Tuesday morning during search operations inside a building inside the Border Security Force (BSF) camp near Srinagar Airport.

So far, two terrorists have been eliminated and three security personnel are injured.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh will chair a high level meeting at 11.30 a.m. to review the situation in Jammu and Kashmir.

This morning, around 4.30 a.m., a group of terrorists attacked the camp of the 182nd BSF battalion, headquartered near the Srinagar Airport and Air Force Station Gogoland.

The BSF control room said that at least three militants were involved in the attack.

The area close to camp and the Kashmir Valley School has been sealed to allow for the search and security operation to continue smoothly.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Catalan President, Carles Puigdemont, has called for international mediation to resolve the region's growing crisis with the Spanish Government, saying Europe cannot continue to ignore the issue after around 900 people were injured during the police crackdown on the referendum.

"The European Commission must encourage international mediation. It cannot look the other way any longer," The Guardian quoted Puigdemont, as saying.

Reportedly, around 900 were injured on Sunday as the riot police raided polling stations and fired rubber bullets. Regional officials said more than 800 people were injured.

The Catalan government has claimed victory in a contested referendum on independence from Spain.

Of around 2.2 million ballots counted, about 90 per cent were in favour of independence. Catalonia has 5.3 million total eligible voters.

Declining to intervene in what it has described as an internal Spanish matter, the European Commission urged both sides to "move very swiftly from confrontation to dialogue".

"Violence can never be an instrument in politics. We trust the leadership of Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy to manage this difficult process in full respect of the Spanish Constitution and of the fundamental rights of citizens enshrined therein," the commission said, in a statement.

Catalonia's separatist government had pushed forward with the vote despite opposition from Madrid and a ruling from the country's top court declaring it illegal.

The vote risks plunging the country into one of its worst political crises since the end of Gen. Francisco Franco's dictatorship in 1975. Catalonia has its own regional government, with considerable powers over healthcare, education and tax collection.

The region has, however, long complained that its revenues subsidise other parts of Spain.

Catalan nationalists have always argued that the region is a separate nation with its own history, culture and language, and that it should have increased fiscal independence.

In 2006, the Spanish government backed Catalonia's calls for greater powers. But, four years later, that status was rescinded by the Constitutional Court, which ruled that while Catalan is a "nationality," Catalonia is not a nation itself.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The exhibition-cum-sale of exquisite silk handloom fabrics that enables an interface between weavers and consumers commences today.

Silk Fab exhibition is an initiative of the office of Development Commissioner for Handlooms, Ministry of Textiles, Government of India through National Handloom Development Corporation (NHDC) Ltd. to provide direct access to the handloom weavers to market their products to consumers in various cities of India.

The participants are from various State Government Bodies/Apex Societies, Primary Handloom Weavers Co-operative Societies and Handloom Agencies. 110 agencies belonging to 15 states are participating.

The handloom sector of India employs 65 lac persons directly or indirectly which is next only to agricultural sector in the country. The art of handloom weaving has traditional values attached to it and each region has exquisite varieties. The uniqueness of silk products such as Pochampalli, Paithani, Kanjivaram, Banarasi, Jamdani, Baluchari, and Ikkat, to name a few attracts customers across the globe with exclusive weaves, designs and traditional motifs.

Through these exhibitions, handloom agencies not only market their products at reasonable rates but also get to know customers' choice with regard to colour, design and weaving for future improvement of the product.

Government of India has launched the "Handloom Mark" scheme for handloom products and "Silk Mark" for genuinity of silk products, to encourage and give a distinct identity to the products, apart from highlighting the uniqueness of the products. It also serves a guarantee for the buyer that the product being purchased is genuinely handwoven.

All the exhibitors at the Silk Fab have been encouraged to display the 'Handloom Mark' and 'Silk Mark' tag on the products and thus aim to improve the earnings of the handloom weaver community.

The exhibition will be open to public from 11 am to 8 pm for fourteen days upto October 16, 2017. Exhibition includes State Government Agencies/Apex Bodies, Primary Handloom Weavers Co-operative Societies, and the agencies working under the recently started Integrated Handloom Development Scheme. The Primary Handloom Weavers Co-operative Societies are recommended by their respective State Governments.

Silk Products drawn from some of the exotic locations of India are on display and sale at the exhibition.

A brief list is given below :-

Andhra Pradesh Gadwal, Pochampally, Dharmavaram

Assam Muga Silk

Bihar Tassar, Kantha, Madhubani Prints

Chhattisgarh Tribal work, Kosa Silk

Delhi Printed Silk Sarees

Jammu & Kashmir Printed Silk Sarees, Dress Material

Jharkhand Kantha, Kosa Silk

Karnataka Chintamani, Kasuti Work, Karnataka Silk

Madhya Pradesh Chanderi, Maheshwari

Maharashtra Paithani, Pune Saree

Odisha Bomkai, Sambalpur

Rajasthan Bandhej

Uttar Pradesh Tanchoi, Jamdani, Jamawar (Banarasi)

West Bengal Baluchari, Kantha, Tangail.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Cuba's Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla on Tuesday said Washington's response to mysterious attacks on its diplomats has been "irresponsible" and "hasty."

"In the meeting that, at the proposal of the Cuban side, was held with the United States Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, the minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cuba, Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla, warned him against the adoption of hasty decisions that were not supported by evidence; urged him not to politicise a matter of this nature and once again required the effective cooperation from the US authorities to clarify facts and conclude the investigation," Cuba's Foreign Affairs Ministry said in a statement.

This statement comes after the United States President Donald Trump has expelled 15 Cuban diplomats in response to the mysterious 'sonic attacks' targeting the U.S. embassy staff in Havana.

The statement released by the U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson asserted that "decision was made due to Cuba's failure to take appropriate steps to protect our diplomats in accordance with its obligations under the Vienna Convention. This order will ensure equity in our respective diplomatic operations."

However, terming the expulsion as "unwarranted act" the statement by Cuban Ministry said, "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly protests and condemns this unfounded and unacceptable decision as well as the pretext used to justify it, for it has been asserted that the Cuban Government did not take the appropriate measures to prevent the occurrence of the alleged incidents."

"It is the second time, after May 23, 2017, that the State Department orders two Cuban diplomats in Washington to abandon the country; that the US Government reacts in a hasty, inappropriate and unthinking way, without having evidence of the occurrence of the adduced facts, for which Cuba has no responsibility whatsoever and before the conclusion of the investigation that is still in progress," the statement added.

On September 29, Tillerson had announced the decision to significantly downscale the diplomatic staff of the US embassy in Havana and withdraw all their relatives, claiming that there had been "attacks" perpetrated against the U.S. Government officials in Cuba which have harmed their health.

At least 22 people have been injured, with intelligence officials especially targeted. Symptoms include mild traumatic brain injury, permanent hearing loss, severe headaches, loss of balance and brain swelling.

Meanwhile, Cuba has also allowed the U.S. investigative agencies to work on the ground in its country for the first time in more than 50 years as part of the investigation into attacks on American diplomats.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday attached assets worth Rs 32.175 crore of Satna based Kamal Sponge and Steel Power Limited (KSSPL), in connection with its probe in a coal block allocation case under Prevention of Money Laundering Act,2002.

The assets attached are in the form of balance in bank accounts and immovable assets, that is, land, plant and machinery, and power plant.

The ED initiated investigation in the case on the basis of an FIR registered by CBI against KSSPL, its directors and promoters, and others.

On October 13, 2014 the CBI had filed a closure report before the Special CBI Judge, at Delhi's Patiala House Court but the court did not accept it then and took cognizance of the offence against the company and Director Pawan Kumar Ahluwalia, and others.

According to the ED, Thesgora-B/Rudrapuri Coal Block was allocated jointly to the said company and Rewti Cements Pvt Ltd on November 21, 2008 by the Ministry of Coal. While submitting application of allotment of coal block, KSSPL had mis-represented their net worth and production capacity, in order to embellish its claim on favorable recommendation for allocation of Coal Block.

The Supreme Court vide judgment dated August 25, 2014 had ordered cancellation of allotment of coal blocks including the one allotted to KSSPL.

After applying for allocation of coal block, the company received share application money amounting to Rs 86.469 crore during the period from 2007-08 to 2010-2011 from different companies/individuals, out of which they refunded Rs. 17.67 crore to some investors. The share application money so received was used by the said company for re-payment of term loan and other loans.

The company issued shares of face value of Rs. 100/- per share at par as well as at a premium of Rs. 900/- and issued shares for Rs 32.175 cores and did not allot shares for the remaining amount. The company received high premium because it had very high probability of getting coal block after misrepresenting the net worth and production capacity, which were relevant criteria for allocation of coal Block.

During the year 2007-08 to 2009-10, the company had issued shares at the premium of Rs 900/- per share whereas the trend of earning per share was not only insignificant but also decreasing. Further, the shares issued at the premium of Rs. 900/- per share to 33 different investors were further purchased by a different company at value of mere Rs 25/- per share.

Thus, the company has gained pecuniary undue benefit of Rs. 32,17,50,000 as share application money and share premium which is the part of the proceeds of crime derived as a result of criminal activity relating to the Schedule Offence.

Further investigation is in progress.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Former employees of Kingfisher, company owned by Liquor baron Vijay Mallya, on Wednesday slammed the British judiciary for releasing the Fugitive baron on bail, just hours after his release.

Branding the move by the British judiciary as "ridiculous," Anirudh Balal, former employee of Kingfisher, told ANI, "It is a very ridiculous move by the British judiciary. This is the second time. Last time in April and yesterday he was arrested and immediately given a bail shows that the Brit judiciary or the government doesn't seem to be very serious about people who commit crimes and then go and take shelter in those countries as a safe haven."

He also said that the British government needs to send out a strong message by not encouraging people like Mallya to reside in their country.

Balal added that Mallya will not have a way out if the British judiciary and the Indian government maintain pressure on him.

Vijay Mallya was granted bail within hours after he was arrested in London on Tuesday, on a fresh charge of money laundering brought by the Indian government.

This was the second time that the same incident in 2017; earlier on April 18, he was arrested and released by the British police.

Mallya was granted bail and released on a bond of 60,000 pounds and will appear in court for next hearing on November 20, 2017. His actual extradition hearing is scheduled on December 4.

The charge was supplementary to the fraud charges already in place and alleges that the funds Mallya fraudulently obtained through loans to Kingfisher Airlines was channeled to his Force India Formula One team, in which he has taken a very active role while he awaits extradition to India.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Karnataka Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy on Tuesday asserted that the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing journalist Gauri Lankesh muder case has received 'some information and clues' but cannot reveal them at this point of time.

Reddy said, "We constituted the SIT to probe this case and they have received information and clues, which I cannot reveal at this moment."

The SIT is working towards finding the evidence and is probing the case from all the angles, the minister added.

A SIT comprising of 19 officers, headed by IGP Intelligence B.K. Singh, was formed to probe Gauri Lankesh's murder.

Lankesh was shot dead on September 5 at her residence in Bengaluru's Rajarajeshwari Nagar by some unidentified assailants at around 8-8:30 p.m.

Four rounds were fired at the 55-year-old journalist with a 7.65mm country-made pistol.

As per the reports, three bullets were pumped into her body.

Lankesh was the editor of the Gauri Lankesh Patrike, a tabloid described as an "anti-establishment" publication.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Honeypreet Insan, who is being questioned by the Panchkula Police, has revealed that while absconding, she was living with another Dera Sacha Sauda follower in Bathinda District, said Panchkula Police Commissioner A S Chawla.

"The lady who was travelling today has confirmed that Honeypreet Insan was living with her for the last many days in a remote location at Bathinda district, where she has land and a house too, which is where Honeypreet was staying," A S Chawla told media.

This comes from an earlier revelation by the Panchkula Police that jailed Dera Sacha Sauda Chief Gurmeet Ram rahim Singh's 'adopted' daughter Honeypreet Insan was travelling from Guru Sar Modia where Haryana Police had conducted raids as well.

"The other lady's name is Sukhdeep and is also a follower of the Dera," said Chawla.

He further said that they have deputed senior lady police officers from Haryana for this investigation, adding that Honeypreet Insan's questioning is still going on.

The Police Commissioner asserted that Honeypreet is not revealing a lot of details.

"She is not giving many details yet which is why the interrogation is taking a lot of time."

He also said that the interrogation will continuously proceed, where they will take her in remand after she is presented in the court tomorrow at 2 p.m.

Chawla also said that Honeypreet will soon be arrested.

He also asserted that they are verifying the facts that have come to the Police, adding that, "We will have to take her to the locations for confirmation."

Honeypreet was wanted by the police in connection with the violence that broke out in Panchkula in August, the day a court there declared Ram Rahim guilty of rape.

The Delhi High Court, on 26 September, rejected the transit anticipatory bail plea of Insan.

For almost 40 days, Haryana Police has been tracking leads on Honeypreet in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan.

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Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, on Tuesday alleged that "false cases" are being framed against him.

Singh's comments came after Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a jibe at him and said that the state is being ruled under the Government that is "on bail."

"I am being framed through false cases and there are three agencies pursuing the same case which are income tax, Enforcement Department and Central Bureau of Investigation," said Virbhadra Singh.

He asked whether anybody has heard that three big agencies pursue the same case.

"I will be going to the people's court and they will decide everything," said Singh.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi during an election campaign in Bilaspur said that whole family of Chief Minister Singh is "on bail," also asking the people of the state to throw out the Congress government which is "on bail".

"A few Congress members came to meet me, I asked him that the Chief Minister's family is on bail, why don't you change it," Prime Minister Modi asserted during a speech.

BJP has kicked off its election campaign for 68-member Himachal assembly elections. The Himachal assembly is likely to go to polls in November.

Prime Minister Modi was addressing the "Abhar rally" of the BJP after participating in the foundation ceremonies of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Kothipura in Bilaspur district and IIIT in Haroli constituency in Una.

Chief minister Virbhadra Singh is facing money laundering and disproportionate assets case.

The CBI had filed a chargesheet against Singh, his wife and seven others for allegedly accumulating assets of over Rs. 10 crore disproportionate to his known sources of income in March this year.

A Delhi Court had on July 7 allowed the Enforcement Directorate more time to file a supplementary charge-sheet against Singh, his wife and other accused in the case.

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Condolences from all across the continue to pour in after the mass shooting in Las Vegas that killed at least 59 people and injured hundreds.

The gunman, identified as 64-year-old Stephen Paddock, opened fire on concertgoers enjoying a country music festival in Las Vegas from the 32nd floor of a hotel late Sunday.

Also, the attack is being considered as the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history.

The British Prime Minister, Theresa May, tweeted her condolence after the Las Vegas shooting.

"The UK's thoughts are with the victims and the emergency services responding to the appalling attack in Las Vegas," she wrote.

In Paris, French President Emmanuel Macron offered words of comfort.

"Emotional thoughts for our American partners and friends who have had to suffer the violence of our times in Las Vegas a few hours ago," he tweeted Monday.

The Eiffel Tower, the French capital's most iconic landmark, went dark at midnight "in homage to the victims of the attacks in Marseille and Las Vegas."

Le Monde, a leading French newspaper, observed that the United States, "with 85 arms per 100 inhabitants, is also the Western country where the proportion of deaths by gunshots is the highest."

Russia's state-run, 24-hour news channels also covered the attack.

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev took to Facebook to express his condolences. "I am shocked by the tragedy in Las Vegas," he wrote in Russian and in English. The crime is striking in its violence and cynicism. Russia shares the sorrow of those who lost their relatives and friends. We pass our sympathy and support to them and wish a speedy recovery to the injured."

"I condemn in the strongest terms possible today's terror attack in Las Vegas, NV," Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Twitter.

"I sincerely hope that such attacks won't happen in the future. On behalf of the Turkish people, I offer my condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims and all Americans."

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi called it a "heinous attack."

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said: "Words fail this morning. The friendship & support of Canadians is with the victims in Las Vegas & the people of the US."

Benjamin Netanyahu?, the Israeli prime minister, also offered words of solace.

Enrique Pena Nieto, the president of Mexico, called the shooting "tragic."

Pope Francis said he was "deeply saddened" and called the shooting a "senseless tragedy."

Monday's attack has prompted a debate on social media about whether the United States should adopt stricter gun-control laws.

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Jalal Talabani,the Kurdish leader and the first president of Iraq under its postwar Constitution, has passed away in hospital in Berlin, Germany, at the age of 83.

Talabani had suffered a stroke in 2012 and was moved to a hospital in Berlin where he remained in coma. He was the first non-Arab president of Iraq, although Abdul Karim Qasim was of partial Kurdish heritage.

Talabani served as the sixth President of Iraq from 2005 to 2014, as well as the President of the Governing Council of Iraq (39th Prime Minister of Iraq).

Talabani, a law school graduate, was a key figure in the transitional governing council that drafted the new Iraqi constitution after the overthrow of Saddam Hussein in 2003, and was later voted into what was supposed to be a largely ceremonial position of president of Iraq by the country's newly constituted parliament in 2005, Guardian reported.

He survived decades of guerrilla warfare and bitter infighting, first taking up arms against the central government and then a fractious civil war between Kurdish factions in the 1990s, where he led the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK). He also survived brutal purges and chemical attacks aimed at Iraq's Kurds by Saddam Hussein.

Former US President George W. Bush's administration saw Talabani as an important ally. Talabani tried to steer a divided nation through years of civil war and insurgency led by al-Qaida in Iraq, the precursor to Islamic State (Isis), and the conflagration initiated by the American occupation. Isis would later re-emerge with a vengeance, conquering large swaths of Iraq in 2014.

His death came days after a landmark referendum in Iraqi Kurdistan, where voters overwhelmingly backed calls for the region's independence from Baghdad.

Talabani was long an ardent campaigner for a sovereign Kurdish state in northern Iraq, where his political beginnings were rooted.

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After being in limelight infamously for decades-old sexual assault case, director Roman Polanski finally commented on the sexual assault case which continues to dominate any discussion of the 84-year-old Oscar-winning director.

During an interview at the Zurich International Film Festival, where he is promoting his latest movie 'Based on a True Story,' opened about the case that lingered for almost 30 years.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the Oscar-winning director said, "As you know, Samantha Geimer has been asking for over 30 years for this thing to end. But, I'm sorry the judges who dealt with it the last 40 years were corrupted, one covering for the other. So I don't maybe one of them will [eventually] stop doing it."

Polanski's attorney, Harland Braun has suggested the L.A. court sentence Polanski in absentia to 334 days in custody, which is equal to the time he's already served over the years in detention in U.S. and Switzerland, where he spent nearly a year under house arrest before the Swiss courts rejected the U.S. extradition request and set him free.

"As far as what I did: It's over. I pleaded guilty. "I went to jail. I came back to the United States to do it, people forget about that, or don't even know. I then was locked up here [in Zurich] after this festival. So in the sum, I did about four or five times more than what was promised to me," noted Polanski.

The controversy over the decades-old case was reignited earlier this year after Polanski agreed to serve as president of the Cesars, France's equivalent to the Oscars.

The director eventually withdrew after vocal protests by women's groups.

For the unversed, on March 11, 1977, Polanski, at the time the toast of Hollywood as the director of 'Rosemary's Baby' and 'Chinatown', was arrested and charged with drugging and raping then-13-year-old Samantha Gailey (now Samantha Geimer).

As a part of a plea bargain, Polanski pled guilty to unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor, underwent psychiatric evaluation and spent 42 days in jail.

Polanski also shared that it was "unfortunate" that the case has affected how his films are viewed.

It should be noted that Roman Polanski's new movie 'Based on a True Story' which stars Eva Green and Emmanuelle Seigner in pivotal roles was screened at this year's Cannes Film Festival.

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An Army jawan on Tuesday lost his life in a ceasefire violation by Pakistan Army in Jammu and Kashmir's Bhimber Gali village.

The jawan has been identified as Naik Mahendra Chemjung.

Pakistan Army initiated unprovoked firing on Indian Army posts in KG sector. Indian Army retaliated strongly and effectively.

However, in the exchange of fire, Naik Mahendra Chemjung was grievously injured and succumbed to his injuries.

Naik Mahendra Chemjung aged 35 years, belonged to Chilingdin, Nepal and is survived by his wife Smt Nayan Kala Chemjung and one son.

Earlier in the day, a Border Security Force (BSF) Camp near Srinagar airport was attacked by three terrorists.

The terrorists were gunned down by the security forces during an encounter by the 182nd Battalion of the BSF located near the Airport and Air Force Station Gogoland.

Inspector General (IG) of Police, Kashmir, Munir Khan on Tuesday confirmed that three gunned down terrorists during an encounter belonged to terror outfit- Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM).

While, one BSF personnel also succumbed to his injuries post encounter. Some security personnel were also injured.

The area close to camp and the Kashmir Valley School were sealed to allow for the search and security operation to continue smoothly.

According to the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), the Srinagar Airport has been shut down due to encounter which has now ended.

No flights are operating till the security clearance and the airport is under the CRPF security.

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The Border Security Force (BSF) Camp near Srinagar airport that was attacked on morning was heavily damaged by three terrorists.

The terrorists were gunned down by the security forces during an encounter at a camp manned by the 182nd Battalion of the BSF located near the Airport and Air Force Station Gogoland.

Inspector General (IG) of Police, Kashmir, Munir Khan on Tuesday confirmed that three gunned down terrorists during an encounter belonged to terror outfit- Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM).

One BSF personnel also succumbed to his injuries post encounter.

Some security personnel were also injured.

The area close to camp and the Kashmir Valley School were sealed to allow for the search and security operation to continue smoothly.

According to the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), the Srinagar Airport has been shut down due to encounter which has now ended.

No flights are operating till the security clearance and the airport is under the CRPF security.

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Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Amit Shah on Tuesday said party's ambitious 'Janaraksha Yatra' is to create awareness against political murders.

He said the yatra was started from Kannur because most murders took place here only.

While speaking to ANI, Amit Shah said, "Yatra is to invoke awareness. Thirteen BJP workers have been brutally murdered in a short span of time. If we don't bring awareness now, they won't stop. We have chosen Kannur because most murders took place here. The yatra will continue till October 17 in Delhi and all other state capitals. Then we'll take out huge 'Jan Sampark Abhiyan' in Kerala."

"This movement is non-political. We wanted to stand with our workers and their families and make situation where there's no further political violence," he added.

The saffron party's 15-day padayatra will span across 154 km, covering 11 districts of Kerala. It will be BJP's first major public demonstration in Kerala as it attempts to make inroads into the state's electoral politics.

Earlier in the day, BJP president lashed out at Kerala's Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M) and blamed the party for supporting political violence in the state as he flagged off the Janaraksha Yatra in Payyannur.

Addressing the gathering here, Shah said, "End of the CPI-M will herald the end of political violence. Wherever CPI-M ruled - be it Kerala, West Bengal or Tripura - political violence followed. Also, more than 120 workers of the BJP had succumbed to death in Kerala due to political violence."

He further blamed Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan for the killings of his party's workers".

Union Minister Alphons Kannanthanam, MPs Suresh Gopi and Richard Hey, former Karnataka Education Minister C T Ravi, BJP Puducherry president V Swaminathan, and many other BJP leaders and workers joined the foot march.

Shah is on a three-day visit to the state, led the march after paying floral tributes at the statue of Mahatma Gandhi.

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"Here we are again - in the aftermath of another terrible, inexplicably shocking and painful tragedy. This time - in Las Vegas. Which happens to be my hometown," the late-night host's voice shook as he began Monday's 'Jimmy Kimmel Live'.

He delivered a touching monologue about the mass shooting in Las Vegas that killed at least 59 people and injured hundreds.

"Of course, we pray for the victims - and for their families and friends and we wonder 'why' even though there's probably no way to ever know 'why' a human being would do something like this to other human beings who were at a concert having fun listening to music," Kimmel continued.

"As a result of that this morning, we have children that are without parents and fathers that are without sons, mothers without daughters. We lost two police officers, we lost a nurse from Tennessee, a special ed teacher from a local school here in Manhattan Beach [California]," the father of four also said in his monologue, later noting the shootings in Orlando, Newtown, Aurora and San Bernadino as well as Lawrence, Kansas.

"It's the kind of thing that makes you want to throw up. Or give up," Kimmel said.

"It's too much to even process. All these devastated families who now have to live with this pain forever because one person with a violent and insane voice in his head managed to stockpile a collection of high-powered rifles - and used them to shoot people."

'Late Night' host Seth Meyers also began his show by sending his condolences to the families of the victims, and commending first responders and heroic residents who "risked their lives to save stranger."

"It always seems like the worst displays of humanity in this country are immediately followed by the best, and then sadly, that is followed by no action at all. And then it repeats itself," Meyers said, before sending a pointed message to Congress.

"I would just like to say - are there no steps we can take as a nation to prevent gun violence? Or is this just how it is, and how it's going to continue to be?"

He questioned Congress members' reasoning for repeatedly insisting "now is not the time" to talk about gun violence, adding, "What you really mean is, there is never a time to talk about it."

Meyers ended his message with a plea for transparency: "If you're not willing to do anything, just be honest and tell us. ... If it's going to be thoughts and prayers from here on out, the least you can do is be honest about that.

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Oscar-winning actor JK Simmons, who will be next seen in November's 'Justice League', feels really elated to work with superstar Ben Affleck in DC Extended Universe.

According to Contactmusic.com, Simmons feel really excited to work with fellow actor Affleck and is really looking forward to work in future movies in DCEU.

During an interview, when asked whether he enjoyed and was excited to work with Affleck, he said, "Oh absolutely, yeah. And I worked with Ben a couple of years ago on The Accountant and I met him years before that. So yes, I'm excited to work with him and hope to work with him on the other side of the camera at some point, as well."

Adding, "He's obviously a talented filmmaker in addition to being the movie star that he is and the good actor that he is, which I think will continue to develop as we see Batman and Commissioner Gordon not be spring chickens and we get into some interesting stories about these weathered kinds of guys."

Simmons also indicated that while he is hopeful there will be more 'Justice League' films in the future, Commissioner Gordon's role in the upcoming Justice League is just the briefest of introductions to the character.

"Commissioner Gordon, my incarnation of Commissioner Gordon, in the first Justice League movie of what we hope will be a handful is a kind of don't blink or you'll miss it introduction of the character. I didn't spend all that much time. We shot it here in London, which was great, it's always fun to be here, but I still haven't seen the finished thing put together," noted Simmons.

Helmed by Joss Whedon, 'Justice League' stars Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, Jason Momoa, Ezra Miller, Ray Fisher and Henry Cavill in pivotal roles.

The flick is scheduled to release on November 17.

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The Kerala High Court on Tuesday granted bail to Malayalam Actor Dileep in connection with molestation and abduction case of a South Indian film actress.

This was the fifth time when Dileep had moved a court seeking bail.

Earlier Dileep's bail plea was rejected twice by the Kerala High Court and Angamaly magistrate court.

Dileep has been accused of hatching a plot to abduct and assault the Malayalam actress in a moving car through 'prime accused' Pulsar Suni and his associates.

The actress, who has worked in Malayalam, Tamil and Telugu films, was kidnapped and molested in a moving car while she was on her way from Thrissur to Kochi on the night of February 17 this year.

Dileep was arrested on July 10 because of his alleged involvement in the molestation case.

On July 11, Dileep was expelled from the primary membership of Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) after being arrested.

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Continuing with the crackdown on drug activities, the Calangute Police on Tuesday arrested a Kerala native over the possession of narcotic drugs heroin and cannabis.

The arrested has been identified as Abdul Hasenar Sawaz, 23, who is a resident of Manjeshwaram, Kerala.

Police nabbed the accused red-handed and seized cannabis weighing 270 gram worth Rs. 30,000 and worth heroin worth Rs. 10,000 in the international market.

Officials were intimated about a Kerala native visiting to sell drugs at the Calangute parking area. Accordingly a raiding team was directed which reached to the spot.

The raid continued two hours, the officials said.

A further investigation is in progress.

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The police recovered "in excess of" 18 additional firearms, explosives and several thousand rounds of ammo at the home of the rescued in Mesquite, the Las Vegas Sheriff has said, in connection with a shooting spree last night in Las Vegas that left more than 50 people killed.

Sheriff Joe Lombardo said investigators are focussed on four main crime scenes right now: The room at Mandalay Bay hotel from where the gunman shot, the concert event location, the shooter's house in Mesquite, Nevada, and the SWAT teams are standing by at a home in northern Nevada, the CNN repotrs.

Some electronic devices were also retrieved which the department is evaluating, he added.

The death toll and injury count has also climbed, according to Sheriff Joe Lombardo. At least 59 are dead, and 527 injured.

Meanwhile, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders grew emotional, earlier in the day, on Monday as she spoke about those, who were killed in Las Vegas, but dismissed questions about gun rights as too political in the wake of the tragedy.

Sanders choked up reflecting on how those men and women, who lost their lives, will be remembered.

"The Gospel of John reminds us that there is no greater love than to lay down one's life for a friend. And the memory of those who displayed the ultimate expression of love against an unimagined act of hate will never fade. Their examples will serve as an eternal reminder that the American spirit cannot and will not ever be broken. In the days ahead, we will grieve as a nation, we will honour the memory of those lost as a nation and we will come together united as one nation, under God, indivisible," she added.

Sanders further told reporters that having a debate on gun control is "not the place that we're in at this moment."

Earlier, President Donald Trump used a brief address from the White House to call for unity in the aftermath of the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history, calling it an "act of pure evil."

"We cannot fathom their pain, we cannot imagine their loss," Trump said of those who lost loved ones in the massacre.

"There's a time and place for a political debate, but now is the time to unite as a country," Sanders said. "There's currently an open and ongoing law enforcement investigation, a motive is yet to be determined and it would be premature for us to discuss policy when we don't fully know all the facts or what took place last night."

Here's what happened:

-At least 59 people were killed and more than 500 hurt in a shooting last night. Witnesses said it lasted 15 minutes.

-The gunman, 64-year-old Stephen Paddock, is dead. He was not known to the authorities.

-It happened during a country music festival on the Las Vegas Strip. The shooter fired from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel.

-A gun store in Mesquite sold firearms to the gunman. The shooter, 64-year-old Stephen Paddock, lived in a retirement community for people aged 55 and over in Mesquite, Nevada.

- Police found 10 rifles inside Paddock's hotel room, Las Vegas Police Department Sheriff Joseph Lombardo said on Monday.

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Investigators probing the Las Vegas massacre have searched gunman Stephen Paddock 's home and recovered 42 firearms, an assortment of explosives and several thousand rounds of ammunition from his Las Vegas hotel room and his Mesquite home.

The Las Vegas mass shooting is the deadliest mass shooting in modern American history, claiming the lives of 59 people and injuring 527 others.

Investigators believe Paddock, who fired into a crowd of thousands during a country music festival from a Las Vegas hotel suite, used bump-stock for the attack as it modifies a semi-automatic weapon to fire at an automatic rate, The Guardian reports.

There is still no known motive behind the attack or any known links between Paddock and other terror organisations.

Authorities said he acted alone, but the attacker's girlfriend Marilou Danley will be interviewed after she returns from Tokyo.

Describing the shooting as "an act of pure evil", United States President Donald Trump said he would visit Las Vegas on Wednesday and will meet with the first responders to the attack. President Trump has ordered for American flags at the White House and at public buildings nationwide to be flown at half mast.

Sheriff Joe Lombardo said investigators are focused on four main crime scenes right now: The room at Mandalay Bay hotel from where the gunman shot, the concert event location, the shooter's house in Mesquite, Nevada, and a home in northern Nevada, the CNN reports.

Some electronic devices have also been retrieved and are being evaluated, he added.

A North Las Vegas gun store sold a shotgun and a rifle to Paddock in spring. All state and federal requirements, including a FBI background check, were met,CNN quoted David Famiglietti, president of New Frontier Armory, as saying. He said that neither of the weapons "leaving our store are capable of what we've seen and heard in the video without modification.

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Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh recently launched 'Imphal Evenings', a weekend plaza on Kanglapat Road amidst much fanfare and glittering lights.

The idea behind the plaza is to give recreational space to the people of the state with an aim to live healthy lives with their families and be exposed to its culture and night life.

The plaza will be opened on every Saturdays and Sundays from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. without any entry fee on the stretch from Khoyathong junction to Raj Bhawan junction (eastern half of NH-2).

On the first day, a huge crowd turned up at the plaza and all the stalls enjoyed brisk business.

Chief Minister Biren Singh and MAHUD Minister Th. Shyamkumar graced the launching function as chief guest and president respectively.

Deputy Chief Minister Y. Joykumar, PHE Minister L. Dikho and Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament Ksh. Bhabananda also attended the function as guests of honour.

Chief Minister Singh said the new initiative had been introduced to present an opportunity to the people to spend some quality time with their families and friends together.

"Manipur is being portrayed as a trouble-torn state, and most of the people of other states and countries generally have a wrong notion about Manipur that nobody ventures outside after dusk in the state," he added.

He said that the new government has tried to show to the world that Manipur is no more a trouble-torn place and it can also have a night life.

He also hoped the plaza would be able to give jobs to many unemployed youths.

Seeking suggestions from the public, the chief minister said the government would put in effort to make the plaza better and more beautiful.

He added that every type of intoxicant is strictly banned at the plaza.

In his presidential speech, MAHUD Minister Th. Shyamkumar said the brain behind the plaza is Chief Minister Biren Singh.

He described the chief minister as a far-sighted and dynamic leader and as a person who never turns down any good endeavour.

He also sought suggestions from the public to make the plaza better and successful.

The government has earmarked space for 102 stalls at the plaza. However, the government has received only 92 applications so far.

On launch day today, only 56 parties turned up to open stalls at the plaza. About 40 stalls have been reserved for indigenous food items, 25 for fast food items, 15 branded restaurants and 30 for general stalls.

One police booth each at Khoyathong and Raj Bhavan junctions and two booths at Kangla western gate were opened to monitor security and guide the visitors.

For safety measures, there were booths for medical and Manipur Fire Service personnel. Apart from this, every stall has been instructed to mandatorily keep a fire extinguisher each.

Imphal Municipal Corporation (IMC) also deputed 30 volunteers at the plaza to assist the visitors, stall owners and police.

Manipur Police Department also deputed 30 plains cloth personnel to assist the crowd and ensure security.

Four points have been reserved for the talented persons who wish to present/showcase their skills at the plaza free of cost.

Mobile toilets are kept at two places for the convenience of the public. On the other hand, 10 bio-toilets have been procured to install at the plaza.

The food stalls were instructed to sell only fresh and healthy edible items approved by Food Safety and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI) and State Food Safety Authority.

State Food Safety personnel will regularly monitor the quality of the food items sold at the plaza.

In addition to stalls, boating facility was provided at Kangla moat.

The main task of managing the plaza has been entrusted to Municipal Administration, Housing and Urban Development (MAHUD) Department, and Manipur Urban Development Agency (MUDA).

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Mumbai residents Faisal Yusuf Banaraswala and Abdul Rehman Qureshi on Tuesday filed a petition in the Bombay High Court seeking a Investigation Agency (NIA) investigation into the stampede at Elphistone Station that occurred on Friday, killing 23 people.

The petitioners state that according to a complained submitted, the police is required to "investigate the crime" keeping in view the possibility of soft terror attack by terrorists.

According to petitioners, the circulation of rumors of the Foot Over Bridge (FOB) collapsing that led to the stampede could be a trick played for soft terror attack.

The Public Interest Litigation (PIL) also demands that Centre and State government pay a compensation of not less than Rs 20 lakhs to the family of the victims.

Additionally, the PIL requests the court to direct the government to end physical and policy bottlenecks, and install facilities in the railway stations that can abate the unfortunate incident in future.

The PIL also requests the court to direct state government to take proper care of the admitted injured victims in the hospital.

23 people were killed and over 39 seriously got injured in a rush-hour stampede at Mumbai's Elphinstone railway station's foot over bridge on September 29.

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Pakistan's former prime minister Nawaz Sharif has called for the restoration of the people's right to govern.

He was addressing a meeting of the party's general council which elected him as president of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz.

"You know the reason for my disqualification," said Nawaz, adding that PML-N is still the country's biggest political party.

"If there was nothing in the Panama Papers, then people should have been told this. They should have informed the people of the truth, that Nawaz Sharif did not misuse any public funds," Geo News quoted Sharif, as saying.

He said all countries in the keep changing their policies with time, and those who ignore the changing dynamics and stick to the old practice of time passing them by.

Sharif said he was disqualified despite being elected by the people thrice not because of any corruption or malpractice but for not taking a salary from his son.

"I'm warning you, if we don't try to change things then even Pakistan will not forgive us." God helps those who help themselves, he added.

Expressing confidence that his party will show better results in the 2018 elections, he said that the people will give their decision regarding his 'eligibility' then.

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Former Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif was re-elected as president of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Tuesday.

PML-N leader Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry submitted Sharif's papers for party president in the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) while no one other candidate from the party contested the election, the Dawn reported.

The development comes after Pakistan President Mamnoon Hussain ratified the Elections Bill 2017 which paved the way for former prime minister Nawaz Sharif to become Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president.

The Election Bill 2017, commonly known as Electoral Reforms Bill which was already been approved by the Senate, was subsequently signed into law by President Mamnoon Hussain late Monday night.

A controversial clause in the bill allows disqualified politicians to hold a public office or to lead a political party, Geo News reported.

The opposition members in the National Assembly protested the passing of the bill and tore copies of it after it was presented by Law Minister Zahid Hamid.

Members of the opposition also chanted slogans against Nawaz Sharif.

The Assembly also rejected the amendment to the bill presented by the Jamaat-e-Islami.

While addressing the National Assembly, Awami Muslim League Chief Sheikh Rasheed had spoken against the bill.

"You are risking the country's democracy over one person," he said, adding "You have attacked the Supreme Court with a rocket launcher."

Nawaz Sharif does not even want to see his brother (Shehbaz Sharif) as a party leader, he remarked.

"You can start digging the grave of democracy with your majority," he said while referring to the PML-N parliamentarians.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that the clause 203 of the bill is against the spirit of the country's Constitution.

Sharif had relinquished the position of PML-N chief after his ouster from power under the July 28 verdict of the Supreme Court in the Panama Papers case.

The Representation of Peoples Act 1976 bars anyone who is ineligible to become a member of parliament from holding office in a political party.

Ever since the Supreme Court's verdict, the PML-N has been run by its acting president Sardar Muhammad Yaqoob Khan Nasar, a senator from Balochistan.

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Pakistan Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif left for a three-day visit to United States on Tuesday.

Asif will meet U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to resume bilateral talks and discuss ways to remove tensions that cropped up after President Donald Trump's August 21 speech.

He will also reportedly meet US National Security Adviser Lt Gen HR McMaster during the trip.

The Minister will address a gathering at the US Institute of Peace (USIP) in Washington on US-Pakistan relations on October 5.

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence met Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi last week and suggested sending a U.S. delegation to Islamabad for talks aimed at removing tensions.

Islamabad accepted the U.S. proposal but asked for a high-level meeting in Washington to defuse the tensions. Washington accepted the Pakistani argument and invited Asif for a meeting with Secretary Tillerson on Oct 4.

President Trump had blamed Pakistan for maintaining alleged safe havens for terrorists, threatened economic and military sanctions against Islamabad and announced a larger role for India in Afghanistan, ignoring Pakistan's concerns.

Annoyed by the U.S. President's speech, both opposition and ruling parties unanimously adopted a resolution in Pakistan Parliament, urging the government to reconsider its relations with the United States. Some opposition parties also asked the government to downgrade its ties with U.S. and further strengthen its strong relations with China.

Asif, during speech earlier this week at the Asia Society in New York, acknowledged that jihadi elements particularly Lashkar-e-Taiba and Hafiz Saeed had become a liability for Pakistan.

Asif said that during the Afghan war (1979-89), the U.S. and its allies encouraged such elements from across the to come to the region to fight the Soviet Union. Instead of staying in the region after the war to clear up the mess, they left abruptly, leaving Pakistan alone to deal with the extremists, he added.

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Pakistan President Mamnoon Hussain has ratified the Elections Bill 2017 which was passed by the National Assembly on Monday and paved the way for former prime minister Nawaz Sharif to become Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president.

The Election Bill, 2017, commonly known as Electoral Reforms Bill which was already been approved by the Senate, was subsequently signed into law by President Mamnoon Hussain late Monday night.

A controversial clause in the bill allows disqualified politicians to hold a public office or to lead a political party, Geo News reported.

The opposition members in the National Assembly protested the passing of the bill and tore copies of it after it was presented by Law Minister Zahid Hamid.

Members of the opposition also chanted slogans against Nawaz Sharif.

The Assembly also rejected the amendment to the bill presented by the Jamaat-e-Islami.

While addressing the National Assembly, Awami Muslim League Chief Sheikh Rasheed had spoken against the bill.

"You are risking the country's democracy over one person," he said, adding "You have attacked the Supreme Court with a rocket launcher."

Nawaz Sharif does not even want to see his brother (Shehbaz Sharif) as a party leader, he remarked.

"You can start digging the grave of democracy with your majority," he said while referring to the PML-N parliamentarians.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that the clause 203 of the bill is against the spirit of the country's Constitution.

Sharif had relinquished the position of PML-N chief after his ouster from power under the July 28 verdict of the Supreme Court in the Panama Papers case.

The Representation of Peoples Act 1976 bars anyone who is ineligible to become a member of parliament from holding office in a political party.

Ever since the Supreme Court's verdict, the PML-N has been run by its acting president Sardar Muhammad Yaqoob Khan Nasar, a senator from Balochistan.

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Palestinian Authority (PA) Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah has pledged to end a decade-long split between the Islamist Hamas Movement of Gaza and his West Bank-based government during a cabinet meeting in Gaza, which was held for the first time since 2014.

"We are here to turn the page on division, restore the national project to its correct direction and establish the Palestinian state," he said.

"We will undertake our responsibilities in administrating the affairs of all sectors of the southern provinces in consensus and complete partnership with the Palestinian factions and forces," jerusaleum Post quoted Hamdallah as saying during the cabinet meeting.

The latest development is a major step towards reconciliation with Hamas and simulateously ending the territorial division between the West Bank and Gaza.

"I urge everyone without exception to embrace the leadership, reconciliation and national unity and to put our national interest above factional and party considerations and interests," he added.

Hamdallah also called on Palestinians to unify around the Palestinian leadership and overcome factional differences.

He emphasized that reconciliation would encourage the international community to fund rebuilding Gaza as USD 5.4 billion has been pledged by the international community pledged to reconstruct the Strip in the aftermath of Operation Protective Edge in 2014.

The cabinet meeting was held at the official Gaza residence of Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas in the cabinet office.

Hamas ousted the PA from Gaza after bloody street fighting in 2007, but finally agreed last month to its return, under pressure from the territory's powerful neighbour Egypt.

Egyptian Intelligence Minister Khaled Fawzy will arrrive in Gaza to meet with PA officials and Hamas leader Ismail Haniya on Thursday.

Rcently,Interpol, the international police organization, has voted to admit Palestine as a full member, thereby advancing the latter's goal of statehood.

This development is a diplomatic blow to Israel, which has been opposing Palestine moves to join international bodies.

About 75 countries voted in favor, with 24 voting against and 34 abstaining in a secret vote held during 86th Interpol General Assembly on Sept. 26-29 in Beijing. "The State of Palestine and the Solomon Islands are now INTERPOL member countries," Interpol said on Twitter.

The Palestinian bid was part of a series of efforts to push for membership of international institutions and thereby advance the goal of statehood.

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Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah on Tuesday held Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan directly responsible for killing of party and Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) workers in the state.

"Look at the West Bengal's and Tripura's situation, the communists ruled here long. Peaceful Kerala is turning violent and the communist ideology is spreading here. More than 120 BJP and RSS workers have been murdered in Kerala so far. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is directly responsible for it. So we are taking out this 'Janaraksha Yatra' against the political violence in the state," Shah said

Ahead of Shah's campaign in Kannur against alleged killing of party and RSS workers in Kerala; three BJP workers were allegedly attacked by Communist Party of India (Marxist) CPI (M) workers in Kerala's Kasaragod district.

As per reports, the three BJP workers have sustained injuries in the attack.

A case has also been registered in this regard.

Shah's yatra in the district against the political violence in the state is scheduled from today to October 17.

Shah has launched a 15-day rally in Kerala to target the state's CPI (M) government with the BJP accusing the Left party of being on a "killing spree" against its party workers.

The BJP president alleged nearly 120 BJP workers, 84 in Kannur alone, were killed in Kerala since 2001 with 14 of them in Chief Minister Vijayan's home town since he took the reins last year.

Shah also offered prayers at the famous Rajarajeswara Temple in Kannur before kicking off the yatra which is aimed at increasing the party's footprint in Kerala.

Several Union ministers are likely to participate in the rally under the theme of "All have to live!! Against Jihadi-Red Terror".

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Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati on Tuesday said the era of political killings has started in the state after caste and communal violence.

Her comments came after a BSP leader was murdered in Allahabad in the wee hours of Tuesday.

After many incidents of communal violence in the state, there has been a rise in political murders which resulted in the murder of Rajesh Yadav.

"Rajesh Yadav was an active BSP worker and recently he also fought the general elections from Gyanpur seat in Bhadohi. His murder has raised a serious question on the law and order situation of the state," Mayawati said in a statement.

To take the stock of the situation, Mayawati has sent a three member delegation consisting of Ramachar Rajbhar, state president; Lalji Varma, leader of the legislative Party and senior leader Ambika Choudhary to the Bhadohi district in the Mirzapur division to console the family and assure them of justice.

The former CM has also demanded to the government of the state, to arrest the culprits and to give them strictest of punishment.

BSP leader Rajesh Yadav was gunned down on early Tuesday morning outside the Tarachand Hostel of Allahabad University.

"Apart from the murder of Rajesh Yadav, incidents of violence and tension have erupted in more than a dozen districts of Uttar Pradesh during Moharram and Dussehra. This shows the failure of the Yogi Adityanath's government in tackling the law and order situation in the state" she said.

The BSP supremo further alleged that "especially in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ruled states, incidents of communal violence by fanatics have take place under the protection of the state government. This has resulted in atmosphere of caste, communal, and political tension in the society".

She went on to say, "It is the result of this that yesterday a dalit boy was murdered in Gujarat. This is also a result of the failure of the Gujarat government in giving strict punishment to the culprits that these violent incidents against dalits in the state are not stopping".

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Press Secretary to President Ram Nath Kovind said India is expecting a couple of agreements on fostering and promoting economic relations with Djibouti.

"One of the agreements expected tomorrow is to institute formal foreign office level talks, through which, Indian diplomats will regularly visit Djibouti and their diplomats will visit New Delhi to meet MEA officials," he said here on Tuesday.

"We are also expecting a couple of agreements on fostering and promoting economic relations," added Press Secretary Ashok Malik.

Emphasising on the strategical importance of Djibouti, Malik further said, "Djibouti is a strategically important country. Our economic relations with them are growing."

India doesn't have a formal embassy in Djibouti yet, Indian ambassador in Ethiopia is currently accredited to Djibouti as well.

Malik also mentioned that Djibouti played an important role in rescuing 5000 Indian nationals from war torn Yemen in 2015.

"Djibouti helped India to rescue 5000 Indians from Yemen; they gave us one airstrip to use. Relations between both the nations have gone deep since then," Malik said.

Malik said that the purpose of coming here is not only agreements, but also taking the relations forward with Djibouti.

President Ramnath Kovind has arrived here on Tuesday.

He is on a four-day state visit to Djibouti and Ethiopia.

This visit is Kovind's maiden foreign trip as President and strategically very important as the country is very close to Gulf of Athens in Indian Ocean.

The visit also marks the first by an Indian President ever to Djibouti and will be the second to Ethiopia after then President V V Giri's trip in 1972.

Indian government's focus on Africa has enhanced since the third Indo-African Summit in Delhi in 2015, which saw participation of more than 40 heads of states and governments from Africa.

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President Ramnath Kovind arrived in Djibouti on Tuesday.

He is on a four-day state visit to Djibouti and Ethiopia

This will be Kovind's maiden foreign trip as President.

"The President is looking forward to the visit. He recognises that Africa and Indian Ocean region are central to Indian foreign policy. That is why this region was chosen as his first foreign visit," the President's Press Secretary Ashok Malik said.

The visit will be the first by an Indian President to Ethiopia after then President V V Giri's trip in 1972.

President Kovind will attend a business event and an interaction with the Indian community.

"Ethiopia is the largest recipient of concession by India. We have given USD 1 Billion concession to Ethiopia in three sugar projects," said Neena Malhotra, Joint Secretary (East and Southern Africa) in the Ministry of External Affairs.

Indian government's focus on Africa has enhanced since the third Indo-African Summit in Delhi in 2015 which saw participation of more than 40 heads of states and governments from Africa.

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United States Donald Trump has expelled 15 Cuban diplomats in response to the mysterious 'sonic attacks' targeting US embassy staff in Havana.

"The decision was made due to Cuba's failure to take appropriate steps to protect our diplomats in accordance with its obligations under the Vienna Convention. This order will ensure equity in our respective diplomatic operations," the statement said released by the US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson .

On September 29, the Department ordered the departure of non-emergency personnel assigned to the U.S. Embassy in Havana, as well as all family members.

"Until the Government of Cuba can ensure the safety of our diplomats in Cuba, our embassy will be reduced to emergency personnel to minimize the number of diplomats at risk of exposure to harm."

"We continue to maintain diplomatic relations with Cuba, and will continue to cooperate with Cuba as we pursue the investigation into these attacks," the Department of State statement added.

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has called on Cuba's government to figure out who is behind the attacks using sonic weapon on American and Canadian diplomats serving in Havana.

Cuba's government, for its part, has said it is not responsible and that it would never allow such weapons to be used against diplomats within its borders. Cuban officials pledged to investigate the incidents.

Last week, Tillerson announced that America was sharply reducing the number of staff at its embassy in Havana after at least 22 diplomats and their family members fell ill to mysterious illnesses.

At least 22 people have been injured, with intelligence officials especially targeted. Symptoms include "mild traumatic brain injury, permanent hearing loss, loss of balance, severe headaches, and brain swelling," The New York Times reports.

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United States President Donald Trump on Tuesday begins his visit to Puerto Rico wreaked by Hurricane Maria before making his way to Las Vegas, the site of the deadliest shooting in U.S. history. With most of the power transmission grid destroyed, more than 95% of population are without regular electricity service. Only 10.7% of the island's cell phone towers are working.

President Trump has criticised the mayor of the Island's capital over the sluggish response to the disaster relief efforts.

Puerto Ricans are frustrated as they are still struggling with basic necessities two weeks after they were hit by the worst hurricane in 90 years.

CNN reported that millions in the US commonwealth remain without regular electricity service, and many have limited access to gas, cash and running water. At least 16 people died there as a result of the storm, the government has said.

"We are going to be seeing all of the first responders, the military, FEMA, and frankly, most importantly, we are going to be seeing the people of Puerto Rico," Trump said in the Oval Office.

President Donald Trump will show solidarity with survivors and demonstrate how his government intends to help them recover.

President Donald Trump lambasted a mayor who criticized Washington's response."We need to do a lot more in order for us to get out of the emergency," Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rossello said in San Juan. "But the other thing that's also true is that the administration has answered and has complied with our petitions in an expedited manner."

"Such poor leadership ability by the mayor of San Juan, and others in Puerto Rico, who are not able to get their workers to help," Trump tweeted on Saturday morning. "They want everything to be done for them when it should be a community effort.

.

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The Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) will challenge the Elections Bill 2017 in the Supreme Court on grounds that it allows deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif to take charge of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).

The opposition party termed the election bill "an illegal and above-the-Constitution act of the current regime" and also decided to initiate yet another 'public mobilisation campaign' against it.

"Under the mass mobilisation plan, which is similar to one the party took on after the Panamagate scandal unearthed, the PTI will hold 13 public rallies in different cities of Punjab, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh during the next month," The Express Tribune quoted a senior party leader, as saying.

According to the report, this was decided during a meeting of the senior party leadership held at Khan's residence in Bani Gala.

Khan announced that he would to tour the country and inform the people about the conspiracies the Sharifs have been hatching to weaken democracy.

Khan said the PTI would oppose the Election Bill at every available forum and dubbed dubbed it as the Election Bill 'save the corruption' legislation.

He also reiterated his demand for early general elections and said that it is the only viable option to steer the country out of prevailing crises.

Earlier, Pakistan President Mamnoon Hussain ratified the Elections Bill 2017 which was passed by the National Assembly on Monday and paved the way for former prime minister Nawaz Sharif to become Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president.

The Election Bill, 2017, commonly known as Electoral Reforms Bill which was already been approved by the Senate, was subsequently signed into law by President Mamnoon Hussain late Monday night.

A controversial clause in the bill allows disqualified politicians to hold a public office or to lead a political party, Geo News reported.

The opposition members in the National Assembly protested the passing of the bill and tore copies of it after it was presented by Law Minister Zahid Hamid.

Members of the opposition also chanted slogans against Nawaz Sharif.

The Assembly also rejected the amendment to the bill presented by the Jamaat-e-Islami.

While addressing the National Assembly, Awami Muslim League Chief Sheikh Rasheed had spoken against the bill.

"You are risking the country's democracy over one person," he said, adding "You have attacked the Supreme Court with a rocket launcher."

Nawaz Sharif does not even want to see his brother (Shehbaz Sharif) as a party leader, he remarked.

"You can start digging the grave of democracy with your majority," he said while referring to the PML-N parliamentarians.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that the clause 203 of the bill is against the spirit of the country's Constitution.

Sharif had relinquished the position of PML-N chief after his ouster from power under the July 28 verdict of the Supreme Court in the Panama Papers case.

The Representation of Peoples Act 1976 bars anyone who is ineligible to become a member of parliament from holding office in a political party.

Ever since the Supreme Court's verdict, the PML-N has been run by its acting president Sardar Muhammad Yaqoob Khan Nasar, a senator from Balochistan.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
'The Heartbreakers' frontman Tom Petty, 66, has died after suffering cardiac arrest.

Petty's manager says he passed at his home in Malibu, reports The Hollywood Reporter.

The music legend was found unconscious and rushed to UCLA Santa Monica Hospital, where he was placed on a life support machine.

Petty rose to fame when he formed 'The Heartbreakers' in 1976. Last week, the band wrapped their 40th anniversary tour at the Hollywood Bowl.

The legendary rocker - who was born in Florida and has sold more than 80 million records worldwide - tweeted just days ago thanking his fans for their support over the past 40 years.

He is best known for hits like 'Free Fallin', 'Learning To Fly', 'Don't Come Around Here No More' and 'American Girl'.

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Days after Banaras Hindu University (BHU) students, staged heated protests over an alleged incident of sexual harassment on campus, leading to a police lathicharge, the varsity reopened on Tuesday.

"We are expecting a peaceful environment in future. Now we can fully concentrate on our studies. The security has been tightened and CCTVs have been installed to avoid any unwelcome situation," a BHU student told ANI.

The protests outside the BHU campus triggered when a first-year female student of BHU alleged that she was molested by three bike-borne men outside the campus.

A clash broke out between students and police on September 23 outside the BHU campus after police lathi-charged the students, who were protesting against alleged molestation of a girl.

An FIR was also lodged against 1,000 BHU students and several were asked to vacate hostels.

The Human Rights Commission (NHRC) issued a notice to the Chief Secretary, the Director General of Police (DG) Uttar Pradesh and the BHU Vice-Chancellor seeking a detailed report on the matter and submits his response within four weeks.

The NHRC, in its statement, said, "Suo motu cognisance taken in the subsequent use of unwarranted manhandling and thrashing of agitating students, mostly women, by UP police."

However, the BHU administration had assured that an action would be taken against those found guilty as soon as the concerned committee probing the recent incident of molestation comes with its report.

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After suspected fidayeen attacked the Border Security Force (BSF) 182nd Battalion camp near the Srinagar Airport in the early hours of Tuesday, Minister of State for Home Affairs Hansraj Ahir dubbed the act as cowardly.

While calling for strengthening of security around the camps, Ahir asserted that terrorist will have to pay for dastardly act.

"Either say Pakistani or terrorist they are only cowards. The attack on BSF camp has become a challenge for us. Our security forces are retaliating. We will have to be more vigilant, security around the camps has to be strengthened," Ahir said.

"Terrorist will have to pay for the dastardly act," he added.

Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh asserted that the operation to neutralise holed up terrorist is being conducted in a planned and coordinated manner.

"Two terrorists holed up in an administrative building and JCO Mess. The operation is still underway. The senior officers are monitoring it. We assure that soon the operation will be over. The operation is going on in a much planned manner. There is a proper coordination between JKP, Indian Army, CRPF, and BSF," Singh told ANI.

A Border Security Force (BSF) personnel succumbed to his injuries post an encounter with militants at a camp manned by the 182nd battalion of the BSF located near Srinagar Airport and Air Force Station Gogoland on Tuesday morning.

So far, two terrorists have been eliminated and some security personnel are injured.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh will chair a high level meeting at 11.30 a.m. to review the situation in Jammu and Kashmir.

The BSF control room had said that at least three militants were involved in the attack.

The area close to camp and the Kashmir Valley School has been sealed to allow for the search and security operation to continue smoothly.

According to the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), the Srinagar Airport has been shut down due to ongoing encounter.

No flights are operating till the security clearance and the airport is under the CRPF security.

The encounter is still underway. Further details are awaited.

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Jammu and Kashmir, Director General of Police (DGP) SP Vaid on Tuesday denied any security lapse in the terror attack on a Border Security Force (BSF) camp near Srinagar airport.

The BSF Camp near Srinagar airport was attacked by three terrorists earlier in the day.

While speaking to media here, Vaid said, "Srinagar terror attack was not a security lapse. As long as terrorists are present, there is always a possibility of an attack. As long as our neighbour Pakistan remains hostile these things will continue".

Earlier in the day, the terrorists were gunned down by the security forces during an encounter at a camp manned by the 182nd Battalion of the BSF located near the Airport and Air Force Station Gogoland.

Inspector General (IG) of Police, Kashmir, Munir Khan confirmed that three gunned down terrorists during an encounter belonged to terror outfit- Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM).

One BSF personnel also succumbed to his injuries post encounter. Some security personnel were also injured.

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Independent Jammu and Kashmir MLA Engineer Rashid was questioned on Tuesday by the Investigation Agency (NIA) in connection with a case related to the terror funding activities in Kashmir.

After the questioning, Rashid left the NIA headquarters.

The NIA in the recent past has arrested many separatist leaders and businessmen in the regard.

Earlier on September 6, the investigation agency conducted searches at around 27 locations in Srinagar and Delhi.

Last month, the NIA arrested seven Kashmiri separatists - Altaf Shah, Ayaz Akbar, Peer Saifullah, Mehraj Kalwal, Shahid-ul-Islam, Naeem Khan and Bitta Karate for allegedly funding terror activities in the Kashmir Valley.

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The Turkish Deputy Prime Minister, Hakan Cavusoglu, has announced that the country will provide university scholarship to 53 Rohingya Muslim students.

The students from Myanmar's troubled western Rakhine state will study communication, law, politics and human rights at Turkish universities, the Anadolu Agency news quoted Cavusoglu, as saying.

He further said that the Rohingya students are currently studying in Turkish universities.

Cavusoglu reaffirmed Turkey's support to Rohingya Muslims by providing them food and health facilities.

"We will set up mobile health clinics [in the refugee camps]," he said.

Nearly half a million Rohingyas have fled to Bangladesh due to violence in the Rakhine state that has claimed lives of at least more than 100 people and displaced several others.

Bangladesh is currently sheltering 5,07,000 Rohingya refugees in the country.

The Myanmar troops launched a crackdown in the Rakhine state in response to attacks on three border posts last year that killed nine police officers, since then many Rohingya Muslims have tried to move into Bangladesh illegally.

The Rohingyas are not recognised by Myanmar as its citizens and are called Bengali by them.

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The United States Defence Secretary James Mattis openly contradicted the United States President Donald Trump's position on the Iran nuclear deal while testifying in front of Congress, by backing the nuclear deal with Iran and saying it is in the interests of national security to maintain it.

During a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on Tuesday, Mattis was asked whether he believed it was currently in the US national security interest to remain in the agreement.

After a significant pause, he replied, "Yes, senator, I do."

Mattis's remarks comes after U.S. President Trump has been hinting for months that he is ready to take steps to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal as a crucial October deadline approaches that could decide the fate of the agreement.

Under the relevant legislation, the administration has to certify whether Iran is in material breach of the agreement, or if the deal is not serving the national interest.

In a statement in August, Trump said Iran is "not in compliance with the agreement and they certainly are not in the spirit of the agreement in compliance," and in September he called the agreement an "embarrassment" during a speech to the United Nations.

At the same hearing, the chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Marine Gen. James Dunford said, Iran "is not in material breach of" the deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), and affirmed that its implementation has "delayed the development of a nuclear capability by Iran."

Last week, Dunford said the U.S. should uphold the agreement, in the absence of a clear Iranian breach, or risk losing credibility when it came to signing future agreements.

Trump has repeatedly lambasted the JCPOA - one of the most important foreign policy legacies of his predecessor, Barack Obama - most recently at the U.N. general assembly last month.

"Frankly, that deal is an embarrassment to the United States and I don't think you have heard the last of it, believe me," Trump said, raising expectations that he would not endorse the agreement.

Under the U.S. law, Trump has until October 15 to certify that Iran is complying with the nuclear deal. If he declines to certify Iran, then Congress will have the option to re-impose sanctions on Iran, which would effectively end the deal.

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Liquor baron Vijay Mallya has been arrested in London on Tuesday in connection with an ongoing case.

Mallya will appear before Westminster Magistrates' Court at 2:00 PM (London time).

Mallya is wanted in India over economic offences.

In a June hearing at the London court, in a major setback to India, the court had expressed that New Delhi had not provided evidence to Mallya yet, who is battling a slew of cases in India over his default case involving Rs. 9,000 crore worth loans to a clutch of public sector banks.

The 61-year-old liquor baron has been out on bail since his arrest in April in London.

At least 53 persons, including Mallya, face prosecution complaints from the Directorate of Enforcement under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002, and they are absconding, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had said in July.

The Ministry of Home Affairs, the nodal ministry for Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) in Criminal Matters, had conveyed that the India-U.K. MLAT in criminal matters does not cover the subject to bring back persons under investigation.

However, the CBI had submitted extradition request in respect of Mallya regarding the case under the Indian Penal Code (IPC), 1860 and Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 for his extradition from the U.K.

The extradition request was sent to the U.K. for their consideration under bilateral extradition treaty.

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After having granted speedy bail, fugitive liquor baron Vijay Mallya said 'many allegations are extraordinary' as he came out of the Westminster Magistrates' Court in London on Tuesday on a fresh charge of money laundering brought by the Indian government.

"Many allegations are extraordinary and you will hear it in the next hearing, no doubt. Whatever, I will say, I will say in court and do not have to repeat to media," Mallya said.

The fresh charge was supplementary to the fraud charges already in place and alleges that the funds Mallya fraudulently obtained through loans to Kingfisher Airlines was channelled to his Force India Formula One team in which he has taken a very active role while he awaits extradition to India.

He was granted bail and released on a bond of 60,000 and will appear in court for next hearing on November 20, 2017.

While interacting with mediapersons, Tycoon Mallya said "You were there, you heard it all, I have nothing to hide."

When the 61-year-old tycoon was produced in Westminster Magistrates' Court for bail proceedings, he looked relaxed and amiable in court

When asked that the noose is tightening around him and eventually he will be extradited to India where he will have to face the law of the land, Mallya remarked that "That judge has to decide."

When asked what will happen to him for the actual extradition hearing is scheduled on December 04, Mallya said, "The court will decide. I cannot sometimes understand your pre-emptive questions. December is too long away, so wait."

The bail which he received within minutes proved that Mallya's arrest was more of procedural.

This is the second time that fugitive liquor baron was arrested in London.

The defence agreed to review the evidence and will prepare its response before the actual extradition hearing on December 04.

The charge of money laundering was already included in the original fraud allegations made by the government but the charge that the funds were channelled to Force India is merely a new detail.

The Indian Government had made an extradition request in February to Britain to send back the businessman to face trial and since then the Indian Government officials have been pursuing the case of his extradition. The issue was raised on several occasions with the UK Government authorities in London.

The CBI had submitted extradition request in respect of Mallya regarding the case under the Indian Penal Code (IPC), 1860 and Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 for his extradition from the U.K.

The extradition request was sent to the U.K. for their consideration under bilateral extradition treaty.

The UK Police had earlier arrested the liquor baron on April 18, 2017 on separate charges of fraud but he was released on the bail.

Mallaya, who has been staying in the UK for over a year now, is accused of defaulting on loans worth Rs. 9,000 crore to a group of public sector banks in India.

In a June 2017 hearing at the London court, in a major setback to India, the court had expressed that New Delhi had not provided evidence to Mallya yet.

Mallaya is among 53 persons, who are facing prosecution complaints from the Directorate of Enforcement under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002, and they are absconding, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had said in July.

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The Indian Congress on Tuesday attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president, Amit Shah, saying that they don't need glasses to see the lack of development in Gujarat.

Speaking to ANI, Congress leader Salman Khurshid said, "I don't know how many glasses is going to take off from the people of this country. We don't need glasses to see that there is no development. He has a blindfold and he can't see the reality."

He went on to suggest that the BJP president uses these 'Jumlas' to make political points and that the people can see through it now.

"Periodically he picks on these jumlas to continue making these political points. People can see through this now and now the blindfolds will be removed by the people themselves," he said.

Congress leader Sandeep Dixit lashed out at the BJP president, expressing surprise at the nature of his comments.

"I am surprised that the president of a party is of this level today. You can't expect anything else from . We know what kind of a person he is," he said.

He also said that Shah needs to remove the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the 'chaddi' chashma to see the 60 years of development in the country.

Earlier on Sunday, Shah launched a fresh salvo on Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi saying that the latter needs to wear Gujarati spectacles to see the development of Gujarat and not the one made in Italy.
China's move up the value chain and the relocation of low-end manufacturing to cheaper countries will continue to create opportunities and support strong economic growth in some of Asia's "frontier" emerging markets. The countries best-placed to take advantage over the next few decades will be those offering workable business environments and relative macroeconomic and political stability to complement low wages, strong demographics and geographical advantages, says Fitch Ratings.

China's rising wages, higher land costs and real exchange-rate appreciation over the past decade have reflected policy efforts to rebalance the economy and raise living standards, but they have also reduced low-end manufacturing competitiveness. The average Chinese manufacturing wage is now higher than in Asia's other major emerging economies (see chart). Finding cheap labour in China is only likely to become harder, with urbanisation rates already high and the working-age population set to shrink by 0.4% a year on average over 2015-2035.

A significant drop in China's low-end manufacturing over the coming decades would leave a large gap for lower-cost countries to exploit. China's global share of exports of clothing, footwear and furniture is still almost 40%, up from 34% in 2010, and only peaked in 2014, according to UN Comtrade.

However, the decline now appears to be gathering momentum - China's exports of these labour-intensive goods fell by 10% in US dollar terms in 2016.

Bangladesh and Vietnam already have strong footholds in these sectors - together they accounted for 8% of global clothing, footwear and furniture exports in 2015, up from 3% in 2010. This established scale could be an advantage. Bangladesh, for example, has a ready-made garments industry that accounts for over 80% of its exports, and has the capacity to meet large orders swiftly. Vietnam looks well-positioned to expand its basic electronics manufacturing further through the relocation of factories from China. In both countries the manufacturing sector is a key driver of the high and stable GDP growth rates that act as a rating strength. It is also an important source of export revenue, which supports external finances.

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Maruti Suzuki India said its total sales rose 9.3% to 1.63 lakh units in September 2017 over September 2016. The announcement was made on Sunday, 1 October 2017.

Tata Motors said its sales performance for September 2017 were at 53,965 units resulting in 25% growth over September 2016 for the domestic passenger and commercial vehicle business. The announcement was made on Sunday, 1 October 2017.

Bajaj Auto said its total sales rose 14% to 4.28 lakh units in September 2017 over September 2016. The announcement was made on Monday, 2 October 2017.

Eicher Motors said its total Royal Enfield sales rose 22% to 70,431 units in September 2017 over September 2016. The announcement was made on Sunday, 1 October 2017.

Hindustan Unilever (HUL) said it signed an agreement for divestment of its 50% shareholding in Kimberly-Clark Lever (KCL) in favour of Kimberly-Clark Corporation (KCC), USA. This decision is in line with the company's objective to focus on its core business. Accordingly, KCL shall cease to be a joint venture of the company. The company shall work with KCC to ensure a smooth transition for the business. The announcement was made after market hours on Friday, 29 September 2017.

Power Grid Corporation of India said it entered into a term loan agreement for Rs 3270 crore with ICICI Bank on 29 September 2017 for the purpose of funding of capital expenditure for expansion, renovation and setting of various on-going and new transmission projects in Powergrid and in identified special purpose vehicles (SPVs) of Powergrid. The announcement was made after market hours on Friday, 29 September 2017.

Phoenix Mills said it acquired further 6.07% stake in Offbeat Developers (ODPL) for Rs 34 crore. Subsequently, the shareholding of the company in ODPL has increased from 93.93% to 100% and ODPL has become a wholly-owned subsidiary of the company. The announcement was made after market hours on Friday, 29 September 2017.

Jindal Poly Films said that its Netherlands unit completed acquisition of Apeldoorn Flexible Packaging Holding for 86.90 million euros. The announcement was made after market hours on Friday, 29 September 2017.

Punjab Chemicals said it sold its Argentina unit through its subsidiaries. The announcement was made after market hours on Friday, 29 September 2017.

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On 02 October 2017

Bluechip Stockspin announced the resignation of Gautam K. Virhadiya, Company Secretary and Compliance Officer of the company on 02 October 2017.

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Central Water Commission (CWC) has signed MoUs with IIT Roorkee and MNNIT Allahabad to support dam rehabilitation efforts of various implementing agencies and CWC.

Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation has taken on board selected premier academic and research institutes, for capacity building in the areas of dam safety through World Bank assisted Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (DRIP). The scope includes strengthening the testing laboratories, enhancing analytical capabilities, exposure visits to best global institutions and on ground exposure to dam safety concerns to the faculty of these institutions.

CWC has already signed MoUs with IIT Madras, IISc Bangaluru, NIT Calicut and NIT Raurkela for supporting these institutes for the procurement of specified equipment and software for enhancing their testing and modeling capabilities. Last month, CWC facilitated the signing of MoUs by Madhya Pradesh Water Resources Department (MPWRD) and UJVN Limited (UJVNL), Uttarakhand with the Earthquake Engineering Department of IIT Roorkee for assisting MPWRD and UJVNL in the activities related to establishment of seismic instruments, certification of these installations, generation of post seismic event report having an intensity greater than 4.0 on Richter Scale and sharing of these reports with State and Central Agencies, data collection, processing, monitoring, analysis, interpretation, integration of the State Dam Seismological Network (SDSN) with Indian Dam Seismological Network (IDSN) being maintained by National Agencies to exchange the information and help to strengthen the existing seismological network for a strong national perspective plan, and conducting training programmes for the dam owning personnel.

DRIP is assisting rehabilitation of 225 dams in seven States which are experiencing different levels of distress.

Owners of these dams require technical support for the investigation of dam conditions and supporting rehabilitation efforts. The Government of India has decided to enhance the capability of selected premier academic institutes in dam safety areas so that they, in turn, carry out field investigations and material testing, and provide training and consulting services to the dam owners in their dam rehabilitation efforts. In addition to rehabilitation of dams, Project also has component of institutional strengthening wherein capacity building of all partners agencies as well as few selected premier academic institutions of country are being strengthened in dam safety areas by imparting trainings to operational efficiencies of these owner agencies, exposure visits to best global institutions and on ground exposure to the dam safety concerns to the faculty of these institutions. It is a holistic effort of the Government of India to equip our national institutions to develop capability and expertise at par with global institutions in the coming times to ensure self-reliance.

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The recent gas price increase would lead to an increase in revenue for domestic gas producers by around INR13 billion during 2HFY18, estimates India Ratings and Research (Ind-Ra). The government of India has increased domestic natural gas price by around 17% to USD2.89/mmbtu for October 2017-March 2018. Prior to this, the gas prices have been downward revised by about 50% since the implementation of the gas pricing formula in October 2014.

This is the first upward price revision after five consecutive domestic gas price reductions and has been driven by an increase in the average gas prices prevalent at the reference hubs over July 2016 - June 2017. The average Henry Hub gas prices increased by 19% to USD3/mmbtu for the current reference period of July 2016- June 2017 compared to USD2.52/mmbtu for the previous reference period of January-December 2016.

Although producers have been benefiting from lower rig and vessel rentals for renewed contracts due to soft crude prices, the operating cost remains close to realisations from its sale. Hence, this increment would bolster domestic producing companies' margins. The public sector units namely Oil India Limited and Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited, which contribute around 80% to the total domestic production, would be the largest beneficiaries of the price increase.

Ind-Ra believes this would result in around INR13 billion higher revenue for Indian domestic producers during 2HFY18. In the mid-stream segment, Gail (India) Limited's ('IND AAA'/Stable) marketing segment could see about INR15 billion higher trading revenue from the sale of domestic gases during 2HFY18.

However, compressed natural gas (CNG) and piped natural gas (PNG domestic) end-consumers of city gas distribution (CGD) entities could bear the burden of price increase, as it is usually passed on to the customers. The revised price means CGD entities would entail INR1.05 higher cost per scm on gas procurement. The non-subsidised and subsidised LPG prices are around 33% and 9%, respectively, costlier than the domestic PNG in Delhi. Similarly, CNG is around 60% more competitive than petrol and around 50% than diesel. Given the significant competitiveness of CNG and PNG (domestic), CGD entities could raise the prices of these fuels by INR1/kg-1.4/kg and INR0.8/scm-1/scm, respectively, for customers. Considering that the pricing power lies with CGD entities, the quantum of the burden passed on to the consumers could vary across CGD entities depending on the capex and investments surplus targeted by them.

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The President on 02.10.2017, in exercise of the powers conferred by article 340 of the Constitution appointed a Commission to examine the sub-categorisation of Other Backward Classes. This decision, taken on the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, reinforces, in the spirit of his teachings, the Government's efforts to achieve greater social justice and inclusion for all, and specifically members of the Other Backward Classes. Sub categorization of the OBCs will ensure that the more backward among the OBC communities can also access the benefits of reservation for educational institutions and government jobs.

The composition of the Commission is as follows:

(i) Chairperson -Justice (Retd.) G.

Rohini,

(ii) Member -Dr. J. K. Bajaj

(iii) Member(Ex-officio)-Director, Anthropological Survey of India,

(iv) Member (Ex-officio)-Registrar General and Census Commissioner, India

(v)Secretary of the Commission-Joint Secretary, Department of SJ&E, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment

The terms of reference of the Commission are as under

(i) to examine the extent of inequitable distribution of benefits of reservation among the castes or communities included in the broad category of Other Backward Classes with reference to such classes included in the Central List;

(ii) to work out the mechanism, criteria, norms and parameters in a scientific approach for sub-categorisation within such Other Backward Classes; and

(iii) to take up the exercise of identifying the respective castes or communities or sub-castes or synonyms in the Central List of Other Backward Classes and classifying them into their respective sub-categories.

The Commission is required to present their Report to the President within a period of twelve weeks of assumption of charge by the Chairperson of the Commission.

On receipt of the Report of the Commission, the Central Government will consider ways and means for equitable distribution of the benefits of the reservation in Central Government jobs and admission in Central Government Institutions amongst all strata of the Other Backward Classes.

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Reliance Communications slumped 6.25% to Rs 18 at 10:35 IST on BSE after the company's board of directors have called off merger of RCom's mobile businesses with Aircel.

The announcement was made on Sunday, 1 October 2017. The market remained closed on Monday, 2 October 2017, on account of holiday.

Meanwhile, the S&P BSE Sensex was up 233.12 points, or 0.75% to 31,516.84. The S&P BSE Mid-Cap index was up 163.92 points, or 1.06% to 15,599.93.

On the BSE, 24.71 lakh shares were traded in the counter so far, compared with average daily volumes of 30.62 lakh shares in the past one quarter. The stock had hit a high of Rs 18.85 in intraday trade. The stock had hit a low of Rs 17.45 so far during the day, which is also a record low for the stock. The stock had hit a 52-week high of Rs 48.45 on 10 October 2016.

The board of directors of Reliance Communications (RCom) at a meeting held on Sunday, 1 October 2017, reviewed the ongoing strategic transformation programme, and considered alternate plans for debt reduction.

RCom and Aircel had signed binding agreements in September 2016 for the merger of RCom's mobile businesses with Aircel. Legal and regulatory uncertainties, and various interventions by vested interests, have caused inordinate delays in receipt of relevant approvals for the proposed transaction.

Unprecedented competitive intensity in the Indian telecom sector, together with fresh policy directives adversely impacting bank financing for this sector, have also seriously affected industry dynamics. As a result of the various factors aforesaid, the merger agreement has lapsed and the board approved the same.

Separately, the board decided that RCom will evaluate an alternate plan for its mobile business, through optimization of its spectrum portfolio and adoption of a 4G focused mobile strategy.

RCom already has the unique advantage of capital light access to India's most extensive world class nationwide 4G mobile network through spectrum sharing and ICR (intra circle roaming) agreements with Reliance Jio.

The combination of the mobile business of Sistema Shyam Teleservices (SSTL) into RCom is also expected to be completed this month. The addition of SSTL's valuable spectrum holdings in the 800-850 MHz band will strengthen RCom's spectrum portfolio by 30 Mhz, and extend the company's spectrum validity period in 8 important circles in the country till the year 2033 i.e. for another 16 years.

The company has valuable spectrum across 800/900/1800/2100 Mhz spectrum bands aggregating 200 Mhz, valued at over Rs 19000 crore for the balance of validity period, based on last auction pricing. The company will evaluate opportunities for monetization of the same through trading and sharing arrangements.

The company has made good progress in its monetization plans for prime real estate assets, including at Dhirubhai Ambani Knowledge City, Navi Mumbai admeasuring nearly 125 acres, with development rights of potentially over 17 million square feet and prime property near Connaught Place, New Delhi admeasuring nearly 4 acres.

Indications of interest from leading developers, and independent third party valuations, have established significantly higher present value monetization potential of Rs 10000 crore for the DAKC Complex alone. The company is engaged with leading global and domestic players, and expects to finalize developments agreements through an open and transparent process over the next few months.

The company will continue to implement its plans for monetization of its tower and fiber assets, as already announced.

The company continues to be under a standstill period till December 2018 and expects to complete the strategic debt restructuring (SDR) process as per applicable guidelines. Shareholders of the company at the Annual General Meeting held on 26 September 2017 have already approved issuance of equity shares to lenders by conversion of loans.

The company will also focus on domestic and overseas stable, capital light B2B businesses which have sustained and predictable revenues and profits, with immense growth potential.

Separately, company said on Monday, 2 October 2017 that at a meeting held on that day, it expanded its board by inducting its senior executives as additional directors of the company. Punit Garg, President, Telecom Business has been elevated to the board as Executive Director. Manikantan V., the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the company has also been elevated to the board as director and CFO.

On consolidated basis, RCom reported net loss of Rs 1221 crore in Q1 June 2017 compared with net profit of Rs 54 crore in Q1 June 2016. Net sales fell 33.6% to Rs 3494 crore in Q1 June 2017 over Q1 June 2016.

RCom is an integrated telecommunications service provider.

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Tata Motors rose 4.42% to Rs 419 at 10:24 IST on BSE on reports the company won a government contract worth Rs 1120 crore for supplying 10,000 electric cars.

Meanwhile, the S&P BSE Sensex was up 169.30 points, or 0.54% to 31,453.02.

On the BSE, 3.49 lakh shares were traded in the counter so far, compared with average daily volumes of 52.60 lakh shares in the past two weeks. The stock had hit a high of Rs 428.25 and a low of Rs 418.50 so far during the day.

According to reports, the vehicles will be procured by state-owned Energy Efficiency Services (EESL) at a per-unit price of Rs 11.20 lakh and will lay the foundation for the government's ambitious plan for a mass shift to electric vehicles (EVs) by 2030. These e-cars will be procured in two phases; 500 will be supplied in November 2017 and the remaining 9,500 cars in the second phase, for which dates have not been declared yet.

Meanwhile, Tata Motors on Sunday, 1 October 2017, announced strong second-quarter growth driven by robust results for the third consecutive month. The sales performance for September 2017 were at 53,965 units resulting in 25% growth over last year for the domestic passenger and commercial vehicle business. This is at the back of growing festive demand across segments, increased positive customer sentiments, introduction of new products and strong customer engagement initiatives.

Tata Motors overall commercial vehicles sales in September 2017, in the domestic market were at 36,679 units, higher by 29% over September 2016. In September 2017, Tata Motors passenger vehicles, recorded sales of 17,286 units, growth of 18%, over September 2016.

The company's sales from exports was at 3887 units in September 2017, a decline of 27%, due to continued drop in TIV in Sri Lanka (by 54%) and Nepal (by 47%).

Tata Motors' consolidated net profit rose 41.6% to Rs 3199.93 crore on 10.02% decline in net sales to Rs 58493.37 crore in Q1 June 2017 over Q1 June 2016.

Tata Motors is a leading global automobile manufacturer of cars, utility vehicles, buses, trucks and defence vehicles. The company has operations in the UK, South Korea, Thailand, South Africa, and Indonesia through a strong global network of 76 subsidiary and associate companies, including Jaguar Land Rover in the UK and Tata Daewoo in South Korea.

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An Army Commanders Conference will be held here from October 9 to 15 wherein top Army brass will discuss a slew of security, administrative and logistic issues, including the recent stand-off with China in the Doklam Sector in Sikkim.

It will be the first such conference of any of the three armed forces to be attended and addressed by Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

According to informed sources, the 75-day-long stand-off between Indian and Chinese troops at Doklam, that began on June 16, and the preparedness along the border with China in general, as well as the situation on the western border with Pakistan will be on the conference agenda.

Speeding up defence procurement, pace of modernisation in the Army, pushing the 'Make in India' programme and indigenous procurement, as well as issues related to the 7th Pay Commission are also likely to figure in the discussions.

This is the second edition of biennial Army Commanders' Conference this year, with the first one held in April.

--IANS

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A Dalit student was brutally stabbed here on Tuesday evening, allegedly by two upper caste boys for signing a police complaint as a witness to the thrashing of his cousin last week for sporting a moustache, his family said. Police are probing the matter.

Class 11 student Digant Maheria, who turned 17 on Monday, was rushed to the Gandhinagar Civil Hospital for treatment with multiple stab wounds and has got 15 stitches on his back. Superintendent of Police Virendrasinh Yadav visited the boy and personally got details of the incident from him and his family.

According to Maheria's family, he was returning from his PPR Shah High School in Limbodara village, 15 km from Gandhinagar, at 5 p.m. after an examination when he was attacked by unidentified motorcyclists, who had covered half their faces with black scarves.

"He must have gone hardly 200 metres from the school up to a fork, one of the roads leads to our home, when he was accosted by two motorcycle-borne boys," his uncle Kirit Maheria told IANS.

"They asked him if he had filed a police case (in the attack on his cousin Piyush Parmar, 24, for keeping a moustache), and when he said yes, they pushed him and asked him why."

The two then attacked Maheria, stabbing him repeatedly before fleeing the spot.

On the earlier incident, Satish Maheria, who stays in the same village, told IANS, that Digant Maheria was with Parmar when three people from the Rajput community came and told the latter that Dalits had no business to sport a moustache like Rajputs. After an argument on the topic, the trio beat him up, he said.

Meanwhile, a police complaint has been lodged about Tuesday's attack with the Kalol police station, under whose jurisdiction the village falls, in Gandhinagar.

Maheria's father works as daily wager in agricultural fields.

--IANS

desai/him/vd

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Virtually launching the election campaign in Himachal Pradesh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said the entire Congress party, including its President Sonia Gandhi, Vice President Rahul Gandhi and others were "out on bail" on corruption charges against them and called the Virbhadra Singh cabinet as "government on bail".

Addressing a public meeting after laying the foundation of a Rs 1,350 crore 750-bed AIIMS hospital in Bilaspur, a unit of SAIL steel plant and an IIIT building in the state, he said, "Everything here is on bail. The party (Congress) is on bail, the government is on bail."

"This is a 'zamanati sarkar'. When some people of Congress came to meet me, I told them the Chief Minister and his entire family is out on bail, and why don't you change the Chief Minister," Modi said referring to Virbhadra Singh, who is facing cases of disproportionate property and is out on bail.

"Then the Congress people replied saying that our entire party is on bail, our (Congress) President is facing corruption charges."

Taking a dig at the Congress leadership, Modi went on to add, "Sonia Gandhi is out on bail in the Herald case, similarly 'yuvraaj' (prince) is out on bail in the Herald case. Everything is on bail -- the party, its leaders and its government are out on bail."

"Now tell me, don't do we need to oust this government which is out on bail?" he asked the crowd which cheered with slogans of "Jai Shri Ram".

Highlighting the corruption during the Congress-led UPA government, Modi said, "Before 2014 everyday newspapers were filled with stories of corruption. But in the last three years there is no stain of corruption on our government," Modi said.

"Earlier, people used to ask how much money was lost in scams like coal, 2G, land, water, air etc., how much amount was lost. But now people ask how much money has come to India?" he said.

He also slammed the earlier Himachal and central governments for delaying projects in the state, and said, "The Rs 70 crore project of a steel plant was delayed for over seven years."

"If one has to understand how the government works then one must go into a case of Kangra steel plant. Here one department used to pass the buck to another, and that to yet another... as every department was having a Prime Minister," he said.

"How did the government function earlier? One government used to run through remote control," he said in an apparent jibe at the UPA government led by Manmohan Singh.

He also said that his government has approved work on 13 projects worth Rs 15,000 crore in the state which will not only bring employment but also boost the tourism sector in the state.

In his 40-minute address, Modi also talked about 'One Rank, One Pension' related to the Indian armed forces.

"I had announced during the Mandi rally that we will give One Rank, One Pension. We have disbursed three installments that has benefitted ex-servicemen. Close to Rs 8,500 crore has been distributed and the fourth installment would be released soon," he said.

Modi said "the BJP would fulfill the dreams of Himachalis" once it comes to power in the state.
Grazing livestock are linked to climate change. They can boost the sequestration of carbon in some locally specific circumstances. At the global level, they are responsible for greenhouse gas emissions, directly linked to global warming. The conclusion: Eat less meat and dairy products.

These startling findings were made public on Tuesday after two years of a collaboration study by researchers led by Tara Garnett of the Food Climate Research Network at the University of Oxford. Cecile Godde at Australia's national science agency, the CSIRO, is one of the authors.

The study, which aims to help minimise carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through grazing actions, holds relevance for India too as it supports one of world's largest populations of grass-fed livestock, ranks number one in milk production.

The report, "Grazed and Confused?", says grass-fed livestock are not a climate solution. They are, in fact, net contributors to the climate problem, as are all livestock.

The cattle emit gases such as nitrous oxide, carbon dioxide and methane, a particularly potent greenhouse gas, and contribute the majority share of total agricultural greenhouse gas emissions.

Rising animal production and consumption, whatever the farming system and animal type, is causing greenhouse gas release and contributing to changes in land use.

Ultimately, if high-consuming individuals and countries want to do something positive for the climate, maintaining their current consumption levels but simply switching to grass-fed beef is not a solution.

"Eating less meat, of all types, is (a solution)," advocates report lead author Garnett.

Published just ahead of the Bonn UN Climate Change Conference, the report places emphasis on the need to consider animal production and meat consumption if the world aims to keep a global average temperature rise well below 2 degrees Celsius.

"When thinking about different livestock production systems, there are many important aspects to consider: people's livelihoods and jobs, animal welfare, biodiversity, nutrition and food security and more," Garnett said.

"Grazing systems and grass-fed beef may offer benefits in these respects, benefits that will vary by context. But when it comes to climate change, people shouldn't assume that their grass-fed steak is a climate change-free lunch. It isn't," she added.

The 127-page report estimates the livestock sector as a whole is responsible for 14.5 per cent of global human-related global greenhouse emissions, making the increasing demand for meat and dairy foods extremely problematic "if we are to limit global warming to below the internationally agreed goal of 2-degrees".

However, both consumers and policymakers have a much looser grasp on the differences in climate impact among different types of livestock.

"The big question that needs answering is whether farmed animals fit in a sustainable food system, and if so, which farming systems and species are to be preferred," said environmental and agricultural scientist Godde.

"Of course, there are many dimensions to sustainability and this report only considers one of them -- the climate question. But the climate question alone is important to explore and in doing so, this report takes us a step further towards understanding what a sustainable food system looks like," she said.

The report concludes that although there can be other benefits to grazing livestock -- solving climate change isn't one of them!

(Vishal Gulati can be contacted at vishal.g@ians.in)

--IANS

vg/vm

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Large numbers of Catalans on Tuesday observed a general strike to condemn police violence during a banned weekend referendum on independence, as Madrid comes under growing international pressure to resolve its worst political crisis in decades.

Protesters blocked major roads in Catalonia and there was little public transport. At least 24 protesters' roadblocks were reported across Catalonia, causing big traffic jams. Barcelona port was at a standstill, union sources were quoted as saying by the BBC.

Many small businesses were shut for the day. Schools, universities and medical services were also closed or operating at a minimum level. The strike was called in protest against "the grave violation of rights and freedoms" during Sunday's ballot which was declared illegal by the Madrid government.

Almost 900 people were hurt as Spanish police tried to prevent voting. Police officers were seen firing rubber bullets, storming into polling stations and pulling women by their hair.

Thirty three police officers were also injured in Sunday's clashes, Catalan medical officials said. However, over 2.2 million people reportedly voted in spite of this.

The Catalan government said the vote in support of independence was nearly 90 per cent, but official results have not yet been released. Turnout was relatively low at a reported 42 per cent.

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy held emergency talks after Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont declared on Sunday that Catalonia had "won the right to an independent state".

Puigdemont said he wanted a new understanding with the central government in Madrid, but the Spanish government warned it could suspend the autonomy of the wealthy north-eastern region.

"An attack on democracy without precedent in recent times calls for a united response," said Javier Pacheco, the secretary general in Catalonia of the Comisiones Obreras union. "We have called on all sectors to take part."

Barcelona's public universities were expected to join the strike, as was the contemporary art museum and the Sagrada Familia, the basilica designed by Antoni Gaudi and one of the city's most popular tourist sites, the Guardian reported.

FC Barcelona said it would take part in the strike, adding that it would close its headquarters and that none of its professional or youth teams would train.

UN rights chief Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein said he was "very disturbed" by the referendum unrest while EU president Donald Tusk urged Madrid to avoid further violence.

The European Parliament will hold a special debate on Wednesday on the issue.

--IANS

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With a focus on women entrepreneurs, the Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) will be jointly inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and advisor to the US President Ivanka Trump at Hyderabad on November 28, it was announced here on Tuesday.

The three-day summit -- with the theme "Women first, prosperity for all" -- would this year focus on the tremendous potential women bring to entrepreneurship, the Niti Aayog said in a statement.

A high-level delegation of the US government, led by Ivanka Trump, daughter of US President Donald Trump, met officials at the Niti Aayog here to plan the summit, which is an annual gathering of emerging entrepreneurs, investors, and business leaders from around the world.

The summit "will create an environment that empowers innovators, particularly women, to take their ideas to the next level", the statement said.

"Women represent tremendous promise for economic growth and prosperity -- but in both developing and developed countries, they also face tremendous barriers to building businesses," it added.

The summit is expected to be attended by over 1,600 delegates, including entrepreneurs and investors and CEOs of major knowledge-based industries from across the world.

Niti Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant said it is a unique opportunity for Indian startups and innovators to interact and network with the finest entrepreneurs of the world.

"We need to harness technology to solve some of the most pressing problems in healthcare delivery, education, energy, safe drinking water and agriculture, among others, for the benefit of communities at large.

"Innovation and entrepreneurship will play a decisive role towards this end. I am sure this will be a unique opportunity for entrepreneurs to interact with the best," he said.

Jennifer Arangio, Senior Director at the National Security Council at the White House, said the event would highlight the Trump administration's commitment to the principle that "when women are economically empowered, communities and countries thrive".

"Hosting GES in India is a signature of the broad and enduring partnership between our two countries. We thank our co-host, the Indian government, for their support, energy and hospitality, and look forward to a high-impact summit that brings together ground-breaking US entrepreneurs and investors with their counterparts from around the world," she said.

Niti Aayog and the US Embassy are planning a series of "Road to GES" events in collaboration with different agencies to generate enthusiasm and attract the attention of different stakeholders, the statement said.

--IANS

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Honeypreet Insan, the "adopted daughter" of convicted Dera Sacha Sauda sect chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, on Tuesday rejected allegations of physical relations with him and asked people not to believe "false" stories being spread about them.

However, her estranged husband, Vishwas Gupta asserted that Honeypreet and Ram Rahim had "illicit relations" after she deserted him in 2009. He accused her of being a "liar" and of shedding "crocodile tears" to evoke sympathy.

Honeypreet alias Priyanka Taneja told India Today, "There is a pious relation between my father and me. It is a pious relation of a daughter with her father. Don't believe what is spread about me."

Projecting herself and Ram Rahim as innocent, Honeypreet asked why police registered a case against her as she was not even involved in any criminal case nor in the riots that broke out in Panchkula after the arrest of the Dera chief.

"I am not a criminal. Nor was I present in the riots nor spoke anything. I went with my father when he was convicted by court," she said.

Honeypreet said she would move the higher courts against the conviction of Ram Rahim. "He is innocent. He has not harmed even an insect. Truth will prevail and the world will see this. I'm pained and shocked. How can the world do this to us? We are great patriots and we love India. My father has been framed under charges of treason. Everything ended after he went to jail," said Honeypreet.

Asked why she was absconding, Honeypreet said: "I could not understand what I should do...First of all, I went somewhere else, then moved to Delhi and later Haryana and Punjab."

Reacting to her statements, her former husband said the Dera management supported her while she was in hiding during the last one month. "If she was pious, why was she absconding," he asked.

Referring to her pleas of innocence about her and Ram Rahim, Gupta wondered "which thief will accept that he has stolen something".

After being on the run for over a month, Honeypreet walked into the Mohali police station on Tuesday afternoon and was taken into custody by Haryana Police.

She went into hiding soon after large-scale violence broke out in different parts of Haryana, Punjab and Delhi on August 25 following Ram Rahim's conviction in two rape cases. She and other top Dera members were booked for inciting violence.

The Delhi High Court last week dismissed her transit anticipatory bail application.

There had been reports that Honeypreet had fled to Nepal following Ram Rahim's sentencing.

--IANS

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The Indian Air Force (IAF) is aggressively upgrading infrastructure on its eastern theatre to boost strategic deployment of advanced assets close to the Chinese border.

"The infrastructure development is taking place at a very, very rapid pace in the eastern front. We are inducting a number of new platforms in term of weapons, radar systems, networking systems," Air Marshal Anil Khosla, who heads the Shillong-based Eastern Air Command, told IANS.

"We are getting Rafale aircraft, Chinook heavy-lift helicopters and Apache attack helicopters. Recently, we have inaugurated a new C-130 J squadron complex in the Eastern Air Command," he said on the sidelines of the Air Fest at the Shillong Advanced Landing Ground here.

Noting that Eastern Air Command is growing from strength to strength, Khosla said, "We are getting ready to absorb the new technology and in another few years, may be two-three years or five years, it will be a very, very potent force (Eastern Air Command)."

"As I said, the delivery has already started. The radars are already coming in. We already have C-130 and we have operationalised a lot of helicopters units such as Mi-17 and Mi-17 V5, ALH, and in future we will get Chinooks, Apache, Rafale. So for all this, infrastructure is required," he said.

He said that six advance landing grounds have been made operational in Arunachal Pradesh, and added that the advance landing ground at Tawang is being upgraded as well as another at Vijaynagar.

"A lot of infrastructure is coming in our airfields to house the new (radar and networking) systems. We are trying to improve the operating surfaces further so that all these fighters and heavy transport aircraft can land and take off," the Air Marshal said.

"We are trying to make bases for housing our new radars which will be coming in. In addition, we are trying to upgrade our ranges to 'air to ground' ranges which are very important for the training of people," he said.

However, Khosla said the Indian Air Force capability building was not aimed with any particular country in mind

"It is a capability building of our own as over the years we have improved in the country economically. It is all-round capability building and development in the civil field as well as in the military field. So it is not aimed at any particular country. We are building up our capability and Air Force is becoming a potent and formidable force, and it is towards that," he added.

(Raymond Kharmujai can be contacted at rrkharmujai@gmail.com)

--IANS

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Jammu and Kashmir independent legislator Engineer Rashid on Tuesday appeared before the National Investigation Agency (NIA) here in connection with its ongoing probe into a terror funding case.

NIA officials said that Rashid, who represents the North Kashmir's Langate assembly constituency, arrived at the agency headquarters at around 10.30 a.m.

He was summoned on September 28.

The agency is investigating the alleged terror funding case involving separatist leaders, local businessmen and others.

It is for the first time that an MLA from the state had been summoned by the NIA.

So far, 10 people have been arrested by the NIA.

--IANS

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India on Tuesday summoned Pakistan Deputy High Commissioner Syed Haider Shah and issued him a demarche over the killing of three children in yet another ceasefire violation from the Pakistani side on Monday.

"Pakistan Deputy High Commissioner Syed Haider Shah was summoned today and a strong protest was lodged at the death of three Indian minor children in unprovoked ceasefire violation by the Pakistan forces in the Poonch sector on October 2," the External Affairs Ministry said in a statement.

"It was conveyed that such deliberate targeting of civilians was not acceptable and was against humanitarian norms and practices," it added.

According to the statement, India also expressed strong concern over the continued unprovoked firing by Pakistan forces across the Line of Control and the international boundary in violation of the 2003 ceasefire understanding.

"Five hundred and three such violations have been carried out by Pakistan forces so far during 2017," the statement said.

The Border Security Force (BSF) launched Operation Arjun following intermittent firing and ceasefire violations from across the border in Jammu region, following which Pakistani forces spoke to the Indian side and sought peace along the border.

In a media interaction here last month, BSF Director Generel K.K. Sharma said the Pakistani forces initiated firing around August 24-25 during which a BSF trooper lost his life.

"We retaliated by firing both flat trajectory and area weapons," he said referring to Operation Arjun.

He said the violations went on and another trooper was killed by a sniper while a woman also lost her life and several BSF troopers and civilians were also injured.

The BSF guards the international border with Pakistan south of the Chenab while on the north, along the Line of Control (LoC), it works under the operational control of the Indian Army.

--IANS

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The US Senate has approved the nomination of Indian American Ajit Varadaraj Pai for a second term as the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) Chairman.

Pai, whose term was to end later this year, was reappointed on Monday for a five-year term after getting a majority of 52-41, with most of the Democrats voting against him as they complained that Pai will undermine net neutrality.

Pai has served as a Commissioner at the FCC since 2012. President Donald Trump had earlier nominated him for another term as Republicans aim at further accelerating their ambitious tech agenda, the American Bazaar online reported.

The FCC is the federal authority regulating cellphone spectrum and services, radio, television, phone, internet and satellite and cable. It also has a major role in controlling the content of television and radio.

Pai was appointed by the new administration as the Chairman of FCC in the wake of Tom Wheeler demitting the office earlier this year. His tenure with the FCC as commissioner received a one-year extension in July 2016, giving him an opportunity to become the FCC Chairman.

Pai, during the beginning of his tenure as FCC Chairman, faced criticism as he said he wanted to end net neutrality, which prevents internet service providers from giving special preferences to certain web sites or accept payment from a web service to give it priority or better access.

After getting re-elected, Pai said he was "deeply grateful to the US Senate and to President (Donald) Trump".

Democratic Senator Ron Wyden warned that Pai "will do an enormous amount of damage to one of the foundational principles of the internet -- net neutrality".

Republican Senator Shelley Moore Capito said: "He truly understands the need to bring more rural communities online and has shown a real commitment to closing the digital divide in America."

Republican Senator Roger Wicker of Mississippi said: "He (Pai) is working to establish the light-touch regulatory framework that allowed the internet to become the marvel of the modern age."

Pai was born on January 10, 1973, in Buffalo, New York, to Konkani immigrants from India. He attended Harvard University in 1994 and the University of Chicago in 1997.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Indian and US officials met here on Tuesday in the run up to the November 28-30 Global Entrepreneurship Summit in Hyderabad that will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Ivanka Trump, President Donald Trump's daughter and advisor.

According to an official statement, Indian and US officials met at NITI Aayog office here to plan the 2017 Global Entrepreneurship Summit which is themed around "Women First, Prosperity for All".

The summit is expected to be attended by over 1,600 delegates, including entrepreneurs and investors, CEOs of major knowledge-based industries, representing the full measure of entrepreneurial talent from diverse backgrounds across the world.

The participants from 160 countries will represent a diverse range of geographies, industries, business size and scalability.

"Investors and representatives from organizations that support entrepreneurs will be hand-picked to catalyze investment, networking and mentoring. There will be special emphasis on empowering young and women entrepreneurs and the role they play in making communities more prosperous and secure through enterprise," the statement said.

NITI Aayog is taking the lead in organising the summit.

Amitabh Kant, CEO NITI Aayog, said it was a unique opportunity for Indian startups and innovators to interact and network with the finest entrepreneurs of the world.

"We need to harness technology to solve some of the most pressing problems in healthcare delivery, education, energy, safe drinking water and agriculture, among others for the benefit of communities at large. Innovation and entrepreneurship will play a decisive role towards this end. I am sure this will be a unique opportunity for entrepreneurs to interact with the best," Kant said.

Jennifer Arangio, Senior Director at the US National Security Council, was quoted in the statement as saying the US was proud to partner with India for this year's GES.

"Uniting under the theme Women First, Prosperity for All, the summit will highlight the Trump administration's commitment to the principle that when women are economically empowered, communities and countries thrive."

Arangio said hosting the summit in India was a signature of the "broad and enduring partnership between our two countries".

NITI Aayog and the US Embassy here are planning a series of 'Road to GES' events in collaboration with different agencies to attract the attention of different stakeholders.

As part of the summit, there will be a virtual exhibition of India's innovative prowess in collaboration with the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion. It is also proposed to showcase India's heritage, social entrepreneurship and craftsmanship in collaboration with the Ministry of Rural Development and Ministry of Culture.

--IANS

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The death toll from the mass shooting at a Las Vegas country music concert has increased to 59, while 527 others were injured, police said.

Clark county Sheriff Joe Lombardo confirmed the latest casualty figures at a press conference on Monday night, reports Efe news

Stephen Paddock, 64, opened fire with automatic weapons on some 22,000 people at the Route 91 Harvest concert from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino on Sunday at around 10.30 p.m.

Paddock killed himself as special response team officers broke into the hotel room, police said.

Lombardo told the media that the investigation is concentrated on four locations: the hotel room; the concert venue; Paddock's home in Mesquite, Nevada, and another property in northern Nevada that also belonged to the shooter.

Besides the 10 guns found in the hotel room, police discovered 18 firearms, explosives and thousands of rounds of ammunition at the residence in Mesquite, a town 128 km north of Las Vegas.

Paddock also had ammonium nitrate, which can be used to make bombs, in his vehicle, the sheriff said.

Regarding the motive for the deadliest mass shooting in US history, Lombardo said that he could not "get into the mind of a psychopath".

Paddock had not been flagged by any local, state or federal agency as a potential threat, the sheriff said.

The gunman's roommate, Marilou Danley, was initially identified by police as a person of interest in the case, but authorities later said they did not believe she was involved in the shooting.

Lombardo said his office had learned that Danley is abroad, "apparently in Tokyo".

President Donald Trump discussed the massacre during a brief address delivered at the White House, saying "it was an act of pure evil".

Trump said that he plans to travel to Las Vegas on Wednesday to meet with law enforcement personnel and relatives of the victims.

Paddock's brother, Eric, told US media outlets at his home in Central Florida that the shooting came as a complete surprise to him.

"I don't understand. It doesn't make sense," Eric Paddock said.

Stephen Paddock lived in Melbourne, a city on Florida's east-central Space Coast, until 2015, officials said.

"There's nothing I can say. My brother did this. It's like he shot us. I couldn't be more dumbfounded," Eric Paddock said.

Eric Paddock said he had not heard from his brother since last month, when Stephen texted him to see how the family had fared with hurricane Irma.

Hesaid that his and Stephen's father was Benjamin Hoskins Paddock, a career criminal and convicted bank robber.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation, meanwhile, said it could not find any links between Paddock and foreign terrorist organisations.

"We have determined, to this point, no connection with an international terrorist group," an FBI spokesman said in a press conference in Las Vegas.

"As this investigation continues, we will continue to work with our partners to ensure that this is factually, thoroughly and absolutely investigated, to be able to bring comfort and peace back to this community."

Earlier on Monday, the Islamic State (IS) terror group claimed responsibility.

IS said in a statement, whose authenticity has not been verified, that the gunman was "a soldier of the Islamic State".

Sheriff Lombardo said that it would take time to identify all of the victims.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Malayalam superstar Dileep, arrested for alleged involvement in the kidnapping of an actress, was on Tuesday granted bail by the Kerala High Court. The actor later left Aluva sub-jail here to loud cheers from hundreds of his fans.

The bail conditions include surrendering his passport, furnishing a bond of Rs 1 lakh, a pledge to stay away from witnesses in the case and to keep away from the media.

This is the third time Dileep approached the High Court for bail. He had also sought bail earlier twice from the trial court.

The court order on his bail was brought to Aluva sub-jail, where Dileep has been housed, by his brother.

In stark contrast to being hooted by angry crowds who had gathered to see Dileep following his arrest on July 10, on Tuesday hundreds of fans gathered to cheer the star. His fans, including women, began collecting soon after he was granted bail by the Kerala High Court around 2 p.m. They were seen distributing sweets and chanting slogans in his favour.

Dileep was arrested for his alleged involvement in the conspiracy behind the kidnapping of a popular actress in February this year.

Dressed in a white shirt and a fully grown beard, Dileep stood on the running board of the car and waved to his fans, and also stood with folded hands as the car drove away to his home where his mother, actress wife Kavya Madhavan, his daughter and close relatives were waiting to receive him.

The police was present in large numbers in the jail and also at the two homes of the actor near here.

Ernakulam rural Superintendent of Police A.V. George, who was one of the key officials in the probe team, told the media that the charge sheet in the case would be filed soon.

The arguments on the bail plea got over last Friday.

Actor Mahesh, who had been defending Dileep all through, expressed happiness.

"Every time a bail plea was moved, we hoped against hope that he would get bail. Finally, the prayers of his fans have been answered," he said.

The abduction of the popular actress took place in February when she was on way from Thrissur to Kochi.

She was taken around in her vehicle forcefully and allegedly molested for about two hours before being dumped near an actor-director's home.

The key accused -- Pulsar Suni and his accomplices involved in the actual abduction -- were arrested a week later. After detailed questioning, police unearthed a conspiracy angle in the abduction and arrested Dileep.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Fugitive Indian businessman Vijay Mallya was on Tuesday arrested in London in a money laundering case, CBI sources said.

CBI sources said that Mallya was arrested in the case pending against him.

Mallya is wanted in India for his Kingfisher Airlines defaulting on loans worth nearly Rs 9,000 crore. He fled to Britain in March last.

The flamboyant businessman, known for his lavish lifestyle, was arrested by the Scotland Yard on an extradition warrant on April 18. He was, however, released on conditional bail immediately after he provided a bail bond of 650,000 pounds.

The Indian government had given additional papers to Britain for extradition of the fugitive businessman after a British court had observed in June that Indian investigation agencies had delayed evidence against him.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
While India launched its third Wildlife Action Plan on Monday with the focus on reducing human-animal conflict, a man was killed by a tiger in Pilibhit Tiger Reserve (PTR), making him the 17th victim this year, one of the highest tolls in any national park.

The tiger, identified as a sub-adult male, did not prey on 45-year-old Bablu Sardar ruling out the tiger being a man-eater.

Sardar, who hailed from Neuria village near Mahof range of the tiger reserve, died on Sunday night, officials told IANS on Tuesday.

Though the villagers claim that the man was killed by the tiger near a sugarcane field, where he went to chop grass, a probe has found that the victim ventured 2.5 km inside the forest area.

The tiger must have seen the human intervention as a territorial threat and attacked him, officials said.

This, however, aggrandises the problems of the forest officials, who now count on taking offensive measures to stop people from entering the protected forest areas -- most such incursions leaving people dead.

According to records, 33 people were killed by tigers in 2013-14, while 28 were killed in 2014-15 throughout the country.

In Pilibhit Tiger Reserve, all the 17 incidents had happened in different areas of the forest with at least four different tigers involved, one of which was declared a man-eater in February this year and sent to Lucknow zoo, after it killed five persons.

Most of the cases involved humans entering the forest areas either to collect timber or other forest produce, forest officials said.

However with a narrow geography, and with fringe and buffer close to the town, tigers often venture into the town and village areas with one tiger turning up near the district court while it was in session in July this year.

"Yes, this is the 17th incident this year and a matter of concern but these incidents must not be connected as they are different cases and happen for different reasons," Conservator of Forests V.K. Singh of Pilibhit district told IANS.

Singh added that the tiger attacks occurred as people had been venturing inside the forest area for collecting forest produce.

"This tiger had been living in isolation, as it was earlier ousted by a dominant male from a different range. It's over protective of this new range that it has formed. It's thus very important to stop people from entering the forest region around Mahof range," Singh said.

He added that after the person was killed inside the forest, people dragged the body out and kept it near a sugarcane field in order to show that he was killed outside the forest and they could ask for compensation.

"His shirt and timber collection was found about 2.5 km inside the forest area, which also happens to be the area of this sub-adult male," said Singh.

"Sugarcane-Tigers" -- a common term used in the forests of Terai region is a major cause of the human-wildlife conflict in the region as tigers see sugarcane fields as natural grasslands.

The forest officials said that due to excessive human intervention, the tigers, especially near the fringe areas, are getting increasingly restive leading to conflict.

"We are going to take offensive measures against the villagers who enter the forests. Pilibhit has enough prey-base for the feline and thus tigers don't venture out. But people often go inside and become victims. We have to check that and take strong measures to stop it," the forest official told IANS.

Man-animal conflict cases are on the rise in the Terai region, including areas of Pilibhit, Lakhimpur-Kheri and Bahraich districts, mostly due to encroachment and settlements in and around the forest areas.

--IANS

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Australian investigators on Tuesday released their final report on the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, saying the inability to bring closure for victims families was a "great tragedy" and "almost inconceivable" in the modern age.

It has now been three-and-a-half years since MH370 and its 239 passengers and crew disappeared en route to Beijing from Kuala Lumpur on March 8, 2014, reports the Guardian.

The report was released by the the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB), the agency that coordinated the largest and most expensive underwater search in history.

"It remains a great tragedy and we wish that we could have brought complete closure to the bereaved," ATSB chief commissioner, Greg Hood, said.

"I hope, however, that they can take some solace in the fact that we did all we could do to find answers."

The report found the reasons for the loss of MH370 could not be established with any certainty until it was found.

"It is almost inconceivable and certainly societally unacceptable in the modern aviation era with 10 million passengers boarding commercial aircraft every day, for a large commercial aircraft to be missing and for the world not to know with certainty what became of the aircraft and those on board."

The operation to find MH370 was suspended in January after 1,046 days, the Guardian reported.

The suspension followed an unsuccessful underwater search 2,800km off the coast of Western Australia, which used a deep-sea sonar search over 120,000 sq.km.

Following the underwater search, a re-analysis of satellite imagery had narrowed the plane's likely resting place to an area of less than 25,000 sq.km, the ATSB said.

The location of the Boeing 777 has become one of aviation's greatest mysteries, unable to be solved by a multinational effort involving ships and aircraft from countries including India, China, the US and Australia.

MH370 veered off course and continued to fly for seven hours but sent no automatic transmissions after the first 38 minutes of flight.

The plane's last known position was recorded at the northern tip of Sumatra.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Brigadier (Retd) B.D. Mishra was on Tuesday sworn in as Governor of Arunachal Pradesh by Gauhati High Court Chief Justice Ajit Singh at the Raj Bhavan here.

Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein, Union Minister of State (Home) Kiren Rijiju, Assembly Speaker T.N. Thongdok, the council of ministers, members of the state assembly, Chief Secretary Shakuntala Gamlin, government, army and para-military officials were present when Mishra was administered the oath of office.

Mishra a war veteran, who served the Indian Army in three major wars in 1962, 1965 and 1971, took charge as full-fledged Governor of the state.

He took over from Nagaland Governor Padmanabha Balakrishna Acharya, who was holding additional charge of Arunachal Pradesh after V. Shanmuganathan, who was then holding additional charge of the state, resigned on January 26 following charges of inappropriate behaviour against him.

Shanmuganathan's resignation came after nearly 100 employees of the Raj Bhavan in Shillong had sent a five-page letter to the Prime Minister's Office and Rashtrapati Bhavan, demanding recall of the Governor for what they alleged was "turning the Raj Bhavan into a Young Ladies Club".

The swearing-in ceremony was followed by State Guard of Honour presented by Arunachal Pradesh Police at Raj Bhavan.

Earlier, on his arrival at Itanagar, a state reception was accorded to Mishra at Raj Bhavan helipad. A Guard of Honour by Arunachal Pradesh Police was presented to the Governor-designate.

Mishra retired from the Indian Army on July 31, 1995 as Brigadier, after a 34-year career.

Mishra was the Commander of NSG (Black Cat Commandos) Counter Hijack Task Force that successfully rescued all 124 passengers and crew members of a hijacked Indian Airlines flight that was forced to land at the Raja Sansi Airfield in Amritsar in 1993.

Mishra also fought in the 1962 war against China and the 1971 war against Pakistan. He also played an instrumental role in tackling the Naga insurgency movement in 1963-1964 in Nagaland.

He fought against the militant group LTTE, as the Leading Brigade Commander of the Indian Peace Keeping Force in Jaffna in 1987-88.

Mishra, who holds an MA from Allahabad University, an M.Sc from Madras University and a Ph.D from Jiwaji University, Gwalior, also taught at the College of Combat at MHOW Cantonment and at Defence Services Staff College at Wellington Cantonment.

--IANS

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The Mizoram government has asked central security forces to tighten vigil along India's border with neighbouring Myanmar and Bangladesh to prevent influx of illegal immigrants, especially Rohingyas, a Minister said on Tuesday.

The mountainous, northeastern state of Mizoram has a 510-km border with Mynamar and 318 km with Bangladesh, guarded by Assam Rifles and the Border Security Force, respectively.

"After a central government advisory, our government asked both forces to increase security along the Myanmar and Bangladesh borders. Accordingly, additional troopers have been deployed," Mizoram Home Minister R. Lalzirliana said.

"The state's own security personnel posted near border villages have also been directed to remain on high alert in view of refugee influx from Myanmar to Bangladesh."

The Minister said it was, however, unlikely that the Rohingyas would enter Mizoram since Rakhine province in Myanmar from where they have fled is quite far from the Indian state.

Around 170 refugees from Myanmar's Arakan, who entered Mizoram last month and took shelter in Lawngtlai district in southern Mizoram, returned to their homes in early September.

These refugees had fled Arakan due to recent clashes between the Myanmar Army and the Arakan Liberation Army, a militant outfit.

A Mizoram Home Department official said Home Ministry's Special Secretary (Internal Security) Rina Mittal and Joint Secretary (North-East) Satyender Garg last month visited Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram, and Manipur.

--IANS

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The Congress on Tuesday accused the Narendra Modi government of putting internal security in peril due to "inaction and lack of direction" and said it should come out with a road map to deal with Pakistan-sponsored terrorism.

In a statement, Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala said there had been a spike in violence in Jammu and Kashmir with terrorists seeking to attack security installations.

"Under the watch of the BJP Government, 253 personnel of our brave security forces have been martyred and 124 civilians have died in 102 major terror attacks in last 40 months," he said.

Referring to Tuesday's attack at a Border Security Force camp by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed in which three militants and a trooper were killed, Surjewala said the attack took place near the "maximum security" Srinagar Airport Zone.

"It is another grim reminder of breach in the security protocol. Empty phrases, chest thumping and indulgence in TV studio warfare by the BJP government have only created a superficial and false discourse The reality is that an unprecedented security situation is being witnessed in Jammu and Kashmir, whereby terrorists from across the border have repeatedly attacked our security installations and apparatus.

"Inaction, lack of direction and policy paralysis reflect the compromise of our national security. After 40 months, our internal security situation stands gravely in peril. A series of major terror attacks on our security establishments validate the seriousness of the situation," he said.

Listing some of the terror strikes in the past two years - the July 2015 attack at the Dinanagar police station in Punjab, the January 2016 attack on the Pathankot Air Force Base Station in Pathankot, the September 2016 attack at Army camp in Jammu and Kashmir's Uri, Surjwala warned India's security is "imperilled by terrorism".

"The days of lip service and strong condemnation are over. It is high time that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Government lay down a road map to deal with Pakistani-sponsored terrorism and to prevent repeated terror attacks on our security forces and civilians."

--IANS

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Ousted Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif made a comeback on Tuesday as head of Pakistan's ruling PML-N through a controversial legal reform, more than two months after he was disqualified from holding office by the country's apex court on charges of corruption in the Panama Papers case.

He was elected unopposed a day after the National Assembly dropped a clause from the "Election Act 2017" which prohibited disqualified Members of Parliament from becoming leaders of political parties.

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz used its majority in Parliament to pass the reform amid protests from opposition members who tore copies of the bill and said they will challenge the reform in court, Dawn online reported.

Sharif's party later amended its constitution to implement the new law immediately.

The country's Supreme Court had disqualified Sharif on July 28 for not declaring income from an overseas company owned by his son.

"I have been removed from power repeatedly but you keep bringing me back," Sharif told his cheering supporters at the Convention Centre in Islamabad after being re-elected as PML-N chief.

"I love you too," the three-time Prime Minister said in response to raucous chants of "I love you" by his supporters.

Sharif also accused the Supreme Court of subverting the will of the Pakistani people. "If there was nothing in the Panama (Papers) then people should have been told this... that Nawaz Sharif did not misuse any public funds."

"Despite being elected by the people thrice, I was disqualified. Not because of any corruption or malpractice but for not taking a salary from my son," said the ousted premier.

"I believe the only way to consolidate democracy is to respect the mandate given by the people," he said. "The use of the law to change the mandate of people must end."

Sharif promised his supporters that his party will fare even better in the 2018 elections, adding that the people will give their decision regarding (his) "eligibility" then.

Earlier in the morning, PML-N leader Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry submitted Sharif's papers for party President in the Election Commission while none other candidate from the party contested the election.

The formal announcement was made at the party's General Council meeting here by the PML-N's chief election commissioner Chaudhry Jaffar Iqbal.

The meeting was attended by all senior PML-N leaders including Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar.

Addressing the crowd, Abbasi termed the occasion as a "historic day". The Premier said he was proud to be among the few people who witnessed the moment Sharif took his place as party Chairman for the first time.

Abbasi presented an "open challenge to all the dictators and PPP" to compare the development work carried out by them with that of the PML-N.

Sharif, his children -- Hassan, Hussain, Maryam -- and son-in-law Captain Safdar are facing investigations related to ownership of properties in London and the firms Azizia Steel as well as another 16 offshore companies.

--IANS

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Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will inaugurate the National Green Tribunal's (NGT) Regional Conference on Environment here on Saturday to discuss various burning issues concerning the protection and conservation of the environment, an official said on Monday.

The NGT meet will see participation of delegates from Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa, Daman and Diu, ministers, judges from the Supreme Court and High Courts, lawyers, green activists, academicians and students from all over India, said organisers NGT's Subhash Karhale and Asim Sarode.

The meet will focus on the need for environmental awareness among all stakeholders pertaining to various emerging issues and understanding the importance of sustainable development in compliance with environmental laws, said Sarode, who is also Vice President, NGT Bar West Zone, Pune.

It will also provide a new dimension to the environmental jurisprudence from a scientific and legal perspective in finding effective solutions to ecological issues, he added.

Besides Fadnavis, the inaugural will have NGT Chairperson (retired) Chief Justice Swatanter Kumar, Supreme Court Justice M.B. Lokur, Justice U.D. Salvi and Justice D.Y. Chandrachud.

The conference will comprise three technical sessions to be presided over by eminent personalities like Justice Abhay Oka of Bombay High Court, Justice P.P. Bhatt of Gujarat High Court and Justice P. Jyothimani, Judicial Member, NGT (SZB) Chennai.

The participants in the technical sessions include top IAS officers, judges, environmental activists, lawyers, academicians from IIT, NEERI, and pollution control board officials who will discuss issues pertaining to Ecology and Environment, Sustainable Development in Coastal Area, and Challenges in Waste Management, among other related topics.

The valedictory session on Sunday at the Dhanvantri Auditorium, in Wanowrie, will see top speakers like Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar and Supreme Court Justice A.M. Khanvilkar attending.

--IANS

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Pakistan Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif left for a three-day tour of the US on Tuesday, where he is expected to meet US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to resume bilateral talks and work out ways to dispel tensions that cropped up after US President Donald Trump's announcement of a new policy for Afghanistan and South Asia.

The Foreign Minister told Geo News on Monday that he would clear Pakistan's position in meetings with US officials. He will also reportedly meet US National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster during the trip.

The visit comes amid tensions following Trump's accusation of Pakistan "being a safe haven for terrorist organisations".

Asif will also be addressing a gathering at the US Institute of Peace in Washington on US-Pakistan relations on October 5, the institute said, pointing out that Trump's speech had not only "unsettled US-Pakistan relations" but also had "serious implications for US interests in Afghanistan, nuclear non-proliferation and stability in the region".

US Vice-President Mike Pence had met Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly earlier this month and suggested sending a US delegation to Islamabad for talks aimed at removing tensions.

While accepting the proposal, Pakistan had asked for a high-level meeting in Washington to defuse the tensions. In response, Washington had invited Asif for a meeting with Tillerson on October 4, the report said.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Voters in counties with poor community health may be possible contributors to the surprising results of the 2016 US presidential election, researchers say.

The findings showed that across all counties there was an average 5.4 per cent shift from Mitt Romney in 2012 to Donald Trump in 2016 -- with 88 per cent of the counties shifting towards Trump while 12 per cent shifted away from him.

Counties shifting towards Trump had higher teenage birth rates and age-adjusted mortality, but lower rates of violent crime.

Further, counties shifting towards Trump also appeared to have fewer health care resources, including the number of primary care physicians and income allocated, than did counties shifting away from Trump.

This association between public health and voting patterns was strongest in the West and particularly in the Midwest, where major voting shifts contributed to the Republican victory.

"Even after adjusting for factors such as race, income and education, public health seems to have an additional, independent association with this voting shift towards Trump," said lead author Jason H. Wasfy, assistant professor at the Harvard Medical School.

"I think these results demonstrate that health is a real issue that can affect people's lives and their decisions. We all need to focus on improving public health as a means of improving people's lives."

For the study, published in the journal PLOS ONE, the team investigated data covering both the 2016 and 2012 US presidential elections for 3,009 counties, more than 95 per cent of the 3,142 counties or equivalent regions in the US.

They analysed public health factors, including days of poor health, the prevalence of food insecurity, obesity and diabetes, teenage birth rates and the age-adjusted mortality rate.

--IANS

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Actor Anupam Kher along with the team of his forthcoming production venture "Ranchi Diaries" on Tuesday met Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das here.

The team -- including actors Himansh Kohli and Soundarya Sharma and writer-director Sattwik Mohanty -- met Das to thank him for the support that the government extended to the film.

"In the last couple of years, the Jharkhand government has been very forthcoming and supportive of the films that are being made to spread awareness about the cultural heritage and tourism of the state," Anupam said in a statement.

"We are very fortunate to have been given this (support) by the CM. It was a pleasure meeting him today (Tuesday). He also said that they are trying to make the film tax free since the whole film is shot here," he added.

"Ranchi Diaries" follows the story of "Gudiya", played by debutante Soundarya and her friends, Taaha Shah and Himansh , who are out to make it big in a small town (Ranchi). It is Anupam's first production.

The film is releasing on October 13.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Actor Ranveer Singh looks fierce and intense in his just unveiled first look as ruler Alauddin Khilji in filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansalis forthcoming film "Padmavati".

Ranveer took to Twitter on Tuesday to share two different avatars of Khilji.

In the first photo, Ranveer can be seen posing topless inside water with long hair and beard.

The second image features the "Befikre" actor donning a warrior costume and posing while looking at the mirror.

Interestingly, both photographs feature a bruise underneath the actor's right eye.

Besides Ranveer, "Padmavati" will feature actress Deepika Padukone in the title role and actor Shahid Kapoor as her husband - MahaRawal Ratan Singh.

"Padmavati", which will release on December 1, tells the story of Alauddin Khilji, the medieval-era Delhi ruler, who fell in love with Rajput queen Padmavati.

The film has been through various ups and down while it was under production.

Earlier this year, activists of Shri Rajput Karni Sena assaulted Bhansali and vandalised the movie's Jaipur set over alleged distortions in the film's script.

Later on, the film's set was moved to Maharashtra. There also an outdoor set of the historic period drama in Kohlapur was burnt down after two dozen unidentified persons torched it in March.

--IANS

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Former SAD Minister Sucha Singh Langah, who is facing rape and cheating charges, on Tuesday moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court here, seeking transit anticipatory bail.

The application is likely to come up for hearing on Wednesday.

Langah had presented himself before the Duty Magistrate at the district court here on Monday. The court had then refused his plea and asked him to surrender in Gurdaspur town where the case against him was registered.

The Punjab Police, which had been claiming that it was conducting raids across the state for the past three days, did not reach the district court complex to arrest Langah even though he remained there for several hours.

The former Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) Minister was booked in Gurdaspur last week on the complaint of a woman employee of the Punjab Police Vigilance Department.

The victim, a widow, claimed that she had been sexually exploited and raped by Langah since 2009 under the threat of death. She also said that she was a classmate of Langah's daughter in college.

Langah had remained underground since the registration of the case and failed to surrender in Gurdaspur or Pathankot as promised. The police had conducted raids at various places in Punjab in order to arrest him.

He was booked under Sections 376 (rape), 384 (extortion), 420 (cheating) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code at the Gurdaspur City police station.

Langah, who was a member of the Akali Dal core committee and President of its Gurdaspur district unit, announced his resignation from all party posts and from the membership of Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) after the case was registered against him.

SAD President Sukhbir Singh Badal, who accepted the resignation with immediate effect, had said that Langah resigned to "submit himself to the process of law".

Meanwhile, Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of the Sikh religion, has called a meeting of five Sikh high priests on October 5 to discuss the situation emerging out of the registration of the case against Langah.

Langah has termed the case "political vendetta" and "premeditated" just before the Gurdaspur Lok Sabha seat bypoll on October 11.

The SAD and its alliance partner Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have defended Langah, contending that the case was motivated by Punjab's ruling Congress before the crucial bypoll. The Congress has rubbished the charges.

--IANS

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Rapper Future was slammed by social media users for promoting his Halloween concert in Las Vegas just 12 hours after the massacre in which at least 59 people died and over 500 were injured.

The 33-year-old Grammy nominee, last seen in Australia on Sunday, came under fire after he or someone from his team posted a flier for his October 28 gig at Drai's, Las Vegas, on Twitter and Facebook, reports dailymail.co.uk.

One user wrote: "All the s*** going on in Vegas right now. Take some time from thinking about yourself and promoting a concert in Vegas", and another also shared: "Too early bro".

In one of the deadliest mass shootings in American history, a gunman in a high-rise hotel in Las Vegas opened fire on a huge outdoor concert festival, killing 59 and injuring 527.

Stephen Paddock, 64, opened fire with automatic weapons on some 22,000 people at the Route 91 Harvest concert from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino on Sunday at around 10.30 p.m. Paddock killed himself as special response team officers broke into the hotel room.

Many of America's most influential celebrities like Lady Gaga, Ariana Grande, Amy Schumer, Billy Eichner, Lena Dunham, Mia Farrow, Ben Platt, Julianne Moore, Jessica Chastain, John Legend and Kim Kardashian West are using their social media platforms to push for change and plead for gun control.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Filmmaker Ram Gopala Varma, popular known as RGV, on Tuesday announced he will be joining hands with actor Akkineni Nagarjuna after two decades for a yet-untitled Telugu "realistic action" film.

The duo had previously worked together in critically-acclaimed Telugu films "Shiva" and "Govinda Govinda".

"I am extremely excited that I am doing a film with Nagarjuna after nearly 25 years but contrary to some uninformed media speculations, this new film is nothing to do with 'Shiva', neither in character nor in story content," Varma posted on his Facebook page.

He went on to add: "It's a very different but an extremely realistic action film set against a story such as neither me nor Nagarjuna has ever done before."

Varma said he hopes he lives up to the expectations.

Nagarjuna gave the "Rangeela" director his directorial break with "Shiva", which is even today considered a game changer in Telugu filmdom.

On the career front, Nagarjuna awaits the release of Telugu horror-comedy "Raju Gari Gadhi 2", while Varma is gearing up for "Lakshmi's NTR", a biopic on actor and former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, Nandamuri Taraka Rao (NTR)

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Sidelined AIADMK leader V.K. Sasikala on Tuesday applied for a 15-day parole to the central jail authorities here to meet her ailing husband M. Natarajan in Chennai in Tamil Nadu, a prison official said.

"She (Sasikala) applied today (Tuesday) for 15-day parole to visit Chennai and meet her husband who is seriously ill," Parpanna Agrahara Central Jail Superintendent M. Somashekar told IANS here.

"The decision on parole and its duration will be decided in a couple of days in consultation with authorities concerned," he added.

A confidante of late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa, Sasikala, 60, is serving a four-year jail term in the prison on the city's outskirts since February 15 after the Supreme Court on February 14 upheld her conviction in a corruption case in September 2015 by a trial court here.

"Her application will be considered on getting the opinion of the state legal and police departments. We will stipulate the number of days Sasikala will be allowed to be on parole and when she should return," the officer said.

Co-convicts Elavarasi and V.N. Sudhakaran, Sasikala's sister in-law and nephew, are also serving their sentence but have not applied for parole.

M. Natarajan, 74, a former bureaucrat in the Tamil Nadu government during Jayalalithaa's earlier tenures, is awaiting a liver transplant in a private hospital in Chennai, about 350km from here.

He has also registered with the Tamil Nadu Organ Sharing waiting list for cadaver liver transplant.

According to AIADMK faction leader T.T.V. Dinakaran, Natarajan is in the Liver Intensive Care Unit of the Gleneagles Global Health City in Chennai.

Though Jayalalithaa was also convicted in the multi-crore disproportionate assets case as the main accused, she passed away on December 5, 2016, at a private hospital in Chennai.

She was also in the same jail here for three weeks from September 26 to October 20, 2015 but was released on conditional bail by the apex court.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Sidelined AIADMK leader V.K. Sasikala on Tuesday applied for 15-day parole to jail authorities here to meet her ailing husband M. Natarajan but was later asked to resubmit her application with more details and affidavits.

"She (Sasikala) applied today (Tuesday) for 15-day parole to visit Chennai in Tamil Nadu to meet her seriously ill husband," Parpanna Agrahara Central Jail Superintendent M. Somashekar told IANS here.

"The decision on parole and its duration will be decided in a couple of days in consultation with authorities concerned," he added.

Sasikala's lawyer G. Sukumaran later told IANS here that her application had not been rejected and that the Jail Superintendent (Somashekar) had asked her to resubmit her plea with more details and supporting documents.

The application was not considered as it was not as per the parole rules, Sukumaran said, adding that she was entitled to parole as she had completed six months of simple imprisonment on August 14.

"As she is serving simple imprisonment since February 15, she is entitled to parole as an ordinary prisoner. She has to fulfil certain requirements for parole, for which we will resubmit the application by Wednesday, the lawyer said.

AIADMK's Karnataka unit President Va Pugazendi told IANS that a section of the media was claiming that Sasikala's application was rejected but was silent on the reasons.

"It's a rumour that her application has been rejected. It's not rejected but withheld on technical grounds. The Jail Superintendent has asked her lawyers to resubmit the application with more details and affidavits. It will be done," Pugazendi said.

A confidante of late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa, Sasikala, 60, is serving a four-year jail term in the prison on the city's outskirts since February 15 after the Supreme Court on February 14 upheld her conviction in a corruption case in September 2015 by a trial court here.

"Her application will be considered on getting the opinion of the state legal and police departments. We will stipulate the number of days Sasikala will be allowed to be on parole and when she should return," the Jail Superintendent earlier said.

Co-convicts Elavarasi and V.N. Sudhakaran, Sasikala's sister in-law and nephew, are also serving their sentence but have not applied for parole.

M. Natarajan, 74, a former bureaucrat in the Tamil Nadu government during Jayalalithaa's earlier tenures, is awaiting a liver transplant in a private hospital in Chennai, about 350km from here.

He has also registered with the Tamil Nadu Organ Sharing waiting list for cadaver liver transplant.

According to AIADMK faction leader T.T.V. Dinakaran, Natarajan is in the Liver Intensive Care Unit of the Gleneagles Global Health City in Chennai.

Though Jayalalithaa was also convicted in the multi-crore disproportionate assets case as the main accused, she passed away on December 5, 2016, at a private hospital in Chennai.

She was also in the same jail here for three weeks from September 26 to October 20, 2015 but was released on conditional bail by the apex court.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Ousted Pakistan Prime Minister on Tuesday was re-elected "unopposed" as the president of the ruling PML-N on Tuesday, reclaiming his position as the head of his namesake party.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader Tariq Fazal Chaudhry submitted Sharif's papers for party president in the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) while no other candidate from the party contested the election, reports Dawn news.

The commission will formally announce Sharif as the party president in a meeting of PML-N's general council later in the day.

Sharif is slated to address the meeting, which is being attended by all senior PML-N leaders including Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar.

On Monday, opposition lawmakers protested in the National Assembly when Law Minister Zaid Hamid introduced an amendment in the "Election Bill 2017", reports Dawn news.

Earlier a politician could not hold any party position if disqualified by a court.

The law was passed to allow the PML-N to re-elect Sharif as party chief.

Sharif had relinquished the position of PML-N chief after his ouster from power under the July 28 verdict of the Supreme Court in the Panama Papers case.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday said that it will examine all the issues involved in the moves to deport Rohingya refugees back to Myanmar as it urged the rival parties to address the issue on the strength of law shunning emotional arguments.

"No emotional arguments. Go by law and human values and mutual respect," said the bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justice A.M.Khanwilkar and Justice D.Y.Chandrachud as amicus curiae Fali Nariuman assailed the government stand on deporting about 40,000 Rohingya refugees who have fled Myanmar to escapee persecution.

Urging both Nariman and Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to address the court on law and human values, the bench said that "we will deal with it including parameters, boundaries and contours of the decision, and the jurisdiction of the top court" to entertain the plea by two Rohingya refugees opposing moves to turn them back to Myanmar.

The court said that it should be "very slow in abdicating its jurisdiction".

"I for one believed that court's should be very slow in abdicating its jurisdiction," said the Chief Justice.

The observation from the bench assumes significance as the Central government on Tuesday once again reiterated its stand that the court should keep off from Rohingya issue as it concerned the matter falling within the domain of the executive.

Stating that the issue was not justiceable, Mehta told the bench that the parameters within which executive decisions are taken include diplomatic considerations, whether country can sustain the burden of such a large number of refugees, law and order situation in the state where they settle, and other factors including drain on country's resources.

Mocking the government's stand that the issued fell within the executive domain and court should not interfere as it was not justiceable, Nariman said that Article 14 (equality before law) and 21 (right to life) was available to all.

"Our constitution is not based on groups rights but on individual rights. It is both for the citizens and non-citizens," he said.

Even as the government tried to link the moves to deport Rohingyas with some of them having links with terror outfits in Pakistan and Bangladesh, the court asked whether the government had an obligation to protect Rohingya children, women and sick who are suffering.

The Central government is describing Rohingyas as illegal immigrants and refusing to treat them as refugees.

A Rohingya petitioner had on Septembeb 23 told the top court that they were not illegal immigrants but refugees who fled Myanmar and came to India for shelter in wake of their persecution on the grounds of their religion and community identity and were entitled to all protection under the international conventions on refugees and treaties.

Addressing the court, Nariman assailed the government's August 8 communication to all the states and union territories asking them identify and deport Rohingyas.

Citing international declarations and conventions to which India is signatory, he wondered whether the August 8 communication over-rides the county's general policy on refugees which lays down the standard operating procedures that needs to be followed by the agencies in dealing with the people who claim to be refugees.

The next hearing is on October 13.

--IANS

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A soldier was killed on Tuesday in sniper fire from across the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district, police said.

During patrolling, Naik Mohinder Chenjung, deployed at Chera forward post in Mendhar sector of the LoC, was killed by a sniper shot from the Pakistan side at around 1 a.m., a police officer said.

Two civilians were killed and 12 others injured in ceasefire violations by Pakistan on the LoC in Poonch district on Monday.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
She grew up during India's fight for freedom under the guidance of Mahatma Gandhi and is among the country's foremost writers with feminist concerns. But Nayantara Sahgal, a member of the Nehru-Gandhi family, says that contemporary Indian history is being fantasised, the minorities are under threat and there's a long fight ahead to preserve the "true meaning of India".

"In the BJP-ruled states, history is not just being rewritten. It is being fantasised. The Mughal empire is being ruled out of it. (Jawaharlal) Nehru has been wiped out of it. A fictitious narrative is being created in place of history, just as mythology is being promoted as science.

"The threat to the minorities and attacks on them, especially Muslims, and all others who do not fall in line with the ruling (party's) ideology are destroying India's great achievement of unity in diversity and the democratic freedoms and equality that Indian citizens have enjoyed since independence," Sahgal told IANS in an email interview from Dehradun, where she is settled.

"We, for whom India is a secular, democratic, inclusive republic -- whose citizens have grown up in freedom -- can never settle for less, and the protests against the crushing of dissent and debate are coming from many different groups: Writers, historians, scientists, students, professors and Dalits. One cannot despair of an India that refuses to bow down to any form of dictatorship. But there is a long fight ahead to preserve the true meaning of India," she added.

Sahgal, along with a host of leading literary stalwarts, returned her Sahitya Akademi award in 2015 to protest against rising intolerance in the country. While many joined the silent protests with black gags and bands that rocked the Rabindra Bhavan (which houses the Sahitya Akademi here), there was "an equal music" from the other end of the political spectrum.

Those opposed to these spontaneous protests questioned the motives of the protesting writers, dubbed them as politically motivated by people with "vested interests" and questioned why these writers couldn't show the "social reality" that they are protesting against through their writings.

Two years later, Sahgal is out with her novel "When The Moon Shines By Day" (Speaking Tiger/Rs 399/168 pages). It is a fitting response to the contemporary state of affairs, and is billed as a "dystopian satire" that draws a telling portrait of our times. In this extremely symbolic work of fiction, Sahgal achieves the rare feat of critical imagination and elegantly wraps it around "her deepest concerns".

And, therefore in the novel, a character finds her father's books on medieval history disappearing from bookstores and libraries. Her young domestic help, Abdul, discovers it is safer to be called Morari Lal on the street, but there is no such protection from vigilante fury for his Dalit friend, Suraj. Kamlesh, a diplomat and writer, comes up against official wrath for his anti-war views.

Sahgal said that all writers tell different stories, out of differtent backgrounds and urges, but maintained that her own "background has been political so politics is my natural material".

"Writing, for me, has been a way of expressing my deepest concerns, through both fiction and non-fiction. My novels have been set against the political situations of their times, and have reflected the aspirations and shortcomings of India since independence. In that sense they have been about the making of modern India. Reflecting the times we are living in, my new novel is about the unmaking of modern India," Sahgal explained.

Reflecting on her early days, she recalled that she grew up during India's fight for freedom. Her family was involved in the struggle, and her father, Ranjit Sitaram Pandit, died during his fourth imprisonment under British rule. At independence in 1947, India, Sahgal contended, a deeply religious country of many religions chose to become a secular democratic republic, rejecting a religious identity and making religion a private affair. The constitution guaranteed every Indian the right to freedom of expression, worship and lifestyle.

"This is no longer the case. These freedoms are now under attack and the present government seeks to give India an exclusive Hindu identity, calling it a Hindu rashtra," she lamented.

"When The Moon Shines By Day" is a rather unusual title. She explained that the moon obviously does not shine by day nor does the sun shine by night. "Something is wrong if one is forced to agree with such propositions, or be punished for refusing to agree," she quipped.

Apart from the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1986, Sahgal has also received Britain's Sinclair Prize for fiction in 1985 and the Commonwealth Writers Award (Eurasia) in 1987. She was also a Fellow of the Woodrow Wilson International Centre for Scholars, Washington, from 1981 to 1982.

(Saket Suman can be contacted at saket.s@ians.in)

--IANS

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Suicide attackers of Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed terror outfit carrying guns and explosives stormed a BSF camp on Tuesday morning near the highly secured Srinagar international airport, triggering a gun battle that left three militants and a trooper dead, officials said.

The officials said an unknown number of militants in military fatigues around 4.30 a.m. broke into the Humhama-based 182 Battalion BSF camp that shares a wall with an air force station and is located in a hilly area.

The audacious attack claimed by the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) -- led by Masood Azhar, who is based in Pakistan and is one of the most wanted militants in India -- is being compared to the January 2016 strike at the Pathankot airbase.

Four BSF troopers were also injured in the Srinagar attack and have been hospitalised.

The attackers breached four layers of security in the highly-protected area housing the Srinagar international airport and a posh neighbourhood where many of the state's Who's Who live.

This is the first militant attack in nearly 30 years of militancy that occurred so close to the airport which has always been in the radar of Pakistan-based militants.

Officials said the militants fired indiscriminately and threw grenades at security pickets before entering the BSF camp when it was still dark and the airport was yet to open for the day's operations.

A police spokesman said one the attackers was shot down after the militants barged into the camp while two more were killed in the operation that was still on till early afternoon.

The body of an Assistant Sub-Inspector of the Border Security Force (BSF) was found during search operations.

Flight operations at the airport were disrupted in the morning and the road leading to the airport was sealed. Schools in the vicinity were also ordered to shut for the day.

Police said security personnel sealed all possible escape routes as a major operation jointly carried out by the Army para commandos, BSF, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), and state police was launched to flush out all the attackers. Gun shots and explosions were heard hours after the attack.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh immediately called for a high level security meeting in New Delhi later on Tuesday to discuss the overall security situation in the state.

--IANS

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Rome, Oct 3 (IANS/AKI) A Tunisian suspected jihadist who stabbed to death two women in the French city of Marseille at the weekend had an Italian wife and lived for a time in Italy's Aprilia town.

Tunisian authorities on Tuesday named as Ahmed Hanachi, an illegal immigrant in France who stabbed to death two 20-year-old cousins at the central train station in Marseille on Sunday reportedly shouting "Allahu akbar".

The attack was claimed by the so-called Islamic State, which said the knifeman was was one of its "soldiers".

The attack, during which Hanachi slit the throat slit of one victim and stabbed the other in the stomach, drew condemnation in France and internationally. Police shot dead Hanachi at the scene.

--IANS/AKI

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Two Kashmiri prisoners were beaten up and injured in a fight between members of two groups lodged in the highly-secured Tihar jail here.

The September 13 brawl over some "trivial issue" in the overcrowded prison has raised safety concerns for Kashmiris in the jail that also houses separatist leaders, arrested on charges of terror funding.

DIG Prisons S.S. Parihar confirmed to IANS that there was a "fight between members of two groups in Jail No.3 and that two Kashmiri prisoners were beaten up", though they were not part of the warring groups.

"It was a trivial issue and a police complaint has been filed," Parihar said.

The two Kashmiri prisoners were identified as Mohammed Shafi and Javaid Ahmed.

The incident has raised concerns over the safety of other Kashmiri prisoners, including eight separatist leaders arrested on charges of receiving funds from Pakistan-based terror groups for inciting trouble in Jammu and Kashmir.

The separatist leaders, including Hurriyat chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani's son-in-law Altaf Shah, are lodged in the high-risk prison, Jail No.4.

But Parihar denied that there were safety concerns for the Kashmiri inmates in the prison. "There have been incidents of fighting between inmates in the past. We cannot say that Kashmiris were specifically targeted."

Fights between inmates in the over-populated Tihar Jail are common and some of them have turned deadly in the past.

At least 17 prisoners were injured in March this year when a clash broke out between two groups.

Last year, an inmate was killed in a fight between two groups in a moving jail van entering the Tihar Jail from Saket court.

In a similar incident in 2015, two inmates were allegedly beaten to death by seven others in a fight that broke out inside a prison van heading from Rohini court to Tihar jail.

Tihar Jail, located in north Delhi, houses nearly 15,000 inmates against the capacity for a little over 8,300.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Two militants were killed and four troopers injured after a terror attack on a Border Security Force (BSF) camp near the Srinagar airport on Tuesday, police said.

Militants managed to enter the 182 battalion camp in the city's Humhama area, and launched the suicide attack at 4.30 a.m., according to police sources.

A security operation including Army Para commandos, BSF, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), and state police personnel was ongoing to flush out the remaining militants.

Authorities have now allowed passengers into the airport. But so far, no flight has either landed or taken off.

The four injured BSF troopers were shifted to a hospital.

Vehicular traffic has been suspended in the area. The security forces said that they sealed all possible escape routes.

The Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terror outfit has claimed responsibility of the attack in one of Srinagar's most secured area.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has called for a high level security meeting in New Delhi later on Tuesday to discuss the overall security situation.

--IANS

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The UN said on Tuesday that it would appeal for $430 million in aid from the international community to respond to the Rohingya refugee crisis in Bangladesh, a figure which is more than double what was calculated weeks earlier when the number of refugees was lower.

Six weeks after the UN relief operations started, Mark Lowcock, the UN head for humanitarian affairs said that the conditions in Rohingya camps were terrible and that the UN would make an appeal on October 23 in Geneva.

"We are imminently going to be publishing an update to the UN response plan and will be looking, in order to support the government of Bangladesh and Bangladesh's own institutions, to raise from international community something like &430 million to enable us to scale up the relief operation," Lowcock said in a press conference in the Cox's Bazar district, Efe reported.

"We have a fantastic set of proposals that come from all the response agencies and we are in a stage now where the main constrain we face is finance for those essential programs," he added.

The executive director of UNICEF, Anthony Lake, said that the situation of refugees in Bangladesh was catastrophic for every refugee.

"I have never practically seen, around the world, people who are so traumatized by the experiences that they have suffered. And I mean not only the children but the women who have watched the male members of their family being slaughtered they themselves sometime being raped," Lake said, referring to the crimes faced by the refugees before entering Bangladesh.

According to the UN, more than half a million Rohingyas have arrived in Bangladesh since August 25, fleeing a wave of violence in Myanmar.

UNICEF figures show that more than 60 percent of the refugees are children.

The exodus of Rohingyas began on Aug. 25, when a rebel group of the Muslim minority attacked government posts and the Myanmar army launched a military campaign in response, which has been called a "textbook example of ethnic cleansing," by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

--IANS

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Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will join "Jana Raksha Yatra" or "March for People's Protection" on Wednesday, a day after BJP President Amit Shah launched it on Tuesday from Payyannur in Kannur district, the party said.

"Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath-ji to lead the Jan Raksha Yatra tomorrow (Wednesday) from Kechery to Kannur," the Kerala unit of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said in a tweet.

The march, a show of strength by the BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), will pass through 11 of the 14 districts in Kerala and end in Thiruvananthapuram on October 17 when Shah will be present again.

Apart from Yogi, senior union ministers, including Home Minister Rajnath Singh and chief ministers of the BJP-ruled states, will also join and address the Yatra.

The BJP, which has just one member in the 140-seat Kerala Assembly, is highlighting the issue of political killings through this Yatra.

While inaugurating the Yatra, Shah launched a scathing attack on Kerala's ruling LDF, saying Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan was to blame for the murders of BJP and RSS workers in the state.

An aggressive Shah said that as many as 120 BJP and RSS workers had been murdered in Kerala since 2001 and asked the CPI-M-led LDF government to let the people know who was responsible for the killings.

The Delhi unit of BJP will also take out a Jana Raksha Yatra in entire Delhi from October 4 to protest the brutal murder of party workers in Kerala which will continue till October 16.

"Besides 'dharna' (sit-in), 'pradarshan' (demonstration) and 'padyatra' (march) by the party leaders a photo exhibition will also be organised to expose the inhuman acts of the leftist parties," Delhi BJP President Manoj Tiwari told reporters.

This Yatra will start on Wednesday from Delhi BJP office and will be joined by party Vice President Delhi Incharge Shyam Jaju, and Union Minister Jitender Singh and will conclude with a sit-in and demonstration at the CPM office at Bhai Veer Singh Marg in central Delhi.

Tiwari said that the RSS and BJP workers were being selectively murdered in Kerala.

"An atmosphere of terror is being created in order to finish the spirit of nationalism under a conspiracy. When terrorists are killed by the army, then so called custodians of human rights raise hue and cry. But when BJP workers, who are supporters of a nationalistic thinking, are brutally killed, then the silence of these so-called custodians of human rights becomes dangerous for the country," Tiwari said.

--IANS

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President Donald Trump's administration reportedly plans to expel a majority of Cubas embassy staff from the US, after American diplomats in Havana were targeted in a mysterious attack that resulted in sudden brain injuries, the media reported.

The State Department could announce the decision to "kick out" the Cuban staff as early as Tuesday, The Hill magazine quoted the Sacramento-based McClatchy daily as saying late Monday.

The move to push out the Cuban diplomats comes after the US decided to pull back its own staff from the island nation after suspicious "health attacks" in Havana left some victims with hearing loss and speech problems.

One source told the daily that the decision was intended be an act of "reciprocity", matching the withdrawal of American staff from the island.

The US has not outright accused Cuba of the attacks and Havana has denied any involvement in the injures.

The State Department has, however, repeatedly pointed to the Vienna Convention and warned that Cuba was responsible for the safety of US diplomats serving in the state.

The US is reportedly still trying to explain the weapon that was used against dozens of diplomats.

The US government first acknowledged the attacks in August, after the State Department expelled two Cuban diplomats from Washington over safety concerns, The Hill magazine reported.

The move came nine months after the injuries were first reported.

The report comes after Secretary of State Rex Tillerson met with Cuban officials to talk about the incidents last week.

--IANS

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BJP President Amit Shah on Tuesday launched a scathing attack on Kerala's ruling LDF, saying Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan was to blame for the murders of BJP and RSS workers in the state.

An aggressive Shah said that as many as 120 Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) workers had been murdered in Kerala since 2001 and asked the CPI-M-led LDF government to let the people know who was responsible for the killings. He also said that Communism was shrinking in India and across the world.

"I am asking Chief Minister Vijayan: Who has killed BJP and RSS workers in Kerala. If he does not have answers, then I am saying that Chief Minister Vijayan is himself responsible for the killings," Shah thundered before flagging off the party's "Jana Raksha Yatra" or "March for People's Protection" from Kannur district.

The BJP leader said political violence shoots up in Kerala whenever the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) comes to power.

"We have lost 120 of our cadres following attacks by the Communists. What they fail to realise is with each attack, the BJP gains strength.

"It's time the CPI-M introspects as across the world the Communists have shrunk because of their violence," said Shah, speaking in Hindi.

The march, a show of force by the BJP and the RSS, will pass through 11 of the 14 districts in Kerala and end in Thiruvananthapuram on October 17 when Shah will be present again.

Shah said the march was a non-violent protest against political killings.

"We are starting the march from Kannur because it is the Chief Minister's home district. Kerala was always known as the land of Sree Narayana Guru, Ayyankali and Chattambi Swami but now it is known as the land where blood is spilled," he said.

Shah, who walked seven kilometers accompanied by hundreds of BJP supporters, many of them carrying the party flag, was also critical of human rights activists whom he accused of raking up issues of intolerance only when it suited them.

"They should not be selective while speaking of intolerance. Such people should speak of intolerance when BJP/RSS workers also lose their lives."

Various BJP Union Ministers are expected to walk with the 'yatra' every day. On Wednesday, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will be the chief attraction.

After a day's visit to Karnataka on Wednesday, Shah will return to Kerala on Thursday and walk 12 km, including past the home of Chief Minister Vijayan in Pinarayi area.

He will address a BJP gathering at Tellichery, considered a Communist stronghold.

Shah also announced that from Wednesday, until October 17, BJP workers will march every day to the AKG Bhavan, the CPI-M headquarters, in New Delhi in protest against the political violence in Kerala.

Later, speaking with the media, Shah said the BJP's ideology is finding greater acceptance in the public while Communism is shrinking in India and internationally.

"Communism is shrinking worldwide including in India where the public has rejected them. It is my ideology that is gaining greater acceptance among the public," Shah said.

Shah wondered as why the champions of human rights were silent on the killings of BJP and RSS workers in Kerala.

"Why is selective opposition to intolerance. Is the killing of BJP workers not violence. Should red violence not be condemned? There is no place for violence in a democratic set up. Why are there no candlelight vigils for slain BJP workers?" Shah said.

On the allegations of BJP/RSS activists killing Leftist workers, Shah said it was the "internal squabbles" of the Left parties that was leading to the killings of Leftist workers.

"Would Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan have spared us if the BJP and RSS workers indulged in violence against his party workers?" Shah said.

In a Facebook post on Monday, Vijayan wrote that RSS got a foothold in many states by "spreading terrorism in the name of religion", making communally abrasive comments and by attacks on minorities, while the Left-led secular and democratic political practices in Kerala have strengthened people's confidence to resist all such attacks unleashed by the RSS.

--IANS

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With reference to the report, Cash is king again (October 2) by Tinesh Bhasin, Sanjay Kumar Singh and Subrata Panda, the preference for cash transactions was interrupted for sometime by the hype and hoopla of demonetisation; now, cash is back in its usual role.
Two leading academics have sought President Ram Nath Kovind's intervention in restoring the "atmosphere of healthy debate in JNU".

Professor Judith Butler of the University of California, Berkeley, and Professor Partha Chatterjee of Columbia University, have sent a letter to the president along with a petition signed by 1,800 people that questions the action by the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) administration against Professor Nivedita Menon.

The petition has been signed by academics from globally- reputed universities such as Harvard and Columbia, artistes and lawyers among others.

The JNU administration initiated disciplinary action against Menon last month and she was removed from the chairpersonship of the JNU's Centre for Comparative Politics and Political Theory School for allegedly misbehaving and insulting members of a selection committee during a meeting.

"We are concerned about the way Prof Nivedita Menon has had to face repeated attacks from the university administration on her basic right to hold an opinion," read the letter signed by Butler and Chatterjee.

"We are extremely worried that the hostile atmosphere created by the JNU administration will seriously harm Professor Menon's ability to teach, carry out research and pursue intellectual collaborations in a peaceful and productive manner," the letter said, seeking the president's intervention.

It urges Kovind to intervene in the matter and "restore the atmosphere of healthy debate for which JNU has been recognised in the entire academic world."



A copy of the letter was also sent to JNU Chancellor V K Saraswat and the Vice Chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar.

The petitioners have appealed to the Vice Chancellor to stop the alleged victimisation of Menon.

"We appeal to the JNU authorities to withdraw the specious charges against Menon and stop this cycle of repeated attacks on her democratic rights," the petition said.

It also demanded that the professor should be reinstated immediately as chairperson of her centre.

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Aam Aadmi Party lawmakers today urged the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation to refrain from increasing the travel fare, saying do so would violate the law as the DMRC cannot hike the tariff twice within six months.

A delegation of AAP legislators met DMRC Managing Director Mangu Singh and said the corporation should find other means to increase its revenue.

The party threatened to stage protests if the DMRC went ahead with its decision to hike the fare.

According to the 2002 Delhi Metro Railway Act, recommendations made by the fare fixation committee have to be binding on the metro administration.

The Delhi government on June 30 conveyed its opposition to the proposed fare increase to the fare fixation committee.

The legislators said the proposed hike in fare was being considered without taking into account the views of the elected government of Delhi and the elected representatives.

"What is disturbing is that the DMRC is violating the law by which it was set up in 2002, through its wrong decision of hiking fare twice within six months," they said in a memorandum to the DMRC.

If the proposed hike comes into effect, the fare will go up by a maximum of Rs 10.

The existing structure is: for travel up to 2 kilometres the DMRC would charge Rs 10. Two-five kilometres costs Rs 15.

Five-12 kilometres costs Rs 20, 12-21 kilometres - Rs 30, 21-32 kilometres - Rs 40 and beyond 32 kms Rs 50 is charged.

From October 10, the charge for travelling up to two kilometres would remain the same. But the tariff structure for travel beyond that distance would change.

For travel between two and five kilometres, the tariff would increase by Rs 5, and it will cost Rs 20.

The subsequent slabs would go up by Rs 10 each, meaning the maximum fare will be Rs 60.

The AAP delegation comprised Sanjeev Jha MLA from Burari, Jarnail Singh from Tilak Nagar, and Manoj Kumar from Kondli.

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In a relief for Malayalam actor Dileep, behind bars for 85 days in connection with the abduction and sexual assault of a South Indian actress, the Kerala High court today granted him bail but with stringent conditions.

Justice Sunil Thomas said he should not tamper with evidence.

Dileep should surrender his passport, deposit a bail bond of Rs one lakh and two solvent sureties for the like amount besides appear before investigating officers as and when required, the court said.

This was the fifth time that Dileep approached a court for bail.

The court also said he should not influence or threaten the victim or witness by any means including words expressed through print and electronic media.

Since the investigation against Dileep was in the final stages, his further custody was not necessary, the court held.

Four bail pleas filed by Dileep were earlier rejected -- twice each in a magistrate court at Angamaly and the high court.

Dileep has been lodged in the Aluva sub-jail after being arrested in the case on July 10.

The police have claimed that a conspiracy to abduct and assault the actress in a moving car and film the act was hatched by Dileep.

During his 85-day incarceration, he was permitted to come out of the jail only for few hours on September 6 to enable him to perform certain rituals in connection with his father's death anniversary.

Dileep's actress-wife Kavya Madhavan had also been questioned by investigating officers and fearing arrest she had moved the high court for anticipatory bail, last month.

However, after police gave assurance in the court that she will not be arrested, it was dismissed.

Dileep's friend and director Nadirshah had also been extensively questioned by investigating officers.

His anticipatory bail plea is coming up before the high court tomorrow.

Six persons, including key accused Pulsar Suni, were arrested in connection with the actress abduction case.

The actress, who has worked in Tamil and Telugu films, was abducted and allegedly molested inside her car for two hours by the accused, who had forced their way into the vehicle on February 17 night and later escaped in a busy area.

On hearing about the bail, Dileep's fans collected in front of the Aluva sub-jail and distributed sweets.

The fans said they would take out a procession. They also garlanded a huge cut-out of the actor, who is expected to be released later in the day.

Ernakulam Rural SP A V George said the actor will be released immediately.

Following his imprisonment, the release of Dileep's film "Ram Leela" had been held up several times, but it hit theatres last Friday and is running to packed houses across the state.

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Maharashtra Agriculture Minister Pandurang Fundkar has asked the farmers to protect their harvested crop in the wake of a thunderstorm and heavy rainfall warning issued for Marathwada and Konkan region till October 14.

The warning commences from tomorrow morning and will continue till October 14, said the minister.

"The Kharif season crops have been harvested and some farmers have kept it in the field itself. The rabi season sowing is in progress across Maharashtra.

"The heavy rains may damage the harvested crop leading to financial losses to the farmers hence they are advised to shift their produce to safer locations," Fundkar said.

"I have been informed by the higher authorities in India Meteorological Department (IMD) in New Delhi about the possible thunderstorm. Marathwada is a foodgrain bowl of Maharashtra, so I decided to issue a warning for farmers," he said.

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Concerned over rejection of consignment of Indian shrimps due to presence of antibiotics, the Agriculture Ministry today said it will consult other regulatory bodies like FSSAI to frame stringent legal action, including penalty, against violators.

The issue was discussed in a meeting, headed by Animal Husbandry Secretary Devendra Chaudhry, in view of the EU tightening its inspection norms for aquaculture products sent from India.

Earlier, the norm was testing samples from at least 10 per cent of the consignments, which has been enhanced to 50 per cent from October 2016, thereby affecting India's shrimp exports.

"The concerns of stakeholders and possible causes of the problem were discussed in detail during the intense deliberations. It was decided that the issue is a complex one and has to be addressed by various regulatory agencies in the central and state governments," an official statement said.

The Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries (DADF) under the Agriculture Ministry has mandate for animal disease monitoring and control under the relevant regulations.

Therefore, regulatory bodies -- Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (DGSCO) and the Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) -- under the Healthy Ministry will also be consulted for working out a workable regulatory mechanism so that effective enforcement is in place including penal action against violators, it said.

Representatives of coastal states, National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB), Export Inspection Council (EIC), Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA), Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture (CIBA) and other stakeholders were present in the meeting.

India exported a total of 11,34,948 tonnes seafood in 2016-17 as against 9,45,892 tonnes in the previous year. The overall shrimp export was 4,34,484 tonnes in the same period, the statement added.

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The All India Akahara Parishad today staged a dharna at Har Ki Pauri in protest against the police's alleged "cluelessness" about the whereabouts of Bada Udaseen Akhara Mahanth Mohandas who went missing 16 days ago.

Mahanth Mohandas went missing on the intervening night of September 15 and 16 while going from Haridwar to Mumbai by the Lokmanya Tilak Express.

The seers had yesterday served a 48-hour ultimatum to the police to find a lead on the missing Mahanth.

Led by Akhara Parishad chief Mahanth Narendra Giri and its general secretary Harigiri, the seers today sat on a token dharna at the famous Ganga ghat here to mount pressure on the police to speed up investigation into the case.

They alleged the police was "clueless" about the Mahanth's whereabouts.

The Akhara Parishad also threatened to begin an indefinite dharna at Har Ki Pauri from Thursday.

Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat and his Cabinet colleague Madan Kaushik have already met the Akahara Parishad office bearers in Haridwar to assure them of speedy investigations into the case.

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A Birmingham-based imam on trial to be extradited to Spain where he is wanted on terrorism charges can be sent to the country, a UK court ruled today.

Tarik Chadlioui, accused of being a recruiter for the Islamic State (ISIS) through extremist videos, had claimed he is an "anti-terrorist preacher" in his bid to fight extradition at Westminster Magistrates' Court in London last week.

His lawyers were fighting against his extradition on the grounds that it will be "a clear interference with his right to a family life".

But Chief Magistrate Emma Arbuthnot rejected the claim, saying Chadlioui's family were eligible for state-funded social care benefits and could seek help from his mosque.

"At worst, and I accept it might be a hardship, the oldest two children could go out and get jobs they are 17 and 18 after all," she said.

Chadlioui was one of six people arrested across Europe in June this year as part of a Spanish investigation into support for the terrorist group.

Spanish authorities allege that Chadlioui made three videos for extremist forces in Syria during two visits to Mallorca in 2014 and 2015. The 43-year-old faces a charge of collaboration with, or membership of, an armed group for which the maximum sentence is 20 years' imprisonment.

"He has uploaded thousands of videos to YouTube. This is what he does, he is an anti-terrorist preacher," Malcolm Hawkes, Chadlioui's barrister, had told Westminster Magistrates' Court last week.

Chadlioui, a Moroccan-born Belgian national of Middle Eastern origin, moved to the Sparkhill area of Birmingham in 2015, where he lives with his family comprising eight children.

Spanish authorities believe he is behind radicalising one of the terrorists Omar Mostefai who killed 89 music fans at the Bataclan theatre in Paris in November 2015 before blowing himself up.

He has also been linked with Anjem Choudary, a radical Muslim cleric currently in a UK jail for supporting the ISIS.

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A truck carrying tyres worth Rs 25 lakhs was allegedly looted by three armed assailants near Nawla village on the Delhi-Haridwar National Highway, the police said today.

The incident took place yesterday under Mansurpur police station here when the armed assailants intercepted the truck from Luksar to Rewari, they said.

According to the police, the miscreants reportedly also took away Rs 16,000 cash from the truck driver.

The manager of the tyre company has lodged a complaint regarding the incident, the police said, adding efforts are on to nab the accused.

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Top army commanders will deliberate extensively on the Dokalam standoff and security challenges along the borders with China and Pakistan at a six-day conference beginning October 9.

The commanders will also carry out a review of the evolving security architecture in the region and ways to bolster the Army's operational preparedness to effectively deal with any possible challenge, official sources said.

They said the top commanders are also likely to analyse the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir with a focus on bolstering counter-terror operations.

The sources said there will be in-depth discussions on the 73-day face-off between Indian and Chinese troops in Dokalam and the current situation in the nearly 4,000-km-long border with China.

The standoff began on June 16 after the Indian side stopped the construction of a road by the Chinese Army on June 16 in Dokalam. On August 28, India's External Affairs Ministry announced that both sides have decided on "expeditious disengagement" of their border troops from the disputed area.

Days after the face-off ended, Army Chief Bipin Rawat had said China has started "flexing its muscles" and warned that the situation in India's northern border could snowball into a larger conflict.

The sources said the top commanders are also likely to discuss the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir.

The conference will be addressed by Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

The army commanders' conference is an important event in the planning and execution of various key decisions relating to the country's security and strategic interests.

There will be subject-specific deliberations during the last three days of the conference which is also likely to discuss implementation of the modernisation process in the Army.

The conference is also expected to discuss implementation of the ambitious reform process in the Army which was unveiled on August 30.

The government had announced that major reforms will be carried out in the Army to enhance its combat capability which will include redeployment of nearly 57,000 officers and other ranks as well as ensuring better utilisation of resources.

The reform initiatives were recommended by a committee headed by Lt Gen DB Shekatkar (retd) which had a mandate to recommend measures for enhancing of combat capability and rebalancing defence expenditure of the armed forces.

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Delhiites are in for a musical treat, thanks to the upcoming ASEAN-India Music Festival, that begins here on October 6.

Organised by Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Ministry of External Affairs, in collaboration with Seher, the three-day-long festival themed -- "Shared Values, Common Destiny", will mark the 25th anniversary of ASEAN-India Dialogue Relations.

According to the organisers, the event seeks to boost cultural influences, exchanges and to build stronger ties between ASEAN states and India, besides fostering a deeper understanding, mutual comprehension and tolerance among these nations with the power of music.

"Music is one such powerful tool that brings people and artists together. We are honored to bring the first ever ASEAN-India Music festival in the capital, where the city can witness 15 top Bands from 11 nations together on one stage," Sanjeev Bhargava, one of the organisers said.

The music festival will witness performances by musicians of 10 bands from member states of ASEAN (Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Myanmar, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Lao PDR, Indonesia, Thailand, Viet Nam).

Indian bands performing at the event include The Raghu Dixit Project, Avial, Papon, Bipul Chettri and the Travelling Band and Shankar Ehsaan & Loy.

The festival will be free for public and will come to an end on October 8.

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Researchers at University of Adelaide are planning to provide fresh drinking water in the desert state of Rajasthan using simple and low-cost water purification kits.

Rajasthan is a region of 79.79 million of people and is the sister state of South Australia. Water management significantly limits it's development and is a critical requirement for future growth.

The self-assembly kits make use of sunlight and gravity, some clever design and basic materials to produce up to 10 litres/day of safe drinking water.

The university today launched its first official crowdfunding project to fund the research, which will be needed to design and produce the kits, an official statement said here.

The university aims to raise 30,000 Australian dollars to produce 1000 kits.

A donation of 30 dollars will provide one water purification kit to a family in Rajasthan, which can convert up to 10 litres of contaminated water into fresh drinking and cooking water per hour.

It has been estimated that 680 million people around the world do not have access to fresh drinking water, and approximately 1.5 million people, predominantly children, die from drinking contaminated water every year, project leader Cris Birzer, Senior Lecturer in University's School of Mechanical Engineering and Director of the Humanitarian and Development Solutions Initiative at the University, said.

"We want to build on the very simple water treatment kits we developed for use in the highlands of Papua New Guinea, which allow people to make their own water purifiers from materials readily to hand," Birzer said.

"These kits use sunlight to kill pathogens, making the water safe to drink. But in India, the water also contains heavy-metal contaminants and we need to do some onsite pathogen, heavy metal and other toxin assessments to be able to modify the kits for Rajasthan," Birzer said.

The original water purification kits were developed by Birzer, his colleagues and students using glass tubing, metallised plastic and sunlight.

The system makes use of UVA radiation direct from the sunlight to kill pathogens in the water.

A team of researchers, including engineers, microbiologists and anthropologists, will visit Rajasthan to engage with local communities and conduct assessments on local water quality, manufacturing capabilities and supply-chains before returning to Adelaide to develop and implement a customised solution.

"Once we know exactly what heavy metals and other contaminants are present, we'll be able to modify the kit design with, for example, sand filters to remove other contaminants," Birzer said.

For instance, the local Indian plant Moringa can be used to remove arsenic from contaminated water and could be mixed into a sand filter as a simple addition to the system.

"Once we've designed the kits, they will be produced in Rajasthan and distributed to the community through local partners," he said.

"The United Nations has explicitly stated that water is a human right. Here at the University of Adelaide we're trying to make sure those rights are fulfilled, and we want you to help us.

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Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley arrived here today ahead of India and Bangladesh signing the third line of credit (LoC) agreement tomorrow involving USD 4.5 billion to be spent for its infrastructure and social sector development.

"His visit will be marked by the signing of the deal on the USD 4.5 billion line of credit which was announced during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's 2017 New Delhi visit," a Bangladesh finance ministry spokesman told reporters.

He said two agreements for the implementation of the third LoC and the 'Joint Interpretative Notes on the Agreement between India and Bangladesh for the Promotion and Protection of Investments' would also be signed in the presence of Jaitley and his Bangladesh counterpart A M A Muhith.

"The two countries are also expected to enter into another deal on investment promotion and protection during the visit," the spokesman said.

A special aircraft carrying Jaitley landed at the Bangladesh Air Force Base this afternoon where Muhith received his counterpart who is accompanied by a group of business leaders and senior officials on the three-day visit.

Officials earlier said Bangladesh would have to purchase 65 to 75 per cent of the services, goods or works from the Indian market with the money to be provided under the third LoC following the precedence of the previous two nearly identical agreements.

India offered Bangladesh the third LoC through signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in April in New Delhi in Hasina's presence while officials said several government agencies already undertook 17 development projects to be implemented with the upcoming USD 4.5 billion loan.

Officials, however, said some projects under the first and second LoCs were faced with difficulties in the way of their implementation due to limited tendering system within the Indian market.

They said some projects under the first LoC of USD 862 million faced delay in implementation while the physical works of the 14 projects under the second LoC of USD 2 billion were yet to start.

The two countries signed the first LoC in August 2010 while the second one was inked in March, 2016.

According to the tour schedule, Jaitley would call on the Bangladesh premier and inaugurate along with his counterpart a new scheme for cashless transactions in visa services, run by the State Bank of India on behalf of the Indian High Commission here.

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In what turned out to be comedy of errors, the BCCI first named named Rajasthan medium pacer Deepak Chahar in the the Board President's XI squad for the warm-up games against New Zealand only to replace him with cousin brother Rahul, who is a leg-spinner.

The BCCI had yesterday sent a release which had Deepak's name in the BP XI squad, which raised a lot of eyebrows considering he had no performance to merit a place in the squad.

It was later realised that the selectors wanted to pick Rahul, who is a current India U-19 player and also did well during the recent colts tour to England.

However it is understood that they goofed up with the name which led to the clerical error.

"It was inadvertently mentioned that Deepak Chahar would represent the Board Presidents XI team for the warm-up matches against New Zealand ahead of their ODI series against India. Rahul Chahar will feature in the squad that will play two matches at CCI in Mumbai," BCCI today admitted the error in a media release.

In another develoment, Shubman Gill has been ruled out of the one-day series against New Zealand 'A' after sustaining a side strain.

Ankit Bawne, who scored 162 in the second "unofficial Test", will now be a part of the team for the first three matches too after being initially named in the squad for the last two games.

The All-India Senior Selection Committee has also named Deepak Hooda for the last two one-day games.

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: A biopic on music maestro Ilayaraja with the use of digital technology is all set to be made jointly with multi-digital brand "Arre" and "Mindshare".

"The digital first film will be a cinematic recreation of his unique and inspiring story. True to the nature of the medium, Arre is in the process of collaborating with domestic and international talent", a press release issued said today.

"I am looking forward to share my musical journey with all my fans and music lovers on Arre and Facebook", Ilayaraja was quoted as saying in the release.

On the collaboration, Arre founder B Saikumar said, "we at Arre are honoured and humbled to be working closely with the maestro, whose extensive work and influence know no bounds in geography or language".

"The maestro and this film will be the ultimate leveler, bringing together different sets of audiences, united in their common quest for music and love.We are pleased to partner with Facebook to ensure that we take this work to millions across India", he said.

Arre recently launched its music vertical, "Arre Earworm" and also moved into the Tamil market and this film will play across these new verticals apart from Arre and its platforms.

Mindshare, whose specialised content solutions arm Content+ is working with Arre to tell the story using its expertise and understanding of consumers.

"It is exciting to have Illayaraja connect with his fans, and for them to be able to see this unique film on the Facebook platform", Facebook India, Media Partnerships-Head, Saurabh Doshi said.

"Millions of people who are on Facebook will now be able to have the opportunity to get a glimpse into musical journey and his work through this video", he added.

Noting that a generation grew by listening to compositions of Ilaiyaraaja, Mindshare South Asia CEO Prasanth Kumar said a new generation was rediscovering his music via internet and new movies.

"Mindshare is working very closely with Arre in bringing together their expertise to give this unique musical journey the right kind of amplification", he said.

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The BJP's Karnataka unit today hit out at actor Prakash Raj for criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi's silence on those "celebrating" the killing of journalist Gauri Lankesh, saying he has shown "political immaturity."



Raj had described as "chilling" the silence ofModi on those "celebrating" the killing of Lankesh, including the ones followed by him on Twitter.

State senior BJP leader and spokesman S Suresh Kumar said, "The actor has shown his political immaturity by making a statement that suits his political ideology. Such allegations were made to win accolades."



While questioning Modi's silence, Raj appeared to suggest on Sunday that he felt like "returning" his awards to "such actors who are acting as though nothing has happened", but later insisted that he was "not such a fool to give back the national awards."



Raj, who has acted in Hindi, Kannada, Telugu and Tamilmovies, had been a family friend of Gauri Lankesh, who was shot dead by unidentified assailants here on September 5.

The BJP spokesman also sought to know why the actor preferred to remain silent during the Cauvery agitation by saying that he is only an actor.

"If Raj wants to be active in politics, let him starthis own political party. We do not want him to issue any certificate to Modi," said Kumar.

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The Delhi BJP would take out a march in the national capital tomorrow against political violence in the Left-ruled Kerala and stage a demonstration in front of the CPI(M) office here, the party said today.

Manoj Tiwari, the president of the Delhi BJP, would lead the march, said a statement issued by the party.

BJP national president Amit Shah, while flagging off a 'Janraksha Yatra' at Kannur in Kerala today, also announced 'padyatra' (foot march) at all the state capitals against the CPI(M)'s alleged targeting of the workers of the saffron party and questioned Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan over the political violence in the southern state.

The protests, sit-ins and demonstrations would be held across the national capital till October 16, the statement said.

BJP national vice-president Shyam Jaju and Union minister Jitendra Singh would also take part in the protest in front of the CPI(M) office near ITO tomorrow, it added.

The saffron party would also put up a photo exhibition on the violence in Kerala.

Kerala had been witnessing a cycle of violence involving the workers of the CPI(M) and BJP-RSS.

Several political killings on both sides have been reported from the southern state since the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) government came to power in May, 2016, with both sides blaming each other for the violence.

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The BJP would highlight "failures" of the TRS government in its campaign for the 2019 assembly elections in Telangana, state BJP president K Laxman said here today.

He said the party will build its campaign for the next Lok Sabha as well as the state assembly polls on its improved organisational strength and would also bank on the welfare and development programmes of the Narendra Modi government.

Referring to BJP's national organisational general secretary Ram Lal's recent three-day visit to the state, Laxman quoted him as saying that the party is organisationally stronger in Telangana now in comparison with Haryana and Assam earlier.

BJP captured power in Haryana and Assam though it was considered to be organisationally weak in these two states, Laxman told reporters.

Ram Lal held deliberations with the party leaders at various levels during his visit.

Laxman said the BJP would like to improve its organisational strength right from the booth level.

He said the party is planning to organise a public meeting in Hyderabad in January next year, wherein activists from each polling booth will come to the event on five motorcycles.

He said the BJP aims to increase its state membership from the present 18 lakh to at least 25 lakh by the next year.

BJP General Secretary Ram Madhav will be visiting the state on October 14-15.

BJP president Amit Shah would visit the state in January next year after the conclusion of assembly polls in Gujarat, Laxman said.

Asked about the comments of south Indian actor Prakash Raj, who reportedly questioned the silence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the killing of Karnataka journalist Gauri Lankesh, Laxman said the actor should know that law and order is a state subject.

BJP Hyderabad unit president and MLC N Ramachandra Rao said the party would soon organise a rally in the city to protest the killing of BJP-ABVP-RSS activists in the Left-ruled Kerala.

The BJP would try to conduct a peaceful protest at the CPI(M)'s office here, he said.

He asked why the intellectuals, who targeted RSS over the killing of a "woman journalist in Karnataka without proof", have "closed their eyes" on the political murders in Kerala.

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Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson assured British Conservatives today that he supports "every syllable" of Prime Minister Theresa May's plans for Brexit.

But unity is in short supply in the UK's fractious, anxious governing party and Johnson's vow of loyalty did not quell suspicions he covets the leadership.

Johnson told delegates to the Conservative annual conference that "the whole country owes (May) a debt for her steadfastness in taking Britain forward, as she will, to a great Brexit deal."



May laid out her plans for Britain's exit from the European Union in a speech last month in Florence "on whose every syllable I can tell you, the whole Cabinet is united," Johnson said.

Johnson has spent weeks giving the opposite impression. He has been accused of undermining the prime minister and advancing his leadership ambitions by laying out his own distinct roadmap for Britain's exit from the European Union.

With EU divorce negotiations proceeding at a snail's pace, Johnson has positioned himself as a champion of a clean-break "hard Brexit." He wants the UK to adopt a low-tax, low-regulation economy outside the EU's single market, says Britain must not pay to get tariff-free trade with the EU and insists that any post-Brexit transition period should not last "a second more" than two years.

Johnson told conference delegates that it was time to stop being negative about Brexit and "treating the referendum result as though it were a plague of boils."



"It is time to be bold, and to seize the opportunities, and there is no country better placed than Britain," he said. Johnson's Brexit stance, tougher than May's stated position, has added to uncertainty for British businesses, who want to know whether they will keep easy access to the EU market and its population of nearly half a billion.

The British Chambers of Commerce warned that business people "are growing impatient with division and disorganization at the heart of the party of government." German politician Manfred Weber, head of the biggest party group in the European Parliament, implored May today to fire Johnson, "because we need a clear answer who is responsible for the British position."



UK finance minister Philip Hammond issued a warning to Johnson, telling broadcaster ITV: "Nobody is unsackable." But May's power to silence Johnson is limited. Earlier this year she called a snap election in hopes of boosting the Conservative majority in Parliament and strengthening her hand in Brexit negotiations. But after a lackluster campaign that saw her dubbed the "Maybot," voters reduced the Conservatives to a minority administration.

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Police today recovered bullet- riddled body of a man, who was abducted by unknown gunmen two days ago from Vessu area of south Kashmir's Kulgam district.

Body of Showkat Ahmad Dar (22), a resident of Arwani in Bijbehara area of Anantnag district, was found by police this morning in Vessu area, a police official said.

He said Dar's body had several bullet injuries.

Dar was kidnapped by unknown gunmen from his village on October 1, 2017.

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The CBI today asked RJD leader Lalu Prasad Yadav and his son Tejashwi Yadav to appear before it for questioning on October 5 and 6 in an alleged corruption case after both leaders expressed their inability to appear on given dates, the agency sources said.

The sources said Yadav and Tejashwi were earlier called on October 4 and 5.

The CBI wants to question the former railways minister Lalu Prasad Yadav for a contract given for the maintenance of two IRCTC hotels in 2006. Tejashwi is also made an accused in the CBI FIR pertaining to alleged corruption in the deal.

It is alleged that Yadav as Railway Minister handed over maintenance of two Railway hotels BNR Ranchi and Puri to Sujata Hotel (a company owned by Vinay and Vijay Kochhar) after receiving a bribe in the form of prime land of three acres through a benami company.

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The CBI has carried out narco- analysis and lie detector tests on the suspects arrested in connection with the alleged rape and murder of a minor girl in the Kotkhai area of Himachal Pradesh's Shimla district.

The agency sources said these tests have been recently carried out but refused to tell which suspect underwent which type of test.

The Himachal Pradesh Police had arrested Ashish Chauhan alias Ashu (29), a resident of Sharaal village in Mahasu area of Kotkhai; Rajender Singh alias Raju (32), a driver; Subash Singh Bisht (42) and Deepak alias Deepu (29) and Lok Jung alias Chotu (19), hailing from Nepal, in connection with the case.

The sources said tests have been carried out after getting nod from the competent court in Shimla.

The tests and their results are not admissible in the courts as evidence but the agency uses them to get further evidence and indication if any of the suspects is lying in the matter.

The sleuths persue leads given by the suspects in these tests and if any credible corroborative evidence is found, it is used as prosecution evidence.

In the narco-analysis test, a truth serum is injected on subjects which put them in a kind of hypnotic state during which questions provided by the CBI are asked by the doctors administering the test.

The polygraph test monitors body parameters to find out if the subject is answering correctly or being deceptive.

One of the suspects who was also arrested by the state police, Suraj Singh, was found dead in police custody in which a separate case has been registered by the CBI.

A 16-year-old girl had gone missing after school hours on July 4 from Haliala forest in Kotkhai area of Shimla district.

Her naked body was found in the forest on July 6 and the post-mortem report confirmed rape. The rape case has created furore in the state which goes to polls later this year.

The DGP constituted an SIT headed by an officer of IG rank which arrested six people.

The case was handed over to the CBI by the Himachal Pradesh High Court on July 19 on the state government's plea amid public outburst against the state police. The CBI filed two FIRs on July 22.

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The Congress today denounced the Centre over a militant attack on a BSF camp near the Srinagar airport, accusing it of compromising national security.

Party chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala alleged the central government had proved to be a "total failure" and its "utter laxity and misplaced priorities have led to a disquiet border".

He claimed that 253 security personnel and 124 civilians lost their lives in 102 major terror attacks "under the watch" of the BJP government in the last 40 months.

He said the days of "lip service and strong condemnation" were over and asked the Modi government to lay down a roadmap to deal with Pakistan-sponsored terrorism.

"The attack is evidence of how the Modi government has compromised and toyed with national security. The question is what are Modiji and his government doing? When will we see the 56-inch chest?" Surjewala asked.

The Centre's "empty phrases, chest thumping and TV studio warfare" have only set up a "superficial and false discourse", he said in a statement.

An "unprecedented" situation is being witnessed in Jammu and Kashmir, where terrorists from across the border have repeatedly attacked India's national security apparatus, the Congress leader said.

Earlier in the day, security forces gunned down three Jaish-e-Mohammed militants who stormed a BSF camp near the high-security Srinagar airport. An assistant sub-inspector of the force was also killed in the gunfight.

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A CBI court here today ordered that 17 people, named as accused in the multi-million Srijan scam involving an NGO based in Bhagalpur district of Bihar, be kept in judicial custody at the central jail there till October 17.

The order was passed by Judicial Magistrate Kumari Vijaya following a prayer by the probe agency that all the accused produced before the court here be kept at Bhagalpur Central Jail, where they are currently lodged, "because of reasons pertaining to security and ease of investigation".

Those who were produced in the CBI court today included key accused Sarita Jha, manager of Srijan Mahila Sahyog Sansthan; Satish Kumar Jha, an auditor with the NGO; Vanshidhar Jha, who ran his own printing press in Bhagalpur, and a number of other persons including bank officials and personnel posted in the district administration.

The scam, which involves illegal transfer of crores of rupees from the treasury to the NGO, had come to light earlier this year and triggered a political controversy as its founder Manorama Devi is known to be close to a number of political heavyweights in Bihar.

The Nitish Kumar government recommended a CBI probe into the irregularities following which an FIR was lodged by the investigating agency here on August 25.

A controversy had erupted a week ahead of CBI's FIR with the death of Mahesh Mandal, one of the main accused in the case, who was undergoing treatment at a hospital while in judicial custody.

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A Delhi court has granted bail to a 63-year-old woman accused of terminating an agreement to sell her house to a couple and duping them of Rs 12.5 crore paid as token money.

Additional Sessions Judge Sanjiv Jain gave the relief to the woman on a personal bond of Rs five lakh and two sureties of the like amount, with a direction to neither influence wtinesses, nor leave the country without permission.

The court, while allowing her bail application filed through advocate Rohit Priya Ranjan, also took into consideration that she had joined the investigation and was willing to do so in future.

As per the FIR, the woman had entered into an agreement in 2011 with a couple to sell her property in New Friends Colony here to them for over Rs 63 crore, out of which they had paid Rs 12.5 crore as earnest money to her while Rs 5.4 crore were paid after she secured construction sanctions from South Delhi Municipal Corporation.

It said the property was on mortgage and the woman had to pay Rs 18 crore to State Bank of Patiala to get it released.

From the amount received, she cleared her legal liabilities and obtained NOC from the bank but terminated the agreement and never refunded the earnest money, it alleged.

The woman had claimed in her plea that as per the agreement, she had done her part of the duties but the buyers failed to pay the balance payment on time to get the sale deed executed.

She also claimed that as per the clauses of agreement, it had to get terminated if any party failed to do their part of the job.

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Whether a child understands the consequences of an offence he has committed cannot be assessed without considering the "manner" in which it was done, a city court has said.

The court made the observation while upholding a Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) order to try a 16-year-old boy, accused of shooting dead a couple in 2016, as an adult.

The JJB had on March 27 this year held that there was a need for trial of the juvenile appellant as an adult and sent him to a children's court for trial in terms of the provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure.

In the appeal against the JJB's order, the juvenile through his counsel contended that as per Juvenile Justice Model Rules 2016, while making preliminary assessment under the Juvenile Justice Act, a child shall be presumed to be innocent unless proved otherwise, but the Board had completely ignored this principle.

It claimed that the facts and circumstances of the case do not meet the parameters laid down in the JJ Act and the Board fell in error by holding that the boy deserved to be tried as an adult.

The court, however, said "no doubt, the presumption of innocence of the child has to be maintained but for assessing his ability to understand the consequences of the offence and the circumstances in which he allegedly committed the offence, the allegations as per the case of prosecution are required to be looked into.

"The ability of the child to understand the consequences of the offence cannot be assessed dehors the manner in which the alleged offence was committed," Additional Sessions Judge Sanjay Garg said.

The court also said the previous involvement of the child, if any, also renders assistance in reflecting his mental ability and circumstances.

According to the prosecution, the juvenile and his adult accomplice had on November 14, 2016 gone to the house of victims Sanjay Rana and his wife on the pretext of taking a room on rent but shot them dead instead.

The juvenile was apprehended by the police on November 21, 2016 and a country-made pistol with six cartridges were recovered from him, it said.

It said the juvenile committed the offence as the victims had failed to return the money lent to them by his father for purchase of a plot.

Taking note of this, the court said, "Considering the alleged motive behind the commission of the offence and the role attributed to the appellant, the Board rightly came to the conclusion that the appellant should be tried as an adult. The appeal is without merits. The same is accordingly dismissed."



The court also held that the preliminary inquiry conducted by the JJB proved that the boy was above 16 years of age and he had no psychiatric illness or intellectual disability, which meant he was fit to understand the consequences of the offence.

"The offence under Section 302 IPC being punishable with imprisonment for more than seven years, falls within the category of 'heinous offences' as defined in JJ Act. Thus, the Board rightly proceeded to conduct the preliminary assessment under the act," it also said.

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A fresh petition was today filed in the Supreme Court challenging the deportation of Rohingya children and seeking basic amenities for these refugees in the country.

The plea, filed by Democratic Youth Federation of India, the youth wing of the CPI(M), said that the deportation of these children would be in violation of the provisions of the 1989 UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Referring to the provisions of the convention, the petition said it mandates protection of children, including from the minority community, the disabled and the refugees.

"Union of India is bound to treat all children, including those who do not belong to the Indian nationality, with all rights guaranteed under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, 1989. Being signatory to the Convention, the State is bound to protect the children against all forms of discrimination," the plea said.

It also contended that since the government has given refuge to several other refugees, there was no rationale behind the discrimination against the Rohingyas.

The plea also sought better facilities for the refugees in the shelter camps.

The apex court today posted for hearing a batch pleas for and against the Rohingyas on October 13.

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Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama today expressed sorrow over the Las Vegas gunfire deaths and called for a world based on universal brotherhood.

The Nobel Peace Laureate said such violence came out of a lack of compassion and respect for life.

At least 59 people were killed and over 500 wounded when a gunman shot at concert-goers in the American resort city on Sunday night.

Advocating religious harmony, the Dalai Lama also lauded India as "a land of diverse cultures and religions".

Despite "isolated incidents", all major religious traditions of the world existed peacefully in India which was a matter of great pride, said the Dalai Lama, who began a teaching session at the main Tibetan temple Thekchen Choeling Tsuglagkhang, in Mecleodganj in upper Dharamshala, today.

"If you keep harbouring anger or jealousy towards others, you will be on the losing end, because you will remain mentally disturbed unless you resolve it," he said, denouncing the "myopic worldview of us-vs-them".

He called for faith based on reason and logic rather than blindly following a religion that one was born into.

While following any religion, including Buddhism, practitioners should have full understanding of the methods and concepts of that tradition, he said.

"Desire for happiness is universal to all sentient beings. However, unlike animals, we humans have an inborn faculty of thought. Therefore, we should use this faculty to develop happiness through love and compassion," he added.

The four-day session has been organised at the request of a group of devotees from Taiwan.

Over 5000 followers from 69 countries are attending the teachings which will conclude on October 6.

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Hours before her arrest today, Honeypreet Insan, who calls herself an adopted daughter of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, claimed that allegations about her role in instigating violence after the sect head's conviction had left her "devastated".

Seeking to defend herself, the 36-year-old said that she was facing serious charges when in her life she had never even killed an ant.

In interviews to two TV channels, Honeypreet also claimed that her "Papa" was innocent. A special CBI court in Panchkula had on August 25 held Ram Rahim Singh guilty of raping two disciples.

Honeypreet also said that she had never left the country after the Dera chief's conviction, trashing reports suggesting she may have gone to Nepal, but said that she visited Delhi.

She also rubbished allegations levelled by ex-husband Vishwas Gupta saying her relationship with the sect head was pious.

"I cannot understand how anyone can point fingers at the pious relations between a father and daughter. Can't a father put his hand lovingly on his daughter's head? Isn't the father-daughter relation sacred? What proof have these people got to level such allegations. All those who are spreading such rumours, please do not believe them," she said.

As regards Gupta, I do not want to talk about him, that chapter was over in 2011, she said.

Honeypreet was arrested today by the Haryana Police from the Zirakpur-Patiala road in Punjab. Priyanka Taneja or Honeypreet as she is widely known, was among 43 people 'wanted' in connection with the probe into the violence after Ram Rahim Singh's conviction that left 41 dead.

Honeypreet said she was seeking legal opinion and is likely to move the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

The woman, against whom a lookout notice and then an arrest warrant was issued, told Aaj Tak and News24 TV channels that allegations levelled against her were not true.

"Was I present with the arsonists (during the mayhem in Panchkula on August 25)? How are they levelling such allegations," she asked.

Honeypreet said she was with Ram Rahim Singh on August 25 discharging her duties as a daughter.

"Every daughter supports her father...I went with him. Have you heard me uttering a word where I instigate people? I had gone there (to CBI court) with a hope that my father will return by the evening. But when he was held guilty, I went into depression. How could I think about anything else? I was devastated," she claimed.

Honeypreet had accompanied Ram Rahim Singh from the Dera headquarters at Sirsa to the special court in Panchkula on August 25. After the Dera chief's conviction, she accompanied him in a chopper to Rohtak where he was lodged in a jail.

She said the authorities never raised objections when she accompanied Ram Rahim Singh in the chopper. "Later, so many things were said about how I accompanied him," she said.

After August 25, Honeypreet had remained untraceable. The woman, however, claimed she was not running away from the law and was only trying to come to terms with Ram Rahim Singh's conviction.

"Try to understand my condition. The woman who used to make patriotic films with her father (Ram Rahim Singh), the woman in whom her father had infused a spirit of patriotism over the years...He goes behind bars, which was unthinkable for me. And then, for her to hear that sedition charges have been slapped...I was devastated.

"I was completely shaken to hear such serious charges when in my life I have not even killed an ant," she said.

For me, when Papa went away (was jailed), my world came crashing down, she said.

"Then some guided me. I went to Delhi...Now, I will go to the Punjab and Haryana High Court," Honeypreet said. She was the lead heroine in the films the sect chief directed, produced and acted in between 2013-2017.

On September 26, the Delhi High Court had dismissed her transit anticipatory bail plea. The court's order was based on the ground that she was evading arrest and hence, not entitled to any discretionary relief.

Asked if she had visited to Nepal after the Dera chief's conviction, she replied in the negative. "No, I did not go there. I remained within the country," she said. To another question, Honeypreet said she had met her lawyer in Delhi.

"I went to his office and signed documents," she said.

Asked where she was hiding for so many days after she left Rohtak, she said, "...later, I went to Delhi..."



Asked about skeletons being buried inside the Dera at Sirsa and the sect chief's exploitation of female disciples, Honeypreet said, "Did anyone find skeletons? As regards what is being said about papa, he is innocent and in times to come you will see this...We will move the High Court and then the Supreme Court. We are confident that we will get justice."



Asked whether she had brought Ram Rahim Singh into movies, Honeypreet said it was a complete lie.

"I did not have any interest in movies. If you had seen my previous interviews, you must have heard that I never wanted to get into it. When first movie was made then I felt that I could work behind the camera. I wanted to be a director," she said.

Honeypreet denied that she used to call the shots in the Dera.

"He (Dera chief) used to hold Satsang. Rest of the work was done by the management as work was divided. I was handling the movie department and direction," she said.

She also said dubbed as wrong suggestions that she was not on good terms with the Dera chief's family.

"We love each other a lot. The amount of love I got was what they gave to their daughters. They love me very much and I also love them," she said.

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Pilots and crew members might soon be required to undergo breath analyser tests at transit airports in case they enter the terminal building during flight duty, according to draft norms issued by the DGCA.

The aviation regulator has proposed changes to the 'Procedure for medical examination of aircraft personnel for alcohol consumption' against the backdrop of more than 500 pilots and cabin crew of Air India coming under its scanner for allegedly skipping the pre-and post-flight alcohol tests this year.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has also proposed that repeated violation of breath analyser test norms could result in suspension of the pilot's licence for up to four years, subject to certain conditions.

At present, the quantum of punishment for the violations vary from three months to cancellation of pilot licence or grounding of cabin crew.

"During a flight duty period, if a crew member enters the terminal building at any transit airport, that crew member shall undergo the pre-flight breath analyser examination at that airport before undertaking the flight," as per the draft Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR).

Under current norms, breath analyser or alcohol test is must for crew before and after operating a flight.

"For all scheduled flights originating from India, each flight crew member and cabin crew member shall be subjected to pre-flight breath analyser examination at first departure airport during a flight duty period," the draft CAR said.

In case a crew member operates a flight without undergoing the pre-flight breath analyser examination, the Chief of Operations of the airline concerned has to ensure the "the involved crew member is off-rostered at the first point of landing and same is reported to DGCA...," it added.

About this proposed norm, a DGCA source said that over a period of time, it was felt that the management should also be held responsible if there are lapses.

"Therefore the emphasis is to make the management also accountable, not just the crew," the source said.

An additional crew member who is to travel in the cockpit would also be subject to pre-flight breath analyser test, as per the draft CAR.

The DGCA has suggested suspension of licence or approval of crew member for four years in case the person is tested positive for alcohol in both pre- and post-flight tests.

"If a crew member tested breath analyser positive in pre-flight medical examination in one instance and later tests breath analyser positive in post-flight medical examination in another instance or vice versa, the license/approval of crew member shall be suspended for the period of four years," it noted.

According to the current norms, in case a crew member tests positive in pre-flight breath analyser test, the individual would be suspended for three months. Similar is the quantum if the crew member refuses to undergo or attempts to evade post-flight test.

Now, the draft CAR has proposed linking violation of pre-flight and post-flight violations.

If a crew member tests positive during pre-flight test or evades it and later, in another instance, evades a post-flight test, the individual would face suspension for three years.

The source said the attempt is to ensure more clarity in the rules as very often it was contested that skipping a post-flight has no bearing on evasion of a pre-flight offence.

"This is just to ensure that there is no iota of doubt. Often violators say they misunderstood the rules so we are making them very clear," the source added.

In the case of Air India, the airline and the DGCA held discussions on as many as 132 pilots and 434 cabin crew coming under the lens for allegedly skipped these tests.

While apologising for the lapses, the airline has told the DGCA their actions were based on interpretation of CAR.

"There was no violation of breath analyser test at the last point for all the flights. We have sincerely apologised and assured the DGCA that we will carry out breath analyser tests as per their requirements and as per the clarity given on the CAR," Air India CMD Rajiv Bansal had said last month.
AIADMK (Amma) faction leader T T V Dhinakaran today moved the Madras High Court bench here seeking extension of the deadline set by it for the Election Commission to decide the party's symbol dispute case from October 31 to February 28 next year.

The Court had last month directed the EC to decide which faction enjoyed majority support in the ruling party in Tamil Nadu and allot the symbol to it before October 31.

Dhinkaran, in his impleading petition today, also sought a direction to the EC not to enlarge the scope of the dispute under its adjudication. It said sufficient opportunity should be provided to the contending parties to effectively adduce evidence to back their contentions, file replies and rebuttal in case fresh affidavits are to be submitted.

He contended that on September 21, the EC had sought fresh submissions by the rival factions, duly supported by affidavits, before September 29. There was no need for fresh submissions as already a seven lakh-page affidavit had been submitted to the EC, he said.

Dhinakaran claimed he had the support of 102 MLAs, 37 MPs and 1,912 general council and central executive committee members.

He submitted that the latest EC direction for fresh submission would only enhance the scope of the dispute and the poll panel would not be able to decide the matter before October 31 given the huge volumes of documents presented to it.

Hence he sought extension of the deadline set by the court in its Septemeber 15 order, passed on a petition by Ramkumar Adityan, an AIADMK member and advocate.

Adityan had sought a direction to conduct an election involving the members of the party's general council, executive committtee, MLAs and MPs, totalling about 3,100 people, to decide which camp had the majority.

The petition was filed on August 22, a day after the two factions led by Chief Minister K Palaniswami and his predecessor O Panneerselvam merged, sidelining jailed party chief V K Sasikala and her deputy T T V Dhinakaran.

The Election Commission had no March 23 issued an interim order, freezing the two leaves election symbol of AIADMK.

On September 28, the EC had rejected Dhinakaran's plea to grant 15 days more to submit affidavits in the symbol dispute case and said the hearing would take place on October 6 as scheduled.

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The Kerala High Court today granted bail to Malayalam actor Dileep, behind bars for 85 days in connection with the abduction and sexual assault of a South Indian actress.

A few hours later, he walked out of the Aluva sub-jail, waving and blowing kisses to his fans, who had gathered in large numbers.

Justice Sunil Thomas imposed stringent conditions while granting bail to 49-year-old Dileep and said he should not tamper with evidence.

Dileep should surrender his passport, deposit a bail bond of Rs one lakh and two solvent sureties for the like amount besides appear before investigating officers as and when required, the court said.

It also said he should not influence or threaten the victim or witness by any means including words expressed through print and electronic media.

In the event of Dileep violating any of the conditions of his bail, the court said it shall be open to the magistrate to take steps in that regard, including cancellation of bail after notice.

Police had a tough time controlling the crowd which had thronged the premises since afternoon soon after hearing about the high court granting him bail.

The fans distributed sweets and flowers and garlanded a huge cut-out of the actor near the sub-jail.

This was the fifth time that Dileep has approached a court for bail.

Four bail pleas filed by Dileep were earlier rejected --twice each in a magistrate court at Angamaly and the high court.

Since the investigation against Dileep was in the final stages, his further custody was not necessary, the court held.

The police have claimed that a conspiracy to abduct and assault the actress in a moving car and film the act was hatched by Dileep.

During his 85-day incarceration, he was permitted to come out of the jail only for few hours on September 6 to enable him to perform certain rituals in connection with his father's death anniversary.

Dileep's actress-wife Kavya Madhavan had also been questioned by investigating officers and fearing arrest she had moved the high court for anticipatory bail, last month.

However, after police gave assurance in the court that she will not be arrested, it was dismissed.

Dileep's friend and director Nadirshah had also been extensively questioned by investigating officers.

His anticipatory bail plea is coming up before the high court tomorrow.

Six persons, including key accused Pulsar Suni, were arrested in connection with the actress abduction case.

The actress, who has worked in Tamil and Telugu films, was abducted and allegedly molested inside her car for two hours by the accused, who had forced their way into the vehicle on February 17 night and later escaped in a busy area.

Following his imprisonment, the release of Dileep's multi-crore film "Ram Leela" had been held up several times, but it hit theatres last Friday and is running to packed houses across the state.

Dileep was given a warm welcome by his mother, wife Kavya, daughter Meenkashi and other members of his family when he reached home.

Many members of the Malayalam film fraternity expressed happiness at the actor being granted bail.

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Nawaz Sharif was today re-elected as the president of the ruling PML-N and the ousted Pakistan prime minister immediately demanded that those who disqualified him should respect the people's mandate and democracy.

Sharif, 67, had to step down as the chief of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) after he was disqualified as the prime minister by the Supreme Court on July 28 in the Panama Papers scandal.

Addressing a gathering of party members at the Convention Centre here, Sharif said his supporters kept reelecting him to power despite his ousters from the office.

He said the party members knew the reasons behind his disqualification as prime minister.

The PML-N yesterday took full advantage of its position as the ruling party as President Mamnoon Hussain signed the controversial Election Act 2017 into law hours after it was bulldozed through the National Assembly amid pandemonium on the opposition benches, the Dawn reported.

Under The Representation of Peoples Act 1976, a disqualified person could not hold office of a party.

The law was passed to allow the party to re-elect Sharif as its head, on the eve of a party convention called for the express purpose of electing Sharif to the post.

Sharif in his address to his supporters, thanked the people for repealing the law which barred disqualified politicians from holding office in a party.

He said former president Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf had reinstated this law after Ayub khan first introduced it.

"I would like to thank the people for throwing this law back at their faces," he said.

Sharif said he had been disqualified for "not receiving salary from his son", but the violation of the Constitution by four dictators during the country's history was declared legal.

"When no justification was found for their unconstitutional steps, the Doctrine of Necessity was invented," he said, adding that he wishes a doctrine of necessity was also created for respect of people's mandate and democracy.

"I am warning you today, if we do not try to change the situation, Pakistan will not forgive us."



Sharif said he has proposed a grand national dialogue to focus on restoring the people's mandate as "only those should govern who the people vote for."



"The people will decide through their vote [in general elections of 2018] who is qualified and who is unqualified," he said.

Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi termed Sharif's return as party president a "historic day".

The premier said he is proud to be among the few people who witnessed the moment Sharif took his place as the party chairman for the first time.

Earlier, PML-N leader Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry submitted Sharif's papers for party president in the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) while no one other candidate from the party contested the election.

Minister of State Talal Chaudhry told media that Sharif will remain chief of PML-N. "He will also become Prime Minister of the country. Sharif cannot be removed from politics through conspiracies, he said.

The election of party president is a requirement by Election Commission of Pakistan that already last month issued notice to PML-N for failing to choose permanent successor of Sharif.

Sharifs election has temporarily healed the rifts within the party which appeared on the verge of defections after his ouster.

But Sharifs fate as party president still hangs in balance as Pakistan Awami Tehreek party has challenged the new law in the Lahore High Court, while Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and other parties have announced to challenge it in the Supreme Court.

Opposition parties allege that the new law was "Sharif- specific" to allow him to return to politics. They also content that the law is against the spirit of the Constitution.

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Several thousand people have fled to Zambia in the past month to escape violence in Democratic Republic of Congo, the UN said today.

The UN refugee agency said 3,360 people from DR Congo's conflict-wracked southeast had entered Zambia since August 30, the largest influx of its kind in the past five years.

People "are escaping inter-ethnic clashes, as well as fighting between Congolese security forces and militia groups," UNHCR spokesman Andrej Mahecic told reporters in Geneva.

Those arriving in Zambia described escaping "extreme brutality, with civilians being killed, women raped, property looted and houses set alight," he said.

Most of those fleeing come from the northern Katanga and Tanganyika regions.

In recent years, these have been the scene of multiple deadly clashes between the Pygmies and Bantus from the ethnic Luba group.

A full 60 per cent of those arriving in Zambia are children, including many showing signs of malnutrition, and suffering from malaria, respiratory problems, dysentery and skin infections, Mahecic said.

And many of the new refugees had already been displaced inside DR Congo by the violence before crossing the border.

"The lack of roads and the long distances... make it difficult to monitor the situation and provide them with assistance," he said.

The approaching rainy season is expected to worsen the plight of those on the move, Mahecic warned.

The new arrivals, who bring the number of Congolese refugees and asylum seekers in Zambia to around 27,300, are mostly being taken to the Kenani transit centre in Nchelenge district, 90 kilometres from the border.

But Mahecic said some were opting to remain close to the border, waiting for their families to join them.

UNHCR was helping the Zambian government and the Zambian Red Cross to distribute hot meals and basic items like tents, plastic sheeting, mosquito nets, and hygiene kits.

Aid workers were also providing psycho-social support to survivors of sexual violence.

Due to overcrowding, UNHCR said it had begun work on a second transit facility and was helping develop a more permanent settlement for the refugees.

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An alleged drug peddler was arrested along with three kilograms of marijuana in Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir, police said.

Muneer Ahmad Butt, a resident of Trenkal Kahara in Gandoh area, was arrested after a brief chase when he tried to escape a mobile police check post in the Jawalapur-Bounjwah area, a police spokesman said.

He was booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, he said.

The spokesman said said preliminary investigation revealed that he was transporting the narcotic substance, which he had purchased for Rs 1 lakh, for distribution among youth.

"The police is investigating the origin of the contraband and as such many persons involved in this illicit trade are likely to be arrested in the coming days," he said.

He appealed to the youth to stay away from the drug peddlers and help police in tracking them.

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The European Union (EU) has announced a 800,000 euro financial assistance to the Nepal which is hit by the worst floods in 15 years that claimed over 160 lives.

The EU is providing 800,000 euro (equivalent to Nepalese rupees 98.5 million) in emergency relief funding to assist the most affected populations, a press release issued by the EU's resident mission in Nepal today.

This allocation is part of a larger regional allocation of 2 million euro in response to floods in South Asia.

"The countries in South Asia are facing some of their worst floods in decades, which are resulting in a large-scale humanitarian situation affecting millions.

"It is especially in these hard times that the EU solidarity makes a difference: our support will reach those most in need and help them recover from the devastating losses they have suffered," said Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management Christos Stylianides.

He said that the EU's support will provide life-saving assistance, prioritising shelter, food assistance, water and sanitation, health and protection to those affected by the floods, while restoring the safety and dignity of the most vulnerable populations.

"The funding will be channelled through the European Commission's European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations department (ECHO)," the release said.

About two million people in Nepal have been hit by the worst floods in 15 years. Around 20,900 families have been temporarily displaced and over 200,000 houses damaged or completely destroyed.

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In a bid to placate the Patidar community, Gujarat government today announced a commission of inquiry headed by a former High Court judge to probe alleged police atrocities on members of the community during the violent agitation for OBC quota two years ago.

The BJP government also announced allocation of Rs 500 crore to a corporation which would look after various needs of the communities which are outside the purview of reservations, including Patidars (Patels) who have been demanding a quota.

The inquiry commission will be headed by former Gujarat High Court judge K A Punj, said Minister of State for Home Pradeepsinh Jadeja in Gandhinagar today.

"The commission will also have former district judge Mahendra Patel as a member. Patel is currently a member of the State Human Rights Commission. The commission will probe various allegations of excessive use of force by police during the quota agitation in 2015," said Jadeja.

Earlier this week, the government gave nod for formation of a commission (Aayog) as well as a corporation to look after the interests of non-reserved communities after holding a meeting with Patidar leaders including Hardik Patel.

"The corporation will be formed with a paid-up capital of Rs 100 crore. We will also allocate Rs 500 crore to provide cheaper loans to farmers, students and entrepreneurs from non-reserved categories. This will benefit around 58 such castes (in non-reserved category) in the state," the minister said today.

"A separate commission will also be formed to advise government about formulating schemes for the welfare of non-reserved classes. The chairman and vice chairman of the commission will be from these castes," he said.

The government has already started the process of withdrawal of cases lodged against Patidar agitators, he said.

"As promised by us during the meeting, we have already withdrawn 109 out of the total 439 cases. We will take the decision of withdrawing remaining cases after analysing each of them," said Jadeja, adding that the decision had nothing to do with the Assembly polls which are due later this year.

On September 26, Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel held a meeting with Hardik Patel and other quota leaders to try and reach a compromise formula, with apparent intention of pacifying them ahead of the elections.

Hardik Patel later said the meeting yielded no results and vowed to continue the agitation for quota.

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Former Tamil Nadu minister Senthil Balaji, a loyalist of sidelined AIADMK leader T T V Dhinakaran, was today granted anticipatory bail by the Madras High Court in connection with a cheating case registered against him by the Central Crime Branch.

Granting the relief, Justice N Authinathan directed Balaji to appear before the investigating officer of the CCB here at 9 am daily until further orders.

In his petition, Balaji submitted that he was one the 18 MLAs disqualified by the state assembly speaker.

"The present government perceives that I'm against the government and seeks to wreak vengeance against me," he had alleged.

The CCB has registered a case against Balaji for various offences under the IPC, including cheating and criminal breach of trust, following a court order on a complaint by one Ganesh Kumar who sought registration of an FIR against him.

The complainant had alleged that he paid money to a relative of Balaji, when he was the transport minister, following an assurance of a job in the State Transport Corporation.

Balaji had submitted that he was not a minister from July 29, 2015 and the complaint was given after 23 months. Besides, he did not know the complainant.

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The farmers whose names were submitted to the government by the concerned District Central Cooperative Banks (DCCBs) under the loan waiver scheme will receive the disbursal amount in their bank accounts before Diwali, Maharashtra Agriculture Minister Pandurang Phundkar announced today.

He said the government will release the funds to those districts where the DCC Banks have submitted the complete list of eligible farmers.

Some DCC banks which have branches across many districts are yet to send complete lists of the loan waiver beneficiaries to the government.

Responding to a query on the opposition's criticism that farmers are being charged for submitting online farms for the loan waiver scheme, Phundkar said had that been the case, the administration would not have received about 55 lakh applications.

He said the government had never announced a complete loan waiver per se for farmers.

When told that some eligible farmers are being unable to apply due to problems in giving their thumb impressions, the minister said such cases will be considered eligible for the loan waiver in its next phase.

Bowing to protests by farmers, the state government in June had announced a Rs 34,000 crore loan waiver with caveats. Under the scheme, loans up to Rs 1.5 lakh per farmer will be waived.

When asked about recent deaths of farm labourers in Yavatmal district due to spraying of pesticides on cotton crops, Phundkar said Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis today approved a probe under Additional Chief Secretary (Home).

Expressing regret at the deaths, he conceded that negligence had taken place at multiple levels.

Although the government did not specify the number of deaths, eminent farm activist from Vidarbha, Kishor Tiwari, and the Shiv Sena said the pesticide exposure reported in Yavatmal district has claimed 18 lives so far.

Phundkar said neither the concerned district collector nor the local police are aware of these cases.

Announcing that the government will decide on banning the imported Chinese-make pesticide spray pumps, Phundkar said the cotton crops have grown to the height of almost six feet this year.

"The contract farm labourers have to spray the pesticide from a certain height. However, due to extreme heat conditions the labourers wear only vests and no other protective gear like face masks," he said.

He said the pesticides can get ingested into body even through the skin contact.

"Agriculture department officials are now visiting fields to educate the labourers on wearing protective face masks and body wear," the minister said.

He said the probe will find out whether the Agriculture Assistance Centers which supplied the pesticides had briefed the farmers on the precautions to be taken while spraying the pesticides.

"There are reports are that some hospitals had handed over prescriptions to the relatives of the patients to get medicines from outside chemists and also get blood tests done from outside pathology laboratories. The probe will also find out why the affected patients were sent all the way to Nagpur, when Yavatmal has its own district hospital," Phundkar said, adding that the CM has already announced the compensation of Rs 2 lakh to the kin of the deceased and free treatment to those admitted in hospitals.

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The father of a seven-year-old boy, who was found dead in a Gurgaon school, today approached the Supreme Court challenging the interim anticipatory bail granted to three Ryan International Group trustees in the case.

Barun Chandra Thakur, father of class-II boy Pradhuman Thakur, assailed the Punjab and Haryana High Court order staying the arrest of Ryan group CEO Ryan Pinto and his parents, Group's founding chairman Augustine Pinto and Managing Director Grace Pinto, in the murder case.

The appeal, filed through advocate Sushil Tekriwal, said the grant of interim protection against their possible arrest was illegal and unconstitutional and should be set aside.

The plea has made the Central Bureau of Investigation, which is currently probing the case, the accused and the Haryana government as a party.

It alleged that the September 28 order of the High Court granting interim bail was passed without hearing either CBI or the complainant's father.

Ryan Pinto and his parents had approached the high court, seeking anticipatory bail in connection with the killing of the class 2 student, who was found with his throat slit in the washroom of a school run by their group on September 8.

School bus conductor Ashok Kumar was arrested in connection with the crime the same day.

On September 25, the High Court had impleaded CBI as a respondent in the petition seeking bail for the three Ryan group trustees.

The Haryana government had recommended a CBI probe in the matter following massive outrage. The premier agency took over the probe on September 22.

The Pintos, who are based in Mumbai, had earlier approached the Bombay High Court as they apprehended arrest in the case after the school was accused of negligence in the death of the seven-year-old.

The Bombay High Court had rejected the transit anticipatory bail applications of the three trustees but granted them interim protection from arrest for a day to enable them to file an appeal.

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Father Tom Uzhunnalil, who was freed after being kept in captivity suspectedly by ISIS for 18 months in strife-torn Yemen, called on Governor P Sathasivam at the Raj Bhavan here today.

Uzhunnalil personally expressed his gratitude for the governor's intervention in ensuring his release, a Raj Bhavan release said.

Uzhunnalil's relatives along with former chief minister Oommen Chandy had submitted an appeal to the governor for intervention in the case on May 31, 2017 and governor had forwarded the petition to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, the release said.

Earlier in the day, he met Catholic Bishops Conference of India president Mar Baselios Cleemis Catholicos and church leaders in the state.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Oommen Chandy were among those who attended a public reception accorded to him at the Mar Ivanios College auditoirum.

Uzhunnailil thanked all those who prayed for his release.

The priest belongs to the Congregation of Salesians of Don Bosco and was abducted reportedly during a terrorist attack in Aden and taken to an undisclosed place.

The 59-year-old Catholic priest had returned to Delhi on September 28 after rest and recuperation in the Vatican City.

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Following are the northern region highlights at 1700 hrs:



DES1 JK-SHOT



Srinagar:Militants shoot a cop dead in Awantipora area of Pulwama District in Jammu and Kashmir.

DES3 UP-RAHUL



Amethi (UP): Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi will go on a three-day visit to his Amethi constituency from tomorrow.

DES4 RJ-MURDER



Jaipur: A ghastly murder scene unfolds in the city of Alwar where four minor children and an adult are butchered in their sleep by unknown assailants.

DES5 HR-ACCIDENT



Ambala (Har): Four persons are killed after a truck collides head-on with a three wheeler on the Ambala-Hisar Highway.

NRG2 UP-PRISONER SUICIDE



Bareilly (UP): A 45-year-old murder convict, lodged in a central jail here, allegedly commits suicide by hanging himself from a tree.

NRG13 UP-MADRASSAS-WEBSITE



Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh government has for the second time extended by 15 days the September 30 deadline for all the madrassas in the state to register themselves on the government website.

NRG3 UP-RAPE-MINOR



Ballia (UP): A four-year-old girl is allegedly lured with a toffee and raped in a village here by a 28-year-old man.

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A Bhopal court today awarded two years' rigorous imprisonment to former Congress MLA Kalpana Parulekar in a case of morphing a photograph of RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat.

The court also granted her bail after pronouncing the sentence.

Additional District Judge (ADJ) Arvind Kumar Goyal sentenced Parulekar to rigorous imprisonment for two years and slapped a fine of Rs 12,000 on her for using a morphed picture of Bhagwat to show former state lokayukta PP Naolekar as an RSS worker.

She was convicted under the provisions of the Information Technology Act and different sections of the Indian Penal Code.

According to prosecution, Parulekar had on November 29, 2011, while addressing a media conference inside the Madhya Pradesh assembly premises, criticised Naolekar, the then state Lokayukta, and accused him of links with RSS.

To establish her allegation, she produced a photograph purportedly showing Naolekar in RSS uniform.

The prosecution alleged that the photograph had been created after doctoring Bhagwat's picture clicked on November 18, 2010 in Jharkhand.

After this, a man named Gopal Krishna Dandotiya had lodged a complaint with the Madhya Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) against Parulekar which was later transferred to the CID.

Soon after her conviction, her lawyer moved an application for bail which was granted.

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France's lower house of parliament overwhelmingly approved a new counter-terrorism bill today, making permanent several controversial measures in place under a nearly two-year-old state of emergency.

The law was approved by 415 votes to 127, with 19 abstentions.

It has encountered little resistance from a public traumatised by a string of jihadist attacks, despite criticism that it will undermine civil liberties.

The vote comes just two days after more bloodshed, with a suspected Islamist radical stabbing two 20-year-old women to death in the Mediterranean port city of Marseille.

In Paris, anti-terrorism police are also investigating the discovery of a homemade bomb and a cellphone detonator in the hallway of a building in the wealthy 16th Arrondissement on Saturday.

Petrol had been sprinkled around the canisters, sources close to the inquiry said.

Five people in their early 30s were arrested over the incident, including one who is on France's terror watch list.

The stabbings in Marseille brought to 241 the number of people killed in attacks claimed by or attributed to jihadists in France since January 2015 - many of which have been claimed by the Islamic State group.

The group, which is fast losing territory across the remaining parts of its self-proclaimed caliphate in Iraq and Syria, was quick to claim responsibility for the Marseille assault, which was carried out by a 29-year-old Tunisian.

Interior Minister Gerard Collomb has defended the anti- terror bill as a "lasting response to a lasting threat", but it has come under fire from the French left and human rights groups.

As the parliament session kicked off Tuesday, Collomb noted that the state of emergency did not prevent the Marseille attack. "That means we need to be incessantly vigilant, seeing to it that our intelligence services can intervene well in advance every time," he said.

The new law gives authorities the power to confine suspected jihadist sympathisers to their neighbourhood without the prior approval of a judge, and to throw a wide security cordon around places or events deemed vulnerable to attack.

It also allows the authorities to shut down a mosque or other place of worship if preachers are found to have incited attacks, glorified terrorism or circulated radical "ideas and theories".

Lawyer Emmanuel Daoud, a member of the Paris-based International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), told AFP the law was "an unprecedented degradation of public freedoms and individual liberties".

Yesterday, anti-discrimination group SOS Racisme demonstrated outside parliament against provisions that will allow police to carry out more spot ID checks.

"People who are supposedly foreigners, black or north African will be stigmatised," Thierry Paul Valette, head of another anti-racism group Egalite Nationale, told French daily Liberation.

The law, designed to replace the state of emergency that France has been under since the wave of bombings and shootings at Paris nightspots and France's national stadium in November 2015, is expected to come into force on November 1.

The Senate, France's upper house of parliament, approved it in July after some amendments.

The state of emergency was meant to be temporary but was extended six times in order to protect major sporting and cultural events, as well as this year's presidential and parliamentary elections.

The government says that 12 planned attacks have been foiled so far this year.

The multiple extensions of the state of emergency met with little public opposition, with surveys suggesting that most people back the changes even at the cost of certain civil liberties.

Critics of the new law have been limited largely to leftist politicians and human rights groups, though UN experts also raised objections in a letter to the French government last week.

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Fugitive underworld don Dawood Ibrahim's brother Iqbal Kaskar and his gang members have been booked in a fresh case of extorting Rs 3 crore from a prominent builder in north Mumbai, the police said today.

This is the third extortion case registered against Kaskar and his gang members after their arrest in connection with a probe into an extortion racket last month, a police official said.

"As per the fresh complaint from a a prominent builder in north Mumbai, Kaskar had threatened and extorted Rs 3 crore from him over a deal of a 38-acre land in the Gorai area," he added.

The complainant alleged that Kaskar had collected the money from him in two instalments.

"We have registered a new complaint of extortion under sections 384 (extortion), 386 (extortion by putting a person in fear of death or grievous hurt) and 387 (putting a person in fear of death or grievous hurt, in order to commit extortion), IPC against Kaskar and his gang at the Thane Nagar police station," a senior police official of the Thane crime branch said.

Kaskar and two of his aides -- Mumtaz Sheikh and Israr Ali Jamil Sayyad -- were arrested on September 18 by the Anti-Extortion Cell (AEC) of the Thane police, led by "encounter specialist" Pradeep Sharma and his team, in an extortion case of Rs 30 lakh and four flats from a builder.

They had also been booked following another complaint of extortion lodged by a Thane-based jeweller.

Recently, the AEC of the Thane crime branch had arrested Borivali-based businessman Pankaj Gangar in connection with the extortion racket.

Gangar, a close aide of "matka king" Pappu Savla, had been sending Rs 10-15 lakh per month to Dawood's aide Chhota Shakeel, the police had said earlier.

He used to transfer the money to Shakeel through illegal hawala transactions, they had said.

Chhota Shakeel, whose role had also emerged in the extortion racket case, had been declared a wanted accused, the official said.

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On the 148th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, the Embassy of India in Egypt organised commemorative events at Alexandria and Cairo, celebrating the spirit of non-violence.

The events on October 1 and yesterday included a lecture and a caricature exhibition featuring the 'Father of the Nation'.

The Indian envoy here Sanjay Bhattacharyya said that Gandhi continues to be relevant and that his principles inspired people and provided guidance to civilisations across time and boundaries.

"We should always have confidence that the spirit of non- violence is actually very powerful. Gandhi used to say 'if no body else is coming with you please go alone'. Each of us as individuals need to do this individually and then collectively to bring back peach and love to this world," Bhattacharyya told PTI.

This year, the embassy invited well known Gandhi scholar Rajni Bakshi as a speaker for the event.

Bakshi gave two speeches - the first one was in Bibliotheca Alexandrina in Alexandria on Sunday entitled 'After Gandhi: Promise and Peril of Non-Violence'.

She also gave another lecture entitled 'Non-Violence: A Temptation and Challenge' at the Maulana Azad Centre for Indian Culture in Cairo on the Mahatma's birthday which is also recognised as the International Day of Non-Violence by the UN.

"Gandhi's philosophy is relevant today because people are tired of violence and it is only natural for human to want to live in peace.

Many people are now understanding that non- violence is not just absence of violence but the true non- violence is that when we seek to engage with others to compassion and even if we have a conflict we are willing to have dialogue and try and find common ground," Bakshi said.

"Violence is a reality in our lives but it doesn't have to dominate us," she added.

The event also featured an exhibition on the theme 'Spirit of Gandhi' by the Egyptian Caricature Society in collaboration with the Embassy of India in Cairo.

"This year we have worked again with the Caricature Society which we haven't done the last two years on this theme. We worked on the spirit of Gandhi and we got 73 contributions from artists from 24 countries and we put them into a booklet," Bhattacharyya said.

Goma Farahat, head of the Egyptian Caricature Society, said the group cooperates with the embassy for different events and occasion.

"Each one of the artists who participated in the exhibition painted Gandhi through his own point of view so there are different paintings and styles," Farahat told PTI.

In addition to caricatures by artists from India, Egypt, Brazil, Colombia, Spain, Greece, China, Italy, US, Indonesia and other countries, a booklet, entitled 'Spirit of Gandhi', includes two articles, one of them is written in Al-Ahram newspaper in 2002 about Gandhi's visit to Egypt in 1930s and the second article is by artist K G Subramanyan, originally written in 1995, and gives an artist's perspective of Gandhi.

In the run up to Gandhi Jayanti Celebrations, invoking Gandhi's principle of dignity of labour and promoting the spirit of service, the Indian mission also organised an online 'Let's Clean Zamalek' campaign in the district of Zamalek in Cairo, and held 'Shramdaan'.

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The legacy of Mahatma Gandhi, Dr Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela is that they were exemplars of the fundamental belief that the drivers of conflict are all amenable to non-violent solutions, India's Permanent Representative to the UN Syed Akbaruddin has said.

At an event held at the UN headquarters in New York to commemorate the International Day of Non-Violence, the top Indian diplomat said the three leaders advocated non-violence to usher social and political changes that were national in nature.

Yet their approach of peaceful, non-violent resolution of differences resonates globally, he said.

"The legacy of Mahatma Gandhi, Dr Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela is that they were exemplars of the fundamental belief that the drivers of conflict are all amenable to non- violent solutions A belief that underpins the activities of the UN," Akbaruddin said.

"The achievements of Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela demonstrate that the outcome of non-violent change, achieved through persuasion rather than coercion, are durable," Akbaruddin said at the meeting which was addressed by representatives from several countries in addition to Miroslav Lajcak, President of the 72nd Session of the UN General Assembly.

The UN General Assembly on June 17, 2007 voted to establish October 2 the birth day of Mahatma Gandhi as the International Day of Non-Violence.

Since then every year October 2 is globally observed as the international day of non-violence.

Referring to the remarks made by other leaders at the UN's commemorative event, Akbaruddin said the discussion are an effort to seek pathways to tackle the situation the world is confronted with.

It is imbued with the hope that the concept of non- violence, which is as old as civilisation, can provide a path forward, he said.

As Mahatma Gandhi once said, "I have nothing new to teach the world. Truth and Non-violence are as old as the hills. All I have done is to try experiments in both, on as vast a scale as I could," he said.

Observing that the message of non-violence is therefore needed more today than ever, Lajcak said, "Unfortunately, we are not yet living in the world that Gandhi dreamt of. Many actors still use violence as their tool of choice. Every day there is new evidence of the destruction and human suffering, which result from this choice"



"Intolerance and hate speech are features of our world and International human rights and humanitarian law are constantly violated," Lajcak said.

"Conflicts, violent extremism, and terrorism don't show any signs of decreasing. Even the planet is suffering from aviolence of sorts, due to the harmful impact of human activities," he added.

The Gandhi Memorial centre in a Maryland suburb of Washington DC in cooperation with Embassy of India had a special evening of celebrations to mark the 148th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

Early in the morning, the Indian Ambassador to the US, Navtej Sarna, offered flora; tributes to the apostle of peace to the statue of Mahatma Gandhi located in front of the Embassy premises.

In New York, Bharatiya Vidya Bhawan joined hands with the Consulate General of India, to celebrate Gandhi Jayanti at the Gandhi Statue in Union Square Park.

The programme included offering of floral tribute and singing of Gandhiji's favourite bhajans by the students of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan.

Gandhi Foundation of US and Indian Consulate in Atlanta celebrated International Day of Non-violence at the historic Gandhi statue.

Mahatma Gandhi Memorial of North Texas celebrated Gandhiji's birthday on October 1st at Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Plaza in Irving, Dallas, with a large number of people participating in "Gandhi Peace Walk.

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Bharti Airtel today said Ghana's communications regulator has approved the merger of Bharti Ghana Ltd and Millicom Ghana Ltd (Tigo), subject to certain conditions.

The approval from the regulatory body -- National Communications Authority -- will pave the way for creation of an entity that will be the second biggest mobile network operator in Ghana. The merger was announced in March this year.

"The National Communications Authority has given approval for the merger between Bharti Ghana (Airtel) and Millicom Ghana (Tigo) to proceed subject to some conditions," an Airtel release said.

The merged entity will have a 3G licence and 2G licence valid until January 2024 and October 2021, respectively.

"The merger approval is also conditioned with an option for government participation," the statement said.

The merged company would have to submit a "network integration plan" outlining how they intend to relinquish, in phases, portion of their total spectrum allocation. The move is aimed at ensuring an equitable distribution and access to radiowaves.

"This, however, will be done in phases on geographical area basis and over a period not exceeding eighteen (18) months to avoid disruptions on the network," Airtel added.

All the numbering resources -- owned by the two companies -- will be held by the merged entity, which has also been asked by the regulator to submit a detailed customer awareness plan around the merger and related changes.

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The Congress today denounced the government over a militant attack on a BSF camp near the Srinagar airport, accusing it of compromising national security.

Speaking to reporters here, Congress's chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala alleged the government had proved a "total failure".

He asked the prime minister when will his administration formulate a policy to deal with terrorism emanating from Pakistan.

"The attack is an evidence of how the Modi government has compromised and toyed with national security. The question is what is Modiji and his government doing? When will we see the 56-inch chest?" Surjewala asked.

Earlier in the day, security forces gunned down three Jaish-e-Mohammed militants who stormed a BSF camp near the high-security Srinagar airport. An assistant sub-inspector of the force was also killed in the gunfight.

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US-based investment advisor Greystone, which specialises in identifying and underwriting EB-5 compliant real estate projects, is expecting at least 25-30 Indian millionaires and billionaires to invest in projects being developed there.

The EB-5 program is a US government immigration initiative that provides foreign nationals an opportunity to receive a permanent visa to the US in exchange for a capital investment ranging between USD 500000 to USD 10,00,000 into one or more newly formed commercial enterprises that lead to the creation of jobs in the country.

"There is a large population of millionaires and billionaires that are aspiring for citizenship in the US. Our EB-5 business provides foreign investors access to EB-5 compliant investment opportunities in realty projects," Greystone EB-5 Director Abteen Vaziri told reporters here today.

The company invests in multifamily and healthcare properties through multiple lending platforms.

"We have invested in a project in Holland through this platform where we have an Indian investor. For our second project in the New York City, we plan to raise USD 57.5 million from 115 investors worldwide. Out of these, we have already received commitment from 35 investors and of the balance, we are targeting 30 per cent out of India," he said.

The company is looking at around USD 12 million investment from Indian investors for this project, Vaziri added.

He also said the company was also planning to set up offices here for this purpose.

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The Madras High Court today adjourned till November 11 hearing of petitions filed by two life convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case seeking premature release after the government submitted that a similar plea was pending before the Supreme Court.

When the petitions by Sri Lankan national B Robert Payas and Jayakumar came up for hearing before a bench comprising Justices Rajiv Shakdher and M Satishkumar, Additional Solicitor General G Rajagopalan told it about the pendency of the matter related to their premature release in the apex court.

Following this, the court adjourned the petitions to November 11.

In their petitions, filed years ago, the duo had sought inclusion of their names in the list of prisoners prepared by the state government for premature release.

At a previous hearing, the Centre had argued against the premature release of both Payas and Jayakumar.

It had cited the apex court's ruling that life sentence meant imprisonment for the entire life of a person.

The government had also referred to the state government's proposal in 2014 to remit the life sentences and release all seven convicts in the case, including the two petitioners, and said it was under challenge in the Supreme Court.

Former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated by an LTTE suicide bomber on May 21, 1991 during an election rally at Sriperumbudur near here.

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The Madras High Court today declined to restrain Tamil Nadu ministers from making any statements on the hospitalisation of late chief minister Jayalalithaa last year.

Refusing to grant the prayer of a petitioner for interim injection, the first bench comprising Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and M Sundar orally observed that freedom of expression was a fundamental right subject to restrictions and the court cannot pass any blanket order on it.

The bench dismissed the petition which sought a judicial commission of inquiry into the death of Jayalalithaa in view of the state government appointing a retired high court judge to look into the matter.

Petitioner P Muruganandham, an AIADMK worker of Thiruvarur district had also sought an interim direction to restrain the ministers and others from making controversial statements on Jayalalithaa's hospitalisation.

In his petition, filed before the probe panel was set up, he had contended that when the government's motive was to find out the truth, attributing motives to some party leaders by the ministers themselves "will amount to interfering in the functions of the (then) proposed commission of inquiry".

The late AIADMK supremo was admitted to a hospital here on September 22 last year and breathed her last on December 5.

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An Afghan national, arrested for allegedly raping a JNU student here, has been denied bail by the Delhi High Court which said there was every chance of him fleeing from justice.

The high court dismissed the bail application of Sulaiman Ahmadi, who has been staying in India as a refugee for 10 years, considering the serious nature of accusation against him and that there was an apprehension that he may tamper with or win over vital witnesses.

Besides, Justice Vinod Goel looked into the severity of punishment in case of conviction, which can be up to life term, and said there was "every likelihood of the petitioner, an Afghan national, absconding or fleeing from justice".

The court said there was no ground in favour of the man to grant him bail as the material witnesses, including those who were at the spot and to whom the woman had narrated the episode soon after the incident, were yet to be examined.

The bail plea was opposed by the prosecutor who said as the accused was an Afghan national, there were chances of his fleeing from justice if bail was granted.

He said vital witnesses, including the accused's friends who were at the spot, were yet to be examined and one of them had seen the two accused entering into the woman's bedroom where she was sleeping alone.

According to the prosecution, Ahmadi and his friend Tawab Ahmad alias Saleem, also an Afghan national, had allegedly raped a 21-year-old JNU student in South Delhi's Green Park area in January this year.

The court rejected the argument of Ahmadi's counsel that as the forensic samples of the body fluids found on the woman's clothes failed to match with that of the accused, he should be granted bail.

"It is trite that the medical evidence is a corroborative piece of evidence but where medical evidence does not support the otherwise clinching and trustworthy ocular evidence of any material witness, then the testimony of such ocular evidence shall prevail on the medical opinion and not vice versa," the judge said.

The prosecution had said the victim, a second year student of JNU, had gone to a pub in Hauz Khas village with her friend where she had met Saleem. It said he had invited the two women to his house in Green Park for a party.

It had said that when she went to Saleem's house along with her friend, three of his friends, including Ahmadi, were present. Eventually, her friend was dropped off at JNU. The woman told police she returned to Saleem's home and they consumed alcohol.

When the victim woke up in the morning, she saw Ahmadi allegedly forcing himself on her, the police alleged, adding that she later got to know that the two men had allegedly sexually assaulted her when she was not in her senses.

She went back to her hostel in JNU and narrated the incident to her two friends who immediately took her to the police station.

An FIR for the offence of rape and common intention was lodged at the Safdarjung Enclave police station here.

Both the accused were arrested and sent to judicial custody by a trial court which has been recording evidence in the case.

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Madras High Court today dismissed as withdrawn a miscellaneous petition seeking discharge of advocate V Suresh as amicus curiae in the alleged multi-crore beach sand mining case.

First bench comprising Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice M Sunder rejected the petitioner's charge that Suresh had earlier appeared on behalf of a 'henchman' of a rival firm in the case.

The counsels for the petitioner were unable to place any more records except that the amicus curie had written letters to the District Collectors in the matter of beach sand mining, it said.

"If you make submissions against amicus curie you should be very responsible... We have to take that you have no material other than that was filed in the affidavit," the bench said in its order and dismissed the petition as withdrawn.

The court also said just because he was counsel for one of the parties it cannot be said he had conflict of interest.

It said the appointment of Suresh was based on informed conscience of all the counsels and posted to tomorrow batch of petitions, including appeals and review pleas, on alleged illegal beach sand mining.

Petitioner Stephen David, General Manager, Trans World Garnet India Pvt. Ltd had also alleged that Suresh was also the editor of a Magazine- The PUCL Bulletin, published by the People Union for Civil Liberties, in which 'motivated and genetically' engineered articles had been published about mining activities.

The court had earlier suo motu taken up the matter of beach sand mining.

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Two-wheeler major Honda continued to fire from all cylinders for the eighth month in a row this fiscal year and inched closer to overthrow the incumbent in retail sales sweep-take, selling 1,052,000 units during the festive sales that began mid-August.

Market leader Hero Motorcorp had claimed yesterday that it sold over 1 million units during the festive period began in mid-August but did not disclose the exact numbers.

"For the first time, our retail sales crossed the 1 million mark in the festive sales till September 30. Our total retail sales stood at 1,052,000 units between the Ganesh Chathurthi in mid-August and September 30. And we've the Dhanteras and the Diwali left," YS Guleria, senior VP for sales & marketing at Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India told PTI from New Delhi today.

"This is beyond our expectation and target," he added without quantifying the target.

But when asked whether the company will revise upwards its annual sales target of over 20 per cent, Guleria said "it's too early as everything depends on post-October sales. But I am sure we will maintain this growth momentum."



"Three weeks left for the festive season to get over, we have already crossed 1 million units in retail sales in the ongoing festival season, with a double digit growth over the previous year," a Hero official had told PTI yesterday, refusing to quantify the exact number.

It can be noted that for Hero the 1-million sales has come on the heels of it surpassing 75 million units in cumulative sales since its inception.

Guelria said volume was boosted by a 52 per cent jump in bikes sales which rose to 1,23,600 units from 80,500 units to while its bread and butter scooter sales rose 49 per cent to 2,65,900 from 1,78,600 units during the festive season.

While Honda clocked 52,000 volume on the first day of the Navratra, on the final day it sold over 1 lakh units, boosting the overall Navratra sales over 50 per cent to 3.9 lakh units from 2.6 lakh units last year, Guleria said, adding year-to-date, volume rose 18 per cent for Honda against the industry growth of 10 per cent.

For September, its sales crossed 6 lakh units for the second month in a row selling 6,01,998 units in the month while exports jumped to 32,110 units, Guleria said.

Elaborating on the record sales, he said, "as a trend, we are seeing huge spike in our customer walk-ins and overall retails in every festival, be it Ganesh Chaturthi, Onam or the most recent 50 per cent jump in Navratri. On Dussehra alone, our retails crossed 1 lakh mark for the first time ever."



In September, domestic sales stood at 5,69,888 units against 5,39,404 units last year, while exports continued to glide over 30,000 mark to 32,110 units compared to 29,339 units last year.

This has helped the Japanese major to cross 3 million volume in just six months. Honda sales grew 18 per cent to 3,146,415 units in H1 this year from 2,673,187 units.

"This shows that we alone added a whopping 49 per cent of the incremental volume of the industry, making it the No.1 volume gainer and No.1 market share gainer. On exports too, our exports continue to grow much faster at 34 per cent from 1,36,508 units to 1,82,548 units," Guleria said.

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The 18th annual Indo-American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Houston (IACCGH) was held here to celebrate its accomplishments for being a vital international link for entrepreneurs and to honour outstanding members of the Indian-American community.

The event was attended by many including, Houston's business elites, elected officials, Consul General of India Anupam Ray, Harris County judge Ed Emmett, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, Jay Guerrero, Regional Director for US Senator John Cornyn, UH President and Chancellor Renu Khator.

Addressing the event, Consul General Anupam Ray appreciated Indian-American community for opening their homes and wallets in rebuilding the city after Hurricane Harvey.

"Your generosity makes India proud and a community is great if it rises above its suffering. Through your contributions toward Hurricane Harvey relief, you've demonstrated that as a community, you've risen above your sufferings," he said.

Ray said that India-US relations remain on a very high trajectory.

"There is a lot of high-level traffic, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been to the US four times in the last three years, US defense secretary James Mattis seek to take the India-US defense ties to the next level during his recent visit. This is indicative of a robust relationship that remains on track to be the defining relationship of the 21st century. Houston is coming into its own as a major centre of India-US relations," Ray said.

"India is likely to buy 800 commercial aircrafts in next decade, we have just bought billion dollar worth of Apache Helicopters and our military needs to procure 400 helicopters. India is focused on updating its infrastructure as well," he said.

"It will soon have a bullet train and about 500 billion dollars will be invested on roads, railways, ports and airports. India is making huge investments in toilets and is committed to bring about a sanitation revolution in India," he added.

Executive Director of IACCGH Jagdip Ahluwalia said, "We would like to remind you that the chamber recognised the US- India partnership in 1999, when we founded it, that time India was not yet the flavor of the future".

"India is staged to be one of our best trading partners and Texas will be doing a lot more business in coming months. Within one month of PM Modi's meeting with President Donald Trump in Washington, India purchased over USD 2 Billion of US crude and IACCGH was present at the loading of the crude oil on the first ship that sailed out of Texas in August. The purchase of Apache helicopters is another strategic deal between US andIndia originating from state of Texas," Jagdip said.

Lauding IACCGH's role in driving Houston's economic growth, Harris County judge Ed Emmett and Mayor Sylvester Turner strongly endorsed the diversity that the Indo-American presence in Houston provided while describing the chamber as "dynamic, an engine of opportunity and diversity personified.

Both appreciated the Indian-Americans for their generosity and voluntary aid toward Hurricane Harvey relief.

IACCGH also recognised the outstanding professional and public service achievements of community members.

IACCGH President Allen Richards said the three Indian- Americans were selected for their diverse and exceptional achievements in entrepreneurship, impact in economic growth in Houston and humanitarian Service.

Indian-American Marie Goradia was honored with the "Impact on Humanity Award" for her forceful advocacy for the cause of education of underprivileged children in India via Pratham USA and her support of many deserving causes in healthcare.

Bal Sareen, CEO, BraskInc was honoured for his entrepreneurial success as a leading manufacturer of shell and heat exchangers in Texas.

Swapnil Agarwal, for 'Young Entrepreneur of the Year', as Founder and Managing Principal of Nitya Capital and Karya Property Management, companies that buy and manage properties. During Harvey devastation, Agarwal opened his facilities for the people needing shelter.

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India today summoned Pakistan's Deputy High Commissioner and issued a demarche over the death of three minors in "unprovoked firing" by Pakistani forces in the Poonch sector.

Pakistani diplomat Syed Haider Shah was summoned to the external affairs ministry by the joint secretary, in-charge of Pakistan, and it was conveyed that "such deliberate targeting of civilians was not acceptable and was against humanitarian norms and practices," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a release.

A strong protest was lodged over the death of three Indian children in "unprovoked ceasefire violation" by the Pakistani forces in the Poonch sector yesterday, it said.

Strong concern was also expressed over the continued unprovoked firing by Pakistani forces across the Line of Control and the International Boundary in violation of the 2003 Ceasefire Understanding.

"503 such violations have been carried out by Pakistan forces so far during 2017," the ministry said.

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Children in India have less opportunities to play outdoors than their parents had as kids, according to a survey in 10 countries which found that over half of children globally play outside for one hour or less each day.

The study included a 20 minute online quantitative survey with over 12,000 parents who have at least one child aged 5- 12.

In response to the decline in the time that children spend outdoors, a Delhi-based NGO is calling on teachers across India to take at least one lesson outdoors on October 12, this year, as part of the global Outdoor Classroom Day campaign.

"We are calling on teachers, parents and anyone who cares about childhood to get involved in the campaign on October 12th, 2017," said Sudeshna Chatterjee, CEO of Action for Children's Environments (ACE).

"Whether that is by taking a class outdoors, encouraging your child's school to sign up, or helping spread the message far and wide, everyone can do something to make sure children across the country experience the benefits of playing and learning outdoors" said Chatterjee.

The survey was conducted by market research firm Edelman Intelligence, in February and March 2016, across 10 countries - India, US, Brazil, UK, Turkey, Portugal, South Africa, Vietnam, China, and Indonesia.

A total of 1,000 interviews were conducted in the 10 countries except the UK and the US, where 2,000 per market were performed to meet media standards.

Researchers found that in India, 56 per cent of parents believe their child has less opportunities to play than they did as a child, researchers said.

They also found that 56 per cent of children globally play outside for one hour or less each day.

"Children have higher physical energy level and it has to be channelised properly for which outdoor games and activities are very important," Dr Shweta Sharma, Clinical Psychologist at Columbia Asia Hospital, Gurgaon, told PTI.

"Children are also exposed to experimental learning and there is more usage of their brains when they play outdoors," said Sharma, who was not involved in the study.

"When they are confined indoors, their immune system is less developed and parents, schools and NGOs working in the areas of child development must find ways to give as many opportunities as possible to children for outdoor activities," she said.

According to ACE, in 2016, almost half a million children around the world were involved in Outdoor Classroom Day by having their lessons outside (within and outside school premises) and celebrating playtime.

Outdoor learning improves children's health, engages them with learning and leads to a greater understanding of nature, said Chatterjee.

Previous research has found opportunities for spontaneous play may be the only requirement that young children need to increase their physical activity.

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Security forces foiled a pre-dawn attempt by the Jaish-e-Mohammed to storm a BSF camp near the high-security Srinagar airport today, killing all three militants in an operation that also claimed the life of an ASI of the force, police said.

State Director General of Police S P Vaid said the three terrorists who attacked the BSF camp had been "neutralised".

"We are carrying out search operations inside the premises to rule out the possibility of planting of explosives," he said.

BSF Assistant Sub-Inspector B K Yadav, 50, was killed and three jawans injured when the militants entered the BSF battalion headquarters at Gogoland, adjacent to the airport.

Officials in the know of developments said there was prior intelligence that a Jaish-e-Mohammed operative, identified as 'Noora Trali', had brought in a suicide squad into the city.

Briefing reporters later, Inspector General of Police (Kashmir range) Muneer Khan said the overground network of the terror group had been identified but did not divulge any further information.

Asked specifically whether the Jaish-e-Mohammed was behind the attack, Khan said, "Such type of attacks have been carried out by this group only."



He said the terrorists were dressed in combat fatigues and entered the camp from an area adjacent to a residential colony by cutting the fence.

"The slain terrorists were part of the larger Jaish group that had infiltrated earlier this year," he said.

The IG added that three members of the same group were killed in an attack on district police lines in Pulwama on August 26.

"Six to seven terrorists of this group are still at large. We have identified the overground network which is helping these terrorists move around," he said.

Asked if more attacks were likely, he said "we have to be ready to face such attacks" as long as there is militancy and militants in Kashmir.

According to Khan, all security installations were important and it was the preparedness of the security forces which repulsed the attack without causing any collateral damage.

"We could have used aerial weapons but we did not want to cause any collateral damage. It was a clean operation and a fine example of coordination between various security agencies which enabled us to ensure zero collateral damage," he said.

The old airfield, being manned by the Indian Air Force, is also located in the area.

Civilian air operations, which were suspended for nearly three hours in the morning, resumed at 10 am. "I personally went to the airport and ensured that the public does not face any problems in catching the aircraft," Vaid said.

Piecing together the chain of events, police said militants entered the BSF's 182 battalion headquarters and started firing in all directions.

Three BSF jawans were injured in the beginning of the attack and one militant killed in the retaliatory fire, a police official said. After this, the two remaining militants moved in different directions and took shelter in different buildings before being killed by security forces.

Yadav's body was recovered during the mopping up operations.

The jawan, who joined the border guarding force in 1987, hailed from Bhagalpur in Bihar.

The 182 battalion is entrusted with the security of the runway of the Srinagar airport.

Jaish-e-Mohammad, the Pakistan-based terror outfit militant outfit, has claimed responsibility for the attack.

A caller identifying himself as a spokesman of the outfit told local gathering agencies that Jaish militants had carried out the attack.

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Punjab Congress president Sunil Jakhar today lashed out at the Centre for its decision to impose the GST on agricultural tools and products, adding that the step had "broken the backbone" of farmers in the state.

Addressing a series of meetings of party workers here, he flayed Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley for imposing the Goods and Services Tax (GST) on wheat flour, terming the step as "anti-poor".

The Modi government has aggravated the farmers' woes with its "anti-farmer and "anti-poor" policies, he said while accusing the central government of being only interested in "promoting" the interests of the corporates.

Jakhar, the Congress candidate for Gurdaspur Lok Sabha bypoll, also attacked the previous Badal regime for "destroying" the lives of farmers in the state.

For almost a decade, the Akalis failed to approach the central government for a waiver of farm loans, Jakhar alleged, terming the failure of the previous government to ensure due price of the farmer's produce as "unfortunate".

Hailing the Amarinder Singh-led state government for working for the interests of the farmers, the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee chief said the state was working to make agriculture remunerative and bring the farmers out of the agrarian crisis.

Referring to the Sutlej-Yamuna link issue, Jakhar recalled it was Amarinder Singh who brought the Punjab Termination of Water Agreements Act, 2004 -- which abrogated all its river water agreements with neighbouring states -- but was scrapped by the Supreme Court last year.

The PPCC president also took a dig at the Centre for "derailing" the country's economy through demonetisation.

"No one gained from demonetisation...Around 200 lives were lost because of this ill-conceived decision and reports suggest that the impact of demonetisation will continue for three more years," the 63-year-old said, adding the Narendra Modi-Arun Jaitley duo was answerable to the public.

He demanded to know the central government'sstand on the issue of black money and fake currency after the Reserve Bank of India stated that 99 per cent of the scrapped currency came back to the system.

Continuing his tirade against the Centre for failing to fulfill its promise of providing 2 crore jobs every year, he said "an average of just 1.5 lakh jobs per year" has been provided in the past 3 years, at a time 10 lakh youths are entering the workforce every month.

Jakhar called upon the people to vote the Congress to power in Gurdaspur and "discard" BJP's Sarwan Salaria.

The Gurdaspur Lok Sabha by-election is scheduled to be held on October 11.

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A Japanese delegation today met Uttar Pradesh Industrial Development Minister Satish Mahana to take stock of industrial infrastructure of the state, an official release said.

While offering full assistance to the 24-member delegation for any intended investment, the minister said told the visiting group that Japanese technology has a special image and if the Japanese industrialists make the technology available to the state, it will help the units improve their products qualitatively, the release said.

"The government has made an arrangement that the investor is free to establish his industrial unit in any part of the state," Mahana said.

The minister also assured the delegation that whatever investment plan they will present before the government, it will take a sympathetic decision on it.

Dr Sushil Yamamoto (an office bearer of the International Centre for Health and Development), who headed the Japanese delegation informed the minister that main aim of the tour was to collect information related to availability of skilled manpower, power supply, road and rail connectivity, so that industrialists investing in different sectors do not face any problems, the statement issued by the UP government said.

He also said that delegation is studying different sectors like manufacturing, health, rural development, waste management, dairy, animal husbandry, fisheries and food processing, so that industries in these sectors could be established, the UP government statement said.

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The Madras High Court will hear tomorrow a petition challenging the commission of inquiry set up by the Tamil Nadu government to probe the death of former chief minister J Jayalalithaa.

The first bench comprising Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice M Sunder today said they would hear the matter tomorrow when senior counsel K M Vijayan made a special mention for taking up the PIL filed by an AIADMK member.

The state government had on September 25 appointed retired high court judge A Arumugasamy as the one-man commission of inquiry to look into the circumstances leading to Jayalalithaa's hospitalisation in September last and the subsequent treatment.

Petitioner P A Joseph contended that the inquiry commission had been set up without complying with mandatory requirements under Section 3 of the Commission of Inquiry Act, 1952.

He submitted that as per the provisions of the section, the opinion of the government and a resolution passed by the assembly were required for setting up such inquiry panels.

He claimed that the government order (GO) appointing Justice (retd) Arumugasamy as the commission of inquiry was based only on the opinion of government and there was no assembly resolution.

The petitioner said in the present case, the entire state machinery was involved in Jayalalithaa's hospitalisation and treatment till her death on December 5 last year.

He alleged that there would be "bias" and every possibility of "influence and pressure" when it comes to a commission constituted by the state government itself, and claimed the present panel cannot be expected to carry out an independent inquiry.

It would only be proper that the central government step in and constitute an independent inquiry commission as I had prayed in an earlier writ petition, Joseph said.

The petitioner sought a direction from the court to declare the GO appointing Justice Arumugaswamy as illegal, malafide and against the provisions of the Commission of Inquiry Act.

Jayalalithaa was admitted to the Apollo Hospitals here for fever and dehydration on September 22, 2016. After a prolonged treatment, she died on December 5 following a cardiac arrest.

Doubts have been raised over the events leading to Jayalalithaa's hospitalisation and her death by various quarters with opposition parties including the DMK demanding a CBI probe.

Then rebel leader O Panneerselvam, presently deputy chief minister, had also demanded a probe as a pre-condition for merger of factions led by him and Chief Minister K Palaniswami.

Four days ahead of the merger, Palaniswami had on \ August 17 announced that a commission of inquiry would go into the death of Jayalalithaa.

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After facing embarrassment over a notice served to a retired army officer to prove his citizenship, the Assam Police today termed it as a case of "mistaken identity".

Md Azmal Haque, an Assam-based retired Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO), had said that a foreigners tribunal sent him a notice last month asking him to prove that he was an Indian citizen and not an illegal Bangladeshi migrant.

The notice had placed him in the D-voter or doubtful- voter category.

Talking to reporters this evening, Assam Director General of Police Mukesh Sahay said following initial inquiry, it "appears that it is a case of mistaken identity due to the close similarity in the names of the JCO and the suspected foreigner on which the notice was intended to be served".

The notice was intended to be served on Md Azmal Haque, son of Maqbool Ali, of village Kalahikas under Boko police station but was served on the retired army JCO Azmal Haque, son of Mokbul Hussain of the same village.

"It clearly shows that the case was registered against a different person and not the retired JCO. Unfortunately, due to the similarity of their names, the notice appears to have been wrongly served on the retired JCO," Sahay said.

Preliminary inquiry suggests that the local police could not serve the notice in the first attempt and brought it back to Boko police station but the retired JCO had it collected through his brother though the border police had suggested that the notice was perhaps not meant for him.

"The chief minister (Sarbananda Sonowal) has directed that the matter should be investigated expeditiously and accountability for lapses, if any, resulting in the wrong service of the notice," Sahay said.

The offices of Director General (Border) and Superintendent of Police of Kamrup (Rural) district have been directed to investigate the matter and submit the findings, fixing the accountability, within a week.

Assam Police has already contacted senior army officials and explained the matter to them and is also in touch with the retired JCO to resolve the matter, the DGP added.

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Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das today condoled the death of Border Security Force assistant sub-inspector Braj Kishore Yadav, who was killed when militants tried to storm a BSF camp near Srinagar Airport.

In his message, the chief minister said Jharkhand is proud of Yadav, who sacrificed his life defending the country, an official release said here.

The motive of militants would never be successful, Das said.

The people of Jharkhand are with the family of Yadav, the chief minister said.

May God give peace to his soul, Das prayed.

Security forces foiled a pre-dawn attempt by the Jaish-e-Mohammed to storm a BSF camp near the high-security Srinagar airport today, killing all three militants in an operation that also claimed the life of an ASI of the force, police said.

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The Jammu and Kashmir government today accorded sanction for creation of nearly 3,400 posts in various categories for five medical colleges in the state.

The sanction for creation of these posts was accorded at a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti here.

The cabinet accorded sanction to the creation of 3,375 posts of various categories for the five medical colleges.

It includes 2,025 posts for medical colleges in Rajouri, Baramulla and Anantnag, and 1,350 posts to be operative in the financial year 2018-19 for medical colleges at Kathua and Doda once they are established by the competent authority, an official spokesman said.

These posts are as per the Medical Council of India (MCI) guidelines of 675 posts per medical college.

The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare had convened a meeting of Technical Evaluation Committee (TEC) at New Delhi on January 15 last year and June 5 this year. It had approved medical colleges in Anantnag, Baramulla, Rajouri, Kathua and Doda, he said.

During 2016-17 and 2017-18 fiscals, Rs 19,203 crore as the central share has been released for execution of these five new medical colleges.

Besides, an amount of Rs 5.70 crore of state share has also been released under Capex Budget during 2016-17 and 2017 -18 for the purpose.

In the first phase, three colleges are likely to be completed during 2018-19, subject to the availability of funds from the Centre, the spokesman said.

The department is planning to start first batch of 100 MBBS seats per medical college by 2019.

Besides, the remaining two medical colleges shall be made functional during the corresponding year, the spokesman said.

With the establishment of these new medical colleges in the state, the health care facilities will come at par with the norms and guidelines of MCI as well as intake capacity for both MBBS and paramedical courses will also increase, he said.

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Independent Jammu and Kashmir MLA Sheikh Abdul Rashid, popularly known as Rashid Engineer, today appeared before the Investigation Agency for questioning in connection with a case related to the funding of terror activities in Kashmir, officials said.

Rashid, who is an independent MLA from Langate assembly seat in north Kashmir, is the first mainstream politician to have been summoned by the NIA in the case.

Rashid, who walked into the NIA headquarters with a file and documents, said he had nothing to hide.

"After trial in the media started about my name, I had approached the speaker of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly to initiate a probe and find out the truth," he told reporters before entering the NIA office.

The MLA said he had full faith in the justice system.

His name had cropped up during the interrogation of businessman Zahoor Watali, who was arrested by the NIA for allegedly supplying money to terror groups and separatists in the Valley.

The NIA had registered a case on May 30 against separatist and secessionist leaders, including unknown members of the Hurriyat Conference, who have been acting in connivance with active militants of proscribed terrorist organisations Hizbul Mujahideen, Dukhtaran-e-Millat, Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and other outfits and gangs, officials said.

The case was registered for raising, receiving and collecting funds through various illegal means, including hawala, for funding separatist and terrorist activities in Jammu and Kashmir and for causing disruption in the Valley by way of pelting stones on the security forces, burning schools, damaging public property and waging war against India, the probe agency said in the FIR.

Hafiz Saeed, the Pakistan-based chief of the Jamaat-ud- Dawa, the front of the Lashker-e-Taiba, has been named in the FIR as an accused.

The FIR also names organisations such as the two factions of the Hurriyat, one led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani and the other Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, the Hizbul Mujahideen and the Dukhtaran-e-Millat, an all-women outfit of separatists.

The NIA has arrested 10 people so far in connection with alleged funding of terror activities case. The list includes Geelani's son-in-law Altaf Ahmed Shah and Watali.

Geelani's close aides Ayaz Akbar, who is also spokesperson of the hardline separatist organisation Tehreek- e-Hurriyat, and Peer Saifullah have been also been arrested.

Others in the list are Shahid-ul-Islam, spokesperson of the moderate Hurriyat Conference, Mehrajuddin Kalwal, Nayeem Khan, Farooq Ahmed Dar alias 'Bitta Karate', photo-journalist Kamran Yusuf and Javed Ahmed Bhat.
A local court today extended till October 16 the judicial remand of Himachal Pradesh IGP Z H Zaidi, DSP Manoj Joshi and six other police personnel in a case of custodial death.

The policemen were arrested on July 29 in connection with the custodial death of Suraj, a Nepalese labourer accused in Kotkhai rape and murder case. After remaining in police custody for ten days, they were remanded in judicial custody.

Zaidi, who was admitted to the IGMC Hospital at Shimla following complaint of chest pain on September 13, was today discharged from the hospital and sent toKanda jail, CBI sources said.

Joshi, who was admitted in the Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC) on September 28 after suffering from hernia, was today operated upon and would stay in the hospital for few more days, the sources said.

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Former Akali minister Sucha Singh Langah today moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court, seeking anticipatory bail in a rape case against him.

He was booked by the Gurdaspur Police on September 28 after a woman alleged that the Akali leader had been raping her repeatedly since 2009. The victim had also given a video clip in a pen drive to the police to support her accusations.

Langah's counsel Harpreet Singh Brar today said, "A petition was today filed in the high court to seek transit bail for three days."



Yesterday, Chandigarh district court had rejected his application for surrender in connection with the case. Langah had appeared before the court of the duty magistrate here to surrender.

However, Judge Hirdejeet Singh had declined to accept his plea.

Langah had dubbed the rape case against him as "false" and had accused a Congress MLA of getting him booked.

"It is a false case and I have complete faith in the judicial system and I will bring out the truth pertaining to this case in the court," he had said.

He was booked on charges of rape, extortion, cheating and criminal intimidation. The Punjab Police was conducting raids to trace Langah who was on the run.

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Sri Lanka's main opposition party, mostly comprising loyalists of former president Mahinda Rajapaksa, said today it will stage a protest against the proposed lease of an airport to an Indian company.

The Joint Opposition, a political alliance formed by a right-wing faction of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and several left-wing parties, said they will protest on Friday against the proposed 40-year lease to an Indian company of the Mattala Mahinda Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA), located in the Mattala town, 18 km from Hambantota.

"We will go to Mattala on October 6 to protest against the deal. We are opposed to selling of state assets by this government," Dullas Alahapperuma, a Joint Opposition parliamentarian told reporters here.

"We tell the government to stop selling state assets. We will protest against the government in the language they understand," Alahappruma said.

In mid August, a Cabinet paper presented by Transport and Civil Aviation Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva approved the lease of the MRIA to an Indian company for 40 years.

"We stress that the government should not allow our country to be a battle ground of super powers," Alahapperuma said.

An Indian company had made a bid to develop the MRIA, which was built by the Rajapaksa government under massive borrowings from China.

MRIA built at a cost of USD 209 million has been dubbed the world's emptiest international airport due to the fewest number of flights operating from it.

Leasing out MRIA to India comes in the wake of a similar deal to hand over an adjoining sea port at Hambantota to a Chinese company for 99 years.

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The Las Vegas massacre has triggered a debate on the controversial gun control legislation in the US which has recorded one gun-related incident a day so far this year.

Nearly 12,000 people have been killed in gun violence as 273 mass shootings have occurred so far in the US in 2017, according to the Gun Violence Archive, a not-for-profit corporation that tracks gun-related violence in America.

On an average, more than 90 Americans lose their lives to gun violence every day, a daily toll of heartbreak and tragedy in communities across the US.

At least 59 people were killed and over 500 injured on Sunday night when a gunman opened fire during a music concert in Las Vegas, the deadliest in modern US history.

Experts believe that the incident, which US President Donald Trump termed as an "act of pure evil", is unlikely to bridge the bitter differences between the pro- and anti-gun control law lobbies in the country.

Trump, who ran his campaign against any gun control laws, did not mention it in his two remarks yesterday even as he said it was "a very very sad" day for him.

Responding to questions, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said yesterday that it was a day for reflection and mourning and not to discuss political issues.

But senior Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi shot off a letter to House Speaker Paul Ryan over creation of a Standing Committee on gun violence and passage of a common-sense legislation on gun control.

"Congress has a moral duty to address this horrific and heartbreaking epidemic. Charged with the solemn duty to protect and defend the American people, we must respond to these tragedies with courage, unity and decisive action," Congresswoman Pelosi said in the letter.

The Congress, she said, must pass the bipartisan King- Thompson legislation to strengthen the life-saving background checks that keep guns out of the wrong hands. "But this is only a first step," she added.

Introduced in 2015, the King-Thompson bill seeks to expand the existing background check system to cover all commercial firearm sales, including those at gun shows, over the internet or in classified ads while providing reasonable exceptions for family and friend transfers.

"I urge you to create a Select Committee on Gun Violence to study and report back common-sense legislation to help end this crisis. The bipartisan committee would make recommendations to prevent unspeakable tragedies such as the mass shooting in Las Vegas and to restore confidence in the safety of our communities," Pelosi said.

Indian-American Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal also made a passionate plea for common-sense gun control law, saying gun violence is a public health crisis that has claimed thousands of innocent lives and the Congress must do everything it can to address it.

In her speech on the floor of the US House of Representatives yesterday, Jayapal said the American people were tired of being outraged, sending thoughts and prayers, seeing men, women and children die "because the gun lobby does put profit over people".

"That is not what our founders intended by the 'right to bear arms'," the first-time lawmaker from Washington State said, as she joined several of her Congressional colleagues calling for changes in gun control laws.

"With rights come responsibilities: the responsibility to stop gun sales loopholes, to enact protections that make sure our children and those with severe mental illnesses don't have access to guns, to address funding for mental health, and to oppose any efforts to make it easier to purchase silencers," Jayapal said.

The first ever Indian-American women elected to the House of Representatives said 87 per cent of gun owners and 74 per cent of non-resident aliens (NRA) members support those common-sense solutions like criminal background checks.

Congresswoman Kathy Castor said, "Certainly, we can come together to pass common-sense safety requirements such as background checks and limits on civilian use of military-style weapons and to enforce the laws on the books.

"The sorrow that I and so many around the country feel for the innocent men and women whose lives were cruelly cut short by this heartless act of domestic terrorism is immeasurable".

Congressman Earl Blumenauer said, "From Orlando to Roseburg, OR and now Las Vegas, the carnage has only continued. Thoughts and prayers will not stop future tragedy. Enough is enough. My hope is that sanity will prevail, and Republican leadership in Congress will muster up the courage to act."



The right-wing - and NRA - messaging point that nothing could have been done to prevent the horrific attack in Las Vegas is just wrong, he said.

Over two years ago, he had released a comprehensive plan to deal with gun violence like the public health epidemic that it is, the lawmaker said, adding that the solutions should not be hard.

Congressman Andre Carson said it is time people need to stop hiding behind the false narrative that enacting common sense gun policies somehow limits the rights of law abiding Americans.

"Every day that we fail to act puts more innocent lives at risk. It is long past time to fix our gun laws. Congress has a moral responsibility to act and address the daily tragedy of gun violence in our communities," he said.

Last week, he said, Republicans planned to vote on a bill that would loosen gun laws, instead of strengthening them.

In light of the tragedy in Las Vegas, and the ongoing tragedy of gun violence in America, this could not be more inappropriate. The American people deserve a vote on legislation that will curb gun violence, including reinstating an assault weapons ban and instituting new restrictions on gun trafficking, Carson said.

Congressman Alcee L Hastings said that more than 33,000 people will die from gun violence this year.

"With each new tragedy that occurs, those who stand in the way of legislation to address our country's gun violence epidemic are increasingly culpable for its continuation," he said.

No community should have to fear going to the movies, a concert, or dropping their child off at school, said Ami Bera, the three-term Congressman from California.

"In the wake of this tragedy, I hope we'll all be able to take the time to look for the helpers and that each of us, in our own way, will seek to help our nation heal, move forward, and work to prevent similar tragedies," Raja Krishnamoorthi, Democrat Congressman from 8th district Illinois, said.

"We must end this senseless violence," said Congressman Ro Khanna, Democrat Congressman from 17th district California.

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Embattled liquor baron Vijay Mallya has been arrested in a second money laundering case filed by the Enforcement Directorate, the UK's Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said today.

The 61-year-old businessman, already out on bail on an extradition warrant executed by the Metropolitan Police earlier this year, will be appearing before Westminster Magistrates' Court in London this afternoon where he is expected to be bailed.

"Vijay Mallya has been arrested on money laundering charges and will be appearing in court today," a CPS spokesperson said.

The case is being probed by the ED and the central probe agency has already filed a charge sheet against him and others in a Mumbai court.

The CPS will be arguing the case against Mallya on behalf of the Indian government.

Chief Magistrate Emma Louise Arbuthnot has been hearing Mallya's extradition case at Westminster Magistrates' Court on his previous arrest warrant executed by Scotland Yard in April.

Mallya's trial in that case is scheduled for two weeks, starting December 4.

It remains to be seen if both cases will be clubbed together, which may lead to a delay in the trial date.

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Beleaguered liquor baron Vijay Mallya wasarrested here today in a money laundering case filed by the Enforcement Directorate, before being released on bail by Westminster Magistrates' Court.

The 61-year-old flamboyant businessman, already out on bail on an extradition warrant executed by the Metropolitan Police earlier this year, was released on the same bail conditions as before to appear for his trial on December 4.

Speaking to PTI outside the court room, Mallya said that has "done nothing wrong" and described the allegations against him as "fabricated".

"I deny all allegations that have been made and I will continue to deny them," he said.

"I have not eluded any court. If it is my lawful duty to be here, I'm happy to be here," he said, adding, "I've given enough evidence to prove my case."



The judge, Chief Magistrate Emma Louise Arbuthnot, said that Mallya has been freed on the "same bail conditions as before" which he must abide by.

Earlier, the UK's Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), which is arguingthe case against Mallya on behalf of the Indian government,had confirmed the arrest.

"Vijay Mallya has been arrested on money laundering charges and will be appearing in court today," a CPS spokesperson said.

Sources in New Delhi said the arrest was pursuant to the extradition request made by the Indian government based on money laundering charges against Mallya.

The case is being probed by the ED and the central probe agency has already filed a charge sheet against him and others in a Mumbai court.

Arbuthnot has been hearing Mallya's extradition case at Westminster Magistrates' Court on his previous arrest warrant executed by Scotland Yard in April.

He had been arrested by Scotland Yard on an extradition warrant on behalf of the Indian authorities on April 18.

He had attended a central London police station for his arrest and was released on conditional bail a few hours later after providing a bail bond worth 650,000 pounds, assuring the court of abiding by all conditions associated with extradition proceedings, such as the surrender of his passport and a ban on him possessing any travel documents.

Mallya's trial in that case is scheduled for two weeks, starting December 4.

The embattled businessman, who has been based in the UK since he fled India in March last year, is wanted in India for his erstwhile Kingfisher Airlines' default on loans worth nearly Rs 9,000 crore.

It remains to be seen if both cases will be clubbed together, which may lead to a delay in the trial date.

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Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today asked the State Power Development Cooperation to exploit the huge potential of solar energy in the state in view of the straining future power market in the country.

Mehbooba also asked the corporation to come up with a quantifiable data of the losses suffered by the state due to the Indus Water Treaty.

The chief minister said this while chairing the board of directors meeting of the J&K State Power Development Corporation (JKSPDC) here.

Mehbooba advised the corporation to explore the possibility of setting up of small solar power plants at district levels to meet the power requirement locally.

"This would be in view of the low cost of production in terms of solar power and also keeping in mind the straining power market of the country in future," she said.

The chief minister also asked the corporation to undertake an in-depth study for quantifying the losses suffered to Jammu and Kashmir due to the Indus Water Treaty, using all professional expertise for the purpose.

She also asked it to execute a policy of corporate social responsibility for the welfare and development of its catchment areas.

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Delhi Power Minister Satyendar Jain today directed officers to explore options of prepaid electricity meters in a bid to extend the government's power subsidy scheme to tenants.

An official said Jain also asked for the simplification of documentation for tenants who had recently complained to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal that house-owners were not passing on subsidy benefits to them.

At a meeting with officials of the power department and discoms, the minister directed them to prepare a feasibility report on the options and also an implementation roadmap.

Under the power subsidy scheme, the Delhi government provides a 50 per cent subsidy on electricity tariffs on usage of up to 400 units on domestic electricity connections for all residents of Delhi.

"The minister directed the officials and discoms to explore the options of pre-paid electricity meters and simplification of documentation for allowing tenants to avail of the benefit of electricity subsidy, which is already available to domestic consumers," the official said.

Jain said pre-paid meters would be beneficial for both landlords and tenants, and help all concerned parties in easy billing.

According to the government, if the new system of installing prepaid meters is introduced, tenants will be required to purchase the power they use in advance.

Last month, Kejriwal had written to Jain asking him to ensure that power subsidy was provided to tenants.

In his letter, the chief minister had asked him to prepare a roadmap for the benefit of subsidy to "each and every tenant" residing in the national capital.

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Indian Navy Chief Admiral Sunil Lanba today began a five-day visit to Vietnam with an aim to further boost defence cooperation between the two countries.

Lanba, who is also chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee, will meet Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Defence Minister General Ngo Xuan Lich, Chief of General Staff and Vice Minister of National Defence Van Giang.

He will also hold extensive talks with Rear Admiral Pham Hoai Nam, Commander-in-Chief of the Vietnam Navy, the Navy said.

Lanba's visit comes amid increasing assertiveness by China in the resource-rich South China Sea and the issue is likely to be discussed in his talks with Vietnamese leaders.

China's claims over the South China Sea are opposed by Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan. China has been also objecting to India's oil exploration projects in the disputed waters.

India has been calling for resolving the maritime dispute peacefully in accordance with international law.

"The visit aims to consolidate cooperation between the Armed Forces of India and Vietnam and also to explore new avenues of defence cooperation," the Navy statement said.

Lanba will also visit the National Defence Academy of Vietnam, where he will interact with student officers and faculty members and deliver a talk on the 'Importance of Maritime Power'.

Defence cooperation between India and Vietnam has been on an upswing with the primary focus being cooperation in the maritime domain.

India and Vietnam had signed a protocol on defence cooperation in 1994. The partnership was thereafter elevated to strategic level in 2007 and a pact on bilateral boosting defence cooperation was signed in 2009.

The strategic partnership was elevated to a comprehensive strategic partnership in September 2016.

The Indian Navy cooperates with the Vietnam People's Navy on many issues, which include operational interactions and training.

Warships from Indian Navy have been regularly visiting ports at Vietnam, with Indian Naval Ships Satpura and Kadmat recently making port call at Hai Phong from September 23 to 27.

The Vietnamese Navy ship Dinh Tien Hoang, a Gepoard Class Frigate, also visited Visakhapatnam in February 2016, for participation in the 'International Fleet Review - 2016'.

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Nepal's Maoist party announced today an alliance with the largest communist bloc, ahead of key elections seen as the final step in the Himalayan nation's post-war transition to a federal democracy.

The two parties, with a third smaller partner, have agreed a tie up for general elections later this year, and plan to unify as a single communist party following the polls.

"We had said before, after the signing of the peace deal, that Nepal should have a single communist party. We are now finishing that incomplete process," Maoist leader Pushpa Kamal Dahal said at a press conference announcing the deal.

The Maoists have dominated Nepal's politics for more than 20 years after waging a decade-long insurgency against government forces that claimed more than 16,000 lives.

The civil war ended in a peace deal in 2006 that saw rebel leader Dahal become Nepal's first post-war prime minister.

The 240-year-old Hindu monarchy was abolished two years later beginning the Himalayan nation's transformation to a secular republic.

Three main parties -- the Maoists, the Communist Party Nepal-Union Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML), and the Nepali Congress (NC) -- have since monopolised the political sphere, forming varying brittle coalitions with one another.

General elections set for next month will conclude the drawn-out peace process, allowing for the implementation of a new constitution that was agreed in 2015.

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu today pledged to build "thousands" of new homes in a major West Bank settlement east of Jerusalem, insisting it would one day be part of Israel.

"We shall build here thousands of housing units" and add industrial zones, Netanyahu said during a visit to the Maaleh Adumim settlement of 37,000 people.

"This place will be a part of the state of Israel," he added, speaking in Hebrew.

Netanyahu has repeatedly spoken of major blocs of West Bank settlements being absorbed into Israel in a future peace agreement with the Palestinians.

He did not specify where or when the new building at Maaleh Adumim would take place but settlement watchdog Peace Now has spoken of plans to build in the contentious area known as E1 adjacent to the settlement.

E1 and Maaleh Adumim form an Israeli buffer east of Jerusalem that the Palestinians say would divide the West Bank and badly hurt the possibility of a contiguous Palestinian state.

About 430,000 Israeli settlers live among 2.6 million Palestinians in the West Bank, occupied by Israel in the 1967 Six Day War.

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A 57-year-old man has moved the Delhi High Court claiming absence of a law for the protection of parents, who are not yet senior citizens, from hostility and violence by their children.

A bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar sought the AAP government's stand on the plea which also wants that the term 'senior citizen' to include parents who have not yet attained that status as they are below 60 years of age.

The court directed that the petitioner be given police protection when he visits his house where he has not been staying as he apprehended threat to his life at the hands of his 34-year-old younger son.

The bench sought a status report from the police by November 27 on the man's allegations against his younger son.

The petitioner, Ghanshyam Singh Rawat, has alleged that his younger son, along with some associates, had severely assaulted him and tried to kill him when he refused to sell his house and give the proceeds to his son.

Rawat claimed that despite lodging a complaint, the police had failed to act against his son.

The petitioner, represented by advocate Ashok Agarwal, also claimed that while he was hospitalised after the assault, his son broke into the house and forcibly occupied it.

In his plea, Rawat has said that he does not want any maintenance from his son, but only wants to live in peace.

He has further claimed that he cannot avail any benefit under the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act as it caters only to parents who have attained the status of senior citizen.

The petition has sought striking down of the provision in the Act which creates the distinction between parents who are senior citizens and those who are not.

He said the Act does not contain any provision to meet the needs of persons like him, who do not seek any maintenance from their children but only wish to be allowed to live in peace.

He has also contended that such people need to be protected from hostile and violent children who are only interested in grabbing the properties of their parents and do not care how much suffering they cause.

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Indian scientists who contributed to the discovery of the gravitational waves today described the Nobel Physics Prize win for three US astrophysicists as "a dream come true."



US astrophysicists Barry Barish, Kip Thorne and Rainer Weiss were today awarded the Nobel Physics Prize for the discovery of gravitational waves.

Predicted by Albert Einstein a century ago as part of his theory of general relativity but only first detected in 2015, gravitational waves are 'ripples' in the fabric of space-time caused by violent processes in the universe, such as colliding black holes or the collapse of stellar cores.

"It is something which is a dream come true," Professor Bala Iyer, from the International Centre for Theoretical Sciences in Bengaluru, told PTI over phone.

Iyer is the part of IndIGO, the Indian Initiative in Gravitational-wave Observations to set up advanced experimental facilities, with appropriate theoretical and computational support, for a multi-institutional Indian national project in gravitational-wave astronomy.

"The people responsible for the Nobel prize today, they were the visionaries who basically dreamt about making this possible and worked very hard to get this collaboration to this particular point. I am very happy," said Iyer.

"It is a discovery of a phenomena predicted by fundamental physics and which manifests only in an astrophysical source," he said.

Asked about how the achievement will benefit the Indian research scenario, Rajesh Nayak from IISER-Kolkata said that this will encourage the new generation of Indian scientists to get involved with the novel area of research that the detection of gravitational waves has opened up.

"There are a huge number of Indians who are working on different aspects of the gravitational field. Each works based on their interest in the field that we now call 'gravitational wave astronomy'," said Nayak, who was also part of the collaboration.

"Sanjeev Dhurander and Bala Iyer basically started the field. Now many people have joined the team," said Nayak.

Sanjeev Dhurandhar was also among the key scientists involved in the project.

He led a group at The Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Pune that had started work on developing techniques for detection of weak signals which would eventually lead to detection of gravitational waves.

A consortium of scientists, including many from India, was a part of the gravitational waves that were first predicted by Einstein on the basis of his theory of general relativity in 1916.

Until then, scientists had been trying to detect these waves with the help of laser instruments, known together as the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO).

The LIGO project operates three gravitational-wave (GW) detectors - two are in the US, and one in Italy.

Recently, scientists made the fourth detection of gravitational waves formed by the collision of two massive black holes located about 1.8 billion light-years away.

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The White House has maintained that this is "not the time to talk" to the North Korean, which has been carrying out ballistic missile test and going ahead with its nuclear weapons programme in violation of the UN Security Council resolutions.

"We have been clear that now is not the time to talk," White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters at her daily conference yesterday.

She was responding to a question if the White House is trying to get back to talks with North Korea.

Sanders said the only conversations that have taken place, or that would be taking place would be on bringing back Americans who have been detained.

Beyond that, there will be no conversations with North Korea at this time, she insisted, observing that the line of communications open with the North Koreans is only for this purpose.

Currently there are three Americans still detained in North Korea.

However, Sanders noted that the US continue to exert diplomatic pressure on North Korea.

"We still strongly support putting diplomatic pressure on North Korea, which we're continuing to do. But now is not the time simply to have conversations with North Korea," she said.

The US has encouraged all of its allies and partners to do more.

The Trump Administration is going to continue to keep all options on the table when it comes to that, Sanders said.

Responding to a question, Sanders said President Donald Trump has full confidence in his Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.

A day earlier differences appeared in the public domain on the issue of talks with North Korea.

In China, Tillerson had told reporters that the US is in talks with the North Korea.

As a reply to this, Trump asked Tillerson to relax and opposed the idea of talks, which he argued has not yielded results in the past.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Ramon Magsaysay Award winner and Gandhian environmentalist Chandi Prasad Bhatt today strongly advocated steps to expand the green cover to counter climate change.

"The extreme heat conditions we are experiencing now can only be countered by plantation of trees. It is the answer," he said after planting two saplings - Rudraksha and Termanalia -- in a university campus here.

Pointing out that Kalahandi district in Odisha figured among the hottest areas of the country during summer, the 83-year-old social activist known for the Chipko movement said vigorous effort to extend the green cover would recharge the ground water and counter the effect of rising heat.

Bhatt was awarded the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 1982 for community leadership and was honoured with the Padma Bhushan in 2005.

Recalling his experience when he visited the areas devastated by the 1999 super cyclone in Odisha, Bhatt said it worried him a lot as a lot of greenery had been wiped out by the natural calamity.

"The city of Bhubaneswar was badly affected in the 300 kmph storm and scores of big trees had got uprooted. But it made me happy when I saw that the city had reclaimed a lot of greenery," he said.

"I am also glad that the area under mangrove vegetation in the Odisha coast, which covered an area of 193 sq km in 1999, has increased to 231 sq km as per the latest Forest Survey Report," the eminent environmentalist said adding the mangroves acted as a buffer against cyclones and need to be protected.

Bhatt was felicitated in the Siksha O Anusandhan (SOA) university during his visit, a university release said.

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The nuclear accord with Iran is in the interest of the United States, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said today, and indicated President Donald Trump should consider maintaining it.

Mattis's expression of support for the 2015 agreement curbing Iran's nuclear program was in sharp contrast with Trump's blunt assessment that the deal is an "embarrassment."



Asked during a Senate hearing whether he believed it was in the national interest, Mattis replied: "Yes, Senator, I do."



"If we can confirm that Iran is living by the agreement, if we can determine that this is in our best interest, then surely we should stay with it.

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Honeypreet Insan, who calls herself the adopted daughter of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, was today arrested by the Haryana Police in connection with the deadly violence which followed the sect head's conviction on August 25.

The arrest came hours after Honeypreet appeared on two private channels interacting with reporters at an undisclosed location, even though the Haryana Police had been looking for her for more than a month.

Priyanka Taneja (36), alias Honeypreet, was arrested from Zirakpur-Patiala road, Haryana Police DGP B S Sandhu said. The scene of her arrest is about 15-18 kms from both Chandigarh and Panchkula.

The Haryana Police had been facing flak for not being able to nab Honeypreet for more than a month.

Honeypreet tops a list of 43 people "wanted" by the state police in connection with the violence following Ram Rahim's conviction in a rape case. At least 41 people died and several were injured in the violence.

Police Commissioner A S Chawla said that another woman - a Dera follower- was accompanying Honeypreet at the time of her arrest. Both of them were being questioned.

"We have deputed senior lady officers for questioning. She has not divulged much, but we are on the job. Initially, she was not cooperating," Chawla told reporters in Panchkula.

Chawla said the woman accompanying Honeypreet "confirmed that Honeypreet was with her for the past several days in Bathinda district of Punjab."



He said the information was being verified. "We will take her there and confirm things."



Honeypreet will be produced before a court in Panchkula tomorrow where the police will seek her remand, he said.

"Her role in the violence will be probed," the officer said.

He said the Punjab Police has been informed about the arrests.

Asked whether the Haryana Police got the information about the accused's movements from their Punjab counterparts, Chawla said, "At this moment, I cannot share what all intelligence inputs we had or who all supported us".

Asked to comment on reports that Honeypreet was in the custody of the Punjab Police before her arrest today by the Haryana Police, Chawla evaded a direct reply.

Mohali SSP Kuldeep Chahal, however, said the reports were "misleading".

On being quizzed about the police station where the Dera chief's adopted daughter will be kept, Chawla said, "All these are part of operational details which I cannot share".

The officer said the priority was to question Honeypreet.

"Who supported whom, who did the wrong, which all places did she hide and who gave her shelter, all these things will come to the fore when we question her at length," he said.

Chawla said the role of Ram Rahim's relative, who is a politician, will also come under the scanner.

The Haryana Police on September 1 issued a lookout notice against Honeypreet and another Ram Rahim aide Aditya Insan following fears that they might "escape from the country".

An arrest warrant was issued against Honeypreet and two key Dera functionaries - Aditya and Pawan Insan, after the Haryana Police moved an application in Panchkula court.

The police had conducted searches at various locations with several teams even travelling across the country, including the Indo-Nepal border, in search of Honeypreet.

Honeypreet, who calls herself "Papa's angel", had accompanied Ram Rahim from the sect headquarters at Sirsa to special CBI court in Panchkula on August 25. After Dera chief's conviction that day, she also accompanied him in a chopper when he was flown to Rohtak jail.

There had been no trace of Honeypreet after August 25.

On September 26, the Delhi High Court had dismissed Honeypreet's transit anticipatory bail plea. The court's order was based on the ground that she had been evading arrest and hence, was not entitled to any discretionary relief.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Honeypreet Insan, adopted daughter of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, was today arrested by the Haryana Police in connection with the violence that followed the sect head's conviction on August 25.

The arrest came hours after Honeypreet appeared on two private television channels interacting with the reporters at some undisclosed location, even as the Haryana police had been looking for her for more than a month.

Priyanka Taneja (36) alias Honeypreet was arrested from Zirakpur-Patiala road, Haryana Police DGP B S Sandhu said.

The Haryana Police had been facing flak from several quarters for not being able to nab Honeypreet for over a month despite having launched a massive hunt to trace her.

Honeypreet tops a list of 43 people "wanted" by the state police in connection with the incidents of violence that left 41 people dead and several injured following Gurmeet Ram Rahim's conviction in a rape case.

Talking to media persons at Panchkula, Police Commissioner A S Chawla said, "She was taken into custody by SIT in-charge (Mukesh Kumar) from Zirakpur-Patiala road in Punjab. She will be questioned in connection with the incidents of violence".

Honeypreet will be produced before a court in Panchkula tomorrow where police will seek her remand, he said.

"Her role in the violence (after Ram Rahim's conviction on August 25) will be probed," the officer said.

Chawla said another woman was accompanying Honeypreet at the time of her arrest.

"Honeypreet was traveling in an Innova SUV and was accompanied by another woman," the police commissioner said.

He said the Punjab Police has been informed about Honeypreet's arrest.

When asked whether the Haryana Police got the information about the accused's movements from their Punjab counterparts, Chawla said, "At this moment, I cannot share what all intelligence inputs we had or who all supported us".

Asked to comment on reports that Honeypreet was in the custody of the Punjab Police before being arrested by the Haryana Police, Chawla evaded a direct reply.

However, commenting on the reports, Mohali SSP Kuldeep Chahal said such reports were "misleading".

On being quizzed about the police station where the Dera chief's adopted daughter will be kept, Chawla said, "All these are part of operational details which I cannot share".

The officer said the priority was to question Honeypreet in connection with the violence which took place after Ram Rahim's conviction on August 25.

"Who supported whom, who did the wrong, which all places did she hide and who gave her shelter, all these things will come to the fore when we question her at length," he said.

To a related question, Chawla said the role of Ram Rahim's relative, who is a politician, will also come under the scanner.

The Haryana Police had on September 1 issued a lookout notice against Honeypreet Insan and another key aide Aditya Insan following apprehensions that they might try to "escape from the country".

An arrest warrant was also issued against Honeypreet and two key Dera functionaries-- Aditya Insan and Pawan Insan, after the Haryana Police moved an application in Panchkula court.

The police had conducted searches at various locations with several teams even travelling across the country, including the Indo-Nepal border, in search of Honeypreet.

Honeypreet, who calls herself "Papa's angel", had accompanied Ram Rahim from the sect headquarters at Sirsa to special CBI court in Panchkula on August 25. After Dera chief's conviction on that day, she also accompanied him in a chopper when he was flown to Rohtak jail.

There had been no trace of Honeypreet after August 25.

On September 26, the Delhi High Court had dismissed Honeypreet's transit anticipatory bail plea. The court's order was based on the ground that she had been evading arrest and hence, was not entitled to any discretionary relief.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Exercising for just an hour every week can prevent the risk of depression, regardless of gender or age, according to a study published today.

Researchers, including those from Black Dog Institute in Australia, found that even small amounts of exercise can protect against depression, with mental health benefits.

The study, published in the American Journal of Psychiatry, analysed 33,908 Norwegian adults, monitoring their levels of exercise and symptoms of depression and anxiety over 11 years.

A healthy cohort of participants was asked at baseline to report the frequency of exercise they participated in and at what intensity: without becoming breathless or sweating, becoming breathless and sweating, or exhausting themselves.

At follow-up stage, they completed a self-report questionnaire to indicate any emerging anxiety or depression.

Researchers also accounted for variables which might impact the association between exercise and common mental illness.

These include socio-economic and demographic factors, substance use, body mass index, new onset physical illness and perceived social support.

The team noted that people who reported doing no exercise at all at baseline had a 44 per cent increased chance of developing depression compared to those who were exercising one to two hours a week.

The international research team found that 12 per cent of cases of depression could have been prevented if participants undertook just one hour of physical activity each week.

"This is the first time we have been able to quantify the preventative potential of physical activity in terms of reducing future levels of depression," said Samuel Harvey, an associate professor at Black Dog Institute.

"These findings are exciting because they show that even relatively small amounts of exercise - from one hour per week - can deliver significant protection against depression," Harvey said.

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Rajasthan Congress chief Sachin Pilot today alleged only the rich and industrialists benefited from the Vasundhara Raje government, while farmers were committing suicide in the state.

Pilot also criticised the Centre for levying GST on farming equipment.

The Congress leader today kicked off a state-level farmers' rally to demand a blanket crop loan waiver.

The "Kisan Nyaya Padyatra", which will traverse 100 kilometres, will culminate in Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje's constituency of Jhalawar on June 6.

Only the rich and industrialists benefited from the Raje government while a number of farmers ended their lives due to its anti-farmer policies, Pilot alleged.

"The government has made fun of farmers by categorising their equipment under GST slabs," he said.

Pilot accused the Raje government of shaking hands with crop procurement agencies and middlemen just after announcing minimum support price for farmers' produce.

He claimed that around 10 lakh farmers in Rajasthan suffered heavy losses due to natural disasters over the last four years, but none of them were given compensation.

The Congress leader assured that his party would put pressure on the state government for farm loan waiver.

On the occasion, Leader of Opposition in the state assembly Rameshawar Dudi said the BJP government in the state had failed on all fronts.

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Pakistan today appointed Vice Admiral Zafar Mahmood Abbasi as new Chief of Naval Staff to replace Admiral Muhammad Zakaullah who will retire on October 6.

According to a statement by the Prime Minister's House, President Mamnoon Hussain approved the appointment of Abbasi on the advice of Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi.

Abbasi will stand promoted to the rank of Admiral from the date he assumes charge of the office of the Chief of the Naval Staff.

In Pakistan all services chiefs are appointed by the president at the recommendation of the prime minister who has final say in such appointments.

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A Pakistani court today rejected a petition by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar against his indictment by anti-corruption court in the Panama Papers scandal.

Dar, 67, had challenged his indictment in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) yesterday for possessing assets beyond his known sources of income.

Dar's counsel Khawaja Harris asked the court that the indictment by the Accountability Court was against the law as it failed to give enough time to the defence lawyer to prepare the case.

The two-judge bench of Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb rejected the petition by observing that the Accountability Court is an independent forum and indictment could not be challenged.

The anti-corruption watchdog National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had on September 8 filed a case against Dar for possessing assets beyond known sources of income following the July 28 verdict of the Supreme Court.

Dar was indicted on September 27 and the Accountability Court announced that it will start his trial on October 4.

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In a breach of diplomatic propriety, Pakistan's Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif has branded Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a "terrorist", and said the Indian government was being run by a "a terrorist party".

Asif made the remarks in an appearance on Geo TV's Capital Talk show, in response to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj's UN General Assembly (UNGA) speech last month, in which she had accused Pakistan of "producing and exporting terrorism".

"Pakistan Foreign Minister is a political pygmy in a powerless government kowtowing to the terror organisations. These pusillanimous comments reflect Pakistan's frustration with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's successful diplomacy in exposing the terror face of Pakistan to the world. That Pakistan is getting desperate is evident from these patently foolish and irresponsible comments," BJP spokesperson G V L Narasimha Rao told PTI.

Asif made the remarks while talking about Kashmiris who have been killed in Jammu and Kashmir and civilian casualties in cross-border firing along the Line of Control and the Working Boundary, the Dawn reported.

"A terrorist is their (India's) prime minister at this time. One whose hands are stained with the blood of the Muslims of Gujarat," the report quoted him as saying.

"A terrorist party is ruling them (India) - the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) is ruling them. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is like its subsidiary organisation," he said.

"But Narendra Modi is an elected 'terrorist'," Hamid Mir, the show's host, reminded Asif.

"The nation that elects a terrorist... what kind of nation is that?" the minister retorted.

Explaining his stance, Asif said, "Look at the language the Indian prime minister is using, the way Muslims are being killed over cow-related issues. And just recently, on Dussehra, they burnt the effigies of Rohingya Muslims four times," he claimed.

"In Dussehra, they burn the effigies of villains... They declared Rohingya Muslims terrorists," he stressed, adding that although India was quick to call others terrorists, "the biggest terrorist (is Modi). Muslims were raped and murdered under his supervision when he was chief minister (of Gujarat). The US had banned him," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In a breach of diplomatic propriety, Pakistan's Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif has branded Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a "terrorist" and said India was being run by "a terrorist party", evoking a sharp reaction from the BJP that dismissed the Pakistani minister as a "political pygmy".

Asif made the remarks in an appearance on Geo TV's Capital Talk show, in response to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj's UN General Assembly (UNGA) speech last month, in which she had accused Pakistan of "producing and exporting terrorism".

"Pakistan Foreign Minister is a political pygmy in a powerless government kowtowing to the terror organisations. These pusillanimous comments reflect Pakistan's frustration with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's successful diplomacy in exposing the terror face of Pakistan to the world," BJP spokesperson G V L Narasimha Rao told PTI.

"Pakistan is getting desperate is evident from these patently foolish and irresponsible comments," Rao said.

Asif made the remarks while talking about Kashmiris who have been killed in Jammu and Kashmir and civilian casualties in cross-border firing along the Line of Control and the Working Boundary, the Dawn reported.

"A terrorist is their (India's) prime minister at this time. One whose hands are stained with the blood of the Muslims of Gujarat," the report quoted him as saying.

"A terrorist party is ruling them (India) - the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) is ruling them. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is like its subsidiary organisation," he said.

"But Narendra Modi is an elected 'terrorist'," Hamid Mir, the show's host, reminded Asif.

"The nation that elects a terrorist... what kind of nation is that?" the minister retorted.

Explaining his stance, Asif said, "Look at the language the Indian prime minister is using, the way Muslims are being killed over cow-related issues. And just recently, on Dussehra, they burnt the effigies of Rohingya Muslims four times," he claimed.

"In Dussehra, they burn the effigies of villains... They declared Rohingya Muslims terrorists," he stressed, adding that although India was quick to call others terrorists, "the biggest terrorist (is Modi). Muslims were raped and murdered under his supervision when he was chief minister (of Gujarat). The US had banned him," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Pakistan's Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif today left for a three-day visit to the US as part of efforts to rebuild bilateral ties frayed after President Donald Trump accused the country of sheltering terror groups.

Trump while announcing his new policy for Afghanistan had also praised India for its development efforts in the war-torn country.

In response, Pakistan had said that Trump through his remarks ignored the efforts in the war against terrorism.

Pakistan also asked the US to postpone a planned trip by its special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Alice Wells to Islamabad.

Asif also delayed a visit to Washington for which he was invited by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.

But the relations improved slightly after a meeting between Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Vice President Mike Pence on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly last month, according to an official of the Foreign Office.

"The foreign minister during the current trip will meet Secretary Tillerson and other officials to discuss matters pertaining to regional peace and security," the official said.

Some senior US officials may also visit Pakistan after the thaw in tension as both sides agree that mutual cooperation was vital for peace in Afghanistan, according to the official.

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Pakistan today raked up the Kashmir issue again at the UN with its envoy accusing India of spreading terrorism in the Valley, drawing a strong reaction from India which described her diatribe as a "lonely voice from the wilderness".

Pakistan's Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the UN Maleeha Lodhi, during a debate of the General Assembly, also alleged that India made a "false claim" of conducting surgical strike across the LoC to provoke conflict with Pakistan.

She warned New Delhi that "any aggression" by it would receive a "matching and effective response".

"This claim, and India's repeated threats to conduct such strikes across the LoC, constitute flagrant violations of the UN Charter's injunction against the use or threat of use of force," Lodhi said during the debate on the Report of the Secretary General on the work of the world body.

Continuing her tirade against India on the Kashmir issue, Lodhi alleged, "To cover up its crimes against the Kashmiri people, and to divert world attention, India resorts to daily violation of the ceasefire along the Line of Control in Kashmir."



Lodhi said the international community represented in the United Nations cannot allow "India impunity to conduct "crimes against humanity" in Kashmir under the "flimsy cover" of combating terrorism.

"The only terrorism in Kashmir is India's state terrorism. State terrorism is, in fact, considered as the gravest form of terrorism by the Non-Aligned Movement, comprising almost two thirds of the General Assemblys membership," she alleged.

Eenam Gambhir, First Secretary at the Permanent Mission of India to the UN, exercising the country's right to reply said, "We have heard a lonely voice from the wilderness articulate a narrative of the past."



Pakistan, Gambhir said, has "focused on a topic that has not even been deliberated upon for decades" at the UN.

"An issue which that delegation tries to keep alive by procedural stratagems even while the world has moved on. Yesterday's people reflecting antiquated mindsets of the bygone times are symbolic of what holds us all back," she said.

The Indian delegation does not wish to "waste the precious time of this August Assembly" in engaging further with such distractions, Gambhir said.

Lodhi also said India's claim of carrying out the surgical strike provides Pakistan "sufficient reason" to respond and exercise its right to self-defence.

Lodhi went ahead to warn India, saying it should not "underestimate Pakistan's resolve and capacity to defend itself".

The top Pakistani diplomat said that the UN should not "ignore these open threats to use force" by India.

The international community should take urgent action to ask India to halt its provocations against Pakistan, she said.

During the General Assembly debate last month which was addressed by leaders from more than 100 countries, not a single country supported Pakistan's Kashmir policy.

Unmindful of that, Lodhi reiterated her allegation with regard to non-implementation of the UN Security Council resolution on Kashmir.

In her address to the UN General Assembly last month, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had responded to a similar allegation raised by the Pakistani Prime Minister on Un Security Council resolution.

"Prime Minister Abbasi has recalled old resolutions that have been long overtaken by events. But his memory has conveniently failed him where it matters. He has forgotten that under the Shimla Agreement and the Lahore Declaration India and Pakistan resolved that they would settle all outstanding issues bilaterally," Swaraj had said.

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The Palestinian cabinet met in Gaza today for the first time since 2014 in a further step towards the internationally recognised Palestinian Authority (PA) retaking control of the territory.

In an opening speech, Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah renewed his pledge to end a decade-long split between the Islamist Hamas movement that controls Gaza and his West Bank- based government.

"We are here to turn the page on division, restore the national project to its correct direction and establish the (Palestinian) state," he said.

The session took place at the official Gaza residence of Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas in the cabinet office, hung with portraits of Abbas and historic Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.

It was the first meeting of the cabinet in Gaza since November 2014, although Hamdallah visited a year later without his ministers.

Hamas ousted the PA from Gaza after bloody street fighting in 2007, but finally agreed last month to its return, under pressure from the territory's powerful neighbour Egypt.

A visiting Egyptian official told AFP that his country's intelligence chief, Khaled Fawzi, was expected to meet Hamas leader Ismail Haniya in Gaza later on Thursday.

UN Middle East envoy Nickolay Mladenov said yesterday that he was "carefully optimistic" about the reconciliation talks.

"If the region stays engaged, if Egypt's role continues and if the political parties themselves continue to show the willingness they are currently showing to work with us on this process, then it can succeed," he told AFP.

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Piramal Group firm Piramal Realty today said it will acquire 3.2 acres of land in Mumbai from Nirmal Lifestyles for Rs 153 crore.

This land parcel is located next to its existing housing project 'Piramal Revanta' at Mulund in Mumbai, the company said in a statement.

Piramal group Executive Director Anand Piramal said: "At Piramal Realty, we are committed to enhancing the value proposition for our customers."



This strategic land acquisition would significantly benefit existing and potential customers, he added.

Piramal Realty will invest an estimated Rs 1,800 crore in the Piramal Revanta project.

The company has awarded the construction contract for the project to global construction major Eversendai.

Eversendai is best known for its work on Dubai's Burj Khalifa, Malaysia's Petronas Towers and Qatar's Olympic stadium, the statement said.

Piramal Realty is the real estate development arm of the Piramal Group.

Recently, Goldman Sachs and Warburg Pincus, two international equity partners, have invested about USD 434 million in the company at the entity level.

The Piramal Group has presence in many sectors like pharma, financial services, information management, glass packaging and real estate. It is founded by Ajay Piramal and has a market value in excess of USD 9.5 billion.

Nirmal Lifestyles Ltd is also engaged in real estate business and has projects in Mumbai.

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Prabhat Dairy is targeting Rs 2,000 crore revenue by the financial year 2019-20, by enhancing its consumer segment to 50 per cent of the total business.

"In FY17, we had posted Rs 1,409.87 crore revenue, with 70 per cent of our business coming from dairy ingredients and 30 per cent from the consumer segment. Going forward, we are planning to increase our consumer business to 50 per cent or Rs 500 crore to take the total revenue to Rs 2,000 crore by FY20," Prabhat Dairy joint managing Director Vivek Nirmal told reporters here.

For this purpose, the company today launched a new corporate identity and a logo and will work towards expanding its presence in the retail category and firm up the scale in institutional business.

"We need to be a vibrant brand and we are working on brand building. With the all-new identity and the logo, Prabhat Dairy will be able to stand out more as a milk expert company, which will help us leverage our whole milk, food portfolio," Nirmal added.

The company is also planning to expand its product portfolio and national footprint to enter into lucrative markets across India.

"We are planning to introduce lassi, fresh cream and butter milk to our product portfolio. We are also working on products like ice cream and milk shakes that we we expect to launch next year," he added.

The company manufactures fresh, dry, frozen, cultured and fermented dairy products, including pasteurised milk, flavoured milk, sweetened condensed milk, ultra-heat treatment (UHT) milk, yogurt, dairy whitener, clarified butter (ghee), ice-cream, milk powder, ingredients for baby foods, lassi and chaas (buttermilk) under the brand 'Prabhat'.

Prabhat Dairy, which has a presence in 26 states and two Union Territories, is planning to strengthen its brand presence in those markets by increasing its retail reach to two lakh stores from the current one lakh.

The company is planing to begin exports to the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries, Nirmal said.

"At present, we export cheese and cow ghee to the Gulf countries, Bhutan and Sri Lanka and will ship the same products to the SAARC nations as well," he said.

The company, which procures 10 lakh litres of milk, will add four lakh litres more to support the product and market expansion, Nirmal added.

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President Ram Nath Kovind today arrived here on the first leg of his four-day visit to Djibouti and Ethiopia, his maiden trip abroad since taking office.

The president, who is the first Indian leader to visit Djibouti, was received by Djiboutian Prime Minister Kamil Mohamed at the airport here.

During his visit to the two African nations, the president is expected to sign agreements on institutionalisation of foreign office consultation and greater economic cooperation with Ethiopia, Neena Malhotra, Joint Secretary (East and Southern Africa) in the Ministry of External Affairs had said earlier.

Press Secretary to the President Ashok Malik has said that Djibouti is an important Indian Ocean partner country with whom India's bilateral trade stands at USD 284 million in 2016-17.

"The president is looking forward to the visit. He recognises that the Africa and Indian Ocean region are central to Indian foreign policy. That is why this region was chosen as his first foreign visit," Malik said.

India has extended a line of credit of USD 49 million to Djibouti, mainly for constructing a cement plant. It is a strategically located country just off the Gulf of Aden.

Kovind's visit will be the first by an Indian president to Ethiopia after 45 years. The last visit was by President V V Giri in 1972.

India's bilateral trade with Ethiopia in 2016 was nearly USD 1 billion. The country is among the top three foreign investors in Ethiopia with an approved investment of 4 billion dollars.

In both the countries the president will also interact with the members of the Indian community.

The president's visit comes in the backdrop of Chinese PLA troops conducting their first live-fire military drills overseas on their base in strategically-vital Djibouti last month, in a major combat display.

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The Punjab government today rejected reports that Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh's aide Honeypreet Insan was in the custody of the Punjab Police or she was being shielded by the state government.

The Haryana Police arrested Honeypreet, 36, earlier today from Zirakpur-Patiala road in connection with the violence that followed Ram Rahim Singh's conviction on August 25.

A Punjab government spokesperson said the state was not involved in the case beyond supporting the Haryana Police with intelligence and other relevant inputs.

The spokesperson refuted reports on the social media that suggested Honeypreet was in Punjab Police's custody before her arrest. "There was no question of the Punjab Police taking Honeypreet into custody as there was no criminal case registered against her in the state, nor was she in any wanted list," said the spokesperson.

The Punjab government, particularly the police and intelligence departments, were merely providing inputs to the neighbouring state in the interest of justice and to maintain law and order in the region, according to the spokesperson.

Right from the outbreak of the Dera crisis, the Punjab Police had been sharing information on the activities of the followers of Ram Rahim Singh, who was indicted and punished on rape charges.

The Punjab government, said the spokesperson, had been extending all possible help to the neighbouring state, which it will continue to ensure that peace is maintained.

The Punjab government would not try to protect Honeypreet, who has cases registered against her in Haryana, where she has been declared a "wanted criminal", the spokesperson asserted.

The clarification came after a section of the media reported, citing sources, that the adopted daughter of the Dera chief was in the custody of Punjab police saying that the Punjab government machinery was shielding Honeypreet.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Punjab today sought Rs 2,000 crore from the central government for farmers so that they can remove paddy straw without burning it to check pollution and soil damage.

The demand was raised by Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amrinder Singh at a meeting with Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh.

Farmers in Haryana and Punjab set paddy straw and stubble ablaze every year to prepare ground for the next crop. In the process, they damage soil quality and cause heavy pollution.

"We have about 20 million tonnes of paddy straw. Who will use it? We have demanded that the Centre give Rs 100 per quintal, which comes to roughly Rs 2,000 crore," the Punjab chief minister told reporters after the meeting.

As the central government fixes the minimum support price of paddy, it is its responsibility to address the issue of paddy straw, he said, adding that providing Rs 100 per quintal will help farmers to remove paddy straw without burning it.

"The Agriculture Minister has assured that he will look into the matter. A final call will be taken after agriculture and environment ministries make a recommendation in this regard," he added.

On farmers' debt waiver, the Punjab CM said the state has asked the centre to increase its borrowing capacity so that it can waive the farm debt of 10.25 lakh farmers.

The issue was discussed with Finance Minister Arun Jaitley yesterday. In the meeting, he said, "We have not asked any funds from the centre. We are asking them to allow us to increase our borrowing percentage, which today is 3 per cent and we want 1.5 per cent more. This will give us additional Rs 9,500 crore to meet this requirement."



There are 17 lakh farmers in Punjab. Around 10.25 lakh farmers will be covered under the debt-waiver scheme. Even farmers with less than 5 acres will be covered, he added.

Besides, the state government has asked the Centre to provide deficiency support price for maize and sunflower.

The Punjab CM said a National Post Graduate Horticulture Education and Research Institute will soon come up in Amritsar, for which the state has allocated the land. The institute will be inaugurated soon.

Besides, he added, a water conservation project with central assistance of Rs 7,000 crore has been sanctioned for Punjab to promote micro-irrigation.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Home Minister Rajnath Singh today complimented the security forces for successfully eliminating the terrorists involved in an attack on a BSF camp in Jammu and Kashmir.

Singh said he has spoken to the chiefs of the Border Security Force and Central Reserve Police Force following the suicide attack near the Srinagar airport.

"I have spoken to the DG CRPF and DG BSF. It was a good operation that they have conducted," he told reporters here.

The home minister said one Assistant Sub Inspector of the BSF has martyred and two others were injured but they were out of danger.

A group of militants today launched a suicide attack on a BSF camp near the Srinagar Airport, killing the ASI and leaving four security personnel injured.

Two militants were killed in the gun-battle that is raging near the airport, forcing brief suspension of air traffic and closure of schools in the vicinity.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Reserve Bank of India today opened a branch in the city to make transactions of the state government more convenient.

Inaugurating the RBI's branch here, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat said it was an important step which will speed up economic development of the state besides making financial transactions of the government more convenient.

Earlier, the state government had to do financial transactions through the Kanpur branch of the RBI, an official release here said.

RBI's Principal Chief General Manager S Ramaswamy assured the state government of all support in its development endeavours saying a separate branch in the state will ensure smooth disposal of financial works of the state government through better coordination between the treasuries and the banks.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Russia's military says its airstrikes in eastern Syria this week killed more than 300 Islamic State militants.

Russia has been a major backer of Syria's President Bashar Assad whose government troops have been advancing in the eastern province of Deir el-Zour against IS under the cover of Russian airstrikes.

Meanwhile, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces are also marching against the Islamic State group, backed by the US-led coalition.

Russia's Defense Ministry said in a statement early on Tuesday that its airstrikes just outside Deir el-Zour, on the eastern bank of the Euphrates River, killed more than 304 IS fighters and left more than 200 wounded.

The ministry says the airstrikes also hit and destroyed an IS training center, as well artillery positions, tanks and ammunition depots belonging to the militants.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The U.S. Department of Agricultures Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has amended its regulations to allow fresh persimmon imports from New Zealand into the United States.



The U.S. Department of Agricultures Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has amended its regulations to allow fresh persimmon imports from New Zealand into the United States.

APHIS said these shipments can be imported safely into the United States by using a systems approach, a series of measures taken by growers, packers, and shippers that, in combination, minimize pest risks prior to importation.

Specifically for New Zealand persimmons, the systems approach requires orchard certification, orchard pest control, post-harvest safeguards, fruit culling, traceback, and sampling. In addition, the fruit must be treated with hot water or undergo modified atmosphere cold storage to kill any leafroller moth larvae.

The persimmon shipments must also be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate stating that they were produced under the systems approach and were inspected and found to be free of quarantine pests.

The final rule, which is published in the Oct. 3 Federal Register, will take effect Nov. 2.
The prison authorities in Karnataka are considering a plea by jailed AIADMK leader V K Sasikala to release her on parole for 15 days to meet her ailing husband, who is awaiting a liver transplant at a Chennai hospital.

"Yesterday, we received an application from Sasikala, urging us to release her on a 15-day parole. She has said that her husband is unwell and admitted in a hospital in Chennai. Our legal cell is considering the plea," Parappana AgraharaPrison Superintendent P S Ramesh said.

Sasikala's (60) husband M Natarajan (74) is admitted in the liver intensive care unit of a corporate hospital since last month following a kidney and liver failure.

He is awaiting a deceased donor liver transplantation and a kidney transplantation, according to doctors.

Sasikala is in jail here since February after the Supreme Court upheld her conviction by a special court in a disproportionate assets case.

Along with Sasikala, her relatives Ilavarasi and V N Sudhakaran are also serving a four-year jail term.

Sasikala's nephew and sidelined AIADMK leader T T V Dhinakaran had also said in Chennai yesterday that she had applied for a 15-day parole to meet her ailing husband.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Expressing concern over the plight of children of Rohingya Muslims fleeing Myanmar, Nobel laureate Kailash Satyarthi today said resolving the humanitarian crisis is the moral responsibility of the world community and sought the intervention of the UN.

The rights activists was in the city today as part of his countrywide tour to spread awareness about the child protection.

"If any child is being victimised during the current Rohingya crisis in Myanmar, then this is the moral responsibility of the world community to resolve this crisis," he told reporters.

Satyarthi said the United Nations should intervene to resolve the Rohingya crisis.

Stressing the need for "clear and strict" anti-child trafficking laws in India, Satyarthi said Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh had recently indicated that the government could move towards enacting such law.

Stating that thousands of cases pertaining to harassment of children are pending resolution, he demanded setting up of a special court in every district of the country for time-bound hearing of such cases.

Demanding a total ban on pornography in the country, Satyarthi said the government should take help of IT experts to ensure that minors cannot access such content on Internet.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Supreme Court today asked the CBI to respond to a plea by Mumbai-based Adarsh cooperative housing society seeking defreezing of its bank accounts, which were frozen during the probe into the 2010 Adarsh scam.

The Adarsh scam had kicked up a political storm leading to the resignation of the then Congress Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Ashok Chavan. The 31-storey Adarsh apartments was built at Colaba in posh South Mumbai locality for 1999 Kargil war heroes and war widows.

A bench comprising Justices J Chelameswar and S Abdul Nazeer asked the probe agency to file its response within two weeks after the counsel appearing for the housing society said they needed money for maintenance of the building.

Senior counsel Meenakshi Arora, appearing for the housing society, told the apex court that money in the frozen bank accounts belonged to the cooperative society which has nothing to do with the alleged scam.

She said the Bombay High Court had dismissed their plea seeking defreezing of the bank accounts and said that it would remain frozen till the conclusion of the criminal case trial.

"These bank accounts should be defreezed. The cooperative society is not an accused in the case. These accounts were frozen when the probe had started in the case," Arora said, adding that the cooperative society and its bank accounts have "no direct link" with the alleged crime.

The Bombay High Court had earlier ordered demolition of the apartments and sought initiation of criminal proceedings against politicians and bureaucrats for alleged misuse of powers, holding that the tower was illegally constructed.

It had asked the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest to carry out the demolition at the expense of Adarsh Society.

It had also asked the Centre and Maharashtra government to consider initiating civil and criminal proceedings against bureaucrats, ministers and politicians for misuse and abuse of power to get plots under the scheme, originally meant for Kargil war heroes and war widows.

Later, the top court in July last year had said that the Adarsh apartments would not be demolished for the time being and asked the Centre to secure it after taking its possession from the housing society.

In 2011, the Maharashtra government had set up a two- member judicial commission headed by Justice J A Patil to inquire into the Adarsh scam.

After probing the issue for over two years, it submitted its report in 2013, which found that there had been 25 illegal allotments, including 22 purchases made by proxy.

Later, the CBI, the Income Tax Department and Enforcement Directorate (ED) also investigated the scam.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Supreme Court today made clear to the Centre and two Rohingya Muslims, who have challenged any move to deport illegal refugees to Myanmar, to desist from making emotional arguments and personal attacks and asked them to file documents, including international conventions.

The apex court, which fixed a batch pleas for and against the Rohingyas for hearing on October 13, said it will hear arguments only on the points of law as the matter concerned humanitarian cause and humanity which required to be heard with mutual respect.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra asked the Centre and the two Rohingya Muslim refugees, who have filed the petition, to compile all documents and international conventions before the next date of hearing for assisting it.

The bench, also comprising Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud, said it will hear in details various aspects of the matter including the Centre's preliminary objection that the issue fell under the domain of the executive and hence was "not justiciable".

At the outset, Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre, said the rejoinder affidavit of two Rohingya petitioners needed to be replied to and moreover, two fresh petitions were filed during the recent court vacation.

He sought listing of the matters on some other date for a detailed hearing and submitted that the government would not like the matter to be heard in a piecemeal manner as it had wide ramifications.

Senior advocate Fali S Nariman, appearing for Rohingya immigrants Mohammad Salimullah and Mohammad Shaqir, started his submission on a lighter vein, saying "I am the original refugee from Burma" and had migrated from "British Burma to British India".

He assailed the Centre's stand that illegal refugees cannot claim protection of their fundamental rights under the Constitution as it would adversely affect the rights of Indian citizens and that the issue was "not justiciable".

"Humanitarian concern for children, women, the sick outweigh justiciability," Nariman said, adding the objection that the matter was "not justiciable" was very serious as the Constitution protects the rights of non-citizens as well.

"The rights of the persons who happen to be in India deserve constitutional protection," he said, adding that the government was contradicting itself while referring to a past notification on ways to deal with migrants, mostly Hindus and Buddhists, from Pakistan and Bangladesh who had suffered persecution.

He said terrorists from any group should be dealt with as per the law but simultaneously, innocent refugees including women and children need protection.

A terse response of senior advocate Rajeev Dhavan, appearing for the National Human Rights Commission, to the Centre's objections was strongly contested by ASG Mehta who said "one does not need to abuse to counter".

Summing up the arguments advanced by Nariman, the bench said the government cannot "simply paint" everybody as a terrorist and that India is a signatory to various international conventions.

On the issue of non-justiciabilty, the bench observed that the court should be "very slow in abdicating its jurisdiction".

Earlier, the Centre in an affidavit had termed Rohingya refugees as "illegal" immigrants and said some of them were part of a "sinister" design of Pakistan's ISI and terror groups such as the ISIS, whose presence in the country will pose a "serious" national security threat.

The affidavit was submitted in response to a plea filed by the Rohingya immigrants, claiming they had taken refuge in India after escaping from Myanmar due to widespread discrimination, violence and bloodshed against the community there.

Various other petitions, including those by former RSS ideologue and Rashtriya Swabhiman Andolan leader K N Govindacharaya, the West Bengal child rights body and BJP leader Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay, have been filed in the apex court on the issue.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Supreme Court today said it would examine the question whether the Kerala High Court can exercise its power under writ jurisdiction to annul the marriage of a Muslim man with a Hindu woman who had converted to Islam before tying the nuptial knot.

The apex court was apparently not in agreement with the submission that the National Investigation Agency (NIA) was asked to probe whether there was any wider pattern, commonly referred to as 'love jihad', in the case and said that the question was can the High Court annul the marriage between two adults.

"Pattern or no pattern, the question is, can the high court annul the marriage by exercising its powers under Article 226 of the Constitution," the bench comprising Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud said and fixed the plea of the Kerala man for hearing on October 9.

The bench also said that a father cannot be seen dictating the personal life of a 24-year-old daughter.

At the outset, senior advocate Dushyant Dave, appearing for Shafin Jahan who has sought recall of the order asking the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to probe the case, started his arguments on a high pitch, which led the bench to ask him not to shout.

"This NIA probe shakes the very foundation of this multi-religious country. The order for NIA investigation was not in consonance of the law," Dave said.

"Please do not shout," the bench said, adding that his high pitch made it impossible for the bench to understand the submissions.

"I will shout," Dave replied.

The senior lawyer questioned the apex court order asking the NIA to probe saying that neither the father, nor the state and neither the NIA was in appeal against the High Court order. Rather, it was the man who has challenged the annulment of his marriage.

"State is not in appeal, father is not in appeal, NIA is not in appeal. Your Lordships have gone beyond the jurisdiction and expanded the proceedings by ordering NIA probe," he said.

"This investigation shakes the foundation of this multi- religious country. Two high functionaries of BJP have married members of minority community. Will Your Lordships order NIA probe into it? This order sends terrible signals all over the world," he said.

The bench, which was apparently miffed with the way Dave addressed the court, said it would examine the validity of the High Court order.

"No shouting. Instead of questioning the legal foundation, you are straying here and there," it said.

Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for NIA, opposed the submission of Dave and said the probe agency was not a party but was asked by the court to probe the matter to ascertain wider pattern, if any, to the case.

He said that the order asking NIA to probe was a consent order and senior advocate Kapil Sibal, the then counsel for Jahan, was present at the hearing.

Jahan had on September 20 approached the apex court seeking recall of its order directing the NIA to investigate the controversial case of conversion and marriage of a Hindu woman with him.

The Kerala High Court had annulled the marriage terming it as an instance of 'love jihad', following which he had approached the apex court.

The top court had on August 16 directed the NIA to probe the incident under the supervision of retired apex court judge, Justice R V Raveendran.

Jahan, who had married a Hindu woman in last December, had moved the apex court after the Kerala High Court annulled his marriage, saying it was an insult to the independence of women in the country.

The woman, a Hindu, had converted to Islam and later married Jahan. It was alleged that the woman was recruited by Islamic State's mission in Syria and Jahan was only a stooge.

Ashokan K M, the father of the woman, had alleged that there was a "well-oiled systematic mechanism" for conversion and Islamic radicalisation.

The high court, while declaring the marriage as "null and void", had described the case as an instance of 'love jihad' and ordered the state police to conduct probe into such cases.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Capital markets regulator Sebi has directed Angel Allied India Ltd and its directors to refund investor money that it raised by issuing securities without complying with public issue norms.

Besides, the watchdog has barred the firm and its directors from capital markets for four years from the date of completion of refunds, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) said in an order.

Angel Allied raised little over Rs 1 crore through issuance of non-convertible redeemable secured debentures to at least 334 persons in 2012-13 and 2013-14, the order said.

Since the securities were issued to over 50 persons, which under the rules made it a public issue. Hence, the companies were required to make a compulsory listing on a recognised stock exchange. Besides, was required to file a prospectus, among others, which it failed to do.

"In view of the violations committed by the company and its directors, to safeguard the interest of the investors who had subscribed to such NCDs ...to safeguard their investments, and to further ensure orderly development of securities market, it also becomes necessary for Sebi to issue appropriate directions against the company and the other noticees," Sebi Whole Time Member Madhbi Puri Buch said.

In an order passed on September 29, Sebi has asked Angel Allied, Sandip Pal, Sekh Nazibulla, Santosh Kumar Mishra and Devid Haslaf to refund the money collected by the firm during their respective period of directorship through the issuance of NCDs along with an interest of 15 per cent per annum.

It has also restrained the firm's directors from associating themselves with any listed public company and any public entity that intends to raise money from the public, or any intermediary registered with the regulator "till the expiry of four years from the date of completion of refunds to investors".

In case, they failed to comply with the directions of refund on expiry of three months period, Sebi would initiate recovery proceedings.

Besides, it would make a reference to the state government or local police to register a civil or criminal case against them for offences of fraud, cheating, criminal breach of trust and misappropriation of public funds.

Earlier through an interim order in June 2015, Sebi had prohibited the firm and its directors from the capital markets "till further directions".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Hundreds of BJP leaders and workers set off on a 15-day march against political violence in Kerala which was kicked off by party president Amit Shah here today.

Scores of BJP-RSS workers and the state's ruling CPI-M cadres have been killed in violent clashes over the years, and the saffron party is keen on highlighting these to expand its base in the southern state where it has been a marginal player.

The 'Janraksha Yatra' with the theme "All have to live! Against Jihadi-Red Terror" began from the Gandhi statue here this afternoon where Shah hit out at Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan over the "political killings".

Union Minister Alphons Kannanthanam, MPs Suresh Gopi and Richard Hey,former Karnataka EducationMinisterC T Ravi, BJP Puducherry president V Swaminathan, and many other BJP leaders and workers joined the foot march.

Shah, on a three-day visit to the state, led the march after paying floral tributes at the statue of Mahatma Gandhi.

The 'Janraksha Yatra' (March for Protection of People) that began from Payyanur will pass through several parts of Kerala before concluding in state capital Thiruvananthapuram on October 17.

Today's yatra will conclude in Pilathara, about 8 km from Payyanur.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanadh will join the march tomorrow from Keecheri to Kannur, Vijayan's home town and the hub of the political violence.

Joining the rally, hundreds of BJP workers, mostly from Kannur and Kasargod districts, raised slogans against political violence under the CPI(M)-led LDF government.

BJP has alleged that as many as its 120 workers have been killed, 84 in Kannur alone, since 2001. It has claimed 14 of these killings have taken place since Vijayan took over the reins of the government last year.

The CPI(M) has, in turn, accused the BJP-RSS combine of unleashing violence and denied any role of its government and cadres in it.

Several Union ministers will join the march in different stages, party leaders said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Singapore's newly elected President Halimah Yacob is moving out of her 30-year-old apartment, built under the public housing scheme, for security reasons, according to media reports.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has advised the president that "the security agencies face several challenges in ensuring her security and protection, if she continues to stay in her current home".

"MHA has therefore strongly advised the president to consider moving to another place. This will enable the agencies to ensure her safety and security with greater assurance," it added in a statement.

After being declared President on September 13, Halimah, 63, had continued to live in the Yishun flat, making her Singapore's first head of state to live in public housing while in office.

The sixth-floor apartment was the first property she and her husband, Mohamed Abdullah Alhabshee, 63, bought as newly- weds more than 30 years ago.

They later made it a jumbo flat by combining the four- room unit with a neighbouring five-room flat they bought on the resale market.

The president has described it as a "very nice, comfortable place" and lived there with her family.

She has two sons and three daughters, aged 26 to 36.

Singapore's past presidents had lived in private housing or at the Istana (The Presidential Palace) within the Central Business District.

But Halimah's decision to stay in the apartment had raised questions about security arrangements, according to media reports today.

Ever since her election as the president, police have intensified security measures in the area.

An awning was put up at the foot of the apartment block of the Housing and Development Board (HDB) in the Yishun housing estate, catering to the security and police cars requirements.

More than 80 per cent of Singaporeans live in the state- built and subsidised apartments in HDB estates.

In 1992, the HDB received the United Nations' World Habitat Award for Tampines New Town, a successful public housing project, and its contribution to "innovation and successful human settlements."



The award identifies new outstanding human settlement projects to serve as examples for others to follow.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Union minister Smriti Irani today attacked Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi for allegedly sympathising with those who raised anti-national slogans at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and asserted that the people of Gujarat would never support his party in the upcoming assembly polls.

Addressing a gathering of tribals as part of the BJP's Gujarat Gaurav Yatra march for honour Irani accused the Congress former governments at the Centre of stalling the Narmada project, under the then chief minister Narendra Modi, "out of its grudge".

"The entire country had witnessed how Rahul Gandhi rushed to extend his support to those who chanted Bharat tere tukde honge (India you will be broken into pieces) in Delhi. Since this is the land of Sardar Patel and Mahatma Gandhi, I want to know if this land (Gujarat) will support Rahul (in the polls)," Irani asked. The crowd responded with a resounding "no".

Gujarat is likely to go to polls in December.

Reacting to Gandhi's charge that no "real development" had taken place in Gujarat under the BJP rule, the Union Minister for Textiles and Information and Broadcasting said the Congress leader remembers the state and its people only when elections are around the corner.

"Though Gujarat had fought for Narmada project, the work could not be completed in 55 years... Railways did not give permission to lay canals in Rajkot and Anand (during the UPA rule).

"The Congress did that out of its grudge against the BJP. It decided on not giving water till the party comes to power in Gujarat," said Irani, in her speech in Gujarati.

The Union minister added that the party wanted to settle scores with Modi.

"People of Gunarat will never forget what the Congress did to them. They did not give water as they wanted to settle their score with Modi. Gujarat will not forget that one son of this soil - Sardar Patel - united this country while their (Congress') son supported those who want to break this country," she said.

Comparing Gandhi's constituency Amethi in Uttar Pradesh to Gujarat to counter the Congress vice president's take on the development in the state, she alleged that farmers there were shot at for demanding urea.

"What is his definition of development? In Amethi, which has been a Congress stronghold for the last 50 years, farmers were shot at when they demanded urea. Gujarat might also remember how bullets were fired on farmers in Congress-ruled Maharashtra for demanding water," she said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A youth was arrested today for allegedly shooting dead his assistant sub-inspector father who objected to his lifestyle and bad company, a senior official said.

The accused Mohit, in his 20s and a resident of the U- block of the posh DLF phase 3 here, was arrested from Jaipur, he said.

On September 18, ASI Naresh Yadav, 46, posted with the Faridabad Police was found dead at his residence with bullet wounds on his body.

"During investigation, the involvement of his son Mohit was suspected as neighbours said the father-son duo often had heated arguments. In the CCTV footage, Mohit was seen terrified and worried before he left the house," Gurgaon Police PRO and ACP Manish Sehgal told PTI.

Neighbours told the police that on the morning of the crime all family members, including Mohit, were at home but after the incident, not a single person was seen, Sehgal said.

Police teams raided the houses of Mohit's relatives in Delhi and NCR, other places and even in Rishikesh in Uttarakhand.

He was finally nabbed him from Jaipur with the help of technical surveillance, the officer added.

"During interrogation, Mohit said he was annoyed with his father and killed him as he opposed his activities. Yadav rebuked him when he came home late and in an inebriated state," Sehgal said.

"His father wanted him to stay away from criminal activity and bad elements," he added.

Mohit will be produced before a court and the police will seek his remand for further interrogation, he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but the acquisition gives Walmart access to Parcels routing algorithm for scheduled, time definite delivery of orders.



Big box retailer Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (Walmart) has acquired the last mile delivery startup Parcel to provide scheduled, time-definite delivery for customers in the New York City area.

The deal, for which terms were not disclosed, gives Walmart access to Parcels routing algorithms, fleet of leased vehicles, and employees, the retailer said in a blog post Tuesday.

We plan to leverage Parcel for last mile delivery to customers in New York City  including same-day delivery  for both general merchandise as well as fresh and frozen groceries from Walmart and Jet, the company said.

Parcel was backed by investors to the tune of $2 million in two different investment rounds between 2014 and 2015. The company, according to a report in Reuters, has six full-time employees and a roster of 45 part-time employees.

Walmart has been steadily building out its e-commerce and last-mile capabilities as it faces down a challenge from e-commerce giant Amazon. It acquired the e-commerce platform Jet.com for $3 billion last year.


SpiceJet today said it has launched daily flight services on Guwahati-Dibrugarh route, making it the 50th destination for the no-frills airline.

"With the new flights SpiceJet will now operate a total of 26 flights in and out of North East and a total of eight flights within the region," the airline said in a release.

The direct flight from Guwahati to Dibrugarh would be operated daily with 78-seater Bombardier Q400 aircraft.

Now, SpiceJet flies to 50 destinations, including 43 domestic and 7 international places, according to the release.

"We thank SpiceJet and especially Ajay Singh for accepting our request and inducting Dibrugarh onto SpiceJet's network with such priority. This means a fresh impetus to trade, tourism and connectivity between northeastern states and adjoining regions," Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal was quoted as saying in the release.

Ajay Singh is the Chairperson and Managing Director (CMD) of the airline.

SpiceJet's Chief Marketing Officer Debojo Maharshi said the north eastern region has a distinctive connectivity constraint on account of its difficult terrain and hence SpiceJet has always remained committed to enhancing connectivity to this region.

The budget airline operates an average of 384 daily flights, with a fleet of 35 Boeing 737NG and 20 Bombardier Q- 400 planes.

(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.)
Chairman Emeritus of the Tata Sons, Ratan Tata is scheduled to visit Tel Aviv later this month to attend a transportation technologies and future business models summit hosted by the Israeli Prime Minister.

The two-day "Prime Minister's Fuel Choices and Smart Mobility Summit" will begin on October 31 in the Israel's capital.

Sources in the automotive and defence sector told the business daily, Globes, that Tata's arrival to Israel for the conference was "very unusual" but probably indicates his group's "great interest" in the Israeli auto-tech industry.

The group-owned Jaguar-Land Rover recently invested tens of millions of dollars in Tata Capital Innovations Fund, the daily reported.

Apart from Tata, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, other ministers of his cabinet and other prominent industry leaders like chairpersons of the SEAT and Lamborghini, both of which are Volkswagen group brands, Ole Harms, chairman of the MOIA smart transportation division founded two years ago by Volkswagen, senior managers at Ford, BMW, Delphi Automotive, and Nvidia.

Investment representatives from Chinese transportation firm Didi and Internet giant Baidu will also be participating in the event among many other potential investors, the report said.

During his earlier visit to Israel in 2013, Tata had signed an agreement with Israel Aerospace Industry (IAI) to jointly develop, manufacture and support a wide range of defence and aerospace products including missiles, Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), radars, electronic warfare systems and home land security systems.

The Tata Group has also invested USD 5 million in Tel Aviv University's (TAU) Technology Innovation Momentum Fund.

As the lead investor in the fund, Tatas have right of first opportunity to negotiate licence agreement on areas that have been defined as start-up field like automotive, point of care for medical devices, cleantech, etc.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Software services major Tech Mahindra today said it has bagged a multi-year contract from Finnish firm Ahlstrom-Munksj.

As part of the multi-million euro deal, about 25 employees of Ahlstrom-Munksj are expected to be transferred to Tech Mahindra as per the agreement, a statement said.

The new agreement builds on an existing contract that was awarded to Tech Mahindra by Ahlstrom three years ago, it added.

No financial details of the deal were disclosed.

Earlier this year, Ahlstrom and Munksj had announced their merger, creating a major fiber-based solutions entity.

Under the new deal that has been announced today, Tech Mahindra will provide end-to-end IT services and solutions including IT user support, infrastructure management and application support.

"Our deep rooted manufacturing strengths and our investments in to the digital technologies backed by focus on Digitalisation, Automation, Verticalisation, Innovation and Disruption (DAVID) would be an immense value to this longer term engagement," Tech Mahindra Head of Continental Europe Rajesh Chandiramani said.

Tech Mahindra has significant presence in Europe, which accounts for around 30 per cent of the company's overall business.

Ahlstrom-Munksj's annual net sales are about 2.15 billion euros and has about 6,000 employees.

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Three persons have been arrested from a village near the Indo-Bangla border in connection with "trafficking" of Rohingyas, a police official said today.

Acting on a tip-off, sleuths of Assam and Tripura Police and BSF personnel raided the Nabadwip Chandra Nagar village last night and arrested Suman Chowdhury (35), Faruk Chowdhury (32) and Sahajahan Choudhury (38), SP, Sipahijala district, Sudipta Das told reporters.

"On the basis of inputs of the Rohingya refugees, the Assam Police with help from Tripura Police and BSF arrested the three persons involved in trafficking," Das said.

He said six Rohingyas were arrested on August 19 at Karimganj in Assam, and during interrogation, they confessed to have migrated from Myanmar's Rakhine state, and were staying in Bangladesh as refugees.

"They entered India with the help of a trafficking racket by using the sensitive corridor at Nabawip Chandra Nagar," Das said.

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Three Tanzanians, including two women, were arrested today by the Rachakonda Police for allegedly operating a flesh trade racket by procuring women.

The women, aged 23 and 25, were arrested along with their 25-year-old male compatriot after a police team raided a rented house in Hastinapuri area, Special Operation Team Inspector G Naveen Kumar said.

"The trio are organisers and were arranging women for prostitution. Apart from this, the two women themselves were also indulged in prostitution," the inspector said.

He said the women had uploaded their photos online and also given their mobile phone numbers.

Police contacted the women on phone by posing as customers and raided the house.

The women had came to India on a visit visa few months ago, the official said.

The trio were booked under section 370 A (exploitation of a trafficked person) of the IPC and under relevant sections of Prevention of Immoral Trafficking Act and Foreigners Act. Further probe is on.

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Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will travel to Washington next week to meet US President Donald Trump just as continental trade talks are expected to heat up, his office announced today.

The prime minister will press Trump on "international security and our vital trade and economic relationship," said a statement.

Trudeau will continue trade talks in Mexico after his Washington stop.

Canadian, Mexican and US trade representatives last week trumpeted strides made in a third round of continental free trade talks in Ottawa, but warned of challenges ahead when negotiations resume on October 11 in Washington.

At the same time, Canada-US trade relations hit a recent low over US dumping accusations levelled against Canada's forestry sector and aerospace firm Bombardier.

"We are making solid headway on bread and butter issues," Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland said after five days of negotiations on the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) last Wednesday.

But, she added, some of the "hardest issues or proposals" have not yet come up for discussion.

Trump ordered a renegotiation of NAFTA and threatened to pull out of the pact if the United States did not get a better deal, calling the existing 1994 accord the worst trade deal ever signed.

He has largely focused on the US-Mexico trade imbalance. But he has also pressured Canada to open up its protected dairy market.

Ottawa and Washington are among the world's closest allies and trading partners, with more than half a trillion (US) dollars worth of goods exchanged annually.

But the US Commerce Department's announcement last week that it would impose a steep countervailing duty on Bombardier's new CSeries jetliners was met with outrage.

Trudeau warned he would call off a US$5.2 billion purchase of 18 Super Hornet fighter jets to partially replace its aging fleet of F-18s if the aircraft's manufacturer Boeing did not drop its anti-dumping lawsuit against Bombardier.

He also drew a line in the sand, saying Ottawa would walk away from the trade talks if Washington insisted on a demand to nix NAFTA dispute resolution tribunals.

Trudeau previously met Trump at the White House in February.

"The United States is Canada's top economic partner, and it's important that we continue to work together to strengthen trade, investment and economic opportunity for people on both sides of our border," Trudeau said.

Immediately following his October 12-13 trip to Washington, Trudeau will head south for his first official visit to Mexico, where he will also discuss trade with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto.

Trudeau said he looked forward also to meeting with Pena Nieto and Mexican civil society to "deepen relations between our two countries.

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The Trump Administration views India as a leading power and a true friend, the President's nominee to be America's envoy to India told lawmakers today, asserting that a strong India and a robust US-India relationship were in US' interest.

In his confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Kenneth I Juster, nominee to be the US Ambassador to India, said India's international influence was important and has been growing.

"India's role in the Indo-Pacific region and globally will be critical to international security and economic growth over the course of this century," the former top White House official told members of the Senate Committee during his confirmation hearing.

Juster said the Trump Administration will build on the excellent meeting that US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi had in June this year in seeking to deepen the partnership for the benefit of the people of both countries, and in the interest of shaping a freer, more secure and more prosperous world.

Of the many elements of the effort to expand and enhance the strategic partnership between the two countries and advance common objectives, Juster said one key pillar was to deepen defence and security cooperation, building on the US' recognition of India as a major defence partner.

"Together, our countries seek to ensure freedom of navigation, overflight and commerce, and advance a rules- based, democratic order throughout the Indo-Pacific Region," he said.

Juster said, if confirmed, he would look forward to engaging his counterparts in India to strengthen cooperation on the most pressing challenges to regional security and global peace from North Korea's destabilising pursuit of nuclear weapons to the growing threat that all forms of terrorism pose to people.

"In addition, I will make it a priority to work closely with New Delhi to promote security and stability in Afghanistan, where India already has provided billions of dollars in economic support and is a longstanding partner for peace," he said.

Noting that in the economic sphere, Modi has undertaken important reforms, Juster said the Indian government had liberalised foreign direct investment in several sectors and is working to improve the ease of doing business.

"If confirmed, I look forward to identifying ways that the United States can be a partner in these reform efforts, to the mutual benefit of our business communities and our citizens," he said.

India is 1.3 billion people and its rapidly expanding middle class represent a significant market opportunity for US goods and services, he said.

"I appreciate the imperative to expand free, fair, and balanced trade between the United States and India. We will pursue that goal by working with the Government of India to improve and expedite," Juster said.

In his opening remarks, Senator Bob Corker, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, underscored the importance of India-US relationship.

He said the time had come to match the expectations from this relationship.

Expressing his frustration over the "slow pace" of Indian economic reform and compulsory licensing requirement, Corker said the economic playing field was not even in India.

The top US lawmaker also expressed concern over the rise of Hindu nationalism.

Corker said he was also concerned about the scale of human trafficking in India, particularly the bonded labour.

Senator Mark Warner, Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, introduced Juster before the confirmation hearing.

Warner is also Co-Chair of the Senate India Caucus, the only country specific caucus in the Senate.

Pledging his full support to India-US relationship, Senator Ben Cardin, Ranking Member of Senate Foreign Relations Committee, also raised the issue of human trafficking in India.

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President Donald Trump arrived in hurricane-devastated Puerto Rico today, hoping to underscore government recovery efforts and repair damage done by his contentious early response to the crisis.

Trump landed at Muniz Air National Guard Base to begin what the White House said would be a five-hour visit with federal responders, troops and survivors.

Nearly two weeks after Hurricane Maria thrashed the US territory, much of the island remains short of food and without access to power or drinking water.

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Hyderabad police today arrested two persons, accused of indulging in black magic, for allegedly duping people after collecting money from them on the pretext of solving their problems.

Based on a tip-off, a police team conducted raids at a place in Secunderbad and nabbed the duo, identified as Nawab Malik and his associate Mohd Khalid, a release issued by Hyderabad police said.

The accused, who are natives of Meerut in Uttar Pradesh, had come to Hyderabad a few months back and rented the premises.

"They gave advertisements in newspapers and local TV channels, claiming that they can solve all types of problems through black magic through their spiritual powers and started cheating people after collecting amounts from them", it said.

A case was registered.

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The Science Museum in London has launched a new exhibition celebrating the long tradition of scientific thought in India, from the ancient past to the present day.

The exhibition "Illuminating India: 5000 years of science and innovation', which opens its doors to the public on Wednesday, is among the highlights of the wider UK-India Year of Culture celebration this year.

It looks at India's expertise in observation, calculation and innovation, emphasising the importance of science in India as a way of understanding the world and creating a better society.

"The significance of India's contributions to the history of science, technology, engineering and mathematics cannot be overstated," said Matt Kimberley, head of content for the exhibition at the museum.

"From the birth of the mathematical concept of zero over 1,500 years ago, to the lifesaving medical technologies of today designed on the principles of jugaad, India and its people have played a pivotal role in shaping the global narrative of the history of science," Kimberley said.

Illuminating India tells stories ranging from the earliest feats of civil engineering achieved by the Indus Valley Civilisation 5,000 years ago to the interplanetary expeditions of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in the present day.

It traces India's achievements such as the Great Trigonometrical Survey, which established the precise curvature of the earth, and how the country's high mountains with clear skies enabled important advances in astronomy and solar physics.

"It is incredible. The Bakhshali manuscript [an Indian mathematical text written on birch bark that was found in 1881] is on display among some of the most priceless objects that highlight Indian scientific achievements," said Dinesh K Patnaik, India's Deputy High Commissioner to the UK.

He said the Indian High Commission was already working on taking the exhibition to India for Indians to also be able to appreciate the rare objects on display.

The exhibition, which will be on until March next year, celebrates facts such as how the Mughal emperors conserved nature in the 16th century, how 20th century mathematical genius Srinivasa Ramanujan revolutionised mathematics, and how ISRO sent a camera to Mars for less than the cost of the Hollywood film 'Gravity'.

The objects on display are on loan from various organisations, including some that have travelled out of India for the first time.

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The Union Health Ministry has been declared as the "best department" for its contribution to Swachhta Pakhwada, an inter-ministry initiative organised by the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation to promote cleanliness in government offices and health facilities.

The award was presented to the Health Ministry yesterday, on the third anniversary of Swachh Bharat Mission, an official release said.

Health Secretary C K Mishra received the award on behalf of the ministry.

The Swachhta Pakhwada, observed from February 1 to 15 this year, saw several ministries and government departments organising activities to promote hygiene in their offices, centrally funded hospitals and public health facilities across 36 states and UTs, the release said.

"More pertinently, in addition to the envisaged activities, some of the key contributions include mass awareness generation initiatives through rallies, street plays and painting competitions etc, leveraging the participation and support of public representatives, NGOs, schoolchildren and the community," it stated.

During the fortnight-long campaign, all hospital/clinics were asked to install separate bins for dry and wet garbage and massive cleaning drives were undertaken in the patient wards and premises.

Doctors, nurses and medical staff along with patients and visitors also took part in the sanitation drive, the release added.

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Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri has decided to review the progress of various urban schemes, including the Clean India and Smart City Missions, once every 15 days to accelerate their implementation, a senior official said.

Puri, who was named the Housing and Urban Affairs minister a month ago in the Cabinet reshuffle, told senior officials of his ministry yesterday that a day-long review with them will be undertaken on every first and third Tuesday of a month, the official added.

"Anything that can be measured can be changed. It implies that if we don't monitor and measure the outcomes, the intended change may not come through," he quoted Puri as saying.

The minister also prioritised the outcomes to be monitored under each mission like the number of Waste-to- Wealth projects made functional and toilets built during the fortnight under Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) against the targets.

Similarly, the number of water supply connections provided under Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), projects completed in each of the first batch of 20 smart cities, and affordable houses sanctioned and built under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) will be reviewed.

Puri stressed that the progress report should highlight the efforts made by the central and state governments to speed up execution, implementation hurdles resolved during the last fifteen days, and reasons for delay, if any, the official said.

The minister also stated that Rs 5 lakh crore investments has been approved so far under new urban missions.

He also directed finalisation of the National Rental Housing Policy and the Model Tenancy Act soon, besides highlighting the need for the DDA to immediately notify the Land Pooling Policy already cleared by the Ministry, the official said.

Puri referred to his first month in office as "quite eventful", he added.

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The US today ordered the expulsion of 15 Cuban diplomats in response to Havana's "failure" to take appropriate steps to protect American officials from a series of mysterious health attacks in Cuba.

The decision taken by the State Department comes amid mysterious health attacks on 21 US diplomats in Havana, leaving them with dizziness, concussions, hearing loss and other symptoms.

"The decision was made due to Cuba's failure to take appropriate steps to protect our diplomats in accordance with its obligations under the Vienna Convention. This order will ensure equity in our respective diplomatic operations," said Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.

Tillerson issued the statement after the State Department informed Cuba that it was ordering the expulsion of 15 of its officials from its embassy in Washington DC.

"Until the Government of Cuba can ensure the safety of our diplomats in Cuba, our embassy will be reduced to emergency personnel to minimise the number of diplomats at risk of exposure to harm," Tillerson said.

The cause of the mysterious health attack, which were for the first time reported in August, is still being investigated.

According to some media reports, the attacks were caused through a sonic device. The State Department is yet to find such a device.

The officials have not ruled out the possibility of a third-country behind the attack on its diplomats.

Investigators have been unable to determine who is responsible or what is causing these attacks.

Last month, Tillerson had met his Cuban counterpart Bruno Eduardo Rodriguez Parrilla in Washington. Cuba has denied of having any role in such mysterious attacks and is providing all support to the FBI which is investigating the matter.

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The US Senate today confirmed the nomination of Indian-American Ajit Varadaraj Pai to serve as the chairman of the powerful Federal Communications Commission for the second time despite Democratic complaints that he will undermine net neutrality.

The Senate voted on a bitterly divided partisan lines to confirm Pai's nomination for his second five-year term.

The FCC is an independent agency created by Congressional statute to regulate interstate communications by radio, television, wire, satellite, and cable in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and US territories.

The vote was 52-41 for 44-year-old Pai, who has served as a commissioner at the FCC since 2012.

He is the first Indian American to hold this post.

Speaking on the Senate floor against Pai, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer alleged that during his tenure as acting FCC Chairman, he has established a clear record of favouring big corporations at the expense of consumers, innovators and small businesses.

Pai, he alleged, supported Congressional attempts to reverse the FCC's 2016 broadband privacy rule, which would have prevented big cable and internet companies from profiting off of personal internet data.

Now, internet service providers no longer have to obtain consumer consent before they sell or share sensitive personal data, he rued.

"Most disturbingly, Pai is currently attempting to dismantle the Open Internet Order, the net neutrality rules under which millions of consumers currently have access to a free and open internet," Schumer alleged.

Pai, however defended his work. "Since January, the Commission has focused on bridging the digital divide, promoting innovation, protecting consumers and public safety, and making the FCC more open and transparent," he said.

Several lawmakers agreed with him.

Pai has focused on the expansion of rural broadband and acceleration of next generation infrastructure deployment.

In defense of Pai, Republican Sen Roger Wicker said he is "working to establish the light-touch regulatory framework that allowed the internet to become the marvel of the modern age, keeping it free and open for consumers, innovators and providers. Internet technology will continue to thrive if we keep the heavy hand of government away from the controls."



Senator John Thune, chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, said, "In recent weeks, Pai has worked tirelessly to help ensure communications services are restored to the communities affected by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria."



In just nine months since becoming Chairman, Pai has also made much-needed reforms to improve transparency at the FCC and to improve the agencys processes, he said.

Senator Shelley Moore Capito said Pai truly understands the need to bring more rural communities online and has shown a real commitment to closing the digital divide in America.

Pai understands communications policy from just about every angle no wonder, given his deep and impressive resume, said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.

He comprehends the needs of rural communities in states like mine a product of his own rural upbringing, he said.

However, Senator Blumenthal alleged that Pai has taken one step after another that are contrary to the public interest.

He has launched an attack on net neutrality, and is working adamantly toward undoing the open internet order, the lawmaker charged.

Pai forcefully advocated in support of efforts to rescind the FCCs broadband privacy rules a blatant attack on consumer privacy rights, all the more striking in light of recent concerns about privacy, he said.

"Signing up for the internet should not mean that you have to sign away your rights to privacy. Chairman Pai has raised severe doubts about his commitment to the average American consumer, Blumenthal said.

Soon after becoming the president, Trump designated Pai as acting Chairman of Federal Communications.

He had previously served as Commissioner at FCC.

Appointed by his predecessor Barack Obama, Pai was confirmed unanimously by the Senate in May 2012.

Before joining FCC, Pai was a Partner at Jenner & Block, LLP from 2011 until 2012, and Deputy General Counsel, Associate General Counsel, and Special Advisor to the General Counsel at the FCC from 2007 until 2011.

The son of immigrants from India, Pai grew up in Parsons, Kansas.

Pai graduated with honors from Harvard University in 1994 and from the University of Chicago Law School in 1997, where he was an editor of the University of Chicago Law Review and won the Thomas R Mulroy Prize.

In 2010, Pai was one of 55 individuals nationwide chosen for the 2011 Marshall Memorial Fellowship, a leadership development initiative of the German Marshall Fund of the United States.

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US President Donald Trump and Thai junta leader chief Prayut Chan-O-Cha have reaffirmed theirshared commitment to maintaining peace and stability in the disputed South China Sea amidst flexing of muscles by China.

Underlining the importance of a peaceful and stable South China Sea, US President Donald Trump and Thai junta leader chief Prayut Chan-O-Cha have reaffirmedtheirshared commitment to peaceful resolution of the dispute.

The two leaders, who held talks at the White House, in a joint statement, highlighted the importance of a peaceful and stable South China Sea, a vital waterway for global commerce, and freedom of navigation and overflight.

They reaffirmedtheirshared commitment to peaceful resolution of disputes,including full respect for legal and diplomatic processes,in accordance with universally recognised principles of international law and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Welcoming the adoption of the framework of Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC), they called for an early conclusion of the COC.

Trump and the Thai leader alsoconcurredon the need for a cooperative approach to ensuring a peaceful, stable and sustainable South China Sea.

Trump and Prayut also expressed grave concern about North Korea's unprecedented number of nuclear and ballistic missile testsover the last year.

They urged all parties concerned,to strictly implement all relevant UN Security Council resolutions with a view to realising a peaceful, stable and denuclearised Korean Peninsula.

They also discussed the current situation in Rakhine State of Myanmar.

Describing Prayut's visit as a "great honor," Trump offered a symbolic show of unity with the man behind a 2014 takeover that resulted in Washington cutting aid and cooling relations with one of its oldest alliances.

"We have a very strong relationship right now, as of this moment, and it's getting stronger in the last nine months. We've done a lot of things together, and it is a tremendous, Trump said welcoming his guest to the Oval Office.

Prayut, the first Thai leader to visit the White House since 2005, said the two countries would work together to resolve regional issues of concerns.

"We work, of course, in hand on our security defense cooperation to help ensure that our citizens are safeguarded from terrorism and other threats. Of course, we will work closely in order we solve the regional issue of concern, of course, he said.

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The victims just kept coming. In cars, in ambulances waiting four or five deep, from the walking wounded to the barely alive, they arrived in droves.

"I have no idea who I operated on," said Dr Jay Coates, a trauma surgeon whose hospital took in many of the wounded after a gunman opened fire from his 32nd-floor hotel suite Sunday night on a country music concert below. "They were coming in so fast, we were taking care of bodies. We were just trying to keep people from dying."



It was the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history, with at least 59 killed and 527 injured, some by gunfire, some during the chaotic escape.

University Medical Center of Southern Nevada was one of many hospitals that were overflowing.

"Every bed was full," Coates said. "We had people in the hallways, people outside and more people coming in."



He said the huge, horrifying wounds on his operating table told him this shooting was something different.

"It was very clear that the first patient I took back and operated on that this was a high-powered weapon," Coates said.

"This wasn't a normal street weapon. This was something that did a lot of damage when it entered the body cavity." The gunman, 64-year-old high-stakes gambler and retired accountant Stephen Paddock, killed himself as authorities stormed his hotel room at the Mandalay Bay hotel casino.

He had 23 guns, some with scopes, in the room where he had been staying since Thursday. He knocked out two windows to create sniper's perches he used to rain bullets on the crowd of 22,000 some 500 yards away.

He also had two "bump stocks" that can be used to modify weapons to make them fully automatic, according to two US officials briefed by law enforcement who spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation is still unfolding.

At Paddock's home, authorities found 19 more guns, explosives and thousands of rounds of ammunition. Also, several pounds of ammonium nitrate, a fertilizer that can be turned into explosives, were in his car, authorities said.

The FBI discounted the possibility of international terrorism, even after the Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack. But beyond that, the motive remained a mystery, with Sheriff Joseph Lombardo saying: "I can't get into the mind of a psychopath at this point."



While Paddock appeared to have no criminal history, his father was a bank robber who was on the FBI's most-wanted list in the 1960s.

"I can't even make something up," his brother in Florida, Eric Paddock, said when asked what might have motivated his brother. "There's just nothing.

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Embattled liquor baron Vijay Mallya was"re-arrested" today in a money laundering case filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) of India before being released on a 650,000 pounds bail by a court here.

The 61-year-old flamboyant businessman, already out on bail on an extradition warrant executed by the Metropolitan Police earlier this year, was released on the same bail conditions as before to appear for his extradition hearing on December 4.

Speaking to PTI outside the Westminster Magistrates' Court, Mallya said that he has "done nothing wrong" and described the allegations against him as "fabricated".

The UKs Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), which is arguingthe case against Mallya on behalf of the Indian authorities, told the court the new charges were "supplemental" to the earlier fraud charges against him.

The new case gives evidence of the destination of the allegedly fraudulently obtained funds, some of which they claim may have landed in the Formula One team - Force India.

"It isessentially aboutthe ultimate destination of the funds... some of which we believe ended up in Force India Formula One," said CPS barrister Mark Summers.

The previous fraud charges relate to Mallya'snow-defunct Kingfisher Airlines owing more than Rs 9,000 crore to various Indian banks.

The UB Group chief has been on self-imposed exile in the UK since he left India on March 2, 2016.

The CPS told the court that the money laundering charges had been filed in India on June 14 and submitted as an evidence affidavit for the extradition case in the UK at the end of September.

This resulted in the CPS technically re-filing its extradition request in court today, which has now "superseded" the previous ongoing case.

Judge,Chief Magistrate Emma Louise Arbuthnot, agreed to formally re-open a fresh case while keeping to the same time- table as set before.

However, she concurred with Mallya's defence team that there should be "nothing coming out of the woodwork" because if further evidence keeps coming in it could put the December 4 trial date at "risk".

The CPS defended the Indian authorities over the issue, saying the new charges are linked to the original case.

However, Ben Watson, arguing on behalf of Mallya, sought the court's direction to ensure "nothing further" would be presented from the Indian side.

"We are very keen to keep the December hearing, something thegovernment of India have pushed for. We can't beserved further evidence like this again...we are doing all we can to meet the timetable," he said.

Mallya's team will now respond to the additional evidence by the end of October with further responses on both sides scheduled for early November in time for a pre-trial hearing on November 20.

The judge was sympathetic to the defence team, saying their request was "quite reasonable".

She then informed Mallya that he is freed on the "same bail conditions as before", which he must abide by afterthe court clerk formally asked Mallya if he consented to be extradited to India on the charges and he responded with "no".

The conditions of his bail includeproviding a bail bond worth 650,000 pounds, assuring the court of abiding by all conditions associated with extradition proceedings, such as the surrender of his passport and a ban on him possessing any travel documents.

He is exempt from appearing before the court now until his trial begins in December.

Arbuthnot has been hearing Mallya's extradition case at Westminster Magistrates' Court on his previous arrest warrant executed by Scotland Yard in April.

She is scheduled to preside over the hearing listed for two weeks starting December 4.

If she rules in favour of extradition at the end of the trial, the UKhome secretary must orderMallyas extradition within two months of the appropriate day.

However, the case can go through a series of appeals before arriving at a conclusion.

Sources in New Delhi said his arrest was pursuant to the extradition request made by the Indian government based on money laundering charges against Mallya.

The ED in a statement said that the process for extradition of Mallya to ensure his presence during the trial of the offence of money laundering has been initiated by it.

"For the purpose, a fresh application for his extradition was routed through the Ministry of External Affairs which has since been filed before the concerned court in London," it said.

"The matter came up for hearing today. In pursuance of same Mallya has been arrested in pursuance of the fresh extradition request. He is already facing extradition proceedings in UK in a criminal case of CBI," the ED said.

The statement added that the agency has attached assets worth Rs 9,890 crore (market value), under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), till now in connection with this case.

India and the UK have an Extradition Treaty, signed in 1992, but so far only one extradition has taken place from the UK to India under the arrangement -- Samirbhai Vinubhai Patel,who was sent back to India last October to face trial in connection with his involvement in the post-Godhra riots of 2002.

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The West Bengal Pollution Control Board will hold workshops in schools to raise awareness about sound pollution in the run-up to the Diwali festival.

A WBPCB official said, since children are major users of fire crackers during Diwali, the Board is targeting school students to sensitise them about decibel limits and perils of sound and air pollution.

Students of some schools in Salt Lake have already participated in such workshops before the Durga Puja while more such workshops will be held in other institutions in the city in the coming days.

WBPCB has also handed over sound limiter devices to police to keep a tab on sound pollution, the official said.

An estimated 720 sound limiters, which can measure the sound level at a spot, were handed over to Kolkata Police and Bidhannagar police commissionerates and the cops will monitor sound level on particular festive days, he said.

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ITC Hotels, one of the largest luxury hotel chains, today opened its premium brand in the 5-star segment, WelcomHotel in the city, designed to cater to business and leisure travellers.

The 103-room hotel is poised to offer curated experiences inspired by local traditions in a relaxed ambience with vibrant interiors, company Vice President-South, Anil Chaddha told reporters here.

Stating that the hotel is in close proximity to the business district and shopping areas, Chaddha said the city is an emerging business hub and houses several key IT companies, world class health care set-up and technical educational institutions.

With 11 ITC properties at present, the brand will also make its presence felt in Guntur, Bhuvaneshwar, Pahalgam and Amritsar in the near future, Chaddha said.

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Wells Fargo's chief defended the bank's efforts to rectify a massive fake accounts scandal today, but faced tough questioning from senators and at least one call for his ouster.

Chief executive Tim Sloan, who was promoted to the top job in late 2016 after the scandal exploded, again apologized for the debacle, in which the bank opened as many as 3.5 million potentially phony accounts at a time when executives told Wall Street "cross selling" would boost profits.

Sloan reviewed myriad efforts to compensate affected customers, change payment incentives and better train employees.

"Wells Fargo is a better bank today than it was year ago and in a year it will be a better bank than it is today," he pledged.

The session was a follow-up to a hearing last fall in the same committee at which former chief executive John Stumpf endured bruising questions from senators from both parties and a particularly harsh dressing-down from Massachusetts Democrat Elizabeth Warren, who accused the CEO of "gutless leadership."



Stumpf stepped down three weeks after the hearing and was replaced by Sloan, a 30-year Wells veteran who served as chief operating officer when the fake accounts scandal broke.

Warren also went hard after Sloan, telling him he "should be fired" for not doing more to investigate and address the problem as signs of the scandal surfaced.

"At best you were incompetent," she said. "At worst you were complicit."



Sloan defended his response, saying the bank took some "incremental"



actions early on, but misunderstood the depth of the problem.

"I have made mistakes, I haven't been perfect," he said. "The reason I'm the right person is because I have made change for 30 years."



While some Republican lawmakers also expressed astonishment at the scandal, their questions were generally fairly polite.

But Senator Sherrod Brown lambasted Wells Fargo for forcing consumers in many cases into arbitration, a behind- closed-door process that can keep corporate malfeasance from courtroom exposure and that critics say often leaves consumers paying.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Following opposition from the residents of the tony Malabar Hill area of south Mumbai to a fire engine being parked inside the Priyadarshini Park, the Bombay High Court today asked the civic body to file an affidavit, stating that it had no other option.

A bench of Chief Justice Manjula Chellur and Justice N M Jamdar said it was difficult to believe that in the entire Malabar Hill, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) could not find a "10-square metre area" outside the park.

The court was hearing a plea filed by the Malabar Hill Citizens' Forum against the BMC's decision to park the fire engine inside the sprawling park by erecting a shed.

Several trees were damaged and the park's entrance was demolished to make way for the fire engine and the parking shed, the petitioners claimed, adding that the gates of the park had to be kept open even at night now for the free movement of the fire engine.

The high court had earlier asked the BMC if it could find another parking place for the fire engine in the area.

Advocate Joaquim Reis, appearing for the BMC, told the court that the fire engine occupied only a 10-square metre area in the park, which was spread over a 65,000-square feet (over 6,000 square metre) area, and that it was parked there for the residents' safety.

"But why are you insisting on staying in the park? In the whole of Malabar Hill, you cannot find any other place? Do not treat it as an ego issue. The corporation should instead create a congenial environment for the citizens," the bench said, adding, "And if you want to stay adamant on your stand, then put it on an affidavit."



"The whole of Malabar Hill area is so crowded because of encroachment by the public. The narrow roads are encroached upon by the residents to park their cars every night. But, no one cares about it. A corporation land is used to park two or three rows of cars. Why does the corporation not do something about it?" the bench asked and directed the BMC to submit the affidavit by October 11.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Goa Agriculture Minister Vijai Sardesai today said the Lamani community would not be allowed to carry retail sale of fishes in state, echoing similar sentiment of tourism minister Manohar Ajgaonkar, who earlier spoke about banning the community.

The Karnataka-origin Lamani community is into fish retail business and also in other coastal trades like selling tourist items etc, on the beach side.

Sardesai's statement comes in the wake of recent complaints filed by local retail fish traders against the illegal sale of fishes in South Goa's Margao market, allegedly being done by members of the Lamani community.

"Challenge accepted! Will ban retail sale of fish by Lamanis as a start," Sardesai tweeted.

Goa fisheries minister Vinod Palyekar said that the retail sale of fishes cannot be allowed in wholesale markets.

"I stand by our leader Vijai Sardesai in this crackdown against retail trade at wholesale fish markets. We need to streamline the things. Those who are doing the retail trade in wholesale markets will be strictly dealt with," he told PTI.

Earlier, Ajgaonkar stirred a controversy after he announced that the Lamani community would be banned to carry out business in the state.

After receiving flak for his statement, he later retracted his remarks, claiming that he was not pointing out towards any particular community.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Without providing any evidence to support the claim, the Islamic State group has said the gunman in the mass shooting in Las Vegas was "a soldier" from its ranks who had converted to Islam months ago.

Authorities have yet to identify a motive for the shooting, and said initially there was no evidence of any connection to international terrorism.

The extremist group has a history of exaggerated or false claims, including earlier this year, when it claimed an attack on a casino in the Philippines that turned out to have been a botched robbery carried out by a heavily indebted gambling addict.

The group's Aamaq agency released two brief statements hours after the shooting at a country music concert that killed at least 59 people and wounded more than 500. The group later released Spanish language versions of these statements.

In a third statement released hours later, IS name the purported attacker as "Abu Abd el-Bar al-Amriki (the American)," saying he responded to calls by the group's top leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi to "target the countries of the Crusader coalition" battling the extremist group in Iraq and Syria.

It added that he caused 600 casualties before he exhausted his supply of ammunition and "martyred" himself. Police have identified the shooter as Stephen Craig Paddock, 64, of Mesquite, Nevada, and have said he killed himself after the shooting. Authorities have not commented on his religious background or said what might have motivated the attack.

Most IS attacks have been carried out by much younger men.

Sheriff Joseph Lombardo said authorities believe it was a "lone wolf" attack, and the US Homeland Security Department said there was no "specific credible threat" involving other public venues in the US.

The extremist organisation has suffered a string of major setbacks in Iraq and Syria, where it has lost much of the territory it once claimed as part of a self-styled Islamic caliphate. However, the group remains active in recruiting followers on social media, and has repeatedly called on its supporters to carry out attacks in Western nations.

The IS group often claims attacks by individuals inspired by its message but with no known links to the group.

Before Sunday, the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history took place in June 2016, when a gunman opened fire at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, killing 49 people. The shooter, Omar Mateen, had pledged allegiance to IS and it claimed the attack.

IS claimed the attack on a casino in the Philippines that killed dozens of people, but police later identified the attacker as a Filipino gambling addict who was $80,000 in debt, saying it was a botched robbery that was not terrorism- related.
With the ruling AIADMK facing flak over the spread of dengue in the state which has claimed 23 lives so far, the Tamil Nadu government today said it has undertaken work on "war-footing" to address the issue.

Health Minister C Vijaya Baskar said that a sum of Rs 13.95 crore has been for towards mosquito eradication efforts.

"Work on war-footing has been undertaken by the government to control the spread of dengue. Nilavembu (Anti- Pyretic-- used to treat fever) juice is being provided across 1,500 medical centres and medical colleges," he said.

Further, 2,000 kg of nilavembu powder prepared by the state-run Tamil Nadu Medical Plant Farms and Herbal Medicine Corporation Limited (TAMPCOL) was being used to prepare decoction and this was being provided to the public across all primary health centres, he said.

Further, following the directions of Chief Minister K Palaniswami, who has taken stock of the situation, dengue eradication programmes will be held every Thursday, he said.

The minister urged people to visit their nearest government hospitals at the slightest hint of fever, saying 837 cell counter machines are being established in all the government hospitals for dengue tests.

He also asked the public to ensure that their surroundings are clean.

The government also called for "more cooperation" from the public in its efforts to control the spread of the fever, since "mass breeding of mosquitoes" happen mostly in domestic and semi-domestic areas.

In this calendar year, there have been nearly 75 fever- related deaths in the state, with 23 of them due to dengue, Health department officials said.

Deaths from swine-flu and leptospirosis besides others comprise the rest of the deaths, they said.

"The fact is that of the nearly 10,000 cases of fever, especially dengue, 9,900 people have survived and recovered," the officials said.

There was no need for people to panic, they said, adding, residents should mainly ensure that their surroundings are kept clean.

"Dengue is caused by mass breeding of mosquitoes, mainly in fresh water sources, and therefore containers, drums or other storage devices holding water should remain closed," they said.

The Tamil Nadu government has come under severe criticism following deaths due to dengue in cities including Chennai and Coimbatore, with the opposition targeting it over the spread of the fever.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Chinese President Xi Jinping has reshuffled the top leadership of the powerful PLA, packing it with a new set of generals, vastly strenghtening his power base in the world's largest military ahead of the Congress of the ruling Communist party.

The reshuffle comes prior to the 19th Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) which will open here from October 18. The meeting is widely expected to confer a second five-year term to Xi as General Secretary.

Two top officials, Gen. Fang Fenghui, head of the Joint Staff Department Central Military Commission (CMC), and Gen. Zhang Yang, head of its Political Work Department have been removed in the latest shake up of the 2.3 million strong PLA, increasing Xi's dominance over the military.

Xi heads the all-powerful CMC the overall high command of the PLA and he is the only civilian in the 11-member body.

The "ousting" of Fang and Zhang is further proof that Xi is "cementing his control over the military", the Hong Kong- based South China Morning Post reported today.

Fang has been replaced by Gen. Li Zuocheng, a decorated veteran of the Sino-Vietnamese war and Admiral Miao Hua, formerly the PLA Navy's political commissar has been appointed as head of the Political Work Department in the place of Gen. Zhang.

Xi promoted Li to full general and Miao to the equivalent naval rank in 2015 and both men are seen as being firmly in his camp, the Post report said.

He heads the Presidency and the military, which makes him far more powerful compared to his predecessor, Hu Jintao.

In his first term, Xi has carried out a massive anti- graft campaign in the party and the military in which thousands of officials from top to bottom were either punished or purged.

"Whatever option will be chosen, the first thing Xi will do is to root out the harmful influence left by the two disgraced CMC vice-chairmen, Guo Boxiong and Xu Caihou," the Post quoted an official as saying.

Guo and Xu became the most senior military officers probed for buying and selling military ranks and other forms of corruption in the sweeping anti-graft campaign launched by Xi soon after he became party general secretary in November 2012.

Since then, at least 13,000 military officers involved in corruption have been punished, the Post quoted a report by the PLA Daily, official organ of the Chinese military as saying.

Guo, 75, was sentenced to life imprisonment in July last year and Xu died of cancer at the age of 72 in 2015 while in custody and under investigation for graft.

Since he took over Xi's focus remained on revamping the military. In an unprecedented overhaul, he had announced that PLA would shed three lakh troops, taking their number down to two million.

He has also cut the size of the army to a million and vastly increased the role of the navy and the air force to assist Chinas global push for influence.

He had also scrapped the PLAs four former headquarters



General Staff, General Political, General Logistics and General Armaments and established 15 functional departments to divide their powers.

The PLAs seven military commands were also reshaped into five theatre commands.

Xi will use the party congress to restructure the CMC, the Post quoted officials as saying.

He may either trim the size of the 11-member CMC to just the chairman and four vice-chairmen or induct heads of the five theatre commands into the high power body.

The current CMC comprises one chairman, two vice- chairmen, and eight regular members: the defence minister, the heads of the four former headquarters, and the commanders of the air force, navy and rocket force.

"Rooting out the harmful influence of Guo and Xu is one of the key reasons Xi needs to reform the CMC," Beijing-based military expert Li Jie told the Post.

The structure of the commission also needs to fit the ongoing military overhaul, with thousands of senior officers being laid off, he said.

Shanghai-based political commentator Chen Daoyin said Xi was intent on reforming the CMC to strengthen his hand against those in the party opposed to his new political thinking.

Xi hoped his political ideas would to be in included in the party constitution at the upcoming congress, like those of his predecessors Mao Zedong, Deng Xiaoping, Jiang Zemin and Hu Jintao, and become part of the partys political guidelines.

"But it seems there are some different voices inside the party against him," Chen told Post.

"The removal Fang and Zhang and reform the CMC could remind his opponents that Xi has absolute dominance in the army, which helped put the Communist Party in power," he said.
By Huw Jones and William Schomberg

LONDON (Reuters) - Brexit poses risks to the ability of British companies to borrow from European banks and to some clearing activity which might have to relocate from London once Britain leaves the EU, the Bank of England said on Tuesday.

Banks from the bloc and other associated countries accounted for around 10 percent of lending to British companies, the BoE's Financial Policy Committee (FPC) said in a summary of its most recent meeting held on Sept. 20.

Currently, those banks can operate as branches but they might have to upgrade to fully fledged subsidiaries after Brexit, a process that could take many months.

"The risk of disruption to wholesale UK banking services appeared to be slightly higher than previously thought, given that a number of EEA (European Economic Area) firms branching into the UK were not sufficiently focused on addressing this issue," the FPC said in a statement.

The BoE's Prudential Regulation Authority was "engaging firms to improve the state of their contingency planning."

PRA Chief Executive Sam Woods told last week that he expected 130 licence applications from branches.

"Firms would need to start seeking authorisations in 2018 Q1," the FPC said.

The FPC also said there was a "substantial risk" of disruption to cross-border clearing operations in financial services, such as derivatives used by companies to hedge themselves against potential financial market swings.

The EU has published a draft law that would require clearing of euro-denominated transactions in some cases to be shifted from London to cities in the bloc after Brexit, a proposal resisted by Britain.

The FPC said clearing houses were examining contingency options "including the potential to relocate some clearing activity from the UK in order to continue to provide services to EU clients."

But this option was not available in segments of the market "where the complexity and cost of any migration was significant".

"In the event of access restrictions to those markets, EU firms would therefore have to move their activity to another CCP (clearing house), which was likely to be difficult to achieve before the point of EU withdrawal," the FPC said.

LCH, a unit of the London Stock Exchange and which dominates clearing in euro-denominated swaps, said it could not comment on any contingency plans.

Banks have said it would be costly and cumbersome to shift their derivatives positions to LCH's Paris unit or to another clearer like Eurex in Frankfurt.

(Reporting by Huw Jones and William Schomberg; Editing by Catherine Evans)

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
By Marc Jones

LONDON (Reuters) - The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is to shut five of its seven offices in Russia next year, as the bank pursues a freeze on lending there since the 2014 Ukraine crisis.

The axe will fall on all but its Moscow and St Petersburg branches, highlighting the extent to which Western-led sanctions have shifted the development bank away from what was, for many years, its largest and most profitable markets.

Sources within the London-based EBRD told that the cuts had been on the cards for some time. A bank spokesman confirmed on Tuesday that a decision had now been made.

"We will be closing 5 small regional offices in Yekaterinburg, Krasnoyarsk, Rostov-on-Don, Vladivostok and Samara at the end of first quarter 2018," the EBRD's managing director for communications Jonathan Charles said.

While the move is likely to underscore the poor state of relations between the West and Russia - the EBRD's biggest shareholders are U.S., European and other G7 governments - the closures are likely to affect only a handful of EBRD staff.

The bank had around 160 personnel in its seven offices before the 2014 Ukraine crisis. Back then it had over 5 billion euros in projects in Russia, from Volkswagen car plants to a long list of equity stakes in companies and banks.

Since then work has been reduced to tending to the bank's legacy Russia portfolio or to limited projects where Russian companies invest in other countries alongside the EBRD.

As a result roughly half of those staff have either moved elsewhere in the bank or left it altogether.

"I deeply regret that the EBRD lost Russia, it's largest and most profitable market," Russia's representative at the EBRD in London, Denis Morozov, told .

"It's also very sad that the Bank cannot any more deliver on its mandate and help to change Russia to a better place," adding that it had also lost experience and contacts built up over two decades of work in the country.

The EBRD was created as the Cold War came to end in 1991, specifically to invest in former Soviet-bloc states and help them make the transition to market-based economies.

At the start of 2017 some EBRD officials had privately talked about the possibility of restarting some work with the private sector in Russia.

But these prospects evaporated shortly thereafter when the scandal over contact between members of U.S. President Donald Trump's team and Russian officials during last year's election campaign soured the international mood towards Moscow further.

Moscow then accused the EBRD of becoming a "tool" of western foreign policy in May this year after the governors of the lender to former communist Europe rejected its call to restart lending to Russia.

The EBRD still has a 3 billion euro portfolio of Russian investments but this continues to steadily shrink as firms there pay back their EBRD loans and the bank itself continues the normal process of selling down its equity stakes.

"Should our operational requirements in Russia change, we would be ready to re-examine our infrastructure and staffing requirements," EBRD spokesman Charles said.

(Reporting by Marc Jones; Editing by Richard Balmforth)

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
NEW YORK (Reuters) - General Electric Co named John Flannery chairman of the board on Monday, three months ahead of schedule, after former CEO Jeff Immelt retired earlier than expected from the chairmanship.

The maker of aircraft engines, locomotives, power plants and other industrial equipment also named Lorenzo Simonelli chairman of Baker Hughes GE, succeeding Immelt. Simonelli is CEO of that business, which GE acquired in July.

Immelt's early departure will free him to go after opportunities outside GE, said a source familiar with the situation. Immelt last month took himself out of the running for the CEO job at ride-hailing company Uber Technologies Inc[UBER.UL].

GE said Immelt had decided that the handover of his CEO job to Flannery had already "proceeded smoothly" and that Flannery was ready to take on the additional duties of chairman.

Immelt handed over the GE CEO role to Flannery on Aug. 1, capping 16 years leading the 125-year-old company. As CEO, he transformed GE's portfolio, focusing it on major industrial products and mapping a strategy to develop a platform for industrial-related software and services.

In the last two years, Immelt came under overt pressure from activist investor Nelson Peltz's Trian Fund Management, which was among investors who thought GE's financial and stock performance needed to improve.

GE also named W. Geoffrey Beattie as lead independent director at Baker Hughes. Beattie was CEO of the Woodbridge Co, the Thomson family company that controls and financial information provider Thomson Corp .

(Reporting by Alwyn Scott in New York and Ankit Ajmera in Bengaluru; editing by Clive McKeef)

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
"Still thinking about #Bitcoin. No conclusion - not endorsing/rejecting. Know that folks also were sceptical when paper money displaced gold," Blankfein tweeted on Tuesday. (http://bit.ly/2xP543l)

The plan is in early stages and may not proceed, the Wall Street Journal report on Monday, citing people familiar with the matter. (http://on.wsj.com/2xMdWq8)

Blankfein's tweet is in sharp contrast to comments made by JPMorgan Chase & Co CEO Jamie Dimon, who called bitcoin a "fraud."

Bitcoin is a digital currency that enables individuals to transfer value to each other and pay for goods and services bypassing banks. The market is fraught with volatility, with bitcoin prices topping nearly $5,000 in early September and then declining sharply after Chinese authorities said they would ban the process of raising funds through launches of token-based digital currencies.

Speaking at a bank investor conference in New York last month, Dimon said, "The currency isn't going to work. You can't have a business where people can invent a currency out of thin air and think that people who are buying it are really smart."

"It is worse than tulips bulbs," Dimon said, referring to a famous market bubble from the 1600s.

Goldman's arch rival Morgan Stanley spoke in favour of the currency, with CEO James Gorman calling it "more than just a fad." (http://on.ft.com/2xMStNS)

Former Fortress Investment Group LLC executive Mike Novogratz is also starting a $500 million hedge fund to invest in digital currencies like bitcoin.

(Reporting by Aparajita Saxena in Bengaluru and Olivia Oran in New York; Editing by Anil D'Silva and Lisa Shumaker)

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
MUMBAI (Reuters) - India's coffee output is likely to rise 12.3 percent from a year ago to 350,400 tonnes in 2017/18 due to an expansion in the area under cultivation, the state-run Coffee Board said on Tuesday.

The South Asian country, which is famous as a tea producer, is also the world's No.6 coffee grower, mainly churning out the robusta beans used to make instant coffee, but also producing some of the more expensive arabica variety.

The country's robusta production is likely to rise 14 percent to 247,300 tonnes in the marketing year that started on Oct. 1, while arabica output could rise 8.5 percent to 103,100 tonnes, the board said.

India, which some say started coffee cultivation in 1670 with seven smuggled beans, exports three-quarters of its production.

Italy, Germany and Belgium are the main buyers of India's crop, paying a premium over global prices.

(Reporting by Rajendra Jadhav; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu)

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
(Reuters) - Losses from Hurricane Maria and other recent 2017 natural catastrophes, including Hurricanes Irma and Harvey, the Mexico City earthquakes and other events, have led global insurers and reinsurers to issue profit warnings.

Below are statements from insurers and reinsurers in the wake of the catastrophes (in alphabetical order):

ALLSTATE

Allstate Corp, the second-largest U.S. homeowners' insurer based on premiums collected, estimated pre-tax catastrophe losses of $593 million, net of reinsurance recoveries, for August.

BEAZLEY

Lloyd's of London insurer Beazley said losses from hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria and a series of earthquakes in Mexico would reduce its 2017 earnings by about $150 million.

CHUBB

U.S. property and casualty insurer Chubb Ltd estimated after-tax losses of up to $1.28 billion from hurricanes Harvey and Irma. It expects insured losses of about $520 million from Harvey and $640 million to $760 million from Irma after tax.

The world's largest listed property and casualty insurer estimated the maximum net insurance and net reinsurance losses related to Hurricane Maria would be about $200 million after tax for the third quarter.

HANNOVER RE

German reinsurer Hannover Re said it could miss its 2017 profit target because of claims from the natural disasters, its first such warning since the 2008 financial crisis.

HCI GROUP

HCI Group's principal operating subsidiary, Homeowners Choice Property & Casualty Insurance, a provider of home insurance in Florida, issued a preliminary estimate indicating its losses related to Hurricane Irma would be $100-$300 million.

HISCOX

Lloyd's of London underwriter Hiscox Ltd estimated it would face net claims totalling about $225 million from Harvey and Irma.

LLOYD'S OF LONDON

Lloyd's of London expects net losses of $4.5 billion from hurricanes Harvey and Irma, which analysts said would eat into the insurer's capital and hit its profitability. Lloyd's 80-plus syndicates have already paid out more than $160 million in claims from Harvey and more than $240 million from Irma.

MAIDEN HOLDINGS

Maiden Holdings Ltd said it expected a net impact from Harvey on its third-quarter results of $6-$18 million and $2-$13 million from Irma.

MAPFRE

Spain's Mapfre SA said the size and frequency of hurricanes in the Caribbean and earthquake in Mexico would imply a net cost of between 150-200 million euros on its attributable result for the year.

MUNICH RE

Germany's Munich Re warned it could miss its profit target this year, the first major reinsurer to flag a hit to earnings from damage caused by hurricanes Harvey and Irma.

PROASSURANCE CORPORATION

Proassurance Corp estimated net pretax losses from Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria to be about $7.5 million.

QBE INSURANCE GROUP

Australia's biggest insurer, QBE Insurance Group, revealed a $600 million earnings hit on its business from hurricanes in the Atlantic and earthquakes in Mexico.

RLI CORP

Specialty insurer RLI Corp said it expects third-quarter pretax losses of $30-$40 million from Harvey and Irma, net of reinsurance.

RSA INSURANCE

British motor and home insurer RSA said its UK business would see catastrophe losses from the U.S., Caribbean and Mexico, impacting September results in the marine and international portfolios.

SCOR

French reinsurer Scor said hurricanes Harvey and Irma are expected to represent an earnings event rather than a capital event in the third quarter.

TALANX

German insurer Talanx warned it may miss its profit target for 2017 as its reinsurer Hannover Re is being hit by major claims from a series of hurricanes and an earthquake in Mexico.

(Compiled by Noor Zainab Hussain in Bengaluru; Editing by Jason Neely)

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Smartphone maker Mobiles is planning to invest around Rs 2,200 crore in India for a mobile phone manufacturing facility. The proposed investment will be at Greater Noida.

The company has submitted documents related to the proposed project to the Environment Ministry and said that the net amount required for the establishment of the second unit in Uttar Pradesh includes land as well as development costs.
India's ride-hailing company Ola (ANI Technologies Pvt. Ltd) raised $2 billion from a clutch of investors. The investors in the new financing round include Japanese telecom giant SoftBank, which is also the largest shareholder in Ola and Chinese internet conglomerate Tencent.

The Bengaluru headquartered start-up also received funding from a venture capital fund jointly run by Tata Sons chairman emeritus Ratan Tata and the University of California's investment arm and several US institutional investors, Bloomberg reported.

Chinese internet giant Tencent has finalised its $400-million investment in ride-hailing service Ola, valuing the company at over $3.8 billion. The paperwork for the transaction has been finalised and the deal is awaiting approval from CCI, another report in The Economic Times said.

"The investment has been completed and the understanding is that a sizeable portion will be allotted towards boosting the electric vehicle segment," it added.

Japan's SoftBank has been looking to consolidate in India's rapidly growing startup ecosystem with investments that include about $1 billion in e-commerce company Snapdeal and $70 million in grocery delivery group Grofers.

In May, the cab-hailing firm had amended its Articles of Association (AoA) giving more rights of its founders and restricting the power of its largest investor SoftBank Group Corp.

According to the amended terms, SoftBank needs the approval of Ola co-founder CEO Bhavish Aggarwal and Ankit Bhati, who is also Ola's chief technology officer to increase its stake.

Ola had earlier said the firm is focusing on building a sustainable business and will turn profitable in two years even as it used the analogy of "Vietnam War" to describe competition with its US-based rival Uber.

"We are the local guerillas. We have the Americans carpet bombing us but we will go into the nooks and corners of the country and we will find those opportunities in niche areas and in large areas," Ola co-founder and CEO Bhavish Aggarwal said.

"We have significantly improved our bottom-line over the past year or so and we have a very clear path to profitability . Within the next two years, we will be profitable," Aggarwal said.
Ride-hailing company Ola on Monday secured USD 2 billion in new funding from a group of investors, including SoftBank Group Corp and Tencent Holdings Ltd, Bloomberg reported, citing a person familiar with the matter. The funding round isn't finished yet and the amount could change, the person said.

The funding is also backed by venture capital fund jointly run by Indian industrialist Ratan Tata, the University of California's investment arm and U.S. institutional investors, Bloomberg said, citing people familiar with the deal.

Japan's SoftBank has been looking to play consolidator in India's flourishing startup ecosystem with investments that include about $1 billion in e-commerce company Snapdeal and $70 million in grocery delivery group Grofers. Ola and SoftBank declined to comment, while Tencent was not immediately available for comment.
Is the iconic Taj Mahal, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, perhaps the most popular monument of the country, not good enough to feature in UP state's tourism booklet? If the booklet is anything to go by, that might just be the case.

The UP government released the tourism booklet, 'Uttar Pradesh Paryatan - Apaar Sambhavnayen', on World Tourism Day and did not feature Taj Mahal in it. The booklet, however, features the importance of the Ganga Aarti, pictures of CM Yogi Adityanath and tourism minister Rita Bahuguna, and two pages on the Gorakhdham temple. The cover of the booklet also features the Ganga Aarti and pictures of Yogi Adityanath and Rita Bahuguna on the first pages.



After receiving flak from people all over the country, the Yogi government said that the monument was left out of the booklet deliberately. According to a report in India Today , the UP government mentioned that the booklet only highlights the projects that have been undertaken by the government to spruce up India's tourist attractions.



Director General of UP tourism, Avneesh Awasthi, told TOI that there was no question of not including the monument as it is one of India's biggest attractions. Awasthi also mentioned that the booklet was not a collection of UP's tourist attractions but current and upcoming projects that the government is undertaking.

Most of the criticism faced by the Yogi government regarding this booklet is due to a statement the CM had made three months ago. During a rally in Darbhanga, he had criticised the practice of presenting foreign dignitaries with replicas of the Taj Mahal and said that it did not reflect Indian culture. The CM's first state budget - for 2017-2018 - also made no mention of the monument in its special section 'Hamari Sanskritik Virasat'or Our Cultural Heritage.
Fugitive businessman Vijay Mallya was arrested on Tuesday in London in connection with a money laundering case, but was granted bail within few minutes. Today's arrest was part of a second money laundering case that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) filed in a London court. Former liquor baron is accused of transferring a huge chunk of Rs 6,027-crore loan he took for his now-defunct Kingfisher Airlines to shell companies in seven countries.

Mallya, who was taken to Westminster Magistrates' Court, was put under procedural arrest, but he did not stay behind bars for long. Mallya was granted bail soon after. More charges are expected to be added at Westminster Magistrates' Court today, UK's Crown Prosecution Service said.

The 61-year-old former tycoon said 'no' to the chief magistrate's query on whether he agreed with his extradition to India. Vijay Mallya's lawyers said that an arrest in a case like this is not out of the ordinary. Hearing on the bail took place at Westminster court in London.

The procedural arrest is expected to strengthen the extradition case against Mallya. Meanwhile, Enforcement Directorate (ED) has stated that they have a watertight case case against Mallya.

Indian authorities have filed two separate charge-sheets in the UK over Mallya's alleged money laundering - one by the Central Bureau of Investigation and the other by the Enforcement Directorate. Mallya's April arrest was in connection with the CBI charge-sheet while today's arrest was in connection with the ED's application.

As the final hearing on Vijay Mallya's extradition is expected in December, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) will be pinning their hopes on the December 4 extradition hearing. The new evidence is likely to build up a stronger case for Mallya's extradition from the United Kingdom.

This was Mallya's second arrest in the UK after he escaped from the country. Mallya owes Indian banks Rs 6,963 crore (Rs Rs 9,091 crore with interest) and is wanted in India for cases relating to foreign exchange violation, debt recovery and embezzlement.

Mallya fled to Britain in March 2016 after being pursued for recovery of Rs 9,091 crore owed to a consortium of 17 Indian banks by his now defunct Kingfisher Airlines. Mallya was earlier arrested and granted bail in London on April 18 by the Scotland Yard on an extradition warrant.

India has been pushing for Mallya's extradition, with even the Prime Minister's Office getting involved. In November last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally explained to visiting British PM Theresa May why it was important that Mallya be returned to India.
Following Prime Minister Modi's visit to the United States earlier this summer, the opportunity for the U.S.-India relationship to flourish has never been greater. I was fortunate to meet with Prime Minister Modi on this trip, along with other business leaders, and again in India just a few weeks ago around the launch of the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum. We have reached an inflection point in U.S.-India relations, where both countries can reach even greater heights by working together to accelerate economic growth, job creation, innovation and entrepreneurship, and, most importantly, improve the lives of citizens.

Reflecting on my recent meetings with Prime Minister Modi and the incredible progress that has been made over the past few years, particularly the past 12 months, I could not help to think about how differently things could have played out without such strong government leadership. The Prime Minister has the ability to create a vision, communicate it well while building hope for its future, and eventually execute that vision - once he determines something is good for India, he is truly fearless. While India has long been an important global market, never before has it attracted so much enthusiasm from the American business community. But today, as the fastest growing economy in the world with 1.3 billion consumers, India's potential is impossible to ignore.

India's economic transformation, from slow follower to fast innovator in a matter of several years, can be attributed in large part to Prime Minister Modi's ambitious economic reforms to increase the ease of doing business in India, as well as the unprecedented investments in accelerating India's digital infrastructure. While it's hard to imagine India moving any faster, I believe it's just getting started. By staying the course on these recent fundamental changes to the economy, India will be the second largest economy by 2050.

Rebooting the Indian Economy

Change is never easy, especially when that change involves removing 86 percent of a country's printed currency from circulation. Yet, demonetizing India's monetary system is a critical step towards dismantling the cash-centric black market and getting more of the population on a formal, taxable economic grid. More importantly, it moves India's economy into the 21st century.

The benefits of this decision are already apparent. Prior to demonetization, India used cash for upwards of 95 percent of all payments, and 90 percent of the country's vendors did not have the means to accept anything but cash. Now the citizens of are opening up properly documented bank accounts and embracing card-based and mobile payments in record numbers. The digital transactions industry alone witnessed 55 percent year-over-year growth by volume, compared to 28 percent over the previous five years. As a result, the banking system will improve as India heads towards a cashless society, which will ultimately increase credit access and financial inclusion beyond reducing the "black economy." I commend Prime Minister Modi for having the courage to act swiftly and decisively on an issue that will have a profound impact on India's economic longevity.

Creating a "Good and Simple Tax"

This July, the Indian government formally adopted the Goods and Service Tax (GST) to streamline the country's complicated system of local and national tax levies into one payment. Also referred to as the "Good and Simple Tax" by Prime Minister Modi, the GST will be a game-changer for the Indian economy.

By simplifying the existing tax system, which used to differ by each state, India is poised to better attract foreign investors often deterred by the red tape associated with transporting goods between territories. According to recent remarks by Prime Minister Modi, the abolition of inter-state check posts after the implementation of GST has already reduced time for movement of goods by 30 percent and saved thousands of crores of rupees. And this is just the beginning. Some economic experts even project that the implementation of the GST will increase the Indian GDP by 1 to 2 percent.

Leapfrogging India into the Digital Age

Digital innovation is the single most effective way for countries to maintain competitiveness and create jobs. No leader understands this more than Prime Minister Modi, who has made accelerating India's digital economy a cornerstone of his leadership vision and strategy. Launched in 2015, his Digital India program has committed unprecedented investments to building the country's digital infrastructure. Of all the changes ushered in by Modi, I believe this will play the greatest role in providing jobs to India's rapidly growing workforce, which grows by over 1 million new people each month. And this will not only impact India-collaboration on the digital front has the potential to uplift bilateral trade to new heights.

I believe that the future is brighter than ever in India. Thanks to the government's willingness to embrace tough but essential economic reforms, India will serve as a model for the rest of the world not as an emerging country, but as a developed country that has the power to reinvent itself again and again.

John Chambers, Executive Chairman, Cisco, Chairman, US-India Strategic Partnership Forum


India's ambitions to become a smartphone-making powerhouse are foundering over a lack of skilled labor and part suppliers along with a complex tax regime, industry executives say.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has championed a manufacturing drive, under the slogan 'Make in India', to boost the sluggish economy and create millions of jobs. Among the headline-grabbing details was a plan to eventually make Apple iPhones in India.

Three years on, as executives and bureaucrats crowded into a Delhi convention center for an inaugural mobile congress last week, India has managed only to assemble phones from imported components.

While contract manufacturers such as iPhone-maker Foxconn Technology Co (2354.TW) and Flextronics Corp have set up base in India, one of the world's fastest-growing smartphone markets, almost none of the higher value chip sets, cameras and other high-end components are made domestically.

Plans for Taiwan-based Foxconn to build an electronics plant in the state of Maharashtra, which local officials said in 2015 could employ some 50,000 people, have gone quiet.

According to tech research firm Counterpoint, while phones are assembled domestically because of taxes on imported phones, locally made content in those phones is usually restricted to headphones and chargers - about 5 percent of a device's cost.

"Rather than feeling that India is a place where I should be making mobile phones, it's more like this is the place I need to(assemble) phones because there is lower duty if I import components and assemble here," a senior executive with a Chinese smartphone maker said.

He declined to be named for fear of harming business.

TAX DISPUTES

Others listed the lack of skilled engineers and a sparse network of local component makers. They also cited high-profile tax disputes between India and foreign companies such as Nokia (NOKIA.HE). Nokia eventually suspended mobile handset production at its southern India facility.

"The Nokia escapade is in people's memory when they try to come here," a second industry source told Reuters at the first Indian Mobile Congress in capital New Delhi, which ended on Friday.

India's nationwide sales tax (GST), which kicked in this year to replace a string of different levies, is also fraught with its own challenges, such as a lengthy tax-refund process that delays payments to suppliers, the source added.

Last week, India rattled investors after publicly musing about possible changes in a $2.6 billion 2015 diesel locomotive contract with General Electric (GE.N). The government has since said it would not take any hasty decisions.

"We needed some push from the government to start manufacturing," said Neeraj Sharma, the India head of Chinese chipmaker Spreadtrum. "It was required, because without that nothing was happening."

But India now needs more sophisticated technology - such as surface-mounting technology, which places components directly on top of a printed board - to build a supply chain, he said. Otherwise, firms will not do research in India, Sharma said. "For design to happen, we need strong local players."

PHASED PROGRAM

The government says it has a phased program to manufacture phones, aiming to step up value added locally every year.

"While we have made a start with getting in mobile assembling, we want to move up the value chain," India's telecoms secretary Aruna Sundarajan told reporters. "A lot of investors have shown very significant interest in this area."

The Phased Manufacturing Programme began in 2016 with the manufacture of phone chargers and batteries and envisages the production of higher-end components by 2020.

Sundarajan said the government was also trying to give investors "a reasonable degree of certainty", while also dealing with constant disruption to the industry.

But for smartphone makers used to China's predictability, India may need to do more, executives warn.

A third senior source at a Chinese smartphone maker in India said some Chinese players were rattled by labor unrest, including suspended operations at a facility belonging to smartphone maker Oppo earlier this year, after a foreign employee was reported to have torn a picture of the Indian flag.

Oppo said at the time it regretted the incident.

"Labor laws are lax, there's little effort to build a component ecosystem and logistics, and transport remains a big problem," the third source said.

"No one seems to be investing in skilled labor that will build the phones
70 percent of Abkhazias diplomatic notes do not address its patron state Russia, but are sent to the few other states that have recognized its independence. It is surprising that countries like Nauru or Vanuatu obtain so much sustained attention from Abkhazia. The contested territory is usually perceived to rely solely on Russia. However, by exercising courtesy towards all partner countries, Abkhazia wants to present itself as a polity that is capable of behaving as a real sovereign state within the international community, projecting the image of normalized statehood that the region seeks to attain. Any attempts to thoroughly understand post-Soviet breakaway territories should pay closer attention to their external ties beyond their patron.

BACKGROUND: Abkhazias foreign ministry can behave very well: On the birthday of Nicaraguas Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs in February 2017, Abkhazias foreign ministry sent a diplomatic note to extend its kindest wishes to the jubilarian. When Naurus Transport Minister passed away in December 2016, Abkhazias foreign ministry was quick to send a diplomatic note of condolences to the family and friends of the deceased. The Abkhazian diplomatic service is always ready to send its polite notes on independence days, elections, birthdays, and other occasions in a show of diplomatic courtesy. This interaction, of course, is limited to those countries that have so far recognized Abkhazia, i.e. Nauru, Nicaragua, Vanuatu, Venezuela, but also its fellow breakaway regions South Ossetia, Transnistria, and Nagorno-Karabakh  and, of course, Russia.

Nothing about this formality is original or new: diplomatic notes, commonly referred to by its French term notes diplomatiques, has been in use for many centuries. They signal that a country pays close attention events in another, and that it shares the others joys and sorrows.

But the Abkhazian case is still noteworthy for at least two reasons. First, it confirms that Abkhazia has further succeeded in its continuous state-building efforts. Analysts often note that Abkhazia possesses all the symbols that reflect the claimed sovereign statehood: a flag, an anthem, a territory, a currency, state awards, etc. The fact that its foreign ministry has also started to operate according to the conventions of sovereign states is simply another expression of this development.

A second observation, however, may be more surprising: a look at the collection of diplomatic notes on the website of Abkhazias Ministry of Foreign Affairs reveals that during the period for which the data is available (November 2016 to August 2017), only 30 percent of the diplomatic notes (13 out of 44) were sent to Russia. This means that Abkhazia conducts 70 percent of its diplomatic interaction with other countries  such as Vanuatu or Nauru. These numbers shatter the common assumption that Abkhazia has only one reference point in foreign relations  namely its patron state, Russia.

IMPLICATIONS: The fact that Abkhazias diplomacy frequently manages relationships with countries other than Russia has been completely neglected in the (international) scholarship on this topic. Almost all analyses have merely focused on Abkhazias external ties to Russia and the parent state Georgia, often in geopolitical terms that seek to uncover traces of wars and crises.

This focus on Russia certainly has good reasons. Russia is the only great power that has recognized Abkhazias independence, and Russias role in Abkhazias military defense, economy and politics is more than disproportionately large.

Yet Abkhazias foreign policy activities demonstrate that Russia is not the sole reference point in the regions external relations. The government is investing diplomatic resources in order to constantly keep track of the internal happenings in all these tiny Pacific islands and far-away Latin American countries that have recognized it. Abkhazias diplomacy never misses an opportunity to signal a sense of political proximity; that it cares for the other, that it is there for its partners and that it shares the others joys and sorrows. But why does Abkhazia invest so much of its diplomatic capital beyond Russia? There is no reason to believe that Abkhazia could ever, in the foreseeable future, gain significant material benefits from these relationships.

One may nevertheless suspect a strategy behind this diplomatic courtesy; it sends particular signals to the international community and to the Abkhazian domestic audience. Abkhazia projects to the international community that it is capable of greater involvement in a wider web of intergovernmental relations. It demonstrates that Abkhazia has successfully learned to be a good state despite little recognition, which in turn sustains the illusion that it has attained the normalized statehood that its leadership and population longs for. Since these diplomatic relations are limited to those countries that have recognized Abkhazia, they do not cause any status conflicts and thus become externally acceptable to the international community. To its own inhabitants, Abkhazia signals that it has additional friends out there, other than Russia, which the country can rely on for external support, and that it is gradually normalizing its foreign policy behavior. The Abkhaz government hopes that these achievements will increase its internal approval, which is of utmost importance for a country that cannot count on external legitimacy.

Moreover, this finding has strong implications for international relations scholarship focusing on this region. It indicates that there is a need to analytically go beyond the patron states of the contested post-Soviet states. Only by closely following the ties that Abkhazia and other Russia-backed breakaway territories enjoy with countries beyond their patron, one can proceed further to a holistic understanding of these crisis-ridden areas. The Abkhazian notes diplomatiques are only one example; parallel instances may indicate how these regions tap political resources from places other than Russia.

CONCLUSIONS: Post-Soviet breakaway territories are perceived to completely rely on their one and only patron state, Russia. However, Abkhazias diplomatic interactions indicate that this view is misleading. 70 percent of Abkhazias diplomatic notes are sent to countries like Vanuatu, Nauru, Venezuela or Nicaragua in an attempt to manage the territorys international relations to all states that have recognized it. Abkhazias foreign ministry takes these external ties seriously, and it pays close attention to the Latin American countries or Pacific islands internal developments. Its diplomacy is quick to respond to their partners political lives when deemed apt and polite  when a natural catastrophe hits Nauru, Abkhazia sends condolences, and when Nicaragua celebrates its Independence Day, Abkhazia sends congratulatory words.

By doing so, Abkhazia seeks to professionalize and internationalize its claimed statehood, and it signals to the domestic audience that the government is capable of sustaining external friendships with a wider web of states. This aspect of going beyond Russia bolsters internal legitimacy, which is particularly significant in the absence of widespread external recognition, and it calls analysts to pay closer attention to the foreign relations of contested states, extending outside their geopolitically imminent surroundings.

AUTHORS BIO: Andreas Pacher is Editor-in-Chief of Nouvelle Europe. He has published on various aspects of Eastern European diplomacy. He received his academic education at the University of Vienna (Austria), at SciencesPo (Paris) and at Fudan University (Shanghai).

Image source: By kremlin.ru accessed on 10.2. 2017
There was an assassination attempt against Artashes Sargsyan, Chairman of the Union of Armenians of Zaporizhia Oblast (province) of Ukraine, in Zaporizhia town.

October 3, 2017, 09:15 Assassination attempt carried out against head of Ukraine provincial union of Armenians

STEPANAKERT, OCTOBER 3, ARTSAKHPRESS: Rudolf Hakobyan, vice chairman of this organization, informed about the aforementioned, according to the local ForPost news agency.

Sargsyan was shot at when he came out of his car, reported Obozrevatel (Reviewer) news agency. His bodyguard, however, managed to cover him, but he himself sustained gunshot wounds.

The bodyguard was rushed to hospital, and he is in the intensive care unit.

We dont know what this assassination attempt can be linked to, said Hakobyan. The members of our organization dont carry out any illegal activity. Its apparent that someone in the city is against us.
New York will provide more aid to hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico this week.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Tuesday that medical personnel and $500,000 worth of supplies will be transported to assist Puerto Rican hospitals, most of which have been operating on backup generators since Hurricane Maria made landfall two weeks ago.

The supplies that will be provided to Puerto Rico include antibiotics, bandages, IV catheters, syringes and vaccines. Several organizations, including the Greater New York Hospital Association, 1199SEIU, Afya Foundation and the New York State Nurses Associations partnered on the package.

Cuomo also revealed that more than 100 doctors and 200 nurses are prepared to travel to Puerto Rico to assist at hospitals.

The state has already provided significant support to Puerto Rico in the aftermath of the storm. More than 60 National Guard soldiers have been deployed to the island and another 125 National Guard engineers are expected to travel there this week to help with the rebuilding of vital infrastructure, such as bridges and roads.

Seventy employees from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey are in Puerto Rico to assist with the reopening of airports and shipping ports. The New York Power Authority sent engineers to help restore power and 50 state troopers are there to boost the law enforcement effort.

"The response by this state has been overwhelming," Cuomo said. "We're doing everything we can."

Cuomo visited Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria made landfall and launched a relief campaign to support the recovery. The campaign includes a collection drive to gather supplies  batteries, flashlights, cases of water  for Puerto Rico.
AUBURN  If you stroll by U.S. Rep. John Katko's Genesee Street office, you will notice that the lights are off and a sign informs constituents that they can call the congressman's main district office in Syracuse for assistance.

The lack of activity at the Auburn location will be temporary.

Katko's office said Tuesday that Christina Cornell, who worked as a constituent service representative at the Auburn office, left her job over the summer. Since her departure, the position has been vacant and the office hasn't operated at full capacity.

While Katko, R-Camillus, seeks a full-time aide for the office, his Cayuga County location has been staffed a couple days a week by other employees, including district director Trish Dellonte, an Auburn resident.

Maintaining an Auburn office was a top priority for Katko when he first ran for Congress in 2014 and after he was sworn in as the county's federal representative in 2015.

The office at 71 Genesee St. is housed in a building owned by Riccardo Galbato, an Auburn attorney. Congressional records show Katko pays $625 a month to rent the space.

When Cornell was on Katko's staff, she worked at the office four days a week. There were periods when the office would be closed if she represented Katko at a local event or if she was staffing the congressman's satellite office in Wayne County.

Erin O'Connor, Katko's spokesperson, said the congressman remains committed to serving his constituents in Cayuga County and the 24th Congressional District.

"Rep. Katko's Auburn office remains regularly staffed and there has been no disruption to constituent casework, which is handed through our Syracuse district office," O'Connor said. "As always, we encourage NY-24 constituents who are having difficulties dealing with federal agencies to contact our office at (315) 423-5657 for assistance."

Katko's district includes part of Oswego County and all of Cayuga, Onondaga and Wayne counties. He has offices  full-time or satellite  in each of the district's four counties.
St. Joseph School will host The Great Pumpkin 5K Run Oct. 28 to raise funds for the Auburn Catholic school.

The event will include a Mini Pumpkin Run for ages 10 and younger at 9 a.m. to dress in pumpkin colors or a costume, and receive a treat at the finish line. The 5K will start at 9:45 a.m., and adult runners also have the option to race as a pumpkin or carry one.

The Mini Pumpkin is free. The Great Pumpkin is $35 for individuals and $30 per person on teams of three or more. The races take place at Everest Park, 5343 North Road, Owasco.

T-shirts for the Mini Pumpkin Run are $10 if registration is received by Oct. 20. T-shirts and treats are guaranteed to Great Pumpkin runners if registration is received by Oct. 20 as well.

Packet pickup is 3 to 6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 27, at St. Joseph School, 89 E. Genesee St., Auburn, and at Everest Park from 7:30 to 8:45 a.m.

Checks should be made payable to St. Joseph School, with "The Great Pumpkin Run" in the memo, and sent to the school to the attention of The Great Pumpkin Run Committee.

For more information, email smlavey@hotmail.com or visit sjsauburn.org.
| BY Ricki Green |

303 MullenLowe has launched a graduate program in Sydney with the goal of luring top university graduates nationally into the advertising industry, and training them from the ground up.

Says Tony Dunseath, managing partner and client services director at 303 MullenLowe: Were looking for 2017 graduates across all disciplines to join our industry as full- time, paid employees in November 2017.

Shortlisted applicants will participate in a full-day workshop where theyll be introduced to 303 MullenLowes integrated model, with advertising, data, technology and media buying located under one roof to deliver brands an unfair share of attention.

Says Dunseath: As an industry, we need to encourage more people to choose a career in advertising and support their growth from the outset. This program will help us identify creative thinkers who have a genuine interest in and affinity with advertising  people who will grow with the agency and enjoy a long future with 303 MullenLowe.

Top-performing applicants will be offered full-time, paid positions in the agencys account management, media and planning departments starting in November 2017, and will rotate between different business units throughout their first 12 months.

According to the MFAs 2016 industry census, only 48% of media agency employees have less than four years experience. Meanwhile, only 8% of the Australian digital workforce is under 25, which suggests many agencies are not focussed on supporting young graduates with on-the-job training, according to AIMIA.
| BY Ricki Green |

Carat Sydney has welcomed Jacqui Purcell to the team in the role of head of ecosystem planning as part of an increased emphasis on bolstering the agencys integrated communications planning capabilities.

Purcell departs full service agency, 303 MullenLowe, after two years as general manager of media for its Sydney office. She brings with her over 12 years agency experience, including having held client leadership roles at both Mindshare and Starcom previously.

Carat Sydney managing director, Dan Sinfield, described Purcells experience across the full spectrum of the communications planning process as integral to her appointment.

Says Sinfield: Jacqui is a well-respected leader and an extremely knowledgeable planner. Here passion for the meeting point between data and strategy made her the perfect fit for the evolving needs of our clients.

Says Purcell: Im looking forward to joining such a transformational agency. Carats focus on the total media ecosystem and growing expertise from a data perspective creates the opportunity to do some really great, innovative work  Im excited to get started.

Purcells appointment is the latest in a number of recent hires aimed at diversifying the agencys expertise, including the appointment of Brendon Cropper to the newly created role of chief data and experience officer earlier in the year.
| BY Lynchy |

Y&R has appointed Rey Tiempo as the new Chief Creative Officer of Y&R Philippines.

A copywriter by discipline, Tiempo (pictured) has more than 15 years industry experience, having worked on and produced effective and award-winning campaigns for the biggest local, regional and global brands, ranging from automotive, retail, food and beverage, to electronics, beauty, wellness and various advocacies. Having ranked as the Philippines number 1 Creative Director, Tiempo is consistently named among the regions hottest creatives.

Tiempo has spent the last 3 years as ECD at Dentsu Philippines/Jayme Syfu, helping reinvigorate the agencys creative reputation, winning at Cannes and Campaign Agency of the Year, and growing clients businesses and the agencys revenue by almost 40%. His aim is to reject the boundaries traditionally imposed on advertising, and has embarked on a mission to inspire clients and fellow agency folks in bringing back the feeling of wonder to tech.

Tiempo said, I am brimming with excitement to be part of a network that lives by the words Resist the Usual, which has always been my sole guiding principle in life. These are thrilling times to be in advertising, and especially in Y&R, as we ditch discipline distinctions for truly integrated creative solutions for our clients.
| BY Lynchy |

As technology continues to revolutionize our daily lives and elevates the experiences we have, the practice of brand marketing and communications will inevitably transform with it. The implications of the deeper integration between technology and mankind were the driving themes of PHD Singapores annual conference this year, which took place on September 29 at the regional LinkedIn APAC offices for an audience of over 100 of the media networks clients and partners. Attendees also received their own copy of MERGE: The Closing Gap Between Technology and Us, the latest instalment in PHDs ongoing global thought-leadership series that explores the emerging forces that will redefine the practice of marketing.

Chris Stephenson, Head of Strategy for PHD APA (pictured on stage), opened the conversation by presenting the five stages of MERGE, before revealing the nine areas of technological innovation that will forever alter the way we process data and information and interact with our world. Were in a truly exciting time to be alive for our industry, Stephenson told audiences. Weve never had so much to do, and were the generation that gets to do it.

Moon Ribas, a cyborg who has a seismic sensor implanted in her elbow to produce art based on the Earths movement, shared her experience as one of the first manifestations of Merge, elaborating further on her talk with Stephenson on the Masters Stage of Creativity at Spikes 2017 the previous day. Were living in an exciting time where we get the chance to evolve in our very own lifetime, commented Ribas.

Claire Taylor, PHDs Head of Planning for APAC, and Vitaliy Nechaev, director of 360-video production company, Vostok VR, also joined in a panel discussion to add additional perspectives on how the agency and media will evolve alongside technological advancements to ultimately create deeper and more engaging consumer experiences for brands. The big challenge is recognizing whats pushing the boundaries for our clients organizations and make sure were going beyond that to drive experiences to the next level, added Taylor, while Nechaev added: We will be able to tell the story of people and brands in a completely different dimension; one that builds better affinity.
"We have a plant whisperer service, so if your plant looks like it's gone a bit off, just send us a photo of the plant and we can diagnose the symptoms and come back to you and say, 'we recommend this, this and this'," she said.
The Auburn Police Department will host another Coffee with a Cop event to give residents an opportunity to meet officers and address any concerns.

This summer, Auburn Police Chief Shawn Butler said he introduced the idea to build a more positive, trusting relationship with the community. He said the event lets citizens sit down with police in a casual, neutral setting, which provides both parties a chance to get to know one another.

The event will take place from 6 to 8 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 4 at Play Space in downtown Auburn. Butler said the venue at 63 Genesee St. is perfect for families, as it will allow parents to meet with the officers while children can explore and play.

"Join your neighbors and police officers for coffee and conversation," Butler said in a press release. "No agenda or speeches, just a chance to ask questions, voice concerns, and get to know the officers in your neighborhood."
"As we watched, another one came out of the scrub towards the two snakes that were entangled and then it sort of joined in as well and they sort of started spinning around, nipping at each other.
Nash's announcement in April seems like an attempt to clothe the Joyce push for the bush with a veil of policy and political respectability. It's not all that convincing and, if it is implemented, it will please a few and disappoint many more. Rather than starting at what may best suit the needs of government agencies, Nash is requiring her ministerial colleagues to "actively justify" why all or part of their empires are unsuitable for decentralisation. Thus, she puts the cart before the horse. She's also asking ministers to report to cabinet in August about bits suitable for decentralisation although robust "business cases" based on the Finance Minister's "template" are not due until December. The cart again seems to be before the horse.
THIS WEEK IN CAPE BRETON: Raising the peace flag, reviewing future plans for Centre 200 and more

SYDNEY  During a time of conflict around the world and with racial tensions on the rise in many parts, its clear there are those who want to find a bright, positive light wherever they can. Over the next several days, the YMCA of Cape Breton will ...
An Onondaga County man was charged with felony driving while intoxicated Saturday, roughly one year after his last drunk driving conviction, New York State Police said.

David A. Crane, of Mottville, was arrested at around 10:45 p.m. Saturday after troopers initiated a traffic stop on Seymour Street. Police said the 30-year-old had failed to use his turn signal and did not have a front license plate on his vehicle.

Upon further investigation, police said Crane registered a .11 percent blood alcohol content. He was charged with felony DWI and felony operating a motor vehicle with a BAC of at least .08 of 1 percent due to a previous drunk driving conviction from August 2016 in the city of Syracuse.

Crane was also charged with several traffic infractions, including drinking alcohol in a motor vehicle on a highway, unsafe turn and failing to signal and a license plate violation. He was released to a third party and ordered to appear in Auburn City Court at 9:30 a.m. Friday.
Cayuga Community College and Wells College will be cementing a presidential scholarship agreement this week, CCC announced Tuesday.

The agreement grants recipients of CCC's presidential scholarships guaranteed admission to the private college in Aurora and a minimum scholarship of $22,000 annually for up to four years. Wells President Jonathan Gibralter and CCC President Brian Durant will sign the agreement at CCC on Thursday, according to a press release.

Tuition and fees for Wells College is $39,600 for the 2017-18 academic year, excluding room and board. Cayuga County resident tuition for CCC is $2,272 per semester.

The Cayuga Presidential Scholars program is available to Cayuga County and Oswego County graduates who were in the top 20 percent of their class. Eligibility is also open to students from Tyburn Academy and Union Springs Academy and to Skaneateles, Jordan-Elbridge and Red Creek school district students.

For full-tuition scholarships, students have to be enrolled full time at CCC and must have a 3.0 grade point average every semester to be eligible, the press release said. Scholars who wish to be considered for the transfer program must have a 3.5 cumulative grade point average and have completed at least two full-time semesters in liberal arts and sciences courses at CCC.

The Presidential Scholars transfer program is a perfect opportunity to provide an accessible, affordable pathway for students to continue their educational pursuits at a nationally recognized four-year institution, Durant said in the release. Its a way to keep our best students engaged with and connected to the communities that are right here in our own backyard."

Both institutions will be promoting the program to potential and current students.

We want to make it as easy and seamless as possible for Cayuga students to continue their studies at Wells College, Gibralter said in the release. I look forward to opening our doors to Cayuga Presidential Scholars  driven, motivated students who already have a proven track record of academic achievement, service-based learning and peer leadership. They will fit in beautifully at Wells."
City

 Jonelle T. Murphy, 21, 38 Holley St., Auburn, was charged Sept. 30 with third-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle.

 Sean A. Holt, 40, Cookville, Texas, was charged Oct. 1 with second-degree obstructing governmental administration and fourth-degree criminal mischief.

 Steven M. Simmons, 31, 7028 Owasco Rd., Auburn, was charged Sept. 30 with driving while intoxicated.

 Kenneth C. Shelton, 61, 114 Norris Ave., Auburn, was charged Oct. 1 with third-degree criminal possession of a weapon and two counts of seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

State

 Susan L. Dewey, 56, Jordan, was charged Sept. 29 with second-degree criminal trespass.

 John S. Gadsby, 52, New York, was charged Sept. 29 with second-degree criminal contempt.

 Robert S. Henry, 60, Auburn, was charged Sept. 29 with driving while intoxicated and operating a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol content of at least .08 of 1 percent.

 Tabitha L. Logan, 32, Ira, was charged Sept. 30 with driving while intoxicated and operating a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol content of at least .08 of 1 percent.

 David A. Crane, 30, Mottville, was charged Sept. 30 with felony driving while intoxicated with a previous conviction within 10 years and felony operating a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol content of at least .08 of 1 percent.

 Dylan E. Canavan, 21, Moravia, was charged Sept. 30 with third-degree rape and first-degree unlawful dealing of sex and drugs to a child.

 Thomson V. Khan, 20, Ithaca, was charged Sept. 30 with fifth-degree criminal possession of marijuana.
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Divers discovered a massive piece of the Space Shuttle Challenger at the bottom of the ocean, the first Gen Z member of Congress has been elec
Amazon Prime Video has released new pictures from the upcoming season of The Grand Tour.



Set to hit the streaming service later this year, the second season will see Jeremy Clarkson, James May, and Richard Hammond visit more locations than last year including stops in Colorado, Croatia, Dubai, Mozambique, New York, Spain, and Switzerland. In total, the hosts have spent more than 100 days in four different continents.

Amazon is keeping details under wraps but confirmed the trio will explore the mountain ranges of Colorado, get stuck in the mud in Mozambique, and cause havoc in Dubai. The photos also reveal the hosts will check out the Ariel Nomad, torture a Mercedes station wagon, and spend some time in a number of different Jaguars.

Besides teasing the upcoming season, the company announced a new book called The Grand Tour Guide to the World. Set to be released on October 31st, the book bills itself as an indispensable guide with an abundance of information, most of which is probably wrong and possibly dangerous.

The book costs $29.99 and includes exclusive interviews with the presenters as well as an overview of places where the show has visited. Theres also sections dedicated to the worlds fastest police cars and the greatest automakers.

Photo Gallery
Theres no better way to accurately capture the speed of a hypercar than by pitting it against a regular supercar and watching it pull away without even breaking a sweat.



Deliveries of the Bugatti Chiron recently kicked off in the United States and YouTuber effspot decided to see how the French hypercar compares to his Jaguar F-Type SVR, an extremely potent car in its own right.

The two hit a particularly stunning coastal road in California and yes, the Chiron made the F-Type SVR look like a Prius.

Obviously, the Chiron is far superior off the line, thanks in part due to its all-wheel drive system. However, it isnt necessarily the Bugattis standing start pace that boggles the mind, it is the way that it accelerates up the road from a 30 or 40 mph roll, walking all over the 575 hp Jaguar.

VIDEO
Tesla may be the Elon Musk venture with which were most familiar, but the electric car company isnt his only undertaking. Heck, its not even his only transportation project.



The PayPal founder is also boring underground to get us from one place to another at record speeds and rocketing off to space with SpaceX. Its the confluence of those two that has caught our attention this time.

Musk wants to use the BFR rocket developed for launching off of our planet to transport us around it. The idea would be to load passengers into one of the Big Fn Rockets (off-shore from major coastal cities), blast off into low orbit, circumnavigate the globe at 17,000 miles per hour, and descend again on the other side of the planet.

Take for example a 7,392-mile trip from New York to Shanghai. By jet, it would usually take about 15 hours. Via rocket ship, just 39 minutes. London to Dubai in the same. Sydney to Johannesburg: 37 minutes. LA to Toronto: 24. Most long-distance trips would take less than half an hour, but the rocket would take under an hour to get anywhere on earth from anywhere else.

Enticing, isnt it? Its still probably a ways off, to say the least, by which time the enormous safety concerns would hopefully be worked out. But maybe our kids (and Musks) will know in their lifetime what its like to traverse the globe by rocket.

Video
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An upscale brand demands upscale showrooms. And thats just what Genesis has in store (so to speak).



Though spun off from the Hyundai brand two years ago, Genesis models (like the $68,000 G90) are still sold out of the same dealerships as $14k Accents.

Thats all set to change, however, by the end of this decade. Speaking with Autonews, the brands US general manager Erwin Raphael outlined the need for separate dealerships.

The reality is, many, many luxury customers tell us they love our products, theyre amazing, but Im not going into a Hyundai store to buy it, said Raphael. Its really hard to have the two cultures cohabitating.

So the brand is currently writing the playbook that will see it establish stand-alone Genesis dealers across the country. That will mean a reduction in quantity, but an increase in quality.

Currently any of Hyundais 835 dealers across the United States can sell Genesis models, though selling the larger G90 has required a showroom-within-a-showroom (in which only 352 dealers have invested).

Though he didnt outline an exact figure, Raphael said that the number of dealers selling Genesis models will be substantially reduced. The brand is currently scouting locations in individual markets to build fresh showrooms (rather than renovating existing ones).

The process is earmarked to wrap up by the end of 2020, by which time Genesis vehicles will be sold only out of dedicated showrooms, and no longer out of Hyundai locations.

Photo Gallery
Skoda is inching towards making a performance-focused version of the Karoq and is expected to fit it with an electrified powertrain.



Speaking to Auto Express at last months Frankfurt Motor Show, Skoda research and development boss Christian Strube said the Karoq would be perfect for a vRS-badged model.

Im fighting for it. Just as I was fighting for the Kodiaq vRS. Sometimes Im successful, and sometimes Im not. But yes, we are in discussions about it. It would fit absolutely perfectly to this car, I believe. Even more than Kodiaq, I would say, because its compact, its agile. It would be perfect, he said.

Strube went on to say it would also be interesting to discuss whether it is a pure petrol or it is something else, indicating that the Czech automaker is indeed pondering electrification.

The British publication believes that Skoda will probably choose between two options. The first would be a plug-in hybrid system while the second would be a simpler mild-hybrid with a 48-volt power supply and a small battery aimed primarily at adding a little bit of extra power.

PHOTO GALLERY
Ubers Travis Kalanick may no longer by the chief executive of the ride-hailing service but he is continuing to flex his muscles at the firm, recently appointing two new board members.



In a statement, Kalanick revealed that Xerox chief executive Ursula Burns and former Merrill Lynch chief executive John Thain will join Uber as directors in a move which the rest of Ubers board says was a surprise.

I am appointing these seats now in light of a recent board proposal to dramatically restructure the board and significantly alter the companys voting rights. It is therefore essential that the full board be in place for proper deliberation to occur, especially with such experienced board members as Ursula and John, Kalanick said.

The appointment of these two board members comes not long after Uber shareholder, Benchmark Capital, filed a lawsuit to get Kalanick off the board and to force him to relinquish his ability to appoint two new members. This lawsuit was ultimately pushed into arbitration and the outcomes arent public knowledge.

It is reported that Benchmark Capital or other Uber investors may attempt to block Kalanicks appointments by pleading with a Delaware judge to issue a status-quo order.

PHOTO GALLERY
Before Gutierrez ran VIEW, she was herself a researcher in film studies, including at Stanford University and the State University of New York. Both as an academic and in her conference curation, Gutierrez has been conscious of the changing role of women in animation, cg, and vfx.

Women in this industry are often in less visible, supporting roles, Gutierrez told Cartoon Brew. But I am seeing more women rising to supervisory levels, to positions that invite more public recognition. In the past they were less likely than men to study science and technology, which obviously posed a problem for a sector that is largely tech-driven, but many universities are now encouraging women to move in that direction, and this is producing an impact.

Gutierrez says she feels it is important to make sure the powerful, creative women in this industry are included at events like VIEW. A look through the program reveals several notable films and projects being presented on by the women leading them.

Production designer Noelle Triaureau is headlining two sessions on Sony Pictures Animations Smurfs: The Lost Village. The first is a workshop on color symbolism and design, and the second is a broader making-of session, in which shell be joined by visual effects supervisor Mike Ford. Triaureau previously worked at Sony on films including Surfs Up, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, and Hotel Transylvania.

Director Cinzia Angelini is also anchoring two talks at VIEW. She is behind the cg animated short Mila, a film about the impact of war thats also notable for being an online collaborative effort between around 350 artists from 35 countries. Angelini is delivering a talk on the film and a workshop at VIEW about how to become a story artist.

Regular VIEW attendee Kim White, who is a director of photography at Pixar, will be showcasing the lighting work on Cars 3 at the conference. White has been at Pixar since 1997, which means shes worked on everything from A Bugs Life to Inside Out, and of course this latest Cars incarnation; this film took full advantage of RenderMans new RIS ray tracing properties.

Vicki Dobbs Beck is the executive in charge at Industrial Light & Magics immersive, vr, ar, and mixed reality division ILMxLAB. A lot has been happening with ILMxLAB, especially related to Lucasfilm and Disneys Star Wars properties. Dobbs Beck will be looking at just some of these projects the division has shown off so far, and shes also part of a Future of Storytelling panel with visual effects supervisors and other immersive studio heads.

Maureen Fan is the CEO and co-founder of Baobab Studios, a vr studio that has quickly made its name in bringing traditional animation concepts to immersive worlds. Their projects include Invasion!, Asteroids!, and Rainbow Crow. Fans talk at VIEW is entitled A Girl Crying on a Park Bench and will deal with the empathy that vr films might be able to provide that games and traditional narrative films cant.

Elaina Scott is the animation supervisor on The CWs Supergirl, and her role at Encore Hollywood also involves animation on The Flash and Legends of Tomorrow. Shes presenting a workshop about previs animation and another talk specifically on the challenges of episodic television with Supergirl.

Simone Kraus is the CEO and animation supervisor at Trixter, a visual effects studio in Germany that has made its name of late by working on some crucial scenes in several Marvel films. One of the most recent is Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, and Kraus will be part of the keynote on this film at VIEW.

These are just some of the women presenting at VIEW  for the full list of speakers head to the VIEW website. In addition to more women working in the industry and presenting on their work each year at VIEW, the number of women attending the conference has also increased, according to Gutierrez.

As with any conference targeting computer graphics, visual effects, and animation, the men outnumber the women in the audience, but Im seeing more and more female students and young professionals attending VIEW Conference each year, which is wonderful. We are getting closer to a 50-50 balance.

And of course, its not just VIEW where women in visual effects, animation, and computer graphics have been finding more recognition. Other events such as SIGGRAPH, Spark Animation, and FMX have featured female presenters and held special panels to highlight the expanded roles that women play. A number of groups such as Women in Animation and Women in Visual Effects have also been highlighting and advocating female representation.

Gutierrez hopes this recognition will increase even further. There is a huge need for a women-centered viewpoint in the industry, starting with storytelling, and this means that there are more opportunities for young women than one may perceive from outside.

For details on attending this years VIEW, go to VIEWConference.it.
Photo: O'Keefe Ranch Family Daze in the Corn Maze begin at O'Keefe Ranch on Saturday.

Historic O'Keefe Ranch invites the public to attend 'Family Daze in the Corn Maze' starting Oct. 7th, featuring a new, two-acre corn maze to explore.

The OKeefe Ranch is a place for everyone. Family Daze is suitable for young children and grandparents too, said Glen Taylor, general manager. Its not terrifying like Field of Screams. The corn maze has scary props but there are no live actors in our daytime events, we keep that element for Field of Screams.

Family Daze is intended to give everyone another chance to visit the ranch, have some outdoor fun, share the space with family and friends and enjoy the harvest season.

The Balmoral school house and general store will also be decorated for the occasion, while pony and tractor rides are on offer along with other activities.

Family Daze in the Corn Maze takes place every Saturday and Sunday in October, except Oct. 29, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is $10 per person or $30 for a family of five.

The corn maze is an annual fundraising event at the OKeefe Ranch.
There is good and bad news in a report on life in the North Okanagan, with room for improvement in a number of areas, including air quality, mental health, wages and housing.

The Community Foundation of the North Okanagan has issued its 2017 Vital Signs report, capturing trends on quality of life and the health of communities in the region.

By providing a snapshot of the North Okanagan in 10 issue areas, Vital Signs offers a unique and accessible way for community members, businesses, and organizations to learn more about the place we call home, Leanne Hammond, executive director, and Janice Mori, president of the board, said a joint statement. This report shines a light on our successes as well as identifies the areas in which we have far to go. Our hope is that you find the report both a source of information as well as a call to action.

Air quality in the region's largest city, Vernon, has been rated as poor.

The report stated: In 2014, there was an average concenration of 7.2 particulate matter (PM) micrograms per cubic meter in Vernon, one of the highest concentrations of PM in any city in British Columbia.

However, water quality appears to be improving.

The report said there were 38 water quality alerts issued throughout the region in 2016; 30 boil water notices and eight water quality advisories.

This is an improvement over 2006 and 2011, which saw 46 water quality alerts, respectively.

Safety and crime figures were different in each area of the region, with the most populous area (Vernon) experiencing the most crime.

The good news is that the overall crime rate has steadily declined in the last two decades, though crime severity rates have risen since 2015.

In terms of health, the North Okanagan is generally on par with the rest of the Valley and with the province, though there are exceptions, including higher than average prevalence of depression and mood and anxiety disorders.

Figures show 33 per cent of North Okanagan and Interior Health clients suffer from mood and anxiety disorders, higher than the provincial average of 30 per cent.

The median home price in the North Okanagan remained lower than the Okanagan, but there is a housing shortage, suggested the report.

There are gaps in the local housing market. Renters spend a greater proportion of their income on housing compared to homeowners. More units are needed to meet the demand for core housing, missing middle and market rentals.

While poverty rates in the region are similar to the provincial averages, there are still far too many children, families and individuals living in poverty.

As well, wages and employment rates are lower than the provincial averages, while unemployment is higher. But the region is resilient, with many business permits issued and significant investments in industrial, commercial, and institutional construction.

The report has issued 10 ways people can take action and has called for more leadership and volunteerism.
Photo: Okanagan Rail Trail Initiative A public session on the rail trail will be held in Coldstream Tuesday, beginning at 4 p.m.

The northern end of the Okanagan Rail Trail could be completed this year, according to Bob Fleming, the chair of the North Okanagan Regional District board.

Last week, it was announced that construction was set to begin on just over half of the 48.5-kilometre trail, including 12 km within Coldstream and Electoral Area B.

At first, rock scaling was supposed to take place but now it appears that rock scaling and construction will be underway at the same time, said Fleming.

The Electoral Area B representative said he believed about 13.5 km lay within the North Okanagan region and he was hopeful that all of the work to get it ready for hikers and bikers would be wrapped up this fall.

I'll have to check that but it appears to be the case.

As weather permits, crews will build approximately 26 km of the trail with compacted crushed aggregate between now and the end of November, with five km being completed in Lake Country and nine in Kelowna. The balance will be completed in the spring.

"Construction is underway," proclaimed the Okanagan Rail Trail fundraising website. It showed approximately 31 kilometres had been funded through donations.

Members of the public have a chance to view the latest plans at three information sessions, including today, Oct. 3 at Coldstream Municipal hall, Oct. 4 at the George Elliot community complex in Lake Country and Oct. 5 at Parkinson Rec Centre in Kelowna. All three are scheduled to run from 4 to 6:30 p.m.

with files from Wayne Moore
Photo: The Canadian Press Swo Wo Gabriel, of the Squamish First Nation, sings and plays a drum before First Nations and environmental groups speak about a federal court hearing about the Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain pipeline expansion, during a news conference in Vancouver, B.C., on Monday October 2, 2017. The hearing which began Monday consolidates numerous lawsuits filed by seven First Nations applicants, the cities of Burnaby and Vancouver, the Raincoast Conservation Foundation, and the Living Oceans Society, which claim the National Energy BoardOs approval process was flawed and First Nations werenOt adequately consulted. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Canada's decision to approve an expansion for the Trans Mountain pipeline was a "one-way street" that ignored the economic and title rights of Indigenous people, a lawyer said Monday in the Federal Court of Appeal.

Elin Sigurdson outlined arguments against the $7.4-billion project approved last November but now challenged by First Nations, two environmental groups and the cities of Vancouver and Burnaby.

Indigenous groups were required to go to tremendous lengths to ensure all the necessary information about their rights was before the National Energy Board process, Sigurdson said.

"Yet in return, despite their assurances of genuine engagement on Indigenous rights concerns on the post NEB phase of the review, Canada never performed the work that would assist them to understand the rights at issue or the impact on (First Nations), nor did the Crown provide responsive feedback," said Sigurdson, who represents the Upper Nicola Band.

Trans Mountain, a subsidiary of Kinder Morgan Canada, aims to double an existing Edmonton-to-Burnaby, B.C., pipeline with an additional 987 kilometres of pipeline in new and existing corridors, build a pump station, new docks and a storage facility.

The project, that would triple the pipeline's capacity and increase tanker traffic seven fold, risks the marine environment and threatens human health, Sigurdson.

Given those risks, the Canadian government's approval of the project should have been subject to strenuous and careful scrutiny, she said.

"Canada never had the discussions nor did the work necessary to comprehend substantive concerns that remain outstanding."

Scott Smith, a lawyer for the Tsleil-Waututh Nation, said Monday that because the NEB didn't assess the effects of marine shipping from the project, his client's rights were violated and the lives of endangered southern resident killer whales would be jeopardized.

He said an additional 348 tankers would annually ply Burrard Inlet, the heart of the nation's territory, on their way to deliver diluted bitumen to markets with the catastrophic risk of spills that "Canada inexplicably refused to even consider."

The Tsleil-Waututh, or "People of the Inlet," are dependent on the area for sustenance, spirituality, economy and transportation, he said.

Both the British Columbia and Alberta governments are interveners in the court action, on opposing sides of the argument. B.C. Premier John Horgan said during the election campaign this spring that "every tool in the toolbox" would be used to stop the expansion.

Alberta Premier Rachel Notley announced in May that her province had been granted intervener status, saying the pipeline network is safe and her government would continue to stand up for Alberta to get shovels in the ground.

Kinder Morgan has made progress on the pipeline expansion and said last month it had selected or reached agreements with six firms experienced in building pipelines and major infrastructure.

The hearing is expected to last about two weeks.
Photo: Contributed The IIO has been called to investigate the death of a woman who died after being arrested by RCMP in Quesnel.

The Independent Investigations Office (IIO) of BC has been called in to investigate the death of a woman who was arrested by Quesnel RCMP early Sunday morning. Police are calling the unnamed victim's death a murder and two people have been arrested.

On Oct. 1st at approximately 4:20 a.m., RCMP officers were called to the 800 block of Front Street for a reported assault on a male and female.

During the course of the investigation, it was determined the female victim of the alleged assault was breaching a court imposed condition and was arrested by police, said an RCMP press release.

The female was transported to the local detachment where she was examined by Emergency Health Services and subsequently transported to a local hospital, and then a larger area hospital for further assessment, said Cpl. Janelle Shoihet, RCMP spokesperson. This morning, October 2nd, the female was pronounced deceased.

Two probes are underway.

The Quesnel General Investigation Unit is continuing to investigate the now homicide of the female, and have arrested two people in relation to this incident.

A separate IIO BC investigation will review the actions of the officers who were called to the initial assault and the arrest of the woman to see if there is any connection to her death.

Anyone who witnessed the incident is asked to contact the IIO BC at 1-855-446-8477.
Photo: GoFundMe

Friends and family are rallying around a young Armstrong girl diagnosed with a rare form of cancer.

Matt and Carolyn Krawzcyk have spent the last two weeks at Ronald McDonald House in Vancouver with their daughter Halle, 8.

The youngster was diagnosed with chordoma after doctors found a tumor in her C1 vertebrae.

Because of the tumour's location, they can't perform surgery, and the family will have to travel to Boston for a procedure called proton beam radiation.



The family anticipates their stay at Ronald McDonald House could be as long as six months, with an additional nine to 10 weeks in Boston.

Meanwhile, Carolyn has been off of work for over a month, and Matt has been flying back and forth between Armstrong and Vancouver, a GoFundMe page started for the family states.



"Let's join together to help our friends cover their expenses so they can concentrate on what's most important  Halle's health and the four of them being together as a family," the page says.

The campaign has already raised more than $21,000.
Photo: Braden Matejka

A Lake Country man who was grazed by a mass shooter's bullet in Las Vegas says four strangers saved his life.

Braden Matejka and his girlfriend Amanda were attending the Route 91 country music festival.

During the concert, they heard what they thought were fire crackers going off, Matejka says in a heart-wrenching Facebook post.

I saw someone in front of me get shot through the chest, I grabbed Amanda and said get the f*** down now, he recalls.

The couple ran to a tent, ducking for cover, but the gunman started peppering the tent, so they grabbed tables and flipped them over for cover.

The flurry of bullets killed 59 people, three Canadians, and injured 527, making it the deadliest mass shooting in U.S history.

When the bullets didnt stop coming down on us and hitting the tables, it was time to make a run for it, he recalls.

Matejka said he started sprinting, but fell to the ground, hitting his face.

It felt as if someone hit me with a sledge hammer in the back of the head, he said. I got up and yelled for Amanda, saying 'Ive been shot.'

A man ripped his own shirt off and tied it around Matejkas head while another stranger waved down a car.

A kind young lady drove like a bat out of hell to the closest hospital, he recalls. I was rushed into the OR and had my skull looked at.

Matejka and his girlfriend are staying in the hospital until at least Tuesday.

He described the event as the most terrifying thing he has ever experienced.

I would like to say thank you to every one of my friends and family members who have shown so much love and compassion for me, he said.
Photo: Twitter

Lane Merrifield has been named Business Leader of 2017 by the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce.

It's the top honour given out through the chambers business excellence award program.

Merrifield received the 2017 award for his outstanding contributions to the business community in the Central Okanagan.

The local entrepreneur is best known as the founder of Club Penguin, the online virtual world for kids that Disney bought in 2007 for $350 million.

For more on Merrifield, and why he was selected for the award, check out the full story on Castanet's sister business news website, Okanagan Edge.
Photo: Contributed Mel Arnold

Mel Arnold has thieves in his sights.

In particular, the North Okanagan-Shuswap MP is targeting anyone who steals firefighting equipment.

The Conservative MP introduced a private member's bill that would amend the Criminal Code of Canada in relation to such offenses.

Bill C-365, proposes a new offence for theft of firefighting equipment that causes danger to life. Arnolds bill also proposes to establish mischief related to firefighting equipment as an aggravating circumstance while the third component of the bill proposes a sentencing objective for theft of firefighting equipment.

This past summer, I was shocked by reports of firefighting equipment being vandalized and stolen from wildfire service camps, said Arnold. After researching the Criminal Code, it was apparent that the code has a gap when it comes to denunciation and deterrence specific to these types of offences and so I have introduced this bill in recognition of firefighters and the safety that they provide our communities.

Currently, vandalism or tampering of firefighting equipment can be prosecuted under the Criminal Codes existing mischief prohibitions, but Arnold wants much stiffer penalties.

The bills proposed offence for theft of firefighting equipment causing danger to life would deliver the same maximum penalty, 25 years behind bars, the Criminal Code currently contains for mischief causing actual danger to life.

The new law would give judges the ability to impose harsher sentences at their discretion based on aggravating circumstances.

The aggravating circumstance and sentencing objective would provide a sentencing judge the basis to deliver a heavier sentence than would otherwise be applied for simple mischief or theft.

Whether the offence occurs at a fire hall, in an apartment building or at a wildfire site, tampering or theft of firefighting equipment can quickly cause danger to life and it is time the Criminal Code reflects the gravity of such offences, said Arnold.
Photo: NKS Photography

The wildfire burning in Okanagan Mountain Park now stands at six hectares in size.

Fire information officer Justine Hunse, with the BC Wildfire Service, says growth in the fire was expected, but it remains within anticipated boundaries.

"It's doing what we expected it to do," said Hunse. "and we are OK with continuing a modified response."

She said the growth was relatively slow given wind conditions overnight, and the fire is currently burning at Rank 1, which describes a smouldering ground fire.

"That's an indication of how much conditions have changed since the middle of the summer," she added.

Hunse said smoke will continue to be visible from across Okanagan Lake, and the fire is expected to continue growing until it self-extinguishes, either by running out of fuel or because of precipitation.

"We are continuing to monitor it," she said.
Photo: Darren Handschuh A typical September has an average temperature of 13.7C, but this year was almost three degrees warmer at 16.3C.

If September seemed hotter and drying than usual in the North Okanagan, that's because it was.

Statistics from Environment Canada show last month was not normal for the region.

A typical September has an average temperature of 13.7C, but this year was almost three degrees warmer at 16.3C.

There was also less rainfall than normal with a typical September having a soggy 37 mm of the wet stuff, but September 2017 came in at a mere nine mm.

And it could stay dry for a while. Meteorologist Doug Lundquist said October is traditionally a dry month.

But as far as temperature goes, we can say that there is a very high likelihood that it will remain above average overall, he said Thats what our computer models say and the sea surface temperature agrees with that.

The waters off the coast are warm, so that usually means we have a warm upcoming month or two,
Photo: CTV

Flags have been lowered at Okanagan College's Kelowna campus in memory of a B.C. man killed in Las Vegas.

Jordan McIldoon, 23, of Maple Ridge, was a heavy mechanical apprenticeship student at the college.

McIldoon was among 59 people slain in Sunday night's massacre.

He first came to Okanagan College in 2013, went on to complete level three of his apprenticeship in 2016 and was registered to attend level four this fall.

"We are shocked and saddened by the news of Jordan's death," Steve Moores, dean of trades and apprenticeship wrote in an email to college staff that was shared with Castanet.

"He was an excellent student with a very promising career ahead of him."

McIldoon's death made international headlines after a Las Vegas woman stayed with him for hours, speaking with his mother and girlfriend, ensuring he wasn't left alone, until emergency personnel arrived.
Photo: The Canadian Press

About half the asylum claims heard so far from those who've crossed the Canada-U.S. border since July have been rejected, the Immigration and Refugee Board said Tuesday.

But the actual number of cases the board has heard since then is a mere fraction of the 8,000 or so claims that have been filed to date.

Shereen Benzvy Miller, the head of the IRB's refugee protection division, told a House of Commons immigration committee hearing that 240 have already been finalized, and a further 373 had been scheduled as of earlier this week, with the rate of rejection around 50 per cent.

That's in line with the historical acceptance rate for claims by Haitian nationals in past years; the vast majority of the asylum seekers who have arrived in Quebec in particular since the summer are Haitian.

In August, the board set up a dedicated team of 17 members to hear asylum claims solely from the border crossers. The fate of those who crossed before July remains unclear, as those claims were just part of the board's general caseload and aren't specifically tracked.

The dedicated team is aiming to hear about 1,500 cases between now and the end of November. After that, claims from the border crossers will go back to being part of the regular workflow.

It's a case load that has overwhelmed the board, Miller told the committee Tuesday.

The board is funded to hear at most 24,000 cases a year and at present, is anticipating more than 40,000 to be filed in all of 2017.

There are currently 40,000 cases in the backlog as well, she said. Wait times for a hearing are currently about 16 months with nowhere to go but up, she added.
Photo: Twitter Tory leader Andrew Scheer

A new poll conducted by Ekos Research and commissioned for The Canadian Press suggests the Liberals find themselves statistically tied with a resurgent Conservative Opposition.

The New Democrats  reeling from a disappointing 2015 campaign and lengthy leadership race  remain a distant third, driving home the political challenge confronting newly elected NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh.

Ekos president Frank Graves says the numbers suggest the Liberals have finally come back to earth after enjoying a massive lead in public support after the 2015 election  an advantage they managed to maintain for more than a year.

The Ekos-Canadian Press poll, which puts the Liberals at 34 per cent, the Conservatives at 33 per cent and the NDP at 15 per cent, surveyed 4,839 people during the last two weeks of September, and carries a margin of error of plus or minus 1.4 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

Graves says he believes the Liberals will be watching the Conservative numbers closely, as well as the NDP, which is likely to be targeting many of the progressive voters who supported Justin Trudeau's party in 2015.

He also says the poll suggests that the Liberal government's controversial tax reforms  criticized by opposition parties as well as many doctors, farmers and small business owners  are not having a significant impact among Liberal or potential Liberal voters.
Photo: The Canadian Press

UPDATE: 7:24 p.m.

Authorities in the United States say a Somali refugee accused of attacking a police officer and running down four pedestrians in Edmonton was ordered removed from the country in 2011 by an immigration judge.

Abdulahi Hasan Sharif made his first court appearance Tuesday on 11 charges, including five of attempted murder, that were laid after a driver hit an Edmonton police officer with a speeding car, stabbed him and then mowed down pedestrians with a cube van during a downtown police chase.

Tactical officers forced the van on its side and arrested a suspect after using a stun grenade and a Taser.

His case was put over until Nov. 14 to give him time to find a lawyer, but it could be called back sooner if Sharif can hire legal counsel before then.

Meanwhile, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said Tuesday that Sharif was transferred into its custody at the Otay Mesa Detention Center in San Diego on July 15, 2011, by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

It says Sharif was ordered removed to Somalia on Sept. 22, 2011, and he waived his right to appeal the decision.

About two months later, he was released on an order of supervision by the department in San Diego "due to a lack of likelihood of his removal in the reasonably foreseeable future."

He failed to report on his scheduled date of Jan. 24, 2012, and efforts to find him were not successful, the department said in a statement.

Sharif's name is spelled Abdullahi Hassan Sharif in the United States.

An official with Immigration and Customs Enforcement who spoke on the condition of anonymity told The Canadian Press they have no reason to believe it is not the same man.

Both a U.S. and Canadian government official told The Associated Press it is the same man.

The U.S. official said slightly different spellings are not uncommon. She also agreed to discuss the matter only if not quoted by name, because she was not authorized to discuss certain details of the case.

A spokesman for Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale said Sharif entered Canada from the United States through a regular port of entry in 2012 and was granted refugee status later that year.

"As minister Goodale has stated, there was no information that would have raised any red flags when he entered Canada. Due to privacy laws we cannot disclose further details of this case," Scott Bardsley said in an emailed statement.

"According to U.S. authorities, he was not detained for criminal activity."

Bardsley said generally, individuals who are inadmissible, including for serious crimes, would be ineligible to make an asylum claim in Canada.

"Being detained for immigration purposes in another country would not prevent someone from being able to make an asylum claim in Canada," he said.

Sharif, 30, appeared on closed-circuit TV in a courtroom in Edmonton and followed the proceedings with the help of an interpreter. The accused spoke briefly with a lawyer who stepped forward to help.

Edmonton police have raised the possibility of terrorism charges against Sharif because there was an Islamic State flag in his car and he was investigated two years ago for espousing extremist views.

The RCMP has said the investigation is complex and no terrorism charges have been laid.

Mahamad Accord, a member of Edmonton's Somali community, said he will do what he can to help Sharif apply for legal aid if he can't afford to hire his own lawyer.

"As you know Canadians  everyone has the right to a fair trial," Accord said outside court.

He said there has been lots of hearsay about Sharif, but no first-hand information.

Ahmed Ali, a man who described himself as a spokesman for the city's Somali community, said Sharif will get help with an interpreter, but wouldn't comment about helping him get a lawyer.

Ali also declined to answer questions about Sharif's background or whether Somalis are facing any backlash over the attacks.

"I would be lying if I told you that members of our community are feeling threatened, scared or concerned, because the EPS (Edmonton Police Service) has been doing a fantastic job, and so have the RCMP," he said outside court.

Sharif also faces charges of dangerous driving, criminal flight causing bodily harm and possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose.

Police have said they believe the suspect acted alone and without conspirators.

Const. Mike Chernyk was handling crowd control at a Canadian Football League game Saturday night when he was hit by a car that rammed through a barrier and sent him flying. The driver got out, pulled out a large knife and began stabbing Chernyk.

The constable was treated in hospital and released.

As of Monday, two of the pedestrians remained in hospital, one with a fractured skull.

RCMP have said Sharif was checked thoroughly in 2015 after police received a report that he may have been radicalized, but investigators determined that he did not pose a threat.
Photo: The Canadian Press Calla Medig is shown in a photo from her Facebook profile page.

A model with two young sons and a restaurant staffer about to be promoted to manager are among the Canadians confirmed dead in a mass shooting at a country music show in Las Vegas.

Tara Roe Smith, who was 34 and lived in Okotoks, Alta., was there with her husband, Zach, and another couple for a weekend getaway, said her aunt, Val Rodgers.

"They were there just to have a good time and to enjoy a concert."

Rodgers said Roe Smith died when a gunman opened fire on the crowd from the window of a hotel on Sunday night. Nearly 60 people were killed and hundreds were injured.

"She was a beautiful soul," Rodgers said from her home in Brandon, Man., Tuesday. "She was a wonderful mother and our family is going to miss her dearly."

Roe Smith worked with Calgary modelling agency Sophia Models International for 10 years, said owner Bill Giofu.

"She was always a friendly face when she came in to see us at the agency, a very caring spirit," he said. "We are deeply saddened and shocked and pray for everyone affected by this tragedy in Vegas."

Roe Smith also worked as an educational assistant at the Foothills School Division.

"It has been a challenging time for our division yet we continue to stand together and support one another," John Bailey, superintendent of schools, said in a statement. "We have put our crisis response team in place and they will remain as long as is needed to assist students and staff."

Lyndsay Perham's childhood friend, Calla Medig, was also at the Route 91 Music Festival when she was shot. Going to Las Vegas for the festival had become an annual tradition for the country music fan, Perham said.

"She was a very loyal friend. We always had fun together," said Perham, who grew up with Medig in the Rocky Mountain town of Jasper, Alta. "We had a very tight-knit group of girls and we just did everything together growing up."

Medig, 28, was with her best friend when she was shot, Perham said. The friend managed to get Medig to a hospital, where she died.

"We're going to miss her and we'll just have to try and get through it together, but I don't know if we'll be able to."

Medig had taken time off from her job at a Moxie's restaurant in west Edmonton to attend the festival said her boss, Scott Collingwood.

When news broke about the shooting Sunday, Collingwood said he immediately called Medig, but it went right to voice mail. She didn't answer texts or Facebook messages, he said.

On Monday, he called her roommate, who went to Vegas with Medig, and got the terrible news.

"She was a little bit of everything around here. She was kind of a rock and, as of Thursday, she would have been our newest manager," Collingwood said. "A lot of us around here have super heavy hearts and we already miss her."
Photo: Facebook Matthew Foerster returns to court next spring for his second trial on a charge of killing an Armstrong teenager.

A second trial for the man accused of killing an Armstrong teenager takes place next spring.

In 2014, Matthew Foerster, 30, was convicted by a jury of first-degree murder in the slaying of 18-year-old Taylor Van Diest on Halloween night 2011.

However, his lawyers filed an appeal of the decision five months after his conviction, and in March 2017, the B.C. Court of Appeal upheld the appeal and ordered a new trial.

New trial dates were confirmed in Kelowna Supreme Court on Monday.

Legal proceedings will begin with a voir dire on Apr. 3, 2018 as evidence is reviewed, with four weeks set aside for pretrial matters, said Dan McLaughlin of the Criminal Justice Branch.

Jury selection is May 28, 2018 with the trial to follow, said McLaughlin.

The trial is expected to last between three and four weeks, he said.

with files from Nicholas Johansen
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One little pop, and then it was full-on fire.

That is how Flagstaff resident and Marshall Elementary School teacher Janelle Reasor described the scene in Las Vegas on Sunday as a gunman fired a barrage of bullets from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Hotel-Casino, killing at least 58 people and injuring hundreds more in the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history.

The gunman was identified as Stephen Craig Paddock, a 64-year-old retiree from Mesquite, Nevada, who had as many as 10 guns with him, including rifles.

Reasor, who attended the three-day Route 91 Harvest Music Festival with a friend and Reasors mother, described the chaotic and confusing scene, stating that when the first shots were fired, no one could understand what was happening.

We heard a few shots and I thought a transformer just blew and my mother was saying it looked like there was smoke, Reasor said. And then the music stopped but the shooting didnt.

The crowd had very little cover in the open 15-acre concert venue and Reasor and her mother were forced to drop to the ground, lying there until the gunfire briefly stopped.

It was hard not to get trampled, Reasor said. Everyone would scream down and we would drop and play dead until the gunshots stopped and then we would get down again until we were able to take refuge behind a car.

The situation was made more terrifying because Reasor did not know where the shots were coming from and she was worried about her friend, who separated from Reasor to move up closer to the stage.

Everyone in Reasors group avoided physical harm, but the trauma of the shooting has been hard to process.

We cant even process it, we are just numb right now, Reasor said. We are very lucky because so many people didnt make it.

Reasor said she could not believe a person would harm people simply trying to enjoy music.

I am in shock. These are country people, Reasor said. Everyone was there to be happy and have a good time. I cant understand why someone would do this.

ELIMINATE THE THREAT

Flagstaff has never experienced a mass shooting close to the scale of Las Vegas, but law enforcement and public safety officials still have a plan in the event of a mass shooting or another mass casualty incident.

Coconino County Sheriff Jim Driscoll said that his office and a team of multiple law enforcement agencies such as Flagstaff Police Department and Arizona Department of Public Safety would use all of their resources to neutralize any threat to the public.

A mass shooting is going to elevate a higher response from all law enforcement agencies in the area, Driscoll said. But in any dangerous situation, from a traffic accident to a mass shooting, our goal is always to (first) eliminate the threat.

Driscoll said his officers conduct active-shooter training once a month as well as training for the countys SWAT team, which is made up of officers from the sheriffs office and the police department.

The sheriffs office also regularly conducts training for schools and private entities as a way to give the public better situational awareness if an active shooter is in the area. Driscoll said 1,500 people have participated in the program.

The county has active-shooter training planned for Williams School District later this month and is in talks with Flagstaff Unified School District to practice what it would take to reunite students with parents after a shooting event. All county employees are required to take active shooter training as well, according to Coconino County Department of Emergency Management.

However, Driscoll said that law enforcement in Coconino County has limited resources and that even a large police force such as the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department was not prepared for Sundays shooting.

As far as preparedness, no one is prepared, Las Vegas was not prepared, Driscoll said. The key is utilizing your training and responding to the threat.

MASS CASUALTY PLANS

However, law enforcement officers are not the only public safety officials involved with helping the public after a large-scale emergency.

Coconino County has its own emergency operations plan for mass casualties, similar to plans it has developed for wildfire preparedness and winter storm preparedness, said Todd Whitney, director of the countys Department of Emergency Management.

In an incident like that, the countys emergency management department would serve in a coordinating role, setting up an emergency operations center at the police station or in a designated room at the NACET Accelerator, Whitney said. That setup could happen within an hour of an event taking place and the center could include representatives from agencies like the health department, and power providers, he said.

The emergency operations center has an online meeting room as well that can be set up in just minutes, Whitney said. All of the responders from various levels of government can then post updates and see the current status of the incident.

In the operations command center, the emergency management department would support emergency responders, coordinate transportation away from the scene for those who are unharmed, help arrange for critical incident counselors and coordinate with the Red Cross and United Way, Whitney said. It would also work with the health departments emergency preparedness team, which would be tasked with coordinating any surge in people needing medical care and the transport of people to hospitals elsewhere, if thats necessary, Whitney said.

If the countys resources are maxed out, local agencies have mutual aid agreements with other jurisdictions that would lend a hand if needed, he said.
The Coconino County Sheriffs Office is asking for the publics help locating a missing woman who was last seen Sunday in the Gray Mountain area west of Cameron, officials said.

Irene Tom is described as a 71-year-old Native American woman, five feet, two inches tall, and weighs 150 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes. Tom was last seen wearing a black sweater, tan pants and possibly a light jacket. She did not have any extra food or water with her, CCSO spokeswoman Erika Wiltenmuth said in a press release.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Coconino County Sheriffs Office at 928-7744523 or at 1-800-338-7888 or Silent Witness at 928-774-6111.
At the Senate education committee hearing on the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), Chairman Lamar Alexander said that Tennessee, Louisiana, and New Mexico have taken the most advantage of the flexibility we offered under the law in creating innovative state plans.



He said, When President Obama signed our bill fixing No Child Left Behind, he called it a Christmas miracle. I said that I hoped we were unleashing a new era of innovation and excellence in student achievement  one that recognizes that the path to higher standards, better teaching and real accountability is classroom by classroom, and state by state  and not through Washington, D.C.

ESSA put states back in the drivers seat for decisions on how to help their students.Governor Haslam said last October, We are on a long journey. Weve done the hard work of raising expectations, investing more in education and letting our teachers and students show us what they can do, and again and again, our students and teachers are stepping up to the challenge.Senator Alexander on Tuesday said, In my opinion, Tennessee has once again stepped up to that challenge.The Every Student Succeeds Act is a historic piece of legislation because it represented that we can reach a bipartisan consensus on a topic of considerable differences  elementary and secondary education. That consensus was: Continue the laws important measurements of academic progress of students but restore to states what to do about that progress.Despite a new law, a new administration, and Congress overturning an Obama-era accountability provision that did exactly what Congress told the department not to do, this has been a smooth process for states. As the department continues approving state plans, I look forward to seeing ways other states are taking advantage of the freedom to innovate under ESSA.The chief state school officers from Tennessee, Louisiana, and New Mexico testified at Tuesday mornings hearing. These three states are among the first of 14 states -- 15 including the District of Columbia -- that have had their Title I plans approved by the U.S. Department of Education.Senator Alexander offered examples of the innovative approaches these three states are taking, saying: For example, Tennessees plan includes a Ready Graduate Indicator, which demonstrates students readiness for more than just college after high school. If youre a student whos planning to join the military or workforce after graduation, this indicator shows the state youre prepared. Louisiana has developed a career education initiative and a diverse course program, which means school districts will be able to offer students more career and technical preparation, advanced coursework, and dual enrollment. After listening to teachers, school districts and parents, New Mexico has included robust student services in their plan. If youre a parent of a child who needs early education programs or extra math help, this means theyll be able to access those services.The Senate education committee unanimously passed the legislation to fix No Child Left Behind in April 2015. In December 2015, ESSA was passed by Congress and signed into law. Alexander was the lead Republican sponsor. ESSA ends federal interference in state standards and ends the federal mandates on states to adopt the Common Core State Standards.

Alexanders full prepared remarks are here.
A partnership with TenneSEA (Tennessee Student Environmental Alliance) and the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC), will give fifth graders at Red Bank Elementary a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to learn about science.

TDEC presented TenneSEA with a check for $78,500 today for its efforts to restore the Mountain Creek Watershed. The project includes developing an award program for watershed friendly homes and businesses, installing Green Infrastructure at a home and church, and working with partners to plan protection for the upper reaches of the Mountain Creek Watershed. The ultimate goal is a cleaner Mountain Creek and a more involved public who takes even better care of it. Education is essential in the process, both within the communities and through the schools.



TenneSEA is the local arm of Caribbean SEA, a Chattanooga-based environmental organization that collaborates with communities to teach children about their connection with nature and empower them to become environmental leaders who make changes from within. They are a grassroots organization working within communities to help improve the water. Their goal is to start with education and proceed to taking positive action for the watershed.



TenneSEA focuses on watershed and stormwater education and installation of Green Infrastructure as well as utilizing water monitoring volunteers, the community based Stream Team members, to keep watch on the quality of the streams. TenneSEA provides resources for educators, students in grades K-12, and also collaborates with universities. Caribbean SEA Executive Director Mary Beth Sutton loves working with the students at Red Bank. After helping connect the teachers and students to the creek, the students now call it their creek and are passionate about taking care of it.



The Red Bank Elementary School Stream Team is playing an integral role in the process. The fifth grade students had to apply for a position on the stream when they were fourth graders. While they have spent part of their time learning more about Mountain Creek, part of their job is battling stream bank erosion. The Stream Team learned the engineering design process with TenneSEA educators and have been challenged to imagine solutions to the stream bank erosion next to the school. As Ms. Sutton said, Our Stream Team will present their ideas for stabilizing the stream bank to our TenneSEA team and our community volunteers from Propex, Wright Brothers and Chattanooga Engineering Group. Then they will learn how to take engineering design into action! We plan to have the stream bank stabilized before the end of the school year.



Red Bank Elementary Principal Haley Brown is thrilled her students have the opportunity to take on such a worth-while cause, right in their own backyard. At RBES, we strive to facilitate real-world learning for our students on a daily basis and to give them experiences that will allow them to find something in their life that they are passionate about. This project accomplishes both of these goals. Our STREAM Team students are committed to solving this real-world problem because it involves their creek and they are excited about the opportunity to present their solutions, said Ms. Brown.

TDEC Deputy Commissioner Dr. Shari Meghreblian said this effort is just one example of the good work being done to improve this watershed and others across Tennessee. We were very impressed with the Tennessee Student Alliances proposal to create a program that would award homeowners and business owners for their efforts to improve the Mountain Creek Watershed. Getting others involved expands our reach and helps improve watersheds across Tennessee, said Dr. Meghreblian.



The project is slated for two years, with a program launch for the award system slated for late fall or winter. Integrating the creativity and intelligence of our young people with the actions led by community volunteers makes for a great way to solve our communitys problems.


Getting through the workday on little sleep is a point of pride for some. But skimping on shuteye could be shortening your life and making you a less than stellar employee, according to Matthew Walker, founder and director of the Center for Human Sleep Science at the University of California, Berkeley.

"Underslept employees tend to create fewer novel solutions to problems, they're less productive in their work and they take on easier challenges at work," said Walker, author of "Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams," out Tuesday.

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Operating on short sleep  anything less than seven hours  impairs a host of brain and bodily functions, said Walker, who is also a professor of neuroscience and psychology. It increases your risk for heart attack, cancer and stroke, compromises your immune system and makes you emotionally irrational, less charismatic and more prone to lying.

We spoke to the sleep scientist about what's keeping us from getting to bed and how we can make the most of our slumber.

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Q: What do you say to people who sacrifice sleep to work?

I often ask the question in return, "Is the reason you've still got so much to do because you haven't gotten enough sleep and so you're inefficient while you're working?" We know that efficiency and effectiveness are increased when you're getting sufficient sleep and it will take you longer to do the same thing on an underslept brain, which means you end up having to stay awake longer. So goes the vicious cycle.

Q: How much sleep should we be getting?

The recommendation is seven to nine hours for all adults. The reason that there's a range is that it's a little bit like calories. Based on everyone's unique physiology, that amount will vary from one person to the next.

And the same is true for sleep, although there are somewhat hard boundaries on the lower end. Once you get less than seven hours of sleep, you can measure marked impairments in both brain and body health. And those people who claim they can survive on six hours of sleep or less, unfortunately, are deluding themselves and their health.

Q: How does someone know if they're getting enough sleep?

If you were not to set an alarm clock, would you sleep past it? If the answer is yes, then there is clearly more sleep that is needed.

Do you tend to sleep in during the weekends? That usually signals that you're trying to sleep off a debt you've accumulated during the week. By the way, it doesn't work like that. It doesn't work like the bank. You can't accumulate a debt and then pay it off at a later point in time.

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And if you feel like you need caffeine in the morning, then you're probably self-medicating your state of sleep deprivation.

Q: What happens when you drink caffeine late in the day?

The gross demonstration of caffeine is that it prevents you from falling asleep. The slightly more nefarious aspect of caffeine is that maybe you can fall asleep, but we know that the depth of deep sleep you're getting if caffeine is still in your system is severely less. So those people who say, "I can fall asleep just fine," it still doesn't mean they're safe and clear from the reaching arm of caffeine into their sleep.

Q: How about that post-work cocktail or nightly wine habit?

There is a misunderstanding that alcohol helps you fall asleep. Alcohol is a sedative. Sedation is not sleep  it doesn't come with the same restorative benefits. If you consume alcohol six to eight hours before bed, the first thing that alcohol is very good at doing is blocking your REM sleep, your dream sleep. Dream sleep has a whole collection of functions for the brain and the body.

It also fragments your sleep. You will wake up many more times a night than if you weren't drinking. Those awakenings tend to be quite brief and many people don't commit them to memory. So they wake up the next morning and feel unrefreshed and not particularly chipper. And they never connect the dots, which is perhaps it was the glass of red wine I had before bed and it was the multiple awakenings that I had throughout the night that makes me feel this sluggish and underslept the next day.

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Q: So how do we get our body ready for sleep?

An hour before bed, you really should stop using screens. We are a dark-deprived society and LED screens, even light inside of a room, can block your rising levels of melatonin and sort of push the onset of sleep later in time. So if you start to create dim lights and dim the screens, those things will help. If you have to work, use the software that desaturates the light. But really, you should probably stop.

Q: What do you use to help you sleep?

I've got some earplugs and I've got a face mask. When I travel, I definitely do that. When I'm at home, I have blackout curtains. So, hokey as it sounds, I do practice what I preach.

Q-and-A's are edited for length and clarity.

kwiginton@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @keriphoto
Pastries are displayed April 24, 2018, in the new McDonald's restaurant on the ground floor of the new corporate headquarters in Chicago's Fulton Market district. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune)

With six months to finish the job, construction on McDonald's new $250 million headquarters on Chicago's Near West Side is moving forward at a blistering pace.

The building's concrete frame was completed last month, and McDonald's CEO Steve Easterbrook and other employees attended a "topping-off" ceremony to mark the occasion. Now the 608,000-square-foot structure is being wrapped with exterior walls and windows, and is being insulated so that work can continue through the winter and the building can be ready for occupancy in the spring.

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The building, located in the West Town neighborhood in an area alternatively known as the West Loop and Fulton Market, is expected to be completely enclosed by December, according to Paul Turilli, a vice president for Sterling Bay who's overseeing the project.

The nine-story building, on the site of Oprah Winfrey's former Harpo Studios, is being erected using a "top-down" construction method, meaning the building came out of the ground at the same time as the underground space was being excavated to make room for future parking.

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"The top down doesn't happen all that often in the city," Turilli said. "It's tricky, but it's a great schedule saver."

Turilli said the building will be ready for McDonald's employees to move in next spring, but would not give a specific date that work should finish.

"It will be spring, not summer, for sure," he said.

McDonald's has previously estimated that it will bring about 2,000 employees to the new headquarters.

Details on the interior are scarce. It's still not clear how the office space and other McDonald's must-haves  like test kitchens and its "Hamburger University" training center  will be laid out. McDonald's declined to give details, but spokeswoman Terri Hickey said, "We are excited about the progress to date on the construction of our new Chicago headquarters."

McDonald's still plans to open a restaurant on the ground floor of the headquarters building.

sbomkamp@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @SamWillTravel

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PHOENIX -- The Arizona Democratic Party goes to federal court today in a bid to overturn a ban on "ballot harvesting" and ensure that ballots cast in the wrong precinct are counted anyway.

Attorney Bruce Spiva contends the Republican-controlled Legislature acted illegally last year in making it a felony for an individual to take anyone else's early ballot to a polling place. Spiva said he will present evidence that the measure will cause undue harm to minorities and other groups.

But Sara Agne, attorney for the Arizona Republican Party, who is defending the law, will argue that lawmakers were entitled to put procedures in place designed to prevent fraud.

Spiva could have an uphill battle.

U.S. District Court Judge Douglas Rayes last year refused to stop the state from enforcing the law while its legal merits are being debated. He concluded there was no "quantitative evidence" to show minorities were more likely to be harmed than anyone else.

The full 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which heard arguments last year in San Francisco, thought otherwise and agreed to enjoin enforcement. But that decision was stayed by the U.S. Supreme Court with the justices concluding they did not want to make such a radical change so close to last year's election.

In the meantime, the appellate court sent the case back to Rayes to take a closer look. Rayes now has set aside 10 days to hear evidence.

The law criminalizes what had been a practice by civic and political groups of going out to see if people who had requested early ballots had remembered to return them by mail. If they had not, group members would offer to take it to the polling place themselves.

Now, such action could result in a presumptive one-year prison term and potential $150,000 fine.

There are exceptions. The law does not apply to family members, those living in the same household or certain caregivers who provide assistance to voters in various institutions.

The legislation is based on claims of fraud -- or at least the potential for that.

Rep. Don Shooter, R-Yuma, a member of the Senate in 2016, said there are "a lot of shenanigans ... down in my neck of the woods."

"I've been told the way they do it is they collect the ballots early, they put them in a microwave with a bowl of water, steam then open, take the ballots," he said during debate.

"If they like the way it's voted they put them back in," Shooter continued. "If they don't like the way it's voted, they lose the ballot."

But Shooter, who said he passed the tip on to state election officials, acknowledged nothing ever came of it.

Spiva told Capitol Media Services he intends to prove otherwise.

"There's no evidence of fraud in the legislative record," he said. "And there's no evidence anywhere."

But Republicans contend they do not need proof of actual fraud to justify the law. Agne said the statute is justified because it helps protect against election fraud.

"It's in the state's interest to have that chain of custody information," she told the appellate court during last year's hearing. "That's one of the reasons the state has implemented this sensible election regulation."

Agne also said a majority of other states have similar laws, though only a handful make it a felony like Arizona.

The lack of any actual evidence was not only an issue in court. It also came up when the measure was first debated in the House.

Rep. J.D. Mesnard, R-Chandler, who is now House speaker, said it is irrelevant whether there is fraud or not.

"What is indisputable is that many people believe it's happening," he said in voting for the measure. "And I think that matters."

Spiva has one other argument. He said the evidence will show the Arizona law has a disproportionate impact on minorities, meaning it runs afoul of federal voting rights laws.

His other legal challenge is to a law that governs what happens when people show up at polling places on Election Day and their names are not on the list of those registered to vote there.

If the would-be voter is simply at the wrong place, poll workers can -- but are not required to -- direct them to where they need to go. Voters who insist they are registered and entitled to vote there are given a "provisional ballot."

After other ballots are counted, county election officials go through their records to see if that person was entitled to vote at that place. If not, the ballot is not counted.

Spiva contends this law disproportionately affects minorities. So he wants Rayes to rule that counties must count any vote that the person was entitled to make had he or she gone to the proper polling place.

So, for example, a voter who should have been in Tempe but ended up in Glendale would not have votes counted for city elections or school boards. But under Spiva's argument, that person's vote would be counted for statewide offices like governor and U.S. senator.
WASHINGTON  If you've been pondering how you as a homeowner or buyer might fare under the new Republican tax overhaul plan, here are a few points to consider.

Although the tax proposal got fattened up a little over the summer  moving from a White House "outline" of barely one page to a "framework" now consisting of nine pages  there's been minimal meat added to the bones regarding housing.

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Yes, the mortgage interest deduction will still be preserved, but with the doubling of the standard deduction to $12,000 (single tax filers) and $24,000 (joint filers), many current itemizers taking the mortgage write-off are likely to opt for the standard deduction.

That may sound fine to you  there are undeniable attractions to the idea of simplifying the tax code by allowing taxpayers to take a single, large deduction instead of itemizing multiple smaller ones  but it may not be a net benefit for you, depending on the final details. If, as expected, you lose the current personal exemption of $4,050  plus you've got kids, a spouse, a house  and other key deductions are eliminated, you could end up paying more in federal taxes, not less.

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If most people take the standard deduction, the homeownership stimulant effects of the mortgage interest write-off could be diminished and have an impact on home prices. A study by auditing and consulting firm PwC, also known as PricewaterhouseCoopers, earlier this year found that reducing the number of taxpayers who claim the mortgage deduction  along with eliminating local tax write-offs and factoring in lower marginal tax rates  could lower the investment value of homes and depress prices by an average of 10.2 percent.

The study was commissioned by the National Association of Realtors  hardly a disinterested party in the tax debate. But some academic studies also have concluded that there is a tax-subsidy component built into home values that would be depressed if tax incentives such as the mortgage interest deduction were cut or removed. Last year a study by a Federal Reserve economist estimated that totally eliminating the mortgage interest deduction would cause the average household in the country to lose 10.9 percent of its home value.

The lack of detail in the Republican tax framework makes it difficult for anyone  especially homeowners  to calculate what the changes would mean for their personal federal tax bill. The framework offers to collapse the current seven marginal tax brackets into just three  12 percent, 25 percent and 35 percent  but does not provide income cutoff points associated with each bracket. So you can't be sure where you end up.

The framework is also coy about just which deductions currently taken by millions of individuals no longer would be permitted. It only identifies two personal deductions that would survive the cuts  charitable contributions and mortgage interest. This leads to the inevitable conclusion that one of the biggest and most politically sensitive write-offs, state and local taxes, would not survive.

In fact, the elimination of that deduction appears to be an essential element in the plan, because it would help defray the gushing revenue losses elsewhere in what President Donald Trump has described as his administration's "giant, beautiful, massive, the biggest ever in our country, tax cut."

State and local tax write-offs are an important part of the financial calculus for many home purchasers and owners. Their elimination would add an estimated $1.3 trillion to federal tax revenues over the next 10 years. State and local deductions are most heavily claimed in areas with higher-than-average property and income tax rates, such as Washington, D.C.; Maryland; New York; New Jersey; New England; Virginia; California; and Illinois, among others. They are a big deal to local governments and they are certain to be fought for passionately by congressional members from the states most affected, including Republicans.

So where's this all going and how fast? Think about the acrimony of the health care debate, add in legions of well-funded and politically powerful lobbies each protecting their industries' most prized tax code subsidies  real estate high on the list  plus a short legislative calendar left this year, and you are easily into next year, which happens to be a congressional election year, when all bets are off.

Retiring Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., summed up the prospects aptly: "Tax reform is going to make health care look like a piece of cake." Whether you like whatever cake eventually pops out of the oven is an entirely different story.

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Chicago chefs like Sarah Grueneberg and television personality Andrew Zimmern will get together this weekend for the Taste Talks food conference. (Taste Talks)

Taste Talks, a three-day conference of panel discussions, chef dinners and food demos, returns to Chicago for its fourth year this weekend, featuring special guest Andrew Zimmern, host of "Bizarre Foods." Running Oct. 6-8, the talks move to a new venue, Revival Food Hall in the Loop.

The culinary conclave opens with a cocktail party Friday night at the Ace Hotel. Expect food, drinks and a live musical performance by alternative hip-hop artist Serengeti.

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Saturday starts with brunch at Revival, before a full day of talks and demos dissecting this year's theme, "The Future of Taste."

Three concurrent events kick off the day.

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"Chefs Give Back: Solidarity Through Soup" brings together Bruce Sherman (North Pond) and Matthias Merges (Billy Sunday, Old Irving Brewing, Gideon Sweet) to discuss chefs supporting immigrant communities, moderated by this reporter.

"Knife Skills: A Live Demo" features Spiaggia's Joe Flamm and Town Cutler handmade knives. "Fire, Smoke and Meat: Traditions in BBQ" features John Manion (La Sirena Clandestina, El Che Bar) and Diana Davila (Mi Tocaya Antojeria) discussing barbecue from the American South to South America.

While events will be held throughout the day  from wine to Instagramable plating  Saturday will be capped by Zimmern and former Tribune reporter and current food editor of The Onion's A.V. Club Kevin Pang. The duo will discuss the cultural appropriation of food cultures, as well as hunger relief efforts.

Conference highlights also include cooking demos by Next's Jenner Tomaska, exploring "provocative technique," and El Ideas' Phillip Foss, making his signature dish French fries and ice cream," plus the talk "High Time: The Present and Future of Cannabis Cuisine," with HotChocolate's Mindy Segal and journalist Lee V. Gaines.

Eat. Watch. Do. Weekly What to eat. What to watch. What you need to live your best life ... now. >

Saturday closes with a "Fam-to-Table" event, inspired by the staff meal ubiquitous in the restaurant industry. Hosted at Fulton Market Kitchen with chef Chris Curren and pastry chef Becca Zuckerman, guest chefs Manion and City Mouse's Pat Sheerin will collaborate on the menu, with cocktails by bartender Liz Pearce (Beatnik, The Drifter).

Sunday's afternoon "All-Star Cookout" in Palmer Square offers two sessions with food and cocktails from a dozen chef pairings, including a collaboration between Zimmern and Oriole's Noah Sandoval. Other highlights include Fat Rice's Abe Conlon partnering with rapper Serengeti, Honey's Justin Furman and Tyrone Redic with alternative indie band Meat Wave, and Seoul Taco's David Choi with hip-hop soul band The O'Mys.

Sunday finally wraps with a closing night party at Ukrainian Village's Sportsman's Club.

Taste Talks drew over 2,000 attendees in Chicago last year, according to organizers. Based in Brooklyn, the group hosted its fifth symposium last month and will move on to Los Angeles and Miami next.

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Please note that tickets are available only in advance online. $49-$299. www.chicago.tastetalks.com

lchu@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @louisachu

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I took one bite of the breaded steak sandwich ($9.99) at CaPo's on Grand in West Town and knew something was different. Instead of a hulking piece of greasy fried beef completely saturated in tomato sauce, the beef maintained its crackly coating and sported a satisfyingly smoky aroma. My mind raced. How do you grill a breaded steak?

The answer: by not frying it in the first place. "It's a Sicilian recipe," say's CaPo's owner John Campanelli. "An old lady told it to me. She marinates steak in olive oil, tosses it in seasoned breadcrumbs and then finishes it on the grill. No flour or egg, so it stays crisp, and it's never fried." The sandwich is labeled Tina's breaded steak sandwich in her honor.

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CaPo's version couldn't be more different from the crowd-pleasing breaded steak sandwich at Ricobene's, which I do like but consider more of a hilarious gut bomb, worth experiencing once a year or so. But CaPo's manages to do something with the breaded steak sandwich I never thought possible: make it taste like a balanced, reasonable sandwich. A fresh and vibrant red tomato sauce livens each bite, and you can add spicy giardiniera for a kick. I simply didn't know a breaded steak sandwich could taste this good.

As you may have guessed, this isn't Campanelli's first restaurant. In the 1990s, he owned LaBella Pasteria in Oak Park and Madison's near the United Center. But until a few years ago, you were more likely to find him working the pits in the Chicago Board of Trade. "Electronics forced me out," admits Campanelli. "Still having kids in college, I had to think of something to do." After hunting for a space, he settled on a massive storefront along Grand Avenue, just down the street from the Italian deli and grocery Bari.

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Capo's fries are crispy and fried to order. (Nick Kindelsperger / Chicago Tribune)

At first, CaPo's looks like an unassuming hot dog stand, which was Campanelli's original intention. The shop still serves a worthy minimalist-style Chicago hot dog ($2.99), featuring a natural casing dog from Vienna Beef topped with only onions, mustard, relish and hot peppers. Each dog arrives wrapped up tight with fantastic fresh-cut fries, just like at Gene & Jude's, one of Campanelli's favorite hot dog stands.

Eat. Watch. Do. Weekly What to eat. What to watch. What you need to live your best life ... now. >

But you get the sense that Campanelli is still figuring out exactly what he wants to do with CaPo's. He keeps adding dishes to the menu, and these days he's far more excited about the sandwich options.

CaPo's makes its Italian beef from scratch, and it's one of the best in the area. (Nick Kindelsperger / Chicago Tribune)

Personally, I'm stuck on the Italian beef ($6.49), which he roasts and slices in-house. Instead of dry and tough, the slices stay impressively juicy and meaty. The gravy (or jus) showcases a complex spice profile, the exact contents of which remain a secret. It's easily the best Italian beef in the area, and after trying it twice, I think it's a contender for among the best in the city. Which is kind of funny, because it's still not on the main menu. "I didn't plan to serve one, but so many people came in and asked for it," says Campanelli. "We had to add it."

CaPo's recently added a breaded pork-tenderloin sandwich to the lineup, hoping that it would catch on. (Nick Kindelsperger / Chicago Tribune)

Last time I visited, Campanelli had added another sandwich to the menu, a breaded pork-tenderloin sandwich ($7.99), and decided to plaster the windows with hand-stenciled posters proclaiming CaPo's, "Home of the breaded pork tenderloin sandwich." Unlike the steak, this one is fried, but it impressively retains its crunch even when drizzled with tomato sauce.

So CaPo's might have a bit of an identity crisis right now, but instead of a lack of good options, Campanelli just seems unsure of which great idea to run with. Perhaps a new sign without a hot dog would clue people into the more rewarding Chicago-style sandwiches on the menu. Regardless, right now CaPo's is quietly beating some established Chicago stands at their own game.

CaPo's on Grand, 1147 W. Grand Ave., 312-846-1023, www.caposongrand.com

nkindelsperger@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @nickdk

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Festival goers fill Zilker Park with the Austin skyline as a backdrop at the 2014 Austin City Limits music festival in Austin, Texas. (Ashley Landis / EPA)

The Austin City Limits music festival is offering refunds to anyone uncomfortable with attending following the mass shooting at a country music concert in Las Vegas.

Spokeswoman Sandee Fenton said in an email Tuesday that the three-day outdoor festival will give refunds to fans "who no longer wish to attend." The festival opens Friday and packs Austin, Texas' downtown with about 75,000 people each day.

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The offer comes a few days after a gunman opened fire at the Route 91 Harvest Festival in Las Vegas.

Austin City Limits, one of the largest music festivals in the United States, is produced by Austin-based C3 Presents, which also puts on Lollapalooza in Chicago. It's headlined this year by Jay Z and the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

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Austin Interim Police Chief Brian Manley says there will be a high presence of law enforcement at the festival.

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Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 122 Sophie Turner as Jean Grey, anger management student, in "Dark Phoenix." The film, the latest in the "X-Men" franchise, costars James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender and Jessica Chastain. Read the review. (Twentieth Century Fox)
Somehow, Tom Petty found time to produce memorable collaborations with these artists while also fronting the Heartbreakers for 40 years.

Tom Petty wrote dozens of classic songs ("Free Fallin," "American Girl," "Refugee," and on and on). Here are a few deeper cuts that endure:

"Fooled Again (I Don't Like It)," from "Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers" (1976): The eeriest, nastiest track on the band's debut.

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"I Need to Know," from "You're Gonna Get It" (1978): Petty was initially pegged as a new-wave artist by tastemakers who didn't know what to make of him, and this song embodies the fast, terse, almost slapdash urgency of the form with the guitar interplay of Petty and Mike Campbell.

"Louisiana Rain," from "Damn the Torpedoes" (1979): This sounds like a battered, bruised, bluesy outtake from the Rolling Stones' "Beggars Banquet" with Petty channeling Keith Richards.

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"A Woman in Love (It's Not Me)," from "Hard Promises" (1981): Released as a single, it faltered because Petty's songwriting handoff to Steve Nicks, "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around," eclipsed it on radio programmers' play lists. It contains one of Petty's most devastated performances, with nuanced contributions from guitarist Mike Campbell and keyboardist Benmont Tench.

"The Best of Everything," from "Southern Accents" (1985): With horn-inflected production by the Band's Robbie Robertson and backing vocals from Richard Manuel, this is among the outliers in the Petty canon  bigger production, but a moving coda to one of his most personal albums.

"Love is a Long Road," from "Full Moon Fever" (1989): Amid an album brimming with Petty classics, this "motorcycle song" with music by Mike Campbell and Petty's lyrics is an oft-overlooked gem.

"Don't Fade on Me," from "Wildflowers" (1994): One of Petty's best and most underrated albums with Rick Rubin production, coming off recent work with Johnny Cash, focused on intimacy and stripped-down production. Petty has never sounded more vulnerable than he does on this acoustic track.

"Come on Down to My House," from "Playback" boxed set (1995): The Heartbreakers at their most corrosive, as if going toe-to-toe with Nirvana circa "In Utero."

"Ways to Be Wicked," from "Playback" boxed set (1995): An outtake handed to Maria McKee and Lone Justice for the band's stellar 1985 country-punk debut album. Petty's caustic version brims with sex, wickedness and hurt.

"Swingin'," from "Echo" (1999): Petty in love hangover mode from his divorce delivers this tribute to the female counterpart of his classic "I Won't Back Down."

greg@gregkot.com

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Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 122 Sophie Turner as Jean Grey, anger management student, in "Dark Phoenix." The film, the latest in the "X-Men" franchise, costars James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender and Jessica Chastain. Read the review. (Twentieth Century Fox)
"Reimagining classical Indian dance for modern times." I must have written that description a dozen times, about a dozen different works over the past few years.

But pulling apart a thousands-of-years-old movement tradition embedded in classical Indian bharatanatyam has proved to be elusive. I write again and again about this or that work "reimagining" or "recontextualizing" bharatanatyam, but as a relatively uneducated viewer of Indian dance, I find the finished products of those efforts still, by and large, look pretty much like classical bharatanatyam.

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It's a big request for any dancer to undo her training, but one the average student of modern or contemporary dance knows quite well. The path from dancer to choreographer brings many pleasant surprises, and many more existential crises, as she learns that all those rules she learned, well, are meant to be broken by choreographic devices.

One could date ballet's reimagining to more than a century ago, with Isadora Duncan's barefoot dancing and the German expressionist movement that propelled modern dance into being. It's a process Pranita Nayar (formerly Pranita Jain) calls "unwinding," but Nayar has never studied modern dance. While I found myself again repeating that catchphrase about recontextualizing Indian dance for modern times leading up to the premiere of her newest evening-length work named after this process, "Unwinding" is actually accomplishing a deconstruction of bharatanatyam like no other I've seen.

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"My audience is not from a thousand years ago, so what are we preserving? For whom am I preserving it?" said Nayar during a studio visit rehearsing for the upcoming one-night-only performance of "Unwinding" at the Studebaker Theater. Nayar has studied the bharatanatyam for decades, frequently traveling to India from the United States, her home since 1985. She moved to Illinois to study dance ethnography at the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana, specifically researching the transformation of traditional bharatanatyam temple dancers, who were associated with prostitution, into the concert dance form it is today. "The bharatanatyam of today is only about 100 years old," she said.

Still, the way Nayar is dismantling the form feels like a radical act, an "unwinding" of centuries of tradition, layers upon layers of meaning which are tightly tied to the cultural fabric and spirituality of the people of India in ways that Western concert dance forms have never been.

"I think it's really novel, what I'm doing. I've never seen this distortion of the body. Bharatanatyam is an interdisciplinary dance form, but I've broken it out," said Nayar, who is entering admittedly scary territory for her and her dancers, many of whom are also classically trained bharatanatyam dancers.

But whatever fear Nayar or her dancers may have wasn't evident in the studio, and playfulness appeared to be central to her process. I visited a rehearsal already in progress, walking in to two amoebalike dancers shrouded by silky saris draped over their entire bodies. They then worked through a section that dissects classical dance passages by body part  head and eyes, hands, and feet  using fabrics to drape the dancers' bodies and create the effect of floating parts.

Nayar becomes practically giddy with excitement as she witnesses the transformation of deeply ingrained movement patterns from her training. She compartmentalized the interconnected nature of the body, space, time and rhythm, transferring her primary focus from rhythm to space, a lesser consideration in traditional iterations of the form.

"And then there's the mind," she said, which connects to the stories and legends contained within each pattern. Nayar unwinds these by removing the prescribed abhinaya and mudras (facial expressions and hand gestures), softening the edges of the steps, doing them backward or transitioning them onto the floor. A single mudra, a closed palm with splayed fingers representing the water lily, is now the impetus for an entire section of "Unwinding" in which four women portray the individual petals on the lily. As I was leaving rehearsal, Nayar remarked that she wished audiences could see what I saw  that is, the actually unwinding process  saying that it, more so than the performance, is the "thing."

And it is this that makes Nayar the perfect candidate for the Chicago Dancemakers Forum Lab Artist Grant, a $15,000 award given annually to dance-makers and performance artists who are focused on intense research and process over product. "Unwinding's" premiere at the Studebaker marks the end of her yearlong investigation as a 2016 Lab Artist. I asked Nayar if she could go back to creating traditional Indian dances after going through this process. "Physically, I will always be bharatanatyam," she said. "Emotionally and mentally, I've moved beyond that."

Mandala South Asian Performing Arts presents "Unwinding" 7 p.m. Friday, in the Studebaker Theater at the Fine Arts Building, 410 S. Michigan Ave.; tickets $25 at mandalaarts.org or www.eventbrite.com

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ALSO WORTH NOTING

Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre expands its fall series to three weekends in three separate locations. Collaborations are on tap, per usual, with works by Sherry Zunker with co-founder Joe Cerqua, Dan Hesler and Taylor Mitchell, Cerqua with artistic director Wilfredo Rivera, and Rivera with Clarice Assad. Thursday through Sunday at Links Hall, 3111 N. Western Ave., Oct. 13 at Studio5 Performing Arts Center in Evanston, and Oct. 21 at the Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts; $24$38 at cerquarivera.org

Ensemble Espanol Spanish Dance Theater kicks off the first installment of this season's "Made in Chicago" dance series at the Auditorium Theatre. It's a similar program to last season's excellent series at Skokie's North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, but Angel Rojas' brilliant "Defalla, Fuera de la Caja," is definitely worth seeing again and again. Friday at the Auditorium Theatre, 50E. Congress Parkway; $29-68 at 312-341-2300 or www.auditoriumtheatre.org

Lauren Warnecke is a freelance critic.

ctc-arts@chicagotribune.com

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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)
Actor Mark Wahlberg and Cardinal Blase Cupich will host a faith night designed to draw young adults into the Catholic church on Oct. 20, 2017. (Niklas Halle'n / AFP/Getty Images, Rob Dicker/For Lake News Sun)

Marky Mark is doing his part for the church.

The Oscar-nominated actor, sometime underwear model and pop music star Mark Wahlberg has been recruited by Cardinal Blase Cupich to host a faith night designed to draw young adults into the Catholic Church.

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While the 46-year-old is no longer a spring chicken, he is a committed Catholic and has a compelling story to tell. Convicted as a 16-year-old in an assault on a Vietnamese immigrant he hurled racial epithets at, Wahlberg quit gang life with help from his Boston priest, the Rev. James Flavin, and later apologized for his "horrific acts."

Wahlberg will speak onstage about what his faith means to him at the UIC Pavilion on Oct. 20. The event, titled "(re)ENCOUNTER" comes at a time that "the Church and the world need (young people's) energy, honesty and commitment to community more than ever" Cupich is quoted as saying in a news release.

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The actor, who often speaks out about his faith, met with Pope Francis in 2015 and joked that he hoped God had a sense of humor about his movies.

"My Catholic faith has always been a true anchor in my life that supports everything I do; my wish is for all young people to embrace their faith and put it into action," Wahlberg said in a news release.

kjanssen@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @kimjnews
Sorry, gun lovers, your attempts to use Chicago as a prop to bolster your claims that gun control laws do nothing to curb gun violence just dont hold up, says Tribune columnist Dahleen Glanton. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)

Chicago does not have the strictest gun laws in the country. It's time for gun lovers to stop spreading that lie.

A decade ago that was indeed a title Chicago wore proudly. We were the only major city that still had an ordinance banning residents from keeping a handgun in their home.

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The handgun ban made us the primary target of the National Rifle Association and the Second Amendment Foundation, and in 2010 the U.S. Supreme Court forced Chicago to fall into line with the rest of the country.

Since then, the courts have peeled off so many layers of our once stellar gun ordinance that it's barely recognizable. We're still maneuvering to keep gun stores and shooting ranges from opening in the city limits. But the courts have ruled against us on that, too, so we know it's just a matter of time.

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Remember that old requirement that gun owners in Chicago register their firearms with the city and obtain a permit? Well, that's gone too.

And thanks to the Illinois General Assembly, which was pressured by the federal courts to pass a concealed carry law in 2013, people can walk the streets of Chicago with a gun attached to their waist and another strapped to their ankle.

Sorry, gun lovers, your attempts to use Chicago as a prop to bolster your claims that gun control laws do nothing to curb gun violence just don't hold up.

New York, in fact, has stricter gun laws on the books than Chicago. And guess what? Its homicide numbers are heading toward historic lows. Los Angeles has some pretty tough gun laws too. Its homicide numbers also pale compared with Chicago's.

Those kinds of details don't fit the conservative, pro-gun narrative, though. To use New York as a talking point, they'd have to admit that strict gun laws might actually have an impact on homicide rates.

We don't make excuses for our ghastly homicide numbers in Chicago. With 762 people killed last year, no one has to remind us that we have a serious gun problem. We own it. And we have to do something about it.

But we are tired of Donald Trump and pro-gun advocates using our city to promote their political agenda.

White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders dragged Chicago into the fray again on Monday when responding to a reporter's question about gun policy in the aftermath of the mass shooting in Las Vegas.

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"One of the things that we don't want to do is try to create laws that won't stop these types of things from happening," Sanders said at a news conference. "I think if you look to Chicago where you had over 4,000 victims of gun-related crimes, they have the strictest gun laws in the country and that certainly hasn't helped there."

Sanders should listen to U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly, D-Ill., who argues that the problem is Chicago being surrounded by red states that have completely surrendered to the pro-gun lobby.

With no gun stores in Chicago and no background check loopholes for private sales, one thing is clear. The guns being used to kill people on the streets aren't originating in Chicago. They're coming from someplace else.

When politicians and others repeat that ridiculous statement about Chicago's gun laws, it shows how out of touch they are with the problems urban areas face when it comes to gun violence.

When it comes to gun laws, big cities are only as strong as the states that border them. And in Chicago's case, that's Indiana. Thanks to Vice President Mike Pence, the former governor, Indiana has some of the weakest gun laws in the nation.

While Illinois has gone to great lengths to see that background checks are done for all gun purchases, Indiana has done the opposite. To buy a weapon in Illinois, the owner must have a valid firearms owner's identification card, issued by the Illinois State Police.

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With no permit or license required to purchase a gun in Indiana, it is incredibly easy for a trafficker to drive across the state line, obtain a gun and use it to commit a homicide on the streets of Chicago.

Those with felony convictions commonly use straw purchases, in which they enlist someone with a clean record to purchase multiple guns and bring them into the city.

Law enforcement officials say 60 percent of the guns confiscated on the streets of Chicago come from Indiana, Wisconsin and Mississippi. The other 40 percent come from suburban Cook County and nearby suburbs.

It's tough, but we can try to sort out the bad apples in our own state and shut them down. But we're helpless when it comes to regulating Indiana, Wisconsin and Mississippi.

Congress could do something, though. Lawmakers could pass legislation requiring universal background checks. That would close federal loopholes on background checks at gun shows and other private sales.

Congress could also limit the number of guns that can be purchased by one person in a period of time. And lawmakers could toughen penalties for straw purchases.

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Military-style assault weapons already are banned in the city of Chicago, but in most other places in Illinois and in most other states, they can be purchased as easily as a handgun. If Congress really wanted to stop massacres like the one in Las Vegas from occurring, lawmakers could pass a federal assault weapons ban to replace the one that expired in 2004.

The gun lovers in Washington don't want to talk about these things, though. It's a lot easier to just keep picking on Chicago.

dglanton@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @dahleeng
Windows are broken at the Mandalay Bay resort and casino in Las Vegas on Oct. 3, 2017. (John Locher / AP)

Another mass shooting in America. This one, the worst we've ever seen.

For now.

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A gunman unleashed a hail of bullets on an outdoor country music concert on the Las Vegas Strip Sunday night, killing at least 59 people and injuring more than 500.

Inside his room on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay casino-hotel, police found 16 rifles, including some fully automatic assault weapons. He apparently used one of the guns to kill himself before a SWAT team burst through the door.

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Across the country, Americans are shocked and saddened, even angry that such a tragedy could occur. In the aftermath, there have been calls for unity and peace. The president led a moment of silence on the White House lawn.

We will demand that authorities figure out how such a thing could happen  again  though we already know the answer. We will stamp our feet and insist that our lawmakers do something to put a stop to this type of carnage. But they will do nothing.

So these mass killings will continue to happen again and again. Because in America, we insist on having the right to bear firearms  any kind of firearms. And we will not give up our weapons.

That's why we've been here so many times before. We know the routine by heart.

In the days to come, we will look for someone to blame other than the gunman, 64-year-old Stephen Paddock, who according to his brother was "just a guy."

It would be easier to make sense of this tragedy if we could point to strangers in a faraway land. The Islamic State has claimed responsibility, but federal investigators said they have found no link to international terrorist groups.

The thought that such an attack could have been carried out by one of our own is unsettling, not just because it could have occurred in any town or city, making all of us vulnerable. But if this is yet another act of domestic violence, we are also culpable.

As things appear now, this massacre is on us.

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The White House says today is not the right time to talk about gun policy. The truth is that there is no better time than when we are in the midst of a gun-related crisis.

At this moment  the day after a senseless mass shooting  our heads are clear about the need to do something. As each day passes, the issue will become fuzzier and the debate over gun control will retreat to its partisan corners where it will linger until the next crisis arises.

Details of how Paddock accumulated so many weapons  authorities found another 18 guns at his home  were still being sorted out. Regardless of how we feel about gun laws, the image of a man holed up in a hotel room with 16 rifles makes most of us uncomfortable.

It is the same kind of eerie feeling we got 14 months ago after security guard Omar Mateen killed 49 people and wounded 58 others at a gay nightclub in Orlando.

And before that, when college student Seung-Hui Cho killed 32 people in a shooting spree at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va. And after Adam Lanza gunned down 20 children and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School.

We have squandered so many opportunities to tighten federal and local gun laws that would keep firearms out of the hands of people who should not have them. We have placed no demands on our elected officials to stand up to the powerful gun lobby and do what's best for Americans.

We do nothing because we are too in love with our guns. We are seduced by the power they give us over others. We buy them by the millions, with inadequate oversight or accountability.

Even when guns betray us as they did in Las Vegas, we refuse to see them as the ruthless killers they really are.

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A handgun kept for protection by our bedside isn't enough. We need more powerful firearms  high-powered rifles that can fire 700 or more rounds per minute.

And then come the tears.

After every mass shooting, our compassion for the injured and the families of the deceased runs high, but it is not nearly as strong as the passion we have for our guns.

When everything is said and done, Americans always choose our guns over human lives.

dglanton@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @dahleeng
Flagstaff public education advocates are going for the money, and more of it.

Some 50 Flagstaff educators, high school students, business leaders and government officials met at an Arizona Town Hall community meeting on Sunday.

The group recommended renewing and expanding Proposition 301 to a full one-cent tax and using the money to help support an increases in teacher pay and other programs. The tax expires in 2020.

We need a source of education funding that is independent of the Legislature, said Nat White, the representative of one of the 10 small focus groups created at the event.

Because Prop. 301 is a voter initiative, it would require a two-thirds vote of both houses of the Arizona Legislature to change it.

Prop. 301 was passed by voters in 2000 and increased the state sales tax by 0.6 percentage points to 5.6 percent. The money from the increase was earmarked for public education. According to Expect More Arizona, the current tax brings in more than $640 million annually, with about $500 million going to K-12 education. About $364 million of that $500 million goes to the Classroom Site Fund, which is distributed to school districts and charter schools to help fund teacher pay, performance incentives and general maintenance and operations.

A number of education support groups, including Expect More Arizona, have recommended renewing the tax. The organization estimates that increasing it to 1 percent would generate an additional $400 million a year, and increasing it to 1.6 percent would bring in an additional $1 billion per year. All state subsidies to K-12 public education, including Prop. 301, total about $4.4 billion a year.

In order to have a strong education system, said one attendee, the state needs good teachers and the facilities to create a learning environment for students. In order to attract good teachers, Arizona needs to increase teacher pay and reduce the workload that teachers carry with more volunteers and teachers aids.

The town hall attendees also recommended a marketing campaign that would educate the public, especially those residents who dont have children, and businesses on the importance of a good education on the workforce in Arizona and the states economy.

In order to make sure that the funds are spent wisely, the group suggested a review of current education funding sources and how the money is spent.

The Flagstaff group also recommended encouraging the public and businesses to volunteer more in the classroom and for schools to hire more teachers aides to reduce the workload on teachers and give them more opportunities for self-improvement.

Schools should also talk with local businesses and citizens about what skills students need to get jobs after graduation and what kind of businesses that the community wants to attract to the area. Businesses can help by providing students with hands-on-experience through internships and apprenticeships.

The group also agreed that the state testing system needed to be reviewed to make sure that it was addressing the whole student and not just proficiency in two subjects. Students need to understand how the standardized tests apply to them in the real world, said Ryan Howington, a high school student who attended the event.

Individually, attendees pledged to talk to their neighbors about the importance of education and what events and programs were going on in the schools in order to generate more interest in schools. Others said they would attend school board meetings, campaign and vote for candidates that supported school funding, work with their student council and school administrators to educate students about the situation and thank one teacher a day for their work or tutor a student in math.

Susan Imel said she would work to get more people registered to vote in order to support initiatives such as Save Our Schools. Save Our Schools gathered enough signatures to put the Arizona Legislatures recent expansion of the states private school voucher program on the ballot.

Ed. Note: This story has been changed from the original.
Chicago police are searching for a man they say knocked people down while demanding their property on at least two occasions Sunday in the Illinois Medical District.

In the first instance, someone was robbed around 6:50 p.m. in the 600 block of South Wood Street, according to a community alert from police.

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About 20 minutes later, another person was robbed in the 1800 block of West Harrison Street around 7:10 p.m.

The man is described as black, 20 to 25 years old, with short black hair and weighing about 150 pounds and standing 5-foot-9 to 5-foot-11, according to the alert. He was wearing a white shirt and blue jeans.

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Anyone with information is asked to contact Area Central detectives at 312-747-8382.
Jerry Adams, 33, of Uptown, has been charged in federal court with trying to rob an armored truck guard by hitting the guard with a sledgehammer, according to court documents. (Chicago police photo)

A man who authorities say was shot when he tried to rob an armored truck guard by hitting him in the back and neck with a sledgehammer in Little Village has been charged in federal court.

Jerry Adams, 33, of Chicago, was still hospitalized Tueday after the employee of Garda World armored services he tried to rob shot him, according to the FBI.

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Adams attacked and tried to rob the guard outside of Azteca Currency Exchange, 4327 W. 26th Street, about 9:25 a.m. Monday, according to an FBI affidavit filed as part of the charges against Adams.

Before the Garda truck arrived Monday, a witness saw a man wearing a yellow and orange safety vest and carrying a hammer, according to the affidavit.

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The armored truck got to the currency exchange about 8:25 a.m. and the guard looked through a window and saw Adams wearing a safety vest and carrying a hammer. The guard got out of the truck with about $240,000 to deliver to Azteca, and as the guard walked toward the currency exchange, Adams ran toward him and hit him in the back and neck with the hammer, according to the affidavit.

The guard turned around and saw Adams picking up the sledgehammer from the sidewalk and the guard shot the man, firing four or five rounds, according to the affidavit. Adams then ran to 26 th and Kildare Avenue and south on Kildare, still carrying the hammer.

Within about five minutes, emergency crews were called to 28 th Street and Kostner Avenue, about four blocks from the attempted robbery, according to the affidavit. Officers saw a man wearing a safety vest who was "visibly injured," standing outside a running green Chevy Astro van, according to the affidavit. The man, who later told investigators he was Jerry Adams, told a police officer he had been shot, and officers saw blood on the driver's seat of the van.

A hammer was found inside the van.

Adams was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital for treatment, according to police. He was in federal custody but was still hospitalized Tuesday. He was expected to appear in federal court after he is released from the hospital, said FBI spokesman Special Agent Garrett Croon.

The injuries the guard suffered weren't life-threatening, authorities said Monday.
Chicago police investigate a Far South Side shooting in the 400 block of West 102nd Street in the Fernwood neighborhood on Sept. 29, 2017. (Brian Jackson / Chicago Tribune)

An infant girl has died four days after being saved by doctors when her mother and a man were fatally shot on the Far South Side last week, authorities said.

Jenae Lemon was pronounced dead at 2:28 p.m. Monday at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn. Authorities say the baby was injured when her mother, Charnella Lemon, 20, was shot three times in the chest last Friday.

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Lemon was taken in critical condition to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where doctors saved Janae, police said. Her mother was later pronounced dead there.

Terrence Carter, 33, was also killed in the shooting, which occurred around 7:30 a.m. Friday in the 400 block of West 102nd Place in the Fernwood neighborhood, police said. Carter was dead at the scene.

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Lemon and Carter were in a parked car in a vacant lot when they were shot, police said.

Chicago Police Department spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said the shooting may have been domestic-related. No one was in custody Monday night.
U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly, shown in 2016, sent a letter to President Donald Trump with pictures of Chicago children who've been killed. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune)

When the chief White House spokeswoman again brought up Chicago having a high level of violence despite its having the "strictest gun laws in the country," U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly and others were quick to respond.

Kelly, D-Ill., responded Monday on Twitter. Sarah Huckabee Sanders' information, mentioned in the wake of the mass shooting in Las Vegas that left at least 59 dead and more than 500 people wounded, was not only seriously outdated, but: "More than  of (Chicago's) crime guns come from outside IL."

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Her tweet noted the guns mostly come from Vice President Mike Pence's turf of Indiana and House Speaker Paul Ryan's Wisconsin. U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives statistics have shown that about 60 percent of guns used in Chicago crimes come from outside Illinois.

It was the first in a series of tweets Kelly began by addressing Huckabee Sanders, who in a press briefing Monday afternoon answered a series of questions about policy discussions after the Las Vegas mass shooting.

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Sanders at first said she didn't want to create laws that wouldn't stop the problem and she continued: "I think if you look to Chicago, where you had over 4,000 victims of gun-related crimes last year, they have the strictest gun laws in the country. That certainly hasn't helped there, so I think we have to  when that time comes for those conversations to take place, then I think we need to look at things that may actually have that real impact."

Chicago is a go-to drum on which President Donald Trump and his administration like to bang. Trump in January claimed that if Chicago didn't "fix the horrible 'carnage' going on ... I will send in the Feds!"

Then in June, Chicago police sent out a news release announcing 20 federal gun agents had been assigned to Chicago to join a newly formed task force aimed at cutting the flow of illegal guns into the city and cracking down on people repeatedly arrested on gun charges.

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Chicago police First Deputy Superintendent Kevin Navarro said the department had been working on arrangements to receive more assistance from federal law enforcement since November, during former President Barack Obama's administration.

Yet hours later, Trump claimed credit for sending in the agents from the ATF. "Crime and killings in Chicago have reached such epidemic proportions that I am sending in Federal help," he tweeted.

Monday, Kelly began her comments on Twitter by writing: "Congress, 50 people went to a concert & didn't come home because of one man with a weapon of war. #AssaultWeaponBan #EnoughIsEnough"

Congress, 50 people went to a concert & didnt come home because of one man with a weapon of war. #AssaultWeaponBan #EnoughIsEnough  Robin Kelly (@RepRobinKelly) October 2, 2017

After the White House news briefing, Kelly began by addressing Huckabee Sanders, ending by mentioning Indiana and Wisconsin.

Kelly went on, in subsequent tweets: "In February, @realDonaldTrump made it easier for people with mental illnesses to get guns," with a link to a news story about Trump signing a bill revoking Obama-backed legislation.

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In February, @realDonaldTrump made it easier for people with mental illnesses to get guns. https://t.co/PU6xoGmT9X  Robin Kelly (@RepRobinKelly) October 2, 2017

As of Monday night, she had just one more tweet on the subject, in which she quoted her own earlier tweet about job creation helping to stem violence in communities such as hers. She ended the tweet by inviting the president to her district, where she could show him.

"Nothing stops a bullet like an opportunity. Let's pass a #jobs bill & spur growth," the congresswoman wrote.
The Chicago Police Department has failed to closely monitor its massive spending on officer overtime  a combined $575 million over the last six years  or take measures to prevent officers from abusing the system, an investigation by the city's watchdog concluded.

The report from the office of Inspector General Joseph Ferguson found that the lax oversight has allowed officers to use "potentially abusive practices" in piling up overtime  usually at time-and-a-half pay. The report released Tuesday said officers sometimes seek out work sure to lead to overtime, such as involving themselves in numerous drunken driving arrests and then going to court frequently for those cases. One officer cited in the report appeared in court nearly two-thirds of the 943 days examined, the inspector general wrote.

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Over a recent 2-year period, one undisclosed officer pulled in more than $336,000 in extra pay while accruing overtime on hundreds of occasions, while four officers each took in at least $250,000, according to the report.

The city has spent heavily on police overtime as violence has surged in recent years and the department's ranks have dwindled by hundreds of officers under Mayor Rahm Emanuel's administration. The department has overspent its overtime budget in each of the last six years, topping out last year at $146 million, nearly twice its budget.

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The report found that the city paid out millions of dollars to officers who did not have proper approval for overtime, and even to officers who approved their own overtime payments. The audit focused on "regular duty" overtime  payouts for going to court or staffing special events, among other things  and found that the department recorded no specific reason why overtime was necessary in 99 percent of the payouts, despite a policy that officers must give reasons for overtime.

The inspector general criticized the Police Department for tracking the bulk of its overtime through a cumbersome pen-and-paper system that requires the support staff to make entries manually.

Beyond the financial impact of the department's reliance on overtime, the report raised concerns that some officers may be reporting to work fatigued from long hours at a stressful job. In addition to allowing some officers to work frequent overtime, Ferguson noted, officers also do not have to tell the department about second jobs.

(Tribune Graphics)

"CPD's management of overtime speaks directly to how inefficient management can lead to wide scale waste and a culture of abuse," Ferguson said in a statement.

Department officials have acknowledged problems with the overtime system. Superintendent Eddie Johnson, appearing with Ferguson at a news conference Tuesday even though he remains on leave while recuperating from a kidney transplant, said the department is moving to improve its timekeeping system. He also noted the city's plan to hire hundreds more officers in coming months.

"This will help us ensure that we have the coverage we need in our communities to keep them safe while also decreasing our dependency on overtime," he said.

In its official response to Ferguson's report, the department said it will improve overtime tracking by adding an electronic clock-in system this year and an electronic timekeeping system for overtime and other hours worked by mid-2019. Supervisors will also be held accountable for managing overtime, according to First Deputy Superintendent Kevin Navarro, who is heading the department in Johnson's absence.

In the response, Navarro took issue with some of Ferguson's conclusions, commenting that the report largely highlights the potential for abuse but lays out "few specifics" or concrete examples. Navarro also wrote that officers who make lots of drunken driving arrests can serve a valid purpose by teaching other cops how to make good stops and arrests.

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The report also did not address if the department's overtime spending led to effective policing, Navarro wrote.

"CPD is confident that the vast majority of its overtime is legitimate, reasonable and necessary," the response stated.

The city relied on overtime as the department's ranks dwindled under Emanuel, continuing a numerical slide that started before he took office in 2011. The department's head count dropped by nearly 600 officers between 2011 and 2016, department records show.

Overtime costs ballooned during those years, from $42.1 million in 2011 to last year's $146 million, nearly twice the budgeted amount of $79.6 million, according to Ferguson's report. And 2017 promises to surpass that. The city budgeted for $84 million in police overtime this year, but Ferguson said spending is projected to reach $169 million.

Last year, with homicides surging to levels not seen in two decades, the Emanuel administration embarked on a hiring binge, with the goal of ramping up to 13,500 officers by 2018. With retirements and new vacancies, that could require more than 2,000 new hires.

As of Sept. 15, officials reported the department had 12,410 officers, still about 150 fewer than it had in 2011.

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The department has been in constant flux in the 22 months since Emanuel was forced to release video of a white officer shooting black teenager Laquan McDonald 16 times. Under political pressure, Emanuel has pressed changes to policy and training, and more changes would likely come if the city reaches a consent decree  a court-enforced agreement for reforms  with Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, who is suing the city to force that measure.

The regular duty overtime that was the subject of Ferguson's audit accounted for about $226 million from the start of 2014 through July 2016. Most of that money  $126 million  went to rank-and-file officers, while detectives took in $46.3 million and sergeants collected $32.6 million, according to the report.

The Tribune has sought specific records of the department's overtime payouts through the state Freedom of Information Act, but the city has yet to provide those records.

A spokesman for the Fraternal Order of Police, the union that represents rank-and-file officers, could not be reached for comment.

The audit did not closely examine overtime for "voluntary special employment," which includes patrol work for the Chicago Park District and Chicago Housing Authority, among others. While less costly than regular duty overtime, those payouts still totaled a combined $103.6 million in 2014 and 2015, according to the report.

Ferguson's report took special note of "minimum time provisions," union contractual rules that hold that officers must be paid for three hours of work outside of regular hours, even if the work required takes just minutes. The department "inappropriately" applied the provision in numerous cases, the report found, including when officers had to make phone calls during off-hours.

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"There were six instances where a member received or placed two calls in the same day and received six hours of overtime pay," the report states.

Ferguson cited "potentially abusive practices" that the report said police brass acknowledged occurring, citing "paper jumping," a practice in which an officer asks to be included on an arrest report despite having little or no involvement and then attends court for the case. He also noted "lingering," or hanging around in court longer than needed, and "trolling," which involves officers volunteering for calls near the end of shifts in order to collect overtime for working late.

In the Police Department response, Navarro pointed out that the inspector general's office gave no specific examples of these practices occurring and noted that policies are in place to prevent such abuse.

Ferguson's report also said the department's timekeeping functions haven't been audited by its inspections unit since 2013. The Police Department responded that "spot check audits" would resume this year.

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The report offers numerous recommendations, including holding supervisors and officers more directly accountable for preventing unnecessary payouts. The department should also limit the number of hours that officers work in a given period, including at other jobs, the report recommended.

Navarro's response emphasized that the department is adopting electronic systems to track overtime and would press supervisors to "more actively" manage employees' overtime. Navarro predicted that the new technology would address many of the problems raised by Ferguson.

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Navarro also noted that, while cops don't have to report outside work, the department can block officers from taking on extra jobs that interfere with their police work.

"CPD, like all employers, by necessity must rely to a significant degree on each employee's willingness and ability to report each day fit for duty," Navarro wrote.

Chicago Tribune's Hal Dardick contributed.

dhinkel@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @dhinkel






A 2006 arrest report for Chicago police Officer Patrick Kelly. He was arrested in June 2006 and charged with simple battery after police said he threw a TV remote control at his then-girlfriends brother, leaving a cut above his eye. The charge was later dropped. (Chicago Police Department)

A mysterious shooting in the home of a Chicago police officer was a tragedy that could have been prevented, the attorney for a man shot with the officer's service weapon told a jury Monday as a civil trial over the incident began in U.S. District Court.

"They allowed this loose cannon  ticking time bomb  to stay on the police force," said Antonio Romanucci, lawyer for Michael LaPorta and his family.

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In a case that has spent years in pretrial disputes over evidence, jurors will be asked to consider the events of Jan. 12, 2010, when LaPorta crumpled to the floor of Chicago police Officer Patrick Kelly's dining room with a gunshot wound toward the back of his head. Chicago police classified the shooting as an attempted suicide based largely on the account of Kelly, the only other person in the house at the time.

Romanucci argued the city's liability started before that moment, however. Though Kelly's record included multiple misconduct complaints, a domestic violence allegation and a misdemeanor battery arrest before the shooting, he had never been punished by the Police Department.

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"If the right thing had been done before Mikey LaPorta was shot in the head  Patrick Kelly never would have been allowed to own a gun," Romanucci said.

LaPorta, Kelly's childhood friend and college roommate, couldn't speak for months after the shooting, but LaPorta's family pushed back against the suicide classification. LaPorta's fingerprints weren't found on the gun, and many others  including several Chicago police officers LaPorta had been drinking with that night  said he appeared to be in good spirits in the hours before the shooting.

"The facts of this case lend themselves to an Alcoholics Anonymous pamphlet," U.S. District Judge Harry Leinenweber wrote in a ruling last week.

The trial began after Leinenweber rejected a late motion by lawyers for the city who wanted a delay so they could appeal on the question of whether the city can be held liable for an off-duty incident.

It was a theme lawyers for the city are expected to stick to when their turn to address the 10-member jury comes Tuesday. The city is being defended by an outside law firm. A spokesman for the Chicago Law Department declined to comment on the case Monday.

Even with the cloud of uncertainty hanging over the investigation, police nonetheless took the word of Kelly, who told them LaPorta went into the officer's bedroom and found the gun. A bullet fired from the pistol splintered and ricocheted inside LaPorta's head, leaving the now 37-year-old man dependent on his parents for round-the-clock care.

LaPorta, who was in court Monday and still suffers from a host of medical problems, can no longer walk or read. Kelly, who has repeatedly denied shooting LaPorta, settled a lawsuit with the family in 2012 for $300,000  the maximum payout under Kelly's insurance policy.

But LaPorta's family still has the federal lawsuit against the Police Department that alleges the city should have removed Kelly from the force long before the shooting. They contend Kelly benefited from the so-called code of silence in the department, an unwritten understanding that officers protect each other even to the point of ignoring each other's wrongdoing, and are seeking in excess of $90 million.

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Kelly, 36, has been found mentally unfit for duty twice, arrested two times, accused of beating a girlfriend and has been treated for alcohol addiction. In one incident, he repeatedly used a Taser on a pregnant woman, who days later lost her baby and whose subsequent lawsuit was settled this year.

He has been sued six times and has been the subject of more than two dozen investigations into his on- and off-duty conduct, including one in which he was found to have assaulted a female sergeant.

On the night of the shooting, Kelly and LaPorta went to two South Side bars with four Chicago police officers who had worked on the same tactical team as Kelly, according to records.

At one point in the evening, LaPorta told Kelly that he planned to break up with his live-in girlfriend and wanted to move in with Kelly. Kelly said in a deposition that LaPorta, who took Vicodin for chronic pain from a herniated disc, also told him that "sometimes he wanted to go to sleep and never wake up."

Around 3:30 a.m., the pair headed to Kelly's Mount Greenwood home, and that's where their accounts dramatically diverge.

According to LaPorta, Kelly began mistreating his dog shortly after they got home. LaPorta tried to protect the animal, petting the boxer and telling him that he was a good boy. It only made Kelly angrier.

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At 4:21 a.m., LaPorta called a cousin to ask if he'd come pick him up. The cousin didn't answer.

According to Kelly, he and LaPorta opened a few Bud Lights after returning to his home. They talked for about five minutes, Kelly said, before LaPorta went into Kelly's bedroom with the dog and returned with his service weapon, a 9 mm Sig Sauer.

As LaPorta put the gun to his temple with his left hand, according to Kelly, he laughed and pulled the trigger. The gun clicked, but it did not fire. With a grin on his face, LaPorta tried again and the bullet shot through his skull, Kelly told investigators.

At 4:35 a.m. Kelly called 911 and said his friend had committed suicide. Five minutes later, he called 911 again, berating the dispatcher because an ambulance had not arrived yet and saying LaPorta was struggling to breathe.

Kelly's phone records indicate that just before and after the shooting he "placed and received calls from friends and acquaintances affiliated with CPD," the judge wrote. LaPorta's telephone records were inventoried as part of the department's investigation into the shooting, but Kelly's were not.

When paramedics arrived, Kelly second-guessed their efforts as they treated LaPorta on the dining room floor. One paramedic, the records show, told investigators that the officer became so belligerent, she thought he was going to hit her.

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After LaPorta was loaded into the ambulance, Kelly banged on the door and demanded that he ride with them to the hospital. He ignored orders from his fellow officers to back off, records show.

When Chicago police Sgt. Charmane Kielbasa ordered him to back away, Kelly called her a "North Side skanky cop," "a nobody" and other derogatory words for women. Kielbasa took out her handcuffs to restrain him, and he swung his arms toward her, according to records.

Kelly was at the scene for over an hour before he was taken into custody. After his repeated requests to use the bathroom and wash his hands were denied, he urinated in the corner of the detention room, records show.

A short time later, Kelly's hands were tested for gunshot residue. According to public records, the investigator performing the test voiced disapproval that Kelly had already relieved himself because some suspects urinate on their hands to confound the results.

More than seven hours after he was taken into custody, authorities tested Kelly's blood alcohol content. By that time it was 0.093 percent  still legally drunk. The Illinois State Police crime lab later estimated that Kelly's blood alcohol level was anywhere from 0.169 to 0.264, two to three times the legal limit, when the shooting occurred, records show.

"Viewing the facts and the inferences therefrom in the light most favorable to LaPorta, the Court first finds that the aftermath of the LaPorta shooting supports a reasonable inference that CPD officers engaged in the code of silence when interacting with Kelly," Leinenweber wrote in his ruling.

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However, Leinenweber ruled last week that LaPorta's attorney must prove that Kelly shot his friend in order for damages to be considered. If the jury finds that LaPorta shot himself, the judge wrote, the city cannot be held liable for his actions, even if Kelly's unsecured gun was used.

LaPorta, who had been given last rites at the hospital after the shooting, was not expected to survive. The bullet entered toward the back, left side of his skull, with a trajectory that experts hired by his lawyers said would mean that he had to have used his left hand to pull the trigger.

LaPorta ate and wrote left-handed, but he was an avid hunter and had always been a right-handed shot.

No fingerprints were found on the gun, according to police records. Gunshot residue was found on the right cuff of LaPorta's shirt, which his attorneys say in court documents suggests that he used his right arm defensively to protect himself when the gun was aimed at his head.

Kelly was taken off the streets earlier this year amid two investigations into his on- and off-duty conduct, according to the Chicago Police Department. He still retains his police powers to carry a gun and make arrests.

The city first acknowledged the reassignment in July, when it asked the City Council to approve a $500,000 settlement in a separate police brutality claim against the veteran patrol officer.

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The Police Department formally reopened the LaPorta case in February 2016, records show. The new Civilian Office of Police Accountability also is investigating the shooting, as well as a 2013 incident involving the pregnant woman.

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The city so far has paid about $1.2 million in settlements and jury awards for Kelly-related lawsuits.

Court records indicate LaPorta's lawyers and city attorneys discussed a settlement but did not come close to an agreement.

The trial is expected to last three to four weeks.

sstclair@chicagotribune.com

jcoen@chicagotribune.com

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Twitter @StacyStClair

Twitter @JeffCoen
Michael LaPorta's head shows the damage left seven years after a bullet entered the back of his head. LaPorta was shot at Chicago police Officer Patrick Kelly's home in 2010. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)

Michael LaPorta cannot hold the Chicago police responsible for a life-changing gunshot wound to his head because he cannot prove that Officer Patrick Kelly pulled the trigger, a city attorney told jurors Tuesday as a civil trial over the incident continued in U.S. District Court.

The high-profile case centers around the early morning hours of Jan. 12, 2010, when LaPorta crumpled to the floor of Kelly's dining room with a gunshot wound toward the back of his head. Chicago police classified the shooting as an attempted suicide based largely on the account of Kelly, LaPorta's childhood friend and the only other person in the house at the time.

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The gun used in the shooting was Kelly's service weapon, which Kelly said he had left unsecured.

LaPorta, who also roomed with Kelly in college, couldn't speak for months after the shooting, but his family immediately pushed back against the attempted suicide classification. No fingerprints were found on Kelly's gun or the holster. And others  including several Chicago police officers who LaPorta and Kelly had been drinking with that night  said LaPorta appeared to be in good spirits in the hours before the shooting.

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"Everything they had at that point suggested it was an attempted suicide," said attorney Eileen Rosen, an outside lawyer hired to represent the city in the case.

Now 37, LaPorta suffers from a host of medical problems and can no longer walk or read. Kelly, who has repeatedly denied shooting LaPorta, settled a lawsuit with the family in 2012 for $300,000  the maximum payout under Kelly's insurance policy.

"He has an incredible will to live," his cousin Kyle LaPorta testified Tuesday. "He just won't give up."

LaPorta and his family also are suing the Police Department, alleging the city should have removed Kelly from the force long before the shooting. They contend Kelly benefited from the so-called code of silence in the department, an unwritten understanding that officers protect one another, even to the point of ignoring wrongdoing.

The family has asked the jury to award it in excess of $90 million.

However, U.S. District Judge Harry Leinenweber ruled last week that LaPorta's attorney must prove that Kelly shot his friend for damages to be considered. If the jury finds that LaPorta shot himself, the judge wrote, the city cannot be held liable for his actions, even though Kelly's unsecured gun was used.

In keeping with that ruling, Rosen repeatedly told jurors during her opening statement that LaPorta cannot prove Kelly pulled the trigger. At the same time, Rosen  who doesn't have the same burden of proof as LaPorta's attorneys  never suggested the evidence would show that LaPorta tried to kill himself.

"I'm confident that you will say that  they (LaPorta's lawyers) cannot prove Kelly shot LaPorta," Rosen said.

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Kelly, 36, has been found mentally unfit for duty twice, arrested two times, accused of beating a girlfriend and has been treated for alcohol addiction. In one incident, he repeatedly used a Taser on a pregnant woman, who days later lost her baby and whose subsequent lawsuit was settled this year.

He has been sued six times and has been the subject of more than two dozen investigations into his on- and off-duty conduct, including one in which he was found to have assaulted a female sergeant.

LaPorta's attorneys argue the department's code of silence has allowed Kelly to escape any serious punishment. While Mayor Rahm Emanuel has publicly acknowledged the code's existence and enacted reforms aimed at fighting it, city attorneys played down its power to jurors.

Calling the code an "idea" that Chicago police officers will collectively protect one another, Rosen said that people in all professions overlook their co-workers' mistakes and shortcomings.

"Nobody wants to rat out their fellow employee," Rosen said.

An arrest report for Chicago police Officer Patrick Kelly from 2006, when he was charged with simple battery. The charge was later dropped. (Chicago Police Department)

Kelly, who joined the Police Department in 2004, had 19 complaints registered against him before the LaPorta shooting. He was interviewed about only one of those incidents, according to an expert hired by LaPorta's attorneys. The city's handling of those misconduct investigations would have sent a Kelly a clear message, said Lou Reiter, a former deputy police chief for the city of Los Angeles.

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"It could be he believes he will be treated differently and not be held accountable either internally or as a normal citizen," Reiter said.

Rosen, however, cautioned jurors not to read too much into the misconduct investigations involving Kelly.

"Just because there is a complaint made" doesn't mean it has merit, she said.

Kelly was taken off the streets this year amid two investigations into his on- and off-duty conduct, according to the Police Department. He still retains his police powers to carry a gun and make arrests.

The city first acknowledged the reassignment in July, when it asked the City Council to approve a $500,000 settlement in a separate police brutality claim against the veteran patrol officer.

The Police Department formally reopened the LaPorta case in February 2016, records show. The new Civilian Office of Police Accountability also is investigating the shooting, as well as a 2013 incident in which he used a Taser on the pregnant woman.

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The city so far has paid about $1.2 million in settlements and jury awards for Kelly-related lawsuits.

The trial is expected to last three to four weeks.

jcoen@chicagotribune.com

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Twitter @stacystclair
Railcars are positioned in Hammond, Ind., to cross over the Calumet River into Chicago. The 2015 heist of over 100 guns, preceded by one in 2014, and another last September from a Chicago rail yard highlight a tragic confluence. (Charles Rex Arbogast / AP)

Growing up on Chicago's South Side, prolific train burglar Andrew Shelton understood firsthand the carnage caused by illegal guns.

When he was just 16, Shelton, a former Gangster Disciples gang member, shot three people and was sentenced to four years in prison, court records show. He survived three separate shootings himself in the 1990s, including a carjacking in which he was shot nine times. And Shelton's father was slain in a drive-by shooting in 2001.

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So when Shelton and his burglary crew broke into a freight train one night two years ago and saw box after box of shiny new Ruger firearms stacked in the rail car, he of all people "should have thought twice about throwing gasoline on the fire" of Chicago's gun violence, a federal judge said Tuesday.

Instead, Shelton helped steal more than 100 of the pistols and unloaded them to "fences" for sale on the street. Within days, the weapons were showing up at crime scenes around the city  at shootings, stashed under gutters, left on porches and tossed during police chases.

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In handing down a 10-year prison sentence Tuesday, U.S. District Judge John Tharp said Shelton and his band of serial train robbers showed "utter, utter indifference to the welfare of the people of this city."

"They showed us all that they just didn't care," Tharp said. "They look at those guns and all they saw were dollar signs."

Andrew Shelton, Elgin Lipscomb and Alexander Peebles are charged in the theft of more than 100 guns from a train stopped in a Norfolk Southern rail yard on Chicago's South Side in April 2015. (Cook County Sheriff's Department)

Shelton, 43, pleaded guilty earlier this year to two counts of unlawful transportation of firearms for his role in the 2015 train yard heist of 104 weapons that were being shipped by rail from the Ruger factory in New Hampshire to a wholesaler in Spokane, Wash.

Shelton was the fourth person to be sentenced out of a total of 11 charged in a heist that highlighted a growing security problem at Chicago's rail yards. Last year, a Chicago man was charged with selling 23 guns stolen from a Chicago train yard to an undercover informant, including six high-powered Smith & Wesson rifles. A 2014 rail car theft of 13 military-style semi-automatic rifles remains unsolved, records show.

In court Tuesday, prosecutors asked for up to 11 years in prison for Shelton, noting that his actions helped fuel the city's ongoing epidemic of gun violence. To date, only 19 of the 104 firearms Shelton helped put on the street have been recovered by law enforcement, prosecutors said.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Parente noted that Shelton had been convicted of burglarizing trains six times in the past two decades  most involving the theft of merchandise such as shoes, electronics or clothing  but never received a sentence of more than three years behind bars. Parente urged the judge to send a message to other would-be robbers that stealing guns will be met with a severe penalty.

"I get a call every few weeks about another gun recovery (by law enforcement) in this case," Parente said. "These aren't sneakers, they aren't computers.  It doesn't get more serious."

Shelton's attorney, Gregory Mitchell, asked Tharp for a prison sentence of five years, saying prosecutors were overreaching by trying to draw a direct link between Shelton's "crime of opportunity" and any violence happening in the streets. Mitchell also invoked the mass shooting in Las Vegas on Sunday that killed at least 59 people, saying Shelton was worried that inflamed "passions" over gun violence would affect his sentence.

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"It's unfair, judge," Mitchell said. "Mr. Shelton looked at these (weapons) simply as a commodity."

Before the sentence was handed down, Shelton stood in court in an orange jail jumpsuit and issued a brief apology to his family and the court, saying this latest conviction has finally caused him to want to turn his life around.

"I look at things much different now," Shelton, who is married with 10 children, said in a deep voice as several relatives dabbed tears from their eyes.

Records show Shelton was part of a crew of burglars who used bolt cutters to gain access to rail cars on freight trains parked in the Norfolk Southern rail yard on the South Side. One of the thieves later told investigators they all took the guns back to the basement of a co-defendant, according to a court filing by prosecutors. There, they gleefully ripped open the packages, with one of the crew exclaiming, "Oh man, these mother------- are pretty!" according to the filing.

A railway worker discovered the theft at 7 the next morning after spotting broken locks and bolt cutters lying on the ground. By that time, the thieves were already busy selling them to whoever could move them quickest, according to prosecutors.

jmeisner@chicagotribune.com

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Chicago's entrenched gun violence cannot be addressed without smarter gun laws and a deeper examination of the distrust between communities and law enforcement, Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx said in an address Tuesday in the aftermath of the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history.

When Chicagoans are told statistics about the magnitude of the city's gun problem, many react with a shrug, Foxx said at a forum on violence at the Union League Club downtown.

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"This city is awash in guns, and we seem to accept that as a truth that people cannot change," she said.

That apathy can extend to attitudes toward mass shootings, she said, such as the Sunday night attack in Las Vegas that killed at least 59 people and wounded more than 500.

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"Every time something like this happens, there's (a feeling of) 'there's only so much we can do, there's only so far we can go,' " she said. "But when we talk about common sense things like licensing of gun dealers here in this state, there is absolutely something that we can do, and the onus and responsibility is on us to beat that drum as much as we can."

In calling for gun dealers to be licensed at the state level, Foxx noted that many straw gun purchases are made not by sophisticated, large-scale gun-running operations but by individual buyers who legally purchase just a few weapons at a time to sell on the street.

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Drawing on her experience as a prosecutor in the Cook County juvenile system, Foxx said investigators can do more to uncover the source of guns recovered on the street.

"Rarely ... did we ask the question, 'Where did you get this gun?' " she said. "(It's) important we start holding accountable the adults who are putting guns in the hands of our children."

Foxx also reiterated familiar talking points, such as calling for alternatives to incarceration and community involvement on the part of criminal justice and government stakeholders.

"We are all accountable for our criminal justice system failures," she said. "It is those failures that have led people in some neighborhoods to accept violence as a way of life, the natural endpoint of our chronic failure to invest in people through investments in schools, jobs, infrastructure, you name it."

Foxx won election last year as a reform candidate, unseating incumbent Anita Alvarez in the Democratic primary with promises of sweeping change. Her office has called for reforming the cash bond system and moved to de-prioritize certain nonviolent crimes such as shoplifting.

mcrepeau@chicagotribune.com

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Daniel Holz, from left, Associate Professor and LIGO member, speaks at the University of Chicago following an announcement on efforts to detect gravitational waves, or ripples in the fabric of spacetime, seen here at the University of Chicago William Eckhardt Research Center in Chicago on Thursday, Feb. 11, 2016. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)

As the 2017 Nobel Prize in physics was announced in Stockholm Tuesday, Chicago-area scientists celebrated connections to the prestigious award.

Rainer Weiss, a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Kip Thorne and Barry Barish, both of the California Institute of Technology, were given the prize for the discovery of ripples in space-time known as gravitational waves.

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Here in Chicago, physicist Daniel Holz at the University of Chicago's Enrico Fermi Institute was part of the team of nearly 1,000 scientists who analyzed data for the discovery and made key contributions to the findings, which the awards committee members said "shook the world."

"This has been my life for the last five years, and I've really sort of focused my career on this," Holz said. "The science has been great. It's just awesome all around."

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At Fermilab in Batavia, scientists said one of the winners named Tuesday, Barish, was a guiding force there in research continuing today.

In 1973, Barish did one of the first experiments at Fermilab that detected neutrinos, which are subatomic particles, said Joseph Lykken, deputy director of Fermilab, where friends and former colleagues of Barish were planning a private celebration in honor of his award Tuesday.

"It's great to see people like that win," Lykken said. "They're the kind of people that really drive progress forward."

Neutrinos, the most numerous particles in the universe, are also the particles understood the least. In his two years at Fermilab, Barish showed that you could actually make neutrinos and detect them in the laboratory. Before that, you could only get them from the sun or nuclear reactors, Lykken said.

Barish returns to Fermilab every two years or so to advise scientists during meetings and to meet with students.

"He's a real gentleman scientist. He's the kind of person who is always considerate of everybody else, which is not always true of all scientists," Lyyken said.

Barish's work after leaving Chicago was similar to his work with neutrinos in that he sought to build a detector that people doubted could be built. He and his team were the architects of the LIGO (Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory) detector, a 2.5-mile set of vacuum tubes with lasers and mirrors that are able to measure the tiny waves, the scientists said.

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When Holz learned of the LIGO Scientific Collaboration's work nearly a decade ago, it mirrored work he was already doing and applied to be part of the project.

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"This is all frontier science, it's cutting-edge and there are no guarantees," Holz said. "But that's the nature of science, and it all worked out. The machines worked and we detected these amazing black holes collisions.  Even now, I have to kind of pinch myself. It's hard to believe it's all real."

Lykken said the Nobel-prize winning discovery will allow scientists to better understand black holes, what happens when a star dies and other vexing questions never before answered.

Holz said while he was thrilled about the major recognition given to the discovery in his field, he and his team planned to get back to work on other research after Tuesday's announcement  perhaps with a short break for a glass of Champagne.

"The science continues," Holz said. "I'm just really trying to finish some work so I'm going to spend the day holed up in the laboratory."

vortiz@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @vikkiortiz
Water -- without it, life is impossible.

Habitat -- without it, life is impossible.

Pronghorn antelope are uniquely a North American animal existing only in the American West and Mexico. The Sonoran pronghorn subspecies is endangered while other pronghorn populations are doing well. It is often said there are more pronghorn in Wyoming than there are people.

The Sonoran pronghorn, the rare subspecies of pronghorn antelope that inhabits the sandy deserts of Southern Arizona and Northern Mexico, was on the verge of extinction due to the effects of long-term drought and politics.

In 1998 there were 140 Sonoran pronghorn in the Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge. By 2003 that number was 19.

What happened? Drought happened. Fawns were dying because their mothers did not have enough available water to produce milk for them.

Politics happened. Efforts to provide the antelope water was confounded by bureaucracy and anti-hunting groups. Conservationists contended it was not periodic prolonged drought, to which pronghorn have adapted well over the centuries, but the recent degradation of natural grasslands by grazing cattle, along with fencing, that led to the decline. Without taller grasses, newborn fawns lacked cover from predation by coyotes.

While still endangered today, the Sonoran pronghorn is making a comeback today, thanks to the hard work of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Arizona Game and Fish Department, Arizona Antelope Foundation and the Yuma Rod and Gun Club

Using an emergency clause in the Sonoran pronghorn management plan, the above groups obtained permission from the USFWS to construct a permanent water source for the remaining animals.

Additionally, some animals were captured for a breeding program and others were transplanted to other habitats to create additional populations.

Why did it take so long to act while the population plummeted? To be blunt, beyond the complexities of government it was because anti-hunting groups hate manmade water sources. They believe the only reason hunters help wildlife is so they have wildlife to kill. It did not matter that there is no hunting for Sonoran pronghorn. The groups blocked efforts to save the remaining animals at every turn even as the antelope quickly headed to extinction.

Despite the anti-hunter mindset and their fundraising schemes to fight their fight, hunters prevailed.

Today, in southern Arizona there are 160 Sonoran pronghorn roaming their hot and dry habitat and 110 in the captive breeding program. Another 240 roam Northern Mexico. Many drinking from manmade water sources.

Hunter groups continue to aid the Sonoran pronghorn, even though there is no hunting for the Sonoran pronghorn.

This story illustrates a lot of issues but the key item is that wildlife management today works like it has for decades and is even more necessary today with climate change and manmade changes to the habitats of our wildlife.
Debris is carried over to a dumpster as the gutting of the former El Cubano continues on west Fulton Market St. in the Fulton Market district in Chicago on April 3, 2017. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)

Chicago residents and workers caught illegally tossing trash on public or private property would face far steeper maximum fines under a proposal from Mayor Rahm Emanuel that aldermen advanced Tuesday.

The fly-dumping crackdown targets people who illegally ditch all manner of waste  including construction debris and hazardous materials. It's a big problem in the city's outlying neighborhoods, particularly on the South, West and Southwestsides, aldermen said.

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"Sometimes the penalties aren't what they need to be to deter people from fly dumping," said Ald. Jason Ervin, 28th, who represents the far West Side, where old tires litter some vacant lots. "It just goes to the quality of living for the residents in our community."

Illegally dumped waste can attract rats, provide a breeding ground for mosquitoes, and pollute land, water and air, said Dr. Julie Morita, commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health.

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Last year, the Streets and Sanitation Department logged some 4,000 fly-dumping incidents, spending $1.5 million to clean up 32,000 tons of waste, said Cole Stallard, deputy commissioner of Streets and Sanitation.

The proposal, to be considered next week by the full City Council, also includes higher fines for maintaining a building that's deemed a health hazard and not cleaning up waste from private property, even if it's fly dumped by others.

Approval of the changes by the Health and Environmental Protection Committee comes as the city departments of Streets and Sanitation and Public Health are setting up cameras at locations of frequent fly-dumping and vandalism  in the hopes of catching violators in the act, city officials said.

With 15 high-resolution mobile cameras out on the streets, the city already has taken two fly dumpers to court, city officials said.

The maximum fine for fly dumping now is $3,500. It would rise to a maximum of $30,000 for dumping more than 100 cubic yards of solid waste or more than 100 gallons of liquid waste  with even greater fines for dumping more than 500 cubic yards of waste or hazardous liquids. Dumpers also would face potential additional fines of $10,000 for each day it's not cleaned up.

People who maintain buildings that pose a health risk would face fines of up to $5,000, compared with a maximum current fine of $500. And the maximum fine for not removing waste from private property would rise to $5,000 from $1,000.

"We will not allow companies to use our city as a dumping ground," Morita said.

hdardick@chicagotribune.com

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CBS fired a company executive Monday after she criticized some victims of the Las Vegas mass shooting as "Republican gun toters" who did not deserve sympathy.

Hayley Geftman-Gold, who was a vice president and senior legal counsel at CBS in New York, also wrote on Facebook that she had no hope that Republicans  whom she called "Repugs"  would ever take action and "do the right thing" if they didn't do anything when children were murdered, an apparent reference to the December 2012 Sandy Hook shooting that left 28 people dead, including 20 children, killed inside their elementary school in Connecticut.

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Geftman-Gold made her Facebook comments in the aftermath of the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history, with at least 59 people killed and more than 500 injured. The shooting attack occurred at the end of a three-day country music festival held over the weekend on the Las Vegas Strip. The event drew a diverse crowd of thousands of music fans out, and police said the audience was more than 22,000-strong when gunshots rang out at about 10 p.m. Sunday.

CBS confirmed to The Washington Post on Monday that Geftman-Gold was dismissed for her "deeply unacceptable" comments on social media.

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"This individual, who was with us for approximately one year, violated the standards of our company and is no longer an employee of CBS," the company said in a statement.

"Her views as expressed on social media are deeply unacceptable to all of us at CBS. Our hearts go out to the victims in Las Vegas and their families."

Her posts have since been deleted.

The Daily Caller, a right-leaning outlet, first reported on Geftman-Gold's post Monday morning.

Geftman-Gold, who had been with CBS for a year, said that she "sincerely regrets" her "indefensible" and "shameful" post, and is "deeply sorry for diminishing the significance of every life affected" by the gunman's terrorism, according to Fox News.

A petition addressed to the New York State Bar Association has been posted online condemning Geftman-Gold's "professional misconduct," and had more than 1,000 signatures as of early Monday evening.
As law enforcement continues to gather details on how Stephen Paddock obtained the rifles he used in Sunday's mass shooting on the Las Vegas Strip, elected officials are using the incident to again call for stricter gun laws.



Nevada is no stranger to gun law reform efforts and the political battles that ensue.



Last year, voters in the state narrowly passed Question 1, an initiative that required most private buyers and sellers of guns to conduct a background check through a licensed dealer. Millions of dollars from national groups supporting and opposing the law poured into the state.



The initiative, which passed by 50.4% to 49.5%, mandated that private-party gun sales  with a few exceptions, such as transfers between family members  be subject to a federal background check through the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, which is administered by the FBI.



That's where language in the law ran into a roadblock.



In December, the FBI sent a letter to the Nevada Department of Public Safety, noting it would not conduct these checks. In its letter, officials from the agency said that "the recent passage of the Nevada legislation regarding background checks for private sales cannot dictate how federal resources are applied."



The letter prompted the Department of Public Safety to seek guidance from Nevada Atty. Gen. Adam Laxalt.

Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 55 Windows are broken at the Mandalay Bay resort and casino in Las Vegas on Oct. 3, 2017. (John Locher / AP)

Two weeks after the initial letter from the FBI, Laxalt, a Republican who opposed Question 1, released an opinion saying that "citizens may not be prosecuted for their inability to comply with the Act unless and until the FBI changes its public position and agrees to conduct the background checks consistent with the Act."



At the time, Laxalt's office also sent out a statement, stressing that "without this central feature [the FBI background check]" the initiative "cannot commence."



To date, the initiative remains in limbo and has not gone into effect.



Under state law, the language of ballot initiatives approved by the electorate cannot be changed by the Legislature for three years.
LAS VEGAS  It was a night of music that turned to chaos and horror. There were 22,000 country music fans at the outdoor Las Vegas concert when the shooting started. Police said at least 59 people died and more than 500 were injured when a shooter rained gunfire down on them from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay casino hotel. Here are the accounts of survivors and their loved ones, interviewed by The Associated Press.

'They're shooting at us'

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James Cabrera, said he and his wife, Sonia Pena, were at home in La Habra, California, when their 21-year-old daughter Jessica called them from the musical festival shortly after 10 p.m. desperately recounting her horror as gunfire rang out in the background.



"We could hear everything that was going on there, the gunfire, the people yelling," Cabrera said Monday morning as he sat at a slot machine in the Mandalay Bay Hotel. "We knew we had to get there right away."



"She was screaming into the phone," said Cabrera of his daughter. She yelled, 'They're shooting at us, people are falling, I love you!'"



Their hearts racing, the couple jumped in their car and got to Las Vegas as fast as they could, in less than four hours, Cabrera said. "That was the fastest drive in history from California to Vegas," he said.



Later, the couple learned that their daughter and a friend she went with who went with to the festival had escaped unharmed and hid inside a bathroom at the MGM Hotel until morning.



"But the people right next to them who they made friends with were shot," the father said. Cabrera said he knew few other details because his daughter remained too upset to talk about what happened.



The couple said they would stay until they were sure their daughter was calm enough to drive back home.

Cracking noise

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"I'm OK, Grandma," Brandon Clack said into his cellphone Monday, seeking to reassure relatives who knew he had planned to attend the country music festival in Las Vegas that was targeted by a gunman the night before.



Clack said he looked forward to the event, buying tickets and booking his hotel months in advance with a group of about 30 people from his Orange County community of La Palma, California, including his girlfriend, his brother, his mother and her boyfriend.



He and his relatives escaped injury, but Clack said he learned later that a young man traveling with his group had been shot and killed.



Clack, a 21-year-old community college student, said he and his 20-year-old girlfriend Leslie Reynoso were sitting up near the front facing the stage when the shooting started, a kind of "cracking noise" off to the right.



"We thought it was some kind of fireworks," Clack said.



But the performers rushed off the stage, "and we could tell it was multiple, multiple rounds. It went on for a long time, like 10 minutes."



As the gunfire kept up, he said, hundreds of people rushed toward the doors. Soon rivers of screaming people were running in horror, searching for safety in the towering hotels around them, Clack said.



"People started running over to the Tropicana, so we decided to run over to the MGM," he said.



Members of the group, including Clack's mother and brother, were staying at a number of hotels near the concert venue.



Clack and Reynoso said they hunkered down with family friends at a room at the MGM for about four hours until authorities declared the situation clear.

Chaos in the dark

Like many people attending the musical festival, 33-year-old Jason Sorenson said he initially thought the shooter's gunfire was the sound of fireworks from another venue nearby.



"We couldn't tell where it was coming from," said Sorenson of Newport Beach, California, who had traveled to Las Vegas with his girlfriend for the event.



But it became clear that someone was firing at the crowd after singer Jason Aldean abruptly dropped his guitar and fled the stage in terror.



"It was horrific, we just starting running and we saw people with blood all over their shirts," he said. "I was bracing himself to be hit by a bullet any second."



Sorenson said the couple had initially been sitting down on the ground in the middle facing the stage. But by coincidence had moved up to a safer VIP area they had access to before the shooting began.



"If we had stayed in the front we would have been in the direct line of fire," said Sorenson.



Between each round of gunfire, he said, the crowd surged, everyone running as far as they could get until a gun was reloaded or replaced with another weapon and the shooting resumed.



"We ran and ducked, ran and ducked until we got as far away as we could," he said.



Sorenson ended up in an elevator with a young woman who had been separated from her fiance. She invited people to stay in her room until the danger had subsided.



"It wasn't clear how it bad it was, however, (until) this morning when we walked through the hotel lobby and saw the news on the TVs saying that more than 50 people had died," said Sorenson.

Moments of kindness

Amid the terror, one couple found moments of kindness, and possibly a guardian angel.



Andrew Akiyoshi, who captured the gunfire on a cellphone video he provided to The Associated Press, attended the concert with friend Loreli Sakach. The couple from Orange County, California, recalled the panic and masses of people fleeing in fear but also the humanity of bystanders.



"We ended up in the MGM, and a couple was nice enough to buy us some drinks," Akiyoshi said.



Then a rumor swept the crowd at the MGM of another shooter. It turned out to be false. But "all of a sudden a mass of people, probably a hundred people are running again," Sakach said.



They sought refuge in a restaurant where "they were kind and gave us tablecloths to wear and food and everybody was so nice and kind."



As they exited one of the hotels, Sakach spotted a penny and picked it up.



"You know, angels must have been looking out over us," said Akiyoshi, whose late father always believed in picking up pennies for good luck.



Sakach said she handed the penny to Akiyoshi, and he said, "Thanks Dad."
U.S. Ambassador Jon Huntsman, left, walks after presenting credentials to Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, during a ceremony in the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, on Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2017. (Pavel Golovkin / AP)

MOSCOW  The new U.S. ambassador to Russia presented his diplomatic credentials to President Vladimir Putin at a ceremony Tuesday in the Kremlin, a move that marks the formal start of Jon Huntsman's work in Russia.

Huntsman, who has twice served as a U.S. ambassador, arrived in Moscow on Monday to take over from John Tefft, who left after serving in Russia for three years, a period that was marred by a deep and rapid deterioration of ties, unseen since the end of the Cold War. The U.S.-Russia relationship has soured even further in recent months following a series of expulsions of diplomats and closures of diplomatic missions.

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In his address to Huntsman, Putin offered Russia's condolences over Monday's deadly shooting attack in Las Vegas and expressed hope for better ties with the U.S.

"The current level of the ties cannot satisfy us," Putin said. "We stand for constructive, predictable and mutually beneficial cooperation."

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Putin also said both the U.S. and Russia should not meddle in each other's "domestic affairs."

Huntsman, the former Utah governor who once called for Donald Trump to drop out of the presidential race, won easy confirmation as U.S. ambassador last week. He was the nation's top diplomat to Singapore under President George H.W. Bush and ambassador to China under President Barack Obama before returning to the U.S. to run for president in 2012.

Huntsman had an up-and-down relationship with Trump during last year's campaign. The former governor was slow to endorse any candidate for the Republican nomination, though he did back Trump once he became the presumptive nominee. But Huntsman then called for Trump to drop out of the presidential race after the release of a 2005 audio in which Trump was captured on a microphone making lewd comments about women.

Although Trump has called Russia's interference in the 2016 presidential election a hoax pushed by Democrats to sully his victory at the polls, Huntsman said at his confirmation hearing last week that "there is no question, underline, no question" that Moscow interfered. He also said he would not hesitate to remind Russian officials that they are accountable for their actions.

The ambassador said in a statement released after the ceremony that he "looks forward to working to rebuild trust between our two countries and to strengthening the bilateral relationship based on cooperation on common."

Huntsman comes into office with a drastically reduced staff after the Russian Foreign Ministry ordered the U.S. to cut its embassy and consulate staff in Russia by 755 people, or by two-thirds, heightening tensions between Washington and Moscow after U.S. Congress approved sanctions against Russia.

In response, the U.S. suspended issuing nonimmigrant visas in Moscow for a week in August and stopped issuing visas at its consulates elsewhere in Russia.

Relations between Russia and the United States cooled following Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014 and its support for separatists in eastern Ukraine, where fighting since 2014 has left 10,000 people dead. Reports of Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election put a further damper on hopes for better ties that the Kremlin had pinned on Trump's presidency.

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In August, the U.S. adopted a new package of stiff financial sanctions against Russia, aimed at punishing Moscow for interfering in the U.S. election and for its military aggression in Ukraine and Syria, where the Kremlin has backed President Bashar Assad.
Rainer Weiss, Barry C. Barish and Kip S. Thorne have won the 2017 Nobel Prize in physics. The three are members of the LIGO-Virgo detector collaboration that discovered gravitational waves. The prize was awarded "for decisive contributions to the LIGO detector and the observation of gravitational waves," the committee said in a news release.

"This year's prize is about a discovery that shook the world," said the Nobel committee representative Goran K. Hansson during a conference in Stockholm on Tuesday.

One half of the prize went to Weiss, born in Berlin and now a U.S. citizen, is a physics professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The other half was split by Barish, a Nebraska native, and Thorne, who was born in Utah. Both work at the California Institute of Technology.

"When we first discovered them back in September 2015 many of us didn't believe it," said Weiss, on the phone to the Stockholm conference. It took months for the scientists to convince themselves that had in fact heard gravitational waves, he said.

Who will win a Nobel physics prize is often anyone's guess; the selection process is notoriously secretive. But that does not curb speculation. The detection of black hole gravitational waves has been floated as a contender both this year and last. This year, the predictions came true.

A team of more than a thousand scientists, researchers and technicians, making up the LIGO Scientific Collaboration, discovered the first gravitational ripple in space-time in September 2015. Detectors have sensed three other gravitational waves since then, all from merging black holes. The LIGO team, plus the Italian Virgo detector, announced the most recent cosmic distortion discovery in September.

As The Washington Post reported from the LIGO observatory this year:

"The two observatories in Louisiana and Washington state had to be built in remote, seismically stable locations. The dominant feature of each facility is the pair of 2.5-mile-long beam lines, set perpendicularly. These are tubes in which laser beams pass through an almost perfect vacuum.

" 'We had to correct for the curvature of the Earth,' said Amber Stuver, a LIGO physicist, standing on a bridge overlooking one of the beam line tubes as it receded into the pineywoods - timber land owned primarily by Weyerhaeuser. "From the corner there to the end of the arm, the Earth curves down away a little bit more than four feet."

"A reporter drove a rental car the length of the arm, with Stuver serving as narrator. The beam line is encased in heavy concrete. Stuver said that so few atoms and molecules remain in the vacuum tubes that if you could gather them all up, from the entire 2.5-mile length, and compress them to normal atmospheric pressure, they'd amount to one thimbleful of air.

"Hunting stands are nearby in the woods, but they point away from the beam lines. The scientists met with local hunting clubs, and made one simple request: Don't shoot the observatory."

Aside from his work on LIGO, Thorne is known for his theories about time travel. He was a consultant on the sci-fi movie "Interstellar" and came up with a wormhole plot device that allows astronauts in the film to go back in time.

Barish was not included in some previous awards to the LIGO team, and as Science magazine reported, some experts worried that he would miss a shot at a Nobel Prize. He is credited with reviving the project after early problems and managing the ambitious and unwieldy collaboration. The death in March of Ronald Drever, a LIGO physicist who was included in previous awards, may have cleared the way for Barish to be included; the Nobel can be split only three ways.

LIGO is funded by the National Science Foundation. President Trump proposed a budget cut of 11 percent to the NSF, but Congress has been more supportive of the agency.

The Nobel committee has awarded a prize in physics 111 times since 1901. Last year, three researchers won for their work in the field of topology. Topology, as The Washington Post reported, is the study of state changes more intricate than the pivot from liquid to solid. The 2016 laureates discovered exotic transformations that turn matter into superconductors or frictionless liquids, able to swirl in a never-slowing vortex.

Winners of the Nobel Prize in physics join a rarefied group that counts Albert Einstein, Marie Curie and Niels Bohr as members. More recent laureates include University of Manchester scientists Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov, who won the 2010 prize. They performed groundbreaking experiments with graphene, a lattice of carbon a single atom thick. In 2013, Francois Englert and Peter Higgs won for predicting a subatomic particle called the Higgs boson, the existence of which was confirmed by the Large Hadron Collider in 2012.

The Nobel Prize in chemistry will be announced on Wednesday, the literature prize on Thursday and the peace prize on Friday. An award in economics, not one of the original prizes but now conducted in memory of Alfred Nobel, will be announced Monday.
Sharlene Garfield was a foster mom to nine children in the 1970s and '80s. (Family photo)

For decades, Sharlene Garfield welcomed those seeking shelter, sanctuary, or maybe just a smile and a bowl of soup into her family's four-story home in Evanston's historic district.

When her synagogue needed temporary housing for a refugee Laotian family, she opened her door.

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When relatives from the former Soviet Union were allowed to finally take leave and come to America, she opened her door.

When her daughter's summer camp group from Michigan  all 41 of them  needed a place to stay during a trip to Chicago, she opened her door.

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The mother of four also served as a foster parent to a steady stream of children during the 1970s and '80s.

"I remember walking through that bright yellow front door and feeling so safe," said Rebecca Phillips, who was only 4  years old when she came to live with the Garfield family for six months before moving in with her adoptive family.

Garfield and Phillips, now 36 and a married mother of three, formed a close bond.

"She taught me the meaning of love," Phillips said. "Before Sharlene, I had never experienced what that felt like. It was the first time I had ever been tucked into bed or had a story read to me.

"She opened her loving arms to me, and I soaked it all up."

Garfield, 76, died Sept. 16, in the home where she had lived with her family since 1970. She had been diagnosed with ovarian cancer 14 years ago.

"For Shar, it was never a question to help those in need," said her husband of 54 years, Don. "Her door was always open, as was her heart. That's just who she was."

The former Sharlene Garfien was the daughter of Russian and Polish immigrant parents and one of three children. She was born and raised on the South Side and graduated from South Shore High School.

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As a child, one of her favorite books was "Cheaper by the Dozen," about a couple with 12 children.

"She loved that book and the notion that raising so many kids never got dull," her husband said. "That's the life she envisioned for herself."

Garfield graduated with a bachelor's degree in education from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1963. That same year, she married Don Garfield, a fellow student.

Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 86 Dick Orkin, an award-winning radio advertising creator for close to a half-century who was perhaps best known for his syndicated Chickenman spoof, which aired on Chicago stations, died on Dec. 24 in California. He was 84. Read more. (Handout)

The couple initially lived in Champaign, where she was an elementary school teacher. Later they moved to the South Side, and she taught in Chicago Public Schools before becoming a stay-at-home mom.

After moving to Evanston, Garfield and her husband opened their home on Elinor Place to a Laotian refugee couple with three children for several months, and later helped them find employment and housing.

"She'd go to the Asian market every week to find just the right spices and seasonings to make them food that they were accustomed to," her husband said.

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While raising her own family, Garfield served as a foster parent to nine other children and was named Foster Parent of the Year by the Jewish Children's Bureau in the mid-1980s.

"I asked her once why she chose to fill the house with all these folks who I had to share the bathroom with," her son Joey recalled in a eulogy he read at her service. "And she said specifically about the foster kids  'I can't focus on the trouble a child was born into, but I can help them get a new, fair start.' "

In 2013, Garfield was recognized by the city of Evanston for her community contributions by having the street she lived on given the honorary designation of "Sharlene Garfield Way."

"More than anyone I've ever known, she had a wonderful way with people," Phillips said. "She made everybody feel wanted."

Other survivors include two sons, James and Craig; a daughter, Elena; a sister, Barbara Garfien; and six grandchildren.

Services were held.

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Joan Giangrasse Kates is a freelance reporter.
Heroin nearly killed me. As a matter of fact, it did: For two minutes in 1987 I was pronounced clinically dead from an overdose.

I was in Hollywood, shooting up between snorts of cocaine and shots of booze. It was late December 1987. Motley Crue had just released our record "Girls Girls Girls" and we were about to tour the world. From the outside looking in, I was living the dream. But in reality, I was in the throes of a disease I couldn't control, addicted to heroin.

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I remember very little about that night, but I know someone called an ambulance and saved my life. Today I am 16 years sober and a decade into recovery advocacy.

What I've been through doesn't make me a policy expert. But it qualifies me to judge the way the United States is handling its latest addiction crisis: Opioid abuse isn't just making addicts sick, it's making America sick.

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The numbers are devastating. The government estimates that 142 people a day die of drug overdoses. ODs are killing more Americans than car crashes and gun homicides combined. Prescription opioids and heroin are the prime contributors to these statistics.

Once hooked on prescription painkillers, many users turn to heroin, often cut with more lethal drugs, because it's cheaper and easier to get than another refill. In 2015 (the most recent year for which we have data), there were more than 30,000 opioid overdose deaths nationwide, and the rate is on the rise. Between 2002 and 2013, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, heroin use in the U.S. more than doubled, and heroin deaths more than quadrupled.

Now President Donald Trump wants to slash the 2018 Medicaid budget. He's suggesting deep cuts in funding for treatment, prevention and addiction research. And Attorney General Jeff Sessions wants to fill federal prisons with drug addicts instead of getting them help.

Trump makes a show of concern. He convened a commission in March charged with studying the problem, and he has promised to declare opioid addiction a national emergency, which would free up resources for the battle. But he has failed to file the proper paperwork.

Instead, he found time to do some name-calling ("I won New Hampshire," he told Mexico's President Enrique Pena Nieto, "because New Hampshire is a drug-infested den.") He lies about the causes of the epidemic, blaming Mexico and China when in fact the responsibility belongs to U.S. drug manufacturers and overzealous doctors pushing prescription painkillers. And then there are those budget cuts.

Americans are dying. Entire towns are being destroyed. Local economies are crippled by addiction. Yet this epidemic can be stopped; it's solvable.

Trump's opioid commission quickly submitted an interim report that spells out the right approach: It emphasizes treatment, education about pain management for doctors, research and data collection, and rational "supply reduction." It spells out policy goals based on facts and science. The president should listen to his own experts. Now.

Congress and the administration must approve a 2018 budget that provides sufficient funding for Medicaid. Of the 2 million Americans in treatment for opioid addiction, approximately 30 percent receive Medicaid. We must not make it harder for the most vulnerable addicts to obtain treatment.

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Our representatives must guarantee that, in any health care reform, addiction will not be not classified as a pre-existing condition that could limit an addict's ability to receive lifesaving care for this disease. The latest failed GOP attempt, the Graham-Cassidy bill, would have harmed those affected by the opioid epidemic through coverage cuts and "flexibility" in what can be covered.

Drug manufacturers have to be held accountable for how they market addictive drugs. Many states are trying. In August, South Carolina became the sixth state to sue Purdue Pharma over OxyContin; 41 states have demanded information on the sales practices of opioid makers and distributors. We can better restrain painkiller prescriptions.

Naloxone, a medication that can block the effects of opioids and reverse an overdose in progress, should be widely available, yet  outrageously  a puritanical debate rages over whether access to such a "safety net" encourages drug use.

If we fail to take these necessary actions we are saying to addicts, "You aren't worth saving." I am here to tell you that all addicts are worth saving.

I am one of the lucky ones. And I know my continuing sobriety is not the result of my actions alone. I have a loving family and an extensive support network. I have Alcoholics Anonymous and the guidance of my sponsors. I have good health insurance. I have the money, time and resources to help me save myself.

So many people don't have access to these resources. No one is a junkie by choice. And no junkie is a lost cause.

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So I am speaking out. And so should you. Because another 142 people are going to die today.

Tribune Content Agency

Nikki Sixx is co-founder of the band Motley Crue. An updated, 10-year anniversary edition of his memoir and Sixx:A.M. soundtrack "The Heroin Diaries" will be released this month.
U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois speaks Oct. 3, 2017, on Capitol Hill with other lawmakers and people from the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence about the need for gun control legislation. (Alex Wong / Getty Images)

Columbine High School in Colorado: 13 dead, April 20, 1999.

Virginia Tech: 32 dead, April 16, 2007.

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Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn.: 26 dead, including 20 first-graders, Dec. 14, 2012.

Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Fla.: 49 dead, June 12, 2016.

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Now Sunday's atrocity in Las Vegas: at least 59 dead, more than 500 injured when a sniper took aim at outdoor concertgoers from his perch in a 32nd-floor hotel suite.

The geography of American slaughter by firearms spans the nation, while the timeline stretches back at least to the 1966 University of Texas bell tower shootings. Just since Sandy Hook, by one count, there have been 29 shootings in the U.S. in which three or more people were killed. You probably remember the Charleston church murders (9 dead), but what about the Roseburg, Ore., spree (also 9 dead)?

After each of these horrors, the question of what can be done? to prevent mass shootings arises. Then it's dispensed with because the country appears hopelessly divided over gun control. That's what happened after Sandy Hook: All those children and teachers murdered in their school, yet Congress refused to adopt any meaningful restrictions on gun ownership. So why would this week's carnage in Las Vegas be the catalyst?

Maybe it won't. Maybe Las Vegas, the worst mass shooting in modern American history, has no impact beyond its place in the roll call of tragedies. But that would be wrong, because the country is long overdue for a serious debate about firearms and murder.

Let that debate begin with an affirmation that America is suffering from a crisis of gun violence. You see it in mass shootings in public spaces across the country, and you see it neighborhoods in Chicago, where the number of homicides this year has surpassed 500. Nothing will outlaw killing, but doing nothing shouldn't be an option.

The obstacle is American gun culture. Three in 10 American adults own a gun, and most of those people say gun ownership is essential to their freedom, according to a recent Pew Research Center study. That belief is supported by law: The Supreme Court ruled in 2008 that the Second Amendment guarantees individuals the right to own guns for self-defense.

It's safe to say repealing the Second Amendment isn't on the horizon  even after Las Vegas, in which the gunman reportedly brandished an arsenal of 23 weapons. Gun culture is so deeply entrenched in America that putting broad restrictions on ownership, such as banning assault weapons, won't happen any time soon.

The gun lobby is powerful and most conservatives embrace ownership as a fundamental right. Certainly, voters have rewarded Republicans in Congress who support gun ownership. Republicans put forth no new legislation after Las Vegas but, tellingly, they shelved for now a National Rifle Association-backed bill that would ease regulations on silencers.

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Democrats, who may instinctively wish to ban certain weapons or even limit the number of firearms per household, don't have the votes, and they alone won't change the culture. Yet there are steps Congress can take that won't run afoul of the Second Amendment but could reduce the opportunities for a madman with an arsenal to kill with impunity. Among the possibilities:

* Require background checks for every gun purchase, including those at gun shows and transactions between private parties.

* Limit the capacity of magazine clips to, say, 10 rounds. That would force an assailant to frequently reload or switch weapons, buying time for victims to escape and law enforcement to arrive.

* Require gun makers to modify semi-automatic rifles and pistols so they can't be fitted with devices that convert these firearms into machine gun-like weapons.

Perhaps none of these steps would have stopped the Las Vegas gunman, though they may have slowed him down. What's more, tightening federal restrictions on gun ownership and sale could slow the carnage in Chicago. Many weapons used by street gangs are stolen. Others, though, are bought illegally by straw purchasers in nearby states. Expanded background checks could disrupt the flow.

Mass shooters are unhinged. No effort to eradicate all violence will succeed. But if there's a chance to stop some killers, or slow them down until help arrives, the nation should act.

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Join the discussion on Twitter @Trib_Ed_Board and on Facebook.
Gov. Bruce Rauner holds a press conference at the State of Illinois Building in Chicago on Thursday, Sept. 28, 2017, to announce he has signed an abortion bill that expands abortion coverage for women on Medicaid and state insurance. (Terrence Antonio James, Chicago Tribune)

In the months leading to the March 20 Illinois primary, when incumbents will need majority support in their party, Gov. Bruce Rauner finds himself jilted by much of his 2014 base. His Sept. 28 signature on a controversial abortion bill has undercut his support among former loyalists who hoped that in 2018 he would elevate the GOP from its longstanding minority status in Springfield.

A serious schism now divides Rauner from conservative elements of his own party. Some GOP leaders are pivoting away from him hard and fast. Abortion is one reason, but character  truthfulness  is another. Not only had Rauner publicly promised to veto the bill, which provides taxpayer funding of elective abortions, he consistently characterized himself as an advocate of an economic, not social, agenda to move the state forward.

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So much for that masquerade. Even a Republican who supported abortion rights likely would have vetoed an abortion bill that ended a respectful, decadeslong ban on taxpayer funding. The essential compact in Illinois  an understanding we don't think Rauner should have shredded  has been that abortion opponents wouldn't try to regulate the procedure out of existence, but tax dollars would fund it only in cases of rape, incest and to protect the life or health of the mother. The bill Rauner signed, though, expands abortion coverage to Medicaid recipients  1 in 4 Illinoisans is a Medicaid beneficiary  and includes abortion as a covered procedure under state worker health plans. Taxpayers heavily subsidize both.

Can Rauner recover? Hard to say. Republicans who often chastise majority Democrats in the legislature for dysfunction now find their own party in tumult  and not only because of Rauner.

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Former Senate GOP Leader Christine Radogno unexpectedly resigned this summer. House GOP Leader Jim Durkin is expected to face a Republican primary challenge. And dozens of lawmakers from both parties are retiring, creating an unusually frantic emphasis on winning open seats in both chambers.

The damage to Rauner's re-election chances isn't that conservatives will support the Democratic nominee for governor, whoever emerges. The fear for Rauner is that fellow Republicans try to take him out in the March primary and, if they can't, they disengage: They don't vote for either major-party candidate in the Nov. 6, 2018, general election. They skip the race altogether. Rauner loses.

He unarguably needs those conservatives. They helped elect him in 2014. They liked his economics message and believed his professed disinterest in social issues.

The harshest criticism of Rauner comes from conservatives who've often partnered with him and fought his battles in Springfield. Consider this from Rauner's own floor leader in the House: "In the face of overwhelming evidence of Rauner's inability to competently administer the Illinois government, inability to stand up to Mike Madigan effectively, and inability to keep his word and his commitments, I can no longer support him," said Rep. Peter Breen, R-Lombard, who ousted a longtime incumbent in 2014.

Rep. Jeanne Ives, R-Wheaton, also disassociated herself from Rauner: "The Governor's decision to break his promise and sign taxpayer funded abortion on-demand is a profound and unprecedented betrayal beyond words." See how personal honesty keeps surfacing in these denunciations?

There is serious talk of someone running against Rauner in the primary, which would be a sharp departure from the traditional political playbook. Rauner is an incumbent who can self-fund his campaign. Even if he could be ousted, the result could be a victorious Democrat come November  a new governor with a far more liberal ideology than Rauner's.

And Rauner does have some bragging rights. He helped balance a 2014 state budget that Democrats passed before he was elected and which they knew would run out of money. He vetoed a 2015 budget that House Speaker Michael Madigan acknowledged was roughly $4 billion out of balance. In 2016, Rauner and Senate Democrats blocked another phony Madigan budget that was $7 billion out of whack. This year, Rauner vetoed a 32 percent income tax increase  but he was overridden, in part by members of his own party.

He signed an overhaul of the school funding formula that included a significant school choice program. He signed into law numerous criminal justice reform bills that give offenders a second chance. And he has advocated for a number of pro-growth, job creation reforms that Democrats largely ignored or flat-out opposed.

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In some ways, Rauner has changed business as usual in Springfield, against a process with locked-in, entrenched power. He has said "no," including to unreasonable state workers' union demands.

But Rauner also knew that signing the abortion bill, after publicly declaring he would veto it, invited conservatives to challenge him via the democratic process: Resist, rebel, run.

Petitions to get on the 2018 ballot can be circulated until Dec. 1. Any takers? We'll soon know.

---

Editor's note: An earlier version of this editorial said Peter Breen won his 2014 primary election "with Rauner's help." In fact, Breen did not receive financial support from Rauner.

Join the discussion on Twitter @Trib_Ed_Board and on Facebook.
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The often quoted National Rifle Association slogan in response to the mass shootings  "the only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun"  proves itself tragically inaccurate.

We all think of ourselves as "good," don't we? I'm sure the retired police officer who shot that texter in the movie theater believed himself a "good" man, even while pulling the trigger. Same with the dude who probably thought he was just "keeping the peace" by firing into the car of young aficionados of loud music. I bet George Zimmerman considered himself a "good" man for pursuing and shooting the be-hooded, ice tea-drinking, Skittles-consuming Trayvon Martin, too. They were all "good" men, until they resorted to using guns to resolve problems that could easily have been resolved in other ways.

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According to FBI statistics, firearms are America's weapons of choice for homicides. Apart from what we read in newspapers or see on the evening news, we really don't have much information on who is doing the shooting, largely because the NRA has taken great pains to discourage data gathering on the nature of gun crimes. It seems that the grand guardians of the Second Amendment are scared to death of the First Amendment, perhaps for good reason?

You see, their prime narrative is that we must own guns to protect ourselves from gang-bangers, serial killers and terrorists, not other "good" guys, like the hot-headed in-law, or the neighbor having a really bad day, or the 4-year old, finding a new "toy" in his father's dresser, or the high school kid who has been bullied one too many times, or the young woman who feels she has run out of options. "Good" guys and gals become "bad" when they perform an irrational impulsive act of violence. The availability of a firearm, all too often, makes that act irreversible.

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Author and psychologist Philip Zimbardo once said, "I have been primarily interested in how and why ordinary people do unusual things, things that seem alien to their natures. Why do good people sometimes act evil? Why do smart people sometimes do dumb or irrational things?"

We are all "good" until our actions make us otherwise. Reality doesn't fit on bumper stickers.

 Richard A. Kosinski, Chicago

Shoot, pray, repeat

As long as legislation is bought and paid for by the gun industry  manufacturers, retailers, lobbyists and front groups like the National Rifle Association  we'll all continue to be at risk for the next Las Vegas, the next Sandy Hook.

The post-mass shooting sequence is now predictable  prayers and sympathy followed by the usual public re-litigation of the Second Amendment, as we've seen time after time.

Bottom line, as far as our legislators are concerned, the rights of gun sellers and their customers take absolute precedence over the rights of the public to be protected from mass slaughter.

To hope for widespread common sense on gun regulation issues in the present climate is pure naivete or, more likely, sheer lunacy.

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 Patrick O'Hayer, Libertyville

Senseless tragedy

Please, please, please stop reporting the senseless slaughter in Las Vegas as "the deadliest shooting" or "the most people killed" followed by the next number and so on. Do not turn this into a contest so that another evil, demented soul will attempt to get in the limelight with even more victims.

Treat this for what it is: a heartbreaking, senseless murder of so many, the loss of whom will be felt and suffered by so many.

Yes, it is news of the worst possible sort and must be reported as that. But rather than dwell on the statistics, concentrate on what society and we as individuals can do to stop these horrific acts of violence.

I, for one, do not want to be of the mind set "what next"?

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 Carolyn Bertagnoli, Chicago
As I watched various journalists, police, psychiatrists and other smart people on cable TV try to make sense of the senseless mass shooting Sunday in Las Vegas, an actor in a commercial popped up with a sound bite that sounded downright prophetic:

"How do we get ahead of crazy," he said, "if we don't know how crazy thinks?"

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Amen, brother. The TV ad turned out to be a tease for an upcoming Netflix series called "Mindhunter." Set in 1979, according to the advance publicity, the series will center on FBI agents who interview imprisoned serial killers, as one agent puts it, to "know how crazy thinks."

The experts on TV and zillions of us who are watching at home were asking the same question. Everyone was trying to figure out what lunacy drove retired accountant and real estate developer Stephen Paddock, 64, to kill at least 58 people and injure hundreds more at a country music festival.

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With all due respect to those who find the word "crazy" to be insensitive, few other words capture the utter senselessness of the slaughter in Las Vegas. Police say he fired away at the crowd of more than 20,000 from his 32nd floor hotel suite before he killed himself as a SWAT team broke into his room.

The horror of the tragedy was only compounded by the lack of any apparent motive for Paddock's sick behavior. He wasn't  that we know so far  a terrorist, religious fanatic or mental health patient. He was a "multimillionaire" accountant and real estate developer who liked to gamble, said his brother Eric Paddock, and "not an avid gun guy at all." "He's just a guy who lived in Mesquite (a Nevada town 80 miles northeast of Las Vegas) who liked burritos," his brother said.

It is particularly unsettling in our age of instant gratification and short attention spans to lack a quick and easy explanation for a mind-numbing tragedy.

As we have seen with earlier tragedies such as the Sandy Hook massacre of schoolchildren in Connecticut, PolitiFact reports a wave of paranoid theories and false reports  that Paddock was a "liberal," an Islamic State agent and other unfounded news  flooded the fever swamps of the internet.

At times of great despair, where do we turn for help in making sense of it all? Where do we go in our poverty of reliable information for uplifting calls of sympathy, empathy, unity, courage, safety and reassurance?

For one, we turn to the president. Can President Donald Trump step up to the job? He must. But this is a job for teleprompter Donald, not Twitter Trump.

We all know Twitter Trump. He's the one who responded to a desperate plea from Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz Soto of San Juan, Puerto Rico's largest city, after the island was hit by its worst hurricane in about a century by taking it personally.

"Save us from dying," she said on CNN, to which Trump responded Saturday with a blame-the-victim tweet. He accused her of "poor leadership" and blamed Democrats for telling her to bash Trump. In fact, she did not even mention Trump by name. But Twitter Trump takes these things personally.

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Twitter Trump apparently surprised Secretary of State Rex Tillerson over the weekend with a tweet saying Tillerson was wasting his time trying to negotiate with "Little Rocket Man," Trump's nickname for North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un. "Save your energy Rex, we'll do what has to be done."

Gee, thanks. As if we didn't have enough to worry about, Twitter Trump pokes his Twitter stick at an erratic nuclear power.

Fortunately, after Twitter Trump's initially awkward tweet of "warmest condolences" to the victims and families in Las Vegas, teleprompter Trump stepped up later in the day with a well-prepared statement.

"In moments of tragedy and horror, America comes together as one, and it always has," he said, reading from the text. "We call upon the bonds that unite us: our faith, our family and our shared values; we call upon the bonds of citizenship, the ties of community and the comfort of our common humanity."

There was more, but you get the idea. The president can sound like a serious statesman when he wants to. In his campaign he ridiculed President Barack Obama and others who use teleprompters. But Trump should try it more often. Or, at least, he should learn to think before he tweets.

Clarence Page, a member of the Tribune Editorial Board, blogs at www.chicagotribune.com/pagespage.

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cpage@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @cptime
Your favorite bar is practically a sacred space. Maybe it's a go-to booth or a time-tested relationship with your favorite barkeep, but whatever it is, there's something comforting about the familiar ceremony of drinking at a place you know and love.

In the last 12 months, three different bars have emerged throughout Chicagoland with a new approach to libations that some traditionalists might find blasphemous: self-serve taprooms, where customers pour their own beverages straight off the tap.

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Red Arrow Tap Room (111 E. First St. 630-501-1322) cracked its doors in Elmhurst last fall, and, in 2017, a pair of "PYOB" options have come to the city proper: Tapster in Wicker Park (2027 W. North Ave. 773-661-2182) and Navigator Taproom in Logan Square (2211 N. Milwaukee Ave 773-687-9135).

While each bar offers different details, the essence of each spot is the same: Guests are greeted upon entering, open a tab with a host, then receive a branded card that is used to unlock whatever tap you've selected.

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Actually making a selection, however, can be a little daunting at first.

Each bar features walls packed with taps62 at Tapster and 48 at both Navigator and Red Arrowbut also has front-of-house staff who can help newcomers operate the technology, as well as choose a beverage. All three bars offer beer, cider and wine on tap.

"We don't want anyone to feel like an idiot," said Navigator co-owner Erik Swanson. "Because beer can be intimidating, and the wall can be intimidating. We really want people to be comfortable."

Touch-screens embedded above each tap explain the beverages: name, origin, ABV, IBU and a short description about the taste. To pour, insert your card, grab a glass and start pouring from your selected handle. Guests pay by the ounce, so, as you pour, you can observe both the cost of your current pour and your total tab accumulate right in front of your eyes (which can be helpful when you've got a bit of a buzz).

Tapster co-founder Roman Maliszewski and Navigator co-owners Swanson and Tim Enarson all agree: It's the control that is the most important element of this new way to drink, not the self-serving itself.

"Pouring your own is fun, don't get me wrong. It's cool, it's fun, but, like, being able to pay by the ounce and get whatever ounce you want, that's ... the revolution to me," said Maliszewki.

In fact, Maliszewski insists on calling Tapster a "tasting bar" for this reason. Navigator's name also alludes to the idea of "navigating" a world of different beverages. Guests can pour samples until they decide on something to sit and sip, or you can spend the evening with small pours. If you've ever bothered a bartender for several samples or been stuck with an underwhelming $7 pint, you can see the appeal of imbibing this way.

Tapster customers can choose from 62 taps of beer, wine, cocktails, soda, kombucha and coffee drinks. (Carolyn Variano / Chicago Tribune)

Of course, beyond the common concept, these self-serve bars differ in their style and environments.

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Tapster offers a diverse array of various beverages. It stocks 32 beers, 8 wines, 12 house-made cocktails, four kombucha beers, three kombuchas, two cold brew coffees and a single soda option on its handles, all of which you can pour yourselfincluding the cocktails, which are crafted by a mixologist on staff.

Neither Red Arrow nor Navigator offer non-alcoholic options on tap, but Red Arrow features draft cocktails, and Navigator has a normal bar in its main area.

All three spots support local libation-makers, though: You won't have a hard time finding breweries like Half Acre, Revolution, Off Color, Haymarket and more on the handles. Tapster sources all its spirits from CH Distillery, and Navigator from KOVAL and FEW.

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Tapster's shotgun-style space is divided into three areas from the front of the house to the back: a traditional bar with table tops, a lounge with chairs and sofa, then a small cafe setup in the back that feels like a different facility.

Navigator and Red Arrow, meanwhile, are taller and more open, closer to the aesthetic of a traditional taproom. To that end, Navigator and Red Arrow also feature several TVs well-situated for game-watching.

Full food menus are available at Navigator and Red Arrow, while Tapster limits its options to sandwiches and quesadillas.

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While Maliszewski has "no complaints" about early business, he said the self-serve concept has been a difficult sell for some guests who see it as a way of marginalizing traditional bartenders.

He insists that this new trend of self-serve taps can coexist with traditional watering holes"I love going to bars with a good bartender that I can talk to," he offersand says Tapster has already won over some skeptics.

"I have had people who have left here literally saying, 'I wanted to hate this,' but by the end, they don't."

@lucheezy | adlukach@redeyechicago.com

[ Still thirsty? More of RedEye's bar coverage  ]
Celebrate the 50th anniversary of a landmark folk album or check out a show where film meets hip-hop this week.

Thursday, Oct. 5

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Four Tet

Smartbar

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3730 N. Clark St. 773-549-4140

DJ Kieran Hebden has been making music under the moniker Four Tet since 1999, and he continues his outsider house sound with the release of his latest album "New Energy," which came out last week. As Four Tet, Hebden has been revered for his unconventional use of samples as well as his remixes and collaborations with artists such as Radiohead, The xx, Laurie Anderson, A$AP Rocky and Lana Del Rey. Hebden's ninth album finds him venturing back into his house and trip-hop roots and revamping them for a new era. $20. 10 p.m., 21+. Tickets: smartbarchicago.com

Saturday, Oct. 7

Circuit Des Yeux

Bohemian National Cemetery

5255 N. Pulaski Rd. 773-539-8442

To mark the 50th anniversary of Nico's landmark debut solo album "Chelsea Girl,' The Empty Bottle brings its Beyond the Gate concert series back to the Bohemian National Cemetery. Following the release of her legendary album with The Velvet Underground, German musician, model and Andy Warhol muse Nico created what is known as one of the finest albums in the entire '60s folk repertoire. Local experimental artist Circuit des Yeux will perform the seminal "Chelsea Girl" in full after modern new age multi-instrumentalist legend Laraaji opens the show. $20. 7 p.m. Tickets: emptybottle.com

Sunday, Oct. 8

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Denzel Curry, Show Me the Body

Bottom Lounge

1375 W. Lake St. 312-666-6755

California skate crew Illegal Civilization is touring across the country to show off its latest short film, and tagging along are Florida rapper Denzel Curry and New York hardcore band Show Me the Body. Curry made a splash with his 2013 debut album "Nostalgic 64," but it wasn't until his 2016 sophomore release, "Imperial," that he would solidify his place as one of the best up-and-comers in hip-hop. Curry continued his winning streak with the release of his excellent experimental EP "13" in June of this year. Show Me the Body garnered praise for the multitude of genres and ideas it implements into its harsh sound, which the group superbly exemplified on sophomore album "Corpus I." $20. 7 p.m. Tickets: bottomlounge.com

Zola Jesus

Thalia Hall

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1807 S. Allport St. 312-526-3851

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Last year, Nika Roza Danilova found herself encircled by demons, and this served as the inspiration for her latest album,"Okovi." Named for the Slavic word for shackles, on this album Danilova confronts the things we find ourselves shackled tolove, illness, life and death. She stops by Thalia Hall accompanied by LA musician John Wiese and Russian solo artist Ivan Zoloto. $20. 7:30 p.m., 17+. Tickets: thaliahallchicago.com

Wednesday, Oct. 11

A$AP Mob

UIC Pavilion

525 S. Racine Ave. 312-413-5700

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Led by A$AP Rocky, NYC rap collective A$AP Mob heads to the UIC Pavilion as part of its latest tour in support of "Cozy Tapes Vol. 2: Too Cozy," which dropped in August. All donning the A$AP prefix, among the collective's ranks are rappers Ferg, Ant, Nast and Twelvyy, who released his debut album "12" the same month. In the past few years, the group members have garnered success as individuals, but the second edition of "Cozy Tapes" finds the collective bringing its talents together for another fantastic album. A$AP Mob offshoot Cozy BoysA$AP Snacks and Louas well as Atlanta rapper Key! will join the collective onstage. $20-$39.50. 7:30 p.m. Tickets: uicpavilion.com

Efrain Dorado is a RedEye freelancer.

[ Looking for more to do in Chicago?  ]
A somber contingent of local residents gathered at St. James Catholic Church Monday evening to seek solace and pray for the victims of the Las Vegas shooting.

Rev. Matt Foley, pastor at St. James in Arlington Heights, said the prayer service began with a Facebook post Monday morning that invited parishioners and other local residents to the church at 820 N. Arlington Heights Road.

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Speaking to dozens of parishioners, some of whom knelt in prayer throughout the special service, Foley noted how roughly 1,810 miles stand between Arlington Heights and Las Vegas.

"It would take about 25 hours to drive there, but it took just a millisecond and a Facebook post to invite you to this prayer service," Foley said. "When we gather together, we close the distance of geography as we offer prayers for those sisters and brothers, mothers, fathers, and friends. This is what we do. This is who we are."

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The 90-year-old church has opened its doors many times over the years for special prayer services following tragic national events, including the evening of Sept. 11, 2001.

But Foley said that in the wake of the Orlando night club shooting in 2015, local church leaders developed a response protocol to ensure the church doors would be open to the public and that residents could gather in prayer following tragedies.

"One of the blessings of social media is being able to get the word out like that," Foley said. "We just asked anyone who wanted to gather and join us in prayer, which speaks to the soul and the pain everyone is feeling."

The Las Vegas shooting left 59 people dead and more than 500 injured after a gunman opened fire Sunday night at a country music festival opposite the Mandalay Bay hotel on the Las Vegas Strip.

At St. James on Monday, the prayer service was preceded by the tolling of the bell at sunset. Dozens of parishioners then arrived for the service, which began with silent prayer, followed by the singing of "Amazing Grace."

Foley said residents who are interested in assisting victims of disaster zones also can donate blood during the St. James fall blood drive from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday in the parish center cafeteria.

To make an appointment, interested donors can call LifeSource at (877) 543-3768. Walk-ins also are welcome, Foley said.

A group of local residents gathered at St. James Catholic Church in Arlington Heights on Monday to pray for the victims of the Las Vegas shooting. (Karen Ann Cullotta/Pioneer Press )

kcullotta@tribpub.com

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The ArtBar will be celebrating Susan May Romano, a local supporter of the arts, after her successful battle with breast cancer, during an event at First Fridays in downtown Aurora Friday. ( Jason Arthur )

First Fridays in Aurora this Friday evening will feature music and a number of art openings in downtown Aurora.

Waubonsee Community College opens "Students Ceramic Exhibit," an exhibition of ceramics by students in the Waubonsee Community College Ceramics Club, at the Aurora downtown campus, 18 S. River St., from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

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"Going in Style  The Art of Cemeteries," a photo exhibit of tombstones from the Midwest, will be displayed from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Santori Public Library, 101 S. River St. The exhibit highlights photos by Robb Winder.

The Lounge Bar at Two Brothers Roundhouse, 205 N. Broadway, will feature "Susan May Romano: A Celebration," a show hosted by The ArtBar that applauds a local woman after her recent battle with breast cancer. "The Dread Show" is the monthly theme at The ArtBar, a pop up art gallery from 6 p.m. to midnight in the cafe.

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Other events Friday include:

 If These Walls Could Talk, 32 S. Stolp Ave., opens a solo show with Geo Alderson  7 to 11 p.m.

 The Web, 134 W. Downer Place, hosts "Black and White," a show with work by Noah Gabriel and Chris Hodge  6 p.m. until close

 Culture Stock, 43 E. Galena Blvd., celebrates the one-year anniversary of Respect the Mic spoken word  8:45 to 10:30 p.m.

 Gallery 1904, 1 E. Benton St., features "Three Artists in One Space," with Bill Austin, Joe Gagnepain and Michael William Foster. DJ Marco will be spinning music. There will also be artisan pop-up shops  6 to 9:30 p.m.

 Repertoire Reservoir Studios, 14 W. Downer Place, upstairs, is open with "Actions Speak Louder than Words"  7 to 10 p.m.

 Indie Studio Space, 105 E. Galena Blvd., hosts "Member Showcase: Rod and Michele Kelly, and Franklin Rivera"  5 to 8 p.m.

 David L. Pierce Art and History Center, 20 E. Downer Place, is open with a "Back to School" mini photo exhibit  6 to 9 p.m.

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 River's Edge Cafe, 14 W. Downer Place, Suite 18, hosts Chasing Rain with White Chocolate. Ceramic artists including Amy Song will be displaying and selling pottery  6 to 9 p.m.

 Aurora Regional Fire Museum, 53 N. Broadway, continues hosting a handful of area artisans at its monthly Pop Up Shops  6 to 9 p.m.

 Gillerson's Grubbery, 33 W. New York St., celebrates its second anniversary with an acoustic show featuring Brad Hides from Alt 101. KC's Kandles and Garlic Breath Garlic set up shop will also be there  beginning at 6 p.m.

 Family Counseling Service, 70 S. River St., invites First Fridays patrons to "Leaf Your Stress Behind" with massage therapy, art therapy, prizes, Cassie the Therapy Dog, yoga, treats and more  6 to 9 p.m.

 The GAR Museum, 23 E. Downer Place, will be open as will the Museum Shop across the street at 20 E. Downer Place  6 to 9 p.m.

 SciTech Hands On Museum is open with "Chemistry of Light" demonstations and more  6 to 8 p.m.

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A number of downtown businesses are also open with offerings. Zen Loft Wellness Center, 6 W. Downer Place, is open from 6 to 9 p.m. with $5 mini classes, massage and meditation, and The Light of the Heart hosts its annual fundraiser "Art Jam" at Millennium Plaza, 21 S. Stolp Ave., from 5 to 8 p.m.

First Fridays maps are available at all venues. Free trolley rides run from 6 to 10 p.m. For more information, go to www.auroradowntown.org.
Two brothers have been charged in connection with the death of a 36-year-old Aurora man during a fight at his birthday party early Sunday on the city's Near East Side.

Erick Mendez, of the 700 block of East Benton Street, died at a suburban hospital later that night, according to the Aurora Police Department. Court records show he turned 36 on Saturday.

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Police said alcohol appeared to be a factor in the fatal fight, which broke out about 12:15 a.m. Sunday at Mendez's birthday party in a relative's yard on the first block of South State Street.

Jose M. Alejandre, 32, of the 3400 block of Fox Hill Road, is charged with involuntary manslaughter and aggravated battery. Raul Colin, 35, of the 600 block of South Spencer Street, is charged with aggravated battery. Police said Alejandre and Colin are brothers. Mendez was friends with Alejandre, who brought Colin with him to the party, said police spokesman Dan Ferrelli.

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According to police reports, a verbal argument escalated into a physical fight between Colin and Mendez, starting at the party and carrying on into the street, where Alejandre allegedly shoved Mendez, causing him to fall backward and strike his head on the pavement. Ferrelli said the fight involved "numerous" people. Police did not elaborate on what the argument was about.

The brothers left before officers responding to a 911 call about a disturbance found Mendez lying in the road, unconscious with a head injury, according to a statement police shared via Facebook.

Aurora Fire Department medics took Mendez to an Aurora hospital, from which he was airlifted to another suburban hospital, according to the statement.

Officers found and arrested the brothers about 1:30 a.m. at Alejandre's home, Ferrelli said.

At 8:31 p.m. Sunday, Mendez died at the hospital, police said.

Charges against Alejandre and Colin were filed Tuesday through the Kane County state's attorney's office. Police said both men were transferred to the Kane County Correctional Center jail in St. Charles.

Alejandre's bail was set at $750,000. Court records show he filed a motion Tuesday asking for a bond reduction and has a hearing scheduled Wednesday morning before Kane County Circuit Judge Linda S. Abrahamson.

Colin's bail was set at $250,000, and he's due in court Oct. 12, also before Abrahamson.

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Attorneys had not been entered for either brother as of Wednesday afternoon.

Court records show Alejandre has two previousmisdemeanor battery convictionsin Kane County.

hleone@tribpub.com

Twitter @hannahmleone
Clarendon Hills police officers Zach Finfrock (from left), Sgt. Ed Leinweber, Sgt. Paul Dalen (back), Joe Storino and Julia Katsaros were honored by the Village Board. (Chuck Fieldman/Pioneer Press )

The digital signs drivers sometimes see at various locations around Clarendon Hills, showing the speed at which they are traveling, do more than get drivers to slow down.

"Those signs collect data for us," said officer Zach Finfrock. "We're able to get traffic counts from different times of the day, and it also shows locations where people speed most often and where they most often slow down as they approach the signs."

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Finfrock said the data is used to find out where and when officers should be sent out for traffic enforcement.

"We can use our resources better by sending officers out for traffic enforcement where they are most needed," he said.

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Finfrock said collected data does not include license plate numbers or identification of drivers.

Finfrock coordinated the Police Department's effort, which received a first-place finish for similar-size departments in the Illinois Traffic Safety Challenge. Clarendon Hills also received the Judges Award for top overall recognition.

He said injuries suffered in crashes in Clarendon Hills went from 8 percent of total crashes in 2015 to 6 percent in 2016.

The total number of crashes in the village actually increased to 168 in 2016 from 165 in 2015, but Finfrock said 15 to 20 of the 2016 crashes were the direct result of fender benders in a construction zone, something that wasn't a factor in 2015.

The Illinois Traffic Safety Challenge is a friendly annual competition coordinated by the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police Traffic Committee, according to information from the challenge website.

The challenge rewards creativity, commitment and innovation in traffic safety and is designed to encourage agencies to set comprehensive goals, develop positive traffic safety programs, and share experiences with others.

"The data we collect from the digital signs and use for better enforcement is one piece of the puzzle for us," Finfrock said. "Public information and outreach also are very important, and we do things such as bike rodeos at schools, and social media and website posts.

Finfrock said Clarendon Hills police also have training for officers and internal recognition programs, such as officers giving out citations to people on cellphones while they're driving and safety belt enforcement.

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"It's really all about wanting to keep people in the community as safe as possible when they are in a vehicle," he said.

Clarendon Hills has participated in the challenge since 2008, and Finfrock said winning first place for 2016 wouldn't result in officers slowing down their efforts.

"We put a lot of work into this, and we'll continue to work at it because it takes everyone in the department to make it work, and we always are looking for ways to improve safety in the community," he said

"Winning this award means a ton to the officers because it reaffirms that the work we're doing is the right thing."

cfieldman@pioneerlocal.com

Twitter @chuckwriting
Entrance to the Lincoln-Way Community High School District 210 office at Lincoln-Way Central High School in New Lenox on Thursday, April 14, 2016. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune )

An independent financial firm in 2014 presented Lincoln-Way superintendent Scott Tingley with a dire five-year projection showing the district would be more than $8 million in the red and out of cash reserves by summer 2016, records show.

The district kept the firm's findings secret from the public and, that summer, Tingley presented taxpayers with a supposedly balanced budget that records show he subsequently informed board members in private would be about $6 million in the red.

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Even though the report charted an imminent and precipitous decline for the district's finances, taxpayers didn't learn the full extent of the district's economic problems until more than a year later, when the Illinois State Board of Education placed Lincoln-Way High School District 210 on its watch list  another action predicted in the firm's report.

By then, the district's finances had atrophied and the school board subsequently voted to shutter Lincoln-Way North, a nearly brand new school, as a drastic cost-saving measure.

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The findings by PMA Financial, a respected consulting firm, were first presented to the district in April 2014 after Tingley asked the board to commission an outside analysis he said he'd present at a later board meeting.

Instead, the district kept the report from the general public until Monday, releasing it only after the Illinois attorney general ruled in response to a Daily Southtown public records request that it had been improperly withheld.

PMA's report clearly outlined the bad days on Lincoln-Way's horizon. In one chart, PMA projected that the district would be $44 million in the red by 2019.

In response to written questions, Tingley said he shared the PMA report with all the district's board members at the time. Asked who decided to keep the PMA projections secret, and whether he agreed with the decision, Tingley said, "It was deemed that the usage of the document was kept internal."

Tingley said the district withheld the record because it would be used internally "for the purpose of contract negotiations and changes (reductions) to personnel," but has not answered why that remained necessary when the Daily Southtown first sought the requests last August  long after the negotiations.

Asked whether the district's financial problems could have been mitigated had the district released that report in 2014 and discussed it candidly in public, Tingley said, "that is speculation."

Tingley noted the district made more than $1 million in cuts during spring 2014  a modest total, compared with the district's multimillion dollar projected deficits  and made changes to the teachers contract, resulting in further savings.

In reference to the fiscal 2015 budget, Tingley's statement acknowledged that "a balanced budget was presented ... at a time when the district was facing a deficit" and said the district "used past accounting practices with the creation of that budget."

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The statement, however, doesn't address why in July 2014 Tingley presented a supposedly balanced budget after having acknowledged in private correspondence obtained by the Daily Southtown that he expected multimillion dollar annual deficits.

Federal prosecutors last month indicted former Lincoln-Way superintendent Lawrence Wyllie on fraud charges and alleged he hid the district's "true financial health" by misusing millions in bond dollars and presenting the public with false information.

Wyllie, 79, has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Daily Southtown Twice-weekly News updates from the south suburbs delivered every Monday and Wednesday >

Tingley, Wyllie's successor, also has been criticized for his handling of the district's finances. In a February 2014 email exchange with a high-ranking district official, Tingley privately acknowledged that he was expecting multimillion-dollar annual deficits, a copy of the email shows.

Five months later, on July 17, 2014, Tingley publicly unveiled the district's fiscal year 2015 budget, which was purportedly balanced, and told school board members at the time that the district's expenditures would "continue to be conservative as the district remains committed to fiscal responsibility."

Nearly two months later, on Sept. 11, the school board unanimously approved Lincoln-Way's proposed balanced budget. In a Sept. 22, 2014, communication, however, Tingley privately told the board he expected a multimillion-dollar deficit that year, echoing what he'd said in the February email.

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The PMA report shows that the district had not been operating in a fiscally conservative or responsible manner. PMA's document details Lincoln-Way's history of overspending by millions dating back to the 2009 fiscal year.

Following North's closure, the district's finances have stabilized but remain precarious. Lincoln-Way officials borrow millions in short-term loans to keep the district running but recently passed a budget they said would produce a surplus, their second in a row, following about a decade of chronic overspending.

gpratt@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @royalpratt
Students, parents, teachers and members of the community stand around the flagpole at Trinity Lutheran school in Tinley Park last week for the Sept. 27 See You at the Pole global day of student prayer. Thousands of students around the nation gathered around flagpoles to pray before the ring of the first bell. (Mary Compton)

Alsip

The Lighthouse Church: 4501 W. 127th St.  Pastor Dan Willis and Linda Willis will be honored for 40 years of service at a Founders Day Weekend celebration. A free Gospel Extravaganza will be at 7 p.m. Nov. 10. The Brown Sisters, Janet Sutton and Voices of Acme, Pastor Daniel Smith and New St. Matthew Choir, the Pentecostals of Chicago Reunion choir and other guests will be featured. Throwback attire from 40 years ago is encouraged for the 5 p.m. Nov. 11 services. The celebration will continue at 8:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. services Nov. 12. Reservations are required at reneemblissett@yahoo.com.

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Chicago

St. Casimir Center Chapel: 2601 W. Marquette Rd.  A Mass for the beatification of Venerable Mother Maria Kaupas, founder of the Sisters of St. Casimir, will be at 9:30 a.m. Oct. 7. Rev. Michail Ford, OP, director of the National Shrine of St. Jude, will be the celebrant. Refreshments will be served following the Mass. The public is invited. Information: 773-776-1324.

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Chicago Heights

St. Paul Lutheran Church: 10th Street and Ashland Avenue  The Sunday School will sponsor Trunks of Treats and a car show from noon to 3 p.m. Oct. 29. The event will take place rain or shine and will include food, treats for children and a bake sale. Information: 708-754-4493 or spchurchoffice@yahoo.com.

Evergreen Park

United by Faith Evangelical Lutheran Church: 3240 W. 98th St.  A pancake breakfast and bake sale will take place 8 a.m. to noon Oct. 14. Cost is $8 per person or $20 for a family of four. Information: 708-422-6301.

Flossmoor

Infant Jesus of Prague Church: Flossmoor Road and Leavitt Avenue  A Mass to receive blessings of the Holy Replica of the Infant Jesus of Prague, celebrated by Father Jerome Moras, OCD, will be Oct. 16. Chaplet of Divine Mercy and Rosary will be at 7 p.m. Mass, benediction and healing will begin at 7:30 p.m.

Joliet

Cathedral of Saint Raymond Nonnatus: 604 Raynor Ave.  The church will host the second concert in the 2017-18 Cathedral Music Series at 2:30 p.m. Oct. 15. Guest organist David Jonies will present an organ recital of works by Guilmant, Handel, Saint-Saens and Widor on the Cathedral's Wicks pipe organ in celebration of the parish centennial. Free parking will be available in the cathedral lots. A freewill offering benefits the Cathedral music program. Information: Contact the Music Office at 815-722-6653, ext. 222, or music@stray mond.net.

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New Lenox

St. Jude Church: 241 W. Second Ave.  The St. Jude New Lenox Peace & Social Justice Ministry will host Social Justice Day: A Call to Care and Compassion, from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. 21 at Providence Catholic High School, 1800 W. Lincoln Highway, New Lenox, Door 1. Guest speakers will discuss immigration, human trafficking, refugees and the environment. A freewill offering for admission is suggested. Online registration at www.stjudes.org/justice or call Pam at 815-463-1696.

The Council of Catholic Women Harvest Luncheon & Craft Show will take place 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 26. Crafters wanted. Call Pat at 815-485-3511.

Oak Forest

Gaelic Park: 6119 W. 147th St.  A monthly Mass and breakfast will be at 10 a.m. Oct. 8. A traditional Irish breakfast of Irish sausage, scrambled eggs, black and white pudding, bacon, brown bread, Irish soda bread, coffee, tea and orange juice will follow the Mass. The cost is $9 for adults and $5 for children. A Mass and breakfast will be the second Sunday of every month through April 2018. Information: www.chicagogaelicpark.org or call 708-687-9323.

Lutheran Church of the Resurrection: 15050 Central Ave.  The Annual Fall Arts and Crafts Fair will be from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 7. The event includes vendors, crafters, basket raffles, snacks and refreshments. "RezYouth for Houston" will look after children at a "Tent-O-Fun" for a $5 donation. Children will make craft projects and decorate pumpkins. Information: resurrectionoakforest@gmail.com or call 708-687-2170.

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Oak Lawn

Covenant Church: 9230 S. Pulaski Rd. The Pryme Timers ministry will host the 8th Annual Fashion Show to benefit the Crisis Center of South Suburbia at 11 a.m. Oct. 12. The theme is "From the Closet to the Runway." A catered beef stew luncheon will be served. The cost is $7. Reservations are required by Oct. 6. Call Tom Panush or the church office at 708-636-7548. Donations of non-perishable canned food items will be accepted for the Blue Island Salvation Army food pantry.

Orland Park

Christ Lutheran Church: 14700 S. 94th Ave.  A special 500th anniversary of the Reformation event will take place at 10 a.m. Oct. 10. Composer and Lutheran musician Carl Schalk will present his booklet, "A Lutheran Catechism: Understanding Church Music in the Lutheran Tradition." The presentation will be followed by a communion service and luncheon. Participants will receive complimentary copies of the booklet. The event is open to the public. Register at 708-349-0431 or Julie@Christlutheranorland.com.

Daily Southtown Twice-weekly News updates from the south suburbs delivered every Monday and Wednesday >

The Presbyterian Church in Orland Park: 13401 Wolf Road  Crafter applications for the church arts and crafts fair are available at the church office. The fee is $30 for an 8-by-4-foot table space with two chairs. Additional tables are $5. The event will take place 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 11. Bake sale items are also needed. Information or application: 708-448-8142.

Drinking in God's Grace will begin a new Bible study on the Gospel of Mark from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Nov. 14. The program is open to ages 18 and older. The group will meet at Starbucks, 14118 S. Bell Road, Homer Glen. Materials will be provided.

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Tinley Park

First Baptist Church of Tinley Park: 7025 W. 179th St.  A luncheon and fellowship will be at 11:30 a.m. Oct. 11. Admission is free. Reservations are required. Call 708-532-3536.

Zion Lutheran Church: 17100 69th Ave.  A free community dinner will be held from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. every first Thursday of the month at Zion Lutheran Church and from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. every third Thursday of the month beginning Oct. 5 at Faith United Presbyterian Church, 6200 167th St., Tinley Park. The public is invited.

 Staff report

What's going on at your church? Let us know at least a week in advance by sending an email to southtownreligion@tribpub.com.
Funeral services for Ken Kaupas, former deputy chief of the Will County sheriff's department, will be 10 a.m. Thursday at Overman-Jones Funeral Home in Plainfield.

Kaupas, a resident of Shorewood, and the 2014 Republican candidate for sheriff, died Saturday. He was 58.

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Visitation will be from 3 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home at U.S. 30 and Route 59. Burial will after the funeral Thursday at Risen Lord Cemetery in Oswego.

After earning a masters degree in criminal justice from Western Illinois University, Kaupas joined the Illinois State Police, and served 30 years before retiring in 2009.

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He was later appointed deputy chief of special operations for the Will County sheriff's office, serving from 2010 until 2014.

In 2014, when his cousin Sheriff Paul Kaupas retired, Ken Kaupas ran for the seat, losing by 471 votes to then Lt. Mike Kelley. Kaupas declared victory by a slim lead on election night, but two weeks after the election when the provisional and absentee ballots were counted, Kelley was declared the winner.

On Tuesday, the sheriff's department issued a statement saying, "Sheriff Mike Kelley and staff of the Will County Sheriff's Office extend our deepest sympathies to the family of Ken Kaupas. Our thoughts and prayers are with them at this difficult time."

Kaupas is survived by his wife, Shelly, son, Brady; daughter, Jena Guzman and two grandchildren, Georgia and Forrest Guzman.

slafferty@tribpub.com

Twitter @SusanLaff
A map shows the outline of a site along a stretch of Interstate 80 in Orland Park that the village hopes will be considered by online retailer Amazon for its second North American headquarters. (Village of Orland Park)

Area communities say they are supporting Orland Park's effort to be the location of Amazon's second North American headquarters, but it's unclear whether the village will make the state's list of sites that will be part of a formal proposal to the online retailer.

Suburbs including Homewood and Palos Park have written letters endorsing the 127-acre site west of LaGrange Road and north of Interstate 80. Also adding their support are the Southwest Conference of Mayors and South Suburban Mayors and Managers Association.

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Orland Park recently provided more information about the property and its attributes to the state as part of a regional collaboration to win the coveted corporate prize, which could translate into a $5 billion investment and create up to 50,000 jobs.

The 44-page document, which Mayor Keith Pekau outlined at Monday's Village Board meeting, includes information about the location of sewer and water lines on the property, cellphone service coverage and details about quality-of-life topics such as parks and biking/walking paths.

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Much of the information was not compiled specifically for Amazon but as part of the village's effort to create an overall development plan for the I-80 corridor.

Pekau admitted the effort is a long shot but that "everyone's a long shot because everyone in the country is vying for this."

The proposal touts the Will County location as being an advantage over Cook County sites because of reduced property taxes, but any formal offer to Amazon would also include a package of additional incentives. Pekau said the village worked with the Will County Center for Economic Development on its information package and that specifics about what incentives it would offer are confidential.

A rendering shows potential commercial development along a stretch of Interstate 80 in Orland Park. The village hopes the property will be considered as a site for online retailer Amazons second North American headquarters. (Village of Orland Park )

In its proposal, the village said it would pay to extend a fiber-optic connection to the site.

According to its request for proposals, Amazon prefers metropolitan areas with more than 1 million people and wants quick access to highways and public transportation, proximity to good universities and to be able to tap a pool of well-educated workers. Amazon also wants a stable and business-friendly environment.

It said the the initial phase would include 500,000 to 1 million square feet of space, and that could be expanded to 8 million square feet over a period of several years. The initial investment in construction could be $300 million to $600 million, but Amazon said its overall investment, including future expansions, could top $5 billion.

Amazon said it is seeking a site of about 100 acres and would agree to retrofit existing space to suit its needs but will give priority to "shovel-ready" greenfield sites. The company said it could hire up to 50,000 employees for the new headquarters over 10 to 15 years.

A spokesman for Gov. Bruce Rauner said officials are still working on the formal proposal for Amazon. "We will make the bid public at the appropriate time, of course," Hud Englehart said in an email Tuesday.

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Daily Southtown Twice-weekly News updates from the south suburbs delivered every Monday and Wednesday >

A group of more than 600 leaders from the public, private and non-profit sectors are involved in the collaborative effort to attract Amazon to the state. On Tuesday, the office of Will County Executive Larry Walsh said that Walsh had been invited to join that committee.

"Will County is home to five Amazon fulfillment centers, so the company is familiar with the transportation assets and skilled work force in our region," Walsh said in a news release.

Some have suggested that Illinois' political and financial instability could hinder the state's chances of being considered. Pekau said that although "we clearly have work to do from a legislative perspective," the state "has a lot of things going for it."

Amazon has set a deadline of Oct. 19 for proposals and will make an announcement sometime next year about which city it has selected.

The company's headquarters in Seattle encompasses 8.1 million square feet spread among 33 buildings.

mnolan@tribpub.com

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Twitter @mnolan_J
One reason why Gov. Bruce Rauner promised to veto HB40 last spring was to prevent a House Republican revolt on the state budget.

The bill deletes a so-called "trigger" provision in current law which states that if the Roe v. Wade case is overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court, Illinois would automatically revert to outlawing abortions. There's a dispute about whether this is needed, but the more controversial part of the bill would allow state funding of abortions through Medicaid and the state employee group health insurance program.

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Everyone knew from the beginning of the two-year budget impasse that the House Republicans were the key to victory for both sides. As long as Rauner could hold them completely together, he could continue the impasse fight with the Democrats. By April, however, mutinous rumblings were growing in that caucus and one way Rauner could placate them was to swear he would veto HB40 if it ever reached his desk.

There are no remaining pro-choice Republicans in the House, and there are certainly no supporters of taxpayer funded abortions in the caucus. Legislative threats were made to the pro-choice governor that there would be holy heck to pay if he signed HB40 into law. They'd abandon him in droves and there would be nothing he could do to stop them from working with the Democrats on a budget solution. So the governor told several House Republicans to their faces that he'd veto the bill.

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But then a couple of months later, some of the same House Republicans who'd been demanding an HB40 veto broke with the governor and voted for the tax hike.

That tax vote may have played into the governor's decision to become the first American governor to sign a taxpayer-funded abortion bill into law. He may have simply decided that he wasn't bound to his promise because the House Republicans didn't hold their caucus together.

The trouble is, he made that veto promise to more than just the House Republicans. As Sen. Dan McConchie (R-Hawthorn Woods) pointed out after Rauner signed the bill into law, the governor made a "public commitment" to veto the bill. "His flip-flopping on this issue," McConchie said in a statement, "raises serious questions on whether the Governor's word can be trusted on other matters."

The reason this issue became such a huge crisis in the first place is that Rauner's can't be taken as truth. This started to become apparent on election night, when the governor claimed during his victory speech that he'd spoken to House Speaker Michael Madigan and Senate President John Cullerton even though he hadn't.

Rauner spent more than two years traveling the state to tell everyone who would listen that he would stop the Democrats from muscling through a Chicago Public Schools "bailout," but then he signed a bill into law that actually gave CPS more money than the Democrats had proposed.

Daily Southtown Twice-weekly News updates from the south suburbs delivered every Monday and Wednesday >

The governor told the Chicago Tribune in the spring of 2015 that a budget crisis would give him the leverage to obtain concessions from Democrats on his pro-business, anti-union agenda, then flat-out blamed the Democrats for the next two years for creating the crisis the governor had wanted.

I mean, the man repeatedly lied about his own grandfather to score political points. The governor has claimed over and over that his "best friend" growing up had immigrated from Sweden  the last time was when he bragged about it during a speech to an immigrant rights group when he signed a bill into law restricting what the police can do to undocumented immigrants. In fact, his grandfather was born in the United States. Politifact awarded the claim its harshest rating: "Pants on fire."

The list is just endless with this guy. When Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich publicly calls you out for breaking your promise to veto HB40, you know you have a problem.

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Candidate Rauner explicitly promised the pro-choice group Personal PAC in 2014 that he would sign legislation for government-funded abortions. So the question really boiled down to who the governor would wind up lying to.

With a tax hike passed over his veto and an education funding reform plan in place, the calculation could've been that he just doesn't need the House Republicans for much of anything next year.

But the governor's campaign insists that Rauner is running for reelection. If he manages to win, he's going to have to eventually find a way to reestablish his relationships with legislative Republicans. Time will likely heal some of these wounds within his own party, but only if he makes a genuine attempt to reestablish his credibility.

Rich Miller also publishes Capitol Fax, a daily political newsletter, and CapitolFax.com.
Pastor Dave Daubert of Elgin's Zion Lutheran Church spearheaded an effort to bring volumes from the Heritage edition of the St. John's Bible to Elgin. (Gail Borden Public Library)

Two Heritage edition volumes of the critically acclaimed St. John's Bible recently went on display at the Gail Borden Public Library in Elgin.

"Having the St. John's Bible is an incredible opportunity for people interested in history or interested in art to see something truly remarkable," Zion Lutheran Pastor Dave Daubert said. "You don't have to be religious to be amazed by these books."

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The Smithsonian Institute described the project as, "One of the truly extraordinary undertakings of this century." Daubert said a parallel to what the new books look like can be found with the ancient Book of Kells, which is on display at Trinity College Dublin and the Lindisfarne Gospels on display at the British Library in London.

Daubert headed the effort to bring the volumes to Elgin and worked with leaders from Christ the Lord Lutheran Church, Congregation Kneseth Israel and St. Mary Church in the city on the effort. The congregations are picking up the $5,000 tab for having the volumes at the library, Daubert said.

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"I got involved because this is a beautiful work of art," Rabbi Margaret Frisch Klein said. "Jews think very highly of calligraphy."

According to the website for the project, the St. John's Bible was created under the direction of Welsh artist Donald Jackson in collaboration with scholars and Benedictine monks at St. John's University in Minnesota. It is the only handwritten and illuminated Bible commissioned by a Benedictine Monastery since the advent of the printing press more than 500 years ago, the website states.

Work on the project began in the late 1990s and took almost 13 years to complete. The website states that an international team of calligraphers and artists created the 1,165-page manuscript and its 160 major illuminations. Each folio is two feet tall, three feet wide and has been bound into seven volumes.

The original is going on display at St. John's University in Minnesota in a new gallery there that opens Thursday, while the website states that there are 299 sets of the Heritage edition's seven volumes.

There are Heritage volumes on display all over the world, including at The Vatican, England's St. Martin in the Fields in London as well as at spots in Australia, Canada and Hong Kong, Jim Triggs, Executive Director of the Heritage Program, said.

Daubert said he learned of the St. John's efforts while taking a class this past winter through the Columbia Theological Seminary in North Carolina, where volumes were on display. That inspired Daubert to inquire about bringing Heritage volumes to Elgin.

"I was impressed by Jackson and his team's attention to detail," Daubert said. "And I was impressed by Jackson's durability. He was able to keep his team together for so long. It took six artists seven years each, a combined 42 years, just to complete the calligraphy for the St. John's Bible."

Daubert said the timing of bringing the Heritage volumes to Elgin now works well in that this month marks the 500th anniversary of the Reformation and the birth of the Lutheran church. With Catholic and Jewish congregations involved, it can be seen as a further effort at building new relationships between the faiths, he said.

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Triggs said those with the project appreciate the symbolism behind having the book in Elgin.

"What Elgin is doing also ties to a mission of the project, which is to share it with the world," Triggs said.

What is on display in Elgin is not the entire Bible but two of the volumes. According to a release from the library, one is the Pentateuch, which is made up of the first five books of the Old Testament, also known as the Torah. Those books are Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. The other volume is the New Testament's Gospels and Acts which includes the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

While in Elgin, congregations will be able to use the volumes in their programming. Klein said Kneseth Israel intends to use one volume Oct. 12 in a 6:30 p.m. "Dance with the Torah" celebration at which someone will read from the Book of Genesis in the volume. The congregation also will incorporate a volume into its interfaith Thanksgiving celebration in November, she said.

While the volumes on display at the library are replicas of the originals, Jackson also oversaw their creation. The 100 percent cotton paper is printed with watermarks, according to the website, which makes the pages look like the velum of the original. The leather-bound books are hand-stitched and 24 karat gold leaf and silver foils were added to the art by hand.

One volume at a time will be displayed on the second floor of Elgin's downtown library, and visitors can view additional artwork from the volumes on a nearby high resolution digital kiosk. While the volumes are in Elgin the library will be hosting two special events tied to it.

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On Oct. 23, at 6:30 p.m., the library will be screening the BBC documentary,"The Illuminator: Bible for the 21st Century." On Nov. 12, from 1:30 p.m. until 4:30 p.m. there will be an interactive reception in the main lobby, where visitors will be able to turn pages, view their illuminated art, and discuss what they are viewing with trained guides.

Daubert said he, Carol Blohm from Christ the Lord Lutheran Church, and Vicky Winter and Donna Warren from St. Mary went to Minnesota in early September to be trained as docents for the volumes' visit to Elgin.

"I was speechless when I saw the original. I was in awe," Winter said. "What they have done with their work is bring the Bible into today's world and, with their imagery, make it relatable."

"The volumes are expensive, but not priceless," Daubert said. "At the two events, people, as long as they are careful and have washed their hands first, will be allowed to touch and turn the pages. They'll get to see how light plays off the gold leaf imprints. It will be like looking at a gem."

For information about The Saint John's Bible, go to www.gailborden.info/bible. For those interested in a tour, contact Daubert at PastorDave@ZionElginIL.org. The display will be at the library through Jan. 3.

mdanahey@tribpub.com
No excuses: The city's excuse for why we don't have new business like restaurants on the east side of town is there is no room, there is no land. Well, there is land, and it is bordered by Liberty Street, Dundee Avenue and Slade Avenue. There is a whole city block there for somebody to buy. We need a sit-down, order-off-the-menu restaurant like a Cracker Barrel or a Baker's Square or just a good family restaurant. Everything is on Randall Road. You should remember you have a whole east side of town. Have you completely forgotten about all of us people over here?

Hypocrisy: I just wanted to say I feel for the people of Hurricane Harvey and all the rain it dumped down there. It hurt these people badly. I also want to say now Ted Cruz and some of the other politicians in Texas are begging for money, which they should be given. But I want to remind you that when Hurricane Sandy hit New York and the East Coast, these are the same people who dragged their feet and didn't want to give people on the East Coast any money. What hypocrites they are.

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Mexico's dilemma: A Hispanic acquaintance says the spike in murders and crime in Mexico coincides with the drug dealers and criminals deported from the United States. They are trying to take over the drug cartels so they can continue living the life they were accustomed to here.

Police response: You had a fine article about the officers in the paper today. But where are they when they are called? We called about a party by the bridge, and the music is so loud, you can hear the music nine houses down. All we ask is for the police officer to ask them to turn it down. Not a one came by. Where are they at? There's a noise ordinance. Why isn't that enforced?

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Give me a break: I am reading the front-page article about the Elgin police sergeant who got a 10-day suspension. He refused the sobriety test in Sycamore, and then they let him go for lack of evidence. Don't tell me the police don't look after each other. Give me a break.

Cruel words: Why does President Trump say he is joking every time he makes a statement that is cruel and hurtful? I would like to see if someone can answer that.

Air raid takes new meaning: Aurora's Tuesday 10 a.m. air raid signal seems louder since North Korea's latest nuclear threat. Our world desperately needs intervention, be it Christ or UFOs. While humanity stands by and allows North Korea to take control of the Doomsday clock, we know when that clock strikes high noon, it will be midnight for all.

Punish DACA parents: The president discontinued DACA. I will tell you one way I would allow those students to stay, and it's the only way. The parents say the children should not be punished for their crime. I say OK, let's punish the parents. Let's take every one of those parents and tell them they can never, never, ever become citizens and they are subject to deportation and they have to pay fines for bringing their kids over here. They endangered their kids. So they should never be allowed to become citizens.

Trump squashes DACA: Donald Trump just squashed DACA. Sorry for the "Dreamers," he says. He really loves the "Dreamers," he said. But he always says too bad for the "Dreamers" because I hate Barack Obama. If anyone is surprised, they should not be. What did he tell you he would do? He said he would take back any executive order Barack Obama did. He is true to his promise. I guess the so-called Dreamers will have to go back in hiding again. I guess this is one of those "oh well" moments.

Get a life: This is in reference to the person who doesn't have anything better to do than talk about people who want to spend their money on skinny jeans. If they want to buy a pair of $40 jeans instead of going to Goodwill or wherever, it's their money. Get a life.

Don't throw away blessings: When you see the TV ads requesting financial help for St. Jude's cancer-stricken children or the terribly disabled children at Shriners Hospital, it is hard to feel sympathy for the druggies throwing away the blessing of good health for yet another potent hit.

Questions about forest preserves: The Kane County Forest Preserves bought various farmland throughout the county. Over here in Pingree Grove, they have a forest preserve, but you can't go in it because it is farmland. Do they rent the farm land out? Does it go out for bidding? Or is it all under the table? If they rent to a farmer, what happens to that money? I would like to know what is happening, and can I walk on that field of corn because it is owned by the forest preserve? Why are they buying up land that will only be farmland?

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No music selection: I just want to bring this up. It's pretty bad you go into Walmart and a guy like me who likes country music goes looking into the record department and what do you find? Half the shelves are empty. You don't have much to choose from. I remember years ago there use to be a very good record store here in Elgin, and it was located right next to the Crocker Theater on Grove. They had everything there. Country was where it was supposed to be, rock 'n' roll was under rock 'n' roll. Classic was under classic. If they didn't have it, they would look it up and see if they still made it.

Editor's note

Speak Out is a reader-generated column of opinions. If you see something you disagree with or think is incorrect, call us at 312-222-2460 or email couriernews@tribpub.com. Please include "speak out" in the subject line.
A Chicago man identified by Evanston police as being a gang member is facing felony gun charges after police said a loaded handgun was found in a sweatshirt he was wearing but discarded when detectives pursued him, according to an Evanston police news release Sunday.

Evanston police said that Sherwin L. Flowers, of the 2000 block of West Arthur in Chicago, ran away from detectives who were on patrol near the Howard Street area and noticed him walking with another  unidentified  man, according to the release.

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Flowers was on parole for a previous gun charge, according to information from the Illinois Department of Corrections website.

Police said Flowers and the other man were at Jonquil Terrace and Ashland Avenue in Chicago just after midnight Thursday when Evanston police noticed a "large, distinctive bulge" in the sweatshirt Flowers was wearing, near his waistband, according to the release.

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When detectives got out of their vehicle to approach the pair, they both ran, police said in the release. Police said they noticed a "black object protruding" from Flowers' waistband.

The other man discarded a loaded Smith and Wesson .45 caliber handgun while he ran away, police said. The gun was recovered but he got away. Further, police said they lost sight of Flowers but recovered the sweatshirt he was allegedly wearing, and a loaded HK .45 caliber handgun was found inside it, according to the release.

Then Friday at around 12:40 a.m., police caught Flowers at Howard Street and Marshfield Avenue. Flowers was arrested and charged with felony aggravated unlawful use of a weapon by a felon on parole, the release states.

Police said the Illinois Department of Corrections also issued a parole violation warrant for Flowers' arrest.

Bond was set at $50,000 for the gun charge, according to information on the Cook County Sheriff's website.

Flowers is scheduled to appear in court Wednesday in Skokie.
Just weeks after stoking controversy by using Nazi imagery on his Jewish deli's Facebook page, the co-owner of Max's Deli in Highland Park again has ignited outrage  this time with a tweet he fired off in response to the Las Vegas shootings.

"Soon as I heard it was country music, I felt relief. White people shooting white people isn't terror ... it's community outreach. #LasVegas," the tweet read.

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Greg Morelli, one of the owners of Max's Deli, expressed regret Tuesday for the tweet, which he says he dashed off at about 7 a.m. Monday from his personal Twitter account.

"As a white guy, I was relieved that it wasn't across race lines, or religion lines or (an attack) from outside the country," Morelli said. "When I heard the news, I said, Please God, don't let it be" war.

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A since-deleted tweet from Max's Deli co-owner Greg Morelli.

Authorities have said that Stephen Paddock, 64, was responsible for the massacre in Las Vegas, in which at least 59 people were killed and hundreds more injured. Paddock is believed to have taken aim Sunday at a crowded country music concert from the window of his casino hotel room nearby.

Morelli, who described himself as politically "lost" with no allegiances, said his tweet about the deaths was thoughtless.

"It was a dumb joke and it didn't work. I own it. It was stupid," Morelli said.

"It was seven in the morning and I was stressed out and freaked out by the shooting," he added. "I was trying to participate, and all I did was put my foot in my mouth."

Morelli expressed frustration that the death toll from mass shootings in the U.S. keeps rising and nothing meaningful seems to result from the horror.

"How many shootings are we going to let happen in this country without having a conversation about it?" he asked.

Morelli, who said he voted for Hillary Clinton in November but is rooting for President Donald Trump to succeed in office, said he has removed the tweet and issued an apology on Facebook.

"I don't know if you can take down what is out there," he conceded.

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He said he's received death threats in text messages from people who seem most concerned the massacre could lead to gun control.

In his Facebook apology for the tweet, Morelli assured gun rights advocates, "I do not want to take your guns. It's up to you to decide what to do with your guns."

In August, the white supremacist and neo-Nazi marches in Charlottesville, Va., inspired Morelli to draw a cartoon of a man wearing a Nazi armband, a T-shirt reading "I'm with Alt-Right," and giving a stiff-armed "Heil Hitler" salute. The man's hairstyle resembled that of the president.

Morelli's posting of the cartoon with the deli's menu on the restaurant's Facebook page drew fierce criticism.

"I have a Jewish deli, I am a Jewish man," Morelli told the Tribune at the time. "I am the first person that's going to get a brick through the window if this plague is not stopped immediately."

He added, "I do not regret assigning symbolism to hatred. I do not regret being trashed on Facebook. That said, it hurt."

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Morelli said he doesn't believe the Nazi imagery used in the cartoon caused his business to suffer. But in Monday's tweet, he said he was speaking as a private citizen upset by the shootings, not as a business owner.

"My phones are ringing off the hook," he said of his business and personal phone lines.

Morelli said Tuesday the backlash over the cartoon led to a town hall-style meeting at the delicatessen in late September that included dialogue about assigning symbolism correctly to hate groups.

kberkowitz@pioneerlocal.com
Joseph Slavik and his granddaughter, Maribeth O'Malley, enjoy a welcome home party following a 2016 Honor Flight to Washington. (Barb Leschke )

Joseph Slavik, a 104-year-old World War II veteran from La Grange Park, who was part of the allied invasion of Normandy and finished the war as a medic, died Sept. 29, 2017.

Decades after the war ended, Slavik could still recall harrowing details of his service. He remembered during the Battle of the Bulge taking cover inside the middle building in a row of three. He spent the night listening to bullets flying, shells bursting and buildings crumbling around him.

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"I started praying the Rosary before the shooting started," he said in 2016. "The buildings on each side got hit. The building I was praying the Rosary in didn't get hit. It was a miracle."

He also remembered that his feet would get sores because of the amount of walking that he did, and that he often felt ill from eating spoiled food that he found. One day he fell off a truck and injured his spine, which required surgery. During his recovery a doctor asked if he'd like to become a medic.

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"No more rifle," Slavik said. "I was into first aid. That was satisfactory for me. It was better than carrying a rifle."

The worst part of the job was giving fellow soldiers their last cigarette and comforting them as they died, he said.

His daughter, Maribeth O'Malley, said her father was well-suited to being a medic because he loved helping people.

"He was such a generous, loving and giving father and grandfather," she said. "He was superman."

After the war ended, Slavik was reunited with his wife, Irene. He was employed as a bus driver for the CTA for 27 years and worked until he was 94 in security at the Arlington Park Race Track.

In recent years, he lived with his granddaughter Maribeth M. O'Malley, in La Grange Park.

"He was my life," she said. "He was my grandfather when I was little and was my father when my own father died when I was 14. Then he became my baby (when he was older)."

She said prayer was a consistent part of Slavik's life.

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"He had a heart of gold and he prayed so much. He had seven Rosaries that were worn from silver to gold (from praying)," she said.

Slavik was the fifth in a family of 14 children. Slavik's father died when he was 12 and he dropped out of school and went to work as a special delivery boy for the U.S. Postal Service, according to his family.

As a young man, Slavik earned a pilot's license flying small prop planes. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1944 and, though he had hoped to serve in some capacity on a plane, he was assigned to the infantry. He served under Gen. George Patton and was among the allied forces that invaded Normandy.

Slavik was one of 43 veterans who traveled to Washington in 2016 on an Honor Flight sponsored by the Veterans Network Committee of Northern Illinois.

He said that his faith had helped him during hard times throughout his life.

"I will say this much about my life," he said. "I did a lot of praying and it did a lot of good."

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amannion@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @triblocalam
A 23-year-old Chicago man was being held in Lake County jail Tuesday in lieu of $250,000 bail on charges of aggravated discharge of a firearm stemming from an altercation last month near Antioch.

Derrius L. Crenshaw, 23, of the 4700 block of South King Drive, was charged in a warrant with aggravated discharge of a firearm, a Class 1 felony, and was arrested by Chicago police on Sept. 24, according to Sgt. Christopher Covelli of the Lake County Sheriff's Office.

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Deputies had responded to a call of shots fired at 10:30 a.m. on Sept. 12 in the area of North Addison Lane and Route 173 in Antioch Township, Covelli said. When when they arrived they found evidence of shots fired, but no victims or offenders.

Detectives determined Crenshaw was responsible for shooting at two adults, who told police there was an altercation with the suspect at a business near Routes 173 and 59 and the victims fled to the area of North Addison Lane where Crenshaw followed and opened fire on the victims, but didn't hit anyone, Covelli said.

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Crenshaw is scheduled to appear in Lake County Circuit Court Thursday.

fabderholden@tribpub.com

Twitter @abderholden
Bess Bower Dunn Museum of Lake County curator Heather Johnson stands next to part of a multipiece Castle of Dreams, which has a new home in the basement of the forest preserve headquarters in Libertyville. ( Frank Abderholden/News-Sun )

The new Bess Bower Dunn Museum of Lake County is coming together quickly and is still on track to open before the end of the year.

Commissioners of the Lake County Forest Preserve toured the new museum under construction at the forest preserve's Libertyville headquarters on Monday morning. The name change is part of a rebranding effort after the museum was moved from Lakewood Forest Preserve near Wauconda to the district's new home base at 1899 W. Winchester Road.

"Back in April, we showed you the virtual concept, and now you will be able to see select areas and how it related to the concepts," said Andrew Osborne, superintendent of educational facilities for the forest preserve.

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Visitors to the museum will enter a gift shop where they can purchase a ticket and get a glimpse of the life-size Dryptosaurus dinosaur, a member of the T-Rex family, that leads the museum's march through chronological time along with a huge rock embedded with 420 million-year-old fossils from when this area was a shallow sea.

The gift shop and vending cafeteria make use of natural light, which can be harmful to museum collectibles, and there will be a wall explaining who Bess Bower Dunn was and why the museum is named after the Waukegan resident who became known as the county's historian.

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"Bess Bower Dunn was a pivotal person in saving the history of Lake County. The objects and records she kept help tell the history of the county," said Nan Buckardt, director of education for the district when the name was first picked.

Osborne said that the Dryptosaurus will represent the first time this kind of dinosaur has been artistically "fleshed out," and they are working with a University of Chicago paleontologist to make the scavenger as realistic as possible.

"There's been new science on the face. A lot has changed over eight years," he said, referring to an artist's rendition of the head made years ago.

There is also a "wigwam" that is large enough to hold 30 children for educational classes, and while the frame is made of metal, the ties at each intersection of the poles are fashioned after those used by native Potawatomi. Historians representing the Potawatomi were also brought in for consulting purposes.

Nan Buckardt, director of education for the Lake County Forest Preserve District, explains that the joints for building a wigwam in the new Bess Bower Dunn Museum followed the way native Americans would have tied branches to make the frame. ( Frank Abderholden/News-Sun )

The outside of the wigwam will be covered in a material to look like bark, and the inside has woven grass mats that were crafted in the traditional way, Buckardt said. There will also be an Ice Age dig pit for children to "discover" Mastodon bones.

Another feature of the museum will be trees in each exhibit that will offer visitors a chance to learn more about what's out in the preserves.

Most of the museum's collection has been moved by staff, and Buckardt said this was a great opportunity for personnel to cull the collection of things they might not need.

"We are strategically looking at every item before we move it," she said.

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One part of the collection had to do with weaponry, and some of the older artifacts were retained while others were auctioned off. The proceeds were returned to the museum fund, she said.

The collections now have a temperature- and humidity-controlled area, and films and other materials that age quicker have another section that is kept at a cool 55 degrees.

The economics of the move and creation of the new museum also had some good news, according to Mike Tully, chief operations officer. He said the $1.6 million budgeted for building has $42,000 left in the account, and scheduled finishing work is at $35,000, leaving the district $6,600 in the black.

"We're in really good shape," he said, adding that the extra money will be used to "freshen up" the first-floor bathrooms. Another $350,000 was used from the museum grant fund, and there is $15,000 left.

As for exactly when the museum will open to the public, Buckardt said "it's getting closer every week, but we're still looking at the end of the year."

fabderholden@tribpub.com

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Some of the 20,000 artifacts for the Bess Bower Dunn Museum are now stored in a new facility in the basement of the Lake County Forest Preserve headquarters in Libertyville. ( Frank Abderholden/News-Sun )

Twitter @abderholden
Terry Wright, of Palatine, looks for some of the names of his fallen classmates during the closing ceremony of a traveling Vietnam War memorial, called The Healing Wall, in Des Plaines. (Brian O'Mahoney / Pioneer Press )

For veteran Mike Lake, the opportunity to welcome a traveling Vietnam War memorial to the northwest suburbs provided a long-awaited chance to pay homage to his best friend.

"There's a saying that goes, 'Vietnam killed me, I just haven't died yet,'" said Lake, commander of the Des Plaines VFW Post 2992.

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Over the past weekend, members of the local veterans group successfully brought over a traveling replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., to honor veterans of the Vietnam War and give residents a glimpse of the national memorial before the replica headed off to its next destination in Tennessee.

"My best friend served 13 months in Vietnam, and he made it back home, but he never recovered," Lake said. "There was no help for him back then, and he drank himself to death."

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After passing through many northwest suburbs, including Barrington, Lake Zurich and Arlington Heights, the exhibit arrived at the Lake Park Pavilion in Des Plaines, where the local VFW Post 2992 organized public viewings and memorial services.

Since Veterans Day in 1996, the half-scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial was designed to travel to communities throughout the U.S., visiting more than 400 cities and towns throughout the country to date, according to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund website.

Des Plaines VFW Post 2992 was selected among 64 area veterans organizations that applied for a visit from the traveling exhibit, which is officially titled, "The Healing Wall," Lake said.

Local veterans then raised the required $7,500 donation to make the visit a reality.

Eighteen months later, Lake and a team of veterans organized two memorial ceremonies after the replica arrived in Des Plaines, including an evening event on Friday and a closing ceremony on Sunday afternoon, Lake said.

Arlington Heights Mayor Thomas Hayes, a U.S. Army veteran and West Point graduate, said the traveling wall's visit to the northwest suburbs is especially timely, coinciding with the broadcast of Ken Burns and Lynn Novick's documentary film "The Vietnam War."

"The traveling wall is a great way to remember our Vietnam veterans, who are deserving of our honor for their sacrifice and service," Hayes said.

Arlington Heights resident Greg Padovani, a veteran of the Vietnam War era and chairman of the Arlington Heights Veterans Memorial Committee, was among the volunteers at the Des Plaines event.

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Memorial ceremonies in local communities are important not only to veterans, but also to their family and friends, Padovani said.

"We got quite a number of requests from Arlington Heights residents asking us to read the names of their loved ones who served ... fathers, brothers and grandparents," Padovani said, adding, "To see the flyover helicopters at the memorial ceremony at night, it really brings back memories and emotions for everyone."

kcullotta@tribpub.com

Twitter @kcullotta
Isaiah C. Harris, 27, of Chicago, is charged with aggravated DUI and accused of driving at a speed of more than 100 mph. (Naperville Police Department)

A man stomped on his car's accelerator and raced away at a speed of more than 100 mph the minute a traffic light turned from red to green, Naperville police said.

He apparently never saw the marked police squad car that had stopped directly behind him, as both drivers waited for the light to change early Sunday morning, police Cmdr. Lou Cammiso said Monday.

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Isaiah C. Harris, 27, of the 4100 block of West Carroll Avenue in Chicago, was charged with aggravated DUI, driving 35 mph or more over the posted limit, driving with a revoked license, illegal transportation of open alcohol, and obstructing identification, according to records on file in DuPage County Circuit Court.

Cammiso said Harris was arrested at 2:19 a.m. Sunday, after an officer on routine patrol noted his silver Nissan Sentra traveling west on West Ogden Avenue from Rickert Drive.

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The car stopped for the next red light, at Ogden Avenue's intersection with Fort Hill Drive, with the squad car coming to a stop behind it, Cammiso said Monday. The officer reported that, as the two vehicles "passed Fort Hill Drive, (Harris') vehicle was going over 100 mph, in an area where the speed limit is posted at 40 mph, Cammiso said.

The car stopped for another red light at the intersection of West Ogden Avenue and Route 59, Cammiso said. The officer took Harris into custody, he said.

Cammiso said he did not know the car's exact speed because formal police reports remained incomplete as of Monday.

Harris is to appear Oct. 18 in court in connection with another high-speed driving incident, according to court records. Illinois State Police on Aug. 5, 2016, stopped Harris, and he was charged with driving with a suspended license. He was allegedly traveling at 91 mph on a stretch of Interstate 88 near Downers Grove, records show.

In January 2015, Harris was sentenced to 30 days in DuPage County jail after being convicted of driving with a suspended license in March 2013 in Naperville, according to records.

Harris remained in jail Monday on $35,000 bail and is scheduled to appear in court Oct. 23 for the latest case.
Windows are broken at the Mandalay Bay resort and casino in Las Vegas on Oct. 3, 2017. (John Locher / AP)

Moms Demand Action for Gunsense Naperville and Moms Building Bridges will hold a vigil Tuesday in Naperville for victims of Sunday's mass shooting in Las Vegas that left at least 59 dead and more than 500 wounded.

People are expected to begin gathering at 5:30 p.m. at the Naperville Riverwalk's Free Speech pavilion near the intersection of Jackson Avenue and Webster Street, according to an alert from Moms Building Bridges, an organization of women from diverse cultural, ethnic and faith backgrounds.

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The groups advise attendees to "bring flowers and messages of love, peace, and remembrance," according to the Facebook page for the event.

Attendees will mourn the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history that occurred Sunday night when a gunman on the 32nd floor of Las Vegas' Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino opened fire on a crowd of more than 22,000 people attending an outdoor country music festival.

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ehegarty@tribpub.com
Canine Jack, accompanied by his partner Jon Salmi, reacts to Village Hall applause for him by barking back. (Irv Leavitt/Pioneer Press )

The room full of people gathered at Northbrook Village Hall broke into applause for the Northbrook Police Department's recently-retired police dog.

Canine Jack responded with strenuous barks.

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"He always reacts that way to applause," said his partner, Officer Jon Salmi. "That's just his personality."

But during all the noise, Jack did something else: he positioned his body next to his partner, to make sure all those applauding people didn't pull anything on his pal.

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That's his training, Salmi said. He's used to being on the "point of the spear," the first officer in, during many dangerous situations, and others where there's too much unknown.

In nine years on the job, police say Jack has found 34 kilos of illegal drugs, uncovered $429,000 in cash, helped search over 300 vehicles, tracked 80 suspects or missing persons and entertained at 50 block parties.

It costs about $14,000 for Northbrook to put a new dog on the street, including the cost of the dog, and initial training for the dog and its partner, according to the department. It's easily worth it, Salmi said.

"There are some people who are not afraid of us, but they don't want to deal with the dog," Salmi said.

He said Jack has saved the lives of lost people and protected officers and citizens.

"If he saved one life, it would be worth it," he said.

Jack is a Belgian malinois, a breed that has some advantages over the typically used German shepherd, Salmi said.

Shepherds are better problem solvers, but malinois are "smaller, much faster, able to work through the heat a little better, and don't have the propensity to hip and back problems that the shepherds do," he said.

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Jack has his own physical limitations. He contracted spondylitis  fused vertebrae  and it wouldn't be fair to make him work, Salmi said, though he dearly loves his job, which he considers a game.

"I wish I could explain the bond that Jack and I have after all these years working together," Salmi said. "There's a very special brotherhood between (police dogs) and handlers."

Jack retired a few months ago, but still lives with Salmi and his family. He has been replaced on the police force by Pongo, a young shepherd handled by Officer Dave Humphries, who came on the job two years ago.

"I really love it," Humphries said. "I want to do it as long as I can."

Pongo, like Jack, will be a law enforcement asset unique on the department, Salmi said.

"A dog is the one tool we have that after we send it, we can recall it," he said. "It's not like a bullet. No matter how much we want to put a bullet back in the barrel, we can't get it back."

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ileavitt@pioneerlocal.com

Twitter @IrvLeavitt
The Oak Park Police Department is searching for a man who grabbed a woman inside her garage and stole her car Sept. 29. (Steve Schering/Pioneer Press)

The Oak Park Police Department is searching for a man who grabbed a woman inside her garage and stole her car.

According to police, the incident took place at 6:25 p.m. Sept. 29 inside a garage in the 700 block of North Hayes Avenue. A woman was parking her car inside her garage when the man approached and grabbed her arm in an attempt to steal her purse and keys, police said.

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The woman released her purse and keys when she was "otherwise unable to free herself from the offender," police said. The man then kept the keys, entered her car and drove off on eastbound Augusta, leaving the purse behind, police said.

The car was later recovered at 11:55 p.m. in the 1700 block of North Parkside Avenue in Chicago.

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According to police, the suspect is described as a black male, 15 to 25 years old, standing 5-foot-10, with a thick build. Police said he was wearing a dark colored sweater during the incident.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact the Oak Park Police Department at 708-386-3800.

sschering@pioneerlocal.com

Twitter @steveschering
Lisa Pintado-Vertner, an Oak Park parent and member of The Truth About Choice in Education committee, which belongs to political action group Oak Park Call To Action, addresses the crowd gathered Sept. 30 at Lake Theater before a screening of the 2016 documentary A Backpack Full of Cash. (Lee V. Gaines/Pioneer Press )

Organizers of a documentary screening in Oak Park say they're on a mission to educate the community about what they perceive as the negative impact of charter schools on the public education system. They are advocating against the establishment of a proposed charter school in the area.

The Truth About Choice In Education, a committee belonging to the political action group Oak Park Call to Action, hosted a screening in partnership with Raise Your Hand for Illinois Public Education, a public education advocacy group, of the 2016 documentary "Backpack Full of Cash" at the Lake Theater in downtown Oak Park on Saturday morning. Roughly 200 people attended.

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The film, narrated by Matt Damon and directed by teacher and filmmaker Sarah Mondale, focuses on the growth of charter schools and school voucher programs in the United States since the early 2000s. The film emphasizes the impact charter schools have had on Philadelphia's traditional public schools, which have struggled due to budget cuts at the state level, and the film asserts, because public dollars have flowed to an increasing number of privately-run tax-payer funded charter schools in the city.

The film explores the impact standardized testing mandates have had on curriculum and learning in public schools, a widespread school voucher program in New Orleans that provides taxpayer dollars to private religious schools, and a New Jersey school system that serves predominantly low-income students which, once on the brink of collapse, is now an example of successful public schooling.

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Oak Park parent Lisa Pintado-Vertner, of the Truth About Choice in Education group, said the purpose was to educate people in the community about charter schools. She said there's an urgency because a River Forest woman is leading an effort to bring a charter school to the area.

Allison Jack, a River Forest parent and director of charter growth and support for the Illinois Network of Charter Schools, is leading a group called WeCan  Western Educational Community Action Network  to found a charter school that would serve kindergarteners through eighth-graders from River Forest, Oak Park, Forest Park, Maywood, Broadview, Melrose Park, Bellwood and Berwyn. The group hopes to open the school in fall 2019.

The increase in charter schools "is part of a larger push to privatize public education and public money," Pintado-Vertner said.

"It's our tax dollars that go to public schools, which are for everyone. And charter schools are not for everyone," she said. "They don't have the same accountability structures. You can't go to a charter school meeting like a board of education meeting."

Pintado-Vertner said the group hopes to host screenings in other suburbs.

Jack said the intent of the proposed charter school is to create more options for students and parents.

"We think there is a certain kind of kid that does well in traditional schools and another kind of kid that doesn't. We're trying to meet with parents and community members who have ideas about what else can happen to address chronic achievement gaps," she said.

Jackie Matthews, director of media and external communications for the Illinois State Board of Education, previously told the Tribune that charters receive a percentage of per capita tuition charge of the public school for each student enrolled. Per capita tuition is the amount a local school district charges nonresident pupils. The percentage is arrived at through an agreement between the charter school and the district, Matthews previously told the Tribune.

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Charters are now required to receive at at least 97 percent of a district's per capita rate for each enrolled student, per the new school funding law. Previously, law required charters be paid at least 75 percent of per capita tuition. Charter schools authorized by local school district receive payment from the district, while those authorized by the state receive payment from the state, according to Matthews.

Oak Park parent Erin Fountain said she joined the WeCan effort earlier this year after meeting Jack at an Oak Park library screening of the 2015 documentary "Most Likely to Succeed," a film that focuses on the shortcomings of traditional education

Fountain, who is African-American, said she's had to advocate on behalf of all four of her children, two of whom graduated from and two are currently enrolled at Oak Park public schools. She said she's in favor of a charter school in the hope that it might better address academic achievement gaps between the district's white and black students. For each of her children, she said she's struggled with report cards and assessments that do not accurately reflect their knowledge or academic potential.

Oak Park resident Susan Jaros said she didn't understand the growing presence of charter schools nationwide until she attended the Sept. 30 screening. She said she's concerned about the increase in charters because "I think public school needs to be a public good and that means it's for everyone and the money is going to follow the student." She said she plans to educate herself about the issue and keep a close eye on developments in Oak Park.

Oak Park parent Jason Wulkowicz, who attended the screening with his 11-year-old daughter, said he believed the film "hit on all the most important points about the problem of privatization of public education."

He said he attended a WeCan meeting and that he didn't receive a satisfactory answer about how the group intended to address the academic achievement gap. A better solution, he said, would be to address the problem in the public schools rather than take funding away from those schools.

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Fountain said she's not sure where the proposed charter school will ultimately be located, "but I think it should go in a community that really wants one, and I don't know that Oak Park is that community."

Lee V. Gaines is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press. Caitlin Mullen contributed.
Visitors attended the Farmers market in Park Ridge in this photo from June 11, 2016. (Kevin Tanaka/Pioneer Press )

Park Ridge elected officials will now have decision-making authority when it comes to who will be responsible for running the city's Farmers Market.

By a vote of 5-2, the City Council on Monday approved changes to city's Farmers Market ordinance, including the establishment of a seven-member market committee.

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"I think the Farmers Market is a great tradition in the city of Park Ridge, and all we're doing is adding greater transparency and accountability to one of the city's great traditions," 6th Ward Ald. Marc Mazzuca said of the modifications.

As a city committee, members will be required to apply for seats and be interviewed by the Mayor's Advisory Board, which consists of four aldermen. The board will then recommend members to the mayor, who will bring the names before the full City Council for approval.

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The committee itself will be charged with choosing two "market masters," who will serve a one-year term, according to the ordinance. The market masters, the ordinance reads, will be in charge of the administration of the farmers market, including enforcing its rules and regulations.

Like other city committees, members of the Farmers Market Committee will be subject to term limits and rules under the Illinois Open Meetings Act, aldermen were told.

Additional residents who are not members of the committee can continue to volunteer for the market, said City Manager Joe Gilmore.

Support to the Farmers Market Committee will be provided by the city's Department of Community Preservation and Development, aldermen decided. The majority of the City Council also agreed that the goal of the Farmers Market should be to "operate as a self-sustaining enterprise."

The running of the Farmers Market operation has long been part of the city's municipal code, but management responsibilities previously handled by city staff ended when a designated employee retired in 2012, said Karen Grunschel, who has co-chaired the market with resident Jay Crowley.

Currently, the market is run by a group of volunteers who are not selected by the city.

Gilmore asked the City Council to discuss the organization of the market after determining that its operation had changed from what was required in the city ordinance. For one, he told the council, the market no longer had a designated "market master" running it, even though the ordinance called for one.

Voting against the amendments to the Farmers Market ordinance were 2nd Ward Ald. Nicholas Milissis and 4th Ward Ald. Roger Shubert.

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Milissis last month called it "wholly unorthodox" that the Farmers Market is part of the city when other volunteer-based events are not.

"We should be focusing our efforts on undoing something that I think is a mistake instead of enlarging and expanding on it," Milissis said. "This is very different than how we've dealt with anything similar as a city. We're inserting ourselves very much so and in a very heavy-handed way to something that, to me, should be a private initiative."

He pointed out that Taste of Park Ridge, which is now run by volunteers as a separate, nonprofit entity from the city, "has been successful" in this way.

Shubert said he would support a discussion of removing the market from the city's municipal code.

"It's something that should be explored," he said.

Farmers Market Co-Chair Jay Crowley said she supports the establishment of a city committee, but would actually like to see stronger city involvement.

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"They need to explore paying someone to do it," Crowley said of the city. "If we leave, who is going to do this? Who is going to dedicate this much time?"

Crowley also voiced opposition to the comments made by Milissis during the council's Sept. 25 discussion, saying the market needs help from the city. Most area Farmers Markets are run by municipalities, she said.

"It's absolutely unimaginable that you could run this as a private venture," Crowley said. "We run with no profit. We take our proceeds from our farmers and vendors and put them back into the market."

This year, rental fees were increased for farmers to make them more in line with other area markets, but Crowley said the cost is approximately $14 per week per vendor.

Crowley said costs covered by the city included rental of portable toilets and rental of parking spaces in a lot owned by AT&T. She estimated the annual cost to the city at between $2,000 and $3,000. Last month, Gilmore gave a similar estimate.

The Farmers Market is held each Saturday, from Memorial Day weekend through the end of October, in the city-owned parking lot at 15 Prairie Ave. This year, the market expanded on to Prairie Avenue, providing space for additional vendors, the co-chairs said.

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jjohnson@pioneerlocal.com

Twitter: @Jen_Tribune
Kathleen Gabriel, a member of St. Paul of the Cross Catholic Schools administrative staff, addresses a group of students as they get ready to participate in a walkathon on Sept. 29 on the schools Park Ridge campus. (Mary Ploen)

A regular fundraiser held at St. Paul of the Cross Catholic School is reaching beyond the Park Ridge school's walls this year.

The annual St. Paul Walkathon normally raises money for classrooms and educational needs, said Mary Ploen, director of advancement at the school. But this year, pre-kindergarten teacher Robin Gialanella had an idea.

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"We generate tens of thousands of dollars for things we need at school [during walkathons]," she said. "It was in the midst of the hurricanes, and the earthquake in Mexico City, that I was eating dinner with my husband [and] was like, 'We are so fortunate to be able to raise that kind of money for our school. It seems wrong that, at this time, when there's so many people who have nothing  they have lost their homes, they have no electricity, no food  that we don't do something to help these people.' "

As a result, this year's walkathon, which took place Sept. 29, pledged to donate $5,000 to the American Red Cross if students reached a goal of raising at least $45,000. On top of that, the school agreed to donate 10 percent of anything raised above $45,000, Ploen said.

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As of Monday morning, the school had raised $54,482 in pledges, with the amount still expected to go up, she said.

"That means we are already able to donate $6,000 to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief," Ploen said.

"It's great people have stepped up to the challenge," said Gialanella.

An all-school assembly to announce the total and present a check to a Red Cross representative is being planned, Ploen added.

The majority of the funds raised will go back to the school, largely for curriculum and technology purchases, she explained. In past years, the walkathon has helped buy Chromebooks, which are used by students in fifth through eighth grades, Ploen said.

This year, donations were accepted through a website set for the walkathon. Ploen said this may have made it easier for students to solicit contributions from family, friends and other people they know.

Teams were established by grade level. The "Pre-K Super Walkers," students in Deneane LoGalbo's pre-kindergarten class, were ranked as the top fundraisers, bringing in $3,520, the walkathon website reported.

"Every kid was excited," Ploen said of the students who participated in the walkathon on the school campus. "It was just a great day."

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jjohnson@pioneerlocal.com

Twitter: @Jen_Tribune
The husband of a woman killed in a 2014 car crash offered not only a glimpse into her service-filled life, but also forgiveness to the man who caused her death.

During the sentencing hearing for Joseph Barrera Jr., Lane Fosnaugh delivered a moving message in tribute to his late wife, Janelle Fosnaugh, 52, as he described her years growing up with missionary parents in South Africa and her own lifetime of service as a missionary to impoverished places like Papua New Guinea, Haiti and the Philippines while raising their three daughters.

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"She loved to love people. Her love and concern was palpable," Fosnaugh said.

The day before the crash, Fosnaugh said he and his wife had been welcomed to a new church in the area. They'd driven through Valparaiso to house-hunt and prayed that God would bless their transition to a new church. As a missionary, Fosnaugh said his wife had moved 37 times and was not looking forward to packing and moving again.

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Her life ended March 31, 2014, in a field in the 2200 block of East 109th Avenue near Winfield. Barrera was driving east on 109th Avenue and crossed into the westbound lane, where he struck the 2003 Honda Civic Janelle Fosnaugh was driving and also struck a second car whose driver had minor injuries. Barrera said he had marijuana in his system and that he was traveling between 55 and 65 mph in the 40 mph zone at the time of the crash.

Fosnaugh described walking up to their mangled 2003 Honda Civic mangled car, which came to rest on its side, and the officer who told him his wife had died.

"I found her shoe, scuffed and bloodstained, near the car," he said.

Fosnaugh wiped away tears, as did many of the 10 family members in attendance at the Wednesday hearing. Then he looked directly at Barrera and said, "Justice has a counter-balance. It's called grace and forgiveness.

"I don't know if you have remorse for killing my wife," he said, adding, "You're forgiven."

"I pray that you will live well. May the Lord bless you and keep you. May he make his face shine upon you. May he turn toward you and give you peace," Fosnaugh said.

Barrera, 29, of Lakes of the Four Seasons, stood and faced the Fosnaugh family as he apologized.

"I'm sorry for everything that happened. It was not maliciously done. I'm sorry for hurting your family so much," he said.

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Barrera pleaded guilty to reckless homicide in exchange for an eight-year sentence  four years in Lake County Community Corrections, followed by four years on probation. Barrera must complete drug treatment and perform 150 hours of community service, which deputy prosecutor Judy Massa said the Fosnaugh family hopes will be in service to others.

After Lake Superior Court Judge Diane Ross Boswell imposed the sentence, she said, "I'm not often at a loss for words, but I think all that needed to be said was said. It certainly was a moving statement."

Afterward, members of Fosnaugh's family spoke amiably with Barrera's wife, children and other family members in the hallway outside court.

Ruth Ann Krause is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
Shaun Hague will perform a tribute to Eric Clapton at the Memorial Opera House in Valparaiso Oct. 14. ( Memorial Opera House/HANDOUT )

Looking for something to do this week? Here are five things to do in Northwest Indiana from Oct. 13-17:

TV time: A Super Groovy Halloween Party with Svengoolie will be held at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 13 at Chicago Street Theatre in 154 W. Chicago St. Tickets are $40-$60. At Call 219-464-1636 or go to chicagostreet.org/hair/.

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Smooth sounds: Graham Nash will perform at 9 p.m. (EDT) Oct. 13 at Four Winds Casino and Resort in New Buffalo, Mich. Tickets are $35-$55. At 11111 Wilson Road. Call 866-494-6371 or go to fourwindscasino.com.

Scary stuff: Monster Comic Con will be held from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Oct. 14 at Porter County Expo Center in Valparaiso. Admission is $10-$15. At 215 E. Division Road. Call 219-0380-4440 or go to portercountyexpo.com.

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Forever man: Journeyman  A Tribute to Eric Clapton, featuring Shaun Hague, will be performed at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 14 at the Memorial Opera House in Valparaiso. Tickets are $30. At 104 Indiana Ave. Call 219-548-9137 or go to tickets.mohlive.com.

Beautiful music: The Milton String Quartet will perform at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 17 at the Duesenberg Recital Hall in the Valparaiso University Center for the Arts. Tickets are free. At 1709 Chapel Drive. Call 219-464-6950 or go to valpo.edu/center-for-the-arts/.

Do you have something to add to Five Things to Do? Email wweber@tronc.com at least two weeks in advance.
Two Gary house fires, which broke out on the same block hours after a shooting sparked by a controlled drug buy, "appear to be of suspicious nature," according to an official.

Gary firefighters responded at 8:50 p.m. Thursday to a house in the 4100 block of West 22nd Plaza, said Mark Jones, department spokesman and chief of operations.

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"Upon arrival, crews encountered heavy smoke and flames," Jones said, as well as "extensive damage" to the structure.

Crews were on the scene for about two hours putting out the fire, he said.

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Around midnight, firefighters were called to the same block to a house next door to the one the fire department responded to earlier, Jones said. This fire was contained to the rear bedroom on the east side of the home and caused "moderate damage," he said. Crews stayed on the scene for about an hour and a half, according to Jones.

Earlier that day, a federal multi-agency task force conducted a controlled narcotics purchase on that block just before 1:50 p.m., according to Sgt. Ann Wojas, Indiana State Police spokeswoman.

When officers attempted to stop the suspect, who was identified as Ned Brooks, police said Brooks "proceeded to ram several unmarked police cars in an attempt to elude officers," hitting a man and two officers.

Police said Brooks fled in his vehicle, shooting at officers, and police returned fire, Wojas said.

Brooks got out of his vehicle about a block away and was found dead in the backyard of a house in the 4200 block of West 22nd Place, police said.

An autopsy Saturday found that Brooks died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to his right temple, according to state police.

Brooks also had "superficial bullet wound to his right thigh and abdomen" and "a through and through bullet wound to his left thigh," police said Saturday.

"No law enforcement wounds were deemed life threatening," according to police.

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Brooks did not live at the residence in the 4100 block of West 22nd Plaza where police investigated Thursday and the fires occurred, Wojas said.

State police continued to investigate the shooting Tuesday, Wojas said, while Gary Fire Department investigates the fires.

Two officers involved in the Thursday incident had injuries that were not life threatening, police said. Those officers were from the Drug Enforcement Administration and Chicago Police Department, Wojas said.

State police did not have a updated condition for the one civilian injured in the shooting. Police said Thursday that the man was airlifted to Christ Medical Center "with critical injuries."

rejacobs@post-trib.com

Twitter @ruthyjacobs
Windows are broken at the Mandalay Bay resort and casino in Las Vegas on Oct. 3, 2017. (John Locher / AP)

Jon Gold at first didn't understand why so many people were frantically running through the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas on late Sunday night.

"I thought it was just Vegas being Vegas," said Gold, CEO of TradeWinds Services, Inc. in Merrillville, which serves children with disabilities.

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He then heard one woman yell, "There's an active shooter out there!"

Gold, who was in Vegas for the weekend, said he immediately hustled back to the safety of his hotel room to watch news accounts of what was happening just a couple of blocks away.

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One shooter. Twenty-three guns. At least 59 dead victims and 527 injured in the deadliest shooting attack in modern American history. This bloody carnage at a country music festival on the Las Vegas Strip compels us to once again ask, "Why?"

"It was an act of pure evil," President Donald Trump concluded.

Yes, but we are compelled to seek a more comprehensible motive for such senseless massacres. What set off the shooter? Why now? Why there? Why so many weapons stockpiled? Why are we asking the same questions we asked after too many previous attacks?

Oddly enough, or sadly enough, this would be easier to understand if a terrorist group was behind it or affiliated with the killer. But apparently not. The 64-year-old retiree was just another overly armed and troubled man in an overly armed and troubled country.

The human misery continues after another mass shooting in America, this time in another city with another suspect and another crime scene to first analyze and then memorialize. Immediately after the attack, we began asking ourselves the same desperate questions with the same empty answers.

What is our nation going to do about gun control laws? About mental illness treatment? About tighter security at public events? About the millions of prayers that seem to go unheard? About who we are as Americans? As humans?

"The bottom line is that, under current circumstances, repeated incidents of this nature are unavoidable," said former Hobart attorney David Gilyan, who recently moved to Las Vegas. "We had machine guns and tommy guns in the '50s, '60s and '70s, but we didn't have these mass murders."

"The response for blood donors here is overwhelming and our community is overwhelmed by the scope of the destruction," Gilyan told me Monday. "It's a sad, sad day."

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Tom Kuehl, a former Valparaiso resident now living in Las Vegas, received a phone alert Sunday night of an active shooter near Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino.

"It never occurred to me that it was a mass shooting event," he said. "I went to sleep before the details came out."

He awoke at 5 a.m. Monday to texts, emails and Facebook messages from his family and loved ones across the country, asking if he was safe.

"Some of my work team had loved ones at the concert," he said. "Luckily, they were not injured but they are very traumatized by the whole situation."

"Many people here in Las Vegas have offered their homes to people who need a place to stay," Kuehl said. "As you know, an area like this is full of visitors, therefore the loved ones of those injured or deceased will need to make the trip out here with no reservations or accommodations. People have offered their couches to sleep on and free meals to those in need."

Such acts of selfless generosity after these attacks, as well as the heroism witnessed at these mass shootings, offer us a silver lining of solace under the darkest of clouds over our country. Is it enough to comfort us from yet another storm of despair?

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Do we focus on our innate fear of another mass shooting, or on our innate hope of mass kindness in their wake? Do we analyze the suspect's motives or sympathize with the victims' loss? It's all about personal perspective.

"It's just insane how everything can change in an instant," said Lisa Calhoun, of Portage, who is in Las Vegas. "We were on the Strip at the Imagine Dragons' concert on Friday."

She and her husband Joe Calhoun are in the process of relocating to Las Vegas after he was named fire chief for nearby North Las Vegas in August.

"In an instant." This aptly sums up how many Americans feel these days about potential peril at any moment. Our lives feel more uncertain, more fragile, more emotionally unstable.

"I feel like I'm reliving Sept. 11, 2001, all over again," said my cousin Cathy Berlien Bender, a longtime Las Vegas resident.

A friend of hers attended that outdoor country music festival Sunday night, and managed to escape the shooting attack unharmed.

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"She and others thought it was BB shots going off," she said.

While watching video footage of the attack from one attendee's smart phone, I was captivated by the machine gun staccato assaulting the 22,000 concertgoers.

"It's fireworks!" one concertgoer initially yelled.

Wishful thinking.

Semi-automatic rifles are legal in most states, but fully-automatic, military-style machine guns  like what this shooter allegedly used  sounded to me like weapons of warfare.

Post Tribune Twice-weekly News updates from Northwest Indiana delivered every Monday and Wednesday >

We are at war, with ourselves. Our country comprises 5 percent of the world's population but 30 percent of its mass shootings, according to NBC News.

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We can't reconcile or rationalize this latest shooting by affiliating its horrors with a foreign-born or domestic terrorist group. Police say the shooter had no such affiliations, no criminal record, no social media threats, no notes left behind to explain his actions.

The Islamic State can't take credit for this attack, which would at least offer us a more understandable explanation to define good versus evil. No, once again the bogeyman is us.

"There was nowhere to hide," one concertgoer told media after the attack.

The same can be said for life in our country these days. Most of us will be safe from future attacks  and there will be future attacks  but none of us are safe from the terror of the possibility.

jdavich@post-tribcom

Twitter@jdavich
Ethan Baehrend, a high school student and entrepreneur, is seen in his home Oct. 2. The River Forest teen and Boy Scout collaborated with the River Forest Public Library to organize a Maker Fest as his final act of service to reach Eagle Scout status. (Diana Baehrend)

After attending a recent maker festival, River Forest teen Ethan Baehrend walked away excitedly with countless ideas.

Baehrend, a junior at Fenwick High School and technology entrepreneur, aspires to provide the same technological motivation for the community this Saturday, at a Maker Fest at the River Forest Public Library.

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"I hope that I can leave the same effect of inspiration with people," he said. "There's more to technology than just gaming and playing on a phone."

Baehrend said his interest in technology started at a young age, when he attended iD Tech camps and learned the basics of video-game developing, robotics, coding language and engineering.

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"It made me want to learn more, go on my own path with technology," he said. "Technology has always been a nice escape and fun thing to do for me."

In middle school, Baehrend custom-built computers and sold them; later, after buying a 3D printer, he began refurbishing broken ones. He's recently started his own business, Creative 3D Technologies, designing and building 3D printers.

"I enjoyed 3D printers, but I found a lot of flaws with them," he said. "I've always been someone who's interested in upgrading things and improving upon them."

Baehrend, also a Boy Scout working toward the Eagle Scout rank, was the driving force behind Maker Fest, which will be held from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday at the library, 735 Lathrop Ave., River Forest.

"The idea for this event as an Eagle Scout project initially stemmed off how I would implement technology in the community," he said. "It's been a really great learning experience so far."

Although the library didn't have any permanent space to offer Baehrend for a maker space, staff members were interested in collaborating on a festival highlighting local organizations that offer creative or hands-on opportunities, said Andrea Olvera-Trejo, adult and teen services librarian.

Maker Fest, a free event, will feature 12 Chicago area exhibitors offering demonstrations, prizes and hands-on activities. Organizations involved include 2DKits, which will teach circuitry through soldering; School of Rock, offering a musical petting zoo; Tapster Robotics, Vortex Drones and more.

Olvera-Trejo said the library has long offered maker-type workshops and programs that promote lifelong learning. The Maker Fest event is geared toward ages 10 and up.

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"One of our goals was to have organizations and projects that are cross-generational," she said. She added she's enjoyed working with Baehrend on the event.

Also participating in the event: Baehrend's company, Creative 3D Technologies.

"I think we have quite the lineup of people that'll captivate the audience," Baehrend said.

Baehrend said he plans to set up a Kickstarter for his company later this month. Starting the business has been a learning experience, he said, as he's dealt with unhappy customers, legal aspects and other entrepreneurial issues.

"It's been a whole adventure in itself," he said.

For more information on Maker Fest, visit www.riverforestlibrary.org.

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Caitlin Mullen is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
All votes in the CO-3 election won't be counted until the end of this week

Adam Frisch attending new member orientation in D.C., with the official outcome of the race between him and Boebert unclear
By Dezan Shira & Associates

Editor: Grace Tate

In China, companies seeking to engage in the online retail industry are required to first set up a company and a physical store. For investors not yet fully prepared for setting up a company in China, global sites launched by Chinas local e-commerce platforms might be the best choice to sell to Chinas lucrative market.

Tmall, Chinas largest B2C platform owned by e-commerce conglomerate Alibaba Group Holdings Ltd., controls over 50 percent of Chinas B2C market share. In 2013, Tmall launched Tmall Global: a cross-border, online platform that allows international brands and retailers to sell directly to Chinese consumers without having a physical presence in China.

With Tmall Global, orders can be shipped directly from abroad and payments may be settled in the preferred currency. The goods are sent directly to China by consolidated shipment or express mail delivery, and distributed through Tmall bonded warehouses. Tmalls international cross-border dropshipping specialists ensure delivery to Chinese consumers within five to eight work days.

Following the huge success of Tmall Global, JD.com, Chinas second biggest e-commerce company, launched its own global e-commerce platform, JD Worldwide, in 2015. This means Tmall Global is no longer the only option available to foreign online retailers. However, given that JD Worldwide is still at a comparatively earlier stage of development, investors are suggested to take careful consideration of where to start their online business.

In this article, we walk you through the eligibility requirements, application, and set-up procedures for setting up an online shop on Tmall Global.

Registration on Tmall Global requires a one-off security deposit of US$25,000. In addition, there is an annual fee of US$5,000 and a commission fee ranging from 0.5 to five percent, depending on the product category.

After signing up to Tmall Global, the foreign company must open an Alipay account to be able to receive payment. This will attract an additional one percent service fee for each real time transaction.

Basic business requirements

Companies registered outside of mainland China are eligible to participate on Tmall Global. The company must have a retail or trading license in the country of origin, and either own the brand or be an authorized distributor. It must be:

A registered corporate entity outside of mainland China;

Possess retail and trade qualifications overseas;

Be the brand owner or authorized agency or possess the purchase voucher; and

Possess the relevant stock certificates.

Tmall Global targets:

Corporations that have been operating for more than two years with annual sales over US$10 million;

Branded B2C overseas businesses; and

Brand owners or authorized agencies.

RELATED: Chinas e-Commerce Shopping Festivals

Operating process requirements

To comply with Chinese consumer laws, foreign merchants need to offer Chinese language customer support, provide a way to handle customer returns in China, and arrange overseas shipping directly to Chinese consumers. Tmall Global can assist with outsourcing these processes to third party service providers.

Products: Products originally produced or sold overseas must be genuine, complete with a certificate of origin and clear both Chinese international customs and Tmall Global security.

Labeling: Product labels must use Chinese descriptions, international units of measurement, and feature Chinese language customer support.

Logistics: Logistics services must commence within 72 hours via either direct delivery or from a mainland China bonded warehouse. A tracking delivery system is also required.

Service: After sale services must have set locations for handling returns on the Chinese mainland.

Choosing your store

Flagship Store

In order to open a flagship store the products must have the relevant trademark registrations in Hong Kong ( or ). If the merchant is a brand owner, they must provide the trademark registration certificate for their products. If the merchant is an exclusive authorized dealer, they must also provide the letter of authorization for selling the products.

Flagship Store (Marketplace)

To open a marketplace the merchant must have a Class 35 trademark or Service Mark in Hong Kong for the brand. If the merchant is the owner of the service mark, they must also provide a trademark registration certificate. If the merchant is not the owner, they must provide the service mark and evidence of their exclusive authorization to operate a store on the Tmall.hk website using the service mark.

Specialty Store

To open a specialty store, the merchant must have evidence of the product source and invoices for the products purchased. The name of the shop shall not infringe the legitimate rights of others. Specialty store types may sell products of up to two categories.

Authorized Store

To open an authorized store, the products must have trademark registration in Hong Kong. If the merchant is not the owner of the trademark, they must also provide evidence of authorization to operate a store on the Tmall.hk platform.

Entry preparation

Determine needs from third party service providers (TPs)

In March 2015, Tmall announced an invitation-only policy with regard to Tmall Global registration. Until recently, foreign companies were able to sign up on their own via Tmall Global. However, companies must now use authorized Tmall Partners (TPs) with an existing relationship with Tmall to gain invitation to the site. As a result, an industry of Tmall Partners has erupted, with a multitude of large and small players occupying the space. It is crucial for smaller brands, or those newer to the China market, to find a cost-effective and trustworthy Tmall Partner.

Complete negotiations and sign contracts with TPs Determine compatibility and resource requirements Create logistics plan Prepare necessary documents Reserve technical resources Begin Application Programming Interface (API) integration

Store application

Sign Tmall.com/Alipay agreement Open an Alipay account

The foreign company needs to open an Alipay account to be able to receive payment. Alipay works much like Paypal in the west, linking an Alipay merchant account to the companys bank account.

Chinese consumers can pay for products through Alipay in RMB. Alipay then converts the RMB into foreign currency and remits it to the companys foreign bank account, which means there is no need to open a Chinese bank account. Alipay charges a service fee between 1.8 and three percent of the transaction value. The higher the monthly transaction value is, the lower the fee.

Merchants can opt for either settlement by turnover or by period. Settlement by turnover means the money will be sent to the foreign companys account once turnover reaches a certain amount (minimum of US$5,000). Merchants can also choose to settle every week, month, or quarter.

Pre-Investment, Market Entry Strategy Advisory Services from Dezan Shira & Associates

Fees and charges

Deposit

Merchants opening any store type must submit the required $25,000 security deposit to operate via Tmall Global. This one-time fee is used as collateral in the case of any damages or expenses incurred by Tmall Global or any customer as a result of merchants breach of the terms and conditions of the Tmall Global Merchant Service Agreement and other rules and policies of Tmall Global.

Annual fee

An annual fee is payable to Tmall Global yearly for services rendered. This fee is dependent upon the merchants registered primary category. Merchants applying for multiple categories will pay the highest annual fee of the categories they are operating.

Real time transaction fee

Tmall Global charges a commission fee based on the category of the product sold. The commission fee is calculated using the product price and the logistics cost: Commission Fee = {(Product Price) + (Logistics Fee)} * Applicable Commission Rate.

Alipay service fee

Alipay charges a one percent service fee, applied to each transaction via Tmall.hk. The applicable transaction is the total of the product price and logistics fee: Alipay Service Fee = ((Product Price) + (Logistics Fee)) * .01. Technical Service Fees charged by Tmall Global are exclusive of any taxes, duties, or other governmental levies or any financial charges.

The necessity of TP cooperation has complicated the process of setting up a Tmall Global store. Foreign companies looking to establish an online store on Tmall Global would be well advised to invest the necessary time and resources in establishment consultation.

This article was originally published on August 18, 2015 and has been updated with the latest regulatory changes.



About Us China Briefing is published by Asia Briefing, a subsidiary of Dezan Shira & Associates. We produce material for foreign investors throughout Asia, including ASEAN, India, Indonesia, Russia, the Silk Road, and Vietnam. For editorial matters please contact us here, and for a complimentary subscription to our products, please click here. Dezan Shira & Associates is a full service practice in China, providing business intelligence, due diligence, legal, tax, IT, HR, payroll, and advisory services throughout the China and Asian region. For assistance with China business issues or investments into China, please contact us at china@dezshira.com or visit us at www.dezshira.com

Dezan Shira & Associates Brochure

Dezan Shira & Associates is a pan-Asia, multi-disciplinary professional services firm, providing legal, tax and operational advisory to international corporate investors. Operational throughout China, ASEAN and India, our mission is to guide foreign companies through Asias complex regulatory environment and assist them with all aspects of establishing, maintaining and growing their business operations in the region. This brochure provides an overview of the services and expertise Dezan Shira & Associates can provide.

An Introduction to Doing Business in China 2017

This Dezan Shira & Associates 2017 China guide provides a comprehensive background and details of all aspects of setting up and operating an American business in China, including due diligence and compliance issues, IP protection, corporate establishment options, calculating tax liabilities, as well as discussing on-going operational issues such as managing bookkeeping, accounts, banking, HR, Payroll, annual license renewals, audit, FCPA compliance and consolidation with US standards and Head Office reporting.

Chinas Investment Landscape: Identifying New Opportunities

Chinas foreign investment landscape has experienced pivotal changes this year. In this issue of China Briefing magazine, we examine how foreign investors can capitalize on Chinas latest FDI reforms. First, we outline new industry liberalizations in both Chinas FTZs and the country at large. We then consider when an FTZ makes sense as an investment location, and what businesses should consider when entering one. Finally, we give an overview of Chinas latest pro-business reforms that streamline a wide range of administrative and regulatory measures.

Dezan Shira & Associates
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Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) said Monday there has been no shooting on the campus of the University of Southern California (USC).

Reports of shots fired at USC have been deemed a false alarm after police rushed to the campus and conducted systematic search.

"We can confirm there's been no shooting on USC campus. No danger to community," said LAPD in a statement posted on Twitter.

"No evidence of shooting. No injuries reported," according to a statement of the university.

"The University sent a saying to students that we may resume normal activities," Christy Wang, a student of the USC told Xinhua.

"Some students told me that their teacher called the police to report the shooting," said Wang.

"The teacher was emotional in the morning because several of her friends were killed in last night's Las Vegas shooting. She always said there is a gunner coming. She began to cry and urged all of us to squat down in the corner," Wang relayed eyewitness accounts to Xinhua.
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Chinese peacekeepers, serving the United Nations in the South Sudanese capital of Juba, have been honored for their exemplary service in the war-torn nation.

The third Chinese Peacekeeping Battalion with the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), received their medals in a ceremony on Monday. It was double joy for the Chinese peacekeepers who on Sunday celebrated China's National Day.

Braving the scorching sun, the soldiers stood proudly in their immaculately polished boots, white gloves and the classic blue berets with the UN insignia in a parade as the UN Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Moustapha Soumare, pinned the medals on them.

Soumare, according to UNMISS, said the UN mission recognized the "dedication, commitment and professionalism" of the troops.

He noted that 13 members of the contingent were women, highlighting the impact of female officers in peacekeeping.

"The role and contribution of female officers is especially crucial in a place like South Sudan by making uniformed personnel more accessible to the most vulnerable civilians," said Soumare during the ceremony which brought together personnel from different military contingents, UN Police, civilians and dignitaries.

Soumare encouraged troop-contributing countries to further strengthen the participation of women in uniform.

Since the deployment of the battalion in December 2016, the Chinese contingent has carried out missions including patrolling at the Protection of Civilians (POC) site near the UN base, in Juba and along dangerous and damaged roads to reach vulnerable people in the remotest areas.

Commanding Officer Ding Hailong expressed gratitude to the UNMISS for their continued support in helping the Chinese Battalion, also known as CHNBATT, fulfill their mandate. He commended the UN mission for its consolidated efforts towards building durable peace in South Sudan.

Chinese Ambassador to South Sudan He Xiangdong said he was hopeful that the assistance to the people of South Sudan by CHNBATT will contribute towards a positive image of both UN peacekeepers and the Chinese army.

For almost 30 years, China has contributed more than 30,000 UN peacekeepers to 24 different missions.

During the ceremony, a minute's silence was observed in honor of peacekeepers who lost their lives in South Sudan as well as in other peacekeeping missions around the world.
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The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) expressed regret on Tuesday that the search for Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 had been unsuccessful, saying it wished it could have delivered better news to bereaving friends and families of those missing.

In releasing the ATSB's final report on Tuesday, bureau Chief Commissioner Greg Hood offered his condolences to the family and friends of those 239 passengers and crew who were lost with the flight, an incident he described as "a great tragedy."

"We wish that we could have brought complete closure to the bereaved," Hood said in a media release accompanying the publication of the ATSB's "Operational Search for MH370" report.

"I hope, however, that they can take some solace in the fact that we did all we could do to find answers. Governments from around the world contributed to the search, with extraordinary expertise committed to the task.

"Our deepest sympathies remain with those who lost loved ones on MH370... it remains a great tragedy.

"We share your profound and prolonged grief, and deeply regret that we have not been able to locate the aircraft, nor those 239 souls on board that remain missing."

The flight disappeared in March 2014 en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.

Hood praised the international collaboration involved in the search which became the largest of its kind in aviation history. The initial search zone was 60,000 square kilometers but was doubled in April 2015. The recovery effort was suspended in January 2017, after more than two-and-a-half years.

"This was an unprecedented endeavour and there has been an extraordinary response from the global community," he said.

"There were contributions of expertise and resources from private business and organizations, agencies from different governments, and from private individuals.

"The search inspired dedication from so many. I am proud to have worked with people of such commitment."

The governments of Australia, Malaysia and China agreed that the ATSB was best-suited to lead the search for the plane due to the search taking place in the Southern Indian Ocean off the coast of Western Australia.

"It is almost inconceivable and certainly societally unacceptable in the modern aviation era with 10 million passengers boarding commercial aircraft every day, for a large commercial aircraft to be missing and for the world not to know with certainty what became of the aircraft and those on board," the ATSB's report said.
A man accused in the beating death and dismemberment of another man has admitted to the charges against him.

Patrick Saint Standsoverbull III, 36, pleaded guilty on Monday to two felony counts of evidence tampering and one count of misdemeanor assault in the 2015 death of Jeffrey Hewitt.

The misdemeanor assault charge replaces an earlier charge of aggravated assault, a felony. The amended charge is part of a plea deal. Prosecutors plan to ask for the statutory maximum, which if all three run consecutively could be 20 years and six months.

In the same case, Standsoverbulls sister, Carri Standsoverbull, has pleaded guilty to negligent homicide, aggravated assault by accountability and two counts of tampering with evidence. Her sentencing is set for Oct. 18.

The investigation began in April 2015 when parts of Jeffrey Hewitt's body were found in a coulee near Pryor where they had been set on fire.

Investigators learned that Hewitt had been beaten, likely by several people, and left in Standsoverbull's apartment with severe injuries, court documents state.

Charging documents named at least four others who may have been involved in the beatings.

Multiple witnesses indicated that Hewitt eventually succumbed to his injuries and Carri Standsoverbull sought help to dispose of the body. Still, medical examiners were unable to determine the exact cause of death due to the various types of trauma Hewitt's body sustained.

Multiple witnesses said that Hewitt was still alive in Carri Standsoverbull's apartment for a time after he was assaulted.

After he died, the victim was put in the back of an SUV and taken to a drainage, according to charging documents.

Patrick Standsoverbull told investigators he kicked Hewitt a few times during the beatings. He also said he carried Hewitts body in a suitcase to transport it to the drainage where he, Carri Standsoverbull and another person tried to destroy the body.

Patrick Standsoverbull remains in the Yellowstone County Detention Facility on a $104,000 bond.
Five years ago, Hai Guobao's life was difficult, but not because his family did not work hard.

Generations of the family had farmed mountainous land in the Ningxia Hui autonomous region.

There, summer is arid, yet rainfall is excessive during autumn harvests. Yields were decided virtually by fate, locals say, after they had invested a whole year's worth of labor.

"We felt satisfied when we had enough to eat, but drought frequently drew us back to poverty," said Hai, who is in his 60s.

Hai's grandchildren did not go to primary school until age 8 because the 8-kilometer round trip to school was too long for younger ones.

"We could never change our lives without the Party's migration policies," he said.

In May 2012, all eight members of Hai's family moved to Minning township in northern Ningxia as part of the region's plan to relocate 350,000 people out of mountains and valleys in Guyuan.

Hai, along with 67 others in his village, spent only 12,800 yuan ($1,925) to build a new house of 54 square meters, excluding a courtyard, thanks to a government subsidy.

Soldiers based nearby also helped to move the family's belongings under the Party's command.

"I felt so happy to find that my new home is connected to electricity and tap water," Hai said.

"The school is only minutes walk away. I'm illiterate, my son is half-literate, but I hope one day my grandchildren can go to college."

In the past two decades, more than 60,000 immigrants settled in Minning, which did not exist 20 years ago.

President Xi Jinping proposed moving people in villages to the new settlement in 1997 when he made a survey trip to Ningxia as deputy Party chief of Fujian province. He was deeply concerned with the way people were living in Guyuan, and the United Nations also defined the situation as unfit.

Minning township is located between the eastern foothills of the Helan Mountains, which fend off cold air from Inner Mongolia, and the Yellow River, which is used for irrigation.

In July 2016, Xi revisited Ningxia and called for no one to be left behind regardless of geography or ethnic group as the nation strives to comprehensively build a moderately prosperous society by 2020.

Xi also visited Hai's home. Hai recalled that Xi went into his kitchen to check his access to water and to lift a pot lid to see what they were having for dinner. Xi also checked whether Hai's kang, a traditional brick bed that can be heated from the bottom, worked well.

"I was speechless when seeing him. It was like seeing one of my family members returning after a long period of time," he said. "It was just like a dream."

Hai's eldest son now drives agricultural machines for a vineyard nearby and his other son is a construction worker in the town. The family of eight people earns about 80,000 yuan a year.

"We don't farm now but we eat better than we used to as farmers," Hai said.

According to Minning's government, locals' per capita annual income rose from 500 yuan in 1997 to 10,732 yuan in 2016, surpassing the average for rural residents in the region.

The local economy has also benefitted in recent years from investments from Fujian province and other regions to boost industries and promote modern farming techniques.

Taking the advantage of abundant sunshine, many rooftops are covered with solar panels and locals are helping to grow high-priced raspberries and wine grapes with the help of the dry climate.

A major auto company has also set up a car parts factory to offer more jobs to the migrants. "We will have better development and a better life," Hai said.
Experts see roles for government, industry and individuals in staving off e-risks

For software hackers, personal computers are passe. Mobile phones are the new destination of viruses, worms and other malware. Cybersecurity experts are not amused.

In fact, the China Internet Network Information Center warned that the country needs to be constantly vigilant, given that the number of netizens rose 1.1 percent from 2016 to 751 million at June-end. Of them, 724 million, or 96.3 percent, are mobile phone users.

At a mobile safety summit forum in Beijing this year, Zhang Jian, deputy secretary-general of the Cybersecurity Association of China, said the massive user base and the booming mobile internet would mean smartphones will pose major cybersecurity issues.

Most users' smartphones double up as electronic wallets, thus becoming a leading target for hackers, who will seek payment transfer details, personal data and passwords, Zhang said.

China has already become a world leader in mobile payments. Transaction volumes of third-party mobile payments rose nearly fivefold last year to 58.8 trillion yuan ($8.9 trillion), according to consultancy iResearch.

Shi Xiansheng, deputy secretary-general of the Internet Society of China, said payment traps top cybersecurity threatsthey affected 88.3 percent of mobile internet users last year.

Next were privacy violations (almost 76 percent). The third category included nuisance calls, unsolicited promotional or marketing calls and spam messages (almost 63 percent).

Some users of net-banking facility could lose money directly from their bank accounts if their mobile phones are compromised. Mining of information from smartphones and misuse of it is another threat.

A joint report released in July by Chinese internet giant Tencent Holdings Ltd and the Data Center of China Internet showed that nearly 97 percent of Android apps had access to users' privacy. Around one-fourth of Android apps even violate users' privacy.

And almost 70 percent third-party iOS apps have access to private information and personal features on iPhones.

Shi said download-happy people need to be wary of apps, particularly image-editing apps, as some of them may invade their e-privacy.

"Of course, people should also be wary of many other types of apps that seek more permissions than required, and go on to collect more information than what they really need," Shi said.

Cyberattacks usually target open operating platforms such as Android as smartphone manufacturers allow downloads and installation of third-party programs and apps.

A report published in May by the Internet Society of China and the National Computer Network Emergency Response Technical Team/Coordination Center of China noted that more than 2 million malicious mobile internet programs were detected last year. And 99.9 percent of them targeted Android devices.

Zhang from the Cybersecurity Association of China said, "Normal apps would be infected with viruses. And some apps themselves are developed as malware."

Gong Wei, chief security officer of Shanghai Lantern Network Technology, said compared with insecure Wi-Fi hotspots, bigger threats came from insecure knockoff apps.

"While hackers can easily obtain personal data over public Wi-Fi hotspots, they can rarely access payment or money transfer details in the encrypted format over public Wi-Fi," Gong said.

"However, hackers can easily access all those data, including personal information and payment data, via insecure apps."

On June 27, China announced an emergency response plan for cybersecurity incidents to prevent and reduce the damage inflicted by them, protect public interest and safeguard national security.

The new plan divides cybersecurity incidents into six categories. Of them, three are key: pernicious procedural incidents, cyberattacks and information security incidents.

The plan also defines four levels of security warning and response systems, according to different threat conditions from "general" to "extremely serious".

Zhang said as mobile operating system vulnerabilities do exist and the critical ones would result in serious cyberattacks via remote access to the device, both the government, enterprises and individual users should prepare better for potential security risks.

There is a need for a better mechanism to manage e-virus infections as well, he said.

Agreed Zhou Yiqing, chairwoman of handset maker Sunshine Group. Smartphone makers need to have a long-term plan to improve their devices to better defend users from potential risks, she said.

Shi said, "When surfing the internet via smartphones, users should be careful to not leave too much personal information on online platforms.

"Users should also not download apps from insecure channels and should look through the user agreement to decide whether or not to give the permissions sought. Otherwise, hackers will be able to access personal data easily."


Huangling village has long been famous for its autumn scenery. Located inside the mountains of Wuyuan county in East China's Jiangxi province, the village has hundreds of ancient residential buildings decorated with harvested fruits. It is a wonderful place to hide oneself in autumn.



The village's history dates back to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). In the past decades, the young people of the village used to migrate out to find jobs in cities, causing the village to decline. In 2009, a local cultural company developed the village by rebuilding the residential buildings and building tourist sites. Now the majority of the about 300 villagers of Huangling work inside the village selling artistic pieces to the tourists that come from outside. Now, Huangling is famous for its idyllic lifestyle that attracts tourists nationwide.
Editor's note: The eight-day National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holidays are here. Let's take a look at some of the stunning scenery you may want to see in Karamay, located in the northwestern part of Xinjiang's Junggar Basin.

The picture taken on Sept 23, 2017, shows the unique yardang landscape of Karamay Yardang Ghost Town in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. [Photo by Yu Jie/For chinadaily.com.cn]

Situated about 100 kilometers from Karamay city, Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, Karamay Yardang Ghost Town is a tourist area famous for its unique landforms and howling wind.

When great winds or sandstorms rise, they roar through the town like howling ghosts, with sand and dust blocking out the sky. Some people believe that the sounds are the reason people call it a ghost town.

In 2005, the site won recognition as "China's Most Beautiful Yardang Landscape" in the Beautiful Places in China competition.
Yellowstone County saw its first sexual intercourse without consent charge filed Monday after major changes to the states rape and sexual assault laws took effect Oct. 1.

Isaac Nolan Blackhorse, 30, appeared on a charge of sexual intercourse without consent in Yellowstone County Justice Court on Monday.

According to charges, Blackhorse raped a 30-year-old woman on Sept. 10. He was arrested on Saturday.

This year, lawmakers changed the definition of consent used in the states rape and sexual assault laws. Prosecutors now must prove that the perpetrator failed to get consent for sexual contact through words or overt actions. Under the old definition, prosecutors had to prove the victim was compelled to submit through the use of force. The new law also clarifies that current or previous dating relationships or manner of dress do not constitute consent.

The penalties for rape under the new consent definition are lighter than they were before the changes, at life imprisonment or no more than 20 years.

If prosecutors can prove physical force was used, as under the old definition, they can now charge aggravated sexual intercourse without consent, which is punishable by 10-100 years.

Blackhorse, the defendant, met up with the woman downtown and asked her to come with him, she told investigators. They had known each other for about a month.

The two went to the apartment of an acquaintance, where Blackhorse tried to get the woman to use meth, a witness said. When the witness told him not to force her, he and the woman went into a different room.

The witness said she heard the woman say, no, dont but was afraid to intervene, she told investigators. Blackhorse later emerged from the room with blood on his shirt. The witness believed he was high on meth.

Judge Pro Tem Craig Martinson set bond at $100,000.

Lawmakers this year made other changes to Montanas criminal laws that could help victims of sexual or domestic violence, including making strangulation of partners or family members a felony; increasing the statute of limitations for various sex crimes from 10 years to 20, in cases where the victim was a minor; and allowing for child sex abuse charges in grooming cases where no contact was made.
Top: Hai Guobao, a resident of Minning village of Yinchuan, the Ningxia Hui autonomous region, recalls President Xi Jinping's visit to his house in July last year. Feng Yongbin / China Daily; Above: Hai's old house and new home, which was built with government help. Provided to China Daily

Home, sweet new home.

Hai Guobao's memories of his old home revolve around poverty and barely making ends meet. That was why he and his family and 60-plus villagers migrated 300 kilometers from Guyuan, an arid and impoverished mountainous area in the Ningxia Hui autonomus region.

Relocation of impoverished populations is one of the measures the government has adopted for its "targeted poverty-alleviation" program. Under the program, people are advised to move from areas that lack conditions that allow them to make a decent living. However, the residents themselves have to approve the measure.

Hai clearly remembers the difficult decision he had to make five years ago. "We Chinese farmers see our ancestral home as the root of our family," he said. "Leaving home is a final resort."

In 1972, Guyuan was recognized by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization as one of the places most "unfit for human habitation" on Earth. It was the first area covered by a resettlement program established by the government in the early 1980s.

Hai, a village head widely respected by his villagers, was entrusted to go and see what the villagers' new homes would look like. He recalled what he told his neighbors when he returned: "If you trust me, you have to listen to me this time. Electricity, tap water, jobs... the government has thought it all out for us. It will be a life from our dreams."

Because a great many people helped with the relocation process, Hai had no idea who he should thank specifically until July last year when he received a special guest, President Xi Jinping. It was Xi who kick-started the construction of Hai's new village 20 years ago.

Another unique measure the government uses to fight poverty is a program called "East-West Pairing-off Cooperation for Poverty Reduction", whereby a developed province in the east assists a less-developed region in the west.

As a provincial leader in the eastern province of Fujian, which was paired with Ningxia, Xi was shocked to see the plight of local farmers, and proposed building a new village called Minning (Fujian-Ningxia) village. The past 20 years have seen the resident's per capita incomes rise 20-fold.

It's little wonder that Xi, who has strong feelings about poverty relief, proposed the ambitious goal of lifting every impoverished person out of poverty by 2020, meaning 10 million people being freed from scarcity every year.

Hai said he thanked President Xi for his help, and later put a large photo of Xi with his family in the most prominent place in the living room.

Asked whether he misses his old home, Hai conceded that he did, and said the family visits their old home once a year. There, the infertile farmland has been planted with trees, and the mountains are gradually becoming greener.
First Person | Zhang Ting

My name is Zhang Ting, and I gave birth to my child in Los Angeles two years ago. Most of the Chinese women who travel to LA to give birth stay in local maternity care centers, which include services from maternity nurses, who care for mothers and newborn babies. Usually one maternity nurse is responsible for one mother and her child, or perhaps two.

Such facilities are ubiquitous and inexpensive. It would be unusual for a pregnant woman to bring a maternity nurse from China to LA.

I paid roughly 120,000 yuan ($18,000) to the center for the service, which includes food, accommodation and pickup service for antenatal examinations for two months before delivery and one month after.

In addition, I paid $200 in tips to the maternity nurse every week.

The price is no higher than in Shanghai, where a reliable facility costs nearly 100,000 yuan for a month's stay after delivery.

Some of the maternity nurses here hold tourist visas valid for up to six months and they work as long as they can before returning to China because they can earn more in the US.

Others stay in the country illegally.

The maternity nurse working for me was from Northeast China and has been working as a maternity nurse in LA for 10 years. She abandoned her family and flew to the US with a tourist visa when she was in her early 40s.

She works at local maternity care centers, or for Chinese families taking care of their newborns or young children in their homes if they offer a higher salary. She said she didn't have a home, only a suitcase.

She didn't care that she was living in the US illegally, all she wants to do is earn money until she reaches the age of 60, and then return to her hometown.
Maternity nurses attend a training session in Ji'an, Jiangxi province, in May last year, on how to cook nutritious meals for women who just give birth to a baby. Li Fusun / For China Daily

Caring for mothers and newborn babies in foreign countries offers some women rare chance to travel

Men Anping, a Beijing-based domestic maternity nurse who cares for mothers and newborn babies, has just agreed another job offer to go to Australia for two months.

In May, she stayed in Sydney for a month to care for a Chinese woman and her newborn baby.

For her new contract in January, she will take care of another Chinese woman giving birth in Sydney. This time, the woman intends to spend two months at home rather than one month, which is usual for Chinese women after giving birth.

"Such trips to a foreign country are beyond my expectations. I was born and raised in a rural area, and didn't anticipate that I could leave the countryside and go to Beijing. Now I am going farther, even abroad," said Men, a 48-year-old from Liaoning province in Northeast China.

Nowadays, with the number of Chinese women giving birth overseas rising, many domestic maternity nurses, like Men, are traveling far afield.

The demand for such services has grown considerably over the past five years.

The domestic services company Youfumama, which first began providing outbound services in 2013, said the number of maternity nurses that went overseas that year was three, and the number has risen to 20 so far this year. Shanghai Xinmu International Domestic Service said the demand for domestic helpers around the world has surged by around 30 percent each year in the past five years.

Clients from Beijing and Shanghai account for more than 80 percent of the total and many of those who invite maternity nurses to undertake overseas assignments are those who plan to give birth to their children abroad, said Man Jinglun, operations manager of Youfumama, which is based in Beijing and has businesses in seven Chinese cities.

Man said the pay for an overseas assignment is at least 20 percent higher than an equivalent assignment at home, for which the pay is no lower than 10,000 ($1,500) in major cities.

"The pay is the same no matter where their destination is and the client has to pay for the domestic helper's round trip air tickets and food," said Man. Given the nature of the work, they stay in the clients' homes.

The agencies give instructions to the domestic maternity nurses about dos and don'ts, the weather and the time difference before departure.
China's new manned submersible, Shenhai Yongshi, on board the exploration ship Tansuo-1, returns to port on Tuesday in Sanya, Hainan province, after completing deep-sea testing in which it reached a depth of 4,500 meters. GUO CHENG/XINHUA

China's new manned submersible returned to port in Sanya, Hainan province, on Tuesday after completing its first deep-sea testing in the South China Sea.

The new submersible is called Shenhai Yongshi, meaning deep-sea warrior. It reached a depth of 4,500 meters during tests while on a 50-day expedition trip on board the science exploration ship Tansuo-1.

"It is another great achievement for China in developing deep-sea manned submersibles," said Bai Chunli, president of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, in a congratulatory letter.

"The submersible can be classified as one of the most advanced in the world," he said in the letter. "This means China has become a nation capable of producing and testing its own massive deep-sea submersibles."

Other countries that have developed deep-water technology include the United States, France, Russia and Japan.

Bai said the new submersible will be available for public research, and become "another key instrument in our nation's deep-sea exploration."

In 2002, China began its first deep-sea manned submersible project. In 2010, the Jiaolong, named after a mythical sea dragon, went into service.

In June 2012, it completed its deepest dive, reaching 7,062 meters in the Mariana Trench.

The new vessel builds on Jiaolong's success, and is more optimized and cost-efficient, Ye Cong, the new submersible's deputy chief designer, said in August.

While much of Jiaolong's equipment was imported, around 90 percent of the deep-sea warrior and all of its core components were domestically made, according to the Ministry of Science and Technology.

The new device also has five observation windowstwo more than Jiaolong, Ye said. It is also equipped with highly efficient lithium batteries instead of the traditional silver-zinc ones, which can be used 500 times instead of just 50, reducing the cost of each dive, he added.

Hu Zhen, the chief designer of the new submersible, said many extractable resources, as well as key research subjects such as underwater vents, are located around 3,000 meters beneath the surface. Hence a 4,500-meter submersible is enough to explore most of China's waters, including all of the South China Sea.

At the same time, China is aiming to reach the 10,000-meter depth someday, so the deep-sea warrior can serve as a foundation to train future talent and build new, domestically made submersibles capable of deeper depths, he added.

Xinhua contributed to this story.
President Xi Jinping on Tuesday extended congratulations and greetings to faculty, students and alumni of Renmin University of China as the university marks its 80th anniversary.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks in a congratulatory letter conveyed at an event celebrating the anniversary in Beijing.

"The Party and the country are at a crucial stage at present," Xi said.

"Never before have we had such a pressing need for higher education, and never before have we so required scientific knowledge and talent," Xi said.

The president encouraged RUC to use its 80th anniversary as a new starting point in becoming a world-class university with world-class disciplines.

As the first accredited university set up by the CPC, it has always adhered to the leadership of the Party, the guiding status of Marxism, and the mission to serve the Party and the people, Xi said.

Xi spoke highly of the university's achievements in humanities and social sciences and appreciated its efforts to train talent for the country's revolution, construction and reform. He asked the university to carry on these fine traditions and make new contributions to higher education, China's two centenary goals and achieving the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation.

Vice-Premier Liu Yandong read Xi's congratulatory letter at Tuesday's celebration.

RUC can be traced to Shaanbei Public School, founded in 1937 in a CPC revolutionary base in Shaanxi province. It became the North China United University, and then North China University. On Oct 3, 1950, it was restructured and renamed Renmin University of China.
A bronze statue of Confucius was unveiled in Curitiba, Brazil, Sept 30, 2017.[Photo/Provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

A bronze statue of Confucius was unveiled Saturday in Curitiba, Brazil, Sept 30.

The sculpture, including the base, stands 4.5 meters high, and was created by Wu Weishan, director of the National Art Museum of China in Beijing. It is seated in the square in front of Curitiba's city government buildings. The square is now named China Square.

The statue was commissioned by Curitiba Mayor Rafael Greca, who said at the unveiling ceremony that Confucius' philosophical ideas have greatly influenced him.

The installation of the sculpture coincides with the ongoing Curitiba Biennial, which runs through Feb 25. China is the country of honor this year.

More than 200 works by contemporary Chinese artists and designers are on show, giving a glimpse of the diversity and dynamics of the Chinese art landscape.
Like many scenic spots around the nation, Beijing's Summer Palace is packed on Monday.[Photo by Jiang Dong/China Daily]

Chinese railways set a record in daily passenger traffic as more than 15 million trips were made on National Day on Sunday, the first day of an eight-day holiday, and over 113 million visitors flooded domestic resorts, the rail and tourist authorities said on Monday.

It is the year's longest public holiday as Mid-Autumn Festival happens to coincide with the National Day holiday this year.

Sunday's estimate of 15 million trips was up 4.2 percent from the 14.4 million trips made on National Day last year, according to rail system administrator China Railway Corp.

It said 12 million rail trips were expected on Monday, and 130 million rail trips forecast for the entire holiday travel season.

In addition, 560 million road trips and 15.9 million trips by water are expected, according to the Ministry of Transport.

Over 13 million trips are expected by air, an increase of 14 percent, according to the Civil Aviation Administration of China. The number of daily flights was pegged at nearly 14,800.

Beijing Capital International Airport, China's busiest, expects to see 3.95 million trips during the rush, the airport said.

On Sunday, cars were trapped in kilometers-long traffic jams on expressways and passengers stood in long lines at stations and airports. Large groups of tourists crowded into resorts.
The Wuyi Mountain range is home to some of the country's best tea plantations. Tea has grown in the area for centuries.[Photo by Will Wain-Williams / For China Daily]

Nestled in a remote part of northern Fujian province, close to the borders of Jiangxi and Zhejiang provinces, is the mountain range of Wuyi, with its dramatic scenery and some of China's best tea.

The mountain range is popular among Chinese tourists but little known internationally.

The teas grown here are mostly of the Oolong variety. If you are a tea drinker, you may have come across the name Bohea tea, which is actually derived from how Wuyi is pronounced in the local dialect.

The area has been producing tea for hundreds of years, although initially green tea was produced here and its scope was limited. This all changed in the most unlikely of ways.

Nowadays, black tea is the most commonly drunk tea in the world. But few realize it had its humble beginnings as an accidental creation in these very mountains.

In the village of Tongmu, people had been producing green tea for centuries.
Concertgoers scramble for shelter at the Route 91 country music festival after gunfire breaks out on Sunday in Las Vegas, Nevada. David Becker / Getty Images VIA AFP

BEIJING - President Xi Jinping on Monday sent a condolence message to his US counterpart, Donald Trump, over the mass shooting in Las Vegas in the US state of Nevada.

The shooting caused heavy casualties, Xi said as he extended deep sympathy to the US government and people, profound condolences to the victims, and sincere solicitude to those wounded.

The Chinese president also wished a quick recovery of the injured.

A gunman opened fire on a country music concert in Las Vegas in the US state of Nevada on Sunday night, killing at least 59 people and injuring more than 500 others in the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history, police said on Monday.

More than 22,000 people were attending the outdoor music festival when the gunman rained bullets from a high-floor hotel room of the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino on the Las Vegas Strip, the police said.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack, saying the shooter had converted to Islam months ago, Reuters reported. The group provided no evidence.

The death toll, which police emphasized was preliminary, would make the attack the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history, eclipsing last year's massacre of 49 people at an Orlando nightclub.

Thousands of panicked people fled, in some cases trampling one another as law enforcement officers scrambled to locate and stop the gunman. Shocked concertgoers, some with blood on their clothes, wandered the streets.

Police identified the gunman as area resident Stephen Paddock, 64, but said they had no immediate information about his motive.
A pair of cowboy boots is shown in the street outside the concert venue after a mass shooting at a music festival on the Las Vegas Strip in Las Vegas, Nevada, US, October 1, 2017. [Photo/Agencies]

LONDON - British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said he was "horrified" by a shooting incident at an outdoor music festival on the Las Vegas Strip that left at least 50 dead and injured more than 400 wounded.

The attack is the worst mass shooting in the modern history of the United States.

Johnson said the United Kingdom stood ready to help however it could.

"I am horrified by the awful attack at a music festival in Las Vegas this morning (London time)," he said in a statement. "The United Kingdom stands with the American people against this indiscriminate violence. My thoughts are with all those caught up in it."

Here are details of some of the deadliest mass shootings in the United States in the past 25 years:

Florida club: 49 killed

A heavily-armed gunman opens fire inside a nightclub in the city of Orlando on June 12 last year and kills 49 people.

The attacker is killed in a shootout with police; he pledges allegiance to the Islamic State group, which later claims responsibility.

Virginia Tech: 32 killed

A 23-year-old student goes on a rampage at Virginia Tech University in the town of Blacksburg in April. He kills 27 students and five teachers before committing suicide.

Sandy Hook: 26 killed

A disturbed 20-year-old kills his mother in Newtown, Connecticut, in December 2012 before blasting his way into Sandy Hook Elementary School and shooting dead 20 children ages 6 and 7, plus six adults. He commits suicide.

Texas restaurant: 22 dead

In October 1991, a man shoots dead 22 people in a restaurant in the town of Killeen before killing himself.

California office party: 14 dead

A newlywed radicalized couple storm an Christmas office party at a social services center in San Bernardino in December 2015 and gun down 14 people, wounding 22 others. They are shot dead by police.

Fort Hood military base: 13 dead

In November 2009, a US army psychiatrist opens fire at his military base in Killeen, killing 13 people and wounding 42, before being overpowered by police.

New York immigrant center: 13 dead

An immigrant shoots dead 13 people at a civic center in the New York state city of Binghamton in April 2009, before killing himself.

Denver cinema: 12 dead

A young man wearing body armor storms a cinema showing a late-night premiere of a Batman film in Aurora in July 2012, opening fire and releasing tear gas. Twelve people and 70 wounded. He is sentenced to life in prison.

AP - AFP
Montana State University Billings Interim Chancellor Ron Larsen received support from faculty and staff groups, as well as community members, during a forum Monday.

The meeting was held as the first real step in finding a permanent chancellor for the university. Larsen, who took over in February, is the third person in that position since 2010.

Montana State University President Waded Cruzado led the forum. She spoke about the quick appointment of Larsen after former Chancellor Mark Nook left for another university.

"At that moment I could not think of a more important, pressing need than providing the stability that our students needed  to provide the environment that our faculty are going to require in order to bring that academic year to fruition," Cruzado said.

The idea of Larsen as permanent chancellor received the support of members of the university staff senate, academic senate and some community members. Much of that support was rooted in a need for stability at the top of the MSUB organizational chart.

"Playing musical chairs with the chancellor doesn't work," said Mary Susan Fishbaugh, dean of the College of Education.

Reno Charette, director of MSUB American Indian Outreach, said that changes in leadership affects the success of the most vulnerable students. Native American students, she said, have below-average retention rates that are negatively affected by changes in leadership.

Charette and others praised Larsen for being responsive and active as chancellor.

"Ron Larsen knows the job," said Mike Schaer, owner of Computers Unlimited. "He knows how to grow a university, which is critical."

Cruzado began the forum with an hour open to university backers and members of the public, followed by an hour with faculty members.

Susan Gilbertz, geography professor and chair of the academic senate, said that support for Larsen is not universal, but it has grown over time.

"And it's solid," she said. "It's strong."

There was discussion at the forum about whether the university should forgo a national search and appoint Larsen. Others countered that if Larsen is the best candidate, he would win such a search.

But most touched on stability. Terry Bouck, superintendent of Billings Public Schools, spoke about commitment and longevity.

Melanie Schwartz, director of marketing for Big Sky Economic Development, said that focus on big projects, like the Yellowstone Allied Health and Science Building, get interrupted by changes to the administration.

"We've been through a lot of change," she said. "And every time you throw some change in there, it distracts from other priorities."

Cruzado indicated that a potential search committee could have 14 members. The university hopes to name a permanent chancellor by July 2018.
By Chang Jun in San Francisco, Zhang Ruinan and Hong Xiao in New York | China Daily USA | Updated: 2017-10-03 11:04

Henry Liu, a Chinese tour guide, was driving his tour bus near the Las Vegas Strip as he headed back to his hotel after a day's work.

When he got closer to the Strip around 10:30 pm local time, he suddenly heard a burst of popping sounds.

"I thought it was fireworks at first, but then I realized it was the sound of gunshots," said Liu, a Shanghai native. "I saw police cars fly past with sirens blaring, and the police were all fully armed."

Scores of people were screaming, running, crying and trying to seek safety, Liu said.

When he finally got back to the hotel, a man knocked on his car door, said that there were two people who were wounded in the mass shooting and they needed to be rushed to the nearby hospital's emergency room.

Liu said the two people were severely wounded, a woman who was shot twice in the chest and a man who was covered in blood with a gunshot to his arm.

A woman who worked at the hotel's reception desk said she was a local resident and provided directions to Liu who had to run several red lights and drive in the opposite direction, getting them to the hospital in seven minutes.

After Liu got back to the hotel, he helped to transport another man who was slightly wounded in the arm to the hospital.

Liu said there were three families in his tourist group who were traveling during the Chinese National Day holiday, with young children.

"It was a very terrifying and horrible experience for them," he said.

Others in the city stepped up to donate blood for the victims.

"I arrived at United Blood Services at around 7:20 this morning," said Fiona Hu, who lives by the Las Vegas Strip. "And when I got there, people were already lined up, I waited for two hours, but still couldn't get in."

"Many volunteers were passing out water, coffee, and snacks while we were waiting," said Hu. "There were so many people, so I had to wait for a parking spot for a long time."

Hu was told it would be better to arrange an appointment online in advance, but when she got home, she found all donation centers had been booked and did not take reservations anymore.

"I'll check if tomorrow I can get an appointment," Hu said. "There are hundreds of people wounded, so I decided to donate my blood - my blood type is O."

She said she heard the music suddenly stopped last night, and noise from helicopters and police cars from her home.

"I thought it was just pistol gunfire at first, but then I heard from my friend that it was a mass shooting," Hu added.

Julie Scott, a spokesperson for United Blood Services, told ABC News that the wait is reportedly between five and six hours for people who are currently in line at any of the three donation sites in and around Las Vegas.

On social media, people posted pictures from blood-donation sites around Las Vegas and other cities in Nevada and shared locations where people could donate.

"I searched the blood center online, and there are many other sites around the city," said Hu.

The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department provided a list of donation centers on Twitter, and it circulated widely, according to The New York Times.

Sun Chao, manager of Golden Eagle Travel USA, a Chinese travel agency headquartered in New York with a branch in Los Angeles, told China Daily that the travel agency had more than 40 Chinese tourists and guides in Las Vegas on Sunday night when the shooting happened.

The tourists were in Aria Resort & Casino, which is 1.5 miles from the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, and Westgate Resort & Casino, about five miles from Mandalay. "They are in a safe situation but are scared," Sun said.

The travel agency will provide tour guides to help ease tourists' concerns.

Sun said Mandalay is one of the popular choices with tour groups from India, and the hotel is near where Chinese tourists regularly stay.

The three tour groups were headed on Monday to the Grand Canyon in Arizona and Houston on Oct 2.

Leo Liu, guide of one of three groups, said traffic in the city returned to normal on Monday morning, so he and his group members were able to make the flight to Houston at noon.

Sun said that on Sunday night, after they watched a show at the MGM Grand Las Vegas Hotel & Casino, the tourists went back to their hotels about an hour before the shooting started.

"Those who have booked tours or are planning to have a tour probably would like to cancel them for safety considerations," Liu said.

Contact writers at xiaohong@chinadailyusa.com
On Sunday, a gunman in a hotel overlooking the Las Vegas Strip opened fire on the crowd at a country music festival, killing at least 59 and injuring at least another 527, making it the deadliest mass shooting incident in US history. Three experts shared their views on the incident with China Daily's Zhang Zhouxiang and Wang Han:

Deep split in US society curbs gun control

Da Wei, director of the International Strategy and Security Research Center, University of International Relations:

Discussions over stricter gun control have been gonging on in the US for a long time, but there is hardly any progress; That's because it is increasingly more difficult for different groups in the US to reach consensus.

Decades years ago, different groups with different interests in the US were discussing and debating with each other in constructive ways, but today they are quarrelling with each other. The result is endless mutual attacks without any attempts to find a solution to the problem.

Especially, the issue of gun control involves conflicts between elites and the ordinary people, between the urban and rural residents, even among different states. With more than 50 killed and more than 500 injured, the price is rather heavy and the US must find ways to mend its disintegrating society.

Lack of serious debate In US about gun control

Gong Honglie, an associate professor of international studies at Nanjing University:

At a press conference, the US police said they did not find any clues linking the shooter and any terrorist organization. There are also suggestions that the suspect had mental problems. Therefore, it is highly possible that the Las Vegas shooting, the most deadly of its kind, is not a terrorist attack or an attack with a political background, but rather an attack launched by someone extremely disturbed who hated society.

Yet for the public, there is no difference between one kind of attack and another. They only care about how to stop such attacks and ensure their safety. That's a common challenge for all modern societies, especially the United States where gun control is rather loose and there are so many organizations and individuals that are out of control. They could learn from China some lessons on the governance of a modern society.

Concerning gun control, US politicians always rush to discuss it only after a major attack happens. When the attacks are no longer in the media spotlight, they drop the issue again. Hope they will change this time, or it will be too late.

Overcome obstacle of National Rifle Association

Zhu Sumei, a professor at the International Politics Department of the University of International Relations:

After the tragedy in Las Vegas, US President Donald Trump expressed his "warmest condolences and sympathies" to the victims and their families. However, in order to prevent such tragedies from happening again, Trump needs to push through gun control. Do not forget that the police had found 17 firearms in the suite of the suspect, an astonishing high number.

For historical and practical reasons, guns are a very serious problem in the United States. As the chief supporter of the Second Amendment to the US Constitution, which grants US residents the right to bear arms, the National Rifle Association of America has about 5 million members nationwide, among which there are some quite powerful figures that are mostly Republicans. This group is a biggest obstacle to gun control in the US.

Besides that, many Democrats avoid promoting gun control because they do not want to offend the NRA. That's why former US president Barack Obama tried hard to push it but the bill on gun control still failed to get the approval of the US Congress. In 2015, Obama even openly admitted being depressed about this situation.

In gun control, Europe does a much better job than the US. It is so strict in Europe that terrorists even have few channels to get hold of them, so they have resorted to trucks and knives for their attacks. If the terrorists in Europe had guns, they would have caused much heavier casualties. Time for the US society to face the challenge.
The Yellowstone County commission on Tuesday approved a committee review process to replace a retiring justice of the peace and the county auditor.

Justice of the Peace Pedro Hernandez, who has served for 42 years, and for his wife, Auditor Debby Hernandez, who was elected in 2003 as a Republican, are retiring Nov. 30.

To replace the justice of the peace, the commission appointed County Attorney Scott Twito to head a screening committee to review applications and to make recommendations to the commission.

Twito headed a similar committee when the commission appointed David Carter to replace Larry Herman when he retired.

To review auditor candidates, the commission appointed Chief Deputy County Attorney Dan Schwarz and Human Resources Director Dwight Vigness.

Schwarz said candidates for justice of the peace are not required to be lawyers.

And although the auditor is a partisan job and currently held by a Republican, the commission is not required to fill the position with a Republican, Schwarz said.

The only time when the commission must follow party affiliation for filling vacancies is for the county commission and the state legislature.

Qualifications for both positions are that a person must be at least 18 years old, live in the county and not have a felony record.

The county is in the process of advertising for the posts.

Schwarz recommended the commission wait make appointments until after Nov. 30. New officials would be able to begin almost immediately, he said.

Whoever is appointed would have to run for election to retain the jobs, which are four-year terms expiring at the end of 2018.
When Star Trek: Enterprise was canceled in 2005 for poor ratings and J. J. Abrams introduced his alternate Kelvin timeline for his reboot films four years later, seasoned Trek fans had cause to wonder whether they would ever again see a canonical television episode of their favorite fictional universe. Then, in 2015, came the announcement: CBS, which had acquired the rights to the Star Trek franchise, was creating a new seriesone that would be set not in the Kelvin timeline, but in the original Prime universe.

Fan reaction predictably ran the gamut, from dismissive hostility to skepticism to cautious optimism. But two years later, after changes of theme and of producers, backstage dramas, and aggressive marketing, on Sunday, September 24, fans finally caught their first glimpse of Star Trek: Discovery.

Critical reviews overall have been mainly positive, and I am inclined to concur. In particular, as a Christian I am intrigued by the shows desire to retain a form of Star Trek idealism while acknowledging the challenges posed by human frailty.

Premiering on the CBS network, but from now on airing only on their streaming site CBS All Access, Star Trek: Discovery is a prequel of sorts. It takes place ten years prior to The Original Seriesa century or so before Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, and Voyager, but a century after Enterprise. The debt to Enterprise is evident, not only in direct allusions but in visual nods like uniforms, aliens, and ship designs, all apparently set to transition into a more Original Series look as the show progresses.

In the premiere, The Vulcan Hello, the USS Shenzhou encounters a seemingly isolated ship belonging to Star Treks favorite warrior race, the Klingons. The crew learns that the ships commander, TKuvma (Chris Obi), plans to unite the warring Klingon houses in shared hostility toward the peace-loving Federation. Our protagonist, Shenzhou first officer Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green), has been burned by Klingons before and favors an aggressive approach, leading to a mutinous encounter with her previously supportive captain, Philippa Georgiou (Michelle Yeoh).

The second episode, Battle at the Binary Stars, aired only on CBS All Access immediately following the premiere. It picks up where the previous episode left off, presenting the ensuing combat between Klingon forces and ships from the Federations Starfleet.

Those who are aloof to internecine Trekkie debates would probably raise an eyebrow at the amount of lamenting and bickering and pontificating that has led up to this premiere. When Gene Roddenberry developed the first Star Trek series over 50 years ago, he created a fairly coherent secondary world, a future history with its own texture and rules. Four more canonical shows followed after, but with more than 700 episodes and 10 films, some inconsistencies were bound to emerge. Still, the faithfuland particularly some fans of the first two seriescan bristle quickly at perceived continuity errors, and a sleek prequel that makes Captain Kirks original Enterprise look clunky was bound to draw some censure.

From the first shows very inception, however, Roddenberry sought to pull off a tense balancing act. He wanted to write intelligent science fiction, but his first pilot was rejected as too cerebral; he wanted an idealistic vision of a conflict-free future, when conflict is the lifeblood of drama. The result is a curious, if often glorious, instability: a series that was often plenty exciting, but could take on heady philosophical and political themes. It launched a universe with a welcome emphasis on transcending difference that was nonetheless punctuated by occasional character disputes and especially after the third series, Deep Space Ninemuch darker overtones.

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Star Trek: Discovery enters into this dynamic with its eyes wide open to the tensions. Indeed, perhaps more intentionally than any of its predecessors, Discovery is precisely about those tensions. In the shows opening scenes, Commander Burnham appears as the gosh-wow explorer, ready for anything, playing off the seasoned and bemused Captain Georgiou. When the Klingons enter the game, however, the roles get reversed: Georgiou favors the Federations principled diplomacy while Burnham advocates for an aggressive, perhaps violent, approach. At the end of the early episodes, its still uncertain which officer was right.

But this is exactly why I have high hopes for Discovery. Roddenberrys original vision for his first Star Trek was a beautiful dream, one that in the naively progressive arc of the 1960s might have even seemed feasible. At the end of the day, however, his utopian dream was impracticable. I have elsewhere noted the extent to which it relied heavily on Enlightenment and modern assumptions about human natureassumptions that cannot fully be squared with the Christian understanding of humanitys fallenness. Despite Star Treks success, Roddenberrys overly optimistic depiction of humanity has long been recognized as inadequate.

As G. K. Chesterton once remarked, the observable fact of sin is practical as potatoes. A stable of solid writers saved the Trek universe from collapsing under its own benevolence, but not without incidentand in Roddenberrys last years, when The Next Generation was at the peak of its fame, those writers sometimes ran afoul of his desire to keep characters conflict-free. The first post-Roddenberry Trek series, Deep Space Nine, was noticeably darker. Discoverys producers, meanwhile, have admitted that they feel free to step outside Roddenberrys box. While part of me hates to see a fictional world depart from its creators design, in reality, even classic Trek was never able to adhere to these guidelines fully, because we cannot help being sinful.

Judging from its early episodes and the comments of its writers, Discovery doesnt attempt to subvert the ethics and ideals of Star Trek so much as it aims to present them in a more realistic framework. Georgiou and Burnham both strive to represent Federation values, but their mission tests them, and in the end they appear to fail: Burnham betrays her captain and friend, and Georgiou cannot avert war. Episode three commences Burnhams involvement with USS Discoverys mysterious, Machiavellian Captain Lorca (Jason Isaacs); and Original Series con artist Harry Mudd (Rainn Wilson) will appear in future storylines, adding further wrinkles of moral complexity to a character caught between her ideals and her brokenness, forced into the dark corners that most pale-bright utopias disregard.

Because ultimately, a utopia is an ideal construct rather than an achievable locationhence its name, meaning no place. While I know that Roddenberrys altruistically secular Federation will never exist, though, I am equally exasperated with the dark and gritty mentality that assumes that because ideals and virtues are never perfectly attainable, we should toss them out the airlock entirely. As a Christian, I live quite (un)comfortably in a realm of already but not yet. I subscribe to a code of ethics that I will never fully live out.

This is precisely Jesus point in the Sermon on the Mount. Against the Pharisees, who could smugly proclaim their scrupulous devotion to the Ten Commandments, Jesus asserts that willing a sin is the moral equivalent of acting it out. [U]nless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, he tells the people, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven. They must be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. And I dont buy the exegesis that tries to define down perfect simply to mean mature. The Father isnt maturehe is impeccably sinless. The segment of the Sermon isnt a pep talkits the most depressing discourse a first-century Jewish audience (or a modern one) could hear. The standard is unattainable.

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Rather than collapse in despair, though, we remember that in the same sermon, Jesus also promises he hasnt come to abolish the law but to fulfill it. Christ gives us his righteousness, his perfectionand the remainder of our Christian sanctification is our halting, ever-incomplete progress toward that goal that we will never reach in our own strength.

For that reason, I am favorable toward Star Trek: Discoverys own take on Roddenberrys idealism. Star Treks approach to ethics is a mixed bag, as several contributors to the recent book Science Fiction and the Abolition of Man demonstrate. At its worst, Star Trek puts forth a godless humanism without a transcendent eschatology, yoked to a flawed understanding of human nature. Indeed, there is some question about whether religion can even be referenced in the series.

But despite his (in)famous Prime Directive of noninterference, Gene Roddenberry was no moral relativist, and his characters sometimes embody virtues that the Christian viewer can applaud. I can appreciate the picture of shalom toward which the Federation aspires, even as I recognize its shaky positivistic foundation. I can celebrate a character exhibiting loving self-sacrifice even if it falls short of true Christlike charity. Most of all, I can welcome a show that takes human shortcomings seriously without jettisoning every notion of ideals. That is, after all, the very state in which I live.

During her trial at the end of the second episode, Burnham pleads guilty. She claims she was raised to believe that service was my purpose and that she sought to further the noble objectives of this great institution [Starfleet]. But now, she realizes we are at war, and I am the enemy.

These are not the words of a cynical show bent on undermining a vision of human cooperation, exploration, and self-sacrifice. They are, rather, the words of a show aware of just how impossible these ideals are to live out fullyand I have little doubt that however long Burnhams arc is, it will be redemptive as she moves closer to those ideals. For now, anyway, I plan to be there with her, hoping that she and Star Trek: Discovery may live long and prosper.

Geoffrey Reiter is assistant professor of English at the Baptist College of Florida and associate editor for Christ and Pop Culture. He holds a BA in English from Nyack College and a PhD in English from Baylor University, along with an MA in church history from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.
The global Christian community is buzzing with excitement about the arrival of Chinese Christians eager to serve on many mission fields around the world. While the Chinese church is still developing its capacity as a sending church, this new phase in world missions holds great promise for China and the worldproviding a moving demonstration of the maturity of the church in China. Throughout the centuries, many different global mission agencies and missionary workers have contributed to the growth of the mainland Chinese church. The endeavors of Western missionaries like Matteo Ricci, Gladys Aylward, Jonathan Goforth, and Timothy Richard have been well documented in biographies and sermon illustrations. Even today, mentions of Hudson Taylor and his China Inland Mission (CIM) continue to inspire Christian men and women to leave home to share the gospel overseas.

While many expatriates contributed to the present moment in Chinese mission sending, this missionary vision of the Chinese church owes as much if not more to the host of Chinese men and women over the last two centuries who have rooted the gospel message within the Chinese soul. These saints who played such an essential role in the establishment of an explicitly Chinese church deserve to be recognized for their service. May their stories inspire new generations of women and men in China and beyond to serve God wherever he may lead.

1. Ding Limei (18711936) A determined evangelist

Evangelist Ding Limei was born into one of the first Christian homes in the province of Shandong. At the age of 13, Ding left home for Dengzhou, (modern Penglai) and enrolled in Tengchow College, which had been founded by the American Presbyterian Mission, North. After graduating, he worked for a few years before returning to study theology for two years at the same school.

Ding was ordained as a pastor in 1898. During the Boxer Uprising in 1900, he was persecuted for his faith and thrown into prison for 40 days where he suffered almost 200 blows by the rod leaving terrible lesions on his skin. After his release, he accepted a position as a Presbyterian minister, resolving to preach the gospel in every province in China, to establish an indigenous Chinese church, and to save the souls of millions of his countrymen. Over the next 20 years he was an active itinerant evangelist, speaking at revivals across the country and leading many Chinese men and women to put their faith in Christ. At the end of his life, Ding focused on theological education, teaching in the North China Theological Seminary and pastoring several congregations. Illness in his later years prevented him from engaging in front line evangelism, but he persisted in praying for the salvation of thousands of countrymen by name, never wavering in his desire to see the people of China won for Christ.

2. Jeanette Li (18991968) Cross-cultural evangelist

Jeannette Li was born in 1899 into a Buddhist household. A childhood illness compelled her family to bring her to a missionary hospital and her subsequent recovery led her to enroll in the missions school. Li was baptized as the first Christian in her family at age 10. At the age of 16, Lee entered an unhappy marriage with a non-believer. After several years her husband married another woman, leaving Li to raise her son as a single mother.

While caring for her son and her ill mother, Li persisted in her studies and eventually found employment teaching in a government schoolan intentional decision she undertook in pursuit of evangelistic opportunities outside the Christian mission school community. Realizing that her true calling was evangelism, she resigned from the school in 1930 and enrolled at the Ginling Bible College in Nanjing to train for ministry. In 1934 she made the first of many trips to Manchuria where she was part of a fruitful cross-cultural outreach in streets, homes, hospitals, and orphanages throughout the region. Her ministry during these years was subject to near constant persecution and harassment from Japanese occupiers. In 1952 Li was imprisoned for 17 months by Communist officials for her faith. Upon her release, Li moved to Guangzhou where she once again volunteered as an evangelist until she was allowed passage to Hong Kong and, eventually, the United States. Throughout all the difficulties in her life, Li continued to share her faith, witnessing to Gods steady provision in times of trouble.

3. Liang Fa (17891855) Chinas first Protestant Christian

Liang Fa embodies the indigenization of Chinese Christianitya process that proceeded with fits and starts, periods of foreign patronage, internal persecution, and tension between Christian and Chinese identities. In his early life, Liang grew up in a village where he participated in local folk religious life. As a young adult, Liang worked as a printer assisting the recently arrived Robert Morrison of the London Missionary Society. His subsequent conversion led to the baptism of many family members and a job as the first ordained Chinese evangelist. By midlife, Liang was participating in most of the institutions of the early Protestant missionary movement (the missionary press, local fellowships, schools, a hospital, etc.) and penned one of the most influential Chinese gospel tracts of the 19th century.

Liang showed a tendency towards iconoclasm and embraced a form of Christianity that was strident in rejecting idolatry. Because of his faith and ministry, Liangs family life became more complicated as he aged, demonstrating several layers of the kinds of conflicts that accompanied becoming a Christian: the real risk in professing faith in Christ, the challenge of participating in religious or ritual life, and tensions over the next generation. Liang Fa is often described as the first fruit or the seed of the indigenous Chinese church.

4. Shi Meiyu (Mary Stone, 18731954) Accomplished missionary doctor

One of the earliest second-generation Christians on the continent, Shi Meiyu was born to a Methodist pastor and a mission school principal. As a child, Shi studied both the Chinese classics and Christian literature before heading to the University of Michigan to study medicine.

One of the first two Chinese women to receive a medical degree from an American university, Shi returned to China in 1896 to serve as a medical missionary with the Womens Foreign Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church. She spent her remaining decades establishing and running multiple hospitals and participating in a wide range of evangelistic work. Shi served on the China Continuation Committee after the Edinburgh World Missionary Conference of 1910, was the first president of the Womens Christian Temperance Union in China, and was one of the organizers of the Bethel Worldwide Evangelistic Band. In 1918 she cofounded the Chinese Missionary Society in order to support and send Chinese Christians to evangelize other Chinese people.

5. Shu Shan (?1900) A courageous Boxer Martyr

Shu Shan and her family were Christians living on the outskirts of Beijing when the Boxer turmoil erupted in the summer of 1900. A grassroots uprising with complicated causes, the Boxer participants called on the spiritual assistance of traditional Chinese mythical heroes to destroy all foreign influences and restore prosperity and security to the common people of North China. Shus husband was a local evangelist in charge of his own mission station just outside Beijing. As news of the coming Boxer violence spread, he fled to the mountains in search of safety, sending his wife and their three children under the age of 10 to live with nearby relatives. As the Boxers closed in on their village, Shu and her children were gradually turned away from all possible places of refuge by friends and family alike, eventually returning to their home to wait for death. Shu and her children were seized by the Boxers because of their Christian faith and then tormented, murdered, and cast into a shallow grave near the ruins of their home. The blood of Shu Shan and the many other Christian martyrs of 1900 inspired a generation of expatriate missionaries and local disciples to take up their crosses and follow Jesus wherever he ledtheir obedience forming the foundation of todays Chinese church.

6. Sung Shangjie (John Sung, 19011944) Chinas John the Baptist

Song was born in Fujian province in 1901, the fourth son of a Methodist pastor. Eager to follow in his fathers footsteps, Song graduated from the local mission school and headed to the United States to study theology. Once there, however, he studied chemistry instead, eventually earning his PhD from Ohio State University in 1926. Shortly afterwards, he repented of his selfishness and endeavored to honor his original call by enrolling at Union Theological Seminary in New York. In 1927 Song reported having a dramatic conversion experience that compelled him to criticize the liberal theology of his professors. This was a troubled time for Song, resulting in a mental breakdown that saw him placed in an insane asylum. An American pastor intervened, and Song was allowed to return to China where he juggled teaching chemistry and Bible during the week with running evangelistic campaigns on the weekends. In 1931 Song accepted the invitation of Shi Meiyu (see above) and left all his other work to join the Bethel Worldwide Evangelistic Band. Sung was soon known throughout Asia as a fiery preacher whose dramatic behavior on stage and moving songs spoke directly to peoples hearts. For the next eight years, his message of judgment, repentance, and healing brought many people in China and throughout the Chinese diaspora to faith in Jesus. The persistent health problems that he claimed kept him humble eventually took his life in 1944.

7. Wang Laiquan (18351901) Hudson Taylors brother in ministry

A painter and interior decorator, Wang was baptized into missionary Hudson Taylors congregation in Ningbo in 1859. Wang agreed to help Taylor with his struggling hospital, working with the understanding that he would receive no salary but only a share of whatever the Lord provided. Wang joined Taylor when he returned to England in 1860 for medical reasons where he helped care for the Taylor children and assisted with the translation of the New Testament into the Ningbo dialect.

After returning to China, Wang began pastoring independent local churches on his own. With no salary from the CIM, Wang used his own money to open a country chapel and supervised a growing number of itinerant local evangelists, eventually becoming a superintendent pastor of a network of self-supported, self-governing churches in the Hangzhou area. Wang cooperated well with CIM expatriate missionaries and on at least one occasion sent money from his churches to support the work of CIM expatriate missionaries.

8. Wu Baoying (18971930) Medical missionary to western China

Born in in 1897 to a Christian family in the western China province of Gansu, Wu was one of the first Chinese medical missionaries in China, personally trained by second generation CIM missionary George King at the Borden Memorial Hospital in Lanzhou. Wu and his wife proved indispensable in the running of the hospital following the recall of all the expatriate missionaries from western China after the anti-Christian and anti-foreign violence of the 1927 Nanjing Incident. Wu and his brother also established a mission hospital in their hometown, where Wu was killed by Hui minority rebels during an ethnic uprising in 1928. His final words, as he died at the age of 33, were The Lord is with us.

9. Xi Shengmo (Pastor Hsi, 18351896) The Overcomer of Demons

The Confucian scholar Xi Zizhi became a Christian following a failed attempt to pass the provincial level exams in Taiyuan, Shanxi. As he exited the examination hall, he received several gospel tracts as well as a list of essay questions on general moral and religious topics devised by British missionaries Timothy Richard and David Hill as a means of opening gospel discussions with Chinese elites. Xi submitted several winning entries in the essay competition, and when he visited the missionaries to collect his monetary prize, Xi was asked by Hill to serve as his secretary and Chinese language tutor. Xi accepted and his new foreign friend soon helped him overcome his opium smoking habit.

Xi became a Christian, changed his name to Xi Shengmo (Xi, the overcomer of demons), and returned to his hometown to convert his traditional Chinese medical dispensary into a church and opium refuge for others seeking to overcome their addictions. He was the first indigenous pastor in Shanxi province, immortalized in Geraldine Taylors biography, Pastor Hsi: Confucian Scholar and Christian. Xi was fiery, and while he did at times get into conflict with foreign missionaries, a long string of CIM missionaries (including many of the famous Cambridge Seven) served effectively under his direction. His opium refuge played an important role in the early development of the indigenous Protestant church in Shanxi.

10. Yu Cidu (Dora Yu, 18731931) An independent revival preacher

Born a preachers daughter in the Hangzhou American Presbyterian Mission compound, Yu Cidu was trained as a medical worker. In 1897 she briefly joined an early cross-cultural mission outreach to Korea. In 1904 Yu gave up medicine for full-time ministry and began preaching at revivals across the country. Yu was one of the earliest preachers to cut financial support from the West, seeking to build up the indigenous Chinese church and completely live by faith. She later founded the Bible Study and Prayer House, (later the Jiangwan Bible School) in Shanghai, as well as a series of winter and summer Bible study classes, and trained many qualified preachers for the Chinese church. Many of those who became Christians through Yus evangelism efforts played important roles in the early 20th century Chinese church revival movement. After hearing her preach at a revival meeting in Fuzhou, Watchman Nee converted to Christianity and dedicated himself to serving God. In 1927 Yu was invited to be the main speaker at the Keswick Convention, the famous annual gathering of evangelical believers committed to spiritual holiness, unity, and global mission, where she implored Western Christians to stop sending missionaries with liberal theology to China.

Andrew T. Kaiser, PhD, has been living and working with his family in China since 1997. In addition to his various online contributions, Andrew is also the author of Voices from the Past: Historical Reflections on Christian Missions in China and The Rushing on of the Purposes of God: Christian Missions in Shanxi since 1876.

G. Wright Doyle is director of Global China Center, editor of the Biographical Dictionary of Chinese Christianity, editor of Builders of The Chinese Church: Pioneer Protestant Missionaries and Chinese Church Leaders, editor and translator of Wise Man from the East: Lit-sen Chang, and co-editor of the series Studies in Chinese Christianity.

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The morning after hundreds of country music fans were shot at a Las Vegas festival, President Donald Trump called on God to comfort grieving families and victims.

Scripture teaches us the Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit, he said, referencing Psalm 34:18. We seek comfort in those words, for we know that God lives in the hearts of those who grieve.

The psalm he quoted ranks among the top verses that Bible readers turn to after mass shootings.

Bible Gateway analyzed search patterns surrounding Sunday nights concert shooting as well as 18 other major incidents of violence over the past decade, including Virginia Tech in 2007, Sandy Hook Elementary in 2012, San Bernardino in 2015, and Orlandos Pulse nightclub in 2016. Among the sites 150 million-plus visitors a year, the four verses that saw distinct spikes in readership around those shootings were:

John 16:33: I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.

Psalm 34:18: The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

Romans 12:19: Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for Gods wrath, for it is written: It is mine to avenge; I will repay, says the Lord.

Psalm 11:5 The Lord examines the righteous, but the wicked, those who love violence, he hates with a passion.

Overall, these go-to verses address Gods deliverance from the brokenness of the worlda condition many onlookers feel acutely during times of national tragedy.

Passages from the Psalms in particular regularly appear among the most-searched and most-shared verses in Scripture, and they take on particular significance as Christians look to the biblical text to express laments and frustrations.

Pastor Louie Giglio and Christine Caine shared Psalm 34:18 in response to the Vegas attack, while David Platt ranked it as his top prayer for families and victims. Elsewhere in the Psalms, Beth Moore referenced Psalm 7:9, Kari Jobe, Psalm 9:9; and Anne Graham Lotz, Psalm 23:4.

Several verses associated with the end times also trended on Bible Gateway after the mass shootings.

After a tragic event, some people turn to apocalyptic verses. For example, after the Dallas police shooting in July 2016, the top topics on openbible.info were violence, signs of the end times, and end of the world, said Bible search guru Stephen Smith. (He noted that a Christian website called End Time Headlines was even featured on Facebooks own crisis response page after the attack.)

White evangelicals worry less about being caught up in a mass shooting (38%) than other life-threatening events like a terrorist attack (66%) or a violent crime (61%), according to Pew Research Center data released earlier this year. Along with mainline Protestants and the religiously unaffiliated, evangelicals were less likely than Americans on average to worry about being a victim in a mass shooting.

Pew also found that about a third of white evangelicals favored tighter gun regulations, compared to half of Americans overall. Earlier research by PRRI showed that evangelicals were the only religious group in which a plurality (40%) say that putting more emphasis on God and morality in school and society is the most important thing that could be done to prevent future mass shootings.

Evangelical leaders feel more strongly about gun legislation, according to a survey released by the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) last month. Among denominational heads and ministry presidents (most of whom own a firearm themselves), 55 percent said gun laws should be stricter.

Evangelical leaders have nuanced views on guns, said Leith Anderson, NAE president. They accept the Second Amendment, but also deeply grieve when weapons are used to take innocent lives. Anderson tweeted on Monday to offer prayers and condemn the violence in Las Vegas.

At least 58 people were killed, and more than 500 wounded, in the Vegas shooting. Victims include a 29-year-old graduate of Union University, a Southern Baptist school in Tennessee, who died saving his wife.

In other coverage, CT discussed why prayer is an appropriate initial response to mass violence, as well as three ways to pray for Las Vegas.
More than 40 percent of the worlds countries have an official or preferred state religion, according to a study released today by the Pew Research Center.

Pew surveyed 199 countries to ascertain which were publicly in favor of religionand which religions they favored. Researchers weighed not only constitutions, laws, and policies, but also actions taken for or against religious groups.

The most popular official state religion is Islam, which is named in the constitutions or basic laws of 27 countries. Thats 63 percent of the 43 countries that officially designate a religion.

Many of those countries lie in the Middle East and North Africa. In fact, Lebanon is the only one in the region not to have an official or preferred religion.

In some cases, state religions have roles that are largely ceremonial, Pew researchers stated. But often the distinction comes with tangible advantages in terms of legal or tax status, ownership of real estate or other property, and access to financial support from the state.

Having a declared religious preference also meant those countries tend to more severely regulate religious practice including placing restrictions or bans on minority religious groups.

Two countries have officially named Buddhism (Bhutan and Cambodia), and one Judaism (Israel), as their state religions.

Thirteen countries list Christianity as their state religionnine in Europe (including the United Kingdom, Denmark, and Iceland), two in the Caribbean (Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic), one in Africa (Zambia), and one an island nation of 10,000 in the Pacific Ocean (Tuvalu).

But while Christianity isnt often named in a countrys documents, it is favored by 28 of the 40 countries that show an obvious yet unofficial preferencetypically with legal, financial, or other kinds of practical benefitsfor one religion over another. Most of the countries that unofficially favor Christianity are in Europe and the Americas, such as Catholicism in Liechtenstein, Lutheranism in Denmark, and Anglicanism in the United Kingdom. Five more are in sub-Saharan Africa, and three in the Asia-Pacific region.

Islam isnt the second-most favored; in fact, it isnt really even third by Pews measurements. Four countries are biased toward Buddhism (Burma, Laos, Mongolia, and Sri Lanka), and another five favor multiple religions (Eritrea, Indonesia, Lithuania, Serbia, and Togo).

Typically, the government describes these religions as traditional or part of the countrys historic culture, stated Pew researchers of the multiple religions category. It may also provide these groups with legal or financial benefits, such as waiving the requirement to register as a religious group, providing funding or resources for religious education, or providing government subsidies.

Just three countries favor Islam without naming it as their official religion: Sudan, Syria, and Turkey.

More than half of countries that prefer one religion over another are in the Middle East/North Africa (95% favor a religion) and Europe (50%). Asia (38%), the Americas (29%), and sub-Saharan Africa (15%) are less likely to do so.

While 83 countries show a marked preference for one religion (or multiple religions), 106 profess to be neutral. That doesnt mean they dont take notice of religion. Many declare religious freedom for all. Some, like the United States, grant freedoms or favors like tax exemptions evenhandedly  to many religious groups.

Broadly, the countries in this category can be said to maintain a clear separation of church and state, Pew researchers explained. But it is not necessarily the case that these countries avoid any promotion or restriction of religious practice.

For example, France falls into this category but has banned face coverings in public.

Pews final category is the smallestjust 5 percent of the worlds nationsand contains those highly opposed to religion. They exert a very high level of control over religious institutions in their countries or actively take a combative position toward religion in general, researchers stated.

Those countries are almost all in AsiaAzerbaijan, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, North Korea, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Vietnamas well as Cuba. Some, especially those in the former USSR, now lean heavily Muslim, but keep such a close eye on mosques and imams that theyre actually hostile to religion, Pew researchers concluded.

Belonging to an official state religion is generally a boon for its followers. While the level of privilege ranges from nominal benefits to mandatory adherence, it usually comes with some sort of special preference combined with regulations or punishments for those who deviate.

The benefits nearly always include financial funding: 98 percent of countries with an official religion and 58 percent of those with a preferred religion hand over money or resources for education, property, or religious activities.

Perhaps not surprisingly, people who live in countries with an official or preferred religion are more likely to believe the government should be funding or promoting religion than those who live in a country without a national religion.

Pew surveyed 18 European countries7 with no faith preference, and 11 with official or preferred faithsand found that those without a national religion were less likely (median of 50%) than their counterparts (median of 68%) to believe government should stay out of religion and vice versa.

The one exception: Poland, which favors the Catholic church but also favors separation of church and state. Three-quarters of the people there say the church has an influence (75%) but that it shouldnt have too muchor anyinfluence (65%).

People who have an official or preferred state religion are also more likely to believe that belonging to that religion is important to truly belong to the nationality (median of 66% vs. median of 43% in countries with no religious preference), though this varies drastically depending on if the person being questioned is a follower of that faith (81%) or not (31%).
Judicial Watch: Court Hearing on Tuesday, October 3 in Taxpayer Lawsuit to Prevent DC Government from Illegally Spending Taxpayer Money through Budget Autonomy Act

Contact: Jill Farrell, Judicial Watch, 202-646-5172



WASHINGTON, Oct. 2, 2017 /Christian Newswire/ -- Judicial Watch today announced that a hearing will be held on Tuesday, October 3, 2017, in a lawsuit against the Mayor and Chief Financial Officer of the District of Columbia. Judicial Watch filed the lawsuit on behalf of Clarice Feldman, a longtime taxpayer and resident of the District of Columbia, to prevent the DC government from expending taxpayer money from a budget that was not appropriated by Congress and presented to the president for signing. The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia (Clarice Feldman v. Muriel Bowser and Jeffrey S. DeWitt (No. 1:15-cv-01967)).

Date: Tuesday, October 3, 2017



Time: 10:30 a.m.



Location: Courtroom 17

U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia

333 Constitution Ave NW

Washington, DC 20001

At issue is the DC government's attempt to dismiss a November 6, 2015, lawsuit. The U.S. House of Representatives filed an amicus curiae brief in March 2016 urging the court to deny the DC government's efforts. In its amicus in support of the Opposition to the Motion to Dismiss the House declared:

The Local Budget Act is a naked and unabashed effort to strip Congress of powers vested in it by Article I of the Constitution, and to circumvent the constitutionally-prescribed legislative process that the District and its supporters previously and repeatedly have acknowledged is the one constitutionally-appropriate way to proceed.



In other words, the Local Budget Act turns the Appropriations Clause upside down, and is inconsistent with Congress's plenary authority over all District appropriations. The only constitutionally permissible manner by which the District may achieve budget autonomy with respect to locally-derived funds is for Congress to convey that authority to the District by way of the normal legislative process  and Congress has not yet done that.

In Feldman's Opposition to the Motion to Dismiss, Judicial Watch takes strong issue with the District of Columbia's continued attempts to circumvent federal law, arguing:

Regardless of whether it is sound policy for the District of Columbia to have budget autonomy, [the defendants] cannot ignore the law. Yet, they do. Since October 1, 2015, Defendants have been illegally incurring obligations and expending local taxpayer funds pursuant to the Fiscal Year 2016 Budget Request Act of 2015 ("FY16 Budget Request") that have not been appropriated by Congress and presented to the President for signing. As a District taxpayer since 1979, Plaintiff challenges Defendants' lawlessness.

Federal law requires that DC's annual budget be approved by a majority or two-thirds vote of the DC Council and have affirmative appropriation passed by both Houses of Congress and presented to the president for signing. In 2013, DC passed the Budget Autonomy Act of 2012, which "purportedly grants the District authority to incur obligations and expend local tax and fee revenue without an appropriation passed by both Houses of Congress and presented to the President for signing." In other words, DC has sought to remove appropriation authority from Congress and grant it to itself.



MORE: www.judicialwatch.org/press-room/press-releases/judicial-watch-court-hearing-tuesday-october-3-taxpayer-lawsuit-prevent-dc-government-illegally-spending-taxpayer-money-budget-autonomy-act/


Elder Ricardo Graham, President, Pacific Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists Responds to Las Vegas Shooting Contact: Kevin Lampe, 312 617-7280



LAS VEGAS, Oct. 2, 2017 /Christian Newswire/ -- As a church, Seventh-day Adventists reject violence and we are appalled at the tragic loss of life last night in Las Vegas. We grieve with those who have lost family and friends, and add our voice in mourning and sorrow. We stand against anyone who causes death and injury, and are heartbroken for those who are suffering such pain and anguish.



The scriptures condemn those who use violence, saying that "those who love violence, he hates with a passion" (Psalm 11:5 NIV). He says very clearly, "Give up your violence and oppression and do what is just and right" (Ezekiel 45:9 NIV).



As believers, we are called to stand for what is good and true and right, and most of all to show the love of God in the way we live. We will help those affected in their suffering, and continue to pray for all those who mourn. Instead of returning evil, we stand with all those who wish to do good. "Do not repay anyone evil for evil...Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good" (Romans 12:17-21 NIV).



We believe that "The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit" (Psalm 34:18 NIV). May this be true for all those grieving and saddened at this time of loss.



Elder Ricardo Graham, D. Min, president Pacific Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists

October 2, 2017



Las Vegas is located in the Pacific Union Conference

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home US Iraqi children plead to Trump for help as deadline to provide aid for religious minorities expires

Iraqi children are pleading directly to President Donald Trump for help as the deadline to provide portions of over $1 billion in aid to religious minorities victimized by the Islamic State terror group expires.

Photos obtained by Fox News reportedly show children at camps in Mt. Sinjar and Dohuk holding signs with messages like, "God Bless USA" and "Don't forget us President Trump."

International human rights lawyer Nina Shea said she believes that the images will "strike the conscience to see the real faces of innocent children who need to be rescued."

"When images of the Yazidis fleeing Mt. Sinjar were made public, it galvanized the previous administration to go back with troops, food drops and other aid after our military had already pulled out of Iraq. We saw something similar with President Trump's actions after the chemical attacks in Syria," she added.

Under the Consolidated Appropriations Act, a total of $1.3 billion in humanitarian aid had been promised for Christians, Yazidis and persecuted minorities, but none of the money has reportedly reached the refugees. The act had reportedly expired last week at the end of the fiscal year.

According to Shea, the funds have not been released due to a "religion blind" policy, which prevents money from being sent to religious groups despite the statutory mandate to assist these communities. However, an exception was reportedly made for the Rohingya Muslim refugees from Myanmar, who received $32 million in aid.

Officials for USAID have contended that the assertions that the U.S. is not providing support to vulnerable communities in Iraq are false.

"Since FY 2014, the U.S. government has provided nearly $1.7 billion to address the humanitarian needs of Iraqis both inside Iraq and in the region, including vulnerable members of minority communities, like the Yazidis and Christians," an official from the agency said.

The official further noted the aid also includes an additional $264 million that was announced on Sept. 20, as well as $115 million for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Funding Facility for Stabilization. A significant amount of the aid money was provided to minority communities, the official said, adding that the humanitarian assistance is based on need over religious affiliation.

Iraq's Christian population has reportedly fallen from about 1.4 million in 2003 to about 275,000 in late 2016.

The exodus began when the U.S. invaded Iraq, resulting in a wave of sectarian violence against Christian churches, particularly in the Nineveh Plains region, a centuries-old homeland for the country's Chaldean, Syriac and Assyrian Christians.

More Christians fled the region when ISIS conquered northern Iraq in 2014 and launched an organized massacre against the church as well as against other minority religions like Yazidis.

Some Christians have managed to flee to places like Europe and Lebanon, but others who remain in Iraq simply wandered the region avoiding U.N.-operated refugee camps for fear that they would be targeted by Muslim refugees in the camps.
home World ISIS releases new audio message suggesting top leader Baghdadi may still be alive

The Islamic State has released a new audio message that was purportedly delivered by its leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, suggesting that he is still alive despite speculations about his demise.

In the undated audio, the ISIS leader urged his followers to keep fighting in Iraq and Syria, and wage attacks against the West.

The 46-minute recording was released on Thursday via the Al-Furqan news organization, according to Reuters. While the exact date of the audio is not known, Baghdadi makes references to recent events including North Korean threats against Japan and the U.S., as well as the recapture two months ago of Mosul by U.S.-backed Iraqi forces.

"The North Koreans have begun threatening America and Japan with nuclear power, and the Americans, Russians and Europeans live terrified in fear of strikes from the mujahedeen," the ISIS leader said.

Baghdadi's last message prior to the new audio was delivered in November 2016, two months after the start of the battle to recapture the city of Mosul from ISIS.

His latest recording, which was filled with conservative religious speech and references to Islamic history, came after several reports that he had been killed.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), a U.K.-based monitoring group, had claimed earlier this year that it had received information that Baghdadi had been killed. However, the U.S.-led coalition had noted that there is no evidence of the Baghdadi's death, and top Kurdish intelligence officials asserted that they were "99 percent" sure that the ISIS leader remained alive.

Russia's defense ministry has also reported earlier this year that it might have killed Baghdadi in an air strike that targeted a gathering of IS commanders on the outskirts of Raqqa. But U.S. officials said they could not corroborate the report, and other Western and Iraqi officials have also expressed their skepticism.

Officials have suggested that it could take years to capture or kill Baghdadi, as he is believed to be hiding in a vast swathe of the sparsely-populated desert between Mosul and Raqqa, where attack drones can easily be seen.

A $25 million bounty has been placed on Baghdadi's head by the U.S. government for information leading to his arrest or his whereabouts.

In the audio recording, Baghdadi also called on his followers to attack Western media. "Oh soldiers of Islam in every location, increase blow after blow, and make the media centers of the infidels, from where they wage their intellectual wars, among the targets," he said.

"Continue your Jihad and your blessed operations and do not let the crusaders rest in their homes and enjoy life and stability while your brethren are being shelled and killed," he added.
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Breast Cancer support groups in northwest Houston provide emotional and community support to help patients cope.

At the Cy-Fair Cancer Center, a support group meets monthly.

"It helps those currently going through the therapy to have emotional support," said Dr. Ali Mazloom, Medical Director and Radiation Oncologist at the Cy-Fair Cancer Center, which is part of Cypress Fairbanks Medical Center Hospital.

The support groups are open to current and former patients and their families.

More Information Support groups What: Cy-Fair Cancer Center, Cypress Fairbanks Medical Center Where: 10650 Steepletop Drive, Houston For more information: visit http://www.cyfaircancercenter.com/ What: Care, Share and Be Aware Support Group Where: The Breast Center at Houston Northwest Medical Center When: Meets the second Tuesday of each month, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. For more information:visit http://breastcenterhoustonnorthwest.com/ For information about screenings, symptoms or other resources, log in to http://breastcenterhoustonnorthwest.com/online-resources/ SUPPORT GROUPS What: Cy-Fair Cancer CenterCypress Fairbanks Medical Center Where: 10650 Steepletop Drive, Houston For more information: visit www.cyfaircancercenter.com What: Care, Share and Be Aware Support Group Where: The Breast Center at Houston Northwest Medical Center When: Meets the second Tuesday of each month, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. For more information: visit http://breastcenterhoustonnorthwest.com For information about screenings, symptoms or other resources: log in to http://breastcenterhoustonnorthwest.com/online-resources See More Collapse

"This is a way they share their experiences and then become a support for others," said Dr. Uzma Iqbal, Medical Director and Medical Oncologist at the Cy-Fair Cancer Center.

"It's extremely important for people to network with each other because once a person gets diagnosed with cancer, a lot of things change - different types of insecurities, fears, strengths. It's very important for them to have this outlet," she said.

Iqbal purposefully does not have TVs in her practice to encourage her patients to talk with each other.

"Some patients end up forming life-long relationships," she said.

The Cypress Fairbanks community is tightly knit, Iqbal said.

"The community supports each other," she said.

Northwest Houston area support groups are also an education source.

Cy-Fair Cancer Center brings in different speakers to discuss various issues, including the importance of screenings for all different types of cancers.

"It's not just an emotional supportive group, it's also informative," Mazloom said. "It becomes an educational session for all the patients."

Family members of patients are encouraged to attend.

"Cancer does take a toll on family members, so we highly encourage them to participate as well," he said.

For more than a decade, breast cancer survivors have been meeting monthly at Houston Northwest Medical Center to offer support to one another.

The Care, Share and Be Aware support group for breast cancer survivors and their families started 12 years ago with eight survivors.

The meetings provide a safe environment for survivors to communicate their feelings and a place to bond with other survivors, said Esther Valdez, registered nurse at The Breast Center at Houston Northwest Medical Center.

The support groups are facilitated by health care professionals who are trained by the American Cancer Society.

The Breast Center at Houston Northwest Medical Center also holds an annual gathering for breast cancer survivors and their families.
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Survival rates among breast cancer patients have increased, in part due to improvements in breast cancer screenings, treatment and new technologies.

"People are living longer with breast cancer," said Dr. Uzma Iqbal, medical director and medical oncologist at the Cypress Fairbanks Medical Center's Cancer Center.

At northwest Houston hospitals, 3D mammograms are now regular practice, providing a more accurate x-ray detection tool.

Many private insurance providers are now paying for 3D mammograms, which are proven to be significantly more effective.

More Information BASIC TIPS u Regular screenings are the best way to detect and treat breast cancer. u Hospitals recommend that patients begin getting annual 3D mammograms at age 40. u If the patient has other risk factors including a family history of breast cancer or genetic predisposition, then the screenings would start earlier. u Women should conduct monthly self breast exams u Women should have an annual physical from a primary care physician u Breast cancer is not just a disease women get, men also can get breast cancer. See More Collapse

3D mammograms increase detection of breast cancer by 41 percent over 2D mammograms, said Dr. Ainel Sewell, Breast Imaging Radiologist and Medical Director at Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital's Breast Care Center. In addition, 3D mammograms reduce false positive results by up to 40 percent, she said.

"3D mammograms are more likely to pick up a breast cancer," Sewell said. "And when we are able to find the breast cancer, we can biopsy it sooner and get treatment sooner. The earlier you find the breast cancer, the smaller it usually is."

Houston Methodist Willowbrook's Breast Care Center offers complimentary genetic counseling to determine if a patient is at high risk for breast cancer.

Regular screenings are the best way to detect and treat breast cancer.

Area hospitals recommend that women begin getting annual 3D mammograms at age 40. If the patient has other risk factors including a family history of breast cancer or genetic predisposition, then the screenings would start earlier.

As preventative care, area hospitals also recommend women have an annual physical exam with a primary care physician and conduct a monthly self breast exam.

"Research shows that early detection may offer the greatest opportunity for full recovery," said Teal Holden, Vice President of Ambulatory Services for Memorial Hermann Health System. "The most effective way to detect breast cancer at an early, curable stage is to have a clinical breast exam each year and an annual screening mammogram starting at age 40."

The MD Anderson Breast Care with Memorial Hermann-Cypress, has digital technology to detect smaller tumors sooner, at earlier stages, Teal said.

"When you screen cancer at an earlier stage, it's not just more curable, the treatments are a lot less toxic," said Dr. Ali Mazloom, Medical Director and Radiation Oncologist at the Cy-Fair Cancer Center. "We screen early, we diagnose precisely and we make a multidisciplinary plan and execute it," said Iqbal of Cy-Fair Cancer Center.

Breast cancer is not just a disease women get, men also can get breast cancer. Men should seek treatment if they feel a lump in their chest well or breast tissue, Sewell said.

Hospitals are also focusing on improving treatments to reduce side effects of chemotherapy and radiation.

Cypress Fairbanks Medical Center's Cancer Center is using advanced radiation treatment to treat the specific cancer tissue rather than the entire breast, which reduces the amount of radiation needed and thus reduces the side effects for patients, said Mazloom.

And the new radiation therapy is much quicker-patients who qualify for the treatment receive the therapy twice a day for five days, rather than four to six weeks of radiation treatment. The patients have to be earlier stage cancer.

But even more important than having the new technology, the Cypress Fairbanks Medical Center's Cancer Center has a highly trained medical team, including fellowship trained breast radiologist, said Iqbal.

"Anybody can buy the machine, but the important part are the people reading these images are well trained," Iqbal said. "It's extremely important."

And Cypress Fairbank's Cancer Center offers targeted therapies, tailored to each patient.

"It's not one size fits all," Iqbal said. "Two people can have breast cancer, but be totally different. We have targeted therapies."

"It's so important to have precision diagnosis," she said. "After the imaging, we have trained pathologists that are able to identify and diagnosis this cancer to the molecular level, very precise. It's specific to that woman. It's very important for us to do that."

Northwest Houston area hospitals work to personalize the patient's care, including holding a multidisciplinary meeting prior to a patient's treatment to coordinate care between the entire medical team involved-the radiologist, oncologist, surgeon and any other medical team.

"It's important that all the people involved in their care are present," Iqbal said. "The care planning is very personalized, and it is all very precisely planned."

Iqbal, a Cypress resident, prides herself on offering quality care in her own community.

"It is extremely rewarding to actually treat the community where you live," said Iqbal. "Here we know our patients very well."

Another advancement in breast cancer treatment is the use of computer technology to log the exact location of radiation treatment. Previously, the physicians decided which beam angles to use and pointed the radiation toward the cancer-effected organs.

"But now with the computer systems and technology, you can tell the computer what the target is and then tell the computer what organs to spare, and then the computer comes up with an optimal plan," Mazloom said.

The system is more effective because you can treat the cancer with a higher dose and not harm healthy tissue with the radiation. The treatment reduces the amount of radiation and therefore reduces the side effects to patients.

Health care options continue to grow in northwest Houston, including the expansion of more local detection and treatment options for breast cancer.

"At Tomball Regional Medical Center's Imaging Center, our dedicated team of radiologists, technologists, registered nurses and staff are proud to offer digital mammograms, screening and diagnostics, breast ultrasounds, stereotactic biopsy and bone density testing in a comfortable and caring environment," said Sylvia Saumell, marketing manager with Tomball Regional.

"If you have cancer, it's hard to drive an hour to downtown," said Dr. Mazloom at Cy-Fair Cancer Center.

"A lot of our patients get the same treatments here as they do there. Patients can get the care closer to home."
An appraisal of one floor in the Stillwater Building, which Yellowstone County is considering purchasing for expansion of offices, valued the space at $3.6 million to $3.75 million, a county official said Tuesday.

Chief Deputy County Attorney Dan Schwarz said the appraisal is pretty well within the ballpark of what the county was considering.

Schwarz said he received the 70-page report, conducted by Matt Bender, on Monday. The appraisal, and other lease options, will be on the agenda for the county commissions Thursday discussion meeting.

The county hired Bender, a certified general real estate appraiser, in August for $4,500.

Schwarz said in addition to the Stillwater Building, the owners of the Wells Fargo Building last week also have offered the county office space for rent. The Wells Fargo Building is south of the courthouse.

A third option is renovating the county-owned round building just east of the courthouse. The round building was the sheriffs office, which recently moved into the former Payne West Insurance Building a few blocks to the east.

The Stillwater Building, north of the courthouse across Third Avenue North, is a huge, five-story structure that was the former federal courthouse. Purchased in 2016 by an Alaska company at a foreclosure sale for $3.2 million, the firms general contractor, EEC, has abated asbestos and is looking for tenants.

Stillwaters owner, WC Commercial LLC, is seeking $1.5 million in tax increment financing from the City of Billings to help with renovations. The City Council is expected to vote on the request on Oct. 23.

Depending on the Stillwater appraisal, the county could decide to purchase a floor and own it like a condominium. The county cannot pay more than an appraised value under state law.

The county is planning to relocate its fourth-floor offices and to remodel that floor into new courtroom space and judicial offices. The 2017 Legislature approved two new district court judges for the county. The new judges will begin serving on Jan. 1, 2019.

The countys fourth-floor offices include the commissioners, clerk and recorder and finance.

The county is considering the Stillwater Buildings third floor because the first and fifth floors are more expensive and the third floor would be contiguous to the second and fourth floors if the county decides to expand. The third floor also could be used for a sky bridge from the courthouse.

The third floor has 34,159 square feet of gross space and 30,950 square feet of net space.

Schwarz said the Wells Fargo Building space could accommodate the countys fourth-floor offices but not further expansion. While the Wells Fargo option would cost less, it would be a lease and not a purchase of space, he said.
WASHINGTON -- Total CEO Patrick Pouyanne urged President Donald Trump Monday not to place tariffs on foreign solar panels and imperil the development of renewable energy in the United States.

"I hope the next decision of the U.S. government will not impear the future of SunPower," he said, referring to an American solar company Total is invested in. "If there is a tariff, it will have an impact on the whole solar chain and it will destroy some jobs."

The U.S. International Trade Commission recently ruled that low cost foreign solar panel represented a threat to domestic solar manufacturing, a ruling that would give Trump the option of placing additional tariffs on foreign manufactuers in East Asia and elsewhere.

Solar developers in Texas and elsewhere are fighting such a scenario, arguing it would reduce investment and jobs in what has been a fast growing segment of the American energy sector.

SunPower is headquartered in California but has manufacturing plants in Malaysia and the Philippines.

Pouyanne was in Washington to commemorate the opening of Total's office here, giving the company its first permanent presence in the American capitol.

Speaking to a crowd in the downtown Metropolitan Club, the French CEO said the intent was to give the Paris-based company and its 7,000 American employees greater visibility with policy makers and elected officials.

"It's difficult to speak about energy without speaking about geopolitics," he said. "It's important for us to understand how the world is seen from other places, not just Paris and Europe."

Like European majors BP and Shell, Total has been vocal in the need for oil companies to transition into a future with less demand for oil than currently exists.

That puts the company at odds with Trump, who has made increasing American coal and oil production a cornerstone of his presidential agenda.

The world "doesn't need more energy," Pouyanne said. "There are more people who want to have access to energy. Lets say it like that. It's better."
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Michelle Obama shared a heart-warming photo of her wedding day with husband and former president Barack Obama, to celebrate their 25th anniversary.

"Happy 25th-anniversary @barackobama. A quarter of a century later, you're still my best friend & the most extraordinary man I know. I love you," Michelle wrote on her Instagram post.

TRIBUTES: The Obama family just melted hearts with the best Father's Day tweets

Within two hours, the post generated over a million likes and thousands of comments.

Happy 25th anniversary @barackobama. A quarter of a century later, you're still my best friend & the most extraordinary man I know. I love you. A post shared by Michelle Obama (@michelleobama) on Oct 3, 2017 at 7:04am PDT

"Happy Silver Jubilee; and many more wonderful years of marital bliss together. You are such great role models," Annaaudreyheath commented.

Other Instagram users used the hashtags #couplegoals and #relationshipgoals to express their admiration for the former first couple's love story.

While they were in the White House, Essence magazine asked celebrities on the red carpet what they cherish most about the Obama's relationship and the video below shows what they said.

Now Playing: Your favorite stars on what the Obamas' marriage has taught them about love. Video: EssenceTime

OUT OF THE WHITE HOUSE: Barack Obama is enjoying his vacation from America

While the former president hasn't given a shout out on social media about his anniversary with Michelle, there's no doubt in their love for each other (have you seen the way he looks at her?!)

Check out their most adorable and comforting moments in their relationship through the years in the photos above.
A collection of new neighborhood bars and restaurants is poised to deliver some in-demand dining destinations in Houston.

Although, several recent debuts are offshoots or second locations of already popular establishments, including Sichuan restaurant Pepper Twins, which just unveiled its latest outpost at 3915 Kirby. The owners, sisters Lily Luo and Yunan Yang, opened their first restaurant, Cooking Girl, in Montrose September 2015 to great acclaim.

COMING SOON: Houston's most anticipated bar & restaurant openings, fall/winter 2017

Now Playing: Chronicle critic Alison Cook compiles the best dining the city has to offer. Video: Houston Chronicle

That original location spawned other restaurants, named Pepper Twins, all over the city. (Cooking Girl itself has since been renamed as Pepper Twins.) This Upper Kirby spot is the latest and largest space to open with the siblings' authentic Chinese dishes.

Hit Rice Village dessert spot Cloud 10 Creamery just put down roots at 711 Heights Blvd. This branch features a large patio and several more flavors than the original. Expect the same innovative banana splits and dessert dishes that Houstonians have come to expect from pastry chef Chris Leung, who formerly led the dessert program at Upper Kirby Japanese restaurant Kata Robata.

CLOSED: The latest Houston restaurant closings, September 2017

Another notable expansion is Merchant Houston, which is the New Orleans-based breakfast hotspot's first foray into a new market. Our location, which serves breakfast, lunch, pastries and wine, recently launched at 1707 Post Oak.

Over in West University, Fresco Cafe Italiano at 3277 Southwest Freeway is dishing up house-made pasta tossed in fresh sauces and topped with high-quality meats. There's not much atmosphere to speak of, but it makes up for a lack of decor with tasty, well-executed dishes. And that's what really matters to anyone seeking fresh, classic Italian cuisine.

MIDTOWN ARRIVAL: Houston bar Momo Food + Wine debuts next week in Midtown

Another spot featuring a some consistently good pasta dishes is the high-profile Montrose establishment One Fifth Romance Languages, which is co-owned and led by James Beard Award-winning chef Chris Shepherd. The concept here is an innovative one: this space is intended to close every year and re-open showcasing a new focus and featuring a new menu. The second iteration, Romance Languages, is the follow-up to One Fifth Steak and will run through Sept. 1, 2018. Its dishes are informed by French, Italian and Spanish influences.

Shepherd came to prominence in Houston for his work at the now-defunct Washington Corridor restaurant Catalan Food & Wine (where Tex-Mex spot Ula's Washington now operates), which generated fanfare for cuisine similar to what's being served at One Fifth Romance Languages. So this new undertaking promises to impress even the most discerning diner.
A Texas woman says she lost her job after her body-positive photo shoot went viral, reports say.

Stephanie of Overton, Texas stripped down with her fiance Arryn (who asked Buzzfeed not to use their last names) for a boudoir photo shoot that went viral after being posted on Facebook.

ORIGINAL STORY: Viral photos send powerful message about body positivity, love

Stephanie had worked for Austin Bank Texas N.A. as a bank teller for more than a year. Shortly after the photos gained popularity online, the company told her they were "concerned" about how her images would reflect on the company and let her go, the publication reports.

Chron.com has reached out to Austin Bank and has not heard back from the company as of publication.

Stephanie told BuzzFeed, "They said I was topless and it was inappropriate and we're a family-oriented company." Regardless of Stephanie wearing a swimsuit bottom and a strapless top that you wear with backless dresses, Buzzfeed reports.

"As a company, if they feel what I do outside of my job is going to jeopardize their business, that's fine. It's just disheartening to me because I feel like home life and work life are two totally different things. I was a model employee, I was moving up fast. I had a promotion within seven months. This one thing, for me, was the reason I was booted," Stephanie told Buzzfeed.

The shoot was intended to focus on the intimacy and closeness of their relationship, and Stephanie tells Buzzfeed that she is still proud of the photos.

AROUND TOWN: Miss Texas, others share photos of opening of the State Fair of Texas

"I honestly have never felt more attractive," she told HuffPost. "I was so nervous to see the final result. I didn't know what to expect. But when I saw the album, I was shocked. I look so in love and confident. Every person should be able to see themselves in that light. It is really eye-opening."

The photographer of the boudoir photo shoot also mirrored Stephanie's sentiment.

"I just think this whole thing went a lot further than we expected," Bria Terry of Wolf & Rose Photography, who took the boudoir photos, told Chron.com. "And we are all trying to handle it gracefully. I'm still so thankful for all of the positive feedback"
First, it was skin infections that sent people to the doctor in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey flooding the Houston area. Now, it's respiratory problems.

Doctors with Memorial Hermann Health System, Baylor College of Medicine and Kelsey Seybold Clinics said this week they have been seeing more patients, particularly those from areas hit hard by flooding, whose asthma or allergies has flared up lately.

"It's definitely more than I saw in the same period last year," said Dr. Chase Whitehead, a doctor of family medicine at Memorial Hermann Medical Group Memorial City. "Patients are coming in with runny noses and coughs they can't shake. Former asthma patients are coming in with attacks."

Allergies and other respiratory problems following hurricanes are common because of mold and overgrowth of plants that result from the flooding, as well as dust and fibers released from drywall, plaster, flooring and other sources during clean-up efforts. Doctors dubbed respiratory problems "Katrina cough" after that 2005 hurricane.

Whitehead said he treated 10 patients recently who thought they had upper-respiratory infections. Nine turned out to have no infection but an inflammation of the lungs, which he treated with steroids.

Doctors cautioned that it is impossible to know if the reactions are to Harvey-related sources or seasonal allergies, which recently began. But Kelsey-Seybold Clinics reported a 23 percent increase in patients with respiratory issues from August to September, up from 12 percent last year.

"It makes sense that it's storm-related, the way patients starting coming in starting about a week after the storm," said Dr. Eric Sandberg, an allergist at Kelsey-Seybold. "But at this point, it's hard to differentiate -- the drop in humidity typically leads to more pollen activity about now. October is always Houston allergists' busiest time of the year."

One positive: The symptoms haven't been bad enough to warrant more trips to emergency departments. Houston's health department, which tracks such statistics, reports the number of visits to the ER visits for respiratory illness was no greater in September of 2017 than 2016.
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Jody Haas didn't worry that breast cancer would kill her, but she hated the thought of losing her hair in chemotherapy.

"That was my biggest burden," said the local voice teacher, whose recent bout with cancer lasted less than a year.

"I found that my hair falling out was the thing that was least understood by my friends. I heard comments like 'It will grow back' and 'It's only hair,' and I just wanted to grab some shears and start cutting their hair off."

Otherwise, said Haas, "The greatest fear I had was being alone."

A Spring resident, Haas is widely known in the Houston area, including Pearland and Bay Area, as an instructor who has bachelor's and master's degrees in music and is certified in the highest level of Somatic Voicework The LoVetri Method, a trademarked, body-based system of vocal training.

For three years, she sang with the Houston Chamber Choir.

Haas grew up outside Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, where she was the darling of her small high school.

"I was homecoming queen. I basically did everything: student council, cheerleading, all of the plays. I've always loved people."

But her marriage was on the rocks - she and her husband were separated last fall - when Haas, by accident, discovered a lump in her breast.

"It scared me when I saw my little dog wander outside. I darted after her, and I fell flat on my face on the sidewalk. As I got up, I patted myself and felt this big bump on my chest."

Haas already had a regularly scheduled mammogram appointment; so her doctor added an ultrasound.

"The radiologist could tell. They didn't even have to wait for the biopsy."

Haas was diagnosed with ductal invasive carcinoma, which doctors said would require chemotherapy treatments.

To see whether her cancer, which had already invaded the fatty tissue of her breast, also spread to her lymph nodes, Haas underwent an incision beneath her arm pit.

"That'll jack up your arm," she said.

Fortunately, the cancer had not spread to her lymph nodes. "So, I got off easy," she said.

However, her chemo treatments, coupled with some disabling, pre-existing health problems and living alone, brought Haas to tears.

"I cried so hard. I thought, 'I can't do this. I can't.' "

Some close friends pitched in to help, as well as her estranged husband.

"Fortunately, he is still my friend," she said.

Her last chemo treatment was May 22.

"That's when I rang the bell," she said.

"I don't have anything left to show for my little shift except my short hair," Haas said. "It's important and it's devastating. Everything about me will look normal now except for my hair for months and months and months."
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The body of 19-year-old Shelley Sikes of Texas City has been missing since 1986, she is presumed dead.

One man convicted of kidnapping her will remain in prison for at least 5 more years after his parole was once again denied last week by the Texas Board of Pardons & Paroles.

Gerald Zwarst, 63, was convicted of aggravated kidnapping in Sikes' disappearance in 1988. He was sentenced to life in prison and was first up for parole in June 2007.

NEW CHARGES: Death row inmate accused of trying to kill 2 more people in 1995 case

Each time he's up for parole, Texas City authorities and people close to Sikes' family fight to keep Zwarst in prison.

Sikes' sister, Dana Wild, told the Bay Area Citizen before Zwarst's 2012 parole hearing that every proceeding opens wounds, but her family will not stop fighting to keep Zwarst in prison.

"Even if he gets denied parole this time and gets put up for five more years, I know that in five more years we're going to be doing this again," Wild said. "Every time that the sore begins to heal, then something scratches the surface off and it's bleeding all over again."

John Robert King, also convicted of aggravated kidnapping in the Sikes case and sentenced to life in prison, died in prison in October 2015.

On May 24, 1986, King was driving Zwarst's car when he ran Sikes off the road as she drove home from her job at Gaido's restaurant on the Galveston Seawall.

Sikes' car was found the next day on Interstate 45 near Dickinson, but Sikes was never found.

King confessed that he and Zwarst abducted and murdered Sikes in a 1987 phone call to the El Paso police. Because a body was never found, both men were instead charged with aggravated kidnapping.

Both men were offered deals in exchange for the location of Sikes' body, but neither provided a valid location to investigators.

Zwarst's parole was last denied on Sept. 29 on the grounds that he remains a danger to society.
Jessica Fehr, Don Harris and Joe Raffiani are finalists for succeeding outgoing Judge Russell Fagg in Yellowstone County.

The names were announced Monday after the Judicial Nomination Commission interviewed five candidates. Jacquelyn Hughes and Brent Brooks interviewed but did not move on.

The commission now forwards the three names to Gov. Steve Bullock, who has 30 days to make the nomination.

In public deliberations after the interviews, commission members unanimously agreed to forward both Harris and Raffiani for consideration. Fehr received support from all commission members except one: Lane Larson of Billings.

Whomever Bullock appoints will have to run for election in 2018 to retain the seat. The position pays $132,567 a year.

Brooks received support from one commission member, Janice Bishop, but 'no' votes from everyone else. Commission members said Brooks has not had enough recent courtroom experience, and as the city attorney since 1998, they expected to see more public support for him during the comment period.

Hughes, who received 'yes' votes from Larson and Bishop and 'no' votes from everyone else, had a strong application but needs more experience, commission members said.

Miss Hughes application was very strong, but I think that its somebody thats young and needs some seasoning, Karl Englund, one of the commission members, said.

Two applicants, William Speare and Yvette Lafrentz, applied but did not receive interviews.

Two additional judgeships will be open for election in November 2018, with the judges taking office in January 2019. Thats after the Montana Legislature approved funding for two new judges in response to a major increase in cases in recent years.

Yellowstone County, whose courtrooms are the busiest in the state, could use an additional seven judges, the National Center for State Courts has determined, but lawmakers approved just two.

Judicial Nomination Commission members are District Court Judge John Brown of Bozeman, Janice Bishop of Missoula, Karl Englund of Missoula, Elizabeth Halverson of Billings, Hal Harper of Helena, Lane Larson of Billings and Nancy Zadick of Great Falls.
New York investment fund Global Infrastructure Partners will pay $1.83 billion for the Permian Basin's largest privately owned network of crude oil pipelines.

GIP is buying the Medallion gathering and processing system of pipelines that spans more than 800 miles from The Energy & Minerals Group, which is based out of Houston, and Oklahoma-based Laredo Petroleum.

Medallion Gathering & Processing will keep its name and leadership, operating out of Irving as a GIP subsidiary.

"Combining Medallion's current team and best-in-class service with GIP's financial strength and commitment to operational excellence will be the catalyst for further expansion of Medallion's midstream infrastructure in the Permian Basin and ability to provide an even greater level of service to our producer customers," said Medallion President and CEO Randy Lentz.

Activity in the Permian Basin is booming more than anywhere else on the planet, so there's been a resulting to rush to build out or buy pipeline networks to carry that crude from West Texas to major distribution hubs.

RELATED: 'There is a risk for an overbuild' for Texas pipelines

The Energy & Minerals Group, a private investment firm called EMG, will keep the much smaller Medallion network on the western Delaware Basin portion of the Permian.

EMG owned 51 percent of the Medallion network that's being sold, while Laredo held the other 49 percent.

Raymond James analyst John Freeman said GIP appears to be getting a bargain, because the pipeline network was valued by many on Wall Street at $2.2 billion or more.

Laredo is expected to use much of its proceeds to pay down debt.
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Stratton Development and Construction plans to build more warehouses north of Houston.

The Houston industrial developer plans to add six to eight warehouses at the southwest corner of Hardy Toll Road and FM 1960, a few miles west of Bush Intercontinental Airport. The developer bought the 12-acre tract in August for an undisclosed price.

The brick, stucco and metal warehouses will vary in size from 15,000 square feet to 50,000 square feet. Construction is expected to begin during the first quarter of 2018 with openings in the second quarter. The Houston Planning Commission gave preliminary approval for the project last week.

RELATED: Relief efforts put warehouse space to good use

Stratton has built 38 warehouses on about 60 acres in the area since 2012. They range in size from 8,000 square feet to 30,000 square feet. Tenants have bought or leased the warehouses for a variety of industries, including oilfield services, equipment leasing and granite import and export.

Companies are flocking to warehouse space in the north Houston area because of its accessibility to freeways and proximity to energy companies in The Woodlands and near the airport, Stratton CEO Casey Butaud said.

Though the north Houston area saw heavy flooding during Hurricane Harvey, Stratton's warehouses did not flood, Butaud said.

"Cypresswood, one exit north of us was really bad, but where we're at, there was no flooding,"

Butaud said. "We've been getting a ton of calls right after Harvey from people looking to move from flooded areas. We couldn't help. Everything we've developed has been sold or leased out."
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While some may consider heroes to be law enforcement officers, firefighters, EMS workers or other public servants, for San Jacinto County it also includes everyday people who sacrifice their own time and comfort to help their fellow man. Five such volunteers were celebrated on Sept. 29.

Friends and family gathered at the Pleasant Grove Baptist Church located in San Jacinto County on FM 945 to celebrate the actions of five local citizens who volunteered to help out during rescue and recovery efforts during Hurricane Harvey.

"They're not firefighters, they're not volunteer firefighters, they're not policemen," said Pct. 3 Constable Sam Houston. "They're just everyday common citizens in our community."

Houston, along with Stan Jolly of the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office, held an awards ceremony for the five volunteers to commemorate their hard work and for sacrificing much of their time to help those who were less fortunate.

"That means you left your family to do for others," said Jolly.

Jolly introduced the first volunteer, Micah Hudman, and explained how he took an airboat and used it to rescue other citizens.

"I sat there and watched him pick up people," he said.

Hudman also saved a steer from drowning. Jolly commended him for helping the animal as he says he was afraid it might hurt someone due to all of the noise.

"Your actions are an example of true heroism," said Jolly.

Jolly then introduced Justin Syphrett, who also used an airboat to assist the citizens of San Jacinto County.

"You took a chance," said Jolly. "When you sacrifice your own equipment, your own time, it's very important."

Houston introduced Daniel Pete Sampson, whom he describes as a longtime friend. Sampson assisted Houston and his deputies with rescue efforts.

"Even with an oxygen bottle hanging on him he was out there with us," said Houston.

Adam Crawford was the next volunteer presented with a plaque. Houston says Crawford went with him on patrols and assisted in helping folks out of their homes during the flooding.

"Whatever the need is, whatever you have to get done, I call on these gentlemen and they're with me," said Houston discussing the Crawfords as a whole.

The last volunteer honored was Norman Houston, Sam's son. Sam says Norman is also always on patrol with him and helped provide assistance during Hurricane Harvey by assisting in rescues and taking supplies to areas where they were needed.

"I thank him for always being there with me," said Sam.
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Texadelphia, the beloved-by-many Tex-Mex-meets-cheesesteak chain, is back in Houston after a two-year absence.

The restaurant announced on Facebook that it's open for business at 8383 Westheimer, in the former home of Potbelly Sandwich Works. Hours are 11 a.m. till 10 p.m.

Around 1 p.m. Tuesday, the restaurant was packed. The phone has been ringing off the hook with to-go orders said general manager Michele Horton.

SO SAD: Restaurants we had to say goodbye to in 2017.

"It's been an overwhelming response," she said.

The original menu remains mostly the same, with a few additional items and updates. Paninis are new, Horton said, and the T-Boone Chickens Salad (crispy chicken tenders, bacon, avocado and croutons) and the Steak & Greens salad (chopped sirloin steak, bell peppers, mushrooms and tortillas strips) have been tweaked.

Branch Sheppard, a Houston attorney, and his wife Haley, bought rights to the new franchise location after negotiating with Dallas-based Quintessence restaurant group, which bought the chain from its Austin-based owner.

"We made a concerted effort to bring the brand back to Houston," said Sheppard told the Chronicle in August. "The departure of Texadelphia (from Houston) left a huge hole in the hearts of many, including myself and my wife."
The All is Well massage and spa is located in a bustling strip shopping center in the shadow of the Katy Mills Mall.

Outside, busy shoppers dash into other businesses then quickly race back to the parking lot to escape the afternoon heat. But it's a different story inside the spa at 1200 Katy Mills Blvd. The atmosphere is serene and still. Soft music slips out of unseen speakers and a slight aroma of oils can be detected.

"This is my passion," said Victoria Lu, who founded the spa and plans to eventually offer franchises.

After a soft opening earlier this summer, the spa had its official grand opening last week. It offers a range of services from hot stone massage to a toxin cleanse. "We have a unique set up here," Lu said. "We combine the western massage culture and the eastern massage culture."

Several private rooms, with names like "Rejoice," "Revive" and "Relax," are available for full body massages. Lu said companies can also hold meetings in the large, central room with its own massage tables.

"They can have their corporate conference at the same time they get their foot massage," she said.

Lu has been in the spa business since 2001. A couple of years ago, while living in Arizona with her family, she had the idea to move somewhere else and start her own company. Her journey eventually led her to Texas and Katy in particular.

"I followed God's directions and moved here," she Lu, a devout Christian. "This was the perfect spot."

She got the idea for the spa name after listening to a sermon by Lakewood Church pastor Joel Osteen.

"I said, 'That's it.' That's the name God wants me to use," Lu said.

About $600,000 has been spent turning All Is Well into what Lu says is a one of a kind spa in the Katy area.

"We invested a lot. We feel like we made the right decision," Lu said.

She said a combination of economic growth in the area and an educated customer base that would understand her concept of holistic health made Katy the ideal location for her spa.

"When people come in, I see on their face - the pain," she said. "After we help them, they feel better. I love that feeling."

They also offer acupressure massage - no needles are used - to restore blocked energy to tired and sore bodies.

"We use our fingers to stimulate your acupuncture points in the body," Lu said. "Then, the body's energy starts flowing and you will not have pain."

Some of the massages are designed for expectant mothers and athletes, including reflexology - where massaging different sections of the foot can help with other parts of the body.

"We just want the people to feel relaxed," Lu said. "If you do it regularly, it will improve your overall immune system and your overall health."

Prices vary for the different massages at All Is Well. They offer a $59 a month membership which would reduce the cost. Further information is available at www.AllisWellSpa.com
Preliminary enrollment figures show more students attending the University of Houston-Victoria this fall than the previous year.

Figures also indicate a record number of students living in the residence halls. As of Wednesday, UHV has 4,429 students enrolled, an increase of 6.9 percent over final enrollment numbers a year ago.

"It's exciting to see UHV's enrollment growing," UHV President Vic Morgan said. "This increase is a sign of more good things to come as we continue to build a destination university."

In addition to increased enrollment, the university has 621 students living in its residence halls, a 96 percent occupancy rate. That's a 2 percent increase from the occupancy rate a year ago. UHV's fourth residence hall, named after UHV Provost Emeritus Don Smith, is slated to open in 2019.

The university saw growth in undergraduate student enrollment for both new and returning students. UHV has 988 new undergraduates, an increase of 28 percent compared with fall 2016 final enrollment. The university also saw a 3.2 percent increase in undergraduate student retention.

When it comes to attracting new students, UHV has used several tools. In addition to the website redesign, the university's recruiters have traveled to different regions of the state to reach out to students and build relationships. The university also has made connections through encouraging students and their families to visit campus during personal tours, Jaguar Days and open house events.

UHV's new freshman class comes from 55 counties across Texas. In addition, the university has made or renewed several agreements with community colleges in the region, including Lone Star College, Houston Community College, Coastal Bend College and Victoria College.

All three of UHV's academic schools have seen growth in undergraduate enrollment from the previous year's final figures. The School of Arts & Sciences saw a 13.2 percent increase. Undergraduate enrollment in the School of Education, Health Professions & Human Development increased 5.1 percent, and the School of Business Administration grew 1.6 percent.

In addition to enrollment increases, students are enrolled in more credit hours. As of Wednesday, students are taking a total of 40,880 credit hours, a 5.9 percent increase in final figures from the previous fall.

UHV opened in 1973 with about 350 students. The university first exceeded 3,000 students in fall 2008 and then crossed over the 4,000-student mark in fall 2010.

Final fall enrollment figures will be released later in the semester after certification from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
Panels on issues facing student veterans will bring together advocates and experts to discuss veterans' health, employment and academic success in higher education this week.

The first-ever All-Texas Veteran Higher Education Symposium will begin Wednesday Oct. 4 with support from chancellors of the University of Texas System and the Texas A&M University System, which has held a military and veteran symposium for years.

The two university systems are hosting the event, which is at Texas A&M University at San Antonio.

One panel will feature student veterans from around the state. A separate panel will address issues affecting female veterans, according to a press release.

"We are proud to join with the UT System to ensure that veterans throughout Texas are well served by our institutions," Texas A&M University System Chancellor John Sharp said in a statement.

Though campuses around the state have programs for student veterans -- including a VetSuccess program at the University of Houston that links the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs with UH -- these students face challenges including feelings of isolation and not being able to connect with younger peers.

Recent legislation and work from nonprofit foundations have aimed to address veteran enrollment in higher education and funding veterans' tuition.

President Donald Trump in August signed into law a revamped GI Bill, which allows veterans to use their higher-education benefits for longer than 15 years and gives National Guard members and reservists access to more student aid, Inside Higher Education reported.

And the Posse Foundation for the last five years has tried to recruit more veterans into elite four-year universities by supplementing available funding for tuition money. An analysis last fall from Inside Higher Ed found that 36 highly selective colleges, including Rice University, enrolled just 645 veterans. (Rice, by that analysis, enrolled zero)

Chancellors from the A&M and UT systems said in a press release that their institutions aspire to serve students well.

Military Times ranks the University of Texas at Arlington, Texas A&M University, Texas State University and the University of North Texas as within the top 50 colleges and universities for veterans.

The goal of the forum this week is to bring stronger focus on the different academic paths that student veterans face.

"We know that every aspect of their life going forward will be made better by a high quality education, and UT and A&M institutions are committed to ensuring its student veterans get one," UT System Chancellor William McRaven said in a written statement.

But for public universities in the state, the issue of higher-education benefits for veterans and their dependents has been contentious in state politics.

This week's discussion comes on the heels of a legislative debate over how much money universities should spend on benefits through the Hazlewood Act, which requires campuses to spend millions of dollars annually on tuition for veterans and their families.

Some campus administrators have said that while they are committed to veterans' academic success, the costs are essentially an unfunded mandate from state lawmakers and, because so many people are eligible, the law drives up the cost of higher education for students at large.

A bill introduced last session would have reduced the number of students qualified for receiving the money by requiring veterans to serve four years before receiving benefits, up from 180 days. Also, the benefits would have expired after 15 years.

The bill got out of a House committee but never saw a vote by the full body.

Lindsay Ellis writes about higher education for the Chronicle. You can follow her on Twitter and send her tips at lindsay.ellis@chron.com.
Kimberly Stuart-Noska knew she had to do something when the floodwaters from Hurricane Harvey sent thousands of her fellow Katy residents fleeing for safety.

She was one of the fortunate ones. Stuart-Noska's home in the Firethorne subdivision along FM 1463 stayed dry.

"Our entire community sprang into action. We had donations of everything you can imagine staged at our community center," she said.

But it seemed like someone else was always there ahead of them whenever they wanted to drop off meals for the city's hard-working first responders.

"You'd go there and you're the fifth person coming the street. All of us were basically scurrying around like chickens with our heads cut off," Stuart-Noska said.

Jennifer Skelton also wanted to help out other Katy residents. Like Stuart-Noska, her home along Kingsland and the Grand Parkway did not flood.

The first day, she volunteered at a temporary shelter for flood victims at Cinco Ranch High School.

"But when we went to sign up again, they had all the volunteers they needed for the whole week," Skelton recalled.

That's when they began to think beyond the immediate needs of the flood victims.

Skelton said her daughter, Grace, was concerned that the flood happened just before the much anticipated homecoming season.

"I said, 'Why don't we start collecting dresses for homecoming?' She thought it was a good idea," Skelton said.

Stuart-Noska had the same idea. She wanted to do something to help young women who lost everything in the flood.

"It seems like such a luxury when you're rebuilding your house," Stuart-Noska said.

"But it makes you feel so good inside when you see a girl smiling and picking out a dress," added Stuart-Noska.

Skelton began posting messages on social media about her plan to gather ball gowns for Katy teens who were flood victims.

"Within the first few days I had 100 dresses," she said. "I've been having dresses mailed from all over the country."

The "Weddings by Debbie" salon in Katy donated 20 new dresses to the effort, Skelton said.

The number of donated dresses quickly grew. At one point, they had 600 available for Katy students to pick out.

They have hosted a couple of "pop up shops" - temporary stores where the high school students can pick out a dress for the prom.

One of the girls who picked out a dress was a Katy High School student whose father is a police officer.

"Their house flooded and they didn't know what they were going to do," Skelton said. "This is such a blessing."

Stuart-Noska and Skelton are both mothers of students in the Katy ISD.

They said it is important to provide a sense of normalcy to young people who have been traumatized by the destruction from Hurricane Harvey. Something as simple as going to a homecoming dance can do wonders.

"The girls have been appreciative and the mothers have cried," Stuart-Noska said. "Their mothers told us (their daughters) were considering not going."

The dresses that weren't picked out for homecoming will be kept in storage for the approaching prom season.

"This financial devastation is not going to end in a month," Skelton said.

Stuart-Noska said she was proud of the way the Katy community came together to help the girls have their homecoming experience.

"It has been very emotional and very rewarding," she said. "I wouldn't want to live anywhere else."
Laura Martinez, M.D., and Neel Srikishen, M.D., have joined Houston Methodist Urology Associates' practice in Sugar Land.

Both have been a part of the Houston community for several years and are looking forward to providing excellent urologic care in the Sugar Land and greater Southwest Houston area.

Martinez comes to Sugar Land from Houston Methodist Hospital, where she recently completed a fellowship in continence, pelvic reconstructive surgery and neurourology. Prior to that, she completed her residency at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. She earned her medical degree from Baylor College of Medicine and her undergraduate degree from Rice University.

Martinez is a member of the American Urological Association; Society of Women in Urology; and Society of Urodynamics, Female Pelvic Medicine and Urogenital Reconstruction. She will begin seeing patients in August.

Srikishen is a general urologist with experience in robotic, laparoscopic, microscopic, transurethral and open urologic surgery, as well as office-based urology. Srikishen joins the Houston Methodist Sugar Land team from Baylor College of Medicine, where he completed his urology residency. While there, he conducted a number of clinical research projects in several areas of urology, including the use of robotic surgical simulators. An alumnus of Rice University and University of Texas-Southwestern Medical School, Srikishen will begin seeing patients in September.

Houston Methodist Urology Associates is a group of physicians dedicated to the treatment of the entire genitourinary tract, including urologic oncology, urinary stones, female urology, infertility, neurourology and transitional urology. Combining clinical expertise with advanced technology, the practice's physicians treat conditions such as kidney stones, urinary tract infections, incontinence, urologic cancers (including kidney, bladder, prostate, testicle and penis) and neurogenic bladder.

Houston Methodist Urology Associates is located on the Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital campus, in Medical Office Building 2. To make an appointment, call 281-276-5280. Visit houstonmethodist.org/spg to learn more about the practice. Visit our Facebook page at fb.com/methodistsugarland for the latest news, events and information.
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The attorney for a suspended Houston ISD principal credited with helping to turn around a struggling school is denying allegations that she didn't adhere to the district's decision to relax the student dress code after Hurricane Harvey and that she once threatened a student.

HISD officials revealed this week that Bertie Simmons, the principal of Furr High School, had been "temporarily relieved" of her duties due to a "personnel matter." The district declined to elaborate "out of respect for the privacy of the individuals involved."

Simmons, 83, is nationally known for coming out of retirement in 2000 to lead academic improvement efforts at the high school.

In a letter to Superintendent Richard Carranza, attorney Scott Newar wrote that Simmons was removed and an internal investigation launched after it was alleged she had "failed to adhere to the district's decision to relax student dress code for the first semester and... verbally threatened students with a baseball bat.

Newar denied both allegations. He noted that other HISD schools had been allowed to chose whether or not to relax their dress codes after Harvey and the flooding it generated.

As for the claim that she had threatened students, Newar said Simmons is known for cracking jokes with students.

"During her 17 year tenure as Furr's Principal, Dr. Simmons has routinely  albeit playfully - referred misbehaving Furr students to the baseball bat that she keeps in her office. However, not once in her 17 years at Furr has Dr. Simmons ever used or threatened to use that baseball bat or any other object to discipline or harm any student," Newar wrote Carranza. "As you well know, Dr. Simmons is 83 years old and approximately 5 feet tall. Therefore, it defies credulity and common sense that Dr. Simmons could objectively threaten anyone  let alone, high school students  with a baseball bat."

A phone message left for Simmons was not immediately returned Wednesday.

The investigation into how Simmons handled Furr High School's uniform policy comes after the school went from being called a "drop-out factory" by staff in 2000 to one with a graduation rate that topped 90 percent in 2016. The school also meets the state's academic standards, although student performances in reading and writing have been weak.

Furr High was also plagued by gang activity when Simmons came, according to Chronicle archives and Newar's letter to the superintendent.

Newar wrote that Simmons instituted a strict uniform policy when she came to the school in an effort to deter gangs  a policy he credits with reducing violence and instilling discipline in students.

"As a consequence, Dr. Simmons decided not to 'relax' Furr's uniform policy in the first semester of this school year," Newar wrote. "Indeed, Dr. Simmons decided that 'relaxing' the uniform policy would cause an increase in gang activity and, potentially, gang violence."

Newar argued that schools had wiggle room on the question of the student dress code.

He cited Lamar High School, which sent a letter home to parents in September that read, in part: "Uniforms are still required. If you have them, you must wear them."

Hogg Middle School officials told parents, "We believe uniforms serve as a great equalizer and provide students with a sense of normalcy. Hogg M.S. will adhere to our uniform policy this school year with compassion."

A similar letter was sent to parents of Oak Forest Elementary.

Carranza has repeatedly said at press conferences and meetings that the entire district's uniform policy would be relaxed after Harvey and subsequent flooding destroyed the belongings  including purchased uniforms  of many local students. He recently began his second year as superintendent.

Simmons was placed on leave with pay Sept. 29 and was advised to stay away from the school.

Diana Davila, a Houston ISD trustee who represents neighborhoods around Furr High School, said that Simmons is being treated in accordance with district policy.

"People seem to think we're doing something different with Dr. Simmons, but we're not. It is our standard practice to remove an individual from their work location when they're under investigation," Davila said. "It doesn't mean she'll be relocated or that it's permanent or she'll removed."

Furr High received a $10 million grant from the XQ Project in 2016 that will help pay for social workers, a mentorship coordinator, international travel, a center for new immigrants, a university training site and more. It was one of 10 schools nationwide to receive the grant.

Carranza lauded Simmons at a community meeting in 2016, describing her as a "force of nature" who brought pride to a school that others had written off. At one point, he even referred to the Furr campus as "Bertie Simmons High School."

Simmons has also attracted national media attention in recent years.

She has been profiled by CBS News, NPR and USA Today. Furr High's approaches to reducing out-of-school suspensions and expulsions, as well as improved academic outcomes for students, have been cited by the New York Times and The Economist.

Teachers, students and alumni expressed shock at Simmons' removal on social media and in emails to Houston ISD staff.

Jordan Davis, a 17-year-old senior who came to Furr High from California in the middle of his sophomore year, said Simmons once pulled him aside when she noticed his grades started to slip.

"Ever since I walked in her office, she told me she's going to watch me, she believes in me and her door is always open. She told me at one point 'Don't make me take my earrings off and take you down,'" he remembered, laughing. "But I knew she was joking  it was so obvious. I love her with all my heart."

Davis said he would be "devastated" if Simmons were not there at his graduation, waiting to shake his hand as he walked across the stage.

In a passionate email to Carranza, Karen Taylor, a French teacher who worked with Simmons to institute a new English-as-a-second-language program at Furr High, echoed Davis' sentiments.

"What is HISD thinking to suspend someone who is recognized as one of the best principals in the United States? Educators come from all over the country and the world to see her model school," the teacher wrote. "She cares for all aspects of her students' lives and they know it. Three of them even called her during Hurricane Harvey and asked that she rescue them. She just organized a clothing drive to replace some of the clothes her students lost in the flood."
CROW AGENCY  The chairman of the Crow Tribe told a gathering of tribal members Monday afternoon that he plans to furlough 70 government workers later this week as the government faces a possible shutdown in the absence of a new annual budget.

Three hours later, however, Chairman A.J. Not Afraid contacted The Billings Gazette to announce that he intends on Tuesday to fully shut down all nonessential tribal operations not fully funded by federal grants.

The abrupt reversal, he said, was spurred by a conversation with another tribal official, who said the tribe's coffers would only allow the government to keep the lights on for about another week.

"He recommended it would be wise if we just do a general government shutdown," Not Afraid told The Gazette. "I thought we could (stay open), but there aren't enough carryover funds to continue operating."

The shutdown won't affect essential tribal services such as law enforcement and security on the Crow Reservation, he said, but regulatory programs, health care services not fully funded by federal grants, and other programs will be temporarily shuttered.

A shutdown of tribal government is within Not Afraid's power, Legislative Branch Attorney Dawn Gray said Monday night. But, she added, the tribe's constitution stipulates that the tribal legislature can't legally pass a budget until 15 days after the administration submits its proposed budget, which didn't happen until last week.

"Legally, our hands are tied by the constitution," Gray said. "The reason why that 15-day notice was there is for the public and so things would be transparent ... Just because they're late, does that mean we have to squash the people's right to the transparency of passing something like that?"

In remarks to more than 150 tribal members gathered at the tribes multipurpose building in Crow Agency on Monday afternoon, Not Afraid said his administration is partially to blame for the latest round of austerity measures, although he accused the tribes Legislative Branch of playing politics with public employees.

Theres truth to what is being said by the legislature, that submittal of the budget was first of all untimely, secondly had no (precise) numbers, Not Afraid said.

Having been elected last year on a platform to bring financial stability to a tribal government that has piled up debt amid declining revenue from coal production in recent years, he emphasized his administration has had to make hard decisions to trim the tribes fiduciary obligations from what he said was a $64 million debt when he took office.

That was my vow running for office, that I would try to retire this debt. And that debt is more than $50 million, he said.

In an interview after the meeting, Not Afraid said he had asked the directors of all executive branch departments to identify a total of 70 employees to be furloughed until the Legislative Branch passes its budget. Those announcements would come Thursday, he said at the time.

That comes on top of earlier reductions in the tribal government workforce that included about 50 employees in the Beautification Department, which performs jobs such as picking up trash, and furloughs for the entire Cultural Resources Department  about another dozen employees.

Currently, the Crow Tribe employs about 560 workers, which Not Afraid said is about a third of the number of employees on the government payroll when he took office last year. Speaking later Monday night, he said the more widespread shutdown would temporarily lay off about 240 tribal employees and stop services that offer drug addiction treatment and a program that helps low-income tribal members with their energy bills.

Over the weekend, the administration also announced that elder checks  payments made to elderly retirees by the tribe  would be on hold pending the approval of the new budget by the Legislative Branch.

Were not trying to hold these payments hostage, Not Afraid told tribal members during the meeting. Its just that by the due process, we cannot expend these funds.

Legislative officials responded the same day with a statement that last weeks submission of the executive branch's proposed budget left them unable to approve it before the fiscal year ended Sept. 30.

The two branches are at odds over the rules that allow a special session to be called to advance a new budget, which Not Afraid contends should allow the legislature to complete its business before the requisite 15 days. Gray, however, said Monday that the 15-day requirement also applies to special sessions.

The legislature plans to hold a special session to vote on Not Afraids budget proposal in the middle of the branchs previously scheduled regular session this month, Gray said.

If we were truly going to have a special session, you should have had that budget submitted by Sept. 14 and we could have had a special session Sept. 30, she said.

The ongoing budget dispute is the latest flare-up between two branches of government that have previously found themselves at odds during Not Afraids tenure.

In July, the Legislative Branch took his administration to court over what it claims was an illegal reservationwide referendum called by Not Afraid, questioning the validity of the tribes 2001 constitution and its federal water rights compact. The case is awaiting a ruling by the tribes Judicial Branch.
Houston police are investigating the death of a man they say was killed by an 89-year-old man that was in his care.

The accused shooter, whose identity is being withheld, shot and killed his 55-year-old caregiver and relative, citing an ongoing pattern of abuse and physical violence.
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Nearly 60 Harris County homeowners are suing two state agencies for what they say has been more than two decades of mismanagement of the Lake Conroe Dam, flooding their houses multiple times, including from Hurricane Harvey.

In a lawsuit filed Monday, families from Kingwood, Atascocita and Humble accuse the San Jacinto River Authority and the Texas Water Development Board of "intentionally flooding" their homes with releases from the dam and reservoir dating as far back as 1994. The agencies, the suit alleges, have repeatedly violated the takings clause of the Fifth Amendment, which requires governments provide "just compensation" for any private property taken for public use.

On at least seven occasions, the suit contends, the two agencies have orchestrated "catastrophic floods" that have "turned pristine homes into mold hazards" and "turned family neighborhoods into wasteland" without ever compensating for damages.

Neither agency could be reached for comment Monday night.

Now Playing: An apartment complex parking lot floods in Kingwood, Texas during Tropical Storm Harvey on Sunday, August 27, 2017. (Video: Mr. Hilburn via Twitter) Video: Houston Chronicle

The suit follows a wave of criticism during Harvey of the decision and timing of controlled releases of floodwaters from the dam, a public water supply source. Already the River Authority faces another lawsuit from hundreds of flooded Kingwood residents. Last week it was singled out by Houston Councilman Dave Martin, who represents Kingwood, for "hiding behind lawyers and press releases" in its operations during Harvey and subsequent responses to angry residents.

While the other suits have sought damages specifically related to Harvey, the action filed Monday seeks to compensate homeowners for at least 23 years worth of alleged mismanagement.

In an email Monday, Houston attorney Bradford Laney said he is seeking a "temporary and permanent injunction to make sure checks and balances are put into place" at the two agencies.

"We are fighters," said Laney, who is also a plaintiff in the suit. "And we are not going to rest until the Water Board and SJRA are held accountable for the devastating floods they orchestrated.

"If we have learned anything in the past few months, it is that these entities are incapable of managing their responsibilities without supervision," he said.

Authority responds

The River Authority has previously defended its decision to release record amounts of water from the dam during Harvey, and has called accusations that it was protecting certain people at the expense of others "both false and offensive."

"There is no question that the flows from this event were unprecedented and were highly damaging," the River Authority wrote in a statement last week. "Yes, homes were destroyed by the powerful force of the high flows in the river."

"To imply that Lake Conroe opened its flood gates and then homes were destroyed in the roaring floodwaters is incorrect," the statement continued.

But the suit may face an uphill battle, said Jim Blackburn, an environmental law professor at Rice University.

"It's a very difficult case to win," he said. "Mainly, you're going to have to show that there was intent to flood."

Similar case in 2014

And because the dam is a public water supply, and not meant for flood control, the homeowners will likely have to show that the River Authority's actions were both contrary to its operating agreements, and worsened the flood downstream, Blackburn said.

Similar arguments were made in a 2014 case brought by other Harris County homeowners, who claimed the county did not do enough to prevent floods of new homes built in the White Oak Bayou watershed.

The Texas Supreme Court eventually sided against the homeowners, writing that Harris County "never harbored a desire to cause flooding anywhere" and warning that allowing such litigation could discourage governments from mitigating future floods.

Blackburn, who represented the homeowners in that suit, said the case law it established could be a hurdle for the action filed Monday.

"It's not impossible (to win)," he said. "But it'll be very difficult."
Houston Rockets owner and entrepreneur Tilman Fertitta is working to help the family of an employee killed in Sunday night's mass shooting in Las Vegas.

Fertitta, owner of the Golden Nugget hotel and casino, told Fox News the mass shooting "hit home" for him because one of his employees, who had four children, was one of the victims.
A giraffe is no longer at the State Fair of Texas after a visitor expressed concern about the animal's behavior and posted a video to her Facebook page.

Stephanie Coon, of Fort Worth, recorded the giraffe pacing back and forth in its pen on Sunday, stating it should be taken out of the fair.
A deeper look into the family history of Stephen Paddock, the 64-year-old gunman who police believe murdered at least 59 people on the Las Vegas Strip before killing himself, reveals the alleged shooter may share some disturbing similarities with his father.

Benjamin Hoskins Paddock of Wisconsin was a convicted bank robber pursued by the FBI in 1968 after escaping from federal prison in La Tuna, Texas, near El Paso.
The North Houston VW Club is donating all proceeds from this year's Beetles, Brew and Barbecue show held Sept. 30 in downtown Tomball to Hurricane Harvey Relief.

Live music, brewers offering samples of Houston-area craft beer and vendors selling Texas-style barbecue joined the Volkswagen enthusiasts' and collectors' favorite vehicles.
The most-awaited part of the Route 91 Harvest Festival was hitting its groove when Montanans Michael Goguen and Jamie Stephenson found themselves in the middle of the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history.

Jason Aldean was the final act on the final night, Stephenson said in a phone interview from Las Vegas on Monday. The mood went from joyous ecstasy to hearing that rapid-fire sound. At first, we were super-confused as to what that was.

Stephenson and husband Goguen, who founded Whitefishs Two Bear Air helicopter rescue service, could see the Mandalay Bay Resort tower about 400 yards up to their right. At 10:08 p.m, a gunman on the 32nd floor started raining rifle fire into the crowd.

I had seen some drones, and I thought it might be fireworks going off from a drone, Goguen said. But the mood shifted and the lights went out quick and the performers ran from the stage. There was a very long burst of automatic fire. My next thought was, now that we know its gunshots, somebody is actually shooting at people, intentionally causing this kind of panic. He had a shooting position all lined up.

After first running for cover during the gunfire, Goguen and Stephenson ran back to give aid to the wounded and dying. The festivals medical tent transformed into a trauma crisis center. Event security, arriving first responders and dozens of volunteers started helping the nearly 600 victims of the shooting.

It all happened so swiftly, Stephenson said. People were clearly wounded, mortally, critically. Michael was stopping passenger vehicles, picking up people and putting them in cars, just finding random people on (the) way home. Some refused to stop. Others were so gracious. They put five people in one van. Whatever it took, these people stepped up and did the right thing.

Goguen had received his own emergency medical technician certificate last year. While Two Bear Air has gone on at least 15 rescue missions in western Montana since he started it in 2012, nothing prepared him for Sunday night. As of Monday afternoon, the official toll was 59 killed, and more than 500 injured.

The ambulances got there in fast time, but it sure felt like forever, Goguen said. There were a lot of victims with terrible injuries  multiple bullet wounds to the head and chest. We were trying to keep airways open, apply direct pressure. Fortunately there was a good set of people with training  EMTs, off-duty officers, a core set of people who were helping. The officers were incredibly brave. One officer by me was helping while holding compression on his own neck wound."

Goguen said at least three people died as he was trying to get them to aid. As he was helping load victims into ambulances on a side street, he saw several people whod apparently died where they fell. He realized the shooter had picked a position where the field of fire included one of the main exits from the festival grounds.

You just get so angry at whatever evil drives somebody to do something like this, Goguen said. There were so many people there, having such a positive time, in this atmosphere of happiness and love. To have somebody intentionally wreak such evil and carnage  it doesnt inspire fear. It inspires extreme anger.

Neither Stephenson nor Goguen was injured in the incident. Stephenson grew up in Las Vegas and still has many family and friends there.

Vegas will rally, she said. Well get through this. We will not stop living our lives. We will not stop going out. Well figure out ways to unite.

Taking cover

When Becky Anderson first heard the fire-cracker pops of explosives at the Harvest Festival in Las Vegas Sunday night, she was sure someone was lighting off fireworks in the crowd.

"Who would be that dumb?" she said thought in the moment.

It was then the firing started again and didn't stop. Anderson, from Great Falls, was at the music festival with five of her friends standing on the top row of a stand of bleachers. As soon as they realized they were hearing gunfire, they all took cover.

"We just laid down in between the bleacher seats," she said.

Another break in the shooting and Anderson remembers a man yelling at them that this was their chance to get up and run. It felt like they had been laying there for 30 or 45 minutes, Anderson said. It wasn't until Monday that she realized they'd been down between the bleacher for maybe 30 seconds.

Standing up to run, she looked across the festival grounds and saw "blood everywhere" and people who had been shot. She and one friend ran from the bleachers and followed a festival worker, whom they figured would know how to exit the venue.

"It was just crazy," she said.

Every so often, they'd hear more gunfire and drop to the ground for cover. She called those gunshots the most frightening sounds she's ever heard. Gun shots or shrapnel were hitting the metal bleachers, and people all over the grounds were screaming, she said.

"I was pretty sure we were going to die," she said. Still, "I stayed pretty calm because (my friend) was hysterical."

Anderson and her friend ended up at the MGM Grand, where staff were preparing to lock down the hotel. They didn't want to be stuck there, so Anderson and her friend slipped out the front and caught a cab back to their hotel, where they sat up all night watching the news.

"I have not slept yet," she said Monday afternoon. She was set to fly home Tuesday morning.

Anderson isn't sure what she's going home to. She hopes the tragedy and the terror of the shootings haven't changed her, but she knows it has.

"It hasn't sunk in yet," she said.

She loves big music festivals and attends them every year. She knows that will change.

"It'll be a while until I can go to another one," she said.

One floor down

At Mandalay Bay, Toby Schmidt and his fiance were on the casino floor Sunday night when they heard the first gunshots.

Schmidt, a Billings resident, had spent a year as a patrol officer for the Billings Police before starting his work as a computer technician there. He'd had enough active shooter training to know what was happening.

As dozens of police officers "carrying long guns" ran inside and up the stairs, "I knew things were going south," he said.

Schmidt would later learn that his hotel room was just one floor below the shooter.

Festival-goers began to stream into the hotel, coming from the concert grounds across the street and into the lobby. Schmidt said many of them were scraped and bruised; they all look terrified.

As it became clear the shooter was firing from a room at Mandalay Bay, Schmidt, his fiance, and others ran from the hotel and took shelter across the parking lot at the Luxor Resort and Casino. Officials at the Luxor took people and placed them in lockdown in a basement room usually reserved for employees.

"We had multiple people from the festival with us," he said.

Someone near them appeared to be shot, and those around the person were working to stop the bleeding.

"It makes you feel vulnerable," he said.

Law enforcement didn't clear the Luxor until about 5:30, Schmidt said, at which point they were let out of the basement. When they came out, the whole Las Vegas Strip was uncharacteristically quiet.

"It was pretty eerie," he said.

Checking on loved ones

Across town, Dustin Principe, who moved from Billings to Las Vegas a year ago, had spent the night trying to find his friend's mother and sister, who had been at the country music festival when the shooting began.

Principe is a showroom host for Paris Las Vegas and Bally's Hotel and was working Sunday night when the shooting happened. At first no one had any idea it had happened, Principe said.

But then he and his co-workers started receiving texts and messages from loved ones wondering if they were OK. It was long after that rumors of other shooters and hidden bombs began to spread.

"It started to get real panicky," he said.

Principe bolted the showroom before his hotel was placed on lock down, and that's when he got a message from his friend asking if he could pick up the friend's mom and sister.

Everyone was trying to get away from the venue, he said. He eventually found the two women about a mile away at the Tropicana. The mom had shielded the daughter from gunfire and saw the woman in front of her shot and killed. They were all in shock, he said.

"It was surreal," he said.

Principe spent the night checking whether friends and acquaintances were all right and responding to messages from others wondering if he was all right. Monday night's shows have all been canceled, he said.

It's hard to comprehend the scope of the tragedy or communicate the panic and the fear people felt Sunday night, he said.

"This definitely changes the future," he said.

'It was horrifying'

Lexie Andre, who grew up in Missoula and attended both Sentinel High School and Willard Alternative High School before moving to Las Vegas several years ago, said she and her friend were on the Las Vegas Strip during the shooting. One of her friends was at the concert and called Andre for a ride.

We had gone to pick her up, and we saw bodies in the ground covered in sheets and people that had been shot, she said. It was horrifying. It was traumatizing. People were grabbing their arms and legs, bleeding everywhere. It was complete chaos.

Andre said she and her friends were uninjured, but many people around them werent so lucky.

It was like something out of a movie, she said. It didnt even seem real. Even in the car we could hear him shooting. It sounded like fireworks. This guy was relentless.

She said the scariest part was the fact that shooter was above everybody, so there didnt seem to be anywhere to hide or run.

Ive never seen anything like that with bodies on the ground, she said.
Campbell County firefighter Bayelee Burton was returning from the restroom Sunday night when he first heard the popping noise.

It wasn't until the noise started again and the music stopped that the 20-year-old Gillette man realized the noise was more than a cap gun or fireworks. He fell to the ground as the bullets sliced through the crowd of more than 22,000 people at the Jason Aldean concert, the culmination of a three-day country music festival in Las Vegas. The smooth country pop was replaced by the sound of screams.

The shots stopped and Burton crawled forward, looking for shelter from the attack. He froze when they started again and crawled when they stopped, all the while trying to help those around him.

"Stay down," he told them. "Stay calm."

Finally, he paused his escape. Crouched behind a cart used to haul supplies, he took stock of the situation.

People in cowboy boots and hats walked with blood on their skin and clothes. Gates were toppled in the chaos as the crowds attempted to flee the gunman's attack, which killed at least 59 fellow concertgoers and injured more than 520.

He didn't yet know that his father, 50-year-old Clint Burton, had been shot in the leg. For hours, he wouldn't know where the rest of his family  his mom, aunt, uncle and three cousins  were hiding or if they were alive.

"It was just mad chaos," he said.

Then, Burton went to work.

Burton moved to a nearby gas station, where an injured man had been taken in a wheelbarrow. He stopped to give the man CPR  he had just been certified on Wednesday  but the man died. He went back into the complex, dodging teams carrying the injured and dead on metal gates and tables, and helped rescue people still hiding behind folding chairs and in portable toilets. He held IV bags in the first aid-tent-turned-makeshift-emergency-room and searched for scant medical supplies.

After a while, he retired to his room in the nearby Excalibur hotel. He connected with the rest of his family, who were on lockdown in a hotel across the street. They were all uninjured, but nobody had heard from his dad.

It wasn't until after midnight that they got a call from the hospital. Clint Burton had been shot in the back of his thigh but was conscious and stable. About 4:30 a.m., the family reunited at the hospital, United Medical Center.

By 6 p.m. Monday, Bayelee Burton was exhausted but relieved. His family was safe. Everyone was together. They were ready to go home to Gillette.

It was just a crazy event. Crazy," Burton said. "Never would have thought something like that would have happened.

Close call

For many Wyomingites, the lights and chaos of the Las Vegas strip offer a radical change from the silence of the sagebrush and dark nights of the mountains. Its impossible to know how many Wyoming residents were at the concert Sunday night. But based on Vegas popularity as a weekend getaway and the states widespread love of country music, its a fair guess that the Cowboy State was well-represented in the crowd.

And so, the loved ones of the concertgoers were left in limbo late Sunday and early Monday as the news of the shooting broke.

They waited to hear from their wives, brothers and children who were at the concert. Waited to see if they would join the thousands of others across the country who have lost loved ones in seemingly senseless shootings.

Cheyenne resident Charis Kipper heard the news about 4:30 a.m. Monday: All five members of her family who attended the concert were alive.

Her sister, who was born and raised in Laramie but now lives in Nevada, as well as her niece and nephew and their spouses are big fans of country music and had been at the three-day Route 91 Harvest Festival since Friday.

Information about their whereabouts trickled through social media  they had all lost their phones in the scramble. Kipper spoke to her niece briefly but said the woman was still shaken.

"They're all pretty traumatized," Kipper said late Monday morning.

Uncertainty remained for the family, however. Kipper's niece's husband, a firefighter in Lake Havasu City, Arizona, was shot in the leg while shielding his wife from the bullets.

He's stable, Kipper said, and is waiting for surgery while others in more serious condition are treated. All of her family members were still in Las Vegas on Monday morning.

You just are happy that your family is OK, but still worried about what kind of mental state they were in and what theyre going through," Kipper said. "You wish you were closer.

Candlelight vigil

Monday night, once again, Casper residents gathered to remember those killed in a mass shooting, to pray for those who survived and to attempt to comprehend the unimaginable.

More than 30 people traveled through sleet and rain to gather in the dim light of the United Church of Christ's sanctuary for a candlelit vigil just before sunset. Rev. Dee Lundberg did not offer platitudes. She spoke to the difficulty of rationalizing evil, the need for change, the hard work that is grief and the necessity of pursuing peace, regardless of it all.

"We can't let this darkness win," she said. "That's unacceptable."

People in the crowd responded with questions of their own: How can we feel safe? How do we make sense of evil? How do you explain this world and its evils to your children, your grandchildren? How much do you let them know?

Is it bad that these shootings feel normal now?

Lundberg noted that Casperites had gathered in the same sanctuary a little more than a year ago after a gunman killed 49 people in an Orlando nightclub.

These vigils have become a dark American tradition  each rendition of flickering candles and bowed heads reminiscent of the last, though the victims names change and the blood-soaked venue is different.

A calendar item published in the Star-Tribune a few days after a gunman killed 26 at Sandy Hook Elementary School in December 2012 lists numerous recipients of one such remembrance: A candlelight vigil in honor of the victims of recent violence in Casper, Connecticut, Oregon and Colorado will be held at 6 p.m. Friday at Conwell Park.

At the end of the service Monday, the group passed flames from white candle to white candle, like so many before them.

Then the 30 people, young and old, bowed their heads over their dripping, glowing candles and sat, the only noise the battering of the storm outside.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Gov. Matt Mead expressed concerns Friday about possible federal changes to sage grouse management, reiterating his desire for western states to be consulted during revisions.

His statement came after the New York Times leaked information Thursday about the Trump Administration's plans to make significant changes to sage grouse management in the coming days. The news scattered like buckshot across the West where the imperiled bird lives.

The Interior Department is expected to publish a notice of intent in the federal register opening the plans, 98 in total, for changes.

But the future of the bird with the bright yellow chest that struts gravely across breeding grounds to find a mate has cast a troubling shadow in Wyoming.

The state is home to nearly 40 percent of the birds population, and it has blazed a trail of conservation in recent years in an effort to keep the bird off of the endangered species list. Hardline environmentalists didn't believe it was enough, while others argued the protections were too restrictive of energy development.

A listing would devastate energy dependent economies in the West, as it would mean severe limits on oil and gas development, wind farms, ranching and infrastructure projects.

Many in the conservation community responded with dismay to the Department of Interiors recent 60-day review of the plans, as well as to comments made by Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke promoting energy development and controversial environmental strategies.

Mead said states should drive changes as they have in the past, not Washington, he added.

I just cant overemphasize how important it is to have that state input, Mead said. If it was a state by state listing decision, thatd be one thing. But the way we are with the law right now, if one state gets listed, we all are going to get listed. We sink or swim together.

Mead last spoke to the Interior secretary in June. The governor wrote a letter to Zinke mid-week requesting a meeting with Western Governors to ensure states continue to have input.

Environmental groups that have been involved in sage grouse management in Wyoming for years are growing frustrated by the federal intrusion on their plans.

Though developed by the Bureau of Land Management and other federal agencies, the strategies were part of a wide collaboration in Wyoming with state officials, energy companies, landowners and conservation groups like the Audubon Society.

Sec. Zinkes direct statement has been that he wants to open those priority habitats up to further development, said Brian Rutledge, conservation policy and strategy adviser for the Audubon Society. That is an anathema to these plans.

The bird simply won't survive more intrusion onto its key habitat, he said.

Whatever happens to the bird in the coming years, the debate and the repercussions if other states weaken protections, will come back to Wyoming, he said.

All of the restriction will be placed on us, Rutledge said. As those other populations wink out, what we will have to do is put even heavier protections in the places that maintain habitat.

The pressure will be on the state that has done the best job of managing its sage brush ecosystem.

The governor also expressed a degree of worry Friday about the unknown nature of the changes. Until the Interior Department has made its intentions clear, the governor would not speculate on what could be amended. But Mead has written a number of public letters to the Interior advising that the plans be kept whole and discouraging talk of setting population targets instead of focusing on habitat protections.

Mead admitted that there are some changes that could be problematic for the bird, but change itself could also be dangerous if it is not carried out thoughtfully, he said.

Mineral companies need long-term predictability as they decide where to put capital. On top of that the bird needs a long-term plan, the governor said. We cant have wholesale changes in wildlife management every four or eight years. I dont think that is the best way to sustain populations or provide the necessary predictability to industry and business in our states.

The oil and gas industry group Western Energy Alliance has called for action following the federal review of the sage grouse plans. The group was not one of the key players in developing the plan in Wyoming, but has been vocal on the need for changes that support energy development.

Many other groups weighed in after the news of big changes was leaked to the New York Times, including Back Country Hunters and Anglers, the National Wildlife Federation, the Western Leaders Network and the Western Watersheds Project.

The Obama administration weakened sage-grouse protections in federal plans in response to pressure from state governors, creating a crazy-quilt of loopholes that exempted the industries causing the most damage to sage grouse in each state from complying with protections, said Erik Molvar, a wildlife biologist working for the conservation group Western Watersheds Project in response to the NYT news.

The existing federal sage-grouse protections already are far too weak to sustain sage grouse populations in the face of commercial uses that are being approved on public lands in many areas.

Western Watersheds was the group that sued the feds in 2007 after they ruled the declining bird was not warranted for a listing. That lawsuit led to the rapid development of a sage grouse task force in Wyoming, and the gradual workings of a plan in the state to avoid a listing decision.

For Mead, there are parts of the plans that can do for changes or updates. But ahead of the Interiors move, the governor reiterated a desire for caution. What no one in the West wants is another endangered species listing on the horizon, he said.

Its a very good place to start and a very good place to end up: 'What is the states' point of view on any changes we would make?
More than one in 10 at-risk middle and high school students in the greater Houston area said they contemplated suicide during the past year, according to a survey completed by The Menninger Clinic psychiatric hospital and the WestEd education research non-profit.

While about 31 percent of the 620 students surveyed scored high on questions relating to how they handled their social and emotional health, about 27 percent reported chronic sadness and hopelessness. Twelve percent contemplated suicide, the survey found.

The students surveyed are all part of the BridgeUp at Menniger Clinic program, which blends social and emotional learning curriculum with classroom teaching and after-school activities.

Dr. C. Edward Coffey, a neuropsychiatrist who serves as Menningers president and CEO, said he was concerned by the survey's results, which also asked students about academic performance, school environments, bullying and substance use.

These are the types of indicators were measuring through the BridgeUp Healthy Kids Survey so that we have a snapshot of what is preventing students from being successful in school, Coffey said in a statement. We will use the survey to measure outcomes of our BridgeUp initiative and we will share the results with our partners so that they can make informed decisions about additional supports needed at the school and program level to improve social and emotional well-being.

This year, Houston ISD has incorporated social and emotional learning and supports in 32 of its schools through the "Achieve 180" campus improvement plan. Each of the schools participating in the plan has been labeled as "improvement required" by the state of Texas for at least one year, and 10 of the schools have been on the state's "improvement required" list for five years, which could trigger a state takeover of Houston ISD or prompt the state to close those schools.

"Achieve 180" calls for hiring and funding more nurses and social workers, as well as partnering with community agencies to provide services to struggling families.

The idea is that students cannot learn well if they're hungry, suffering from medical issues or exposed to domestic violence. Carranza said such "wrap-around services" will allow students to focus on academics by helping improve their families' circumstances.
Montanas looming two-year budget cuts will top the agenda when the Legislative Finance Committee convenes in Helena Wednesday for a two-day meeting.

This 12-member panel half Democrats, half Republicans, half Senate, half House  should be the catalyst for solutions to the revenue shortfall.

Democratic lawmakers are seeking a special legislative session to stave off some cutbacks with tax increases. Gov. Steve Bullock, a Democrat, has authority to call the Legislature into a special session, but has said it wouldnt be worthwhile unless Republicans have agreed to support some revenue-raising legislation.

A number of GOP lawmakers have denounced permanent tax increases, but what about temporary raises? How about modest increases in designated revenue streams that would expire in two years or so?

I will not support permanent tax increases during these down times, Sen. Llew Jones, R-Conrad, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, wrote in a Sept. 13 guest opinion. Jones opinion made clear that his preference is for Bullock to cut spending.

The suddenness and the magnitude of the projected shortfall would require deep cuts if no additional revenue is approved.

The Legislature approved the budget at the end of April and Bullock signed it in May. By June, actual revenue data was showing that the budget revenue estimate was too high. That shortfall immediately triggered cuts mandated in Senate Bill 261, another end-of-session measure. The SB261 cuts will slash some mental health services by half and reduce the rates Montana Medicaid pays for most other health care by 2.9 percent.

Then the state caught fire. With state costs of nearly $60 million, Montana already has burned through its entire wildland firefighting budget for this year and most of next.

Actual general fund revenue collections continued to underperform the budget estimate, so Bullock asked state agencies that receive general fund money to prepare plans for cutting 5 percent of their budgets, then he asked for plans to cut 10 percent  the maximum a governor can cut the budget without getting legislative approval.

Montanans can see those proposed cuts online now. If Budget Director Dan Villas most recent revenue estimates are accurate, the entire 10 percent cut will be needed to balance the state budget as required by Montana law.

Any lawmaker who believes that the lists of proposed 10 percent cuts fail to identify the least impactful reductions to reach the $229 million total should present alternatives now.

The only Billings lawmaker on the Legislative Finance Committee is Rep. Kelly McCarthy. A Democrat and member of the House Appropriations Committee, McCarthy has suggested there is merit in instituting some temporary revenue measures.

We still do not have a perfect understanding on why personal income receipts missed their mark so significantly, so it would seem practical not to institute any permanent solutions to a problem that we dont yet have a firm grasp on, McCarthy wrote in a guest opinion last week.

Meanwhile, public safety, health and education are in jeopardy. Our already understaffed prisons and state hospital cant safely operate with fewer workers. Montana businesses that contract with the state cant immediately absorb reductions in state reimbursement without laying off their staff. Health and human services will serve fewer elderly, children and disabled folks because those are the groups primarily served. The magnitude of cuts is staggering because the budget was already tight when the Legislature passed it.

Bullock cant save all the essentials that are now on the chopping block. A solution demands the cooperation of a majority of the 150 lawmakers and the governor.

We call upon all those lawmakers to be part of the solution. Dont force vulnerable Montanans to suffer because the biennial budget got the revenue estimate wrong.
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NEW ORLEANS  A trio of federal appeals court judges grilled attorneys over the inner workings of Harris County's bail system Tuesday, as lawyers for the county attempted to overturn a Houston judge's ruling that it violated the constitution by keeping thousands of poor, low-level offenders in jail simply because they can't afford bail.

The three-judge panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals interrupted lawyers and fired back questions over the fairness of allowing rapid-fire video bail conferences and the vetting of offenders who can simply claim on a form they're too poor to raise bail.

Rodney Ellis, the only county commissioner to back the lower court's ruling, had a front-row seat for the arguments. Afterward he said the judges had apparent concerns about Harris County's bail system but their questions indicated they also were troubled about whether the injunction halting "wealth-based bail" trampled on local officials' discretion.

Now Playing: "We have to reform the cash bail system in this country." Video: NowThis News

"I think they're trying to balance the issue of states' rights when, in this instance, I think the state and local government is clearly wrong, that there's something wrong with the system," said Ellis, a former state senator who authored the state's indigent defense law.

The county's arguments challenged an April ruling by Chief U.S. District Judge Lee H. Rosenthal in Houston that the bail system violated the U.S. Constitution's guarantees of due process and equal protection by unfairly warehousing poor misdemeanor defendants when people with money could await trial at home.

She ordered the county to allow misdemeanor inmates to be released on personal bonds within 24 hours of being taken into custody.

The county contends Rosenthal's order endangers public safety by letting people out of jail before judges have a chance to review the circumstances of their release.

With several county criminal judges  all defendants in the case  also watching intently from the gallery, the judges heard 30 minutes of arguments from the county, which has so far spent $4.2 million combating the lawsuit. That was followed by another 30 minutes of arguments from attorneys for indigent defendants who languished in jail for days because they couldn't afford to post bail.

The key issues before them are whether Rosenthal was correct to find the county's bail system discriminatory and whether her injunction offered a proper remedy to right what was wrong with the county's bail practices.

Attorney John O'Neill, who represents most of the elected county court-at-law judges, said after the hearing that Rosenthal's order has resulted in more defendants failing to show up for their court appearance, which bail is designed to prevent.

"It's a tragedy," he said. "It's chaos."

NEW SCRUTINY: 5th Circuit court will weigh Harris County's cash-bail system

'Rubber stamp'

The panel seemed to be questioning whether the county's bail hearings were substantive for defendants, whether the sheriff had the authority to release people on bond and whether it was arbitrary for Rosenthal to set a 24-hour limit for releasing qualified indigent defendants from custody.

The judges also appeared to be grappling with whether the federal courts should be in the business of sorting out how counties handle their bail proceedings or whether that should be left to the discretion of county criminal judges who hear misdemeanor cases.

Dubbed the nation's "most divisive, controversial and conservative appeals court" by the American Bar Association, the New Orleans-based 5th Circuit hears cases appealed from federal courts in Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi.

Hearing the arguments Tuesday at the majestic white marble courthouse on Lafayette Square  where many civil rights matters were heard in decades past  were judges Edith Brown Clement, a veteran New Orleans jurist; Catharina Haynes, of Dallas, a former civil court judge; and Edward C. Prado, who previously worked for the district attorney and public defender's offices in San Antonio. All were appointed to the court by Republican presidents.

Haynes dominated the questioning throughout the morning, challenging both sides with her inquiries.

When Chuck Cooper, a seasoned appellate lawyer who heads a Washington, D.C. law firm, argued the county bail hearings were not perfunctory, Haynes interrupted Cooper mid-sentence.

"Now they know they're under scrutiny so they add an extra sentence to their rubber stamp?" she asked.

While bail hearings may be brief, Cooper replied, the judges do give consideration to each defendant based on information gleaned during a pretrial services interview.

Haynes also quizzed Alec Karakatsanis, director of the Civil Rights Corps in Washington, D.C, who represents the indigent defendants who sued the county, asking why defendants needed to be released from jail by the 24-hour mark.

"I'm asking a very specific question you're not answering," she said. "Where in the U.S. Constitution does it say you're required to release... within 24 hours?"

"It doesn't," Karakatsanis replied.

Haynes also wanted to know the value of the affidavit that detainees sign swearing they can't afford bail. "What if they're lying on this affidavit? I don't know, if they're a millionaire or something?" she asked.

Karakatsanis said they could face further prosecution for contempt if they misrepresented their means.

Going too far?

The class-action lawsuit was filed by two civil rights groups  Civil Rights Corps and the Texas Fair Defense Project  and two law firms donating their services on behalf of Maranda ODonnell, a young mother who was held in the Harris County Jail because she could not afford to post $2,500 bail after being arrested for driving without a valid license. The suit applies to other inmates at the jail detained on misdemeanors as long as they don't have holds or detainers.

During the hearing Tuesday, Cooper assured the court that the judicial process was working efficiently in Harris County, with defendants having hearings on the next business day after their arrest and the chance to question the terms of their bail.

"I thought they were only given less than a minute to talk and they were told not to talk?" Prado asked.

Cooper clarified defendants have a chance to raise constitutional issues when they're before county law judges. But early in the process some defendants are told not to speak to the judge to avoid self-incrimination, Cooper explained.

Clement then asked Cooper what the logic was behind the hearing if defendants were told not to speak.

Haynes doubled up on the questioning. "What is a hearing if you're not going to listen?" she asked.

Cooper encouraged judges to view all the video hearings in evidence, and not just the ones the inmates' attorneys had "cherry picked" as egregious. They would see some back-and-forth, he said.

Prado pushed another line of inquiry  about whether Rosenthal's order limits judges' abilities to make individual decisions  during arguments from Daniel S. Volchok, from one of two firms helping represent the jail inmates.

"That doesn't give judges any discretion," he said. "Have we now gone too far to the other side? We had a system where everyone gets locked up. Now we have a system where everyone gets released."

Volchok said the sheriff  who releases inmates before the 24-hour deadline  and the county law judges still have discretion to make sure people are lawfully detained when appropriate.

Haynes jumped in again before Volchok finished his sentence.

"I find it very disturbing the sheriff needs to say to the judge, 'I'm not going to follow your order.' That's chaotic," she said, explaining Rosenthal's order forced the sheriff to act so quickly it put him at odds with judicial discretion.

A ruling from the appeals court could take months.
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An El Paso woman has been arrested for allegedly slapping a 5-year-old child some time between July 31 and Aug. 28.

Olga Najera, 52, was a teacher at Helen Ball Elementary when the alleged incident happened, the El Paso Police Department said in a news release.

Najera was arrested Monday by El Paso Police Department's Crimes Against Children (CAC) unit and booked into the El Paso County Jail on a bond of $15,000. She was charged with injury to a child.

BAD EXAMPLE: Arkansas high school teacher accused of having sexual relationships with 4 teen students

Najera was also arrested in August for a series of alleged incidents dating back to Aug. 2016 at Myrtle Cooper Elementary, KFOX TV added. Najera allegedly pinched a child younger than 14 on the arm and scratched the child around the hands, according to court documents obtained by KFOX TV. Najera also allegedly slapped another child in the face, stepped on the child's foot, and kicked the child.

Najera was placed on administrative leave in March and ultimately transferred from Myrtle to Helen Ball following the 2016 incident, the El Paso Times reported.

Najera's lawyer, Mary Stillinger released the following statement to KFOX TV:

"Olga Najera has worked as a bilingual educator of very young children for over ten years in the Socorro Independent School District. She has an excellent reputation with students, parents and fellow teachers. The accusations made against her are absolutely false. The allegations have been investigated and were found to be without any merit. Unfortunately, it is very easy to manipulate or misunderstand what very young children say. Our children's safety and education are of utmost importance, but it is also law enforcement's responsibility to do thorough investigation, before bringing charges."
Bob Levey/Stringer

Harris County Judge Ed Emmett and Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner will announce the first recipients of aid from the Harvey Relief Fund Tuesday morning.

The grants will be the first of several rounds of help disbursed from what already has grown to a $79 million pot of money administered by the Greater Houston Community Foundation.
AUSTIN -- Attorney General Ken Paxton's legal defense team accused his special prosecutors of "whining" and "grumbling" about their pay then skipping town to trek across India and visit New York as one of several reasons for a judge to deny their request to delay the high-profile Republican's criminal trial.

Another: if the Harris County criminal court dockets are overwhelmed in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, Paxton's case could be moved to Rockwall County, just south of Paxton's home in McKinney.

These are just some of the arguments Paxton and his legal team unleashed Tuesday in a filing to counteract a request by special prosecutors to delay Paxton's criminal trial. The parties will be back in court Wednesday afternoon where District Judge Robert Johnson is expected to hear the arguments. It is unclear when he will rule.

Accused of felony securities fraud related to convincing friends and colleagues to invest in a North Texas tech company, Paxton and his lawyers said in a court filing Tuesday he has the right to a speedy trial to clear his name and the judge should keep his December trial date intact.

"Fundamental fairness dictates that not only Paxton but the public are entitled to a determination of Paxton's innocence or guilt. He is, after all, the top ranking member of law-enforcement in the state," read the court filing.

Paxton, a first-term Republican attorney general planning to seek reelection in 2018, is accused of failing to disclose he would make a commission when trying to convince friends and colleagues to invest in Servergy, Inc., a company that purported to sell a revolutionary new server. The charges are unrelated to his public service.

A trio of Houston-area attorneys assigned to build a case against Paxton argue the trial can wait.

They have gone 18 months representing the state without getting paid while a lawsuit challenging their $205,000 invoice for their work building a case against Paxton has wound through the courts. Lawsuits challenging their pay been filed by Paxton's allies and politically charged from the outset. They contend the $300 per hour fee special prosecutors were promised exceeded local county limits of $1,000 for first degree felony pleas, $500 for third-degree pleas, $1,000 for pretrial work and $500 for each one-half day of trial.

The 5th Court of Appeals agreed, but the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals has agreed to look into the case in the coming months, giving special prosecutors a new reason to ask for a delay in Paxton's criminal trial.

The special prosecutors also argue that Hurricane Harvey's impact on the criminal justice system in Harris County should also warrant a delay. The Criminal Justice Center, which houses courtrooms, will be closed for about a year, forcing judges in criminal courts to share courtrooms and sort through mounting dockets of backlogged cases that have been stalled by the storm.

"The havoc Hurricane Harvey wreaked on the Harris County Criminal Justice Center and the criminal justice system make it virtually impossible for this case to be tried in December," read a motion for continuance by the special prosecutors. "This act of God is a neutral factor that cannot be held against the state."

Court schedulers "have their hands full" trying to manage the growing caseloads, said Chris Daniel, the Harris County District Clerk who oversees the court system. Judges are now sharing courtrooms with each other, and have to be more efficient when moving through their dockets to leave time for other judges to work through their caseloads, he said.

Putting off the trial would stretch Paxton's personal legal saga to more than two and a half years since a Collin County grand jury indicted him on two charges of first degree felony securities fraud and a lesser third degree charge of failing to register with the state as an investment adviser.

Andrea Zelinski cover politics and education for the Chronicle. Follow her on Twitter and Facebook. Send her tips at andrea.zelinski@chron.com.
Kudos to Dr. Ibsen and Kimberly Whitaker on their letters contradicting Steve Zabawa.

One point that has not been mentioned is the opioid epidemic caused by the same companies and individuals endorsed by Zabawa across America. The opioid epidemic is destroying lives every day and costing the taxpayers billions of dollars.

Its not just the drug companies making a profit, it is also the doctors and the pharmacists dispensing these so-called legal drugs. There is no evidence that marijuana adversely affects a persons health. Every day, more and more benefits are being found from marijuana

Maybe Zabawa and Safe Montana should spend more of their time fighting against the opioid epidemic and the meth problem that is destroying Montana.

Mike Thompson

Wibaux
How TCU, other contenders can make College Football Playoff Can the Horned Frogs help the Big 12 get over the CFP hump?

The best early Le Creuset Black Friday deals Black Friday is only two weeks away. Check out what you can buy on sale at Le Creuset.
The summers final Live on the Waterfront concert was held Wednesday evening at Prince Arthurs Landing. The popular series in Thunder Bay has completed nine weekly shows that began on July 13. Wednesdays concert was unique as it was held one hour later in the evening to mesh with the 10 p.
In response to Billie Ruff's Sept. 21 guest opinion about privatization of air traffic control systems:

The Bureau of Transportation Statistics reports that 76 percent of 2016 flight delays were caused by weather and the airlines themselves. ATC made up 23 percent of airport delays, not the "more than half" claimed in her opinion. ATC isn't the cause, it's lack of capacity. Privatizing ATC will not create additional runways, taxiways, concourses or gates for the airlines. Airports have not kept pace with airline growth.

The FAA is addressing the aging ATC system through its NextGen program. NextGen has saved the airlines and traveling public $1.6 billion so far, and is estimated to save $11.4 billion over the next 15 years. The Congressional Budget Office estimates privatized ATC would add nearly $100 billion to the federal deficit over the next 10 years.

According to a May, 2017 Congressional Research Service report, none of the proposed privatized ATC models are superior or inferior to the current FAA-run air traffic services. A 2016 GAO report states that the privatized Canadian ATC system has had to cut costs and raise its user fees in order to maintain its operations.

Airlines want to take control of the ATC system so they can determine where and when small, general aviation operators can fly. Supporters of HR 2997 claim there are protections for these operators. The truth is that a privatized ATC corporation could allow airlines to restrict private aviation.

Please tell Sens. Steve Daines and Jon Tester, and Rep. Greg Gianforte you oppose HR 2997.

Tony Wall

Billings
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Keeping with the governors Main Street Initiative, applications to the state for affordable housing funds were required to include infill.

The governor's initiative supports infill projects over development on the outskirts of towns because of the higher cost of providing and maintaining infrastructure and services to those outlying areas.

North Dakota Housing Finance Agency, which administers state and federal funds for the development of low-income housing, therefore decided to apply the same concept to the money it awards, said Director Karlene Fine, adding infill has been something the agency has advocated for when handing out funds in the past, but this was the first time it was a requirement of application.

The only way projects not meeting those standards may apply is if there are no infill opportunities available in the city.
Owners are remodeling the downtown Bismarck Wells Fargo Office Building and renaming the site Grand Pacific Center.

"The building is very similar to a building we acquired and renovated in downtown Fargo named Dakota Center. In that case, we renovated a building that had barely been touched in probably 30 years, and turned it into a true Class 'A' office building in a 'main & main' location that is now 100 percent leased," Gary Katz, senior vice president for building owner NetREIT, said in an email. "Our Bismarck building has many of the same attributes that Dakota Center had when we acquired it, and we hope to achieve similar successful results."

The new name harkens from the former Grand Pacific Hotel, which stood on the spot at the corner of Fourth Street and Broadway Avenue until it was demolished in 1974.

Along with the new name, there will be renovations to the main floor common areas and outside plaza entrance, with work being done by Wild l CRG Architecture. New modern finishes and lighting are being installed alongside historical photos displaying the buildings history.

The entire 15,000-square-foot top floor of the building is also undergoing renovations and is available for lease with Daniel Companies. Katz said he's hopeful the improvements will help attract new tenants as well as benefit existing tenants.

Katz said they hope to have the remodel complete before the end of the year.

The company will invest approximately $350,000 for the improvements to the lobby and exterior. It has previously invested more than $1.2 million in improvements to the parking deck, elevators, HVAC system, and tenant suites since taking ownership of the building.

NetREIT acquired the building in 2014.
With the dissolution of the proposed downtown mixed use FiveSouth project in Bismarck, $3 million for affordable housing development is up for grabs as part of the state Housing Incentive Fund.

While a group of local investors is aiming to restructure and save the downtown development, the money granted by the state for the affordable apartment portion had to be returned. And with state lawmakers opting not the refund HIF, the FiveSouth funds make up the majority of the $3.75 million left in the programs coffers.

At the close of the application period Sept. 30, eight projects, accounting for a total of $4.6 million in requests, are vying for the last of the available money.

So were over by about $1 million, said Jolene Kline, head of the North Dakota Housing Finance Agency which hands out HIF funding, explaining the program will not be able to fund all of the requests.

Three of the eight proposed projects are in Bismarck.

CommunityWorks and Mountain Plains Equity Group want to develop 35 senior housing units in Bismarck called Century Cottages. The group is asking for $400,000 from the state to fund a portion of the $8.3 million project.

The Schuett Companies Inc., which is in the process of trying to purchase Patterson Place Apartments in Bismarcks former Patterson Hotel, is asking for $600,000 to cover a portion of its $17.2 million investment.

Burleigh County Housing Authority is also seeking funds for its proposed homeless housing project, Edwinton Place, and is asking for $400,000. Total investment in Edwinton Place would be nearly $9.6 million for 40 units.

Outside of Bismarck, there are funding requests for a 28-unit apartment complex in Grand Forks, another Grand Forks project that would include 25 low-income units, 30 units for the physically disabled and homeless in West Fargo, rehabilitation of 32 apartments for the disabled in Ellendale and 20 new units of affordable housing in Washburn.

This was more of a gap fill round because of the limited amount, said Kline, adding that many of the companies will have to get the majority of their funding from other sources to make their projects viable.

Some of those other funding sources include the federal Low Income Housing Tax Credit program and the National Housing Trust Fund.

Locally, Edwinton Place is seeking $813,000 in federal tax credits, Patterson Place Apartments is seeking $850,000 and Century Cottages is seeking $677,500. The other requests are for projects in Grand Forks and Fargo.

From the trust fund, Edwinton Place is seeking nearly $1.6 million, Patterson Place is seeking $1.5 million and Century Cottages are seeking nearly $1.6 million, with the remainder of requests being for Fargo and Grand Forks projects.

It generally takes NDHFA staff a month to score the applications, but because of the competitiveness for this particular funding round, 26 applications from 14 projects, it may take longer, the agency said.
This irregular piece of limestone, found lying on top of the hoard, was possibly used as a capstone for the jar in which the coins were originally concealed. Immediately above it is the copper-alloy strap fitting, which is all that remains of the bag in which the coins had been placed. To the right of this is a very small selection of the coins found.

In February 2017, two brothers-in-law discovered gold and silver buried treasure in a field north of Lincoln, the county city of Lincolnshire, England.

The area was initially an Iron Age settlement comprising wooden dwellings and known by the Celts as Lindon.

Following the Roman conquest of Britain in A.D. 48, the invaders built a legionary fortress here that was at the northern end of the Fosse Way, the Roman road that stretched 182 miles from Ilchester in the southwest to what the conquerors Latinized to Lindum.

U.S. Mint welcomes a fourth metal to the American Eagle bullion program. Also in this weeks print issue of Coin World, we teach our readers about what a weak-fatty gold coin is and why you dont want one in your collection.

When the legion initially based here transferred to York in A.D. 71, the fortress became a home for army veterans. It was renamed Lindum Colonia, which after the Viking raid beginning at the end of the eighth century was shortened to Lincoln.

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Today it has a Norman castle and a magnificent cathedral that had its foundations laid in the late 11th century. From 1311 to 1549, before its 525-foot tower collapsed, Lincoln Cathedral was the tallest building in Europe. Lincoln is 141 miles (227 kilometers) north of London.

Good area for seekers

The finders were the treasure hunting team of Sean Scargill and Hugh Jenkins. They have been detecting in and around Lincolnshire for four years. Sean told me that they are very fortunate to have permissions on land within Lincolnshire known for yielding Roman material and have had good Roman find success as a result.

Sean continued with an account of the day that they found the late Iron Age hoard. We were detecting on a long-standing permission of ours, he told Coin World. It is in an area that we have previously searched many times over the last three to four years. The site is vast and it is believed to have periodic occupation from the late Iron Age through to today. This has been reflected in the many Roman and medieval artefacts that we have discovered there.

He continued: About a couple of hours into what was turning out to be a very sunny February day, Hugh suggested we move to an area of pasture that we had not detected for a while. This was a short walk from where we were, out into the sunshine, rather than the shade of the wood. This was a very easy decision as the midday sunshine had started to do its work warming an otherwise chilly morning. Initially the move to this area resulted in Hugh finding a Roman brooch, a few modern coins and a whole lot of lead for me. This was starting to get more than a little frustrating. We often find lead spindle whorls ... and pot mends in this area, but today was quickly turning into a random fragments of lead day for me. With this in mind, I remarked that I was going to try an area at the other end of the field, about 200 yards from our current location and that I would detect on the way there.

A few steps away

One could detect the excitement mount in Seans voice as he continued. Having taken no more than a few steps in that direction, I got a deep, faint but very interesting signal. Although it was faint, it was in good range and was also jumping around a bit. I was confident that the target was probably quite deep so I initially made an opening spade hole of about seven to eight inches. After sweeping the removed turf with the detector, to rule it out, I then swept the hole again, where I got a much stronger and more stable signal. I then inserted the detectors pinpointer to the bottom of the hole and all round the sides, to try to gain a precise location of the target. It revealed absolutely nothing. Experience told me that I needed to dig deeper, as I have found that very wet ground helps with the depths that my detector is able to reach.

On digging down another three to four inches or so, I hit upon a reasonable sized flat stone and the pin pointer was now picking up a signal beneath it. At this depth, the soil was becoming a fine sandy fill, which made freeing the stone relatively straight-forward. On lifting and turning the stone over, I noticed a small coin attached to its underside and at the same time I noticed what looked like a few others sat at the bottom of the hole. On initial examination of the loose coin, although covered in damp sandy soil, I could see it was small and silver and had what looked like a horse on one side and a wreath on the other. As I could see about another five coins in the damp, sandy soil at the bottom of the hole, the excitement was building about potentially uncovering a small coin spill. At that point, there was absolutely no way of knowing that there were many gold and silver coins within the next two to three inches of soil.

Find totals 282 coins

The final count of the excavated coins was 282, comprising 40 gold staters, 231 silver units and 11 half-units, all of which are North-Eastern types attributed to the Corieltavi tribe.


Space News space history and artifacts articles Messages space history discussion forums Sightings worldwide astronaut appearances Resources selected space history documents





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Astronaut-photographer Terry Virts shares 'View from Above'



October 3, 2017  If, in fact, a picture is worth a thousand words, then astronaut Terry Virts has volumes to say about the view from space.



So much so, that the 300 photographs that fill the pages of his new book represent less than one tenth of one percent of all the photos he took in space. And that was just from one of his two flights to the International Space Station.



In "View from Above: An Astronaut Photographs the World," published on Tuesday (Oct. 3), Virts collaborates with the photo editors at National Geographic to offer a visually spectacular account of his seven months orbiting Earth.



"My goal in 'View from Above' was to share the experience of spaceflight in book format as best as I could," said Virts in an interview with collectSPACE. "It is most definitely not an 'astronaut memoir,' but neither is it simply a photography atlas of the Earth or space."



"I really wanted to capture what it is like to fly a space mission  from common events like launch and landing and spacewalking, but also what it was like to see Earth for the first time, or experience emergencies while in space, or learn how to float," said Virts, who retired from NASA's astronaut corps in 2016.



Virts first launched on the space shuttle Endeavour in 2010, serving as pilot for the mission that delivered and installed the station's Cupola. Four years later, he used that same multi-windowed room to capture hundreds of thousands of photographs  319,275, to be exact  of the planet below. (To be even more exact, some of those 300,000 images included observations from other parts of the station and of life aboard the orbiting laboratory, too.)



"There are so many that I loved," said Virts when asked about his favorite photos, "especially sunsets, sunrises and wide angle 'Earth shots.' There was a northern lights sequence that I took over northern Europe that was spectacular, and, well, I could go on."



"But on my last day in space, I went down to the Cupola, took the scratch pane off, set the camera at f/22 [focal point 22] to get a 'starburst' pattern, and took a wide angle shot of the sun and the Earth's limb. I looked at the preview on the camera screen, realized that was the best picture I'd ever taken."



That same image, taken just before Virts left the space station for Earth on June 11, 2015, appears as the last photograph in the book.



"I thought to myself, OK, that's it, I'm never going to top that. What an awesome ending to my time on the station. My most important work in space, in my opinion, was photography and the impressions of space that I can share with others. This truly was saving 'the best for last,'" Virts writes in "View from Above."



The 304-page book is organized by the different stages of a space mission, with chapters devoted to "Leaving Earth," "Our Place in the Universe," "Deliveries from Home" and "Return to Earth." Amid Virts' narrative and his captions, are also a selection of tweets that Virts posted to Twitter while on the space station.



And then there are the "Viewfinders."



"'Viewfinder' alludes to the eyepiece of a camera that you look through," explained Virts. "At the end of each chapter we included some photos that are presented full page. It's just a pretty cool, in my opinion  way to show the reader some of the best images at full size, and not cropped down in the middle of the chapter."



"View from Above" is not the first book to focus on astronaut photography. NASA, itself, published two volumes of Earth images taken on board its Gemini two-man missions 50 years ago. In the decades since, coffee-table-style books compiled by the Association of Space Explorers ("The Home Planet, 1988") and by individual astronauts (including Jay Apt's "Orbit: NASA Astronauts Photograph The Earth," published in 1996 by National Geographic) have offered a look back at the planet where we live.



"I have always loved space photography books, since I was a child," said Virts. "[ Astronaut] Don Pettit was actually a great mentor to me as he helped me learn about photography during my years as an astronaut and has quite a beautiful book himself."



"I wanted to do something different than these, though," Virts said.



Virts acknowledges that the photos will be the major draw for "View from Above," but he hopes readers take the time to read his narrative, too.



"Honestly, I'm most proud of the writing," he told collectSPACE. "It would be great to simply look at the photos in the book, but I think that it would be much better to combine that with the stories that I tell, to get the full experience of what it Is like to fly in space."



Virts' story is endorsed by another astronaut who ventured beyond Earth and who penned the foreword for "View from Above."



"He points out that he never made it to the moon, but he spent over 213 days in space whereas I only spent 12," writes Buzz Aldrin, who walked on the moon on Apollo 11 in 1969. "I look at Terry as a steward for the future on my behalf for the next generation of astronauts and space explorers."



"I feel he still has much to contribute to the world with his experiences, and I hope he will carry on the spirit of Apollo and the shuttle era into the Mars era."



"View from Above: An Astronaut Photographs the World" by Terry Virts is available now from National Geographic.















Photos: Terry Virts / National Geographic / NASA





Pages 10-11: Clouds swirl over the Nyuksensky District of western Russia. (NASA/National Geographic)





Pages 56-57: "It takes careful attention and a lot of Velcro and Ziploc bags to keep track of things in zero gravity. I once lost track of a flashlight and eventually found it inside my shirt, between my shoulder blades."  Terry Virts (NASA/National Geographic)





Pages 62-63: The striking turquoise of the Bahamas stands out amid more muted ocean shades. These aquamarine waters were even visible on moonlit nights. (NASA/National Geographic)





Page 103: A crescent moon. One of the experiments I performed in space was appropriately named "Moon"  I took a series of photographs of the moon to calibrate navigation sensors on NASA's Orion capsule.  Terry Virts (NASA/National Geographic)





Pages 116-117: Looking up at Earth with all seven Cupola window shutters open. Despite the orientation of this photo, the Cupola is actually on the bottom. (NASA/National Geographic)





Pages 120-121: "One of my absolute favorite pictures I took in space A the aurora borealis over the U.K. The northern lights were always in the distance while the southern lights were usually much closer to our orbit.  Terry Virts (NASA/National Geographic)





Pages 244-245: New York City and Long Island ablaze at night, with Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C., to the left. The concentration of city lights on Earth was an indication not just of population but of wealth. By night, most of Africa, even heavily populated regions, lay in dark. (NASA/National Geographic)





Pages 298-299: "A few hours before leaving space for the last time, I went to the Cupola to take a few nal shots. After I shot this one, I looked at the preview screen on the camera and said, "OK, I'm done. No more photos after this." After over 300,000 pictures, I had saved the best for last."  Terry Virts (NASA/National Geographic)



 2022 collectSPACE.com All rights reserved.
Next week's ballot offers some intrigue for North Dakotans  from late congressional entries by independent candidates to term limits and marijuana legalization. Voters will decide whether to endorse changing the state constitution to limit the terms of the governor and state legislators. Another citizen-led initiative also will put the question of marijuana legalization before voters, who rejected the idea four years ago. Ninety-eight of the Legislatures 141 seats are on the ballot. All but one Democrat is up for reelection this year. Contests for secretary of state, attorney general and other state offices Also will appear on the ballot.
Elizabeth Hildebrand went to Las Vegas for the first time on Friday, savoring the moments during a 'mom's getaway', up until Sunday night.

Elizabeth says her group thought about getting a drink in an area they would later find out was where the active shooter was.

"I've never been so thankful that I didn't get an adult beverage," said Hildebrand.

Instead, the ladies had a game night in at their hotel about a half-mile away from the scene.

It was far enough away not to see the deadly terror first hand, but she could see ambulances lining up outside her hotel.

Hildebrand said, "You always hear about things happening, but when you're in the middle of it, it made me want to throw up."

The group was told not to go anywhere.

Elizabeth texted her husband, saying she was safe.

However, she wasn't able to get to sleep, nervous that something more could happen.

She finally got on a flight at 7 o'clock.

"One thing I'll never forget is the looks of some people. It was very quiet and very somber," said Hildebrand.

Elizabeth says she was planning a trip with her husband near Thanksgiving.

Now she's not sure she'll ever want to return to Vegas, so for now, she's thankful for a safe home.

Hildebrand said, "I've never been so happy to be in Grand Forks."

Hildebrand says some of the mom's from her group stayed back in Vegas.

They hoped to donate blood to those in need.
Michelle Slaughter, of Hebron, and her friend, Heidi Barman, of Dickinson, were two of the thousands of people whose love for country music had brought them to the Route 91 Harvest Festival.

She and a group of about 12 others from Dickinson and Williston arrived in Las Vegas Thursday for the three-day festival, which turned deadly on Sunday when a gunman from the 32nd floor of Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino open fired on the crowd, killing 59 people and injuring more than 500.

Luckily, no one in their group was injured. Slaughter, reached by phone early Tuesday, said they all arrived home Monday evening.

"We were running for our lives," Slaughter said of the moments after a burst of gunfire.

She and Barman were standing in an open area at the concert, about 20 feet from the crowd next to the main stage. They  like many who attended the event  heard what sounded like fireworks being shot off.

Well, youre not thinking theres machine guns raining down on you. So, Im looking at the stage  Is it fireworks? Kind of weird," said Slaughter, who didnt think much of it.

All of a sudden, a second round went off.

"I just looked at my friend and I said, 'Heidi, run,'" Slaughter said.

Amid the panic and confusion, the two ran to a food court area for shelter. Slaughter saw someone jump on what appeared to be a transformer and scale a fence; they did the same and ran.

I just thought, 'Run, run as fast as you can and get out of here,' she said, adding they ran into Hooters Casino Hotel and hid in a kitchen storage area.

They stayed there until they saw squad cars and ambulances outside the hotel, and that's when they knew it was safe to go outside and cross the street to the MGM Grand, where they had been staying.

They got to the airport several hours early.

"We wanted to get off the Strip and just closer to home," said Slaughter, a social worker at a Glen Ullin nursing home, mother of two and grandmother of two.

Slaughter said she's been to Las Vegas several times before and has never been scared to be there. Now, that may change.

I just feel sorry for the poor people who went to the concert and (were) having fun and then are coming home without a loved one. I cant even imagine. Thats not supposed to happen," she said.
Vodafone Portugal has reached a network sharing agreement with NOS (formerly Portugal Telecom Multimedia), a Portuguese media holding company whose main assets include a satellite, cable operator, and ISP, a mobile phone operator, a movie distributor (NOS Audiovisuais) and a virtual carrier of mobile phone services.



Under the deal, the companies will deploy and share a fibre-to-the-home network which will be marketable to around 2.6 million homes and businesses in Portugal. The two companies will provide reciprocal access to each others networks on commercially agreed terms.



Key elements include:





Vodafone Portugal will gain access to 1.3 million homes and businesses in new areas, consisting of new fibre builds in NOSs current cable footprint, NOSs existing fibre reach in areas greenfield to Vodafone, and building homes in new areas. This will increase its total coverage from 2.7 million to around 4.0 million, representing 80% of the households in the country.

Each party will deploy, but not share, the link between the central office and the fibre backbone, active equipment and CPEs. Customer connections and activations will be independent of each other.

Marketing of services across the joint network will commence from the beginning of calendar 2018.

Both Vodafone Portugal and NOS will maintain complete autonomy and flexibility in respect of their respective retail offers.

Vodafone said the arrangement in Portugal is consistent with its fixed infrastructure strategy, which aims for an optimal mix of build, strategic partnerships, wholesale and buy approaches.
CORNWALL, Ontario  Carol Hutt has always had a love of comedy and it has helped her through some dark times.

Carol has been blind since birth and also has had experience in tackling mental health issues.

My favourite part of the year is fall, she said. Sometimes I can get very down and depressed because I want to be out in the leaves, or out for a drive in the car or picking apples, like anyone else, but it isnt always easy.

In those times, Carol finds that listening to things like the nature channel or having fall aromas in her home help her, but the thing that she can always rely on is comedy.

Comedy, you have to have it, its like food for the soul, she said.

Carol herself has comedic experience, and is particularly fond of doing impressions. She is capable of particularly uncanny impressions of the late Joan Rivers and of Edith from Archie Bunker.

Larry Sylvain of the Port Theatre is helping Carol share her comedic gifts with the greater community.

On Friday, Oct. 6, the Port Theatre is hosting a comedy show featuring well known comedic acts and will be headlined by Kevin Downey Jr. After speaking with the promoter of the event, Sylvain was able to get Carol five minutes during the show during which she could do her impersonation routine.

Tickets for the show are available at the Port Theatre, St. Lawrence Appliances, the lottery kiosk at the Cornwall Square and at Melody Music.

Oct. 1 to the 7 is Mental Health Awareness Week, come by and check out the healing power of comedy.
CORNWALL, Ontario  Claude Rochon, 22 and Frank Benedict both of Cornwall were arrested and charged as follows:

Claude Rochon

Assault with weapon

Utter death threats

Weapons dangerous,

Breach of OIC Undertaking

Frank Benedict

Utter threats

Weapons dangerous

Breach of Probation

It is alleged on August 29th and 30th, 2017 the two men threatened two persons known to them with a knife and police were contacted to investigate.

Rochon was arrested on August 30th, 2017, charged accordingly and held for a bail hearing and a warrant was obtained for the arrest of Benedict. Benedict was located by police on September 30th, 2017, taken into custody on the strength of the warrant and held for a bail hearing.

ASSAULT

Cornwall, ON  A 27-year-old Cornwall man was arrested on September 29th, 2017 and charged with assault. It is alleged on September 28th, 2017 the man grabbed his girlfriend by the neck and police were contacted to investigate. On September 29th, 2017 the man was taken into custody, charged accordingly and held for a bail hearing. His name was not released as it would identify the victim in the matter.

WARRANT

Cornwall, ON  Eric Gravel, 21 of Cornwall was arrested on September 29th, 2017 on the strength of a warrant. It is alleged the man failed to attend court on September 26th, 2017 and a warrant was issued for his arrest. On September 29th, 2017 the man attended police headquarters to deal with the matter. He was taken into custody on the strength of the warrant and held for a bail hearing.

Cornwall, ON  Clarissa Square of Apple Hill was arrested on September 29th, 2017 on the strength of a warrant. It is alleged the woman failed to report as per her release conditions and a warrant was issued for her arrest. On September 29th, 2017 a member of the Cornwall Community Police Service assumed custody of the woman from Akwesasne Mohawk Police Service as Akwesasne had the woman in custody on the strength of the warrant. She was held for a bail hearing.

Cornwall, ON  Jenna Cole, 22 of Cornwall was arrested on September 29th, 2017 on the strength of a warrant. It is alleged the woman failed to attend court on September 21st, 2017 for a threats charge and a warrant was issued for her arrest. The woman was located on September 29th, 2017, taken into custody on the strength of the warrant and held for a bail hearing.

FAIL TO ATTEND FOR PRINTS, BREACH

Cornwall, ON  John Donais, 46 of Ottawa was arrested on September 30th, 2017 and charged with fail to appear for prints and breach of probation for failing to keep the peace. It is alleged the man failed to appear for prints during the month of August, 2017 and an investigation ensued. On September 30th, 2017 the man attended police headquarters to deal with the matter. He was taken into custody, charged accordingly and released to appear in court on November 2nd, 2017.

THREATS

Cornwall, ON  A 23-year-old Cornwall woman was arrested on September 30th, 2017 and charged with threats. It is alleged the woman threatened to harm her ex-boyfriend and police were contacted to investigate. On September 30th, 2017 the woman was taken into custody, charged accordingly and released to appear in court on November 7th, 2017. Her name was not released as it would identify the victim in the matter.

ASSAULT WITH A WEAPON

Cornwall, ON  Tibor Csontos, 63 of Cornwall was arrested on September 30th, 2017 and charged with assault with a weapon. It is alleged on September 30th, 2017 the man made threatening motions with a knife towards a man known to him and police were contacted to investigate. During the investigation the man was taken into custody, charged accordingly and held for a bail hearing.

ASSAULT WITH WEAPON

Cornwall, ON  A 51-year-old Cornwall woman was arrested on October 1st, 2017 and charged with assault with a weapon. It is alleged during an argument on October 1st, 2017 the woman poured beer over her ex-boyfriend and struck him with a mop. Police were contacted and an investigation ensued. The woman was taken into custody during the investigation, charged accordingly and held for a bail hearing. Her name was not released as it would identify the victim in the matter.

ASSAULT, MISCHIEF, BREACH

Cornwall, ON  A 28-year-old Cornwall man was arrested on October 1st, 2017 and charged with assault, mischief and breach of undertaking for failing to keep the peace. It is alleged during an argument on October 1st, 2017 the man assaulted his common-law wife and damaged some of her property. Police were contacted and an investigation ensued. The man was taken into custody during the investigation, charged accordingly and held for a bail hearing. His name was not released as it would identify the victim in the matter.

WARRANT

Cornwall, ON  Anson Jacco, 52 of Cornwall was arrested on October 1st, 2017 on the strength of a warrant. It is alleged the man breached his probation order and a warrant was obtained for his arrest. On October 1st, 2017 the man was located by police, taken into custody on the strength of the warrant and held for a bail hearing.

BREACH

Cornwall, ON  Traci Genier, 48 of Cornwall was arrested on October 1st, 2017 and charged with breach of undertaking for having consumed alcohol and failing to keep the peace. It is alleged on October 1st, 2017 police attended the McConnell site hospital for a disturbance and located the intoxicated woman in breach of her conditions. She was taken into custody, charged accordingly and held for a bail hearing.

WARRANT

Cornwall, ON  Corine Pelecki, 48 of Cornwall was arrested on October 2nd, 2017 on the strength of a warrant. It is alleged the woman failed to attend court on September 26th, 2017 and a warrant was issued for her arrest. On October 2nd, 2017 the woman attended police headquarters to deal with the matter. She was taken into custody on the strength of the warrant and released to appear in court on October 24th, 2017.

Cornwall, ON  Richard Levesque, 49 of Ottawa was arrested on October 2nd, 2017 on the strength of a warrant. It is alleged a warrant was obtained for his arrest for his involvement in a break and enter that occurred in Cornwall in November 2013. On October 2nd, 2017 a member of the Cornwall Community Police Service attended the Ottawa Police Service headquarters as they had the man in custody on the strength of Cornwalls warrant. He was transported to Cornwall and held for a bail hearing.

ASSAULT

Cornwall, ON  A 68-year-old Cornwall man was arrested on October 2nd, 2017 and charged with assault. It is alleged during an argument on September 29th, 2017 the man assaulted his common-law wife and police were contacted to investigate. On October 2nd, 2017 the man was taken into custody, charged accordingly and held for a bail hearing. His name was not released as it would identify the victim in the matter.

WARRANT

Cornwall, ON  Nolan Thompson, 24 of Akwesasne was arrested on October 2nd, 2017 on the strength of a warrant. It is alleged a warrant was obtained for the arrest of the man for a theft that occurred at a local store on September 13th, 2016. On October 2nd, 2017 a member of the Cornwall Community Police Service assumed custody of the man at the Port of Entry as he was being held on the strength of Cornwalls warrant. He was released to appear in court on November 7th, 2017.

ASSAULT

Cornwall, ON  A 53-year-old Cornwall man was arrested on October 3rd, 2017 and charged with assault. It is alleged during an argument on October 3rd, 2017 the man assaulted his common-law wife and police were contacted to investigate. During the investigation the man was taken into custody, charged accordingly and held for a bail hearing. His name was not released as it would identify the victim in the matter.
In a speech last Thursday at the Harvard Kennedy School, U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos made a powerful defense of school choice:

One of the many pernicious effects of the growth of government is that its people worry less and less about each other, thinking their worries are now in the hands of so-called experts in Washington.

There is perhaps no better example than our current education system. Many inside  and outside  government insist a government system is best equipped to educate children. In that fantasy scenario, the state replaces the family, the schoolhouse becomes the home, and the child becomes a constituent.

Not too long ago, the American Federation for Teachers tweeted at me. The union wrote, Betsy DeVos says public should invest in individual students. NO, we should invest in a system of great public schools for all kids.

The union bosses made it clear: they care more about a systemone that was created in the 1800sthan they do about students. Their focus is on school buildings instead of school kids. Isnt education supposed to be all about kids?

Education is an investment in individual students, and thats why funding and focus should follow the student, not the other way around.

Ive been on the job now for some time, and I came into office with a core belief: it is the inalienable right and responsibility of parents to choose the learning environment that best meets their childs unique, individual needs.

Im even more convinced of that today.
 The Washington Post CitesThen RemovesA Tweet From an Antisemite | Main | (Updated) Wikipedia's Jewish Problem 

October 03, 2017

BDS Activist and Media Favorite Uses Las Vegas Tragedy to Attack Israel



A prominent activist in the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) effort, Yousef Munayyer, used the Oct. 2, 2017 mass shooting in Las Vegas to attack Israel. Munayyer is the executive director of the U.S. Campaign for Palestinian Rights, formerly known as the U.S. Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation, a pro-BDS organization.

As CAMERA has pointed out, BDS backers call for the end of the Jewish state of Israel and seek to delegitimize it ("More distortions on Israel, The Hill, May 19, 2015).

After news of the massacre broke, the Embassy of Israel tweeted, Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims of the #LasVegasShooting and their families. Love and Solidarity from Israel.?

Munayyer quoted the tweet, and added one of his own: Also from Israel, assault rifles into the U.S. market.? He provided a link to a February 2017 Daily Beast article, which said that the AK-47 assault rifle might one-day be made in Israel. But as Cornell law professor William Jacobson noted at the Legal Insurrection, a blog that focuses on antisemitism and other issues, AK-47s are currently manufactured in many places, including the U.S.?

On Twitter, Yair Rosenberg, a journalist with Tablet magazine, elaborated: American guns are overwhelmingly produced in America, but there is no atrocity that cannot and will not be blamed on the Jews or their state.?

Rosenberg even cited a list of the top firearms imported into the United States by country of manufacture in 2016.? Israel, with 47,307, ranked fifteen in the amount of total firearms. By contrast, Austria imported 1,322,684 and Turkey imported ten times as many as Israel. But, as Rosenberg noted, Israel was the only Jewish country on the list. It was perhaps for this distinguishing feature that Munayyer chose to use a tragedy for his own political ends.

As CAMERA has detailed, Munayyer has a history of making misleading statements. For example, in a 2014 interview with CNN, Munayyer, refused to answer questions about why Hamas was ordering Gazans to stay inside of homes that Israel was telling themin advancewould be bombed during the Jewish states 2014 war with the terror group. Hamasa genocidal terrorist group that calls for Israels destructionwanted to increase Palestinian civilian casualties for propaganda purposes. On CNN, Munayyer wanted to push his own propaganda; deflecting the interviewers question and minimizing Hamas crimes and objectives.

At a July 25, 2016 event held by the U.S. Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation, U.S. Congressman Hank Johnson compared Jewish settlers to insects; an age-old antisemitic trope (U.S. Congressman Calls Jewish Settlers TermitesMedia Silent,? July 27, 2016). As CAMERA highlighted, many major media outlets failed to report this event.

Munayyer, however, is a media favorite. His bio on the U.S. Campaign for Palestinian Rights website proudly notes: His writings have appeared in every major metropolitan newspaper in the United States and many others internationally as well as online. He has frequently appeared to comment on national and international media outlets including CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, NBC, CBS, Al-Jazeera English, C-Span, and others many others.?

Posted by SD at October 3, 2017 11:35 AM

More than that. Clearly, the Liberal Zionist Left is afraid to call out Munyar on this. Shame on Neri Zilber, the author of the article linked to, for ignoring its use in this manner.

Posted by: Judith bell at October 5, 2017 02:02 PM

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In celebration of International Coffee Day, Euromonitor is sharing recent findings in the coffee pods market. Fresh ground coffee pods remain not only the fastest growing category of coffee, but of hot drinks in general. However, market maturity, high prices, intellectual property battles and sustainability concerns have started to cause this category to lose its lustre. Growth will still continue in pods core markets, but at a more subdued rate than in the recent past, as the gatekeepers to the major pod systems try to fend off a wave of new entrants to the category.

Key Findings:

The next few years will see a considerable slow down in the growth rate of pods globally.

The pods category grew at an average annual rate of 18% in real value terms over 2011-2016. This astounding growth rate was unsustainable, and slowed to single digits in 2016, which is predicted to continue for the foreseeable future. Even so, pods remain the best performing category not only in coffee, but in hot drinks in general.

The woes of Keurig in North America are the major reason for this slowdown.

Consumers in Canada and the US fell in love with the Keurig system and its compatible K-cups during the early years of the review period, but a botched follow-up machine led to both the company and the category in general falling out of favour with consumers. Market maturity also played a major role in slowing North American growth. Because of this, Western Europe will resume being the central region for global growth, as was the case prior to 2010.

The high price of pod coffee remains a significant problem for the category.

Coffee made from pods is comparatively much more expensive than alternative options. While this has made for healthy profit margins for companies, it has restricted the categorys appeal and made it vulnerable to

disruption from newer, value-oriented products, especially private labels.

Prices are falling as a result of more brands entering the category.

Patent expirations affecting the Nespresso and Keurig systems have opened the category up to a large number of new, value-oriented competitors. This has made the category more affordable, but has posed a challenge to the

categorys model of getting the machines into the hands of consumers and profiting from high mark-up pods.

Category Overview: The years of double-digit pod growth are over

Global volume growth of coffee pods fell to single digits for the first time in recent history in 2015, and continues to decelerate. It is predicted to be just 5% annually by 2021. The developed markets that pods have been generating their growth from are increasingly mature, and the category has not been able to expand in developing markets to the extent that this could start to compensate.

Even at slower growth rates, pods remain the fastest growing category not only in coffee, but also hot drinks in general. The 4% volume CAGR between 2016 and 2021 forecast for instant coffee mixes, the next most dynamic category, is still considerably less than pods 6%.

Retail Volume Sales of Fresh Ground Coffee Pods 2011-2021

Source: Euromonitor International

Pods remain very much a developed world phenomenon

The only countries outside developed regions where per capita pod consumption is significant are Czech Republic, Slovakia and Israel, all of which are notably wealthier than is average for their region. Apart from these exceptions, substantial consumption is only found in Australasia, North America and Western Europe.

The countries that will see significant growth in pods over the next few years are largely the same ones that make up the pods market now, with the exception of Brazil, a rare example of a developing market where pods are catching on.

Future Outlook

Trends to look for in pods in the future include sustainability and reaching out to the value-oriented consumers.

Sustainability:

As criticism swells against the category for its environmental record, new products should look to make sustainability a major selling point, through products that are recyclable, compostable or refillable, as well as those that have the ethical labels found on other types of coffee, such as fair trade or organic certification. Successfully doing so could broaden the appeal of pods to consumers currently turned off by their wastefulness.

Value-oriented consumers

As unit prices tumble, a new segment of consumers can afford the pod category that could not before. There is likely to be a great deal of activity at the lower end of the price spectrum, as brands aim at the loyalty of these consumers. Eventually, this may reach middle class consumers in developing markets, but for now, the action will be among lower income consumers in developed markets.
Components & Peripherals News

Former Intel CEO Paul Otellini, Beloved By Partners, Has Passed Away

Lindsey O'Donnell

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Former Intel CEO Paul Otellini, a passionate channel advocate who was beloved by Intel partners and employees, has passed away.

The affable and soft-spoken Otellini, who was the first non-engineer to take the helm of the chip giant, passed in his sleep Monday Oct. 2, according to an Intel statement. He was 66.

The son of a butcher, whose grandparents had emigrated from Italy, Otellini literally spent his entire career at Intel starting as an analyst in the finance department and then working his way up through the ranks, even doing a stint as chief of staff for legendary Intel co-founder and CEO Andy Grove.

Otellini, a former altar boy, attended San Francisco's St. Ignatius College Prep, graduated from the University of San Francisco and received an MBA from the University of California in Berkeley in 1972. To drive home the importance of getting an education, Otellini's father insisted he work in the purchasing department of a slaughterhouse.

Otellini, who became the company's fifth CEO in 2005 and regularly appeared on the CRN Top 25 list of the most influential executives, drove higher sales growth during his eight-year tenure than the company achieved in its previous 45 years. In the last full year before he took over as CEO, Intel had $34 billion in sales. When Otellini retired in 2013, Intel had grown to $53 billion.

"We are deeply saddened by Paul's passing," said Intel CEO Brian Krzanich, who took the helm after Otellini retired in 2013. "He was the relentless voice of the customer in a sea of engineers, and he taught us that we only win when we put the customer first."

Under Otellinis leadership, Intel dramatically stepped up its investment int the channel, launching in 2011 a new partner program  the now iconic Intel Technology Provider Program  that unified resellers and system builders uncer a single program.

The program helped the partners better tap into industry trends through integrating Intels embedded and compute technologies as well as its enterprise and consumer technologies.

Otellini led Intel to the top of the server market during a period of explosive data center growth. Partners say it was Otellini's experience as executive vice president and general manager of the sales and marketing group at Intel that accounted for his channel savvy and business acumen.

When he first took over as CEO, Otellini made it a top priority to correct Intel's slipping production schedules and tap into missed opportunities. At the time, Intel faced emerging competition from AMD. Within his first months as CEO, Otellini reorganized the executive ranks to put the focus on lucrative markets, as opposed to products.

The former CEO is also known for signing on the Apple PC business as a customer and building up business partnerships and making strategic acquisitions around critical markets like security, software and mobility  including the company's blockbuster acquisitions of security high flyer McAfee in 2010 and software maker Wind River systems in 2009.

But beyond his role at Intel, Otellini will also be remembered as a mentor and philanthropist  since his retirement, the former executive worked to mentor young people and became involved with an array of charities, including the San Francisco Symphony and San Francisco General Hospital Foundation.

"Paul's business acumen, optimism and dedication fueled our growth throughout his tenure as CEO," Intel Chairman Andy Bryant said in a statement. "His tireless drive, discipline and humility were cornerstones of his leadership and live on in our company values to this day."
Managed services News

Distinguished Xerox Partner Just-Tech Buys Apple Valley Office Products To Accelerate Managed IT, Custom App Businesses

Alec Shirkey

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A busy year for print solutions provider Just-Tech continued this week, as the Xerox partner further expanded its geographic footprint with the acquisition of fellow Xerox agent Apple Valley Office Products.

Apple Valley marks the second deal completed in the past six months by Just-Tech, which purchased Huntington, W.V.-based Peake Office Solutions in April. The La Plata, Md.-based Just-Tech has expanded its presence in the Shenandoah Valley and gained a foothold in the tri-state area encompassing parts of West Virginia, Ohio and Kentucky by bringing the two smaller partners into the fold.

Joshua Justice, president of Just-Tech, said both acquisitions create an easy avenue for his company to continue ramping up its managed print, managed IT and custom app development businesses.

[Related: Partners: Massive Xerox Product Launch Will Drive More Device Refresh, App Adoption]

"For some of these companies, it's hard to offer these different services because they don't have the backend support," Justice told CRN. "That's where we come in. We already have all of that. We can start selling those services today."

In the case of Apple Valley, which has been in business for 33 years, regional proximity and a well-established reputation within its area of operation made the purchase an easy decision for Justice. He said the average Apple Valley sales team member had 15 years of sales experience.

The combined company will expand to 35 employees, 10 of which are Just-Tech IT professionals that exclusively focus on the managed IT business, Justice said. The practice has experienced 70 percent year-over-year growth and includes network, workstation, security and printer management services.

Justice said the Apple Valley deal creates a host of recurring revenue opportunities with SMB customers in the Shenandoah Valley, particularly with non-profits and religious organizations, because of the associated cost savings. Clients can save an average of 20 percent per person by relying on Just-Tech for IT management, he noted.

"We leverage one to help the other," he said, referring to managed print and IT.

Just-Tech, which was named Xerox App Developer of the Year in March, maintains a flourishing custom app business that accounted for 10 percent of its revenue as of this spring. The company has built thousands of apps, including custom scanning apps and programs that update software and firmware automatically, and even licensed them to fellow Xerox partners.

The app business has proven to be a significant differentiator for Just-Tech, known as Southern Solutions prior to a rebranding announced in March.

"It's designed around improving workflow and increasing efficiency  the same goals of managed print, the same goals of managed IT. All three of our services work toward the (same goals)," Justice said.

The agent's managed print push comes at a time when Xerox, which unveiled a managed print services accreditation program this summer, is encouraging partners to take advantage of "huge" recurring revenue potential in the SMB market. Justice said his company intends to earn its accreditation in the near future, once the bulk of the integration work for its latest acquisition is complete.
Networking News

Cincinnati Bell To Merge With Hawaiian Telcom, Acquire Solution Provider OnX Enterprise Solutions

Gina Narcisi

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Telecom provider Cincinnati Bell went on an acquisition spree Monday, saying it would be combining with Hawaiian Telcom and solution provider OnX Enterprise Solutions in an effort to expand its scale and focus on fiber networking and managed services.

Cinncinnati Bell said its purchase of OnX Enterprise Solutions will assist the company's "transformation" in becoming a hybrid IT provider. Via the terms of the deal, Cincinnati Bell will pick up Onx Enterprise Solutions for about $201 million in cash.

OnX Enterprise Solutions, with global headquarters in Toronto and U.S. headquarters in New York, provides data center and cloud solutions, as well as managed services for business customers. The solution provider is a large partner to vendors including Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Cisco Systems and VMware.

[Related: Across The Telecom Spectrum: 6 Moves That Made Waves In The Channel In June]

In a statement, Cinncinnati Bell said that the acquisition will grow its IT and cloud services footprint to include 20 sales offices and more than 50 data center locations through strategic partners.

OnX Enterprise Solutions could not be reached for comment prior to publication.

Cincinnati Bell's merger with Honolulu-based local exchange carrier Hawaiian Telcom, meanwhile, which is being valued at $650 million, will help the company grow its business in the network communications arena as it looks to offer more advanced fiber solutions. Hawaiian Telcom shares Cincinnati Bell's vision on fiber investment, according to Cincinnati Bell.

Combined, the providers' fiber networks will exceed 14,000 fiber route miles. The deal also will give Cincinnati Bell access to Hawaiian Telcom's 2.6 TB of Trans-Pacific fiber cable that links Asia and the U.S.

Cincinnati Bell's footprint currently services Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky.

"Cloud migration, the need for fiber infrastructure that supports 5G-ready, high-density data transmission and IoT are the key trends that will define telecommunications in the future. The implementation of our refined strategy, coupled with today's combinations, will help build two distinct businesses with the appropriate scale, structure and leadership  while providing strategic optionality from a diversified but complementary portfolio of assets," Leigh Fox, president and CEO of Cincinnati Bell, said of the two impending deals in a statement.

The proposed merger will bring together Hawaiian Telcom's 1,300 employees with Cincinnati Bell's staff of 3,000. The two companies said that Hawaiian Telcom will retain its brand name and will continue to be managed from Hawaii.

Cincinnati Bell and Hawaiian Telcom shareholders can elect either $30.75 in cash, 1.6305 shares of Cincinnati Bell common stock, or a mix of $18.45 in cash and 0.6522 shares of Cincinnati Bell common stock for each share of Hawaiian Telcom. Hawaiian Telcom will have two seats on the board of the soon-to-be-combined company, according to a statement from both companies.

Cincinnati Bell secured financing from Morgan Stanley Senior Funding to fund a portion of cash consideration of transactions.

Both the Hawaiian Telcom and OnX Enterprise Solutions deals are subject to regulatory approvals and closing conditions. Cinncinnati Bell said it expects the Hawaiian Telcom merger to close in the second half of 2018, and the OnX Enterprise Solutions deal to close in the beginning of fourth-quarter 2017.
Networking News

Extreme Networks To Acquire Data Center Assets Directly From Brocade, Won't Wait For Broadcom

Mark Haranas

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In an effort to acquire technology assets from Brocade Communications within the next 30 days, Extreme Networks said Tuesday that it will buy Brocade's data center business directly from the vendor itself.

Brocade is expected to be acquired by Broadcom later this month but has faced several delays over the course of 2017, including the need for a deeper review of the acquisition by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States. The initial Brocade-Extreme acquisition deal unveiled in March was supposed to take place immediately after Broadcom acquired Brocade, but that is no longer the case.

Extreme said it has signed an asset purchase agreement with Brocade to aquire the vendor's switching, routing and analytics data center business for substantially the same terms as first announced in March -- $55 million. This transaction is expected to close within 30 days, according to Extreme.

[Related: Extreme Networks CEO Talks M&A Strategy, Revamping The Company And 'Significant' New Channel Investment]

"We expect this agreement directly with Brocade to accelerate our ability to close our acquisition of the data center business," said Ed Meyercord, president and CEO of Extreme, in a statement. "This is a very positive development for all stakeholders, but especially for customers, partners and employees of Brocade's data center networking business. Given all of the work that has gone into our business integration planning and our proposed product road map, Extreme is now poised to bring this deal over the finish line."

Extreme anticipates the Brocade transaction will generate over $230 million in annualized revenue from the acquired assets.

As part of the deal, Extreme will also acquire customers and personnel assets from Brocade, which Extreme said will further solidify it as a top vendor in its target verticals of education, hospitality, health care, retail, transportation and logistics, manufacturing and government.

Extreme's stock jumped 7 percent Tuesday morning to $12.95 per share.

Extreme said the data center networking assets will not impact Extreme's strategic partnership with Broadcom.

Brocade CEO Lloyd Carney said he's "pleased' to move forward with the agreement directly with Extreme. "We believe this decision will position the business for continued success, and is in the best interests of our shareholders, customers, partners and employees aligned with the business," he said.

Brocade is shedding hundreds of positions before its acquisition by Broadcom. A total of 230 employees based in the U.S. have accepted a voluntary separation plan and are set to leave Brocade during the company's current fourth fiscal quarter, which ends Oct. 28.
Security News

Investigators Find That Yahoo Breach Likely Affected 3 Billion Users

Sarah Kuranda

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A data breach that was already one of the largest of all time just got a lot bigger, as Verizon announced Tuesday that its Yahoo subsidiary might have exposed 3 billion user accounts, not the 1 billion initially estimated.

Yahoo first announced in September 2016 that an estimated 500 million user accounts had been impacted by a data breach that exposed names, email addresses, telephone numbers, birthdays, hashed passwords, and in some cases, encrypted or unencrypted security questions and answers. Yahoo said that the hack on its network occurred in late 2014.

Just a few months later, in December, Yahoo announced that further investigations into the previously announced breach revealed a second data breach, impacting 1 billion user accounts. Yahoo said the breach occurred in August 2013, with an unauthorized third party stealing data from 1 billion users, including included names, email addresses, telephone numbers, dates of birth and hashed passwords. The company said it also, in some cases, included encrypted or unencrypted security questions and answers.

[Related: Verizon Closes $4.48B Yahoo Deal; Former CEO Marissa Mayer Resigns From Board]

Yahoo was acquired by Verizon earlier this year in a $4.48 billion deal that closed in June. The original acquisition offer was for $4.83 billion but was lowered by $350 million after news of the breach emerged. In a statement, Yahoo  now under the brand Oath  said the company received new intelligence on the breach during the integration from "outside forensic experts" that the breach was wider than initially thought. The company did not name the third party who discovered this.

Yahoo says it continues to work with law enforcement on the issue.

"Verizon is committed to the highest standards of accountability and transparency, and we proactively work to ensure the safety and security of our users and networks in an evolving landscape of online threats," Chandra McMahon, Chief Information Security Officer, Verizon, said in a statement. "Our investment in Yahoo is allowing that team to continue to take significant steps to enhance their security, as well as benefit from Verizon's experience and resources."

Yahoo said it would email those users affected who had not previously been notified. It recommended those impacted consider changing passwords and security questions for accounts on other sites using the same passwords and security questions, review accounts for suspicious activity, and be wary of possible phishing attacks. It also recommended using authentication tools, including Yahoo Account Key.

Matt Johnson, CEO of Baltimore, Md.-based Phalanx Secure Solutions, said the Yahoo breach is just the latest example of a growing trend of major security incidents in recent weeks. Just last month, the security industry saw massive data breaches at Equifax, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and Deloitte, to name a few.

"Every day we turn the news on someone has been breached  it's ridiculous," Johnson said. He said he is also "not surprised" to see the Yahoo breach end up being larger than originally estimated after further investigation.

With all the recent data breaches, Johnson said more and more of his clients are starting to be concerned about if there is any way to protect themselves from a security incident. He said talks to his clients about "sticking to the plan," which focuses on building a proactive approach to security, rather than reactive one.
Storage News

NetApp Expands Cloud Capabilities With NFS On Azure, Adds IBM Watson To Support Services

Joseph F. Kovar

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NetApp Tuesday said that Microsoft has added the storage vendor's Network File System, or NFS, technology as a native part of the Azure cloud.

NetApp also added new cognitive computing and artificial intelligence, including a new capability built using IBM Watson services, to its support capabilities as a way to introduce a high degree of automation to customer environments.

Both moves, unveiled during the NetApp Insight 2017 conference being held this week in Las Vegas, represent NetApp's focus on helping customers change the way they work with data, said Jennifer Meyer, NetApp's senior director for cloud products and solutions marketing.

[Related: Veritas Vision: Veritas Enhances Multi-Cloud Data Management, Strengthens Ties With Microsoft Azure Cloud]

NetApp's storage legacy and its focus on cloud data technology has made the company the data authority in a hybrid on-premises and cloud world, Meyer said.

"Data is a key customer focus," she said. "We believe the way a company either grows or fades away depends on how they manage data. We provide advisory-level information to help them make the right decisions."

NetApp and Microsoft introduced the Azure Enterprise NFS service powered by NetApp, a new capability under which customers will be able to manage native NFS data on the Azure cloud.

NetApp's NFS technology is being embedded in Azure, giving all businesses access to file services on Azure whether they are NetApp customers or not, Meyer said.

"People want what they want when they want it," she said. "But they don't want to deal with the storage details. With this new relationship, Azure users don't have to take on the storage duty. NetApp is taking care of it."

However, the benefit for NetApp customers is clear, Meyer said. "This is based on our Ontap operating system, so anyone who knows NetApp will find it familiar in the Azure console," she said. "And everyone else knows enterprise NFS."

With Azure Enterprise NFS service powered by NetApp, businesses will be able to provision, automate and scale NFS services via RESTful APIs, and take advantage of new data protection services starting with on-demand automated snapshots. The new service also will integrate other Azure services including analytics, SQL Server, and SAP Hana for Azure, Meyer said.

Sunnyvale, Calif.-based NetApp Tuesday also said NetApp Cloud Control for Microsoft Office 365 now supports Azure Storage. Meyer said this gives Azure customers the ability to take advantage of backed-up data in case part of their data is accidentally deleted.

The company also introduced support for NetApp's AltaVault cloud-integrated data backup technology's use with Azure Blob storage technology for unstructured data, she said.

Meyer said NetApp's new relationship with Microsoft comes even as the company already does a lot of integration with other cloud environments including Amazon Web Services.

"It's important for us to have as strong a set of partnerships with Microsoft as it is with Amazon," she said.

When asked if NetApp will work with Amazon to bring NFS on AWS, Meyer said to wait and see.

It is a significant win for NetApp to get its NFS technology into Microsoft Azure, said John Woodall, vice president of engineering at Integrated Archive Systems, a Palo Alto, Calif.-based solution provider and longtime NetApp channel partner.

"Microsoft could have done the technology in-house, or worked with a different partner," Woodall told CRN. "But NetApp has the best technology on the planet, with multiprotocol capabilities. The devil is in the details."

With the technology partnership, NetApp has extended its Data Fabric hybrid cloud data management technology across on-premises and cloud environments to Azure, Woodall said.

"We haven't seen the details yet," he said. "But you have to think we'll be able to use Snapmirror to easily move data to Azure. Microsoft wants your workloads. And Microsoft just made it easy for all NetApp customers to natively move data to the cloud to work with Microsoft compute."

This capability can't be done with AWS, Woodall said. "You can run Ontap Cloud on AWS or Azure, but only in a virtual machine," he said. "Now we're talking native NFS on Microsoft. This potentially opens the door for every NetApp customer to leverage Microsoft Azure."

Many NetApp customers have enterprise license agreements with Microsoft that provide the cost benefit of working with Azure, and the new Azure Enterprise NFS service powered by NetApp makes it easier from a technical perspective, Integrated Archive Systems' Woodall said.

"It's important for NetApp to communicate how this will work with the channel," he said. "But for NetApp, it's great news. The company gets greater participation in the Azure cloud."

Woodall said there should be benefits for partners already doing a lot of work with Azure.

"Microsoft has tens of thousands of people on its sales team, so this is a good opportunity for NetApp," he said. "But I'm not sure what this means for the NetApp channel. NetApp needs to articulate the vision and value of the partnership to the channel."

NetApp Tuesday also introduced a new virtual support assistant it calls Elio based on IBM Watson services. The company said Elio takes advantage of Watson's cognitive computing to use the experience of NetApp's support history to quickly resolve issues. NetApp said Elio provides the best answers four times faster than traditional service methods.

Also new is NetApp Active IQ, which predicts and detects performance problems and makes configuration recommendations for best performance in the hybrid cloud, including AWS and Azure environments.

Woodall said that if NetApp is seeing a four times improvement in services response, it indicates that Elio has likely already been in use for some time without customers even realizing it.

IBM Watson is a good choice for improving support services given that it can gain insight from tens of thousands of calls from multiple endpoints, Woodall said.

"It can leverage what was learned historically, and through that process learn to resolve issues faster," he said. "If NetApp is seeing a four times increase in performance, that represents experience it has already learned."

NetApp is showing that it is moving beyond storage to embrace the cloud in a way no other vendors have done, Woodall said.

"We're seeing NetApp's Data Fabric expanding," he said. "It's picking up depth and breadth with each new announcement. We're seeing a lot of advances with Data Fabric. If you're a customer with all the recent code updates, you're in position to leverage data in new ways."
EAGC hosts its flagship policy conference known as the African Grain Trade Summit (AGTS). The AGTS is a biennial high-level, internationally-recognized grain industry conference that brings together business influencers, policymakers and other critical stakeholders from across the African continent and beyond  including heads of state and government, ministers, private sector business leaders, researchers and development partners  for discussions about key issues and emerging trends in the grain sector on the continent. The Summit provides evidence-based, thought-provoking discussions on the grain sector from national, regional, continental and global viewpoints, thus helping to chart coherent and holistic development pathways for the African grain sector.



Programme

5 Oct 2017

08:00 - 13:00

High-level Media Dialogue: Setting New Horizons: Rethinking Grain Trade for Food Security and Prosperity in Africa



14:00 - 17:00



Doing Business in the African Grain Sector: Towards a New Grain Trade Policy for Sustainable Grain Trade



This is a trade policy session; it will focus on evaluating the changes in the policy environment over the past 10-15 years; it will facilitate reflect on achievements to date and challenges that persist from both public and private sector perspectives, and aim to craft a New Grain Trade Policy for the grain sector in Africa, one that will drive the development of the sector



6 Oct 2017

08:00 - 13:00



Money Talks: Reshaping Financial Services for Grain Trade in Africa Grain trade needs money.

This session will try to answer critical questions such as: how suitable are existing financial products for grain trade? What has been the experience from lenders and borrowers with respect to financial services currently on offer? Where does the solution lie []



14:00 - 17:00



Agriculture, Climate change and Grain Trade: Finding the Nexus

This session will look at emerging trends in mitigating the risks of climate change, climate-smart agriculture and how grain trade can play a key role in climate risk mitigation


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STAMFORD  In the citys largest real estate announcement of the year, Charter Communications said Tuesday it would relocate its headquarters to the downtown Gateway Harbor Point complex  a move that would double the companys Connecticut contingent by adding 1,100 jobs.

The new headquarters at 406 Washington Blvd. would comprise a 500,000-square-foot, 15-story building, which is scheduled to be ready for employees in 2019. The company has hired Stamford-based developer Building and Land Technology to build the hub, with an option to expand the site into a two-building campus. The project is scheduled to break ground early next year, immediately following expected land-use approvals.

This new, state-of-the-art facility in downtown Stamford will provide Charter the necessary resources to facilitate its continued growth, Charter CEO and Chairman Tom Rutledge said in a statement.

Charter has been based in its current downtown location, at 400 Atlantic St., since it moved in 2012 from St. Louis. It employs about 1,100 in the state, according to state Department of Economic and Community Development data.

Staying in Stamford

Charter officials said they chose the Gateway site, where a parking garage currently stands, because of its proximity to the downtown Metro-North train station and Interstate 95. The new headquarters would become the first commercial facility with direct access to the stations platform, company officials said. They also cited the large floor plans envisioned for the building, which they said would make office design more flexible.

We are thrilled to partner with Charter to develop their new headquarters here at Gateway Harbor Point, BLT Chairman Carl Kuehner said in a statement. We look forward to working with their team to create a modern workplace and ecosystem to continue Charters strong growth here in Stamford.

Charter plans to make $100 million in capital expenditures in Connecticut during the next few years, company officials said in their announcement of the move. The company declined to comment on the expected cost of the new building.

The company has been considering a move for at least several months, with Hearst Connecticut Media learning in June from company sources that the firm was looking at sites in Stamford.

We are happy that they chose to stay in Stamford and add jobs and expand their workforce here, Stamford Mayor David Martin said in a statement. This investment in our city is good news, and we applaud their vote of confidence in the city of Stamford.

A message left Tuesday for The Landis Group, which owns and operates 400 Atlantic St., was not immediately returned.

Charter was represented in the deal by the commercial real estate firm Cushman & Wakefield.

Growing company

The company needs a new hub to support its growing operations. Last year, it acquired Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks for a total of about $65 billion.

With the merger, Charter expanded its reach to about 50 million homes and businesses and became the second-largest cable company in the country, after Philadelphia-based Comcast.

During the past five years, it has enlarged its footprint from one floor to eight levels in the approximately 500,000-square-foot building at 400 Atlantic St.

In total, Charter employs about 92,000 people, with plans to hire about 20,000 during the next four years and invest $25 billion in broadband infrastructure and technology.

Based on earnings, Charter represents the largest public company headquartered in Fairfield County. With some $29 billion in revenues last year, it took the No. 96 position in this years Fortune 500 rankings.

Charter shares closed Tuesday at about $370, up about 1.5 percent from their closing price Monday.

State support

To support the new headquarters, Charter is in line to receive from the state a direct loan of $10 million and up to $10 million in tax credits. Additional tax credits would be available if Charter reached certain hiring benchmarks.

Today is a great day for Connecticut, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy said in a statement. Charters announcement to create an additional 1,100 jobs shows that our strategic investments are continuing to spur economic growth and create good-paying jobs in the state. We look forward to the continued success of Charter Communications as they grow within the state.

Other companies with headquarters or major offices in Stamford that are receiving state aid through the First Five Plus program include Henkel, Synchrony Financial, NBC Sports Group, Deloitte, Navigators and Pitney Bowes.

pschott@scni.com; 203-964-2236; twitter: @paulschott
GULFPORT, Mississippi -- It's a reproduction, not an original. It has modern conveniences including air conditioning and power windows.

But Jack Sweeden's 1935 Auburn convertible is nevertheless an attention-getter during Cruisin' the Coast.

Sweeden, of Oklahoma City, Okla., explained that the Auburn Motor Company produced cars from the start of the 20th Century until 1937, when the effects of the Great Depression and other factors forced the company out of business.

A man named Glenn Pray would ultimately buy the company and it's inventory. In the early 1970s, Pray began reproducing the body styles.

Sweeden's Auburn is a one-off body prototype of an original Auburn which never went into production. In addition to A/C and power windows, it has an LS3 Corvette engine and gets an astounding 24 miles to the gallon.

"It's a great driver," Sweeden said Monday morning during day one of Cruisin'. "We normally never put the top up, but since it's a little rainy out, we have them up."

Sweeden travels with his buddy, Lloyd Rains, to car shows. Rains owns a reproduction of a 1935 Auburn which did go into production.

Sweeden said he's been coming to Cruisin' the Coast for the past four years, driving another Auburn reproduction for the past three years.

"I love the activity here," he said. "There's always something to do. You just have to go and drive and cruise, because this covers about a 35-mile area, I think. There's something to do all the time."

Sweeden said he has no favorite among the various Cruisin' venues.

"I like 'em all. Wherever we park, that's where we have fun."

Sweeden and Rains drive the two Auburns down from Oklahoma City, stopping about midway to spend the night before finishing the drive to Gulfport. Sweeden admits the cars draw a lot of stares and finger pointing.

"We've been run out of several gas stations because we created a traffic jam at the station," he said.
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BRIDGEPORT  Liz Vosques came to Cesar Batalla School on Monday to gather information. She has nieces, nephews and cousins in Hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico and heard the district might be willing to accept them.

Jeanette Gwynn, who has a son at Bridgeport Military Academy, heard the same thing and came with concerns.

Why Bridgeport, asked Gwynn of a school with deep budget woes. You have to embrace everyone but our city is already so poor we can barely take care of students in our own school. Why not pick a richer city.

Schools Superintendent Aresta Johnson told a full cafeteria of parents, kids and staff members that district money problems aside, the district would open its doors to any student from Puerto Rico who moves in with relatives here.

I do understand your concerns over the fiscal conditions that the state is currently facing, Johnson said. However that is not at the fault of children.

More Information Bridgeport's Puerto Rican student registration process will be streamlined into one location. Parents should contact Carmen Albaladejo in Room 327 of City Hall. The number is 203-275-1340. Information is also available at bridgeportedu.com. See More Collapse

Johnson said the idea is to be proactive and make sure families know they are welcome. She insisted students already here would not be harmed by the influx of more children in need.

Ana Sousa Martins, director of bilingual education in the district, said the district has received many phone calls but so far just one student from Puerto Rico. She is a high school student who was already here visiting relatives when Hurricane Maria struck the U.S. territory last month.

More are expected. Bridgeport is home to some 31,000 residents of Puerto Rican descent. The information session held Monday and translated into Spanish, outlined what Puerto Rican students need to enroll. In most cases, just proof of address.

When students are coming with just the clothes on their back we cant expect documentations, immunizations, Johnson said. She said a plan is in place to get that information once the students are enrolled.

Under the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, displaced students who move to the city must be accepted by the district, and automatically qualify for free school meals, health care, special education and other services.

Last week Gov. Dannel P. Malloys office issued guidance to school districts on the process.

Johnson said students would be placed where there are open seats in a dozen or more schools where language services are offered.

Batalla Principal Hector Sanchez said his assumption is the situation will be temporary, until Puerto Rico gets back on its feet.

Thats why we need a plan, Sanchez said.

Johnson said the district will keep track of how many students from Puerto Rico are taken in.

Vosques said she is not certain if her family members will come or not. Communication has been spotty. She has yet to hear from her mother.

This makes me feel good, because I know what will be here for them if they come, Vosques said.

lclambeck@ctpost.com; twitter/@lclambeck
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WASHINGTON  Connecticut Sens. Chris Murphy and Richard Blumenthal took the lead Tuesday of a reinvigorated Democratic effort on Capitol Hill to pass tougher gun laws, even though the political terrain for such legislation is less hospitable than ever.

I think there will be a popular uprising in the country after what happened in Las Vegas, because everyone is under threat, said Murphy, who pledged at a Capitol news conference to reintroduce a universal background-check bill soon. Republicans are starting to realize the political liability of being on the wrong side of this issue.

Murphy and Blumenthal spoke just hours after House Speaker Paul Ryan said the House has no plans to bring up a bill that would have eased restrictions on purchases of gun silencers.

That bill is not scheduled now; I dont know when its going to be scheduled, Ryan said, without linking it to events in Las Vegas.

With Republicans in control of Congress and the White House, Murphy, Blumenthal and other Democrats were looking for anything  even delay on the silencer bill  as a sign that momentum is again on their side.

I think the gun industry expects to get something from Donald Trump and a Republican House and Senate, said Murphy. Theres no doubt that were going to be playing defense.

Nevertheless, to the extent we can stop the gun lobby from getting their priority list, that certainly is a victory.

The back-and-forth over guns came two days after a gunman in Las Vegas opened fire on a crowd of concert goers from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Hotel. The attacker killed 59 people and himself, and more than 500 were injured.

A call to close loopholes

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., is said to have designated Connecticuts senators as the leads on Democratic gun-related efforts post-Vegas, in large measure because of the 2012 mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown that took the lives of 20 children and six adult staff members.

That tragedy galvanized support behind stricter gun laws, particularly universal background checks aimed at eliminating the gun-show loophole. And it identified Connecticut closely with the effort to usher in a tightening of gun laws to prevent further mass-shootings  an aspiration so far largely unfulfilled.

Although federally licensed gun dealers must run background checks on all sales, unlicensed individuals may sell guns without background checks as long as such sales are not their livelihood.

At the news conference, Blumenthal said he would introduce a measure to close yet another loophole, which he called the Charleston loophole.

He was referring to Dylan Roof, the white supremacist who killed nine people in 2015 at a church in Charleston, S.C. Roof was able to purchase a .45 caliber handgun even though he did not pass a background check.

Roof got his weapons because federal law stipulates that if a check is not completed in 72 hours, the sale can proceed.

Blumenthal called the measure very modest, adding: Closing loopholes one by one, making our laws effective one by one, is a way to make our nation safer.

The Las Vegas shooter, Stephen Paddock, had an arsenal of 23 guns, at least two of which were equipped with a bumpstock device that turns a semi-automatic (one shot per trigger pull) rifle into a fully automatic machine gun (continuous burst of fire with each trigger pull).

Though technically legal, the device effectively circumvents strict federal regulation and prohibition of machine guns that date to 1934.

An end-around

on the law

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., has called for legislation to bar the conversion device. Her measure quickly gained support from other Democrats Tuesday, but it remains unclear whether it would gain bipartisan support.

Murphy and Blumenthal both expressed support for the Feinstein proposal. Murphy said he could not imagine Republicans voting against it.

The bumpstock device is an end-around on a law supported by both parties, Murphy said. The prohibition on the purchase or distribution of automatic weapons is supported by both parties. So both parties should support ending this new way to get around the prohibition.

So far, Republicans do not appear to have much interest in Democrats gun proposals. Asked about measures to stop gun violence, Ryan said mental health assistance put in place by Congress last year is a critical ingredient to making sure that we can try and prevent some of these things from happening.

Asked about Trump overturning an Obama-era rule that permitted the Social Security Administration to enter the names of mentally ill individuals into the FBIs background-check system, Ryan responded the rollback was necessary because gun rights were being infringed.

After the Newtown shooting, Connecticut Democrats predicted that a groundswell of revulsion and support would usher their gun-related priority list through Congress. That didnt happen, even with the Senate under Democratic control and a Democrat in the White House.

But Connecticuts senators argued that after Las Vegas, a political upheaval may be underway.

This nation has reached its tipping point, said Blumenthal. There are times when the public opinion groundswell makes a difference when it seemed impossible before.

dan@hearstdc.com
MILFORD  Police charged a man with criminal mischief and breach of peace after they said he got unruly with a bus driver.

Lance Barrett, 44, of Sherman, was charged with second-degree criminal mischief and second-degree breach of peace, police said.
BRIDGEPORT - A local woman has been charged with embezzling more than $33,000 from her employer.

Christine Battis, 43, of Eighth Street, was charged Tuesday with first-degree larceny and second-degree forgery.
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NEWTOWN - Families who lost loved ones in the Sandy Hook massacre reacted with sadness and anger as news of the nations deadliest shooting emerged from Las Vegas, where a gunman killed 58 people and injured hundreds of others attending a concert.

Feeling a lot of pain for yet another community as it joins our Sandy Hook club while Congress does nothing, said Sandy Hook attorney and bicycle activist Monte Frank on Twitter. We are all sitting ducks.

The Newtown Action Alliance, a gun violence prevention group that formed after the 2012 slaying of 26 first-graders and educators at Sandy Hook School, urged people to call on Congress for gun safety reform.

Thoughts and prayers are not enough, the Newtown Action Alliance tweeted in response to President Donald Trumps tweet offering My warmest condolences and sympathies to the victims and families of the terrible Las Vegas shooting. You must join the Democrats to pass a ban on assault weapons...

Erica Lafferty, the daughter of slain Sandy Hook Principal Dawn Hochsprung, agreed.

Id love to partner to form a plan to stop these senseless killings, Lafferty wrote in a tweet. I can offer more than thoughts and prayers.

The families were reacting to news that a gunman on the 32nd floor of a Las Vegas hotel-casino fired on an outdoor country music concert, killing at least 58 people and wounding 515 on Sunday.

It is the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history.

The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack, the Associated Press reported, but law enforcement officials said during a late morning news conference in Las Vegas that there was no indication that the gunman had ties to a terrorist group overseas.

Nelba Marquez-Greene, who lost a daughter in the Sandy Hook massacre, said the loss was irreversible.

You dont recover from this  as a mother, brother, father. You manage, she posted on Twitter. But there is no recovery. I am heartbroken.

The family of slain Sandy Hook teacher Victoria Leigh Soto put out a statement to the grieving families.

Our prayers go out to the families to heal from this horrific event, read the statement. We dont have to live like this.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 5 1 of 5 contributed / contributed Show More Show Less 2 of 5 Alex von Kleydorff / Hearst Connecticut Media Show More Show Less 3 of 5 4 of 5 Joseph Lemieux Jr. / contributed Show More Show Less 5 of 5









The states largest teachers union has threatened to seek an injunction, claiming the governors executive budget order violates the law and puts students futures at risk.

The Connecticut Education Association wants to prevent Gov. Dannel P. Malloy from cutting $557 million in education funding to cities and towns. The order, which went into effect October 1, would stop state education aid to 85 cities and towns and cut 54 others. The states 30 neediest districts Alliance Districts  including Ansonia, Bridgeport, Danbury, Derby, Norwalk, New Haven and Stamford  would receive flat funding compared to last year.
For centuries, many of the most important catalysts for global trade and economic integration have been commodities -- gold, silk, spices, sugar, and of course, oil. A new global commodity -- data -- has the potential to unleash extraordinary opportunities that will shape the world economy of the 21st century. But realizing these opportunities depends on data moving freely across borders, a notion that was once elementary, but today is under threat.

Global data flows are fundamental to the digital economy thats contributing to economic growth, driving innovation and stimulating job creation in the United States and throughout the world. McKinsey estimates that digital trade added $2.8 trillion to global GDP growth in 2014 alone, while also finding that trade in data has expanded 45-fold in the last 10 years. Another 9x growth is expected by 2020. According to the IMF's World Economic Outlook from October 2016, trade in physical goods, by contrast, has been growing at only about three percent annually in recent years, which is less than half the average rate of expansion over the past three decades. Perhaps most noteworthy of all, McKinsey identifies the GDP impact of cross-border digital flows -- a relatively recent entry to the global economy -- as exceeding the impact of trade in goods.

Related: The Equifax Data Breach Shows the Limitations of How Our Data is Stored

With so many countries around the world experiencing modest economic growth rates, policymakers should be focused on maximizing the opportunities emanating from the data-driven digital economy. Regrettably, many jurisdictions have instituted measures that threaten these opportunities, with the potential to stifle the long-term growth of the digital economy.

Today, 34 countries have laws and regulations in effect that hinder the flow of data across borders, either making such flows more expensive or restricting them altogether, according to the Information Technology & Innovation Foundation. These policies can be found in countries spanning multiple regions (Africa, Asia-Pacific, Europe, North America and South America) and in many of the worlds largest economies. In China, for example, companies must store their data on servers that are based in the country, and there are a number of restrictions on transferring data outside the country.

These data localization laws have the potential to balkanize the digital economy and, in the process, stifle its growth. Companies will face higher costs in a number of areas, such as IT and compliance, both of which will impinge on their competitiveness. And the restrictions will stifle the cooperation thats fundamental to corporate innovation. The net effects will be higher costs to consumers and reduced economic output.

Related: How the Virtual Data Room Boom Is Transforming Business Transactions

Whats the best way to combat data localization measures? There are no simple solutions, and companies are ultimately obligated to comply with the laws of the jurisdictions in which theyre operating. But given data is so intertwined with global economic activity, it behooves U.S.-based companies to press policymakers to treat data the way they treat most physical products. And that would mean enshrining the free movement of data into the worlds trade agreements.

The U.S. has an immediate opportunity ahead to lead by example. It has recently started negotiations with Mexico and Canada on how to modernize the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). One of the agenda items is setting new rules for digital trade, which was largely non-existent when the agreement took effect in 1994. Negotiators should affirm the free movement of data and prohibit it from being localized within the borders of one country. These ideas already have mainstream support -- they were agreed to as part of the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership. While that agreement has not been ratified, its data provisions provide a template for the renegotiated NAFTA as well as other trade pacts.

Related: If You're a Startup Looking to Capitalize on U.S.-China Border Investments, Here's How

The free flow of data is one of the underpinnings of todays global economy and has the potential to deliver far-reaching benefits -- helping to make businesses more efficient, more productive and more capable of addressing customers needs. But realizing those opportunities depends on policymakers coming together to support a forward-looking framework that ensures data -- like other commodities before it -- can be a source of opportunity and prosperity for people in the U.S. and throughout the world.

Related:

Nations Restricting International Data Flow Are Threatening the Global Digital Economy

Indian Government's Push For Education to Help This Healthcare-focused MNC

Winds of Change: How Indian Banks are Evolving as Marketplaces



Copyright 2017 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved



This article originally appeared on entrepreneur.com


A new study out of Washington shows that when cannabis is legal and available, cancer patients are using it to combat the side effects of chemotherapy and other cancer-related symptoms.

The majority use cannabis to combat pain, nausea and stress. A small percentage said they used cannabis for the pleasure of the euphoric feeling it can provide.

The study also found more than 90 percent of the patients wanted information about the potential of marijuana to treat cancer, but less than 15 percent got information on it from their own cancer doctor or nurse.

Researchers affiliated with the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle and the University of Washington conducted the study. They had 926 cancer patients in the study. The average age of each patient was 58, with an age range of 46 to 66.

Most importantly, they live in a state where marijuana is legal for both medical and recreational use.

Related: Polls Find Voters In Pennsylvania, New Jersey Support Legal Marijuana

Shifting Attitudes

The researchers note that there are shifting political attitudes on cannabis even as interest from the public has increased. They also note a lack of research into the potential uses of medical marijuana, as well as uncertainty about legal marijuanas future under President Donald Trump.

The short term answer is legal marijuana will continue. Trump recently reached a budget compromise with Democrats that continues, at least through December, the federal prohibition against the Justice Department interfering in states where marijuana is legal.

What happens then is anyones guess. Attorney General Jeff Sessions continues to voice opposition to legalized marijuana and has criticized state programs.

Against that backdrop, the new study offers a glimpse into how marijuana might be used for cancer treatment in a place where it is completely legal for both recreational and medical purposes.

Study Findings

The study found that of the 926 patients, 66 percent had used cannabis at some point in their lives. Currently, 24 percent used marijuana. The type of cancer did not seem to affect the use.

The cancer patients who used marijuana tended to be younger and with a lower level of education, although about half of all the patients had at least a college degree.

More than half of those who use cannabis reported it as a major benefit to their treatment, while another 39 percent said it provide a moderate benefit.

Related: 10 Ways the Cannabis Industry Is Rebranding to Meet Its Biggest Challenges

Interest in marijuana as a potential treatment was extremely high. About 92 percent of those in the study said they wanted more information about the potential of marijuana to help them with their cancer treatment.

However, less than 15 percent received any information from their cancer doctor or nurse. Rather, they heard about the potential of marijuana from news articles, internet sites, friends and family or other cancer patients.

Patients were split evenly between those who smoked cannabis or used marijuana-infused edibles. About 40 percent did both. For those who smoked, a pipe was the first choice, followed by a vaporizer and rolling it with papers.

Among the edibles, the most popular were candy, oils and butter and homemade baked goods.

Follow dispensaries.com on Instagram to stay up to date on the latest cannabis news.

Related:

Survey: A Quarter of Cancer Patients Use Legal Medical Marijuana.

Polls Find Voters In Pennsylvania, New Jersey Support Legal Marijuana

Maine Might Legalize Drive-Through and Internet Cannabis Sales



Copyright 2017 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved



This article originally appeared on entrepreneur.com


PASCAGOULA, Miss. -- Pascagoula High School students received a pleasant surprise on Monday as the Secretary of State, Delbert Hosemann visited various classrooms to encourage students to vote.

To promote the state's bicentennial, the state's "Promote the Vote" program, students are encouraged to grab the reins because the state will soon be theirs.

"We are trying to teach our students about the importance of them registering to vote, their history and encourage them to become more involved in their state," Hosemann said.

The program includes art and essay contests, with submissions due Dec. 1, 2017, judging in late-December, and an awards ceremony at the State Capitol in February 2018. The student who wins will be rewarded with $100, along with the school.

Students will write an essay (500-word maximum) identifying what he/she considers to be one of the most important future issues facing the region they live in today by studying the history of their specific region in A Bicentennial History of Mississippi provided by the Secretary of State's Office.

Students will describe the issue and their proposal for how citizens and elected officials should address that issue.

In addition, teachers will be provided with an online publication, which will allow students to learn about their region of the state and generate discussion about their view of the state's future.

"Two things: learning your history is important-- when you know your history in Mississippi, it should motivate you to become registered to vote and to vote," Hosemann said.

"The second thing -- all of us in elected office realize that we are looking towards the future -- our students are the future," Hosemann said. "They will be the next Secretary of State, next Senator, next head of the Board of Supervisor, or will be running a small business. The kids I spoke with today are the next leaders of this state and their future starts at the ballot box."
Millennial Moms Review: 2022 Acura MDX is pretty close to the perfect family car

I dont know if perfect is attainable, especially considering weve got the world of options when it comes to modern vehicles. Were spoiled and, as such, we have very specific needs and wants. Driving-wise, the 2022 Acura MDX is one of my favourite ...


The latest technology is changing the way companies, municipalities and other organizations are able to monitor critical infrastructure and provide communications in the aftermath of disasters such as the recent spate of hurricanes which have slammed our country and the Caribbean.

On June 20, airborne LTE connected first responders during a mock disaster exercise in Cape May County, N.J., to a first-of-its-kind flying cell site, which was mounted on a RS-20 long-endurance Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) and made calls, sent text messages, photos and video from a simulated communications-denied environment back to command centers across the state. American Aerospace also assisted Cape May in securing FAA approval for the test use of an unmanned aircraft flying beyond the line of site to its land-based pilot and crew. Verizon was the wireless partner for this test providing their Airborne LTE Service.

This tweet has been sent via @verizons flying cell site aboard our RS-20 UAS. The future is here. #AirborneLTE  American Aerospace (@AmericanAeroInc) June 20, 2017

To learn more we met with David Yoel and Dave McCarely who told us they consider their company to be an airborne sensing and communications-as-a-service company. Their InstiMaps mapping and sensor payload is behind providing airborne imagery across an enterprise for the monitoring of pipelines, power lines and more. Analytics can be done in the cloud so companies receive images as well as intelligence.



The company provides near-real-time dissemination of 2-inch resolution photos at 75 miles per hour or can transmit 10-30 square miles an hour on broader patrol. It uses 400 MP cameras, on a 17-foot aircraft which weighs 185 pounds, has a 23,000 foot ceiling and can fly between 10-16 hours at a time once shot from a catapult. They call it a UAS, we might consider it a drone  the company thinks the fact it doesnt run on batteries means its not a drone.

Whats more important is it has compute power, has full auto-pilot, a transponder, aviation lights, redundant command and control communications links, 400 watts of power via a generator, power sensors for computational devices and the ability to provide LTE.

The system can be flown over smart cities after a disaster to monitor IoT sensors for things like low-oxygen levels or other signals which may be considered at alarm levels or out of the norm.

Other benefits of InstiMaps is it can immediately be used to map roads in the aftermath of a natural disaster. This can be crucial in life-threatening situations as first-responders cant be hung up dealing with downed trees when trying to get to a victim in trouble.

The flying cell site connects to a land-based control center on a vehicle which in-turn could be connected to a satellite. If a satellite link isnt feasible, the drone can take-off and land repeatedly, downloading data between trips.

Some of the companys customers include Shell, Chevron, NASA, numerous universities and the U.S. Army.
Washington

When the Every Student Succeeds Act passed in 2015, there was widespread worry that states would walk away from making sure that particular groups of studentsEnglish-language learners, students in special education, and racial minoritiesmattered in their school accountability systems.

Now that pretty much every state has filed its plan to implement the law have those fears become the reality?

States are working to make sure thats not the case, said several state chiefs who spoke on a panel here moderated by Chris Minnich, the executive director of the Council of Chief State School Officers. (Some advocates are skepticalmore on that below.)

Kirsten Baesler, the state superintendent in North Dakota, believes that advocates in her state, and other district leaders, will make sure that everyone is pushing to make sure the lowest-performing schools and students get better.

Peers hold peers responsible, she said. They arent going to let us dismiss any subgroup. ... We embrace this, we want this, all means all.

Pedro Rivera, the secretary of education in Pennsylvania, noted that his system will give credit both for student achievement and growth, as well as factors that tend to hit students in poverty more heavily than others, such as chronic absenteeism.

Dianna Wentzell, the commissioner of education in Connecticut, echoed that sentiment. I can understand the skepticism, she said. One of the things she said she was most worried about when ESSA passed was that we would lose the backstop that No Child Left Behind gave us. Whats happened instead is that states have had to step up and say, Yeah, we want that for our kids, and not only that we want more.

Wentzell was specifically asked about her states plan to use so-called super-subgroups, which allow the state to combine English-language learners, students in special education, and disadvantaged kids for accountability purposes. Civil rights groups say super-subgroups mask achievement gaps and arent supposed to be allowed under the law .

But in Wentzells view, theyve helped Connecticut to pinpoint districts where students are performing well, but where particular groups of kids arent making progress. It turned out, for instance, that a well-regarded district in one of our most-affluent shoreline communities was the worst place for some of our students to learn high school math, she said.

Civil rights groups and other experts may end up having a somewhat different view of whether states are taking the achievement of subgroups seriously in ESSA, once the plans are all analyzed and put in action.

For instance the Education Trust, which looks out for poor and minority students, had concerns about how much subgroups mattered in the first batch of 17 plans, which were filed this spring. So far, 15 of those plans have been approved by the U.S. Department of Education.

Daria Hall, Ed Trusts vice president for communications and government affairs, said in an email that three of the most important things to look for in weighing whether a state plan promotes equity are the quality of the indicators used to rate schools, whether theyre rated based on the performance of each group of students, and whether there are rigorous criteria for when schools and districts have to act to better serve individual groups of students.

Among state plans that have been approved so far, many do quite well on the first, but fall far short on the latter two, wrote Hall.

More tidbits from the panel:

On testing:

ESSA not only gives states a chance to focus on factors beyond tests in rating schools, it also encourages states to cut back on the amount of time kids have to spend taking tests.

Baesler said shes slashing her states testing time, which used to be about six-and-a-half or seven hours to about five-and-a-half or six hours. And Wentzell said Connecticut is using the SAT in high school, so juniors dont have to prepare for both a college entrance exam and a state test.

John White, Louisianas state superintendent, said his state has created a bank of free formative assessments districts can use to help shape instruction. These, he said, can take the place of low-quality tests offered by vendors. That way districts can say we have a trustworthy series of tests and we can get rid of everything else. Save yourself some money, save yourself some time.

On the U.S. Department of Educations ESSA-plan reviews: The chiefs gave the Education Department high marks for being both thorough and fair.

It was a good process, said Baesler. It was probably a little more challenging than anything we were expecting. There was good push and pull back and forth, there was dialogue. ... In the end I believe we had a better product because of that dialogue.

Wentzell said she agreed and found the agencys questions challenging in an appropriate way. They really pushed us to be more clear and sometimes to rethink aspects of the plan.

For context, U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos has said shes in favor of giving states as much flexibility as possible . And some Democrats in Congress say the administration didnt push oversight far enough .

Follow us on Twitter at @PoliticsK12 .
How early should children be screened for autism? How do girls with autism spectrum disorder differ from boys? The National Institutes of Health have awarded $100 million to nine research projects designed to answer those and other questions about the development disorder, characterized by behavioral, communication and social challenges.

The five-year grants are a continuation of the NIHs Autism Centers of Excellence , a nationwide research program working to find better screening, differentiation, and treatments for autism spectrum disorders, which affect 1 in 68 children nationwide. The new grants will support five research centers and four networks of scholars.

Several of the projects focus on early identification. While the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that pediatricians screen and monitor early signs of autism and other developmental disorders at 18 months and 24 months, only 1 in 5 childrens doctors follow the screening schedule. Thats one reason children with autism are still on average older than 4 when they are identified , even though Drexel University researcher Diana Robins said parents often start to see warning signs by age 2.

Parents are very good at noticing when something is not quite right, but pinpointing the cause of that really requires the help of a professional, Robins said.

In one of the NIH projects, Robins, who developed a common checklist for parents and caregivers to identify early signs of autism, will lead a randomized control trial of screening schedules for 8,000 toddlers across urban, suburban and rural communities in California, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania. Robins and her colleagues will track children randomly assigned to be screened for early signs of autism at either 18 months or 4 years oldthe age a child might reasonably be identified in school if he was not identified by a pediatrician earlier.

Toddlers at either screening age who are identified as having signs of autism will be given a year-long behavioral intervention, and Robins and her colleagues will test all of the children at age 5 for kindergarten readiness and other developmental benchmarks. Though the children will receive the same intervention regardless of when they are identified, Robins said she believes the earlier [children with autism] start their treatment, the more time they have to work on their skills before kindergarten.

In a separate project, Ami Klin, director of the Marcus Autism Center at Emory University, will observe hundreds of infants, including those considered at high risk of developing autism spectrum disorders, from birth to 2 1/2 years old, to identify signs of autism in early social interactions. For example, in prior research, Klin and his colleagues found that as early as age 2, children with autism are less likely to meet the eyes of adults during games. Klins grant continues prior research on how autism spectrum disorders develop across infancy and early childhood.

Other projects include:



Interventions : Florida State University researcher Amy Wetherby will evaluate a test a two-stage intervention designed to help parents understand and support their children with autism, while Duke University researchers Geraldine Dawson and Scott Kollins plan to test whether stimulants used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder also improves symptoms of autism in the 40 to 60 percent of children with autism who also have ADHD.

: Florida State University researcher Amy Wetherby will evaluate a test a two-stage intervention designed to help parents understand and support their children with autism, while Duke University researchers Geraldine Dawson and Scott Kollins plan to test whether stimulants used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder also improves symptoms of autism in the 40 to 60 percent of children with autism who also have ADHD. Variations: George Washington University researcher Kevin Pelphrey will continue a project to compare symptoms and treatments for boys and girls with autism, while David Amaral of the University of California-Davis will continue a project to classify different types of autism spectrum disorders based on behavior and genetic differences.

For more on what research suggests educators can do to support children with autism, see Education Weeks coverage.

Related:


The Brexit Secretary answers all your questions about household chores.

Chaired by Prime Minister Theresa May.

Q: Im having trouble opening the door of my dishwasher. Any handy tips, David?

Jill, Nuneaton.

MRS MAY: Might I just say, Jill, that we want the best possible outcome for you and your dishwasher. Over to you, David!

DAVID DAVIS: It couldnt be simpler, Jill. Follow my step-by-step plan, and youll have that dishwasher door open in a jiffy!

Dont get bogged down looking for the right knobs and buttons and suchlike.

'It couldnt be simpler, Jill. Follow my step-by-step plan, and youll have that dishwasher door open in a jiffy!'

And avoid the so-called Instruction Manual! Total waste of time! Its all double Dutch!

Fact: if you want instructions on how to open your dishwasher door, the last place youll find them is in an instruction manual!

No, what you need is a trusty British hammer-and-chisel.

First, you wedge your chisel in the gap between the door and the machine. Second, you give it a jolly good wrench. And  if that doesnt work  you get out your hammer and give it an almighty wallop!

Hey presto! The door has opened! And youve achieved the best possible outcome for you and your family!

And if you want to keep it open, just jump up and down on it until it snaps! Before long, the door should come right off, giving you total sovereignty over your dishwasher and freedom to put things in and out without any interference from a door.

MRS MAY: Congratulations, David  weve achieved the best possible outcome for Jill and her family!

Q: Advice, please, on how to unload my dishwasher, once the door has been removed.

Geoff, Harrogate.

MRS MAY: Could I just chip in? I just wanted to say, Geoff, that when it comes to unloading your dishwasher, I am determined to ensure the Best Possible Outcome. David?

DAVID DAVIS: Well, Geoff, youll hear all sorts of time-wasting stuff and nonsense from the so-called experts (!!). Theyll probably bore on and on at great length about taking out the plates one by one and stacking them neatly in silly little piles and so on!

Believe it or not, they even say theres no place for a good, solid British hammer when it comes to unloading your dishes!

I suppose its against the rules (!!). Yes, thats what the rest of us would call health and safety gone mad!

What you urgently need is the David Davis two-step plan.

First, pick up a great bundle of dishes. And, second, chuck them over your shoulder in the general direction of the table.

OK, so most of them will smash on the floor before reaching the table, but trusty British common sense should tell you that you cant make an omelette without breaking eggs.

And what about the glasses, I hear you ask? What about the cups and the mugs? Whats the best possible way of unloading them all?

Well, you dont want to waste your valuable time by taking glasses out one by one from the dishwasher and then searching around for somewhere to stack them!

'Congratulations, David  weve achieved the best possible outcome for Jill and her family!'

Im sure that sur le cont-i-nong (!!!) they have all sorts of rules and regulations on how to put your mugs and glasses in all sorts of neat little rows, exactly 1.5 centimetres apart, and so on!

Total waste of time. Much better to just pick up your hammer and just smash them in the dishwasher! Two seconds later, and its job done!

Then by re-ordering your mugs and cups and glasses youll have done your bit to regenerate British industry and make it the best in the world!

MRS MAY: And in that way well have achieved the best possible outcome!

Q: In your previous answer, David, you mentioned you couldnt make an omelette without breaking eggs. So any handy tips, David, on how to make an omelette?

Mary, Swindon.

DAVID DAVIS: 1. Break the eggs. 2. Go to the negotiating table. 3. Bingo! After skilful negotiation, youve gained the shells, and theyve agreed to take all the yolk and white off your hand. 4. Serve the shells with a decent bit of British ketchup!

MRS MAY: Yes, its the all-shell omelette! Strong and stable! Its the BEST POSSIBLE OUTCOME!
Adolescent boys who think they are girls are having their sperm frozen by the NHS before they undergo gender reassignment treatment so they can father children after they change sex.

Run that by me again. There goes another paragraph I never thought Id write.

Hang on, though, theres more. The health service is also storing the eggs of teenage girls who are taking male hormones so they can give birth after they become men.

These services are being offered to boys as young as 12 and girls aged 16 and over.

Leave aside for a moment perfectly legitimate arguments about whether sex-change procedures should even be available to children whose bodies havent yet fully developed.

This is madness.

Can you imagine the NHS committee meeting that came up with the idea? OK, thanks everyone.

Just to sum up: Were closing hundreds of wards, were short of thousands of doctors and nurses, waiting lists for routine operations are longer than ever and weve got a winter flu crisis looming. Is there any other business before we adjourn to the pub?

Just a thought, chair, but isnt it about time we started offering fertility treatment to transgender teenagers.

Brilliant! Why didnt we think of that before?

What baffles me is why any young man going to great lengths to change sex would want to be a father.

The health service is storing the eggs of teenage girls who are taking male hormones so they can give birth after they become men (stock photo)

Or why a woman who is having surgery to become male wishes to give birth. Surely, if the operation is a success, that would become a biological impossibility. Men cant have babies. Full stop.

Not that youre supposed to state the bleedin obvious any more. In the increasingly deranged view of the militant trans lobby, anyone saying that men cant give birth is guilty of a hate crime.

To adapt what Humpty Dumpty said about words in Alice Through The Looking Glass, gender means whatever they choose it to mean.

In the looking-glass world of gender fluidity, its all gone Humpty Dumpty. From gender-neutral toilets to freezing the sperm of 12- year-old boys about to become girls is a small step for trans-kind.

So many of their arguments fly in the face of nature. Trans-zealots reserve their bitterest hatred for feminists like Germaine Greer who refuse to accept, with every justification, that a male person in possession of a full set of wedding tackle should be allowed to describe himself as a woman and use female toilets and changing rooms.

The Left-wing lesbian activist Linda Bellos is the latest to incur their wrath. In yet another outrageous assault on free speech, shes just been banned from speaking at Cambridge University for fear of a trans backlash.

This column has always accepted that there is a minuscule number of people who genuinely suffer from gender dysphoria  the feeling that they were born into the wrong sex. They deserve compassion and understanding and sympathetic treatment by the NHS.

But that doesnt mean that public organisations such as universities and the health service should automatically capitulate to the more extreme demands of this gobby, intolerant minority.

Professor Gary Butler, head clinician for Britains only NHS service for young people with gender dysphoria, justifies freezing sperm and eggs on the grounds that: Transgender people are not making a lifestyle choice.

'They are following their biological and psychological make-up about their identity. If they want to become parents and raise a family, the science and medicine is there. Its the right of the individual to be able to do that.

Actually, no its not. It might be a demand, a desire, a need or an aspiration, but it isnt a right.

Just because the science and medicine is available, it doesnt mean it must be provided free of charge. We might have the technology, but we dont have to use it.

Sadly, what were seeing here is just another insane manifestation of the suffocating nanny statism which has infantilised a generation of young people into believing that they have an inalienable right to anything they want, gratis.

Never mind the thorny ethical question of whether the NHS should be freezing the sperm of confused schoolboys well below the legal age of sexual consent. What about the cost?

You dont have to be a raging transphobe to question the sanity of this scheme. Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali, former chairman of the ethics committee of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, said: The NHS is about treating people who are ill  thats what we pay our taxes for.

'It is not to aid peoples various wishes about what they want to do with their bodies or their futures.

'With increasing pressure on the NHS and so many essential services not being delivered, where are these funds for fertility treatment coming from?

Precisely. None of this comes cheap. Egg-freezing costs 4,000 for one cycle and around 300 a year for storage. The price of preserving sperm is around 400, plus 300 a year to keep it frozen.

The current cost of providing this service is believed to run into hundreds of thousands of pounds. But with more young people being encouraged by proselytising trans campaigners to question their gender, the skys the limit.

We keep being told that the NHS is in permanent financial crisis. Why should taxpayers have to foot the bill for crackpot transgender fertility treatments when some patients face an interminable wait for operations to alleviate painful, commonplace conditions, such as cataracts and hip replacements?

No one has the right to expect the state to pay for men who become women to father children  or for women who become men to give birth. And, no, I still cant believe Ive just written that paragraph, either.

Police forces across Britain report increasing problems caused by people on mobility scooters terrorising town centres and running amok in shopping precincts.

A number of scooter users have been charged with drunk-driving after colliding with pedestrians.

Dorset organised a Safe Scoot campaign to combat reckless driving on the pavement in the popular retirement town of Christchurch.

Motorists throughout the country regularly complain about being held up on 60mph roads by scooter riders doing 6 mph flat out.

Maybe police should look for a retired rocker seeking revenge on his old enemies

What annoys car drivers most is that many of these disabled individuals dont have genuine disabilities, theyre simply too fat to waddle their way to the chip shop. Some of our seaside towns, home to large numbers of pensioners, are overrun with mobility scooters.

At Clacton-on-Sea, in Essex, theres been a backlash. A saboteur has been roaming the streets scattering roof tacks and nails.

In the past fortnight at least 15 scooters have suffered punctures. One woman had three blow-outs in less than a week and there are fears of a major pile-up unless the culprit is caught soon.

Maybe police should look for a retired rocker seeking revenge on his old enemies ex-Mods who have been forced to swap their Vespas and Lambrettas for mobility scooters.

Clacton already looks like Quadrophenia for OAPs. I predict a riot.

Bring on the Oompa Loompa... and the Half Monty

As the man responsible for the first  and, I believe, only  television appearance of the Half Monty, Ive always taken a close interest in the career prospects of dwarfs.

The Half Monty were a troupe of stripping dwarfs modelled on the Full Monty.

At the time, TV executive Dawn Airey said she couldnt work out whether I was taking the proverbial or this was an enlightened piece of equal opportunities employment, giving valuable airtime to a vulnerable minority. What do you think? This ground-breaking performance came to mind when I read in one of the Sunday papers about 4ft 6in tall Andy Collins, who earns 250 an hour entertaining stag parties and hen nights in Benidorm.

He dresses up as a Smurf before stripping off and exposing himself. It turns out that hes on the sex-offender register back home for flashing a woman in Enniskillen, Northern Ireland, which earned him a four-month suspended sentence.

At least he has rehabilitated himself by putting his predilection to profitable use.

What amused me  and no doubt will amuse regular readers of this column  is that his other speciality is dressing up as an Oompa Loompa.

Of course it is.

Bring on the Half Monty!
A Sydney cafe known for their indulgent Nutella-filled desserts are now serving a lasagna-style dish made with lashings of the chocolate spread.

Aki Daikos and Simon Kappotos from Tella Balls Dessert Bar originally rose in popularity thanks to their decadent milkshakes.

'We love putting a spin on food and getting experimental in the kitchen, so we thought, why not create a savoury dish, sweet using Nutella,' Aki told The Daily Telegraph.

Their lasagna is filled with layers of mousse, fresh cream, chocolate biscuit and Nutella

But as with anything that comes out of this Willy Wonka-esque kitchen, it's not pasta or lasagna as we know it.

The lasagna is made up of layers of lavishly rich mousse and fresh cream on top of a chocolate biscuit base with decadent servings of Nutella and vanilla bean gelato on the side.

The 'Pastaella' is a fettuccine style crepe mixed with a Belgian milk and white chocolate sauce that resembles the savoury counterpart.

The Pastaella is a fettuccine style crepe mixed with a Belgian milk and white chocolate sauce that resembles the savoury counterpart

These dishes are causing a stir on social media, with one commenter writing on a picture of the lasagna: 'omg...just please...now...Lordy baby Jesus..can you hear me?? NOWWWWWW'

It is topped with housemade vanilla bean gelato with shaved white chocolate milk chocolate on the side which is shaved from the cafe's rotisserie.

'Its all about great taste. Chocolate and Nutella are food for the soul,' Aki said.

These dishes are causing a stir on social media, with one commenter writing on a picture of the lasagna: 'omg...just please...now...Lordy baby Jesus..can you hear me?? NOWWWWWW.'

Their milk chocolate crepe topped with strawberries (pictured left) and their red velvet waffle with mascarpone gelato (pictured right) have also proven to be hits

Their Nutella soft serve is a doughnut cone lined with Nutella and filled with Nutella soft serve ice cream

The dessert duo have been in the cafe business for two decades now and their creations are all about bringing back childhood memories.

'We remember as kids the feeling wed get when hearing the Mr Whippy van coming. So we grabbed that emotion and made it better in what we offer,' Aki explained.

'We used old-school meals and turned them into something bigger and better.'

The dessert duo have been in the cafe business for two decades now and their creations are all about bringing back happy childhood memories

The cafe's dessert version of fish and chips looks eerily like the real version, only sweeter

These two new dishes come after they had already introduced Nutella fish and chips to the menu.

Instead of regular white fish dipped in batter and flash fried and potato chips, Tella Balls' 'fish' is fried vanilla bean ice cream to replicate the meat and doughnut fries for the chips.

On the side there's 'tartare' sauce made from white Belgian chocolate and of course a Nutella 'dipping sauce' option too.
Despite not being cast in the Mamma Mia! sequel, which stars Meryl Streep and Colin Firth, Miranda Hart has nevertheless decided to make her own mock trailer for the film.

The 44-year-old shared this video on social media, made while on holiday in Greece, which kicks off with the 6ft 1in comedian reclining on a white sofa in a blue dress and sunglasses, singing the 1975 hit Abba song, before rising to boogie outside her villa.

Despite her off-pitch delivery, fans were impressed. Best audition ever. How disappointing that they didnt cast you, remarked one. You would have been great.

Despite not being cast in the Mamma Mia! sequel, which stars Meryl Streep and Colin Firth, Miranda Hart has nevertheless decided to make her own mock trailer for the film

When the BBC lost Bake Off, Sue Perkins said she was not going with the dough to Channel 4.

Judging by her companys latest accounts, the 48-year-olds dough is nevertheless rising quite nicely.

Sue Perkins Ltd, into which she channels her earnings, paid her 670,000 in dividends last year.

The business still had 574,658 after the payout to Perkins, who is courting fellow TV presenter Anna Richardson, 46.

Why it's too late to Call The Midwife

Call The Midwife star Helen George did not need any prenatal assistance at her baby shower this weekend.

The 33-year-old, who revealed only last month she was expecting her first child by Jack Ashton, her BBC co-star, has given birth to a girl six weeks early.

Call The Midwife star Helen George shared this snap from her baby shower where she and partner Jack Ashton cut a cake in the shape of a pregnant torso in a bikini top

Sporting a pink dress, Helen shared this snap from the Soho party in which she cradles the newborn while she and Jack cut a gluten-free vegan cake in the shape of a pregnant torso in a bikini top.

When your baby turns up early for her own baby shower, she captions it. Welcome to the world little one. What an amazing day.

Marriage rumours prompted by the ring on her left hand were swiftly played down. Shes not engaged, confirms a friend. It was the only finger her ring fitted on.
YESTERDAY, new Bake Off judge Prue Leith revealed how one of her recipes turned into a bomb scare. Today, in part three of her captivating autobiography, she describes being locked out while trying to cook a meal for Princess Alexandra and the Shah of Persia, and the secret of Her Majestys preferred cuppa...

Every now and then, Id be asked to cook a really grand dinner for really grand people. If the jobs were for business grandees or movie stars, I would generally be very well paid.

If they were royals, the money would be lousy, but of course I would accept because Id be flattered and figured it would be good for my reputation.

But I dont think I have ever done a royal do without drama. One such was for Princess Alexandra and her husband. She was entertaining the Shah of Persia at her home, Thatched House Lodge, in Richmond Park, for supper after the opera, and I had time to kill.

The pheasants had just gone into the oven, the starter and pud were ready and waiting. But the cheese looked colourless and could do with some black grapes. I jumped into my van and went to get some. When I got back, the great iron gates to the park were closed. I was locked out. No problem, I thought, plenty of time, and set off round the perimeter.

PRUE LEITH poured the Queen a weak, black lemon tea when she wanted a strong black tea without any lemon

Ham Gate was closed, too. Keep calm, I told myself  Kingston Gate has a lodge. Presumably with a lodge keeper. Huge relief, the lights were on and my ringing the bell brought a speedy response  from a small, offended woman.

Im just babysitting. I dont live here, she said, when I explained my predicament.

But this is the lodge-keepers house. Surely there are gate keys.

Well, if there are, I dont know anything about them. And if I did, she said, smug and smiling, I couldnt just let you in, could I?

I ran back to the car and slewed back on to the road, swallowing panic. Dinner was now due to start in ten minutes. Would anyone think to take my pheasants out of the oven? The resident housekeeper had not been friendly.

At Robin Hood Gate, there was the sound of television from the front room. I banged the brass knocker. Nothing. I stepped into the flowerbed and banged on the sitting-room window.

The curtain flipped open and a man, bearded and angry, mouthed silently at me through the glass. Then, the front door opened and he was shouting: Thems my petunias youre standing on. What the hell do you think . . .

He made to close the door. I stuck my foot into it. He banged the door on it.

Ow, that hurt, I yelped, hopping up and down and trying to keep my leg in the door. Look, Im really sorry about the petunias, but youve got to help me. I have to get into the park. Im cooking Princess Alexandras dinner, and shes got the Shah of Persia with her.

Princess Alexandra! The Shah of Persia! His mouth curled. F***ing toffs.

For a second, I thought he was going to clock me one, but he just slammed the door shut. Id been close to tears when Id arrived at his door. Now I was just furious. My foot hurt, and Id had enough of unco-operative lodge keepers.

I shouted through the letterbox: If youve got a problem with royalty, why the hell are you a gatekeeper in a royal park? And why take it out on me?

Hard at work: Prue in the seventies

Im only the cook, comrade. And Ill lose my job if you are too bloody-minded to help. How about some solidarity for the bleeding worker, hey?

I heard the door open, and thought: God, hes going to clobber me. I started to run down the path.

He called after me: I dont have a key, lady. The police have them. Ring the cops.

I swung round. Oh, thank you. Could I use your telephone? (This was the pre-mobile phone era.)

The sneer returned. Dont push your luck, lady. Theres a box over there. The phone box had an emergency phone connected to the park police. Thank God, I thought, and lifted the handset.Dead. No dial tone. Fighting the tears that were threatening to return, I drove on, found a BT box and dialled 999. But the police told me to ring the local station.

I rang Directory Inquiries. They gave me the number. I had no pen and had to memorise it. I dialled.

Richmond Police. Relief flooded through me. But then, beep-beep-beep. It wasnt a free call. I dashed back to the van. Got some money. Dialled again.

When the female voice answered, I launched into my tale of woe. She listened in silence, then said, Well Im terribly sorry my dear, but I dont know how I can help you. Im a housewife in Slough.

She DID help, though. She looked up the Richmond police number and this time I memorised it successfully and got through.

Calm down, Miss. Well send someone to Richmond Gate with the keys. Meet you there, right?

I hurtled round the perimeter road  Id now driven right round the park and was back where Id started. And then I waited. And waited. It was agony. The dinner should be on the table by now.

Finally, I could stand it no longer and knocked on the door of a big double-fronted house. The woman who answered was wearing a silk shirt tucked into well-tailored trousers, pearls at the neck, and had buck teeth. She did not open the door very far.

I explained the whole saga and asked if shed let me use the phone while she stood by the door in case the police came. But she wasnt going to let in a tear-streaked young woman with (pheasant) blood down her apron.

It was now almost dark and as I emerged into the street, I saw the tail lights of a convoy of cars, the middle one containing the Princess and the Shah, disappearing into the park, beyond the once-more locked gates.

God, no! I cried, all control deserting me as I ran to the gates and shook them. I felt tiny, like Alice in Wonderland, and in despair. Then the police arrived and let me in. The housekeeper had rescued the pheasants: they were in the warming oven, pink and perfect. The guests were still having drinks, so I had time to do the veg.

Afterwards, the Princess came into the kitchen to tell us how delicious it all was.

In theSeventies and Eighties, we occasionally got royals and celebrities at my restaurant. I was never good at judging where to seat the famous: would they want privacy, or an audience? In 1975, when the film Shampoo was on everywhere, I got it wrong with its stars, Julie Christie and Warren Beatty.

The newspapers were full of their affair, so I showed them at once to a discreet corner table, but they shook their heads.

I offered them other tucked-away tables, but they chose one in the middle of the room, under a spotlight. How was I to know they wanted to be seen? I later moaned to a restaurateur friend.

What were they wearing?

Well, oddly, they were both wearing white. She was in a trouser suit, he was in cream linen. They looked stunning.

Thats your answer. No one puts on a white trouser suit if they dont want to be seen.

AS A teenager, I knocked over a drinks tray once, and my mother  trying to make a joke of it in front of her guests  said: Its just like having a horse in the house.

It hurt, but it was true. I am utterly untrained as a waiter and Im naturally clumsy. So when I was asked to serve the Queen with a cup of tea at the opening of the Queen Elizabeth II Centre in London, I thought Id better get this right.

The Savoy's shockingly sexist chef As my cookery school began to pump out talented graduates in the Seventies, I realised that none of them got work at the Savoy hotel. The reason was Silvino Trompetto, The Savoys famous head chef, who believed that no woman should ever work in his kitchens. He wouldnt even have a female in the pastry department, where women had begun to make headway in most other hotels. Nonetheless, I tried to persuade him to give a Leiths School female graduate a two-week trial. Absolutely not, he said. I asked him why, expecting the usual nonsense about girls taking the mens minds off the job, or not being able to lift a full stock-pot. I was ready with my reply: if men managed to work with women in reception, why not the kitchen? And no one, male or female, could lift a full stock-pot by themselves. But his answer almost left me speechless: Because, dear lady, at a certain time of the month, women cause the mayonnaise to curdle. You must be joking. You cant believe that. No, no, its true. That is why women are not allowed into the mushroom sheds in France. They stop the spores germinating. Advertisement

I rang the Palace and asked an equerry: Can you tell me how Her Majesty takes her tea?

Just offer her whatever everyone else is having, he said.

Everyone has a preference of how they like their tea! Strong. Weak. Black. Sugar. No sugar. How does she usually have it?

I dont think I can tell you that.

Did he think it was a state secret? Look, I said, I will know very soon, because Im about to serve her some. It would just help me to be quick and efficient about it if you would tell me what she has at home . . .

If you insist. The butler brings a tray and on it there should be a teapot, hot water jug, milk jug, cream jug. And then there should be a sugar bowl, and a dish of lemon slices.

I gave up. A solid silver tray with all that stuff on it weighs a ton. I was so nervous I took a Valium and got our head waitress to give me a lesson. But I still had to dig my elbow into my hip to stop my arm dropping off, and only half-fill the jugs so I could hold the tray at all.

When the Queen finally arrived at the end of a long receiving line, she looked decidedly grumpy, as well she might. Shed just been on a two-hour trip round boring offices and conference areas.

And the Cabinet minister doing the honours had got a list with the guests in reverse order, and it wasnt until he was halfway down the line that someone had the courage to tell him he was getting the names wrong.

The Queen nobly insisted on starting again. She must have been gasping for a cuppa.

Black or white, maam? I said, remembering to say maam to rhyme with jam.

Black, please.

I picked up a lemon slice with a cocktail stick, put it in the cup and started to pour tea into it.

No lemon, thank you.

I fished the lemon out with the stick. But where to put it? No little saucer for these eventualities. So I put it, splat, down on the white tray cloth. Not a pretty sight.

I then topped up Her Majestys cuppa with water, thinking that people who like black tea usually like it weak.

No water, she said. Too late. Now the poor woman had weak lemony tea when she wanted strong black tea.

The Duke of Edinburgh fared rather better. When wed rung his office, his equerry said: Lapsang Souchong. With milk. Tea in first. No sugar.

Thank you, sir.

Prue Leith last year at the Henley Literary Festival in Oxfordshire

Soon after I opened a cookery school, my company got the contract for the Tate Gallery Candlelit Dinner  for the art worlds grandees, sponsors and potential donors. We were all cock-a-hoop.

On the night of the dinner, I arrived at 6pm. Walking through the galleries, my nose detected something horribly familiar. Nearer the kitchen, the whiff became an unmistakeable stink.

Please God, I thought, let this not be what I think it is. But it was. The mussel veloute, made with fresh mussels, fish stock, white wine and cream, was fermenting.

I grabbed the chefs sleeve. The soups off, I hissed. It stinks to high heaven.

I decided against sacking the guy just before the dinner. Look, Chef, I said, you get on with the rest of the dinner. Ill come back with more soup. Somehow.

No point going back to our catering business in the City  the cooks would have left. No good going to our restaurant: the chefs would be too busy. I could go to the new cookery school, which had no evening classes on a Friday.

Id somehow make 70 pints of soup in 40 minutes and get back to the Tate by 7.45.

At the school, I told the principal to bring any teachers she could get hold of. Ask them to bring anything white they can get: soup in cans, cream cheese, cream, anything at all.

THEN I rang the restaurant and asked them to send in a taxi as much white stock, white sauce, cheese sauce and cream as they could spare.

I went to Panzers, the deli next door, and bought them out of cream of artichoke soup, mussel soup, Vichyssoise, cream of onion soup and cream cheese.

We put everything we had into two big pots. We didnt cook a thing, just whisked it all together.

I drove back to the Tate, getting there in time for the soup to be scooped into silver soup tureens. A handful of chopped herbs on top, and the waiters sailed into the galleries, heads held high.

I had a letter from the Tate congratulating us on a superb dinner  and singling out the soup as unctuous and delicious!
Sixteen countries, four continents, less than one year.

This is the incredible travel itinerary of billionaire heiress Chryseis Tan, who shares her enviable jet-setting lifestyle with more than 220,000 followers on Instagram.

Chryseis, the daughter of Malaysian tycoon Vincent Tan (net worth USD$1.2billion), reveals on her bio that she has one simple wish: 'I want to travel the world'.

Billionaire heiress Chryseis Tan shares her enviable jet-setting lifestyle, always via a private plane, with more than 220,000 followers on Instagram

Chryseis, the daughter of Malaysian tycoon Vincent Tan (net worth USD$1.2billion), reveals on her bio that she has one simple wish: 'I want to travel the world'

The socialite has traveled across Asia and Europe and back again multiple times this year, with stints in the US and Africa as well

And the 29-year-old socialite has done just that in 2017, travelling across Asia to Europe and back again multiple times, with stints in the US and Africa as well.

Chryseis, who is based in Kuala Lumpar, kicked off the year in Dubai with her partner Faliq Nasimuddin.

The pair, who began dating in 2014, shared similar childhoods. Faliq is the son of late billionaire businessman Tan Sri Nasimuddin Amin.

After riding camels during a desert safari, Chryseis jetted off to Bangkok and Beijing before heading to Modena in Italy at the beginning of March.

Chryseis, who is based in Kuala Lumpar, kicked off the year in Dubai with her partner Faliq Nasimuddin

She happily enjoyed some juice while watching a falcon show during a desert safari

Chryseis and Faliq, who began dating in 2014, shared similar childhoods. Faliq is the son of late billionaire businessman Tan Sri Nasimuddin Amin

It was there that she and Faliq enjoyed every dessert available at the famous Osteria Francescana - currently voted the best restaurant in the world.

The Italian eatery, which has three Michelin stars, has a 250 12-course tasting menu and charges 30 for each of its six desserts.

Chryseis toured through Maranello, Florence, and Milan before heading back toward Asia just in time to see the famous cherry blossom trees in Tokyo.

The heiress, one of 11 children, makes her family reunions an excuse to travel as well - first heading to Seoul, Korea to be with her mother and then touring Nara and Kyoto in Japan with her sister.

Hydra, an island in Greece, was just one of the places these lovebirds visited in 2017

The pair also made their way to Osteria Francescana - currently voted the best restaurant in the world - in Modena, Italy

Chryseis then headed back to Asia and visited Tokyo to see the famous cherry blossom trees

She started off her trip in the US with a visit to Miami's famous South Beach area

Chryseis then headed to Hong Kong, where the foodie enjoyed the likes of caviar pasta, uni truffle fried dough, and black truffle pizza at the lavish Vea Restaurant and Lounge - where the tasting menu starts at $190 per person.

She returned home to Malaysia for her mum's birthday, and then took a pit stop in Singapore before heading for the States.

It was there that Chryseis and a group of her glamorous friends enjoyed the likes of Miami, San Francisco and Napa in California, and a vacation in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Chryseis then headed back to Europe in June. In one cheeky Instagram post, she donned a jacket that read 'Paris-Tokyo' and asked her followers where they thought she was headed next.

It was then off to the Turks and Caicos Islands for a dip in its famous turquoise beaches

The glamorous heiress took a slew of Instagram shots in various fashionable bathing suits

Chryseis loves a good beach vacation and later this year headed to a resort in Thailand

And if the beaches in Greece and Thailand weren't enough, Chryseis also stopped by Bali

The answer was Paris, of course, with a trip to Vienna as well before she and Faliq headed to Morocco at the end of the month.

It was there that her longtime partner dropped down on one knee, proposing in Marrakesh with a sign made of blossoms that read: 'Will you marry me?'

Chryseis then hopped back onto a private jet - her transportation of choice - before stints in Phuket, a return to Kyoto, and then a holiday in Switzerland.

It was then off to Barcelona and the famous El Celler de Can Roca restaurant in Girona, boasting three Michelin stars and dinners starting at $180 per person.

But the couple are fans of romantic cities as well, visiting Vienna, Austria in June

Later that month the couple visited Marrakesh, where Faliq proposed to Chyrseis

Chryseis recently showed off her enviable rock as she displayed her Gucci-inspired manicure

Chyseis is a big fan of fine dining and headed to Barcelona and the famous El Celler de Can Roca restaurant in Girona (pictured)

Chryseis then basked in the sun in Greece and Bali, where she partied with Leona Lewis, before heading to Jakarta, Indonesia and the Shanghai Disney Resort.

Although it may seem like Chryseis is a professional traveller, the heiress is actually a businesswoman in her own right.

She is the CEO of Berjaya Times Square, Malaysia's largest inner-city shopping mall, and the executive director of Berjaya Assets Bhd.

Chryseis has also invested in two restaurants in her native Malaysia, as well as the app Goxip - which allows users to take a picture of celebrities' clothes on social media and instantly get connected to sites where they can find similar styles.

The busy businesswoman, whose life is filled with meetings, weddings, and plenty of amazing fashion opportunities, is currently in Hong Kong.

But there's no doubt she'll stay true to the promise she made on one Instagram shot: 'I know I say this all the time but...off again!'

Although it may seem like Chryseis is a professional traveler, the heiress is actually a businesswoman in her own right

She is the CEO of Berjaya Times Square, Malaysia's largest inner-city shopping mall and the executive director of Berjaya Assets Bhd
The Kansas Supreme Courts ruling striking down the states most-recent funding formula thrusts a 20-year battle over school spending, standards, and the achievement gap in that state back into another year of legislation and litigation.

The courts Oct. 2 ruling gave state lawmakers until June 30 of next year to to add money to the funding formula and come up with a better distribution method, although the justices asked lawmakers to present something before April 30 of next year so the court will have time before the school year commences to deterimne whether the funding formula meets the courts muster.

While we stay the issuance of todays mandate through June 30, 2018, after that date we will not allow ourselves to be placed in the position of being complicit actors in the continuing deprivation of a constitutionally adequate and equitable education owed to hundreds of thousands of Kansas school children, the judges said in the tersely-worded ruling.

School funding has roiled Kansas politics for decades, coming to a peak this year after the court said in two separate rulings that the states funding formula was both inadequate and inequitable.

The states politicians are tasked with coming up with hundreds of millions more dollars, though the court has not defined how much will ultimately satisfy them. Legislators have been reluctant to raise taxes.

Conservative politicians across the state expressed extreme frustration with the courts latest ruling.

This ruling shows clear disrespect for the legislative process and puts the rest of state government and programs in jeopardy, said Republican Senate leaders Susan Wagle, Jeff Longbine, and Jim Denning in a statement. As promised, Senate Republicans remain committed to providing every Kansas student with an exceptional education; however, raising taxes to fund this unrealistic demand is not going to happen.

Republican Gov. Sam Brownback in a statement called the ruling another regrettable chapter in the never-ending cycle of litigation over Kansas school funding. The court should not substitute its decision for that of the legislature.

School officials, though, were elated, pointing out that the state promised them that, once the recession ended, they would get plenty more money.

The funding formula that was struck down provided states $293 million more than the previous funding formula.

Lawyers for the four districts that originally sued the state said districts should be given more flexibility in spending and that nothing less than $893 million--a number based on an earlier ruling by the states high court -- would satisfy the courts earlier ruling or help districts close its achievement gap.

Alicia Thompson, superintendent for Wichita schools told the Witchita Eagle , We have nearly 500,000-plus public school students in the state of Kansas, and the future sits in our classrooms today, she said. For Kansas economy to be prosperous, we must be able to embrace the notion that the solution to our workforce challenges sits in our classrooms.

Dont miss another State EdWatch post. Sign up here to get news alerts in your email inbox. And make sure to follow @StateEdWatch on Twitter for the latest news from state K-12 policy and politics.
Jimmy Choo is the name behind some of the most iconic and covetable shoes in the world.

The legendary designer is visiting Australia right now, promoting his latest line as well as sharing industry knowledge with TAFE Queensland fashion students.

In an interview with Today, Professor Jimmy Choo opened up on his relationship with the late Princess Diana, and shared touching details of the time he designed for her.

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Professor Jimmy Choo (left) recalls fond memories of designing shoes for one of his most favourite clients, the late Princess Diana (right)

The Malaysian-born designer recalled the time he spent working for the princess fondly, remembering her as a kind, and gentle person - a memory very much in keeping with her public persona.

'She was very down to earth. She never complained. She never said the shoe was too tight, or too big. Never,' said Professor Choo.

'She always sent me a card that said "Thanks Jimmy, thanks for coming to Kensington Palace to see me".'

He said his most famous model, who he met in 1990 and designed for until her death in 1997, trusted his sense of style implicitly.

The world-renown designed created shoes for Princess Diana from 1990 until her death in 1997

'She said "I will leave it to you Jimmy. You're the expert."'

His special relationship with the princess he said has been immortalised in a pair of shoes he's only ever made available for his family.

'The last pair of shoes I designed for the late princess was the flat pump,' he said.

Professor Choo received a special honour from Princes William and Harry at a memorial service held marking the 20th anniversary of Princess Diana's death

This year marks the 20th anniversary of Princess Diana's death, and during the memorial held Professor Choo received a special honour from Princes William and Harry.

He was named an Ambassador for The Diana Award - an appointment that will see the world-renown designer raise funds in a bid to continue Princess Diana's legacy.

'She was real princess,' Professor Choo said somewhat emotionally during the interview.

'Down to earth, simple. Very nice, with a very good heart. She did a lot of charity, and left a good legacy.'
A New Zealand mother-of-two who was diagnosed with 'incurable' breast cancer 10 years ago has posed for a series of inspiring images with fellow survivors.

Maggie Prentice, 50, was told that she had a 10 per cent chance of survival but a decade later she is raising awareness for the disease.

'I wake up and think about it every day but I don't dwell on it, I haven't given up work I just carry on as normal as possible,' Maggie told Daily Mail Australia.

Maggie Prentice, 50, (pictured) was told that she had a 10 per cent chance that she would survive but 10 years later she is now trying to raise awareness for breast cancer

The inspiring 50-year-old has now posed alongside fellow cancer survivors - Marian and Jo - for a lingerie shoot that was not retouched or altered in any way.

The aim of the shoot was to raise awareness of breast cancer and those whose lives are touched by the disease.

'It's only been recently that I've accepted it,' Maggie said of her diagnosis. 'I've been in denial for a long time but I have also been quite positive and I think that has really helped.'

Maggie said her diagnosis came completely out of the blue as she had been fit and healthy when she noticed something strange after going for a run.

The inspiring 50-year-old has now posed alongside fellow cancer survivors - Marian and Jo (pictured) for a lingerie shoot that is not retouched or altered in any way - in order to raise awareness of breast cancer

'I jumped in the shower and it must have been the way that the light was shining through the window and into the mirror - I could see my breasts were quite misshapen and I hadn't noticed that before,' she said.

Maggie was able to get an appointment with her doctor that day.

'It took a long time to process but at the time when you're diagnosed you just get on the roller coaster and you keep going - you've got appointments to go to and treatments that need to be done,' she said.

'You just step on and you go for it really, there's no thinking about what's happening,' Maggie continued.

Maggie said the diagnosis was completely out of the blue as she was the healthiest and fittest she'd been but found something unusual after she went for a run

'You're suddenly being swept away and you become so self absorbed about it that it takes away the initial shock and you're feeling a little bit positive because you're doing something about it, you're doing everything you can.'

Following a biopsy and mastectomy Maggie found three lumps on her neck, which signalled that the cancer had spread through her lymphatic system.

Maggie found out within two months after first initial diagnosis that her cancer was incurable.

'It was heartbreaking, it was devastating. When I had the surgery and they had taken 13 lymph nodes from under my arm I think I was quite naive and I didn't understand the consequences of that.'

The repercussion was unfortunately the fact that there was a high chance the cancer would spread.

After removing the 13 lymph nodes there was unfortunately a high chance the cancer would spread

'They didn't give me a time frame, they treated the cancer quite aggressively as the cancer itself was aggressive and they changed my initial program of treatment.

'They did chemotherapy, then radiation and herceptin. I did anything I could, anything they would give me I'd take, anything to have a better outcome.

'It was different for me at that time because my husband was also diagnosed with cancer the week after I was, and we had surgery in the same hospital a day a part,' she said.

'It was a really crazy time for the whole family but now he's perfect, he's great and he was discharged from oncology and doing any further treatments two weeks ago.

'I had a scare last year but that reinforced the idea that you've got to live each day as it is and not to be reckless with your health,' she explained

'I had a scare last year but that reinforced the idea that you've got to live each day as it is and not to be reckless with your health.

'I have a lot to live for and my children are young adults, there is a lot to see and for them to achieve.'

Although she was initially given a 10 percent survival rate Maggie is still going strong and monitors her health by having a mammogram done every year.

'Unless you see issues pop up or things change, don't worry about it, live life and get on with it.

'Whatever happens now, they can't cure it, so there is no point in wasting your life stressing about it.'

Although she was initially given a 10 percent survival rate Maggie is still going strong and monitors her health by having a mammogram done every year

Maggie became part of the Lonely lingerie shoot thanks to a Facebook post by an organisation called Sweet Louise, which aims to improve the quality of life for New Zealanders living with incurable breast cancer.

'It was something I felt uncomfortable about as I was heavier than ever and having had a mastectomy and everything but it was something that I just wanted to do for me.

'Before I had time to think about it I applied for it and I wanted them to pick me.

'I woke up on the day and I was really positive and I just thought "well this is it, I'm doing it", I felt comfortable doing it in the end.'

Maggie explained that she became part of the Lonely lingerie shoot thanks to a Facebook post by an organisation called Sweet Louise

Although Maggie wary about standing in front of a group of strangers in her lingerie initially, that feeling soon went away.

'I'm not actually an outgoing person and to do that was totally out of my comfort zone but I don't think that was comfortable for any of us but we had made a decision and wanted to do it.

'Jo, Marian and I were all the same, we're all in different stages of the disease, I'm fortunate enough to be well at this time so that was good.'
Queen Maxima's striking resemblance to her three daughters is revealed in this stunning set of photographs to commemorate her husband's 50th birthday.

The Dutch queen consort, 46, appears alongside the young Princesses in the new series of close-up portraits shot by renowned photographer Erwin Olaf.

Shot on April 18 to mark King Willem-Alexander's 50th birthday, the images have this week been released to the public by the Royal House of the Netherlands and are currently on display at a museum in Oss.

The eldest at 13, Catharina-Amalia, Princess of Orange - who goes by Amalia - has clearly inherited her parents' striking looks and strawberry-blonde hair.

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Portrait of a queen: Maxima stars alongside her three daughters in this new set of portraits from Erwin Olaf, released to coincide with King Willem-Alexander's 50th birthday this year

Middle child Princess Alexia of Orange-Nassau, 12, has inherited her mother's dark brown eyes but also boasts an adorable smattering of freckles.

Meanwhile the couple's youngest daughter Princess Ariane of Orange-Nassau, 10, looks much like her father thanks to her sweep of fair hair.

The three sisters, who are famously close, were each born just two years apart and are often referred to as the 'A-team' due to their three names each beginning with the letter 'A'.

The portraits, which are currently on display at the Museum Jan Cunen, Oss, are part of the exhibition Women of Orange - Portraits of Five Queens.

Little princess: The couple's eldest daughter at 13, heir-apparent Catharina-Amalia, Princess of Orange was was born on 7 December 2003. She goes by 'Amalia'

Middle child: Born on on 26 June 2005, Princess Alexia of Orange-Nassau takes after her mother with her dark green eyes as show in this stunning series of portraits

The couple's youngest daughter Princess Ariane of Orange-Nassau, 10, was born on 10 April 2007. Like her father and eldest sister she has fair hair

Olaf was previously chosen by the Dutch royals to shoot a portrait commemorating Maxima's milestone 40th birthday in 2011.

Maxima was born in Argentina and married into the Dutch royal family in 2002, three years after meeting her husband-to-be in Seville, Spain.

Despite reportedly having no inkling that Willem-Alexander was heir to the throne when the pair first met, she eventually became Queen consort when her husband ascended to the throne.

Willem-Alexander became king after his mother, Beatrix, abdicated in April 2013 after 33 years as reigning monarch.

The Dutch royals during a visit to Los Arrayanes National Park, Argentina in 2014 (pictured left to right: Princesses Alexia, Ariane and Amalia)

Now 79, the former Queen, whose husband Prince Claus died in 2002, lives in the Drakensteyn Castle near the village of Lage Vuursche, occasionally undertaking official engagements.

Willem-Alexander was officially sworn in as king of the Netherlandsm - the country's first male rule since 1890 - at a colourful ceremony in Nieuwe Kerk attended by 2,000 visitors from around the world.

In an emotional tribute to Beatrix, he said: 'Dear Mother, today you relinquished the throne. 33 years moving and inspiring years. We are intensely, intensely grateful to you.'
Britain's cathedrals attract visitors from all over the world, with most hoping to get a taste of the country's rich history.

But a series of hilarious Google reviews written by tourists and shared on social media show that some have been less than impressed by the city landmarks.

The amusing appraisals of the country's cathedrals were posted on Twitter by Fergus Butler-Gallie, who wrote: 'England's cathedrals are considered to be among the most amazing buildings on earth.'

Sharing screenshots of the funny reviews, he added: 'But not by the people who review them on Google maps'.

A series of hilarious Google reviews of cathedrals in the UK have been shared online. Pictured is Winchester Cathedral

One visitor was very disappointed by Winchester Cathedral, claiming the structure was 'clearly fake and built yesterday'

Ripon Cathedral in north Yorkshire (pictured) dates back to the 7th century and was founded as a monastery for Scottish monks

However, one visitor believed the interior was not up to scratch, writing in her review: 'Could do with some carpets and a lick of paint'

Many of the reviews appear to have been written by people from the UK who have paid a visit to cathedrals in other cities.

One reviewer, Dom Mills, was left very disappointed after his trip to Winchester Cathedral, claiming that the 'structure [is] clearly fake and built yesterday' - despite the building being finished in 1093.

Others were similarly disappointed by the aesthetics they were presented with when visiting other cathedrals.

Following a visit to Ripon Cathedral, Jude Gordon wrote: 'Could do with some carpets and a lick of paint'.

Durham Cathedral, which dates all the way back to 1093, has been designated UNESCO World Heritage Site

But this visitor was not impressed, describing the 'historic stuff as boring' and adding that it 'smells of horse poo'

In fact, a number of the reviews begged the question of why the visitor went to see a cathedral in the first place. Writing about Salisbury Cathedral, one simply wrote: 'I am not into this sort [of] thing'

Derby Cathedral, which dates back to the 16th century, is undoubtedly a beautiful building

But one man had a rather worrying response to the cathedral, describing it as 'Really sexually attractive'

Meanwhile, some of the reviews begged the question of why they decided to visit the cathedral in the first place.

Shannon Robson, who made a trip to Durham Cathedral, wrote: '[T]he historic stuff is boring, don't like it. wont be going back there again!!!'

She very strongly suggested that other people did not go there, adding: '[D]on't recommend having a picnic there as bee's attack and again I highly recommend you DO not visit there, smells of horse poo.'

One man meanwhile had a slightly worrying response to Derby Cathedral, writing: 'Really sexually attractive cathedral, I would fantasize about this place all day if I could Pwhorar!'

Others were more concerned about the food on offer, than the cathedrals themselves.

Many of the reviewers were more concerned about the food in the tearoom, than the cathedral itself

One visitor meanwhile had their experience of Coventry Cathedral ruined by a 'noisy commercial vegan market'

One person complained about the 'hardest Vic sponge cake ever' at a cafe next to Southwark Cathedral, while another complained how there were no fish and chips at St Paul's.

Meanwhile, Penny Welford, who visited Coventry Cathedral, was left extremely unimpressed by the 'noisy commercial vegan market in the nave'.

Some of the tourists were very to the point with their reviews. One person simply described Chichester as 'old', while another described Liverpool Cathedral as 'Anglican'.

And one visitor, posting under moniker Dorset Taco, was decidedly underwhelmed by Truro Cathedral, simply writing: 'It's alright I suppose'.

A number of the reviews were very to the point - with one person writing 'It's alright I suppose' in response to seeing Truro Cathedral

Ely Cathedral, which dates back to AD 672, draws thousands of visitors from around the world every year

But person described Ely as 'appalling', while a visitor to Liverpool Cathedral was also distinctly unimpressed by what they saw

Meanwhile, one tourist was left baffled by the fact that Leicester Cathedral was not open to visitors on Sunday due to services planned

Some reviewers to used the opportunity to share their conspiracy theories and vent their frustrations about religion in the country
A woman who started pulling all her body hair out when she was nine-years-old believes she's finally overcome her compulsion thanks to a revolutionary hairpiece.

Claire Ory, 22, from Bristol had her head shaved by her parents when she was 11 in a bid to stop her pulling.

But the problem only became worse when her mother committed suicide two years later and Claire ended up in a psychiatric hospital.

After battling through her depression and experimenting with covering her head with wigs to embracing her baldness with bare-headed modelling shoots, she's never been able to overcome her compulsion.

However, last year she was fitted with a revolutionary hair mesh, known as The Intralace System, which acts as a barrier to further pulling while also filling in the patches on her scalp

She's since been able to go on a rollercoaster for the first time, perform as a contortionist and wash her hair normally, plus her rate of pulling has drastically reduced.

Claire Ory, 22, from Bristol has been left with bald patches all over her head after she started pulling her hair out at the age of

In order to boost her confidence, Claire started modelling to show off her bald head but it didn't solve her compulsion to pull

Last year Claire was fitted with a revolutionary hair mesh, known as The Intralace System, which acts as a barrier to further pulling while also filling in the patches on her scalp

'I started pulling my hair out at the age of nine at school. Doing something like that at such a young age made me anxious and depressed and I started to develop school phobia,' Claire recalled.

'My parents obviously noticed the gaps in my hair and decided to shave my head when I was 11 to stop me from pulling.

'For the following year I was fashioning different scarves and hats before I asked my mum if I could look into wearing wigs.

'After a year I got my first medical wig and it was amazing. I was so happy and I felt like I finally looked my age again. However, this did not last.

The performer has tried covering her hair with wigs but found they were too high maintenance

Claire who works as a contortionist is able to perform with confidence thanks to her new hair

Claire before she started pulling her body hair out at the age of nine. The problem worsened when her mother committed suicide when Claire was 13

'I then begun pulling out my brows, lashes and body hairs, whatever I could get my hands on.

TRICHOTILLOMANIA? Trichotillomania is a condition where a person feels compelled to pull out the hair on their head or in other places, such as their eyebrows or eyelashes. It's an impulse-control disorder (a psychological condition where you are unable to stop yourself carrying out a particular action), and it's not known for certain what causes it. Some experts think hair pulling is a type of addiction. The more you pull your hair out, the more you want to keep doing it. Trichotillomania may be a reflection of a mental health problem. Psychological and behavioural theories suggest that hair pulling may be a way of relieving stress or anxiety. In some cases, trichotillomania may be a form of self-harm, where you deliberately injure yourself as a way of seeking temporary relief from emotional distress. The most effective treatment is therapy to change hair-pulling behaviour, combined with a network of emotional support. Advertisement

'At the age of 13 my mother committed suicide which made the pulling worse and worse.

'I gave up school and had to stay in a psychiatric hospital before I could get back to a "normal" life.'

Over the next few years, Claire battled to overcome her depression but the pulling was still a problem.

'Although the habit was still bad, I was still enjoying wearing different wigs and caps and I was even enjoying my bald head,' she said. 'I was having fun cutting and styling the hair, adding colour and sewing in new extensions  basically experimenting with my hair.

'I even started modellling with my bald head and it made me feel very confident.

'I loved working on new wigs, but after years of wearing them I lost interest plus it took a lot of care with all of the expensive shampoos, conditioners etc.

'I couldn't wear them when I had sleepovers with friends, I was avoiding swimming pools or rollarcoaster and they made me sweaty and irritated my skin on hot days.'

In 2016, Claire heard about hair loss specialist Lucinda Ellery's Intralace system and after doing some research, she decided to ask for an appointment.

Claire says modelling without a wig helped her confidence, but she was still seeking a solution for her trichotillomania

The performer can now work with confidence thanks to a mesh system that covers the bald patches and creates a barrier to further pulling

Claire performing without her wig, which she found too hot and cumbersome

'I was so excited when the team told me they could help me,' she said. 'I thought the Intralace system was a perfect alternative to wigs. I could do absolutely everything with it and I was hoping it would help with my hair pulling.

'I have had the system for a year now and I absolutely love it It's so great to wear, it feels so natural.'

Lucinda has studios around the country including London, the West Midlands, Manchester, Bristol and Edinburgh, as well as New York and Los Angeles, and pioneers hair loss solutions to help women in need.

Claire's parents shaved her head when she was 11-years-old to stop her pulling but nothing worked

She said: 'So many women suffer in silence with the condition and we really want to break down the barriers that are stopping them getting help.

'Often women feel completely alone with many not even realising what they are experiencing is a medical condition.

'Increasing awareness around the condition, and what we can do to help, will, we hope, encourage the 90 per cent of sufferers currently suffering in silence to come forward and seek treatment'.

International No Pulling Weeks runs from 1  7 October 2017
Lady Amelia Windsor looked pretty in pink as she posed for photographs outside yet another fashion week show.

The 22-year-old blonde donned a soft pink dress and matching fluffy handbag as she joined the stars at the Miu Miu showcase in Paris today.

It has been a busy fashion month for the socialite and budding model, who has previously popped up at the Dior show in Paris and took in Tommy Hilfiger and a Miu Miu party during London Fashion Week.

Demure: Lady Amelia Windsor, 22, stepped out in a pink shift dress for the Miu Miu show

Edgy accessories: The young royal stopped the look from being too cute by adding a black leather jacket and chunky platform sandals. She kept her hair and make-up to a minimum

The rising star joined a fleet of famous faces including Emily Ratawjoski and sisters Elle and Dakota Fanning for the event in Paris today.

While she has recently been spotted in some rather racy outfits, today Lady Windsor opted for a demure shift dress in the palest shade of pink.

She accessorised the frock with a fluffy clutch bag in just the same shade - nod to the fashion world's continued obsession with 90s style.

She gave her romantic dress a little edge with a black studded biker jacket and chunky black platform sandals.

Minimal make-up and a chunky silver ring completed the young royal's look.

Lady Amelia Windsor attended the Dior show at Paris Fashion Week decked out top to toe in clothes from the line

The student scraped her hair back into a low ponytail to let her stunning outfit do the talking

She carried one of Maria Grazia Chiuri's most coveted bags, a small black J'adior clutch

She added edge to her romantic white Dior dress with a pair of flat black biker boots

Just last week Lady Amelia turned heads in a crop top and boxer shorts as she joined A-listers on the front row of the Dior Paris Fashion Week show.

Previously Lady Amelia looked every inch the cool girl as she joined celebrities on the front row of the Tommy Hilfiger show at London Fashion Week.

The society beauty, who is 36th in line to the British throne, channeled her inner disco goddess at the show in a cropped metallic silver jacket and striped metallic trousers.

Giving the ensemble a bit of edge, the 22-year-old paired the trousers with a cropped black top with what appeared to be 'Gigi Hadid' written in red along the bottom.

Effortlessly cool: Lady Amelia Windsor flashed her toned abs in a cropped top ensemble

Fashion darlings: Model Lottie Moss, left, and Lady Amelia Windsor at the Tommy Hilfiger show

Laid back: The society beauty kept her long blonde locks loose for the fashion show

The former Edinburgh University student was among the famous faces who turned out for the highly anticipated show at the Roundhouse in Chalk Farm, north London.

She was spotted posing for photographs with model Lottie Moss before the rock concert-themed show kicked off on Tuesday night.

Having already walked the runway for Dolce & Gabbana - and been hailed as the 'most beautiful' member of the royal family - Lady Amelia has become a firm fixture in fashion circles.

She took up a prime seat in the front row at the Emporio Armani show in London, and went on to attend the Love Magazine x Miu Miu party at Mayfair nightclub Loulou's.

Picture perfect: The young royal posed for the cameras on her way into the show on Tuesday
Ivanka Trump appears to be on a bit of a '60s kick with her style choices this week.

The 35-year-old First Daughter made her daily trip from the front door of her Washington, D.C. home to her car this morning, as always attended by a bevy of photographers who snapped her picture as she smiled and stepped into the Secret Service SUV.

And she seemed to be sticking with the mod theme she tried out with yesterday's ensemble, mixing plaid pants with a snug top and showing off a bit of skin.

She's a mod girl: Ivanka Trump was seen leaving her home in D.C. on Tuesday

That's new: The 35-year-old wore an interesting top with a large cut-out, with just a thin strip of fabric at her neck

So '60s: She tucked the top into a pair of cropped plaid pants and added red heels

Oh, you're here for me? Ivanka smiled at photographers waiting outside and carried a cup of coffee

Ivanka picked out a pair of cropped plaid pants with a similar pattern and color to the skirt she wore on Monday.

She tucked in a tight black top, which was an uncharacteristic choice for the mother-of-three. Though it was long-sleeved and certainly modest, it also features a large, wide cut-out across her entire chest, with just a thin strip of fabric running above her collarbone.

She added a pop of color with low pointy-toe slingbacks, pulled her hair into a ponytail, and slipped on a pair of large hoop earrings, making for a decidedly '60s look.

Ivanka also carried her morning coffee in a to-go cup and smiled at the photographer parked outside as she walked the few steps from her open gate to the SUVs ready to receive her.

Photo moment: She smiled brightly while paparazzi snapped her picture

Protected: She walked the few steps from her front door to the SUVs outside, which are attended by Secret Service

Off to work: She was followed shortly after by her husband, Jared Kushner

Good mood: Jared wore a suit and smiled and waved at photographers

The First Daughter seems to be committing to this '60s theme this week, as she wore a similarly retro outfit on Monday.

Leaving her house, she was seen sporting a bright yellow sweater with a crew neck, which she paired with a plaid skirt with a slit.

She wore her hair in loose curls around her shoulders, which she pushed back to show off the most eye-catching element of her look: a pair of oversized earrings several inches wide and long.

Her heels, too, were an unusual choice for the First Daughter: though black and understated in the front, they featured a trendy clear heel.

Ivanka, who also toted a black purse full of paperwork, was followed out of her upscale Kalorama neighborhood home by her husband and fellow senior White House adviser, 36-year-old Jared Kushner.

Ready! She started her week with an edgy touch on Monday, spicing up her work outfit with several quirky accessories

Details: Shewas pictured heading out of her Washington, D.C. home wearing a bright yellow sweater with a crew neck

Interesting choices: Ivanka spiced up her already-bold ensemble with some large floral earrings, and clear block heels

Spouse: Jared was also seen heading out yesterday, looking businesslike in a suit and tie

Respect: Later on Monday, Ivanka and Jared took part in a moment of silence for the victims of the Las Vegas shooting that has left 58 people dead and 515 injured

Solemn: They stood next to White House staffers on the South Lawn during the homage

Important: Ivanka and her husband were pictured interacting with a woman as they arrived for the moment of silence on Monday

Jared, who came under fire last week along with his wife for using his private email address to conduct official business, smiled for the cameras as he also walked towards a car on his way to work.

He is among six White House officials who discussed White House matters using private email addresses, along with Steve Bannon and Reince Priebus, the New York Times reported citing 'current and former' officials.

As for Ivanka, she used a private account to communicate with a government official while working as an unofficial adviser in the early days of her father's administration, Newsweek wrote.

Later on Monday, Ivanka and Jared joined President Donald Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, as well as Vice-President Mike Pence and his wife Karen Pence to take part in a moment of silence for the victims of the Las Vegas shooting that has left 58 people dead and 515 injured.

She and Jared stood next to White House staffers on the South Lawn during the homage.

Black on black: On Thursday, she wore a top with a similar but smaller cut-out to the one she wore Tuesday

Helping hand! Her assistant was seen carrying a much larger black tote stuffed with papers to the waiting SUV, along with a Starbucks coffee

While Ivanka appeared to carry her own paperwork on Monday, last week she needed the help of an assistant to transport all of her documents.

When she left her home on Thursday, she was seen carrying a small bucket-style handbag on her shoulder, which  although stylish  proved to be no match for all of the items that Ivanka required for a busy day at the office.

Indeed, as she made her way out to her waiting SUV, she had to have an assistant follow her with a much larger tote, which appeared to be stuffed to the brim with various sheets of paper, and even a newspaper, as well as a coffee from Starbucks.

She was seen leaving her home on Thursday shortly after Jared himself made his way to the White House, and less than 24 hours after it was revealed that he actually registered to vote as a woman back in 2009, having apparently ticked the wrong box on his form.

Despite the embarrassing mix-up, Jared appeared fairly laid-back as he made his way out of his home, carrying just a single bag, and without the help of an assistant.
One young Indian fashion blogger is sick of the backlash she's received for openly embracing her cultural and traditional garb - so she's hitting back.

Forehead bindis, traditional saris, and ornate nose rings are fashion pieces that not only feel beautiful to Dallas, Texas model Sruthi Jayadevan, 22 - they also have a strong cultural meaning for her.

So when followers of her social media pages and blog Silk & Champagne suggested she 'tone down all this cultural stuff' - comments that echoed those made by childhood bullies - she decided not to give into the hate.

Unashamed beauty! Sruthi Jayadevan, 22, is a model and fashion blogger who took to Twitter to address the backlash she's received for her traditional Indian clothing and cultural style

Lady in yellow: The rising star from Dallas shared in a now viral tweet that many people pick at her nose ring, bindi and outfits such as this one, and ask her to 'tone down all this cultural stuff'

Sruthi took to Twitter to address the comments that pick at her style and degrade her Indian traditional clothing.

'People: "what's with the dot" "what's that on your nose" "maybe you should tone down all this cultural stuff,"' Sruthi wrote on her Twitter Curry Queen.

She replied with 'Me:' and two stunning photographs of herself donning a sari, with her wrists stacked with chudiyaan bangles and a giant golden nose ring called nath attached to her hair by a gold chain and flower. She also wore a three part bindi on her forehead.

Her message was loud and clear: She is proud of her culture and unwilling to change for anyone. And her clap back post caught viral fire, amassing 21,000 retweets and 75,000 likes.

After moving to the US at the young age of 11 and facing the relentless teasing for her accent and culturally unfamiliar outfits, the fashion lover quickly assimilated to American style and rejected her own.

'When I first came to America, my family and I moved to a small town called Bakersfield. There was no cultural diversity there and I was probably the only Indian student at my elementary school. So, from my strong Indian accent to my braided, oily hair, my skin tone, my clothing, my bindi.everything was perceived as "different,"' she revealed to Daily Mail Online.

She admits she felt 'very lonely and singled-out at school,' as well.

But in college something struck a chord deep inside her and she realized she should never be ashamed to wear her culture on her sleeves.

Stunner! The Indian beauty clapped back with more photos of her Indian garb declaring she's not changing for anyone and included a guide to Indian accessories for curious readers

She wears culture on her sleeve: Sruthi moved to the US when she was just 11 and encountered bullying against her clothing and bindi (such as above) and assimilated into American fashion

'During the last few years of college, I was really finding my identity as a brown girl and wanted to show off my culture and have pride in where I came from. So, slowly it started with incorporating the cultural accessories I was used to wearing as a young girl back in India,' she revealed.

'I put on my bindi even if I was wearing jeans and a crop top. I put on my nose ring and my anklets with a body con dress. I just started incorporating the pieces of my culture and history that I had lost during my years of trying to assimilate to the American culture,' she added.

As soon as she began to do so, though, she faced immediate online backlash. The model, now older and wiser, handled the situation with grace and positivity. Sruthi refused to neglect her culture for the sake of a more palatable style - and she's empowering other women to do the same.

'Most people say disrespectful things about other peoples cultures because they arent educated about these things,' she explained.

'My message to people that cant find it in their heart to appreciate other cultures is to simply take a moment and educate yourself or ask someone of the culture if they could kindly explain it to you,' she said.

Sruthi revealed she loves to see people embrace Indian culture, that is, when it's done appropriately.

'I often see cultural appropriation, like wearing bindis as forehead tattoos at Coachella. Thats disrespectful because they truly dont value the meaning or the place is comes from. One cant hate on the smell of curry but rave about the benefits of organic turmeric. Theres a difference between cultural appreciation and appropriation,' she poignantly shared.

Pretty and proud: But now she's returned to embracing her roots wearing items such as ornat nose rings called nath and bindis in the center of her forehead

Beauty and grace! In her Twitter reply to haters she even included a guide to understanding Indian accessories such as her bindi and nose rings

Indian chic: On Instagram and Twitter she flaunts her wedding preparations and holds a traditional red veil mixed with a contemporary outfit and gold heels

Now her posts in full Indian garb are some of her most popular, racking up over 13,000 likes on Instagram.

'I feel most confident wearing a mix of western and Indian clothing. What makes me feel really confident is wearing my anklet, nose ring and bindi with any and every outfit that I put on,' she revealed on growing to love her own skin.

'I grew up in India for 10 years, but Ive also lived in America for the next 10. Therefore, I am influenced by both the cultures and love incorporating both into my style,' she added.

In another post she gives a sultry smile in a salwar kameez dress, gold spiky nose ring and red bindi.

'Culture, its a beautiful thing really,' she captioned her photos on Twitter.

For Sruthi, her pain as a child is motivation to be an example for others suffering similar feelings to exclusion. And her fans cheer her on along the journey.

'Your culture is another beautiful piece of you. Never change due to someone else's ignorance. thank you for sharing it, and celebrating it,' one fan named Nicole said.

'I love culture. It's sad to see that people get so nasty just because something is different to their culture. You keep being you!!!' another fan added.

Sruthi even added a link to an article explaining Indian jewelry for curious readers. But her post wasn't without backlash.

One user responded to her article link saying, 'This is so confusing.'

But fatefully, one dedicated fan was quick to fire back.

'& YOU are so rude! If it's confusing then be quiet & listen! You are lucky enough to receive an explanation when you COULD just look it up!' user Emry wrote.

You do you! Fans on Twitter cheered in applause for her Indian fashion response photographs

Cultural exchange: For other online users, her outfits were a form of cultural education and insight into the fashion aspects of traditional Indian clothing

Green with envy! Jealously is the root of hate, according to one encouraging Twitter user

Loud and proud: Another Sruthi fan cheered her on against 'ignorant' comments

Got her back! One fan Emry fire back after a fan said they were confused by her Indian accessories guide that she included in her message

Now she inspires her 31,500 Instagram followers and 9,500 Twitter fans with messages to embrace and love one's self.

'I've had the toughest time grasping the concept of self-love & self-acceptance since I was a young girl. In a society that scrutinizes everything and anything, it takes so much more effort to understand what those things mean,' she revealed in an Instagram post.

'In the last few years, my journey towards self love & acceptance has been a lot smoother. As I broke free from societal norms and other people's opinions about what it means to be a beautiful person inside and out, I started gaining more confidence...more peace,' she added.

In another post she gushes about her excitement to share more and more of her Indian culture with her fans.

'I spent 10 years of my life in India, and wearing Indian clothes takes me back to those amazing years spent in my beautiful little village. Can't wait to share with you all my venture into traditional clothing and show you how I style my sarees and other Indian clothes!' she wrote in another Instagram post.

For now the star will continue to grow her social media and has hopes to break into the fashion design world.

'I definitely want to pursue fashion. I see myself designing my own clothes that is Indo-western in the very near future. I would love to help people find their unique sense of style and help them express themselves through their clothing,' the business undergrad major shared.
Scrubs star Zach Braff recently discovered that a picture of him from the show is being used in advertisements for male performance enhancement pills in Ukraine.

The 42-year-old took to Twitter last month to share a snap of the advertisement, which prominently features the actor dressed as a doctor.

He was clearly clued into the fact that the Russian text promotes an erectile dysfunction medicine, captioning the image with an emoji of a person face-palming.

Scroll down for video

Didn't see that coming: Zach Braff shared an image of him as his character in J.D. in Scrubs, which was being used as an ad for erection pills

Loved in Ukraine: The comedy Scrubs ran from 2001 to 2010

He fixes computers too: The actor also discovered that his photo was being used in computer repair advertisements too

Scrubs, which followed group of medical interns that included Zach's character J.D. ran from 2001 to 2010.

It's unclear if the makers of the ad knew that they were picturing a famous actor in character, or if they simply searched the internet for doctor photos and settled on that one.

Either way, Zach seemed to find the unapproved endorsement funny  as did many of his fans.

Zach seemed to have a good attitude about the discovery after taking to Twitter in September to share his bewilderment over the breakthrough saying, 'I am the face of Russian boner problems.'

'We love you here in Russia even if you're penis doesn't work anymore,' wrote one fan.

It doesn't stop there: Other actors such as Ben Barnes were featured in the advertisements

Zach versus Zac: Zac Efron's image was used in a computer repair ad as well

Microsoft founder's side-gig? Even Bill Gates apparently fixes people's computers

It's Britney b***h: An older image of the famous singer was used in a food ad promoting hamburgers, hotdogs, and wraps

It seems, however, that this particular drug isn't the only thing Zach is shilling in other countries. Fans shared more ads with him, showing the actor on signs for computer repair in the Ukraine.

He's not the only celebrity featured in these ads.

One Twitter used even cracked a joke saying that Zach wasn't alone in IT, as he found a foreign ad with actor Ben Barnes promising computer repair.

Another ad shows Bill Gates and also offers computer repair  a personal service that the Microsoft founder probably does not offer.

Zac Efron also apparently repairs computers in Ukraine.

Ben Barnes, known for his roles in The Chronicles of Narnia and HBO's Westworld, popped up on yet another ad.

Would she approve? An old image of Angelina Jolie is on a billboard for a spa

Recognize him? Jenson Ackles from the show Supernatural popped up on this religious flier

Toupees! He also turned up on a very oddly-Photoshopped ad for fake hair

If Facebook fails... In Paraguay, Mark Zuckerberg is on an ad for a college

Whoops! In this ad, actor Morgan Freeman was mistaken for Nelson Mandela

Britney Spears was also featured on a food advertisement, pouting behind a hotdog, a hamburger, and a wrap.

'Well, you still do better than Britney Spears,' one Twitter user even joked in response to the image.

Angelina Jolie appears on a billboard for a sauna, and an ad in Paraguay uses Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg to promote a university.

Jensen Ackles from the show Supernatural has turned up on more than a few ads in foreign countries.
Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall have pulled out of a planned visit to Burma amid international criticism over the ethnic cleaning of its Muslim population.

Plans for the couple to stay in the country as part of a tour of Asia next month had been in the advanced stages, the Mail understands, with British diplomats tasked with organising an extensive programme of engagements for the ground-breaking trip.

But yesterday Clarence House announced the couples high profile tour next month would take in Singapore, Malaysia and India - as well as a fourth, as yet unannounced, host nation - without any mention of Myanmar, as modern day Burma is known.

Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall have pulled out of a planned visit to Burma amid international criticism over the ethnic cleaning of its Muslim population. Pictured in London in May

Despite being repeatedly questioned about why the couple had cancelled, the Foreign and Commonwealth Offices deputy director for South East Asia, Philip Malone, refused to say why.

He rejected claims that India had been added to the royals tour itinerary as a late substitute but declined to say when Burma had been ruled out as an option.

He would only comment: In terms of South East Asia, as with any tour, we look at a range of options. We felt Singapore and Malaysia were very important in terms of our relationships in the region and we wanted to enhance those relationships. We are very pleased that Their Royal Highness have taken the tour at this time.

These visits are planned over a number of months. We looked at a range of options in the region. The decision was taken that these were the countries that we would visit.

Critics have complained that Oxford-educated Mrs Suu Kyi has failed to condemn her countrys military for killing at least 400 Rohingya Muslims in recent weeks. Pictured, Bangladesh border guards have arrested boatmen accused of trying to smuggle Myanmar's Muslim Rohingya minority illegally into the country

Clarence House said the countries chosen for the couple to visit was a matter for the FCO.

Charles counts Burmas civilian leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, as a personal friend and she has visited him a number of times at Clarence House.

In November 2015 she led the National League for Democracy (NLD) to a majority win in Burmans first openly contested election in 25 years.

The win came five years to the day she was released from 15 years of house arrest because of her efforts to bring democracy to then military-ruled country - a fact that made her an international symbol of gentle resistance in the face of oppression and won her a Nobel peace prize.

But critics have complained that Oxford-educated Mrs Suu Kyi has failed to condemn her countrys military for killing at least 400 Rohingya Muslims in recent weeks.

The military, which ruled the country from 1962 until 2011 still wields huge power. It has been accused of crimes against humanity by murdering civilians and burning the villages of the Rohingya, often labelled the worlds most persecuted ethnic minority, in its efforts to combat an insurgency

More than 310,000 people have also fled to neighbouring Bangladesh, with more trapped on the border, amid reports of the burning of villages and extrajudicial killings.

The military, which ruled the country from 1962 until 2011 still wields huge power.

It has been accused of crimes against humanity by murdering civilians and burning the villages of the Rohingya, often labelled the worlds most persecuted ethnic minority, in its efforts to combat an insurgency.

Aung San Suu Kyi has come under international pressure to halt the violence in the country and it had been hoped that a visit by the British heir to the throne would strengthen her hand and encourage her to act.

Burmas treatment of its Muslim Rohingya minority has since been condemned as a textbook example of ethnic cleansing.

More than 310,000 people have also fled to neighbouring Bangladesh, with more trapped on the border, amid reports of the burning of villages and extrajudicial killings

Charles will travel out to Singapore alone on the new Prime Ministerial Voyager jet, it can be revealed, as his wife is taking a short prviate holiday before the trip, before flying on to meet him.

The couples tax-payer funded trip is taking place at the request of the FCO and is designed to celebrate UK partnerships in the region, particularly with Commonwealth Countries, which have taken on a new-found importance since Britain voted to leave the EU.

It will take in a meetings with each countrys leader, local entrepreneurs and religious figures, as well as events with representatives from youth groups, the arts and culture.

Charles, who is visiting Malaysia for the first time, as is Camilla, will also get the chance to go out into Borneos rainforests where he will highlight ongoing environmental concerns in the region.
This is it. The final post on Capturing the Spark. In my previous post, I looked back at more than a few years of EdWeek contributions , especially this blog and the one that preceeded it. This post is about the future.

From a writing standpoint, this post may mark the end of a blog, but not the end of a relationship, as I expect Ill still have a contribution to offer now and then here at EdWeek. Still, it seems an opportune moment to thank Anthony Rebora for inviting me into the EdWeek blogging lineup years ago, and also to thank Ross Brenneman, Kate Stoltzfus, Madeline Will, and Elizabeth Rich in particular for their valuable support over the years. My blogging outlets in the foreseeable future will be at The Standard , a group blog from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, and at my own website . And from a teaching standpoint, my future looks much like my recent past. Ive been teaching at Palo Alto High School for over 15 years now, and I continue to enjoy the challenges and opportunities I find in working with students and colleagues there.

Looking into the future in a broader sense, I will continue to advocate for our profession and for an equitable, robust public education system. Its not only a matter of working towards equity, but also towards the dismantling the systemic racism that makes inequity so commonplace and seemingly intractable. Ill continue speaking and writing about quality teaching and expanded teacher leadership that goes beyond lip service and tokenism to actually put teachers at the fore in developing curriculum, methods, and education policy. Ill be pushing for unions to engage simultaneously in the work of strengthening teaching, supporting our communities, and protecting the rights and interests of teachers.

Theres much to be done in all of these areas. As a profession, we have been in the right to dig in and resist some of the poorest ideas in education reform, like evaluating teachers based on students test scores, or personalized learning solutions that privilege technology above relationships. And yet, sometimes were slow to change when we should be evaluating the evidence and making changes, for example in practices around homework and grading. Our unions will continue to face challenging times through legal challenges that aim to deligitimize some effective educational labor policies , or hope to weaken us by forcing us to represent freeloaders. Its past time to step up our efforts around organizing, and make sure that were offering genuine value to our members and communities.

Public education systems in too many cases continue to provide inadequate funding and resources for students, especially students coping with family poverty, housing insecurity, and inadequate nutrition and health care. Immigrant and refugee students need more from us. Students in the foster care system need better support systems. These populations of students are disproportionately made up of students of color, and so we compound our problems sometimes by discussing the education of students of color as if that were the same thing as educating the poor. The ways that we shortchange and marginalize students and communities of color go beyond issues of socio-economic status. We have a long way to go just to move past the defensiveness and denial that come up in many contexts when anyone mentions white privilege, the decolonization of education, and the need for white teachers and education leaders to decenter ourselves in these conversations. It costs us nothing and we can begin today: practice more listening, less responding, less of a rush to disagree and disprove. Seek first to understand, and take steps to educate yourself.

The privatization of education is another ongoing issue to confront. Whether were talking about vouchers or charter schools, theres a fundamental mistake in the arguments for choice and competition. If were going to compare public education to private sector marketplaces (a comparative approach that always requires caveats due to its inherent limitations), the competitors are not the employees. In the marketplace, the owners are the ones competing, and we are all collectively the owners of public education. When legislators and school boards hand over public funds and facilities to non-public entities, thats the opposite of competition. Thats giving up, and it also lets leaders off the hook because they can feel like theyve done something to address concerns relating the need for stronger schools. In reality, thats like AT&T telling Sprint, Okay, some of our customers are interested in switching over, so heres some money to help you serve them, and go ahead and take over one of our retail stores while youre at it. If competition is for real, then we the people are supposed to be competing on the side of our schools, and Id expect to see more R&D investment in our success. If our customers want more choices, lets gather our resources to create more choices, without surrendering to private operators.

Im not staking out a position against all charter schools: theres room for some experimentation in partnerships among districts, universities, teachers, parents, and other community members - small-scale, non-profit, truly open to all students at any time (meaning that schools backfill when spaces open up). We need see more rejections when charter petitions come from private companies looking to grow a brand and expand market share, trying to make a profit off of underpaid and less qualified teachers.

The troubles we face in public education are myriad, serious, and may give some of us cause for despair. I choose to believe that we are the right people at the right time to meet the challenges - because, simply, there is no better way to move forward. I hope youre planning to come along.
A surefire way to create buzz for your new restaurant: Have a standout Instagram-friendly dish.

That's how Thaimee at McCarren  which opened last month at the McCarren Hotel & Pool in Williamsburg, Brooklyn  became a must-visit seemingly overnight.

The new Thai eatery features a dish called 'magic noodle salad', which is made mostly of color-changing noodles that transform from blue to purple on the plate.

The colorful noodles would be eye-catching even without the color-changing trick, and have quickly popped up all over Instagram.

Also called Yum Woon Sen Dork Un Chun, the $12 dish is the brainchild of Chef Hong Thaimee.

The chef starts with plain vermicelli noodles, which are first soaked in blue dye that comes from butterfly pea flowers.

They are then boiled before being dunked in an ice bath, and look totally blue when they're put on the plate with tomatoes, mint, shallots, and spicy dressing.

Customers can add meat including lobster, shrimp, and chicken for an additional price.

Finally, when they're served, the customers gets to work the color-changing matching. With a spritz of lime, the noodles change from blue to purple.

'If you're looking for some true culinary magic, look no further than the Magic Noodles from @thaimeeatmccarren,' wrote one clearly-impressed Instagrammer.

'I'm telling you, it's the real deal,' said another diner, who also called the dish 'amazing'.
People with heart failure may soon be able to exercise without actually having to move  by applying stick-on devices to their legs that effectively give their muscles a workout.

The effect is similar to physical exercise, according to a recent study published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.

Around 900,000 people in the UK have heart failure, where weakened heart muscle is unable to deliver enough oxygen to the tissues.

Around 900,000 people in the UK have heart failure, where weakened heart muscle is unable to deliver enough oxygen to the tissues

It tends to affect older people and can occur as a result of numerous conditions, such as high blood pressure or a heart attack, which makes the hearts pumping action weaker.

Heart failure causes symptoms such as severe tiredness, shortness of breath and chest pain. There is no cure  most treatments are aimed at trying to control symptoms or slowing the conditions progression.

Exercise is important, as it can help reduce symptoms, but patients can find it tiring because their heart is not strong enough to pump sufficient blood to their muscles.

The new approach  which scientists call functional electrical stimulation  uses low-energy electrical pulses to trigger muscles to move.

Young people can digest rare and well-done meat at about the same rate, but older people struggle to break down protein in rare meat

It consists of small fabric patches that contain electrodes, which are attached to the skin around the muscles of the upper and lower legs. The electrodes are connected to a small, battery-powered generator.

In a recent trial, researchers at the Catharina Hospital in the Netherlands and Attikon University Hospital in Greece monitored 120 patients with heart failure. They found that those who used the patches daily were 60 per cent less likely to have needed hospital treatment during the one-year follow-up period, compared to those using a placebo device.

Exactly how this kind of electrical stimulation works is unclear, but one theory is that it triggers muscle contractions similar to those seen as a result of physical exercise. It may also improve blood flow.

Physical exercise has beneficial effects on the workings of the blood vessels in these patients and leads to a relative risk reduction of 23 per cent for death or hospitalisation, says Dr Punit Ramrakha, a consultant cardiologist at the Hammersmith Hospital in London.

However, compliance with fitness training programmes is unsatisfactory, due to limitations resulting from the advanced heart failure or coexisting conditions.

Functional electrical stimulation of leg muscles offers an alternative and represents an attractive option for heart failure patients who are unable or unwilling to exercise.

He adds: There is now good evidence that this type of treatment improves wellbeing and clinical measures, which, in turn, translate to a significant reduction in hospitalisation.

This new study should prompt heart failure teams across the country to review the provision of such treatments.

Meanwhile, a single jab of stem cells is being used to treat patients with heart failure. Doctors are harvesting stem cells from patients and then injecting them back into their coronary arteries to rejuvenate them.

The researchers, at the Royan Institute in Tehran, believe the stem cells will help to do that: in an 18-month study with 60 patients, half will have the treatment and the others will have a dummy jab.

WELL-COOKED MEAT IS BETTER FOR OLDER TUMS

Elderly people should order their steak well done to prevent sarcopenia  the age-related degenerative loss of muscle mass and strength  suggests a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Researchers at the French National Institute for Agricultural Research gave ten volunteers aged between 70 and 82 rare or well-done steak.

Blood tests found they took in fewer amino acids  the building blocks for protein and muscle  from the rare meat.

The study authors noted young people can digest rare and well-done meat at about the same rate, but older people struggle to break down protein in rare meat.

BLOOD TEST WARNS OF A GOUT ATTACK

An instant fingerprick blood test for gout sufferers may help to prevent attacks of the painful condition, according to a trial at Hopitaux de Paris.

The test, which takes the sample using a monitor called HumaSensplus, measures levels of uric acid  gout is caused by high levels of this, which then form crystals in the joints, triggering swelling and severe pain.

Monitoring a patients levels of uric acid is a key part of controlling and treating the illness, but it is currently done in a laboratory and results can take time to come back.

Around two in every 100 people in the UK have gout.

SELFIE MAY HELP SPOT CANCER EARLY

A selfie could help spot pancreatic cancer in its earliest stages, thanks to a new app. Developed by researchers at the University of Washington, the app, called BiliScreen, analyses a smartphone photo of the white of the eye for signs of jaundice.

Jaundice, a symptom of pancreatic cancer, is caused by raised levels of bilirubin, a pigment in blood cells.

Currently, pancreatic cancer often escapes detection until it is too late, and the five-year survival rate is just 9 per cent.

The app, which is not yet available, is designed to be used at home by people with risk factors, or who have the disease and need frequent bilirubin monitoring, normally done in hospital.

COULD A MUSCLE RELAXANT DRUG STOP BINGE DRINKERS?

Scientists are working on a pill that could help reduce the hit produced by alcohol and, ultimately, be used to treat binge drinking and alcoholism.

The drug is based on baclofen, a muscle relaxant, which works by targeting GABA receptors in the brain  this effectively reduces the activity of brain cells (alcohol can have a similar effect, which is why we feel relaxed when we have a drink).

The manufacturer, Indivior, says the new drug could be available by 2020. As well as alcoholics, they say it could help people who consume more than the recommended limit.

 Hard water can damage the skin barrier and could trigger eczema, say researchers at Kings College London and the University of Sheffield. Skin is naturally acidic, but hard water is very alkaline, which can raise the skins pH, causing problems. The team is now looking at whether putting water softeners in households with a new baby can protect against eczema.

HOW BEING GENEROUS CAN MAKE YOU HAPPIER

Givers are happier than takers  and even very small acts of generosity trigger brain changes that make people happier, report scientists at the University of Zurich.

The researchers enlisted 50 volunteers who were given 25 Swiss francs (20) a month: half the group pledged to spend it on others; the rest spent it on themselves. The giving group was asked to accept or reject different options at personal cost, including being charged three francs to give somebody ten.

Brain scans showed that the givers brains had greater activity in the areas associated with feeling happier, even after making a simple commitment to being more generous.
Unbearable itching all over his body that flared up every evening made Gordon Brown dread going to bed.

It was maddening, says Gordon, 69, a retired airport worker who lives in Birmingham with his partner Patricia, 64. Id never experienced anything like it before  it was constant, he says.

The itching felt like it was coming from under the skin and affected all parts of my body. My skin didnt look dry or cracked, and there was no rash  the only visible damage were the scabs caused by my intense scratching.

Itching could be a sign of something far worse than a skin problem, as retired airport worker Gordon Brown, 69, found out

I didnt use any creams as the skin looked fine and I couldnt tell where the itch was coming from, all I could do was keep scratching all over and hope it would go away.

I asked Patricia if shed changed the washing powder, but she hadnt  it was a mystery.

It was only when he mentioned his itching problem in passing when he saw his GP about a lingering chest infection in December 2011  three months after the itching started  that he realised it could be something more sinister.

As well as the itching, I was very tired all the time and had lost weight  Id dropped from a 34 in waist to a 32 in in less than three months and had to make another hole in my belt.

Unbearable itching all over his body that flared up every evening made Gordon (pictured) dread going to bed

Blood tests revealed problems with Gordons liver function and a scan showed the bile ducts in his liver  which move bile to the small intestine to help digest fat  were blocked

When I told my doctor she looked concerned and fast-tracked me for tests at the local hospital. Obviously because of the weight loss and fatigue, cancer was my big worry.

An X-ray, carried out three weeks later, was clear, but blood tests revealed problems with Gordons liver function and a scan showed the bile ducts in his liver  which move bile to the small intestine to help digest fat  were blocked.

Gordon was diagnosed with primary biliary cholangitis (PBC), a progressive disorder that causes severe inflammation and damage to the liver.

The diagnosis was a massive shock, says Gordon. Apart from the itching and weight loss, I hadnt had any other symptoms to suggest I had a life-threatening illness. The consultant said my liver had been silently deteriorating over the past five to ten years and the condition was now so advanced that without a liver transplant I would live a maximum of five more years.

PBC is an autoimmune disease where the immune system sends antibodies to the bile ducts which attack them, causing damage and scarring to the tissue, stopping them functioning properly.

Exactly what triggers the autoimmune reaction is unclear but many believe it may follow an immune response to an infection or exposure to environmental toxins in people with a genetic predisposition.

As a result of the damage to the bile ducts, bile builds up in the liver, causing damage and scarring and impaired liver function. Bile also leaks out of the damaged ducts into the surrounding fluid and eventually into the bloodstream. It is this which is thought to cause symptoms such as itching, as the bile irritates nerve fibres around the body and triggers the itching response.

The itching is believed to be caused by bile leaking into interstitial fluid and the bloodstream and irritating nerve fibres in the skin, says Stephen Ryder, a consultant physician in hepatology and gastroenterology at Queens Medical Centre, Nottingham, and medical adviser to the British Liver Trust. In many cases intense itching and fatigue are the first symptoms of PBC.

Theres no cure, but Dr Ryder says the disease usually progresses very slowly and it can be successfully controlled and slowed down with medication. However a significant minority of patients, like Gordon, will develop more aggressive liver disease which can only be treated with a liver transplant.

But while this liver condition is relatively rare (affecting around one in 5,000 people in the UK), itchy skin is a common symptom of a wide range of conditions and can often be the first sign that somethings wrong  its not a symptom to dismiss, says Dr Ryder.

Itching generally is caused by the activation of a specific set of nerve cells in the skin that signal itch but not pain, says Dr Justine Hextall, a consultant dermatologist at the Western Sussex Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and Tarrant Street Clinic in Arundel, Sussex.

These nerve signals send uncontrollable signals to the brain which make us want to scratch that area to relieve the itch. But there can be a number of factors which activate these nerves.

Its no surprise that the vast majority of itching is caused by common skin conditions such as eczema, where the skin becomes dry, cracked and itchy, and psoriasis, where red raised plaques of skin form.

As Dr Anton Alexandroff, a consultant dermatologist in Leicester and spokesperson for the British Skin Foundation, explains: Patients get trapped in a vicious circle of scratching and itching, he says. If you scratch the same area every day, it will become itchy and this can be very difficult to treat. Part of the problem is that scratching an itch actually makes it itch more, adds Dr Hextall. Scratching makes the itching worse because you stimulate more nerve fibres in the skin, she says. Scratching also damages the skin barrier and stimulates the release of histamine, a chemical which causes more inflammation and this will lead to further itching  the so-called scratch-itch cycle that is common in eczema and psoriasis.

Another common cause of itching is ageing as the skin barrier gets thinner. This means moisture escapes easily and irritants can also pass through the skin barrier causing irritation to nerve fibres.

Chronic sun damage can also affect nerve fibres in the skin which means they fire excessively and are hyperstimulated, resulting in itching in those areas.

Itching can also be caused by parasites such as scabies infesting the skin or bed bugs, small blood- sucking insects, which bite at night causing irritation and itching.

More seriously itchy skin can also be a symptom of chronic long-term conditions such as type 1 and 2 diabetes, says Douglas Twenefour, deputy head of care at the charity Diabetes UK. Itching can be a sign of high blood sugar levels caused by diabetes, he says.

Theres little detailed information about the science behind this but its possible that complications of high blood sugar levels such as poor circulation and nerve damage as a result of uncontrolled blood sugar play a role.

More rarely, itchy skin can be a sign of liver damage (cirrhosis) caused by alcohol misuse, or a pregnancy condition called obstetric cholestasis (a liver condition which can raise the risk of stillbirth), as well as certain blood cancers such as leukaemia, lymphoma and myeloma.

Itching is a particularly common symptom of Hodgkin lymphoma, a cancer of the lymphatic system, a network of glands and vessels throughout the body, says Kirsty Crozier, an advanced nurse practitioner at Oxford University Hospital.

It is also common in blood conditions where too many red cells or platelets are made such as essential thrombocythaemia, polycythaemia vera and myelo-fibrosis. Sometimes patients will be diagnosed purely because they have been complaining of itching.

After having a successful liver transplant in June 2013, Gordon is now determined to raise awareness of the possible causes of the simple itch.

Ive taken Open University courses so I could understand more about liver disease and now give talks to doctors about my condition and recognising the symptoms.

I tell them to take itching very seriously and to always ask their patients about it. Itching for no obvious reason is a symptom you just cannot ignore.

If you have persistent itching for a week with no obvious cause then something is not right and its worth seeing your GP for tests as it could be a sign of serious underlying illness, adds Dr Ryder.

britishlivertrust.org.uk/screener
A nine-year-old girl can finally hug her mother after a rare, deadly skin disorder saw her virtually burned alive and stripped of 65 per cent of her skin.

In just 24 hours, Phoenix Richey, from Decatur, Alabama, became almost unrecognizable.

A far cry from the smiling schoolgirl her family knew her as, she ended up lying in hospital covered in blisters, with her life hanging in the balance.

The youngster had contracted Stevens-Johnson Syndrome, a rare but serious disorder affecting the skin and eyes, which doctors are baffled as to how she contracted.

Finally home after a 40 day stint in hospital, Phoenix has gone from strength to strength after a tissue transplant from her mother saved her sight.

A nine-year-old can finally hug her mother after a skin disorder saw her virtually burned alive

In just 24 hours, Phoenix Richey (second from left) became almost unrecognizable

WHAT IS STEVENS-JOHNSON SYNDROME? Stevens-Johnson Syndrome is a rare condition that arises from the immune system over-reacting to an infection or medicine. Symptoms include blistering and peeling of the skin, and surface of the eyes, throat and mouth. Many often initially complain of headache, joint pain and a cough. Treatment focuses on relieving symptoms, maintaining breathing and restoring hydration. Most patients fully recover but may be at-risk of another attack. Source: Great Ormond Street Hospital Advertisement

'We had no idea if she'd survive'

Ms Richey, who works in a local church, said: 'At the height of everything, we were just taking things hour by hour. Blisters were popping up all over Phoenix's body, and we had no idea if she'd survive.

'She's been so brave. She's found strength in the outpouring of love in our local community, and through her friends.

'She's so resilient, and makes the best of everything. Of course, she has her down days, but we're all here to encourage her.'

On January 7 this year, Ms Richey spent the day with her pastor husband Joey, 40, their daughter Judah, two, son Izrael, three, Phoenix, and her daughter from a previous relationship, Brooklyn, 19.

The following morning, Phoenix woke with a sore throat, leading her mother to consult an out-of-hours doctor, who dismissed it as flu and gave the youngster some medicine.

Yet, later that day, Phoenix's skin began to swell and her temperature soared.

Worried, her mother took her to the emergency room of nearby Huntsville Hospital for Women and Children.

Ms Richey said: 'I was taking pictures all day and the change in Phoenix was rapid. From the time stamp on them, I know this was nothing to do with the medicine she took, as she'd already started to swell-up before that.

'At hospital, she deteriorated very quickly. She was taken to intensive care to be checked over. Doctors told me it'd be around 30 minutes, but then they came back to say she was in critical condition and may not survive.

'Having to sign consent paperwork so my daughter could be put under anesthesia was horrendous.'

She ended up lying in hospital covered in blisters, with her life hanging in the balance

The youngster had Stevens-Johnson Syndrome, a rare disorder affecting the skin and eyes

Home after 40 days in hospital, Phoenix's sight was saved by a transplant from her mother

When Phoenix first woke with a sore throat, a doctor dismissed it as flu and gave her medicine

Within hours, the youngster's temperature soared and her skin began to swell and peel

'It looked like she'd been beaten'

As baffled doctors tested Phoenix for a string of conditions, she grew steadily worse and her skin started peeling away.

On January 10, she was taken by helicopter to Children of Alabama Hospital in Birmingham, where a dermatologist diagnosed Phoenix with Stevens-Johnson Syndrome.

Ms Richey said: 'I'd never heard of it before. I was told not to Google it.'

After a week, Phoenix was flown to Shriners Hospital for Children in Cincinnati, Ohio, for more specialized treatment.

Over the next 40 days, she was rotated around the three hospitals, while doctors attempted to treat the infection taking over her body.

Ms Richey said: 'At first, she swelled-up so much, it looked like she'd been beaten. Visitors to the ward didn't even recognize her.

'Then, her skin blistered and began to weep. She lost all her pigment, which we were told would be the longest thing to come back.

'Doctors also had to shave her hair to check if the Stevens-Johnson Syndrome was affecting her scalp, too. They saved it for me and put it in a bag, which made me cry.

'I'd been so strong up until that point, like a computer, just taking in information. But Phoenix's hair was her pride and joy. I broke down knowing she'd lost it. We knew at some point she'd ask to see her reflection, which would be a difficult time.'

With virtually no skin left, Phoenix was at a very high risk of infection.

Doctors swaddled her in gauze dressings, which were changed every three days.

In time, Phoenix's skin showed remarkable regrowth, but her eyes remained badly damaged.

Her mother therefore donated stem cells to Phoenix's right eye to save her sight, yet her vision is still not what it was.

Ms Richey said: 'She's so strong. She'll watch old movies she's already seen, so she can listen along and picture what's happening. She likes to solve problems and figure everything out for herself.'

As Phoenix continues to recover, the youngster's whole school gathered outside her home to sing happy birthday to her.

Earlier this month, Phoenix was finally well enough to start the new school year.

Ms Richey said: 'She was so excited. All the kids treat her exactly the same as they always have.'

Phoenix's family are fundraising for the ongoing cost of her care, including specialist prescriptions and appointments to monitor her organ function. Donate here.

Her mother Nicole (pictured) said Phoenix looked like she had been beaten

Phoenix's hair had to be shaved so doctors could determine if the condition affected her scalp

Despite receiving a tissue transplant from her mother, Phoenix's vision is still not what it was
New cases of HIV among gay and bisexual men have been slashed by 21 per cent in just a year, official new data shows.

It is the first time such cases in this high-risk group have decreased since the deadly epidemic started to make headway in the 1980s.

Experts say it stems from quicker testing, fast treatment and PrEP - a controversial drug that can prevent those exposed to HIV from becoming infected.

Government figures show there were just 2,810 cases of HIV among gay and bisexual men in 2016 - down from the 3,570 recorded the year before.

Public Health England, behind the data, claim it is the 'most exciting development in the UK HIV epidemic in 20 years'.

Official new data shows that new cases of HIV among gay and bisexual men in England have been slashed by 21 per cent in just a year

Dr Valerie Delpech, head of HIV surveillance at Public Health England, welcomed the data. She said: 'This is very good news.

'It is the first time since the beginning of the HIV epidemic in the 1980s that we have observed a decline in new HIV diagnoses among gay and bisexual men.'

She added the statistics provide 'clear evidence' that the Government's prevention efforts are working.

Londoners were shown to have the steepest decline in new cases among gay and bisexual men, with a 29 per cent fall over the course of 12 months.

The findings suggest that PrEP, which was available as part of a drug trial at eight clinics in London, may have helped.

Controversy surrounding PrEP

Trials have shown that PrEP, also known as pre-exposure prophylaxis, is 92 per cent effective at preventing HIV as long as the pills are taken every day.

Tradenamed Truvada, they work by blocking an enzyme that would otherwise allow HIV to make copies of itself, and take over the body.

NHS England, which funds drugs, initially refused to prescribe PrEP. It argued because it is a preventative medicine, it should be funded by local councils.

But this stance was challenged by the National Aids Trust charity and the High Court last August ruled there was nothing to stop the NHS from paying.

The decision was broadly welcomed by leading medical organisations and MPs, who said it was 'ethical' and would save many lives.

What do critics think about the drug?

But other campaigners were worried PrEP, branded a 'promiscuity pill', will fuel a rise in sexually transmitted infections.

There is evidence of a fall in condom use among men taking the drug, leaving them exposed to other infections.

Experts are also worried that the HIV virus may evolve to become resistant to the PrEP drug  resulting in a much stronger, deadlier strain.

Campaigners argued the decision would bankrupt the NHS, with many in the cash-strapped health service demanding more money to cope with growing demand.

NHS England is set to begin a three-year trial which costs 10 million later this month. It will eventually see PrEP given to 10,000 gay and bisexual people across the country.

The benefits of more frequent testing

HIV ON THE RISE IN THE OVER-50S Reckless sexual behaviour by divorcees is behind an increase in HIV cases among the over-50s, a major study suggested last month. The diagnosis rate among older Britons rose by an average annual rate of 3.6 per cent over the 12 years to 2015, according to research in The Lancet. This compares to a steady decline of 4 per cent a year among younger people. Experts said the rise of HIV in older people was driven by heterosexual sex and could be due to a surge in silver splitters  people over 50 who are newly single after leaving long-term relationships. An estimated 36.7 million adults and children worldwide have HIV, including at least 88,800 in the UK and reportedly 1.2 million in the US. The virus progressively damages the cells in the immune system weakening the body's ability to fight infections. Without treatment, this leads to AIDs  the collective name for a series of life-threatening infections which the weakened immune system cannot withstand. Advertisement

Dr Delpech said: 'Our success in reducing transmission is due to high levels of condom use among gay men, and a sharp rise in the number of men testing for HIV each year, with those at greatest risk testing more frequently.

'Early diagnosis is also key to making sure that people benefit from HIV treatments so they can live long and healthy lives and are protected from passing on the virus to others.'

Why are gay men most at risk?

Gay and bisexual men are most susceptible to catching HIV because anal sex carries a 10 times higher risk of infection than vaginal.

This is due to cells in the anus being more susceptible to HIV, as well as fluid in semen and the anus' lining carrying more HIV than vaginal secretions.

Gay men at high risk because their partner has HIV are now tested every three months, and are immediately offered anti-viral drugs if they test positive.

The figures also showed an 18 per cent decrease in HIV cases overall, from 6,286 in 2015 to just 5,164 last year.

The reversal of the HIV epidemic

Commenting on the data, Ian Green, chief executive of Terrence Higgins Trust, said: 'Todays figures show weve started something.

'Were beginning to see the reversal of the HIV epidemic in some communities in the UK.'

He said the figures show 'what can be achieved' when we all the weapons in the arsenal against HIV transmission are utilised.

'This includes access to condoms, testing, PrEP and diagnosing and treating people as early as possible so they can become uninfectious.'

But charities are still concerned

But he warned that 42 per cent of people with HIV are still being diagnosed late - especially heterosexual men and the over-50s.

Mr Green said: 'This is no time for complacency. We must keep this momentum going so we can see the same progress in other communities and bring the epidemic to an end.

'These new stats still show cause for concern, with late diagnoses worryingly high, putting people's health at risk and meaning they can unwittingly pass on the virus.'

An NHS England spokesman said: 'The new figures out today show that NHS investment in HIV prevention is paying off.

'High rates of effective treatment in people with diagnosed HIV, our treatment as prevention policy which ensures that people receive treatment to protect HIV negative partners and our major intervention with PrEP, which will be up and running by the end of this month, will supercharge these increasingly successful efforts to prevent HIV.'
Being overweight makes your heart larger and heavier, raising the risk of suffering a heart attack or stroke.

The first study of its kind in healthy people has found putting on weight can add up to eight grams to the heart, and increase its volume by almost five per cent.

A bigger, heavier heart raises the risk of conditions from an irregular heartbeat to a heart attack, and the organ should in fact grow smaller with age.

Researchers at Queen Mary University of London and the University of Oxford examined MRI scans for 4,561 people from the UK Biobank database.

They found an increase of 4.3 in BMI, which could take someone from a healthy weight to the brink of obesity, made their heart substantially heavier.

It matters because a larger heart stretches its upper chambers, disrupting the electrical signal needed to keep it beating regularly.

Scroll down for video

The first study of its kind in healthy people has found putting on weight can add up to eight grams to the heart, and increase its volume by almost five per cent

While people have long known they risk heart disease from overeating because it hikes their cholesterol and blood pressure, this is the first evidence of changes to the structure of the heart itself.

Professor Steffen Petersen, lead author at QMUL, said: 'We all know that our lifestyle has a big impact on our heart health  particularly if we're overweight or obese. But researchers haven't fully understood how exactly the two things are linked.

'With this research, we've helped to show how an unhealthy lifestyle increases your risk of heart disease.'

Soaring rates of irregular heartbeats

The results suggest Britain's obesity crisis may be contributing to soaring rates of atrial fibrillation  or irregular heartbeat.

This raises people's risk of stroke, because the atria, which are the two upper chambers of the four chambers in the heart, fail to pump properly.

Professor Petersen said: 'We believe the increase in the left atrium's size stretches it so that it does not play its part in conducting an electrical impulse from the sinus node, the pacemaker of the heart, to the node which causes the heart to beat.'

The researchers looked at a number of lifestyle factors which could affect the heart's size, which were blood pressure, smoking, exercise, cholesterol, alcohol intake, diabetes and people's weight, measured using BMI.

THE BEST HEART DRUG SINCE STATINS Thousands of lives could be saved thanks to a new heart drug hailed as the biggest breakthrough since statins, it was reported in August. In a landmark four-year trial, scientists found that the drug  given by injection every three months  cut the risk of heart attacks by a quarter. The 10,000-patient study, involving 1,000 doctors in 39 countries, also suggested it could halve the risk of dying from lung cancer and prevent arthritis and gout. Scientists last night said the treatment marked a new era of therapeutics that could save thousands of lives. The drug, Canakinumab, works by reducing inflammation  a major new approach in heart medicine. For the past 30 years cholesterol-busting statins have been given to nearly all people deemed to be at risk of cardiovascular disease in a bid to save them from heart attacks and strokes. Yet half of the 200,000 people who have a heart attack in Britain each year do not have high cholesterol, meaning there is a desperate need for a different approach to treatment. Advertisement

The structure of the heart

Body weight had the biggest consistent impact on the structure of the heart, according to the study published in the journal PLoS One.

A BMI increase of 4.3 increased the weight of the left side of the heart by 8.3 per cent, which was calculated using measurements of the heart muscle taken from the patient scans.

This weight bracket would include people who go from a healthy BMI of 25 to one of 29.3, which is in the overweight category and close to the obesity threshold of 30.

Men in this group would add around eight grams to their heart, which weighs an average of 64 to 141 grams, as a result.

Women, whose heart weighs up to 93 grams on average would see theirs increase by around six grams. The volume increase was estimated at around 8ml for men and about 6.5ml for women.

The research was funded by the British Heart Foundation, whose medical director Professor Sir Nilesh Samani said: 'This research shows the silent impact of being overweight and having high blood pressure on the structure and function of the heart, which over time may lead to heart disease and heart failure.

'The important message is that these are things we have the power to change before they result in irreversible heart damage.'

Avoidable lifestyle factors

It is estimated more than a quarter of the risk of having a heart attack comes from avoidable lifestyle factors looked at in the study.

Professor Francesco Cappuccio, professor of cardiovascular medicine and epidemiology at the University of Warwick and President of the British & Irish Hypertension Society, said the study under-represented ethnic minorities and smokers.

She added: 'Despite these inherent limitations, this is an important study that reinforces the concept that the prevention and control of hypertension, high cholesterol and diabetes remain the most important modifiable factors for the prevention of heart damage.'
Breast cancer is often thought of as a disease that only affects women but hundreds of men are also diagnosed with it every year.

Despite breast cancer killing around 80 men annually, most do not check themselves for symptoms, a survey found.

Yesterday, breast cancer charity Walk the Walk brought together six male survivors for the first time to raise awareness of the disease.

Left to right, Bryan Thorn, Dave Talbot, Giles Cooper, Mike Greenhalgh, Richard Galloway and Roy Collins

They included retired GP Mike Greenhalgh, 61, who was shocked to find out he and his identical twin brother have the same inherited faulty gene as Angelina Jolie.

The actress chose to have a double mastectomy at the age of 40 to reduce her breast cancer risk.

Giles Cooper, 56, was diagnosed with breast cancer a decade after his father and uncle had died of the same rare disease within two years of each other.

As with women, the likelihood of getting breast cancer is higher in men if there is a family history of the condition. The faulty BRCA2 gene, which raises the risk by 6 per cent in men and up to 90 per cent in women, can be inherited from either parent.

Around 350 men a year, mainly over-60s, are diagnosed with breast cancer  in addition to the 55,000 women who are diagnosed and 11,000 who die.

Men have a lower survival rate as they are often not diagnosed until their cancer has spread.

The group were brought together for the first time by Walk the Walk to raise awareness of the disease

With the cancer developing in the small amount of breast tissue men have behind their nipples, the symptoms are very similar to those experienced by women.

But while 82 per cent of men said they knew they could be affected by breast cancer, 54 per cent never check for symptoms, the YouGov poll for Walk the Walk found.

And awareness among women of other symptoms  including an inverted nipple and nipple discharge  were almost double their male counterparts.

Treatment for men suffering from breast cancer is similar to that given to women, including mastectomies, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy.

Left, Giles Cooper was diagnosed with breast cancer a decade after father died from the disease, while Mike Greenhalgh, right, was also shocked to find out he had inherited the faulty BRCA2 gene

Roy Collins, 63, a PCSO with Sussex Police who was diagnosed in 2011, said: I didnt know men could get breast cancer. Needing to talk to fellow sufferers, he was disappointed when women in a local breast cancer support group werent keen for me to join.

Bryan Thorn, 48, from Port Talbot, South Wales, said he was initially told by a consultant at a breast clinic in 2012 that his lump was merely fatty tissue and nothing to worry about.

But just over a year later, after noticing it had got bigger, the father of three was diagnosed with breast cancer.

Walk the Walk founder Nina Barough said a huge amount of work was needed to raise awareness of male breast cancer.

It killed my father and uncle Giles Cooper and his father Stephen , who died from breast cancer Giles Cooper, 56, was diagnosed with male breast cancer a decade after his father and uncle had died of the same rare disease within two years of each other. Despite his family history, the chartered surveyor initially ignored the lump on his right breast until his wife, a nurse, encouraged him to check it out in 2014. After the bombshell diagnosis, he underwent a double mastectomy. Mr Cooper, a father of two from Conderton in Gloucestershire, said: What Ive discovered is if youre with a group of men in a pub and it comes up that youve got breast cancer, they dont know what to say. Theres this complete lack of awareness. Men need someone to talk to. Advertisement

Same faulty 'Jolie' gene Mike Greenhalgh (right) and his twin brother, Bill outside 10 Downing Street Mike Greenhalgh, diagnosed in 2014, initially dismissed the two lumps he found in his chest having never come across a case of male breast cancer in 27 years as GP. He later found that three of his four siblings  including his identical twin brother Bill  had all inherited the same faulty gene that made Angelina Jolie choose to have a double mastectomy. Dr Greenhalgh, from Northamptonshire, also underwent a double mastectomy and is on a course of Tamoxifen. The 61-year-old said :I was shocked, just staggered, when told it was breast cancer. Advertisement




The rate of American women dying from breast cancer has plummeted 40 percent since 1989, new figures from the American Cancer Society reveal.

Experts say more widespread early screening and targeted treatments have saved around 322,000 lives in the 26-year period to 2015.

However, the progress has been skewed: black women are still 42 percent more likely to die of breast cancer than white women.

But researchers say the results, published on Tuesday, offer a glimmer of hope: some communities with more widespread healthcare coverage for ethnic minorities have managed to close the racial gap altogether, showing it can be done.

This graph from the American Cancer Society's new report reveals a huge drop in the rate of cancer deaths over time, but shows the racial is not closing

'The fact that we are finally seeing a close in the gap between our excellent outcomes between black and white women is encouraging,' Dr. Stephanie Bernik, chief of surgical oncology at Lenox Hill Hospital, told HealthDay.

The report is published every other year, documenting survival and incidence rates of breast cancer, broken down by race, region and age.

To determine the rates, lead author Carol E. Desantis director of breast and gynecological cancer surveillance for the ACS, used SEER and National Program of Cancer Registries data.

They charted the amount of deaths and diagnoses over the last two years, and projected the number of new breast cancer cases for 2017.

This year, they expect more than 250,000 diagnoses of invasive breast cancer and just over 40,000 deaths in the US.

That is a significant drop from a generation ago, largely down to widespread adherence to recommendations for regular mammograms.

However, experts warn that is not enough. In the United States, breast cancer is still the most common cancer for women, with the second-highest rate of death.

For black women, it is an even deadlier risk.

'Not all women have benefited equally from these advances,' DeSantis said.

'In some states, outcomes are much worse for black women.'

The largest gap was seen in poverty-plagued Louisiana, which has one of the highest rates of uninsured citizens in the country.

DeSantis concluded: 'Improving access to care for all populations could eliminate the racial disparity in breast cancer mortality and accelerate the reduction in deaths from this malignancy nationwide.'

The findings, published to coincide with Breast Cancer Awareness month, come just days after Julia Louis-Dreyfus revealed she has been diagnosed with breast cancer.

Revealing her diagnosis on Twitter, the 56-year-old actress wrote: '1 in 8 women get breast cancer. Today, I'm the one.'

Her words shocked fans, with many Twitter users frantically speculating whether the Veep star had a family history of the disease.

Speaking to Daily Mail Online, Dr Julia White, chair of radiation oncology at Ohio State University, said the vast majority of women do not have an obvious risk factor.

'For two thirds of women, there is no "aha!" moment. They don't have a family history and they don't have a lump,' she explained.

'Obviously people like Angelina Jolie, who carry the BRCA1 gene, have an extraordinarily high risk. But those people account for less than six to eight percent.

'So really, when you look at the numbers, the most effective way of detecting breast cancer early is through routine mammograms. Early screening is key, especially for women between the ages of 50 and 60.'

That said, Dr White said she would never recommend against self examinations.

'Mammograms spot the most cancers, but why wouldn't you check yourself? They're your breasts! It's free! Knowing them and knowing your lumps and bumps... it's helpful.'

She recommended that women should avoid performing an exam in the days before her period, since that is when temporary harmless lumps can form in the breasts. The best time is in the week after the menstrual cycle.
The Modi government's crackdown on Muslim-dominated abattoirs and the trade of cattle dragged down India's exports of leather shoes by more than 13% in June.

Leather, mostly from buffalo, is one of India's leading exports but top global brands have turned to China, Bangladesh, Indonesia and Pakistan to secure supplies.

The drop in exports of shoes and leather garments comes as a setback for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who claimed he would create millions of jobs by doubling the leather industry's revenues to $27 billion by 2020.

An employee handles the carcass of a slaughtered buffalo as it hangs from an overhead conveyor at an abattoir operated by Allana Group in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh

A cow statue covered in colored powder during the Holi festival in the Banke Bihari temple

Emboldened by the victory of Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the 2014 general election, Hindu hard-liners, who consider cows sacred, became more assertive in their calls for a clamp-down on both the meat and leather industries, run by Muslims, who make up 14 percent of India's 1.3 billion people.

'The writing was already on the wall,' Nazir Ahmed, CEO of shoemaker Park Exports, told Reuters by phone from Agra, a shoe-making hub and home to the Taj Mahal.

'We have killed the goose that laid the golden egg.'

India, the world's second-biggest supplier of shoes and leather garments, exports nearly half its leather goods, with overseas sales estimated at $5.7 billion in the 2016/17 fiscal year to March, down 3.2 percent from a year earlier.

Footwear exports fell more than 4 percent in April-June, to $674 million.

Cow love: Vijay Parsana, 44, pictured washing his cow Poonam at his ashram in Ahmedabad in Gujarat (file pic)

Vijay Parsana, 44, and Saraswati, a calf, pictured sleeping on a cot, at his ashram in Ahmedabad in Gujarat (file pic)

Informal Sector

In March, after being appointed chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, India's most populous state and a major leather exporter, Yogi Adityanath, a firebrand Hindu monk, ordered a closure of abattoirs operating without licenses.

Slaughterhouse owners complain that much of India's meat and leather trade takes place in the informal sector, and it's hard to get licences, especially for smaller units.

In May, citing cruelty to animals, the federal government banned the trade of cattle for slaughter, and restricted livestock sales only for agricultural purposes such as ploughing and dairy production.

A worker uses a spray gun to treat a sheet of leather at the Jalandhar Leather tannery

Sacred cow and motorcycle at Agra, Uttar Pradesh

But the countrys top court overturned that order, citing the hardship the ban had caused.

That has not brought relief as repeated attacks on trucks carrying cattle still rankle the leather trade.

'The supreme court has allowed the resumption of trade for cattle, but the ground reality is that cow vigilante groups continue to be active and no one wants to risk his life by transporting cattle,' Ahmed said.

An Indian woman stands with an ox in Mumbai as she asks for donations from passersby to feed the animal

Deterred by a clutch of measures that squeezed the supply of leather, a key raw material, brands like H&M, Inditex-owned Zara and Clarks, cut back their orders to India, said M. Rafeeque Ahmed, a leading shoe exporter from the southern city of Chennai and former president of the Federation of Indian Export Organisations.

'We lost orders because our buyers were sceptical of our ability to meet their requirements. Instead, most buyers moved to rival suppliers in Asia and southeast Asia,' he said.

A spokesman for India's trade ministry declined to comment.

Earlier this year, a finance ministry report said India should sign more free trade agreements and make tax and labour reforms to drive leather exports, which offer 'tremendous opportunities for (the) creation of jobs.'

The industry is also grappling with a Goods and Services Tax, introduced in July, which has pushed up production costs by 6-7 percent, exporters said.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath believes that cows are sacred

Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath leads the procession of Dussehra from Gorakhnath Temple in Gorakhpur

Nowhere to hide

The crackdown also hurt day-workers employed at shoe and garment making units and hit leather supplies, forcing manufacturers to import hides from the United States, Australia, and some European nations, raising the cost of production and squeezing margins.

Many tanneries, as a result, have run out of leather.

'My business has come to a standstill because I don't have any inventory at all. Most large shoemakers are importing hides now,' said a tannery owner, who asked not to be named so as to avoid retaliation from cow vigilante groups.

Nearly a third of the roughly 3 million-strong workforce, mostly lowly-paid casual workers employed in the leather sector, have lost their jobs in the past six months, according to six shoemakers and two tannery owners interviewed by Reuters for this article.

Since most Indian states have outlawed cow slaughter, the supply of leather largely comes from the legal slaughter of buffaloes whose skins are used in many leather goods.

'Everyone must abide by the rule on cow slaughter and respect sentiments, but by choking the supply of other animal hides, we have nearly killed a thriving industry,' said Ahmed of Park Exports.
A group of 20 foreign diplomats who visited Myanmar's Rakhine state, where half a million ethnic Rohingya Muslims fled recent violence, have urged the government to allow access by humanitarian groups and by a United Nations fact-finding mission to investigate allegations of human rights violations.

But the president's office spokesman, Zaw Htay, told The Associated Press on Tuesday the government will stick by its earlier decision to bar the UN mission. It has said the group, assembled after similar violence last October, is interfering in Myanmar's affairs.

The diplomats, taken Monday on a guided government tour of the affected area, said in a joint statement that there is a dire need for humanitarian aid.

A Rohingya woman holds her child and stands for a photograph at a makeshift camp near Kutupalong refugee camp in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh,

An elderly Rohingya man walks with a spade at a makeshift camp near Kutupalong refugee camp in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh

The crisis in Rakhine has drawn international concern because of the exodus of more than 500,000 Rohingya to neighboring Bangladesh in just a month's time. The violence began when the army retaliated for raids on government security posts on Aug. 25 by the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army, an insurgent group.

Human rights groups charge that the army has abused and killed civilians and burned down thousands of homes.

Rohingya are considered by many in Buddhist-dominated Myanmar to have poached land after immigrating illegally from Bangladesh. Advocates for the Rohingya insist many families have lived on the land for generations.

Rohingya Muslims sleep on a plastic mat at a makeshift camp near Kutupalong refugee camp in Cox's Bazar

The Muslim ethnic group has faced decades of persecution and discrimination in the Buddhist-majority nation

The diplomats' statement condemned the insurgents' initial attacks as well as the violence that followed it.

'We saw villages which had been burned to the ground and emptied of inhabitants. The violence must stop,' it said. 'The security forces have an obligation to protect all people in Rakhine without discrimination and to take measures to prevent acts of arson.'

They also said they encouraged the Myanmar government 'to move quickly to enable the voluntary, dignified and safe return to their places of origin of the hundreds of thousands of refugees who have fled to Bangladesh.'

A newly arrived Rohingya girl stands near a makeshift camp near Kutupalong refugee camp

More than half a million Rohingya have fled from Myanmar to Bangladesh in just over a month, the largest refugee crisis to hit Asia in decades

A Rohingya boy displays an identity card processed by the Bangladesh government

'We saw on our visit the dire humanitarian need. We call once more for unimpeded humanitarian access to northern Rakhine and resumption of life-saving services without discrimination throughout the state,' they wrote.

Representatives of U.N. agencies were also on Monday's tour.

In a separate letter, the U.N. office in Myanmar said the visit 'was a positive step and such visits, under appropriate conditions, could help in our efforts to explore potential areas where the U.N. could cooperate with the Myanmar authorities in alleviating the dire situation in northern Rakhine.'

It expressed concerns similar to those of the diplomats.

It said the U.N. delegation 'reiterated the need for a greater access for humanitarian and human rights actors to conduct comprehensive assessments of the situation on the ground in order to address the concerns and needs of all communities in affected areas,' and called for unfettered media access and for the safe and sustainable return of the refugees to their areas of origin.
Amanda Jones teaches high school science classes in Poyen, Ark.a tiny, rural town about an hour outside of Little Rock with a population of 290.

Her school is so small that she teaches multiple subjects in one year, including chemistry, physics, biology, and environmental science. She cant know everything, she said. But shes determined to make sure her students hear from experts in the outside world.

Jones, who was a finalist for the 2018 Arkansas Teacher of the Year , recruited community professionalsincluding doctors, pharmacists, and many of her former studentsto volunteer to be on call during lab days. In those days, her classroom is packed, with about 30 students working on various projects.

I cant be every place every time someone has a question or needs help, she said. But lab activities are critical to teach students how to reason and problem-solve, she added.

Her solution: Phone-a-Friend cards. She pulls from her database of volunteers to find professionals who work in a field similar to the lab of the day, and gives each group of students a card with a name and number.

The kids, they love it, she said. Even if they think they have [the experiment] figured out, they pick up the phone and FaceTime whoever it is. They let the mentor watch it with them.

Mentors also give career advice to students and model opportunities that students might not have been aware of, she said. When possible, Jones, who has taught for 18 years, tries to use people who graduated from Poyen High School to give an extra dash of relevance to her students.

For example, one of Jones former students is almost 30 now, and has a career in political science, working for a lobbyist firm. But she was a great science student and loved doing experiments, Jones said.

She signed up to be a mentor volunteer, and the students love her, Jones said: She makes them feel comfortable; talks them through it. [Even when she isnt on the Phone-a-Friend card for the day], students will say, Hey, Ms. Jones, is it OK if I call her and ask what she thinks about this?

Its great for current students to see that enthusiasm for learning continues after graduation, Jones said.

People who are successful in their careers are always lifelong learners, and thats something thats hard to teach in a textbook, she said.

See also: Learning How to Learn Could Be a Students Most Valuable Skill

Some professionals also make a short video about their career or an activity the students are doing. For example, Jones planned a lab activity on medical coatings on drugs, and a pharmacist filmed a short video explaining what that means and why the coating is important, which Jones showed in class.

Jones has also asked researchers at Vanderbilt University to Skype, FaceTime, or do Facebook Lives with students to tell them about current research related to diabetes and most recently, about an increase in Rocky Mountain spotted tick fever in the area.

Its always more memorable, and its a much better learning experience if my students are enjoying what theyre doing and they see a link to real life, Jones said. I get to keep learning every day with [my students]. I have the best job ever.

Many educators have long advocated for more authentic learning in the classroom. A substitute-teacher pilot program in Boston allows professionals in the community to parachute into the classroom and teach something theyre passionate about when the classroom teacher is out. And guest opinion blogger Robert Dillon wrote that schools need community partners to engage students in modern learning, with opportunities for both creativity and joy.

Every student could benefit from having an outside perspective in the middle of the class, Jones said.

See also: Preparing Students for Tomorrows Jobs: 10 Experts Offer Advice to Educators

Image of Amanda Jones (left), students, and the president of the Arkansas State Teachers Association (second from right) working on the enteric coating engineering design lab this fall.
The current international narrative on the plight of Myanmar's persecuted Rohingya minority has failed to recognise the roots of the present crisis or the growing transnational jihadist links of Rohingya militants, who have stepped up attacks.

Contrary to the perception that the Rohingya militancy has arisen from military repression in recent years, Myanmar's jihad scourge is decades old, with Rohingya Islamist violence beginning even before Myanmar gained independence in 1948.

Militancy

Rohingya militants have been 'in the vanguard' of a global rise in Islamic radicalism since they joined the campaign to push for Pakistan's independence, Brahama Chellaney writes

Rohingya militants have actually been in the vanguard of the global rise of Islamic radicalism since the early 1940s, when they joined the campaign to press the British to establish Pakistan by partitioning India.

It was the British who earlier moved large numbers of Rohingyas from East Bengal to work on rubber and tea plantations in Burma, now Myanmar, which was administered as a province of India until 1937 before it became a separate, self-governing colony.

Rohingya migrants settled mainly in Myanmar's East Bengal-bordering Arakan region (now renamed Rakhine state).

Rohingya refugees reach for relief supplies at the Kutupalong refugee camp in Bangladesh

Between 1942 and the early 1950s, a civil war raged in Arakan between Muslims and Buddhists. Communal hatred spilled into violence during World War II as the Japanese military advanced into Arakan in 1942 and the British launched a counter-offensive, with local Buddhists largely siding with the Japanese and Rohingyas with the British.

Britain recruited Rohingya Muslims into its guerrilla force - the so-called V Force - to ambush and kill Japanese troops. When the British eventually regained control of Arakan in 1945, they rewarded Rohingya Muslims for their loyalty by appointing them to the main posts in the local government.

Emboldened by the open British support, Rohingya militants set out to settle old scores with Buddhists. And in July 1946, they formed the North Arakan Muslim League to seek the Muslim-dominated northern Arakan's secession from Myanmar.

In the religious bloodletting that preceded and followed the partition of India, Rohingya attacks sought to drive out Buddhists from northern Arakan as part of the campaign to join East Pakistan.

Failure to achieve that goal turned many Rohingyas to armed jihadism, with mujahideen forces in 1948 gaining effective control of northern Arakan.

Government forces suppressed the revolt in the early 1950s, although intermittent mujahideen attacks continued until the early 1960s. From the 1970s onwards, however, Rohingya Islamist movements reemerged, with a series of insurgent groups rising and fading away.

A Rohingya Muslim Nur Karim carries his belongings past rice fields

Now history has come full circle in 2017, with the Myanmar military being accused of driving Rohingyas out of Rakhine state.

But in a development that carries ominous security implications for the region, especially Myanmar, India and Bangladesh, Rakhine is becoming a magnet for the global jihadist movement, with Rohingya radicals increasingly being aided by militant organisations in Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.

Illegal

The new breed of Rohingya insurgents is suspected of having links with ISIS, Lashkar-e-Taiba, al-Qaeda and even Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence.

Ata Ullah, the Pakistani who heads the Rohingya terrorist group, the well-oiled Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army, reportedly returned to Pakistan from an extended stay in Saudi Arabia with millions of dollars to wage jihad against Myanmar after the 2012 deadly communal riots in Rakhine.

Rohingya Muslim children, who crossed over from Myanmar into Bangladesh, stretch out their arms out to collect chocolates and milk

Against this background, India is legitimately concerned about the illegal entry of over 40,000 Rohingyas since 2012, with the government telling the Supreme Court that their arrival poses a 'serious security threat' because of the links of Rohingya militants with terrorist outfits and the ISI.

Some of these militants have become active in India, according to the government. What is particularly disturbing is the organised manner in which the Rohingyas have sneaked into India from multiple routes and then settled across the length and breadth of the country, including in sensitive places like Jammu, Kashmir Valley, Mewat and Hyderabad. Rohingya settlements have come up even in New Delhi.

Because they entered India unlawfully, the Rohingas are illegal aliens, not refugees.

Rohingya Muslim boys, who crossed over from Myanmar into Bangladesh, cry as Bangladeshi men push them away during distribution of food aid

Conflict

Normally, those fleeing a conflict-torn zone tend to camp just across an international border. But in this case the Rohingyas entered India via a third nation, Bangladesh.

And then large numbers of them dispersed from West Bengal and Tripura states to different parts of India. Many of them, as the government admits, have obtained Aadhaar and other identity cards.

Still, the government is reluctant to order an inquiry into the role of internal forces in assisting the Rohingyas' entry, dispersal and settlement across India. Worse yet, it has passed the buck to the Supreme Court, with home minister Rajnath Singh saying the government would await the court's hearing and decision on the Rohingyas' plea against possible deportation to Bangladesh, from where they entered.

Thus far, New Delhi is all talk and no action. Make no mistake: India is a crowded country that, nonetheless, has generously admitted asylum seekers or refugees over the years from a host of places, including Tibet, Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and mainland China.

India is already home to some 20 million illegal migrants from Bangladesh.

But the Rohingya aliens pose a special challenge because of the escalating jihad in Rakhine and some Rohingyas' militant activities on Indian soil.

The external forces fomenting jihadist attacks in Rakhine bear considerable responsibility for the Rohingyas' current plight.
Following his first taste of success in Rajasthan with over 50 seats in the student union polls, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Kumar Vishwas is back in the national Capital wooing party volunteers from the neighbouring states.

As party MLAs and the top leadership remained busy in the 'Jhadu Chalao' campaign on Gandhi Jayanti, Kumar held fort at the party headquarters, drawing in over 600 volunteers.

He told Mail Today: 'A few MLAs, Rajesh Rishi, Manoj Tyagi, Nitin Tyagi and Saurabh Bhardwaj, who came in at the end, attended the meet. I did not invite the top party leaders nor did they come because this was a meeting solely for Rajasthan polls.

Kumar Vishwas held a meeting at AAP headquarters, drawing in over 600 volunteers

'There are around 22 sitting MLAs in Delhi, who have some connection with Rajasthan and they will slowly become a part of our campaign in the state. But for today's meeting they could not come because they were busy with the Jhadu Chalao campaign in their own constituencies.'

'We are drawing up lists for top party leaders and MLAs with a Rajasthan connect to tour the state and speak to the locals. It will be a team effort and everyone is on board.'

Even as members of the Kumar Vishwas camp have alleged that the party's central leadership has so far not been responding favourably to the poet-turned-politician, Kumar is leaving no stone unturned to woo volunteers, as he grapples with organisation building in a large state like Rajasthan.

Arvind Kejriwal, pictured here with Kumar Vishwas, is featured in all official posters

Kumar, who had maintained in meetings that the state unit will not seek financial support or allow interference of national leaders, stuck to his resolve.

'As for volunteers, we have always been open to drawing in the support of our MLAs from Delhi and volunteers from neighbouring states,' he said.

'However, I had said right at the outset that we will not ask the headquarters for any fund and I will keep my word. If as the state incharge I am unable to raise funds and make the state unit self-sufficient, then what is the point?' Kumar said.

However a departure from the leader's initial statements that national leaders will not find a place in the posters and banners in the state polls, party supremo Arvind Kejriwal is being featured in all official posters.

'I had said my photo will not be there. How can the national convenor's photo be done away with?' Kumar insisted.

With a large turnout at the Monday morning meet, Kumar is confident of powering through the polls.

'There have been over 600 registrations of volunteers who have offered to work as observers in the pollbound state. A large turnout of volunteers from Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab and Delhi, who want to work in Rajasthan attended the meeting this morning. We will now assign responsibility according to assembly constituencies,' Kumar maintained.

Insisting on his 'back to basics' formula, Kumar told the gathering that AAP intended to emerge as an 'alternative' and not as an 'Opposition.'

'There was a time when we could not say a word against Modi ji. The timing was not right. But today things are very different. Na desh na border sambhal raha hai This is the best time for AAP to come up as an alternative,' he added.
Police have arrested Honeypreet Insan (pictured) the adopted daughter and confidante of jailed sect leader Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh

Police have arrested Honeypreet Insan, the adopted daughter and confidante of jailed sect leader Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh.

Honeypreet was on the run for over a month following violence unleashed by supporters of the guru In Haryana when a court found him guilty of rape.

Cops took Honeypreet, real name Priyanka Taneja, into custody soon after she gave an exclusive, explosive interview to AAJ TAK-INDIA TODAY TV.

Honeypreet claimed she had no role in the violence that broke out in parts of Haryana and Punjab after her 'Papaji' was convicted in August of raping two female followers in 2002.

'They accuse me of being involved in riots, but do they have any evidence against me? I am innocent. Have you seen me anywhere inciting riots? I was not present there at all,' she said.

Honeypreet was arrested by the Haryana police from Zirakpur- Patiala road in Punjab.

She will be produced in court on Wednesday, Panchkula police commissioner AS Chawla said.

She describes herself on Twitter as, 'Papa's Angel, philanthropist, director, editor, actress!'

Guru - Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh - was found guilty Friday of two rapes committed in 2002

Thirty people were killed and more than 350 injured in the violence and clashes between Ram Rahim supporters and security personnel.

Soon after, Haryana police named Honeypreet among its 43 most-wanted people. After the Dera Sacha Sauda leader was convicted, the 'father-daughter' had requested the court to allow them to live together.

Honeypreet moved an application through her lawyer while the self-styled godman filed a petition. The court, however, threw out the requests.

Honeypreet's estranged husband had claimed before Mail Today that she and the guru had sexual relations.

Priyanka Taneja had married Vishwas Gupta, grandson of former Gharaunda MLA Rulia Ram Gupta, in 1999. She was introduced to the Dera and Ram Rahim after her marriage.

Indian spiritual guru, who calls himself Saint Dr Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh Ji Insan, arrives for a press conference ahead of the release of his new film MSG, The Warrior Lion Heart, in New Delhi, India

But 10 years later, Honeypreet  who was given this name by the sect leader himself  came to Dera Sacha Sauda, complaining about harassment by Vishwas Gupta.

Dismissing allegations about her relationship with Ram Rahim, Honeypreet said, 'A fatherdaughter relationship is so pure; I don't understand why it is being questioned... I want to ask can't a father touch her daughter?

'What evidence do they have to raise such questions?'

Honeypreet had become an expert in giving police the slip.

After news of her being spotted in Nepal came out, police tried to track her down but failed.

She then evaded cops in Ram Rahim's native village Gurusar Modia too and fled to Delhi to meet her lawyer. She revealed all these locations during the interview.

'I am not guilty. I was fulfilling the duty of a daughter. I went inside the court with my father but I did not speak. Where have you seen me talking or inciting riots?' she said.

'On the day of the verdict, we went to the court, believing that everything would be fine and that we would be back in the evening. But after hearing the verdict, our brains stopped working. In such a situation, would we create a conspiracy against anyone?'

The rape allegations against the Dera chief surfaced in an anonymous letter sent in 2002 to the then Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Scrutiny of the ashram grew when a journalist investigating the sect was shot dead the same year.

When asked by this reporter about her reaction to some erstwhile Dera followers, including Gupta, blaming her for the Panchkula violence, Honeypreet said, 'Who are these people in the community? Are they important? I do not want to talk about them.'

Claiming that she had become helpless after her 'father's' conviction and imprisonment, she said she was unaware of the legal procedures and was suffering from depression.

She said she did what people advised her to do. While she was absconding, Honeypreet said she visited her brother's in-laws in Hanumangarh and stayed there for two days.

She left before police reached there looking for her on August 29.

Then she stayed at a Dera follower's house in Rajasthan's Sangaria city, after which she was spotted at a shopping mall in Udaipur.
Flamboyant businessman Vijay Mallya was arrested in London on Tuesday after the Indian government brought a new money-laundering charge against him.

However, the beer baron who India wants to extradite from Britain was later released on bail. Further accusations of money-laundering accuse Mallya of diverting funds to his Force India Formula One motor racing team.

The Indian liquor and aviation tycoon, 61, was first arrested by British police on behalf of the Indian authorities in April but was granted bail.

Indian tycoon Vijay Mallya leaves Westminster Magistrates' Court in central London

India is seeking Mallya's extradition over loans to him tied to his defunct Kingfisher Airlines after the businessman, co-owner of the Force India team, moved to Britain in March last year.

Banks want to recover about $1.4 billion that the Indian authorities say Kingfisher owes.

Launching new extradition proceedings at London's Westminster magistrates court, Mark Summers, the lawyer representing the Indian government, said the original allegations related to fraudulently obtaining and misusing funds.

The new charges concerned the distribution of those funds, Summers said.

Mallya made Kingfisher beer a global brand and now lives in London despite efforts to extradite him back to India to face charges

'The government alleges for example some of the funds have ended up with the Force India Formula One team,' he said.

Mallya, wearing a blue jacket and open-necked white shirt, denies any wrongdoing and said he did not consent to being extradited.

He was released on police bail and declined to comment after the short hearing. The next hearing in his case will take place on November 20 with a full eight-day extradition hearing due to start on December 4.

The judge will then make a decision based on whether there is a prima facie case against Mallya and whether the alleged crimes would be offences in Britain as well as India.

That ruling can be challenged in a higher court before being passed to the Home Secretary (interior minister) for approval. The minister's decision can also be appealed to the courts.

Mallya was once known as the 'King of Good Times' but his name has been dropped from India's most wealthy list in 2014, as he is burdened with huge debts after Kingfisher Airlines went bankrupt.
The Supreme Court hearing into the Kerala 'love jihad' case was on Tuesday asked by a senior advocate appearing for the 'husband' if the NIA would probe the marriages of two senior Muslim BJP functionaries who have Hindu wives.

The court is trying to ascertain if 25-year-old Hindu girl Akhila, who converted to Islam to become Hadiya and married Muslim youth Shafin Jahan, was trapped by a 'well-oiled racket that uses psychological measures to indoctrinate people and persuade them to join terrorist organisations such as ISIS'.

Her father made the allegations which were later endorsed by the Kerala High Court which issued an order quashing the marriage. The youth is now appealing against this in the Supreme Court with the help of his lawyer Haris Beeran.

Shafin Jahan and Akhila who has converted to Hadiya now, but the father claims she was brainwashed into converting

Urging the bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra to withdraw the direction for a NIA probe, Dushyant Dave, senior advocate for Jahan, said the order 'struck at the very foundation of a multi-religious society and sent wrong signal world over'.

Raising his pitch, Dave then went on to ask: 'Two top BJP Muslim functionaries have married Hindu women. Can it be called a love jihad and will your lordship order an investigation?'

Though Dave did not name the 'BJP functionaries', he was apparently referring to the party leaders Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and Shahnawaz Hussain.

CJI Misra then asked Dave to stick to facts, argue on law based on logic and requested him not to raise his voice.

Dushyant Dave, senior advocate for Jahan, said the order quashing the marriage 'struck at the very foundation of a multi-religious society and sent wrong signal world over'

Dave also accused the court of going beyond its jurisdiction while ordering an NIA probe, saying what the court was hearing was a petition filed by the husband. He also reminded the bench that neither the state nor the father of the girl had come to the court seeking a NIA probe.

However, additional solicitor general Tushar Mehta who appeared for the Centre said a NIA probe was required to ascertain if it was just a one-off case or a pattern of conversion was emerging.

It is to be noted that the court's August 16 decision to hand over the investigation to NIA came after additional solicitor general Maninder Singh, appearing for the probe agency on that day, said the conversion and alleged radicalisation of the Hindu woman and her marriage to a Muslim man was not an 'isolated incident' and it detected a 'pattern' emerging in the state.

Singh said at least in two cases the same players were involved in converting to Islam young Hindu girls who had differences with their parents.

Dave told the court that fresh evidence had emerged since its order that the girl converted of her own free will and she is being confined and 'tortured' by her parents.
'Let her come,' said Amit Shah, the BJP president to his security chief at one point of the long padyatra from Ezhilode to Pilathara where he was set to address a rally.

If you thought Shah was merely accommodating another VIP or state leader of his party, you are very mistaken.

The woman was an unknown 'commoner' waiting for the yatra to pass her home where she would join it until Pilathara.

BJP National President Amit Shah inaugurates the party's Janaraksha Yathra' led by the party's state president Kummanam Rajasekharan at Payyannur in Kannur

Amit Shah's eyes caught that she wasn't allowed to join, hence the intervention.

Shah was clearly heard telling his security aide, 'Let the commoners join in'.

And this is what he wants to achieve in the two week long yatra: 'People Connect'.

The idea of this yatra was taken long back and reinstated in the recently concluded national executive where the decision to rope in top BJP netas like Yogi Adityanath and Smriti Irani was taken.

Shah kick-started the yatra with traditional Kerala attire and offering pryers at Raja Rajeshwar Temple.

Followed by inauguration of an exhibition town square in Payyannur followed by a padayatra.

He garlanded Gandhi's statue and met families of RSS cadres who were allegedly killed by CPIM men.

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh Chief Mohan Bhagwat with BJP National Chief Amit Shah

To one instance Shah almost bent to offer his condolence to the octogenarian mother of one such cadre of the Sangh.

And this is the nucleus around which Shah is building the narrative of 'politics of violence' in Kerala which he took a step further and made an edgy allegation calling it 'red terror' which was further stretched by Prakah Javadekar who alleged the 'M' in CPI-M stands for 'Maoist'.

Predictable as it is, Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan hit back calling it 'cheap publicity stunt'.

Shah took another padyatra of around seven km. This time around, in the words of the BJP president, 'The response is for everyone to see. Around 8,000 cadre were there walking with me.'

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is 'hindutvas' new heartthrob'

By the standards of a small town like Payyannur that is not accustomed to such high voltage political rallies, eight thousand is a pretty large number, to say the least.

Finally, ending with the massive rally where he hit out at CPI-M, asking the audience to 'uproot the left from Kerala'.

As Shah prepares to return, Kannur - the epicenter of the violence - is all set to see the arrival hindutvas' new heartthrob Yogi Adityanath who is set to lead the charge Wednesday.

Highly placed sources in 11 Ashoka Road says, Shah, the 'election machine' hopes to consolidate the Hindu vote bank in the southern state that comprises little over 54 per cent and at the same time eyeing a crucial Christian population that comprises around 18 per cent of the population.

It may talk of political violence perpetrated against RSS, but the cadre will sell the narrative of a 'Hindu' organisation at the receiving end.

Alphonse was a carefully chosen candidate giving a signal to the 18 per cent Christian population that the BJP is not averse to them.

Contrary to popular belief BJP doesn't wish to play the role of a prime opposition but rule the state.

And more such yatras will be held setting the tone of a Hindu-Christian coalition.

Meanwhile, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Tuesday was making a pitch for 'India' and 'Indianness' in the Science City auditorium in Kolkata. Sangh believes in subtlety.

So it was 'nationalism', 'Bharat Mata' which dominated the speech. It was an event about Sister Nivedita but 'national mind' was the idea that he bought in over and over again.

Something that he alleged Mamata Sarkar to be 'on the side of jihadi elements that are perpetrating the violence'. RSS ideologue Rakesh Sinha explains, 'Today's event was on sister Nivedita.

There was no need for a political pitch. Whenever the need was felt, he (RSS Supremo) has spoken not only against Bengal but also against Kerala'.
Safdarjung Hospital is soon going to have a dedicated cardiology department with super speciality facilities.

It will have an 80-bed division where doctors will provide advanced heart operations such as angioplasties and bypass surgery.

Right now, AIIMS and GB Pant Hospital are the only hospitals catering for patients who need heart operations - but they are so overburdened that there are year-long waiting lists.

According to statistics from the Union health ministry, there are an estimated four crore heart patients in India. From this number, 1.9 crore reside in urban areas and 2.1 crore in rural areas.

Dr Jagdish Prasad, director general of health services (DGHS) at the Union health ministry told Mail Today: 'The new super-speciality block will have a heart command centre, also known as Precutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI). It will have 20 beds.'

'Even AIIMS does not have this facility for heart patients. And in the emergency department itself, patients can easily avail cardiac services such as angioplasty. Right now, AIIMS treat heart patients in the general emergency,' he added.

The hospital in Delhi has said it will have super speciality heart facilities

PCI is a non-surgical procedure used to treat the narrowing (stenosis) of the coronary arteries of the heart found in coronary artery disease.

Prasad said cardic treatment at private hospitals require at least Rs 10 lakh depending on the type of medication and often poor patients fail to afford.

'Therefore, the heart command centre will provide great relief to cardiac patients,' he said.

Nursing students during a public awareness event in Amritsar on World Heart Day

Dr A K Rai, director, Safdarjung hospital said: 'With the launch of cardiology division at the new super-speciality block, patients will not have to rush from pillar to post.

'The new cardiac division is going to have a 20-bed cardiac coronary care unit (CCU) and three cath labs running round the clock.'

'For this, we are hiring six new faculty for the department along with purchases of all life saving equipment,' he said.

Dr Rai informed that only the GB Pant Hospital emergency takes urgent cardic cases and referral cases from its neighbour Lok Nayak hospital.

23% of people in India who suffer a heart attack do not survive

Safdarjung hospital caters to patients from the entire north of India, with most of them coming from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand.

The hospital sees nearly 10,000 patients every day in the OPD and at least 3,000 casualty cases, informed a senior doctor.

At AIIMS, the cardio-thorasic centre has a waiting list of at least a year depending upon the requirement of the case, said a senior cardiologist at AIIMS.

Previously, Mail Today had reported that its new urology block will soon have a robotics treatment facility.

'A robot worth Rs 8 crore has been purchased from the United States and things have been put in place.

'Once the robotics facility starts at the urology department, we can reduce our patients' waiting list by half,' the cardiologist said.

'The department has at least 100 cases of urology and renal transplant in its waiting list that will take a year,' said Dr Anup Kumar, head of department, urology and kidney transplant division at Safdarjung hospital.
What was different about this October 2, 2017, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi's 148th birth anniversary?

For one, several groups and individuals on social media seemed to use the occasion to try and put the Mahatma in his place, so to speak.

The Mahatma haters and baiters, as usual, held him responsible for all sorts of ills  Partition, Muslim-appeasement, weakening of Hindus, favouring Jawaharlal Nehru, wrong economics, and so on.

Mahatma Gandhi led India's independence movement with his policy of civil disobedience and non-violence. He is pictured here giving his famous Quit India speech in Mumbai, which was then known as Bombay, in 1942

Indictment

Many, who were not so negative, nevertheless questioned his Mahatmahood. Some even considered Nathuram Godse's final statement in the trial, made on May 5, 1949, before the Punjab High Court, then in session in Shimla, to be the definitive indictment.

An important fact to remember about the latter, however, is that the statement in circulation is via Gopal Godse, Nathuram's brother and co-accused, not a certified copy from the court records.

Earlier this year, the Central Information Commission (CIC), disposing of an RTI plea, ruled that a copy of Nathuram's statement should not only be supplied to the appellant, but also displayed, along with other Gandhiassassination related material, on the National Archives website.

'Gandhi needs not be attacked, defended, or reduced, merely to politics, Left or Right or Centre'

Though the order was passed on February 16, 2017, I was unable to find the official version of Nathuram's statement anywhere.

I, for one, would welcome the publication of such material, along with a free and open discussion of its contents. I am convinced that it will show even more clearly how mistaken Nathuram was, how he distorted facts and motives to justify the unjustifiable, the killing of the frail, unarmed 'father of the nation'.

Gandhi needs not be attacked, defended, or reduced, merely to politics, Left or Right or Centre. Instead, we must go back to his times, examine his own words and his life.

Who can deny that he awakened the conscience of an enslaved people, turning a restricted attempt at reform the colonial government into a mighty mass movement of national awakening?

'What Gandhi lived and died for was reaffirmed, though with such heinous irony, in the Vegas massacre'

He wanted to transform not only India's but humanity's idea of state, society and religion. To reduce him to a Hindu-Muslim wrangle would be to misunderstand his purpose.

His detractors have found no other, let alone better, solution to the problems of opposing communities. Swaraj does not mean dominating or annihilating others just as it does not mean yielding to oppression or genocide.

Gandhi's satyagraha empowered millions of men and women who otherwise thought themselves helpless.

Analysis

andles, flowers and signs line the sidewalk near the Stratosphere Tower as part of a makeshift memorial to the victims of the mass shooting in Las Vegas, Nevada

He not only awakened a sense of agency in them, but also made them fearless in the face of vastly superior might. Those who are asking for the end of his deification are busy deifying other figures instead, thus contradicting their own objection.

It seems as if their grouse is against Gandhi, not against deification as such. The sad truth about most of us is that piety and devotion come easier to us than critical analysis or independent thinking.

No surprise that the fiercest detractors of Gandhi are often those who haven't even tried to read or understand him.

When some of these thoughts were going through my mind, the terrible news of the Las Vegas carnage broke through. The videos, captured on the phones of viewers and survivors, were horrific.

Before Jason Aldean started to sing, a fusillade automatic gunfire was already directed at the assembled crowd. Concert-goers were running helter- skelter, screaming.

Just then the opening chords of the electric guitar sounded and Aldean began singing, 'Some days it's tough just gettin' up/ Throwin' on these boots and makin' that climb'  all the while deadly, staccato pounding of gunfire.

So much damage done, the killer, 64-year-old Stephan Paddock, took his own life. He slaughtered 58 people, injuring nearly 10 times as many in just a few minutes.

Though ISIS was quick to claim responsibility, the link is tenuous, not accepted as yet by investigative agencies.

Question

The obvious question on everyone's mind was the same: why? Why would anyone take so many lives, even reloading a weapon to continue killing people after one barrage of gunfire into an unarmed crowd?

Whatever little we know of Paddock does not offer us any clues as to his conduct or behaviour. That he could not have been 'normal' or 'sane' is obvious.

But his 'madness' still does not make any sense to us. Neither is Paddock the first of such killers, many of whom have worked their mayhem in the world's most advanced and powerful country, the United States.

My concern, even unease, over Gandhi's detractors totally dissipated. I had been disturbed that they had taken recourse to the Mahatma's birthday to decry and berate him. How would they have liked themselves or their own heroes to be treated similarly?

I was sure they would be much less tolerant of criticism and its timing. But, after all, what did their reproach matter?

What Gandhi lived and died for was reaffirmed, though with such heinous irony, in the Vegas massacre. Violence begins - and must end - in the minds of men. Till we know how to stop that the Mahatma will remain relevant.
Apple has been at it again, releasing not one but TWO new iPhones - there's the iPhone 8 and the iPhone X, which celebrates the 10th anniversary of the American tech company's smartphone phenomenon.

Neither are cheap. In fact, if you pre-order a 64GB iPhone X today network provider EE is offering to up your data from 35GB to 100GB for 82.99 a month.

But for a smaller payout each month you could instead bag yourself one of these cars. With the help BuyaCar.co.uk, here are 10 new and used models you can pocket with lower monthly instalments than a new iPhone contract.

You make the call: Network provider EE is currently offering the iPhone X on contract for 83 a month. Here are 10 cars you can get for less

All the car offers here are based on a four-year PCP deal, including a 10 per cent deposit.

Once your contract is up, you can either pay a balloon payment to keep the vehicle or simply hand it back to the finance provider.

Here are 10 examples BuyaCar identified as decent substitutes for the latest iPhone X.

The Celerio is the only brand new car in our list. It might not be the most luxurious, but for 79 a month is 4 cheaper than the iPhone X contract

1. Suzuki Celerio 1.0 SZ2

Age: Brand new

Monthly price: 79 Deposit: 1,938

That's right, you can get a brand new car with lower monthly payments than an iPhone X contract. With manufacturer discounts the Suzuki Celerio is available with monthly repayments of 79 - just as long as you put down a near-2,000 deposit and are willing to keep it for four years.

With a 518 deposit, you can get a 63-plate Peugeot 208 with monthly payments to match the iPhone contract

2. Peugeot 208 1.0 VTi Active

Age: 2014 (63 plate)

Monthly price: 83 Deposit: 518

You could easily get a smaller Peugeot 108 for less than 80 a month but the 208 is a bigger, more practical option. BuyaCar found a three-year-old model with 36,000 on the clock available for 83 a month - the same as the iPhone.

The Vauxhall Corsa is one of the country's most bought cars. You can get a three-year-old model for 82 a month

3. Vauxhall Corsa 1.2 Excite 3dr

Age: 2014 (14 plate)

Monthly price: 82 Deposit: 518

Put down a deposit of just over 500 and you can have this used Vauxhall Corsa for 82 a month. Okay, there's a newer Corsa on sale today, but it shares much of the same architecture as this one. Fairly large by supermini standards, unsurprisingly it's a popular choice in the UK.

The VW up! is arguably the most premium city car on the market at the moment

4. Volkswagen Take up! 1.0 60PS 3dr

Age: 2015 (15 plate)

Monthly price: 76 Deposit: 517

The iPhone is a quality-looking compact piece of kit, and so is VW's up!. Of all the city cars on the market, this is the most premium feeling of all of them. Put down a deposit of 517 and you can get a two-year-old model for 76 a month.

Of all the cars in this list, this one is the most practical. Think of it as an iPhone with all your apps already uploaded

5. Seat Ibiza Toca 1.4 85 Sport Tourer

Age: 2013 (13 plate)

Monthly price: 83 Deposit: 547

Estate versions of superminis are few and far between these days, and the Ibiza Sport Tourer is one of the best. There's enough passenger space for a blossoming family and with the bigger boot a bigger storage area for push chairs and shopping. A 547 deposit will on a four-year-old car with average mileage will pull monthly payments down to an iPhone level.

Even if you go for a 4-year-old Aygo like this one there will still be a year of the Toyota warranty remaining

6. Toyota Aygo i-Move

Age: 2013 (63 plate)

Monthly price: 76 Deposit: 518

For 7 a month cheaper than the iPhone X, you could get your hands on a four-year-old Toyota Aygo. This is arguably the most reliable city car out there, and should something uncharacteristically go wrong you'd still have a year left on Toyota's five-year warranty to cover the cost of repairs.

Monthly payments of 77 are 6 less than the outlay for the iPhone X contract

7. Fiat Panda 1.2 Pop

Age: 2014 (64 plate)

Monthly price: 77 Deposit: 443

If you want a small Fiat, most will go for the cutesy-looking 500. However, the Panda is the more practical choice. BuyaCar found this 2014 model that a dealer is offering with a 443 deposit and monthly payments of 77.

Want something bigger than the Panda? You can get hold of a Renault Clio with matching low monthly costs

8. Renault Clio 1.2 Expression+ 3dr

Age: 2013 (62 plate)

Monthly price: 77 Deposit: 418

Rather than a smartphone with a 10x digital zoom, how about a car packed with 'Va Va Voom'? This four-year-old Clio being offered by one dealer is just a single example of the French supermini you have for lower monthly payments than the iPhone X contract.

Silver, small and full of features - the Skoda CitiGo has a lot in common with iPhones

9. Skoda CitiGo SE 1.0 MPI 60PS

Age: 2014 (64 plate)

Monthly price: 79 Deposit: 467

While Apple is an infinitely 'cooler' brand than Skoda, this little CitiGo will cost you less a month than tech brand's latest gadget. For 79 a month - 4 less than the phone contract - you get a peppy three-cylinder 1.0-litre engine with almost as many PS as the iPhone X has GB.

The Sandero is the cheapest new-car on the market. A used one can be had for 80 a month

Dacia Sandero 1.2 Ambiance

Age: 2014 (14 plate)

Monthly price: 80 Deposit: 468



If you go for a 5995 Sandero is Access trim - which is the most basic car on sale today - we're pretty sure you could negotiate monthly finance payments as low as an iPhone X contract. This better-equipped Ambiance model gives you more kit and, based on a four-year deal, can be yours for 80 a month.
Stella McCartneys clothing range includes an 835 handbag lined with recycled plastic bottles, and she has pledged to reuse rubbish that had been dumped into the ocean.

But the designers eco-friendly and cruelty-free approach is paying off, as she appears to have earned more than 7.5 million last year as profits rose at her fashion empire.

The 46-year-old earned a dividend of around 4.4 million, according to latest accounts for the firm which takes her name, and is set to receive a further dividend of about 337,000.

Friends in high places: Stella McCartneys eco-friendly and cruelty-free approach is paying off, with profits at her fashion empire on the up

The firms highest-paid director  unnamed in accounts but highly likely to be McCartney  earned 3.1 million in salary and benefits.

It adds up to around 7.5 million for the daughter of Beatles legend Sir Paul.

The windfall came as the firm revealed that sales for 2016 grew 32 per cent in a year from 31 million to 41 million.

Profits rose 43 per cent from 6.6 million in 2015 to 9.5 million in 2016.

McCartney owns half of the company in a joint venture with luxury group Kering, whose other brands include Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent.

Her collections are available in 48 stores around the world, with celebrity fans including Hollywood actresses Cameron Diaz and Julianne Moore.
Honey Buckets Not So Sweet: Lawsuit Over Odors Certified as Class Action

If you read the name Honey Bucket and first thought of Winnie the Pooh or fried chicken, I have some foul smelling news for you. Honey Buckets are actually portable toilets, the stench from which some neighbors in Pacific, Washington are not too pleased with.

"Hazardous odors, gases, fumes, and contaminants have been and are being released from the Honey Bucket Facility property," their lawsuit claims, "interfering with the use and enjoyment of the Plaintiff's and the Class Members' properties, have substantially impaired the value of their properties, and have caused adverse personal impacts such as annoyance, irritation, discomfort, and other similar physical ailments." That lawsuit was certified as a class action this week, allowing more neighbors to join the case.

Class Is in Session

Class action lawsuits allow similarly aggrieved or injured people to sue a defendant as a group, rather than individually. Class actions are most common in response defective products, including pharmaceutical drugs, motor vehicles and other consumer products, or environmental torts based on illnesses or diseases linked to toxic production facilities or pollution. By pooling all of the potential plaintiffs into one case, courts can settle the matter more definitively and cut down on costly litigation.

But filing a lawsuit as a class action doesn't necessarily make it so -- a court has to "certify" the class, and there are four basic requirements for certification:

The class must be so numerous that it would be impossible for each class member to be an active participant in the case; There must be questions of law or fact common to the class; The claims of the representative parties must be typical of the claims of the class; and The representative parties must be able to fairly and adequately protect the interests of the class.

This Case Stinks

The Seattle Times described the Honey Bucket system:

Vacuum pumper trucks suck the contents of the Honey Buckets, wherever they are located, and transport the waste to the property in Pacific, south of Auburn. The sewage is pressed into biosolids that are used for agriculture and landscaping. The remaining partially treated wastewater is sent through the King County Metro Wastewater Treatment system. The toilets are hauled to the Pacific facility, power washed and stored there until needed again.

People living near the Pacific facility claim that ever since the plant expanded in 2014, the neighborhood reeks of sewage. "It's a homeowner's worst nightmare," Samantha Niemi, who bought a house about 300 feet from the future Honey Bucket property in 2011 and is a named plaintiff in the suit, told the Seattle Times.

In 2016, the City of Pacific ordered the company to cease operations for violating its permit, which prohibits the emission of obnoxious odors. But Northwest Cascade, the company operating as Honey Buckets, appealed, and the city delayed enforcing the closure. Later that same year, the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency issued a notice of violation against Northwest Cascade for using a masking agent to hide the emission of an air contaminant.

The class action is asking for an injunction against the Pacific facility as well as damages, including the loss in property value.

Related Resources:
First Direct has ramped up its sign-up bonus to 125 as banks continue to use tempting cash carrots to entice customers away from rivals.

The move comes just weeks after the HSBC-owned bank launched a new perk that sees credit and debit card customers paid cashback for spending with certain retailers.

Current account switchers are currently spoilt for choice with a handful of eye-catching cash incentives offering up to 200 just for moving account.

But here's our verdict on whether its worth snapping up First Direct's new offer...

In your back pocket: First Direct will pay you 125 if you use the Current Account Switch Service to move accounts and deposit 1,000 within three months.

First Direct has offered a 100 switching bonus for several years, but now and again it adds to the amount for a limited time to snatch up extra customers.

It's latest move sees the bank improving the cash bonus by 25 for anyone applying through comparison site, Money Supermarket.

As part of its offer the bank also promise to pay an additional 100 to anyone who is unhappy with their account and wants to leave within the first year (after the first six months).

To get the new 125 bonus switchers must use the Current Account switch service to move accounts and deposit at least 1,000 into the account within the first three months.

Switchers will need to act fast though as the boosted cashback amount is only available until December 11.

The account also includes a 250 fee and interest-free overdraft buffer - the largest on the market - and access to a regular saver paying 5 per cent interest.

The bank now also offers extra opportunities to earn cashback when you swipe your debit card with retailers signed up to its Visa Offers scheme.

These will changes each week but currently include the likes of Lidl, H&M, ESSo and Costa. Read more about the scheme here.

The telephone and internet-based bank frequently tops the charts for customer satisfaction.

What to watch out for:

The account is free if you pay in at least 1,000 per month.

However, if you don't keep this up the account comes with a 10 monthly fee which makes it much less attractive.

If you do use the account to borrow, beyond the first 250 you will be charged 15.9 per cent EAR.

If you go beyond an arranged limit you will be charged an eye-watering 5 per day beyond a 10 buffer (capped at 80 per month).

Can your earn more elsewhere?

As mentioned above, HSBC currently offers the highest cashback bonus on the market at a total 200 if you switch and stay for a year. The offer lasts until November 26.

The account requires a higher monthly minimum deposit than most though at 1,750.

It comes with a free overdraft for the first six months and a range of exclusive products, including access to a five per cent regular saver.

The next most lucrative offer comes from M&S Bank's current account.

It doesn't strictly cashback deal though, instead it gives switchers up to 185 on one of its gift cards to be used in stores.

You get 125 upfront, followed by an extra 5 per month for up to a year as long as a minimum of 1,000 is paid into your current account and two Direct Debits remain active.

You also get 1 point for every 1 spent on your M&S debit card in store with the M&S Loyalty Scheme.

Halifax pays 75 to sign up and a 3 monthly reward on its Reward Account, it requires a 750 minimum deposit.

Co-operative Bank offers up to 5.50 a month in Everyday Rewards if you fulfill certain criteria plus it currently pays 125 to switch with a 25 donation to charity. You can read more about the incentive and our verdict here.
Ex-colleagues and best friends Andy Jefferies, 28, and Ben Muller, 33, founded Dock & Bay after identifying a gap in the market for travel towels.

Following numerous beach jaunts on their travels, they struggled to find any that were light, compact and could dry quickly.

Fresh from their successful appearance on BBC's Dragons' Den, which resulted in a 75k investment from Deborah Meaden, the entrepreneurs spoke to This is Money about the experience and what's next for the business.

Scroll down for video

Andy Jefferies (left) and Ben Muller secured a 75,000 investment from Deborah Meaden for a 10 per cent stake in their business, Dock & Bay, which sells travel towels

So what's it like to stand before five seasoned investors and ask for their money?

Muller said: 'The pitch was quite something - the adrenaline was pumping. We were a little flustered at first but the nerves settled when we got into the groove.'

Jefferies added: 'It was definitely easier once we got in there. One thing you have to remember is the Dragons are champions of small businesses. They grill you to ensure that you are aware of the main considerations when it comes to running a business.'

How did they prepare?

'By watching a lot of re-runs of the show - I mean a lot,' Muller said.

'It gives you a feel for the type of questions they may ask and helps you understand business from their point of view. The Dragons make such a big deal about business figures in the den and understandably so.

'In the night before the pitch, we pretty much locked ourselves in our hotel room and rehearsed over and over again - down to what we would say in the lift.'

Jefferies said: 'The worst part was the fear of the unknown. The taxi came over to pick us up at 6.30am and we were taken to the studio. We were not needed until 3.30pm so we spent what felt like days rehearsing and worrying.'

'When they gave us the 15-minute warning, I remember my mouth going dry all of the sudden. My heart started pounding that extra bit quicker when we approached those famous loft doors.'

Inception

The idea to run a business selling stylish microfibre towels in distinctive vibrant colours hatched two years ago during one of the Muller and Jefferies' Tuesday night curry and beer meet-ups.

The duo pulled down a red curtain off the wall of Muller's rented accommodation and stuck pieces of white paper to produce the firm's first design (see photo below)

In these evenings, the pair, who come from a corporate banking background, would seek to come up with an idea for a business they could initially run as a side project to their day jobs.

On one fateful evening, after settling on the 'travel towel 2.0' concept and having indulged in perhaps a tipple too many, the pair pulled a red curtain off the wall in the living room of Muller's rented flat and stuck pieces of white paper to it. It turned into their first design (see photo right and below for the before and after shots).

The duo went on to raise around 60,000 to fund the start-up through personal savings, banks loans and cash from family and friends.

Like many young businesses, they soon encountered a costly problem. The initial batch of products did not met their high standards.

'Put simply, they were not good enough so we couldn't sell them,' Jefferies said.

'It was a huge blow for us because that was basically thousands of pounds down the drain. It was a tough one to swallow.'

The towels sold by Dock & Bay are designed to be lighter, more compact and dry quicker than conventional travel towels according to the co-founders

But they picked themselves up and dusted themselves off and came up with a plan and quickly sought investment to propel their business onto the next level.

They attempted to raise cash through a Kickstarter campaign but failed to hit their target of raising 10,000 in 30 days. And so they took the decision to secure funding through Dragon's Den, which turned out to be a fruitful endeavour.

The business piqued the interest of Deborah Meaden, Touker Suleyman and new Dragon Tej Lalvani  all of whom offered to stump up the full 75,000 they sought for varying stakes in the business.

The Dragons were particularly impressed by the 1.1million turnover and 330,000 net profit the business achieved in its first full financial year of trading.

The pair opted to accept Meaden's offer for a 10 per cent equity stake in the business, despite having to relinquish an extra five per cent stake than what they were initially willing to give away.

Muller said: 'I remember feeling warm and sweaty after agreeing the deal. We went in with a positive attitude and, thankfully, came out with a positive result.'

So what's next?

Since joining forces with Meaden, the company has made its first full-time hire and turned over an 1.1m in the first five months of this financial year - matching last years total for the full 12 months.

The business partners plan to use a chunk of the investment for marketing to develop a greater online presence in a bid to bolster sales.

The founders originally attempted to raise cash for the business through a Kickstarter campaign but they failed to hit their target of raising 10,000 in 30 days.

They now run the online business from opposite sides of the world, with Jefferies based in London and Muller based in Sydney.

Jefferies said: 'We are in constant communication and not just to talk about work, so it isn't an issue. We pretty much sing from the same hymn sheet but we make sure to contact each other before making major business decisions.'

What's it like working with a friend?

Muller said: 'You often hear people saying that friends fall out when they start a business together. Thankfully, this has not been the case with Andy and I. It is daunting to start something on your own and even if you find success riding solo, it wouldn't be as satisfying if you didn't have anyone to share it with.'

Jefferies and Muller continue to revel in their success in Den. 'We are excited to be working with Deborah. She will help us scale the business quicker than what we could have achieved by ourselves by taking advantage of her extensive knowledge in business and her network of contacts,' said Jefferies.

'The future is looking good.'
Cameron arrives in Algeria to offer British security support in battle against Al-Qaeda terrorists

Prime Minister flies to west Africa in the wake of Algerian hostage crisis in which six Britons died

He will promise more support to train forces in the region

Cameron pledges to help combat terrorism and make the world safer



David Cameron flew into Algeria tonight to offer extra help in the battle against Al-Qaeda.

The Prime Minister will promise closer security co-operation across west Africa in the wake of the hostage crisis that claimed the lives of six Britons.

Mr Cameron said his aim was to help the country 'help itself' amid a growing threat from terrorists in the region.

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David Cameron in Algiers, Algeria, today, where he is to offer extra help in the battle against Al-Qaeda

Mr Cameron visits the Monument des Martyrs to pay his respects in the wake of the hostage crisis which claimed the lives of at least three Britons

Downing Street said that Mr Cameron was being accompanied by National Security Adviser Sir Kim Darroch, as well as by Lord Risby, his envoy on trade with Algeria.

The visit comes just two weeks after a total of 37 foreign workers died at the remote oil facility - part-operated by BP - which was overrun by heavily-armed terrorists on Wednesday January 16.

Some 29 of the hostage-takers died, while three were captured by Algerian troops during a special forces mission to end the four-day stand-off.

Speaking to journalists on the flight to Africa, Mr Cameron said: 'The In Amenas attack and the situation in Mali reminds us of the importance of partnership between Britain and countries in the region.'

Mr Cameron is to hold talks with counterpart Abdelmalek Sellal and pay his respects to victims of the hostage crisis during his visit - the first by a UK Prime Minister to Algeria in 50 years.

Downing Street said that Mr Cameron was being accompanied by National Security Adviser Sir Kim Darroch, as well as by Lord Risby, his envoy on trade with Algeria

The British PM meets the Prime Minister of Algeria Abdelmalek Sellal (right) today in Algeria where he is pledging closer security co-operation

Algeria hostage crisis graphic

Talks are expected to focus on strengthening security co-operation between the UK and Algeria, and seeing how the two countries can work together to deliver the 'tough, patient and intelligent' response to terror outlined by the PM to the House of Commons earlier this month.

Upon touching down in Algeria, Cameron paid his respects at the imposing Martyrs Monument overlooking the Bay of Algiers.



After laying a wreath at the memorial, originally built to mark the country's war for independence from France between 1954 and 1962, he stood with his head bowed for more than a minute.



Speaking to reporters afterwards, the Prime Minister said: 'First of all I am here in the wake of that terrible terrorist attack in In Amenas in which six British citizens and one British resident lost their life, a reminder that what happens in other countries affects us at home.



'What I want to do is work with the Algerian government and with other government in the region to make sure we do everything we can do to combat terrorism in a way that is both tough and intelligent, and uses everything we have at our disposal, which will make them safer, make us safer, make the world safer.'



Mr Cameron denied that he was getting into another Iraq or Afghanistan-style campaign.



'We don't look at this region of the world and think that the answer is purely a military one,' he said.



'It is not. What is required in countries like Mali, just as countries like Somalia on the other side of Africa, is that combination of tough approach on security, aid, politics, settling grievances and problems.'



The gas facility in Amenas where International and Algerian hostages were killed in a terrifying ordeal

Cameron is accompanied by Algerian Energy Minister Yousfi on his visit to the Monument des Martyrs today

Asked to explain to the public why the UK should get involved at all, Mr Cameron replied: 'Britain is a very open, international, networked country.



'There are British citizens working all over the world. Britain's posture in the world therefore should reach out, to have partners, to try and ensure the safety of British people both back at home in the UK but also around the world too.

Mr Cameron also met staff at the British embassy in Algiers to thank them for their work on the hostage crisis.

Defence Secretary Philip Hammond was yesterday forced to deny 'mission creep' in the intervention to bolster the government in Mali as he boosted the UK's role.

Up to 240 troops could be deployed to train the Malian military and prepare soldiers from other African countries, while another 90 personnel could provide air support. A roll-on, roll-off ferry has also been offered to transport French equipment to Africa.

A Number 10 spokeswoman described the visit to Algeria as 'part of efforts to lead a co-ordinated international response to the evolving threat from al Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb, which is operating from parts of the Sahel region'.

She added: 'We want to stand side-by-side with countries in the region working together to overcome the threat.'

Mr Cameron is also expected to discuss areas of mutual interest between Britain and Algeria, including trade, education, health, culture and energy.

New figures suggest about 450 British workers are thought to be working in Algeria.

Foreign Office Minister Alistair Burt said the number of British expats working in the north African country varied' given the transient nature of the international workforce in Algeria'.

David Cameron left Downing Street at lunchtime, soon after completing Prime Minister's Questions, to fly to Algeria where he will promise greater security co-operation to take on terrorists in west Africa

Foreign Office advice warns against 'all travel within 100km of the Libyan-Tunisian border south of the Algerian town of Tebassa'.

Mr Burt said further discussions with companies involved in extractive industries working in Algeria would take place this week.

Five British nationals have been named, either by the Foreign Office or their families, after the In Amenas gas plant in Algeria was attacked by Islamist fighters. Three have been confirmed dead and three more are thought to have been killed.

Some 22 Britons escaped the attack, which took place between January 16 and 19.
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This is the moment a mother wept for her son after he became the latest victim of the Philippines' war on drugs.

Nanette Castillo can be seen grieving next to the dead body of her son Aldrin in Manila after he was killed by 'unidentified assailants' in the early hours of this morning.

The circumstances of his death are not yet clear but it comes amid a brutal crackdown on drugs in the country in the last 15 months.

Police have reported killing 3,850 suspected drug dealers who allegedly resisted arrest during a campaign waged in the name of President Rodrigo Duterte's vow to rid society of narcotics.

It comes as it emerged that police officers who want to speak out about 'extrajudicial killings and summary executions' in the drug war have been offered sanctuary and legal help by the Catholic Church.

Harrowing: The moment a mother wept for her son after he became the latest victim of the Philippines' war on drugs

The dead man was an alleged drug user, killed by 'unidentified assailants'

Nanette Castillo can be seen grieving next to the dead body of her son Aldrin in Manila today after he was killed by 'unidentified assailants' in the early hours of this morning

The circumstances of his death are not yet clear but it comes amid a brutal crackdown on drugs in the last 15 months

Human rights groups accuse Duterte of waging a crime against humanity as he seeks to eradicate illegal drugs in society in a crackdown that has claimed thousands of lives since he took office in the middle of last year.

The Catholic Church, which counts 80 per cent of Filipinos as followers, has been one of the leading critics of the drug war and its offer to police on Monday was another step in its efforts to stop the killings.

Unnamed 'law enforcers' with troubled consciences have approached the Church over the killings, Archbishop Socrates Villegas, the president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines, said in a pastoral letter.

'They have expressed their desire to come out in the open about their participation in extrajudicial killings and summary executions,' he said without naming the officers or the victims.

A police officer secures the crime scene as residents look on at the dead body of Aldrin Castillo, an alleged drug user killed by unidentified assailants, in Manila today

Police have reported killing 3,850 suspected drug dealers who allegedly resisted arrest during a campaign waged in the name of President Rodrigo Duterte's vow to rid society of narcotics

Relatives of Aldrin Castillo grieve inside an ambulance in Manila as the victim's body is taken away

The Catholic Church, which counts 80 percent of Filipinos as followers, has been one of the leading critics of the drug war

'Within the bounds of Church and civil laws, we express our willingness to grant them accommodation, shelter and protection,' he said, adding that the offer will also be extended to independent lawyers.

'If such law-enforcers wish to testify, then the Catholic Church will see to it that they are in no way induced to speak, to disclose nor to make allegations by any member of the clergy or the hierarchy.'

The Philippine police did not respond to AFP's requests for comment.

Duterte's government has denied that killing drug suspects was state policy, but critics allege his frequent public pronouncements on the drug war were direct inducements to kill.

Duterte, who remains popular, has said he was 'happy to slaughter' three million drug addicts and vowed no officer would go to jail for implementing his drug war.

Villegas last month urged his flock to speak out against the 'systematic murders and spreading reign of terror' that he said were unleashed by the drug war.

Catholic bishops played leading roles in peaceful street protests that led to the ousting of two Philippine presidents, Ferdinand Marcos in 1986 and Joseph Estrada in 2001.
A drone that sneaked contraband into a Michigan prison in May went undetected for nearly two months, a state police report said (stock image)

A drone sneaked contraband into a Michigan prison in May and went undetected for nearly two months, according to a state police report.

Video surveillance shows that inmates at Richard A. Handlon Correctional Facility in Ionia received two packages dropped by a drone May 29, according to Michigan Department of Corrections spokesman Chris Gautz.

Prison officials suspect the packages contained Alcatel-brand cellphones that were found inside the prison in July.

A third package containing phones, tobacco and marijuana was delivered the same day, but prison officials recovered it.

Information about the drops comes from a report obtained by the Detroit News through a Freedom of Information Act request.

The prison had two more attempted drone drops on August 17.

Prison officials apprehended the packages containing cellphones, razors and marijuana in those attempts.

Patrick Corey Seaton Jr., Jonathan Larawn Roundtree and Daryl Steven Marshall face felony smuggling charges for those packages.

Richard A. Handlon Correctional Facility in Ionia, Michigan, has seen at least five packages dropped via drone since late May. Two were successful and three were intercepted by officials

Jonathan Larawn Roundtree, Patrick Corey Seaton Jr. and Daryl Steven Marshall are pictured from left to right. They each face felony smuggling charges for the August 17 packages

The names of the prisoners caught with the phones in July have not be revealed the investigation is ongoing and no one has been charged yet.

Gautz said the Corrections Department didn't previously disclose the successful drone drops because they 'don't discuss all introductions of contraband.'

He also said officials weren't certain the confiscated phones were delivered by a drone.

'A source inside the prison informed MDOC staff that it was the result of an unsuccessful drone delivery,' according to the report by State Police Detective Sgt. Christian Clute.

'It was later learned that two packages were successfully delivered (confirmed through video) to prisoners via drone. After the successful drone delivery, two phones were found inside the facility on prisoners.'

The drone drops come as security experts nationwide warn that drones pose a serious threat to prison security.

'We are very concerned about drones being used for smuggling, and we have implemented ... certain detection and safety precautions so that hopefully in the future any drone delivery will be detected,' Clute said. He declined to reveal what the new security measures are.
Two convicted killers on death row, including one due to die next week, had their appeals denied by the US Supreme Court. Anthony Shore (pictured) 55, is scheduled for lethal injection on October 18 for murder in 1992

Two convicted killers on death row, including one due to die next week, had their appeals refused by the US Supreme Court.

The high court declined to review appeals from death row inmates Anthony Shore and Robert Pruett with by both set to die by the end of October.

Shore, 55, is scheduled for lethal injection October 18 for the 1992 slaying of a 21-year-old woman in Houston.

Known as the 'Tourniquet Killer', Shore confessed to the killing of the 21-year-old woman, two teenage girls and a 9-year-old girl.

He is known in Houston as the 'Tourniquet Killer' because his victims were tortured and strangled with handmade tourniquets.

The slayings connected to Shore went unsolved for years until DNA evidence linked him to the sexual assault of two relatives who were juveniles.

He subsequently confessed to the killings and was convicted in 2004 in the slaying of 21-year-old Maria del Carmen Estrada.

Her body was found in 1992 in the drive-thru lane of a Dairy Queen.

Shore's lawyer, Knox Nunnally, had hoped his client's death sentence could be reduced to life in prison. He has said Shore suffered from traumatic brain injury.

Pruett, 38, is set to die October 12 for the fatal stabbing of a corrections officer at a South Texas prison in 1999, where he already was serving a 99-year sentence for his involvement in another killing.

Pruett's attorneys have long questioned the evidence in his case.

Robert Pruett, 38, is due to die on October 12 for the fatal stabbing of a corrections officer at a South Texas prison in 1999, where he already was serving a 99-year sentence for his involvement in another killing

They have sought additional DNA testing of evidence used to convict him of the December 1999 killing of Daniel Nagle, a 37-year-old officer at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice's McConnell Unit near Beeville, about 85 miles southeast of San Antonio.

Pruett was serving 99 years for murder at the prison for participating with his father and a brother in a neighbor's slaying.

Evidence showed the killing of the corrections officer stemmed from a dispute over a peanut butter sandwich that Pruett wanted to take into a prison recreation yard in violation of rules.

Pruett testified at his 2002 trial in Corpus Christi that he was innocent in Nagle's death.

In 2015, Pruett came within hours of execution before his punishment was stopped by a state judge.
A Russian escort accused of blackmailing disgraced former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer won't have to face trial after opting for a plea deal and a short sentence.

Svetlana Travis Zakharova, 27, pleaded guilty on Monday to a misdemeanor larceny charge involving a different man.

A judge sentenced her to 90 days in jail. She has already served more than that while awaiting trial.

Free woman: Eliot Spitzer's ex-lover Svetlana Travis Zakharova, 27, is pictured Monday walking out of Manhattan Supreme Court after she pleaded guilty to larceny

A judge sentenced the Russian escort to 90 days in jail for scamming another ex-boyfriend who is not ex-New York Governor Eliot Spitzer (pictured in March, right), but she has already served more than that

Worse for wear: The 27-year-old appeared disheveled and was sporting a shabby grey peacoat paired with tights and sneakers

Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark says the plea bargain also resolves an indictment in which Zakharova had been accused of extorting $400,000 from Spitzer by threatening to reveal details of their sexual relationship.

Zakharova's lawyer says she denies extorting the 58-year-old divorced Democrat.

'She had a long-term relationship with him and to be accused of extorting him was absolutely not true, and she would never admit to that,' said attorney Joseph Murray, according to reporting by New York Post.

She pleaded guilty to signing the name of her former lover, toy store owner Paul Nippes, on a lease for a Manhattan apartment, costing him $18,000 when she didn't pay rent.

A disheveled-looking Zakharova was photographed leaving Manhattan Supreme Court at the conclusion of the hearing Monday.

Luv Gov's gal: Zakharova's plea deal also resolves an indictment in which Zakharova had been accused of extorting $400,000 from Spitzer

Zakharova's lawyer says she denies extorting the 58-year-old ex-governor. Pictured: Zakharova uses her coat to shield her face from photographers in Manhattan Monday

Zakharova previously claimed that Spitzer attacked her at the Plaza Hotel in February 2016 after she told him she wished to return to Russia

The 27-year-old wore a pair of light-grey tights, a grey T-shirt, sneakers and a drab peacoat, which she draped over her head to shield her face from the cameras.

Spitzer resigned in 2008, a year into his governorship, after he was identified as a client of the high-end Emperors Club VIP prostitution ring, infamously dubbed 'Client No 9.' He was never charged.

Zakharova previously claimed that Spitzer attacked her at the Plaza Hotel in February 2016 after she told him she wished to return to Russia.

When she refused to have sex with him, Spitzer allegedly screamed at Zakharova, 'What am I paying you for?' then called her a 'Russian whore' while ripping a wad of $100 bills, according to court filings.

An attorney representing Zakharova (pictured in court in July) says she denies extorting 58-year-old Spitzer

The ex-governor had admitted to a 'relationship' with Zakharova in a civil lawsuit filed in 2016.

That complaint, which was later withdrawn, stated that Spitzer had paid money to stop the Russian woman from making their 'trysts' public, and that her claims of assault were made against him in revenge for him cutting ties with her.

Zakharova was arrested when she returned to the US from Russia in October 2016.
An Indiana mailman was arrested on Wednesday after police found drugs, guns and thousands of dollars in cash on him.

Gabriel Anno, 25, of Attica, was taken into custody after multiple items were found on his person including: 1.2 pounds of marijuana, five grams of cocaine, 14 ounces of liquid codeine, 392 Xanax pills, a Glock semiautomatic pistol, a Mac-11 machine pistol and nearly $2,000 in cash.

Anno was later booked into the Fountain County Jail on felony charges including dealing marijuana, dealing in controlled substances, possession of cocaine, possession of a machine gun, and possession of marijuana and controlled substances.

Mailman Gabriel Anno, 25 (pictured), of Attica, Indiana, was arrested on Wednesday after police found drugs, guns and thousands of dollars in cash on him

Upon investigation police found 1.2 pounds of marijuana, five grams of cocaine, 14 ounces of liquid codeine, 392 Xanax pills, a Glock semiautomatic pistol, a Mac-11 machine pistol and nearly $2,000 in cash on Anno's (pictured) person

Prosecutor Daniel Askren said Anno's also been charged with maintaining a common nuisance and official misconduct, according to a news release.

Anno posted $5,000 bond and was released from the Fountain County Jail.

His next scheduled appearance in court has been set for October 16. Its currently unclear if hes being represented by an attorney.

DailyMail.com has reached out for comment from the US Postal Service.

Anno's felony charges include dealing marijuana, dealing in controlled substances, possession of cocaine, possession of a machine gun, possession of marijuana and controlled substances

Anno was also charged with maintaining a common nuisance and official misconduct. He was released after posting $5,000 in bail

This is not the first case of a US postal worker being caught delivering illegal substances

Jermaine Sandifer, 40, from The Bronx, New York, was arrested in June 2016 after he was accused of accepting and delivering packages containing as much as two kilos of cocaine in exchange for thousands of dollars in kickbacks.

Prosecutors said the drug-filled deliveries would be shipped to the Highbridge Post Office, where Sandifer worked, between 2011 and 2013 from Puerto Rico and were addressed to various addresses in The Bronx.

Sandifer, who also went by the alias 'Amigo', allegedly received between $1,000 and $5,000 for doling out the packages to his drug cohorts, reported the New York Daily News.
A Seven News journalist has been caught up in the horrifying Las Vegas shooting after being woken by 'a thundering volley of gunshots'.

Ashlee Mullany was inside the Mandalay Bay hotel at the time of the attack and provided a live cross shortly after she and her cameraman Duncan McLeod were evacuated.

Taking to air just minutes after the shooting began, Ms Mullany described the situation as 'terrifying' and 'utter chaos'.

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Seven News journalist Ashlee Mullany (pictured) has been caught up in the horrifying Las Vegas shooting after being woken by 'a thundering volley of gunshots'

She told how she woke up just after 10:30pm after hearing the gunfire, before trying to exit through the lobby and valet.

'The difficult decision they (police) had to make was whether to take us out of the hotel where the gunman was or put us on the street where he was firing,' Ms Mullany said.

The reporter described how she knew the situation was 'quite serious' when she looked out her hotel window to see police cars speeding towards them from 'every direction'.

Footage also emerged of Ms Mullany and Mr McLeod's dramatic escape as they were ushered out of the building before being confronted by a man covered in blood.

The reporter was inside the Mandalay Bay hotel at the time of the attack and provided a live cross shortly after she and her cameraman Duncan McLeod were evacuated through the lobby

Footage of the pairs dramatic escape showed they were ushered out of the building before being confronted by a man covered in blood (pictured)

At least 59 people have been killed and more than 527 injured during the shooting, involving lone-wolf gunman Stephen Paddock.

The 64-year-old reportedly unleashed thousands of rounds onto the Route 91 Harvest Music Festival from a room in the Mandalay Bay hotel.

Headliner Jason Aldean was in the middle of his set when the gunfire rang out, as the sellout crowd of 22,000 people began to flee.
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What began as a trickle of desperate, weary souls soon swells into a snaking, 400ft line as news of the convoy's arrival spreads by word of mouth.

It's been 13 days since Hurricane Maria decimated Puerto Rico and for many living in the remote west-coast town of Rincon this is the first time help has reached them.

But the square-jawed heroes doling out food, water and lifesaving kits are not FEMA, US military or the National Guard - but unpaid volunteers from New York's Bravest.

A 29-strong Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) from the New York City Fire Department has been on the ground for the past week bringing hope and supplies to blacked-out towns and villages.

While FEMA trucks have barely ventured out of the capital, San Juan, the FDNY team has reached every corner of the ravaged commonwealth despite flying in on a packed charter flight with virtually no specialist equipment or transport.

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Volunteer FDNYJose Sierra, 42, and Chris Godoy, 40, are seen handing out baby supplies to desperate mothers and children in Rincon who have lost everything. Sierra encouraged the community: 'You must be honest with us. Take only what you need.'

The team's aid and rescue efforts is the first time assistance reaches the remote west-coast town of Rincon since the storm. Hundreds lined up to receive aid including New York-raised Lucy Gonzalez, 63, pictured with her dog Fluffy, who said she nearly wept when she saw the team's familiar blue FDNY t-shirts

Jose Sierra, 42, and Chris Godoy, 40, of the FDNY DART team were handing out everything from water, blankets, food, baby supplies - Sierra says the apocalyptic scenes he's seen in Puerto Rico are every bit as heartbreaking as anything he experienced in the September 11 terrorist attacks

Help arrives: A 29-strong Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) from the New York City Fire Department arrived in Puerto Rico to provide essential supplies to those in need after the island was ravaged by Hurricane Maria two weeks ago. The team was greeted by a 400-foot line of people desperate for aid

Teamwork: Volunteers are seen unloading thousands of bottles of water to distribute to locals after the storm left the Puerto Ricans without a potable source

Heavy rain pours down as the FDNY distributes essential food supplies to hundreds of residents who lined up at the Sports Complex of Rincon in Rincon, Puerto Rico

The FDNY volunteers included 9/11 veterans who provided aid during the disaster. The firemen crammed a box truck with meals, bedding, blankets, baby food and thousands of bottles of water to deliver to displaced residents

'Adversity is what we do, day in, day out,' the group's leader, Lieutenant George Ricco Diaz, exclusively tells DailyMail.com.

'We don't do days off. When the Twin Towers fell every firefighter went to work. There's no in-fighting, politics or red-tape here - just tell us what you need doing, and we'll go do it.'

The FDNY team have swapped firehouses in Manhattan, Brooklyn and the Bronx for a makeshift HQ in the basement of a San Juan church from where they split into groups for daily missions.

They include veterans of 9/11 and previous DART deployments to Hurricane Katrina, the 2010 Haiti earthquake and virtually every natural disaster in recent memory.

Almost every member of the group, founded 28 years ago in the aftermath of Hurricane Hugo, was born in Puerto Rico or has relatives or close friends here.

For today's mission Chris Godoy, 40, Jose Sierra, 42, and 44-year-old Hector Rivera have crammed a box truck with meals, bedding, blankets, baby food and thousands of bottles of water.

Their first stop sees them deliver heavy duty tarps to a row of wrecked family homes in the coastal municipality of Guayabo as they head towards Rincon, a popular surfing resort.

'I need this so much. The hurricane ripped my roof clean off,' says retiree Rafael Crespo, 77.

'The winds were so deafening that it damaged my wife's hearing.'

A few minutes later the three-man team spot a crowd of young families congregating around one of the neighborhood's few remaining stores and pull over.

Edgar Candelaria, 54, and wife Wanda Valentin, 40, receive diapers, infant formula and blankets for their five-month daughter Valentia Maria.

Hundreds of thousands were left without drinking water, power, and shelter, after the storm pummeled the island. The three fireman are seen working tirelessly in the sweltering heat as locals swarm them, jostling and pleading for anything they can get their hands on

Aid back home: With no running water there is only one way to get water into apartments in Rincon - just like much of the rest of Puerto Rico

'It's been very frustrating, we were expecting help much sooner,' says a relieved Candelaria.

'We have seen a beautiful parade of military planes and Chinook helicopters flying overhead but I haven't seen a single truck on the ground.'

Clutching her pet dog Fluffy, New York-raised Lucy Gonzalez, 63, tells DailyMail.com she nearly wept when she saw the team's familiar blue FDNY t-shirts.

'J.Lo gave money, Marc Anthony gave money, but the politicians are stealing it all,' she says. 'These men are the only honest people on this island trying to help us.'

The coastal road to Rincon passes the ruins of a seafront cafe and a wooden guesthouse that has virtually collapsed into the ocean.

The route is blocked by debris but locals help clear the mud and rubble so the FDNY convoy can advance.

'I heard what Donald Trump said about Puerto Ricans, they are lazy, they don't help themselves,' says New Yorker Pedro Rosardo, a 79-year-old Vietnam War veteran who moved here after retiring.

Heroes: Chris Godoy (left) 40, Jose Sierra, 42, and Hector Rivera, 44, and FDNY Lieutenant George Rico Diaz (right) 60, swapped firehouses in Manhattan, Brooklyn and the Bronx for a makeshift HQ in the basement of a San Juan church from where they split into groups for daily missions

Help on the way: The DART team deployed on a military cargo carrier from New York to Puerto Rico immediately after the hurricane

'You can see for yourself these are hard-working people. Trump is telling lies as usual.'

Winding though mountain roads and inching past downed power lines, Godoy, Sierra and Rivera eventually reach Rincon's abandoned spots complex and ballpark.

Among those desperate for help are Arlene Vasquez, a 28-year-old mother-of-three, who raced here when she heard rumors about an aid shipment.

'The situation here is unbearable,' she says. 'We can't drink the water because the local cemetery has flooded and the bodies are floating in the river.

'They've given us military food but I don't care what it tastes like as I have three mouths to feed.'

As the three fireman work tirelessly in the sweltering heat they soon find themselves swarmed by locals jostling and pleading for anything they can get their hands on.

Sierra, a 17-year veteran from Ladder 59 in the Bronx, wipes the sweat from his brow and pleads for calm. 'This is your country, these are your people,' he tells the group.

'You must be honest with us. Take only what you need.'

Sierra's heartfelt speech is greeted with a round of applause. For him the mission has extra significance: he lost his father Jose Luis Sierra, 68, in 2011 during Hurricane Irene when he slipped and fell into Long Island Sound while checking on his boat.

Edgar Candelaria, 54, and wife Wanda Valentin, 40, receive diapers, infant formula and blankets for their five-month daughter Valentia Maria, in Guayabo, Puerto Rico

Hector Rivera (righT) is seen handing out tarps, meals, and supplies to an elderly woman. The 15-year-veteran from Ladder 41 in the Bronx left his wife Christine Rivera, 35, at home with their four-month-old twins so he could help out in his parents' homeland

No days off: Sierra (pictured giving Rafael Crespo (right) 77, tarps and food in Guayabo) revealed this mission hits home for him because he lost his father in 2011 during Hurricane Irene

Locals were given single-day survival meals consisting of essentials such as cereal, milk, fruit cups, bread, and cutlery

He tells DailyMail.com that the apocalyptic scenes he's seen in Puerto Rico are every bit as heartbreaking as anything he experienced in the September 11 terrorist attacks.

'After 9/11 there was such an outpouring of help. There were volunteers arriving from around the world,' says Sierra, whose family hail from Naguabo, in the island's east.

'There is the same level of need but this is a small place and because of the political situation Puerto Rico is getting nothing in comparison.'

Godoy, a former stockbroker who is now serving with Ladder 50 in the Bronx, signed up to the DART team this year for the same reason he joined the FDNY five years ago: to make a difference.

'After the crash of '08 I got tired of that world. I wanted to do something fulfilling with my life,' he explains. 'Helping people means the world to me. Nobody should be hurting like this.

'United States citizens should not be deprived of water or the necessities of life. Puerto Rican people are resourceful people but they just need a little help to get back on their feet.'

Three hours later the team have handed out nearly all their supplies, save for a crate of water. A local ambulance driver has tipped them off about the pitiful conditions at a nearby old folks' home.

Chris Godoy, 40, checks on the owner of a house, which has fallen into the ocean in Rincon, Puerto Rico. The owner of the home insisted that he does not need help

A heroes' welcome: Residents at the Santa Rosa Elderly Apartments wave and cheer from windows as help finally arrive with water. Residents have allegedly been drinking out of a broken pipe spewing dirty water across the street

The firemen arrived at the Santa Rosa Elderly Apartments to deliver multiple cases of bottled water after they found the 33 residents have been without running water for two weeks

The firemen arrive at the Santa Rosa Elderly Apartments to find the 33 residents have been without running water for two weeks.

The site of frightened elderly men and women peering from windows and living in semi-darkness is hard to take even for firefighters who defy danger on a daily basis.

'You guys came for us when nobody else did,' Francisco Hernandez, 81, tells them. 'We were drinking dirty water from a hose across the street.'

Their truck now completely bare, the three heroes will return to base to beg, borrow or commandeer supplies for tomorrow's mission.

'What breaks my heart, is that these people aren't getting the help they could be getting from us,' explains Rivera.

The 15-year-veteran from Ladder 41 in the Bronx left his wife Christine Rivera, 35, at home with their four-month-old twins Ethan and Olivia so he could help out in his parents' homeland.

'We only have a fraction of the tools we normally have at our disposal in New York. If FEMA gives us the tools we'll do the rest.'

Devastation: The island is now struggling to recover as many were left without homes. One house was so destroyed, part of the building had fallen into the ocean, with a car in the garage

The famous Golden Arches of a local McDonald's were mangled and destroyed during Hurricane Maria

Much of the island has been decimated, particularly the coast where some homes have fell into the ocean and had their roofs and windows blown off

Local volunteers: Residents Ramon Solares, 56, and Manuel Bolet, 49, (both pictured left) have taken matters into their own hands. Pedro Rosardo (right) is a Vietnam veteran who moved to Puerto Rico after retiring says: 'You can see for yourself these are hard-working people. Trump is telling lies as usual.'

FDNY provided Rafael Crespo, 77, with heavy duty tarp for his wrecked home after his roof was blown off during the storm. Crespo said the winds were so violent they damaged his wife's hearing

The three colleagues agree the only way to avert a full-scale humanitarian disaster here is a massive military deployment of at least 50,000 troops.

As they arrive back in San Juan two hours later they wait in line to grab a three-minute cold shower and for fresh orders from Lt Diaz.

The lieutenant joined DART with his best friend Lt Dennis Mojica, who died inside the Twin Towers on 9/11. 'I think of him every day. Other guys in the DART team died that day also,' he tells DailyMail.com.

'Camaraderie is what drives us. When you run into a wall of fire the only thing that keeps you from turning around is loyalty to your bothers - and that applies just as much here as it does in New York.'
This blog is looking for wisdom, to have and to share. It is also looking for other rare character traits like good humor, courage, and honor. It is not an easy road, because all of us fall short. But God is love, forgiveness and grace. Those who believe in Him and repent of their sins have the promise of His Holy Spirit to guide us and show us the Way.
The owners of two gun shops confirmed that the Las Vegas shooter purchased firearms from them recently but he did not raise any alarm bells.

The owner of a shop in Mesquite, Nevada, says the Las Vegas shooter bought firearms there and never gave any indication that he might have been unstable.

Guns & Guitars general manager Christopher Sullivan said in a statement Monday that 64-year-old Stephen Craig Paddock showed no signs of being unfit to buy guns.

'The man does not have a criminal history,' he told the New York Times.

Chris Michel (left) owns Dixie GunWorx in St George, Utah. Christopher Sullivan (right) manages Guns & Guitars in Mesquite, Nevada. Both shops sold Las Vegas shooter Stephen Craig Paddock firearms

Sullivan said in a statement that Paddock displayed no signs of being unfit to buy guns nor did he have a criminal history in the state of Nevada

Paddock killed at least 59 people and injured at least 527 others after shooting at concertgoers from a Mandalay Bay hotel window in Las Vegas

The store was founded by Sullivan's parents, Mike and Jan. Its website notes: 'With Mike's extensive knowledge of guns and guitars and Jan's talent for making things happen, the store is thriving.'

Store spokesman Shawn Vincent declined comment on how many guns Paddock bought and said those details could only be shared with authorities.

Sullivan says all necessary background checks and procedures were followed under local, state and federal laws and that hes cooperating fully with law enforcement.

Paddock lived in a house in a retirement community in the small city of Mesquite, about 90 minutes from Las Vegas.

Meanwhile, a Utah gun store owner has said Paddock visited his shop about a 40-minute drive from Mesquite and purchased a shotgun.

Chris Michel, the owner of Dixie GunWorx in St George, Utah, told St George News that Paddock was an 'average, everyday Joe Blow. Nobody that stood out; no red flags'.

Pictured is an exterior shot of Guns & Guitars. Guns & Guitars general manager Christopher Sullivan said in a statement Monday that 64-year-old Stephen Craig Paddock showed no signs of being unfit to buy guns

Dixie GunWorx is pictured above. Dixie Gunworx owner Chris Michel said that paddock was an 'average, everyday Joe Blow. Nobody that stood out; no red flags'

He said that in the past, he has denied potential gun buyers their purchases if they appear to be 'sketchy'.

'None of the staff had any red flags whatsoever,' he told the St George News.

The store's website lists it as 'a one-stop shop for all of your firearm needs'.

Authorities found at least 17 firearms, including two rifles with scopes on tripods, in the Mandalay Bay hotel room from which Paddock fired on thousands of people attending a country music festival.

Paddock lived in Mesquite, Nevada and had no prior criminal convictions in the state.

Sullivan is pictured posing with a cutout of US President Donald Trump

He purchased a home in a retirement community for just over $369,000 in 2015 according to public records.

He lived there with his 62-year-old girlfriend Marilou Danley, the same woman police announced they were seeking to question on Sunday night as they began their investigation into the horrific terror attack.

Paddock had both hunting and fishing licenses according to public records, as well as his pilot's license, but no criminal record in the state of Nevada.

The retired accountant had worked as an internal auditor at Lockheed Martin for three years in the late 1980s, and was a manager and investor in apartment complexes located in Mesquite, Texas and California which made him millions according to his brother.

Paddock was also the son of Benjamin Hoskins Paddock, a serial bank robber who ended up on the FBI Most Wanted list back in 1969 when he escaped from federal prison in Texas while serving a 20 years sentence.

The FBI kept him on the list for the next eight years, and he was eventually found one year after he was removed from the list in 1978 while outside an Oregon Bingo hall.

The agency said that the fugitive had been 'diagnosed as psychopathic' and also had possible 'suicidal tendencies.'

Paddock had committed suicide by the time police breached the door to the room from which the gunman had opened fire at the Mandalay Bay Resort just after 10pm on Sunday night.

It marked the end of what has now become the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history, which left 59 dead and more than 500 injured.

The attack played out as Jason Aldean performed on stage to close out the third and final day of the Route 91 Harvest Music Festival, which was taking place across the street from the resort.

Over 22,000 people were in attendance at the event, and described the attack as 'nonstop gunfire,' which only stopped when the gunman went to reload his weapon.

It is not yet known what weapon or weapons the gunman used in the attack.
Fears are mounting over the missing wife of a California police officer after he told her to run in the aftermath of the deadly Las Vegas mass shooting.

San Francisco Police Officer Vinnie Etcheber and his wife, Stacee, were attending the Route 91 Harvest Festival when bullets began raining down on the crowd.

Vinnie urged Stacee, 50, and their two friends to run while he stayed behind and assisted the wounded.

Now, the family is trying to spread the word in hopes that somebody who has information about Stacee will contact them.

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Stacee Etcheber (left), the wife of San Francisco Police Officer Vinnie (right), is missing in the aftermath of the deadly Las Vegas mass shooting

Stacee (pictured, with her daughter) and Vinnie were attending the Route 91 Harvest Festival with two friends when bullets began raining down on the crowd

Vinnie urged Stacee, 50 (pictured, with her daughter), and their two friends to run while he stayed behind and assisted the wounded

'I'm hoping maybe she did get hurt and is in a situation where she can't talk and she's in the hospital in a Jane Doe status and we're waiting to go in and identify her,' the officer's brother, Al Etcheber, told The Mercury News.

Al said he spoke to his brother who told him that, when the shooting broke out, the couple and their friends took cover behind security partitions on the festival grounds.

'My brother saw people had been shot. He tried to assist them,' he said.

'After the first barrage, he told his wife and two other people he was with to run. Then the second barrage of guns fired. He couldn't find his wife.'

Vinnie had been searching local hospitals overnight before being relegated to the Las Vegas police command center to wait for word.

To make matters more complicated, Stacee had left her phone behind in the hotel before the festival and had given her identification to her husband for safekeeping during the concert.

Stacee (pictured) had left her phone behind in the hotel before the festival and gave her identification to her husband for safekeeping during the concert

Stacee's brother-in-law, Al Etcheber, has been sharing her photo across social media in the hopes that someone recognizes her and provides information on her whereabouts

Al has been sharing his sister-in-law's photo across social media in the hopes that somebody recognizes her and provides information on her whereabouts.

'Perhaps a nurse at one of the hospitals will identify her as a patient and let us know if she is OK,' he said.

Vinnie and Stacee live in Novato, California, with their 13-year-old daughter and 10-year-old son. Stacee is a hair stylist at the Ciao Bella hair salon in Novato.

A friend had lent the couple their Las Vegas timeshare so they could enjoy the three-day festival.

On Sunday around 10.08pm, 64-year-old Stephen Paddock (pictured), opened fire on the concert grounds from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Hotel, across the street from the festival

Authorities say 59 people were killed and 527 were injured in what is now the deadliest mass shooting in US history (Pictured, an ambulance leaves the intersection of Las Vegas Boulevard and Tropicana Avenue following the shooting)

On Sunday around 10.08pm, 64-year-old Stephen Paddock, opened fire on the concert grounds from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Hotel, across the street from the festival.

Authorities say 59 people were killed and 527 were injured in what is now the deadliest mass shooting in US history.

By the time police tracked him down, Paddock had shot himself down. He was found with 16 guns in his room.
Left-wing extremist group Antifa has been condemned for posting a vile Facebook post praising a man who killed at least 59 people in Las Vegas in the worst mass shooting in American history.

Screenshots of the Melbourne chapter's deleted social media post have been reposted on to their site, highlighting their support for dead 64-year-old gunman Stephen Paddock.

'One of our comrades from our Las Vegas branch has made these fascist Trump supporting dogs pay,' it said on Tuesday morning.

Left-wing extremist group Melbourne Antifa's vile Facebook post praising Las Vegas shooter

Antifa's Melbourne arm praised Stephen Paddock for making 'Trump supporting fascists pay'

Melbourne Antifa's post was published little more than 12 hours after the carnage across the road from the Mandalay Bay Resort, as Jason Aldean performed on stage to close out the third and final day of the Route 91 Harvest Music Festival.

Paddock, a millionaire accountant who lived a 90-minute drive away from Las Vegas in the city of Mesquite, Nevada, in a retirement village, opened fire on a festival which 22,000 people were attending.

The offensive social media message praising him was widely condemned as screen shots of it were re-posted on Melbourne Antifa's Facebook page.

'You would have to be the biggest f***wit ever,' one man wrote.

Another woman wrote: 'You filthy piece of rats***.'

Several people used expletives to express their anger at Melbourne Antifa for praising gunman

Melbourne Antifa temporarily posted a vile message after the carnage at a Las Vegas festival

One man referred to Melbourne Antifa as 'commie scum' for their vile Facebook post

Melbourne Antifa is part of a global movement of so-called anti-fascists.

In June, they took responsibility for ambushing Sky News presenter and conservative columnist Andrew Bolt with a glitter bomb outside a Melbourne book launch, before he fended them off and made them run during the encounter captured on video.

Now they are praising a shooting that has killed at least 59 people and injured another 527 at a country music festival across the road from the Mandalay Bay Resort.

One man said: 'Shame on you, commie scum.'

While ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack, the FBI says the shooter had no connection with the terrorist group.
Theresa May must reverse the hollowing out of the Armed Forces, a former top general has warned.

In a letter to the Prime Minister, General Sir Richard Barrons said enemy states now had the capability to seriously threaten the UK.

He called for urgent action to restore our warfighting edge and said spending on research and development was woefully insufficient.

Our world is changing rapidly and the security environment for the UK is becoming more complex and uncertain, wrote the former head of Joint Forces Command.

Sir Richard Barrons has sent a letter to the Prime Minister warning that enemy states have the capability to seriously threaten the UK

Some states with whom we are on difficult terms now have the military capability to seriously threaten the UK homeland and our vital interests.

The Government must break with the path of reductions in defence permitted since the end of the Cold War and restore the military security of the UK if it is to keep us safe.

Sir Richard, who retired last year, said plans were needed to defend against cyber and missile attacks.

These could pose risks in the future at very short notice to our homeland and our interests, he added.

Some measures, such as new operational contingency plans, will cost little.

Others will require a surge in funding to offset decades of ... hollowing out the people, equipment, training and support necessary to defend the UK. The Government must now be bold enough and competent enough to rejuvenate the defence and security of the UK.

We wont always have the luxury to choose to be left alone or to remain inactive in a tough, globalised world.

The Ministry of Defence, Treasury and other key departments are reviewing security capabilities amid concerns the weakened pound could impact on the amount of equipment that can be bought.

Sir Michael Fallon will today give his defence speech to the Tory party conference, where he will unveil a deal to try to ensure more Royal Navy ships are at sea

Sir Michael Fallon will today give his defence speech to the Tory party conference, where he will unveil a deal to try to ensure more Royal Navy ships are at sea. A 1billion commitment will speed up repairs.

He will say: This new deal will support the Royal Navy as we prepare to welcome two huge new aircraft carriers, two new classes of frigates and new support ships.

We are growing the Royal Navy and ensuring that our warships will spend more time out at sea defending Britains interests.

Through our rising defence budget we are helping to keep people safe at home while working with allies abroad.

The MoD is spending 178billion on the equipment plan over the next ten years.
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President Donald Trump has held a moment of silence for the victims of the Las Vegas shooting, and ordered the flag flown at half-staff in mourning.

The first lady as well as Vice President Mike Pence and Second Lady Karen Pence joined Trump on the south lawn of the White House on Monday afternoon for the somber moment of silence.

They were also joined by Trump's daughter Ivanka Trump and her husband White House Senior Adviser Jared Kushner along with other White House staff.

As of Monday evening, 59 were confirmed dead and 527 injured at the hands of gunman Stephen Paddock in the worst shooting in modern US history after he opened fire from the Mandalay Bay hotel in Las Vegas onto country music festival-goers.

'Our nation is heartbroken. We mourn with all whose loved ones were murdered and injured in last night's horrible tragedy in Las Vegas, Nevada,' the president said in a statement on Monday.

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Donald and Melania Trump are seen leaving the South Portico of the White House on Monday to lead a moment of silence for the victims of the Las Vegas massacre

The first lady (left) as well as Vice President Mike Pence and Second Lady Karen Pence (right) joined Trump on the south lawn of the White House for the moment of silence

(L-R) White House National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster and Ivanka Trump are joined by White House staff as they prepare to observe a moment of silence on the South Lawn

'As we grieve, we pray that God may provide comfort and relief to all those suffering,' the president said.

Trump ordered the flag flown at half-staff at all federal facilities and overseas embassies until sunset on October 6.

Addressing the nation in the hours after the shooting, Trump condemned the massacre as an 'act of pure evil'.

Also on Monday, the Senate held a moment of silence, as the nation struggled to process the magnitude of Sunday night's attack on a country music festival where thousands had gathered.

Meanwhile across Capitol Hill, Democrats were quick to call for new gun control laws in the wake of the tragedy, while Republicans remained silent on the issue.

'Thoughts & prayers are NOT enough. Not when more moms & dads will bury kids this week, & more sons & daughters will grow up without parents,' Democrat Senator Elizabeth Warren said in a morning tweet.

Senior White House Advisor Ivanka Trump stands before a moment of silence in the wake of a mass shooting in Las Vegas at the White House

From l-r., National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster, Ivanka Trump, the daughter and assistant to President Donald Trump, and White House Senior Adviser Jared Kushner, on the South Lawn of the White House

U.S. President Donald Trump arrives on the South Lawn with first lady Melania Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and his wife Karen (R) to lead a moment of silence

Addressing the nation in the hours after the shooting, Trump condemned the massacre as an 'act of pure evil'

The president and first lady observe a moment of silence for the dead and wounded

The flag over the White House is flown at half-staff in memory of the Las Vegas victims

President Donald Trump, first lady Melania Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and his wife Karen walk back to the White House after observing a moment of silence

Senator Chris Murphy, whose home state of Connecticut was the scene of the Sandy Hook mass shooting in 2012 that killed 26, was blunter.

'It's time for Congress to get off its a** and do something,' the Democrat said in a statement.

Meanwhile, House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan, a Republican, said in a statement on Monday: 'The whole country stands united in our shock, in our condolences and in our prayers.'

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, also a Republican, led his chamber in a moment of silence following the 'devastating' massacre and urged 'national mourning' and prayer.
Allies of Theresa May last night insisted that instead of sending Boris to the backbenches, she was determined to keep him in post

Theresa May has ruled out sacking Boris Johnson in an attempt to prevent the Foreign Secretary becoming a martyr as the party tries to unite over Brexit.

Cabinet heavyweights yesterday lined up to rebuke Mr Johnson after speculation and infighting over his leadership ambitions continued to overshadow the partys conference.

But allies of the Prime Minister last night insisted that instead of sending him to the backbenches, she was determined to keep him in post.

Figures in Downing Street believe his attention-grabbing interventions on Brexit and public sector pay are actually losing Mr Johnson support from fellow MPs.

Ahead of the Foreign Secretarys party conference speech today, a senior ally of Mrs May told the Daily Mail that the Prime Minister does not want to create a martyr by getting rid of him, arguing that when you drill down there is no base of support among colleagues for what he is doing.

Another senior ally said that rather than removing him, there are far better ways to cause someone misery, adding: There is more than one way to skin a cat.

But Jacob Rees Mogg again praised him yesterday, describing his good cheer on Brexit as fantastic. In other developments:

 Home Secretary Amber Rudd announced a clampdown on online extremism with 15-year jail sentences for watching IS propaganda;

 In an interview with the Daily Mail, Miss Rudd also attacked unprincipled tech giants who shamelessly told her there was no business case for tackling web terror;

 Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson urged the party to man up and get over the election disappointment;

 Environment Secretary Michael Gove revealed he is considering plans for a plastic bottle return scheme.

Mr Johnsons decision to set out four red lines on Brexit on the eve of the Tory party conference has infuriated many MPs and ministers.

It came a fortnight after he stunned Downing Street by publishing an unauthorised 4,000-word essay setting out his vision for Britains Brexit strategy.

Last night in an interview with the Daily Mail, Miss Rudd warned that Mr Johnsons repeated interventions were undermining the Governments efforts on Brexit.

Figures in Downing Street believe his attention-grabbing interventions on Brexit and public sector pay are actually losing Boris Johnson support from fellow MPs

Asked what she thought of the Foreign Secretarys red lines on Brexit, she said: They are not for him to set, they are for the Prime Minister to set. We should stick to the traditional way of fighting it out at Cabinet and then coming out with an agreed line.

Brexit is a challenge but we can make a success of it, but we need to be united.

Asked whether she thought it was sustainable for a Cabinet minister to continue speaking out, she replied: Well, every time he stops making interventions we all breathe a sigh of relief and think, Now we can get on with the business of government without a distraction.

Yes, it is sustainable, as long as we maintain a united government front.

Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon stressed none of us are unsackable. He suggested that Mr Johnson does not have enough support to become leader.

Chancellor Philip Hammond warned that signs of disunity in Government were harming the UKs Brexit negotiations and repeated the mantra that nobody is unsackable.

Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon stressed none of us are unsackable. He suggested that Mr Johnson does not have enough support to become leader

First Secretary of State Damian Green dismissed Mr Johnsons demand that the Brexit transition period should last not a second more than two years, telling activists that the final date of withdrawal could go a few months in either direction.

In a reference to the row over Mr Johnsons comments, Miss Davidson used a conference fringe event to tell her MSPs: If any of you think of writing anything, without telling me, that is counter to current Scottish Conservative policy; you are out on your ear.

She said the party needs to get over its current nervous breakdown and man up a little bit.

Mr Johnson won support from some colleagues. His old Vote Leave ally Mr Gove told LBC: I think the Prime Ministers leadership in the Florence speech reflected that upbeat and optimistic vision that Boris articulated.
Kyriakos Georghiou, 27, is accused of stabbing his mother Jane, 76, and beheading her in an attack that saw his father Costas also stabbed multiple times

A man barred from seeing his elderly mother because of an assault charge is now accused of decapitating her in her own home.

Kyriakos Georghiou punched his 76-year-old mother Jane Georghiou in the face in April 2017, prompting Houston authorities to put a protective order in place.

Despite the attack, his parents posted his $10,000 bail a month ago. He is now thought to have stabbed his mother several times and beheaded her on Monday.

His attorney, Jeffrey Wilner, said Georghiou's parents posted his $10,000 bail in the assault case last month and were getting him mental health treatment at a facility in Houston.

Georghiou had been in jail since June for the alleged assault.

'The mother loved him. His dad loved him, I'm just in shock,' Wilner said following the attack.

Adding he: 'Would have called the police and told his dad not to bond him out,' if he had any idea that Georghiou would be a danger to his family.

Carvana Cloud, a prosecutor with the district attorney's office in Harris County, Texas, said Georghiou allegedly went to his parents' house on Friday and started stabbing Jane.

When her husband and Kyriakos' father, Costas Georghiou, tried to protect his wife, he was stabbed several times in the face and chest, Cloud said.

Kyriakos Georghiou left his parents' home and in the meantime his father went to get help.

But Georghiou is said to have come back with a second knife while the father was away.

'He continues to stab his mother to the point where he kills her and her head is severed from her body,' Cloud said.

Georghiou's father was hospitalized in critical condition after the attack. His condition has been upgraded to fair, hospital officials said Monday.

Kyriakos Georghiou punched his 76-year-old mother Jane Georghiou in the face in April 2017, prompting Houston authorities to put a protective order in place

Georghiou is being held without bond on charges of murder and aggravated assault on a family member. He has a court appearance scheduled for Thursday.

At the time of the stabbing, Georghiou's bond had been revoked by a judge after he missed a court hearing last week.

In the case he faced a charge of injury to an elderly individual for punching his mother inside his car in April and knocking out one of her front teeth.

It was the second time that Georghiou had been arrested for an assault on his mother.

In 2014, he was sentenced to three years in state prison after pleading guilty to a charge of injury to an elderly individual for punching his mother, leaving her with broken teeth and a swollen left eye.

He also had prior arrests for drug possession and aggravated robbery.
Elisa Curry, 42, was last seen heading out for a run on Aireys Street, south-west of Melbourne, at around 10.30pm on Saturday

The husband of missing Melbourne woman Elisa Curry has made a plea for the 42-year-old mother to come home three days after she was last seen.

David Curry broke his silence on Tuesday morning pleading with the public to call police if they had seen his wife.

'I, my kids, we just want her to come home,' he said.

The father-of-three then spoke directly to his missing wife.

'Elisa, if you are out there, can you please contact us.'

Police also increased the search area on Tuesday - hoping to find the missing woman.

Ms Curry was initially thought to have gone for a run with her labrador after the AFL Grand Final.

Her husband arrived at the house with the couple's three children to find she was missing.

The labrador was found on Monday in a neighbour's yard. The mother's phone is going straight to voicemail.

Elisa's husband David, pictured, spoke to the media - pleading for the mother-of three to come home

'I, my kids, we just want her to come home,' he said as he addressed the media

Police have searched the area where the 42-year-old was last seen but she has yet to be found.

'There's nothing at this point in time to say anything untoward happened,' Senior Sergeant Robert Wilby told The Age.

'No one seems to be able to shed any light on it...'Police and family have concerns for Elisa as her disappearance is out of character.'

The labrador, pictured, which went missing at the same time as Ms Curry has been found

Ms Curry has no known health concerns, and police confirmed that there are no signs of a break-in at her home.

Anyone with information about Ms Curry's disappearance is urged to call Crime Stoppers.
Sydney's property market has hit new heights, with new data showing ten previously affordable suburbs have nearly doubled in price.

Residential areas which went for as low as $415,000 in 2012 are now selling for close to $1million, according to Finder.com.au.

From Wilberforce in the north to Lewisham in the south, capital gains across the suburbs have jumped between eighty to ninety per cent.

Sydney's property market has hit new heights, with new data showing ten previously affordable suburbs have nearly doubled in price. Pictured is a house in Lakemba, one of the suburbs.

The top of the bunch in Sydney - and across Australia - was Sefton in the city's west, which saw a 102.2 per cent increase.

An average house in the area cost just $455,000 in 2012, but five years later that price has soared to $920,000.

Following close behind was The Oaks, located in the south west, where median prices had grown 99 per cent from $415,000 to $826,000.

The lowest growth among the top suburbs was for the western area Auburn, which still managed to see prices rise from $490,000 to $903,500 - a gain of 84.4 per cent.

The top of the bunch for capital gains growth in Sydney - and across Australia - was Sefton (stock image pictured) in the city's west, which saw a 102.2 per cent increase

Media house prices in South Granville (stock image pictured) increased 95.6 per cent from $450,000 to $880,000

Lakemba saw growth of 91.6 per cent, while Birrong's prices shifted from $453,000 to $876,000.

Other suburbs listed included South Granville, Wiley Park and Prospect in the city's west.

Bessie Hassan, a money expert from the comparison website, said that Sydney had seen the highest growth across Australia, with that hitting deposits needed for home buyers.

Sydney suburbs that have nearly DOUBLED in value in five years Suburb 2012 Median Price 2017 Median Price Increase (%) Sefton $455,000 $920,000 102.2 per cent Lakemba $500,000 $958,000 91.6 per cent Wilberforce $499,900 $940,000 88 per cent South Granville $450,000 $880,000 95.6 per cent Lewisham $487,000 $912,500 87.4 per cent Birrong $453,000 $876,000 93.4 per cent Wiley Park $485,000 $902,500 86.1 per cent Auburn $490,000 $903,500 84.4 per cent The Oaks $415,000 $826,000 99 per cent Prospect $420,000 $829,000 97.4 per cent

While those in Wiley Park (stock image pictured) jumped from $485,000 to $902,500

'The runaway deposits are leaving thousands of first home buyers stunned and simply unable to buy in parts of our major cities,' she told Realestate.com.au.

It comes as data released by Domain in July indicated the media Sydney house value had raised to more than $1.1million.

Apartment prices also made a significant jump, up 3.6 per cent from last quarter to bring a median price of $757,991.
Some years ago there was a farm shop in Worcestershire I loved to visit. It was run by a Mr and Mrs Orchard  yes, really!  and operated out of a tiny wooden hut, next to the barns where they milked their herd of Guernseys.

Beyond were the fields where they grew their carrots, cabbages, potatoes, turnips and so on, whatever was in season  and all of them sold at such stupidly low prices that my jaw used to drop every time I got the bill which, of course, Mr Orchard would tot up in his head from a handwritten list.

The Orchards could afford to do this because, by selling direct to the consumer, they were cutting out the middleman and avoiding those iniquitous deals that supermarket buyers tend to impose on farmers. It was a win-win situation for buyer and seller.

And though they werent organic, those vegetables were as crisp and delicious as any Ive ever eaten.

'As crisp and delicious as any Ive ever eaten,' is how James Delingpole remembers the carrots he used to buy - but what about those on offer at today's farm shops?

The carrots  unwashed, because they keep longer that way  with a crown of green fronds tasted like carrots are meant to taste: of carrot, rather than crunchy nothingness.

This was the farm shop in its purest form, long before the process of poncification to meet the demands of the city exiles, the organic-obsessed middle classes and the hipsters, began. These are the folk who like to play at rustic living and to virtue signal their support for the commmunity by shopping locally.

As a result were experiencing a boom in farm shops. In 2004, there were just 1,200 across the country, most of them run informally as a side-line on a working farm; today there are 3,500 such shops, some of which in size and profit potential eclipse the farms theyre attached to.

There is, however, no doubting their popularity. According to the latest figures from the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board, four in ten of us have visited a farm shop in the past 12 months, with nearly half intending to visit one in the future.

Most people say they buy from farm shops because of the quality of the produce and reassurance about its provenance, something wed all endorse. But I do wonder how many of us are being taken for a ride by their proliferation  and of the oh-so-fashionable farmers markets that theyve given rise to  and if what was once a fine a idea has got of hand?

Too often when I venture into a farm shop these days I feel as I used to when I wandered into one of those high-end Notting Hill boutiques looking for a present for my wife. Its how much?

Have supermarkets such as Lidl replace the farm shops of yesteryear as the best place to bag cheap vegetables?

Everything seems to cost twice what youd pay in a supermarket. But you feel horribly under pressure to make a purchase, something, anything, because farms shops are a good thing, arent they?

They keep a roof over the heads of hard-pressed farmers, labourers in the fields, cattle supplied with feed and boost the rural economy. So you wander desperately around  every product exquisitely displayed in wicker baskets or with gingham trimmings, labelled with mouth-watering descriptions in illuminated script  in search of something you can afford to buy without losing face.

Some streaky bacon, perhaps, hailing from rarest of breeds and smoked according to a traditional medieval recipe in an ancient kiln? Yes, except there seems to be more fat than meat and the cost would keep those rare pigs in clover for the rest of their lives.

Or some misshapen, mud-spattered vegetables? Yes, but again, at that price, you could have had them flown in by private jet from the South of France and they probably wouldnt be half so unappetising in appearance.

Usually, I end up in the bakery paying through the nose for a loaf of bread, concocted from a prehistoric grain Ive never heard of, and which tastes no better than the stuff I make in the bread machine at home.

No longer farm shops, theyre basically delicatessens with a rustic bent.

I dont want to be too hard on high-profile shops like Daylesford Organic, the uber-posh Gloucestershire farm shop which has outposts in the most fashionable areas of London, because their influence has, in some ways, been a good one.

They are helping encourage the boom in an artisanal produce which means you can now eat as well in most parts of rural Britain as you can in Italy or France.

The terrible price weve had to pay for this rural gastronomic revolution, however, is twofold: firstly the high cost and secondly the pretention. Now, Im not a fan of The Archers and its politically correct every day tales of country folk written by Left-wing townies who wouldnt know one end of the cow from another, but a recent storyline is telling.

Bridge Farm, home to Pat and Tony Archer, has a shop that has long specialised in dairy produce and sausages from its organic herd and pigs. Now their son, Tom Archer, wants to shake things up and expand the range to embrace new health food fads like kimchi.

James Delingpole likens a trip to farm shops to being fleeced at the races, advising bargain hunters to head for Aldi instead

I only know what kimchi is because the other day I accidentally found myself in a hipster cafe and asked about the identity of the disgusting looking stuff in a pickle jar next to the handmade organic sourdough on the bar: it was kimchi, a substance youd only want to eat if you didnt know what it was made of which is . . . fermented cabbage.

Dont get me wrong: Im all for experimenting with interesting foreign produce, in the right place, but The Archers illustrates exactly whats gone wrong with the farm shop movement. It has been overtaken by a megalomaniacal urge to transform the whole world into one giant trendy cafe selling produce youve never heard for eye-watering profits.

For years I lived in London where, of course, you fully expect to be able to purchase every conceivable ingredient from any number of ethnic supermarkets.

But when you do that youre paying rock-bottom prices  far less than it would cost you in, say, Waitrose, let alone a boutique farm shop  because those little supermarkets cater for ordinary people rather than middle-class trendies clutching the latest Jamie Oliver recipe book.

The country, however, is different which is one of the reasons I moved there. I wanted to escape all that metropolitan trendiness and go back to simpler world where the ingredients were fresher, the variety smaller and the prices lower; where no one judged you on the clothes you wore or the car you drove or what you ate because thats the deal when you move to the sticks  youre no longer competing like city folk do. Well, not any more.

When I dare venture into a farm shop now, I come away with the same feeling I get after an unsuccessful day at the races or a bad night at the casino. The one that says: You mug. They saw you coming.

Obviously, we should celebrate all the farms which have been kept afloat by opening a shop, and all the artisan cheesemakers (that nice chap who used to be in pop group Blur, for example) whove been encouraged to experiment and diversify by the new outlets to sell from, and all the country gastropubs specialising in local fare which have blossomed as a result of the farm shop revolution.

But deep down, I suspect most of you know Im right: that a great many of these places are now the most massive rip-off; they bully us into buying things we dont want or need. Wed all be better off at Lidl and Aldi.
Britain is being hit by nearly two significant cyber-attacks every day, security chiefs revealed yesterday.

Experts at the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) had to deal with 1,131 incidents in the last year.

Officials classed 590 of the reported incidents as significant, with more than 30 assessed as serious enough to require a cross-government response.

Key national institutions such as the NHS and the UK and Scottish Parliaments were among those targeted, a report by the NCSC revealed.

Small and large businesses were also hit by cyber attacks.

Experts at the National Cyber Security Centre had to deal with 1,131 incidents in the last year - with 590 classed as significant (stock photo)

The NCSC is part of Britains eavesdropping service, GCHQ, whose director Jeremy Fleming warned the threats to the UK are evolving rapidly.

He said: The threats to the UK are evolving rapidly as technology advances. Our response has been to transform to stay ahead of them.

The NCSC is a pivotal part of that transformation.

It is a critical component not only of GCHQ, where it benefits from the data and expertise it has access to as part of the intelligence community, but of how the government as a whole works to keep the UK safe.

He said the NCSC had made enormous strides in increasing and improving UK cyber capabilities.

He added: It is in the frontline in protecting the UK against a growing number of cyber attacks.

The most high-profile episode was the global ransomware outbreak which affected dozens of NHS trusts in May.

The large scale attack disrupted hospitals and GP appointments.

In June, email accounts were targeted in an attack on parliamentary networks.

NCSC chief executive Ciaran Martin described the cyber threat as large, growing and diverse - and warned further attacks are inevitable.

He said: Cyber security is crucial to our national security and to our prosperity.

Were incredibly proud of what we have achieved in our first year at the National Cyber Security Centre, bringing together some of the best cyber-security brains in the country in a single place.

But the threat remains very real and growing - further attacks will happen and there is much more for us to do to make the UK the safest place in the world to live and do business online. 

The most high-profile episode was the global ransomware outbreak which affected dozens of NHS trusts in May (stock photo)

The NCSC was established to spearhead efforts to counter the mounting danger from cyber-criminals and hostile states.

In a report published on Tuesday, the centre sets out its activity in its first year and summarises the shape of the current threat.

It says: There are now more devices connected to the internet than there are people in the world and with the growth of our dependence on technology comes an increased risk.

Despite the NCSCs best work in defending the country from that threat, we cant prevent every attack.

The assessment underlines how threats can originate from a range of sources, including cyber criminals or nation states that may seek to exploit UK organisations to further their own agenda and prosperity.

It warns: Campaigns by nation states can be persistent, including espionage and intellectual property theft that take place over many years and use significant technical capability.

Nation states are also starting to explore how cyber operations can support a disruptive and destructive strategy.

As well as managing hundreds of incidents, the NCSC has prevented thousands of attacks through its active cyber defence programme, it says.

Tens of millions of suspicious communications are being blocked every month under a partnership with the private sector.

The centre has also produced more than 200,000 protective items for Armed Forces communications.

Earlier in the year the defence secretary said the UK could carry out military strikes in response to cyber attacks.

Sir Michael Fallon told the Chatham House think tank the UK had the ability to respond to hackers from any domain - air, land, sea or cyber.
Amid the worldwide expressions of shock and horror following the Las Vegas massacre, the usual people  mostly liberal East Coast Democrats  will cry out for controls on gun ownership.

And the usual people  middle Americans, especially Republicans and especially in such states as Texas  will sustain their unyielding resistance to any new law.

And the freedom lobby, as it thinks of itself, will win.

Here is a country with an estimated 270 million firearms in private hands  almost one apiece for every man, woman and child in the land. Nearly half of all U.S. households has a gun, most often a pistol for personal protection.

Beyond the traditional claim, harking back to the 1776 constitution, about a right to bear arms, many Americans passionately believe  in the face of overwhelming statistical evidence to the contrary  that they are safer living in a house with a gun.

Police on guard on the streets outside the Mandalay Bay. The shooter was killed inside the hotel

Above, the type of weapons found in the room. On the top is an Ak-47 and on the bottom is an AR-15. AR-15s are typically semi-automatic, while AK-47s can be either fully automatic or semi-automatic

Yet there were at least 133 mass killings between 2000 and 2014 in the U.S., compared with four in Canada, two in Australia and one in Britain.

And that was before the 49 shot at a Florida nightclub last year and Sundays massacre.

Private enterprise murder on such a scale is only possible in a society which grants almost everybody unlimited access to automatic assault weapons  such as appear to have been used in Las Vegas.

Until 2004, the Federal Assault Weapon Ban prevented citizens from owning such hardware, but since it lapsed every attempt to renew it has fallen in Congress. Such is the power of the gun lobby, spearheaded by the National Rifle Association, that many members of the U.S. legislature tremble for their seats if they speak up for gun controls.

PICTURED: Stephen Craig Paddock, right, is the man who killed more than 58 and injured 515 in a shooting at a Las Vegas music festival

It is widely thought Hillary Clintons backing for at least some new controls contributed to her wafer-thin election defeat last November. In many states, restrictions  for instance, on carrying concealed weapons  have actually been eased in recent years. On Texas college campuses, since August it has become legal for a student with a permit to carry a hidden handgun to class.

It is all madness, of course. The lobbyists insistently claim that good guys with guns can intervene to prevent crimes or for that matter massacres.

There is not a shred of historical evidence that this has ever happened  not once, ever, anywhere in the U.S.

What has happened instead is that some perfectly innocent people have been killed by would-be vigilantes, who have seen them allegedly acting suspiciously.

Some Americans reading this will mutter: Oh, he must be one of those stupid people who doesnt know anything about guns. Yet I have owned sporting guns all my life.

A very long time ago I won a small prize, shooting for a Parachute Regiment team with rifle, sub-machine-gun and Bren gun. I have fired handguns on FBI ranges and tried most military small arms some time, some place.

So no, I am not anti-gun. But it is beyond my comprehension, as it is that of most British people, how any sane society can suppose it should be a private citizens right to own weapons purpose-designed for killing human beings.

Back in 1996, I thought that Michael Howard, as home secretary, went over the top when he imposed a total ban on all handgun ownership after the Dunblane shooting, in which 16 children and a teacher were murdered. Such terrible crimes are mercifully very rare in Britain, and the ban seemed tough on British target shooters, who regularly won medals at the Olympics.

Debris is strewn through the scene of a mass shooting at a music festival near the Mandalay Bay resort and casino on the Las Vegas Strip

This graphic shows how Stephen Paddock took aim (top left) from his window on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Hotel before firing indiscriminately into a crowd of 22,000

I have since changed my mind. Howard was right. Disarming Britain, so that the only firearms left in private hands are those designed for sport, was an appropriate precautionary measure.

Very occasionally killings continue to be carried out with legally-owned shotguns, often alas of family members. But no shotgun could ever kill people in the numbers that Americans routinely achieve in their massacres.

Moreover, in addition to deliberate acts of homicide, each year in the U.S. about 15,000 accidental shootings result in about 600 deaths. Almost daily, somebody somewhere picks up the handgun they bought for personal protection, and it goes off with tragic consequences.

In the wilds of southern California a few months ago, a man whom I was visiting took me to his study to show me a file on his computer.

Seeing me glance uneasily at the automatic pistol lying beside it  loaded, of course  he said only a little apologetically: Thats what we do here. And so it is.

Yet it need not be this way. After the 1996 Port Arthur killings in Australia, in which 35 people died, the country rallied in an extraordinary fashion against the gun lunatics.

Authorities say Paddock had a large room or connecting rooms on the 32nd floor

All automatic weapons were banned and there was a National Buy-Back scheme, whereby at a cost of more than 300 million some 600,000 weapons were surrendered or purchased by the state.

Australia today is a much safer place and sporting shooters can still own any long guns  rifles or shotguns  they want, subject to licensing. Yet no such outbreak of common sense will happen in the U.S.

Social media, which empowers extremist minorities of all kinds to communicate with each other, perpetrating frightful untruths, has immeasurably strengthened the gun lobby. Only yesterday, Right-wing websites were claiming, utterly falsely, that the Las Vegas murders were the work of a named anti-Trump Democrat.

The argument prevails that if all the law-abiding people give up their guns, then only the bad guys will have them.

Many of those who carry out massacres are not only extreme gun-owners, but obsessive online followers of extremist groups.

The gun lobby resists serious mental health checks, or tighter monitoring of dealers  a 1995 survey found that 57 per cent of all guns found at fatal crime scenes were sold by 1 per cent of dealers, and not much has changed since.

Investigators load bodies from the scene of the mass shooting on the Las Vegas Strip

Hundreds of rounds of automatic gunfire were reported by witnesses on the scene; one woman in the Mandalay Bay said that there was a shooter on the 32nd floor, and that they had killed a security guard

The world market for handguns is overwhelmingly dominated by American private buyers, and gun dealers run a formidable sub-lobby of their own.

As the U.S. becomes ever more tribal, ever more resistant to rational discussion across political parties about health care, the weather . . . or gun control, the massacres will go on, because President Trump himself leads the true believers, who think it more important to preserve the right to own assault weapons than to keep them out of the hands of people such as the Las Vegas mass-murderer.

Those of us who love and respect the United States throw up our hands in despair.

Did you know that in Florida, a florist cannot practise his or her art without taking courses and buying a licence that costs at least 500? Yet in Florida also anybody who wishes to buy a gun and sack of bullets can get started without even five minutes of safety tuition.

This makes it unsurprising that 44 per cent of Americans claim to know someone who has been shot. One gun lobby slogans goes: Guns dont commit murders. People do.

Yet such ghastly deeds as the Las Vegas massacre could not take place unless a lunatic such as 64-year-old Stephen Paddock had ready access to weapons of a kind that no citizen of a civilised society should be permitted to own.
A shambolic immigration judge with very little idea of the law was condemned over 13 cases.

In an unprecedented ruling, a tribunal chaired by three senior judges found Dr Amir Majid was wholly failing to meet the standards demanded.

In nine of the cases the 63-year-old judge, who is blind and uses a wheelchair, unlawfully ruled that migrants and asylum seekers could stay in Britain.

A senior immigration barrister last night told the Daily Mail he suspected Dr Majid, who remains a judge, has long avoided the sack because the Ministry of Justice fears he would claim discrimination.

Dr Amir Majid was found by three senior judges to be 'wholly failing to meet the standards demanded'

The tribunal considered 13 rulings made by the immigration appeal judge at Taylor House, in Islington, north London, that were later successfully overturned.

In one case, he spoke of a Bangladeshi asylum seeker being a homosexual even though the man made no such claim.

The senior judges, led by Judge Mark Ockelton, vice president of the Upper Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber), said of the 13 cases: Every one of the decisions shows error of law, in most cases serious error, in most cases multiple serious errors.

To be frank, in none of the decisions under appeal does he give the least reason to suppose that he is aware what the relevant requirements of the immigration rules are.

They added: Judge Majids decisions give the impression that the judge has very little idea of either his own (limited) powers or the content of the law in issue. They are full of observations many of which are of dubious correctness, some of which are of dubious relevance, and a few of which are wholly inappropriate.

Most of the cases involved Judge Majid accepting appeals by migrants against Home Office orders to leave Britain.

He accepted one key witness was British simply because they recited aloud what they claimed was their passport number  without giving any documents as proof.

Among his other numerous errors was wrongly claiming the best interests of the children create a knockout element. They are actually one factor among others.

The tribunal found he'd made errors of law in all 13 cases, with most of them being of a serious nature

Even a lawyer who won his immigration appeal heard by the judge made an official complaint, saying: It was extremely difficult to understand what Judge Majid was saying, which caused significant confusion on numerous occasions.

His comments and questions were of tangential relevance and it was difficult for the witness and legal representative to grasp the points he was trying to make.

He became angry with both witnesses and legal representative as a result of the strained communication and frequent misunderstandings. I would go so far as to suggest that the nature of the proceedings before Judge Majid were so shambolic as to bring the tribunal into disrepute and undermine public confidence in an effective judicial system.

Dr Majid was hailed for becoming Britains second blind judge 20 years ago, and as a result of his disability has an assistant to help him grasp cases. After going blind while at a university of agriculture in his native Pakistan, he became a lawyer and lecturer.

The senior judges suggested his blindness was no excuse, saying: We are also aware Judge Majid has a physical disability  he is blind. Indeed, he mentions that in several of the decisions  It may be wholly unreasonable to expect him to assimilate a complex matter in writing at short notice.

But it cannot reasonably be suggested that blindness prevents a person learning or applying law, or hearing both sides and reaching, and expressing, a properly reasoned conclusion.

In one case Dr Majid referred to a Bangladeshi man as a homosexual despite the man making no such claim

The tribunal found he seemed to cut and paste identical paragraphs for multiple cases  even though wrong and irrelevant. He said of a woman claiming to be a student and appealing against an order to leave Britain: She is a genuine student who should be helped. But the tribunal ruled he had no power to help her.

Another migrant won the right to stay in Britain due to compassionate circumstances, but the rules do not include any provision for compassionate circumstances, the senior judges said. A Judiciary spokesman last night said Judge Majid retains his title but is not currently hearing immigration cases, adding: There has been a complaint against Judge Majid, who is part-time.

A senior immigration barrister said: Hes a nightmare  He is hard to understand, cant understand what is said, and it takes 20 minutes just to establish what case it is and whos in court.

He still thinks were in a time when judges had a lot more discretion to let asylum seekers stay. When I represent asylum seekers in front of him I have to warn them they will have a surreal experience. Even if they win  the Home Office will almost certainly appeal.

They should have sacked him years ago, but I suspect they were worried hed bring a disability discrimination case.

Judge Majid promotes himself as an expert on Islamic law and previously came to public notice when he won 15,000 compensation for himself for racial discrimination from Londons Guildhall, where he lectured.

The judge, who lives in London, was unavailable for comment.
A nine-seat sushi counter has won three Michelin stars, joining a select group of British restaurants with the coveted top rating.

The Araki in London - where the set menu costs 300 per person - was given the stars on Monday by the French gastronomic guide.

Situated in the upmarket Mayfair area, it is the first Japanese restaurant in the United Kingdom to be awarded three stars in the annual appraisal after previously winning two.

The restaurant's set menu costs 300 per person and is run with just three members of staff, including owner Mitsuhiro Araki, pictured

Japanese chef Mitsuhiro Araki opened the sushi bar in 2014 after closing his three-starred restaurant in Tokyo.

International director of Michelin guides Michael Ellis said the chef had continued to improve The Araki since moving to the capital.

'With its nine-seater counter, The Araki has gone from strength to strength,' he said.

Mitsuhiro Araki's restaurant manages to fit all of its seats around the chef's table - by seating just nine

'When Mitsuhiro Araki moved to London... he set himself the challenge of using largely European fish and his sushi is now simply sublime.'

The eatery's website boasts that each of its nine seats are able to fit around the chef's table, where edomae sushi is served according to a 200-year-old tradition.

Mr Araki and wife Yoko run the restaurant with the help of just one assistant.

The counter joins Alain Ducasse at the Dorchester and Restaurant Gordon Ramsay in London, as well as The Fat Duck and The Waterside Inn, both in Bray, Berkshire, as three-star rated.

The restaurant in Mayfair serves edomae sushi according to a 200-year-old Japanese tradition

The 2018 guide for Great Britain and Ireland awarded two stars to 20 restaurants, including Claude Bosi at Bibendum, which opened in Michelin House in Chelsea, London, earlier this year.

A further 150 restaurants were given a single star.

These include The Wild Honey Inn, an Irish pub in Lisdoonvarna, and Loch Bay, a converted crofter's house on the Isle of Skye in Scotland.

In total, the guide rated 2,067 restaurants and 1,115 hotels and guesthouses across Britain and Ireland.

London has continued to cement itself as 'a world-class destination for rich, varied eating experiences,' according to a statement by the Michelin Guide.

But it also noted 'the offer across Great Britain and Ireland as a whole is developing, often based around exceptional regional ingredients'.
A diplomatic security agent testified Monday that after militants stormed the U.S. diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya, U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens told him 'when I die, you need to pick up my gun and keep fighting'.

Agent Scott Wickland was the government's first witness in a trial of Ahmed Abu Khattala, a Libyan suspected of orchestrating the attack that killed the ambassador and three other Americans in 2012.

Wickland took the stand at the federal court in Washington and gave a harrowing account of how he tried without success to save the ambassador and Sean Patrick Smith, a State Department information management officer.

This courtroom sketch depicts Ahmed Abu Khattala listening to a interpreter through earphones during the opening statement by assistant U.S. attorney John Crabb, second from left, at federal court in Washington in the trial presided by U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper on Monday

This courtroom sketch shows Ahmed Abu Khattala, third from right and the suspected mastermind of the 2012 attacks on a diplomatic compound in Benghazi, listening to an interpreter through earphones in Washington Monday

Agent Scott Wickland (L) revealed U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens' (R, in a photo by US Embassy in Libya via Balkis Press/Abaca Press/TNS) last words which were: 'When I die, you need to pick up my gun and keep fighting'

The smoke from weapons' fire and explosions was so thick and black that it blinded the three. They dropped to the floor and crawled on their bellies, gasping for air.

Wickland said he was trying to lead them to a bathroom where he could close the door and open a window.

'I was breathing through the last centimeter of air on the ground,' Wickland said. 'I'm yelling, 'Come on. We can make it. We're going to the bathroom.' Within 8 meters, they disappeared.'

A vehicle (R) and the surround buildings burn after they were set on fire inside the US consulate compound in Benghazi late on September 11, 2012

Wickland kept yelling for them. He was feeling around on the floor through the toxic smoke, which made the lighted room darker than night.

'To this day, I don't even know where they went. I was right next to them, and then that's it,' Wickland said. 'I had my hand on Ambassador Stevens. I could hear Sean shuffling.'

Twelve jurors and three alternates assembled for the opening day of one of the most significant terrorism prosecutions in recent years.

This sketch shows Khattala during the opening statement by defense attorney Jeffery Robinson, center, at federal court in Washington

Khattala (front second from right) seen at federal court is on trial presided by U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper. He is the suspected mastermind of the 2012 attacks on a diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya, that killed four Americans

Abu Khattala (pictured R and L) is on trial as he is the suspected mastermind of the 2012 attacks on a diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya, that killed four Americans

Abu Khattala is being tried in U.S. District Court, a civilian court, at a time when the Trump administration has said terror suspects are better sent to the military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

In the trial presided by U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper Khattala has been depicted in a series of sketches in the courtroom.

Khattala is on trial as he is the suspected mastermind of the 2012 attacks on a diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya, that killed four Americans.

Defense attorney Jeffery Robinson is also present in court as is Michelle Peterson, a member of the defense team.

The 2012 Benghazi attack was against two United States government facilities in Libya by members of the Islamic militant group Ansar al-Sharia.
A dog walker says her basset hound Molly picked up an intact penis and testicles that were washed up on the beach.

Julie Edwards, who lives in Brean, Somerset, revealed that the disconnected genitalia did not appear to be damaged despite having been submerged in salty sea water.

After spotting the item she quickly got in touch with a beach warden who reported the grim find to the police.

Ms Edwards told Somerset Live: 'I could see she was about to roll something around. It is usually maggots or birds but I stopped her and saw it wasn't that at all.

After spotting the item on Brean beach (pictured), Ms Edwards quickly got in touch with a beach warden who reported the grim find to the police

'It definitely looked human to me. I think it was an intact penis and male testicles.

'It was upsetting more later on when you actually think that's it could be someone's relative.'

Police are yet to officially identify the object and are assisting the coroner with enquiries.

Debris including bombs from the Second World War has washed up on the beach before but locals have never found a detached member on the serene sands.

One resident nearby said the news was 'awful' while another added that it was 'not a massive shock'.

Earlier this year beachgoers were left baffled after four giant pipes big enough to drive through washed up on beaches in Norfolk.

Earlier this year beachgoers were left baffled after four giant pipes big enough to drive through washed up on beaches in Norfolk

The 8ft-wide plastic bore tubes  with one more than 1,500ft long  were among 12 which broke free while being towed to Algeria.

The 1,570ft length pipe beached between Sea Palling and Winterton-on-Sea just days after a 660ft section appeared at low tide further west at Horsey.

Pictures showed two men walking on top of one of the tubes, some with huge red and yellow seals, as others took selfies.
The brother of an Australian MP has described the terror when a gunman rained down bullets on a country music festival in Las Vegas.

Brenton Wingard was with his wife Jessie and their friends in the crowd of 22,000 at the close of the three-day Route 91 Harvest Festival on Sunday.

Stephen Craig Paddock was staying in a suite on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino.

Then, after using a hammer to smash windows in the room and armed with at least 10 rifles, opened fire as headliner Jason Aldean was performing - killing 59 and injured 527 more.

At first, Mr Wingard  the brother of South Australian Liberal MP Corey Wingard  assumed the noise was fireworks, he told ABC Radio Adelaide.

Scroll down for video

Brenton Wingard (pictured) has described the terror when a gunman rained down bullets on a country music festival in Las Vegas

But Mr Wingard, who now lives in Nevada with his wife and three children, quickly realised something serious was happening.

'As I look over, I see someone giving someone CPR, which just didn't look good,' he told the station.

'Next thing, Jason Aldean runs off the stage and people just start running as fast as they can.'

Mr Wingard said he and his companions were 'sort of trapped.'

They could go up a few stairs  'the last thing in the world we wanted to do, get higher'  or through a gate area that was blocking us.

'If we'd gone through that gate, we would have run right into the worst of it, so we were, luckily enough, sort of trapped.'

Mr Winhard lay on his wife's body to protect her as they hid underneath bleachers waiting for the attack to be over

Instead, they opened up a side of the bleachers and crawled underneath to hide  along with a girl who had lost her friends and her phone.

He added that he suspected that the gunfire was coming from the Mandalay Bay hotel, but wasn't sure.

Others were convinced that the shooter was walking around  and as a result, were screaming to people to turn their phone lights off.

Mr Wingard is the brother of South Australian Liberal MP Corey Wingard (pictured)

'A few people walked in underneath those bleachers and had their phone lights on looking for people to help, and it looked like someone walking in to start knocking people off,' Mr Wingard added.

He lay on his wife's body to protect her, he added.

Eventually, he and his friends left the venue  and he urged them not to look at the carnage around them.

One of his friends hailed an Uber to take them all home.

'It was surreal sitting in a car, going 'what just happened?'

'We've got three beautiful kids we got to hug when we got home. We're the luckiest people alive.'

Australian Brian Hodge's room in the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino was next to the shooter's.

Mr Hodge says he was staying in room 32134 while the gunman Stephen Paddock was in room 32135.

'It was a machine gun from the room next to me,' he told News Corp.

'For the first time in my life, I had no idea what to do. I didn't know whether to stay put, to walk, to get up and leave.'

Ms Kamber (right) and Ms Ratahi (left) had just ordered at the Outback Steakhouse, a five-minute drive from the Mandalay Bay hotel, when the restaurant went into lockdown

He said he fled the hotel and hid outside.

'My floor is a crime scene. They killed a security guard on my floor.'

'I was just hiding waiting for police to come get us. We were hiding in the bushes outside waiting for the police,' he said

Two young women from Darwin were also caught up in the deadliest mass shooting in US history.

Sharon Kamber and her friend, Miss Universe NT finalist Artia Ratahi, were dining on the Las Vegas Strip close to the country music festival when the shooting began.

Sharon Kamber and her friend, Miss Universe NT finalist Artia Ratahi (pictured together), were dining on the Las Vegas Strip close to the country music festival when the shooting began

The pair, both 21, had just ordered at the Outback Steakhouse, a five-minute drive from the Mandalay Bay hotel, when the restaurant went into lockdown.

'We were stuck in the restaurant for a good three hours, until about 2am,' Ms Kamber said.

'My friend was able to be a lot more calm than I was. I called my parents... half in tears, telling them I loved them.'

Ms Kamber said at the time there were rumours of two more shooters in the area.

'They told us that nothing's clear but we could leave at our own risk,' she said.

'We were very scared. It was hard not to break down.'

The two-minute walk back to her hotel was 'horrifying', with police lining the deserted strip every few metres.

'It was an eerie feeling - such a lively place was so dead.'

Miss Universe NT finalist Artia Ratahi (pictured at a Las Vegas pool party) was stuck in a restaurant with her friend until 2am

The Northern Territory promotions worker said it was a 'very American' way to end a six-month trip to the US, and she was happy to be flying home.

'You always see on the news that America has issues with their guns laws, it's just crazy they're not doing much about it,' Ms Kamber said.

'I wasn't too surprised that something like this was happening, which is saddening to say.'

A family who were caught up in the tragedy said it was the 'scariest night of our life' and that they were forced to walk with their hands up across an empty casino.

Kevin Comerford, Nicole Shipman and her daughter Maddy Aspinall, 14, from Grafton in NSW, were in Las Vegas for one night only after a dance academy tour in the US had finished.

They rode in a helicopter over the Grand Canyon on Sunday afternoon and then returned to their hotel, about two blocks from the shooting scene.

The family headed out to see the city in the evening and witnessed a rush of people running down the street and police and ambulances swarming.

Mr Comerford said it took them about an hour to get safely back to their hotel and they bunkered down in the convention centre with other guests.

'This was supposed to be a one night special stop because we'd never been to Las Vegas before ... we were planning to live it up for one night and we've had probably the scariest night of our life,' Mr Comerford told AAP on the phone.

Mr Comerford said his daughter had coped well with the ordeal.

'That is until we got to the hotel and the police had us walk through the empty casino with our hands above our head and it became very, very real for her then,' he said.

No Australians have been identified as victims of the massacre, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has said.

'We know that a number of Australians were in the vicinity or are in the vicinity, but at this stage and the situation is evolving, no Australians have been identified amongst the victims or those injured,' she told Nine.
Those transferring money between banks won't have to wait days for their transaction to be processed from early next year.

A $1billion real-time payment system will be finalised by Australia Day, meaning people will be able to make real-time transfers between different banks 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Introductory stages of the project are set to be rolled out next month for staff of participating banks.

Chief executive of New Payments Platform Australia Adrian Lovney says the innovative technology is on track to be up and running for public use by the end of January.

Money transfers between different banks will be done in real time as of Australia Day next year

'When people come to work after Australia Day, the platform will commence rolling out to the public at large,' Mr Lovney told the Sydney Morning Herald.

Chief executive of New Payments Platform Australia Adrian Lovney (pictured) ensures the innovative technology is on track, with the big four banks set to launch early next year

The system was created in light of a review conducted in 2012 on Australia's payment infrastructure.

Consumers will no longer need to provide their BSB or account number, instead, they'll use an easy-to-remember 'PayID' like their phone number or email address.

Rather than a 18 character limit in the payment description, an expanded 280 characters will be allowed.

While the platform is geared towards improving efficiency, lowering operating costs and helping businesses improve their customer service, it doesn't come without its security concerns.

Fraud expert Albert van Wyk has warned of increased fraudulent activity on implementation of a real-time payments system, alluding to Britain's online banking fraud spike to 132% in 2008 after it introduced a fast payment system in 2008.

Introductory stages of the project are set to be rolled out next month for staff of participating banks

But Mr Lovney says updated security measures and consistent monitoring of activity would keep customers safe once the platform was being used.

'With any new system that is introduced, you will see a spike in activity as people think about how they can take advantage of the change, but banks will continue to put in place systems behind the scenes to try to protect customers from being tricked,' he said.

Mr Lovney explained banks would conduct real-time screening of transactions to weed out suspicious activity like people logging in from unfamiliar phones.

People will be able to make real-time transfers between different banks 24 hours a day, seven days a week when the project is rolled out

The big four banks, National Australia Bank, ANZ, Commonwealth Bank and Westpac, are expected to be ready by the launch date, and are likely to begin campaigns alerting their customers to impending changes in coming months.

About 50 small institutions including banks, credit unions and building societies are also expected to offer their customers use of the revolutionary platform.

NNP is owned by the 13 banks funding the $1 billion project which will operate as a utility.


David Davis today vowed to fight for a successful Brexit as he defied reports he will quit in 2019.

The Brexit Secretary told the Conservative conference he would not be diverted by lurid headlines about a deadlock in Brussels.

He insisted the prospects of a deal were growing and told activists he was working hard to 'forge' Britain'snew future.

Prime Minister Theresa May was earlier forced to laugh off as a joke claims Mr Davis wanted to quit as Brexit Secretary as soon as the Article 50 talks end in March 2019.

David Davis (pictured addressing the Tory conference today) has vowed to fight for a successful Brexit as he defied reports he will quit in 2019

The Brexit Secretary told the Conservative conference (pictured) he would not be diverted by lurid headlines about a deadlock in Brussels

In his main speech to the Conservative Conference in Manchester, Mr Davis said: 'Now if theres one thing I dont need to do today, its to remind you to believe in our country.

'But if I have one message for you, it is to keep your eyes on the prize.

'You will have read in the newspapers lurid accounts of the negotiations with the predictions of break down and crisis.

'Offensive, indeed insulting, briefing to the newspapers, which I take as a compliment.

'Of course sometimes the exchanges are tough, but that is to be expected.

'The job the Prime Minister has entrusted to me is to keep a calm eye on our goal and not be diverted. Because the prizes for success are enormous. As are the consequences of failure.'

Theresa May, pictured in Manchester early this morning, said David Davis was 'only joking' when he said he would quit the Cabinet in 2019

He added: 'Let us turn to face the future, Delivering on the referendum. Setting out a new relationship with Europe.

'Pushing forward, to grasp the opportunities that lie ahead. Looking forward, to the future we forge together.

'Putting our country on the path to greatness once again.'

The Brexit Secretary told friends he plans to step down in 2019 and hand over to Boris Johnson to oversee the two-year Brexit transition phase.

The shock news plunged the Tory Party conference into further turmoil just a day before the PM is due to address the party faithful tomorrow.

But speaking this morning, Mrs May brushed off the comment as a light-hearted joke at the bar.

She told LBC Radio: 'David was joking with someone in a bar and it seems to have turned into a serious report... I choose my Cabinet and I have got good people around the table.'

Mr Davis believes Brexit will be his 'last big job', and plans to 'retire' in 2019 and will leave transition to 'someone else... Boris Johnson', according to reports in The Sun and The Telegraph.

Mr Davis (pictured during his speech today) insisted the prospects of a deal were growing and told activists he was working hard to 'forge' Britain's new future

Prime Minister Theresa May was earlier forced to laugh off as a joke claims Mr Davis wanted to quit as Brexit Secretary as soon as the Article 50 talks end in March 2019

He told friends that Michel Barnier, the EU's chief negotiator, 'needs this to work more than I do' because he plans to step aside in June 2019, whereas the Eurocrat will still be in post.

Sources close to the Brexit Secretary, who also address party faithful, played down the comments.

They said: 'This was a lighthearted remark underlining the fact that we will be leaving the EU in March 2019.'

The Tory Party conference in Manchester this week has been overshadowed by Cabinet feuding raising fresh questions over Mrs May's leadership.

Mr Johnson kicked the warring off on the eve of conference by setting out his four Brexit 'red lines' - including that a transitional deal cannot last a second longer than two years.

Brexit Secretary David Davis is planning to quit his role in the Cabinet in 2019 as rumours of Cabinet disharmony continue to overshadow the Conservative Party conference

He was slapped down by Philip Hammond who warned no Cabinet minister is unsackable, and Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson who told the party to 'man up' and get over their infighting.

But in a fresh sign Cabinet ministers are maneuvering to take over from Mrs May, Amber Rudd is reportedly enlisting the help of pollster Sir Lynton Crosby to prepare for the next election

The Home Secretary saw her majority shrink to just 346 votes in the June 8 General Election and wants to shore up her seat, the Times reports.

Sir Lynton, the Australian election guru was behind Mr Johnson's two London mayoral victories.

Mr Davis reportedly wants to leave the Brexit transition period in the hands of Boris Johnson

But he his reputation has been dealt a blow after he led Mrs May's most recent election campaign which saw the Tory majority wiped out and a backlash against the PM's campaign strategy.

The Conservative Party conference has been marred by reports of infighting and Cabinet rifts following Mr Johnson's newspaper articles about Brexit.

He claimed that Britain's transitional Brexit deal should last no longer than two years, something which Mrs May has refused to nail down.

Mr Johnson said he was in complete agreement with the vision for Brexit set out by Mrs May in her speech in Florence.

He told BBC Newsnight: 'Contrary to some of the stuff that I notice has been knocking around in the media, you have a cabinet that is totally united behind every comma, every full stop, every syllable of the prime minister's excellent Florence speech.

Yet Philip Hammond said that no one in the Cabinet was unsackable while former Cabinet member Nicky Morgan said the former Mayor of London 'had to go' if he did not show loyalty to the party.
A Sky News reporter has publicly spoken out about how embattled former A Current Affair reporter Ben McCormack allegedly taunted her about her Jewish heritage as a work colleague.

Caroline Marcus says that she endured harassment from McCormack, who last week pleaded guilty to two child porn charges, when they both worked at the Nine Network in Sydney.

As revealed by Daily Mail Australia in April, McCormack's ex-colleagues have said the former ACA reporter, now 43, draped his desk in offensive pictures, including one likening Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Adolf Hitler.

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Caroline Marcus said working at A Current Affair in 2014 was a difficult and lonely period

Ben McCormack conveyed his anti-Israel views working with Caroline Marcus, who is Jewish

He also reportedly wrote on Facebook his opinion the Jewish state was a 'f***ing international disgrace'.

Ms Marcus, whose own family escaped the Holocaust in Romania during World War II, has spoken out publicly for the first time about how she says McCormack targeted her over her Jewish heritage in 2014.

The granddaughter of a forced labour camp survivor claimed that McCormack's behaviour actually escalated after workplace attempts to find a resolution backfired.

'After attempts at mediation failed to work, he was told by management to 'tone it down',' she wrote in a column for The Daily Telegraph on Tuesday.

Caroline Marcus says Ben McCormack's behaviour worsened in late 2014 despite mediation

Ben McCormack posted images on his desk likening Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu to Hitler

'But the harassment only escalated into brazen Anti-semitism.

'This included plastering his work station next to mine with vile cartoons depicting Jews as Hitler.'

This occurred after Ms Marcus had told him about her gravely-ill Jewish grandmother, she says.

'I had even confided to him during our mediation sessions that my beloved grandmother, who sought refuge with my father in Israel after the war, was dying.'

Ms Marcus, who has been covering McCormack's court appearances, recalled the dark days of working at Nine's Willougby studios, in Sydney's North Shore, from 2014 to when she left late last year.

'I can tell you it was one of the most difficult and lonely periods of my life,' she said.

Sky News reporter Caroline Marcus endured harassment from Ben McCormack as a colleague

Ben McCormack's solicitor Sam Macedone (pictured left) entered a guilty plea on his behalf

The former A Current Affair reporter described Israel as a 'f***ing international disgrace

McCormack was arrested months after Ms Marcus quit A Current Affair, and charged with using a carriage service to send child pornography.

Last week, his solicitor Sam Macedone entered guilty pleas on his behalf during a Downing Centre Local Court appearance in Sydney.

The homosexual former journalist, who has recently quit the Nine Network, pleaded guilty to two child pornography charges relating to online 'fantasy talk' where he described himself as a 'proud pedo'.

The charge of transmitting, publishing or promoting child pornography via a carriage service carries a maximum jail sentence of 15 years behind bars.
Business / Companies

by Staff reporter

Zesa Holdings has paid South African power utility, Eskom $12 million to avoid being switched off and will pay another $20 million this month as it battles to liquidate its arrears.The power utility also presented a payment plan of $5 million a week beginning next month to settle the $44 million owed to Eskom.The debt will however take about five months to clear as $12 million would go towards servicing current supplies every month.Eskom has repeatedly threatened to switch off Zimbabwe, which is experiencing acute foreign currency shortages.Zesa chief executive Engineer Josh Chifamba yesterday was tight lipped on the latest arrangement. "What I can only tell you is that everything is under control," he said."Zesa, Government and the Central Bank are working on the issue."A Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) official, however, disclosed that the power utility paid $12 million last week despite the foreign currency shortages."The money was paid on Tuesday and we presented a payment plan which will see another $10 million being paid mid this month before another $10 million is paid at the end of this month," said the official."From then onwards, Zesa undertook to pay $20 million monthly in $5 million weekly instalments. From this amount $8 million will go towards servicing what we owe and $12 million will settle current supplies. If we do not default again, it means in about five month our arrears should be cleared."Zesa is getting 300 megawatts from Eskom and another 50 MW from Hydro Cahora Bassa (HCB) of Mozambique.The local power utility has on several occasions breached terms of payment plans agreed with Eskom.RBZ Governor Dr John Mangudya last week attributed the challenge to foreign currency shortages.He assured the nation that Zesa would "catch-up" so that the country continued enjoying electricity supplies.Any load shedding at the moment will deal a major blow to industry as well as agricultural activities at Grain Marketing Board (GMB) depots and winter wheat farming that is currently underway.Zimbabwe has been relying on power imports from South Africa and HCB of Mozambique to meet local demand as a way of promoting production in the economy.Zimbabwe consumes about 1 400MW daily.The country has been receiving steady power supplies since December 2015 as a result of various initiatives such as imports.Zesa is refurbishing its power stations while also working on expansion projects in Kariba and Hwange.The projects take time to complete, forcing the country to rely on power imports in the meantime.
A man's body pulled from the water in the Royal National Park on Monday was discovered near a popular, yet dangerous, tourist spot.

The body of the 55-year-old man was discovered near White Wedding Rock - a favoured destination for holiday selfies located south of Sydney - just before 11am, an NSW Police spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia.

'Officers from Sutherland Local Area Command have established a crime scene and inquiries are being made into the circumstances surrounding the death.'

A 55-year-old man's body pulled from the water in the Royal National Park on Monday was discovered near the popular, yet dangerous, tourist spot White Wedding Rock

The man's body was found near the favoured destination (pictured) for holiday selfies, located south of Sydney, just before 11am

Pictures of people posing on the cliff are often seen on social media (pictured) - although a $300 fine has been implemented for anyone caught trespassing

Despite being cordoned off with a large fence, White Wedding Rock's unusual appearance and stunning views have long attracted crowds.

Pictures of people posing on the cliff are often seen on social media - although a $300 fine has been implemented for anyone caught trespassing.

The area has been rocked by tragedy over the years.

In April, Shazia Edah-Tally, 19, plunged to her death from White Wedding Rock after becoming separated from her boyfriend while on a walk in the park.

In 2014, a 23-year-old student and part-time model fell to his death when part of the cliff crumbled under him.

Despite being cordoned off with a large fence, White Wedding Rock's (pictured) unusual appearance and stunning views have long attracted crowds

NSW police said the investigation into the man's death is ongoing but that 'nothing has been ruled out at this stage'

In April, Shazia Edah-Tally (pictured), 19, plunged to her death from White Wedding Rock after becoming separated from her boyfriend while on a walk in the park

He was reportedly taking a picture at the time.

In November 2015, two men were winched to safety after they slipped off the rock and became stuck a ledge below.

One of the men suffered a serious spinal injury.

NSW police told Daily Mail Australia the investigation into the 55-year-old man's death is ongoing and a report is being prepared for the coroner.

The spokeswoman said there 'appear to be no suspicious circumstances but nothing has been ruled out at this stage.'
Australia's new frigates will have the capability to shoot down long-range missiles including those from rogue states such as North Korea.

'We must have the capability to meet and defeat them,' Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull told the Pacific 17 maritime and naval showcase in Sydney on Tuesday.

Mr Turnbull said Australia needed the best ships that could deal 'effectively both over and under the water' in preparation of a 'complex threat environment'.

Malcolm Turnbull said Australia needed the best ships that can deal 'effectively both over and under the water' in preparation of a 'complex threat environment' (NUSHIP Hobart III pictured)

Australia's new frigates will have the capability to shoot down long-range missiles including those from rogue states such as North Korea according to Mr Turnbull (pictured Tuesday)

'We must have the capability to meet and defeat them,' Malcolm Turnbull told the Pacific 17 maritime and naval showcase in Sydney (Hobart Class Guided Missile Destroyer pictured)

'The defense of our nation on the high seas [is] stronger than ever at every level and in every field, whether it is defending Australia from regional or global threats,' he said.

Under the plan, a fleet on nine Future Frigates will be provided by Aegis Combat Management System and will be developed by SAAB Australia.

Previously, tenders for combat management systems were requested for individual ships but now the government is moving to a bulk order.

'That approach was short-sighted and we consider it no longer in the national interest,' Mr Turnbull said.

Navy chief Tim Barrett said the decision meant sailors would only have to deal with one standard system.

Three shipbuilders are in the running for the $30 billion Future Frigate program - the UK's BAE Systems with its Type 26, Fincantieri of Italy with its FREMM and Navantia of Spain with an updated F100.

The Prime Minister said they requested combat management systems for individual ships, but that was now 'short sighted' after the threats from the rogue nation

Under the plan, the ships will use a Lockheed Martin Aegis combat management system with an Australian tactical interface from SAAB Australia for defense against rogue nations

The winner will be announced in 2018.

The new war ships will replace the Anzac frigates from the mid-2020s, in a project that will create more than 2000 jobs.

Production is scheduled to start from 2020 at the federal government-owned shipyard in Osborne South Australia.
An Australian man has been caught allegedly stealing a woman's luggage outside a bathroom at Bangkok airport.

John Robertson, 54, who has frequently visited Thailand over the last 12 years, admitted to stealing and opening the luggage but not to removing its contents.

CCTV footage at Suvarnabhumi airport appears to show Robertson walking off with a trolley carrying suitcases on Saturday.

Thai police arrested the Australian after the owner of the bags complained that they had gone missing, the Bangkok Post reports.

Australian man has been caught red-handed by Thai authorities for stealing at the airport

Robertson was later found with the bags at a foreign exchange booth and subsequently arrested.

The bags have since been returned to the rightful owner. She did not find anything amiss and has continued on with her journey to Dubai, the publication reports.

Mr Roberston who was on his way to Australia has since been charged for the theft and remains behind bars at a local police station.

According to the publication, if convicted, Mr Robertson faces a maximum jail term of five years and a fine of up to $382.
The Australian girlfriend of the gunman who killed 59 people in Las Vegas still has 'questions to answer' about the shocking mass murder, according to U.S. sheriffs.

Marilou Danley, the housemate and partner of Stephen Paddock, will be asked to aid police in their investigation although she's no longer seen to be a person of interest.

The 62-year-old, who was born in the Philippines before moving to Australia and later to Las Vegas, is believed to have left the United States to visit her home country just a fortnight ago.

Despite initial claims that Ms Danley had been among the crowd at the Mandalay Bay precinct at the time of the shooting, police later contacted her in Tokyo, Japan.

A raid on the home Paddock and Ms Danley shared found 18 firearms, explosives and thousands of rounds of ammunition, plus a stash of ammonium nitrate in his car.

That was in addition to 16 assault rifles and other guns with scopes found alongside Paddock in the large 32nd floor suite of the Mandalay Bay casino room from where he launched his attack.

But in response to a question of how Ms Danley could 'not know all of that was inside her home?', Las Vegas Sheriff Joseph Lombardo dismissed claims their investigation into her had been 'discontinued'.

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Authorities said later Monday morning that Danley is no longer a person of interest in the shooting and is currently out of the country, though it's unclear where exactly she is. Police said Paddock had used Danley's slot card to gamble in the hotel

'We are continuing the investigation into that female,' he told a media briefing.

'There are several questions that need to be answered similar to what you proposed but she is currently out of the country.'

Paddock reportedly used Ms Danley's ID to check in to the lavish Mandalay Bay hotel alone, days before he opened fire from a vantage point in his suite.

Ms Danley is originally from the Philippines but holds an Australian passport, it has been reported.

'I would never have thought she would be tied up in anything like this,' her friend, who lives in Robina, Queensland, told the Gold Coast Bulletin.

The woman said she lived next door to Ms Danley in the Gold Coast suburb of Nerang around 30 years ago.

But she has not seen her neighbour of nine years since attending Ms Danley's mother's funeral near Brisbane five or six years ago.

'She is bubbly, petite and full of life,' the 66-year-old woman said. 'She still looks the same.'

She added that she visited Ms Danley, who has a daughter and a granddaughter, and stayed with her and her daughter in Memphis, Tennessee, in 2000.

Other friends revealed that Ms Danley worked in the gaming industry and had an Australian husband, who has since died, before she moved to the US more than 20 years ago.

She was previously married to Geary Danley, who now lives in Arkansas, the Reno Gazette-Journal.

They married in Las Vegas in 1990, but jointly filed for divorce in February 2015, according to the Gazette-Journal.

Ms Danley has lived in Nevada since 2003, according to records obtained by the

One of her sisters, Liza Werner, who still lives in Australia, told the Bulletin: 'I can't comment at the moment. I can't say anything. I'm sorry, sorry.'

Stephen Paddock (pictured) used her ID to check into the Mandalay Bay hotel alone

Records show that Ms Danley (above) and Paddock lived together in the tiny desert community of Mesquite

On her now deleted Facebook page, Ms Danley described herself as a 'proud mom and grandma who lives life to the fullest.'

Her LinkedIn page says she is a 'gambling and casino professional' living in Reno.

But it's understood that she was sharing a house near Las Vegas with Paddock.

The gunman's girlfriend Marilou Danley (pictured) has been located and their home raided by police

Records show she and Paddock lived together in a two-bedroom home on Babbling Brook Court in the tiny desert community of Mesquite, which is 80 miles north east of Las Vegas near the Arizona state border. The property cost $396,000 (297,554).

The shooter's brother, Eric Paddock, told CBS News that Ms Danley was his brother's girlfriend and that he had met her 'three to four times.'

'They might have got married, but I don't think they're married. She's just his girlfriend,' he said.

'She's a nice lady, I've met her three or four times. She's got a Facebook page, she sends my mom cookies.'

Paddock, a 64-year-old retiree from Mesquite, rained heavy fire down on a crowd of over 22,000 at an outdoor country music festival from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino.

Concertgoers screamed and ran for their lives Sunday night outside the 44-story hotel after hearing what at first sounded like firecrackers but turned out to be dozens of bullets in rapid-fire bursts.

Country music star Jason Aldean was performing at the Route 91 Harvest Festival when the gunman apparently used a hammer-like device to smash out windows in his room and opened fire, the muzzle flashes visible in the dark, authorities said.

Eric Paddock, brother of Las Vegas gunman Stephen Paddock, speaks to reporters near his home in Orlando, Florida

The shooter appeared to fire unhindered for more than 10 minutes as Las Vegas police frantically tried to locate the man in one of the Mandalay Bay hotel towers, according to radio traffic.

For several minutes, officers could not tell whether the fire was coming from Mandalay Bay or the neighboring Luxor hotel.

SWAT teams using explosives stormed the gunman's hotel room in the gold-colored glass skyscraper and found he had killed himself.

Paddock had as many as 10 guns with him, including rifles, authorities said.

The sheriff said a check of federal and state databases showed Paddock was not on law enforcement authorities' radar before the bloodbath.

A broken window at the Mandalay Bay resort is seen in the aftermath of the massacre

The Mandalay Bay is seen the morning after a gunmen fired on concert goers in Las Vegas

Aaron Rouse, the FBI agent in charge in Las Vegas, said investigators saw no immediate evidence connecting the attack to an international terror organization, despite a claim of responsibility from the Islamic State group.

It was the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history.

Before Sunday's attack, it was the June 2016 massacre, when a gunman who professed support for Muslim extremist groups opened fire at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, killing 49.

Sunday's shooting came more than four months after a suicide bombing at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester, England, that killed 22 people.

Almost 90 people were killed by gunmen inspired by ISIS at the Bataclan concert hall in Paris during a performance by Eagles of Death Metal in 2015.




Dozens of stories of heroism have emerged amid the horrifying mass shooting in Las Vegas on Sunday.

Authorities say that at least 59 are dead and 527 are injured after 64-year-old Stephen Paddock opened fire from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel.

But the number of casualties could have been much higher had it not been for the brave few that helped first responders tend to the wounded.

From a firefighter who was shot while performing CPR on a wounded woman to a man who saved his friend from bleeding to death to the ex-marine that stole a truck to transport victims to the hospital - several civilians became overnight heroes.

Sonny Melton, 29, a nurse from Tennessee, was one of the first victims named and one of the first heroes identified.

Melton's wife Heather, a surgeon, who was with him watching Jason Aldean at the Route 91 Harvest Festival in Las Vegas, says her brave and selfless husband died saving her life.

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Sonny Melton, 29 (right), a nurse from Tennessee, was one of the first victims named and one of the first heroes identified after he shielded his wife, Heather (left), from gunfire

'He saved my life. He grabbed me and started running when I felt him get shot in the back,' she told WSMV. 'I want everyone to know what a kind-hearted, loving man he was, but at this point, I can barely breathe.'

The couple lived in Big Sandy, Tennessee, where Melton worked as a registered nurse in an emergency room and ICU at Henry County Medical Center.

His wife works at the hospital and he aided her in the operating room. They married in 2016.

'We were the couple that never should have met, fallen in love or had a future together....but life is funny and we believe God brought us together as soul mates,' read their wedding page on The Knot.

'We have shared amazing times together and nearly unbearable heartaches but through it all we have grown stronger in our love for each other and our families.'

Off-duty Arizona firefighter Kurt Fowler (left) was shot in the leg shielding his wife, Trina (right), from the bullets. Now out of surgery, he faces extensive recovery and rehab that could range from seven to ten months before he can return to work

Off-duty Arizona firefighter and father-of-three Kurt Fowler was shot in the leg while protecting his wife, Trina, from gunfire.

Fowler was hit in the right ankle while lying on top of his wife to protect her, Erickson and Desert Hills fire captain and union president Steve Bunn told CBS 5.

Friends of his on Facebook reported that his tibia and fibula were both likely shattered.

According to a GoFundMe account set up by friends, Fowler underwent surgery, which was successful, but he now faces extensive recovery and rehab that could range from seven to ten months before he can return to work.

So far, $10,815 has been raised out of a $50,000 goal.

'Kurt is a very devoted family man. Good father, good husband,' Bunn said.

'Everything he does is oriented around his wife and kids. Good firefighter. He's well-liked here. He's one of our brothers, and we're doing the best we can to support him and his family.'

Retired teacher Mike Cronk (right) braved gunfire and used his shirt to stop the bleeding of his friend who was shot three times in the chest. The friend is expected to live.

Retired teacher Mike Cronk braved gunfire and used his shirt to stop the bleeding of his friend, Ron, who was shot three times in the chest.

'We slid him under the stage. Another awesome lady came over and compressed,' Cronk, who was in Las Vegas for his 48th birthday, told ABC 13.

Cronk and other uninjured festival-goers then carried his friend to a regular civilian pickup truck that had three injured people already in it to transport them to the hospital.

One of those four wounded died, but Cronk's best friend survived.

'I'm no hero,' Cronk said. 'But there's a lot of heroes out there.'

Mark McCurdy (right), a Los Angeles fire captain and father of young children, saved his sister-in-law, Jessi Presten, after she was shot and carried her back to the hotel room

Mark McCurdy and his wife, Kelly Presten McCurdy, from California, were in Las Vegas for the festival when the gunfire erupted.

In the chaos, Kelly's sister, Jessi Presten, was shot.

McCurdy, a Los Angeles fire captain and father of young children, managed to carry Presten back to the their room at the Mandalay Bay Hotel.

The firefighter then went back out to see if anyone else needed help before calling for help so Presten could be taken to Sunrise Hospital, Kelly's cousin, Mike Brown, told The Daily Beast.

Glendale firefighter Steve Keys (pictured) was shot while performing CPR on a woman at the concert venue. He is expected to survive

Brown picked up a friends of his cousin not too far away. One of them, a Glendale firefighter named Steve Keys, was bleeding.

'He said: "Yeah, I got shot",' Brown said.

'He lifts his shirt up. He was shot in the chest. He said: "I'll be fine".'

Brown examined the firefighter and saw that he had a graze wound extending from his chest to his stomach and learned he had been performing CPR on a woman at the concert venue when he was shot.

In a post on Facebook showing his wound, Keys asked for prayers.

'Prayers needed. Lot of people hit. A lot killed. Was doing CPR on a woman in the concert when I got grazed. I'm ok. But a lot of people aren't,' he wrote.

'I am lucky. Stayed behind on the street to help people. Worked along side a lot of f****** heroic men and women. Please, please, please say prayers.'

Former Marine Taylor Winston (left) and his friend, Jenn Lewis (pictured), found an unattended truck and used it to transport people to the hospital. In two trips, Winston and Lewis were able to transport two dozen people to Desert Springs Hospital Medical Center

Former Marine Taylor Winston, 29, and his friend, Jenn Lewis, sprung into action to try and save lives during the shooting.

At first, Winston was helping people over a fence as they fled the bullets raining down on the crowd. Eventually, he and others tore down the fence.

Then, Winston and Lewis found an unattended truck near the venue with keys still inside and used it to transport victims to the hospital.

'Jenn and I luckily found a truck with keys in it and started transporting priority victims to the hospital and made a couple trips and tried to help out the best we could until more ambulances could arrive,' Winston told The Daily Beast.

In two trips, Winston and Lewis were able to transport approximately two dozen people to Desert Springs Hospital Medical Center.

The friends were able to flag down a squad car while en route to the hospital, and the officer turned on the vehicles flashers to escort them through traffic.

Friends of Winston's have set up a GoFundMe account.

Jonathan Smith, 30 (pictured) saved around thirty people before he was shot at least twice, including once in the neck

Jonathan Smith, 30, was in Las Vegas celebrating the 43rd birthday of his brother, Louis Rust, a big country music fan, when Paddock opened fire on the crowd.

According to the Washington Post, Smith, a copy machine repairman, looked around for his family - but they had all disappeared with his brother.

Seeing several festival attendees hiding behind a sheriff patrol car at the northwest edge of the concert lawn he decided to get them to safety.

'Active shooter, active shooter, lets go! We have to run!' he shouted, grabbing people and moving them toward a handicapped parking area away from the lawn with rows of vehicles to hide behind.

Smith estimates he directed about 30 people but it was when he stood up to urge a few young girls who werent fully hidden to get to the ground when a bullet struck him in the neck.

He has a fractured collarbone, a cracked rib and a bruised lung. Doctors are laving the bullet in his neck for the time being, fearing that moving it might cause more damage.

'I might have to live with this bullet for the rest of my life,' Smith told the newspaper.

Many have praised Smith as a hero, but it's a title he doesn't see as fit.

'I dont see myself that way,' he said. 'I would want someone to do the same for me. No one deserves to lose a life coming to a country festival.'

A GoFundMe account has been set up to help cover Smith's medical expenses. So far, more $81,000 has been raised.

Carly Krygier (pictured) immediately got her four-year-old daughter on the ground and shielded her as Steven Paddock opened fire on the Las Vegas crowd

The first thought on Carly Krygier's mind was to protect her four-year-old daughter.

'We just heard what we thought were fireworks. It took everyone a couple of seconds to realize it wasn't...So I put the baby on the ground and got on top of her,' she told CNN.

When there was a break in the gunfire, she ran to the bleachers and then to the Tropicana hotel. Her daughter did not scream or cry during the shooting, she said.

'She was amazing and so incredibly brave,' Krygier said.

Lindsay Padgett (left) turned her truck into a makeshift ambulance to take people to the hospital

Lindsay Padgett said what she originally thought were pyrotechnics during Jason Aldean's performance on the final night of the Route 91 Harvest Music Festival were gunshots.

Padgett said that as soon as the sound of gunshots subsided, she and her fiance, Mike Jay, went to get her truck from a parking lot across the street from the venue.

'We realized there were people everywhere that needed help and on stretchers...People saw that we had a truck, so we said, "Fine, yeah", and started to pack everyone in,' she told ABC News.

The couple filled Padgett's truck with five wounded victims and five others who were caring for the injured.

'We were just trying to get people to the hospital. We got halfway there, and as we were getting on the freeway, we saw an ambulance stopped, so we went over and they started taking the most critical people and putting them in the ambulance,' Padgett said.

One of the men in her truck, who Padgett said was shot in the back, was taken out by paramedics, who told her he had died.

Among the other victims in her truck, Padgett said, one man suffered a bullet to the chest, and one girl was shot in the leg.
The Trump administration is preparing to ask Cuba to withdraw 60 per cent of its diplomats from Washington, U.S. officials said Monday.

It wasn't immediately clear late Monday how many Cuban diplomats will have to leave Washington.

The United States will formally ask Cuba to pull the diplomats, but won't expel them forcefully unless Havana refuses, the officials said.

It comes in response to last week's U.S. move to cut its own embassy staff in Havana by a similar amount. The U.S. previously had roughly 50 American workers at its embassy in Havana, so the 60 per cent reduction will bring the figure down to roughly 20.

The Trump administration is preparing to ask Cuba to withdraw 60 per cent of its diplomats from Washington. Seen above (filed picture) Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez (2nd R) applauds as the Cuban flag is raised in front of the country's embassy on July 20, 2015 in Washington, DC

In a Friday, Sept. 29, 2017 file photo, staff stand within the United States embassy facility in Havana, Cuba

The U.S. request marks yet another major setback for relations between the United States and Cuba, two countries that only recently renewed diplomatic relations after a half-century of hostility.

It comes as the U.S. seeks to protect its own diplomats from unexplained attacks that have harmed at least 21 Americans in Havana with ailments that affected their hearing, cognition, balance and vision.

The State Department is expected to announce the decision Tuesday, officials said, though they cautioned no decision was formalized until publicly announced.

The officials weren't authorized to discuss the plan publicly and requested anonymity.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson discussed the plan Monday with President Donald Trump, one of the officials said.

Cuba has denied involvement in the attacks. Though Havana is likely to view the move as unwarranted retaliation, U.S. officials said the goal wasn't to punish the communist-run island, but to ensure both countries have a similar number of diplomats in each other's capitals.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson discussed the plan Monday with President Donald Trump, one of the officials said

Tensions between the two neighbors have been escalating amid serious U.S. concern about the unexplained attacks on Americans in Havana.

The United States will formally ask Cuba to pull the diplomats, but won't expel them forcefully unless Havana refuses, the officials said.

On Monday, The Associated Press reported that U.S. spies working out of the embassy under diplomatic cover were the first and most severely affected victims.

In this Aug. 14, 2015, file photo, a U.S. flag flies at the U.S. embassy in Havana, Cuba

Investigations by Cuba, the United States and Canada have yet to come up with any answers as to exactly what caused the diplomats to fall ill.

Experts agree it is hard to see how any attacks could have been carried out or what the motivation could be.

Theories abound, from surveillance technology gone awry to a sophisticated acoustic weapon in the hands of Cuban-American exiles or third-party state actors such as Russia, Iran or North Korea, but most flounder.

Audiologists for example have raised doubt over the possibility of whether any sonic weapon exists that can be used covertly to bring about the range of symptoms mentioned by diplomats.
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The Las Vegas Strip and the Eiffel Tower turned off its lights on Monday night to honor the 59 victims shot dead in one of America's darkest days.

Hundreds of mourners attended a candlelight vigil at the corner of Sahara Avenue and Las Vegas Boulevard for the victims of Sunday night's atrocity - the worst ever mass shooting in the US - which saw a further 527 injured.

Gunman Stephen Paddock opened fire from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel using more than 20 assault rifles as he sprayed bullets down on the thousands of music fans below from his home-made killing den.

It came a day after a crazed ISIS fanatic slit the throat of one woman and stabbed another in Marseille, and France stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the US in solidarity by turning off the lights on the capital's world-famous landmark.

A night time view of the strip in Las Vegas dimming its lights Monday in honor of the victims from Sunday night's mass shooting

After going dark the strip also lit up with messages for the victims from the mass shooting with one sign reading: 'Our prayers for the victims'

The lights of the Eiffel Tower in Paris are switched off October 2, 2017 in tribute to the victims of the attacks in Las Vegas and Marseille

People gather at Trocadero plaza as the lights of the Eiffel Tower are turned off in Paris in honor of those who lost their lives

Blackout: The hotels on the famous Strip went dark in tribute to the victims of the massacre

 Slide me  People gather in the rain to watch the world-famous landmark in the French capital go dark to honor the victims of the attacks

After going dark the Strip also lit up with messages for the victims from the mass shooting with one building saying: 'Our prayers for the victims.'

About 22,000 people were attending the third day of the country music festival Route 91 Harvest, which featured top acts like Eric Church and Sam Hunt.

It's believed that Paddock was staying in a large suite or connected rooms and was shooting down on the concertgoers below from both windows.

Hundreds of people gathered in Vegas to pay their respects Monday as they're seen surrounded by candles and loved ones

Two girls are pictured here hugging one another as they support each other through this tragedy which has seen over 500 people injured and 59 people killed

Mourners attend a candlelight vigil at the corner of Sahara Avenue and Las Vegas Boulevard for the victims of Sunday night's mass shooting, which saw gunman Paddock shoot innocent concert goers from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel

To pay tribute to the 59 people killed and 527 injured by gunman Stephen Paddock at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival, the entire Las Vegas strip went dark on Monday evening

Luminaries for victims of the the Sunday evening shooting tragedy in Las Vegas are lit on the front steps of Greene Memorial United Methodist Church surrounded by those brought together in prayer and solidarity on Monday

Jonathan Neighbors, 15, of Botetourt County, adds a light to one of the 59 luminaries on Monday, set on the front steps of Greene Memorial United Methodist Church for victims of the the Sunday evening shooting in Las Vegas

People were seen mourning the tragic event as they held candles to pay tribute to all the lives that were lost Sunday evening

People were seen gathering together to pay homage to the 59 killed and 527 injured as they all came out in solidarity for those that were tragically killed in what is being deemed as the worst mass shooting in US history

Police were able to pinpoint where the shooter was firing from because the gunfire set off fire alarms in the hotel.

They responded to the room and breached the door using explosives. But by the time they entered the room it Paddock had shot himself dead. Inside the room, they found an 'arsenal' of 17 firearms.

Other huge landmarks around the world have also paying their respects to Vegas with The Empire State Building and One WTC also turning out their lights to show support for the victims of this atrocity.

The buildings dimmed their spires but kept an orange halo in honor of the sufferers.

The usually bright lights of the Strip were turned off. The MGM thanked the brave first responders who helped victims

People raised their hand in the air as they carried candles in honor of the people killed, paying their respects to those that were less fortunate Sunday evening

Everyone paid their respects by attending the huge candlelight vigil in Vegas Monday night in Vegas as they raised their hands in the air to pay homage to those they lost

They had signs everywhere with another reading from a building: 'Pray For Vegas' in giant white writing

People can be seen lighting candles during the vigil at the corner of Sahara Avenue and Las Vegas Boulevard for the victims

Mourners are handed out electric candles during a candlelight vigil at the University of Nevada Las Vegas for victims of the mass shooting that occurred Sunday evening

People from the University of Nevada Las Vegas are seen gathering together with candles as they pay homage to the lives lost at the hands of gunman Stephen Paddock

People are seen paying tribute to the innocent victims from Sunday night's most deadly mass shooting in US history thus far

Students can be seen consoling one another as they mourn the victims from Sunday night's awful tragedy that saw 59 killed

People are seen supporting and hugging one another as they hold candles at the vigil in honor of the 59 killed Sunday night

The Empire State Building lights, normally lit in colors, are dimmed on Monday, in New York, in sympathy for the victims

Additionally, the Eiffel Tower switched off its lights on Monday to show their solidarity to Vegas.

France is also mourning another tragedy, the weekend knife attack in the French port city of Marseille.

Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo tweeted Monday: 'Tonight we turn off the lights of the Eiffel Tower at midnight" (2200 GMT) to honor the victims of the two attacks, continuing a practice of bowing in respect to victims of horror by darkening the glittering monument that crowns the City of Light.'

The Empire State Building went dark to pay their respects to the lives lost in the mass shooting in Las Vegas Sunday evening

The Eiffel Tower switched off its lights on Monday to show their solidarity to Vegas as they mourned with the rest of the world over this catastrophic tragedy
A 91-year-old Native Hawaiian multimillionaire heiress and princess has married her lesbian partner of more than two decades, who is currently locked in a legal dispute over her new wife's massive fortune.

Retired Hawaii Supreme Court Justice Steven Levinson says he presided over the wedding of Abigail Kawananakoa and Veronica Gail Worth, 63, during a ceremony Sunday at his Honolulu home.

'Both Princess Kawananakoa and Veronica could not be happier to have sanctified their longtime loving relationship and wish to express their deepest appreciation to all close friends and loved ones for their congratulations and best wishes for a long healthy and happy marriage together,' the couple's wedding announcement read as first reported by Hawaii News Now.

Wedded bliss: Native Hawaiian multimillionaire heiress Abigail Kawananakoa, 91 (left), on Sunday married her partner of 21 years, Veronica Gail Worth, 63 (pictured at the ceremony)

The nuptials come amid a legal tug-of-war over control of Kawananakoa's trust worth $215million.

Kawananakoa, whose full name is Abigail Kinoiki Kekaulike Kawananakoa, is considered a princess because she is a descendant of Prince David Kawananakoa, who was an heir to the throne of the Hawaiian Kingdom.

The last monarch of Hawaii, Queen Lili'uokalani, whose reign was cut short in 1898 when the United States annexed the islands, was Kawananakoa's great-aunt.

The nonagenarian is also the great-granddaughter of James Campbell, an Irish multimillionaire sugar plantation owner and one of Hawaii's largest landowners who died in 1900, leaving behind a $3million estate.

According to a recent Forbes Magazine article, in 2007, when the Campbell estate was converted into a corporation, the family fortune skyrocketed to $2billion.

Kawananakoa, pictured alongside Bishop Larry Silva during an event in Honolulu in 2009, suffered a stroke in June and a state probate judge turned over control of her $215million trust to her longtime lawyer

Kawananakoa suffered an acute stroke in June, which on July 24 turned into her lawyer, James Wright, being granted control of her estate by a state probate judge.

Wright's lawyer, Frank Kanemitsu, wrote in court documents that since the stroke she is 'unable to meet essential requirements of physical health, safety, self-care or financial matters,' even with assistance.

'Ms Kawananakoa and her legacy need the protection of the court,' Wright said. 'I have represented her for nearly 20 years, and spoke to her three hours before the stroke. She is not the same person.'

Right-hand woman: Veronica Worth (left) possesses Kawananakoa's (right) health care power of attorney and receives $700,000 a year from her trust

But Kawananakoa's partner and secretary, Worth, disputes this claim. The heiress is still capable of making financial decisions, Worth said.

Her attorney, Michael Rudy, said a renowned panel of three psychological experts will be hired to examine Kawananakoa, and already the first has found her mentally competent. Another evaluation is being processed, he said, while a third is still being arranged.

Worth possesses Kawananakoa's health care power of attorney and receives $700,000 a year from her trust. The newlyweds have been together for 21 years.

Rudy said his client's only aim is to put Kawananakoa back in charge of her finances. But Wright said he fears there's a greater money grab in play that could seriously affect Kawananakoa's plan to set up a charity on behalf of the Native Hawaiian people.
Matthew Leveson's mother carried a handmade bag with pictures of her dead son into an inquest, before breaking down over claims he was strangled or smothered to death.

Faye Leveson was walking hand in hand with her husband Mark outside the NSW Coronial Court on Tuesday after hearing there wasn't enough compelling evidence Mr Leveson was killed by his boyfriend Michael Atkins.

She was toting a black handbag with nine separate images of her 20-year-old son on it, who was last seen leaving Darlinghurst's ARQ nightclub with Atkins in September 2007.

Faye Leveson was toting a black handbag with nine separate images of her 20-year-old son who was last seen leaving Darlinghurst's ARQ nightclub with Atkins in September 2007 (pictured)

Faye Leveson was seen walking hand in hand with her husband Mark (pictured) outside the NSW Coronial Court on Tuesday after hearing there wasn't enough compelling evidence Matthew was killed by his boyfriend Michael Atkins

Matthew Leveson's mother carried a handmade bag with pictures of her dead son into an inquest (pictured)

'If we get an open finding, we'll have to just live with that, but we know in our hearts who was responsible for it,' Ms Leveson told reporters outside court.

In court counsel assisting the coroner Tim Game SC said that despite Atkins' many false accounts, there wasn't sufficient evidence to suggest his actions killed Mr Leveson.

The 54-year-old long denied any knowledge of Mr Leveson's whereabouts, but this year he led police to the 20-year-old's remains in the Royal National Park after striking a deal to avoid contempt of court and perjury charges.

Mr Leveson's parents believe their son could have died by strangulation or smothering, even beginning to tear up in front of awaiting media on Tuesday (pictured)

He told police he decided to bury Mr Leveson in bushland south of Sydney after finding him dead from a drug overdose the morning after they went to ARQ nightclub.

Mr Leveson's parents believe their son could have died by strangulation or smothering, even beginning to tear up in front of awaiting media on Tuesday, the Daily Telegraph reports.

But Mr Game said there wasn't supporting forensic evidence or evidence of a struggle in Mr Leveson's Cronulla apartment.

He told police he decided to bury Mr Leveson in bushland south of Sydney after finding him dead from a drug overdose the morning after they went to ARQ nightclub (Atkins and Leveson pictured)

Mr Leveson's parents believe their son (pictured) could have died by strangulation or smothering, even beginning to tear up in front of awaiting media on Tuesday, the Daily Telegraph reports

He told the court there was 'ultimately no reliable objective evidence' as to the manner and cause of Mr Leveson's death, and submitted that the coroner should make an open finding.

As they left Glebe Coroner's Court, Mark and Faye Leveson said they were hoping for the best but expecting the worst.

'It's upsetting, I know we'll probably get an open finding, but as Mark said, we've been knocked down that many times I'm not expecting things to go our way,' Ms Leveson told reporters.

'The main thing was that we did find Matt, we got him back.'

The inquest was adjourned on Tuesday morning and the coroner has reserved her findings.
A NSW man has been found guilty of murdering his teenage wife 20 years ago.

Steve Frank Fesus, 46, had pleaded not guilty to murdering Jodie Fesus, 18, in August 1997 at their Shellharbour home on the NSW south coast, before burying her body in a shallow grave at Seven Mile Beach, near Gerroa.

But a NSW Supreme Court jury on Tuesday found him guilty after less than one day of deliberating in Sydney.

Steve Frank Fesus (right) had pleaded not guilty to murdering Jodie Fesus (left) in August 1997

A NSW Supreme Court jury on Tuesday found Fesus (right, arriving at court last week) guilty of murdering his wife (left) after less than one day of deliberating in Sydney

The court heard the couple's relationship had deteriorated and that he strangled the mother-of-two during an argument.

Police found the beach grave and exhumed her body on September 15, 1997 after receiving an anonymous call from a male.
News / National

by Staff reporter

Apostolic Christian Council of Zimbabwe (ACCZ) president, Johannes Ndanga has indicated that he will not seek re-election at the end of his seven-year term this month-end, but pass on the baton, to enable him to concentrate on other international commitments.Ndanga told journalists last week that after stepping down, he will devout most of his time to the International Commission of Religious Leaders and Universal Peace Federation, where he was recently appointed as a world peace ambassador."I am always travelling because the two posts demand a lot, hence, I am ready to step down, though I will be offering my services to ACCZ on consultancy basis. Moreover, I am hearing that some sect members have left," he said.Ndanga said he will officially step down at the elective congress scheduled for October 26 in Bulawayo.His remarks came amid reports that disgruntled members of the association had formed a splinter group, Zimbabwe Amalgamated Churches' Council (Zacc), accusing Ndanga of tampering with the association's constitution to extend his term by one year."The ACCZ is governed by a constitution, which states that a presidental term goes for seven years. The organisation was formed in 2010 and we are having a congress on October 26 to mark the end of this term, so if someone says I am refusing to step down it means nothing. Elections are going to be conducted during the congress and members are free to contest for any post," he said.Recently, former ACCZ secretary-general Mathias Tsine broke away from the association and formed Zacc with Zanu-PF central committee member Jimayi Muduvuri as patron."The founding constitution stated that a term goes for six years. He (Ndanga), however, changed the constitution and even declared himself ACCZ life president. If you look at the executive members of the ACCZ, Ndanga is the only founding person left. All other members have left," Tsine said.ACCZ comprises of more than 3 000 apostolic and Zion sects.
Photos have emerged of the word 'no' spray-painted on several fences, letters boxes and cars in inner-west Sydney as the same-sex marriage debate continues to heat up.

Steph Sands said she took the pictures on Monday morning after spotting the graffiti plastered throughout the suburb of Stanmore, including on a local mural.

'Woke up to 'respectful' self-expression from No voters In Stanmore this morning,' Ms Sands wrote on Facebook.

Photos have emerged of the word 'no' spray-painted on several fences, letters boxes and walls in inner-west Sydney as the same-sex marriage debate continues to heat up (pictured)

Steph Sands said she took the pictures on Monday morning after spotting the graffiti (pictured) plastered throughout the suburb of Stanmore, including on a local mural

Viewers online were quick to agree with Ms Sands, calling the graffiti (pictured) 'disgusting'

'Devastated that the beautiful mural I drive past most weeks has been ruined. Feel free to share. And if anyone knows the best way to save the mural please comment.'

'No' can be seen scribbled in yellow and red on the back windshield of cars, on driveway gates, brick fences and apartment complex mailboxes.

Viewers online were quick to agree with Ms Sands, calling the graffiti 'disgusting.'

One commenter posted an image on Tuesday afternoon of a city council staff working to remove spray-paint from the mural.

Ms Sands said Mayor of the Inner West Council Darcy Byrne told her the mural's original artist will oversea its restoration once the cleaning is finished.

'No' can be seen scribbled in yellow and red on driveway gates and brick fences (pictured)

It was also spray-painted on an apartment complex mailbox (pictured)

'No' is pictures spray-painted on a cream coloured terrace home fence

One commenter posted an image on Tuesday afternoon of a city council staff working to remove spray-paint from the mural (pictured)

In response to 'no' voters, a group of people supporting same-sex marriage painted a rainbow on a building on the opposite side of the street.

About 9.2 million Australians have returned their same-sex marriage postal survey - accounting for 57.5 per cent of the forms sent out.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics on Tuesday published its first update on the estimated number of forms received.

It will provide an update every week until the postal survey closes on November 7.

The results will be published on November 15.
A farmer who opposes gay marriage has been bombarded with abusive Facebook messages and death threats for posting an image of herself with a postal vote ballot.

Kirralie Smith, from northern New South Wales, was advised to stand in front of a train by one abusive man who also wished she would get AIDS, the disease which has killed millions of gay men since the 1980s.

Ms Smith was also a Senate candidate for the right-wing Australian Liberty Alliance Party and has since joined Cory Bernardis Australian Conservatives.

She said the abuse made her feel 'violated' and the content - including graphic hardcore pornography - is beyond anything she could have imagined.

A farmer who opposes gay marriage has been bombarded with abusive Facebook messages and death threats for posting an image of herself with a postal vote ballot (pictured)

Kirralie Smith (pictured), from northern New South Wales, was advised to stand in front of a train by one abusive man who also wished she would get AIDS

Ms Smith said the abuse (pictured) made her feel 'violated' and the content - including graphic hardcore pornography - is beyond anything she could have imagined

'I did expect some haters to respond but I was unprepared for the barrage of hate, vulgar messages and threats I received,' she told Daily Mail Australia.

'I notice that lesbians such as Christine Forster posed for such photos with her partner. Did they cop the same level of vitriol and hatred for doing so?'

'Your [sic] still a slag and I hope you get aids [sic]' wrote one Facebook user.

'I also hope you get hit by a bus! Or if you have children, that one of them is gay. You have the right to your opinion but not to post photos of it. You are a stupid c***.,' read another message.

'I did expect some haters to respond but I was unprepared for the barrage of hate, vulgar messages and threats I received,' said Ms Smith (pictured)

'I notice that lesbians such as Christine Forster posed for such photos with her partner. Did they cop the same level of vitriol (pictured above) and hatred for doing so?' said Ms Smith

The level of vitriol has left Ms Smith questioning why she should be forced to deal with such hateful responses to a simple photograph.

'Do I just have to suck this up? Are people really entitled to behave in such a manner when all I did was post a legal and acceptable option when participating in this postal survey?' she said.

I am not breaking any laws. I am upholding a current law. I am using my democratic right to exercise my choice. Why should I be subject to such horrid remarks and images for doing so?'

The level of vitriol (pictured above) has left Ms Smith questioning why she should be forced to deal with such hateful responses to a simple photograph.

In addition to the hateful messages, insults and death threats, some social media users even sent offensive images.

One such image is from a hardcore pornographic film and depicts two men involved in a sex act.

'You're a piece of s***,' 'I really hope you get hit by a bus,' 'You need a bullet,' and 'I wish nothing but bad for you and your family,' are some of the other messages.

Ms Smith was told to 'Eat a d***,' called a 'homophobic b****,' a 'nasty nasty cow,' a 'f***wit,' and told to 'Rot in hell.'

In addition to the hateful messages (pictured), insults and death threats, some social media users even sent offensive images

The avalanche of abuse comes after weeks of accusations from the 'no' campaign that a fringe element of the 'yes' side are shutting down debate with abuse and violence.

Last week a priest was spat at while walking down the street in Brisbane and called 'a f***ing no voter'.

After former prime minister Tony Abbott was headbutted by an anarchist DJ wearing a Yes badge, activists started using 'Headbutt homophobes' banners at rallies.

Dr Francisco Perales at the University of Queensland suggested opponents of same-sex marriage are less intelligent.

The avalanche of abuse (pictured above) comes after weeks of accusations from the 'no' campaign that a fringe element of the 'yes' side are shutting down debate with abuse and violence

Lecturers Catherine Greenhill and Diana Combe at the University of New South Wales have told maths students not to use the word marriage.

A 'yes' voter was caught on film in Chatswood in Sydney's north racially abusing 'no' campaigners.

Students at the University of Sydney clashed when a 'no' campaign rally turned violent after 'yes' campaign counter-protesters turned up.

Just days later a gay man was viciously heckled at a similar rally at the University of Queensland and accused of 'internalised homophobia'.

A Coalition for Marriage event was disrupted by protesters who stormed the venue and blocked the stage with a banner saying 'Burn churches not queers'.

The most recent Sky News ReachTel poll of 5,000 people found 64 per cent have voted 'yes', 15.5 per cent have voted 'no' and 21 per cent are yet to vote (pictured above is abuse received by Ms Smith)

Vandals attacked a church in the Blue Mountains west of Sydney, spray-painting it with 'Vote Yes' slogans.

Gay anarchists took over the former headquarters of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras and scrawled hateful anti-police slurs on the walls.

'Sometimes find myself wondering if I'd hate-f**k all the anti-gay MPs in parliament if it meant they got the homophobia out of their system,' wrote openly-gay comedian and Safe Schools author Benjamin Law to his 77,000 Twitter followers.

A Canberra woman was fired for saying 'It's okay to vote no' on Facebook, with her boss Madlin Sims calling it 'homophobic hate speech'.

Dr Pansy Lai - who appeared in the first Coalition of Marriage advertisement - was targeted by a petition seeking to have her stripped of her medical licence.

The most recent Sky News ReachTel poll of 5,000 people found 64 per cent have voted 'yes', 15.5 per cent have voted 'no' and 21 per cent are yet to vote.
The sick Facebook messages a neo-Nazi obsessed with sex, guns and death sent a 13-year-old girl he met on the social networking site can be revealed after he was sentenced to jail.

Michael James Holt had promised the teenager 'I won't hit on you if you don't want me to' but within hours was sending her obscene messages and naked pictures of himself.

Having told the girl he was 25 and learning she was 13, Holt wrote on Facebook Messenger: 'I have sexted with girls your age before But only with permission. Always get consent etc'

The girl replied: 'Yeah that's good.'

Michael James Holt, 27, engaged in sexually explicit conversations with a teenage girl

Michael James Holt sent sexually explicit messages via Facebook to a girl he knew was 13

The deeply disturbed white supremacist who a judge said had an 'obsession with guns, sex and death' was jailed in the NSW District Court last Friday for at least four-and-a-half years.

The 27-year-old had pleaded guilty to firearm and child pornography offences after being caught hoarding homemade guns at Sydney and the NSW Central Coast.

In August District Court Judge Jeffrey McLennan compared Holt to Martin Bryant, saying he could be the next Port Arthur mass murderer.

As well as the firearms, police found child abuse material when they raided three premises in August 2015.

Holt had engaged in sexually explicit conversations with a 14-year-old boy and a 13-year-old girl and sent them naked images.

On Friday Judge McLennan said the messages sent to the teenagers put Holt in the category of sex offender.

White supremacist Michael James Holt was caught with a cache of homemade firearms

Michael James Holt was caught with a cache of weapons, some homemade, and ammunition

Neo-Nazi Michael James Holt was jailed for possessing a collection of homemade weapons

'His obsession with sex, guns and death points to a deeply disturbed and disturbing psychology,' Judge McLellan said.

Holt, who claims not have a sexual interest in children, began a conversation with a 13-year-old girl about 5pm on September 9, 2015.

After exchanging pleasantries and having seen pictures of each other the conversation soon moved to sex. Holt told the girl he was 25.

Girl: 'I'm 13. So don't ask for nudes and stuff and we will be good.'

Holt: 'Oh okay not a problem to me but I won't hit on you if you don't want me to.'

Girl: 'You can flirt just don't be a F***boy.'

Five hours later Holt dropped any pretense of not wanting to take advantage of the girl.

Among the weapons found in Michael James Holt's possession was this homemade shotgun

White supremacist Michael James Holt was caught with knuckledusters as well as firearms

A judge said he could not know if Michael James Holt might be the 'next Martin Bryant'

Girl: What ya thinking about?

Holt: Naughty things.

Girl: Lol sorry.

Holt: Hehe.

Girl: What ya thinking about?

Holt: Dominating you.

Girl: How.

Holt: Hmm maybe tying you to the bed

Girl: Bondage.

Holt: Yep.

Gilr: Nice.

Holt: Then I'd proceed to Lick you everywhere first off lol hehe.

Girl: Like a cat.

Holt: Yep.

Girl: I'm submissive asf so tie me up and do whatever would plz you.

Many of the weapons found in Michael James Holt's possession could not be fired (pictured)

The conversation then became extremely graphic and Holt sent the girl pictures of his penis. At one point the girl asked what Holt meant by 'sodomize'.

The next day came a reminder of just how young the girl was.

Holt: Hey you're back again.

Girl: Yeah.

Holt: How are you going atm?

Girl Eh good just stressed.

Holt: Aww what's wrong?

Girl: First day of school.

Holt: Oh what year?

Girl: 8

Judge Jeffrey McLennan said he had serious concerns about Michael James Holt's future

Arms maker Michael James Holt stored ammunition in energy drink cartons and biscuit boxes

Holt told a psychiatrist that despite those conversations and having looked a child pornography he was not sexually interested in children.

'It's not something I want to do again,' he said. 'I should not have been looking at it in the first place.

'I actually hate porn. It is a poor substitute for relationships. I have always had a pretty Christian attitude to the relationship game.'

Psychiatrist Olav Nielssen found while Holt was on the autism spectrum he was not mentally ill and was of average intelligence.

'Mr Holt's sexual offences, like his weapons offences, reflect the impaired social judgment and social skills arising from his autism spectrum disorder,' Dr Nielssen found.

Michael James Holt, who hoarded illegal firearms, was described as being deeply disturbed

A homemade knife manufactured by Michael James Holt which was seized by police

This slingshot was among a cache of weapons in the possession of Michael James Holt

Holt had sent disturbing text messages to men and women he had met over the internet detailing his violent urges.

'Had some homophobic d***head threaten to punch my head last night at the hotel because he's scared of guns, he called me a "Martin Bryant motherf***er",' he wrote in one.

In another he wrote: 'I always fantasise about mass homicide when I'm in crowds and crowded places.'

A third said: 'Gonna have to start killing if I don't get laid soon.'

Holt reported having a difficult time in the Metropolitan Remand and Reception Centre at Silverwater due to publicity about his crimes.

'I feel like I have been targeted for being different,' he told the psychiatrist. 'It's been a wake up call.'

As for his neo-Nazi beliefs, Holt said: 'I am always gong to have an interest. It was a pretty fascinating time in history. I am not interested in Australian politics.'

Upon his release Holt would like to join and church and start a band.

A replica Luger pistol was among a cache of illegal weapons in Michael James Holt's posession




Australian fans will have the chance to dine in style with controversial 'internet supervillian' Milo Yiannopolous when he tours the country this December.

Tickets have officially gone on sale for the alt-right activist's Troll Academy Tour, offering followers the chance to see him on the east and west coast.

But for those looking for something more than a simple 'Meet and Greet' or 'Backstage Pass,' a series of mysterious 'once in a lifetime' private dinners are also on offer.

Australian fans will have the chance to dine in style with controversial 'internet supervillian' Milo Yiannopolous (pictured) after details and tickets were released for his December tour

Yiannopolous' tour is set to kick off in Adelaide on December 1, before travelling to Perth, Melbourne, Sydney and the Gold Coast.

But the site of the contentious star's shows are being kept strictly under-wraps, with the 'CBD locations' advised just seven days before the event.

Penthouse magazine's publisher Damien Costas told Daily Mail Australia the venues were being kept under wraps to help stem potential problems.

'Milo is controversial, he's a bit of a lightning rod and so the venues could cop the brunt of that so we don't want to cause any issues.'

Although four different types of tickets are being offered for the events, Mr Costas said even those students paying $49 would be in for a good time.

The chance to meet the man who has been banned from Twitter will cost Australian's a whopping $295 though, but will include a one-on-one photo.

While the top of the range Backstage Pass, valued at nearly $1,500, will get holder's behind the scenes for an exclusive champagne party.

Yiannopolous will also be hosting an exclusive dinner in each capital, where 20 guests will be served up a gourmet meal, free-flowing alcohol and the chance to chat with the outspoken icon.

Yiannopolous (pictured) will be visiting five capital cities during his Troll Academy Tour and will host a mysterious 'once in a lifetime' private dinner in each, with free-flowing champagne

The 32-year-old former Breitbart journalist is said to have a huge supporter base in the country but the 'CBD locations' of his shows are being kept strictly under wraps until just a week before they take place

Just days after appearing at UC Berkeley, the free speech battleground of the United States, Yiannopolous announced his plans to visit.

'I can't wait to bring my Troll Academy Tour to Australia and to meet all my Australian fans and make some new friends... 'I'm big down under  which just shows Australians have great taste,' he said.

The excited author even took to Facebook to share Daily Mail Australia's article about his tour, telling people: 'Get ready b****es'.

Outside of the United States, the former Breitbart journalist's biggest supporter base is believed to be in Australia - which explains his decision to head Down Under.

But despite his plans to make 'friends', if previous public appearances are anything to go by his trip may not be so straightforward.

From opposing gay rights - despite being openly homosexual and marrying his partner this week - transgender issues and also the 'Black Lives Matter' movement, Yiannopolous' views are often considered divisive.

An excited Yiannopolous took to Facebook to share Daily Mail Australia's article on his tour, telling people: 'Get ready b****es' (pictured)

Earlier this year he stood down as Tech Editor at Brietbart after audio surfaced of his comments about sexual relationships between teenage boys and older men.

'There are certainly people who are capable of giving consent at a younger age. I certainly consider myself to be one of them, people who were sexually active younger... (this) particularly happens in the gay world,' Yiannopolous said.

While he's likely to face a hostile response from protesters in Australia, the organisers of his tour, Penthouse magazine, have defended the decision to back Yiannopolous.

Having made a return in recent years to political-based alternative journalism, Mr Costas said the tour was important for free speech.

'Australia's the only country where we've got it right in terms of free speech... and who better to speak than Milo?' Mr Costas said.

'He doesn't like extremism of any sort whether it's Islamic extremism or extreme feminism, whatever. No ideology should be beyond scrutiny and no idea above debate.'

For more information on Yiannopolous tour visit www.milolive.com.au.
A koala named 'Uni Girl' has been rescued after clambering up a drilling rig at a construction site.

The marsupial became stuck at the rig in Bedford Park, Adelaide, and was unable to make her way down prompting a good Samaritan to call for help.

South Australia Fauna Rescue member Anne Bigham told Daily Mail Australia that she received a distressed call via their hotline at about 4.30am on Tuesday.

A Koala named 'Uni Girl' has been rescued by emergency services on Tuesday morning

It took emergency services close to an hour to get the cute marsupial down to safety

The South Australian Metropolitan Fire Service took about an hour to bring the marsupial down to safely.

'She (the koala) is doing very well,' said Ms Bigham.

Ms Bigham said the koala in question was known to her and was an animal that they had released into the wild way back in February.

'We recognised her through a yellow tag on her ear.

'The construction site is close to Centennial park, a place where we had released her in February.

'There is a cemetery there with a lot of eucalyptus,' she said.

She said the koala was named after the place where she was found two years ago.

'We named her 'Uni Girl' as we found her at Flinders University,' she said.

Ms Bigham said the koala will be released into the wild on Wednesday.

The koala was spotted by a good Samaritan on top of the drilling rig on Tuesday morning
A young mother and her baby are among a family of six airlifted to hospital after a horror car crash on a remote Northern Territory highway.

The 23-year-old woman, her 14-month-old daughter and four other relatives including a six-week-old baby were travelling on the Stuart Highway about 190km south of Darwin.

Their car rolled and hit a rock face at 5pm on Monday.

The car rolled and hit a rock face at 5pm on Monday (wreckage pictured)

'Both patients had sustained head injuries,' Careflight NT said.

'CareFlight crews joined forces with first responders and clinic staff from Adelaide River, Pine Creek and Katherine.'

The pair was taken to Royal Darwin Hospital from the accident scene near Emerald Springs, but the daughter's condition has since been upgraded to serious.

Their relatives were also taken to hospital in stable conditions, including a six-week-old boy, a 10-year-old girl, an adult with shoulder and head injuries and an adult with a suspected fractured arm.

All family members remain in hospital while NT Police investigate and call for witnesses.
A University of Southern California faculty member told her students during class that there was an active shooter in the building.

Her remarks created a campus-wide fear that there was an active shooter on campus on October 2, school officials say.

Los Angeles police are questioning the faculty member and have not commented on what her motive might have been.

The faculty member is also undergoing a mental health evaluation, reports the Washington Post.

Police responded to reports of an active shooter at the University of Southern California on Monday afternoon. Pictured above is students being evacuated

A faculty member, who has not been identified, told her students during class that there was an active shooter in the building. She allegedly told her students to lock the classroom's doors and get down on the floor and proceeded to yell 'active shooter'

The woman had suffered 'some sort of an episode', Los Angeles Police Department Deputy Chief Phillip Tingirides told KABC.

She allegedly told students to get down on the floor and lock the doors - 'lockdown mode' - and began yelling 'active shooter'.

Students speaking to various media outlets said they were not sure if she was performing a drill or whether the threat was real.

The faculty member has not been identified by police. Her name has been withheld by the university.

Two students who spoke to the Daily Trojan, USC's student newspaper, alleged that their teacher, Amy Granados, had made the false report.

The campus went on lockdown as the shooting reports came in at around 12.30pm. Police gave the all-clear less than an hour later.

USC had sent out campus-wide alerts announcing police activity near Fertitta Hall and telling people nearby to shelter in place.

The false alarm came after the deadliest shooting in modern US history.

Stephen Craig Paddock, 64, shot dead 59 people and injured more than 500 at a concert Sunday night in Las Vegas.
A Tamil Manus Island refugee who 'killed himself' on Manus Island was facing rape charges for allegedly sexually assaulting a teenager girl.

Rajeev Rajendran, 32, was charged for raping a teenager 'three times', believed to be 18 or 19-years-old, at a hotel on the island in January this year.

Refugee Action Coalition spokesman Ian Rintoul confirmed the rape charges to Daily Mail Australia.

When the young girl managed to escape, she allegedly 'fainted on the riverside' before being rescued and taken to hospital, The Guardian reported at the time.

A Tamil Manus Island refugee (pictured) who 'killed himself' on Manus Island was facing rape charges for allegedly sexually assaulting a teenager girl

Rajeev Rajendran, 32, (pictured) was charged for raping a teenager 'three times', believed to be 18 or 19-years-old, at a hotel on the island in January this year

The case was yet to go before a court but it is believed Rajendran was going to deny the charges, Mr Rintoul told Sky News.

The refugee reportedly took his own life early Monday morning at Lorengau Hospital on Manus Island, Papua New Guinea, Australia's immigration department confirmed.

The Australian Government asked the 32-year-old's family to pay $7500 to send the body back to Sri Lanka, but the family are demanding it be sent back to their home country for free.

'We have lost a son, a brother, a cousin and a wonderful friend,' the man's cousin told Tamil Refugee Council.

'After all the trauma he was put through, the Australian government now wants to put his grieving family through more.

'Why would they do this to us? They have taken our dear Rajeev from us - is this not enough? But now they demand a fortune as well.'

The case was yet to go before a court but it is believed Rajendran was going to deny the charges, Mr Rintoul told Sky News (stock image of Manus Island Detention Centre)

The Tamil Refugee Council said the 32-year-old had been 'threatened by the Sri Lankan military', was 'denied asylum in Australia' and found out his 'father had cancer' two months ago which 'finally took its toll'.

Rajendran's death is reportedly the second suicide on Manus Island in the past two months and is the sixth fatality in four years.

Former Manus Island MP Ron Knight said the magistrate on the island will be conducting a coroner's investigation over coming days.

'It seems like a suicide but it's not confirmed yet,' Mr Knight told AAP.

He said locals had become increasingly frustrated with the problems that have come with hosting the immigration detention centre, which is slated for closure at the end of the month.

The man's death is reportedly the second suicide on the island in the past two months (stock image)

More than 50 refugees last week left Manus Island and Nauru for a new life in the U.S (pictured are asylum seekers leaving the detention centre on September 24)

'It's given the island a bad name, it's given the people a bad name, when people are being looked after by our government and the Australian government have to resort to something like this to prove a point, it means that something is terribly wrong with the whole system,' Mr Knight said.

Refugee Action Coalition spokesman Ian Rintoul said the man had been sent to the hospital three days earlier.

Greens senator Nick McKim said the case was 'catastrophic neglect' from Immigration Minister Peter Dutton.

'This man had suffered for years in a system that Australia's Labor and Liberal parties deliberately designed and operated to cause mental harm,' he said in a statement.

The body of Iranian refugee Hamed Shamshiripour was found near refugee accommodation in early August.

The death comes as more than 50 refugees last week left Manus Island and Nauru for a new life in the U.S.

More are expected to follow in coming months.

Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.

Multicultural Mental Health Australia www.mmha.org.au.
Twenty years on from death of his wife, 47-year-old Steven Fesus has been found guilty of her murder.

The decision was handed down on Tuesday afternoon to relieved family members of, then teenager, Jodie Fesus.

Mr Fesus was convicted of killing killed his wife in their home in Shellharbour, south of Sydney, in August 1997.

Cracks first began to appear in Fesus' denial when he filled out a Centrelink form saying his wife was dead before her body had been even been found.

Tracey Smith (pictured), the sister of murdered 18-year-old, Jodie Fesus, celebrates outside court on Tuesday after Steven Fesus is found guilty of her murder

The decision was handed down on Tuesday afternoon to relieved family members of, then teenager, Jodie Fesus

Ms Smith hugged a friend outside court on Tuesday after her sister's killer was found guilty

After realising he'd accidentally ticked 'no' to a question of whether Jodie was alive, Fesus uncovered her body enough to be found and made an anonymous call to police.

He knew the discovery would allow him to start accessing Centrelink payments.

His crucial mistake would wasn't his last, with him making a confession in 2013 to an undercover police officer, which would eventually provide the jury with enough evidence for his conviction.

The determination of the teenager's family eventually paid off, when after two decades and two trials, Fesus was found guilty.

Steve Fesus, 47, was found guilty of strangling his wife Jodie Fesus before burying her in a shallow grave in 1997

Fesus filled out a form saying his wife was dead, before her body was found

Jodie Fesus' mother was overjoyed with the result when speaking with media outside court on Tuesday

Family members of murdered 18-year-old punch the air in triumph after Jodie's killer was found guilty

Fesus became enraged after the couple's relationship had deteriorated after months of squabbling and arguments that sometimes turned violent.

The former bouncer drove the body of his 18-year-old wife Jodie to Seven Mile Beach, near Gerroa, and buried it in a shallow grave.

Fesus and his wife shared a bank account and soon after she went missing he tried to apply for a pension.

Mr Fesus was convicted of killing killed his wife in their home in Shellharbour, south of Sydney, in August 1997

Fesus became enraged after the couple's relationship had deteriorated after months of squabbling and arguments that sometimes turned violent

When questioned by a friend over ticking the box saying she was dead, he became 'flustered', Crown prosecutor Greg Smith SC said during the opening of his NSW Supreme Court trial.

Fesus was having problems altering his pension, as there was no proof his wife had died.

To resolve this, he returned to Jodie's grave and partially uncovered her body.

'So it would be discovered,' Mr Smith said.

An anonymous male had also phoned in a tip about human remains at the beach.

Things were so bad between the couple, who had previously play wrestled in front of friends, that they were accusing each other of cheating and had not had sex since being married in May, 1997, the court heard.

Fesus and his wife shared a bank account and soon after she went missing he tried to apply for a pension

While filling out forms, he made a telling mistake and ticked the 'no' box when asked if his partner was still alive, the court heard

In February that year, during a play fight, Fesus had knocked out his wife to demonstrate a sleeper or choke hold, Mr Smith told the jury.

On the night before she went missing, Jodie and Fesus had argued at a friend's home, enraging Fesus, the court heard.

Fuming, he strangled his wife, bundled her corpse into their family station wagon and drove her under the cover of darkness to the beach, where he buried her in the shallow grave, Mr Smith told the jury.

The next day he went to work briefly and was later seen cleaning their car and home at Mt Warrigal.

But despite his wife not being home all day, Fesus didn't phone any of her friends or relatives, the court heard.

But he did call the local pizza shop.

Fesus was having problems altering his pension, as there was no proof his wife had died

To resolve this, he returned to Jodie's grave and partially uncovered her body, according to the prosecution

The defence says Fesus and his wife had argued and had their disagreements, but their marriage was sound.

'Mr Fesus did not do what he is accused of doing,' defence barrister Grant Brady said.

No calls were made to anyone and Fesus had carried on with his day as usual because he simply thought his wife had left, he said.

'He wasn't particularly concerned,' said.

The couple had met in July 1995 when Fesus was working as a bouncer at a Shellharbour club.

Fesus was 24 while Jodie was 16 and pregnant.
An Islamic extremist who conspired to prepare for a terrorist act has had an apparent anxiety attack at his sentencing hearing in Sydney alongside his co-accused.

Sulayman Khalid, 22, started crying and breathing heavily at the Supreme Court in Parramatta on Tuesday and briefly left the courtroom, with his lawyer stating he was 'very stressed', and a supporter claiming he was 'having an anxiety attack'.

Khalid, Jibryl Almaouie, 23, and a teenager who can't be named for legal reasons, have each pleaded guilty to conspiring to do acts in preparation for a terrorist act to advance 'violent jihad' in late 2014.

Sulayman Khalid (pictured during a court appearance in 2014) started crying and breathing heavily at the Supreme Court in Parramatta on Tuesday

The charge of conspiring to do acts in preparation of a terrorist act carries a maximum sentence of life in prison (pictured is Sulayman Khalid during a previous court appearance)

The three are among six involved in the plot to kill police officers and attack government buildings.

Three other men, Mohamed Almaouie, Farhad Said and Ibrahim Ghazzawy, have previously pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of knowingly making a document likely to facilitate a terrorist act.

Ghazzawy was sentenced in May to a maximum term of eight years and six months in jail and will be eligible for parole in April, 2022.

On Tuesday, the first of three days of sentencing submissions, Jibryl Almaouie also pleaded guilty to possessing two firearms.

His lawyer Ian Temby QC acknowledged Almaouie must serve a prison sentence for his part in the conspiracy, but said his role 'should not be overstated'.

Sulayman Khalid, pictured on the SBS Insight program, pleaded guilty to conspiring to do acts in preparation for a terrorist act to advance 'violent jihad' in late 2014

'He's clearly a late joiner,' Mr Temby said.

Almaouie was involved in two telephone conversations on December 16, 2014, nine days after his first contact with 'central player' Khalid, he said.

There had been a discussion about targeting the Australian Federal Police but 'it was not acted upon and no specific physical target had been chosen at the time it was thwarted' by authorities, he said.

'You can't sentence these people on the basis that they were going to do it ... because we just don't know,' Mr Temby said.

The two men and the teenager plead guilty to plotting a terrorist attack on government buildings, including police headquarters, in Sydney almost three years ago (pictured is the police raids in 2014)

The charge of conspiring to do acts in preparation of a terrorist act carries a maximum sentence of life in prison.

Mr Temby said Almaouie has been behind bars in 'harsh' conditions since January 2015.

The 'small in stature' and 'mild mannered' man has lost weight since he's been in prison, he said.

Prosecutor Nicholas Robinson QC said Almaouie played a significant role and would often use code words such as 'fruit salad', 'marriage' and 'motorbikes' when plotting with his co-conspirators.

'The terms make no sense unless they are understood as meaning something else,' he said.

Sentencing submissions continue before Justice Geoff Bellew.
News / National

by Staff reporter

POLICE have urged parents to desist from sending their children for sleep-overs as that exposes them to abuse.Addressing pupils from various schools in Bulawayo last Friday at Eveline High School during a schools' debate, national police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba said there is a worrying trend that has seen some parents sending their children for sleep-overs, when kids spend the night at their friends' homes.Snr Asst Comm Charamba said this has become a matter of concern to police and some children have been raped during the sleep-overs."We say do not go for sleep overs. Parents now have a tendency of letting their children go for sleep overs. In South Africa there was man who was in the media after he raped 12 girls who had come for a sleep over. These were the girl's friends and all those were raped and this has happened in many other countries," she said.Snr Asst Comm Charamba said in Zimbabwe relatives are among the major perpetrators of rape."As the Zimbabwe Republic Police we are very concerned with the number of sexual abuse cases against children that we record daily. The majority of offenders in progressive order are relatives, neighbours, strangers, boyfriends, church mates, teachers and even herd boys. Among the close relatives the majority of offenders are uncles, step fathers, fathers, nephews, cousins, brothers and brothers-in law," said Snr Asst Comm Charamba.She said police were also concerned with rampant substance abuse among youths.Snr Asst Comm Charamba said substance abuse was leading some children to commit serious crimes in the country. "A lot of young people today are involved in the compulsive, excessive, self-damaging use of drugs and substance abuse leading to addiction and serious physiological injuries such as damage to kidneys, liver, heart or dysfunctional behaviour patterns including mental illness, hallucinations and memory loss and even death can occur.The association between substance abuse and sex is worrying in light of the HIV/Aids pandemic," she said.
The mass evacuation of a volcano-threatened Vanuatu island is running ahead of schedule as a ramshackle armada of civilian boats ferries people to safety, officials said Monday.

The entire 11,000 population of Ambae, in the north of the Pacific archipelago, has been ordered to leave after the Manaro Voui volcano rumbled to life and rained rock and ash on villages last week.

The evacuation to nearby islands was scheduled for completion by this Friday but the Red Cross said it was likely to wrap up on Wednesday.

The mass evacuation of a volcano-threatened Vanuatu island is running ahead of schedule

It said villagers were exiting the island on a range of locally-commissioned boats - from barges carrying hundreds of people to smaller ferries shipping dozens at a time.

'You have got a huge range of boats that are transferring 11,000 people from Ambae to the three surrounding islands. For a country this size it is a very big operation,' Red Cross spokesman Joe Cropp said.

'It was orderly. People realised that they need to leave, there is a lot of patience among the community.'

Most of the island's residents have been sheltering in evacuation centres since the volcano first sent up a plume of steam and ash about a week ago.

They are leaving from three coastal locations and the point on Ambae's western edge had already completed its evacuation on Monday.

The Red Cross is delivering water to the island after ash from the volcano contaminated fresh supplies.

Thermal image shows volcanic vents on the cone that has formed in Lake Vui on Ambae Island

While an orderly evacuation was still a priority for those remaining, attention was now turning to the strained resources at the islands to which people were being relocated, Cropp said.

The relocation facilities on surrounding islands are 'starting to handle' the situation, 'but we need to step up quickly, we need to get the resources in to provide the shelter, water, food and sanitation that people need,' he added.

An Australian naval ship is expected to arrive on Wednesday, while New Zealand has sent a Hercules C-130 to airlift supplies into the area.

Vanuatu lies on the Pacific 'Ring of Fire' where tectonic plates collide, causing frequent seismic and volcanic activity.
A report on the abandoned three-year search for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 said the continuing mystery over the fate of the plane and the 239 people on board is 'almost inconceivable.'

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau's final report on the search, which was abandoned in January, concedes that authorities are no closer to knowing the reasons for the plane's disappearance, or its exact location.

The Boeing 777 carrying 227 passengers and 12 crew disappeared soon into its flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on March 8, 2014.

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Mystery: A woman writes messages on a memorial wall of the 239 people still missing after flight MH370 disappeared in March 2014

The 1,046-day search - which included the largest aviation searches of their kind in history - was called off by the governments of Malaysia, China and Australia on January 17.

'The reasons for the loss of MH370 cannot be established with certainty until the aircraft is found,' the bureau, which coordinated the search, said in the 440-page report.

'It is almost inconceivable and certainly societally unacceptable in the modern aviation era with 10 million passengers boarding commercial aircraft every day, for a large commercial aircraft to be missing and for the world not to know with certainty what became of the aircraft and those on board,' it said.

'The ATSB expresses our deepest sympathies to the families of the passengers and crew on board MH370. We share your profound and prolonged grief, and deeply regret that we have not been able to locate the aircraft, nor those 239 souls on board that remain missing.'

Long search: A Royal Australian Air Force Flight Officer is seen using binoculars during the nearly three-year search for the missing plane

However, the report said the understanding of where the plane may be is 'better now than it has ever been,' partly as a result of studying debris that washed ashore in 2015 and 2016 which showed the plane was 'not configured for a ditching at the end-of-flight,' meaning it had run out of fuel.

The search team also looked back at satellite imagery which showed objects in the ocean that may have been MH370 debris.

The report said this analysis complemented work detailed in a 2016 review and identified an area of less than 9,650 square mile) - roughly the size of the U.S. state of Vermont - that 'has the highest likelihood of containing MH370.'

The bureau noted the Malaysian government is 'continuing work on their investigation of the facts and circumstances surrounding the loss of MH370.'

'Inconceivable': The 1,046-day search was called off by the governments of Malaysia, China and Australia on January 17 this year

The search was extremely difficult because no transmissions were received from the aircraft after its first 38 minutes of flight. Systems designed to automatically transmit the flight's position failed to work after this point, the report said.

Subsequent analysis of radar and satellite communication data revealed the aircraft had continued to fly for seven hours. Its last positively known position was fixed at the northern tip of Sumatra by surveillance systems operating that night, six hours before it ended its flight in the southern Indian Ocean.

The bureau said the search had at least led to some important gains in the field of locating missing aircraft on flights over deep ocean areas, with improvements made to systems for tracking aircraft.

'Steps are being taken to advance other aircraft systems including emergency locator transponders and flight recorder locator beacons,' the report said.

ATSB Chief Commissioner Greg Hood praised the commitment of everyone involved in the search.

'This was an unprecedented endeavor and there has been an extraordinary response from the global community,' he said in a statement.
A New Jersey man who police say punched another man several times during an argument about a stolen pork roll sandwich is facing charges.

Police say they were called to an apartment in Hackettstown, New Jersey, following reports of a fight over a stolen pork roll known as either a Taylor Ham Sandwich or Taylor Pork Roll.

Police found the victim with swelling on his face and it was determined that Christian Guerra, 19, had punched him several times.

Police say they were called to an apartment in Hackettstown, New Jersey,following reports of a fight over a stolen pork roll known (left and right)

They say the fight early Saturday morning may have also been about beer, and that the suspect and the victim knew each other.

Police arrested the 19-year-old Hackettstown man on simple assault charges.

It is unknown what became of the sandwich.

Police found the victim on the 100 block of Main Street (pictured) with swelling on his face and it was determined that Christian Guerra, 19, had punched him several times

Officially labeled a Taylor Pork Roll, the processed meat sandwich has been an argumentative topic in New Jersey.

In the north, the popular breakfast item is called Taylor ham but simply called pork rolls in the south.

It got so heated in 2016 that Gov. Chris Christie claimed to be considering issuing an executive order making 'Taylor ham' the sandwich's official name.
French police investigating a knife attack that left two young women dead in the southern port of Marseille have detained four suspected terrorists.

Suspected Islamist Ahmed Hanachi murdered cousins Mauranne and Laura, both 20, outside the city's main train station before being shot dead by soldiers.

Last night it emerged that he had been arrested seven times since 2005 - giving officers a fake identity on each occasion.

The four people arrested today are being held on suspicion of being associated with a terror group.

Interior Minister Gerard Collomb said Hanachi had Italian residency and a valid Tunisian passport.

The attacker was killed by soldiers after the stabbings which were claimed by the Islamic State group.

Hanachi had been detained for shoplifting and released the day before the attack - giving police a fake name as he had done on numerous encounters with officers in the past.

French authorities are studying the suspect's cellphone and working to determine whether he had direct links to ISIS, which claimed responsibility for Sunday's stabbing.

Tributes were paid to the young victims last night, with Marseille University, where Mauranne studied, describing her as a 'brilliant student'.

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Out of custody: The attacker (pictured lying dead after he was gunned down outside Saint Charles station, Marseille), was an illegal immigrant named as Ahmed Hanachi who had been arrested last week

Tragic: The two victims of the Marseille knife attack were identified by their first names as cousins and best friends Mauranne (left) and Laura (right), both 20

The suspect was identified by his fingerprints, which matched those taken during seven previous incidents registered by police since 2005, Paris Prosecutor Francois Molins told reporters.

The attacker didn't have any past convictions in France, Molins said. The man's most recent arrest occurred in the Lyon area on Friday - just two days before the train station stabbing.

The man was held overnight for shoplifting, then released on Saturday and the charges dropped, Molins said.

He added that local authorities had no reason to hold him further based on the ID he gave them - a Tunisian passport.

The attacker  who was a North African of either Algerian or Tunisian origin  was arrested in Lyon for shoplifting, but was released two days before the Marseille stabbings on Sunday

The assailant was gunned down by soldiers who were on patrol inside Saint Charles train station at the time as part of France's ongoing state of emergency

A body lies under a white sheet outside Marseille's main train station after a man with a butcher's knife attacked two women at the station

French Interior Minister Gerard Collomb, apparently not satisfied with the explanation, on Monday ordered a probe of the circumstances that led police to free the man, who attacked and killed the young women a day later. The report is due by end of the week, a ministry statement said.

While being held in Lyon, the man told police that he did odd jobs, used hard drugs and was divorced, according to Molins, the prosecutor.

It's not clear if the attacker had any connection to the victims - two cousins who had met for a birthday celebration.

Some witnesses reported hearing the assailant shout 'Allahu akbar!' - Arabic for 'God is great' - and Molins said that's one of the reasons prosecutors opened a terrorism investigation. But no firm evidence has surfaced linking the man to Islamic extremism.

Molins said video surveillance of the site showed the man sitting for a few minutes on a bench outside the station, before jumping up and stabbing one woman several times. He then ran away and returned to attack the second woman.

The assailant was shot dead by soldiers who were patrolling the station as part of France's state of emergency

The man shouted 'Allahu Akbar' as he murdered the 17-year-old student and 21-year-old nurse outside St-Charles station

Two women were stabbed to death and their assailant shot dead by soldiers in Marseille

French police search the body of the assailant shortly after he was gunned down outside the busy station

A woman passer-by tried to intervene, Molins said. The man then tried to attack soldiers patrolling the site, but they shot him dead with two bullets.

The suspect was found with two knives and a telephone, but no identity papers, according to Molins.

The man's multiple pseudonyms made it difficult to even find a house to search for more clues, said Yves Lefebvre of the Unite SGP Police union.

'While it could shock the public, unfortunately it doesn't shock us, the police' that the suspect was released the day before carrying out a deadly attack, he said. He said shoplifting usually results in a quick police report and a court summons, and the suspect is released.

'Nothing allowed us to suspect there was a threat of radicalization during the (Lyon) arrest,' Lefebvre told The Associated Press.

He said that while the man didn't provide a residency permit, jails and migrant retention centers are often overflowing, so authorities do not routinely lock up illegal immigrants suspected of minor crimes.

However, the interior minister demanded a report to 'shed full light' on the man, procedures followed and the decision not to expel him, the ministry statement said.

The ISIS-linked Aamaq news agency said that the assailant was acting in response to the extremist group's calls to target countries in the U.S.-led coalition fighting militants in Syria and Iraq.

France has been part of the anti-ISIS coalition since 2014. The Aamaq statement didn't provide details, and it's unclear if the claim is merely opportunistic.

TIMELINE OF TERROR: ATTACKS IN FRANCE SINCE 2012 March, 2012 - Mohamed Merah, an al Qaeda-inspired gunman, kills seven people in three separate shootings in Toulouse. Victims included three soldiers of North African origin, a rabbi and his two young children.

- Mohamed Merah, an al Qaeda-inspired gunman, kills seven people in three separate shootings in Toulouse. Victims included three soldiers of North African origin, a rabbi and his two young children. December, 2014 - A man shouting 'Allahu Akbar' (God is greatest) injures 13 by ramming a vehicle into a crowd in the eastern city of Dijon. Prime Minister Manuel Valls says France has 'never before faced such a high threat linked to terrorism'.

- A man shouting 'Allahu Akbar' (God is greatest) injures 13 by ramming a vehicle into a crowd in the eastern city of Dijon. Prime Minister Manuel Valls says France has 'never before faced such a high threat linked to terrorism'. January, 2015 - Two brothers kill 12 people inside the Paris offices of magazine Charlie Hebdo in a supposed retaliation for the publication's cartoons of Prophet Muhammad. More are killed subsequently in attacks on a kosher market in eastern Paris and on police. There are 17 victims in all, including two police officers. The attackers are killed.

- Two brothers kill 12 people inside the Paris offices of magazine Charlie Hebdo in a supposed retaliation for the publication's cartoons of Prophet Muhammad. More are killed subsequently in attacks on a kosher market in eastern Paris and on police. There are 17 victims in all, including two police officers. The attackers are killed. June, 2015 - Frenchman Yassin Salhi, 35, kills and beheads his boss and displays the severed head, surrounded by two Islamic flags, on the fence of a gas plant in Saint-Quentin-Fallavier in southeastern France. He tries to blow up the factory, but is arrested. He commits suicide in jail in December.

- Frenchman Yassin Salhi, 35, kills and beheads his boss and displays the severed head, surrounded by two Islamic flags, on the fence of a gas plant in Saint-Quentin-Fallavier in southeastern France. He tries to blow up the factory, but is arrested. He commits suicide in jail in December. November 2015 - ISIS militants kill 130 people in France's worst atrocity since World War II. A series of suicide bomb and shooting attacks are launched on crowded sites in central Paris, as well as the northern suburb of Saint-Denis. ISIS claim responsibility. It leads to the declaration of a state of emergency in France. Police powers are expanded.

- ISIS militants kill 130 people in France's worst atrocity since World War II. A series of suicide bomb and shooting attacks are launched on crowded sites in central Paris, as well as the northern suburb of Saint-Denis. ISIS claim responsibility. It leads to the declaration of a state of emergency in France. Police powers are expanded. January, 2016 - A man wielding a meat cleaver and carrying an ISIS emblem is shot dead as he tries to attack a police station in Paris. Convicted of theft in 2013, the man identified himself at the time as Moroccan-born Sallah Ali.

- A man wielding a meat cleaver and carrying an ISIS emblem is shot dead as he tries to attack a police station in Paris. Convicted of theft in 2013, the man identified himself at the time as Moroccan-born Sallah Ali. June, 2016 - Two French police officers are murdered in their home in front of their 3-year-old son. ISIS claims responsibility for the slaying, carried out by a jihadist with a prior terrorist conviction. He is killed at the scene.

- Two French police officers are murdered in their home in front of their 3-year-old son. ISIS claims responsibility for the slaying, carried out by a jihadist with a prior terrorist conviction. He is killed at the scene. July, 2016 - Amid Bastille Day celebrations in the Riviera city of Nice, a large truck is driven into a festive crowd. Some 86 people from a wide variety of countries are killed. The driver is shot dead. ISIS again claim responsibility for the attack. The state of emergency in France is extended.

- Amid Bastille Day celebrations in the Riviera city of Nice, a large truck is driven into a festive crowd. Some 86 people from a wide variety of countries are killed. The driver is shot dead. ISIS again claim responsibility for the attack. The state of emergency in France is extended. July, 2016 - Less than two weeks later, attackers slit the throat of a priest in a hostage-taking at his church in the Normandy town of Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray.

- Less than two weeks later, attackers slit the throat of a priest in a hostage-taking at his church in the Normandy town of Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray. February, 2017 - A man armed with a machete is shot five times outside the Louvre museum after attempting to storm the historic art gallery.

- A man armed with a machete is shot five times outside the Louvre museum after attempting to storm the historic art gallery. March, 2017 - Convicted criminal with links to radical Islam shouted 'I am here to die for Allah, there will be deaths' seconds before he was shot dead during an attack at Orly airport.

- Convicted criminal with links to radical Islam shouted 'I am here to die for Allah, there will be deaths' seconds before he was shot dead during an attack at Orly airport. June, 2017 - An Algerian man, 40, who had pledged allegiance to ISIS attacks a policeman with a hammer outside Notre Dame cathedral.

- An Algerian man, 40, who had pledged allegiance to ISIS attacks a policeman with a hammer outside Notre Dame cathedral. August, 2017 - A mentally ill 18-year-old is arrested at the Eiffel Tower after brandishing a knife and shouting 'Allahu Akbar' (God is Greatest). He later told investigators he wanted to kill a soldier.

- A mentally ill 18-year-old is arrested at the Eiffel Tower after brandishing a knife and shouting 'Allahu Akbar' (God is Greatest). He later told investigators he wanted to kill a soldier. September 2017 - French soldiers shot and a killed a man after he stabbed to death two women at Marseille's main train station. Advertisement

The small town of Eguilles in southern France held a memorial gathering Monday evening for the victims, a medical student from Eguilles, identified as 20-year-old Mauranne, and her cousin, Laura. Villagers gathered to sign a book of condolences. Officials have withheld the young women's last names.

Yvon Berland, the president of Marseille University where Mauranne studied, said she was a 'brilliant student', who would have enjoyed a 'superb professional future'.

Laura was in the second year of a course to qualify as a nurse in Lyon, and was also a scout leader, having joined the scout movement as a volunteer three years ago.

Marseille's Saint Charles station reopened Monday under heavy security. Last month, four American college students were attacked with acid at the same station by a woman authorities said was suffering from mental illness.
The Government and Britain's airline watchdog knew in August that Monarch was on the brink as it also emerged the vast majority of customers will not get an automatic refund.

The Luton-based airline imploded yesterday leaving 860,000 customers high and dry and prompting the UK's biggest peacetime repatriation.

Only around 43,000 people - five per cent of all victims - will definitely get their cash back under the government-backed Atol scheme that protects package holidays.

Everyone else will have to claim the money spent on flights back through credit card firms and banks - but travel insurers are unlikely to pay out.

There is also growing anger over how Monarch handled its collapse amid claims its customers and staff were left in the dark and told they were 'operating as normal' before hearing the bad news via text or email.

The CAA yesterday revealed that the airline had alerted it more than a month ago that it was in difficulty.

Monarch passengers queue for a repatriation flight out of Gran Canaria today - 12,000 of the 110,000 stranded are back so far

The Government and Britain's airline watchdog knew in August that Monarch was on the brink, it was revealed today (grounded planes pictured at Luton last night)

Passengers and Monarch staff arrived at airports yesterday to closed check-in desks and notes explaining the airline was bust

More than 110,000 people were stranded by Monarch's demise - these are the main destinations

Its chief executive, Andrew Haines, stressed that the CAA only had a 'clear indication' that Monarch was about to go into administration late on Saturday.

Customers are threatened with ARREST and eviction from hotels as Monarch leaves unpaid bills Mike Heald, pictured with his wife Kerry, daughter Ashleyne and father-in-law Les in Lanzarote Monarch customers have been threatened with arrest or eviction from their foreign hotels over the airline's unpaid bills, MailOnline can reveal today. Several package holidaymakers who gave the collapsed airline up to 3,300 several months ago have been told they must pay again because it wasn't passed on. He told MailOnline: 'We haven't heard anything at all from Monarch but saw on the news it had gone bust. 'I went to reception to check about transfer or taxi to the airport tomorrow and it became clear that Monarch had not paid the hotel the 3,300 we paid them in advance three or four months ago. 'We were told that if we left without paying we would be arrested. The British consulate have advised that we should just pay. I tried the CAA website but it kept failing. 'We'll need to borrow the money from home. I'm massively p***** off but if there if is a choice between going to a cell or being with my wife and daughter then I'll find the money'. Jessica Day's mother and father were threatened with the street over an unpaid Monarch bill in the Balearics. She told MailOnline: 'My parents are currently in Menorca at the Princess Playa Menorca and have just been told they will be getting thrown out of the hotel along with other guests if they don't pay as Monarch have not paid the bill. 'This is crazy, they are a couple in their 60's enjoying a holiday before my father has a hip replacement and potentially will be on the streets in a foreign country'. Advertisement

But customers revealed they were still able to book seats in the minutes before it went into administration on Monday morning.

And many were left heartbroken as their flights from the UK and Europe were cancelled - sometimes just minutes before boarding.

MailOnline also revealed that some customers abroad were threatened with arrest or eviction from hotels because Monarch had failed to pass on thousands in cash from their pre-paid holidays.

Tearful Monarch staff were told by email or learned they had lost their jobs after hearing it on the news or when they arrived for work.

It also emerged that the former boss of Monarch, Andrew Swaffield, set up a business consultancy firm on Friday as the airline battled for survival.

The former Monarch boss told MailOnline that he wished to apologise to Monarch customers and staff.

The most important thing for me to add is to say how sorry I am that the company has had to enter administration and that so many customers have been inconvenienced and that so many jobs have been lost, he said.

Todays been a heartbreaking day.

He added that the decline of the airline was triggered by terror attacks in Monarchs destinations, but the coup de grace was the Brexit referendum and the fact that it put our costs up by 40million because the pound collapsed.

Yesterday, Monarch bosses were accused of picking the pockets of consumers because they launched a new sale on Friday despite being about to go bust.

Swaffield refused to accept this, telling MailOnline that the sale was just business as usual.

Thats a constant process, its going on the time, he said. Thats business as usual, its not a [special] sale on Friday. I can absolutely refute that management was aware of a [special] sale on Friday. Thats simply not the case.

Last night, MailOnline disclosed that Swaffield sent an upbeat email to staff just a week before the airline collapsed.

In it, he criticised Ryanair boss Michael OLeary  who had said that Monarch would not survive the winter  as irresponsible and unhelpful, urging Monarch staff to ignore him. Seven days later, the company folded.

Swaffield defended the email to MailOnline, insisting that he still thought that Monarch could still be saved when he sent the email.

I had to try to ensure that we could, you know, keep people calm and confident, he said. Monarch was on a restructuring journey.

We were pursuing multiple options, including the sale of the entire company, including the sale of assets and including other strategic options. Unfortunately, we reached the end of the runway.

[But] on Friday we did think it was saveable. We didnt reach the decision until over the weekend.

He added: The directors responsibility is to ensure that we have a reasonable prospect of avoiding an insolvent liquidation. We continued to have that prospect right up until the weekend.

Monarch informed most customer of its demise by text or email - but many also claim they have yet to hear from them

Monarch passengers arrive in Birmingham Airport last night after flying back via a repatriation flight. 12,000 came back the UK yesterday

The company, which officially went bust at 4am yesterday, launched a major sales push in a bid to stave off collapse. This continued as it teetered on the brink.

Will I get my money back if I bought a Monarch flight or holiday? Monarch has gone bust - what happens to customers abroad? If they are on a package holiday, they are Atol-protected and will be flown home for free. If they are on flight-only bookings, they may not be covered but the Civil Aviation Authority is organising some rescue flights. ... and bookings for future holidays? Package holiday customers will get their money back  but with no guarantee of being able to rebook the same holiday with another firm. What about Monarch flight-only bookings? Flights alone are not covered by the Atol scheme. Insurance is unlikely to cover airline failure either. If the flights cost over 100 and were booked with a credit card, they are covered under the Consumer Credit Act  meaning a refund. Advertisement

One promotional offer by the company  seen by the Daily Mail  was sent to thousands via text message and email on Friday.

It stated: 'Hooray for payday! Find the feeling with 1000s of seats at 30 to Spain and Portugal.'

Similar emails and text messages were sent to those on Monarch's mailing list in the preceding weeks as the airline fought for survival.

Another  titled 'Escape to Sunny Tenerife'  advertised tickets to the popular holiday destination for 39. Monarch finally quadrupled the price of flights on Sunday to stop more people buying them.

The cynical sales offensive came despite the fact that Monarch's owners Greybull Capital had already appointed KPMG to explore options for the airline, including selling it off or putting it into administration.

Consumer experts expressed disbelief that Monarch went to such lengths to push its flights despite knowing it could collapse.

Guy Anker, managing editor of website Moneysavingexpert, said: 'If Monarch was trying to flog thousands of seats when it knew its future was in the balance, those who paid in good faith will understandably be utterly furious.'

Some 110,000 customers overseas are being flown home after the firm became the largest airline ever in the UK to plunge into administration. 12,000 were flown back to the UK in the past 24 hours and the rescue operation will take two weeks.

A further three quarters of a million held future bookings with the firm and many now face a nail-biting wait to discover if they will be left out of pocket.

Last night it emerged that Monarch, the UK's fifth biggest airline, bombarded passengers with adverts for cheap flights shortly before calling in the administrators.

To prevent passengers being stranded abroad, the CAA has organised flights to repatriate 110,000 people currently abroad over the next two weeks. So far 55,793 have notified the Civil Aviation Authority that they are stranded overseas.

Chartering 34 planes, borrowed from rival airlines such as Qatar Airlines and EasyJet, will cost the taxpayer 60million.

Around 700 flights will operate over the next two weeks, but Monarch customers who are abroad after that will have to pay for their own flights. The biggest numbers will be through Spanish airports.

A tearful Monarch worker hugs a security guard at the Luton headquarters yesterday after clearing her desk. 2,100 staff have lost their jobs and left with their belongings today

The Department for Transport said that by 9pm last night 6,125 passengers had been repatriated on 35 flights. Another 31 late night flights were scheduled to carry a further 5,718.

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said: 'This is a distressing situation for British holidaymakers abroad  and my first priority is to help them get back to the UK.

'That is why I have ordered the country's biggest ever peacetime repatriation to fly 110,000 passengers who could otherwise have been stranded abroad.'

The Government said it plans to recoup much of the money spent on the repatriation by securing refunds from card providers.

The CAA estimated that only half of the 860,000 Monarch passengers affected have ATOL protection, meaning many could be left out of pocket.

Monarch passengers arriving at airports across the UK for early morning flights yesterday said they were greeted with the news of the collapse when they reached the terminal or queued to check in.

Edinburgh-based IT worker Alan Cooper was due to fly from Manchester to Lanzarote with Monarch on Thursday. The 37-year-old held eight tickets for his family, his wife's sister and her family.

Andrew Swaffield, former CEO Monarch Airlines, apologised again today and told MailOnline that decisions made before the collapse were 'in the interest of the highest number of consumers'

He said he had to dig deep for replacement flights but as he used a credit card to make his original booking he expects to be given a full refund.

'We're booked up to fly the same dates from the same airport, for roughly same we paid Monarch, and should get credit card refund on the Monarch flights,' he said.

Administrators confirmed last night that 1,858 Monarch staff have been made redundant, with the remaining 250 staying on to help repatriate customers and wind down the company.

Mr Grayling has urged airlines to keep their prices 'reasonable' amid claims they have inflated prices to cash in on Monarch's demise.

Mr Swaffield said the 'root cause' of the fall in Monarch's revenue was terror attacks in Egypt and Tunisia, and the 'decimation' of the Turkish tourist industry. It has since lost out in a price war for Mediterranean tourist hotspots with rivals such as EasyJet and Ryanair.

Monarch could not be reached for comment. Greybull said the decision to promote cheap flights was a matter for Monarch.

Monarch crisis: What to do now What to do if you are one of the 110,000 Monarch customers overseas or one of the 300,000 with future bookings cancelled. Monarch passengers abroad: What should I do now? The Government has told Monarch customers to continue their holidays as planned and is organising special flights back for passengers who are affected at no cost to them. At least 48 hours before you are due to return home you should visit the dedicated website monarch.caa.co.uk, call the helpline on 0300 303 2800 if calling from the UK or +44 1753 330330 if calling from overseas to confirm your new flight details. Repatriation flights are for all passengers who purchased tickets with Monarch irrespective of their nationality. When will I be able to fly? You should expect to be flown as close as possible to your planned departure dates, no earlier, and prepare for disruption to journeys. Some passengers may need to speak with their accommodation provider in case they need to extend their stay. When should I go to the airport? You should arrive at the airport more than three hours before your confirmed new flight as they will not be able to take earlier services. Foreign Office staff will be available at affected airports to help any vulnerable British citizens with specific needs. Any Britons requiring additional consular support should visit gov.uk/world. Can I check in online? There will be no online check-in. You will be issued with a new flight and new boarding card and will not be able to check in with your old flight details. Will I have to pay for the flight? Once on board the plane, you will be asked to provide details of your original Monarch booking. If you are not Atol (Air Travel Organiser's Licence) protected, this will allow the Government to claim the cost of their replacement flight directly from your credit or debit card company. You will not be asked to pay for your flight yourself. Do I have to pay for extra accommodation costs? Passengers with Atol protection are entitled to reasonable accommodation and subsistence costs if they are delayed by more than four hours. Those without Atol protection may be able to claim from credit card providers or insurers. Further information will be made available via the website. The CAA will process your refund as quickly as possible - check the dedicated website for more information. How do I know if I am Atol protected? Check if you have received an Atol certificate, or check with your travel agent. Will I be flown back to my departure airport? You may be flown back to different UK airports, with coaches available to take you to your destination airport. Monarch customers yet to travel: Check the dedicated website or contact your travel agent if you booked with one. They will be able to advise on whether you can change your holiday booking or are entitled to a refund or compensation. If you are not covered by the Atol scheme, you should also contact your credit card company or travel insurer. Advertisement

Have a good week everyone! Monarch chief sent upbeat email telling staff to ignore speculation over airline's future just SEVEN DAYS before it went bust leaving them all without jobs

The Monarch Airlines chief executive sent an upbeat email telling staff to 'have a good week!' just seven days before it went bust, MailOnline can reveal.

Andrew Swaffield told staff to and ignore speculation over airline's future as it nosedived towards administration.

But just a week later Monarch collapsed leaving them all without jobs and 110,000 passengers stranded abroad.

In his email, airline boss Swaffield criticised Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary's remarks about Monarch's future.

Driven: Andrew Swaffield, who was brought in to help rescue Monarch, describes himself as 'passionate' about polo and said it consumes him at weekends

'Michael O'Leary's recent press statement that Monarch would not survive the winter has caused much consternation, not least amongst our employees judging by the number of you that have written to me about it.

'He is clearly trying to manage a crisis of his own making with his pilot shortage and his aggressive attack is irresponsible and unhelpful.

'Again, my advice is to ignore him.

'I realise that speculation and rumour is stressful for you. I cannot stop stories appearing in the media, but I will try to keep you up to date as much as I can.

']These are challenging times, but the best way you can help is  as always  to continue to look after our customers day in day out, to do your job to the best of your abilities and do not believe everything you read in the press.'

He signed off with: 'Have a good week everyone wherever you are based.'

Meanwhile MailOnline can reveal Swaffield splashed out tens of thousands of pounds a year on a private polo team while the business collapsed.

The aviation chief plays for his hugely successful Alcedo team which was in action just weeks before Monarch went bust.

Experts believe the 50-year-old spends at least 60,000 per season on top flight players and horses. His best player, James Harper, 37, a household name in the polo world, is said to command fees of about 3,000 per game.

Two Monarch staff sob at its Luton headquarters as more than 2,100 people lost their jobs today

Polo player: Andrew Swaffield taught himself to play polo and now runs the hugely successful Alcedo team, which won at least two trophies this summer

Unlike Monarch, Alcedo enjoyed an 'outstanding season' this year, according to the prestigious Cowdray Park Polo Club, the 'home of polo' where Princes Charles, William and Harry have also played.

Reflecting the investment into the team, Mr Swaffield's Alcedo won the prestigious Benson Cup at Cowdray Park in July.

The Monarch boss has previously told how he is 'consumed' by polo after teaching himself the sport later in life.

The youngest of four siblings growing up on a council estate in Bournemouth, Swaffield developed an early interest in horses. 'I was always interested in horses but we couldn't afford it,' he told the Daily Mail. 'So I got a book about them instead.'

As he rose within the aviation industry, his wealth grew and allowed him to realise his childhood dream in style.

'That's been my passion and that consumes me now at weekends,' he said.

He is thought to own four horses, each of which is estimated to cost between 15,000 and 30,000. A polo associate compared his horses to 'the equivalent of a fleet of BMW Three Series'.

'The more money you spend, the better the team performs,' a source said.

'He plays at the top end of the sport, using the best horses, the best players and the best fields,' they added.

'It's a level at which only the wealthiest people can compete. It must cost him at least 60,000 a season, probably several times that sum.'

Alcedo played competitively as recently as 2nd September, in the semi-finals of the 2017 Six-Goal West Sussex Cup. A report of the team's victory in the Benson Cup in July concluded: 'Another Sunday and another trophy for a delighted Andrew Swaffield.'

In 2015, Swaffield was listed on the Financial Times / OUTstanding list of the most powerful LGBT executives in the world.

Today, at his smart 600,000 bungalow in West Sussex, his partner William Low said: 'I'm afraid he's not here. He's busy.'

Asked whether he was dealing with the fall-out from the airline going into administration Low said: 'He's not going to be here all day or this evening.'

The house, which the Monarch boss shares with his partner, has also recently been sold and has a 'Sale Agreed' at its entrance. There was also a blue Mercedes car parked on the drive.

A neighbour said: 'I should imagine Andrew is going to be very, very busy. We didn't see him all weekend so I presume he was in negotiations and talks with the Civil Aviation Authority.

'It's shame, but Andrew is a really nice guy. I'm pretty sure he tried everything to save the company.'
Piers Morgan became embroiled in a furious debate with a pro-gun campaigner live on television this morning.

The Good Morning Britain host lost his temper as he debated America's laws with pro-gun campaigner Dan Roberts.

Mr Morgan said he could not 'debate it civilly because it enrages him too much' following the massacre in Las Vegas yesterday which saw some 58 people slaughtered by a crazed gunman who then committed suicide.

Piers Morgan was left furious during a debate on America's gun laws

Roberts laughed when Piers Morgan produced a Kinder Surprise egg - to which the host retorted: 'Don't laugh - it's not funny, 600 people got shot'

Stephen Paddock murdered dozens of innocent people as they enjoyed the Route 91 Harvest country music festival.

Paddock was able to legally buy a lethal arsenal of military-grade weapons with no background check from a private seller before carrying out the worst mass shooting in America's history.

Piers and Susanna said most people in the UK would be 'aghast' if there was no change in the law in the wake of the atrocity.

However Dan Roberts - a member of the National Rifle Association  said gun control supporters needed to 'stop lying to people'.

Piers, who has long called for a change to America's gun laws, produced two Kinder Surprise eggs and revealed they were banned in the USA because the toys inside were deemed hazardous to children.

When Roberts laughed, Piers snapped: 'Don't laugh - it's not funny, 600 people got shot!'

Piers said to Roberts: 'I need you to explain why, after nearly 600 people are shot - of whom 58 are already dead - by a guy with no criminal record, apparently perfectly normal until he did this, who it appears legally acquired 42 guns - why this would not just automatically lead to new gun control measures, and why you would oppose that?'

Speaking from North Carolina, Roberts replied: 'It's a very complex and complicated answer. I hear all the time from gun control supporters they want to have a conversation.

'There's not going to be a conversation until gun control supporters stop lying to people or misrepresenting the facts.'

Dan Roberts laughed during his appearance on the show, arguing the case for guns to be legal in America

Mr Morgan said he could not 'debate it civilly because it enrages him too much'

Piers fired back: 'You are distracting from what I asked. I'm not in the mood for you to do your distraction techniques. What can possibly justify anyone being able to buy 42 high powered weapons. How can you justify that?'

But when Roberts claimed there was 'nothing exceptionally high powered' about the weapons used, Piers responded: 'The man just shot 600 people - of course they're high powered! We heard them firing! You're talking complete and utter nonsense.'

Roberts said: 'The facts are, the AR-15 is the least powerful semi-fire rifle in the US, period.'

Piers said: 'Then there is an even bigger problem, isn't there? If the semi-automatic AR-15 this guy used to shoot 600 people in a few minutes is the least high powered gun in America then the problem has become even bigger than we think.'

Speaking live from America, Mr Roberts said he was vehemently against a change in the law

Piers said: 'If the semi-automatic AR-15 this guy used to shoot 600 people in a few minutes is the least high powered gun in America then the problem is even bigger than we think'

Piers added: 'I simply say to you; time after time after these massacres, you come on the programme and you look us in the eye and say the only answer is to do nothing, it's not the guns it's the people.

'Because of your insane gun laws he can arm himself with 42 weapons and unload six hundred bullets which hit Americans and people travelling from around the world, leaving 59 people dead.

'How can any of this make sense? What are you going to do about this?'

Roberts replied: 'We're not going to do anything, hopefully. I don't believe in restricting the rights of hundreds of millions people because of the acts of a madman.'
Angry crowds have chased riot officers out of Catalan towns in protest against police brutality during Sunday's independence referendum.

Dramatic footage shows thousands of people marching down streets as patrol cars retreat from Mont-roig del Camp, south west of Barcelona.

Crowds were heard shouting 'Get out, get out!' and 'Shame, shame!' as police backed off, seemingly not willing to engage in a fight. Similar incidents took place in the city of Sabadell, in the town of Alcarras, and in Sant Joan Despi.

Riot police were accused of brutality with nearly 900 reported injured as officers ran baton charges and fired rubber bullets during the banned vote on Sunday.

Today, Spain's interior minister Juan Ignacio Zoido accused the Catalan government of 'inciting rebellion' and threatened to take 'all measures necessary' to stop the 'harassment' of officers.

Meanwhile, some 300,000 people shouting 'occupation forces out' and 'the streets will always be ours' gathered in Barcelona today as protests over Sunday's violence gathered pace.

Angry crowds have chased riot officers out of Catalan towns in protest against police brutality during Sunday's independence referendum

Dramatic footage shows thousands of people marching down streets as patrol cars retreat from Mont-roig del Camp, south west of Barcelona

Crowds were heard shouting 'Get out, get out!' and 'Shame, shame!' as police backed off, seemingly not willing to engage in a fight

Riot police were accused of brutality with nearly 900 reported injured as officers ran baton charges and fired rubber bullets during the banned vote on Sunday. This was the scene as police were confronted by crowds in a Catalan town today

Columns of people converged on the city centre as the region went on general strike, a police helicopter flying overhead, drawing angry whistles as Catalans reel from the unrest that marred parts of the Spanish region on Sunday.

In other towns hundreds of police officers have been kicked out of hotels after some used batons to attack protesters demonstrating about brutal tactics used during Sunday's referendum.

The owner of the three-star Hotel Vila in the seaside resort of Calella just north of Barcelona confirmed today he had asked around 100 Civil Guards staying at the establishment to leave.

David Coll said he had taken his decision after confrontations between officers and locals in the early hours of yesterday morning.

Hundreds of police officers have been kicked out of Catalonia hotels after some used batons to attack protesters demonstrating about brutal tactics used during Sunday's referendum vote. Police are pictured at a separate hotel in Pineda de Mar north of Barcelona as a protest was taking place outside

Noisy protests have taken place outside other establishments police were staying at including in the Catalan city of Lleida and towns of Reus and Pineda de Mar (pictured in the early hours of this morning)

Civil Guards sleeping at the hotel ended up using batons to try to disperse crowds who had gathered outside to shout insults after the police brutality witnessed at several polling stations during Sunday's illegal Catalan independence referendum.

A lawyer acting for the officers has pledged legal action against the hotel owner and local council he claimed had pressured him into serving the expulsion order, a claim town hall chiefs have angrily denied.

Around 300 more officers staying in two others hotels in the seaside town are also said to have been asked to leave, with noisy protests outside other establishments police were staying at being reported in the Catalan city of Lleida and towns of Reus and Pineda de Mar.

National Police officers gesture as they arrive at their hotel while people protest outside in Pineda de Mar north of Barcelona, this morning

It was not immediately clear where the police and Civil Guards staying at the hotels would be housed, although one of three ferries in the ports of Tarragona and Barcelona where nearly 3,000 anti-riot police are staying has been put forward as an option. Police are pictured carrying cheering and waving Spanish flags at a hotel in Pineda de Mar this morning

Regional Mossos d'Esquadra officers, filmed in angry confrontations with Civil Guards outside a polling station on Sunday over their response to citizens trying to cast their vote, were brought in to try to restore order.

Police have claimed on social media that waiters at some of the hotels they were staying at called in sick after being pressured to skip work, prompting staff shortages.

They also said some distributors had cut food supplies to the hotels 'off their own backs or because they were being pressured.'

One message, said to be circulating on a closed police WhatsApp group but flagged up by several Spanish newspapers, said: 'The director of the hotel I was staying at received several calls, one of them saying that they were going to burn it down, others threatening to kill his parents and reminding him that he had young children.'

A strike has been called in Catalonia today in response to Sunday's police violence by new group La Taula per la Democracia, Catalan for 'Table for Democracy'

It was not immediately clear where the police and Civil Guards staying at the hotels would be housed, although one of three ferries in the ports of Tarragona and Barcelona where nearly 3,000 anti-riot police are staying has been put forward as an option.

A strike has been called in Catalonia today in response to Sunday's police violence by new group La Taula per la Democracia, Catalan for 'Table for Democracy.'

The organisation, which includes unions and the pro-independence Catalan National Assembly movement, has been called a 'nation's stoppage.'

The strike is expected to impact on public transport as well as other services including health centres and supermarkets, with one major food store announcing it will close its doors between 2pm and 4pm for those workers who want to take part in the stoppage.

The Catalan government has promised employees it will not dock their wages if they join the strike.
Security officials will consider using facial recognition to catch terror suspects at Australian airport terminals.

State and territory leaders will meet in Canberra on Thursday for a special terrorism focused meeting, Sky News reported.

The Council of Australian Governments meeting will discuss sharing information about terror suspects between police forces, including images of terror suspects' faces.

Security officials will consider using facial recognition to catch terror suspects at Australian airport terminals (Sydney Airport pictured)

The recognition cameras would be able to scan crowds looking for terror suspects across the country.

The Federal Government previously committed to spending $122 million to install the facial recognition technology.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said the technology had the ability to 'further harmonise and advance our response to the threat of terrorism'.

Justice Minister Michael Keenan said there were 'plenty of databases' owned by the commonwealth and state governments that had the ability to recognise people's faces.

Mr Keenan said there were still limitations with the databases.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said the technology had the ability to 'further harmonise and advance our response to the threat of terrorism'

Police help to screen passengers at Sydney Airport this year following a foiled Islamist-inspired 'terrorist plot'

'At the moment we've got very archaic ways of our law enforcement from accessing that data,' he said.

'I think it's pretty basic that state, territory and commonwealth police have access to appropriate information.'

Former foreign minister Bob Carr said he expected the idea to have full support at the Council of Australian Governments meeting this week.

'Facial recognition technology is something that has been explored for decades, I think it provides some very reassuring possibilities,' he told the publication.

Justice Minister Michael Keenan (pictured) said there were 'plenty of databases' owned by the commonwealth and state governments that had the ability to recognise people's faces

While facial recognition was a step forward, airport technology has been the cause of chaos at Australian airports in recent weeks.

Thousands of passengers were left stranded as recently as Thursday when boarding systems failed at all major east coast airports.

Sydney Airport was described as a 'disaster zone' last Monday, as thousands of travellers were stuck at airports across Australia on the first day of school holidays.

Sydney Aircraft control systems went down just after 5am on Monday September 25, preventing all flights from leaving the domestic and international airports.
A man has been sentenced to 17 years in prison trying to bring $20 million worth of methamphetamine into New Zealand.

Jim Kupec, a 42-year-old man from the Czech Republic, was caught at Auckland Airport with 20kg of meth according to Stuff. The drugs had a street value of $20 million.

He was sentenced to 17 years behind bars at the Manukau District Court on Tuesday.

Jim Kupec was caught at Auckland Airport with $20 million worth of methamphetamine

After searching through their luggage, customs officers found the large quantity of meth hidden under fake linings in suitcases

He arrived in Auckland from Bangkok with his 69-year-old mother in May last year.

He was questioned by customs officers and was profiled as being high-risk.

After searching through their luggage, customs officers found the large quantity of meth hidden under fake linings in suitcases.

His mother was arrested but the charges were dropped once it was established she did not know about the plan to smuggle the drugs.

She was deported from New Zealand not long after.

Customs investigations manager Bruce Berry said the passenger tried to disguise himself as a legitimate traveller.
An ally of Angela Merkel today demanded Theresa May sacks Boris Johnson to help break the deadlock in the Brexit talks.

Manfred Weber, leader of the centre-right EPP grouping and a key ally of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, said the Foreign Secretary was stopping Britain adopting a 'clear' position.

Mr Weber's demand came as the European Parliament overwhelmingly backed a motion opposing the start of EU-UK trade talks later this month.

Brussels wants Britain to offer more cash to settle the divorce, above the 40billion on the table to complete the current EU budget to 2020.

At the start of today's debate, EU chief Jean-Claude Juncker today warned Theresa May her Florence speech was welcome but was not a negotiating position.

The EU Commission President warned the PM she could not hope to break the Brexit deadlock by going over the head of his negotiator, Michel Barnier.

Ex-Ukip leader Nigel Farage intervened on the debate to slam Mrs May's weak negotiating tactics and accused Brussels of treating the UK like a 'hostage'.

Manfred Weber (pictured in the EU Parliament today), a key ally of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, said the Foreign Secretary was stopping Britain adopting a 'clear' position

EU chief Jean-Claude Juncker (pictured today in the European Parliament) today warned Theresa May her Florence speech was welcome but was not a negotiating position

The European Parliament (pictured today meeting in Strasbourg) is preparing to vote on a motion opposing the start of EU-UK trade talks later this month

Mr Weber told the debate: 'By reading Johnson's attacks against his own Prime Minister, he shows the British Government is trapped by their own party quarrels and political contradictions,' he said.

'Please sack Johnson because we need a clear answer who is responsible for the British position.'

MEPs - as expected - supported the motion declaring the negotiations had not made sufficient progress to begin trade talks by 557 votes to 92, with 29 abstentions.

Brussels is thought likely to demand a higher financial settlement than the 40billion Mrs May suggested she was prepared to agree in her Florence speech.

Mr Barnier and Brexit Secretary David Davis completed the fourth round of Brexit talks in Brussels last week with little sign of concrete progress.

EU leaders will gather for a crunch summit later this month but Government hopes for a triggering of trade talks are low amid the stalemate.

Mr Juncker told MEPs he felt Mrs May's speech in Florence 'struck an optimistic tone' and was 'conciliatory'.

Revealing a significant gap between the Brussels and London position, Mr Juncker declared guaranteeing a role for the EU's Court of Justice - which he calls 'indispensable' - still needs to be agreed.

Mrs May has ruled out ever allowing the EU Court of Justice a direct influence on EU rules.

Mr Juncker updated the European Parliament (pictured) on the state of the Brexit talks amid suspicion in Brussels Mrs May hopes EU leaders will step in to overrule officials.

EU negotiator Michel Barnier (pictured during today's debate) is set to reject Britain's call for trade talks to be triggered at an EU summit later this month

Signalling trade talks should not begin, Mr Juncker said: 'Work still remains to be done. We have not yet made the sufficient progress needed.

FARAGE ACCUSES EU OF TREATING THE UK LIKE A 'HOSTAGE' Nigel Farage today accused Brussels of treating the UK like a 'hostage' in the Brexit talks. The former Ukip leader slammed Theresa May's 'pitiful' Florence speech making offers to the European Union to unlock exit talks amounted to 'appeasing' a 'bully'. The MEP also condemned the EU for holding Britain 'hostage' in the negotiations because it will not discuss a trade deal even if the Government meets its demands on so-called 'withdrawal issues' of a financial settlement, citizens' rights and the Irish border. Mr Farage spoke in a European Parliament plenary debate in Strasbourg in which MEPs are expected to back a motion stating that the required 'sufficient progress' has not been made on the withdrawal issues for trade talks to begin. 'Through this negotiating process I'm afraid from the start you've treated us as if we're some kind of hostage, that unless we pay a ransom, unless we meet all of your demands, all of your demands, then you won't even have an intelligent conversation with us about trade heading on from here,' he said. Advertisement

'Negotiators made good progress on citizens rights but the indispensable role of the ECJ in guaranteeing those rights still needs to be agreed.

'I'm pleased PM May and her team recognises the UK has financial obligations it must respect. The devil will as always be in the detail but the taxpayers of the EU27 should not pay for the British decision.

'For those that think that the UK should just go over Michel Barnier's head I remind them that the Commission has been appointed by the 27 member states and my choice of Michel Barnier has been welcomed by then he acts on their behalf on clear negotiating mandates.

'Until now I can't say that we are ready to enter the second phase of the negotiations.'

Mr Barnier said Mrs May had given the EU 'some openings' in her Florence speech but called for a reflection of these in 'specific proposals'.

'To assess the state of the play objectively, there are still serious divergences, especially on the financial settlement,' he warned.

The Commission's chief negotiator suggested Mrs May's offer to fulfil Britain's EU budget commitments up to 2020 did not go far enough.

He was applauded by MEPs as he said: 'We will never accept for the 27 to pay what was decided on by 28, it's as simple as that.

'The taxpayers of the 27 don't have to pay for the consequences of the decision that they didn't take.

'So, no more, no less.'

Theresa May (pictured at the Tory conference in Manchester early this morning) is calling on EU leaders to step in and tell the Commission trade talks must begin

As the debate among MEPs continued, Guy Verhofstadt, the European Parliament's co-ordinator on Brexit, said the negotiations were being hampered by divisions among senior British ministers.

'There is a lack of clarity, there is even disunity. There are oppositions between Hammond and Fox. There are divisions between Johnson and May,' he said.

'It is difficult to make sufficient progress. It is difficult to make the steps towards the second phase of the negotiations.'

Ex Ukip leader Mr Farage claimed Tory MPs are telling him in private that Mrs May is a 'waste of space' because she is not prepared to walk away from Brexit negotiations without a deal.

The former Ukip leader said the Prime Minister is 'not worldly enough' to realise that her 'pitiful' Florence speech making offers to the European Union to unlock exit talks amounted to 'appeasing' a 'bully'.

Ex-Ukip leader Nigel Farage (pictured during today's debate) intervened on the debate to slam Mrs May's weak negotiating tactics and accused Brussels of treating the UK like a 'hostage'

The MEP also condemned the EU for holding Britain 'hostage' in the negotiations because it will not discuss a trade deal even if the Government meets its demands on so-called 'withdrawal issues' of a financial settlement, citizens' rights and the Irish border.

Mr Farage spoke in a European Parliament plenary debate in Strasbourg in which MEPs are expected to back a motion stating that the required 'sufficient progress' has not been made on the withdrawal issues for trade talks to begin.

'Through this negotiating process I'm afraid from the start you've treated us as if we're some kind of hostage, that unless we pay a ransom, unless we meet all of your demands, all of your demands, then you won't even have an intelligent conversation with us about trade heading on from here,' he said.

'There are no guarantees that whatever Mrs May says or does that you will ever, even when we have met your demands, that you will ever come to us and want to have a sensible trade agreement.

'And I have to say, that it is sad, in fact it was pitiful, to see the British Prime Minister in Florence - I've heard you saying that she's being conciliatory, that she's being grown up, people are happy with what she said.

'Actually Mrs May, I'm sad to say, isn't worldly enough to recognise that when you face up to a bully the one thing that you do not do is try to appease them.'
News / National

by Staff reporter

MDC-T leader, Morgan Tsvangirai was released from hospital on Sunday and is expected in the country soon amid mounting calls for him to step down on health grounds, as well as reports that his family is "seriously" considering his future in politics.Tsvangirai, who last year disclosed he was suffering from cancer of the colon, was last month airlifted to a top South African health facility after his health had deteriorated while attending an MDC Alliance meeting in Kadoma."Zimbabwean opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has been discharged from hospital."Tsvangirai, leader of the Movement for Democratic Change, spent nearly two weeks in a Johannesburg hospital," television news channel, eNCA reported.This is despite earlier claims that the MDC-T leader had been admitted for "routine medical check-ups".Tsvangirai's spokesperson, Luke Tamborinyoka was not available for comment, but party deputy president, Elias Mudzuri said his boss needed a rest."He is coming, but not today and not tomorrow."We will advise you when he is coming. I talked to him today and he is fine. He is out of danger and out of hospital," Mudzuri said.MDC-T sources said the former Prime Minister was expected later this week."He is expected this week, but there is growing concern on whether he will be able to carry on, giventhe stress associated with an election campaign," a source said."His family is seriously considering persuading him into retirement. It's not easy but they are weighing the options."Another source claimed Tsvangirai's family was being "pushed" by party hawks angling to succeed him."It's not the family per se, but other senior leaders, who think it would be dangerous for them to confront Tsvangirai and tell him to step down."They are now coaxing the family to prevail on Tsvangirai to step down," the source said.MDC-T vice-president, Thokozani Khupe and others were reportedly jostling to succeed the former trade unionist.MDC-T spokesperson, Obert Gutu described party members calling for Tsvangirai to step down as "saboteurs"."The MDC has one leader and that is Morgan Tsvangirai, he will be our presidential candidate next year."Anybody dreaming otherwise is as good as whistling in a graveyard. Their day of reckoning is coming," he said.
President Donald Trump pushed back against critics of his administration's response to disaster that Hurricane Maria wrought on Puerto Rico by giving himself an 'A plus' grade.

The president issued his self-evaluation shortly before boarding Marine One en route to an island almost entirely without power that is enduring food shortages, fuel problems, a lack of clean water, and critics say an insufficient presence of troops and responders.

'In Texas and Florida we get an A-plus,' Trump told reporters. 'And I'll tell you what, I think we've done just as good in Puerto Rico and it's actually a much tougher situation.

GRADE INFLATION?: President Donald Trump gave himself an 'A plus' on hurricane response as he heads to storm-ravaged Puerto Rico

The president declined to criticize the mayor of Puerto Rico, after dinging her with a series of tweets over the weekend following her call for a more robust response.

'Well I think she's come back a long way,' Trump said, in apparent reference to San Juna Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz.

'I think it's now acknowledged what a great job we've done, and people are looking at that,' the president said.

Trump also took a shot at Puerto Rican truck drivers who are needed to move supplies out of the ports. 'We need their truck drivers to start driving trucks,' Trump said. 'On a local level they have to give us more help.'

But he continued to heap praise on first responders and on FEMA. 'I will tell you, the first responders, the military, FEMA, they have done an incredible job in Puerto Rico,' Trump said.

'Whether it's [the mayor] or anybody else they're all starting to say it. I appreciate very much the governor and his comments,' Trump said, in reference to Governor Ricardo Rossello. 'He has said we've done an incredible job and that's the truth.'

President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump make their way to board Air Force One before departing from Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland en route Puerto Rico on October 3, 2017

The president's top-class rating for himself comes after he was criticized for issuing a series of tweets about the NFL as the disaster unfolded.

He later called critics on the island 'ingrates,' complaining: 'They want everything to be done for them when it should be a community effort.'

Destroyed communities are seen in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria in Toa Alta, Puerto Rico, Thursday, Sept. 28, 2017. The aftermath of the powerful storm has resulted in a near-total shutdown of the U.S. territoryis economy that could last for weeks and has many people running seriously low on cash and worrying that it will become even harder to survive on this storm-ravaged island

Dead poultry are seen in a farm, in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, in Aibonito, Puerto Rico, Monday, Sept. 25, 2017. A government official said that the farm, which supplies the only fresh chicken in Puerto Rico, lost more than one million chickens. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Jonathan Aponte walks with a gas can up the road to his home in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, in Yabucoa, Puerto Rico, Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2017. Governor Ricardo Rossello and Resident Commissioner Jennifer Gonzalez, the islandis representative in Congress, have said they intend to seek more than a billion in federal assistance and they have praised the response to the disaster by President Donald Trump, who plans to visit Puerto Rico next week, as well as FEMA Administrator Brock Long. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

'We have done a great job with the almost impossible situation in Puerto Rico. Outside of the Fake News or politically motivated ingrates, people are now starting to recognize the amazing work that has been done by FEMA and our great Military. All buildings now inspected for safety,' Trump wrote in two tweets.

Trump is heading to San Juan on Tuesday to meet with some of the 3.4 million Puerto Ricans struggling to recover from Hurricane Maria, as criticism that the federal government's response has been sluggish continues.

The president is expected to spend more than five hours on the island, meeting with first responders, local officials and some of the residents struggling to recover from a hurricane that, in Trump's words, left the island U.S. territory 'flattened.'

'There's nothing left. It's been wiped out,' Trump said last week. 'Nobody has ever seen anything like it.'

President Donald Trump makes a statement about the mass shooting in Las Vegas, Monday, Oct. 2, 2017 at the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump make their way to board Air Force One before departing from Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland en route Puerto Rico on October 3, 2017

The trip will be Trump's fourth to a region battered by storms during an unusually violent hurricane season that has also seen parts of Texas, Florida, Louisiana and the U.S. Virgin Islands inundated by floodwaters and whipped by winds.

Trump and first lady Melania Trump are scheduled to attend briefings and meet with Gov. Ricardo Rossello, as well as the governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands. They'll also meet with Navy and Marine Corps personnel on the flight Deck of the USS Kearsarge.

Even before the storm hit on Sept. 20, Puerto Rico was in dire condition thanks to a decade-long economic recession that had left its infrastructure, including the island's power lines, in a sorry state. Maria was the most powerful hurricane to hit the island in nearly a century and unleashed floods and mudslides that knocked out the island's entire electrical grid and telecommunications, along with many roads.

President Donald Trump speaks to the media while flanked by first lady Melania Trump before departing on Marine One from the White House, on October 3, 2017 in Washington, DC.President Trump is traveling to Puerto Rico after it was ravaged by Hurricane Maria last month

President Donald Trump, accompanied by first lady Melania Trump, talks to reporters as he walks to board Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2017

Nearly two weeks later, 95 percent of electricity customers remain without power, including some hospitals. And much of the countryside is still struggling to access basic necessities, including food, fresh water and cash.

Trump and other administration officials have worked in recent days to reassure Americans that recovery efforts are going well and combat the perception that the president failed to fully grasp the magnitude of the storm's destruction in its immediate aftermath.

White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Monday the trip would focus on local recovery efforts, 'which we're fully committed to.'

'The top priority for the federal government is certainly to protect the lives and the safety of those in affected areas and provide life-sustaining services as we work together to rebuild their lives,' she said.

While early response efforts were hampered by logistical challenges, officials say that conditions, especially in the capital, have improved.

According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, there are now more than 10,000 federal officials on the ground on the island, and forty-five percent of customers now have access to drinking water. Businesses are also beginning to re-open, with 60 percent of retail gas stations now up and running.

For many, however, that isn't enough. On Monday, the nonprofit Oxfam announced that it would be taking the rare step of intervening in an American disaster, citing its outrage over what it called a 'slow and inadequate response.'
Angad Paul was being investigated for fraud when he killed himself in 2015

The son of a billionaire Labour peer was being investigated over a celebrity film tax fraud when he jumped to his death from a penthouse balcony.

Angad Paul, the son of steel magnate Lord Paul, gave money to a millionaire film producer who exploited tax laws to pocket vast sums of investor cash and tried to net 2.4m in a rebate scam involving F1 racing documentaries.

Terence Potter, 57, set up film companies and recruited wealthy investors by promising they could secure tax relief against any losses incurred, creating diaries to embellish their roles in production.

Father-of-two Mr Paul was among nine investors who put as much as 400,000 into the bogus company, which was being probed by HMRC when he jumped from his rooftop home in Portland Place in November 2015, while his children played inside.

He held a keen interest in film and was an executive producer on Lock, Stock And Two Smoking Barrels.

Potter, a former tax partner at Ernst & Young LLP, enlisted certified financial planner Neil Williams-Denton to help him set up the swindle and get additional investors on board.

They produced the indie hit Starsuckers about celebrity culture and the tabloid press, and planned to create Mercedes the Movie, a thriller about motor racing on the French Riviera, but this was never actually made.

Potter - who was living in Monaco at the time of the original frauds - admitted conspiracy to cheat the public revenue, while Williams-Denton was convicted of the charge after a nine-week trial in December 2015, a month after Mr Paul's death.

Mr Paul jumped from his rooftop home in Portland Place across from the BBC in November while his children played in the penthouse flat

He has since admitted creating another partnership, Formula 1 LLP, purporting to make documentaries about famous Formula One drivers.

Potter drafted false diaries for investors to sign, lying to HMRC in order to dishonestly satisfy the criteria enabling them to claw back fraudulent tax rebates.

Nine investors each paid between 63,000 and 400,000, investing a total of 1,171,000.

Losses of 6,017,910 were then submitted in the tax years 2007-08 and 2008-09 which would have netted the members a total of 2,406,454 had the ruse been successful.

A government scheme known as sideways relief, launched by then-Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown in his 1997 budget to promote the British film industry, allowed investors to claim back 40% of the companys losses from their Pay as You Earn tax.

Earlier this year Potter was ordered to pay back 1.8million in addition to 123,000 in costs.

Potter was the brains behind Cardiffs Aquarius Films - which holds distribution rights to George Clooneys 1999 blockbuster Three Kings - and was jailed for eight years over his role in the scam in 2015.

Mr Paul was the son of steel magnate and Labour peer Lord Paul

But he escaped further punishment at Southwark Crown Court on Monday after admitting a third con using identical methods, under the guise of making documentaries about famous racing drivers.

Prosecutor Jane Bewsey, QC, said: This case concerns the setting up and operation of Formula One Limited Liability Partnership (LLP).

The stated purpose of F1 LLP was to develop documentaries about famous F1 racing drivers.

In reality, it was a vehicle for cheating the Revenue.

The court heard the legislation at the time allowed members of an LLP to claim a share of its losses against their own income.

If the LLP made a loss, substantial tax rebates could be claimed by members so long as certain requirements had been met.

A crucial aspect of those requirements was that each member was active in the partnership, meaning they spent on average 10 hours per week personally engaged in commercial activities for trading purposes.

Ms Bewsey explained that paper and electronic diaries were compiled to show each of the nine members had satisfied the requirement.

These diaries were entirely false and were created under the direction and control of Mr Potter, she said.

Mr Potter knew from the outset that none of the members would satisfy the requirements and did not task them with any activity, but was prepared to fabricate documents should HMRC question their involvement.

Given his background, he knew an HMRC enquiry was likely.

In early 2008, nine investors signed up and became members, each handing over between 63,000 and 400,000, investing a total of 1,171,000.

They were drawn to the investment by the tax advantages on offer, continued Ms Bewsey.

The F1 LLP Business Plan offered them tax savings estimated at 40,000 for every 20,000 of net cash subscription.

In other words, they were told they could double their money.

As high-earners liable to pay considerable amounts in tax this was a significant attraction.

Potter later submitted tax returns for the partnership claiming losses in the tax years 2007-08 and 2008-09 of 6,017,910.

A two-year investigation by HMRC followed, in which the lies of five of the investors who signed the forged diaries were maintained and co-ordinated while four refused to participate in the scam.

The other investors, aside from Mr Paul, who were allegedly involved in the submission of false diaries will stand trial next April.

Terence Potter (left) admitted conspiracy to cheat the public revenue, while Neil Williams-Denton (right) was convicted of the charge after a nine-week trial in December 2015

Had the ruse gone smoothly, the members would have submitted returns claiming the share of losses allocated to them in the partnership returns.

Each would then have claimed an amount of tax back.

The total in relief for all nine partners would have been 2,406,454.

In other words, they would have doubled their money through the tax system, as promised, said Ms Bewsey.

Judge Martin Beddoe said this third scheme allowed Potter to succeed in corrupting a further nine investors and in which you attempted collectively with them, and persistently with most of them, on the face of it to cheat the Revenue of that further 2.4million.

But taking that and his apparent lack of remorse the judge came to the conclusion that there was no need to extend Potters time behind bars after questioning whether the case would have come to court if he and his PA had been the only defendants identified.

Potter, formerly of West Riverside, Manchester, was handed no separate penalty after admitting conspiracy to cheat the Revenue but was banned from being a company director for eight years.
A strongman was forced to take matters into his own hands during a parking dispute - when he moved a Vauxhall Corsa that was blocking his aunt's drive.

Hakan Acar, 23, has been nicknamed 'the Tulk', short for the Turkish Hulk, due to his strength but he got a surprise workout last week on September 24.

He claims his aunt Abi Mustafa was involved in a month-long row with her neighbour after she left her car in front of their house - on a public road.

Hakan Acar, 23, has been nicknamed 'the Tulk', short for the Turkish Hulk, due to his strength but he got a surprise workout last week on September 24 when he moved a car blocking his aunt's driveway

She was forced to ring her super-sized nephew when she discovered her neighbours had parked across her driveway apparently for revenge.

When Mrs Acar was unable to resolve the 'petty' quarrel and the neighbours allegedly refused to budge their vehicle, the Tulk was forced to move it for them.

Footage shows him lifting the Vauxhall Corsa's front end and pushing it out of the way on his own - even kicking off his shoes to gain traction.

The neighbours are now complaining he damaged their motor and police are investigating allegations of criminal damage.

Mr Acar, from Luton, said: 'I said to the guy opposite: "either you're going to move the car, or I'm going to move the car".

'He said in response "I will call the police" but I didn't mind, because I knew blocking somebody's driveway is just not the right thing to do.

Footage shows him lifting the Vauxhall Corsa's front end and pushing it out of the way on his own - even kicking off his shoes to gain traction

'They had put it there deliberately to block my auntie in. It was an act of revenge because they don't like where she parks and that's just not fair.

'I was worried that the hand brake might have been on - and I was trying to work out whether it was front or rear wheel drive. Then it just started moving.

'I'm quite a calm person - I'm not an angry person at all but hearing the way he spoke to my auntie just upset me a bit.

'To be honest I didn't go over with the intention of actually pushing the car in the first place. I just wanted to see how heavy it was but then I realised I could move it.

'I've pulled eight and a half tonne trucks before so a one tonne Corsa wasn't going to be a problem.

'My cousin started coming over to help me push it. However as I lifted it, it just started moving and I knew I'd got it going. It turned out I'd moved it before my cousin could even make it over.'

The neighbours are now complaining he damaged their motor and police are investigating allegations of criminal damage

The parking dispute has allegedly been rumbling on for more than a month after Abi began parking outside her neighbours' house.

Mr Acar said: 'My auntie and I see each other every day. That day I got a call from her.

'She said that the people opposite had just parked in front of her drive - blocking her in.

'The thing is the neighbours opposite don't have a driveway and my auntie parked her car in front of their house.

'She said she can park there because there isn't a driveway. The people opposite don't like her parking there but she says she's every right to because there's no drive. It causes no problems for them, so it just feels petty to me.

'So in retaliation they put their car in front of my auntie's drive, which blocked her in. They did this deliberately.

Bedfordshire Police confirmed they were now investigating a report of criminal damage to a vehicle at the location and Mr Acar fears it is because of his stunt

'We spoke to the woman in the house opposite and she was okay but her boyfriend started swearing and cursing saying 'well I'm not going to move my car until you move yours'.

'That's when I thought I would attempt to move it.'

Bedfordshire Police confirmed they were now investigating a report of criminal damage to a vehicle at the location and Mr Acar fears it is because of his stunt.

He said: 'All I can think is that they have accused me of damaging their car when I moved it.

'It's a shame they are doing this. I hoped we had resolved it the other day as we have not heard anything since. However if they are claiming this, they will be carrying it on.

'I hoped it was all resolved now, we don't want any trouble and my auntie never wanted to cause anyone any problems in the first place.

'I know the car is not damaged. I moved it out of the way but it is fine so this just feels childish.'

Mr Acar - seen here lifting a giant tyre - said: 'I hoped it was all resolved now, we don't want any trouble and my auntie never wanted to cause anyone any problems in the first place'

Bedfordshire Police said: 'We were called at 4.42pm on Sunday September 24 to reports of a dispute over parking in Luton. Two PCSOs attended and spoke to residents to give advice about considerate and safe parking.

'Officers are now investigating a report of criminal damage to a vehicle at the location.

'PCSOs will continue to engage with both parties as well partners to work towards a resolution.

'Bedfordshire Police does not enforce parking restrictions - this is the responsibility of the local authority.'

The neighbours were approached for comment.
The Prime Minister said Britons could not 'understand' why there were not stronger restrictions in America

Theresa May waded into the US gun control row today urging 'action' after the deadly massacre in Las Vegas.

The Prime Minister said Britons could not 'understand' why there were not stronger restrictions in America.

She stressed it was up to the US to decide, but added: 'Surely they will want to do something.'

The comments came after a crazed gunman slaughtered 59 people who were attending a concert in Las Vegas yesterday.

Stephen Paddock, 64, opened fire from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Hotel towards an open-air music festival.

Police found 23 guns in his hotel room and more than a dozen more firearms at his Nevada home.

In a round of broadcast interviews at Tory conference in Manchester today, Mrs May made clear her horror at the incident. She said there did not appear to be any British casualties.

Mrs May told LBC radio: 'We cannot understand it because we have a different approach to guns...

'Obviously we tightened the gun laws after Dunblame.'

Mrs may said America has a 'different approach to guns, it is up to them'.

But she said Britons would 'assume' there would be action to tighten the rules in the wake of the latest atrocity.

'If you look at what has happened here surely they will want to do something,' Mrs May said.

Speaking to Sky News, Mrs May said: 'I understand that this individual had a very significant arsenal of weapons with him in the hotel and another significant arsenal back home.'

She added: 'I think that most people would look at this and assume that America will be so shocked by this attack that they would want to take some action.'

President Trump has described the massacre as 'an act of pure evil'.

Paddock had made millions from real estate deals, according to his brother.

He also owned two planes and several properties across the US, and seemed normal apart from his passion for gambling large sums.

But he'd also secretly amassed a massive arsenal of 42 firearms. At least one of those was automatic, while another two had been modified with legal bump-stock devices that allows semi-automatic guns to give full-auto fire of up to 800 rounds a minute.

Paddock (seen here in an undated photo) made a fortune in real estate, his brother said. He seemed an unremarkable man, aside from a heavy gambling habit - and didn't even have a traffic violation on his Nevada criminal record

Four DDM4 rifles - made by Daniel Defense - were among the 23 weapons found in Paddock's hotel room by the SWAT team after they busted in. They sell for around $1,700

He took 23 of those guns into his Mandalay Bay suite over several days and set up two rifles on tripods at windows overlooking the Route 91 Harvest country music festival.

Thousands of rounds of ammunition were also found in the suite, enabling him to fire repeatedly over the course of 72 minutes. His car had several pounds of a fertilizer used in bomb-making.

Paddock had lived in 27 residences in Nevada, Florida and Texas as an adult, but other than that he had apparently lived a quiet and unremarkable life - and the reason for the most deadly assault in American history remains a mystery.
A British holidaymaker awaiting the birth of his first grandchild died after breaking his neck during a 'sofa-dinghy' speedboat ride on a Greek island getaway of a lifetime.

Simon Crewe, 57, of Whetstone, Leicester, died on May 23 after a ride on an inflatable sofa-dinghy, being pulled by a speedboat off Costa Costa beach, in Lassi, Kefalonia.

A documentary inquest held yesterday heard the father-of-three and soon-to-be grandfather sustained fatal neck injuries when another rider was thrown into the air and landed on him.

Mr Crewe was on the inflatable with his brother David and a friend of theirs they had gone away with when they heard a 'massive bang'

It was the last day of their holiday and they were due to return home the next day.

Simon Crewe (pictured) was on the Greek island getaway of a lifetime with his partner Vicki Hewitt, brother David, and their friends in May when his tragic death occurred

Catherine Mason, coroner at the Leicester Town Hall hearing, recorded a narrative conclusion in which she said: 'On Tuesday May 23 2017, Mr Crewe chose to go on a water ride whilse on holiday in Kefalonia.

'During the ride one of the other participants catapulted in the air and then impacted with Mr Crewe.

'As a result of the impact Mr Crew sustained fatal neck injuries.'

Mr Crewe's brother David, who was present at yesterday's hearing, was struck on the head by an unknown object during the ride.

Their friend was thrown into the air, landing in the sea, where he floated unconscious.

Mr Crewe was on holiday with his partner of three years Vicki Hewitt (pictured). The 49-year-old was in the speedboat dragging the sofa-dinghy and had to watch medics try to revive him

Their holiday to Lassi, Kefalonia, Greece, was described as 'the most fantastic ever' until Mr Crewe's death. He is pictured with partner Ms Hewitt

Pictured is a 'sofa-dinghy' similar to the one that Mr Crewe was riding when he suffered a fatal neck break

Mr Crewe's partner, Vicki Hewitt, 49, was in the speed boat ahead and watched in horror as the driver carried out emergency first aid to try to revive him.

She too was present at the hearing, but was not asked to give evidence.

He had been on the island for six days, enjoying 'the most fantastic holiday ever' with his partner, brother and three others when the tragedy happened.

Speaking after the tragic crash, David Crewe said: 'Simon had his heart set on having a go on the inflatable yellow sofa we'd seen being pulled out by speedboat - a bit like the banana boat rides.

'He loved fun and we'd had a brilliant week's holiday.

'It was the last day and about 5pm, so me and the two other men from our party of six agreed and got on the sofa.'

The ride seated eight, but only the three men were on it.

He added: 'Two of our partners, including his partner Vicki, got into the speedboat with the driver facing us so they could see us being towed.

Simon Crew and Vicki Hewitt are pictured enjoying their holiday before his untimely death on May 23

'The ride had begun and there was a massive bang.

'Something hit my head. I thought we must have hit a wave. Our friend was thrown into the sea and disappeared completely.

'I turned to Simon and... I don't know what had happened, but I watched him die.'

Ms Hewitt, Mr Crewe's partner of three years, said at the time: 'I can't believe he has gone. He was the very best of men.'

Speaking in May, Mr Crewe's children, Aimie Geraghty, 28, Samuel Crewe, 26, and Sophie Crewe, 22, praised their father as an 'all round good bloke'.

Ms Hewitt is pictured with his partner of three years Mr Crewe. He was found unresponsive after being hit by one of his fellow passengers

Ms Geraghty, an English teacher at a city secondary school, of Scraptoft, Leicestershire, said: 'He could meet a stranger and within five minutes they'd be making him a cup of tea. He had enough charisma to fill a room.

'He spoke to anybody. I don't think he knew how much he was loved

'A lot of his friends said he didn't stop talking about his children.

'He was incredibly proud of us all, that we went out and earned our living so we could buy our old dad a drink.

'He was a fantastic carpenter and did so much work at our house to get ready for the baby, and helped wallpaper the nursery.'
ISIS continues to claim that Las Vegas shooter Stephen Paddock is linked to their organisation, despite explicit denials from the FBI.

Shortly after Sunday's horrific mass shooting where Paddock, 64, a resident of nearby Mesquite, Nevada, killed 59 people and wounded more than 500, ISIS's 'news agency' linked the incident to their organisation.

Today, the Islamist terrorist group gave Paddock, 64, a nom-de-guerre: 'Abu Abdul Bar al-Amriki', meaning 'The American', while repeating its claims that he was a 'soldier of the caliphate'.

Not giving up: ISIS has continued to repeat repeating its claims that Stephen Paddock was a 'soldier of the caliphate' - despite denials from FBI, Nevada police and Paddock's family

Yesterday's statement, send out by news agency Amaq, said that the attack had been retaliation for the U.S.-led coalition's fight against ISIS in the Middle East.

'The Las Vegas attack was carried out by a soldier of the Islamic State and he carried it out in response to calls to target states of the coalition.

'The Las Vegas attacker converted to Islam a few months ago.'

Not long after the initial statement by ISIS, the FBI said that the bureau had 'determined to this point no connection to an international terrorist group.

'As this investigation continues, we will continue to work with our partner to ensure that this is factually, thoroughly and absolutely investigated, to be able to bring comfort and peace back to this community,' FBI Special Agent Aaron Rouse said in a statement.

Claims: Yesterday, ISIS said Paddock had 'converted to Islam a few months ago' and that he was a 'soldier of the Islamic State'

At least 50 people are dead and 200 injured after the Sunday shooting at the Las Vegas music festival

Three people lie on the ground, one covered in blood, after the shooting at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival on Sunday

A police officer takes cover behind a police vehicle during the shooting near the Mandalay Bay resort and casino (left); people take cover at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival (right)

However, it appears the FBI's statement, as well as assertions from Nevada police and Paddocks' family that he had no religious or political affiliations, has fallen on deaf ears with the Middle-east based terror group.

Details of Paddock's life in the weeks leading up to Sunday's mass shooting - the deadliest in recent U.S. history - has begun to trickle out, including his obsession with gambling and an alleged multi-million dollar fortune made from real estate.

But police have yet to make any official statements regarding a possible motive for the massacre, which saw Paddock barricade himself in a hotel room on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Hotel with 23 firearms before shooting 59 people dead and injuring 527.

Companion: Paddock lived just 90 minutes outside Las Vegas in the city of Mesquite, with 62-year-old Marilou Danley, an Australian citizen

In an exclusive interview with Dailymail.com, the shooter's family said he had no political or religious affiliation.

'He was just a guy. Something happened, he snapped or something,' his brother Eric Paddock said from his home in Orlando, Florida

'He's my brother, we don't have a very close relationship but we talk occasionally. There's no rhyme or reason here, it makes no sense'.

'He has no political affiliation, no religious affiliation, as far as we know. This wasn't a terror attack'.

Paddock lived just 90 minutes outside Las Vegas in the city of Mesquite, with 62-year-old Marilou Danley, an Australian citizen believed to be of Indonesian descent.

Eric Paddock said of Ms Danley: 'She has nothing to do with this, at least from my perspective.

Police said in a press conference early Monday that that they discovered in 'excess of 10 rifles' in the room, and that Paddock's death was the result of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
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This photograph offers a glimpse inside the sniper's nest created by mass murderer Stephen Paddock.

He used the suite at the Mandalay Bay hotel on the Las Vegas strip to fire on 22,000 people enjoying the Route 91 Harvest country festival.

Fifty-eight people were murdered and 527 hurt in the massacre. He then turned a gun on himself and committed suicide.

Paddock had taken 23 guns into his room over a period of several days, setting up two rifles on tripods at windows overlooking the music festival.

Cops were only alerted to his location when the smoke from the gun barrels set off the alarm.

Scroll down for video

He had taken 23 guns into his suite at the hotel over a period of several days, setting up two rifles on tripods at windows overlooking the music festival

Above, the view from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel, in an undated photo. The concert was taking place diagonally across the street, where the stage is seen, with its green roof

This is one of the Mandalay Bay Resort corner rooms (above), which is similar to the one from which the gunman launched his attack

Paddock checked into the hotel on Thursday, September 28, using his girlfriend's ID according to sources. He then smuggled 23 guns up into the room in 10 suitcases over the next few days

Drapes billow out of broken windows at the Mandalay Bay. Paddock is believed to have smashed the windows with a hammer before creating sniper perches to fire at civilians below

Paddock (seen here in an undated photo) took a room on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel so he could fire down on festival-goers below

He was feeding the guns with thousands of rounds of ammunition, enabling him to fire repeatedly over the course of 72 minutes.

A close-up picture of his room, which was on the 32nd floor, shows smashed windows used to fire down at the helpless civilians below.

Inside - glimpsed through jagged glass - lamps can be seen still lit alongside various items of furniture a the 'Vista' suite at the hotel.

Paddock began firing at 10.08pm on Sunday night after using 10 suitcases to methodically move an arsenal up into his room over the preceding weekend.

Police on guard on the streets outside the Mandalay Bay. The shooter died inside the hotel

Police officers stand along the Las Vegas Strip the Mandalay Bay resort and casino during a shooting near the casino, Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017, in Las Vegas

Among his weapons were four DDM4 rifles, three FN-15 rifles, an AK-47 assault rifle and an AR-15 rifle.

He knocked out two windows to create sniper perches that he used to rain torrents of bullets on the crowd some 500 yards away, authorities said.

SWAT teams stormed the room using flash bangs to stun Paddock, but when they entered he was already dead.

Tourist Jeff Bridges, from North Carolina, filmed inside the exact room used by Las Vegas killer Stephen Paddock. Bridges can be heard praising the views from the hotel, including the concert venue where 59 people were shot dead (left) and along The Strip (right)

Bridges also filmed the rest of the 1,800sqft room, including several large seating areas and the bedroom complete with king-sized bed

Police believe he killed himself.

Seventy-two minutes elapsed from the first 911 call to Paddock being found dead.

But a retired Las Vegas Police Department lieutenant said he had learned that cops had found Paddock's room in 20 minutes - because his gunshots had set off a smoke alarm.

Twenty minutes was far less time than would have been required to do a floor-by-floor search of the hotel, which has 3,309 rooms covers 135,000 square feet.

Speaking to The Washington Post, Sutton also said the murderer had 'rained down hell on those people.'

Tourist Jeff Bridges, from North Carolina, captured footage of the exact room where Paddock stayed.

He recorded the video when he stayed in the hotel with his wife last year.

One whole wall of the suit is made from glazed glass panels, two of which would be smashed by Paddock in order to create sniper points for his attack.

The spacious room comes with two large seating areas and a bar area with two wall-mounted televisions.

In the bedroom there is a desk up against the window, a chaise lounge and another TV facing the king-sized bed.

Giving a tour of the room, Bridges says: 'The best thing about this room isn't that it's 1,800 square feet, the best thing is the views.'

The shooter was in the far left tower of the Mandalay Bay (bottom right), shooting into the crowds at the Las Vegas Village, located diagonally across the intersection in the middle.

Hundreds of rounds of automatic gunfire were reported by witnesses on the scene; one woman in the Mandalay Bay said that there was a shooter on the 32nd floor, and that they had killed a security guard

Paddock lived in Mesquite with his 62-year-old girlfriend Marilou Danley. She was initially named a person of interest in the shooting, because she appeared to have checked into the hotel with him.

But when police called her, they found out she had been out of the country.

Cleaners said they saw no signs of anything suspicious in Paddock's room, CNN reported.

Clark Country Sheriff Joseph Lombardo said the room was a large suite with clear views of the Vegas Strip.

It was reportedly room number 32135.
This adorable dog has become a hit with her impossibly cute face - as she tries not to sneeze.

The six-year-old Shih-poo named Angpao squints her eyes while baring her teeth and sticking out her tongue.

The dog, a cross between a Shis Tzu and a Poodle - tries desperately to hold back her urge but cannot prevent herself from letting out a giant sneeze.

It even scares her owner Narongwat Boonseng when she finally lets out a violent sneeze in the car in Samut Songkhram, Thailand, in the footage filmed on September 5.

Narongwat's mother Walle, 40, said: 'In the video from the car we're saying to Angpao that it is time to go home.

'She didn't want to go home. And she was irritated because she needed to sneeze. She makes a face like this when she's being annoyed by something.

'It's a strange face but it's very cute, perfect for her. A lot of people think it's very sweet and she would never hurt anyone.'

The adorable little dog called Angpao was sitting in its owner's car when it got the urge to sneeze so it bared its teeth and stuck out its tongue in a desperate bid to avoid sneezing

And it looked like its hilarious faces worked, little Angpao - a cross between a Shis Tzu and a Poodle - relaxes back into the car and seems to have conquered the sneezing urge
Army sergeant Emile Cilliers, pictured, 37, has arrived at Winchester Crown Court to face trial accused of the attempted murder of his wife Victoria during a skydive

An Army sergeant has arrived at court where he faces trial accused of the attempted murder of his wife during a failed skydive.

Emile Cilliers, 37, denies trying to kill Victoria Cilliers, 40, who suffered multiple injuries at Netheravon Airfield, Wiltshire, including broken ribs, a broken collarbone, a broken leg and spinal injuries after the 4,000ft fall.

Cilliers, of Aldershot, Hampshire, stands trial at Winchester Crown Court facing two charges of attempted murder.

South African-born Cilliers, who became a jump instructor with the Royal Army Physical Training Corps, attached to the Royal Engineers, was arrested by police after officers were told Mrs Cilliers' parachute could have been tampered with before the jump.

Detectives appealed for information and witnesses after vital parts of the parachute known as slinks were found to be missing after the incident.

The slinks are strips of material which connect the jumpers harness to the canopies. Without them a parachute cannot function properly.

At around 4.15pm on April 5, 2015, Mrs Cilliers, a qualified parachute instructor, jumped alone from a Cessna Caravan light aircraft at 4,000ft.

The experienced jumper released her main chute at around 3,000ft but it failed to launch, so she pulled a handle on her left-shoulder strap to activate her reserve canopy.

But airfield sources said her reserve canopy also suffered a malfunction. Although the reserve chute had not fully deployed she was able to use her skill to slow her descent to an estimated 30mph and to avoid landing on a tarmacked road. Instead she crash-landed in a field.

Cilliers, left at court and right with his wife, was arrested after police were told Mrs Cilliers parachute 'may have been tampered with' during the incident on April 5, 2015

The 37-year-old is an experienced skydiver and has served as an instructor with the Royal Army Physical Training Corps

Mrs Cilliers, pictured on another skydive, sustained multiple injuries including broken ribs, a broken leg and spinal injuries

Medics sprinted to where she was lying fully conscious but in agony. She was taken to hospital in Southampton by helicopter and spent the next three weeks there.

Experts from the Army Parachuting Association and the British Parachute Association investigated the double malfunction after the incident.

BPA chief Tony Butler confirmed it sent a report to Wiltshire police.

Before the incident Mrs Cilliers told friends that Emile had moved out of the home they shared in Amesbury, Wiltshire, with their children, Lily, three, and newborn son Ethan.

The couple wed in South Africa in 2011.

Cilliers also denies a charge of damaging a gas fitting belonging to his wife.

The judge, Mr Justice Sweeney, adjourned the trial at Winchester Crown Court for the chosen jurors to be sworn in and for the prosecution to open its case on Wednesday.
A survivor of the Las Vegas shooting that left 58 people dead and more than 500 injured has spoken out about Sunday's horrific events.

Taylor Benge, who attended the Route 91 country music festival, revealed in an interview with CNN that the brush with death made him find God.

He said that he went to the festival as an agnostic, but witnessing and surviving the horror made him embrace his faith.

A survivor of the Las Vegas shooting that left 58 people dead and more than 500 injured has spoken out about Sunday's horrific events. Taylor Benge revealed the attack forced him to find faith in God

During the interview, Benge was still clearly shaken by the events.

Speaking to CNN, he said: 'I was agnostic going into that concert, and I'm a firm believer in God now because there's no way that all of that happened, and that I made it, and I was blessed enough to still be here alive talking to you today.'

Giving a more detailed insight into the attack, he explained that the vantage point of the shooter allowed him to pick off people with ease.

Explaining that he went to the festival as an agnostic, witnessing the horror and surviving had meant he now firmly believes in God

Mr Benge explained how gunfire sparked mass panic and chaos among the thousands of music lovers attending.

Stephen Paddock, 64, open fired from the the Mandalay Bay hotel resort window, firing hundreds of rounds from an automatic weapon. He killed 58 people before committing suicide.

He described how his sister threw herself on top of him to shield him from the gunfire but they were both miraculously unhurt.

Mr Benge explained how gunfire sparked mass panic and chaos among the thousands of music lovers attending

'As far as we knew there was multiple gunners and we didn't know what direction they were coming from.

'Even an hour and a half later I didn't know we were safe. Only when we got into the hangar after.'

Giving an insight into the chaos, Mr Benge said he realized the gunner was high above the crowd because of how people were being hit while they were ducking down.

The survivor finished the interview and said: 'I was an agnostic going into the festival but I firmly believe in God now. There's no way all that happened and I made it to still be here alive and talking to you today.'
News / National

by Stephen Jakes

An MDC-T member Chalton Hwende has described the party leader Morgan Tsvangirai as the only principled democrat who has remained truthful to the loyal supporters such that he can not sell them out.However, Hwende labelled the rest of the politicians as liars who out to look for benefits and riches through the electorate."To me of All the Politicians I have met and worked with he is one of the few who are authentic, principled, non materialistic and has never wavered," Hwende said."Ari pachirangano murume uye nema Zimbabweans he will never sell us out and he is not the Head of State today only because Zanu Rigs and he is sometimes internally sabotaged."He said most of these politicians are just liars and in for the money, nice cars and other privileges.
A drug addict accused of double murder claims he acted in self-defence after a woman ran at him with a knife 'like a samurai'.

Krzysztof Gadecki, 38, is on trial charged with the murder of couple Ronald Kidd and Holly Alexander at their home in Dundee.

Gadecki claims he went to retrieve his brother's jacket from their flat but when he arrived Mr Kidd, 40, launched insults at him and tried to close the door.

Gadecki alleges Mr Kidd was armed with a knife and started swinging it at him but he managed to grab the blade and started hitting him.

Krzysztof Gadecki, 38, is on trial charged with the murder of couple Ronald Kidd (right) and Holly Alexander (left) at their home in Dundee

Giving evidence through a translator at the High Court in Edinburgh, Galecki, from Poland, told the jury Mr Kidd then shouted something at 37-year-old Ms Alexander, who came charging through with a knife in her hand.

He added: 'She was coming like a samurai.'

He said he pushed her hand back and he hit her twice very quickly and she collapsed.

Gadecki, who lived in, Dundee, claimed that he was 'totally in pieces' after the incident and started crying.

'I was totally devastated by it all,' he said.

He said he had later returned to the flat where the killings took place to get heroin and pills and took a watch and wallet.

Giving evidence through a translator at the High Court in Edinburgh, Galecki, from Poland, told the jury Ms Alexander came charging through with a knife in her hand 'like a samurai'

Defence solicitor advocate Iain Paterson asked him why he had killed Mr Kidd and he replied: 'Because life is a gift and I wanted to live. I was scared. It happened too quick. There was no time to think... I was feeling like a soldier in the first line.'

Advocate depute Bill MacVicar said that on the day before he killed them he had no money and no drugs and was desperate to get some.

But Gadecki said: 'No, that's not true. I always arranged something for myself.'

The prosecutor asked if he was angry about the jacket that had gone missing and he said: 'Maybe not angry, more disappointed because it was my brother's jacket.'

Gadecki said that if Mr Kidd started something it was impossible to stop him.

He added: 'With all respect to him and his family, I won.'

Gadecki denies murdering Mr Kidd and Ms Alexander between December 8 and 11 last year at the flat in Rosefield Street.

He claims he acted in self-defence and says he was assaulted by the deceased.

The trial continues.
An 18-year-old woman who was shot during Sunday's massacre in Las Vegas has thanked a heroic stranger who carried her to safety.

Addison Short was with her friend when Stephen Paddock began firing on the crowd at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival below his Mandalay Bay hotel room.

She tried to escape but was hit in the leg and left unable to run.

Addison Short was with her friend when Stephen Paddock began firing on the crowd at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival below his Mandalay Bay hotel room

She hasn't had a chance to thank the man, but said she 'probably' wouldn't be alive today if it weren't for his valiant actions

At this point Short told her friend to 'get somewhere safe' before hiding under a bar as blood poured out of her wound, CNN reported.

She explained: 'You kept hearing gunshots. They just weren't stopping.'

But at this desperate moment, a man she'd never met before came over to help her.

He tightened his belt around her leg, she said, in a bid to stop the bleeding.

She then said to the man: 'Please get me out of here.'

The heroic stranger responded by throwing the woman over his shoulder and carrying her safely to a taxi, which drove her to hospital.

She hasn't had a chance to thank the man, but said she 'probably' wouldn't be alive today if it weren't for his valiant actions.

Speaking from her bed at the Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center, she said of her gunshot wound: 'It hurts so bad - the pain is just unbearable.

'But it could have been way worse.'

She added: 'It was just the scariest experience of my life.'

Short, however, remains convinced it could have been far worse - particularly if her mother, a police office, had worked the festival as she often does.
Family members of an Australian woman caught up in the Las Vegas mass shooting have shared terrifying text messages she sent them as the massacre unfolded.

Sarah Sleeter, a former resident of the Gold Coast, was at the country music concert when the gunman started raining bullets on the crowd.

The mother-of-two managed to make her way to an airport hangar where she hid while keeping her worried parents updated on the tragedy in real-time.

Scroll down for video

Family members of an Australian woman (pictured) caught up in the Las Vegas mass shooting have shared terrifying text messages she sent them as the massacre unfolded

The mother-of-two managed to make her way to an airport hangar where she hid while keeping her worried parents updated on the tragedy in real-time (pictured)

'We are hiding still. Safe in an airport hanger,' she replied to a message asking: 'Are you definitely safe?' Seven News reported.

'There is still one active shooter so we are staying put,' she wrote.

Ms Sleeter, who was staying in the same hotel as the shooter, said the gunfire sounded like firecrackers going on, but then a woman next to her was hit by a bullet.

'The lady standing in front of me grabbed her side and she said "Oh my God, I've been shot" and she moved her hand and blood went everywhere,' she said.

Ms Sleeter (pictured), who was staying in the same hotel as the shooter, said the gunfire sounded like firecrackers going on, but then a woman next to her was hit by a bullet

Ms Sleeter's father, Tony Reardon, says his daughter told him she thought she was going to die.

'It's a scary moment and it's real, it's right in your face,' he said.

Ms Sleeter was not the only person from the Gold Coast who was in Las Vegas during the deadliest mass shooting in US history.

Ms Sleeter (pictured, left, leaving Las Vegas) was not the only person from the Gold Coast who was in Las Vegas during the deadliest mass shooting in US history

Brian Hodge was staying only one room away from Stephen Paddock, the 64-year-old who carried out the massacre.

John Coutis from Surfer's Paradise recounted seeing a stampede of people fleeing the concert area in fear.

Nathan Claridge, who owns a club on the Gold Coast, was driving down the Las Vegas Strip when he heard the shooting start.

Stephen Paddock murdered 59 people and injured 527 others when he opened fire on a crowd of people from his room in the Mandalay Bay on Sunday night.
Eric King, 63, pictured, has been arrested after allegedly posting a string of racist Facebook comments including that he would 'have no worries about ending the life of any Muslim'

A man was arrested after allegedly posting a string of racist Facebook posts which said he had 'no worries about ending the life of any Muslim'.

The statement appeared on the Facebook page of Eric King, 63, alongside other images including a video of a man urinating on the Quran.

Another post on the account said 'Islam needs to be wiped off the face of the earth, if that means killing all Muslims, so be it', above a shared post from Britain First regarding religion in Germany.

King then issued a full post on September 15, which has since been removed, airing his view on the matter.

It read: 'Why are we being forced to except [sic] all these immigrants, they are the scum of the world I hate every one of them, I have no worries about ending the life of any Muslim, they are more than happy to end the lives of all white people, the day is coming when we the white true people of the UK will revolt and take the country back.'

King, of St Austell, Cornwall, refused to comment on the reaction to his posts.

Police said: 'A 63-year-old man from St Austell was arrested on suspicion of publish threatening written material intending to stir up religious / sexual orientation hatred.

'The suspect has now been released under investigation pending further inquiries to be carried out.'
The home of a notorious Adelaide bikie gang leader has been peppered with bullets in a drive-by shooting.

Just before 1.30am on Tuesday, police say several shots were fired into the front windows and garage door of a home at Wynn Vale.

The home is believed to be the current address of Mongols gang leader Andrew Majchrak.

The home is believed to be the current address of Mongols gang leader Andrew Majchrak

The residents of the home were present during the shooting but escaped uninjured

The residents of the home were present during the shooting but escaped uninjured.

Police detectives door-knocked neighbours homes and checked CCTV footage, but have yet to find a gun or suspect.

Residents told 9 News they were afraid they would get caught up in the violence, and were looking to move away from the area.

Police detectives door-knocked neighbours homes and checked CCTV footage, but have yet to find a gun or suspect

Tammy Maxwell, a nearby resident, said she cant stop shaking since the shooting.

If theyre going to be shooting there, Im only two houses away oh my god.
A woman has detailed her horror at discovering her botched boob job was performed by a general practitioner who was not a qualified surgeon.

Melanie went under the knife with Dr Les Blackstock at Enhance Clinic in Penrith, western Sydney in 2014, but suffered devastating effects.

Melanie, who chose to withhold her real name, claimed her implants ruptured, and she contracted a potential life-threatening staph infection after her surgeries with Dr Blackstock.

Melanie, who chose to withhold her real name, claimed her implants ruptured, and she contracted a potential life-threatening staph infection after her surgeries with Dr Blackstock

She also told A Current Affair Dr Blackstock kept her awake during the surgery, even asking her to check his progress half way through.

'He opened my chest up, he put sample implants into my chest, and he sat me up and gave me a mirror and asked me whether or not I was fine with the size,' she said.

When Melanie experienced a rupture and went back to have the implants replaced, she was again left questioning the results.

She said she walked out with size G breasts, which were far too large on her 60kg body.

Melanie said she had no recollection of choosing her implant size.

More patients of Dr Blackstock provided pictures to A Current Affair of infections (pictured) they contracted following breast surgery with the GP

Dr Les Blackstock (pictured) said he was within his legal right to perform plastic surgery

Following the second surgery with Dr Blackstock, Melanie said she battled a staph infection and was told she needed to undergo emergency surgery.

That was when she learned Dr Blackstock was not a qualified surgeon.

'The plastics team advised me that the doctor that had operated on me was just a GP who had been doing procedures,' she told A Current Affair.

'He had no training as a plastic surgeon and wasn't even registered as a surgeon, a general surgeon at all.'

When Dr Blackstock was approached by the program, he denied any wrongdoing.

The Western Sydney based doctor said he was within his legal right to perform plastic surgery.

When Dr Blackstock (pictured at Enhance Clinic) was approached, he denied any wrongdoing

Enhance Clinic, where Dr Blackstock performs breast augmentation, is located in Sydney's west

Dr Blackstock argued he was allowed to perform the surgeries, citing the definition of breast augmentation.

He said a surgery was considered 'augmentation' if a woman with adequate-sized breasts wanted to go bigger, but was not considered augmentation if a woman wanted the surgery because they had 'lost one' and wanted to 'replace it'.

On legal advice, he said he stuck to performing augmentation on women who did not have adequate-sized breasts.

Dr Blackstock also told the program he had an impeccable safety record, with 96.5 per cent of his customers satisfied with their results.

Despite this, Dr Blackstock was issued a cease and desist order from New South Wales Health.

Melanie went under the knife with Dr Les Blackstock at Enhance Clinic (pictured) in Penrith, western Sydney in 2014, but suffered devastating effects

NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard (pictured) said regulations were so lax that almost any medical practitioner could call themselves a cosmetic surgeon

New regulations came into effect for cosmetic surgery in March this year, tightening licensing requirements for surgeons.

While regulations were tightened for surgeons, regulations for cosmetic surgeons were not altered.

NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard said regulations were so lax that almost any medical practitioner could call themselves a cosmetic surgeon.

He said he would take the matter to the federal government and state and terrority ministers to be reviewed.

'I think some of them are definitely putting other people's lives at risk,' he said.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Dr Blackstock for comment.
Kim Jong-Un has warned he will 'bring nuclear clouds' to Japan if it does not stop calling for further sanctions to force North Korea to end its nuclear programme.

A comment released by Pyongyang state media branded Prime Minister Shinzo Abe a 'headless chicken' and 'suicidal', after a speech in the UN where he called for a blockade on exporting goods to North Korea.

Pyongyang's threat came as Japan's Defence Minister warned that Kim Jong-Un may carry out another missile test on October 10, as the start of the election campaigns coincides with the founding of North Korea's communist party.

Little rocket man: Kim Jong Un, pictured vitising a farm last week, has warned that he will 'bring nuclear clouds to the Japanese archipelago'

Monday's attack from North Korea followed Prime Minister Abe's speech at the UN General Assembly last month, where he urged member states to block North Korea's access to 'the goods, funds, people and technology' it needs to continue to develop nuclear missiles.

'Japan's such rackets inciting the tension of the Korean peninsula is a suicidal deed that will bring nuclear clouds to the Japanese archipelago,' a commentary released by the North's Korean Central News Agency said according to Kyodo news agency.

'No one knows when the touch-and-go situation will lead to a nuclear war, but if so, the Japanese archipelago will be engulfed in flames in a moment. This is too self-evident.'

The threat followed a warning by Japanese Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera that more provocation is possible from North Korea next week.

October 10, when Japan starts it's campaigns for the snap elections, is also the date North Korea celebrates the founding of the Communist Party of Korea, a predecessor to the Workers' Party of Korea.

Pyongyang branded Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, pictured with Donald Trump, a 'headless chicken', after his UN speech calling for a blockade on exporting goods to North Korea

Warning: Kim Jong-Un may carry out another missile test on October 10, as he celebrates the founding the Communist Party of Korea, a predecessor to the Workers' Party of Korea

Known as Party Foundation Day, the 10th October is an annual public holiday in North Korea, considered one of the most important in their calendar.

North Korea has often marked significant events on its calendar by conducting weapons tests, such as its fifth nuclear test last year on September 9, its founding anniversary.

'I understand it is an important anniversary for North Korea. We would like to maintain a sense of urgency,' Onodera told reporters.

Onodera's warning echoed a comment by South Korean national security adviser Chung Eui-yong, who said during a meeting with President Moon Jae-in on Thursday that he expected Pyongyang to act around October 10 and 18, but gave no details.

Tensions have risen on the Korean peninsula since reclusive North Korea conducted its sixth and most powerful nuclear test on Sept. 3, leading to a new round of sanctions after a unanimous vote by the United Nations Security Council.

U.S. President Donald Trump has since traded insults with North Korean leaders, raising the stakes even further.
A public servant and same-sex marriage activist who had her image featured in a 'Vote No' campaign is suing for defamation.

Jill Moran was displayed on the banner of a Coalition For Marriage on an article titled 'Tonight a test for the extremists of the 'Yes' campaign'.

Ms Moran, 26 and a member for the Greens, has employed lawyers to take legal action against the body, saying they have shown her face alongside claims of 'bullying and intimidating, violent protest', the Sydney Morning Herald reported.

Jill Moran was displayed on the banner of a Coalition For Marriage on an article titled 'Tonight a test for the extremists of the 'Yes' campaign'

Ms Moran (pictured) has employed lawyers to take legal action against the body, saying they have shown her face alongside claims of 'bullying and intimidating, violent protest'

The public servant has employed Slater and Gordon to represent her pro bono against the Coalition for Marriage, who have sent the group a cease and desist letter and more recently a letter of demand threatening a defamation suit.

A lawyer for the firm said Ms Moran has a strong legal position, and the use of her photo meant 'she has been associated with this kind of conduct'.

The image of Ms Moran was taken during a counter rally of protestors against the Safe Schools program. She made the image her Facebook profile picture.

The story posted on the campaigns website accuses the 'Yes' side of being unable to control its supporters

The story posted on the campaigns website accuses the 'Yes' side of being unable to control its supporters.

It quotes a strategist, who spoke at the Coalition for Marriage's national launch in Sydney, saying protests against their right would be evidence its opposition had been 'hijacked by extremists.'

Ms Moran says she initially reached out to the Coalition for Marriage to have her image removed from the story but did not hear back. Her lawyers say she was 'distressed' when she contacted them over the case.

'When I first saw it I thought: what is this? I was shocked. It's so obviously me in the photo,' she told the Herald.

Slater and Gordon confirmed the Coalition for Marriage are seeking legal advice on their defamation letter, and that Ms Moran would accept a retraction and apology.
The family of disgraced Olympian Oscar Pistorius is to take legal action over a new Hollywood film which portrays the amputee sprinter as having the 'mind of a killer'.

The family of former sprint star Oscar  who was imprisoned for shooting his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp dead in his home in Pretortia, South Africa in 2013  say they will sue as they claim it bends the truth.

His brother Carl released a statement in which he said the Pistorius family distances themselves from the Hollywood film and sources say they have retained a top barrister.

The first trailer has emerged for a movie about Oscar Pistorius and the murder of Reeva Steenkamp - showing the athlete shooting his girlfriend and their violent arguments before her death

Oscar Pistorius: Blade Runner Killer charts the run-up to the murder on Valentine's Day 2013 at his home in Pretoria, South Africa - and the courtroom dramas that followed. It stars Andreas Damm as the 30-year-old double-leg amputee and Toni Garrn (pictured) as girlfriend Steenkamp

Drama: The minute-long trailer ends with Pistorius tearfully telling a court: 'I truly loved her'

The film, set to premiere in the US in November, has been written by Amber Benson, best known for playing Tara on 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' and is produced by Lifetime.

In one scene, Pistorius, played by Andreas Damm, tells his girlfriend, played by model Toni Garrn, she will be his 'personal angel' as he trains for the Olympics.

In another, the pair is having a row before he picks up a weapon, ordering her to 'get back here'. The minute-long trailer ends with Pistorius tearfully telling a court: 'I truly loved her'.

Carl Pistorius said in a statement yesterday: 'The film was made with blatant disregard of both the Steenkamp and Pistorius families, as well as complete disregard for Reeva and Oscar.

'Neither Oscar, the defence or the family were involved in the production of this 'film' in anyway.

'The 'film' is not true reflection of what happened on the day of this tragedy and the subsequent trial of the matter.

Pistorius (right) initially escaped a murder conviction for shooting Reeva (left) through a locked bathroom door three years ago. The pair are pictured together in 2012

In one scene Pistorius he challenges Steenkamp to 'prove to me that this is what you want and that you are worthy of me and this relationship' before she strips to her underwear and climbs into bed with him

Pistorius can be seen brandishing a gun during the trailer for the film, which is due to be released in November

Shooting: The film includes a scene where Pistorius shoots apparently believing there is an intruder in the house

The film charts the fall-out from the killing and the police investigation into the death. One scene shows bullet holes in a door

'The 'film' titled 'Oscar Pistorius  The Blade Runner Killer' is a gross distortion of the findings of the court.

'Oscar was subjected to a month long psychological evaluation which was insisted upon by the prosecution; the psychological evaluation of Oscar was undertaken by leading minds in the field.

'Oscar was subjected to in depth assessments and on-going tests almost daily for a month long; at no stage was Oscar found to have the mind of a killer.

'The 'film' is a gross misrepresentation of the truth. The 'film' is rather a representation of what the prosecution tried to portray.

'We will be taking legal action'.

On Monday afternoon, the Steenkamp family released a statement saying they did not endorse the movie either and were considering legal action themselves.

Anger: The parents of murdered Reeva Steenkamp Barry (left) and June (centre) are 'furious and horrified' at a new Hollywood movie about Oscar Pistorius shooting their daughter.

Blasted: Reeva's sister Simone, speaking exclusively to MailOnline from her home in South Africa, dismissed the movie as simply 'a money making exercise and very wishy-washy.'

'Mortified': Reeva's sister Simone said her parents are angry about the new Hollywood film about her death. She said: 'My mother was mortified when she first found about it. When I told her about it, she said 'You have upset me now'. She was not happy.'

In the dark: Reeva's parents Barry and June Steenkamp had no knowledge of the making of the film 'Blade Runner Killer', the model's sister Simone said. They are horrified and upset to read a report that 'the movie is told from Steenkamp and her mother's perspective', she added.

The Steenkamp statement reads: 'They are horrified and upset to read a report that 'the movie is told from Steenkamp and her mother's perspective'.

June Steenkamp was not approached by Lifetime to participate, comment or be part of the making of the film, and did not give the producers any assistance.

'Any impression that is created that this is June's view, or that the movie is endorsed by the Steenkamp family, is untrue and incorrect.'

Reeva was gunned down by Pistorius, the first Paralympian to compete in the Olympics in the early hours of Valentine's Day in 2013. He claimed he mistook her for a burglar when he fired four times through the door of his bedroom toilet.

Pistorius, who became the first-ever double amputee to compete in the Olympic Games at London 2012, pleaded not guilty at his trial in 2014.

He denied killing Steenkamp in a rage, claiming that he was trying to protect her.

Shot dead: Model Reeva (pictured) was killed when her boyfriend Pistorius shot her through the bathroom door on Valentine's Day in 2013.

Oscar Pistorius (pictured) was jailed for six years in 2016 for murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp

Court appearance: But after a series of legal delays and a trail over a six month period, he was found guilty on September 12 2014 of culpable homicide or manslaughter. Pistorius walks in the courtroom without his prosthetic legs in a dramatic demonstration of his disability in court.

During his trial Pistorius denied any suggestion that he knew Reeva was behind the door, often breaking down in tears weeping, wailing and praying whenever details of her injuries were heard.

But after a series of legal delays and a trail over a six month period, he was found guilty on September 12 2014 of culpable homicide or manslaughter.

He was given a five year sentence, but the decision to free him from jail and out him under house arrest for the remaining four years of his term caused uproar.

Over a two year period, he was brought before the courts several times.

The Supreme Court of Appeal convicted Pistorius of murder, saying his testimony was 'vacillating and untruthful', in 2015 and last year he began a six year sentence.

Last week, it was announced Supreme Court of Appeal in South Africa will hear the state's appeal against Paralympic gold medallist Oscar Pistorius' 'shockingly lenient' six-year murder sentence in 2016.

The appeal will be heard on November 3, the National Prosecuting Authority said.
When a young Queenslander travelled overseas to meet aunt Marilou Danley - and her partner for the first time - he was left with an impression of an 'unremarkable' man.

Little did Jordan Knights know that in a few short months, his aunt's live-in partner Stephen Paddock would be responsible for the worst mass shooting in US history.

As he backpacked across America with his mother Amelia Manango, the two made a short stop in Las Vegas to meet his mother's sister - Ms Danley.

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Jordan Knights met gunman Stephen Paddock a few months ago and found him 'unremarkable'

Jordan Knights (right) met with his aunt Marilou Danley (second from right) a few months ago

Jordan Knights' maternal aunt is Marilou Danley, partner of Las Vegas gunman Steven Paddock

After dining out together and splashing out at some of Vegas' most famous casinos,the 23-year-old bid Paddock and Ms Danley farewell.

He told 9News on Tuesday that 'it seemed like he just looked after my aunty and that was it', and got no bad feelings from the man.

Paddock left no lasting impression on Mr Knights, and the young Aussie didn't give his aunt's partner another thought until Monday evening.

Ms Danley's partner Stephen Paddock is responsible for the worst mass shooting in US history

Paddock rented a room on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel and opened fire on crowds

His social media pages alerted him to the massacre, and when he turned on the TV, he immediately recognised Paddock's name and later, his photo.

'Yeah once I saw that part on the newsI was like, what the heck. It was crazy,' Mr Knights said.

He added that he got no impression that Paddock was the 'type of guy' to gun down more than 50 people and injure 500 more.

Paddocks gunned down more than 50 people and injured 500 more on Monday night in Vegas

Tributes have been laid for the victims, and memorial services are being held on the Strip

Furthermore, he has said that he didn't even know that Paddock knew anything about firearms.

But he has emphasised his conviction that his aunt, Ms Danley, was not involved.

Ms Danley has reportedly made contact with various family members from the Philippines, where she was travelling at the time of the massacre. However, conflicting reports claim she is in Tokyo on holiday with girlfriends.

Ms Danley's nephew is certain that his aunt had nothing to do with the Las Vegas massacre

Ms Danley was not in America at the time of the shooting, but was on holiday in the Philippines

Paddock shared a Reno house with Ms Danley, on which police are executing a search warrant

Las Vegas police confirmed that Ms Danley was not in Las Vegas at the time of the shootings and at this time, they do not consider her an accomplice.

Ms Danley has spoken with her sister, Ms Manango, who revealed that Mrs Danley's trip was paid for by Paddock.

Ms Danley will be questioned by police upon her return, and will most likely be asked if she knew about the cache of weapons reportedly found inside the home she shared with Paddock.
News / National

by Staff reporter

A MUTARE based journalist been arrested over a report claiming that First Ladyto Zanu-PF supporters in the eastern border city.According to NewZimbabwe.com, police picked up Newsday reporter Kenneth Nyangani on Monday and the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) confirmed.The arrest follows a weekend report claiming that Zanu-PF's Dangamvura-Chikanga MP Esau Mupfumi donated used clothes which included night dresses and underwear.The clothing items were allegedly sourced by President Robert Mugabe's wife.ZLHR spokesman, Kumbirai Mafunda, said the rights lawyers had deployed a legal practitioner to assist Nyangani.
A former FBI agent has set out to uncover who betrayed Anne Frank by turning her family over to the Nazis.

Vince Pankoke is to lead a team of 19 experts using methods developed since the turn of the century to comb through the evidence left behind by one of the most extraordinary stories of World War Two.

The Anne Frank house in Amsterdam, now one of the city's most popular attractions having been converted to a museum, have welcomed the development and has opened its doors to Pankoke's team.

Anne Frank, the young Jewish girl who, with her family, hid from the Nazis in Amsterdam, Netherlands, during World WarTwo. A former FBI agent has set out to uncover who betrayed her by turning her family over to the Nazis

View of the Anne Frank House, left, and Wester Church, right, in Amsterdam, Netherlands

Last year the museum published a theory the Jewish family were found by chance rather than it being a case of betrayal.

But the new investigative team have decided to leave nothing to chance and will forensically pick apart the evidence collected over the years.

Using modern-day techniques, Pankoke hopes poring over interviews and testimonies that may have previously gone unnoticed will help tie up the loose ends in the tragic story.

Pankoke, 59, told The Guardian: 'We are not trying to point fingers or prosecute. I am just trying to solve the last case of my career.

'There is no statute of limitation on the truth.'

Anne Frank, right, and her father Otto Frank are seen at Amsterdam Town Hall, in July 1941

Declassified documents shipped back to the US after the war in 1944 hold the secret, according to the retired FBI agent, who has drafted in one of the founding fathers of the FBI's behavioural science unit Roger Depue to analyse witness statements and interviews.

The process of the cold case review is to be filmed after Dutch journalists and film makers hired the former FBI man after they crowdfunded the project.

Ronald Leopold, the executive director of the Anne Frank House, told The Guardian: 'Despite decades of research, betrayal as a point of departure has delivered nothing conclusive. We are interested to see the results.'

Work started on the weekend in the Joordan area of Amsterdam which is where the Anne Frank museum is located.

People have been asked to come forward with information.

Anne Frank wrote her diary while in hiding from Nazi persecution during World War Two.

By 1940 the Nazis had occupied the Netherlands, leaving the family trapped.

In 1942 the family went into hiding in secret rooms of Otto Frank's office building.

But after two years the group were anonymously betrayed and were sent to their deaths at the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, where Anne died of typhus in 1945.

Otto Frank, Anne's father, returned to Amsterdam after the war and discovered her diary had been saved.

It was published in 1947, leading to her posthumous fame.
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When street artist Owen Dippie puts his paint to a blank space, it's more than just about creating a pretty picture.

'With my work - especially mural work, I like to strike emotion with the viewer,' he told Daily Mail Australia.

Taking the idea to empower a feeling in others and combining it with his strong interest in mental health awareness, Dippie is behind a number of striking portraits, recently, a moving tribute to the late Chester Bennington.

Street artist Owen Dippie is known for entrancing, giant murals of striking faces and has crafted a touching tribute to former Linkin Park front-man Chester Bennington

Dippie (pictured) put together the mural to raise awareness about mental health - he hails from New Zealand which hold the highest youth suicide rates in the developed world

'I wanted to paint Chester to not only pay tribute to his life but to also raise awareness about suicide.

'It is a subject that affects me in a personal way and being from New Zealand it is sadly a real serious issue here that quite often is made out to be a taboo subject not to be talked about.

'I named the mural "sometimes the loudest screams are unheard" and painted our symbols in the colour yellow to represent suicide awareness.'

When Dippie was growing up he came to meet a number of strong cultural identities.

It was those interactions he encountered at a young age that would come to form the basis and passion for his other subject matter, who today stand as the foundation behind his creative output.

'I believe art is a universal language that everyone can speak and if my work can leave a person feeling better after encountering it that's a good thing.'

As Dippie was growing up he came to meet a number of strong cultural identities and is influenced by them in his work (pictured: Nelson Mandela painted on Ashworth Lane Mount Maunganui, New Zealand)

Kiwi legend Bruce Mclaren (pictured) painted in Auckland New Zealand 2013

The Girl with a Pearl Earring (pictured ((after Vermeer)) painted in New Zealand

The creative was born in the small Eastern Bay of Plenty community of Kawerau and is currently based in New Zealand.

Dippie has been drawing from as far back as he can remember but says others started to notice his passion during school as art was all he was interested in doing.

The street artist is now renowned for blending his love of street art with an appreciation of the classics which come together with the help of a spray can.

Dippie has a deep appreciation for Maori culture built by the indigenous people as well as pop culture images.

Portrait of Ina te Papatahi (after Goldie - a New Zealand artist, known for his portraits of Maori dignitaries) painted in New Zealand 2012

His name is today synonymous with the large-scale realist portraiture he has created on the streets of New Zealand and New York for more than a decade.

The talented artist travelled to the Big Apple for a three month stint, where he held his first solo exhibition.

One of his works - The Radiant Madonna, was named as Best Mural 2015 by The Huffington Post, along with producing his first work in downtown Los Angeles.

Dippie and his wife Erin gave up the Mount Maunganui Art Gallery after a four-year period and then completed a two year contact for their own OD Gallery along Auckland's iconic Karangahape Road.

Featured along the city's Southern motorway is one a standout example of Dippie's work, featuring a Maori woman wearing a ta moko - a traditional Maori face tattoo

The piece (pictured) can be seen from different spots all around Auckland city

His famed paintings can be seen across the world with a number of features throughout Auckland.

Featured along the city's Southern motorway is a giant example of his work, featuring a Maori woman wearing a ta moko - a traditional Maori face tattoo - can be seen from great distances within its line of sight.

'The portrait on Upper Queen Street is of my friend Tania. The mural is titled "Hine" it represents femininity as each of her facial moko is representative of a Maori goddess.'
In her conference speech today, Home Secretary Amber Rudd said children would nt longer be able to buy acids

The sale of acids to children will be banned after a series of 'revolting' attacks, Amber Rudd announced today.

The Home Secretary said the government would act to stopped corrosive materials being sold to under-18s.

People will also need to have a 'good reason' to carry acid in public, while tougher restrictions will be introduced on sulphuric acid.

The move was signalled in Ms Rudd's speech to the Tory conference in Manchester today.

The Cabinet minister, touted in some quarters as a potential future leader, used the gathering to lay out a tough law and order platform.

Ms Rudd said a new strategy on offensive weapons would see harsher penalties.

'We are going to prevent children purchasing knives online, and we are going to stop people carrying acid in public if they don't have a good reason,' Ms Rudd said.

'Acid attacks are absolutely revolting. You have all seen the pictures of victims that never fully recover.

'Endless surgeries. Lives ruined.

'So today, I am also announcing a new offence to prevent the sale of acids to under 18s.

'Furthermore, given its use in the production of so-called 'mother of Satan' homemade explosives, I also announce my intention to drastically limit the public sale of sulphuric acid.

'This is how we will help make our communities safer as crime changes.'

The Cabinet minister also said the government would pump money into developing a web 'bot' that can help wipe child pornography off the internet.

Describing spreading indecent pictures of children as an 'absolutely abhorrent crime', Ms Rudd insisted social media firms and WhatsApp must do more to tackle it.

She said the technology, which is receiving 600,000 of funding, would crawl over the internet like a 'spider' processing thousands of images every second.

'Spreading indecent images of children online is an absolutely abhorrent crime, and social media platforms cannot be looked upon as safe spaces for sharing hateful material that exploits the most vulnerable in our society,' Ms Rudd said.

'Through the WePROTECT Global Alliance, we are leading the international response to child sexual exploitation online. We are working with the Canadian Cybertipline, who have partnered with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in the US on implementing a world-leading piece of technology, Project Arachnid.

Resham Khan was attacked on her 21st birthday this year as acid was thrown at her and her cousin through a car window in London

Resham, pictured before the attack, has spoken about her experience to highlight the impact on victims

Andreas Christopheros, who was attacked with acid at his home in 2014, is among those who have called for tougher restrictions on the substances

Sophie Hall, from Poole in Dorset, ws caught up in an attack at a nightclub earlier this year

Ms Rudd also vowed today to introduce tougher prison sentences for those convicted of accessing sickening jihadist and far-right content online

'This is a global technology solution to a global technology problem. Protect Arachnid is a real leap forward in terms of our capacity to deal with this sort of vile material.

'We want the internet companies signed up to using this technology, and using it to proactively search for, and destroy, illegal images in their systems. Our question to them is 'if not, why not?'

KEY POINTS IN HOME SECRETARY'S SPEECH: Amber Rudd set out a series of tough measures in her speech today: Up to 15 years in prison for people who repeatedly view extremist material online

Investing in new 'bot' technology that will track down indecent images of children online and remove them at an unprecedented rate

Ban on selling acids to children in the wake of horrific attacks

People will need a 'good reason' to be carrying acids in public

Sale of sulphuric acid to be 'drastically' limited, given its use in homemade explosives

Making it illegal to keep certain types of weapons - such as flick knives and zombie knives - at home Advertisement

Another eye-catching policy revealed today will make viewing terrorist propaganda such as beheading videos and bomb-making guides online punishable by 15 years in jail

Ms Rudd has vowed to introduce tougher prison sentences for those convicted of accessing sickening jihadist and far-right content online.

A stricter 15-year jail term will also be brought in for fanatics who target police or members of the armed forces.

In an interview with the Daily Mail yesterday, Miss Rudd attacked tech giants who said there was 'no business case' for tackling web terror  a view she called 'totally unacceptable'.

She said Google, Facebook, Microsoft, Twitter and other companies had a 'moral obligation' to stop the use of their sites to promote terrorism.

She will propose changes to strengthen the existing offence of possessing information likely to be useful to a terrorist so that it applies to material viewed repeatedly online.

Currently the power applies only to online material that has been downloaded and stored on a computer or smartphone or printed off as a hard copy.

The changes will also increase the maximum jail term from ten to 15 years.

Ministers are acting after prosecutors complained they were unable to bring terror charges against a man who had repeatedly viewed bomb-making videos on YouTube, because he had not saved the footage.

The Daily Mail has led the way in pushing for social media and internet firms to accept their responsibilities after a string of atrocities on Britain soil.

We have repeatedly revealed how easy it is to find terrorist content online.

A day after Khalid Masood murdered four and injured more than 50 outside Parliament in March we revealed how terror handbooks encouraging jihadists to mount a car attack before going on a stabbing rampage  the method used by Masood  were available on Google and Twitter.

RUDD FUELS LEADER RUMOURS BY HIRING CAMERON'S ELECTION GURU Amber Rudd has reportedly enlisted the help of David Cameron's election guru - fueling rumours she preparing for a Tory leadership bid. The Home Secretary is said to have turned to Sir Lynton Crosby to help shore up her seat after her majority took a battering, falling from nearly 5,000 to just 346 votes. The election maestro was behind Boris Johnson's London mayoral campaigns and helped orchestrate Mr Cameron's shock victory in 2015. But his reputation has taken a knock recently after he orchestrated Theresa May's disastrous General Election campaign. Ms Rudd's move will fuel talk that she is lining herself up to take a run at the Tory leadership if Mrs May goes. Activists from Labour and the Jeremy Corbyn-backing Momentum group have set their sights on her marginal constituency of Hastings & Rye. They have sent activists in to pound the streets and have set up a crowdfunding campaign which has raised 1,774 to bankroll their 'Get Rid of Rudd' campaign. Advertisement

The Mail also exposed how a day after the London Bridge attacks in June, which killed eight, an Islamic State manual telling followers not to be 'squeamish' about slitting people's throats was being circulated on Google and Twitter.

It took less than 30 seconds to find links to the material, even though the internet companies have been warned repeatedly that their platforms are being used to recruit jihadists.

Last month Theresa May used a summit in New York to warn tech giants that her patience is running out over their failure to clamp down on jihadi groups.

Yesterday Miss Rudd said ministers could legislate so that Google, Facebook and others would face punishing fines unless they remove terrorist propaganda within a two-hour limit. She said the aim was to stop people feeling they could view extremist material 'with impunity', adding that it was 'an important step forward'.

She said most of the 11 terror attacks  successful and thwarted  against the UK in the past year had 'some sort of digital element'.

The Government is concerned easy access to terrorist propaganda and guides online is radicalising vulnerable individuals.

Miss Rudd added: 'This is an absolutely critical element, we believe, of creating the dangerous terrorists we have been receiving attacks from.'

Salman Abedi reportedly used extremist websites to learn how to build the explosive device that killed 22 people at a pop concert in Manchester in May.

Miss Rudd said: 'I want to make sure those who view despicable terrorist content online including jihadi websites, far-right propaganda and bomb making instructions face the full force of the law.

'There is currently a gap in the law around material which is viewed or streamed from the internet without being permanently downloaded.

'This is an increasingly common means by which material is accessed online for criminal purposes, and is a particularly prevalent means of viewing extremist material. Changes will enable police and the security service to  intervene earlier in an investigation given the speed with which online radicalisation is taking place.'

A day after the London Bridge attacks in June, which killed eight, an ISIS manual was being circulated on Google and Twitter. Pictured, people flee from the scene by London Bridge

A day after Khalid Masood (pictured) murdered four and injured more than 50 outside Parliament, terror handbooks were available on Google and Twitter

Of the tougher sentence for terrorists who the target the military and police, Miss Rudd said: 'Now the message that comes out from Daesh [IS] is  'be a hero in the country that you are' and then often it says targeting policemen and armed forces. That is why we are stepping up the penalties.'

Figures show that in the first eight months of this year 44,000 web links to IS propaganda were created and shared.

Miss Rudd said tech firms must do 'much, much more' to combat jihadist material.

The Home Secretary told how a senior tech executive had dismissed her calls to remove terror content because it would hit profit margins.

Miss Rudd added: 'When they say there isn't a business case for this  I would say, 'That is a completely unacceptable answer. We are talking about human lives.'

Twitter spokesman Nick Pickles said: 'The technology simply isn't there where you can flick a switch and go, this algorithm will find more terrorists online  We are just not there yet.'
A crime expert has warned Sunday night's horrific massacre in Las Vegas could be followed by a copycat attack.

Associate Professor of Criminology at Bond University Dr Wayne Petherick said the 'contagion effect' is to blame for one in six mass shootings.

Perpetrators of such attacks can be driven by a desire for fame, Dr Petherick told Andrew Bolt on Sky News.

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A crime expert (pictured) has warned Sunday night's horrific massacre in Las Vegas could be followed by a copycat attack

Associate Professor of Criminology at Bond University Dr Wayne Petherick said the 'contagion effect' is to blame for one in six mass shootings (pictured is Stephen Paddock, the perpetrator of the Las Vegas mass shooting)

'If your thing is becoming famous and you see this guy's name repeated ad nauseam in every news outlet in virtually every country around the world you see this as a good or a valid way to become famous, to go down in history,' he said.

'So that increases the likelihood of that happening. The research on this is actually pretty clear and these type of events do actually spawn other events.'

Dr Petherick said the risk of another shooting increased immediately after a mass shooting such as the one in Las Vegas.

Perpetrators of such attacks can be driven by a desire for fame, Dr Petherick (pictured, right) told Andrew Bolt (pictured, left)

The effect can be seen on both school shootings and workplace shootings, and means roughly one in six shootings in triggered by a previous one.

'There's basically a one to five effect, so for every five shootings we see an added shooting on that,' the crime expert said.

For workplace shootings the contagion effect is even stronger - responsible for one shooting for every three others.

'There's basically a one to five effect, so for every five shootings we see an added shooting on that,' the crime expert said (pictured is the scene of the Las Vegas mass shooting)

The Poynter Institute recommends media outlets avoid glorifying mass shooters and naming them too often in order to minimize the impact of the contagion effect.

Stephen Paddock, 64, opened fire on a crowd of people from his hotel room in Las Vegas, killing 58 and injuring 527 more on Sunday night before shooting himself dead.

His motives for carrying out the attack are yet to be determined.
A man in Switzerland received anonymous threats after flying a Jack Daniel's flag outside his house - because his neighbours confused the Tennessee whiskey brand's logo for that of ISIS.

The man, 29, of Italian background, came home to a threatening note in the mail after displaying the a flag with the Jack Daniel's logo in Zurich, Switzerland's biggest city.

The letter was signed by 'concerned neighbours', who according to local media wrote they would put the man and his girlfriend under watch.

Big mistake: The man hung a flag like this one outside his home, which his neighbours confused for the black flag of ISIS

The man, who wished to remain anonymous, said: 'I hung it up, because I found it funny.'

However, the joke was completely lost on his neighbours who mistook the famous logo of the Tennessee distiller for the black-and-white ISIS flag.

It read: 'Should we be afraid of you? First the Italian flag and now the black flag of death.'

He said: 'I was completely flabbergasted when I read it.'

Easily confused? This is the flag of the Islamic State, which the neighbours confused with the logo of American whiskey distiller Jack Daniel's

The man said he does not know who exactly wrote the letter.

He said: 'I talked to the neighbours but no-one knows anything about it.

'We want to address the responsible person or persons. When it is wrongly told that we are supporters of ISIS, it is defamation.'

Removing the Jack Daniels flag is completely out of the question, according to the man, as 'then we would prove them right'.

The Zurich cantonal police said that in such cases after receiving an anonymous note it is recommended to inform the police.
Emma Green (pictured), 35, from Leicester, said her hen party was 'ruined' after her group of friends were forced off a flight to Magaluf over their novelty T-shirts in May

A hen party, kicked off a flight for wearing 'b*tches on tour' t-shirts, has been caught up in the aftermath of the Las Vegas shootings - while on a holiday funded by Sir Richard Branson.

The women hit headlines when they were refused entry to a flight to Majorca from East Midlands Airport in May, for bride-to-be Emma Green's hen do.

They were subsequently offered a free trip to Vegas by the Virgin founder and ended up in a hotel just a mile from Sunday's massacre.

During the fatal attack, where at least 59 were killed and over 527 hurt, they had to take refuge inside.

A member of the group said: 'It's been so very scary we can see it all unfolding from our hotel window.

'Our hotel was on lock down and we were told to stay in the rooms. It's awful.'

They are believed to be staying in The Tropicana Hotel and it is unclear how many of the original 18 made the trip.

The attack, which was near the Mandalay Bay, was one of the deadliest mass shootings in modern American history.

Gunman Stephen Paddock, 64, fired shots down on a crowd of 22,000 people attending an outdoor country music concert.

A spokesman for Virgin Holidays said: 'Our hearts go out to everyone involved in the shooting in Las Vegas and the safety of our customers is our top priority.

'Our in resort teams are working hard to contact all customers to account for their whereabouts and ensure their safety.

'We will look to move any affected customers to alternative accommodation and any customers who wish to discuss their Las Vegas travel plans should contact Virgin Holidays directly on 0344 557 8820.'

The women hit headlines when they were refused entry to a flight to Majorca from East Midlands Airport in May

They are believed to be staying in The Tropicana Hotel and it is unclear how many of the original 18 made the trip

A woman cries while hiding inside the Sands Corporation plane hangar after the mass shooting on Sunday

On some days Paddock spent more than $30,000, and on others more than $20,000, according to an individual who had seen Paddock's Multiple Currency Transaction Reports. Pictured: The scene of the nightmare in Vegas

Paddock (seen here in an undated photo) made a fortune in real estate, his brother said. He seemed an unremarkable man, aside from a heavy gambling habit - and didn't even have a traffic violation on his Nevada criminal record

Earlier this year, Emma Green, 35, said her hen party was 'ruined' when Jet2 refused to let her and her friends on their flight.

After this the Virgin supremo personally stepped in and offered to send them away on a complimentary trip to the USA.

Sir Branson said the incident reminded him of the obscenity court case he faced in 1977 when he released the Sex Pistols single Never Mind The B******s.

He said: 'When we released the Sex Pistols' classic record, we were arrested over its colourful title.

'We want to help these ladies, 40 years on, enjoy their hen do after they were kicked off their flight over a word on their T-shirts.'

Investigators load bodies from the scene of the mass shooting on Monday; the mass shooting that occurred on Sunday is the deadliest in American history

Police block the roads leading to the Mandalay Hotel, where mass murderer Stephen Paddock fired on thousands of people

Hundreds of people gather for a vigil on the Las Vegas strip for the victims of the Route 91 Harvest country music festival massacre

In May, the hen party group allegedly cheered on as one of their friends stripped off at East Midlands Airport before boarding their flight to Magaluf.

The group also aimed 'colourful language' at airline staff before boarding their flight, said Jet2.

They were then thrown off the plane after staff claimed some of the women had continued to behave badly.

Sir Richard Branson, head of airline Virgin Atlantic, later offered the party a free flight to Las Vegas.

The company gave an account of events it said led to its decision to remove the party from the flight for wearing what it called were 'offensive' t-shirts.

Sir Richard Branson, head of airline Virgin Atlantic, later offered the party a free flight to Las Vegas

It removed the group of 18 women from a flight to Majorca with bride-to-be Emma Green saying her hen party trip had been ruined by Jet2's decision to eject the group before the flight departed for Palma.

The women had to pay for new flights and ended up travelling from different airports across the country.

At the time, Jet2 said the group were asked to either wear different attire or cover up the offensive language, and were reminded of this on 'numerous occasions', including by the airport police while in the departures area.

In a new later statement posted on the airline's website, Jet2 claimed that as well as ignoring repeated warnings to remove the t-shirts or cover them up, the hen party engaged in 'rowdy behaviour'.

The statement said: 'Disruptive and offensive behaviour takes many forms and we believe that the language displayed last week on the hen party' t-shirts, coupled with their rowdy behaviour was unacceptable for a family friendly airline.

'The decision to remove some members of the group from the flight wasn't just about one offensive word on the t-shirts.

'It was also about the lack of consideration and repeated failures to follow important instructions given by our staff, crew and airport police to ensure others wouldn't be offended.

'It was about common decency and a lack of respect for fellow travellers.'

The airline said the hen party was first warned about the t-shirts when they checked in.
A friend of Russia's 'cannibal couple' met women on dating websites and then passed on their details to the pair who killed and ate them, police believe.

Suspected killer Dmitry Baksheev and his wife Natalia, from Krasnodar, were held after the discovery of body parts in their fridge and freezer and pickled human remains.

Police have detained Baksheev's close associate Roman Sidorov and are said to have suggested during interrogations that he was an accomplice to the pair.

A friend of Russia's suspected 'cannibal couple', Dmitry Baksheev (pictured) and his wife Natalia, met women on dating websites and then passed on their details to the pair who then killed and ate them, it has been claimed

Suspected killer Dmitry Baksheev and his wife Natalia (pictured together), from Krasnodar, were held after the discovery of body parts in their fridge and freezer and pickled human remains

Baksheev and his wife were arrested after human remains were found at their home including those belonging to their 'last victim' Elena Vashrusheva, a 35-year-old waitress.

Natalia Baksheeva, 42, is then reported to have confessed to state investigators that the couple had killed up to 30 people including women lured after going on dates arranged through a lonely hearts websites.

They have since denied this to human rights visitors to their cells, but admit to killing and dismembering the waitress.

Today it was revealed that Dmitry Baksheev, 35, also went by the nickname 'Devil' while 27-year-old Sidorov was known as 'Angel'.

Sidorov's lawyer Alexey Avanesyan disclosed details of his client's interrogation by six investigators, giving a revealing insight into how police view the gruesome case.

Police have now detained Baksheev's close associate Roman Sidorov and are said to have suggested during interrogations that he was an accomplice to the pair. Sidorov's lawyer Alexey Avanesyan is pictured

Baksheev and his wife were arrested after human remains were found at their home (pictured) including those belonging to their 'last victim' Elena Vashrusheva, a 35-year-old waitress

They suspect 'Angel searched for victims on dating websites and later passed them to Devil for massacre,' it was reported.

'They tried to force him to say that he was involved in the murder,' said the lawyer, denying Sidorov - who worked with Baksheev repairing flats - was in any way involved.

'The criminal psychologist asked him: 'What's your nickname? Angel, is that true?'

'"Yes," said Sidorov. I see, so we have an Angel and a Devil, you were in this together,' said the psychologist.

'Then they said; "You are a handsome guy, you must have found those girls for Dmitry, raped them and later you killed them and utilized the bodies?"

'Sidorov said: "Why do you think so? Am I an idiot? I would have never done anything like this. I can't believe that Dmitry did such a thing".

'Then the psychologist started shouting that they got him, they understand the roles, and finally told him that Dmitry's wife had already given evidence against him.'

The lawyer said that Sidorov had shown police a flat that he and Baksheev were repairing.

Natalia Baksheeva (pictured), 42, is reported to have confessed to state investigators that the couple had killed up to 30 people including women lured after going on dates arranged through a lonely hearts websites

It was here that Baksheev had taken selfies of himself with the body of Vashrusheva who had been knifed to death by the couple in a disused block.

Avanesyan claimed that his client is being intimidated by detectives, and was not involved.

Police deny that Sidorov is listed as a suspect but he has been detained for separate administrative offences.

'Nobody has brought charges against him,' said Avanesyan.

But he is treated 'like a suspect' and quizzed each day.

The jars found in the couple's home contained the pickled body parts of Elena Vashrusheva

'They threaten to put him into a cell where he can be raped, and another investigator promised to call the owners of the flat he was repairing to organise fraud charges against him. They are putting pressure on him.

'He is not withholding any information. He is telling everything about his contacts with the couple.'

He admitted that his client and Baksheev were 'best friends' and had known each other since Sidorov was 14.

They had been previously convicted together for carrying out a robbery.

'My client insists that he had no idea about strange perversions of his friend and surely was not an accomplice in the murder,' he said.

'He has agreed to be tested by a lie detector.'

Avanesyan claimed his client is 'in a dangerous situation now'.

'Natalia can point her finger at him, Baksheev may hang himself in the cell - as often happens - and all the evidence will be against him.'

Bakseeva has complained that she has been mocked by fellow inmates taunting her: 'Did you eat enough human meat?'

Her husband Dmitry Bakseev, 35, is kept in solitary confinement amid fears he will be 'beaten' by other detainees.

The couple lived at a military academy and she is alleged to have cooked pies made of suspected human meat for trainee pilots.

The pair from Kransodar city confessed to murdering the waitress 'in a fit of jealously' after Natalia accused her of seeking to seduce her husband.
A lawyer accused of killing a 91-year-old great grandfather on a zebra crossing wept in court today as she told how she knelt by him in the road and said Im sorry.

Charlotte Griffiths, 26, crashed into father-of-five Basant Lal Sharma as she drove her blue Ford Fiesta to work at a solicitors office in Wanstead, east London.

Giving evidence at the Old Bailey she insisted the zebra crossing on the high street was clear as she approached it at around 8.50am on 31 May 2016.

Charlotte Griffiths, 26, pictured, denied causing the death of Basant Lal Sharma, 91, by careless driving and told the Old Bailey the zebra crossing where she collided with him was 'clear when she approached it'

She claimed she did not see Mr Sharma until she heard the impact and immediately braked.

Griffiths said: If I had seen a man standing there I would have stopped. He wasnt on the crossing.

He must have been coming from behind the tree, thats the only explanation for it.

Prosecutor Jonathan Polnay suggested that Mr Sharma could not have magically leapt from behind the tree to the middle of the carriageway in the time it took her to reach the crossing.

Mr Polnay said: You cannot have been paying proper attention.

Griffiths replied: Im saying it was clear when I approached it.

She added: The first I knew was the bang.

Mr Sharma hit his head on the ground and suffered fatal head injuries.

Griffiths told the jury: I went into meltdown and panicking.

I didnt know what was going on, he was lying on the floor and I was kneeling down next to him. I just kept saying Im sorry.

The blood started coming from his nose and I just started screaming.

Great-grandfather Mr Lal Sharma hit his head on the ground after the crash and sustained fatal injuries

Griffiths, then 24, told police officers at the scene she had no idea how the accident happened.

When told Mr Sharma had died, she said: Oh my God, I killed somebodys dad.

The court heard Griffiths got her driving licence at age 17 and has no previous convictions, cautions or penalty points.

The Old Bailey also heard Griffiths claimed to be driving between 10-15mph in the 30mph zone at the time of the crash and there is no suggestion she was going too fast.

Griffiths, of Ockendon Road, Upminster, Essex, denies one count of causing death by careless driving.

The trial continues.
A county court judge has been left baffled after a man has claimed the court has no jurisdiction over him because he 'doesn't exist'.

The strange claim, made by Gregory Norman Francis, was made as he faced Judge Barbara Cotterell over charges of criminal damage and making threats to kill.

Francis remained silent, claiming he would speak until he was 'correctly addressed' by his 'right' name, which is 'Man Living In Body'.

Gregory Norman Francis refused to answer a judge until he was called 'Man Living In Body'

When he was told he'd be facing two trials over the space of a week, he refused and said 'I don't accept that' and 'that's not my name'.

He then submitted into evidence a slew of identification pieces all bearing the name 'Man Living In Body', according to the Herald Sun.

The ID documents included a Miner's Right, MasterCard and Medicare card - as well as claims that Centrelink also acknowledged his preferred name.

County Court Judge Barbara Cotterell has agreed to a compromise with Gregory Francis

In an attempt to calm the man, Judge Cotterell asked that the name 'Man Living In Body' be linked to the court file belonging to 'Gregory Francis'.

When the accused man demanded to know the name of the man on trial, the judge replied, 'Gregory Francis, also known as Man Living In Body.'

Now that a compromise has been reached, the case is due to go to trial next month.
A father from China was horrified when he discovered that his child's new school uniform was made from hospital bed linen.

The uniform which was priced at 400 yuan (45) was bizarrely labeled with characters which only appear in hospital.

The parent, from northwest China's Gansu Province, posted on social media site Weibo with concerns that his child's uniform was not hygienic and could be contaminated with diseases.

Symbolic: The photo clearly shows the distinctive Red Cross logo on the material pocket Recycled material (left). The Chinese character for 'people' is clearly displayed(right)

The father, whose screen name is 'Jamhall', posted on his page on September 27 that he 'can't believe the pockets were made from hospitals' old bed sheets and quilt covers.'

He added: 'Parents are very concerned about these health and hygiene matters, whether the material has been disinfected or sterilised, and if it has any major infectious diseases'.

Concerned: The parent posted on Weibo with fears that his child's uniform was not hygienic

He posted photos highlighting, the word, 'people', as well as the Red Cross logo.

On September 30, the local education bureau responded following 'an urgent investigation,'

They said the uniform manufacturer had taken into account the high usage rate of pockets by high school students and tried to use a more durable and sturdy fabric.

They discovered that the Third People's Hospital of Lanzhou happened to have excess bed sheet fabric, which could make suitable material for clothing, especially pockets.

Home: The netizen and his family live in Lanzhou, Gansu Province in north-west China

The bureau reported that they inspected two bed sheet samples from the hospital.

There were health concerns that the uniforms were from recycled waste bed sheets from the hospital, but results indicated the fabrics had never been used before.

The next day, the bureau also declared through its Weibo account that the school's director had been suspended.

Both, the school principal and the responsible official at the education bureau have been reprimanded.

Additionally, the bureau decided to dismiss the cooperation the uniform manufacturer, Gansu Ruyi Garment Co. Ltd.

The bureau recommended including it in the government procurement blacklist for at least three years.
News / National

by Staff reporter

Zanu-PF could be headed for a devastating split ahead of the tricky 2018 synchronised elections, laden with tribal rumblings among party faithfuls belonging to minority Shona tribes, the Daily News can report.Indicative of the noxious fallout between hitherto comrades-in-arms in Zanu-PF was Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa's uncharacteristic weekend speech, daring his nemesis in the ruling party.The 75-year-old vice president stepped out of character on Saturday to hit out at his critics in the deeply-divided party, in sweeping remarks that did not appear to spare President Robert Mugabe and his wife, Grace.The first couple has made it abundantly clear that they want a root-and-branch shake-up of Masvingo province to uproot dissenting voices campaigning for a change of guard at State House in favour of Mnangagwa.Masvingo - along with the Midlands province - are bedrocks of support for the Team Lacoste faction, which is rallying behind a Mnangagwa presidency.Addressing party supporters in Gutu on Saturday, Mnangagwa clearly broke ranks with the powers-that-be in Zanu-PF by coming out of his shell, and leaping to the defence of his allies who have been sanctioned for trying to create two centres of power in the ruling party.In his address at the late Masvingo Provincial Affairs minister Shuvai Mahofa's memorial service, the embattled vice president urged his supporters in Masvingo to stand by one of their own and never be swayed by their foes."People of Masvingo should not be intimidated. You should continue doing what we have been doing because there is nothing wrong with supporting one of your own. The province deserves respect," said Mnangagwa, while speaking in a veiled tone."Let me tell you a little story but one which is big to those that can discern. It is the province of Masvingo which asked the party leadership to declare Mai Mahofa a national hero. It is only those you work closely with who can bear witnesses for you, not those from other provinces, so stay with your people so that tomorrow, they will bear witnesses for you," he added.This is the first time that Mnangagwa has made such an open declaration of war against the rival Generation 40 (G40) faction ever since his name started featuring in succession debates more than two decades ago.Masvingo, just like his own home province, Midlands, is dominated by the Karanga ethnic groups which Mnangagwa identifies with.Both provinces are rallying behind Mnangagwa to succeed Mugabe, although there are pockets of resistance from G40 proponents in the two regions.Having been described as a calculative character who keeps cards to his chest, Mnangagwa's weekend statements have placed the ball squarely in Mugabe's court and many are waiting how he will react to his deputy's daring pronouncements.Analysts were almost unanimous yesterday that with none of the factions fighting to succeed Mugabe willing to make concessions, Zanu-PF could be headed towards a calamitous split.Before his death in October last year, one of the country's iconic revolutionaries, Cephas Msipa, predicted a possible breakaway by disgruntled Zanu-PF members unless Mugabe decisively deals with the factionalism.Msipa, who was a key player in the Unity Accord negotiations between Zanu-PF and-PF Zapu in 1987, said factionalism linked to succession was rendering the party dysfunctional.Political scientist Ibbo Mandaza believes there is no turning back now in the war."The fallout is now complete," declared Mandaza."It might be that he (Mnangagwa) has dismissed himself. Mnangagwa could not take more of the salvos targeting him. The attacks aimed at him in Bindura (at a Zanu-PF rally last month) were too much and then recently he was described as a traitor after the order of Judas Iscariot. He probably feels that enough is enough. He has been under pressure from his supporters who have been demanding that he stands up and be counted and now he has gone for broke. It could be the beginning of a real split. This signals a clean break," said Mandaza.Mandaza said while Mnangagwa cannot be blamed for his stance, it was unfortunate that he has decided to go ethnic."One cannot blame him for that (speaking out). What is unfortunate is that he has decided to take an ethnic stand. It cannot be doubted that Mugabe has always promoted the interests of his Zezuru ethnicity, but you cannot answer ethnicity with ethnicity. He needed to have taken a completely national approach. If you say Masvingo is sovereign, then you are answering perceived tribalism with assertive tribalism," Mandaza said.Political analyst Maxwell Saungweme said Mnangagwa could have realised that by keeping quiet he might go down in the same way his predecessor Joice Mujuru did.The former vice president was dismissed from Zanu-PF in December 2014 after an unrelenting onslaught triggered by the first lady in September of the same year.Mujuru had tried to hold her peace against the verbal tirade and when she started to return fire with fire, it just made the situation untenable for her.Her downfall also cost the political careers of several of her acolytes, through outright dismissals and suspensions for varying periods."That he (Mnangagwa) is now speaking out show cheekiness and the valour that's required to stand up to Mugabe and his wife. This is a new beginning to an interminable, drama-filled succession tussle in Zanu-PF. I think it's time that the real Mnangagwa rise up and speak out, and he is doing just that," said Saungweme."He has to continue, otherwise he loses his supporters from war veterans and (other allies) who have been systematically been purged by G40 machinations. His speaking out will perturb Mugabe, but it's necessary for both implosion of Zanu-PF and progress for the country. If we had a solid opposition, they would capitalise on this to wrestle power from Zanu-PF," he added.Political analyst Rashweat Mukundu said Mnangagwa will obviously not be a pushover owing to his support base in the civil service."Unlike Mujuru who was an easy push over, ED (Mnangagwa) has deeper roots in the State machinery that is civil service and security and will not be an easy pushover. What will settle matters is a decisive move by Mugabe to dismiss ED and right now I doubt. Bid his time . . . raise the cost of dismissal for Mugabe hence talk of another bhora musango," Mukundu said.The Daily News reported recently that Mugabe already has a lot of homework to do ahead of next year's decisive polls after it emerged that allies of Mnangagwa have hatched an improved version of the 2008 Bhora Musango strategy to shipwreck his re-election bid.This came after relations in the ruling party had become strained following the suspected poisoning of Mnangagwa in August by his alleged rivals who are desperate to destroy his prospects of succeeding Mugabe (93).Since the alleged poisoning of Mnangagwa, Mugabe and his wife, Grace, have accused the Midlands and Masvingo provinces of fanning tribalism and spreading hate through false claims of witchcraft.The first family was said to have been hurt by allegations that Mnangagwa ate ice cream from their dairy firm, which was laced with poison.But the 75-year-old has issued a statement denying that he ate ice cream at the Gwanda interface rally where the alleged poison incident is said to have happened.Fresh attempts to depose the leadership of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association - the central piece Mnangagwa's jig-saw puzzle - have inflamed the discord.In 2008, in a rebellion which is said to have been led by officials loyal to Mujuru and her late husband Solomon - and which came to be known as Bhora Musango - MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai beat Mugabe and Zanu-PF hands down in that year's historic, albeit hotly-disputed polls.In that election, Mujuru's supporters voted for their Members of Parliament but sabotaged the Zanu-PF leader.However, the results of the elections were withheld for six long weeks by stunned authorities, amid widespread allegations of ballot tampering and fraud, which were later revealed by former Zanu-PF bigwigs.In the ensuing sham presidential run-off, which authorities claimed was needed to determine the winner, Zanu-PF apparatchiks engaged in a murderous orgy of violence in which hundreds of Tsvangirai's supporters were killed in cold blood, forcing the former prime minister in the inclusive government to withdraw from the discredited race altogether.Mugabe went on to stand in a widely-condemned one-man race in which he declared himself the winner.However, the Southern African Development Community and the rest of the international community would have none of it, forcing Mugabe to share power with Tsvangirai for five years to prevent the country from imploding completely.Mukundu said what is happening in the ruling party was a sign that the Zanu-PF factional fights will only be over until one of the factions is totally vanquished."As things stand, Lacoste is fighting back and until Mugabe dismisses ED from the party, then we must expect a continued push back by Lacoste," he said.Political analyst Vivid Gwede warned that if he tries to be defiant, Mnangagwa would run the succession race with a big limp since Mugabe holds the advantage of being the appointing authority both in government and in Zanu-PF."So while he is attacked directly by the first family, he can only box their shadow by attacking G40. His allies, including in the army, are appointees and any extra-legal challenge to Mugabe's power can be suicidal," Gwede."But Mugabe is equally hamstrung for now because he cannot anything drastic that completely side-lines Mnangagwa and his allies before the elections otherwise the sabotage campaign Bhora Mudziva can become full swing. Yet, if Mnangagwa and his allies allow themselves to be shepherded into the post-election season, they will be most likely dead men walking politically and since it has started ticking, Mnangagwa and his allies most likely know of this time bomb," he said.Journalist Hopewell Chin'ono said Mnangagwa has no other choice but to fight to avoid being drowned by the G40 faction."He will survive and be triumphant if he has the security sector with him, but that sector is not homogenous. This is a turning point because ED has never talked back publicly; it's a realisation that his fate is sealed if he doesn't stand up for himself and his supporters. It's not a closed case yet, but it is now a long throw for him unless he turns up the heat with action."University of Zimbabwe political science professor Eldred Masunungure said Mnangagwa's bravery was probably informed by the fact that Mugabe was unlikely to sanction wholesale purging of top leadership as it would compromise its chances of winning next year's general elections."The reality is that Zanu-PF is faction ridden from top to bottom and this time the situation is more complex than it was in 2014 when Mujuru was expelled," Masunungure explained."I do not see Mugabe punishing Mnangagwa severely at this time. He will have to be extremely judicious in dealing with him given that we are going into elections in seven to ten months. You don't want to rock the boat at this critical stage and Mnangagwa is alive to this fact, remember he has been Mugabe's election agent in the last two controversial general elections," he said.
En route to Puerto Rico Tuesday morning, President Trump lashed out at Las Vegas gunman, identified by authorities as 64-year-old Stephen Paddock.

'He's a sick man, a demented man, a lot of problems I guess and we're looking into him very, very seriously, but we're dealing with a very sick individual,' the president said.

Trump also promised reporters 'we'll be talking about gun laws as time goes by,' in the aftermath of Sunday's mass shooting in Las Vegas.

However, when asked about a particular piece of legislation, which would make it easier for gun owners to purchase silencers, he wasn't ready to delve into specifics.

'Well talk about that later,' Trump told the journalists gathered on the South Lawn of the White House.

The president and first lady will visit Las Vegas on Wednesday.

Scroll down for video

President Trump stopped briefly to talk to reporters as he left the White House Tuesday morning to visit Puerto Rico

President Trump (left), standing alongside first lady Melania Trump (right), promised to talk about gun laws 'as time goes by,' and when asked about specific legislation he said, 'later'

President Trump (left) and first lady Melania Trump (right) are photographed walking onto the White House's South Lawn Tuesday as they leave for Puerto Rico. The Trumps will then visit Las Vegas on Wednesday

President Trump was following up on his own statements, made yesterday from the Diplomatic Reception Room, in which he called Paddock's shooting spree an 'act of pure evil.'

He was also deploying a similar tactic as his press secretary, who asked for a pause on gun control conversations as the nation mourned the Las Vegas victims, who now number 58.

'There's a time and place for a political debate, but now is the time to unite as a country,' urged Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders from the White House podium on Monday. 'There is currently an open and ongoing law enforcement investigation, a motive has yet to be determined and it would be premature for us to discuss policy when we don't fully know all the facts or what took place.'

While the National Rifle Association's social media accounts have gone silent, calls for better gun control measures are coming from across the aisle.

From within Congress, Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., has been the most vocal, as he was the congressman representing Newtown, Connecticut, during the December 2012 Sandy Hook shooting, in which 20 children were mowed down, along with six adults.

On Morning Joe Tuesday, Murphy said the administration's stalling tactic came straight from the gun lobby's playbook.

'Listen, I think it's a very convenient tool of the gun lobby to say that there's got to be a 24, 48 hour window waiting period before we start talking about change,' he said on MSNBC.

'The fact of the matter is the whole country's focused on why this happened and the reality is that much of it is rooted in the evil inside this one individual, but much of it is rooted in our laws which allowed him to get his hands on weapons that are illegal in almost any other civilized country,' Murphy added.

He had said Monday that he planned to introduce a universal background checks bill as a rallying point for Democrats to get behind.

Host Willie Geist, however, asked Murphy what specific laws could have prevented the Las Vegas shooting spree.

Murphy pointed to the ending of the federal assault weapons ban, which expired in 2004.

'Let's just be clear that the pace of these epic mass shootings, 10 or more people being killed, doubles after the assault weapons ban expired, that's not a coincidence,' Murphy said.

The four deadliest shootings in US history, with the Vegas slaughter now sitting at the top, all happened post-2004.

Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., advocated for stronger gun control laws, arguing that the country needed to be thinking about 'evergreen' measures like universal background checks, along with prohibitions that could have prevented fewer casualties in Las Vegas

Last year's Pulse nightclub shooting is now second, followed by the 2007 mass shooting on the campus at Virginia Tech, in which 32 were killed, followed by the 2012 incident at Sandy Hook Elementary School.

Murphy also said the Congress should look into 'after market modifications,' which make guns more deadly, turning semiautomatics weapons into automatics ones.

The Connecticut Democrat also took issue with Geist's question, saying that the gun lobby only wants to talk about 'policy changes that would have affected the shooting that happened the day before.'

'We have to get back to evergreen changes,' Murphy urged.

'Background checks is still the most likely piece of legislation to get passed through Congress because it enjoys widespread public approval and, frankly, probably is most dispositive on the amount of gun violence that happens every day,' he said.

But returning to Sandy Hook, Murphy wondered if the military-grade weapons at murderer Adam Lanza's disposal enticed him into planning the attack.

'In Newtown we ask ourselves whether Adam Lanza would have ever walked into that school if he didn't have tactical weaponry,' Murphy said. 'There's a false, bizarre kind of courage that comes with attaching yourself to these kinds of powerful weapons and there is a question of whether these shooters would ever take a position if all they had was a pistol instead of a dangerous, military-style weapon.'
A baby girl has been born in China together with a mysterious object that looked like a gemstone, a hospital has claimed.

Doctors at the Tiantai People's Hospital were baffled when they found what they called 'a piece of beautiful jade' inside a first-time mother during a recent caesarean section.

The baby was born after the round and yellow object had rolled out of the mother, according to a spokesperson from the hospital.

Doctors in China were shocked when they found what appeared to be a gemstone (pictured) inside a woman during a C-section. The doctors described it as 'a piece of beautiful jade'

Pang Guiping, the Associate Chief Physician at the hospital, was said to be shocked when she saw the semi-transparent object falling out of her patient during the regular C-section in Taizhou City, eastern China's Zhejiang Province.

Dr. Pang said that upon discovering the unusual mass, she and her colleagues observed the patient carefully for a while and didn't notice any other abnormality.

'Then we decided to carry on with the operation, and very quickly a healthy and adorable baby girl was born,' said Dr. Pang in a statement.

The object appeared to be yellow and translucent. It was said to measure 4cm (1.57 inches) long, 5cm (1.97 inches) wide and 0.5cm (0.2 inches) thick.

A healthy baby girl was born at the Tiantai People's Hospital in eastern China's Zhejiang Province after the doctors found no other abnormality in the mother (file photo)

Although the doctors described it as 'a piece of beautiful jade', they also said that the object felt soft and contained liquid inside.

After discussion, the doctors thought it was a 'peritoneal loose body'.

This is a mass that is thought to form when epiploic appendages - pouches of fat wrapped in the colon's membrane - are twisted away, so they become detached and loose.

They transform into fibrous lumps and become calcified.

According to doctors from Tiantai People's Hospital, once a 'peritoneal loose body' is formed, it could move around in a person's abdomen.

That is why it rolled out from the mother's belly when she underwent a C-section.

In 2015, a man, 62, had a giant 10cm long 'boiled' egg inside him (left) which doctors removed. They dyed it with green ink to reveal the calcified proteinous layer in the centre (right)

According to New England Journal of Medicine, a 62-year-old man was found to have a giant 'peritoneal loose body' resembling the shape of a boiled egg in 2015.

The lump measured 10cm long (four inches) and was later removed by the doctors in an operation.

The peritoneal loose bodies often have no symptoms when they are small.

But when large enough, they can obstruct the bowel, block the bladder and cause retention of urine.

According to the same journal, doctors have said that any giant loose mass more than 5cm (1.97 inches) wide is rare, and there are only a few reports in medical literature.
An Adelaide woman discovered a potentially deadly 60-year-old grenade in her garage

A Woodville South resident got the shock of her life when a light cleaning session turned into a visit from the bomb squad.

Ann Killen was cleaning out the back room of her house on Glen Rowan St when she discovered a hand-held grenade.

The discovery of the explosive device prompted the Adelaide woman to call the police.

Ms Killen assumed the grenade was the property of a former partner.

She told The Advertiser that she 'foolishly' picked up the device.

'It was heavy and still had a pin in it so how I was supposed to know whether it was live?' she asked.

Ms Killen called the police, who then summoned military bomb disposal experts to dispose of the potentially deadly weapon.

One army soldier and one member of the air force attended the property and advised Ms Killen to avoid the backyard until they had analysed the device.

They confirmed that the device was now inert, but was originally live before the explosive charges were removed to make it a training device some decades ago.

The grenade, which had holes drilled through it, is thought to be more than 60 years old.

The discovery of the explosive device in her garage prompted Ms Killen to call the police

One of the military personnel who attended the Woodville South property said that grenade used to be a popular souvenir for cadets to take home.

'Lots of veterans and ex service men have them and they are quite common in deceased estates,' he said.

However, caution is urged when dealing with grenades, as they were 'designed to kill' and 'are not toys'.
Las Vegas hospitals continue to be overwhelmed with patients after hundreds of wounded swarmed the medical facilities within minutes of the horror deadly shooting.

From the walking wounded to the barely alive, doctors say the victims just kept coming in droves on Sunday night and well into Monday morning.

The victims were arriving in private cars and in ambulances that were backed up four or five deep as family members flooded the hospitals desperately searching for their injured loved ones.

Some of the injured even trekked six miles to get medical help.

From the walking wounded to the barely alive, doctors say the victims just kept arriving at hospital in droves on Sunday night and well into Monday morning

First responders desperately tried to treat people at the scene of the Las Vegas shooting Sunday night. Ambulances were backed up four or five deep at hospitals in the area

'I have no idea who I operated on,' said Dr. Jay Coates, a trauma surgeon whose hospital took in many of the wounded after a gunman opened fire from a Las Vegas hotel window on a country concert below.

'They were coming in so fast, we were taking care of bodies. We were just trying to keep people from dying.'

As Sunday night led to Monday morning, the attack became the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history with 58 killed and 527 wounded.

University Medical Center of Southern Nevada was one of many hospitals that were overflowing. Patients also flooded other Vegas area hospitals, including Sunrise Hospital and St. Rose Dominican.

Doctors remain in overdrive with more surgeries to be carried out on Tuesday.

Tales of heroism and compassion emerged quickly as the healthy carried bleeding victims off the grounds (above) and strangers drove victims to hospitals in their own cars

People assist a wounded woman by carrying her through the nearby Tropicana hotel after the mass shooting

'Every bed was full,' Coates said. 'We had people in the hallways, people outside and more people coming in.'

He said the huge, horrifying wounds on his operating table that told him it wasn't just the massive numbers that made this shooting different.

'It was very clear that the first patient I took back and operated on that this was a high-powered weapon,' Coates said. 'This wasn't a normal street weapon. This was something that did a lot of damage when it entered the body cavity,' Coates said.

He said he had seen similar wounds before but 'of course never this many patients'.

The gunman, 64-year-old retired accountant Stephen Paddock, killed himself as authorities stormed his hotel room.

He had 23 guns - some with scopes - in the room at the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino where he had been staying since Thursday. He knocked out two windows to create sniper's perches he used to rain torrents of bullets on the crowd of 22,000 some 500 yards away.

Investigators load bodies from the scene of the mass shooting on Monday; the mass shooting that occurred on Sunday is the deadliest in American history

Hundreds of people started lining up (above) before the sun even rose on Monday to donate blood at a number of banks in the Vegas area

At Paddock's home, authorities found 19 more guns, explosives and thousands of rounds of ammunition. Also, several pounds of ammonium nitrate, a fertilizer that can be turned into explosives, were in his car.

Tales of heroism and compassion emerged quickly as the healthy carried bleeding victims off the grounds and strangers drove victims to hospitals in their own cars.

Coates, the trauma surgeon, said it was not for lack of preparation that lives were lost, though with smaller numbers they might have saved more.

'I will tell you that everybody that should have lived, lived,' Coates said.

'The ones that we lost, I think if they had been the only patients coming through the door that we would have been able to save them.

Authorities put out a call for blood donations and set up a hotline to report missing people and speed the identification of the dead and wounded.

Hundreds of people started lining up before the sun even rose on Monday to donate blood at a number of banks in the Vegas area. There reports of waiting times of up to five hours to donate.

Inside the nest: The smashed windows from the suite taken out by Paddock at the Mandalay Hotel in Las Vegas from where he opened fire

The gunman, 64-year-old retired accountant Stephen Paddock, killed himself as authorities stormed his hotel room
Take Me Out star Paddy McGuinness avoided a driving ban today after star lawyer Nick 'Mr Loophole' Freeman beat the case - even though his client had previously pleaded guilty.

The 44-year-old comedian was taken to court after his personalised Land Rover was caught by a speed camera being driven at 50mph in a 40mph zone on the outskirts of Manchester in August last year.

He was later charged with failing to identify the driver of the car after he claimed he thought his car might have been in a garage at the time.

In April this year Mr McGuinness pleaded guilty and was warned he faced being banned from the roads because he would have had 12 points on his licence.

But today he brought Nick Freeman with him to Manchester Magistrates' Court, who convinced the Phoenix Nights star to change his plea to not guilty.

Mr Freeman, 61, whose previous clients have included David Beckham, Sir Alex Ferguson, Van Morrison and explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes, said his client, from Prestbury, Cheshire, had moved house three times in two years and had not received a notice of intended prosecution or a reminder from police.

Take Me Out star Paddy McGuinness leaves Manchester Magistrates' Court today with Mr Loophole Nick Freeman who helped him beat a driving ban

Mr McGuinness and his wife Christine Martin (pictured) have moved house three times in two years and police failed to get the right paperwork to him, the court heard

Prosecutors then caved in and as his case was dismissed Mr McGuinness said: 'Thank you' before bending down to pick his car keys up and leaving. He did not comment after the hearing.

McGuinness formally pleaded not guilty to failing to give information relating to the identification of the driver of the Land Rover.

Outside court Mr Freeman said: 'Mr McGuinness' Range Rover was caught speeding on August 8, 2016, but my client did not believe he was the driver, as his car was having some work undertaken at about that time.

'Mr McGuinness did not receive the notice of intended prosecution, nor the reminder, that were both allegedly sent to his home address.

'My client is obviously relieved to have been found not guilty.'

The saga began on August 21 last year when McGuinness's Land Rover which has a personalised number plate was caught by a speed camera on A5103 Princess Road, near Mauldeth Road West in Chorlton, Manchester.

As his case was dismissed Mr McGuinness said: 'Thank you' before bending down to pick his car keys up from under the table and leaving (pictured afterwards)

Mr Freeman told the hearing: 'The defendant allegedly was served with a notice of intended prosecution but his defence is he didn't receive it and didn't receive a reminder.

'He received a single justice procedure notice (SJPN) and he emailed the appropriate address and said 'can I have a photograph please, I'm not sure it was me because my car was in the garage'. But he never received a photograph.

'He then pleaded guilty and said the original letter must have gone missing because he moved addresses three times in two years.

'The guilty plea was accepted but it carried six penalty points and the case was adjourned to decide a period of disqualification. In the meantime after that he contacted my firm for legal advice.

'It was quite clear his plea was equivocal. He said he was guilty but had not received anything.

'Our counsel spoke to the prosecution solicitor and explained the issue which was the defendant had not received the notice of intended prosecution and a reminder and that was the issue.

'A not guilty plea was entered and the case was stood down. We wrote to the CPS by email and invited them to provide copies of any further evidence they intend to rely on. But neither myself nor my client has seen the notice of intended prosecution - at the day of trial.

'Apparently what happened was Mr McGuinness had committed an offence of speeding on August 21. He was apparently offered a speed awareness course but he hadn't heard anything from that.

The Take Me Out star appears o already have six points on his driving licence and the six extra points he faced would have led to a driving ban

'We advised the court on Wednesday last week saying we had not received any information. I arrive at court with my client without absolutely anything.

'The burden is on the Crown that he case must be prosecution led or driven. We arrive at court today and the situation is in it's very worst case. Nothing has been served and the Crown have not complied with any of their legal duties.

'My friend knows what the statutes are and what their duties are. There are various ingredients that they have not complied with. The whole purpose of having these provisions in place is to arrive at court and have everything in a proper manner to do the job properly. The system is clearly flawed. The ball is in the Crown's court. That is the position as far as the defence is concerned.

'There is no point having these rules in place if they are going to ignore the procedures and do nothing about it.

Prosecuting James Gore said: 'The police took the lead and we are instructed at the time of the trial, it's solely down to the police why these items have not been provided. There are a number of items of correspondence but it's gone to a number of email addresses - none which are the people that have been dealing with this case.

'Whilst I accept that my learned friend has been forthcoming trying to progress this matter it seems to me that that has not been received by the appropriate office. I have the documentation here, the question was he has not been served with the documentation, I don't know what the issue was.'

He added: It's a police led prosecution and if they come to trial the trial papers are sent to the CPS. The witness statement has been provided, the items in that statement are not exhibits. The witness is even here from the central ticket office.

'Whilst I accept the Crown have not provided an unused material document that doesn't go to the heart of the issue of the case. The issue is whether he received the items or not that can only be done by giving evidence.

'We have a photograph which takes us not much further because it's simply the back of the car showing its number plate. Could this matter proceed today, I can suggest it would.

'The issue has been raised he didn't receive it, it's something you're capable of working with. I've got copies of the notice of intended prosecution and the photographs I can provide him with.'

But later after magistrates retired to consider the argument Mr Gore added: 'I've taken full instruction and we offer no evidence.'

McGuinness, of Prestbury, Cheshire spoke to give his full name, address and date of birth and to formally pleading not guilty to the charge of failing to give information relating to the identification of the driver of the Land Rover.
One of two snow leopard cubs born in an Ohio zoo in June is now on display.

A female cub named Dariga went on exhibit Monday with her family, according to a press release from the Toledo Zoo.

Dariga means surprise in the Kazakh language. She is said to be in good health and getting along well with her family.

The cub grew increasingly confident as she adjusted to the space Monday, particularly after her cautious mother also entered the exhibit.

Four-month-old snow leopard cub Dariga is pictured as she adjusts to being on display at the Toledo Zoo on Monday

Dariga and her brother were born on June 8. The zoo says the male cub was diagnosed with genetic anomalies.

The cub was born with several fused vertebrae in his spine, making his rear legs splay out, and giving him a flail chest.

'As soon as we did the first exam, we knew there were issues,' Toledo Zoo veterinarian Dr. Ric Berlinski told The Blade. 'His chest was very flat from top to bottom and caused displacement of his heart.'

The cub's team tried physical therapy but ultimately determined that the cub was in too much pain and needed to be euthanized.

The cubs were born to three-year-old mother Greta and four-year-old father Shishir.

'Greta's been an awesome mom from the get-go,' keeper Trudy Kuhrt said. 'She's done everything right, and we couldn't be more happy with how she's been.'

Kuhrt said Dariga likes to play with her mother's tail.

'Mom's really patient with her,' she said. 'She'll play with her for quite a while, but if she needs a break, she'll go up a little on a higher resting platform and take a break.'

Dariga weighs about 25lbs and is growing fast. She can already handle a vertical jump of 5 to 6 feet, while adults can leap 16 to 20 feet.

'She's very inquisitive,' Berlinski said. 'She likes to stalk, hunker down, then explode out at her enrichment. Snow leopards are ambush predators. She's a pistol.'

Dariga will stay with her mother for 16 to 18 months before she is transferred elsewhere to have offspring of her own.

Greta and Shishir will be placed back together and allowed to mate once Dariga moves on.

Dariga's mother Greta is pictured perched on a rock in her enclosure. Toledo zookeepers said that she is patient with Dariga but when she needs a moment alone she goes to higher ground

Dariga's father Shishir is pictured letting out a big yawn in a photo on the Zoo's Instagram

Dariga and her brother were born at the Zoo (pictured) in June. The male cub was euthanized

Both parents arrived at the Zoo last spring from Europe as part of a Species Survival Plan recommended move to breed and start a new bloodline in the United States snow leopard population.

'As snow leopards are an endangered species with a declining population, we hope the community will enjoy watching the female cub grow as much as we do and learning more about conserving this amazing species through her development,' Berlinski said in the press release.

Snow leopards are native to the mountains of central Asia. The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources lists them as endangered, due mainly to retaliatory killings for preying upon farmers' livestock.

Zoo officials say climate change and human encroachment also pose threats to snow leopards' survival in the wild.
Sean Hannity lashed out at Democrats who he says are 'exploiting' the Las Vegas country music concert massacre to push for tighter gun control.

The Fox host launched into an impassioned monologue at the start of his Monday night show to chastise left-wing liberals who called for changes to the law within hours of Sunday's shooting.

Fifty nine people were killed and at least 527 were injured when millionaire gunman Stephen Paddock, 64, opened fire on the Route 91 Harvest Festival from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel.

Paddock had 23 guns inside the his hotel suite including legally purchased rifles which had been modified with bump stocks to automatically churn out bullets.

At his home in Mesquite, Nevada, police discovered another 19 guns and explosive devices.

His motive has not yet been established. The man shot himself before he could be brought down by a SWAT team on Sunday night.

Since the atrocity on Sunday, prolific Democrats including Hillary Clinton have spoken out against the NRA.

Hannity described their rebukes as 'despicable', 'sick' and 'beyond the pale' on Monday.

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Fox News host Sean Hannity ripped into Democrats who he said were 'exploiting' the Las Vegas massacre on Sunday night by calling for tighter gun control

Watch the latest video at <a href="//video.foxnews.com">video.foxnews.com</a>

'Democrats have rushed to politicize this tragedy in an absolutely despicable display.

'Some of these victims are still in the hospital clinging to life. We still don't have all the facts.

'Bodies weren't even in the morgue yet. Parents were at hospitals with their kids hanging on to life. None of this mattered to the left in this country.

'Their impulse to politicize this tragedy as they do other tragedies is beyond the pale they're using this tragedy. Why? To score cheap political points and push a gun control agenda.'

He held some media outlets in the same contempt and replayed segments from MSNBC, CNN and GMA during which security experts and law enforcement officials pored over the issue.

Hannity gave special mention to Hillary Clinton who tweeted early on Monday morning: 'The crowd fled at the sound of gunshots. Imagine the deaths if the shooter had a silencer, which the NRA wants to make easier to get.

59 people were killed and 527 were injured in the shooting on Sunday night. It is the deadliest mass shooting in US history. Hannity said the bodies of the victims 'weren't even in the morgue' before Democrats began calling for law changes on Monday

Investigators load bodies from the scene of the mass shooting on Monday; the mass shooting that occurred on Sunday is the deadliest in American history

At 7am on Monday, around seven hours after the first shots were fired, Hillary Clinton issued these tweets saying 'grief isn't enough'

'Our grief isn't enough. We can and must put politics aside, stand up to the NRA, and work together to try to stop this from happening again.'

On Monday night, Hannity slammed her comments as 'pathetic'.

'Clinton weighed in less than nine hours after the shooting and went deep into the gutter of politics. she says she doesn't wanna play.

'Here's my question, do they have any decency? Any thoughts about the families? We don't know the details yet but this is their initial impulse.

'I don't see it. Imagine if the president today brought up the second amendment. How would the news media int his country have reacted.'

He then listed the number of mass shootings which occurred under Democratic Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama including Sandy Hook and the Pulse nightclub shooting.

Hannity however failed to acknowledge that the same calls for gun control were made after those tragedies.

The host then appeared to suggest that if Paddock had not had access to the arsenal of weapons that he did, he would have found other means to commit the atrocity.

'We don't know the motivation of this lunatic. We know it's premeditated, we know it's evil. I could make 100 different arguments. If it wasn't a gun it would be a car or a bomb or whatever,' he said.

Within hours of the shooting on Sunday, there was discussion across the board of what President Trump's political response would be.

Elizabeth Warren, the Democratic Senator for Massachusetts, echoed Clinton's comments on Monday

Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi repeated calls for a Select Committee on gun violence

Carolyn Goodman, the Independent Mayor of Las Vegas, has refrained from the subject

He vowed to address the subject later on Tuesday as he left the White House for Puerto Rico which is still reeling from the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria.

On Monday morning, Clinton fired off three tweets on the subject. She began by offering her prayers to the victims of the shooting and their families, then swiftly turned her attention to the NRA and its supporters.

'Las Vegas, we are grieving with youthe victims, those who lost loved ones, the responders, & all affected by this cold-blooded massacre.

'The crowd fled at the sound of gunshots. Imagine the deaths if the shooter had a silencer, which the NRA wants to make easier to get.

'Our grief isn't enough. We can and must put politics aside, stand up to the NRA, and work together to try to stop this from happening again,' she said.

The president has not addressed the issue of gun control since Sunday's shooting

Her comments were echoed by Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren who, tweeting at around the same time, said: 'Thoughts & prayers are NOT enough. Not when more moms & dads will bury kids this week, & more sons & daughters will grow up without parents.

'Tragedies like Las Vegas have happened too many times. We need to have the conversation about how to stop gun violence. We need it NOW.'

Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi is now calling for a Select Committee to focus on gun violence.

Rep. Mike Thompson of California, who chairs the House Gun Violence Prevention Task Force, went as far on Monday as to say that lawmakers were 'complicit' in the tragedies if they did nothing to change the law.

Las Vegas has some of the most relaxed gun laws in the country, permitting open carry and the open sale of machine guns.

In Nevada, residents are not required to hold a license or permit to buy firearms and there is no limit to how many one person can own. It is also legal to bring guns into casinos or public places.

The gunman was 64-year-old Stephen Paddock (seen here in an undated photo) who is believed to have purchased his arsenal of weapons legally in Nevada. He shot himself before a SWAT team could get to him on Sunday night

Among the 23 weapons found inside his hotel sutite was a a Colt AR-15, a semi-automatic which costs around $1,000

An AK-47 was also found in the room with the other weapons. AKs can come with fully automatic fire functions, but it's not known if that was the case here. AKs vary in price depending on the manufacturer, but cost around $1,000

Paddock also had three of these FN-15 rifles, as well as guns made by Sig Sauer. Some of the semi-automatic guns had been fitted with bump-stocks that allow for, essentially, fully automatic fire. They're priced around $1,300

Paddock smashed out the windows of his Mandalay Bay suite for a clear shot on concert-goers

The state's Republican senator Dean Heller has held back on discussing local laws since Sunday's shooting.

Instead, he has focused his messages on where residents can give blood to help hospitalized victims.

Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman, who is an Independent, steered clear of the topic when she spoke to CNN on Monday morning.

'What we need to do is concentrate on the beautiful lives, these innocent people. They are going to live with this forever.

'This is another sad, sad day in the world. We know we have these sick, sick people that are bound to go ahead and continue to repeat it.

'Each one of us has a responsibility to do our individual part to make it better and to stop this from happening,' she said.

Politicians are not the only ones to have weighed in on the issue of gun control since the horror unfolded.

On Monday, comedian Jimmy Kimmel - a Las Vegas native - teared up as he addressed the tragedy at the start of his show.

'I don't know why do our so-called leaders  continue to allow this to happen?' he asked the audience.

Megyn Kelly, who was left out of NBC News's live coverage of the massacre, is now planning to host a town hall meeting where she will ask audience members for their thoughts on how the government should respond with legislation on the topic.
Robert Yniguez, 65, of San Pedro, California, was charged on Monday with capital murder for the March 1980 killing of a young pregnant mother

The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office on Monday filed a capital murder charge against an ex-convict accused of raping and beating to death a young pregnant woman whose nude body was discovered on a beach in 1980.

Robert Yniguez, 65, was arrested outside his San Pedro home last Thursday in connection to the 37-year-old cold case after DNA evidence found on the body of 20-year-old Teresa Broudreaux allegedly linked him to the crime.

Yniguez was scheduled to be arraigned on Monday on one count of murder with the special circumstance of murder during the commission of a rape, making him eligible for the death penalty, according to a statement from the district Attorney's Office.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's officials say Yniguez's DNA came back a match in 2013 after it was compared to evidence that had been collected at the crime scene at Malaga Cove Beach in Palos Verdes Estates.

After years of additional interviews and a review of Yniguez's criminal record, detectives said they believed they could prove their case.

Broudreaux's husband Ronnie Fematt said he never gave up hope that investigators would find his wife's killer.

Yniguez was being held on $1million bail. If convicted, he faces the death penalty or life in prison without the possibility of parole. A decision on whether to seek the death penalty will be made at a later date.

Yniguez is suspected of killing 20-year-old Teresa Broudreaux (above), a married mother who was five months pregnant with her second child

For 37 years, Fematt had been living with a burning question: Who killed his newlywed wife and their unborn child in 1980 and left her nude body on a Los Angeles County beach?

Once considered a possible suspect in the case, Fematt stood shoulder-to-shoulder Friday with Los Angeles sheriff's investigators, who announced they had finally made an arrest.

It was March of 1980 when Fematt had an argument with his wife, Teresa Broudreaux - then 20 years old and five months pregnant with their second child - and she left to go to her sister's house nearby, investigators said.

After she left her sister's home later that evening, Broudreaux was never seen alive again.

A surfer came upon Broudreaux's body, dressed only in a pair of socks, early in the morning on March 4, 1980, along the shoreline of Malaga Cove Beach (above) in Palos Verdes Estates

On March 4, 1980, a surfer discovered the lifeless body of the young wife and mother-to-be, who was found only wearing a pair of socks and was bleeding from the head.

Prosecutors concluded that Broudreaux died from blunt force trauma. She left behind a four-year-old daughter.

Detectives tried to track down any leads they could, but there were no witnesses, and before long, the case had gone cold - the records later filed away in the homicide bureau's library.

'Years later, a series of coincidences and new DNA technology produced an unexpected break in the case,' Los Angeles County Sheriff Jim McDonnell said.

The case was reviewed by a specialized squad that reviews unsolved cases and in 2013, investigators uncovered DNA from evidence that had been collected at the crime scene, but they wouldn't provide many details.

Broudreaux's husband Ronnie Fematt (seen right shaking hands with Los Angeles County Sheriff Jim McDonnell on Friday) said he never gave up hope that investigators would find the killer

'There was nobody to hear her cry, nobody to hear her screams, nobody to help her,' Fematt said, his voice cracking, as he choked back tears

They ran the DNA sample through a database and got 'quite the hit,' sheriff's Det. Ralph Hernandez said.

The DNA alone, though, wasn't enough for detectives to prove their case.

After years of additional interviews and a review of a possible suspect's criminal record, detectives believed they could finally make a case that could stick.

Yniguez's DNA had been on file for a prior sex offense, Hernandez said.

He had been arrested in 1981 and suspected of sexually assaulting a young woman, the detective said at a news conference Friday.

Investigators uncovered DNA from evidence that had been collected at the crime scene which led to the breakthrough in the case. 'Special Bulletin' posters asking for the public's help in offering information about the case are seen above

Sheriff's officials say Yniguez's DNA was linked in 2013 to evidence that had been collected at the crime scene

But the charges were dropped when the woman stopped cooperating.

Yniguez was arrested again the next year and served eight years in prison after being convicted of rape, Hernandez said.

Since his release, Yniguez has gotten married and has been employed as a construction worker, detectives said.

Yniguez had been questioned about Broudreaux's killing several times since 2013, but when detectives came knocking on his door Thursday night, he was still surprised, Hernandez said.

The arrest was welcome news for Fematt, who said he's never given up hope that one day detectives would crack the case.

The two had met while she was working at a fast-food restaurant and were dating for a few years before they were expecting a little girl and were married.

Five months later, his wife was killed. Fematt was 23 years old at the time.

'There was nobody to hear her cry, nobody to hear her screams, nobody to help her,' Fematt said, his voice cracking, as he choked back tears.

'When she bled out, the baby died. I think of that all time.'
A heroic veteran Marine stole a truck to rescue dozens of people during the Las Vegas massacre.

Country music fan Taylor Winston, 29, was close to the stage at the Route 91 Harvest festival, Sunday, when a gunman open fire from his hotel room window, raining bullets down on the crowd below.

Winston, and his friend Jenn Lewis, immediately sprung into action to try and save lives during the shooting.

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Taylor Winston, 29, (left in his Marine uniform, and right, on Facebook) stole a truck to rescue dozens of people during the Las Vegas massacre

As the tens of thousands of festival goers tried to flee, the Iraq veteran helped people scale the perimeter fence, before tearing down the fence altogether to let people escape the gunfire.

'The shots got louder and louder, closer to us and saw people getting hit, it was like we could be hit at any second,' he told CBS News. Once we got to the fence, I helped throw a bunch of people over, and got myself over.

'It was a mini war zone but we couldn't fight back.'

Seeing the hundreds of festival goers around him with gunshot wounds, and a limited number of ambulances, the former Marine Corps sergeant decided to help transport the injured to hospital.

Winston and Lewis found an unattended truck near the venue with keys still inside and used it to transport victims to the hospital.

The van was left covered in blood after Winston rushed seriously injured festival goers to hospital

Winston found this unattended truck near the venue with keys still inside and used it to transport victims to the hospital

The keys of the blood splattered truck have since been returned to its owner

'Jenn and I luckily found a truck with keys in it and started transporting priority victims to the hospital and made a couple trips and tried to help out the best we could until more ambulances could arrive,' Winston told The Daily Beast.

Winston said picking people to to take to hospital was made difficult by the sheer volume of people that needed help.

'There was just too many and it was overwhelming how much blood was everywhere.'

In two trips, Winston and Lewis were able to transport approximately two dozen people to Desert Springs Hospital Medical Center.

Now a designer for the Country Rebel social network, Winston was able to recall his military training and told his passengers to keep pressure on their wounds.

Some were in a bad way, including one woman who had been shot in the neck and chest.

People diving for cover at Route 91 Harvest country music festival where dozens were killed and injured

Horror scenes unfolded at the site of the Vegas concert where thousands were gathered

First responders and bystanders carry an injured person to an emergency station located at the intersection of Las Vegas Boulevard and Tropicana Ave - one block north of the shooting

People assist a wounded woman at the Tropicana hotel, which is located close to where the Route 91 festival was being held

Winston still doesn't know which of his passengers survived.

'I can't be certain. There's a few that I don't think probably made it. They were pretty limp when we were pulling them out of the truck, but they still had a pulse, so I'm hoping for the best.'

But he does know that he saved the life of his friend's sister - who he hadn't recognized at the time due to the blood and chaos.

The friends were able to flag down a squad car while en route to the hospital, and the officer turned on the vehicle's flashers to escort them through traffic.

Winston, who joined the Marines at 17 and served two tours in Iraq before leaving in 2011, said he was grateful his military training had kicked in.

Describing the massacre as a 'mini war zone' he said he realized 'we needed to get them out of there regardless of our safety.'

The keys of the blood splattered truck have since been returned to its owner.

Many people have praised Winston as a hero for risking his life to save dozens of people.

Describing the massacre as a 'mini war zone' he said he realized 'we needed to get them out of there regardless of our safety'

Winston, who joined the Marines at 17 and served two tours in Iraq (pictured on tour) before leaving in 2011, said he was grateful his military training had kicked in

Winston (left and right) brushed off the 'hero' label, praising all the other brave souls who he saw risking their lives to save others at the worst mass shooting in American history

Jeff Johnson wrote on Facebook: 'Taylor Winston, your bravery is heroic and I'm blessed to call you my brother!! God bless you!'

'Bless your heart for doing what you did last night and putting your life on the line for strangers,' added friend Nikki O'Farrell.

While Kevin Blue said: 'Proud of Taylor Winston, Jenn Lewis, and all those who selflessly put their own lives in danger to get others to the hospital in this horrific situation. May we all unite to help those injured and less fortunate rebound as quickly as possible.'

But Winston brushed off the 'hero' label, praising all the other brave souls who he saw risking their lives to save others at the worst mass shooting in American history.

Fifty-eight people were killed, and 527 were wounded when 64-year-old Stephen Paddock, a resident of nearby Mesquite, Nevada, opened fire on the Route 91 Harvest Festival in Las Vegas Village from a room across the street in the Mandalay Bay Hotel shortly after 10pm. Paddock committed suicide in the hotel room.

Medical teams at a local hospital confirmed that they had more than a dozen patients in critical condition, while two people died shortly after arrival.
News / National

by Stephen Jakes

MDC-T Zhombe Constituency has complained that a Zanu PF activist in the area has been seen working with the Registrar's office in the birth and identity particulars registration of villagers in which he was the one who took the applicants' fingerprints to Harare for processing of the documents yet he does not work for the department."It's my humble appeal to alert the registrar generals office at National level and the provincial registrar Manicaland and lastly the district registrar Chipinge. In Chipinge ward 25, ward 23 and ward 28 in wards along the border we have seen the issuing of IDs at so much of a serious level of numerical appeal of serious concern, it's so alarming. In Ward 25 at Rimai Registration centre a whopping more than 300 was issued with IDs and more than 200 were given fingerprints forms which were meant to be approved in Harare KG6 really sad, A Mr Murire took the fingerprint forms to Harare within 24 Hrs all was done for the recipients to receive their IDs," said the MDC-T."Take not a Murire is not a registrar generals office personnel but he took forms from Rimai, Manzvire, Mariya to Harare for certification of clearance. This is totally against the working system of the registrar generals office where a non-entity of the registrar general would take fingerprint forms on behalf of the registrar generals office to Harare, for interest sake this Murire was a Zanu Pf candidate in 2013 in Musikavanhu and he lost to MDC-T. So he is scurrying for would be votes which are not guaranteed anyway."The party said ward 23 and 25 these are wards along the Mozambican border are likely to have an infiltration of foreigners being given IDs in order to vote for the Zanu Pf party in 2018."I sincerely put an alarm to the system of the registrar generals office that something is terribly wrong on this part. This is likely in most wards along the borders and please let's take heed. Besides the politics why should we have foreigners being given IDs in our cry beloved Zimbabwe being issued IDs clandestinely at the expense of compromising our rights as born and bred Zimbabweans," said MDC-T."The Registrar general please kindly investigate this criminal act and put the situation to its rightful position. Ward 28 , 23, , 25 , 21 , 18 , and many other places, please. Chipinge areas can't be a haven to create pseudo votes neither can any other party of Zimbabwe be abused by any selfish (Zimbabwean). Take note for this service a Murire was charging a dollar for every form he took to KG6 if ever he did that at all , so cunning, this is criminal and the evidence is awash. Zimbabwe for us All and its resources."
Shares in US gun manufacturers rose on Monday in the wake of the deadliest mass shooting in American history.

Gunman Stephen Paddock killed 58 people and injured 527 when he opened fire on concertgoers from a hotel room at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas on Sunday night before committing suicide.

Hours after the horror unfolded, shares in American Outdoor Brands went up by four percent.

Sturm Ruger, known for its semi-automatic and single-shot rifles, climbed 3.4 percent, while Vista Outdoor, which sells firearms and ammunition, ended the day up 6.4 percent.

Shares in US gun manufacturers rose on Monday just hours after Stephen Paddock killed 58 people and injured 527 when he went on a shooting rampage in Las Vegas

A company called Olin, which sells ammunition, rose to an all-time high of six percent.

Demand for guns seems to rise in the immediate aftermath of a mass shooting with some analysts believing it is due to people fearing more regulatory restrictions on firearms.

Since Donald Trump, who was endorsed by the National Rifle Association, was elected share prices have dropped and fears of tighter restrictions have faded.

'Traders believe that people will go out to buy guns for self protection; perhaps those who have been thinking about it but who have been debating the merits of the purchase,' Quincy Krosby, chief market strategist at Prudential Financial, told USA Today.

Gunman Stephen Paddock killed 58 people and injured 527 when he opened fire on concertgoers from a hotel room at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas on Sunday night

Inside the nest: The smashed windows from the suite taken out by Paddock at the Mandalay Hotel in Las Vegas

'These attacks, which are becoming too common, too regular and a seemingly inherent part of our cultural landscape have potential buyers of guns wondering if they would be more difficult to buy, or even outlawed.'

Police found 23 rifles inside the Las Vegas shooter's hotel room, which he used to rain down death on a crowd of 22,000 attending the music festival on Sunday.

At least one of the guns that police found was automatic, while another two had been modified with legal bump-stock devices that allows semi-automatic guns to give full-auto fire of up to 800 rounds a minute. Several had scopes, and packed military-grade ammunition.

He took the guns into his Mandalay Bay suite over several days and set up two rifles on tripods at windows overlooking the music festival.

Thousands of rounds of ammunition were also found in the suite, enabling him to fire repeatedly over the course of 72 minutes. His car had several pounds of a fertilizer used in bomb-making.
A Myanmar beauty queen has been stripped of her title after accusing Rohingya Muslims of being 'harbingers of terror and violence' in the ongoing conflict in the Rakhine state.

Shwe Eain Si, 19, who was Miss Grand Myanmar, posted a video on Facebook last week describing the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army a 'caliphate-style movement' and said she was using her fame to 'speak out the truth'.

But organisers of the competition said she was 'not behaving like a role model' and took her crown away for breach of contract.

Speaking in English, Miss Eain Si said ARSA, branded a terrorist organisation by Myanmar authorities, was 'acting as if they are the oppressed' and said its recent attacks were 'out of proportion'.

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Miss Grand Myanmar Shwe Eain Si, pictured, claims she has been stripped of her title because of a video she posted on Facebook criticising Rohingya Muslims

The beauty queen, pictured left and right, described Rohingya Muslims behind recent attacks on Myanmar government forces as a 'caliphate-style movement'

Organisers of the competitions said the 19-year-old, pictured, was 'not behaving like a role model' and was 'in breach of contract'

More than half a million Rohingya have fled from the Myanmar military crackdown in Rakhine State to Bangladesh after it was launched in late August. Pictured are a group of Rohingya at a transit shelter in Bangladesh

The beauty queen has since disputed the claims of the competition's organisers and said 'none of their accusations were serious enough to dethrone her' in a Facebook post.

More than half a million Rohingya have fled from the Myanmar military crackdown in Rakhine State to Bangladesh after it was launched in late August.

The campaign has been denounced by the United Nations as ethnic cleansing.

But Myanmar denies this, saying it is fighting Rohingya terrorists who have claimed responsibility for attacks on its security forces.

The government has said anyone verified as a refugee will be allowed to return under a process set up with Bangladesh in 1993.

Bangladesh and Myanmar agreed on Monday to work on a repatriation plan, and a Myanmar government spokesman confirmed it would go along with it, provided people could verify their status with paperwork.

Myanmar's government spokesman said under the 1993 deal even a hospital record was enough to prove residency, but it was only Myanmar, not Bangladesh, that could verify citizenship.

'We have a policy for the repatriation process and we will go along with that,' the spokesman, Zaw Htay, told Reuters.

Shwe Eain Si said the accusations made against her by the beauty pageant bosses were 'not serious enough' to take her crown away

Rohingya boys are pictured reaching for humanitarian aid near Balukhali, Bangladesh. The UN has accused Myanmar of 'ethnic cleansing' in the Rakhine region but the government claims it is only targeting 'terrorists'

An agreement is in place between Myanmar and Bangladesh for refugees to return if they can prove they have Myanmar citizenship

But many refugees are wary about returning without an assurance of full citizenship, which they say 'could leave them vulnerable to persecution'.

Last week Myanmar troops uncovered the bodies of 45 Hindu villagers and accused Rohingya Muslims of carrying out a massacre.

Government forces said they discovered mass graves in Rakhine state containing skeletal remains, including of women and children.

Army chiefs said the villagers were killed by the militants who also attacked police outposts.
This is the heart-stopping moment a car tested the brakes of his car twice in the motorway and almost got mown down by a 44-ton lorry.

Trucker Gareth Owens had to brake sharply after the car driver swerved into his lane and tried the brakes.

Mr Owens angrily condemned a court for letting a motorist escape with a fine and points after the incident on the M8 near Glasgow.

A car tested the brakes of his car twice in the motorway and almost got mown down by a 44-ton lorry. Pictured: The vehicle veering into the lane

The driver was originally charged with dangerous driving but two years later he plead guilty to a less serious charge of careless driving. Pictured: The driver coming close to the truck as he tests his brakes

The driver was originally charged with dangerous driving but two years later he plead guilty to a less serious charge of careless driving.

Instead of losing his licence and facing a lengthy ban, the driver was given just seven points and an 810 fine at Glasgow Sheriff Court.

Mr Owens, said today: 'I am not happy with him only getting seven points and the 810 fine.

'He should have lost his licence and the sheriff should have banned him from driving for 12 months or more, plus a bigger fine.'

Mr Owens added: 'If I had not been so alert, and had not had an empty trailer, things would have been different.

'If I was loaded to my legal weight of 44 tons I would have hit him and maybe other vehicles would have got caught up in it.'

Mr Owens also criticised how long it took for the case to reach court, during which time the dangerous driving charge was 'downgraded' to a plea of guilty to careless driving.

Mr Owens claimed the case was adjourned five times as a result of legal arguments.

A spokesman for campaign group Scotland's Worst Drivers said: 'In our view the driver should have lost his licence.

The lorry driver, Gareth Owens, said today: 'I am not happy with him only getting seven points and the 810 fine.' Pictured: The driver veers into the lane another time

'Had the HGV vehicle been fully loaded there most certainly would have been a collision here as the driver just wouldn't have been able to stop in time.

'Hopefully he takes the leniency of the court as a serious wake up call, and will think twice before ever driving in this manner again.'

A spokeswoman at Glasgow Sheriff Court confirmed the name of driver as Daniel Easson although his age and address are not presently known.

The court also confirmed that September 18, Mr Easson pleaded guilty to a charge of careless driving and was fined 810 and given seven penalty points on his licence.

A spokeswoman at Glasgow Sheriff Court confirmed the name of driver as Daniel Easson although his age and address are not presently known

Mr Owens was approaching junction 15 of the M8 in Glasgow in August 2015 when the incident happened.

A Renault Captur undertakes the lorry, pulls in front, and brakes sharply. Mr Owens swerves in to the fast lane.

The Renault again pulls in front of the lorry and brakes sharply and this time a collision is only narrowly avoided.
A prankster has been branded an 'idiot' after he was filmed car surfing - on the front of a moving van.

The young man holds on to the front of the vehicle with one hand and smokes a cigarette using the other.

The driver - who has also been described as idiotic - squirts windscreen fluid at the man, while beeping the horn and laughing hysterically.

No-one in the clip seems too bothered that if the joker fell off he would be run over by the van a fraction of a second after smacking off the road surface.

The clip was filmed at the Larkfield Industrial Estate in Greenock, Inverclyde, and uploaded to YouTube by a user called Falconhoof.

The stunt, dubbed 'car surfing', has claimed the lives of several youngsters in recent years.

It usually involves clinging to the roof or back of the vehicle rather than the front.

Falconhoof captioned the video: 'Some Dafty! Stuck on the grill of a van at work lol.'

The minute long clip, filmed from inside the vehicle, shows a man clinging on to the front with his hood up.

The person filming the footage, who has not been identified, shouts: 'Waldo, what you up tae? We got it stuck to our windscreen and we canny get it off.'

While the passenger can be heard laughing loudly, the man holding on to the front, wearing a khaki green Adidas hoody and blue latex gloves, smiles and lifts up a cigarette.

A prankster has been branded an 'idiot' after he was filmed car surfing - on the front of a moving van. He held on to the front of the vehicle with one hand while smoking a cigarette

The driver - who has also been described as idiotic - squirts windscreen fluid at the man, while beeping the horn and laughing hysterically

The passenger shouts 'Turbo!' as the driver turns on the screen wash, which nearly hits the man in the face.

He can be seen leaning back to avoid the spray, but still continues to smoke his cigarette when the vehicle begins moving again.

The men then joke that if the vehicle's bumper fell off there would 'be blood all over it.'

The stunt, dubbed 'car surfing', has claimed the lives of several youngsters in recent years. It usually involves clinging to the roof or back of the vehicle rather than the front

The clip was filmed at the Larkfield Industrial Estate in Greenock, Inverclyde, and uploaded to YouTube by a user called Falconhoof

A spokesman for driving campaign group Scotland's Worst Drivers said: 'In my opinion the driver is as much of an idiot as he or she is the one in control.

'By driving at speed and squirting the windscreen with screen wash, the man could have fallen off and ended up under the vehicle.'

A Police Scotland spokeswoman said: 'Anyone with concerns that content posted online may be criminal can report this to Police Scotland via 101 or through Crimestoppers where anonymity can be maintained.'

The last moments of 18-year-old Luke Benson's life were captured on camera in April 2015.

He rode on the roof of a moving vehicle and fell off.

His friend was driving him around a car park in Washington, USA, when he banged his head and suffered fatal injuries as a result.

Mohammad Khalid also suffered serious head injuries after attempting the risky stunt in Sterling, Virginia, USA.

The 17-year-old had attempted to recreate a 'car surfing' stunt from the 21 Jump Street film, but died in August 2014 after being critically injured.
Mark Schreiber, 62, pleaded guilty to two counts of practicing medicine without a license

An unlicensed doctor in south Florida was sentenced to 44 months behind bars after he gave botched butt and penis injections to two different patients 19 years after another patient died during an enlargement procedure.

Former plastic surgeon Mark Schreiber pleaded guilty to two counts of practicing medicine without a license and will also be forced to pay $145,000 restitution to the victim of the butt implant as part of the agreement in a plea deal struck last week in Miami-Dade Circuit Court, the Miami Herald reported.

The 62-year-old doctor was first placed on probation by Florida's health department after he performed a botched penis enlargement and face-lift that killed a 51-year-old patient in 1998.

He came under scrutiny again four years after from the health department after 73-year-old Ralph DiGiovanni died of a heart attack two days after he had a neck lift at the surgeon's office.

Then, in 2005 numerous patients came forward complaining about his work, causing his license to be suspended that same year when a woman claimed that he touched her inappropriately while performing a surgery.

But Schreiber still continued to practice medicine until he was forced to give up his license one year later.

The ex-doctor was sentenced to serve 44 months behind bars. He will also be forced to pay $145,000 restitution to the victim of the butt implant as part of the agreement in a plea deal struck last week in Miami-Dade Circuit Court

He was arrested by police after he illegally operated on four different women. For that case, he served two years behind bars.

Schreiber was later sued along with West Palm Beach's Bethesda Memorial Hospital after a botched surgery left a woman with horrific scars.

She was awarded $7.7million by a jury in April 2016.

When Schreiber was released from prison in 2010, he still continued to practice medicine covertly, prosecutors said.

Plus, he was arrested in Broward County on drug possession charges after he was caught with MDMA (ecstasy), Vicodin, amphetamine and marijuana. For those charges, he accepted a plea deal.

Schreiber was also charged in state court after a botched injection he performed on a woman at the now-closed Bella Beauty Spa - where hundreds of women had their butts injected with illegal silicone.

That clinic was owned by Maribel Jimenez, who was recently sentenced to serve six years in federal prison for having the silicone imported from Colombia.

Schreiber gave hundreds of women illegal butt silicone injections at the now-closed Bella Beauty Spa. The owner of spa, Maribel Jimenz (left), is serving six years in federal prison. Ex-spa employee, Magaly del Rosario (right), is serving four years and eight months in prison

Magaly del Rosario, another employee at the spa, was also sentenced to four years and eight months in federal prison.

Jimenz and Schreiber were ordered in April by a Miami-Dade judge to pay $818,000 in damages to a former patient at the spa who suffered permanent injuries from a botched Brazilian butt lift surgery.

In addition, Schreiber was charged criminally in state court and is required to pay the additional $145,000 to Stephanie Rodriguez after she suffered extensive injuries from the botched procedure at the spa.

Schreiber also pleaded guilty in a separate case where he was accused of performing a botched penis enlargement in 2015.

The man had received a botched operation from another suspected illegal doctor prior to seeing Schreiber.

After the procedure with Schreiber, the man woke up at home and discovered 'blood-soaked bandages' and that his penis was 'mutilated', court documents state.

Police said that the man sent text message photos of his disfigured penis to Schreiber.

'At that point, rather than referring that gentleman to a hospital  he recommends to take two popsicle sticks and tie his penis together and wait for swelling to go down,' a Miami-Dade prosecutor said at a hearing last year, the Miami Herald reported.
22-year-old Joshua Alan Jordan died Saturday after being shot as his father was cleaning his gun. No charges have been filed

Authorities say a Florida man fatally shot his son while cleaning a gun.

The Sarasota Herald-Tribune reports that 22-year-old Joshua Alan Jordan died Saturday.

The Charlotte County Sheriff's Office says Joshua's father, John Jordan, was cleaning his .45-caliber handgun at a Port Charlotte home after returning from a local gun range in Punta Gorda.

The firearm discharged and struck Jordan.

Family members performed CPR until emergency responders arrived.

Jordan was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

John Jordan, right, accidentally killed his 22-year-old son, Joshua (left), while cleaning his gun

The shooting happened at their Port Charlotte home (pictured) after returning from a gun range

Detectives say the shooting was an accident.

John describes himself as a husband, father, teacher, musician, technician and biker on his Facebook page.

His love of shooting and guns is also clear for all to see with numerous videos depicting him at shooting practice at a nearby gun range.

No charges were immediately filed against him as a result of the death.
Two Tesco employees felt so compromised by their bosses' decision to 'cook the books' by 250million that they quit their jobs because they knew it was 'unlawful', a court heard today.

Christopher Bush, Tesco UK managing director, Carl Rogberg, UK finance director, and John Scouler, UK commercial director, allegedly started their white collar crime after the supermarket reported its first loss for 20 years in 2013.

After their new profit targets were set unrealistically high the executives began window dressing figures to camouflage their failure to hit them in 2014.

At the time, Bush earned 3million, Scouler 1.5million and Rogberg more than 1million while orchestrating the grocer's 'biggest kept secret'.

Prosecutor Sasha Wass QC told their trial at Southwark Crown Court today: 'Two people who felt so compromised by the mis-recording of profits that they did resign rather than engage in what they considered to be practices that were unlawful.'

Former Tesco bosses Carl Rogberg, 50, and Chris Bush, 51, (pictured last week) are on trial over the supermarket's 250 million accounting black hole that rocked the supermarket and led to two staff quitting, their trial heard today

A public announcement on September 22 2014, which stated that it had previously over-estimated its profits by approximately 250million, sent 'shockwaves' through the stock market, Southwark Crown Court in London has heard.

Former Tesco UK commercial Director John Scouler, 49, pictured last week, is also in the dock over the accounting scandal

The three men are accused of 'cooking the books' in a scandal which wiped 2 billion off the supermarket's total share value.

The jury was told that the practice of bringing forward income from the future to artificially inflate the figures of the present 'was contrary to proper accounting standards and principles'.

Tesco would change senior personnel if they failed to meet targets, which gave the men a very personal interest in overstating the companys financial position, the court was told last week.

Ms Wass QC, prosecuting, told jurors that, at the end of meetings with commercial directors before the first half ended in August, Bush knew how critical the situation was if it continued.

She said: 'Mr Bush knew that the hole in the accounts at the end of the second half in the financial year could be as large as 600 million if nothing changed.

'Mr Bush said they would be able to sort it out when the new chief executive officer arrived. But until the new chief executive officer arrived, Mr Bush's instructions were to get to zero the budgets for half one and half two.'

But jurors heard that not all those who worked on the company's finances agreed with the way they were handled, and that the situation had left some staff 'in tears', fearing the loss of their accounting qualifications.

Miss Wass said: 'Let me tell you about two people who felt so compromised by the mis-recording of profits that they did resign rather than engage in what they considered to be practices that were unlawful.'

She told the court about Richard Parsons, a project manager at the supermarket, who in an exit interview said 'It has broken me' and that he was angry at having been put in a position which compromised his ethics.

Miss Wass added: 'Richard articulated that this is the biggest kept secret in Tesco and if this was to get out, it would not be good for Tesco.'

Prosecutor Sasha Wass said the accounts were manipulated to meet profits targets the supermarket chain failed to meet - and help them more money

Jurors also heard that former Tesco accountant Aysen Nadiri quit her role on August 26 2014.

Miss Wass said: 'Miss Nadiri became increasingly concerned about the message from senior management because they refused to accept that targets could not be met and they had a disregard, in Miss Nadiri's view, for proper accounting principles.

Rogberg was 'directly responsible' for authorising the falsified figures and received a remuneration package of more than 1 million in 2014, the court heard

'But Miss Nadiri became more and more uncomfortable attending meetings of the senior commercial teams when this practice was discussed, and she felt she no longer wanted to be part of the company.'

She added: 'Miss Nadiri said that she was nervous about things going on. She was uncomfortable that things would not stand up at audit and she felt compromised as a financial professional.'

The court also heard that one of Tesco's senior accountants, Amit Soni, who eventually presented findings of the hole in the accounts to the board, spent weeks agonising about what he was going to do about the situation.

In an email on September 3 2014, he told colleagues: 'Keep the file with you, the whistle is about to blow.'

He added: 'It has consumed my life in the last four to five weeks, collecting information in secret, getting my team to understand what I want and then doing it in a subtle way and only on my desktop.

'Yesterday, after a long time, I slept properly, but the fight starts now.

'It is a fight I have to have if Tesco is to become better.'

Rogberg, of Chiselhampton, Oxfordshire, Bush, of High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, and Scouler, of St Albans, Hertfordshire, all deny the charges.
An Uber driver in Singapore has died from a heart attack at the wheel, with his passenger still in the car.

Wang Yongqing, 64, had picked up a passenger at Singapore's Changi Airport last Thursday, but was forced to pull over shortly afterwards.

The distraught male passenger called for help, but Mr Wang died on his way to hospital, local news report.

Wang Yongqing, 64, had picked up a passenger at Singapore's Changi Airport last Thursday, but was soon forced to pull over after suffering a cardiac arrest behind the wheel

Mr Wang's brother said he had been working two jobs for the past six months and that this could have caused his death.

Wang Yongshun, 62, who lived with his brother said he had been driving for Uber on top of his normal job six months ago, Straits Times reports.

Mr Wang worked driving construction workers to building sites from the early hours in the morning until 5pm, after which he would start his Uber shift until 1am.

His brother said Mr Wang had been 'increasingly fatigued in the past few weeks'.

Uber has been criticised for not doing enough to vet its drivers, who are self-employed but picks up fares through the company's app.

Mr Wang's brother said he had been working two jobs for the past six months and that this could have caused his death

This was given as one of the reasons why Transport for London decided to strip the ride-hailing service of its license to operate in the British capital.

Among the factors considered by the regulator was Uber's 'approach to reporting serious criminal offenses' and its use of software designed to evade the authorities.

Earlier this week, an Uber passenger was left stranded in Perth, Australia after their driver tested positive to driving while on methamphetamine.

The man was caught by a random drug and alcohol police operation, and Western Australian police tweeted the image of the man's test, showing a positive result for meth.

Uber Australia said it was investigating the incident.
Sir Michael Fallon (pictured in Manchester today) has signalled a major increase in defence spending as he said Britain must beat the 2 per cent Nato target

Michael Fallon used his main speech to Tory conference to lash Boris Johnson today, joking at his expense about the Vote Leave campaign and his performance as Foreign Secretary.

The Defence Secretary jibed that he was spending 350million a week on the Royal Navy.

And he urged Mr Johnson to learn from the 'values of resolve and service, discipline and loyalty' shown by the Armed Forces.

The attack came after weeks of troublesome interventions from Mr Johnson over Brexit which have triggered ugly public rows among Cabinet members.

Sir Michael stole Mr Johnson's metaphor of the 'roaring Lion' in tribute to British forces just an hour before the Foreign Secretary used the phrase as the final line of his own speech.

Sir Michael also mentioned Mr Johnson's trip to the Caribbean in the wake of Hurricane Irma.

'Look at our response to the most powerful hurricane ever to hit the Caribbean,' he said.

'RFA Mounts Bay was already on station to provide immediate assistance - helping our people, the people of the British Virgin Islands, Anguilla, Turks and Caicos.

'Within a week we had deployed 600 service personnel, three helicopters, and one Foreign Secretary.'

Sir Michael used his speech to signal a major increase in defence spending as he said Britain must beat the 2 per cent Nato target.

The Defence Secretary said the security threats to Britain were mounting and spending on the military must rise to match it.

Sir Michael insisted the Prime Minister was on the 'same page' as him but billions of pounds in extra defence spending would create a headache for Chancellor Philip Hammond.

Sir Michael stole Mr Johnson's metaphor of the 'roaring Lion' in tribute to British forces just an hour before the Foreign Secretary used the phrase as the final line of his own speech (pictured)

Sir Michael (pictured with aides in Manchester today) used his speech to mock Boris Johnson for disloyalty

The Ministry of Defence has been forced to squeeze budgets in the past decade to protect a growing budget for new equipment, including two aircraft carriers.

Speaking to Tory activists, the Defence Secretary said: 'As those threats intensify we are now looking across government to make sure we are doing enough, spending enough, to properly protect our country against all of them  cyber, hybrid warfare, rogue states, terrorist attacks.

'Spending 2per cent of GDP on defence is the minimum NATO commitment.

'We meet it but we should aim to do better still.'

Sir Michael also warned party members Britain must not be afraid to put its military to work.

He said: 'With the fifth biggest defence budget in the world, we have the means. So we must always be ready to answer the call from further away, from fragile democracies, from the very poorest, from the hardest hit.

'That means deploying our ships, our planes, and yes, our troops on the ground where we and our allies are asked to help.

'Standing up for what we believe in  that is Global Britain.'

The Ministry of Defence has been forced to squeeze budgets in the past decade to protect a growing budget for new equipment, including two aircraft carriers (including the Queen Elizabeth II, pictured arriving in Portsmouth in August)

The support package for the navy announced by Sir Michael brings together 1 billion worth of contracts from within the existing defence budget, aimed at ensuring the fleet can spend more time at sea.

But senior naval figures have said the service simply does not have enough ships.

Former first sea lord Admiral Sir George Zambellas last month told the Sunday Times the UK would have the capabilities of a 'third world nation' unless funding was increased, warning the Royal Navy was 'hollowed out'.

Speaking on a visit in Manchester earlier, Sir Michael hit back, saying the Admiral had welcomed the measures contained in the 2015 defence review.

Shadow defence secretary Nia Griffith backed an increase in defence spending

He said: 'We have got the fifth biggest defence budget in the world, the biggest navy in Europe, two enormous flagships - the Queen Elizabeth and the Prince of Wales.

'There's nothing hollowed out about the Queen Elizabeth.'

Sir Michael said 400 extra sailors were being recruited and the service would have new frigates and patrol vessels.

'As first sea lord, he welcomed this new investment,' Sir Michael said.

'We are going to grow the navy and we are going to grow the defence budget.'

Shadow defence secretary Nia Griffith said: 'The Defence Secretary has finally recognised that the Government needs to invest more in our nation's security, but it is pretty galling for him to talk about going beyond the 2 per cent commitment when this Government is barely scraping over the line at present.

'Indeed they can only claim to be doing so by counting items, such as pensions, that do not contribute to our defence capabilities and which Labour did not include when in Government.

'Labour is fully committed to spending at least 2 per cent of GDP on defence as we consistently did when in government.

'If Sir Michael Fallon is serious about putting more money on the table, he should act immediately to give our Armed Forces the real terms pay rise that they have been so cruelly robbed of since 2010.'
Waleed Aly has unleashed a scathing review of the state of modern America and its 'gun-loving' culture after the mass shooting in Las Vegas that claimed the lives of 59 people and injured more than 500.

The Project host labelled the USA a 'nation in denial' in a monologue on Wednesday night, and repeated throughout that the horrific details and images of the attack 'will happen again.'

Local resident Stephen Paddock, armed with 23 legally purchased rifles, fired thousands of bullets at a 22,000-strong country music festival at 10pm Monday evening local time.

'The truth is, the thing about this act is not how evil it is but how incredibly ordinary its become. And this will happen again,' Aly says.

Waleed Aly has unleashed a scathing review of the state of modern America and its 'gun-loving' culture after the mass shooting in Las Vegas that claimed the lives of 59 people

Revellers described hearing automatic rounds during the concert sparking mass panic and chaos

Aly began the segment by condemning how 'familiar' the events of Las Vegas feel, and that no matter the tragedy nothing appears to change within the sentiment of a lot of American citizens and politicians.

'This will happen again, it always does and it's always the same way.'

He decried the reaction of President Donald Trump and his choice of words, saying his use of the adjective 'evil' was evidence of him 'hiding something'.

'You would think after a mass shooting, especially the deadliest in US history, gun reform may actually happen, but that's not what happens,' Aly says.

The Project host references the ever-increasing gun statistics in America that has seen gun ownership double in the last 50 years to from one gun to every two people, to now being one gun to every one person, resulting in over 300 million firearms in the United States.

'Instead of seeing a reduction, the talk of gun reform will see Americans flock to gun stores today.'

He identifies that major gun manufacturing companies, including American Outdoor Brands and Sturm, Ruger and co. have experienced increases in sales of more than 4% since the Las Vegas mass shooting.

'And this will happen again.'

Aly began the segment by condemning how 'familiar' the events of Las Vegas feel, and that no matter the tragedy nothing appears to change within the sentiment of a lot of politicians

Revellers described hearing automatic rounds during the concert sparking mass panic and chaos

Thousands fled as bursts of gunfire could be heard for more than five minutes, at least 50 were killed and 200 more injured

This, Aly says, is largely due to the callousness of one of the nation's largest lobbies, the NRA, and their refusal to address the issue at hand and often give a delayed response to such atrocities.

'What's the NRA got to say?' Aly asks before cutting to a blank screen.

'Nothing, and that will happen again.'

The NRA spends more than $3 million every year lobbying politicians, and contributed more than $30 million just to the now-President Donald Trump's campaign.

Following the attack at a gay nightclub in Orlando in 2016, the last deadliest mass shooting in America's history which claimed 49 lives, the NRA took two days to give a statement.

'That's what they do every time. So tomorrow or the next day, they'll be back to doing what they always do, lobbying politicians to make sure absolutely nothing changes,' The Project host laments.

Police say Mr Paddock, described as a local man, opened fire on the Route 91 Harvest Festival in Las Vegas Village from a room across the street in the Mandalay Bay Hotel shortly after 10pm

Thousands fled as bursts of gunfire could be heard for more than five minutes, at least 50 were killed and 200 more injured

'It's too easy to make this about one person and not a nation in denial. It's too easy to mourn the victims and choose to do nothing to protect them.'

Despite proven results with banning high-powered assault rifles and semi-automatic weapons, including the case study of Australia which has not seen a single mass shooting since overwhelming gun reform after the Port Arthur massacre, America remains resistant to change.

'11,660 people have been killed by guns in ths us this year, and this will happen again.'
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by Staff reporter

Mthwakazi Liberation Front has condemned the opening of the donkey abattoir.The party said the opening of a donkey abattoir is nothing less than an insult and declaration of war by Battlefront Investments and the government of Zimbabwe, to Mthwakazi people."How on earth could the ministry of health approve of such an abattoir at a place where not even a rat has never been eaten. Battlefront Investments as the name says are seriously at war. The move degrades and is totally against the cultural morals of our people. We cannot accept that. If there was anything good that comes with the opening of that abattoir, why would the government of Zimbabwe choose to oppose its looting policy and bring it to Bulawayo?" said."Why has the government of Zimbabwe permitted their relocation of many companies like Tregers Group, Zimbabwe Engineering Company, Hubert Davies, Merlin Textiles, Stewards and Lloyds, Build Elect, Dunlop, Hunyani Holdings and G&D Shoes, companies that contributed a lot in the growth of Mthwakazi, to Harare? What is it that Harare has not liked with the investment of Battlefront to let it open an abattoir in Mthwakazi?"MLF said as an organization, we are sending a clear message to Battlefront investment to close down their evil operation in their land or risk closure of all their butchery outlets in Mthwakazi."Gwanda alone has more than enough cattle to feed the whole of Mthwakazi, so what is the reason of feeding our people with donkeys?. We urge Mthwakazi people not to take this thing lightly. Battlefront Investments has to relocate to Harare if it continues with its donkeys abattoir plan," MLF said.
Malcolm Turnbull will lobby states and territories to hand over pictures of every licensed driver in the country in order to compile a database of terror suspects.

The Federal Government will lobby for access to the photos at a counter-terror summit in Canberra on Thursday.

The pictures would allow surveillance cameras fitted with facial recognition technology to scan crowds at Australian airports for suspected terrorists.

Speaking on Tuesday, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said the technology could 'further harmonise and advance our response to the threat of terrorism'

Federal security agencies already have access to passport and visa photos, but government sources said drivers' license photos were the 'mother-load'.

The government source said they would also consider incorporating Facebook photos into their database, Nine News reported.

Thursday will not be the first time the idea has been floated.

Law enforcement agencies have long pressed for the intel but privacy concerns have stopped the database from forming legs.

Should Australia give the federal government access to people's drivers' license photos, it would follow in the the United States' footsteps.

Police help to screen passengers at Sydney Airport this year following a foiled Islamist-inspired 'terrorist plot'

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said the technology had the ability to 'further harmonise and advance our response to the threat of terrorism'

Security officials will consider using facial recognition to catch terror suspects at Australian airport terminals (Sydney Airport pictured)

The US FBI has access to drivers' license photos from 18 states, all of which are stored in the US' own facial recognition database.

The US Centre for Privacy and Technology highlighted problems with the database, claiming suspects were chosen with an algorithm and mistakes were common.

The centre said the system wrongly matched people 15 per cent of the time, and African-Americans were most commonly misidentified.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said the technology could 'further harmonise and advance our response to the threat of terrorism'.

Mr Turnbull said The Commonwealth would also lobby for the harmonisatin of federal and state laws relating to bail and parole in cases of terror.

The Federal Government previously committed to spending $122 million to install the facial recognition technology

The Federal Government previously committed to spending $122 million to install the facial recognition technology.

Justice Minister Michael Keenan told Sky News there were 'plenty of databases' owned by the commonwealth and state governments that had the ability to recognise people's faces.

However Mr Keenan said there were still limitations with the databases.

'At the moment we've got very archaic ways of our law enforcement from accessing that data,' he said on Tuesday.

'I think it's pretty basic that state, territory and commonwealth police have access to appropriate information.'

Former foreign minister Bob Carr said he expected the database to have the full support of the Council of Australian Governments at Thursday's meeting.

'Facial recognition technology is something that has been explored for decades, I think it provides some very reassuring possibilities,' he told Sky.

Justice Minister Michael Keenan (pictured) said there were 'plenty of databases' owned by the commonwealth and state governments that had the ability to recognise people's faces

While facial recognition would be a step forward, airport technology has been the cause of chaos at Australian airports in recent weeks.

Thousands of passengers were left stranded as recently as Thursday when boarding systems failed at all major east coast airports.

Sydney Airport was described as a 'disaster zone' last Monday, as thousands of travellers were stuck at airports across Australia on the first day of school holidays.

Sydney Aircraft control systems went down just after 5am on Monday September 25, preventing all flights from leaving the domestic and international airports.
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In a bittersweet meeting, a family came face-to-face with the young boy that has their deceased daughter's heart beating inside him.

Brandon Wilcox and Lacey Tiara Wilcox from Avon, Indiana, met with the family of Mason Perkins, now two, who received the heart of their toddler, Alaiya Wilcox, after she died in 2015 from bacterial meningitis.

Two days later, 10-month-old Mason Perkins received her heart in Tennessee.

Brandon and Lacey Wilcox met Mason Perkins and his family on September 25, 2017. Two-year-old Alaiya Wilcox died in December 2015 from bacterial meningitis

Lacey Wilcox listens to Mason's heartbeat. Her daughter Alaiya died in 2015 and Mason received her heart two days later

Mason had been born with a heart defect and had been on a donor list for eight months. He was one of seven people saved thanks to Alaiya.

The families met on September 25, 2017 when Mason had a doctor's appointment in Nashville, as it was a halfway point for the families.

'My husband and I had a roller coaster of emotions running through us,' Lacey said. 'Seeing Mason for the first time, we instantly felt a connection. So many feelings were running through me. I was happy and sad all in one. Seeing for ourselves how happy and energetic Mason is was a relief.'

Alaiya's older sister becomes overwhelmed with emotions when she hears her deceased sibling's heartbeat in Mason's chest

Mason received Alaiya's heart when he was ten months old. He had been on the transplant list for eight months and was born with a heart defect

Angela Perkins, Mason's mother, was surprised at how quickly Mason warmed up to the other family because it normally takes him a few weeks to be comfortable with strangers

Alaiya died in December 2015 when she was two years old after battling bacterial meningitis. Her organs went to eight people

Alaiya and Lacey's mother died eight days apart. Shortly after Alaiya's death, the couple found out they were pregnant with their third daughter.

'Grieving on top of being pregnant was not easy for us by any means,' Lacey said in a Facebook post. 'Our three-year-old was devastated she lost her sister and best friend. We definitely came even closer together as a family.

'We often wondered if the recipient family was appreciative of the beautiful gift Alaiya had given.'

Suha Dabit, a photographer and the founder of the World of Broken Hearts program for Project Heart, which raises awareness about heart defects and organ donation, was there to capture the special moment the two families met.

Angela Perkins, Mason's mom, first reached out to Lacey over Facebook on December 28, 2016, a year after Mason's surgery.

The two families pose together with a picture of Alaiya, who died from bacterial meningitis when she was two years old

Brandon Wilcox listens to Mason's heartbeat and can't hold back tears. His daughter Alaiya died in 2015 and Mason received her heart

Brandon wipes away tears after meeting the little boy who received his daughter's heart. The families had been in contact since December 2016

'Meeting our donor family was so special,' Angela said. 'I am still amazed at how quickly Mason started to interact with them. It normally takes him weeks to warm up to people he's never met, but it was different with them, almost as if he's known them for ages.'

'I am a firm believer that a parent's love is forever woven into our hearts, and there's no doubt that the heart that beats inside of Mason knows the familiarity of Brandon and Lacey,' she continued. 'I am forever grateful for the gift of life, and I will always make sure that Mason lives a life big enough for two.'

Lacey and Angela pose with Mason and a photograph of Alaiya. Angela reached out to Lacey in December 2016 and they met in September 2017

Lacey and Angela share an emotional hug. Lacey described the meeting as 'bittersweet' but said that it was clear that Alaiya's heart had gone to the perfect family

Lacey said that after meeting Mason, it became clear that Alaiya's heart had gone to the perfect family.

'It showed us how "perfect" Alaiya's heart was for him,' Lacey said. 'This entire experience is bittersweet, because as parents we want all of our children with us, and that isn't our situation.'

'In a perfect world, Alaiya and Mason could have both been saved and Angela and I could have met in the baby aisle of Target, but that isn't our story. The love they have for our sweet Angel baby shows in volumes. We are forever bonded as a unit.'

Brandon Wilcox holds Mason Perkins as Mason's dad holds a picture of Alaiya. Brandon has two other daughters
Annie Lennox's daughter Tali has been slammed for a Instagram photo she posted of a 'bloodied' mattress in the wake of the Las Vegas massacre.

The 24-year-old British model posted the photo of her USA-made mattress bearing a large red stain on it late on Monday.

'A message on my mattress, a sad day in the USA,' she wrote alongside the tribute photo, accompanied by a broken heart emoji.

'Message on my mattress': Annie Lennox's daughter Tali has been slammed for a Instagram photo she posted of a 'bloodied' mattress in the wake of the Las Vegas massacre

She later clarified that the stain was actually the result of leaking red ink after followers assumed the model had posted a photo of a period blood stain.

Even after the clarification, some Instagram users were still not impressed and slammed her for being 'disrespectful'.

'What the hell is this trashy s**t? It's disrespectful and bares no ounce of relevance to the tragedy that has taken place in the US,' one user wrote.

Another said: 'This picture is f****d up. Not even artsy at all.'

'This is just disrespectful tbh.

The 24-year-old British model (left and right with mom Annie) posted the photo of her USA-made mattress bearing a large red stain on it late on Monday

'Seriously disrespectful and messed up like, theres no connection from your split red ink to the horrible actions taken place. Smh'

Prior to Tali updating that it was in fact ink, one Instagram user wrote: 'Tf is this? Get a rag and clean that up. While your at it, put a tampon on. Don't connect this bloody mattress to what happened in Vegas. Two different things.'

People carry an injured person from the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after gunshots rang out on Sunday night

People scramble over barriers to get to safety as the gunfire rages on at the Las Vegas event

Her post came hours after gunman Stephen Paddock killed 58 people and injured 527 when he opened fire on concertgoers from a hotel room at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas on Sunday night. He then committed suicide.

Police found 23 rifles inside the Las Vegas shooter's hotel room, which he used to rain down death on a crowd of 22,000 attending the music festival.
Tired Kiwis were given a rude awakening as the countrys civil defence ministry sent out a mass text message in the early hours of the morning.

The text message was an emergency alert from New Zealands Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management, and was sent out in bulk at 1.30am on Wednesday.

This is a test message for the Emergency Mobile Alert system that will be available by the end of 2017, the first line read.

Tired Kiwis were given a rude awakening as the countrys civil defence ministry sent out a mass text message in the early hours of the morning

The text message was an emergency alert from New Zealands Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management, and was sent out in bulk at 1.30am on Wednesday

Visit civildefence.govt.nz to find out more. Sent by the Ministry of Civil Defence & Emergency Management.

The timing of the alert jolted people out of bed, and they were quick to voice their displeasure with having their midweek sleep interrupted.

Dear @NZcivildefence, thanks for testing your mobile emergency alert system at 01:30AM. The whole house is awake now. #muppets Michael Emery tweeted.

Others didnt realise straight away that the alert was just a test.

I just got an emergency test alert sent to my phone? Scared the s**t out of me, one person tweeted, while another said it gave me a heart attack.

The timing of the alert jolted people out of bed, and they were quick to voice their displeasure with having their midweek sleep interrupted

Some people received the alert more than once, much to the recipients displeasure

Some people received the alert more than once, much to the recipients displeasure.

Nick Johnston said he turned his phones alert notifications off after receiving the message three times, twice at 1.32am and again at 1.49am.
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Police raced through dozens of 'injured victims' on the ground today as they trained for a vehicle terrorist attack.

The three-day 'live-play scenario' in Edinburgh which began this morning is intended to test the response of the emergency services in England and Scotland to a cross-border incident.

Armed response teams, paramedics and firefighters were all involved as well as police control room and organisational staff as observers watched the action unfold.

Today's scenario featured a vehicle attack which began in an area of the Royal Bank of Scotland headquarters at Gogarburn in the Scottish capital this morning.

Police take part in a counter-terrorism exercise today responding to a scenario simulating a vehicle attack in Edinburgh

The exercise is being held in the grounds of the Royal Bank of Scotland headquarters at Gogarburn in the Scottish capital

The three-day exercise is testing the response of emergency services in England and Scotland to a cross-border incident

The 'live-play scenario' today is not in response to any specific threat but the result of more than a year of planning

The Police Scotland Assistant Chief Constable said training needs to respond to the change in high-casualty attacks

Attacks are being carried out by individuals or small groups with vehicles and weapons such as has been seen recently

The three-day exercise, which also involves locations in the Lothians and Northumbria, is not in response to any specific threat but the result of more than a year of planning.

Police Scotland Assistant Chief Constable Bernard Higgins said training needs to respond to the change in high-casualty attacks carried out by individuals or small groups with vehicles and weapons such as has been seen recently in the UK.

Home Secretary Amber Rudd chaired a COBR meeting as part of the exercise and the Scottish Government's Resilience Room updated Scottish ministers on the event.

Named Exercise Border Reiver, police said it will not affect day-to-day policing or emergency responses, which will continue as normal throughout the exercise.

Mr Higgins said: 'We've seen a number of terrorist incidents within the UK which sadly led to a lot of fatalities. We've moved to a threat level of critical on two occasions.

The exercise featured a vehicle attack which began in an area of the Royal Bank of Scotland headquarters in Edinburgh

It tested armed response teams, paramedics and firefighters as well as police control room and organisational staff

Observers watched the action unfold in the grounds of the Royal Bank of Scotland headquarters at Gogarburn

Named Exercise Border Reiver, police said the simulation will not affect day-to-day policing or emergency responses

The Scottish Government's Resilience Room updated Scottish ministers on the event as part of the exercise

A man plays the role of an injured person on the ground as he takes part in the counter-terrorism exercise today

'As these things have occurred so have our plans evolved to try and recreate the threat that we believe exists within the UK.

'In previous exercises the attacks were more coordinated, so you have had two or three different cells attacking different venues at different times.

'What we've seen in recent times - particularly in the UK - it's low sophistication, it's small numbers of people, often lone actors. They're using vehicles, they're using knives and bladed weapons, but the impact is high and the casualties are high.

'So it's trying to recreate what we believe will be a likely scenario, should it occur.'

He added: 'This is an exercise - it's not because we know something is going to happen or we believe something is going to happen.

Northumbria Police, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and Scottish Ambulance Service are among the bodies involved

Police said day-to-day policing or emergency responses will continue as normal throughout the cross-border exercise

North East Ambulance Service and Northumberland and Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue services are also involved today

Transport Scotland, NHS Scotland, NHS England and the Ministry of Defence are among the groups involved in the exercise

City of Edinburgh, Angus and Northumberland County councils are also testing their responses to a terrorist incident

Officers said they would inform people in local residential and business areas close to the three-day exercise

Ambulance personnel take part in a counter-terrorism exercise responding to the scenario simulating a vehicle attack

'There is absolutely no intelligence to suggest that Scotland is going to be a specific target of terrorism at any point in the future.

'People in the Edinburgh area today and over the next few days, please don't be alarmed if you see lots of blue lights and sirens or if you hear gunshots.

'It is blank cartridges we're using, but it's trying to recreate the pressure and the tension that the first responders will be feeling at the scene and the senior officers and staff will be feeling back in the operations room.'

Other bodies involved in the three-day exercise include Northumbria Police, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, Scottish Ambulance Service, North East Ambulance Service, Northumberland and Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue services, Transport Scotland, NHS Scotland, NHS England and the Ministry of Defence.

City of Edinburgh, Angus and Northumberland County councils are also testing their responses to a terrorist incident.

Police said they were keen not to raise alarm through noise or a large presence of emergency services

Police said te exercise was 'not because we know something is going to happen or we believe something is going to happen'

A label displaying injuries is seen on a person playing the role of an injured person taking part in a counter-terrorism exercise

Police and ambulance personnel are working together in the exercise responding to a scenario simulating a vehicle attack

People in the Edinburgh area have been told 'don't be alarmed if you see lots of blue lights and sirens or if you hear gunshots'

A police officer approaches a man pretending to be injured while taking part in the counter-terrorism exercise today

Police said the planning put into exercises is, in part, responsible for the professionalism of front line services in attacks

The Home Secretary said: 'The events of this year have shown why it is vital that the emergency services, Government and agencies prepare and rehearse our response to potential terrorist attacks.

'The professionalism with which front line services dealt with the atrocities in London and Manchester is in part due to the planning and practice that goes into exercises like this.'

Officers said they would inform people in local residential and business areas close to the exercise so as not to raise alarm through noise or a large presence of emergency services.

Assistant Chief Constable Darren Best of Northumbria Police said: 'This exercise has been organised to test the response of the emergency services and other partner agencies to a cross-border incident. It is in no way linked to a specific or increased threat in our region.

'We regularly carry out exercises to test contingency plans and the co-ordination of the response to a major incident to ensure we are prepared to keep our communities safe.'
The Australian Federal Police has helped foil six terrorist attacks in the last 15 months in Australia and the surrounding region as jihadists pour in from the Middle East.

Some of the attacks stopped by agents from the AFP's global operations team were only hours away from being carried out, The Australian reported.

They include joint operations conducted in Southeast Asia and the Sydney plane bomb plot thwarted in July.

The Australian Federal Police has helped foil six terrorist attacks in the last 15 months in Australia and the surrounding region as jihadists pour in from the Middle East (pictured are Philippine Army troopers fighting ISIS in Marawi)

Some of the attacks stopped by agents from the AFP's global operations team were only hours away from being carried out (pictured is a home raided by police over terror plot)

The news comes as Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull (pictured) calls for a new law allowing terror suspects to be held for 14 days without charge

AFP Assistant Commissioner for International Operations Scott Lee confirmed five attacks in Southeast Asia have been prevented with AFP help since July 2015.

'There is one in particular that involved heavy engagement,' he said.

Mr Lee said the AFP was heavily involved in anti-terror efforts in Indonesia, and flagged The Phillipines as a growing concern due to an influx of foreign fighters.

'When you look at the military situation [ISIS facing defeat in the Middle East], once you have more of these foreign fighters  it will change the dynamic to the threat elsewhere,' he said.

AFP Assistant Commissioner for International Operations Scott Lee confirmed five attacks in Southeast Asia have been prevented with AFP help since July 2015 (pictured are Philippine Army troops fighting ISIS)

The Five Eyes intelligence alliance led to police raids across several Sydney suburbs (pictured)

Mr Lee stressed the importance of Australia's Five Eyes security partners - the US, UK, New Zealand, Canada and Europol.

That policing network was instrumental in stopping the most recent domestic terror plot, with intelligence from Britain leading to raids across several Sydney suburbs.

Brothers Khaled and Mahmoud Khayat were arrested and charged with acting in preparation for a terrorist act over an alleged plot to bring down a plane.

The news comes as Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull calls for a new law allowing terror suspects to be held for 14 days without charge.

Pictured above are the AFP's Scott Lee (left) and Justice Minister Michael Keenan (right)

Mr Turnbull also wants to outlaw the possession of 'instructional terrorist material' and the making of terrorism hoaxes, The Sydney Morning Herald reported.

A Council of Australian Governments meeting will consider all three proposals in Canberra on Thursday.

Mr Turnbull said terror laws should be consistent across all states and territories, as in states such as Queensland suspects may need to be released after eight hours.

'It's vital that we have nationally consistent terrorism laws. I'm asking state and territory leaders to work with me to deliver safety and security,' said Mr Turnbull.

Brothers Khaled (pictured) and Mahmoud Khayat were arrested and charged with acting in preparation for a terrorist act over an alleged plot to bring down a plane

Police operations have prevented 13 planned terror attacks since September 2014, and five attacks have been carried out in Australia (pictured are Sydney terror raids)

'We need nationally consistent pre-charge detention laws so that those who seek to do us harm can be held to account no matter where they are.'

Justice Minister Michael Keenan said terrorism is a global issue and the AFP must work with international partners to tackle the problem.

The AFP has 230 officers working in global operations, spread between counter-terrorism, child protection, drug trafficking and organised crime.

Of those officers, 80 are based in Southeast Asia.

Police operations have prevented 13 planned terror attacks since September 2014, and five attacks have been carried out in Australia.
Senior White House advisor Jared Kushner has been revealed to have an additional private email account that got used to forward hundreds of emails including internal White House documents.

Information on the personal account came to light just days after the Senate Intelligence Committee complained that Kushner had failed to disclose to the committee an additional personal email account as it probes Russian interference in the elections.

The latest account was set up on a personal domain for Kushner and Ivanka Trump, the president's daughter who joined the administration along with her husband, both in unpaid roles.

They set up the domain, ijkfamily.com, in December, Politico reported. Emails sent to the account included internal schedules, White House documents, and travel information.

Senior White House advisor Jared Kushner has been revealed to have an additional private email account that got used to forward hundreds of emails including internal White House documents

Some of the emails were sent by Ivanka Trump, while others were originated by her assistant, Bridges Lamar.

Both Kushner and Trump had access to the account and shared it with family staff, according to the report.

A person familiar with the set-up said the account was used daily.

A family representative told the publication Ivanka Trump has taken care to separate family from work matters.

'Her White House assistant did not and does not work on these matters. Her personal and work obligations, schedule, travel arrangements and contacts were and are coordinated in accordance with this separation, as she was advised to do,' according to the representative.

Kushner and Ivanka Trump set up the domain, ijkfamily.com, in December

Kushner failed to tell Senate Intelligence Committee investigators about his use of a private email account, panel members charged in an angry letter that only came to light last week because of a goof by Kushner's high-powered lawyer.

'The committee was concerned to learn of this additional email account from the news media, rather than from you, in your closed staff interview,' committee chairman Sen. Richard Burr and Vice Chair Sen. John Warner scolded Kushner in their joint letter dated Thursday.

A prankster posing as Kushner wanted to know whether it was okay to delete an email from a White House official with a 'shared interest' in porn  a stunt that duped Kushner's lawyer into a response

Kushner's attorney accidentally forwarded the letter, marked 'COMMITTEE SENSITIVE' to the same person who had pranked him previously under a ruse where he posed as Kushner and sought advice about 'adult' emails located on his personal email account.

Lowell, upon receiving the letter from the committee, attempted to forward it  apparently and inadvertently sending it to the email prankster who tricked him instead of to the real Jared Kushner, his client.

The prankster had originally tricked Lowell into an email exchange using the fake address kushner.jared@mail.com while pretending to need advice about 'adult' emails he had uncovered in his in-box.

The address apparently then ended up in Lowell's auto-fill feature when he attempted to forward the email.

A person familiar with the transmission told CNN, which first reported the story, that it got sent to the prankster by mistake.

Lawyer Abbe Lowell got fooled by the prankster, then forwarded a sensitive document from the Senate Intelligence Committee needling his client

The letter was marked 'COMMITTEE SENSITIVE' but got forwarded to the prankster and posted online

The prankster, who goes by @SINON_REBORN on Twitter, bragged about the feat online.

'JARED KUSHNER'S LAWYER, ABBE, sent this to my FAKE JARED email address today!!!' the prankster wrote, adding two emojis for emphasis.

The letter from the committee asked that he preserve emails and respond in writing.

'Please confirm that the document production that you made to the committee  and any and all document searches of email accounts for that document production included the additional 'personal email account' described to the news media, as well as all other email accounts, messaging apps, or similar communications channels you may have used, or that may contain information relevant to our inquiry, they wrote.

'As you are aware, this committee has previously requested that you preserve and produce certain documents related to the Russian inquiryincluding, but not limited to, email communications.'

The committee is probing Russian interference in the presidential election and Russian contacts with Trump officials, a group that includes Kushner.

President Trump won office in part by railing against rival Hillary Clinton's use of a private email, calling for her to release thousands of deleted emails. Clinton was found to be using a home email server for all of her government work.
Chilling images have emerged showing an ISIS suicide vest factory where jihadists manufacture deadly devices filled with ball bearings in Iraq.

The photos show masked bomb-makers wearing latex gloves preparing explosives packed with ball bearings at a weapons facility near the capital Baghdad.

An extremist can be seen packing the device into a camouflage pouch and another picture shows a room with several completed suicide vests on the ground.

Another fanatic is shown fitted with the deadly cargo and with what appears to be two triggers on the vest.

Chilling images have emerged showing an ISIS suicide vest factory where jihadists manufacture deadly devices filled with ball bearings in Iraq. One picture shows a fighter fitted with the deadly cargo and with what appears to be a trigger on the vest

The photos show masked bomb-makers wearing latex gloves preparing explosives packed with ball bearings at a bomb-making unit near the capital Baghdad

Explosives: The photos show a jihadist packing hundreds of ball bearings into a suicide bomb vest

ISIS is continuing to lose swathes of its territory across Iraq and the US led-coalition recently said the terror group is on the run across the Middle East.

In recent months they have frequently used suicide bombers and deadly booby-traps in a desperate bid to slow the advance of Iraqi troops.

'ISIS is losing on all fronts, and they are losing their grip on their few remaining strongholds in both Iraq and Syria,' Army Col. Ryan Dillon.

The coalition and its partners on the ground - the Iraqi security forces and the Syrian Democratic Forces - remain committed to defeating the enemy, he said.

'But make no mistake,' he added, 'we fully expect fierce fighting in the days ahead.

Another picture shows a room with several completed suicide vests on the ground

Deadly: An ISIS extremist can be seen packing the explosive device into a camouflage pouch

'And while these terrorists remain a dangerous and desperate enemy, our ISF and SDF partners have proven they are up to the task.'

Iraqi forces have made significant progress in the fight, Dillon said.

'Our Iraqi partners have fought a long, bloody war and have sacrificed a great deal to liberate their people and clear terrorists from cities and villages,' he told reporters.

More than 26,000 square miles in Iraq have been cleared and more than four million people are now free from ISIS control, the colonel said.

'ISIS is on the run, and we must remain focused on delivering a decisive defeat in their few remaining holdouts in Iraq,' he added.
A concert bartender who was serving drinks when the Las Vegas massacre began on Sunday night has relived in harrowing detail how she held the hand of a wounded man until he died and then stayed with his body for five hours.

Heather Gooze, 43, was working at the Route 91 country music festival when gunman Stephen Paddock, 64, opened fire from a suite on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel which overlooked the venue.

As thousands of terrified music fans frantically ran for their lives, many rushed in to the bar area where Gooze was working to take shelter.

They heroically brought with them wounded concert-goers who weren't able to flee themselves.

Among the injured was 23-year-old Jordan McIldoon, a Canadian construction worker who was in Vegas for the weekend to attend the festival with his girlfriend Amber Bereza.

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Heather Gooze, 43, stayed with a victim of the Las Vegas shooting for five hours on Sunday night after he died. She relived the harrowing night during an interview with CNN on Tuesday (above)

After he was brought to the bar area on a ladder, a makeshift stretcher, Gooze sat with McIldoon, who'd been separated from his girlfriend in the chaos, and held his hand until he succumbed to his injuries.

'I felt his fingers, like, tighten and then loosen,' she told CBC on Tuesday.

Before he died, Gooze went through his phone to try to track down information about him.

She gleaned his last name by speaking to his friends on Facebook and wrote it on his arm.

Once he had stopped breathing, his phone rang. It was his girlfriend who was in lockdown in the Hotel Tropicana.

Gooze answered and had to deliver the gut wrenching news. 'She said, 'Please be honest with me, what's going on?" And I said "I didn't want to be the one to tell you this, but he didn't make it."

Jordan McIldoon, 23, died in Gooze's arms. He was at the Route 91 festival with his girlfriend Amebr Bereza (above) who survived. They became separated in the chaos and Bereza was placed in lockdown in the Tropicana hotel

In disbelief, the woman begged her to check his breath and pulse again, she said, frantically telling her that he was 'the love of her life'.

Gooze then had the same conversation with McIldoon's mother in Canada.

But as hundreds of people fled the scene to take others to hospital or shelter, Gooze stayed with the man's body.

On Tuesday morning, she tearfully told CNN that she'd promised the man's mother that she wouldn't leave his side.

'I said "I promise you, I swear to you that I will not leave him. I swear to you that I will stay with him until this is over."'

Gooze stayed at the venue until police began removing bodies at around 3.30am. She maintained contact with the man's family to tell them where they would be able to find his body.

Resisting being labeled a hero on Tuesday, she wept: 'I couldn't just leave him by himself. I didn't want him to be a John Doe.

Gooze was working behind the bar at the concert when the shots began. She shared this photograph moments before the terror began

Good Samaritans brought McIldoon to the bar area on a ladder, one of the many makeshift stretchers heroic witnesses used to save the wounded. He died holding Gooze's hand

Gooze sent this Facebook post out after informing Jordan's family about his death. She stayed with his body until 3.30am, five hours after the first shots rang out

'There was another guy that was by us. His wife had been shot and killed, the mother of his three kids, and he never left his side.

'I didn't want Jordan to not have somebody with him.'

She went on to say the real heroes of the tragedy were the countless paramedics and Good Samaritans who ran into the line of fire to pull victims out.

'I just sat with him. But I would like to think that if it was me, somebody wouldn't let me sit there alone,' she said.

Gooze also described the chaotic scramble of people trying to get to safety when the first shots rang out.

After telling the man's girlfriend that he'd died, Gooze said she responded incredulously, saying: 'That can't be. He's the love of my life.' The pair are seen at the same festival last year

Gooze broke down on Tuesday in one of several interviews she has given since the tragedy. She resisted being labeled a hero and said she 'just didn't want him to be a John Doe'

'Then there were thousands of people running through trying to break the gate down behind my bar. They were literally climbing on top of each other,' she told People.

McIldoon was not the only person she helped. She said she also stayed with someone who'd been shot in the head until they passed away.

McIldoon's grieving parents told CBC he was their only child. 'We just don't know what to do,' they said on Tuesday.

There are mounting stories of heroism emerging from Sunday night's shooting.

Fifty-nine people were killed and 527 were injured in the atrocity which is the worst mass shooting in US history.
China is planning to invade the democratic island nation of Taiwan in 2020, according to a new book by an American analyst.

Ian Easton, a China affairs analyst, claims to have been privy to internal military documents, including a secret plan draw up by the People's Liberation Army (PLA) to attack Taiwan.

This comes just days after Beijing warned the United States it must respect China's concerns on Taiwan to avoid causing disturbances in Sino-U.S. ties.

Astonishing claims: China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) has allegedly drawn up secret plants to attack Taiwan by 2020, according to a new book by an American analyst

Mr Easton works for think-tank Project 2049 Institute, where he conducts research on defense and security issues in Asia, but lived in Taiwan for several years.

In his book, The Chinese Invasion Threat, he writes: 'China has made clear that its primary external objective is attaining the ability to apply overwhelming force against Taiwan during a conflict, and if necessary destroy American-led coalition forces,' according to right-wing website the Washington Free Beacon.

'Consequently, the PLA considers the invasion of Taiwan to be its most critical mission, and it is this envisioned future war that drives China's military buildup.'

The book also claims that Chinese President Xi Jinping told fellow Communist Party leaders in 2012 that China planned to invade Taiwan by 2020.

In recent months the Chinese air force has conducted a series of drills around Taiwan, which have included bombers and advanced fighter jets, alarming Taipei. China has called the exercises routine and pledged to continue with them.

Strong army: Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) honour guards march following the arrival of Russian President Vladimir Putin in Xiamen, China's Fujian province, last month

China considers democratic Taiwan to be a wayward province and has never renounced the use of force to bring the island under its control. The United States has no formal ties with Taiwan but is bound by law to help it defend itself and is the island's main source of arms.

China regularly calls Taiwan the most sensitive and important issue between it and the United States, and has been upset by U.S. moves to expand military exchanges with Taiwan and continued U.S. arms sales to the island.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi made the stern warning during a meeting with visiting U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.

Wang explained China's position on the Taiwan issue to Tillerson and 'demanded the U.S. side earnestly respect China's concerns, appropriately handle the relevant issue and avoid bringing disturbances to China-U.S. relations', China's Foreign Ministry said.

Beijing's relationship with Taiwan has been frosty since President Tsai Ing-wen won election on the island by a landslide last year.

China suspects that Tsai, who leads the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party, wants to declare the island's formal independence, a red line for Beijing. Tsai says she wants to maintain peace with China.
News / National

by Staff reporter

MDC-T spokesman warns party members who want Tsvangirai to step down on health grounds.MDC-T spokesperson, Obert Gutu described party members calling for Tsvangirai to step down as "saboteurs"."The MDC has one leader and that is Morgan Tsvangirai, he will be our presidential candidate next year."Anybody dreaming otherwise is as good as whistling in a graveyard. Their day of reckoning is coming," he said.Tsvangirai was released from hospital on Sunday and is expected in the country soon amid mounting calls for him to step down on health grounds, as well as reports that his family is "seriously" considering his future in politics.MDC-T sources said the former Prime Minister was expected later this week."He is expected this week, but there is growing concern on whether he will be able to carry on, given the stress associated with an election campaign," a source said."His family is seriously considering persuading him into retirement. It's not easy but they are weighing the options."Another source claimed Tsvangirai's family was being "pushed" by party hawks angling to succeed him."It's not the family per se, but other senior leaders, who think it would be dangerous for them to confront Tsvangirai and tell him to step down."They are now coaxing the family to prevail on Tsvangirai to step down," the source said.
A Christian couple who let their baby die of jaundice because they believe that 'God makes no mistakes', will not have their other kids returned to them because they refuse stop physically disciplining them.

Joshua, 36, and Rachel Piland, 30, of Lansing, Michigan, were charged with involuntary manslaughter last month after they ignored advice to seek medical treatment for their newborn daughter Abigail Piland, who died three days later on February 9.

A few weeks later, the couple's other children, two boys aged two and three, were seized by the state over 'concerns of threatened harm of physical neglect.'

Joshua, 36, and Rachel Piland, 30, who let their baby die of jaundice because they believe that 'God makes no mistakes', will not have their other kids returned to them because they refuse stop physically disciplining them (couple pictured with their two sons)

The children were temporarily placed with Rachel's parents, in Grand Rapids, with a review hearing in June to see if they could be returned under a number of strict conditions.

But the court ruled against returning the boys to the Pilands, after hearing that the couple refused to comply with a court-ordered safety plan which banned 'physical discipline of the children,' the Detroit Free Press reports.

A new child protection hearing has yet been scheduled but the Pilands are due back in court on Thursday to face the manslaughter charges over the death of their daughter.

Rachel Joy Piland gave birth to Abigail Piland, via midwife, at home, one block east of the Lansing Country Club, according to the Lansing State Journal, on February 6.

At the time of her birth, Abigail appeared healthy and their were no concerns surrounding her well-being.

The mugshots for Rachel Piland and Joshua Piland. The two were charged with manslaughter after they refused treatment for their newborn daughter who had jaundice

Joshua and Rachel Piland pictured above. After Rachel found her daughter dead, the two prayed for her instead of calling police

But when the midwife, who had helped deliver Rachel and Joshua's two other kids, returned to the home the next day, she told the Rachel that Abigail appeared jaundiced, and encouraged Rachel to take her to the doctor.

'She told Rachel the baby could suffer brain damage or die if not properly cared for,' Lansing Police Detective Peter Scaccia said.

Scaccia said that Rachel refused to seek any medical treatment for Abigail, stating 'God makes no mistakes,' and implied that the newborn was fine.

But the baby's condition only worsened and on February 8, Abigail started to cough up blood.

Instead if taking the infant to the doctor, Rachel put her child 'near a window wearing just a diaper utilizing a hair dryer to keep her warm,' Detective Scaccia told the Lansing Journal.

At one point, Rachel told her mother, Rebecca Kerr, what the midwife said after Rebecca told her daughter that Abigail's skin was not the right color.

But instead of going to hospital with her newborn, Rachel proceeded to go listen to sermons.

On the morning of February 9, Rachel and her mother noticed blood coming out of Abigail's nose and she had difficulty breathing.

The baby was delivered via midwife at their home, one block east of the Lansing Country Club on February 6. Abigail's body was also found there by police

Kerr had begged her daughter to call for help but she refused. By 11am the same day, Rachel found her daughter dead in her bouncy seat, according to the Lansing Journal.

Rachel told her husband, Joshua who attempted one rescue breath.

Detective Scaccia said that Joshua did not want to perform CPR because he didn't know how to perform it on children.

He continued: 'They then brought Abigail upstairs to pray for her. Joshua continued to massage Abigail, attempting to get her good air. Both Josh and Rachel reached out to friends and fellow church members to come to their home and pray for Abigail's resurrection, but never called the police.'

What is infant jaundice? Infant jaundice is a yellow discoloration in a newborn baby's skin and eyes. Infant jaundice occurs because the baby's blood contains an excess of bilirubin, a yellow-colored pigment of red blood cells. Infant jaundice is a common condition, particularly in babies born before 38 weeks gestation (preterm babies) and some breast-fed babies. Infant jaundice usually occurs because a baby's liver isn't mature enough to get rid of bilirubin in the bloodstream. In some cases, an underlying disease may cause jaundice. Treatment of infant jaundice often isn't necessary, and most cases that need treatment respond well to noninvasive therapy. Although complications are rare, a high bilirubin level associated with severe infant jaundice or inadequately treated jaundice may cause brain damage. Source: Mayo Clinic Advertisement

Officers learned of the child's death after Rachel's brother called from California and told them of Abigail's death.

When police arrived they discovered the dead infant and people praying over her body.

The autopsy later confirmed that Abigail died from unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia and kernicterus - conditions related to jaundice.

If treated, she would have more than likely survived, the detective said.

Rachel and Joshua later told the court they understood the newborn's symptoms but chose to 'believe in the word of God over the symptoms,' records show.

The court also heard they believe they'll be reunited with their baby girl because they think she will be 'resurrected.'

They are both members of the Free Saints Assembly Church in Lansing and don't believe in medical treatment beyond basic first aid, according to the records.

Joshua was a senior project manager for the Michigan Economic Development Corporation but left last month.

Rachel and Joshua were each charged with a single count of involuntary manslaughter and released after posting $75,000 bond on September 21.

Their next hearing is scheduled for October 5 in Lansing's District Court.

They face up to 15 years in prison if convicted.
A chilling video captures the moment a Brazilian woman records her own death allegedly at the hands of her neighbour.

Willyene Mathias was shot twice in the face while filming a heated argument between herself and the man living next door.

The 22-year-old was using her phone to record the encounter in Santana de Cataguases, south east Brazil, when the man she is arguing with and who she refers to as Juliano, lifts up his t-shirt, pulls a gun from his trouser waistband and fires at point blank range.

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Willyene Mathias (pictured) was shot twice in the face while filming a heated argument between herself and the man living next door

Willyene Mathias was shot twice in the face while filming a heated argument between herself and the man living next door (pictured). The man is seen holding a gun after pulling it from his waistband

In a split second the young mother of three's life is cut short. She screams in terror as two shots ring out and the phone clatters to the ground as it records her own dying moments. The suspect curses loudly as his victim lies on the floor

According to local paper, Midia Mineira, the argument apparently started because the victim was accused by her neighbour of gossiping about him.

The pair are also reported to have fallen out over an earlier disagreement between their children.

It's claimed Willyene filmed the incident to prove to her husband she was being wrongly accused and insulted by the man.

The wife, 22, was shot dead by her neighbour

In just over two minutes, the matter quickly spirals out of control as the 40-year-old gunman appears to lose his temper and shoots her.

Before she is gunned down, Willyene can be heard reacting with horror and crying: 'No Juliano, I'm not playing this game,' as she realises the argument has turned into deadly one.

What happens next is harrowing.

In a split second the young mother of three's life is cut short. She screams in terror as two shots ring out and the phone clatters to the ground as it records her own dying moments.

The suspect curses loudly as his victim lies on the floor.

According to reports the offender fled the crime scene but before leaving he is heard callously saying: 'Now you're going to hell, you demon.'

The recording ends with an unknown female coming to the wounded woman's aid and screaming for help.

The incident, which happened on September 23, starts with the man being filmed as he mumbles under his breath that he's fed up with people talking about his business.

Willyene who is standing on a terraced area at the top of a flight of stairs outside her house, calls to the man and challenges him by asking: 'What do you mean Juliano?'

Willyene filmed the whole incident on her phone and is seen falling to the ground after being shot

The neighbour was arrested (left) and his gun and ammunition was seized by Brazilian police

A chilling video captures the moment a Brazilian woman (pictured) records her own death allegedly at the hands of her neighbour

The man responds: 'Yes you're the one that's spreading lies about me.'

The argument escalates as the neighbour comes up the stairs to the property and swears and threatens his victim. He accuses her of preventing him from talking to her husband which she denies.

As he goes back down the stairs, while still arguing, the suspect curses and tells his victim to go to hell.

Willyane responds with: 'Yes, but you will go first and you don't have the right to swear at me.'

During the argument the accused is alleged to have warned her that 'she better be careful'.

To which the victim responds 'What are you threatening to do to me? Tell me'.

Incensed by her attitude the accused calmly returns pulls out his gun and shoots.

The victim was rushed to Cataguases Hospital but never recovered consciousness and died shortly afterwards from her injuries.

The offender went on the run and was finally tracked to his house by cops where a .38 calibre gun was seized along with ammunition.

A police spokesperson said: 'We have detained a suspect who is accused of murder. We recovered ammunition and a gun which we believe was used in the crime.

'We are examining the film recorded on the victim's phone and we are waiting for the autopsy report to help us complete our investigations.'
1. Dar Es Salaam Bank, Baghdad - 2007 - 212million

Though much of this incident remains shrouded in mystery, the Iraqi Interior Ministry said that a pair of guards who worked for an armed militia that was roaming the area engineered the heist of just over a quarter of a billion dollars.

2. The Knightsbridge Vault Robbery, London - 1987 - 73.2 million

Valerio Viccei, an Italian playboy and career criminal who was implicated in over 50 bank robberies during his lifetime, enlisted the help of a number of armed accomplices and walked out with tens of millions worth in cash, jewelry, and other valuables.

3. Securitas Depot Robbery, Kent, UK - 2006 - 62.6million

The largest cash robbery in British history, a heavily armed gang of criminals kidnapped the branch manager and his family, bound and gagged 14 employees, and forced them to open the cash cages. While most of the perpetrators were caught and convicted, one of the criminals is said to be still living off of the stolen cash in the West Indies.

4. Banco Central Burglary, Fortaleza, Brazil - 2005 - 52.9million

The thieves rented a commercial property in the middle of the city and posed as landscapers. They then spent three months digging a tunnel spanning 256 feet to a point just underneath the bank. They somehow tunneled up through reinforced concrete into the vault of the Banco Central branch and walked away with 3.5 tons of Brazilian bank notes.

5. British Bank of the Middle East, Beirut, Lebanon - 1976 - 37.8million

As Lebanon was engulfed by a bloody civil war, a group with links to the Palestine Liberation Organization blew through a church wall next to the bank and enlisted the services of a crack team of locksmiths. They walked out with upwards of $50million in cash, gold, and jewelry.

6. Northern Bank Robbery, Belfast - 2004 - 31million

Days before Christmas, gunmen posing as officials held branch managers and their families hostage at gunpoint. With their families at home under threat, the managers were told to report to work as if it were a normal day and then allow the gunmen into the bank at the end of the business day. After the money was stolen, the families were released unharmed. Authorities to this day do not know who perpetrated the heist.

7. Brink's-MAT, London - 1983 - 31million

Six thieves enlisted the help of a security guard and broke into the Brink's-MAT warehouse at Heathrow. They initially planned to seize a few million in cash, but their plans changed when they realized there were an additional three tons of gold bullion and diamonds. The gold has never been recovered.

8. Hatton Garden Safe Deposit Company, London - 2015 - 25m

The Hatton Garden jewellery heist is believed to be 'the largest in British history', and saw a gang of mostly elderly thieves break into an underground safety deposit vault in London's Hatton Garden. It was originally thought the value of the items stolen over the 2015 Easter holiday was 14m, but this was later increased to 25m

9. Dunbar Armored Robbery, Los Angeles - 1997 - 14.3million

The largest cash robbery in US history was an inside job. A regional safety inspector for Dunbar recruited five of his childhood friends and together they ambushed the guards at a stocked cash drop vault on a Friday night. Once they got their hands on the money, they loaded it into a U-Haul and nearly escaped. While the thieves were convicted, over half of the money is still missing.

10. The Great Train Robbery, Buckinghamshire, UK - 1963 - 3million

It took months to draw up an elaborate plan to intercept a Royal Mail train traveling from Glasgow. A team of 15 thieves managed to rig the trackside signals, forcing the train to stop at a remote location. They then overpowered the conductor and made off with the loot. The story has inspired a number of dramatizations in cinema and television.

Source:Thrillist
In the aftermath of the deadly Las Vegas shooting, House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., has shoved aside the controversial gun silencer bill, telling reporters Tuesday that it 'is not scheduled.'

The Sportsmen's Heritage and Recreational Enhancement bill, or SHARE Act, received renewed attention Monday with Democrat Hillary Clinton most prominently arguing that its passage could have made things worse.

'The crowd fled at the sound of gunshots,' she tweeted. 'Imagine the deaths if the shooter had a silencer, which the NRA wants to make easier to get.'

Originally, the bill  which would ease restrictions on silencers, among other things  was scheduled to be voted on this week.

'That bill is not scheduled now, I don't know when it's going to be scheduled,' Ryan said Tuesday, pointing to the majority GOP's priorities like the budget and tax reform. 'That is our present focus and the sportsmen's bill is not scheduled,' he repeated.

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House Speaker Paul Ryan is photographed heading to the GOP leadership's weekly news conference. At the presser Ryan was asked what Congress has done to keep Americans safe from mass shootings

Later Tuesday, Ryan was asked about the bill by Fox News Channel's Dana Perino, and he explained that it contained more than just the silencer provision.

'It's a big bill, it deals with wet lands, it deals with other sportman's issues,' Ryan said. 'It's not on our schedule because, quite frankly, we're focused on tax reform and getting our budge moving right now,' the speaker reiterated.

At the regularly-scheduled Republican leadership press conference Tuesday, Ryan was also asked by a reporter what Congress has done to keep Americans safe from these continued mass shootings.

Ryan brought up mental health reform.

'One of the things we've learned from these shootings is often underneath this is a diagnosis for mental illness,' the top House Republican pointed out.

Another reporter asked the speaker, specifically, about Congress quietly passing a bill, which received little fanfare when it crossed President Trump's desk to be signed in late February, that rolled back Obama-era mental health-themed gun background checks.

In 2013, following the December 2012 Sandy Hook shootings, Obama had written a new rule that would make people receiving Social Security checks for mental health services and those considered unfit to handle their finances register to the national background check database.

The Obama rule would have added 75,000 to the database, NBC News said.

Every Republican in the Senate voted for legislation to kill the rule, joined by four Democrats from red states and the independent Sen. Angus King, I-Maine.

In the House it was also nearly a party-line vote as well, with just two Republicans voting against it and six Democrats voting for it.

Forced to defend that vote on Tuesday, Ryan said, 'There were people's right that were getting infringed. It was a little bit more complicated than you describe,' the speaker told a reporter.

'Protecting people's right was very important and that's what that issue was all about,' Ryan added.

Pointing to the fact that the gunman could have been mentally ill, Ryan touted the bipartisan legislation that got signed by Obama in December of 2016, shortly before the Democrat left office.

'That's why we spent years working on mental illness reform, Congressman Murphy's bill, and that's why the House of Representatives passed landmark mental health reform just a year ago,' Ryan said.

The bill was ushered through Congress by two lawmakers named Murphy, the Democrat, Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn, and the Republican, Rep. Tim Murphy, R-Pa.

Ryan was clearly referring to the efforts made by the Republican Murphy.

The Democratic Murphy, on the other hand, has become the member of Congress mostly loudly calling for gun control in the wake of the Las Vegas massacre.

On Monday, the Connecticut Democrat, who represented Newtown, Connecticut  the site of the Sandy Hook Elementary School murders  as a House member, said he planned to introduce a new background checks bill.

He explained during an appearance on Morning Joe Tuesday that while a background check may not have stopped this particular Las Vegas shooter, that Congress should continue to back 'evergreen changes' to gun laws as well.

'Background checks is still the most likely piece of legislation to get passed through Congress because it enjoys widespread public approval and, frankly, probably is most dispositive on the amount of gun violence that happens every day,' Murphy said.
The number of Germans living in the UK has overtaken the number of Brits living in Germany for the first time, according to new official data.

Figures show there were 107,000 British citizens living in Germany in 2016 - which was up by 10 per cent since 2011.

But between 2014 and 2016 there were 139,700 German citizens living in the UK, the Office for National Statistics said.

Statisticians added that the stationing of hundreds of thousands of British troops in Germany since the Second World War contributed significantly to the picture.

For the first time, the number of Germans living in the UK has overtaken the number of Brits living in Germany

The ONS said: 'The stationing of UK troops in Germany since the Second World War has contributed significantly to the picture of migration in both countries.'

For example, there are more British males living in Germany than females, according to the report.

There are also indications that there is a proportion of the resident population of UK citizens in Germany that is 'very settled'.

Figures show that 52 per cent of British adults living in Germany are married - and in the majority of cases, their spouses are non-migrant German citizens.

This is in contrast to the pattern seen in France, where most married or cohabiting British citizens are married to or living with compatriots.

Meanwhile, the report notes that there is a large proportion of German women in the UK, who could potentially be partners of British servicemen who have returned from a posting in Germany.

There is a further large group of women aged 70 or over, who would have been born before 1947 and may have come to the UK as part of the migrations of the early 20th century.

Figures show there were 107,000 British citizens living in Germany (pictured, Berlin) in 2016 - which was up by 10 per cent since 2011

The analysis said an estimated 76 per cent of German citizens aged between 16 and 64 in the UK were in employment in 2014-16.

Most of those living in the UK work in public administration, education and health.

Some 79 per cent of UK citizens living in Germany were in work, with the the most common industry of employment identified as administrative and support service activities.

The ONS said the article 'looks at how migration between the UK and Germany has been shaped by their unique historical relationship'.

The report was created in response to an increased user need for data about the people who may be most likely to be affected by the UK's decision to leave the EU.

Emma Rourke, director of public policy analysis at the ONS, said: 'As we look at the way events of eight decades ago continue to materially affect migration between the UK and Germany even today, this series of articles is demonstrating just how complex and unique the relationships are between the UK and each of its individual partners within the EU.

'The patterns of migration differ markedly from one country to another, which will present a variety of challenges to policy makers as decisions are made which affect the future of UK and EU citizens following Brexit.'
Hugh Hefner died from heart failure after contracting an aggressive strain of e-coli which was resistant to drugs, it has been revealed.

The 91-year-old's death certificate was obtained by The Blast on Tuesday, less than a week after his death.

It lists Playboy mogul Hefner's causes of death as cardiac arrest, respiratory failure, septicemia and e-coli.

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health could not determine how Hefner contracted the deadly bacteria.

He died on September 27 at the Playboy Mansion in Beverly Hills surrounded by family.

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Hugh Hefner's death certificate reveals he died of heart failure, respiratory failure, septicemia and e-coli

Hefner (above in 2014) is survived by his third wife, 31-year-old Crystal Harris (pictured) and his four children from two previous marriages

Hefner was buried on Saturday in an intimate ceremony which was attended only by family.

He had four children from two marriages before wedding Crystal Harris, his third wife, in 2012.

The Playboy founder was buried next to Marilyn Monroe at Los Angeles' Westwood Village Park.

Monroe was on the cover of the very first edition of Playboy which Hefner published in 1953. He bought the crypt next to hers in the cemetery before he died for $75,000.

It was previously reported that an infection crippled Hefner, making him bed-ridden for the two years before his death.

It is not known whether that infection was the e-coli that medical examiners identified in his death certificate.

Hefner was suffering from an infection for months before he died. He is seen above in heartbreaking footage taken not long before his death, struggling to walk unassisted

Hefner's public appearances rapidly declined in recent years. One of his final outings was in May 2016 when he was unable to walk unassisted.

Since his death, he has been the subject of tributes from Hollywood titans as well as members of his family.

Harris, who was kept out of inheriting any of the business by an iron clad prenup but who still inherited a $7million home from her husband's passing, broke her silence this weekend after attending his funeral.

'I havent been able to bring myself to write most people back to thank them for their condolences. I am heartbroken. I am still in disbelief.

'He changed my life, he saved my life. He made me feel loved every single day. He was a beacon to the world, a force unlike anything else.

'There never has and never will be another Hugh M. Hefner,' she told People.

Harris claimed before her husband's death that Viagra caused him to lose his hearing.

Hefner was laid to rest on Saturday at a private ceremony at Los Angeles' Westwood Village Park. Before he died, he bought the crypt next to Marilyn Monroe's (above) which is where he now lies

Hefner's son Cooper announced his death in a statement released by Playboy on September 27.

'My father lived an exceptional and impactful life as a media and cultural pioneer and a leading voice behind some of the most significant social and cultural movements of our time in advocating free speech, civil rights and sexual freedom.

'He defined a lifestyle and ethos that lie at the heart of the brand, one of the most recognizable and enduring in history.

'He will be greatly missed by many, including his wife Crystal, my sister Christie, and my brothers David and Marston, and all of us at Playboy Enterprises.'

Cooper, 26, is the COO of Playboy. He stands to inherit a fourth of his father's $43million fortune.
A 27-year-old woman has lost her right eye after a bullet ripped through her face during the Las Vegas concert massacre.

Tina Frost remains in a coma in hospital after undergoing surgery to remove the bullet that became lodged in her eye when a gunman opened fire on the crowd of country music fans on Sunday night.

Frost, who is originally from Maryland but moved to California several years ago, is expected to remain in the coma for a week. Doctors are unsure yet if she has suffered any brain damage.

Tina Frost, 27, was with her boyfriend Austin Hughes (above) when they were caught up in the Las Vegas concert massacre on Sunday. She remains in a coma in hospital after a bullet struck her eye

She came out of surgery on Monday afternoon and her family said her vitals were stable.

'They removed her right eye, where the bullet was lodged, and there is an implant there now to keep the space open. She has sight in her left eye but will never see from the right again,' the family posted on Facebook.

'They took out a bone from her forehead to allow the brain room to swell, that will stay out for a few months. She's in a coma and on a ventilator, she cannot breathe on her own. She's critically stable in ICU for at least a week.

'Over the next few days, they're going to see how she responds to simulation, but until then, we won't know how bad the brain damage is.'

Tina (left with her mother and right with her boyfriend) is expected to remain in the coma for a week. Doctors are unsure yet if she has suffered any brain damage

A GoFundMe page set up for Frost has already raised more than $90,000 since the horror shooting unfolded

Frost had driven from San Diego with her boyfriend Austin Hughes specifically for the country music concert.

Hughes said his girlfriend was still conscious after she was struck by the bullet but they got separated when she was rushed to hospital.

He told her family that he spent several hours looking for her before learning that she was in surgery. Her parents rushed to Las Vegas with one of her sisters to be by her side.

A GoFundMe page set up for Frost has already raised more than $90,000 since the horror shooting unfolded.

Frost graduated from Arundel High in 2008 and now works as an accountant for Ernst & Young in San Diego.

Her parents rushed to Las Vegas with one of her sisters, Meg, (above) to be by her side
President Donald Trump's visited storm-ravaged Puerto Rico and had a face-to-face meeting with the San Juan mayor he blasted online as a political 'ingrate.'

But in an extended televised meeting with responders heading the federal effort, the president mentioned an array of federal agencies and officials, while leaving San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz out.

Trump mentioned the governor, Puerto Rico's delegate, the Navy, Coast Guard, Marines, the Small Business Administrator, her husband wrestler Vince McMahon, and others.

He shook the mayor's hand before the meeting but didn't mention her during the first several minutes of his meeting carried on cable networks.

Trump was to meet with locals whose lives were upended by the storm, as well as military officials, first responders, and local officials.

President Donald Trump shakes hands with San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz during a briefing on hurricane recovery efforts with first responders at Luis Muniz Air National Guard Base, Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2017, in San Juan, Puerto Rico. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump arrive at Luis Muniz Air National Guard Base to survey hurricane damage and recovery efforts, Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2017, in San Juan, Puerto Rico

One official was there was San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz, who found herself on the receiving end of a Trump twitter attack after she faulted his administration's response.

She was set to attend a briefing Trump and First Lady Melania Trump were scheduled to get, CBS News reported. The official White House schedule did not mention her name, though it mentioned a meeting with the governors of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

One meeting was to be with 'individuals impacted by Hurricane Maria.'

In a bit of possible detente, the president declined to criticize the mayor Tuesday morning, after dinging her with a series of tweets over the weekend.

'Well I think she's come back a long way,' Trump said, asked bout Cruz.

San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz (foreground) attends a briefing with U.S. President Donald Trump on hurricane damage, at Muniz Air National Guard Base in Carolina, Puerto Rico, U.S. October 3, 2017. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 03: US President Donald Trump speaks to the media before boarding Marine One to depart from the White House, on October 3, 2017 in Washington, DC.President Trump is traveling to Puerto Rico after it was ravaged by Hurricane Maria last month. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

'I think it's now acknowledged what a great job we've done, and people are looking at that,' the president said. The president gave his administration an 'A +' for the response.

Cruz unloaded last week when a homeland official called Puerto Rico a 'good news story.' She hit back that it was a 'people are dying story' and criticized elements of the response.

President Donald Trump talks with Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rossello (L) as they take their seats for a briefing on hurricane relief efforts in a hangar at Muniz Air National Guard Base in Carolina, Puerto Rico, U.S. October 3, 2017

'If anybody out there is listening to us, we are dying, and you are killing us with the inefficiency,' she said Friday.

"We have done a great job with the almost impossible situation in Puerto Rico,' Trump responded. "Outside fake news or politically motivated ingrates ... people are now starting to recognize the amazing work that has been done by FEMA and our great military,' he said.

Destroyed communities are seen in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria in Toa Alta, Puerto Rico, Thursday, Sept. 28, 2017. The aftermath of the powerful storm has resulted in a near-total shutdown of the U.S. territoryis economy that could last for weeks and has many people running seriously low on cash and worrying that it will become even harder to survive on this storm-ravaged island. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump make their way to board Air Force One before departing from Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland en route Puerto Rico on October 3, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / MANDEL NGANMANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images

'Such poor leadership ability by the Mayor of San Juan, and others in Puerto Rico, who are not able to get their workers to help,' Trump wrote in another tweet.

'We have done a great job with the almost impossible situation in Puerto Rico. Outside of the Fake News or politically motivated ingrates,......people are now starting to recognize the amazing work that has been done by FEMA and our great Military,' Trump wrote in two tweets.

Just 7 per cent of Puerto Rico had power, 40 per cent had cell service, and just 45 per cent had water and sewer systems running, CNN reported.
A Foreign Office minister tonight branded the Brexit vote a 'tantrum' by voters and claimed Government's job was to stop it being a disaster.

Sir Alan Duncan faced immediate calls for him to be fired over his 'contempt' for the 17million Brexit voters after his remarks emerged.

Boris Johnson's deputy made the incendiary claims today while on a visit to the United States.

Sir Alan, a Remain campaigner, said traditional blue-collar Labour supporters had been 'stirred up' by the immigration issue in the final days of the campaign.

Sir Alan Duncan (file image from July) tonight branded the Brexit vote a 'tantrum' by voters and claimed Government's job was to stop it being a disaster

He claimed said some of the anger directed towards immigrants had been 'slightly artificial' as people in the UK did not want the jobs they were taking.

'The manner in which the campaign was fought stirred up a lot of sentiment amongst people who were not habitual voters, particularly on the issue of immigration,' he said during a question and answer session at The Chicago Council on Global Affairs.

'You could feel blue-collar, urban, traditional Labour opinion going viral for Leave.

'They were stirred up by an image of immigration which made them angry and made them throw a bit of a tantrum.'

Sir Alan said it was 'one of the paradoxes' of the campaign that Boston in Lincolnshire had voted so heavily for Leave when the local agricultural sector was dependent on migrant workers from Poland.

'Lincolnshire folk if you like said 'Oh, they are coming to pinch our jobs'. Well, they wouldn't do the jobs themselves anyway so it was a slightly artificial anger,' he said.

Sir Alan, who is the minister for Europe and the Americas, said the Government was now trying to make the best of the result.

'We have to make the most of what we are now required to do by the referendum to try and turn it into an opportunity and not a disaster,' he said.

Sir Alan, deputy to Boris Johnson (pictured in Manchester today) at the Foreign Office, faced immediate calls for him to be fired over his 'contempt' for the 17million Brexit voters

He was also highly critical of the way the Remain campaign led by David Cameron and George Osborne had been fought which, he said, contributed to the outcome.

'The Remain campaign was badly conducted in that the then government under David Cameron and George Osborne very much hogged the campaign limelight and it didn't look as though the Remain argument put a vision of optimism,' he said.

'Nor did it appear a cross-party endeavour. That made elements of voting opinion treat it as a verdict on the government of the day which invariably creates anti feelings and that converted into votes.

'That I think explains part of the chemistry that led to the result.'

In his first intervention as Ukip leader Henry Bolton (pictured on Saturday after winning the Ukip leadership) claimed Sir Alan was symptomatic of a patronising political elite

In his first intervention as Ukip leader, Henry Bolton said: 'How can a man who is meant to represent the UK in Europe feel that way about the majority of the people in the UK?

'The old joke about the Foreign Office must be true, it represents foreigners in Britain, rather than the other way round, it is clear that the Minister represents the interests of Europe rather than the interests of the UK.

'The contempt that he shows towards the 17 million is a disgrace, but is symptomatic of a political elite who despise the ordinary people of our country and their hopes and aspirations.

'The Prime Minster cannot just sit back and allow this. Her authority and credibility already are already in question and the words of her minister will undermine her even further if she doesn't act. How can those millions believe her leadership in negotiations, and how can our EU colleagues not laugh at her if she fails to do so?'
Former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary Tuesday and Michelle marked the occasion by sharing a photo along with a beautiful caption.

The former first lady took to Twitter and posted a photo from their wedding day with the caption 'Happy 25 anniversary. A quarter of a century later, you're still my best friend & the most extraordinary man I know. I (heart emoji) you.'

Michelle was able to beat her husband to the punch, but she may be making up for previous years when she forgot their anniversary all together.

Scroll for video

Michelle Obama shared this sweet snap along with the caption: 'A quarter of a century later, you're still my best friend'

The Obamas are celebrating their silver wedding anniversary. The couple has been eyeing a permanent move to New York City

While anniversary plans for Barack and Michelle are unclear, Michelle spent the day at a speaking engagement for the Pennsylvania Conference For Women on Tuesday.

Barack would not let the day go without wishing wife Michelle a special happy anniversary in his own way. During the conference he surprised her with a video message.

'Your strength, grace, determination honesty, and the fact that you look so good doing all of this, it's remarkable. It's no wonder that as people got to know you as I got to know you, that they fell in love,' her husband said. 'It's truly the best decision I ever made to be persistent enough to ask you out on a date that you finally gave in and I hope you feel the same way.'

The often affectionate Obamas were married on October 3, 1992, at Trinity United Church in Chicago and have two daughters together: Malia, who was born in 1998 and Sasha, born in 2001.

Back in 2012, just before the couple were to celebrate their 20th anniversary, Michelle, 51, revealed during a joint appearance with her husband on The View, that she forgot their first wedding anniversary.

'Our first wedding anniversary, I totally forgot about it,' she told the hosts. 'I totally forgot!'

She added: 'He asked me, 'Well, what are we going to do on Saturday?' And I go, 'What's Saturday?' And it was our anniversary - I forgot.'

Still in love after all these years... The Obamas share a dance during the Inaugural Ball on January 20, 2009

Michelle, on her 25th anniversary with Barack, took on a speaking engagement for the Pennsylvania Conference For Women, alongside director Shonda Rhimes

'Cold,' responded the President, jokingly.

Later in the appearance, however, Michelle gave a glowing review of her husband's nature, calling him 'romantic'.

'He's very loving, he's very giving, he's very open. He's funny; I'm funnier. But we understand that,' she joked.

It hasn't been revealed yet if the couple made any special plans for their silver anniversary but they've taken some very meaningful trips this year.

The couple traveled to Massachusetts in August to drop their eldest daughter Malia off at Harvard. Obama described the emotional milestone to being like 'open heart surgery.'

The family also made a pilgrimage to Indonesia in June, where Barack lived as child in the 1960's after his mother Ann Dunham married second husband Lolo Soetoro, an Indonesian man.

The Obamas sit for a portrait in the Green Room of the White House September 1, 2009 in Washington, DC

The family embarked on a meaningful trip to Indonesia where Barack spent time as a child, they also went white water rafting in Bali during the trip

Obama and Michelle along with daughters Malia and Sasha walk to board Air Force One at Cape Cod Air Force Station in Massachusetts in 2016

Former First Lady Michelle Obama spoke with director and producer Shonda Rhimes about life at in the White House during the Pennsylvania Conference for Women Tuesday

Barack and Michelle also may make New York City their permanent home as its been reported they are looking to buy an apartment in a historic Upper East Side apartment building in Manhattan inside of 10 Gracie Square.

There are currently four apartments for sale in the building, one of which is a penthouse where author Jean Stein and Carter Vanderbilt-Cooper jumped to their deaths.

Real estate insiders have speculated that this 10th floor apartment could be the Obamas' new apartment.

The apartment is a duplex worth $10million designed by architect Daniel Romualdez.

It has five bedrooms, four bathrooms, a library with a wood-burning fireplace and views of the East River and Queens.
News / National

by Staff reporter

The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) says it will guard jealously information on the voters roll and election results to enable credible elections.This came out at a stakeholder engagement between ZEC and political parties in Harare today.According to the commission, access to the server containing information on the voting process will be restricted to selected ZEC employees."The server is a security area and all political parties will not be allowed access it," ZEC Chairperson, Justice Rita Makarau.Concerns have been raised by political parties over accessibility and security of information during the forthcoming 2018 general elections.Justice Makarau also revealed that the commission received all the outstanding biometric voter registration (BVR) kits and the blitz for registration will commence on the 12th of October.The commission launched the voter registration exercise on September 18 and so far, a total of 25 571 people have been registered.One BVR kit has a capacity to register between 80 to 100 people per day and the delivery of the outstanding 2600 kits will improve the smooth flow of the electoral process.
Police hunting missing Corrie McKeague (pictured) have announced they will resume their search of 6,500 tonnes of rubbish

Corrie's mother Nicola Urquhart claimed the 1.2million police search at the landfill has now been widened because it was initially based on evidence which was 'not correct'.

Rubbish taken from the 'horseshoe' area in Bury St Edmunds was deposited at a holding site in Red Lodge on the morning he went missing, before being taken to the Milton landfill.

Nicola said the initial search was carried out based on evidence from landfill owners FCC Environment, which owns the two sites, and a private haulage firm which it hires.

She claims they suggested just one lorry could have carried Corrie from the holding site on the Monday after his disappearance.

But she claims police have now discovered it could have been more than one, which has prompted them to widen the search.

She said: 'They've taken this step because the police themselves could not understand why they have not found him.

'They were utterly convinced they were going to find him and it really did baffle them.

The force said the resumed, extended search, likely to take between four and six weeks, would concentrate on an area next to the site of the earlier search

'They now realise that the information they were given wasn't correct and they've went back and kept questioning it and they've finally realised that it wasn't just one lorry they should have been following.'

However she defended the police decision to search in the wrong place saying she was now 'extremely confident' in their current investigation.

'The problem is that they can only go on what they were told at the time and what they were told at the time was that it was just the one lorry that went in,' she added.

'There's a chance that Corrie actually never left with that bin lorry - it could have been the second (lorry) or possibly the day after.'

She said the new search site will cover deposits from all lorries which moved rubbish from Red Lodge from September 26 until September 30 last year.

'What I can say is if he is in that landfill they will find him by doing this search,' said Nicola.

'I've got to get my mind and heart back into waiting for a phone call every day for the next six weeks once they start searching and that's incredibly difficult so I'm just trying to focus on the positive now.

The 23-year-old was last seen in CCTV (shown) walking through Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, after a night out with friends

Detective Supt Eliott said: 'We have extended the search twice and we were at the site for three months. But since then we have realised that although the search plans well thought-out and expensive we still believe that it was in this area that Corrie was most likely to be found.

'That is why we have been carrying out rigorous analysis and have identified an area which is most likely to be the place in which we should look to find Corrie and the answers which his family so desperately need.

'We have been looking carefully at the processing of the waste at the appropriate time and we still believe Corrie may be there - but we have not found him.

'We have identified an area and it now the next most likely place to look for the answers that the family desperately need.'

She added : 'We have extended the search area and in the last three months and we couldn't carry on indefinitely - it is a a very expensive and complex operation and we wanted to make sure we were looking in then right place.

'We still cannot be 100 per cent certain but this is the next most likely area and we have to search it to be able to find the evidence to understand what happened to Corrie.

'At some point this may cease to be an active inquiry but we will always review any new evidence.

'We have spoken to the family to explain what we are doing and its implications and they are pleased that we are still making progress.'

'Words can't describe the lengths that I would go to be able to find Corrie and I will never ever give up, he's my son, how could I.'

Speaking of the possibility the renewed search is unsuccessful, she added: 'I don't think it will stop the police either if they don't find him in the landfill.

'That can only mean the information they've been given isn't correct or something else happened to Corrie.

'[Corrie's daughter] Ellie is just absolutely gorgeous.

'She's given us a future in Corrie no matter what because she's part of Corrie.

'That's something which is completely and utterly priceless and we are very thankful of it.'
A Thai 'cannibal' killer cut out his neighbour's liver and planned to eat it 'in a spicy salad' to prolong his own life.

Accused murderer Paere Jongthong was caught with his victim's liver in his trouser pocket and told police he had killed his elderly neighbour, according to reports.

But the 24-year-old said he only killed Tan Loon-ubon, 79, after the old man claimed to have killed Mr Jongthong's father.

A Thai 'cannibal' killer (pictured) cut out his neighbour's liver and planned to eat it 'in a spicy salad' to prolong his own life

The murder took place at Mr Loon-ubon's home in the village of Dong Suang, Bueng Karn Province, in the northeast of the country.

Mr Jongthong told police he was visiting his neighbour as he often did, but on this occasion he had taken a tablet of methamphetamine and smoked some cannabis.

He says that their conversation took an odd twist when the elderly man suddenly said he had murdered Mr Jongthong's father.

Mr Jongthong said: 'He told me he killed my dad. I said that couldn't be true, but he wouldn't stop talking about it. I didn't know what to do.

Accused murderer Paere Jongthong (bottom right, without a shirt) was caught with his victim's liver in his trouser pocket and told police he had killed his elderly neighbour, according to reports

'I stabbed him, and he cried and apologised. I was so angry. I asked him four times if he was telling the truth.'

Police say that the elderly victim was found with his abdomen cut wide open and had an injury to the neck.

A long kitchen knife found nearby is thought to be the murder weapon.

But the 24-year-old (right) said he only killed Tan Loon-ubon, 79, after the old man claimed to have killed Mr Jongthong's father

They said the victim's liver was found in Mr Jongthong's trousers. Asked whether he had intended to eat it, Mr Jongthong said: 'Yes, that's right.'

Thai media report that he even had a recipe planned for the liver, a spicy salad.

Police arrested him and charged him with murder.
Police body camera footage shows the shocking moment an officer opened fire on an actor filming a bank robbery scene for a movie in Indiana.

Indiana State Police were called to the Back Step Brewing Company in Crawfordsville on last Tuesday after someone called 911 to report seeing a masked man with a gun enter the back of the building, RTV6 reported.

When officers arrived from the Crawfordsville Police Department, they saw a masked man coming out of the door of the eatery with what appeared to be a gun and ordered him to drop it.

An officer fired at the man, later identified as Jeff Duff, striking the building nearby and not hitting him.

Body camera footage that was released by authorities begins by showing the actor wearing a mask backing out of a bar while holding the fake gun, which appears to be pointed at officers.

Scroll down for video

Police body camera footage shows the moment an officer opened fire on an actor filming a bank robbery scene for a movie last Tuesday at Back Step Brewing Company in Crawfordsville. The actor, later identified as Jeff Duff, was not hit with the bullet

Duff kept telling officers that they were filming a movie scene as he was ordered to get down on the ground. Duff said: 'We're filming a movie, I ain't lying to you'

Police can be heard ordering Duff to drop the gun, but the actor doesn't comply.

Moments later, an officer fired one shot towards Duff, who pulled his mask off and turned towards officer saying they were filming a movie.

Duff dropped the gun and kept repeating that they were filming a movie. Officers ordered him to step back before telling him to get on the ground.

'We're filming a movie, I ain't lying to you,' Duff can be heard saying before the clip ends.

At the time of the incident, actor Phillip Demoret told RTV6: 'The bullet went by his head. It was very close.

'I don't want to think about it. If it had hit him, we'd be having a whole different conversation. Thank goodness he wasn't.'

ISP Sgt. Kim Riley told the television station: 'When the police said drop the gun he turns toward police pointing the gun - if you don't know it is a movie scene how are you supposed to react.

Someone called 911 to report seeing a masked man with a gun enter the back of the building (above)

Duff was holding what at first appeared to be a gun (above) during the incident. It was later determined to be a prop for the movie. No charges will be filed against anyone involved

'I know if it was my situation. I probably would have done the same thing.'

Shortly after the incident, Indiana State Police determined that Montgomery County Production was filming at the location, but no one, including the bar or the production company, had notified police or businesses nearby that filming would be occurring.

In addition, the gun Duff was using during the scene was a prop.

Last week, Kodi Swank, co-owner of Montgomery County Production, released a statement: 'There's lesson to be learned on both sides of the spectrum from us as a low budget movie company and from the police department on their quick reaction.

'I'm very grateful that the police department did their job to the best of their ability with an unknown situation.'

Montgomery County Prosecutor Joe Buser reviewed the evidence and will not file charges against anyone involved in the incident, according to a news release published Monday afternoon.
Defense Secretary James Mattis said Tuesday that he thinks the U.S. should not withdraw from an Obama-era nuclear arms deal with Iran.

The surprising statement comes as President Donald Trump is evaluating whether to certify that the Islamic terror state is in compliance with the bargain.

'Do you believe it is in our national security interest to remain in the Iran nuclear deal?' one senator asked him during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing.

'Yes, senator, I do,' he replied after a pregnant pause.

'If we can confirm that Iran is living by the agreement, if we can determine that this is in our best interest, then clearly we should stay with it,' Mattis said.

Defense Secretary James Mattis said Tuesday that he thinks the U.S. should not withdraw from an Obama-era nuclear arms deal with Iran

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's rogue nation has been accused repeatedly of violating the spirit of the 2015 deal but the U.S. has continued to declared every three months that Tehran is holding up its end of the bargain

President Donald Trump, pictured Tuesday in Puerto Rico, has called the nuclear deal with Iran a 'disaster' and 'horrible' for U.S. and Israeli national security

'I believe at this point in time, absent indications to the contrary, it is something that the president should consider staying with,' he continued.

Mattis told the Senate panel that Trump is 'right now' considering the possibility of pulling out of the deal, which calls for Tehran's mullahs to limit their own ability to produce weapons-grade nuclear material for a decade.

Federal law requires the White House to state every 90 days whether Iran is holding up its end of the bargain.

The next due-date is October 15.

Last month Iranian government media reported on the test-firing a ballistic missile that could be configured to carry multiple warheads.

'Iran just test-fired a Ballistic Missile capable of reaching Israel,' Trump tweeted then.

'They are also working with North Korea. Not much of an agreement we have!'

Days later it emerged that it was a hoax and no such launch occurred.

'Iran is not in material breach of the agreement,' Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Joseph Dunford (right) said Tuesday, 'and I do believe the agreement to date has delayed the development of a nuclear capability by Iran'

The president told the United Nations General Assembly last month that the Iran deal isn't working.

'We cannot let a murderous regime continue these destabilizing activities while building dangerous missiles,' he said.

'And we cannot abide by an agreement if it provides cover for the eventual construction of a nuclear program.'

Three days earlier, Trump told reporters at the White House that he had made up his mind about the fate of the nuclear agreement  but wouldn't divulge his decision.

Before taking office in January, then-President-Elect Trump called his predecessor's negotiated truce 'the horrible Iran deal.'

Fake news? Trump tweeted condemnation last month about a supposed Iranian missile launch that never happened

Former president Barack Obama (center), pictured last week at the Invictus Games with former second lady Jill Biden (left) and Prince Harry (right), green-lighted the Iran nuclear deal in 2015

Mattis, while advocating for a cautious approach on Tuesday, castigated Tehran for its provocative behavior.

'The amount of misconduct, I would call it, internationally  whether it be with ballistic missiles, rhetoric, support to terrorists, threats to our friends, Arab and Israel, in the region  by Iran, are areas where they are open, I think, a great deal to censure by the international community,' Mattis told the senators.

'And we are not naive about their agreement on the nuclear issue. And we are being very alert to any cheating on that right now.'

Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Joseph Dunford testified last week that Iran is not technically in violation of the 2015 deal.

'Iran is not in material breach of the agreement,' he confirmed on Tuesday.

'And I do believe the agreement to date has delayed the development of a nuclear capability by Iran.'
Felix Ngole, 39, has launched a human rights fight in the High Court

University bosses have defended their decision to exclude a Christian RE teacher who they say posted 'derogatory' comments about gay people on Facebook.

Felix Ngole, 39, has launched a human rights fight in the High Court, arguing his right to study has been breached.

Two years ago Mr Ngole took part in a debate on a Facebook page about Kim Davis, a state official in Kentucky, US, who refused to register same-sex marriages.

The comments were flagged up to Sheffield University, where he was undertaking a postgraduate degree.

He was stopped from completing his studies and was excluded from the establishment.

Mr Ngole, who now teaches religious education, said he was lawfully expressing a traditional Christian view and has complained that university bosses unfairly stopped him.

He said his rights to freedom of speech and thought, enshrined in the European Convention on Human Rights, have been breached.

But lawyers representing the university say he showed 'no insight'.

Lawyers said Mr Ngole had been studying for a professional qualification and say bosses had to consider his 'fitness to practice'.

They said the decision to remove him from the course was been fair and proportionate.

Deputy High Court judge Rowena Collins-Rice is analysing his claims at a High Court hearing in London.

The hearing began on Tuesday and is due to end on Wednesday.

In 2015, Mr Ngole had been taking part in an debate on a Facebook page about Kim Davis, a state official in the US state of Kentucky, who refused to register same-sex marriages, the judge heard.

'He argued that Mrs Davis's position is based on the Biblical view of same-sex marriage as a sin; when challenged, he provided quotations from the Bible supporting his view,' barrister Paul Diamond, who represented Mr Ngole, told the judge in a written case outline.

'Mr Ngole expressed his views in a polite and temperate way.'

He said Mr Ngole's comments had been made in a 'private/social as opposed to professional'.

The comments were flagged up to Sheffield University, where Mr Ngole was undertaking a postgraduate degree

'Mr Ngole's expression of his beliefs was a genuine contribution to an important public debate,' added Mr Diamond.

'Mr Ngole is entitled to express his religious views; and did so in response to direct questions.'

The judge heard that Mr Ngole was a 'devout Christian' who had enrolled on a two-year MA Social Work degree course in September 2014.

Sheffield University bosses said the social work course was intended to give students a professional qualification and was monitored by the Health and Care Professions Council.

They said they therefore had a responsibility to consider students' 'fitness to practice' and want his claims dismissed.

Barrister Sarah Hannett, who is representing the university, said the case was not about whether Mr Ngole was permitted to hold Christian beliefs.

'In September 2015, the university became aware that Mr Ngole had posted comments on a publicly accessible Facebook page that were derogatory of gay men and bisexuals,' she said in a written outline of the university's case.

'The university instituted fitness to practice proceedings. On 3 February 2016 the Faculty Fitness to Practice Committee determined that Mr Ngole should be excluded from further study on a programme leading to a professional qualification but permitted registration for an alternative programme.

'The decision was upheld by (an) appeals committee.'

She told the judge: 'He failed to show any insight into why his view may be problematic.'

Mr Ngole, who works as a supply teacher and comes from Cameroon, says the case had implications for others.

He is being backed by the Christian Legal Centre - which is part of the campaign group Christian Concern.

The hearing continues.
This is the moment a schoolboy with a pair of scissors stuck in his head was rushed to hospital amid reports he'd been attacked by a girl in a heated argument.

The unnamed 14-year-old was wheeled into a hospital in the city of Nasca in Peru with one blade lodged deep in his scalp as seen in shocking footage.

His teacher told authorities the boy and a female classmate were playing a game in which the scissors were thrown, resulting in them getting accidentally embedded in his head.

But classmates claim the incident in the Josefina Mejia de Bocanegra school was an act of deliberate aggression.

They say the girl stuck the large, orange-handled scissors in the boys head during a row.

The boy's teacher claimed the scissors became lodged in his head during a throwing game gone wrong

Classmates say the scissors were plunged into the boy's head by a girl in a deliberate act of aggression

The teacher has reportedly been suspended while the school investigates how the scissors became embedded in the boy's head

Fortunately the scissor blade did not penetrate the boys brain and that they were removed without incident by doctors.

But the cost of the treatment and possibly aftercare including antibiotics is more than his mother can afford, she told local media, saying: 'I do not have money for medicines.'

The schools head says the incident and the teacher who failed to prevent it are under investigation.

Peruvian media reported that the teacher has been suspended while the investigation goes on.
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Fascinating photos have been released showing military life in Rhodesia, southern Africa, at the end of the 19th century.

They were taken between 1896 and 1900 at a time when the famous British imperialist Cecil Rhodes was establishing British control in the region, now known as Zimbabwe.

One photo shows soldiers from Rhodes' British South Africa Company at a lookout with ammunition around their necks poised and ready to fire. There is also the remarkable sight of troops lined up on bicycles and an imposing fort in the hills.

A touching photo shows soldiers rustling through a pile of mail to find letters from their loved ones.

The photos, taken by W. Rausch who ran a studio in the town of Bulawayo, were captured during the 'Scramble for Africa' when European nations were vying for control of the continent and its resources.

Specifically, the troops in the images were fighting in the Second Matabele War, which pitted the British against the native Matabele tribe.

In March 1896, the Matabele revolted against the authority of the British South Africa Company.

The Mlimo, their spiritual leader, convinced his people that the 4,000 settlers were responsible for the drought, locust plagues and the cattle disease ravaging the country at the time.

Bulawayo came under siege but British troops were sent to defend the major settlements, with war raging on until October 1897.

In recent years, the colonial history of Cecil Rhodes and of Britain in Africa have come under closer scrutiny and have faced harsh criticism.

This image archive remained in Zimbabwe until recently when it passed into the safekeeping of a vendor in Berkshire with links to the country. It has now emerged for auction and is tipped to sell for 5,000.

Chris Albury, of Dominic Winter auctions in Cirencester, Gloucestershire, said: 'The archive had been in Zimbabwe until quite recently and is owned by a family with links to both Britain and Zimbabwe.'

Fascinating photos have been released showing military life in Rhodesia, southern Africa, at the end of the 19th century. Pictured, a native tribe in Rhodesia, now known as Zimbabwe

They were taken between 1896 and 1900 at a time when the famous British imperialist Cecil Rhodes was establishing British control in the region, now known as Zimbabwe. Pictured, soldiers from the military force raised by Rhodes known as the Pioneer Column with their high-powered weaponry

There is also the remarkable sight of troops lined up on bicycles in the town of Bulawayo and an imposing fort in the hills

Specifically, the troops in the images were fighting in the Second Matabele War, which pitted the British against the native Matabale tribe (pictured)

The photos, taken by W. Rausch who ran a studio in the town of Bulawayo, were captured during the 'Scramble for Africa' when European nations were vying for control of the continent and its resources. Pictured, native soldiers lined up with their guns

A touching photo shows soldiers rustling through a pile of mail to find letters from their loved ones in the Bulawayo camp

In March 1896, the Matabele revolted against the authority of the British South Africa Company (pictured)

The Mlimo, their spiritual leader, convinced his people that the 4,000 settlers were responsible for the drought, locust plagues and the cattle disease ravaging the country at the time. Pictured, troops sorting through their provisions

In recent years, the colonial history of Cecil Rhodes and of Britain in Africa have come under closer scrutiny and harsh criticism. Pictured, a cemetery at Fort Gaberons - titled 'Graves of those who fell at Crocodile Pools'

One photo shows soldiers from Rhodes' British South Africa Company at a lookout with ammunition around their necks poised and ready to fire

The archive remained in Zimbabwe until recently when it passed into the safekeeping of a vendor in Berkshire with links to the country. It has now emerged for auction and is tipped to sell for 5,000. Pictured, native soldiers drinking from water carts

Chris Albury, of Dominic Winter auctions in Cirencester, Gloucestershire, said: 'The archive had been in Zimbabwe until quite recently and is owned by a family with links to both Britain and Zimbabwe'

Mr Albury said: 'The value of the album stems from the remarkable number of photos in it and the quality of them.' Pictured, a train station in Bulawayo, Rhodesia

The auctioneer added: 'They were taken by the studio of W.Rausch in Bulawayo over a four year period and they capture an interesting part of the world at a volatile time politically with several conflicts.' Pictured, Canadian soldiers in Bulawayo

He went on: 'There are are interesting photos of the native tribes and the remarkable sight of a regiment lined up on bicycles.' Pictured, a native family posing for a photograph

This photo shows the town of Bulawayo in Rhodesia with a number homes, shops and military buildings on display

This image shows a group of Salisbury officers posing in front of their tent at Crocodile Pools in Bulawayo

This image shows military men hard at work with their sleeves rolled up posing in front of their weaponry at Fort Umluglu, Bulawayo

British troops and their civilian families pose alongside native African men in this photo taken at a military facility

A large group of settlers pose in their finery for a celebratory photograph in Bulawayo behind a string of bunting

This image shows the Laager market which provided supplies, cooked food and even accommodation for the night

In this image native tribesmen can be seen standing in front if the water works they were instrumental in constructing

Troops pose for a casual photo alongside their guns and even their pet dogs in this photo in Bulawayo

This photo, showing colonial troops and native tribesmen working together, is entitled: 'Gambo receiving his beer at the war dance'

In this image troops armed with guns and bullets pose at the Gaberons Station in Bulawayo in front of a loaded train

An armoured train carriage can be seen in this photo taken by photographer W. Rausch along with military men attending to the machine

These signalmen can be seen posing for a photograph along with their flag equipment, guns and ammunition in 1896

This photograph shows the first train coming into Bulawayo. A banner on the front of the train says: 'Advance Rhodesia'

This photo shows a group of native chiefs gathering for a meeting in Bulawayo

British troops pose for a photograph in this image entitled 'Before going to the front'

In this photograph native troops can be seen lining up at a hut in the town of Bulawayo

British troops can be seen sitting on their horses in this photograph at Bulawayo

This interesting image shows Captain Lawly's camp in Victoria Fall's in Bulawayo
A Grand Rapids, Michigan, police officer has resigned after dash cam footage showed him holding a rifle muzzle to a handcuffed suspect's head as he screamed in pain and asked what he'd done.

Officer Kevin Penn was suspended on September 12th after a fellow officer accused him of using force 'not consistent with training or standard procedures' on August 19th, when they responded to a call about an armed robbery attempt at a CVS Pharmacy parking lot.

The shocking video shows Penn approaching the suspect, homeless 28-year-old Javonte Howell, with his rifle out, and resting it on his head once he reaches him.

Officer Kevin Penn resigned from the the Grand Rapids police department in Michigan after being accused of using excessive force by another officer

Dash cam video shows Penn approaching the suspect, a 28-year-old black homeless man, with his rifle drawn

Police were called to the parking lot of a CVS Pharmacy due to an alleged attempted arm robbery

'I got him,' another officer can be heard saying once Howell is in handcuffs, but Penn does not withdraw the weapon.

'This is a gun, if you move, you possibly could be injured, do not move, does that make sense?' Penn asks Howell, who repeatedly asks what he's done.

Penn replies that Howell's offense was 'not listening,' and says 'yes it does,' when the suspect complains that he's in pain - all while the rifle is still drawn.

Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker said in a release Tuesday that Penn violated the rules because he 'put the barrel of his gun to the suspects head,' not because he drew the rifle.

He added that Penn said he felt he had to 'place the gun there for fear of possibly hitting the other officers due to close proximity if he did have to fire, and to try and control the individuals head as he was not complying with commands.'

When police reached the scene they found Howell, who fit the description, and tased him after, according to them, he didn't comply with their commands

Penn told Howell his offense was 'not listening' after he repeatedly asked what he'd done and kept the gun on the suspect's head after he had been handcuffed

'This is a gun, if you move, you possibly could be injured, do not move, does that make sense?' Penn asks Howell, who repeatedly asks what he's done

Javonte Howell (pictured at a previous arrest with a different hairstyle) admitted to police that he was drunk, but denied being involved in the attempted armed robbery

Howell admitted to police that night that he had drank two pints of vodka, but denied assaulting anyone or claiming he was armed. He was charged with aggravated assault, outstanding warrants, and resisting and obstructing police.

According to an internal affairs review obtained by FOX 17, the caller who reported the attempted robbery said a suspect punched him in the face and implied he had a gun.

When police reached the scene they found Howell, who fit the description, and tased him after, according to them, he didn't comply with their commands.

The report says that, as the video shows, Howell was complying with orders and being handcuffed when Officer James Smith realized what Penn was doing, pushed the gun away, and said: 'All right Kevin.'

Charges will not be filed against Penn.

Penn's misconduct report says he withdrew the rifle once officer James Smith realized what was happening, pushed the gun away, and said: 'All right Kevin'
A beloved high school teacher and mother-of-two tragically died after she fell while decorating a homecoming float in Indiana.

Megan Woodward died Friday after she fell from a vehicle she was helping to decorate for Southport High School's homecoming celebration.

Her husband, Wes Woodward, announced her tragic passing on Twitter.

'My wife Megan left us yesterday,' he tweeted on Saturday. 'She was a world-class mother, educator and partner in crime. I will always love her and miss her.'

The cause and manner of her death was still pending on Monday, according to the Marion County coroner's office.

Heartbreaking: Megan Woodward, a beloved high school teacher and mother of two, tragically died after she fell while decorating a homecoming float in Indiana. She pictured above with her husband and two daughters

Her husband, Wes Woodward, announced her tragic passing on Twitter (above). 'My wife Megan left us yesterday,' he tweeted on Saturday. 'She was a world-class mother, educator and partner in crime. I will always love her and miss her'

She taught English at the school where she was well-liked by both faculty and students.

Her friend and former coworker Laura Blaydes said she was so caring towards her students and friends.

'We were basically inseparable,' Blaydes told the Indystar. 'I mean, two peas in a pod. Where she went, I went, vice versa.

'She was just someone there that I knew would always be there for me.

'She made every student feel like they were the most important thing to her.

'She was just somebody that truly cared about these students.'

She taught English at the school where she was well-liked by both faculty and students (she is pictured above with her husband)

Her friend and former coworker Laura Blaydes said Woodward (above with her daughters) was so caring towards her students and friends. Of Woodward, Blaydes said: 'She made every student feel like they were the most important thing to her'

Blaydes added: 'It breaks my heart to know that there are students out there in the future that just won't get to have the experience of having her as an educator.'

A GoFundMe page created by Blaydes to raise money for her family has received more than $8,600 of the $12,000 goal as of Tuesday afternoon.

The Perry Township School District is providing counseling for Woodward's coworkers and students to help them with their grieving.

They issued the following statement: 'Perry Township Schools expresses its deepest condolences to the family and school community that so dearly love Southport High teacher Megan Woodward.

'Megan was an amazing educator with a remarkable way of making everyone feel valued and important.

'She also had an extraordinary passion for students. The entire Perry Township Community mourns her loss and extends our sympathy to Southport High and the multitudes of people whose lives she touched.'
The body of a girl found at a disused scrapyard has been confirmed as a missing teenager.

Libbi Toledo, 17, was discovered by police officers at the site in Kirkcaldy in Fife, at around 2.20pm on September. Her death is not being treated as suspicious.

She was reported missing on September 12 when she didn't return to her accommodation at an assisted living facility.

Libbi Toledo, 17, was discovered by police officers at the site in Kirkcaldy in Fife, at around 2.20pm on September

Libbi's father Joe paid paid tribute to his 'beautiful baby' during a heartfelt post on Facebook

Her father Joe, who lives in America, paid tribute to his 'beautiful baby' during a heartfelt post on social media.

Mr Toledo wrote: 'I have no idea how to do this, but here goes.

'We have known for a week and a half now, but the legal confirmation came to us a few hours ago that our beautiful baby girl is no longer with us, and sits with the angels.

'She will be forever 17, and forever in our hearts. I love you with all my heart Libbi, we all do and always will. Sleep peacefully princess.'

Libbi went missing after disappearing from an assisted living facility she was staying at

Police officers stand outside the cordon at the disused scrapyard where Libbi was found in Fife

Chief Inspector Adrian Annandale, Local Area Commander for Central Fife, called Libbi's death a 'tragic loss'.

He said: 'Our heartfelt condolences are with Libbi's family and friends at this very difficult time.

'I want to take this opportunity to extend my sincere thanks to everyone who supported our investigation by coming forward with possible sightings and sharing our appeals for information.'
News / National

by Staff Reporter

First lady Grace Mugabe reportedlyfeared the legal brawl pending against her in South Africa following the allegations that she assaulted Gabriala Angela when she found her with her sons in that country.President Robert Mugabe is in SA but did not travel with his wife.African News Agency (ANA) reported that Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, whose wife Grace remains at the centre of a legal storm over an alleged assault of a 20-year-old South African, arrived in Pretoria on Monday evening on an official visit.Sources in Pretoria told African News Agency (ANA) that Mugabe and his delegation were welcomed at the Waterkloof Air Force Base on Monday evening, but Zimbabwe's First Lady was not part of the entourage.Grace Mugabe was granted immunity from prosecution by the South African government for allegedly whipping Gabriella Engels with an electric cable in a Johannesburg hotel room last month. She denies the allegations. Instead, Grace, 52, says an "intoxicated and unhinged" Engels attacked her with a knife.The South African Presidency last week said President Jacob Zuma will on Tuesday, host Mugabe, during his official visit to South Africa to attend the second session of the South Africa-Zimbabwe Bi-National Commission (BNC) scheduled to take place in Pretoria.The agreement establishing the BNC was signed in April 2015 and inaugurated in October 2016 in Harare, Zimbabwe, and it stipulates that the BNC should meet on an annual and rotational basis.The current BNC session, which will be co-chaired by Zuma and Mugabe, will afford the African leaders an opportunity to review the state of the bilateral relationship between the two neighbouring countries."It will further provide a platform to strengthen and deepen the warm and cordial bilateral relations between the two countries as well as to review and determine the actual progress made on bilateral undertakings and commitments made during the inauguration Session of the BNC last year," Presidency said at the time.Zuma and Mugabe are also expected to deliberate and exchange views on regional and global issues of mutual concern, particularly peace, security, stability and development in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region and some parts of the continent.South Africa and Zimbabwe have good bilateral political, economic and social relations underpinned by strong historical ties dating back many years. The two countries do not only share strong historical relations but also economic cooperation.Zimbabwe is one of South Africa's top five trading partners on the continent, with trade statistics showing annual growth. In 2016, South Africa's exports to Zimbabwe amounted to approximately R29.3 billion.There are over 120 South African companies doing business in Zimbabwe in various sectors including mining, aviation, tourism, banking sector, the property sector, the retail sector, construction sector, and the fast food sector and many more.To date, the two countries have signed more than 40 Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) and Agreements. The Agreements and MoUs cover a broad range of areas, which include among others, trade and investment, immigration, defence, transport, agriculture, environment, energy, health, labour, water management, taxation, as well as arts and culture.Zuma will be supported by several ministers including International Relations and Cooperation Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, Defence and Military Veterans Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nkqakula, Trade and Industry Minister Dr Rob Davies, Labour Minister Mildred Oliphant, Home Affairs Minister Professor Hlengiwe Mkhize and Transport Minister Joseph Maswanganyi.An advance team of high-level Zimbabwe's ministers including Defence Ministers Sydney Sekeramayi, Foreign Affairs Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi, Health and Child Care Minister David Parirenyatwa, Home Affairs Minister Ignatius Chombo and the country's Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister Prisca Mupfumira.African News Agency
A leading Conservative MP today compared the Tory conference to a North Korean rally as he tore into his party for not involving its members enough.

Jacob Rees-Mogg said party members are expected just to 'cheer the great and the good' and are not given an opportunity to speak from the conference floor.

The backbencher warned the Conservatives will be in 'real trouble' unless party high command loosen their grip and allow free debate at the annual get together.

Mr Rees-Mogg - who has been tipped as a possible future Tory leader - said ordinary party members have no power to debate policy compared to when he first entered politics.

Tory MP Jacob Rees-Mogg, pictured at the Conservative Party conference in Manchester today, said the party will be in 'real trouble' unless it opens the party up to its members more

He told a Policy Exchange fringe meeting at the party's conference in Manchester: It has now become like an American presidential convention where we just expect them to turn up and cheer the great and the good.

'It isnt even American, its Kim Jong Un style.

'If it stays like that for long enough were going to be in real trouble.'

Tory members and activists used to be able to make contributions to the debate on conference floor, although they were never allowed to decide party policy.

Jacob Rees-Mogg compared the Tory party conference to a rally in Kim Jong-Un's North Korea

Cabinet minsters addressed a near empty conference hall in Manchester yesterday as only scores of activists turned out in the hall

But David Cameron brought in an overhaul of conference rules so that no one could stick their hand up and speak.

He brought in the shake-up in order to silence outspoken activists who would often make controversial comments which flew in the face of official party policy.

Instead, activists are only allowed to enter the hall and watch as a succession of Tory ministers, MPs and invited guests address them from the platform.

The stage-managed process is in stark contrast to Labour Party conference where most of the speeches are made by rank and file delegates who also vote on and decide policy.

Commentators have pointed out that while the Labour Party's conference was one of the busiest ever, the hall at the Tory conference has often be half empty.
The gunman responsible for Sunday's mass shooting in Las Vegas wired $100,000 to a bank account in the Philippines, his live-in girlfriend's home country, a week before carrying out the attack, it has been revealed.

Stephen Paddock, 64, sent the money to an account before setting up a sniper's nest on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel on Sunday.

Law enforcement officials who confirmed the wire transfer to NBC did not reveal who the bank account belongs to.

His live-in girlfriend Marilou Danley, 62, who was overseas while her boyfriend committed the worst mass murder in US history, is now on her way back to the US to face questions from the FBI.

On Tuesday, Las Vegas Sheriff Joseph Lombardo confirmed Danley is a person of interest in the investigation again.

Authorities appeared to rule her out on Monday as it emerged that she was not in Las Vegas at the time of the killing. They have since determined that she was travelling between Tokyo and the Philippines at the time and they now wish to speak to her.

'The investigation with her is ongoing and we anticipate some information from her shortly. This investigation has not ended with the demise of Mr. Paddock.

'I expect a substantial amount of information is to come in the next 48 hours,' Lombardo said on Tuesday.

Danley is understood to have told police that their romance began earlier this year.

Photographs obtained by DailyMail.com on Tuesday show them in the Philippines with her family in 2013 and in a Reno nightclub with the woman's hotel and casino colleagues in 2014.

Scroll down for video

Stephen Paddock is pictured in an April 2013 photograph taken during a meal with his girlfriend Marilou Danley's family in the Philippines. Marilou, 62, is thought to be next to him, wearing a purple top

In the photographs, Paddock, is seen smiling and laughing with Danley's family during a 2013 trip to Manila.

Others show the couple partying with friends in Las Vegas in 2014 in a nightclub. Danley worked for hotels and casinos in Nevada.

In the family photographs, he is seen enjoying a traditional Kamayan dinner, which is eaten with your hands and comes from the filipino word for hand - kamay.

Eating fish, vegetables and rice with his bare fingers, Paddock looks completely at ease with his companions, which also includes Danleys sister Liza Werner, whod travelled for the reunion from her home in Brisbane, Australia. Werner posted the pictures on Facebook with the words Kamayan Blues.

Danley is from the Philippines but also holds Australian citizenship and moved to the US following the death of her first husband more than 20 years ago, neighbors and friends have since revealed.

She was previously married to Arkansas resident Geary Danley and the pair were together for 22 years before separating in April 2013 - the same month she is pictured with Paddock in Manila.

She and Danley divorced the following February. She is understood to have arrived in the US with her daughter Sheila.

On Monday, Marilou's former step-daughters and her ex-husband said they were shocked by her association to Paddock who they claimed they'd never heard of before.

In the images the man appears happy and relaxed. What drove him to commit Sunday's massacre - the worst in US history - has not been established

Paddock was pictured talking animatedly with his girlfriend's relatives at the 2013 feast

'Our family doesn't know Stephen Paddock and has had no knowledge of Marilou's relationship with Mr Paddock.

'Marilou is our ex step-mom. She is a good and gentle person and I know she has to be devastated by what has happened,' Dionne Waltrip, one of her former step-daughters, told Arkansas station 5 News.

They did not reveal why she and their father parted ways, but reiterated that she was a 'good person'.

'We know nothing of this relationship ever. We have never heard of this man ever in our lives.

'She is kind. She's very gentle. She's very giving, she's always happy. She's just extremely nice and fun to be around.

'She's not harmful. She's not a bad person at all,' Deirdre Terrell, her other former step-daughter, said.

In another image believed to have been taken in Las Vegas in 2014, Paddock (circled) is seen with a large group in a nightclub. Danley is pictured second right

The first record of Marilou in the US is in 1992 and in Memphis, Tennessee. For 11 years, she lived in various houses there and carried out a brief stint in Arizona.

In 2003, records suggest that she moved to Nevada. She has been listed on the home where she lived with Paddock since January this year.

It is not clear how she met Paddock but it is likely through their mutual connection to the gambling world.

The 64-year-old was addicted to video poker, spending $10,000 a day on video games before his death.

Earlier today, Danleys nephew Jordan Knights revealed that hed gone to visit his auntie and Paddock in Las Vegas only a few weeks before the tragedy and had no inkling that Paddock was building up an arsenal of weapons, which would go onto kill 58 and injure 527 others who were attending the Route 91 Harvest Festival on Sunday night.

Knights was travelling in the US with his mother, Amelia Manango, Danleys sister. She posted a picture of the MGM Grand entrance onto her Facebook on August 29.

'It seemed like he just looked after my aunty and that was it,'he told 9 News after the shooting on Monday.

When asked if there was any signs that he was into guns or mentally unstable, he responded: 'He didn't seem like he was the type of guy to do that. I didnt even know he knew about guns.'

He then told The Courier-Mail that the pair went to family lunches at a casino, adding: 'He was a normal person pretty much. Its just weird, crazy (what has happened). Its hectic sh**.'

Knights went onto say there was no suggestion Paddock was a religious man.

He said Paddock was friendly towards him, adding: 'I wouldnt have a clue (if he had been radicaliszed by Islam).

Paddock shot himself before a SWAT team could get into him inside his suite on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel on Sunday night.

Paddock (left in an undated photo) killed himself before a SWAT team could get to him on Sunday night. Marilou Danley, his girlfriend, was in the Philippines at the time. She will be questioned upon her return to the US on Wednesday

Marilou (above with her daughter Sheila and granddaughter) is expected to return to the US on Wednesday

The woman's former stepdaughters and ex-husband say she is a 'gentle' and 'kind' person. Marilou is understood to have come to the US in the early 1990s

It took them 72 minutes from when the first 911 call was placed to break into the room.

Marilou's was previously married to Arkansas resident Geary Danley (above) His family released a statement on Monday expressing sympathy for the victims and stating that he had never heard of Paddock

By the time they got in, Paddock, whose brother said had made 'millions' through real estate deals, had taken his own life.

Photographs of the hotel room which have since emerged reveal some of the weapons inside.

He was holed up in the suite with 23 guns including some modified semi-automatic rifles which had been placed on tripods and aimed at the crowds.

At his Mesquite home, police found another 19 guns and explosives.

Danley was initially feared to have been a person as interest.

It was initially feared that she may have been with her partner when the shooting occurred but police have since determined that she was in the Philippines.

She will be questioned upon her return to the United States.

58 people were slaughtered and 527 were injured in the massacre in Las Vegas on Sunday night

Concert goers were listening to country music performances when the shots began. They were then forced to run for their lives. Some heroic music fans saved others in the process and carried anyone who couldn't walk to safety

Images of the Mandalay Bay Resort show two windows blown out on the 32nd floor of the building (above) that Paddock smashed out so he could shoot crowds from two locations

It is not known how long the pair have been a couple. Danley moved to the US from Australia more than 20 years ago following the death of her husband.

She worked in the gambling industry. Paddock was an avid gambler who blew $10,000 a day on video poker.

No motive has yet been established for the attack.

Police are likely to probe his gambling debt and addiction as they try to identify what drove him to commit the atrocity.

But so far they are at a loss.

'We cannot even rule out mental illness or some form of brain damage, although theres no evidence of that, either,' one official told Reuters on Tuesday.

The man's brother said his girlfriend was the 'closest one' to him and she would be the person most likely to shed light on his mindset.

'Mary Lou is absolutely the closest person to Steve. We are going to let her contact us if and when she decides she wants to,' Eric Paddock said on Tuesday.

Paddock was also the son of Benjamin Hoskins Paddock, a serial bank robber who ended up on the FBI Most Wanted list back in 1969 when he escaped from federal prison in Texas while serving a 20 years sentence.

The FBI kept him on the list for the next eight years, and he was eventually found one year after he was removed from the list in 1978 while outside an Oregon Bingo hall.

On Monday, Paddock's brother Eric spoke outside his Orlando home to say he had no inclination as to what drove him to commit the killings

Jordan Knights, Danley's Australian nephew, met gunman Stephen Paddock a few months ago and found him 'unremarkable'

The agency said that the fugitive had been 'diagnosed as psychopathic' and also had possible 'suicidal tendencies.'

In total, Paddock had lived in an astonishing 27 residences in Nevada, Florida and Texas over the course of his adult life.

He was once worked for the IRS and was at one point a mailman. His incredulous family are struggling to come to terms with his act of terror which they say is entirely out of character.

He was once married but divorced his wife 27 years ago. She was too stunned to speak about the attack on Monday from her home in Cerritos, California.

A sheriff who was stationed outside confirmed that she was married to the gunman decades ago for six years. They did not have any children.
Olga S. Najera, 52, was detained on Monday in El Paso, Texas, for an injury to a child charge, according to local police

A teacher in Texas who was arrested for slapping a five-year-old student on Monday was already charged with harming children at her previous place of employment.

Olga S. Najera was detained in El Paso, Texas, for an injury to a child charge, according to local police.

'She is a wonderful teacher who is very well liked by parents and loved by her students,' Najera's lawyer Mary Stillinger told the El Paso Times.

'Before this first arrest, she never had any issues for many years. I think she is completely innocent of this.'

An investigation by police found that Najera allegedly hit a 'student with an open hand,' while teaching at Helen Ball Elementary School between July 31 and August 28.

The teacher had been placed on administrative leave from the Socorro Independent School District because she had been arrested for similar incidents.

An investigation by police found that Najera allegedly hit a 'student with an open hand,' while teaching at Helen Ball between July 31 and August 28

'This new allegation is, to my understanding, it came up after the reports of her first arrest,' Stillinger said.

'Unfortunately, sometimes there is an aspect of hysteria when people think something is happening and they jump to conclusions.'

Allegations that the bilingual teacher had bothered children, while working at El Paso's Myrtle Cooper Elementary School, surfaced last year.

While she was cleared by the district and returned to work, the case was turned over to the police.

The Helen Ball Elementary School teacher had been placed on administrative leave from the Socorro Independent School District because she had been arrested for similar incidents of child abuse

Then, Najera was indicted on two counts of injury to a child on August 9 and was arrested at the school. The 52-year-old was booked into the El Paso County Jail on a $15,000 bond.

Najera was booked into the El Paso County Jail Downtown on a $15,000 bond

In the indictment, the teacher is accused of slapping, pinching and stepping on children from August 1 to August 16.

She is accused of pinching a boy's arm and scratching his hands, according to the indictment.

Najera was said to have also slapped a girl in the face, stepped on the girl's foot and kicked her.

After the first arrest, the teacher was released from jail on bond.

'When dealing with very young children you have to be sure what the facts are because we all know very young children do not always describe things as clearly as adults,' Stillinger said.

'When there is no physical evidence, I think the Police Department is making a very serious mistake by moving so quickly on this.

'The allegations at the prior school had been investigated thoroughly by the school and had been found without merit.'

The August case is scheduled to go to trial in April.
A British soldier who rushed to the aid of those injured in the Las Vegas massacre has been hailed by his brother for 'keeping America safe'.

Ross Woodward, 24, had been enjoying a trip to the US gambling capital with other off-duty troops when carnage unfolded on Sunday night.

As bullets rained down on an open-air concert from a gunman's nest high above, the soldier, from 1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards, turned towards danger.

Along with two other soldiers with whom he had been travelling, he helped tend to the wounded and shepherd people to safety.

Ross Woodward, 24, pictured, had been enjoying a trip to the US gambling capital with other off-duty troops when carnage unfolded on Sunday night

His younger brother Curtis Dyer, 22, pictured left, said the actions reflected the character of his sibling, pictured right

First responders and bystanders carry an injured person to an emergency station located at the intersection of Las Vegas Boulevard and Tropicana Ave - one block north of the shooting

Hundreds of rounds of automatic gunfire were reported by witnesses on the scene; one woman in the Mandalay Bay said that there was a shooter on the 32nd floor, and that they had killed a security guard

His younger brother Curtis Dyer, 22, said the actions reflected the character of his sibling, who is originally from Beeston, Nottinghamshire, and had been training in the US with the British Army.

Mr Dyer said: 'He is the type of the person who would do it anyway, he's always there to help people when they need his help.

'The Army always brought out the best in him. He's caring, he loves his job, he's quite family-orientated.

'He just looks forward to going away with the army, he looks forward to the free time afterwards, as you can imagine the Army work their balls off to protect us. It's just like it happened by fate.'

Mr Woodward now lives on a base in Norfolk.

Bystanders on the Las Vegas Strip come to terms with what they've seen after the brutal shooting

His composure in the face of an attack which left 59 dead and more than 500 injured filled his relative with pride.

'I'm dead proud of what he's done, that he was able to do it,' Mr Dyer said.

'At least when it came to something like that he was there to help. Britain's keeping America safe more than anything else over there.'

Prime Minister Theresa May acknowledged the heroism of the three soldiers on Tuesday, saying she would like to 'thank them for what they did'.

People tend to the wounded outside the festival ground after the shooting. One person can be seen with a shirt draped over their face; it's not clear if they are dead

But for Mr Dyer, news that his brother had been at the centre of the deadliest mass shooting in US history came as more of a shock.

'I just got a message off him saying he was fine - I hadn't even had a clue what had gone on,' he said.

'I turned the news on and obviously there had been an attack in Las Vegas.

'I knew he was away with the Army and he did a trip in America - they did one last year and they did it again this year - and I think he was getting some free time.

The wounded were rushed to waiting ambulances on anything that concert-goers could find, including a wheelbarrow

'He said everything was fine and I said, 'What the hell wrong with?' and he told me.

'He just said that he helped the injured and to get people to safety and that was it really.

'He's fine as far as I'm aware now.'

The Ministry of Defence confirmed three off-duty soldiers from the regiment, known as the Welsh Cavalry, had helped in the aftermath of the attack.

The trio had been on leave after a desert training exercise in Nevada at the time.
Boris Johnson (pictured today in Manchester) tonight claimed a Libyan city could be the next 'Dubai' for tourists once they 'clear the dead bodies away'

Boris Johnson is facing calls to be sacked after he claimed a Libyan city could be the next 'Dubai' for tourists once they 'clear the dead bodies away'.

The Foreign Secretary's new diplomatic gaffe came on the fringes of the Tory conference in Manchester.

Mr Johnson's off-colour jibe was greeted by nervous laughter at the meeting in the Midland Hotel and came hours after his main speech to the conference.

He was asked by an activist what he really thought of war-torn Libya after his recent high profile visit to the North African country.

Libya has descended into chaos since a British and allied air campaign supported a rebel uprising against Colonel Qaddafi in 2011.

Mr Johnson said: 'It's an incredible country, beautiful white sands, beautiful seas, Caesars Palace - the real one - incredible place.

'It's got real potential. Young people who want to do all sorts of tech stuff. There is a group of UK business people, wonderful guys, who want to invest in Sirte on the coast, near where Qaddafi was captured.

'They literally have a vision to turn Sirte into the next Dubai - the only thing they have got to do is clear the dead bodies away and then they will be there.'

The room burst into nervous laughter at Mr Johnson's remark, which came at the end of an hour long meeting.

The host intervened to say 'next question'.

The Foreign Secretary said there was an 'optimism' in Libya and offered a strong endorsement for the country's current leadership.

He later defended his comments, saying: 'Shame people with no knowledge or understanding of Libya want to play politics with the appallingly dangerous reality in Sirte.

'The reality there is that the clearing of corpses of Daesh (ISIS) fighters has been made much more difficult by IEDs (improvised explosive devices) and booby traps.

'That's why Britain is playing a key role in reconstruction and why I have visited Libya twice this year in support.'

But Conservative MP Sarah Wollaston said: 'Demeaning jokes about real people murdered in Libya would be crass even from a stand up; appalled to hear this from our Foreign Secretary.'

And Heidi Allen, a Tory MP who represents South Cambridgeshire, called for his sacking: '100% unacceptable from anyone, let alone foreign sec. Boris must be sacked for this. He does not represent my party.'

Mr Johnson's opposite number Emily Thornberry said: 'It is less than a year since Sirte was finally captured from Daesh by the Libyan Government of National Accord, a battle in which hundreds of government soldiers were killed and thousands of civilians were caught in the crossfire, the second time in five years that the city had seen massive loss of life as a result of the Libyan civil war.

'For Boris Johnson to treat those deaths as a joke - a mere inconvenience before UK business people can turn the city into a beach resort - is unbelievably crass, callous and cruel.

'If these words came from the business people themselves, it would be considered offensive enough, but for them to come from the Foreign Secretary is simply a disgrace.

'There comes a time when the buffoonery needs to stop, because if Boris Johnson thinks the bodies of those brave government soldiers and innocent civilians killed in Sirte are a suitable subject for throwaway humour, he does not belong in the office of Foreign Secretary.'

The latest gaffe is just the most recent in many years of off-colour remarks that have left many questioning Mr Johnson's suitability to be Foreign Secretary.

The Foreign Secretary's new diplomatic gaffe came on the fringes of the Tory conference in Manchester (Mr Johnson is pictured arriving today)

Mr Johnson's off-colour jibe was greeted by nervous laughter at the meeting in the Midland Hotel and came hours after his main speech to the conference (pictured)

Earlier this week, he was accused of 'incredible insensitivity' after reciting part of a colonial-era Rudyard Kipling poem about a British soldier kissing a Burmese girl to Myanmar dignitaries.

In July, he likened a traditional Maori greeting to a headbutt while visiting indigenous leaders in New Zealand.

He once said of the Tory Party that it had 'become used to Papua New Guinea-style orgies of cannibalism and chief-killing'.

An apology was swiftly due. 'I mean no insult to the people of Papua New Guinea who I'm sure lead lives of blameless bourgeois domesticity in common with the rest of us. Add Papua New Guinea to my global itinerary of apologies.'

And in 2004, the then Tory leader Michael Howard ordered Boris to make a penitential visit to Liverpool after an editorial was published in the Spectator that insulted Liverpudlians several times over. Boris called the trip 'Operation Scouse Grovel'.
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Museums can often conjure up painful memories of bored schoolchildren surrounded by old, dusty artefacts.

But visitors to London's Design Museum should fret not - for it has been named the world's number one destination for catching up on a bit of culture.

The Kensington-based centre, which houses more than 1,000 of the most ingenious exhibits from the 20th and 21st centuries, has been voted the leading culture destination for 2017 in what is often pitched as the 'Oscars for Museums'.

Winners of the Leading Culture Destinations Awards are recognised for the quality and reach of their exhibits, experiences and educational programs.

The scheme, which have been running for four years, aim to shine a light on the museums which offer an exceptional contribution to cultural life and showcase emerging destinations.

London's Design Museum (pictured) has been named the world's number one destination for catching up on a bit of culture

The Kensington-based centre, which houses more than 1,000 of the most ingenious exhibits from the 20th and 21st centuries, has been voted the leading culture destination for 2017 in what is often pitched as the 'Oscars for Museums'

Coloured vases depicting noon light are displayed at the Design Museum as part of an exhibition called Breathing Colour, which comprises a series of newly commissioned installations exploring humans perceptions and connections to colour

Florian Wupperfeld, co-founder of Leading Culture Destinations, said culture was an important way of bringing people together and preparing them for future challenges.

Speaking to the MailOnline, he said: 'I think people nowadays want to re-localise to culture after previously moving towards brands and becoming globalised.

'People nowadays want to go to places like France and have a French experience rather than a globalised experience. They are going to places such as the Galapagos and Iceland because they are unique.

'Culture really encapsulates a local distinction and flavour and helps a destination to have a little more meaning.

'Museums play a vital role in that as well as they are a place of learning and places that people go to drink and eat. Nowadays, if the weather is nice, people will go to the Serpertine [in Kensington, west London] or meet with friends at Somerset House [in Strand, central London] after work. It's fantastic.'

The Design Museum in London beat off competition from Museum Barberini in Potsdam, Germany and Centro Botin in Santander, Spain to win this year's top prize

Florian Wupperfeld, co-founder of Leading Culture Destinations, said culture was an important way of bringing people together and prepare them for future challenges

To compile the list of nominees, Mr Wupperfeld and his colleagues asked the awards ambassadors (roughly 100 influential creative professionals) where their favourite cultural places were.

The suggestions were then whittled down before a jury chose the winners, who will be announced at a ceremony at the Trafalgar St. James hotel in London.

Mr Wupperfeld added: 'Creativity is the currency of cool in today's world and it helps to drive tourism. In Richard Florida's book The Rise of the Creative Class, he states that if you put creative people in a remote place, they will make it their own.

'Then comes the tourism, as people are driven to creativity, followed by the investment.

'Through our awards ceremony, we try to recommend places and breath taking experiences for travellers and help put them at the heart of culture. We want to shine a light on these places.'
'Heartless Felon': Troy White, 47, a suspected member of Ohio's Heartless Felons gang, is accused of sexually assaulting a man with a pipe threader during a Cleveland home invasion

Three suspected members of Ohios notorious Heartless Felons gang have been arrested in connection to a violent home invasion, in which one of the victims was raped with a metal tool and doused with gasoline, and another was shot.

Troy White, 47, Nathaniel Ramos Jr, 18, and Keli Dunnican, 22, have been charged in connection to the attack that took place in Cleveland early Thursday morning.

According to police reports obtained by Cleveland.com, the trio of suspected gangsters arrived at the home of a 31-year-old man in the 3000 block of Sackett Avenue at around 12.30am and forced their way inside.

Ramos and Dunnican, who wore masks, and White punched and kicked the 31-year-old man and restrained his hands behind his back with duct tape, according to the reports. They also allegedly beat up a 51-year-old occupant of the house.

The younger of the two victims hurled a homophobic slur at White and accused him of raping prison inmates, which, according to police, enraged the 47-year-old suspect.

Accomplices: Nathaniel Ramos Jr, 18 (left), allegedly poured gasoline on two victims of the home invasion, but Keli Dunnican, 22 (right) dissuaded him from lighting them on fire

Break-in: The trio of men allegedly forced their way inside a home in the 3000 block of Sackett Avenue in Cleveland early Thursday

White allegedly grabbed a pipe threader and proceeded to sexually assault the 31-year-old victim while Dunnican and Ramos held him down.

Ramos then allegedly drenched both victims in gasoline, but Dunnican was able to dissuade his two accomplices from lighting the men on fire.

When a 41-year-old man later showed up at the house on Sackett Avenue, police reports state that White threatened him with a gun and shot him twice in the right leg after a physical altercation.

Dunnican, Ramos and White fled the scene on foot after stealing a cellphone and a pair of shoes, according to the reports.

All three were arrested a short time later after encountering police officers on the street and attempting to run away from them.

At the time of his arrest, White allegedly had a handgun in his pocket. A search of Ramos' pockets yielded more than a dozen baggies of marijuana, and arresting officers observed in the report that he reeked of gasoline.

Ramos was charged with aggravated burglary and his bond was set at $25,000

Dunnican was found to be in possession of rolls of duct tape, a knife and three cellphones, including the device that had been stolen from the crime scene.

When police entered the residence targeted by the trio of suspects during the break-in, they found a pool of blood, bullet casings, the pipe threader used in the rape and drug paraphernalia commonly used to smoke crack cocaine, according to the reports.

Under questioning, White allegedly told detectives that he was part of a theft ring that also included two of the victims, aged 31 and 51, and that all three of them had smoked crack together just hours before the home invasion.

White was charged with felonious assault and ordered held on $100,000 bond; Ramos was charged with aggravated burglary and his bond was set at $25,000; and Dunnican was booked into jail on $50,000 bond after being charged with aggravated robbery.

White's past criminal record includes two convictions for armed robberies in Cleveland.

He has a separate burglary case pending against him stemming from an incident that occurred in May. The 47-year-old is set to be sentenced for that crime on October 23.

Whites two younger accomplices do not have adult criminal records.
Danny Lee Bettcher, 64, has been arrested for a record-setting 28th DUI

A 64-year-old Minnesota man has been arrested for a record-breaking 28th DUI.

Danny Lee Bettcher was charged in Otter Tail County District Court last week with felony-level drunken driving and refusing a breathalyzer test.

An off-duty officer allegedly saw Bettcher drinking at a bar in New York Mills.

An on-duty officer followed Bettcher, who allegedly ignored a stop sign and drove onto Highway 10 at 10mph while swerving.

He continued traveling for 200 yards before he was pulled over by police.

The criminal complaint says his eyes were bloodshot and watery and a beer can was spotted behind the passenger seat.

Bettcher gave the officer a health identification card that included an alcohol restriction.

He then refused a field sobriety test.

'I am way over,' he said, according to the complaint. 'Take me to jail.'

If convicted, Bettcher's maximum sentence is seven years with two-thirds spent in prison and the rest on supervised release, along with five years of probation.

Bettcher has been arrested 28 times for driving under the influence. His arrest record dates back to the 1980s and he was last arrested in 2010 and served five years in jail

Bettcher was last convicted of a first-degree DUI in 2010 and served about five years in prison.

When he appeared in court in 2010 for his 27th arrest, the handyman said: ''I drink to get drunk.'

In a court filing from a previous conviction, Bettcher said he suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder after serving in the military.

'I'm trying to get my life back on track before I am released,' the 2014 filing said.
Vice President Mike Pence's chief of staff suggested the party 'purge' disloyal lawmakers, including Capitol Hill's top two Republicans, if Congress continues not getting President Trump's agenda done.

According to Politico's reporting, Chief of Staff Nick Ayers warned those gathered Tuesday at a Republican National Committee event in D.C. that Republicans were 'on track to get shellacked' in the 2018 midterm.

He suggested in the closed-door meeting that donors hold out their funds and refuse to give money to any GOP candidate who doesn't back the president or support a change in leadership if House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., and House Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., continue to drag their feet.

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Vice President Mike Pence's Chief of Staff Nick Ayers (pictured) was caught telling donors how to 'purge' the party of rogue Republicans, unwilling to implement the Trump agenda

Among Nick Ayers' targets: House Speaker Paul Ryan (left) and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (right), who Pence's chief of staff urged donors to pressure members to replace

'Because, look, if we're going to be in the minority again we might as well have a minority who are with us as opposed to the minority who helped us become a minority,' Ayers reportedly said, receiving laughter and applause.

Making a similar gripe as former White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon has said, Ayers largely blamed Congress' rogue Republicans for Trump's inability to get any major legislation passed.

'Just imagine the possibilities of what can happen if our entire party unifies behind him?' Ayers mused. 'If, and this sounds crass, we can purge the handful of people who continue to defeat him.'

A member of the audience then asked Ayers how donors might be able to compel members to change their leadership.

'I'm not speaking on behalf of the president or vice president when I say this,' Ayers began.

'But if I were you, I would not only stop donating, I would form a coalition of all the other major donors, and just say two things: We're definitely not giving to you No. 1 and No. 2, if you don't have this done by Dec. 31 we're going out, we're recruiting opponents, we're maxing out to their campaigns and we're funding super PACS to defeat all of you,' Ayers advised.

Since President Trump's inauguration in January, Republicans decided to prioritize repealing and replacing Obamacare, which they struck out on again last week with the demise of the Graham-Cassidy bill.

Now, tax reform is finally the legislative priority, though Ayers sounded doubtful that it could get done.

'The honest answer is, I'm not sure we're on track to do that,' he said, once again blaming Congress for any sort of mess.

'I think the White House, I think the president and the vice president have shown extraordinary leadership, they've been incredibly clear on the framework that was agreed upon ... It was frankly much bolder than the path that we were headed down,' Ayers said.

Pence's chief of staff said he was skeptical because both houses had passed bills to repeal and replace Obamacare, but with a Republican president in the White House, failed to do it again.

The House did pass a repeal bill in 2017, but a few hold-out senators, including Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., Susan Collins, R-Maine, Rand Paul, R-Ky., and Lisa Murkowski, killed the GOP-led efforts in the Senate.

Ayers urged the donors to 'hear those answers from the speaker and, more importantly, the majority leader,' on why the failure.

Besides cutting off their funding, Pence's top aide had another idea for punishing bad behavior.

'They're all still committee chairman,' Ayers noted of the 'handful' of Republicans who haven't embraced the Trump-Pence agenda. 'Theres only one other option and then lets see if that option works.'
A drunk couple got in a fight with a manager and other customers in the parking lot of a Taco Bell in Charlotte, North Carolina.

A man captured the scene in a six-minute video.

The video begins after the argument has already started. A man who appears to be in his early 20s wearing a Panthers jersey is yelling: 'I said I'm sorry' angrily.

Next to the man is a woman wearing a darker Panthers jersey. She pushes him lightly and he staggers, indicating that he's drunk.

The man notices that he is being filmed and starts walking toward the camera, but the woman holds him back.

'What you want motherf*cker?' he asks the man with the camera.

'You smell like a piece of redneck sh*t,' he says, kicking his leg at the camera.

A man is yelling in a Taco Bell Parking lot when he realizes that he's being filmed by another customer. He asks the man holding the camera: 'What you want motherf*cker?'

A manager tries to intervene and starts to argue with the woman who is slurring her speech as she asks what they did wrong

A man who is reportedly the Taco Bell manager walks up to the couple and says: 'Get off my property please.'

The woman argues with the manager but their conversation can barely be heard over the man in the jersey repeating: 'You smell like sh*t' and 'Redneck motherf*cker.'

The couple then begins arguing with a third man who tells them that they can't use the n-word.

The woman is slurring her words as she tries to defend herself.

A manager tries to intervene and starts to argue with the woman who is slurring her speech as she asks what they did wrong

The couple starts to argue with another customer who says that they can't use the n-word. The man with camera turns the lens around to show a look of bemusement

The manager intervenes once again, trying to get the couple to leave.

'I didn't say anything,' the drunk man says. 'You're my friend man.'

'You're not my friend, get off this property,' the manager says.

The couple keep contest and the manager starts to get frustrated saying: 'Will y'all please just go.'

Finally he snaps and goes at the drunk man, intending to fight him. The drunk man thinks it's a funny game and tries to dodge him.

The manager cuts in again, pleading with the couple to get off of the property but the woman says she doesn't understand why they have to leave

The manager snaps and runs at the drunk man who tries to dodge him. The man holding the camera approaches them, telling them to stop

The man holding the camera walks up to them saying: 'Stop, stop stop' as the manager chases the man out of the parking lot.

The manager asks the woman to follow the drunk man but she refuses.

The camera follows the drunk man in the street who asks the man filming: 'Why do you hang out with that n*****?'

As the manager argues with the woman she says: 'I'm insulted.'

The manager replies: 'I'm insulted. He called me a n****** five times.'

The woman then gets upset at the man filming and he says: 'I'm just documenting.'

Two of the men begin chasing the drunk man as the woman cries in the street.

Once the drunk couple is finally off the property, three men walk back toward the restaurant in disbelief of how hard it was to get them to leave.

The video was posted to Liveleak on Tuesday.
News / National

by Staff reporter

The Government on Friday said it was withdrawing 64 offer letters covering nearly 10 000 hectares of land that had been allocated to local farmers on plantations protected under the Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (BIPPA) in Manicaland province.Minister of Lands and Rural Resettlement, Dr Douglas Mombeshora said farmers to be affected by the move had 14 days to lodge their objections with the government."Notice is hereby given to the land beneficiaries listed below that the acquiring authority intends to withdraw their offer letters," Mombeshora said in a statement."The offer letters were issued on plantation farms covered by Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement.The withdrawals are targeted at land that had been parcelled out at three farms  Westward Hoo, Tilbury and Tilbury  which are in Chimanimani and Mutare.The Zimbabwean Government compulsorily acquired large tracts of land including some covered under BIPPA when it embarked on its land reform programme in the early 2000s.The agrarian reforms sought to address colonial land ownership imbalances that prejudiced the local black indigenous population.Over the years, more than 300 000 households were resettled on the acquired land.Acquisition of land covered under BIPPA, however, caused problems for the government, with some countries whose citizens had properties taken over objecting to the move.Some of the affected people successfully sued government at the International Court for Settlement of Investment Disputes.Some of the countries that were covered under the BIPPAS include Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Malaysia, Netherlands and Switzerland.The Supreme Court had however ruled that government had authority to even repossess land covered under BIPPAs.But in a bid to mend and protect relations, as well as manage its liabilities, Government in 2012 said it would stop acquiring land covered under BIPPAs.Five years ago, the government revoked 55 offer letters made to farmers on BIPPA land.In the meantime, Mombeshora also announced intentions to withdraw offer letters made to 13 other farmers based in Seke and Chipinge districts "for not taking up their plots in contravention of terms and conditions of their offer letters."The farmers were given two weeks to respond.
The mother of a Missouri girl says in a lawsuit that the St. Joseph public school district did not help her daughter when classmates bullied her and left her suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.

Frances Keitz contends the bullying involved physical and verbal abuse, The Kansas City Star reported.

She alleges that students threatened to kill her daughter, Anna, or urged her to kill herself.

She says it happened during the 2015-2016 school year while Anna was a student at Skaith Elementary School.

Anna, who is now 13, was diagnosed with PTSD, depression and anxiety in January 2016 and had to be hospitalized, according to the lawsuit.

Keitz says in the lawsuit she frequently asked district administrators to help her daughter, but that they did nothing and school personnel 'engaged in a pattern of blaming and ignoring victims of bullying.'

A Missouri woman says in a lawsuit that the St. Joseph public school district didn't help her daughter when classmates bullied her and left her suffering from PTSD. She says it happened during the 2015-2016 school year while Anna attended Skaith Elementary School (above)

The lawsuit names four co-defendants, all of whom are school administrators. The school principal, Jennifer Patterson, is seen in the undated file photo above

Frances Keitz says in the lawsuit she frequently asked administrators to help her daughter, but that school personnel 'engaged in a pattern of blaming and ignoring victims of bullying.' Patterson (left) and Superintendent Robert Newhart (right) are seen above

'Defendants did not employ effective remedial measures against the harassing behavior and the bullying continued for several months,' the lawsuit states.

The lawsuit names as defendants four district administrators - Jennifer Patterson, principal at Skaith Elementary; Superintendent Robert Newhart; Solon Haynes, director of student services for the district; and Marlena Walley, the districts coordinator of federal programs.

Newhart said in a statement that the concerns raised in the lawsuit were addressed and the district can't discuss specific disciplinary action against any student.

He also said the district can't respond to specifics in pending litigation but 'if we could provide additional information, you would know that this lawsuit does not provide a full or accurate account of what has transpired between Frances Keitz and the district.'

Before filing the lawsuit last month in Buchanan County Circuit Court, Keitz was banned from the school grounds after she began attending school with Anna.

She alleges in her lawsuit that the district has made it difficult to remove her daughter so she can be taught at home.

The district says an administrative hearing officer retained as part of a separate federal lawsuit the district filed over education plans for Keitz's daughter reviewed Keitz's complaint on that issue and found in the district's favor.

'The district has already prevailed once on claims brought by Mrs. Keitz, which is a reminder that there are two sides to every story, and that the allegations of a lawsuit are not proof that anything improper actually occurred,' Newhart said.

Last year, Keitz told KCTV that her daughter was targeted for bullying by boys in her class after she had told the teacher that they had brought in a BB gun to school.

'She was fairly happy, and then the BB gun incident happened,' Annas mother, Frances Keitz, said.

Keitz said her daughter was targeted by boys for telling teachers about that gun.

She said Anna was kicked in the head on the playground.

Things deteriorated to the point where other classmates began to turn on Anna.

'If I asked to sit down, they would tell me that I couldn't sit there or they would literally push me out of the group and have all their friends together and block spots ...go to the extra table by myself,' Anna said.

She said that kids would often mock her clothing and her hair.

'They wrapped my hair around my neck and said I can choke myself with it,' Anna said.

Anna's mother eventually filed two police reports. She also began to accompany her daughter to school. Every day, she would join Anna for lunch at the cafeteria.

Keitz also kept an eye on her daughter in the school library, where she says some of the abuse took place.

Instead of the school disciplining the students who were allegedly bullying her daughter, Keitz says that she received a letter instructing her to stay away.

'Your conduct at Skaith is interfering with the learning environment there and has become an undue distraction to the staff and students at the school,' the school district said in a letter to Keitz.

Newhart has denied Keitz's allegations, saying that the district takes appropriate action against bullying.

'We take appropriate action whether that's disciplining the instigator behind that or whatever actions to happen to stop it,' Newhart said.

Keitz says the effects of the bullying on her daughter have been devastating.

'I don't know how to put it, she's just not my kid. She's totally withdrawn,' Keitz said.

She said Anna has been aided somewhat by therapy and medication.

Now the concerned mother wants the school to let her have unfettered access to school property and to allow her daughter to be permanently home-schooled.

When asked what she would say to her classmates, Anna responded: 'You ruined my life. You have hurt me in so many ways I cannot count. You don't have the right to do this to anyone at all.'
A mother-of-two sent this selfie to her brother minutes before she was strangled to death by her date for 'refusing to have sex with him', police believe.

Rasim Sadykov, 30, is alleged to have brutally killed Olga Emelyanova after promising to take her on a romantic picnic on the outskirts of Salavat, Russia.

Olga - who had recently separated from her husband - met her alleged murderer on a lonely hearts website, it is believed.

Sadykov was tracked down by police after he was pictured with a smiling Olga in a photograph sent to her brother Evgeny Andreev.

A mother-of-two sent this selfie to her brother minutes before she was strangled to death by her date for 'refusing to have sex with him', police believe

Olga Emelyanova (pictured) - who had recently separated from her husband - met her alleged murderer on a lonely hearts website, it is believed

In text messages to her sibling, Ogla said 'I am being driven somewhere', prompting him to ask 'to the woods?' and her to respond 'yes', with a smiley face emoji.

Sadykov told police that he strangled Olga with a piece of string before hiding her body in bushes. It was six days before her remains were found on the city outskirts.

'He thought he had done everything to avoid being detained,' reported NTV channel. 'He his the body, threw away evidence and even managed to move to another city.

'There was not a single witness of this cruel murder. But he failed to take into account one moment - his victim took a selfie shortly before she was killed.

'Soon after sending the message Olga went offline and stopped answering messages. Her family went to the police.

'Six days after the selfie was sent her body was found in the bushes in the suburbs of the city.'

Taken to the crime scene for a reconstruction of the murder (pictured), he said: 'Everything was going well. It was very romantic'

In text messages to her brother, Ogla said 'I am being driven somewhere', prompting him to ask 'to the woods?' and her to respond 'yes', with a smiley face emoji

Sadykov told police that he strangled Olga with a piece of string before hiding her body in bushes. It was six days before her remains were found on the city outskirts

Taken to the crime scene for a reconstruction of the murder, he said: 'Everything was going well. It was very romantic.'

He claimed she had suddenly grabbed his collar and shaken it. 'At that moment all I remember was my hand going like this,' he said.

He gestured showing how he had pulled string from his pocket and used it to strange Olga.

Police suspect he had demanded sex and she had refused. Sadykov has been detained for two months pending further investigations.

If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in jail.

Olga's estranged husband Roman, 32, is now caring for their two children, Denis, 10, and Kristina, 3.

He wrote a poignant social media message: 'Rest in peace, honey... I loved you, love now and will love... thanks to all for your support...'
A security guard nearly lost an arm in a brutal battle with a 25ft python - which was later chopped up and fried by hungry Indonesian villagers.

Robert Nababan crossed paths with the giant creature while patrolling an oil palm plantation in the remote Batang Gansal subdistrict of Sumatra island.

Police say the 37-year-old tried to catch the giant python and stuff it in a gunny sack. But the huge serpent fought back and bit him on his left arm, nearly severing it from his body.

A security guard nearly lost an arm in a brutal battle with a 25ft python - which was then chopped up and fried by hungry Indonesian villagers (pictured)

Brave Robert Nababan (left), 37, was at work when he saw the giant snake and tried to remove it. The python sunk its teeth into his arm but was killed and has been put on display in the local village (right)

Local reports said there was a desperate struggle before villagers rushed to his aid, hitting the snake with a log and saving his life.

Nababan was then rushed to a hospital in a neighbouring town for treatment.

Hungry locals killed the snake and displayed its body in the village before dicing it up, frying it and feasting on it.

The victim suffered deep wounds to his left arm and hand and was suffering from exhaustion because the fight went on for 'some time'

Speaking from his bed, Nababan said: 'I tried to catch it. It bit my arm, and we wrestled for a while.'

'The python was 7.8 metres long (25.6 feet), it was unbelievably huge,' local police chief Sutarja, who like many Indonesians only has one name, told AFP.

Giant python, which regularly top 20 feet in length, are commonly found in Indonesia and the Philippines.

In March, a 25-year-old Indonesian farmer has been discovered inside the belly of a giant python after the swollen snake was caught near where the man vanished while harvesting his crops on the eastern island of Sulawesi.
This is the moment an eccentric grandmother refused to hand over an 80s-style wig, threatening to 'knock the s***' out of her granddaughter.

Daisy Mae Johnson unleashed some serious sass, insisting she 'looks foxy' after Karen Cooper questioned the wig, which is reminiscent of Tina Turner's signature hairstyle.

The 92-year-old, from York Town, Virginia, USA, seemed determined to channel her inner diva when she replaced her signature hat in favour of a more flamboyant look.

After Ms Cooper walked into her home to find the explosive do overshadowing her grandmother's bespectacled face, she asked: 'What in the world is all that hair?

'What is this you've got on your head?'

The 92-year-old refused to hand over the wig to her granddaughter, insisting that she looks foxy in it

Daisy Mae Johnson from Virginia told her granddaughter she looks like a fool every day in the hilarious clip

After replacing her trademark hat, she still won't hand over the latest addition to her wardrobe

Initial disappointment at the confused reception her wig receives morphs into sassy fighting talk as she insults Ms Cooper's appearance.

'Well, you look like a fool every day,' she says, after removing the wig.

But when her granddaughter tries to take the wig, Ms Johnson turns nasty, saying: 'I'll knock the s*** out of you,' before skulking off in her dressing gown.
The mass shooting in Las Vegas, in which 58 people were killed and more than 500 injured, was the saddest day ever recorded on Twitter, according to Hedonometer, a tool that measures sentiment on social media platforms.

The barometer, which measures the happiness of millions of Twitter users based on their posts, showed an average happiness level of 5.77 on Monday when the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history occurred at a country music festival in Las Vegas.

The previous record low was 5.84 on the day of another mass shooting in Orlando, Florida that killed at least 49 people and injured more than 50 last year.

The third saddest recorded day on Twitter was Nov. 9, 2016, the day after Donald Trump was elected president of the United States, according to Hedonometer.

The barometer on that day was 5.87.

Hedonometer, a tool that measures sentiment on social media platforms, recorded measurements indicating that Monday was the saddest day ever in the history of Twitter

The barometer, which measures the happiness of millions of Twitter users based on their posts, showed an average happiness level of 5.77 on Monday when the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history occurred at a country music festival in Las Vegas

The happiest recorded day on Twitter was on Christmas day of 2008, when the day's score was 6.36. The tool has been tracking Twitter sentiment since 2008.

Hedonometer was invented by Peter Dodds and Chris Danforth, a mathematician and computer scientist at the University of Vermont's Advanced Computing Center.

It gathers sentences that start with 'I feel' or 'I am feeling' and generates a happiness score for the text.

Each sentence is then given a happiness score from 1 to 9.

Some tens of millions of tweets from around the world are collected each day and analyzed for 'happy', 'sad' and 'neutral' word content.

'Reporters, policymakers, academics - anyone - can come to the site and see population-level responses to major events,' said Danforth.

The global website, providing a way to gauge the happiness of the world, went public in 2013.

The previous record low was 5.84 on the day of another mass shooting in Orlando, Florida that killed at least 49 people and injured more than 50 last year. Orlando police are seen outside the Pulse nightclub on June 12, 2016

The third saddest recorded day on Twitter was Nov. 9, 2016, the day after Donald Trump was elected president of the United States. Trump is seen alongside his son, Barron, as he speaks during a victory party at the Hilton Hotel in New York

The recent terrorist attack in Manchester, where pop star Ariana Grande was giving a concert, was also one of the saddest days recorded on Twitter. Emergency responders are seen above in Manchester on May 23

'Our instrument reflects a kind of quantitative macro-story, one that journalists can use to bring big data into an article attempting to characterize the public response to the incident,' Danforth said.

The hedonometer is based on a psychological assessment of around 10,000 words.

Paid volunteers rated the words for their 'emotional temperature', ranking the happiest at the top of the scale and the saddest at the bottom.

Averaging the volunteers' responses, the scientists assigned an overall score to each word.

The word 'happy' itself scored 8.30, 'hahaha' 7.94, 'cherry' 7.04 and the more neutral 'pancake' 6.96.

The words 'and' and 'the' scored a truly neutral 5.22 and 4.98.

At the bottom of the scale, the word 'crash' scored 2.60, 'war' 1.80 and 'jail' 1.76.

Trending words such as 'explosion', 'victims' and 'kill' push the hedonometer down to extremely low levels.

Another particularly sad day on social media was August 12 of this year, when a young woman was struck and killed by a suspected neo-Nazi during dueling rallies and counter-demonstrations in Charlottesville, Virginia

On January 29 of this year, a suspected far-right gunman fatally shot six people and wounded 19 others inside a mosque in Quebec City

Positively scored words such as 'prayers' and 'families' also spiked that day - but not for positive reasons.

'If we remove "prayers", "love", and "families" it's not going to change the day's overall deviation from the background because of all the other words,' said Danforth.

Currently the hedonometer is updated every 24 hours, but further development could see billions of words collected daily to provide a minute-by-minute barometer of global happiness.

The team is also trying to expand beyond 'atoms' of single words to 'molecules' of two-word expressions.

The scientists acknowledge that happiness is a slippery word that means different things to different people.

'We're not trying to tell you that contentment is better than happiness - we're not trying to define the word,' said Danforth.

'We're just saying we're measuring something important and interesting.

'And, now, sharing it with the world.'
Theresa May will today warn her squabbling Cabinet to stop fighting and do our duty by Britain.

After a fraught week in Manchester, the Prime Minister will tell the Conservative conference it is time for the party to shape up and focus on delivering for voters.

Mrs May will also unveil a string of policy initiatives.

Theresa May will today warn her squabbling Cabinet to stop fighting and do our duty by Britain

Plans include what one senior Tory described as a revolution in housebuilding designed to win over the under-40s.

Mrs Mays rallying call follows a day in which:

Boris Johnson was cheered after a barnstorming speech in which he said it was time to be bold and embrace the opportunities of Brexit;

Cabinet ministers continued to round on the Foreign Secretary for intervening on Brexit before conference;

Home Secretary Amber Rudd announced a ban on the sale of acid to under-18s following a string of attacks;

Mrs May faced calls to sack Foreign Office minister Sir Alan Duncan after he said Brexit was the result of a tantrum by the working classes;

Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon publicly called for an increase in the military budget;

Priti Patel said voters were right to be angry about waste in the 13billion aid budget as she announced a crackdown on fatcat contractors.

The Tories annual gathering has been overshadowed by Cabinet infighting sparked by Mr Johnsons decision to go public with his concerns about the Governments direction on Brexit.

Last month he published an unauthorised 4,000-word essay laying out his personal manifesto for Brexit. Then, on the eve of the conference, he used an interview to lay out his own red lines.

After a fraught week in Manchester, the Prime Minister will tell the Conservative conference it is time for the party to shape up and focus on delivering for voters

The Prime Minister will use her set-piece speech today to say it is time to end the civil war and start focusing on the needs of ordinary families.

Mrs May will say the Conservatives should be not worrying about our job security, but theirs. Not addressing our concerns, but the issues, the problems, the challenges, that concern them.

Not focusing on our future, but on the future of their children and their grandchildren  doing everything we can to ensure their tomorrow will be better than our today.

Invoking Winston Churchill, she will say: Let us go forward together. Let us fulfil our duty to Britain.

She will go on: Let us shape up and give the country the government it needs. For beyond this hall, beyond the gossip pages of the newspapers, and beyond the streets, corridors and meeting rooms of Westminster, life continues  the daily lives of ordinary working people go on. And they must be our focus today.

The Foreign Secretary received a rapturous reception from activists yesterday as he set out an upbeat vision of life outside the EU. But he has faced a backlash from colleagues.

Boris Johnson was cheered after a barnstorming speech in which he said it was time to be bold and embrace the opportunities of Brexit

Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon openly mocked him from the conference stage, while Brexit Secretary David Davis took a thinly-veiled swipe at him.

Allies of Mrs May believe Mr Johnsons actions were the result of a leadership bid that has backfired.

But friends of Mr Johnson insist his motives have been misunderstood. One ally said: Its not about disloyalty. He feels he will be judged on Brexit and he was worried that things might be going wrong, but its all fine now.

Tory aides last night said Mrs May would use todays speech to reflect on the lessons of the June election which saw the Tories surrender their Commons majority.

The party has spent much of this week soul-searching about their failure to connect with younger voters.

Mrs May has already announced plans to cap tuition fees and invest an extra 10billion in the Help to Buy housing scheme.

Today she is expected to set out housebuilding plans. Chancellor Philip Hammond has been examining plans to release more public land.
Armed to the teeth: Scott Edmisten, 43, of Johnson City, Tennessee, was arrested Monday morning during a traffic stop, which led to the discovery of a massive cache of firearms in his vehicle

As news of the deadliest mass shooting in US history was breaking in Las Vegas early Monday morning, deputies in Tennessee pulled over a vehicle for speeding and found inside a large arsenal of loaded firearms, including two machine guns.

According to Washington County Sheriff Ed Graybeal, his officers arrested Scott Edmisten, 43, after a traffic stop led to the discovery that Edmistens license was suspended for failure to appear in court.

Edmisten was initially found to be speeding on Old Jonesborough Highway in Johnson City, doing 55mph in a 30mph zone at around 4am Monday.

As the deputy signaled for Edmisten to pull over, the man sped up to 80mph, but finally came to a stop a half-mile down the road, according to a press release from the sheriff's office.

After the driver was taken into custody for allegedly driving on a suspended license, the deputy searched his vehicle and discovered a .357-caliber Magnum; a .45-caliber semi-automatic; one fully automatic .223-caliber AR rifle; a .308-caliber fully automatic AR rifle, more than 900 rounds of ammunition, and survival equipment, including knives, a hatchet and a fire starter.

Washington County Sheriff's deputies uncovered this massive arsenal of loaded weapons and 900 rounds of ammunition during after pulling Edmisten over for speeding

Lethal: Edmisten had modified the two AR rifles himself to make them fully automatic and they had no serial numbers

All of the weapons were loaded, and according to the sheriff, neither of the fully automatic rifles were registered or even had serial numbers.

Sheriff Graybeal said Edmisten had modified the two AR rifles himself to make them fully automatic.

As he was being processed at the local detention center, Edmisten allegedly made threats toward the arresting officer and other staff members, and lunged toward investigators who were trying to interview him.

The 43-year-old suspect was eventually subdued and placed in handcuffs. He was charged with speeding, felony evading, and possession of prohibited weapons.

He was later arraigned and ordered held without bond pending a hearing.

Investigators are still working on the investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives have been called in due to the unregistered machine guns.

'Anytime you have several firearms and several hundred rounds of ammunition in a vehicle, that always causes a concern,' said Michael Knight, an ATF spokesman.

Authorities still haven't determined why Edmisten was carrying all that firepower, but they 'don't see a connection' to recent mass shootings, Knight said, adding that investigators are tracing where his weapons came from.

'Our priority is reducing violent crime on the front end, so that's the other thing we're looking at, along with motive: Were these items going to be used for a criminal act or were they just being transported from one area to another area?'

Speaking to the station WJHL Monday, Sheriff Graybeal said it took his deputies about two hours to compatible a full inventory of the items recovered from Edmisten's vehicle, making it the largest weapons haul his department has ever seized during a single traffic stop.

Bad timing: Edmisten was arrested just a few hours after a man holed up inside a Las Vegas hotel with two assault rifles opened fire on a country music festival across the street, killing 59 and injuring more than 540

Father-of-two: According to his Facebook page, Edmisten has a teenage daughter (pictured left) and a younger son

I think it was a splendid traffic stop, especially after what happened in Las Vegas, the sheriff said. Whether this guy had any intentions of anything or not, I dont know, but he was ready for something, every clip was loaded, every gun was loaded, everything was loaded that he had with him.

According to his Facebook page, Edmisten has a teenage daughter and a younger son. His page is filled with memes and angry posts railing against Family Court and Child Protective Services.

His final status update, posted about 15 minutes before Monday's traffic stop, consisted of a link to a YouTube video featuring Ted Nugent's song Stranglehold.

The 43-year-old suspect was arrested just a few hours after 64-year-old Stephen Craig Paddock, of Nevada, opened fire on concertgoers attending the Route 91 Harvest Festival on the Las Vegas Strip, killing 59 people and injuring more than 527 others.

He committed suicide before police arrived at his hotel room on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay, across the street from the venue hosting the sold-out country music festival.

When a SWAT team entered the gunman's suite, they found two modified assault rifles and 21 other weapons, as well as thousands of rounds of ammunition.
An Australian woman has revealed she survived the Las Vegas massacre after a complete stranger shielded her from gunfire.

Courtney Cooper, 26, from Brisbane, was among the crowd of 22,000 people watching headliner Jason Aldean perform at the Route 91 Harvest Festival on Sunday night.

When shooter Stephen Paddock opened fire from his hotel room on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay resort, she thought the noise was fireworks.

As chaos unfolded around her, she was separated from her friend and as she stood by the main stage, a bullet hit a man's knee just a metre from her  and panic set in.

'We just dropped behind this little wooden stand and the guy there, a complete stranger, literally jumped on top of me and was shielding me,' she told the Courier Mail.

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Courtney Cooper (pictured) was among the crowd of 22,000 people at the Route 91 Harvest Festival on Sunday night when a gunman opened fire

'There were bullets just going everywhere and there was a guy like a metre away from me who got his knee blown out.'

Ms Cooper said it wasn't until people were getting shot that she realised what was happening  but still had no idea how many shooters were behind the attack.

Dozens of dead bodies lay around her  and a pause in the gunfire gave her and those around her a chance to make a run for the exit.

Ms Cooper described the scene at the open-air Las Vegas Village as 'absolute chaos' with 'blood everywhere'.

She was finally able to flee the carnage and ended up in an apartment with 20 strangers as locals opened up their homes to those seeking shelter.

But she was still desperately trying to contact her friend Aimee, who she'd become separated from.

People scramble for shelter at the Route 91 Harvest Festival after a gunman opened fire

Ms Cooper was near the main stage (left) at the festival in Las Vegas when the attack began

Fortunately, Ms Cooper found out that Aimee had managed to get away in a car and another friend figured out how to reconnect them.

The two friends had planned to go on to visit Nashville, Tennessee, and Austin, Texas, after arriving in Las Vegas last week.

But now, Ms Cooper is cutting her trip across the United States short and is on her way back to Brisbane.

'We're going home now, we need to get back on Australian soil.'

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said no Australians were among the 59 people who died or more than 500 who were injured.

But Australians have told of their terror as they found themselves caught up in the worst mass shooting in modern American history.

Guitarist Ben Carey had played with his all-star band Elvis Monroe at the festival and returned to the crowd to watch the rest of the line-up when people started to drop around him.

Ms Kamber (right) and Ms Ratahi (left) had just ordered at the Outback Steakhouse, a five-minute drive from the Mandalay Bay hotel, when the restaurant went into lockdown

Sharon Kamber and her friend, Miss Universe NT finalist Artia Ratahi (pictured together), were dining on the Las Vegas Strip close to the country music festival when the shooting began

He literally ran for his life to escape a sniper's hail of bullets and broke down a fence to stop a stampede of terrified concertgoers from being crushed to death.

'The panic set in and we realised we were under machine-gun fire,' he told CNN.

He watched one man fall. Then two girls to his left.

Then came the stampede as people tried to flee.

'I had no choice but to go,' he said.

But the surging crowd ended up in an alleyway, a fence blocking their path.

'We were pressed up against this fence with the weight of a thousand people coming behind us, all funnelled into this alley. I screamed at the guys next to me: 'We have to break this fence'.'

Thirty men managed to do just that. Then Mr Carey was running for his life.

'There were people falling left, right and centre. I didn't know if they were tripping or if they were shot.

Authorities said 59 people died and 527 people were injured in the mass shooting on Sunday

Shooter Stephen Paddock opened fire through two windows at his 32nd floor room at the Mandalay Bay hotel

'I ran as fast as I could, left and right, left and right. At this point we thought there were shooters in the ground just spraying people with bullets.'

But Paddock was the only one, firing from a room in the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino.

Brian Hodge, from the Gold Coast, says he was staying in the room next door, paralysed by the noise, trying to decide if it was safer to stay or flee.

'It was a machine gun from the room next to me,' Mr Hodge told News Corp.

In the end he fled, but once on the ground, he believed multiple shooters were on the loose, and hid in bushes for several hours.

'There were multiple people dead... I was just hiding waiting for police to come get us.'

Sharon Kamber and Artia Ratahi, from Darwin, were dining near the festival when their restaurant was locked down.

'We were stuck in the restaurant for a good three hours, until about 2am,' Ms Kamber said.

'I called my parents... half in tears, telling them I loved them.'

She said rumours of two more shooters swept the area.

'We were very scared. It was hard not to break down.'

When they were finally able to make the two-minute walk back to their hotel, the scene was eerie and quiet, tense police dotted every few metres.

'I wasn't too surprised that something like this was happening, which is saddening to say,' Ms Kamber said.
An alt-right organizer who has been indicted for perjury for allegedly lying about being assaulted in January has been indicted for perjury.

Unite the Right activist Jason Kessler - who was behind the deadly Charlottesville riots in August - was indicted on felony perjury on Tuesday by a grand jury in Piedmont, Virginia.

The charge stems from an altercation he had with left-wing protester James Taylor at Downtown Mall in Charlottesville in January.

Kessler, who was there collecting signatures for a petition to remove mayor Wes Bellamy, punched Taylor in the face after a war of words.

At the time, he allegedly told police Taylor assaulted him but later admitted to hitting him first.

Kessler pleaded guilty to assault earlier this year and was sentenced to 50 hours of community service.

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Alt-right organizer Jason Kessler was indicted for felony perjury in Virginia on Tuesday for lying about being assaulted in January. He is pictured above in August after the Charlottesville march which he organized at which a woman was killed

On Tuesday, the extra charge of perjury was brought. Charging documents recount how Kessler admitted assaulting Taylor at the mall last year.

'He and his buddy came over, they scribbled on my petition and vandalized it.

'James didn't want to have a conversation with me, he yelled you're a....and he called me a name. I felt threatened and I hit him to get him away from me.

'Man to man, yell in a man's face and expect to get punched in the face.

'I'll admit that what I did was not legal.I was having a bad day. I've never done anything like this before and it will never happen again,' he said at the time.

Kessler allegedly told police he had been assaulted by James Taylor. He later admitted it was the other way around

Taylor has always maintained that he did not assault the man.

In other interviews, Kessler said Taylor was one of the many 'liberals' in the town trying to mess with him.

'People like James have been using the liberal nature of this city to really mess with me. I just don't think you go after people, the way he's been going after people and cause disruption.

'I think if he spent as much energy trying to come up with a better idea, he could probably do so. He's a smart guy,' he said.

After Kessler was sentenced for assault in May, he told NBC 29: 'I hold no ill will towards Mr. Kessler. We worked together. I considered him a friend.

'I wish that he would spend as much energy building our community up rather than tearing it down.'

Kessler is held responsible for organizing the high profile Unite the Right march in Charlottesville earlier this year which cost a woman her life.

Kessler (left in his mugshot after being arrested for assault in May and right before the alt-right march in August) has admitted punching the man

Heather Heyer, a counter protester, died after being mowed down by a driver who sped his car into the crowds.

Kessler, complaining that he received death threats after her death, went into hiding after tweeting that Heyer was a 'fat, disgusting Communist'.

Heather Heyer, a counter protester, died after being mowed down by a driver who sped his car into the crowds

The tweet said her death was proof that 'it was payback time'.

Kessler blamed the vile comments on the fact that he was under stress and had been taken Xanax.

'I repudiate the heinous tweet that was sent from my account last night. I've been under a crushing amount of stress & death threats.

'I'm taking ambien, Xanax and I had been drinking last night. I sometimes wake up having done strange things that I don't remember.'

He earlier tried to claim that he'd been hacked.

Kessler was quick to distance himself from the violence after Heyer's death. He was booed and heckled as he spoke at a press conference in the days after the riots, telling crowds at a press conference shortly after it: 'I've done nothing wrong.'

At the end of the press conference, he was punched in the face and tackled to the ground.

In August, Kessler tweeted this vile remark in the wake of Heyer's death

After facing backlash over the comment he deleted it and claimed he'd been hacked

He then said it was the result of taking Xanax and Ambien
A man sexually assaulted two young children at his parents' home after luring them away from a North Perth childcare centre with promises of treats and fun activities, but claims he can't remember what he did to them.

Vincenzo Mule enticed the four-year-old girl and five-year-old boy to follow him some 750 metres through laneways and car parks, and across busy Fitzgerald Street, to his parents' Grosvenor Road home, where he lived in a shed in April last year.

The District Court of WA heard on Tuesday that the father-of-three entered the fenced area of the childcare centre, sat on a limestone wall and smoked cigarettes, which prompted staff to question him as children were present.

But they didn't notice the 54-year-old luring the victims away.

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n May 2016, chilling CCTV was released of the moment Mule led the children, aged four and five, away from the childcare centre on April 19

The court heard Mule took them to his shed, gave them icy poles and sexually abused them.

He then abandoned the children at Hyde Park, where they told a woman they'd been taken there by a man they didn't know, and she alerted authorities.

Prosecutor Maria Maddox said Mule had been watching the centre for about 20 minutes before approaching, timing it so he wouldn't be noticed.

The girl told her mother he had slapped her across the face when she said 'Stop, I don't like it' as he molested her, leaving behind scratches.

In addition to promising treats and fun activities, it was suggested Mule played a hiding game with the children.

'We were hiding from the ... ladies ... with the big man,' they told police.

Mr Gunning said his client had been depressed over relationship breakdowns and bereavements, hadn't been sleeping much and could not remember the offending because he had taken medication.

'I'm not accepting he had a memory loss,' Judge Simon Stone said.

'The likelihood of him feigning amnesia can't be ruled out.'

The children had been due to pre-record their evidence for his trial on Thursday but that was aborted

Judge Stone said Mule, who changed his plea to guilty in January, didn't want to discuss the underlying reason for his offending and there had to be an element of sexual gratification, which Mr Gunning accepted.

'He can't understand what went on that day,' the lawyer said.

The court heard the children both described what had happened to each other, so they had witnessed everything, and their personalities had changed since that day.

The boy reported feeling like he'd let down his friend and didn't protect her properly, Ms Maddox said.

Mule has been behind bars for 531 days and will be sentenced on Wednesday morning.
News / National

by Staff Reporter

The Ministry of Information Communication Technology (ICT), Postal and Courier Services says the Cyber Crime and Cyber Security Bill is a comprehensive legislation that is expected to address abuse of social media in Zimbabwe.The bill, which came as a result of wider consultations, provides for criminalisation of abuse of the social media."This bill is a solution to the growing abuse of social media. In any criminal proceedings, evidence generated from computer system or electronic communication systems shall be admissible in court," the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of ICT, Postal and Courier Services, Engineer Samuel Kundishora said.He added that the proposed law will curb cyber crimes and increase cyber security in order to build confidence and trust in the secure use of ICTs.The abuse of cyber space is a major concern for many citizens who have suffered from cyber bullying.The coming into force of this bill is expected to bring positive change and restore sanity on the cyber space.
Former ABC presenter Yassmin Abdel-Magied slammed news outlets this week in the aftermath of the worst mass shooting in U.S. history, claiming the gunman would have been portrayed differently if 'we treated white men like brown Muslims'.

Ms Abdel-Magied, a Muslim activist, took to Twitter on Tuesday to vent her frustrations with the reporting about Las Vegas shooter Stephen Paddock, 64.

Paddock killed 59 people and injured more than 500 when he fired hundreds of bullets into a crowd of people attending the Route 91 Harvest Festival from his sniper's nest in the Mandalay Bay hotel on Sunday.

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Muslim activist Yassmin Abdel-Magied slammed news outlets this week, claiming the Las Vegas gunman would have been portrayed differently if 'we treated white men like brown Muslims'

Comedian Dan Ilic said on Tuesday news outlets won't call Las Vegas shooter a terrorist because of white privilege

Stephen Paddock, 64, killed 59 people and injured more than 500 when he fired hundreds of bullets into a crowd of people attending the Route 91 Harvest Festival from his sniper's nest in the Mandalay Bay hotel

Ms Abdel-Magied protested the media's portrayal of Paddock to the public.

'If we treated white men like brown Muslims, news wouldn't be talk of gun laws. It would be pundits asking what makes white men so violent,' she wrote.

'White men aren't like Muslims, you might think. Yeah you're right. We don't get the luxury of being treated as individuals,' she continued.

If white men and Muslims were treated the same, news outlets 'would be taking "representatives" of white men to task, on TV, radio, in print, asking why they don't apologise for actions of white men', she said.

In a similar tone, comedian Dan Ilic, who hosted ABC's The Hungry Beast, told The Drum on Tuesday white privilege had played a part in the news coverage.

Mr Ilic told the current affairs program he didn't agree with how Paddock's horrific attack has not been labelled a terrorist act.

'The immediate thought for a lot of people when they hear a shooting like this go down, is they wonder and panic if it's a brown person,' he said.

'If it's a brown person they will call it an act of terror, but for this gentleman they basically labelled him as a man who loved to spend time on his own and listen to country music.'

'This is the very definition of white privilege.'

Mr Ilic, who hosted ABC's The Hungry Beast, spoke of his frustrations with the reporting on Las Vegas shooter Stephen Paddock, 64, to The Drum on Tuesday night

'If we treated white men like brown Muslims, news wouldn't be talk of gun laws. It would be pundits asking what makes white men so violent,' she wrote

The comments from Mr Ilic and Ms Abdel-Magied left viewers divided

'White men aren't like Muslims, you might think. Yeah you're right. We don't get the luxury of being treated as individuals,' she continued

The comments from Mr Ilic and Ms Abdel-Magied left viewers divided.

While several people agreed, numerous commenters slammed Mr Ilic's view on the issue.

'What a foolish, ridiculous thing for this person to say. I am astounded that the ABC isn't completely embarrassed by this. The worst mass shooting in U.S. history and this virtue signalling comedian talks white privilege?' one man said.

'There is no evidence this guy was a terrorist because there was no political motive we know of. Nothing to do with his skin colour,' another wrote.
Until Boris Johnson took to the podium, this weeks Tory conference was in danger of being the dullest in recent history.

Many took the view that the Conservative Party was still struggling to recover from its failure to win a proper majority in the General Election.

Shamefully, many MPs had stayed away  indeed, fewer than 100 of the partys 316 had made the trip to Manchester. Party members  many elderly and dejected  were outnumbered by business lobbyists.

Until Boris Johnson took to the podium, this weeks Tory conference was in danger of being the dullest in recent history

Whats more, speeches from Cabinet ministers were, on the whole, weary, dull and mechanical. Lets be frank. Party chairman Patrick McLoughlin needs to be put out of his misery.

Some consider that Prime Minister Theresa May deserves the same fate.

As for Chancellor Philip Hammond, what can one say? Conventionally-minded, dull, smug and self-satisfied, hes guaranteed to put anyone off voting Tory for life.

By breakfast yesterday, I can testify that even loyal Tories regarded a Corbyn government as inevitable. And then along came Boris Johnson.

Party members were already queuing round the block to get in the hall two hours before Mr Johnson burst into the hall. He did not disappoint.

Indeed, the Foreign Secretary produced one of the best speeches of his political career, at a time when it has never been more urgently needed.

This was not, however, quite the speech Mr Johnsons fans had been expecting.

Those hoping that he would try to topple the Prime Minister were deeply disappointed.

The Foreign Secretary produced one of the best speeches of his political career, at the Conservative Party conference in Manchester

Mr Johnson was loyal  a quality with which he is not usually associated. His well-crafted, genuinely funny and at times brilliant speech did not contain a word out of place.

It was even full of praise for the poisonous Defence Secretary Michael Fallon, whose own speech hours earlier had been full of sneering barbs at the Foreign Secretary.

And the attack on Jeremy Corbyn was conducted with a humour and finesse that put to shame Chancellor Hammonds leaden oratory.

As far as Mrs May is concerned, it was the speech she yearned for  one that galvanised a Tory Party under her leadership.

Mr Johnson has a special quality, which is just as important in private as in political life. He makes people feel good about themselves. He cheers them up. He makes them laugh. He is a life-enhancer.

The quality that radiated above all else from Mr Johnson was optimism. In a masterpiece of timing by the deeply incompetent (or malicious?) Tory Party management, Mr Hammond was actually delivering another speech in another part of the conference building.

As always, the Chancellor conveyed gloom as Johnson exuded cheerfulness.

As always, Chancellor Philip Hammond (left) conveyed gloom as Johnson exuded cheerfulnes

Hammond concentrated on the threat of the future. Johnson spoke of hope and opportunity. The contrast between the two men, who have been fighting a bitter Whitehall battle over what form Brexit should take, is fascinating.

Hammond talks about Brexit in the superior tone of a Harley Street doctor discussing how best to deal with a fatal disease, going into detail about how to prolong the life of the patient while mitigating the effects of the malady, yet all the time ruling out any chance of cure.

Boris Johnson is the opposite. He exudes enjoyment of life (a heresy at Hammonds Treasury). He addressed the subject of Brexit with vim and gusto.

He made life sound fun. He dwells on the future not the past.

No wonder the Europhile Financial Times and The Economist hate him so much.

At the end of Mr Johnsons oration, the audience rose spontaneously to its feet. But it was telling that the Foreign Secretary did not stay to milk the applause or linger in the limelight. This was a loyal speech aimed at helping out the embattled Prime Minister, and not a leadership bid.

Theresa May will need to deliver a solid, capable and confident speech which shows she has the vision to govern Britain, if she is to outshine Johnson at the Tory party conference

Mr Johnson has changed the mood of Conservative Party conference, and in doing so undoubtedly extended a helping hand to Theresa May.

At the end of his speech, the conference no longer felt like a disaster. Party members can now look back at some golden moments.

To be fair, Scottish leader Ruth Davidsons speech on Monday lifted everybody present. Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt made a worthwhile intellectual contribution with his serious talk on how to mend the NHS.

But it was Boris Johnson who had real impact.

Now everything depends on Theresa May today. She wont be as brilliant or as funny as Boris Johnson.

It would be unreasonable to expect that. But Mrs May will need to deliver a solid, capable and confident speech which shows she has the vision to govern Britain.

Boris Johnson will make mistakes and blunders. Thats for certain. But his speech showed that at least he has a mission and a vision.

I dont believe, by the way, that Boris Johnson really wants to replace Mrs May. I think his loyalty yesterday was genuine.

But if Mrs May fails today, a process will be set in motion that could take him into a leadership challenge and No10 without him lifting a finger.
Domino's customers have vented their outrage at the pizza-maker's decision to swap Coke for Pepsi after revamping their drinks menu.

Liam Wilson, who started the discussion on the franchise's Facebook page on Tuesday, was left furious by the swap.

'Dominos, the fact that you've changed your drink selection from Coke to Pepsi not only disappoints me but sickens me.

Liam Wilson status on Domino's Facebook page has had over 10,000 likes since it was posted

'Quite obviously you do not understand how much your pizza needs to be combined with Coke to get that quality satisfaction and Pepsi does not and will not cut it.

'Whoever the peanut was that decided that this was a good choice should be fired immediately.

'Wake up to yourselves,' he wrote.

Within hours, Mr Wilson's post had received 10,000 likes and over 2,000 comments with many in agreement with his thoughts.

'Pepsi is better then Coke but you should be drinking water,' said one commenter.

'I was just about to order a supreme pizza from Domino's. Then when I saw there was Pepsi instead of Coke. I closed my web browser. No pizza,' said another customer.

A Domino's Australia media spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia the swap has been in place since September 16.

Domino's CEO for Australia and New Zealand Nick Knight in a statement said the change was because it wanted to give its customers a wider selection.

'Customers have told us they want more choice so we are proud to be rolling out our new drinks range to all stores across Australia,' said Mr Knight.

Domino's Pizza has stopped serving Coke with their pizzas since September 16 (stock image)

'We know each drink in the Schweppes range has a devoted and loyal fan base so we are excited to be offering this extensive range to our customers.'

The company said new range includes Pepsi, Pepsi Max, 7UP, Mountain Dew, Solo and Sunkist in 375ml cans and 1.25l plastic bottles, as well as Cool Ridge spring water 600ml.

It added the agreement, will see Schweppes as the exclusive provider of all soft drink to Domino's, for the next six-and-a-half years.
Personal email accounts belonging to senior White House advisers Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump were moved last week from a server hosted by Microsoft to a pair housed at the Trump Organization, the real estate company Donald Trump founded and ran before he became president.

USA Today reported Tuesday afternoon that Internet domain records show the move happened either Sept. 26 or Sept. 27.

That timeline suggests a move was completed just after the existence of the email accounts was publicly revealed.

The email addresses, linked to an 'ijkfamily.com' domain set up in December, include a third one used by members of Kushner's and Ms. Trump's personal staff.

Personal email accounts belonging to Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump were moved last week from a server hosted by Microsoft to a pair housed at the Trump Organization

The timing of the move suggests it was completed just after the existence of the email accounts was publicly revealed, on either Sept. 26 or Sept. 27

Among the materials White House officials are now combing through are 'nonpublic travel documents, internal schedules and some official White House materials,' according to Politico.

Most of them came from official White House email accounts.

The optics of official government emails residing on a private server could be politically damaging for Trump, who regularly lambasted Democrat Hillary Clinton's similar setup during the campaign season.

Clinton's privately hosted emails, however, included more than 1,200 messages later deemed classified at various levels by U.S. intelligence agencies.

There is no evidence suggesting that anything on the Kushner-Trump server is considered classified.

The first evidence of their personal accounts came just days after the Senate Intelligence Committee complained that Kushner had failed to disclose one, as it probes Russian interference in the 2016 election.

NOT THE SAME (YET): Unlike the accounts hosted on Hillary Clinton's infamous private server, there's no evidence the Trump-Kushner email accounts contain classified information

Some of the emails now hosted at the Trump Organization were sent by Ivanka Trump, while others were originated by her assistant, Bridges Lamar.

Both Kushner and Trump had access to the account and shared it with family staff.

A person familiar with the system said the shared account was used daily.

A family representative told Politico that Ivanka Trump has taken care to separate family from work matters.

'Her White House assistant did not and does not work on these matters. Her personal and work obligations, schedule, travel arrangements and contacts were and are coordinated in accordance with this separation, as she was advised to do,' according to the representative.

Kushner and Ivanka Trump set up the domain, ijkfamily.com, in December 2016  and moved it last week from Microsoft hosting to a private server

Kushner's lawyer Abbe Lowell said last week that his client had mad sure to preserve government emails from his personal account by forwarding them to his White House account.

Kushner failed to tell Senate Intelligence Committee investigators about his use of a private email account, panel members charged in an angry letter that only came to light last week because of a goof by Kushner's high-powered lawyer.

'The committee was concerned to learn of this additional email account from the news media, rather than from you, in your closed staff interview,' committee chairman Sen. Richard Burr and Vice Chair Sen. John Warner scolded Kushner in their joint letter dated Thursday.
An outraged David Koch has struggled to contain his emotions in an interview with a prominent American gun lobbyist, slamming his anti-gun control views as 'bulldust'.

The normally calm and collected Sunrise co-host battled to keep his anger in check as he debated U.S gun control with Larry Pratt, the head of 'Gun Owners of America'.

In the wake of Sunday's horror Las Vegas shooting that killed 59 and left 527 injured, Koch said Australians looking across the world looked at Americans as 'stupid'.

Questioning how anyone could consider the current rate one mass shooting a day to be normal, the TV host went head-to-head with Mr Pratt - slamming his views on the second amendment as 'stupid' before their interview ended abruptly.

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Sunrise co-host David Koch has struggled to contain his emotions (pictured) in an interview with a gun lobbyist in the wake of the Las Vegas massacre, slamming his views as 'bulldust'

The normally calm and collected Sunrise co-host (left) battled to keep his anger in check as he debated U.S gun control with Larry Pratt (right), the head of 'Gun Owners of America'

Slamming the head of the lobby group, which has more than 1.5 million supporters in the U.S, Koch debated the need to implement strict Australian style gun control.

'For the average Australian our heart breaks for the victims and the families of those killed in the tragedy in Las Vegas,' Koch began.

But then another side of us says, "Why are Americans so stupid not to tighten gun laws?" You bring it on yourselves.'

'The fact of the matter is since the 1950s, all of these mass murders have occurred in places where we have pretty strict gun control including gun-free zones,' Mr Pratt claimed.

'The hotel was a gun-free zone... so yes indeed this keeps the pattern of the failure of gun control.'

Stating Nevada actually has 'some of the loosest gun laws in the world', Koch asked how Americans could continue claiming the second amendment was a good thing.

After accusing the Sunrise star of having a 'temper', the gun lobbyist ended the interview much to the bemusement of Koch and his co-host Samantha Armytage

'The second amendment is intended to keep our government at bay. And from time to time Americans have been able to keep excessive government from becoming radical,' Mr Pratt responded.

Left seething by the gun lobbyist's claims - which he labelled 'baloney' - Koch hit out at the ease with which Americans can get their hands on high-powered weapons.

'That amendment was brought in when people were using muskets!' the TV star said, struggling not to lose his composure.

'Why would any decent American need to own a machine gun?'

Claiming that human nature being the 'same' as it was centuries ago proved guns are not the problem, Mr Pratt said he believed the amendment worked 'rather nicely'.

But Koch wasn't buying it.

Stephen Paddock, the gunman responsible for America's worst ever massacre, bought his weapons from a 'Guns a Guitars' store (pictured)

Thousands of people were forced to hide as bullets rained down on them from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel

Paddock broke a window in his Mandalay Bay hotel room (pictured) and began firing onto the unsuspecting crowd

'What do you mean it's worked rather nicely? You're not keeping the government at bay, you're killing each other,' he said.

'You have a mass shooting everyday in America... that's got nothing to do with the government, you just shoot each other.'

'We are the upholder of freedom in the world,' Mr Pratt responded, to which Koch objected by saying: 'No you're not, no you're not.'

After accusing the Sunrise star of having a 'temper', the gun lobbyist ended the interview much to the bemusement of Koch and his co-host Samantha Armytage.

'They do experience tyranny in America, every single day. Yesterday was tyranny in America,' she said, before claiming the nonsensical debate had left her 'depressed'.
Swiss police confirmed on Tuesday night they were investigating a new child rape allegation against Roman Polanski.

Renate Langer, a 61-year-old German woman, said she was attacked by the controversial film director in his home in Gstaad when she was a 15-year-old schoolgirl.

The February 1972 assault is the latest in a string of similar allegations made by a total of four different women against 84-year-old Mr Polanski, who is now married with two children.

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Renate Langer, pictured in the 1980s, said she was attacked by the controversial film director in his home in Gstaad when she was a 15-year-old schoolgirl

Detectives in the Swiss town of Gallen met Ms Langer last week, and she made a formal criminal complaint.

The authorities in Switzerland must now decide whether it happened too long ago to take the matter further, or whether prosecutors think they can secure a successful conviction. 'The case is being examined,' said a spokesman for Gallen police.

Mr Polanski pleaded guilty in the USA in 1977 to having unlawful sex with 13-year-old Samantha Geimer but fled the country before be could be sentenced.

He now lives almost permanently in Paris with his family, as France does not have an extradition treaty with America.

Asked by the New York Times why she did not report the matter earlier, Ms Langer said: My mother would have had a heart attack. I felt ashamed and embarrassed and lost and solo.

The February 1972 assault is the latest in a string of similar allegations made by a total of four different women against 84-year-old Mr Polanski, who is now married with two children

Both of Ms Langers parents are now dead, and she said she felt the time was right to speak out.

In August an American woman identified only as Robin M. said that Mr Polanski assaulted her in 1973 when she was 16.

And in 2010 the British actress Charlotte Lewis said she was sexually assaulted by Mr Polanski as a 16-year-old.

Lawyers for Mr Polanski refused to discuss the latest accusation. They have denied all previous claims, except for Ms Geimers.

Mr Polanski has become involved in serious legal problems during brief visits to Switzerland and Poland in the past, but judges there have always declined to extradite him to America.

Judges in California have refused to drop the outstanding case against Mr Polanski on two occasions, despite Mr Polanski considering the matter closed.

In a new interview with the Hollywood Reporter, Mr Polanski said: As far as what I did, its over. I pleaded guilty.

Ms Langer, pictured left aged 21, and right in the 1980s, claims she accepted a role in Polanskis film Che? after the first assault, and was then raped again on set in Rome

It is alleged that Ms Langer, who had a career as an actress, was first introduced to Mr Polanski while she was working for a modeling agency in Munich as a child.

Ms Langer claims that he invited her to his house in Gstaad to discuss her future career opportunities in film, and it was then she says that she was raped.

Ms Langer later accepted a small role in Mr Polanskis film Che? and was again allegedly raped by the director in Rome. This had an influence on all of my life, said Ms Langer.

Despite mainly being confined to France, Mr Polanski has won eight Cesars  the French equivalent of an Oscar  and won the best director Academy Award for the Holocaust movie, The Pianist.

Mr Polanski was born in Paris, but his Jewish parents moved the family back to Poland, where they were persecuted during the Nazi Holocaust.

His mother died in a concentration camp, while he managed to survive the war, mainly through pretending to be a Roman Catholic.
fracking has been banned indefinitely by the Scottish government  in a move that puts its policy in opposition to that in England.

Fracking involves using water injected at high pressure to fracture rocks, releasing oil and gas.

Yesterday the Holyrood government said it had enacted a ban in the face of overwhelming public opposition.

Fracking has been banned in Scotland after 99 per cent voted No to the controversial method of extracting gas

Environmental groups praised the ban as protective of health and the environment.

But unions and business groups decried the decision as hypocritical given that gas that has been fracked is imported into Scotland from Donald Trumps America.

In addition a fracking ban and will threaten the creation of jobs.

The move comes almost exactly a year that the UK government gave the go ahead to fracking in Lancashire.

Shale gas is currently processed in Scotland at a site in Grangemouth, after having been imported from abroad, but cannot be extracted from beneath Scottish soil under the current moratorium.

Scots Energy Minister Paul Wheelhouse said an immediate ban would be enacted by using planning powers to extend the current moratorium indefinitely, removing the need for legislation.

The decision comes almost exactly a year after the government gave the go-ahead to frack in Lancashire

Mr Wheelhouse told MSPs: Let me be clear that the action is sufficient to effectively ban the development of unconventional oil and gas extraction in Scotland.

The decision that I am announcing today means that fracking cannot, and will not take place in Scotland.

The minister said a public consultation on the issue received more than 60,000 responses, an overwhelming 99% of which were opposed to fracking.

Conservative MSP Dean Lockhart said the decision meant Scotlands economy was being left behind and that reports had shown fracking could bring up to 4.6 billion in additional GVA and thousands of jobs.

He said: This much-needed economic boost and these jobs will now be created outside of Scotland, thanks to the SNP.

Paul Wheelhouse said an immediate ban on the controversial method would be enacted in Scotland

Friends of the Earth Scotland head of campaigns Mary Church said: This is a huge win for the anti-fracking movement, particularly for those on the frontline of this dirty industry here in Scotland, who have been working for a ban these last six years.

She said the ban would avoid potentially devastating impacts to peoples health, the climate and our natural environment.

Opponents of fracking claim that chemicals injected into the ground can end up in water supplies, that it can cause earth tremors, and that we should be focusing on renewable alternatives.

Gary Smith, the GMB unions Scotland secretary, accused the Scottish Government of being dishonest and hypocritical, adding: Scotland is importing a huge amount of shale gas from Trumps America.

If the government wants to be consistent, it will now ban shale gas imports, threatening a huge number of job losses.

Ken Cronin, Chief Executive of UK Onshore Oil and Gas, said: The Scottish Government ignores the advice of its own independent experts and prefers a future where gas will have to be imported with the damage that will do to the economy and the environment. It turns its back on job creation, skills development, an increase in tax receipts and investment in communities.

He added: This is a poor decision, ignoring Scotlands rich heritage and expertise in oil and gas.
A rescue in Tanzania saved elephants from death after they fell into a sandy pit.

The herd - three adults and two baby calfs - were discovered on September 27 in a small trench in Rungwa Game Reserve, dehydrated and unable to escape.

Manyoni natives from the Singida region quickly alarmed employers from Chinese construction company Sinohydro.

China's heroes: The construction workers arrived at the spot and carried out their rescue plan

The construction workers were located about 40 km from the reserve, and were asked to assist with saving the trapped elephants.

The multinational firm dispatched engineers and a bulldozer, more than an hour later, they brought with them them a construction digger to help with the operation.

Rescue efforts were carried out with the permission of local governors and the operators of the reserve.

Panic: The pit was so small that the elephants shoved each other and got stuck in the trench

Local sources said the elephants fell into the pit while searching for water.

In the video footage, the elephants are huddled together. The pit was so small that the elephants pushed each other in panic.

After a gruelling five hours of continuous effort, a female elephant and her baby were the first to stumble out of the pit. Two others followed them later.

Almost out: A Female elephant and her baby were the first to stumble out of the pit

Safe and sound: One of the trapped elephants raises his trucks, after being stuck for five hours

Liang Jifeng from the Tanzanian Department of Sinohydro Bureau 13 confirmed to Chinese news agency Xinhua that they were remarkably saved but one adult elephant died from lack of water.

Locals who witnessed the remarkable event applauded the Chinese company's astonishing rescue efforts and shouted 'China, China!' while the elephants slowly left, according to Xinhua.

Elephants are highly treasured in Tanzania, however according to the WWF, the general trend towards African elephants is shrinking as poaching has seen the population reduce by 90 per cent in less than 40 years.

Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged additional support to promote wildlife and ecological conservation in Africa in his declaration to the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation held in Johannesburg in December 2015.
Unable to take to the skies, five ostriches ran away from its owner and took the opportunity to stretch its legs down a busy highway in China's Guangdong Province.

Video footage shows the ostriches sprinting down the motorway on October 3.

To the bemusement of drivers, the road runners are running alongside cars and trucks in the way of traffic.

Breaking free: The five birds run close to each other causing havoc on the roads

Road runners: The ostriches escaped from an enclosure because its owner forgot to lock it

One driver can be heard cheering on the birds, shouting: 'Run faster! Come on!'

The ostriches broke free after their owner, Liang forgot to lock their enclosure.

Unfortunately, according to local news, four out of the five ostriches died after running nearly 50 km (30 miles) in hot weather without drinking water.

The footage shows the remaining ostrich safely with his owner.



The ostrich is the largest bird in the world and has the fastest speed of any bird. It can run at maximum speeds of about 97.5 km/h (60.6 mph).

The race is on: The five large birds ran down the busy motorway alongside other vehicles
This is the unbelievable moment a young boy has his torso stuck in a hole on a sofa headrest in eastern China.

The five-year-old boy placed his head through a hole of a convertible sofa out of curiosity at a beauty parlour and quickly got stuck.

Firefighters had to tear apart the sofa to free the struggling child.

A mischievous boy put his head through a sofa headrest hole in a beauty parlour in east China

Video posted by People's Daily Online, shows the shocking incident which reportedly happened in Suixi county of Anhui Province on September 30.

The boy, whose name has not been revealed, can be seen standing on a purple velvet sofa; however, with his head through the headrest.

Two members of staff offered help to calm the boy's emotion at the back of the sofa, whilst a woman was fanning behind.

Pang Dade, firefighter from Suixi Fire Brigade, told the reporter in the video that the sofa can turn into a massage couch, with a hole at the headrest for a better comfort.

Firefighter said the boy had a big head that could not be taken out easily from the hole

Firefighters had to break the sofa apart using a hydraulic spreader and other small tools

It's reported that the boy was playing at the salon and put his head through the hole himself.

But it's not sure if the boy's parents were at the scene during the incident.

'He is quite a big kid and his head is quite big as well. He could not take his head out after putting in the hole,' said Pang.

Pang explained that they had to use a hydraulic spreader to gain access to the headrest.

The boy had to hold his standing position until the firefighters freed him from danger

The boy was saved at last and no injuries were found on or around his head and neck

'We covered the boy's head and neck by some towels as protection,' he added.

The rescue continued as firefighters used smaller tools such as screwdrivers to break the wood around his neck.

The boy was freed after some minutes and was said to sustain no injuries.
Opinion / Columnist

The Zimbabwe Republic Police is the national police force of Zimbabwe, known until July 1980 as the British South Africa Police.The force consists of at least 40,000 officers and is head-quartered in Harare at the Police General Headquarters (PGHQ). The force is organised by province, and comprises uniformed national police referred to as Duty Uniform Branch (DUB), the plain clothes comprised Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and Police Internal Security Intelligence (PISI), and traffic police (part of DUB). To date, there are 17 known provinces which are headed by a Senior Assistant Commissioner. It also includes specialist support units including the (paramilitary) Police Support Unit and riot police, a Police Internal Security and Intelligence unit (the equivalent of the Rhodesian Special Branch); and ceremonial and canine units.The Zimbabwean police used to be a force to reckon with since it's inception and transition from the colonial era to the new Zimbabwe. No cases were swept under the carpet during that time and the organization was a shining beacon. Cases were reported and the crime detection was so excellent.Police officers were well looked after and well resourced. A police station would have two serviceable vehicles with VHF radio communication system. Today the Zimbabwe Republic Police had received its share of criticism due to unprofessional and abuse of human rights. Let me start by critically looking at the global modern day policing.Globally police brutality is one of several forms of police misconduct which involves undue violence by police members. Widespread police brutality exists in many countries and territories, even those that prosecute it. Although illegal, it can be performed under the color of law.The term "police brutality" was in use in the American press as early as 1872, when the Chicago Tribune reported on the beating of a civilian under arrest at the Harrison Street Police Station.The origin of 'modern' policing based on the authority of the nation state is commonly traced back to developments in seventeenth and 18th century France, with modern police departments being established in most nations by the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.Police brutality has been witnessed in the country where overzealous police officers would pounce on innocent civilians and demonstrations during the 1998 food riots. Demonstrators have not been spared by the police when trying to control the riotous mob. Sometime last year the police used water canons to spray water and tear gassed civilians and demonstrators who were protesting under the Nera banner for election reformsRecently there were riots in Harare and the police beat people and they indiscriminately shot at pedestrians and motorists after they ruthlessly descended on protesters who were demonstrating against the deteriorating economic situation that has triggered a wave of price increases and shortages of some basic commodities. Beating demonstrators and civilians will not solve the economic woes gripping the country , but the government must find solutions to the problems. Journalists have been beaten and their cameras damaged whilst on duty covering such events.However in Zimbabwe very few cases of shooting have been recorded but the use of long reach baton sticks and tear gas are very prevalent. We have also witnessed the police shooting in parts of Southern Africa. A very good example is the Marikana shooting in South Africa.The Marikana massacre, which took place on 16 August 2012, was the single most lethal use of force by South African security forces against civilians since 1960. The shootings have been described as a massacre in the South African media and have been compared to the Sharpeville massacre in 1960. The incident also took place on the 25-year anniversary of a nationwide South African miners' strike. The massacre took place at two locations, roughly 500 metres away from each other, with 17 people fatally wounded at each of these locations. The vast majority of those killed were killed by fire from the R5 assault rifle used by the South African Police Service (SAPS).The official figure for strikers injured during the shooting was 78.The police has also been blamed for unprofessional conduct when attending , handling and preserving of prima facie evidence on cases of murder and arson. It has been noted that evidence has been lost or tempered with resulting in some murder suspects acquitted due to lack of sufficient evidence.Corruption and accepting of bribes has been a major concern in the organisation. There is an outcry of bribery cases especially on road blocks where the police has been demanding exorbitant money to let commuter omnibuses and motorists pass. The ZRP has become a cash cow for the state. Motorists are forced to pay spot fines of traffic offences some of them ranging from failing to put some reflectors and a disfunctional number plate light. One can hardly travel five kilometers without coming across a police road block. The use of spikes has been widely condemned by the public and that did not conform with the modern way of policing.Tourists have complained about the presents and deployment of traffic police officers on our main and feeder roads in the country. The Minister of Tourism Cde Walter Mzembi has lambasted and condemned the heavily handedness conduct of the police force and has tried to seek audience with the Police Commissioner to reduce the number of roadblocks but it all fell on deaf ears and he lost a top position in UTWO. The spike wielding police officers have caused deaths and injuries of passengers which has painted a bad picture of the image of our force. They have deviated from their five core areas of policing and have rather concentrated on improving the revenue collection and milking the poor motorists. The organisation has been infested by arrogant and corrupt bad apples which need to be plucked away sooner than later.As we approach 2018 we ask the police to be apolitical when dealing with political motivated cases. Previously we have witnessed some sections of the police force being partisan when handling political violence cases where the opposition has been at the receiving end. Selectively application of the law has been the hobby of our police force. We would like to appeal to the Police Commissioner and his team to carry out their duties without fear and favour.Facebook - Leonard KoniWhatsApp - +27747402042Twitter - @leokoniEmail - konileonard606@gmail
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The wreck of the Mary Rose has started to 'come down on itself' as the Tudor flagship's vast wooden beams have begun to shift, according to the ship's conservation manager.

The vessel, Henry VIII's flagship, was removed from the seabed 35 years ago and rests in a climatically controlled box in Portsmouth where conservation experts are removing the water and replacing it with a special polymer.

However, the drying process which started in 2013, has caused unwanted movement which they are now monitoring with special cameras as they try to prop up the ship using scaffolding.

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The wreck of the Mary Rose has started to 'come down on itself' as the Tudor flagship's vast wooden beams have begun to shift, according to the ship's conservation manager. The vesselwas removed from the seabed 35 years ago and rests in a climatically controlled box in Portsmouth

THE MARY ROSE The vessel, Henry VIII's flagship, was put on display in the Mary Rose museum exactly 471 years after it perished in the Solent, just outside Portsmouth Harbour, on July 19, 1545. Incredibly, the starboard hull remained intact by being embedded in mud on the seabed, which prevented it from being eroded by tides and bacteria. In total, 19,000 items were carefully retrieved, including the bones of sailors, a dog called Hatch and other artefacts from the wreckage. Advertisement

The vessel, Henry VIII's flagship, went on display in the newly-revamped Mary Rose museum exactly 471 years after it perished in the Solent, just outside Portsmouth Harbour, on July 19, 1545.

After it was taken out of the water the ship was initially sprayed with water and wax to stop in rotting.

Four years ago they started the drying process - which is now mostly complete.

'However although we put enough of the (polymer) in so that there is some stability that is not to say there is not going to be any change or any movement', Dr Eleanor Schofiled, conservation manager for the Mary Rose told New Scientist Live in London.

'We only have one half of the hull so the deck beams are not attached to anything on the other side.

'If you look very closely you will see there is scaffolding in places that we have had to install because there has this movement.

'We've also had various lasers scans done on the hull and we're using those to understand the movement.

'We have a cross section of the hull and you can see through the years the hull has started to come down on itself and the deck beam has twisted since we're not spraying anymore.

After it was taken out of the water the ship was initially sprayed with water and wax to stop in rotting. Four years ago they started the drying process - which is now mostly complete. However, the drying process which started in 2013, has caused unwanted movement which they are now monitoring with special cameras as they try to prop up the ship using scaffolding

Dr Eleanor Schofiled, conservation manager for the Mary Rose told New Scientist Live in London that the flagship was beginning to 'come down on itself'. As with any type of wet wood, the Mary Roses timbers have shrunk as she has dried and this has led inevitably to some cracks

Dr Schofiled's speech prompted reports yesterday that the ship was about to collapse, but The Mary Rose Museum at Portsmouth said said these reports are inaccurate, although she would require a new support system.

'As with any type of wet wood, the Mary Roses timbers have shrunk as she has dried and this has led inevitably to some cracks.'

Talking in July 2016 after it was first unveiled to the public, historian David Starkey said: 'For the first time we can actually see the Mary Rose.

'Up to this point from the moment it was brought up in the 1980s, it has been in a state of both being preserved and conserved and to do that it had to be covered by sprays, it had to be put in a huge bag like a condom and then it had to be dried.

'And while of all that went on, there were obstacles between you, the visitor, and the ship. Now all of that has been taken away and you can see the thing, it's there, it's a three-dimensional object.'

Helen Bonser-Wilton, chief executive of the Mary Rose Trust, said in 2016 it had been a 'very exciting close to the latest chapter in her history'.

'Visitors will have stunning panoramic views of the ship from all nine galleries,' she said.

CONSERVATION OF THE MARY ROSE For decades, it was constantly coated with millions of litres of finely-sprayed, fresh water at a temperature of less than 5C (41F). That process, along with a series of wax chemicals, were used to stop the wood drying out and to inhibit bacterial activity. Then, in 1985, the ship was turned upright and titanium props were installed to support the internal structure and work was undertaken to remove as much sediment as possible. From 1994, active conservation commenced with the spraying of Polyethylene Glycol (Peg), a water-soluble polymer which can penetrate deep into the wood and support the cell walls. Then, in April 2013, the Peg sprays were turned off and the hull was kept in a state of controlled air-drying phase 100 tonnes of water during the next four to five years. Once drying was complete, the internal walls surrounding the hull were removed so visitors would be able to see a completely unobstructed view of the hull. However, the drying process has caused unwanted movement which they are now monitoring with special cameras as they try to prop up the ship using scaffolding. Advertisement

However, the drying process which started in 2013 has caused unwanted movement which they are now monitoring with special cameras as they try to prop up the ship using scaffolding

'If you look very closely you will see there is scaffolding in places that we have had to install because there has this movement', Dr Eleanor Schofiled, conservation manager for the Mary Rose told New Scientist Live in London

Since being raised in 1982 - an event watched by 60 million viewers worldwide - the hull has been kept in highly protective surroundings

'This is the culmination of decades of hard work by the Mary Rose team and we can't wait to share this stunning new experience with everyone.'

The Mary Rose, a 16th Century warship, sank in battle with the French, killing more than 500 men.

Incredibly, the starboard hull remained intact by being embedded in mud on the seabed, which prevented it from being eroded by tides and bacteria. In total, 19,000 items were carefully retrieved, including the bones of sailors, a dog called Hatch and other artefacts from the wreckage.

Since being raised in 1982 - an event watched by 60 million viewers worldwide - the hull has been kept in highly protective surroundings.

For decades, it was constantly coated with millions of litres of finely-sprayed, fresh water at a temperature of less than 5C (41F). That process, along with a series of wax chemicals, were used to stop the wood drying out and to inhibit bacterial activity.

Alex Hildred, Maritime Archaeologist, pictured with the Tudor Rose emblem which was discovered on the wreck of Henry VIII's flagship, the Mary Rose, which has now been preserved

Experts used several processes, including laser scanning, computer modelling and 3D rendering, to produce a digital image of the rose, depicting how it could have looked at the time the ship sunk

The conserved artefact (pictured) has been officially identified as the flower which was fixed to the bow of the Mary Rose

Then, in 1985, the ship was turned upright and titanium props were installed to support the internal structure and work was undertaken to remove as much sediment as possible.

From 1994, active conservation commenced with the spraying of Polyethylene Glycol (Peg), a water-soluble polymer which can penetrate deep into the wood and support the cell walls.

Then, in April 2013, the Peg sprays were turned off and the hull was kept in a state of controlled air-drying phase 100 tonnes of water during the next four to five years.

Once drying was complete, the internal walls surrounding the hull were removed so visitors would be able to see a completely unobstructed view of the hull - a phase that was seen as the culmination of the project.

Small viewing panels were replaced with floor-to-ceiling windows and a balcony entered through an airlock so the ship can be seen in all its glory.

Sir Peter Luff, chairman of the Heritage Lottery Fund which granted 26 million ($35 million) towards the project, said: 'Quite simply, the Mary Rose is awe-inspiring.

'After decades of hard work, this final part of the conservation jigsaw brings the Mary Rose back in to clear focus and spectacular context.'

Also included in the display is the red rose figurehead which adorned the famous ship.

The carved Tudor rose - the earliest English figurehead representing the ship's name - was retrieved from the bottom of the Solent more than a decade ago as a small piece of wood.

The conserved artefact - which still has its carvings despite years of erosion while languishing in the silt of the sea - has now been officially identified as the flower which was fixed to the bow of the Mary Rose.

The rose was found in 2003, after a group of divers working on a Ministry of Defence excavation made what would transpire to be a hugely historic discovery.

The divers had been searching the area for the ship's bowcastle and were trying to raise the Tudor ship's stem and anchor after the government applied to widen and straighten the channel.

As these pieces were being prepared for lifting, the divers came across a carved wooden artefact, which was about four feet long and shaped like a lollipop.

Unsure what it was, the wood was raised and put into a water tank at the Mary Rose Museum where it was kept without investigation.

But, more than a decade on, it has now been properly identified as the ship's emblem. This year, the Mary Rose Trust asked the University of Portsmouth for help to enhance the carvings to see what was there.

An illustration of the Mary Rose from the Anthony Roll which shows the red emblem mounted on the forecastle (circled above). In total, 19,000 items were carefully retrieved, including the bones of sailors, a dog called Hatch and other artefacts from the wreckage

Once drying was complete, the internal walls surrounding the hull were removed so visitors would be able to see a completely unobstructed view of the hull - a phase that was seen as the culmination of the project

Experts then used a series of techniques - including laser scanning, computer modelling and 3D rendering - to produce a digital image of the rose, depicting how it could have looked.

Another impression of how it might have looked is from the Anthony Roll, the only detailed surviving depiction of the ship, which shows the Tudor rose mounted on the forecastle.

The museum said: 'The combination of its size, its form and the position where it was found leaves very little doubt that this is the Tudor rose emblem shown in the Anthony Roll and therefore the first English warship 'figurehead' that was carved to represent the name of the ship.'

This picture shows the Mary Rose being raised from the bottom of the Solent, near Portsmouth Dockyard, Hampshire, in 1982. The historic event was watched by 60 million people worldwide
Britain's beloved bluebell woods could die out because of the 'poisonous' emissions from diesel cars, a leading palaeontologist has claimed.

Broadcaster and author Dr Richard Fortey said that the increase of nitrate particles in the atmosphere, caused by diesel engines and other sources, has led to the 'vigorous growth' of brambles and nettles in woodland areas.

And he said he 'fears' that bluebell woods, which are unique to the British countryside, could one day be killed off altogether as a result.

Dr Fortey said he has noticed a marked increase in the prevalence of nettles and brambles in a small patch of woodland in the Chiltern Hills that he bought in 2011.

Diesel cars could be killing the bluebell countryside which is unique to Britain due to the 'vigorous growth' of brambles and nettles

He told an audience at the Henley Literary Festival, which is sponsored by the Daily Mail, yesterday: 'I have noticed even in the six years that we have owned the wood that the growth of nettles and brambles in the wood has increased, over what used to be bare ground.

'I think that you have all heard about atmospheric nitrification, produced by diesel engines in particular but also other sources. Nitrates are fertilisers, and brambles and nettles love nitrates, so I think that woods are being over-fertilised and that is making the brambles grow more vigorously.

'We did a big weeding job on brambles and nettles in our wood to keep the bluebells. So I think there is something to be worried about and I don't think it is being widely appreciated.'

Broadcaster and author Dr Richard Fortey said that the increase of nitrate particles in the atmosphere could be partly responsible for the growth in brambles

The science writer and palaeontologist at the Natural History Museum later said that diesel emissions are 'very, very likely' to blame for the rise in brambles and nettles.

He added: 'I think it is very very likely. Nitrates are a poison to most plants and fungi but nettles, brambles and cow parsley love them. They grow so vigorously. Could this be the end of the beautiful bluebell woods which are a unique feature of the British countryside?

'I do fear it. I am fearful that one of England's glories in the spring could be lost forever.'

Dr Fortey has recently released a 'biography' of his patch of woodland, titled The Wood For The Trees.
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A fighter plane that crashed in the English Channel during World War II has been revealed in a new 3D scan of the seabed.

The P47-D Thunderbolt has lain in 80 feet (24 metres) of water three miles (4.8 km) off Weymouth, Dorset, since it crashed during a training flight in May 1944.

The identity of the pilot is not known, although it is believed he was rescued by a fishing boat and survived the accident.

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A fighter plane that crashed in the English Channel during World War II has been revealed in a new 3D scan of the seabed. A tail wheel was found over 400 feet (122 metres) from the main wreck site, where all that remains are pieces of one wing, landing gear, and an array of engine parts. Pictured is a textured model of the crash site produced using specialist software

Surviving parts of the Pratt and Whitney R-2800 engine (left and right) are particularly visible in the scans. Produced between 1941 and 1945, the Thunderbolt was used primarily by the US Air Force, the French Air Force and the RAF

P47-D THUNDERBOLT Produced between 1941 and 1945, the Thunderbolt was used primarily by the US Air Force, the French Air Force and the RAF. More than 15,600 of the craft were manufactured in this time and it served in every theatre of the war. Each plane was fitted with eight .50 calibre machine guns, and the pilot was protected by an armour plated cabin. It had a wingspan of 40 feet (12 metres) and top speed of 433 miles per hour (697 kph). Advertisement

The wreck was found by deep sea diver Grahame Knott, whose company Deeper Dorset searches for ship and aircraft wrecks off the south coast.

Mr Knott and underwater photographer Ian Brown have produced 3D images of the wreck by taking over 1,100 high-resolution images and stitching them together using specialist software.

Surviving parts of the craft's Pratt and Whitney R-2800 engine are particularly visible in the scans.

A tail wheel was found over 400 feet (122 metres) from the main wreck site, where all that remains are pieces of one wing, landing gear, and an array of engine parts.

Produced between 1941 and 1945, the Thunderbolt was used primarily by the US Air Force, the French Air Force and the RAF.

More than 15,600 of the craft were manufactured in this time and it served in every theatre of the war.

3D images of the wreck were created by taking over 1,100 high-resolution images before stitching them together using specialist software. Pictured is the engine of the wrecked craft

To create the 3D images, such as this model of the engine, the team took photos over the course of two dives at the site. Because the site was dispersed, the team used four control points to measure distance and depth. Those photos were then put together to create a scaled site map, which could be turned into a 3D model using specialist software

HOW DID THEY DO IT? To create the 3D images of the wreck, the team took over 1,100 photos over the course of two dives at the site. Because the site was dispersed, the team used four control points to measure distance and depth. Those photos were then put together to create a scaled site map, which could be turned into a 3D model using specialist software. The model is so detailed that individual markings on the plane, which cost over 60,000 ($80,000) to build, are clearly visible. Advertisement

It was fitted with eight .50 calibre machine guns, and the pilot was protected by an armour plated cabin.

It had a wingspan of 40 feet (12 metres) and top speed of 433 miles per hour (697 kph).

Mr Brown said: 'The site was first discovered by Grahame three years ago and since then we've been working hard on the project.

'From looking in the record books we found reference to the crash, which is how we found out the fate of the pilot.

'What we don't know, however, is anything else about him.

'We are now seeking to answer how he crashed: Was he flying east-west when it crashed, and did he survive the war?'

To create the 3D images, the team took photos over the course of two dives at the site.

Because the wreck was dispersed, the team used four control points to measure distance and depth.

Those photos were then put together to create a scaled site map, which could be turned into a 3D model using specialist software.

The model is so detailed that individual markings on the plane, which cost over 60,000 ($80,000) to build, are clearly visible.

Mr Brown said: 'The images were taken with such a high-resolution camera that every piece of the plane is perfectly clear.

'We're all self-funded, and the equipment doesn't come cheap, but we do it anyway simply because we love doing it.'

The P47-D Thunderbolt has lain in 80 feet (24 metres) of water three miles (4.8 km) off Weymouth, Dorset, since it crashed during a training flight in May 1944. Because of the force of impact, much of the craft (textured model pictured) is spread apart at the site, with some pieces sitting 400 feet (122 metres) from the main wreck

More than 15,600 P47-D Thunderbolts (file photo) were manufactured from 1941-45 and, the aircraft served across every theatre of World War 2
He was known for his unusual habits and pioneering philosophies.

Now, the mummified head of eccentric social thinker, Jeremy Bentham is to go on display for the first time in decades at University College London.

The Englishman's DNA will also be tested to see if he was autistic.

The mummified head of the philosopher Jeremy Bentham is to go on display for the first time in decades at University College London. Scientists are using the rare opportunity to test the Englishman's DNA to see if he was autistic

JEREMY BENTHAM Jeremy Bentham was a leading English philosopher and social thinker of the 18th and early 19th century. He was famous for his idea of 'panopticon' - a proposal for a prison in which every inmate can be watched by a guard in a central tower. He also helped establish Britain's first police force - London's Thames River Police - in 1800. The philosopher believed people should make themselves useful in both life and death, and encouraged others to donate their bodies to medical science. But after he died, the preservation of his head went wrong, leaving the head with dark and dried skin. The head was eventually deemed by staff at University College London - where Bentham has been on display since 1850 - to be too scary for the public. But it will now go back on display at the university for the first time in decades as part of a new exhibition. Advertisement

Before his death in 1832, eccentric social reformer Bentham insisted his body was preserved as an 'auto-icon' to be presented at parties if his friends were missing him.

Bentham's body has been kept in a glass case at UCL for more than 160 years after it was donated to the university in 1850.

But due to an error in the mummification process, his gruesome head was severed and kept in a safe away from view due to fears it would scare visiting members of the public.

The head is only removed once a year to check its hair and skin aren't falling off.

But it will now feature in a new exhibition at the university called 'What does it mean to be human?', which explores death and preservation.

His brain matter is also being tested to see if he had autism, a theory that arose in 2006 when experts suggested his quirky character was driven by Asperger's.

The reclusive philosopher was notably eccentric, naming his teapot Dickey, his walking stick Dapple, and keeping an elderly cat he called The Reverend Sir John Langbourne.

Biographies describing a young Bentham list him as 'having few companions his own age' and being 'morbidly sensitive.'

Autism has a strong genetic component, and is around 82 per cent heritable, with specific regions in DNA linked to traits.

Subhadra Das, curator of collections at UCL Culture, told The Telegraph: 'I think Bentham would certainly have approved of his head going on public display. It's what he intended.

'It has also allowed scientists to test his DNA to see if he was autistic.

'We want to explore what drove Bentham to donate his body, but also to address the challenges of putting this type of material on display.'

While his body remains on display at University College London, due to an error in the mummification process, Bentham's decaying head was severed and kept in a safe away from view due to fears it would scare visiting members of the public

Bentham was a leading philosopher and social thinker of the 18th and early 19th century, and was a key theorist in social and economic reform.

Before his death in 1832, social reformer Bentham insisted his body was preserved as an 'auto-icon' to be presented at parties

The philosopher was famous for his idea of 'panopticon' - a proposal for a prison in which every inmate can be watched by a guard in a central tower.

He also helped to establish Britain's first police force - London's Thames River Police - in 1800.

Bentham was an early advocate for legalising gay marriage and for the rights of women.

The philosopher believed people should make themselves useful in both life and death, and encouraged other to donate their bodies to medical science.

He was a staunch atheist and so opposed Christian burial, describing church teachings as 'nonsense on stilts'.

But after he died, the preservation of his head went wrong.

An ancient method inspired by the indigenous practices of New Zealand was used, involving the use of an air pump and sulphuric acid to 'draw off' fluids.

The process left the head with dark and dried skin, which was eventually deemed by UCL staff to be too scary for public display.

The exhibition 'What does it mean to be human? Curating Heads' is free and runs until February in the Octagon Gallery, Wilkins Building, UCL.

WAS JEREMY BENTHAM AUTISTIC? Experts are testing Jeremy Bentham's brain matter DNA more than 180 years after his death for signs of autism. The theory that arose in 2006 when experts suggested his quirky character was driven by Asperger's. Aspergers syndrome is an autistic spectrum disorder in which sufferers dread unpredictability. IQ is normally high in Asperger's sufferers, who characteristically struggle with social interaction. Bentham was notoriously suspicious of abstract terms, such as 'intuition', which he labelled fictitious entities. He was also deeply intolerant of uncertainty and unpredictability, with much of his work focussed on the banishment of chance and the consolidation of certainty', according to historian Charles Bahmueller. The reclusive philosopher was notably eccentric, naming his teapot Dickey, his walking stick Dapple, and keeping an elderly cat he called The Reverend Sir John Langbourne. Biographies describing a young Bentham list him as 'having few companions his own age' and being 'morbidly sensitive.' Advertisement
A giant metallic bunny may not be the first thing you associate with the Eiffel Tower, but a new AR project will see the two stand side by side.

Snapchat is working with renowned Jeff Koons, famed for his balloon animal sculptures, according to leaked information.

The feature, which is due to be officially announced later today, will allow visitors at world monuments to view works by the pop culture inspired American.

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A giant metallic bunny may not be the first thing you associate with the Eiffel tower, but a new AR project will see the two stand side by side. Snapchat is working with renowned Jeff Koons, famed for his balloon animal sculptures, according to leaked information.

WHAT WILL THE PROJECT INVOLVE? From the leaked images, it appears that Jeff Koons artworks will be visible through the social media apps camera in select locations. This includes Hyde Park in London, the Champ de Mars in Paris, Central Park in New York and Sydney Opera House. Among them are his sculpture of Popeye, a balloon swan and a giant ball of Plasticine. Snap is also opening the feature to other artists, who can can sign up to have their works displayed in public via the app. Advertisement

News of the project came to light after Snapchat Twitter representatives began to share a URL to a new site art.snapchat.com.

Visitors to the secretive site are shown a countdown that coincides with a rare public appearance from CEO Evan Spiegel at Vanity Fair's New Establishment conference being held in Los Angeles.

But a technical oversight by Snapchat allowed users to bypass the time restrictions placed on the site, by setting the clocks on their computers for a time after the countdown was due to end.

This is a fairly basic hack that tricks websites into thinking its a future date.

Once the countdown timer was removed, it revealed an image of Koons' iconic poodle balloon animal.

A video interview with the artist was also available with some background about his work, but has since been taken down.

Other famous examples of his work taken from both the site and video have since been shared widely on social media.

News of the project came to light after Snapchat Twitter representatives began to share a URL to a new site art.snapchat.com. It displayed a countdown timer that coincides with a rare public appearance from CEO Evan Spiegel at Vanity Fair's New Establishment conference

A technical oversight by Snapchat allowed users to bypass the time restrictions. Once the countdown timer was removed, it revealed an image of Koons' iconic poodle balloon animal

The feature, which is due to be officially announced later today, will allow visitors to world monuments and other locations to view works by the pop culture inspired American artists, as well as lesser known creatives

Locations where Koons' art will be on display include Hyde Park in London, the Champ de Mars in Paris, Central Park in New York and Sydney Opera House.

Snapchat was quick to respond to the error, but once the metaphorical rabbit was of the hat the information quickly spread online.

The LA-based firm is not currently commenting on the project, but more information is expected when the timer runs out at 8pm BST (3pm ET).

From the leaked images, it appears that Jeff Koons artworks will be visible through the social media apps camera in select locations.

Among them are his sculpture of Popeye, a balloon swan and a giant ball of Plasticine.

This includes Hyde Park in London, the Champ de Mars in Paris, Central Park in New York and Sydney Opera House.

The LA-based firm is not currently commenting on the project, but more information is expected when the timer runs out. Koons' balloon dog is likely to be visible to visitor's to Manhattan's Central Park

This image shows his pile of Plasticine work on Venice Boardwalk in LA

Among other works are his sculpture of Popeye, depicted in front of the Sydney opera house

A balloon swan is shown outside the Fountains of Bellagio in Las Vegas

Snap is also opening the feature to other artists, who can can sign up to have their works displayed as 3D objects via the app.

This could be tied into the Snap Map function.

The feature is believed to be powered by the same engine as its World Lens, which garnered over 1.5 billion views on Snapchat for a dancing hot dog.

Snap's new Sponsored World Lens ads also use the same technology.

A video interview with the artist was also available with some background about his work, but has since been taken down
A radical new egg shaped jet engine could dramatically cut fuel consumption and change air travel, it has been claimed.

French aero engine maker Safran unveiled its new 'open rotor' prototype and said it could be on planes by 2030.

The Open Rotor engine, which places previously hidden whirring parts on the outside to capture more air, was developed with European Union backing and is being tested in specially built facilities at a French military base near Marseille.

The radical new egg shaped jet engine with two sets of blades could dramatically cut fuel consumption and change air travel, it has been claimed.

HOW IT WORKS The new type of engine could help airlines cut air fares because it requires less fuel. Shaped like an elongated egg with two rows of blades at the back, the engine aims to burn 15 percent less fuel than current conventional turbofan engines, which have also improved significantly in recent years. Such engines would most likely be placed at the back of the airplane instead of under the wing, leaving room for the two rows of scimitar-shaped carbon blades to swirl in opposite directions. Advertisement

Shaped like an elongated egg with two rows of blades at the back, the engine aims to burn 15 percent less fuel than current conventional turbofan engines, which have also improved significantly in recent years.

Clara de la Torre, a top European Union research official, said the new type of engine could help airlines cut air fares because it requires less fuel.

Whether the engine enters service, however, depends on the strategies of airplane makers such as Airbus and Boeing , whose best-selling single-aisle planes are expected to be renewed in around 2030.

Such engines would most likely be placed at the back of the airplane instead of under the wing, leaving room for the two rows of scimitar-shaped carbon blades to swirl in opposite directions.

It is not the first time engine makers have looked at revisiting the design of the traditional jet engine.

U.S. engine makers looked at so-called unducted fans in the 1980s before dropping the idea when oil prices fell.

At the time, such engines were also considered too noisy.

The engines would most likely be placed at the back of the airplane instead of under the wing, leaving room for the two rows of scimitar-shaped carbon blades to swirl in opposite directions

Shaped like an elongated egg with two rows of blades at the back, the engine aims to burn 15 percent less fuel than current conventional turbofan engines, which have also improved significantly in recent years.

But the completely fresh design could become attractive as energy costs rise and regulations require fewer emissions, said Safran Chief Executive Philippe Petitcolin.

'If we want to be ready in 2030 we have to start now,' he told reporters.

'If oil prices return above $100 I think there will be much stronger interest.'

Rolls-Royce has also looked at the technology.

One of the unknowns is the reaction of passengers to seeing a double row of fast-spinning blades, rather than an engine whose moving parts are concealed.

'It is a question to which we don't yet know the answer,' Petitcolin said.

Regulators would also have to work out how to certify the engine, using existing rules for failed parts and bird strikes.

Safran is also looking at a shorter-term solution to cutting emissions and fuel consumption based on traditional engine architecture.

Its 'Ultra-High Bypass Ratio' engine would cut fuel consumption by 5-10 percent and would be ready for service by 2025.

That could coincide with Boeing's tentative plans to produce a new mid-market jet in the middle of the next decade.

Any decision to offer either engine to planemakers would be made through CFM International, Safran's joint venture with General Electric.

Beyond these ideas, Safran and others are already thinking about bolder schemes, such as hybrid electric technology and distributed power, which could usher in futuristic plane designs from 2040.

'Instead of one engine, there could be 10 or 20,' said Safran's research chief Stephane Cueille.
Kodi has called for TVAddons to be 'shut down because it brings misery to everyone' on Twitter.

TVAddons is one of the most popular libraries for add-ons on Kodi, and was suddenly shut down in June during a legal battle with Canadian TV networks.

But the developers were recently cleared in court in Canada, and the library - which can be used to stream both legal and illegal content on Kodi boxes - put back online.

Kodi's initial comment was made in response to an article tweeted by Torrent Freak speaking out against such lawsuits.

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Kodi called for TVAddons to be 'shut down because it brings misery to everyone' on Twitter. It is one of the most popular libraries for add-ons on Kodi

WHAT IS KODI TV? Kodi is software that enables you to streams apps and on-demand services onto your TV. The software, which is legal, can even be downloaded onto an Amazon Fire stick. Blank boxes can be bought from most major retailers for as little as 20 ($24), with the software uploaded afterwards. Users can play BBC iPlayer, Youtube, Soundcloud and other free catch-up apps on the device. But many of the plug-ins the box offers are illegal. Be wary if the box is pre-loaded to include subscription sport, TV and movies for free. Commonly the 'fully loaded' boxes let users watch Premier League games or Sky Movies without paying a subscription fee. Advertisement

'Let's hope tvaddons gets shut down regardless cause they bring nothing but misery to everyone,' Kodi TV tweeted.

TVAddons was quick to respond, Tweeting that whoever runs Kodi's social accounts 'is definitely not in touch with your userbase'.

After TVAddons accused Kodi of not being in touch with its users, the firm tweeted again: 'At least the entire team shares this same opinion'.

TVAddons then tweeted: 'Definitely don't believe that one!'

TVAddons provided a library of more than 1,500 add-ons, which supplied both legal and illegal content.

The library was involved in a legal battle with broadcast providers, with threats of fines of up to 116,000 ($150,000).

In July it was warned that defunct Kodi add-ons - such as the then-blocked TVAddons - could turn into spy devices, according to Kodi.

An expert warned that whoever took control of banned Kodi websites could 'do whatever they wanted' to people using them.

This comes after three domains previously operated by TVAddons were handed over to a Canadian law firm.

It sparked fears the firm could be collecting information about users watching illegal content and could send it back to anti-piracy groups.

'The person [in control of] the repo could do whatever they wanted,' Kodi Project Manager Nathan Betzen told TorrentFreak.

TVAddons was quick to respond, claiming that whoever was running Kodi's social media profile was 'definitely not in touch' with its user base

After TVAddons accused Kodi of not being in touch with its users the firm tweeted again 'At least the entire team shares this same opinion'. TVAddons then tweeted: 'Definitely don't believe that one!'

'If some malware author wanted, he could easily install a watcher that reports back the user's IP address and everything they were doing in Kodi,' he said.

It is probably more likely the law firm is an anti-piracy group that is putting the domains out of action, although the law firm is yet to reveal their plans.

The issue demonstrates the dangers of not knowing where software updates are coming from.

Kodi is software that enables users to streams apps and on-demand services onto their TV.

The comment was first made in response to an article tweeted by Torrent Freak about the speaking out against abusive lawsuits

TVAddons provided a library of more than 1,500 add-ons, which supplied both legal and illegal content. The library was involved in a legal battle with a US broadcast provider, with threats of fines of up to 116,000 ($150,000)

Although the software itself is legal, it has become associated with internet piracy due to add-ons, like Navi-X, that can provide illegal content.

Under new rules, people in the UK will now face up to 10 years in prison if caught streaming illegal content.

Earlier this month it was announced Premier League bosses were debating whether to livestream games directly in a bid to end illegal streams.

TVAddons, one of the most popular libraries for add-ons on Kodi (pictured) mysteriously shut down in June without warning

WHO IS USING KODI BOXES? Over 55s are six times more likely to watch pirated video using Kodi boxes than young adults, a recent survey found. More than 25,000 adults in 30 countries were surveyed by digital security firm Irdeto. The highest percentage of Kodi users in the UK were in the 35-44 and 55+ age groups, at 18 per cent each. This is in stark contrast to the 3 per cent of 18 to 24-year-olds using a Kodi box to stream pirated content. 18-24 year olds are more likely to use smartphones, tablets or laptops to access illegal content. Advertisement

Earlier in June the Digital Economy Bill warned that people making and streaming films using torrents online would be committing a criminal offence.

The ruling affects users in Europe, who will now face up to 10 years in prison if caught streaming illegal content.

In a letter to the Open Rights Group, the Intellectual Property Office said: 'It is important to note that the criminal offences apply to making material available to others, not to those just downloading material to their computers.

'Anyone seeking to enforce their rights for the downloading of material would be unlikely to refer to this legislation.

'Ten year sentences would only be applied in the most serious of criminal circumstances.'

Temporary files, like those created when media content is streamed, are technically exempt under copyright law.

Earlier in June the Digital Economy Bill warned that people making and streaming films using torrents online would be committing a criminal offence

People selling 'fully loaded' Kodi boxes exploited this legal loophole to provide illegal content.

And although the court recognised the equipment itself was not illegal, the way they are customised was and was likely to be used to access copyrighted material.

Amazon previously banned 'fully-loaded' Kodi TV boxes and other pirate devices from its global online store earlier this month.
Uranus will appear an unmistakable blue-green dot in the sky as it reaches opposition this month, likely making it visible to the naked eye, according to NASA.

This month is set to bring a number of celestial phenomena that can be seen from the ground, with Venus, Mars, and Saturn also to make appearances, as well as a meteor shower.

And next week, a house-sized asteroid will whizz past Earth at just one-eighth of the distance between our planet and the moon.

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Uranus will appear an unmistakable blue-green dot in the sky as it reaches opposition this month, likely making it visible to the naked eye, according to NASA. And, it will be visible 'for sure' through binoculars

THE ORIONIDS The Orionid meteor shower will peak on October 20  a dark, moonless night.' During this time, 10-20 meteors per hour could be visible. These meteors radiate from a point near the raised club of the constellation Orion, EarthSky explains. This begins rising in the east after midnight  but, as the meteors will be shooting out in all directions, they will appear in all parts of the sky. Orionid meteors are the debris left behind by Comet Halley, which last flew past Earth in 1986, and are extremely fast, travelling at about 66 kilometers (41 miles) per second, according to EarthSky. Advertisement

According to NASA, Uranus will reach opposition on October 19th, meaning the icy planet and the sun will sit on opposite sides of Earth.

During this time, it will be clearly visible in the night sky, in the constellation Pisces.

Its visible all night long and its blue-green color is unmistakable, according to Jane Houston Jones from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.

It may be bright enough to see with your naked eye  and for sure in binoculars.

Earlier in the month, Mars and Venus will be visible, with the two planets appearing close to each other on the 5th, before Venus rises above Mars.

Saturn will also make an appearance, sitting above the moon on October 23rd, and below it on the 24th, according to NASA.

On October 20th, the Orionid meteor shower will reach its peak.

Earlier in the month, Mars and Venus will be visible, with the two planets appearing close to each other on the 5th, before Venus rises above Mars.

According to NASA, Uranus will reach opposition on October 19th, meaning the icy planet and the sun will sit on opposite sides of Earth. During this time, it will be clearly visible in the night sky, in the constellation Pisces

And, with the dark, moonless night, roughly 10-15 meteors per hour could be visible in the predawn hours.

The bright asteroid 7 Iris will pass through the constellation Aries.

Another space rock, dubbed asteroid 2012 TC4, will make a close shave with our planet on October 12 at a distance of just 27,000 miles above the surface  or, as some scientists have put it, damn close.

With this close approach, NASA will have the opportunity to test its network of observatories for its planetary defense system, in the event an asteroid did actually hit Earth.

On October 20th, the Orionid meteor shower will reach its peak. And, with the dark, moonless night, roughly 10-15 meteors per hour could be visible in the predawn hours

An asteroid the size of a house is set to narrowly skim the Earth on October 12. It was spotted by scientists this summer for the first time in five years. ESA has tracked down the giant hunk of rock (circled) which is about 15 to 30 metres (49 to 98 feet) long

'Scientists have always appreciated knowing when an asteroid will make a close approach to and safely pass the Earth because they can make preparations to collect data to characterize and learn as much as possible about it,' said Dr Michael Kelley, a scientist working on the NASA TC4 observation campaign.

The false-color Hubble Space Telescope view reveals Uranus surrounded by its four major rings and by 10 of its 17 known satellites

'This time we are adding in another layer of effort, using this asteroid flyby to test the worldwide asteroid detection and tracking network, assessing our capability to work together in response to finding a potential real asteroid threat.'

Asteroid 2012 TC4 first flitted past our planet in October 2012 at about double the distance of its next expected pass, before disappearing.

Its estimated to be 30-100 feet (10-30 meters) in size.

But, after tracking it down this summer using the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope in Chile this summer, scientists now assure it will make a safe pass.
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Stunning new satellite images have revealed the movement of the massive iceberg that calved from the Larsen C ice shelf in July.

The detailed images captured by instruments aboard NASAs Landsat 8 show the widening gap between the main shelf and the ice berg, with a thin layer of loose, floating ice in between.

Since the Delaware-sized chunk of ice, dubbed A-68, broke off the Antarctic shelf this summer, its remained unclear what will happen to the giant mass, with fears it could break up into pieces too small to track on satellite, and drift into shipping lanes.

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Stunning new satellite images have revealed the movement of the massive iceberg that calved from the Larsen C ice shelf in July. The detailed images captured by instruments aboard NASAs Landsat 8 show the widening gap between the main shelf and the ice berg, with a thin layer of loose, floating ice in between

THE BIRTH OF A-68 In early July, a huge crack in Antarctica's Larsen C ice shelf caused a trillion ton iceberg - the third biggest ever recorded - to break off from the icy southern continent. The huge chunk of ice, dubbed iceberg A-68, measures 5,800 square kilometres (2,240 square miles), making it around the size of Delaware, or four times the area covered by Greater London. Advertisement

The new images captured on September 16 reveal a natural color and thermal view of the main iceberg and the ice shelf.

Inside the gap, one particular iceberg stands out as much larger than the rest.

This, according to NASA, has been drifting northward in the passage since the main chunk split off.

A-68 is slowly drifting  a phenomenon that has become apparent as the separation between the two large bodies of ice continues to increase.

Both images show a thin layer of frazil ice, which does not offer much resistance as winds, tides, and currents try to move the massive iceberg away from the Larsen C ice shelf, NASA explains.

In a few weeks of observations, scientists have seen the passage widen between the main iceberg and the front of the shelf.

Inside the gap, one particular iceberg stands out as much larger than the rest. This, according to NASA, has been drifting northward in the passage since the main chunk split off

This slow widening comes after an initial back-and-forth movement in July broke the main berg in two large pieces, which the US National Ice Center named A-68 and A-68B.

The collisions also produced a handful of pieces too small to be named.

Additional satellite images captured last month show how the trillion ton iceberg which broke off Antarctica has begun to drift farther out to sea.

The huge chunk of ice, dubbed A68, which is around the size of Delaware or four times the size of Greater London, made its final break back in July after a crack began to form in 2014.

Professor Stef Lhermitte, of Delft University in the Netherlands, shared some of the latest satellite images of A68 on Twitter.

Since the Delaware-sized chunk of ice, dubbed A-68, broke off the Antarctic shelf this summer, its remained unclear what will happen to the giant mass, with fears it could break up into pieces too small to track on satellite, and drift into shipping lanes. A thermal image of the iceberg is pictured

He said: 'After some initial back-and-forth movement, Larsen C's iceberg A68 seems on drift now.'

He added that the iceberg 'continues to drift', and posted a graphic comparing A68's position on Saturday to a another image taken on Wednesday.

The comparison shows a clear drift away from the Antarctic ice shelf.

Scientists have claimed that global warming did not play a role in the calving of the iceberg, according to reports in the Independent.

Dr Natalie Robinson, a marine physicist at New Zealands National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, told the site it was 'a "normal", if relatively large, calving event' and 'very different from the collapse of its neighbouring ice shelves'.

New satellite images have shown that a trillion ton iceberg which broke off Antarctica has begun to drift out to sea. Experts fear the break could see the berg disintegrate into pieces too small to track on satellite. If these drift into shipping lanes, they could pose a significant risk to vessels in the region

Professor Stef Lhermitte, of Delft University in the Netherlands, shared the latest satellite images of A68 on Twitter. The comparison shows a clear drift away from the Antarctic ice shelf.

National Centre for Earth Observation scientists David Moore shared this up to date image of the region take with the Sentinel 3 satellite on September 16

But Professor Nancy Bertler, of the Antarctic Research Centre at Victoria University of Wellington, said global warming and the hole in the ozone layer had caused the sudden break-up of 'numerous ice shelves' in the region 'some of which have been shown to have existed for 10,000 years or more'.

In early July, a huge crack in Antarctica's Larsen C ice shelf caused the trillion ton iceberg - the third biggest ever recorded - to break off from the icy southern continent.

The huge chunk of ice, dubbed iceberg A-68, measures 5,800 square kilometres (2,240 square miles), making it around the size of Delaware, or four times the area covered by Greater London.

New pictures captured via satellite imagery show iceberg A-68 in stunning detail as it drifts from Antarctica, where it could remain in the open sea for years.

In early July, a huge crack in Antarctica's Larsen C ice shelf caused a trillion ton iceberg to break off from the icy continent. New satellite images show the iceberg in stunning detail, including this zoomed-in view of iceberg A-68 (bottom left corner), Antarctica's Larsen C ice shelf (top and righthand segments), taken in late July by the Deimos 2 satellite

WAS CLIMATE CHANGE RESPONSIBLE? Reporting this week in the Nature journal Climate Change, Dr Anna Hogg and Dr Hilmar Gudmundsson examine the events leading up to this dramatic natural phenomenon. They also discuss how calving of huge icebergs affects the stability of Antarctic ice shelves. Their article argues that a calving event is not necessarily due to changes in environmental conditions. Instead, it may simply reflect the natural growth and decay cycle of an ice shelf. Advertisement

Despite the iceberg breaking off some time between July 10-12, scientists have struggled to take images of A-68 because Antarctica is currently going through its winter season.

Since the split, researchers have relied on polar satellites like Sentinel-1, which uses radar to peer through thick cloud cover.

But a few clear days in late July gave Spanish satellite firm Deimos Imaging a visible-light view using Deimos-1 and Deimos-2 - a pair of satellites that work as a tag-team.

'These images are striking - easily the best I have seen since calving,' Adrian Luckman, a glaciologist at Swansea University and a member of the Antarctic research program Project Midas, told Business Insider.

The team's Deimos-1 satellite captures wider-angle, medium-resolution images while Deimos-2 takes zoomed-in, very-high-resolution pictures.

When combined the images can capture both vast, wide angle views of the scale of the Larsen C crack, as well as detailed up-close views of individual details.

The team's Deimos-1 satellite captures wider-angle, medium-resolution images (main image) while Deimos-2 takes zoomed-in, very-high-resolution images (insets)

The huge chunk of ice, dubbed iceberg A-68 by scientists, measures 5,800 square kilometres (2,240 square miles), making it around the size of Delaware or four times the area covered by Greater London. This wide-angle view shows iceberg A-68 (central shape) and Antarctica's Larsen C ice shelf (rest of image) and was taken by the Deimos-1 satellite in late July

The new images follow the news that cracks were spreading where the A-68 iceberg broke free from the Larsen C ice shelf.

Scientists released satellite footage of the moment the Antarctic Peninsula lost 10 per cent of its area earlier this month.

Since that time, experts have been following the fate of the huge iceberg as a rift has grown between the mainland and the mass of frozen water.

They have found that cracks are still growing on the ice shelf, and if they continue to grow, it's possible that the ice shelf could collapse.

If all of Larsen C collapses, the ice it holds back might add another 4 inches (10 cm) to global sea levels over the years.

A few clear days in July gave Spanish satellite firm Deimos Imaging a visible-light using Deimos-1 and Deimos-2 - a pair of satellites that work as a tag-team. This image shows Larsen C (left of crack) and iceberg A-68 (right of crack), taken by Deimos-2 in late July

WHAT IS ITS IMPACT? Icebergs calve from Antarctica all the time, but because this one is particularly large its path across the ocean needs to be monitored as it could pose a hazard to maritime traffic. The massive ice cube will float in water and by itself will not add to sea levels when it melts. But the real danger is from inland glaciers. Ice shelves float on the sea, extending from the coast, and are fed by slow-flowing glaciers from the land. They act as giant brakes, preventing glaciers from flowing directly into the ocean. If the glaciers held in check by Larsen C now split into the Antarctic Ocean, it could lift the global water mark by about 10 centimetres (four inches), researchers have said. Advertisement

Dr Anna Hogg, from the University of Leeds and Dr Hilmar Gudmundsson, from the British Antarctic Survey, have continued to track the iceberg, known as A68, since the July 12 breakaway.

Using the European Space Agency's (ESA) Copernicus Sentinel-1 satellite, they have found that, since the calving event, the berg has started to drift away from the Larsen-C.

Open ocean is now clearly visible in the approximately five kilometre gap between the berg and the ice-shelf.

A cluster of over 11 'smaller' icebergs have also now formed, the largest of which is over eight miles (13km) long.

Dr Anna Hogg, from the University of Leeds and Dr Hilmar Gudmundsson, from the British Antarctic Survey, have continued to track the iceberg, known as A68, since the July 12 breakaway. This Sentinel-1 data shows network of cracks grow on the Larsen-C Ice-Shelf, before and after the colossal iceberg broke free

The iceberg is one of the 10 largest icebergs ever recorded. A graphic shows how the iceberg compares in size

These 'bergy bits', as the experts are describing them, have broken off both the giant iceberg and the remaining ice-shelf.

Dr Hogg, an ESA research fellow in the centre for polar observation and modelling at Leeds, said: 'The satellite images reveal a lot of continuing action on Larsen-C Ice Shelf.

'We can see that the remaining cracks continue to grow towards a feature called Bawden Ice Rise, which provides important structural support for the remaining ice shelf.

'If an ice shelf loses contact with the ice rise, either through sustained thinning or a large iceberg calving event, it can prompt a significant acceleration in ice speed, and possibly further destabilisation.

'It looks like the Larsen-C story might not be over yet.'

This image shows the view of the A68 iceberg from a European Copernicus Sentinel-1 satellite image acquired on July 30

Scientists released satellite footage of the aftermath of the Antarctic Peninsula losing 10 per cent of its area earlier this month. This Sentinel-1 image shows the colossal iceberg (shown in blue) after it had broken free and the 'bergy bits' described by the experts began to break off
Walmart has accidentally leaked details of Google's new $49 mini smart speaker and Pixel 2 handset just hours before they are expected to be launched.

The shopping giant accidentally put a preorder page for the 'Google Home Mini' revealing its fabric covered design.

The images also revealed a fresh look at Google's Pixel 2 handset - even though both products are not being officially unveiled until tomorrow.

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The $49 Google Home Mini is a smaller version of Google's Home speaker, featuring the same Google Assistant software.

Walmart's site describes the speaker as a 'powerful little helper' that gives you answers to questions, controls your smart home, shares weather info, and even plays music.

The images, grabbed by Droid Life, also reveal the device, which will go up against Amazon's $49 Echo Dot, weighs less than a pound and measures at 4.53 x 4.53 x 4.72 inches.

Pre-orders will cost you $49 and Walmart expects the device to arrive by October 19, when Google Home Mini in expected to be available everywhere.

The device will go up against Amazon's $49 Echo Dot

Earlier this week Google's Pixel 2 handsets have been leaked ahead if its unveiling on October 4th.

Evan Blass, renowned for leaking handsets from almost every manufacturer ahead of their launch, posted the images to his Twitter account.

Two versions of the handset will be launched, a Pixel and a Pixel XL, and the images reveal a new homescreen Google has developed for Android phones.

Evan Blass, renowned for leaking handsets from almost every manufacturer ahead of their launch, posted the images to his Twitter account today

Manufactured by HTC and LG, respectively, the handset are codenamed Walleye and Taimen, and Blass says according to a person familiar with Google's release plans, they will be released on October 19 for Pixel 2 and November 15 for Pixel 2 XL, both preceded by preorder periods.

Droid Life recently also claimed to have images of the new handset, alongside a new mini wireless speaker, and images of an updated Daydream VR headset.

The smaller Pixel 2 will be available in Kinda Blue, Just Black, and Clearly White, and will be sold with 64GB and 128GB of storage and priced at $649 and $749, respectively, according to the site.

The next generation flagship handset will be officially unveiled on Wednesday, October 4

The larger LG-made Pixel 2 XL will come in a Black & White and Just Black colors and be available with 64GB or 128GB storage.

The 64GB model will cost $849, while the 128GB model will jump to $949.

Rumours have been swirling for months about Google's next Pixel smartphones and the tech firm uploaded a short 35 second teaser to YouTube earlier this month, offering eager fans the chance to sign up to receive more information.

The minimalist video, while scant on images, makes some bold promises about some of the features fans can expect.

It is themed around the Menlo Park, California's iconic search engine.

The cryptic clip shows a user searching for various failings of their own smartphone.

The smaller Pixel 2 will be available in Kinda Blue, Just Black, and Clearly White, and will be sold with 64GB and 128GB of storage and priced at $649 and $749, respectively, according to the site.

The LG-made Pixel 2 XL will come in a 'Black & White' and 'Just Black' colors and be available with 64GB or 128GB storage, according to the latest leaks

These range from 'what's wrong with my phone's battery?' and 'why is my phone always out of storage?' to 'why does my phone take so many blurry photos?' and even 'why doesn't my phone understand me'.

Other search queries state their phone is 'slow, hot, fragile, annoying, broken, cruel, impersonal and ... dumb.'

The marketing ploy suggests that all of these problems will be answered when the new Pixel handsets are finally revealed.

If the video is to be believed, this suggests the smartphones, believed to be a Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL, will feature a better battery, more storage and a better camera than its rivals.

This is in line with rumours circulating online in the leadup to the launch about the Pixel's expected features and launch date.

Droid Life also says Google will unveil a new mini smart speaker alongside its new Pixel handsets on October 4th, it is believed.

Rumours have been swirling for months about Google's next Pixel smartphones and the long wait will soon be over thanks to a new trailer. The next generation flagship handset will be officially unveiled on Wednesday, October 4

According to Droid Life, the new Google Mini Home speaker, which will take on Amazon's tiny Echo Dot, will cost just $49 when it goes on sale - making the two the same price.

It will use the same Google Assistant software as the larger Google home speaker, and be available in Chalk, Charcoal, and Coral colors.

The Google Mini Home is expected to be unveiled on October 4th, and go on sale soon after. It is believed it will cost $49, and will have the same Google Assistant as the larger Home speaker

'The Google Home Mini will be powered rather than wireless, at least according to the images here,' Droid Life said.

'You have colored bases that match the color of the top, soft portion of the unit.

'The Google Home Mini will be powered rather than wireless, at least according to the images here,' Droid Life said.

The new speaker will go head to head with the Amazon Echo Dot, shown here, and will even have the same $49 price

'So unlike the original Google Home that had swappable bases, it looks like the mini may not have that same luxury.'

The images show lights on top of each unit, which are expected to work in the same multi colored way as the lights on the larger Home speaker.

THE SMART SPEAKER WARS The mini home will take on Apple's HomePod, Amazon's Echo and Google's own, larger Home. Apple's speaker will have a higher price tag than the Amazon Echo range, which begins at $49 (49) for the Echo Dot. The speaker will provide a hub for appliances via Apple's HomeKit system and establish a centre inside the home to lock people in to using other Apple services, according to the report. A speaker might help customers stay loyal to other services such as Apple Music, Apple Watch, Apple TV and AirPods. Google's $130 (105) Home speaker is triggered by the phrase 'Hey Google' while Amazon's Echo uses 'Alexa'. Amazon's smart speaker is available in two versions - the full sized $180 (145) Echo shown here, and a smaller, $50 (40) version called the Echo Dot. Amazon Echo uses Microsoft's Bing search engine to provide additional information, while Google Home uses the company's own Google Search. Both Home and Echo are continually listening for commands, though Google and Amazon say nothing gets passed back to them until the speakers hear a keyword  'OK, Google' for Home and 'Alexa' for Echo. Google's Assistant software is also able to answer follow-up questions on the same topic, in a near-conversation style, but Echo as yet cannot. Google's larger $129 Home speaker, which launched earlier this year However, Amazon's Alexa software has a wider range of skills on offer that enable it to link up with and control more third-party devices around the home. A light comes on to remind you that it's listening. You can turn off the microphone temporarily, too. Advertisement

GOOGLE PIXEL 2 RUMOURS Leaked photos allegedly of the Google Pixel 2 give truth to some of the rumoured features. Via the photos or per the tipster, we know: The phone will have a curved screen. It has two LEDs in the camera flash. The back will be made of a glass panel. Google is ditching the headphone jack for the device. The source also reported a better in-hand feel than the original Pixel phone, The source said the device is 'sleek' and 'elegant.' It is also expected to feature a Snapdragon 836 processor. Advertisement

Most notably, serial leaker Evan Blass from Philadelphia said in a tweet back on August 24th: 'Google's second-generation Pixel handsets, powered by Snapdragon 836 SoC's, will be unveiled on October 5th.'

Mr Blass has a strong track record for predicting when new technology will be launched, as well as features on devices.

The rumours follow leaked images earlier in August, which claim to show Google's Pixel 2 handset.

According to the photos, it appears the upcoming device will, as previously predicted, have a curved screen and a glass back.

However, one thing is missing - Google is planning to follow Apple and dump the headphone jack for the new device.

Also shown in the leaked images is the presence of two LEDs in the flash and a glass panel on the back, which is smaller this time around.

While previous leaks have suggested the phone will also be equipped with a Laser autofocus feature, that can't be seen here - although it may just be too difficult to spot.

The photos, sent to Gsmarena by an unnamed tipster, show the front and back of what is clearly an early developer unit of the phone, as is indicated by the stickers on the back.

Leaked images suggest that Google is planning to follow Apple and dump the headphone jack for the new device

While the lack of headphone jack isn't seen in the photo, the source told Gsmarena the device doesn't include one.

The source also reported a better in-hand feel than the original Pixel phone, saying it is 'sleek' and 'elegant.'

The original Google Pixel phone was launched in October 2016, and the Pixel 2 is set to launch this autumn, which would make it in direct competition with Apple's iPhone 8 and the Samsung Galaxy Note 8.

As the company prepares for the release, it's dropping the price on the original Pixel phone.

As part of a back to school promotion, the Pixel's starting price is currently down to $524 (408) instead of $649 (506), while the Pixel XL is now priced at $569 (443) rather than $769 (600) - the company is also throwing in free Daydream View headsets for consumers who take advantage of the promotion.

Insiders have long been suggesting the Google Pixel 2 could have a curved screen display like the Samsung Galaxy S8.

Reports suggest Google is investing $880 million (709 million) in LG's flexible organic light emitting diode (OLED) screens.

Increasingly curved screen are being adopted by smartphones and it seems Google want to move in this direction too, according to South Korea's Electronic Times.

The report suggests that LG is yet to sign the massive investment offer proposed by Google.

Reports suggest Google is investing $880 million (709 million) in LG's flexible organic light emitting diode (OLED) screens for their Pixel 2 handset (pictured is first-generation Pixel handsets)

In March, the head of hardware at Google first confirmed that the firm is developing a second-generation Pixel for the 'premium smartphone market'.

The confirmation came from Rick Osterloh during an interview with AndroidPT.

'There is an annual rhythm in the industry,' Osterloh said in the interview.

'So, you can count on us to follow it. You can count on a successor this year, even if you don't hear a date from me now.'

Google debuted the first smartphones in its Pixel line during a conference in October 2016, a Pixel and the 5.5-inch Pixel XL.

Although the Pixel 2 release would fall around the same time as the iPhone 8, Google is focusing on the upper price segment of the market.

This may be tougher than imagined, if as speculated, the iPhone 8 turns out to cost over $1,000 (780).

Osterloh stated that 'Pixel stays premium' and the firm will 'leave lower price segments to other manufacturers'.

GOOGLE PIXEL SPECS The Pixel runs on a Snapdragon 821 2.15GHz processor. The handsets come in 32GB or 128GB models, with microSD card slots enabling an additional 256GB of storage. They have 12.3 and 8-megapixel cameras and a full HD AMOLED screen with Gorilla Glass protection. Fast charging gives 7 hours of use in 15 minutes Included is Google's AI assistant, Allo for messaging and Duo for video calls. Free online storage for pictures and video Is be available in US on Verizon and in an unlocked version from $649. Advertisement

'We believe the next big thing will be at the intersection of hardware and software,' Mr Osterloh said in October.

He also took aim at Apple, saying the phone has 'no unsightly phone bump.'

Brian Rakowski of Google said the phone was 'designed inside and out to be smart'.

He said the Pixel's camera was better than the iPhone 7.

'It's the best smartphone camera anyone has made,' he said.
Opinion / Columnist

There are those in the MDC who believe party leader Morgan Tsvangirai should take a bow on medical grounds but they have not come out to say it publicly because they fear it would be political suicide to do so as those who want Tsvangirai to hang on for their own selfish reasons will pull out a Zanupf Vote of no confidence. And Obert Gutu has called them saboteurs, issuing a chilling warning against them and their views. And these are people who claim to be democrats! You say what is on your mind and you are dealt with in one devastation.Sadly there is not one democratic party in Zimbabwe. There might be freedom of thought but there is no freedom of expression. How can an MDC government allow freedom of expression when it doesn't allow the same in its own ranks. If you are called a saboteur for having an opinion and a view inside the MDC what of outside the MDC?Obert Gutu probably thinks Tsvangirai should step down himself and that's why he goes overboard threatening others who think the same. He wants to make it seem as he loves Tsvangirai so much when he probably doesn't.Whoever loves Tsvangirai would worry a great deal about putting him to work in the state he is. Whoever loves Tsvangirai would tell him the truth no matter how much it hurts and especially when it hurts. Flattery that we usually witness in Zanupf is not love. You cannot say your best foot forward in a race is a man suffering from cancer and mean it wholeheartedly. You would obviously be lying for several reasons which have nothing to do with and far from the truth.Only one man I respect and trust for the truth in the MDC and that is Job Wiwa Sikhala who recently revealed he would not be contesting for a parliamentary seat because he has served twice as an MP and is now giving others a chance.Now that is a democrat and a man among men. That is the kind of language and thing most in the MDC do not want to hear, just like most in Zanupf.The difference between the MDC and Zanupf is now mostly in name only as the MDC have adopted most of the behavior and characteristics of Zanupf. Those who tell the truth become enemies and saboteurs.Do your part, serve and give others a chance to serve. Hazviite. Asi vanoti kune Zanupf give others a chance when they are not willing to do the same and react the same way as Zanupf when they are asked to do the same.Zanupf as a ruling party and a mini Zanupf in the opposition. Zimbabwe loses either way.
This is the latest stunning pilot to become an Instagram star.

Dutch-born Lindy Marielle Kats, 24, has amassed nearly 80,000 followers with her non-stop adventures both on-land and in the friendly skies.

Her social media page is a constant stream of glamorous images, which show her commanding a Boeing 717, posing with colleagues and holidaying in the sun.

Flying high: Dutch-born Lindy Marielle Kats, 24, has amassed nearly 80,000 followers

Other envy-inducing photos uploaded to her account - @pilot_lindy - show the blonde beauty in a slew of destination points, such as Athens, New York and Sicily.

One impressive image shows the frequent flyer in a bikini as she swims underwater with the fishes in Palermo, Italy.

Another captures her sailing on a private boat across the wilder shores of Greece.

However, it's not all glamour. One image hints at the gritty realities of flying, such as long shifts and tiring schedules that cross time zones.

Showing her looking eagerly out of the cockpit window, she captioned it: 'My face when I see the next crew arriving when my duty is finished.'

That alone clocked-up nearly 5,000 likes and a slew of comments, including one who wrote: 'Best office in the world. Can you mount a GoPro behind you and film a landing?'

Another day in the office! The blonde pilot pictured enjoying a helicopter ride over NYC

The social media star poses next to the runway of a local airport

Work and play: Lindy dresses down as she poses for a casual snap in the cockpit (left), before slipping into a bikini for a proper break on board a speedboat

Working hard: The 24-year-old concentrates as she navigates the craft over a landing strip

Glamorous lifestyle: Posing in Dubai with another glamorous mode of transport (left). Lindy poses on the engine of a plane (right)

Another flight completed! Lindy emerges from a plane after racking-up yet more air miles

'I always loved flying as a passenger but I thought it would be very difficult and expensive to become a pilot,' says Lindy.

'After doing research and talking with pilots I learned it was not impossible after all. It requires hard work, much studying and a lot of dedication, but it's definitely worth it.

'I started Instagram to share my updates with friends and family as I lived far away from them. I never expected my account to grow this big and I still can't believe there are so many people interested in my life.'

She added: 'It's amazing if I can inspire people with what I do, but I never post anything to show off.

'Besides that, I have always loved photography and Instagram is a great platform for that. I try to take high quality pictures: colourful and bright.'

This picture was captioned: 'Pulling my beloved Boeing 717 by its T-tail, no Photoshop involved! Just a matter of a lot of patience and awesome timing by the photographer'

Beach body ready: Other breath-taking photographs show Lindy soaking up the sun

Strike a pose: Now living in Italy, she regularly holidays in beauty spots such as Sicily

Tourist trail: Lindy often incorporates her own travels into her work schedule

And relax! Lindy enjoys some relaxation as she stretches out in Greek waters

Making a splash: Making the most of her day off, she swaps the skies for the deep blue seas

On a wing and a prayer: Clearly loving her job, Lindy poses on the tarmac before take-off

Taking a break from her time in the cockpit, Lindy surveys the passenger's view

Sharp-suited: The pilot gets ready for another flight across Europe - after a long break...

The Amsterdam-born professional resides in Italy and her CV reveals she's clocked up more than 1,200 flying hours.

This includes: 185 hours in a single engine C172 and PA-28, 25 hours in a multi-engine PA-34, 110 hours as a pilot in command and 1,000 hours at the helm of a Boeing 717-200.

Now branching out into YouTube territory, she's keen to encourage others to get involved.

'I have just uploaded the welcome video,' she wrote with her debut clip. 'Anyone with YouTube experience that has tips, advice, feedback for me, let me know! Hope you like it.'
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Hold your breath and gear up for a magical underwater ride courtesy of these stunning photographs.

Scuba Diving Magazine has announced the winners of its annual Through Your Lens underwater photo contest, with some incredible shots bobbing to the surface.

Greg Lecoeur was named as the grand prize winner with his photo of gannets plunging into the sea off the coast of north Scotland.

The birds look lost in deep concentration as they dive through the water at high speed in a bid to scoop up some beakfuls of mackerel.

Another equally impressive shot, capturing a colourful coconut octopus sitting on a black sand seabed, was taken by Kevin Richter while he was diving in Indonesia. Thanks to his quick reaction, he scored first place in the compact camera category.

Scuba Diving Magazine said it had the difficult task of narrowing down more than 2,500 entries to a dozen or so winners across four categories including wide angle, macro, conceptual and compact camera. Scroll down to explore some of the most dazzling results...

Greg Lecoeur took this incredible shot of gannets diving into the water off the island of Noss in Shetland, Scotland. He said he was surrounded by thousands of gannet birds as they fed on mackerel. This incredible shot scored Lecoeur the grand prize of $1,000 and a Liveaboard trip to Fiji

On a dive in Lembeh Strait, Indonesia, Kevin Richter said he found this incredibly photogenic coconut octopus sitting on the black-sand seabed right next to his boat at a depth of just 13 feet. He says what looks like nighttime was actually a sunny afternoon and he had to act quickly as the octopus didn't stop for long. This shot won first prize in the compact camera category

Rodney Bursiel took this stunning black-and-white photograph of a whale while travelling in Tonga. He said he was focused on the mother when a calf came from behind and breached right beside him. The photo won first place in the wide angle section

Jens Troeger heads out every winter to dive with Steller sea lions off Hornby Island in British Columbia in Canada. He says that they always get super excited when they see him in the water. This shot scored third place in the wide angle category

Eduardo Acevedo took this photo of a ribbon eel in Lembeh Strait, the underwater macro capital of Indonesia. The colourful creatures usually remain hidden in small holes or caves and can show two color combinations: blue and yellow or black and yellow. The shot won second place in the macro photography category

Marc Henauer took this photograph in the waters off the Bahamas. He said he wanted to show the incredible scenery underwater as the waves created a thunderstorm-like effect. The waves meant it was too rough to cross the reef and he sat back to enjoy the show. The shot won second place in the wide angle category

Gabriel Barathieu took this photo of a squid during a solo dive in the middle of the night in the Indian Ocean. He said he was swimming in a lagoon on Mayotte, a small French island near Madagascar, for only two minutes before he came face to face with the creature, which had a small fish between its tentacles. This photo won third place in the macro category

Francesco Pacienza found a little crab in a river near his home in Altomonte, Italy. The split-perspective water shot scored him third place in the compact camera category (left). Enrico Somogyi captured a jellyfish with the sun behind it while snorkelling off Torrent de Pareis beach in Mallorca, Spain. He said it took him around 40 tries until he got the perfect shot. The image won him second place in the compact camera category (right)
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It was one of the world's most glamorous stations - and biggest, earning the nickname the Titanic of the Mountains thanks to hundreds of doors and 200-metre platforms.

But, after years of neglect, Canfranc International Railway is now just a crumbling shell that blights the beautiful Pyrenees mountains.

Fortunately, that all looks set to change - after local officials revealed plans to repair, and reopen, the decaying relic, which straddles the French/Spanish border.

Dilapidated: The abandoned Canfranc International Railway Station, which sits on the French/Spanish border

According to a report by the BBC, the local government in Aragon - a landlocked region in northeastern Spain - has purchased the site with plans to restore it.

They were inspired by the surprise presence of 120,000 Spanish tourists who visited Canfranc between 2013 and 2017.

Local politician Alain Rousset reportedly wants the dilapidated venue to become a luxury hotel with a functioning railway line attached.

The latter vision is already part-realised thanks to a twice-daily service that operates between Saragossa and Canfranc, but the ultimate plan is to reignite tourist travel throughout the Pyrenees.

Refurbishment costs are estimated at 350million, but Roussett says this investment will be split evenly between the Spanish government and grants from the EU.

If successful, the entire project could be finished - and accessible to the public - by 2022. That's almost 100 years after it was first opened in the presence of Spain's King Alfonso XIII in 1928.

Back on track: Local officials in Spain's Aragon municipality have reportedly purchased the site with plans for a 300million revival

Stranded: A railway carriage sits frozen in snow as a fierce winter on the Pyrenees mountains takes hold

After that, the station operated successfully until the Spanish Civil War, 17 Jul 1936  1 Apr 1939, when said monarch closed its tunnels to stop arms smuggling.

At the start of World War II, Canfranc provided a vital lifeline for thousands of Jewish refugees fleeing occupied Europe.

But in 1940 Spanish Dictator Francisco Franco was pictured proudly leading Hitler along one of its wide sprawling platforms.

Impressed, the Nazi leader later took control of the station, adorning it with Swastika flags and using it to smuggle tonnes of gold his army had plundered from across Europe.

Ironically, after losing the war, Nazi war criminals used the station to evade capture.

Still popular: Although run-down, Canfranc's shell attracted 120,000 Spanish tourists between 2013 and 2017

History: In 1940 Spanish Dictator Francisco Franco was pictured proudly leading Hitler along one of its wide platforms

The station returned to business as usual in the 1950s and 1960s, but suffered from a dwindling local population. It was ultimately closed in 1970 after a train derailed, causing costly damage.

It has remained largely abandoned ever since, apart from the implementation in 1985 of underground astroparticle laboratories, which have allowed scientists to study the existence of dark matter.

Located in the former railway tunnels under nearby Monte Tobazo, the experimentation bunkers have been financed by the Spanish National Programmes of High Energy Physics and the Ministry of Science and Technology.

Second life: The railway station is now used as an astroparticle physics lab with experiments taking place in tunnels deep underground

Insight: A diagram shows how the labs, where scientists research dark matter, are situated in tunnels deep below the surface

More than 50 scientists from 12 different institutions and eight countries have conducted research there, focusing on the interactions of neutrinos of cosmic origin, or dark matter, with atomic nuclei.

According to a 2015 article in Scientific American, the labs were most recently involved in a definitive study to prove - or disprove - the existence of dark matter, which scientists believe comprises 80 per cent of the mass of the universe.

They expect the results to be announced in 2018.
The beautiful and dangerous landscapes of the Canadian Rockies serve as the backdrop to new film The Mountain Between Us, a gripping tale of love and survival, starring Academy Award winner Kate Winslet.

The film tells the story of two strangers who fall for one another after surviving a plane crash, and shooting the footage was a physically demanding experience for Kate, who braved sub-zero temperatures underwater to achieve breathtaking results.

In remarkable behind-the-scenes footage, Kate, 41, is seen plunging into freezing -38 degrees waters, to capture a scene where her character Alex Martin is trapped under ice.

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Superstar: Kate Winslet braved sub-zero temperatures to achieve stunning results in her new film The Mountain Between Us

Oscar-winner Kate, 41, plunges into freezing cold waters at -38 degrees in a scene where her character Alex Martin, a soon-to-be married American photojournalist, is trapped under ice

Speaking about the challenging scene, the seven-time Oscar nominee explains: 'None of it matters. It doesn't matter what it is you're being asked to do, you've got to get on with it.'

'Ice anyone?'

Kate previously revealed that she was offered a stunt double for the shoot, but refused, deciding to opt to perform the testing activity herself.

Romantic bond: The film sees the characters fall for one another following their testing ordeal

Behind the scenes footage for The Mountain Between Us, starring Kate Winslet and Idris Elba (pictured), highlights the extreme conditions filmmakers braved to capture the action scenes

In the behind the scenes footage, shot at an altitude of 10,500ft on location in Canada, Kate explains how the story centres on two characters 'who don't know each other at all' before their fateful plane journey - but after discovering help is not on the way, must learn to work together if they hope to escape the wilderness alive.

While Kate plays a soon-to-be-married photojournalist, Golden Globe-winner Idris Elba plays her on screen romantic interest, surgeon Dr. Ben Bass.

The beautiful and dangerous landscapes of the Canadian Rockies serve as the backdrop to The Mountain Between Us, a gripping tale of love and survival which hits cinemas on October 12

Strangers: The pair find themselves charter a light aircraft but the voyage ends in disaster

While Idris mentions the plummeting temperatures, Kate adds: 'Nothing really prepares you for it.'

Indeed, the unpredictable weather of British Columbia - including blizzards and knee-deep snow - sets the scene for a non-traditional and visually spectacular love story that will delight thrill seekers and romance devotees alike.

Romance blossoms in the most surreal places: After the characters find themselves stranded and struggling to cling on to hope, they fall in love

The unpredictable weather of British Columbia - including blizzards and knee-deep snow - sets the scene for a spectacular love story that'll delight thrill seekers and romance devotees alike

By the end of the gruelling shoot, Kate confessed she enjoyed the experience so much '(she) didn't want to go home', adding that her director would jump at the opportunity to film scenes during the 'incredible' snow storms.

In The Mountain Between Us, Hany Abu-Assad shows the intimate moments between the two characters and their blossoming romance, while also capturing the impossibly grand scale of the landscape with his sweeping, cinematic style.

It is a visual achievement that will no doubt spell future Hollywood success for the Palestinian filmmaker taking on his first English language theatrical project.

Stranded in the snowy wilderness after a plane crash, two strangers must journey across dangerous mountain ranges in sub-zero temperatures while pushing each other to survive

THE MOUNTAIN BETWEEN US Stranded in the snowy wilderness after a deadly plane crash, two strangers must journey across dangerous mountain ranges in sub-zero temperatures while pushing each other to survive. As they discover their inner strength in the extreme conditions, soon-to-be-married photojournalist Alex and surgeon Dr. Ben Bass form an unlikely bond. This bond turns into love in the most challenging of circumstances. The Mountain Between Us, starring Kate Winslet and Idris Elba, is released to cinemas October 12. As they discover their inner strength in the extreme conditions, soon-to-be-married photojournalist Alex Martin and surgeon Dr. Ben Bass form an unlikely bond

Hany, who helmed Oscar-nominated films Omar and Paradise Now, has also reassured audiences that there were no green screen SFX with the exception of the plane crash - relying instead on the Rockies' awe-inspiring natural surroundings.

Producer Peter Chernin explains: 'This is movie about survival, this is a movie about people being pushed to the edges of human tolerance. I don't think you could survive without falling in love'.

The Mountain Between Us is released to cinemas October 12.
He is one of the biggest names in Hollywood.

But that did not stop Harrison Ford from having fun at Ryan Gosling's expense by pretending to forget this name three times during a hilarious talk show appearance.

The thigh-slapping moment occurred when the 75-year-old appeared with the famed hunk to promote their science fiction film Blade Runner 2049.

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Another unreliable Ford: Harrison pretended he could not remember Ryan Gosling's name on the Graham Norton Show

After waxing lyrical on The Graham Norton Show about the screenplay, the OAP actor said: 'As I read it I read about the character that, um, uh, Ryan? Ryan?'

Trying to be helpful, his 36-year-old co-star said: 'It's Ryan.'

Trying to continue, the Indiana Jones star added: '(Ryan) Uh, came to play and I said, with great enthusiasm I called up the producers and I said this is great, can't wait, what a great part.

'Why don't we see if we can get, um, Br.. Brian Gosling.'

Ryan then pretended to mishear, asking him, 'Did you say Brosling?'

'Why don't we see if we can get, um': The OAP actor's acted like his mind went blank

The life of Ryan: After initially struggling he started calling his co-star 'Brian'

Tickled pink: Graham Norton was loving every moment of the hilarity

After much confusiion Harrison said, 'This is a great part for Br, er, Ryan Gosling.'

He then completed his skit by saying, 'They said we'd been talking to him for months. Now wait a second - they'd only been speaking to me for weeks.

'So they probably would've gone ahead without me.'

The star's antics had his fellow guests Reese Witherspoon and Margot Robbie in stitches, while Ryan awkwardly shuffled in his seat throughout.

Harrison has literally used the young heartthrob as his punching bag, previously blaming the young pretender for walking into his fist and injuring his hand when he smacked him on the face while recording a fight scene.

He added: 'My hand was slightly injured, but I didnt hold it against him.'

His cheeky dig follows his co-star spilling the beans on the incident while promoting the forthcoming sequel.

Did he say 'Brosling': Being one of the biggest names in Hollywood was not enough to jog Harrison's memory

Blonde moment: Reese Witherspoon and Margot Robbie identified with the movie hunk

Ryan said: 'We were just doing a fight scene and, you know, it just happened. But what was funny was, when it was over, they brought ice for my face, and Harrison pushed me out of the way and stuck his fist in the ice.

'He came by afterward with this bottle of scotch, and I thought, "Oh, I knew this was coming."

'And he pulled out a glass from his pocket, poured me a glass, and walked away with the rest of the bottle.

'So I guess he felt like he didnt connect enough to earn a whole bottle.'

Blade Runner 2049 hits screens on Friday.

Punching bag: Harrison previously mocked his co-star for 'walking' into his fist during a fight scene in Blade Runner 2049
He has always been interested in fashion, but worked as a scaffolder before he shot to fame on Love Island last year.

And now off the back of the show, Alex Bowen has fulfilled his dream of creating a fashion collection by releasing his very own line, MVMNTLondon.

Speaking exclusively to MailOnline, the 26-year-old revealed his past in designing prior to the reality show, and gushed that his fiancee Olivia Buckland is his perfect match both in romantic and fashion terms, as she shares his 'edgy' sense of style.

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New range: Alex Bowen has fulfilled his dream of creating his own fashion collection by releasing his very own line, MVMNT London

Alex worked as a scaffolder in Birmingham before his six-week stint on Love Island last summer - which not only shot him to fame, but introduced him to the love of his life, Olivia.

Having been offered a huge amount of exciting opportunities since departing the Majorca villa, the hunk immediately embarked on fulfilling his dream of designing his very own clothing collection, as a keen follower of fashion.

Speaking to MailOnline ahead of the launch, the hunk revealed he has been creating his own clothes for years, and that his head was full to the brim of ideas for his own range.

Hidden talent: Speaking exclusively to MailOnline, the 26-year-old revealed his past in designing prior to appearing on Love Island

Muse: He also revealed that his fiancee Olivia Buckland is his perfect match both in romantic and fashion terms, as she shares his 'edgy' sense of style

Revealing his natural flair for fashion, he explained: 'Four years ago I took an old sweatshirt, cut it in half and put it together with a T-shirt to make a cool long line top.

'I've always wanted to design, and about two months after the show I got the trademark but because I was so busy, nothing really happened with it.

'However about six months ago Olivia bought me a sketchpad and pencils and it just took off - I've still got loads of drawings in it now ready for the winter!'

Passionate: Having been offered a huge amount of exciting opportunities since departing the Majorca villa, the hunk immediately embarked on fulfilling his dream of designing his very own clothing collection, as a keen follower of fashion

Excited: Speaking to MailOnline ahead of the launch, the hunk revealed he has been creating his own clothes for years, and that his head was full to the brim of ideas for his own range

Considered: 'I just wanted to pick the best pieces and the ones that would make more of a statement for the launch,' he said of the new range

Alex's collection launched on Tuesday, and features a selection of timeless and understated pieces - including crisp pastel T-shirts and oversized jumpers.

Explaining that he wanted to inject his own sense of style into the range, he said: 'I just wanted to pick the best pieces and the ones that would make more of a statement for the launch.

'There are no big names anywhere, its all little logos on the corners or back. I didn't want to smash it in your face - I wanted the garments to speak for themselves.'

Stylish: Alex's collection is set to launch later this month, and features a selection of timeless and understated pieces - including crisp pastel T-shirts and oversized jumpers

Delighted: He revealed he is very proud of himself, for creating a high quality collection at such affordable prices - which he would have bought himself prior to fame

He also revealed he is very proud of himself, for creating a high quality collection at such affordable prices - which he would have bought himself prior to fame, and that he hopes will relate to the fans who now look up to him.

He added: 'I get young lads always messaging me saying they look up to me.

'When I was at uni and had my first job, Id be getting around 200 quid a week, and Id find a pair of jeans I like for 100 and I just wouldnt be able to afford it.

'I've always bought cheaper clothing, and I'd have to mix and match brands too whereas with my collection, you can buy a whole outfit of the same style from the same place.'

Blood, sweat and tears: While he admits his range is not rock-bottom prices, Alex assured his fans that the quality was worth it, as a result of months of hard work and dedication

While he admits his range is not rock-bottom prices, Alex assured his fans that the quality was worth it, as a result of months of hard work and dedication.

'Jeans are price around 55, as I wanted it to be high quality,' he said. 'I made sure all the colours and materials were right. I've been very in-depth!'

While he has always known what he likes, Alex did admit with a laugh that his style has come into its own since meeting his fiancee Olivia, who shares the same 'edgy and quirky' tastes.

The hunk even confessed that the pair dress each other all the time - and that she loves it when he chooses her outfits.

He laughed: 'The other week Liv was at London Fashion Week and had to get a train to a night out with my family, so I went out and bought her an outfit and she loved it!

Thoughtful: 'Jeans are price around 55, as I wanted it to be high quality,' he said. 'I made sure all the colours and materials were right. I've been very in-depth!'

Similar: While he has always known what he likes, Alex did admit with a laugh that his style has come into its own since meeting his fiancee Olivia, who shares the same 'edgy and quirky' tastes

'We get each others styles really well. If she asks me to buy her an outfit I definitely can, 8/- times out of 10, and Id let her dress me as well. We're quite quirky and quite edgy with our style.'

Alex gushed that Olivia, who he met and fell in love with on Love Island last year, is incredibly proud of his collection - but admitted the pair never thought their careers would take off like they have after the show.

He said proudly: 'For me I was just a scaffolder who lived at home with my mum, and now I have my own clothing brand, I'm living with Olivia in our own house, getting ready to marry the girl, with our own dog...

'To think this all came from that one show, is unreal. It changed my life for the better for sure.'

Peas in a pod: The hunk even confessed that the pair dress each other all the time - and that she loves it when he chooses her outfits

After a whirlwind romance on the show, Alex and Olivia later became engaged during their holiday to New York City over Christmas.

However, the Birmingham native admitted he knew he wanted to marry Olivia very early on, after spending 24 hours a day together in the Love Island villa.

Discussing his proposal, he said: 'In the villa you have no phone, literally living together 24 hours a day, for six weeks, so everything was sped up. A long time together was a short time.

'She was messing around once and showed me a photo of a ring, and I walked past a shop that had one quite similar soon after, and just bought it out straight.

Like-minded: 'We get each others styles really well. If she asks me to buy her an outfit I definitely can, 8/- times out of 10, and Id let her dress me as well. We're quite quirky and quite edgy with our style,' he said

Tasteful: 'There are no big names anywhere, its all little logos on the corners or back. I didn't want to smash it in your face - I wanted the garments to speak for themselves,' he added

'I messaged my best man who was really supportive, and I already had our trip NYC booked so he told me to do it there. It was just the perfect timing.'

Forming something of pattern however, 2017 contestants Jessica Shears and Dom Lever also recently announced their engagement - just three months after they met.

When asked whether he feels like the new couple are following their lead, Alex simply wished the pair well with their romance, and affirmed that he and Olivia were getting married for love.

He said: 'A lot of people keep talking about the Love Island wedding. Maybe Jess and Dom want that, but to me its the Alex and Olivia wedding.

'People keep saying were the first to get married from Love Island, but that doesnt even enter my head. I want to marry Olivia because I love the girl.'

Happy couple: After a whirlwind romance on the show, Alex and Olivia later became engaged during their holiday to New York City over Christmas

He then added: 'Obviously everyone has their opinions on people, Ive met them once and they seemed alright. If its genuine, I wish them all the best and if its not, it will all unfold.'

The pair are currently planning their wedding, which is scheduled for September 2018 - and Olivia even documented her day of dress shopping on TLC's Say Yes To The Dress.

Having played out most of their romance on television, Alex revealed the pair had not written off the idea of broadcasting their wedding - but that they do want certain moments to remain private.

He said: 'If it was filmed it would be nice to look back on, but Im marrying her cause I love her and want to be with her. Id want certain things to be private.

'Were in talks for something at the minute, but I want it on our terms as it's our wedding day, ahead of the rest of our lives.'

Proving their romance to only be going from strength to strength, Olivia recently revealed that she was planning to come off the pill after the wedding, in order to try for a baby.

Big plans: The pair are currently planning their wedding, which is scheduled for September 2018 - and Olivia even documented her day of dress shopping on TLC's Say Yes To The Dress

When asked about whether the pair's plans to start a family, Alex admitted it was definitely on the cards - and that he has only been made more broody by their good friends Nathan Massey and Cara de la Hoyde, who are currently expecting.

He said of his friend, and Olivia's maid of honour: 'Cara being pregnant makes me broody!

'Im 26 now. Olivia's 23, and I dont want to be an old dad, but dont want to be too young either.

'When I have a kid I want to be a really good dad and be there for them, but as soon as we get married shes gonna come off the pill and were going to let it happen naturally.'

However. unlike him and Olivia, Nathan and Cara have since split up since winning the ITV2 show last year - but Alex revealed the pair are still on good terms.

'Nathan has really stepped up to the plate,' he explained. 'They're really on it at the minute and theyve become really good friends again.'

While he hopes the pair will get back together in the future, he remained coy over the prospect of a reconciliation, adding: 'I think maybe theyre finding themselves a bit more, like they did on Love Island.'

MVMNT London is available to buy at www.mvmntlondon.co.uk.
Her passion for fashion has brought her to the French capital for a week of sartorial pleasures.

And Salma Hayek was oozing glamour and style as she stepped out at Stella McCartney's Fashion Tech Lab event as part of Paris Fashion Week on Monday.

Hollywood actress Salma, 51, sizzled in a skirt and floral blouse ensemble alongside her billionaire husband Francois-Henri Pinault, 55.

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Power couple: Hollywood star Salma Hayek (right) cut a sophisticated figure with her billionaire husband Francois-Henri Pinault (left) at a Fashion Tech Lab event in Paris on Monday

Chic: Stella McCartney (pictured) hosted the event as part of Paris Fashion Week

Salma cut a sophisticated figure in a flattering skirt and a black woollen blouse emblazoned with intricate floral detail.

She completed her demure ensemble - which she also wore to the Alexander McQueen show later in the day - with a velvet-style pair of peach peep-toe wedges.

The Frida star enjoys many a runway display from the FROW thanks to her businessman husband's high-profile connections.

Sophisticated: Salma finished off her demure ensemble - which she also wore to the Alexander McQueen show later in the day (pictured) - with a velvet-style pair of peach peep-toe wedges

Friends in high places: The Frida star enjoys many a runway display from the FROW thanks to her businessman husband's high-profile connections

Main event: Pamela Anderson sizzled in a tiger-print jumpsuit and monochrome coat

Working it: A model wears a creation for the Stella McCartney Spring/Summer 2018 ready-to-wear fashion collection presented in Paris on Monday

Turning heads: Stella's fellow host, the Russian entrepreneur Miroslava Duma, also looked stunning in a maxi khaki trench-coat style buttoned dress. She cosied up to friends Francois-Henri Pinault (left) and Valerie Duport (right)

Faces of fashion: Miroslava Duma (second left) and Stella McCartney (right) hosted the event supported by pals Franois-Henri Pinault and Salma Hayek (centre)

Blazer squad: Vogue's style editor-at-large Elisabeth von Thurn und Taxis (left) and model Caroline De Maigret (right) both opted for chic monochrome blazers

Meanwhile Stella, 46, looked typically chic in a patterned black gown.

The fashion icon and mother of four's frock featured a high neckline, flared sleeves and a pleated skirt, with a gathered waist which showed off the designer's statuesque figure.

Accessorising with an ivory clutch bag, Stella wore her copper locks in her trademark tousled waves cascading around her shoulders.

She opted for a pared-back look on the make-up front with just a dash of mascara to accentuate her long lashes and piercing blue eyes.

Stella had already reaffirmed her world-class designer status once on Monday with her stonking display of 1980s-inspired clothes on the Paris Fashion Week runway, but was back for more at the tech event to unveil various creative projects.

Back for more: Stella had already reaffirmed her world-class designer status once on Monday with her stonking display of 1980s-inspired clothes on the Paris Fashion Week runway, but was back for more at the tech event to unveil various creative projects

Vibrant: Both Alexia Niedzielski and Arizona Muse added sparks of colour to their outfits

Presenting time: Miroslava (centre) used the event to unveil fashion projects

A la mode: Elizabeth von Guttman (left), Natalia Vodianova and Antoine Arnault (right) also showed their support for Stella and Miroslava

Vogue: Miroslava, Pamela and Stella cuddled up at the star-studded event

Stella's fellow host, the Russian entrepreneur Miroslava Duma, also looked stunning in a maxi khaki trench-coat style buttoned dress.

Baywatch's Pamela Anderson also made an appearance, sizzling in a tiger-print jumpsuit and monochrome coat.

And one of the most sought-after models of the moment, Arizona Muse, showcased her own sense of fashion in a sleep deep blue shirt.

McQueen Dream: Another of PFW's defining events was the Alexander McQueen show which also came on Monday (pictured)

Trio treat: These three models stormed the runway in contrasting frocks with an eclectic mix of frills, flares and floral flecks
She's one-half of the on-again-off-again couple who host the MTV reality show Just Tattoo Of Us.

And Charlotte Crosby has addressed relationship dramas with boyfriend Stephen Bear on the Kyle And Jackie O Show on Tuesday.

The 27-year-old revealed she and her reality TV star beau are still together, despite a tough few months that saw them part ways for a time.

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'It was just like a bomb waiting to go off at any minute': Charlotte Crosby has addressed relationship drama rumours with boyfriend Stephen Bear, speaking to the Kyle And Jackie O Show

'We are a fan of each other, we are a fan of each other,' she affirmed.

Charlotte explained to the KIIS FM hosts they had a 'bad month' where they would constantly argue, 'I'm sure a lot of couples could relate to this,' she added.

'But we actually work together as well, so it was just like a bomb waiting to go off at any minute,' she said, referring to Just Tattoo Of Us.

Still in love: The 27-year-old revealed she and her reality TV star beau are still together, despite a tough few months that saw them part ways for a time

Earlier this year Charlotte and Bear confirmed they were dating and in love.

In an interview with OK! Magazine, she said: 'I want to spend the rest of my life with Bear.'

'I would like him to be the father of my children and I'd like to marry him. He's The One and the most incredible boyfriend.'

Since then the couple have had a tumultuous on-again, off-again relationship played out on social media and in the press.

Not always perfect: Charlotte explained to the KIIS FM hosts they had a 'bad month' where they would constantly argue, 'I'm sure a lot of couples could relate to this,' she added

Head over heels! Earlier in the year she told OK! Magazine, 'I want to spend the rest of my life with Bear.' She added, 'I would like him to be the father of my children and I'd like to marry him. He's The One and the most incredible boyfriend'

In August, Stephen took to Twitter to announce they had split up while in Las Vegas for the Floyd Mayweather vs Conor McGregor fight, which took her by surprise.

He wrote: 'Sadly me and Charlotte have split up. We have had a good run but we wasn't right for each other (sic).'

The couple have since patched things up, confirming their were back together in September attending an event at Londons Brick Lane Yard.

Despite all the drama, Charlotte told the breakfast show duo: 'We had a few times where we split up and it was really quite public, so it was a bit stupid of us, but everything's fine now.'

'That bad month has passed. It was August, I'm blaming August,' she joked.
The 'Lil Beast' motorcycle once owned by Jada Pinkett Smith is back on the market - for just $5,000.

The 46-year-old sold the 2011 Yamaha Vstar 650, a gift from husband Will Smith, back in 2013 with fewer than 100 miles on the clock.

And the actress even gave the black and red hog a decent send off on Facebook, saying she was a three-wheeler girl, according to TMZ.

It's a gift: Will Smith gave wife Jada Pinkett Smith this powerful Yamaha Vstar 650 motorcycle in 2011, which she sold just two years later with 100 miles on the clock

She said in a message: 'I am saying goodbye to my "Lil Beast." I'm only sticking to my three-wheelers from now on, but it sure has been fun. She's been good to me.'

Jada now satisfies her need for speed on three wheels, dashing around town on her Can-Am Spyder RS-S instead.

The Yamaha is six years old but it might as well be brand new as its last owner only put another 2,900 miles on it in all that time.

As for her Lil Beast, it's being sold by Yamaha of Cucamonga in California priced $1,000 over market value based on its previous famous owner and low mileage.

More sedate ride: The 46-year-old now satisfies her need for speed on three wheels, dashing around town on her Can-Am Spyder RS-S instead

The fully loaded hog would've cost around $10,800 back in 2011.

Meanwhile, the mother-of-two is still busy on the big and small screen.

Jada has had a recurring role as Fish Mooney in Fox's Gotham since 2014.

She also appeared in summer hit Girls Trip with Queen Latifah, Regina Hall and Tiffany Haddish.
They're the controversial couple who have threatened to quit and have fallen out with their fellow The Block contestants.

And Ronnie and Georgia were celebrating on Tuesday as they received a perfect score in the guest room reveal.

Appearing on the Today show, Ronnie could hardly contain himself as he held up his ten fingers in excitement, 'We had the best time doing it. Yes it was stressful, but we made it out and we got the perfect score!' he said.

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'We got the perfect score!' The Block's controversial couple Ronnie and Georgia celebrate nabbing full points for their guest room

'Stoked to get the perfect score! But a little bit irritated we had to share it to be fair' Ronnie and Georgia, who Today host Lisa Wilkinson described as a 'power couple' were matched by Elyse Knowles and her partner Josh, who also received 10 points

The pair, who Today host Lisa Wilkinson described as a 'power couple' were matched by Elyse Knowles and her partner Josh, who also received 10 points.

'Stoked to get the perfect score! But a little bit irritated we had to share it to be fair,' said Georgia.

Ronnie and Georgia were the only team to incorporate a ensuite into their design and it was a decision that paid off, with the judges describing it as 'beyond luxury.'

Now I am officially blown away said Neal Whitaker as he entered the bathroom.

The judges praised the couple for knowing how to fuse heritage and modern elements to create a bathroom that 'oozed glamour' and was 'very sexy.'

Nailed it! Ronnie and Georgia were the only team to incorporate a ensuite bathroom into their design and it was a decision that paid off

Meanwhile, in the bedroom itself, the judges claimed the feature wall was a 'major success' and loved the touch of adding the same wallpaper to the cupboard shelves.

Georgia has gone into meltdown mode after falling victim to pressure in previous weeks.

Hallway and laundry week had the couple shaking in their boots as they attempted to complete the allocated area in an excruciatingly tight time frame.

A perfect ten! The judges praised the couple for knowing how to fuse heritage and modern elements to create a bathroom that 'oozed glamour' and was 'very sexy'

Normally well ahead of the pack, the couple were running behind schedule, a point driven home by Keith who at one point informed Ronnie he had about 10 hours left of work to do with less than one hour left of power tool use to do it in.

The pressure and lack of sleep particularly got to Georgia and she broke down sobbing when she realised their renovation wasn't coming together as planned.

In tears, she exclaimed: 'I'm really tired and I'm about to cry.'

'I'm really tired and I'm about to cry' Georgia has gone into meltdown mode after falling victim to pressure in previous weeks

She added: 'I don't think I love my hallway. It's just not coming together as expected.'

In the end, the couple weren't able to completely finish their room for the first time ever.
Ukrainian police have detained a group of people suspected to be linked to a series of attacks across the country in the recent months, Ukrainian Interior Minister Arsen Avalon said here Monday.





In a statement on Facebook, Avalon wrote that the suspects were detained in Ukraine's western Transcarpathia region while they were preparing to blow up a monument to Hungarian people in the Carpathian Mountains.





Police have seized grenades from the detainees and launched criminal proceedings against them, Avakov said.





According to him, the preliminary investigation found that the arrested men were members of a criminal group that has prepared and performed five blasts and four other provocative acts since November 2016, aimed at "inciting xenophobia, religious intolerance and international conflicts" across Ukraine.





In particular, the group was behind the explosion in central Kiev during the Independence Day celebrations on Aug. 24, 2017, which injured three people, Avakov said.





According to the minister, the group has also organized a blast near a pilgrimage site for Hasidic Jews in the city of Uman in central Ukraine last month, which hurt two Israeli nationals.





In addition, the police accused the detained people of attacks on the Polish consulate in western Lutsk city and the U.S. embassy in Kiev in March and June this year respectively.





The Interior Minister has not disclosed the number of detainees, but later in the day his aide Anton Geraschenko said that three people were arrested.





The detainees face life prison sentence if the court confirms their involvement in the attacks.
With his striking looks, he is a strong fixture in front of the camera.

But Matt Bomer will head behind the lens for an upcoming episode of American Crime Story: Versace.

The 39-year-old looked to have been brought on by pal Ryan Murphy, who is the series' executive producer.

Going behind the camera: Matt Bomer, 39, will make his directorial debut on American Crime Story: Versace. He is pictured in LA in September

According to TV Line, this will mark the actor's directorial debut.

Matt will call the shots for the eighth episode of the second season, which is set for a January release.

The story follows the murder of fashion mogul Gianni Versace, who was gunned down in 1997 as he walked back to his home from a local cafe.

Taking charge: Matt will call the shots for the eighth episode of the second season, which is set for a January release. He is seen in LA in August

Matt's involvement with the Ryan-produced show should come as no surprise, as the two have frequently worked together in the past.

The Golden Globe Winner previously starred in The Normal Heart and American Horror Story. He also appeared in The New Normal and Glee.

All were either produced or created by Ryan.

Business friends: The actor looked to have been brought on by pal Ryan Murphy, 51, who is the series' executive producer. They are pictured in Beverly Hills in January 2015

Matt recently starred alongside Lily Collins in the Amazon series, The Last Tycoon.

Up next, the Missouri native will appear in the Sci-Fi drama, Jonathan.

Matt will also voice a character in B.O.O. Bureau of Otherworldly Operations, alongside Melissa McCarthy, Bill Murray and Seth Rogan, among others.
She recently confirmed she and husband Kanye West are expecting her third child via surrogate.

And Kim Kardashian certainly looked in good spirits on Monday, when she was spotted rocking a casually stylish ensemble in Los Angeles.

The 37-year-old reality star icon went braless underneath her plunging crop top to give a flash of cleavage, and swept her hair into a tight low bun - implying she had removed her famous extensions.

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Stepping out: Kim Kardashian certainly looked in good spirits on Monday, when she was spotted rocking a casually stylish ensemble in Los Angeles

The reality star slicked her platinum blonde locks into a tight bun, seemingly to keep her extension-free hair out of sight.

Maintaining her usual sense of glamour in her outfit however, Kim slipped into a cropped white T-shirt tied at the bust - which gave a glimpse of her famous cleavage for all to see with its plunging neckline.

Teaming the top with high-rise tracksuit bottoms, Kim showed off her enviably toned stomach and tiny waist as she stepped out for another busy day in LA.

Low-key: The 37-year-old reality star went braless underneath her plunging crop top to give a flash of cleavage, and swept her hair into a low bun - having removed her famous extensions

She tied her look together with towering camel heels, which she handled with ease as she clambered into an SUV.

After a swirl of rumors, Kim finally confirmed in a recent Keeping Up With The Kardashians preview that she's got another baby on the way via surrogacy.

Earlier last month, TMZ had reported their surrogate is due in January, and is a 20-something who's been married five years and has two young sons.

Kim herself had carried her and Kanye's two elder children - four-year-old daughter North West and one-year-old son Saint West.

Slender: Teaming the top with high-rise tracksuit bottoms, Kim showed off her enviably toned stomach and tiny waist as she stepped out for another busy day in LA

Finishing touches: She tied her look together with towering camel heels, which she handled with ease as she clambered into an SUV

There's also speculation, kicked off by TMZ last month, that Kim's 33-year-old sister Khloe Kardashian is pregnant by her boyfriend Tristan Thompson.

Last December, Cleveland Cavalier Tristan welcomed his firstborn child - a son called Prince - by his ex-girlfriend Jordan Craig.

Kim and Khloe's 20-year-old half sister Kylie Jenner is also rumored to be pregnant by her own boyfriend Travis Scott, who is five years her senior.

Neither the Khloe pregnancy rumor nor the Kylie pregnancy rumor has been confirmed by the Kardashian-Jenner family.
He found his fiance and mother of his child Snezana Markoski by starring on The Bachelor.

But Sam Wood has revealed his reservations about Australia's newest Bachelorette Sophie Monk, admitting that he thinks she is too good for her reality star suitors.

'I don't know about the blokes. I probably shouldn't say that,' he told Nova 100's Chrissie, Sam & Browny on Tuesday.

'None of them jump out to me so far': Sam Wood has revealed his reservations about Australia's newest Bachelorette Sophie Monk, admitting that he thinks she is too good for her reality star suitors

'None of them jump out to me so far,' he confessed, prompting Chrissie Swan to joke about zealous contestant Jarrod Woodgate jumping out of a bush.

'Jarrod's got it bad. Might have gone a bit hard a bit early that one,' laughed Sam.

Indeed, fans have been left scratching their heads at the array of hopefuls debuting on The Bachelorette this season.

'Jarrod's got it bad': Chrissie Swan joked about zealous contestant Jarrod Woodgate jumping out of a bush.

Not-so-eligible bachelors? While some viewers have taken issue at the fact that the men are all younger than 37-year-old Sophie, others have questioned whether Sophie's suitors are really as eligible as they have been billed on the show

While some viewers have taken issue at the fact that the men are all younger than 37-year-old Sophie, others have questioned whether Sophie's suitors are really as eligible as they have been billed on the show.

In the weeks since the popular dating show kicked off, last month, several former flames of contestant Sam Cochrane have come forward with tales of their ill-fated romance.

One woman told Daily Mail Australia: [Sam] would often try and make me jealous, and he likened himself to Thor and tried to use that in a bid to win me over.'

'He just doesn't know when to stop and equally doesn't take well to being told 'no'': In the weeks since the popular dating show kicked off, last month, several former flames of contestant Sam Cochrane have come forward with tales of their ill-fated romance

'He just doesn't know when to stop and equally doesn't take well to being told 'no''

'It's as if he can't believe that someone would turn him down and he gets quite over the top and arrogant.'

Meanwhile, another woman said: 'He was a total jerk - would call and text constantly. He was in love with me after two days. It was a huge red flag.'

'He thinks he's destined for Hollywood... he's not': Last week, Daily Mail Australia revealed that self-described 'investor and entrepreneur' Blake Colman is a fridge mechanic that lives with his parents.

Another former lover also alleged Sam would conveniently 'misplace' his wallet on the nights they met up, forcing his date to fork out around '$200' each time.

But Sam isn't the only one to have his skeletons exposed since debuting on the show.

Last week, Daily Mail Australia revealed that self-described 'investor and entrepreneur' Blake Colman is a fridge mechanic that lives with his parents.

'He thinks he's destined for Hollywood... he's not. Blake was trying to be the villain character so he could be remembered on The Bachelorette. He wanted fame and thought Sophie was his ticket,' an insider told Daily Mail Australia.
It's the deadliest mass shooting in US history, that left 59 dead and 527 injured, at the Route 91 Harvest Festival in Las Vegas, Nevada.

And just hours later on Monday, Keith Urban performed Bridge Over Troubled Water at a candlelight vigil in Nashville, Tennessee.

The 49-year-old's honouring of the victims, came after he Tweeted that he is 'stilled and speechless' by the horrific act.

Lending his profile: Keith Urban, 49, performed at a candlelight vigil in Nashville, Tennessee, on Monday, honouring the victims of the Las Vegas shooting that left 59 dead and 527 injured

Keith dressed casually, sporting a black T-shirt, jeans and a denim jacket.

The husband of Australian actress Nicole Kidman put on a heartfelt performance, belting out the lyrics to Simon and Garfunkel's Bridge Over Troubled Water.

Understandably throughout the performance, Keith looked emotional.

Attire: Keith dressed casually, sporting a black T-shirt, jeans and a denim jacket

Lyrics: The husband of Australian actress Nicole Kidman put on a heartfelt performance, belting out the lyrics to Simon and Garfunkel's Bridge Over Troubled Water

The performance comes shortly after Keith took to Twitter, revealing that he is 'stilled and speechless' by the horrific turn of events.

The country music star posted to the social media platform: 'Stilled and speechless...Our hearts and prayers are with everyone involved and affected. - KU.'

Residents of the Nashville community woke up on Monday to hear that a deadly mass shooting took place at the Route 91 Harvest Festival.

Sunday October 1 on the popular Las Vegas strip saw 59 dead and at least 527 injured.

Emotional: Understandably throughout the performance, Keith looked emotional

Can't fathom it: The performance comes shortly after Keith took to Twitter, revealing that he is 'stilled and speechless' by the horrific turn of events

Online: The country music star posted to the social media platform: 'Stilled and speechless...Our hearts and prayers are with everyone involved and affected. - KU'

According to police, the shooter was 64-year-old Stephen Craig Paddock, who fired the shots from a room on the 32nd floor at the Mandalay Bay Hotel that he had checked into.

The festival that was headlining acts such as Sam Hunt, Jason Aldean and Eric Church was taking place across the street.

Clark County Sheriff Joseph Lombardo revealed that Stephen was found dead inside his room, among an 'arsenal' of 10 firearms.

Horrific: Residents of the Nashville community woke up on Monday to hear that a deadly mass shooting took place at the Route 91 Harvest Festival. Sunday October 1 on the popular Las Vegas strip saw 59 dead and at least 527 injured
She's the former Bachelorette who has made a name for herself as a media personality.

And Georgia Love is using her high public profile for good as she has joined Cosmopolitan Australia's campaign to raise awareness of the red flags that often precede domestic violence.

The 29-year-old appears in the latest issue of the magazine to show her support, 'I am so passionate about this topic because I have seen the effects of physical and emotional abuse,' she said.

'I've seen the effects of abuse and it is just not OK' Former Bachelorette Georgia Love joins campaign to raise awareness on domestic violence

'It is just not OK in any way, shape or form,' she added.

Georgia is joined by a suite of other celebrities, influencers and domestic violence survivors for the campaign.

Other stars involved include Tegan Martin, Laura Dundovic, Nicole Da Silva and Sam Frost.

The brunette shares her experience of having a friend who was in an abusive relationship.

Ofering her support: Georgia is joined by a suite of other celebrities, influencers and domestic violence survivors for the Cosmo campaign

Luckily, Georgia's friend 'was able to get out before it became even more serious,' she said, before adding: 'I don't know what could have happened if she didn't.'

The journalist said she joined the campaign because she wanted to: 'Do anything and everything I can to make sure no woman has to suffer at the hands of a so-called loved one.'

Georgia appears in the publication with a red-coloured sticker over her mouth, which signifies the red flags of violence as well as how women who are suffering or have suffered abuse feel silenced.

using her voice: The journalist said she joined the campaign because she wanted to: 'Do anything and everything I can to make sure no woman has to suffer at the hands of a so-called loved one'

Georgia and her Bachelorette beau Lee Elliott also recently announced their support of charity Polished Man, which encourages people to paint one fingernail to signify the one child that dies every minute due to violence.

The pair have both been urging people to sign up to raise funds for the charity which aims to eliminate this violence.
He's the Australian television icon who was given a 50 per cent chance of making it through quadruple heart bypass surgery alive.

But Bert Newton, 79, made it and says that 'Every morning is a bonus.'

In an interview with New Idea on Monday, the TV legend credited his wife of 43 years, Patti, for his recovery.

'Every morning is a bonus!' TV legend Bert Newton says his recovery from major heart surgery is thanks to his wife of 43 years, Patti

'Patti takes extra special care of what I do and particularly what I don't do,' he said of his 72-year-old wife.

The grandfather of four also revealed that he has suffered 'a couple of bouts of pneumonia' since his surgery.

But despite his bad run of health Bert is in good spirits.

The turnaround coincides with the recent rumoured wedding of his son Matthew to fiancee Caroline Schneiderman.

In good spirits: The grandfather of four also revealed that he has suffered 'a couple of bouts of pneumonia' since his surgery but despite his bad run of health Bert is buoyant

Last month, New Idea reported that Matthew had tied the knot with fiancee Catherine Schneiderman in an intimate New York ceremony.

'[Matthew] rang his parents prior to the big day and invited them but with Bert's health being a little strained in recent months they decided a long-haul flight to New York might not be a great idea,' a source was reported as saying.

'This is the best news ever for Bert and Patti ... they're just so happy for Matthew.'

'Patti takes extra special care of what I do and particularly what I don't do,' Bert said of his 72-year-old wife

The insider added: 'Matthew's battled a lot of demons over the years, but he finally feels like he's found his place in the world in New York with Cat.'

Catherine and Matthew first sparked engagement rumours in October, after she stepped out wearing a diamond ring.

At the time, Bert and Patti said they were overjoyed at the news.

Survivor: Despite being given a 50 per cent chance of making it through quadruple heart bypass surgery alive Australian television icon Bert did and is relishing every day since




He was unceremoniously dumped on national television last week.

But The Bachelorette's Bingham Fitz-Henry has already bounced back into the dating scene, having joined Tinder in search of a replacement for Sophie Monk.

The equestrian enthusiast's profile states that he is a 'Bachelorette reject' and, even more bizarrely, also includes a photo of himself with former flame Sophie Monk.

Would you swipe right? Bachelorette reject Bingham Fitz-Henry has already bounced back into the dating scene, having joined Tinder in search of a replacement for Sophie Monk... by using a photo of himself and Sophie as his profile picture

The photo is taken from a deleted scene from the show's first episode, in which Bingham decides to treat Sophie to a horse ride after meeting her at the mansion.

In an attempt to lure potential love interests, Bingham also included his official Bachelorette promotional photo in his profile.

It comes just a day after contestant Blake Colman emerged on dating app Bumble, despite still being in the running to win Sophie's heart.

Just a bit of horseplay? One of his profile photos is taken from a deleted scene from the show's first episode, in which Bingham decides to treat Sophie to a horse ride after meeting her at the mansion

Speaking exclusively to Daily Mail Australia, the Bumble user who came across Blake's profile said they had seen him on the app 'a few weeks back, before the show started.'

'I think it is pretty interesting that you would go on a show like The Bachelorette and then keep your [dating] profile active,' they said.

'Why be on there? Pretty big spoiler right there. Probs an ego thing.'

Oops! It comes just a day after contestant Blake Colman emerged on dating app Bumble, despite still being in the running to win Sophie's heart

Sprung! Speaking exclusively to Daily Mail Australia, the Bumble user who came across Blake's profile said they had seen him on the app 'a few weeks back, before the show started'

While Blake's Bumble profile states that he is an 'entrepreneur', Daily Mail Australia has revealed that he actually worked as a fridge and air conditioning mechanic before appearing on the show.

'He isn't an 'entrepreneur' - he is a refrigeration mechanic that lives with his parents,' a well-placed source said.

The Bachelorette airs every Wednesday and Thursday at 7.30pm on Ten.
She's set to grace the Victoria's Secret runway for the second time, later this year.

And Georgia Fowler reminded onlookers of her appeal, during Paris Fashion Week on Monday.

The 25-year-old went sans pants, flaunting her trim pins in just an oversized black suit jacket.

If you've got it! Victoria's Secret model Georgia Fowler, 25, went sans pants and flaunted her trim pins in just a black oversized suit jacket, at Paris Fashion Week on Monday

Georgia showed off her slender figure as she posed for photos at the MENE collection celebrations.

The beauty highlighted her lean legs in an oversized black suit jacket, a glimpse of her black lace bra visible at the collar.

Georgia accessorised with edgy black boots and a chained shoulder bag.

Trim and terrific: The brunette showed off her slender figure as she posed for photos at the MENE collection celebrations. Georgia highlighted her lean legs in an oversized black suit jacket

Just a hint: A glimpse of the IMG-represented star's black lace bra was visible at the collar

Sweeping her signature brunette locks into a sleek up-do, the Kiwi-born star drew attention to her striking facial features.

A dewy complexion, defined brows, bronze eye shadow, lashings of mascara and a matte pink colour over her plump pout, finished off Georgia's look.

The sighting comes just days after the IMG-represented personality strutted her stuff down the Elie Saab runway.

Simply stunning: The sighting comes just days after Georgia strutted her stuff down the Elie Saab runway

Flirty: The social media sensation stunned in a sheer blue jewelled halterneck-style frock, with a daring split enabling her to expose her long and lean legs

Georgia stunned in a sheer blue jewelled halterneck-style frock, with strategic cut-outs drawing the eye to her slender waist.

A daring split at either side enabled the social media sensation to expose her long and lean legs.

Statement gold earrings provided an extra touch of glam to the ensemble.

Notoriety: Georgia will return to the Victoria's Secret runway for the second time later this year. The lingerie model has also made headlines thanks to her rumoured romances with lotharios Harry Styles and Leonardo DiCaprio

Georgia will return to the Victoria's Secret runway for the second time later this year.

The lingerie model has also made headlines thanks to her rumoured romances with lotharios Harry Styles and Leonardo DiCaprio.

But despite the talk, Georgia admitted to news.com.au in May that she didn't have any time for love at the moment with her career taking off.

'I'm far too busy for boys,' she told the publication, adding that she was currently single.
She's one of Australia's most in demand models, known for her enviable curves and svelte frame.

But on Monday Shanina Shaik covered up her famous figure, wearing a sleek satin ensemble to the MENE Collection Celebrations in Paris.

The 26-year-old wore a low cut sleepwear-inspired ensemble, pairing it with statement bold gold jewellery.

Sultry in satin! Lingerie model Shanina Shaik covers up her famous figure in a sleepwear-inspired white ensemble at the MENE Collection Celebrations

The natural beauty wore a pajama style white satin top, which matched her nail polish.

Shanina paired the top with a matching sleek maxi skirt, accessorising with a black handbag and gold necklace.

Wearing her hair back from her face in a simple bun, Shanina showed off her natural beauty by wearing little to no makeup.

Simple: Shanina paired the top with a matching sleek maxi skirt, accessorising with a black handbag and gold necklace

Keeping it classic: Wearing her hair back from her face in a simple bun, Shanina showed off her natural beauty by wearing little to no makeup

Shanina is back in Europe for Paris Fashion Week after spending time last month at Milan Fashion Week.

The model strutted her stuff on the runway alongside Bella and Gigi Hadid, also attending the amfAR Gala.

A health and fitness fanatic, Shanina told Elle Australia last week her biggest beauty tips were sleep and not drinking alcohol.

Busy bee: Shanina is back in Europe for Paris Fashion Week after spending time last month at Milan Fashion Week

'Sleep is so important so I ensure that I have 8 hours sleep a night,' the model told the publication.

'I also cut out alcohol in the weeks leading up to a swim shoot so this means cutting out social cocktails with my friends.'

The model is currently planning her forthcoming nuptials to fiance DJ Ruckus, the pair becoming engaged last year.
Bachelor In Paradise was finally confirmed on Monday, after weeks of speculation.

And with former lovers and rivals set to be reunited in a tropical island destination, there will be plenty of reality TV drama on offer.

As rumours continue to swirl about potential contestants, Daily Mail Australia reveals several fantasy scenarios for the explosive spin-off.

So exciting! With former lovers and rivals set to be reunited in a tropical island destination, there will be plenty of reality TV drama on offer in Bachelor In Paradise. Pictured: Nikki Gogan

Nikki Gogan - first appeared in The Bachelor 2016

Nikki Gogan is widely tipped to appear in Bachelor in Paradise, after she was reportedly seen filming a promo for the series at Sydney's Palm Beach last month.

If the rumours are true, the real estate agent would likely play peacemaker between other female contestants - and could find herself the centre of male attention.

The show could even give her the chance to rekindle her romance with Richie Strahan, who broke up with Alex Nation earlier this year and is believed to be single.

The easygoing Northam girl could also find herself pursued by country boy Sasha Mielczarek, who last month revealed he was looking for someone down to earth.

Would they get back together? The show would give Nikki the chance to rekindle her romance with Richie Strahan, who is believed to be single following his split with Alex Nation this year

Another shot at love? Unlucky-in-love Richie Strahan is also being mentioned as a possible candidate for the inaugural season of Bachelor in Paradise

Richie Strahan - first appeared in The Bachelorette 2015

Unlucky-in-love Richie Strahan is also being mentioned as a possible candidate for the inaugural season of Bachelor in Paradise.

He first appeared on The Bachelorette in 2015, placing third, before finding love with Alex Nation on The Bachelor 2016. But it didn't last.

It's possible Richie would try and reunite with Nikki - who was the favourite to win his heart last year - but would have to work hard to win her affections.

But Richie, a gentleman known to prefer blondes, could also find himself drawn to another fair-haired possible contestant, Simone Ormesher.

Will she take him back? It's possible Richie would try and reunite with Nikki - who was the favourite to win his heart last year - but would have to work hard to win her affections

She likes the drama! If she signed up to Bachelor In Paradise, former Bachelor 'villain' Keira Maguire would likely find herself in conflict with her female rivals

Keira Maguire - first appeared in The Bachelor 2016

If she signed up to Bachelor In Paradise, former Bachelor 'villain' Keira Maguire would likely find herself in conflict with her female rivals.

But while she is known to enjoy 'drama', it's possible Keira would also try to instigate a summer romance with one of the male contestants.

In fact, her unsuccessful attempt at hooking up with Kris Smith on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! earlier this year could make her even more determined.

It's possible Keira could find herself drawn to Michael Turnbull - formerly of The Bachelorette 2015 - if he also appears on the show.

The pair share a love of flashy designer labels and were photographed sharing a flirty embrace on the red carpet last November.

Future romance? It's possible Keira could find herself drawn to Michael Turnbull - formerly of The Bachelorette 2015 - if he also appears on the show

Cheeky! She's known for her strong personality, and Jen Hawke certainly wouldn't shy away from any drama between herself and the female contestants

Jen Hawke - first appeared in The Bachelor 2017

She's known for her strong personality, and Jen Hawke certainly wouldn't shy away from any drama between herself and the female contestants.

In fact, she already has a score to settle with 'Instagram rival', Keira Maguire.

The two 'villains' have been trading blows via social media for months, after Keira attacked Jen in a series of videos.

It's also possible the feisty brunette would consider rekindling her romance with former Bachelorette star Jake Ellis, who she dated last year.

Back together? It's also possible the feisty brunette would consider rekindling her romance with former Bachelorette star Jake Ellis, who she dated last year

Energetic: If a part of the Bachelor In Paradise cast, 'Tahitian goddess' Elora Murger would likely be the focus of plenty of male attention on the island

Elora Murger - first appeared on The Bachelor 2017

If a part of the Bachelor In Paradise cast, 'Tahitian goddess' Elora Murger would likely be the focus of plenty of male attention on the island.

The adventurous F45 personal trainer could also motivate her friends to exercise and explore the tropical location, which is widely believed to be Fiji.

There's no doubt the Bachelorette boys would happily join her for a beach workout - indeed, several of them already follow Elora on Instagram.

She's got moves! The adventurous F45 personal trainer could also motive her friends to exercise and explore the tropical location, which is widely believed to be Fiji

Bombshell: Simone Ormesher, a fun-loving blonde from Manchester, UK, would likely find herself popular with the male contestants if she joined Bachelor In Paradise

Simone Ormesher - first appeared in The Bachelor 2017

Simone Ormesher, a fun-loving blonde from Manchester, UK, would likely find herself popular with the male contestants if she joined Bachelor In Paradise.

The former topless waitress is also no stranger to showing off her stunning figure in bikinis, which places her at an advantage in the tropical setting.

There could also be plenty of giggles and shenanigans between Simone and Elora, as they both struck up a close friendship on The Bachelor earlier this year.

She looks amazing! The former topless waitress is also no stranger to showing off her stunning figure in bikinis, which places her at an advantage in the tropical setting

Back with the boys! Sasha Mielczarek would feel right at home if he signs up to Bachelor in Paradise, as he would likely be reuniting with several of his former Bachelorette buddies

Sasha Mielczarek - first appeared on The Bachelorette 2015

Sasha Mielczarek would feel right at home if he signs up to Bachelor in Paradise, as he would likely be reuniting with several of his former Bachelorette buddies.

It's possible single Sasha would be looking for romance and a genuine connection, with Nikki Gogan being a potential match for the construction manager.

Nikki has a down-to-earth personality, much like Sasha's ex-girlfriend Sam Frost.

But any flirtations between the pair could cause conflict with Richie Strahan, who has history with Nikki dating back to their Bachelor days.

Love quest: It's possible single Sasha would be looking for romance and a genuine connection, with Nikki Gogan being a potential match. Pictured with ex-girlfriend Sam Frost

A possible relationship? Micheal Turnbull, a runner-up on The Bachelorette 2015, could be looking for love or publicity on Bachelor In Paradise - and he may even hook up with Keira

Michael Turnbull - The Bachelorette 2015

Micheal Turnbull, a runner-up on the first season of The Bachelorette, could be looking for love or publicity on Bachelor In Paradise.

But if he does get lucky, Keira Maguire is a likely candidate for his affections as they already know each other.

Meanwhile, there would be potential for conflict between Michael and Sasha, as the former love rivals clashed over Sam Frost in 2015.

Settling a beef? Meanwhile, there would be potential for conflict between Michael and Sasha, as the former love rivals clashed over Sam Frost in 2015

A second shot? If former Bachelorette contestant Jake Ellis were to make an appearance, he could possibly reunite with former flame Jen Hawke

Jake Ellis - first appeared in The Bachelorette 2015

If former Bachelorette contestant Jake Ellis were to make an appearance, he could possibly reunite with former flame Jen Hawke.

As Daily Mail Australia exclusively revealed back in April, the pair briefly dated before Jen began filming The Bachelor 2017.

But if he's over Jen, The Brisbane-based heartthrob would have no shortage of female admirers as he is considered one of the franchise's most likeable stars.
The 17th annual Chattanooga Dances concert will be presented in the Center for Creative Arts Auditorium Thursday, Oct. 5 at 7 p.m.

The concert highlights the citys non-profit dance organizations along with those schools that maintain a full dance curriculum. Companies appearing on this years concert will be Ballet Tennessee, Barger Academys Movement Makers, Baylors Verve, Center for Creative Arts Project Motion, Chattanooga Ballet and GPS Terpsichord.



"The evening will showcase Chattanoogas diverse dance community with a variety of genres from both professional and student choreographers. Join us for this unique evening when Chattanoogas dance organizations appear on the same stage. Audience and dancers alike can celebrate the richness of the dance community in Chattanooga and experience a taste of what each organization has to offer. The Chattanooga Dances! concert has become an anticipated event over its history as a valuable collaborative arts experience," officials said.



Karen Wilson, director of Dance at Center for Creative Arts, sees the concert as an important partnership between Chattanoogas public and private schools as well as among the communitys diverse dance organizations.



"Kudos to CCA's Chattanooga Dances concert for bringing our dance community together annually to celebrate both our unity of passion for dance and our diversity of artistry. states Andrew Parker, Chattanooga Ballet Co. artistic director.



Chattanooga Dances is the premier regional concert for non-profit performing dance organizations and schools. It provides an exciting artistic cross-pollination for dancers/choreographers of all ages. says Cathie Kasch, director of Dance at GPS.



Brittany Johnson-Mills, programs administrator at Ballet Tennessee, said of the annual event, I am privileged to have grown up in this community and fondly remember performing as a student in many Chattanooga Dances concerts. Now that I am an adult instructor and choreographer, creating works for my students to perform, participating in Chattanooga Dances has really come full circle in my life.



Tickets are available at the door for $5. For more information, call 423-209-5942.
Bethenny Frankel arrived in Puerto Rico to aid victims of Hurricane Maria on Monday.

The reality star, 46, touched down in the U.S. territory along with four planes she chartered that carryied donations and supplies.

'This is hell,' the business mogul said during an Instagram story she shared in which she detailed the devastation of the natural disaster.

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Arrival: Bethenny Frankel, 46, arrived in Puerto Rico to aid hurricane victims on Monday

Bethenny began her video slideshow in the plane on the way to the island.

As soon as she arrives, the Real Housewives of New York star started documenting the destruction of the hurricanes.

A truck carrying supplies from two of the planes arrived in a small village as people lined up immediately to receive aid.

Nightmare: 'This is hell' the business mogul exclaims during an Instagram story of herself witnessing the devastation of Hurricanes Maria and Irma

Relief:A truck carrying supplies from two of the planes arrived in a small village as people began lining up immediately to receive aid

Bethenny then visited an elementary school where 27 families have been living there for the past 11 days.

As she continued to see the horror, Bethenny repeated 'this is hell' over and over.

'l am not exaggerating, this is the worst thing I've ever seen in my entire life,' the selfless beauty exclaimed.

Devastation: 'l am not exaggerating, this is the worst thing I've ever seen in my entire life,' the selfless beauty exclaimed

Unbelievable: Bethenny came upon a group of natives that are keeping posiitve

Saving grace: She was seen helping senior citizens trapped on the island into the plane to get them home to the mainland

Bethenny met Gloria Cruz who keeps positive by saying 'We have life' even though her home was destroyed. Bethenny gave her $500.

She was also seen helping senior citizens trapped on the island into the plane to get them home to the mainland.

Bethenny pledged to personally distribute over 20,000 pounds of supplies and $50,000 in gift cards and cash during her humanitarian trip.

Outreach: Bethenny chartered four planes filled with supplies for the hurricane-stricken residents of Puerto Rico; (pictured helping earthquake victims in Mexico last week)

Hurricane Maria made landfall in Puerto Rico on September 20, leaving all 3.5 million residents on the 100-mile-long island without electricity.

According to a report by CNN, Hurricane Maria is believed to have killed at least 10 people, with rescue workers describing the conditions as 'apocalyptic'.

The island was still recovering from Hurricane Irma, which had hit two weeks earlier, leaving three people dead.

Bethenny will arrive a day before President Trump with water, canned goods, diapers, baby food, medical supplies, etc.

Loading up: Bethenny posted a picture of one of the planes being loaded with supplies

Supplies: One snap shows a warehouse full of palettes of water bottles that will make their way onto the plane

She will be bringing back sick and wounded women and children on the planes for treatment in the United States.

The selfless entrepreneur is spending her own money for this venture representing her B Strong charity.

On her Instagram page, she posted pictures of the planes and supplies that will be heading down to the U.S. territory.

Helping out: Another post shows volunteers packing boxes with supplies for the victims

One snap showed a warehouse full of palettes of water bottles that will make their way onto the plane.

Another post showed volunteers packing boxes with supplies for the victims.

A photo of one of the planes was captioned: 'Paying my own way for Puerto Rico. Filling this B up w supplies.'

Bethenny has partnered with Delivering Good, Doctors4Puertorico.com, Fundacionhospitalpediatico.org, University Pediatric Hospital and Global Empowerment Mission for this amazing effort.

Early arrival: Bethenny will arrive a day before President Trump with water, canned goods, diapers, baby food, medical supplies, etc

Cash is king: The reality star will personally distribute over 20,000 pounds of supplies and $50,000 in gift cards and cash during her humanitarian trip
She was an 'It' model of the nineties, who famously shunned the limelight after she called off her engagement with billionaire businessman James Packer in 1998.

And now Tziporah Malkah, formerly known as Kate Fischer, has taken to Instagram to share an epic throwback of herself at just 15 years.

The now 43-year-old, who had a career resurgence earlier this year thanks to a stint on reality TV, shared her 1989 Follow Me magazine cover.

Can YOU guess who this model of the 90s is? A magazine cover features the current-day reality star at just 15 years

Taking to Instagram on Tuesday, Tziporah captioned her post: 'Follow Me Magazine 1989. Aged 15.'

Tziporah as Kate in her teen years, sported a high-neck black lace ensemble with significant bead detailing across the chest.

A pair of gold drop earrings worked as the rising model's accessory.

Former self: Tziporah, previously known as Kate Fischer, was a high-profile model of the nineties, appearing on the cover of Vogue Australia four times

On-screen: Her career continuously on the rise, she also dabbled in film and television, starring alongside Elle Macpherson, Portia de Rossi and Hugh Grant, in the Australian production Sirens

Tziporah's brunette locks were swept into an up-do, with several curly strands left to frame her face.

Gazing intently at the camera, Tziporah's facial features were enhanced with a glamorous makeup palette.

Tziporah, formerly known as Kate Fischer, was a high-profile model of the nineties, appearing on the cover of Vogue Australia four times.

Her career continuously on the rise, she also dabbled in film and television, starring alongside Elle Macpherson, Portia de Rossi and Hugh Grant, in the Australian production Sirens.

High-profile romance: But after calling off her engagement with billionaire businessman James Packer (pictured) in 1998 after five years together, Tziporah fled from the spotlight, making the United States her new home base

Back in the spotlight: It wasn't until early this year that the personality had a career resurgence, appearing on reality series I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here!

Out in the jungle: Tziporah appeared on the season earlier this year, alongside The Bachelor's Keira Maguire and songstress Natalie Bassingthwaighte

But after calling off her engagement with billionaire businessman James Packer in 1998 after five years together, Tziporah fled from the spotlight, making the United States her new home base.

It wasn't until early this year that the personality had a career resurgence, appearing on reality series I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here!

Tziporah was a fan favourite, and with her new status as reality star, landed radio and television appearances, as well as a cover spread for New Idea magazine.

She now lives in Toorak, Melbourne, working in the health care sector, believed to still be dating Guy Vasey, 46, a former flame who she dated as a teenager.

Making deals: Tziporah was a fan favourite, and with her new status as reality star, landed radio and television appearances, as well as a cover spread for New Idea magazine
She's set to appear in an upcoming episode of Just Tattoo Of Us.

And Imogen Anthony was recently forced to explain the inspiration behind her vast tattoo collection during a visit to her grandmother's farm.

In a lengthy Instagram post, the 26-year-old showed off her naked frame showcasing the tattoos on her arm and torso.

'There's a story behind every inking!' Imogen Anthony was recently forced to explain the inspiration behind her vast tattoo collection during a visit to her grandmother's farm

'Collection is slowly growing with a meaning or a story behind every inking,' she wrote.

'That doesn't mean you can't have meaningless tattoos though! Art is expression.'

Imogen told her legions of followers that her 80-year-old grandmother 'hates' her tattoos.

Her grandma candidly asked why she would do 'self mutilation' and said tattoos would make her look funny when she's old.

Art is expression: In a lengthy Instagram post, the 26-year-old showed off her naked frame showcasing the tattoos on her arm and torso

The glamour model explained that her tattoos symbolise memories and milestones in her life such as road trips with her mother, her favourite music, and her late goat Cheechy.

'Do what you want, life is too short to NOT express yourself in any way you find necessary (as long as it doesn't hurt others),' Imogen told her followers.

'Memories may always be in your mind, but sometimes we also like to see them, even if it's only a reminder... I think the best point I'm trying to make here is to let people be, and what will be, will be.'

Think pink! This comes after Imogen enjoyed a night out at Sydney's red-light district Kings Cross and flaunted her barely-there outfit for the camera

Many of her fans loved that she opened up about that part of her life, one commented: 'Loved reading that about you', while another said 'you are amazing young woman.'

Her heartfelt post comes after sharing her partying pictures from a night a in Sydney's Kings Cross on her social media.

Wearing a fluorescent pink wig and skimpy, backless sequinned topwith denim jeans and bedazzled boots, Imogen ensured she wouldn't get cold by bringing along a pink fur stole.

Night on the town: In another shot, Imogen was seen striking a pose with a friend revealing she was excited to make her Kings Cross comeback'

In another shot, Imogen was seen striking a pose with a friend revealing she was excited to make her 'Kings Cross comeback'.

'The Cross is making a comeback baby! But don't be a d**khead - keep it cool, be cool and stick to your own fun with your mates,' she advised.

'No one wants to get hurt... #dontbead**khead,' Imogen added referring to the recent lock-out laws imposed upon many bars and clubs in the Kings Cross area.
Clint Eastwood and Frances Fisher broke up back in 1995.

Yet they put on a happy face and beamed for the cameras as they posed at The London Hotel in West Hollywood with their daughter Francesca Eastwood.

The trio were at the joint Monday evening for the Los Angeles premiere of the new film M.F.A., in which 24-year-old Francesca stars.

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Party of three: Clint Eastwood and Frances Fisher, broken up since 1995, joined their daughter Francesca Eastwood at the premiere of her film M.F.A. in Los Angeles on Monday

Francesca was chic in a robe-like white top that featured a sash that cinched it in about her enviably slim midsection, showing off her trim torso.

She'd clashed the blouse stylishly against a skintight pair of black trousers that played up her legs, and she balanced on sky-high black stilettos.

Meanwhile, her 80-year-old father had buttoned on a powder blue dress shirt and tucked it into light grey slacks, winding a brown belt about his waistline.

Emphasis: Francesca was chic in a robe-like white top that featured a sash that cinched it in about her enviably slim midsection, showing off her trim torso

He'd completed the ensemble with a pair of grey-laced navy sneakers.

Frances, 65, who'd dated Clint from 1990 until 1995, had flung on a black leather jacket dotted with patches for her daughter's big night.

She'd slid into a cleavage-baring charcoal top and matching charcoal leggings that slid into a gleaming pair of black high-heeled boots.

Smiling ear to ear: Meanwhile, her 80-year-old father had buttoned on a powder blue dress shirt and tucked it into light grey slacks, winding a brown belt about his waistline

Clint never married Frances, but he has had two marriages, once before being with Francesca's mother and once very shortly thereafter.

He's got a fleet of children by multiple mothers, including the 31-year-old actor and sex symbol Scott Eastwood, Clint's son by Jacelyn Reeves, whom he never married.

Directed by Natalie Leite, the thriller M.F.A. celebrated its world premiere this March at the South By Southwest Film Festival over in Austin, Texas.
He's currently in the running to win Sophie Monk's heart on The Bachelorette.

And after being dubbed a 'stage five clinger' by fans, it appears Jarrod Woodgate doesn't win the show.

It was reported on Tuesday that the 31-year-old vineyard manager has an active profile on the dating app, Bumble.

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So he doesn't win then? The Bachelorette's 'stage five clinger' Jarrod Woodgate is on dating up Bumble

The account features a photo of a suit-clad Jarrod dancing at his sister's wedding back in 2015, which could no doubt confuse potential love interests.

Meanwhile, this week, an ex-girlfriend of Jarrod, referred to only as Amy, came forward and spoke about what it's like to date him.

She said that his onscreen portrayal is true to his personality.

What will they think? It's believed that Jarrod has a picture of himself dancing at his sister's wedding back in 2015 on profile, which could confuse potential love interests no doubt

Rejected by Sophie? The hunk is pictured on The Bachelorette with Sophie Monk, when he gifted her a pair of ugg boots

She also said she believes he is appearing on the show with the genuine intention of finding love.

'He has seen something he wants and is going for it,' Amy told New Idea.

'He couldn't give a damn about fame and fortune. Everyone wants to fall in love and be happy with that special someone, and he deserves it.'

The hairdresser began dating Jarrod in 2010 after meeting through his sister in their Victorian hometown, the publication reported.

'He wants to fall in love': Meanwhile, this week, an ex-girlfriend of Jarrod - referred to only as 32-year-old Amy- has come forward and spoke about what it's like to date him

She revealed dating the 31-year-old was a fun and romantic experience, and she was always felt looked after.

'He's a man, not a boy. He has his life set up and he's a catch,' Amy said.

Amy's insight comes after Jarrod revealed that when it comes to matters of the heart, he tends to fall too hard too soon.

Speaking to TV Week last week, the vineyard manager admitted that his last relationship ended because he was getting 'too clingy.'
She's been one of the most in demand models of Paris Fashion Week.

And Winnie Harlow was naturally in attendance at the MENE Collection Celebrations during Paris Fashion Week SS18, joined by the likes of Jasmine Sanders for the fashion bash on Monday.

The model, 23, opted for a casual ensemble, donning a double denim look including ripped jeans and a studded jacket.

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Partying in style: Winnie Harlow stole the show at the MENE Collection Celebrations during Paris Fashion Week SS18 on Monday night

Winnie set off her look with a funky pair of lace-up boots and dressed the outfit down with a plain white T-shirts.

She commanded attention as she posed up a storm inside the fashion party, exuding confidence.

Jasmine plumped for an all-white ensemble, teaming a fluffy jacket with a pair of silk sportswear trousers.

White hot: Jasmine Sanders was looking lovely in an all-white silk ensemble

Double denim: Winnie 23, opted for a casual ensemble, donning a double denim look including ripped jeans and a studded jacket

Joining forces: Winnie dressed the outfit down with a plain white T-shirt, posing alongside Mohammed Al Turki

Looking good: Jasmine plumped for an all-white ensemble, teaming a fluffy jacket with a pair of silk sportswear trousers

Sports luxe: The model put a fashionable spin on her on-trend outfit

She added a fashionable twist with a pair of shiny metallic boots in keeping with the futuristic vibe of the outfit.

Also in attendance at the event was male model of the moment Jordan Barrett and Australian beauty Shanina Shaik.

Winnie was diagnosed with vitiligo around the age of four, making her among one per cent of the population who has the condition.

Silk sensation: Shanina Shaik cut an elegant figure in elegant silk co-ords

Elegant: The star accessorised with gold hoop earrings and a tiered necklace

Taking the plunge: Georgia Fowler flashed her bra in a menswear inspired blazer

Posing up a storm: Jordan Barrett and Elizabeth Sulcer were enjoying the party

Peekaboo: Male model of the moment Jordan peered out from behind a fan

She was physically taunted later in life and said a group of girls 'jumped her' in a fight, which led to her being suspended because she started skipping class.She dropped out of school at the age of 17 and never looked back.

Winnie, who was working at a call centre, was scouted on Facebook and was quickly snapped up to star in a string of campaigns and music videos

When she excelled on the 21st series of America's Next Top Model, judge Tyra Banks said that Winnie's skin breaks down barriers of what is considered beautiful.

Now Winnie, who describes her self as a 'vitiligo spokesmodel' on Instagram, is being celebrated for her distinctive look.

Partying the night away: Lameka Fox joined Jordan for their wild night out

Cosying up: Jordan and Georgina were spotted chatting the night away
She's the bubbly Australian entertainer, who always appears to be in high spirits.

And on Tuesday, Patti Newton appeared upbeat despite suffering a nasty fall in Victoria.

The 72-year-old media personality took to Instagram from a hospital bed, where she told her fans she was 'lucky' there had been 'no permanent damage.'

'So lucky no permanent damage': Patti Newton, 72, is recovering in hospital after suffering head injury from fall on Tuesday

Patti, the wife of TV legend Bert Newton, gestured a peace sign with her right hand as she lay down with a brace visible around her neck.

The former radio and television presenter captioned the image: 'Had a fall and hit my head, I'm so Lucky after Scans no permanent damage,just a sore and glued head.'

She also took the opportunity to thank hospital staff: 'Thank you to the #frankstonhospital they were just wonderful to us xx.'

'After Scans no permanent damage, just a sore and glued head': Patti, the wife of TV legend Bert Newton, gestured a peace sign with her right hand as she lay down with a brace visible around her neck

'It was the new puppy': While one friend suggested Patti had been chasing her grandkids, Patti appeared to confirm she was chasing, or playing, with her newest pup when the incident occurred

Merrilyn, believed to be a close friend of the star, commented on the upload: 'Story (sic) chasing the grand kids Patti, that'll do it every time haha!!!'

Patti responded directly to Merrilyn with: '@merrilyn1946 no it was the new puppy Billy.'

Many other followers shared their well-wishes and get-well-soons under the snap.

Loved-up! The bubbly Australian entertainer has been married to partner Bert for the past 43 years

Earlier this year, Patti's husband Bert received a quadruple heart bypass surgery, despite being given a 50 per cent chance of survival.

This week, he told New Idea 'every morning is a bonus' and credited his wife of 43 years, Patti, for his recovery.

'Patti takes extra special care of what I do and particularly what I don't do,' he said.

Patti and Bert share two children and four grandchildren.
She is no stranger to flashing her lithe physique in revealing and eccentric dresses.

And Lady Victoria Hervey put on perhaps her most bizarre appearance to date as she paid homage to a breakfast favourite while attending the Philip Colbert: New Paintings private view at London's Saatchi Gallery on Monday.

The socialite, 40, looked happy and confident as she stepped out in a quirky baked bean can design design shift dress, covered in a healthy smattering of sequins

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Wow: Lady Victoria Hervey put on perhaps her most bizarre appearance to date as she paid homage to a breakfast favourite while attending the Philip Colbert: New Paintings private view at London's Saatchi Gallery on Monday

Bizarre: The socialite, 40, looked happy and confident as she stepped out in a quirky baked bean can design design shift dress, covered in a healthy smattering of sequins

The out-there garment, which retails at just under 2,000 was mocked up to look like a can of Heinz Baked Beans and even featured the iron-rich treat's 57 varieties tagline along the hem, with the neckline resembling a tin can lid.

Although highly unusual in design, Lady Victoria was actually showing her support for the artist and fashion designer Philip, with the dress' a couture piece from his pop art label, The Rodnik Band.

The star wore her platinum locks in bouncy curls, and keeping the focus on the dress, accentuated her sparkling eyes with smoky make-up, finishing off her look with a slick of pink gloss.

She added height to her look and drew attention to her toned legs with simple black stiletto heels.

Quirky: The out-there garment was mocked up to look like a can of Heinz Baked Beans and even featured the iron-rich treat's 57 varieties tagline along the hem, with the neckline resembling a tin can lid

Glittering: Although highly unusual in design, Lady Victoria was actually showing her support for the artist and fashion designer Philip, with the dress' a couture piece from his pop art label, The Rodnik Band

The outing comes after Lady Victoria flew to Kenya for a fashion photoshoot at the world famous Amboseli National Park last week.

The shoot came after she wrapped up filming for her new Celebrity Showmance on ITV2 airing from October 4.

Victoria has never been one to shy away from the cameras, as she recently hit the small screen in reality series Living with Lady Victoria.

Following Jamie O'Hara's brief appearance on the show, rumours circulated that he and Victoria were in a relationship.

Not her first time: The blonde beauty is known for her daring fashion choices (pictured in London in February 2017)

The pair were spotted kissing after a visit to Worthing, Sussex's Castle Goring in July.

Victoria also caused shockwaves in April after revealing she shared a threesome with former Spice Girls star Mel B and her estranged husband Stephen Belafonte.

The socialite was said to be terrified that their antics had been recorded by Stephen and would be leaked to the media.

'She is absolutely mortified that her sex life could become public property,' a close friend told DailyMail.com in an exclusive interview.

'The last thing she wants is to star in a sordid sex tape or to have horrible details of her private life dragged through the divorce courts.'
She recently got her relationship back on track following an explosive bust up in a London nightclub.

And now Olivia Attwood, 26, is looking happier than ever as she flaunted her slender frame in Manchester in the wake of her beau Chris Hughes and Love Island alum Kem Cetinay's new song A Little Bit Leave It going to number one in the iTunes chart.

The ITV2 star looked sensational as she teased at her buxom bust in a striking lace blouse as she arrived to celeb favourite Neighbourhood for a bite to eat on Monday night.

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Sizzled: Olivia Attwood, 26, is looking happier than ever as she flaunted her slender frame in Manchester

Her sheer top hinted at her black undergarments while the neck-tie detail drew attention further to her ample cleavage as it fell inbetween her chest.

All smiles for the evening out with her pal, she teamed her eye-popping look with a pair of pin-flaunting motorbike inspired leather trousers.

The blonde bombshell's skintight pants featured silver zip detail around her thighs and knee while she navigated the path in her black boots.

Keeping to her leather theme, Olivia wrapped a chic leather jacket around her statuesque frame while draping a taupe-coloured tote over her forearm.

Celebrations: Her appearance comes in the wake of her beau Chris Hughes and Love Island alum Kem Cetinay's new song A Little Bit Leave It going to number one in the iTunes chart

Stepping out: The ITV2 star looked sensational as she teased at her buxom bust in a striking lace blouse as she arrived to celeb favourite Neighbourhood for a bite to eat on Monday night

Working her trademark half up half down 'do, Olivia completed her saucy look with a dramatic smokey eye and nude lip.

Her sensational appearance comes as her beau Chris' debut single with reality star pal Kem went straight to the top of the UK iTunes chart within three hours of release.

The pair - who formed a bromance during this year's instalment of Love Island - dropped their new track Little Bit Leave It on Monday night.

Taking to Twitter to promote their track, Kem wrote: 'WE DID IT!!! Your support has been truly amazing Little Bit Leave It is OUT NOW!!!'

Beaming: All smiles for the evening out with her pal, she teamed her eye-popping look with a pair of pin-flaunting motorbike inspired leather trousers

WE DID IT!!!  Your support has been truly amazing Little Bit Leave It is OUT NOW!!! #ChrisAndKemTo1  https://t.co/1rtKFZsTsQ pic.twitter.com/IojxC2tuba  Kem (@KemCetinay) October 2, 2017

Success: Within hours of the song's release, it climbed to the top of the charts overtaking Sam Smith, Little Mix and Pink for the coveted number one spot

While Chris posted: 'When we bantered about 'Little Bit Leave It out October' in the villa.... Little did we know. Everyone you're all special love me and Kem.'

Within hours of the song's release, it climbed to the top of the charts overtaking Sam Smith, Little Mix and Pink for the coveted number one spot.

Kem shared following the news: 'Number #1 in 3 hours HOW HAS THIS HAPPENED! best moment in my life ever!! Support has been crazy.'

Their success comes hours after Olivia opened up about Chris' furore with Katie Price and branded the Loose Women panellist, 39, as 'delusional' and 'tragic' while tensions continue to rise between the trio.

They're back: Her sensational appearance comes as her beau Chris' debut single with reality star pal Kem went straight to the top of the UK iTunes chart within three hours of release

Cute: The pair - who formed a bromance during this year's instalment of Love Island - dropped their new track Little Bit Leave It on Monday night

Speaking to OK! Magazine, the ITV2 star admitted that she would be too 'proud' to ever text a man more than once without a response - referencing Katie's early morning messages to her beau.

'He showed me the messages whenever he got them but it wasnt something we spent much time talking about,' she shared. 'It just had a bit of a tragic feel to it. Ive never double messaged a guy in my life, Im too proud for that.'

'Chris is the first guy Ive ever dated who I have no reason to be insecure with. Katie was a bit delusional to think Chris would fancy her or cheat on me. Shes the opposite of Chriss type. I am too.

Speaking out: Their success comes hours after Olivia opened up about Chris' furore with Katie Price and branded the Loose Women panellist, 39, as 'delusional' and 'tragic' while tensions continue to rise between the trio

'Tragic': 'He showed me the messages whenever he got them but it wasnt something we spent much time talking about,' she shared. 'It just had a bit of a tragic feel to it. Ive never double messaged a guy in my life, Im too proud for that'

Adding: 'He doesnt usually like fake boobs, fake hair and loud girls. We only work because we were forced to get to know each other so well in the Love Island villa.'

The bickering began after Chris previously revealed that mother-of-five Katie had sent him 'flirty' messages in a recent interview.

Hitting back at his comments, Katie appeared outrage and called the reality star out for the comment, denying that she had ever sent anything.

Despite her claims, Chris then shared screenshots of the messages on his social media and now Olivia has said that her beau only revealed them after he was 'backed into a corner'.

Defend: Despite her claims, Chris then shared screenshots of the messages on his social media and now Olivia has said that her beau only revealed them after he was 'backed into a corner'

The Cheltenham native also appeared on Loose Women on Friday after accusing model Katie of flirting with him over text message.

Revealing all about the messages he allegedly received from her, Chris claimed she had 'repetitively' sent 'flirty' messages to him in the early hours of the morning.

He said: 'Someone asked if they were flirty messages, I said yeah, in my opinion, they are flirty, I've got a girlfriend.'

In the past: The Cheltenham native also appeared on Loose Women on Friday after accusing model Katie of flirting with him over text message (Pictured with Katie in August)

'They are flirty': He said: 'Someone asked if they were flirty messages, I said yeah, in my opinion, they are flirty, I've got a girlfriend'

Chris also revealed he would have refused to appear on Loose Women if Katie had been on the panel.

He added: 'Like she said on Twitter, she's met me once, she doesn't know me, and to message at half three in the morning and to message someone repetitively when they've not responded and they've got a girlfriend, that's flirting.'

The pair recently reconciled after a nightclub bust-up caused Olivia to flee to Germany, with Chris accusing her of dancing with another man in the club.

Chris was spotted more loved-up than every with his beau as they attended the launch of Thorpe Park's Fright Night on Thursday.
He's the Australian 'bad boy' of fashion, who has previously been linked to models Bella Hadid, Hailey Baldwin, Sofia Richie and Lara Stone.

And Jordan Barrett has been pictured mingling with a bevy of other beauties during the past month of Paris and New York Fashion Week events.

The 20-year-old hunk was most recently spotted cosying up to American model Lameka Fox while attending MENE Collection Celebrations during Paris Fashion Week on Monday.

Ladies man! Australian 'bad boy' model Jordan Barrett cuddles up to ANOTHER beautiful woman at Paris Fashion Week's MENE Collection Celebrations event on Monday

The genetically-blessed model nuzzled his head onto the stunner's shoulder as he posed for photos.

Jordan, who was just named the male model of the year by the Daily Front Row, wore a white shirt with a white denim jacket.

Lameka flaunted her enviable frame and assets in a sheer black bodice that provided a glimpse of her exposed nipples.

That's close! Jordan was spotted cosying up to American model Lameka Fox at the event, as she showed off her enviable body in a sheer black bodice that flaunted her assets and exposed nipples

Cosy! He later put on a flirtatious display with Victoria's Secret model Georgia Fowler, who previously dated musician Harry Styles

A fan? Jordan was also spotted with stylist Elizabeth Sulcer, who is married to husband Tom Palmer

The pair looked comfortable sitting next to each other at the event, as they used black fans as props for photos.

He later put on a flirtatious display with Victoria's Secret model Georgia Fowler, who previously dated musician Harry Styles.

Jordan was also spotted with stylist Elizabeth Sulcer, who is married to husband Tom Palmer.

Elizabeth showed cleavage in a glitter-soaked crop top under a silk suit jacket.

Stylish! Elizabeth showed cleavage and her taut stomach in a glitter-soaked crop top under a silk suit jacket

Fashionable friends: On Wednesday at Paris Fashion week's Isabel Marant show, Jordan also rubbed shoulder with American model Emily Ratajkowski, who looked stunning in a dark green, two piece ensemble and a pair of white heels

On Wednesday at Paris Fashion week's Isabel Marant show, Jordan also rubbed shoulder with American model Emily Ratajkowski, who looked stunning in a dark green, two piece ensemble and a pair of white heels.

However, the model sent tongues wagging when he was spotted locking lips with 62-year-old former French Vogue editor Carine Roitfeld at the Daily Front Row's Fashion Media Awards in New York the week prior.

He put on a cosy display, as Carine rested her head on Jordan's shoulder before they leaned in for a kiss.

The 20-year-old was at the event to accept the award for Male Model of the Year, cementing himself as one of the world's most sought after fashion identities.

He also posed with actress Bella Thorne during the event.

What's going on here? The model sent tongues wagging when he was spotted locking lips with 62-year-old former French Vogue editor Carine Roitfeld at the Daily Front Row's Fashion Media Awards in New York the week prior

Looking good! He also posed with actress Bella Thorne during the event

That's cheeky! Jordan uploaded saucy pictures with racy artist and photographer Alana O'Herlihy to his Instagram during New York Fashion Week, as Alana flashed her breasts to the public from a New York fire escape

Continuing with his cheeky behaviour, Jordan also uploaded saucy pictures with racy artist and photographer Alana O'Herlihy to his Instagram during New York Fashion Week.

He was spotted casually smoking and taking in the view from a New York fire escape with Alana, who is believed to be dating Bob Dylan's grandson Levi Dylan.

Known for his long list of rumoured flames, Jordan provided the view of another of his potential love connections as Alana pulled down her white singlet to publicly expose her very ample assets.

The blonde flashed a cheeky smile as she leaned over the balcony railing and proudly exposed her voluptuous bust alongside Jordan.

Past: He's the Australian 'bad boy' of fashion, who has previously been linked to models Bella Hadid, Hailey Baldwin, Sofia Richie and Lara Stone

Last month, Jordan told The Daily Telegraph that he is planning to make a foray into acting.

His first project will be starring in the short film Carte Blanche from Czech director Eva Dolezalova, shot in America.

'Hopefully if all things go well, there will be something else coming up on that side in October filming in Australia,' Jordan told the publication.
The Mike Baggetta Trio will perform at Barking Legs Theater on Thursday at 7:30 p.m.

Review for the Mike Baggetta Trio:

Mike Baggetta is a guitarist making some of the most beautiful and innovative music youll hear on the electric guitar. His musical style is jazz blended with rock, electronica, and country influences that creates a sound that is unique and universal simultaneously. Mike will be bringing some pretty heavy guns in bassist Jerome Harris and drummer Billy Mintz. Jerome played both bass and guitar for years with Sonny Rollins. He has also recorded and/or performed live on six continents with such jazz notables as Jack DeJohnette, Bill Frisell, Ray Anderson, Don Byron, Bobby Previte, Oliver Lake, Amina Claudine Myers, Bob Stewart, George Russell, Julius Hemphill, and Bob Moses. Billy Mintz has played in the bands of everyone from Lee Konitz in the 70s to Mike Garson (of David Bowie fame) to Charles Lloyd.

A member of the CoPAC presents series The Floor is Yours will be hosting their October event The Floor is Yours: Out in the World on Friday at 8 p.m. This monthly performance art showcase allows artists from around Chattanooga to perform uncensored. This month the theme asks the artists to reflect on what changes they want to see in the world and how to do something to make those changes possible. This month, because is it Tennessee Valley Pride and LGBT+ History Month, the Floor is Yours will also focus on the LGBT+ artists.



Other shows this October are: Mike Compton on Thursday, Joe Newberry on Friday, Oct. 13, and Burton Greene on Sunday, Oct. 22.
Scarlett Moffatt and her on/off boyfriend Like Crodden have unfollowed one another on social media - leading fans to speculate they have once again split.

The pair were an item for a year, with Luke, 28, supporting Scarlett, 26, through her I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! stint last November (which she went on to win), but split up in early 2017.

However, they rekindled the flame this summer and, despite the unfollowing that has gone on overnight, Scarlett's rep has insisted that they're 100% still together'.

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Here we go again: Scarlett Moffatt UNFOLLOWS her boyfriend Luke Crodden on social media despite recent reconciliation... leading fans to assume they've split for the SECOND time this year

The precise reasoning for the unfollow isn't known with Luke last posting about Scarlett on September 10, screengrabbing a FaceTime chat between her and their dog, captioning it 'FaceTime with Mammy'.

Scarlett has not posted about Luke on Instagram since way back in the summer.

Their original split shocked fans after they declared how much they meant to each other, with Luke reported to move in with Scarlett in her new London home.

But Luke, who is a hairdresser, moved back to Newcastle with Scarlett being offered a slew of TV gigs including Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway and the new season of Streetmate.

Relationship status? Despite the unfollowing that has gone on overnight, Scarlett's rep has insisted that they're 100% still together'

They decided to 'give it another go' according to a source who revealed details this summer, with Scarlett originally 'needing space from Luke during some critical months in her career'.

The source added: 'Now that Scarlett is more settled, she and Luke have been seeing a lot more of each other and have decided to make it official.'

Scarlett's rep told MailOnline: '100% still and item! No split at all. She may have been hacked [hence the unfollowing] but something completely innocent and nothing to do with them.'

Meanwhile, Scarlett's plate continues to heap with TV work.

She is now rumoured to be fronting the next season of Extra Camp - the I'm A Celeb... sister show on ITV2.

FaceTime with Mammy: The precise reasoning for the unfollow isn't known with Luke last posting about Scarlett on September 10, screengrabbing a FaceTime chat between her and their dog

It was revealed that Scarlett might be joined by her campmate from the last season of I'm A Celeb... Joel Dommett.

A source told The Sun: 'Show bosses wanted to refresh the format and give it a new lease of life.

'They feel Scarlett and Joel have great on-screen chemistry and theyre hoping the ratings will reflect that. They're a naturally funny pair together so the risk should pay off.'

Co-host? Scarlett might be joined by her I'm A Celebrity pal, hunky comedian Joel Dommett, to present the spin-off programme Extra Camp this year

Out of this world: Scarlett Moffatt has got the backing of legendary physicist Stephen Hawking over her bold time travel theory, sources claimed

A spokesman for Extra Camp declined to comment.

Elsewhere, a theory Scarlett floated while on I'm A Celeb... last year has led to an unlikely encounter with legendary physicist Stephen Hawking.

She suggested that the pyramids were designed by people from the future - a theory met with ridicule by her laughing campmates.

But Professor Hawking, 79, was reportedly impressed with the reality star's ideas and contacted her via email to suggest that she could be right.

Her theory was as follows: 'In order to travel back in time we have to go faster than light. The speed of light is the same latitude point as the tip of the great pyramid.

Hmm: The Gogglebox star, 26, suggested on I'm A Celebrity that the pyramids were designed by people from the future - a theory met with ridicule by her campmates

Theory: I'm A Celebrity winner Scarlett said in the jungle: 'I think someone from the future realised we'd need the pyramids and went back in time and built them'

'So I think someone from the future realised we'd need the pyramids and went back in time and built them.'

While her baffled campmates laughed at the theory, Scarlett seemed determined with the idea and reportedly contacted Hawking before she went to the jungle.

'Scarlett tried to contact him before the jungle, but got no reply,' a source told The Sun On Sunday.

'So she was staggered when, after she spoke, he got in touch and admitted her theory could well be right.'

The insider claimed I'm A Celebrity hosts Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly received an email from the professor about Scarlett's theory.
He's the proud father to his three-year-old son Eric with partner Lauren Silverman.

Seeing everything through his son's eyes, Simon Cowell, 57, has now shared a nugget of advice with his offspring despite his young age, warning him already about future girlfriends and how to protect his private affairs.

The music mogul admitted that he has given his tiny tot the low-down on non-disclosure agreements - also known as NDA's - which ensures to keep love interests quiet about their relationship with a well-known name.

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Warning: Simon Cowell, 57, has now shared a nugget of advice with his offspring despite his young age, warning him already about future girlfriends and how to protect his private affairs

Speaking on Fox News' OBJECTified, he shared: 'I sat Eric down and said, "I'm going to teach you three very, very important letters for when you get your first girlfriend" and I said 'It's NDA".'

'So Lauren comes in and I said, "Eric, what's the first thing you're gonna do when you get a girlfriend?" and he goes "Daddy says I have to get a NDA" and she goes "You taught him that?" and I said, "Well that's good advice."'

Despite his son only being three-years-old, Simon explained that he's already putting the groundwork in for Eric to follow in his footsteps and take over his music empire when he grows up.

He said: 'He has to take over for me. Ive put him in training. Hes down at the shows, he has the earplugs in. I would absolutely love it if he could do what I do.

Education: The music mogul admitted that he has given his tiny tot the low-down on non-disclosure agreements - also known as NDA's - which ensures to keep love interests quiet about their relationship with a well-known name

Honest: Speaking on Fox News' OBJECTified, he shared: 'I sat Eric down and said, "I'm going to teach you three very, very important letters for when you get your first girlfriend" and I said 'It's NDA"'

Aww: Simon beams as he shares a photo of an ultra sound for his now three-year-old son Eric as he calls it his favorite picture in the interview

'If he gravitates towards academics then fine - I would encourage him but I have a feeling he's gonna be more like me. I'm not going to lie, I'd love him to one day say, "Can I work for you and learn how to do it?"

'That would make me feel incredible - and then you have a legacy'.

The frank interview comes after Simon showed he counts the pennies just as much as the rest of us when a photo revealed the contents of his car boot including a McDonald's meal, some Lucozade, empty Corona bottles - and even a Bag For Life from ASDA.

The businessman showed the frugal side to his personality despite his extensive wealth after he packed up his car outside the Shooting Star Chase charity ball held at London's Dorchester Hotel on Saturday night.

Frugal mogul: Simon showed he counts the pennies just as much as the rest of us when a photo revealed the contents of his car boot after a charity bash in London on Saturday night

Cutting costs: The candid snap shows the music mogul is partial to McDonald's meals and Lucozade - while a Bag For Life from ASDA reveals he even loves a good supermarket shop

The X Factor and Britain's Got Talent judge, whose estimated net worth is $550million or 410million, according to The Richest, had been attending the star-studded ball in his capacity as Vice President of the children's hospice charity when the thrifty contents was snapped.

A bevy of other A-listers turned out for the good cause including patrons Dame Joan Collins and Sir Cliff Richard.

Simon looked on typically good form as he smiled and joked around with fans when stepped outside the venue hand in hand with the charity's fundraising director, Karen Sugarman.

Feeling good: Simon appeared to be in great spirits as he headed out of the bash with Karen later on

Main man: The X Factor judge, 57, showed the frugal side to his personality - despite his estimate net worth of 400million - after he packed up his car outside the Shooting Star Chase charity ball held at the Dorchester Hotel

Good cause: Simon (left, with fellow judge Louis Walsh, right) makes regular visits to both Shooting Star hospices to spend time with children and young people, according to the charity

If he was embarrassed by the contents of his car boot, the charmer certainly didn't let on, as he accepted people's well-wishes and requests for selfies outside the plush venue with grace.

In among the mess of the discarded Maccy D's bag and empty Corona bottles, the music industry tycoon tucked away one thing that gave away his wealth.

Simon made sure to fit into the boot a piece of valuable memorabilia he'd picked up in the ball's charity auction - a poster of the James Bond classic The Man with the Golden Gun, signed by the late Roger Moore.

But the tell-tale sign of a bulging purse and generous attitude to money didn't detract from the gravity of the rare insight into the philanthropist's life - and X Factor fans from across the country can now enjoy the pleasure of imagining him washing down a Big Mac with a healthy slosh of Lucozade.

He Asda bag a bargain: If he was embarrassed by the contents of his car boot, Simon certainly didn't let on. A Bag for Life was clearly visible under a box on the right hand side of the boot
It's been 20 years since Titanic sky-rocketed them both to fame.

And despite playing ill-fated sweethearts Rose and Jack in the 1997 blockbuster about the doomed cruise ship, Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio's romantic chemistry was only ever on-screen.

Speaking on Tuesday's edition of Lorraine, Kate, 41, explained: 'I think for Leo and I it was seven months of very intense work, we were both really very young. And luckily, and this was the fortunate thing, we never fancied each other!

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'We never fancied each other!' Kate Winslet reveals she and Titanic co-star Leonardo DiCaprio were 'just friends'... and that she once played with Emma Thompson's Oscar in her bathroom

Keeping it professional: Despite playing ill-fated sweethearts Rose and Jack in the 1997 blockbuster about the doomed cruise ship, Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio 's romantic chemistry was only ever on-screen

'I know thats really annoying to hear, sorry. We really never did. So it did mean that we were able to have this be able to tease each other, which we still do, which is really amazing.'

It's well-documented that the pair have since remained close, despite it being two decades since they worked on Titanic.

'I can [believe its been 20 years] because Ive lived with it for 20 years,' the Oscar-winner told Lorraine Kelly. 'The lovely thing about Titanic for me now, my children and their friends their friends say, "Oh I love the bit in Titanic when you did" they are reciting lines from Titanic that, I mean, Ive long forgotten!

'Im like "Oh my god is that really what I said?" And theyre like, "Then Jack does this and then Rose does this..." and Im like goodness! I say to them, you werent born when that film was made, which makes me feel very old.

Just friends: Speaking on Tuesday's edition of Lorraine, Kate, 41, explained 'I think for Leo and I it was seven months of very intense work, we were both really very young. And luckily, and this was the fortunate thing, we never fancied each other'

Pals: It's well-documented that the pair have since remained close, despite it being two decades since they worked on Titanic

'Theres another generation of children who are enjoying it and loving it for the first time. Its like Mary Poppins I like to think.'

Kate also revealed that she once practised accepting an Oscar before she'd won one using Emma Thompson's.

'I remember going to Emma Thompsons house when I was much younger and didnt have an Oscar and her Oscar was on the back of the loo and I absolutely picked it up and absolutely went "I want to thank mum and dad"

'And then years later I was actually doing it and couldnt believe it. As I was holding it in my hand and staring at it I was thinking, Im really saying it and saying those things Ive dreamed of.

Practise makes perfect: Kate also revealed that she once practised accepting an Oscar before she'd won one using Emma Thompson's

Mentor: Kate was at Emma's house and played with her award in the toilet

'Never give up on your dreams. Im the most unlikely person that could have happened to!'

Kate followed Emma's lead and stores her Acadamy Award - which she won in 2008 for The Reader - in her downstairs loo.

'Thats the reason for it being in there. Everyone wants to hold it and say, "I want to thank my horse riding teacher and my sister for stealing my hairbrush"

'You have to give people that opportunity I think to have that little moment of fun.'

She was appearing on the show to promote The Mountain Between Us, her latest action movie that she stars alongside Idris Elba in, that sees her stranded on a mountain with him after a plane crash.

Winner: Kate won her Academy Award in 2008 for The Reader

Taking flight: She was appearing on the show to promote The Mountain Between Us, her latest action movie that she stars alongside Idris Elba [L] in, that sees her stranded on a mountain with him after a plane crash

20 years later: The Oscar-winner told Lorraine Kelly 'the lovely thing about Titanic for me now, my children and their friends their friends say, "Oh I love the bit in Titanic when you did" they are reciting lines from Titanic that, I mean, Ive long forgotten'

Of shooting on the edge of a mountain, she said: 'We didnt know what to expect out of every day. Wed have four different versions of the day on our call sheet if you couldnt fly at all we would literally just have to make stuff up, wed have to change location, change dialogue sometimes.

'It was fantastic to work in that kind of a spontaneous environment. I have to say the world is beautiful up there. I was very awe struck by just how incredible it was in the Canadian Rockies.'

She went on to add: 'The thing for me, you use so much more energy just breathing, so we were incredibly tired. I do remember coming home at night and really honestly sleeping for, a dream for most mothers, but 10 and a half hours. It was insane, just because of the amount of energy.

Pride of place: Kate followed Emma's lead and stores her Acadamy Award - which she won in 2008 for The Reader - in her downstairs loo

Success story: 'Never give up on your dreams. Im the most unlikely person that could have happened to,' she said

'Moving at any pace with any effort at altitude actually burns your chest, so that was something we had to adjust to. It was still amazing.'

And on reports she had arthritis in her toe, Kate explained: 'I did, very annoyingly, because Im quite an active person.

'My character Alex injures herself very badly, one of the injuries is her leg is just smashed to pieces, so the whole film Im limping, I was loading all of my weight into my right leg on the shoot and limping throughout, the wear and the tear and Ive got arthritis in my big toe.

'It means I have to do yoga in trainers  people look at me like Im a bit weird, never mind. Doesnt matter.'
Goodfellas star Chuck Low has died aged 89.

The actor, who played Morris 'Morrie' Kesseler in Martin Scorsese's Mafia movie, passed away at his New Jersey nursing home last month, it has been revealed.

He also had small roles in The Mission, King of Comedy and Once Upon a Time in America alongside his Goodfellas co-star De Niro.

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Sad news: Goodfellas star who played Morris 'Morrie' Kesseler in Martin Scorsese's Mafia movie, passed away at his New Jersey nursing home last month

Chuck had remained close to De Niro, who helped him carve out a career in Hollywood and co-starred with him in numerous films.

The star was laid to rest on September 20 in Edmonton, New York during a funeral with full military honours, The Sun reports.

Low had become a Major following 30 years as a reserve and eight in the National Guard before branching out into acting.

Sad loss: Chuck is pictured with his granddaughter at the GoodFellas film screening during the Tribeca Film Festival in 2015

De Niro and fellow Hollywood heavyweight Liam Neeson - who starred opposite Chuck in The Mission - had visited the late actor in his Allendale based nursing home.

An insider previously told the New York Post: 'De Niro showed up with a few guys, and they sounded like they were having a lot of laughs'.

Chuck first met De Niro when he became his landlord, renting out the top three floors of a building he owned on Hudson Street, New York City, to the actor.

Famous friends: De Niro and fellow Hollywood heavyweight Liam Neeson - who starred opposite Chuck in The Mission - had visited the late actor in his Allendale based nursing home

According to Mentalfloss.com, Chuck's foray into acting came when he told his friend, 'I wanna be in the movies' - and the big screen legend made it happen.

As well as his appearances in De Niro films, Chuck will be remembered for his guest role the first season of The Sopranos and his role in 2006 flick Kill the Poor.

Chuck leaves behind his daughter, Debra Low Mykrantz, son, Mitchell Low, and ex-wife Cherida Michaels.
Things were tense at camp on Australian Survivor after Tara betrayed best friend Locky to vote out Ziggy at the previous Tribal Council.

Locky was left fuming after the betrayal, with the hunky adventure guide storming around camp and slicing through coconuts on his own.

'Locky has had control for so long and now that it's gone it's like he's sulking like my 4-year-old does,' said Tara.

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'He's sulking like my 4-year-old does!' Locky was cranky and frustrated after being betrayed by Tara at the beginning of Tuesday's Australian Survivor

Despite their friction, the pair managed to patch things up.

'I'm with you no matter what you've done, what you do. Like, I've got no-one else. You've got no-one else. We're in a shitty situation,' said Locky.

'Locky and I are still best friends - it's just that this is the final crunch,' Tara added in her confessional.

'Locky and I are still best friends': The twosome were able to patch things up after a chat

'Locky's got an idol!' Despite mending their friendship, Locky lied to Tara about having an idol and Tara quickly turned on him and told the other tribemates

After mending their friendship, Locky turned around and lied to Tara by telling her that he had a secret immunity idol.

While Jericho and Peter didn't believe him, both Tara and Michelle were convinced that he was telling the truth.

Locky then started working his magic, winning over Jericho by helping the flight attendant get over his fear of swimming.

I'll protect you! Locky then started working his magic, winning over Jericho by helping the flight attendant get over his fear of flying

Delighted: Jericho was more than happy to be taken under Locky's wing

'I want to win because I'm a huge competitor,' said Locky.

Sadly for Locky, the sexy 27-year-old lost the immunity challenge to Michelle.

Not only did blonde beauty Michelle win her first immunity challenge, she also got a reward in a brand new car.

'I missed that by two seconds,' huffed Locky after losing.

'I won the car! I did it!' Michelle was overjoyed to win her very first challenge, which saw her take home a car AND immunity

'Oh, my God. I have a reverse cam. I'll never hit a garbage bin again!' she exclaimed

'I won the car! I did it!' gushed Michelle. 'Oh, my God. I have a reverse cam. I'll never hit a garbage bin again!'

Once they reached Tribal Council, it was Locky's head that was on the chopping block.

He managed to convince Michelle to change her vote to Peter after bluffing about having an immunity idol, but it wasn't enough to save his skin and he was sent packing.

'I missed that by two seconds,' huffed Locky after losing to Michelle

'I lost a car, lost half a mil, lost immunity, lost my winning streak,' lamented Locky. 'I mean, couldn't go out on a bigger bombshell, could I?'

The group are now down to the final five contestants.

The series will wrap up next week with its first ever live finale, where the Sole Survivor will be revealed.

Betrayed: Tara had no problem voting out her closest ally in the game
It's the dating show that brings singles together and offers them a shot at love.

But for retired butcher Des, 67, he wasn't all that lucky when mother Peta, 59, turned him down after their first meeting on Tuesday's episode of First Dates.

Needless to say, social media erupted into a frenzy over Peta declining a second date with Des, with many taking to Twitter to express sympathy for the 'lonely' retiree.

Ouch: Retired butcher Des, 67, wasn't all that lucky when mother Peta, 59, turned him down after their first meeting on Tuesday's episode of First Dates

One Twitter user likened Des' heartbroken expression to the famous Valentine's Day episode of The Simpsons - where Lisa goes on a date with Ralph.

'It's like Ralph Wiggum in the valentine's episode. If you slow it down you can actually pinpoint the exact moment his heart breaks' the fan tweeted.

Another had similar sentiments, posting a GIF of the same scene where Ralph gets rejected by Lisa and captioning 'Des and Peta end of date went something like this.'

Other users claimed the decision was completely shocking, and that they felt a lot of remorse for Des.

If you slow it down you can actually pinpoint the exact moment his heart breaks': Some compared the moment to other TV shows

A good observation: One user posted a GIF of the scene in The Simpson's Valentine's Day episode where Ralph goes on a date with Lisa, only for her to tell Ralph she never liked him

'Poor man, feel sorry for him,' one user said.

Another claimed Peta's decision was very hurtful: 'Peta. Ouch. Brutal.'

But others also remained hopeful of Des' chances, petitioning the producers of the show to let him return to TV to get a second chance at love.

'Poor man, feel sorry for him': Other users claimed the decision was completely shocking, and that they felt a lot of remorse for Des

'Peta. Ouch. Brutal': Another claimed Peta's decision was very hurtful

'Hope Des can come back for a second chance at love, that was sad': Other's remained hopeful of Des' chances, petitioning the producers of the show to let him return to TV to get a second chance at love

'Hope Des can come back for a second chance at love, that was sad,' one user captioned with a groaning emoji.

Peta asked some very revealing questions of Des, including if he was still sexually active despite his age, to which Des replied: 'I do not have a problem.'

She turned him down afterwards despite Des saying he 'didn't want to pass up the opportunity to be with such a lovely person.'

Peta replied by thanking Des for his lovely comments, but shockingly said 'No, I can't go on a second date.'

Heartbreaking: Peta turned Des down afterwards despite him saying he 'didn't want to pass up the opportunity to be with such a lovely person'

'Noooo Des': Other users felt extreme sadness watching the events unfold
She has found herself at the centre of speculation she is now dating YouTuber Tana Mongeau, after the girls were seen putting on a VERY steamy display on social media.

But appearing to make a statement as she stepped out in Los Angeles on Monday, Bella Thorne, 19, was seen sporting a pair of trainers that had the slogan 'I love boys' printed around the edge.

Seeming to set the record straight on her relationship status with her playful footwear, the actress cut a fresh-faced appearance for her coffee run.

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Making a statement? Bella Thorne, 19, was seen sporting a pair of trainers that had the slogan 'I love boys' printed around the edge as she stepped out in Los Angeles after her steamy kiss with YouTuber Tana Mongeau

Bella was pictured heading out in a casual ensemble that paired together a plain white t-shirt and fitted jeans that sheathed her slender pins and featured a rainbow design at the end of each leg.

She chose to complete her attire with her slogan shoes and left her fiery red tresses down to fall past her shoulders in a tousled style that had been swept over to one side.

Choosing to flaunt her natural beauty, Bella chose to forgo her usual war paint and appeared make-up free, with her edgy nose piercing on full view, as she grabbed an iced coffee to re-fuel.

Relaxed: Choosing to flaunt her natural beauty, Bella chose to step out make-up free, with her edgy nose piercing on full view, as she grabbed an iced coffee to re-fuel

She donned a slew of beaded bracelets on one wrist and toted her day's essentials in an animal print backpack she slung over one shoulder.

Appearing in high spirits, Bella cut a playful figure as she hammed it up in front of the cameras, flashing a smile before cheekily poking her tongue out.

Her appearance comes after the former Disney starlet had strongly suggested there was a new lady in her life when she re-tweeted photos of herself and YouTube star Tana locking lips.

Sealed with a kiss! Bella had strongly suggested there was a new lady in her life, when she retweeted photos of herself and Youtuber Tana Mongeau locking lips recently

Tongue-tied! The snapshots show the Shake It Up star donning denim and fishnets as she leans in to plant Tana with a steamy smooch that had plenty of tongue

The tweet rehashed an early post from 19-year-old vlogger Tana, who previously wrote 'I want to date @BellaThorne,' and today added a sassy followup which read 'Dreams do come true kids.'

The snapshots show the Shake It Up star donning denim and fishnets as she leans in to plant Tana with a steamy smooch that had plenty of tongue. Social media beauty Tana had posted the pics on her Instagram page, captioning the kisses with a simple 'Mineeee.'

My Own Worst Enemy star Bella had also shared a sultry video to Snapchat that showed her getting very hands on with Tana.

Teasing: The tweet rehashed an early post from vlogger Tana, who previously wrote 'I want to date @BellaThorne,' adding: 'Dreams do come true kids'

Hands on! The girls were seen getting very intimate with each other in the snaps, as they indulged in a passionate smooch

Leaving her inhibitions at the door, Bella was seen grabbing her blonde bestie's chest, before diving face first into her full cleavage.

Bella was in full club kid attire in the video, sporting Drag Race appropriate eye-shadow along with shiny cat ears for day three of the Life Is Beautiful fest in Las Vegas that the girls had been attending.

Her revealing swimwear made a generous display of her chest with a risque cut-out at the bust and came complete with a vibrant neon design.

Bella's flirty friend Tana, meanwhile, looked playfully shocked at her pal's advances - she was seen donning a plunging white crop-top with white fishnet tights that sat high on her waist and black tracksuit bottoms.

Bella has spoken candidly of her sexuality in the past and confessed in April, earlier this year, that she 'wants to date a girl'.

Getting handsy! My Own Worst Enemy star Bella had also shared a sultry video to Snapchat that showed her getting very hands on with Tana

Cheeky! Leaving her inhibitions at the door, Bella was seen grabbing her blonde bestie's chest, before diving face first into her full cleavage

She had first confirmed she is bisexual during a Twitter exchange with a fan in 2016. After sharing a photo of her kissing a female, Bella was asked if she is bisexual, to which she simply replied: 'Yes.'

But now wanting a girlfriend, the acting talent admitted she is often confused by girls that take an interest in her.

Speaking to Harper's Bazaar, she said: 'Ive done other stuff with girls, but I want to actually date a girl... I cant tell if a girl is hitting on me or she just wants to be friends.

'I dont want to flirt with a girl if she thinks Im just being her friend. What if I kiss a girl and shes like, "Oh, Im just your friend dude, I cant believe you just crossed that boundary." Im confused on what they want from me.'

Bella has previously dated the likes of Scott Disick, Gregg Sulkin, Tyler Posey and Charlie Puth.
The former Home And Away star juggles motherhood with a busy, and successful, acting career in the US.

But Tammin Susok has admitted things haven't always run smoothly for her as a mother-of-one.

Speaking to Jules Sebastian for Tea With Jules this week, the 34-year-old recalled the moment she nearly bit her sweet daughter's finger off: 'It was the worst thing I've ever done!'

'It was almost gone!' Actress Tammin Sursok describes the moment she nearly bit her three-year-old daughter Phoenix's finger off as 'the worst thing' she's EVER done

'I think I almost damaged it, it was almost gone,' the Pretty Little Liar actress reflected.

Tammin explained how the incident happened: 'She was having a fish finger and she stuck her finger in the fish finger and gave it to me and I just was like 'Mmm, yum!' and I chomped down.'

'...It was her finger and she looked at me like 'How dare you! You're my mother, you're supposed to protect me', ' she added.

'It was the worst thing I've ever done': Speaking to Jules Sebastian for Tea With Jules , the 34-year-old recalled the moment she nearly bit her sweet daughter's finger off

'She stuck her finger in the fish finger': Tammin went to take a bit from a fish finger presented to her by her young daughter(pictured), when she suddenly realised she had bitten down on a REAL finger hidden within the crumb of a fish finger

However, Tammin strongly stated her daughter was fine and that 'mum shaming and mum guilt is just boring.'

Speaking of motherhood so far, she added: ''It is tremendously, overwhelmingly, disgustingly hard, but it's also... she's (daughter Phoenix) the love of my life. It's the best thing that's ever happened to me.'

She recently launched blog Bottle And Heels, telling Jules the reason behind lunching the honest publication: 'We live in this fake world, where we always put out our highlight reels, so no one ever talks about the struggles of what they're going through.'

'Mum shaming and mum guilt is just boring!': Tammin started blog Bottle and Heels to make other women realise there is no 'right' way to parent or be a mother

Family: Tammin shares her now three-year-old daughter Phoenix with her movie producer husband Sean McEwen (pictured)

Tammin shares her now three-year-old daughter with husband Sean McEwen.

She married the movie producer in 2011, with the pair dating for four years prior.

During the chat Tammin also confirmed she's ready to have a second child, with the aim to be pregnant again next year while directing her first feature film.

Growing her brood: During the chat Tammin also confirmed she's ready to have a second child, with the aim to be pregnant again next year while directing her first feature film




She was catapulted into the limelight in July after finding romance on this summer's reality smash hit Love Island.

And now Gabby Allen, 25, has opened up in an exclusive interview with MailOnline about her whirlwind three months since leaving the Hidden Hills villa with beau Marcel Somerville, 31.

Speaking at the launch of her new fashion venture Gabby Allen X Quiz, she revealed that the pair have already discussed children, wedding bells and how moving in together has brought them closer than ever.

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Loved-up: Gabby Allen, 25, has opened up in an exclusive interview with MailOnline about her whirlwind three months since leaving the Hidden Hills villa with beau Marcel Somerville, 31

The Liverpudlian beauty - who's new range launches on October 3rd - revealed that she has had conversations with Marcel about how many children they want and when.

Gabby - who moved in with her fellow Love Island star boyfriend in September - admitted that they've even had debates about where their children will attend school and insisted that these are conversations she never thought she'd have with anyone after three months of dating.

'We have talked about these things, we were debating what type of school our children will go to,' she began. 'That is a conversation I didn't think I would be having three months in.'

'Obviously we're not talking about having children right now but we've definitely discussed - because I'm a little bit younger then him - have come to an agreement (when we'll start).'

Adding: 'He said two but I said I wanted them in four so maybe three years.'

Fashion forward: Speaking at the launch of her new fashion venture Gabby Allen X Quiz, she revealed that the pair have already discussed children, wedding bells and how moving in together has brought them closer than ever

Babies on the brain: The Liverpudlian beauty - who's new range launches on October 3rd - revealed that she has had conversations with Marcel about how many children they want and when

Completely loved-up, Gabby has revealed that with endless PAs and work commitments it was difficult to make time for her rapper beau but now living together has brought them closer.

The personal trainer even added that after leaving the Mallorca villa she suffered withdrawal symptoms from being separated from Marcel as they dealt with the fame the ITV2 show brought.

She explained: 'It's literally the best thing we could have done for us. We spent so much time apart that having different bases was another obstacle in the way. By having the same base to come back to, it's going to make the world of difference.

'It was weird when we first came out, I had withdrawal symptoms and when we were in there he said "We're probably going to have a week of being apart where we'd have some space".

Looking to the future: Gabby - who moved in with her fellow Love Island star boyfriend in September - admitted that they've even had debates about where their children will attend school and insisted that these are conversations she never thought she'd have with anyone after three months of dating

Serious: 'We have talked about these things, we were debating what type of school our children will go to,' she began. 'That is a conversation I didn't think I would be having three months in'

'But since we came out, he said: "I take it back". No space needed. He's always on PAs so it's just a blessing so he's part-time at the moment.'

Now enjoying living together, Gabby already revealed that Marcel is the dream housemate but she confessed the same can't be said for herself as she insisted that they'd be living off Spaghetti Bolognese if she was left with the cooking.

'If anything I'm the nightmare because he's so tidy where I'm really messy,' she admitted. 'Well I'm going to have to try keep him happy so I won't be leaving things everywhere. I told him I refuse to do any hoovering sorry.

'Taking the washing out or doing the washing up doesn't bother me but now I have a dishwasher. I have never had a dishwasher before in London so we're both privileged.

Closer: Completely loved-up, Gabby has revealed that with endless PAs and work commitments it was difficult to make time for her rapper beau but now living together has brought them closer

Happier than ever: The personal trainer even added that after leaving the Mallorca villa she suffered withdrawal symptoms from being separated from Marcel as they dealt with the fame the ITV2 show brought

'The best thing': She explained: 'It's literally the best thing we could have done for us'

Adding: 'I'm not the best cook, I've asked him if he will cook for me. I can try but I'm not the most extravagant. I wouldn't know what flavours go with each other. I can do a good Spaghetti Bolognese so he'll have to live on that.'

In recent weeks her fellow Love Island housemates Jess Shears and Dom Lever announced their engagement and while thrilled for the couple, Gabby admitted she's in no rush to get married but wouldn't say no if Marcel got down on bended knee.

She explained: 'I don't think me and Marcel are the same as Dom and Jess, we've took our time really. There's no rush for us but he does say he's put money aside for rings.

'I'm not pressurising him now that they are engaged. I'm not like "Come propose to me" that's not how it works. I wouldn't mind waiting a while but if he did propose I'd probably would say "yeah".

Domestic bliss: Now enjoying living together, Gabby already revealed that Marcel is the dream housemate but she confessed the same can't be said for herself as she insisted that they'd be living off Spaghetti Bolognese if she was left with the cooking

Looking ahead: In recent weeks her fellow Love Island housemates Jess Shears and Dom Lever announced their engagement and while thrilled for the couple, Gabby admitted she's in no rush to get married but wouldn't say no if Marcel got down on bended knee

New venture: Following in the footsteps of her fellow Love Island stars, Gabby has launched her own fashion collection with Quiz and insisted she is beyond excited for fans to see her collaboration

'This is the most secure I've ever felt in a relationship and it's because of him. He's so calm which is good for me. We cancel each other out.'

Following in the footsteps of her fellow Love Island stars, Gabby has launched her own fashion collection with Quiz and insisted she is beyond excited for fans to see her collaboration.

Filled with luxurious materials such as sequin and velvet, her new range features a number of thigh-grazing dresses and flirty playsuits perfect for a night on the tiles, she admitted she's feeling the nerves as she launches into the style realm.

'When I got out of the villa, I would have never have thought that I would be working with any fashion label, let alone one as big as Quiz.

'They have over 300 stores around the world. It's a privilege for them to have wanted to work with me and I was quite taken aback. I helped with shapes and styles I liked. I'm so pleased with the final edit.

Adding: 'I'm a bit nervous but I have every faith in it doing well and it's exciting. I think I'm the last one out of the girls to have a range out but the best til last.'

Gabby Allen x Quiz launches in stores on Tuesday October 3th.
It was perhaps the highlight of Paris Fashion Week, marking the close of Fashion Month with a bang.

But not everything ran smoothly for luxury brand Chanel on Tuesday, as Victoria's Secret Angel Stella Maxwell struggled to keep her designer hat atop her head.

The 27-year-old beauty looked a little flummoxed as her sheer trilby hat, fashioned out of clear plastic which featured heavily in the SS18 womenswear collection, blew away.

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Whoops: Not everything ran smoothly for luxury brand Chanel's SS18 collection during Paris Fashion Week on Tuesday, as Victoria's Secret Angel Stella Maxwell struggled to keep her designer hat atop her head

Stella kept her cool as her hat floated to the ground, carried by a gust of wind, and lent down to pick it up.

Continuing her strut along the catwalk, she clutched the hat in place with her hand, and bashfully kept her head bent.

Stella showcased her slender pins in her ensemble, which boasted Chanel's classic boucle tweed.

Impractical: The 27-year-old beauty looked a little flummoxed as her sheer trilby hat, fashioned out of clear plastic which featured heavily in the SS18 womenswear collection, blew away

Keeping cool: Stella kept her cool as her hat floated to the ground, carried by a gust of wind, and lent down to pick it up

Soldiering on: Continuing her strut along the catwalk, she clutched the hat in place with her hand, and bashfully kept her head bent

Plastic fantastic: Like the other models who sashayed down the runway, she donned a pair of sheer boots made out of the same plastic material as the hat

Like the other models who sashayed down the runway, she donned a pair of sheer boots made out of the same plastic material as the hat.

She wore a dramatic face of heavy blue smokey eye make-up and red lipstick, and wore her long blonde hair in a sleek centre parted pony tail.

Stella had heavenly support from fellow VS model Taylor Hill, 21, who also donned the plastic trilby hat.

Angelic support: Stella had heavenly support from fellow VS model Taylor Hill, 21, who also donned the plastic trilby hat

Vintage glamour: Taylor worked a vintage look with a pair of large dark sunglasses and diamond drop earrings, finishing her make up look with a scarlet pout

Taylor worked a vintage look with a pair of large dark sunglasses and diamond drop earrings, finishing her make up look with a scarlet pout.

The beauty showcased her sensational figure in a woven dress, which hung off her slender frame, and opted for a pair of thigh high plastic boots to give prominence to her long legs.

The ensemble was completed with two bags hanging over her shoulder; one, a tie dye large shoulder bag, the other the classic Chanel boucle style handbag fashioned out of green, red and pale pink yarn.

Pin-credible: The beauty showcased her sensational figure in a woven dress, which hung off her slender frame, and opted for a pair of thigh high plastic boots to give prominence to her long legs

Stylish: The ensemble was completed with two bags hanging over her shoulder; one, a tie dye large shoulder bag, the other the classic Chanel boucle style handbag fashioned out of green, red and pale pink yarn

Work it: Taylor looked gorgeous as she sashayed down the catwalk, having perfected her walk over her years of modelling

Joining the girls was Fashion Week newcomer Kaia Gerber, 16, who has followed in her mother Cindy Crawford's footsteps and walked for practically every major fashion house during Fashion Month.

The teen sensation showed she was a force to be reckoned with on the runway as she worked a pastel pink and blue fringed crop-top and matching blazer in the French fashion house's signature tweed design for her walk.

Pairing her colourful ensemble with a matching ivory miniskirt with matching tassels, Kaia added further height to her statuesque frame with a pair of perspex thigh-high boots.

Newcomer: Joining the girls was Fashion Week newcomer Kaia Gerber, 16, who has followed in her mother Cindy Crawford's footsteps and walked for practically every major fashion house during Fashion Month

Strut: The teen sensation showed she was a force to be reckoned with on the runway as she worked a pastel pink and blue fringed crop-top and matching blazer in the French fashion house's signature tweed design for her walk

High-fashion: Pairing her colourful ensemble with a matching ivory miniskirt with matching tassels , Kaia added further height to her tall frame with a pair of perspex thigh-high boots

Fashion force: The models owned the runway in the Grand Palais as PFW drew to a close
In its centennial year, the Junior League of Chattanooga is launching a new community impact initiative called A League of Learners. The initiative will focus on fostering lifelong learners in the Chattanooga community.

The Junior League of Chattanooga has long supported education in Hamilton County with our Mini-Grants for Teachers program, said Laura Ketcham, president of the organization. Through our new partnerships, we will provide an active volunteer base to help develop learners into leaders in our community. It is an honor and a privilege to lead such an accomplished group of women as we launch this new initiative.

During the 2017-18 school year, the Junior League of Chattanooga is collaborating with East Lake Elementary School as a new community impact partner. JLC will work with East Lake Elementary faculty, staff and parents on numerous projects including workdays, mobile food pantries, reading programs and special events.

"Through our new initiative, we look forward to partnering with educators, parents and students in our community, said Jennifer Summerlin, vice president of community engagement for JLC. By collaborating with schools like East Lake Elementary, we believe new opportunities will arise for these students to become community leaders.

JLCs initiative currently focuses on several age groups, including newborns, elementary-age students and teenagers. JLC supports these groups as they strive to overcome challenges with education.


She's about to take on the challenge of being a mother to two under two when she welcomes her second child with rocker husband Adam Levine.

And Behati Prinsloo looked as though pregnancy was suiting her down to the ground as she satisfied her cravings with a trip to the farmers' market in Beverly Hills on Sunday.

The Victoria's Secret model, 28, showed off her baby bump in a white motif tee as she strolled around the stands, sipping a freshly-squeezed orange juice while perusing the goods on offer.

Mom on the run: Behati Prinsloo looked as though pregnancy was suiting her as she satisfied her cravings with a trip to the farmers' market in Beverly Hills on Sunday

Looking happy and relaxed on her casual day out, the Namibian-born beauty kept comfortable in jade green Adidas joggers, which she wore tucked into bright neon socks.

Behati ditched her heels in favor of navy lace-up pumps, while accessorizing with dark shades and a black leather handbag with tassel detailing.

The mother-of-one wore her long honey-colored locks piled up in a high ponytail and went make-up free to showcase her radiant pregnancy glow.

Behati also carried a Sakara Life tote over her shoulder, having been relying on the healthy food company's plant-based meal plans to stay fit and healthy during her pregnancy - and no doubt to stay in tip top shape for the Victoria's Secret runway.

Bumping along: The Victoria's Secret model, 28, showed off her baby bump in a white motif tee as she strolled around the stands

Model mommy: Sipping a freshly-squeezed orange juice, the Namibian-born beauty kept comfortable in jade green Adidas joggers, carrying a Sakara Life tote over her shoulder

The underwear model announced she was expecting her second child with Maroon 5 frontman husband, Adam Levine, 38, last month.

The happy news came less than a year after the couple welcomed baby daughter Dusty Rose into the world.

Posing in a bikini to show off her bump on Instagram, Behati wrote alongside the snap: 'Round 2.'

The announcement came just weeks after Behati confirmed her return to the Victoria's Secret runway in November after taking a year off while welcoming Dusty.

The couple started dating in May 2012, and they tied the knot in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico in July 2014.

Low-key: Behati ditched her heels in favor of navy lace-up pumps, while accessorizing with dark shades and a black leather handbag with tassel detailing

'Round 2': The underwear model announced she was expecting her second child with Maroon 5 frontman husband, Adam Levine, 38, last month

Behati previously described motherhood as 'next level love'.

She told People magazine: 'I think the fact that you could love a person more than you ever thought.

'I love Adam, and when you get married and you fall in love with someone, you think that theres no greater love than that love.

'And then you have a baby, and it's just next-level love.'

Happy news: The happy news came less than a year after the couple welcomed baby daughter Dusty Rose into the world (pictured in February 2017)
She's been busy filming her new action series Six in Vancouver, Canada lately.

And Olivia Munn cut a casual cool figure as she made her way through an airport during a day off from the filming the show.

The actress, 37, sported a green jacket, red shirt, and tight jeans as she strode through the transport hub on Sunday.

Take five! Olivia Munn cut a casual cool figure as she made her way through the airport in Vancouver during a day off the filming the show on Sunday

She kept her hairstyle low-key, opting for a sleek ponytail to keep her tresses out of her complexion.

And the actress accessorized the look with a pair of sunglasses and silver earrings.

Olivia had a grey purse slung over her shoulder, along with a tint of blush to bring out her features.

Currently starring as Gina in the action-packed series about Navy SEAL Team Six, Olivia said the series is significant to her as she was raised in a military family.

Well tressed: She kept her hairstyle low-key, opting for a sleek ponytail to keep her hair out of her complexion

'As someone who grew up in a military family, this show is close to my (heart emoji) and I'm so honored to be a part of it. Excited to work with this amazing cast and crew! Also, it's on @history channel which is cool af to this nerd.#sixonhistory,' she wrote on Instagram when her role was announced.

Last week the actress shared a snap of herself mid-way alongside her co-stars: 'Jump on Six #sixonhistory.'

Six also stars Barry Sloane, Kyle Schmid, and Juan Pablo Raba.

'Jump on six': Last week the actress shared a snap of herself mid-way alongside her co-stars
Some might say Yasmin Horner is just unlucky.

But the 22-year-old believes she is on the right track to international success, despite suffering a harsh blow to her confidence last year.

In an interview with Confidential on Wednesday, the upcoming Australian actor revealed that she narrowly missed out on a role in 2016 blockbuster Deadpool at the last minute.

'It reaffirmed for me that I'm on the right path as an actor': In an interview with Confidential on Wednesday, upcoming Australian actor Yasmin Horner revealed that she narrowly missed out on a role in 2016 blockbuster Deadpool at the last minute

'It reaffirmed for me that I'm on the right path as an actor,' she told the publication.

But as she gears up to return to Australia to star in the forthcoming film Christmas Down Under, directed by My Big Fat Greek Wedding star Louis Mandylor, Yasmin says her commitment to acting is second to none.

'I am used to working really hard, it's not a simple industry and there are a lot of setbacks,' Yasmin said.

'I've always been a performer and couldn't imagine doing anything else.'

'I am used to working really hard, it's not a simple industry and there are a lot of setbacks': The 22-year-old has claimed she is on the right track to international success, after suffering a harsh blow to her confidence last year

'I've always been a performer and couldn't imagine doing anything else': Yasmin is gearing up to return to Australia where she will start filming for Christmas Down Under and Mercy of Others

She is also due to star in Australian horror flick Mercy of Others, which will begin shooting in Sydney and Melbourne next March.

Yasmin first rose to fame at a young age, starring on kids channel Nickelodeon at only nine-years-old.

She has since appeared in a number of film shorts such as award-winning short film Kill Your Sons, and starred in a comedy web sketch alongside Australian comedian Neel Kolhatkar - which has reached over 1 million views.

After moving to Canada at 18-years-old to further her acting career, Yasmin was picked up by high profile management company Play Management who helped expose her to the mainstream.

Yasmin currently resides in Los Angeles.
There is already much buzz surrounding eight-episode fantasy-noir series, Carnival Row, despite the fact it won't be released until 2019.

And Cara Delevingne and Orlando Bloom looked virtually unrecognisable as they got to work on the set in Prague, Czech Republic on Monday.

Sporting freshly-dyed brunette tresses, supermodel turned actress Cara, 25, seemed in good spirits as she got to work, concealing her sensational figure in a loose fitting shirt and faux fur line boots.

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Who's that girl? There is already much buzz surrounding eight-episode fantasy-noir series, Carnival Row, despite the fact it won't be released until 2019. And Cara Delevingne looked virtually unrecognisable as she got to work on the set in Prague, Czech Republic on Monday

Also throwing himself into the action was Orlando, who has grown a goatee for the part.

After arriving on set in his typical low-key ensemble of a T-shirt and jeans, the MTV Movie Award nominee wasted no time changing into a bowler hat and vintage suit.

Not seen on set, but also starring in the Amazon series are David Gyasi (Interstellar), Karla Crome (Misfits), Indira Varma (Game of Thrones), and Tamzin Merchant (Salem).

Changing up his look: Also throwing himself into the action was Orlando, who has grown a goatee for the part drastically altering his appearance

Dapper: After arriving on set in his typical low-key ensemble of a T-shirt and jeans, the MTV Movie Award nominee wasted no time changing into a bowler hat and vintage suit

The eight-episode series, directed by Paul McGuigan, is believed to be set in a neo-Victorian city where mythical creatures have gathered.

According to reports, tensions rise between the new inhabitants and the city's citizens as a murder investigation takes place after a string of unexplained killings.

Supermodel turned actress Cara Delevingne also stars in the show as Vignette Stonemoss - 'a fairy fleeing persecution'.

The series, which has been written and executive produced by Star Treck's Rene Echevarria, while Luke Cage's Paul McGuigan is set to direct and executive produce, along with Travis Beacham of Pacific Rim fame, has been snapped up by Amazon.

Bold new look: Cara's dark tresses are a drastic change from her glossy blonde locks

In a statement that followed the news, head of comedy at Amazon Joe Lewis said: 'There has never been a series like Carnival Row before.

'The scope of the storytelling combined with the uniqueness of the world, themes and aesthetics haven't been on TV before.

'A simple police investigation will lead us down a remarkable journey in a world where humans and creatures co-exist. We're so excited about what Rene, Travis and Paul are creating and we can't wait to bring it to customers.'
They have kept fans on tenterhooks as they prepare to drop the second series of the Grand Tour.

And Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May have given their loyal fans a first look at the adrenaline fuelled next series of their hit show.

Images from new book: The Grand Tour: Guide To The World show the tearaway former Top Gear trio getting their cars stuck in deep mud in Mozambique, visiting the picturesque Swiss Alps and a military tank spinning in circles on a lawn in Dubai.

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Rev your engines: Jeremy Clarkson (above) , Richard Hammond and James May have given their loyal fans a first look at the adrenaline fuelled second series of The Grand Tour

Recovery: A grinning Richard Hammond, 47, is seen behind the wheel of a bright red buggy, in a picture taken just before his near-fatal crash in Switzerland

A grinning Richard Hammond, 47, is seen behind the wheel of a bright red buggy, in a picture taken just before his near-fatal crash in Switzerland.

James, 54, and Jeremy, 57, are also seen laughing out loud as they comically pull Richard along on a small boat in another playful snap.

In another bizarre snap, a stony faced James is seen holding a small fish in his hand, despite being in the middle of a dirt-track road.

Looking to be in good spirits, famously outspoken Jeremy cracks a warm smile as he stands in the sun while filming the hit Amazon Prime show.

Oh dear: Images from new book: The Grand Tour: Guide To The World show the tearaway trio getting their cars stuck in deep mud in Mozambique

Spin spin: Richard is seen driving a military tank which is spinning in circles on a lawn in Dubai

Row your boat: James, 54, and Jeremy, 57, are also seen laughing out loud as they comically pull Richard along on a small boat in another playful snap

Richard has been recovering from a crash in Switzerland that was so horrific Jeremy and James feared he had died.

The star, who sustained brain injuries after a 288mph rocket car accident in 2006, was airlifted to hospital in June after flipping a 2million electric supercar which then burst into flames as he filmed the show in Switzerland.

Hammond thanked his doctors after getting back behind the wheel for the first time since the crash last month.

He has since posted two videos of himself driving cars to his three million followers on Twitter.

Bizarre: In another bizarre snap, a stony faced James is seen holding a small fish in his hand, despite being in the middle of a dirt-track road

Laugh out loud: Jeremy and James are seen having a good laugh in Switzerland

The new series will see the group travel all over the world, and visit destinations including Switzerland, Croatia, Dubai, Mozambique and New York

Despite cheating death in multiple serious accidents, Richard said it hasn't deterred him from driving supercars.

He told The Express: 'It's fine. We're all back at it. We were ahead anyway so we've been able to take advantage of that.

'We're all full functioning. We're all briefly functioning at the same time.'
She is one of the best known actresses in the industry, having shot to fame in Pretty Woman back in 1990.

But looking back at her stellar career, Julia Roberts confessed she was a 'selfish little brat' during her younger days as an actress.

Speaking to Harper's Bazaar, the A-lister, who turns 50 next month, admitted she was her own priority in her youth, but has changed since meeting her husband Daniel Moder - who she joked instills 'terror' in her if they work together.

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Honest: Julia Roberts confessed she was a 'selfish little brat' during her younger days as an actress, in her stunning cover shoot with Harper's Bazaar

The blonde looked truly stunning on the cover in a sprawling red strapless gown, which displayed her delicate decolletage as she posed.

Resting her head on one hand, the actress proved her striking natural beauty and youthful complexion as she smiled softly for the camera.

Continuing with the natural feel of the shoot, Julia then swapped her gown for an equally gorgeous pastel blue ensemble, as she posed for further windswept shots against the backdrop of a beach.

Julia has carved a hugely successful career over the years, having starred in the likes of Pretty Woman, Erin Brockovich and Steel Magnolias.

Natural beauty: Julia smiled softly for the camera in a number of stunning shots, as she looked back at her youth, and how she has changed since becoming a mother with the magazine

However looking back on her lengthy stint in the spotlight, Julia admitted to the magazine that she was a brat when she first shot to fame - starring in her first film at the age of 21.

She confessed: 'I was my priority, a selfish little brat running around making films.'

However, the beauty went on to admit she has completely changed, ever since she met her cinematographer love Danny, 48, and welcoming their three children - twins Hazel and Finn, 13, and son Henry, ten.

She gushed of her partner: 'It was meeting Dannyfinding my person. When I think about what makes my life my life, and makes sense and just shine inside of me, it's him. Everything has come from that for me.'

'I was a selfish little brat': Julia admitted to the magazine that she was a brat when she first shot to fame (pictured in Pretty Woman with Richard Gere in 1990), confessing: 'I was my priority'

Love of her life: However, the beauty went on to admit she has completely changed, ever since she met her cinematographer love Danny Moder, 48 (pictured together in 2015)

Yet, the Hook star did go on to joke that while the pair are happily married, Danny still instills fear into her if they ever work together on set - as he is the one person she wants to impress.

She added of their joint projects: 'There's comfort there, but also terror, which is a good combination. Terror because the person I want to impress most is looking right at me.'

Despite being one of the most well-known actresses in the industry, Julia confessed she had not worked at all this year, after turning her focus to her family.

Yet, explaining she prefers to look ahead to the future rather than on the past, the doting mother admitted she does not actively seek out acting roles, as its more 'organic' to see what falls in front of her.

Added pressure: However she did joke Danny instills 'terror' into her if they ever work together on set - as he is the one person she wants to impress (pictured together in 2013)

She revealed: 'I just wait to see what comes along, as opposed to looking for it. It makes it fun and organicthere's an almost unfair bar that a script has to attain for me to say, 'I'm going to drop everything for this.'

'Sometimes I think, 'I'm pretending my name is Jane and I work in a bank. That's kinda silly  I'm a grown-up woman!'

Read more: The full interview appears in the November issue of Harper's Bazaar, on sale 6th October

Julia's last film was children's flick Smurfs: The Lost Village, and she is currently anticipating the release of comedy-drama Wonder in November - which follows a young boy with a facial difference, who tries to fit in at a new school.

Affirming to fans that she deeply considers which roles to take on, she explained: 'I didn't work for a couple of years in my twenties, because I was being offered scripts and thinking 'Is it me or is this all just crap?'

'I figured I could cover my rent and wait for something good. I'd been spoilt with some great jobs already, so I was like, 'Why do that part with that person, when I was just doing that part with these people!'

Yet, now prioritising her life to being a doting mother of three, the Duplicity star added that she is very proud of what she has achieved over the years, and would not change it for the world.

She said: 'There are great things I've accomplished and I'd be happy to accomplish more, of course, to impress my children and my husband.

'But you know what? I've been spoilt already.'

The full interview appears in the November issue of Harper's Bazaar, on sale 6th October
She's the actress famed for her comedic prowess.

And Isla Fisher, 41, displayed her sensational curves in a plunging animal print dress as she discussed her new book Marge and The Pirate Baby at Build Studio in New York City on Tuesday.

The Nocturnal Animals actress flaunted her toned legs in the thigh-flashing dress, which fanned out prettily into an A-line shape.

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Gorgeous: Isla Fisher, 41, displayed her sensational curves in a plunging animal print dress as she discussed her new book Marge and The Pirate Baby at Build Studio in New York City on Tuesday

Isla's stunning dress cinched her in at her petite waist, while sheer sleeves covered her arms and fastened into tight cuffs at her wrists.

The actress added height to her frame with a pair of mauve pointed court heels, which boasted a scalloped edge.

Matching the look with a mauve leather handbag, Isla slipped on a quirky pair of clear cat eye shades to complete the ensemble.

Pretty: The Nocturnal Animals actress flaunted her toned legs in the thigh-flashing dress, which fanned out prettily into an A-line shape

Stylish: Isla's stunning dress cinched her in at her petite waist, while sheer sleeves covered her arms and fastened into tight cuffs at her wrists

The beauty styled her trademark auburn tresses into curls falling softly around her face, and painted her visage with pink-hued make-up.

Isla recently appeared on Loose Women to discuss her latest foray into the literary world, and the former Home And Away star revealed that her love for writing started in her teen years, alongside her mother.

Isla has churned out multiple books, including two teen novels called Bewitched and Seduced By Fame that were published before she found fame as an actress.

Trendy: The actress added height to her frame with a pair of mauve pointed court heels, which boasted a scalloped edge

More recently, the busy mother has veered into children's book writing, with Marge In Charge out last year and its sequel Marge And The Pirate Baby released this January.

Isla also returned from a 24 hour book promotion tour in Scotland - where her parents are from and she revealed: 'I met some cousins who I havent met before!'

However, she revealed that as of right now, she's happy living in America as 'it's easier workwise.'

Beauty: The beauty styled her trademark auburn tresses into curls falling softly around her face, and painted her visage with pink-hued make-up

Quirky: Matching the look with a mauve leather handbag, Isla slipped on a quirky pair of clear cat eye shades to complete the ensemble

MailOnline has contacted representatives for Isla for further information regarding her hectic schedule.

'I thought there weren't any comedic books for children and child literacy is something I'm really passionate about,' she said.

Isla - who was born in Oman and is of Scottish ancestry - also revealed that her parents sent her to a different school every year until her teenage years, so had to learn quickly how to adjust and make new friends.

Multi-talented: Isla recently appeared on Loose Women to discuss her latest foray into the literary world, and the former Home And Away star revealed that her love for writing started in her teen years, alongside her mother

Literary genius: Isla has churned out multiple books, including two teen novels called Bewitched and Seduced By Fame that were published before she found fame as an actress

She said: 'My parents sent me to a different school every year until I started high school. I was born in the Middle East, raised in Scotland, and emigrated to Australia.

'I had to make friends really quickly, because I was always moving schools. That's why I love books so much, they were my friend when I was the new girl.'

Isla is married to British comedian and actor, Sacha Baron Cohen, 45; the couple share three children together, daughters Olive, nine, Elula, six, and son Montgomery, two.
They have gone from strength to strength since they tied the knot six years ago.

And Rachel Weisz, 47, showed she was still completely smitten with her very own James Bond after the couple enjoyed a romantic dinner in New York City on Monday.

Current 007 Daniel Craig, 49, and his beautiful wife looked more in love than ever when they headed home holding hands.

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Her very own James Bond! Rachel Weisz showed she was still completely smitten with her very own James Bond as they enjoyed a romantic dinner in New York City on Monday

The Hollywood hunk showed he has no trouble going incognito like his alter ego 007 when he sheltered his face with a flap cap.

Casually-clad Daniel cut a trendy figure in a navy polo top and a pair of blue jeans for their low-key date.

Meanwhile, his stunning wife ensured she secured the gaze of her husband with her thigh-skimming dress which featured a flower pattern.

The My Cousin Rachel star threw on a denim jacket to keep off the chill to the evening. Rachel wore her cropped locks in a loosely-tousled style for their date.

Must be love: Daniel showed he has no trouble going incognito like his alter ego 007 when he sheltered his face with a flap cap, meanwhile Rachel caught the eye in a floral frock

Daniel and Rachel have been happy together since they made their feelings known to one another and started dating in December 2010.

Sparks were flying when the couple first set their sights on each other when they filmed Dream House together.

The 2011 flick saw Rachel and Daniel play husband and wife and the pair went onto tie the knot in real life in New York in June 2011.

True love: The lovebirds keep their love life very private (pictured together in Los Angeles, November 2015)

It was a private occasion with only four guests in attendance including both their children from former relationships.

The My Cousin Rachel star gave a rare insight into the couple's private relationship in a recent interview.

Of their relationship, she told The Belfast Telegraph: 'We value our private lives.

'We discuss work a little bit but I think for any couple work dominates their conversation whatever their jobs are.

'You can't let work dominate': While the couple talk about work, it isn't their main line of conversation (pictured together in Los Angeles, January 2013)

'Sometimes you have to leave your work at work, but inevitably there are some discussions, but it can't dominate. I mean it would be boring to just talk about that.'

Daniel shares daughter Ella with his ex wife and fellow actress Fiona Loudon. The former flames were married from 1992 but they parted ways for good in 1994.

Meanwhile, Rachel shares 11-year-old son Henry with her ex lover Darren Aronofsky.

The director is currently dating Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Lawrence.
She gushed about the results of her nose job over the summer.

And Yazmin Oukhellou looked thrilled with the results of her cosmetic enhancement as she stepped filmed new scenes for TOWIE outside Temple Bar in Dublin.

The reality star, 23, was joined by Georgia Kousoulou and Amber Dowding as they explored Ireland for the upcoming show.

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Pleased: Yazmin Oukhellou looked thrilled with the results of her cosmetic enhancement as she stepped filmed new scenes for TOWIE outside Temple Bar in Dublin

Clad in a plush grey faux fur bomber jacket, Yazmin cut quite the chic figure, completing her ensemble with a pair of grey skinny jeans and over-the-knee boots.

Wearing her glossy brunette hair in a sleek mid parting, she beamed, showing off her glowing face.

She was joined by Georgia, who wrapped up in a pale pink aviator jacket and ripped jeans, wearing her hair in loose golden waves.

Fellow blonde Amber opted for wintry black, keeping her look casual in a faux-fur lined bomber jacket and and skinny jeans.

What a weekend! The reality star, 23, was joined by Georgia Kousoulou and Amber Dowding as they explored Ireland for the upcoming show

Last month Yazmin was pictured leaving a clinic in Turkey covered in bandages following her cosmetic surgery.

And last week she put the results of her recent nose job on display in a candid Instagram post.

The star posed up a storm after she peeled off the wraps for the first time to debut her new look on social media.

'So the cat is finally out of the bag,' Yazmin captioned the shot. I can confirm that I had a rhinoplasty... It has only been 2 weeks and I can already see the results are going to be amazing.'

Before and after: The Essex native explained she decided to have a nose job (R) after she broke her nose (L)

The Essex native enthused about how 'amazing' the results of her rhinoplasty were going to be after decided to get the plastic surgery following an accident which left her with a broken nose.

She added: 'I had a previous broken nose and deviated septum so surgery was the only option for me. I am so glad I did it as I was nervous at first but so happy that I can now breathe properly and that the small bump has gone.'

But James Lock's girlfriend explained she wasn't encouraging people to have surgery, adding: 'As I have stated before in previous posts I am NOT telling people to run out and have cosmetic surgery due to vanity,'.

Winter chic: Clad in a plush grey faux fur bomber jacket, Yazmin cut quite the chic figure, completing her ensemble with a pair of grey skinny jeans and over-the-knee boots

New look: Wearing her glossy brunette hair in a sleek mid parting, she beamed, showing off her glowing face

'I am saying that if you want to get surgery, have been thinking about it for a long time and like me I had no other option then people should feel comfortable to and feel they won't be judged'.

Yazmin has been dating co-star James, 30, for nine months, prior to which he was previously in a long-term romance with fellow TOWIE star Danielle Armstrong.

Yazmin has joined the rest of the cast as filming on the show's eagerly awaited new series begins.

Yum! She was joined by Georgia, who wrapped up in a pale pink aviator jacket and ripped jeans, wearing her hair in loose golden waves.

Autumnal: Fellow blonde Amber opted for wintry black, keeping her look casual in a faux-fur lined bomber jacket and and skinny jeans

The duo have been going from strength to strength since embarking on a romance after his ex left the series last year.

Danielle had quit the series before Christmas in a bid to put some distance between herself and Lockie.

However, the former couple appeared to lock horns, as reports surfaced of Danni clashing with Lockie's new love and becoming embroiled in a bitter feud earlier this year.

Makeover: Last month Yazmin was pictured leaving a clinic in Turkey covered in bandages following her cosmetic surgery

Taken girl: Yazmin (right) has been dating co-star James, 30, for nine months, prior to which he was previously in a long-term romance with fellow TOWIE star Danielle Armstrong

The girls had been seen making sly digs at each other on social media and reportedly clashed while both were out at Essex hotspot Sheesh in Chigwell.

Yazmin had accused Danielle of 'dancing like an animal' in front of James and branded her beau's former flame 'embarrassing', while claiming Danielle had made an 'absolute show of herself'.

Danielle, however, denied the claims and took to Snapchat to share her side of the story, insisting she hadn't wanted to talk about her run-in with Yasmin.

Here come the blondes! Georgia Kousoulou cut a chic appearance in a wintry ensemble whilst Amber Turner was spotted about and about in Essex

Retail therapy: The trio cut a chic appearance as they enjoyed a day of shopping

'I didn't want to discuss it, I'm so happy in my little life. I've come away from all that s*** and drama. But all I keep hearing on Twitter, on Whatsapp etc is, 'Someone is talking about you again.'

I got the bill. I was on my way out and me and Yazmin had a few words - little bit heated, no fights, no rows. I left, end of.'

James and Yasmin appear to be on a similar page, as he recently confirmed he is building a house and wants his girlfriend to live with him in it when it is complete.

The reality stars recently returned from Marbella, where they filmed a latest installment of TOWIE.

Where's Megan? A dapper Pete Wicks was later seen in Brentwood bumping into Amber Turner

Turning heads: Amber put on a leggy display in her racy ensemble




Justin Bieber's bad boy reputation has prevented him from renting a house in Beverly Hills.

The Sorry hitmaker, 23, has been offering as much as $100,000 a month for accommodation in the exclusive district of Los Angeles, but homeowners in the area have reportedly spurned his offers on account of his previous behavior.

The wealthy community located near West Hollywood boasts roughly 35,000 residents with a per capita income of $193,000.

Is it too late now to say Sorry? Justin Bieber's bad boy reputation has prevented him from renting a house in Beverly Hills

A source told the New York Post newspaper's Page Six column: 'Justin wants to rent a big estate, but many of the owners of the big Beverly Hills properties, which are for rent, have clubbed together to agree that nobody should rent to Justin.

'You would think that they would want the cache of having him at their homes - and Justin is offering $100,000 a month for places that aren't anywhere near worth that.

'But he and his entourage have a reputation of trashing his rental homes and then being difficult where it comes to paying for the repairs.'

As a result, Justin has instead taken to living in a hotel, leaving some of the guests open-mouthed as he's been casually walking by them on a daily basis.

Down and out in Beverly Hills: The Sorry hitmaker, 23, has been offering as much as $100,000 a month, but homeowners in the area have spurned his offers on account of his behavior

The insider added: 'He's become a resident at a hotel, where the well-heeled guests have been doing double takes seeing him at breakfast on his own with his tattoos and baggy pants.'

In 2014, Justin was forced to pay a neighbor $80,000 after he was proven to have thrown eggs from his own home in Calabasas, California.

A year later, Justin found himself in trouble again after the Beverly Hills home he'd rented was trashed during a party.

The bash was attended by a host of big-name musicians, including Nicki Minaj, French Montana and Chris Brown.

Say cheese: Bieber was arrested in Florida on January 23, 2014 for driving his Lamborghini under the influence

But it was the damage caused to the property which ultimately stole the headlines and further damaged Justin's reputation among local residents.

The What Do You Mean musician was arrested in Florida on January 23, 2014 for driving his Lamborghini under the influence.

Justin was also charged with driving with an expired license and resisting arrest when confronted by police.

The star recently canceled the remaining dates of his Purpose World Tour after rededicating his life to Christ
Senator Lamar Alexander on Monday announced Tennessees Commissioner of Education Candice McQueen, will be testifying Tuesday at a hearing of the Senate education committee, which he chairs, on innovative approaches states are pursuing in their new state plans for holding schools accountable under the Every Student Succeeds Act [ESSA]  the law Senator Alexander sponsored that fixed No Child Left Behind.

In the last few years, Tennessee has led the nation in improving its schools, and in my opinion, Tennessee has done it again, Senator Alexander said. When ESSA passed the Senate in 2015, I said, Today, we are unleashing a new era of innovation and excellence in student achievement  one that recognizes that the path to higher standards, better teaching and real accountability is classroom by classroom, community by community, and state by state  and not through Washington, D.C. This week, the Senate education committee will hold a hearing to hear how states are innovating under the new law. Out of the first fifteen plans approved under ESSA, based upon my review and that of my staff, Tennessee was one of the nations best examples of how to take advantage of the freedom to innovate under the new law  and were fortunate Tennessee's education commissioner, Candice McQueen, will testify before the education committee to talk about what Tennessee plans to do.

On August 30, the U.S. Education Department approved Tennessees new state education plan under ESSA. Senator Alexander said then, This is an exciting day for Tennessee students. With the approval of its new state plan under the Every Student Succeeds Act, Tennesseans are back in the drivers seat for decisions on how to help Tennessee students learn and how to get talented teachers into our classrooms. This new law and this new Education Department both recognize that the path to higher standards, better teaching and real accountability is through classrooms, communities, and states, where decisions are made by people closest to our children and not through a distant department in Washington, D.C.

As chairman of the Senate education committee, Senator Alexander was the primary Republican sponsor of the Every Student Succeeds Act, which passed in 2015 and reversed the trend toward a National School Board run from Washington, D.C. The legislation was called the largest devolution of federal control to states in a quarter century by the Wall Street Journal Editorial Board. The Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015 ends federal interference in state standards and ends the federal mandates on states to adopt the Common Core State Standards.
He welcomed his first child with wife Laura Gallacher last November.

And Russell Brand has lovingly referred to his little girl Mabel, 10 months, as somewhat of a handful - referencing her as 'beautiful, vindictive and vicious.'

Speaking on Megyn Kelly Today on Tuesday, the 42-year-old, who appeared on the show to talk about his recovery from drugs and sobriety, couldn't resist touching upon his family with the sweet statement.

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'She's beautiful, vindictive and vicious': Russell Brand has lovingly referred to his little girl Mabel, 10 months, as somewhat of a handful on Tuesday

Russell, who is promoting his new book Recovery: Freedom From Our Addictions, has openly discussed his marriage to Laura, 30, who he wed last month, as well as fatherhood to baby Mabel, 10 months, in the past.

Speaking on ITV's Lorraine recently, he said: 'Its so extraordinary to find such comfort and peace in a way things are obvious, getting married, having baby, I feel very relaxed, surprised but relaxed

I was watching my wife singing to our daughter, I thought wow this is happening, I am the father in this relationship, it felt beautiful.

Happy family: The TV star, 42, welcomed his first child with wife Laura Gallacher, 30, last November

Priorities: Speaking on Megyn Kelly Today on Tuesday, Russell, who appeared on the show to talk about his recovery from drugs and sobriety, couldn't resist touching upon his family with the sweet statement

New project: Russel has also been promoting his new book Recovery: Freedom From Our Addictions

Loving: Russell has openly discussed his marriage to Laura, 30, who he wed last month as well as fatherhood to baby Mabel, 10 months, in the past

'Nothing she does annoys me': Russell also admitted that fatherhood had settled him down as he spoke sweetly of his little girl to Stellar Magazine recently:

When asked by Lorraine if he would have more children, Russell responded 'Oh yeah! The actual birth bit is brilliant, surprising, amazing. I saw how mental it was my wifes birth was a crazy world, I was on the periphery.

'The midwifes were dominating, I was scuttling around, jealous of the oxygen she was on.'

Russell also admitted that fatherhood had settled him down as he spoke sweetly of his little girl to Stellar Magazine recently: 'She grabs my face, closes her fist and twists it. I quite like that. Nothing she does annoys me.'

'It's just that you can't ever go, "Would you mind being on standby for an hour so I can do something else?" It's a total lack of control: she'll punch and I'll surrender'.

Dad duties: The Rock Of Ages actor has even admitted that even though he may have been viewed as a Lothario in the past, he's long been broody

Trendy: Russell was dressed in his signature rocker style as he arrived at ABC Studios in New York City on Tuesday ahead of the interview

People pleaser: He took time out to take selfies with fans

Former flame: Russell was previously married to American songstress Katy Perry from 2012-2014

The Rock Of Ages actor admitted that even though he may have been viewed as a Lothario in the past, he's long been broody.

'Ive always loved being around kids; sort of obsessively, really. I have strong relationships with all my mates kids.

'If I go to their house I sometimes spend more time with them. Because I enjoy play quite a lot  and kids are willing to just put on stupid voices and muck around,' he concluded.

Russell was previously married to American songstress Katy Perry from 2010-2012.

Busy day: Russell later appeared on the The View with Joy Behar, Whoopi Goldberg, Sarah Haines and Sunny Hostin

Happy: Russell proved to be in high spirits during the interview

Chatting away: Russell joined the ladies of The View on Tuesday

Helping hand: He held panellist Whoopi Goldberg's hand in between breaks

Book signing: He later signed copies of his book at Barnes & Noble Union Square in NYC

Man in black: Russell kept it simple in an all-black outfit
He is worlds away from his most iconic role in Star Trek.

And Chris Pine swapped his space suit for chain mail armour when he filmed action packed scenes for his latest project Netflix film Outlaw King in Scotland on Tuesday.

The Hollywood heartthrob, 37, slipped into his new role with ease as he threw himself into the heart of the action outside Glasgow Cathedral.

Forget Game Of Thrones! Chris Pine was every inch the leading man as he filmed his latest project Netflix film Outlaw King in Scotland on Tuesday

Suited and booted, Chris proved he was the right man for the job of the Outlaw King Robert the Bruce in the upcoming film.

It will tell the true story of how the 14th Century Outlaw King successfully defeated a much bigger and better equipped army with his cunning nature and bravery.

The American actor looked every inch the fierce leader when he rounded up the troops on horseback.

A true leader: The Hollywood heartthrob, 37, slipped into his new role with ease as he threw himself into the heart of the action outside Glasgow Cathedral

Suited and booted: Chris proved he was the right man for the job of the Outlaw King Robert the Bruce in the upcoming film

Battle hungry: The nine-strong group of men looked fierce as they galloped towards the cathedral

Commanding the attention of his army, he stepped up to the challenge and guided the army.

The nine-strong group of men looked fierce as they galloped towards the cathedral.

Costume-clad Chris showcased his muscular frame in the slinky chain mail armour, transporting onlookers back in time to the medieval age in which the story is set.

The star looked worlds away from his Hollywood heartthrob image as he sported a bushy beard and long hair for the role.

He couldn't contain his excitement to be involved in the filming as he grinned ear-to-ear.

Different look: The star looked worlds away from his Hollywood heartthrob image as he sported a bushy beard and long hair for the role

Costume-clad: The hunk showcased his muscular frame in the slinky chain mail armour, transporting onlookers back in time to the medieval age in which the story is set

Commanding the attention: He stepped up to the challenge and guided the army

The hunk is on horseback alongside the likes of Avengers star Aaron Taylor-Johnson in the medieval drama.

The 800-year-old building is one of a number of historic locations set for filming across Scotland. They are expected to finish shooting scenes in November.

Crew first started filming in August over the summer in Linlithgow, West Lothian.

While Netflix are yet to set an official date, the movie is expected to be available on the streaming site in 2018.

Storytelling: It will tell the true story of how the 14th Century Outlaw King successfully defeated a much bigger and better equipped army with his cunning nature and bravery

In good company: The hunk is on horseback alongside the likes of Avengers star Aaron Taylor-Johnson in the medieval drama

Helping hands! Crew members were on site to help Chris off his horse as they prepared for the next scene

Time out: The hunk looked utterly relaxed between takes

Location, location, location: The 800-year-old building is one of a number of historic locations set for filming across Scotland

Kick start: Crew first started filming in August over the summer in Linlithgow, West Lothian

Due date: They are expected to finish shooting scenes in November
Daisy Lowe commanded attention on Tuesday evening as she made her first appearance at Paris Fashion Week.

The British model, 28, accentuated her slender frame with a fitted grey trouser suit while attending the Paul & Joe womenswear spring-summer 2018 show in the French capital.

A peach shirt gave the look a sophisticated flourish, while black stiletto heels rounded things off as she made her way inside, shortly after travelling to Paris from her native London.

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Looking good: Daisy Lowe commanded attention on Tuesday evening as she made her first appearance at Paris Fashion Week

Adding a splash of colour to her ensemble, Daisy opted for a vivid layer of red lipstick  the perfect contrast to an otherwise subdued colour palette.

A single black leather clutch proved to be a distinctive accessory, while Daisy's signature heavy fringe was one again present and correct as she mingled with guests at the event.

Her appearance in France comes shortly after an equally elegant outing at The Arts Of Wishes Gala in London on Monday evening.

Stylish: The British model, 28, accentuated her slender frame with a fitted grey trouser suit while attending the Paul & Joe womenswear spring-summer 2018 show in the French capital

The fashionista flaunted her gravity-defying cleavage in a scooped neckline of a slinky dress with a a frilled edge and semi-sheer billowing sleeves.

Not adding much to her statuesque height of 5" 8', the model sashayed through the event in simple heels.

The brunette injected drama into her ensemble with heavy smokey eye make-up and she wore her glossy locks in a loosely-tousled fashion.

Striking: A peach shirt gave the look a sophisticated flourish, while black stiletto heels rounded things off as she made her way inside, shortly after travelling to Paris from her native London

Here they come: Colour was the order of the day on the Paul & Joe runway at Paris Fashion Week on Tuesday

Finishing touches: A single black leather clutch proved to be a distinctive accessory, while Daisy's signature heavy fringe was one again present and correct as she mingled with guests at the event

Hard to miss: Models wore widely contrasting but no less distinctive ensembles at the event on Tuesday evening

In attendance: American socialite Olivia Palermo occupied a front row seat

Elsewhere Daisy is understood to be dating again after her last high profile relationship with Bradley 'Frankie' Wade, who she broke up with in November during her stint on Strictly Come Dancing.

The model was seen with a new man as they shared a smooch during a day out at a London Sunday in September.

Proving that their relationship had progressed to the meeting friends stage, the pair packed on the PDA whilst surrounded by pals.

can't wait: daisy was clearly excited to be attending the Paris fashion Week runway show

Party time: Daisy's appearance in France comes shortly after an equally elegant outing at The Arts Of Wishes Gala in London on Monday evening
She was seen to have a catch in her throat as she announced that Julia Chernogorova had become the sixth person to leave the Great British Bake Off on Tuesday night.

And coming over all emotional yet again, show host Sandi Toksvig, 59, when discussing the contestants currently competing on the Channel 4 series of the show during an appearance on ITV's Lorraine on Wednesday morning.

The comedian, who co-presents Bake Off alongside Noel Fielding, found it hard to keep her composure while watching back a clip of Julia's exit, commenting that 'even now' - many months later down the line - she still finds it hard not to tear up.

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Tearing up: Sandi Toksvig, 59, came over all emotional yet again as she discussed Julia Chernogorova's exit from the Great British Bake Off on Lorraine on Wednesday morning

Filming for Bake Off wrapped earlier this year, with viewers only now getting to watch all the action that had unfolded in the tent.

Addressing the latest exit from the show on Lorraine, Sandi commended all the baker's on the 'effort they put in' to the competition, adding: 'They put their hearts and souls into it.'

She has become known for her heartfelt reactions towards all the contestants and when Lorraine Kelly pointed out how emotional Sandi had got over Julia's exit from Bake Off, Sandi's voice began to falter, as she joked she still hadn't recovered, saying: 'Ahh even now.'

Emotional: She was seen to have a catch in her throat as she announced Julia had become the sixth person to leave the competition on Tuesday night's episode of the show

Sweet: Sandi commended all the baker's on the 'effort they put in' to the competition and joked that even now she still can't watch back contestants leaving without welling up

Sandi went on to revealed that the presenting team have a WhatsApp group with all the show's contestants and that they all still keep in touch. She commented on how well she, Noel and judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith get on during filming - adding that Noel often refers to her as his 'little Danish wife'.

Her appearance on Lorraine came after fans saw Julia sent home from the Great British Bake Off after failing to impress Paul and Prue with her three creations for pastry week.

The 21-year-old from Russia, who lives in West Sussex with her husband, was told her fate by Sandi who appeared to have tears in her eyes, as she told Julia she was 'so sorry' to see her go.

Close bond: The star then went on to revealed that the Bake Off presenting team have a WhatsApp group with all the show's contestants and that they all still keep in touch

Good fun: She also commented on how well she, Noel and judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith get on during filming - adding that Noel often refers to her as his 'little Danish wife'

Emotional exit: The Great British Bake Off's Julia said she knew she "would not win or get to the final" as she became the sixth baker eliminated from the competition on Tuesday night

As she revealed the latest casualty of the Bake Off, Sandi's voice faltered, as she said: 'I have the horrible job, you are all amazing, you're down to the last seven which is incredible, somebody has to go home and it's really painful.'

Announcing the name of the sixth hopeful to be eliminated, Sandi had to regain her composure, as she stuttered Julia's name.

Bringing in Julia for a hug, an emotional Toksvig told her: 'I am so sorry, sorry sweetheart. You did amazing. You know that, right? You did incredible.'

The signature challenge, which saw the seven remaining bakers tasked with creating four savoury shortcrust pies, was Julia's first downfall, as she included baking powder in her pastry - a move later dubbed a "mistake" by Leith.

Sad: Her exit had left show host Sandi Toksvig, 59, all emotional and on announcing the result, the comedian's voice appeared to falter

Disappointed: Julia appeared to know her fate as Sandi announced the news that she had been given the boot

Tearing up: Host Sandi had tears in her eyes as she told Julia she was 'so sorry' to see her go

Hugging it out: The comedian made sure to comfort Julia, after telling this year's contestants that she had the 'painful' job of revealing who had to go

Julia came in last place in the technical challenge, due to her pasteis de nata - Portuguese custard tarts - resembling shortcrust pastry rather than the desired flaky pastry it is known for.

In the showstopper round, Julia's hand-raised pie with a hot water crust pastry base received criticism from both Hollywood and Leith.

They said her effort could have been neater, that the pastry was 'undercooked' and that her shredded chicken filling was 'dry'.

Farewell: The 21-year-old from Russia, who lives in West Sussex with her husband, failed to impress judges Prue Leith and Paul Hollywood with her three pasty creations

Half-baked effort: The signature challenge, which saw the seven remaining bakers tasked with creating four savoury shortcrust pies, was Julia's first downfall

Following her exit from the programme, Julia said: 'I knew that I wouldn't win or get to the final, but I enjoyed every week, and to get to over half way through the series is something I am really grateful for.

'I enjoyed every minute of it, and I would love to do it again now I have the knowledge of how it all works!'

Julia said that being named Star Baker during bread week was her highlight in the tent, and that she enjoyed getting to know Toksvig and her co-presenter Noel Fielding.

Look on the bright side: Julia said that being named Star Baker during bread week was her highlight in the tent, and that she enjoyed getting to know Toksvig and her co-presenter Noel Fielding (pictured)

She said: 'They always made me laugh and we were always on the same wavelength.

'We just got each other, and I think I made them laugh too, it was so comfortable I felt like I had known them both for a long time.

'Sandi was like my mum and I really loved her, she was so incredibly supportive.'

Julia said her family back at home in Russia have not yet been able to watch her progress on the Channel 4 show as they do not speak English, but that "hopefully I will be able to take some DVDs of the show so they can see it".

Main man: Liam, 19, was named Star Baker for his efforts in pastry week, his first time with the accolade

Well done: Prue Leith praised Liam, this year's youngest baker, as being a "genius", particularly with his flavours

She added: 'My husband Matt's family have of course been able to watch it, and his nan cries each week, and was in pieces the night I left.

'They have been so incredibly supportive, and that means so much to me.

'My husband Matt has been my rock, he is the one who has always believed in me. I would have gone crazy without him!'

Liam, 19, was named Star Baker for his efforts in pastry week, marking his first time receiving the accolade.

Leith praised Liam, this year's youngest baker, as being a "genius", particularly with his flavours.

The Great British Bake Off continues on Tuesday at 8pm on Channel 4.
Naya Rivera and her husband Ryan Dorsey are back on.

The Glee star dismissed her divorce paperwork from the actor in late September, according to E! News.

This comes after the 30-year-old beauty had a short lived romance with Just Shoot Me actor David Spade.

They can't quit each other! Naya Rivera and her husband Ryan Dorsey are back on. The Glee star dismissed her divorce paperwork from the actor in late September, according to E! News. Seen in 2015

'She is back together with Ryan,' said a source close to the couple.

'They want to make it work for the sake of their son.'

Together they have a son named Josey, who they welcomed in September 2015.

Cute one: Together they have a son named Josey, who they welcomed in September 2015

The couple wed in Mexico in 2014.

In November 2016 she filed for divorce stating irreconcilable differences. She wanted legal and physical custody of their son with visitation rights for Dorsey.

He's so yesterday: This comes after the 30-year-old beauty had a short lived romance with Just Shoot Me actor David Spade. Seen in April

'After much consideration, we have made the decision to end our marriage,' the two stars said in a joint statement at the time.

'Our priority is and always will be our beautiful son that we share together. We will continue to be great co-parenting partners for him. We ask for respect and privacy for our family during this difficult time.'

In late March Naya and David were seen getting close at the pool at the Halekulani hotel on Waikiki beach in Hawaii.

They hugged and laughed as they got close.

Also there was Adam Sandler.

Naya made fun of the claims on social media, making it seem as if she was still single, but she was seen with David again later that spring.

In June she reportedly split from the funnyman.

Before Ryan, Naya was engaged to Big Sean in 2013 but they split within months.
She's happily expecting her third child with husband Cash Warren.

But Jessica Alba looked like a mama who means business as she headed to a meeting in Santa Monica on Tuesday.

The actress and entrepreneur, 36, showed off her beautiful baby bump in a tight black jersey dress.

Working mom: Jessica Alba looked like a mama who means business as she headed to a meeting in Santa Monica on Tuesday

The Honest Company boss added to her laid-back look by donning a pair of wire-rimmed glasses and a loose linen coat.

Even in her third-trimester Jessica - who shares daughters Honor, nine, and Haven, six, with her producer husband - looked polished and poised in her well-fitted black dress.

The Sin City star made sure her feet were well-supported in white canvas pumps and she toted her belongings in a navy leather tote bag.

Jessica wore her chestnut locks loose and went make-up free to showcase her natural pregnancy glow.

Bumping along: The actress and entrepreneur, 36, showed off her beautiful baby bump in a tight black jersey dress

Growing family! Jessica and husband Cash Warren (seen with the star's parents Mark and Cathy) have two daughters, Honor, nine, and Haven, six

The mother-of-two completed her look with a pair of gold hoop earrings.

Jessica and Cash met on the set of Fantastic Four in 2004 and were married in Los Angeles in 2008, shortly before the birth of their first daughter.

The couple announced they were expecting their third child together in July.

Cash told MailOnline last month: 'Im always impressed by how hot she is! I think she still looks really hot and shes like a hot mom. I think that always impresses me when I wake up next to her.'

He also revealed the couple are yet to discover whether they will be adding to their brood with a boy or a girl, saying: 'I think well wait and see what the surprise is.

Going strong! Jessica and Cash (pictured in February) met on the set of Fantastic Four in 2004 and were married in Los Angeles in 2008, shortly before the birth of their first daughter

'Based on my friends who all have three kids who are all of the same gender, Im imagining ours probably will go the same way. But who knows?

'Id love to have a little guy in the house to hang out with. But I dont mind being the only guy as well. Its kind of fun. But Im more the whipping boy, if you will. I get s**t from all directions!'

Jessica helped found The Honest Company, a consumer goods brand, back in 2011.

Despite being battered by lawsuits over its products' alleged ingredients and effectiveness, The Honest Company has flourished.

In 2015, the Wall Street Journal reported that the homegoods brand was worth approximately $1.7 billion and valued Alba herself at $340million.
The world was left reeling on Monday after the US experienced its most deadly mass shooting ever at the Route 91 Harvest Festival in Las Vegas, Nevada.

And now, country music star Keith Urban, 49, has spoken out about the moment he broke the news of the massacre to his eldest daughter Sunday Rose.

After performing a cover of Simon and Garfunkel's Bridge Over Troubled Water at a candlelight vigil in Nashville, Tennessee, in the hours after the shooting, Keith shared a personal story.

'I said, 'Yeah, a lot of people (were) killed last night'': Keith Urban, 49, has spoken out about the moment he broke the news of the Las Vegas massacre to his eldest daughter Sunday Rose

'I started this morning by finding out about it and being shell-shocked all morning, getting my kids ready for school.'

'My nine-year-old, as I was driving her to school this morning, said to me, 'Dad, you seem quiet.'

'I said, 'Yeah, a lot of people (were) killed last night.' She said, 'Did you know any of them?' and I said, 'Not that I know of.'

Keith Urban and wife Nicole Kidman share two daughters, Faith Margaret, six, and Sunday Rose, nine

Attire: Keith dressed casually, sporting a black T-shirt, jeans and a denim jacket

'Then she said, 'Then why are you so sad?' I said, 'First of all, these were innocent people horrifically taken, and secondly, they're like family.'

He went on: 'It's the one thing about country music that's always been the centre of it  it is community. So I did know those people, in that way.

'I feel very grateful for this moment tonight to be able to put some light in the world,' he concluded.

Lyrics: The husband of Australian actress Nicole Kidman put on a heartfelt performance, belting out the lyrics to Simon and Garfunkel's Bridge Over Troubled Water

Dressed casually in a black T-shirt, jeans and a denim jacket, Keith looked extremely emotional during the heartfelt performance and speech.

The performance came shortly after Keith took to Twitter, revealing that he is 'stilled and speechless' by the horrific turn of events.

The country music star posted to the social media platform: 'Stilled and speechless...Our hearts and prayers are with everyone involved and affected. - KU.'

Emotional: Understandably throughout the performance, Keith looked emotional

Can't fathom it: The performance comes shortly after Keith took to Twitter, revealing that he is 'stilled and speechless' by the horrific turn of events

Online: The country music star posted to the social media platform: 'Stilled and speechless...Our hearts and prayers are with everyone involved and affected. - KU'

According to police, the shooter was 64-year-old Stephen Craig Paddock, who fired the shots from a room on the 32nd floor at the Mandalay Bay Hotel that he had checked into.

The festival that was headlining acts such as Sam Hunt, Jason Aldean and Eric Church was taking place across the street.

Clark County Sheriff Joseph Lombardo revealed that Stephen was found dead inside his room, among an 'arsenal' of 10 firearms.

Horrific: Residents of the Nashville community woke up on Monday to hear that a deadly mass shooting took place at the Route 91 Harvest Festival. Sunday October 1 on the popular Las Vegas strip saw 59 dead and at least 527 injured
Survivor Australia's final five evictee has revealed the raunchy pact he made with his girlfriend prior to filming the show.

Preparing for his entry on the show, Locky Gilbert and his girlfriend Jordan Cayless set an odd boundary as to how far he could go with another woman.

She told him: 'You can't let your penis touch them,' he revealed to KIIS FM on Wednesday, before confirming he didn't get intimate with co-star Tara Pitt.

'You have to do it to keep warm': Survivor Australia's final five evictee Locky Gilbert has revealed the raunchy pact he made with his girlfriend Jordan (pictured) prior to the show

It came during a chat with The Kyle and Jackie O Show, in which the 27-year-old was probed on 'cuddling Tara every night to keep warm.'

'That's not an inappropriate thing on Survivor, is it?' Jackie O Henderson asked, 'It's just a purely functional thing to stay warm.'

'Yeah, you just have to do it to keep warm at night,' Locky insisted.

Shock-jock Kyle Sandilands then replied: 'And what did your girlfriend (Jordan) think about all that? I'd imagine she'd be anti that?'

The pact: After watching previous seasons of the show, he agreed with his girlfriend that he was allowed to 'cuddle' other women but she added: 'you can't let your penis touch them'

The Perth-based adventure tour guide then laid out the pact he made with his fellow tour guide girlfriend, including: 'no touching at the waist.'

Locky revealed he watched 'a few survivors' before the show, causing his girlfriend to realise: 'oh no, you have to cuddle people?'

He continued: 'I was like "yeah, I'm probably going to have to," and she replied, "alright, well you can't let your penis touch them.'

'I probably have to': It came during a chat with The Kyle and Jackie O Show, in which the 27-year-old was probed on 'cuddling Tara (L) every night to keep warm'

Kyle praised Jordan on her understanding, saying: 'what a good woman she sounds like then, she's very open, then, is she?'

The contestant, who was evicted on Tuesday night's episode, replied: 'yes and no, yeah, she's doing really well.'

The series will wrap up next week with its first ever live finale, where the Sole Survivor will be revealed.

'Good woman': KIIS FM host Kyle Sandilands praised Jordan on her understanding, saying: 'what a good woman she sounds like then, she's very open, then, is she?'

On Tuesday's Australian Survivor, things were tense at camp after Tara betrayed best friend Locky to vote out Ziggy at the previous Tribal Council.

Locky was left fuming after the betrayal, with the hunky adventure guide storming around camp and slicing through coconuts on his own.

'Locky has had control for so long and now that it's gone it's like he's sulking like my 4-year-old does,' said Tara.
She's the Bachelor villain, known for flaunting her $35,000 plastic surgery in sultry selfies on Instagram.

And Keira Maguire jokingly hit back at a fan on social media, after being questioned about whether she was 'escorting' during a holiday in Melbourne.

'Yes I'm an escort ... what kind of question is that?' Keira replied.

'Yes I'm an escort ... bahah what kind of question is that?' The Bachelor's Keira Maguire jokingly hits back at 'offensive' X-rated accusation from fan

After posting a selfie of her posing on a bed in a Melbourne hotel room on Tuesday night, one of her followers asked: 'You escorting?'

'Yes I'm a escort ... bahah (sic) what kind of question is that,' Keira jokingly replied back on Instagram.

When contacted by Daily Mail Australia on Wednesday, Keira said her response was 'clearly joking' because the question was 'offensive'.

Questioned: After posting a selfie of her posing on a bed in a Melbourne hotel room on Tuesday night, one of her followers asked: 'You escorting?'

Hit back: 'Yes I'm a escort ... bahah (sic) what kind of question is that,' Keira replied back on Instagram.

Joking around: When contacted by Daily Mail Australia on Wednesday, Keira said her response was 'clearly joking' because the question was 'offensive'

Meanwhile, Keira is one of several former contestants widely tipped to star in the upcoming Bachelor In Paradise.

On Monday, Network 10 confirmed the series was going ahead, after weeks of speculation.

Also rumoured to star in the series, which aims to give former Bachelorette and Bachelor stars a second shot at love, are Nikki Gogan, Sasha Mielczarek and Jen Hawke.

Since first rising to fame as the 'villain' on Richie Strahan's season of The Bachelor in 2016, Keira has undergone several cosmetic procedures.

The feisty blonde has spent $35,000 on a boob and nose job, as well as lip fillers, Botox and vampire facials.

'The first night I watched the show I was sitting there like, "Ew, this is f****d," My nose is just so bad on camera,' she told NW Magazine last year.
They're Hollywood heavy-hitters who previously worked together on the Academy Award-nominated film, American Hustle.

And Christian Bale and Amy Adams reunited on the set of new Dick Cheney biopic, Backseat, when they were seen shooting somber funeral scenes for the first time in Los Angeles on Tuesday.

The actor, 43, displayed his fuller physique to take on the role of the former Vice President in the new movie, which is written and directed by Adam McKay.

Transformation: Christian Bale was seen in character as former Vice President Dick Cheney for the first time as he got to work on set in Los Angeles on Tuesday

Talented: The actor, 43, displayed his fuller physique to take on the role of the former Vice President (pictured, right, in 1975) in the new biopic Backseat

The Oscar-winning star was barely recognizable with a bit of weight added to his usually chiseled frame for the role as the storied politician.

Bale wore a short brown hairpiece in a comb-over style, similar to Cheney's hairstyle in the late 70s and early 80s, making him look uncannily like his political alter-ego.

The actor wore a black suit and tie as he filmed scenes, which looked to be of a funeral set-up early in the Cheney history.

In addition to his weight-gain, which he recently joked came about by 'eating a lot of pies, the star has bleached his eyebrows to take on the role.

Hard at work: The Oscar-winning star was barely recognizable with a bit of weight added to his usually chiseled frame for the role as the storied politician as he joined Amy Adams on set

And action! Amy wore an all-black ensemble for the outdoor scene as the Vice President's wife Lynne, which included a black dress, black coat and black tights

Hair today: Bale wore a short brown hairpiece in a comb-over style, similar to Cheney's hairstyle in the late 70s and early 80s, making him look uncannily like his political alter-ego

In later years, the politician became the CEO of Halliburton but was most notably known for being in the center of foreign policy which pursued both Afghanistan and Iraq wars.

No stranger to undergoing an image overhaul, Bale previously demonstrated his commitment to transforming for roles when he tanned and beefed up for American Psycho in 2000 and shed 70lbs for The Machinist in 2004.

Amy wore an all-black ensemble for the outdoor scene as the Vice President's wife Lynne, which included a black dress, black coat and black tights.

The star's shoulder-length ashy blonde hair was worn in retro-inspired curls and her make-up was kept minimal.

Somber: Bale wore a black suit and tie as he filmed scenes, which looked to be of a funeral set-up early in the Cheney history

Uncanny: Two little blonde girls followed the actress around on set, assumed to be portraying Liz and Mary Cheney (pictured, right, in 1978)

Controversial: The politician (pictured with wife Lynne in 2004) was notably known for being in the center of foreign policy which pursued both Afghanistan and Iraq wars

Reunited: Amy and Christian last graced the silver screen together in the 2013 crime drama American Hustle alongside Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper and Jeremy Renner

Two little blonde girls followed the actress around on set, assumed to be portraying Liz and Mary Cheney.

The film is described as 'the story of Dick Cheney, the most powerful Vice President in history, and how his policies changed the world as we know it.'

Notable stars already signed on to the film include Steve Carrell as former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsefeld and Bill Pullman as Gerald Ford's second in command, Nelson Rockefeller.

Sam Rockwell is set to portray the 43rd President, George W. Bush, and Lisa Gay Hamilton will play former Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice.

What a cast! Notable stars already signed on to the film include Steve Carrell as former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsefeld and Bill Pullman as Gerald Ford's second in command, Nelson Rockefeller

Practicing: The film is described as 'the story of Dick Cheney, the most powerful Vice President in history, and how his policies changed the world as we know it'

Helping hand: Two little blonde girls followed the actress around on set, assumed to be portraying Liz and Mary Cheney

Interesting subject: The film is described as 'the story of Dick Cheney, the most powerful Vice President in history, and how his policies changed the world as we know it

Transformation: The star's shoulder-length ashy blonde hair was worn in retro-inspired curls and her make-up was kept minimal

Amy and Christian last graced the silver screen together in the 2013 crime drama American Hustle alongside Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper and Jeremy Renner.

In 2013, Bale told People that gaining weight for American Hustle was not difficult: 'It's easy to start with ... you're just sitting on your butt and you're eating lots of doughnuts and eating bread and everything like that.

'But you do it for two months and your body starts to rebel against you, it's just saying, "No, please," and your back is aching and there's also some problems with that.

'And then you've got to lose the weight at the end of it, you know? I wish it was simple.'
The public can support exceptional small companies in the area by nominating them for the Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce Small Business Awards.

These awards recognize small businesses in four categories: 1-20 employees, 21-50 employees, 51-200 employees and nonprofit.

The Chattanooga Chamber names four finalists in each category for a total of 12. One recipient from each category receives a Small Business Award, announced at the Chambers Small Business Awards Luncheon on Feb. 13.

Self-nominations are accepted. Submit nominations here, open until Nov. 1.

Finalist companies receive multiple benefits aside from bragging rights, including:



Recognition during event: Finalist companies are highlighted during the Small Business Awards Luncheon. More than 1,000 top business leaders, potential customers and investors attend every year.

Video telling their business story: This video, a value estimated between $2,000 and $5,000, will be shown at the event and finalists may use them for marketing.

Local media coverage: Chambers Business Trend (ChattanoogaTREND.com) magazine features finalists both online and in print.

Free EXPO booth: Finalists enjoy a free booth at EXPO Chattanooga, held in conjunction with the Small Business Awards Luncheon ($550 value).

Questions? Contact events@chattanoogacham ber.com or 423 763-4357.

Read about last years Small Business Award recipients and finalists here.
Doctor Foster had an unexpected twist but still finished as we should have known it would do: with a disappointing, confusing, finale that was not really an ending at all.

Exactly like the first series in other words, right down to another implausible, excruciating, meal.

Having spent the previous four episodes watching Gemma and Simon trying to destroy each other, what we thought was a tale of ruthless revenge veered off track into something approaching soppy reconciliation.

Scroll down for video

All over: Doctor Foster had an unexpected twist but still finished as we should have known it would do: with a disappointing, confusing, finale that was not really an ending at all

Our own lust for justice and our blood lust once again remained unsatiated.

After several menacing (promising) exchanges with Gemma and Simon threatening to kill each other through various means (stabbing, choking, using scissors or syringes), the heroine and her nemesis (our enemy) both survived.

Gemma let Simon off (again). In 2015 she had let him toddle off to London with his mistress. This time she stepped up and saved his life (twice).

Empty threats: After several menacing (promising) exchanges with Gemma and Simon threatening to kill each other through various means (stabbing, choking, using scissors or syringes), the heroine and her nemesis (our enemy) both survived

As the saying goes:

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.

The real twist left viewers as stunned as Doctor Foster herself.

What you thought was the fight was merely the warning, as she put it.

The denouement was not about who would come out on top between Gemma and Simon at all, but about their son Tom.

Loved one: The denouement was not about who would come out on top between Gemma and Simon at all, but about their son Tom

The poor kid had had enough of them both and you could hardly blame him.

This time he was the one who ended up leaving them both  disappearing, presumably so that Gemma and Simon could look for him.

Perhaps it was only fitting that the Doctor Foster finale left us with a feeling of confusion  about what Gemma had really done and why and how we really felt about the end.

On the one hand Tom wasnt dead (as it looked as if he might be) but then neither was Simon (ditto).

Apt conclusion: Perhaps it was only fitting that the Doctor Foster finale left us with a feeling of confusion  about what Gemma had really done and why and how we really felt about the end

Gemma wasnt back with Simon but you wouldnt necessarily rule it out judging by the tender way they exchanged momentos from their happy past.

During the finale Tom, Simon, and Gemma all said they just wanted an end to it.

We knew how they felt. Sadly, you suspect, the misery for all of us will go on for all of us in Series Three.

Here are the 10 main things we learnt in the finale.

1. Gemma had not run over Simon at the end of the previous episode

She sped towards him and turned the steering wheel but checked herself just in time. Pity.

Near miss: Gemma had not run over Simon at the end of the previous episode - she sped towards him and turned the steering wheel but checked herself just in time. Pity...

2. Gemma was on the verge of getting her old life back

Gemma had taken Tom back to their home, which she had finally cleared out  emptying it of all traces of Simon. The school had left a message saying Tom could return having won their appeal for being expelled (despite raping one of the students). Sians message confirmed she was going back to her practice. She had a chummy dinner with Roz. Only Anna was not living across the road (in the driveway, glass of wine in hand).

Youre in the middle of something her new neighbour said when she came over to introduce herself, and her two kids, after Gemma and Simon had had yet another domestic leaving Gemma brandishing a pair of scissors. You could say that, yes. The neighbour might as well get used to it, you thought. She usually is

Back home: Gemma had taken Tom back to their home, which she had finally cleared out  emptying it of all traces of Simon

3. Gemma was back with James but eventually dumped him (again)

No-one tells me what to do! Gemma blazed when Toms teacher (her patient) annoyingly told her to stay calm after Simon effectively abducted her son. Gemma chose this as the moment to dump James for once and for all (hopefully).

Tom was right, she told him. Ive messed you around time and time again and you just keep on coming back. You like fixing me  the bird with the broken wing. Im not broken. Sorry were not working and it needs to stop.

Then she went to look for her son.

4. Gemma had manipulated Kate into leaving Simon (probably)

The way Simon complained about Gemma persuading Kate that he had tried to mould his new bride into being like Gemma suggested that she probably had. Whether Gemma really had bought the cufflinks he wore at their wedding or danced with Simon to Jimmy Cliff we will never know.

Simon certainly sounded convincing or convinced when he accused: You took her away from me and it wasnt for any good reason. It was revenge. It made you feel good to win. Thats all it was !

You suspect Tom knew it too.

Are you sure you didnt just want to hurt him? Punish him? he asked his mum about driving Kate and Amelie so far out of Simons life they had moved to France.

Gemma denied it but she basically lied to Tom throughout.

Face to face: Gemma had cleared the house out but still wouldnt just move away and couldnt bear to just let Simon go

5. Despite everything Simon and Gemma still couldnt bear to end it

Gemma had cleared the house out but still wouldnt just move away and couldnt bear to just let Simon go.

How does this end? she asked, having failed to end it by stabbing him with some scissors or just calling the police when he started stalking her and Tom.

It ends with us admitting with both got it wrong and getting back together, Simon told her. Were attracted to each other, so that works. We can be Toms parents again. When its just the three of us together it works. Its what I want. I think you do too - underneath.

Unfortunately you sensed he knew he was right.

6. Gemmas parents had been crushed by a lorry when she was 16

Tom knew Gemmas mum and dad had died in a car accident when she was 16 but apart from that I dont know anything.

He didnt even know what jobs they had.

For some strange reason I wanted to know how they actually died, Gemma later told Simon (as he was trying to commit suicide).

I think thats why I became a doctor

The roof of their car was crushed by a lorry.

It would have been utterly terrifying, incredibly painful and not instant.

It probably explained a lot about her.

In the know: Tom knew Gemmas mum and dad had died in a car accident when she was 16 but apart from that I dont know anything'

7. Simon had persuaded Tom to leave Gemma and move in with him and Kate by telling their son Gemma had left him on his own as a baby

I had Post-natal depression, she tried to explain to their son. It didnt occur to me he would tell you about it because I couldnt imagine the psychology of someone who would do that. Who would hold that against someone?

Well he would, obviously.

8. The syringes Gemma had prepared at the end of the first episode were to assist Simon in committing suicide

Follow the instructions, she hissed having presented him with an alternative to killing himself in front of Tom by walking into the traffic on the motorway.

9. Gemma changed her mind about letting Simon go  by killing himself or at all

Dont do this, she said holding Simons hand and giving him the photos of herself and their son that he used to take with him everywhere. Simon didnt really understand why  when she had only just given him them and driven back having left him to do it. After everything that had happened during the previous episodes he had a point.

Dramatic: The syringes Gemma had prepared at the end of the first episode were to assist Simon in committing suicide

10. Tom had got away from them both

No doubt Gemma would always regret driving back to stop Simon. Not because she should have let him die (debatable) but because she left Tom sitting in the car outside the hotel. Not for long though. When she marched back, thinking she had their life all sorted out, Tom had disappeared  even leaving his mobile on the passenger seat.

Its fine. Its going to be OK, Gemma had told him, which was what she said in the first episode when they found out Simon and Kate had moved back. It really wasnt.

She seemed to have forgotten in last weeks show he had confessed to raping his friend Isobel, attacked his best friend Max, and trashed a cafe.

He was clearly cracking and with parents like Gemma and Simon who could blame him.

Awkward: No doubt Gemma would always regret driving back to stop Simon. Not because she should have let him die (debatable) but because she left Tom sitting in the car outside the hotel

Simon pleaded for his help.

I suppose shes told you whats happened with Kate and Amelie. I just need someone who understands me.

Simon, hes 15! Gemma protested.

SHUT UP ! Simon blazed. I was looking after my mum when I was 15. 15 is old. Stop trying to protect him. It doesnt work does it mate?

This was certainly true. Tom hadnt been protected from them at all.

Bad parenting: Simon had abducted his son and threatened to kill himself under a car

He had heard his estranged/hostile parents having hate sex and now sat through the breakfast from hell.

Simon had abducted his son, threatened to kill himself under a car.

He sat watching his dad drinking Jack Daniels and coke for breakfast while his mum made her excuses to prepare the syringes for his suicide.

I hate myself. I hate what Ive done. I hate the entire world. I hope you never feel what Im feeling now, Simon told Tom. But apart from that youre ok?

As for Gemma, he told her: even though your parents died you were luckier than me

Not ideal.

Did you really think that if Kate left him and he lost the house hed just give up?

That is was exactly what she thought.

Traumatized: Tom thought his mother had wanted him dead when he was young, or worked so hard to be away from him, while his father was either trying to destroy his mum or himself

Dad wont ever stop. Youve read stories about dads who cant see their kids. They set their house on fire. He could get a knife

Poor Tom.

He thought his mother had wanted him dead when he was young, or worked so hard to be away from him, while his father was either trying to destroy his mum or himself.

For weeks Tom had been trying to tell his mother it would be better if he left and that everything in his life was s**t, including himself  the same word Simon used about himself.

Mum Im going, he said in the message he had left on her phone. I was going to move out anyway. Ive had enough of dad and you. Ive got no school. No friends left. I hate myself. I just want to start again.

Gemma had been so consumed with trying to desroy Simon she hadnt seen what was right in front of her  that she was losing the person she was fighting for all along  or at least had been in the beginning.

And after all that, she hadnt even finished Simon off anyway but actually saved him.

Talk about dysfunctional...
It's the last thing anyone would want to do after suffering a painful break-up.

But former flames Tiffany Scanlon and Megan Marx have decided to deal with the painful awkwardness of travelling together after embarking upon the SAME cruise tour in the Philippines this week.

The former Bachelor couple, who boarded the celebrity One Life Adventures cruise on Sunday, have been tip-toeing around each other on social media as they document their sponsored trips, despite clearly being at the same place at the same time.

Awkward! Tiffany Scanlon and Megan Marx have decided to deal with the painful awkwardness of travelling together after embarking upon the SAME cruise tour in the Philippines this week

While Megan has been taking in the tropical sights and sounds with her model pals Tegan Martin, Brooke Nash, Renae Ayris and Natalie Roser, Tiffany has been keeping to herself.

In one video shared by Tiffany to her Instagram story, ex-girlfriend Megan can even be seen standing in the background.

The trip serves as the first time Megan and Tiffany have crossed paths since their very public split.

Gal pals: While Megan has been taking in the tropical sights and sounds with her model pals Tegan Martin, Brooke Nash, Renae Ayris and Natalie Roser, Tiffany has been keeping to herself

There she is! In one video shared by Tiffany to her Instagram story, ex-girlfriend Megan can even be seen standing in the background

Late last year, the couple confirmed to Daily Mail Australia that they were a couple after debuting their romance at the 2016 Maxim Hot 100 party in Sydney

'While we were in the show, it was just a friendship. It probably wasn't until we were in Bali together that it was like 'Oh, this is more',' said Tiffany.

'We had very different experiences when we were on the show. Obviously I found Tiffany very attractive but I was there to get to know Richie,' added Megan.

Former flames: Late last year, the couple confirmed to Daily Mail Australia that they were a couple after debuting their romance at the 2016 Maxim Hot 100 party in Sydney

Their high-profile romance was short-lived, with the pair parting ways in March this year.

Just a few months later, Megan was forced to strongly denying Tiffany's allegations that she 'hooked up with one of her male ex-boyfriends'.

Meanwhile, rumours have been circulating that the pair may return to screens on the debut season of Bachelor In Paradise.
He famously dated Gigi Hadid.

And years after claiming single life was 'sweet,' Cody Simpson is clearly enjoying dipping his toes in the dating pool again, as he was spotted out on a cute lunch with a female friend this week.

The 20-year-old Australian musician was seen getting cozy with a mystery woman at a bustling West Hollywood cafe.

Getting cozy! Cody Simpson spotted out on a lunch date with a female friend before pair share an embrace and he rides off on his motorbike

After arriving at the popular establishment and parking themselves on an outdoor bench, the pair were all smiles as they chatted away.

Just minutes into their meetup, Cody got closer on the chair to his gal pal.

The blonde musician looked suave in a two-tone blue shirt, left partially open to expose his chest.

He completed the look with a pair of aviator shades and straight leg jeans, worn low and held up with a belt.

All smiles! After arriving at the popular establishment and parking themselves on an outdoor bench, the pair were all smiles as they chatted away

Up close and personal! Just minutes into their meetup, Australian musician Cody, 20, slided closer on the chair to his gal pal

Dapper! The blonde musician looked suave in a two-tone blue shirt, left partially open to expose his chest

His lunch companion opted for casual fair for the meet up, seen sporting an olive coloured singlet and cropped training pants.

The pair remained locked in conversation upon exiting the cafe, where they said their goodbyes near Cody's Honda motorbike.

They shared a warm embrace and smiled, before the surf rock artist pulled on his helmet and rode off.

Stylish! He completed the look with a pair of aviator shades and straight leg jeans, worn low and held up with a belt

Casual! His lunch companion opted for casual fair for the meet up, seen sporting an olive coloured singlet and cropped training pants

Farewell! The pair remained locked in conversation upon exiting the cafe, where they said their goodbyes near Cody's Honda motorbike

Cody was first discovered on YouTube while still in high school, he then relocated to America in 2010 to launch his pop career.

He famously dated Victoria's Secret model Gigi Hadid, 22, parting ways in May 2015.

The two previously broke up in May 2014, about a year after they first came out as an official couple.

Cody has also been linked to busty blonde model Sierra Swartz.
Rohingya Muslim refugees walk through Balukhali refugee camp in Bangladesh

A senior Myanmar minister proposed Monday to take back the hundreds of thousands of Rohingya who have fled across the border after a military crackdown, Bangladesh said, but gave no details of how the huge task could be achieved.

More than half a million Rohingya have arrived in Bangladesh over the last five weeks after militant attacks on police checkposts there sparked violent reprisals, with entire villages burned to the ground.

Most are now living in desperate conditions in overcrowded camps in impoverished Bangladesh, which has repeatedly urged Myanmar to repatriate them.

On Monday Foreign Minister A.H Mahmood Ali held talks in Dhaka with a representative of Myanmar's civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi and said the two countries had agreed to set up a working group to coordinate the repatriation of the Rohingya.

"The talks were held in a friendly atmosphere and Myanmar has made a proposal to take back the Rohingya refugees," the minister told reporters after meeting Myanmar's Minister of the Office of State Counselor Kyaw Tint Swe in Dhaka.

"The two sides have agreed to a proposal to set up a joint working group to coordinate the repatriation process."

Suu Kyi, who has been severely criticised for her failure to curb the military crackdown on the Rohingya, said in a speech last month that Myanmar would take back "verified" refugees.

This would be done according to the criteria set between the two countries in 1993, when tens of thousands of Rohingya were repatriated, she said.

The Bangladesh minister gave no timeframe for repatriation and did not say whether Myanmar would also take back the 300,000 Rohingya refugees who fled to Bangladesh during earlier violence.

He said the refugees would be verified by the joint working group, with the United Nations not involved.

"Bangladesh has proposed a bilateral agreement (with Myanmar) to help implement the repatriation," he said.

There was no immediate comment from Suu Kyi's representative, who arrived in Bangladesh early Monday and is expected to leave later in the day.

The Rohingya, a Muslim minority, do not qualify for Myanmar citizenship even though many have lived there for generations.

The army insists they are interlopers from across the border in Bangladesh.

With the latest influx, there are now more than 800,000 refugees living near Bangladesh's border with Myanmar.

The desperate conditions in the overcrowded camps have sparked concerns that epidemics, including cholera, could spread.

It remains unclear where the Rohingya would go if they were returned to Myanmar -- many of their villages have been burned down in a military operation which the United Nations has called a "textbook case of ethnic cleansing".

In a speech to the UN General Assembly last month, Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina proposed creating UN-supervised safe zones inside Myanmar to protect them.

Hasina accused Myanmar authorities of laying landmines on the border to prevent the Rohingya from returning and said the UN must take immediate measures to find a solution to the crisis.
Refugees in Bangladesh are packed into overcrowded UN and makeshift camps along the Myanmar border at increasing risk of disease

A Myanmar minister Monday proposed taking back hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims who fled to Bangladesh after a military crackdown, Dhaka's top diplomat said, as the UN described the scale of suffering inside Rakhine state as "unimaginable".

Northern Rakhine has been torn apart by violence since August 25, when raids by Rohingya militants sparked a massive army crackdown that the UN says is tantamount to "ethnic cleansing".

Myanmar has tightly controlled access to the state since then, as the army kickback in the Buddhist-dominated country sent half a million Rohingyas fleeing to Bangladesh.

But United Nations representatives were given their first access to Rakhine since the trouble erupted, in a visit that came as Bangladesh Foreign Minister A.H Mahmood Ali held talks with Myanmar's Minister of the Office of State Counselor Kyaw Tint Swe.

On a one-day visit organised by Myanmar authorities, UN officials, diplomats and aid groups were flown by helicopter to Maungdaw, epicentre of the violence.

The UN welcomed the trip but reiterated the need for greater humanitarian access.

"The scale of the human suffering is unimaginable and the UN sends its deepest condolences to all those affected," it said, calling for an end to the "cycle of violence".

It also urged a "safe, voluntary, dignified and sustainable return of refugees to their area of origin".

Refugees in Bangladesh are packed into overcrowded UN and makeshift camps along the Myanmar border at increasing risk of disease.

There was widespread scepticism over whether any will be able to return and it remains unclear where the Rohingya would go if they did, since many of their villages have been burnt to the ground.

But Bangladesh minister Mahmood Ali said there had been a repatriation offer in what he called "friendly" talks in Dhaka with the representative of Myanmar's civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

"Myanmar has made a proposal to take back the Rohingya refugees," the minister told reporters.

He gave no timeframe and did not say whether Myanmar would also take back 300,000 Rohingya refugees who fled across the border during earlier violence.

He added that the two nations had agreed to set up a joint working group to coordinate repatriation.

Suu Kyi, who has been severely criticised for her failure to curb the military crackdown, said last month that Myanmar would take back "verified" refugees.

This would be done according to criteria agreed in 1993, when tens of thousands of Rohingya were repatriated, she said.

Rohingya Muslim refugees race to collect food at Balukhali refugee camp in Bangladesh

In a statement issued late Monday by Myanmar's State Counsellor's Office, Minister Kyaw Tint Swe repeated Suu Kyi's repatriation vow.

Under that agreement nearly a quarter of a million people were repatriated from Bangladesh to Myanmar between the early 1990s and 2005, he said.

He added that issues between the two countries should be solved "bilaterally, in an amicable manner, taking into consideration of the national interests of both nations".

- No papers, no state -

A Myanmar army crackdown in the Buddhist-dominated country sent half a million Rohingyas fleeing to Bangladesh

International aid groups fear tens of thousands of Rohingya Muslims who remain in northern parts of Rakhine are in urgent need of food, medicine and shelter after over a month of military operations.

An EU delegation also joined the UN's whistle-stop trip to Rakhine, which took in Maungdaw and Rathedaung areas, explaining in a statement "this was not an investigation mission and could not be in the circumstances".

"We saw villages that had been burned to the ground and emptied of inhabitants. The violence must stop," it said, calling for unimpeded humanitarian and media access.

Myanmar denies the majority of the Rohingya citizenship, even though many have lived there for generations. It considers the Muslims as illegal migrants from Bangladesh.

Its insistence on verifying the Rohingya could prove a "stumbling block" to repatriation, according to Shahab Enam Khan, an international relations specialist at Jahangirnagar University.

"The Rohingya fled to Bangladesh without any legal documents and it is difficult to prove their identity," he told AFP.

Mohammad Amin, who arrived in Bangladesh on Sunday with two neighbours in a rickety boat, said he would consider returning if their safety was guaranteed.

"If they treat us as equals, we would go back," he told AFP in a coastal town near the border.

In a speech to the UN General Assembly last month, Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina proposed creating UN-supervised safe zones inside Myanmar and accused authorities of laying landmines on the border to prevent the Rohingya from returning.

Nurul Amin, a labourer who also arrived Sunday by boat with six of his family members, said they fled after Buddhist mobs threatened them with violence if they did not leave.

"If they accept us as Rohingya, and said they would not harm us, we would return," he told AFP at a refugee registration booth.
Israeli police officers carry the coffin of slain Chief Superintendent Baruch Mizrahi in 2014

A Palestinian accused of killing a senior Israeli policeman and wounding his wife and nine-year-old child was sentenced on Monday to two life terms in prison, the military announced.

Ziad Awad, who appeared before a military court in the West Bank, was found guilty of intentionally causing the death of Baruch Mizrahi by shooting at his car on April 14, 2014 near Hebron in the occupied territory.

The policeman's wife was wounded, and their child and another minor were also hit, a statement from the military said.

Awad was also sentenced to pay compensation of 275,000 shekels ($77,000, 65,500 euros).

He was also found guilty of involvement in seven other attacks targeting Israeli civilians, some of whom were injured, the army added without further details.

The court also sentenced Awad's son Izz al-Din to 20 years' jail and to pay 325,000 shekels for helping his father plan and carry out the attack.

The city of Hebron and its environs, home to 200,000 Palestinians and some 700 Jewish settlers, has seen frequent violence between Palestinians and Israeli settlers and soldiers.

Hamas, the Islamist movement that controls the Gaza Strip, and its radical ally Islamic Jihad both hailed the attack on the policeman as "heroic".
In a 27-page strategic review of MONUSCO, the UN's largest and most expensive mission, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said the force was streamlining operations after the peacekeeping budget was cut

With a dangerous political standoff over elections still unresolved in the Democratic Republic of Congo, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres is urging caution over further cuts to the UN peacekeeping mission there, according to a confidential report obtained by AFP on Monday.

Guterres told the Security Council that more cost-cutting could hamstring the 18,000-strong MONUSCO force in its efforts to prevent a collapse of the vast, mineral-rich African country.

In a 27-page strategic review of MONUSCO, the UN's largest and most expensive mission, Guterres said the force was streamlining operations after the peacekeeping budget was cut.

"I am confident that the changes under way in MONUSCO will yield efficiencies. Yet, member-states should exercise caution in making further cuts to the mission's budget that may compromise its ability to deliver on its core priorities," Guterres wrote.

"MONUSCO's ultimate purpose is to prevent the DRC's collapse until it ceases to pose a threat to regional and international stability," he added in the report sent to the council on Friday.

Under pressure from the United States, the Security Council in March voted to cut 2,000 troops from MONUSCO while a $600-million cut to the peacekeeping budget was agreed for this year by all UN member-states.

In his report, Guterres said holding elections would open the door to a further drawdown of forces and eventually the mission's exit after 17 years in the country.

"Yet, unless the Congolese are able to quickly overcome the current political impasse, the mission may never reach that point," he warned.

The elections would pave the way to the DR Congo's first democratic transition.

In his address to the United Nations last month, President Joseph Kabila said he was "most certainly moving towards credible, transparent and peaceful elections" and that a timetable would be announced "soon."

In power since 2001, Kabila officially ended his term in office in December, but he was allowed to remain under the deal reached on December 31 in exchange for guarantees that elections will be held.

There is little prospect that a vote will be held this year however, fueling concerns that tensions will escalate into large-scale violence.

The council is scheduled to discuss the volatile situation in the DR Congo next week.
Goldman Sachs is looking at establishing a team that could trade bitcoin and other digital currencies, said a person familiar with the bank's thinking

Goldman Sachs is exploring whether to launch a trading venture in bitcoin in response to client demand, a person familiar with the matter said Monday.

Goldman's consideration of the digital currency could give bitcoin a boost at a time when it is under criticism in China and by some large banks.

Goldman is looking at establishing a team that could trade bitcoin and other digital currencies, said a person familiar with the bank's thinking.

The venture might resemble other Goldman teams that trade euros or treasury bonds. Goldman has received interest from a variety of parties, including investment funds, insurers and corporate clients. The study is at an early stage and may not yield a decision to proceed with such a venture, the person said.

"In response to client interest in digital currencies, we are exploring how best to serve them in the space," said Goldman spokeswoman Tiffany Galvin.

Large banks like Goldman Sachs have until now avoided trading in bitcoin due to its reputation as a conduit for illicit activity.

At the same time, financial companies have been active in the development of "blockchain," the underlying technology of bitcoin, which is seen as a potentially important technology.

Bitcoin critics include JPMorgan Chase chief executive Jamie Dimon, who called the digital currency a "fraud" that will eventually "blow up."

But Morgan Stanley chief executive James Gorman offered measured praise for bitcoin last week, calling it "obviously highly speculative" but "not something that's inherently bad."

Bitcoin has retreated since breaching the psychologically important $5,000 level on September 1. On Monday, it traded at $4,375.
Little is known about the motive of Stephen Paddock, who killed 58 people and wounded nearly 500 when he rained thousands of rounds into a crowd at a country music festival in Las Vegas

US lawmakers bolstered efforts Thursday to ban devices used by the Las Vegas shooter to make his guns fire faster, while the National Rifle Association unexpectedly urged federal officials to review the legality of such modifications.

The influential pro-gun lobby group broke from its traditional outright opposition to any gun control efforts by calling on the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to consider changing the laws surrounding so-called "bump stocks."

"The NRA believes that devices designed to allow semi-automatic rifles to function like fully-automatic rifles should be subject to additional regulations," the NRA said.

The statement is a notable concession by the group, which has vehemently opposed any efforts to tighten gun laws or limit gun owners' options to modify their weapons, and it could open the door to a broader debate about bump stocks.

But should the ATF modify federal statute to make such devices illegal, the move would circumvent Congress.

As police search for more clues into what drove Stephen Paddock to murder 58 people and wound nearly 500 at a country music concert, President Donald Trump's White House also announced it was "open" to further debate about the devices.

Bump stock devices, which attach to semi-automatic rifles to increase the speed at which they can be fired, are at the center of a debate over what steps should be taken to address repeated mass shootings in the United States

The spring-loaded mechanism uses a rifle's recoil to repeatedly and rapidly pull the trigger, allowing the user to fire several hundred rounds per minute.

"Members of both parties and multiple organizations are planning to take a look at bump stocks," White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters.

"We welcome that and would like to be part of that conversation."

- Chicago, Boston probed -

As Congress appeared prepared to at least consider moving forward on the first gun limits in years, it emerged that Paddock may have scoped out other major US cities for possible attacks.

Chicago's Blackstone hotel said a man by the same name had reserved a room there in August -- but never showed -- as hundreds of thousands of people were attending the outdoor concert festival Lollapalooza, including Malia Obama, daughter of the former president.

He had also conducted internet searches in Boston, reported the Boston Globe, raising the prospect that Paddock may have been plotting more attacks.

During the shooting rampage Sunday night, two bullets hit a fuel storage tank on the perimeter of Las Vegas' McCarran International Airport. But there was "almost zero" chance of fire or explosion because the tank contained a form of kerosene, which is classified as combustible but not flammable, the airport said in a Facebook posting.

The NRA and White House announcements give cover to Republican lawmakers, many of whom receive NRA funding, to back current legislation that would ban the sale of bump stocks.

"Clearly this is something we need to look into," House Speaker Paul Ryan, the top Republican in Congress, told MSNBC.

FBI investigators continue work at Las Vegas Village, site of the worst mass murder in modern US history, where shooter Stephen Paddock used semi-automatic weapons which he modified with so-called bump stocks to dramatically boost their rate of fire

House and Senate Democrats have introduced bills banning bump stocks and similar devices, like trigger cranks, that can accelerate the firing rate of a semi-automatic weapon to nearly that of a machine gun.

Senator Diane Feinstein, whose assault weapons ban was defeated in 2013, four months after the Newtown shooting where 20 elementary school children were shot dead, said she hoped now was the time Republicans could support her measure to curtail use of the devices.

"Mr. President, you know what the right thing to do is," said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, calling on Trump, who visited Las Vegas Wednesday and met with victims and first responders, to support a ban on bump stocks.

While Republicans like Senators Lindsey Graham and John Cornyn were open to hearings on bump stocks, not all Republicans were on board.

"I think this is about chipping away at the Second Amendment," said Senator John Kennedy, referring to the clause in the US Constitution which guarantees citizens the right to bear arms.

Authorities meanwhile were studying the relationship between Paddock, who had no criminal record, and his girlfriend Marilou Danley, whom FBI agents questioned for clues to what drove Paddock to commit the deadliest US shooting of modern times.

- Escape planned? -

In a statement read by her attorney Matthew Lombard, the 62-year-old Danley said she had no hint of what was to come.

"He never said anything to me or took any action that I was aware of that I understood in any way to be a warning that something horrible like this was going to happen," she added.

Authorities have been at a loss as to why the 64-year-old gambler and retired accountant hauled a vast arsenal of weapons to his hotel room and launched his assault.

Stephen Paddock, seen here in an undated image, is thought to have looked for a way to escape after carrying out the deadly shooting

Las Vegas Sheriff Joseph Lombardo said the scale of the preparations -- including weapons, ammunition and electronics he stockpiled -- raise questions about Paddock potentially having had an accomplice, but none has been identified.

The sheriff also said he believed Paddock was seeking a way out after his murder spree.

"He was doing everything possible to see how he could escape at this point," Lombardo said.

The attack unfolded in just 10 minutes from the first shot to the last, but Paddock was not confirmed dead for more than an hour after that.

Authorities have seized 47 firearms from three locations. Several of the rifles found in his hotel room were modified with bump stocks.

Gun sellers in Las Vegas have spoken out about the ghastly shooting, but have voiced opposition to changing America's gun laws.

"It's an act of a coward, an act of a madman," Art Netherton, manager of Briarhawk Firearms and Ammunition, told AFP. But he said the call to restrict guns was a "knee-jerk reaction" by Democratic lawmakers.
Under Canberra's defence plans, its current ANZAC and Adelaide class frigates will be replaced at an estimated cost of Aus$35 billion, with Britain's BAE Systems, Italy's Fincantieri, and Spain's Navantia in the running to design them.

Australia's new frigates will be equipped with a long-range missile defence system to counter threats from rogue states like North Korea, officials announced Tuesday.

Canberra in May revealed details of a massive shipbuilding strategy, its largest peacetime naval investment, including 12 new submarines and 12 offshore patrol vessels.

The Aus$89 billion (US$70 billion) package to shore up defence capabilities also featured nine new frigates.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said the frigates, primarily meant for anti-submarine warfare, would be armed with Lockheed Martins Aegis combat management system together with a Saab Australia-developed tactical interface.

"Recent events in our region have proven that Australias future frigates must be equipped to defend Australia from the threat of medium and long-range missile attacks," he said, referencing North Korea.

He added that the new ships, whose construction is due to start in 2020, would be operating in "a complex and growing threat environment".

"By bringing together the proven Aegis system, with a cutting edge Australian tactical interface developed by SAAB Australia, our future frigates will have the best capability to defeat future threats above and below the surface."

The announcement comes as international alarm mounts over Pyongyang's weapons ambitions, with the rogue regime recently detonating its sixth nuclear bomb while test-firing intercontinental missiles -- saying it needs to defend itself against the threat of a US invasion.

Under Canberra's defence plans, its current ANZAC and Adelaide class frigates will be replaced at an estimated cost of Aus$35 billion, with Britain's BAE Systems, Italy's Fincantieri, and Spain's Navantia in the running to design them.

The navy's Armidale offshore patrol vessels, designed for border protection, will also be renewed and there will be 12 new submarines to replace the ageing diesel and electric-powered Collins Class fleet.

French naval contractor DCNS was last year selected to design and build them the submarines.
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Preparing students to make informed choices about career paths and courses of study they pursue while in high school is one of the objectives of the workforce development programs for the Cleveland/Bradley Chamber of Commerce.

To meet that objective, the Chamber recently held a Career Awareness Fair for 1,200 eighth graders at Cleveland State Community College. It is not too early in eighth grade to begin thinking about what careers will be available for these students and what preparation they need in order to become part of a qualified workforce for our community, Sherry Crye, director of workforce development, said.

The Career Awareness Fair consisted of exhibits from the Career Technical Education programs offered in the three local high schools, as well as some of the programs offered at Cleveland State Community College and the Tennessee College of Applied Technology. Business and industry exhibitors included Cleveland Utilities, Franklin Academy, Lewis Group Architects, Life Care Center of Cleveland, Lonza, and Wright Brothers Construction. Representing service careers were Bradley County Sheriffs Office, Bradley Fire and Rescue, Cleveland Fire and Rescue, Cleveland Police Department, Life Force and Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency.

Eighth-graders also participated in College 101 and a Jeopardy-type game, presented by Cleveland State. These programs allowed middle-school students an opportunity to explore post-secondary options, what is needed to be a successful employee or college student, and the need for them to begin thinking about which option is best for them as they enroll in high school courses that will best prepare them post-secondary.
Law Enforcement Officers are seen at the scene of an explosion on West 23rd Street in New York, on September 18, 2016

A prosecutor in the trial of the suspect in a September 2016 Manhattan bomb attack said Monday it was a "miracle" nobody was killed.

Ahmad Khan Rahimi, a 29-year-old American of Afghan descent, is accused of planting several bombs in New Jersey and two in Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood.

Most of the bombs did not explode but one of the devices in Chelsea wounded 31 people when it blew up. No one was killed.

Rahimi allegedly spent months preparing bombs made of explosives and metal chips placed inside a pressure cooker -- which could be detonated using a smartphone.

According to the prosecution, he "searched the internet for how-to videos," "ordered tools and electronic equipment online" and "tested it in his backyard."

"He believed he was a soldier in a holy war against America, and New Jersey and New York City was his battling ground," said Assistant US Attorney Shawn Crowley.

"There is clear evidence of his desire to cause harm on a massive scale," he added.

The prosecution said police found a notebook containing references to Osama Bin Laden and the Islamic State group after arresting Rahimi, which was shown to jurors Monday.

It added that "more than 40" of Rahimi's fingerprints were discovered on the unexploded bombs, while witnesses were also called to explain abundant CCTV footage.

Rahimi has pleaded not guilty, with the defense claiming the prosecution is pursuing a theory of radicalization "to make its case more compelling, dramatic and seductive."

Defense attorney Meghan Gilligan did not confirm whether Rahimi will be called to the stand during the two- to three-week trial -- a move that would put him at risk of cross-examination.

Rahimi, who appeared in court wearing a blue shirt and grey trousers, was initially removed from the courtroom for trying to speak without the judge's permission.

After returning to the courtroom and apologizing, he explained his wife had not been allowed to visit him for months and that he had barely seen his children.

Judge Richard Berman promised to follow up on the issue with prison authorities.

Rahimi was seriously injured during a shoot-out that culminated in his arrest, and was hospitalized for a long period of time -- but appeared to have fully recovered.
Members of the Iraqi forces hold a flag of the Islamic State group upside down in the northern Iraqi town of Sharqat on September 22, 2017

The Islamic State group is under attack across the remaining parts of its self-proclaimed caliphate, but what happens to its thousands of fighters as their group loses grip on territory?

Facing multiple offensives, the jihadist group has lost the Libyan city of Sirte, Iraq's Mosul and Ramadi, and is now on the verge of being ousted from its former Syrian stronghold Raqa.

At its peak IS counted tens of thousands of fighters among its ranks, with US officials estimating as many as 40,000 foreign fighters travelled to join the jihadists over the years.

How many have been killed, arrested?

Forces attacking IS have regularly reported the deaths and arrests of large numbers of jihadists, but their figures are often vague and cannot be independently verified.

"We can't give an exact number of those arrested but we can say that there are a good number of them being detained by our forces," said Mustafa Bali, spokesman for the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces currently battling IS in Syria.

In Iraq's Mosul, journalists saw the bodies of jihadists killed in fighting on the streets, but they numbered no more than a few dozen at any time, far less than the hundreds authorities often said had died in combat.

Other IS fighters may have been arrested and then executed.

In July, the Human Rights Watch group accused a unit of Iraq's army of carrying out summary executions of suspected jihadist prisoners.

Hiding among civilians?

A persistent fear for forces attacking IS is that its fighters will try to blend into the civilian population, either fleeing along with the displaced or staying behind in homes.

"The problem of operatives hiding among civilians who flee is certainly a major issue," said Aymenn al-Tamimi, a research fellow at the Middle East Forum.

"Operatives might stay behind and melt into the wider civilian population to function as sleeper cells or recruit others to become part of sleeper cells as well," he told AFP.

In Syria, Bali said, some IS fighters "have been discovered in camps for the displaced via our databases".

Others have been turned in by civilians who recognised and reported them.

But some fighters slip through nonetheless, especially as "some civilians are afraid to report them, fearing revenge will be taken against them," said Rami Abdel Rahman, director of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor.

Iraqi forces, like their counterparts in Syria, use a database to pick out suspected IS fighters from among civilians.

But a local Iraqi official said "a large number of Daesh elements are hiding among the population in Mosul, particularly in the Old City," using the Arabic acronym for IS.

Their presence is evidenced by "the assassinations and bombings that continue daily", said Hisham al-Hashimi, a researcher who specialises in jihadist movements.

What about foreign fighters?

The many non-Arab foreign fighters among IS's ranks may not be able to blend so easily into the fleeing civilian populations, with their features and language betraying them.

"There's a lot of (IS) foreign fighters there that don't want to give up and intend to fight very hard," the top coalition commander assisting and advising the SDF told AFP.

Foreign fighters are often those carrying out suicide attacks, added Hashimi, and by the end of any given battle "the number of them left behind is very small".

Their chances of returning home are slim, with intelligence services closely monitoring for returnees, and the Turkish border now tightly surveilled.

Charlie Winter, a senior research fellow at the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation and Political Violence, said IS's own propaganda suggested a loosening of its once-tight rules against leaving its territory for that of the "unbelievers".

"The group has very indirectly -- but also in my opinion unambiguously -- essentially said that it is no longer impermissible to flee the IS territories," he told AFP.

Refuge in remaining IS territory?

With its territory across Syria and Iraq rapidly shrinking, IS is now concentrating its resources in the Euphrates River valley that lies along the Syria-Iraq border, experts say.

"For a long time now the centre of gravity for the Islamic State has been shifting... towards places like Mayadeen and Albu Kamal," in the east of Syria's Deir Ezzor province, said Winter.

"IS has very systematically been bulking up its infrastructure and its population in these places," he added.

He said IS had likely ensured that large numbers of fighters moved to these areas well before they were surrounded in places like Raqa and Mosul.

That means now that the fight for places like Mayadeen and Albu Kamal could be "surprisingly ferocious," he said.

burs-lar/sah/dv
Dinh Thi Mong Kha, 24, a Vietnamese woman married to a Korean man but not yet moved to South Korea, smiling as she is called on while attending a Korean language class at the Korea Center for United Nations Human Rights Policy (KOCUN) in Can Tho. There are some 40,000 Vietnamese brides in South Korea, a top destination for women looking for love and a ticket out of poverty. Many know little about the country beyond K-pop bands or Korean movies and end up marrying virtual strangers.

When baby-faced Huynh Thi Thai Muoi left her home in rural Vietnam to begin a life in South Korea with a man she barely knew, she feared it was a gamble.

She didn't speak the language, her new husband was nearly twice her age, and she knew little about her new home, but the 23-year-old high school dropout was looking for love -- and a fresh start.

"I want a new life, I want to challenge myself and see whether I can thrive or not," said Muoi, whose chubby, acne-marked cheeks make her look younger than she is.

Muoi was introduced to 43-year-old bachelor Kim Kyeong-Bok through her cousin, who is also married to a Korean, and the couple wed within days of meeting.

She is one of some 40,000 Vietnamese brides in South Korea, a top destination for women looking for love and a ticket out of poverty. Many know little about the country beyond K-pop bands or Korean movies and end up marrying virtual strangers.

But for Muoi, her new life in the city of Gwangju -- and her new husband -- have, so far, surpassed her hopes.

"My husband really loves me, more than I expected," she gushed.

Nguyen Thi Kim Han (left) joins others in reading out loud from a document during a class at the Korea Center for United Nations Human Rights Policy (KOCUN) in Can Tho. There are some 40,000 Vietnamese brides in South Korea, a top destination for women looking for love and a ticket out of poverty. Many know little about the country beyond K-pop bands or Korean movies and end up marrying virtual strangers. Mother-of-two Nguyen Thi Kim Han married a Korean man in 2007 to help her poor family, but he turned out to be a closeted gambling addict who emptied the family's bank account - twice.

Despite the language barrier, Kim is teaching her to shop and cook, and hopes she will make friends at a nearby community centre for foreign brides.

"When I first met her, I thought to myself, 'this is the woman who will become my wife'. I was very happy," explained Kim, who had rejected the first Vietnamese girl presented to him as a bride option.

- Marriage gap -

But Muoi is one of the lucky ones. Many other Vietnamese women have found their new lives are not what they dreamed: thousands have returned home divorced and unhappy.

"The women don't have enough information about either their husbands or what migrating and living in Korea would be like," said Youn Sim Kim, director of the Korea Center for United Nations Human Rights Policy (KOCUN), an NGO in southern Can Tho province where many of the brides come from.

One in five Vietnamese-Korean couples filed for divorce in 2015, according to the latest data from Statistics Korea.

"I thought life would be okay like it was in Vietnam, maybe the only difference would be the food," said Le Thi The, a divorcee now living in Can Tho.

Nguyen Thi Kim Han (right) sips on a juice as she sits with her two daughters near the Korea Center for United Nations Human Rights Policy (KOCUN) in Can Tho. There are some 40,000 Vietnamese brides in South Korea, a top destination for women looking for love and a ticket out of poverty. Many know little about the country beyond K-pop bands or Korean movies and end up marrying virtual strangers. Mother-of-two Nguyen Thi Kim Han married a Korean man in 2007 to help her poor family, but he turned out to be a closeted gambling addict who emptied the family's bank account - twice.

The honeymoon period abruptly ended days after she arrived and discovered her husband was not the man she thought he would be.

"I asked him to come home and he got mad at me, he threw all my stuff out of the house," The said.

Most Vietnamese brides usually settle in rural areas in South Korea, a prospect that has become less attractive to eligible Korean women who have streamed into fast-growing cities to climb the career ladder. An increasing number say that marriage isn't a must.

"In some of those areas there's a gender imbalance, whereby a lot of the South Korean women who are from the rural areas are migrating to urban centres, leaving a shortage," said Paul Priest, acting chief of mission at the International Organization for Migration in Vietnam.

The bulk of women filling the marriage gap come from Vietnam's Mekong Delta or rural China, largely drawn to South Korea's dizzying pace of development of the past half century.

Its annual per capita GDP is more than $27,000, some 12 times that of Vietnam, and comfortably above China's $8,000, according to World Bank data.

- Lost everything -

The headache continues for returnees to Vietnam since their divorces aren't legally recognised and their Korean-born children aren't immediately eligible to attend local schools.

Mother-of-two Nguyen Thi Kim Han married a Korean man in 2007 to help her poor family. But he turned out to be a closeted gambling addict who emptied the family's bank account -- twice.

"At first he was nice with a gentle manner, we didn't have that much money but it wasn't that important," she told AFP, sobbing.

But she later discovered he lost all their money in poor trades on the stock market.

"Not a single penny left... I was in shock," Han said.

After he did it a second time, she took the girls back to Vietnam, but struggled to get them into school, eventually managing with KOCUN's help.

New Vietnamese brides often seek help from the Korea Center for United Nations Human Rights Policy (KOCUN), which prepares them for life in Korea, with lessons on climate, culture, language and local food

Established in 2011, the centre prepares wives for life in Korea, teaching them about climate and culture, language and local food, and also supports returnees.

Most couples meet through illegal marriage brokers in Vietnam, notorious for arranging bride-viewing sessions for Korean men in seedy backrooms.

But police in Vietnam have cracked down on the brokers, and the South Korean government has tightened visa rules, so such foreign marriages are starting to decline.

Muoi is optimistic about her new relationship, but concedes her life in South Korea can be very lonely.

Some days to alleviate the boredom she joins her husband at the office, sitting quietly as he works.

Muoi talks to her family daily on the smartphone Kim bought them, but is still desperately homesick.

"Every time I think about them, I always cry," she said.
All 11,000 people who live on Ambae, in the north of the Pacific archipelago, were ordered to leave after the Manaro Voui volcano rumbled to life and rained rock and ash on villages last week

A Vanuatu volcano that sparked the evacuation of an entire island appeared to be stabilising, scientists said Tuesday, although aid workers said it was too early for villagers to return home.

All 11,000 people who live on Ambae, in the north of the Pacific archipelago, were ordered to leave after the Manaro Voui volcano rumbled to life and rained rock and ash on villages last week.

Fearing a major eruption, officials mobilised a rag-tag armada of civilian vessels to ferry residents to safety on other islands in what has been described as a "Dunkirk" style operation.

Vanuatu's official Geohazards Observatory said the threat had eased, although it maintained the volcano's status as level four, the second-highest rating.

It said the most recent observations from flyovers and seismic stations indicated the seismic activity was now limited to a lake in the volcano's crater.

"As the activity is now more settled and focused only on the new island in Lake Voui, the possibility of a large eruption affecting the whole island is now looking less likely," it said.

Red Cross spokesman Joe Cropp said the report of reduced seismic activity was "reassuring" but there were still thousands of people in emergency accommodation.

Locals can only return to Ambae when the government downgrades the threat to level three, which could take months, he said.

"We're still holding with the original plan of providing support to people for the next two weeks, then looking forward to the indefinite future," Cropp told AFP from the capital Port Vila.

"We have to plan ahead and be prepared... because we're not quite sure which way the volcano is going."

He said most of Ambae's population had now been relocated to three neighbouring islands, where they were sheltering in schools, churches and sporting grounds.

The evacuation succeeded in removing Ambae's population more than two days before the government target of Friday, Cropp added.

"You'd see people boarding a whole range of vessels," he said.

"I think the largest could take about 1,000 people and I also saw small water-taxi speedboats taking 20-30 people.

"For a really complicated evacuation of 11,000 people from a remote island it was quite impressive."

It comes as international relief efforts stepped up with the arrival of two Hercules aircraft carrying supplies, one from Australia and the other from New Zealand.

An Australian navy vessel with emergency specialists and food supplies is expected to arrive on Wednesday.
A Rohingya refugee who said he was a member of the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army talks to AFP in a Bangladeshi refugee camp

Bangladesh has deployed secret police in the burgeoning refugee camps near its border with Myanmar, where Rohingya claiming to be members of a militant group say they have found fertile ground for recruitment.

Authorities in Bangladesh, which was already grappling with its own Islamist militancy problem before the latest mass influx of Rohingya refugees, have repeatedly said there are no extremists among the new arrivals.

But inside the camps are a number of self-proclaimed members of the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), the group behind the August 25 attacks on police posts in Myanmar that sparked a military crackdown that the UN has likened to ethnic cleansing.

Capitalising on anger over the unrest that has forced half a million Rohingya Muslims to flee to squalid camps in Bangladesh, recruiters claim to have enlisted hundreds willing to fight back in Myanmar, where the minority faced decades of persecution.

No caption

Those allegations are hard to verify. But authorities in Bangladesh have stepped up surveillance of the border area in recent weeks.

Mohammad Halim, who says he is a recruiter for ARSA, told AFP that volunteers were trained in combat, military tactics and the use of weapons -- but he complained that they were unarmed.

"All that training seems to be vain, because we don't have weapons," Halim said in a steamy tent in Cox's Bazar, using a pseudonym to protect his identity.

"If we had arms, we'd go back to Myanmar to fight... we would drive away the military and take back our land," he told AFP.

- Waiting for orders -

The ARSA says it launched the August assault -- and a previous attack in October 2016 -- to fight back after decades of suffocating restrictions on Rohingya Muslims in Buddhist-dominated Myanmar, which denies them citizenship and free movement.

But the violence unleashed by the ARSA attacks has resulted in a massive exodus of the minority from their homes in Rakhine state.

ARSA, branded a terrorist organisation in Myanmar, is fronted by Ata Ullah, who is believed to have been born to a Rohingya family in Pakistan, and to have lived in Saudi Arabia.

Rohingya leaders have long rejected attempts by outside militants to radicalise the population.

A Rohingya Muslim refugee is fingerprinted after crossing the border from Myanmar

But observers say increasingly oppressive restrictions imposed since communal violence between Muslims and Rakhine Buddhists in 2012 have allowed support for militancy to take root.

Security experts warn that radicalisation among the Rohingya would have far-reaching consequences, especially if global extremist groups tap ethnic rivalry in Myanmar's Rakhine state and anger in the refugee camps in Bangladesh.

Refugees fleeing the latest violence -- including sizeable Hindu and Buddhist minorities -- have alleged atrocities by all sides, including mass killings and rapes.

ARSA has effectively gone underground in recent weeks, said Jahangir Alam, a newly arrived refugee who claimed he took part in the militant ambush on security forces last October.

Rohingya fighters were told to await orders and weapons, Alam said, but some in the camps were eager to avenge the slaughter of friends and family.

"We said we wanted to go back to our country. Nowhere else. We left our land and homes in Myanmar," the muscular Rohingya youth told AFP, also using an alias.

"We don't have anything here."

His testimony, and that of other Rohingya men interviewed by AFP claiming to be militants, is difficult to confirm, although they had detailed knowledge of weapons, training methods and tactics used by the insurgents.

A Myanmar policeman stands guard near a military transport helicopter in northern Rakhine state

S.M Moniruzzaman, the regional police chief overseeing the refugee camps, rejected any suggestion that Rohingya militants were operating in Bangladesh.

"With confidence and determination, I can say there is no way ARSA... is harbouring militants in Bangladesh," the Chittagong police chief told AFP, referring to the Rohingya insurgency.

The new Rohingya influx are "under surveillance", Moniruzzaman added, with plain clothes police and "reliable sources" patrolling the camps.

The army has taken over aid distribution in camps -- a move experts said could double as a security precaution.

"Definitely they must have that in the back of their mind," said Abdur Rob, head of the political science department at Dhaka's North South University.

Bangladesh is already waging its own war on Islamist militants. In recent years, homegrown radicals have butchered secular bloggers and high-profile secularists.

An attack on a Dhaka cafe left 22 dead last year, mostly foreigners, and Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan told AFP this week that Bangladesh had zero tolerance for militancy.

Security experts say there are valid concerns about Rohingya militants in Bangladesh, particularly if foreign extremist networks seek to exploit the crisis by arming and radicalising Muslims.

"The Rohingya insurgency will not be immune to that," Bangladeshi militancy expert Shahab Enam Khan told AFP.

"This will have regional repercussions, and that includes Bangladesh."
Rohingya Muslim refugees walk on the Bangladeshi shoreline of the Naf river after crossing the border from Myanmar on the weekend

More than 10,000 Rohingya have massed near a crossing point with Bangladesh, Myanmar media said Tuesday, as an exodus continues to swell with food supplies low and hostility towards them surging.

The ongoing flight, that has already seen over 500,000 Rohingya enter Bangladesh since last month, casts doubt on the practicality of a Myanmar proposal aired Monday to begin repatriation of the Muslim minority.

Rakhine state has been emptied of half of its Rohingya population in weeks, and more are on the move as insecurity presses them to leave villages which have so far been spared the worst of the communal violence to rip through the state.

Over "10,000 Muslims are arriving at the western grove between Letphwekya and Kwunthpin village to emigrate to the neighbouring country," the state-backed Global new Light of Myanmar reported Tuesday.

Myanmar's government refuses to recognise the Rohingya as a distinct ethnic group, instead calling them "Muslims" or "Bengalis" -- code for illegal migrants.

Authorities have tried to reassure fleeing Rohingya that they are now safe in Rakhine, the report added, but they want to leave "of their own accord."

Villagers are running short on food, while fear in ethnic Rakhine-majority areas has been kindled by the violence and reports of death threats by their Buddhist neighbours.

"In some villages they are scared to pass by Rakhine villages," said Chris Lewa, from Rohingya advocacy group the Arakan project, told AFP.

On occasions when the Rohingya village chief decides to leave, the whole hamlet will follow, emptying a village "in just a few hours."

On Monday, Myanmar's Minister of the Office of State Counselor, Kyaw Tint Swe, told Bangladesh his country was ready to return refugees subject to a verification process agreed in the early 1990s by the neighbours.

Under that agreement nearly a quarter of a million Rohingya were repatriated from Bangladesh to Myanmar between the early 1990s and 2005, he explained.

But refugees and rights groups say the verification process relies on documents most Rohingya do not have.

The refugees also are also deeply fearful of what awaits back in Myanmar, with many recounting stories of rape, murder and arson.

Inside Rakhine, conditions are deteriorating for those left behind.

UN officials toured a conflict-hit portion of the state on Monday, noting the "unimaginable" scale of suffering.

An EU delegation accompanying them on the government-steered day trip urged for an end to the violence after seeing "villages burned to the ground and emptied of inhabitants."
Rohingya disembark from a boat on the Bangladeshi side of the Naf river: there have been reports of widespread profiteering

Bangladesh police have rescued 20 Rohingya after busting a gang which ferried the refugees from Myanmar but demanded thousands of dollars for the boat ride, an official said Tuesday.

The Rapid Action Battalion raided a village near the border with Myanmar late Monday to free the Rohingya Muslims who had been held there for a day, said Major Ruhul Amin.

The RAB chief who led the operation at Sabrung near Cox's Bazar told AFP the 20 included seven women, five men and eight children.

"They were held there by a gang of boat owners and crew who demanded 20,000 taka ($250) per person for a two-hour boat ride from Myanmar," he said.

A boat ride between Maungdaw and Bangladesh's main landing station at Shah Porir Dwip would cost no more than five dollars normally.

Amin said they arrested three members of the gang for profiteering.

The UN estimates that 507,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled Rakhine into Bangladesh since late August after the latest eruption of violence in the northern Myanmar state.

Many have arrived on rickety boats crossing the Naf river, which marks the border between Bangladesh's Cox's Bazar district and Rakhine.

Police said boat owners, crew and fishermen have charged exorbitant prices for the rides.

"It has become a common phenomenon" since the influx began, Amin said.

Authorities have deployed mobile courts to crack down on the profiteering gangs and handed down sentences of up to six months' jail on nearly 200 people.

"We have arrested 20 brokers and freed nearly 2,000 people in raids in the coastal villages. In one raid we rescued about 1,000 Rohingya who were held at six houses," Amin said.

Rohingya who fled to Bangladesh said the boatmen extracted every last penny from them for the ferry and threatened to throw them overboard if they refused to surrender valuables including gold ornaments

Media reports have mentioned Rohingya being held by boatmen and agents for hours in coastal villages until they made inflated payments for the trip.

Rohingya living in established refugee camps in Bangladesh have also been accused of joining the profiteering.

sa/sm
President Donald Trump wants to show that the US federal government is on top of the daunting recovery effort in Puerto Rico

Donald Trump will survey hurricane-devastated Puerto Rico Tuesday, hoping to underscore government recovery efforts and repair damage done by his contentious early response to the crisis.

Nearly two weeks after Hurricane Maria thrashed through the verdant island, residents are still short of food and largely without access to power or portable water.

Trump's wants to show that the federal government is on top of the daunting recovery effort, and that 3.4 million US citizens are not forgotten.

The administration's critics said the early response was not fast enough or large enough, prompting the pugilistic president to punch back.

He berated San Juan's mayor -- who was frequently on TV asking for help -- and suggested Puerto Ricans were "ingrates" who "want everything to be done for them."

Trump went on to accuse the media of lying about the "great job" he was doing, in a series of excoriating weekend tweets.

"We have done a great job with the almost impossible situation in Puerto Rico. Outside of the Fake News or politically motivated ingrates... people are now starting to recognize the amazing work that has been done," he wrote.

The White House fired out a series of compliments about the relief effort from political allies to try and drive home the point.

It took the unusual step of citing a gushing call between Trump and former Puerto Rican governor Luis Fortuno, who now lives in Washington and works as a lobbyist.

Luckily for the White House, few Puerto Ricans had time or -- quite literally the energy -- to read or hear of the president's barbed remarks.

But Trump's visit will be carefully choreographed to avoid any embarrassing protests.

After an early departure from Washington, Trump is expected to land at Muniz Air National Guard Base near the capital San Juan.

- Meets PR, USVI officials -

During roughly five hours on ground he and first lady Melania Trump will meet first responders, officials from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as well as survivors.

He is also expected to meet the governor of the US Virgin Islands, which were also thumped by Maria, but are not quite ready for the massive footprint of a presidential visit.

Already this storm season, Trump has visited damaged areas of Florida, Louisiana and Texas (twice).

But his trip to Puerto Rico, normally a fairly routine show of presidential empathy, has taken on outsized political meaning.

"It's been amazing what's been done in a very short period of time on Puerto Rico," Trump said defending the response.

"There's never been a piece of land that we've known that was so devastated," he claimed.

"The bridges are down, the telecommunications was nonexistent, and it's in very, very bad shape. The electrical grid, as you know, was totally destroyed."

Puerto Rico is a US territory. Though Puerto Ricans are US citizens with US passports, they can only vote in presidential primaries.

If they live on the island, they cannot vote in US presidential elections. If they are living on the mainland, they can register to vote including for president, in whichever state they live.
Three attackers hurled grenades and fired automatic weapons at the Border Security Force (BSF) base near Srinagar's airport before dawn, according to local police

Three militants who Tuesday stormed a paramilitary base near the main airport in Indian-administered Kashmir have been killed, police said, ending an hours-long gunbattle that also left a soldier dead.

Three paramilitary troopers and a police officer were injured when the attackers hurled grenades and fired automatic weapons at the Border Security Force (BSF) base next to the high-security Srinagar airport before dawn, said director-general of police S.P. Vaid.

"All the three militants have been killed. An assistant sub-inspector of BSF also died in the initial assault," Vaid told AFP.

Flights at the airport, which shares a compound wall with the base, resumed after being suspended briefly with at least one flight from New Delhi cancelled, authorities said.

Kashmir's inspector-general of police, Muneer Ahmed Khan, blamed Pakistan-based militant group Jaish-e-Mohammed for the attack but denied some media reports that the fortified airport was the target.

He told reporters the Islamist group was a threat "because they believe in surprise suicide attacks".

In August the group claimed responsiblity after three militants stormed a police base at Pulwama in Kashmir, killing eight government personnel. The three attackers were also killed in a two-day battle.

Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since the end of British colonial rule in 1947 but both claim the territory in full.

For decades rebel groups have fought Indian soldiers deployed in the territory, demanding independence or a merger of the former Himalayan kingdom with Pakistan.

Tuesday's attack came hours before an Indian soldier was killed by Pakistani fire on the de facto Kashmiri border in the mountainous Poonch district southwest of Srinagar.

The rival armies routinely target each other across the heavily militarised Line of Control that divides the territory.

On Monday the Indian army said it killed five suspected rebels in two separate gunbattles on the border.

Indian authorities said two children were also killed by Pakistani gunfire at another location along the Line of Control.

India says Pakistan initiates cross-border firing to help rebels cross into Indian-administered Kashmir to launch attacks.

Islamabad says it gives only diplomatic support to the Kashmiri campaign for self-determination.

Last week Pakistan said three civilians were killed on its side of the border in Kashmir after Indian soldiers opened fire.
A Gazan flashes a victory sign behind a large Palestinian flag as he and others await the arrival of prime minister Rami Hamdallah on a visit that has raised hopes of an end to a decade-long split

The Palestinian cabinet met in Gaza on Tuesday for the first time since 2014 in a further step towards the internationally recognised Palestinian Authority retaking control of the territory.

The meeting of the government, which is based in the occupied West Bank, comes as part of moves to end a decade-long split between the PA and the Islamist Hamas movement, which runs Gaza.

In an opening speech, Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah renewed his pledge to end the rift.

"We are here to turn the page on division, restore the national project to its correct direction and establish the (Palestinian) state," he said.

It was the first meeting of the cabinet in Gaza since November 2014, and comes a day after Hamdallah entered the territory for the first time since a unity government collapsed in June 2015.

On Monday, he met with senior Hamas figures, including leader Ismail Haniya.

After Tuesday's cabinet meeting, government spokesman Yusuf Al Mahmud said ministers discussed the humanitarian situation in Gaza. No Hamas officials took part.

Mahmud warned that a full reconciliation deal would take time.

"The government does not have a magic wand," he told reporters.

More than two million people live in impoverished Gaza, which has been blockaded by Israel and Egypt for years.

Children do their homework by candlelight during one of the many power cuts that have hit Gaza since the Palestinian Authority cut payments

The sides will hold further talks next week in the Egyptian capital Cairo.

Punitive measures imposed by the PA against Hamas, including cutting electricity payments for Gaza, would remain in place pending the result of those talks, Mahmoud added.

Hamas called for the measures to be ended immediately as a show of good will.

"Our people look forward to practical steps to ease their suffering," a statement said.

Hamas has controlled Gaza since seizing it from the PA in a near civil war in 2007 and multiple previous reconciliation attempts have failed.

Last month, the Islamists announced they were willing to cede civilian control to the PA, following Egyptian pressure.

The United States and the European Union blacklist Hamas as a terrorist organisation, complicating the formation of any potential unity government.

The head of Egyptian intelligence Khaled Fawzi is to visit Gaza later on Tuesday and meet with Hamas and PA officials, including Haniya.

- 'Carefully optimistic' -

Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah (C) chairs the first cabinet meeting held in Gaza since 2014 as moves intensify to end the decade-old rift between the main political factions

Tuesday's cabinet session took place at the official Gaza residence of Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas in the cabinet office, hung with portraits of Abbas and historic Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.

Abbas himself remained in the West Bank city of Ramallah.

Hamas security were on the roof of the building, while Palestinian Authority agents were deployed inside, an AFP correspondent reported.

"Today we are faced with a historic revival in which we are grappling with our wounds and elevating our unity," Hamdallah said, reaffirming that there would be no Palestinian state without Gaza.

UN Middle East envoy Nickolay Mladenov said on Monday that he was "carefully optimistic" about the reconciliation talks.

"If the region stays engaged, if Egypt's role continues and if the political parties themselves continue to show the willingness they are currently showing to work with us on this process, then it can succeed," he told AFP.

In an interview on Monday night Abbas said that while the two sides "might have wronged each other and cursed each other, today we enter a new phase."

A key issue is Hamas's powerful military wing that has fought three wars with Israel since 2008. Hamas officials reject the possibility of dissolving it.

Abbas told Egypt's CBC that there will be "one state, one system, one law and one weapon" -- in an apparent reference to Hamass military wing.

A security guard loyal to Hamas stands on duty in Gaza City next to a giant portrait of Egyptian President Abdelfattah al-Sisi, whose government has been a major force behind the latest Palestinian reconciliation effort

He also warned Hamas could not "copy or clone Hezbollah's experience in Lebanon," referring to a situation where an independent armed group exerts major influence on national politics.

The United States cautiously welcomed Hamdallah's visit, but White House special envoy Jason Greenblatt warned any Palestinian government "must unambiguously and explicitly commit to nonviolence, recognition of the State of Israel, acceptance of previous agreements and obligations between the parties and peaceful negotiations."

The Palestinian Authority has signed peace deals with Israel, but Hamas was not party to them and does not recognise Israel's right to exist.
The Planning Commission will meet Monday at 1 p.m. at the County Courthouse to hear subdivision and zoning cases:

Agenda

Opening Comments & Announcements (Chairman)







II. Subdivision Plats & Variances

Variances

1. SD 2017-71 St. Elmo Heights, Lots thru 4, 5400 Block Alabama Highway, Minimum Lot Frontage

(City of Chattanooga District 7, Hamilton County District 6)

STAFF: Approve

2. SD 2017-076-Petrovs Subdivision Lots 1 thru 3, 8400 Primerose Avenue, Minimum Suburban Infill Lot Frontage

(City of Chattanooga District 4/Hamilton County District 7)

STAFF: Deny

Preliminary Plats

3. SD 2017-053 The View at White Oak East, Lots 1 thru 44, 9100 Block Highway 58

(Hamilton County District 9)

STAFF: Approve

Preliminary and Final Plats

4. SD 2017-065 Revised Montagues Addition No. 1, Lots 1 thru 12, 1511 Washington Avenue

(City of Chattanooga District 7, Hamilton County District 4)

STAFF: Approve

5. SD 2017-067 Assurance Land Development Lots 2 thru 6, 7608 Selcer Road

(Hamilton County District 1)

STAFF: Approve with Condition

6. SD 2017-073 Hamilton Crest Subdivision, Lots 1 thru 7, Hamilton Avenue

(Chattanooga District 2, Hamilton County District 6)

STAFF: Approve

7. SD 2017-077 Petrovs Subdivision, Lots 1 thru 3, 8400 Primerose Avenue

(City of Chattanooga District 4, Hamilton County District 7)

STAFF: Deny

Final Plat

8. SD 2017-066 100 @ South Broad Lots 46 thru 56

(City of Chattanooga District 7, Hamilton County District 6)

STAFF: Approve

9. SD 2017-078 Northshore Heights Subdivision, Lots 1 thru 19, and 12 thru 33

(City of Chattanooga District 2, Hamilton County District 2)

STAFF: Approve

III. Old Business (Both Deferred from July PC meeting)

1. 2017-087  Zachery Darnell, Attorney with Cavett, Abbott & Weiss  7600, 7604, 7606, 7608 & 7610 Davidson Road & 1000 block of North Sanctuary Road  City of Chattanooga  Rezone from R-1 Residential Zone to A-1 Urban Agricultural Zone

(City of Chattanooga District 4, Hamilton County District 7)

STAFF: Approve part; Deny part

2. 2017-088  Zachery Darnell, Attorney with Cavett, Abbott & Weiss 7600, 7604, 7606, 7608 & 7610 Davidson Road & 1000 block of North Sanctuary Road - City of Chattanooga  Special Exceptions Permit: Residential Planned Unit Development

(City of Chattanooga District 4, Hamilton County District 7)

STAFF: Deny

IV. New Business

A. Rezonings, Closures/Abandonments, Special Permits, Condition Amendments

1. 2017-122  James W. Morrison  Unnumbered block of Excelsior Avenue - Town of Walden  Special Permit: Build on Lot Without Public Access

(Town of Walden, Hamilton County District 2)

STAFF: Approve

2. MR-2017-123  Niles Surveying  1000 block Fernway Road - City of Chattanooga  Mandatory Referral: Sewer Abandonment

(City of Chattanooga District 2, Hamilton County District 2)

STAFF: Deny

3. MR-2017-124  Niles Surveying  1100 block Fernway Road  City of Chattanooga  Mandatory Referral: Sewer Abandonment

(City of Chattanooga District 2, Hamilton County District 2)

STAFF: Deny

4. 2017-128  Catherine Hunkapiller  4057 Mountain Creek Road  City of Chattanooga  Rezone from R-1 Residential Zone to RZ-1 Zero Lot Line Residential Zone

(City of Chattanooga District 1, Hamilton County District 2)

STAFF: Approve with condition

5. A RESOLUTION TO AMEND ORDINANCE NUMBER 13071 T0 INCORPORATE CERTAIN PROPERTIES, MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED BELOW, INTO THE DOWNTOWN FORM BASED CODE AREA BOUNDARY

6. A RESOLUTION TO AMEND THE DOWNTOWN CONTEXT MAP WITHIN THE CHATTANOOGA CITY CODE, PART II, CHAPTER 38 ZONING, ARTICLE XVI DOWNTOWN FORM-BASED CODE, SECTION 38-693(2) TO ADD CERTAIN PROPERTIES, MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED BELOW, INTO THE URBAN EDGE CONTEXT AREA

7. 2017-129  Northshore Development, LLC  423 West Bell Avenue  City of Chattanooga  Rezone from R-1 Residential Zone to E-RD-3 Urban Edge Residential Detached 3 Stories Maximum Height

(City of Chattanooga District 1, Hamilton County District 6)

STAFF: Deny

8. 2017-130  Tracye Brogdon  6214 Walden Avenue  City of Chattanooga  Rezone from R-1 Residential Zone to R-2 Residential Zone

(City of Chattanooga District 6, Hamilton County District 5)

STAFF: Approve

9. 2017-131  MSBC Black Creek, LLC c/o Randy Stone  3800 block of Cummings Road  City of Chattanooga  Rezone from R-3 Residential Zone to R-T/Z Residential Townhouse/Zero Lot Line Zone

(City of Chattanooga District 1, Hamilton County District 6)

STAFF: Approve

10. 2017-132  Adamson Developers, LLC  2001, 2003 & 2005 McCallie Avenue  City of Chattanooga  Rezone from C-2 Convenience Commercial Zone to UGC Urban General Commercial Zone

(City of Chattanooga District 8, Hamilton County District 4)

STAFF: Approve with conditions

11. 2017-133  Rowland Development Group, LLC  801 South Greenwood Avenue  City of Chattanooga  Lift Conditions from Ordinance #6007 of Previous Case #1968-147

(City of Chattanooga District 9, Hamilton County District 4)

STAFF: Approve

12. 2017-134  Pratt Land & Development Company, LLC  6100 block Hixson Pike  City of Chattanooga  Special Exceptions Permit: Residential Planned Unit Development

(City of Chattanooga District 3, Hamilton County District 3)

STAFF: Approve

13. 2017-135  H & H Developments  4653 Cary Lane  City of Chattanooga  Special Exceptions Permit: Residential Planned Unit Development

(City of Chattanooga District 2, Hamilton County District 3)

STAFF: Approve with conditions

14. 2017-136  Darrell Henry  930 Horne Road  Hamilton County  Rezone from A-1 Agricultural District & R-2A Rural Residential District to C-3 General Business Commercial District

(Hamilton County District 3)

STAFF: Deny

15. 2017-137  Vinod Javer  2512 & 2514 Will Kelley Road  City of Chattanooga  Special Exceptions Permit: Residential Planned Unit Development

(City of Chattanooga District 4, Hamilton County District 8)

STAFF: Approve

16. 2017-138  ASA Engineering c/o Allen Jones  5564 Dayton Boulevard, 400 block of Gadd Road & 300 block of Allen Road  City of Chattanooga  Rezone from R-1 Residential Zone, R-5 Residential Zone & C-2 Convenience Commercial Zone to R-1 Residential Zone & R-T/Z Residential Townhouse/Zero Lot Line Zone

(City of Chattanooga District 1, Hamilton County District 1)

STAFF: Approve with condition

17. 2017-139  ASA Engineering c/o Allen Jones  5564 Dayton Boulevard & 300 block of Allen Road  City of Chattanooga  Special Exceptions Permit: Residential Planned Unit Development

(City of Chattanooga District 1, Hamilton County District 1)

STAFF: Approve with condition

18. 2017-140  James McMahon  962 & 976 Pineville Road  City of Chattanooga  Rezone from R-1 Residential Zone to R-4 Special Zone

(City of Chattanooga District 1, Hamilton County District 6)

STAFF: Deny

19. 2017-141  Craig Kronenberg  1601 South Holtzclaw Avenue  City of Chattanooga  Rezone from M-1 Manufacturing Zone to UGC Urban General Commercial Zone

(City of Chattanooga District 8, Hamilton County District 4)

STAFF: Approve

20. 2017-142  J. Robert McKenzie  515, 5521 & 525 ONeal Street  City of Chattanooga  Rezone from R-3 Residential Zone to R-4 Special Zone

(City of Chattanooga District 8, Hamilton County District 4)

STAFF: Approve with conditions

21. 2017-144  City of Chattanooga c/o Regional Planning Agency  Property bounded on the North by Bailey Avenue, the South by Bennett Avenue, the East by South Willow Street & the West by South Hickory Street  City of Chattanooga  Abandonment of Institutional Planned Unit Development

(City of Chattanooga District 9, Hamilton County District 4)

STAFF: Approve

22. 2017-145  City of Chattanooga c/o Regional Planning Agency - Property bounded on the North by Bailey Avenue, the South by Bennett Avenue, the East by South Willow Street & the West by South Hickory Street  City of Chattanooga  R-4 Special Zone & R-T/Z Residential Townhouse/Zero Lot Line Zone Zoning Study

(City of Chattanooga District 9, Hamilton County District 4)

STAFF: Approve with conditions

V. Public Comments on Non-Agenda Items

VI. Approval of Planning Commission Minutes of September 11, 2017
The United States is reeling after at least 59 people were killed and more than 500 injured when retired accountant Stephen Paddock opened fire on thousands of concertgoers in Las Vegas before killing himself

Australia offered to help the United States reform its gun laws Tuesday after a successful two-decade clampdown on firearms in the wake of its own worst mass shooting.

The US is reeling after at least 59 people were killed and more than 500 injured when retired accountant Stephen Paddock opened fire on thousands of concertgoers in Las Vegas before killing himself.

The shocking tragedy has sparked renewed calls for weapons control, a sensitive subject in a country where the pro-gun lobby -- the National Rifle Association -- is a powerful political force.

"What we can offer is our experience," Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said Tuesday, pointing to a 1996 gun buyback and ban on semi-automatic and automatic weapons.

"But at the end of the day it's going to be up to the United States legislators and lawmakers, and the United States public, to change the laws to ensure this type of incident doesn't happen again."

Australia was rocked in 1996 when gunman Martin Bryant went on the rampage armed with semi-automatic weapons at the historic Tasmanian colonial convict site of Port Arthur.

Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said the United States must 'change the laws to ensure this type of incident doesn't happen again'

Thirty-five people died in the massacre, a turning point for a nation that traditionally had a high rate of gun ownership.

Then centre-right Liberal prime minister John Howard swiftly enacted tougher gun laws, including bans on certain weapons, a minimum ownership age, and licences.

More than 600,000 weapons were destroyed in the aftermath and while controversial at the time, gun control measures now have strong public support.

In the first national amnesty since then, which started in June and ended last weekend, more than 26,000 guns were surrendered.

While gun violence has not disappeared, there have been no further mass shootings, in contrast to the United States where they remain common.

A survey published in 2016, which examined intentional firearm death rates from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, found gun-related deaths and suicides had declined since 1997.

- 'Gun rights gone forever' -

James Carouso, the acting US ambassador to Australia, admitted his country could learn from Australia when it comes to gun policy.

"Every time one of these things happens, US analysts always point to what happened in Australia, and point out that your murder rate with guns has gone down drastically, and you haven't had the repeat of this sort of mass murder," he told broadcaster ABC.

"I think certainly a lot of observers in the US look to the Australian example."

he United States is reeling after at least 59 people were killed and more than 500 injured when retired accountant Stephen Paddock opened fire on thousands of concertgoers in Las Vegas before killing himself

But not the National Rifle Association, which in 2015 disputed whether Australia's gun buyback scheme and ban on semiautomatic weapons actually helped reduce rates of violent crime.

"The Australian people paid a massive price in liberty. Their reward? At best, an unexamined resolution that things were somehow better now," it said.

"Gun rights were, for all practical purposes, gone forever."

All guns in Australia must now be registered, although many arrive illegally from overseas through organised syndicates and tens of thousands of the weapons are still believed to be on the streets.

Canberra set up a new border protection agency merging operations from the customs and immigration departments in 2014, partly to better prevent illicit arms shipments.

Since then millions of dollars have been spent on improved tools to detect illegal firearms in the mail or cargo, while a police anti-gang squad has seized 5,500 illicit guns or gun parts since being established in 2013.

Despite this, the government wants to go even further to tackle the threat of extremist attacks and gangland shootings, with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on Tuesday saying he planned to meet with state and territory leaders this week to further strengthen measures.
Bangladesh chief justice S. K. Sinha led the decision of the Supreme Court to a landmark ruling against the government in August, and has now begun a one-month period of leave

Bangladesh's chief justice began a one-month period of leave Tuesday amid claims he was forced to go on holiday after a landmark verdict that went against the government.

Justice Minister Anisul Huq rejected widespread speculation linking S. K. Sinha's absence to the ruling, saying the top judge's decision was due to illness.

"He was formerly a cancer patient," Huq said, adding that those behind the claims "have mental problems" or "ill motives".

The head of Bangladesh's top bar association said Sinha was forced to take leave after he led the Supreme Court when it scrapped parliament's power to sack top judges.

"Our association of lawyers thinks that immense pressure has been piled on him so that he take a one-month leave," Joynul Abedin, head of Supreme Court Bar Association, told reporters.

"You know, the nation knows and the people of the world know a political party (and) the government have piled pressure on him in many ways," he said.

"We think he was sent on a one-month leave as part of this pressure. He did not take the leave ... He was forced to."

Sinha made headlines in August when the Supreme Court scrapped parliament's power to sack top judges, in a landmark verdict seen as bolstering judicial independence.

The court restored a provision which allows only a Supreme Judicial Council, led by the chief justice, to remove judges found to have breached the judicial code of conduct.

The ruling was hailed by lawyers as a crucial safeguard for a secular judiciary in the Muslim-majority nation.

Lawyers said that without the provision, top judges would have been "subservient" to the government.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina brought the constitutional change allowing parliament -- controlled by her Awami League party -- to remove top judges in 2014.
Members of the Nobel Committee for Physics announce the 2017 prize winners: Rainer Weiss, Barry Barish and Kip Thorne

US astrophysicists Barry Barish, Kip Thorne and Rainer Weiss were awarded the Nobel Physics Prize on Tuesday for the discovery of gravitational waves, the Nobel jury said.

Predicted by Albert Einstein a century ago as part of his theory of general relativity, but only detected in 2015, gravitational waves are "ripples" in the fabric of space-time caused by violent processes such as colliding black holes or the collapse of stellar cores.

Their discovery opens a door on the mysteries of the Universe.

"Their discovery shook the world," said Goran K Hansson, the head of the Swedish Royal Academy of Sciences which selects the Nobel recipients.

Barish, Thorne and Weiss co-created the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) at the prestigious California Institute of Technology, which has taken home 18 Nobels since the prizes were first awarded in 1901.

The first-ever direct observation of gravitational waves was made in September 2015 at LIGO, the result of an event some 1.3 billion light-years away.

Since then, the enigmatic ripples have been detected three more times: twice more by LIGO and once by the Virgo detector located at the European Gravitational Observatory (EGO) in Cascina, Italy.

"Gravitational waves spread at the speed of light, filling the Universe, as Albert Einstein described in his general theory of relativity. They are always created when a mass accelerates, like when an ice-skater pirouettes or a pair of black holes rotate around each other," the Nobel jury explained.

"Einstein was convinced it would never be possible to measure them. The LIGO project's achievement was using a pair of gigantic laser interferometers to measure a change thousands of times smaller than an atomic nucleus, as the gravitational wave passed the Earth."
Rohingya Muslim refugees walk on the Bangladeshi shoreline of the Naf river after crossing the border from Myanmar on the weekend

More than 10,000 Muslim Rohingya have massed in Myanmar near a crossing point into Bangladesh, Myanmar media said Tuesday, apparently poised to join an exodus across the border due to food shortages and fear of attacks in their mainly Buddhist homeland.

Over 500,000 Rohingya have streamed into Bangladesh in just the past five weeks, and numbers are again swelling, raising doubt about the practicality of a Myanmar proposal to begin repatriating them.

Myanmar's northern state of Rakhine has been emptied of half of its Rohingya population in weeks.

More are on the move as insecurity presses them to leave those villages which have so far been spared the worst of the violence that ripped through the state.

Attacks by Rohingya militants on August 25 spurred a ferocious Myanmar army crackdown that the UN says amounted to "ethnic cleansing".

Over 10,000 "Muslims" have arrived "between Letphwekya and Kwunthpin village to emigrate to the neighbouring country", the state-backed Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper reported Tuesday.

Myanmar's government refuses to recognise the Rohingya as a distinct ethnic group, instead calling them "Muslims" or "Bengalis" -- code for illegal migrants from Bangladesh.

Authorities have tried to reassure fleeing Rohingya that they are now safe in Rakhine, the report added, but they want to leave "of their own accord".

Violence appears to have ebbed in northern Rakhine, although independent reporting is still prevented by an army lockdown.

But fear has unsettled many of the Rohingya who remain, threatened by Myanmar's army and their hostile ethnic Rakhine neighbours and cut off from aid agencies.

After a brief lull in arrivals, the Bangladesh Border Guard says 4-5,000 Rohingya are now crossing each day.

"They don't want to stay (in Myanmar). They want to come here... they are being told to leave," Lieutenant-Colonel S.M Ariful Islam told AFP.

Food is also running out, with villagers too fearful to tend to their crops in case they are attacked by their neighbours.

"In some villages they are scared to pass by Rakhine villages," Chris Lewa, from Rohingya advocacy group the Arakan Project, told AFP.

- Rakhine in ruins -

Myanmar denies most Rohingya citizenship and the public in the Buddhist-majority nation does not want them back.

Myanmar's army has branded them illegal immigrants intent on imposing Islam via the country's western gateway.

On Monday Myanmar's Minister of the Office of State Counselor, Kyaw Tint Swe, told Bangladesh his country was ready to accept refugees subject to a verification process agreed in the early 1990s by the neighbours.

The minister's offer applies only to those who fled in the past year, according to a Bangladeshi official -- excluding some 300,000 Rohingya who fled earlier.

And refugees and rights groups say the verification which Myanmar wants will leave huge numbers in the squalid refugee camps in Bangladesh, since it relies on documentation which most Rohingya do not have.

The refugees are also deeply fearful of what awaits back in Myanmar, with many recounting stories of rape and mass murder at the hands of the army while their villages have been destroyed.

Relief agencies Tuesday were fighting to contain a diarrhoea outbreak around hugely overcrowded camps in Bangladesh.

A 20-bed clinic was opened at Kutupalong camp Monday for diarrhoea victims and another 60-bed facility will be set up this week.

"We have seen an increasing trend of diarrhoeal disease cases, including cases of diarrhoea with severe dehydration," said United Nations refugee agency spokesman Andrej Mahecic.

The UN said it would seek $430 million to increase operations in the camps.

Inside Rakhine, already one of Myanmar's poorest states, conditions are worsening for those left behind.

UN officials toured a conflict-hit portion of the state on Monday, noting the "unimaginable" scale of suffering and urging humanitarian access.

An EU delegation accompanying them on the government-steered day trip urged an end to the violence after seeing "villages burned to the ground and emptied of inhabitants".

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A WHO spokesman said the current plague outbreak had more potential than most to spread further in Madagascar since it has already affected large urban areas

The World Health Organization said Tuesday there was a "moderate risk" that a plague outbreak in Madagascar would spread to other countries in the region, but advised against travel restrictions.

The outbreak of both bubonic plague, which is spread by infected rats via flea bites, and pneumonic plague, spread person to person, has infected 133 people, killing 24 of them, since August 1, according to WHO numbers.

Madagascar has suffered plague outbreaks almost every year since 1980, often caused by rats fleeing forest fires.

But WHO spokesman Christian Lindmeier told reporters the current outbreak had more potential than most to spread further in Madagascar since it has already affected large urban areas, including the capital Antananarivo.

Pneumonic plague, though rarer on the island, spreads more easily, he said, pointing out that 17 of the deaths recorded so far were due to the respiratory version of the disease.

"The overall risk of further spread at the national level is high," Lindmeier said.

At the regional level, the risk was "moderate due to frequent flights to neighbouring Indian Ocean islands", he said.

But the risk of a more international spread of the disease was "low", he said.

For this reason, Lindmeier said the WHO was for now advising against slapping any travel or trade restrictions on Madagascar.

The plague is a highly infectious disease that has killed millions of people across the world in the past before being largely wiped out.

Pneumonic plague can kill quickly, within 18-24 hours of infection if left untreated, but common antibiotics can cure it if they are given early on.

The WHO stressed that most people can recover from the plague if they are rapidly treated and urged anyone in the affected areas who notice respiratory symptoms to seek treatment, which is being provided for free.
The UN said humanitarian agencies have set up checkpoints, camps and emergency sites in the area around the Iraqi town of Hawija capable of receiving more than 70,000 people

An estimated 12,500 people have fled the northern Iraqi town of Hawija since the September launch of a military operation to dislodge the Islamic State group, the UN said Tuesday.

"Over the weekend, the number of people who have fled the fighting has increased from 7,000 displaced during the first week of the operation ... to some 12,500 people as of last night," the UN's humanitarian affairs office (OCHA) said in a statement.

"The exact number of people still in Hawiga is unknown, but could be as high as 78,000," it added.

Iraqi forces on Monday claimed the seizure of a strategic IS-held area south of Hawija.

Government forces backed by a US-led coalition and the Hashed al-Shaabi, an alliance mostly of Shiite militias, have been fighting to retake Hawija, which the jihadists captured in 2014.

The United Nations said humanitarian agencies have set up checkpoints, camps and emergency sites in the area capable of receiving more than 70,000 people who could flee the Hawija operation.

Some have reported slipping through the frontline by paying smugglers $250 (175 euros) per person, OCHA said.
An ethnic Wa woman empties a packet of 'yaba' drugs before they are set on fire during a ceremony to mark the UN's world anti-drugs day near the Thai/Myanmar border in June 2017

Two Myanmar soldiers are being questioned after they were caught with nearly two million "yaba" pills in restive Rakhine state, police said Tuesday, as the drugs trade goes on despite communal violence.

The men were held after 1.88 million tablets said to be worth around $2.8 million were found in a military vehicle in the town of Maungdaw on October 1, a senior anti-drugs officer told AFP on condition of anonymity.

Maungdaw is the epicentre of violence that has left hundreds dead and sent 500,000 Muslim Rohingya residents fleeing into Bangladesh.

Myanmar's army has flooded the area since August 25 in a major offensive designed to flush out Rohingya militants.

But their presence appears to have failed to slow the drug trade.

Yaba, a Thai word meaning "crazy medicine", is a concoction of methamphetamine and caffeine that has become popular among young people in Bangladesh.

Myanmar's western border zone is awash with methamphetamine, most destined for Bangladesh.

There have long been rumours of militants, security forces and local businessmen getting rich on drug trafficking -- a trade that has cut across communal rivalries.

The pills were marked with "WY and R brands", the police source added, referring to popular brands pumped out by the drug lords of Wa state.

The Wa, an ethnic group who have a large standing army and churn out most of Southeast Asia's methamphetamine, are based in the far east of Myanmar, suggesting drug routes have survived the crisis that has engulfed Rakhine.

In recent years Bangladeshi security forces have seized millions of yaba tablets from traffickers attempting to enter its Cox's Bazar area by land and sea.

Last week Bangladesh arrested three Rohingya men attempting to smuggle 800,000 meth pills into the country from Myanmar via the Naf border river at the height of the refugee crisis.
Russian President Vladimir Putin (right), US ambassador Jon Huntsman (centre) and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday called for "predictable and mutually beneficial" ties with the United States as he received diplomatic credentials from Washington's new ambassador to Moscow.

The US Senate last week confirmed businessman, veteran diplomat and former presidential candidate Jon Huntsman as ambassador to Russia, filling a crucial post at a time when ties are at dangerously low ebb.

"As far as bilateral ties with the United States are concerned, their current level cannot be satisfying," Putin said at the Kremlin after he received diplomatic credentials from Huntsman.

"We are in favour of constructive, predicable and mutually beneficial cooperation. We are convinced it should be based on the meticulous adherence to the principles of equality, respect of national interests and non-interference in domestic affairs."

Putin again expressed condolences to the American people following the Las Vegas shooting which killed at least 59 people and wounded more than 500.

- 'Problems of reciprocity' -

Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said earlier Tuesday that the Russian president wanted to restore ties with the United States but stressed he could not do it alone.

"So far there are certain problems when it comes to reciprocity," Peskov told reporters.

"But we hope that with the new ambassador at the helm at least the US diplomatic mission in Moscow will be able to contribute to the restoration of our relations."

US President Donald Trump has pledged to improve ties between the two countries which slumped to their lowest point since the Cold War over the Ukraine crisis.

But allegations of collusion between Russia and members of Trump's election campaign team overshadowed those promises.

The 57-year-old Huntsman, who served as governor of Utah, has worked in numerous US administrations, notably as ambassador to China under Democrat president Barack Obama, before running unsuccessfully for president as a Republican in 2012.

Huntsman said during his confirmation hearing last week that there is "no question" Russia interfered in the US presidential race and that Moscow continues to "threaten stability" in Europe.

"I look forward to working to rebuild trust between our two countries and to strengthening the bilateral relationship based on cooperation on common interests," the new US ambassador said after the Kremlin ceremony.

"I will seek out Russian people from all walks of life to share perspectives, to relay American values, and to deepen my growing appreciation for Russia's rich and fascinating history and culture," he added.

The US embassy in Moscow said Huntsman would return to Washington for "final consultations" before assuming his post in Russia next week.

Huntsman will be performing one of the most difficult jobs on the diplomatic circuit.

One of his predecessors, Michael McFaul, left the post under a cloud after just two years in Russia.

McFaul, who left in 2014, sparked Moscow's fury with critical comments and meetings with Russian opposition leaders and was harassed by pro-Kremlin youth activists and TV channels.

His successor, career diplomat John Tefft was summoned out of retirement and served as US ambassador to Russia between 2014 and 2017.
Mohamad Tofiq Rahim, shown here in 2004, is the only person to present his candidacy for next month's presidential election Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region

An ex-minister in Iraq's first post-invasion government will be the sole candidate for the presidency of the country's autonomous Kurdish region in a November election, an official said on Tuesday.

Mohammad Tofiq Rahim, 64, a staunch opponent of current Kurdish leader Massud Barzani who has repeatedly said he will not stand again for the post, was the only person to put forward his candidacy, the autonomous region's electoral chief said.

"By the deadline for candidates on Tuesday, we had received all the documents necessary for Mohammad Tofiq Rahim to be a candidate for the presidency of Kurdistan. He is the only person to have declared himself a candidate," electoral commission head Yari Hadji Omar told AFP by telephone from the regional capital Arbil.

The Kurdish region, which last week voted overwhelmingly in favour of independence in a referendum rejected both by Baghdad and by Iraq's neighbours Turkey and Iran, will hold presidential and legislative elections on November 1.

The electoral commission has approved 21 lists of candidates for the legislative vote.

Despite repeatedly saying he would not stand for re-election, Barzani has also been seen as reluctant to cede power.

Rahim, a former member of the Kurdish peshmerga security forces, is a member of Goran, a party strongly opposed to Barzani.

The most recent presidential vote in the autonomous Kurdish region was in 2009.

Originally, a presidential term of office was four years, but in 2013 parliament extended it by two years.

A general election was held in September 2013, but Kurdish parliamentary activity has been frozen since November 2015, enabling Barzani to remain in power.

Rahim has opposed Barzani's mandate being extended.

"The commission must now examine the documents and accept his candidacy," Hadji Omar said of Rahim.

In September 2003, Rahim became industry minister in the first Iraqi cabinet that followed the US-led invasion of Iraq and overthrow of Saddam Hussein.

The September 25 referendum on Kurdish independence, a Barzani initiative, returned a resounding 92.73 percent "yes" result.

- Regional tensions -

But it also provoked a resounding "no" from Baghdad, Tehran and Ankara and sent regional tensions soaring.

Barzani's successor will have a heavy and urgent workload in the wake of the referendum result.

On Monday, Iraq and Iran -- previously sworn enemies that fought a devastating eight-year war in the 1980s -- staged joint military manoeuvres just across the border from Iraqi Kurdistan in Iran.

Iraq, Iran and Turkey all have sizeable Kurdish minorities and have taken measures to isolate Iraqi Kurdistan, including suspending international flights to and from its two main airports.

Iran has also slapped an indefinite ban on the transport of oil and energy products to and from Iraq's Kurdish region.

Officially comprising Arbil, Dohuk and Sulaimaniyah provinces, Iraqi Kurdistan also claims other territory including oil-rich Kirkuk province -- a dispute that is a major source of contention with Baghdad.

Tuesday's electoral commission announcement that only Rahim had registered to stand in the presidential election came shortly before the announcement of the death in Germany aged 83 of charismatic Kurdish leader Jalal Talabani, a former president of Iraq.

On Sunday, the Kurdish region replaced the referendum council with a body dubbed the Political Directorate of Kurdistan, seen by Barzani opponents as a way of him retaining control.

The new body includes members of the two main traditional parties, Barzani's Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and Talabani's Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK).

But it has been criticised including by Talabani's widow Hero Ibrahim Ahmed, a PUK leader.

She has called it "a gross error" and compared it to Saddam's Revolution Command Council, the real decision-making body under the dictator while the government had no role.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would reject any reconciliation deal between the two leading Palestinian factions unless the Iran-backed Islamist movement Hamas disarmed

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday Israel would reject any reconciliation deal between the two leading Palestinian factions unless the Iran-backed Islamist movement Hamas disarmed.

"We are not prepared to accept bogus reconciliations in which the Palestinian side apparently reconciles at the expense of our existence," Netanyahu said in a statement.

"Whoever wants to make such a reconciliation, our understanding is very clear: recognise the State of Israel, disband the Hamas military arm, sever the connection with Iran -- which calls for our destruction," Netanyahu added.

Palestinian prime minister Rami Hamdallah began a three-day visit to Gaza on Monday as the two leading factions seek a reconciliation deal that could lead to a unity government.

The internationally recognised Palestinian Authority (PA) has signed a peace deal with Israel but Hamas, which runs Gaza and has fought three wars with the Jewish state since 2008, has not.

Hamas maintains a major military wing and senior officials have downplayed the idea of disarming in any reconciliation deal.

However PA president Mahmud Abbas said in an interview on Monday there would be "one state, one system, one law and one weapon" -- in an apparent reference to Hamas's military wing.
Hamilton County Department of Education announces "an urgent commitment to science education" with the expansion of the Science Sparks! standards-based curriculum.



Science Sparks! is a hands-on, engaging science curriculum that was designed by Hamilton County teacher leaders. "Teachers who take part in the professional learning receive a curriculum and a bin filled with all of the materials to teach the exciting science lessons," officials said. Last spring 40 teachers piloted the program. This year hundreds of HCDE teachers will take part in the Science Sparks! curriculum.



Looking at the data, we acknowledge science is one area we have struggled in the past, said HCDE Superintendent Dr. Bryan Johnson. We are taking steps to correct that through a combination of efforts, including the expansion of Science Sparks! lessons.



"In addition, federal funds have allowed the creation of a Lead Teachers for Science district-wide. Lead Teachers are typically tenured teaching professionals who have excellent teaching and leadership skills. They draw upon their teaching experience to serve as expert resources, mentors, or counselors for new and developing teachers," officials said.

It is content area that has led us to where we are, so we are making the urgently needed changes. The district performed well in literacy so we know we must focus with the same intensity to improve academic success in science and social studies, Dr. Johnson said.



Dr. Johnson and Chief of Opportunity Schools Jill Levine will speak on the importance of science education Tuesday evening at the Tennessee Aquariums Beyond the Classroom science education celebration. This is an amazing opportunity to share the details about how we are working to improve science teaching and learning. I am thrilled the Tennessee Aquarium is hosting this event to highlight such a critical aspect of today education, said Ms. Levine.



Dr. Johnson and Ms. Levine join new Tennessee Aquarium Director of Science Education Dr. Brooke Gorman and Aquarium Trustee Alison Lebovitz as featured speakers at Tuesday evening's event.



Science Sparks! by the numbers:



Elementary Schools:



340 teachers

7,700 students



Secondary Schools:



70 teachers

7,500 students



"Further details will be released once the Science Lead Teacher is selected. Lead Teachers for Social Science and Fine Arts for the district will also be hired soon," officials said.
Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani (seen here) and Iran's Mohammad Javad Zarif met at a time of heightened Gulf tensions, with Qatari officials warning the ongoing Arab blockade would only drive Doha towards regional powerhouse Iran

Iran's foreign minister held talks with the emir of Qatar Tuesday aimed at strengthening "co-operation," nearly four months into a Saudi-led blockade against the Gulf emirate.

Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and Iran's Mohammad Javad Zarif met at a time of heightened Gulf tensions, with Qatari officials warning the ongoing Arab blockade would only drive Doha towards regional powerhouse Iran.

Qatar's state news agency said the pair discussed the impasse in the region, which has seen Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt cut ties with Doha over its ties with Iran and accusations that it supports extremists.

"During the meeting, they reviewed relations of cooperation between the two countries in various fields as well as exchanged views on the current situation in the region," read the statement from Qatar News Agency.

Tuesday's visit was notable as it was Zarif's first since Qatar's political isolation began on June 5. The Iranian foreign minister on Monday visited Oman -- which has remained neutral on the Gulf crisis -- meeting with Sultan Qaboos in Muscat.

Qatar's relationship with Shiite-dominated Iran, seen as the major rival to Sunni-ruled Saudi Arabia in the Middle East, is one of the major factors underpinning the crisis between Qatar and its former allies.

Last week, Qatar's foreign minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani warned that the political and economic boycott imposed on Qatar was pushing Doha closer to Tehran.

"They accuse Qatar of being close to Iran but with their measure... they push Qatar towards Iran. They are giving Qatar like a gift to Iran," Sheikh Mohammed said in a speech in Paris.

Doha in January 2016 had pulled its ambassador from Tehran in solidarity with Saudi Arabia over attacks on its diplomatic mission there -- attacks spurred by Riyadh's decision to execute a prominent Shiite cleric in the kingdom.

But in August, Qatar announced it was restoring full diplomatic relations with Iran by returning its ambassador.

Qatar and Iran share the worlds largest natural gas field - which Doha calls the North Field and Iran South Pars -- and which has been responsible for the emirate's dramatic transformation over the past 20 years
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres addresses the 72nd session of the United Nations General Assembly at the UN headquarters in New York on September 19, 2017

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has called on Cameroon to probe deadly attacks in the country's restless English-speaking region after protests leading to a symbolic declaration of independence.

At least 17 people were killed in weekend attacks in mostly French-speaking Cameroon's southwest, a region once under British rule.

Guterres "calls on the Cameroonian authorities to investigate these incidents", his spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement late Monday.

He called on "political leaders on both sides to appeal to their followers to refrain from any further acts of violence, and to unequivocally condemn all actions that undermine the peace, stability and unity of the country."

Guterres also urged "representatives of the Anglophone community to ... (seek) solutions to the community's grievances, within the framework of the Cameroonian constitution."

Amnesty International said "at least" 17 people had been killed by security forces.

On Sunday, separatists used the October 1 anniversary of the official unification of the English- and French-speaking parts of Cameroon to declare independence for "Ambazonia" -- the name of the state they want to create.

Anglophones account for about a fifth of the West African nation's population of 22 million.

English-speakers complain they have suffered decades of economic inequality and social injustice at the hands of the French-speaking majority.
A member of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) runs to take cover from sniper shots near the central hospital of Raqa on October 1, 2017

A US-led coalition air strike killed at least 18 civilians on Tuesday in the Islamic State group's former stronghold of Raqa, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said.

"International coalition planes targeted water wells where a group of civilians were gathered in the north of Raqa city, killing at least 18 civilians," Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman said.

The Britain-based group said four children were among the dead.

The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, an alliance of Kurdish and Arab fighters, broke into Raqa in June and has since wrested 90 percent of the city from IS.

But activists say coalition strikes in support of the operation have killed hundreds of civilians and caused enormous damage.

Syrians displaced from the city of Deir Ezzor gather on the outskirts of Raqa on October 2, 2017

The coalition's spokesman Colonel Ryan Dillon said it does "everything within its power to limit harm to non-combatants and civilian infrastructure."

He said "rigorous standards" were applied to coalition targeting and "extraordinary efforts" taken to avoid civilian deaths.

"The coalition conducts a detailed assessment of each and every allegation of possible civilian casualties and we will do so for this allegation as well," he added in an email to AFP.

In late September, the coalition acknowledged the deaths of 735 civilians in its strikes on Syria and Iraq since 2014.

But activists say the toll is much higher.

Raqa has faced water shortages for months because of damage to pipelines caused by suspected coalition strikes.

Even in the early days of the Raqa assault, residents said they feared being caught in air strikes or shelling when they ventured to wells or the Euphrates River that runs south of the city to draw water.
Ex-Iraqi president and Kurdish leader Jalal Talabani, shown here in 2009, has died in Germany, officials in his party told AFP

Ex-Iraqi president and Kurdish leader Jalal Talabani died on Tuesday in Germany, officials in his party told AFP.

Talabani, 83, was Iraq's president from 2005 to 2014 and a key figure in Iraqi Kurdistan, where voters last week overwhelmingly backed independence in a disputed referendum.

"Our leader died in Germany," an official with Talabani's Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) said.

A family member said Talabani's health had taken a turn for the worse and he been transported to Germany, along with his wife and two children, before the referendum.

Iraqi Kurdish lawmaker Zana Said paid tribute to Talabani as "the only president whose death saddens Arabs, Kurds and all other ethnicities".

"We pray to God that his death will help to bring back good relations between the brothers of Iraq."

Talabani's death, following a decades-old struggle for Kurdish statehood, came after Iraq's Kurds voted 92.7 percent in favour of independence in the September 25 referendum.

The vote, rejected by Baghdad as illegal, has put deep strain on ties between the Kurds and central Iraqi authorities, who have cut off international flights to the region and threatened further action.

Talabani was an avuncular politician and a skilled negotiator, who spent years building bridges between the country's divided factions, despite his efforts for Kurdish independence.

Born in 1933 in the mountain village of Kalkan, he studied law at Baghdad University and did a stint in the army before joining the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) of Mullah Mustafa Barzani, father of current Kurdistan regional president Massud Barzani.

Talabani took to the hills in a first uprising against the Iraqi government in 1961 but famously fell out with Barzani, who sued for peace with Baghdad, and joined a KDP splinter faction in 1964.

Eleven years later, he established the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) after Barzani's forces, abandoned by their Iranian, US and Israeli allies, were routed by Saddam Hussein's army.

He became president in April 2005 after the first post-Saddam election in Iraq and continued in the post until 2014, when he was replaced by the current president, Fuad Masum.

Iraq's head of state plays a largely ceremonial role and is elected by members of parliament.

In August 2008, the married father of two underwent successful heart surgery in the United States, then in 2012 he was flown to Germany after suffering a stroke, casting doubt over his ability to ever return to Iraq.

He did go back in July 2014, with Iraq in crisis after the Islamic State group had taken control of swathes of the country, and was replaced by Masum following a parliamentary election.
Tsvangirai, pictured here during a visit to a village in Matabeleland North province in January this year

Zimbabwe's main opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, has been discharged from a South African hospital were he had been receiving medical treatment, his spokesman said Tuesday.

"He was discharged last week (on) Monday. He is now fine, he is out of danger," Luke Tamborinyoka told AFP.

Tamborinyoka declined to reveal when the former prime minister would return to Zimbabwe, saying only, "he will be back home soon."

Tsvangirai, 65, was airlifted to South Africa two weeks ago after falling ill.

The local New Day newspaper reported he had been given oxygen and a drip and had been vomiting heavily.

His party said he was undergoing a routine medical check.

The veteran opposition leader announced last year that he had been diagnosed with cancer of the colon and had begun chemotherapy.

Tsvangirai, a former trade union leader, has posed the biggest challenge to President Robert Mugabe's grip on power, and has often accused him and his government of rigging polls.

In 2008 Tsvangirai won 47.9 percent of the vote to Mugabe's 43.2 percent, which led to a run-off.

He has been endorsed by the alliance of opposition parties to stand against Mugabe in the 2018 general elections.

His adversary, 93-year-old Mugabe, regularly flies to Singapore, reportedly for health reasons. Details of his medical condition are kept under wraps, but he recently said doctors had given him a clean bill of health.
South African President Jacob Zuma, left, walked hand-in-hand with Mugabe as they arrived for bilateral talks

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe returned to South Africa on Tuesday for the first time since his wife claimed diplomatic immunity over allegedly assaulting a model in a Johannesburg hotel room.

Mugabe, 93, was not accompanied by his wife Grace as he met President Jacob Zuma in Pretoria, six weeks after the alleged attack sparked diplomatic tension between the two neighbours.

Mugabe used his opening remarks at the talks to stress the close relations between Zimbabwe and South Africa, but did not mention the incident.

"Had we had a say in the choice of a neighbour, we would have chosen you," he said, to laughter from ministers on both sides.

"We are one -- one people, one revolution, one struggle, one future," he added.

Grace Mugabe, 52, is alleged to have assaulted Gabriella Engels with an electrical extension cable at the chic Johannesburg hotel where the Mugabes' two sons, who are in their 20s, were staying.

Engels suffered cuts to her forehead and the back of her head during the alleged August 13 assault.

The first lady was granted diplomatic immunity by South African authorities and promptly flew out of the country, accompanied by her husband who had arrived for a regional summit.

Earlier, the South African police had vowed to prevent her from leaving as they considered issuing an arrest warrant.

At the time of the incident, Mugabe's two sons Robert Jnr and Chatunga were living in the Sandton business district of Johannesburg, where they have a reputation for partying.

Engels, 20, has launched a legal battle to have Grace Mugabe stripped of immunity over the alleged attack.

"We were chilling in a hotel room, and (Mugabe's sons) were in the room next door. She came in and started hitting us," Engels told local media.

In 2009, Grace Mugabe was granted immunity in Hong Kong after repeatedly punching a British photographer for taking pictures of her at a luxury hotel.

President Mugabe, who came to power in 1980, is due to stand again in elections next year, with his wife seen as one possible successor when he leaves office.

At Tuesday's talks, Zuma also made no reference to the incident and said there was "ever-growing cooperation between the two countries".
Immigration Minister Theo Francken said there was 'a problem' with the Grand Mosque in Brussels

Belgium has moved to expel an Egyptian preacher at the country's biggest mosque because he posed a "national security" threat, officials said on Tuesday.

Immigration Minister Theo Francken revoked the residency permit of the imam of the Saudi-financed Grand Mosque, near the EU headquarters in Brussels.

Belgium has been hit by several attacks since 2016, including suicide bombings claimed by the Islamic State group that killed 32 people at Brussels airport and a metro station.

"Everybody knows there is a problem with the Grand Mosque in Brussels. I decided to withdraw the residency permit of the imam of this mosque," Francken told Bel-RTL.

"We have had very clear signals he is a man who is very radicalised, salafist, very conservative and dangerous for our society and national security," Francken added.

Francken did not identify the imam but his office told AFP his name is Abdelhadi Sewif, a man of Egyptian origin who has lived in Belgium for 13 years.

Belgian authorities first decided in March not to renew the imam's residence permit but he has appealed against the decision and judges will review his case on October 24, an official said.

After the deadly Brussels bombings in March last year, the mosque defended itself against charges that it was preaching a puritanical strain of Islam and was even a hotbed of extremism.
Ex-Iraqi president Jalal Talabani, shown here in Baghdad in 2009, has died in Germany

Former Iraqi president Jalal Talabani, who died Tuesday aged 83, was a charismatic leader of the Kurdish independence struggle who became Iraq's first non-Arab head of state.

The veteran pragmatist was elected by parliament to the largely ceremonial role in 2005, two years after the US invasion that toppled his sworn enemy Saddam Hussein, and stayed in the position until 2014.

He won plaudits during his tenure for trying to build bridges between Iraq's warring factions at the height of sectarian bloodletting between the Sunni and Shiite communities.

Widely known as "Mam (Uncle) Jalal", the barrel-chested Talabani performed a delicate balancing act in a fraught region and was seen as being close to both the United States and its rival Iran.

- Kurdish struggle -

Talabani long dominated Kurdish political life along with the current leader of Iraqi Kurdistan Massud Barzani.

Born in 1933 in the rustic village of Kalkan in the mountains, as a young man he was quickly seduced by the Kurdish struggle for a homeland to unite a people scattered across Iraq, Iran, Turkey and Syria.

After studying law at Baghdad University and doing a stint in the army, Talabani joined the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) of Mullah Mustafa Barzani, Massud's father, and took to the hills in a first uprising against the Iraqi government in 1961.

But he famously fell out with Barzani after he sued for peace with Baghdad -- the start of a long and costly internecine feud among Iraqi Kurds.

Talabani joined a KDP splinter faction in 1964, and 11 years later established the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) after Barzani's forces, abandoned by their Iranian, US and Israeli allies, were routed by Saddam Hussein's army.

His long career in troubled modern Iraq witnessed some of the lowest moments in Kurdish history.

A renewed uprising in the 1980s against the Saddam regime sparked the notorious Anfal campaign of 1988 in which the army razed hundreds of Kurdish villages and gassed thousands of people.

Jalal Talabani is seen peering from behind the Iraqi national flag in July 2005 in Baghdad

More tragedy was to come in the aftermath of the 1991 Gulf war, when the Kurdish uprising collapsed, prompting hundreds of thousands of people to seek refuge on the mountainous borders with Iran and Turkey in the heart of winter.

Western intervention allowed the Kurds to re-establish control over the three most northerly provinces of Iraq, but the rebel enclave fell far short of Kurdish claims for full independence amid Turkish opposition to statehood.

The rivalry between Talabani and the Barzanis, which degenerated into all-out war in 1993, finally led to rapprochement in 2002, when it became clear that Washington intended to topple Saddam.

- Health problems -

After his rise to the presidency following the first post-Saddam elections in Iraq, Talabani strived to smooth strained ties with Syria and Iran to help end their suspected support for the insurgency in Iraq.

He was chosen again as president twice in 2006 and 2010.

While he struggled to bring together Iraq's disparate factions, the married father-of-two also battled a string of health problems.

A file photo dated 24 April 1991 of Jalal al-Talabani, then leader of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), who died on Monday

In August 2008 he underwent succesful heart surgery in the United States and in 2012 he was flown to Germany after suffering a stroke.

Talabani eventually returned to Iraq in July 2014, just as the Islamic State group seized control of much of the country, and was replaced by his ally Fuad Masum.

The death of the veteran leader in Germany came just over a week after a controversial referendum that saw over 92 percent of Kurds vote for independence.

The ballot, rejected by Baghdad as illegal, has caused major tensions between the Kurds and central Iraqi authorities, which have cut off international flights to the region and threatened further action.
Hamas's overall leader Ismail Haniya (C-R) meets with Egyptian Intelligence Minister Khalid Fawzi at his office in Gaza City on October 3, 2017

The Palestinian cabinet met in Gaza for the first time since 2014 Tuesday, as Israel warned it would reject any reconciliation deal between the Palestinian factions unless Islamists Hamas disarm.

The meeting comes as part of moves to end a decade-long split between the internationally recognised Palestinian Authority, based in the occupied West Bank, and Hamas, which runs the Gaza Strip.

The return of the PA to Gaza had been cautiously welcomed by the United States and the United Nations, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said it could be a "bogus" reconciliation "at the expense of our existence".

Hamas has controlled Gaza since seizing it from the PA in a near civil war in 2007, and since then multiple reconciliation attempts have failed.

But following Egyptian pressure the Islamists announced last month they were willing to hand over civilian control to the PA, which is dominated by Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas's Fatah movement.

Tuesday's cabinet meeting was the first in Gaza since November 2014, and comes a day after Palestinian prime minister Rami Hamdallah entered the territory for the first time since a unity government collapsed in June 2015.

At the beginning of the meeting, which took place at the official Gaza residence of Abbas in Gaza, Hamdallah pledged to end the rift.

"We are here to turn the page on division, restore the national project to its correct direction and establish the (Palestinian) state," he said.

A Palestinian man flashes the sign for victory behind a large Palestinian flag as they gathering at the Erez crossing in the northern Gaza Strip for the arrival of Palestinian prime minister Rami Hamdallah and his government on October 2, 2017

Afterwards government spokesman Yusuf Al Mahmud said a full reconciliation deal would take time.

"The government does not have a magic wand," he told reporters.

Egypt has brokered the rapprochement between the two sides.

Its intelligence chief, Khaled Fawzi, visited the strip in the afternoon and met with Hamdallah and Hamas head Ismail Haniya.

In a pre-recorded speech played at the meeting, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi backed the talks.

"The whole world is waiting for your efforts to achieve reconciliation among the Palestinian people," he said.

The sides will hold further talks on Tuesday in Cairo.

- Hamas disarming -

More than two million people live in impoverished Gaza, which has been blockaded by Israel and Egypt for years.

More than two million people live in impoverished Gaza, which has been blockaded by Israel and Egypt for years

Hamas hopes to convince Egypt to ease its border restrictions, which, along with the isolation of key regional ally Qatar, have left the Islamists weak.

The Palestinian Authority has also sought to punish Hamas for setting up what was seen as a rival government, reducing electricity payments for Gazans.

A key sticking point between the two Palestinian sides will likely be Hamas's powerful military wing that has fought three wars with Israel since 2008.

The Palestinian Authority has signed peace deals with Israel, but Hamas was not party to them and does not recognise Israel's right to exist.

The United States and the European Union blacklist Hamas as a terrorist organisation, complicating the formation of any potential unity government.

Israel said any deal would be unacceptable unless Hamas disarmed.

"We are not prepared to accept bogus reconciliations in which the Palestinian side apparently reconciles at the expense of our existence," Netanyahu said in a statement.

"Whoever wants to make such a reconciliation, our understanding is very clear: recognise the State of Israel, disband the Hamas military arm, sever the connection with Iran -- which calls for our destruction."

In response Hamas said Israel was the primary beneficiary of the division.

In an interview on Monday night Abbas said there would be "one state, one system, one law and one weapon" -- in an apparent reference to Hamas's military wing.

Hamas could not "copy or clone Hezbollah's experience in Lebanon," he added, referring to a situation where an independent armed group exerts major influence on national politics.

Hamas officials reject the possibility of disarming.

Hamas leader Haniya said they were willing to "pay any price" for reconciliation but analysts say disarming would effectively mean the end of the movement.

The United States cautiously welcomed Hamdallah's visit Monday.

But US special envoy Jason Greenblatt also said any Palestinian government "must unambiguously and explicitly commit to nonviolence, recognition of the State of Israel, acceptance of previous agreements and obligations between the parties and peaceful negotiations."

UN Middle East envoy Nickolay Mladenov said he was "encouraged" by the developments and wanted to see the Palestinian Authority government exercise full control in Gaza.

"This is essential for resolving the humanitarian situation as soon as possible, most notably the crippling electricity and health crises," he said in a statement.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau travels to Washingtin next week to meet with US President Donald Trump

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will travel to Washington next week to meet US President Donald Trump just as continental trade talks are expected to heat up, his office announced Tuesday.

The prime minister will press Trump on "international security and our vital trade and economic relationship," said a statement.

Trudeau will continue trade talks in Mexico after his Washington stop.

Canadian, Mexican and US trade representatives last week trumpeted strides made in a third round of continental free trade talks in Ottawa, but warned of challenges ahead when negotiations resume on October 11 in Washington.

At the same time, Canada-US trade relations hit a recent low over US dumping accusations levelled against Canada's forestry sector and aerospace firm Bombardier.

"We are making solid headway on bread and butter issues," Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland said after five days of negotiations on the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) last Wednesday.

But, she added, some of the "hardest issues or proposals" have not yet come up for discussion.

Trump ordered a renegotiation of NAFTA and threatened to pull out of the pact if the United States did not get a better deal, calling the existing 1994 accord the worst trade deal ever signed.

He has largely focused on the US-Mexico trade imbalance. But he has also pressured Canada to open up its protected dairy market.

Ottawa and Washington are among the world's closest allies and trading partners, with more than half a trillion (US) dollars worth of goods exchanged annually.

But the US Commerce Department's announcement last week that it would impose a steep countervailing duty on Bombardier's new CSeries jetliners was met with outrage.

Trudeau warned he would call off a US$5.2 billion purchase of 18 Super Hornet fighter jets to partially replace its aging fleet of F-18s if the aircraft's manufacturer Boeing did not drop its anti-dumping lawsuit against Bombardier.

He also drew a line in the sand, saying Ottawa would walk away from the trade talks if Washington insisted on a demand to nix NAFTA dispute resolution tribunals.

Trudeau previously met Trump at the White House in February.

"The United States is Canada's top economic partner, and it's important that we continue to work together to strengthen trade, investment and economic opportunity for people on both sides of our border," Trudeau said.

Immediately following his October 12-13 trip to Washington, Trudeau will head south for his first official visit to Mexico, where he will also discuss trade with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto.

Trudeau said he looked forward also to meeting with Pena Nieto and Mexican civil society to "deepen relations between our two countries."
An 18-unit apartment complex is being planned on McCallie Avenue at Beech Street.

The location is 2001, 2003 and 2005 McCallie.

The lots are owned by Maria Alder and Patrick Krizek. The developer is Adamson Developers.

Three two-story buildings are planned with parking in the rear by an alley.

The case goes to the Planning Commission on Monday at 1 p.m. at the County Courthouse. The staff recommendation is to approve.
Ex-Iraqi president and Kurdish leader Jalal Talabani, shown here in 2009, has died in Germany, officials in his party told AFP

Iraq's former president Jalal Talabani, a veteran leader of the struggle for Kurdish self-determination and a unifying elder statesman, died on Tuesday in Germany aged 83.

Talabani was president from 2005 to 2014 and a key figure in Iraqi Kurdistan, where voters last week overwhelmingly backed independence in a disputed referendum.

An official from Talabani's Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), which was initially sceptical about the vote before agreeing to it, said he had died in Germany where he was undergoing medical treatment.

A family member said his health had worsened and he been transported to Germany, along with his wife and two children, before the referendum.

Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, a fierce opponent of the referendum, hailed Talabani for his role in "building a federal Iraq".

"He described Iraq as a bouquet made up of several flowers," he said, referring to the country's different communities.

His political rival and the current leader of Iraqi Kurdistan, Massud Barzani, also paid his respects to Talabani.

"I lost a friend and a brother. I'm glad we fought together," said Barzani, who announced a week of mourning during which Kurdish flags would be flown at half-mast.

- 'Great void' -

German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel, in a statement, paid tribute to Talabani for his "great service to his country at a difficult time".

Iraqi Kurdish lawmaker Zana Said described Talabani as "the only president whose death saddens Arabs, Kurds and all other ethnicities".

"We pray to God that his death will help to bring back good relations between the brothers of Iraq."

Masrur Barzani, a senior member of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), also lamented his death.

"The disappearance of Uncle Jalal will leave a great void because he was a great political figure in both Kurdistan and Iraq," he said, using his nickname.

Jalal Talabani, shown here in 2007, was Iraq's president from 2005 to 2014

Talabani's death, following a decades-old struggle for Kurdish statehood, came after Iraq's Kurds voted 92.7 percent in favour of independence in the September 25 referendum.

The vote, rejected by Baghdad as illegal, has deeply strained ties between the Kurds and central Iraqi authorities, who have cut off international flights to the region and threatened further action.

Talabani was an avuncular politician and a skilled negotiator who spent years building bridges between the country's divided factions, despite his efforts for Kurdish independence.

- Uncle Jalal -

Born in 1933 in the mountain village of Kalkan, he studied law at Baghdad University and did a stint in the army before joining the KDP of Mullah Mustafa Barzani, father of the current Kurdistan regional president.

Talabani took to the hills in a first uprising against the Iraqi government in 1961 but famously fell out with Barzani, who sued for peace with Baghdad, and joined a KDP splinter faction in 1964.

Eleven years later, he established the PUK after Barzani's forces, abandoned by their Iranian, US and Israeli allies, were routed by Saddam Hussein's army.

US president George W. Bush greets Iraq's president Jalal Talabani during a visit to Baghdad on December 14, 2008

He became president in April 2005 after the first post-Saddam election in Iraq and continued in the post until 2014, when he was replaced by the current president, Fuad Masum.

Iraq's head of state plays a largely ceremonial role and is elected by members of parliament.

In his mountainous northern fiefdom of Sulaimaniyah, Talabani was known affectionately as Mam (Uncle) Jalal.

In August 2008, the married father of two underwent successful heart surgery in the United States, then in 2012 he was flown to Germany after suffering a stroke, casting doubt on whether he would return to Iraq.

He did go back in July 2014, with Iraq in crisis after the Islamic State group had taken control of swathes of the country, and was replaced by Masum following a parliamentary election.
A poster of Syria's President Bashar al-Assad is displayed on a home in the eastern city of Deir Ezzor in this picture taken on September 5, 2017

Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman said on Tuesday that President Bashar al-Assad has been "victorious" in Syria's civil war and was now being courted by former enemies.

"Assad has emerged victorious in the battle," Avigdor Lieberman told Israeli news website Walla!.

"Suddenly, everyone wants to get closer to Assad," he said.

"I see that there is now a long line of countries applauding and wooing Assad, including Western (and) moderate Sunni Muslim (states)."

Assad's fortunes have changed dramatically since Russia launched a military intervention to shore up his forces in 2015 and he now appears well on top after a series of key victories.

Israel has previously called on Assad to step down, but officials have sought to avoid getting too heavily involved in the conflict.

Israel has accused Assad-backer Iran of transferring sophisticated weapons to Lebanon's Hezbollah and has sporadically struck weapons convoys to the Shiite movement inside the war-ravaged country, as well as Syrian government forces.

Israel and Syria have technically been in a state of war for decades and the Jewish state has become alarmed at the growing Iranian influence in Damascus.

Lieberman said they were hoping for increased American involvement to counterbalance the Iranian threat.

"We hope that the United States will be more active on the Syrian front and in the Middle East in general. We are on the northern front against the Russians, Iranians, Turks and Hezbollah," he said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu admitted last year Israel had carried out dozens of attacks on weapons convoys destined for Hezbollah.
"We had said before, after the signing of the peace deal, that Nepal should have a single communist party," Maoist leader Pushpa Kamal Dahal said

Nepal's Maoist party announced Tuesday an alliance with the largest communist bloc, ahead of key elections seen as the final step in the Himalayan nation's post-war transition to a federal democracy.

The two parties, with a third smaller partner, have agreed a tie up for general elections later this year, and plan to unify as a single communist party following the polls.

"We had said before, after the signing of the peace deal, that Nepal should have a single communist party. We are now finishing that incomplete process," Maoist leader Pushpa Kamal Dahal said at a press conference announcing the deal.

The Maoists have dominated Nepal's politics for more than 20 years after waging a decade-long insurgency against government forces that claimed more than 16,000 lives.

The civil war ended in a peace deal in 2006 that saw rebel leader Dahal become Nepal's first post-war prime minister.

The 240-year-old Hindu monarchy was abolished two years later beginning the Himalayan nation's transformation to a secular republic.

Three main parties -- the Maoists, the Communist Party Nepal-Union Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML), and the Nepali Congress (NC) -- have since monopolised the political sphere, forming varying brittle coalitions with one another.

General elections set for next month will conclude the drawn-out peace process, allowing for the implementation of a new constitution that was agreed in 2015.

Observers hope that will usher in a new era of stability in the impoverished country, which has cycled through nine governments in a decade.

The Maoists and the CPN-UML were coalition partners for four of those governments, though the ruling coalition is currently between the former rebels and the NC.

The Maoists will be the junior partner in the upcoming alliance with the communists, fielding candidates in 40 percent of seats, with the CPN-UML taking the rest.

The tie up will be closely watched by Nepal's two large neighbours, India and China.

The staunchly nationalistic CPN-UML has aggressively courted Beijing seeking to temper the influence of Delhi, which has traditionally played the role of big brother to its small northern neighbour.

"This sets the stage for an almost two-party system in Nepal," Sudheer Sharma, editor with the Kantipur newspaper, told AFP, pitting the UML against the NC who are seen as closer to Delhi.
Pentagon chief Jim Mattis (L) testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Iran with General Joseph Dunford, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said Tuesday that President Donald Trump should consider sticking with the nuclear accord with Iran, which he said is in the US national interest.

Mattis's expression of support for the 2015 agreement curbing Iran's nuclear program was in sharp contrast with Trump's blunt assessment that the deal is an "embarrassment to the United States."

"If we can confirm that Iran is living by the agreement, if we can determine that this is in our best interest, then surely we should stay with it," told the Senate Armed Services Committee.

"I believe at this point in time, absent indication to the contrary, it is something that the president should consider staying with," he said.

Asked whether he believed the Iran deal was in the national interest, Mattis replied: "Yes, senator, I do."

Trump must notify Congress every 90 days whether he believes that Iran is abiding by the accord and whether lifting of sanctions against Tehran, as provided for under the agreement, remains in the US national interest.

He has so far certified that Iran is in compliance but has indicated that the next deadline on October 15 will be crucial.

Iran and the other signatories -- China, Russia, France, Britain and Germany -- defend the deal as a guarantee of the peaceful, non-military purposes of Tehran's nuclear program.

But in his speech last month to the UN General Assembly, Trump raised the prospect he might pull Washington out, calling the deal an embarrassment and warning, "I don't think you've heard the last of it."

He later told reporters he had reached a decision, but would not say what course of action he intends to take.

- Risks of not certifying -

Several senior US officials, as well as observers who oppose the deal, have said that if Trump does not certify Iran's compliance it would not necessarily mean either a US withdrawal, or the end of the pact.

In the event of non-certification, the law gives Congress 60 days to decide whether to reimpose on Iran sanctions lifted in 2015 as part of the deal. Washington could use that time to pressure its European allies to reopen negotiations with Tehran.

That would be risky, however.

Iran could interpret US non-certification -- or the imposition of new or renewed sanctions -- as a violation of the deal, and resume its banned uranium enrichment program.

Reimposition of sanctions by the US Congress would spell the demise of the agreement, according to European diplomats.

Neither Tehran nor the other signatories want to renegotiate the deal, although French President Emmanuel Macron has suggested trying to add "one or two pillars" to it as a compromise.

The Americans challenge several points of the agreement, beginning with the fact that the restrictions on Iran's nuclear program gradually fall away beginning in 2025.

They also are demanding that inspections of Iran's nuclear facilities by the International Atomic Energy Agency be extended to several military sites.

Beyond that, Washington argues that Iran is violating the spirit of the agreement by pressing ahead with a separate ballistic missile program and with its "destabilizing" activities in the Middle East, including Yemen and Syria.
Wells Fargo CEO Timothy Sloan defends the bank's efforts to overcome a fake accounts scandal, in Senate testimony

Wells Fargo's chief defended the bank's efforts to rectify a massive fake accounts scandal Tuesday, but faced tough questioning from senators and at least one call for his ouster.

Chief executive Tim Sloan, who was promoted to the top job in late 2016 after the scandal exploded, again apologized for the debacle, in which the bank opened as many as 3.5 million potentially phony accounts at a time when executives told Wall Street "cross selling" would boost profits.

Sloan reviewed myriad efforts to compensate affected customers, change payment incentives and better train employees.

"Wells Fargo is a better bank today than it was year ago and in a year it will be a better bank than it is today," he pledged.

The session was a follow-up to a hearing last fall in the same committee at which former chief executive John Stumpf endured bruising questions from senators from both parties and a particularly harsh dressing-down from Massachusetts Democrat Elizabeth Warren, who accused the CEO of "gutless leadership."

Stumpf stepped down three weeks after the hearing and was replaced by Sloan, a 30-year Wells veteran who served as chief operating officer when the fake accounts scandal broke.

Warren also went hard after Sloan, telling him he "should be fired" for not doing more to investigate and address the problem as signs of the scandal surfaced.

"At best you were incompetent," she said. "At worst you were complicit."

Sloan defended his response, saying the bank took some "incremental" actions early on, but misunderstood the depth of the problem.

"I have made mistakes, I haven't been perfect," he said. "The reason I'm the right person is because I have made change for 30 years."

While some Republican lawmakers also expressed astonishment at the scandal, their questions were generally fairly polite.

But Senator Sherrod Brown lambasted Wells Fargo for forcing consumers in many cases into arbitration, a behind-closed-door process that can keep corporate malfeasance from courtroom exposure and that critics say often leaves consumers paying.

Other Democrats attacked Sloan for outsourcing jobs from the US to the Philippines and for his frequent invocation of Wells Fargo's massive size, which they said implied the bank was too big to regulate. The bank has 70 million customers and employs 270,000.

"So you're too big?" Democratic Senator Brian Schatz of Hawaii said to Sloan's response to a question on why the bank's charter shouldn't be revoked.

"It's only in financial services where people can make such massive errors and there doesn't appear to be any accountability," Schatz said.
Malian special forces deployed in May near the Kangaba tourist resort in Bamako, one day after suspected jihadists stormed the resort, killing two and briefly seizing more than 30 hostages

Attacks by militant Islamists against UN peacekeepers, Malian troops and French forces in Mali have surged over the past four months, with local forces suffering heavy casualties, a UN report said Tuesday.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres reported an increase of more than 100 percent in attacks since June, and declared that the security situation had "significantly worsened" in the West African country.

The Security Council is due to discuss the crisis in Mali on Thursday.

In all, extremist groups carried out 75 attacks: 44 against Malian forces, 21 against the UN's MINUSMA operation and 10 against the French Barkhane mission, mostly in the north of the country.

"These figures represent an increase of 102.7 percent for all attacks," compared to the previous four months, said the report to the council.

During that period, six peacekeepers, one civilian and eight UN contractors were killed and 34 other UN personnel were injured in MINUSMA, which has earned the title of the UN's deadliest mission.

The heaviest toll, however, was suffered by Malian forces, with 39 members killed and 44 wounded. No French soldiers were killed since June but 17 were injured, compared with two in the previous four months.

- Expensive UN mission -

The United Nations has 13,000 peacekeepers in Mali, which ranks among its biggest and costliest missions, while France has 4,000 troops serving across the Sahel region with a counterterror mandate.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres met Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita at the United Nations in September

Most of the attacks were claimed by the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims, a coalition of three prominent Islamist groups with ties to Al-Qaeda, the report said.

Militant groups affiliated with Mali-based fighters remain active in border areas with Burkina Faso and Niger, according to the report.

In 2012, Mali's north fell under the control of jihadist groups linked to Al-Qaeda who exploited an ethnic Tuareg-led rebel uprising, leading to a French-led military intervention and the UN deployment a year later.

Guterres said he was disappointed by the lack of progress in implementing a 2015 peace deal and the resumption of fighting between armed groups in northern Mali that signed the deal.

The UN chief appealed for financial and logistical support for a new regional force set up to fight jihadists in the Sahel, saying the success of the new mission could help the peace process.

France is pushing for UN funding for the new force of up to 5,000 men that is expected to begin operations later this month.

With presidential elections planned for next year, Mali's peace process must be salvaged to prevent "a descent into a vicious cycle of violence and chaos, jeopardizing the future of Mali and its chances for lasting peace," warned Guterres.
Carrying excess weight has been shown to boost the risk of 13 types of tumors

About 40 percent of all cancers in the United States -- more than 630,000 in all -- are associated with excess weight, health officials said Tuesday, urging a renewed focus on prevention.

In a nation where 71 percent of adults are either overweight or obese, the findings by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention "are a cause for concern," said the agency's director Brenda Fitzgerald.

"A majority of American adults weigh more than recommended -- and being overweight or obese puts people at higher risk for a number of cancers," she said in a statement.

"By getting to and keeping a healthy weight, we all can play a role in cancer prevention."

Carrying excess weight has been shown to boost the risk of 13 types of tumors, including cancers of the esophagus, thyroid, postmenopausal breast, gallbladder, stomach, liver, pancreas, kidney, ovaries, uterus, colon and rectum.

The rates of these overweight- and obesity-related cancers are rising, in contrast to the overall rate of new cancer cases which has dropped since the 1990s.

Colorectal cancer was the only weight-associated cancer that decreased from 2005-2014 -- falling 23 percent, due in large part to screening, said the report.

All other cancers linked to weight rose seven percent in that decade.

About two-thirds of the 630,000 weight-associated cancers diagnosed in 2014 occurred in people aged 50 to 74.

Women were particularly susceptible, with 55 percent of all cancers diagnosed in women associated with weight, compared to 24 percent of those diagnosed in men.

According to the latest CDC data, 32.8 percent of people in the United States are overweight, and 37.9 percent are obese.

Being overweight is defined as having a body mass index of 25-29.9 kg/m2, while obesity means a BMI of 30 or above.

BMI is calculated by taking a person's weight in kilograms divided by the square of the person's height in meters.
"Kayaktivists" receive training for protesting the Kinder Morgan pipeline from Greenpeace and the Pacific Northwest activist group Mosquito Fleet in the waters just off the US-Canada border on August 26, 2017

Opponents of a pipeline from Canada's land-locked oil sands to the Pacific Coast went to court this week in a desperate bid to stop a major pipeline expansion.

American energy giant Kinder Morgan began preliminary construction this fall on a project to nearly triple the half-century-old Trans Mountain pipeline's capacity at a cost of nearly US$6 billion.

The 1,150-kilometer (715-mile) pipeline carries bitumen from Alberta's oil sands overland to the west through the mountainous province of British Columbia, with a final destination of the coastal metropolis of Vancouver where it's loaded onto tankers and shipped across the Pacific Ocean.

Building a second larger conduit on the existing line would allow for a total of 890,000 barrels of oil per day to be shipped.

But a coalition of aboriginal bands, environmental groups, municipalities and the newly-elected British Columbia provincial government is asking the Federal Court of Appeal to overturn the 2016 federal government's approval of the pipeline expansion.

Grand Chief Stewart Phillip of the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs pledged Monday to continue fighting the pipeline even at the risk of being jailed, should the legal bid fail.

"We will protect the future of our children and our grandchildren," he told a cheering crowd of several hundred people at a rally outside the courtroom.

The case landed at the federal appeal court after four years of protests, lawsuits by indigenous groups and municipalities along the route, and pushback by environmentalists at National Energy Board hearings before it was finally greenlit by Ottawa in November 2016.

Pipeline proponents include the federal Canadian and provincial Alberta governments and the National Energy Board regulator.

- Economy versus environment -

They contend that expanding the Trans Mountain pipeline is in Canada's national interest -- a critical factor in its approval -- because it will boost Alberta's capacity to export oil at world prices.

They cite the creation of thousands of jobs, and say economic, social, cultural, environmental and policy implications were considered in the evaluation process.

Opponents, however, fight back with a variety of arguments, including that greater numbers of oil tankers would threaten British Columbia's pristine rainforest coastal environment, as well as its tourism and fishing economy.

They say the approval process did not fully factor in the impact of increased oil sands production on climate change. And, an increase in tanker traffic, and the risk of an oil spill, would threaten the already-endangered orcas, or killer whales.

They also argue that the previous approval process was flawed.

Some of the arguments, pro and con, will rest on technical legal aspects of the approval process.

Matthew Kirchner, a lawyer representing four indigenous tribes, told the court Monday that the approval "must be set aside" because the Coldwater band had not been fully consulted on risks to their water supply -- consultation which Canada's top court has ruled is required by law.

Lawyers for Kinder Morgan will begin their arguments Thursday, followed by the Canadian and Alberta governments and the National Energy Board.

The hearings are scheduled to last nine days, and the court was not expected to issue its ruling for several months.

It's possible that no matter the verdict, it will be appealed to the Supreme Court of Canada.
Hamas security forces stand guard at Erez border crossing into Israel, in Beit Hanun, in the northern Gaza Strip on March 26, 2017

The Israeli army on Tuesday announced it was closing crossing points from the Palestinian territories for 11 days due to security concerns during the upcoming Jewish festival of Sukkot.

The closure of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, a frequent measure for major Jewish holidays, would run from midnight Tuesday (2100 GMT), with only emergency cases allowed through, the army said.

The annual Sukkot festival -- which lasts one week -- commemorates the Jewish journey through the Sinai after their exodus from Egypt.

The holiday will see thousands of worshippers head to the Wailing Wall in the Old City of Jerusalem, one of the holiest sites for Jews, to pray.

The location is close to Islam's third holiest site, the Haram al-Sharif compound, known to the Jews the Temple Mount, which was the focus of angry protests in July after Israeli forces limited access over the killing of two police officers.
In the United States, there are few barriers for someone without a criminal record to build up their own personal arsenal of weapons. Las Vegas shooter Stephen Paddock had dozens of guns, apparently all legal.

Twenty-three guns in his hotel room. Nineteen more at home. Piles of ammunition, and devices that converted assault rifles to automatic weapons that fired like machine guns.

How did Las Vegas gunman Stephen Paddock, who shot and killed 59 people from his 32nd story hotel window, amass an arsenal of firearms? In the United States, and particularly in states like Nevada, it's easy. And totally legal.

Although the country is notorious for its lax gun laws, there are some restrictions on multiple sales of handguns. But if someone wants to build up a cache of rifles the way Paddock did, they could do so without anyone noticing.

Most gun sales are by federally-licensed vendors who must put buyers through background checks. The FBI will run their name through the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, which refers to three databases of offenders.

Those databases are not always perfect, relying on often spotty reporting from the states. Dylann Roof, the white supremacist who killed nine people in an African-American church in Charleston, South Carolina on June 17, 2015, cleared a handgun purchase background check just weeks before, despite having a drug conviction on his record.

- No apparent red flags -

But if a person's record is clean -- and Paddock evidently did not raise any red flags -- he can buy as many guns as he wants.

There are some controls, points out Laura Cutilletta, the legal director at the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence.

Licensed gun dealers, who handle perhaps 60 percent of all firearm sales, have to report multiple handgun sales to the Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms and Tobacco. "Multiple" means two or more guns to the same purchaser within five business days.

Even then, Cutiletta says, "There is no requirement that law enforcement investigate."

Three states -- California, New York and New Jersey -- prohibit sales of more than one handgun in 30 to 90 days, with slight variations between them.

Beyond that, the country is an open market, with private sellers of used guns not having to run background checks, and no restrictions on long gun purchases.

In Nevada, where gun laws are particularly lax and enforcement more so, it would have been easy for Paddock to accumulate all the guns he had unnoticed.

"There is no way that AFT or the FBI would know," said Cutiletta.

- Easy to convert to automatic -

But what stood out in Sunday's massacre, when Paddock unloaded his guns on a crowd of 22,000 at a country music concert, was the rapid pace of fire.

According to reports, he had modified some of his guns to work like automatic weapons, like machine guns, able to shoot many hundreds of rounds a minute with one trigger pull.

Automatic weapons have been banned in the United States for three decades.

But converting a semi-automatic weapon, including the AR-15 and AK-47-type assault rifles widely available in US gun shops, into an automatic weapon is easy.

For $40 you can buy a trigger crank, a small device that can be attached to the trigger. It can make the gun fire three or four times with each turn of the crank, significantly faster than using a finger to pull the trigger.

For as little as $99, you can get a bump stock, a spring-loaded stock that, with one pull of the trigger, keeps the weapon firing using its own recoil. It can enable the weapon to fire at a rate of 600 rounds a minute or more.

Trigger cranks and bump stocks are completely legal, they even come with ATF certifications that they do not constitute an illegal conversion of the guns. According to reports Paddock had two weapons with bump stocks.

Reports citing law enforcement authorities say Paddock also had a large stock of ammunition. That side of the business is also little-regulated, with only restrictions on certain types of ammunition like armor-piercing bullets.
The Tennessee Aquariums annual underwater pumpkin carving competition will begin weekly exhibitions throughout ODDtober. Two costumed divers will enter the depths of the Aquariums Nickajack-O-Lantern Lake exhibit and carve pumpkins while huge paddlefish and other freshwater fish lurk in the waters nearby.



After the competition is complete, the public can vote for a winner when photos of both pumpkins are posted to the Aquariums Facebook page.

This event will lead off ODDtober, an entire month focused on the weird and wonderful side of nature. Guests will explore the kooky behaviors and adaptations of creatures from around the world through special programs, keeper talks and dive shows.

This year, Aquarium guests can enjoy underwater pumpkin each Saturday at 11 a.m. Ti will be held Oct. 7 and 21 in the Nickajack Lake exhibit and Oct. 14 and 28 in the River Giants exhibit.
US Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis says he "fully" supports Secretary of State Rex Tillerson's efforts to find a diplomatic way out of the North Korea nuclear crisis

Pentagon chief Jim Mattis tried to clear up doubts about the US administration's North Korea strategy Tuesday, backing Secretary of State Rex Tillerson's effort to find a diplomatic solution to the nuclear standoff.

Defense Secretary Mattis was speaking two days after President Donald Trump appeared to undermine his top diplomat by saying Tillerson was "wasting his time" by maintaining contacts with Kim Jong-Un's regime.

State Department officials insist Trump was not criticizing Tillerson, but pressuring Kim Jong-Un's regime to agree to discuss its disarmament while a diplomatic option remains on the table.

Mattis, in testimony to the Senate Armed Services Committee, said the Pentagon stands four square behind the strategy -- and singled out Tillerson for support.

"The international community... is focused on the destabilizing threat posed by North Korea and Kim Jong-Un's relentless pursuit of nuclear and ballistic missile capabilities," he said.

"The Defense Department supports fully Secretary Tillerson's efforts to find a diplomatic solution but remains focused on defense of the United States and our allies."

Tillerson has explained the strategy as one of using United Nations and US sanctions and diplomatic pressure to convince Kim of his isolation and force him to negotiate nuclear disarmament.

US officials insist publicly that they have military options to counter the threat from Pyongyang if this fails, but admit privately that these are limited and highly risky.

- 'Little Rocket Man' -

So it was hard to square Tillerson's diplomatic push with the Trump tweets that greeted him Sunday as he flew back from meeting Chinese leader in Beijing.

"I told Rex Tillerson, our wonderful Secretary of State, that he is wasting his time trying to negotiate with Little Rocket Man," Trump wrote, using his dismissive nickname for Kim.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson returned from a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping to find President Donald Trump declaring his outreach to North Korea a waste of time

"Save your energy Rex, we'll do what has to be done!" he added, apparently suggesting that some kind of non-diplomatic option was back on the table.

"Being nice to Rocket Man hasn't worked in 25 years, why would it work now? Clinton failed, Bush failed, and Obama failed. I won't fail."

Kim is 33 years old and came to office in 2011.

But Trump appears to have been referring to previous US efforts to deal with the North Korean dictator's father and grandfather.

While in China, Tillerson had told reporters that he was "probing" whether the North is ready for talks on the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula.

"So stay tuned," he added.

"We have lines of communications to Pyongyang. We're not in a dark situation, a blackout. We have a couple, three channels open to Pyongyang. We can talk to them. We do talk to them."

This revelation appears to have triggered Trump's tweeted response -- which in turn sparked fresh rumors of tensions between the president and his top diplomat.

Critics seized upon the remarks to paint Tillerson as an outsider, scorned by Trump and unable to speak for the United States -- most scathingly in a harsh Washington Post op-ed entitled: "Donald Trump's dog."

Mattis, however, was at pains to insist that the government is working together as one to counter its most urgent threat.

"President Trump's guidance to both Secretary Tillerson and me has been very clearly that we would pursue the diplomatic efforts," he told lawmakers.

"All we are doing is probing, we are not talking with them ... So I don't see the divergence as strongly as some have interpreted it."

"When the Secretary says "probing,' he means: we're keeping our eyes open to see how sanctions, to see how the pressure campaign is affecting that government," a State Department source said privately.

Mattis noted that Trump had sent Tillerson to Beijing to work with Chinese leaders to strengthen the common diplomatic response to the crisis.

"In fact this is part of a whole-of-government, integrated effort that we have under way right now," Mattis said. "And that's what Secretary Tillerson was carrying forward for the president."

Still, dialogue appears distant, on the State Department's end.

"At some point, of course, we would like to sit down and talk with North Korea. But now is not the time to do so; they are doing too many horrible activities," added State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert.
Ja Song Nam, North Korea's UN envoy, said the country will withstand the blow of sanctions imposed over its nuclear and missile tests

North Korea's UN envoy accused the United States on Tuesday of working to block economic development and denounced sanctions imposed on poor countries as a bid to "destroy modern civilization."

Ambassador Ja Song Nam said North Korea will withstand the blow of sanctions and continue "along the road of building the socialist power by dint of the spirit of self-reliance and self-development."

Ja spoke at a debate at the General Assembly that focused on the UN's global development goals that aim to eradicate extreme poverty by 2050, advance health and promote education.

"The US is clinging to unprecedented nuclear threats and blackmail, economic sanctions and blockade to deny our rights to existence and development but they only result in our sharper vigilance and greater courage," said Ja.

The United States led the drive at the Security Council to impose two recent sets of sanctions on North Korea to punish Pyongyang over its nuclear and missile tests.

In August, the council cut off North Korea's exports of coal and other minerals and last month expanded the export ban to textile, North Korean guest workers and also capped oil exports.

Washington has also slapped unilateral sanctions on firms that do business with North Korea.

To achieve the UN's development goals, "we should immediately obliterate the high-handed measures of the US including the sanctions imposed on the developing countries," Ja said.

The US measures "are trying to destroy modern civilization and to plunge this world into the medieval darkness," he said.

According to UN figures, about 70 percent of North Korea's population lack basic services and are suffering from food shortages, partly caused by droughts, floods and landslides that have devastated agriculture.
Diane Rwigara arrives to hold a press conference in Kigali on May 3,2017. She sought to stand in elections in August and has been charged with insurrection

Rwandan prosecutors said Tuesday that a prominent critic of President Paul Kagame had been charged with inciting insurrection against the state as well as other offences.

Provisional detention was requested for Diane Rwigara, who was blocked from challenging Kagame in August's presidential election, as well as for her mother Adeline Rwigara and her sister Anne Rwigara.

"The charges include forgery of documents and signature counterfeiting by Diane, sectarian practices by Adeline Rwigara and inciting insurrection for all the three," a spokesman for the state prosecutor's office, Faustin Nkusi, told AFP.

Diane Rwigara has said they were questioned by police almost daily in the first three weeks of last month, before being detained for questioning on September 22.

There was no mention of allegations of tax evasion, which had been raised previously.

In an interview with AFP just before her detention last month, Rwigara said she was a victim of political persecution "for standing against oppression and speaking my mind."

Other critics and opposition figures have also been detained in recent weeks in what observers say is a post-election crackdown on dissent.

The refusal to allow her to run against Kagame, who won the August 4 election with 99 percent of the vote, on claims of procedural irregularities was widely criticised by Western governments and rights groups.

Rwigara is the daughter of Assinapol Rwigara, an entrepreneur who made a fortune in industry and real estate, and a main backer of Kagame's Rwandan Patriotic Front (FPR) during its efforts to topple the Hutu extremist regime in 1994, ending the Rwandan genocide.

Diane Rwigara later distanced herself from the FPR after her father's death in a car accident in 2015, which she has claimed was an "assassination".
Britain's Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson's gaffes have not stopped him being frequently talked of as a future prime minister

British Foreign Minister Boris Johnson came under fire Tuesday for saying Libya could become a magnet for tourists and investors -- if it can "clear the dead bodies away" first.

Reflecting on his August visit to Libya, strife-torn since a war and the eventual toppling of longtime dictator Moamer Kadhafi in 2011, Johnson said British businesses wanted to invest in the city of Sirte.

"They have got a brilliant vision to turn Sirte into the next Dubai," he told Conservatives attending the party's annual conference in Manchester, talking up its "bone-white sands, beautiful sea" and "brilliant young people".

"The only thing they have got to do is clear the dead bodies away," he added, before laughing.

Johnson's political career has been characterised by outspoken comments and personal controversy, which have won voters over but also led to despair among both detractors and colleagues.

His comments on Sirte, from where Islamic State militants were driven out in December, were slammed by shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry.

"For Boris Johnson to treat those deaths as a joke -- a mere inconvenience before UK business people can turn the city into a beach resort -- is unbelievably crass, callous and cruel," said Thornberry, a Labour MP.

"There comes a time when the buffoonery needs to stop, because if Boris Johnson thinks the bodies of those brave government soldiers and innocent civilians killed in Sirte are a suitable subject for throwaway humour, he does not belong in the office of foreign secretary," she added.

Johnson travelled to Tripoli and Benghazi, becoming the first British foreign minister to visit the latter city since 2011, the year Kadhafi was overthrown and killed in a NATO-backed uprising.

MP Jo Swinson, the Liberal Democrats foreign affairs chief, said Johnson lacked the diplomatic skills necessary for his role and called on Prime Minister Theresa May to fire him.

"This latest unbelievably crass and insensitive comment about an issue of such importance is further proof Boris is not up to the job. May needs to get her house in order and sack him," Swinson said.

Johnson's appointment last year as Britain's top diplomat has added a global dimension to his gaffes, at a sensitive time as the country negotiates its exit from the European Union.

The foreign minister's Brexit diplomacy has seen him tell Czech newspaper Hospodarske Noviny it was "bollocks" to claim that freedom of movement of people was an EU founding principle.

He also told Italy's economic development minister the country should support Britain's access to the single market if it wants to keep selling Prosecco to the UK.

But Johnson's unorthodox approach has proven a success among Conservatives, with frequent debate about whether he will be the next party leader.
Pentagon chief Jim Mattis (L) testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Iran with General Joseph Dunford, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

President Donald Trump's respected defense secretary Jim Mattis added his heavyweight support to retaining the Iran nuclear deal Tuesday, as more hawkish voices pushed for tougher action against Tehran.

Under US law, Trump must write to Congress every 90 days to certify whether or not the White House believes Iran is keeping to its side of the bargain and whether or not the US should continue to waive sanctions.

Decertifying Iran's compliance would not necessarily signal the end of the 2015 accord, as long as the US Congress does not rush to reimpose the sanctions waived under the agreement.

But as the latest deadline day approaches on October 15, Washington's warring foreign policy camps are deeply divided, and bombarding Trump's White House with wildly varying advice.

Supporters of the 2015 deal argue that it remains the best way of halting Iran's progress towards building a nuclear bomb and that Washington must stand by its international commitments or lose face with friends and foes alike.

Critics argue the pact did nothing to rein in Iran's sponsorship of proxy armies destabilizing the Middle East nor to halt its aggressive ballistic missile drive -- and will leave it free to resume nuclear enrichment from 2025.

Trump himself signalled last month, in an address to the UN General Assembly, that he intends to "decertify" Iran's compliance with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), under which the accord was implemented last year.

He branded the deal, which his predecessor Barack Obama's administration signed with five more world powers and Tehran, an "embarrassment" to the United States, and warned: "I don't think you've heard the last of it."

But his most senior foreign policy advisers have been more cautious.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson's department has repeatedly agreed with UN nuclear inspectors that Iran is in "technical compliance" with the accord.

And on Tuesday, Trump's Pentagon chief Defense Secretary Jim Mattis told lawmakers the deal remains in the US national interest.

"If we can confirm that Iran is living by the agreement, if we can determine that this is in our best interest, then surely we should stay with it," he told the Senate Armed Services Committee.

"I believe at this point in time, absent indication to the contrary, it is something that the president should consider staying with," he said.

Asked whether he believed the Iran deal was in the national interest, Mattis replied: "Yes, senator, I do."

Iran and the other signatories -- China, Russia, France, Britain and Germany -- defend the deal as a guarantee of the non-military purposes of Tehran's nuclear program, after Iran surrendered much of its enriched uranium and exposed its plants to inspection.

- Banned missiles -

But Trump -- who told reporters last month he had reached a decision, but would not say what course of action he intends to take -- has appeared publicly to side with foreign policy hawks like his UN ambassador Nikki Haley.

Haley has argued that Iran's non-nuclear bad behavior, such as the regime's support for militia groups in Syria and Iraq and its banned missile program, justify non-certification.

And on Tuesday this banner was taken up by influential Republican senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas, who will be a key figure if Congress attempts to build a new sanctions package.

"I've long advocated for declining to certify the deal to Congress again for many reasons," Cotton was to say later Tuesday, according to an advance copy of a speech he was to deliver at the Council on Foreign Relations.

"But President Trump has put it best himself: 'The Iran deal poses a direct national-security threat'," he was to say.

"The sensible course, then, is to decline to certify the deal and begin the work of strengthening it and counteracting Iranian aggression, with the threat of sanctions and military action if necessary."

Several senior US officials, as well as observers who oppose the deal, have said that if Trump does not certify Iran's compliance it would not necessarily mean a US withdrawal or the end of the pact.

In the event of non-certification, the law gives Congress 60 days to decide whether to reimpose on Iran sanctions lifted under the deal.

Washington could use the time to pressure its European allies to reopen negotiations, and lawmakers like Cotton could lobby for non-nuclear related sanctions to target Iran's other sins.
COX'S BAZAR, Bangladesh (AP) - The head of the United Nations' food-assistance agency on Sunday urged the international community to step up its support for the relief operation for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh or risk "a massive catastrophic disaster."

More than half a million Rohingya Muslims have fled into Bangladesh in little more than a month to escape a Myanmar military operation that has been condemned as ethnic cleansing. The crackdown was in response to a series of deadly attacks on security posts by Muslim insurgents.

Authorities have housed the refugees in a number of existing camps near the border, but the huge numbers and the sheer speed of the exodus have created acute needs, including food.

Newly arrived Rohingya girl carries food rations in Kutupalong, Bangladesh, Saturday, Sept. 30, 2017. Five weeks after the mass exodus of Rohingya from Myanmar began, the U.N. says the total number of arrivals in Bangladesh has now topped 501,000, and refugees are still arriving. (AP Photo/Gemunu Amarasinghe)

"Bangladesh alone can't handle this. The international community must rally," David Beasley, head of the U.N.'s World Food Programme, said after observing a handout of food to refugees at Kutupalong camp, near Cox's Bazar.

He said the WFP needs $75 million in the next five to six months to meet current and anticipated food needs.

"We need support from around the world because you're talking about a literal humanitarian disaster," Beasley said. "If we don't get the support we need, from health care to proper nutrition and safe water and sanitation and sheltering, this could explode into a catastrophic humanitarian disaster."

The WFP says it has already enrolled around 460,000 people in the camps in a program that gives them 25 kilograms (55 pounds) of rice every two weeks for the next six months.

A newly arrived Rohingya boy stands in line, and displays a food rations coupon while waiting to receive dry food in Kutupalong, Bangladesh, Saturday, Sept. 30, 2017. Some five weeks after the mass exodus of Rohingya from Myanmar began, the U.N. says the total number of arrivals in Bangladesh has now topped 501,000, and refugees are still arriving.(AP Photo/Gemunu Amarasinghe)
BOLONGA, Italy (AP) - Pope Francis is urging Europeans not to fear unity and to put aside nationalistic and other self-interests.

Francis didn't mention the police violence during Catalonia's independence referendum Sunday on his visit to Bologna. But in a speech to university students, Francis recalled that the European Union was borne out of the ashes of war to guarantee peace.

He warned that conflicts and other interests were now threatening those founding ideals.

Pope Francis celebrates Mass at the Renato Dall'Ara stadium in Bologna, Italy, Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017. Pope Francis is on a one-day visit to the northern Italian towns of Cesena and Bologna. (L'Osservatore Romano/ Pool Photo via AP)

Francis said: "Don't be afraid of unity! May special interests and nationalism not render the courageous dreams of the founders of the European Union in vain."

The Vatican has indicated it doesn't support the independence effort in Catalonia, denying a Catalan cleric's claim earlier that it would immediately recognize an independent Catalonia. Spain's bishops have urged dialogue in the dispute.

Pope Francis celebrates Mass at the Renato Dall'Ara stadium in Bologna, Italy, Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017. Pope Francis is on a one-day visit to the northern Italian towns of Cesena and Bologna. (L'Osservatore Romano/ Pool Photo via AP)

Pope Francis celebrates Mass at the Renato Dall'Ara stadium in Bologna, Italy, Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017. Pope Francis is on a one-day visit to the northern Italian towns of Cesena and Bologna. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Pope Francis celebrates Mass at the Renato Dall'Ara stadium in Bologna, Italy, Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017. Pope Francis is on a one-day visit to the northern Italian towns of Cesena and Bologna. (L'Osservatore Romano/ Pool Photo via AP)

Pope Francis celebrates Mass at the Renato Dall'Ara stadium in Bologna, Italy, Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017. Pope Francis is on a one-day visit to the northern Italian towns of Cesena and Bologna. (L'Osservatore Romano/ Pool Photo via AP)

Pope Francis celebrates Mass at the Renato Dall'Ara stadium in Bologna, Italy, Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017. Pope Francis is on a one-day visit to the northern Italian towns of Cesena and Bologna. (L'Osservatore Romano/ Pool Photo via AP)

Faithful wait for Pope Francis to celebrate Mass at the Renato Dall'Ara stadium in Bologna, Italy, Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017. Pope Francis is on a one-day visit to the northern Italian towns of Cesena and Bologna. (Giorgio Benvenuti/ANSA via AP)

Faithful wait for Pope Francis to celebrate Mass at the Renato Dall'Ara stadium in Bologna, Italy, Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017. Pope Francis is on a one-day visit to the northern Italian towns of Cesena and Bologna. (Giorgio Benvenuti/ANSA via AP)

Pope Francis celebrates Mass at the Renato Dall'Ara stadium in Bologna, Italy, Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017. Pope Francis is on a one-day visit to the northern Italian towns of Cesena and Bologna. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Pope Francis celebrates Mass at the Renato Dall'Ara stadium in Bologna, Italy, Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017. Pope Francis is on a one-day visit to the northern Italian towns of Cesena and Bologna. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Pope Francis celebrates Mass at the Renato Dall'Ara stadium in Bologna, Italy, Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017. Pope Francis is on a one-day visit to the northern Italian towns of Cesena and Bologna. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Pope Francis celebrates Mass at the Renato Dall'Ara stadium in Bologna, Italy, Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017. Pope Francis is on a one-day visit to the northern Italian towns of Cesena and Bologna. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Pope Francis celebrates Mass at the Renato Dall'Ara stadium in Bologna, Italy, Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017. Pope Francis is on a one-day visit to the northern Italian towns of Cesena and Bologna. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Pope Francis leads Monsignor Guido Marini, the papal master of liturgical ceremonies, as he celebrates Mass at the Renato Dall'Ara stadium in Bologna, Italy, Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017. Pope Francis is on a one-day visit to the northern Italian towns of Cesena and Bologna. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Pope Francis is flanked by Monsignor Guido Marini, the papal master of liturgical ceremonies, as he celebrates Mass at the Renato Dall'Ara stadium in Bologna, Italy, Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017. Pope Francis is on a one-day visit to the northern Italian towns of Cesena and Bologna. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Pope Francis is flollowed by Monsignor Guido Marini, the papal master of liturgical ceremonies, as he arrives to celebrate Mass at the Renato Dall'Ara stadium in Bologna, Italy, Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017. Pope Francis is on a one-day visit to the northern Italian towns of Cesena and Bologna. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Pope Francis celebrates Mass at the Renato Dall'Ara stadium in Bologna, Italy, Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017. Pope Francis is on a one-day visit to the northern Italian towns of Cesena and Bologna. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Pope Francis, left, is flanked by Monsignor Guido Marini, the papal master of liturgical ceremonies, as he celebrates Mass at the Renato Dall'Ara stadium in Bologna, Italy, Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017. Pope Francis is on a one-day visit to the northern Italian towns of Cesena and Bologna. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Pope Francis speaks during a meeting with university students in Bologna, Italy, Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017. Pope Francis is on a one-day visit to the northern Italian towns of Cesena and Bologna. (L'Osservatore Romano/ Pool Photo via AP)

Pope Francis is followed by Monsignor Guido Marini, the papal master of liturgical ceremonies, as he arrives to celebrate Mass at the Renato Dall'Ara stadium in Bologna, Italy, Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017. Pope Francis is on a one-day visit to the northern Italian towns of Cesena and Bologna. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Pope Francis is flanked by Monsignor Guido Marini, the papal master of liturgical ceremonies, as he celebrates Mass at the Renato Dall'Ara stadium in Bologna, Italy, Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017. Pope Francis is on a one-day visit to the northern Italian towns of Cesena and Bologna. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) - The Palestinian prime minister on Monday is set to lead a large delegation of Fatah officials traveling from the West Bank to Gaza in the most ambitious attempt to reconcile with the rival Hamas militant group after a 10-year rift.

In a significant concession, Hamas has offered to turn over all governing responsibilities to Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah. But key sticking points, primarily Hamas' refusal to disarm its powerful military wing, are likely to complicate or even derail the reconciliation efforts in the coming weeks.

Hamas won legislative elections in 2006 and the following year seized control of Gaza after overrunning the Fatah-led forces of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Since then, Abbas' Palestinian Authority has governed only in autonomous enclaves of the Israeli-occupied West Bank, while repeated attempts to reconcile with Hamas have failed. Hamas have not held elections since.

A Palestinian Fatah member receives greetings after being released from a Hamas jail in front of the interior ministry, in Gaza City, Sunday Oct. 1, 2017. The Palestinian prime minister is set to lead a large delegation of Fatah officials traveling from the West Bank to Gaza on Monday in the most ambitious attempt to reconcile with the rival Hamas militant group after a 10-year rift that has left the Palestinians divided between two governments. Logo in Arabic reads, " the ministry of the interior and national security." (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

In previous deals, including one brokered by Egypt in 2011, both sides professed willingness to reconcile, but ultimately balked at giving up power in their respective territories.

They agreed in 2014 to form a national reconciliation government, but Hamas's shadow government has effectively continued ruling Gaza since.

But conditions have changed in recent years. Hamas has been weakened by years of an Israeli-Egyptian blockade, international isolation and three devastating wars with Israel. Gaza today is mired in poverty, with unemployment approaching 50 percent and receiving just a few hours of electricity each day.

Abbas has also stepped up the pressure, saying he will no longer pay for electricity shipments to Gaza and cutting the salaries of tens of thousands of former civil servants and policemen who have sat idle since the Hamas takeover.

With the election of a new leader, Yehiyeh Sinwar, early this year and Egypt offering to ease its blockade, which has largely shuttered the border crossing that serves as Gaza's main gateway to the outside world, Hamas now appears ready to deal.

On Sunday, Gaza was filled with a mood of optimism. Workers were painting a white fence outside Abbas' abandoned official residence, and a Palestinian flag with the government logo was painted on the front door. On a main downtown street, a huge poster of Abbas and Hamdallah hung outside a souvenir store. "Welcome to Palestine's beating heart: glorious Gaza," it said.

In another positive sign, a team of Egyptian mediators arrived and went immediately for meetings with Hamas' leadership. It was the first time an Egyptian delegation has visited Gaza since 2007. Hamas official Mushir al-Masri said the sides will continue their talks in Egypt in the coming weeks to work on a final deal.

While conditions have ripened, reconciliation could nonetheless be elusive as these committees get down to work.

"The obstacles may not appear on the first day, but the bats of darkness, those whose interests would be harmed by reconciliation, may try to sabotage it later," said Ibrahim Abrach, a Gaza political analyst.

Here is a look at the key obstacles that lie ahead:

The Militants: Hamas controls an army of an estimated 15,000 to 20,000 fighters. This militia is a virtual army, armed with rockets, machine guns and mortars, and has no desire to place itself under Abbas' command or to give up its battle against Israel.

Khalil al-Hayya, a top Hamas leader, said in a statement that "the weapon of resistance is outside all equations and was never up for discussion."

A top Fatah official, meanwhile, said Abbas will not accept a situation similar to Lebanon - where the Hezbollah militant group is the most powerful actor in the country even while a civilian government ostensibly rules.

"Abbas will not agree to be an ATM machine in Gaza," the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was discussing internal Fatah deliberations.

The Workers: After Hamas took control of Gaza, Abbas ordered his roughly 75,000 employees, including teachers, civil servants and security men, to resign. Hamas quickly replaced them with 40,000 of its own loyalists.

Until recently, Abbas continued to pay his workers' salaries.

The future of these rival work forces, and who will remunerate them, is sure to be a sticking point at a time when jobs are hard to come by in Gaza.

The Border: Control of the border crossings with Israel and Egypt are a key source of power for Hamas.

These crossings determine who and what comes in and out of Gaza. Hamas has used the crossings to smuggle in contraband, assist its supporters and collect taxes.

Abbas is likely to insist on control of the borders, and Hamas is unlikely to give up this power base.

"We want to have full authority over the crossings. Would they give us that?" said the Fatah official. "In this case they won't know who is coming in and who is going out."

The Rival: Abbas' archrival, Mohammed Dahlan, has taken an increasingly active and visible role in the reconciliation efforts.

Dahlan was Abbas' security chief in Gaza. He moved to the West Bank after the Hamas takeover, but was forced into exile after a falling out with Abbas in 2011.

Based in the United Arab Emirates, Dahlan has forged good relations with wealthy Gulf countries and accumulated large sums of money to build a power base in Gaza.

Over the summer, Hamas announced a separate power-sharing plan with Dahlan that would allow the former strongman to return to Gaza. Hamas says it remains committed to this deal, while Abbas opposes any role for Dahlan.

Israel: Israel considers Hamas, which seeks Israel's destruction, a terrorist group. After fighting three bloody wars against Hamas and losing hundreds of its citizens to the group's attacks over the years, Israel is unlikely to accept any deal that ushers Hamas into the Palestinian government.

Past reconciliation attempts fumbled because of Israeli and international demands for Hamas to disarm, renounce violence and recognize Israel's right to exist. A senior Israeli official said those demands will resurface if the reconciliation efforts proceed.

He said Israel still considers Hamas to be a "ruthless, mass-murdering terrorist organization" that is trying to "gain international legitimacy" without disarming or accepting the international demands.

He spoke on condition of anonymity because the government has not officially commented on the reconciliation process.

___

Daraghmeh reported from Ramallah, West Bank. Josef Federman in Jerusalem contributed to this report.

A poster of Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas and Palestinian Prime minister Rami Hamdallah hangs on a street in Gaza City, Sunday Oct. 1, 2017. The Palestinian prime minister is set to lead a large delegation of Fatah officials traveling from the West Bank to Gaza on Monday in the most ambitious attempt to reconcile with the rival Hamas militant group after a 10-year rift that has left the Palestinians divided between two governments. Arabic writing on the poster reads, "Welcome to Palestine's beating heart: glorified Gaza". (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)
NEW YORK (AP) - A man accused of setting off a pressure cooker bomb in New York City that injured 30 people was a "soldier in a holy war" bent on carrying out a murderous plot with maximum carnage, federal prosecutors said Monday at the start of his trial.

Ahmad Khan Rahimi researched online, bought ingredients and assembled bombs after watching how-to videos, they said.

"He designed it. He built it," Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn Crowley said. "He filled it with explosives and deadly shrapnel and he planted it on the street."

FILE - In this Dec. 20, 2016 file photo, Ahmad Khan Rahimi, the man accused of setting off bombs in New Jersey and New York's Chelsea neighborhood in September, sits in court in Elizabeth, N.J. His trial opens, Monday, Oct. 2, 2017 in New York. (AP Photo/Mel Evans, File)

Rahimi planted a pipe bomb at a charity race in Seaside Park, New Jersey, that exploded but didn't injure anyone, prosecutors said. He went back home, then took a train into Manhattan and planted two pressure cooker bombs, they said.

One didn't go off. The other, hidden near a large trash bin in the busy Chelsea neighborhood, burst at about 8:30 p.m. sending the 100-pound trash bin flying into the air. The blast shattered windows and scattered bits of metal.

Rahimi's defense attorney, Meghan Gilligan, asked jurors to keep an open mind about the case and said the government would not be able to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that her client is guilty.

"He is at the end of the day a person," who deserves an open mind from jurors, she said.

Rahimi was briefly removed from the courtroom just as his trial opened Monday.

He interrupted proceedings to speak with U.S. District Court Judge Richard Berman and was escorted out. He returned after the prosecution's opening statement and apologized for the outburst, telling the judge he hadn't been able to see his wife since his detention.

"It was not my intention to make a scene," he told Berman. He said he's barely seen his three children and hasn't seen his wife once, because she is not approved to go to the detention facility where he's held.

"Why are they preventing me from seeing my wife?" he asked the judge. Berman scolded Rahimi for making a scene and for raising the issue "one minute before we were scheduled to start this trial," but he promised he'd look into the visitation issue.

Rahimi sat down and had no other outbursts as the case progressed.

The 29-year-old who lived with his family in Elizabeth, New Jersey, is not charged with terrorism, but he has been charged with crimes including bombing a public place, using a weapon of mass destruction and interstate transportation of explosives.

He was shot by law enforcement during his arrest two days after the attacks. He has pleaded not guilty and is being held without bail.

The bomb that exploded in Chelsea knocked Helena Ayeh, an architect who was headed home, off her feet.

She told jurors Monday that she couldn't see or hear. She was bleeding heavily, and her knees were bruised. She opened her eyes and an emergency worker told her to shut them immediately. She asked if her eye was still even there.

"And she hesitated, and she said yes," Ayeh recounted Monday on the witness stand. She said she asked the woman why she hesitated.

Ayeh recalled: "And she said, 'Do you believe in God?' I said, 'Yes.' She said, 'Pray.'"

Ayeh said she'd suffered a deep cut in her right eye, and the metal barely missed slicing her eye in half. She said she eventually recovered her vision.

Photographer Jane Schreibman told jurors about calling in the second unexploded pressure cooker. She said she noticed the pot with wires sticking out on the street and a white trash bag near her home. She initially thought it was just a child's science experiment, she testified. But it nagged at her.

"It was lingering," she said, so she called 911. The bomb squad showed up and removed the device.

Jurors also saw surveillance footage of Rahimi on the street with bags, and then other later footage of him with fewer bags.

While Rahimi has not been charged with terrorism, prosecutors say his interest in jihad, terrorist attacks and terrorist organizations vastly influenced his plans. They said he was arrested carrying a notebook with writings with such passages as "the sounds of bombs will be heard in the streets."

Crowley called him a "soldier in a holy war against Americans, and New York and New Jersey were his battle grounds."

Rahimi also has been charged with attempted murder in New Jersey because authorities say he shot at police officers during his arrest. Details of the shootout won't be included in the federal trial.
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) - The Latest on Catalonia's independence referendum and Spain's response (all times local):

9:10 p.m.

The Spanish government says Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, in meetings with political opponents, has defended the police performance on Sunday when hundreds were injured in the crackdown on a banned referendum on Catalonia's independence.

In this Sunday, 1 Oct. 2017 photo, Spanish National Police scuffle with people trying to reach a voting site at a school assigned to be a polling station by the Catalan government in Barcelona, Spain. Catalan leaders accused Spanish police of brutality and repression while the Spanish government praised the security forces for behaving firmly and proportionately. Videos and photographs of the police actions were on the front page of news media outlets around the world. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

The main opposition leader, the Socialist Pedro Sanchez, has criticized the violence that left more than 1,300 hurt, most of them civilians.

The business-friendly Ciudadanos (Citizens) party leader Albert Rivera also met with Rajoy on Monday as the prime minister looks for consensus on how to proceed with the crisis.

A statement by the government said that Rajoy also held talks with top leaders of the European Union and with French president Emmanuel Macron to explain "the failure" of the vote attempt by the Catalan separatist government.

Rajoy told them that "the government's determination to halt the illegal referendum contributes to keeping the stability and democracy in the whole European Union."

___

6:45 p.m.

Shares in Catalonia's two main banks have dropped on Spain's main stock exchange following political uncertainty after leaders of the northeastern region pushed ahead with a secession bid.

Shares in Caixabank and Banco Sabadell each lost more than 4 percent of their value in Monday's session.

Sabadell's shares were valued at 1.67 euros, down 4.5 percent, its lowest value since April. Caixabank lost 4.4 percent to 4.05 euros per share, its lowest since June.

Uncertainty was also blamed for losses across the board in Spain's main index, the Ibex 35.

Catalan separatist leaders have pledged to seek secession after staging a referendum vote on Sunday amid a violent crackdown by Spanish police forces.

___

5:35 p.m.

Spain's Interior Ministry says that 431 National Police and Civil Guard agents suffered wounds or bruising during violent clashes with civilians in Catalonia.

The ministry says that 39 officers received immediate treatment but none was hospitalized. The remaining 392 suffered minor injuries and bruises resulting from kicks, bites and scratches.

The ministry had previously reported 33 as the number of officers injured.

More than 890 civilians were treated for injuries, most of them not serious, according to Catalan regional health authorities.

Police using batons and firing rubber bullets cleared protesters hoping to vote in Sunday's disputed referendum on the northeastern region's independence from Spain.

___

5:20 p.m.

Spanish Foreign Minister Alfonso Dastis says he doesn't see the police intervention during the Catalonia referendum as heavy-handed.

Speaking ahead of an Italian-Spanish forum in Rome on Monday, Dastis said it is "a matter of interpretation."

"I don't think there was such a heavy hand, but in any case, they had to react." He said "some of the pictures are real, some of them are not real" but that police had simply reacted to the fact that people were preventing them from doing what they had been ordered to do by the courts.

He said the Spanish government would have preferred not to have seen the images, "but it was not a deliberate act of violence." Spanish riot police smashed their way into polling stations across Catalonia on Sunday trying to derail the independence referendum that the Spanish government said was illegal. The clashes injured 893 people.

___

5:15 p.m.

Amnesty International says its observers in Catalonia witnessed "excessive use of force" by Spain's national police and civil guard agents trying to stop the voting in a banned referendum.

The rights group says in an emailed statement that violence was used against people who were "passively resisting" a judge's order to impede the referendum.

Researchers saw images of some demonstrators "showing violent attitudes" against police agents, the group says, calling for an investigation that leads to criminal prosecution if necessary.

More than 890 civilians were treated for injuries, most of them not serious, according to Catalan regional health authorities. Spain's Interior Minister says that 33 police officers were also injured.

The Spanish government says no referendum took place because the independence bid by regional secessionist politicians is illegal. A constitutional court had suspended it.

___

4:35 p.m.

European Union chief Donald Tusk has appealed to Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy to "avoid further escalation and use of force" in the standoff over the Catalonian independence referendum.

Tusk spoke to the Spanish leader Monday, and said that even though he said shared the constitutional reasoning for not recognizing Sunday's referendum in Catalonia, he wanted the violence that marred the poll not to be repeated.

Tusk said in a Twitter message that he "appealed for finding ways to avoid further escalation and use of force."

___

3:50 p.m.

French President Emmanuel Macron is noting his attachment to Spain's "constitutional unity" one day after Catalonia's disputed independence referendum.

The French presidency said in a statement that Macron had a phone call Monday with Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy in which he told Rajoy that he is France's contact in Spain.

The French statement didn't comment on the violent crackdown Sunday by Spanish police trying to stop the referendum that left over 890 people and 33 police injured.

Catalonia's regional government says 90 percent of those who voted chose independence from Spain, and has called for international mediation to solve the political deadlock.

___

3:25 p.m.

Spain's interior minister has lamented the hundreds of injuries linked to the Spanish police's crackdown on the Catalan independence referendum Sunday - but he says the thousands of police reinforcements sent to the region would be staying as long as needed.

Speaking Monday on Spain's Antena 3 TV, Juan Ignacio Zoido reiterated that police acted under a judicial order to prevent the referendum from taking place. But he admitted that there were some scenes he would have preferred not to have happened.

He said that police had simply tried to remove election material, but in some cases people had resisted them Sunday.

Spain sent at least 5,000 extra National Police and National Guard officers to join the estimated 10,000 members of both forces already stationed there.

The officers fired rubber bullets and clubbed and kicked many people who took to the streets to defend the referendum that Spain insists was illegal.

___

2:15 p.m.

Serbia's president says the European Union has shown "double standards and hypocrisy" in rejecting the Catalan referendum but not the independence of ex-Serbian province of Kosovo.

Aleksandar Vucic said Monday his government supports the territorial integrity of Spain, one of five EU member nations that have not recognized Kosovo.

Kosovo declared independence in 2008, following a brutal 1998-99 war. It was backed by the United States and its allies, but not Russia and China.

Meanwhile, Poland's government has expressed hope for a "quick stabilization of the situation in Catalonia" through dialogue and compromise, "without resorting to force or street demonstrations."

But Poland's foreign ministry also described the situation in Catalonia to be Spain's "internal matter," saying "we fully respect the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity and the unity of the Kingdom of Spain."

___

2 p.m.

The U.N. human rights chief is calling on Spain's government to ensure "thorough, independent and impartial investigations" into acts of violence linked to the Catalan independence referendum.

Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein says he's "very disturbed" by Sunday's violence in Catalonia. He said police responses must "at all times be proportionate and necessary."

The rights chief said in a statement Monday the situation should be resolved through political dialogue.

Catalan health officials say 893 people were treated in the hospital during Sunday's clashes with riot police who turned up to stop people from voting.

Zeid, a Jordanian prince who goes by his first name, also urged Madrid to accept "without delay" the requests of two U.N.-mandated investigators on freedom of assembly and minorities to be granted access to visit Catalonia.

Rights office spokesman Rupert Colville said the two U.N. "special rapporteurs" had previously sought the access before the weekend's violence.

___

1:40 p.m.

Catalonia's leader is calling for international mediation to solve the political deadlock over the Catalan independence referendum.

Carles Puigdemont also called on Spain's national police reinforcements to leave the northeastern region, a day after the vote on whether Catalonia should secede from Spain led to violence as police moved to stop voting.

He said the regional government will investigate responsibilities in rights violations.

Puigdemont called for the European Union to consider Catalonia's desire to break away from Spain as a regional problem, and urged Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy's government to accept mediation.

The Catalan president says the regional parliament will be carrying out in the next days the mandate to declare independence in the light of the "yes" victory in the referendum.

Spain's government says the referendum was illegal and that results lack any validity.

___

1:20 p.m.

Germany's foreign minister has called for urgent talks between the opposing sides in the dispute over Catalonia's independence drive.

In a statement Monday, Sigmar Gabriel said that "the pictures which reached us from Spain yesterday show how important it is to stop the spiraling escalation now."

Gabriel urged the parties to remain calm, act within the limits of the Spanish constitution and find a "politically sustainable solution."

He added that the rule of law is a fundamental pillar of the European Union and "this principles unites us, with Spain in our midst."

Gabriel said he was convinced that "Spain will be able to overcome its internal divisions if both sides can agree on a common path."

___

1 p.m.

The German government says it hopes there will be "a swift calming of the situation" in Catalonia following violence over Sunday's independence referendum.

In a statement to The Associated Press, the government said Monday that "Germany is extremely close to the Kingdom of Spain and its people," adding: "We are therefore closely watching the current dispute surrounding the status of Catalonia, and naturally also the developments yesterday."

The statement said Germany hoped the situation will resolve itself "within the framework of the Spanish constitution."

Chancellor Angela Merkel said in August that Germany was greatly interested in the stability of Spain but that the independence question was an internal matter for the country.

___

12:30 p.m.

The European Union's executive called on all sides in Spain "to now move very swiftly from confrontation to dialogue" in the wake of the violence that marred the Catalonian independence referendum Sunday.

EU spokesman Margaritis Schinas also said the Commission trusts "the leadership of Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy to manage this difficult process."

"These are times for unity and stability," Schinas said. "We call on all relevant players to now move very swiftly from confrontation to dialogue. Violence can never be an instrument in politics."

He said EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and Rajoy would talk later Monday.

Catalan officials say the poll, which Spain insists was illegal and invalid, shows that a majority who voted favor secession.

___

12:20 p.m.

Catalonia's health services have raised the number of people injured during Sunday's clashes over the independence referendum to 893.

The region's health department said Monday four people remained in Catalan hospitals, two of them in serious condition although their lives were not threatened.

The department said most of the injured suffered bruises and cuts.

Police used batons, fired rubber bullets, and clubbed and kicked many people who took to the streets to defend the referendum that Spain said was illegal and which a court had ordered officers to prevent.

___

11:30 a.m.

People in Spain's northeastern region of Catalonia have been left upset by the Spanish police's crackdown on the Catalan independence referendum. Still, many say it was right to stage the vote.

"It was a day of recognition of rights. The human right to vote," said 45-year-old office worker Olga Gil. "What the police and the Spanish state did was totally shameful. I hope what we saw was a clear message."

Spanish riot police smashed their way into polling stations across Catalonia on Sunday to try and stop the referendum on independence that the Spanish government said was illegal. Some 850 people have been treated for injuries. Catalonia said preliminary poll results showed 90 percent favored independence after under half the electorate voted.

"I am very annoyed for the both sides involved in what happened yesterday," said Eric Tigra, 56. "I think both sides involved committed grave mistakes. But we must also highlight that if the people of Catalonia go out in the streets and you don't listen to them then something is not working right."

___

10:20 a.m.

Spain's stock market and the euro are down amid concern over the potential impact of the Catalan independence vote.

The Ibex 35 index in Madrid is down 0.8 percent at 10,299 points on a day when other global markets, even elsewhere in Europe, are higher. Among the biggest losers is Banco Sabadell SA, based in the Catalan town of Sabadell, which is down 3 percent.

The euro also is down 0.6 percent at $1.1742.

Overall, investors seem to think the independence vote will be solved somehow. Analysts at UniCredit bank wrote in a report to investors on Monday that they expect the sides to negotiate "to avoid a degeneration of the crisis - taking into account that the Catalan population is highly divided about the issue."

___

10:15 a.m.

The co-leader of Germany's Green party has criticized the use of force by police during Catalonia's independence referendum.

Cem Ozdemir, who is being touted as Germany's possible next foreign minister, told the dpa news agency that "the massive police operation against people who wanted to vote is a mistake."

He was quoted Monday as saying that the violence "will only increase the political problem."

Ozdemir also called for a "serious offer of dialogue from (Spanish) Prime Minister (Mariano) Rajoy" and suggested the European Commission should mediate any talks.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has yet to publicly comment on Sunday's violence and the outcome of the referendum, which Catalonia's regional government says resulted in 90 percent of voters backing a divorce from Spain. Spain has called the referendum illegal and invalid.

___

9:20 a.m.

Catalonia's government will hold a closed-door Cabinet meeting to discuss the next steps in its plan to declare independence from Spain following a disputed referendum marred by violence. Regional officials say the vote, which Spain insists is illegal and invalid, shows that a majority favor secession.

Catalan president Carles Puigdemont will chair Monday's meeting, which is expected to consider asking the regional parliament to vote on an independence declaration later in the week.

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, meanwhile, meets with ruling party leaders before seeking a parliamentary session to discuss how to confront the country's most serious crisis in decades.

Catalonia said preliminary poll results showed 90 percent favored independence after under half the electorate voted in a day that saw around 850 people injured in clashes with police.

Catalan regional Vice-President, Oriol Junqueras, left, and Catalan President, Carles Puigdemont, attend during a protest called by pro-independence outside of the Palau Generalitat in Barcelona, Spain, Monday, Oct. 2, 2017. Catalonia's government will hold a closed-door Cabinet meeting Monday to discuss the next steps in its plan to declare independence from Spain following a disputed referendum marred by violence. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Catalan President Carles Puigdemont, center, attend a meeting at the Palau Generalitat in Barcelona, Spain, Monday, Oct. 2, 2017. Catalonia's government will hold a closed-door Cabinet meeting Monday to discuss the next steps in its plan to declare independence from Spain following a disputed referendum marred by violence. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Spanish National Police tries to dislodge pro-referendum supporters sitting down on a street in Barcelona Sunday, Oct. 1 2017. Catalonia's planned referendum on secession is due to be held Sunday by the pro-independence Catalan government but Spain's government calls the vote illegal, since it violates the constitution, and the country's Constitutional Court has ordered it suspended. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Pro independence supporters hold up ''esteleda'' or Catalan pro independence flags, in support of the Catalonia's secession referendum, in Pamplona, northern Spain, Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017. Catalan pro-referendum supporters vowed Saturday to ignore a police ultimatum to leave the schools they are occupying for use in a referendum vote on seeking independence from Spain. (AP Photo/Alvaro Barrientos)

Votes are counted at a school assigned to be a referendum polling station by the Catalan government in Girona, Spain, Sunday evening, Oct. 1, 2017. During the day Spanish riot police smashed their way into polling stations to try to halt a disputed independence referendum and fired rubber bullets at protesters. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

Independence supporters gather in Barcelona's main square, Spain, Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017. Authorities say 844 people and 33 police were injured Sunday in Spanish police raids to halt the independence vote organized by the Catalan autonomous government that was declared ilegal by Spain's constitutional court. (AP Photo/Santi Palacios)
NEW YORK -- Despite being activated from the 10-day disabled list on Friday, Miguel Sano is not on the Twins' roster for tonight's American League Wild Card Game against the Yankees.

Sano, who missed more than a month with a stress reaction to his left shin suffered on Aug. 18, was originally expected to be available off the Minnesota bench for the win-or-go-home contest. However, the club will instead elect to go with 11 pitchers, as Sano struggled with his timing upon his return over the final weekend of the regular season.

Sano served as a pinch-hitter on Friday and made two starts at designated hitter against the Tigers on Saturday and Sunday, going 1-for-8 with three strikeouts while struggling with offspeed pitches.

He ran in the outfield and took batting practice in the indoor cage during the Twins' workout at Yankee Stadium on Monday, but did not hit on the field or speak to the media.

Sano, 24, batted .264/.352/.507 with 77 RBIs in 114 games in 2017, and finished second on the club with 28 home runs. He was the Twins' most potent offensive threat before the injury.

There remains a chance Sano could be on the roster if the Twins advance the AL Division Series presented by Doosan, as it was surprising he was left off the Wild Card roster.

With Sano not on the roster, the Twins went with 11 pitchers.

The game will be on ESPN

---- Source: MLB.com
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) - Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund is establishing two new companies to increase the number of pilgrims that the kingdom can host at two of Islam's holiest sites in Mecca and Medina.

Saudi investments at the holy sites are aimed at boosting revenues from tourism and offsetting the impact of lower oil prices.

The kingdom's Public Investment Fund says the companies - Rou'a Al Haram and Rou'a Al Madinah - will develop residential and commercial areas around the Grand Mosque in Mecca and the mosque in Medina where the Prophet Muhammad is buried.

The fund said on Monday that the new companies will help the kingdom accommodate between 25 million to 30 million pilgrims a year. The companies will develop 150,000 hotel rooms in both cities near the holy sites.
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) - The Palestinian prime minister traveled Monday to the Gaza Strip to launch an ambitious reconciliation effort with the rival Hamas militant group, receiving a hero's welcome from thousands of people as the sides moved to end a bitter 10-year rift.

Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah, representing Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah party, was joined by dozens of top officials, aides and security men on the trip from the West Bank through Israel and into Gaza to meet with the Hamas officials. It is by far the most ambitious attempt at reconciliation since Hamas seized power of the coastal strip in 2007.

The sides exchanged smiles, handshakes and pleasantries - a reflection of the changed climate that has ripened conditions for reconciliation after other failed attempts. But difficult negotiations lie ahead, and key sticking points, particularly who will control Hamas' vast weapons arsenal, could easily derail the effort.

From left to right in front row, Hamas leader in the Gaza Strip Yahya Sinwar, Head of Palestinian General Intelligence Majid Faraj, Head of the Hamas political bureau Ismail Haniyeh, Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah and an Egyptian mediator hold their hands up during a meeting in Gaza City, Monday, Oct. 2, 2017. Hamdallah is in Gaza for the most ambitious attempt yet to end the 10-year rift between rival Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas. (AP Photo/Prime Minister Office)

On Monday, at least, the two sides put aside their differences.

Well-wishers surrounded Hamdallah's car as it entered Gaza through the Israeli-controlled Erez border crossing, and dozens of Palestinian youths gathered alongside a barbed-wire fence to glimpse the welcoming ceremony. Some waved Palestinian or yellow Fatah flags, and many chanted Hamdallah's name.

"The only way to statehood is through unity," Hamdallah told the crowd of about 2,000. "We are coming to Gaza again to deepen the reconciliation and end the split."

Conditions in Gaza have deteriorated greatly in a decade of Hamas rule, and the feeling of hope by desperate residents was palpable Monday.

Thousands lined the streets to watch Hamdallah's 30-vehicle convoy. The crowd forced the delegation to delay its first meeting at the home of the top Fatah official in Gaza and instead take a break at a beachside hotel.

Dozens of vehicles later returned to the Shejayeh neighborhood for the lunch. Hamas' top leaders, Ismail Haniyeh and Yehiyeh Sinwar, said next to Hamdallah and West Bank security chief Majed Faraj.

"This is a day of joy," said Shaima Ahmed, 28, a women's rights activist who covered her shoulders with a Palestinian kaffiyeh. "Yes it's difficult and not easy to go forward, but we only have to be optimistic this time."

Hamas ousted the Fatah-led forces of the internationally recognized Palestinian Authority in the summer of 2007, leaving the Palestinians torn between rival governments on opposite sides of Israel. Hamas has ruled Gaza, while Abbas' party has controlled autonomous enclaves in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

Abbas seeks both territories, along with east Jerusalem, for a Palestinian state, and the division is a major obstacle to any possible peace deal. Israel captured all three areas in the 1967 Mideast war, although it withdrew from Gaza in 2005.

While previous reconciliation attempts have failed, years of international isolation and steadily worsening conditions in Gaza have pushed Hamas toward compromise.

In a significant concession, Hamas has offered to turn over all governing responsibilities to Hamdallah. His ministers are expected to begin taking over government ministries Tuesday, with negotiations in Cairo on more difficult issues in the coming weeks.

Hamdallah said the reconstruction of Gaza, which is still recovering from a 2014 war with Israel, would be a priority.

"We realize that the road is still long and hard. We will be faced with obstacles and challenges, but our people are able to rise again from among destruction and suffering," he said.

Several factors appear to be working in favor of reconciliation.

Under Hamas' watch, Gaza has fallen deeper into poverty, battered by a joint Israeli-Egyptian blockade and three devastating wars with Israel. Unemployment is estimated at over 40 percent, Gaza's 2 million residents are virtually barred from traveling abroad, and residents have electricity for only a few hours a day.

Sinwar, Hamas' newly elected leader, has expressed willingness to yield most power to Abbas, preferring to return to his group's roots as an armed "resistance" movement battling Israel.

The group's leadership is based entirely in Gaza, meaning they no longer have to consult with exiled leaders spread across the Arab world to make difficult decisions.

And perhaps most critically, Hamas has improved relations with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi. The former general took office after the military ousted then-President Mohammed Morsi in 2013.

Morsi, a member of the Muslim Brotherhood, had close ties with Hamas, and el-Sissi has previously accused Hamas of cooperating with Islamic extremists in Egypt's neighboring Sinai peninsula. But the sides have grown closer in recent months, with Hamas now providing security cooperation with Egypt and el-Sissi promising to ease the blockade.

Reflecting these improved ties, Egyptian envoys attended Monday's ceremony, and posters of the Egyptian flag and el-Sissi were hoisted at major intersections.

Egypt also maintains good ties with Israel and could potentially play an important role in selling a reconciliation deal to Israel, which considers Hamas a terrorist group.

Abbas also has much to gain. The 82-year-old Palestinian leader has said the rift with Gaza is his greatest regret. Regaining control of Gaza would help him burnish his legacy, especially after years of failure in peace efforts with Israel.

Still, many obstacles lie ahead. While Hamas is eager to give up its governing responsibilities, officials say the group will not give up its arsenal of thousands of rockets and mortars aimed at Israel.

Officials close to Abbas say he will not agree to allow Hamas to become like Hezbollah, the Lebanese militant group that dominates its country's politics. The sides will have to find a formula that not only is acceptable to them but which Israel would be willing to tolerate.

Israel has demanded that Hamas renounce violence and recognize its right to exist as part of any reconciliation deal.

It also remains unclear what will happen to Hamas' 40,000 civil servants, who were hired after Abbas forced his employees in Gaza to resign after the Hamas takeover. In an area with few jobs, both sides will likely want their loyalists to receive salaries.

Fatah spokesman Osama Qawasmi said the sides are up to the task.

"We believe these issues are difficult, but with our will and patience, we can resolve them," he said.

In signs of good spirits, a family named their child born in Gaza Monday after the visiting Palestinian prime minister, and the official TV station of Abbas' government broadcast its main news bulletin from Gaza for the first time in a decade since the Hamas takeover.

Donald Trump's Mideast envoy Jason Greenblatt said in a statement the U.S. "welcomes efforts to create the conditions for the Palestinian Authority to fully assume its responsibilities in Gaza." It added that "any Palestinian government must unambiguously and explicitly commit to nonviolence, recognition of the state of Israel," and should also accept previous agreements between the parties.

There was no immediate comment from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah, speaks during a press conference on his arrival to the Palestinian side of the Beit Hanoun border crossing in the northern Gaza Strip, Monday, Oct. 2, 2017. Hamdallah is in Gaza for the most ambitious attempt yet to end the 10-year rift between rival Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas. (AP Photo/Adel Hana)

Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah, greets his supporters on his arrival to the Palestinian side of the Beit Hanoun border crossing in the northern Gaza Strip, Monday, Oct. 2, 2017. Hamdallah is in Gaza for the most ambitious attempt yet to end the 10-year rift between rival Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas. (AP Photo/Adel Hana)

Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah, gives a press conference on his arrival to the Palestinian side of the Beit Hanoun border crossing in the northern Gaza Strip, Monday, Oct. 2, 2017. Hamdallah is in Gaza for the most ambitious attempt yet to end the 10-year rift between rival Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas. (AP Photo/Adel Hana)

Palestinian security officers surround the vehicle carrying Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah, on his arrival to the Palestinian side of the Beit Hanoun border crossing in the northern Gaza Strip, Monday, Oct. 2, 2017. Hamdallah is in Gaza for the most ambitious attempt yet to end the 10-year rift between rival Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas. (AP Photo/Adel Hana)

Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah reviews an honor guard on his arrival to the Palestinian side of the Beit Hanoun border crossing in the northern Gaza Strip, Monday, Oct. 2, 2017. Hamdallah is in Gaza for the most ambitious attempt yet to end the 10-year rift between rival Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas. (AP Photo/Adel Hana)

Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah, reaches out to shake hands with a supporter on his arrival to the Palestinian side of the Beit Hanoun border crossing in the northern Gaza Strip, Monday, Oct. 2, 2017. Hamdallah is in Gaza for the most ambitious attempt yet to end the 10-year rift between rival Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas. (AP Photo/Adel Hana)

Fatah supporters chant slogans while other carry a picture of Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas, while waiting for the Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah, at the Palestinian side of the Beit Hanoun border crossing in the northern Gaza Strip, Monday, Oct. 2, 2017. Hamdallah is in Gaza for the most ambitious attempt yet to end the 10-year rift between rival Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas. (AP Photo/Adel Hana)

Palestinian security officers surround the Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah, while he leaves after his press conference at the Palestinian side of the Beit Hanoun border crossing in the northern Gaza Strip, Monday, Oct. 2, 2017. Hamdallah is in Gaza for the most ambitious attempt yet to end the 10-year rift between rival Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas. (AP Photo/Adel Hana)

Palestinian security officers surround the Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah, while he leaves after his press conference at the Palestinian side of the Beit Hanoun border crossing in the northern Gaza Strip, Monday, Oct. 2, 2017. Hamdallah is in Gaza for the most ambitious attempt yet to end the 10-year rift between rival Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas. (AP Photo/Adel Hana)

Residents gather around the vehicles while welcoming the Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah, while he leaves after his press conference at the Palestinian side of the Beit Hanoun border crossing in the northern Gaza Strip, Monday, Oct. 2, 2017. Hamdallah is in Gaza for the most ambitious attempt yet to end the 10-year rift between rival Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas. (AP Photo/Adel Hana)

Ahmed Hilles, left, top Fatah official in Gaza, listens to Ghazi Hamad, right, Hamas official, and security officers from Fatah and Hamas, while waiting for the Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah, at the Palestinian side of the Beit Hanoun border crossing in the northern Gaza Strip, Monday, Oct. 2, 2017. Hamdallah is in Gaza for the most ambitious attempt yet to end the 10-year rift between rival Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas. (AP Photo/Adel Hana)

Residents welcome the coming of the Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah, while he leaves after his press conference at the Palestinian side of the Beit Hanoun border crossing in the northern Gaza Strip, Monday, Oct. 2, 2017. Hamdallah is in Gaza for the most ambitious attempt yet to end the 10-year rift between rival Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas. (AP Photo/Adel Hana)

Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah is surrounded by security during his visit to the Shejaiya neighborhood in Gaza City, Monday, Oct. 2, 2017. Hamdallah is in Gaza for the most ambitious attempt yet to end the 10-year rift between rival Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas. (AP Photo/ Khalil Hamra)
MOSCOW (AP) - Russia's top domestic intelligence agency says it has detained members of a sleeper cell of the Islamic State group and foiled a series of terrorist attacks.

The FSB said in a statement on Monday its operatives on Saturday detained an unspecified number of men outside Moscow. The intelligence agency said the men were from Russia's majority-Muslim North Caucasus, and reported to IS members based abroad.

The FSB said they were plotting attacks targeting critical infrastructure and public events in Russia, but didn't give any details. Two improvised explosive devices, grenades and guns were found at their homes.

Similar arrests were reported in August when the FSB said suspects from Central Asia with links to the IS were plotting attacks on civilians in Moscow.
ATHENS, Greece (AP) - Police on the Greek island of Crete have rescued a local businessman held by kidnappers for six months.

Authorities said 54-year-old Michalis Lebidakis was freed in a raid Monday at an industrial site outside the city of Rethymno. Eight people were arrested.

Public Order Minister Nikos Toskas said Lebidakis was "tired and shaken but in good health," adding that no ransom payment had been made.

Lebidakis, who runs a plastics company, was snatched at gunpoint on March 30.

Kidnappings are rare in Greece. In 2009, shipping magnate Pericles Panagopoulos was kidnapped in Athens and released after his family paid a ransom. The kidnappers were later arrested.
PARIS (AP) - The Latest on Marseille knife attack (all times local):

5:30 p.m.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has condemned a knife attack in the French city of Marseille in which two young women were killed Sunday.

Police officers patrol outside Marseille Saint Charles train station, a day after a man fatally stabbed two women outside the train station, in Marseille, southern France, Monday, Oct. 2, 2017. The assailant was killed by soldiers immediately after the attack, the latest of several targeting France. (AP Photo/Claude Paris)

In a telegram to French President Emmanuel Macron, she wrote Monday that she learned of the attack "with great sadness." Merkel said "once again, innocent people fell victim to a barbaric attack by an individual."

She expressed her sympathy to the victims' families and said Germany would stand by France in the fight against terrorism. Merkel added: "I am firmly convinced that our freedom and our peaceful and respectful way of living together are stronger than any hatred."

French media reports said two cousins had come together for a weekend birthday celebration when they were stabbed at the Marseille train station.

___

3:45 p.m.

A small French town is holding a memorial for two young women stabbed to death by a suspected extremist after a weekend birthday celebration.

The mayor of Eguilles in southern France told reporters Monday that "we are traumatized" and his whole town of 8,000 people "is in deep mourning" after Sunday's attack.

Mayor Robert Dargone said the town is gathering Monday evening to honor the victims: a medical student from Eguilles and her cousin, from the Lyon region. He said their identities would not be released to save the families further trauma.

French media reports said the young women had come together for a weekend birthday celebration. They were stabbed Marseille's main train station by a man the Islamic State group claimed as its "soldier."

___

12:30 p.m.

France's main counterterrorism prosecutor says a man who fatally stabbed two women at Marseille's main train station had used seven different identities in previous encounters with police.

Prosecutor Francois Molins told reporters Monday that the suspect's most recent arrest occurred just two days before Sunday's train station stabbing. Molins said that the suspect was picked up for shoplifting and released the next day, and the case was dropped. The suspect has never been convicted in the French justice system.

The prosecutor said the victims of the attack were cousins visiting each other for a birthday celebration.

Investigators are trying to determine the attacker's real identity and whether he had links to the Islamic State group, which claimed he was one of its "soldiers." The attacker was killed by soldiers after the stabbing.

___

9:30 a.m.

French officials say a man who fatally stabbed two women at Marseille's main train station had been arrested and released the day before the attack.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for Sunday's attack, the latest of several targeting France.

Two police officials said Monday the man didn't have French residency papers and was detained for suspected shoplifting in the Lyon region Saturday before being released. The officials said he wasn't on France's extremist watch list.

The suspect, killed by police after Sunday's attack, was identified by his fingerprints. French media reports said he used multiple identity papers.

The victims were cousins between 17 and 21 years old, according to three police and judicial officials who weren't authorized to be publicly named discussing an ongoing investigation.

A police officer stands guard while passengers enter the Marseille Saint Charles train station, a day after a man fatally stabbed two women outside the train station, in Marseille, southern France, Monday, Oct. 2, 2017. The assailant was killed by soldiers immediately after the attack, the latest of several targeting France. (AP Photo/Claude Paris)

Police vans are parked outside Marseille Saint Charles train station, a day after a man fatally stabbed two women outside the train station, in Marseille, southern France, Monday, Oct. 2, 2017. The assailant was killed by soldiers immediately after the attack, the latest of several targeting France. (AP Photo/Claude Paris)

An investigative police officer works by a body under a white sheet outside Marseille 's main train station Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017 in Marseille, southern France. A man with a knife attacked people at the main train station in the southeastern French city of Marseille on Sunday, killing two women before soldiers fatally shot the assailant, officials said. (AP Photo/Claude Paris)

Passengers wait in front a line a police officers blocking the access to Marseille 's main train station Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017 in Marseille, southern France. French police have warned people to avoid Marseille's main train station following a knife attack that made at least one dead. (AP Photo/Claude Paris)
BEIT LAHIYA, Gaza Strip (AP) - The Latest on the ambitious Palestinian reconciliation effort underway as rival factions meet in Gaza (all times local):

1:50 p.m.

Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah has opened his trip to the Gaza Strip for meetings with rival faction with a message of reconciliation.

A Palestinian Fatah member receives greetings after being released from a Hamas jail in front of the interior ministry, in Gaza City, Sunday Oct. 1, 2017. The Palestinian prime minister is set to lead a large delegation of Fatah officials traveling from the West Bank to Gaza on Monday in the most ambitious attempt to reconcile with the rival Hamas militant group after a 10-year rift that has left the Palestinians divided between two governments. Logo in Arabic reads, " the ministry of the interior and national security." (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

Minutes after entering the coastal territory, Hamdallah told a crowd of Fatah and Hamas officials that "the only way to statehood is through unity."

Hamdallah is leading a delegation from the West Bank to Gaza on Monday in the most ambitious attempt at reconciliation between the rival Palestinian factions since Hamas seized control of Gaza a decade ago.

He said: "We are coming to Gaza again to deepen the reconciliation and end the split."

Hamdallah also added that Hamas' willingness to compromise is important "and we will build more on it." He called on the international community to press Israel to ease a blockade on Gaza.

1 p.m.

The Palestinian prime minister has arrived in Gaza for the most ambitious attempt yet to reconcile the rival Palestinian factions.

Rami Hamdallah drove through the Erez Crossing on Monday, heading a large delegation of Fatah officials from the West Bank trying to end a 10-year rift with Gaza's Hamas rulers.

In a significant concession, Hamas has offered to turn over all governing responsibilities to Hamdallah. But key sticking points, primarily Hamas' refusal to disarm its powerful military wing, are likely to complicate or even derail the reconciliation efforts in the coming weeks.

Hamas seized control of Gaza in 2007 after overrunning the Fatah-led forces of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Abbas' Palestinian Authority has since governed only in autonomous enclaves of the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

Repeated attempts to reconcile have failed.

A Palestinian worker paints the entrance to the cabinet's Gaza office, in Gaza City, Sunday Oct. 1, 2017. The Palestinian prime minister is set to lead a large delegation of Fatah officials traveling from the West Bank to Gaza on Monday in the most ambitious attempt to reconcile with the rival Hamas militant group after a 10-year rift that has left the Palestinians divided between two governments. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)
MOSCOW (AP) - A Moscow court has sent Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny to jail for 20 days for calling for an unsanctioned protest.

Police detained Navalny on Friday, preventing him from traveling to a rally in a major Russian city that had received official permission. Charges brought against the top Kremlin foe relate to an upcoming rally in St. Petersburg, Russia's second-largest city, which has not been sanctioned.

The Russian law on public gatherings that was hastily adopted following massive anti-government rallies in 2011-2012 carries 30 days in jail for repeated violations

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny enters a court room in Moscow, Russia, Monday, Oct. 2, 2017. Police took Navalny into custody in Moscow on Friday, Sept. 29, 2017 in an apparent bid to prevent him from joining a rally that he organized in another city, where several people were also detained. (AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin)

After he announced his presidential bid last year, Navalny, arguably Russia's most popular opposition politician, inspired a grassroots campaign in Russian regions to support his nomination.

Supporters of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny react as he addresses them during a rally in Arkhangelsk, 1200 kilometers ( 750 miles) north of Moscow, Russia, Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017. Navalny, who announced his presidential bid last year, has organized a grassroots campaign in Russian regions to support his nomination. (Evgeny Feldman/Navalny Campaign via AP)

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, left, greets his supporters during a rally in Arkhangelsk, 1200 kilometers ( 750 miles) north of Moscow, Russia, Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017. Navalny, who announced his presidential bid last year, has organized a grassroots campaign in Russian regions to support his nomination. (Evgeny Feldman/Navalny Campaign via AP)
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) - A Sri Lankan court has remanded a Buddhist monk who, alongside other hard-line Buddhists, stormed a U.N. safe house for Rohingya Muslims, forcing the refugees to flee for protection.

Police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekara says the monk, Akmeenmana Dayaratana, was arrested with another suspect on Monday. They have been remanded until Oct. 09.

Gunasekara says another five suspects in the attack were arrested and remanded on Sunday.

Sri Lankan hardliner Buddhist monk Akmeemana Dayarathana, center, escorted by police officers is being produce at a local court in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Monday, Oct. 2, 2017. Buddhist monk was arrested over the allegations of threatening a group of Rohingya refugees who were residing in a UN run safe house last week. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

Last week, a group led by Buddhist monks stormed the safe house for 31 Rohingya Muslims who have been there since April. The monks claimed the residents were terrorists and demanded they be returned to Myanmar, prompting police to relocate them.

U.N. refugee agency said it was alarmed by the attack, while Sri Lankan government leaders called for stern legal action against the perpetrators.
SRINAGAR, India (AP) - A group of rebels fighting Indian rule stormed a paramilitary camp near the airport in disputed Kashmir early Tuesday, in a brazen attack targeting one of the region's most strategic and well-guarded zones that left at least four dead.

Police said the militants breached multiple layers of high security outside and inside the camp while exchanging intense gunfire with government forces for nearly nine hours.

At least three suspected militants and one border guard officer were killed, police Inspector-General Muneer Ahmed Khan told reporters in Srinagar, the region's main city.

Indian army soldiers arrive at the scene after a paramilitary camp was stormed by suspected rebels on the outskirts of Srinagar, Indian-controlled Kashmir, Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2017. Rebels fighting Indian rule in Kashmir stormed a paramilitary camp outside a regional airport early Tuesday and at least two suspected militants were killed and three soldiers injured in the attack, police said. (AP Photo/Mukhtar Khan)

At least three soldiers were injured, police said.

The rebels, dressed in military uniforms, began the attack by hurling grenades and spraying automatic gunfire at the camp, which houses a battalion of India's Border Security Force, police said. Nearby residents said they heard dozens of blasts and gunfire.

Previously, the camp served as one of several notorious interrogation centers where authorities detained, questioned and allegedly tortured suspected rebels and their sympathizers. The camp sits on a plateau next to Srinagar's main airport, separated only by barbed wire.

Officials said the airport, which is run and controlled by the military, was safe. Still, authorities suspended flights for about four hours before resuming operations around noon. At least one early morning flight from New Delhi was canceled and three others delayed.

Counterinsurgency police and paramilitary commandos rushed to the scene and armored vehicles dotted the road leading to the airport.

One militant was killed in the initial firing, a police officer said. The officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity in line with department policy, said two other militants were killed inside the main building of the camp where they had taken refuge and were firing out at the soldiers.

Many top former bureaucrats, police officials and politicians have residences in the area.

India's Home Minister Rajnath Singh complimented the soldiers, saying in New Delhi that "it was a good operation that they have conducted," the Press Trust of India news agency reported.

Officer Khan said the militants entered the camp after they cut barbed wire, and blamed the Jaish-e-Mohammad militant group for the attack. However, no anti-India rebel group immediately commented on the fighting.

Most attacks target military and paramilitary convoys or police outposts, but rebels have staged similar attacks in recent months, including one attack in August in which four police officials, four paramilitary soldiers and two suspected militants were killed after rebels stormed a police camp, triggering daylong fighting.

Last year, the rebels mounted their deadliest attack on a military base in recent years after militants sneaked into a crucial Indian military base and killed at least 19 soldiers. The four attackers were also killed. India later retaliated, saying its special forces conducted a "surgical strike" against militants inside the Pakistani-controlled part of Kashmir. Islamabad rejected the Indian account, saying it was routine cross-border fire.

Since then, the nuclear-armed rivals have engaged in regular firing along their de facto frontier.

Anti-India rebels in Muslim-majority Kashmir have been fighting for independence or a merger with Pakistan since 1989, with the violence and subsequent Indian military crackdown claiming at least 70,000 lives since then.

The region is divided between India and Pakistan, with both claiming the territory in its entirety. India accuses Pakistan of arming and training the rebels, which Pakistan denies.

Anti-India sentiment runs deep in the region, and most people support the rebels' cause while also participating in civilian street protests against Indian control.

Smoke and dust arises from a building inside a paramilitary camp that was stormed by suspected rebels on the outskirts of Srinagar, Indian-controlled Kashmir, Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2017. Rebels fighting Indian rule in Kashmir stormed the paramilitary camp outside a regional airport early Tuesday and at least two suspected militants were killed and three soldiers injured in the attack, police said. (AP Photo/Mukhtar Khan)

Indian army soldiers arrive at the scene after a paramilitary camp was stormed by suspected rebels on the outskirts of Srinagar, Indian-controlled Kashmir, Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2017. Rebels fighting Indian rule in Kashmir stormed a paramilitary camp outside a regional airport early Tuesday and at least two suspected militants were killed and three soldiers injured in the attack, police said. (AP Photo/Mukhtar Khan)

Indian army soldiers arrive at the scene after a paramilitary camp was stormed by suspected rebels on the outskirts of Srinagar, Indian-controlled Kashmir, Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2017. Rebels fighting Indian rule in Kashmir stormed a paramilitary camp outside a regional airport early Tuesday and at least two suspected militants were killed and three soldiers injured in the attack, police said. (AP Photo/Mukhtar Khan)

Indian army soldiers arrive at the scene after a paramilitary camp was stormed by suspected rebels on the outskirts of Srinagar, Indian-controlled Kashmir, Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2017. Rebels fighting Indian rule in Kashmir stormed a paramilitary camp outside a regional airport early Tuesday and at least two suspected militants were killed and three soldiers injured in the attack, police said. (AP Photo/Mukhtar Khan)

An Indian army soldier covers his face to avoid being photographed as he arrives at the scene after a paramilitary camp was stormed by suspected rebels on the outskirts of Srinagar, Indian-controlled Kashmir, Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2017. Rebels fighting Indian rule in Kashmir stormed a paramilitary camp outside a regional airport early Tuesday and at least two suspected militants were killed and three soldiers injured in the attack, police said. (AP Photo/Mukhtar Khan)
Six years ago, the Greater Collegedale School System began a 5K and Kids Fun Run, in honor of Sandy Erickson, a beloved teacher who taught first grade for over 20 years at A.W. Spalding Elementary School.

Ms. Erickson cared deeply for each of her students, working one-on-one to enhance their success. When diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrigs Disease), she kept her cheery attitude and sense of humor, exemplifying a selflessness spirit and a heart for all students.

Officials said, "The Sandy Erickson Race for Christian Education continues to focus on providing student aid. Many of the families who attend the GCSS  A.W. Spalding Elementary, Collegedale Adventist Middle School, and Collegedale Academy  are only able to attend because of student aid provided through the Worthy Student Fund (WSF). This fund is critical to our mission in furthering our ministry for every student, especially those that desire, but couldnt otherwise afford to attend GCSS. This year the WSF is helping 160 students. This is only possible generosity of contributors."



The overall goal is to raise $300,000 for WSF, and the race is key in jump starting efforts. Last year, $55,173 was raised that benefited WSF. In addition, organizers had 37 sponsors and 470 registered student and community runners that participated in the event. Families and the community running together for a cause.



Officials invite the public to join them by providing assistance to those in need in a couple of ways:



 Consider becoming one of our event partners through sponsorship of the Sandy Erickson Race for Christian Education. Donate today: www.sandyericksonfunrun.com

 Register at www.sandyericksonfunrun.com to run/walk in the race on Sunday, Nov. 5.

Additional information, pictures and previous race results are available at www.sandyericksonfunrun.com.

Donations will be accepted until the date of the race.
SYDNEY (AP) - After looming for four years, "Carmageddon" has hit the Australian auto industry.

Toyota closed its factory in Melbourne on Tuesday, ending 54 years of production by the Japanese firm in Australia, the first country outside of Japan where the company made cars.

Iconic local brand Holden plans to shutter its factory in Adelaide on Oct. 20, ending car manufacturing in Australia.

In this photo provided by Toyota Australia, employees gather around the last Toyota car produced in Australia as it leaves the production line in Melbourne, Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2017. Toyota closed its manufacturing plant in Melbourne, ending 54 years of production by the Japanese firm in Australia, the first country outside of Japan where the company made cars. (Toyota Australia via AP)

Ford Motor Co., which pioneered Australian-based auto making in 1925, heralded its end in 2013 by announcing it would close its last two Australian manufacturing plants in 2016.

General Motors-owned Holden followed suit several months later by announcing it, too, would close down. With the loss of those two firms making the supply of locally-produced auto components unsustainable, Toyota reluctantly soon followed.

Toyota Motor Corp. has been Australia's biggest auto manufacturer for the past decade, with 70 percent of its cars exported, mostly to the Middle East. Output at the Melbourne plant peaked in 2007, when it made 149,000 cars.

When the final Camry sedan rolled off the Melbourne production line, 2,700 Toyota workers became unemployed.

"It's sunk in now. I couldn't sleep last night," Michael Spiteri, who worked at the plant for 23 years, told Fairfax media.

The closure of the Holden plant will eliminate another 3,000 jobs.

Industry analysts forecast the loss of thousands more jobs in auto-related industries. Research by the University of Adelaide has predicted a worst-case scenario of 200,000 lost jobs nationwide due to the auto industry's collapse, which would take $AUD29 billion ($22.6 billion) out of Australia's GDP annually.

Professor John Spoehr, who co-authored the University's report, said the plant closings and resulting loss of supply chains will have a wide impact.

"We haven't seen in recent history the collapse of an entire industry, but that's what is happening," Spoehr told The Associated Press.

The factory closings have raised pressure on Australia's conservative government over job losses.

"This is a sad day for these thousands of workers and their families, and it's a sad day for Australia," Federal Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said Tuesday. "Other countries, including the U.S., Germany and Sweden, contribute much more than Australia per capita to their car industries."

But Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said changing tastes were the main factor leading car manufacturers to close their Australian operations.

"People stopped buying the sedans being made in Australia," he said. "The manufacturers who've progressively closed their operations in Australia have made it clear it's not because of a failure of government subsidies."

When Toyota announced it would close the Melbourne plant, it blamed the "unfavorable Australian dollar," high manufacturing costs and meager economies of scale in Australia, a country of only 23 million people.

While Australia's resource sector remains strong, manufacturing has suffered.

The global management consulting firm Boston Consulting Group ranks Australia the worst performer among 25 nations assessed in its worldwide manufacturing cost-competitiveness index. Costs are higher than in Germany, the Netherlands and even Switzerland, and Australian manufacturing wages rose 48 per cent in the past decade while productivity fell, it says. Meanwhile, car output dropped by nearly half from about 400,000 cars in 2004.

Automakers offered retraining programs to help laid off workers find new jobs. Australian Manufacturing Workers Union's National Vehicles Secretary Dave Smith told reporters outside the Toyota factory that only about half of the 1,200 workers laid off from Ford's factories last year, have found full time employment.

The Toyota plant's closure was "a terribly sad day for the whole country, and a tough blow for the thousands of affected workers and their families," Smith said.

"This plant is more than just a car plant for them," he said. "It's a passion, it's a part of their lives."

In this photo provided by Toyota Australia the last Toyota car produced in Australia leaves the line in Melbourne, Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2017. Toyota closed its manufacturing plant in Melbourne, ending 54 years of production by the Japanese firm in Australia, the first country outside of Japan where the company made cars. (Toyota Australia via AP)
LAS VEGAS (AP) - The Las Vegas gunman transferred $100,000 overseas in the days before the attack and planned the massacre so meticulously that he even set up cameras inside the peephole of his high-rise hotel room and on a service cart outside his door, apparently to spot anyone coming for him, authorities said Tuesday.

Meanwhile, investigators are taking a harder look at the shooter's girlfriend and what she might have known about the attack at a country music festival, with the sheriff naming her a "person of interest"

The girlfriend, Marilou Danley, 62, returned to the United States from the Philippines on Tuesday night and was met at Los Angeles International Airport by FBI agents, according to a law enforcement official.

FBI agents walk on the roof of boxes inside the concert grounds where a mass shooting occurred in Las Vegas, Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2017. Authorities are trying to determine why Stephen Paddock, a 64-year-old high-stakes gambler and retired accountant, killed dozens of people at Route 91 Harvest, a country music festival, Sunday in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

The official wasn't authorized to publicly discuss the matter and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

Authorities are trying to determine why Stephen Paddock killed 59 people in the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history.

They have been speaking with Danley, who was out the country at the time of the shooting, and "we anticipate some information from her shortly," Sheriff Joseph Lombardo said hours before she arrived.

Lombardo said he is "absolutely" confident authorities will find out what set off Paddock, a 64-year-old high-stakes gambler and retired accountant who killed himself before police stormed his 32nd-floor room.

Authorities released police body camera video that showed the chaos of the attack as officers tried to figure out the location of the shooter and shuttle people to safety. Amid sirens and volleys of gunfire, people yelled "they're shooting right at us" while officers shouted "go that way!"

Clark County Undersheriff Kevin McMahill said the shooting spanned between nine and 11 minutes.

Paddock transferred $100,000 to the Philippines in the days before the shooting, a U.S. official briefed by law enforcement but not authorized to speak publicly because of the continuing investigation told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

Investigators are still trying to trace that money and also looking into a least a dozen financial reports over the past several weeks that said Paddock gambled more than $10,000 per day, the official said.

The cameras Paddock set up at the Mandalay Bay hotel casino were part of his extensive preparations that included stockpiling nearly two dozen guns in his room before opening fire on the concert below. McMahill said the cameras included one in the peephole and two in the hallway.

"I anticipate he was looking for anybody coming to take him into custody," Lombardo said.

During the Sunday night rampage, a hotel security guard who approached the room was shot through the door and wounded in the leg.

"The fact that he had the type of weaponry and amount of weaponry in that room, it was preplanned extensively," the sheriff said, "and I'm pretty sure he evaluated everything that he did and his actions, which is troublesome."

Lombardo said the investigation is proceeding cautiously in case criminal charges are warranted against someone else.

"This investigation is not ended with the demise of Mr. Paddock," the sheriff said. "Did this person get radicalized unbeknownst to us? And we want to identify that source."

In addition to the cameras, investigators found a computer and 23 guns with him at the hotel, along with 12 "bump stock" devices that can enable a rifle to fire continuously, like an automatic weapon, authorities said. Nineteen more guns were found at Paddock's Mesquite home and seven at his Reno house.

Video shot outside the broken door of the room shows an assault-style rifle with a scope on a bipod. The sheriff said an internal investigation has been launched to find out how that footage was obtained.

Some investigators turned their focus Tuesday from the shooter's perch to the festival grounds where his victims fell.

A dozen investigators, most in FBI jackets and all wearing blue booties to avoid contaminating the scene, documented evidence at the site where gunfire rained down and country music gave way to screams of pain and terror.

"Shoes, baby strollers, chairs, sunglasses, purses. The whole field was just littered with things," said Nevada Attorney General Adam Laxalt after touring the site Monday. "There were bloodstains everywhere."

More than 500 people were injured in the rampage, some by gunfire, some during the chaotic escape. At least 45 patients at two hospitals remained in critical condition. All but three of the dead had been identified by Tuesday afternoon, Lombardo said.

As for what may have set Paddock off, retired FBI profiler Jim Clemente speculated that there was "some sort of major trigger in his life - a great loss, a breakup, or maybe he just found out he has a terminal disease."

Clemente said a "psychological autopsy" may be necessary to try to establish the motive. If the suicide didn't destroy Paddock's brain, experts may even find a neurological disorder or malformation, he said.

He said there could be a genetic component to the slaughter: Paddock's father was a bank robber who was on the FBI's most-wanted list in the 1960s and was diagnosed a psychopath.

"The genetics load the gun, personality and psychology aim it, and experiences pull the trigger, typically," Clemente said.

Paddock had a business degree from Cal State Northridge. In the 1970s and '80s, he worked as a mail carrier and an IRS agent and held down a job in an auditing division of the Defense Department, according to the government. He later worked for a defense contractor.

He had no known criminal record, and public records showed no signs of financial troubles, though he was said to be a big gambler.

Nevada's Gaming Control Board said it will pass along records compiled on Paddock and his girlfriend to investigators.

His brother, Eric Paddock, said he was at a loss to explain the massacre.

"No affiliation, no religion, no politics. He never cared about any of that stuff," he said outside his Florida home.

The FBI discounted the possibility of international terrorism early on, even after the Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack.

Eric Paddock said his brother did show a confrontational side at times: He apparently hated cigarette smoke so much that he carried around a cigar and blew smoke in people's faces when they lit up around him.

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Brian Skoloff, Regina Garcia Cano and Sally Ho in Las Vegas; Brian Melley in Los Angeles; and Sadie Gurman and Tami Abdollah in Washington contributed to this report.

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For complete coverage of the Las Vegas shooting, click here: -https://apnews.com/tag/LasVegasmassshooting.

People pause at a memorial set up for victims of a mass shooting in Las Vegas, Nev., on Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2017. A gunman opened fire on an outdoor music concert on Sunday. It was the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history, with dozens of people killed and hundreds injured, some by gunfire, some during the chaotic escape. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Mike Kordich, a firefighter from Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., answers questions from his hospital bed at Sunrise Hospital in Las Vegas, Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2017. Kordich was giving a severely injured person CPR when he was hit by a bullet after a gunman opened fire on an outdoor music concert on Sunday. (AP Photo/Robert Ray)

A single rose is left at the door of the Mandalay Bay hotel and casino in Las Vegas, on Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2017. A gunman opened fire on an outdoor music concert on Sunday. It was the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history, with dozens of people killed and hundreds injured, some by gunfire, some during the chaotic escape. (AP Photo/John Locher)

An investigator works in the room at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino where a gunman opened fire from on a music festival Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2017, in Las Vegas. The gunman killed dozens and injuring hundreds at the festival. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

Debris litters a festival grounds across the street from the Mandalay Bay resort and casino Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2017, in Las Vegas. Authorities said Stephen Craig Paddock broke windows on the casino and began firing with a cache of weapons, killing dozens and injuring hundreds at a music festival at the grounds. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

Kris Delarosby, right, and Colleen Anderson, left, hold Charleen Jochim, center, as they walk towards a hospital in search of information on a missing friend, Steven Berger of Minnesota, Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2017, in Las Vegas. The parents of Berger, who had been missing after the mass shooting in Las Vegas, say they have been notified on Tuesday afternoon that he was killed in the attack. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

This undated photo provided by Eric Paddock shows his brother, Las Vegas gunman Stephen Paddock. On Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017, Stephen Paddock opened fire on the Route 91 Harvest Festival killing dozens and wounding hundreds. (Courtesy of Eric Paddock via AP)
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) - The Latest on Catalonia's disputed independence referendum and Spain's response (all times local):

7:25 p.m.

Tens of thousands of people are joining marches across Barcelona in an outcry against police violence that has united political views that only one week ago seemed irreconcilable.

Demonstrators shake their hands as a sign of peaceful protest as they march in downtown Barcelona, Spain, Tuesday Oct. 3, 2017. Thousands of people demonstrated against the confiscation of ballot boxes and charges on unarmed civilians during Sunday's referendum, declared illegal by Spain's Constitutional Court, on Catalonia's secession from Spain.(AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

Separatist groups and unions had initially called for strikes to be held on Tuesday in support for Catalan leaders pushing ahead with a declaration of independence from Spain. But many non-separatists were also drawn to the streets following a crackdown on a referendum vote on Sunday.

The main national unions, CCOO and UGT, rejected the strike but told workers to join protests.

In Barcelona's Catalonia and University squares, a sea of demonstrators waved flags, most of them "esteladas," embraced by those seeking secession, but there were also plenty of Spanish national flags.

Among many banners displayed, one read "Stop violence, #CataloniaIsComing" using hashtags popular in social media, and another one wondered "Where are you Europe?"

One of the biggest groups concentrated around the Spanish national police headquarters in Barcelona, where protesters called them "occupying forces" and called for Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy to resign.

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6:55 p.m.

The Royal House of Spain says that King Felipe VI is delivering an address to the nation in a televised message on Tuesday evening.

A press official in the Royal House's communications team couldn't confirm if the king would be talking about the crisis in the northeastern Catalonia region but confirmed that the address would take place at 9 p.m. (1900GMT). The official spoke anonymously in line with internal protocol.

Unscheduled addresses by kings in Spain have not been common but both Felipe VI and his father, King Juan Carlos I have delivered addresses in moments of high political tension or in the wake of terror attacks.

Years of confrontation between Catalan separatists and the central authorities led Sunday to a disputed referendum on independence that Spain considers illegal and that police cracked down on, leaving hundreds of injured.

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4:45 p.m.

Anti-capitalist groups are forcing workers to join a mass labor stoppage in Barcelona, in protest at Sunday's police actions during a referendum on Catalonia's secession from Spain.

While thousands of peaceful protesters demonstrated against the confiscation of ballot boxes and charges on unarmed civilians, hundreds of anti-capitalist activists drifted to the city center and intimidated workers, shoppers and tourists in order to enforce the closedown of department stores, local shops, markets and restaurants.

Dispersed in groups of 50-100, they chanted aggressively at overwhelmed waitresses, pulled down shutters, and threatened workers and owners.

"I was told it would be a 24-hour stoppage for public workers, so we decided to open part-time to show our support," said 68-year-old restaurateur, Carmen Gomez. "But we are closing down for good now. They said it was for our own safety."

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3:30 p.m.

Spain's interior minister is accusing the pro-independence Catalan government of encouraging protests against Spanish police posted to towns in the region, saying they represent "totalitarianism" and "hatred."

Juan Ignacio Zoido said Tuesday Catalan regional president Carles Puigdemont is responsible for the protests after demanding police leave the region following their violent crackdown on his attempt to hold an independence referendum Sunday.

Protests have been staged against police in at least three towns, as well as in Barcelona, where thousands have protested at the gates of the national police downtown office.

In one town, Pineda del Mar, a town official said they were asking hotels to stop lodging police sent there. The town later denied this.

Deputy Prime Minister Soraya Saenz de Santamaria accused Pineda del Mar town hall of "mobster behavior."

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3:25 p.m.

Thousands of people are demonstrating in Barcelona, as labor unions and grassroots pro-independence groups urge workers to hold strikes in protest at what they say was police brutality during a referendum on Catalonia's secession from Spain.

Protests started before noon outside polling stations where police action to prevent the vote two days earlier had resulted in the confiscation of ballot boxes and police charging at unarmed civilians.

Draped in a pro-independence flag, 19-year-old communications student Pol Subira headed toward a packed University Square "in order to protest against this brutal repression and fight for the right to decide our future."

"I hope this helps politicians reach an agreement." Subira said. "All this repression has achieved is to produce more independents, like a factory. The government's violence is a guarantee for independence to triumph."

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1:55 p.m.

The famed Barcelona soccer club and the two other Catalan clubs in the Spanish soccer league are joining a strike to protest the Spanish government's actions in Catalonia's independence vote.

Barcelona says none of its professional or youth teams are practicing on Tuesday and the club headquarters is closed. The Girona soccer team also suspended practice and Espanyol is having players undergo physical training behind closed doors.

Barcelona defender Gerard Pique, one of the most outspoken supporters of Catalans, was harassed by fans Monday when he reported to Spain's national team training camp in Madrid ahead of upcoming World Cup qualifiers.

Police had to intervene as fans chanted and held cards against him.

Spain coach Julen Lopetegui told the COPE radio station the central defender remains motivated despite the abuse from fans. He praised Pique's commitment to the national team and said there is no reason not to have him on the squad.

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1:25 p.m.

Spain's top official in Catalonia says he laments the violence that left hundreds of civilians and police injured during a disputed independence referendum but blames the regional separatist government for "exposing citizens to danger."

Enric Millo said Tuesday that "nothing of this would have happened if the government wouldn't have declared itself in rebellion, breaking the orders of the courts and lying and tricking people."

He said Spain's National Police and Civil Guard anti-riot squads broke into schools designated as polling stations when it was clear that the regional Mossos d'Esquadra police, controlled by the Catalan government, was not carrying out a judge's orders to impede the voting.

He also accused the grassroots groups driving the independence bid, the National Catalan Assembly and Omnium Cultural, and pro-independence mayors of "plotting to break the law."

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1:05 p.m.

Several hundred Barcelona port workers have held a demonstration outside the regional headquarters of Spain's ruling Popular Party chanting slogans against government policies and the alleged brutality of police during a disputed weekend referendum on Catalonia's secession that left hundreds of people injured.

The protest came as several small labor unions and grassroots pro-independence groups urged workers throughout Catalonia to go on partial or full-day strikes to protest the police actions during Sunday's voting.

The port workers threw wads of unused ballot papers from the vote into the air in the protest outside the party's office in downtown Barcelona.

Regional police placed barriers outside the building to stop the crowd getting near the offices.

The protest lasted more than an hour.

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12:10 a.m.

Credit ratings agency Moody's has warned that the increased tensions over the Spanish region of Catalonia's push for independence could hurt the country's overall debt worthiness.

The agency said the "ratcheting-up of tensions has negative credit implications" that could be worsened if Catalonia's regional government declares independence after claiming victory in a local referendum they organized that was deemed illegal by Spain.

Moody's said that the probability of Catalan independence remains low, mainly because it remains unclear that a majority of Catalans actually want independence. Participation in Sunday's vote was reportedly only 42 percent. It expects the sides to negotiate a deal for greater powers for the region.

The agency noted that Catalonia represents about a fifth of Spain's economy, with a high per capita GDP. So independence would seriously affect Spain's public finances.

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11:05 a.m.

A prominent leader of Britain's vote to leave the European Union has condemned the bloc's failure to clearly condemn the police violence that marred Sunday's contested independence vote in the Spanish region of Catalonia.

Nigel Farage said "it is quite extraordinary to realize that this Union is prepared to turn a blind eye" to events in Catalonia.

He told EU lawmakers that never "did I think we would see the police of a member state of the Union injuring 900 people in an attempt to stop them going out to vote."

Farage attacked European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker for his silence about it during a speech to the assembly Tuesday, saying: "What do we get from Mister Juncker today? Not a dicky-bird."

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10:55 a.m.

Cyprus says Spain's national sovereignty and territorial integrity need to be respected, arguing that the referendum on Catalonia's independence was carried out "in violation" of the Spanish constitution.

In a statement, the Foreign Ministry of the internationally recognized south of the Mediterranean island nation said Spain's unity must be upheld as well as its constitutional order.

The ministry said "dialogue and restraint are only the way forward."

Cyprus itself was split into a breakaway Turkish Cypriot north and the Greek Cypriot south when Turkey invaded in 1974 following a coup by supporters of union the Greece.

The latest round of talks aimed at reunifying the island collapsed last July.

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9:35 a.m.

Turkey's foreign ministry spokesman says respect for Spain's territorial integrity is a main "principle."

Huseyin Muftuoglu said in a statement issued early Tuesday that it was important that both sides abide by Spain's laws and avoid violence.

His comment follows Sunday's independence referendum in Catalonia that Spain's courts deemed illegal. More than 800 people were injured as riot police clashed with unarmed civilians trying to cast their ballots.

Muftuoglu said Turkey believes Spain will overcome "such tests."

Turkey, which is battling a Kurdish insurgency, has strongly opposed a referendum on independence by the semi-autonomous Kurdish region in neighboring Iraq, threatening economic sanctions and military action.

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8:45 a.m.

Labor unions and grassroots pro-independence groups are urging workers to hold partial or full-day strikes throughout Catalonia to protest alleged brutality by police during a referendum on the region's secession from Spain that left hundreds of people injured.

The strike call comes as Catalan leaders ponder a possible declaration of independence this week following the referendum that Spain said was illegal and invalid.

Port workers were being called to demonstrate Tuesday outside the regional headquarters of Spain's ruling Popular Party while firefighters planned a rally outside the Interior Ministry's regional office in the Catalan capital of Barcelona.

Protests were also to be staged outside polling stations where police acted with force to try to prevent Sunday's poll being held.

Protesters gather outside National Police Headquarters during a one-day strike in Barcelona, Spain, Tuesday Oct. 3, 2017. Labor unions and grassroots pro-independence groups are urging workers to hold partial or full-day strikes throughout Catalonia to protest alleged brutality by police during a referendum on the region's secession from Spain that left hundreds of people injured. (AP Photo/Bob Edme)

A woman pushes a baby's stroller covered with a ''estelada'' or Catalonia independence flag during a one-day strike in Barcelona, Spain, Tuesday Oct. 3, 2017. Labor unions and grassroots pro-independence groups are urging workers to hold partial or full-day strikes throughout Catalonia to protest alleged brutality by police during a referendum on the region's secession from Spain that left hundreds of people injured. (AP Photo/Santi Palacios)

A taxi driver with a ''estelada'' or Catalonia independence flag fixed to his car, gestures as a protester helps to extend the flag during protest near the national police headquarters during a one-day strike in Barcelona, Spain, Tuesday Oct. 3, 2017. Labor unions and grassroots pro-independence groups are urging workers to hold partial or full-day strikes throughout Catalonia to protest alleged brutality by police during a referendum on the region's secession from Spain that left hundreds of people injured. (AP Photo/Bob Edme)

Demonstrators gather in protest in front of Spanish police station in downtown Barcelona, Spain, Tuesday Oct. 3, 2017. Labor unions and grassroots pro-independence groups are urging workers to hold partial or full-day strikes and demonstrations throughout Catalonia to protest alleged brutality by police during a referendum on the region's secession from Spain that left hundreds of people injured. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

Catalan regional mossos d'esquadra police vans form a protective barrier between protesters and the national police headquarters during a one-day strike in Barcelona, Spain, Tuesday Oct. 3, 2017. Labor unions and grassroots pro-independence groups are urging workers to hold partial or full-day strikes throughout Catalonia to protest alleged brutality by police during a referendum on the region's secession from Spain that left hundreds of people injured. (AP Photo/Bob Edme)

Catalan regional mossos d'esquadra police form a protective barrier between protesters and the national police headquarters during a one-day strike in Barcelona, Spain, Tuesday Oct. 3, 2017. Labor unions and grassroots pro-independence groups are urging workers to hold partial or full-day strikes throughout Catalonia to protest alleged brutality by police during a referendum on the region's secession from Spain that left hundreds of people injured. (AP Photo/Bob Edme)

Firefighters join protesters outside the Spanish government delegation during a one-day strike in Barcelona, Spain, Tuesday Oct. 3, 2017. Labor unions and grassroots pro-independence groups are urging workers to hold partial or full-day strikes throughout Catalonia to protest alleged brutality by police during a referendum on the region's secession from Spain that left hundreds of people injured. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

A woman holds a Spanish flag to support Spanish police as pro-independence protesters gather in front of the national police headquarters in Barcelona, Spain, Tuesday Oct. 3, 2017. Labor unions and grassroots pro-independence groups are urging workers to hold partial or full-day strikes throughout Catalonia to protest alleged brutality by police during a referendum on the region's secession from Spain that left hundreds of people injured. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

Protesters raise their arms outside the Spanish government delegation during a one-day strike in Barcelona, Spain, Tuesday Oct. 3, 2017. Labor unions and grassroots pro-independence groups are urging workers to hold partial or full-day strikes throughout Catalonia to protest alleged brutality by police during a referendum on the region's secession from Spain that left hundreds of people injured. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Spain's Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy gestures before a meeting with Spain's main opposition Socialist leader Pedro Sanchez at the Moncloa Palace in Madrid, Spain, Monday Oct. 2, 2017. Rajoy met with Sanchez to discuss Spain's options before seeking a parliamentary session to discuss how to confront the country's most serious crisis in decades after Catalonia's referendum Sunday on breaking away from Spain.(AP Photo/Paul White)

A youth stands on a balcony with a ''estelada'' or Catalonia independence flag over his shoulders while protesters below demonstrate outside the National police headquarters during a one-day strike in Barcelona, Spain, Tuesday Oct. 3, 2017. Labor unions and grassroots pro-independence groups are urging workers to hold partial or full-day strikes throughout Catalonia to protest alleged brutality by police during a referendum on the region's secession from Spain that left hundreds of people injured. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Two people hold hands with flowers during a one-day strike protest in Barcelona, Spain, Tuesday Oct. 3, 2017. Labor unions and grassroots pro-independence groups are urging workers to hold partial or full-day strikes throughout Catalonia to protest alleged brutality by police during a referendum on the region's secession from Spain that left hundreds of people injured. (AP Photo/Santi Palacios)
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) - Iran's foreign minister on Tuesday met with Qatar's ruling emir as a quartet of Arab states continues its boycott of the energy-rich nation, in part over relations that Doha maintains with Tehran.

Mohammad Javad Zarif's visit is likely to further inflame officials in Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, which began their boycott nearly four months ago, on June 5.

It also comes as a new academic survey published this week suggests that the average citizens in the Arab nations of the now-fractured Gulf Cooperation Council do not see Iran as an existential threat in the same way their leaders do.

In this photo released by the state-run Oman News Agency, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, center, arrives in Muscat, Oman, Monday, Oct. 2, 2017. Zarif is visiting Oman on Monday as part of a daylong trip to speak to officials there about the wars in Iraq, Syria and Yemen, as well as other issues. (Oman News Agency via AP)

Zarif on Monday met with Omani officials, including Sultan Qaboos bin Said, who has ruled Oman since 1970 and has served as an interlocutor between the West and Iran.

On Tuesday, Iranian state media published images of Zarif in Doha meeting with Qatar's ruling emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. It marks Zarif's first trip to Qatar since the diplomatic crisis began in June.

"None of the regional crises have a military solution," Zarif said at the meeting, according to Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency. All sides should "give priority to regional initiations for restoring collective stability and security."

A short report on the state-run Qatar News Agency said the two "exchanged views on the current situation in the region," without elaborating.

Qatar pulled its ambassador from Tehran in early 2016, after Saudi Arabia's execution of a prominent Shiite cleric sparked attacks on Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran. The pullout was a Qatar move offering solidarity with the kingdom, which has long expressed concerns over Doha's pursuit of its own maverick foreign policy supporting Islamists, as well as being the home of the Al-Jazeera satellite news network, which ranks among the Arab world's most influential TV channels.

The boycotting nations have cut off land, sea and air routes to Qatar, a small peninsular nation that sticks out like a thumb in the Persian Gulf. In August, Qatar restored diplomatic ties after Iran sent food to Doha and allowed Qatari planes to increasingly use the Islamic Republic's airspace.

Iran and Qatar have strong shared commercial interests, namely a massive offshore natural gas field, called the South Pars Field by Tehran and the North Field by Doha. That gas field's vast reserves have made Qataris have the highest per capita income in the world. Those reserves have also funded Al-Jazeera and helped secure hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

The crisis has split the hereditarily ruled nations of Gulf Cooperation Council, a regional bloc representing Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE that formed in part as a counterbalance to Iran. Kuwait has tried unsuccessfully to mediate the crisis, as has the United States, which has a major military base in Qatar.

Leaders in the Sunni Arab countries of the Gulf, those in Saudi Arabia and the UAE especially, view Iran with suspicion after its advances on the battlefields of Iraq and Syria against the Islamic State group. They also worry about Iran's nuclear program and the 2015 deal that Tehran struck with world powers over it.

But face-to-face surveys of over 4,000 GCC citizens conduced in recent months found that with the exception of Bahrain, the spread of extremist organizations like the Islamic State group and al-Qaida represented their biggest worry, said Justin Gengler, a senior researcher at the Social and Economic Survey Research Institute at Qatar University.

Gengler said the survey, funded by the Qatar National Research Fund before the diplomatic crisis began and conducted along with researchers from the University of Michigan, was conducted in every GCC country except the UAE. Gengler first published his results Monday in Foreign Affairs. The margin of error was below 4 percent among the surveys in each country.

Asked about the results, Gengler said Iran offered a convenient foe for Gulf nations struggling with internal problems and low global oil prices.

"If it's not the case that people feel threatened militarily by Iran, how is it that governments continue to talk about it?" Gengler told The Associated Press. "At the end of the day in the Gulf, regime stability is the No. 1 priority guiding every decision rulers make. ... Elites have their objectives and citizens have their own priorities in daily life and they don't always match up."

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Associated Press writer Nasser Karimi in Tehran, Iran, contributed to this report.

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Follow Jon Gambrell on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jongambrellap. His work can be found at http://apne.ws/2galNpz.
BEIRUT (AP) - The Islamic State group on Tuesday claimed responsibility for a pair of suicide bombings in the Syrian capital that killed 17 civilians and policemen the previous day.

In Monday's bombings, two men attacked a police station in the al-Midan neighborhood with several bombs, before one of them blew himself up, according to Syria's interior minister, Lt. Gen. Mohammad al-Shaar. He said the other bomber made it inside the compound, where police killed him, causing his bomb to explode.

The blasts damaged the lower floors of the building, and shattered the windows along one side. Blood stained the floors.

This photo released by the Syrian official news agency SANA, shows damage after a suicide car bomber struck a police station in Damascus, Syria, Monday, Oct. 2, 2017. The Al-Ikhbariyeh TV station said one bomber detonated his vehicle in front of the police station and another one managed to enter the station in the capital's al-Midan neighborhood. (SANA via AP)

The Islamic State's Aamaq news agency said the militant group carried out the al-Midan attack. The statement carried by the agency gave no other details.

The Syrian army, backed by Russia, is at war with the IS group as well as a local al-Qaida affiliate and an array of rebel groups trying to oust President Bashar Assad. The military has been steadily claiming territory from IS in central and eastern Syria recently.

Also on Tuesday, Russia's military said its airstrikes in eastern Syria this week killed more than 300 IS militants.

Russia has been a major backer of Syria's President Bashar Assad whose government troops have been advancing in the eastern province of Deir el-Zour against IS under the cover of Russian airstrikes.

Meanwhile, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces are also marching against the Islamic State group, backed by the U.S.-led coalition.

Russia's Defense Ministry said in a statement early on Tuesday that its airstrikes just outside Deir el-Zour, on the eastern bank of the Euphrates River, killed more than 304 IS fighters and left more than 200 wounded.

The ministry said the airstrikes also hit and destroyed an IS training center, as well artillery positions, tanks and ammunition depots belonging to the militants.
In many parts of the world, the constant fear of extremist attacks has led to tighter security measures at hotels and resorts, but that is less so in the United States, where hotels are reluctant to intrude on the privacy of guests.

Security experts say the shooting attack that left at least 59 people dead in Las Vegas could lead to more cameras and more training for hotel staff.

More aggressive measures such as metal detectors or X-ray screening of guests and luggage - standard for airline travel - are less likely to gain footing in the U.S. because of cost and privacy concerns.

FILE - In this Friday, June 2, 2017, file photo, a security guard, left, inspects a man at the entrance of the hotel at the Resorts World Manila complex, in Manila, Philippines, where a gunman stormed the mall-casino complex earlier in the day. Across the globe, risks of attacks have made tight security at hotels and resorts routine. The most recent major attack in Asia, at the Resorts World Manila casino in the Philippines, shares similarities with the shooting Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017, in Las Vegas. And in many countries in Africa and the Middle East, tighter security has been essential for years. But that is less so in the United States, where hotels are reluctant to intrude on the privacy of guests. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila, File)

Although they are private property, hotels are notably public spaces in most of the world. In many places, luxury hotels have entrances from shopping malls, and their lobbies serve as a refuge from noisy, chaotic streets.

Hotel operators in other countries are increasingly deploying armed guards, vehicle barricades, X-ray machines and other measures to reduce the risk of attack.

The King David Hotel in Jerusalem, where President Donald Trump and other foreign leaders have stayed, reportedly uses infrared cameras carried by balloons and robots in sewers to search for bombs. Windows on higher floors can withstand gunfire and rocket-propelled grenades, and the air conditioning system is designed to block attacks using poison gas.

The Resorts World Manila casino in the Philippines said it hired a security contractor, Blackpanda, and established new security protocols after a man with a gambling addiction carried out an arson attack in June that left 37 dead, the latest major incident in Asia.

Even before the attack, visitors to Resorts World - like many other hotels, office buildings and shopping malls in Manila - were required to pass through metal detectors and have their bags X-rayed. Somehow the attacker got past hotel security with an ammunition vest and assault rifle.

That was a trifling arsenal compared with the 23 guns and prodigious ammunition stockpile that 64-year-old Stephen Paddock hoarded in his room on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel casino overlooking the Las Vegas Strip and a packed country music festival.

Attention is certain to focus on how Paddock was able to carefully prepare and stage his deadly attack on Sunday night.

"My guess is we will see more security cameras at many hotels and more monitoring of people who bring many large packages to a hotel room," said Bjorn Hanson, a professor of hospitality and tourism at New York University. "But I don't think one event will lead to more intrusive measures" in the U.S. such as metal detectors or X-raying guests' bags.

Hanson also believes that hotels, perhaps pressured by their insurance carriers, will increase training of staff to spot suspicious behavior or materials left in rooms. There is a model for that in training to help staff spot human trafficking, he said.

Jeffrey Price, a security expert at Metropolitan State University of Denver, said employees who clean rooms should report it to a supervisor if they see weapons, but that screening guests' bags would be difficult in a place like Las Vegas, where people having a lot of luggage is not all that unusual.

"It would be a logistical nightmare to screen everybody going into and out of the hotel room, not to mention costing billions of dollars," Price said. "That also gets into all sorts of privacy-rights issues."

Hanson and Price said people who attend major public events should take their own precautions including knowing where the exits are, having an escape route in mind and a place to meet with companions if they get separated.

The American Hotel and Lodging Association said that hotels in Las Vegas were working closely with local law enforcement after the shooting.

"Hotels have safety and security procedures in place that are regularly reviewed, tested and updated as are their emergency response procedures," the group's president, Katherine Lugar, said in a statement. "As we better understand the facts in the coming days, we will continue to work with law enforcement to evaluate these measures."

Hotels already employ security measures such as asking guests to show their room key in the lobby, and limiting access to some floors to those who have a keycard. But because the U.S. hasn't had the same experience - in frequency or ferocity - of hotel attacks in countries where security is tougher, that could make stringent measures seem less worthy when applied against a cost-benefit ratio.

Other regions can't afford or aren't willing to take the risk. For instance, Africa saw two attacks on hotels within months of each other in 2015 - 38 died in Tunisia and 18 in Mali.

Tunisia depends on tourism and seen arrivals plummet since a spate of attacks. Since 2015, hotels have beefed up police presence and brought in metal detectors.

At the Radisson Blu hotel in Mali's capital of Bamako, there is now a scanner for bags, and vehicles are blocked from driving in front of the building.

In some cases, extra security steps were not enough.

In 2009, attackers in Indonesia smuggled explosives past security guards and metal detectors and set off a blast at the Marriott and the Ritz-Carlton hotels in Jakarta that killed eight. Six years earlier, a car bomb at the Jakarta Marriott killed 12.

In India in 2008, extremists targeted two luxury hotels, a train station and restaurant in a 60-hour siege in Mumbai that left more than 160 dead.

Hotel chains operating in India including Accor, Hyatt and Marriott now use handheld trace detectors and X-ray scanners to check for explosives and contraband. The upscale Lemon Tree Hotel at New Delhi's airport brought in a facial recognition system to keep track of visitors.

Indonesia and India have strengthened hotel security since then, said Mario Hardy, CEO of the Pacific Asia Travel Association. Vehicles are checked, many hotels scan luggage with X-rays, and there are more security cameras.

"As consumers we may sometime see those as nuisance, but I think events such as these remind us all the importance of security measures," he said.

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Kelvin Chan reported from Hong Kong; David Koenig reported from Dallas.
LAS VEGAS (AP) - The high-stakes gambler and retired accountant who opened fire on country music concertgoers, killing 59 of them, had transferred $100,000 to the Philippines in the days before the attack, a U.S. official said.

In addition, Stephen Paddock reported at least a dozen gambling transactions of $10,000 or more in the past several weeks before Sunday's shooting outside the Mandalay Bay hotel casino in Las Vegas, a U.S. official briefed by law enforcement told The Associated Press.

The rampage by Paddock also injured more than 500 people. Paddock, 64, killed himself as authorities closed in on him in his hotel room.

This undated photo provided by Eric Paddock shows his brother, Las Vegas gunman Stephen Paddock. On Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017, Stephen Paddock opened fire on the Route 91 Harvest Festival killing dozens and wounding hundreds. (Courtesy of Eric Paddock via AP)

More about the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history:

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THE INVESTIGATION

Investigators want to interview Paddock's girlfriend, who was out of the country at the time of the shooting.

On Tuesday, they called Marilou Danley "a person of interest" and said the FBI was bringing her back to the U.S. on Wednesday for questioning. On Tuesday, the 62-year-old was in the Philippines.

Authorities also say Paddock placed a camera in a food service cart outside his 32nd-floor hotel room and set up cameras inside his room. Sheriff Joe Lombardo said authorities believe Paddock put them in place so he could see if law enforcement was coming to try to take him into custody.

___

THE VICTIMS

Those killed included a man celebrating his 23rd wedding anniversary, a one-time high school cheerleader and a Pennsylvania wrestling coach.

Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center said an additional victim died Tuesday afternoon. The additional fatality kept the death toll at 59 after Clark County Coroner John Fudenberg revised his earlier count of victims downward by one.

More than 500 people were injured in the attacks. Forty-eight of them, including a 16-year-old boy and a 17-year-old girl, remained in critical condition Tuesday evening, hospital officials said.

___

THE GUNMAN

So far, law enforcement and family members haven't been able to explain what motivated a multimillionaire with no evidence of criminal history to inflict so much carnage.

Retired FBI profiler Jim Clemente speculated that there was "some sort of major trigger in (Paddock's) life - a great loss, a breakup, or maybe he just found out he has a terminal disease."

He said there could also be a genetic component to the slaying: Paddock's father was a bank robber who was on the FBI's most-wanted list in the 1960s and was diagnosed as a psychopath.

Paddock's brother, Eric, said Paddock did show a confrontational side at times: He apparently hated cigarette smoke so much that he carried around a cigar and blew smoke in the faces of people who lit up around him.

___

REMEMBRANCES

A vigil was held in Orlando on Tuesday evening for the victims of the Las Vegas attacks, which surpassed the Pulse nightclub shooting as the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history.

A nearby church rang its bell 59 times, once for each of the people killed in Sunday's shooting.

Pulse nightclub owner Barbara Poma said the Vegas shooting takes them all back to June 12, 2016, when a gunman killed 49 people and wounded 58 in her club in what was then the nation's deadliest mass shooting.

"We will not and cannot let hate win," Poma said. "We will never get over it. We can move forward. It's our turn to pay it forward. We must continue to fight for love. It is love that must win."

___

PRESIDENT SPEAKS OUT

President Donald Trump is planning to visit Las Vegas on Wednesday to meet with survivors and law enforcement officials.

Trump spoke to reporters Tuesday as he departed for a trip to hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico. He called the gunman "demented" and a "very, very sick individual."

Trump said the shooting was "such a tragedy" and "unnecessary."

Asked about gun laws, the president said, "We'll be talking about gun laws as time goes by."

___

Associated Press writer Michael Balsamo contributed to this report from Las Vegas.

___

This version corrects that Paddock's home was in Mesquite, Nevada, not Mesquite, Arizona.

Investigators work at a festival grounds across the street from the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino on Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2017, in Las Vegas. Authorities said Stephen Craig Paddock broke windows on the casino and began firing with a cache of weapons, killing dozens and injuring hundreds at the music festival on Sunday. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

Windows are broken at the Mandalay Bay resort and casino, Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2017, in Las Vegas. Authorities said Stephen Craig Paddock broke the windows and began firing with a cache of weapons, killing dozens and injuring hundreds. (AP Photo/John Locher)

People embrace and bow their heads as nearby church bells ring during a vigil Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2017, in Orlando, Fla., to show solidarity with the victims of the shooting in Las Vegas. Authorities said Stephen Craig Paddock broke windows on a Las Vegas casino and began firing with a cache of weapons Sunday, killing dozens and injuring hundreds at a country music festival. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

The Mandalay Bay resort and casino, right, overlooks an outdoor festival grounds across the street, left, Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2017, in Las Vegas. Authorities said Stephen Craig Paddock broke the windows on the casino and began firing with a cache of weapons, killing dozens and injuring hundreds at a music festival at the grounds. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Pakistan's former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has been re-elected as president of the country's ruling party, the Pakistan Muslim League, despite the scandal surrounding his dismissal from office.

His re-election on Tuesday came after parliament the previous day approved a bill allowing officials disqualified by courts to hold party offices.

The Supreme Court in July dismissed Sharif over concealing financial assets and he is now facing trial before an anti-corruption court.

Sharif has been re-elected as president of the country's ruling party despite the scandal surrounding his dismissal from office

Former Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif waves to his party supporters during his Pakistan Muslim League party general council meeting in Islamabad, Pakistan

Sharif's re-election came after parliament the previous day approved a bill allowing officials disqualified by courts to hold party offices

Pakistan's opposition parties have said they would challenge the new bill in court, saying it was just a means of paving way for Sharif's stay as party president.

Also on Monday, an anti-graft tribunal postponed Sharif's indictment for a week after his children, who are co-defendants in the case, failed to appear in court.

Mattis says will try to work with Pakistan 'one more time'

President Donald Trump has grown tired of Islamabad's alleged support for militant groups

US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said on Tuesday the United States would try 'one more time' to work with Pakistan in Afghanistan before President Donald Trump would turn to other options to address Islamabad's alleged support for militant groups.

Relations between the two countries have been frayed over the past decade.

While officials have long questioned the role Pakistan has played in Afghanistan, the comments by Mattis are likely to cause concern in Islamabad and within the Pakistan military.

'We need to try one more time to make this strategy work with them, by, with and through the Pakistanis, and if our best efforts fail, the President is prepared to take whatever steps are necessary,' Mattis said at a House Armed Services Committee hearing.

Mattis added that he would be traveling to Islamabad soon, but did not give more details.

US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis (left) speaking with Indian PM Narendra Modi, in New Delhi

'I will fly in and we will continue to try to work with them,' Mattis said.

Reuters first reported that possible Trump administration responses being discussed include expanding US drone strikes and perhaps eventually downgrading Pakistan's status as a major non-NATO ally.

When asked by a lawmaker whether revoking of Pakistan's major non-NATO ally was amongst the options being considered to deal with Islamabad, Mattis said: 'I am sure it will be.'

In a separate Senate hearing on Tuesday, the top US military officer said he believed Pakistan's main spy agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) directorate, had ties to militant groups.

'It is clear to me that the ISI has connections with terrorist groups,' Marine Corps General Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the Senate Armed Services Committee.

The Pakistan embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The United States in 2012 designated the Pakistan-based Haqqani network as a terrorist organisation. The year before, US Navy Admiral Mike Mullen, then the top US military officer, caused a stir when he told Congress that the Haqqani network was a 'veritable arm' of the ISI directorate.

Pakistan argues that it has done a great deal to help the United States in tracking down terrorists and points out that it has suffered hundreds of deaths in Islamist militant attacks in response to its crackdowns.
MANCHESTER, England (AP) - Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson assured British Conservatives Tuesday that he supports "every syllable" of Prime Minister Theresa May's plans for Brexit.

But unity is in short supply in the U.K.'s fractious, anxious governing party - and Johnson's vow of loyalty did not quell suspicions he covets the leadership.

Johnson told delegates to the Conservative annual conference that "the whole country owes (May) a debt for her steadfastness in taking Britain forward, as she will, to a great Brexit deal."

Britain's Foreign Secretary, Boris Johnson, delivers his speech at the Conservative party conference at the Manchester Central Convention Complex in Manchester, England, Tuesday Oct. 3, 2017. Johnson used his Tory conference speech to praise Prime Minister, Theresa May, and insist the Cabinet is entirely united behind her approach to Brexit. The Foreign Secretary, whose own "red lines" on Brexit have overshadowed the Conservative Party conference and led to calls for her to sack him from her Cabinet, paid tribute to the Prime Minister. (Peter Byrne/PA via AP)

May laid out her plans for Britain's exit from the European Union in a speech last month in Florence - "on whose every syllable I can tell you, the whole Cabinet is united," Johnson said.

Johnson has spent weeks giving the opposite impression. He has been accused of undermining the prime minister - and advancing his leadership ambitions - by laying out his own distinct roadmap for Britain's exit from the European Union.

With EU divorce negotiations proceeding at a snail's pace, Johnson has positioned himself as a champion of a clean-break "hard Brexit." He wants the U.K. to adopt a low-tax, low-regulation economy outside the EU's single market, says Britain must not pay to get tariff-free trade with the EU and insists that any post-Brexit transition period should not last "a second more" than two years.

Johnson told conference delegates that it was time to stop being negative about Brexit and "treating the referendum result as though it were a plague of boils."

"It is time to be bold, and to seize the opportunities, and there is no country better placed than Britain," he said.

Johnson's Brexit stance - tougher than May's stated position - has added to uncertainty for British businesses, who want to know whether they will keep easy access to the EU market and its population of nearly half a billion.

The British Chambers of Commerce warned that businesspeople "are growing impatient with division and disorganization at the heart of the party of government."

German politician Manfred Weber, head of the biggest party group in the European Parliament, implored May on Tuesday to fire Johnson, "because we need a clear answer who is responsible for the British position."

U.K. finance minister Philip Hammond issued a warning to Johnson, telling broadcaster ITV: "Nobody is unsackable."

But May's power to silence Johnson is limited. Earlier this year she called a snap election in hopes of boosting the Conservative majority in Parliament and strengthening her hand in Brexit negotiations. But after a lackluster campaign that saw her dubbed the "Maybot," voters reduced the Conservatives to a minority administration.

May's speech wrapping up the conference in Manchester on Wednesday will be a make-or-break chance to bring the party into line.

May insisted Tuesday she was firmly in charge, saying "weak leadership is having a Cabinet of yes men." She has vowed to lead her party into the next election, due in 2022.

But many Conservatives see her as a lame duck, and a leadership challenge could come much sooner.

"All she can do is earn (the party's) tolerance for another year or two, until such time as they decide that it's time for her to go," said Tim Bale, professor of politics at Queen Mary University of London.

Johnson is not May's only rival. Some pro-Brexit Conservatives favor lawmaker Jacob Rees-Mogg, whose combination of social conservatism and tweed-suited upper-class assurance strikes his fans as a badge of political authenticity.

Another rising star is charismatic Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson, who told delegates that the party "needs to get over its current nervous breakdown and man up a bit."

To add to May's woes, she and senior ministers feel they must use their conference speeches to defend capitalism against a resurgent British left.

The Labour Party under veteran socialist Jeremy Corbyn surprised many in June's election by gaining votes - especially among the young - with an old-school tax-and-spend platform of nationalizing key industries, increasing public-sector pay and boosting welfare benefits.

In response, the Conservatives have announced policies aimed at younger voters, including a freeze on university fees and a 10 billion-pound ($13.3 billion) boost to a housing help-to-buy program.

Many doubt these modest measures will do much to woo young people back from Labour and reverse what some fear is a terminal Conservative decline.

"It's a bloody mess," said Ian Smith, a party member from Shrewsbury in central England. "If I look at my local party, it's a joke. It's full of ancient people and hasn't got a clue how to campaign on the ground. ... I'm 62 and I'm like a youngster there.

"I hope the last election has been a wake-up call."

Follow Jill Lawless on Twitter at http://Twitter.com/JillLawless

Britain's Foreign Secretary, Boris Johnson, delivers his speech at the Conservative party conference at the Manchester Central Convention Complex in Manchester, England, Tuesday Oct. 3, 2017. Johnson used his Tory conference speech to praise Prime Minister, Theresa May, and insist the Cabinet is entirely united behind her approach to Brexit. The Foreign Secretary, whose own "red lines" on Brexit have overshadowed the Conservative Party conference and led to calls for her to sack him from her Cabinet, paid tribute to the Prime Minister. (Peter Byrne/PA via AP)

Britain's Foreign Secretary, Boris Johnson, holds his head as he delivers his speech at the Conservative party conference at the Manchester Central Convention Complex in Manchester, England, Tuesday Oct. 3, 2017. Johnson used his Tory conference speech to praise Prime Minister, Theresa May, and insist the Cabinet is entirely united behind her approach to Brexit. The Foreign Secretary, whose own "red lines" on Brexit have overshadowed the Conservative Party conference and led to calls for her to sack him from her Cabinet, paid tribute to the Prime Minister. (Peter Byrne/PA via AP)

Britain's Foreign Secretary, Boris Johnson, delivers his speech at the Conservative party conference at the Manchester Central Convention Complex in Manchester, England, Tuesday Oct. 3, 2017. Johnson used his Tory conference speech to praise Prime Minister, Theresa May, and insist the Cabinet is entirely united behind her approach to Brexit. The Foreign Secretary, whose own "red lines" on Brexit have overshadowed the Conservative Party conference and led to calls for her to sack him from her Cabinet, paid tribute to the Prime Minister. (Peter Byrne/PA via AP)
AMIENS, France (AP) - French President Emmanuel Macron has used a visit to an ailing Whirlpool factory that had become a symbol of the battle for jobs as an opportunity to promote his economic policies.

The dryer factory in Amiens, northern France, was during the presidential campaign in April the site of what became known as the "battle of Whirlpool."

At the time, far-right candidate Marine Le Pen had upstaged Macron with a surprise visit to the factory, which was threatened with closure. That prompted Macron to meet with angry workers: he was booed at first, but stood his ground, patiently debating about how to stop French jobs from moving abroad.

French President Emmanuel Macron listen to Whirlpool employees during a visit at the company's factory in Amiens, France, Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2017. Macron visits an ailing Whirlpool dryer factory in northern France that was the site of a pivotal moment in his presidential campaign, when he debated with angry workers about his strategy to stop job losses. (Philippe Wojazer/Pool Photo via AP)

The site was then taken over in September by a local industry group that promised to maintain most of the jobs.

Macron on Tuesday welcomed the "good news" and met with employees in a relaxed atmosphere.

"We must make the French territory more attractive" to investors, he told reporters.

Macron turned Tuesday's visit into a tightly-controlled PR effort aimed at showing the impact of his economic policies. He took numerous selfies and joked with employees in front of the single press video camera allowed to cover the visit.

Macron insisted his government's budget for next year aims to cut taxes to increase French workers' purchasing power. "The middle class will benefit from it," he said.

The government plans to cut taxes by 10 billion euros ($11.7 billion) next year in hopes of boosting growth and jobs.

One key part of the plan is the scrapping of a tax on wealth that currently applies to people with more than 1.3 million euros in assets. Instead, the government wants to create a tax on real estate, in a move that it hopes will attract more wealthy French and foreign investors in the country.

France's left-wing parties and workers' unions accuse Macron, a former investment banker, of being "the president of the rich people."

"For years we taxed the successful people, and we regulated the job market with rigid rules. And what did we get? Job losses," Macron said.

A few CGT unionists symbolically gathered near the factory to protest against Macron's labor reforms, saying they weaken hard-won workers' rights.

The government last month passed changes to labor laws that make it easier for firms to hire and fire and reduce the power of national collective bargaining, prompting a series of nationwide street protests.

French President Emmanuel Macron, right, listens to a member of parliament Francois Ruffin of La France Insoumise (France Unbowed) political party as he visits the Whirlpool factory in Amiens, France, Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2017. Macron visits an ailing Whirlpool dryer factory in northern France that was the site of a pivotal moment in his presidential campaign, when he debated with angry workers about his strategy to stop job losses. (Philippe Wojazer/Pool Photo via AP)

French President Emmanuel Macron talks with Whirlpool employees during a visit at the company's factory in Amiens, France, Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2017. Macron visits an ailing Whirlpool dryer factory in northern France that was the site of a pivotal moment in his presidential campaign, when he debated with angry workers about his strategy to stop job losses. (Philippe Wojazer/Pool Photo via AP)

French President Emmanuel Macron, center right, talks with Whirlpool employees during a visit of the Whirlpool factory in Amiens, France, Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2017. Macron visits an ailing Whirlpool dryer factory in northern France that was the site of a pivotal moment in his presidential campaign, when he debated with angry workers about his strategy to stop job losses. (Philippe Wojazer/Pool Photo via AP)

French President Emmanuel Macron talks with Whirlpool employees during a visit at the company's factory in Amiens, France, Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2017. Macron visits an ailing Whirlpool dryer factory in northern France that was the site of a pivotal moment in his presidential campaign, when he debated with angry workers about his strategy to stop job losses. (Philippe Wojazer/Pool Photo via AP)

Trade unionists protest outside the Whirlpool home appliance factory during a visit of France's President Emmanuel Macron, in Amiens, northern France, Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2017. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
The district attorneys general of Tennessees Sixth, Seventh, Eighth, Ninth and Tenth Judicial Districts have jointly filed a lawsuit against prescription opioid manufacturer Purdue Pharma L.P. and its related companies, along with Mallinckrodt LLC, Endo Health Solutions Inc. and its wholly owned subsidiary, Endo Pharmaceuticals Inc., and Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc.

Filed in Campbell County Circuit Court in Jacksboro, Tn. last Friday, the lawsuit also names two additional plaintiffs known collectively as Baby Doe by and through their Guardians Ad Litem. Additional defendants named in the filing include the (now-dissolved) Tennessee Pain Institute, two former TPI employees and a convicted drug dealer.

The Appalachia High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, which includes the Sixth, Seventh, Eighth, Ninth and Tenth Judicial Districts of Tennessee, is one of the hardest-hit areas in the opioid epidemic that is plaguing the nation, said Jared Effler, district attorney general for Tennessees Eighth Judicial District. The 15 counties within these five judicial districts border the Interstate 75 corridor, which has long been known as a major path of transportation for the illegal opioid market. Two of these counties  Campbell County and Claiborne County  have the third- and sixth-highest per capita opioid prescription rates for a U.S. county, respectively.

In addition to having a terrible effect on the lives of a disproportionate number of East Tennesseans, opioid addiction places an overwhelming strain on our regions finances, District Attorney General Effler said. This has led to increased costs for each of our counties policing, health care, rehabilitation, housing and criminal justice systems. We believe there is a direct correlation between East Tennessees opioid epidemic and the actions of these opioid manufacturers, and it is our intent to hold them accountable for the damage they have inflicted upon our region.

The lawsuit alleges that:

The manufacturer defendants directed their opioids to the 15 East Tennessee counties of the states Sixth, Seventh, Eighth, Ninth and Tenth Judicial Districts, while the criminal defendants participated in the illegal opioid drug market throughout the same judicial districts along the Interstate 75 corridor;

Purdue Pharma embarked on a fraudulent campaign to convince physicians that OxyContin created minimal risk of addiction;

As Purdues marketing efforts demonstrated success in the form of rapid increases in opioid prescriptions, Mallinckrodt, Endo Pharmaceuticals, Teva Pharmaceuticals, and other opioid manufacturers joined Purdue in its fraudulent scheme;

Purdues efforts and those of the other defendants to mislead doctors and the public about the need for, and addictive nature of, opioid drugs led to an opioid epidemic, created an environment for thousands of individuals in Tennessee to become addicted to opioids, and fueled a dramatic increase in Campbell County, Tennessee, and other East Tennessee counties in the number of individuals exposed and addicted to OxyContin, Roxicodone, Opana ER and other opioids; and

The manufacturer defendants knew their products were being diverted to the illegal drug market, but did nothing to stop it  choosing profit over people.

The U.S. Department of Justices drug market analyses of the Appalachia HIDTA for 2008 through 2011 detail a steady rise in law enforcement seizures of oxycodone (primarily OxyContin) in the Tennessee illegal drug market  1,069 dosage units of oxycodone seized in Tennessee in 2007 to 4,142 dosage units seized in 2010. In 2015, Tennessee doctors wrote more than 7.8 million opioid prescriptions  or 1.18 for every state resident, placing Tennessee second in the nation for the number of opioid prescriptions per capita. In addition, unintentional overdose deaths, which now account for more premature deaths in Tennessee than automobile accidents, suicides or homicides, increased more than 400 percent from 1999 to 2015 (the last year for which overdose deaths have been calculated). Seventy-two percent of Tennessees overdose deaths in 2015 involved opioids.

The opioid epidemic that is currently ravaging Tennessee, Appalachia and the entire nation did not appear overnight, says J. Gerard Stranch, IV of Branstetter, Stranch & Jennings, PLLC, the Nashville-based law firm that filed the lawsuit. Purdue Pharma and other opioid manufacturers have purposely misled the medical community and the general public about the need for opioids and their addictive nature, and spent years engaged in an aggressive and fraudulent scheme to push their products into a market of unsuspecting patients and physicians. The resulting opioid epidemic has caused incredible suffering for those who become or are born addicted to opioids, and it is costing millions of dollars to local governments forced to deal with the aftermath.

Tennesseans addiction to opioids has created a secondary epidemic of Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome that has its epicenter in East Tennessee, said officials. NAS occurs when babies are exposed to opioids in utero and then show symptoms of withdrawal anywhere from a few minutes to a few days after birth. According to the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, the number of Tennessee babies born with NAS increased tenfold between 2000 and 2010. In 2016, 26 of every 1,000 East Tennessee babies were born with NAS.

So prevalent is NAS in the counties served by the five judicial districts that the number of babies born with the condition at East Tennessee Children's Hospital doubled from 2010 to 2011. The hospital, located in Knoxville  the largest city along the Appalachia HIDTA, developed a new set of protocols in 2011 for treating NAS newborns that has been recognized across the country.

According to the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, the average cost of care for babies born with NAS is roughly 10 times more than babies born without NAS. The average cost to stabilize an NAS newborn is nearly $63,000, while the average cost for a non-NAS newborn is approximately $7,200. For the entire state of Tennessee, the care for 660 babies born with NAS cost $41.5 million for most of 2013, compared to $4.79 million for the same number born without NAS.

The lawsuit demands judgment against the defendants for damages resulting from breaches of statutory and common law, seeks to award restitution to the plaintiffs, and requests an injunction to stop the flood of opioids to the region. The suit is the second complaint filed in Tennessee this year against Purdue Pharma and additional pharmaceutical companies. The first was filed in June in Sullivan County Circuit Court in Kingsport, Tn.

Background information, including contact information, related bios, complaint documents and media coverage of this issue, is available on www.tnbabydoe.com. This site serves as an information portal and is updated frequently.




BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) - Serbia said Tuesday that former Bosnian Serb military commander Ratko Mladic, who is being tried for genocide at a U.N. tribunal, should be released provisionally from detention in The Hague, Netherlands, on health grounds.

Serbia's state TV said Tuesday that the government was responding to requests from the defense and family by issuing a guarantee that 74-year-old Mladic would not flee while undergoing hospital treatment in Serbia.

Judges at the Netherlands-based U.N. war crimes tribunal for the former Yugoslavia rejected in May a similar defense motion seeking Mladic's release for a medical treatment in Russia.

FILE - This is a Monday Dec. 5, 2016 file photo taken from video of former Bosnian Serb military chief General Ratko Mladic as he looks across the court room at the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia in the Hague Netherlands. Serbia says former Bosnian Serb military commander Ratko Mladic, who is being tried for genocide at a U.N. tribunal, can be released provisionally on health grounds from detention in The Hague, Netherlands. The state TV said Tuesday Oct. 3, 2017 that the government was responding to requests from the defense and family, stating that 74-year-old Mladic would not flee while undergoing hospital treatment in Serbia. (ICTY Video via AP File)

Mladic had two strokes and a heart attack before he was imprisoned and his lawyers say that his condition has further deteriorated in jail.

Mladic was arrested in Serbia in 2011 after more than a decade on the run. He is charged with genocide for the massacre in Srebrenica of some 8,000 Muslim men and boys in 1995 and other atrocities of Bosnia's 1992-95 war.
MAALEH ADUMIM, West Bank (AP) - Israel's prime minister on Tuesday pledged to build thousands of new homes in one of the West Bank's biggest Jewish settlements and annex it to Israel.

The comments drew an angry condemnation from the Palestinians and created a new test for the Trump administration, which has been working for over eight months to restart peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians.

Benjamin Netanyahu said during a visit to Maaleh Adumim that he was announcing a period of "enhanced development."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends the weekly cabinet meeting at his office in Jerusalem, Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner)

"We will build thousands of housing units here," he said. "We will add the industrial zone needed and the expansion needed to allow for the advanced development of this place."

"This place will be part of the state of Israel," he added.

Netanyahu gave no specifics or timetable, suggesting that his comments may have been playing to his nationalistic base.

Facing a series of corruption investigations, Netanyahu has stepped up his hard-line rhetoric in recent weeks with attacks on the media and appeals to his core supporters. This has included two other speeches in West Bank settlements where he vowed never to uproot any of them.

The Palestinians seek the West Bank, captured by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war, as part of a future independent state and consider all of Israel's settlements to be illegal - a position that is widely shared by the international community. Israel says the settlements' fate should be resolved through negotiations.

Maaleh Adumim is a settlement of roughly 40,000 people just east of Jerusalem. It is considered strategic because it lies in the center of the West Bank, and making it part of Israel could greatly hinder Palestinian statehood aspirations.

Nabil Shaath, a senior adviser to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, called Netanyahu's comments "totally unacceptable."

"This is an attempt by Netanyahu to destroy the two-state solution and a clear refusal of any attempt to revive the peace process, especially by the United States," he said.

President Donald Trump has taken a softer line toward the settlements than his predecessors, and his key advisers, including son-in-law Jared Kushner and ambassador to Israel David Friedman, have longstanding ties to the settlement movement. Even so, Trump has still asked Israel to show restraint.

Early this year, Israel shelved a proposal to annex Maaleh Adumim under apparent pressure from the White House. Netanyahu's comments indicated that he may be preparing to revive the proposal.

Trump's Mideast envoy, Jason Greenblatt, has been in the region meeting with the sides as part of his effort to restart talks.

A White House official reiterated Trump's position that "unrestrained settlement activity does not advance the prospect for peace," but past demands for a settlement freeze also have not helped advance talks.

The official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the media, said Greenblatt's delegation "is focused on its substantive talks toward an enduring peace deal."

The official did not address Netanyahu's call for annexation of occupied territory.

__

Associated Press writer Josef Federman in Jerusalem contributed to this report.
MILAN (AP) - An Eritrean man accused of being a kingpin of a migrant smuggling ring has told a court in Palermo that his is a case of mistaken identity.

The suspect's lawyer, Michel Calantropo, said his client made the declaration as the trial for human smuggling reopened Tuesday in a new court and was combined with a parallel trial.

Calantropo has maintained that his client is not, in fact, Medhane Yehdego Mered, an alleged mastermind who profited from the smuggling of thousands of migrants from the Horn of Africa to Italy via Libya. The lawyer said his identity is Medhanie Tesfamariam Berhe.

Calantropo said he is working on getting a visa for Berhe's mother in Eritrea to travel to Italy for a DNA test to prove his identity.
LONDON (AP) - The European Court of Justice has been asked to consider whether Facebook's Dublin-based subsidiary can legally transfer users' personal data to its U.S. parent, after Ireland's top court said Tuesday that there are "well-founded concerns" the practice violates European law.

In a case brought after former U.S. defense contractor Edward Snowden revealed the extent of electronic surveillance by American security agencies, the Irish court found that Facebook's transfers may compromise the data of European citizens.

The case has far-reaching implications for social media companies and others who move large amounts of data via the internet. Facebook's European subsidiary regularly does so.

Max Schrems, front right, faces the media after leaving the High Court in Dublin, Ireland, Tuesday Oct. 3, 2017, as the legal case about social media transfer of personal data between international jurisdictions has been referred to Europe's highest court. Austrian lawyer and campaigner Max Schrems claims his privacy rights as an EU citizen have been breached through the transfer of his data by Facebook Ireland to US parent company Facebook Inc. (Brian Lawless/PA via AP)

Ireland's data commissioner had already issued a preliminary decision that such transfers may be illegal because agreements between Facebook and its Irish subsidiary don't adequately protect the privacy of European citizens. The Irish High Court is referring the case to the European Court of Justice because the data sharing agreements had been approved by the European Union's executive Commission.

Ireland's data commissioner "has raised well-founded concerns that there is an absence of an effective remedy in U.S. law . for an EU citizen whose data are transferred to the U.S. where they may be at risk of being accessed and processed by U.S. state agencies for national security purposes in a manner incompatible" with the EU's Charter of Fundamental Rights, the Irish High Court said Tuesday.

Austrian privacy campaigner Maximillian Schrems, who has a Facebook account, had challenged this practice through the Irish courts because of concerns that his data was being illegally accessed by U.S security agencies.

"U.S. citizens would not be allowed to have such mass surveillance as for European citizens and we have to protect our citizens," Schrems said. "And actually, Europe protects anybody because we see it as a human right, not as a citizens' right."

Facebook said standard contract clauses provided critical safeguards and that such safeguards are used by thousands of companies to do business.

"They are essential to companies of all sizes, and upholding them is critical to ensuring the economy can continue to grow without disruption," the company said in statement.

It added that it was important that the European court "now considers the extensive evidence demonstrating the robust protections in place under standard contractual clauses and U.S. law before it makes any decision that may endanger the transfer of data across the Atlantic and around the globe."

In an earlier ruling in the case, the European Court of Justice found that the so-called Safe Harbor regime, which Facebook previously relied on when transferring data to the U.S., violated EU law because it didn't provide effective legal remedies. The Safe Harbor regime had been established in 2000 by the EU executive Commission, which found that U.S. data protection laws were adequate to protect the rights of EU citizens.

The Irish Data Commissioner decided to seek judicial review of standard contractual clauses in part because of "the very significant commercial implications arising from the value of data exchanges to EU-U.S. trading relationships."

The U.S. government and three other parties were allowed to file friend of the court briefs in the case. The others are the BSA Business Software Alliance, a trade association whose members include Apple, Microsoft and Intel; Digital Europe, which represents the region's digital technology industry; and the Electronic Privacy Information Center, a U.S. civil liberties group.
NEW YORK (AP) - A judge has acquitted a police reform activist in an unusual case where a New York City police lawyer acted as prosecutor.

Cristina Winsor was arrested during a protest in July 2016 on a disorderly conduct charge. According to the New York Daily News, (http://nydn.us/2yl3GWM ) the judge said Monday during her brief trial that police witnesses misrepresented facts later seen on video. She was cleared of the charges.

Police department lawyers stepped in to prosecute the case because the low-level court where the proceeding was held doesn't usually have prosecutors. NYPD officials have said they are tired of being sued by people in cases that start in the court.

Winsor is one of two activists challenging the unusual arrangement where the NYPD lawyers argue the cases with the blessing of the Manhattan district attorney's office.

___

Information from: Daily News, http://www.nydailynews.com
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) - For teacher Elisa Aroca, Sunday was the moment Spain lost the battle for the hearts and minds of 7.5 million people living in the Catalonia region.

Aroca intended to defend her Spanish roots and cast a ballot against Catalonia breaking away from the rest of the country. But when a squad of police in riot gear marched up, roughly tossed her and other voters aside and shattered the glass entrance of the Estel School in central Barcelona to confiscate ballot boxes, she felt something break inside her.

"I felt so angry and hurt inside that I thought, 'A country that hits me wants me to stay? You don't listen to me and on top of it you hit me?' For me that is abuse," she said a day later.

On this Monday Oct.2, 2017 photo, school teacher Elisa Aroca stands in front of the Estel School in central Barcelona where National Police confiscated ballot boxes during the referendum voting. Aroca says, Spain lost the battle for the hearts and minds of Catalonia people when on Oct. 1, 2017, a squad of riot police roughly tossed her and other voters aside, shattering the glass entrance of the Estel School to confiscate ballot boxes, and she felt something break inside of her. (AP Photo/Mstyslav Chernov)

Similar indignation swept across the wealthy northeastern region, one of 17 in Spain, as police stormed through packs of voters and peaceful protesters at polling stations.

The outrage was compounded as mobile phone footage made the rounds on social media, showing officers in body armor pushing people, dragging them by the hair and hitting them with batons. Hundreds of civilians and police officers were injured. The Spanish government, acting on a judge's order to shut down the referendum, defended the response as professional and proportionate.

The ugly scenes run the risk of confirming a long-held belief among many Catalans that the region is chronically mistreated by Spain's central government despite serving as an economic driver for southern Europe - it generates a fifth of Spain's 1.1 trillion-euro economy - and having a high degree of self-governance.

Catalan officials said that 90 percent of the 2.3 million people who voted Sunday were in favor of independence. But fewer than half of those eligible to vote turned out. The vote was boycotted by most of Spain's national parties on grounds it was illegal and lacked basic guarantees, such as a census.

Polls and the most recent regional elections showed residents of Catalonia roughly split on the divisive issue of independence, but it remains to be seen how many people like Aroca are changing their minds after the events of recent weeks.

"I was crying from rage," she recalled. "Now, I was going to vote no matter what. My husband and I didn't even have to talk about it, we just looked each other in the eyes and we knew that we had to vote. And that we had to vote 'yes' (for independence)."

Born of parents from other parts of Spain, Aroca, a 40-year-old mother of two, still wants to embrace a dual identity of both Spanish and Catalan. But she says the political crisis caused by a lack of dialogue between Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy and Catalan regional chief Carles Puigdemont has forced her to choose.

"All bonds have been broken. Not by the referendum, but by the police," Aroca said. "I feel rage and pain. I think that is how most people feel, seeing what people are chatting about, talks I have had at work. (Sunday) night I was very sad, truly sad that it has reached this point of me wondering what kind of country my daughters will inherit."

Aroca also believes that Puigdemont and other leaders of the separatist movement are partly to blame for provoking the crackdown when they flouted court orders to stop the vote on grounds that it could violate Spain's constitution.

Puigdemont has vowed to act on the results regardless of the legality of the referendum. He is expected to present them this week to Catalonia's regional parliament, which could trigger the process of starting to break away from Spain. Such a move that would inevitably be met by a robust response from Madrid, and Spain's interior minister has said the 5,000 extra officers deployed to Catalonia will stay as long as necessary.

Ruben Satinya is afraid more clashes are coming. The 40-year-old father of one felt compelled to join the separatist camp when Spain first tried to stop the referendum.

When a judge ordered police to seal off polling stations before the vote, Satinya joined a groundswell of parents who occupied their local schools from Friday to Sunday, staying overnight in sleeping bags and organizing activities for children during the day.

The Congres-Indians School, which Satinya helped occupy, was not hit by police even though it is just a 15-minute walk from the Estel School.

But Satinya said voting amid the fear that police could descend at any moment made him feel more Catalan than ever, and convinced him that severing centuries-old ties with Spain was necessary.

The transformative experience reached its climax when the polls closed and the crowd gathered at the school joined in singing the Catalan anthem, "Els Segadors" ("The Reapers" in Catalan).

"There really is a different sentiment that sets us apart from the rest of Spain, and that was reinforced in me," he said. "Hearing Els Segadors sung by so many people, I got goose bumps. It was spectacular."

On this Monday Oct.2, 2017 photo, school teacher Elisa Aroca stands in front of the Estel School in central Barcelona where National Police confiscated ballot boxes during the referendum voting. Aroca says, Spain lost the battle for the hearts and minds of Catalonia people when on Oct. 1, 2017, a squad of riot police roughly tossed her and other voters aside, shattering the glass entrance of the Estel School to confiscate ballot boxes, and she felt something break inside of her. (AP Photo/Mstyslav Chernov)

FILE, In this Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017 photo, people confronts Spanish riot police near a voting site at a school assigned to be a polling station by the Catalan government in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, 1 Oct. 2017.(AP Photo/Felipe Dana, File)

In this Sunday, 1 Oct. 2017 photo, Spanish National Police block people trying to reach a voting site at a school assigned to be a polling station by the Catalan government in Barcelona, Spain. Catalan leaders accused Spanish police of brutality and repression while the Spanish government praised the security forces for behaving firmly and proportionately. Videos and photographs of the police actions were on the front page of news media outlets around the world. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

FILE, In this Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017 photo Spanish National Police prevents people from entering a voting site at a school assigned to be a polling station by the Catalan government in Barcelona, Spain. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti, File)
GLENWOOD, Iowa (AP) - A southwestern Iowa mother accused of giving her 8-year-old daughter fatal amounts of an antidepressant drug is set to stand trial in December.

Mills County court records say 34-year-old Misty Frazier, has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder, child endangerment and giving prescription drugs to a minor without a prescription. The trial is set to begin Dec. 12 for the Glenwood resident.

Prosecutors say an autopsy shows the girl died in October of an overdose of the antidepressant amitriptyline, commonly sold under the brand name Elavil.

Glenwood is about 25 miles (40 kilometers) southeast of Omaha, Nebraska.
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) - A former spokesman for Geert Wilders has been convicted of buying cocaine, alcohol and clothes and funding personal travel with money embezzled from the Dutch anti-Islam lawmaker's party.

A court in the southern city of Maastricht said Tuesday that a former provincial lawmaker with Wilders' Party for Freedom used credit and debit cards to spend some 177,000 euros ($208,000) of the party's funds and attempting to fraudulently cover up his personal spending spree.

The court did not name the suspect in line with privacy rules, but identified him as Wilders' former spokesman.

According to the written judgment, he blamed his actions on the high pressure of his work. He was sentenced to 14 months imprisonment.

Dutch media have widely reported him to be Wilders' ex-spokesman, Michael Heemels.
Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler is disputing rumors about his health after an early end to the band's tour, saying he "certainly did not have a heart attack or seizure."

The 69-year-old Tyler says in a statement posted on the band's website that he's sorry for cutting the tour short, but he had to have a medical procedure that only his doctor in the United States could perform.

Aerosmith announced last week that it was canceling the tour's final four shows in Brazil, Chile, Argentina and Mexico. Tyler said in that announcement that his condition wasn't life threatening, but it was something he needed to deal with immediately.

FILE - In this May 26, 2017, file photo, singer Steven Tyler performs during an Aerosmith concert at the Koenigsplatz in Munich, Germany. In a statement posted to the band's website on Oct. 2, 2017, Tyler disputed rumors about his health surrounding an early end to the band's tour, saying he "certainly did not have a heart attack or seizure." (AP Photo/Lukas Barth, File)

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Online:

http://www.aerosmith.com/
MOSCOW (AP) - Spain's National Court has decided to extradite a suspected Russian hacker to the United States.

Pyotr Levashov, a 37-year-old known as one of the world's most notorious hackers, was arrested earlier this year while vacationing with his family in Barcelona. U.S. authorities had requested his arrest, for they want him on fraud charges and unauthorized interception of electronic communications.

The Spanish court said Tuesday the U.S. extradition request has been approved. Russia in September filed a counter-extradition request for Levashov hours before the original extradition hearing.

Authorities in the U.S. have linked Levashov to a series of powerful botnets, or networks of hijacked computers capable of pumping out billions of spam emails.

Levashov's lawyers have alleged his arrest was politically motivated and argued that he should be tried in Spain.
As one of the first entrepreneurs to launch a small business in Chattanoogas revitalized M.L. King district, Andie Sellers Bettieville on MLK became Chattanoogas first business to participate in Solar Share as a way to support Chattanoogas environmental stewardship.

After seeing promotions for EPBs Solar Share and learning more about the value of community solar on their website, I found out how affordable participating in renewable energy can be, Ms. Sellers said. Now I get to be a part of something really cool and support Chattanoogas environmental efforts.

Ms. Sellers became a Solar Share Leader after licensing eight panels at EPBs community solar power generation facility on Holtzclaw Avenue. These panels are expected to offset 62 percent of her average power use. Launched in July 2017, Solar Share gives Chattanoogans a new choice for clean, renewable energy that lowers the barriers to solar power generation.

Im proud of Andies commitment to support Chattanoogas growing downtown economy and environmental stewardship, said EPB Commercial Energy Analyst Neal Potter. Bettieville on MLK represents how any business  large or small  can support our community by choosing their level of participation in renewable energy, whether its a couple of panels or to offset their entire energy needs.

Following a corporate career, Ms. Sellers pursued her dream of collecting and selling clothing and other items that reflect the vintage and rockabilly lifestyles by launching Bettieville on MLK adjacent to the growing UTC campus. While living in Oregon, Ms. Sellers became aware of the growing interest in solar power generation.

I questioned why more people in Chattanooga didnt adopt solar power, Ms. Sellers said. But after learning about the barriers, and how EPB is lowering them, I knew I wanted to be an early commercial supporter of Solar Share.

To learn more about Solar Share, click here.




NEW YORK (AP) - Joyce DiDonato was unsure at first how to approach her character of Adalgisa in Bellini's "Norma," but she knew she didn't want to play her as "sort of a stock character who's the good girl and crying all the time."

"I don't do insipid very well," the celebrated American mezzo said with a smile.

In the bel canto masterpiece set during the Roman occupation of England, Adalgisa is a novice Druid priestess who is devoted to her leader, Norma. But she has also fallen in love with the proconsul Pollione and is about to run off with him to Rome when she learns that he has secretly fathered two children by Norma. Horrified, she rejects her lover and reaffirms her loyalty to the high priestess.

This Sept. 12, 2017 photo released by the Metropolitan Opera shows Joyce DiDonato as Adalgisa, left, and Sondra Radvanovsky in a scene from Bellini's "Norma" at the Metropolitan Opera in New York. "Norma," the first HD broadcast of the Met season, will be shown starting at 12:55 p.m. EDT on Saturday. ( Ken Howard/Metropolitan Opera via AP)

Starting rehearsals for her first staged production of the work, which opened the Metropolitan Opera season last week, DiDonato said she found Adalgisa "a bit of an enigma." But the key to her character emerged after a few days.

"It was the idea of her utter and complete puppy-dog devotion, to her god, to Norma, to Pollione and then again to Norma," DiDonato said in an interview in her dressing room. "It's not exactly naivete but a real purity and innocence. Understanding that allowed me to give her a backbone."

She said director David McVicar had her watch Federico Fellini's 1954 film, "La Strada," and draw inspiration from the waiflike heroine played by Giulietta Masina - who, like DiDonato, wears short blond hair.

"Norma," also starring soprano Sondra Radvanovsky in the title role and tenor Joseph Calleja as Pollione with Carlo Rizzi conducting, will be broadcast live in HD to movie theaters worldwide on Saturday.

GETTING IN THE ZONE

Though DiDonato is new to the role, critics were struck by how completely she embodied the character in her physical portrayal.

"I think that element of my performing is more instinctive than my singing," DiDonato said. "I can get into the zone without thinking about it so much. Teenager or queen. Boy or girl. Dying or full of life. You know how the feet stand, how the hands express."

"What I can't bear," she said, "is to be onstage and not to feel that everything I'm doing is lining up in the same way. So in Bellini, if I'm Romeo, I need to feel like I could punch someone out in two seconds. But if it's Adalgisa, there's a delicacy, a fragility ... every element, the text, the color, the mind, the body are all telling the same story, so that everything else disappears and you see that if you go 'whoosh' she might fall over."

THE ONCE AND FUTURE ADALGISA

Though it's not indicated in the libretto, McVicar brings Adalgisa onstage to assist Norma in the Druid rites while the high priestess prays for peace in her famous "Casta diva" aria. He also has Adalgisa return for the finale to raise her hands in prayer as Norma and Pollione go to their deaths.

In DiDonato's mind there's no doubt her character has chosen a life of penance and chastity. "She's trying to make amends. So I do think she would now smell a man coming," DiDonato said. "Of course life happens, but at least when the curtain comes down I don't think there's any ambiguity in her mind. She'll probably start singing 'Casta diva' under the moonlight by herself."

LEGENDS OF THE PAST

If Adalgisa is hard to get a handle on, the role of Norma is one of the toughest challenges for a soprano in all of opera. It requires power, dexterity, an ability to sing long, smooth phrases and the dramatic presence to make the heroine's tragic fall convincing. Legendary Met Normas include Rosa Ponselle, Maria Callas, Joan Sutherland, Montserrat Caballe and the very first, the renowned Wagnerian soprano Lilli Lehmann, who sang it in 1890.

Lehmann famously insisted it was "easier to sing all three Bruennhildes than one Norma," because in Wagner "you are so carried away by the dramatic emotion, the action and the scene that you do not have to think how to sing the words," but in Bellini, "you must always have a care for beauty of tone and correct emission."

WHERE TO SEE IT

"Norma," the first HD broadcast of the Met season, will be shown starting at 12:55 p.m. EDT on Saturday. A list of theaters can be found at the Met's website: www.metopera.org/hd . In the U.S. it will be repeated on Wednesday, Oct. 11, at 1 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. local time.
BANGKOK (AP) - Thai police said Tuesday they are seeking an international request for the arrest of former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, who is believed to be in England after fleeing to Dubai to evade a prison sentence.

Deputy Police Commissioner Gen. Srivara Rangsibrahmanakul said the United Arab Emirates confirmed that Yingluck went from Dubai to England. He also said he asked the international police organization Interpol on Sunday to issue a red notice - a request to locate and provisionally arrest someone pending extradition - for Yingluck.

Yingluck, whose government was ousted in a 2014 coup, was sentenced in absentia to five years' imprisonment on Sept. 27 for negligence in instituting a money-losing rice subsidy program. She fled Thailand before the verdict and has called the case against her politically motivated.

Srivara said he cited a Thai arrest warrant for Yingluck as part of the request for a red notice.

"If Interpol can issue the red notice then authorities can proceed (with the arrest)," Srivara said, but added that he could not speak for British authorities about whether they would arrest her.

Srivara refused to comment on whether Interpol would comply with the request and issue a red notice, as there could be objections that the case against Yingluck is political in nature and she could potentially qualify for political asylum.

Deputy Police spokesman Col. Krissana Pattanacharoen said Monday that police have already sent a request to Thailand's foreign ministry to revoke Yingluck's passport.

Yingluck's conviction is the latest chapter in a decade-long struggle between the country's traditional ruling class - led by royalists and the military - and the powerful political machine founded by Yingluck's brother, Thaksin Shinawatra, who was toppled in a 2006 coup. Thaksin has lived in Dubai since fleeing a corruption conviction he says was politically motivated.

Thai police are also investigating their own officers who are suspected of having helped Yingluck flee. At least three police officers have been questioned so far in connection with the allegations.

Since the 2014 coup, Thailand's military government has cracked down on dissent, including exercising more control over the police, long seen as a rival for influence as well as sympathetic to the Shinawatra political machine.
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) - Former Argentine Vice President Amado Boudou went on trial Tuesday on charges of bribery and conducting business incompatible with public office.

Boudou is accused of using shell companies and middlemen to gain control of a company that was granted contracts to print the Argentine peso. He denies any wrongdoing. The 54-year-old also served as economy minister during the 2007-2015 administration of former President Cristina Fernandez.

The trial comes just weeks before the Oct. 22 midterm legislative elections, where Fernandez is competing for a Senate seat.

FILE- In this July 31, 2014, file photo, Argentina's Vice President Amado Boudou gestures to supporters before the speech of Argentine President Cristina Fernandez at Casa Rosada Presidential Palace in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Boudou is facing trial on charges of bribery and conducting business incompatible with public office. The trial began Tuesday, Oct. 3 2017. (AP Photo/Victor R. Caivano, File)

Since leaving office, the populist leader has been hit by a string of corruption scandals and was indicted last year. She has dismissed the allegations as politically motivated.

Other former members of her cabinet have also been indicted in recent months on corruption charges.

A judicial investigation determined that Boudou acted to smooth a printing company's exit from bankruptcy and engineer its purchase by a shell company so he and other secret partners could benefit from tax exemptions and government contracts.

The shell company, The Old Fund, was led by businessman Alejandro Vandenbroele, who is accused of secretly representing Boudou in business deals.

If convicted in the trial, Boudou could be sentenced to as long as six years in prison and be banned for life from elective office.
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. (AP) - More than 100 physicians, nurses and other health care professionals from New York state are heading to hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico.

Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo detailed the assistance Tuesday. In addition, UPS is delivering 100,000 bottles of water donated by New Yorkers. UNICEF is contributing emergency supply kits for 60,000 people that include water purification tablets, toothpaste, soap and other basic supplies.

The state has already sent members of the National Guard and state police along with Port Authority personnel and engineers to help repair the island's electrical grid. Cuomo visited Puerto Rico shortly after Hurricane Maria and says the state will do whatever it can to help.

On Tuesday Cuomo continued to criticize the federal response to the storm, saying emergency management officials should have better prepared in the days before the hurricane.

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Information from: Newsday, http://www.newsday.com
NEW YORK (AP) - The Latest on Wells Fargo CEO Tim Sloan's testimony before Congress (all times local):

11:30 a.m.

Some U.S. Senators questioning Wells Fargo's CEO say an auto insurance scandal is an example of how the bank's culture hasn't changed.

Wells Fargo acknowledged earlier this year that it signed up tens of thousands of auto loan customers up for insurance they did not need, and some of those customers who could not afford the auto insurance had their cars repossessed.

That came after a scandal over millions of accounts created without customer knowledge as bank employees tried to meet aggressive sales targets.

Sen. Chris Van Hollen, a Democrat from Maryland, said "it was amazing" for Wells Fargo to claim it puts customers first when people's cars were repossessed.

And Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, a Democrat from North Dakota, expressed anger about the auto insurance scandal as well as the sales practices scandal. She said bank executives promise to look into situations and promise they care about customers. But she said, "I do not hear a level of cultural change that satisfies me today."

11 a.m.

A year later, it appears Congress remains united on at least one thing: its anger at Wells Fargo over a sales practices scandal.

Senators on both sides of the aisle expressed their continuing disappointment Tuesday as CEO Tim Sloan appeared before them, wondering whether one of the nation's largest consumer banks has truly changed its culture a year after the sales practices were exposed.

Wells Fargo has said that 3.5 million accounts were potentially opened without customers' permission between 2009 and 2016, as employees tried to meet ambitious sales targets. Sloan's predecessor, John Stumpf, testified twice in front of Congress last fall and the scandal cost him his job.

Senator Tim Scott, a Republican from South Carolina, said, "We are irritated at Wells Fargo. Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, a vocal critic of Wells Fargo, called for Sloan's firing. She said, "At best you were incompetent, at worst you were complicit," in the sales practices.

1 a.m.

Wells Fargo's chief executive will face Congress saying the bank remains "deeply sorry" for its previous sales practices, and that in the year since the scandal over them exploded it has substantially changed for the better.

The prepared comments from Tim Sloan come ahead of his scheduled appearance in front of the Senate Banking Committee on Tuesday, about a year since his predecessor did the same and was grilled about the sales practices.

Wells Fargo has said that 3.5 million accounts were potentially opened without customers' permission between 2009 and 2016, as employees tried to meet ambitious sales targets. The scandal was the biggest in Wells Fargo's history. Sloan's predecessor, John Stumpf, testified twice in front of Congress last fall.
PARIS (AP) - The Latest on Sunday's knife attack at Marseille's main rail station (all times local):

6:05 p.m.

An official says a fourth person has been detained by French officers investigating the knife attack in which a Tunisian national fatally stabbed two young women in the southern port of Marseille.

Residents of Eguilles, near Marseille, southern France, are gathered in silence in front of the city hall to pay tribute to Mauranne, 20, southern France, Monday, Oct. 2, 2017. Mauranne and her cousin, Laura, 21, were fatally stabbed outside Marseille Saint Charles train station the day before. The assailant was killed by soldiers immediately after the attacks, the latest of several targeting France. (AP Photo)

The same judicial official had earlier said that three people were put in custody in suspicion of a criminal terrorist association and that several locations were searched in the probe.

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5:55 p.m.

An official says three people have been detained by French officers investigating the knife attack in which a Tunisian national fatally stabbed two young women in the southern port of Marseille.

A judicial official said Tuesday that the three were put in custody in suspicion of a criminal terrorist association and that several locations were searched in the probe.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity under internal rules, wouldn't give more details.

The attacker, who had lived in Italy, was killed by soldiers after Sunday's stabbings, which were claimed by the Islamic State group. He has been identified in the Italian media as Ahmed Hanachi.

-By Philippe Sotto

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1:20 p.m.

France's interior minister says the man who fatally stabbed two young women in Marseille appears to be a Tunisian who had lived in Italy.

Interior Minister Gerard Collomb said on France-Inter radio Tuesday that the assailant had Italian residency and a valid Tunisian passport. The attacker was killed by soldiers after Sunday's stabbings, which were claimed by the Islamic State group.

Collomb urged more information-sharing among governments about such cases.

The Paris prosecutor said one of the seven IDs the attacker used in previous encounters with French police was a Tunisian passport identifying him as Ahmed H.

Italian newspapers reported Tuesday that Italian anti-terrorism police are investigating whether the Marseille attacker had links to Tunisians involved in other European attacks who had stayed in the same area of Italy.

The Eiffel tower is seen with its lights turned off in Paris, France, Monday, Oct. 2, 2017. Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo said the Eiffel tower will turn off its lights Monday at midnight Paris hour to pay tribute to Las Vegas and Marseille victims. (AP Photo/Kamil Zihnioglu)

A portrait of Mauranne, 20, who was fatally stabbed along with her cousin, Laura, 21, at the Marseille Saint Charles train station, is displayed while residents of Eguilles, near Marseille, southern France, sign the book of condolence in front of the city hall, Monday, Oct. 2, 2017. The assailant was killed by soldiers immediately after the attacks, the latest of several targeting France. (AP Photo/Claude Paris)
NEW YORK (AP) - A different Wells Fargo chief executive met a similar kind of anger from Congress on Tuesday, with politicians from both major parties saying they feel the bank has done little to change its culture since a scandal over its sales practices.

Tim Sloan appeared in front of the Senate Banking Committee in Washington, D.C., about a year since his predecessor did the same to try to explain how employees trying to meet ambitious sales goals created millions of accounts without customers knowing about or authorizing them.

Sloan apologized again and said the bank was committed to its customers. Some lawmakers weren't in a forgiving mood. Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, a Democrat from North Dakota, expressed anger about the sales practices as well as a later auto insurance scandal involving customers signed up for coverage they didn't want.

Wells Fargo Chief Executive Officer and President Timothy Sloan testifies before the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2017, during a hearing on Wells Fargo after one year. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

"We need to see a cultural change," Heitkamp said. "I simply don't hear it. We hear you say, 'We don't know! We will look into it! We care about the consumer!' but I do not hear a level of cultural change that satisfies me today."

Republicans were at times equally as upset.

"At least, we are irritated at Wells Fargo," said Sen. Tim Scott, a Republican from South Carolina.

While Sloan said he remains "deeply sorry" for its previous sales practices, he was at times combative and defensive.

In particular, he strongly defended Wells Fargo's practice of sending its customers into what's known as forced arbitration, which is when customers have to use a third party to resolve their disputes instead of filing a class-action lawsuit with others.

Asked by Sen. Sherrod Brown, an Ohio Democrat, if Wells Fargo would consider ending that practice, Sloan responded with a curt "no."

The sales practices scandal was the biggest in Wells Fargo's history. When then-CEO John Stumpf faced Congress last fall, he was chastised for his answers and for what lawmakers saw as an attempt to shift blame. The bank's once-sterling industry reputation was in tatters, and Stumpf was eventually ousted.

Wells Fargo ended up paying $185 million to regulators and settled a class-action suit for $142 million. It's been trying to make amends with customers, politicians and the public.

Since last fall, Wells has changed its sales practices, ousted other executives and called tens of millions of customers to check on whether they truly opened the accounts.

"I apologize for the damage done to all the people who work and bank at this important American institution," Sloan said.

The scandal has only grown since Stumpf's appearance. The bank says up to 3.5 million fake accounts were opened between 2009 and 2016, up from the 2 million it acknowledged in September 2016. A report by the board of directors found the bad behavior could be traced back to as early as 2002, and that executives were aware of some sales practices problems as early as 2006.

After the sales practices came a new scandal: Wells Fargo admitted it signed up hundreds of thousands of auto loan customers for auto insurance they did not need. Some of those customers had their cars repossessed because they could not afford both the auto loan and insurance payments.

Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, a vocal critic of Wells Fargo, called for Sloan's firing.

One critique of Sloan, a 29-year veteran of the bank, has been that he was the chief financial officer while the fake accounts were being created. Wells Fargo and Sloan himself have defended his role, saying he was not supervising the consumer banking division at the time and therefore was not responsible for what occurred there.

"At best you are incompetent, at worst you were complicit," Warren said. "And either way, you should be fired."

Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C.,, center, and Sen. David Perdue, R-Ga., right, listen as Wells Fargo Chief Executive Officer and President Timothy Sloan testifies before the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2017. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

Wells Fargo Chief Executive Officer and President Timothy Sloan looks down as Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., questions him as he testifies before the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2017. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., questions Wells Fargo Chief Executive Officer and President Timothy Sloan as he testifies before the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2017. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Latest on President Donald Trump and Puerto Rico (all times local):

12:10 a.m.

President Donald Trump says "We're going to have to wipe out" Puerto Rico's debt in the wake of destruction caused by Hurricane Maria.

President Donald Trump talks with Governor Ricardo Rossello, center, carrying his daughter in his arms after his arrival at the Luis Muniz Air National Guard Base in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2017. Trump is visiting Puerto Rico in the wake of Hurricane Maria.(AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

He tells Fox News in an interview that: "We're going to work something out."

He goes on to say: "We have to look at their whole debt structure. You know, they owe a lot of money to your friends on Wall Street. And we're going to have to wipe that out."

The White House did not immediately respond to questions about how the president wanted to do that.

Trump spoke to Fox in San Juan, Puerto Rico, which he toured Tuesday.

Before the storm, the island's government was in the midst of bitter negotiations with creditors to restructure a portion of its $73 billion in debt. The island's previous governor had declared that debt unpayable.

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8:45 p.m.

President Donald Trump is congratulating Puerto Rico for escaping the higher death toll of "a real catastrophe like Katrina" and heaping praise on the relief efforts of his administration without mentioning the sharp criticism the federal response has drawn.

Trump calls the recovery "really nothing short of a miracle," an assessment at odds with the despair of many still struggling to find water and food outside the capital city. The governor of Puerto Rico said late Tuesday that the official death toll has been increased to 34 from 16.

Trump pledged an all-out effort to help the island while adding, somewhat lightly, that the disaster has "thrown our budget a little out of whack."

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6:20 p.m.

President Donald Trump says his tour of storm damage in Puerto Rico was a "terrific visit" and the residents of the U.S. island "are so thankful for what we've done."

He told reporters aboard Air Force One that "we only heard thank-yous" during the visit, and said it was "an honor" to spend time in Puerto Rico amid its recovery from Hurricane Maria.

Asked to expand on earlier comments, Trump said the U.S. needs "distributors" delivering food, water and supplies. Trump says the best people to hand out provisions are local people, but notes that many of them have lost their homes.

He says, "On a local level, we need help, but they really have responded very well."

___

4:20 p.m.

The mayor of San Juan, Puerto Rico, says she's hopeful that President Donald Trump and his White House have a better handle on the island's needs after visiting Tuesday.

Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz is tweeting that the meetings between local officials and White House staff were "productive." And she says she hopes new channels of communication with the White House "put in motion what is needed" to save lives.

But Cruz still was critical of Trump himself in an interview with CNN. She says he sometimes "spouts" comments "that really hurt the people of Puerto Rico." And the mayor says Trump is sometimes more "miscommunicator in chief" than commander in chief.

___

4:15 p.m.

Two Democratic congressmen who just returned from the island say conditions on many parts of the island remain dire.

Rep. Luis Gutierrez of Illinois says President Donald Trump didn't visit mountainous interior regions where many sick and elderly people are trapped.

Guitierrez says Trump's visit is yielding video footage of people smiling and it's giving "the wrong impression of what's going on in the island."

Rep. Adriano Espaillat of New York says conditions on many parts of the island are so serious that a $20 billion relief package is needed just for starters.

__

1:50 p.m.

President Donald Trump says Puerto Rico suffered a relatively low death toll from Hurricane Maria compared with "a real catastrophe like Katrina," which killed more than a thousand people in 2005.

Trump spoke as he toured the island Tuesday. He pledged an all-out effort to help Puerto Rico.

The president said that while "every death is a horror," he drew a distinction between "a real catastrophe like Katrina" and "what happened here" in Puerto Rico, where at least 16 people died.

__

3: 15 p.m.

President Donald Trump is tossing rolls of paper towels out to a crowd of Puerto Ricans as he hands out supplies to the storm-damaged island's residents.

On his first visit to survey damage from Hurricane Maria, the president lobbed at least five rolls into a crowd gathered at Calvary Chapel. Many caught them with a smile and took cell phone photos.

Trump praised the roughly 200 people gathered there, saying there was a lot of "love" in the room.

The president also handed out flashlights and said of the recovery that "the job that's been done here is really nothing short of a miracle."

__

1:50 p.m.

President Donald Trump says Puerto Rico's electrical power, virtually knocked out by Hurricane Maria, is headed toward flickering on again.

"It's being fixed" he told reporters Tuesday during his first visit to the island. He added that the power grid was "devastated before the hurricanes even hit."

He said lots of generators have been brought to the island and most hospitals are at least partially open.

Trump said "The job that's been done here is really nothing short of a miracle."

He has come under fire for what critics said was a slow response to the devastation. Maria wiped out power to Puerto Rico's 3.4 million people and left them short of food, water and supplies.

__

1:50 p.m.

President Donald Trump has handed out supplies at a church in Puerto Rico.

About 200 local residents are at Calvary Chapel, cheering Trump as he walks in. Tables nearby were lined with supplies that included paper towels, bags of rice. Candybars, water bottles.

The president shook hands and handed people flashlights. A few times, he tossed paper towel rolls into the crowd.

Surrounded by a sea of cellphone cameras, Trump said, "There's a lot of love in this room." He called those in attendance, "Great people."

__

1:10 p.m.

President Donald Trump is touring the storm damage of San Juan and hearing the stories of residents still recovering from Hurricane Maria.

The president is visiting neighborhoods and has told one resident that the governor and the mayor are "doing a good job."

Recently, San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz criticized the pace of the federal government's response and drew Trump's scorn.

The president's visit included meetings with her and other local officials. As he left the airport, the president's motorcade snaked through streets lined with downed tree limbs, mangled signs and drooping power lines. A beach was covered in debris.

Scattered groups of people gathered to watch the motorcade pass. One held a sign reading, "Climate change is real." Another's said: "You are a bad hombre."

__

12:20 p.m.

President Donald Trump is pledging to help Puerto Rico continue to recover from Hurricane Maria's devastation. He is defending his administration's handling of the disaster that knocked out power to the U.S. island's 3.4 million people.

In an airport hangar in Puerto Rico, Trump also sought praise from local officials. He repeated that they have to help with the recovery and scolded them for the costs of disaster recovery. Trump said, "I hate to tell you, Puerto Rico but you've thrown our budget a little out of whack because we've spent a lot of money on Puerto Rico."

Trump's visit comes after what critics have said was a slow response.

__

11:50 a.m.

President Donald Trump and his wife, Melania, have arrived in storm-damaged Puerto Rico.

The first couple is visiting Tuesday to review the U.S. island's recovery from Hurricane Maria, which blew ashore Sept. 20. They are meeting with local and federal officials working to restore power and deliver food and supplies to Puerto Rico's 3.4 million people.

Trump's visit comes after what critics have said was a too-slow response to the crisis on the island. The president said Tuesday that local "have to give us more help" in responding to the devastation. Trump on Tuesday praised the federal response, saying, "it's now acknowledged what a great job we've done."

__

8:50 a.m.

President Donald Trump says the federal government has done a good job in Puerto Rico responding to the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria, but says local officials need to "give us more help."

Trump says Tuesday that "in Texas and in Florida we get an A-plus, and I'll tell you what, I think we've done just as good in Puerto Rico."

Trump says roads are cleared and communications are "starting to come back." He says on a "local level they have to give us more help."

The president lashed out at the mayor of San Juan after she criticized the federal response. He now says that San Juan mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz "has come back a long way."

The White House says Cruz had been invited to participate in Tuesday's events, but it was unclear whether she and the president would meet.

___

4 a.m.

President Donald Trump is meeting Tuesday with some of the 3.4 million Puerto Ricans struggling to recover from Hurricane Maria, as criticism of the federal government's sluggish response continues.

The president is expected to spend more than five hours on the ground, meeting with first responders, local officials and some of the residents struggling to recover from a hurricane that, in the president's words, left the island U.S. territory "flattened."

Trump and first lady Melania Trump are scheduled to attend briefings, visit a church, and meet with Gov. Ricardo Rossello, as well as the governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands. They'll also meet with Navy and Marine Corps personnel on the flight deck of the USS Kearsarge.

President Donald Trump, accompanied by first lady Melania Trump, listens to questions from reporters as he walks to board Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2017, for a short trip to Andrews Air Force Base, Md. and then on to Puerto Rico. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
NEW YORK (AP) - How far do American women need to travel in order to obtain an abortion?

A new study, billed as the first of its kind, makes those calculations state-by-state and county-by-county, revealing some striking disparities . In New York, the average distance is about three miles (five kilometers). At the other end of the scale, the average distance in Wyoming is about 168 miles (271 kilometers).

The analysis was conducted by researchers with the Guttmacher Institute, a research group that supports abortion rights, using 2014 data on abortion clinic locations and U.S. Census population figures. The findings were published online Tuesday by the journal Lancet Public Health .

FILE - In this Feb. 20, 2013 file photo, an abortion protester stands outside the Red River Valley Women's Clinic in Fargo, N.D., the state's lone abortion facility. According to a study released on Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2017, in Wyoming, North Dakota and South Dakota, at least half of women of reproductive age lived more than 90 miles (145 kilometers) from the nearest clinic providing abortion services in 2014. (AP Photo/Dave Kolpack, File)

Nationally, according to the study, half of all women of reproductive age lived within 11 miles (18 kilometers) of an abortion clinic in 2014. However, many women in rural areas lived much farther away; the study said 1 in 5 women nationwide would need to travel at least 43 miles (69 kilometers) to reach the nearest abortion clinic.

In the states with the longest average distance to travel - Wyoming, North Dakota and South Dakota - at least half of women of reproductive age lived more than 90 miles (145 kilometers) from the nearest clinic providing abortion services. Women in Alaska lived an average of nine miles (about 15 kilometers) from the nearest clinic, but 20 percent of women in that state would have to travel more than 150 miles (240 kilometers).

The researchers said the average distance increased between 2011 and 2014 for many women in Texas and Missouri, which imposed restrictions during that period that led to closure of some clinics. At one point recently, there was only one abortion clinic operating in Missouri; there are now two, and abortion-rights advocates are pursuing legal action to expand that number.

In a commentary in the journal, Ushma Upadhyay, a professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences at the University of California, San Francisco, detailed possible repercussions for women facing the long distances.

"Increased travel distance means increased costs for transport, overnight stay, lost wages from time off work, and childcare," she wrote. "For a woman who is economically disadvantaged, having to travel a long distance could put an abortion out of reach, leading her to carry an unwanted pregnancy to term."

Upadhyay suggested that access could be improved if nurse practitioners and certified nurse midwives were allowed to perform abortions without a physician's supervision. Another step, she wrote, would be for the Food and Drug Administration to lift restrictions on the abortion-inducing drug mifepristone so that women could get it at pharmacies with a prescription. It's now dispensed only at clinics, hospitals and doctors' offices.

The American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit on Tuesday challenging those FDA restrictions.

___

Follow David Crary on Twitter at http://twitter.com/CraryAP
ATHENS, Greece (AP) - Greek officials have eased a standoff on a key bailout-related land development project by diluting demands for much of the plot at the former Athens international airport to be listed as an archaeological site.

A council of senior Culture Ministry archaeologists decided late Tuesday that only about 4.5 percent of the 620-hectare (1,500-acre) coastal area at Hellenikon should be listed.

Ancient cemeteries and a prehistoric settlement have been found in the area.

The prime urban plot was sold under the country's creditor-mandated privatization program to a consortium led by Greece's Lamda Development, which is planning an 8-billion-euro ($9.4-billion) development. The project will include a large park, housing, shopping areas and hotels.

Declaring the area an archaeological site would not fully preclude development, but could increase development costs. Tuesday's ruling requires government ratification.
WASHINGTON (AP) - Two of President Donald Trump's Cabinet members say they do not plan to reimburse the government for charter flights costing tens of thousands of dollars.

Representatives of Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke and Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt say the trips were pre-approved by ethics officials in their respective agencies and were part of their official duties.

Inspectors general for the two agencies have opened inquiries into the taxpayer-funded travel.

Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke speaks on the Trump Administration's energy policy at the Heritage Foundation in Washington, Friday, Sept. 29, 2017. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

Zinke said he's taken three charter flights while in office, including a $12,375 late-night trip from Las Vegas to his home state of Montana in June. Zinke said no commercial flight was available when he planned to fly for a speech to Western governors.

Zinke also traveled by private plane in Alaska in May and to the U.S. Virgin Islands in March. The two trips cost a total of $7,000, the Interior Department said.

The EPA said four non-commercial flights taken by Pruitt were approved by ethics lawyers. Documents show Pruitt and his staff chartered a private plane for an Aug. 4 trip from Denver to Durango, Colorado, to visit the Gold King Mine, site of a spill last year. The administrator also took three flights on government-owned planes to New York and North Dakota and a roundtrip between airports in Pruitt's native Oklahoma.

Letters released by the EPA show the flights cost a total of $58,000 and were approved by the agency's general counsel's office.

"If a reimbursement was necessary for official government travel, the EPA's Ethics Office would have told us during the approval process and we would've acted accordingly," EPA spokeswoman Liz Bowman said Friday, the same day former Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price resigned over criticisim of his private travel.

Asked about reimbursements Tuesday, Bowman declined to comment and referred questions to the White House.

Heather Swift, a spokeswoman for Zinke, said Tuesday that all of Zinke's flights - including a military flight with Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue to view wildfires in Montana in August - were approved by career officials at the department.

"As with previous (Interior) secretaries, Secretary Zinke's travel is paid for by the government," Swift said.

Meanwhile, the independent Office of Special Counsel said it is investigating a complaint that Zinke's speech to a Las Vegas hockey team may have violated the Hatch Act, which prohibits executive branch officials from engaging in political activities. The team's owner contributed to Zinke's congressional campaigns and to Trump's inauguration.

A watchdog group, the Campaign for Accountability, filed the complaint last week.

"Rather than putting America first, Zinke is putting a top donor first," said Daniel Stevens, the group's executive director.

The Office of Special Counsel investigates whistleblower complaints involving federal employees.

___

Associated Press writer Michael Biesecker contributed to this story.
Anti-abortion congressman Tim Murphy reportedly asked his mistress who was half his age to get an abortion when he thought she might be pregnant.

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette said Tuesday it obtained text messages between Republican U.S. Rep Murphy, 64, of Pennsylvania and Shannon Edwards, 32, a forensic psychologist.

It berated him for a pro-life post shared to his Facebook account.

The text message from January 25 from Edwards said the congressman had 'zero issue posting your pro-life stance all over the place when you had no issue asking me to abort our unborn child just last week when we thought that was one of the options,' according to the paper.

U.S. Rep. Tim Murphy (pictured here in April 2014) has been accused by Shannon Edwards of asking her to abort their unborn child, despite being an advocate of the pro-life movement

Murphy admitted to having an affair with 'friend' Shannon Edwards (pictured left), while he was married to wife Nanette Missig (pictured right) Edwards has now said that pro-life advocate Murphy asked her to get an abortion

Murphy publicly posted on Facebook about how he supports the bill to protect human life

A text message from Murphy's number in response said the staff was responsible for his anti-abortion messages: 'I've never written them. Staff does them. I read them and winced. I told staff don't write any more.'

Edwards, it turned out, wasn't pregnant. Murphy's spokeswoman had no comment on the report.

Murphy is married to wife Nanette and has an adult daughter, Bevin.

The revelation came as the House on Tuesday approved Republican legislation that would make it a crime to perform an abortion after 20 weeks of fetal development.

Murphy, a member of the House Pro-Life Caucus, is among its co-sponsors. He avoided the media in Washington after voting for the legislation, and efforts by reporters to talk to him were unsuccessful.

NARAL Pro-Choice America quickly criticized 'the height of hypocrisy' displayed by Murphy's support for the legislation.

'You shouldn't have to be a member of Congress just to access your right to abortion,' said Sasha Bruce, a vice president for the pro-abortion rights group.

In the past the US congressman has been applauded by the Family Research Council for his views on abortion.

The H.R. 7 bill was passed by congress in January, which states the use of federal funds to pay for abortions will be permanently prohibited.

The law also states that federal medical facilities and health professionals aren't allowed to provide abortion services.

'I proudly sponsored and voted for this important bill to clearly stand for the dignity and value of all human life, both the born and the unborn,' said Murphy.

'Passage of H.R. 7 in the wake of the President's executive action gives me great hope we will once again be a nation committed to honoring life and ensuring American taxpayer dollars are never spent to end a life before it even begins.'

A message from January 25 from Shannon Edwards (his mistress) said the congressman had 'zero issue posting your pro-life stance all over the place when you had no issue asking me to abort our unborn child just last week when we thought that was one of the options,' according to the The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Murphy recently acknowledged his affair with Edwards, which became public as a result of her divorce proceedings.

In a press statement he said: 'Last year I became involved in an affair with a personal friend. This is nobody's fault but my own, and I offer no excuses. To the extent that there should be any blame in this matter, it falls solely upon me.

'I ask the media to respect the privacy of my family. They have done nothing wrong and deserve to be left alone,' the statement added.

The Pennsylvania politician has served eight-terms in congress, is married and has an adult daughter. Edwards, 32, is a practicing psychologist and performs evaluations of defendants for the Allegheny County court system.

Murphy and Edwards met when she volunteered to contribute to a mental health bill that was signed into law in December.

Edwards maintains that she did not begin to have a intimate relationship with Murphy until her marriage had fallen apart.

'We had a collegial and friend relationship before anything else,' Edwards told the court.

Dr Jesse Sallt, who married Edwards on July 28, 2012, however, claims that his marriage was destroyed by the affair, and filings showed that he knew Edwards was having an affair with 'a well-known political figure in the community.'

Sally said he believed the affair began in February 2016.

Murphy said that his relationship with Edwards ended last year.
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - It was a phone call urging renewed scrutiny of the unsolved 1937 killings of two eastern-central Nebraska lawmen that helped lead to a re-examination and solving of the case, Nebraska investigators said Tuesday.

But it wasn't the victims' family calling for a new look. It was the son of one of the suspects.

"He called me in late December 2014," Seward County Sheriff Joe Yocum said. "He had seen a story about the case that had appeared in Nebraska Life magazine. He was convinced that his father was involved in the killing of these men."

This undated photo provided by Nebraska Life Magazine shows Boone County Sheriff Lawrence I. Smoyer. Investigators say a re-examination of long-buried case files shows that two known criminals were responsible for a shooting that killed Smoyer and another Nebraska lawman in 1937. The Nebraska Attorney General's Office announced Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2017, investigators consider the case solved after a three-year effort that included tracking down decades-old case files. (Nebraska Life Magazine via AP)

The Nebraska Attorney General's office is convinced, too, declaring the shooting deaths solved. Officials gathered for a news conference Tuesday in Albion to say Marion Cooley and Charles Doody - both long dead - had shot Boone County Sheriff Lawrence Smoyer and Boone County Constable William Henry Wathen outside a ranch near Albion on June 17, 1937.

That morning, Smoyer and Wathen were investigating reports of a suspicious vehicle parked at the ranch when they encountered two suspects who fired on the officers. Smoyer was shot in the head and died instantly in the ambush. Wathen returned fire, but was shot in both hips and left for dead. He was found the next day and lived another 108 days before succumbing to his injuries. Tuesday's announcement was made on the 80th anniversary of Wathen's death.

Wathen was able to give detailed accounts of the shooting, the suspects and their car and even the car's license plate. Within days, Cooley and Doody, who were already career criminals, had been identified as the top suspects.

The car used in the ambush turned out to have been stolen from Denver. It was later found in Cheyenne, Wyoming, riddled with bullets from Wathen's gun. Multiple sightings of the car and men matching the description of Cooley and Doody were reported. A plaster cast from the scene matched Cooley's footprints.

When Nebraska investigators were ready to issue an arrest warrant for the men about a year after the shooting, Doody was nowhere to be found, and Cooley was already serving a prison sentence in Colorado in an unrelated case. According to the laws at the time, Nebraska had to wait until Cooley was paroled in 1948 before Nebraska officials could take him into custody.

But by then, World War II had wreaked havoc on the case. The original investigators who would have served as witnesses had died or been killed in the war, were still in the military stationed at unknown posts or had retired to places unknown. A reorganization of the Nebraska State Sheriff's Association into what is now the Nebraska State Patrol saw the shuffling of files in the case that weren't found again until sometime in the last three years.

And as the years marched on, Cooley and Doody - who used the alias Charles Simms - served time in prisons in Colorado and California for various crimes. Officials say Cooley had no known children and died in 1965. Doody, living as Simms, married at least a couple of times and had several children, including the son who called Nebraska investigators in 2014. Doody died in 1995.

Yocum said he and state attorney general chief investigator Bill Black, who is originally from Albion, learned sometime in 2014 that they had both been occasionally investigating the case on their own. They began exchanging information on the case when Doody's son called.

Yocum and Black then began poring over old files in the case whenever they had time aside from their other cases, piecing together long-buried notes, files and evidence to confirm what investigators 80 years ago had believed - that Cooley and Doody were responsible.

Prosecutors reviewed the work against modern prosecutorial standards to close the case, said Suzanne Gage, a spokeswoman for the Nebraska Attorney General's Office.

"If these men were living, they would be charged and, we believe, would be held responsible," she said.

Yocum said he spoke to Doody's son a few days before Tuesday's announcement.

"He said he didn't want to be contacted by media," Yocum said. "All he wanted from me was any newspaper articles or any stories that were written in the local media. He also wanted me to extend an apology to the families of the deceased."
LOS ANGELES (AP) - In a headline for a story Oct. 3 about the death of the psychotherapist who created "Primal Therapy," The Associated Press erroneously reported his name. He is Arthur Janov, not Yanov.

A corrected version of the story is below:

"Primal Scream" therapist Arthur Janov dies at 93

Arthur Janov (YA'-nahv), a psychotherapist whose "primal therapy" had celebrities screaming to release their childhood traumas and spawned a best-selling book in the 1970s, has died

By ROBERT JABLON

Associated Press

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Arthur Janov, a psychotherapist whose "primal therapy" had celebrities screaming to release their childhood traumas and spawned a best-selling book in the 1970s, has died. He was 93.

Janov died Oct. 1 at his Malibu home from respiratory arrest following a stroke, said his wife, France Janov.

Janov, a clinical psychologist, became an international celebrity with his idea that adults repressed childhood traumas, making them neurotic and leading to problems such as mood disorders, drug addiction and even epilepsy.

He believed that what he termed "Primal Pain" could extend as far as birth.

"Coming close to death at birth or feeling unloved as a child are examples of such Pain," he wrote.

"When the Pain is too much, it is repressed and stored away. When enough unresolved Pain has occurred, we lose access to your feelings and become neurotic," he wrote. "The number one killer in the world today is not cancer or heart disease, it is repression."

His therapy method involved having people relive their traumatic memories by "regressing" to infancy or childhood in order to confront and exorcise their demons. His Southern California center provided props such as cribs and stuffed animals. Patients, who might pay thousands of dollars, would scream or shout as their supposedly pent-up traumas were revealed.

"Once you feel it, people just become themselves," his wife said. "People don't need the drugs, the smoking, the acting out... not to feel that pain."

Janov contended that the therapy could cure everything from stuttering to drug addiction to epilepsy, and might even lead to an end to war.

He included homosexuality as a curable condition, although the American Psychiatric Association took it off the list of psychiatric disorders in 1973.

His 1970 book "The Primal Scream," made him an international celebrity. His patients included John Lennon, Yoko Ono and actor James Earl Jones.

In a 1975 book, Janov called his therapy "the only hope if mankind is to survive" and suggested that what he called primal consciousness "certainly means an end to war."

As with many other emotional-release therapies of its time, primal therapy now is widely rejected by mental health professionals as unscientific and ineffectual.

However, Janov's widow said it still is practiced around the world.

"It changed so many people's lives," she said.
A Conservative MP has said the partys conference in Manchester is being targeted by fascists after pictures circulated on social media of a banner reading: Hang the Tories.

Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham and local Labour MPs denounced the banner, which was strung across a footbridge with two human effigies dangling by their necks below.

Theresa Mays party is facing a weekend of protests in Manchester, with a national anti-austerity demonstration expected to attract thousands on Sunday and a cross-party pro-European rally due to be addressed by Liberal Democrat leader Sir Vince Cable and Tory ex-minister Stephen Dorrell.

Theresa May and her Conservative colleagues were welcomed to Manchester with a 'Hang The Tories' banner

This is just wrong. We will always protect the right to protest but never to threaten, abuse or incite violence. It should come down. https://t.co/JnJEImLpTx  Andy Burnham (@AndyBurnhamGM) September 30, 2017

Delegates arriving at Manchester Piccadilly station on Saturday evening ahead of the conference at the Manchester Central Convention Complex were greeted by an unwelcome party protest led by a choir singing anti-Tory songs.

It was not immediately clear who was responsible for the banner, which was ironically described as charming by Conservative MP Michael Fabricant.

What a charming welcome to Manchester and the Conservative Party Conference, said Mr Fabricant.

These arent protesters, theyre fascists.

What a charming welcome to Manchester and the Conservative Party Conference.

These arent protesters, theyre fascists. pic.twitter.com/kmoNO3V2Zd  Michael Fabricant  (@Mike_Fabricant) September 30, 2017

Mr Burnham and Labours Manchester Central MP Lucy Powell and Ashton-under-Lyne MP Angela Rayner were quick to distance the party from the Hang the Tories message.

Mr Burnham said of the banner: This is just wrong. We will always protect the right to protest but never to threaten, abuse or incite violence. It should come down.

Ms Powell said: On behalf of our city and my constituency, were sorry about this. We disagree with and are angry with your policies, but we wish you no harm.

Welcome to Mcr Central #toryconference Conferences are part of democracy. I think Labour has better values & policies.Let's have the debate.  Lucy Powell MP (@LucyMPowell) September 30, 2017

And shadow education secretary Angela Rayner said: This is disgusting and not the Manchester I know and love. Those that do this let Manchester down.

There is no suggestion that the banner was linked to the protests being organised by the Peoples Assembly Against Austerity, which is due to include speeches from actress Maxine Peake and musician Brian Eno as well as a march outside the conference centre.

Around 30 members of the Leeds-based left-wing Commoners Choir travelled to Manchester to take part in a flash mob protest at Piccadilly station.

They waved Tories Out placards as they sang songs with lyrics including: People often ask me what it is that makes me tick  its Boris Johnsons head upon a stick, and: Youre nowhere if you believe Theresa May  a reference to the PMs attack on citizens of nowhere.

Off to @PartisanCollect with @Commonerschoir to sing how we feel about our gvt. Then singalong march Sunday 12pm Castlefield Basin. Do come pic.twitter.com/qnckjE8lVf  Jane C (@JaneClifford23) September 29, 2017

The choirs songwriter Boff Whalley said: Its meant in fun, but were trying to get a serious message across with a memorable tune.

Speaking ahead of Sundays pro-European really, Sir Vince said: It is vital that we keep up the pressure on the Government. The Conservatives are driving Britain over a cliff edge towards a reckless, extreme Brexit.

And former health secretary Mr Dorrell, chair of the European Movement UK, said: Democracy is a process, not an event.

A healthy democracy is a dialogue in which all voices should be heard. And it must allow the voters to change their mind.
The root cause of Monarchs reduction in revenue was terror attacks in Egypt and Tunisia as well as the decimation of Turkey, according to the companys boss.

Chief executive Andrew Swaffield said the airline was carrying 14% more passengers than last year for 100 million less revenue.

It was badly affected by the 2015 bombing of a Russian airliner which departed from Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt, an attack in Sousse, Tunisia, during the same year which left 30 Britons dead and a 2016 attempted coup in Turkey.

In a letter to staff which he described as the update I hoped I would never have to write, Mr Swaffield explained that the firm went into administration despite our best efforts.

Andrew Swaffield

He said Monarch attempted to pivot our airline from short-haul to long-haul to reduce losses, but was unable to find a deliverable offer from a buyer for its short-haul operations or assets.

Mr Swaffield said he was so sorry for causing huge inconvenience to customers.

He went on: We are working with the joint administrators and the CAA (Civil Aviation Authority) to do everything we possibly can to help minimise disruption where we can, but are under no illusion as to the problems this will cause.

(Simon Stirrat via AP)

And many suppliers will suffer hugely as a result of our insolvency  for which I am equally sorry.

Mr Swaffield told his employees that they can all hold your heads up high and be proud of what you achieved at Monarch.

He added: It has been a company that has cared for its customers and which has been like a family for many people for five decades. I cannot tell you how much I wanted to avoid this outcome and how truly sorry I am.
Theresa May joked about how her husband is no good at DIY as she made a visit to a new housing estate.

The Prime Minster and Chancellor Philip Hammond met a young couple who have just bought a starter home using the Governments Help to Buy scheme.

But during the visit to Walkden, Salford, Mrs May revealed the other Philip in her life is no handyman.

Prime Minister Theresa May visits the home of Rebecca Coulton, who bought a starter home using the Governments Help to Buy scheme, in Walkden, Salford, during the Conservative Party conference in Manchester (Hannah McKay/PA)

Rebecca Coulton said she had turned to help from her "handy" dad when jobs needing doing, although her partner Chris Leyland had helped to build a table.

Mrs May joked: "I didnt choose a DIY specialist either, I can tell you."

The Chancellor, meanwhile, urged the couple to "tell all your friends, 10 billion into the scheme" as they chatted over a cup of tea.

Ms Coulton said: "I cant recommend it enough."
Prison inmates who started a 15-hour riot which caused more than 6 million damage to Birminghams Winson Green prison have been jailed for up to nine years.

Luke Mansell, 24 and John Burton, 39, were last week found guilty of a prison mutiny which caused destruction on a grand scale, and saw more than 500 prisoners let out of their cells after inmates seized keys.

Three others, Ross Wilkinson, 24; Robert Smith, 34; Nathan Weston, 23, all admitted the same charge before a Birmingham Crown Court trial.

Order was only restored at the G4S-run jail after hundreds of specially-trained Tornado team prison officers were drafted in to quell the disturbances on December 16, last year.

Sentencing on Monday, the Recorder of Birmingham Judge Melbourne Inman QC told the men: You were unquestionably the ring-leaders and instigators of the mutiny.

The destruction you few caused and the hostility showed was replicated by the other hundreds of prisoners.

36-years jail for Birmingham prison riot ringleaders: https://t.co/UdJ3IyyeKF  West Midlands Police (@WMPolice) October 2, 2017

It was your direct action in allowing you to get hold of the keys, enabled the release of all the other prisoners on the wings.

He added that there had been graphic evidence of the violence faced by prison officers, which had a profound impact on staff.

The judge said the jails wings were left uninhabitable, and there had been destruction on a grand scale.

A rioting prisoner at HMP Birmingham (West Midlands Police/PA)

He added that a clear message had to be given to anyone considering this type of action.

Burton, who had a lengthy record of 89 offences, was jailed for nine years, along with Mansell.

Mansell, on remand at the time of the riot, was convicted in February 2017 of conspiracy to commit grievous bodily harm, for an unpalatable offence in which the victim was tied to a chair, had his penis branded with hair straighteners, was forced to eat faeces, and had a front tooth pulled out with pliers.

Wilkinson, a convicted burglar; Weston, who had been jailed for arson, and Smith, with 25 previous convictions, were each jailed for six years.

The sixth instigator, 30-year-old Grant Samed, will be sentenced in November.

Two other men; Carl Brookes, 33, and 30-year-old Ross Queen will be sentenced on Tuesday for taking an unauthorised photo in the prison, during the riot.
Duck Inn Splits & Otto Mezzo Closes, Signaling Big Changes At Rockit Ranch

By Anthony Todd in Food on Oct 3, 2017 3:58PM



Chef Kevin Hickey. Photo via Facebook.

Back in 2014, Chef Kevin Hickey (who got great reviews as the chef at Allium in the Four Seasons) made a surprising announcement - he was headed to Rockit Ranch Productions, Billy Dec's hospitality company, to run the food and beverage program. This collaboration led to some great spots: places like Bottlefork, The Duck Inn and Otto Mezzo, that were surprisingly highbrow for the company that previously didn't have much of a reputation for great food. Well, the good times are (apparently) over.

Late last week (as in Friday, at 4 p.m., the preferred time for bad news to drop), Hickey's representatives sent out an announcement that, effective immediately, he and Rockit Ranch had parted ways. The announcement was amiable-sounding, at least.

Rockit Ranch Productions and I have made the mutual decision to separate so that we can focus our energies on what we each do best. The partnership has been an honor and a privilege. We have learned, grown and been challenged. We know our friendship will carry on and we will always be there to support and enjoy in each others successes, as I am confident there will be many. As for my focus now, my center of gravity is Bridgeport. My family lives down the street from the restaurant. My son busses tables there. I want to do more to raise the profile of this South side community. To do so, I need to be present.

The big announcement at the end: The Duck Inn, which has become both a nationally-acclaimed restaurant and a Bridgeport staple, would stay open, but would become independent and owned by Hickey.

on Monday, more news broke. Otto Mezzo, the fairly-new vermouth-focused bar in River North, would also be closing. Eater reports that Brandon Phillips, who had run the beverage program, would be following Hickey and continuing to work with Duck Inn.

It's a bit surprising that the loss of a bartender (even one as great as Phillips) would cause the closing of a popular bar backed by a restaurant group, unless something else was going on. Is Rockit having difficulties? Did the bar just not perform well? Or did the group decide that highbrow food and drink just wasn't worth the bother? If so, they wouldn't be alone.

In any case, the most important thing for me is that whatever drama happened didn't take The Duck Inn and Chef Hickey down with it. That restaurant is incredibly special, and given how many closings we've endured lately, losing it might be more than Chicago can stand.
Romelu Lukaku has denied holding an excessively loud party in Beverley Hills as he was on the verge of a 75million transfer from Everton to Manchester United.

The 24-year-old striker was arrested over an excessive noise complaint after allegedly receiving five verbal warnings from police over a five-day period.

The Belgium international did not appear in court in Los Angeles on Monday but his lawyer, Robert Humphreys, entered a plea of not guilty on his behalf.

Romelu Lukaku in action

6 wins

21 Goals

6 clean sheets

And this guy is the @PremierLeague's top scorer!#MondayMotivation pic.twitter.com/iX3oIeDLdf  Manchester United (@ManUtd) October 2, 2017

United completed his signing eight days after his arrest by Beverley Hills Police Department officers at around 8pm on July 2 in his temporary residence in the city.

Days after the incident, he shared on Instagram a picture of himself in an apartment in the city with Old Trafford star Paul Pogba.

Commissioner Jane Godfrey, overseeing the case, ordered Lukaku to appear at Los Angeles Airport Courthouse on November 21.

LA A post shared by Romelu Lukaku (@rlukaku9) on Jul 4, 2017 at 1:19pm PDT

After the hearing, city attorney James Eckart said the striker faces both a fine and paying a sum to cover the cost of the police call-outs that occurred over five days.

Lukaku can opt not to appear in person at the hearing and can instead have a lawyer handle the misdemeanour citation on his behalf.
President Donald Trump has called the gunman who killed 59 people in Las Vegas a very, very sick individual and suggested he was ready to discuss gun laws as time goes by.

Mr Trump was speaking to reporters on Tuesday as he departed for a trip to hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico.

He called the gunman demented and said were looking into him very seriously before praising police in Las Vegas.

Mr Trump stressed the shooting was a tragedy.

Asked about US legislation, the president said well be talking about gun laws as time goes by.

Stephen Craig Paddock, who killed 59 people and injured 527 others, was a big-spending gambler who took 23 guns into his hotel room before opening fire on crowds attending an outdoor music festival.

Gun ownership in the US

Paddock sprayed bullets on revellers enjoying the Route 91 Harvest Festival from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino on Las Vegas Strip.

The 64-year-old retired accountant from Mesquite, Nevada, killed himself before officers stormed Room 135 in the gold-coloured glass skyscraper.

Assistant sheriff Todd Fasulo said Paddock had 23 guns, some with scopes, in his hotel room.

Gun ownership among adults in the United States

Authorities found 19 more guns at his home in Mesquite, as well as explosives and thousands of rounds of ammunition.

Several pounds of ammonium nitrate, a fertiliser that can be turned into explosives such as those used in the 1995 Oklahoma bombing, were discovered in his car.

Shooting timeline

Investigators believe the shooting, the most deadly in modern US history, was a lone wolf attack, and say they do not have any information to lead them to suspect there were more assailants.

Paddocks brother described the gunman as a multi-millionaire property developer who liked to gamble large amounts of money at the world-famous casinos in Las Vegas who had no known political or religious agenda.

Stephen Paddock's home in Reno, Nevada

Eric Paddock told reporters his brother often received free rooms and meals from casinos, telling reporters: He was a guy who had money.

He went on cruises and gambled.

(PA Graphics)

He told the Orlando Sentinel: We are completely dumbfounded. We cant understand what happened.

He also said their father was a bank robber who was once on the most wanted list.

Investigators are working to establish a motive for the attack, but a law enforcement official said there was no immediate indication that the massacre was connected to international terrorism.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack and said the gunman was a soldier who had converted to Islam months ago, but it provided no evidence to back up the claim.

A graphic released by Amaq News Agency, a media arm of the Islamic State group, claiming responsibility for the mass shooting in Las Vegas

Country music star Jason Aldean was performing on Sunday night at the end of the three-day festival in front of a crowd of more than 22,000 when the gunman opened fire from inside the 44-floor hotel across the street.

Paddock had checked into the hotel room on Thursday, authorities said.

People attending the country music concert described scenes of horror as they realised that what they first thought were fireworks were actually gunshots.

Harrowing video footage showed Aldean stopping his performance after an initial volley of shots could be heard.

After a pause, the gunman fired another volley, with the muzzle flashes visible from the casino as victims fell to the ground, while others fled in panic.

Eric Paddock

Jason Sorenson, of Newport Beach, California, said he first realised something was wrong when musicians left the stage.

He ran and said we saw people with blood all over their shirts.

Brandon Clack, of La Palma, California, said he heard many shots fired and the shooting that went on for a long time, like 10 minutes.

A woman cries while hiding inside the Sands Corporation plane hangar after the shooting

Concertgoers fled into casinos and crammed into cars to get away from the shooting.

Barbara Magro, of Orange County, California, said they were getting into peoples trucks. I saw one with about 20 people in the back.

Police shut down busy Las Vegas Boulevard, and federal and state authorities converged on the scene.

A young woman hides inside the Sands Corporation plane hangar after the shooting

Interstate 15 was briefly closed, and flights at McCarran International Airport were suspended.

Hospital emergency rooms were jammed with the wounded.

The dead included at least three off-duty police officers from various departments who were attending the concert, authorities said.

The UKs thoughts are with the victims and the emergency services responding to the appalling attack in Las Vegas.  Theresa May (@theresa_may) October 2, 2017

Two on-duty officers were wounded, one critically, police said.

Mr Fasulo said Paddock shot a security guard on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Hotel.

In an address to the country on Monday, Mr Trump called the attack an act of pure evil and added: In moments of tragedy and horror, America comes together as one. And it always has.

Prime Minister Theresa May wrote on Twitter: The UKs thoughts are with the victims and the emergency services responding to the appalling attack in Las Vegas.

Before Sundays massacre, the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history took place in June 2016, when a gunman who professed support for Muslim extremist groups opened fire at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, killing 49 people.
Home Secretary Amber Rudd has announced a ban on the sale of acid to under 18s in the wake of a string of absolutely revolting attacks.

Amber Rudd

She also told the Tory Party conference that the sale of sulphuric acid would be drastically limited, given its use in homemade explosives.

It came as Ms Rudd made a raft of policy announcements, including:

:: Up to 15 years in prison for people who repeatedly view extremist material online

We are announcing plans to tighten the law around online radicalisation  including sentences of up to 15 years for those found guilty. pic.twitter.com/IbLgxXXDAW  Conservatives (@Conservatives) October 3, 2017

:: Major investment in new technology that will track down indecent images of children online and remove them at an unprecedented rate

:: A consultation on new laws around offensive weapons

Ms Rudd also told party activists in Manchester that security services had foiled seven terrorist plots this year.

Amber Rudd

The Home Secretary said that acid attacks were absolutely revolting, adding: I am also announcing a new offence to prevent the sale of acids to under 18s.

Furthermore, given its use in the production of so-called mother of Satan homemade explosives, I also announce my intention to drastically limit the public sale of sulphuric acid.

This is how we will help make our communities safer as crime changes.

She told the conference there had been an exponential surge in the volume of child sexual abuse referrals, as she unveiled a 600,000 investment in new software that trawls the web for images of child sexual abuse.

Amber Rudd

Ms Rudd said the technology will get the images taken down at an unprecedented rate.

She added: Our investment will also enable internet companies to pro-actively search for, and destroy, illegal images in their systems.

We want them to start using it as soon as they can.

Our question to them will be if not, why not. And I will demand very clear answers.

Ms Rudd also outlined a new consultation on offensive weapons, which will be published in the autumn.

New measures could include:

:: Stopping the sale of knives online to someone under the age of 18

A general view of a man in a hoodie holding a knife

:: Making it illegal to keep certain types of weapons - such as flick knives and zombie knives - at home

:: Making it illegal to sell the most harmful corrosive substances to someone under the age of 18

:: Preventing people having a corrosive substance in a public place, without good reason

Ms Rudd said: We are going to prevent children purchasing knives online, and we are going to stop people carrying acid in public if they dont have a good reason.

.@AmberRuddHR: We need the internet companies to bring forward technology solutions 1/2 #CPC17  CCHQ Press (@CCHQPress) October 3, 2017

.@AmberRuddHR: to rid their platforms of this vile terrorist material that plays such a key role in radicalisation 2/2 #CPC117  CCHQ Press (@CCHQPress) October 3, 2017

Ms Rudd said that extending the jail sentence for those viewing extremist content online would close an important gap in the legislation, with tougher sentences only applying at the moment if people have downloaded or stored the material.
President Donald Trump is facing renewed calls to tighten gun control laws after the US was inflicted with its deadliest mass shooting in recent history.

Gun ownership among adults in the United States

Politicians and entertainers from Hillary Clinton to Lady Gaga were among those to demand tightening of regulations after 59 people were killed and 527 wounded at a music concert on the Las Vegas Strip on Sunday.

Stephen Paddock, 64, rained bullets down on the concert-goers from a 32nd-floor hotel room before turning a gun on himself, according to police.

(PA graphics)

Republican leaders had been trying to win concessions to relax regulations on gun silencers and to allow greater freedom for holders of permits to carry concealed weapons.

Former Democrat presidential candidate Mrs Clinton said the massacre could have been even deadlier if a silencer was used to mask the gunfire.

The crowd fled at the sound of gunshots.



Imagine the deaths if the shooter had a silencer, which the NRA wants to make easier to get.  Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) October 2, 2017

Our grief isn't enough. We can and must put politics aside, stand up to the NRA, and work together to try to stop this from happening again.  Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) October 2, 2017

Our grief isnt enough. We can and must put politics aside, stand up to the NRA (National Rifle Association), and work together to try to stop this from happening again, she added.

Nancy Pelosi, the Democrats leader in the House, wrote to Congresss most senior Republican, Paul Ryan, asking him to form a select committee on gun violence and to allow a vote for increased background checks on gun sales.

.@SpeakerRyan, its time for action. Congress must create a Select Committee on Gun Violence. pic.twitter.com/yCpMOUKJKg  Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) October 2, 2017

Congress has a moral duty to address this horrific and heartbreaking epidemic, she wrote.

Today is a day for prayer, mourning and love, but it must also be a day for action.

Lady Gaga said blood is on the hands of those who have power to legislate.

This is terrorism plain and simple. Terror bares no race, gender or religion. Democrats & Republicans please unite now #guncontrol   Lady Gaga (@ladygaga) October 2, 2017

Democrats & Republicans please unite now #guncontrol, she tweeted.

Ariana Grande, who was performing when 22 were killed at the Manchester Arena by a suicide bomber, added to calls.

We need love, unity, peace, gun control & for people to look at this & call this what it is = terrorism, she tweeted.

Harry Potter author JK Rowling added: The massacre of schoolchildren in Dunblane led to UK gun law reform, which is why many stunned that there was no US change after Sandy Hook.

The massacre of schoolchildren in Dunblane led to UK gun law reform, which is why many stunned that there was no US change after Sandy Hook. pic.twitter.com/VDyQ6mbXgp  J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) October 2, 2017

Labour MP and former deputy leader Harriet Harman called for gun control in the US while Conservative MP Sarah Wollaston said Mr Trump should act on the evidence to honour the memory of those slain in Las Vegas.

Despite the calls for immediate action, the White House said now is not the time for a debate on control.

Firearms manufactured in the United States, 2000-2015

Press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said: Today is a day for consoling the survivors and mourning those we lost.
The Scottish Government has announced a ban on fracking.

Energy Minister Paul Wheelhouse confirmed the government will outlaw the controversial gas extraction technique in Scotland.

A moratorium on the practice has been in place since January 2015 and the governments decision follows extensive consultation and consideration of reports on its potential impact.

Anti-fracking protester

The Scottish Government has announced that it will ban fracking for good, read our blog about how we got here: https://t.co/8C95ISt1tu pic.twitter.com/BS367MmT3o  Friends of the Earth Scotland  (@FoEScot) October 3, 2017

Mr Wheelhouse said: Fracking cannot, and will not take place in Scotland.

He said it was the responsibility of the government to make decisions in the best interests of Scotland as a whole.

The minister added: I can confirm the conclusion of the Scottish Government is that we will not support the development of unconventional oil and gas in Scotland.

And it came to pass that Scotland DID do the right thing - we fondly remember all of your help and thank you again @MarkRuffalo https://t.co/KVPpkpJvX4  Friends of the Earth (@friends_earth) October 3, 2017

A public consultation on the issue received more than 60,000 responses, 99% of which were opposed to fracking.

Friends of the Earth Scotland head of campaigns Mary Church said: This is a victory for the environment and for local communities fighting fracking.

The Scottish Governments decision today to ban fracking will be warmly welcomed across the country and around the world.

Victory for communities across Scotland as #fracking moratorium to be turned into a ban, congrats to all the campaigners  Richard Dixon (@Richard_Dixon) October 3, 2017

This is a huge win for the anti-fracking movement, particularly for those on the frontline of this dirty industry here in Scotland, who have been working for a ban these last six years.

Having put a moratorium in place more than two years ago, evaluated the evidence and consulted the people of Scotland, the Scottish Government has reached the right and sensible conclusion that the fracking industry must be banned to avoid potentially devastating impacts to peoples health, the climate and our natural environment.

Mr Wheelhouse said an immediate ban will be put in place and the Scottish Parliaments endorsement will be sought during a debate and vote following recess later this month.

Local campaigners @mcrfoe @FrackFreeManc at #cpc17 calling on Greg Clark to refuse fracking consent - email him here https://t.co/EiGmpqYUh5 pic.twitter.com/iPVkrKGcH5  North West FOE (@NorthWestFOE) October 2, 2017

Welcoming the ban, Dr Sam Gardner, acting director of WWF Scotland, said: Its excellent news the Scottish Government has listened to the thousands of people, campaigners, and politicians across the country who have been calling for a permanent ban to fracking.

The climate science is clear. The vast majority of fossil fuel reserves need to be left in the ground. Its fantastic Scottish Ministers agree that we need to start placing them off limits.

Mr Wheelhouse said the government would use planning regulations to extend the current moratorium indefinitely, removing the need for legislation.

He said: Let me be clear that the action is sufficient to effectively ban the development of unconventional oil and gas extraction in Scotland.

Conservative MSP Dean Lockhart said the decision meant Scotlands economy was being left behind and that reports had shown fracking could bring up to 4.6 billion in additional GVA and thousands of jobs.

He said: This much-needed economic boost and these jobs will now be created outside of Scotland, thanks to the SNP.

Political parties and green campaigners have argued that fracking causes damage to the environment, while others have highlighted potential economic benefits.

Gary Smith, the GMB unions Scotland secretary, accused the Scottish Government of being dishonest and hypercritical, adding: Scotland is importing a huge amount of shale gas from Trumps America.

If the government wants to be consistent, it will now ban shale gas imports, threatening a huge number of job losses.

The government has failed to explain where the two million households in Scotland using gas to heat their homes will get gas from in the future.
Worcester have signed Australian fly-half Jono Lance on a short-term deal to boost their Aviva Premiership campaign.

The 27-year-old Western Force playmaker will bolster the Warriors ranks at fly-half, alongside Tom Heathcote, Sam Olver and Jamie Shillcock.

"Jono is a player whos got vast experience at the top level having won Super Rugby titles with different clubs," said Worcester rugby director Gary Gold.

Gary Gold has added to his Worcester side

 BREAKING NEWS 



Warriors confirm signing of Australian fly-half Jono Lance.



https://t.co/iRy2a97Oay pic.twitter.com/D1t6fWTLlP  Worcester Warriors (@WorcsWarriors) October 3, 2017

"He will help drive the competition for the number 10 jersey and were looking forward to seeing what he has to offer."

Former Queensland Reds and Waratahs fly-half Lance admitted he is looking forward to his move, adding: "Im really excited about the opportunity to represent the Warriors in the Aviva Premiership."
By Michelle Nichols

UNITED NATIONS, Oct 2 (Reuters) - A top Myanmar official appealed on Monday for democracy in the country to be given "a chance to survive" amid international anger over a military campaign against Rohingya Muslims that the United Nations has described as ethnic cleansing.

Some 507,000 Rohingya Muslim have fled to Bangladesh since insurgents attacked security posts near the border on Aug. 25, triggering fierce Myanmar military retaliation. Myanmar says more than 500 people have been killed, most of them insurgents.

National Security Adviser Thaung Tun told Reuters that he has spoken with his U.S. counterpart, H.R. McMaster, on the phone and visited members of the U.S. Congress in Washington last week. He said sanctions were not specifically discussed.

The United States called last week on countries to suspend providing weapons to Myanmar's military, but it stopped short of threatening to reimpose U.S. sanctions, which were suspended under the Obama administration.

"We need to ensure that democracy has a chance to survive in Myanmar. This is a young democracy," Thaung Tun told Reuters in an interview at the United Nations, noting that government leader and Nobel peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi has only been in office for 18 months.

Suu Kyi assumed power following a landslide election win after former military leaders initiated a political transition. For years, the United States and others imposed sanctions on Myanmar in support of Suu Kyi's campaign for democracy.

"We have a lot of challenges and these challenges cannot be overcome in a day. Rome wasn't built in a day. So we can't undo 50 years of challenges," said Thaung Tun, adding that he hoped to meet in person with McMaster, President Donald Trump's national security adviser, to brief him on the current situation.

"NOBODY ABOVE THE LAW"

A Trump administration official said last month the violence made it harder for the United States and Myanmar to build warmer ties, and there would likely be some "easing" in the short term, but he did not expect a return to sanctions.

Thaung Tun said he had not met privately with U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley but had spoken to her briefly on the sidelines of other meetings in New York.

The U.N. Security Council met publicly last week on Myanmar for the first time since 2009. Haley said the Myanmar authorities appeared to be carrying out "a brutal, sustained campaign to cleanse the country of an ethnic minority."

She said countries should stop supplying weapons to Myanmar until the military has sufficient accountability measures.

Thaung Tun said "action has been taken against a number of policemen who exceeded their bounds in dealing with detainees."

"We have very strict instructions for the security forces to carry out their duties within the bounds of the code of conduct," he said. "Nobody is above the law."

He said that ethnic cleansing or genocide was not happening in Myanmar.

The Myanmar government has said that there have no military operations since Sept. 5. But Thaung Tun said that since then security forces have responded when attacked.

"Under the cover of night there have been some sporadic attacks and the police and the security people have been required to respond in self-defense," he said.

The Rohingya are denied citizenship and classified as illegal immigrants, despite claiming roots in Myanmar that go back centuries, with communities marginalized and subjected to bouts of communal violence over the years.

Bangladesh and Myanmar agreed on Monday to set up a "working group" to plan the repatriation of those who had fled. (Reporting by Michelle Nichols; Editing by Leslie Adler)
BERLIN, Oct 3 (Reuters) - Germany's departing finance minister expressed optimism that his country's democratic institutions were strong enough to withstand the arrival of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) as the third-largest party in parliament.

Wolfgang Schaueble, who is due to step down as finance minister to become president of the Bundestag parliament, told the newspaper Bild am Sonntag that AfD's 90-odd elected lawmakers would be constrained by Germany's constitution.

"I'd like to see more self-confidence," he told the newspaper in an interview published on Tuesday. "Our free, democratic system based on the rule of law is so strong that nobody can wreck it, neither from within nor from without. Anybody who tries will fail."

The 75-year-old conservative took his new job at the urging of Chancellor Angela Merkel. Her conservatives are trying to patch together a three-way coalition with the Greens and the pro-business Free Democrats, who are expected to demand the position of finance minister.

Also, many in Germany's mainstream felt a senior politician was needed to rein in the first far-right party to enter parliament in 50 years. Schaueble is Germany's longest-serving parliamentarian, and his stature is second only to Merkel's in German politics.

But Schaueble said he was ready to move on: "I decided before the elections after eight years as finance minister and many years' government responsibility to take on a new task."

He added he was confident that a three-party coalition would be agreed, dismissing arguments about a formal cap on immigration as a "false argument". He defended Merkel's 2015 decision to open Germany's borders to over a million migrants fleeing war in Africa and the Middle East.

"Even our children will remember with pride the willingness to help that the Germans showed during the refugee crisis," he told the paper. (Reporting By Thomas Escritt and Victoria Bryan, editing by Larry King)
By Alexandra Valencia

QUITO, Oct 2 (Reuters) - An Ecuadorean judge on Monday ordered pre-trial detention for Vice President Jorge Glas as part of an investigation into Brazilian construction company Odebrecht's corruption scandal.

Glas, a 48-year-old electrical engineer, has been accused by senior members of the government of former President Rafael Correa of corruption while serving as a minister and vice president during seven years of Correa's government.

Judge Miguel Jurado approved a prosecutor's request for preventative detention on the grounds that Glas allegedly accepted bribes, and also agreed to freeze his assets.

Glas said the accusations lack evidence and are part of a politicized campaign against him.

"Don't worry, you don't have to search for me, I'm where I always am," Glas said via Twitter. "I'm not going to escape. Those who are innocent never flee."

Fallout from the massive Odebrecht corruption scandal has continued to sweep Latin America.

The company, which has admitted to paying bribes to win contracts in a number of countries, has already paid $3.5 billion in settlements in the United States, Brazil and Switzerland.

A close ally of leftist ex-President Rafael Correa, Glas served as Correa's vice president from 2013 and retained the position under current President Lenin Moreno.

In August he was suspended from his duties by Moreno, who accused him of not being a team player. (Reporting by Alexandra Valencia; Writing by Alexandra Ulmer Editing by Rosalba O'Brien)
Oct 3 (Reuters) - Hong Kong stocks rose on Tuesday, led by Chinese banks and insurers after China's central bank cut reserve ratios and by materials shares after Beijing reported stronger-than-expected September factory activity.

The blue chip Hang Seng index rose 1.6 percent to 28,003.80 points by the lunch break as trading resumed following a public holiday on Monday.

The Hong Kong China Enterprises Index surged 2.8 percent to 11,211.79, heading for its biggest daily percentage gain since May 25, 2016.

"Chinese banks are anticipated to benefit from the latest central bank's move," said Steven Leung, a director from UOB Kay. "The latest move is seen to give those struggling small to medium size enterprises a breather."

China's central bank on Saturday cut the amount of cash that some banks must hold as reserves for the first time since February 2016 in a bid to encourage more lending to struggling smaller firms and energize its lacklustre private sector.

Analysts at Morgan Stanley said in a note that the move, which it estimated could release around 300 billion yuan ($45 billion) in liquidity, should support banks' net interest margins and profit growth in 2018, when the cuts take effect.

ICBC rose as much as 6.2 percent to HK$6.16, the highest since July 2015. China Construction Bank climbed 5.4 percent and Bank of China gained 4.2 percent. Ping An Insurance Group rose 2.4 percent.

Chinese markets will be shut all this week for the holiday and will not resume trade until Oct. 9.

Investors are also awaiting China's 19th Communist Party Congress, which starts on Oct. 18. The twice-in-a-decade meeting will see a key leadership reshuffle and the setting of top political and economic priorities for the next five years.

Upbeat manufacturing activity data from China at the weekend also boosted confidence.

An official survey showed the sector expanded at the fastest pace since 2012 in September as factories cranked up output to take advantage of strong demand and high prices, easing worries of a slowdown.

Hong Kong-listed gaming stocks rose after Macau casino revenue rose 16.1 percent in September from a year earlier, heading into a bumper National Holiday week which is expected to see strong visitor traffic to the world's biggest casino hub. ($1 = 6.6533 Chinese yuan renminbi) (Reporting by Donny Kwok; Editing by Kim Coghill)
Man Killed In Drive-By Shooting In McKinley Park

By Emma G. Gallegos in News on Oct 3, 2017 7:59PM



A street view of the McKinley railroad viaduct near where the shooting occurred (Google Maps)

Today a man was fatally wounded in a noontime drive-by shooting in McKinley Park, police say.

A 35-year-old man, whose name hasn't been released, was traveling on foot in the 3300 block of South Damen Avenue at 12:15 p.m. today. A green SUV rolled up next to him and someone inside fired shots before fleeing, Chicago Police Department spokesperson Officer Thomas Sweeney told Chicagoist.

The man was hit in the neck. He was transported to Stroger Hospital in critical condition, and he was later pronounced dead. No one has been taken custody in the shooting.

Police told the Tribune that the shooting happened near a McKinley Park railroad viaduct, and the SUV fled south afterward.
KAMPALA, Oct 3 (Reuters) - Five grenades were thrown overnight at the homes of two Ugandan legislators opposed to scrapping the presidential age limit and thereby extending President Yoweri Museveni's more than 31 years in power.

The two legislators, Allan Ssewanyana and Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, have been outspoken in efforts to resist an ongoing effort to change the constitution to allow Museveni to stay on.

Museveni has been president since January 1986.

Two grenades were thrown at Ssewanyana's residence and three others at Kyagulanyi's.

Both legislators were among MPs forcefully ejected from the parliament chamber last week by Uganda's special forces.

"The grenades were thrown, so yes it happened. The police (have) already gone to the residence of Hon. Kyagulanyi and they are piecing up evidence at the scene of crime, and trying to find out what really happened," police spokesman Asan Kasingye, said.

But he dismissed as "absurd" the idea that the attacks were politically motivated.

Talking to local NBS TV, Ssewanyana said he was scared but would not give up the fight against the constitutional change.

"I can't give up and am calling upon all Ugandans not to give up because this is a serious fight. What shows the seriousness is the attacks that they have now started against us ... Attacks involving weapons," he said.

In late September, at least five Ugandan lawmakers received hospital treatment for injuries sustained while being dragged out of the parliament by plain-clothes security guards that opposition MPs said were really soldiers from Museveni's special forces.

Those clashes erupted in the chamber over the motion to end the age limit. (Reporting by Elias Biryabarema; Writing by Clement Uwiringiyimana Editing by Jeremy Gaunt)
BRUSSELS, Oct 3 (Reuters) - Belgium took steps to expel a Saudi imam who preaches at the country's biggest mosque for spreading extremist ideology, the immigration minister said on Tuesday.

The imam's residence permit was withdrawn as a prelude to expelling him. He had lodged an appeal against that decision which, if it failed, would oblige him to leave the country, Minister Theo Francken told radio station BelRTL.

Brussels' Grand Mosque, which was leased to Saudi Arabia for 99 years in the 1960s as part of an energy deal, has faced repeated accusations from local politicians of propagating ultra-conservative forms of Islam.

"There is a problem with the Grand Mosque... I have taken the decision to withdraw the residence permit of the imam of that mosque," Francken said.

"We have had some very clear indications that he was very radicalised, Salafist and conservative. He was dangerous for our society and national security."

Francken did not name of the imam, who the ministry also declined to name when contacted by Reuters.

Authorities at the mosque were not immediately available for comment.

The Salafist movement - which is strongly influenced by Saudi Arabia's Wahhabi school of Islam - sees many other branches of the faith as heretical has been linked to militant groups such as Islamic State.

A judge will decide in the coming weeks on the imam's appeal. (Reporting by Robert-Jan Bartunek; editing by John Stonestreet)
By Inna Lazareva

YAOUNDE, Oct 3 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - For Francois Xavier, July 17, 1994 will be forever etched on his memory as the day he cheated death.

"We were running through gunfire," he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation, seated on a courtyard bench in downtown Yaounde, Cameroon's capital. "Behind, they were shooting at us."

Amid the hubbub of children flooding out of a nearby school, Xavier's expression darkens as he recalls how he fled his native country, Rwanda.

Then a 22-year-old student, chased by soldiers from the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), he ran so hard he didn't realise he had crossed the border into Democratic Republic of Congo.

He escaped just in time. Later, his three brothers and two sisters were shot by the RPF at point-blank range.

"What is most savage and cruel is that my mother and father were standing there, watching as their children were killed," he said.

After crossing Congo alone, Xavier reached Cameroon, where he obtained refugee status. Twenty three years on, he is an established nurse anesthesiologist, and the head of the country's almost 900-strong Rwandan refugee community.

Unlike more recent refugees, often clustered in the country's East or Far North regions eking out an existence between camps and urban slums, Rwandans in the capital are a well-structured group, due in part to the strong support network they have established.

But the shadows of the 1994 genocide - in which an estimated 800,000 died, most of them Tutsis - remain hard to cast aside.

The vast majority of Cameroon's Rwandan community is ethnically Hutu, like Xavier. Some had significant links with members of the regime who took part, directly or tangentially, in the genocide against the Tutsis.

Among the refugees is a relative of a bodyguard for former Rwandan President Juvenal Habyarimana, whose killing when his plane was downed was a key trigger for the genocide. Another is a family member of an army general wanted for war crimes, now in hiding.

After the genocide, many Hutus were persecuted and forced to flee Rwanda as surviving Tutsis sought bloody revenge.

COMMUNITY SUPPORT

Over the past two decades, Rwandan refugees living in Yaounde have focused their energies on helping each other.

The president of the refugee community is supported by two deputies, two secretaries and a treasurer, alongside a council of elders charged with resolving disputes.

This self-sufficiency against the odds is borne from a traditional suspicion of outsiders and their motives, Rwandans say. It has fostered an impressive network of mutual support.

When Elizabeth Nyirazankira, 40, was attacked at a market by a machete-wielding thief, she was seriously wounded in her left arm. The refugee community collected around 2 million francs ($3,575) to help her pay medical fees and stay afloat when she could not work.

Others, growing in confidence, have decided to draw on their own traumatic experiences to reach out beyond their own group.

Veronique Sibomana struggled after arriving in Cameroon, pregnant with three young children. But once she got on her feet, she decided to help others facing similar hardship.

Today she heads a Yaounde women's refugee collective, a voluntary post working with women from Congo, Central African Republic, Ivory Coast, Chad, Togo, Burundi, Nigeria and Rwanda. They help provide services from psychological counselling to food aid.

Kelly Yotebieng, a medical anthropologist at Ohio State University who has spent several years studying Rwandan urban refugees in Cameroon, said they have "an incredibly strong work ethic and a sense of entrepreneurship". They place enormous value on formal education, as well as on social ties, she added.

ELECTION

But in recent months, old political tensions have resurfaced, triggered by Rwanda's presidential elections in August. For the first time, non-refugee Rwandans were allowed to vote in Yaounde, a move that outraged some.

Jean Baptiste Zikama, a Rwandan diplomat-turned-businessman of mixed Hutu-Tutsi background who settled in Cameroon in 1994, instigated the voting, seeing it as a way of strengthening the diaspora. By law, refugees were not allowed to participate.

"We thought that Rwandans who are here have the right to vote, as nationals. That's why we decided to organise it," said Zikama, taking his blue Rwandan passport from his shirt pocket.

Only about 10 percent of eligible Rwandans in Cameroon - most of whom are Hutu - voted in the August poll, with the vast majority backing Paul Kagame, Rwanda's long-standing Tutsi president.

Kagame, who has been in power for 17 years, won 98.8 percent of the vote in Rwanda. Rights groups and opponents accuse him of ruling with an iron fist, suffocating dissent and dealing ruthlessly with critics.

Some in Cameroon say the Yaounde voting uncovered the open wounds of the genocide once again. Bringing in a Rwandan diplomat from Congo Republic to help run the poll also rang an alarm bell.

Some Rwandan dissidents have been killed after fleeing abroad in cases that remain unsolved. The government denies any involvement.

"We know that wherever there is a Rwandan non-refugee diaspora, there are disappearances, assassinations," said refugee community head Xavier, who suspects there are Rwandan agents working for the authorities embedded in Cameroon. "They consider us as opposition, even if we're not involved in politics."

Madeleine Nizeyimana, 51, said the recent poll had "created something bad" by stirring up the past.

Before the genocide, she was married to a presidential intelligence agent living in an upscale district of the Rwandan capital Kigali. Today, home is a small, dark room in a back-street slum of Yaounde's Etoa-Meki neighbourhood.

Nizeyimana fled Rwanda when rockets started raining down on her street, but since the genocide, Tutsi friends back home have protected many members of her Hutu family, she said. As such, she believes simplistic interpretations should be avoided.

"Me, I can't say President Kagame is someone bad - just like I can't say that (we Hutus are) all 'good'. Each one has their faults," she said, as a mouse scurried past cooking pots on the floor.

"Just because we're refugees who are out of the country, it doesn't mean we are saints," she said. "We must get rid of all this 'ethnicity' business... It's the dirty mentality that we must wash out of our heads. We must live like brothers." (Reporting by Inna Lazareva, editing by Megan Rowling and Katy Migiro; Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, climate change, resilience, women's rights, trafficking and property rights. Visit http://news.trust.org/)
BAGHDAD, Oct 3 (Reuters) - Up to 78,000 people could be trapped in Islamic State-held Hawija in northern Iraq, the United Nations said on Tuesday, as security forces push to recapture the town.

Iraq started an offensive on Sept. 21 to seize Hawija, which fell to the hands of militants after the Iraqi army collapsed in 2014 in the face of the Islamic State offensive and remains the last militant-held town in the country's north.

U.N. humanitarian spokesman Jens Laerke said the number of people who have fled the fighting has increased from 7,000 people during the first week of the operation to some 12,500 people now. But up to 78,000 remain trapped, he said.

Iraqi security officials say the militants prevent some residents from leaving, while others are afraid of escaping towards government forces because of the explosives that might have been laid by Islamic State around the town.

"We remain concerned for the lives and well-being of these vulnerable civilians and remind those doing the fighting that civilians must be protected at all times and allowed to safely leave Hawija," Laerke said.

Laerke said more people were expected to flee the fighting in areas around Hawija in the next 24 to 48 hours as security forces push into more densely populated areas.

Hawija, north of Baghdad, and a stretch of land along the Syrian border, west of the Iraqi capital, are the last stretches of territory in Iraq still in the hands of Islamic State. (Reporting by Ahmed Rasheed; Editing by Alison Williams)
By Abdi Sheikh

MOGADISHU, Oct 3 (Reuters) - Somalia has received $50 million in new aid from Saudi Arabia but the gesture does not change the central government's decision to remain neutral in Riyadh's dispute with fellow Gulf state Qatar, a senior Somali official said on Tuesday.

The money follows a visit to Riyadh last week by Somalia's president and a string of declarations of support for the Saudi side in the Gulf crisis from Somalia's semi-autonomous regions, into which Riyadh and its Gulf Arab allies have poured money.

Somali Information Minister Abdirahman Omar Osman, announcing the $50 million in Saudi aid, told Reuters that the government appreciated Saudi financial support and called the bilateral relationship "brotherly...and deep".

However, he said: "There is no need for us to side with one country over the other". A Saudi government spokesman did not respond to a request for comment.

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain cut diplomatic and trade links - including air and shipping routes - with Qatar in June, accusing it of supporting terrorism, a charge it denies.

Qatar is the world's biggest exporter of liquefied natural gas and hosts the Gulf's biggest U.S. military base.

Unlike Saudi Arabia, Qatar is not a major trade partner for Somalia. However, Somali media say Qatar helped finance the presidential campaign of Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, elected earlier this year.

Somali neutrality is important for Qatar as Somali air space remains open for Qatar Airways, a critical lifeline against the blockade. Somalia is also strategically located on the Gulf of Aden, one of the world's busiest shipping lanes.

Somalia's position is delicate - it relies on significant trade with Saudi Arabia but is increasingly close to Turkey, which is supporting Qatar in the Gulf crisis.

Somali ties with wealthy Saudi Arabia have grown as it tries to rebuild after two decades of war and quell Islamist al-Shabaab insurgents. But Western powers and Turkey remain among the biggest and more prominent donors to Somalia. Turkey opened a military base in Mogadishu on Saturday.

Last year, Somalia received a $50 million aid pledge from Saudi Arabia on the same day it announced it was cutting relations with Saudi rival Iran. (Additional reporting by Maggie Fick in Nairobi and Stephen Kalin in Riyadh; writing by Maggie Fick; editing by Mark Heinrich)
BUDAPEST, Oct 3 (Reuters) - Hungary's Central European University, an international school embroiled in a conflict with the government of Prime Minister Viktor Orban, said it has agreed to cooperate with Bard College in the United States, in hopes that will help end the row.

Orban has used the conflict to fan political flames ahead of elections due in April 2018, setting conditions that appeared tailor-made to make accreditation difficult for CEU. CEU has said it will not leave Budapest.

"We have been informed that negotiations have created the basis for an agreement," CEU said in an emailed statement. "In response to the progress that has been made, CEU felt able to sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Bard College... to provide educational activities in New York.

"We hope that this MOU, which does not preclude future agreements with other New York-based institutions, helps to provide the basis for a speedy conclusion to this affair." (Reporting by Marton Dunai, editing by Larry King)
By Idrees Ali and Phil Stewart

WASHINGTON, Oct 3 (Reuters) - U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said on Tuesday the United States should consider staying in the Iran nuclear deal unless it were proven that Tehran was not abiding by the agreement or that it was not in the U.S. national interest to do so.

Although Mattis said he supported President Donald Trump's review of the agreement curbing Iran's nuclear program, the defense secretary's view was far more positive than that of Trump, who has called the deal agreed between Iran and six world powers in 2015 an "embarrassment."

Trump is weighing whether the pact serves U.S. security interests as he faces an Oct. 15 deadline for certifying that Iran is complying, a decision that could sink an agreement strongly supported by the other world powers that negotiated it.

"If we can confirm that Iran is living by the agreement, if we can determine that this is in our best interest, then clearly we should stay with it," Mattis told a Senate hearing.

"I believe ..., absent indications to the contrary, it is something that the president should consider staying with," Mattis added.

Earlier, when Mattis was asked whether he thought staying in the deal was in the U.S. national security interest, he replied: "Yes, senator, I do."

The White House had no immediate comment on Mattis' remarks, which once again highlighted the range of views on major policy issues within the Trump administration.

If Trump does not recertify by Oct. 15 that Iran is in compliance, congressional leaders would have 60 days to decide whether to reimpose sanctions on Tehran suspended under the accord.

That would let Congress, controlled by Trump's fellow Republicans, effectively decide whether to kill the deal. Although congressional leaders have declined to say whether they would seek to reimpose sanctions, Republican lawmakers were united in their opposition to the agreement reached by Democratic former President Barack Obama.

Senator Tom Cotton, a long-time skeptic about the Iran deal, backed decertification in order to threaten Iran with more sanctions or military action.

"One thing I learned in the Army is that when you have your opponent on his knees, you drive him to the ground and choke him out," Cotton said in a speech on Tuesday to the Council on Foreign Relations in Washington.

'FUNDAMENTALLY' IN COMPLIANCE

In a House of Representatives hearing on Tuesday, Mattis said Iran was "fundamentally" in compliance with the nuclear deal.

"There have been certainly some areas where they were not temporarily in that regard, but overall our intelligence community believes that they have been compliant and the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) also says so," Mattis said.

Last month, Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said the accord cannot be renegotiated.

Trump has said he has made a decision on what to do about the agreement but has not said what he has decided.

The prospect of Washington reneging on the agreement has worried some U.S. partners that helped negotiate it, especially as the world grapples with North Koreas nuclear and ballistic missile development.

Backers of the pact say its collapse could trigger a regional arms race, worsen Middle East tensions and discourage countries like North Korea from trusting Washington to keep its word.

The deal was signed by Britain, China, the European Union, France, Germany, Iran, Russia and the United States.

White House national security adviser H.R. McMaster has defended Trump's criticism of the nuclear agreement, saying it had the "fatal flaw" of a "sunset clause," under which some restrictions on Iran's nuclear program expire from 2025.

European ambassadors speaking in Washington last week said they would do everything possible to protect companies based in Europe and that continue to do business with Iran from reimposed U.S. sanctions.

French Ambassador Gerard Araud noted that the other countries that signed the pact had made clear they do not support renegotiating it.

J Street, a liberal pro-Israel group, said Trump did not have legitimate grounds to decertify the deal.

"If he chooses to do so anyway, he will be acting purely based on divisive politics and dangerous ideology, and endangering the security of the U.S. and our allies," Dylan Williams, vice president of government affairs for the group, said in a statement. (Reporting by Idrees Ali and Phil Stewart in Washington; Additional reporting by Steve Holland and Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Yara Bayoumy and James Dalgleish)
MOSCOW, Oct 3 (Reuters) - Hundreds of Russian servicemen on Tuesday attended the funeral of a marine commander who died after being fatally injured in Syria.

Valery Fedyanin, 46, was in command of the 61st marine brigade of the Russian Northern Fleet with the rank of colonel. According to the Russian military, he was wounded in Syria's Hama province by a landmine on Sept 22.

He died in hospital on Sept 30, the latest Russian military casualty of Moscow's two-year-old operation in Syria in support of President Bashar al-Assad.

"He was on assignment in the Syrian Arab Republic since June 2017. On September 22, he was badly injured during a humanitarian mission and died," an officer said during the funeral ceremony at a military cemetery near Moscow.

(Reporting by Maria Tsvetkova)
By Tiisetso Motsoeneng and Ed Cropley

JOHANNESBURG Oct 3 (Reuters) - The African arm of Germany's Munich Re has dropped KPMG as its auditor, the latest company to distance itself from the accountancy firm entangled in a scandal involving friends of South African President Jacob Zuma.

KMPG sacked its South African leadership last month after it found work done for companies owned by the Gupta family - a trio of Indian-born businessmen with close ties to Zuma - "fell considerably short" of its standards.

"It is well known that KPMG has faced some reputational and credibility challenges," Munich Re Africa's CEO Nico Conradie told Reuters. "I don't want to accuse them of anything but we just felt that it would be better for us if we are dealing with a new auditor in 2018".

Munich Re's decision was taken last Friday, Conradie said, weeks after the reinsurer's director, Iraj Abedian, quit, protesting over the board's decision to wait for the outcome of KPMG's internal investigation before taking any action.

Sasfin and Hulisani, both relatively small companies based in Johannesburg, said last month they would drop KPMG as their auditor, while the South African parliament has also said it would no longer use the firm.

Big financial clients such as Barclays Africa and Standard Bank are considering too whether to ditch one of biggest and most influential names in accounting.

A source with knowledge of the matter at one of South Africa's big four banks said the bank had received letters from major South African clients telling it to cut ties with KPMG.

The bank's response was to tell KMPG it had to show it had "done everything in its power to cut out the rot," including commissioning a fully independent external audit rather than the internal review it has conducted so far.

"The basic message is 'You guys can't mark your own homework'," the source said.

But the South African central bank has told the big four lenders they cannot fire KPMG because it might undermine financial stability, two sources told Reuters last week.

KPMG is one of several high-profile international companies facing questions about its work for the Indian-born Gupta brothers, who have been accused by an anti-graft watchdog of unduly influencing the awarding of government contracts.

The Guptas and Zuma deny wrongdoing and say they are victims of a politically motivated witch-hunt. The Guptas and their companies have not been charged with any crime.

KPMG, whose local unit traces its roots to Johannesburg's gold rush days in the late 19th century, is under investigation by industry watchdog Independent Regulatory Board for Auditors.

The regulator's chief executive Bernard Agulhas told lawmakers in Cape Town on Tuesday his office would fast-track the inquiry. (Additional reporting by Wendell Roelf in Cape Town; Editing by Joe Brock and Mark Potter)
By Marton Dunai

BUDAPEST, Oct 3 (Reuters) - Hungary's Central European University, an international school embroiled in a conflict with the government of Prime Minister Viktor Orban, said it has agreed to cooperate with Bard College in the United States, in hopes that will help end the row.

Orban has used the conflict to fan political flames before elections due in April 2018, setting conditions that appeared designed to make accreditation difficult for CEU, which said it would not leave Budapest.

But the conflict drew criticism from international partners and provoked massive protests in Budapest in the spring. Orban's political support was damaged as critics accused him of attacking academic freedom.

The government nonetheless passed a law that required international universities to have an agreement with its home country and prove they conducted educational activity there, as conditions of a dual American-Hungarian education status.

The government claimed it wanted to create a level playing field for all institutions of higher education. It said CEU, founded by the philanthropist financier George Soros, issued American degrees without operating in the United States.

CEU, which has only one campus in Budapest but accreditation in the U.S., said the bill was designed to shut it down.

Now, talks with Bard "have created the basis for an agreement," CEU said in an emailed statement. "In response to the progress that has been made, CEU felt able to sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Bard College... to provide educational activities in New York.

"We hope that this MOU, which does not preclude future agreements with other New York-based institutions, helps to provide the basis for a speedy conclusion to this affair."

The new turn comes after Orban launched a renewed attack against Soros, calling on Hungarians for a "national consultation to stop the Soros plan" - a perceived plot by the billionaire to interfere with Europe's immigration rules .

Soros has denied having such a plan but nevertheless became a focal point of the government's vilification campaign.

Education Secretary Laszlo Palkovics, who has denied the government wanted to shutter CEU, told the local news channel ATV that the memorandum of understanding in and of itself was insufficient to fulfil the criterion.

"Indeed, there is an agreement between CEU ... and Bard," Palkovics said. "CEU may rent some building at Bard, but that is only a condition of education activity. Only once they accredit a specific course will they fulfil the criterion.

"The authority that approved the course in Budapest must also approve that course. That will mean CEU has a course in America. We don't know of that having happened yet." (Reporting by Marton Dunai, editing by Larry King)
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China's cultural industry saw steady value-added growth last year that has played a bigger role in driving broad economic growth, official data showed.

In 2016, the value added of China's culture-related sectors stood at 3.08 trillion yuan (about 463.9 billion U.S. dollars), rising 13 percent from the previous year, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics.

The value added in the industry accounted for 4.14 percent of China's gross domestic product (GDP), up 0.17 percentage point from the share in 2015.

"Steady growth in China's cultural industry has played an important role in facilitating economic restructuring and maintaining healthy growth," the NBS said.

China is planning to develop its cultural industry into a pillar of the national economy by 2020 by upgrading its industrial structure, fostering major brands and boosting consumption.

China's GDP grew 6.9 percent in the first half of 2017, above the government's targeted annual growth of around 6.5 percent.
AMSTERDAM, Oct 3 (Reuters) - Dutch caretaker Defence Minister Jeanine Hennis said on Tuesday she was resigning after a report highlighted serious failures by her department during a United Nations peacekeeping mission in Mali.

The Safety Board last week issued its findings about an incident on June 6, 2016, when a mortar killed two soldiers and gravely injured a third. It concluded that the ministry had let safety and medical standards slip in favour of pursuing strategic goals.

Hennis announced her resignation during a parliamentary debate just days before the caretaker government is due to be replaced by a new coalition under Prime Minister Mark Rutte. (Reporting by Anthony Deutsch; Editing by Gareth Jones)
By Idrees Ali and Phil Stewart

WASHINGTON, Oct 3 (Reuters) - U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said on Tuesday the United States would try "one more time" to work with Pakistan in Afghanistan before President Donald Trump would turn to options to address Islamabad's alleged support for militant groups.

Relations between the two countries have been frayed over the past decade. While officials have long questioned the role Pakistan has played in Afghanistan, the comments by Mattis are likely to cause concern in Islamabad and within the Pakistan military.

"We need to try one more time to make this strategy work with them, by, with and through the Pakistanis, and if our best efforts fail, the president is prepared to take whatever steps are necessary," Mattis said at a House Armed Services Committee hearing.

Mattis added that he would be traveling to Islamabad soon, but did not give more details.

Reuters first reported that possible Trump administration responses being discussed include expanding U.S. drone strikes and perhaps eventually downgrading Pakistans status as a major non-NATO ally.

When asked by a lawmaker whether revoking Pakistan's major non-NATO ally status was amongst the options being considered to deal with Islamabad, Mattis said: "I am sure it will be."

In a separate Senate hearing on Tuesday, the top U.S. military officer said he believed Pakistan's main spy agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) directorate, had ties to militant groups.

"It is clear to me that the ISI has connections with terrorist groups," Marine Corps General Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the Senate Armed Services Committee.

The Pakistan embassy in Washington said Islamabad had achieved success in counter-terrorism operations in its country.

"However, unless the same level of success is achieved in (Afghanistan), long lasting peace in the region will remain out of reach," the embassy said in a statement.

The United States in 2012 designated the Pakistan-based Haqqani network as a terrorist organization. The year before, U.S. Navy Admiral Mike Mullen, then the top U.S. military officer, caused a stir when he told Congress that the Haqqani network was a "veritable arm" of the ISI directorate.

U.S. officials have told Reuters that the United States will send about 3,500 additional troops to Afghanistan.

Dunford said that the current cost for the United States in Afghanistan was about $12.5 billion a year, and the new strategy would cost an additional $1.1 billion. (Reporting by Idrees Ali and Phil Stewart; Editing by Michael Perry; Editing by James Dalgleish and Cynthia Osterman)
ATHENS, Oct 3 (Reuters) - Greece has appointed Riccardo Lambiris as the new chief executive of its privatisation agency, which is trying to sell assets to comply with the terms of the country's bailouts.

Lambiris, 42, will take up the role on Oct. 16, the Hellenic Corporation of Assets and Participations (HCAP) said in a statement. His appointment follows the resignation of Antonios Leousis, who is stepping down for personal reasons.

Privatisations have been required under Greece's international bailouts since 2010, but so far they have reaped only 4.4 billion euros ($5.17 billion) as a result mainly of political resistance and red tape.

Lambiris has long experience in business and investment banking, HCAP said, adding that he has worked at Rockwell Gold and has served as the head of the department of Mergers and Acquisitions of HSBC Bank for Greece and Cyprus. ($1 = 0.8514 euros) (Reporting by Renee Maltezou; editing by Alexander Smith)
ROME, Oct 3 (Reuters) - Italian state lender Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (CDP) could invest in Telecom Italia if Rome asked it to by exercising so-called golden powers, its chairman said.

Rome has launched a process against Telecom Italia (TIM) for failing to notify it that its largest shareholder Vivendi had assumed de facto control of the company, which is considered a strategic asset.

Vivendi denies its 24 percent holding has given it effective control, while TIM says it did not have to notify Rome.

There has been speculation in Italy that CDP, which owns 50 percent of rival broadband group Open Fiber, may be called on to buy a stake in Telecom Italia to protect strategic interests.

CDP Chairman Claudio Costamagna told La7 TV on Tuesday that the state lender's investment in Open Fiber remained a priority.

"But if the government asked us to enter Telecom by exercising the golden power, we would look at it to see if it was advantageous or not," he said.

Politicians have been calling on and off since 2006 for TIM's prized telecom network to be transferred to a state-controlled entity to create a neutral platform.

TIM and Open Fiber, which is jointly controlled by CDP and utility Enel, are building competing fast networks.

"Open Fiber is doing a job that is very important for our future," Costamagna said.

Italy's Industry Minister said in a newspaper interview on Saturday Italy would decide by the end of October whether there were grounds to use special powers. (Reporting by Stefano Bernabei; Writing by Stephen Jewkes; Editing by Isla Binnie and Alexander Smith)
The continuous delay in conducting Local Government and Provincial Councils polls after the expiry of their terms of office has created quite a controversy and made political parties, the public and the election monitoring NGOs impatient. The Daily Mirror spoke to Local Government and Provincial Councils Minister Faiszer Musthapha, the political authority who is responsible for the Local Government and PC polls and enacting of relevant legislations. Following are excerpts of the interview.

The first delimitation report was full of errors, blunders and mistakes making it extremely difficult to implement them

Our target for PC polls for the North-Central, Sabaragamuwa and Eastern provinces is March, 2018. The Government will hold Local Government Polls before

January 2018

Its pertinent to say that the majority of the public doesnt have a good knowledge of delimitation. Following a census, the delimitation process of electorates and wards in the local Government level takes place during which the old delimitations are effected

There are more than 50 Technical Amendments to be incorporated in the local government electoral system following the passage of the Local Authorities Elections (Amendment) Bill on August 25

The claim by the joint opposition that the Rajapaksa regime conducted polls on time and in a democratic manner doesnt hold water because the former presidents regime held elections when the time was right for the Government

Unfortunately, this report had been prepared by a team of officials doing their job in an air-conditioned office on the whims and fancies of the strong man of the Mahinda Rajapaksa regime, Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa

Q The delay in finalizing the delimitation process in respect to the Provincial Councils and the passing of technical amendments for the Local Government electoral process has delayed the conducting of polls to the two political administrative bodies. How and why?

The delimitation process was delayed for more than one and half years after the first report was handed over to then Minister of Local Government, Provincial Councils and Home Affairs Minister Karu Jayasuriya in August 2015.

The then Parliamentary Select Committee chaired by Dinesh Gunawardene on local Government electoral reforms proposed the mixed electoral system; a combination of the proportional representation and the first past the post. The relevant Act No. 22 of 2012 originated based on the recommendations of the Dinesh Gunawardana Committee. This Act introduces four ways of delimitation. Diversity of population, density of population, level of economic development, and the geographical and physical factors were the matters on which delimitation was based on.

A National Delimitation Committee was appointed to look into the delimitation process recommended by the Gunawardana Select Committee. After two-and-a-half years of deliberations, it released a report in August 2015.

There had been changes in the population levels in the electorates. Earlier it was 75,000 persons for every 1,000 square miles. Later it was increased to 90,000.

Unfortunately, this report had been prepared by a team of officials doing their job in an air-conditioned office on the whims and fancies of the strong man of the Mahinda Rajapaksa regime, Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa, with the SLFP being extremely favoured. In fact the recommendations of the old delimitation report were a shortcut to keep the SLFP in power at the local Government level for ever.

Almost all the political parties, a majority of local Government bodies, the civil society and the minority parties in Particular vehemently opposed this report. I as the subject minister had no option but to appoint a new committee to conduct the delimitation process in a fair, balanced and transparent manner. It was for this purpose that I, on the advice of President Maithripala Sirisena with the guidance of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, appointed the five member Asoka Peiris Committee, that represents all political parties in Parliament. This was after putting the much flawed first delimitation report to the dust bin.

I must say with gratitude that Prime Minister Wickremesinghe took much pain to obtain the consensus of all dissenting political parties in Parliament on delimitation. This was after a several rounds of discussions by all party confabs.

It is pertinent to say that the majority of the public doesnt have a fair knowledge of delimitation. Following a census, the delimitation process of electorates and wards at local Government level takes place during which the old delimitations were effected.

On PC polls, the Government wanted to conduct all elections for all 9 PCs on a single day, departing from the Rajapaksa policy of conducting PC polls on a scattered basis, a system which was advantageous to the ruling party. This highly undemocratic and corrupt electoral system gave the opportunity to pool all state resources of the Government in its favour and ensure victory.

It was a known fact that the previous regime used state vehicles, state funds, public officials, the Police and the armed forces to ensure victory at the PC polls. This was extremely disadvantageous to the opposition.

Thus, the claim by the Joint Opposition that the Rajapaksa regime conducted polls on time in a democratic manner doesnt hold water because the Rajapaksa regime held elections when the time was right for the Government.

I must say with gratitude that Prime Minister Wickremesinghe took much pain to obtain the consensus of all dissenting political parties in Parliament on delimitation. This was after a several rounds of discussions by all party confabs

Q What is this controversy regarding the technical amendments that have held back the conducting of Local Government polls?

There are more than 50 Technical Amendments to be incorporated in the Local Government Electoral System following the passage of the Local Authorities Elections (Amendment) Bill on August 25. The Government intends to pass these technical amendments this month (October) to pave the way for the conducting of Local Government Polls in December (2017) or January next year.

Our target regarding PC polls for the North-Central, Sabaragamuwa and Eastern provinces is March, 2018.

Q And what about the delimitation in respect of PC polls?

Yes, a de-limitation committee on Provincial Councils has to be instituted within 14 days after the passing of the Local Authorities Elections (Amendment) Bill in keeping with the law. President Maithripala Sirisena has already appointed a five-member committee which includes the three members of the National Delimitation Commission. The two other members represent the minorities. The five member delimitation committee on PCs is free to appoint technical committees if required to expedite the delimitation process.

Q Why did you appoint a committee of officials headed by Asoka Peiris to review the previous report and submit a new report?

As I pointed out earlier, the first delimitation report was full of errors, blunders and mistakes making it extremely difficult to implement it. The situation was further aggravated when almost all the political parties, the minority parties in particular, protested against the recommendations stating that the recommendations were highly disadvantageous to them. Therefore, I had no option, but to rectify the error and appoint the five member committee led by senior administrative officer Asoka Peiris.

The other 4 members were selected from the UNP, SLFP, TNA and the JVP. However, I must say that the committee had done a satisfactory job in submitting a report to eliminate the mistakes and errors found in the first report.

The difference between the JO and the opposition of another country is that they (The Opposition in a foreign country) have not stooped to this low level.

Q But the finalizing of delimitation on PCs and technical amendments for the Local Government Polls are still long overdue. Your comments?

The Government is determined to hold polls for three PCs now under the governors rule in the first quarter of 2018 and Local Government Elections before January 2018.

Q The Provincial Councils Elections (Amendment) Bill was passed in Parliament last month which introduces a mixed electoral system. The Bill has reduced the ratio of elected members to a PC under the first past the post system to 50% from earlier agreed 60% and increased the ratio of those who will be elected under the proportional representation system to 50% from the earlier 40%. Why is this?

This was done with the consent of all political parties except that of the JO. The minority parties wanted to increase the Proportional Representation to 50%. The increasing of PR representation will also help for a wider representation of women and youth at the PCs which is a healthy development. However, a minimum of 25% of women representation in PC is a legal requirement now.

Q Why the Joint Opposition and Mahinda Rajapaksa faction are carrying out a virulent campaign against you and the Unity Government alleging that both of you want to delay Local Government Polls and PC Polls?

It isnt a surprise at all. The JO led by the Mahinda Rajapaks faction must spread lies, fabrications, misinformation and distortions for their survival in politics. The difference between the JO and the opposition of another country is that they (The Opposition in a foreign country) have not stooped to this low level. The Opposition in other countries always are critical of the Government, but their allegations against the regime are true and their comments are productive.

I would like to draw your attention to the time when Sri Lanka in a ground breaking initiative launched its first ever fully fledged free pre-hospital care ambulance service- a gift from India- which boasted of 88 vehicles.

The JO went to town with an absolute lie stating that the entire service was manned by Indian doctors, paramedics, nurses and even drivers. This was a ruse by them to make the public believe that the whole exercise was to plant sleuths of the RAW (Research and Analysis Wing), in Sri Lanka. I mustnt elaborate more on this heinous act of the JO. The people in the country have now realized the service rendered by this ambulance service and whether there is a single Indian serving them.

The lies and misinformation spread on the proposed new Constitutional process is no different.

The Govt. intends to pass these technical amendments this month to pave the way for the conducting of Local Government Polls in December or January next year

Q Can you say with confidence that the two pieces of legislations would address the aspirations and grievances of all political parties, the voters, members of local bodies and PCs and the minority political parties?

Yes, indeed. The two pieces of legislations have been passed with the consent of all minority parties. They voted in support of the Government to pass them in Parliament. These legislations were passed with more than a two thirds majority.

Q The JO says that the Government fears conducting polls. How are SLFPs the preparations for the forthcoming Local Government and PC polls?

The Government doesnt fear conducting polls. I repeat, the Local Government Polls will be held before January 2018. The SLFP has already taken measures to select candidates for all Local Government bodies.

Party leader Maithripala Sirisena has instructed the organizations at the grassroots, district and constituent level, women and youth wings to start electioneering and get organized themselves to ensure a big victory for the SLFP. I think the UNP has also started its campaign for Local Government Polls.
While claiming that the group of 35 Myanmar refugees would be sent to third country, the Government today revealed that a total of 1,333 asylum seekers and refugees were residing in the country under the protection of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

Addressing the media at the weekly media briefing today at the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) Head Quarters Ports and Shipping Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe said according to an MoU signed between the UNHCR and the Government, the Myanmar refugees should be sent to a third country as soon as possible.

The Minister pointed out that Sri Lanka was not a party to the 1951 Refugee Convention and because of that and the country could not take any responsibility based on the convention.

But according to the international law countries should approach this kind issue with a humane aspect. India worked to provide temporary facilities for refugees. Though we did not sign the 1951 Refugee Convention we have worked to provide facilities for refugees since 2008, The Minister said.

He said the refugees who came to Sri Lanka in 2008, 2012, 2013 and 2014 had been sent to third countries such as the US and Canada for permanent residence through the intervention of the UNHCR.

Those countries expressed willingness to grant residency to refugee as part of the UNHCR Convention, he said.

The Myanmar refugees, who recently came to the country, were from a camp in South India but not from Myanmar. The boat was captured by the Sri Lankan Navy after they entered to the Sri Lankan waters. Later the refugees were handed over to the UNHCR as usual since 2008.

After handing over the refugees to the UNHCR the Sri Lankan Government is not in a bond to provide facilities for them. All infrastructure facilities should be provided by the UNHCR.

There are 728 refugees in the country as at August 31 this year- such as 113 from Afghanistan, 7 from Iran, 8 from Maldives, 35 from Myanmar, 533 from Pakistan, 10 from Palestine, 1 from Somalia, 14 from Syria, 1 from Tunisia and 6 from Yemen.

The UNHCR had taken the responsibly to send these people to a third country.

If the people in society know the true story behind the refugee situation in the country they would not have acted like extremists, Minister Samarasinghe said. (Chaturanga Pradeep)

Pix by Kushan Pathiraja
The Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) today claimed that Prof. Colvin Gunaratnes appointment as the new Chairman of the Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC) was one that had been done to circumvent the SLMCs objections on SAITM.

While expressing its displeasure over the recent appointment, the GMOA said it could be viewed as Health Minister Senaratne playing his trump card in order to silence the SLMC and safeguard the SAITM institute, a duty that he had taken upon himself to accomplish by hook or by crook.

In a letter addressed to the President and the Prime Minister, the GMOA had expressed its displeasure over the Health Ministers actions and said they were dismayed to hear of Professor Gunaratnes appointment as the new Chairman of the SLMC.

Addressing a press conference in Colombo, GMOA Secretary Dr. Haritha Aluthge said it was an arbitrary decision of Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne to appoint Prof. Gunaratne to the post.

He said during an earlier occasion when Health Minister submitted Professor Gunaratnes name for the post it was rejected by both President Maithripala Sirisena and the Prime Minister after considering the strong objections posed by the GMOA.

Dr. Aluthge said Professor Gunaratne was well known for his pro-SAITM bias and his involvement in pharmaceutical industry had convinced a majority of those in the SLMC and GMOA to reject his candidacy. His unwillingness to confirm or deny these accusations had also served as proof of his culpability, Dr. Aluthge said.

The GMOA had emphasized that Prof. Gunaratnes appointment will severely affect the independence of the SLMC and will also influence the Appeal Court hearing into the SAITM issue.

Therefore, the GMOA had asked the government to reconsider its decision to appoint Prof. Gunaratne, which, according to them would do irreparable harm to the country, its citizens and the healthcare sector as a whole. (Thilanka Kanakarathna)

Video by Sanjeewa
Ancient Buddhist heritage in China enlivens Silk Road in modern form

China is featured in the world media over its Belt and Road Initiative, a project primarily associated with international trading in todays context. Little is known about the fact that the ancient Silk Route that ran across Dunhuang, China served the crosscurrents of people and cultures giving birth to the Buddhist heritage site called Mogao Grottoes.

Located around 25 kilometres off Dunhuang, Mogao caves, which speak volumes about the rich Buddhist heritage of China, evolved due to encounters with the Indus Valley civilizations through the ancient Silk Route.

The UNESCO listed the Mogao Caves as a world heritage site in 1987. Since then, China has placed the site as a high protection site. In fact, even today photography is not allowed inside the caves as flashlights of cameras can damage the historic murals and paintings

Nestled in the middle of the Gobi Desert and carved into the eastern side of Mingsha Mountains, is a long line of caves, whose walls bear numerous Buddhist murals, sculptures and statues.

The network of caves, commonly called Mogao Grottos, is now a world heritage site declared by the UNESCO.

Last month, China conducted its International Media Forum on the Belt and Road Initiative in Dunhuang, which is home to this Buddhist heritage site. It seems that the heritage site, preserved to be faithful to its original texture of murals and art works, is now used as a powerful tool of culture diplomacy played by China for fostering ties with the rest of the world in the modern context.

Dunhuang is an oasis of the Gobi Desert bordering Inner Mongolia on one side and Tibet on the other. Despite bright sunshine, the cool breeze across the desert terrain, marked by sand dunes and caravans of camels, ensures comfortable tourism for visitors today.

Carved into the mountain cliff, there are 492 caves in the Mogao Grottos housing over 2,000 sculptures and about 45,000 square metres of murals.

According to travel guides, the Mogao Grottos are divided as the Southern and Northern areas.

The Northern area comprises 243 caves used for religious practices and as living quarters of monks. Like in ancient Sri Lanka, Buddhism, which travelled to China from India along this ancient silk route, enjoyed the maximum possible patronage from the rulers of various Chinese dynasties.

They appeared to have considered it as their foremost duty to patronize the building of the places and objects of Buddhist worship. Inscriptional evidence suggests, as transpired during briefings by our travel guides, that the first cave of Mogao Grottos was built by monk Le Zun in 366AD. Afterwards, the cave constructions continued for ten dynasties starting from Northern Liang.

Along with Buddhist work of art, tourists also find paintings of camels pulling carts, vividly describing the mode of trade during the ancient era along the silk route that connected Gansu Province with Central Asia in principle at that time.

Geographically speaking, the Silk Road had been the confluence of two main cultivations at that time.

Dunhuang had been an intersection along the Road. As such, it offered an avenue not only for trading in goods but also for cross cultural exchanges at that time. It finally influenced the development of a unique Chinese tradition of art with imprints from the rest of the Buddhist world at that time.

The images, depicted in the caves built during the Northern Liang and Northern Wei Period, show the Buddha in Samadhi. The image-making culture has evolved over the following years in terms of techniques adopted for the depiction of Jataka Stories associated with the Buddhas life.

A major attraction is the 34.5 metre tall Buddha statue. Its construction started during the Tang dynasty in 695 AD. Later, it had been developed further and further during the reigns of other dynasties that followed.

Last month, China conducted its International Media Forum on the Belt and Road Initiative in Dunhuang, which is home to this Buddhist heritage site. It seems that the heritage site, preserved to be faithful to its original texture of murals and art works, is now used as a powerful tool of culture diplomacy played by China for fostering ties with the rest of the world in the modern context.

It is said that Empress We Zetian took steps in the construction of Dayun Temple in every prefecture. This Cave, housing the image of Maitreya Buddha, is considered to be the ancient Dayun Temple.

Another major attraction is Cave 148. It houses the Buddha in Nirvana posture. It had been built in 776 AD. Illustrations on the walls of this particular cave describe different Suttas including Mahaparinibbhana Sutta.

The UNESCO listed the Mogao Caves as a world heritage site in 1987. Since then, China has placed the site as a high protection site. In fact, even today photography is not allowed inside the caves as flashlights of cameras can damage the historic murals and paintings.

Not only that, the number of visitors per day is restricted to 6,000 as otherwise their inhalations and exhalations inside the cave chambers could also be harmful to the walls bearing works or art. High-tech sensor devices have been installed to monitor moisture and temperature level constantly for better preservation.

The site has gone through several cycles of damage and restorations.Some parts of paintings have been vandalised probably during times of invasion by those of different faiths.

China selected Dunhuang, the city of Mogao Grottoes, to host over 400 media personnel representing 126 countries and organisations in view of the International Media Forum on the Belt and Road Initiative. That is apparently to put Chinas vision in perspective in a historical context.

China has digitised the site. In a state-of-the-art theatre, visitors can watch the filmed versions of ancient murals, paintings and statues on digital screens for greater understanding of history.

Monk Xuanzang inspired Mogao art Also available are specially designed films showcasing ancient China. Visitors, again, are entertained with scenes describing how Gansu Province or Dunhuang for that matter prevailed at that time both as a trading spot and hotspot of invasions.

There are scenes of caravans of camels, carrying items such as silk, ceramic and tea on the one hand. On the other hand, caravans are found to return with items such as gold and gems from the other side of the world in Central Asia.

Swirling sandstorms and sword-wielding bandits on horseback are menacing. Amidst all that, come Buddhist monks on religious missions on the ancient Silk Route.

Xuanzang is one such Buddhist monk who arrived along the silk route carrying Buddhism to China. So, the ancient silk route not only served the purpose of cross-border trading of items of valuable ceramic, tea, gems and gold, but also spread the message of the Buddha across the Central Asian region to China from India.

Dunhuang is the oasis in which Xuanzang stopped. He translated Buddhist suttas. It inspired the new form of Buddhist art now visible on the walls of Mogao Grottos in the form of Buddha statues in different postures, celestial musicians, and ancient merchants. In history, the site has witnessed periods of abandonment. In 1900, a Taoist monk happened to discovered first cave.
Mr. Sampath Jayasundara  Chief Executive Officer at hSenid Business Solutions

The Colombo Artificial Intelligence (AI) Meetup, organised bythe Sri Lanka Association for Artificial Intelligence (SLAAI) and hosted at Virtusa, is a quarterly forum where industry professionals discuss the latest findings in AI, related technologies andnetwork. The event attracts a diverse crowd of like-minded individuals across industries and academia with the single passion of navigating the future of AI. This latest session made it clear to all those present that as the world continues to become digitally connectedAIs role in our lives will exponentially increase. Even now disruptive forces in business are using AI in some form in their battle for dominance in their chosen industry.

Speakers at the event were Sampath Jayasundara, Chief Executive Officer at hSenid Business Solutions, and Dr.Charith Chitraranjan, Senior Lecturer at the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Moratuwa. The speakers were then joined on the panel by Mr. Anuradha Weeraman, Associate Director  Technology, Virtusa, for a series of questions by the inquisitive audience. The session was moderated by Dr. Ajith Madurapperuma, Member of the Board of Directors at ICTA; Director, Industry Liaison Center at OUSL; and Senior Lecturer, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at OUSL.

Dr.Charith Chitraranjan  Senior Lecturer at Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Moratuwa

Dr. Ajith Madurapperuma, Member - Board of Directors at ICTA; Director, Industry Liaison Center at OUSL and Senior Lecturer, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at OUSL

Anuradha Weeraman  Associate Director  Technology at Virtusa

Audience at AI Meetup
What does Patali know about politics that Harini doesnt know?

Sri Lanka is going through great pains to get its economy in order after the
Writer says wanted to find out how it is possible for a person to remain that popular even after electoral defeat

If you want to look at the world of politics in a totally different perspective, Rajapaksa the Sinhala Selfie, and 83 Daruwo, will help you in your quest.

The launching of the book Rajapaksa: The Sinhala Selfie was held on September 12, at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute (SLFI) with the participation of key figures in journalism and former Chief Justice C.V Wigneswaran. Chief Minister of the Northern Provincial Council C.V. Wigneswaran was the Chief Guest.

Kusal Perera, a veteran journalist and columnist, who contributes to both the Sinhalese and English newspapers, explained how he was inspired to write the book, what he calls a personal narrative.

There is no space for critical thinking in todays society, where emotion driven media decides what reality should be like -Krishan

The foremost amongst the reasons, according to Kusal, is the formidable Political will and character of the former President, who still remains a formidable personality with a considerable influence over the actions of the incumbent Government.

I wanted to find out how it is possible for a person to remain that popular even after electoral defeat, Kusal said.

He stated that he first started writing the book a month or two after the conclusion of the war. He resumed writing after the Presidential Election in 2010, stopped writing again, finally resolving to finish it in 2015 January, with the electoral results, because, to quote Kusal This is a man that can bounce back!

However, Kusal says that the book is not all or only about Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

The book goes 40-50 years back in Sri Lankan political history, all the while trying to untangle hidden layers, which are intertwined.

Talking about the book, Justice Wigneswaran explained his understanding of the title of the book in his speech.

A selfie is ones own photograph. When Mahinda Rajapaksa takes one he sees not Rajapaksa but a representational Sinhala persona.

He also reminisced about his experiences with the former President, and about requests he had made as the Chief Minister in his official capacity.

I believe none of the ten requests made by me were fulfilled even though he studiously undertook to look into them favourably. Such is the Sinhala Selfie, he said.

It is a timely publication. Though the book is titled Mahinda the Sinhala Selfie, it is full of historical facts of the recent past, which traces the steps that led to the armed rebellion, he said.

Krishan Siriwardhana, the Editor of the 83 Daruwo (Children of 83), and a guest lecturer of the University of Colombo, in his speech about 83 Daruwo said that todays society was a post-truth society, where the line between reality and fiction is blurred. There is no space for critical thinking in todays society, where emotion-driven media decides what reality should be like, he stated.

Talking about the contents of the book, he explained that it contained a collection of stories covering a variety of socio-political topics.

The book explains how, even though to the children born after 1983 the world has turned into a global village due to social media and internet, they are shareholders in spreading racism and separation, he noted.

Talking about the role that social media plays in promoting discrimination in society he added:

I recently saw a Facebook Page tilted Embilipitiye Api. Todays social media, instead of breaking boundaries, creates more boundaries inside the ones that are already there, further dividing society into smaller and smaller groups.

Todays society was a post-truth society, where the line between reality and fiction is blurred

By reading this book, you do not have to agree with everything that Kusal is saying. But in it, we are presented with the view of a man who does not discriminate against race or ethnicity, Krishan said.
More than 2 million people fleeing wars or persecution have joined the ranks of the worlds refugees this year, but often face more restrictive asylum policies, including in Europe and the United States, the top U.N. refugee official said on Monday.



They include 650,000 from South Sudan and 500,000 Muslim Rohingya who have escaped violence in Myanmar for Bangladesh over the past five weeks, many of the latter stateless, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi said. So far in 2017, more than 2 million people have fled their countries as refugees, Grandi told the UNHCR Executive Committee which opened a week-long meeting in Geneva.



They often arrive sick, traumatised and hungry, in remote border locations, in communities affected by poverty and under development. Many have urgent protection needs children separated from their families, men, women, girls and boys exposed to sexual and gender-based violence, he said.

GENEVA REUTERS Oct. 2
At the moment when proposals for drafting a new Constitution or amending the present Constitution are underway, it would be extremely relevant to understand the true face (nature) of the present Constitution, since it is from this premise that we will have to proceed either to abolish or amend it. Further the confusion created to obfuscate the issues demand clearance of the ground on which we stand presently. For such an understanding the observations made by Raja Wanasundara the senior most Judge who sat on the panel to adjudicate the Constitutionality of the 13th Amendment would be indispensable.

13A laid the foundation for a Federal State

Full implementation of 13A all denied powers would be brought back

The most urgent and pressing duty on us is to remove these pieces of legislation from our statute book

These observations were made by him in the report-Report of the National Revival Commission- initiated by the Patriotic National Movement and headed by him. I was the coordinating member for that Commission. This extract is from his report:

Provincial Councils Bill

We now turn to the Provincial Councils Bill. The chequered course they followed in the process of the enactment and a detailed analysis of their provisions should be made public knowledge. These Bills were apparently placed on the Order Paper of Parliament on October 9, 1987. Having normally obtained the opinion of the Attorney General under Article 77, the President proceeded to invoke the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court under Articles 120 and 121 to determine whether the 13th Amendment required the approval of the people at a referendum by virtue of the provisions of the Article 83

It is that difficult task we now approach. The division of the country and creation of a separate Dravidian state is being done step by step covertly and incrementally

As regards the so called majority judgment of the Chief Justice Shravanada, Justice Atukorale, Percy Colin Thome and Thambiah along with that of Justice Parinda Ranasinghe (who, by and large agreed with them, but dissented on one important matter) the wealth of informed and learned opinion in legal circles is that the reasoning in those judgments are mistaken and patently erroneous. The views of just two eminent legal experts bear this out. H.L.de Silva, one of our most eminent and distinguished lawyers and later our Resident Representative to the UN has this to say of those judgments.

It is difficult to agree with the view of the majority of the Court that the changes brought about by the 13th Amendment did not take the effect of the Constitution becoming at least quasi-federal, for the presence of certain unitary features in a constitution does not prevent the system of government from being federal in practice. In a sense, therefore, the constitution position now obtaining in Sri Lanka is not substantially different from the kind of federal system that prevails in India.

Justice Shirani Bandaranayake, now the most Senior Judge in the Supreme Court, and often acting in the office of the Chief Justice, before her elevation to the Bench and then a respected Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Law, University of Colombo, expressed the following opinion when the judgment was publicized. She said:

The 13th Amendment, at the least, sets up a quasi federal structure. As Rajiv Gandhi himself described it to the Tamils, it goes beyond the Indian model

Provincial Councils are on a par with the Parliament and the Councils come within the category of subsidiary sovereign bodies. This demonstrates the division of legislative power

Secondly, Article 154,G(B) clearly points out that in a conflict between the statues of Provincial Councils and an existing law ( passed by the Parliament) with regard to a matter on the Provincial Council List, the existing law (passed by Parliament) shall remain suspended and be in operation within the Province so long as that statute is in force.

Moreover, this leads to the further argument that the provisions of the 13th Amendment are contravening Article 2 of the 1978 Constitution. Article 2 precisely announces that Sri Lanka is a unitary state, and in the present circumstances, one could argue that Provincial Councils, which are empowered to make statues which are on a par with laws made by the Parliament, and to enact statues that can suspend and render inoperative laws made by Parliament. This has made the country federal in nature. This illustrates clearly that the devolution of power has not been carried out within the framework of the Constitution.

The dissenting judgments of Justice R.S. Wanasundara, Justice O. S. M. Seneviratne and Justice I. H. de Alwis and Justice H.A.G. de Silva point out the numerous violations of the Constitution.

The 13th Amendment, at the least, sets up a quasi federal structure. As Rajiv Gandhi himself described it to the Tamils, it goes beyond the Indian model; which is a federation with strong centralization features. Indias relentless pressures continue. Within two days of the death of Prabhakaran, high Indian officials were at our doorstep to remind us to get on with the implementation of the 13th Amendment. Every visit of them here and whenever our high officials visit New Delhi, the burden of the talks is to remind us to implement the 13th Amendment plus! plus!!.

The 13th Amendment has laid the foundation for a federal state. It is a matter of time for a division to take place. The existing structure is sufficient to be used by India and the Tamils to prise open the unity of this country and divide our country. Leaving India apart, even if our own opposition had been in power, we would be having an Eelam by now. Therefore, the most urgent and pressing duty on us is to remove these pieces of legislation from our statute book. It is that difficult task we now approach. The division of the country and creation of a separate Dravidian state is being done step by step covertly and incrementally.

The existing structure is sufficient to be used by India and the Tamils to prise open the unity of this country and divide our country

What masked the federal nature of this Constitution were the non-granting of Police and land powers and the appointment of a Governor with presidential powers. With the full implementation of the 13th Amendment all those denied powers would be brought back revealing the true nature of this deceptive Constitution.

Those words of Justice Wanasudara, leaving India apart; if our own opposition had been in power, we could be having an Ealam by now keeps reverberating within me at this juncture. Dont they sound prophetic when we are beginning to realize ultimately that what matters are not who constitutes the opposition but the role

they play?
America is reeling from the worst mass shooting in its history after at least 58 people were killed and more than 515 wounded at a country music festival in Las Vegas on Sunday night.



The shooting broke out on the final night of the three-day Route 91 Harvest festival, a sold-out event attended by 22,000 and featuring top acts such as Eric Church, Sam Hunt and Jason Aldean. Police say the shooter was 64-year-old Stephen Craig Paddock, a resident of nearby Mesquite, Nevada, who opened fire on the festival taking place at Las Vegas Village from a room across the street in the Mandalay Bay Hotel at 10:08pm.



Clark County Sheriff Joseph Lombardo said that his officers breached Paddocks room on the 32nd floor and found Paddock had committed suicide inside, among an arsenal of 10 firearms. Lombardo said that Paddock shot himself. Investigators are now raiding Paddocks home in a retirement community in Mesquite, which he shared with a woman named Marilou Danley. Danley was initially called a person of interest in the shooting, but police no longer believe she was involved after contacting her early Monday morning and finding her out of the country.



Lombardo said investigations are still ongoing and police have not yet determined a motive. He was not believed to be connected to any militant group, Lombardo said.

DAILY MAIL, 2 October, 2017
The day I landed in Toronto in May, a friend drove me to Brampton's Bombay Palace in the evening.

It was crowded. Young and middle-aged Canadians of diverse origins had assembled at the venue for a 38-year-old son of Indian immigrants due to announce his bid for the leadership of the New Democratic Party (NDP).

When Jagmeet Singh, a member of Ontario's provincial legislature, arrived at the podium, he stirred the race to lead the NDP, Canada's left-leaning political group, the country's third largest.

Singh, sporting a flowing beard and a kirpan under his suit, addressed his supporters in fluent French, English and Punjabi.

He spoke about equality, love and justice for all.

Singh speaks fluent French, English and Punjabi.

"Leadership that will bring people together to build a Canada that is truly inclusive and where everyone can realize their dreams," he told his multinational, multiethnic audiences packing the banquet hall.

"That is why, my friends, today I am proud to announce that I am running to be the leader of the New Democratic Party of Canada," he said to a rapturous applause.

A lawyer from the Toronto area, Singh is a social-media star in Canada. He's known for his taste in clothing and for colourful turbans.

At Brampton's Bombay Palace, he demonstrated his appeal and ability to connect with his constituency, mostly young and from under-represented backgrounds.

His speech embodied aspiration.

"We must champion a politics of love to fight the politics of hate," said Singh.

The dapper lawyer walked the talk last month when he came across bigoted remarks at one of his town-hall meetings.

"When is your Shariah going to end? ...We know you are in bed with the Muslim Brotherhood!" screamed a white woman at a campaign event.

Singh's response to the anti-Muslim slur was disarming.

"We welcome you. We love you. We support you," he told the heckler. "Everyone in this room loves you... this room is filled with people who are loving," he said.

Singh did not seek to clarify he was not a Muslim.

"My response to Islamophobia has never been 'I'm not Muslim,'" he said in a statement later. "It has always been and will be that 'hate is wrong.'"

"Once allowed to grow, hate doesn't pick and choose, it spreads like fire," Singh wrote.

His reply jacked up his stature. And on Sunday, he became the first non-white politician to head one of Canada's major political parties.

Brought up in Newfoundland and later in Windsor, Jagmeet Singh's crowning as the president of the NDP is an astonishing achievement for the Sikh minority, which makes up less than 1.5 percent of Canada's population.

"Thank you, New Democrats. The run for prime minister begins now, he tweeted after the results of the NDP vote were announced at a party meeting in Toronto.

In fact, the real challenge for Jagmeet Singh starts here as he prepares to unseat prime minister Justin Trudeau's Liberals in the 2019 federal elections.

For that, he has to win over the centre-left vote-block which elected Trudeau to power in 2015.

Challenges are momentous.

The yelling of one irate woman he encountered at his campaign last month may grow into a supremacist chorus, given the rise of aggressive far-right in global politics.

Jagmeet Singh launching his bid to lead Canada's New Democratic Party, at Brampton in May, 2017. PC: Harmeet Shah Singh

Also, many Quebecers already see overt symbols of faith as antithetical to their province's secular polity.

Too much of a media hype over Singh's distinct - and visibly glaring - Sikh identity could boomerang in the federal fray.

The new NDP president is a game-changer in international politics.

But it's no cakewalk. He'll be walking a tightrope instead.

He must stay clear of identity politics in his journey to the office of Canada's PM.

Singh's identity is his asset. But his critics might use it as a tool of racial politics against him.

The new NDP chief came out as a composed man when he encountered disparagements by his heckler in September.

He may now face many more questions about his culture and his competence to lead Canada.
The current international narrative on the plight of Myanmars persecuted Rohingya minority has failed to recognise the roots of the present crisis or the growing transnational jihadist links of Rohingya militants, who have stepped up attacks. Contrary to the perception that the Rohingya militancy has arisen from military repression in recent years, Myanmars jihad scourge is decades old, with Rohingya Islamist violence beginning even before Myanmar gained independence in 1948.

Militancy

Rohingya militants have actually been in the vanguard of the global rise of Islamic radicalism since the early 1940s when they joined the campaign to press the British to establish Pakistan by partitioning India. It was the British who earlier moved large numbers of Rohingyas from East Bengal to work on rubber and tea plantations in Burma, now Myanmar, which was administered as a province of India until 1937 before it became a separate, self-governing colony. Rohingya migrants settled mainly in Myanmars East Bengal-bordering Arakan region (now renamed Rakhine state).

Between 1942 and the early 1950s, a civil war raged in Arakan between Muslims and Buddhists. Communal hatred spilled into violence during World War II as the Japanese military advanced into Arakan in 1942 and the British launched a counter-offensive, with local Buddhists largely siding with the Japanese and Rohingyas with the British.

Britain recruited Rohingya Muslims into its guerrilla force  the so-called V Force  to ambush and kill Japanese troops. When the British eventually regained control of Arakan in 1945, they rewarded Rohingya Muslims for their loyalty by appointing them to the main posts in the local government.

Emboldened by the open British support, Rohingya militants set out to settle old scores with Buddhists. And in July 1946, they formed the North Arakan Muslim League to seek the Muslim-dominated northern Arakans secession from Myanmar. In the religious bloodletting that preceded and followed the partition of India, Rohingya attacks sought to drive out Buddhists from northern Arakan as part of the campaign to join East Pakistan.

Failure to achieve that goal turned many Rohingyas to armed jihadism, with mujahideen forces in 1948 gaining effective control of northern Arakan. Government forces suppressed the revolt in the early 1950s, although intermittent mujahideen attacks continued until the early 1960s. From the 1970s onwards, however, Rohingya Islamist movements reemerged, with a series of insurgent groups rising and fading away.

Now history has come full circle in 2017, with the Myanmar military being accused of driving Rohingyas out of Rakhine state. But in a development that carries ominous security implications for the region, especially Myanmar, India and Bangladesh, Rakhine is becoming a magnet for the global jihadist movement, with Rohingya radicals increasingly being aided by militant organisations in Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.

Illegal

The new breed of Rohingya insurgents is suspected of having links with ISIS, Lashkar-e-Taiba, al-Qaeda and even Pakistans Inter-Services Intelligence. Ata Ullah, the Pakistani who heads the Rohingya terrorist group, the well-oiled Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army, reportedly returned to Pakistan from an extended stay in Saudi Arabia with millions of dollars to wage jihad against Myanmar after the 2012 deadly communal riots in Rakhine.

Against this background, India is legitimately concerned about the illegal entry of over 40,000 Rohingyas since 2012, with the government telling the Supreme Court that their arrival poses a serious security threat because of the links of Rohingya militants with terrorist outfits and the ISI. Some of these militants have become active in India, according to the government.

What is particularly disturbing is the organised manner in which the Rohingyas have sneaked into India from multiple routes and then settled across the length and breadth of the country, including in sensitive places like Jammu, Kashmir Valley, Mewat, and Hyderabad. Rohingya settlements have come up even in New Delhi. Because they entered India unlawfully, the Rohingyas are illegal aliens, not refugees.

Conflict

Normally, those fleeing a conflict-torn zone tend to camp just across an international border. But in this case, the Rohingyas entered India via a third nation, Bangladesh. And then large numbers of them dispersed from West Bengal and Tripura states to different parts of India. Many of them, as the government admits, have obtained Aadhaar and other identity cards.

Still, the government is reluctant to order an inquiry into the role of internal forces in assisting the Rohingyas entry, dispersal, and settlement across India. Worse yet, it has passed the buck to the Supreme Court, with home minister Rajnath Singh saying the government would await the courts hearing and decision on the Rohingyas plea against possible deportation to Bangladesh, from where they entered. Thus far, New Delhi has all talk and no action.

Make no mistake: India is a crowded country that, nonetheless, has generously admitted asylum seekers or refugees over the years from a host of places, including Tibet, Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and mainland China. India is already home to some 20 million illegal migrants from Bangladesh.

But the Rohingya aliens pose a special challenge because of the escalating jihad in Rakhine and some Rohingyas militant activities on Indian soil. The external forces fomenting jihadist attacks in Rakhine bear considerable responsibility for the Rohingyas current plight.
125 Years of Progress takes you inside The Daily Progress' archives every day in celebration of our 125 years serving Charlottesville and the rest of Central Virginia. Sponsored by Hanckel-Citizens Insurance Charlottesville

A giant pumpkin dubbed Last Chance, grown in Nelson County by William Layton, shattered the state record at the Virginia State Fair as reported in The Daily Progress on this day in 2007. Tipping the scales at 1,138 pounds, the pumpkin stood just over 4 feet high, a circumference of 13.3 feet and measuring 9.8 feet from side to side, over the top.

At night in the dark when no ones around, the monster in the yard sucks from the soil its life blood, gaining 40 pounds each evening and shooting its tendrils two feet farther every day. Like Redfield to Dracula, William Layton heeded the call of the great pumpkin named Last chance. He showed at 5:30 each morning to cover it with a tarpaulin and pump to the patch upwards of 400 gallons of water from the nearby Tye River.

I knew I had something special when it went from a tiny pumpkin to 70 pounds in the first week, Layton says, It was 600 pounds at 30 days and in 45 days was about 934 pounds. 

Laytons son, William Keith Lawton Jr., took second place that year with his 824 pound entry Baby Huey.

When asked what he would do with the pumpkins after the fair, Layton remarked Im gonna make some really big jack-o-lanterns come Halloween.

Laytons Last Chance held the record until 2014 when Hank Houston of Spotsylvania broke the record with his entry at 1,203.2 pounds.
The attorney hired by the city of Charlottesville to evaluate its handling of white nationalist and Ku Klux Klan rallies this spring and summer said on Monday that he will produce an objective report by the end of the year.

In a report to Charlottesville City Council, Tim Heaphy, the former U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Virginia, stressed that he wants to depersonalize his involvement in the investigation into how the city prepared and managed the controversial events.

Heaphy has faced scrutiny and questions about his ability to be objective in this case since he was hired in September.

While weve been retained by the city, the direction Ive received ... is to get the facts, wherever those facts lead, he said at Mondays council meeting. This is not a whitewash to affirm decisions that were made or meant to point a finger at any individuals. Rather, its an attempt to objectively assess what occurred.

In addition to his ties to local law enforcement officials and organizations, critics have questioned his contributions to Democratic campaigns, including Mayor Mike Signers 2015 council campaign.

The nature of attorney-client privilege also has cast doubt on Heaphys investigation. Some city officials, however, have said they want to be completely transparent about the report.

Last month, Signer said he was planning to return Heaphys $200 donation. City Manager Maurice Jones said Monday that he trusts Heaphy for his career experience and his critical eye.

Heaphy and a team of attorneys from Hunton & Williams, the law firm at which he is a partner, have interviewed witnesses and community members, reviewed submitted and open source materials and hundreds of documents, some of which have been acquired by Freedom of Information Act requests, he said.

The report, which Heaphy hopes to have ready by Thanksgiving, will include recommendations for how the city can prevent future violent protests.

After Councilor Wes Bellamy asked whether he could address specific questions in the interim, such as the allegations that law enforcement officers on Aug. 12 were ordered to stand down, Heaphy said he will wait until the end of the investigation to provide answers to complicated questions.

Theres a question of what was the direction to police, what did police hear and understand, whether or not orders were understood or interpreted. Those are contextual issues, and theyre so significant, Mr. Bellamy, that I feel like rather than answering one off questions, my strong preference is to give you a comprehensive answer, he said.

***

Before the meeting, the council met in closed session to conduct Joness annual performance review.

His current contract expires on Dec. 7, 2018.

Mondays closed session was just one part of the annual review process, and Jones and the councilors still need to establish a work plan, said City Councilor Kathy Galvin. According to his contract, the council and the manager are required to define goals and performance objectives for the proper operation of the City and the fulfillment of the councils policies.

Jones was given a three-year contract extension in 2015.

In August, a leaked confidential memo regarding a closed-session meeting led to speculation that some councilors were considering Jones termination.

Authored by Signer, with the input of every councilor but Bob Fenwick, the document seemed to show councilors were unhappy with Joness handling of the events before, during and after the Aug. 12 Unite the Right rally.

Before Mondays meeting, Signer declined to answer questions about the annual review and his opinion of Jones, citing it as a confidential personnel matter.

Within days of the memo being leaked, Jones responded to the various assertions in the document and said Signer threatened to fire both him and Police Chief Al Thomas after the two city leaders excluded the mayor from a downtown command center on Aug. 12.

Under the city form of government, the city manager is responsible for day-to-day city operations. The primary responsibility of the mayor, who is elected every two years by the council, is to oversee council meetings.

Councilor Bob Fenwick said he still has confidence in Jones, praising both he and Thomas for how they managed the Unite the Right rally.

Theyve done something for this city that no other city in this country has done; they stopped the alt-right, said Fenwick, using a name for a nascent political movement that has become associated with the Ku Klux Klan and neo-Nazis following the Aug. 12 rally.

***

Also on Monday, council decided that Fourth Street between Market and Water streets will be given an honorary designation recognizing Heather Heyer.

A local resident, Heyer, 32, died after a car plowed into a crowd at the intersection of 4th Street and Water Street. James A. Fields Jr., 20, of Ohio, has been charged with second-degree murder and several other charges for the incident, which injured at least 35 people.

Moments after the start of Mondays meeting, Heyers mother, Susan Bro, thanked the city for recognizing her daughter.

I deeply appreciate the honor, she said.

While some had suggested that the city could name a park for Heyer, close Fourth Street or help build a statue to honor her, Bro said she prefers a more modest memorial to her daughter.

It was my idea not to put a park associated with her name for a number of reasons, she said. And absolutely no statues ... I thought thats a little bit much. And Heather, frankly, hated statues, for a number of reasons.

Bro asked that the city also consider new memorials for African American leaders who have made an impact. She suggested the city could honor Laura Robinson, a longtime educator who died this summer at 103.
Three of the four Democratic candidates seeking the nomination for next years 5th District congressional race will come together at a forum Sunday.

Leslie Cockburn from Rappahannock County, Albemarle County resident Ben Cullop and Andrew Sneathern of Charlottesville will attend the Indivisible Charlottesville event, which will be held at The Haven from 2 to 3:30 p.m.

Charlottesville resident Roger Dean Huffstetler is unable to attend the forum.

RD has been traveling around the district, talking to voters of all stripes about the direction of our country. Prior to entering the race, he promised his wife a much-needed vacation to celebrate their anniversary, according to a statement from Huffstetlers campaign.

The candidates are hoping to unseat Republican Rep. Tom Garrett, who was elected to represent the 5th District  which spans from the North Carolina border to Northern Virginia  in 2016.

Those who cannot make it to the forum can submit their questions via Facebook to Indivisible Charlottesvilles page.
The Las Vegas mass shooting, the deadliest in modern U.S. history, pushed gun control to the front of the neck-and-neck race for Virginia governor on Monday.

At a previously scheduled forum in Vienna , Virginia, that was held hours after a gunman killed at least 58 people and injured hundreds, Democrat Ralph Northam and Republican Ed Gillespie offered condolences.

But the partisan divide over guns in Virginia, a Southern state with a strong gun tradition that was shaken by the 2007 Virginia Tech massacre, was immediately evident.

Northam, a former Army doctor who has an F rating from the National Rifle Association, decried what he called "a proliferation of guns" in society and urged gun control measures.

Gillespie, who has an A rating and an endorsement from the NRA, asked for a moment of silence, later telling reporters it was too soon to discuss policy.

Former U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz., who became one of the nation's most prominent gun control advocates after she survived a 2011 shooting in her district, cancelled plans to campaign for Northam on Monday in Virginia at gun violence prevention roundtables and meetings with volunteers.

Northam said the cancellation was out of "sensitivity" to grieving families, though Giffords and her husband , former astronaut Mark Kelly, responded to the Las Vegas violence at an afternoon press conference outside the U.S. Capitol.

"Politics matters," Kelly said at that event. "Who we elect matters. Don't let anyone tell you not to talk about politics when we talk about guns."

Americans for Responsible Solutions, Giffords' gun control group, has pledged to spend $150,000 on pro-Northam mailings.

Northam is also backed by Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund, a group bankrolled by former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg that is spending at least $700,000 to elect him.

"In light of the tragedy in Las Vegas, today is a day for resolve," said Kate Folmar, an Everytown spokeswoman. "In this governor's race, Virginians have a clear choice between a candidate who believes we must do much to prevent such tragedies, Ralph Northam, and a candidate who does not, Ed Gillespie."

Meanwhile, the NRA, which had planned to run political advertising in Virginia starting Tuesday through Election Day on Nov. 7, delayed those commercials for one week, according to a media buying firm and a Richmond television station.

The gun rights group plans more than $750,000 on commercials in theRichmond and Roanoke markets, according to filings reviewed by the non-partisan Virginia Public Access Project.

The content of the ads is unclear; a spokeswoman for the NRA did not respond to requests for comment.

A source familiar with the NRA ad buy said the delay is not connected to the shootings in Las Vegas. The source insisted on anonymity because this person was not authorized to speak on the record.

This is the second time a major episode of gun violence had ripple effects on the Virginia governor's race, the nation's marquee statewide election this year.

The day after the June 13 primary, a gunman opened fire at a congressional softball practice in Alexandria, Virginia, injuring House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La., and Capitol Police officers. Democrats cancelled a planned unity rally, while Republicans scrapped a victory tour in favor of a prayer in Fairfax, Virginia.

Northam said Monday that the latest tragedy required more than "thoughts and prayers."

"There is a tremendous proliferation of guns throughout this country, and there are tragedies that occur every day because of gun violence that we don't even hear about," said Northam in his speech at the forum. "We as a society need to stand up and say its time to take action, and stop talking."

He later told reporters that such actions in Virginia include requiring universal background checks for firearm purchases and reinstating a Virginia law that restricts purchases to one gun per month. That law expired in 2012.

After his forum appearance, Gillespie declined to answer questions from reporters about whether Virginia should change gun laws in light of the latest mass shooting.

"The appropriate comments and appropriate response right now is to take a moment and pray. And that's what I'm doing," said Gillespie, who appeared emotional. "There will be ample time for conversations and policy discussions and politics over the course of this campaign."

Gillespie is opposed to further restrictions on guns and said he would reverse an executive order signed by Gov. Terry McAuliffe, a Democrat, that bans guns in government buildings.

Guns have long been a major factor in political races in Virginia, home to the NRA headquarters. Virginia had the dubious distinction of being home to the deadliest mass shooting in modern history after 32 people died in the Virginia Tech mass shootings, until a gunman killed 49 in Orlando last year.

After long avoiding gun control, Democrats running for statewide office in Virginia in the aftermath of Virginia Tech and several other mass shootings began calling for tougher laws - and found they could still win.

McAuliffe, who is barred from seeking consecutive terms under the state election, embraced his "F" rating from the NRA when he ran in 2013. Sen. Tim Kaine, a Democrat, has endorsed a series of gun control measures in Congress, and also has an "F" rating from the NRA.

Still, Republicans who control both the Congress and the Virginia General Assembly remain opposed to such efforts, calling them an infringement on Second Amendment protections.
Hillary Clinton gestures to spectators on the last day of the 2016 U.S. Democratic National Convention at Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the United States, on July 28, 2016. [Xinhua/Li Muzi]

Hillary Clinton's loss to Donald Trump last year in the American presidential election came as a shock not only to her own supporters, but to many of her opponent's supporters as well. Almost all of the polls in the weeks leading up to the election predicted a victory for Clinton, with many anticipating a significant margin of victory. With each passing day, the possibility that the businessman-turned-reality TV star would come out on top seemed increasingly unlikely. Then came Nov. 8 and its improbable result. Clinton, no doubt devastated, dropped out of sight for sometime; when she did eventually begin appearing in public again, she almost always spoke about Trump and her failure to become America's first female president.





It's understandable that Clinton needed to vent after the election. But many noted her almost total incapacity to take any responsibility for her loss; there was a whole host of other issues and people to be blamed first. Even when she did acknowledge that her campaign had made mistakes, she would immediately follow with the caveat that all campaigns do so, rendering what might have been a moment of humility into another excuse. Listening to her endlessly repeat the supposed reasons she hadn't been elected soon became tiresome, even for many left-leaning Americans.

But for Clinton, these public appearances apparently weren't enough to get her point across. On Sept. 15, her book "What Happened" was published, which, as the title suggests, details why she believes she lost to Trump. Clearly, she has a lot to say on the topic and was eager to have it said: the book's 500-plus pages were written in the ten short months since the election. Clinton has appeared on talk shows, podcasts, and elsewhere to promote her book, meaning that even if you don't read "What Happened," you still might not be able to avoid hearing Clinton talk about it.

One has to wonder if this book's existence is really necessary and if it can possibly do any good for either Clinton or the Democratic Party. Certainly, there will be strong Clinton supporters who read the book, agree with many of its now-familiar arguments, and finish it with the satisfaction of having their preexisting opinions reinforced. But these people are already staunch Democrats -- no one's being converted. On the other hand, there will be strong Trump supporters who read the book, denounce everything it has to say as a lie, and come away from it disliking Clinton even more than before. The third major group will be moderates, the people who are actually open to changing their mind, but it's hard to imagine how reading a 500-page excuse for losing will bring them further to the left. If anything, they'll likely find Clinton's victim mentality to be off-putting and may wonder if a different attitude would better suit someone who just ten months ago was the face of the Democratic Party.

Clinton's excuses for losing are predictable: The biggest offenders are James Comey, Bernie Sanders, sexism, and the release of the DNC emails by Wikileaks. James Comey (specifically his letter to Congress on Oct. 28, just before the election) and sexism may be the fairest reasons she lists. Blaming Wikileaks (which Clinton has propagandistically called "Russian Wikileaks") is also reasonable, though its influence on the election is debatable. And pointing the finger at Bernie Sanders is ridiculous and contemptible, especially considering that the DNC swayed the Democratic primary in Clinton's favor.

But none of these things really matter in the end. Any candidate who loses an election can point to reasons they failed -- had Trump lost, he could have easily compiled a litany of grievances and written his own book. There was the "hot mic incident" shortly before the election; the women accusing him of sexual harassment; the many Republicans who openly voiced their disgust with him. (Compare that with Clinton's accusation that Sanders didn't support her enough.) Events such as these -- and everything that Clinton says led to her loss -- are natural for an election. While important, they are not the only factors voters consider on election day. Bearing this in mind, it's hard not to view "What Happened" as cut-and-dried refusal on Clinton's part to accept her own shortcomings and failures.

During the week "What Happened" was published, Bernie Sanders was hard at work putting together a bill to reform the American healthcare system. While Sanders is looking to the future, Clinton is stuck in the past. We may now know "what happened," but perhaps we should instead be asking who was the better candidate in 2016 after all.

Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn
 Flash

The White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said on Monday that "there will be a time for policy debate" on gun control, but now is not the time.

"Today is a day for consoling the survivors, and mourning those we lost ... there's a time and place for a political debate, but now is the time to unite as a country," Sanders said during a press briefing.

"I think that there will be, certainly, time for that policy discussion to take place, but that's not the place that we're in at this moment," she added.

Sanders said U.S. President Donald Trump learned about the incident early Monday and law enforcement officials were still at a fact finding period to gather all evidence.

The White House observed a moment of silence Monday afternoon to remember those killed or wounded during the mass shooting.

Trump said in a televised speech earlier Monday that the mass shooting had been an "act of pure evil", and ordered "flag be flown at half-staff."

At least 58 people were killed and an estimated 515 people were transported to hospitals in a mass shooting at a concert in Las Vegas in the U.S. state of Nevada, police said on Monday.

The death toll made the mass shooting outside of the Mandalay Bay Hotel on the Las Vegas Strip the deadliest in modern U.S. history.
 Flash

As the United States reeled from the deadliest mass shooting it has ever seen, politicians in Washington on Monday offered condolences and vowed thorough investigation into the tragedy.

U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted early morning after being briefed on the shooting, "My warmest condolences and sympathies to the victims and families of the terrible Las Vegas shooting. God bless you!"

Hours after the tweet Trump appeared on television and delivered a somber remark, calling the shooting "an act of pure evil."

"In memory of the fallen, I have directed that our great flag be flown at half-staff," Trump said in a televised statement.

Following his order, flags around Washington D.C. including in the national mall, can be seen flying at half-mast.

Trump also announced a visit to the wounded city on Wednesday "to meet with law enforcement, first responders and the families of the victims," following his scheduled visit to the hurricane devastated island of Puerto Rico Tuesday.

In the afternoon, Trump and the first lady led a moment of silence on the White House south lawn, in remembrance of those unfortunate.

The sentiment was shared on Capitol Hill, as multiple members of Congress also offered their sympathies.

"We are with you during this time. The whole country stands united in our shock, in our condolences, and in our prayers," House Speaker Paul Ryan said in a statement.

Amid the condolences questions are quickly being raised on gun control, a recurring debate in the United States that followed each mass shooting the country has recently seen.

When asked about whether the administration is considering gun regulation reform, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said in a press briefing Monday that it was too early for such discussions.

"Today is a day for consoling the survivors, and mourning those we lost...there's a time and place for a political debate, but now is the time to unite as a country," an emotional Sanders told the briefing.

"There is currently an open and ongoing law enforcement investigation. A motive is yet to be determined. And it would be premature for us to discuss policy when we don't fully know all the facts, or what took place last night," she said.

"I think that there will be, certainly, time for that policy discussion to take place. But that's not the place that we're in at this moment," she added.

Despite the hesitation from the White House, left-wing politicians unanimously called for more gun regulations.

Hillary Clinton, the Democrat's presidential nominee in 2016, launched a pointed attack against the National Rifle Association (NRA), a major lobby group for gun rights.

"Imagine the deaths if the shooter had a silencer, which the NRA wants to make easier to get," she said, adding "our grief isn't enough. We can and must put politics aside, stand up to the NRA, and work together to try to stop this from happening again."

Her voice was echoed by Democratic Senator from the state of Connecticut Chris Murphy, whose constituency saw the tragic Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in 2012 which killed 28 people, including 20 children.

"This must stop. It is positively infuriating that my colleagues in Congress are so afraid of the gun industry that they pretend there aren't public policy responses to this epidemic," he said in a statement.

Murphy pointed out that the number of mass shootings in the U.S. so far this year has averaged more than once a day.
Flipkart board has approved a plan to repurchase employee stock option, sources familiar with the development said. Photo: PTI

Bengaluru: In a bid to attract and retain its 6,000 employees, the Flipkart board has approved a plan to repurchase employee stock option, sources familiar with the development said.

Companies traditionally use ESOP to compensate, retain, and attract employees. "The overall corpus reserved for buyback of shares from employees is over USD 100 million," said one of the sources to Economic Times.

If the plan materialises then this will be the largest employment stock option plan by any startup in the country.

This development comes after the online retail giant raised about USD 4 billion from Japanese investor Softbank Corporation and the Chinese investor Tencent.

Employees of subsidiaries Myntra and PhonePe will also be a part of the ESOP. The plan is likely to close by December.

ESOPs are contracts between a company and its employees that allow employees to purchase a specific number of the companys shares at a fixed price within a certain period of time. Flipkarts stock options are dolled out over four years. Employees can vest in them every month after the one-year threshold.

Senior executives can make tens of crores, the sources told ET.
Bharti Airtel on Tuesday said Ghana's communications regulator has approved the merger of Bharti Ghana Ltd and Millicom Ghana Ltd (Tigo). Photo: AFP

New Delhi: Bharti Airtel on Tuesday said Ghana's communications regulator has approved the merger of Bharti Ghana Ltd and Millicom Ghana Ltd (Tigo), subject to certain conditions.

The approval from the regulatory body -- National Communications Authority -- will pave the way for creation of an entity that will be the second biggest mobile network operator in Ghana. The merger was announced in March this year.

"The National Communications Authority has given approval for the merger between Bharti Ghana (Airtel) and Millicom Ghana (Tigo) to proceed subject to some conditions," an Airtel release said.

The merged entity will have a 3G licence and 2G licence valid until January 2024 and October 2021, respectively. "The merger approval is also conditioned with an option for government participation," the statement said.

The merged company would have to submit a "network integration plan" outlining how they intend to relinquish, in phases, portion of their total spectrum allocation. The move is aimed at ensuring an equitable distribution and access to radiowaves.

"This, however, will be done in phases on geographical area basis and over a period not exceeding eighteen (18) months to avoid disruptions on the network," Airtel added.

All the numbering resources -- owned by the two companies -- will be held by the merged entity, which has also been asked by the regulator to submit a detailed customer awareness plan around the merger and related changes.
Reliance Communications Ltd's decision to call of the merger with Aircel will weigh heavy on its deal with asset manager Brookfield. Photo: PTI

Mumbai: Debt-reeling telecom operator Reliance Communication Ltds (RCom) is set to feel the repercussions of its decision to call off the merger with Aircel as asset manager Brookfield will now have to pay less than the agreed amount for a 51 per cent stake in the company as RComs asset value dropped ever since.

According to a report in Livemint, the Canadian alternative asset manager Brookfield and network operator RCom had in December agreed upon a cash payment of Rs 11,000 crore for the 51 per cent stake in the company. RCom and Brookfield are in discussions on the tower arm stake sale and are deeply engaged. The final deal value will be different due to the lack of additional Aircel tenancies, which would have come in, and will be announced in the next few weeks, said Punit Garg, president (telecom business) and executive director of RCom.

On Sunday, a statement from RCom said that the merger agreement with Aircel lapsed with mutual consent. RCom and Aircel had signed binding agreements in September 2016 for the merger of their mobile businesses.

Apart from regulatory hurdles, RCom blamed unprecedented competition as one of the reasons for the collapse of the deal. "Unprecedented competitive intensity in the Indian telecom sector together with fresh policy directives, adversely impacting bank financing for this sector, have also seriously affected industry dynamics. As a result of the various factors aforesaid, the merger agreement has lapsed," RCom said.

The company is currently saddled with a debt of USD 6.8 billion.

(With agency inputs)
New Delhi: Buoyed by best monthly domestic sales in over four years, Tata Motors is ramping up production across segments to cash in on the festive season demand as it continues with efforts to turn around the business, a top

company official said.

Its domestic sales of 53,695 units in September were the highest since March 2013 when it had sold 69,160 units. Its passenger vehicles (PVs) sales of 17,286 units last month were also the highest since November 2011 of 23,540 units.

The domestic commercial vehicles (CVs) business, which saw the company's market share drop to 44.4 per cent in March this year, from a high of nearly 60 per cent five years ago, recorded an average growth of 25 per cent in July-September period this fiscal.

During this period, Tata Motors had embarked on turning around of its bleeding domestic business with the following 6-9 months being critical as against an earlier planned business transition to be achieved in the next 2-3 years.

"We are increasing our addressable market with our newly launched products in PVs and CVs. There is wider acceptance of the new SCR technology and we are ramping up production across segments," Tata Motors CEO & Managing Director Guenter Butschek told PTI.

Selective catalytic reduction (SCR) is an emissions control technology system used in diesel engines, which has helped the company meet BS IV norms.

Butschek further said that the reduction in prices of vehicles as result of GST and increased customer engagements are further adding to positive consumer sentiments.

On the ongoing turnaround programme, he said: "We are committed to turning around the business with renewed focus on topline growth, increasing market share, major cost reduction initiatives and efficiency enhancements..."

These measures, he said would "help us define our market position and more importantly, be a profitable company". "As a testimony to these actions, our efforts in the second quarter have been encouraging," Butschek said.

On a standalone basis, Tata Motors had posted loss of Rs 467.05 crore for the June quarter of 2017-18 fiscal. It had registered a profit of Rs 25.75 crore in the same period of 2016-17.

In 2016-17, Tata Motors' standalone gross revenues were at Rs 49,100 crore, up 3.6 per cent from the previous year. The loss after tax, on a standalone basis, was Rs 2,480 crore compared to Rs 62 crore in the previous year.

Butschek said the CV business, which is the company's backbone has witnessed "phenomenal segment-wise performance" leading to an overall domestic sales growth of 25 per cent.

"We also continue to maintain the growth momentum in passenger vehicles and have recorded the highest sales in passenger vehicles in the last five years. We are confident that this momentum continues in the festive season," he added.
New Delhi: History will be created on television as two of India's biggest icons will come together for a candid free-flowing conversation for a Diwali special.

For the first time ever, the audience will get to witness Aamir Khan and Virat Kohli in the same frame at their candid best as both will be seen sharing their few secrets.

Aamir and Virat are both bigwigs in their own fields. Virat Kohli is known to be media shy, hence it is going to be intriguing to get a window into his life. On the other hand, Aamir Khan's quick wit has always enchanted the audience. Thereby a chat show between the two is going to be a must watch for all.

Aamir Khan, who is in the middle of promoting 'Secret Superstar', is flying down especially for one day from Singapore to shoot this special chat show on October 3.

The actor will leave on 3rd night itself to resume promotions of the movie. Aamir will be flying in from Singapore on 3rd morning and will fly to another country the same night.

The channel network airing this Diwali special has big plans in place for the promotions. The show is being planned as a mega show and in order to harp on this unique opportunity, the channel network is set to make a roadblock across various channels.

When contacted, Spokesperson of the film confirmed the news.

Produced by Aamir Khan, Kiran Rao usnder the banner name of Aamir Khan Productions, Zee Studios, and Akash Chawla, Secret Superstar is written and directed by Advait Chandan. The film is slated to release on October 19.
Web series is slowly becoming the new fad in Ktown with directors like Balaji Mohan, Gautham Menon venturing into this new avenue, which is becoming an important medium in storytelling. Now, reports about Akshara Haasan signing up for a new web series are making rounds on social media.

The actress who recently made her debut in Tamil with Ajiths film Vivegam is allegedly in talks with Viu  the makers of the web series Social starring Rana Daggubati.

However, when contacted Akshara Haasan says, No. I havent really signed in for anything yet. Although, I have been speaking with few people. Other than that there is nothing to confirm right now.

Nevertheless, she does have good opinion about the platform. We are in the new era. And I think web series is going to be taking over. It is a new medium for creating art and it pushes a lot of boundaries. I hope it works out well, she quips.

But she doesnt want the film industry to take the beating because of the rise of web platforms. I honestly hope film exhibition, as we know it, doesnt get affected because of it, because movies have their own charm. I wish films and web series shine together hand in hand peacefully.
Mumbai: Malayalam actor Dileep has finally been granted bail in the actress molestation case under strict conditions.

Dileep, whos been incarcerated for 85 days, was granted bail by a bench headed by Justice Sunil Thomas.

The actor was asked to surrender his passport and issue a bond worth rupees one lakh.

The actor, whod been denied bail a good four times, was arrested on July 10.

Dileep, eleventh accused in the case, had been arrested after the police found credible evidence connecting him to the abduction and alleged molestation of a top Malayalam actress.

The Kerala HCs move to grant bail to the actor within days of the SITs official statement submission has come as a shock to many.

The disgraced actors film Ramaleela which released amid widespread condemnation, is meanwhile running to packed houses.

The high court has imposed many restrictions on the actor, severely warning him against trying to influence witnesses or tampering evidence. Main accused Pulsar Suni is still in the custody of the state police.

The incident had occurred on February 17, when the actress was traveling to Kochi from her house in Thrissur. A gang had followed her in a tempo traveler and hit her vehicle from behind when it reached Athani near Nedumbassery.

The gang members then reportedly entered her car by force and assaulted her inside the moving vehicle over the next three hours. They are said to have clicked and recorded invasive and objectionable pictures of the actress. The Special Investigation Team had reported that Dileep was in possession of the explicit content.
 Flash

As the echo of gunfire subsided and the bodies of 59 dead in Las Vegas were counted, distraught family members and gun-control advocates took center stage in America once again.

"It will never stop until we get leadership from the top that wants change," said Sandy Phillips, a national gun control advocate.

Phillips, whose 24-year-old daughter Jessica Ghawi was killed in the 2012 movie theater shooting in Aurora in the U.S state of Colorado, has dedicated her life to helping families to get over the loss of their loved ones due to mass shootings, and to fighting for gun control.

Last June, on the behest of former President Barack Obama, Phillips formed a team of parents to fly to Orlando to help families of the victims to cope with a shooting massacre in a nightclub that left 49 people dead.

Phillips told Xinhua that she might be in Las Vegas on a similar mission by week's end.

"It's time for Americans to use their voices," Phillips said. "Because we know that most Americans want to go to a church, a concert, school, a movie theater, and a nightclub, without worrying about military grade ammo being fired at them."

Phillips named locations where mass murders had occurred in the past few years, and across the country, gun control advocates were heeding her call.

. "Today is the 275th day of 2017 and there have been 273 mass shootings," House representative Judy Chu tweeted Monday.

Mass shootings are when four or more people are slain by gunfire in one incident, according to the FBI.

Chu is the first Chinese American woman elected to the U.S. Congress, serving as the representative for California's 27th congressional district for the past eight years and has consistently championed gun control.

While condolences and emotional angst flowed across America's social media Monday in the wake of Sunday night's assault on a country music concert crowd, the naysayers surfaced once again.

"Most of them (mass shootings) were Islamic radicals or crazed dems," Robin Hall tweeted.

Hall's remark was refuted by fact -- crazed white Americans with guns have perpetrated most of the recent mass shootings.

"This kind of terrorism is brought to you by the National Rifle Association (NRA) and all those who support the idea of semiautomatic weapons being in the hands of practically anyone," said Randy Hirzell, a home mover from Denver.

"More weapons and more dangerous weapons are killing us, not protecting us," said Hirzell, who tweeted, "The death rate from gun violence in the United States is on average 25 times higher than in high-income nations with sensible gun control laws."

Even former Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton jumped into the debate Monday.

"Our grief isn't enough," Clinton tweeted. "We can and must put politics aside, stand up to the NRA, and work together to try to stop this from happening again."

The gunman, identified as 64-year-old gambler Stephen Paddock, opened fire from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel into the crowd at an outdoor music festival where Jason Aldean was playing.

"Perhaps the saddest fact about the horrifying mass shooting in Las Vegas on Sunday night is that it won't be the last," said Stephen Silver, a San Francisco artist.

Silver posted a Las Vegas Sun editorial on Monday referencing last November's Nevada vote that "overwhelming supported universal background checks for firearms purchases."

"Now, it's time for Las Vegas-area lawmakers to go a step further to protect Nevadans and push to ban the sale of high-capacity magazines in the state," Silver said in the article.

"The media doesn't understand that anyone in the United States -- in any state besides Illinois -- can buy a machine gun -- or even more deadly weapons," Kent Harris, a NRA supporter told Xinhua.

"It takes about two years for the clearance to come through and then you can buy an automatic weapon," said Harris, who owns several machine guns.

"It's not the guns -- it's the people who are the problem," Harris said, repeating a common theme expressed by the powerful NRA.

"We're making strides state by state, but our federal laws are weakening the state laws such as silencers. It's that kind of thing that's controlled by the NRA and the gun lobby, who are exacerbating the situation and creating the mass murders," Phillips said.

"The crowd fled at the sound of gunshots," Clinton wrote. "Imagine the deaths if the shooter had a silencer, which the NRA wants to make easier to get."

Pennsylvania psychiatrist Mary Pontzel tweeted Monday that "mass murderers are highly unstable individuals, some of whom are looking to be famous (or infamous), and that desire should not be rewarded, even posthumously."

Pontzel said that media coverage of (the massacres) stigmatizes others with related diagnoses, most of whom suffer greatly but rarely become dangerous enough even to harm an individual person, much less carry out a mass murder.

After the Aurora theater massacre, Tom and Caren Teves, whose son Alex was murdered in the shooting, started the now famous "no notoriety" campaign that encourages the U.S. media not to name the killers.
At a time when there is palpable tension between India and China at its borders with our military on high alert, one of the prettiest and busiest actresses in Sandalwood has reached out to a Chinese audience with a cultural exchange between the two countries! Wondering about Sandalwood's connection with China? According to sources Shanvi Srivastava has played the role of an Indian princess for a Chinese web/teleport series.

It is learnt that the 11-part web series in which Shanvi, who will be seen in at least seven parts is directed by Malays first film director AR Tompel, who is a top director of web-series in China. The title of the web-series translates to The Dark Lord. While the Chinese web-series was in search of a perfect Indian actress to portray the Indian princess role, they finally stumbled upon Shanvi, who was apt. The web-series talks about the cultural relationship between the two countries wherein the Indian princess falls for a Chinese emperor.
For those inquisitive about Cambodia, M.P. Josephs book My Driver Tulong and other Tall Tales from a Post Pol Pot Contemporary Cambodia will take you on a fascinating voyage through Cambodia and its people. A civil servant from Kerala, Joseph worked for the United Nations in Cambodia for several years. He watched the country grow from a war torn communist moth into a free market.

This is Josephs first book and its strength is that it isnt what the would-be reader expects. It is a story of a young driver Tulong and the author in a land which the author initially was reluctant to go to when the ITO International Toilers Organisation, a UN agency, asked him to set up office. The author meets Tulong who becomes the self-appointed protector of the author.

My Driver Tulong and other Tall Tales from a Post Pol Pot Contemporary Cambodia. by M.P. Joseph Partridge India pp.317, Rs 550

The author writes, Tulong was different. When confronted with threats to my person and when confronted simply with threats to my pride or power, his weapon of choice was disarming tact, suave cunningness, subtle negotiations pregnant with grave nuances. He talked softly, but pretended that I carried a big stick.

M.P. Joseph

You grow to love Tulong. And when he is dismissed, it is heartbreaking. I thought the author was unfair when it came to Tulongs dismissal. But he leaves it at that.

Narrated in the first person, the author walks the reader through stories woven along with the lands history. The book is perfect for readers who are not too interested in the detailed history of a country.

Glimpses of the hell the Khmer Rouge had unleashed on the people come forth, but they are only glimpses. This is not a book about the Khmer Rouge of Cambodia. It is a book about friendships, the people, their lives and loves. It is a book about an Indian who experienced magic in Cambodia that few are blessed to receive. Blessing isnt merely about what happens; its about what we learn from what happens and that comes across beautifully in the book.

Like Ms Lin Lin Sim, My Nea Kru Khmer who was hired by the author to teach him Khmer. At 21, she had taken on the role of the master of the house the day her father left her. Money is important to her, otherwise her family will starve. Then there is Damu, the cook from Orissa, who blends in with the Khmer people and has learnt their ways and manners so well that he is as good as any Khmer. Theres Mr Goswami, the authors friend in Cambodia, with whom the author would visit Riverside. These are stories all woven that add zing to the book.

On the downside, there are some places where the book tends to drag and you swish through some of the pages, but then thats just nitpicking. Overall, this is a book that is alive and recommended.
This is the first Japanese restaurant in the UK to be awarded three stars in the annual appraisal after previously winning two.. (Photo: Pixabay)

A nine-seat restaurant in London has won three Michelin stars, joining a select group of other British restaurants with the coveted rating.

The Araki, situated in London, was given the stars on Monday by the French gastronomic guide.

Interestingly, a meal at Araki would set you back by 300 per person.

Situated in Mayfair area, this is the first Japanese restaurant in the UK to be awarded three stars in the annual appraisal after previously winning two. It is the fifth restaurant from UK to get the coveted title.

There are only four other restaurants in the UK and Ireland with a trio of stars: Heston Blumenthals Fat Duck and Alain Rouxs Waterside Inn in Bray, Berkshire, Alain Ducasse at the Dorchester in Park Lane and Restaurant Gordon Ramsay in Chelsea.

The sushi counter was opened by Japanese chef Mitsuhiro Araki in 2014

As well as the nine counter seats, there's room for six more people in a private dining room.

Araki and wife Yoko run the restaurant with the help of just one assistant.
A not so slick thief of the night left behind his phone at a Bengaluru home he robbed.

On the night of September 29, a gang stole Rs 3 lakh and 400g worth of gold jewellery in house a in Arisinakunte village, while the owners were away, The Indian Express reported. The group came prepared. They first poisoned the family dog and waited for him to lose consciousness before they broke opened the main door and grabbed the treasures.

The owners filed a complaint with the police, when they returned home to find their belongings stolen. At the scene of the crime, police inspecting the area noticed a mobile phone that did not belong to any of the family member.

With such strong evidence in hand police hope to catch the culprit and his gang soon.

This is not the first time a thief has made such a blunder. Previously another burglar broke into the window of a garage, while the main door was wide open. CCTV footage also caught another thief attempting to rob a store only to end up having his leg stuck as the door automatically shut. He had to wait till the morning to be rescued.
The decision has opened up a lucrative new market for carmakers (Photo: Twitter)

Dubai: Ford has decided to present a Saudi Arabian activist with her dream car, after a landmark decree allowing women to drive for the first time in the ultra-conservative kingdom's history.

Ford Middle East wrote on Twitter that it had a yellow Mustang waiting to be picked up by women's rights activist Sahar Nassif -- who had declared her love for the car in an interview shortly after the royal decree was issued on September 26.

"We'd like to give you your dream car," Ford Middle East tweeted to Nassif on Friday, followed hours later by "Your Mustang awaits" with the picture of a yellow car speeding through a tunnel and the hashtag #MustangSahar.

Saudi Arabia on Tuesday announced it would allow women to drive from June 2018, ending a policy that for decades had severely curbed women's mobility.

The decision has opened up a lucrative new market for carmakers, with major brands already stepping up efforts to attract customers.

In recent years a number of women activists were detained for getting behind the wheel in Saudi Arabia.

In a rare act of mass protest in the kingdom, 47 Saudi women formed a convoy and drove through the capital Riyadh in November 1990 to demonstrate against the ban on driving.

They were taken into custody and only released after their male guardians guaranteed the act would not be repeated.

The kingdom still has some of the world's tightest restrictions on women: under the state guardianship system, a male family member -- normally the father, husband or brother -- must grant permission for a woman's study, travel and other activities.
The 45-year-old, headed for India, was arrested at Colombo airport on Sunday after customs officials noticed suspicious movements. (Photo: Pixabay)

A Sri Lankan man who raised suspicion by the way he kept looking around in an airport departure lounge was found to be carrying nearly a kilogram (2.2 lb) of gold stashed in his rectum, a customs official said on Monday.

The 45-year-old, headed for India, was arrested at Colombo airport on Sunday after customs officials noticed suspicious movements, customs spokesman Sunil Jayarathne told Reuters.

The suspect was carrying 904.77 grams of gold worth 4.5 million rupees ($29,577), but was freed after payment of 100,000 rupees, he said. Such methods of smuggling were not unusual, he said.

The gold was wrapped in plastic bags inserted in to his rectum, Jayarathne said, adding that there were four bags.

This is not the first such detection and this is a common method of smuggling.
Angry residents of a municipal ward in Vadodara, on Tuesday, tied a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) corporator to a tree and beat him up. (Photo: Youtube Screengrab | hri joshi)

Vadodara: Angry residents of a municipal ward in Vadodara, on Tuesday, tied a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) corporator to a tree and beat him up for "failing" to prevent demolition of their slum in May by the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC).

In a video of the incident that went viral, the corporator, with his clothes torn, was seen tied to a tree in Bapod area and pleading to the people gathered around him that he had no knowledge about the civic body's decision to raze the slum.

"This land belongs to the Collector (state government) and he is the one who passes an order. I am a small councillor. I have no idea about the decision taken by the municipal commissioner (regarding demolition)," the corporator, identified as Hasmukh Patel, was heard saying in Gujarati.

Patel represents Bapod (Ward number 5).

The corporator was later rescued by a team of police officers that rushed to the area and took him to a nearby hospital for treatment.

Police have confirmed that Patel was thrashed.

City Police Commissioner Manoj Sashidhar said 66 people were arrested in connection with the case and further investigation is on.

"When Hasmukh Patel was taking a round of his ward, around 20 people protested against him over a demolition carried out some months ago. They took him to a nearby area and tied him to a tree and beat him up," Sashidhar said.

The residents of the slum that was located around Nani Bapod lake under ward number 5 were given alternative houses under a government rehabilitation programme, the commissioner said, adding that the attack was not pre-planned.
Chennai: A group of truck drivers took law unto their own hands, or thats what they thought, until police rushed to the rescue of a 30-year-old man who was beaten up by the truck drivers, who suspected the man to be a thief. The incident happened near Madhavaram during the early hours of Tuesday when one of the drivers caught the man suspiciously entering into the drivers cabin of a parked truck. With bloody injuries, the man swooned to the ground before police rushed to the scene on information.

Police investigations revealed that the truck drivers turned violent, as there were several incidents in the recent past wherein, mobile phones and spare parts were stolen from parked trucks in the bays in Madhavaram and Ennore.

Two weeks ago, on September 19, a mobile phone was stolen from a truck and the drivers decided to be vigil as they suspected the thief to be either one among them or a miscreant who sneaks in during the night.

Unluckily for the man, identified as Sadiq (30) from Korukkupet, he had to bear the brunt. Police sources said Sadiq had come to visit his friend, Chandrasekar, a truck driver. He was on his way home when he mistook a man sleeping inside a truck to be his friend and ventured into it. However, the truck driver assumed the stranger to be a thief and alerted other truck drivers who ganged up and thrashed him. One of the truck drivers alerted the cops meanwhile.

Preliminary investigations suggested that he is not a thief. We have checked if he has any previous cases against him and there were none, a police officer said. Further investigations are on.
BJP's Karnataka unit hits out at actor Prakash Raj for criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi's silence on those 'celebrating' the killing of journalist Gauri Lankesh. (Photo: File)

Bengaluru: The BJP's Karnataka unit on Tuesday hits out at actor Prakash Raj for criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi's silence on those "celebrating" the killing of journalist Gauri Lankesh, saying he has shown "political immaturity."

Raj had described as "chilling" the silence of Modi on those "celebrating" the killing of Lankesh, including the ones followed by him on Twitter.

State senior BJP leader and spokesman S Suresh Kumar said, "The actor has shown his political immaturity by making a statement that suits his political ideology. Such allegations were made to win accolades."

Read: Narendra Modi bigger actor than me, says actor Prakash Raj

While questioning Modi's silence, Raj appeared to suggest on Sunday that he felt like "returning" his awards to "such actors who are acting as though nothing has happened", but later insisted that he was "not such a fool to give back the national awards."

Raj, who has acted in Hindi, Kannada, Telugu and Tamil movies, had been a family friend of Gauri Lankesh, who was shot dead by unidentified assailants in Bengaluru on September 5.

The BJP spokesman also sought to know why the actor preferred to remain silent during the Cauvery agitation by saying that he is only an actor.

"If Raj wants to be active in politics, let him start his own political party. We do not want him to issue any certificate to Modi," said Kumar.
BJP Chief Amit Shah said BJP workers were victims of 'political murders'. (Photo: File)

Kannur: BJP chief Amit Shah on Tuesday announced a two-week 'padyatra' in all state capitals from Wednesday against the CPI(M)'s alleged targeting of his party's workers.

Addressing a rally in the CPI(M) bastion, also the home town of Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Shah said Vijayan was responsible for the violence in the state.

BJP workers were victims of "political murders", he added.

Shah is in Kerala to launch a fortnight-long march, called Jan Raksha Yatra, by the party in the state to protest alleged political violence by the Left party.

He said his party would use democratic means to fight Left rule in the state.

"CPI(M) leader and Kerala Chief Minister Vijayan is directly responsible for all political murders in Kerala," he alleged.

As many as 120 BJP workers, 84 in Kannur alone, have been killed in the state since 2001. Fourteen people were killed in Kannur since the CPI(M) came to power last year, the BJP had said on Monday.
Gauri Lankesh was shot dead at close range by unknown assailants at her home in Bengaluru on the night of September 5. (Photo: PTI)

Bengaluru: The Karnataka government on Tuesday said that the killers of journalist and activist Gauri Lankesh have been identified. The Special Investigation Team (SIT), in-charge of the case, is gathering evidence to prove them guilty, it said.

"We know who it is," Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy told NDTV.

He, however, refused to divulge the details, saying that giving out more information could jeopardize the case.

We have got clues, but we cannot tell things to the media for now, because we should have correct evidence for the clues we have got," he told reporters at Chikkaballapura on Monday.

Lankesh was shot dead at close range by unknown assailants at her home in Bengaluru on the night of September 5.

The minister had claimed about the SIT having gathered "some clues" in connection with the case on September 9 too.

The state government, which has constituted the SIT headed by IGP (Intelligence) BK Singh, has announced a reward of Rs 10 lakh to anyone who gives clues about the killing that led to outrage and protests across country.

As a political slugfest broke out over the killing, her family had pleaded against giving a political colour to it. The family had said the investigators should look into all angles behind Lankesh's killing, whether it was right wing or Naxals, as reports have emerged about a possible Naxal hand, other than suspected involvement of right-wing extremists, the ideology Gauri opposed.
Wife of Rajinikanth, Latha said only Rajinikanth can say when he is ready to make his political entry. (Photo: Latha Rajinikanth/Facebook)

Chennai: Will superstar Rajinikanth make his debut into politics? The question has turned into one of the most discussed issues in the nation today.

While his actor friend Kamal Haasan has already announced his political entry, Rajinikanth has hinted of the plunge but is yet to officially reveal a clear stand.

At an event on Tuesday, Latha Rajinikanth, wife of Rajinikanth, said that he will do only well for the people if he enters politics.

Talking to media, she went on to add, Only he can say when he is ready to make his political entry. But if he enters politics, he will do only good for the people.

She further added, "We will stand with him as a family."

Famously called as "Thalaivar" or "Ultimate Boss" by his fans, Rajinikanth, who is still guarding his political bent and decision to plunge into politics close to his chest, on Sunday used the dais at the opening of late actor Sivaji Ganesans memorial on the banks of the Adyar in Chennai to talk about politics and Kamal. The latter was also sharing the platform with him.

Earlier, Rajinikath had hinted that he may take a plunge in politics and also said the prospects of his actions were under discussion and he will announce once it is finalised.

Previously, in May, the actor had urged his fans to "prepare for war" possibly implying that he may join politics.

He had said, "When a war comes, they will come to the rescue of their motherland. I have a profession, work, duty and so do you. Go to your places, do your duty, take care of your vocation. Let us face the war when it comes."

The famed actor had also said that even though he had no particular intention of getting into politics, he would consider taking the path if that was "God's will". He claimed that if he did enter the political world, he would be truthful and not host people who merely want to make money.
In the exchange of fire, Naik Mahendra Chemjung was grievously injured and succumbed to injuries. (Representational Image)

Jammu: An Army jawan was killed on Tuesday as Pakistani forces violated the ceasefire by firing from across the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district, an official said.

"Pakistan Army initiated unprovoked firing on Indian Army posts in the Krishna Ghati sector at around 1250 hours today. Indian Army retaliated strongly and effectively," a defence spokesman said.

In the exchange of fire, Naik Mahendra Chemjung was grievously injured and succumbed to injuries, he added.

Chemjung, 35, belonged to Chilingdin in Nepal and is survived by his wife Nayan Kala Chemjung and a son, the spokesman said.

"Chemjung was a brave and sincere soldier. The nation will always remain indebted to him for the supreme sacrifice and devotion to duty," he added.

On Monday, two minors were killed and 12 civilians injured in cross-border shelling by Pakistan along the LoC in Poonch district.

Five children were among the injured, the youngest being five-year-old Zobia Kousar, who was airlifted to a hospital in Jammu.
The Supreme Court indicated that it would re-consider its earlier decision to order a probe by the NIA into the 'love jihad' controversy and said prima facie it was of the view that the father cannot hold custody of his 24-year-old girl. (Photo: File)

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday indicated that it would re-consider its earlier decision to order a probe by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) into the 'love jihad' controversy and said prima facie it was of the view that the father cannot hold custody of his 24-year-old girl.

Giving this indication a three-judge Bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices AM Kanwilkar and DY Chandrachud also disapproved the Kerala High Courts order nullifying the marriage of Shafin Jahan with a Hindu girl Hadia alias Akhila, who converted to Islam exercising its writ jurisdiction under Article 226 of the Constitution.

Senior counsel Dushyant Dave, appearing for Shafin Jahan, strongly opposed the order directing NIA probe.

Raising his voice, Dave said the apex court had exceeded jurisdiction and must recall order. He pointed out that two senior Muslim BJP functionaries had married Hindus and asked will it be called love jihad and would the court order investigation against them? He said the order struck at the very foundation of a multi-purpose religious society and is sending wrong signal world over.

The CJI asked Dave not to raise his voice but to advance logical and legal arguments.

The CJI said, Our preliminary view is a father cannot be seen dictating the personal life of a 24-yr-old daughter. The girl is 24 year old and it is absolutely clear that she cannot be by force under custody of her father. The father cannot say he should have 24-hour custody of her. We may appoint a custodian or send her somewhere safe.

The CJI said, We will hear logical and legal arguments on two issues - can the High Court nullify a marriage exercising jurisdiction under Article 226 and was an NIA probe necessary.

Appearing for NIA, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Tushar Mehta brought to the notice of the court that the order for a NIA probe was passed with the consent of senior counsel Kapil Sibal, who appeared for the petitioner, Shafin Jahan.

Read: Kerala Love Jihad: Can HC annul Shafin Jahan's marriage? SC to hear plea on Oct 9

The ASG said though the NIA was not a party to the proceedings, it was made a party at the instance of the former CJI JS Khehar as the court wanted NIA to find out whether there was any pattern emerging in the love jihad case.

On August 16, the apex court had ordered the NIA probe under the supervision of retired judge RV Raveendran after the Additional Solicitor General Maninder Singh informed the Court that there was prima facie material to establish that some extremist organisations linked with the banned SIMI (Students Islamic Movement of India) were engaged in the conversion of certain Hindu girls into Islam and their gradual radicalisation with organisations like the ISIS.

The alleged conversions had gained the sobriquet of love jihad in Kerala and the boy Shafin Jahan moved the apex court for production of his wife Akhila alias Hadiya.

In a fresh application for recall of this order, Shafin Jahan said that on August 17, 2017 activist Rahul Easwar visited the home of the girls father, where Akhila has been detained.

Easwar, after taking due consent from the family, filmed a video of the family, including Akhila in which she asks the following is this house arrest what I deserve? Whether this should be the purpose of my life.

This video clearly shows that the Detenue does not wish to be kept under house arrest. Rahul Easwar has also gone on to say to NDTV that the Detenue told him, that "she wants to live and die as a Muslim. She has also confessed in the video, "ask my father and mother, whether they torture and abuse me for following my religion and its practices.

He pointed out that on a complaint the State Human Rights Commission acting President P Mohandas himself has gone on to make a statement that Akhila is undergoing immense human rights violations at her house.

He said despite Justice Raveendran declining to supervise the probe, the NIA was preceding with the investigation and it was reported that the NIA has already found a "link". This was in clear violation of this Court's order as the investigation was to be overseen by Justice Raveendran and that without his supervision, the same cannot be undertaken and be said to be fair.

He said evidence had shown that Akhila has accepted Islam on her own free will. However, since the impugned order of the High Court of Kerala dated May 24, 2017 she has been detained against her will and her rights have been freely violated.

She remains to be in the custody of her father against her will and that he has completely cut off any and all contact between the Detenue and the outside world. In the interest of justice it would be appropriate and just to recall the order of this Court dated August 16, 2017 to the extent of the directions to NIA to investigate this matter, and direct the Detenue to be produced before this Court, he said in the application.
London/ New Delhi: Beleaguered liquor baron Vijay Mallya who was arrested in London on Tuesday in a money laundering case filed by the Enforcement Directorate, before being released on bail by Westminster Magistrates' Court.

The 61-year-old flamboyant businessman, already out on bail on an extradition warrant executed by the Metropolitan Police earlier in 2017, was released on the same bail conditions as before to appear for his trial on December 4.

Speaking to PTI outside the court room, Mallya said that has "done nothing wrong" and described the allegations against him as "fabricated".

"I deny all allegations that have been made and I will continue to deny them," he said.

"I have not eluded any court. If it is my lawful duty to be here, I'm happy to be here," he said, adding, "I've given enough evidence to prove my case."

The judge, Chief Magistrate Emma Louise Arbuthnot, said that Mallya has been freed on the "same bail conditions as before" which he must abide by.

Earlier, the UK's Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), which is arguing the case against Mallya on behalf of the Indian government, had confirmed the arrest.

"Vijay Mallya has been arrested on money laundering charges and will be appearing in court today," a CPS spokesperson said.

Sources in New Delhi said the arrest was pursuant to the extradition request made by the Indian government based on money laundering charges against Mallya.

The case is being probed by the ED and the central probe agency has already filed a charge sheet against him and others in a Mumbai court.

Arbuthnot has been hearing Mallya's extradition case at Westminster Magistrates' Court on his previous arrest warrant executed by Scotland Yard in April.

He had been arrested by Scotland Yard on an extradition warrant on behalf of the Indian authorities on April 18.

He had attended a central London police station for his arrest and was released on conditional bail a few hours later after providing a bail bond worth 650,000 pounds, assuring the court of abiding by all conditions associated with extradition proceedings, such as the surrender of his passport and a ban on him possessing any travel documents.

Mallya's trial in that case is scheduled for two weeks, starting December 4.

The embattled businessman, who has been based in the UK since he fled India in March in 2016, is wanted in India for his erstwhile Kingfisher Airlines' default on loans worth nearly Rs 9,000 crore.

It remains to be seen if both cases will be clubbed together, which may lead to a delay in the trial date.
Bengaluru: Recent events at the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) have kindled a debate among students in the state on bringing back campus unions, which have been banned for over two decades now.

While some student leaders said a strong union is essential to highlight unreported cases on campuses, others said it will help bring out positive changes in educational reforms.

Mr Manjunath H.S., state president, NSUI, the student wing of Congress, it is high time the state government realised that the dearth of youthful and thoughtful leaders can be bridged only by allowing student politics back at varsities.

We wrote to the CM and the education minister last year after the JNU issue, but we did not receive any response. The need for campus elections and student leaders from the grassroots levels is growing and these demands cannot be ignored anymore, he said. Criticising the student councils that are formed by various managements for namesake, he said that a campus election over a managements selection is always preferred.

Drawing references to the current state and central ministries, he said, Leaders, including D.K. Shivakumar, R. Roshan Baig and Ananthkumar, got a chance to prove their mettle at the campus level and it should be open to the current student community as well.

If the reason to ban campus politics is violence, then why are parliamentary and legislative elections which lead to bigger violence and other illegal activities not stopped, asks Ravinandan B.B., state vice-president, AIDSO, the student wing of Socialist Unity Centre of India (Communist).

Law and order officials should take responsibility to avoid such problems, instead of calling off the entire system. This is similar to a person cutting off his nose to spite the face, he said.

On active student politics on campuses in Kerala, Sangeeth K., a postgraduate student at a private college in the city, said, Students there know how the varsity works and whom to approach for every student-related issue. I was more aware of what was happening around when I was studying there and that helped me form strong opinions on all contemporary issues.
The attack was retaliated and terrorists are holed up inside a building inside the campus. (Photo: ANI/Twitter)

Srinagar: A group of at least three terrorists attacked a Border Security Force (BSF) camp near Srinagar Airport and the Airforce station early Tuesday morning. One BSF jawan and two terrorists were killed in the encounter at the site.

The deceased soldier is among the three troopers who were injured in the attack.

Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh said that two terrorists are holed up in administrative building and JCO Mess.

An encounter was underway at the camp and senior officers were monitoring the situation.

#WATCH Heavy firing at BSF 182 battalion camp, operation underway. (Visuals deferred by unspecified time) #SrinagarTerrorAttack pic.twitter.com/MwhIeHdzhg  ANI (@ANI) October 3, 2017

Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has called a high-level meeting at 11:30 am to review the situation in Jammu and Kashmir.

At least three terrorists barged into the campus of the BSF 182 battalion at 4:30 am on Tuesday.

Troops of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), 53 Rajput Rifles, BSF and Special Operations Group (SOG) zonal have placed cordon around the building where terrorists are holed up.

Passengers are being allowed to enter the Srinagar Airport to avoid inconvenience. The flight operation, which was suspended following the attack, has not resumed yet.

Airports Authority of India and concerned airlines will take the decision on resuming air traffic.
Bengaluru: Nearly a month after journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh was shot dead in a chilling murder here on September 5, state Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy has claimed that the SIT probing the incident is much closer to finding the killer than before.

"We know who has done it (the killing) and what.... everything we know," Reddy told reporters at Chikkaballapur, 35 kms from here, on Sunday.

On Tuesday, he told Deccan Chronicle that the investigators were taking it step by step as they did not want to alert the killers. "We do not want the perpetrators to destroy the evidence. Therefore, we are not coming before the public on the information and leads that we have got in the Gauri case," Mr Reddy told Deccan Chronicle.

High level sources in the home department however told this newspaper that the " killers of Gauri Lankesh had committed multiple mistakes while executing the crime." The highly placed sources in the home department said that unlike the M.M.Kalburgi case which had no leads at all, the mistakes by the Gauri Lankesh assassins, were many and had left multiple leads. "As a result, they had left several clues." a source pointed out. This has helped the investigators to make progress in cracking the case," sources said.

Mr Reddy, however, refused to divulge further details, saying the Special Investigation Team was gathering evidence. "We have got clues, but we cannot share this with the media now because we should have correct evidence and verify the clues we have got, he said. If there is no proper evidence when we file the chargesheet in the court, it won't stand. So we are trying to collect the proper evidence.

He was speaking ahead of a major rally calling for Justice for Gauri in New Delhi on October 5. He said his comments had no bearing on the upcoming rally.
Hyderabad: The cyclonic circulation that persists over south Odisha is triggering thunderstorm activity over Telangana. The hitherto weak south-west monsoon currents have gained strength due to this upper cyclonic pressure. Telengana is under thunderstorm warning up to October 5. The districts including the capital city will receive heavy to very high intensity rainfall up to Thursday, accompanied by thunder and lightning.

The local weather bureau anticipates that the rain intensity will once again increase around October 7 and the city will witness heavy to very heavy rains. These showers will be due to the formation of fresh cyclonic circulation which would be forming over the Odisha coast. The system is most likely to move in a westerly direction, towards Telangana.

In the last 24 hours, the south-west monsoon currents have been active over Telangana. In the past three days, the state has received surplus rains; the total average recorded so far across all the districts is 25.9 cm against the normal 14.7 cm.

Hyderabad, Mahbub Nagar, Warangal, Ranga Reddy, Nalgonda and Medak have received excessive rain in the last three days. Day temperature dropped considerably due to the thunderstorm prevailing over the state. The night temperature was around 20-21 degrees Celsius.

The official withdrawal date of the south-west monsoon is October 15. But the north-east monsoon is round the corner, when many areas of the southern peninsular such as Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu receive rains.

Warning for October 4 & 5

Thunderstorm associated with heavy rains are likely to occur at isolated places in all the districts of Telangana. Hyderabad to see generally cloudy skies with one or two spells of heavy rain or thundershowers on Wednesday.

Rains likely on wednesday

The Met department, in its bulletin, predicted that thunderstorm associated with heavy rain very likely to occur at isolated places in all the districts of Telangana on Tuesday and Wednesday. During past 24 south west monsoon has been active over Telangana. Rain occurred at many places over Telangana state.

GHMC: find rain details online

GHMC Commissioner Dr B. Janardhan Reddy has appealed to the citizens to use the available technology to know the details of the rains, through the website www.imdhyderabad.gov.in where the Met Department updates the radars pictures every 10 minutes. The GHMC commissioner said people can also visit GHMCs website to know the details of water logging and vulnerable points.


Head priest of Pyditalliamma Temple, Tallapudi Bhaskara Rao, sits on a Sirimanu (wooden log) and is paraded in the streets of Vizianagaram during Sirimanotsav, as part of Pyditalliamma Jatara, in Vizianagaram on Tuesday. (Photo: DC)

Visakhapatnam: Religious fervour marked the annual Sirimanotsavam of Sri Pyditalliammavaru on Tuesday, with over 2.5 lakh devotees from various parts of north coastal Andhra Pradesh and neighbouring Odisha and Chhattisgarh visiting Vizianagaram to seek the blessings of the presiding deity.

Hereditary trustee of the Pyditalliammavaru temple and Union civil aviation minister P. Ashok Gajapati Raju along with his family members offered prayers to the goddess in the morning session and completed the traditional rituals and they also watched the Sirimanotsav in the evening.

As per the schedule, the procession of Sirimanu started around 4 pm at Chaduru Gudi of Pyditalli and moved slowly towards the fort.

Chief priest of temple, Bantupalli Venkata Rao, sat on the top of a long pole (sirimanu) and was paraded from the temple to the fort thrice before returning to the temple.

The devotees believe that the priest is possessed and threw bananas at him. Lakhs of devotees stayed put to watch till the end of the Sirimanotasav.

The district administration, police and endowments officials made all the arrangements for the festival in view of previous experiences.

A mishap was averted as the wheels of Sirimanu cart lost balance following reckless handling of the chariot while it was returning to the temple. The alert police took steps to save the priest and others.

Traditionally, the festival is conducted on the first Tuesday after the Dasara festival. Compared to last year, more number of devotees thronged this year.
Thiruvananthapuram: Contractors have decided to take a protest march against the 18% GST imposed on civil works. Members of All Kerala LSGD Contractors' Coordination Committee will assemble in front of the Secretariat to stage a protest similar to the one held in front of all Corporations on September 26. The contractors have not been taking up any work after July 1, when GST came into being.

We get just 10% profit, and we need to pay 18% GST. The government has not taken any action even though we have been bringing this up for months now, said C. Jayachandran, chairman of the committee during a press meet. There are over 1000 civil works pending in Thiruvananthapuram and about 800 in Kochi because of the strike. We are told that we will get input tax credit. However that is no consolation, when our profit margin was as low as 10%, said vice-chairman V.R. Rajesh.

They have had meetings with all corporation mayors. In Thiruvananthapuram, Mayor V.K. Prasanth had assured them that they will not have to bear the GST, but the state will have to issue an order in this regard. Recently at a council meeting he said that while city corporation will be able to afford the increased expenditure, smaller municipalities and panchayaths might not be able to do so. The government order is being delayed to take into account the condition of all local bodies, he had said.
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: There is a high chance that even quarries that do not even possess a valid explosive licence operate in the state with impunity. Reason: There is no mechanism in place for monitoring quarries in the state. Quarry operators, before starting operations, are required to obtain consent from the Pollution Control Board (PCB), secure an environment clearance from State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) and a quarrying permit from the Department of Mining and Geology (DMG).

Intriguingly, none of these bodies has a system for periodical monitoring to check whether quarries are complying with conditions specified in the consent. The state government has issued a circular in March 2014 stating that the authority empowered to give sanction should also ensure that there is no violation of conditions. This requires physical verification by the agencies concerned. "While issuing consent to operate, the PCB will impose certain conditions to the quarry operators based on Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 and Environment Protection Act, 1986," says environmentalist Vikraman Bhattathiri. Further, lease holders with a minimum area of five hectare for quarrying granite building stone require environment clearance from SEIAA. The EC, too, will stipulate certain conditions to be followed by the lease holders.

However, both the PCB and SEIAA do not have a system for periodical monitoring. "With the kind of staff strength we have ,it is impossible to keep track of all the innumerable clearances that we had given across the state," a top SEIAA official said. Even a government department like DMG has no systems to monitor the adherence to Kerala Minor Minerals Cocession Rules. The DMG issues quarrying permits and leases and the permit or lease holders have to satisfy conditions specified in the permits. "The DMG does not conduct periodical inspection of quarry sites to monitor implementation of KMMC Rules. Even the CAG has pointed this out," Mr Bhattathri said. The lease violations include non-observance of safety measures, operation after expiry of permit, operating without explosive licence, and non-demarcation of quarry area.
Germany: the centre of Europe. Undoubtedly geographically; it borders more European countries than any other. But Germany is also the centre in a deeper sense. With its steadfast commitment to the European Union, strong economy, developed welfare state and stable political system, it is held up as a model to which others should aspire. In the moral realm too, it represents an ideal. It has directly experienced all the major traumas of European history  most recently the two world wars and the Cold War  and learned from them more profoundly than any other European nation. It knows at firsthand that nationalism and extremism lead to disaster.

Now all of this has been tarnished by the election results a little over a week ago; or has it? It was never seriously in doubt that Angela Merkels centrist Christian Democratic Union (CDU), with its Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU), would end up as the largest bloc. But as a German friend who works for the CDU put it, we didnt win; we just got the most votes. True: the CDU-CSU won its lowest percentage since 1949, some 33 per cent. The moderate left Social-Democrats (SPD) did even worse, with some 20 per cent, also their lowest score since 1949. The smaller parties did better. The liberal Free Democrats (FDP) re-entered the Bundestag after a four-year absence, whilst the ecologist Greens and the hard-left Die Linke (The Left) held their own. But the nastiest shock for the established parties was the arrival for the first time in the Bundestag of the AfD, the Alternativ fur Deutschland (Alternative for Germany), with nearly 13 per cent of the vote. It is now the third largest party. The AfD was founded only four years ago by academics and economists concerned that Germanys participation in Eurozone financial policies was unconstitutional. Since then it has metamorphosed into a classic hard-right party: anti-Europe, anti-immigrant and nationalistic. One of its leaders recently suggested that Germany should be proud of its soldiers achievements during the Second World War.

So what happened? The short answer is Ms Merkels decision at the end of 2015 to accept asylum-seekers from war-torn Syria. Since then over a million refugees have arrived in Germany. Hailed at the time as an example of humanity and decency, the policy has caused tensions. Some 50 per cent of Germans thought it the most important issue facing the country. The mainstream parties sought to allay their concerns with rational policies on integration and reassurances that the flow of asylum-seekers was at an end. The AfD responded with emotion: Germany faced a tsunami of refugees and impending Islamisation; a message that echoed with nearly six million Germans. Somehow we were surprised. We thought that Mutti (Mummy)  Ms Merkels nickname  would pull it off again; that her reputation for competence and caution would win the day. But that was just the problem. Many saw her decision to allow in so many refugees so quickly as incompetent and incautious. We thought asymmetric demobilisation  Ms Merkels campaigning technique  would dull emotions. This involved rarely mentioning opponents by name and welcoming their initiatives with faint praise. But this left open space for the AfD to claim that a crisis was being ignored. And deep down we thought that history had so sensitised the Germans to the dangers and unpleasantness of nationalism that never again would nationalists gain a foothold.

But our surprise was misplaced. The Germans do not live in splendid isolation. Germany is subject to the same pressures created by globalisation as other European countries. Looked at in this light, the German result is of a piece with what has happened elsewhere in Europe. In recent elections in Western Europe  the Netherlands, Austria, and France  the traditional parties have all declined, with the social democrats hardest hit. Faced with stagnant living standards and insecurity, the social democrats traditional working class base is no longer convinced of the virtues of moderation and cooperation. Many are now attracted instead to the easy certainties of the hard left or the hard right. Meanwhile, in the countries of the former Soviet bloc, it has become clear that liberal democracy has only shallow roots. Instead illiberal democracy has established itself, particularly in Poland and Hungary, where chauvinistic governments seek to dominate and stifle dissent. What is sometimes forgotten is that Germany too comprises a former Soviet bloc country  the former German Democratic Republic  and in that part of Germany the AfD did particularly well. It won roughly twice the percentage that it won elsewhere.

So what happens now? Most obviously a governing coalition has to be assembled. The process is now underway and not proving easy. The Social Democrats have ruled out re-forming the grand coalition with the CDU-CSU that governed before the election. As the junior party within it they were smothered and have consequently paid a high electoral price: a mistake not to be repeated. That leaves the so-called Jamaica coalition: the CDU-CSU (black), the FDP (yellow) and the Greens (green)  the colours of the Jamaican flag. Such a coalition has never been attempted at the national level and there would be tensions within it. Elements within the CDU-CSU want to trim to the right to counter the AfD, a move the Greens and FDP would resist. The FDP is pro-business and pro-free market; the Greens are sceptical of both. Yet despite these strains there is a will to make it work. An adviser to the Greens told me that they would be responsible. No doubt, since the alternative is a minority government and probably another general election, one in which the AfDs voteshare could increase.

However, the task facing the mainstream parties is more fundamental than simply forming a coalition. They need to consider carefully how they handle the AfD phenomenon. The AfDs success needs to be kept in proportion  12.6 per cent is not an overwhelming surge. Furthermore, polls suggest that the AfDs voters are more rootless than committed to the party. As the AfD reveals itself to be incompetent over time, the rising tide could ebb. Demonising the AfD would therefore be counter-productive. Unpleasant and unprepossessing as the AfD may be, heaping abuse on the AfD will only give the party prominence and allow it to play the role of martyr. Most important, however, the mainstream parties need to address the insecurity and resentment which motivates many AfD voters without jettisoning the countrys justified reputation for tolerance and moderation. Germany is not lost  far from it  but it needs to do some thinking.
The patent fee model used by world No. 1 smartphone chip designer Qualcomm predominates in the tech industry and is based on how much value a technology adds to a product, but is opposed by Apple and others in Silicon Valley.

The European Union is drawing up guidelines on how much patent holders should charge for their technologies, a thorny issue that pits Apple and other users against Qualcomm and Ericsson.

Trillions of dollars in sales are at stake as regulators ponder whether a fridge maker should pay a different rate for crucial patents than a carmaker, or whether a flat, fixed rate would be fairer.

The patent fee model used by world No. 1 smartphone chip designer Qualcomm predominates in the tech industry and is based on how much value a technology adds to a product, but is opposed by Apple and others in Silicon Valley.

Other models are in use and the EU aims to set a uniform one for Europe, opening a new front in a global dispute that has already seen multiple lawsuits between Apple and Qualcomm.

Antti Peltomaki, deputy director general at the European Commission, told a conference last week that the EU hopes to finalise its guidelines by the end of the year. They will not be legally binding but could provide a basis if the EU executive decides to enact rules in future.

The move is part of the blocs broader push to set new rules of the road for internet-connected devices beyond just computers and smartphones to cover cars, home automation and energy devices, aiming to ensure job creation and other economic benefits in the so-called Internet of Things (IoT) era.

Qualcomms patent fee model is based on the widely used so-called fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory (FRAND) licensing model. The European Commission, however, has yet to make a final decision on which technology patent fee model it favours.

Silicon Valley tech giants have sided with Apple, as have big Asian electronics makers who work for Apple, including Foxconn Technology Group.

Qualcomm, which holds what many experts see as the world's most lucrative smartphone patent portfolio, is backed by major mobile phone and network patent holders Ericsson and Nokia.

Apple, the automotive industry and product makers say a fairer approach is to link royalties to the cost of the smallest saleable unit.

It is not reasonable to charge more for use of the very same component in a Mercedes versus a Hyundai or a car versus a bicycle. This is discriminatory based on price of the end product, both within and outside of a particular product category, Apple said of Qualcomms model in a May submission to the European Commission.

Apple and Qualcomm declined to comment for this story.

Industry estimates show IoT systems could represent a market of more than $11 trillion per year by 2025.

Theres a lot of potential value at stake, said Matthew Hunt, competition attorney with the law firm Bristows in London.

BALANCING ACT

Qualcomms royalty approach, known as use-based or value-based, is an important source of profits for other mobile pioneers such as Ericsson and Nokia.

Ericsson, once the worlds biggest mobile phone and network equipment maker, has fallen on hard times in the past decade in the face of stiff global competition. Still, with more than 42,000 patents giving it the largest number of mobile technology patents, it stands by the value-based licensing model.

We need to be able to be flexible to differentiate the price. Flexibility is absolutely necessary, Patrick Hofkens, Ericssons director of intellectual property rights policy, said.

Hofkens said that charging high royalty rates discourages product makers from adopting new innovations, while setting royalty rates too low undermines new technology developers from licensing their patents to industry standards bodies, which enable mass markets to take off.

Price differentiation allows for lower prices for applications that do not use the patented technology as intensively as others, the Ericsson executive said.

The European Commission has a tough balancing act, said Bristows Hunt.

For any model, the main difficulty is going to be how to determine a fair rate. This has proven complicated enough in the mobile telecoms industry already, and its only going to get harder with new IoT enabled products, he said.

Qualcomms approach sets royalty rates based on the proportion of added value the patented technology provides to the completed product.

Its previous patent licensing deal with Apple, for example, allowed it to take a percentage of the overall selling price for the iPhone, in exchange for supplying it with modem chips.

Lobbying group the App Association (ACT), whose sponsors include Apple, Facebook, Intel and Microsoft, urged the Commission not to rush into setting new guidelines.

IP Europe, another lobbying group whose members include Ericsson, Airbus, Nokia and Orange, says patent holders deserve a fair compensation.

When they are contributors to a platform, they have expectations of fair remuneration, the groups executive secretary Francisco Mingorance said.

Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter.
BlackBerry hired Kokes in mid-2014 to lead its patent monetization strategy, as the Canadian handset maker turned software company looked to turn a trove of foundational technology patents collected in its heyday into hard cash to help augment its shrunken revenue.

The man who was leading BlackBerry Ltds efforts to make money from its patent portfolio has left to join a health technology company, two sources with knowledge of the move said on Monday.

Mark Kokes left the Canadian company last month to join privately held NantWorks LLC, the sources said. NantWorks was founded in 2011 by billionaire Patrick Soon-Shiong and houses a string of startups looking to transform global health information and develop next-generation pharmaceuticals.

Kokes is the second senior executive to move from BlackBerry to NantWorks this year, following the May announcement that NantHealth Inc, a publicly traded part of NantWorks, had hired BlackBerrys president for devices and emerging solutions, Ron Louks, as its chief operating officer.

BlackBerry also saw its former head of acquisition strategy exit in February.

Kokes declined to comment when contacted by Reuters. BlackBerry did not respond to a request for comment. The sources declined to be identified as the information was private.

BlackBerry hired Kokes in mid-2014 to lead its patent monetization strategy, as the Canadian handset maker turned software company looked to turn a trove of foundational technology patents collected in its heyday into hard cash to help augment its shrunken revenue.

In June 2015 the company announced a royalty-bearing license deal with Cisco Systems Inc, followed by others with Canon Inc and International Game Technology. In 2016 it filed infringement suits against Avaya, Nokia and BLU Products Inc, a manufacturer of low-end Android phones.

In its most recent quarterly earnings report, issued last Thursday, BlackBerry said that it had recognised its first revenue from three recent licensing deals with Ford Motor Co, watchmaker Timex Group and BLU.

Licensing fees in the quarter -- which also include payments the company receives for BlackBerry-branded phones made and sold by others -- were the primary driver of a software sales beat, rising to $56 million from $16 million a year earlier.

NantWorks has job postings listed on its website for several patent-related jobs, including for a vice president of intellectual property prosecution and vice president of intellectual property technology.

Kokes LinkedIn profile still lists him as leading all aspects of BlackBerrys intellectual property strategy, licensing, IP venturing, technology research and standardization activities.

The news of Kokes departure was first reported by patent business media outlet IAM.

Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter.
At least 59 people were killed and more than 500 wounded in Las Vegas shooting in US (Photo: AP)

Washington: Indian-American lawmakers have called for changes in the gun control laws in the US, as they condemned the Las Vegas mass shooting, the deadliest in the countrys modern history which claimed nearly 60 lives.

Gun violence is a public health crisis that has claimed thousands of innocent lives and the Congress must do everything it can to address it, Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal said, hours after a gunman opened fire on a large crowd during a music concert in Las Vegas.

The American people are tired of being outraged, sending thoughts and prayers, seeing men, women and children die because the gun lobby does put profit over people, Jayapal said during her speech on the floor of the US House of Representatives on Monday.

That is not what our founders intended by the right to bear arms, the first-time lawmaker from Washington State said, as she joined several of her Congressional colleagues calling for changes in gun control laws.

With rights come responsibilities: the responsibility to stop gun sales loopholes, to enact protections that make sure our children and those with severe mental illnesses dont have access to guns, to address funding for mental health, and to oppose any efforts to make it easier to purchase silencers, Jayapal said.

The first ever Indian-American women elected to the House of Representatives said 87% of gun owners and 74% of NRA members support those commonsense solutions like criminal background checks.

I have a plea for gun owners across this country: Urge the non-resident aliens (NRA) to represent your views. Show them that you mean business by speaking out or even terminating your NRA membership. Show that you care about your fellow Americans, she said.

She added: Act now. Enough is enough.

The Las Vegas shooting on Sunday night, in which at least 59 people were killed and more than 500 wounded, has rekindled the debate on gun control laws in the US.

Nearly 12,000 Americans have been killed by guns in 273 mass shootings in 2017 so far  one incident for each day, according to the Gun Violence Archive, a not-for-profit corporation that tracks gun-related violence in the US.

On an average, more than 90 Americans lose their lives to gun violence every day, a daily toll of heartbreak and tragedy in communities across the US.

Other Indian-American Congressmen too joined Jayapal in condemning the incident.

No community should have to fear going to the movies, a concert, or dropping their child off at school, said Ami Bera, the three-term Congressman from California.

In the wake of this tragedy, I hope well all be able to take the time to look for the helpers and that each of us, in our own way, will seek to help our nation heal, move forward, and work to prevent similar tragedies, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Democrat Congressman from 8th district Illinois, said.

We must end this senseless violence, said Congressman Ro Khanna, Democrat Congressman from 17th district California.

In a statement, UNITED SIKHS condemned the senseless act of terror.

Its volunteers have teamed with Gurdwaras, where shelter, hot meals (langar) and other assistance is being offered to all who may need it.

Sikh taxi drivers are volunteering to drive people to their destinations safely, it said
At least 50 people died early on Monday and 515 were hospitalised with suspected gunshot wounds after a shooting at a music festival on the Las Vegas Strip.(Photo: AP)

Washington: The deadliest mass shooting in modern US history at Las Vegas that killed at least 58 people and injured over 500 others has rekindled the debate on gun control laws in America.

Nearly 12,000 Americans have been killed by guns in 273 mass shootings in 2017 so far one incident for each day.

On an average, more than 90 Americans lose their lives to gun violence every day, a daily toll of heartbreak and tragedy in communities across the US.

Experts believe that the last night incident, which President Donald Trump termed as an "act of pure evil", is unlikely to bridge the bitter differences between the pro- and anti-gun control law lobbies in the country.

Trump, who ran his campaign against any gun control laws, did not mention it in his two remarks on Monday during which he said that this is "a very very sad" day for him.

Responding to questions, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said Monday that is the day of reflection and mourning and not a day to discuss political issues.

Referring to Chicago, she said gun control laws have not been helpful.

Taking a lead, Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic leader, sought off a letter to House Speaker Paul Ryan on creation of a Standing Committee on gun violence and passage of common-sense legislation on gun control.

"Congress has a moral duty to address this horrific and heartbreaking epidemic. Charged with the solemn duty to protect and defend the American people, we must respond to these tragedies with courage, unity and decisive action," Pelosi said in her letter to Ryan.

The Congress, she said, must pass the bipartisan King- Thompson legislation to strengthen the life-saving background checks that keep guns out of the wrong hands. But this is only a first step, she said.

"I urge you to create a Select Committee on Gun Violence to study and report back common sense legislation to help end this crisis. The bipartisan committee would make recommendations to prevent unspeakable tragedies such as the mass shooting in Las Vegas and to restore confidence in the safety of our communities," Pelosi said.

Congressman Kathy Castor said: "Certainly, we can come together to pass common sense safety requirements such as background checks and limits on civilian use of military-style weapons and to enforce the laws on the books.

"The sorrow that I and so many around the country feel for the innocent men and women whose lives were cruelly cut short by this heartless act of domestic terrorism is immeasurable".

Congressman Earl Blumenauer said: "From Orlando to Roseburg, OR and now Las Vegas, the carnage has only continued. Thoughts and prayers will not stop future tragedy. Enough is enough. My hope is that sanity will prevail, and Republican leadership in Congress will muster up the courage to act".

The right-wing and NRA messaging point that nothing could have been done to prevent the horrific attack in Las Vegas is just wrong, he said.

Over two years ago, he had released a comprehensive plan to deal with gun violence like the public health epidemic that it is, the lawmaker said, adding that the solutions should not be hard.

Congressman Andre Carson said it is time people need to stop hiding behind the false narrative that enacting common sense gun policies somehow limits the rights of law abiding Americans.

"Every day that we fail to act puts more innocent lives at risk. It is long past time to fix our gun laws. Congress has a moral responsibility to act and address the daily tragedy of gun violence in our communities," he said.

Last week, he said, Republicans planned to vote on a bill that would loosen gun laws, instead of strengthening them.

In light of the tragedy in Las Vegas, and the ongoing tragedy of gun violence in America, this could not be more inappropriate. The American people deserve a vote on legislation that will curb gun violence, including reinstating an assault weapons ban and instituting new restrictions on gun trafficking, Carson said.

Congressman Alcee L Hastings said that more than 33,000 people will die from gun violence this year.

"With each new tragedy that occurs, those who stand in the way of legislation to address our countrys gun violence epidemic are increasingly culpable for its continuation," he said.

"Trump, who ran as a champion of gun rights throughout his campaign, is unlikely to directly tackle the issue of gun control and, in fact, rolled back a restriction that made it more difficult for people with mental illnesses to purchase a gun," a report in Newsweek said.

Acts of mass gun violence, reported The Washington Post, "Have done little to change the strong partisan divide on the issue".

Most Democrats argue that the incidents heighten the need for tighter gun laws, while most Republicans think Americans should have a greater ability to protect themselves, the daily said.
US President Donald Trump said he has directed flags to be flown at half-staff in memory of victims of shooting. (Photo: AP)

Washington: President Donald Trump condemned the massacre of at least 59 Las Vegas concert goers as an "act of pure evil" Monday, but refrained from addressing calls for gun control or the motives for the worst mass shooting in recent US history.

Delivering televised remarks, Trump tried to offer consolation and called for unity -- an act that has become a grim rite of passage for modern US presidents.

Barack Obama wept as he tried to soothe the nation after the 2012 Sandy Hook primary school shooting, George W. Bush told Americans that the "nation grieves" after a similar outrage at Virginia Tech university.

Trump ordered that flags be flown at half-staff until sunset Friday, offered prayers for the victims and announced he would visit Las Vegas on Wednesday.

Later, he led White House staff on the South Lawn for a moment of silence.

"In moments of tragedy and horror, America comes together as one -- and it always has," Trump said.

Police have identified the gunman behind the Sunday night massacre -- which injured more than 500 people -- as a 64-year-old former accountant named Stephen Craig Paddock, who killed himself before a SWAT team breached his 32nd floor hotel room.

Investigators recovered at least 16 guns, including assault rifles, from Paddock's room at the Mandalay Bay, and another 18 firearms along with bomb-making materials at one of his two homes.

Officials have reacted cautiously to an Islamic State group claim that Paddock was a "soldier of the caliphate" but while his motive remained unclear, the shooting instantly rekindled the divisive national debate on gun control.

- 'Right to bear arms' -

White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said that now was not the time for politics, a tactic frequently used by gun advocates to diffuse public outrage.

"There's a time and place for a political debate, but now is the time to unite as a country," said Sanders.

Trump insisted, "our unity cannot be shattered by evil. Our bonds cannot be broken by violence."

But in the immediate aftermath of the shooting, that unity was difficult to find.

Trump's vanquished election rival Hillary Clinton hit out at the gun manufacturers lobby -- the National Rifle Association -- which has backed a congressional push to make it easier to obtain a gun silencer.

"The crowd fled at the sound of gunshots. Imagine the deaths if the shooter had a silencer," tweeted Clinton, whose Democratic Party has tried in vain to introduce lasting gun control measures.

"Our grief isn't enough. We can and must put politics aside, stand up to the NRA, and work together to try to stop this from happening again."

There have already been over 270 mass shootings in the United States this year alone, according to www.massshootingtracker.org, although the exact definition is contested.

Gun violence accounts for more than 33,000 deaths each year in the United States, and according to the latest Gallup poll, 55 percent of American voters would like to see stricter rules for buying guns.

But the issue is highly sensitive and Trump's own views have changed markedly over his years in public life.

After the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, where 20 six and seven-year old children and six adults were mowed down by a disturbed 20-year-old, Trump appeared to favor stricter rules.

Back then, his predecessor Obama -- who often called Sandy Hook the worst moment of his eight year presidency -- called for the deadlock to be broken and for Congress to act.

At that time Trump tweeted: "President Obama spoke for me and every American in his remarks in #Newtown Connecticut."

But since then Trump -- whose White House bid was endorsed by the NRA -- has positioned himself as a defender of the constitutional "right to keep and bear arms."

The NRA donated an estimated $30 million to Trump's campaign in 2016, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

US Senator Chris Murphy, who was the congressman for Sandy Hook, renewed a call for action in the wake of the Las Vegas attack.

"This must stop. It is positively infuriating that my colleagues in Congress are so afraid of the gun industry that they pretend there aren't public policy responses to this epidemic," he said.
At least 58 people died early on Monday and 515 were hospitalised with suspected gunshot wounds after a shooting at a music festival on the Las Vegas Strip. (Photo: AP)

Las Vegas: Investigators have so far found no connection between international terrorist groups and a mass shooting in Las Vegas that killed at least 58 people and injured more than 500, an FBI special agent said on Monday.

The Islamic State group, through its propaganda arm, had earlier claimed responsibility for the attack, claiming the shooter was a recently converted soldier.

Police said the attack was carried out by Stephen Paddock, a 64-year-old retired accountant.

As this event unfolds we have determined to this point no connection with an international terrorist group, said Aaron Rouse, the special agent in charge of the Las Vegas office of the FBI.

Meanwhile, the deadly attack on concertgoers in Las Vegas has prompted a debate about security measures at hotels and open-air venues, but little could have been done to prevent Sunday's carnage, experts say.

The challenges lie in part in the difficulty of imposing harsh policies on places and events meant for fun and relaxation, and foiling a perpetrator bent on bloodshed.

"This was an unpreventable incident, period," said Patrick Brosnan, a former NYPD detective who now runs a private security firm called Brosnan Risk Consultants.

Brosnan and several other security experts interviewed by AFP said the shooting at a country music festival that left at least 59 people dead and more than 500 injured underscored the difficulty for law enforcement to stay one step ahead of someone planning such attacks.

The gunman, retired accountant Stephen Paddock, 64, shot at concertgoers from a room on the 32nd floor of the nearby Mandalay Bay hotel before killing himself, police said.

His motive was not immediately known.

"The ironic part of this thing is that security in Vegas is actually very good but with a halfway creative mind and a means to do something in a free country, it causes issues like this," said Tegan Broadwater, president and founder of Tactical Systems Network, a security consultancy firm based in Texas.

He said Paddock probably very easily sneaked his arsenal -- which included at least 16 rifles and ammunition -- into his room given relatively lax security measures at hotels.

"It would actually be very simple for anyone to get into a hotel on any typical day with that kind of armament because hotels don't usually vet the type of baggage that's being brought in," Broadwater told AFP. "You usually pull up to a concierge, you load your bags and you wheel them up to your room."

Any radical changes in security at hotels in Las Vegas -- a gambling hub that attracts some 43 million visitors annually -- are unlikely to be put in place for fear of driving away tourists, the experts said.

"Hotels and casinos have to find a fine balance between security and staying a welcoming place," said Jason Porter, vice president of Pinkerton, a risk management services company.

Brosnan said should hotels in Las Vegas adopt stringent security protocols that include metal detectors and searching guests' luggage, which would likely impact the region's tourism industry which generated nearly $60 billion in economic activity in 2016, according to a study by Las Vegas-based Applied Analysis.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un said that their final goal is to establish the equilibrium of real force with the US and make the US rulers dare not talk about military option for the DPRK. (Photo: File | AP)

Washington: The White House on Monday ruled out talks with North Korea except to discuss the fate of Americans held there, again appearing to rebuke Secretary of State Rex Tillerson who said Washington was directly communicating with Pyongyang on its nuclear and missile programs.

Weve been clear that now is not the time to talk, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders told reporters, reiterating a tweet from President Donald Trump at the weekend that was seen as undercutting Tillerson.

The only conversations that have taken place were that ... would be on bringing back Americans who have been detained, Sanders said. Beyond that, there will be no conversations with North Korea at this time.

Tillerson said on Saturday during a trip to China that the United States was directly communicating with North Korea on its nuclear and missile programs but that Pyongyang had shown no interest in dialogue.

Trump, who has traded insults and threats with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in recent weeks, later dismissed any prospect of talks with North Korea as a waste of time.

I told Rex Tillerson, our wonderful secretary of state, that he is wasting his time trying to negotiate with Little Rocket Man, Trump wrote on Twitter, using his sarcastic nickname for Kim.

Save your energy, Rex, well do what has to be done! Trump wrote.

It was not the first time the White House and State Department have seemed at odds on policy issues, but when asked if Trump still had confidence in Tillerson as secretary of state, Sanders said: He does.

A senior administration official said Tillerson misspoke.

I think it was just him misspeaking. He was just acknowledging the fact that we do have channels and we might have reason to talk if North Koreas behavior changes sometime down the road, the official said.

Dialogue With North Korea?

Tillerson said in Beijing that the United States had multiple direct channels of communication with Pyongyang and that it was probing North Korea to see if it was interested in dialogue.

The top US diplomat expressed hope for reducing tensions with North Korea, which is fast advancing toward its goal of developing a nuclear-tipped missile capable of hitting the US mainland.

We are probing, so stay tuned, Tillerson told a small group of reporters. We ask: Would you like to talk?' He said the United States had a couple of, three, channels, open to Pyongyang.

Another US official said Tillerson may have overstated the status of US lines of communication with North Korea for the benefit of his Chinese hosts, who have been pushing the Trump administration to do more to lure Pyongyang to the negotiating table.

Trump has vowed to halt North Koreas nuclear ambitions and tensions have escalated in recent months, with Pyongyang conducting its sixth and largest nuclear test on Sept. 3. It has also threatened to test a hydrogen bomb over the Pacific.

The fate of Americans held in North Korea is also a bone of contention. The Trump administration has demanded North Korea release three US citizens it has detained: missionary Kim Dong Chul and academics Tony Kim and Kim Hak Song.

The Trump White House and State Department have taken to divergent stances on other foreign policy issues.

When a dispute over Qatar erupted this year, Trump strongly backed Gulf Arab leaders who accuse Qatar of supporting Iran as well as Islamist militants. Trump accused Qatar of being a high-level funder of terrorism even as the Pentagon and Tillerson cautioned against the military, commercial and humanitarian effects of a boycott imposed by Arab states.

Months into the dispute, Trump adopted a position more in line with that of the State Department.
The ATSB said the incident had led to some important lessons about locating missing aircraft. (Photo: AP)

Sydney: Australian search chiefs said Tuesday they now have a better understanding of where flight MH370 might be, admitting it was inconceivable that a commercial plane could vanish in the modern era.

The Malaysia Airlines jet with 239 people on board disappeared in March 2014 en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, sparking a massive underwater search in the remote southern Indian Ocean which ended in January.

No trace of the aircraft was found in a 120,000 square kilometre (46,000 square mile) zone based on satellite analysis of the jet's likely trajectory after it diverted from its flight path.

"The reasons for the loss of MH370 cannot be established with certainty until the aircraft is found," the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB), which led the search mission, said in its final report Tuesday.

"It is almost inconceivable and certainly societally unacceptable in the modern aviation era... for a large commercial aircraft to be missing and for the world not to know with certainty what became of the aircraft and those on board."

The hunt for the plane was the largest in history and the ATSB said the challenge was working with limited data, with only aircraft performance information and satellite communication metadata available initially.

Later during the underwater search, long-term drift studies were used to trace the origin of debris which by then had been floating for more than a year, and in some cases over two years.

But after a near three-year hunt, it said in the 440-page report that the "understanding of where MH370 may be located is better now than it has ever been".

"The underwater search has eliminated most of the high probability areas yielded by reconstructing the aircraft's flight path and the debris drift studies conducted in the past 12 months have identified the most likely area with increasing precision," it said.

Australia's national science body CSIRO released a report in April suggesting the doomed plane was "most likely" north of the former search zone in an area of approximately 25,000 square kilometres.

The ATSB agreed, having re-analysed satellite imagery taken on March 23, 2014 which identified a range of objects which may have been MH370 debris.

"This analysis complements the findings of the First Principles Review and identifies an area of less than 25,000 square kilometres which has the highest likelihood of containing MH370," it said.

Only three fragments of MH370 have been found, washed up on western Indian Ocean shores, including a two-metre wing part known as a flaperon.

A US seabed exploration firm said in August it wanted to resume the search, with relatives of passengers aboard the flight calling on Malaysia to accept the offer.

The ATSB said the incident had led to some important lessons about locating missing aircraft.

"Requirements and systems for tracking aircraft have been enhanced and will continue to be enhanced," it said.

"Steps are being taken to advance other aircraft systems including emergency locator transponders and flight recorder locator beacons."
Islamabad: Pakistan Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif termed Prime Minister Narendra Modi a "terrorist, who has the blood of Muslims on his hands."

Asif, who was speaking in a show on Geo News, made his statement in an attempt to rebut External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, who recently ripped into Pakistan at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) for supporting and exporting terror.

"Sushma Swaraj has accused us (Pakistan) of exporting terrorism. (However) one terrorist (in India) is the country's prime minister himself. He (Modi) has the blood of Muslims murdered in Gujarat on his hands," Asif made the statement, while talking to Geo News's Hamid Mir.

India is being "ruled by a terrorist party - the RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh)," Asif further said.

These remarks have come after Sushma Swaraj ripped apart Pakistan at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and said India has risen despite being the principal destination of Pakistan's nefarious export of terrorism.

"India has risen despite being the principal destination of Pakistan's nefarious export of terrorism. There have been many governments under many parties during 70 years of Indian freedom, for we have been a sustained democracy," Swaraj had said while addressing the 72nd UNGA session in New York.

"Every government has done its bit for India's development. We have marched ahead consistently without pause, in education, health and across the range of human welfare. We established scientific and technical institutions which are the pride of the world," she added.


Even if 1,000 Mahatma Gandhis, 1,00,000 Narendra Modis, all the chief ministers, the government at the Centre and the state governments come together, it (the target of Swachh Bharat or Clean India) cannot be achieved, Modi said at an event to mark the third anniversary of the Swachh Bharat Mission.It can only be achieved if the 125 crore people across the country join the campaign and do their bit, he said.



It can only be achieved if the 125 crore people across the country join the campaign and do their bit, he said.



Modi had launched the Swachh Bharat Mission on Mahatma Gandhis birth anniversary in 2014  a few months after he assumed office.The Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation (MDWS) has since been overseeing the implementation of the campaign in the villages across the country, with an objective to achieve clean and open defecation

free rural India by October 2, 2019.



The Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation (MDWS) has since been overseeing the implementation of the campaign in the villages across the country, with an objective to achieve clean and open defecation free rural India by October 2, 2019.



Clean India dream will become a reality only with the participation of the 125 crore citizens, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday.


Sources said the camp was targeted to inflict heavy casualties on security forces as it is situated in a high security area and close to the airport.



In a pre-dawn strike, fidayeen (suicide) militants attacked a Border Security Force (BSF) camp near the Srinagar International Airport.The attack led to a fierce gunfight in which three attackers and a paramilitary trooper were killed and three others injured.Sources said three to four heavily-armed fidayeen, believed to be foreign mercenaries, stormed 182 BSF headquarters at Humhama, located outside the main gate of the airport at around 4.15 am. The militants positioned themselves inside barracks of the BSF and heavy exchange of gunfire ensued between the two sides. Residents of the area said that they heard dozens of loud explosions which rattled entire Humhama and its adjoining neighbourhoods.After forcing their way into the area, the militants resorted to indiscriminate firing and threw grenades in which three BSF troopers were injured, police said. In the retaliatory action, three militants have been killed so far. One more militant is believed to be currently holed up inside a building, and an operation is underway, a police official said.Helicopters are hovering over the area and intermittent firing are going on. The area has been cordoned off, he said, adding Special Forces have been called in.
Without providing any evidence to support the claim, the Islamic State group has said the gunman in the mass shooting in Las Vegas was "a soldier" from its ranks who had converted to Islam months ago.



Authorities have yet to identify a motive for the shooting and said initially there was no evidence of any connection to international terrorism.



The extremist group has a history of exaggerated or false claims, including earlier this year, when it claimed an attack on a casino in the Philippines that turned out to have been a botched robbery carried out by a heavily indebted gambling addict.



The group's Aamaq news agency released two brief statements hours after the shooting at a country music concert that killed at least 59 people and wounded more than 500. The group later released Spanish language versions of these statements.



In a third statement released hours later, IS name the purported attacker as "Abu Abd el-Bar al-Amriki (the American)," saying he responded to calls by the group's top leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi to "target the countries of the Crusader coalition" battling the extremist group in Iraq and Syria.



It added that he caused 600 casualties before he exhausted his supply of ammunition and "martyred" himself. Police have identified the shooter as Stephen Craig Paddock, 64, of Mesquite, Nevada, and have said he killed himself after the shooting. Authorities have not commented on his religious background or said what might have motivated the attack.



Most IS attacks have been carried out by much younger men.



Sheriff Joseph Lombardo said authorities believe it was a "lone wolf" attack, and the US Homeland Security Department said there was no "specific credible threat" involving other public venues in the US.



The extremist organisation has suffered a string of major setbacks in Iraq and Syria, where it has lost much of the territory it once claimed as part of a self-styled Islamic caliphate. However, the group remains active in recruiting followers on social media and has repeatedly called on its supporters to carry out attacks in Western nations.



The IS group often claims attacks by individuals inspired by its message but with no known links to the group.



Before Sunday, the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history took place in June 2016, when a gunman opened fire at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, killing 49 people. The shooter, Omar Mateen, had pledged allegiance to IS and it claimed the attack.



IS claimed the attack on a casino in the Philippines that killed dozens of people, but police later identified the attacker as a Filipino gambling addict who was $80,000 in debt, saying it was a botched robbery that was not terrorism-related.
President Ram Nath Kovind today embarked on a four-day visit to Djibouti and Ethiopia, his first trip abroad since taking office.



During his visit to the two African nations, the president is expected to sign agreements on the institutionalisation of foreign office consultation and greater economic cooperation with Ethiopia, Neena Malhotra, Joint Secretary (East and Southern Africa) in the Ministry of External Affairs had said earlier.



Press Secretary to the President Ashok Malik has said that Djibouti is an important Indian Ocean partner country with whom India's bilateral trade stands at USD 284 million in 2016-17.



"The president is looking forward to the visit. He recognises that the Africa and Indian Ocean region are central to Indian foreign policy. That is why this region was chosen as his first foreign visit," Malik said.



India has extended a line of credit of USD 49 million to Djibouti, mainly for constructing a cement plant. It is a strategically located country just off the Gulf of Aden.



Kovind's visit will be the first by an Indian president to Ethiopia after 45 years. The last visit was by President V V Giri in 1972.



India's bilateral trade with Ethiopia in 2016 was nearly USD 1 billion. The country is among the top three foreign investors in Ethiopia with an approved investment of 4 billion dollars.



In both the countries, the president will also interact with the members of the Indian community.


The headmaster of a state government run school in Koraput district was arrested allegedly for raping a 14-year-old girl student promising to marry her, the police said today.



The 42-year-old married man was arrested yesterday following a complaint lodged by the girl's father.



The headmaster of the residential school in Nandapur block confessed during interrogation that he started a sexual relation with the girl in April with a promise to marry her, Inspector In-Charge of Padwa police station, Kailash Chandra Sethy, said.



However, the victim claimed that the headmaster first established physical relationship with her in January, Sethy said.



Koraput Collector Anupam Saha said the headmaster was suspended on the basis of on preliminary inquiry.



A thorough probe into the episode was also ordered.



Around 500 students from class I to X study in the school managed by the state's scheduled caste and scheduled tribe development department.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh today complimented the security forces for successfully eliminating the terrorists involved in an attack on a BSF camp in Jammu and Kashmir.



Singh said he has spoken to the chiefs of the Border Security Force and Central Reserve Police Force following the suicide attack near the Srinagar airport.



"I have spoken to the DG CRPF and DG BSF. It was a good operation that they have conducted," he told reporters here.



The home minister said one Assistant Sub Inspector of the BSF has martyred and two others were injured but they were out of danger.



A group of militants today launched a suicide attack on a BSF camp near the Srinagar Airport, killing the ASI and leaving four security personnel injured.



Two militants were killed in the gun-battle that is raging near the airport, forcing brief suspension of air traffic and closure of schools in the vicinity.
The Islamic State group on Tuesday claimed a bomb attack at a police station in the Syrian capital Damascus a day earlier that killed at least 17 people.



In a statement circulated on its social media accounts, the group said three of its fighters armed with guns, grenades and explosives were involved in the attack in the southern neighbourhood of Midan on Monday.



The Syrian interior ministry said on Monday that the attack involved two suicide bombers, one of whom managed to penetrate the police station and reach the first floor before his explosives detonated.



But a monitor reported a third explosion involved a car bomb outside the police station, and the IS claim also referred to the third attacker blowing himself up separately from the other two.



The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitoring group, said at least 17 people were killed in the attack, among them 13 police officers.



Damascus has been largely insulated from the worst of the violence during the country's brutal six-year civil war, but several bomb attacks have shaken the city.



The Midan police station has itself been targeted before. In December 2016, three police officers were wounded when a seven-year-old girl walked into the police station wearing an explosive belt that was remotely detonated.



The regime is currently waging several offensives against IS, including in the Badiya desert region and in the eastern province of Deir Ezzor.



The jihadist group is rapidly losing territory across Syria, though it retains a handful of positions, including in the Yarmuk camp in Damascus.



More than 330,000 people have been killed in Syria since the conflict began in March 2011 with anti-government protests.


Security was tightened around Panchkula district court complex and Panchkula police commissioner's office today amid reports that Honeypreet Insan, the adopted daughter of jailed Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, may surrender after remaining elusive for over a month.



Priyanka Taneja alias Honeypreet topped the list of 43 people 'wanted' by the Haryana Police in connection with the incidents of violence that left 41 people dead and several injured following Ram Rahim's conviction in two rape cases.



Honeypreet told a TV channel from an "undisclosed" location yesterday that she was seeking legal opinion on her next step and was likely to move the Punjab and Haryana High Court.



However, anticipating that Honeypreet might surrender before Panchkula district court, security was beefed up in the district court complex there.



All vehicles on roads approaching the court complex and Panchkula police commissioner's office were being thoroughly checked.



Meanwhile, Haryana police said their efforts to arrest Honeypreet were on.

"Our efforts to arrest her will continue," a Haryana police official said.



Honeypreet had accompanied Ram Rahim from sect headquarters at Sirsa to a special CBI court in Panchkula on August 25. After the Dera chief's conviction, she also accompanied him in a chopper to Rohtak jail. 'Papa's angel' allegedly went missing thereafter.



A lookout notice and an arrest warrant were issued by the Haryana Police against Honeypreet after she was booked at Sector 5 police station in Panchkula along with Dera functionaries Aditya Insan and Surinder Dhiman for allegedly inciting violence in Panchkula in the aftermath of the Dera head's conviction.



The Haryana Police have been conducting searches at various locations, including the India-Nepal border, to trace Honeypreet and two other key Dera functionaries - Aditya Insan and Pawan Insan.

On September 26, the Delhi High Court had dismissed the transit anticipatory bail plea of Honeypreet Insan. The court's order was based on the grounds that she had been evading arrest and hence was not entitled to any discretionary relief.
Eluding arrest for over a month, Honeypreet, the adopted daughter of jailed Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim, was arrested from the outskirts of capital city Chandigarh this afternoon. Honeypreet had been on the run for the last nearly 39-days.



She was booked on charges of sedition by the police for allegedly orchestrating the widespread violence that broke out soon after the conviction of the sect chief on August 25. As many as 40 lives were lost in police firing in Panchkula and Sirsa, the epicentres of the violence. Her custodial interrogation by a team of senior officers in Panchkula was underway till filing of the story.



The Panchkula police, it appears, got the vital catch on a platter. Honeypreet evaded arrest all this while, then managed to give her side of the story on two television channels earlier today. The grapevine has it that the Punjab police eventually tipped off the Panchkula police about her whereabouts on the Zirakhpur-Patiala highways, just about 6-km from Panchkula. The special investigating team reached the spot where Honeypreet, along with another woman, were rounded up and later arrested. The duo was in an Innova car at around 3 pm when they were apprehended by the cops. Panchkula police commissioner AS Chawla said Honeypreet has been taken into custody for interrogation and would be produced before the Court on Wednesday.



Meanwhile, in her interview with a couple of TV channels, Honeypreet claimed that her relationship with her father and sect head is pious. She refuted accusations that Gurmeet Ram Rahim sexually exploited women inside the Dera. Honeypreet was on top of the list of 42 most wanted persons released by the Panchkula police. Her arrest will now bring to light her hideouts all this while and the persons who shielded her. The enigma surrounding the sect is also likely to be further unravelled.



Honeypreet said she had not fled to Nepal as was being publicized in the media. She said, she had dipped into depression after the conviction and could not comprehend what to do. She maintained that her father and jailed sect chief, sentenced to 20-years in jail for rape of two women, was innocent and the truth will prevail. I cannot believe that I am being dubbed a traitor," she told a news channel.






To say that the petition of this nature is not maintainable is not correct. I have believed for 40 years that the courts should be slow in abdicating its jurisdiction in such matters, Chief Justices Dipak Misra said.



The court's observations came in view of strong resistance put by Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta on justiciability as well as maintainability of a writ petition filed by two Rohangiya Muslims  Mohammad Salimullah and Mohammad Shaqir-- who challenged the Union government's decision to deport about 40,000 of their fellow immigrants to Myanmar.



Appearing for the petitioners, senior advocate F S Nariman questioned the stand taken by the government that the issue fell under the executive's domain. He also said rights guaranteed under Article 14 and 21 of the Constitution were available to all persons and not confined to citizens alone. He said the right to seek asylum was a part of universal declaration and the question of justiciability will not arise in such issues as there is a humanitarian concern.



Though India is not a signatory to the Refugee Convention, 1951, it is a signatory to several other International Conventions which accepted the principle of non-refoulement and prohibited involuntary deportation of refugees, he said. Nariman also pointed out that he was to a refugee from Burma, erstwhile Myanmar.



According to the petitioners, when there are issues with regard to human rights and safety of women and children, the question of justiciability will not arise. The question is if India should live up to an international commitment. Why not take steps so that there is protection for women and children, the bench, also comprising Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud, said.



The court said it would analyse all propositions on October 13. Mehta said the issue was also of constitutional law and if the country can allow an influx of such a large number of people in the country. Senior advocate Rajeev Dhawan appeared for the NHRC and senior advocate Kalyan Banerjee, represented for the West Bengal Commission for Protection of Child Rights to support the plea, among others.

The apex court should not abdicate its jurisdiction when concerns for protection and safety of women and children are raised with regard to Rohingya immigrants, the Supreme Court said on Tuesday.
Notwithstanding his father and Samajwadi Party (SP) patron Mulayam Singh Yadav calling him 'dhokhebaaz' (going back on the promise to hand over the reins of the party), SP supremo Akhilesh Yadav is all set to be re-elected the national president of the party in its forthcoming national convention beginning at Agra from Thursday.



SP sources here said on Tuesday that all arrangements had been made to hold the convention in the Taj city in which over 15 thousand delegates from different parts of the country were likely to take part.



Although Akhilesh had met Mulayam at latter's residence in what the sources termed an attempt to persuade him to attend the forthcoming national convention of the party at Agra, it was not yet clear if the SP patron would attend the same.



Akhilesh had while getting himself anointed as national president of the party last year, said that he would hand over the reins of the party back to Mulayam after the assembly polls.



Former SP general secretary and Akhilesh's estranged uncle Shivpal Singh Yadav has not been invited to the convention, SP sources said.



SP sources also confided that a section of the party was trying to broker a truce in the SP family and persuade Shivpal to accept Akhilesh's leadership in exchange for the post of general secretary.



Akhilesh and Shivpal had fallen out a few months before the assembly polls in the state and the former, then the chief minister had sacked the latter from the ministry. In the subsequent days the SP infighting intensified further and Akhilesh, at a hurriedly convened National Convention of the SP, also ousted Mulayam from the post of national president and anointed himself as the national president.



Sources said that the convention was likely to adopt several resolutions on the political, economic and other fields and target the BJP for its ''divisive'' and ''communal'' politics.
Ola is getting USD 2 billion funding from a group of investors that includes SoftBank Group and Tencent Holdings, said industry sources.



The funding, part of which has already come in, will help Ola bolster its position against US-based rival Uber. The two are engaged in an intense battle for leadership in the Indian market and have pumped in millions of dollars in driver incentives and discounted rides for customers.



Multiple sources, who did not wish to be identified as the discussions are private, said the round is yet to be closed and the numbers could add up to about USD 2 billion when it happens.

An announcement could be made in the next few weeks, they added.



Ola and SoftBank declined to comment on the matter while Tencent was not immediately available.

ANI Technologies -- which runs Ola -- has already raised multiple rounds of funding this year. According to documents filed with regulatory authorities, it raised over Rs 231 crore from Tekne Private Ventures through issue of preference shares in June.



In March, the SoftBank-backed Ola had raised Rs 670 crore (USD 104.4 million) in funding from investors including UC-RNT Fund, a venture between the University of California and leading industrialist Ratan Tata.



ANI Technologies, which is not a publicly-traded company, counts among its investors names like SoftBank Group, Tiger Global, Sequoia India and Accel Partners US.



Its revenues registered a stellar growth at Rs 758.23 crore during 2015-16 compared to Rs 103.77 crore in the previous fiscal.



However, it posted a consolidated loss of over Rs 2,311 crore -- about Rs 6 crore a day -- during that fiscal on account of heavy advertising and promotional expenses and other costs.



Earlier this year, SoftBank and Tencent invested in India's largest e-commerce firm, Flipkart.

The USD 2.5-billion funding in Flipkart by SoftBank was made through SoftBank Vision Fund, the world's largest technology-focused fund.



It could not be ascertained if the investment in Ola would be made by SoftBank group or via SoftBank Vision Fund.
With Vijay Mallya arrested for the second time on Indias extradition request, the CBI and ED may seek the clubbing of its two cases in a British court to expedite the process. Mallyas second arrest comes five months after the first one, which was based on charges of fraud.



He was first arrested in April in connection with the CBI case involving default of loan, which now has grown to over Rs 9,400 crore.



Bail given

He was given bail and the court posted the extradition request for hearing on December 4. Sources said Tuesdays arrest was procedural and nothing should be read into Mallya getting bail. In the first instance also, Mallya was granted bail soon after his arrest. An arrest prior to the extradition hearing is as normal as the bail, a senior official said.

Officials said all the evidence regarding falsities, misstatements and false representations of Mallya, Kingfisher Airlines and its officials had been forwarded to the authorities in UK. Before getting Mallya extradited, a number of steps need to be crossed.

The extradition process starts with the judge deciding on whether to issue a warrant of arrest. If a warrant is issued, the person is arrested and brought before the court for preliminary hearing.



This is followed by an extradition hearing following which the final decision is taken by the Secretary of State. The person facing extradition has the right to appeal to higher judiciary, including the Supreme Court there, against the decision.

Investigators in CBI and ED said that the IDBI loan was disbursed to Kingfisher Airlines despite weak financials, negative net-worth, low credit rating of the borrower company. Also, they said, the company did not satisfy the norms stipulated in the corporate loan policy of the bank.
Scores of people were injured and several vehicles were torched as violence erupted in Uttar Pradesh's Allahabad town, about 200 kilometres from here, after a senior BSP leader was shot dead by unidentified assailants on Tuesday.



According to the police sources here, BSP leader Rajesh Yadav, who had unsuccessfully contested the 2017 assembly poll against mafia don-turned-politician Vijay Mishra, was sprayed with bullets inside Tarachand Hostel in the town early in the morning.



Sources said that Yadav was accompanied by his friend Mukul Singh, who was a doctor by profession and owned a nursing home in the town when the incident occurred.



Sources said that Mukul took Yadav to his nursing home after he was shot at but the latter succumbed to his injuries on the way. Police said that Mukul was absconding after the incident.



Police said that the supporters of Yadav later indulged in heavy stone pelting and also torched around a dozen vehicles near Indian Press Crossing in the city.



A few policemen and media personnel were also injured in the stone pelting, sources said adding that the mob targeted the scribes and damaged their camera and other equipment.



Tension prevailed in the town and security personnel in strength had been deployed to maintain law and order, police officials said in Allahabad.



Police said that electoral rivalry might be behind the incident. A case was registered and investigation was on, they added.



BSP leaders here sharply condemned the killing of Yadav and demanded immediate arrest of the culprits. They also threatened to launch a statewide agitation if the police failed to arrest the perpetrators.



''The law and order situation in the state has gone from bad to worse...this government has failed to ensure the safety of the people,'' said a senior BSP leader here.
French police arrested five people, including one on a terror watchlist, after discovering a suspected home-made bomb in one of Paris's most exclusive neighbourhoods at the weekend, officials said.



Officers discovered gas cylinders with detonators attached in the hallway and outside a building in the city's western 16th district in the early hours of Saturday morning.



The five suspects, all in their 30s, remain in custody, a source close to the investigation told AFP on Tuesday.



Some are known to police for belonging to a radical movement, the source added.

Speaking to Franceinfo radio on Tuesday, Interior Minister Gerard Collomb revealed that one of the arrested men was on a police terror watchlist.



"That shows that the threat level in France is extremely high," added the minister, who said the incident and a knife attack in Marseille on Sunday that left two women dead underlined the importance of a tough new security law.



French lawmakers in the lower house of parliament were set to vote later Tuesday on a new counter-terrorism law that rights groups and UN experts have criticised for giving too much power to police and local government officials.



In Saturday's incident, a resident alerted police after finding two gas cylinders around 4:30 am (0230 GMT) in his building in the Porte d'Auteuil neighbourhood, a source close to the probe said.

Police then found another two cylinders outside the building.



A mobile phone attached to the cylinders is being investigated as a possible detonator, a security source told AFP.



A total of 241 people have been killed in a wave of jihadist attacks in France since 2015.

On September 12, Collomb said that 12 planned attacks had been foiled since the beginning of the year.



Three suspected women jihadists were arrested in September last year after the discovery of gas cylinders in a car near Paris's Notre Dame Cathedral.
In a breach of diplomatic propriety, Pakistan's Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif has branded Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a "terrorist", and said the Indian government was being run by "a terrorist party".



Asif made the remarks in an appearance on Geo TV's Capital Talk show, in response to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj's UN General Assembly (UNGA) speech last month, in which she had accused Pakistan of "producing and exporting terrorism".



"Pakistan Foreign Minister is a political pygmy in a powerless government kowtowing to the terror organisations. These pusillanimous comments reflect Pakistan's frustration with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's successful diplomacy in exposing the terror face of Pakistan to the world. That Pakistan is getting desperate is evident from these patently foolish and irresponsible comments," BJP spokesperson G V L Narasimha Rao told PTI.



Asif made the remarks while talking about Kashmiris who have been killed in Jammu and Kashmir and civilian casualties in cross-border firing along the Line of Control and the Working Boundary, the Dawn reported.



"A terrorist is their (India's) prime minister at this time. One whose hands are stained with the blood of the Muslims of Gujarat," the report quoted him as saying.



"A terrorist party is ruling them (India) - the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) is ruling them. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is like its subsidiary organisation," he said.



"But Narendra Modi is an elected 'terrorist'," Hamid Mir, the show's host, reminded Asif.

"The nation that elects a terrorist... what kind of nation is that?" the minister retorted.



Explaining his stance, Asif said, "Look at the language the Indian prime minister is using, the way Muslims are being killed over cow-related issues. And just recently, on Dussehra, they burnt the effigies of Rohingya Muslims four times," he claimed.



"In Dussehra, they burn the effigies of villains... They declared Rohingya Muslims terrorists," he stressed, adding that although India was quick to call others terrorists, "the biggest terrorist (is Modi). Muslims were raped and murdered under his supervision when he was chief minister (of Gujarat). The US had banned him," he said.
Sarjapur Road, which houses some of the best known technology companies in the world, has emerged the third fastest growing residential hub in the country.



Sarjapur, strategically located close to Electronic City in East Bengaluru, has seen property prices appreciating by 32.56% in past five years. The properties in this micromarket were priced at Rs 5,700 per sq feet at the end of July 2017, compared with Rs 4,300 per sq feet in 2012.



Among the top 10 cities, listed as the 'hottest residential investment markets' by real estate advisory ANAROCK Property Consultants, two other localities from Bengaluru make a cut as well - Kanakapura Road and Varthur. While Kanakapura Road saw an appreciation of 28.21% since 2012 from Rs 3,900 per sq feet to Rs 5,000 per sq feet, Varthur grew by 22.86% to Rs 4,300 per sq feet from Rs 3,500 per sq feet in 2012.



Mumbai's Ghodbunder Road has seen the highest appreciation of 35.21% during the period. The prices in the micromarket have shot up from Rs 7,100 per sq feet in 2012 to Rs 9,600 per sq feet at the end of July. Another micromarket from the city, Pokhran Road is at the second slot in the list, having seen a jump of 32.98% since 2012.



Sarjapura Road is one of the most sought after places across the country for office space by Multi National Corporations (MNCs). Tech bellwether Wipro has its head office in the locality. Intel Technologies, L&T Infotech, Oracle, KPMG, Ness Technologies, Microsoft, Fidelity and hundreds of other companies are located in the area.



Sarjapur Road has about 2.4 million sq feet of office space, with about 24,000 people work there, according to another real estate advisory firm Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL). But Sarjapur Road is part of a bigget IT Ecosystem of Outer Ring Road (ORR). Along the ORR and off ORR, the road has about 2.7 million sq feet of office space just in ORRs eastern stretch in proximity to Sarjapur Road, adding another 27,000. Along with entire ORR, there is 34 million sq feet of office space translating to 3,40,000 employees.



The period 201113 was marked by hectic construction activity and it observed the launch of approximately 13,210 units on a stretch of 16.5 km  starting from the Sarjapur ORR junction till Sarjapur village, according to data available with Knight Frank. The area saw launch of 1,800 units in 2016 alone.



Since 2010, around 52 companies have taken space on lease in areas of Sarjapur Road, ORR- Eastern Stretch, and on/off Old Airport Road.



In the first half of this calendar year, Microsoft alone accupied 588,784 sq feet of office space in Prestige Ferns Galaxy, located on Sarjapur Road.



Bengaluru-based IT giant Infosys acquired 202 acres of land in Sarjapur to set up an IT SEZ, but no development has taken place on this land for several years as of 2016. In October 2013, the Azim Premji Foundation announced acquisition of 50 acres of land in Sarjapur for a world-class university.



Along with Sarjapur Road, Varthur offers proximity to the key office areas in Whitefield, Electronic City and Koramangala. "Being a part of the Outer Ring Road, these two areas have benefited significantly from the growth of IT corridors along this important route.



Coupled with the affordable prices in most residential projects, both these locations will remain a hit with end-users and investors," Anuj Puri, Chairman  Anarock Property Consultants said.
An unusual behaviour of the Arabian Sea has triggered a three-fold rise in widespread extreme rainfall in central India since the 1950s, scientists report.



In the last 65 years, there has been a three-fold rise in "widespread extreme rainfall events over the entire central belt of India from Gujarat and Maharashtra in the west coast to Odisha and Assam in the east, leading to a steady rise in the number of flash floods with significant socioeconomic losses.



The rise in extreme rainfall events also occurred along some parts of the Western Ghats including south Kerala, north Karnataka and Goa.



It has long been a scientific puzzle to figure out where the much-needed moisture is coming from since the total monsoon rainfall and local moisture availability decreased in the recent decades.



Indian weather scientists in collaboration with their colleagues from USA and France now cracked the code. They demonstrated that the extra moisture was flowing in from the Arabian Sea, which changed its behaviour possibly due to global warming.



Due to rapid warming in the Arabian Sea, the monsoon winds are becoming unstable. They are exhibiting a lot of fluctuations - so some days they are weak, but a few days they are very strong. This results in sudden surges of moisture transport to India, team leader Roxy Mathew Koll from the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Pune told DH.



Floods attributed to extreme rain events in India alone amounted to losses of about $ 3 billion per year, which is 10% of the global economic losses. There have been 268 reported flooding events in India over 19502015 affecting about 825 million people, leaving 17 million homeless and killing 69,000 people



It was presumed that many of these heavy rainfall spells result from low-pressure systems that develop in the Bay of Bengal and move northwestward bringing moisture into the central India.



But with observed records showing a decline in the number of these low-pressure systems, it was a puzzle for the scientists to figure out how the extreme rains are on a rise despite a weakened monsoon and a decrease in the number of low-pressure systems over central India.



The findings suggest the ocean-atmospheric conditions which are precursors to these extreme rainfall events and occur more than a week ahead. This will help in forecasting future extreme events, he said.



The findings have been published in the journal Nature Communications on Tuesday.



The study demonstrates the monsoon winds (westerlies) over the northern Arabian Sea exhibit increased variability (large fluctuations), driving surges of moisture supply, leading to extreme rain episodes across the entire central Indian belt. This is due to the increased warming north of the Arabian Sea, as a result of increased human activities including carbon dioxide emissions.



The warm ocean temperatures in the northern Arabian Sea and the adjacent northwest India and Pakistan, resulting in increased moisture and also large fluctuations of the monsoon westerly wind.



Asked how it's different from previous studies that also predicted an increase in the number of extreme rainfall events in India, Koll said, There are several differences - (a) This is the only study which shows the "widespread" nature of extreme events across central India, which can lead to large-scale floods. (b) This is the only study which has provided the mechanism which has been causing these extremes (c) Most of the earlier studies point to the link between local temperatures and extremes, while we show that non-local sources such as the Arabian Sea are important.




The Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) here is in expansion mode. To meet future needs of the growing airport, the Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao wants Hyderabad Airport to be developed with international standards and also a wonderful Airport City with all the facilities.



He wanted the terminal to be extended and a second runway to be constructed following an increase in the rush of the passengers and wanted Hyderabad metro rail to be extended to the Airport.



Reviewing the aviation sector here on Tuesday, KCR suggested that since Hyderabad is becoming a venue for several international conferences, meetings, a convention centre to accommodate 12,000 people and exhibition centres should be constructed near the airport. He said for this, the state government will extend all the support and assured that he himself will be present at the groundbreaking ceremony of the Airport City.



The GMR representatives have informed the CM that as on date, the Airport is getting 400 flights a day and every year 1 crore 70-lakh passengers are using the airport. They said the growth rate of formation of the Telangana State was 7 percent and it reached 20.4 percent after the formation of the State and is expected to increase in the near future, the GMR representatives said.



The existing runway and terminal will serve 2.5 crore passengers. However, keeping in view the growth rate, there is a need to have another terminal and construction of a second runway, they said. They assured that the second runway will be built in next three years and they wanted governments cooperation in this regard, which the CM had agreed to.



GMR Group Chairman Grandhi Mallikarjuna Rao has given Rs 12.28 Crore Cheque to the CM towards the state governments share of dividend (13%) from the earnings from the Airport.


The Commanders of Indian Army are expected to be briefed on the troop buildup in the Sikkim sector in the wake of the Doklam crisis at the Army commanders conference beginning here on October 9.



The week-long conference, sources said, would be having sessions in which presentation on the Doklam crisis and follow-up action would be given to the heads of the seven Army commands and the principal staff officers at the Army headquarters.



There may also be discussions on the long-term military options if the troop build-up needs to be continued for a prolonged period.



China's People's Liberation Army personnel had come to Doklam Plateau  a disputed territory in Bhutan  on June 16 and started building a road, ignoring the protests by Royal Bhutan Army soldiers. The Indian Army personnel from nearby Doka La post in Sikkim had intervened two days later, leading to the stand-off that continued for 72 days.



In August, Indian Army increased its troop presence along the entire Line of Actual Control in the eastern sector. Later it also moved tanks and other equipment near the northern border.



Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar on Tuesday met Bhutan Foreign Minister Damcho Dorjee and Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay, amidst reports of the troop buildup, sources said.



Though China withdrew its troops from Doklam Plateau on August 28 to end the military stand-off, both New Delhi and Thimphu are keeping a close eye on the PLA's move to deploy more troops in the vicinity and repeated intrusions into the territory claimed by Bhutan. The issue, sources said, was discussed in the meetings that Jaishankar had Bhutanese officials.



The Army commanders conference has nearly 30 other agenda points including slow pace of modernisation, non-availability of small arms to the infantry troops and discrepancy in the salary following the implementation of the Seventh Pay Commission recommendations.



Defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Army Chief Gen Bipin Rawat would address the Army commanders conference.






The Banaras Hindu University (BHU) students have demanded: immediate closure of all cases lodged against the varsity students in Varanasi after a massive police crackdown in the campus recently.



Issuing a statement here on Tuesday, they have also demanded to initiate disciplinary proceedings against the university vice-chancellor Girish Chandra Tripathi who went on an indefinite leave, citing personal reasons on Monday.



The students sought the Central Government to have a re-look at all the appointments made by Tripathi during his tenure.



The Government must also ensure that the appointment of a new vice chancellor for the BHU is based on merit and not on (a candidate's) affiliation with the organisations like Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), they sought.



More than 14 students have been targeted by the Uttar Pradesh police and served notices under various FIRs that has charged the students with various Sections of Indian Penal Code (IPC) which are both cognizable and non-bailable.



These FIRs are motivated to crush all voices of dissent, the BHU students said. They also demanded Prime Minister Narendra Modi break his silence on the issue



The students condemned the inaction and insensitive behaviour of the Prime Minister of India, who is also the Member of Parliament from Banaras and the Ministry of Human Resource Development, they said.




Homegrown sanitaryware major HSIL (Hindware)  which has evolved itself as a solutions-oriented company  is bullish on its two-year-old consumer business, which expects to double revenues this year.



Last year, HSILs consumer business clocked Rs 129 crore in revenues, which is growing at 100%, en route to hit Rs 270 crore by the end of this year, primarily on the back of kitchen appliance (chimneys and hobs), water heater, and the air cooler categories.



While our base is still small, being a young company, weve been experiencing phenomenal growth. Weve added more categories and are present in seven areas of the consumer business today, HSIL President and Chief Executive (Consumer Business) Rakesh Kaul told DH.



Of its over 450 SKUs today, HSIL has a wide range of kitchen appliances and solutions  including chimneys, hobs, cooktops, built-in and freestanding dishwashers, cooking range, built-in ovens, food waste disposers, induction cookers, water purifiers, and kitchen sinks  collectively growing at 85-90%.



Similarly, its other growth drivers, water heaters and air coolers, are seeing big growth too. In terms of water heaters, we grew at 91% last year, whereas the industry had contracted 1%. This year, we plan to grow by 90%, against an expected industry growth of 10%, selling 1.75 lakh units. Similarly, in the air cooler category, we will sell 100,000 units this year, while were seeing a growth of 200%, Kaul said.



Hindware has been a well-known sanitaryware brand for the last 57 years, with over 16 million customers. The consumer business began as a kitchen solutions business as part of the bathroom business in 2012, and was transferred to a separate consumer business in 2015.



The consumer business sources its wares from Delhi NCR, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, and is looking for OEMs in Telangana. It is present across 635 pin codes, served by 550 distributors, 4,500 retailers, 350 modern trade outlets, and 225 service centres, while 20% of its business comes through ecommerce.



The consumer business would contribute 10% to HSIL this year, while the remaining 90% would be shared by bathroom and glass.
A sum of Rs 10 crore has been allotted for various development works in Basavanagudi constituency.



Making this announcement here on Tuesday, Bengaluru Development Minister K J George who inspected the damage done by the heavy rains said he had ordered the de-silting of stormwater drains, especially in Karitimmanahalli on a priority basis so that the rainwater does not get clogged and cause health issues.



He has ordered installation of new water pipelines to prevent future problems due to waterlogging the minister added. Residents have complained against the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) bus stand in Srinagar where buses do not have space to enter inside due to parking of vehicles on both sides of the stand.



The minister has ordered them to clear the parking of vehicles making it easier for buses to enter the stand, said a senior BBMP official.



Since the roads in Girinagar and Weavers Colony are severely damaged, minister George has directed Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Commissioner N Manjunath Prasad to take up the asphalting work immediately.
The Madras High Court on Tuesday agreed to hear an objection plea on forming a one-man commission headed by a retired judge to probe the death of the late chief minister Jayalalithaa.



Advocate Vijayan raised the issue during the proceedings of the first bench comprising Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice M Sundar. Vijayan, who represented petitioner Joseph, said the inquiry commission should be constituted only after passing a unanimous resolution in the Tamil Nadu Assembly.



The present impugned governments order are illegal and passed in a mechanical manner without following the mandatory procedure as contemplated under Section 3 of the Commission of Inquiry Act, 1952, the petitioner said.



Given the involvement of the entire state machinery in Jayalalithaas hospitalisation and treatment, the petitioner further argued that only an independent commission by the central government would be appropriate to probe the late chief ministers death.



Pleading the courts urgent consideration of the petition, the counsel said the inquiry commission of this nature should not be headed by a retired high court judge, but a retired Supreme Court judge.



However, the court said a petition should be filed properly so that it could be taken on Wednesday. Amid the Oppositions demand to set up an inquiry commission to clear the mystery over Jayalalithaas death, the Tamil Nadu government constituted a panel headed by former Madras High Court judge Justice A Arumughaswamy and asked the commission to submit its report in three months.



The Opposition DMK has also filed a contempt of court case against the state Election Commission for failing to notify local body elections on September 18, as ordered by the court.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the Tamil Nadu government to decide within four weeks a plea by slain forest brigand Veerappans brother Mathaiyan for his premauture release.



He claimed that he was not considered for premauture release despite a direction by the Madras High Court on December 16, 2015. Lodged in Salem jail, the petitioner is serving life term. He was arrested in 1987.



The court disposed of the petition filed through advocate S D Dwarkanath for direction to the state to exercise its power under Article 161 of the Constitution for remission of his sentence.



It told the state government to take a decision in Mathaiyans case and intimate him. 70-year-old Mathaiyan had cited a government order from 1994 by which the state had granted the release of other life convicts who completed 20 years of imprisonment on humanitarian grounds.
India on Tuesday issued a demarche to Pakistan protesting against the death of three children due to ceasefire violation by its soldiers across the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir.



Syed Haider Shah, the Deputy High Commissioner of Pakistan in New Delhi, was summoned to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), where senior diplomats served him the demarche.



The diplomats of Pakistan-Afghanistan-India division of the Ministry of External Affairs lodged with him New Delhis strong protest over the death of three children due to firing by the soldiers of his country from across the

LoC in Poonch Sector on Monday.



The MEA officials conveyed to the deputy envoy that the soldiers of his country violated the ceasefire without any provocation and thus violated the ceasefire.



Apart from the death of the three children, at least eight civilians were injured due to the violation of ceasefire at Kerni, Kasaba and Digwar villages in Jammu and Kashmir on Monday.



It was conveyed that such deliberate targeting of civilians was not acceptable and was against humanitarian norms and practices, the MEA stated in a statement issued later.



The MEA officials also conveyed to Shah, New Delhis strong concern over continued unprovoked firing by Pakistan Army and Rangers across the Line of Control and the International Boundary, thus violating the ceasefire agreement of 2003.



New Delhi noted that Pakistan had violated the ceasefire along the LoC and International India altogether 503 times so far so far during 2017.


A deadly pothole on BGS flyover on the busy Mysuru Road claimed the lives of an elderly couple early on Tuesday morning and left their six-year-old granddaughter injured.



The accident occurred around 1.30 am when Anthony Joseph (55), riding a Honda Activa bike with his wife and granddaughter on pillion, veered to the right to avoid a gaping pothole. He lost control over the bike in front of Nalanda theatre and all three fell to the ground.



A Tamil Nadu Road Transport Corporation bus right behind Josephs two-wheeler, ran over him and his wife Sagai Mary (52), killing them on the spot.



Their grandchild Akuila Sherin, who fell to one side, survived with minor injuries, said Shivakumar T P, DCP Traffic (West). The couple were residents of Jagajeevanram Nagar. Passersby shifted all the three to Victoria Hospital. Anthony and Sagai were declared brought dead, while Akuila was discharged after treatment.



The couple were returning from St Marthas Hospital after getting their granddaughter treated for high fever. Police said Akuila was Josephs daughters child and stayed close to their house.



Around 11.30 pm on Monday, Josephs daughter complained that Akuila was running high fever. Joseph and Sagai reached their daughters house and took the child to hospital, police said.



Police arrested the bus driver following a complaint filed by Josephs son Ignisious Deepak. The driver has been booked for negligent driving under sections 304A of IPC and 337 and 279 of Motor Vehicles Act.



Two more motorists fell down after hitting the same killer pothole later in the day when the traffic police were inspecting the accident spot.
Take your taste buds on a tour and give back to Canyon Crest Academy with The Taste of the Village on Sunday, Oct. 8. Hosted by the Village of Pacific Highlands Ranch and the Canyon Crest Academy Foundation, this one-night event helps you find your inner foodie while supporting a local public school.

From 2-6: p.m., join in on this family-friendly event and get a taste of all that The Village has to offer, including a selection of foods from Baked Bear, Westroot Tavern, Fresh Brothers, Nothing Bundt Cake, Vitality Tap, Dolce, Breakfast Republic and Luna Grill.

A $25 ticket also includes an art display and performances by students from Canyon Crest Academy, who will directly benefit from the event proceeds.

One of our goals at the CCA Foundation is to offer opportunities for all families in our community to come together, said Stephanie Kowack, community engagement chair for the CCA Foundation. We hope you can join us to celebrate our thriving community.

Canyon Crest Academy was recently ranked the #1 high school in San Diego County. The Canyon Crest Academy Foundation, through the generosity of its donors, contributes $1 to $1.5 million to the school each year, to fulfill its mission to enrich the experience of every student every day.

The Canyon Crest Academy community appreciates the generosity of the businesses participating in Taste of the Village, who are donating their time, their food and their facilities for this event, which will both provide a wonderful performing experience for students and a boost to the many programs at the school.

We are deeply grateful for the partnership that is being created with the local businesses in the Village at Pacific Highlands Ranch and we appreciate their generosity with this and future events, said Susan Jentzsch, event coordinator and gala chair for the CCA Foundation.

Purchase your tickets today at canyoncrestfoundation.org or bit.ly/2yCOhhh

The Village at pacific Highlands Ranch is located at 13490 Pacific Highlands Ranch Pkwy, San Diego, CA 92130. Visit phrvillage.com
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BOISE, Idaho (AP)  Tourists heading to central Idaho will be in the dark if local officials get their way.

The first International Dark Sky Reserve in the United States would fill a chunk of the state's sparsely populated region that contains night skies so pristine that interstellar dust clouds are visible in the Milky Way.





. . .
Eritrean Orthodox Tewahdo Church Hosts WCC Delegation

Contact: Media Office, World Council of Churches, +41 79 507 6363



GENEVE, Oct. 3, 2017 /Christian Newswire/ -- A delegation from the World Council of Churches (WCC) concluded a solidarity visit to the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahdo Church, one of Africas oldest Christian churches dating back to the year AD 329.



Photo:  Peter Kenny/WCC

It was the first such visit in more than 10 years and the WCC left with a pledge to pray and work for peace between Eritrea and its neighbor Ethiopia as they attempt to resolve a border dispute.

The visit took place from 22-28 September and the group met the governing body of the Eritrean church at its offices on 24-25 September.

Leaders from the local Evangelical Lutheran and Roman Catholic churches also attended the meeting, to which local Muslim representatives also sent greetings.

WCC programme executive and convener for Africa, Dr Nigussu Legesse, and Fr Dr Daniel Buda, programme executive and coordinator for Church and Ecumenical Relations were part of the WCC delegation.

The group was met at the Asmara International Airport after midnight on 22 September by Abune Lukas, general secretary of the Holy Synod of the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahdo Church, and Abune Basilios, head of the church administration.

There, Buda conveyed to the members of the holy synod the greetings of WCC general secretary Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit.

Buda said: "We are very thankful to God and to you, the leadership of the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahdo Church for making this visit possible."

'Great expectations'

"We came here with great expectations and we are looking forward to having constructive dialogue and encounters with the Eritrean Orthodox Church which is our WCC member church here in Eritrea and with other churches, religious communities and state authorities," said Legesse during the synod meeting.

"This is a historic visit aimed at reviewing the situation within the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahdo Church and strengthening the relationship that has been loosened over the past several years."

He thanked the church leadership for facilitating entry visas for all members of the delegation and the reception accorded to the delegation by the archbishops on arrival at the airport in Asmara.

The WCC delegation included members of the All Africa Conference of Churches (AACC), Bread for the World, Church of Sweden, and Norwegian Church Aid, ACT Alliance, and the Nairobi-based Fellowship of Christian Councils and Churches in the Great Lakes and Horn of Africa (FECCLAHA).

After Sunday Mass at St Mary's Cathedral on 24 September the delegation visited the newly-built Holy Trinity Theological College.

The Eritrean church hosts accompanied the WCC delegation to ancient monasteries and archeological excavation sites that have unraveled Christian building sites dating back 1,700 years.

Archeologists told the visitors that these are vibrant proof that Christianity's ancient roots were in Africa long before evangelizers arrived from the ranks of European colonizers in the second millennium.

The Eritrean Orthodox Tewahdo Church, an Oriental Orthodox church with its headquarters in Asmara, joined the WCC in 2003. It is also a member of the AACC and FECCLAHA.

Oriental Orthodox Churches

Oriental Orthodox Churches played a strong missionary role during Christianity's early stages, and have had a leading role in the history of Christianity in Egypt and the northern part of Africa.

The autocephaly of the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahdo Church was recognized by Pope Shenouda III of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria after Eritrea gained its independence in 1993.

The WCC delegation visited churches around Asmara, the capital, Keren to the north west, and Massawa down at the coast on the Red Sea.

On their way to Keren, the country's third largest urban area, the WCC delegation detoured to Debra Sina, a monastery in the highlands of Eritrea in the Anseba Region.

Debra Sina, which means Mt Sinai in English, was founded in the 4th century, so it is the oldest monastery in Eritrea and one of the oldest in Africa too.

It is the site of a pilgrimage by Eritrean Orthodox believers each year in June.

The group also visited Adulis, an archeological site in the Northern Red Sea area of Eritrea, situated about 50 kilometers (30 miles) south of the Red Sea port of Massawa in the Gulf of Zula as guests of local Abune Yohannes, the archbishop of the Northern and Southern Red Sea Diocese.

The Eritrean Orthodox Tewahdo Church is the biggest church in the country and has some 2,500,000 members and 15,000 priests worldwide including diaspora churches in North America and Europe. The church has eight dioceses in Eritrea and two in the Diaspora.

WCC member churches in Eritrea


Maxol Service Station, Dublin Road, Dundalk, have been honoured in the Excellence in Customer Experience category at the company's 2016 - 2017 Excellence Awards, which took place in Quinta Do Lago, Portugal recently.

The Excellence Awards promote and reward excellence in retail standards, customer experience and community engagement throughout its network of service stations across the island of Ireland.

Colin Fee, owner of Maxol Service Station, Dublin Road, Dundalk said:

We are delighted to have won this award and of course travelling to Portugal to receive it made it even more special. At Maxol Dublin Road, Dundalk, we aim to meet our customers needs and expectations. This wouldnt be possible without our extended team, I would like to take the opportunity to thank my staff for their hard work and dedication.

Congratulating the winners, CEO of the Maxol Group, Brian Donaldson said:

I would like to congratulate Colin and his staff for reaching the highest standard of customer service in our awards. Colin and his team truly place their customers first and go that extra mile to make every visit a memorable experience. We are delighted to be partnering with Colin and enjoyed celebrating his success recently in Portugal. Well done to Colin and his team, who are excellent ambassadors for Maxol.

The Maxol Excellence Awards are now in their 20th year. Awards were presented on merit in the following categories; Excellence in Community Engagement; Customer Experience; Best Standard; and Store of the Year.
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Can social media generate fruitful business partnerships? Thats the question Dynamic Business put to 17 entrepreneurs and industry experts, this week, for our exclusive Lets Talk, investigating the value of social networking for SMEs.

Although the consensus was YES, some commentators qualified their response, pointing out that a business partnership formed on a social media platform, such as LinkedIn or Facebook, will only be fruitful if it develops organically, the benefits flow both ways, it can transcend the platform that gave birth to it, and both parties have patience and are willing to invest in the partnerships success.

One commentator noted a multiplier effect, with the potential for businesses to mine their partners networks for further partnership opportunities, while another described social media as a terrific channel for businesses to promote their new business partnerships and, in this way, increase brand currency amongst their target audience.

Read on for hot tips and actionable insights from this weeks line-up

Can social media generate fruitful business partnerships?

Sarah Moran, Co-founder & CEO, Girl Geek Academy: Social media can generate fruitful business partnerships but like fruit, you have to grow it first. You CANT start an account today and sign a contract tomorrow. Social media is a long-term, sustainable way of generating value for your business. The value comes from exposing your audience to your business incrementally over time so when an opportunity comes up you are there to close the deal.

You have to be willing to invest in building organic relationships without always expecting quick wins. Its not a numbers game. Its not about how many followers you can get, but how strong you can build the social ties so you can later lean on them to convert into business opportunities. Youre literally building relationships using online tools. I like to share things of value to my audience  such as insights and industry lessons learnt  so that they can understand my business culture and feel the partnership flows both ways.

When you reach out on LinkedIn (not just a place for your resume, but an emerging connection platform), comment why youre a fan of someones work and why you think its worth connecting. This will make them much more likely to respond and engage.

Rob Hango-zada, Co-Founder & Joint CEO, Shippit: Social media is a great channel for engaging your loyal followers and leveraging paid social allows a business to connect with prospects of a similar profile. We use social as a channel to announce new features, general updates and other news about our business  this helps our team maintain a terrific dialogue with our customer base and reduces our reliance on email campaigns. Whilst we dont believe these announcements generate fruitful partnerships, it has been a terrific channel for announcing the partnerships we have secured which then drives increased interest in our brand. We have found LinkedIn particularly helpful in generating positive buzz around our partnerships as it creates a multiplier effect on their success.

Nazar Musa, CEO, Medical Media: Yes, absolutely. Social media provides both established businesses and start-ups a platform to share, listen to and otherwise engage with an interconnected community. It is through meaningful dialogue that businesses have the opportunity to cultivate relationships and achieve mutually beneficial partnerships.

Social platforms such as Facebook have created B2B products such as Ads Manager to help businesses target prospective leads, cost-effectively. The key to leveraging social channels is to ensure the objectives are clearly defined (and aligned to business goals), the target audience has been fleshed out and content is creative, engaging and authentic.

Mike Pritchett, CEO, Shootsta: Definitely! Social media is all about putting yourself out there into the wider community, which can prove incredibly useful when it comes to finding brands you want to align with professionally. When companies expose their brand image and personality via social media, theyre more likely to have other companies with similar values clock their presence, follow them and reach out.

At Shootsa, we have multiple partners in complementary businesses, be it hosting companies that have found us through social media or companies weve reached out to via social media  or because of it. The social media accounts of existing partners are also an invaluable marketing resource. For example, weve found some of our current business partners via the social media networks of our OTHER partners. Because social media is basically a window into the life and culture of a firm, who you follow  and who follows you  reveals a lot about the type of business relationships you have and like to conduct.

Siobhan Hayes, Head of Marketing, easyshare: Social media continues to evolve the way we generate new business partnerships and collaborations and manage day-to-day operations as well as converse and engage with our customers. LinkedIn is an excellent way to find and speak directly to the right person in an organisation, instead of sending generic emails to shared inboxes. Facebook groups are also an easy-to-use tool for reaching out to communities and networks, which weve found to be useful. At easyshare, weve found that its our users who are really driving us to integrate social media into our day-to-day operations. The convenience and accessibility of customers communicating with us through Facebook messenger has been a key tool for us in providing more responsive customer support.

James Alexander, Co-Founder, Galileo Ventures & Founder, Incubate: For a startup with less than 100 customers (i.e. 90% of startups), social media is a fantastic way to do research and get your first customers for free. Some pro-tips

For Twitter, search for people complaining about the problem youre solving and reach out;

For LinkedIn, get to know your potential customers and watch their movements, article likes and job changes.

For Facebook, search for groups in your industry and join in on the conversation

Its important to connect authentically  automated messages dont work in the early days.

Jeff McAlister, CEO, Trybooking: Social media is a good tool for building an online community inclusive of partners, brands and influencers  its a faster way to reach who you want, when you want, with a more considered introduction. It can be difficult to replicate these kinds of encounters in real life where there are less abundant opportunities for connecting. However, Id be more inclined to treat social media as a starting point and not rely on it entirely (particularly as the business relationship develops). Otherwise, you risk falling into the trap of the relationship becoming transactional and not built on long-lasting values/camaraderie.

Matt Butterworth, CEO & Founder, EasyWeddings: Social media is an integral part of building fruitful business partnerships at Easy Weddings. One of the most successful ways weve been able to harness social is via a B2B Facebook group for wedding businesses, where we share content to help them improve their service. Suppliers are also able to share their ideas and network with other members in the group, building their own connections within the industry.

One of the key ways were delivering this content is via Facebook Live, whether thats a weekly tip, a new product launch with real-time demonstration, or live streaming of a presentation at one of our monthly industry events. In our experience, social media allows businesses to develop a true connection with their clients by creating community around their brand and demonstrating the human side of the business.

Maria Bellissimo-Magrin, Founder & CEO, Belgrin: It absolutely can! LinkedIn is an absolute dream for this. By personalising your connection message and following up on these, theres some excellent business opportunities to be had. Ive also made partnerships on Facebook in business groups by commenting on relevant posts and assisting where possible. You never know who will be reading through the thread.

Fleur Brown, CEO, Launch Group & Personal Brand Specialist: LinkedIn is currently the highest impact B2B platform  its like a de facto personal website where people go to check out your business credentials before they meet with you or consider getting into a business relationship. To use it successfully, you need to use your personal brand to engage and make sure you shift your LinkedIn profile well beyond a recruitment-oriented set-up.

Its also more of a closing tool for your existing network than a new lead generator and its vital to post content that genuinely interests you and the audience you are hoping to engage with. Less is more. Go for less high-quality content over multiple, low-quality posts. High frequency items into the news feed are one thing, but when it comes to writing an official LinkedIn Post dont do that more than twice a month or you are getting into spammy territory. Company profiles are good to have, but dont tend to generate the same high engagement as personal profiles.

Mez Gallifuoco, Chief Product and Growth Officer, Thred Ltd: Social media  if used well  has the power to form very fruitful business relationships and partnerships, and leverage a unified audience. At a consumer level, social media usage is growing at a rate of 17% annually and recent studies show 90% of Australians aged between 18 and 25 are influenced by social media on where to go, eat and shop.

Smaller brands who dont have the larger marketing budgets know they need to get creative when it comes to competing with the big brands, and social media can provide just this opportunity. Some of the most successful strategies I have seen have been where businesses work with brands to create compelling content and share their following in order to get a much larger, targeted reach. This shows how we are at a stage where social media can form fruitful business relationships, which in turn can develop into consumer-brand relationships.

Rony Chiha, Founder & Managing Director, Adcreators: Social media can certainly generate rich business partnerships. Research shows that more than 50% of all sales and online enquiries are the result of social media. Consumers are becoming more and more savvy and well informed, with increased purchase decisions influenced by the recommendations of friends as well as, online reviews. Its important for businesses to establish and maintain a strong online presence across multiple social media platforms in order to engage with potential customers. Social media isnt just about reaching optimal followers; its about online engagement with them, which will subsequently create a domino effect with each of their followers.

James Hopkins, Head of Digital Marketing, Mon Purse: Facebook and Instagram are our always on marketing tools. We run multiple campaigns across Facebook and Instagram at any one time. And have seen returns as high as 60 x ROI for the business. We began using Facebook as a re-targeting tool, but having had so much success through the platform, it has quickly become a prospecting tool. We use a broad range of ad formats, including custom audiences and highly optimize ads throughout the campaigns. Instagram is a key brand platform for both organic and paid campaigns. These two platforms are a safe investment for us and have been a huge factor in the quick growth of the Mon Purse business.

Davitha Ghiassi, Head of Social, Red Agency: The arrival of Amazon means Australian e-tailers need to play on the power of social algorithms more to drive relevance in this increasingly cluttered and competitive space. Crafty content, exceptional service, pleasant P2P experiences and impactful partnerships are core differentiators online.

Social networking isnt what it used to be. Today, social serves as a mass media channel and two-way inspiration street where  rather than reach  lasting impressions, tailored (re)targeting tactics and speedy yet spectacular service are key. Here are three ways Aussie brands can stand out from the crowd:

Make your reason for being THEIR reason for buying. Underpin every post you publish with the purpose that sets your business apart. Tailor to the target. Drive relevance by using owned data and smart paid social media methods to fuel highly relevant customer experiences. Find fruitful partnerships. Leverage influencer marketing to co-create and publish content that makes a lasting impression.

Rafael Niesten, Co-founder, Bricks + Agent: Social networking is a great way to make connections but thats what everyone says. Its HOW you go about making those connections  and their quality  that counts. Unsolicited invites, as either the sender or receiver, mean little  unless you think there is something in having a lot of random connections. Joining groups of people in the same business, similar field or who share an interest gives the connection a firmer starting point and is more likely to result in a genuine connection. From there, you have something to build on, and can add value to the group and find people who actually value your connection.

Scott Cooper, Global VP of Marketing, Go1: Social media is a great way to communicate with your audience, but should be used to support other marketing efforts rather than being relied on as the sole method of outbound leads. By creating an environment where you are engaging with your followers through the sharing relevant and useful content, you will be able to expand your reach, while at the same time establishing yourself as a leader in your industry. Dont fall into the trap of only running self-promotional content in an effort to increase conversions.

Helen Awali, CEO, Bookmarc & Portfolio CEO of Heads Over Heels: Social networking is a powerful connector. The future of online social sites like Bookmarc will, form our view, involve harnessing social media networking to a wider capacity to capture a greater audience. In fact, we are seeing increasing interaction from businesses discovering Bookmarc through our social media channels, which is leading to high user acquisition that is targeted. Businesses who dont utilise social networking will be left behind.

About Lets Talk

This exciting new, weekly initiative provides entrepreneurs and industry experts with a forum to share rapid-fire views on a range of issues that matter to start-ups and SMEs. Every Wednesday, we pose a themed question to a line-up of knowledgable industry figures, with a view to picking their brains for valuable insights to share with you, our readers.

See also: Lets Talk Raising capital (Parts ONE and TWO), Lets Talk Ecommerce and Lets Talk Late Payments.
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Retiring police dog needs new home



Eight-year-old Saxon is retiring from the Isle of Man Constabulary's Police Dog Unit

A police dog is looking for a new home as she prepares to retire from the Isle of Man Constabulary.

The Island's Police Dog Unit says eight-year-old Saxon is no longer required for working, and the right forever home needs to be found.

Officers describe Saxon as very affectionate with people, but warn she doesn't always get on with other animals so will need to be the only pet in the house.

Those interested in offering Saxon a home can contact the Police Dog Unit through Facebook or leave a message at Police Headquarters.
Russia is interfering in Europes internal matters by encouraging active measures to destabilize and confuse governments and societies. These are often opportunistic and shaped by local conditions. Moscow, however, does not have a clear overarching strategy other than weakening the EU and NATO and creative a more fitting environment for itself.

This involves a number of tools and actors from military threats via business lobbies and spies to officials and the media. Moreover, Russia pursues different priorities in different countries, which are subject to the correlation between the strength of these countries national institutions and their vulnerability to Russian influence. Nevertheless, despite the apparent lack of a grand strategy, there is an effort to coordinate certain actions across platforms. Thus, without giving up hope for convincing the Kremlin to change its policies, Europe must focus on fixing its own vulnerabilities rather than simply hoping that the rain will stop. On top of many other things, this includes addressing democratic deficits in parts of the continent.

The European Union, however, needs to, first and foremost, understand this challenge. It needs to broaden its knowledge of hybrid warfare and invest more in intelligence and effective analysis. Second, it needs to contain the chaos by addressing the counter-intelligence gap. This can be done by agreeing on a minimum level of spending for EU member states, by educating national populations to be more critical of disinformation and by countering democratic deficit across the bloc. Third, the EU should make consistent but asymmetric responses to Russian measures  name and shame individuals behind them and designate Russian organizations acting with hostile intent as foreign agents.

Understanding how the Kremlins controlled chaos works is challenging because the Russians themselves are not following any playbook, but rather improvising and seizing opportunities. Nonetheless, the key to a successful Europe-wide response is to comprehend better how it works. One of the biggest challenges is precisely to find out which activities are local or department initiatives and which are being coordinated from Moscow.

Europes current democratic deficits, internal tensions and anti-system moods all make it vulnerable to Russian influence. Europe needs to work hard on minimizing these in an age of hybrid war and go beyond its overdue efforts to spend enough on conventional military security and take a more serious and comprehensive line on defense. Moreover, spending on counter-intelligence varies from country to country, which affects not just national but also continent-wide security.

Those countries that are most at risk are largely characterized by weak or weakening institutions, and low levels of trust in their national and/or European governance. Moscow eagerly exploits these sentiments, but cannot create them. Thus, dealing with them ought to be considered a security priority, not just a political issue. Russias active engagement in European internal affairs can be characterized by bottom-up active measures from a variety of factors. Many of these initiatives come to nothing or simply diffuse but they still represent low-level tactic with which the Russians are trying to jam Western public and political discourse.

Controlling Chaos: How Russia Manages its Political War in Europe  Analysis by Mark Galeotti  European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR).

(The Analysis can be downloaded here)
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Over half, some 52%, of expats around the world have been through a repatriation process at some point, with 19% repatriating more than once.However, 48% have never repatriated and Singapore is the country with the highest proportion of expats that have never moved back home with 65% who have not been through a repatriation process.The HSBC Expat Explorer Survey also shows that the channel island of Jersey has the second highest proportion of expats that have never moved back home at 58%, followed by Malaysia at 56%.But it can be hard to severe ties with home and 32% of expats own a property in the country where they were born. Of these some 55% own it because they plan to return home and live in it at some point.And the most cited reason for expats repatriating is family or personal reasons, accounting for 32% or repatriations.When it comes to the impact moving abroad has on expats wealth Switzerland is best, followed by Norway and Germany while the Netherlands came top for family, followed by Sweden and Singapore. For quality of life New Zealand was best, followed by Spain and Portugal.The research found that the strong Swiss economy and stable political environment are appreciated by expats and the vast majority, 89%, feel confident about the economy while 78% say their earning prospects are better than at home.Switzerland is not the only economics hot spot, however. Germany performs well for career development, with 62% of expats in the country saying it is a good place to progress their career, compared with 54% globally.Some 58% of expats said they moved to New Zealand to improve their quality of life and 72% believe they are integrating well with the local people and culture. Spain and Portugal are lauded by expats for their healthy lifestyles with 58% in Spain and 57% in Portugal saying that their physical health is better as a result of the move compared to a global average of 36%.The Netherlands has overtaken Sweden as the best place to raise a family, rising nine places in one year and 76% of expat parents in the Netherlands say the health and wellbeing of their children is better than it was at home. Expat parents also praise the quality of education and childcare with 72% and 65% respectively saying it is better than at home.Last years winner, Sweden, ranks as the second best country to raise a family and 72% of expat parents rate the quality of childcare as better than at home and 71% said the process of arranging a school for their children was straightforward.Brexit and a coalition Government have had an impact on the expat view of the UK which fell 13 places to 35 this year due to a 20% drop in confidence in the economy and a 22% fall in confidence in political stability.However, expats still believe the UK offers a positive experience with 68% saying it is a good place for expats who want to progress their career compared with a global average of 54%, and 56% saying that earning prospects are better than at home compared with 50% globally.A renowned destination for expats, the United Arab Emirates moved back into the top 10 this year and 56 % of expats say they moved there to improve their earnings, compared with 22% of expats globally. The benefits of life in the UAE are not just reserved to expat finances with 55% saying their work/life balance is better than at home and for 62% their overall quality of life improved. The same goes for families, with 66% of expat parents saying their childrens quality of life is better since the move.India has recorded it best ever standing with strong ratings across a range of economic, quality of life and family measures helping it to move up 12 places. Some 63% say India is a good place to progress their career, 64% are able to save more, 43% a better quality of life and 67% found it easy to integrate.
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Organizers for Austin City Limits Music Festival and two San Antonio music festivals have vowed to keep security tight in the aftermath of a mass shooting that killed more than 50 people in Las Vegas.

Stephen Craig Paddock, the 64-year-old shooter, fired on a crowd of more than 22,000 concertgoers Sunday at Route 91 Harvest Festival in Las Vegas from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino across the street.

As of Monday evening, at least 59 people are dead and more than 527 people were injured.

Organizers in Texas and San Antonio were loath to say whether they were stepping up security efforts in response to the Las Vegas shooting or provide details about specific measures, citing counterterrorism and law enforcement concerns.

C3 Presents  producers of the Austin City Limits festival, which begins Friday and spans two weekends  said the organizers and festivals security team coordinate with local law enforcement and emergency responders to plan and rehearse security and response plans.

ACL organizers have implemented tighter security measures over the years that includes pat downs, bag searches and size limits along with an enhanced presence of security and law enforcement officials in and outside of the festival at Austins Zilker Park, C3 said.

The festivals security protocols include elements that are seen and unseen, C3 said.

Our thoughts and prayers are with our colleagues and everyone in Las Vegas who was affected by this terrible tragedy, C3 said in a statement.

A representative for Mala Luna Music Festival, which spans two days beginning Oct. 28 in the parking lot of Nelson Wolff Stadium, did not say whether festival goers would see additional security measures but said its working with area law enforcement agencies to provide a safe, secure, and positive environment for all attendees, artists and staff.

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.

David Heard, Tech Bloc co-founder and CEO who co-founded the upcoming Botanica Music & Arts Festival, said safety was a big factor when organizers chose the Six Flags Fiesta Texas parking lot for its inaugural event March 3-4.

Some members of the Botanica team were up all night helping support their music industry colleagues and event organizers who were on the ground in Vegas, Heard said.

In the wake of this tragedy we may even plus up our already strong security plans, Heard said in a text message. But really, today our thoughts, prayers and focus is on Las Vegas and the victims of this terrible criminal act.

Representatives for Maverick Music Festival and Day for Night Festival in Houston did not return emails requesting comment.

jfechter@express-news.net | Twitter: @JFreports | The Associated Press contributed to this report.
When Nicolas Valdez steps onto the stage of the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Centers theater to perform his show Conjunto Blues, itll be a full-circle moment.

The Guadalupe is where he got into both music and theater. He started taking conjunto lessons there when he was 9, and got involved with the youth theater troupe Grupo Animo there a few years later.

Im a direct product of that programming, said Valdez, 37. I have always felt like a part of the Guadalupe family, and so, Ill always recognize the privilege of having access to that kind of space. I just love to honor the legacy of all the work thats happened there over the generations.

The one-night-only performance of Conjunto Blues, a music-laced family story woven into the history of conjunto music, also marks a bit of a milestone for the Guadalupe itself. Fridays staging is a fundraiser to cover travel and production costs associated with taking the show to Los Angeles next month for the Encuentro de las Americas Festival, a three-week international celebration of Latino theater. Conjunto Blues will be staged alongside works from other parts of the U.S., Cuba, Colombia, Peru, Mexico and Canada.

The Guadalupe is co-producing the L.A. staging  a big deal for the once-famed theater program, which is in the midst of a revival following some fallow years.

Its really a natural progression in the growth of the theater program, said Joel Settles, who has been working to breathe new life into the Guadalupe Theater since he became director of programs in 2015.

Settles noted that the Guadalupe once hosted national Latino theater festivals and sent works on tour. Hed like to see that sort of thing happen again, and this is a step toward that goal.

We have an opportunity, and I know if I put it out there, the right folks will come knocking, said Settles, who will be in Los Angeles for part of the festival and is looking forward to making connections with other theater artists.

Abigail Vega, a San Antonio native who is involved with the festival through her work with Latinx Theatre Commons, a national initiative by artists across the country to raise the visibility of Latino works and artists, is looking forward to seeing Conjunto Blues. And shes excited to see the Guadalupe represented alongside companies from Latin America and from Dallas, the Bronx, Los Angeles and San Francisco.

These are the largest cities in this county. We should be there, said Vega. Were so used to being left out of that conversation. Now, were getting back on track.

Vega, who has seen small pieces of Conjunto Blues and is eager to see the whole thing, noted that the show has at least one thing in common with the other pieces in the festival.

Whats really cool is all the shows from the states are really representative of the areas that theyre from, she said. Pregones Theatre, the flagship Puerto Rican company from New York, is coming and telling a story about New York. And Nicolas show is so specific to South Texas. Hes bringing a piece of that culture not only for people who are familiar with it, but all the artists that are coming who have never heard of conjunto.

Educating audiences about conjunto music has always been a driving force behind the show, Valdez said.

I was doing research into the history of conjunto, and ... theres not a lot of published work (about it), he said. It became an obsession, a need for this story to be told and to reach a larger audience. Even within our Mexican-American community here, theres still a lack of understanding of our historical background and culture, so for me, it was always important to tell this story.

He has been developing the show for several years and has performed it in other cities. Hes hoping the festival will lead to more bookings.

In a way, being on that stage is going to help legitimize the work for larger spaces and larger audiences, he said.

Beyond that, theres a deeply personal aspect to the show for Valdez. The story is rooted in the close relationship he had with his grandfather, Ramon Valdez, a big fan of conjunto music who reveled in his grandsons successes as a performer. The grandfather in the show was inspired by him.

He was the one who really pushed me to play, Valdez said. He took me to all of my lessons.

His grandfather saw bits and pieces of the show as it was being developed, but he died before it was complete.

For me, its really honoring his memory and the memory of all of my family, he said. And the core of this story is that conjunto music tells the story of the Mexican-American working class. It became the soundtrack of the Mexican-American experience.

Conjunto Blues can be seen at 8 p.m. Friday at the Guadalupe Theater, 1301 Guadalupe St. Tickets range from $10 to $15 at guadalupeculturalarts.org. Info, 210-271-3151.

dlmartin@express-news.net | @DeborahMartinEN
WASHINGTON  Within hours of the Las Vegas shooting rampage that killed at least 59 people and wounded more than 500 others, calls for stricter gun control could be heard from the halls of Congress.

The debate has become part of the ritual of American mass shootings.

But with Republicans in control of the White House and both houses of Congress, the chances of any new gun regulations are practically nil. More likely, Congress watchers say, would be legislation loosening gun laws in the wake of the nations latest mass shooting.

Two such bills, both championed by Texas Republicans, are likely to get additional scrutiny as lawmakers come to grips with the carnage at a country music show outside the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.

The Hearing Protection Act, co-sponsored in January by Rep. John Carter of Round Rock, would make it easier for gun enthusiasts to affix silencers to their firearms.

The bill would remove silencers from the Internal Revenue Codes definition of firearms, which could make it easier for individuals to get them without the background checks required for many legal firearm buyers. It also would cancel a $200 tax on the devices.

The bill was singled out Monday by former Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. The crowd fled at the sound of gunshots. Imagine the deaths if the shooter had a silencer, which the NRA wants to make easier to get, Clinton wrote on Twitter.

She added: Our grief isnt enough. We can and must put politics aside, stand up to the NRA and work together to try to stop this from happening again.

Democratic House members also took aim at the bill Monday, demanding in a letter to House Speaker Paul Ryan that he pull it from consideration. The letter, signed by Michigans John Conyers and Arizonas Raul Grijalva, said, It is not enough to simply hold a moment of silence, or place U.S. flags at half-staff; rather, we believe that, in the wake of the horrific shootings last evening in Las Vegas, you must clearly state that the House will not seek to make matters worse by passing this legislation.

Carter and his supporters argue that silencers are merely intended to protect the hearing of gun owners.

Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas accused Democrats of playing politics with the silencer issue, a charge Republicans frequently make in the gun control debate when Democrats call for new gun restrictions in response to mass shootings.

I just think politicizing this terrible tragedy is beyond disgusting, Cornyn told reporters Monday. And I think we ought to wait a respectful period of time ... before we start getting into the push and shove of politics.

Cornyn, the No. 2 Republican in the Senate, is championing another piece of gun legislation that would allow permitted gun owners to carry concealed firearms across state lines.

Cornyns Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act, introduced in February, would require states to recognize gun permits from law-abiding citizens in other states.

The bill faces likely opposition from Democrats, who have enough votes in the Senate to block it. That opposition is likely to grow more resolute after Sundays massacre, the worst in the nations history.

As Americans, we remain committed to helping one another through this difficult time period, and we all remember that what unites us is always stronger than what divides us, said Rep. Henry Cuellar, a Democrat from Laredo.

Democrat Eddie Bernice Johnson of Dallas made a vague plea to address the root causes of gun violence.

This is an important time to mourn the loss of our loved ones, she said. However, it is also an important time to act. I will work with my colleagues in Congress to consider preventive measures to alleviate tensions throughout our society and stop such egregious attacks on innocent people before they happen.
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AUSTIN  The Austin Police Department is reviewing security plans for the upcoming Austin City Limits Music Festival in response to the Las Vegas mass shooting, Police Chief Brian Manley said Monday.

This plan has been months in the making, and its a plan similar to one we have used in the past; however, we cant come in the day after an event like we just saw happen in Las Vegas and not reconsider our plans and make sure that we are comfortable that we have addressed every threat possible, Manley said during a news conference.

As a police department, it is important that we pay attention to all the threats, and what we saw happen last night into this morning was something new that we havent seen before, Manley said.

Late Sunday, a gunman opened fire on a crowd of 22,000 at the Route 91 Harvest music festival from the 32nd floor of a hotel near the Las Vegas Strip, killing 58 and wounding more than 500.

ACL is a two-weekend music festival in Austin that draws thousands of people from across Texas. The music festival is held annually in Zilker Park, overlooked by the skyscrapers of downtown Austin.

C3 Presents  producers of the Austin City Limits festival, which begins Friday and spans two weekends  said the organizers and festivals security team coordinate with local law enforcement and emergency responders to plan and rehearse security and response plans.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security said in a statement there was no information to indicate a specific credible threat involving other public venues in the country. Manley also said APD has been monitoring the internet for threats against ACL and has found none.

In San Antonio, Police Chief William McManus sought to quell anxieties among city residents and said officials here are satisfied with security at local festivals and concerts. Mala Luna is set to bring attendees to the citys West Side for a two-day music festival on Oct. 28-29.

McManus said security at any concert in San Antonio is usually tight and officers watch for abandoned backpacks and other suspicious behavior.

The Austin Police Department is anticipating state and federal assistance with policing ACL both weekends, Manley said.

We have reached out to our partners at federal and state; and I know at the federal level, we will have some participation, Manley said during the news conference. I just spoke to DPS minutes ago, and they, too, are volunteering resources to bring in this weekend as well as next weekend to assist with overall security  I want to emphasize that it is important people come out and enjoy this event, and we will make this event as safe as possible partnering with other agencies.

ACL organizers have implemented tighter security measures over the years that includes pat downs, bag searches and size limits along with an enhanced presence of security and law enforcement officials in and outside of the festival at Austins Zilker Park, C3 said.

The festivals security protocols include elements that are seen and unseen, C3 said.

A representative for Mala Luna Music Festival, which spans two days beginning Oct. 28 in the parking lot of Nelson Wolff Stadium on the West Side, did not say whether festivalgoers would see additional security measures but said its working with area law enforcement agencies to provide a safe, secure, and positive environment for all attendees, artists and staff.

David Heard, Tech Bloc co-founder and CEO who co-founded the upcoming Botanica Music & Arts Festival, said safety was a big factor when organizers chose the Six Flags Fiesta Texas parking lot for its inaugural event March 3-4.

In the wake of this tragedy we may even plus up our already strong security plans, Heard said in a text message. But really, today our thoughts, prayers and focus is on Las Vegas and the victims of this terrible criminal act.

C3 echoed that in its statement: Our thoughts and prayers are with our colleagues and everyone in Las Vegas who was affected by this terrible tragedy.

Some members of the Botanica team were up all night helping support their music industry colleagues and event organizers who were on the ground in Vegas, Heard said.

Representatives for Maverick Music Festival and Day for Night Festival in Houston did not return emails requesting comment.

Two bands that performed at the Vegas festival, Brothers of Osborne and Midland, will also be at ACL.

Both bands performed Friday in Las Vegas. Brothers of Osborne will be performing both weekends of the festival in Austin, Oct. 8 and 15. Midland will be in Austin for the second weekend of the festival, on Oct. 15.

Neither band has announced any changes to upcoming tour dates.

Eagles of Death Metal, the band performing in the Bataclan Theatre at the time of the 2015 Paris attacks that left 130 dead across the city, also is slated to play at ACL on Oct. 13.

Staff Writers Joshua Fechter and Kelsey Bradshaw contributed to this report from San Antonio.
ROOSEVELT ROADS, Puerto Rico  Tasked as part of the U.S. airlift to bring critical supplies to this hurricane-ravaged island, the giant C-5M Super Galaxy from San Antonio brought its first load Sunday to this town about an hour from the capital of San Juan.

Flown by the 433rd Airlift Wing in San Antonio, the C-5 and its 11 crew members delivered two fuel trucks, their tanks three-fourths full, and an assortment of other equipment that included a large mobile generator as part of the growing military response to help the island recover from hurricanes Irma and Maria. The two disasters last month left most of Puerto Rico and its 3.4 million residents without power and water.

The crew began its mission Friday to pick up equipment in Colorado Springs, Colorado, before taking the first load to Roosevelt Roads. The C-5 was back in the air Monday night to deliver another load from Tampa, Florida, to San Juan. It then will return to San Antonio.

Theres thunderstorms in between here and there, of course, so there may be some routing around all that and some turbulence at altitude, the pilot in command, Lt. Col. James C. Miller, 47, of Boerne, told his crew, adding a moment later, Hey, I appreciate you all embracing the suck and doing it again.

The relief effort is being led by Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Buchanan of San Antonio, commander of U.S. Army North, who was appointed late last week. Military assets that include helicopters from Fort Bliss, the hospital ship USNS Comfort and a variety of cargo planes were headed toward the island Monday.

Millers C-5 was one of more than a dozen cargo planes on the ramp Monday afternoon at MacDill AFB in Tampa and was scheduled to be 10th in line to land at San Juan early today. It was taking on supplies sent by the James A. Haley Veterans Hospital for a Veterans Affairs medical facility in Ponce, Puerto Rico.

The plane will get right back into the air this week with a new crew. Whether that means more missions to Puerto Rico isnt clear, but the prospect of additional flights to help beleaguered residents on the island seems likely.

Because it has such a large cargo area, the Super Galaxy carries aircraft and equipment few others can, and a lot of it. On Sunday, only a few inches separated a fuel truck from the mobile generator. Trucks and pallets filled much of the remainder of the cargo bay. A crewman walking from the front of the plane to the back had to tip-toe past heavy wheeled vehicles and large chains with hooks that held them down.

Its always a little feeling in the back of your mind, Senior Master Sgt. Kevin Foerster said when asked about the risks of flying a plane loaded with more than 800,000 pounds of gear. Do I worry about it? No, not in the sense of  these aircraft are tested, engineers came up with this weight years ago, Ive taken off with it.

The operation by this Air Force Reserve unit is the latest in a series of hurricane disaster recovery efforts going back to Harvey, which struck a large swath of the Texas Gulf Coast and inundated much of Houston. The wing flew all its planes to El Paso before Harvey made landfall in late August. It then flew missions to Houstons Ellington Field and Hobby International Airport, and it went to Florida after Hurricane Irma struck.

Now, Puerto Rico.

Id say this was my sixth hurricane mission, starting right before Harvey, Staff Sgt. Eric Ganley of San Antonio said. After that, the squadron did at least four Harvey relief missions. After Irma, I did one presidential support mission to move the vice presidents motorcade down to Fort Myers. I did one mission that went to Puerto Rico twice, and then this mission. Its all for a good cause.

Senior Airman Anthony Farias, a crew chief making his ninth mission since June, has gotten used to the pace of life aboard the C-5, one marked by uncertainty over possible aircraft breakdowns and unexpected stops that transform short-hop trips into adventures that run for days.

It takes getting used to, but he shares Ganleys sentiment about missions such this one.

This one has a different meaning, said Farias, who put an American flag above the cargo hold with Foerster, owner of a heavy construction company and 29-year Air Force veteran who delivered food and water to Houston after Harvey.

People are in desperate need of help, said Foerster, 48, of Giddings as the crew prepared for its return trip to Puerto Rico. And hopefully this will shine some light at the end of the tunnel.

sigc@express-news.net
Sandra Gomez Obregon remembers hearing the rapid pop of fireworks, but when she scanned the Las Vegas sky, there werent any colorful bursts to be found.

When the next round of loud shots echoed along the strip she slowly realized the sounds were gunfire, said the San Antonio woman who was near the scene of a mass shooting on the Las Vegas strip Sunday night.

When the noise stopped, more than 500 people had been wounded and 58 killed by the gunman who fired repeated rounds of ammunition from the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino upon concert goers at the Route 91 Harvest Music Festival, across from the hotel.

Police found the suspected gunman, Stephen Paddock, 64, dead in his hotel room on the 32nd floor.

Obregon, a local businesswoman, was with her son, Johnathon-Joshua Mendoza in the resort city Sunday night after a business trip in Los Angeles. They were leaving their hotel, the MGM Grand, on their way to have a Sushi dinner, when they heard the barrage of gunshots.

The noise was followed by people fleeing the outdoor concert. Obregon said first, about 20 people ran their way, then they saw another 100 or so running frantically toward them.

I cant even imagine what those poor people saw, she said. Thank God, we were blessed. It was just that scary part of making sure that your family was with you, having a nice time, then this. Its just that feeling of hopelessness.

Obregon said they ran back into the hotel lobby, with hundreds running behind them. Outside, she said, people were carrying bodies into the Tropicana Hotel. She said hundreds of people were bussed away from the area for shelter.

Obregon and her son went back to their room on the 21st floor. Her son got online and monitored the updates and unfolding events. She said they were impressed with how fast the police had everything under control.

Speaking by phone Monday afternoon, they were preparing to board a plane for a flight back to San Antonio. She said the memory of the horrific sights and sounds are ones she wont soon forget.

The hardest part was seeing people running for their lives, she said, and the horror on their faces.
Lawyers: As a group, we think were pretty special. Servants of the law and all that. But in truth, theres really only one thing that sets us apart from other professionals: the attorney-client privilege (yes, yes, we can also represent others in court, but thats not the point of this post).

Few other confidentiality doctrines in the Anglo-American legal tradition even approach the sanctity of the privilege we share with our clients. Anyone can read the law and tell others what it means. The privilege, and its analogous duty to keep our clients information confidential, form the bedrock of what makes our profession what it is.

Its therefore important from time to time that we remind ourselves of the importance of the privilege and reinforce some basic common-sense steps to make sure that we dont inadvertently tell the world our clients secrets. Much of this post may state the obvious, and Im sure most readers will think to themselves, Id never do that.

However, the potential for inadvertently running afoul of the attorney-client privilege is high these days, given constantly evolving technology, fast-paced travel and the small world nature of our profession, where the degrees of separation among practitioners continue to shrink. Therefore, from time to time, we could all benefit from a refresher on the basics we learned way back in that legal ethics course in law school.

For instance, just the other day, two very seasoned attorneys  one a White House special counsel, the other the personal lawyer of the President of the United States  sat at a local DC eatery, openly discussing their work. I do not mean to single them out, or to in any way wade into politics. Instead, I use their conversation as an example to highlight a particular dilemma lawyers uniquely face.

Everyone chats about what they do at work. On average, we spend more time working and with our co-workers than we do at home with our loved ones. Work occupies the largest portion of our waking hours, so, of course, we talk about it. Sit and listen in any coffee shop or restaurant, and youll overhear people talking about whats happening in their office. The problem is that for members of the bar, most of what were doing at work is supposed to be kept confidential. This leads conveniently into my first bit of advice. The practice of law is like Fight Club. Whats the first rule of Fight Club? Dont Talk About Fight Club. I seem to recall that the second rule was something akin to Dont Talk About Fight Club.

Second, remember to be discreet when traveling. I spent a lot of time on planes this summer, and on almost every trip, someone from another DC law firm was sitting near me doing work. Thats certainly fine. Many of us travel a great deal, and we simply dont have the time to sit back with a good book. Plus, our phones are off, a rare opportunity to delve into a memo undisturbed. I get it. However, as airplane seats get smaller and smaller, more and more people have a nice unobstructed view of your high definition laptop screen. They can see that you work for Dewey, Cheatem and Howe, because the logo is prominently displayed on each page.

And, if they want to they can also easily read the name of your client and your recommendations for dealing with the fact that their new joint venture partner in Kazakhstan wants dividend payments sent to an account in the Cayman Islands. Yes, I appreciate that its rude to gaze at someone elses laptop, but should Emily Post be the foundation of an attorneys strategy for protecting privileged information?

Third, dont advertise to the world what youre working on.

I frequently see other lawyers in airports and on the Metro, lugging binders with their clients names prominently displayed on the spines. More often than not, the organized attorney has added a brief description of the matter. I kid you not, I have actually seen, in public, a binder that displayed a clients name with the words FCPA Investigation  Nigeria printed underneath in high-visibility, bold font. That could be read from the other end of a Metro car. Yikes!

Fourth, beware autofill. We are very comfortable with email. Perhaps too comfortable. I read an article yesterday about how an attorney at a major law firm inadvertently included a reporter at the Wall Street Journal on an internal firm communication about a sensitive client matter. It will come as no surprise that the reporter published an article all about it.

To be clear, I do not intend to shame the firm in question, but the incident underscores the utter danger of email autofill. Its just so darn convenient. Like most of us, I send out dozens  if not hundreds  of emails a day. That wonderful autofill makes this so much easier.

Im corresponding with Gaius Julius at Cloaca Maxima Inc. for the umpteenth time today? Easy peasy! I just type in J-U-L and voila! Autofill does the rest. But Id better be wary, because my ribald college roommate has the same last name. Breezing through autofill and not double checking that the addressees are right is not so different from taking a client memo to Main Justice and reading it through a megaphone. Hyperbole? Sure, but it drives the point home.

Finally, tread carefully at conferences. Weve all linked up with clients at conferences. Its a great opportunity for a tete-a-tetes, especially if we dont work in the same city. The problem is that were all wearing name tags. And those name tags frequently display the organizations for which we work. Oh look, theres N. Discrete from Billem Harder LLP with his client at Bribes-R-Us Inc. over there in the lobby, speaking loudly about how their business unit in Topeka flew the Minister of the Interior from Corruptopia to Paris for a five-day jaunt without approval from corporate. Now thats interesting.

In sum, remember the privilege and keep it sacred. Its what makes our profession special, and our clients are counting on it.

____

Bill Steinman is a Contributing Editor of the FCPA Blog. Hes the senior partner at Steinman & Rodgers LLP, a boutique law firm in Washington, D.C. specializing in international anti-corruption compliance and investigations.
By African Horror writer, Nuzo Onoh

Nuzo Onoh

The Fantasy Coffins Ritual:

The Ga tribe of Ghana are famous for building Fantasy Coffins to bury their dead. These coffins have shapes which symbolise the interests and activities of the departed in their lifetime. So, you get beautiful coffins built with fantastical shapes like shoes, cars, animals, mobile phones, beer bottles, etc. This ensures that the final resting place of the dead is inside something they love. Awesome! I shall ask my kids to order a fantasy bottle of Irish Baileys coffin for my ashes come my time 

The Turning of the Bones Ritual:

The people of Madagascar have a beautiful ritual to honour their dead. Once every seven years, in a joyous celebration, the immediate family of the dead will exhume the bodies of their beloved dead to clean and re-clothe them in lovely new garments, talk with them and bring them up to date with all thats happened in their absence. The main purpose of this ritual is to allow the souls of their ancestors to re-join the living and indulge once again in all the worldly pleasures they once knew. In the words of Brad Bernard who witnessed the death ritual first hand, One by one, the corpses are delicately pulled from the tomb and wrapped in straw floor mats... They are laid side-by-side on the flat ground to be cleaned and dressed, the names are written in faded black marker to tell them apart. Their dried burial garments are delicately pulled from their corpsesto avoid taking too much flesh. The bodies are dressed in fresh silk garments and individually whisked off by awaiting family members. The same corpse I touched in the crypt is now in her granddaughters arms, dancing in circles. She holds her grandmother delicately, crying tears of happiness and talking about her progress in school. In that moment, I heard a voice answer the granddaughters call that I still cannot explain. To this day, I dream of that moment. That voice is hard to forget.

The Grudge-Stopper Ritual:

The Banyankole tribe of Uganda hold a special death ritual for people who die harbouring a grudge against someone before their death. They bury the corpses of the grudge-holders with various objects for the grumpy spirits to keep them so occupied that theyll have no time or inclination to haunt the unfortunate victims of their grudges. These objects can be crafts, musical equipment, games, farming implements, jewellery, even a bible and books and anything else thatll ensure the grumpy dead is not left idle to cause mischief. Im guessing copies of Stephen Kings books will definitely keep my grumpy spirit happy come my time. What will be yours?

Sex and the Dead:

The Buganda tribe has a quaint tradition reserved for deceased spouses. When a spouse dies, the corpse is buried wearing the underwear of the surviving spouse. If the deceased is a man, his wife dresses him up in her underwear, while saying out loud to him that he has gone to the grave with his wife. Similarly, a man does the same when his wife dies. This death ritual deceives the ghost of the dead spouse, convincing him/her that theyve been buried with their living spouse. As a result, theyll not torment the living spouse for sex at night.

The Black Stool of the Asante:

To the Asante of Ghana, the stool is the most important object, representing power and unity. The stool also denotes the office of a high chieftain. A new chief/king is enthroned with his own special stool which he must never abandon. So, when a chief dies, the Asantes proclaim, The stool has fallen. The stool then becomes the abode of the spirit of the departed King. It is ceremonially blackened, first by smoking it, then smearing it with kitchen soot and egg yolk. From then, the black stool becomes an ancestral seat, a permanent reminder of the beloved ruler. It is guarded in a special room, where its placed on animal skins or beds and never directly on the ground. Sacrifices are made to the stool and the dead chief is immortalized and honoured with his Black Stool where his spirit resides. The black stool is offered food and libation and brought out to the public for festivals. A new chief/king must bare his chest and kneel before the black stool of his predecessor in humility and respect.

Boozing up The Ancestors:

Finally, in my wonderful Igboland, some clans still practice the culture of burying their chief or family head in an upright position with a long funnel leading from the grave right into his open mouth. The family would then feed the revered departed with palm-wine, schnapps or other spirits to ensure he continues to enjoy the intoxicating pleasures of the earthly world hes left. This form of reverence helps maintain the bonds between the departed and the living, ensuring the deceaseds name is never forgotten. As a child, I recall enjoying the wonderful libation ceremonies to my late great-grandfather amongst the extended family and clan, an event that reinforced the bonds of love and closeness amongst us. In my latest book, Dead Corpse, I touched on that beautiful burial rite amongst some other less beautiful ones.

So, thats it guys! Hope youve enjoyed discovering some of our quaint and beautiful African Burial Rites. I write on the darker rituals in my African Horror books, since we need horror to create horror. But as you can see, the death ritual is a truly beautiful one in most African cultures, even if not in my books.

About the author: Nuzo Onoh is a British Writer of African descent. She holds both a law degree and a Masters degree in Writing from The University of Warwick, England. Now recognised as the front-runner of African Horror, Nuzos latest book, Dead Corpse will be released on October 31st 2017 and is now available for pre-orders from Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/Dead-Corspe-Nuzo-Onoh/dp/1909484873/ref=pd_rhf_dp_p_img_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=FXPM37SMDSCE75V87ADE
Scott Disick and Sofia Richie's romance is hotting up.

Scott Disick and Sofia Richie

The 'Keeping Up With The Kardashians' star was seen kissing the 19-year-old model - who is the daughter of Lionel Richie - as they jet-skiied in Puerto Vallarta.

After spending time at the beach in Mexico, the couple headed back to the swimming pool where they enjoyed some PDA in the hot tub.

It comes after a source insisted Scott and Sofia are "officially" hooking up.

They said: "Things became official over the past week while they were in New York City together ...

"It's so weird. Not just the age difference, but mostly the fact that Sofia had been a family friend for years, and was close to Kendall and Kylie [Jenner]."

And Sofia is said to be "smitten" with Scott.

An insider added: "Since returning to LA, Scott and Sofia are inseparable. They are spending every day together. Sofia seems smitten.

"It's obvious that she looks up to Scott. She constantly giggles around him. They are very flirty. Scott takes care of her, opens the car door and pays for everything."

Back in June, Sofia had insisted the pair were just good friends, writing on Twitter: "The last time I'm gonna say it. Scott and I are just friends. I'm single and focused on friends, family and work. #againrelax (sic)"

And in another tweet, she added: "Just so everyone can get their panties out of their a**es, Scott and I are just homies #relax (sic)"

Scott Disick split from Kourtney Kardashian, his partner of nearly a decade, back in 2015. However, the couple - who share three children, Mason, seven, Penelope, five, and Reign, two - have remained friends and are committed to co-parenting their kids.

Since his split from Kourtney, Scott has been romantically linked to a number of women including actress Bella Thorne and his former flame Chloe Bartoli.

by Charlotte Hough for www.femalefirst.co.uk


The Duke of Cambridge will leave his wife behind at home while he flies to New Zealand next week.

Duke of Cambridge

The 35-year-old royal will jet across to the other side of the world on behalf of his grandmother Queen Elizabeth to attend the country's Commemoration for the Battle of Passchendaele on October 12, but his spouse Duchess Catherine will remain in the UK as she's still battling with morning sickness.

Kensington Palace announced the news on its official Twitter account on Monday (02.10.17) night, writing: "The Duke of Cambridge, representing HM The Queen, will attend the New Zealand Commemoration for the Battle of Passchendaele on 12th October. (sic)"

It's not known how long the duke will spend in New Zealand but it's believed he won't be gone for long as he'll no doubt want to get back to his four-year-old son George - who has just started school in London - and his two-year-old daughter Charlotte, as well as his pregnant wife.

William and Catherine revealed earlier this month they were expecting their third child and confirmed the royal was suffering from acute morning sickness so had to pull out of some royal engagements.

A Kensington Palace statement read: "Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are very pleased to announce that The Duchess of Cambridge is expecting their third child. The Queen and members of both families are delighted with the news.

"As with her previous two pregnancies, The Duchess is suffering from Hyperemesis Gravidarum. Her Royal Highness will no longer carry out her planned engagement at the Hornsey Road Children's Centre in London today. The Duchess is being cared for at Kensington Palace."

Shortly after the statement was released, William's brother Prince Harry admitted Catherine was "OK".

He said: "I haven't seen her for a while but I think she's OK."
Ashley Walters is set to star in a revival of 'Top Boy'.

Ashley Walters

The 'Safe House' star is wanted to reprise his role as drug dealer Dushane in the crime drama series, which is expected to return to the small screen on Netflix rather than its former home on Channel 4.

According to RadioTimes.com, the streaming service are planning to make two more series of the programme, which told the story of drug and gang violence on a fictional east London estate.

An announcement is expected to be made imminently and it is thought Ronan Bennett will be involved in the script once again.

Last year, Ashley hinted Drake could be part of a 'Top Boy' revival because the US rapper is a huge fan of the series.

He previously said: "What I can say is that, behind the scenes, there's some serious work going on to make it happen, and between a lot of good people too. So it's going to happen at some point, but I can't really talk about it too much until the paper has been signed.

"Drake is involved. He's coming on board to help and try and push the situation forward. We'll see what happens! I've gone through having empty promises, and I've always relied on myself. I take whatever anyone says with a pinch of salt, but hopefully it will work out."

In 2014, Drake tweeted Ashley praising him on his performance in the programme.

He wrote: "@AshleyWalters82 is too incredible!! Everybody on Top Boy gives such incredible performances. That show is just too good. (sic)"

Ashley replied: "@Drake thank u for the support bro glad ur enjoying the show! #TopBoy #AlwaysWinning (sic)"

The original 'Top Boy' ran for two series on Channel 4 from 2011 to 2013.
Masood Ahmed is set to return to 'EastEnders'.

Nitin Ganatra, who plays Masood Ahmed

Nitin Ganatra played the lovable postman from 2007 until his departure in 2016, but he has now revealed that one year after he walked away from the BBC soap, he is due to return with some new family members in two.

The 50-year-old actor told the Metro newspaper: "It was a lovely surprise to be asked back to 'EastEnders' so soon after I left. In fact I was bowled over. When I was told Masood has still much to give to the show and is missed by the audience, it was hard to refuse.

"It is with great pride that I will grow my Masood goaty once again to help create and base an extended family around him. Exciting days to come Walford with Masood back on the Square."

Masood left Albert Square in November 2016 in order to reunite with his ex-wife Zainab and his son Kamil in Pakistan, but it turns out his journey home hasn't gone to plan, as he finds himself back in London once again.

Storyline details of his return are being kept under wraps for the time being, but it is believed that casting is underway for the new members of Masood's family, and scenes are expected to air towards the end of this year.

Nitin announced he was walking away from 'EastEnders' in September 2016, and claimed that his decision came as he wanted to explore other acting pursuits.

He said at the time: "When I trained as an actor, I set out to play many different characters and never did I know that I would be so fortunate to have found a character that I have loved playing for nine years.

"However, after thinking long and hard, I have decided that it is time to get back out there and take on some other roles. I will of course miss everyone at 'EastEnders' - I have had a brilliant time there, and who knows, one day Masood may be back."
Flights returning 110,000 passengers from overseas after Monarchs collapse will cost about 60m, according to the UK airline regulator.

More than 11,000 were scheduled to have been flown home by Monday night, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said.

The government called it the biggest repatriation exercise in peacetime.

Monarch Airlines ceased trading early on Monday, leading to nearly 1,900 job losses and the cancellation of all its flights and holidays.

The collapse of the 50-year old company is the largest ever for a UK airline.

The government is set to pick up the tab for flying Monarch passengers home but is talking to card companies about sharing some of the cost.

The repatriation comes as it also emerged:

About 56,000 Monarch passengers are due to be flown back this week

More than half are in mainland Spain or on Spanish islands, according to the CAA

BBC business editor Simon Jack said Monarch had been looking at potential tie-ups with several interested parties before its collapse

Those talks were partly derailed by uncertainty surrounding the future regulation of the UK aviation industry after the Brexit vote, he said

Monarchs administrators said the airlines pension holders should see no impact from the firms collapse

What happened to Monarch?

The UKs fifth biggest airline was placed in administration at 04:00 BST on Monday  a time when the airline had no planes in the air.

Passengers were then sent text messages informing them flights had been cancelled  but some customers were already at airports.

Monarch, which reported a 291m loss last year, had employed about 2,100 people. About 250 staff have been retained to help with repatriation efforts.

Terror attacks in Tunisia and Egypt, increased competition, and the weak pound have been blamed for Monarchs demise.

Advice to Monarch customers

Customers in the UK yet to travel: Dont go to the airport, the CAA says

Dont go to the airport, the CAA says Customers abroad: Everyone due to fly in the next fortnight will be brought back to the UK at no cost to them. There is no need to cut short a stay. Those with flight-only bookings after 16 October are unlikely to have Atol scheme protection, so will need to make their own arrangements

Everyone due to fly in the next fortnight will be brought back to the UK at no cost to them. There is no need to cut short a stay. Those with flight-only bookings after 16 October are unlikely to have Atol scheme protection, so will need to make their own arrangements Customers currently overseas should check monarch.caa.co.uk for confirmation of their new flight details  which will be available a minimum of 48 hours in advance of their original departure time

should check monarch.caa.co.uk for confirmation of their new flight details  which will be available a minimum of 48 hours in advance of their original departure time All affected customers should keep checking monarch.caa.co.uk for more information

should keep checking monarch.caa.co.uk for more information The CAA also has a 24-hour helpline: 0300 303 2800 from the UK and Ireland and +44 1753 330330 from overseas

Holidaymakers and staff devastated by airline collapse

Holidaymakers and airline staff have been left devastated by the collapse of flight operator Monarch.

Hundreds of people arrived at Leeds Bradford, Gatwick, Birmingham, Luton and Manchester airports to find their flights had been cancelled.

Sky sisters

Flight attendants Katie Leary, Kate Halbo, Debbie Jackson and Charlie Winter have worked for Monarch for 19 years and call themselves the sky sisters.

It was more than just a job, it was a way of life, they said.

The friends said they felt sorry for the customers who were stranded abroad and it pained them they could not be there to bring them back home.

Bride in tears as wedding flight cancelled

Alan Jee was due to get married in Gran Canaria on Saturday and arrived at Gatwick Airport with 30 members of his family.

I have spent 20,000 on my wedding and now I cant even go and get married, he said.

I am gutted, absolutely gutted, and my missus is in tears, an emotional wreck.

Holidaymakers and staff devastated by airline collapse

What has gone wrong?

Monarch reported a loss of 291m for the year to October 2016, compared with a profit of 27m for the previous 12 months, after revenues slumped.

It had been in last-ditch talks with the CAA about renewing its licence to sell package holidays, but failed to reach a deal.

Blair Nimmo, from administrator KPMG, said its collapse was a result of depressed prices in the short-haul travel market, alongside increased fuel costs and handling charges as a result of a weak pound.

Monarchs owner, Greybull Capital, had been trying to sell part or all of its short-haul operation so it could focus on more profitable long-haul routes and said it was very sorry it had not been able to turn around its fortunes.

What have the authorities said?

The CAA has organised 34 chartered planes from 16 different airlines  Easyjet and Qatar Airways among them  to return passengers to the UK over the next fortnight.

Chief executive Andrew Haines said passengers would not be charged for the repatriation flights, which would match Monarchs original schedule as closely as possible, adding: There will undoubtedly be some disruption.

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling described it as the biggest ever peacetime repatriation.

Mr Grayling said the Department for Work and Pensions would give support to those affected and that airlines had already told him they may seek to employ Monarch staff.

Easyjet said it would be really pleased to hire former Monarch employees, saying it had 400 cabin crew vacancies at Gatwick Airport and 100 at Luton, as well as job openings for pilots and head office staff.

Source: BBC
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has asked garment workers not to demand a higher rise in the minimum wage. As garment workers in many Asian nations get paid lesser, workers should not demand a salary hike that employers may not afford, he told garment workers in Phnom Penh recently. Else factories could move to Myanmar, Bangladesh or Laos, he said.Workers in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka get $67 a month while those in Myanmar are paid $79 and those in Laos get $110, while the Cambodian government has proposed a minimum salary of $162.67 per month for 2018, he said. Employers have proposed $161 and trade unions want $176.25.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has asked garment workers not to demand a higher rise in the minimum wage. As garment workers in many Asian nations get paid lesser, workers should not demand a salary hike that employers may not afford, he told garment workers in Phnom Penh recently. Else factories could move to Myanmar, Bangladesh or Laos, he said.#

I appeal to all workers to think about the long term. Do not kill the chicken so you can have one delicious meal. Instead, feed the chicken so it can lay eggs or produce chicks for the future, Cambodian media reports quoted the prime minister as saying.The prime minister has been meeting factory employees and workers in the last few weeks, promising populist benefits in what is seemingly an effort to garner backing for the ruling Cambodian Peoples Party (CPP) from a voter base long perceived to be sympathetic to the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP). (DS)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk  India
The Earned Import Allowance Program (EIAP) is not offering enough incentives to significantly boost Dominican apparel exports to the United States eight years after it was implemented, according to the US International Trade Commission (USITC). The decline is due to increased imports from Haiti and more competition from other Western hemisphere suppliers.In 2016, US imports of woven cotton bottoms from the Dominican Republic fell 57 per cent by value to $3.5 million from $8.2 million in 2015 and fell 61 per cent by quantity to 745,000 square metre equivalents (SMEs) from 1.9 million SMEs in 2015, the USITC said In its publication Earned Import Allowance Program: Evaluation of the Effectiveness of the Program for Certain Apparel from the Dominican Republic; Eighth Annual Review.

The Earned Import Allowance Program (EIAP) is not offering enough incentives to significantly boost Dominican apparel exports to the United States eight years after it was implemented, according to the US International Trade Commission (USITC). The decline is due to increased imports from Haiti and more competition from other Western hemisphere suppliers. #

The review was submitted to the US House of Representatives Committee on Ways and Means and the US Senate Committee on Finance on September 28, said a recent USITC press release.The EIAP allows apparel units in the Dominican Republic who use US fabric to manufacture certain apparel to earn a credit that can be used to ship eligible apparel made with non-US fabric into the United States duty free.Haiti offers lower labour costs and trade preferences that provide more sourcing flexibility and coverage for a wider range of products than the EIAP. A tariff preference level (TPL) for woven apparel from Haiti allows the use of third-country fabric up to a specified level, according to the USITC review.The Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act, as amended, requires the USITC, an independent, non-partisan, fact-finding federal agency, to evaluate annually the effectiveness of the EIAP program and make recommendations for improvements.USITC recommended lowering the 2:1 ratio of US to foreign fabric to 1:1, expanding the EIAP to enable other kinds of fabrics and apparel items and changing the requirement that dyeing and finishing of eligible fabrics occur in the United States. (DS)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk  India
Fast fashion brand Zara is all set to begin its online sales in India, one of the worlds fastest growing ecommerce markets, beginning from October 4. This is in line with the ongoing international expansion of its integrated store model. Spanish based retailer will be selling its products throughout the country via website and mobile application.

Zara has more than 2,200 stores in 93 countries and is the flagship brand of the Spanish multinational Inditex Group. The range found in all the 21 stores of Zara across eight Indian cities will be available online for selling, said Echevarria Hernandez, chief communication officer of Inditex, said in a statement.

In a span of 2-4 working days, the deliveries will be made to metro cities including Mumbai, Delhi, Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad and Bangalore, while for the remaining areas, it will take around 5-8 working days. For effective delivery system, Zara has joined hands with Gati Ltd, Delhivery Pvt. Ltd and Blue Dart Express Ltd. The standard delivery charges for orders worth less than Rs 4,000 will be Rs 299, with exchange and return for free, the company said in a statement.

Fast fashion brand Zara is all set to begin its online sales in India, one of the world's fastest growing ecommerce markets, beginning from October 4. This is in line with the ongoing international expansion of its integrated store model. Spanish based retailer will be selling its products throughout the country via website and mobile application.#

For better working of the online service, Zara will work with a warehouse in Delhi with around 50 employees.

Zara emerged as one of the fast growing lifestyle apparel brands in India and reported sales of Rs 842 crore in fiscal 2016, up 17 per cent over fiscal 2015. (RR)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk  India
Indorama Ventures Limited (IVL), a global chemical producer, has completed the acquisition of DuraFiber Technologies Mexico Operations, S. A. DE C. V. (Durafiber), a leading Mexican producer of durable technical textiles for industrial, tire reinforcement, and specialty applications globally. This has strengthened IVL's position in automotive fibre market.

Durafiber is the sole domestic tire cord fabric producer in Mexico, and has a broad customer base and long-established relationship with major global tire companies. This strategic acquisition of Durafiber expands the breadth of IVLs tire cord fabric products, and provides the opportunity to leverage IVLs global scale and assets to capture synergies and vast market opportunities. The automotive fibre market is growing at 6 per cent CAGR in 2017-2021 and has an estimated value at around US$ 10 billion.

"We are pleased that Durafiber is now a part of the IVL family. It is an exciting opportunity to strengthen our presence in fast-growing markets in Mexico and Europe, and further enhance the companys leading position in automotive segment, where we see an enormous opportunity. With the acquisition of Durafiber, we will be best positioned to address a wide range of applications in the automotive fibre market, and expand capabilities to deliver best-in-market services to our customers. Offering customers access to a strong portfolio of industry-leading brands, along with a well-integrated of R&D and production facilities across the world are a unique global service proposal to the automotive industry. This highly differentiated value proposition will deliver greater benefits for our customers and drive forward IVLs next phase of strategic growth as the leading fiber partner for the automotive industry," Aloke Lohia, Group CEO of Indorama Ventures, said.

Indorama Ventures Limited (IVL), a global chemical producer, has completed the acquisition of DuraFiber Technologies Mexico Operations, S. A. DE C. V. (Durafiber), a leading Mexican producer of durable technical textiles for industrial, tire reinforcement, and specialty applications globally. This has strengthened IVL's position in automotive fibre market.#

"We continue implementing the transformational and value-enhancing strategy through HVA, which has delivered meaningfully and positions us well to capture the abundant synergies and business opportunities. Over the past 5 years, IVL acquired 39 plants; of which 29 are HVA. HVA businesses have contributed over 50 per cent of EBITDA in last 12 months. We have a strong platform for future growth from our global portfolio of markets and diversified revenue streams backed by strong R&D engines. This solid platform will allow us to generate top-line and bottom-line growth as well as deliver sustainable returns for our shareholders," Lohia concluded. (RR)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk  India
Linea Johansson, Miss Sweden 2016 and one of the top models of the world, took part in a tree plantation drive carried out by Hearts@work Foundation, a project of Surat based Zenitex. Under the Clean India-Green India campaign initiated by the foundation, 200 trees of different types were planted at Sarthana Nature Park (Zoo) in textile hub of Surat.

Linea Johansson, Miss Sweden 2016 and one of the top models of the world, took part in a tree plantation drive carried out by Hearts@work Foundation, a project of Surat based Zenitex. Under the 'Clean India-Green India' campaign initiated by the foundation, 200 trees of different types were planted at Sarthana Nature Park (Zoo) in textile hub of Surat.#

Gulmohar, Jack Fruit, Lagerstroemia Speciosa, Ashok, and Bauhinia were among the trees planted on September 24. This is the foundations project no. 8 and till now more than 13,000 trees have been planted under the campaign. As a result, achieving the twin objective of fighting pollution and wishing for a greener future has gained pace in the town known for man-made textiles.

Linea Johansson, Miss Sweden 2016 and one of the top models of the world, took part in a tree plantation drive carried out by Hearts@work Foundation, a project of Surat based Zenitex. Under the 'Clean India-Green India' campaign initiated by the foundation, 200 trees of different types were planted at Sarthana Nature Park (Zoo) in textile hub of Surat.#

Planting trees barefooted, Johansson quipped, This comes naturally to me as fresh air and clean environment are in abundance in my country and so working towards that is by default.

Linea Johansson, Miss Sweden 2016 and one of the top models of the world, took part in a tree plantation drive carried out by Hearts@work Foundation, a project of Surat based Zenitex. Under the 'Clean India-Green India' campaign initiated by the foundation, 200 trees of different types were planted at Sarthana Nature Park (Zoo) in textile hub of Surat.#

Admiring the campaign, she said, It is a wonderful event wherein, an individualViral Desaiand his foundation Hearts@work have taken the initiative in the most important aspect in todays world. Desai being a young entrepreneur and having a mission and vision for the future is a commendable quality for an individual and no doubt he has been showered with so many accolades, recognitions and awards at this young age. He is a role model for the youth and emulating him is a very healthy habit for todays generation and generations to come.

Linea Johansson, Miss Sweden 2016 and one of the top models of the world, took part in a tree plantation drive carried out by Hearts@work Foundation, a project of Surat based Zenitex. Under the 'Clean India-Green India' campaign initiated by the foundation, 200 trees of different types were planted at Sarthana Nature Park (Zoo) in textile hub of Surat.#

She assured Desai, who is also CEO of Zenitex, that throughout her stay, she would like to participate in future tree plantation campaigns and other social services with Hearts@work.

Linea Johansson, Miss Sweden 2016 and one of the top models of the world, took part in a tree plantation drive carried out by Hearts@work Foundation, a project of Surat based Zenitex. Under the 'Clean India-Green India' campaign initiated by the foundation, 200 trees of different types were planted at Sarthana Nature Park (Zoo) in textile hub of Surat.#

The main coordinator of the event was decorated ex-army officer Prafull Mehta, who is the superintendent of the Nature Park. Mauna Mashruwala, the elite socialite of Surat, and Gokul Baraiya who has acted in a Gujarati film, were other guests on the occasion.

Linea Johansson, Miss Sweden 2016 and one of the top models of the world, took part in a tree plantation drive carried out by Hearts@work Foundation, a project of Surat based Zenitex. Under the 'Clean India-Green India' campaign initiated by the foundation, 200 trees of different types were planted at Sarthana Nature Park (Zoo) in textile hub of Surat.#

The participation of well-known celebrities in such farsighted and most required events motivate many others to join the drive for saving the future and making it green. (RKS)

Linea Johansson, Miss Sweden 2016 and one of the top models of the world, took part in a tree plantation drive carried out by Hearts@work Foundation, a project of Surat based Zenitex. Under the 'Clean India-Green India' campaign initiated by the foundation, 200 trees of different types were planted at Sarthana Nature Park (Zoo) in textile hub of Surat.#

Fibre2Fashion News Desk  India
The All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) has opposed the suggestion to stop the 4 per cent government rebate on yarn exports on the basis of drawback of duties, local taxes and levies on exports. Export of yarn needs patronage, else it may lead to closure of mills on a large scale and unemployment, senior APTMA vice chairman Zahid Mazhar said.High business cost has made the spinning sector, the backbone of the textile value chain, unviable and it is incurring heavy losses now by selling yarn below its cost due to poor demand from domestic consumers. The production of yarn is substantially more than the local consumption, Mazhar said in a press release.

The All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) has opposed the suggestion to stop the 4 per cent government rebate on yarn exports on the basis of drawback of duties, local taxes and levies on exports. Export of yarn needs patronage, else it may lead to closure of mills on a large scale and unemployment, senior APTMA vice chairman Zahid Mazhar said.#

Only 13.28 per cent of the total yarn produced in 2016-17 and 12.44 per cent of the total yarn produced in 2015-16 were exported, according to data from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics. As the domestic industry consumes around 70 per cent of the total yarn production, a substantial amount is left unsold, and needs to be exported, he added. (DS)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk  India
EFI Optitex, a world-leading provider of an integrated 2D & 3D CAD/CAM software platform for the apparel and textile industries, has entered in a new strategic partnership with Patrizia Pepe, owned by Tessilform, the Tuscany based company. The partnership includes the acquisition of a large configuration of 2D and 3D EFI Optitex licenses by Patrizia Pepe.

The partnership will initially drive the digital transformation of its apparel department before extending the solutions to its bags department.

As 3D is seen as a key success factor to face the new challenges of the fashion market, Patrizia Pepe chose EFI Optitex after a thorough evaluation of what the market had to offer. "EFI Optitex is a trusted partner and the well-established leader offering a cutting-edge technology and the greatest knowledge regarding best practices for adopting 2D and 3D integrated solutions," said Sebastiano Lombardo, Patrizia Pepe's general manager.

EFI Optitex, a world-leading provider of an integrated 2D & 3D CAD/CAM software platform for the apparel and textile industries, has entered in a new strategic partnership with Patrizia Pepe, owned by Tessilform, the Tuscany based company. The partnership includes the acquisition of a large configuration of 2D and 3D EFI Optitex licenses by Patrizia Pepe.#

"By incorporating EFI Optitex digital solutions into the company design and production workflows, we expect to decrease our time to market by 30 per cent, while better streamlining our internal processes and significantly reducing our costs," added Lombardo. "Moreover, we expect to launch high-quality offerings more frequently in order to meet our clients' needs."

"The partnership with Tessilform is very meaningful as Patrizia Pepe is another leading brand leveraging 3D to gain competitive advantage via digital transformation. We see the wave of 3D adoption accelerating with leaders which are leading the industry evolution," said Asaf Landau, EFI Optitex's vice president and general manager.

EFI Optitex's portfolio includes 8,000 apparel and fashion companies, including famous brands in Italy and the world. EFI Optitex software is one of the world's leading providers of integrated 2D/3D platforms that enable users to quickly create true-to-life 3D digital garments, empowering apparel and soft goods companies to revolutionise the way they develop, produce, and market their product. (RR)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk  India
THE HAGUE (dpa-AFX) - Royal Dutch Shell Plc (RDS-B, RDSB.L, RDSA.L, RDS-A) and its partners Eneco Holdings NV and Mitsubishi Corp. are seeking to sell a stake in two Dutch offshore wind-farm projects that may cost $1.4 billion to develop, Bloomberg reported people familiar with the matter. The report noted that the companies are looking to reduce their ownership in the Borssele III and IV wind farms by as much as 45 percent. The fourth partner, infrastructure contractor Van Oord NV, is keeping its share of the project. The move would allow the companies to scale back financial exposure to the wind farms and redeploy the cash in new projects with the potential for higher returns. Shell has said only that it is trying to draw in additional investors, refusing to detail what that may entail. Its strategy is to focus on developing the early stages of gigantic wind farms and avoid holding the assets as long term operations, which offers a steady but slower payback. With a combined capacity of 700 megawatts, the units may require investment of $1.4 billion by the time they are complete in 2020, according to estimates from Bloomberg New Energy Finance. By those calculations, a 45 percent stake may be worth roughly $630 million. None of the companies have disclosed their specific stakes in the project or their outlook for the total investment required. Shell has 50 percent, Eneco 30 percent, and both Van Oord and Mitsubishi each have 10 percent, the report said. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 10/02/17 -- Three out of every four distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks employed blended, multi-vector approaches in the second quarter of 2017, according to Nexusguard's "Q2 2017 Threat Report." The quarterly report, which measured more than 8,300 attacks, demonstrated that hackers continued to rely on volumetric attacks to overwhelm system resources. For example, UDP-based (user datagram protocol) attacks increased by 15 percent this quarter, targeting hijacked devices connected to the Internet of Things (IoT), and overtaking SYN, HTTP Flood and other popular volumetric attacks in popularity. With the average attack rating 4.63 Gbps in size, enterprises that do not yet have access to high-capacity DDoS mitigation were most likely to suffer interruption from attacks.

IoT networks continued to be targeted by DDoS attacks during Q2, including a new botnet, Persirai, which attacked more than 1,000 different models of IP cameras. Nexusguard, the global leader in fighting malicious Internet attacks, gathers the DDoS attack data through botnet scanning, honeypots, ISPs and traffic moving between attackers and their targets that is unbiased by any single set of customers or industries. With UDP attacks growing in favor, the company recommends enterprises protect their DNS servers and employ Anycast routing technology to distribute the footprint of these DDoS attacks.

"UDP attacks can frequently act as smokescreens over other malicious behavior, such as efforts to execute remote codes, malware, or compromise personally identifiable information," said Juniman Kasman, chief technology officer for Nexusguard. "Due to the speed with which UDP attacks can overwhelm DNS servers and hijack IoT devices, rapid detection and response is critical for overcoming these types of attacks. Organizations need to protect their DNS servers, and should consider using Anycast routing technology to avoid saturating individual attack targets."

As DDoS extortionist gangs became increasingly active in several European countries, Switzerland made its first-ever appearance in the top three DDoS attacker countries. Nexusguard analysts found China was the leading source of DDoS attacks, originating 34 percent of the attacks measured and bumping the U.S. to second place, which was the source of 21 percent of DDoS attacks.

Read the full "Q2 2017 Threat Report" for more details.

About Nexusguard

Founded in 2008, Nexusguard is the global leader in fighting malicious Internet attacks. Nexusguard protects clients against a multitude of threats, including distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks, to ensure uninterrupted Internet service. Nexusguard provides comprehensive, highly customized solutions for customers of all sizes, across a range of industries, and also enables turnkey anti-DDoS solutions for service providers. Nexusguard delivers on its promise to maximize peace of mind by minimizing threats and improving uptime. Visit www.nexusguard.com for more information.

Contact:

Justine Boucher

Metis Communications

+1 617-236-0500

Email Contact



Benjamin Yip

Nexusguard

Head of marketing

+1 415-299-8550

Email Contact




NEW TAIPEI CITY, Taiwan, Oct. 3,2017 /PRNewswire/ --Infortrend Technology, Inc. (TWSE: 2495) announced its enhanced services with a revamped Service Manager and redesigned website service portals to let users easily manage and maintain their systems, conveniently access support related features, and request for technical services.

The Service Manager integrated into the central management tool "EonOne" can thoroughly monitor storage systems, which helps to identify common critical events that need help from Infortrend quickly. Furthermore, with a streamlined configuration, its setup is now easier than ever, with the user just needing to follow the setup wizard.

When an event occurs, Service Manager will judge its severity, and in the case of critical events such as hardware failure (power supply unit, drives, etc.) or firmware diagnostic errors, it will automatically deliver a warning message to notify users and create a service request to Infortrend Service Center to speed up the issue fixing process. Parts can be exchanged quickly for RMA issues, while other problems such as system issues can also be quickly and efficiently solved. Users can also manually request service through Service Manager and view request history and tracking status.

The redesigned support portals on the Infortrend website now groups all service and support related features together, allowing users to easily obtain the latest firmware, guides, and other documents, get quick answers to frequently asked questions and request for online technical support, and access various warranty and repair services policies and service requests.

"Storage system uptime is critical for business operations. With Infortrend Service Manager and our new web design for support, our services are now more responsive and easier to access, providing our customers quicker service and support," said Thomas Kao, Senior Director of Product Planning at Infortrend.

Visit the Infortrend website www.infortrend.com for easy support access.

About Infortrend

Infortrend (TWSE: 2495) has been developing and manufacturing storage solutions since 1993. With a strong emphasis on in-house design, testing, and manufacturing, Infortrend storage delivers performance and scalability with the latest standards, user friendly data services, personal after-sales support, and unrivaled value. For more Information, please visit www.infortrend.com

Infortrend and EonStor are trademarks or registered trademarks of Infortrend Technology, Inc., other trademarks property of their respective owners.

Media contact:

Infortrend Corporation

David Morarity

Tel: (408) 988-5729

E-mail: david.morarity@infortrend.com
CAMDEN (dpa-AFX) - Campbell Soup Co. (CPB) is voluntarily recalling 398 mL cans of Wolfgang Puck Organic Creamy Butternut Squash soup distributed in Canada due to the possible presence of mustard, an ingredient listed as an allergen under Canadian food regulations. The mustard ingredient is not declared on the product label. People with an allergy to mustard should not consume the recalled product. This recall does not affect any Wolfgang Puck soups distributed in the United States, including the Organic Creamy Butternut Squash soup variety. No other soups or Campbell products are affected. This recall affects 4,584 cases of product distributed in Canada. The affected product has the UPC 8 58328 76448 3. All code dates are being recalled. There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Public Affairs Division Global Communications Department Toyota Motor Corporation Tel: +81-3-3817-9926

Toyota City, Japan, Oct 3, 2017 - (JCN Newswire) - Toyota Motor Corporation Australia Ltd. (TMCA), the production and sales subsidiary of Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) in Australia, ended 54 years of manufacturing in Australia today.Approximately 3,000 people, including current employees as well as former employees, suppliers, dealers and officials from TMC attended the closure ceremony held at the Altona plant.TMCA President Dave Buttner paid tribute to departing employees, stating, "Thanks to everyone's long-standing efforts, Toyota became the top automobile manufacturer in Australia, and the vehicles produced here became a byword for quality and reliability not only in Australia but also in the world as the vehicles were exported to other regions like the Middle East."Additionally, TMCA Chairman Max Yasuda announced at the ceremony the establishment of the Toyota Community Foundation Australia Pty Ltd. to contribute to the Australia region over the long term after the end of manufacturing. The foundation is expected to start with a fund of $32 million (AUD), which is equivalent to approximately JPY2.8 billion, and will provide educational support to children. Focusing on the western Melbourne suburb where the Altona plant is located, the plan first calls to provide support to students with economic difficulties and to schools with disadvantaged educational environments. Chairman Yasuda stated, "We would like to provide young Australians the opportunity to further continue their studies and careers and support young people's dreams into the future."Akio Toyoda, TMC president, made remarks via video message. During his message, the screen showed clips of his visit to the Altona plant at the end of August, during which he encouraged employees and informed them of his gratitude directly. In his message, President Toyoda stated, "I sincerely express my gratitude for the efforts of the employees, customers, suppliers, dealers, government officials, and local communities that have supported production activities in Australia. Although the manufacturing business will end today, we will continue to make further efforts to be an automobile manufacturer that will be loved by everyone here in Australia and be supported even more than before."TMCA will shift its sales and marketing functions from Sydney to its Melbourne headquarters, as it transitions to a national sales and distribution company from 2018. The Altona plant will be re-established as a training and product development facility, leveraging previously accumulated knowledge and expertise to further develop Toyota people, products, and services. Following the decision to end manufacturing operations in Australia three years ago, TMCA has carried out re-employment assistance by providing employees with individual career consultations, job information, job fairs, job skills training, among other activities. TMCA expects to continue with these activities until the middle of 2018.About ToyotaSupported by people around the world, Toyota Motor Corporation (TSE: 7203; NYSE: TM), has endeavored since its establishment in 1937 to serve society by creating better products. As of the end of December 2013, Toyota conducts its business worldwide with 52 overseas manufacturing companies in 27 countries and regions. Toyota's vehicles are sold in more than 170 countries and regions. For more information, please visit www.toyota-global.com.Source: ToyotaContact:Copyright 2017 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved.
Fig. 1. Learning process

Fig. 2. Overview of this technology



Hitachi Ltd Corporate Communications Tel: +81-3-3258-1111

TOKYO, Oct 3, 2017 - (JCN Newswire) - Hitachi, Ltd. (TSE: 6501) today announced the development of active-learning dialogue-data based AI technology to enable EMIEW3, Hitachi's human symbiotic service robot(1) to spontaneously "learn" how to respond to questions that it could not previously answer. EMIEW3 clarifies the meaning of enquiries with related staff through dialogue interaction, and in the process, automatically increases its dialogue contents to increase "comprehension" for appropriate responses. Hitachi is currently developing EMIEW3 with view to use in customer service and guidance settings. Using this technology, EMIEW3's dialogue contents can be enhanced by staff without specialist training, simply by responding to queries posed by EMIEW3, and was found to reduce labor-hours for this process to about one-tenth the time previously needed.(2) Further, this technology allows EMIEW3 to learn more quickly about products or facilities which may change daily, as well as increase comprehension and correctly respond to customer enquiries. Hitachi is aiming to provide even higher quality dialogue-data based solutions by using this technology.http://www.acnnewswire.com/topimg/Low_HitachiAI10317Fig1.jpgFig. 1. Learning processIn recent years, in light of companies facing labor-shortage for customer service desks, there is an increasing anticipation for advanced robot-based voice-dialog solutions. Hitachi has conducted several field-tests for customer service and guidance solutions with EMIEW3(3) through which it has found that due to wide variation in how a customer query might be posed, that in some cases EMIEW3 is unable to comprehend the nature of the question, and thus unable to answer the question. To address this issue, conventionally, a system administrator would need to continuously analyze interaction logs even after commencement of the service, and regularly expand the dialog contents. Recognizing the importance of being able to efficiently expand the dialog contents after the service has been initiated, Hitachi developed active-learning AI technology that investigates questions which EMIEW3 was unable to answer, identifies the causes and clarifies questions that it did not previously understand, to enable EMIEW3 to "learn and grow" through voice-based dialog with staff. The technology developed consists of the following two points:1. Active-learning technologyMachine learning was applied to identify and spontaneously learn about components of the dialog that could not be understood. The technology analyzes the causes of unanswerable questions, and classifies them into two patterns: one where the answer is not registered, and the other, where the intention of the query was not understood due to the question being expressed in an unfamiliar form. In the first case of where the question was understood but the answer is not registered, EMIEW3 will ask a staff member for the appropriate information. In the second case where the question could not be understood due to the way it was expressed, a similar question registered in the question-answer database will be sought, and EMIEW3 will confirms with a staff member if the similar question has the same intent as the query which could not be understood. The new "response" and "query expression" learned from the staff response is then automatically registered in the question-answer database.2. Technology to efficiently use newly learned query expressionsNatural language processing techniques such as morphological analysis and syntax analysis were used to develop technology to efficiently learn new forms of expressing the query. The technology uses morphological analysis and difference detection to find interchangeable components from two different ways of asking the same question, and learns rules about diverse forms of how the same question might be posed (hereafter referred to as rephrasing). Further, syntax analysis and machine learning are used to check if incorrect rephrasing is remembered. Through this, more correct rephrasing rules are formed, and by applying this to other questions, increases the pattern of expressions which have the same meaning.As a result, log analysis by system administrators become unnecessary, and enables daily enhancement of the dialogue contents by simple on-site dialogue between staff with appropriate business knowledge and EMIEW3.Using this technology, Hitachi aims to provide higher quality correct response voice-dialog solutions to businesses with customer service desks. This technology will be demonstrated with EMIEW3 in the showcase at the Hitachi Social Innovation Forum 2017 TOKYO, to be held from 1-2 November at the Tokyo International Forum in Yurakucho, Tokyo. Demonstration field-tests will also be conducted in collaboration with the Haneda Robotics Lab*4 at as part of the Haneda Airport Robot Experiment Project.http://www.acnnewswire.com/topimg/Low_HitachiAI10317Fig2.jpgFig. 2. Overview of this technology(1) Hitachi News Release issued on 8th April 2016, announcing EMIEW3 and its Robotics IT Platform http://www.hitachi.com/New/cnews/month/2016/04/160408.html(2) The actual reduction ratio will depend on the target business operation and the amount of data involved. The ratio given in this release is based on simulation results from help desk operation and related data within Hitachi.(3) Hitachi News Releases on EMIEW3 field tests(4) For more information on the Haneda Robotics Lab, please visit the webpage on the Japan Airport Terminal Co., Ltd. website. https://www.tokyo-airport-bldg.co.jp/hanedaroboticslab/en.htmlAbout Hitachi, Ltd.Hitachi, Ltd. (TSE: 6501), headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, delivers innovations that answer society's challenges with our talented team and proven experience in global markets. The company's consolidated revenues for fiscal 2014 (ended March 31, 2015) totaled 9,761 billion yen ($81.3 billion). Hitachi is focusing more than ever on the Social Innovation Business, which includes power & infrastructure systems, information & telecommunication systems, construction machinery, high functional materials & components, automotive systems, healthcare and others. For more information on Hitachi, please visit the company's website at www.hitachi.com.Source: Hitachi, Ltd.Contact:Copyright 2017 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved.
On 27 September 2017, the Danish Competition Council published a decision permitting Nykredit to raise the prices for a category of loans to personal customers with Nykredit Realkredit.



Based on this decision, Nykredit is now announcing price rises to about 60,000 mortgage customers. Mortgage loans with Totalkredit, which has more than 700,000 customers, will not be affected.



Read the decision of the Danish Competition Council here [in Danish]: https://www.kfst.dk/pressemeddelelser/kfst/2017/20172709-nykredits-tilsagn-om-bi dragsloft-erstattes-af-nye-tilsagn/



The new administration margins will take effect on 1 July 2018 and will exclusively apply to mortgage loans granted to personal customers of Nykredit Realkredit. The administration margins of adjustable-rate mortgages with 1-4 year funding will rise by 0.15 percentage point, while administration margins for other mortgages will increase by 0.10 percentage point. The administration margins will remain unchanged for the most secure loan type: fixed-rate repayment mortgages.



Anders Jensen, Group Managing Director of Nykredit, says:



- We are raising administration margins for a group of Nykredit Realkredit's customers who have seen lower administration margins than others for a number of years.



- About 60,000 customers will be affected by the administration margin increase. The great majority of these customers will still have a mortgage with the lowest administration margin in the market when the increase takes effect in nine months. I would like to stress that mortgage loans with Totalkredit, which has more than 700,000 customers, will not be affected.



- Our business must appropriately balance all of its income and costs. With the permission of the Danish Competition Council, we are taking a step towards striking a better balance for this group of Nykredit Realkredit loans, and this is the reason for this administration margin increase.



About the decision As a condition for Nykredit's acquisition of Totalkredit in 2003, we entered into an agreement with the Danish competition authorities to lower the prices of existing Nykredit Realkredit loans and not to raise prices without prior approval from the competition authorities. No such ceiling was agreed for the prices of Totalkredit loans.



Following an exemption granted in 2011, the ceiling was changed with effect from April 2012. The exemption expired on 31 March this year but was extended until 30 September this year.



In June 2016, Nykredit requested the Danish competition authorities to remove the price restrictions for customers of Nykredit Realkredit. Nykredit wants to treat all customers of the Group on an equal footing - meaning that customers of Nykredit Realkredit and Totalkredit will pay the same for the same loans, thereby ensuring a better balance between the income and costs of Nykredit Realkredit's loan portfolio.



The permission of the Danish Competition Council implies that Nykredit Realkredit's prices may be brought into closer alignment with those of Totalkredit.



Questions may be addressed to Anders Jensen through Nykredit Press Relations, tel +45 44 55 14 95 or +45 44 55 14 96.



Attachment:

https://cns.omxgroup.com/cds/DisclosureAttachmentServlet?messageAttachmentId=647120

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LONDON, UK / ACCESSWIRE / October 3, 2017 / Further to the announcement of 18 August 2017, the Board of SolGold (the "Board") (LSE: SOLG; TSX: SOLG) is pleased to announce that the Company has issued a prospectus in connection with its admission to listing of its ordinary shares (the "Ordinary Shares") on the Standard Listing segment of the Official List of the UK Listing Authority (the "Official List") and admission to trading on the main market for listed securities (the "Main Market") of London Stock Exchange plc (the "London Stock Exchange") (together, "Admission").

The Prospectus was approved by the UK Listing Authority on 2 October 2017 and is available to be viewed on the Company's website at: www.solgold.com.au/prospectuslisting.

Dealings in the Ordinary Shares are expected to commence at 8.00 a.m. on 6 October 2017 subject to the receipt of the necessary approval from the London Stock Exchange.

The Company's shares will continue to be registered with their existing ISIN number GB00B0WD0R35 and SEDOL number B0WD0R3. The Company's ticker symbol will continue to be SOLG. The Company's existing share certificates will remain valid.

The Company's existing shareholders should consult their own tax advisers as to the tax implications of the Company's proposed move to the Main Market.

By order of the Board

Karl Schlobohm

Company Secretary

Brisbane, Australia

CONTACTS

Mr Nicholas Mather

Tel: +61 (0) 7 3303 0665

SolGold Plc (Executive Director)

+61 (0) 417 880 448

nmather@solgold.com.au

Mr Karl Schlobohm

Tel: +61 (0) 7 3303 0661

SolGold Plc (Company Secretary)

kschlobohm@solgold.com.au

Mr Ewan Leggat / Mr Richard Morrison

Tel: +44 (0) 20 3470 0470

SP Angel Corporate Finance LLP (NOMAD and Broker)

ewan.leggat@spangel.co.uk

Follow us on twitter @SolGold_plc

NOTES TO EDITORS

SolGold is a Brisbane, Australia based, dual AIM and TSX-listed (SOLG on both exchanges) copper-gold exploration and future development company with assets in Ecuador, Solomon Islands and Australia. SolGold's primary objective is to discover and define world-class copper-gold deposits. The Board and Management Team have substantial vested interests in the success of the Company as shareholders as well as strong track records in the areas of exploration, mine appraisal, and development, investment, finance and law. SolGold's experience is augmented by state of the art geophysical and modeling techniques and the guidance of porphyry copper and gold expert Dr. Steve Garwin.

SolGold was shortlisted as a nominee for the Mining Journal Explorer Achievement Award for 2016. The Company announced USD54m in capital raisings in September 2016 involving Maxit Capital LP, Newcrest International Ltd and DGR Global Ltd, and a USD41.2m raising in June of 2017 largely from Newcrest International with USD1.2m raised from Ecuadorean investors. All of these raisings were undertaken at substantial premiums to previous raisings, and SolGold currently has circa USD65 million in available cash to continue the exploration and development of its flagship Cascabel Project.

Mr Craig Jones joined the SolGold Board on 3 March 2017, nominated to the Board of SolGold by Newcrest Mining, now a 14.54% shareholder in SolGold. Mr Jones is a Mechanical Engineer and is currently the Executive General Manager Wafi-Golpu (Newcrest-Harmony MMJV). He has held various senior management and executive roles within the Newcrest Group, including General Manager Projects, General Manager Cadia Valley Operations, Executive General Manager Projects and Asset Management, Executive General Manager Australian and Indonesian Operations, Executive General Manager Australian Operations and Projects, and Executive General Manager Cadia and Morobe Mining Joint Venture. Prior to joining Newcrest, Mr Jones worked for Rio Tinto.

Cascabel, SolGold's 85% owned "World Class" (Ref: Cautionary Notice http://www.solgold.com.au/cautionary-notice/) flagship copper-gold porphyry project, is located in northern Ecuador on the under-explored northern section of the richly endowed Andean Copper Belt. SolGold owns 85% of Exploraciones Novomining S.A. ("ENSA") and approximately 5.34% of TSX-V-listed Cornerstone Capital Resources ("Cornerstone"), which holds the remaining 15% of ENSA, the Ecuadorian registered company which holds 100% of the Cascabel concession. Subject to the terms of existing agreements, Cornerstone is debt financed by SolGold for its share of costs to completion of a Feasibility Study ("Financing Option"). In terms of repayment, SolGold shall receive 90% of Cornerstone's distribution of earnings or dividends from ENSA or the Tenement to which Cornerstone would otherwise be entitled until such time as the amounts so received equal the aggregate amount of expenditures incurred by SolGold that, but for the Financing Option, would have been payable by Cornerstone, plus interest thereon from the dates such expenditures were incurred at a rate per annum equal to LIBOR plus 2 per cent until such time as SolGold is fully reimbursed.

The investments by Newcrest for 14.54% of SolGold endorses Ecuador as an exploration and mining destination, the management team at SolGold, the dimension, size and scale of the growing Alpala deposit, and the prospectivity of Cascabel and its multiple targets. The gold endowment, location, infrastructure, logistics are important competitive advantages offered by the project.

To date SolGold has completed geological mapping, soil sampling, rock saw channel sampling, geochemical and spectral alteration mapping over 25km2, along with an additional 9km2 of Induced Polarisation and 14km2 Magnetotelluric "Orion" surveys over the Alpala cluster and Aguinaga targets.

SolGold has completed over 42,000m of drilling and expended over USD50M on the program, which includes corporate costs and investments into Cornerstone. This has been accomplished with a workforce of up to 176 Ecuadorean workers and geoscientists, and 6 expatriate Australian geoscientists. The results of 35 holes drilled (including re-drilled holes) and assayed to date have produced some of the greatest drill hole intercepts in porphyry copper-gold exploration history, as indicated by Hole 12 (CSD-16-012) returning 1560m grading 0.59% copper and 0.54 g/t gold including, 1044m grading 0.74% copper and 0.54 g/t gold.

The average grade of all metres drilled to date on the project currently stands at 0.32% copper and 0.27 g/t gold. Intensive diamond drilling is planned for the next 12 months with 10 drill rigs expected to be operational by early 2018, targeting over 90,000m of drilling per annum.

Cascabel is characterised by fifteen (15) identified targets, "World Class" drilling intersections over 1km in length at potentially economic grades, and high copper and gold grades in richer sections, as well as logistic advantages in location, elevation, water supply, proximity to roads, port and power services; and a progressive legislative approach to resource development in Ecuador.

To date, SolGold has drill tested 4 of the 15 targets, being Alpala Northwest, Alpala Central, Hematite Hill, and Alpala Southeast. Currently drill testing of Alpala Northwest, Alpala Central and Alpala Southeast targets is underway, with drill testing of the Aguinaga target to commence in August 2017.

The Alpala deposit is open in multiple directions and the mineralized corridor marked for drill testing of the greater Alpala cluster occurs over a 2.2km strike length from Trivinio in the northwest to Cristal in the southeast. The mineralized corridor is known to be prospective over approximately 700m width.

High priority targets within the Alpala cluster, at Moran approximately 700m to the north, and at Aguinaga approximately 2.3km northeast, are closely modeled by 3D MVI magnetic signatures that currently encompass over 10Bt of magnetic rock. Based on a strong spatial and genetic relationship between copper sulphides and magnetite, this body of magnetic rock is considered to be highly prospective for significant copper and gold mineralisation, and requires drill testing.

SolGold is focusing on extending the dimensions of the Alpala deposit including Hematite Hill, Alpala South East, Cristal, Alpala Northwest and Trivinio before completing a resource estimate and drill testing of the other key targets within the Cascabel concession at Aguinaga, Tandayama-America, Alpala West, Carmen, Alpala East, Moran, Parambas, and Chinambicito.

The Company is currently planning further metallurgical testing and completion of an independent Pre-Feasibility Study at Cascabel. SolGold is investigating both high tonnage open cut and underground block caving operations, as well as a high grade / low tonnage initial underground development towards the economic development of the copper-gold deposit/s at Cascabel.

Drill hole intercepts have been updated to reflect current commodity prices, using a data aggregation method, defined by copper equivalent cut-off grades and reported with up to 10m internal dilution, excluding bridging to a single sample. Copper equivalent grades are calculated using a gold conversion factor of 0.63, determined using an updated copper price of USD3.00/pound and an updated gold price of USD1300/ounce. True widths of downhole intersections are estimated to be approximately 25-50%.

Following a comprehensive review of the geology and prospectivity of Ecuador, SolGold and its subsidiaries have also applied for additional exploration licenses in Ecuador over a number of promising porphyry copper-gold targets throughout the Country. 38 such concessions have been granted and announced to date. SolGold is negotiating external funding options which will provide the Company with the ability to have some of these projects fully funded by a third party while focusing on Cascabel.

In Queensland, Australia the Company is evaluating the future exploration plans for the Mt Perry, Rannes and Normanby projects, with drill testing of the Normanby project planned for the coming quarter. Joint venture agreements are being investigated for a joint venture partner to commit funds and carry out exploration to earn an interest in the tenements.

SolGold retains interests in its original theatre of operations, Solomon Islands in the South West Pacific, where the 100% owned, but as yet undrilled, Kuma prospect on the island of Guadalcanal exhibits surface lithocap characteristics which are traditionally indicative of a large metal-rich copper-gold intrusive porphyry system. SolGold intends in the future to apply intellectual property and experience developed in Ecuador to target additional "World Class" copper-gold porphyries at Kuma and other targets in Ecuador and Argentina.

SolGold is based in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. The Company listed on London's AIM Market in 2006, and dual-listed onto the TSX in July 2017 (both exchanges using the ticker code: SOLG) and currently has on issue a total of 1,516,245,686 fully-paid ordinary shares, 31,795,884 share options exercisable at 28p; 9,795,884 share options exercisable at 14p and 46,762,000 share options exercisable at 60p.

SOURCE: SolGold plc




Public Relations Department, Eisai Co., Ltd. +81-3-3817-5120

TOKYO, Jan 19, 2018 - (JCN Newswire) - Sato Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. obtained marketing and manufacturing approval for the oral antifungal agent NAILIN Capsules 100mg containing the active ingredient fosravuconazole L-lysine ethanolate (fosravuconazole) for the treatment of onychomycosis in Japan on January 19, 2018.Sato Pharma and Eisai Co., Ltd. are jointly providing information on its proper use.Fosravuconazole, the active ingredient of NAILIN Capsules 100mg, is a new triazole class oral antifungal component discovered by Eisai. Sato Pharma conducted a Phase III clinical study of the agent in patients with onychomycosis in Japan, and after confirming efficacy and safety of the agent in the study, Sato Pharma applied for marketing and manufacturing authorization in January 2017.Onychomycosis affects 1 in every 10 Japanese people, and there are an estimated approximately 11 million sufferers in Japan. With Sato Pharma now having obtained marketing and manufacturing approval for NAILIN Capsules 100mg, as an oral treatment for onychomycosis, this is the first new treatment for the disease in approximately 20 years.By providing NAILIN Capsules 100mg as a new option for the treatment of onychomycosis, Sato Pharma and Eisai will strive to fulfil the needs of onychomycosis patients and healthcare professionals.About EisaiEisai Co., Ltd. (TSE:4523; ADR:ESALY) is a research-based human health care (hhc) company that discovers, develops and markets products throughout the world. Eisai focuses its efforts in three therapeutic areas: integrative neuroscience, including neurology and psychiatric medicines; integrative oncology, which encompasses oncotherapy and supportive-care treatments; and vascular/immunological reaction. Through a global network of research facilities, manufacturing sites and marketing subsidiaries, Eisai actively participates in all aspects of the worldwide healthcare system. For more information about Eisai Co., Ltd., please visit www.eisai.com.Source: EisaiContact:Copyright 2018 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved.
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM -- (Marketwired) -- 10/03/17 -- Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC) Customer Service Center Europe GmbH (CSC Europe) has signed a 12-year Fleet Management Program (FMP) agreement with HTM Helicopter Travel Munich GmbH (HTM) for the maintenance and support of 18 PW206B2 engines. P&WC is a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX).

"This FMP agreement with HTM is tailored to meet their particular needs and will help them optimize their maintenance costs," says Carsten Behrens, General Manager, CSC Europe. "This FMP will provide customized, hands-on support to HTM's fleet of aircraft which fly in the challenging North Sea environment."

CSC Europe is a joint venture between Pratt & Whitney Canada and MTU Maintenance Berlin-Brandenburg.

"Our PW206B engines provide us with exceptional performance and reliability," says Bernd Brucherseifer, Managing Director, HTM Helicopter Travel Munich GmbH. "The new FMP agreement with P&WC CSC Europe for our H135 helicopter fleet will allow our engines to have access to OEM-quality work scopes, repairs and materials that will keep them in top operating condition."

HTM Helicopter Travel Munich was founded in 1997 and is one of the largest helicopter companies in Germany with IFR and offshore approval. Additionally, HTM manages its own flying school. HTM employs 23 helicopters at six locations in Germany and Austria and is planning to grow this fleet further.

Tailored specifically for HTM, the FMP plan will provide personalized support to meet both their technical and commercial needs. P&WC's FMP plan is a flexible, high-value engine management solution that helps lock in lower operating costs and simplifies fleet operations management. It also serves as a financial planning tool supporting efficient cash flow management, while allowing customers to focus on their core business.

P&WC will be at Helitech International 2017, booth 10B35. Interested operators are invited to drop by the booth to speak with a marketing or customer service representative.

100,000 Reasons To Go Beyond

P&WC reached a significant milestone in April 2017, when it produced its 100,000th engine, a testament to the company's longevity and leadership in the global aerospace market. P&WC will celebrate this achievement throughout the year, recognizing all families of products as well as dedicated employees and loyal customers who, together, have marked the many accomplishments of its journey.

About Pratt & Whitney Canada

Founded in 1928, and a global leader in aerospace, P&WC is shaping the future of aviation with dependable, high-technology engines. Based in Longueuil, Quebec (Canada), P&WC is a wholly owned subsidiary of United Technologies Corp. United Technologies Corp., based in Farmington, Connecticut, provides high-technology systems and services to the building and aerospace industries.

This press release contains forward-looking statements concerning future business opportunities. Actual results may differ materially from those projected as a result of certain risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to changes in levels of demand in the aerospace industry, in levels of air travel, and in the number of aircraft to be built; challenges in the design, development, production, support, performance, and realization of anticipated benefits of advanced technologies; as well as other risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to those detailed from time to time in United Technologies Corp.'s Securities and Exchange Commission filings.

Note to Editors

Follow us on Twitter (www.twitter.com/pwcanada) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/PrattWhitneyCanada) for our latest news and updates.

Contacts:

Pratt & Whitney Canada

Jennifer Barron

+1 450 647-5009

jennifer.barron@pwc.ca

www.pwc.ca






CANBERA (dpa-AFX) - The U.S. dollar climbed against its major counterparts in pre-European deals on Friday, after San Francisco Fed President John Williams said a rate hike in December would be appropriate in the light of incoming economic data.



Speaking to BBC, Williams penciled in three further rate hikes next year, with interest rates returned gradually to 'a normal level' of about 2.5 percent.



He appreciated the Fed Chair Yellen, saying she had done a fantastic job 'during a very difficult period of time.'



Williams said he expects Yellen's successor Powel, who assumes power in February next year, would continue to make sure that the policy makers have a strong consensus around its policy decisions and strategy.



Meanwhile, Senate Republicans released tax reform bill on Thursday with key differences from a version proposed by the House of Representatives, delaying the corporate tax cut until 2019 and keeping seven individual income tax brackets.



The Senate plan leaves the number of tax brackets at seven. The lowest bracket would be unchanged at 10 percent, but the top rate would be lowered to 38.5 percent.



The bill proposes to slash the corporate rate from 35 percent to 20 percent, but that would take effect only in 2019.



Today's U.S. economic calendar is light with only University of Michigan's consumer sentiment index for November due for release.



The currency held steady against its major rivals in the Asian session, with the exception of the euro.



The greenback advanced to 1.3113 against the pound and 1.1623 against the euro, from its early lows of 1.3158 and 1.1654, respectively. The next possible resistance for the greenback is seen around 1.29 against the pound and 1.15 against the euro.



The greenback rose to 0.9955 against the franc and 113.64 against the yen, off its prior lows of 0.9927 and 113.26, respectively. On the upside, 1.02 and 114.5 are likely seen as the next resistance levels for the greenback against the franc and the yen, respectively.



The greenback bounced off to 0.7670 against the aussie, from a 3-day low of 0.7695 hit at 1:45 am ET. The greenback is seen finding resistance around the 0.75 mark.



The greenback held steady against the kiwi, after rising to a 2-day high of 0.6921 at 9:30 pm ET. The pair finished Thursday's trading at 0.6947.



On the flip side, the greenback pared gains to 1.2669 against the loonie, from an early high of 1.2686. The greenback is likely to locate support around the 1.24 area.



Looking ahead, U.K. industrial production, trade data and consruction output for September are due in the European session.



The University of Michigan's preliminary consumer sentiment index for November is set for release at 10:00 am ET.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

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TORTOLA, BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS -- (Marketwired) -- 01/15/18 -- ATLAS Mara Limited (LSE: ATMA)

LSE: ATMA

15 January 2018

Atlas Mara Increases Stake in Union Bank of Nigeria to 48.0%

Atlas Mara Limited ("Atlas Mara" or the "Company") announces that, following completion of the previously announced rights offering in Union Bank of Nigeria ("UBN"), Atlas Mara's aggregate direct and indirect shareholding in UBN has increased from 44.5% to 48.0%. UBN completed a 49.7 billion Naira (approximately USD$163 million) rights offering on the Nigerian Stock Exchange at a price of 4.10 Naira per share. Atlas Mara fully subscribed to the rights related to its pre-existing 44.5% shareholding, and acquired through the rights issue, additional shares representing a 3.5% shareholding, at a combined cost of $75 million.

Bob Diamond, Chairman of the Board of Atlas Mara said: "We are very pleased to have increased our stake in UBN at a time when leading indicators for Nigeria's macroeconomic performance continue to show improvement. We remain tremendously excited about the prospects for UBN and committed to building a premier financial services platform in Africa."

Contact Details

Investors

Kojo Dufu, +1 212 883 4330

Media

Teneo Blue Rubicon, +44 (20) 7260 2700

Anthony Silverman

About Atlas Mara

Atlas Mara Limited (LON: ATMA) is a financial services institution listed on the London Stock Exchange. Its vision is to create sub-Saharan Africa's premier financial services institution through organic and inorganic growth by combining the best of global institutional knowledge with extensive local insights. With a presence in seven sub-Saharan Africa countries, Atlas Mara aims to be a positive disruptive force in the markets in which we operate by leveraging technology to provide innovative and differentiated product offerings, excellent customer service and accelerate financial inclusion in the countries in which the Company operates. For more information, visit www.atlasmara.com.

This information is provided by RNS

The company news service from the London Stock Exchange

Contacts:

RNS

Customer

Services

0044-207797-4400

rns@londonstockexchange.com

http://www.rns.com




BERLIN, October 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

The Rhodes Forum opens this week with a strong African presence headlining a diverse array of high-profile international speakers to discuss and seek practical solutions to major global challenges being faced today.

Presidents Goodluck Jonathan (Nigeria, 2010-15) and Dioncounda Traore (Mali, 2012-13) will address the opening plenary session on 6 October alongside Oxford University's Professor of Globalisation and Development, Ian Goldin, a former adviser to Nelson Mandela; Dominique de Villepin, Prime Minister of France (2005-07); and Vladimir Yakunin, Co-founder and Chairman of the DOC Research Institute, the independent international think tank that organises the Forum.

Speaking in Abuja ahead of the Forum, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan said:

"The challenges facing the world today - whether financial crises, armed conflicts, increasing terrorist threats and immigration on an unprecedented scale - cannot be tackled by countries or even continents in isolation. They demand profound global thinking and willingness to seek solutions through dialogue, mutual respect and open-mindedness."

"African voices must be heard in this search for common solutions that benefit the whole of mankind, and international gatherings such as the Rhodes Forum provide an essential platform for this to happen. I am looking forward to this opportunity to make substantive contributions towards solving some of the most pressing problems facing humanity today."

First convened in 2003, the Rhodes Forum brings together concerned members of the international political, business, civil society and academic communities in a spirit of dialogue and inclusivity. Every year, hundreds of participants from more than 70 countries explore the major challenges facing the world and seek concrete, applicable solutions rooted in shared values of equality, mutual respect and compassion.

Taking as its theme 'Multipolarity and Dialogue in Regional and Global Developments: Imagining Possible Futures', this year's 15th Anniversary Rhodes Forum also hosts two focal events: a Summit on Globalisation, Dialogue, and the Future of Democracy; and a Summit on Global Infrastructure Development Scenarios.

About the DOC

The Dialogue of Civilizations Research Institute is an international think tank that researches and develops proposals to address key challenges faced by the international community today.

Committed to seeking dialogue-based solutions to humankind's most pressing issues, the DOC builds on the legacy and expertise of the World Public Forum Dialogue of Civilizations. We bring together global thought leaders from academia, public policy, business, and civil society in order to foster debate, share experiences, and develop sound policy recommendations.

The idea of a public forum that would promote dialogue as a means of easing and preventing conflicts, contrary to the theory of an imminent clash of civilizations, followed the adoption of key documents by the UN. On 9 November 2001, UNESCO Member States unanimously adopted the UNESCO Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity, and the UN General Assembly presented its Global Agenda for Dialogue Among Civilizations. These resolutions laid out principles of intercultural dialogue and laid the basis of the DOC.

The World Public Forum Dialogue of Civilizations (WPF), the predecessor of DOC, was founded to advocate for this initiative and help implement its objectives. The WPF was founded in 2002 by Indian entrepreneur and visionary the late Jagdish Kapur, business leader and philanthropist Dr. Vladimir Yakunin, and the businessman Nicholas F.S. Papanicolaou. The WPF has enjoyed UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Special Consultative Status and regularly collaborates with UNESCO.

The DOC is an independent, non-partisan think tank, and receives no government funding.

Media Contacts

Agnieszka Rzepka

Press Officer

+49-30209677900

media@doc-research.org


David Hatchwell Named as Chairman

OC Forms Strategic Partnership with Cardumen Capital

(see separate release here)

OurCrowd, a leading equity crowdfunding platform has announced the launch of its Iberian operations through the establishment of a new office in Madrid's financial district of the Paseo de la Castellana, bringing the company's offices to seven countries - Israel, the U.S., Canada, Australia, Singapore, with a planned expansion in the United Kingdom.

OurCrowd has also formed a strategic partnership with Cardumen Capital, a Spanish-Israeli venture fund investing in "Deep Technologies." The fund will be managed by former head and founder of Samsung Ventures Israel, Gonzalo Martinez de Azagra and former Head of Iberia at Hilco Capital, Igor de la Sota.

The news was released at an exclusive event on the eve of one of Europe's largest tech conferences: The South Summit, providing select investors, corporate partners, and venture capitalists' insight into the successes and opportunities offered by the Startup Nation.

OurCrowd's new Madrid based office will be chaired by David Hatchwell, Chairman of EXCEM, a Madrid based Family Group, and a leader of the Jewish community in Spain. The Hatchwells have been extremely active in the technology sector and are a significant component of the Spain-Israel commercial bilateral relationship.

"I am thrilled to be joining the OurCrowd team as it continues its growth into Spain's thriving tech community," said David Hatchwell, Chairman of OurCrowd Iberia. "OurCrowd presents the Spanish market with a significant opportunity to taste what is happening in one of the most advanced markets in the world of tech: Israel, as well as offer other global startup investment opportunities. OurCrowd Spain will operate with strong local partners active in building significant companies, and as we consolidate, we will invest in Spanish tech companies seeking to bring additional leaders from the local ecosystem onto the OurCrowd platform."

"We have chosen Iberia as one of our priority markets, as Madrid is in the heart of Europe and a gateway into South America," said OurCrowd Founder CEO Jon Medved.

"During the past 30 years the commercial relations between the two countries increased rapidly as both countries have experienced high growth rates. The Spanish capital is also home to an abundance of tech talent, including three first-rate business schools, IE, IESE and Esade. OurCrowd currently has over 20,000 investors from 112 countries participating on the platform and now is the right time to disrupt the world of innovation finance by expanding our base here."

Notes to Editors

About OurCrowd: OurCrowd is the leading global equity crowdfunding platform for accredited investors. Managed by a team of seasoned investment professionals and led by serial entrepreneur Jon Medved, OurCrowd vets and selects opportunities, invests its own capital, and brings companies to its accredited membership of global investors. OurCrowd provides post-investment support to its portfolio companies, assigns industry experts as mentors, and takes board seats. The OurCrowd community of almost 20,000 investors from over 112 countries has invested over $450M into 120 portfolio companies and funds. To join OurCrowd as an accredited investor visit http://www.ourcrowd.com and click "Join." For Spanish language site: http://es.ourcrowd.com.

OurCrowd Management (UK) Limited is an Appointed Representative of Met Facilities LLP, which is authorized and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. OurCrowd Management (UK) Limited is registered in England. OurCrowd Iberia is a division of Management (UK) Limited, an Appointed Representative of Met Facilities LLP authorized and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (reference number 587084). OurCrowd Management (UK) Limited is registered in England (registration number 10522689).

David Hatchwell Bio: David Hatchwell Altaras holds an MBA in International Business and Finance from New York University's Stern School of Business and is a graduate of the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University in Washington DC. He is President of EXCEM Group an investment and consultancy group of companies, as well as an international investor in several areas. Mr. Hatchwell worked in the Corporate Finance department at Goldman Sachs as well as in the Treasury Department at the Republic National Bank of New York, now HSBC. From 1992 to 2000 he lived in Beijing and he developed EXCEM Grupo's operations in China for the last 15 years with more than 20 projects achieved in various sectors (from purchasing cement for export purposes to distribution of telecom equipment). In 2003 he was responsible for bringing Real Madrid to China at a very critical moment, post SARS. That year he was named Honorary Citizen of the city of Kunming (Yunnan Province). He has been a founding member of the Executive Committee of the Spain-China Foundation since 2004. Mr. Hatchwell has been a founding member of the Spain-Israel Chamber of Commerce since 2006. He has been a member of YPO (Young Presidents Organisation) since 2005 and has been a member of its Spanish Executive Committee since 2006 and presiding the Madrid Chapter from January 2012 to June 2013. Since December 2011 Mr. Hatchwell is President of the Jewish Community of Madrid. Since July 2012 Mr. Hatchwell has been a member of the Juan Antonio Samaranch Foundation, whose main goal is to get a closer approach between Spain and China, as well as the organization of sport and training activities for young people. David Hatchwell is an investor and a member of the Advisory Board of OurCrowd, the leading equity crowdfunding platform in the world since 2016. In July 2016 Mr. Hatchwell was appointed member of the Board of the Universidad Politecnica de Madrid (UPM). Since September 2016 Mr. Hatchwell is the Chairman of the Real Estate Investment Trust Sociedad de Inversion Residencial (SIR), based in Spain and specialized in Student Housing. Mr. Hatchwell and his family have contributed to various philanthropic projects in Spain, Israel and China over the last 20 years.

For press materials: http://blog.ourcrowd.com/spain

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171003005320/en/

Contacts:

Press:

OurCrowd

Leah Stern, Director of Communications

UK: +44 747 019 6826 USA: +1 703 626 4310/ IL: +972 54 341 4861

leah@ourcrowd.com
First Spanish based fund to focus on Israeli startup investment

OurCrowd, a leading equity crowdfunding platform today announces that it has formed a strategic partnership with Cardumen Capital, a Spanish-Israeli venture capital fund focused on Deep Tech startup investments. The fund, authorized by the Spanish Securities Market Commission (CNMV) is led by former head of Samsung Ventures Israel, Gonzalo Martinez de Azagra, known for such investments as PrimeSense (acq. by Apple), Replay Technologies (acq. by Intel), and Corephotonics.

"Spanish investors will now have the opportunity to focus on investing in Israeli companies, building ties between Israeli and Spanish technologies," said OurCrowd CEO Jon Medved.

"We are excited for this new chapter in Spanish Israel relations," said Cardumen Co-Founder and Managing General Partner, Gonzalo Martinez de Azagra. "Together with OurCrowd, we are building a global community with an experienced team led by leading venture capitalists. Our bilateral fund will invest in pure high-tech companies, as we did at Samsung Ventures, and give access to institutional and corporate investors to these unique opportunities."

This partnership is part of a growing group of global alliances announced by OurCrowd recently, such as: United Overseas Bank Limited (UOB) in Singapore, The National Australia Bank (NAB) in Australia, The Shanghai Commercial Savings Bank (SCSB) in Taiwan, Reliance Private Client in India and Innogy SE in Germany.

Notes to Editors

About OurCrowd: OurCrowd is the leading global equity crowdfunding platform for accredited investors. Managed by a team of seasoned investment professionals and led by serial entrepreneur Jon Medved, OurCrowd vets and selects opportunities, invests its own capital, and brings companies to its accredited membership of global investors. OurCrowd provides post-investment support to its portfolio companies, assigns industry experts as mentors, and takes board seats. The OurCrowd community of almost 20,000 investors from over 112 countries has invested over $450M into 120 portfolio companies and funds. To join OurCrowd as an accredited investor visit http://www.ourcrowd.com and click "Join." For Spanish language site: http://es.ourcrowd.com.

OurCrowd Management (UK) Limited is an Appointed Representative of Met Facilities LLP, which is authorized and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. OurCrowd Management (UK) Limited is registered in England. OurCrowd Iberia is a division of Management (UK) Limited, an Appointed Representative of Met Facilities LLP authorized and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (reference number 587084). OurCrowd Management (UK) Limited is registered in England (registration number 10522689).

About Cardumen Capital: Cardumen Capital SGEIC, S.A. is a leading venture capital firm authorized by the Spanish Securities Market Commission (CNMV) that invests in companies with deep technologies in Israel and Spain. Managed by the former Head of Samsung Ventures Israel, Gonzalo Martinez de Azagra together with the former Head of Iberia at Hilco Capital, Igor de la Sota. With offices in Israel and Spain, Cardumen Capital focuses on areas such as Computer Vision, Artificial Inteligence, Cybersecurity or Big data among others. For more information please visit: www.cardumencapital.com / or email at: info@cardumencapital.com.

For press materials: http://blog.ourcrowd.com/spanishfund

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171003005340/en/

Contacts:

Press

OurCrowd

Leah Stern, Director of Communications

UK: +44 747 019 6826 USA: +1 703 626 4310 IL: +972 54 341 4861

leah@ourcrowd.com
IRW-PRESS: Sharc International Systems Inc.: Sharc International Technology informiert uber Veranderungsschritte des Unternehmens

Sharc International Technology informiert uber Veranderungsschritte des Unternehmens

VANCOUVER, B.C., 19. Oktober 2017 - Sharc International Systems Inc., (SHARC oder das Unternehmen) (CSE: SHRC) (FWB: IWIA) (OTCQB: INTWD) freut sich, uber die aktuelle Lage des Unternehmens zu berichten und skizziert seine Strategie fur die nachste Zukunft.

SHARC hat im Zuge seiner Forschungsarbeiten der letzten sechs Jahre eine preisgekronte Technologie entwickelt, mit der Abwarme aus Abwasser ruckgewonnen werden kann. Die Methode ist nicht nur mit geringen CO2-Emissionen verbunden, sondern bietet auch wirtschaftliche Vorteile. Das heurige Jahr markiert fur das Unternehmen einen Wendepunkt, an dem der Ubergang vom Forschungs- und Entwicklungsstadium hin zur Vermarktung der innovativen Warmeruckgewinnungstechnologie vollzogen wird.

Im Zuge dieser Ubergangsphase hat das Unternehmen vor einigen Monaten auch seinen Firmennamen von International Wastewater Systems Inc. in Sharc International Systems Inc. geandert. Der neue Name tragt der Strategie des Unternehmens besser Rechnung, nachdem das Unternehmen kurz vor der Vermarktung steht und ein Verkaufs- und Implementierungsprogramms einleiten wird, das SHARC seinen Erstanbietervorteil in allen Landern der Welt sichern soll.

In diesem Zeitraum hat das Unternehmen rund 14 Systeme installiert und in mehreren Kontinenten Heiz- und Kuhlsysteme auf mehr als 5 Millionen Quadratfu Grundflache geschaffen, neue internationale Markte sondiert, die Systeme SHARC und PIRANHA im Zuge von Pilotprojekten und strengen Testverfahren weiterentwickelt und verfeinert sowie erfolgreich die effizienteste Implementierungsmethode fur unsere Technologie und unser Leistungsangebot entwickelt.

Mit seinem Fokus auf den Verkauf technischer Anlagen und den Abschluss von Warmekaufvertragen (HPAs) hat das Unternehmen ein bevorzugtes Leistungserbringungssystem entwickelt. Das effiziente Leistungserbringungssystem des Unternehmens ermoglicht SHARC eine dauerhafte Zusammenarbeit mit den Endverbrauchern, um deren Energieeffizienz zu verbessern und CO2-Emissionen zu senken.

Schottland und Kalifornien haben ein Umfeld der Akzeptanz geschaffen, da die Notwendigkeit der Erfullung gesetzlicher Auflagen zu einer verstarkten Nachfrage nach Umweltenergietechnologien gefuhrt hat. In beiden Rechtssystemen wurden ambitionierte Emissionsziele erlassen und hohe Investitionen in eine saubere Wirtschaft getatigt, um so die gesteckten Ziele zur Bekampfung des Klimawandels zu erreichen.

Schottland

Die schottische Regierung hat sich zum Ziel gesetzt, ihre CO2-Emissionen durch die Implementierung von Umwelttechnologien drastisch zu senken. Die politischen Manahmen und Anreizsysteme fur erneuerbare Energien des Landes schaffen einen florierenden Absatzmarkt fur die Technologie von SHARC. Die strategische Allianz des Unternehmens mit Scottish Water, dem offentlichen Wasserversorgungsunternehmen der schottischen Regierung, hat den Weg fur funf erste Projekte geebnet. Die Bauarbeiten haben bereits begonnen und werden voraussichtlich im 3. Quartal 2018 abgeschlossen. Mit seiner internationalen Fuhrungsrolle bei der Bekampfung des Klimawandels hat Schottland auch den perfekten Standort fur SHARCs neu errichtete Firmenzentrale in Europa zur Verfugung gestellt. Von hier aus will das Unternehmen in ganz Schottland und auch in die ubrigen Lander der Europaischen Union expandieren.

Kalifornien

In Kalifornien hat die kalifornische Energiebehorde (California Energy Commission) mageblich zur aktuellen Energiepolitik des Bundesstaates und zum Ausstieg aus den fossilen Brennstoffen beigetragen. Dadurch werden ideale Marktbedingungen fur die Abwasserwarmeruckgewinnungstechnologie des Unternehmens geschaffen. Um sein Wachstum zu starken, hat SHARC mit regionalen Partnern wie Prospect Silicon Valley und RENEW Energy Partners LLC strategische Allianzen gebildet. Das Unternehmen wird in Kurze uber den aktuellen Stand im Zusammenhang mit den Title 24- und UL-Zertifizierungen informieren, die in Kalifornien Grundvoraussetzung fur Verkaufsabschlusse sind.

Die Durchfuhrung der erforderlichen Forschungs- und Entwicklungsarbeiten durch Pilotprojekte, Tests und Zertifizierungen haben zwar zu Verzogerungen bei der Umsetzung der Projekte des Unternehmens in Schottland und Kalifornien gefuhrt; diese Prozessen haben aber auch die notwendige Grundlage fur SHARC geschaffen, um eine Vermarktung und Expansion auf globaler Ebene zu ermoglichen.

CEO Lynn Mueller erklart: Sechs Jahre Planungs- und Entwicklungsarbeit an den SHARC-Systemen mit einem engagierten Team aus Technikern und Designern haben uns ermoglicht, dieses neue Kapitel aufzuschlagen. Wir freuen uns darauf, allen die von unserem Team entwickelte erstklassige Umweltenergietechnologie zu prasentieren. Gemeinsam wird es uns gelingen, verstarkt gegen den Klimawandel vorzugehen.

Uber Sharc International Systems Inc.

Sharc International Systems Inc. ist ein global fuhrendes Unternehmen im Bereich der Warmeruckgewinnung. Systeme von SHARC recyceln die Warmeenergie aus Abwassern und erzeugen hochgradig energieeffiziente und wirtschaftliche Anlagen fur das Heizen, Kuhlen und die Warmwassererzeugung in gewerblichen, privaten und industriellen Gebauden. SHARC notiert an den Borsen in Kanada (CSE: SHARC), in den Vereinigten Staaten (OTC: INTWD) und in Deutschland (Frankfurt: IWIA).

Weitere Informationen uber das Unternehmen finden Sie auf unserer Webseite unter www.sharcenergy.com oder unter unserem Firmenprofil auf der SEDAR-Website (www.sedar.com).

FUR DAS BOARD: Lynn Mueller Lynn Mueller Chairman & Chief Executive Officer

Nahere Informationen erhalten Sie uber:

Zach Hillhouse Telefon: (604) 788-1091 E-Mail: zach.hillhouse@iws-sharc.com

Die CSE ubernimmt keine Verantwortung fur die Richtigkeit oder Genauigkeit dieser Meldung.

Zukunftsgerichtete Informationen

Diese Pressemeldung enthalt gewisse Aussagen, die als zukunftsgerichtete Aussagen gelten. Samtliche in dieser Pressemitteilung enthaltenen Aussagen - mit Ausnahme von historischen Fakten -, die sich auf die vom Unternehmen erwarteten Ereignisse oder Entwicklungen beziehen, gelten als zukunftsgerichtete Aussagen. Zukunftsgerichtete Aussagen sind Aussagen, die nicht auf historischen Fakten beruhen und im Allgemeinen, jedoch nicht immer, mit Begriffen wie erwartet, plant, antizipiert, glaubt, schatzt, prognostiziert, potentiell und ahnlichen Ausdrucken dargestellt werden bzw. in denen zum Ausdruck gebracht wird, dass Ereignisse oder Umstande eintreten werden, wurden, konnten oder sollten. Obwohl das Unternehmen annimmt, dass die in solchen zukunftsgerichteten Aussagen zum Ausdruck gebrachten Erwartungen auf realistischen Annahmen basieren, lassen solche Aussagen keine Ruckschlusse auf die zukunftige Performance zu. Die tatsachlichen Ergebnisse konnen wesentlich von jenen der zukunftsgerichteten Aussagen abweichen. Zu den Faktoren, die dazu fuhren konnten, dass sich die tatsachlichen Ergebnisse erheblich von jenen in den zukunftsgerichteten Aussagen unterscheiden, zahlen unter anderem regulatorische Manahmen, die Marktpreise, die erfolgreiche Forderung und Exploration, die dauerhafte Verfugbarkeit von Kapital und Finanzmittel und die allgemeine Wirtschafts-, Markt- oder Geschaftslage. Die Anleger werden darauf hingewiesen, dass solche Aussagen keine Garantie fur zukunftige Leistungen darstellen, und dass sich die tatsachlichen Ergebnisse oder Entwicklungen erheblich von jenen unterscheiden konnen, die in den zukunftsgerichteten Aussagen angenommen wurden. Zukunftsgerichtete Aussagen basieren auf den Annahmen, Schatzungen und Meinungen des Managements zum Zeitpunkt der Auerung dieser Aussagen. Sollten sich die Annahmen, Schatzungen oder Meinungen des Managements bzw. andere Faktoren andern, ist das Unternehmen nicht verpflichtet, diese zukunftsgerichteten Aussagen dem aktuellen Stand anzupassen, es sei denn, dies wird in den geltenden Wertpapiergesetzen ausdrucklich gefordert.

Die Ausgangssprache (in der Regel Englisch), in der der Originaltext veroffentlicht wird, ist die offizielle, autorisierte und rechtsgultige Version. Diese Ubersetzung wird zur besseren Verstandigung mitgeliefert. Die deutschsprachige Fassung kann gekurzt oder zusammengefasst sein. Es wird keine Verantwortung oder Haftung: fur den Inhalt, fur die Richtigkeit, der Angemessenheit oder der Genauigkeit dieser Ubersetzung ubernommen. Aus Sicht des Ubersetzers stellt die Meldung keine Kauf- oder Verkaufsempfehlung dar! Bitte beachten Sie die englische Originalmeldung auf www.sedar.com, www.sec.gov, www.asx.com.au/ oder auf der Firmenwebsite!

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ISIN CA81948A1021

AXC0131 2017-10-20/12:23
Energy Web Atlas leads the market with expanded LNG and pipeline data and improved import and annotation functions

HOUSTON, Jan. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --Gulf Publishing Company, a leading provider of data and technical information for the international energy industry, announced today several enhancements to the Energy Web Atlas (EWA) applications. The ESRI-based geographic information system (GIS) platform allows users to examine real-time project information, export and manipulate data, and serves as a comprehensive source of actionable project intelligence.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/629017/Gulf_Publishing_Energy_Web_Atlas.jpg

EWA's flagship mapping platform includes detailed information on every liquefied natural gas (LNG) project, providing users with a single reference source for global LNG data as well as comprehensive global pipeline information. Additional features for the LNG platform includes:

Ability for users to import their own external data to existing EWA maps;

Capability to add custom annotation and symbols to maps; and

A new Global Shipping Ports layer that contains over 3,600 global ports with critical information including port name, channel depths and maximum vessel size.

"Providing the option for users to include their own external data, whether it's a Shape file, Excel file or URL-based data, such as ArcGIS Server, KML or WMS Service, is another way the EWA platform provides continual improvement and innovation to the marketplace," said Scott Allgood, Director of Data for Gulf Publishing Company.

An additional data platform tracking more than 500 U.S. gas processing plants, natural gas underground storage and market hubs is also available, equipping users with essential data and contacts for hundreds of facilities across the nation. Other advancements to the platform are:

A natural gas pipelines layer that includes current data such as project name, length, capacity, linked projects and important contact information;

Compressor stations layer that consists of about 1,400 stations including name, type of station, and pipeline operator information; and

Advanced spatial filtering and querying.

These subscription-based products, which are updated in real time, allow customers to interact with the latest data. Further map platforms covering renewable energy projects, downstream construction projects, and oil and gas pipeline infrastructure will be added to the Energy Web Atlas in 2018. To learn more, visit Energy Web Atlas at http://energywebatlas.com.

ABOUT GULF PUBLISHING COMPANY

For more than 100 years, Gulf Publishing Company has been the leading provider of business and technical knowledge for the global oil and gas industry. Since its formation in 1916, the company has evolved from a single publication-The Oil Weekly, which was dedicated to upstream activity in the Gulf Coast area of the United States-to a diversified information company, with coverage spanning the upstream, midstream and downstream. Headquartered in Houston, Gulf Publishing Company produces seven trade journals for the oil and gas industry: World Oil, Hydrocarbon Processing, Gas Processing, Petroleum Economist, Pipeline & Gas Journal, Pipeline News and Underground Construction.

MEDIA CONTACT

Scott Allgood, Director Data Services

Gulf Publishing Company

Scott.Allgood@EnergyWebAtlas.com

713.520.4464
ZUG, Switzerland, October 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Streamr, the decentralized peer-to-peer data sharing protocol, today announced the success of its precontribution window which reached its 5 million CHF hard cap in 25 minutes. Tokenizing real-time data, Streamr enables a new way for machines and people to trade data on a decentralized P2P network.

"The centralization of existing data infrastructure has left current systems vulnerable, concentrated, and uninspiring. As we see the explosion of decentralized apps and technologies, it is now time for real-time data from connected devices to share that independence in a robust, secure, and persistent manner. Our platform provides the missing link that makes pipe-dreams of unrestricted, unstoppable data a reality," Streamr CEO and Co-founder Henri Pihkala said.

Frustrated by the inefficiencies and limitations of traditional centralized data distribution systems, Streamr Network AG was co-founded this year by Henri Pihkala, Nikke Nylund and Risto" "Karjalainen to offer scalable, low-latency, and secure data delivery. The founding team has worked together for years building an advanced streaming analytics platform which is now being decentralized by Streamr.

Streamr CEO Henri Pihkala previously worked as a software engineer and an algorithmic trader, leading the development of several high-frequency algorithmic trading platforms. Nikke Nylund is a serial entrepreneur with several successful exits in the software sector. With a Ph.D. in Decision Sciences from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, COO Risto" "Karjalainen brings a wealth of knowledge onreal-time computing, machine learning, and behavioral finance. Karjalainen previously worked as a Quant and Portfolio Manager with JP Morgan and Merrill Lynch before immersing himself into the world of real-time data and decentralized computing.

Connecting producers and consumers, Streamr aims to create a market for real-time data. The Data Market categorizes and showcases publicly available data streams. The Streamr token, DATAcoin, is needed to access and operate the market, and to compensate nodes in the P2P network. Subscribers pay for the data with the token while producers and participants are reimbursed automatically and securely.

Advising Streamr as a Technical Expert is Julian Zawistowski, CEO and Co-Founder of Golem, the first global market for idle computer power. Recognizing the shared vision and complementary goals of the two projects, Streamr and Golem began to mutually address the technical overlap in July 2017.

"This partnership brings together some of the most innovative minds in the industry. As we collaborate with Streamr we are not only improving efficiencies but benefiting the wider community. Working simultaneously opens the door to tremendous talent and technology. The partnership will take us, one step at a time, towards a decentralized future," Zawistowski said.

A luminary in decentralized technology, Julian Zawistowski joins Streamr's stellar board of advisors, consisting of trailblazers like Wendell Davis, an early instigator for many blockchain-related companies and projects, including OmiseGO and Golem, Thomas Greco, special advisor to OmiseGO, and Dr. Luka Muller, Co-founder of MME and legal advisor to Ethereum, Consensys, and Bancor. Kimmo Halunen, Senior Scientist at VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland with over 20 publications on information security and cryptography, has also joined Streamr as its Cybersecurity Advisor.

"Streamr seeks to deliver unstoppable data to unstoppable applications. We cannot do so without the continued support of our passionate community. The overwhelming success of our precontribution period is both encouraging and inspiring, and we are incredibly grateful to our early participants as well as to the wider Streamr community," added Pihkala.

Opening on September 14, the Streamr precontribution window was the first of its kind on Bitcoin Suisse, the world's leading crypto-asset broker and asset manager. Operating on a registration model, interested parties underwent a thorough Know Your Customer (KYC) evaluation prior to participating. Following this model, Streamr could proactively manage and prevent any risks associated with token sales, while also raising a substantial amount.

Bitcoin Suisse Head of ICO and Streamr advisor Nicolai Oster said, "Working closely with the Streamr team has been extraordinary, and I am proud to help them as an advisor. In my professional capacity, I see dozens of new projects every single day, and Streamr stands out as a project with terrific potential backed by deep technical experience and competence."

Following the successful precontribution period, registration for the Streamr crowd contribution period will commence on October 9, 2017, at 12 noon UTC with DATA tokens available at a rate of 1 CHF = 18.25 DATA. The overall cap for all contributions is 30 million CHF.

For more information visit www.streamr.com.

Streamr Co-Founder and CEO Henri Pihkala is available for interview

About Streamr:

Streamr, the technology stack for real-time data, aims to tokenize the value in data by enabling a new way for machines and people to trade it on a decentralized P2P network. Founded in 2017 by Henri Pihkala, Nikke Nylund and Risto" "Karjalainen, Streamr offers scalable, low-latency, and untamperable data delivery and persistence in an effort to overcome the limitations of traditional centralized real-time data platforms.

Media Contact:

Alex Sheehan

Account Supervisor

Wachsman PR

alex@wachsmanpr.com

+353-87-097-9702
CHICAGO, IL -- (Marketwired) -- 10/03/17 --Methode Electronics, Inc. (NYSE: MEI) ("Methode"), a global developer of custom engineered and application-specific products and solutions, announced that it has completed the acquisition of Pacific Insight Electronics Corp. ("Pacific Insight"), a global lighting, electronics and full-service solutions provider to the transportation industry, in a cash transaction. Methode funded the total consideration of approximately US$114 million with available cash and its existing credit facility. Methode expects the acquisition to be accretive to earnings in its current fiscal year ending April 28, 2018.

Methode's President and CEO Don Duda said, "With this acquisition and Methode's global scope, Pacific Insight will meet its customers' requested expansion into Asia and Europe, Methode will broaden its portfolio of advanced technologies for LED based ambient and direct lighting solutions, and the combined operations will be positioned to provide additional opportunities for all our stakeholders, including employees, customers, suppliers and shareholders." Mr. Duda concluded, "I am delighted to officially welcome the employees of Pacific Insight to Methode Electronics, and look forward to the growth we can achieve as one company."

Pacific Insight is a global solutions provider offering design, development, manufacturing and delivery of lighting and electronic products and full service solutions to the automotive and commercial vehicle markets. A focus on design and manufacturing excellence, responsiveness and customer service has made the company a preferred partner of choice for OEMs. Lighting is fast becoming one of the most critical elements for automotive OEMs to innovate and differentiate their vehicles to attract customers. Pacific Insight's advanced technologies, including LED lighting systems and electronic modules, are driving automotive advancement and creating a better driving experience.

Methode will update guidance to include the acquisition of Pacific Insight and any other relevant factors in conjunction with its second-quarter earnings release.

The Company expects pre-tax costs related to the acquisition in the range of $4.8 million to $5.2 million, of which $1.5 million was recognized in the first quarter.

Foros acted as financial adviser to Methode. Locke Lord LLP, Stikeman Elliott LLP and Jones Day served as counsel to Methode. Ernst & Young supported Methode's due diligence process.

About Methode

Methode (NYSE: MEI) is a global developer of custom engineered and application specific products and solutions with manufacturing, design and testing facilities in Canada, China, Egypt, Germany, India, Italy, Lebanon, Malta, Mexico, Singapore, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States. We design, manufacture and market devices employing electrical, electronic, wireless, safety radio remote control, sensing and optical technologies to control and convey signals through sensors, interconnections and controls. Our business is managed on a segment basis, with those segments being Automotive, Interface, Power Products and Other. Our components are in the primary end markets of the automobile, computer, information processing and networking equipment, voice and data communication systems, consumer electronics, appliances, aerospace vehicles and industrial equipment industries. Further information can be found on Methode's website www.methode.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements, which reflect management's expectations regarding future events and operating performance and speak only as of the date hereof. These forward-looking statements are subject to the safe harbor protection provided under the securities laws. Methode undertakes no duty to update any forward-looking statement to conform the statement to actual results or changes in Methode's expectations on a quarterly basis or otherwise. The forward-looking statements in this press release involve a number of risks and uncertainties. The factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from our expectations are detailed in Methode's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, such as our annual and quarterly reports. Such factors may include, without limitation, the following: (1) dependence on a small number of large customers, including two large automotive customers; (2) dependence on the automotive, appliance, computer and communications industries; (3) investment in programs prior to the recognition of revenue; (4) timing, quality and cost of new program launches; (5) ability to withstand price pressure, including pricing concessions; (6) currency fluctuations; (7) customary risks related to conducting global operations; (8) ability to successfully market and sell Dabir surfaces; (9) dependence on our supply chain; (10) income tax rate fluctuations; (11) dependence on the availability and price of raw materials; (12) fluctuations in our gross margins; (13) location of a significant amount of cash outside of the U.S.; (14) the effect of a catastrophic event or significant business interruption at one of our facilities; (15) ability to keep pace with rapid technological changes; (16) a breach of our information technology systems; (17) ability to avoid design or manufacturing defects; (18) ability to compete effectively; (19) ability to protect our intellectual property; (20) ability to successfully benefit from acquisitions and divestitures; (21) the recognition of impairment charges; and (22) costs and expense due to regulations regarding conflict minerals.

For Methode:

Kristine Walczak

Dresner Corporate Services

312-780-7205

kwalczak@dresnerco.com




Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - October 18, 2017) - Alternative IQ today announced the winners of the 10th Annual Canadian Hedge Fund Awards, the highest honour in Canada's hedge fund industry. The awards were presented yesterday evening at a Gala Dinner at One King West Hotel in Toronto with over 150 guests in attendance.

The Gala Awards Dinner was preceded in the afternoon by THE Canadian Hedge Fund Conference at which Pension Funds, Family Offices and IIROC Dealers discussed their attitudes and intentions about investing in hedge funds, and shared their views on the trends in Canada's hedge fund industry and how the industry will grow going forward.

The Canadian Hedge Fund Awards help investors identify the most exceptional hedge funds of the year, recognizing winners in 4 categories as well as the Overall Best 2017 Canadian Hedge Fund. A total of 208 Canadian hedge funds participated in the 2017 CHFA program. The awards are based solely on quantitative performance data to June 30th, with Fundata Canada managing the collection and tabulation of the data to determine the winners. There is no nomination process or subjective assessment in identifying the winning hedge funds.

The 2017 Canadian Hedge Fund Award winners are:

Overall Best 2017 Canadian Hedge Fund:

(based on best combined 10 year annualized return and Sharpe ratio).

Place Fund Name 10 Year Return 10 Year Sharpe Ratio 1st Blair Franklin Global Credit Fund 12.17 % 3.23 2nd PH&N Absolute Return Fund 13.31 % 1.55 3rd King & Victoria Fund LP 14.88 % 1.04

Equity Focused Category

Best 1 Year Return:

1st Goodwood SPValue Fund 87.56 % 2nd Loubani Fund I LP 72.31 % 3rd AlphaNorth Partners Fund 43.63 %

Best 5 Year Return:

1st ROMC Fund 18.07 % 2nd DKAM Capital Ideas Fund 17.55 % 3rd Maxam Diversified Strategies Fund 15.90 %

Best 5 Year Sharpe Ratio:

1st Maxam Diversified Strategies Fund 2.23 2nd Exemplar Canadian Focus Portfolio 1.79 3rd Calrossie Partners Fund 1.77

Credit Focused Category:

Best 1 Year Return:

1st Picton Mahoney Special Situations Fund 24.77 % 2nd Picton Mahoney Income Opportunities Fund 23.95 % 3rd Fulcra Credit Opportunities Fund 21.54 %

Best 5 Year Return:

1st Goodwood Milford Fund 9.82 % 2nd Venator Income Fund 9.16 % 3rd RP Debt Opportunities Fund 8.88 %

Best 5 Year Sharpe Ratio:

1st RP Debt Opportunities Fund 3.22 2nd Blair Franklin Global Credit Fund 3.18 3rd Lawrence Park Credit Strategies Fund 2.26

Market Neutral Category:

Best 1 Year Return:

1st Amethyst Arbitrage Fund (Canada) 10.78 % 2nd HGC Arbitrage Fund LP 9.30 % 3rd WARATAH One 5.52 %

Best 5 Year Return:

1st CC&L Global Equity Market Neutral Fund 12.84 % 2nd CC&L Market Neutral Fund 9.96 % 3rd WARATAH One 6.41 %

Best 5 Year Sharpe Ratio:

1st WARATAH One 1.62 2nd Ross Smith Capital Investment Fund 1.53 3rd Curvature LP 1.38

Global Macro/Managed Futures/Multi-Strategy Category:

Best 1 Year Return:

1st PH&N Absolute Return Fund 16.78 % 2nd Barometer Global Macro Pool 15.79 % 3rd MacNicol & Associates Absolute Return Fund 13.08 %

Best 5 Year Return:

1st Claret Global Multi-Asset Fund 12.32 % 2nd Barometer Global Macro Pool 12.14 % 3rd PH&N Absolute Return Fund 11.70 %

Best 5 Year Sharpe Ratio:

1st JM Catalyst Fund 2.49 2nd Kensington Hedge Fund 1 2.01 3rd PH&N Absolute Return Fund 1.39

Average Performance of Canadian Hedge Funds to June 30, 2017

By Category 1 Yr Return 5 Yr Return 5 Yr Sharpe Ratio Credit Focused 10.38% 6.11% 1.69 Equity Focused 10.03% 7.01% 0.83 Market Neutral 1.52% 5.89% 1.03 Global Macro/Managed Futures/Multi-Strategy 1.64% 6.38% 0.84 All Hedge Funds in the 2017 CHFAs 7.39% 6.63% 0.96

Awards were also presented to those service providers that Canadian hedge fund managers voted most valuable to them: SGGG Fund Services received the award for top Canadian Hedge Fund Administrator, the top Canadian Prime Broker award went to CIBC Prime Services, McMillan was awarded top Canadian Law Firm and KPMG was voted the top Canadian Accounting Firm.

The 2017 Canadian Hedge Fund Awards program would not be possible without the generous support of its Sponsors:

Principal Sponsors: Fundata Canada and KPMG LLP

Table Sponsors: Apex Fund Services, SS&C CommonWealth and SGGG Fund Services,

Contributing Presenters: CIBC Capital Markets, McMillan and Sigma Analysis and Management

Associate Sponsors: Alliance Sales and Marketing, AUM Law, and Independent Review Inc, and

Media Partners: 100 Women in Finance, CAIA, Hedge Fund Alert, NEMA, and Newsfile

Help for Children was the Chosen Charity Partner for the 2017 Canadian Hedge Fund Awards program.

For more information about the annual CHFA program, the 2017 Top Contenders and the full directory of hedge funds participating in the 2017 Canadian Hedge Fund program, go to: www.alternativeiq.com or call:

Julie Makepeace

Managing Director, Alternative IQ and President, Alliance Sales and Marketing,Inc.

jmakepeace@alliancesalesandmarketing.com

416-906-3782

About Alternative IQ: Alternative IQ produces the annual Canadian Hedge Fund Awards, held in Toronto each October (performance as at June 30th), the 'Winners Showcase' events which present managers of the award-winning hedge funds to investors, and various other programs and publications serving the hedge fund industry in Canada. Alternative IQ is dedicated to celebrating, supporting and expanding Canada's Hedge Fund Industry. AIQ is a division of Alliance Sales and Marketing, Inc.

About the Annual Canadian Hedge Fund Awards: The Annual Canadian Hedge Fund Awards were first held in 2008 and have a two-fold objective: First, to celebrate the talent and accomplishments of Canada's hedge fund industry, and second, to draw attention to Canada's hedge funds by raising the awareness of that expertise in the media and among the wider investment community.
RIMOUSKI, QUEBEC -- (Marketwired) -- 12/20/17 -- Puma Exploration Inc. (the "Company" or "Puma") (TSX VENTURE: PUM)(SSE: PUMA) has completed the second phase of a trenching program in the Murray Brook area. 29 trenches for a total of 1,900 meters were excavated at close proximity of the Murray Brook Deposit. Two (2) new showings found at respectively 100 meters west and 300 meters east from the Murray Brook Deposit (see figure 1) and will be the first priority targets. The results of the trenching program are pending.

The mineralized zones will be the sites of the first holes to be drilled in the Murray Brook area. The technical team is on site in order to get the drill sites and access road ready for the current drilling program. 5,000 meters of drilling is planned to begin at close proximity of the Deposit and will move next to the Murray Brook East Property contiguous to the Caribou Mining Lease held by Trevali Mining Corp.

Puma completed 34 trenches for a total of 3800 meters at Murray Brook East Property in the first phase of the program conducted during the fall for a total of 69 trenches in 2017. Several discoveries and observations made during the program have been helpful in the planning of the current drilling campaign. These observations include the lithologic contact between sediments (VMS host rock) and the felsic volcanics as well as mafic dikes and structures. The objective of this major trenching program was to verify the nature of the first priority targets at surface defined by Puma geologists and to locate precisely the current drilling targets. These first priority targets are based on major gravity, chargeability and Megatem (Em) anomalies identified.

Puma is proceeding with a geochemical drillcore sampling program within the footwall and hangwall zones of the Murray Brook Deposit to determine the alteration model along the favorable horizon. This alteration survey will also help defining more precisely the drilling targets.

About the Murray Brook Project

The Murray Brook Project consists of three (3) distinct contiguous areas that cover more than 18 kilometers of the favorable rocks that host the operating Caribou Mine (Trevali Mining Corp.), the Murray Brook Deposit and the past operating Restigouche Mine (Trevali Mining Corp.). From east to west, the project comprises the Murray Brook East Property (4925), the Murray Brook Mining Lease (# 252) and the Murray Brook West Property (7846) (refer to website).

The Murray Brook East and Murray Brook West Properties have been subject to various degrees of exploration and share the same potential of increasing the mineral resources defined at the Murray Brook Deposit. The Company has defined several future priority targets on these properties.

The Murray Brook deposit has a currently defined measured and indicated mineral resources of 5.28 million tonnes averaging 5.24% zinc, 1.80% lead, 0.46% copper, 68.9 g/t silver and 0.65 g/t gold. The core of the mineral resource occurs in the West Zone which is 200 meters wide, extending from surface to 300 meters vertical and the true thickness of the massive sulphide body varies from 75 meters to 100 meters. The East Zone (Copper-Gold) is 100 meters wide, also extending from surface to 300 vertical meters and is mainly mineralized with gold and copper. On February 20th 2017, a NI 43-101 report was accepted and filed on SEDAR.

About Puma Exploration Inc.

Puma Exploration is a Canadian mineral exploration company with advanced precious and base metals projects in Canada. The Company's major assets consist of an option to acquire 100% beneficial interest in the Murray Brook Property, the Turgeon Zinc-Copper Project and the Nicholas-Denys Project located in New Brunswick as well as an equity interest in BWR Resources, Manitoba. Puma's objective for the coming year is to focus its exploration efforts in New Brunswick.

Qualified Persons and QC/AC

The content of this press release was prepared by Marcel Robillard, P.Geo., President and Dominique Gagne, P.Geo., Vice President Exploration of Puma Exploration, qualified persons as defined by NI 43-101, who supervised the preparation and technical information that forms the basis for this news release. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Mr. Robillard and Mr. Gagne are not independent of the Company, as both are officers and shareholders thereof. The samples were prepared, sent, processed at ALS Val D'Or, Quebec and ALS Sudbury, Ontario. All samples were assayed by ME-ICP41 method and gold was assayed by AU-AA26 method. QA/QC are monitored by the analysis of blanks, reference material and replicate samples at a frequency of one (1) of each per 30 samples.

You can visit us on Facebook and Twitter.

Learn more by consulting www.pumaexploration.com for further information on Puma Exploration Inc.

Forward-Looking Statements: This press release may contain forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements involve a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Puma Exploration Inc. to be materially different from actual future results and achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements which speak only as of the date the statements were made, except as required by law. Puma Exploration undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties are described in the quarterly and annual reports and in the documents submitted to the securities administration.

To view the figure associated with this press release, please visit the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/171220_PUM_Figure1.jpg

Contacts:

Puma Exploration Inc.

Marcel Robillard

President

(418) 724-0901

president@explorationpuma.com

www.pumaexploration.com




VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 10/03/17 -- Serengeti Resources Inc. (TSX VENTURE: SIR)(FRANKFURT: 34S) announces that substantive agreement having been reached between the negotiating teams on all of the business terms and form and makeup of joint venture agreement for the next stage of the Kwanika project earn-in, it has granted Daewoo Minerals Canada (DMC) a thirty day extension until October 25th to provide for ratification by Daewoo's internal approval process and signature of the definitive agreement. The final agreement also remains subject to ratification by the board of Serengeti Resources and approval by the TSX-V Exchange.

Upon signature of the definitive agreement, DMC will contribute $7 million in cash plus their current 5% interest in the Kwanika project and Serengeti will contribute the balance of its Kwanika property interest to a new joint venture company to be named the Kwanika Copper Corporation (KCC), owned 65% by Serengeti and 35% by DMC. Final closing of the transaction including receipt of funds by KCC is expected within 10 days of signing at which point Serengeti will be entitled to immediately receive its Operator's fee of $700,000, representing 10% of DMC's next contribution.

"We are pleased that we have been able to settle the final terms of the Kwanika joint venture agreement with Posco Daewoo. This will be a far reaching agreement covering project advancement from completion of a Pre-Feasibility Study which is the next step, through Feasibility Study, Mine Development and Mine Operation activities from production through to eventual closure." We understand that an organization as large as Posco Daewoo has a formal decision making process that they must adhere to and are confident that the final agreement will be approved and signed within the extension timeframe," stated David Moore, Serengeti Resources President & CEO.

About Serengeti Resources Inc.

Serengeti is a mineral exploration company managed by an experienced team of professionals with a solid track record of exploration success. The Company is currently advancing its Kwanika copper-gold project in partnership with Daewoo Minerals Canada and exploring its extensive portfolio of properties in the highly prospective Quesnel Trough of British Columbia. A number of these other projects are available for option or joint venture and additional information can be found on the Company's website at www.serengetiresources.com.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

David W. Moore, P. Geo., President, CEO and Director

Cautionary Statement

This document contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities regulations. All statements other than statements of historical fact herein, including, without limitation, statements regarding exploration plans and other future plans and objectives, are forward-looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and future events and actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from our expectations as well as a comprehensive list of risk factors are disclosed in the Company's documents filed from time to time via SEDAR with the Canadian regulatory agencies to whose policies we are bound. Forward-looking statements are based on the estimates and opinions of management on the date the statements are made, and we do not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements should conditions or our estimates change, other than as required by law and readers are further advised not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The information in this News Release related to the Kwanika Copper/Gold Project was derived from the PEA. Statements pertaining to projected revenues and cash flows, quantity and grade of mineralized materials, estimated mineral prices are forward-looking statements. The Company cautions that this PEA is preliminary in nature, and is based on technical and economic assumptions which will be evaluated in further studies. The PEA is based on the current (as at January 2017) Kwanika estimated resource model, which consists of material in both the indicated and inferred classifications. Inferred mineral resources are considered too speculative geologically to have technical and economic considerations applied to them. The current basis of project information is not sufficient to convert the mineral resources to mineral reserves, and mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. Accordingly, there can be no certainty that the results estimated in the PEA will be realized.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Contacts:

Investor Relations:

Paradox Public Relations

514-341-0408

Toll free (in North America) 1-866-460-0408

info@paradox-pr.ca



Serengeti Resources Inc.

604-605-1300

info@serengetiresources.com

www.serengetiresources.com




LOS ANGELES, 2017-10-03 13:55 CEST (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Advanced Bifurcation Systems ("ABS" or the "Company"), a clinical stage medical device company developing an innovative stenting platform which overcomes the limitations of current approaches for the treatment of bifurcation lesions in coronary angioplasties, today announced that the Company is planning to undertake human clinical trials in New Brunswick, Canada. The planning for these clinical trials has been initiated with the participation of Dalhousie University's Medical School (DMNB), Horizon Health Network (HHN) where the New Brunswick Heart Center is located, and the New Brunswick Health Research Foundation (NBHRF). The introduction to these institutions was spearheaded by Opportunities NB.



Dr. Mehran Khorsandi, Chairman and Founder of Advanced Bifurcation Systems stated, "ABS is very excited about commencing clinical trials within the New Brunswick health care system. The high quality of the interventional cardiologists, combined with the excellence of the New Brunswick health care system and the institutions that support it, will provide a great resource for us when we initiate our clinical trials."



Mr. Charles Laverty, Chief Executive Officer of Advanced Bifurcation Systems commented, "We believe the quality of the data from the clinical trials will mirror the strong reputation of outcomes within the New Brunswick health care system and look forward to working with this outstanding team."



"The NBHRF facilitates and supports the Health Research Enterprise in New Brunswick. We are pleased to witness the interest and commitment of ABS in medical device innovation as well as recognizing the expertise of the Specialists and health professionals at the NBHC and the HHN Research Services. The conduct of clinical research and clinical trials in New Brunswick is a great testament to our efforts at building out our health research capacity," says Dr. Bruno Battistini, President, CEO and Scientific Director of the New Brunswick Health Research Foundation.



"ONB is always looking at how to leverage New Brunswick's strengths to bring new opportunities here that will generate economic growth and skilled jobs for New Brunswickers," said ONB CEO Stephen Lund. "This province has world-class assets in the health-research sector, and it is drawing interest from innovative companies like Advanced Bifurcation Systems (ABS) Inc. We are excited to see what ABS can achieve in New Brunswick."



Upon successful completion of the human clinical trials, ABS intends to establish a manufacturing facility in New Brunswick, to serve ABS's customers globally. ABS has incorporated a Canadian subsidiary, Advanced Bifurcation Systems Canada, Inc. to support this effort.



About Advanced Bifurcation Systems



Advanced Bifurcation Systems ("ABS") is a clinical stage medical device company developing an innovative stenting platform for simple treatment of all bifurcation lesions in coronary angioplasties. ABS has developed a novel technology which overcomes the limitations of current approaches while simplifying the procedure. The Company's groundbreaking system consists of numerous differentiating features, including a unique modular independently movable dual-catheter system for provisional side-branch stenting as well as full bifurcation stenting with a proprietary crimping technology allowing for partial crimping of the main stent. For more information, go to www.advancedbifurcation.com.



About OPPORTUNITIES NB



Opportunities NB is a Crown corporation that seeks to attract and support opportunities to grow the economy and create jobs. It provides support services for businesses across the province.



About the New Brunswick Health Research Foundation



The New Brunswick Health Research Foundation (NBHRF) was created in July 2008 with a mandate to co-ordinate, support and promote health research in New Brunswick. Our vision is a healthy and prosperous New Brunswick through excellence in health research and innovation. Our mission is to provide leadership and support to build health research capacity, improve the health of New Brunswickers and advance the knowledge economy.



The NBHRF is an independent organization governed by a board of directors comprised of key stakeholders from the health research community in New Brunswick. Provincial funding is provided by Business New Brunswick.



Contact:



Advanced Bifurcation Systems Charles Laverty Chief Executive Officer charles_laverty@advancedbifurcation.com (949)432-4824

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ROUYN-NORANDA, QUEBEC -- (Marketwired) -- 10/03/17 -- Radisson Mining Resources Inc. (TSX VENTURE: RDS)(OTC: RMRDF)

Editors Note: There is a photo associated with this press release.

Press release highlights:

-- The first 4 exploration drill holes have intersected gold mineralization over 200 metres along strike in the Vintage Zone, located 85 metres north of the Larder-Lake-Cadillac fault ("L-L-C"). (See figure 1) -- Significant intersections reported are: -- OB-17-42 with 13.7 g/t Au over 1.5 m -- OB-17-43 with 7.5 g/t Au over 1.5 m -- OB-17-43 with 15.0 g/t Au over 1.5 m -- OB-17-45 with 8.6 g/t Au over 1.5 m -- OB-17-47 with 4.3 g/t Au over 1.2 m

Radisson Mining Resources Inc. (TSX VENTURE: RDS)(OTC: RMRDF) ("Radisson" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the first set of results from the exploration drill program completed as part of the ongoing 20,000 metres drill program at the Company's O'Brien gold project. The project is located along the Larder-Lake-Cadillac ("L-L-C") fault halfway between Rouyn-Noranda and Val-d'Or, two renowned mining towns in the province of Quebec, Canada. First four exploration drill holes completed in the Vintage Zone have intersected multiple high-grade gold zones hosted by a sub vertical shear vein system. The structure has been traced by drilling on over 200 metres strike length from East to West and is open in all directions.

The 5,190 metres exploration drill program completed during the summer focused on high-priority exploration targets defined outside current resources of the O'Brien gold project. Current results are from four drill holes completed north of the L-L-C in the Vintage Zone. Results are pending for 6 holes totalling 3,506 metres.

Mario Bouchard, President and CEO commented: "The results from these exploration drill holes completed in the Vintage Zone are highlighting the strong exploration potential north of the Larder-Lake-Cadillac fault on the O'Brien project. To put the significance of these results in context, one should remember that the bulk of current resources are located a few metres south of the L-L-C, in the Piche volcanic group. The data compilation of the few exploration work historically conducted on the Vintage Zone allowed Radisson to identify several high-priority exploration targets in this area of the O'Brien gold project. The fact that the company was able to identify gold mineralization over 200 metres strike length with only four drill holes speaks by itself. The current results in addition to historical information helps to demonstrate the continuity and the favourable geometry of the Vintage Zone. All intercepts remain open laterally and at depth."

Table 1 Drilling results summary on the Vintage Zone

---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hole From To Length Grade Interpreted zone ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- (m) (m) (m) Au ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- OB-17-42 261.8 263.3 1.5 13.7 CADILLAC CONGLOMERATE(i)VG ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Including 262.3 262.8 0.5 40.9 CADILLAC CONGLOMERATE(i)VG ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- OB-17-42 299.5 300.0 0.5 6.5 CADILLAC WACKE(i)VG ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- OB-17-42 371.6 372.1 0.5 0.2 CADILLAC WACKE(i)VG ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- OB-17-43 304.0 305.5 1.5 7.5 CADILLAC WACKE ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Including 304.5 305.0 0.5 21.2 CADILLAC WACKE(i)VG ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- OB-17-43 351.3 352.8 1.5 15.0 CADILLAC WACKE ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Including 351.8 352.3 0.5 44.8 CADILLAC WACKE(i)VG ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- OB-17-43 360.2 361.7 1.5 3.7 CADILLAC WACKE ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- OB-17-45 239.1 240.6 1.5 8.6 CADILLAC WACKE ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- OB-17-45 250.0 250.5 0.5 5.8 CADILLAC WACKE(i)VG ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- OB-17-45 255.3 255.8 0.5 8.2 CADILLAC WACKE ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- OB-17-45 257.5 258.2 0.7 4.1 CADILLAC WACKE ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- OB-17-47 168.3 169.5 1.2 4.3 CADILLAC WACKE ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

(i)VG; Denotes presence of visible gold

Note; Results are presented as down hole width; true width are estimated between 55 to 70% of down hole thickness.

Vintage zone exploration program

The Vintage zone is a parallel zone of the O'Brien project located approximately 85 metres north of the L-L-C fault in the Cadillac Group of meta-sediments comprising sequence of polymictic conglomerate, banded iron formation (BIF) and grauwacke. In comparison, current resources of 36E and Kewagama zones are located in the Piche Group, south of the L-L-C fault. The Vintage zone saw small historical exploration programs, which were never followed upon. The company established several high-priority exploration drill targets through historical data compilation in this area of the O'Brien gold project. The first four drill holes that tested these targets were completed over a strike length of 200 metres. The new info added to the few available historical information helps to demonstrate the continuity and the favourable geometry of the Vintage zone. All intercepts remain open in all direction.

All drill cores in this campaign are NQ in size. Assays were completed on sawn half-cores, with the second half kept for future reference. The samples were analyzed using standard fire assay procedures with Atomic Absorption (AA) finish at Swastika Laboratories Ltd, in Swastika, Ontario. Samples yielding a grade higher than 5 g/t were analyzed a second time by fire assay with gravimetric finish at the same laboratory. Samples containing visible gold were analyzed with metallic sieve procedure. Standard reference materials and blank samples were inserted prior to shipment for quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) program.

Qualified Person

Tony Brisson, P. Geo, independent consultant, acts as a Qualified Person as defined in National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the technical information in this press release.

About Radisson Mining Resources Inc.

Radisson is a Quebec-based mineral exploration company. The O'Brien project, cut by the regional Larder-Lake-Cadillac Fault, is Radisson's flagship asset. The project hosts the former O'Brien Mine, considered to have been the Abitibi Greenstone Belt's highest-grade gold producer during its production (1,197,147 metric tons at 15.25 g/t Au for 587,121 ounces of gold from 1926 to 1957; InnovExplo, April 2015).

For more information on Radisson, visit our website at www.radissonmining.com.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Statements: This press release may contain certain forward-looking information. All statements included herein, including the scheduled Closing date, but other than statements of historical fact, is forward-looking information and such information involves various risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. A description of assumptions used to develop such forward-looking information and a description of risk factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from forward looking information can be found in Radisson's disclosure documents on the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com.

To view the photo associated with this press release, please visit the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/1103061_Fig1.jpg

Contacts:

Radisson Mining Resources Inc.

Hubert Parent-Bouchard

Corporate Development

819-763-9969

hpbouchard@radissonmining.com

www.radissonmining.com




Interactive 'Smart' Shelves Featuring NFC SpeedTap Tags Educate Consumers and Drive Purchasing Decisions; Program Launched in Retail Stores Across Canada

Thin Film Electronics ASA ("Thinfilm") (OSE: THIN; OTCQX: TFECY), a global leader in NFC (near field communication) mobile marketing and smart packaging solutions, today announced that GlaxoSmithKline ("GSK") (LSE/NYSE: GSK), one of the world's leading research-based pharmaceutical and healthcare companies has commercially deployed Thinfilm's unique SpeedTap tags to create interactive 'smart' shelves for enhanced communication with consumers at time of purchase decision-making.

GSK introduced interactive 'smart' Flonase shelves in retail stores across Canada in an effort to educate consumers about the new product and guide them in their purchasing decision. Thinfilm's unique SpeedTap tags incorporated into shelving allows consumers to obtain product information through the tap of an NFC-enabled smartphone.

In addition to SpeedTap tags, GSK is also using Thinfilm's software platform CNECT as part of the end-to-end solution that helps dynamically manage the experience of Flonase consumers. The cloud-based platform integrates with the NFC hardware, enabling GSK to manage tags remotely, deliver custom messaging and content, view real-time consumer tapping activity, and develop valuable consumer insights through built-in analytics functionality.

"At GSK, we focus on helping people do more, feel better, and live longer. And we do that, in large part, by delivering highly effective products to the market," said Sriman Banerjee, Director R&D Respiratory Packaging for GSK. "But we also realize that connecting directly with consumers to provide unique and meaningful experiences is critical in today's market. We believe an innovative mobile technology like Thinfilm's can play a critical role in strengthening customer relationships, building brand loyalty, and driving revenue for the Flonase brand."

Flonase Allergy Relief is the first 'prescription to over-the-counter' intranasal corticosteroid spray from GSK indicated for relief of nasal and eye-related allergy symptoms as well as management of sinus pain and pressure. It is an effective medicine that relieves seasonal and year-round allergy symptoms caused by pollen, mold, dust and pets.

"We are delighted to work with GSK a global leader, an innovator, and a company that is changing the face of healthcare," said Davor Sutija, CEO of Thinfilm. "Bringing Thinfilm's NFC solutions to a valued product like Flonase is a milestone in the industry, and we look forward to helping GSK drive the brand's value by connecting directly with consumers at the time of purchase decision-making."

About Thin Film Electronics ASA

Thinfilm is a global leader in NFC mobile marketing and smart-packaging solutions using printed electronics technology. The Company creates printed tags, labels, and systems that include memory, sensors, displays, and wireless communication all at a cost-per-function unmatched by conventional electronic technologies.

Thinfilm offers end-to-end mobile marketing solutions that feature hardware, label/packaging integration services, and comprehensive cloud-based management, reporting and analytics. Collectively, these components deliver a powerful 1-to-1 digital marketing platform through which brands of all sizes can connect directly with consumers, all with the simple tap of a smartphone. The resulting disintermediation of search engines, online marketplaces, and social platforms empowers brands to control messaging, enhance consumer dialogue, build loyalty, increase engagement, and drive sales.

Thinfilm's roadmap integrates technology from a strong and growing ecosystem of partners to bring intelligence to everyday, disposable items. Its mission is to effectively extend the traditional boundaries of the Internet of Things to fuel the Internet of Everything.

Thin Film Electronics ASA is a publicly listed company in Norway with global headquarters in Oslo, Norway; US headquarters in San Jose, California; and offices in Linkoping, Sweden; San Francisco; London; and Shanghai. For more information, visit www.thinfilm.no.

About GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare

GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare is one of the world's largest consumer healthcare products companies. Its more than 30 well-known brands include Voltaren, Emulgel, Aquafresh, Sensodyne, and TUMS.

About GlaxoSmithKline

GlaxoSmithKline one of the world's leading research-based pharmaceutical and healthcare companies is committed to improving the quality of human life by enabling people to do more, feel better and live longer. For company information visit: http://www.gsk.com.

This information is subject of the disclosure requirements acc. to 5-12 vphl (Norwegian Securities Trading Act).

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171003005300/en/

Contacts:

For more information on Thinfilm please contact:

Thin Film Electronics ASA

Bill Cummings, +1 408-503-7312

SVP Corporate Communications

bill.cummings@thinfilm.no
Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
BROOKLYN, New York, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --Nanotronics, a global developer of the world's most technologically advanced automated microscope, today announced it has secured $30 million in Series D funding led by Investment Corporation of Dubai (ICD) with participation from current investor, Founders Fund. ICD's portfolio includes more than 40 company investments across diverse sectors with a global footprint spanning more than 50 countries. Following the completion of this current financing, Nanotronics will have raised a total of $71 million, which will accelerate the development of the company's cutting-edge optical inspection technologies and proprietary industrial enterprise software, as well as expansion into key regions of the Asian market in 2018.

"From the first Nanotronics system sold six years ago, to the over 60 factories we now operate in around the world, we are bringing our mission of delivering a convergence of the most advanced technologies back to industry," said Nanotronics founder and CEO, Dr.Matthew Putman, PhD. "Our expansion will fuel an engine of invention, and as we enable our customers to deploy better technology, Nanotronics' methods and opportunities will be further positioned at the center of the global manufacturing network."

Nanotronics provides scientists and engineers a powerful tool that seamlessly integrates into manufacturing supply chains for everything from MEMs and semiconductors to aerospace hardware, nano-medicine, and DNA sequencing and storage. Redefining the relationship between technology and manufacturing, Nanotronics' systems such as nSPEC and nSPEC3D were developed with a globally patented super-resolution; 3D imaging; precision robotics; and the most advanced software techniques for computer vision and artificial intelligence. Nanotronics' capabilities allow manufacturers to rapidly implement design and process changes, increase yields and process control, and reduce scrap and costs.

"Consumers have access to better algorithms in their smartphones than you will find inside most of the factories that make what we consume. That gap is an opportunity. Nanotronics is seizing it," remarked Founders Fund partner and Facebook, Palantir, and Nanotronics Board Director, Peter Thiel.

"This investment reaffirms ICD's strategic commitment towards technology innovation and marks the beginning of a long term partnership with Nanotronics which we believe is playing an important role in shaping the future of advanced manufacturing and inspection across global industries," said Khalifa Al Daboos, Deputy CEO of ICD.

Investment Corporation of Dubai will be joining other existing Nanotronics investors: co-founder of Skype and Kazaa Jaan Tallinn, co-founder of First Round Capital and Renaissance Technologies Howard Morgan, and media and technology mogul Kevin Wall.

About Nanotronics

Nanotronics is an Inc. 5000 company founded in 2010 byMatthew Putman, PhD and has offices inCalifornia,Ohio, andNew York. The company is venture backed by Founders Fund, Investment Corporation of Dubai, and is a personal investment of Jaan Tallinn, Howard Morgan, and Kevin Wall. Nanotronics customers include Broadcom, ST Micro, IQE, II-VI, Soraa, Applied Optoelectronics, and many others. All Nanotronics products are designed and manufactured inCalifornia. To learn more about Nanotronics, please visit: https://www.nanotronics.co/.

About Investment Corporation Dubai

ICD was established in May 2006 by decree (11) of 2006 under a mandate to consolidate and manage the Government of Dubai's portfolio of commercial companies and investments. It also provides strategic oversight by developing and implementing investment strategy and corporate governance policies with an objective to maximize stakeholder value, for the long-term benefit of the Emirate.

ICD, as the principal investment arm of the Government of Dubai currently has a portfolio that represents a cross-section of Dubai's most recognized companies, in sectors that the Government of Dubai has deemed to be strategic for the continued development of the Emirate. The sectors include financial services, transportation, energy and industries, real estate and leisure, retail and other holdings. In addition, ICD has embarked on a disciplined and sustainable strategy of global investments, which are synergistic with its existing portfolio, to extend Dubai's presence and expertise into international markets.

For more information about ICD please visit www.icd.gov.ae

Nanotronics:

Contact:Alexis Stoller

Phone: 202-997-9862

Email:alexis@nanotronics.co
FORM 8.3

PUBLIC OPENING POSITION DISCLOSURE/DEALING DISCLOSURE BY

A PERSON WITH INTERESTS IN RELEVANT SECURITIES REPRESENTING 1% OR MORE

Rule 8.3 of the Takeover Code (the "Code")

1. KEY INFORMATION

(a) Identity of the person whose positions/dealings are being disclosed: Magnetar Capital Partners LP (b) Owner or controller of interests and short positions disclosed, if different from 1(a):

The naming of nominee or vehicle companies is insufficient N/A (c) Name of offeror/offeree in relation to whose relevant securities this form relates:

Use a separate form for each offeror/offeree Tesco Plc (d) If an exempt fund manager connected with an offeror/offeree, state this and specify identity of offeror/offeree: N/A (e) Date position held/dealing undertaken: October 2, 2017 (f) Has the discloser previously disclosed, or are they today disclosing, under the Code in respect of any other party to this offer? Yes - Booker Group Plc

2. POSITIONS OF THE PERSON MAKING THE DISCLOSURE

(a) Interests and short positions in the relevant securities of the offeror or offeree to which the disclosure relates following the dealing (if any)

Class of relevant security: 5p ordinary

ISIN: GB0008847096 Interests Short positions Number % Number % (1) Relevant securities owned and/or controlled: (2) Derivatives (other than options): 30,745,753 0.37% (3) Options and agreements to purchase/sell:

TOTAL: 30,745,753 0.37%

All interests and all short positions should be disclosed.

Details of any open derivative or option positions, or agreements to purchase or sell relevant securities, should be given on a Supplemental Form 8 (Open Positions).

(b) Rights to subscribe for new securities (including directors' and other executive options)

Class of relevant security in relation to which subscription right exists: Details, including nature of the rights concerned and relevant percentages:

If there are positions or rights to subscribe to disclose in more than one class of relevant securities of the offeror or offeree named in 1(c), copy table 2(a) or (b) (as appropriate) for each additional class of relevant security.

3. DEALINGS (IF ANY) BY THE PERSON MAKING THE DISCLOSURE

(a) Purchases and sales

Class of relevant security Purchase/sale Number of securities Price per unit

(b) Derivatives transactions (other than options)

Class of relevant security Product description

e.g. CFD Nature of dealing

e.g. opening/closing a long/short position, increasing/reducing a long/short position Number of reference securities Price per unit Ordinary shares Swap Increasing a short position 131,530 1.8720

(c) Options transactions in respect of existing securities

(i) Writing, selling, purchasing or varying

Class of relevant security Product description e.g. call option Writing, purchasing, selling, varying etc. Number of securities to which option relates Exercise price per unit Type

e.g. American, European etc. Expiry date Option money paid/ received per unit

(ii) Exercising

Class of relevant security Product description

e.g. call option Number of securities Exercise price per unit

(d) Other dealings (including subscribing for new securities)

Class of relevant security Nature of dealing

e.g. subscription, conversion Details Price per unit (if applicable)

The currency of all prices and other monetary amounts should be stated.

Where there have been dealings in more than one class of relevant securities of the offeror or offeree named in 1(c), copy table 3(a), (b), (c) or (d) (as appropriate) for each additional class of relevant security dealt in.

4. OTHER INFORMATION

(a) Indemnity and other dealing arrangements

Details of any indemnity or option arrangement, or any agreement or understanding, formal or informal, relating to relevant securities which may be an inducement to deal or refrain from dealing entered into by the person making the disclosure and any party to the offer or any person acting in concert with a party to the offer:

If there are no such agreements, arrangements or understandings, state "none"

None

(b) Agreements, arrangements or understandings relating to options or derivatives

Details of any agreement, arrangement or understanding, formal or informal, between the person making the disclosure and any other person relating to:

(i) the voting rights of any relevant securities under any option; or

(ii) the voting rights or future acquisition or disposal of any relevant securities to which any derivative is referenced:

If there are no such agreements, arrangements or understandings, state "none" None

(c) Attachments

Is a Supplemental Form 8 (Open Positions) attached? No

Date of disclosure: October 3, 2017 Contact name: Julianna Ethell Telephone number: 847-905-4688

Public disclosures under Rule 8 of the Code must be made to a Regulatory Information Service and must also be emailed to the Takeover Panel at monitoring@disclosure.org.uk. The Panel's Market Surveillance Unit is available for consultation in relation to the Code's dealing disclosure requirements on +44 (0)20 7638 0129.

The Code can be viewed on the Panel's website at www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk.
NEW YORK, October 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Healthcare quality management aims to improve the effectiveness of treatments and increase the satisfaction of the patients with the services they are being provided with. For this purpose, various laws have been enacted by the governments all across the world so that the interests of the patients are protected. Healthcare quality management also seeks to reduce the cost of healthcare and reduce the instances of medical errors if not totally eliminate them. Hence, with an increasing aging population and rising costs of healthcare, quality management in healthcare is becoming increasingly important. The sole aim of healthcare quality management is to fulfil all the needs and aspirations of the patient and the system is always patient-centric.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161114/438683LOGO )

Global Market Research Report Overview on Healthcare Quality Management @https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/healthcare-quality-management-market.asp

The global healthcare quality management market is slated to touch a value of about US$ 3,100 Mn in the year 2022 and grow at a robust CAGR during the assessment period.

A sample of this report is available upon request@ https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/18655

4 Forecast Highlights on Global Healthcare Quality Management Market

As per the forecast of Persistence Market Research, the physician quality reporting solutions segment is slated to touch a value of nearly US$ 850 Mn in the year 2022. This represents a robust CAGR growth during the assessment period of 2017-2022. The physician quality reporting solutions segment is estimated to account for more than one-fifth of the revenue share of the software segment by the year 2017 and is forecasted to lose market share by 2022 over 2017.

As per the forecast of Persistence Market Research, the ambulatory care centers segment will reach a value of about US$ 325 Mn in the year 2017. This represents a robust CAGR growth during the forecast period. The ambulatory care centers segment is forecasted to account for nearly one-fifth of the total revenue share of the end users segment by the end of the year 2017 and is expected to gain in market share by 2022 as compared with the year 2017.

As per the forecast of Persistence Market Research, the data management segment is slated to reach a value of nearly US$ 2,350 Mn in 2022. The data management segment is expected to gain market share by the end of the year 2022. The largest share is contributed by the North America region in the data management segment.

Persistence Market Research forecasts the cloud-based solutions segment to exhibit a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12% from 2017 to 2022.

View Report Table of Contents, Figures, and Tables@ https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/healthcare-quality-management-market/toc

The report has also included the profiles of some of the leading companies in the healthcare quality management market like Surescripts, LLC, Truven Health Analytics Inc., McKesson Corp., Medisolv, Inc., Cerner Corp., Altegra Health, Inc., Quantros, Inc., Nuance Communications, Inc., CitiusTech Inc., Premier, Inc. and Dolbey Systems, Inc.

Global Healthcare Quality Management Market Report is Available for US$ 4,900

Persistence Market Research Overview

Persistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance. To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.

Contact

Persistence Market Research

U.S. Sales Office:

305 Broadway, 7th Floor

New York City, NY 10007

+1-646-568-7751

United States

USA - Canada Toll-Free: 800-961-0353

Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.com


MONTREAL, QUEBEC -- (Marketwired) -- 10/03/17 -- Midland Exploration inc. ("Midland") (TSX VENTURE: MD) is pleased to report the most recent results of a prospection campaign on the Lasalle property of its James Bay Gold project (wholly owned by Midland). The Lasalle property is located about 35 kilometers south of Hydro-Quebec's LG-3 airport and of the Trans-Taiga road. The highlight of the 2017 campaign is the discovery of three new gold showings along a gold-bearing shear zone that is several kilometers long, located at a metasediments/metavolcanics contact. The three new gold showings returned respectively 22.6 g/t Au, 7.03 g/t Au and 2.35 g/t Au.

The 2017 prospection campaign was focused in the eastern part of the Lasalle property, in an area that was not previously explored by Midland and in which gold-bearing shear zones identified to the west were interpreted as continuing. A grab sample of a silicified and foliated amphibolite containing about 1% pyrite, located in a 100 meters thick shear zone, returned 22.6 g/t Au, as well as strongly anomalous copper, bismuth and molybdenum (note that grab samples are selective by nature and values reported may not be representative of mineralized zones). Along the same shear zone, 750 meters east, another grab sample of foliated amphibolite returned 7.03 g/t Au and anomalous copper and bismuth. Finally, a further 800 meters east in the same shear zone, a grab sample of paragneiss with pyrite, galena and sphalerite stringers returned 2.35 g/t Au, 105 g/t Ag, 3.32% Pb and 5.53% Zn, along with strongly anomalous bismuth and antimony. Eighteen (18) outcrop samples collected during the 2017 campaign returned more than 0.1 g/t Au, out of a total of 132 samples.

The shear zone that hosts the new showings is located at the contact between metavolcanic and metasedimentary rocks, is about 100 meters thick and is now interpreted to be more than 8 kilometers long. Along the same structure, 8 kilometers west of the new showings, the historical Lac Sirios Sud 1 showing had returned 1.93 g/t Au in a grab sample. A parallel shear zone, also located at a metavolcanics/metasediments contact, was identified by Midland in 2009 on the Golden Idol showing. This showing is located about 3 kilometers west of the new showings and had returned up to 9.09 g/t Au in grab sampling and 2.7 g/t Au over 1.0 meter in channel sampling. The new showings confirm the strong orogenic gold potential of the Lasalle property and the presence of multiple, kilometric-scale, gold-bearing shear zones. The Au-Bi-Mo-Ag-Pb-Zn elemental association also suggests a felsic magmatic-hydrothermal component to the system, in addition to the classic, shear zone hosted orogenic mineralization. This type of setting containing a superposition of distinct gold-bearing events is typical of large gold deposits.

Figures showing the location of the new gold showings can be consulted using the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/1103028_1002.pdf

Quality control

Rock samples on the project are assayed by standard 30 gram fire-assaying with AA (Au-AA23) or gravimetric finish (Au-GRA21) at ALS Minerals laboratories in Val d'Or, Quebec or Sudbury, Ontario. All samples are also analysed for multi-elements, using four-acid ICP-AES method. Exploration program design and interpretation of results is performed by qualified persons employing a Quality Assurance/Quality Control program consistent with industry best practices, including the use of standards and blanks with every 20 samples.

About Midland

Midland targets the excellent mineral potential of Quebec to make the discovery of new world-class deposits of gold, platinum group elements, base metals and rare earth elements. Midland is proud to count on reputable partners such as Agnico Eagle Mines Limited, Teck Resources Limited, Osisko Mining Inc., Altius Minerals Corp., SOQUEM INC., NioBay Metals Inc Japan Oil and Gas and Metals National Corporation and Abcourt Mines Inc. Midland prefers to work in partnership and intends to quickly conclude additional agreements in regard to newly acquired properties. Management is currently reviewing other opportunities and projects to build up the Company portfolio and generate shareholder value.

This press release has been prepared by Sylvain Trepanier, P.Geo., VP Exploration for James Bay and Northern Quebec at Midland, a "qualified person" as defined by NI 43-101. For further information, please consult Midland's website: www.explorationmidland.com

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This press release may contain forward-looking statements that are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to vary materially from targeted results. Such risks and uncertainties include those described in Midland's periodic reports including the annual report or in the filings made by Midland from time to time with securities regulatory authorities.

Contacts:

Midland Exploration inc.

Gino Roger

President and Chief Executive Officer

450 420-5977

450 420-5978 (FAX)

info@midlandexploration.com

www.explorationmidland.com




VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 10/03/17 -- Gen III Oil Corp. ("Gen III" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE: GIII) is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Grant Brown as Executive Vice President of the Company, effective October 2, 2017.

Grant Brown is a highly experienced Investment Banker and Principal Investor, having over 18 years' experience with focus on complex cross-border public market and private M&A, principal investment, strategic corporate advisory and equity and debt financing across a range of industry sectors and jurisdictions. Through his career, Mr. Brown has lead large multidisciplinary teams, building valuable partnerships and creating significant value for clients and shareholders in advising on over $40 billion of transactions.

With significant oil and gas and industrial chemicals sector experience and cross-border transaction expertise, he brings a keen understanding of the requirements and cultural sensitivities in undertaking business in a range of international jurisdictions including in South America, Latin America, the USA, Europe, Asia, Australia and South Africa.

Most recently Mr. Brown lead the M&A practice of Canaccord Genuity in Australia and was previously Managing Director at Macquarie Capital and at JPMorgan. Mr. Brown holds Bachelor's degrees in both Commerce and Science from The University of Melbourne, Australia.

Mr. Brown's team leadership, strategic decision making, business building, partnership and negotiation skills, coupled with his global M&A, principal investment, structuring and financing expertise will make an excellent addition to the Company's executive.

Mr. Greg Clarkes, CEO, stated: "We are pleased to have a senior executive of Grant's calibre join our team. His skills and experience are highly complementary to the existing management group, particularly as the Company enters an intensive period of strategic partnerships, project financing and capital markets activities in completing our first ReGen facility, and importantly executing upon our broader corporate strategy."

The Company also announces that it has granted 500,000 stock options to Mr. Brown, entitling him to purchase one common share for each option held at a price of $0.70 per share and valid for a period of two years. The options were granted pursuant to the Company's stock option plan and will vest in two equal tranches in six and twelve months.

About Gen III Oil Corporation

Gen III Oil Corporation is an innovative oil processing company with the most advanced re-refining technology in the industry, which will produce large quantities of Group III and Group II+ base oils. Gen III is developing their first full-scale facility in Bowden, Alberta with scheduled production beginning in Q4 of 2018.

On Behalf of the Board of Gen III Oil Corporation

Greg Clarkes, Chief Executive Officer

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Certain information set forth in this news release may contain forward-looking statements that involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond the control of Gen III Oil Corporation. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "continue", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "may", "will", "potential", "proposed" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. These statements are only predictions. Readers are cautioned that the assumptions used in the preparation of such information, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the anticipated use of proceeds of the Offering. The Company assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.

Contacts:

Gen III Oil Corporation

Greg Clarkes

Chief Executive Officer

(604) 806-5275




MANCHESTER, England, October 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

EDM, a leading global provider of training simulators to the civil aviation and defence sectors, announced today that the Cabin Emergency Evacuation Trainer (CEET) it has manufactured for China Southern Airlines has passed its Factory Acceptance Test (FAT).

Built at EDM's facility in the UK, the A330 CEET will enable China Southern Airlines' cabin crew to be fully trained in Safety and Emergency Procedures (SEP). Custom-made to the client's exact specification, the CEET's interior has replica galleys, lavatories, attendant seats and associated control panels. Fully controlled by a touch screen Instructor Operator Station (IOS), the CEET will enable crew to be highly trained in door and exit operation, evacuation procedures, pilot incapacitation, fire-fighting, cabin systems familiarisation and passenger management.

The CEET will also be fitted with SEPTRE, EDM's market-leading audio-visual system that enables even higher levels of cabin crew training through the provision of pre-programmed emergency scenarios such as aborted take-off, engine fire, gear collapse, ditching, turbulence and decompression.

The CEET will be shipped and then installed on a hydraulic motion platform at the airline's crew training facility in Guangzhou, China later this year. EDM is the world's leading manufacturer of cabin crew training simulators and enjoys a market leading position in China.

For more information about China Southern Airlines visit: www.csair.com

For more information about EDM visit: www.edm.ltd.uk



About EDM

EDM is a leading global provider of training simulators to the civil aviation, defence, rail and other industries. Combining the highest engineering standards with leading-edge technologies, EDM providesairlines withDoor Trainers, Cabin Service Trainers, Cabin Emergency Evacuation Trainers andFull SizeMockups and defence organisations withProcedure Trainers, Maintenance Trainers, Ejection Seats, Simulators and Full Size Replicas. Serving organisations worldwide from its UK headquarters, EDM is committed to delivering exceptional quality and value to its clients to help them enhance safety and operational efficiency.
Patent-pending software-based firewall blocks all known exploits as well as "Zero Day" attacks from penetrating HTTP and SSL/HTTPS ports on Linux web servers

Teamed with Astra Security protecting web applications RoboCyberWall provides a complete security solution

HOUSTON, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --RoboCyberWall, Inc., a provider of a proprietary precision firewall solution that protects HTTP and HTTPS (SSL) ports on Linux-based Apache2 and NGINX web servers, today unveiled its flagship product under the same name. The RoboCyberWallTM patent-pending firewallblocks all known exploits and "Zero Day" attacks on Apache2 and NGINX web servers that, according to W3Techs Web Technology Surveys, comprise more than 83 percent of all web servers worldwide. It is a simple-to-download and easy-to-install module for use with on-premise servers, cloud servers or shared hosting accounts and requires exceptionally low RAM and processor resources. It's available for license for less than $9/month.

In securing the non-application portion of the stack, RoboCyberWall provides pinpoint protection for Linux Apache2 or NGINX web server's HTTP and HTTPS ports. Typically these are ports 80 and 443, which are two of the top three most targeted ports for attack worldwide, according to Akamai's State of the Internet report.

RoboCyberWall is also proud to announce it has Partnered with Astra Security which offers a highly specialized web application firewall designed to protect Wordpress, Magento, OpenCart, Drupal, Joomla, Woocommerce.

"Firewalls today remain the critical first line of defense from ever-growing and increasingly sophisticated threats," said John R. Martinson Jr., CTO and Founder of RoboCyberWall. "Stopping a malicious program, or attacker, from gaining access to your network and information before any potential damage is done is key, and RoboCyberWall prevents breaches from happening in the first place."

RoboCyberWall, Inc. contracted with SecureWorks to perform security assessment during the period from September 5, 2017 to September 8, 2017. The objective of this engagement was to identify vulnerabilities in RoboCyberWall's systems and network security that external adversaries could exploit. During the course of the assessment, SecureWorks launched 6,593 probes and manual hack attempts on the RoboCyberWall protected server without accomplishing any breaches. The Full Report is available for review at: https://robocyberwall.com/files/RoboCyberWall_EPT_09132017.pdf

"RoboCyberWall is a particularly attractive option for small and mid-size businesses (SMBs), which are targeted much more frequently than large enterprises," said John Martinson, Sr., CEO and President of RoboCyberWall. The Verizon Data Breach Investigation Report found that 81 percent of all data breaches happen to small businesses which often lack the resources to protect business-critical data. "RoboCyberWall is a step in the direction of democratizing firewalls for all web servers and making true cyber security possible at an affordable price," said Martinson, Sr. "Enterprise firewalls are very expensive and require significant investments and IT staff to install, configure and maintain, which often puts them out of reach for most SMBs.

"'Zero Day' attacks have been impossible to protect against because older technology has to guess which packets are good and which are bad. However, RoboCyberWall has a real-time whitelisting feature that allows good packets to be immediately validated while blocking all other unknown packets. Moreover, if new content is added to a server, that information is instantly added to"the whitelist," said Martinson Jr.

"RoboCyberWall's white listing feature means zero false positives and zero bad packets make it into your Linux server, which shields your website with comprehensive protection," said Martinson Jr. "With Google blacklisting an estimated 10,000 compromised websites every day, RoboCyberWall protects your website and keeps it up and running."

RoboCyberwall is already receiving industry recognition with these recent awards:

CyberSecurity Breakthrough Awards 2017 - http://cybersecuritybreakthrough.com/

Unified Threat Management - Next Generation Firewall Solution of the Year.

http://cybersecuritybreakthrough.com/ Unified Threat Management - Next Generation Firewall Solution of the Year. Golden Bridge Awards 2017 - http://www.goldenbridgeawards.com

New Products and Services - Security Software - RoboCyberWall' Version 1.0 Bronze Winner.

RoboCyberWall is being offered as a $8.95/month subscription, licensed to users on a monthly or yearly basis. For more information about RoboCyberWall or to download please go to https://robocyberwall.com.

About RoboCyberWall, Inc.

RoboCyberWall, Inc. is a provider of the proprietary, precision, perimeter firewall solution for businesses of all sizes that achieves the ultimate in protection for the highly targeted HTTP and HTTPS ports on Linux-based Apache2 and NGINX web servers. RoboCyberWall is easy-to-download and simple-to-install. It blocks both known exploits and "Zero Day" attacks. For more information, visit https://robocyberwall.comand follow us on Twitter @robocyberwall.

About Astra Security

Astra is a plug-n-play website security suite that takes 2-minutes to setup and provides rock solid security against hackers, bots and 100+ internet threats. Astra is a completely managed firewall not requiring any manual intervention, giving business owners all the time to focus on business while Astra takes care of security. It works seamlessly with Wordpress, OpenCart, Magento, Drupal, Joomla, Woocommerce. More information at www.getAstra.com

Media Contacts:

John Martinson, Jr.

713-589-2537

press@robocyberwall.com

Video - http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/566498/RCW.mp4

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/564531/RoboCyberWall_Cybersecurity_Infographic.jpg

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/564561/rcw_logo_800x521_ID_1829ae4558db_Logo.jpg
Caratube International Oil Company LLP and Mr. Devincci Salah Hourani (ICSID nARB/13/13) AWARD

The following is a statement from Derains Gharavi, Caratube and Mr. Hourani's legal representatives:

"On September 27, 2017, an ICSID Arbitral Tribunal, under auspices of the World Bank, composed of President Prof. Laurent Levy, Prof. Laurent Aynes and Prof. Jacques Sales, rendered the first Award ruling on the merits the Hourani family (including Messrs. Devincci Hourani, Issam Hourani (Khorani) and Kassem Omar)'s numerous claims against Kazakhstan, in favour of Caratube International Oil Company LLP ("Caratube") finding Kazakhstan liable under Kazakh and international law for unlawful expropriation and ordered it to pay Caratube USD 39.2 million in damages, plus USD 1,207,757.44, and well over 10 million USD in interest ("ICSID Award").

The Hourani family had its business empire expropriated by Kazakhstan in 2008 and has ever since been the target of acts of intimidation and defamation by Kazakhstan worldwide, based on what it has claimed ever since to be pretenses whereas the underlying reason is simply that it was caught in between a family and political dispute between President Nazarbayev and his then son in law, the late Mr. Rakhat Aliyev, to whom the Houranis are related by marriage.

The Hourani family has since 2008 launched a number of arbitrations against Kazakhstan and has been preparing to seek compensation for the expropriation of their businesses. The ICSID Award is the very first Award ever that has ruled on the merits of any of these claims. It was in relation to a Contract for the Exploration and Production of Hydrocarbons dated May 27, 2002 entered into by Caratube with the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources.

The Tribunal found by majority decision, at paragraph 905 of the Award, that the termination of the Contract by the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources was unlawful and in breach of Kazakh and international law as Caratube was not adequately notified of any alleged breaches of Contract before termination, and that there was in any event no evidence that Caratube had materially breached any of its obligations.

The Tribunal further added, at paragraphs 924, 926, 927 and 934 of the Award, that the termination of the Contract was made as a result of the interference of the General Prosecutor by means of correspondence to the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, which was acted on as an instruction to the Ministry to terminate Caratube's Contract. It found that this constituted a sovereign interference in a private contract in violation of Kazakh and international law.

More, the Tribunal held, at paragraph 936 of the Award, that the real motivation behind the termination of the Contract was, as the Hourani family has been claiming since 2008 in relation to each and every one of their expropriated investments, not any allegedly deficient performance, but rather lied in the family and political context underlying the case, i.e. coinciding with the Hourani family's falling out of favor of Kazakhstan. As the Tribunal put it at the same paragraph: "It was the Respondent's sovereign act that caused [Caratube]'s loss of its existing rights under the Contract, rather than the latter's alleged breaches of the Contract. In particular, considering the troubling facts (especially the chronology of the facts taken as a whole) underlying this case and the evidence on the record, a majority of the Tribunal considers that the Claimants have convincingly established that the real motivation behind the termination of the Contract was not [Caratube]'s allegedly deficient performance of the Contract, but rather lies in the family and political context underlying the case. While [Caratube]'s deficient performance of its contractual obligations might not have been approved by the Respondent, it was tolerated without any material consequences attached thereto until the year 2007, thus coinciding with the Hourani family's falling out of favor with the Respondent

The holding of the tribunal, the first to ever rule on the merits of any of the takings by Kazakhstan of the Hourani family's assets, is transposable to all of the takings that occurred under the same circumstances in violation of Kazakh and international law. Kazakhstan has similarly expropriated the Hourani family's airport, pharmaceutical company, poultry industry, media and many other assets, spent so far over USD 50,000,000 (including over 17,000,000 USD in the latest Caratube ruling only) in legal, expert and lobbying fees worldwide to justify the same via post facto allegations of the most errand kind that have aggravated the Hourani family's hardship.

The Houranis, businessmen only without any involvement ever in politics, are friends of Kazakhstan and its citizens and hope that this first ever judgment on the merits by an international tribunal under the auspices of the World Bank ruling under Kazakh and international will allow prompt and fair compensation for the taking of all of their assets and the closure of all claims in the interest of all parties.

The Award is publicly available at https://www.italaw.com/sites/default/files/case-documents/italaw9324.pdf. Further enquiries should be addressed to Caratube and Mr. Hourani's legal representative, Dr. Hamid G. Gharavi, of the law firm Derains Gharavi (Paris), by email hgharavi@derainsgharavi.com or phone + 33 1 40 55 51 00."

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171003005914/en/

Contacts:

Derains Gharavi

Dr. Hamid G. Gharavi, 33-1-40-55-51-00

hgharavi@derainsgharavi.com
DUBLIN and MUMBAI, India, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --Tech Mahindra, a leading provider of digital transformation, consulting and business reengineering services and solutions and UBiqube, a leading network and security orchestration software vendor, have joined hands to deliver next generation integrated SDN (software defined network) and NFV (network functions virtualization) solutions.

Through this collaboration, Tech Mahindra shall have access to UBiqube's orchestration technology for its Virtual Network Function (VNF)-Xchange program. Orchestration is the process of automatically programming the behavior of the network ensuring smooth coordination between the network's hardware and software to support applications and services.

Industries all over the world are moving towards greater automation, digitization and virtualization. However, the absence of widely accepted industry standards and the lack of integration between multi-vendor components and systems is slowing digitalization efforts of service providers. The collaboration between Tech Mahindra and UBiqube looks at addressing this technological challenge by enabling the service providers to accelerate their digitization/automation transition from legacy infrastructure to a highly versatile program by making network virtualization more efficient and seamless.

"We are extremely excited to be part of the VNF-Xchange ecosystem driven initiative. UBiqube aims to accelerate the migration from legacy infrastructure to NFV, and to provide the service provider industry with an agile solution for network and security services process automation, which is a critical step towards digitalization," says Nabil Souli, CEO of UBiqube.

"Innovative technologies in network virtualization are dramatically creating opportunities for communication service providers to deploy more efficient and agile networks. The VNF-Xchange program is the industry's premier standards driven ecosystem, and we are very excited to collaborate with UBiqube to lead this transformation to help our customers realize the value," said Peeyush Goyal, SVP of Network Services, Tech Mahindra.

As a leading solutions provider for the telcos globally, Tech Mahindra is at the forefront of driving the technological changes, which are forcing the service providers to digitalize their networks, in line with the company's D.A.V.I.D (Digitalization, Automation, Verticalization, Innovation and Disruption) strategy. 'Digitalization' is one of key tenets of the strategy with aims at helping the client organizations to RUN Better, CHANGE Faster and GROW Greater.

Tech Mahindra's VNF-Xchange platform is a key part of this strategy which facilitates adoption of SDN and NFV solutions through pre-integration, pre-certification and validation of E2E (End-to-End) solutions in a reference environment realized through its partner ecosystem.

UBiqube's service management and orchestration technology contributes to the VNF-Xchange by enabling operators' SDN/NFV transformation and modernization through seamless integration of multi-vendor technologies. The MSActivator', a DevOps enabled framework by UBiqube, realizes end-to-end services in an agile and flexible environment while the company's self-service management capabilities allow service providers or enterprise customers to orchestrate their networks through a single-pane-of-glass customer portal.

The VNF-Xchange, in collaboration with UBiqube, aims to significantly accelerate and ease the adoption of new SDN/NFV technologies.This aims at reducing the Network Solution rollout time with fully automated service orchestration lifecycle by around 30-40%.

About UBiqube

UBiqube is a global software supplier, providing vendor neutral, end-to-end network and security orchestration solutions to service providers and large and medium enterprises. Leading the digitalization of the networking industry, UBiqube developed the MSActivator', a DevOps enabled open framework for the design, automation, and orchestration of services over hybrid communication infrastructures (legacy, SDN/NFV/IoT).

UBiqube is headquartered in Dublin, with offices in France, India, UAE, Japan, and Silicon Valley, USA. For more information, visit www.ubiqube.com.

About Tech Mahindra

Tech Mahindra represents the connected world, offering innovative and customer-centric information technology experiences, enabling Enterprises, Associates and the Society to Rise'. We are a USD 4.5 billion company with 115,850+ professionals across 90 countries, helping over 864 global customers including Fortune 500 companies. Our convergent, digital, design experiences, innovation platforms and reusable assets connect across a number of technologies to deliver tangible business value and experiences to our stakeholders. Tech Mahindra is amongst the Fab 50 companies in Asia (Forbes 2016 list).

We are part of the USD 19 billion Mahindra Group that employs more than 200,000 people in over 100 countries. The Group operates in the key industries that drive economic growth, enjoying a leadership position in tractors, utility vehicles, after-market, information technology and vacation ownership.

Connect with us on www.techmahindra.com || Our Social Media Channels:

http://www.facebook.com/TechMahindra

http://twitter.com/Tech_Mahindra

http://www.linkedin.com/company/tech-mahindra

http://www.youtube.com/user/techmahindra09

Disclaimer

Certain statements in this release concerning the future prospects of Tech Mahindra Limited ("the Company" or "TechM") are forward-looking statements. These statements by their nature involve risks and uncertainties that could cause Company's actual results differ materially from such forward looking statements. The Company, from time to time, makes written and oral forward-looking statements based on information available with the management of the Company and the Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement that may be made from time to time by or on behalf of the Company.

Logo - http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/561164/UBiqube_Logo.jpg

Logo - http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/561166/UBiqube_Tech_Mahindra_Logo.jpg
CALGARY, AB / ACCESSWIRE / October 3, 2017 / GEA Technologies Ltd., dba International Cannabrands (CSE:JUJU-A) ("GEA" or the "Company"), an Alberta corporation listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange is pleased to announce that the Company has entered into an exclusive distribution agreement with Finka Distribution, a G FarmaBrand company, to distribute Julian Marley's (son of late Reggae star Bob Marley) Ultra Premium cannabis brand, JuJu Royal, to southern California dispensaries.

Through its wholly owned subsidiary International Cannabrands Ltd., GEA holds an exclusive, long-term, worldwide license to use Julian Marley's name and image for cannabis, cannabis edibles, other derivatives, and branded merchandise relating to cannabis, including Julian's flagship brand JuJu Royal Ultra Premium Cannabis. G FarmaBrand designs, develops and acquires market-leading brands in the cannabis flower, extracts and edible product arena.

The agreement gives Finka Distribution the exclusive right to distribute select JuJu Royal products, including pre-rolls, shatter, wax, flower, CO2 cartridges, and disposable vape pens in Southern California. The agreement is for an initial term of 3 years and will automatically renew for additional three year terms unless terminated by one of the parties upon notice. Over 1,100 cannabis retail stores will now have the opportunity to carry JuJu Royal products and Finka Distribution has agreed to have the products in at least 50 outlets in Southern California by December 31, 2017. The agreement also provides Finka Distribution with a right of first refusal to distribute any new JuJu Royal products in Southern California.

"It is exciting to be working with the team of International Cannabrands and the Julian Marley JuJu Royal brand and bringing it to Southern California," said Founder of G FarmaBrand, Ata Gonzalez. "The brand's commitment to wellness and quality is why we look forward to providing the product to this market."

"As the California market moves into recreational regulated retail, we are eager to expand and distribute the most in-demand brands and products the industry has to offer," said Nicole Gonzalez, Founder of Finka Distribution. "Working with Julian Marley and his team is an honor."

"The decision to work with G FarmaBrand was strategic to our goals," expressed Co-Founder and President of the Company and its wholly owned subsidiary, International Cannabrands Ltd., Travis Belcher. "We are confident that this partnership will benefit all of our companies, but most importantly the patients and consumers of Southern California."

Select JuJu Royal products are now available in California, Washington, Colorado and Puerto Rico with CBD-only products available in the U.K., the birthplace of Julian Marley. The Company is looking to expand JuJu Royal into Nevada in the near future.

The JuJu Royal brand represents the natural connection between Julian Marley, Rastafarian culture, reggae music and marijuana. With Julian Marley as the brand's ambassador and the exclusive right to market the brand, the Company intends to capture a significant share of the state legalized marijuana market by licensing the brand to cannabis growers, edible manufacturers and retail stores. More information about the brand can be obtained from the JuJu Royal web site, www.jujuroyal.net.

About GEA Technologies (dba International Cannabrands):

Through its merger transaction with DropLeaf, LLC, GEA (dba International Cannabrands), acquired the exclusive right to market the JuJu Royal brand. GEA generates revenue from licensing fees, royalties and agreements with companies who ultimately distribute and sell products in the Cannabis Industry, as well from the direct sale of merchandise such as clothing, paraphernalia, posters, and other products. Through its Nevada subsidiary, International Cannabrands Ltd. (ICL), the company licenses growers, edible manufacturers, oil extractors, producers of ancillary products and apparel in the United States where cannabis has been legalized at the state level, as well as products containing CBD in the US and internationally. The Company believes as the market becomes saturated with products varying in potency and quality, that the branded products will rise to the top and the Company intends to exploit all opportunities available to realize the full value of the Julian Marley brand and to attract other brands. For more information, please contact Jeffrey Britz at (201)394-7882 or jeffrey@jujuroyal.net.

About G Farma Brands:

G FarmaLabs describes itself as the "Leader of the American Cannabis Revolution" and setting the "Standard" as the essence of what it does. G FarmaLabs' brands have become the choice for both cannabis patients and cannabis lovers everywhere. G FarmaLabs shared that its clients insist on G FarmaLabs because they know they can count on genuine service, a trusted name, and a superb cannabis product grown with professionalism, all while being expertly developed for a rich lifestyle. Whether in the recreational cannabis market like Washington and California or one of the over twenty medical marijuana states, G FarmaLabs believes its products offer exactly what its customers are looking for.

Media Inquiries

Cynthia Salarizadeh

Salar Media Group

Cynthia@salarmediagroup.com (856) 425-6160

Forward Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements relating to the future operations of the Company and other statements that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements are often identified by terms such as "will", "may", "should", "anticipate", "expects" and similar expressions. All statements other than statements of historical fact, included in this release, including, without limitation, statements regarding the distribution agreement with Finka Distribution and the future plans and objectives of the Company, are forward looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations are risks detailed from time to time in the filings made by the Company with securities regulations.

The reader is cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of any forward-looking information may prove to be incorrect. Events or circumstances may cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted, as a result of numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. As a result, the Company cannot guarantee that the distribution agreement with Finka Distribution will result in increased sales and that any forward-looking statement will materialize and the reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking information. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and the Company will only update or revise publicly any of the included forward-looking statements as expressly required by Canadian securities law.

SOURCE: GEA Technologies Ltd.
HOUSTON, TX -- (Marketwired) -- 10/03/17 -- OFS Portal announced today that it has now signed an Electronic Data Agreement (EDA) with over 300 Operators in the upstream oil and gas industry, including supermajors, NOCs and IOCs. As supply chain efficiencies continue to be priority for most operators in the industry, it is expected that the increase in OFS Portal's signed EDAs will continue at pace.

"Operators are really focusing on effective, efficient supply chain management and are collaborating with suppliers this year as we continue in a leaner for longer market," said Chris Welsh, OFS Portal CEO. "At our recent 15th Annual Conference operators provided insight into their supply chain business processes and improvements in procurement and supplier management. We provided suppliers and operators an open forum where they shared the strategic developments being implemented in the next 18 months in Oil & Gas."

Operators who sign the OFS Portal EDA benefit from preservation of data ownership, confidentiality and reliability of transactions between themselves and OFS Portal members.

"Supplier/Operator collaboration and the use of open standards are high on our priority list," said Welsh. "We see ourselves as working on behalf of the industry and not just for suppliers. OFS Portal is a community that includes suppliers, operators and networks."

The OFS Portal Community works with global standards and industry organizations to encourage reduced costs through promoting the PIDX industry transactional and data standards and the use of cost-effective business processes.

Headquartered in Houston, Texas, OFS Portal, LLC is a member-based group of industry-leading upstream oil and gas suppliers and service providers. Current members include: Baker Hughes a GE Company, Halliburton, Schlumberger, Select Energy Services, Total Safety, and Weatherford International. Membership to OFS Portal is open to any supplier operating in the oil and gas industry. For more information, please visit www.ofs-portal.com.

Media Contact

Yvonne Pham

Marketing Manager

832.681.7315

ypham@ofs-portal.com






WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - The deadly Las Vegas mass shooting that shook America has rekindled the debate on gun-control laws. Nevada has some of the most relaxed gun laws in the country.



More than 58 people have been killed and over 500 others injured when a gunman opened fire on a large crowd at an open-air country music concert in Las Vegas, Nevada, Sunday.



It is estimated that nearly 12,000 Americans have been killed by guns in 273 mass shootings this year.



Following the attack in Las Vegas, Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi sent a letter to Speaker Ryan calling for the creation of a Select Committee on Gun Violence and to bring the King-Thompson Background Check Legislation to the House Floor for a vote.



Late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel, who hails from Las Vegas, in his program on Monday said, 'When someone with a beard attacks us, we tap phones, we invoke travel bans, we build walls. But when an American buys a gun and kills other Americans then there's nothing we can do about that [because of] the second amendment, I guess,' he said while talking about the tragedy.



'Prayers are important but @SpeakerRyan @realDonaldTrump blood is on the hands of those who have power to legislate. GunControl act quickly,' tweeted Lady Gaga.



Madonna said its too easy to buy a gun in the U. S. or have access to automatic weapons. 'And this needs to stop!'



JK Rowling and Ariana Grande were the other celebrities who called for a legal control on the use of gun in America.



At a press briefing, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders was asked if the massacre made the President think anything more about pursuing tighter gun laws, such as background checks. She replied saying this is the day of reflection and mourning and not the time for political or policy discussion.



Sarah Sanders pointed out that Chicago has the strictest gun laws in the country, where there were over 4,000 victims of gun-related crimes last year. 'That certainly hasn't helped there,' she told reporters.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

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Executives from Claro, Digicel, Ericsson, Microsoft, Millicom, Nokia and Telefonica to Take the Stage at the Regional Event in Colombia

The GSMA today provided further details on the upcoming 2017 Mobile 360 Series Latin America conference, which will be held 31 October 2 November in Bogota, Colombia. The conference will highlight the latest technology trends and business models shaping the mobile industry across Latin America, including the Internet of Things, financial inclusion and mobile money, future networks and 5G, policy and mobile's contribution to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

"Mobile is at the very centre of innovation in Latin America, particularly as startups and small and medium enterprises digitalise their businesses," said Michael O'Hara, Chief Marketing Officer, GSMA. "Mobile 360 Latin America will convene industry experts, policymakers and decision makers from across the ecosystem to discuss the key drivers for this innovation and explore how mobile can boost Latin American economies."

Additional Executives Confirmed to Speak

The GSMA announced a dozen additional speakers participating in the conference programme, including:

Minister David Luna, Ministry of Information and Communications Technology, Republic of Colombia

Luis Malvido, Executive Director HISPAM South, Telefonica

Minor Samayoa, CEO, Digicel El Salvador

Carlos Rozo, Director General, Apps.co

Andres Quintero, Colombia Country Manager, Ericsson

Mariano Amartino, LATAM Startups Director, Microsoft

Rachel Samren, EVP, Chief External Affairs Officer, Millicom

Rodrigo Diehl, EVP, Chief Strategy Officer, Millicom

Osvaldo di Campli, Latin America President, Nokia

Martin Wessel, Head of Technology Evolution, Telecom Personal Argentina

Leslie Jarrin, Managing Director Ecuador, ThoughtWorks

Belen Sanz, Permanent Representative, UN Women Colombia

These executives are the latest to join a strong roster of senior leaders from organisations across Latin America, including:

Edgar Salas, CEO, AZLOGICA

Paulo Cesar Teixeira, CEO, Claro Brasil

Michael O'Hara, Chief Marketing Officer, GSMA

Sebastian Cabello, Head of Latin America, GSMA

Mauricio Ramos, CEO, Millicom

Marcelo Cataldo, CEO, Tigo Colombia

Bibiana Aido, Permanent Representative, UN Women Ecuador and Former Minister for Equality in Spain

Alongside the conference, the regional event will also feature several themed seminars and workshops, including the "GSMA Latin America Strategy and Innovation Forum".

Spectrum and Policy Forum

Within Mobile 360 Latin America, the Spectrum and Policy Forum on Tuesday, 31 October will highlight the growing adoption of 4G networks in the region, as well as the technology and policy requirements needed for the future deployment of 5G networks and services. The forum will feature many high-level speakers including:

Daniel Bernal Salazar, Deputy Chair, Director of Regulatory Affairs, America Movil

Santiago Pardo, Vice President of Regulatory Affairs and Relations, America Movil

Martha Suarez, Director General, ANE Colombia

Oscar Leon, Executive Secretary, CITEL

Mario Maniewicz, Deputy Director, International Telecommunication Union's Radiocommunication Bureau

Alejandro Quiroga Lopez, Directror Legal and Public Affairs, Telecom Argentina

Jose Juan Haro, Director for Regulatory Affairs and Wholesale Business Latin America, Telefonica

Mobile Ecosystem Supporting the SDGs

Taking place on Wednesday, 1 November, the "Mobile Ecosystem Contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals" seminar will showcase best practices for child online protection, disaster response and climate action, among other topics, with the following participating experts:

Jeffrey Villaveces, Head of the Colombia Information Management and Analysis Unit

Wilmer Caripe, Head of Search and Assistant Partnerships, LATAM, Google

Mauricio Arce Leon, Corporate Responsibility Manager Latin America, Millicom

Melanie Wilneder, Senior Key Account Manager, South Pole Group

Marcelo Ber, Business Children's Rights Focal Point, UNICEF Latin America

New Sponsor for Mobile 360 Latin America

BICS has recently signed on as a Silver Sponsor, joining previously confirmed supporters TigoUne (Host Sponsor), Amdocs (Silver Sponsor) and Huawei (Mobile 360 Series Global Industry Supporter).

Get Involved at Mobile 360 Latin America

Registration for Mobile 360 Latin America is currently open; individuals wishing to attend should visit www.mobile360series.com/latin-america/attend/attendee-registration/. For more information on Mobile 360 Latin America, visit www.mobile360series.com/latin-america/.

Follow the latest developments and updates on Mobile 360 Latin America on Twitter, using the M360LATAM hashtag or following @GSMALatam and @GSMAEvents, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Mobile360Series and LinkedIn on www.linkedin.com/company/gsma-mobile-360-series.

About the GSMA

The GSMA represents the interests of mobile operators worldwide, uniting nearly 800 operators with more than 300 companies in the broader mobile ecosystem, including handset and device makers, software companies, equipment providers and internet companies, as well as organisations in adjacent industry sectors. The GSMA also produces industry-leading events such as Mobile World Congress, Mobile World Congress Shanghai, Mobile World Congress Americas and the Mobile 360 Series of conferences.

For more information, please visit the GSMA corporate website at www.gsma.com. Follow the GSMA on Twitter: @GSMA.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171003005173/en/

Contacts:

For the GSMA

Mauro Accurso, +54 (9)11 3251 9811

maccurso@gsma.com

or

Clare Fenny, +44 20 7067 0749

CFenny@webershandwick.com

or

GSMA Press Office

pressoffice@gsma.com
SCOTTSDALE, AZ -- (Marketwired) -- 10/03/17 -- The vast majority of cosmetic breast enhancement procedures performed every year result in a high level of patient satisfaction, states Dr. Steven H. Turkeltaub, a board-certified plastic surgeon in Scottsdale. From breast augmentation and breast lift surgery to breast reduction and augmentation-mastopexy, most patients find the outcome of their treatment to be rewarding from both a physical and psychological standpoint, often leading to improved confidence and overall self-esteem.

Despite the typical success of aesthetic breast surgery, Dr. Turkeltaub explains that there are certain instances in which a patient might want to change or improve the appearance of her breasts or address certain intrinsic issues-either immediately following the procedure or at a later point in time. This desire or need can be the result of suboptimal surgical technique, poor communications or decision-making, failure to comply with postoperative instructions, genetics, health-related issues, changes in cosmetic desires, implant integrity and other issues or simply the passage of time.

Fortunately, Dr. Turkeltaub says a secondary procedure known as breast revision surgery can usually be performed to address issues that are directly related to and/or have manifested independently after a previous breast augmentation, lift or reduction. Some of the most common reasons women may pursue breast revision surgery include:

To increase or decrease breast size

To resolve breast asymmetries or contour issues

To switch from saline to silicone breast implants (or vice versa)

To change the position of implants from subglandular to submuscular (or vice versa)

To treat capsular contracture, infection, implant malposition or pocket configuration issues

To replace leaking or ruptured implants

To remove breast implants entirely

To correct skin stretching or breast drooping

To improve the appearance of unsightly scarring or nipple-areolar complex irregularities





Ultimately, Dr. Turkeltaub notes that these are the most common reasons why an individual might seek breast revision surgery. For anyone who is unhappy with the appearance of her breasts following a previous breast procedure, he advises consulting with a reputable board-certified plastic surgeon who is highly experienced and has demonstrable results in secondary breast surgery. "Corrective procedures can be quite challenging from a surgical standpoint so choosing a plastic surgeon who has the expertise necessary to achieve exemplary outcomes in a variety of different breast revision cases is imperative to ensuring the safest, most effective treatment possible."

About Steven H. Turkeltaub, MD, PC

Dr. Turkeltaub is a Summa Cum Laude graduate of the highly competitive six-year medical program at Boston University and Boston University School of Medicine. He completed his residency in general surgery at University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Hospital and his plastic surgery training at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center. Certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, Dr. Turkeltaub continually upholds optimal standards of excellence in all facets of his practice. In addition to primary and revision breast procedures, he offers a full gamut of facial and body treatments including eyelid surgery, abdominoplasty, mommy makeovers and skin rejuvenation.

To learn more about Dr. Turkeltaub and his practice in Scottsdale and Glendale, AZ, visit turkeltaub.com, arizonabreast.com and facebook.com/drturkeltaub. He is available for interview upon request.

To view the original source of this press release, click here: https://www.arizonabreast.com/news-room/scottsdale-plastic-surgeon-shares-common-reasons-to-seek-breast-revision-surgery/

Image Available: http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/frame_mw?attachid=3172419



Contact:



Arizona Center for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery



Scottsdale Office:

8502 E Princess Drive

Suite 240

Scottsdale, Arizona 85255



Glendale Office:

18275 N. 59th Ave.

Bldg. E, Suite 126

Glendale, AZ 85308



(480) 451-3000



Rosemont Media

(858) 200-0044

www.rosemontmedia.com




Atlanta, GA, USA and Lausanne, Switzerland (ots) -Triptodur, (triptorelin) extended release injectable suspension, has been shown to arrest or reverse the clinical signs of puberty associated with CPP via a once every six-month intramuscular (IM) injection.Arbor Pharmaceuticals, LLC, a U.S. based specialty pharmaceutical company, and Debiopharm International SA, part of Debiopharm Group, a Swiss-based global biopharmaceutical company, announced today that Triptodur (triptorelin) is now commercially available in the U.S. for the treatment of pediatric patients 2 years and older diagnosed with central precocious puberty (CPP) - a rare condition that affects one in every 5,000 to 10,000 children.(1)"We are pleased to be providing this important new treatment option for children diagnosed with CPP," said Ed Schutter, President and CEO of Arbor. "We believe that many providers, patients and parents will appreciate the convenience Triptodur offers through a once-every six-month dosing schedule."CPP is a condition that occurs when a child shows signs of puberty earlier than normal: before age 8 in girls and age 9 in boys.(2,3) Without appropriate treatment, children with CPP will be shorter in height than their peers due to premature fusion of growth plates.4 CPP has also been associated with low self-esteem and higher anxiety, irritability or withdrawal.(5-7,12)"Early puberty in a child can pose significant physical and emotional challenges throughout their life, including shorter adult stature, social, psychological and emotional effects," said Karen Klein, M.D., Pediatric Endocrinologist, University of California San Diego and Rady Children's Hospital. "With treatment, hormone levels in children with CPP may be returned to a normal level, slowing the clinical signs of puberty until an age appropriate time."Triptodur (triptorelin) is the first gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist administered through intramuscular injection (IM) to offer once-every six-month dosing.(8) This treatment helps to return hormone levels in children to a normal prepubertal level, pausing the clinical signs of puberty until an age appropriate time. GnRH agonists are the primary treatment for CPP and can help preserve time in childhood.(9)"We are very pleased to offer this well tolerated and efficacious triptorelin formulation to children suffering from central precocious puberty, for which no other 6-month GnRH agonist formulation is approved", said Eija Lundstrom, Medical Director, Debiopharm International SA.(8)Triptodur (triptorelin) has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of children with CPP. In a phase III clinical trial, Triptodur (triptorelin) demonstrated a return to pre-pubertal luteinizing hormone (LH) levels in 93 percent of patients after 6 months of treatment, and in 98 percent of patients after 12 months.(10) The most common adverse reactions in clinical studies were injection site reactions, menstrual (vaginal) bleeding, hot flush, headache, cough, and infections (bronchitis, gastroenteritis, influenza, nasopharyngitis, otitis externa, pharyngitis, sinusitis, and upper respiratory tract infection). Please see Important Safety Information below.Triptorelin extended release formulations were developed by Debiopharm and are manufactured in Switzerland by Debiopharm Research & Manufacturing SA. Arbor acquired exclusive U.S. commercial rights to Triptorelin 6-month for CPP in November 2015 and it was approved by the U.S. FDA in June 2017.About Central Precocious Puberty (CPP)GnRH-dependent CPP is defined by pubertal development occurring before the age of 8 years in girls and 9 years in boys.(1-2) It is characterized by early pubertal changes such as breast development and start of menses in girls and increased testicular and penile growth in boys, appearance of pubic hair, as well as acceleration of growth velocity and bone maturation and tall stature during childhood, which often results in reduced adult height due to premature fusion of the growth plates.(11)Reliable epidemiological data on CPP worldwide is not available. The condition is a rare disease occurring in about 1 out of every 5,000 to 10,000 children.(3) Central precocious puberty is more common in girls than in boys, with a female: male ratio estimated to be between 3:1 and 23:1.(10)About TriptorelinTriptorelin is an agonist analogue of the natural gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH). Debiopharm has developed three sustained-release formulations (1, 3 and 6 months) of triptorelin pamoate. The 1-, 3- and 6-month formulations have been registered in numerous countries for several indications.Triptorelin was first registered in France in 1986 and is currently marketed in more than 80 countries for various indications including CPP.About TriptodurINDICATIONSTRIPTODUR is indicated for the treatment of pediatric patients 2 years of age and older with central precocious puberty (CPP).IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATIONContraindicationsTRIPTODUR is contraindicated in:- Individuals with a known hypersensitivity to triptorelin or any other component of the product, or other GnRH agonists or GnRH.- Women who are or may become pregnant. Expected hormonal changes that occur with TRIPTODUR treatment increase the risk for pregnancy loss and fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman. If this drug is used during pregnancy, or if the patient becomes pregnant while taking this drug, the patient should be advised of the potential risk to the fetus.Warnings and PrecautionsInitial Rise of Gonadotropins and Sex Steroid Levels - During the early phase of therapy, gonadotropins and sex steroids rise above baseline because of the initial stimulatory effect of the drug. Therefore, a transient increase in clinical signs and symptoms of puberty, including vaginal bleeding, may be observed during the first weeks of therapy or after subsequent doses.Psychiatric Events - Psychiatric events have been reported in patients taking GnRH agonists. Postmarketing reports with this class of drugs include symptoms of emotional lability, such as crying, irritability, impatience, anger, and aggression. Monitor for development or worsening of psychiatric symptoms during treatment with TRIPTODUR.Convulsions - Post-marketing reports of convulsions have been observed in patients receiving GnRH agonists, including triptorelin. These included patients with a history of seizures, epilepsy, cerebrovascular disorders, central nervous system anomalies or tumors, and patients on concomitant medications that have been associated with convulsions such as bupropion and SSRIs. Convulsions have also been reported in patients in the absence of any of the conditions mentioned above.Adverse ReactionsIn clinical trials for TRIPTODUR, the most common adverse reactions (>4.5%) are injection site reactions, menstrual (vaginal) bleeding, hot flush, headache, cough, and infections (bronchitis, gastroenteritis, influenza, nasopharyngitis, otitis externa, pharyngitis, sinusitis, and upper respiratory tract infection).For additional safety information, consult the TRIPTODUR full Prescribing Information: http://arborpharma.com/docs/TriptodurFullProductInformation.pdfFor More InformationFor additional news or information about Triptodur (triptorelin), please visit www.Triptodur.com.About Debiopharm International SAPart of Debiopharm Group - a Swiss-headquartered global biopharmaceutical group including five companies active in the life science areas of drug development, GMP manufacturing of proprietary drugs, diagnostic tools and investment management - Debiopharm International SA is focused on the development of prescription drugs that target unmet medical needs. The company in-licenses and develops promising drug candidates. The products are commercialized by pharmaceutical out-licensing partners to give access to the largest number of patients worldwide. For more information, please visit www.debiopharm.com. We are on Twitter. Follow us @DebiopharmNews at http://twitter.com/DebiopharmNews.About Arbor Pharmaceuticals LLCArbor Pharmaceuticals, headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, is a specialty pharmaceutical company currently focused on the cardiovascular, neurology, hospital and pediatric markets as well as generics through its Wilshire division. The company has approximately 750 employees, with over 625 sales professionals that promote its products to hospitals and physicians. In addition to its extensive pipeline, the company continues to actively pursue growth through acquisition or licensing of marketed or late-stage development products. Arbor currently markets twenty-two approved NDA and ANDA products, and, along with Wilshire, has over forty products in development. For more information regarding Arbor Pharmaceuticals or any of its products, visit www.arborpharma.com or send email inquiries to info@arborpharma.com.References 1. Partsch CJ, Sippell WG. Treatment of central precocious puberty. Best Pract Res Clin Endocrinol Metab.2002;16:165-189. 2. Muir A. Precocious puberty. Pediatr Rev. 2006;27:373-381. 3. Carel JC, Leger J. Clinical practice. Precocious puberty. N Engl J Med. 2008;358(22):2366-2377. 4. Carel JC, Lahlou N, Roger M & Chaussain JL. Precocious puberty and statural growth. Human Reproduction Update. 2004;10:135-147. 5. Precocious puberty. Mayo Clinic Web site. http://www.mayoclinic.o rg/diseases-conditions/precocious-puberty/symptoms-causes/dxc-2026600 3. Accessed June 21, 2017. 6. Mendle, J., et al. Detrimental Psychological Outcomes Associated with Early Pubertal Timing in Adolescent Girls. Dev Rev. 2007; 27(2): 151-171. 7. Johansson T & Ritzen EM. Very long-term follow-up of girls with early and late menarche. Endocrine Development. 2005;8:126-136. 8. Triptodur [package insert]. Atlanta, GA: Arbor Pharmaceuticals, LLC. http://arborpharma.com/docs/TriptodurFullProductInformation.pdf 9. Faqua JS. Treatment and outcomes of precocious puberty: an update. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2013;98(6):2198-207. 10. Klein K, et al. Efficacy and safety of triptorelin 6-month formulation in patients with central precocious puberty. J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab. 2016;29(11):1241-1248. 11. Antoniazzi F, Zamboni G. Central precocious puberty: current treatment options. Paediatr Drugs. 2004;6:211-231. 12. Early Puberty. Lurie Children's Web site. https://www.luriechild rens.org/en-us/care-services/conditions-treatments/early-puberty/Page s/index.aspx. Accessed June 21, 2017.PP-TRIP-US-0056Originaltext: Debiopharm International SA digital press kits: http://www.presseportal.de/nr/121610 press kits via RSS: http://www.presseportal.de/rss/pm_121610.rss2Pressekontakt: Arbor Pharmaceuticals, LLC Contact Melissa Bond Spectrum Science Communications mbond@spectrumscience.com Tel: +1 212-468-5340Debiopharm International SA Contact Christelle von Buren Communication Coordinator christelle.vonburen@debiopharm.com Tel: +41 (0)21 321 01 11
Luxoft Holding, Inc (NYSE:LXFT), a leading provider of software development services and innovative IT solutions to a global client base, announced today the appointment of Tracy Krumme as Vice President of Investor Relations. Ms. Krumme is based in New York, and reports directly to Luxoft's CFO, Evgeny Fetisov.

Tracy Krumme has more than 25 years of experience in investor relations, financial communications, investment banking, and equity research. She has led investor relations at four public companies prior to joining Luxoft, including NCR, a Fortune-500 technology company, in addition to CECO Environmental, Fuel Tech, and Hollinger International.

Ms. Krumme has also held positions as an equity research analyst at Sandler O'Neill and Partners, an investment strategist at Prudential Securities, and an investment banker at Kidder, Peabody, and Co., in London. Ms. Krumme is a graduate of Denison University.

Mr. Fetisov said, "We are delighted to welcome Tracy to Luxoft. We believe Tracy's established reputation among the investment community, along with her accomplished financial background, will enable her to communicate the Company's strategic vision effectively. Having achieved significant growth since the Company went public, we look forward to Tracy's contributions as we continue to execute our growth strategy."

Ms. Krumme, Vice President of Investor Relations, stated "I am thrilled to join Luxoft and be part of such a dynamic organization. I look forward to actively interacting with the global investment community to expand relationships and communicate Luxoft's growth story."

About Luxoft

Luxoft Holding, Inc. (NYSE:LXFT) is a leading provider of software development services and innovative IT solutions to a global client base consisting primarily of large, multinational corporations predominantly in Europe, North America and Asia Pacific. The Company's software development services consist of core and mission critical custom software development and support, product engineering, and technology consulting. Its bespoke solutions include technology architecture selection and other consulting, proprietary products and/or standard system software and platforms, as well as implementation and maintenance. Through its services and solutions, the Company helps its clients improve their competitive position by increasing efficiency, optimizing costs, and enabling changes through disruptive digital technologies that enhance end-user experience and shorten time-to-market. The Company develops its solutions and delivers its services from 37 dedicated delivery centers worldwide. It has more than 12,800 employees across 42 offices in 21 countries within five continents North America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia. Luxoft is incorporated in Tortola, British Virgin Islands, has its operating headquarters office in Zug, Switzerland and is listed on the New York Stock Exchange. For more information, please visit http://www.luxoft.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release of Luxoft Holding, Inc ("Luxoft") contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These forward-looking statements include information about possible or assumed future results of our business and financial condition, as well as the results of operations, liquidity, plans and objectives. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as "believe," "may," "estimate," "continue," "anticipate," "intend," "should," "plan," "expect," "predict," "potential," or the negative of these terms or other similar expressions. These statements are subject to, without limitation, the risk factors discussed under the heading "Risk Factors" in Luxoft's Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended March 31, 2017 and other documents filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission by Luxoft. Except as required by law, Luxoft undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements for any reason after the date of this news release whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

All trademarks are recognized and are the property of their respective companies.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171003006049/en/

Contacts:

Luxoft Holding, Inc

Investor Inquires

Tracy Krumme, 212-964-9900, ext. 2404

Vice President, Investor Relations

IR@luxoft.com

or

Media Inquiries

Patrick R. Corcoran, 212-964-9900 ext. 2453

Global Director, External Relations

Press@luxoft.com

Twitter: @Luxoft
DUBLIN, October 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

The "Global Artificial Joints Market Size, Market Share, Application Analysis, Regional Outlook, Growth Trends, Key Players, Competitive Strategies and Forecasts, 2017 - 2025" report has been added to Research and Markets' offering.

The global artificial joints market was valued at US$ 17.13 Bn in 2016, and is expected to reach US$ 25.31 Bn by 2025, expanding at a CAGR of 5.0% from 2017 - 2025.

Based on applications, the global artificial joints market is categorized into artificial joints of knee, hip, shoulder and other. In the base year 2015, it is observed that artificial joints of knee segment holds the largest market share. Factors such growing aging population, consequently increasing incidence of age related musculoskeletal diseases such as arthritis and osteoporosis, rising obese population are majorly contributing to the demand for of knee and hip replacement surgeries, and consequently respective implants.

The artificial joints market is currently dominated by North America due to continuous increase in obese population, higher cost of implantable joints, technological advancement, rising geriatric population, upsurge in funding by government agencies and private organizations in healthcare. California, Florida and Texas are major revenue contributing regions in North America. It is observed that Europe is the second largest revenue generating segment in the global artificial joints market. Austria, Belgium, Germany and Switzerland are major revenue contributing countries in Europe. Factors such as increasing demand for the minimally invasive surgeries, higher cost of replacement devices, growth in health expenditure and technological advancement drive the market growth in Europe.

Key Market Movements:

Factors such as increasing geriatric population, rising incidence of osteoarthritis and arthritis would further drive the market growth of global artificial joints market.

Increasing obese population, rising unhealthy eating habits which in turn result in obesity tend to increase knee and hip replacement surgeries increase the size of global artificial joints market.

Osteoarthritis is one of the ten most disabling diseases in developed countries also adults younger than age 60 undergoing total knee and hip replacement surgeries contributing the market growth in developed countries.

However, factors such as high cost of surgery, post-surgical complications and increasing awareness for some non-surgical treatment may negatively impact the market growth of global artificial joints market.

Key Topics Covered:



1. Preface



2. Executive Summary

2.1. Artificial Joints Market Snapshot

2.2. Artificial Joints Market, by Product type, 2015 (US$ Mn)

2.3. Artificial Joints Market, by Application, 2015 (US$ Mn)

2.4. Artificial Joints Market, by Geography, 2015 (Value %)



3. Global Artificial Joints Market Analysis

3.1. Artificial Joints Market Overview

3.2. Market Dynamics

3.3. Attractive Investment Proposition, 2015

3.4. Competitive Landscape Assessment, by Key Market Players



4. Global Artificial Joints Market, by Material, 2015 - 2025 (US$)

4.1. Overview

4.2. Ceramics

4.3. Alloys

4.4. Oxinium

4.5. Other



5. Global Artificial Joints Market, by Application, 2015 - 2025 (US$)

5.1. Overview

5.2. Artificial Joints of Knee

5.3. Artificial Joints of Hip

5.4. Artificial Joints of Shoulder

5.5. Other



6. Global Artificial Joints Market, by Geography, 2015 - 2025 (US$)



7. Company Profiles



Aesculap AG

AK Medical

Arthrex

Biomet, Inc.

Depuy Synthes (Johnson & Johnson)

DJO Global, Inc.

Exactech, Inc.

Globus Medical

JRI Orthopaedics

Medtronic, Inc.

NuVasive, Inc.

SAMO

Smith & Nephew

Stryker Corp.

Zimmer Holdings

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/2tt32b/global_artificial





Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

press@researchandmarkets.com



For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900



U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716
MONTREAL, QUEBEC -- (Marketwired) -- 10/03/17 -- MOBI724 Global Solutions Inc. ("MOBI724" or the "Company") (CSE: MOS)(CSE: MOS.CN)(CNSX: MOS)(OTCQB: MOBIF), a FinTech leader offering integrated EMV payment, Card-Linked Offers, Digital Marketing and Business Intelligence Solutions, wishes to advise investors that MOBI724's CEO, Marcel Vienneau, will be hosting a webinar on October 3, 2017 at 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time to provide a material management update and to answer questions. In compliance with Canadian Securities Regulations, the Company advises that management has requested, on a voluntary basis, that the trading of MOBI724 shares be temporarily halted due to the dissemination of material news and the presentation the management update webinar.

Interested parties may log in at the following web address:

Please register for MOBI724 Global Solutions (CSE: MOS) Material Management Update on Oct 3, 2017 2:00 PM EDT at: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/8396507792715272451

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

Brought to you by GoToWebinar Webinars Made Easy

About MOBI724 Global Solutions Inc.

"We enable smart transactions anywhere"

MOBI724, a leader in the fintech industry based in Montreal (Canada), offers a unique and fully integrated suite of payment & digital marketing solutions with a combined EMV Payment, Card Linked Offers, and Digital Marketing platform that works on any card and any Mobile device. MOBI724's solutions add value to all types of transactions benefiting banks, retailers and cardholders by leveraging available user and purchasing data to increase transaction volumes and spend. MOBI724 provides a turnkey solution to its clients to capture card transactions on any Mobile device, at any point of sale or from any payment card. MOBI724 provides its customers with full and comprehensive traceability and enriched consumer data through its offering. Its solutions enables card associations, retailers, manufacturers, offer providers, Mobile operators and card issuers to create, manage, deliver and "track and measure" incentive campaigns worldwide to any Mobile device and allow its redemption at any point of sales.

Certain statements in this document, including those which express management's expectations or estimations with regard to the Company's future performance, constitute "forward-looking statements" as understood by applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements are, of necessity, based on a certain number of estimates and hypotheses; while management considers these to be accurate at the time they are expressed, they are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and risks on the commercial, economic and competitive levels. We advise readers that these forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other known and unknown factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied in these forward-looking statements. Investors are advised to not rely unduly on the forward-looking statements. This advisory applies to all forward-looking statements, whether expressed orally or in writing, attributed to the Company or to any individual expressing them in the name of the Company. Unless required by law, the Company is under no obligation to publicly update these forward-looking statements, whether to reflect new information, future events, or other circumstances.

The Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE) has not reviewed this news release and does not accept responsibility for its adequacy or accuracy. This news release does not constitute a solicitation to buy or sell any securities in the United States.

Contacts:

MOBI724 Global Solutions Inc.

Marcel Vienneau

1-514-394-5200 x 413

www.mobi724globalsolutions.com



Renmark Financial Communications Inc.

Bettina Filippone: bfilippone@renmarkfinancial.com

Media - Kellie Coppin: kcoppin@renmarkfinancial.com

(416) 644-2020 or (514) 939-3989

www.renmarkfinancial.com




NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / October 3, 2017 / Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC reminds investors that a class action lawsuit has been filed against SCANA Corporation ("SCANA" or the "Company") (NYSE SCG) securities and certain of its officers, on behalf of a class who purchased SCANA shares between January 19, 2016, and September 22, 2017, inclusive (the "Class Period"). Such investors are encouraged to join this case by visiting the firm's site: www.bgandg.com/scg.

This class action seeks to recover damages against Defendants for alleged violations of the federal securities laws under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

The complaint alleges that during the Class Period, defendants made false and misleading statements and/or failed to disclose adverse information regarding the construction of the Nuclear Project, assuring investors that costs spending was prudent and substantial progress was being made, even when cost overruns and other delays began to materialize. As a result of defendants' false statements and/or omissions, SCANA's common stock traded at artificially inflated prices during the Class Period.

On July 31, 2017, SCANA's subsidiary South Carolina Electric & Gas Co. ("SCE&G") and Santee Cooper, South Carolina's state-owned electric and water utility, announced that they would abandon construction of two nuclear power plants in South Carolina, citing rising construction costs.

Then on August 11, 2017, The Post and Courier of Charleston reported that Kevin Marsh, SCANA's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, had advised state lawmakers that SCE&G might not resume construction on the nuclear power plants even if a new partner for the project was found. Following this news, SCANA's share price fell $1.32, or 2.13%, to close at $60.69 on August 11, 2017.

That same day, after the close of trading, The Post and Courier reported that a class action had been filed against SCE&G on behalf of South Carolina ratepayers, alleging that SCE&G had overcharged its customers for electricity for nearly 10 years by raising their rates to pay in advance for the construction of the company's subsequently abandoned nuclear plants.

Then on August 29, 2017, The Post and Courier reported that a second class action had been filed on behalf of SCE&G customers, accusing SCE&G and SCANA of fraud and negligence in the years preceding the decision to abandon construction of the company's nuclear power plants.

Following this news, SCANA's share price fell $0.84, or 1.39%, over the following two trading sessions, to close at $59.75 per share on August 30, 2017.

On September 22, 2017, the SC AG publicly requested that the South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division launch a criminal investigation into the Nuclear Project.

SCANA's stock price has declined $20.90 per share, or 27.5%, to close at $55.22 per share on September 22, 2017, from its closing price high of $76.12 per share on July 6, 2016.

A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to review a copy of the Complaint you can visit the firm's site: www.bgandg.com/scg or you may contact Peretz Bronstein, Esq. or his Investor Relations Analyst, Yael Hurwitz of Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC at 212-697-6484. If you suffered a loss in SCANA you have until November 27, 2017 to request that the Court appoint you as lead plaintiff. Your ability to share in any recovery doesn't require that you serve as a lead plaintiff.

Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC is a corporate litigation boutique. Our primary expertise is the aggressive pursuit of litigation claims on behalf of our clients. In addition to representing institutions and other investor plaintiffs in class action security litigation, the firm's expertise includes general corporate and commercial litigation, as well as securities arbitration. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.

Contact:

Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC

Peretz Bronstein or Yael Hurwitz

212-697-6484 | info@bgandg.com

SOURCE: Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC
SUDBURY, ON / ACCESSWIRE / October 3, 2017 / Frontier Lithium Inc. (TSX.V: FL) (the "Company") is pleased to report metallurgical results from the Company's 100% owned PAK Lithium Project (the "Project") in the Red Lake Mining District, Northwestern Ontario. The Locked Cycle Test (LCT) flotation test work was performed from a representative 500 kg master composite mineralized sample. The test work was undertaken by XPS Consulting & Testwork Services ("XPS"), a Glencore company, and based in Falconbridge, Ontario, Canada.

The comprehensive program returned favourable results, confirming the suitability and robustness of the flowsheet design. Locked cycle flotation produced lithium concentrate grades of 7.13% lithium oxide (Li2O) with a corresponding Li2O recovery of 79.4%. "The results that were obtained in our metallurgical testing have clearly demonstrated a sound understanding of the processing characteristics of the mineralized material. A future plant with optimized equipment is expected to produce similar results to the locked cycle tests undertaken by XPS," commented Trevor Walker, President and CEO of Frontier Lithium.

The program also included high intensity magnetic removal of iron that resulted in concentrate iron oxide levels of 0.1% Fe2O3. These results confirm the suitability of the material to meet the most rigorous specifications of the lithium market. "The results are analogous with the low-iron, high purity product highly sought after by discerning customers in the glass and ceramics industry - spodumene technical grade is the most stringent specification to meet and is the second largest market segment for global lithium demand," said Trevor Walker, President and CEO of Frontier Lithium. "Frontier is currently conducting a Pre-Feasibility Study, therefore this test work is a significant de-risking event for the Project. These results meet expectations from the lithium market's industrial consumers (technical grade), and consequently exceed chemical grade requirements for further upgrading to produce compounds for the lithium-ion battery market - a global market that is anxious to see a new, serious supplier in a favourable jurisdiction come online as a sustainable source for low-iron, high purity lithium."

Mr. Garth Drever, P.Geo., is the "Qualified Person" for Frontier defined under NI 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the technical information contained in this news release.

About Frontier Lithium Inc.

Frontier's goal is to become a low-cost, fully integrated lithium and tantalum producer through development of the PAK lithium deposit in Ontario, Canada. Frontier maintains a tight share structure with management ownership exceeding 30% of the Company. CAD $5 million of exploration work has been conducted from 2013 to 2017 on the deposit which boasts its lithium in a rare, high-purity, low-iron spodumene. The initial target market is the glass-ceramic industry which consumes roughly one-third of global lithium supply and is currently faced with monopolistic conditions, coupled with major lithium producers increasingly directing output toward supporting battery manufacture.

Ceramic/glass customers prefer to source technical-grade (low-iron) spodumene concentrate in excess of 7% lithium oxide (Li2O), if available, to avoid lower grade petalite concentrates, or paying much higher prices for battery grade lithium compounds.

The PAK lithium deposit remains open in all directions and Company Management is working towards developing a viable operation. The Company is currently conducting a pre-feasibility study to assess the economic viability and technical feasibility of producing lithium concentrates. Frontier's goal is to first establish a viable technical grade spodumene concentrate operation. A possible second stage of investment and longer term prospect is to further process some of PAK's output to produce the higher purity lithium compounds required for lithium battery technologies used in the electrification of transportation and electric grid storage applications.

About the PAK Lithium Project

The PAK Lithium Project lies close to the boundary between two geological sub-provinces of the western Superior geologic province in northwestern Ontario and hosts a rare metals pegmatite deposit. The deposit is an LCT (lithium- cesium- tantalum) type pegmatite. These types of pegmatites have been the principal source of hard rock lithium, tantalum, rubidium and cesium ores mined in the world but there are comparatively few commercially-viable deposits.

Frontier is actively exploring its 100% owned project which contains the Pakeagama Lake pegmatite. The PAK deposit has a current Measured and Indicated Resource of 7.89 million tonnes of 1.73% Li2O equivalent (eq.) or 1.58% Li20 and 104 ppm Ta2O5 and an Inferred Resource of 295,600 tonnes of 1.35% Li2O eq. or 1.20% Li2O and 103 ppm Ta2O5 which has a technical/ceramic grade spodumene with low inherent iron (below 0.1% Fe2O3). The deposit has adjacent zones that are enriched in tantalum and rubidium.

The deposit now has a known 500m strike length with an estimated true width varying from 10m to 125m with a sub-vertical orientation. The resource remains open to depth and along strike to the northwest and southeast.

Company Contact Information

Trevor R. Walker

President & CEO

2736 Belisle Drive Val Caron, ON. P3N 1B3 CANADA

T. +001 705.897.7622

F. +001 705.897.7618

Media Requests

Joseph Mansourian

Manager, Investor Relations

2736 Belisle Drive Val Caron, ON. P3N 1B3 CANADA

T. +001 705.618.0070

F. +001 705.897.7618

Additional information regarding Frontier Lithium is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com under the Company's profile and on its website at www.frontierlithium.com, including various pictures of ongoing work at the project.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE: Frontier Lithium Inc.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - October 3, 2017) - Bayhorse Silver Inc. (TSXV: BHS) ("Bayhorse" or the "Company") has been advised by Steinert US that the KSS 100 Ore-Sorter has met all the required certifications and is being shipped from Germany to the Bayhorse Mine site, where it is expected for installation early in November.

Mr. Levi Duncan has been appointed as The Company's Operations Manager. Mr. Duncan, of Cataldo Idaho, is a highly experienced miner and has served in the U.S. Marine Corps. He and his family have a long history of mining in Idaho's highly prolific "Silver Valley".

As new Operations Manager, he has advised that at the Bayhorse, a northerly crosscut drift being developed 50 feet below the Sunshine Zone, and 160 feet inside the main adit, (the Legend Zone") has intersected a mineralized zone 35 feet in length that is expected to extend a further 40 feet underneath and up into the Sunshine Zone. Historic sampling of 20 oz/t silver is reported on geologic maps in a winze 15 feet below the Sunshine Zone. The overall mineralized zones at the Bayhorse Mine is reported as being up to 85ft wide, averaging 30 feet in thickness, and extending for over 840 feet in length. (Herdrick, 1981)

Underground development At the Bayhorse Mine continues on three working faces:

The Sunshine Zone in the upper adit, and

50 feet below the Sunshine Zone, the newly named "Legend Zone" that appears to extend west towards the easterly end of Big Dog Zone, and

The Big Dog Zone, that the 1984 drilling results indicate is open along strike to the west.

Significant quantities of mineralized material is being stockpiled, ready for processing by the Ore-Sorter.

Bayhorse CEO Graeme O'Neill comments, "Discovering the new Legend Zone shows old time miners only highgraded the Bayhorse and did not follow the mineralization down below the zones that were originally mined. Fortunately, today we now have the modern mining and exploration methods that allow us to quickly test prospective mineralized areas, that led to the discovery of the new Legend Zone."

The Company advises it is not basing any decision to produce on a feasibility study of mineral reserves demonstrating economic and technical viability and also advises there is increased uncertainty and specific economic and technical risks of failure associated with any production decision.

This News Release has been prepared on behalf of the Bayhorse Silver Inc. Board of Directors, which accepts full responsibility for its contents. Dr. Clay Conway, P.Geol., a Qualified Person and Director of Bayhorse has prepared, supervised the preparation of, or approved the technical content of this press release.

On Behalf of the Board.

Graeme O'Neill, President

604-684-3394

Bayhorse Silver Inc., a junior exploration company, has earned an 80% interest in the historic Bayhorse Silver Mine, Oregon, USA. Bayhorse is also earning a 75% interest in the past producing Bridging the Gap Project, consisting of ASARCO's historic Crown Point, Silver King, Ranger, Wyoming, Curlew, and Blackhawk silver/lead/zinc mines in Idaho's Silver Valley. The Company has an experienced management and technical team with extensive exploration and mining expertise.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
DUBLIN, October 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

The "Global RF Filters Market 2017-2021" report has been added to Research and Markets' offering.

The global RF filters market to grow at a CAGR of 16.73% during the period 2017-2021.



Global RF Filters Market 2017-2021, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.



The latest trend gaining momentum in the market is Development of 5G. 5G is expected to improve performance in terms of network capacity, cost, mobile connections, latency, data rates, and coverage. 5G is the fifth-generation wireless systems or mobile networks that will provide a comprehensive IP solution to users where voice, data, and streamed multimedia can be given anywhere and anytime. 5G networks represent the future of wireless technology.



According to the report, one of the major drivers for this market is High proliferation of mobile computing devices. The demand for mobile computing devices is growing among mobile users and business travelers, who require portability and connectivity. Consumers are using these devices for several purposes such as accessing social networking apps, surfing the web, reading news, and checking emails. High internet penetration rate and the availability of high data rates at affordable speed are driving the mobile computing devices.



Further, the report states that one of the major factors hindering the growth of this market is Cyclical nature of semiconductor industry. The semiconductor industry is cyclical in nature. It constantly faces economic expansion and contraction in demand for products. Demand typically tracks end-market demand for smartphones, tablets, and other electronic equipment. It is difficult for semiconductor companies to produce microchips quickly enough to meet demand during good times. Laptop sales, for instance, are very unpredictable and can have adverse impact on the semiconductor.



Key vendors

Broadcom

Qorvo

Murata Manufacturing

TDK

Other prominent vendors

ABRACON

API Technologies

Akoustis Technologies

Bird Technologies

Oscilent

RTx Technology

Skyworks Solutions

Key Topics Covered:



Part 01: Executive Summary



Part 02: Scope Of The Report



Part 03: Research Methodology



Part 04: Introduction



Part 05: Market Landscape



Part 06: Market Segmentation By Application



Part 07: Market Segmentation By Technology



Part 08: Geographical Segmentation



Part 09: Key Leading Countries



Part 10: Decision Framework



Part 11: Drivers And Challenges



Part 12: Market Trends



Part 13: Vendor Landscape



Part 14: Key Vendor Analysis



Part 15: Appendix



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/kstg9p/global_rf_filters

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

press@researchandmarkets.com



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Technavio market research analysts forecast the global ethylene vinyl acetate market to grow at a CAGR of close to 4% during the forecast period, according to their latest report.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171003005910/en/

Technavio has published a new report on the global ethylene vinyl acetate market from 2017-2021. (Graphic: Business Wire)

The market study covers the present scenario and growth prospects of the global ethylene vinyl acetate market for 2017-2021. The report also lists films, foams, and adhesives as the three major application segments, of which the films segment accounted for close to 40% of the market share in 2016.

According to Kshama Upadhyay, a lead analyst at Technavio for specialty chemicals research, "The demand for EVA copolymers is increasing in the packaging sector, especially in food and medical applications, because of their non-toxic nature. EVA sheets are used for encapsulating photovoltaic cells in solar panels. Increasing support by the government for the use of renewable energy sources, such as solar panels, drives market growth."

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Technavio analysts highlight the following three market drivers that are contributing to the growth of the global ethylene vinyl acetate market:

Emergence of Asia as a manufacturing hub of EVA-based footwear

Increased use of EVA in food packaging industry

Regulations on the use of other substitutes such as PVC

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Emergence of Asia as a manufacturing hub of EVA-based footwear

Easy availability of low-cost raw materials such as rubber, cotton, synthetic leather, polyester, and leather; and cheap labor have led many shoe manufacturers to relocate their production units to Asia, mainly China and India. In 2016, North Asia was the largest manufacturer of footwear.

Economic growth in Asian countries such as India, Japan, and South Korea, has led to an increase in expendable incomes. Improving lifestyles fuel the demand for EVA-based flexible foam footwear. EVA slippers and sandals are popular as they have a glossy finish and are lightweight. They are odorless, easy to mold, and are cheaper compared to natural rubber.

Increased use of EVA in food packaging industry

The ever-rising global population drives the demand for food. EVA-based food packaging retains the freshness and increases the shelf life of the foods. Rapidly changing lifestyles, especially in the urban areas of the world, fuel the demand for packaged foods. Also, EVA is used in the production of hot melt adhesives that are used for sealing in the packaging division.

Increasing disposable incomes and the growing demand for packaged commodities will fuel the demand for EVA in the food packaging segment. The adoption of advanced flexible packaging in the fish, meat, snacks, poultry, and pet food sectors will boost the consumption of EVA. The market for hot melt adhesives in the food packaging segment.

"The growing demand for convenience food will drive the demand for flexible packaging solutions such as microwaveable pouches and peel-off lids. Plastic closures for beverages, vacuum packaging, barrier shrink bags, case-ready meat packaging, and dairy and cheese packaging are some of the applications of EVA in the packaging industry," says Kshama

Regulations on the use of other substitutes such as PVC

Vinyl acetate-based copolymers are safe for human health and environment in comparison to other substitutes. In 1999, Greenpeace conducted a study at the University of Massachusetts to find suitable alternatives to polyvinyl chloride (PVC) with a focus on children. It was found that medical devices, toys, and shower curtains that contain traces of vinyl chloride phthalates pose health risks. The study identified EVA copolymers as safe and cost-effective substitutes to plastic. Sierra Club, Center for Health, NYPIRG and other organizations urge retailers to minimize the use of PVC plastic and use PVC-free plastic and EVA. The suggested addition of vinyl acetate to the Proposition 65 list could decrease or reverse measures taken deliberately by retailers to provide safer PVC-free products.

Browse Related Reports:

Global Polyphenylene Oxide Market 2017-2021

Global Glucaric Acid Market 2017-2021

Global Glycolic Acid Market 2017-2021

About Technavio

Technaviois a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions.

With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 10,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

If you are interested in more information, please contact our media team at media@technavio.com.

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BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - The European markets ended Friday's session in the green, bringing its recent winning streak to 3 days. The continued global rally helped the markets to extend their gains after the Dow reached a new record high yesterday and Asian markets turned in a strong performance overnight. The markets held most of their gains following the release of the weaker than expected U.S. jobs report.



Shares of automakers extended their gains from the previous session, after Thursday's better than expected U.S. auto sales. A pair of broker upgrades in the sector also helped to fuel their continued gains.



The pan-European Stoxx Europe 600 index advanced 0.83 percent. The Euro Stoxx 50 index of eurozone bluechip stocks increased 1.07 percent, while the Stoxx Europe 50 index, which includes some major U.K. companies, added 0.79 percent.



The DAX of Germany climbed 1.15 percent and the CAC 40 of France rose 1.05 percent. The FTSE 100 of the U.K. gained 0.37 percent and the SMI of Switzerland finished higher by 0.50 percent.



In Frankfurt, Volkswagen advanced 2.01 percent after the automaker said it would work with Silicon Valley firm Aurora to create self-driving cars. Deutsche Bank also upgraded its rating on the stock to 'Buy' from 'Hold.'



BMW climbed 1.06 percent and Daimler rose 1.04 percent.



In Paris, Peugeot increased 4.35 percent and Renault added 2.32 percent.



In London, Centrica rallied 3.07 percent after Credit Suisse gave a 'buy' rating on the stock.



easyJet gained 0.03 percent after reporting 5.5 percent growth in passenger traffic for December.



Geotechnical contractor Keller Group jumped 8.65 percent. The company said that it is in discussions to acquire Moretrench Inc., a geotechnical contracting company operating predominantly along the east coast of the U.S.



Fiat Chrysler advanced 6.35 percent in Milan, after JPMorgan upgraded its rating on the stock to 'Overweight' from 'Neutral.'



Eurozone inflation eased slightly as expected at the end of 2017 on slower growth in energy prices, suggesting that an interest rate hike from the European Central Bank is likely to be a long way off. Inflation eased marginally to 1.4 percent in December from 1.5 percent in November, flash data from Eurostat showed Friday. The rate came in line with expectations.



Eurozone producer price inflation accelerated unexpectedly in November, data from Eurostat showed Friday. Producer prices climbed 2.8 percent year-over-year in November, faster than the 2.5 percent rise in October. Economists had expected the inflation to remain stable at 2.5 percent.



Germany's retail sales rebounded in November, figures from Destatis revealed Friday. Retail sales climbed 4.4 percent year-on-year in November, reversing a revised 0.9 percent drop in October. Sales were forecast to grow 2.3 percent.



Germany's construction activity expanded at the fastest pace in four months in December, buoyed by strong growth in commercial building work, survey data from IHS Markit showed Friday. The headline Purchasing Managers' Index climbed to 53.7 in December from 53.1 in November.



France's consumer prices grew at a steady pace in December, flash data from the statistical office Insee showed Friday. Consumer prices climbed 1.2 percent year-on-year in December, the same pace of increase as seen in November.



French consumer confidence strengthened in December to the highest level in six months, survey data from the statistical office Insee showed Friday. The consumer sentiment index climbed to 105 in December from 103 in November, which was revised up from 102. Economists had expected the index to rise to 103.



UK labor productivity increased at the fastest pace in more than six years in the third quarter, the Office for National Statistics said Friday. Output per hour grew 0.9 percent sequentially in the third quarter, the largest increase since the second quarter of 2011.



Shop prices in the United Kingdom were down 0.6 percent on year in December, the British Retail Consortium said on Friday. That missed expectations for a flat reading following the 0.1 percent contraction in November.



After reporting a bigger than expected jump in employment in the previous month, the Labor Department released a report on Friday showing employment in the U.S. increased by much less than anticipated in the month of December.



The report said non-farm payroll employment climbed by 148,000 jobs in December after spiking by an upwardly revised 252,000 jobs in November. Economists had expected employment to increase by 190,000 jobs compared to the addition of 228,000 jobs originally reported for the previous month.



Meanwhile, the Labor Department said the unemployment rate came in at 4.1 percent in December, unchanged from the two previous months and in line with economists' estimates.



A report released by the Commerce Department on Friday showed the U.S. trade deficit widened more than expected in November, as the value of imports increased by more than the value of exports. The Commerce Department said the trade deficit widened to $50.5 billion in November from a revised $48.9 billion in October.



The deficit had been expected to widen to $49.5 billion from the $48.7 billion originally reported for the previous month.



For the second consecutive month, the Institute for Supply Management has released a report showing a slowdown in the pace of growth in activity in the U.S. service sector. The ISM said Friday that its non-manufacturing index dropped to 55.9 in December after falling to 57.4 in November.



While a reading above 50 still indicates growth in the service sector, economists had expected the index to inch back up to 57.6.



New orders for U.S. manufactured goods jumped by more than expected in the month of November, according to a report released by the Commerce Department on Friday. The Commerce Department said factory orders surged up by 1.3 percent in November after rising by an upwardly revised 0.4 percent in October.



Economists had expected factory orders to climb by 1.1 percent compared to the 0.1 percent drop originally reported for the previous month.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

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ORANGE COUNTY, CA / ACCESSWIRE / January 14, 2018 / Recognized entrepreneur and contemporary marketing expert Nicholas Kohlschreiber saw success early on as a result of his ability to utilize advanced technology to drive digital consumer traffic. Now, as the owner of a media company based in Newport Beach, Kohlschreiber continues to improve upon these techniques, and share them with others to allow for the organic proliferation of new and small businesses. Recently, the digital expert shared new tech trends that he believes will further evolve the strategies of innovative marketers.

Emerging as a concept in 2016 was cognitive marketing or the use of technology that mimics the human brain in order to improve performance. As the advantages of cognitive-based systems continue to be revealed, Kohlschreiber predicts a dramatic rise in their use. For example, when consumers appear to be exhibiting purchasing patterns that are very different from the norm, this technology would be much better at finding the behavioral characteristics that cause the unexpected actions. Marketers using cognitive software will have the capability to redesign messages so that they are different, and relevant, to each consumer. By using massive computing power and large data sets, these systems will effectively be able to identify unmet and unstated customer needs, providing brands with unprecedented promotion and product guidance.

Nicholas Kohlschreiber continued to discuss the shift from siloed channel strategies to cross-channel engagement. Traditional silo marketing promotes a different message across each distribution network, a method that has resulted in confused consumer opinions of brands. Throughout 2017, Kohlschreiber expects to see more companies become truly omnichannel and deliver one message that is shared across all outlets, offline and online. In today's era of mass media consumption, there is little point in advertising to change perception across one medium while not simultaneously doing so on the others. While it has been predicted for some time now, it seems that an integration of marketing automation with ad buying technologies may also come to fruition in 2017. The benefit of doing so is a massively increased ability to leverage data between web, email, and ad platforms in order to improve both performance and the customer experience. Compiling this data will allow marketers to garner a single view of their customer, making it easier to share attributes, interests, and behaviors between platforms.

Entrepreneur Nicholas Kohlschreiber specializes in creative marketing solutions, and together with his team of experts allows for new and small businesses to fully take advantage of their online presence in order to convert customers and spur growth. An enthusiast for originality, he believes there is always room for innovation and urges employees and clients alike to "Think Big, Go Far." From simple document preparation to a complete online multimedia driven business development strategy, Kohlschreiber strives to further the connections between small businesses and the modern communication platforms that run society.

Nick Kohlschreiber - Expert in Modern Marketing: http://www.nickkohlschreibernews.com

Nick Kohlschreiber - Business Entrepreneur & Founder of TeleTree: http://nickkohlschreiberreviews.com

Nick Kohlschreiber - Creative Marketing Solutions Expert: http://nickkohlschreibermarketing.com

Contact Information

NickKohlschreiberNews.com

www.NickKohlschreiberNews.com

contact@nickkohlschreibernews.com

Source: Nick Kohlschreiber
Technavio's latest report on the global medical cameras marketprovides an analysis of the most important trends expected to impact the market outlook from 2017-2021. Technavio defines an emerging trend as a factor that has the potential to significantly impact the market and contribute to its growth or decline.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171003006037/en/

Technavio has published a new report on the global medical cameras market from 2017-2021. (Graphic: Business Wire)

The global medical cameras market is expected to grow at a significant rate during the forecast period. The increase in the number of MIS, high incidence of cancers, and growing skin disorders will continue to drive the growth of the global medical cameras market. As the number of surgical procedures is increasing at a significant rate, manufacturers are developing advanced digital HD surgical and endoscopy cameras with three-chip technology and advanced image sensors that provide high-quality images. These images provide physicians with minute details of the inner body parts that allow them to perform the procedure efficiently. Such technological innovations are driving the growth of the global medical cameras market.

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The top three emerging trends driving the global medical cameras market according to Technavio healthcare and life sciences research analysts are:

High growth potential of dermatology cameras

Emergence of digital microscopic cameras

Growing focus on service support

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Technavio's sample reports are free of charge and contain multiple sections of the report including the market size and forecast, drivers, challenges, trends, and more.

High growth potential of dermatology cameras

The technological advances in the dermatology cameras and an increase in the target population will drive the dermatology cameras segment in the coming future. Dermatology cameras are used to detect and diagnose melanomas and other skin-related diseases accurately.

"According to 3Gen, BCC disease is the most common form of skin cancer, and about one million cases are diagnosed annually in the US. The growing number of skin disorders increased the adoption of dermatology cameras for accurate diagnosis. Also, dermatology cameras are witnessing technical advances in terms of size, clarity, and resolution," says Barath Palada, a lead analyst at Technavio for research on orthopedics and medical devices.

Emergence of digital microscopic cameras

The global medical cameras market is witnessing technological advancements. The emergence of digital microscopic video cameras having high-resolution output will simplify the most intricate procedures of modern medicine. The high-resolution digital microscopes play an important role in treating sensitive surgeries such as spinal and other neurosurgeries.

"Digital video microscopes offer better frame rate than standard digital microscope cameras. These video cameras allow direct connection to a monitor or screen by providing high image quality live video streaming with a minimum of 1080 pixels resolution. Thus, the advanced features of the digital microscope will significantly increase its usage for surgeries," adds Barath.

Growing focus on service support

End-users such as hospitals and ASCs are purchasing advanced mydriatic fundus, dermatology, surgical, and endoscopy cameras that provide maximum usability and endurance in clinical diagnosis and treatment. The manufacturers are attracting customers by providing ideal service plans, regular training, and real-time support during the complete lifecycle period.

Stryker provides remote device management to its customers. The company's SwitchPoint Infinity 3 control system sends system alerts automatically in case of any errors. Thus, it sends maintenance information to its customer care, service, and technical support teams. Stryker's SORN Diagnostic Services remotely monitors the software status, hardware maintenance, temperature status, and the software versions of a system.

Browse Related Reports:

Global Neuroprosthetics Market 2017-2021

Global Dental Syringes Market 2017-2021

Global Venturi Masks Market 2017-2021

About Technavio

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions.

With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 10,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

If you are interested in more information, please contact our media team at media@technavio.com.

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TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / October 3, 2017 / Datametrex AI Limited (the "Company" or "Datametrex") (TSX-V: DM) is pleased to announce that it recently became a member of the 8020 Connect community. 8020 Connect (www.8020connect.com) is the investment industry's newest and most trusted investor community. The investor platform is developed to deliver corporate information to shareholders, investment industry experts, and like-minded investors while enabling group members to interact with one another and with the corporation's management team.

Through the 8020 Connect shareholder and investor platform, Datametrex can communicate its corporate message and update advancements and financial information to all shareholders and investors in a timely and effective fashion. The 8020 Connect provides a monitored and professional environment, allowing the company to respond to questions and manage group conversations. The 8020 Connect platform and services will provide Datametrex an opportunity to expand its audience to other interested investors and industry experts worldwide.

Looking for a new way to be informed? Join our Investor Group on 8020Connect.

About Datametrex AI Limited & Nexalogy

Datametrex is a big data Company for retail, brands, and other organizations. The Company's DataTap technology captures all data sent from the POS to the receipt printer and scanner, and then sends it to the cloud, so it can be presented for key decision making. The Company is planning on integrating the DataTap environment to decentralized blockchains to further authenticate and validate the data collected.

Nexalogy unlocks valuable insights from social media data. Through its proprietary semantic clustering algorithms, it provides insights and analysis that aren't available through traditional business intelligence technology. This technology makes data more relevant and is the missing link in providing actionable social media intelligence to governments and organizations all over the world.

Jeffrey Stevens - President & COO

Phone: (647) 400-8494

Email: jstevens@datametrex.com

About 8020 Connect

8020 Connect is a social and interactive investment community which expands the way shareholders and interested investors access and gather information from public corporations. Built as a hybrid social media and shareholder and management engagement platform, corporations can direct the flow of information to prospective and existing investors through both static and dynamic content. This will allow public companies to build their investment brand and investor awareness while maintaining digital media compliance in a growing online investment community.

Cautionary Statement Regarding "Forward-Looking" Information

Some of the statements contained in this news release are forward-looking statements and information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements and information can be identified by the use of words such as "expects," "intends," "is expected," "potential," "suggests" or variations of such words or phrases, or statements that certain actions, events or results "may," "could," "should," "would," "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements and information are not historical facts and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties beyond the Company's control. Actual results and developments are likely to differ and may differ materially, from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements contained in this news release. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or otherwise revise any forward-looking statements, except as may be required by law.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulations Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE: Datametrex AI Limited
PARSONS, TN -- (Marketwired) -- 10/03/17 -- Modern States Education Alliance, a philanthropy dedicated to making a college degree more affordable and accessible, today announced a partnership with The Ayers Foundation, an organization committed to improving the quality of life for the people of Tennessee through education, conservation and social welfare. The partnership will create additional pathways for Tennessee high school students to pursue a college education free from economic burden. The Ayers Foundation will provide an in-kind contribution of approximately $50,000 to support these students through tutoring, mentoring, college counseling and additional support services.

The Ayers Foundation, through the Ayers Scholars Program, will help implement the use of Modern States' courses in high schools within the Henderson, Decatur, Perry and Unicoi county school districts. Modern States recently launched the first-ever catalog of tuition-free online courses for 40+ core freshman subjects, which enables learners to earn traditional academic credits at more than 2,900 major colleges and universities. Taught by professors from leading universities, Modern States courses prepare students for the well-accepted Advanced Placement (AP) and College Level Examination Program (CLEP) exams from the College Board.

Last month, Modern States announced it will pay exam fees to the College Board for the first 10,000 test takers, enabling students anywhere to earn up to a full year's worth of credit for free, and reducing the cost of a traditional four-year college degree by 25 percent. The philanthropy has earmarked up to 250 of the 10,000 CLEP exams for use by the Ayers Foundation in select Tennessee high schools (Lexington High School, Scotts Hill High School, Unicoi County High School, Perry County High School and Riverside High School). The Ayers Foundation will cover the cost of any remaining exams taken by students in these high schools during the 2017-2018 school year.

"Access to affordable higher education is imperative for the students of Tennessee," said Ayers Foundation President Janet Ayers. "Modern States Education Alliance is providing extraordinary quality courses taught by professors at the top of their field. We are pleased to partner with the philanthropy to ensure students in our region have access to college-level courses for real college credits. These money-saving classes and various support services can help brighten the future of many young Tennesseans."

The professors who teach the Modern States courses include faculty from some of the nation's best universities, including Columbia, Purdue, Rutgers, MIT, Johns Hopkins, Tufts, Baruch College, University of Texas, and Cal Berkeley. For example, Paul Schiff Berman, a former dean of the George Washington University Law School, teaches the "Introduction to Business Law" course for Modern States.

"It is great to have The Ayers Foundation join forces with Modern States to help make access to post-secondary education a reality for more students in Tennessee," said Steven Klinsky, founder and CEO of Modern States. "Education has been getting more expensive, with student debt now standing at $1.3 trillion. We value allies who want to create a top quality, tuition free on-ramp to further college education."

Modern States aspires to help over one million learners earn credit at no tuition cost, saving students and taxpayers approximately $1,000 per course and over $1 billion in total, while also creating a practical "on-ramp" into the traditional college system for anyone who seeks it.

About The Ayers Foundation

The Ayers Foundation is dedicated to improving the quality of life for the people of Tennessee. We believe this is best accomplished by positively affecting the fields of Education, Conservation and Social Welfare. The Ayers Foundation provides grant and scholarship money to further its goals and to ensure they are carried out in perpetuity. Learn more at TheAyersFoundation.org.

About Modern States

The Modern States Education Alliance is a NYC-based philanthropy dedicated to making a college degree more affordable and attainable for everyone. Its first initiative is "Freshman Year for Free": more than 40 online college courses available tuition-free for credit, from top university professors available to anyone with an Internet connection. Students can use these courses to earn college credits by preparing for and taking AP and CLEP exams, as offered by the College Board. Learn more at ModernStates.org.

Media contact:

Jennifer Leckstrom

RoseComm for Modern States

jleckstrom@rosecomm.com

215-681-0770




Technavio has announced the top five leading vendors in their recentglobal oatmeal marketreport until 2021. This research report also lists 10 other prominent vendors that are expected to impact the market during the forecast period.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171003006081/en/

Technavio has published a new report on the global oatmeal market from 2017-2021. (Graphic: Business Wire)

There is a large market for oatmeal in the developed nations of the West, where oatmeal is popularly consumed as a breakfast item. However, the market for oatmeal is currently expanding in many developing countries as well, owing to the rising trend of healthy eating. It can be predicted that this trend will likely increase the consumption of oatmeal and the customer base of vendors that offer oatmeal globally, over the next five years.

Competitive vendor landscape

The global oatmeal market comprises of both large and small players. There are giant brands like Kellogg, General Mills, and others in the market along with many regional and small brands. Consumers can choose their products from the options available in the market on the basis of flavor, ingredients, price, packaging, and other aspects. There is enormous potential for new entrants, but they need to distinguish their products to compete with big players. Therefore, to succeed in a tough competitive environment, it is necessary for the vendors in the market to differentiate their offerings using a clear and unique value proposition.

Manjunath Reddy, an industry expert at Technavio for research on food, says, "Global brands such as Nestle and Kellogg are trying to widen their product portfolio by upholding the trend of healthy eating. They have plans for expansion in this market, either by partnership or through acquisition of a regional brand. Instead of marketing oatmeal just as a cereal/breakfast meal, they use it in other products such as granola bars, puffs, chocolates, and protein bars. This further increase value and volume of the global oatmeal market."

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Top five oatmeal market vendors

General Mills

General Mills is a global company producing food items. The company is renowned for its quality products across the world. The company has an umbrella full of a substantial number of brands. Some of its famous brands are Yoplait, Cheerios, Trice, Betty Crocker, and Colombo. The company has four major sales segments U.S. Retail, International, Convenience Stores and Foodservice and Joint Ventures.

Kellogg

Kellogg is one of the largest brands in cereal and processed and convenience food. The famous brands under its umbrella include Keebler, Special K, Frosted Flakes, and Apple Jacks. The company's main strategy is the continuous incorporation of innovation in its products and offerings. The company is trying to expand its product portfolio. The company works closely with suppliers and producers to work in a sustainable manner. The company aims at delivering products at the right time to avoid excessive lead time and to provide consistent availability of its products.

Nestle

Nestle is one of the largest food processing and manufacturing company. It has global operations with manufacturing units spread across several regions. It diverges into several business segments such as powdered and liquid beverages, milk products and ice cream, and confectionery. It includes famous brands such as KitKat, Maggi, and Boost.

Quaker Oats Company

Quaker Oats Company has been able to create a premium brand image among its customers. The main strategy of the company is to understand the taste and preferences of local customers in different regions and to devise new products accordingly. The company manufactures cereals, bars, and snacks. In all these products, oatmeal is used. Hence, the company offers a varied range of oats products.

Weetabix

Weetabix includes several brands in its portfolio such as Alpen, Oatibix, Weetabix on the go, and Oaty bars. The company focuses on breakfast meals and manufactures several products for breakfast. The company primarily focuses on the breakfast business. It aims to serve the best breakfast cereals to its customers. The company has several brands which provide oatmeal for direct consumption or use it as an ingredient in products such as mixed cereals and granola bars. The major brands in the oatmeal market are Weetabix, Ready Brek, and Alpen.

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Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions.

With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 10,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

If you are interested in more information, please contact our media team at media@technavio.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171003006081/en/

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US: +1 844 361 1100

UK: +44 203 893 3200

www.technavio.com
IRVINE, CA / ACCESSWIRE / October 5, 2017 / Khang & Khang LLP (the "Firm") announces a securities class action lawsuit against Vitamin Shoppe, Inc. ("Vitamin Shoppe" or the "Company") (NYSE: VSI). Investors who purchased or otherwise acquired shares from March 1, 2017 through August 6, 2017, inclusive (the "Class Period"), are encouraged to contact the Firm before the October 27, 2017 lead plaintiff motion deadline.

If you purchased Vitamin Shoppe shares during the Class Period, please contact Joon M. Khang, Esq., of Khang & Khang LLP, 4000 Barranca Parkway, Suite 250, Irvine, CA 92604, by telephone at (949) 419-3834 , or by e-mail at joon@khanglaw.com.

There has been no class certification in this case yet. Until certification occurs, you are not represented by an attorney. You may choose to take no action and remain a passive class member as well.

According to the Complaint, throughout the Class Period, Vitamin Shoppe made false and/or misleading statements, and/or failed to disclose: that the Company's retail segment was declining dramatically; that its ongoing "reinvention plan" was unsuccessful and brought more than $168 million in goodwill impairment, and it was not properly recognizing that impairment charge; and that as a result of the above, the Company's public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times. On May 10, 2017, Vitamin Shoppe released first quarter 2017 financial results that were lower than market expectations and slashed its fiscal 2017 guidance by 45%, yet claimed the "reinvention plan" was still succeeding. Following this news, the Company's stock price fell dramatically. On August 9, 2017, the Company announced that it was taking a $168.1 million impairment charge on the goodwill being carried on its books associated with its retail segment, and that it would report a loss per share of $6.73. Also, citing "the potential increase in variability of the Company's results due to the number of initiatives being launched in the back half of the year," Vitamin Shoppe dropped its fiscal 2017 earnings per share guidance altogether. Upon release of this information, the Company's stock price decreased materially, which caused investors harm according to the Complaint.

If you wish to learn more about this lawsuit, or if you have 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
BRUSSELS, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

A host of celebrities including Ricky Gervais and Pixie Geldof have joined with Cruelty Free International alongside over 100 policymakers, retailers, scientists and animal experts to call on the EU to lead the way in securing an international end to the suffering of animals in laboratories for the sake of beauty.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150121/726834 )



The call marks the five-year 'banniversary' of the EU's progressive outlawing of the sale in Europe of new cosmetics tested on animals anywhere in the world. The move followed bans on the testing of cosmetics products on animals in 2003 and ingredients in 2009 and has inspired legislation around the world.

Leading decision-makers, influencers, companies and scientists have joined with Cruelty Free International and signed a letter addressed to European leaders and Heads of Member State governments, calling on the EU to use its influence to push for a global end to cosmetics animal testing.

Michelle Thew, CEO of Cruelty Free International, said, "Five years after the full EU testing and marketing bans came into force, the time is right to go one step further. The leadership the EU has shown deserves credit. Now it's time to work together to deliver a global end to cosmetics animal testing and eliminate cruel animal suffering."

Pixie Geldof, model, singer and animal welfare advocate, said, "A generation of young Europeans are growing up with cruelty free cosmetic products as the norm. Now we need a global ban so no animals suffer in unnecessary cosmetics tests anywhere in the world."

Jessie Macneil-Brown, Head of Global Campaigns at The Body Shop, said, "The Body Shop is proud of the part we have played in changing animal testing laws and our campaign with Cruelty Free International for a UN global ban. Enough is enough - we urge the EU to step up and help achieve a global ban to end this once and for all."

Cathryn Higgs, Head of Food Policy at Co-op, said, "For over 25 years Co-op has led the way with our commitment to produce and sell products that haven't been tested on animals. It's an issue which is close to the hearts of our customers and members. We support Cruelty Free International in their ambition to extend the EU ban to a global position, so we are proud to be one of the first signatories to this letter."

A European Parliament vote to decide whether the EU should take action in order to end cosmetics testing on animals worldwide is expected to take place within the coming weeks.

In 2017 the Cruelty Free International launched a joint-campaign with The Body Shop to engage eight million people to sign a petition calling on the UN to introduce an international convention to end the practice. The petition can be signed online at http://www.foreveragainstanimaltesting.com.

For more information, please email:

media@crueltyfreeinternational.org

telephone:+44(0)7850-510-955


According to the latest market study released by Technavio, the global smart grid cyber security market is expected to grow at a CAGR of more than 10% during the forecast period.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171106006141/en/

Technavio has published a new report on the global smart grid cyber security market from 2017-2021. (Graphic: Business Wire)

This research report titled 'Global Smart Grid Cyber Security Market 2017-2021' provides an in-depth analysis of the market in terms of revenue and emerging market trends. This report also includes an up to date analysis and forecasts for various market segments and all geographical regions.

This report is available at a USD 1,000 discount for a limited time only: View market snapshot before purchasing

Buy 1 Technavio report and get the second for 50% off. Buy 2 Technavio reports and get the third for free

The market research analysis categorizes the global smart grid cyber security market into the following type of application. They are:

Consumption

Generation

Distribution and control

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Consumption

The consumption segment in the smart grid cyber security market accounted for more than 37% of the total market share in 2016. The growing electricity demand will increase the need to deploy smart grids for power supply. Smart meters, which are installed at consumer's premise, transmit consumer usage data to electric utilities. Smart meters are used for reading the power consumption in real time, provide accurate billing, and to identify electricity theft. They also allow consumers to manage electricity consumption of home appliances, which can be monitored either by a mobile application or personal computer.

According to Thanikachalam Chandrasekaran, a lead analyst at Technavio for power research, "Many government authorities have set guidelines, aimed at protecting smart meters from cyber-attacks. This leads to an increased adoption of safety measures such as data authentication and encryption, which will drive the demand for smart grid cybersecurity solutions for consumption applications over the forecast period."

Generation

In 2016, the generation segment in the smart grid cyber security market occupied for more than 34% of the total market share. The increasing demand for electricity has put pressure on utilities to produce more power. As per the US EIA's Annual Energy Outlook 2017, the cumulative planned electricity generation capacity addition in the US during 2017-2021 is expected to be 40.6 GW. Renewable energy is being increasingly integrated into power generation plants. As per IEA's World Energy Outlook 2016, power generation from renewables is expected to increase from 23% of the global power generation in 2016 to 37% by 2040.

"The increase in power generation demand by EV use can be met through grid modernization, which also increases cybersecurity concerns. Protection of generation assets is of prime concern for operators. In case of a cyber-attack, failure of generation assets will lead to a severe power failure that translates to high T&D and monetary losses. Thus, the introduction of SCADA systems will fuel development in the global market," says Thanikachalam.

Distribution and control

The distribution and control segment in the smart grid cyber security market accounted for around 29% of the total market share in 2016. Power grid modernization enables grid system operators to centralize the control and monitoring of their distribution assets. Incorporation of SCADA into the grid has allowed operators to effectively manage the load and decrease the outage time, thereby increasing the reliability of the grid. SCADA system can record data and analyze it to prevent any severe incidents to occur.

The top vendors highlighted by Technavio's market research analysts in this report are:

BAE Systems

IBM

IOActive

Lockheed Martin

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About Technavio

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions.

With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 10,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

If you are interested in more information, please contact our media team at media@technavio.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171106006141/en/

Contacts:

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CALGARY, ALBERTA -- (Marketwired) -- 10/03/17 -- Trican Well Service Ltd. ("Trican" or the "Company") (TSX: TCW) is pleased to announce the appointment of Michael Baldwin as Senior Vice President, Corporate Development effective October 3, 2017. Mr. Baldwin joined Trican as Controller in October 1997 and subsequently held the positions of Manager, Finance and Treasurer. From 2008 until 2013, Mr. Baldwin held the position of Vice President, Finance and Chief Financial Officer. Most recently, he served as the Company's Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer.

In his new role, Mr. Baldwin will be responsible for all corporate development opportunities and will continue to lead the Corporation's Human Resources, Information Technology/Information Systems, Supply Chain, Organizational Efficiency, and Legal teams as well as continue to support investor relations activities.

"Mike has been an integral part of our team that guided the Company through the last downturn and going forward, will have a key role in overseeing the strategic growth of the Company," said Mr. Dale Dusterhoft, President and Chief Executive Officer.

Trican is also pleased to announce the appointment of Robert Skilnick as Chief Financial Officer effective October 3, 2017. Mr. Skilnick joined Canyon Services Group Inc. ("Canyon") in January 2016 as Vice President and Controller and as part of the acquisition of Canyon, transitioned to Trican as Vice President, Finance on June 2, 2017. Prior to joining Canyon, Mr. Skilnick spent six years as the Chief Financial Officer of a North American drilling contractor, with an additional nine years professional experience within KPMG's audit practice and as Corporate Controller for an international exploration and production company. Mr. Skilnick is a member of both the Chartered Professional Accountants of Alberta and Canada.

In his new role, Mr. Skilnick will be responsible for Trican's accounting, finance, treasury and corporate reporting functions and for supporting investor relations activities.

Mr. Dusterhoft commented that, "Rob's focus and experience on financial matters and strategic planning further bolsters and strengthens the capabilities of Trican's executive team. Rob's philosophy of maintaining a strong balance sheet and focusing on prudent financial management is aligned with the executive team's philosophy and will result in a seamless transition. Rob is a great addition to our team and will be integral to our future success."

ABOUT TRICAN

Headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, Trican provides a comprehensive array of specialized products, equipment and services that are used during the exploration and development of oil and gas reserves.

Contacts:

Dale Dusterhoft

Chief Executive Officer

E-mail: ddusterhoft@trican.ca



Michael Baldwin

Senior Vice President, Corporate Development

E-mail: mbaldwin@trican.ca



Robert Skilnick

Chief Financial Officer

E-mail: robert.skilnick@trican.ca



Phone: (403) 266-0202

Fax: (403) 237-7716

2900, 645 - 7th Avenue S.W.

Calgary, Alberta T2P 4G8

Please visit our website at www.tricanwellservice.com




Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - October 3, 2017) - Valens GroWorks Corp. (CSE: VGW) (the "Company") is pleased to announce a research partnership with UBC Okanagan and Thompson Rivers University. Dubbed the Cannabis Bio-products Toolbox, this collaborative research project will explore the vast range of bioproducts that can be made from the plant - these include pharmaceuticals, nutritional products, and industrial fibre.

The project has been awarded to Valens GroWork's Health Canada-licensed subsidiaries Valens Agritech and Supra THC Services, and comes with a three-year $330,000 MITACS Research Grant. Research and analysis on cannabis plants and by-products will to be supervised by Valens Agritech scientists Dr. Rob O'Brien and Dr. Yasantha Athukorala.

"Cannabis is a source of many potentially valuable products," says UBC Okanagan biology professor Michael Deyholos. "But because of its prohibition over the past decades, development of new products from cannabis has lagged behind other crops." Deyholos, whose research explores the potential of flax and hemp, says on the medicinal side of cannabis there are dozens of compounds in the plant that may have specific health benefits. "Besides these pharmaceutical compounds, there are healthful oils and proteins in the seed that we would like to enrich," he adds. "All of this requires a better understanding of the genes and chemicals already present in different strains of cannabis, and that is what this project is designed to do."

Deyholos says while cannabis is best known as a source of THC - the principal psychoactive ingredient in cannabis-the plant produces at least 90 other cannabinoids - many of which have potent biological activities. Some of these compounds are being examined for the treatment of cancer, Parkinson's disease, and other serious health conditions.

"Our team has experience in the characterization of a range of relevant biosynthetic pathways in cannabis stems," he adds. The researchers want to breed strains that are enriched in various combinations of these compounds, tailored to the needs of specific patients.

Deyholos is joined by UBC Okanagan biology professor Soheil Mahmoud, and UBC chemistry professor Paul Shipley - whose lab examines the chemistry of medicinal plants, and Thompson Rivers University chemistry professor Bruno Cinel - a natural products chemist. Together with a number of post-doctorate fellows and graduate students they will work at the Health Canada-licensed laboratories of the Company's subsidiaries Valens Agritech and Supra THC Services in Kelowna.

"It is an honour to be associated with such a collection of accomplished scientists," says Valens Agritech President and Chief Science Officer O'Brien. "The research derived from this funding will provide insights into the complexity of gene expression in cannabis and will help produce new varieties that can have a greater health impact."

This work was supported by MITACS through the MITACS Accelerate Program.

"MITACS is by far the best funding program in support of intern placement," adds O'Brien. "It is a critical component of Canada's success in the international marketplace."

About Valens GroWorks Corp.

Valens GroWorks Corp. is a CSE-listed company with an aggressive buildout strategy in progress. The Company seeks to capture a broad spectrum of medical cannabis users, and adult recreational users once legalized, as well as clinical trial and R&D clients, in pursuit of its ambitious seed-to-sale and farm-to-pharma objectives. The Company provides management, consulting, testing and support services to domestic and international licensees, as well as financial support to fully-licensed third-party operations.

The Company operates through two wholly-owned subsidiaries based in the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia: Valens Agritech Ltd. ("VAL") holds a Health Canada Dealer's License and is positioning for expanded cannabis production, and Supra THC Services Inc. ("Supra"), a Health Canada licensed cannabis testing lab providing sector-leading analytical and proprietary services to Licensed Producers and ACMPR patients.

Supra, in collaboration with Thermo Fisher Scientific (Mississauga) Inc., is developing a "Centre of Excellence in Plant Based Medicine Analytics" in Kelowna, British Columbia. For more information, please visit http://valensgroworks.com, http://www.valensagritech.com and http://www.suprathc.ca.

ABOUT THOMPSON RIVERS UNIVERSITY

Thompson Rivers University is committed to participating in community partnerships that drive the knowledge and innovation economy in British Columbia's Southern Interior. Named after the view from its main Kamloops campus overlooking the junction of the North and South Thompson rivers, TRU is proud to support the nearly 26,000 students on its campuses in Kamloops and Williams Lake, and in online programming through TRU Open Learning.

With a 45-year history of excellence in education in the BC Interior, TRU prides itself on providing students with access to a research-informed education, and providing our communities with access to the benefits of scholarly, research, and creative activities that solve community problems and enrich community life.

ABOUT UBC's OKANAGAN CAMPUS

UBC's Okanagan campus is an innovative hub for research and learning in the heart of British Columbia's stunning Okanagan Valley. Ranked among the top 20 public universities in the world, UBC is a globally recognized research-intensive institution whose Okanagan campus was established in 2005.

The Okanagan campus emphasizes smaller class sizes, experiential learning, and research activity for students, combining a world-class UBC degree with a tight-knit and entrepreneurial community. As part of North America's most international university, the campus is home to 9,000 students representing 98 countries.

On behalf of the Board of Directors,

VALENS GROWORKS CORP.

(signed) "Tyler Robson"

Chief Executive Officer

For further information, please contact:

Greg Patchell

Telephone: +1.250.860.8634

Notice regarding Forward Looking Statements

This news release contains certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of such statements under applicable securities law. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "continue", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "may", "will", "potential", "proposed" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. These statements are only predictions. Various assumptions were used in drawing the conclusions or making the projections contained in the forward-looking statements throughout this news release. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the statements are made, and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. The Corporation is under no obligation, and expressly disclaims any intention or obligation, to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable law.

The CSE or other regulatory authority has not reviewed, approved or disapproved the contents of this press release. We seek Safe Harbour.
INDIANA, PA--(Marketwired - October 03, 2017) - First Commonwealth Financial Corporation (NYSE: FCF) announced today that it will host a conference call on Wednesday, October 25, 2017 at 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time to discuss financial results for the quarter ended September 30, 2017. The call will be hosted by T. Michael Price, President and Chief Executive Officer. He will be joined by James R. Reske, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. First Commonwealth will issue a press release reporting its Third Quarter 2017 financial results by 7:00 a.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, October 25, 2017.

Conference Call Information:

What: First Commonwealth Financial Corporation Third Quarter 2017 Earnings Conference Call When: 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Wednesday, October 25, 2017 Where: www.fcbanking.com/investorrelations How: Live and replay webcast over the Internet or Live by Phone: 1-844-792-3645 (U.S. toll free) or 1-412-902-6636 (international toll) Replay by Phone: 1-877-344-7529 Replay Access Code: 10112938

To listen to the conference call, either dial the phone number above or go to First Commonwealth's Investor Relations webpage at www.fcbanking.com/investorrelations, click on the "Third Quarter 2017 Earnings Conference Call" link and follow the instructions. After the live presentation, the webcast will be archived on this website for at least 30 days. In addition, a replay of the call will be available approximately one hour after the conclusion of the call by dialing the replay number and entering the access code listed above. There is no charge to access this event.

To Ask Questions:

Participants can e-mail their questions to investorrelations@fcbanking.com. Questions submitted via e-mail will be accepted beginning at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, October 25, 2017, until the conclusion of the presentation.

Third Quarter 2017 Earnings Release:

The First Commonwealth Financial Corporation Third Quarter 2017 earnings press release can be accessed after 7:00 a.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, October 25, 2017 at www.fcbanking.com/investorrelations. Click on "News," which can be found under the "News & Market Data" section.

About First Commonwealth Financial Corporation

First Commonwealth Financial Corporation (NYSE: FCF), headquartered in Indiana, Pennsylvania, is a financial services company with 135 banking offices in 20 counties throughout western and central Pennsylvania and northern and central Ohio, as well as a Corporate Banking Center in Cleveland, Ohio and mortgage offices in Stow and Dublin, Ohio. First Commonwealth provides a full range of commercial banking, consumer banking, mortgage, wealth management and insurance products and services through its subsidiaries First Commonwealth Bank and First Commonwealth Insurance Agency. For more information about First Commonwealth or to open an account today, please visit www.fcbanking.com.

Media Relations



Amy Jeffords

Assistant Vice President / Communications and Community Relations

Phone: 724-463-6806

E-mail: AJeffords@fcbanking.com



Investor Relations



Ryan M. Thomas

Vice President / Finance and Investor Relations

Phone: 724-463-1690

E-mail: RThomas1@fcbanking.com
MONTERREY, MEXICO -- (Marketwired) -- 10/03/17 -- Fomento Economico Mexicano, S.A.B. de C.V. ("FEMSA") (NYSE: FMX) (BMV: FEMSAUBD) (BMV: FEMSAUB) is pleased to invite you to participate in its Third Quarter 2017 Conference Call that will be held on:

Friday, October 27, 2017

10:00 AM Eastern Time

(9:00 AM Mexico City Time)

Eduardo Padilla, Chief Corporate Officer of FEMSA, will host the call and discuss FEMSA's Third Quarter 2017 financial results, followed by a question and answer session. The quarterly results will be released on October 26 after the market's close.

To participate in the conference call please dial

Toll Free US: (888) 602 6363

International: (719) 457 2735

Conference ID: 9150893

The conference call will be webcast live through streaming audio. For details please visit www.femsa.com/investor

If you are unable to participate live, the conference call replay will be available on http://ir.femsa.com/results.cfm

FEMSA is a leading company that participates in the beverage industry through Coca-Cola FEMSA, the largest franchise bottler of Coca-Cola products in the world by volume; and in the beer industry, through its ownership of the second largest equity stake in Heineken, one of the world's leading brewers with operations in over 70 countries. In the retail industry it participates through FEMSA Comercio, comprising a Retail Division operating various small-format store chains including OXXO, a Health Division, which includes all drugstores and related operations, and a Fuel Division, operating the OXXO GAS chain of retail service stations. Additionally, through its Strategic Businesses unit, it provides logistics, point-of-sale refrigeration solutions and plastics solutions to FEMSA's business units and third-party clients.

Media Contact:

(52) 55-5249-6843

Email Contact

www.femsa.com



Investor Contact:

(52) 81-8328-6167

Email Contact

www.femsa.com/investor




321 Precision Conversions, LLC (321PC), today announced Vallair Solutions sarl; a wholly owned company of Vallair Capital S.A. (Vallair), as the launch customer for the passenger-to-freighter conversion of Airbus A321-200 aircraft including the prototype aircraft and follow-on option aircraft.

The prototype Aircraft (MSN891) was delivered by Vallair to 321PC in July. The company anticipates approval of a FAA Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) for A321-200 conversions in 2019, with EASA and CAAC validations thereafter. The Airbus A321 family includes over 1,400 aircraft already built and the A321NEO is now in production. This will generate an almost unprecedented feedstock for future conversion candidates.

Vallair, already engaged in the converted cargo aircraft market, is an ideal launch customer for 321PC. They are developing a comprehensive support network for both engines and airframe components as well as MRO services to better serve the new operators of the A321-200PCF.

321PC President Gary Warner said, "The next generation of the Precision Converted Freighter partnered with the operational experience of ATSG will provide a best-in-class freighter that will meet the needs of our customers. We are thrilled to have Vallair front and center as an integral part of this exciting new program. We look forward to the market enjoying the capability, flexibility, and efficiency of the A321-200PCF for many years to come."

"The A321PCF program is an exciting project and we are delighted to be the launch customer for this new freighter, our current activities and experiences generated by our engineers, both in Luxembourg and France, through the freighter conversion of other aircraft offers the right environment and facilities to gradually turn into a dedicated center of competence on this type," said Vallair CEO Gregoire Lebigot. "We believe the A321 provides significant competitive advantage over the established market competition due to its lower fuel consumption and better noise abatement levels. We are looking forward to building upon the success of this advanced aircraft."

About Vallair

Vallair is a fast-growing aviation company with uniquely integrated capabilities in support of end of service aircraft, engines and major components. With six complementary business units (trading leasing, aircraft teardown, aircraft MRO, engines, aero-structures, and cargo conversions), Vallair offers aircraft operators and owners around the world cost effective solutions to extend the life of their assets. Built on engineering excellence, best in class customer support, and a passion for aviation, Vallair is committed to making sure "end of service does not mean end of life".

Vallair's Cargo Conversion Business Unit: A leading player in the passenger to freighter market, with existing solutions on the Boeing 737-400 and ATR72, Vallair continues to invest and innovate in the cargo segment, aiming to provide the market with value added and cost-effective solutions. For more information, please see www.vallair.aero.

About 321 Precision Conversions

A joint venture between Precision Aircraft Solutions and Air Transport Services Group (ATSG) for the development and certification of the A321-200 passenger-to-freighter aircraft. Precision Aircraft Solutions is an aerospace major modification, products, and services company that has earned its stripes converting the 757 for industry-leading companies around the world. ATSG is a leading provider of aircraft leasing and air cargo transportation and related services to domestic and foreign air carriers and other companies that outsource their air cargo lift requirements. For more information, please see www.precisionaircraft.com and www.atsginc.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171003006587/en/

Contacts:

321 Precision Conversions and Precision Aircraft Solutions

Gary Warner, President, 503-601-3001

or

Vallair Solutions sarl

Gregoire Lebigot, CEO, (352) 26103962
QUEBEC, QUEBEC -- (Marketwired) -- 10/03/17 -- Petrolia Inc. (TSX VENTURE: PEA) ("Petrolia" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that its shareholders have voted in favour of all items brought before them at the Company's annual and special meeting of shareholders held in Montreal on October 3, 2017 (the "Meeting").

The Company's shareholders approved, among other things, the re-election of its five existing directors, its continuance under the Canada Business Corporations Act (the "CBCA"), the reduction of its stated capital and a plan of arrangement (the "Arrangement") whereby Petrolia and Pieridae Energy Limited ("Pieridae") will amalgamate pursuant to section 192 of the CBCA, in accordance with the terms of an arrangement agreement between the Company and Pieridae (the "Arrangement Agreement"). The resolution approving the Arrangement was approved by 97.53% of the votes cast by shareholders of the Company. The shareholders of Pieridae unanimously approved the Arrangement on September 26, 2017.

A total of 46,192,169 common shares were voted at the Meeting, representing approximately 42.61% of the issued and outstanding common shares of the Company. The other matters considered at the Meeting were all approved by more than 96% of the shareholder votes and such results are reported in the Report of Voting Results filed by the Company, and accessible on its SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com.

As previously announced, the Arrangement includes the declaration and payment of a dividend by Petrolia on its common shares in a total amount of $9,012,002 or $0.0831 per Petrolia share based on 108,399,683 shares issued and outstanding as of the dividend record date. Shareholders wishing to receive their prorata share of such dividend must remain shareholders of Petrolia until the day following the ex-dividend date established in accordance with the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange (the "Exchange"). The closing date of the Arrangement and the ex-dividend date will be announced in the coming days. It is currently expected that closing will occur mid to late October. The Arrangement is subject to the final approval of the Exchange and the Superior Court of Quebec. The motion to this Court to obtain the final order approving the Arrangement is scheduled to be heard on October 11, 2017.

Continuance under the CBCA

In connection with the Arrangement, and further to Petrolia having received the requisite approval of its shareholders, Petrolia has successfully completed its continuance (the "Continuance"), effective October 3, 2017, from the Province of Quebec into the Federal jurisdiction of Canada in accordance with the provisions of the CBCA.

Resumption of Trading

Petrolia is also pleased to announce that the Exchange has approved the resumption of trading of the Petrolia common shares, and trading will resume at the opening of the market on October 4, 2017.

The trading halt was imposed by the Exchange, coinciding with the announcement of the signing of the Arrangement Agreement. The Exchange granted its conditional approval of the Arrangement on August 29, 2017. With the filing of the joint information circular by Petrolia and Pieridae (the "Information Circular"), the completion of Pieridae's financing by way of private placement and the signature of pooling agreements by the insiders of Petrolia, the Exchange has authorized the resumption of trading on Petrolia's common shares.

Definitive Anticosti Settlement Agreements

Petrolia announces having entered into definitive agreements that implement and supersede the previously announced agreement in principle reached with the Government of Quebec with respect to the cessation of oil and gas exploration and development activities on Anticosti Island, in exchange of the previously announced $20.5 million financial compensation. Further to these agreements, all of Petrolia's interests in the limited partnership and the general partner created for this project were bought back.

Additional Information

Petrolia and Pieridae are working to complete the next steps and to satisfy the conditions of the Arrangement. When additional information becomes available, a press release will be issued.

Completion of the transaction is subject to a number of conditions, including but not limited to, the Exchange's final acceptance and the approval of the Superior Court of Quebec. There can be no assurance that the transaction will be completed as proposed or at all.

Investors are cautioned that, except as disclosed in the Information Circular, any information released or received with respect to the transaction may not be accurate or complete and should not be relied upon. Trading in the securities of Petrolia should be considered highly speculative.

About Petrolia

Petrolia is a junior oil and gas exploration company that is a leader in Quebec oil and gas prospection and its vision is to develop hydrocarbons, by people here, for here. The social and environmental dimensions are a major concern of Petrolia and its exploration process. Petrolia has 108,399,683 shares issued and outstanding.

Disclaimer

Certain statements made herein may constitute forward-looking statements. These statements relate to future events or the future economic performance of Petrolia and carry known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may appreciably affect their results, economic performance or accomplishments when considered in light of the content or implications or statements made by Petrolia. Actual events or results could be significantly different. Accordingly, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Petrolia disclaims any intention or obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its regulation services provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Contacts:

Martin Belanger, P. Eng.

Interim President and Chief Executive Officer

418 657-1966

www.petrolia-inc.com




SYDNEY, October 4, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Assessment experts from cut-e and Aon will provide fresh insights and best practice on the use of mobile devices to attract and select graduates, the new competencies required for digital working and why the candidate experience is key at the 2017 AAGE annual graduate recruitment & development conference (25-27 October, Sydney, Australia).

cut-e is the platinum sponsor of the event, which is organised by the Australian Association of Graduate Employers (AAGE), a leading industry body. The AAGE's 29th annual conference will include keynotes, workshops and interactive discussion forums focusing on the 'bigger picture' of why employers have graduate programs and how these influence the organisational culture.

David Barrett, Chief Commercial Officer of cut-e, will present a keynote session explaining how HR and talent professionals can attract and engage the 'mobile generation' by optimising their approach to assessment and gamification, and by improving the candidate experience (11.15am, Thursday 26 October).

John Chan, Principal of Aon Talent, Rewards and Performance in Australia, will host a workshop outlining what 'digital millennials' want from their employer and how they can transform an organisation (11.30am, Thursday 26 October). John will introduce cut-e's new digital competency model, which employers can assess and develop candidates against.

"Digital competence - the attitude and ability that enables us to embrace technology, collaborate with others and work more effectively - is a new strategic priority for every organisation," said David Barrett. "Today's graduates are expected to connect with others and collaborate in a digital context. Our sessions will examine the key competencies that will enable them to do this effectively, as well as new ways that HR and talent teams can attract, engage and select the right individuals, using mobile devices and the next generation of game-based assessments."

The 2017 AAGE annual conference will be held at the Hilton Sydney, 488 George Street, Sydney, Australia on 25-27 October. Register online at http://www.aageconference.com.au

Founded in 2002, cut-e (pronounced 'cute') is part of Aon Assessment Solutions, a group within Aon plc (NYSE: AON), a leading global professional services firm. cut-e provides online tests, questionnaires and gamified assessments for attraction, selection, talent management and development. Aon Assessment Solutions undertakes 30 million assessments each year in 90 countries and 40 languages.

For further information about cut-e, please visit http://www.cut-e.com or call +61(0)434-419-571.
Mfind.pl, a Poland-based insurance comparison website, received a new funding round of undisclosed amount.

Martis Consulting is the new shareholder. In conjunction with the funding, Ewa Badyga, vice president of Martis Consulting, will join mfinds supervisory board.

The company intends to use the funds to add communication and marketing expertise to the team.

Led by Bartomiej Roszkowski, CEO, Mfind.pl is an insurance comparison website that helps people save on purchase of travel insurance, medical package, travel insurance or real estate. The company, which is already cooperating with 24 insurance companies with the list still expanding, enables customers to receive from the support of counselors, both in product selection and later, when harm occurs, during the liquidation process.

Mfind is in the MCIs Internet Ventures portfolio since 2015.

FinSMEs

03/10/2017
The GST regime has brought in many changes along with the following:

Increase in the number of GST returns

Payment of tax on a monthly basis

Small and new taxpayers will find it difficult to comply with so many rules.

Hence, the government has introduced the concept of Composition Scheme. Composition Scheme is a simple and easy scheme under GST for taxpayers. Small taxpayers can get rid of tedious GST formalities and pay GST at a fixed rate of turnover. This scheme can be opted by any taxpayer whose turnover is less than Rs. 75 lakh.

Now there is an option for small and new taxpayer to opt for Composition scheme and have lesser compliance. Also, a taxpayer opting for composition scheme has to pay tax at a nominal rate.

A taxpayer whose turnover is below Rs 75 lakhs can opt in for Composition Scheme. In case of North-Eastern states and Himachal Pradesh, the limit is Rs 50 lakh.

The following people cannot opt for the scheme:

Supplier of services other than restaurant related services Manufacturer of ice cream, pan masala, or tobacco Casual taxable person or a non-resident taxable person Businesses which supply goods through an e-commerce operator

The following conditions must be satisfied in order to opt for composition scheme:

No Input Tax Credit can be claimed by a dealer opting for composition scheme The taxpayer can only make intra-state supply (sell in the same state) i.e. no inter-state supply of goods The dealer cannot supply GST exempted goods Taxpayer has to pay tax at normal rates for transactions under Reverse Charge Mechanism If a taxable person has different segments of businesses (such as textile, electronic accessories, groceries, etc.) under the same PAN, they must register all such businesses under the scheme collectively or opt out of the scheme The taxpayer has to mention the words composition taxable person on every notice or signboard displayed prominently at their place of business The taxpayer has to mention the words composition taxable person on every bill of supply issued by him.

Composition scheme: To opt in for composition scheme a taxpayer has to file Form GST CMP-01 or GST CMP-02 with the government. This can be done online after logging into the GST portal. This intimation should be given at the beginning of every Financial Year by a dealer wanting to opt for Composition Scheme.

A composition dealer cannot issue tax invoice. This is because a composition dealer cannot charge tax from their customers. They need to pay tax out of their own pocket. Hence, the dealer has to issue a Bill of Supply. The dealer should also mention composition taxable person, not eligible to collect tax on supplies at the top of the Bill of Supply.

GST rates for a composition dealer

GST Payment has to be made out of pocket. It means that a dealer opting for Composition Scheme cannot charge GST in their Invoice. The consumer/ the receiver of supplies will not be liable to pay GST to the supplier who has opted for Composition Scheme.

A dealer is required to file a quarterly return GSTR-4 by 18th of the month after the end of the quarter. Also, an annual return GSTR-9A has to be filed by 31st December of next financial year. Also, note that a dealer registered under composition scheme is not required to maintain detailed records.

The following are the advantages of registering under composition scheme:

Lesser compliance (returns, maintaining books of record, issuance of invoices) Limited tax liability High liquidity as taxes are at a lower ra

Let us now see the disadvantages of registering under GST composition scheme: A limited territory of business. The dealer is barred from carrying out inter-state transactions

No Input Tax Credit available to composition dealers The taxpayer will not be eligible to supply goods through an e-commerce portal

(This article was first published in ClearTax. You can access it here.)
Beleaguered liquor baron Vijay Mallya has been arrested after the Enforcement Directorate a filed a supplementary affidavit in the ongoing money laundering case. He was, however, immediately released on bail. The affidavit was filed in the Rs 900 crore IDBI-Kingfisher Airlines money laundering case, according to the CNBC-TV18.

The 61-year-old flamboyant businessman, already out on bail on an extradition warrant executed by the Metropolitan Police earlier this year, will be appearing before Westminster Magistrates' Court in London this afternoon where he is expected to be bailed.

"Vijay Mallya has been arrested on money laundering charges and will be appearing in court today," the spokesperson of the UK's Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) was quoted as saying in a PTI report. However, the fugitive businessman was immediate released on bail, according to media reports.

The case is being probed by the ED and the central probe agency has already filed a charge sheet against him and others in a Mumbai court.

The CPS is arguing the case against Mallya on behalf of the Indian government.

Chief Magistrate Emma Louise Arbuthnot has been hearing Mallya's extradition case at Westminster Magistrates' Court on his previous arrest warrant executed by Scotland Yard in April.

Mallya's trial in that case is scheduled for two weeks, starting 4 December.

The embattled businessman, who has been based in the UK since he fled India in March last year, is wanted in India for his erstwhile Kingfisher Airlines' default on loans worth nearly Rs 9,000 crore.

It remains to be seen if both cases will be clubbed together, which may lead to a delay in the trial date.

Mallya had been arrested by Scotland Yard on an extradition warrant on behalf of Indian authorities on 18 April.

Recently media reports said in a bid to strengthen the evidence to extradite Mallya, the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Enforcement Directorate are preparing a charge sheet alleging he laundered a major chunk of the Rs 6,000 crore bank loans taken for Kingfisher Airlines.

A report in The Times of India had said that the money was diverted through shell companies in seven countries, including the US, the UK, France and Ireland.

"Letters rogatory have already been sent to the US, the UK, France and Ireland and we will get complete details soon," an official was quoted as saying in the report. The official had claimed that the agencies have been able to establish the links between the shell companies and bank accounts in the seven countries.

The agencies were hoping that the latest evidence once submitted before the London court where the final extradition hearing will take place in December, they will have an airtight case. At present, in front of the UK court, the agencies have presented the charges in the nearly Rs 900 crore IDBI Bank loan default case.

The first hearing in the case took place on June 13, when December 4 had been pencilled in as a tentative final hearing date.

If the Chief Magistrate rules in favour of extradition at the end of the trial, the UK home secretary must order Mallyas extradition within two months of the appropriate day.

However, the case can go through a series of appeals before arriving at a conclusion.

India and the UK have an Extradition Treaty, signed in 1992 and in force since November 1993, under which recently a Bangladeshi national wanted in the UK on murder charges was to be extradited from India.

(With inputs from PTI)
Ride-hailing company Ola on Monday secured $2 billion in new funding from a group of investors, including SoftBank Group Corp and Tencent Holdings Ltd, Bloomberg reported, citing a person familiar with the matter. The funding round isnt finished yet and the amount could change, the person said.

The latest round of funding is expected to help Ola build war chest to take on global giant Uber, which has been aggressively trying to win market share in India.

In November last year, Ola has raised Rs 1,675 crore from SoftBank.

The funding is also backed by venture capital fund jointly run by industrialist Ratan Tata, the University of California's investment arm and US institutional investors, Bloomberg said, citing people familiar with the deal.

SoftBank subsidiary SIMI Pacific Pte picked 12,97,945 shares valued at Rs 10 at a premium of Rs 12,895 in ANI Technologies  which runs Ola  filings with the Registrar of Companies showed.

The allotment of shares was done in November last year, it added. The latest funding, however, is believed to have come at a lower valuation.

According to sources, the move comes at a time when Softbank is working on selling Snapdeal, an e-commerce platform it invested heavily in India, to larger rival Flipkart.

The Bengaluru-based firm was aggressively looking at raising funds to compete with Uber, the world's most valuable start-up. After selling its Chinese business to Didi last year, Uber has now set sights on India making it one of its top priorities.

Though Indian Internet companies have seen a boom in user base, their valuations have come down as investors are now focussing on path to profitability and building a sustainable business model.

Japans SoftBank has been looking to play consolidator in the country's flourishing startup ecosystem with investments that include about $1 billion in e-commerce company Snapdeal and $70 million in grocery delivery group Grofers.

Ola and SoftBank declined to comment, while Tencent was not immediately available for comment.

Flush with private equity and venture capitalist money, many start-ups continue to have high burn rate that has been a concern for investors.

Earlier this week, India's largest e-commerce firm Flipkart raised $1.4 billion from Tencent, eBay and Microsoft in a round that saw its valuation fall from $15 billion to $11.6 billion now.

(With inputs from agencies)
New Delhi: Traders body Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) on Monday alleged that e-commerce portals are "openly flouting FDI policy", and said it may move the court if no action is taken by the government against them.

In a statement, CAIT said it expresses "deep anguish and resentment for the lethargic attitude of the government for not taking any action against e-commerce portals for openly flouting FDI policy of the government in spite of making written complaints."

The CAIT also sent a communication to Department of Industrial Promotion and Planning (DIPP) Secretary Ramesh Abhishek saying "if no action is taken by the government, the trade body may opt for approaching court of law for obtaining justice."

The CAIT also said on 23 September it had sent a communication to Suresh Prabhu, Minister for Commerce regarding gross violation of FDI policy by e-commerce portals and the said communication was referred to Secretary, DIPP for appropriate action same day.

CAIT National President B C Bhartia and Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal said, "So far no action has been taken against such e-commerce portals as a result of which some of them are again going to violate the FDI policy which is evident from the fact that similar big advertisements are visible for different kind of festival sales".

However, the body has not given detail of any particular e-commerce site.

The CAIT demanded immediate action against policy defaulter e-commerce companies and impose ban on working of their portal and conduct an impartial inquiry into the issues raised by the body, it said.
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"The CBI case and the ED case is now going to be clubbed," CNN-News18 said.

According to reports, the Enforcement Directorate had filed a fresh affidavit with a London court submitting fresh evidence on the different loans that Mallya had taken from various courts in India, and how the funds were diverted.

Wanted millionaire Vijay Mallya has been arrested in relation to the ongoing money laundering case, Doordarshan News said in a tweet on Tuesday.

Mallya was arrested earlier this year in April, but the liquor baron had managed to secure a bail within three hours. Soon after a Westminster Court had granted him bail and the liquor King didn't waste any time to tweet out his victorious statement: "Usual Indian media hype. Extradition hearing in Court started today as expected," Mallya had said in his tweet.

Mallya was arrested in April as well, but was given bail in three hours

By taking my passport and arresting me, they arent getting any money, Mallya said in one of his interviews.

In one his rare interactions with media after he left India to the UK, liquor baron Vijay Mallya had repeatedly shown his defiance and blamed the Indian government, security agencies, and bankers for wrongly targeting him.

'Taking my passport won't help them get their money back,' Mallya had said

CNN-News18 said that the work in front of UK's Crown Prosecution Service, which is fighting the case for India, to highlight that Vijay Mallya is wanted in India in a court in India, that there are non-bailable warrants against him.

The Rs 900 crore loan is part of the total Rs 9,000 crore that Mallya owes to 17 banks in India. The money was lent by banks to Mallyas now defunct airline, Kingfisher Airlines, on the personal guarantee of the billionaire.

According to Mint , the "EDs case is that Rs417.29 crore of the IDBI loan had been remitted abroad and shown to be payments towards aircraft leases, rental and maintenance, servicing of aircraft parts and so on".

The ED claims that it has concrete evidence to prove dual criminality and money laundering from Vijay Mallya's part, which it has submitted to the authorities in London. Mallya's arrest was a procedural arrest as part of the new case.

The ED case is about Rs 900 crore that IDBI Bank Pvt Ltd had loaned to Vijay Mallya. According to reports, the ED had filed a charge sheet in India which named IDBI Bank officials as well as Vijay Mallya over suspected diversion of a Rs 900 crore loan given to Kingfisher Airlines.

Earlier, Vijay Mallya's lawyers had said that an arrest in a case like this is not out of the ordinary. Hearing on the bail took place at a Westminster court in London.

Vijay Mallya's arrest was not on out of the ordinary

Mallya's trial, in that case, is scheduled for two weeks, starting 4 December. India's case is being argued by UK's Crown Prosecution Service.

The ED has already filed a charge sheet against him and others in a Mumbai court.

Vijay Mallya's arrest was part of a second money laundering case that the Enforcement Directorate filed in a London court. The latest arrest is part of the evidence suggested by Indian central probe agency, ED, in a money laundering case involving the IDBI bank.

CNN-News18 said that the work in front of UK's Crown Prosecution Service, which is fighting the case for India, to highlight that Vijay Mallya is wanted in India in a court in India, that there are non-bailable warrants against him.

The Rs 900 crore loan is part of the total Rs 9,000 crore that Mallya owes to 17 banks in India. The money was lent by banks to Mallyas now defunct airline, Kingfisher Airlines, on the personal guarantee of the billionaire.

According to Mint , the "EDs case is that Rs417.29 crore of the IDBI loan had been remitted abroad and shown to be payments towards aircraft leases, rental and maintenance, servicing of aircraft parts and so on".

The ED claims that it has concrete evidence to prove dual criminality and money laundering from Vijay Mallya's part, which it has submitted to the authorities in London. Mallya's arrest was a procedural arrest as part of the new case.

The ED case is about Rs 900 crore that IDBI Bank Pvt Ltd had loaned to Vijay Mallya. According to reports, the ED had filed a charge sheet in India which named IDBI Bank officials as well as Vijay Mallya over suspected diversion of a Rs 900 crore loan given to Kingfisher Airlines.

Vijay Mallya's arrest was pursuant to the Extradition request made by Govt of India based on money laundering charges against him: Sources

According to News18, "the CBI and ED had recently uncovered that Mallya had diverted a major chunk of the Rs 6,027 crore loan, taken from a consortium of 17 banks led by SBI to several countries including US, UK, France, and Ireland". Mallya owes a total of Rs 9,000 crore (including interest) to the 17 Indian banks, and the two probing "agencies are now planning to file charge sheets and present it as evidence in the Westminster Magistrates' Court to expedite his extradition".

According to IANSt, a British court had observed in June that Indian investigation agencies had delayed evidence against Mallya in its request to extradite the former liquor baron.

Liquor baron Vijay Mallya has been arrested in London in the ongoing extradition proceedings in a court, according to a report in Doordarshan.

The arrest comes after the Enforcement Directorate submitted an affidavit in the ongoing money laundering case being heard in the court.

In a bid to strengthen the evidence to extradite the business man, the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Enforcement Directorate had recently prepared a charge sheet alleging he laundered a major chunk of the Rs 6,000 crore bank loans taken for Kingfisher Airlines.

A report in The Times of India said recently that the money was diverted through shell companies in seven countries, including the US, the UK, France and Ireland.

"Letters rogatory have already been sent to the US, the UK, France and Ireland and we will get complete details soon," an official has been quoted as saying in the report. The official has claimed that the agencies have been able to establish the links between the shell companies and bank accounts in the seven countries.

Explaining the systematic way in which Mallya duped the banks, the official said he used to pay back some part of the loan to the banks to gain their confidence to get more funds from them.

The latest evidence will be submitted before the London court where the final extradition hearing will take place in December. At present, in front of the UK court, the agencies have presented the charge s in the nearly Rs 900 crore IDBI Bank loan default case.

Earlier, in a charge sheet filed in June, the ED had alleged that Mallya had laundered amount worth Rs 1,300 crore through 13 shell companies, which he has denied. Mallya has maintained that he has not done anything wrong and huge dues to the banks have been due to the failure of the business.

The ED had also said that these shell companies had no actual activities and was fully contrlolled by Mallya with former employees of UB group being its directors.

The agency had said the only purpose of these companies were to either obtain loan or launder money and that he has huge property in the US in the name of his daughters - Leana and Tanya.

Mallya has been in self-imposed exile in the UK since March 2016. He was arrested by Scotland Yard on an extradition warrant on 18 April and is currently out on bail.

The Indian investigative agencies are seeking to extradite Mallya for allegedly defaulting on several bank loans amounting to nearly Rs 9,000 crore. This includes loan taken from IDBI Bank for Kingfisher Airlines.

The total loan sanctioned and disbursed by the IDBI Bank to KFA was Rs 860.92 crore. The ED has alleged that its money trail analysis revealed that out of the total loan of Rs 860.92 crore, sanctioned and disbursed by IDBI, Rs 423 crore has been remitted out of India.

The said payments were shown to be made towards aircraft rental leasing and maintenance, servicing and spare parts.

The ED had in an earlier charge sheet filed in the IDBI-KFA case said Mallya floated 20 shell companies, directors of which were either his personal staff or those who retired.

(With inputs from PTI)
Vijay Mallya beat his own record of securing bail after the high-profile arrest, on Tuesday, by securing bail in less than 30 minutes. Last time when he got arrested in April, it had taken some three hours for Mallyas lawyers to do the job.

Shortly after the arrest on Tuesday, legal experts had a word of caution that it doesnt necessary mean Mallyas extradition to India will happen immediately. The bullet speed bail proved that Mallyas arrest was more of procedural and it will take a long time for India before Mallya is brought back to the country to face the law of the land in the Rs 9,000-crore Kingfisher bank loan default and alleged fund diversion case.

Nevertheless, the important point is that Indias case against Mallya is now even stronger. The writing on the wall is clear for the King of Good times, whose grounded airline, Kingfisher, proved to be a nightmare to a clutch of banks. The second arrest was made after the Enforcement Directorate made a fresh affidavit with more evidence to the UK courts about the charges of fund diversion and financial irregularities allegedly conducted by Mallya. The UK court has found merit in those arguments and hence the arrest. In that sense, this is a major boost to the Narendra Modi government for which bringing Mallya back to home has become a big political issue as well.

Remember, Modi government has been pushing for Mallyas arrest and extradition for long, asking various investigative agencies to plug the loopholes as the government seeks Mallyas extradition from the UK. But, it is now clear that the road is long for the Indian authorities before Mallya is finally brought back to the country's soil. UK laws are tough to deal with in extradition cases. There are several instances from the past. The next hearing scheduled in December will give more definitive evidence about the course of the case and Mallyas fate. So, the right way to describe Mallyas second arrest today is that it is just another step towards the target but with no certainty about the final outcome of the case.

In April, Mallyas arrest was made on the basis of a request by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) but this time, according to reports, the supplementary evidence submitted against Mallya has played a critical role in his arrest. In September, the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate have found evidence of Mallya laundering a major chunk of the Rs 6,000 crore bank loans taken for Kingfisher Airlines. This fresh evidence, when submitted, will add more strength to the present case before the UK court, in addition to the existing charges.

The Kingfisher case

There are multiple dimensions to the Kingfisher-Vijay Mallya case beyond being a normal corporate-bank loan default case. The tug of war between Mallya and banks began in 2012 when Kingfisher was grounded and banks began declaring Kingfisher as an NPA (non-performing asset). But, the reasons that led to an impasse between Kingfisher and some 17 banks actually started long back when banks generously assisted Kingfisher both in the form of fund and non-fund support despite no signs of financial improvement of the carrier.

When Mallya approached the group of lenders for further lending in 2010, there was serious differences of opinion among the group of senior bankers in SBI, and other banks in the consortium, on why should they lend to the struggling airline, which has never made any profit in its eight-year-long life, yet again. But, the majority lenders decision was to take a big risk again and lend to Mallya relying on his personal guarantee.

The Mallya-banks fight intensified dramatically after the liquor king flew away from India in March last year saying he wanted to spend more time with his family. Since then, Mallya has taken a defiant approach against the charges raised by the Indian banks and the way Indian media covered this case alleging that he is being treated in an unjust manner. For the Modi government, the case soon escalated beyond a typical corporate loan default case to a big political issue.

To be sure, there are a number of bank loan default cases which are far more serious than the Kingfisher case in terms of the loan amount. But, Mallya soon became the poster boy of Indias bank loan defaulters, putting immense pressure on the Modi government to take action against him. A victory or otherwise against the battle on Mallya will send a strong signal to Indias bank loan defaulters.
Almost a year ahead of the release of their first collaboration in Sharat Katariya's film Sui Dhaaga, Varun Dhawan and Anushka Sharma released a special promo on Gandhi Jayanti to salute the Father of the Nation on behalf of the team of their film which is a Make In India initiative.

Varun and Anushka retweeted the video pushed out by the official Twitter handle of the film. The video shows both the actors singing praises for Gandhi, describing him as a self-reliant man who embodies everything that the flagship campaign of the ruling party, Make In India, is all about.

The video is interspersed with a sequence of a needle and a thread interacting with each other and revealing an outlined figure of Gandhi at the end of the video.

The two actors summed up the video by not only paying a tribute to Gandhi but also all the traditional artisans who spend their lives churning out simple yet innovative products of khadi and other material.

His greatness was & is about understanding this & speaking it out to millions. May you all find that greatness in you. Happy #GandhiJayanti pic.twitter.com/mwmeRYcLEX  Anushka Sharma (@AnushkaSharma) October 2, 2017

Sui Dhaaga will reportedly see Dhawan play a labourer. The film will raise awareness about the small scale industries in India, the ingenious handloom industry, which has some of the most skilled workers.

Sui Dhaaga is co-produced by Maneesh Sharma and Aditya Chopra's Yash Raj Films. It is slated to release on 28 September, 2018.
The daughters of Maharaja Jam Sahib Digvijaysinhji Ranjitsinhji, the erstwhile ruler of Jamnagar, Gujarat, have sent a cease and desist notice to filmmaker Omung Kumar and Sandeep Singh, co-owners of Legend Studios, for planning to make a biopic on the king's life, The Good Maharaja, starring Sanjay Dutt in the lead role.

Mumbai Mirror reports that the late ruler's daughters Hershad Kumari and Himanshu Kumari have objected to possible distortion of facts in unofficial the biopic of their father. The same report quotes their legal representative, Faranaaz Karbhari, as saying, "The Maharaja was a public figure and if the facts are distorted, it will tarnish his image. Hence our clients have objection to the film, as no permission is sought from them."

However, while Singh confirmed that he received the notice, the same report states that he sees no reason in seeking permission from the king's family for a biopic. "Digvijaysinhji Ranjitsinhjis story is in the public domain. Even today they celebrate Maharaja Day in Poland. I didnt think we were required to take the rights from his heirs. Today, people are looking for free publicity. Whenever a project is announced, someone or the other takes on the filmmaker.

The Good Maharaja will reportedly go on the floors after a year-and-a-half, because it has to be made on a large scale with the Polish government backing it.
Theres a running joke among Telugu movie buffs that all Mahesh Babu needs is a gun, Ray-Ban goggles, and a reason to run. And viola! You have a movie.

While this might sound like bit of an exaggeration, but the truth is, no one runs in Telugu films like Mahesh Babu. You cant not notice it. If one could draw parallels, its akin to what Tom Cruise does in Hollywood films. That Mahesh Babu has often dabbled with action films, which are replete with chase sequences, has further given action choreographers a valid reason to compose more such stuff for the star.

Youve seen it in almost all his films, starting from his earliest action films like Okkadu to his recent thriller Spyder. And then, theres the never ending fascination with guns and Ray-Ban goggles. All this and a lot more, theres a case to be argued in favour of Mahesh Babu for being one of the quintessential action heroes in Telugu cinema.

In one of his earliest films as a child artiste, Koduku Dhidhina Kapuram, which was directed by his father Superstar Krishna, a young Mahesh Babu takes on a bunch of goons and in the midst of the fight sequence, theres a dialogue which says, Vaadu pillodu kaadhu. Pidugu. (He isnt a kid. Hes a thunderbolt.)

Whether it was destined that he would go on to become an action hero or not, Mahesh Babu has slowly but consciously built that image for himself.

By the time he returned as a lead hero with K Raghavendra Raos Rajakumarudu, Mahesh Babu joined the likes of Pawan Kalyan and NTR Jr, who took over the reins of Telugu cinema from the erstwhile generation. One of the defining moments in his career which cemented his place as an action hero was Gunasekhars Okkadu. The action drama was a blockbuster in 2003 and Maheshs intense portrayal of a kabaddi player, who goes all out to rescue a girl, set the ball rolling for the rest of his career.

In the late 90s and early 2000s, Tollywood saw a slew of faction-based dramas, set in the backdrop of Rayalaseema region, including Samarasimha Reddy, Narasimha Naidu, Indra, and Aadhi.

Each one of them went on to become a blockbuster in its own right. Okkadu too is partly set in Rayalaseema region; however, a gripping screenplay, along with Mahesh Babus performance, set the film apart. Another defining action film was Trivikram Srinivas Athadu and theres a good reason to believe that the acting style which Mahesh Babu imbibed in this film continues to influence him till date. Its understated and it often leaves the impression that the subtlety is lost in translation.

And then, there was Puri Jagannadhs Pokiri where his lackadaisical attitude was laced with bursts of anger and sarcasm. It worked like magic. And yes, he runs a lot in Pokiri. And there are guns too.

The film which truly changed his acting persona was Trivikram Srinivas Khaleja. The silent and brooding style was a thing of the past. Never was the actor more talkative in a film than what he was in Khaleja, and it continued in his subsequent films like Dookudu, Businessman, and Aagadu. The comic timing came as a delight to the actors fans and its become an USP in his recent films. For most part of his career, Mahesh had been flip-flopping between action dramas and family dramas, and at times, films like Srimanthudu and Dookudu had a bit of both.

For the longest time, he had been facing a barrage of questions from the media and fans about when he might play the role of a spy, a la James Bond. After all, it was his father (Superstar Krishna) who was the first to adapt James Bond like character in Telugu cinema with Gudachari 116 way back in 1966. Its almost its meant to happen. The only question is when. Even when SS Rajamouli casually asked Mahesh Babus fans if they want to see him in a character like James Bond or Alluri Seetharamaraju (again, one of Krishnas evergreen hits), the response was overwhelmingly in favour of James Bond.

Not surprisingly, when AR Murugadoss recent film Spyder was touted as a spy thriller, many believed that this would be the culmination of what he had been promising all these years. However, he sprang a surprise once again. Spyder has been termed by many as a film which lacked heroism because of how understated the performance and the character was.

Quite early in the film, Mahesh Babu says, Im not a Spiderman or a Superman. I just want to save peoples lives before something bad happens to them. Thats what makes me happy. It was the story of a hero who didnt want his heroism to be obvious. No wonder the film polarised a lot of people and the reactions have been extreme. But the character is what it is, and it was in sync with how both Mahesh Babu and Murugadoss preferred in general. Our tastes are similar and we bonded a lot over that. Both of us prefer heroes being subtle on screen, and thats what we tried to do in Spyder, Murugadoss said prior to the films release.

One film which came particularly close to having a Bond/Bourne-like action sequences was Sukumars 1-Nenokkadine, which had this elaborate chase sequence in the streets of London. Although the film bombed at the box-office, it had everything that you expect from an action hero - guns, bikes, and a hero running towards his goal.

Truth is, in an industry which relies so heavily on dialogues to convey the emotion, Mahesh Babu has carved a niche for himself by approaching it differently and being normal to a large extent. It has worked for him, so far.

But the question to be asked now is if it become a cliche now. For now, the only mantra is to keep walking. Or shall we say - Keep Running.
At the Manthan Samvaad in Hyderabad (an annual event that is held on Gandhi Jayanti, where eminent people from different walks of life talk about issues concerning the nation), speaker after speaker emphasised the need for citizens in India to speak without fear.

Just days before that (on 27 September), former Union minister Yashwant Sinha wrote in his column in The Indian Express: "I shall be failing in my national duty if I did not speak up even now against the mess the finance minister has made of the economy. I am also convinced that what I am going to say reflects the sentiments of a large number of people in the BJP and elsewhere, who are not speaking up out of fear."

One person who certainly spoke without fear, on the day of Gandhi Jayanti, was National Award winning actor Prakash Raj. Raj questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's silence on journalist Gauri Lankesh's death, four weeks after she was murdered in cold blood. What is significant about Prakash Raj's outburst is both its content, and that he dared to speak out against the most powerful person in the country.

"We do not know who killed them (the journalists and rationalists). But we do know who is celebrating the murders. When you see that the Prime Minister of the country is following (on Twitter) those who are celebrating the murders, when he is not taking a stand against it, when he has maintained silence on the issue  that silence hurts,'' said Prakash Raj. He added, "As a citizen of this country, I am disturbed, hurt and afraid by the silence of the Prime Minister. I am talking to my Prime Minister and I say, 'Your silence is chilling'. I have a right to say this.''

These are important and strong words. Prakash Raj is saying the Prime Minister has let him down with his conduct. The actor stresses on his right to state publicly, his disappointment that Modi  a person extremely aware of what is happening around him  chose to keep mum over Gauri's murder.

Raj's angst finds expression at a time when the rest of Bollywood, Kollywood, Sandalwood have chosen the path of silence, for they now know the price they have to pay for speaking up. Aamir Khan came under severe attack after his remarks on intolerance in 2015 and was subsequently removed as the brand ambassador of Incredible India. Shah Rukh Khan  after burning his fingers similarly  now plays it safe. The most influential voices of cinema have realised that the echo chamber that has been set up both online and offline, seeks a homogeneity of voices and any dissonant/out-of-sync voice is targeted viciously.

Here, Raj is seeking accountability from the Prime Minister because the Gauri Lankesh case matters to him at a personal level. Gauri was his close friend and her father  the late P Lankesh  was Raj's mentor. He feels betrayed by Modi's conduct; his expression of hurt similar to that of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who advised Modi that rajdharma should be followed.

If the past is anything to go by, Modi will ignore Raj's barbs. That is also because Raj  despite his popularity  is not the kind of figure who would be able to make people rally around him. While his pan-India popularity will ensure for him headline space, it also diffuses the political impact he may make, for the same reason. Though he hails from Karnataka, his body of work is much more in Tamil, Telugu and Hindi.

In the past, Raj has refrained from making strong political statements. Is this then a one-off instance, a guest appearance of sorts? Or will the actor try to build on his disappointment by allying with other Modi and BJP detractors and be to the anti-Modi space what Anupam Kher and Madhur Bhandarkar are to the pro-Modi camp?

In case Raj is looking for a longer role in the political arena, 'Kamal Haasan Political Productions' could be a possible platform, given that the two actors have worked together and are known to be friends. Raj's powerful oratory could just be the ammunition a non-saffronite Kamal Haasan may be looking for.
Prakash Raj, actor and filmmaker, kicked the figurative hornets nest on Monday, 2 October, when his speech at the inauguration of the 11th State Meet of the Democratic Youth Federation of India went viral on the internet. Speaking at the event, he lashed out at a section of people, some of whom are being followed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Twitter, who have been celebrating the murder of popular journalist Gauri Lankesh. Further, he also slammed Modi for not issuing a statement about Gauris death and condemning those who are apparently happy with this incident.

Gauris killers may not have been caught yet, but what is more distressing is those who celebrated her death. We may not be able to see Gauris killers, but we can see those who have spewed vitriol... People, who our Prime Minister follows, are also among them. We have a Prime Minister who turns a blind eye to this, Prakash Raj said, during his speech at the event, adding, I am a renowned actor, do you (Modi) think I will not be able to detect when you are acting? At least show me some respect, considering the fact that I am an actor and I will be able to tell what is the truth and what is acting.

Also read  Prakash Raj maintains stance on Narendra Modi but clarifies he is not returning National Awards

Not surprisingly, the actors speech raised a storm in newsrooms, and he was soon trending on social media. Never before has the actor-and-director, who is one of the most popular actors in Telugu and Tamil cinema, been in the news for his political views. In fact, this is one of the rare instances when Prakash Raj has been in the news for a topic beyond the realm of cinema. The only other instance where he lost his cool was in October 2016 when he lashed out at a TV channel for dragging him into the Cauvery water sharing dispute between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. While promoting his film Idolle Ramayana, when a TV channel anchor asked him about his opinion on the water dispute between the two states, Prakash Raj snapped back saying, This is a sensitive issue and it has been going on in courts for a long time. Are you trying to create a controversy by dragging me into this? Im just a filmmaker.

In his career spanning more than two decades, Prakash Raj has acted in scores of Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Kannada, and even Hindi films. Born and brought up in Bengaluru, Prakash Raj began his acting career with Doordarshan serials in Kannada like Bisilu Kudure (Kannada) and Guddada Bhootha (Tulu and Kannada), which paved the way for him to do numerous supporting roles in Kannada. Later, it was Balachander who introduced him as a lead actor with the film Duet (1994). The film which turned him into a force to reckon with was Mani Ratnams Iruvar (1997), which also fetched him a National Award for best supporting actor. The actor had played Tamizhselvan, a character clearly inspired by DMK chief M Karunanidhi. Eventually, Prakash Raj become the most sought after actor for playing negative roles in Telugu and Tamil films including Okkadu, Pokiri etc.

In recent years, Prakash Raj had openly stated that he had gotten bored of acting in films since he felt that he wasnt being challenged enough. This led him to take a long break from taking up acting roles and instead, he began directing films  Dhoni, Ulavacharu Biryani, Mana Oori Ramayanam  and also developing stage plays in Kannada and English. In 2015, he returned to the theatre circuit with an adaptation of a popular play by Girish Karnad. Back then, Prakash Raj had said, I had promised my guru and mentor, late BV Karanth, that I would achieve something and later come back to theatre. I want to keep my word. People close to Prakash Raj often talk about how profound his philosophy of life is: He loves poetry, literature, writing, and collecting books. In fact, its his distinct view of life and how he wants to live that makes him so charismatic," a close friend of Prakash Raj said.

That hes an emotional man is well-documented, and his outbursts of anger, at times in front of the media, are not unheard of. A few years ago, when Sreenu Vaitla dropped him from the cast of Aagadu, alleging that he misbehaved with an assistant director on the sets of the film, it led to a huge spat between them. At a press conference, Prakash Raj went on record to say that someone had been trying to sabotage his career on purpose and recited a poem, Nannu Rallo Tho Kottaku pattukoni illu kattestha, nannu kalcheyalani nippu pettaku intiki deepam chesukunta..nannu ee industry nunchi pampincheyalani tharamaku, cheraalasina chotu twaraga cheripothu. Daya chesi chepthunna, nannu champalani visham pettaku, mingesi neelakantundhi aipotha (Dont throw stones at me, Ill build a house. Dont try to burn me down, I'll light a lamp with the fire. Dont try to kick me out of the industry; Ill reach my destination sooner. Please, dont try to poison me, Ill gulp the poison down my throat and become Neelakanta). When Sreenu Vaitla ended up using the same lines as a dialogue in the film claiming that he felt it was a tribute to him from Prakash Raj, the actor shot back saying, Sreenu Vaitla is absolutely shameless. The two have buried the hatchet and moved on since then.

While he has often gotten into trouble due to his supposed high-handedness while dealing with Telugu filmmakers in the past, Prakash Raj has been apolitical in general. In fact, he was praised by the TRS government when he went adopted a village Kondareddipalle in Mahabubnagar district of Telangana. In less than two years, Prakash Raj transformed the village with a lot of developmental works, including a new school building, better roads, water connection, sanitation among other things. The actor also owns a farm house close to this village and hes known to be spending a lot of time at the farm house where he engages in with organic farming, writing, and bonding with his friends and family members.

While there hasnt been any instance, so far, where Prakash Raj spoke against the establishment, his latest tirade against the government stems from the fact that he was a close friend of Gauri Lankesh. Explaining his comments that he made at the event, Prakash Raj said, I didnt say that Ill return my National Awards, like everyone is claiming in the media. I have no intention to do that and I feel that Ive truly earned them. What Im really angry about is the fact that a section of people are celebrating the death of a journalist and some of these people are being supported by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. As a citizen of this country, Ive every right to question the government when something is wrong. Thats all Ive done.

What Prakash Raj said is no different from what a lot of other journalists, Opposition party members had said in the days following the death of Gauri Lankesh. This has clearly got more to do with how some people are justifying the murder of a journalist, and what makes it worse is that some of them claim to be followed by Modi on Twitter. Theres certainly no reason why something like this should be encouraged in society. You dont have to be a Prakash Raj to point it out.
Veteran filmmaker Roman Polanski, who in 1977 in Zurich was arrested for drugging and raping a 13-year-old girl by the name of Samantha Geimer, makes an appearance at the same place decades later. The Oscar-winning director is promoting his upcoming film Based on a True Story, at the Zurich Film Festival. Referring to the incident and his trial, he told told The Hollywood Reporter that "it's over" now.

Polanski was charged with having unlawful intercourse with a minor in 1977 after he drugged and raped Geimer, nee Gailey. He pleaded guilty to the charges and underwent psychiatric treatment along with spending 42 days in jail.

Things took a grim turn for the director the following year, after a judge reportedly decided to set an example of his case and sentence him to 50 years in prison.

After learning of these developments, he fled to Paris. Since then, there have been several pleas filed by the victim herself, requesting for the case to be dismissed. However, as per the latest development, a California judge has stated that the case would proceed, nonetheless.

As per Polanski, he has already gone through four or five times of what he was in for. He told THR that for him it is over now, as he did what he had to do  plead guilty and go to jail.
New Delhi: Anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare on Monday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of failing to keep his promise of creating a corruption-free India and threatened to begin an agitation if Modi "did nothing" to enforce the Lokpal Bill.

Hazare, who sat on a one day satyagraha at Rajghat on the occasion of Mahatma Gandhi's 148th birth anniversary and paid tribute to the Father of the Nation, also wrote a letter to Modi. He said that even after three years in power, the Prime Minister had not enforced the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Bill, but had instead "hastily" passed amendments to weaken the anti-corruption law.

"I had started a movement for appointing a Lokpal. It is still incomplete. There is a need for another agitation. The government not only failed to appoint a Lokpal but has weakened the Act (The Lokpal and Lokayukta Act, 2013)," he told reporters.

Hazare said he would launch the agitation by the end of 2017 or early 2018. "During the agitation no party or its member would be allowed to sit on stage. If someone wants to join, he can join the people," he said. He said that his volunteers will reach Ralegan Siddhi in Maharashtra to discuss on the course of the movement.

In his letter to Modi, Hazare said that while earlier it was mandatory for those covered under the Lokpal to disclose their assets as well as the assets of their family members, the amendment passed in July 2016 exempted the family members from doing so.

He also accused the prime minister of postponing the enforcement of the anti-corruption law by making "one or the other excuse". "It appears you have no intention to bring Lokpal and Lokayukta Act... And that you don't want to build a corruption-free India," Hazare wrote.

"Looking at the present situation, it appears that no efforts are being made to end corruption and establish effective democracy in the country. Instead, efforts are being made to weaken democracy and strengthen the party. Distressed by this, I will pray for the country on the occasion of Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary and will launch a 'satyagraha' from his footsteps," he added.

The social activist said that Modi and the BJP promised many things to the common man including an end to farmer suicides, fair price for agricultural produce, safety of women and solution to all problems of all sections of the society.

Modi also promised getting back the black money stashed abroad within 30 days of coming to power, Hazare wrote. "But neither the Lokpal and Lokayuktas were appointed, nor the citizen charter enforced. Neither the black money came back from abroad, nor the black money from within the country got exposed through demonetisation. Farmer suicides did not stop but have been increasing. They do not get fair price for their produce. There has been no action on the Swaminathan report. Women haven't got the security, respect and justice that they deserve. And when it comes to corruption, it has been increasing by the day," Hazare added.

Hazare's remarks has come at a time when BJP-led NDA government has been claiming that it did not allow any scam to take place during the past three years in power. The Modi government has also been claiming it has taken many steps to curb the menace of corruption.
New Delhi: Banaras Hindu University (BHU) registrar Neeraj Tripathi will be the officiating vice-chancellor after current incumbent Girish Chandra Tripathi proceeded on indefinite leave, two months before his tenure comes to an end.

Tripathi, who is scheduled to retire on 30 November, went on leave on Monday citing personal reasons.

According to sources, Girish Chandra Tripathi has handed over the charge to the registrar, who will hold the additional responsibility till a new vice-chancellor is appointed.

Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar told reporters on Tuesday that the university has received Girish Chandra Tripathi's application and has confirmed that he is on indefinite leave.

According to the BHU Act, if the university head goes on leave, the rector will act as the head and in the rector's absence, the varsity registrar will assume charge as vice- chancellor.

Girish Chandra Tripathi is under fire for his alleged mishandling of student protests last month.

He proceeded on leave came amid indications from top HRD Ministry sources that the central government was upset with the manner in which he handled the entire episode, including a protest by women students of BHU following an incident of alleged harassment.

Last month, a number of students, including women, and two journalists were injured in a baton-charge by the police after a protest against an alleged eve-teasing incident turned violent in BHU, one of the 43 central universities in the country.

The ministry has already put out an advertisement inviting applications for the post of vice-chancellor.
Dharamshala: Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama on Tuesday expressed sorrow over the Las Vegas gunfire deaths and called for a world based on universal brotherhood.

The Nobel Peace Laureate said such violence came out of a lack of compassion and respect for life.

At least 59 people were killed and over 500 wounded when a gunman shot at concert-goers in the American resort city on Sunday night.

Advocating religious harmony, the Dalai Lama also lauded India as "a land of diverse cultures and religions".

Despite "isolated incidents", all major religious traditions of the world existed peacefully in India which was a matter of great pride, said the Dalai Lama, who began a teaching session at the main Tibetan temple Thekchen Choeling Tsuglagkhang, in Mcleodganj in upper Dharamshala, on Tuesday.

"If you keep harbouring anger or jealousy towards others, you will be on the losing end, because you will remain mentally disturbed unless you resolve it," he said, denouncing the "myopic worldview of us-vs-them".

He called for faith based on reason and logic rather than blindly following a religion that one was born into.

While following any religion, including Buddhism, practitioners should have the full understanding of the methods and concepts of that tradition, he said.

"Desire for happiness is universal to all sentient beings. However, unlike animals, we humans have an inborn faculty of thought. Therefore, we should use this faculty to develop happiness through love and compassion," he added.

The four-day session has been organised at the request of a group of devotees from Taiwan.

Over 5,000 followers from 69 countries are attending the teachings which will conclude on 6 October.
Bhadraniya, Gujarat: An atmosphere of fear hung over a colony of Dalits in Bhadraniya village after the killing of a young man from the community for attending a Navratri garba event.

Though police immediately arrested eight persons allegedly involved in the incident, uneasiness prevailed.

Residents of Vankarvas in Bhadraniya told a visiting team of Dalit activists, led by Jignesh Mevani, late Monday night that the village elders had got the electricity connection to their locality snapped in the night to prevent relatives and others coming to meet the victim's family.

"The village sarpanch ensured there were no lights in Vankarvas after the incident so that few people could visit Jayesh's (the victim) family," Mevani, convenor of Rashtriya Dalit Adkhikar Manch, told IANS.

Mevani, who was camping in the village till past Monday midnight, said: "People are also saying some unidentified persons were lurking in the Vankarvas in the late night, possibly keeping a watch in the locality."

The village is located in Gujarat Congress president Bharatsinh Solanki's home district of Anand.

It was in the early hours of Saturday when Jayesh Solanki, 21, who lived in Vankarvas, was beaten to death allegedly by a group of people belonging to the upper Patel caste of the same village because he attended the event taking place near the local temple, police said.

Trouble began after Sanjay alias Bhimo allegedly made casteist remarks on Jayesh and abused him. Sanjay and his seven friends, all from Bhadraniya, reportedly told him, his cousin Prakash Solanki and two others, that Dalits did not have a right to attend garba programmes.

Following an altercation over this, they exchanged blows and the Patel boys later started beating up Jayesh, the police said. Jayesh's head was banged against a wall and he was severely injured. He fell unconscious and was rushed to a private hospital, where he was declared brought dead.

The accused have been booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including Section 302 for murder, and under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

Mevani, meanwhile, said various Dalit organisations will hold a public meeting in the village on Thursday to protest Jayesh's killing and submit a memorandum to the District Collector. He said attacks on Dalits had become a routine affair. He cited the instance of two incidents on 25 September and 29 September in Gandhinagar district when members of the Rajput community beat up Dalits for sporting moustaches.

Dalit community leaders organised a protest against these incidents and passed a resolution to work for the defeat of the BJP during the assembly elections due in December. "We will die the death of a dog but will not vote for the BJP in our life," pledged over 1,000 Dalit community members led by Mevani.

They also pledged to launch a campaign against what they called "Hindutva, anti-Dalit and anti-Constitution BJP".

Meanwhile, several youngsters from Dalit community have also launched a social media campaign in support of Piyush Parmar and Krunal, who were thrashed for keeping moustaches, posting selfies sporting twirled moustaches and hashtags as #Jativaadnavirodhma (In protest against casteism), #Samvidhaannasamarthanma (In support of Constitution) and #Piysushbhainasamarthanma (In support of Piyush).
A petition was filed in the Bombay High Court on Tuesday by Faisal Yusuf Banaraswala seeking a probe by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) into the Elphinstone Road stampede.

Petition filed by one Faisal Yusuf Banaraswala in Bombay High Court seeking NIA investigation into #Elphistonestampede  ANI (@ANI) October 3, 2017

A public interest litigation (PIL) was also filed in the Bombay High Court on 30 September  the day after the incident happened  seeking that railway officials be booked for negligence and culpable homicide in connection with the stampede.

The PIL was submitted on Friday to the high court registry by city resident Pradeep Bhalekar.

The petition has been submitted to the registry. We will mention it on 3 October, Bhalekars advocate Nitin Satpute said.

The petition sought an inquiry into the incident, urging the high court to supervise the matter and issue appropriate directions.

This is complete negligence on part of the railways. A case under section 304 (II) of the IPC for culpable homicide needs to be registered against the railway officials concerned, the petition said.

The plea also sought adequate measures to ensure safety of commuters.

The railways has to be also directed to take action against illegal hawkers and encroachers on foot over-bridges (FoB) to reduce crowding, the PIL said.

Twenty-three passengers were killed and 36 injured in a deadly rush-hour stampede that occurred on a narrow foot overbridge connecting the Elphinstone Road railway station to Parel station on 29 September.

In the wake of the disaster, railway minister Piyush Goyal promised to widen foot-over bridges across Mumbai's suburban railway system.

Previously, the demand for such a move was made in a 2015 report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), which specifically highlighted the structural default in the Elphinstone Road station bridge.

Various political parties slammed the government for going ahead with the ambitious Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train worth 100 crore while safety in Mumbai locals was neglected.

The Nationalist Congress Party which had earlier demanded the resignation of Goyal, held a rally on Tuesday at Mumbai's Kalwa station to condemn the incident.

Besides, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray had warned the Centre and the Maharashtra government that his party won't let even a single brick be laid for the project, until basic infrastructure is provided to Mumbai citizens.

"While people are struggling to survive in the cities, Modi is asking them to do yoga and campaign for Swachh Bharat. We will launch a 'no bullet train campaign'," Thackeray said slamming the Modi government.

With inputs from PTI
The Indo-German Chamber of Commerce, along with the Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany, will be hosting "German Days" between 4 and 7 October at the Mahalaxmi Racecourse. For the first time ever, Mumbaikars will be able to experience the convergence of German culture, lifestyle and innovation at one place.

"What we really want is for the people to experience Germany. We intend to showcase German companies, their contributions, what they stand for We wish to highlight German culture: the food, music, and lifestyle," Germany Consul General Juergen Morhard told Firstpost.

Perhaps, the first thing that will come to anyone's mind when thinking of German culture is the Oktoberfest, the historical beer festival that is held each year in Munich. While "German Days" is a new addition to Germany's ever-expanding engagement with India, the Oktoberfest will be entering its eighth edition in Mumbai.

What will make this year's Oktoberfest more authentic is the fact that the band that plays at the Munich Oktoberfest  die Kirchdorfer  will also be playing in Mumbai, the consul general said. Not just this, but revellers can also watch robots serving them beer!

"The Oktoberfest is in its eighth edition this year, and it seems to be getting more and more popular. What the people seem to appreciate is the authenticity of what is offered to them, be it the popular sausages that are specially flown in from Germany for the event, or even authentic German craft beer," Morhard said.

Apart from the Oktoberfest (more details here), Teutonophiles can also pursue a crash course in dancing and the explore the intriguing world of the German language: Without spending a penny.

In modern-day diplomacy, culture has become an important component of any country's foreign policy. Soft power, as it has come to be called, helps a country build international goodwill and consequently create an unique identity for itself in the league of nations.

While Oktoberfest will be a major attraction for Mumbaikars, the event is just part of the larger four-day programme, where business is expected to be the major focus area.

Germany is India's largest trade partner in Europe and the fourth largest worldwide. The total trade volume between the two countries is currently at around 20 billion euros. So, it will not be an understatement that trade has been the bedrock of the bilateral ties between India and Germany.

"Out of the more than 1500 German companies present in India, you will find a high number present at the event  among them big household names such as Lufthansa, Siemens, BMW, Volkswagen, and many more," Morhard, who has held diplomatic positions in Japan, Hong Kong and Sri Lanka, said.

According to Morhard, Mumbai as the "financial hub" plays an important role in Germany's economic interests, pointing out that nearly 380 companies operate in the metropolitan area.

World over, Germany has been a nation associated with technological innovations, much like Japan. Staying true to its image, the Germans are expected to show their technological prowess in automobiles, robotics, home-appliances among and other industries.

"The event will give an opportunity to Mumbai audiences to engage, network, connect and learn about many innovative German companies who have a presence in India," an Indo-German Chamber of Commerce official told Firstpost.

Make in India  Prime Minister Narendra Modi's project to make India a manufacturing hub  figures prominently in Germany's business interests in India.

"Germany relies heavily, when it comes to certain industries, towards India and this campaign has added far more incentive as now exports from India are growing tremendously. Industries like textile and machinery, which India has strong foothold in and exports a lot to Europe. Thanks to Make in India, the importing processes are far more smoother and efficient," the official said.

Another field where Germany is looking to tap India's potential is education. Long known for its world-class education in the field of engineering, Germany is increasingly becoming a favoured destination for finance-related courses too.

"The number of Indian students opting Germany for higher education is rising by the year. German Days will host one such top-business university from Germany, where the students and also others can interact to know more about the courses they offer," the official said.

With UK all set to leave the European Union, Germany seems to be the leader of the 27-nation economic union. Hence, Germany becomes the focal point of India's ties with the EU. In such a scenario, ties with Germany will assume more and more strategic nature.

Morhard pointed out that India and Germany have been in a strategic partnership since 2000, when both countries adopted the Agenda for the Indo-German Partnership in the 21st Century. The focal point of the bilateral ties is the bi-annual Indo-German intergovernmental consultations, which Morhard believes is unique.

"As far as Germany and India is concerned, its safe to say that we are in touch, we are comfortable, we are working together and we are growing," the consul general said.
New Delhi: The father of a seven-year-old boy, who was found dead in a Gurugram school, on Tuesday approached the Supreme Court challenging the interim anticipatory bail granted to three Ryan International Group trustees in the case.

Barun Chandra Thakur, father of Class-II boy Pradhuman Thakur, assailed the Punjab and Haryana High Court order staying the arrest of Ryan group CEO Ryan Pinto and his parents, Group's founding chairman Augustine Pinto and Managing Director Grace Pinto, in the murder case.

The appeal, filed through advocate Sushil Tekriwal, said the grant of interim protection against their possible arrest was illegal and unconstitutional and should be set aside.

The plea has made the Central Bureau of Investigation, which is currently probing the case, the accused and the Haryana government as a party.

It alleged that the 28 September order of the high court granting interim bail was passed without hearing either CBI or the complainant's father.

Ryan Pinto and his parents had approached the high court, seeking anticipatory bail in connection with the killing of the Class II student, who was found with his throat slit in the washroom of a school run by their group on 8 September.

School bus conductor Ashok Kumar was arrested in connection with the crime the same day.

On 25 September, the high court had impleaded CBI as a respondent in the petition seeking bail for the three Ryan group trustees.

The Haryana government had recommended a CBI probe in the matter following massive outrage. The premier agency took over the probe on 22 September.

The Pintos, who are based in Mumbai, had earlier approached the Bombay High Court as they apprehended arrest in the case after the school was accused of negligence in the death of the seven-year-old.

The Bombay High Court had rejected the transit anticipatory bail applications of the three trustees but granted them interim protection from arrest for a day to enable them to file an appeal.
Within hours of giving her first interview since the Dera Sacha Sauda controversy broke out, Honeypreet Insan, the 'daughter' of controversial Dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, is now in the custody of Haryana Police. She will be produced in Punjab and Haryana High Court on Wednesday, media reports said.

However, different accounts of how Honeypreet was arrested, have emerged with the police forces of the two states appearing to be competing to take credit in the high-profile case.

A Haryana Police official told CNN-News 18, that the arrest was carried out by Haryana Police's SIT team in Punjab's Patiala district and the local police had been informed, as per the standard operating procedure. She was arrested from Zeerakhpur in Patiala.

However, initial media reports said that Honeypreet had surrendered herself in Punjab on Tuesday morning, following which the Punjab police handed over her custody to the Haryana Police. Also, in an interview with India Today, she had also expressed her desire to surrender to the police.

However, Haryana Police denied the reports and insisted that it was them who had rounded up Honeypreet. "It was the SIT team of Haryana Police that rounded up Honeypreet Insan from Punjab. It was indicated to the Punjab Police as per the SoP," Panchkula police commissioner told CNN-News18.

Haryana BJP, which is also the ruling party in the state, alleged that the Punjab administration was shielding Honeypreet, claiming that it had crucial links which could have led to her arrest, but it did not share it with its Haryana counterparts.

Meanwhile, Punjab Minister Manpreet Singh Badal rubbished such allegations. Speaking to Times Now, Badal said that Punjab and Haryana were brother states, and the Punjab Police or state authorities had no reason to do such a thing.

A court in Panchkula, adjoining Chandigarh, had on 25 September, issued arrest warrants against Honeypreet, Aditya Insan, and Pawan Insan.

All three were booked by the Haryana Police on charges of sedition, inciting violence and being involved in a conspiracy to help Dera chief Gurmeet escape after his conviction by a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court on 25 August on two counts of raping female disciples in 1999.

The Haryana Police had also sounded an international alert against all three.

Honeypreet, who changed her name from Priyanka Taneja, spoke to multiple news channels on Monday claiming innocence in the cases that Haryana Police is pursuing her for.

On her vanishing act, Honeypreet said that she had to go underground because she panicked after "false allegations" were leveled against her. Honeypreet also said that she was suffering from great mental trauma and depression after her 'loving father's' arrest and the mud-slinging that followed, because of which she needed time to pull herself together.

Honeypreet, in her mid-30s, has been on the run since 25 August, hours after Gurmeet was convicted. She has been the closest aide of Gurmeet since 2009. The police was on her trail for nearly a month and raids have been conducted in Nepal, Rajasthan, Bihar, Delhi, and Haryana.

According to a statement released by Haryana Police in September, she topped the list of most wanted persons in relation to the wide-spread violence in Panchkula after Gurmeet's conviction.

Earlier on 25 September, Honeypreet had moved the Delhi High Court seeking anticipatory transit bail. However, the police of Delhi and Haryana had opposed her plea on the ground that the court of competent jurisdiction would be in Haryana.

Last week, Honeypreet's former husband, Vishwas Gupta had accused her and Dera chief Gurmeet of having illicit relations and said their father-daughter relationship was a sham to fool followers.

Gurmeet has been sentenced to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of over Rs 30 lakh.

His conviction led to violence in Panchkula and Sirsa in Haryana, leaving 38 people dead and 264 injured. Isolated incidents of violence were also reported from Delhi and several other places in Punjab.

Honeypreet, who used to claim that she was Ram Rahim's "adopted daughter", starred as the main heroine in the five films that the Dera chief has directed, produced and in which he starred, in the last three years.
After being at large for over a month, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh's aide-de-camp and adopted daughter Honeypreet Insaan may surrender before a local court in Panchkula on Wednesday, media reports said. A few channels reported that Honeypreet could also surrender on Tuesday.

According to a statement released by Haryana Police in September, Honeypreet tops the list of most wanted persons in relation to the wide-spread violence in Panchkula after Ram Rahim's conviction in two rape cases in August.

Honeypreet, who changed her name from Priyanka Taneja, spoke to multiple news channels on Monday claiming innocence in the cases that Haryana Police is pursuing her for.

Speaking to India Today, she said, "The Honeypreet about whom the media is talking is not there. They have showed me as someone who fears herself after the whole incident. I cannot describe my present mental state. I have been called a traitor, which is absolutely wrong."

Honeypreet also dismissed claims that she plotted and instigated riots in Panchkula, saying it was not possible for her to conspire against state machinery.

Asked about her relationship with Ram Rahim, she said, "How can they malign a father and daughter's relationship? Can a father not keep his hands on his daughter? Can a daughter not love her father?" according to the report.

She is expected to surrender in a Panchkula court on Tuesday, India TV reported. However, it is not the first time since she has been evading arrest that she has expressed willingness to surrender. Last week, similar reports surfaced saying the former Dera chief's aide is likely to approach a court to make herself available to police investigations. Earlier, the police of Delhi and Haryana opposed her plea for anticipatory bail for three weeks on the ground that the court of competent jurisdiction would be in Haryana.

Thirty-eight people died and over 250 were injured in Panchkula and other areas in Haryana after followers of Ram Rahim went on a rampage near a CBI court. The former Dera chief, who used to operate out of Sirsa in Haryana, was convicted in two rape cases and sentenced by a special CBI court to 20 years' imprisonment.

Several vehicles, which belonged to the media and police, were damaged or torched by the mob, which also vandalised other public property.
New Delhi: India on Tuesday summoned Pakistan's Deputy High Commissioner and issued a demarche over the death of three minors in "unprovoked firing" by Pakistani forces in the Poonch sector.

Pakistani diplomat Syed Haider Shah was summoned to the external affairs ministry by the joint secretary, in-charge of Pakistan, and it was conveyed that "such deliberate targeting of civilians was not acceptable and was against humanitarian norms and practices," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a release.

A strong protest was lodged over the death of three Indian children in "unprovoked ceasefire violation" by the Pakistani forces in the Poonch sector on Monday, it said.

Strong concern was also expressed over the continued unprovoked firing by Pakistani forces across the Line of Control and the International Boundary in violation of the 2003 Ceasefire Understanding.

"503 such violations have been carried out by Pakistan forces so far during 2017," the ministry said.
New Delhi: The CBI on Tuesday asked RJD leader Lalu Prasad Yadav and his son Tejashwi Yadav to appear before it for questioning on 5-6 October in an alleged corruption case after both leaders expressed their inability to appear on given dates, the agency sources said.

The sources said Yadav and Tejashwi were earlier called on 4-5 October.

The CBI wants to question the former railways minister Lalu Prasad Yadav for a contract given for the maintenance of two IRCTC hotels in 2006. Tejashwi is also made an accused in the CBI FIR pertaining to alleged corruption in the deal.

It is alleged that Yadav as Railway Minister handed over maintenance of two Railway hotels BNR Ranchi and Puri to Sujata Hotel (a company owned by Vinay and Vijay Kochhar) after receiving a bribe in the form of prime land of three acres through a benami company.
In a predawn strike on Tuesday, Jaish-e-Mohammed militants carried out a fidayeen attack on a BSF camp located near Srinagar International airport, leaving three jawans injured. Two militants have been killed in counter-terror operations so far, ANI reported. However, IANS reported that an assistant sub-inspector succumbed to his injuries taking the total death toll to three.

#FLASH: Another terrorist gunned down during ops at a building inside BSF camp near Srinagar Airport. Total 2 terrorists killed. Ops on. pic.twitter.com/GKAspWiGK1  ANI (@ANI) October 3, 2017

Militants managed to enter the 182 Battalion camp in the city's Humhama area, and launched the attack at 4.30 a.m., according to police sources. A security operation including Army para commandos, BSF, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), and state police personnel followed the attack to flush out remaining militants. Terror organisation Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) has claimed responsibility for the attack in one of Srinagar's most secured area.

Speaking to News18, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said that anti-terror operations were over. "I have spoken to the Director General of CRPF and BSF. The operation was efficiently pulled off by the CRPF and BSF. One terrorist is yet to be neutralised." One militant was gunned down by security forces at around 7.30 am, CNN News18 reported. "A body suspected to be that of a militant was found. The identity is yet to ascertained," Director General of Police SP Vaid told PTI.

Another militant was killed during the anti-terror operations, CNN News18 reported. The attack, which began at 4.15 am amid heavy exchange of firing, ensued for the next one hour, before turning intermittent. "There was continuous firing going on for at least 55 minutes. And all of us squeezed in one room for safety. Then the sirens blared out making the situation tenser, a resident of Friends Colony located, outside the Airport, told The Economic Times.

The terrorists are holed up inside the building campus of the 182nd Battalion camp, PTI quoted BSF officials as saying. However, sources told CNN-News18 that the encounter is almost over.

According to a India Today report, there was already an intelligence input on a possible attack on the BSF camp outside the highly-guarded area around airport. Since the area of the encounter is near the airport, flights operations were suspended.

Notably, the battalion, which came under attack from militants, is entrusted with security of runway of the Srinagar airport. Kashmir Valley School, which is in vicinity of the area, was also closed as a precautionary measure, ANI reported. Adjacent to the camp is the old Srinagar air field which is been run by the Indian Air force.

The area also houses training centres of the BSF and CRPF. Passengers were stuck inside the airport premises as the area around it was cordoned off by security forces. Nevertheless, the authorities later allowed passengers to enter the airport, in order to avoid any inconvenience.

#UPDATE Srinagar: Troops of CRPF, 53 RR, BSF and SOG zonal have placed cordon around the building where terrorists are holed up.  ANI (@ANI) October 3, 2017

#FLASH: Passengers now being allowed to move towards Srinagar airport. Way towards airport was closed earlier, after terror attack nearby. pic.twitter.com/yDwiSEJwtK  ANI (@ANI) October 3, 2017

Speaking to CNN News18, Sharad Kumar, director of Srinagar airport, said that flights operations have begun and that the first flight from Delhi will reach Srinagar at 10.10 am. Meanwhile, home minister Rajnath Singh called for a high-level meeting in North Block at 11.30 am, ANI reported.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh has called a high level meeting at 11.30 am to discuss J&K issue. (File Pic) pic.twitter.com/SpvYbXqhhT  ANI (@ANI) October 3, 2017

With inputs from PTI
08:03 (ist)

Militants holed up in a BSF building campus

The attack took place at 4.00 am and exchange of firing was going on between the militants and security forces, they said.

The terrorists are holed up inside the building campus of the 182nd Battalion camp, BSF officials said.

PTI
Indore: Expressing concern over the plight of children of Rohingya Muslims fleeing Myanmar, Nobel laureate Kailash Satyarthi on Tuesday said resolving the humanitarian crisis is the moral responsibility of the world community and sought the intervention of the UN.

The rights activists was in the city on Tuesday as part of his countrywide tour to spread awareness about the child protection.

"If any child is being victimised during the current Rohingya crisis in Myanmar, then this is the moral responsibility of the world community to resolve this crisis," he told reporters.

Satyarthi said the United Nations should intervene to resolve the Rohingya crisis.

Stressing the need for "clear and strict" anti-child trafficking laws in India, Satyarthi said Union home minister Rajnath Singh had recently indicated that the government could move towards enacting such law.

Stating that thousands of cases pertaining to harassment of children are pending resolution, he demanded setting up of a special court in every district of the country for time-bound hearing of such cases.

Demanding a total ban on pornography in the country, Satyarthi said the government should take help of IT experts to ensure that minors cannot access such content on Internet.
The war by militants in Kashmir has been stepped up. Over the past few days, a BSF soldier was killed in Hajin, north Kashmir, and a policeman in Awantipora in the south. And on Tuesday, suicide attackers got into the most secure location in the Valley, the security camp alongside the airport.

Most of these attacks were by foreign militants who have crossed the Line of Control. Meanwhile, at least in south Kashmir, fresh young local boys continue to leave home to join them. A few disappeared from Pulwama villages this past weekend.

There is no getting away from the fact that the militant war is going to get much worse, next year if not during the rest of this autumn and winter. Apart from the local and foreign militants, regular troops of inimical neighbouring countries could get more involved than they already are  perhaps less covertly.

Local soldiers in focus

Several recent attacks have systematically targeted Kashmiris who work in one or other of the armed forces or the police. There were repeated warnings that this pattern would emerge  even in the viral recordings of the late militant commander Burhan Wani, more than two years ago.

It is therefore obvious that a long-planned and intensely thought-out plan is unfolding. A major step in this plan is to drive a clear divide between the local population and the armed forces, including the state police.

Morale among these forces and their families has largely held firm so far, but those who have planned what is unfolding remain undeterred. As they step up their violence, they could target other 'mainstream' sections.

Complacence

The government and the forces have shown a tendency to underestimate the challenge. They did so when mass unrest came up in 2010, more so in 2016, and again when street demonstrations complimented encounters from 2015-17. The tendency to underestimate, to pat themselves on the back, and become complacent, is visible again.

The most visible initiative of the state government over the past couple of weeks has been a tourism campaign on which vast amounts have evidently been spent. Those supporting the campaign do not seem to see the foolishness of trying to attract tourists at a time when conditions are extremely dangerous, even for locals.

Some people in south Kashmir say they try not to stir out after sunset and that, even during the day, families remain extremely tense about those who go out.

A large number of new armed forces camps have come up in south Kashmir over the past few months. Patrolling too has visibly increased. In fact, some residents of the area even say that large stretches have become akin to a cantonment.

The forces have no doubt had major successes in locating and killing most of the prominent local militants -- the kind that have a large price on their heads. On the other hand, scores of new recruits have been persuaded to return home. Yet, there is no avoiding the fact that large numbers of boys continue to join the militancy. Not just that, foreign militants have begun to show their hand in north Kashmir -- and now, even in the most secure parts of Srinagar. Large numbers of foreigners have lurked quietly in the north for the past few years.

Turning a blind eye

It is remarkable that, apart from army operations at the Line of Control to try and stop their ingress, the forces have generally not bothered with those who do get in. Now, they are not just showing their hand in north Kashmir, they are moving into Shopian and Budgam districts in south and central Kashmir. (Srinagar airport is in Budgam district.)

Their choice of those locations might turn out to be strategically significant, for Shopian and Budgam lie along the western mountain flank of the Valley -- the Pir Panjal range, which separates the Valley from the Chenab basin.

However, just like during the mass uprising that lasted for four months last year, the army and other forces brass seem to have turned Nelsons eye to lurking strategic possibilities.

The country cannot afford this. Propaganda is worthwhile if it helps one to outflank the enemy. Deluding oneself is unforgivable.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday passed certain observations in the case that has been popularly referred to as the "Kerala love jihad" case. Hearing an appeal in the Supreme Court, against a Kerala High Court order dated 24 May 2017, which annulled a marriage between a Muslim Convert and another person, the Chief Justice of India asked if the high court could prima facie annual a marriage, and adjourned the matter to 9 October so that the Additional Solicitor General of India who is arguing the matter could also be heard.

The court had earlier directed an investigation by India's National Investigative Agency (NIA) to probe into the matter and see if this was part of an alleged wider network of forcible conversions popularly known as "love jihad".

The case raises a few important questions of constitutional law. What is the extent of the parens patriae jurisdiction of the high court in so far as it concerns adults? What are the powers of a high court while disposing of a writ of habeas corpus and whether the power of the high court under Article 226 can extend to annulling a marriage?

The Kerala High Court in its final order on the case did three things:

a) It provides custody of the woman in question to her parents. Even though she is 24 years of age and, therefore, is a major under Indian law and, therefore, requires no guardian.

b) Annuls the marriage she had with one Shafin Jahan on the grounds that it was a sham.

c) Orders the police to inquire into the case and the organisations behind it.

The parens patriae jurisdiction is an inherent power vested in the Supreme Court, a high court, and the State to act in the best interests of a person who is incapable of acting on their own. In general terms, it is often invoked in the case of children or people who are of unsound mind. Sometimes, the State also invokes it in order to protect a wider class of people. The government invoked this jurisdiction when it became the principle litigant in the Bhopal Gas Tragedy case. However, it is very uncommon for a court to exercise this jurisdiction over individual adults and the decisions that they make. Usually, any court order for the welfare of a consenting adult is made only with their consent. But in this Kerala love jihad case, this was not so.

Oddly, the order of the Kerala High Court goes on to record that Hadiya/Akhila (the woman in question) was present and represented in court by counsel, however, the court proceeded to pass an order for her welfare despite her express wishes on an affidavit. Hadiya/Akhila is now in her parents "custody" and the court expressing why it exercised the parens patriae jurisdiction says at Paragraph 50 of its order:

"A girl aged 24 years is weak and vulnerable, capable of being exploited in many ways. This court exercising parens patriae jurisdiction is concerned with the welfare of a girl of her age. The duty cast on this court to ensure the safety of at least the girls who are brought before it can be discharged only by ensuring that Akhila is in safe hands."

The Kerala High Court notes that in previous cases the court had agreed that a parent could have authority over a child even after the child attains majority. It refers to the case of Lal Parameswar vs Ullas [2014 (1) KLT 937] as the basis for this reasoning. However, this author respectfully disagrees with the ratio of that case as applied in the present case. The Lal Parmeshwar case was where the Petitioner had applied to the court for a writ of habeas corpus stating that his wife was being illegally confined by her parents. The court actually explicitly records that the autonomy of a woman ought to be respected and that the sphere of parental authority after majority is limited. The court at paragraph 18 holds:

"This court comes across many such cases of alleged detentions/confinement/compulsive restraint placed on adult daughters by parents. We have taken a consistent stand that the decisional autonomy of such an adult daughter will have to be respected. An adult woman cannot be treated as chattel by this court. Her rights as an equal citizen will have to be respected and cannot be denied. In cases where we feel that the decision of such alleged detenue does not appear to be voluntary and genuine, we resort to the course of granting them time to reflect, contemplate and ponder. We give them opportunity to be accommodated in neutral venues for some period to facilitate rational and dispassionate evaluation  sometimes for long periods. We give parents opportunity to counsel their children during such period. But ultimately, we do respect the decisional autonomy of such adult children. We are convinced that, that is the proper course to be followed in all cases. To do otherwise would simply be denial of (the) human rights of an adult woman to take decisions affecting her future. That would certainly be denial of the right to life guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution of India. The mere fact that the decision may turn out to be incorrect, or bad does not justify the denial of the right to take a decision. We do not permit our concepts of what is right and good for them to override their own assessment of what is right and good for them. We do not permit the concept of others (including parents) of what is right and good for them to override their own concepts. Concept of right and good may vary with the times. This generation's concept of right and wrong may not find acceptance with the next. No generation or parent can claim infallibility and enforce its/his concept of right and wrong on the succeeding. Suffice it to say that we do not agree with the learned counsel that Prasadhkumar and Sreekesh (supra) concede to the parents any unbridled rights to usurp the decisional autonomy of their adult daughters and keep them in 'custody' against their desire in exercise of their parental authority or duty. We do not agree that the said decisions lay down that this court cannot exercise jurisdiction under Article 226 of the Constitution of India in such a situation. We do not agree that the mere fact that the petitioner's marriage with the alleged detenu may not be strictly legal is sufficient to deny relief. At least it can be said that in the present era of social and societal development in this state such understanding of the dictum is impermissible. In the peculiar facts of those cases and to cater to the interests of justice in such situations, the courts had followed such courses while considering invocation of the jurisdiction under Article 226."

The court, however, proceeds on the basis that the confinement of a daughter by the parents even after she has attained majority is not "illegal confinement or detention" and accordingly refuses to grant a habeas corpus to the petitioner.

This, however, was not the position in the Kerala Love Jihad case. In this case, the petitioner was the father seeking custody of his daughter, who was not in the custody of another.

The court for the benefit of the woman applied this principle of parental control and invalidated her marriage and directed her to live with her parents as she had no income to support herself. The woman, in this case, was denied to live where she chooses to live. With due respect to the honourbale high court, the application for the aforesaid case law was erroneous.

However, at this point, it becomes necessary for us to discuss what exactly is a writ of habeas corpus. The writ is one of the most ancient of writs recognised under Common Law and later incorporated into our Constitution. It is generally considered the greatest safeguard a country can provide for the personal liberty of an individual and it literally translates to "bring me the body". When a person is detained, that person or their next friend can move a high court or the Supreme Court for a writ of habeas corpus. The writ directs that authority or the person detaining them to produce them before the court and the court proceeds to review their detention and if it finds that they are illegally being detained the court will let them free.

In this case, the woman's father filed for a Writ of habeas corpus stating that Akhila/Haidya was being illegally detained and could be taken out of the country. The court, however, does not deal with the question of her illegal detention. From her own affidavits before the court, she explains that she is not being detained against her will. The court then proceeds to overrule her own determination of the situation and grants "custody" of her to her parents. This goes against the main reasoning in Lal Parameswar vs Ullas [2014 (1) KLT 937] itself. Without entering a finding that Akhila/Haidya was being illegally detained, there was no basis to issue an order under the court's jurisdiction under Article 226.

The consequences of this judgment are far reaching as it implies that parents who can prove to the court that their children (who have attained majority) are living somewhere unsuitable (as determined by the court) could be returned to their parents. There is no determination of illegal detention that is required.

But there is also another question that arises in these peculiar facts and circumstances. The court by its order, invalidates the marriage between her and Shafin Jahan saying that it's a sham marriage. The law presumes that a marriage is valid unless that presumption is rebutted. In Chanmuniya vs Virendra Kumar Singh Kushwaha [(2011) 1 SCC 141], the Supreme Court recognised the doctrine under English Law and then incorporated the said doctrine in India. The question of whether a marriage is valid or not becomes a trial-able issue of fact and only a family court can determine if the marriage is valid or not as only a family court has the power to annul marriages.

A high court under 226 cannot proceed to annul a marriage it considers a sham. If that was the case, a writ for annulment of a marriage would become maintainable. A marriage is valid unless it is annulled by a family court. If Akhila/Haidya was indeed under compulsion to marry Shafin Jahan, then it would be open to her and only her to move the family court to have that marriage annulled. The law cannot allow a third party to maintain such an application. If that would be the case, anyone's marriage could be open to challenge by a third party. This, with due respect to the Kerala High Court, is a rather unsustainable proposition of law.

The Supreme Court directed an NIA investigation into the alleged matter of "Love Jihad", however, this investigation may not also prove relevant as far as the question of the marriage is concerned. For, under Indian Law, a marriage even to an unsuitable person, is still a valid marriage. The Indian Law even recognises the marriage of minors as being valid unless it has been annulled by a competent court which in this case is the family court.

The question of the validity of the marriage is not something that can be determined by a high court in a writ. The high courts order is respectfully erroneous to that extent. Along with that, respectfully, the order is also further erroneous to the extent that, failing a finding of illegal detention a writ of habeas corpus has been issued. Moreover, so, the writ has awarded the "custody" of the body of a major to her parents without her wishes being respected.

If Akhila/Haidya wishes like any other citizen of India, she should be permitted to travel where she likes and do as she pleases. The order directing that she stays only with her parents is one that in effect confines her making the order a prima facie incorrect exercise of the power to issue a writ of habeas corpus.

The judgment of the Kerala High Court warrants revisiting. The NIA aspect aside, the Supreme Court will have to answer several questions while hearing the appeal such as the question of the right of a major to marry someone of their choosing, the question of if a third party can maintain an application to annul and if a parent can maintain a writ of habeas corpus in the case of a major who is not under illegal confinement. The antecedents of Akhila/Haidyas husband are in the view of this author irrelevant for the purpose of determining the aforesaid questions. Unless there is a law that prima facie invalidates marriages people who have criminal antecedents (no such law exists), the question of such antecedents is irrelevant in so far as it is regarding a decision made by a major.

The Indian law recognises the right and liberty of all majors to do as they please, marry as per their choice, live where they please and with whomever they please in accordance with the law. This is a principle that is worth defending at all costs.
Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said that the state government will enact a stringent law which would provide for death penalty to tighten noose around those involved in illicit liquor trade.

Underlining the perils of alcoholism, he said addiction is the root cause of one's destruction.

"A strict law will be enacted to stop illicit liquor trade. A provision of capital punishment will be made under the law for people who are involved in trading of illicit liquor or hooch," Chouhan said while addressing a programme organised on Monday by the Vishwa Gayatri Parivar on de-addiction.

He said the state government will launch various campaigns against all types of addiction.

"Madhya Pradesh will be freed from addiction by creating awareness. The government has decided that no new liquor shop or liquor factory would be set up in the state," the chief minister said.

Talking about the government's efforts in the direction of liquor-restrictions, Chouhan said beside checking on new liquor units or shops, a decision was also taken (in December 2016) that no liquor shop would be opened within the 5-km radius of banks of the Narmada river.

The number of liquor shops in the state will gradually reduce, he said.

On the organisation's de-addiction campaign, regional president of Gayatri Parivar's youth cell Anand Vijay said 15 lakh people have taken part in their signature campaign of 'addiction free Madhya Pradesh'.
Editor's note: This is the first of a four-part series on the changes in Mangaluru and coastal Karnataka's socio-political mileu over the years. The series traces the region's transformation from a tranquil coastal town to a hotbed of communal tension.

The port city of Mangaluru (or Mangalore) is an example of how historians and politicians trained in the thoughts of noted philosopher JS Mill and his indology tend to perpetuate stereotypes of Indian cities. These stereotypes are created in such a way that they would fit in the templates influenced by the historicism of the West.

Over the years, Mangaluru has earned sobriquets such as 'communal cauldron, `Hindutva laboratory or `Rome of the East. Such nicknames are disconnected from the social fabric of the city. However, if we are to examine the current narrative about Mangaluru, we see that the city has made a departure from its history.

Though the oral historians connect the growth of Muslim population to the arrival of Arab merchants, it is historically wrong, says Prof Surendra Rao, former head of the department of history, Mangalore University. The Arabs were trading with Mangaluru even before Islam. The Muslims in south India were never invaders, but were traders. They mingled well with the natives and the majority Hindu community, he says.

Things are not the same now. Whenever there is an election round the corner, politicians with an eye on community-based vote banks try to whip up hatred among different communities. Like me, many elders in Bhatkal sent emissaries in villages and Jamaats to cool nerves by asking them not to be carried away by malicious propaganda. It worked in the 2013 and 2014 elections. Our Hindu brethren did the same thing. But we both are not sure about the future. Bhatkal is a crucible of faiths; Jains, Christians, Hindus and Muslims have lived together in harmony for ages, says Dr. Zameerullah Sharief, former Principal of the Anjuman College and presently the senate member of the Karnataka Folklore University.

Citing his state award-winning poem Shamiyana, Dr. Sharief says that when a Shamiyana is stitched, fabrics from every colour are used with each colour representing each faith. There is a Hindu festival of Hanuman which is called Maruti Jatra, during which a stationary chariot is built by the devotees. Even today, our Hindu brothers ask permission of the Muslims to erect the structure, which is readily given Dr. Sharief adds.

But there were stray events of communal flare ups in the otherwise peaceful region. In 1993, Dr. Chittaranjan, a BJP MLA was gunned down by unidentified people. But both the communities rose to the occasion and tranquility returned. Similarly, three youths  Riyaz, Yasin and Iqbal  hailing from this town became big time terror elements by joining ranks with the Indian Mujahideen. But they could not do much to destroy the communal harmony in the region.

Mohammad Beary, a Muslim community leader said, At this point of time in national politics, we seek protection, equality and empowerment, and not just appeasement. His argument flies in the face of political parties which have always preached the politics of appeasement.

Historically, Muslims in Mangaluru were traders with some interests in industry and services. After 1970, a wave of migration to the Gulf region started. Abundant skilled labour and educated professionals from Mangaluru, Udupi, Kasargod and Kannur in Kerala joined the Gulf rush. Once the Gulf money started flowing in, the region became affluent. As was the case elsewhere, the majority of the rich happened to be Muslims, says Dr. Rao

Till the late 1980s, coastal Karnataka was proud of its religious diversity. It was a region where different faiths lived in harmony and peace. However in the 1980, when the Jan Sangh, the predecessor of todays BJP ruled the Udupi Municipal Council, they began to woo religious communities. Importantly, Udupi was the first municipality in the country which saffron forces had won with popular votes. Even so, the Hindu fundamentalists did not have much clout in the region, till it won the Mangalore Lok Sabha seat in 1991. This triggered a chain reaction, with other communities including Islam, Christianity, Jainism and Buddhism joining hands with the secular Congress.

Thereafter, around 2000, the polarisation along religious lines became more pronounced. The battle lines based on religion were drawn, with the Congress partys minority appeasement on one hand and the BJP and other Hindutva fringe groups on the other hand. The deprived class and oppressed castes, as happened elsewhere, were the first to fall prey to this divisive politics.

The growing affluence of the region grew hand-in-hand with religion. While there is no doubt that the the animal spirit of entrepreneurship have been unleashed in coastal Karnataka, a lot of money has flown into refurbishing and building places of worships. The coastal region is dotted with several well-known temples, churches, basadis and mosques that have become international pilgrimage centres.

The majority of the NRIs, irrespective of their religious affiliation, make a vow to build a place of worship. When they return home with enough money, they fulfill their promise to God, say officials of the state endowment department.

The citizens of Mangaluru are fast becoming to borrow the words of political historian Benedict Anderson  an imagined community. Adding fuel to the fire are political campaigns orchestrated by the media.

M Raghuram is a Mangaluru-based freelance writer and a member of 101Reporters.com, a pan-India network of grassroots reporters
Islamabad: Pakistan foreign minister Khawaja Asif has called Indian prime minister Narendra Modi an elected "terrorist".

Asif's comments came in his attempt to rebut Indian external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj, who lashed out at Pakistan at the United Nations (UN) last month on charges of supporting and exporting terror.

In an interview to Geo News' "Capital Talk" show on Monday, Asif said

Sushma Swaraj shouldn't be accusing Pakistan of exporting terrorism as "the country (India) itself is being run by a terrorist".

"Sushma Swaraj has accused us (Pakistan) of exporting terrorism. (However) one terrorist (in India) is the country's prime minister himself," Asif said.

"Modi has the blood of Muslims murdered in Gujarat on his hands," he said. Asif also called the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) a "terrorist outfit".

Speaking at the United Nations General Assembly in September, Sushma Swaraj had denounced Pakistan as the "world's greatest exporter of havoc, death, and inhumanity" and accused Islamabad of being "only engaged in fighting us" and rejecting peace and dialogue.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday championed Himachal Pradesh as a tourist spot and said that access to an AIIMS hospital will make tourists visit the state more frequently while laying the foundation of a new AIIMS centre in Bilaspur.

Opening of #AIIMS in Himachal Pradesh especially in this region of the state has a lot of benefits for people: PM Modi pic.twitter.com/LB9TT1rGgv  ANI (@ANI) October 3, 2017

#WATCH live via ANI FB: PM Modi speaks at foundation stone laying ceremony of AIIMS in HP's Bilaspur https://t.co/3mo97GEPcV pic.twitter.com/jApuIOPuAl  ANI (@ANI) October 3, 2017

"We're making a campus where over 3,000 people will work together. This is also bringing employment opportunities," Modi said while addressing a rally in Bilaspur.

The choice of venue is interesting because Himachal Pradesh is headed for polls this year, and Bilaspur is the hometown of Union Health Minister JP Nadda, who is believed to be one of the chief ministerial aspirants, wrote The Indian Express.

The opening of AIIMS in Himachal Pradesh has a lot of benefits for people, Modi said, while also championing the Indradhanush Yojna. "I congratulate JP Nadda for his efforts," he said adding that the scheme has covered significant ground in vaccination.

Apart from laying the foundation for AIIMS, Modi also launched other mega central projects in the state as well. He laid the foundation stone of an Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) to be set up in Una town and inaugurated a steel processing plant of the Steel Authority of India set up with an outlay of Rs 70 crore in Kandrori town in Kangra district, via video conference from Bilaspur.

IIIT is not just a college but it is the beginning of a new era, Modi said.

Donning a Himachali cap, Modi, accompanied by Nadda, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and his cabinet colleagues and state Members of Parliament Anurag Thakur and Shanta Kumar, also launched Tata Digital Nerve Centre in Bilaspur town.

Modi also said, "There are 13 development projects in Himachal Pradesh for which Central Govt will invest Rs 15,000 Crore."

Officials said the 750-bed AIIMS would be set up with an outlay of Rs 1,350 crore with facility for a medical college with an intake capacity of 100 seats and a nursing college with 60 seats.

With inputs from IANS
New Delhi: Jammu and Kashmir independent legislator Engineer Rashid on Tuesday appeared before the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in connection with its ongoing probe into a terror funding case.

NIA officials said that Rashid, who represents the North Kashmir's Langate assembly constituency, arrived at the agency headquarters at around 10.30 am.

He was summoned on 28 September. The agency is investigating the alleged terror funding case involving separatist leaders, local businessmen and others.

It is for the first time that an MLA from the state had been summoned by the NIA. So far, 10 people have been arrested by the NIA.
A jawan was killed in Bhimber Gali after the Pakistan Army resorted to sniping along LoC in Krishna Ghati sector of Poonch district on Tuesday.

#FLASH: Naik Mahendra Chemjung lost his life in ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir's Bhimber Gali pic.twitter.com/OYwcfqqwkY  ANI (@ANI) October 3, 2017

Pakistan Army initiated unprovoked firing on Indian Army posts in the Krishna Ghati sector at around 12:50 pm on Tuesday. Indian Army retaliated strongly and effectively," a defence spokesman said. In the exchange of fire, Naik Mahendra Chemjung was grievously injured and succumbed to injuries, he said.

Chemjung, 35, belonged to Chilingdin in Nepal and is survived by his wife Nayan Kala Chemjung and a son, the spokesman said. "Chemjung was a brave and sincere soldier. The nation will always remain indebted to him for the supreme sacrifice and devotion to duty," he said.

Earlier on Tuesday, in a predawn strike on Tuesday, Jaish-e-Mohammed militants carried out a fidayeen attack on a BSF camp located near Srinagar International airport, leaving three jawans injured. Two militants have been killed in counter-terror operations so far. Militants managed to enter the 182 Battalion camp in the city's Humhama area and launched the attack at 4.30 am, according to police sources.

Jammu and Kashmir Police IG, Munir Khan said that the successful coordination between the security forces helped eliminate the two terrorists who were holed up in a BSF compound at Humhama in Srinagar as early as possible without any collateral damage.

On Monday, two policemen were injured in Juhama area in Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla district after a grenade was lobbed towards a checkpost after which a case was registered.

On 1 October, a ten-year-old boy and a teenage girl were killed while nine other civilians were injured as Pakistani troops opened fire and lobbed mortars at dozens of villages and posts along the Line of Control in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir. The spokesman said Pakistani troops resorted to unprovoked and heavy firing and shelling from across the border in Dhigwar, Kerni and Shahpur sectors around 6:50 am.

With inputs from PTI
Islamabad/New Delhi: In a breach of diplomatic propriety, Pakistan's foreign minister Khawaja Asif has branded Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a "terrorist" and said India was being run by "a terrorist party", evoking a sharp reaction from the BJP that dismissed the Pakistani minister as a "political pygmy".

Asif made the remarks in an appearance on Geo TV's Capital Talk show, in response to external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj's UN General Assembly (UNGA) speech last month, in which she had accused Pakistan of "producing and exporting terrorism".

"Pakistan foreign minister is a political pygmy in a powerless government kowtowing to the terror organisations. These pusillanimous comments reflect Pakistan's frustration with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's successful diplomacy in exposing the terror face of Pakistan to the world," BJP spokesperson GVL Narasimha Rao told PTI.

"Pakistan is getting desperate is evident from these patently foolish and irresponsible comments," Rao said. Asif made the remarks while talking about Kashmiris who have been killed in Jammu and Kashmir and civilian casualties in cross-border firing along the Line of Control and the Working Boundary, the Dawn reported.

"A terrorist is their (India's) prime minister at this time. One whose hands are stained with the blood of the Muslims of Gujarat," the report quoted him as saying. "A terrorist party is ruling them (India) - the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) is ruling them. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is like its subsidiary organisation," he said. "But Narendra Modi is an elected 'terrorist'," Hamid Mir, the show's host, reminded Asif.

"The nation that elects a terrorist... what kind of nation is that?" the minister retorted. Explaining his stance, Asif said, "Look at the language the Indian prime minister is using, the way Muslims are being killed over cow-related issues. And just recently, on Dussehra, they burnt the effigies of Rohingya Muslims four times," he claimed.

"In Dussehra, they burn the effigies of villains... They declared Rohingya Muslims terrorists," he stressed, adding that although India was quick to call others terrorists, "the biggest terrorist (is Modi). Muslims were raped and murdered under his supervision when he was chief minister (of Gujarat). The US had banned him," he said.
New Delhi: Home minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday complimented the security forces for successfully eliminating the terrorists involved in an attack on a BSF camp in Jammu and Kashmir.

Singh said he has spoken to the chiefs of the Border Security Force and Central Reserve Police Force following the suicide attack near the Srinagar airport.

"I have spoken to the DG CRPF and DG BSF. It was a good operation that they have conducted," he told reporters.

The home minister said one assistant sub inspector of the BSF has martyred and two others were injured but they were out

of danger.

A group of militants on Tuesday launched a suicide attack on a BSF camp near the Srinagar airport, killing the ASI and leaving four security personnel injured.

Two militants were killed in the gun-battle that is raging near the airport, forcing brief suspension of air traffic and closure of schools in the vicinity.
Politicians incur the disdain of many and are called different names over their careers. But in the city of Sirohi in Rajasthan, the Bharatiya Janata Partys mandal president Suresh Sagarvanshi got called out by the 'gods' themselves.

During the performance of the Ramleela, Sagarvanshi was on the stage when the actor playing Rama, Manoj Kumar Mali, refused to shoot the arrow which burns the effigy, reported Hindustan Times. Instead, Mali accused Sagarvanshi of corruption and called him Ravana. "The actual Ravana is sitting on the stage, politicising every issue. Given this scenario, Lord Rama has to return disappointed," said Mali.

Alleging that Sagarvanshi's committee gets more grants than all other committees, Mali  along with around 100 other actors in the Ramleela  walked out, shouting slogans against the organisers, said the report. The organisers then had to dress a child sitting in the audience as Rama who then fired the arrow to burn the effigy.

Sagarvanshi denied the allegations as he told Hindustan Times, "The incident was incited by a handful of people to create ruckus at the celebrations." He further said that his committee will not take the grant from 2018.

Ramleela, the enactment of various chapters of the Ramayana, is performed in days around Dussehra to celebrate the symbolic victory of good over evil. It generally concludes with Rama shooting an arrow at an effigy of Ravana which then bursts into flames to portray the triumph of good over evil.
Following allegations of links of his party leaders with the Dawood Ibrahim gang in September, Nationalist Congress Party supremo Sharad Pawar on Tuesday came down heavily on the Thane Police claiming that the arrest of underworld don Iqbal Kaskar is just a publicity stunt.

"We enquired with party leaders and everyone said that the allegations of links with D-Gang are baseless," Pawar said at a press conference held at the party office at Ballard Pier in Mumbai. "We were also in power and we never dragged any political party or leaders' name for personal gains," he said, reacting for the first time to the allegations.

The NCP chief said that the arrest is a publicity stunt by the police officer concerned and Kaskar.

Pawar said that the police officer who arrested Ibrahim's brother gangster Kaskar from Nagpada in South Mumbai was in suspension for seven years from police service. He was referring to encounter specialist Pradeep Sharma.

"He wants to change his images and so he is doing publicity stunts," Pawar said. "These allegations are baseless and I will be personally speaking on this issue with the chief minister of state," he said.

"Even before the interrogation started, NCP's name dragged into the controversy. How can a police officer leak information to the media without proof? Just to improve the image of the officer this was done. I will appeal to the chief minister to take action against the officer who leaked the information. If anyone has any link with the underworld, police can book them. But without any evidence nobody can tamper the image of a political party for his personal interest," Pawar said.

Thane Police Commissioner Parambir Singh had earlier said that local politicians are suspected to be involved in the extortion racket although he refrained from naming them.

Police sources confirmed off the record that there are two NCP corporators from Thane who are under the radar.
Srinagar: Three heavily armed militants of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) managed to strike near the Indian Air Force (IAF) airport in Srinagar in the wee hours on Tuesday. The militants, who had recently infiltrated from across the border, had carried out a reconnaissance of the area for some days before sneaking into the Border Security Force (BSF) camp in Humhuma.

The government forces launched a timely response to neutralise the terrorists before they could enter the Srinagar airport.

One of the militants was gunned down in a tin shed of the BSF camp, another one inside the officers mess while a third one who gave a long fight was killed inside the administrative block complex of camp.

The attack came even as the lack of security at the airport was often flagged as a major issue by the Indian Air Force, and due to which the Airport Authority of India (AAI) had not been able to operate civilian flights during night hours.

The airport is used primarily by the Indian Air Force to conduct air drills of its fighter aircraft and is one of the strategically important defence facilities where civilian operations often remain suspended due to security reasons.

The IAF has not allowed construction of an industrial estate near the airport citing security as the main reason. The lack of security arrangements outside the airport has also ensured that only a limited number of 52 flights operate in the day at the international airport.

But Tuesdays attack came only after militants had carried out a survey of the area and had cut a barbed wire to sneak inside the BSF camp that is located close to the "entry gate" of the airport.

"The militants were heavily armed. They appeared to be in the age group of 20-25 years and possessed knives and cutters which they used to cut the wire and sneak into the camp that lied on the left side of drop gate. A judge lives nearby the camp and the militants carried out the initial reconnaissance before striking at the camp. While two militants were killed during the night operations only, a third militant continued to fire on the forces from inside the camp before he was killed in the afternoon," a senior police official said.

Besides the AK 47 rifles and pistols, some grenades were also recovered from the possession of the militants, said officials.

SP Vaid, Director General of Police, Jammu and Kashmir, said that the three militants were of JeM outfit. "One assistant sub-inspector of BSF was killed during the encounter while four other security personnel received injuries," he added.

A senior police official said that militants came from the Friends Colony side of the BSF camp. The camp lies within the 500-metre outer area of the airport.

Besides state police, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and BSF also provide security at the airport and the Kashmir Frontier Office of the BSF lies close by. The Srinagar International Airport facility is used after 5 pm by IAF pilots for air drills of fighter jets and houses important arsenal including the many variants of MIG aircraft.

The runway and the air traffic control is completely manned by the Indian Air Force and it is only the "civil enclave area" which is manned by AAI. "The runway and the air traffic control is with Airforce while as apron and tunnel building is with the AAI. The airport is used for joint sorties by IAF and AAI. Due to the lack of security in the funnel area of the airport the night landing of civilian flights couldnt be carried out," said officials.

The civilian air sorties are made from 7 am to 5 pm and after that, the airport is used only by the IAF authorities for their operations.

Apart from the Srinagar International Airport, the only other strategically important airport in Kashmir is the Koil airport in Pulwama, which unlike the Srinagar airport has much heavy security arrangements.

Officials said that besides the inbound traffic of 26 civilian flights a day at the Srinagar airport, the outbound traffic is also an equal number of flights. Sharad Kumar, Director Airport, Srinagar, said that the "all operations on the airport were run normally despite the militant attack".
New Delhi: The Congress on Tuesday denounced the government over a militant attack on a BSF camp near the Srinagar airport, accusing it of compromising national security.

Speaking to reporters, Congress's chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala alleged the government had proved a "total failure".

He asked the prime minister when will his administration formulate a policy to deal with terrorism emanating from Pakistan.

"The attack is an evidence of how the Modi government has compromised and toyed with national security. The question is what is Modiji and his government doing? When will we see the 56-inch chest?" Surjewala asked.

Earlier in the day, security forces gunned down three Jaish-e-Mohammed militants who stormed a BSF camp near the high-security Srinagar airport. An assistant sub-inspector of the force was also killed in the gunfight.
Jammu and Kashmir Police IG, Munir Khan on Tuesday said that the successful coordination between the security forces helped eliminate the two terrorists who were holed up in a BSF compound at Humhama in Srinagar as early as possible without any collateral damage.

Militants had managed to enter the 182 Battalion camp in the city's Humhama area, and launched the attack at 4.30 am, according to police sources.

The two terrorists were killed, unfortunately we lost one ASI: IG Kashmir Munir Khan #SrinagarAttack pic.twitter.com/mXlbBrQhs3  ANI (@ANI) October 3, 2017

Speaking to reporters in Srinagar, Khan complimented the BSF for taking quick action against the militants before other reinforcements could be brought in. "The attack was effectively repulsed in first go. One terrorist was neutralised immediately," Khan said.

He also added that while one was killed, two other terrorists were able to sneak through the administrative block of the BSF camp due to darkness.

"The operation began when the attack was detected. Afterwards, the Jammu and Kashmir Police and CRPF joined in. The 53 Rashtriya Rifles helped in cordon the outer area during the operation," Khan said.

He also said that at least one of the terrorists was hiding in the administrative block of the BSF compound before he was eliminated. BSF lost one of its ASIs in the attack.

Jaish-e-Mohammed is likely behind the attack, said Khan, adding that these terrorists had infiltrated through Pakistan's Shakargarh district in July. Khan also added that the Jammu and Kashmir Police is looking for at least six to seven terrorists who had infiltrated in July.

We are looking for 6-7 terrorists and we need to neutralise them very fast: IGP Kashmir Munir Khan pic.twitter.com/EQsWdd7J8j  ANI (@ANI) October 3, 2017

Khan, however, clarified that there was no attack on the airport (as initial reports had claimed) and requested scribes to apply restraint while reporting in the initial stages of an operation.

"There was no attack on the airport. I request the media to be responsible. It is a serious issue which may harm tourism in the state," Khan said.

Khan said that militant attacks can be expected in the state as long as Pakistan is India's neighbour.

Airport operations were suspended in the morning due to the gunfight but later resumed as security forces managed to limit the action around the building where the militants were holed up. "Normal flight operations have resumed and passengers were boarding flights," said director, Airport Authority of India, Srinagar, Sharad Kumar. The camp which came under attack on Tuesday belonged to BSF's 182 battalion specifically entrusted with the security of the runway of the Srinagar airport.

Home minister Rajnath Singh also congratulated security personnel for successfully neutralising the terrorists. "I have spoken to the Director General of CRPF and BSF. The operation was efficiently pulled off by the CRPF and BSF. One terrorist is yet to be neutralised," he told News18.

With inputs from PTI
United Nations: 'The legacy of Mahatma Gandhi, Dr Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela is that they were exemplars of the fundamental belief that the drivers of conflict are all amenable to non-violent solutions,' India's Permanent Representative to the UN Syed Akbaruddin said on the International Day of Non-Violence. He further said that it is this belief that underpins the activities of the UN.

At an event held at the UN headquarters in New York to commemorate the International Day of Non-Violence, the top Indian diplomat said the three leaders advocated non-violence to usher social and political changes that were national in nature.

Yet their approach of peaceful, non-violent resolution of differences resonates globally, he said.

"The achievements of Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela demonstrate that the outcome of non-violent change, achieved through persuasion rather than coercion, are durable," Akbaruddin said at the meeting which was addressed by representatives from several countries in addition to Miroslav Lajcak, President of the 72nd Session of the UN General Assembly.

The UN General Assembly had on 17 June, 2007 voted to establish 2 October  the birth day of Mahatma Gandhi  as the International Day of Non-Violence.

Referring to the remarks made by other leaders at the UN's commemorative event, Akbaruddin said the discussion are an effort to seek pathways to tackle the situation the world is confronted with. It is imbued with the hope that the concept of non-violence, which is as old as civilisation, can provide a path forward, he said.

As Mahatma Gandhi once said, "I have nothing new to teach the world. Truth and Non-violence are as old as the hills. All I have done is to try experiments in both, on as vast a scale as I could," he said.

Observing that the message of non-violence is therefore needed more today than ever, Lajcak said, "Unfortunately, we are not yet living in the world that Gandhi dreamt of. Many actors still use violence as their tool of choice. Every day there is new evidence of the destruction and human suffering, which result from this choice"

"Intolerance and hate speech are features of our world and International human rights and humanitarian law are constantly violated," Lajcak said.

"Conflicts, violent extremism, and terrorism don't show any signs of decreasing. Even the planet is suffering from a violence of sorts, due to the harmful impact of human activities," he added.

The Gandhi Memorial centre in a Maryland suburb of Washington DC in cooperation with Embassy of India had a special evening of celebrations to mark the 148th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

Early in the morning, the Indian Ambassador to the US, Navtej Sarna, offered flora; tributes to the apostle of peace to the statue of Mahatma Gandhi located in front of the Embassy premises.

In New York, Bharatiya Vidya Bhawan joined hands with the Consulate General of India, to celebrate Gandhi Jayanti at the Gandhi Statue in Union Square Park. The programme included offering of floral tribute and singing of Gandhiji's favourite bhajans by the students of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan.

Gandhi Foundation of US and Indian Consulate in Atlanta celebrated International Day of Non-violence at the historic Gandhi statue.

Mahatma Gandhi Memorial of North Texas celebrated Gandhi's birthday on 1 October at Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Plaza in Irving, Dallas, with a large number of people participating in "Gandhi Peace Walk."
Rabindranath Tagore described it as 'a teardrop on the cheek of eternity', Rudyard Kipling as 'the embodiment of all things pure, all things holy, and all things unhappy', and every middle-school General Knowledge teacher in India as 'one of the seven wonders of the world'.

None of that seems enough for the Uttar Pradesh government however, as media outlets reported on Monday that it had omitted the iconic Mughal monument from its list of key attractions.

The Times of India describes the booklet titled 'Uttar Pradesh Paryatan - Apaar Sambhavanaayein' (UP Tourism - Unlimited Possibilities) as a 32-page glossy booklet with the Ganga Aarti of Varanasi on its cover. It has ostensibly been printed to promote tourist spots in Uttar Pradesh, but misses out on the most famous one. It does however find place for Gorakhnath temple, where Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is the presiding priest.

The booklet was released by Tourism Minister Rita Bahuguna to mark six months of the Yogi Adityanath government, according to a report in NDTV.

But the government seemed to backtrack: Health Minister Sidharth Nath Singh insisted that there was 'some miscommunication which has undermined the monument' while Joshi insisted that the Taj Mahal was a part of the state's cultural heritage and a key priority for the state government, according to the report.

Yogi government inching away from Taj Mahal

In June, Yogi Adityanath  while speaking about souvenirs given to foreign dignitaries  had said that Taj Mahal and other minarets do not reflect Indian culture, according to a report in The Telegraph.

The report also quoted Patna University history teacher Daisy Narayan as saying that "the period from 1206 to 1760 is considered as the 'Islamic era' of Indian history by some people, especially of a particular political stripe. It is very shocking that the Taj Mahal, which is our national heritage monument, is being claimed as not as part of our culture."

The monument also failed to find mention in the government's first budget in the special section 'Hamari Sanskritik Virasat' (Our Cultural Heritage) incorporated in the finance ministers 63-page budget speech. The exclusion had led to criticism of the government as academics and historians asked for promotion of the state's composite multi-faith culture.

Athar Siddiqui of the Centre For Objective Research And Development had said that "The identification of heritage with Hindu identity is in complete contradiction with UPs 'Sanjhi Virasat' (Shared Heritage)."

In December 2016, six Agra lawyers had asked the Civil Court to declare the Taj Mahal a Hindu temple. The petition had also asked for permission for Hindus to perform puja in the monument. The issue was resolved only after Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma told Parliament: "The government has not found any evidence which can suggest that Taj Mahal was a Hindu temple of Shiva."

The issue garnered international attention as well. Dawn, in an editorial, stated that the Taj Mahal had become a part of the campaign to erase India's Islamic heritage. It cited historian KN Panikkar who in his lecture 'Outsider As Enemy' said that the BJP is "saffronising research institutions". He said that the ruling party was revising school textbooks "to introduce a communal view of the past, highlighting the achievements and contribution of the Hindus and undermining or misrepresenting the role of others."

Taj Mahal, ever popular with tourists

The Taj Mahal is still one of India's top tourist draws. In 2016, it was visited by 6.2 million visitors.

It is also a hit with celebrities with the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio, Julia Roberts, Hillary Clinton, Mark Zuckerberg, Tom Cruise and Kevin Durant visiting in just the last few years.

In 2015, the government said 23 percent of tourists visit the monument.

According to this Firstpost article, for years, the Taj Mahal has been the biggest revenue-spinner for Indian tourism. And yet, the Adityanath government doesn't want to include it in its tourism booklet. There couldn't have been a more nauseating example of the beast of bigotry eating its own tail, the article opines.

Discolouration problems

The tomb needs the government's help if it is to retain its pristine beauty. Heavy traffic, wood-burning crematoriums, smoke from neighbouring factories and Agras growing population have resulted in the monument turning yellow.

While some measures like the replacement of all wood-burning crematoriums near the Taj Mahal with cleaner electric ones and the banning of cow dung burning have been taken, there is still a desperate need for the government to step up.

It's track record is hardly encouraging: It has already faced the Supreme Court's wrath for "messing up" the beauty of the Mughal architecture.

As these new developments show a seeming lack of interest on behalf of the Uttar Pradesh government in promoting the Taj Mahal, the fate of one of India's most iconic structures seems bleak.
Editor's note: This copy was originally published on 3 October after the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh left the Taj Mahal out of its tourism department booklet. It is being republished in light of BJP MLA Sangeet Som declaring the Taj Mahal a "blot on India culture" and built by "traitors".

The Taj Mahal has become to the Hindutva brigade what the Bamiyan Buddhas were to the Taliban and Palmyra was to the Islamic State. In the dark recesses of their minds, this architectural marvel has come to represent many things  imagined grievances, bigotry, and inferiority masquerading as the desire to claim cultural superiority. If all this wasn't toxic enough, their targetting of the Taj is also a classical symptom of the powerless rage that forces its perpetrators to vent their anger on lifeless objects, secure in the belief that monuments can't hit back.

The Yogi Adityanath government's recent decision to leave the Taj out of its tourism department booklet is yet another reminder of the deep-seated anxiety of this brigade. The Taj is among the seven wonders of the world. It is a prominent UNESCO heritage site. For decades, people from across the world have made arduous journeys for a glimpse of the Taj. Almost a fourth of visitors to India travel to Agra to see the Taj. In many parts of the world, no montage of India's cultural and architectural beauty is complete without the Taj being its centrepiece. For years, it has been the biggest revenue-spinner for Indian tourism. And yet, the Adityanath government doesn't want to include it in its tourism booklet. There couldn't have been a more nauseating example of the beast of bigotry eating its own tail.

The Yogi government's decision to ignore the Taj in promotional literature isn't the first sign of its monumental discomfort. A few days ago, the Uttar Pradesh chief minister had argued that the Taj doesn't represent Indian culture  a flawed argument to the core. All across the world the Taj is seen as a symbol of love. Only Adityanath can explain why he doesn't want India to be identified with a symbol of love. Perhaps, for the bigots, hatred is the defining emotion and, if it wants to sell it as a symbol of India, the BJP doesn't need to look farther beyond Ayodhya and the structure its kar sevaks destroyed.

A few months later, the Yogi government left it out of the budget allocated for preserving the state's cultural heritage. It found no mention in the special section 'Hamari Sanskratik Virasat' incorporated in the 2017-18 budget, getting sidelined for purported Hindu monuments and tourism circuits.

Obviously, the venom against the Taj in the government's mind, body and soul runs deep and thick.

This is, of course, a pervert, myopic way of looking at history. Discriminating against people on the basis of caste, creed and religion is gross injustice, a manifestation of psychological malaise. But, carving up monuments on the basis of religion is plain hilarious, a sad joke on what goes on inside minds consumed by hatred, inferiority, revenge lust and bigotry.

There is also an element of hypocrisy to this 'everything Mughal is an anathema' argument of the bigots. While they call for the defacement of the Taj and other Mughal-era monuments, speeches made from the Red Fort  another legacy of the Mughals  trigger nationalistic glee and a lot of chest-thumping.

Frankly, if the Hindutva brigade hates the Mughal era monuments so much, why can't it drum up support for a surgical strike on them, give a call to its kar sevaks to do to the Red Fort, Taj Mahal, Jama Masjid and Fatehpur Sikri what it did to the Babri Masjid years ago? If you have the mind of the Taliban, why not summon the courage to put it in action and do a Bamiyan?

The BJP's discomfort with Indian history is well-known. It is one of the perils of learning it in a shakha or, as is the fashion these days, through tutorials mass forwarded on Whatsapp. When you do that, the only thing you are capable of is looking at everything through the coloured glasses of religion. When that happens, the burning desire is not for understanding, learning and taking pride, but for erasing it and ensuring eternal sunshine of the bigoted mind.

Unfortunately, the Adityanath government's latest directive would achieve nothing except exposing its own biases. The Taj does not require any introduction to the world. It, unlike the Gorakhnath Mutt, does not require a hardsell from the government. For years it has drawn people who believe in love to India and to Agra.

Those who think India's syncretic culture is synonymous with love will continue to visit the Taj. Haters can check out the Uttar Pradesh government's new booklet for various options.
Shimla: The Himachal Pradesh Congress on Monday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of not fulfilling his poll promises and demanded a white paper about the government's performance at the BJP rally at Bilaspur on Tuesday.

Hitting out at Modi on the eve of his visit to the state, HPCC general secretary Naresh Chauhan said the people wanted to know what the government had done in the past three and a half years and when the "achhe din" would come.

Talking to reporters, Chauhan said Modi had visited the state twice in the past but the people had got nothing except "false promises" even as the employment opportunities had reduced and prices had gone up.

He claimed that instead of removing poverty, the NDA government was removing the poor.

He claimed that Modi addressed people through "Mann ki Baat" but failed to read their hearts and that it was high time the prime minister understood the actual needs of the people and provided them employment.

"Prices of commodities are touching the sky but the government was only worried about Ambani and Adani. GST and demonetisation ruined the economy but the government was describing it as a surgical strike on black money," he claimed.

He accused the central government of making false claims about development, saying the Congress governments had carried out massive development and that would be its poll plank in the upcoming Assembly polls in the state.

On the return of expelled leaders into the Congress, he said that those who were keen to come back into the party only to contest elections were not welcome.

The rebels, who had worked or contested elections against party candidates, would have to apply to block and district committees who would send recommendations to the PCC for appropriate action.

The final decision would be taken by the disciplinary committee, he added.

There are four former MLAs and 33 other leaders seeking re-entry into the party.

Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh has already supported the demand for taking back the rebels without any riders and cases of these leaders are pending with the disciplinary committee.
BJP president Amit Shah lashed out at Kerala's CPM and blamed the party for supporting political violence in the state as he flagged off the Janaraksha Yatra in Payyannur, Kannur on Tuesday.

"End of CPM will herald the end of political violence," Shah said, while calling out to BJP workers to end the violence in the state.

The BJP president also said that wherever CPM ruled  be it Kerala, West Bengal or Tripura  political violence followed. He had previously said that more than 120 workers of the BJP had succumbed to death in Kerala due to political violence and further blamed Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan for the killings of his party's workers.

#BREAKING  We have now embarked on a journey to end communism in India. CPI(M) is known for its politics of violence: Amit Shah pic.twitter.com/kqiGVFFJHT  News18 (@CNNnews18) October 3, 2017

As part of a 154-kilometre yatra that started on Tuesday and will go on till 17 October, Shah walked seven kilometres in Kannur.

On Thursday, he will join the march to walk another eight kilometres with the state BJP president Kummanam Rajasharan and others.

The yatra which will end in Thiruvananthapuram will cover 11 districts in Kerala and is seen as a strong move to tap into Kerala's vote bank.

Earlier during the day, Shah also announced a two-week 'padyatra' in all state capitals from Wednesday against the CPM's alleged targeting of his party's workers, PTI reported.

On Wednesday, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath will also join the BJP president. Other ministers who will address the march at different venues include Nirmala Sitharaman, Smriti Irani and Ananth Kumar, The Hindustan Times reported.

"CPM should self introspect. Why did their presence disappear from the world and is disappearing from India, too? The reason is political violence. On one side, Congress is disappearing and on other side BJP is progressing with our ideology," he said.

"More the mud of violence, more the lotus will bloom," he had said.

To pay a tribute to the slain BJP workers in Kannur, a photo exhibition was also held, reported The Indian Express.

Despite issues, BJP managed to bring all its prominent allies together during the yatra. Just before Shah's arrival, BDJS general secretary Subhash Vasuasserted his party's support for BJP in the fight against political violence.
Kannur: BJP president Amit Shah offered prayers at the famous Rajarajeswara Temple in Taliparamba.

The senior BJP leader arrived at Mangalore airport early this morning and reached the temple by road from Bakel, an official in the party's state media department said.

He was accompanied by state BJP leaders. Shah was received by temple authorities.

The BJP president, who spent 30 minutes at the temple, offered a golden pot to the deity. The Rajarajeswara Temple at Taliparamba is a famous Shiva temple in North Malabar.

After offering prayers, Shah proceeded to Payyannur to launch the 15-day march in the state against the alleged 'red terrorism' unleashed by the Left party against BJP and Sangh Parivar workers.

BJP National President Shri @AmitShah will launch #JanaRakshaYatra in Kerala tomorrow against leftist violence. pic.twitter.com/ux0g4y5aV8  Office of Amit Shah (@AmitShahOffice) October 2, 2017

The Janaraksha Yatra (people's protection march) from Payyannur will travel through the state before culminating in Thiruvananthapuram on 17 October.

Several Union ministers will also participate in the march under the theme of "All have to live!! Against Jihadi-Red Terror."

As many as 120 BJP workers, 84 in Kannur alone, have been killed in the state since 2001 with 14 of them in the chief minister's home town since he took over the reigns last year, the BJP has alleged.

The CPM has, in turn, accused the BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) of resorting to violence and denied the involvement of its government and leadership in political killings.
In a bid to kick-start the anti-Left campaign in Kerala, BJP national president Amit Shah made sharp allegations against the ruling CPM over political violence and blamed Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan for the killings of party workers in state.

"I can tell, based on figures, politics violence started from the time communist party came to power. Wherever the communist party has come to power, the region has suffered. Look at West Bengal and Tripura. Political violence is there too. Left always paralyses the state it rules," Shah said, as he addressed a gathering.

The BJP chief said that whenever Kerala had CPM in power, there was an alliance government which would prefer violence. "I want to ask: Who is behind these murders in Kannur? The chief minister is responsible for the political killings," he said.

He claimed that the human rights activists in the nation were selective when it came to what they supported. "You turn your eyes away when our workers die. Why is there no march in Delhi? Violence has no colour. More than 120 workers of the BJP have succumbed due to political violence so far. What was their fault? They were working for the betterment of Kerala," he said.

Shah hailed BJP's ideology for encouraging people to join as workers. "When I was introducing self to families of the deceased workers, I noticed many families who have had multiple members killed, have another member standing with the BJP. Their shahadat (martyrdom) will never go waste," Shah said.

Shah, who is to flag off Janaraksha Yatra led by BJP state president Kummanam Rajasekharan, at Payyannur in the northern district of Kasargod, said that the ultimate aim of the padyatra is to create awareness of the killings of BJP workers.

"CPM should self introspect. Why did their presence disappear from the world and is disappearing from India, too? The reason is political violence. On one side, Congress is disappearing and on other side BJP is progressing with our ideology," he said. "More the mud of violence, more the lotus will bloom," he added.

Shah also assured his party workers and volunteers that the BJP would fight the war with CPM till the end and that would emerge victorious.

"Our path is not of violence. Our path that of connecting the public. Based on our ideology, the public would be enlightened. We must all unite against the rule of Left government," he said.

Ahead of the launch of the yatra, three BJP workers decorating a part of the National Highway 66 were attacked by unidentified men on Monday.

During the address, Shah alleged that the attackers were CPM workers and said that they also destroyed BJP flags in the district.

Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath is set to increase the saffron stand with his visit to Kerala on Wednesday. According to Times Now, Adityanath will be in predominant Muslim Mallapuram.

With inputs from PTI
Hyderabad: The BJP would highlight "failures" of the TRS government in its campaign for the 2019 assembly elections in Telangana, state BJP president K Laxman said in Hyderabad on Tuesday. He said the party will build its campaign for the next Lok Sabha as well as the state assembly polls on its improved organisational strength and would also bank on the welfare and development programmes of the Narendra Modi government.

Referring to BJP's national organisational general secretary Ram Lal's recent three-day visit to the state, Laxman quoted him as saying that the party is organisationally stronger in Telangana now in comparison with Haryana and Assam earlier.

BJP captured power in Haryana and Assam though it was considered to be organisationally weak in these two states, Laxman told reporters. Ram Lal held deliberations with the party leaders at various levels during his visit. Laxman said the BJP would like to improve its organisational strength right from the booth level.

He said the party is planning to organise a public meeting in Hyderabad in January next year, wherein activists from each polling booth will come to the event on five motorcycles.

He said the BJP aims to increase its state membership from the present 18 lakh to at least 25 lakh by the next year. BJP General Secretary Ram Madhav will be visiting the state on 14-15 October. BJP president Amit Shah would visit the state in January next year after the conclusion of assembly polls in Gujarat, Laxman said.

Asked about the comments of south Indian actor Prakash Raj, who reportedly questioned the silence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the killing of Karnataka journalist Gauri Lankesh, Laxman said the actor should know that law and order is a state subject.

BJP Hyderabad unit president and MLC N Ramachandra Rao said the party would soon organise a rally in the city to protest the killing of BJP-ABVP-RSS activists in the Left-ruled Kerala.

The BJP would try to conduct a peaceful protest at the CPM's office in Hyderabad, he said.

He asked why the intellectuals, who targeted RSS over the killing of a "woman journalist in Karnataka without proof", have "closed their eyes" on the political murders in Kerala.
Bengaluru: The BJP's Karnataka unit has constituted a 17-member manifesto committee in the run-up to the state Assembly election due early next year.

The committee is headed by former minister and MLA from the city S Suresh Kumar.

MPs Shivakumar Udasi and L Prabhakar Kore, and MLAs Basavaraj Bommai, Lakshamana Savadi and Ashwathnarayan, are members of the committee.

The party, which has announced its state unit president BS Yeddyurappa as its chief ministerial candidate, has set a target to win 150 seats in the 2018 Assembly polls.

The ruling Congress has not announced its chief ministerial candidate yet, but has said that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will lead the party in the polls.

JDS will be led by former chief minister and party's state unit president HD Kumaraswamy.

In the current Assembly, out of total 225 seats with one nominated member, the Congress has 123 MLAs, BJP 44, JD(S) 40, and rest are from smaller parties and independents.

According to BJP sources, Yeddyurappa is likely to contest from a constituency in a north Karnataka district this time, with an intention to attract more votes towards the party from the region.

Shikaripura in Shivamogga district is Yeddyurappa's constituency.

Sounding the poll bugle in the state, BJP president Amit Shah had on a visit to the state in August declared that the party stands united.

He is scheduled to visit Mangaluru on Wednesday.

Shah's call for unity within the state unit had come amid the open bickerings between some of the party leaders until recently that had embarrassed the party.

Yeddyurappa had come under criticism from a section of partymen over his alleged "arbitrary style" of functioning with another senior leader KS Eshwarappa openly flagging the issue until both were told to shun open display of differences.
Amethi : Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi will be on a three-day visit to his constituency Amethi from Wednesday, Congress leaders said in Amethi. Gandhi will also visit his mother and Congress president Sonia Gandhi's constituency Raebareli.

The Congress vice president's trip to his parliamentary constituency generated headlines after district authorities in Amethi suggested a postponement citing security concerns. However, they gave the go-ahead on Monday.

Giving details of his schedule, Congress leaders said Gandhi would land in Lucknow on Wednesday and leave for Amethi by road, stopping at villages to meet people before staying the night at the Munshiganj guest house.

On 5 October, he is scheduled to hold a janta darshan (a programme to meet people to hear their grievances) at the guest house and meet party workers at Rajiv Gandhi college in Tiloi and in Salon before calling it a day at the Bhuemau (Raebareli) guest house.

On the last day of his visit, he will hold a janta darshan in Raebareli and meet workers there.
Reuters

Equifax Inc was alerted in March to the software security vulnerability that led to hackers obtaining personal information of more than 140 million Americans but took months to patch it, its former CEO said in testimony to be delivered to Congress on Tuesday.

It appears that the breach occurred because of both human error and technology failures, former CEO Richard Smith said in written testimony released on Monday by the Energy and Commerce Committee.

Separately, Equifax said late Monday that an outside review determined about 2.5 million additional US consumers were potentially impacted, for a revised total of 145.5 million.

The company said the review also found that just 8,000 Canadian citizens were impacted, rather than up to 100,000 Canadians, as previously announced.

Equifax was alerted to the breach by the US Homeland Security Department on 9 March, Smith said in the testimony, but it was not patched.

On 15 March, Equifaxs information security department ran scans that should have identified any systems that were vulnerable to the software issue but did not, the testimony said.

As a result, the vulnerability remained in an Equifax web application much longer than it should have, Smith said. It was this unpatched vulnerability that allowed hackers to access personal identifying information.

In his testimony, Smith said it appears the first date hackers accessed sensitive information may have been on 13 May. He said between 13 May and 30 July, there is evidence to suggest that the attacker(s) continued to access sensitive information.

Smith said security personnel noticed suspicious activity on 29 July and disabled the web application on 30 July, ending the hacking. He said he was alerted the following day, but was not aware of the scope of the stolen data.

On 2 Aug, the company alerted the FBI and retained a law firm and consulting firm to provide advice. Smith notified the boards lead director on 22 Aug.

Smith, 57, said he was retiring last week and would forgo this years bonus as criticism mounts over the attack, which was not made public until 7 Sept and has prompted investigations by multiple federal and state agencies, including a criminal probe by the US Justice Department.

I am here today to apologise to the American people myself, he said.

Smith also apologised for the companys response after the data breach was made public, including the rollout of our website and call centers, which in many cases added to the frustration of American consumers.

He also said another well-known, independent expert consulting firm has been retained to perform a top-to-bottom assessment of the companys information security systems.

Smith will testify at three separate congressional hearings this week.
tech2 News Staff

For the simple reason that the Earth is closer to the Sun than Saturn, humans can only observe the day side of Saturn even with the more powerful telescopes on Earth or in orbit around our planet. Probes, such as the Cassini mission by NASA, ESA and ASI allow researchers to image Saturn from the far side, as well as capture data using the various scientific instruments on board. Till another mission is sent to Saturn, the observations and images captured by Cassini will be the last close up data set of Saturn available to scientists.

The image was captured on 7 June 2017 using the wide angle camera on board. The spacecraft was at a distance of about 1.21 million kilometers from the gas giant when the image was captured. Cassini was looking towards the Sun lit side of the rings from about seven degrees above the plane of the rings. After the end of the Cassini mission, NASA has released an image of a Sun lit crescent on Enceladus, as well as the final observations of the Yin-Yang moon, Iapetus.

NASA's Cassini spacecraft ended was concluded in September 2015 after studying the gas giant for thirteen years. There was not enough fuel on board for the ground stations to maintain control of the spacecraft, and there was a possibility that Cassini could drift into one of the moons of Saturn. Some of these moons, including Enceladus and Titan may harbour life.

Hardy microbes piggybacking on Cassini could have created havoc in these alien ecosystems, which is why Cassini ended its mission with a fiery plunge into the Saturnian atmosphere. Although the spacecraft has become one with the planet that it studied for so long, the observations and images captured by the spacecraft is expected to continue to provide data for scientific studies for decades into the future.
Sheldon Pinto

After the launch of its new Pixel brand last year, Google has scheduled another date for its hardware event, where everyone is expecting the successors of the Pixel, and the Pixel XL to be announced. The unveiling is set for 4 October, where Google will announce not just the successors to the Pixel lineup, but others, including a smaller version of the Google Home connected speaker, an all-new Pixelbook and even a refreshed Daydream View VR headset.

But like every year, the focus is on the new smartphones, as it will be interesting to see what Google has achieved with the successors of the Pixel and the Pixel XL, tagged by the rumour mills as the Pixel 2 and the Pixel 2 XL.

There isn't much

From what we can gather from the various rumours and leaks we have seen so far, there really isn't much.

Both the Pixel 2 (built by HTC) and the Pixel 2 XL (built by LG), may not be all that special. This is because both devices are expected to pack in specifications, similar to most premium flagship smartphones already out in the market. There is the expected 'Edge sense' feature on the Pixel 2, but I cannot think of many who have used it on the HTC U11 to begin with.

From the latest rumour, there is a big possibility that Google has missed out on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 836. Last year, Google had an advantage for being the first brand to use a Qualcomm 821, where every other brand was stuck with an 820 chipset. The new chip was about 10 percent faster than the older one, and no matter how much one tried to justify its price vs value quotient, the Pixel had the latest chip and it was enough to get everyone excited.

If Google does not show up with the 836, it may not have anything to talk about on stage in terms of hardware, which is not a good thing coming from a brand that owns Android and a brand, which is looking to establish itself in the premium hardware segment.

Lacks the 'Wow' factor

Leaks have been pouring in over the build-up to the launch. And pretty much nothing is left to be known onthe design front, if one goes by the leaker's past record. The latest leak from tipster Evan Blass, showcases the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL designs from the front and back. Indeed, it leaves little to the imagination as well. While we have seen leaked images with similar handsets in the past (including one with a photograph of both the glass screens), they somehow do not inspire, or look special in any way with their windowed back panels.

There's the Pixel 2 that redefines the term 'bezel' with thick bezels at the top and the bottom, which would make a Sony Xperia XZ1 cringe. And it arrives at a time when handsets like the bezel-less Samsung Galaxy S8, the Essential PH-1, and the LG V30 exist.

If you thought that the bezels were way too thick, think about Google's premium pricing. Google launched the Pixel (the smaller smartphone) in India at Rs 57,000 and this was for the base version with 32 GB of storage. So yes, we can expect the Pixel 2 to be priced similarly when it arrives in India. So if you have been criticising Apple for pricing the iPhone 8 a bit too high (at Rs 64,000) considering that it features a brand new chipset and is also able to shoot 4K video at 60 fps, think again because the Pixel 2 with the Snapdragon 835 could also scale similar price points.

The bigger Pixel 2 XL looks a bit more like the flagships we have today with a taller 18:9, 6-inch display. However, this one too has bezels running around the front face, and does by no means qualify as a bezel-less nor an edge-to-edge display. One piece of good news that comes with Pixel 2 XL, is app support for taller displays like those on the S8+ and the V30 since Google has a taller display of its own now.

Where are my dual cameras?

There's is also a chance that Google may fall short of everyone's expectations. All the leaked renders we have seen so far, reveal a single camera at the back. It is an area where not many would complain about, because Google did a great job with the Pixel on the camera front, beating every single smartphone out there with its camera performance. In fact it was better than the Apple iPhone 7 Plus in the low light photography department when we tested it last year. But every other manufacturer today (including Apple and Samsung) has switched to dual cameras this year. They are functional in the form of a portrait mode delivering images with an enhanced depth of field and most also offer an optical zoom as a part of the package.

Google could redefine the way manufacturers use a single camera by offering both a software-driven portrait mode and a digital zoom, but it will need a class-leading sensor to pull this off. For now, we are just speculating, but let's just hope that Google does have a few camera tricks to show.

Software

It is obvious, that the new Pixel smartphones will be blessed with latest version of Android 8.0 Oreo. But as with the camera app, we can expect more with some added software touches as well, those that should make the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL special. From the leaked renders, there appears to be a new widget, the odd placement of the Google search widget at the very bottom and lack of a 'Google Now pill icon' (at the top left), like we have seen with previous Pixel models.

We are also expecting to see Google's ARCore games or apps being demoed on stage at the launch. ARCore should be Google's wild card, (if nothing else) as it does not have any exciting hardware news to talk about from the leaks seen so far. The consumer technology (as opposed to Tango's more scientific approach), puts software hard at work and brings augmented reality capabilities to existing and future Android phones.

Almost a month ago, Apple launched the iPhone X. While sales have yet to commence, it is easy to conclude, that Apple has upped its game with the iPhone X, bringing it close, if not, at par with top Android offerings. You have an edge-to-edge, all-screen OLED display that is HDR 10 compatible, the fastest chipset on a smartphone in existence, 4K recording at 60 fps and a new FaceID unlock system (that fans may or may not be most kicked about). Google will need to top all of these, if it wants to stay relevant in the hardware space.

Will Google surprise us? We shall find out tomorrow.
PTI

An experimental robotic farm run by UK scientists has been harvested for the first time, yielding about five tonnes of spring barley. Everything from start to finish - including sowing, fertilising, collecting samples and harvesting - has been done by autonomous vehicles on the farm, researchers said. Researchers from the Harper Adams University in the UK believe that the robotic technology improve yields in agriculture, which is necessary to avoid food crisis with the growing population in coming years.

For the project, dubbed Hands Free Hectare, researchers used commercially available agriculture machines and software used to guide amateur drones. "In agriculture, nobody has really managed to solve the problem of autonomy," said Jonathan Gill, mechatronics researcher at Harper Adams University, who led the project. The researchers purchased several small-size agricultural machines, including a tractor and a combine, a machine for harvesting grain crops, the Live Science reported.

They then fitted the machines with actuators, electronics and robotic technology that would allow them to control the machines without the presence of a human operator. "The vehicles navigate entirely based on the GPS, and they are just essentially driving towards targets that we predetermined," said Martin Abell, of Precision Decisions, an agricultural company that partnered with the university.

"At different GPS targets, there are different actions designed to be carried out," Abell said. The Harper Adams team plans to use the robotically harvested spring barley to make a limited batch of "hands- free" beer that will be distributed to the projects partners.
tech2 News Staff

Facebook is under increasing scrutiny for disrupting the democratic process in America by allowing vested interests to exploit the divisions in American society. Facebook has acknowledged that political ads spread through its platform has advertisements on the platform meant to spread disinformation and increase political discord originated from accounts associated with Russia. Russia has officially denied any involvement in efforts to game the 2016 US presidential election.

Facebook has indicated that close to 10 million users in the US saw ads linked to a troll farm originating in Russia. The ads were meant to exploit and escalate racial and political divisions in the United States. Facebook has committed to hire 1,000 people to ensure that future advertisements do not disrupt a democratic process. Executives from Facebook, Google and Twitter have been asked to testify to the US Congress about Russian political interference in the presidential election.

3,000 ads generated by accounts controlled by entities in Russia have gone under the scanner, and Facebook has promised increased transparency on political ads in the future. The early review of these ads by congressional investigators reveal some of the actual contents of the ads, even though their exact purpose remains unknown.

According to a report in the Washington Post, the ads included photos of a black woman dry firing a rifle, which is pulling the trigger without loading the weapon with a bullet. There were images of Hillary Clinton behind bars, advertisements that used harsh language, images of illegal immigrants, and civil rights groups who voted for Clinton.

The ads exploited tools available to Facebook advertisers that allows content to be targeted by various parameters. The advertisements can target individuals by age, gender, location and even interest. The kind of content used by the troll farm indicates the cunning nature of the Russian operation, which essentially boils down to racist propaganda, meant to exploit divisions in American society. The operation has been ongoing for two years.

While Russia has denied any involvement in the campaign, a big data analytics company has taken credit for successfully reaching to and turning around voters. Cambridge Analytica used a combination of psychographic profiling, post targeting and surveys to support Trump's presidential campaign. The dark posts created by the campaign could be viewed only by the targeted village or neighborhood, down to an individual level. The content was adjusted on a daily basis, and was delivered to key battleground states. The campaign by Cambridge Analytica is believed to be separate from the alleged Russian campaign, and as such is not a part of the review by congressional investigators.

After the surprise victory by Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election, Facebook was accused of spreading fake news and political disinformation. Mark Zuckerberg had then called it a "crazy" idea that Facebook had any influence on the election, but Barack Obama asked Facebook to take the allegations and the threat of political disinformation seriously.

Nearly a year later, Trump would accuse Facebook of colluding with news agencies and having an an anti-trump agenda, an allegation that Mark Zuckerberg denied.

Last Sunday was Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the year for Jews, and Mark Zuckerberg asked for forgiveness for the divisions created because of the activity on his platform, and committed to do better.
Reuters

Luxury electric vehicle maker Tesla Inc said on Monday its deliveries rose 4.5 percent in the third quarter from the prior-year period, but said production bottlenecks had left the company behind its planned ramp-up for the new Model 3 mass-market sedan.

Tesla said it delivered 26,150 vehicles in the third quarter, including 14,065 Model S vehicles and 11,865 Model X cars, up 17.7 percent from the second quarter of this year.

The Palo Alto, California-based company delivered just 220 Model 3 sedans and produced 260 during the quarter. In July, it began production of the Model 3, which starts at $35,000  half the starting price of the Model S.

Tesla had said in its second-quarter financial report that it expects to achieve a rate of 5,000 Model 3 vehicles per week by the end of 2017. The automaker also said it expects at some point in 2018 to further ramp to a rate of 10,000 Model 3 vehicles per week, and an annual production rate in excess of 500,000 vehicles.

It is important to emphasize that there are no fundamental issues with the Model 3 production or supply chain, Tesla said in a statement. We understand what needs to be fixed and we are confident of addressing the manufacturing bottleneck issues in the near term.

Tesla said it was on track to deliver around 100,000 S and X models this year.

But Tesla said on Monday that a handful of systems at its Fremont, California, car plant and its battery factory in Reno, Nevada, have taken longer to activate than expected.

The automaker said 4,820 Model S and X vehicles were in transit to customers at the end of the third quarter and would be counted with its fourth-quarter figures.
Washington: Defence Secretary Jim Mattis told lawmakers on Tuesday that the Afghanistan security forces are fully engaged in combat military operations for the first time during the 16-year-old war and are suffering fewer casualties as they continue to improve their competence on the battlefield.

During testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee, Mattis sought to assure members that President Donald Trump's new strategy for Afghanistan represents the best approach for winning America's longest war.

Mattis said that the Afghan forces are becoming bolder in combat because they know US and NATO forces are using airpower to strike the Taliban and other militants on "the high ground." That frees up the Afghans to "take the fight to the enemy," Mattis said.

Senator John McCain, R-Ariz, the chairman of the Armed Services Committee, lectured Mattis and Dunford at the opening of the hearing for failing to provide lawmakers with detailed information about Trump's strategy.

McCain declared that it was "bizarre" that Mattis and Dunford, the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, did not submit written testimony before the hearing started. That's common practice for administration witnesses testifying before congressional committees.

"We want to be your partners," McCain said. "But this committee will not be a rubber stamp for any policy or president. We must be well-informed. We must be convinced of the merits of the administration's actions. And unfortunately, we still have far more questions than answers about this new strategy."

Trump unveiled his new strategy for Afghanistan in August and said American troops would "fight to win" by attacking enemies, "crushing" Al-Qaeda, and preventing terrorist attacks against Americans.

But Trump's description of a win in Afghanistan notably did not include defeating the Taliban. He indicated that after an effective military effort it eventually may be possible to reach a political settlement in Afghanistan that includes elements of the Taliban.

Although Trump insisted he would not talk about numbers of troops, he hinted he would embrace the Pentagon's proposal to boost troop numbers by nearly 4,000, augmenting the roughly 8,400 Americans currently stationed there.

Mattis told the committee that more than 3,000 additional American forces will be arriving in the coming months to expand the training of the Afghan forces. The combined US and NATO troop contingent currently in the country is about 13,500.

Trump also singled out Pakistan for harboring Taliban leaders and other militants that are battling American troops in Afghanistan. Trump's tough words about Pakistan, a troubled US security partner, infuriated Islamabad, which has denied the country provides safe havens for the Taliban.

But US officials and analysts have long said Pakistan tolerates the presence of the Afghan Taliban and the allied Haqqani network, which are leading the insurgency against Afghan and US forces.

The administration said last month that it was holding up the release of USD 255 million in military assistance for Pakistan until it cracked down on extremist groups that threaten Afghanistan.
London: An honour bestowed on Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi by the city of Oxford has been withdrawn as a reaction to her perceived inadequate response to the plight of Rohingya Muslims in the country.

The 'Freedom of Oxford' had been granted to the de facto leader of Myanmar in 1997 for her "long struggle for democracy" by the Oxford City Council.

A cross-party motion was unanimously passed by the council on Monday which said it was "no longer appropriate" for her to hold the honour.

Oxford City Council leader Bob Price supported the motion to remove her honour and confirmed it was an "unprecedented step" for the local authority.

The city council will hold a special meeting to confirm that the honour is removed on 27 November.

Suu Kyi, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, has close links to the city of Oxford, having lived in Park Town with her family and earlier attended St Hugh's College from 1964 until 1967.

The city council's move comes days after her alma mater, St Hugh's, removed her portrait from the main college entrance.

While the exact reasons for the portrait's removal were attributed to a new replacement, there is a wider view that the allegations of ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya Muslims fleeing their homes to Bangladesh is likely to be behind the move.

Nearly 5,00,000 people belonging to Myanmar's Rohingya minority have been displaced after violence allegedly instigated by the country's military, causing a major humanitarian crisis.

Suu Kyi has been Myanmar's state counsellor, a position similar to prime minister, since April, 2016.

She spent years under house arrest as a campaigner for democracy while Myanmar was ruled by a military dictatorship.

She became a worldwide icon for freedom before leading her National League for Democracy to victory in open elections in November, 2015.

The UK government has made repeated calls for her take a more firm stance on the violence being suffered by the Rohingyas.
Canberra: Australian investigators on Tuesday released their final report on the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, saying the inability to bring closure for victims families was a "great tragedy" and "almost inconceivable" in the modern age.

It has now been three-and-a-half years since MH370 and its 239 passengers and crew disappeared en route to Beijing from Kuala Lumpur on 8 March, 2014, reported The Guardian.

The report was released by the the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB), the agency that coordinated the largest and most expensive underwater search in history.

"It remains a great tragedy and we wish that we could have brought complete closure to the bereaved," ATSB chief commissioner, Greg Hood, said.

"I hope, however, that they can take some solace in the fact that we did all we could do to find answers."

The report found the reasons for the loss of MH370 could not be established with any certainty until it was found.

"It is almost inconceivable and certainly societally unacceptable in the modern aviation era with 10 million passengers boarding commercial aircraft every day, for a large commercial aircraft to be missing and for the world not to know with certainty what became of the aircraft and those on board."

The operation to find MH370 was suspended in January after 1,046 days, the Guardian reported.

The suspension followed an unsuccessful underwater search 2,800km off the coast of Western Australia, which used a deep-sea sonar search over 120,000 square kilometre.

Following the underwater search, a re-analysis of satellite imagery had narrowed the plane's likely resting place to an area of less than 25,000 square kilometre, the ATSB said.

The location of the Boeing 777 has become one of aviation's greatest mysteries, unable to be solved by a multinational effort involving ships and aircraft from countries including India, China, the US and Australia.

MH370 veered off course and continued to fly for seven hours but sent no automatic transmissions after the first 38 minutes of flight.

The plane's last known position was recorded at the northern tip of Sumatra.
Even as the Islamic State is losing major territory in Iraq and Syria, the group is actively claiming responsibility for every attack and bomb blast in the world. It enjoyed a brief moment of glory after claiming the Las Vegas shooting on Monday, where 59 people were killed and 527 injured. Without providing any evidence, the organisation said that the gunman was a soldier from its ranks, who converted to Islam months ago.

The FBI, however said that it has found no such connection so far. Authorities believe that there is no connection to international terrorism. Terrorist experts told CNBC that it seems the group is desperate for attention and will claim just about everything. "They have lost so much territory, and they fear they are becoming irrelevant," said Colin Clarke, a political scientist and terrorism expert. Since losing Mosul, experts say, the Islamic State has claimed responsibility for several incidents with which it has nothing to do.

However, some other experts who track the group closely told The Hill that when it comes to attacks in the West, if the Islamic State is claiming responsibility, there is some kind of connection between the perpetrator and the group.

However, the 2015 attack in which 14 people were killed in San Bernardino, California says otherwise. According to initial reports, the shooters, Syed Rizwan Farook and Tashfeen Malik, were confirmed as followers of the group, the then FBI director James Comey later said no evidence has been found of the couple being part of an organised cell or having any contact with overseas terror groups, The Independent reported.

Interestingly, these are not the only instances when the Islamic State's claims have been less than authentic. It has a history of exaggerated and in some cases, of false claims.

More recently, the group claimed responsibility for an attack at a casino in Manila, Philippines in June this year that left 37 people dead. The police has repeatedly denied that the incident was terror-related. "They have this reputation of claiming all atrocities all over the world to perpetuate themselves to gain global notoriety," CNN quoted Oscar Albayalde, police chief for the Manila area, as saying.

The police later said that the man behind the attack was hooked to gambling and was $80,000 in debt. Albayalde said that the attacker's family's account corroborate the belief that it was not an act of terrorism. He added that the man had sold off property, including a vehicle, to support his gambling habit of at least several years and his family had grown so concerned they had asked casinos in the capital to ban him.

Jerusalem gun attack

The knife-and-gun attack that killed a policewoman in Jerusalem in June this year was claimed by the Islamic State. However, Haaretz reported that Israel defense forces have cast a doubt over this claim of responsibility. Military sources said that the assailants were part of a "classic local cell" and did not belong to a terror organisation.

Hamas also dismissed the involvement of the Islamic State calling it "one of the Israeli intelligence's fabrications." He said it was a move to "confuse the media and distort the reputation of the Palestinian resistance." He also confirmed that one of the attackers was a member of Hamas, according to Newsweek.

Ohio State University attack

Even though the Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack at Ohio State Univeristy in Novermber, 2016, calling the student who drove his car into pedestrians and slashed people with a knife a "soldier" of the terrorist group, investigators have not found any strong evidence linking the attacker to militant groups, according to AP.

A federal official said that investigators had seen no evidence so far that the militant group's role was anything more than inspirational.

Pulse nightclub shooting

An American man who had allegedly pledged allegiance to the Islamic State killed 49 people at a gay nightclub in Orlando in June 2016 and the terror organisation immediately claimed responsibility.

Amaq said that "the attack that left more than one hundred dead and wounded was carried out by an Islamic State fighter." An Islamic State-run radio station also labelled the shooter, Omar Mateen, as "one of the soldiers of the caliphate in America," according to TIME.

This came after reports saying Mateen called 911 before the attack in order to swear his allegiance to the terror group. While confirming that Mateen had indeed called 911, FBI did not verify what the shooter had said.

The Central Intelligence Agency chief, however, was not able to uncover any link between Mateen and the Islamic State. "We have not been able to uncover any direct link between that individual, Mateen, and a foreign terrorist organisation," the chief told a US Senate intelligence committee, according to The Guardian.

Copenhagen shooting

A shooting in Copenhagen in September 2016, when two police officers were shot was also claimed by the Islamic State. The group's news agency Amaq said the attacker was "a soldier of the Islamic State who carried out the operation in response to calls to target coalition states." However, the Danish police ruled out a terror angle to the incident.

The police identified the shooter as a Danish citizen who appeared to sympathise with Islamic extremists, though they said this didn't play any role in the shooting, AP reported.

These numerous unverified claims, as CBC News states, gives the militants publicity, and in the case of the Orlando massacre, draws attention away from the group's recent losses in Iraq and Syria. Howeverm dismissing reports of false claims, Rita Katz, the director of the SITE Intelligence Group told NPR that that they have not yet found a real lie from the Islamic State. "Despite the fact that they are a terrorist organisation, they want to provide their followers and supporters with authentic information," she said.

The terror organisation does not distinguish between a direct attack and lone wolf attacks carried out independently based on the group's propaganda. "You can have somebody who had no direct ties to the Islamic State whatsoever, at least that we're aware of  someone who was inspired by the Islamic State but not actually directed by them at all Islamic State is equally willing to claim them all," said Thomas Joscelyn, senior editor of the counterterrorism publication The Long War Journal.

With inputs from agencies
Canada continues to churn out personable and social media-friendly politicians as media darling Prime Minister Justin Trudeau now faces competition from Jagmeet Singh, a 38-year-old criminal lawyer with a certain sartorial flair.

Singh was named leader of Canada's New Democratic Party (NDP) on Sunday, the country's third biggest political force after Justin Trudeau's Liberals and the Conservatives. He won almost 54 percent of votes in the first round of voting against three other candidates.

After being named NDP leader, he tweeted, "Im officially launching my campaign to be the next Prime Minister of Canada."

Singh was born into a Punjabi Indian family in Scarborough, Ontario. He often wears a brightly coloured turban and usually wears a kirpan, a knife carried by Sikh men which is banned in certain places in Canada.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau congratulated Singh on his election. "I look forward to speaking soon and working together for Canadians," he wrote on Twitter.

Singh is a member of the Ontario provincial member parliament, not of the federal parliament in Ottawa  meaning he cannot press Trudeau during the daily question period. He hinted during his campaign he would not immediately seek a seat, which would require the resignation of an elected official to give him a place in a constituency where he could easily win.

Singh creates the same kind of buzz that Trudeau does

Like the photogenic prime minister, Singh has been splashed across the pages of a glossy style magazine  GQ in his case, Vogue in Trudeaus  and generates the same kind of buzz that Trudeau does despite a smaller platform as a provincial legislator in Ontario.

He uses Twitter (@theJagmeetSingh) to make policy announcements and statements  a series of tweets explaining why he wanted to be party leader went viral in June and was featured on BuzzFeed  while his YouTube channel showcases legislative work.

Using fashion to disarm people and create conversation

Singh, who said as a young man he was subject to random stops by police, says the racial discrimination he suffered in his youth gives him an edge over his rivals.

There are a lot of Canadians that have faced certain struggles in their lives... they see in me someone who understands those struggles, he said at a vegan restaurant in between events.

His practice of wearing natty suits and turbans that vary from shocking pink to lime green dates back to his lawyer days when he was trying to dispel negative perceptions. His solution was to stand out as much as possible. It disarms people and it creates conversations. So fashion for me has been used as a tool to engage people, to disrupt their normal notions of someone who looks like me, he said.

Viral video

Singh catapulted to online fame after a video of his calm response to an anti-Islam tirade by a woman at a campaign event in Brampton, Ontario received much approbation.

The woman, who identified herself as Jennifer in the video, thrust herself in front of Singh before he was about to speak and said, "We know you're in bed with Sharia. We know you're in bed with the Muslim Brotherhood."

Despite efforts by the organisers and supporters to take her aside, Jennifer refused to be removed and threatened to call the police.

Instead of responding aggressively to her boisterous attack, Singh calmly responded to the crowd: "We believe in love and courage... We don't want to be intimidated by hate, we don't want hatred to ruin a positive event... So let's show people how to treat someone with love: We welcome you. We love you. We support you."

A video of the exchange went viral and has received over 7 lakh views and shared over 4,000 times on Facebook. Brampton Focus, a local news outlet, caught the exchange on camera and uploaded it on its Facebook page which can be viewed here:

The video shows his supporters chanting "Jagmeet" and "love and courage" before breaking into applause.

The India (dis)connection

Singh is known to be forthright on issues and has earlier criticised US President Donald Trump's travel ban as well as has spoken out against India's treatment of minorities, according to The Times of India. In 2013, he was denied a visa to visit India. According to Singh, he had been selected as Sikh of the Year by two NGOs and had to visit Amritsar for the award ceremony.

In 2016, he had moved motion in the Ontraio Assembly seeking to describe the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in India as genocide, reported Hindustan Times. The motion in a slightly different form was passed in 2017 after it was brought by a Liberal Party MPP. Singh spoke during the debate, severely criticising the Indian government.

In 2017, he accused India of interfering with his campaign by using its influence to stop members of his community from backing him.

These reasons have garnered him support from pro-Khalistan elements as well, says Hindustan Times. In fact, when the NDP leadership results were announced, a leading separatist figure, Sukhminder Singh Hansra, was present in the room.

Electoral chances

While Singh has won the initial voting, he will have an uphill battle when he challenges Trudeau's governing Liberal Party in the next election. Singh's party has just 44 of the 338 seats in Parliament. The party lags well behind the centrist Liberals and right-leaning Conservatives in political fundraising this year, according to Elections Canada data. Singh will now focus on rallying supporters and targeting centre-left voters who helped propel Trudeaus Liberals to a decisive victory in 2015.

There are hurdles ahead. Singh needs to persuade voters that his party can form a government, although it has never held power federally. There are also questions over whether he will have success in Quebec, Canadas mainly French-speaking province, where overt signs of faith are frowned upon.

Singhs most realistic hope is to take over the party and win enough seats in 2019 to deprive Trudeau of his majority in Parliament. That would leave the Liberals dependent on the NDP, who could then demand concessions in return for support.

Ipsos Public Affairs pollster Darrell Bricker calls Singh a dangerous candidate for Trudeau, especially in the Toronto region which accounts for about 20 percent of Parliament seats. "When you look at what happens here, if he can have any impact on the vote at all its a threat," he said.

With inputs from agencies
Sydney: Australia offered to help the United States reform its gun laws on Tuesday after a successful two-decade clampdown on firearms in the wake of its own worst mass shooting.

The US is reeling after at least 59 people were killed and more than 500 injured when retired accountant Stephen Paddock opened fire on thousands of concertgoers in Las Vegas before killing himself.

The shocking tragedy has sparked renewed calls for weapons control, a sensitive subject in a country where the pro-gun lobby  the National Rifle Association  is a powerful political force.

"What we can offer is our experience," Australian foreign minister Julie Bishop said Tuesday, pointing to a 1996 gun buyback and ban on semi-automatic and automatic weapons.

"But at the end of the day it's going to be up to the United States legislators and lawmakers, and the United States public, to change the laws to ensure this type of incident doesn't happen again."

Australia was rocked in 1996 when gunman Martin Bryant went on the rampage armed with semi-automatic weapons at the historic Tasmanian colonial convict site of Port Arthur.

Thirty-five people died in the massacre, a turning point for a nation that traditionally had a high rate of gun ownership.

Then centre-right Liberal prime minister John Howard swiftly enacted tougher gun laws, including bans on certain weapons, a minimum ownership age, and licences.

More than 6,00,000 weapons were destroyed in the aftermath and while controversial at the time, gun control measures now have strong public support.

In the first national amnesty since then, which started in June and ended last weekend, more than 26,000 guns were surrendered.

While gun violence has not disappeared, there have been no further mass shootings, in contrast to the United States where they remain common.

A survey published in 2016, which examined intentional firearm death rates from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, found gun-related deaths and suicides had declined since 1997.

James Carouso, the acting US ambassador to Australia, admitted his country could learn from Australia when it comes to gun policy.

"Every time one of these things happens, US analysts always point to what happened in Australia, and point out that your murder rate with guns has gone down drastically, and you haven't had the repeat of this sort of mass murder," he told broadcaster ABC.

"I think certainly a lot of observers in the US look to the Australian example."

But not the National Rifle Association, which in 2015 disputed whether Australia's gun buyback scheme and ban on semiautomatic weapons actually helped reduce rates of violent crime.

"The Australian people paid a massive price in liberty. Their reward? At best, an unexamined resolution that things were somehow better now," it said.

"Gun rights were, for all practical purposes, gone forever."

All guns in Australia must now be registered, although many arrive illegally from overseas through organised syndicates and tens of thousands of the weapons are still believed to be on the streets.

Canberra set up a new border protection agency merging operations from the customs and immigration departments in 2014, partly to better prevent illicit arms shipments.

Since then millions of dollars have been spent on improved tools to detect illegal firearms in the mail or cargo, while a police anti-gang squad has seized 5,500 illicit guns or gun parts since being established in 2013.

Despite this, the government wants to go even further to tackle the threat of extremist attacks and gangland shootings, with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on Tuesday saying he planned to meet with state and territory leaders this week to further strengthen measures.
Washington: British prime minister Theresa May on Monday called US president Donald Trump and conveyed her condolences after at least 58 people were killed at a concert in Las Vegas, the deadliest mass shooting in modern American history.

Trump thanked May and praised the first responders in Las Vegas for their immediate and continued actions, the White House said in a statement.

At least 58 people were killed and 515 others injured on Sunday night when a gunman went on a shooting rampage from the 32nd floor of a hotel on a concert attended by thousands of people.

This is the deadliest shooting incident in modern US history.

Meanwhile in a statement, Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau offered his deepest condolences to those who lost their loved ones and friends in the Las Vegas shooting and prayed for a fast and full recovery for the many injured.

"We stand with the United States, and share their pain and horror at such a senseless and cowardly act of violence," he said.

"Las Vegas has long been celebrated by people from around the globe, including many Canadians. We grieve with this city and the United States. Such acts only strengthen our resolve to stand together, united. This city is a destination for people from around the world, and we are following up on reports of Canadian victims. Consular officials are in close contact with local authorities," Trudeau added.

Americans across the country have expressed shock at the tragic incident.

"America woke up this morning to heartbreaking news. This evil tragedy horrifies us all. To the people of Las Vegas and to the families of the victims, we are with you during this time. The whole country stands united in our shock, in our condolences, and in our prayers," said Congressman Paul Ryan, Speaker of the US House of Representatives.

"This morning, our nation awoke to news of the largest mass shooting in our history. All of America grieves for the innocent men and women whose lives were cruelly cut short by this tragedy, and our prayers are with the families of those wounded and missing," said Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi.

It is particularly despicable that this attack was carried out during a concert, transforming an evening of music and celebration into a heartbreaking and horrific night of violence, Pelosi said, adding that "Our nation will never allow fear and violence to bow us or break our spirits".

Communities across the US will feel the pain of this violence personally as several off-duty police officers attended the concert, one of whom was wounded, said House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy.

Heartbroken by the terror in Las Vegas. Everyone must be outraged at this latest shooting and they must act, Senator Ben Cardin said.

"Congress must act. States must act. Weapons of war should not be in the hands of civilians. We see the deadly results in Las Vegas just as we saw it in Orlando and Blacksburg, San Bernardino, Aurora, Sandy Hook, the streets of Baltimore, and elsewhere across this great country.

"We need to do everything in our power to stop the carnage of these shootings," Cardin said. Senator Tom Carper said that it is critical that federal, state and local law enforcement officials work together to get to the bottom of this attack.

"This is yet another brutal reminder that we must be vigilant here at home against threats of terrorism and face the grim reality that our gun safety laws need to be reexamined," he said.
Las Vegas: Investigators worked feverishly on Tuesday to find out why a retired accountant gunned down at least 59 people and wounded over 500 others at an open-air concert in Las Vegas, raking the crowd with bullets from a 32nd-floor hotel room packed with weapons.

As America grappled with the deadliest mass shooting in its history, officials reacted cautiously to an Islamic State group claim that Stephen Craig Paddock, 64, had carried out Sunday night's massacre on behalf of the jihadist group.

Police said Paddock, who had no criminal record, smashed windows in his hotel room shortly after 10 pm on Sunday and trained bursts of automatic weapons fire on thousands of people attending a country music concert down below.

In footage of the massacre broadcast on CNN, the sustained rattle of gunfire is heard as people scream and bolt for cover with little idea of where the shots were coming from.

"We saw bodies down. We didn't know if they had fallen or had been shot," said Ralph Rodriguez, an IT consultant from Pomona Valley near Los Angeles, who was at the concert with a group of friends.

"People started grabbing their loved-ones and just strangers, and trying to help them get out of the way," he said.

In a statement on online, Islamic State claimed Paddock was one of its "soldiers" but the FBI said it had found no such connection so far with the local sheriff describing him as a lone "psychopath."

Sheriff Joseph Lombardo said Paddock fired through the door of his hotel room and hit a security guard in the leg.

But when a SWAT team stormed the room where Paddock had been staying since 28 September, they found he had killed himself.

Inside the room were 23 firearms including automatic weapons, he said.

Investigators also found another 19 firearms along with explosives and several thousand rounds of ammo at Paddock's house in Mesquite, Nevada, some 130 km away.

Lombardo said they had discovered several pounds of an explosive called tannerite at the house as well as ammonium nitrate, a type of fertiliser, in his car.

He said the death toll had risen to 59, with another 527 people wounded.

But the gunman's motive remains unclear.

"We're hunting down and tracing every single clue that we can get on his background," the sheriff said at a late-night briefing.

So far, investigators had found no manifesto or anything else to explain Paddock's actions, he said.

"This individual is a lone wolf and I don't know how it could have been prevented," he said earlier.

"I can't get into the mind of a psychopath at this point."

As the investigation continued, details started to emerge in the media about some of the victims  a kindergarten teacher from California who married her childhood sweetheart; a Tennessee nurse; a high school secretary from New Mexico and a cheerleader, also from California.

Monday night, there were vigils of solidarity with the dead and the wounded.

The Empire State Building went dark, as did the Eiffel Tower  and much of the Las Vegas strip itself.

President Donald Trump denounced what he called "an act of pure evil" and said he would visit Las Vegas on Wednesday.

But the White House pushed back at calls to reopen the US debate on tighter gun controls.

"A motive is yet to be determined and it would be premature for us to discuss policy when we don't fully know all of the facts or what took place last night," Trump's spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said.

Lombardo said Paddock had apparently used some kind of hammer to smash the window of his hotel room before opening fire on the crowd of some 22,000 people.

Islamic State, which provided no evidence for its claims, described him as a "soldier of the caliphate" saying he converted to Islam several months ago and went by the name Abu Abdel Bar al-Amriki  "The American."

But the Federal Bureau of Investigation said it had found no such link so far. "We have determined to this point no connection with an international terrorist group," FBI special agent Aaron Rouse said.

CIA spokesman Jonathan Liu said the intelligence community was aware of the claim but advised "caution on jumping to conclusions before the facts are in."
At least 59 people were killed and 527 injured when a gunman opened fire on concert-goers Sunday night in Las Vegas.

Here's what we know about the deadliest mass shooting in modern United States history:

What happened

A crowd of more than 22,000 people was listening to country music star Jason Aldean at the Route 91 Harvest Festival when bursts of automatic gunfire erupted around 10.08 pm local time.

Police said the lone shooter opened fire with multiple weapons on concert-goers from his 32nd floor room at the Mandalay Bay hotel-casino across the street on the famed Las Vegas Strip.

"People started grabbing their loved-ones and just strangers, and trying to help them get out of the way," said Ralph Rodriguez, IT consultant who was at the concert with a group of friends.

The gunman

Police identified the gunman as Stephen Craig Paddock, a wealthy retired former accountant from Mesquite, Nevada, around 130 kilometers northeast of Las Vegas.

The sole suspect in the shooting, the 64-year-old Paddock killed himself in his hotel room as a police SWAT team was about to break in.

Police recovered at least 16 rifles from his room, and later found a weapons cache including over 18 firearms, explosives and several thousand rounds of ammo at his home in Mesquite.

A former accountant and a licensed private pilot, police said Paddock had had no known brushes with the law.

Eric Paddock, the gunman's elder brother, told local media he could not fathom what motivated him.

Stephen Paddock regularly played high-stakes video poker but was wealthy and had "no religious affiliation, no political affiliation," the brother said.

Deadliest US mass shooting ever

Las Vegas Sheriff Joseph Lombardo said 59 people had been confirmed dead and 527 wounded.

The toll could yet rise but the Las Vegas Strip shooting is already the deadliest ever in the United States, exceeding the toll of 49 killed at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida in June 2016.

Motive

The Islamic State group, without providing evidence, claimed that Paddock was one of its "soldiers", who went by the nom de guerre Abu Abdel Bar al-Amriki  "The American".

He converted to Islam several months ago, the group said.

The FBI said it had found no such connection so far, and the local sheriff described him as a lone "psychopath."

Political reaction

In a televised address, Donald Trump described the massacre as an "act of pure evil" but said it would not shatter the nation's "unity."

Trump refrained from addressing the unproven IS claim of responsibility, or calls for gun control and the White House said it would be "premature" to reopen the US debate on tighter gun restrictions.

Trump led White House staff and senior US officials in a moment of silence on the South Lawn of the White House, and announced he would visit Las Vegas on Wednesday.
A day after a lone shooter Stephen Paddock killed 59 people at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, in what is called the worst gun-related violence in US history, the ongoing debate on gun control has been reignited. While condemning Monday's attack, US president Donald Trump said that it is "premature" to talk about introducing tougher gun control laws.

While Trump's predecessor Barack Obama tried to bring in tougher gun control laws, it is easier said than done, and there is a primary reason for it.

The right to hold guns is as old as the American State itself. In 1791, the United States Congress passed the second amendment to the Constitution. The amendment allowed every citizen to bear arms and ammunition. Gun culture is so deep-rooted in US that at least 74 percent of Americans believe holding a gun is essential to their sense of freedom.

Laws differ from state to state

However, being a truly federal state, rules governing arms and ammunition differ from state to state.

Nevada, the state where the shootout took place, has one of the most relaxed gun laws in the United States. Nevada's laws are so liberal that a citizen does not even need to have a license to bear arms. The state also does not limit the number of guns a person can possess.

On the other hand, California is known to have some of the strictest laws on guns in the United States. In California, the biggest state in the US, a person needs to pass a universal background check and wait for at least 10 days before he could lay his hands on his guns. Moreover, a person needs to pass a written safety test before buying a gun.

Strictest and easiest place to buy a gun

If ranked on a scale of strictest to the loosest gun control laws, California, Connecticut and New Jersey are some of the strictest place to procure a gun.

On the other hand, states like Louisiana, Mississippi and Arizona come on the lower end of gun control laws, where one can buy a firearm online without undergoing a background check.

Three states prohibit carrying of firearms openly in public  California, Florida and Illinois  as well as the District of Columbia. Notably, 31 states allow open carry, while 15 others require a license for doing so. Many states allow their citizens to bear arms, although in a concealed manner.

In the US, it is legal to purchase three types of guns: handguns, shotguns and rifles, The Atlantic article noted.

However, looking at its potential to inflict large-scale damage, the US in the 80s, regulated automatic weapons.

Loopholes in the law

In 1993, the Brady law came into effect, which required federal arms dealers to do background checks before selling firearms. However, this law has been "gun law loophole", as a large number of dealers do not conduct background checks before selling their firearms. In addition, there are those dealers who do not have a federal license but yet sell firearms.

Nevertheless, in 2004, the US law to manufacture certain semi-automatic weapons like AK 47s expired. With this, loopholes in the federal law only increased.

While the federal legislation in 1986 made the sale of fully automatic weapons illegal, there is always a chance to convert a semi-automatic rifle into an automatic weapon. Reports now suggest that Paddock may have used the same method to turn his semi-automatic weapon into an automatic one.

Australia an example to follow for the US?

After the latest instance of mass shooting, Australia's foreign minister Julie Bishop said that her country is ready to help the US in formulating a stricter gun control policy.

Under John Howard, we implemented the national firearms agreement  this prohibited semiautomatic and automatic weapons. We had that national gun buyback scheme. We can share our experience, Bishop was quoted by The Daily Telegraph as saying.

With inputs from AFP
Washington: Indian-American lawmakers have called for changes in the gun control laws in the US, as they condemned the Las Vegas mass shooting, the deadliest in the country's modern history which claimed nearly 60 lives. Gun violence is a public health crisis that has claimed thousands of innocent lives and the Congress must do everything it can to address it, Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal said, hours after a gunman opened fire on a large crowd during a music concert in Las Vegas.

The American people are tired of being outraged, sending thoughts and prayers, seeing men, women and children die because the gun lobby does put profit over people, Jayapal said during her speech on the floor of the US House of Representatives on Monday.

"That is not what our founders intended by the 'right to bear arms'," the first-time lawmaker from Washington State said, as she joined several of her Congressional colleagues calling for changes in gun control laws.

"With rights come responsibilities: the responsibility to stop gun sales loopholes, to enact protections that make sure our children and those with severe mental illnesses don't have access to guns, to address funding for mental health, and to oppose any efforts to make it easier to purchase silencers," Jayapal said.

The first ever Indian-American women elected to the House of Representatives said 87 per cent of gun owners and 74 per cent of NRA members support those commonsense solutions like criminal background checks.

"I have a plea for gun owners across this country: Urge the non-resident aliens (NRA) to represent your views. Show them that you mean business by speaking out or even terminating your NRA membership. Show that you care about your fellow Americans," she said.

She added: "Act now. Enough is enough." The Las Vegas shooting on Sunday night, in which at least 59 people were killed and more than 500 wounded, has rekindled the debate on gun control laws in the US.

Nearly 12,000 Americans have been killed by guns in 273 mass shootings in 2017 so far  one incident for each day, according to the Gun Violence Archive, a not-for-profit corporation that tracks gun-related violence in the US.

On an average, more than 90 Americans lose their lives to gun violence every day, a daily toll of heartbreak and tragedy in communities across the US. Other Indian-American Congressmen too joined Jayapal in condemning the incident.

No community should have to fear going to the movies, a concert, or dropping their child off at school, said Ami Bera, the three-term Congressman from California.

"In the wake of this tragedy, I hope we'll all be able to take the time to look for the helpers and that each of us, in our own way, will seek to help our nation heal, move forward, and work to prevent similar tragedies," Raja Krishnamoorthi, Democrat Congressman from 8th district Illinois, said.

"We must end this senseless violence," said Congressman Ro Khanna, Democrat Congressman from 17th district California. In a statement, UNITED SIKHS condemned the "senseless act" of terror.

Its volunteers have teamed with Gurdwaras, where shelter, hot meals (langar) and other assistance is being offered to all who may need it. Sikh taxi drivers are volunteering to drive people to their destinations safely, it said.
Editor's note: This article was originally published on 3 October. It is being updated in light of the Denver Walmart shooting that took place on Thursday morning.

At least two people were killed after a shootout inside a Walmart in a Denver suburb.

Lack of proper gun control and not-very-heavy security at events, like the Denver Walmart shootout or the Las Vegas shooting, means that little could have been done to prevent the carnage.

According to security experts, the challenges lie in part in the difficulty of imposing harsh policies on places and events meant for fun and relaxation, and foiling a perpetrator bent on bloodshed.

Investigators recovered at least 16 guns, including assault rifles, from Las Vegas shooter Stephen Paddock's room at the Mandalay Bay, and another 18 firearms along with bomb-making materials at one of his two homes.

There have already been over 270 mass shootings in the United States this year alone, according to www.massshootingtracker.org, although the exact definition is contested, reported AFP.

Gun violence accounts for more than 33,000 deaths each year in the United States, and according to the latest Gallup poll, 55 percent of American voters would like to see stricter rules for buying guns.

But the issue is highly sensitive and US president Donald Trump's own views have changed markedly over his years in public life.

After the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, where 20 six and seven-year old children and six adults were mowed down by a disturbed 20-year-old, Trump appeared to favor stricter rules.

Back then, his predecessor Obama  who often called Sandy Hook the worst moment of his eight year presidency  called for the deadlock to be broken and for Congress to act.

At that time Trump tweeted: "President Obama spoke for me and every American in his remarks in #Newtown Connecticut."

But since then Trump  whose White House bid was endorsed by the National Rifle Association (NRA)  has positioned himself as a defender of the constitutional "right to keep and bear arms."

The NRA donated an estimated $30 million to Trump's campaign in 2016, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

Apart from the fact that the US is one of the few countries in which the right to bear arms is constitutionally protected, the US also has six times as many firearm homicides as Canada and nearly 16 times as many as Germany, according to Vox.

Moreover, gun control has a direct link with firearm homicides in the US as the article further pointed out that states with more guns have more gun deaths.

America no stranger to horrible mass shootings

The demand for stricter gun control is not a new one. People have been demanding stricter laws for a long time. Instead, stricter gun control is still absent and America has witnessed some horrible crimes because of that.

In June 2016, a gunman wielding an assault-type rifle and a handgun opened fire inside a crowded Florida nightclub, killing at least 50 people before dying in a gunfight with SWAT officers.

The suspect exchanged gunfire with an officer working at the gay club known as Pulse at around 2 am, when more than 300 people were inside, again making heavy security arrangements difficult.

In 2015, 14 people were killed in San Bernardino when Syed Rizwan Farook (28) and his wife Tashfeen Malik (27) opened fire at a social services centre. They fled the scene but died hours later in a shootout with the police.

Before the Sandy Hook tragedy, in 2009, US military psychiatrist Maj Nidal Malik Hasan opened fire at the Fort Hood military processing centre, killing 13 persons and severely injuring 38 others before being shot and captured.

In 2007, Seung-Hui Cho, a student at Virginia Tech, shot dead 32 people in two separate attacks around two hours apart, according to Daily Mail.

So what are the current gun laws in the US?

Even though the Second Amendment of the US Constitution says that the right to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed and federal law has minimum standards for firearm regulation, individual states have their own laws when it comes to gun control.

According to The Sun, even though most states have prohibited or regulated laws related to 'open carry'  carrying arround of firearms in public  most of them have also eventually weakened the laws.

Thirty-one states in the US allow open carry and fifteen other states require a license for open carry.

California, Florida and Illinois prohibit people from open carry. New York and South Carolina prohibit open carry but long guns are exceptions. Massachusetts, Minnesota and New Jersey prohibit open carry of long guns but not handguns.

Gun laws in Las Vegas are some of the most lenient in the US. In Nevada, people are allowed to carry firearms and do not even have to register themselves as a gun owner.

People are allowed to sell weapons privately and Nevada also does not ban assault weapons. There are also no limits on buying ammunition.
Las Vegas: The mass shooting in Las Vegas is the deadliest in modern United States history, but is it terrorism?

While much will hinge on the motives of a white gunman attacking a mostly-white country music crowd, that uncomfortable question also hits at some of America's most divisive issues: race, religion and politics.

The FBI said Monday that the 64-year-old shooter, identified as US citizen Stephen Paddock, had no connection to an international terrorist group. The Islamic State group earlier claimed responsibility, saying Paddock was a recent convert. But beyond the claim, which offered no proof, the shooter's motives are unclear and little was known immediately beyond his name and his choice of target.

"Just because we rush to ascribe motive when the shooter is Muslim doesn't mean we should rush to ascribe motive when the shooter is white," Shadi Hamid, a fellow at the Brookings Institute think tank and author of Islamic Exceptionalism, wrote in a tweet Monday.

Just because we rush to ascribe motive when the shooter is Muslim doesn't mean we should rush to ascribe motive when the shooter is white.  Shadi Hamid (@shadihamid) October 2, 2017

Paddock, from Mesquite, Nevada, apparently killed himself as police closed in on his hotel room. The lack of known motive so far clouds whether the shooting meets traditional definitions of terrorism. Those generally include having a political, economic, religious or social goal; and using violence to convey a message to a broader audience than just the victims.

The absence of information leaves many to fall back on a debate that has roiled the United States since even before Timothy McVeigh used a truck bomb against a federal building in Oklahoma City in 1995.

McVeigh was convicted not of terrorism, but of using a weapon of mass destruction and of murder for the deaths of eight federal law enforcement officers who died in the blast, which killed a total of 168 people.

At well over 50 dead, Sunday's toll surpassed that of the June 2016 shooting at Orlando's Pulse nightclub, which killed 49 people. The Orlando shooting was carried out by Omar Mateen, a 29-year-old US citizen who claimed allegiance to the Islamic State group and was killed by police. Then-president Barack Obama called it "an act of terror and an act of hate."

Within hours of the Pulse shooting, then-candidate Donald Trump sent a self-congratulatory tweet "for being right on radical Islamic terrorism." On Monday, as president, Trump offered condolences to victims and their families and called the shooting "an act of pure evil."

Outside the US, recent attacks that have resulted in terrorism charges include the November 2015 Islamic State attacks in Paris, which killed 130, and the 2011 rampage by Norwegian mass killer Anders Breivik, a neo-Nazi who gunned down 77 people in 2011.

Ahead of Monday's shootings, Randall Law, who wrote Terrorism: A History, said he believed there is a racial component to the United States' reluctance to clarify or prosecute with domestic terror laws.

Many Americans, he said, think only "people with foreign names ... and people with dark skin funding foreign ideologies" would commit such horrific acts.

He adds that different branches in the US federal government  from Homeland Security to the FBI to the State Department  have "multiple definitions of terrorism." ''It's a truism that nobody can quite agree on how to define terrorism," he said.

Law said there are complex arguments against drawing up a comprehensive definition of domestic terrorism in law. First Amendment concerns arise in legal discussions about making domestic terrorism a crime. Many worry the federal government would criminalise speech, religion or ideology.

Regardless, Nevada law has a clear definition of terrorism: "The use or attempted use of sabotage, coercion or violence which is intended to cause great bodily harm or death to the general population."

The mayor of Las Vegas, Carolyn Goodman, made no reference to that on Monday, simply describing the shooter as "a crazed lunatic, full of hate."

Whether a crime is called terrorism has important practical implications, as Connecticut representative Jim Himes, whose state endured the mass killing at Sandy Hook elementary school, in 2012, pointed out.

"Now we're obsessing over whether the (Nevada) carnage was 'terrorism'," he wrote in a tweet. "If we decide it is, we'll mobilise untold resources. If not, nothing."
Baltimore: A coalition of Muslim and Iranian-American advocates and a nonpartisan legal institute filed the first lawsuits against the Trump administration's new travel restrictions for citizens of eight countries, including Iran, that were announced late in September.

The suits were filed Monday in federal courts in New York and Maryland.

The Trump administration in September announced the most recent restrictions, which affect citizens of Chad, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Syria, and Yemen  and some Venezuelan government officials and their families. They are to go into effect 18 October.

One lawsuit, filed on Monday night in US District Court for the Southern District of Maryland on behalf of the Iranian Alliance Across Borders and six individuals, argued that restricting travel for citizens of predominantly Muslim countries violates the US Constitution.

A second suit, filed hours earlier in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York on behalf of the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University, sought to compel the State Department to comply with a Freedom of Information Act request and turn over documents submitted to the White House by the Department of Homeland Security detailing the information-sharing practices of foreign countries and justifying the decision to exclude travelers from select countries.

The US Department of Justice did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday. The White House referred questions to the State Department, which declined to comment on ongoing litigation.

President Donald Trump on 24 September issued a proclamation outlining the new travel restrictions. Administration officials said the latest version is the result of a lengthy process, based on an objective assessment of each country's security situation and willingness to share information with the US.

It was the administration's third measure to limit travel after a broad ban that sparked chaos at US airports in January and numerous challenges in courts across the country. The administration later issued a temporary order after suffering legal setbacks on the earlier attempt at restrictions.

The Iranian Alliance Across Borders lawsuit is filed against Trump, acting Secretary of Homeland Security Elaine Duke, acting Commissioner of US Customs and Border Protection Kevin McAleenan, acting Director of US Citizenship and Immigration Services James McCament, Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. The suit argues that simply adding two countries that are not majority-Muslim to the list is only "an effort to disguise the Proclamation's targeting of Muslims." Such discrimination violates the First Amendment and the Immigration and Nationality Act, the suit says. The group is asking for a nationwide injunction to stop the restrictions from going into effect.

"Despite President Trump's attempts to cloak this latest iteration of his Muslim ban in religiously neutral garb by invoking a national security review and including North Korea and Venezuela, the purpose and effect of the Proclamation remain unchanged: to keep Muslims from entering the United States."

The prior ban included Sudan but didn't include Chad, North Korea or Venezuela. The new measures range from an indefinite ban on visas for citizens of Syria to more targeted limitations. Iranians, for example, will not be eligible for immigrant, tourism or business visas but remain eligible for student and cultural exchange visas if they undergo additional scrutiny.

Johnathan Smith, legal director for Muslim Advocates, an organisation representing the plaintiffs in both lawsuits, said the complaints take issue with both the impact of the travel restrictions and the process by which they were developed.

"You can't ignore the fact that this ban affects heavily Muslim countries, and the fact that they attempt to obscure that bias by adding two countries  North Korea and Venezuela  that don't have a Muslim majority doesn't negate the fact that at its core, this policy is about blocking entry of Muslim individuals into the United States," Smith said.

"In addition to the challenge of constitutionality to the program, it's equally important to bring some transparency, some light, some sunshine to these processes so all Americans can see what's happening and make their own judgments and assessments about what the White House and federal agencies are doing," he said.

The American Civil Liberties Union and other groups previously sued the administration over its original travel ban on visitors from six majority-Muslim countries. Last week, the ACLU announced that it planned to amend its existing lawsuit to include the latest restrictions, and seek to stop the suspension of visas and other entry restrictions. Justice Department spokesman Ian Prior said in an email Friday that the agency "will continue to vigorously defend the President's inherent authority to keep this country safe."
Islamabad: Pakistan on Monday summoned Indias deputy high commissioner over the alleged ceasefire violations by the Indian troops along the Line of Control (LoC).

The Foreign Office, in a statement, alleged that Indian forces resorted to firing in Rukh Chakri and Rawalakot Sectors on 30 September and 2 October, killing three civilians and injuring five others, including a woman.

Director General (South Asia and SAARC) Mohmmad Faisal summoned the Indian Deputy High Commissioner JP Singh and "condemned the unprovoked ceasefire violations" by the Indian forces, it said.

Faisal claimed that it was the fifth ceasefire violation by the Indian forces in the past twelve days that killed 11 civilians, including five women, and injured 37 others.

He said despite calls for restraint, India continues to indulge in ceasefire violations.

"The deliberate targeting of civilians is indeed deplorable and contrary to human dignity and international human rights and humanitarian laws. The ceasefire violations by India are a threat to regional peace and security and may lead to a strategic miscalculation", he said.

Pakistan claimed that Indian forces have carried out more than 900 ceasefire violations along the Line of Control and the Working Boundary this year, which have resulted in the deaths of 43 civilians and injuries to 153, as compared to 382 ceasefire violations in 2016.

Meanwhile, a senior Indian government official said two minors were killed on Monday and 12 civilians injured in cross- border shelling by Pakistan along the LoC in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir.
New Delhi: President Ram Nath Kovind on Tuesday embarked on a four-day visit to Djibouti and Ethiopia, his first trip abroad since taking office.

During his visit to the two African nations, the president is expected to sign agreements on institutionalisation of foreign office consultation and greater economic cooperation with Ethiopia, Neena Malhotra, Joint Secretary (East and Southern Africa) in the Ministry of External Affairs had said earlier.

Press Secretary to the President Ashok Malik has said that Djibouti is an important Indian Ocean partner country with whom Indias bilateral trade stands at $ 284 million in 2016-17.

"The president is looking forward to the visit. He recognises that the Africa and Indian ocean region are central to Indian foreign policy. That is why this region was chosen as his first foreign visit," Malik said.

India has extended a line of credit of $ 49 million to Djibouti, mainly for constructing a cement plant. It is a strategically located country just off the Gulf of Aden.

Kovinds visit will be the first by an Indian president to Ethiopia after 45 years. The last visit was by President VV Giri in 1972.

India's bilateral trade with Ethiopia in 2016 was nearly $ 1 billion. The country is among the top three foreign investors in Ethiopia with an approved investment of 4 billion dollars.

In both the countries the president will also interact with the members of the Indian community.
Cox's Bazar (Bangladesh): The five-year-old Rohingya boy was so emaciated that doctors could not insert a drip into his tiny arm, one of thousands of children facing life-threatening malnutrition in overstretched Bangladeshi refugee camps.

"He said he hadn't eaten anything in eight days. Nothing," said Dr SK Jahidur Rahman at a clinic run by Bangladeshi medical charity Gonoshasthaya Kendra.

The lucky ones make it to the overwhelmed clinics just in time. But some are not so fortunate, dying before help can reach them or forced to beg by the roadside.

The UN says more than 14,100 children are at risk of dying from malnutrition in wretched camps where half a million mainly Rohingya refugees depend entirely on charities for survival.

Food distribution in the vastly overcrowded settlements is still ad hoc and uncoordinated, the UN says, more than a month after refugees began pouring into southern Bangladesh to escape ethnic bloodshed in Myanmar.

Huge crowds descend on aid deliveries and soldiers need to herd starving people into bamboo pens where they squat cheek by jowl under the scorching sun for a meal.

Many go hungry as charities scramble to feed 500,000 mouths every day.

Children make up the bulk of new arrivals and are most vulnerable to the paucity of food, with 145,500 infants under five needing urgent intervention to stave off malnutrition, aid agencies say.

"Lots of children are showing all the signs of hunger and malnutrition, which is an alarming prospect when they've just fled so much horror," said Save the Children's emergency health unit director Dr Unni Krishnan.

'Skin and bones'

In a field clinic for infants suffering the severest malnutrition, Monura tried to soothe her gaunt 13-month-old daughter Rian Bebe, whose cheekbones jutted out below sunken eyes.

A nurse wrapped a measuring tape around her pencil-thin arm and placed her tiny frame on the scales -- 5.5 kilograms, less than the weight of a healthy child half her age.

Monura, who like many Rohingya uses one name, said she had little to feed her desperately hungry child on the five-day trek from Myanmar.

"Most sip a little water and walk five days," said Dr Rahman. "They hide in the jungle, chewing wood, anything, to beat hunger."

Many Rohingya children were already malnourished before making the perilous journey to Bangladesh, doctors say. Their health has since deteriorated further.

The Rohingya come from impoverished Rakhine , where state-imposed restrictions have ensured abysmal living standards for the persecuted Muslim community.

Their children's immune systems are already weakened, leaving them defenceless should a disease outbreak sweep through the camps as charities fear.

Monura's little girl, chewing on a high-calorie paste, has been rescued just in time and should make a slow recovery.

But for others it is a different story.

In the largest district hospital in Cox's Bazar, a skeletal eight-month-old girl died after being admitted with severe malnutrition and pneumonia contracted in her enfeebled state.

"Skin and bones," lamented Shaheen Abdur Rahman, the hospital's resident medical officer, of the dying girl brought to his ward.

"It was a very grave condition."

Cooking for 10,000

Others drift through the camps desperately seeking food among the chaotic throngs and begging people in passing cars for morsels.

On a roadside near rolling hills of refugee shanties, 15-year-old Sitara Banu worried endlessly about her weak five-month-old son Jahidur Rahman.

"He can't get enough milk. I can't manage to get any food for myself either. I fed him a little banana someone gave me, but that made him sicker," she told AFP.

In a nearby canteen, men in singlets sweated over huge cauldrons, toiling throughout the night to make rice, meat and lentils.

"They will be working for months like this. It is very hard work to cook for 10,000 people," said Abdul Mukit, a volunteer overseeing the kitchen run by Turkish government aid body Tika.

It is a drop in the ocean given the sheer scale of the crisis.

But for thousands of children, most of whom survive on boiled rice and high-energy biscuits when they can get them, this could be their only proper meal of the day.

As a truck carrying the 40 kilogramme pots approached a relief distribution area, children swarmed the sun-baked clearing from all directions, naked toddlers struggling to keep up with the surge.

Corralled into queues by the military, they sprinted to the volunteers clutching outstretched plates, buckets and plastic bags -- whatever they had to hand.

"It makes me feel good," said head chef Manzar Alam of his part in feeding the youngsters, who carefully take their curry and rice back to their shanties.
Barcelona (Spain): Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont called Monday for international mediation in the crisis pitting his regional separatist executive against Madrid, a day after police violence marred an independence referendum banned by the central government.

Speaking to reporters, he called for "mediation", "which means there must be the presence of a third party, which must be international to be efficient."

Just as he spoke to reporters, Catalans took to the streets of central Barcelona in droves to protest the violence, cutting roads to traffic and shouting: "The streets will always be ours," a phrase that has become the slogan of the pro-referendum movement.

The vote on Sunday saw riot police move in on polling stations in Barcelona and other towns and cities in the Catalan region to stop people from voting, in some cases baton-charging and firing rubber bullets to disperse crowds.

Madrid had warned Catalan separatist leaders they could not hold the vote in a region deeply divided over independence, stating it was illegal and courts had ruled it unconstitutional.

But they had retorted that Catalans had a right to decide on their future and pressed ahead anyway.

More than 800 people received medical attention as a result of the crackdown, according to regional authorities.

Puigdemont also demanded Monday that Madrid withdraw all police it had deployed to Catalonia from other parts of the country.

He requested the "withdrawal of all police forces deployed to Catalonia for these acts of repression."

In the early hours of Monday morning, the Catalan government claimed that 90 percent of voters backed independence in the referendum, which it said saw a turnout of just over 42 percent despite attempts to stop them from voting.

Puigdemont, meanwhile, said his region had "won the right to an independent state."

He told reporters Monday that so far, 73 Catalans had filed official complaints against police brutality.

"It's the biggest day of gratuitous violence that we've experienced in the past 40 years," Puigdemont said, referring to the four decades of democratic rule in Spain.

"Not only can it not happen again, but it can't remain unpunished."

Puigdemont also called for "detente" as Catalans reeled from the clashes.
WORMLEYSBURG  The idea of cutting taxes for corporations is something Americans have long felt was a bad idea.

Thats what theyve told pollsters, anyway. Yet President Donald Trump and his allies are betting that many voters just need someone to explain to them how a corporate tax cut would unleash an economic bonanza, with new jobs, faster growth and ample pay raises. And theyre taking that message right to some voters doorsteps in hopes of igniting a surge of support.

So on an unseasonably hot Saturday recently, a chipper Ashley Klingensmith canvassed a neighborhood of stately colonial homes outside Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Using an iPad, she rang the doorbells of people presumed to be sympathetic to the notion of revamping the federal tax code. And indeed, all but one of the nine she and a colleague interviewed agreed that corporate taxes should be lowered as Trump and Republican leaders have proposed in hopes of further strengthening the job market.

Yet not everyone saw it as an urgent problem that a president who is facing tough problems involving North Korea, Iran, Afghanistan, trade deals and natural disasters must solve this year.

He has so much on his plate that its going to be hard to get the Congress to focus on that, what with how many thousands of pages of the IRS tax code thats out there, that need to be redone, said Leora Kirkpatrick, a retiree.

At some other homes, Klingensmith encountered people prepared to blame Republicans in Congress  rather than the president  if a tax overhaul failed, whether or not it included a corporate tax cut.

Weve got a Congress that doesnt do anything, said Harold DeGarmo, who retired after working for the Army for 40 years. I think (Trump) is doing good, trying to. The Republicans are fighting him.

The canvassing was part of a 35-state operation spearheaded by Americans for Prosperity, a group backed by the billionaire Koch brothers network and where Klingensmith, 31, works as Pennsylvania field director. There are also phone bank operations and TV ad campaigns run by outside groups that have met with White House officials as part of the push. The outreach is expected to continue in coming months in hopes of helping drive the plan through Congress.

The operation is meant to remedy a perceived flaw in Trumps failed drive to repeal President Barack Obamas 2010 health insurance law. That effort lacked a base of voters ready to push lawmakers to back the repeal. By contrast, the outreach on taxes is aimed at loyal conservative voters who are seen as open to applying pressure to lawmakers via phone calls and meetings.

It was impossible to gauge around Harrisburg just how intense the follow-through will be by targeted voters. But the state directors of Americans for Prosperity held more than 100 meetings with federal lawmakers and staff last week.

On paper, it isnt an easy sell. Trumps tax plan would slash business taxes by $2.65 trillion over a decade while increasing the tax burden on families and individuals by $471 billion, according to a preliminary analysis by the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center.

The sales job amounts to a test of whether Trumps allies can galvanize ordinary people on an issue as complex and polarizing as taxes. Among their talking points is that the tax code is a deplorable mess that favors special interests. U.S. companies, they argue, pay an inflated tax rate compared with those in other countries. So reducing the 35 percent corporate rate to 20 percent and eliminating unspecified loopholes, they say, would kick economic growth into a higher speed.

Vanessa Williamson, a fellow at the Brookings Institution who studies public attitudes toward taxes, said cutting corporate taxes has remained consistently unpopular with voters despite the efforts of conservative groups.

Theyve been trying for decades at the elite levels of the Republican Party to make pro-big-business issues something that motivates their base  and I dont think theyve had much success, Williamson said.

In April, the Pew Research Center found that 62 percent of Americans said they were bothered a lot by their belief that some corporations dont pay their fair share of taxes. That perception concerned people far more than the amount of taxes they paid or the complexity of the tax code. A Washington Post-ABC News poll in September reported that 65 percent of Americans said they believed large companies paid too little in taxes.

Trump might be the rare politician who can bridge the gap between corporations and ordinary voters who feel let down by the political establishment. He campaigned against trade deals and illegal immigration while casting himself as a corporate success in a way that reassured voters who sought a stronger economy.

He is somewhat uniquely positioned to make that argument because he ran and is governing as a populist, said Rohit Kumar, a former tax counsel to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell who is now an executive in PwCs tax policy services practice.

Most economists favor simplifying the corporate tax code by removing loopholes and reducing rates to make the system more efficient and transparent. But mainstream analyses say corporate tax cuts wouldnt generate anywhere near the growth or jobs being promised by Trump.

The Treasury Department last week removed from its website an internal 2012 analysis that challenged its argument that lower corporate rates would disproportionately benefit ordinary workers. The analysis had suggested that any savings from lower corporate rates would flow mainly to wealthy investors, business owners and top executives, with a small share of the benefits going to ordinary workers.

Defying that conclusion, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has said its his belief  based on the studies he prefers  that lower corporate rates help primarily middle class workers, not the wealthy.

The argument that corporate tax cuts could benefit much of America might stand as good a chance of registering in the Harrisburg area as just about anywhere. The metro area lost more than 1,000 companies  roughly 8 percent of all businesses  in the past decade. The losses involved primarily businesses that employed fewer than 20, according to the Census Bureau. The areas unemployment rate is 4.6 percent, still higher than the 3.7 percent rate when the Great Recession officially began a decade ago.

It was in one such typical neighborhood that Klingensmith, 31, wearing black leggings and running shoes, left her black SUV idling as she power-walked to each door. She joined Americans for Prosperity three years ago, having previously worked as a district staffer for Rep. Keith Rothfus, a Republican in western Pennsylvania, after graduating from law school in Pittsburgh.

As Klingensmith and a fellow volunteer knocked on about three dozen doors, they posed four questions that struck a succession of themes: That it had been three decades since the tax code was overhauled, that Americans were forced to spend too much time filling out tax forms, that loopholes existed for the politically connected and that the corporate tax rate had been hindering economic growth.

The questions resembled whats known as a push poll, in which the goal tends to be to sway opinion rather than elicit objective feedback.

Our burdensome tax code is hindering economic growth, Klingensmith said. America has the highest corporate tax rate in the world, which is preventing job creation and making us less competitive. Do you think that reducing the corporate tax would make America a better place to do business and spur economic growth?

Heres how that question was typically answered by residents:

Absolutely.

Oh, yes.

Most definitely.

That was just what Klingensmith wanted to hear.

And she responded to them with a Wonderful! or an Amen, sister.
What does it say about Kansas that three teenagers are running for governor?

All three high school students say they are serious contenders to succeed Gov. Sam Brownback, whose administration has by all accounts been an absolute flop. In less than five years, Brownbacks firm belief that the state could tax-cut its way to prosperity proved to be a horrendous debacle. The promised flood of private sector jobs never materialized. Could these high-schoolers do any worse?

Among the other candidates they face is Secretary of State Kris Kobach, who has become a trusted collaborator of President Donald Trump and who is the It Boy of the Republican crusade to kick certain Americans off the voting rolls. Voter suppression policies first honed by Kobach in Kansas, predicated on the fallacy that voter fraud is rampant, have been adopted across the country. Meanwhile, his attempts to find and prosecute such violations in Kansas have turned into an expensive farce. (Again, could the high schoolers do any worse?)

I salute their energy and willingness to serve their fellow Kansans, but the truth is they are running because they can. There are zero requirements  zilch  for gubernatorial candidates in Kansas. There are no age limits. No basic requirements. In fact, a candidate need not even be registered to vote, nor do they have to be a human being. (Its only a matter of time before Toto enters the race.)

The young candidates include a 16-year-old and a 17-year-old from Wichita and a 17-year-old from Prairie Village, a suburb of Kansas City. All are boys.

An argument could be made that allowing such youthful candidates makes a mockery of the states highest office. What we need are elected officials who are more seasoned in life, not less. Maybe then we wouldnt have ridiculous antics such as the Missouri state senator who recently hoped on Facebook for the president to be assassinated.

Every state has at least one example of such

daftness. It never ends. A Kansas legislator once opined that undocumented immigrants should be hunted like feral hogs, with a gun from above in a helicopter.

And voters too often let this foolishness pass  or, worse, encourage it. Weve deluded ourselves into thinking that someone who seems relatable, a lot like ourselves, is the best candidate. Intelligence, experience in government, ability to grasp the complexities of policy and process: Who needs it? Americans vote for, and campaigns promote, candidates who flatter the average.

Its a symptom of poll-driven electioneering. And it produces a political system that appeals to nobody in particular. (The exception is gerrymandered or otherwise overwhelmingly partisan districts, where pandering to extremists is increasingly typical.) Its hardly a surprise that so many Americans choose not to be engaged in electoral politics.

The lax  no, deplorable  voting patterns in the United States begin when prospective voters are young. They often dont see voting as a civic duty or, in many cases, even as a right to protect jealously.

The three young candidates in Kansas may be having a bit of a lark, but they are indicative of what American politics needs. Primarily, our political system must engage people at a far younger age than it does now. (Also, we need to get young women involved. None has thrown her hat in the Kansas gubernatorial ring  yet.)

Jack Bergeson of Wichita, running with a 17-year-old friend as his lieutenant governor, includes some telling language in his website: Despite our age, we feel the obligation to run for public office and give the people of Kansas a choice of candidates who have had no chance to be unadulterated by the political establishments of Topeka or Washington, D.C.

Imagine that: a candidate who pitches himself as new, fresh and unseasoned.

Yes, the American political system could use the invigoration of fresh voices, of people who arent beholden to slush funds put together by PACs with untraceable donor lists, or to party hierarchies that threaten elected officials with being primaried for even the slightest perceived infraction against a set ideology.

Too often, something happens to people, even very well-intentioned people, when they seek to enter politics.

Weve cranked up the political system to work against the better intentions of newbie candidates. People cant get elected without a lot of money. So our parties ossify; our political process becomes unresponsive.

So maybe we should foster the passions and advocacy of young people. We may not find them qualified to lead a state before they have graduated high school, but we need to listen to them, respect them and channel their best impulses toward a future when they will have the experience necessary to lead.

Mary Sanchez is an opinion-page columnist for The Kansas City Star. Readers may email her at msanchez@kcstar.com.
An assailant opened fire at the Mandalay Bay casino in Las Vegas Sunday, killing at least 58 people and injuring more than 500. The massacre marks the deadliest shooting in U.S. history, surpassing the 2016 rampage at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, where 49 people were killed.

More than half of the nations deadliest mass shootings have occurred in the last two decades. FOX Business takes a look at the top 10.

2. Pulse Nightclub: Orlando, Fla. - June 12, 2016

Forty nine people were killed and 50 were wounded at a nightclub in Orlando, Florida. The attacker referenced ISIS and the terror group called him "a soldier of the Caliphate in America."

3. Virginia Tech: Blacksburg, Va. - April 16, 2007

A single gunman went on a shooting rampage at the university, killing 32 people and injuring 17 before killing himself.

4. Sandy Hook Elementary School: Newtown, Conn. - Dec. 14, 2012

The assailant shot his way through a glass window at the front of the elementary school he had attended as a child, firing at and killing 26 people. Among the victims were 20 first grade students and six adults.

5. Luby's Cafeteria: Killeen, Texas - Oct. 16, 1991

A gunman opened fire in a crowded cafeteria in Killeen, Texas, killing 23 people and wounding at least 20 others before turning the gun on himself.

6. McDonald's restaurant: San Ysidro, Calif. - July 18, 1984

The attacker opened fire on a McDonalds restaurant using a semi-automatic pistol, killing 21 people and wounding 19.

7. (tie) University of Texas Tower: Austin, Texas - Aug. 1, 1966

A lone gunman killed his wife and mother before opening fire from the University of Texas Tower, killing 14 people and wounding 31.

7. (tie) Edmond Post Office: Edmond, Okla. - Aug. 20, 1986

A disgruntled mailman opened fire on his post office, killing 14 people and wounding six others before turning the gun on himself.

7. (tie) San Bernardino, Calif. - Dec. 2, 2015

A husband and wife duo opened fire at the Inland Regional Center, killing 14 people and injuring several others. The FBI believes this was an inspired terrorist act, but there has been no indication it was directed by a foreign terror organization.

10. (tie) Columbine High School: Littleton, Colo. - April 20, 1999

Two high school students carried out a shooting rampage at Columbine High School that killed 13 people and injured 24 others. The attack is the second-deadliest school shooting in U.S. history after Sandy Hook.

10. (tie) Fort Hood, Texas - Nov. 5, 2009

A U.S. Army Officer went on a shooting rampage at Fort Hood, killing 13 people and injuring 30. The tragedy was the worst mass murder at a U.S. military instillation.

Information compiled from Fox News Research
U.S. lawmakers are due to question the former head of Equifax at a Tuesday hearing that could shed light on how hackers accessed the personal data of more than 140 million consumers.

Richard Smith retired last week but the 57-year-old executive will answer for the breach that the credit bureau acknowledged in early September.

Late Monday, Equifax said an independent review had boosted the number of potentially affected U.S. consumers by 2.5 million to 145.5 million.

In March, the U.S. Homeland Security Department alerted Equifax to an online gap in security but the company did nothing, said Smith.

"The vulnerability remained in an Equifax web application much longer than it should have," Smith said in remarks prepared for delivery on Tuesday. "I am here today to apologize to the American people myself."

Smith will face the House Energy and Commerce Committee on Tuesday but there will be three more such hearings this week.

Equifax keeps a trove of consumer data for banks and other creditors who want to know whether a customer is likely to default.

The cyber-hack has been a calamity for Equifax which has lost roughly a quarter of its stock market value and seen several top executives step down alongside Smith.

Smith's replacement, Paulino do Rego Barros Jr., has also apologized for the hack and said the company will help customers freeze their credit records and monitor any misuse.

There has been a public outcry about the breech but no more than 3.0 percent of consumers have frozen their credit reports, according to research firm Gartner, Inc.

Smith said hackers tapped sensitive information between mid-May and late-July.

Security personnel noticed suspicious activity on July 29 and disabled web application a day later, ending the hacking, Smith said. He said he was alerted the following day, but was not aware of the scope of the stolen data.

On Aug. 2, the company alerted the FBI and retained a law firm and consulting firm to provide advice. Smith notified the board's lead director on Aug. 22.

(Patrick Rucker contributed from Washington; editing by Clive McKeef.)
Wells Fargo & Co CEO Tim Sloan will be questioned about sales practices, mischarging customers for auto insurance, and complaints about mortgage fees at the bank's consumer lending unit when he testifies before U.S. senators on Tuesday.

The U.S.'s third-largest bank has yet to shake off a year-long sales practices scandal that has hammered its reputation, sparking management changes, lawsuits and government investigations.

Reuters reported on Monday that the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the leading regulator for Wells Fargo, was considering new sanctions against the bank for customer abuses involving auto insurance and mortgage loans.

Wells Fargo reached a $190 million settlement with regulators a year ago after it said it had opened as many as 2.1 million accounts without customers' authorization to meet internal sales target.

That estimate was raised to potentially as many as 3.5 million in August after an expanded review.

Sloan, appearing before the Senate for the first time as chief executive, is keen to reassure lawmakers that the San Francisco-based bank has moved on from the scandal and will highlight changes he has made including overhauling the structure and senior management of its retail bank.

But with the emergence of more recent problems in other products, including auto insurance and mortgages, he faces a tough task.

The stakes are high for Sloan, a 30 year company veteran. His predecessor, John Stumpf, resigned less then a month after he earlier appeared before the same committee to answer questions about the bank's sales practices.

"We came to Congress without a good plan and all of you were right to criticize us," Sloan said in prepared remarks ahead of the hearing.

Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren, who last year accused Stumpf of "gutless leadership", has repeatedly called on the U.S. Federal Reserve to remove 12 members of Wells Fargo's Board of Directors.

Among those is vice chair Elizabeth Duke, a former Federal Reserve Governor who is set to take over as chair of Wells Fargo's board at the start of the year.

Last week, Maxine Waters, the top Democrat on the House Financial Services Committee, released a staff report questioning whether Wells Fargo should be allowed to keep its federal bank charter.

The problems around auto-insurance and mortgage products emerged publicly this year.

In late July, Wells Fargo said hundreds of thousands of customers were due a refund on auto insurance that they did not need.

In late August, a homeowner sued Wells Fargo for charging too much for his fixed-rate mortgage. Wells Fargo has already said its 'rate lock' service is under investigation by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

(Additional reporting by Ross Kerber in Boston; Editing by Carmel Crimmins)
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has awarded a $7.25 million contract to Equifax (NYSE:EFX) in exchange for its help preventing fraud at the government agency.

The no-bid contract, first reported by Politico, appears to have been finalized last week  at a time when Equifax is still reeling from a massive hack that compromised the personal information of more than 145 million Americans. According to the filing, Equifax will verify taxpayer identity and assist in the ongoing identity verification and validations needs of the [IRS].

The contract is a sole source order, meaning the IRS is granting Equifax exclusive rights to provide these services.

Meanwhile, former Equifax CEO Richard Smith has a series of testimonies on Capitol Hill this week, where he is faced with angry lawmakers who want answers about a megabreach that compromised the personal information of hundreds of millions of U.S. adults. The breach took place between Mid-May and July, and hackers accessed everything from Social Security numbers to birth dates to drivers license numbers.
Ford Motor Co.'s new CEO plans to cut $14 billion in costs, drop some car models and focus the company's resources on trucks, SUVs and electric vehicles as part of a renewed effort to win over skeptical investors.

Jim Hackett, who became Ford's CEO in May, met with around 100 investors in New York Tuesday to lay out his plans for the future. He said getting the company lean and flexible will help it handle the changes the auto industry is facing, from car-sharing to self-driving vehicles, to the shift to electric cars.

"I feel a real sense of urgency for what we're doing here," Hackett said.

Hackett and his executive team spent the summer reevaluating Ford's operations after former CEO Mark Fields was ousted in May. Hackett traveled to Russia and Turkey and visited North American plants and Ford's Silicon Valley research center as part of his review.

He said he was impressed by the talent at Ford, but wants to update factories and speed product development and decision-making. One of his first moves was to pare down the number of people reporting to him. Hackett has eight direct reports, compared to 18 for Fields.

Ford told investors it expects to reduce material costs by $10 billion by 2022 through new deals with suppliers and simpler designs. The company plans to share more parts between vehicles and reduce the options available for configuring a car. For example, customers can now order a Ford Fusion sedan in 35,000 possible combinations. Ford is reducing that to 96.

Ford also says it will cut $4 billion in engineering costs through 2022 by making fewer prototypes and reducing product-development time.

It plans to cut one-third of its engine development costs and redeploy them to electric and hybrid vehicles. Ford plans to introduce 13 new electrics and hybrids over the next five years, including a small electric SUV coming in 2020.

The company plans to reallocate $7 billion from cars to SUVs and trucks. Global demand for those vehicles is rising, and they are critical to Ford's bottom line. Jim Farley, head of Ford's global markets, said Ford plans more off-road SUVs like the upcoming Bronco for North America and more low-end small SUVs and seven-passenger SUVs for China.

The automaker plans to cut some cars from its lineup, but didn't name them Tuesday. Farley said Ford will still offer small cars, like the Focus, but will stick to more expensive  and more profitable  versions.

Ford emphasized that it's open to new partnerships, such as its recent agreement with Indian automaker Mahindra Group to cooperate on mobility, electric cars and other projects. It is also working with ride-hailing company Lyft on self-driving technology and with China's Zotye Automobile Co. about an electric car partnership.

The company says its vehicles will get smarter, with 90 percent of its global vehicles getting modem connectivity by 2020. That will allow things like software updates or apps that help drivers find parking. Ford can differentiate itself by offering, say, connected commercial vans that help small businesses keep track of their deliveries.

Marcy Klevorn, Ford's head of mobility, said Ford launched a medical van service eight weeks ago that can pick up wheelchair-bound patients and take them to the doctor. The service uses Ford-developed software for scheduling appointments, and it will help the company figure out ways that consumers will eventually use self-driving vehicles.

"We have created a box of assets that we can pull out and use for various things," Klevorn said.

Ford stuck to its previous guidance for 2017 on Tuesday. The company expects adjusted earnings of $1.65 to $1.85 for the full year. Ford earned $1.76 per share 2016.

Hackett, the former CEO of office furniture company Steelcase Inc., joined Ford's board in 2013. He briefly led Ford's mobility unit before being tapped as CEO.

Ford hired Hackett, in part, to turn around its share price, which has languished for the last two years even as rival General Motors Co. saw its shares rise to their highest level in seven years. Ford sunk below Tesla Inc. in market value earlier this year, even though it earned $4.6 billion in 2016 and Tesla has never made a full-year profit.

Ford's shares rose 2 percent to close at $12.34 Tuesday before Hackett's presentation. It's not yet clear if his pitch will improve investors' confidence.

"Straddling the now and the future will be tricky, especially in terms of profitability," said Michelle Krebs, an executive analyst for the car-buying site Autotrader.com.

Investors have been critical of Ford for waiting too long to bring a long-range electric vehicle to market, as GM did with the Chevrolet Bolt. They also struggled to understand Ford's plans to compete on autonomous cars.

"In the past few years, Ford simply hasn't had a compelling narrative that investors could latch onto," Barclay's analyst Brian Johnson wrote in a recent note to investors.
 



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Four months after he grabbed the wheel of Americas second-largest automaker, Ford (NYSE:F) CEO Jim Hackett will meet with investors and Wall Street analysts Tuesday to unveil his game plan for the future.

Ford installed Hackett, its one-time mobility chief and the former CEO of furniture maker Steelcase (NYSE:SCS), as its new chief at a time when investors were raising concerns about the companys strategy to develop self-driving carsand how it would make money from related ventures. Ford has also fallen behind some rivals, including General Motors (NYSE:GM), in the race to build electric cars and fast-growing SUVs.

It remains unclear how much Hackett will divulge from Fords playbook. There are plenty of questions about Fords product lineup, production plans, new technologies and internal culture. Overall, analysts expect Hackett to offer a more cohesive vision of Fords future.

Ford has to continue to focus on designing, building and selling the product they have now, because were still going to have a lot of gas-powered cars. Thats their bread and butter. At the same time, Ford has to be looking at where theyre going in the future, said Autotrader Executive Analyst Michelle Krebs. Theyve done work on autonomous and electric vehicles, but I dont feel like theyve pulled it all together.

Balancing the present and future is something that Hackett has emphasized in his early days as Fords CEO. He recently noted that dealers should be pleased with Ford and Lincoln vehicles in the pipeline, and Ford unveiled a premium version of its Super Duty pickup trucks last week.

Meanwhile, Hacketts Ford has already made some moves to accelerate its investment in new technologies. Ford, which has kept much of its autonomous vehicle work in-house, has partnered with Lyft to test self-driving cars in the ride-hailing companys fleet. Ford previously announced that it would offer self-driving cars in fleets by 2021, but details were scarce and prior negotiations with Google's Waymo reportedly fell through. The partnership with Lyft may have surprised some industry insiders given that GM is a major investor.

Also, Ford said Monday a new internal unit called Team Edison will research and develop electric cars, including a crossover with a range of 300 miles. Ford intends to launch a total of 13 battery-powered cars in the next five years.

Fords development of electric and self-driving cars has long been in motion, but industry watchers are looking for Ford to clarify its strategy, said Stephanie Brinley, senior analyst at IHS Automotive.

I dont think were going to see a complete change in direction. Autonomy and electric vehicles are happening, and Ford needs to refine their strategy in that direction, Brinley said.

Analysts have been searching for details on how Ford plans to achieve its goal of providing self-driving vehicles by 2021. Hackett might also offer some clues as to whether Ford will pursue more partnerships with technology players.

The most important thing Tuesday is Hackett gets the opportunity to state that strategy and say where he thinks the company should be going forward, Brinley added. What Hackett should communicate is his vision for the company.

Krebs said other companies have thus far done a better job of offering a bigger picture for developing electric, autonomous and connected vehicles.

Wall Street is also focused on the here and now, where Ford has been slow to market in certain segments. GM launched a long-range electric car, the Chevrolet Bolt, earlier in the year and a pair of midsize pickup trucks, the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon, in 2014. Ford expects to bring the midsize Ranger pickup to the U.S. in 2019. In the popular SUV segment, Ford is finally offering its home market a subcompact crossover, the EcoSport, early next year.

Fords production plans could come under the microscope as well. Automakers in the U.S. have slashed production of slow-selling sedans in response to weaker consumer demand. Last month, Ford said it would temporarily halt some assembly lines to cut its output of small cars and other models. The company also plans to shift production of the compact Focus to China beginning in 2019, and analysts have warned that automakers could eliminate some car models entirely.

I suspect we are going to see some more consolidation, especially in the car categories. Every manufacturer is dealing with a shift from cars to SUVs. Ford has to be looking at its portfolio and saying, do we need more SUVs and less cars? And how do we adjust our production capacity? Krebs said.

The presentation, billed by Ford as a CEO Strategic Update, is set to begin at 4:30 p.m. ET in New York.

Ford shares rose 1% to $12.09 Monday. The stock is down 0.3% since the start of the year, though Ford has gained 8% over the past three months.
The former chairman and CEO of Equifax says the challenge of responding to the concerns of tens of millions of consumers in the wake of a massive data breach proved overwhelming, and regrettably, his company made mistakes.

In prepared congressional testimony to be given Tuesday, Richard F. Smith outlines steps the credit reporting company is taking to regain the nation's trust. His appearance before a House subcommittee Tuesday morning is the first of several he'll be making over the course of the week before House and Senate panels reviewing a data breach that affected an estimated 145 million Americans.

In his testimony, Smith is offering apologies, an explanation of how the company allowed the hacking to occur and what it's doing to limit the damage for consumers whose personal information, including Social Security numbers, birthdates and addresses, was stolen.

Smith said the company's call centers were overwhelmed after the breach was announced on Sept. 7.

"Many needlessly waited on hold or were otherwise unable to have their questions answered through the call centers, which I deeply regret," Smith said in his prepared remarks.

Equifax had 500 customer service representatives dedicated to customers before the breach. Adding to the company's woes, two of the larger call centers in Florida were forced to temporarily close during Hurricane Irma. Now, the company has more than 2,500 customer service employees on duty and that number is growing, Smith said.

The company has also put in place a support package that includes free credit file monitoring, identity theft insurance and a credit lock that restricts access to a consumer's credit report without their permission. A service that will be available by Jan. 31 will allow consumers to lock and unlock their credit files repeatedly, for free, over the course of their lifetime.

Looking ahead, Smith said "this humbling experience has crystalized" the need for an industry standard that places access to credit data in the hands of the consumer. He said the company's lifetime lock program should become the industry standard. Second, he said the country should begin discussing the replacement of Social Security numbers as the primary means to verify a consumer's identity.

"It is time to have identity verification procedures that match the technological age in which we live," ''Smith said.

Lawmakers are expected to grill Smith about why it took the company so long to notify the public after he was informed of "suspicious activity" on July 31. In his prepared remarks, he is apologetic and said the millions affected are not just numbers in a database, but friends, family, neighbors and members of his church. He said accountability "starts at the top" and that was why he decided to step down as CEO and retire.

"Equifax was entrusted with Americans' private data and we let them down," Smith said.

The House subcommittee holding the hearing has jurisdiction over e-commerce and consumer protection issues.

__

On Twitter, reach Kevin Freking at https://twitter.com/APkfreking
A Las Vegas businessman on Monday donated $400,000 to a fund established to aid the victims of the Las Vegas massacre.

Stephen Cloobeck, a Democratic fundraiser, donated the money to a GoFundMe account that has received more than $2 million in donations as of Tuesday morning.

Cloobeck is the founder of Diamond Resorts, a Vegas-based timeshare company.

He has over 25 years of experience in the development and operation of real estate properties ranging from vacation ownership resorts, hotels and retail shopping centers, Bloomberg reported.

Cloobeck has appeared on the television series "Undercover Boss.

Cloobeck has considered running for political office, reports said. Earlier this year, he said he may throw his hat in the ring as a candidate for governor of Nevada.

The Clark County Commissioner Steve Sisolak, who plans the run for governor, also played a role in building momentum for the fundraiser. He donated $10,000.

*Stephen Cloobeck is Founder of Diamond Resorts. An earlier version of this article first identified him as chairman and CEO.
Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) said that its U.S. sales increased 8.7% in September from a year ago, well ahead of a small increase for the overall U.S. market. That good gain was driven by the favorable timing of some big commercial-fleet deliveries, a big month for Ford's F-Series pickup trucks -- and a solid result at retail.

Ford's sales in September: The raw numbers

What worked for Ford last month: Trucks, SUVs -- and a small-car surprise

As ever, Ford's sales story starts with its vaunted F-Series pickup trucks, and last month was a very good one on that front. Ford sold 82,302 F-Series pickups in September, a 21.4% increase from its total in September of last year (which looked like a strong result at the time).

That's a huge total that was helped both by post-hurricane effects (Houston is a very strong market for Ford pickups) and by continued high commercial-fleet demand for Ford's new Super Duty trucks. F-Series sales significantly outpaced the (very good, in context) 73,342 total sales of General Motors' (NYSE: GM) full-size pickups, the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra. The average transaction price on Ford's F-Series was up about $2,300 from a year ago, the company said, suggesting that Ford wasn't using discounts to goose the numbers.

On the flip side, a drop in sales to fleet customers hurt overall results for Ford's SUVs, but as a group, they had a very good month at retail. Retail sales of Ford-brand SUVs rose 8.8% last month, to what Ford said was its best result at retail for SUVs since 2003. Retail sales of the Escape, Edge, Explorer, and Expedition were all up year over year, with the Explorer up nearly 15% at retail.

A good sign within the numbers: Overall sales of the compact Escape were up 2% year over year. There have been hints that the Escape, an aging design, was losing some sales ground to GM's all-new Chevrolet Equinox; the sales growth last month was good to see.

Sedan sales continued to be weak at Ford (and across the industry). But the Blue Oval's compact Focus had a good month, up 5.3% overall with an 8.3% sales gain at retail. Ford said that result was helped by strong demand for the high-performance Focus ST and RS models.

Last but not least, Ford's luxury Lincoln brand continued to do fairly well in what has been a softening U.S. luxury-vehicle market. Sedan sales were down, but sales of Lincoln's SUVs were up 10.6%, enough for a roughly flat overall performance (and in a declining market, a market-share gain).

Ford continues to manage inventories well

Including vehicles in transit to dealers at month-end, Ford had a 72-day supply of vehicles in its U.S. inventories as of the end of September. That's a good number, one that suggests Ford has been carefully matching its production to overall demand.

High inventories are worrisome for investors: They suggest that the automaker will have to resort to discounts to clear out excess inventory, hurting profit margins. That hasn't been a problem for Ford: The Blue Oval's overall inventories have been in good shape all year, and continued to look just right in September.

The upshot: A lot of good news for investors here

The U.S. market is probably past its cyclical peak. Sales growth can be scarce in such conditions, and the temptation to resort to profit-squeezing discounts to boost sales can be strong.

Ford has done a good job of resisting that temptation and letting sales fall where they will. TrueCar estimated that Ford's per-vehicle spending on incentives was $4,289 in September, down slightly from August and down almost 4% from a year ago, while its average transaction prices are up slightly.

Ford's pickups, particularly its all-new Super Duty models, are helping those averages a lot. It all adds up to what should be a good third-quarter profit for Ford in North America. We'll find out when Ford reports its third-quarter earnings on Oct. 26.

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The Vatican secretary of state urged law enforcement agencies, governments and social media sites on Tuesday to take responsibility to protect children from online sexual abuse and exploitation  a statement that came even as one of his diplomats is caught up in an international child porn investigation.

Continue Reading Below

Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin said the case of Monsignor Carlo Capella was "very painful" for all involved. Parolin said the Vatican was treating the Capella case with "utmost concern, utmost commitment" but also confidentiality to protect the integrity of the investigation. He spoke to reporters on the sidelines of a Catholic Church-sponsored conference on protecting children from online threats. Canadian police have issued an arrest warrant for Capella, accusing him of accessing, possessing and distributing child pornography during a visit to an Ontario church over Christmas. He is now in the Vatican after being recalled from the Vatican's embassy in the U.S. Vatican prosecutors have also opened an investigation into Capella's actions. Parolin  Capella's boss  headlined the opening of the four-day conference on protecting children online that has drawn leading researchers in public health, Interpol, the U.N., government representatives as well as executives from Facebook and Microsoft.

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Wal-Mart Stores said on Tuesday, it has acquired Parcel, a New York-based last-mile delivery startup, as the retailer seeks to better compete with e-commerce giant Amazon.com.

Parcel, a 24/7 operation that delivers packages the same-day, overnight and in scheduled two-hour windows, was bought for an undisclosed amount "smaller than previous acquisitions" Wal-Mart made this year, the discount retailer said.

"We plan to leverage Parcel for last mile delivery to customers in New York City  including same-day delivery  for both general merchandise as well as fresh and frozen groceries from Walmart and Jet," Wal-Mart said in a blog post.

Wal-Mart said in June it would buy online men's fashion retailer Bonobos Inc for $310 million, on the same day Amazon unveiled a $13.7 billion deal to buy upmarket grocer Whole Foods Market.

The company also bought internet retailer Jet.com for about $3 billion last year in the largest-ever deal for an e-commerce startup.

A Wal-Mart representative declined to disclose the Parcel deal value. Parcel was not immediately available for comment outside regular business hours.

Recode reported citing a source that the acquisition price was less than $10 million.

(Reporting by Subrat Patnaik in Bengaluru; Editing by Gopakumar Warrier)
Yahoo, now part of Verizon Communications Inc, said on Tuesday that an investigation showed all 3 billion of its user accounts were affected in a 2013 data theft, tripling its earlier estimate of the largest breach in history.

However, the company said the investigation indicated that the stolen information did not include passwords in clear text, payment card data, or bank account information.

Yahoo said last December that data from more than 1 billion user accounts was compromised in August 2013.

Verizon in February lowered its original offer by $350 million for Yahoo assets in the wake of two massive cyber attacks at the internet company.

The closing of the deal, which was first announced in July, had been delayed as the companies assessed the fallout from two data breaches that Yahoo disclosed last year. The company paid $4.48 billion for Yahoo's core business.

A Yahoo official emphasized Tuesday that the 3 billion figure includes many accounts that were opened but never or only briefly used.

The company said it was sending email notifications to additional affected user accounts.

(Reporting by Munsif Vengattil and David Shepardson,; Editing by Anil D'Silva)
The Las Vegas massacre is recharging the debate over gun control in America.

CBS (NYSE:CBS) fired an executive Monday after she posted deeply unacceptable comments to Facebook regarding the country music festival rampage. Hillary Clinton took heat hours after the shooting over a tweet about guns and the NRA, while late-night host Jimmy Kimmel used his shows opening monologue to plea for stricter gun laws.

However, former U.S. Army officer Dr. Darrin Porcher, made a case for gun ownership in the U.S. during an appearance on FOX Business on Tuesday.

We need guns to protect ourselves, Porcher told Maria Bartiromo on Mornings with Maria. We need good people in the hands of guns to protect ourselves from bad people in the hands of guns.

The crowd fled at the sound of gunshots.



Imagine the deaths if the shooter had a silencer, which the NRA wants to make easier to get.  Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) October 2, 2017

Las Vegas law enforcement said Tuesday they found 23 firearms inside the Mandalay Bay hotel room of gunman Stephen Paddock and an additional 19 firearms at his home in Mesquite, Nevada.

While Nevada is an open-carry state, in Porchers opinion, the debate should focus on how to protect large crowds from attacks.

The truth of the matter is this was more of an aberration than the norm  it just goes back to, how do we ramp up our fortifications or our threat assessment as law enforcement to prevent these situations from happening in the future? Its an arduous task but I think we are fit for the challenge, he said.

Porcher pointed out how Chicago has the strictest gun laws in the country but the propensity for high levels of violence.

So what happens in Chicago is you have bad guys that are in possession of guns. The good guys dont have guns  look at the police department. How does the police department counter bad people? With guns. The Secret Service protects the president with guns  we need guns in the hands of good people, he said.
ABC News Chief Foreign Correspondent Terry Moran doubled down Tuesday on his left-leaning position regarding gun control one day after slamming right-wing media by saying conservatives will instantly politicize acts of terror committed by Muslims but not mass shootings by Americans.

Guns don't kill people. Americans with guns kill people. In greater numbers, with greater malice and horror than anywhere else in the world, Moran tweeted on Tuesday morning.

Moran seems to be transforming from straight-news reporter to liberal pundit, which would be fine, except for the fact that he is still a reporter who is expected to be fair and non-partisan.

Moran declined comment when asked if he was purposely shifting to punditry.

A gunman opened fire at the Route 91 Harvest Music Festival in Las Vegas late Sunday night, killing at least 59 people and sending more than 500 others to hospitals in what is now the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history.

Moran took to Twitter on Monday to write, A Muslim commits an atrocity, right-wing media instantly politicize the tragedy: Pass the travel ban! US mass shootingsDont talk about guns!

Moran has also retweeted several anti-Trump and left-leaning messages from non-ABC reporters in the past 24 hours, including a Politico story about Jared Kushners alleged improper email use, a VOX piece that uses maps to highlight gun violence in America and a story published by The Atlantic which claims nobody is in control of the GOP.

Back on Sept. 30, Moran said Trump shames our country and referred to a tweet from the president as contemptible.

One of the first signs that Moran was morphing into a liberal pundit occurred last January, when the former Nightline anchor compared Trumps inaugural address to Nazi rhetoric when he accused Trumps America First phrase of being a loaded term.

Now, he defined it here as total allegiance to the United States of America, Moran said during ABCs live inauguration coverage. However, it carries with it, overtones from the 1930s, when an anti-Semitic movement saying, We dont want to get involved in Europes war. Its the Jews fault in Germany! Charles Lindbergh led them. It is a term  the words itself carry very ugly echoes.

Earlier this year, Tucker Carlson Tonight ran an entire segment that poked fun of the liberal bias on display on Morans Twitter feed. Carlson said it seemed like a DNC press release with added moral outrage.

Perhaps Disneys ABC News doesnt mind one of its reporters expressing liberal views, as the network has recently skipped coverage of immigration activists interrupting House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and President Trump accused ABC News anchor Martha Raddatz of crying on Election Night after he won (which the veteran journalist denied). The networks chief anchor, George Stephanopoulos, was forced to recuse himself from moderating presidential debates for not disclosing a substantial donation to Clintons charitable organization back in 2015.

ABC News did not immediately respond to Fox News requests for comment.
Late night talk show hosts opened their monologues Monday night to discuss the Las Vegas massacre that left at least 59 people and nearly 530 others injured.

The comments came a day after Stephen Paddock, 64, opened fire from his 32nd floor suite at the Mandalay Bay Hotel on a country music festival.

LAS VEGAS SHOOTING: FULL COVERAGE OF MASSACRE ON THE STRIP

Many of the talk show hosts used their stage to discuss gun control, urging politicians to take action and start a discussion about gun violence.

Jimmy Kimmel

The host of "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" used his opening monologue to call out politicians he indicated were soft on gun laws. He tearfully addressed his audience, saying these officials are quick to offer their prayers for victims but said, They should be praying to God to forgive them, for letting the gun lobby run this country."

When someone with a beard attacks us, we tap phones, we invoke travel bans, we build walls, we take every possible precaution to make sure it doesnt happen again. But when an American buys a gun and kills other Americans, theres nothing we can do about it, he said.

He told the audience that he was talking about common sense and not gun control.

Common sense says no good will ever come from allowing a person to have weapons that can take down 527 Americans at a concert, he said.

Kimmel said, Its too much to even process  all these devastated families who now have to live with this pain forever because one person with a violent and insane voice in his head managed to stockpile a collection of high-powered rifles and use them to shoot people."

Trevor Noah

The Daily Show host also discussed gun control. Noah, a native of South Africa, said he felt people were becoming more accustomed to news like the Las Vegas massacre.

Noah said he feels like Americans avoid having a discussion about guns.

"I've never been to a country where people are as afraid to speak about guns. Every time there's a shooting you got to look at something else. Is it Muslims? Is it their religion? Is that what it is? Is it the blacks? Is it mentally ill people? Is it white nationalists? Every time it's a different question. Now, after this incident in Las Vegas, we're asking a new question. Is it hotels?" Noah said.

Noah concluded his monologue by apologizing to the massacres victims and families.

"To the people of Las Vegas, I can't give you thoughts and prayers. I can only say that I'm sorry. I'm sorry we live in a world where people will put a gun before your lives, Noah said.

Conan O'Brien

OBrien echoed his fellow late night talk show hosts and mentioned that something needs to change.

"When I began in 1993, occasions like this were extremely rare. For me, or any TV comedy host, to come out and need to address a mass shooting spree was practically unheard of. [...] Things have changed, OBrien said.

"I'm not the most political of our comics, but I will repeat what I said not long ago, after Orlando  I don't think it should be so easy for one demented person to kill so many people so quickly. Something needs to change," OBrien concluded.

Seth Meyers

Late Night host Meyers began his monologue with condolences to the victims and their families of the attack as well as people who risked their lives to save strangers before calling on Congress to discuss gun violence.

"I would just like to say  are there no steps we can take as a nation to prevent gun violence? Or is this just how it is, and how it's going to continue to be?"

Meyers asked when is the time to talk about gun violence before adding what you really mean is, there is never a time to talk about it.

"If you're [Congress] not willing to do anything, just be honest and tell us.... If it's going to be thoughts and prayers from here on out, the least you can do is be honest about that," Meyers concluded.

Stephen Colbert

The Late Show host also had a message for Congress -- and one for President Trump.

This afternoon the president called [the Las Vegas massacre] an 'act of pure evil.' And I think hes right, Colbert said. So what then are we willing to do to combat pure evil?

Colbert then directed his message to Trump.

Doing nothing is cowardice. Doing something will take courage, Colbert said.

"Now, President Trump, you said you want to be a transformative president, who doesnt care about the way things have always been done in Washington, D.C. This is your chance to prove it. And I mean this sincerely. You do not owe the Republicans anything. You know the Republicans tried to stop you from being president. Well, screw em! Colbert proclaimed.

Colbert concluded by asking Trump what he should be doing.

Think about what you ought to do, and then pray for the courage to do it, Colbert said.

James Corden

The Late Late Show host Corden echoed his colleagues and said it was time to talk about gun control.

Corden, who is from the United Kingdom, said during his time living in the United States he has seen two of the largest mass shootings in the history of America.

Now, I come from a place where we dont have shootings at this frequency so its hard for me to fathom, but it should be hard for everyone to fathom, Corden said. Gun violence should not be a staple of American life. Some say its too early to talk about gun control. For those victims last night, its far too late.

Corden asked why the U.S. has trouble preventing shootings.

Forgive me, as Im just a foreigner here and some of you may feel I have no place to say this, but how does every other developed country do a better job of preventing these attacks? Corden asked. We cant be surprised that gun crime will always occur when there is such wide availability of guns.

Corden concluded by saying these types of incidents must stop.

Jimmy Fallon

Tonight Show host Fallon said a few words before he opened his show with a song. Singer Miley Cyrus and comedian Adam Sandler performed as a duet, singing Cyrus The Climb and Didos No Freedom.

"This morning, we woke up to the news of another senseless shooting. This time in Las Vegas. In the face of tragedies and acts of terror, we need to remember that good still exists in this world," Fallon said before introducing Cyrus and Sandler. "We're here to entertain you tonight, and that's what we're going to do."
Farmington businessman Bret Burgess was about three blocks southwest of the Mandalay Bay Hotel in Las Vegas when tragedy struck Sunday night.

Stephen Craig Paddock, a 64-year-old retiree from Mesquite, Nevada, opened fire from his hotel room on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino around 10:15 p.m. during a performance by Jason Aldean at the Route 91 Harvest Festival, authorities said. As of press time Monday, 59 people had been reported killed, making it the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history. At least 527 others were injured.

Burgess, who had flown to Nevada on Thursday to visit a friend in Lake Havasu City, Arizona, had returned to Las Vegas around 4 p.m. Sunday to make final preparations for his return flight to Missouri the following morning.

"I was filling up my rental car when I heard all kinds of sirens coming towards my direction," he said. "I drove towards the 'Strip' to my hotel. That's when all the commotion began. I was just a few blocks away from Mandalay Bay. Just across the street was where the assaults were being targeted. It was just a mess. There was a whole lot of chaos.

"We didn't know what was going on. People just kept saying that there was somebody shooting. Nobody knew any details, of course, at that time. We knew there was an active shooter, but they thought it might be terrorism. They locked up all the hotels. I was actually staying at Trump International because I got the best rate for Sunday. I couldn't get back to my hotel  they had that all blocked off . They were very concerned initially that Trump International was going to be targeted."

Burgess was caught in traffic as people were running away from the shooting site.

"I was in my vehicle behind some minimal barricade that was just being set up because EMS and the police were just getting there at the time," he said. "People were coming out screaming. There was this terrible fear  as anybody would have in that type of situation. It was very difficult because you felt so helpless.

"I was right there on Thursday watching them set up for the Harvest Festival and [Sunday] night I actually had plans of coming back to the festival. If they were still playing music, I was gonna' park and listen. By the time I got back was when the chaos was going on and there was nothing but people running and taking cover. People were filtering out into the streets.

"People were trembling, screaming, confused, and I felt so helpless. Yet, I saw the men and women in blue and the men and women in red running towards the very place everyone else was running from. Las Vegas Metro [Police] and Clark County [Sheriff's Office] and everybody involved did about as good as they could in that type of situation.

Burgess said there are many, many thousands out on the street any night of the week on the Las Vegas Strip.

"They literally had every property shut down. Every property was barricaded probably within 20 or 30 minutes. They didn't know what they had. They were expecting the worst as they should."

Burgess didn't get into his hotel room until around 1 or 1:30 a.m. and as one might imagine he had difficulty sleeping. He wasn't aware until the next morning how bad it had been.

"It's really been weighing on me today as I'm sure it is a lot of people," he said. "I'm the lucky one who gets to come home. I saw them on Thursday setting up for the Harvest Festival and I was actually going to stay at Mandalay Bay on Thursday night because I wasn't driving to see my buddy until Friday.

"I ended up choosing the Venetian because  I don't know  I think the reviews online were better. I actually went into the hotel lobby at Mandalay Bay and for some reason  the room was even a little bit cheaper  I just decided not to stay there and evidently that's around the same time Paddock checked in.

"I have a very heavy heart today, especially for those I saw grieving for their loved ones, but I also feel such admiration and respect for those who are willing to serve their communities and have chosen an average to below average paid profession that requires them to run towards the threat and not away from it."

Despite Sunday night's senseless act of mass murder, Burgess said he hopes that somehow good may come as a result.

"Las Vegas is definitely a place where sin and evil abound, but even in the midst of sin, God's love and mercy is present," he said. "I pray the city and community of Las Vegas will heal from this horrible act of evil and may God's love become more apparent in a place that needs restoration."
Lena Dunham said there is "no way not to politicize" the shooting which left at least 59 people dead and more than 500 hospitalized after a gunman opened fire at the Route 91 Harvest Festival Sunday night in Las Vegas.

The "Girls" creator took to Twitter Monday to share her throughts.

"No way not to politicize this tragedy. It's about gender & race as well as access to guns. Considering it random is comforting & dangerous," Dunham tweeted.

Poet Alex Dimitrov responded to Dunham saying "and capitalism" to which Dunham answered, "Yes."

Fans immediately responded to Dunham's tweet urging the Hollywood actress to keep her opinions to herself.

"After the success you had during the 2016 election, it's obvious that people really care about what you say," one user tweeted at Dunham.

Another wrote, "Cars kill more people annually than guns. This is about humanity, not politics. But thanks for making it about you."

"Are you kidding? You have to be," one person added while another simply told Dunham to "zip it."

Do us all a favor zip  it #FreakingHollywood  Elizabeth Carver  (@ElizabethMTHC) October 2, 2017 Are you kidding? You have to be  suzanne bevis (@Suzanne0711) October 2, 2017

The 31-year-old isn't the only celebrity to polticize what is the deadliest mass shooting in modern United States history.

Lady Gaga tweeted Monday, "Prayers are important but @SpeakerRyan @realDonaldTrump blood is on the hands of those who have power to legislate. #GunControl act quickly.""Star Trek" actor William Shatner tweeted to his fans, "Why would you need an automatic weapon for self protection? If that many people were coming after you then you have much bigger problems."

Actor Michael Ian Black called the NRA a "terrorist organization."
The future of Shake Shack doesnt involve human cashiers.

The popular burger chain announced on Monday that its newest New York City location will be cashless and kiosk-only, meaning robots will be taking orders instead. Customers at the Astor Place location will be ordering their food using an app or the touchscreen kiosks and paying with credit cards only. Theyll be alerted via text message when their order is ready.

AMERICA'S FAVORITE BURGER CHAIN IS NOT IN-N-OUT, BUT RATHER

Were really viewing this as an evolution of the guest experience aimed at enhancing hospitality, Kristyn Clark, Shake Shacks senior manager of brand communications, told Fox News.

The Shack kiosk was developed to allow Shake Shack to serve more guests at peak times  whether in-Shack, for pickup via the Shack App, or even delivery  resulting in fewer lines, less wait time and quicker speed of service at every channel. Its a guest-centric approach," she added.

SHAKE SHACK SECRETS REVEALED: INSIDE THE FAST FOOD CHAIN'S FIRST COOKBOOK

Instead of spending time waiting in line, customers will now be able to leisurely walk through the restaurant and spot open seats while they wait. The orders will be ready at the counter.

The restaurant wont be completely staff-free. Workers will guide diners at the kiosks and work through potential tech glitches. The new set up will be a test run for the chain, who boasts about its $15 minimum wage at its New York, California and Washington, D.C., locations.

The Astor Place Shack will be a playground where we can test and learn the ever-shifting needs of our guests, the chains CEO Randy Garutti said in a news release.

Clark told Fox News the kiosks are not meant to replace human workers, but to provide greater hospitality.

The Astor Place location is expected to open this month.

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS

Shake Shack is one of the few restaurants going cashless. Sweetgreen, a popular salad chain, also stopped taking cash earlier this year at all locations.
The residents of Las Vegas have banded together to help the victims of Sundays mass shooting, lining up for hours to donate blood, as people around the world collectively donated over $2 million to help with relief efforts.

Lines started forming at the crack of dawn at blood banks operated by United Blood Services across the metro, according to The New York Times, while hundreds of people dropped off food and other supplies at the Thomas & Mack Center on the University of Nevada campus.

Local officials also set up a GoFundMe page to help victims just hours after the gunman opened fire on a country concert, killing at least 59 and sending more than 510 others to hospitals.

As of Monday evening, over $2 million was raised and will be used to provide relief and financial support to the victims and families of the horrific Las Vegas mass shooting, according to a statement posted on the charity page.

Even celebrities heeded to the call to help including Mike Tyson, Kid Rock and country music group Florida Georgia Line.

NFL team the Oakland Raiders -- who are scheduled to move to Las Vegas in 2020 -- donated the highest amount at $50,000.

The call for blood donation and other assistance from the public started during an early-morning news conference on Monday.

"If you have the ability to donate blood to help the cause, please do so," Clark County Sheriff Joseph Lombardo stressed during the news conference.

LAS VEGAS SHOOTING: AT LEAST 59 DEAD, MORE THAN 500 SENT TO HOSPITALS IN MASSACRE

The city's mayor and Nevada's governor later echoed his call.

"If our people want to do something and they are healthy, then please donate blood," Mayor Carolyn Goodman said. "We will have plenty of banks available, always call a hospital where to go."

Gov. Brian Sandoval thanked paramedics and first responders and described the scene as "a war zone."

"We need blood," he said.

Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center said in a statement it received 14 patients who died and more than 160 who were injured. The statement said the Las Vegas hospital's doctors performed about 30 surgeries and that police were still trying to notify relatives of the victims.

Hospital CEO Todd Sklamberg said most of the hospital's trauma team and staff worked through the night after the shooting

Lombardo said United Blood Services would be taking donations at 6930 W. Charleston in Las Vegas, and 601 Whitney Ranch in Henderson. He said those unsure of where to go should consult local hospitals or the police department website.

"We are asking to solely utilize Blood Services for blood donation and [University Medical Center] as the only places to donate blood," Lombardo said. "We had some resource issues associated with the Laborer's medical clinic. I applaud their effort to help us in that effort, but we had some resource issues associated with that."

Photos taken by witnesses at multiple donation centers showed lines of volunteers snaking through parking lots. Rep. Ruben Kihuen, a Democrat whose congressional district includes a portion of Las Vegas, visited a hospital where some of the victims were taken.

"Literally, every single bed was being used, every single hallway was being used," Kihuen said, according to the Associated Press. "Every single person there was trying to save a life."

Additional information on blood donation requirements and eligbility can be found on the American Red Cross website.

Police have identified Stephen Craig Paddock as the lone suspect in the deadliest mass shooting in modern United States history. The 64-year-old Mesquite, Nev., resident was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound inside his room on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino.

FULL COVERAGE OF MASSACRE ON THE STRIP

More than 22,000 were attending the Route 91 Harvest Festival across the street when the bullets rang out. Officials said the death toll had reached at least 58, with 515 others injured. Video footage from the event shows country star Jason Aldean fleeing the stage amid gunfire, as thousands ducked for cover.

The FBI is asking anyone with videos or photos concerning the shooting to call 1-800-CALL-FBI. Those looking to report a missing person in connection to the shooting are instructed to call 1-866-535-5654.

Fox News' Alexandria Hein and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Witnesses have come forward to speak about the heroes who risked their own lives to turn back into a crowd of concert-goers in an effort to render first-aid and save others as a crazed gunman sprayed hundreds of bullets on them from the windows of a nearby high-rise hotel room.

There were so many people out there that you wouldnt think they would be helping others at a time like that, but it wasnt an 'every man for himself'-kind of situation, Tiffany Michelle, a witness to Sundays massacre, told Fox News. Everybody just sort of grabbed somebody around them and tried to do everything they could to get others out.

LAS VEGAS SHOOTING: GOFUND ME PAGE RAISES OVER $2M, VOLUNTEERS WAIT HOURS TO DONATE BLOOD

Many of the selfless heroes are among the 59 killed and 520 people injured, including a nurse and two firefighters who were shot while protecting others.

Sunny Melton, a 29-year-old nurse at Henry County Medical Center in Paris, Tenn., was attending the Route 91 Harvest Festival with his orthopedic surgeon wife when the shots rang out. Melton stood behind on his wife and pushed her forward to run away from the gunfire before he was fatally shot in the back.

Travis Phippen, an EMT, was shot and injured while trying to revive his father, John, who was fatally wounded in the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history. Phippen is still hospitalized but is expected to recover. Off-duty firefighter Kurt Fowler, of Lake Havasu, Ariz., was shot in the lower right leg while protecting his wife, and is recovering in a hospital.

They heard the gunfire, him and his wife. Kurt took his wife to the ground and was shielding her and then was struck in the leg, Steve Bunn, Erickson and Desert Hills fire captain and union president, told AZFamily.com.

Los Angeles fire captain, Mark McCurdy, was attending the concert with his wife and sister-in-law and managed to carry his injured in-law back to their room at the Mandalay Bay Hotel before turning around and heading back out to help others. His friend, fellow firefighter Steve Keys, was shot in the chest and wounded while performing CPR on another victim.

Prayers needed. Lot of people hit. A lot killed. Was doing CPR on a woman in the concert when I got grazed, Keys posted to Facebook, alongside a video of the chaos. Im OK. But a lot of people arent. I am lucky. Stayed behind on the street to help people.

LAS VEGAS SHOOTING: REMEMBERING THE FALLEN

Mike Cronk, a retired teacher, told ABC 13 that many able-bodied witnesses, with and without first-aid training, banded together to carry victims toward first-responders. Cronk himself used his shirt to stop the bleeding after his friend was shot three times. He described a woman who helped him push his friend under the stage to safety.

Im no hero, he said. But theres a lot of heroes out there.

Russell Black described seeing police officers fearlessly charge into the gunfire despite knowing that they didnt have the weapons to go up against the automatic gunfire.

I want people to understand that what these men and women did, even the slightest distraction, kept countless [deaths] from happening, he said. Hundreds of rounds, there was no escaping. There were 10-foot fences, we were trapped. It was a kill zone.

LAS VEGAS SHOOTING: FULL COVERAGE OF MASSACRE ON THE STRIP

Michelle, who thanked first responders and the bravery of strangers in a lengthy Instagram post after she was reunited with her husband and group of friends, described the moment her boot got stuck on the fence and how a stranger helped her get free.

He was very helpful. I dont know if I wouldve been able to get it unstuck without him, she told Fox News. Im just so thankful that somebody was there.

Assistant Clark County Sheriff Todd Fasulo said officers found 23 firearms inside the gunman's Mandalay Bay hotel room, and an additional 19 firearms at his home in Mesquite, Nevada.
More than 500 victims injured by a gunman who opened fire on concert-goers at Las Vegas Route 91 Harvest Festival on Sunday night arrived at nearby hospitals after the massacre, where medics were quickly faced with life-altering scenarios. University Medical Center (UMC) is the only level-one trauma center in Nevada, and turned into controlled chaos after being flooded with over 100 patients who arrived in ambulances and witnesses' cars.

We started divvying them up, taking them to the operating room and doing whats called damage control surgery, where youre not definitively repairing everything, Jay Coats, a trauma surgeon at UMC, told USA Today. You are just stopping the dying.

LAS VEGAS SHOOTING: FULL COVERAGE OF MASSACRE ON THE STRIP

Coats said the injuries varied, but that every bed was quickly filled, with patients overflowing into the hallways and even outside the medical center. With the injury count so high, Coats has no recollection of who he operated on.

It was very clear that the first patient I took back and operated on that this was a high-powered weapon, he said. This wasnt a normal street weapon. This was something that did a lot of damage when it entered the body cavity.

As a level-one trauma center, the hospital is fully staffed with surgeons and trauma nurses around-the-clock in case disaster strikes. The classification also means UMC participates in two major disaster drills each year, in addition to internal drills. Dr. John Fildes, a trauma surgeon and UMCs director of trauma and chair of UNLV School of Medicine surgery department, said the center has drilled on a concert venue disaster in the past.

We trained on this, he told The Las Vegas Review-Journal. And it just went off perfectly, on our side. I feel bad for the people that were hurt  I really do. But Im glad we could help.

Hospital spokeswoman Danita Cohen said UMC had been in contact with medical staff in Orlando in the aftermath of the Pulse nightclub shooting as part of their training.

We were able to use that today, she told the news outlet.

One lesson included moving gurneys and wheelchairs outside to make room for more patients, The New York Times reported. The trauma center quickly called for supplies from other departments of the hospital as patients continued to stream in. Staffers whose shifts had ended or who werent scheduled to work stayed on and showed up in droves to help care for patients.

Ive been a nurse for 30 years, and this was by far the worst moment Ive had, the worst injuries, Toni Mullan, a nurse who returned to UMC after finishing a 12-hour shift in the trauma resuscitation department, told The New York Times. But it was the proudest moment.

DURING LAS VEGAS SHOOTING, HEROES RISKED LIVES TO SAVE OTHERS IN 'KILL ZONE'

At Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center, classified as a level-two trauma center, doctors worked through the night to treat 180 victims who were injured, with 14 fatalities. In total, the hospital said it performed about 30 surgeries. A spokeswoman for the Valley Hospital System, which includes Desert Springs, Spring Valley, Henderson, Valley, Summerlin and Centennial Hills, told the news outlet that the network treated 228 total patients. St. Rose Dominican hospitals, which includes three centers, treated 57 patients.

Authorities have said identifying the 59 victims killed after Stephen Paddock opened fire from his Mandalay Bay hotel room on the 32nd floor will be a long process. Families searching for loved ones in connection to Sundays massacre are instructed to call 800-536-9488. The Clark County Medical Society said it is working with the Nevada Psychiatric Association to bring on mental health professionals for community members, physicians and other medical professionals.

We appreciate that there are often acute and long-term mental health effects of such traumatic experiences, and we are working on identifying psychiatrists and other mental health professionals who are available to help those suffering with these effects, Dr. Leslie Dickson, executive director of Nevada Psychiatric Association, told The Las Vegas Sun.

Medical professionals looking to volunteer are instructed to call 702-739-9989.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
One of the 520 victims injured in Sundays Las Vegas massacre has lost her right eye and is in a coma in a hospitals intensive care unit (ICU). Tina Frost, who was attending the Route 91 Harvest Festival with her boyfriend when a gunman opened fire on the crowd from his 32nd floor hotel room at Mandalay Bay, is listed as critically stable, and is currently on a ventilator.

Tina is out of surgery and her vitals are stable, Mary Watson Moreland, the 27-year-old womans mother, said, according to a GoFundMe page. They removed her right eye, where the bullet was lodged, and there is an implant there now to keep the space open. She has sight in her left eye but will never see from the right again.

DURING LAS VEGAS SHOOTING, HEROES RISKED LIVES TO SAVE OTHERS IN 'KILL ZONE'

Moreland said doctors were forced to remove a bone from her daughters forehead to relieve brain swelling, and that they plan to see how she responds to simulation over the next few days to assess brain damage. The GoFundMe page, which was set up on Monday, raised more than $100,000 in just 19 hours, quickly surpassing the $50,000 goal.

The Maryland native had moved to San Diego and drove to the concert with boyfriend Austin Hughes, who was uninjured. According to The Baltimore Sun, the couple was separated after Frost was taken to a nearby hospital. Once he learned that she was in surgery, Hughes kept the family updated on her status until they were able to fly to Las Vegas.

Please pray for our oldest, Tina Frost, who is halfway through a projected 2 hour operation, for a bullet shot to the head above her right eye in Las Vegas, Rich Frost, the womans father, posted to Facebook early Monday. Her boyfriend Austin who was with her at the concert, is safe and in the hospital waiting room, providing us with updates.

FULL COVERAGE OF MASSACRE ON THE STRIP

A follow up post on Tuesday said Frosts vitals and responses were good, and that she had not developed a fever.

When they have to move her, she sits up on her own, rolls herself and pushes the nurses away, Rich wrote. She calms down when we say easy Tina. Her eye is swollen shut and she is on the ventilator and still in her coma, but it is encouraging.

Another GoFundMe page set up on behalf of Jonathan Smith described his heroic actions before he was wounded while at the concert to celebrate his brothers birthday.

LAS VEGAS SHOOTING: HOSPITAL HAD TRAINED FOR CONCERT VENUE DISASTER

Jonathan was shot during the Las Vegas massacre while trying to secure the safety of others, Tiffany Jones, the mans sister-in-law, wrote on the GoFundMe. He was there celebrating his brothers 43rd birthday when shots were fired. According to witnesses, he helped save dozens of lives ushering people to safety before he too was shot and wounded.

The page, which doubled its $7,000 goal within 17 hours, was updated to include that Smith had returned home and was recovering with his three children.

In addition to 520 wounded, 59 were killed in the most deadly shooting in modern U.S. history.

Fox News' Alexandria Hein contributed to this report.
Nearly 40,000 pounds of ground turkey were recalled on Monday after officials discovered metal shavings in one of the packages.

Prestage Foods, Inc. recalled the meat packages sold at supermarkets in nine states -- including Connecticut, Florida, and New York -- that were produced between Sept. 25 and 26, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced in a press release.

Employees at the processing plants found the metal shavings in a ground turkey package on Sept. 27. The recalled items have the establishment number "P-22000."

'DEATH WISH' COLD BREW COFFEE RECALLED OVER BOTULISM CONCERNS

The packages included Publix ground turkey breast with natural flavorings, Publix ground turkey with natural flavorings, Fit & Active fresh ground turkey break with natural flavorings, and Weis Markets fresh ground turkey breast.

Customers are urged to toss out the recalled meat packages. So far, the company has received no reports of consumers finding the shavings.
Im thankful I dont live in a state like Oregon, where assisted suicide is legal. When I was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer and told I would probably be dead in four months, I went in an instant from living the American Dream with my wife and son to living a nightmare. In that moment of depression, I might have chosen to end my life.

After a seizure sent me to the hospital, the neurosurgeon told me I had a brain tumor known as glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) and that the tumor was inoperable. In fact, three different doctors told me there was nothing that they could do.

The news was overwhelmingly depressing. As a United States Marine Corps veteran of the Iraq War, I could have lost my life on a faraway battlefield serving my country. Thankfully I survived, but I had now received a death sentence at home.

With the support of my family, I chose to fight the cancer. I have had some great success with an experimental, cutting-edge treatment and am still alive three years after I was told I had only a few months to live.

Not everyone is so lucky to have the support I do. Since my diagnosis of terminal brain cancer my wife and I welcomed our second son into the world. I would have missed out on so much if I had been given  and had accepted  the option of assisted suicide.

Assisted suicide laws require a prognosis of six months or less to live, but how can we let our life-and-death decisions rest on these prognoses, when even the most experienced doctors are often wrong? My own experience reveals how tragic that could turn out to be.

We also know from the 2016 Oregon Health Report that in Oregon, which 20 years ago became the first state to make assisted suicide legal, only 4 percent of patients considering ending their lives were referred for psychological evaluation.

Yet a 2008 study, published in the peer-reviewed medical journal The BMJ, revealed that 25 percent of patients requesting assisted suicide suffered from major depressive disorder. These numbers suggest that people with mental illness could well be prescribed a death-too-soon, instead of the treatment they deserve.

On top of that, the legalization of assisted suicide injects government and profit-driven insurance companies into everyones end-of-life decisions. Just in the last year, more cases have surfaced of patients being denied coverage for care, showing how legalizing assisted suicide results in more abuse and less choice.

Take, for example, Stephanie Packer, a California mother of four suffering from a serious case of scleroderma, a chronic connective tissue disease. She reported that her insurance company denied her coverage for chemotherapy treatment but would pay for her to kill herself.

Then there is Dr. Brian Callister, a Nevada physician who asked insurance medical directors to approve lifesaving, curative treatments for a patient in California and another in Oregon  two states that have legalized assisted suicide. Callisters requests were denied, and the patients were offered coverage for suicide drugs instead.

People are starting to realize the threat that assisted suicide poses. Though an onslaught of new bills has been introduced, 23 states have rejected laws designed to legalize assisted suicide this year.

And states like Alabama and Ohio recently enacted laws to strengthen the prohibition of assisted suicide. Legislators across the nation of all political persuasions are recognizing that assisted suicide is bad policy and puts people like me at risk.

Some vulnerable populations, like people with disabilities and terminal illness, are at more immediate risk to be adversely affected by the legalization of assisted suicide. But the truth is, assisted suicide affects everyone.

Just ask my wife and our sons.
Editor's note: The following column originally appeared in The Hill and in TheHill.com.

Are there any Russians in the audience? I dont see too many Russians, a defiant President Trump recently told an Alabama crowd.

He finds joy, even now, in ridiculing reports of Russian interference in last years presidential campaign.

Speaking to his true believers, he reassured them that Russia did not help me win and dismissed reports to the contrary as the Russia hoax  one of the great hoaxes.

So, in the self-aggrandizing manner of the president, let me ask  Are there any Russians reading this column right now?

And the answer to my question, Mr. President, is the same as the answer to your question: YES.

Yes, the Russians are likely reading this column right now, because I always share my Hill column on my Twitter and Facebook page.

And, yes, the Russians planted propaganda on Twitter and Facebook. They also tried to manipulate Google searches to promote stories damaging to Hillary Clintons reputation.

Thats the truth. But the president is still telling his core supporters there is no evidence of Russian interference  an assertion he will cling to, short of investigators finding proof of Russians hacking into voting machines or threatening people outside polling stations.

Trumps denials continue even as House and Senate committees are finding evidence that Russia used social media to distort the American publics view of Clinton, the Democratic presidential nominee, by demonizing her while lionizing Trump.

Twitter has revealed that it shut down 201 accounts that were tied to the same Russian operatives who posted thousands of political ads on Facebook during the race, according to The Washington Post.

And The New York Times reported Congressional panels learned that Russians, posing online as Americans during the campaign, used large-scale automated messaging on Twitter to spread false stories and promote news articles about emailsobtained by Russian hackers.

Earlier, the Times reported a shadowy Russian company linked to the Kremlin bought 3,000 Facebook ads that targeted divisive social issues such as race, gay rights, gun control and immigration.

The Russians showed special delight in encouraging racial bitterness in the country. They targeted ads at cities rocked by police shootings like Baltimore, Maryland, and Ferguson, Missouri.

Their goal was to spread dissension, was to split our country apart, and they did a pretty good job, Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., the ranking member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, told ABC News last week.

This new information goes beyond earlier reports from the U.S. intelligence agencies that Russia paid people to get on social media and defame Hillary Clinton.

In a more sophisticated assault, the Russians encouraged divisions by stoking Americas culture wars.

Their goal was to place stories on social media to anger and energize Trump supporters. They wanted to stir the belief among voters that politically correct mainstream news reports were covering up the threat posed to the country by Clinton, blacks, Muslims, immigrants, and gays.

Yes, a foreign power  Russia  warped our citizens voting behavior by poisoning our social media. Name a 2016 campaign that used the same playbook?

Despite the presidents efforts to get people to look away from any evidence of Russian interference in the campaign, the public is alert to the smell of corruption.

A CNN poll taken in September asked voters plainly, How likely do you think it is that Russian-backed content on Facebook or in other social media affected the outcome of the 2016 presidential election?

A majority, 54 percent said it was somewhat or very likely; 43 percent said it was not very or not at all likely.

And the public has yet to hear from Robert Mueller, the special counsel investigating ties between Trump campaign officials and Russia.

In late July, Muellers team tightened its squeeze on former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort, reportedly threatening him with an indictment and picking the locks on his home to execute a raid.

The Washington Post reported that Manafort offered private briefings on the campaign to a Russian oligarch with close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Mueller is also showing interest in possible obstruction of justice by the president and key members of Trumps White House.

He is pushing for notes and e-mails from White House officials involved with the firing of former FBI Director James Comey and former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn.

He also wants records on a Russian lawyers meeting with Donald Trump Jr., the presidents son, during the campaign.

It was one year ago this week when the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) and the Department of Homeland Security issued a rare public statement.

That statement expressed confidence that the Russian Government directed the recent compromises of emails from U.S. persons and institutions, including from U.S. political organizationsto interfere with the U.S. election process.

That finding was followed up by a more detailed analysis from the DNI, the FBI, the CIA and the NSA.

Putin and the Russian Government developed a clear preference for President-elect Trump. We have high confidence in these judgments, their January 6, 2017 report stated.

Yes, Mr. President: Russia did help you. Mueller doesnt seem to care if you label his investigation a hoax. And he has yet to be intimidated by your press secretarys continued attacks on Comey.

The walls are closing in with the Mueller investigation.

The looming question is when will Congressional Republicans begin to distance themselves from Trump?

Will they believe the evidence in front of them or the fake news on their Facebook page?
To help the people of Puerto Rico, the United States should think of its job in two phases.

Phase one is to solve the immediate crisis.

Currently, the island is crippled. Days before Hurricane Maria, Hurricane Irma had already knocked out electricity for 1 million Puerto Ricans. Then, Maria's 165 mile-per-hour winds, combined with one day of rain so heavy it equaled three days worth of rainfall in Houston's extraordinary storm experience from Hurricane Harvey, simply devastated the island.

The collapse of services in Puerto Rico also creates a potential migration crisis that could rob the island of a generation of talent.

The combined impact of these two hurricanes has caused some of the most thorough destruction any American community has ever experienced.

Eighty percent of the islands electrical transmissions system has been destroyed. The collapse of the electrical grid has compounded every human need. There is a real danger that the loss of refrigeration and clean water will lead to a dramatic spread of disease across the island.

Puerto Rico is experiencing the kind of collapse Bill Forstchen wrote about in his book One Second After . The novel describes the aftermath of an electromagnetic pulse attack, which destroys the U.S. electrical grid.

One good thing that could come from Puerto Ricos experience may be a much greater investment in hardening the islands power infrastructure against an EMP, caused by either a foreign attack or a natural solar event. Another good result could be a realization of how vulnerable the entire United States electricity grid is to an electromagnetic event.

The magnitude of eroded highways, collapsed bridges, weakened dams, and other infrastructure damage is historic and will take an enormous effort to overcome. For example, more than 90 percent of the telephone cell towers were knocked out by the storm.

Washington is only now beginning to realize how much bigger and more aggressive the first phase of recovery and response must be. More military assets must be deployed and more emergency engineering will have to be implemented to avoid further problems in the next 30 to 60 days.

The collapse of services in Puerto Rico also creates a potential migration crisis that could rob the island of a generation of talent. Faced with such destruction, many Puerto Ricans will exercise their rights as American citizens to move to the mainland. This would accelerate an already growing trend. From 2005 to 2015, about 446,000 Puerto Ricans moved to the mainland  about 13 percent of the islands population.

The longer the crisis goes on, the greater the loss of talent will be.

Even if we can quickly solve the immediate problems, the average Puerto Rican may still conclude that life on the post-hurricane island will be inadequate. This would further devastate the island and its future. We must convince the most energetic, ambitious, and competent younger Puerto Ricans to stay and invest their lives in their home island by ensuring a dramatically better future.

That is why the recovery and survival effort must be immediately followed by phase two: "Creating a 21st Century Puerto Rico."

Creating a 21st century Puerto Rico may seem a little premature when most Puerto Ricans are currently without electricity, drinkable water, or permanent shelter. However, creating a 21st century Puerto Rico must be advocated and described as early as possible. Puerto Ricans must know their island will have a future worth investing their lives in.

The federal government is going to have to invest a lot in Puerto Rico's recovery. The scale of devastation requires a massive rebuilding program.

The key to Puerto Rico's future is to avoid rebuilding obsolete, old infrastructure and instead investing money in a new, modern, 21st century Puerto Rico. This will increase economic growth and improve quality of life on the island.

The Trump administration is in a perfect position to develop and implement a 21st century infrastructure program for Puerto Rico.

All the work the administration has done in thinking through its infrastructure plan, its economic growth agenda, and its vocational education and training plans for the mainland can be brought to bear to develop a plan for 21st century Puerto Rican prosperity.

A 21st century investment plan should:

1. Implement deregulatory reforms which will enable government and private contractors to cut through red tape and save time and money, while securing Puerto Rico's future prosperity;



2. Design and develop new, modern, island-wide infrastructure systems. Replacing rather than repairing old highway, electrical, and water systems will maximize economic growth, tourism, and convenience for residents. The administration should integrate private sector and private capital to leverage funds;



3. Rebuild the electric grid with resilience, so it can survive both future natural disasters and potential EMP events. Once the system is completed, the administration should grant long-term concessions to the private sector under a payment mechanism to reimburse the federal taxpayers and ensure long-term modernization and performance;



4. Create a broadband network for the entire island, so every Puerto Rican can have access to high-speed internet for education, shopping, and work. The administration should examine space-based and other broadband systems being developed for large, rural areas;



5. Develop an island-wide health system. The administration should seek help from the best large mainland health systems (including the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs) to help develop a system to modernize the hospitals, integrate community health systems, and use telemedicine and other modern delivery systems so even the most remote communities are served;

6. Use cutting edge technologies to create smart city solutions to improve connectivity and modernize the islands cities and towns;



7. Create an island-wide enterprise zone with tax advantages for investing and operating in Puerto Rico. The need for economic growth is going to be so great, and the disadvantages of an island territory competing with the mainland are such that companies must be given incentives for investing in and operating in Puerto Rico. More targeted tax advantages have clearly worked to create jobs in Puerto Rico in the past, but the scale of devastation is so great the entire island should be given enterprise zone status for at least the next 20 years. It is vital to make doing business in Puerto Rico more attractive than in nearby foreign countries. This creates American jobs for American citizens living in Puerto Rico;



8. Make the Jones Act shipping exemption for Puerto Rico permanent. As a Caribbean island, Puerto Rico is at a huge disadvantage by being forced to pay American domestic shipping prices while all its competitors have dramatically lower world market shipping rates. The Jones Act makes shipping to Puerto Rico dramatically more expensive than it is for other islands. This both raises the cost of living and weakens Puerto Rican companies trying to compete. Repealing the Jones Act for Puerto Rico would be like a giant tax cut that would provide an economic stimulus for the island;



9. Apply the Trump administration apprenticeship, vocational education, and online learning initiatives to help the Puerto Rican work force acquire the knowledge and skills needed to do the jobs the enterprise zone status will bring to the island.

These are examples of the kind of forward-looking initiatives that would give Puerto Ricans hope that their island will bounce back as an exciting desirable place to work and live.
Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton are very, very concerned about the people of Puerto Rico. Both have joined the mayor of San Juan in criticizing President Trump for not doing enough for the Commonwealth in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria.

Seriously, where have they been?

Where were they when Puerto Ricos debts ballooned to $123 billion, thrusting the economy into an 11-year recession?

Where were they when 50,000 of the islands best and brightest hightailed to the mainland every year, looking for jobs and opportunities, as median household income sank to $18,626 as compared to $56,516 on the mainland?

Where were they as the territorys power system went bust, while its administrators came under FBI investigation for stealing from the people of Puerto Rico?

They were nowhere to be seen, except of course during election season. As more Puerto Ricans left the island looking for work, they swelled the Hispanic population in Florida, a group that Hillary Clintons campaign determined was key to her success in the state. In Orlando alone there were 80,000 registered Puerto Ricans. Signing up new Puerto Rican voters, who as residents of the U.S. are allowed to cast a ballot, became a critical tactic in Clintons Florida strategy. Polling determined that 74 percent of the newcomers were likely to support Hillary, as compared to 17 percent that fell in Trumps column.

Hillary appealed to Puerto Ricans in New York, Florida and elsewhere by appearing to support their enthusiasm for statehood. She didnt bother to campaign in the territory, even though winning Puerto Ricos Democratic primary helped her quest for the nomination last year. She sent Bill, instead.

Thats ironic because it was President Bill Clinton who signed the repeal of Section 936, the 1976 tax provision that exempted corporations operating in U.S. territories like Puerto Rico from federal taxes and caused a surge in economic activity on the island. That loophole caused numerous U.S. companies to set up shop in Puerto Rico, extending an industrialization program initiated in the 1950s called Operation Bootstrap. Over the period 1950 to 1980 per capita GNP rose ten-fold while disposable income soared 1,600 per cent. In the twenty years following the repeal of the tax advantage, manufacturing jobs were cut in half. Ten years after Clinton signed the phase-out into law, employment peaked in Puerto Rico, and the government started borrowing to make ends meet.

Meanwhile, Bernie Sanders, also campaigning for Puerto Rican votes, was one of the few that voted last year against the Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act, called Promesa, describing it as a return to the worst form of colonialism. The Promesa established a board, similar to those enacted to oversee the rescue of New York in the 1970s and Detroit in 2014, to resolve the islands financial situation and to rebuild its economy. Bernie was bound to hate the measure, especially since one of its key missions was to reduce the islands minimum wage. Given that cheap labor abounds in neighboring islands, and the Commonwealths persistently high unemployment, the federal minimum of $7.25 is injurious. Soon after losing the Puerto Rico primary, Sanders dropped the issue.

To be fair, Clinton and Sanders are not alone in having ignored Puerto Ricos problems. Legislators on both sides of the aisle have stood idly by, hoping the territorys unpayable debts would miraculously disappear. Now that the islands dysfunction has morphed from dangerous to fatal, and Puerto Rico is blaming Hurricane Maria and Donald Trump for its misfortunes, Americans are taking a hard look at just how badly the Commonwealth has been mismanaged. Theyre discovering that the damage wrought by recent storms, and the inadequate emergency response, was inevitable.

The federal oversight board claimed in its filings that the local government is unable to provide its citizens effective services. A year ago, the New York Times wrote that the territorys towering debt burden had crowded out other governmental spending in Puerto Rico, leaving a wake of devastation: closed schools, fewer hospital beds, homeless people squatting in abandoned houses. These conditions were devastating; Hurricane Maria made them life-threatening.

As disastrous as Puerto Ricos overall finances have become, the management of the territorys now-bankrupt power system  the source of much of todays distress  has been even worse. The utility, called Prepa, has for decades sent free power to 78 municipalities, many government endeavors, and even to for-profit businesses, as the Times reports, leading to high bills for private citizens and declining service. The system long relied on imported oil; the management has been accused of improper use of substandard fuel and of profiteering.

Weeks ago, before any major storms had hit the island, Prepas management warned that outages might last up to six months, given the antiquated state of its infrastructure. In September the Times quoted a 2016 report saying that Prepa appears to be running on fumes, anddesperately requires an infusion of capitalmonetary, human, and intellectualto restore a functional utility. No wonder most of the island is still without power.

If any good is to come out of the devastation of Hurricane Maria, perhaps it will be that Americans learn that political corruption fed by high taxes and a bloated bureaucracy is a toxic combination. This is not Venezuela. This is a U.S. territory, and a struggling neighbor, which needs our help and a serious economic reboot.
While President Trump was consoling the nation and offering support for Las Vegas, the Democrats and their friends in the media were rushing in to politicize a tragedy in the most despicable way imaginable.

The 59 people gunman Stephen Paddock killed were not even buried and the hundreds he injured still fighting for their lives when irresponsible politicians and members of the press sought to score cheap political points and push a gun-control agenda.

"Our grief isn't enough, said House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi. We can and must put politics aside and stand up to the NRA and work together to try and stop all of this from happening again."

Likewise, Hillary Clinton weighed in less than nine hours after the shooting and went deep into the gutter of politics. She mused that the massacre would have been worse if Paddock had a silencer, showing she knows as much about firearms as she does running a campaign.

Do these people have any decency? We don't know Paddocks motive. We have very few details. Families are still in shock. But this is their initial impulse. Imagine if President Trump today brought up the Second Amendment. How would the news media in this country have reacted?

When it comes to the medias reaction to this horrific event, it gets even worse. Liberal CNN reporter Jeff Zeleny suggests that the only reason President Trump is going to Las Vegas tomorrow is because the victims in the audience may have been his supporters.

Of course Las Vegas is a town that he is connected to and knows well, his name is emblazoned on top of a hotel there as well, he campaigned there a lot, Zeleny said. So, this is something that I'm not surprised at all to see him go there visiting early. Something else I think to keep in mind, a lot of these country music supporters were likely Trump supporters.

A top lawyer for CBS was fired Monday after writing something on Facebook that ought to make you sad and angry.

"If they wouldn't do anything when children were murdered, I have no hope that Republicans will ever do the right thing, wrote Hayley Geftman-Gold, CBSs now former vice president and senior counsel. I'm actually not even sympathetic [because] country music fans are often Republican gun toters."

Exploiting this shooting is pathetic. Yet every single time something like this takes place, Democrats rush to judgment without facts, immediately calling for stricter gun control. The lack of sympathy for the families speaks volumes. And if you watched TV all weekend, you saw they were doing the exact same thing when it comes to the recovery efforts in Puerto Rico.

The island was pounded with two hurricanes. Its infrastructure, airports, roads, electrical grid, water supply and cellular service were all knocked out. And instead of focusing on the Trump administration's valiant efforts to help those people in need, the media again tried to politicize a natural disaster to hurt the president.

You've also heard a lot of commentary saying that yesterday might have been President Trump's Katrina moment, ABC newsman and former aide to President Clinton George Stephanopoulos said.

Let's go back to, you know, this comparison with Katrina, whether or not, this is Trump's Katrina, this could actually be worse, one guest said on NBCs Meet the Press. Because Katrina was about indifference and incompetence, this is about mean spiritedness.

And CNNs Jake Tapper decided race or ethnicity might be playing a factor in what he erroneously believes was Trumps delayed reaction to Puerto Rico.

In truth, the Trump administration is working nonstop to help people in need. After unrelenting attacks from the media, the White House press secretary Sarah Sanders tried to set the record straight.

The federal government is doing everything within our powers and capabilities to first focus on the life-sustaining and life-saving measures as well as on the rebuilding process, she said. Weve got over 12,000 federal staff on the ground, 64 hospitals out of 67 are partially or fully operational. Fourteen are now back on the electrical grid. Forty five percent of customers in Puerto Rico have access to drinking water. Eight commercial airports are operational, 65 percent of gas stations are open, all of these things are things that we are continuing to push, continuing to move forward and will be part of that effort.

Does that sound like Katrina? Does that sound like racism?

Whether it is a mass shooting by a lunatic or a devastating hurricane, the rush to politicize a tragedy and attack President Trump shows the liberal mainstream media would they rather just play politics than tell the truth or do its part to help when people are suffering.

Adapted from Sean Hannity's monologue on "Hannity," Oct. 2, 2017
Iraqs Christian and Yazidi communities have survived beheadings, sexual slavery and bloody religious genocide by ISIS but they may not endure the grossly unfair and badly managed U.S. aid programs that are now meant to help them following ISIS defeat. The ugly possibility is that U.S. assistance policies may finish the terrible work that the fanatics of ISIS started.

In fact, as Congress will learn Tuesday at a hearing on this issue, things are like they were in the Obama administration, only worse. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and USAID Director Mark Green continue to channel over $1 billion of aid for Iraqis through various United Nations agencies, which divert the money away from the smallest and most beleaguered minorities, who suffered most grievously under the Islamic State.

Unbelievably, to get U.S. assistance, Yazidis, another genocide-targeted minority in Iraq, and Christians were both expected to go to U.N. refugee camps that are infiltrated by ISIS sympathizers. The deeply traumatized minorities rejected this aid offer and sought private help instead.

For all of the past three years, U.S. humanitarian aid has bypassed the Christians and short-changed the Yazidis. The Chaldean Archdiocese of Erbil, which has been the sole guarantor of care for most Christian survivors of ISIS genocide, has received exactly zero of the $1.4 billion of U.S. humanitarian aid to Iraq since 2014. It chronicles a dozen times when its specific requests for aid were rejected by USAID and the State Department.

Unbelievably, to get U.S. assistance, Yazidis, another genocide-targeted minority in Iraq, and Christians were both expected to go to U.N. refugee camps that are infiltrated by ISIS sympathizers. The deeply traumatized minorities rejected this aid offer and sought private help instead.

Now, both groups are at an historic crossroads. Either Iraqs non-Muslim minorities get help to leave their displacement shelters in Kurdistan and rebuild their shattered towns or, in despair, they must emigrate and see the extinction of their ancient communities, along with Iraqs religious pluralism. The exodus is already occurring. Iraqs Christian community has plummeted 80 percent, to less than 250,000 since 2003.

The outlook is grim. These minorities are now facing the same U.S. policy regarding reconstruction aid as they have for food aid. The Trump administration has handed over all Americas reconstruction funding and decision-making to the United Nations. Moreover, the U.S. lacks direct oversight of the U.N.s projects in the Christian Nineveh Plains of Iraq.

The majority of the Christians and Yazidis have not gone home from shelters in Kurdistan, as the U.N. itself acknowledges. In fact, the non-Muslims have the lowest return rate of any Iraqi religious or ethnic group displaced by ISIS.

For the most part, their devastated towns remain uninhabitable, lacking the U.N.-sponsored water and electricity projects seen in the Sunni Muslim city of Mosul in the wake of ISISs ouster there in late July. Instead, U.N. reconstruction projects in Christian areas, for example, will not actually help most residents, but are minimal or nonexistent, local church authorities told me.

In one main Christian town, Bartella, the U.N.-listed projects largely consist of repairing municipal buildings, including a project to repair a buildings canopy and another to renovate the mayors building.

In the Christian town of Teleskof, the U.N. brandishes its name outside a girls school as a sign that it is reconstructing within. But photos of the interior reveal abandoned, unlit classrooms strewn with rubble and possibly booby traps. Local Christians point to it as an example of many bogus U.N. projects there.

Christian organizations overseeing the minorities return to their homes have no say in what projects are undertaken and Christians are virtually excluded from reconstruction contracts and jobs, the only real work available there now.

In July, a USAID Crisis Response official responded to an appeal for urgent help there, stating we do not specifically target assistance to minority religious or ethnic groups. For heavens sake, why not?

USAIDs response shows total disregard for the continuing struggle of Iraqs Christians and Yazidis to overcome religious-based genocide. Secretary of State Tillerson officially recognized this genocide last August.

In September, a State Department officer breezily dismissed my own plea, declaring the Nineveh Christians dont need help because the Church is taking such good care of them.

Meanwhile, Iran has opened a new elementary school in formerly Christian Bartella, named after the Ayatollah Khomeini. Tehran also completed a mosque and library there. At the ribbon cutting ceremony, Iranian diplomats and Iraqi officials gave speeches. Iranian-backed militias flying sectarian flags man checkpoints in other Nineveh towns where Christians have not returned.

In other words, American aid policies are facilitating Irans colonization of parts of Nineveh.

At a Rome conference of the papal charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), on September 28, Chaldean Catholic Patriarch Sako decried the hatred of the radical Muslim persecutors towards the Christians, which has driven them to wipe away our heritage, destroy our homes and even to remove us from the memory of Iraqi history.

His words were uncharacteristically stark and reflect that Churchs desperation. He pleaded for international help for Ninevehs Christians.

With private donations, ACN, along with the Knights of Columbus and Samaritans Purse, are repairing Christian houses and churches. But U.S. government assistance is essential, especially for large infrastructure projects.

President Trump cannot afford to wait. He must direct his cabinet to bypass the U.N. and ensure that U.S. aid reaches Iraqs smallest minorities.

Important American humanitarian and security interests are at stake. So are countless lives in one of the oldest areas of continuous Christian settlement in the world.
A House bill banning abortions after 20 weeks on Monday received the official backing of the Trump administration.

The White House strongly supports the Republican efforts to secure critical pro-life protections and believes Americas children deserve the stronger protections that the bill would provide.

The bill, if enacted into law, would help to facilitate the culture of life to which our Nation aspires, the statement said. Additionally, the bill would promote a science-based approach to unborn life, as recent advancements have revealed that the physical structures necessary to experience pain are developed within 20 weeks of fertilization

Arizona Republican Rep. Trent Franks is sponsoring the bill and it is scheduled to come up for a vote on Tuesday in the House.

The bill would criminalize abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy, introducing fines and jail sentences - up to five years  for those who perform or attempt an abortion.

The measure would not penalize women seeking abortions after 20 weeks and would allow the procedure in the case of rape, incest, or to save the life of the mother.

Pro-choice groups have come out in staunch opposition to the bill, calling it cruel and unconstitutional.

"20 week abortion bans are: unpopular, unconstitutional, part of the agenda to ban ALL abortion, tweeted Planned Parenthood.

The Guttmacher Institute's director of public policy, Heather Boonstra, wrote in an op-ed for The Hill, saying the bills claim that unborn children can feel pain after 20 weeks is not supported by the preponderance of scientific evidence.

She also slammed the bills "particularly callous and cruel rape and incest exceptions" that require women to wait 48 hours and have two doctor visits with two different abortion providers before being allowed an abortion.

A similar bill passed the House back in 2015 but was later blocked by Senate Democrats, The Hill reported.

The new abortion bill is likely to pass the Republican-majority House but it might face opposition in the Senate where the rules require larger majority  meaning Republicans would need to sway at least eight Democrats to pass the bill.
A familiar partisan divide was on display Tuesday at the Supreme Court in a case examining complaints that Wisconsin Republicans went too far in drawing electoral districts for maximum political advantage.

In a lively hour of oral arguments, the justices appeared at odds over whether the lawmakers created "extreme" legislative boundaries that benefited Republicans but were out of balance with the state's political makeup.

"It's okay to stack the decks so that for 10 years or an indefinite period of time one party, even though it gets a minority of votes, can get the majority of seats?" Justice Sonia Sotomayor asked, rhetorically.

Justice Neil Gorsuch, though, questioned whether such a court-mandated formula was possible or desirable.

"So what's this court supposed to do, a pinch of this, a pinch of that? Or are we supposed to actually specify a uniform standard," he asked. "That doesn't seem very fair to the states to me, to know what they're supposed to do to avoid the kind of litigation we're talking about."

The case on gerrymandering, which even brought actor-turned-politician Arnold Schwarzenegger to D.C. Tuesday in support of changes, could have far-reaching implications for elections well beyond Wisconsin.

The court is being asked to endorse a standard for redistricting that would apply nationwide. The stakes are huge: the balance of power in state legislatures and Congress could tip in coming years, particularly after the 2020 census, when voting boundaries will be redrawn based on population changes.

After having lost the White House and Congress in 2008, Republicans undertook a complex plan to win control of state legislatures around the country in the 2010 mid-terms, so they could shape congressional districts going forward. They were wildly successful, and Democrats now hope a high court ruling in their favor will help them chip away at GOP gains.

After lower federal courts struck down Wisconsin's 2011 voting boundaries, state officials asked the high court for a "workable" legal standard to determine when partisan gerrymandering is impermissibly extreme.

In closely divided "purple" Wisconsin, the GOP still has a 64-35 advantage in the state Assembly and a 20-13 edge in the state Senate. This, despite President Trump winning the 2016 election by a single percentage point in that swing state.

The justices have traditionally been reluctant to wade too deeply into the gerrymandering issue, with several on the bench believing it is a political issue best handled outside the courts.

'I say 'hasta la vista' to gerrymandering.'  Arnold Schwarzenegger, on Supreme Court redistricting case

"The court is ultimately going to decide, number one: is this an issue we as a court can decide and resolve, or is it something best left to the political branches?" said Thomas Dupree, a former top Bush Justice Department official. "And number two-- if it is something we can decide, what the heck do we do?"

Justice Anthony Kennedy seems to be the decisive vote for any major intervention, with court watchers citing a 2004 concurrence. Kennedy said he "would not foreclose all possibility of judicial relief if some limited and precise rationale were found to correct an established violation of the Constitution in some redistricting cases."

In Tuesday's oral arguments, Kennedy appeared open to the idea of this court getting involved. He repeatedly pressed lawyers representing Wisconsin to answer whether a constitutional violation was at issue, and what remedy was preferred.

Other members of the court were more vocally skeptical of the Wisconsin state plan.

"What's really behind all of this? The precious right to vote, if you can stack a legislature in this way, what incentive is there for a voter to exercise his vote?" said Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. "Whether it's a Democratic district or a Republican district, the result, using this map, is preordained in most of the districts."

The increasing use of computer technology to create these maps has created competing analytical models that rely on such wonky metrics as "sensitivity testing" and "efficiency gaps." Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Stephen Breyer both jokingly called it "gobbledygook," but the justices are being asked to embrace some kind of social science statistical model going forward.

Supporters of reform included members of both major political parties, including former GOP California governor Schwarzenegger, who attended the arguments. He said the current redistricting system unfairly favors incumbents.

"You know there is something wrong with the system, and they will not fix it, the politicians," he said. "Both parties do the same thing ... I say 'hasta la vista' to gerrymandering," he added, quoting his famous movie line.

Misha Tseytlin, the state solicitor general in Wisconsin, called claims of politics gone amok to be "scare tactics not borne out by the data," and said legislators in his state acted within the law.

Justice Samuel Alito called gerrymandering "distasteful," but added, "if we're going to impose a standard on the courts it's going to have to be manageable."

Roberts worried what would happen if the high court gets involved in a every gerrymandering dispute.

"We'll have to decide in every case whether the Democrats win or the Republicans win," said Roberts. "That is going to cause very serious harm to the status and integrity of the decisions of this court in the eyes of the country."

More than three-dozen states rely on the state legislature to redraw boundaries. Other states such as California rely on an independent commission to create what supporters say would be less extreme districts. Two years ago, Kennedy was the deciding vote in a ruling allowing Arizona voters to take put the process into such a commission.

Federal courts are deciding whether Maryland's Democrat-crafted maps go too far, and similar lawsuits challenge the GOP-controlled version in North Carolina and Pennsylvania.

The high court case is Gill v. Whitford (16-1161). A ruling is expected by next summer.
The Environmental Protection Agency awarded more than $540 million worth of often-sensitive information security contracts during the last two years of the Obama administration without learning whether the contractors now doing the jobs have gotten special role-based training required for their tasks, according to an internal audit report.

Indeed, the EPA, at the time the audit was conducted, was unaware of the number of contractors who actually had significant information security responsibilities and required such training, the audit says  and largely didnt even track contractors to see if they met the training requirements.

Nor had the agency reported any of the training lapses to the White House Office of Management and Budget, as required, for either of the two fiscal years, 2015 and 2016, a period when the EPA was under the direction of Administrator Gina McCarthy.

The federal governments fiscal year runs from October of the previous year through October of the designated year.

As a result, the audit declares in carefully oblique prose: EPA management lacks the necessary data to make risk-based decisions about the capabilities of its contractor workforce charged with protecting the confidentiality, integrity and availability of the agencys network and data.

Translation: EPA officials had no way of knowing whether the contractors were always capable of keeping its cyber-networks and their data secure or not, because it neither evaluated them for significant information security responsibilities nor provided role-based training for them, as required both by law and by internal administrative guidelines.

Moreover, without consistently developing contractor employee skills to counter cyberattacks, EPA [computer] applications are more likely to be compromised by a security breach where personally identifiable and other information could be lost or altered. This could lead to compromised identities, or the potential for environmental data used to protect and improve human health and the environment being altered or erased.

The 11-page audit by EPAs Office of Inspector General (OIG) concerning the glaring info-security lapses, and accompanying preliminary responses from EPA officials, was finished last July, but the agency told Fox News last week it is still working on its formal replies. Auditors worked on the project for more than a year, from March 2016 through April 2017.

CLICK HERE FOR THE AUDIT

Some of the work being carried out by those untracked contractors is far from trivial. Based on a sampling of five of 688 EPA contracts that nonetheless covered roughly 30 percent of the overall $546.5 million total, these areas included:

? Information technology hosting service at EPAs National Computing Center, located in Research Triangle Park in North Carolina, and self-described as one of the largest computer centers in the United States. The NCC is EPAs main nerve center. It provides large scale computing services for EPA nationwide, including administrative activities as well as telecommunications and e-mail, and advanced supercomputing for scientific research in air quality protection and other environmental studies, according to the NCC website, not to mention EPAs information security.

? The custom application management contract at the same National Center, which focuses on ensuring that computer applications are fine-tuned appropriately in such areas as security, performance and disaster-proofing.

? Operation and maintenance support for EPAs own procurement system, which currently lists about $4.4 billion in contracts as of May 2017;

? The general information technology contract for EPAs desktop applications, security partitioning, and remote access, among other things.

The lapses in the EPAs cybersecurity training cycles spanned a period that started three months after the Obama administration launched a much-publicized 30-Day Sprint to patch cybersecurity vulnerabilities in 2015, after some of the biggest hacks of U.S. government data in history at the White House Office of Personnel Management.

The lapses in procedure, and failure to report the shortcomings, also came more than two years after the massive U.S. intelligence breaches carried out by notorious leaker Edward Snowden, many of them accomplished while he was an information security contractor with the ultra-sensitive National Security Agency.

The EPA, of course, is by no means as sensitive a government agency as the ultra-secret NSA.

Nonetheless, in the new atmosphere of concern for information security vulnerabilities of all kinds, the OIG watchdogs found that in three of the contacts they inspected, which included the NCC and procurement systems, there was no language at all demanding contractors complete the required training.

The auditors also discovered that EPA personnel overseeing the contractors were themselves not often aware of the demand for special contractor training and only one of them ensured that any contractors got the appropriate training.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, even before the auditors finished their investigation, things began to change. By the end of 2016, their report says, the EPA told them that the agency had developed standard contract clauses to require contractor compliance with federal information security requirements, including the specialized training.

New contracts for 2017, the audit report says, are being reviewed to make sure they contain the new language.

However, the report adds, the official said no milestone dates have been established to review existing contracts for the inclusion of the clauses.

The auditors offered a number of recommendations, including inclusion of its new information security clauses, in all existing and future information technology contracts and task orders, not to mention getting a list of all the contractors in sensitive positions that they are already supposed to be tracking, and recording whether they are getting the required specialized training or not.

The question is when? Under a timetable appended to the audit, the EPA was supposed to implement a strategy for updating all those past contracts by the end of June 2017. It also was supposed to report the number of contractors in special positions, as required by law, by the end of September.

It is additionally supposed to implement a process to have appropriate EPA officials maintain a listing of sensitive contractor personnel and make the EPA bureaucrats accountable to the agencys Chief Information Security Officer for ensuring that the appropriate training takes placeby the end of 2018.

And EPA is supposed to the update its procurement policies to include cyber-security tasksthe training issue among themonly by the end of October 2019.

All of that, however, is apparently still preliminary. In response to a question from Fox News late last week, an EPA spokesperson declared that two internal EPA offices are still working to develop our formal response [to the audit] and a timeline for delivering that response.
The Republican-controlled House on Tuesday approved a bill that would ban abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy -- a measure backed by the Trump White House but still facing long odds in the Senate.

The measure passed 237 to 189.

So often we get caught up in the policies of this issue and we forget that these are babies, for goodness sake," Alabama Republican Rep. Martha Roby said in a speech on the House floor. "They feel pain and we need to protect them.



The measure faced strong opposition from abortion-rights lawmakers.

When abortion is banned, it does not go away, Oregon Democratic Rep. Suzanne Bonamici said on the floor before the vote. It drives women to unsafe back alleys and to dangerous self-induced abortion.



The White House said Monday that it strongly supports the efforts to secure critical pro-life protections and that the bill provides children with the stronger protections they deserve.

The bill, if enacted into law, would help to facilitate the culture of life to which our Nation aspires, the White House also said in a statement. Additionally, the bill would promote a science-based approach to unborn life, as recent advancements have revealed that the physical structures necessary to experience pain are developed within 20 weeks of fertilization.

The measure, if enacted into law, would allow the procedure after 20 weeks in cases of rape, incest or to save the life of the mother and would not penalize women. However, it would criminalize other abortions after 20 weeks and punish abortion providers with a maximum five-year jail sentence.

The landmark 1973 Supreme Court case Roe v. Wade protects womens right to have an abortion. However, more than a dozen states now ban them after 20 weeks.

Its science: unborn babies feel pain by at least 20 weeks. Late, dismemberment abortions are too extreme for America. #TheyFeelPain, bill sponsor Rep. Trent Franks, R-Ariz., tweeted ahead of the vote Monday.

Franks' bill enjoyed the support of fellow conservatives in the GOP conference and from the influential Susan B. Anthony List pro-life group.

However, the bill needs the unlikely support of at least eight Democrats to pass in the narrowly GOP-controlled Senate.

South Carolina GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham has companion legislation that could be introduced as early as Tuesday, a congressional source told Fox News.

Senate Democrats rejected a similar House bill in 2015.

"20 week abortion bans are: unpopular, unconstitutional, part of the agenda to ban ALL abortion, tweeted Planned Parenthood.

Fox News' Joseph Weber and Alex Pappas contributed to this report.
Top health officials from the Obama administration testified Tuesday that Sen. Robert Menendez pressured them to change a long-standing Medicare policy in a way that would benefit the Florida ophthalmologist at the center of the New Jersey Democrats corruption trial.

Menendez is accused of accepting campaign donations, gifts and vacations from his friend Dr. Salomon Melgen. In return, Menendez allegedly used his Senate powers to lobby on behalf of Melgens business interests.

Then-Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, the highest-level Obama official to testify in the case, took the stand Tuesday to describe a meeting she had with Menendez in the office of then-Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. Prosecutors previously filed brief said that meeting was held in August 2012 and alleged Menendez personally pressured Sebelius to intervene over a Medicare payment policy, though Sebelius balked.

Giving her side of the story, Sebelius testified Tuesday that the gist of the conversation involved Menendezs unhappiness over the policy, which he felt was unclear and unfair to providers. The policy happened to be at the center of a billing dispute involving Melgen.

He felt this was a policy that needed attention and was not fair to health care providers, Sebelius said Tuesday.  I basically reiterated what I knew about this practice and what I knew about the policy, which was I thought the policy was clear.

She added, To me it was pretty simple, and noted that she didnt think it was a very satisfactory meeting for Menendez.

Sebelius also said it was unusual for Reid to invite her to a meeting involving another member of Congress. It was actually the only time in five and a half years that this occurred, she said.

But Sebelius wasnt the only Obama health official with whom Menendez met. Two months earlier, Menendez met with then-Acting Administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Marilyn Tavenner, who also testified Tuesday.

Their meeting apparently ended on a similar note  with the health official pushing back, and Menendez allegedly dissatisfied.

Tavenner testified Tuesday that she met Menendez in his office in June 2012 to discuss the Medicare payment policy.

What he was asking me was to take a look at the policy, and the policy went back for a few years, Tavenner testified. And he was questioning the clarity of the policy and [asked] if I would take a look.

She suggested that when Menendez determined Tavenner would not be altering the policy, he seemed to want to take his request up the ranks.

I think he was not happy. He told me he was disappointed, that he felt there should have been changes, Tavenner testified. And that he did not intend to let it stand. He intended to take it to the next steps.

Tavenner, who worked for CMS for five years, explained that those next steps would include bringing the issue to Sebelius.

According to court documents filed in 2016, CMS in 2009 suspected Melgen had overbilled Medicare for $8.9 million from 2007-2008 by engaging in a prohibited practice known as multi-dosing. According to court documents, the Medicare policy required that each patient receiving the drug Lucentis be treated using a separate vial, but Melgen routinely used the extra solution from a single vial to treat multiple patients. CMS believed Melgen was paid for more vials of the drug than he actually used.

According to Tavenner, the changes to the Medicare payment policy Menendez allegedly proposed would have benefitted Melgen, though she did not recall Melgens name coming up in the June 2012 meeting.

HARRY REID EXPECTED TO BE CALLED TO TESTIFY IN MENENDEZ TRIAL, SOURCE SAYS

Menendez has proclaimed his innocence in the case. When the trial opened last month, his lawyers said the case is not about corruption or bribery but about a long-term friendship.

Reid also is expected to be called to testify in the Menendez trial. The former Senate Democratic leaders name re-emerged weeks ago in the case, when prosecutors said he was first enlisted by Menendez in November 2011 to advocate for Melgen in the ongoing dispute with Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS.)

Reid already has met with the Justice Department and the FBI in connection with the investigation, back in 2015.

Court documents claim that Reid reached out to the White House deputy chief of staff in 2011 about Menendez being upset about how a Florida ophthalmologist was being treated by CMS. Prosecutors said the White House deputy chief of staff demurred as it involved a dispute between a single doctor and an administrative agency, not a policy matter.

In June 2012, Melgen also apparently flew Reid on his companys private plane from Washington to Boston and back, but Menendez was not present, according to a source with knowledge of the situation.

Reid did not respond to Fox News request for comment.

Fox News' Tara Prindiville and Whitney Ksiazek contributed to this report.
Defense Secretary Jim Mattis testified Tuesday that the United States should remain in the Iran nuclear deal, as President Trump weighs whether to renew the controversial agreement ahead of an Oct. 15 deadline.

The president has been highly critical of the Obama-era pact, as recently as last month calling it one of the "worst deals" he's ever seen.

But Mattis and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph Dunford both indicated support for the agreement during a hearing Tuesday before the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Mattis was pressed by Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, on whether he thought there was a national security interest to remain in the Iran deal.

Yes, sir. I do, Mattis said.

Late last month, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson suggested that the president had made his decision on whether to withdraw from the agreement but had not shared that decision externally.

The president, who has twice re-certified the deal since taking office, has repeatedly slammed the arrangement. He told reporters last month that it's not "fair" and should never have been made.

But Trump has not said whether he plans to re-certify Iran's compliance by the Oct. 15 deadline. Denying certification could lead the U.S. to reintroduce sanctions, which could lead Iran to walk away from the deal or even restart some nuclear activities it had engaged in prior to the 2015 agreement.

Dunford testified Tuesday that Iran, however, is following the requirements of the deal.

The agreement right now, what I testified to last week, Iran is not in material breach of the agreement, Dunford told lawmakers on the panel. And I do believe the agreement, to date, has delayed the development of nuclear capability by Iran.

Mattis noted that while he believes it is in the best interest of the U.S. to abide by the nuclear deal, the administration is very alert to any cheating by the Iranians.

The amount of misconduct, I would call it, internationally, whether it be with ballistic missiles, rhetoric, support to terrorists, threats to our friends, Arab and Israel in the region by Iran, are areas that they are open to a great deal, I think, of censure by the international community, Mattis said. We are not naive about their agreement on the nuclear issue, and we are being very alert to any cheating on that right now.

Congress requires the president to certify the Iran deal every 90 days under law.

They are two different pieces, Mattis said, referring to the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act and the international agreement. Ive been dealing with the president and the secretary of state and it is being considered in terms of security for the U.S.the law plus the agreement.

Fox News' Lucas Tomlinson and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
Mitch McConnell, the Senate majority leader, called it both inappropriate and premature to discuss whether Congress should consider gun control legislation in the wake of Sundays massacre in Las Vegas, where 59 people were killed and more than 500 were injured by a crazed gunman who shot concertgoers from a high-rise casino hotel room.

Look the investigation has not even been completed, and I think its premature to be discussing legislative solutions, if there are any, McConnell told reporters, when asked if he could support new gun restrictions in response to the countrys deadliest mass shooting.

Pressed on the issue, McConnell said the Senates priority is still on passing tax reform.

I think it's particularly inappropriate to politicize an event like this, the Kentucky Republican said. It just happened in the last day and a half.

Democrats are calling on Congress to take action. On Monday morning, just hours after the shooting, 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton called for the defeat of a National Rifle Association-backed bill in Congress that would ease regulations on gun silencers.

The crowd fled at the sound of gunshots, Clinton tweeted. Imagine the deaths if the shooter had a silencer, which the NRA wants to make easier to get. Our grief isn't enough. We can and must put politics aside, stand up to the NRA, and work together to try to stop this from happening again.

Likewise, Connecticut Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy, an ardent proponent of gun control, blasted what he referred to as legislative indifference on guns.

It's time for Congress to get off its ass and do something," he said.

On Tuesday, President Trump wouldnt discuss whether he thought there should be new gun control measures, but suggested hes open to a debate about gun laws in the United States at a later date.

HILLARY CLINTON SLAMMED FOR STATEMENT ON GUNS AFTER LAS VEGAS SHOOTING

Look, we have a tragedy, the president told reporters at the White House. What happened is, in many ways, a miracle. The police department, theyve done such an incredible job. And well be talking about gun laws as time goes on.

White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said Monday its too early to discuss policy changes when authorities still havent gathered all the facts of the shooting.

There's a time and place for a political debate, but now is the time to unite as a country, Sanders said. There is currently an open and ongoing law enforcement investigation. A motive is yet to be determined.


Senate Democrats and Republicans agreed Tuesday to work together to keep protections for young illegal immigrants under DACA, in their first hearing since President Trump ended the Obama-era immigration policy -- but the partisan divide remained on full display.

Republicans called for increased border security while Democrats focused on the estimated 700,000 dreamers who would benefit from crafting a legislative alternative to the 2012 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals.

We all have empathy for these young people, who came to this country through no fault of their own. And, for many of them, it is the only country they know, Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said in his opening statement.

However, he followed up with demands that any new legislation first and foremost include robust border security.

And by that, I dont mean a wall, Grassley said. Tactical infrastructure like fencing is a part of the answer, but border security is more than that. Border security is an all-of-the-above approach and includes fencing, technology, funding for more law enforcement personnel and equipment.

Trump announced in early September that the administration would end former President Barack Obamas DACA executive action that essentially allows law-abiding illegal immigrants brought into the U.S. by their parents to live and work in the country without fear of deportation.

The administration argued federal courts were ready to strike down DACA as unconstitutional, which would put the dreamers in peril.

Trump gave Congress six months to find a legislative alternative, then struck a framework deal with House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi, California, and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, New York, that could allow the dreamers to stay with an eventual path toward citizenship.

If Republicans continue to insist on measures outside of the Dream Act and sensible border security that excludes the wall, theyre going to risk ruining a bipartisan agreement, Schumer, who is not a member of the Judiciary committee, said after the hearing Tuesday.

At the hearing, California Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the committees top Democrat, continued her partys efforts to highlight successful dreamers, in negotiating a legislative solution.

They have become a part of Americas society. And efforts to expel them, I believe, would be unconscionable, Feinstein said in opening remarks in which she also introduced Denisse Rojas, a dreamer and medical student at Mount Sinai in New York who would later testify before the committee.

I am so proud of her, Feinstein said. The last  months must have been a rollercoaster of fear and uncertainty for young Miss Rojas and the rest of those young people.

If Congress fails to act by March, dreamers work permits will begin to expire and they will become subject to deportation.

The hearing also included testimony on the issue from top officials from the Justice Department, Homeland Security Department and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

"They are a benefit to this country  They are a valuable contribution to our society," Michael Dougherty, an assistant Homeland Security secretary, testified as dozens of dreamers wearing orange shirts watched from the audience.

Dougherty; James McCament, ICEs acting director; and Chad Readler, Justices acting assistant attorney general, all said they are eager to provide Congress with technical guidance on crafting legislation but declined several requests by senators to make suggestions.

Fox News' Joseph Weber and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
President Trump visited storm-ravaged Puerto Rico on Tuesday to survey damage and talk to residents, while also meeting and briefly praising the San Juan mayor following their feud over the administration's response to Hurricane Maria.

The president, accompanied by first lady Melania Trump, participated in a packed briefing on storm recovery shortly after landing at Luis Muniz Air National Guard Base in San Juan.

San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz, who has repeatedly criticized the presidents actions since the storm wreaked havoc on the U.S. territory last month, was seen shaking Trump's hand and joining him for the briefing in a hangar.

Trump didnt mention Cruz in his remarks to the media. But  in comments that seemed meant to draw a contrast  the president singled out Ricardo Rossello, the governor of Puerto Rico, for praise.

This governor did not play politics, Trump said. He didnt play it all. He was saying it like it was. And he was giving us the highest grades.

While in Puerto Rico, Trump viewed the damage from a helicopter, participated in several briefings with officials, met storm victims and toured the USS Kearsarge. He also met with senior military personnel and government officials, including Rossello and Kenneth Mapp, the governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands, which was also severely damaged by the storm.

Now, I hate to tell you Puerto Rico, but youve thrown our budget a little bit out of whack, the president said at the hangar briefing. Because weve spent a lot of money on Puerto Rico. And thats fine, weve saved a lot of lives.

The president pointed out that 16 people died in Puerto Rico because of Maria -- a death count far lower than that of a real catastrophe like Katrina in 2005.

Sixteen people versus in the thousands, Trump said. You can be very proud of all your people.

Trump's visit comes just days after getting into a high-profile spat with the San Juan mayor.

Cruz had begged the administration to "make sure somebody is in charge that is up to the task of saving lives."

Trump responded angrily on Twitter, deriding the "poor leadership ability by the Mayor of San Juan, and others in Puerto Rico, who are not able to get their workers to help."

Trump downplayed the spat with the mayor when asked about it by reporters as he departed the White House on Tuesday.

Well, I think shes come back a long way, Trump said. I think its now acknowledged what a great job weve done, and people are looking at that. And in Texas and in Florida, we get an A+. And Ill tell you what, I think weve done just as good in Puerto Rico, and its actually a much tougher situation.

But Trump added: On a local level, they have to give us more help.

After his hangar briefing, Trump walked from home to home through a neighborhood in Guaynabo, where piles of debris and downed trees were visible. Accompanied by Puerto Ricos governor, Trump greeted residents and took photos with them outside their homes.

Maria was the most powerful hurricane to hit the island in nearly a century and unleashed floods and mudslides that knocked out the island's entire electrical grid and telecommunications, along with many roads.

Nearly two weeks after the Puerto Rico storm, 95 percent of electricity customers remain without power, including some hospitals. And much of the countryside is still struggling to access such basic necessities as food, fresh water and cash.

Trump and other administration officials have worked in recent days to reassure Americans that recovery efforts are going well and combat a perception that the president failed to fully grasp the magnitude of the storm's destruction in its immediate aftermath.

While early response efforts were hampered by logistical challenges, officials say that conditions, especially in the capital, have improved.

According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, there are now more than 10,000 federal officials on the ground on the island, and 45 percent of customers now have access to drinking water. Businesses are also beginning to re-open, with 60 percent of retail gas stations now up and running.

Marine Corps Gen. Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the Senate Armed Services Committee during a hearing on Tuesday that the United States military has 10,000 troops on the ground in Puerto Rico.

A number of top officials joined the president for Tuesday's trip, including Jenniffer Gonzalez-Colon, Puerto Ricos representative in Congress, Energy Secretary Rick Perry, acting Homeland Security Secretary Elaine Duke, EPA administrator Scott Pruitt, Small Business administrator Linda McMahon and Homeland Security adviser Tom Bossert.

FEMA administrator Brock Long is also in Puerto Rico.

Fox News' Lucas Tomlinson and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
President Trump told Puerto Rico officials during a visit to the hurricane-ravaged island Tuesday that they should be proud of a death toll that is lower than that of other disasters like Katrina.

The awkward exchange took place during a briefing Trump attended minutes after touching down in San Juan.

Every death is a horror, but if you look at a real catastrophe like Katrina, and you look at the tremendous, hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of people that died, and you look at what happened here with really a storm that was just totally overpowering. Nobody's ever seen anything like this," Trump said.

He then paused and asked, What is your death count?

When told the number still stands at 16, Trump said, Sixteen people versus in the thousands  you can be very proud."

Puerto Rico officials have indicated in recent days, though, that the situation remains dire for many residents.

San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz, who has repeatedly criticized the presidents actions since the storm wreaked havoc on the U.S. territory, attended Tuesdays briefing and was seen shaking Trump's hand.

Trump also took a swipe at the cost of the storm response Tuesday.

Youre throwing our budget a little out of whack, because weve spent a lot of money on Puerto Rico, and thats fine. Weve saved a lot of lives, he said.
President Donald Trump is embarking on a trip to Puerto Rican capital San Juan in the wake of criticism from local politicians for the allegedly weak response to Hurricane Maria that destroyed the U.S. territory.

There's nothing left. It's been wiped out," Trump said last week about Puerto Rico following the hurricane that left most people without power and fresh drinking water. "Nobody has ever seen anything like it."

The president is expected to spend at least five hours in Puerto Rico during which he will meet first responders, local politicians and some residents. He is expected to meet with Gov. Ricardo Rossell, visit a local church, and attend briefings. Accompanied by first lady Melania Trump, they also will meet Marine Corps and Navy personnel.

It will be Trumps fourth trip to a region devastated by natural disasters, including Texas, Florida, Louisiana, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Most Puerto Rican politicians have worked closely with the Trump administration in coordinating the recovery efforts, but some local politicians have attacked Trump for, in their view, lousy response to the disaster.

"We are dying, and you are killing us with the inefficiency," San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz slammed the Trump administration during a press conference last Friday, adding that a genocide is looming if the crisis is not handled.

Trump has fired back at criticism, tweeting: Such poor leadership ability by the Mayor of San Juan, and others in Puerto Rico, who are not able to get their workers to help. They want everything to be done for them when it should be a community effort. 10,000 Federal workers now on Island doing a fantastic job.

FEMA reportedly said there are more than 10,000 federal personnel on the island providing vital recovery support. Nearly 50 percent of people now have access to drinking water, the agency added.

Hurricane Maria has exacerbated the dire situation in Puerto Rico, a territory that has been in economic recession for about a decade and undergoing a debt crisis. The economic woes left the countrys infrastructure in a sorry state, making the recovery harder.

Almost two weeks after the hurricane slammed the territory, more than 90 percent of residents are still left without power. Some hospitals reportedly have no power as well. Rural areas still struggle to access essential needs such as food, fresh water or medicine.

Trumps visit is thought to be about fixing the perception among some that the administration has neglected the response to the crisis. White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said Monday the trip will be about the recovery to which the administration is fully committed to.

"The top priority for the federal government is certainly to protect the lives and the safety of those in affected areas and provide life-sustaining services as we work together to rebuild their lives," she said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The U.S. has ordered the expulsion of 15 Cuban diplomats from their embassy in Washington following mysterious attacks on American officials in Havana.

U.S. officials said the diplomats must leave the country within seven days. While the move is described as an "expulsion," the U.S. isn't declaring them "persona non grata" -- a designation that would prevent them from ever returning, according to a State Department official.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Tuesday the decision was made because Cuba failed to protect diplomats on its soil -- without directly blaming Cuba for the attacks on Americans in Havana.

"The decision was made due to Cuba's failure to take appropriate steps to protect our diplomats in accordance with its obligations under the Vienna Convention," Tillerson said in a statement.

The U.S. is also withdrawing 60 percent of U.S. diplomats from the embassy in Havana as a result of the unexplained attacks that have harmed at least 22 American government workers and their family members.

"Until the government of Cuba can ensure the safety of our diplomats in Cuba, our embassy will be reduced to emergency personnel to minimize the number of diplomats at risk of exposure to harm," Tillerson said. "We continue to maintain diplomatic relations with Cuba, and will continue to cooperate with Cuba as we pursue the investigation into these attacks."

The Cuban government called the move "hasty" and "irresponsible," according to the Associated Press.

Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez denied Cuba's involvement in the attacks in a news conference.

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly protests and condemns this unfounded and unacceptable decision as well as the pretext to justify it," Rodriguez said.

At least 22 U.S. Embassy employees on the communist-run island have reported injuries from attacks "of an unknown nature," according to the State Department. Symptoms have included ear issues, hearing loss, dizziness, headache, fatigue, cognitive issues and difficulty sleeping.

The State Department said last week that investigators have been unable to determine who is responsible or what is causing these attacks.

On Friday, the Trump administration ordered the departure of non-emergency personnel assigned to the U.S. Embassy in Havana, as well as all family members. The U.S. also issued a travel warning advising American citizens to avoid travel to Cuba.

"We have no reports that private U.S. citizens have been affected, but the attacks are known to have occurred in U.S. diplomatic residences and hotels frequented by U.S. citizens," Tillerson said.

The Associated Press, citing unnamed U.S. officials, reported that American intelligence operatives in Cuba were among the first and most severely affected victims.

In some of these cases, U.S. operatives have suffered brain injury and hearing loss that has not healed, according to the AP. The American spies affected also reported hearing an unsettling sound inside and sometimes outside their Havana homes, described as similar to loud crickets. Then they fell ill with a range of physical symptoms.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Philosopher Jeremy Bentham's severed head will put on display for exhibit, with scientists also looking to see if the famed eccentric may have had autism.

Bentham, who died in 1832, was a leading philosopher during the late 18th and early 19th century, weighing in on issues such as social and economic reform. He established the "greatest happiness principle," which brought about the idea that the greatest happiness to the greatest number of people was the measure of right and wrong.

The exhibition positions Benthams head within the context of his scholarship and his beliefs, with reference to prevailing ideas of the time about death and dead bodies," Subhadra Das, Curator of Collections, UCL Culture, said in a press release. "It asks the question, 'why did he believe donation was important'? And forces us to ask what that means to us today.

ANCIENT PUZZLE: 4,000-YEAR-OLD DECAPITATED TOADS FOUND IN ISRAELI TOMB

Bentham was an atheist, who said the teachings of the church at the time were "nonsense on stilts." As a result, he was opposed to a traditional Christian burial.

The body has been on public display at University College London, but due to a mistake with the mummification process, Bentham's head has been thought too distasteful to show in the past, being checked only once a year for upkeep, including checking that the skin and hair are not falling off, according to The Telegraph.

Scientists have also taken samples of the famed philosopher's DNA to see if he has Aspergers or autism.

Das said that by putting his head on display, it allows scientists to find out the truth about his mental state, as Asperger's or autism have genetic components to them.

It has also allowed scientists to test his DNA to see if he was autistic," Das said. "We have been working with the Natural History Museum who have new techniques of studying ancient DNA."

HITLER MAY HAVE COME CLOSE TO BUILDING ATOMIC BOMB, GERMAN TREASURE HUNTER FINDS

Studying ancient DNA is like looking at the shredded pages of a book, so much information is missing," he added. "And we have found that 99 per cent of the DNA taken has come from bacteria in his mouth. So it may be tricky to come to a firm conclusion. We want to explore what drove Bentham to donate his body, but also to address the challenges of putting this type of material on display.

The exhibition runs from October 2 2017 to February 28 2018 at the Octagon Gallery, Wilkins Building, UCL.
A new examination of old data suggests that there might be ice hiding in the Martian equator, even though scientists previously thought that the substance couldn't exist there.

Scientists uncovered an unexpected amount of hydrogen when looking at older data from NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft dating back to between 2002 and 2009. At higher latitudes, hydrogen generally indicates buried water ice, but this was not believed possible at the equator, according to a statement from NASA.

If there is indeed water there, this would help with a future human mission to Mars, because it could mean the astronauts wouldn't need to bring the substance with them for drinking, cooling equipment or watering plants, researchers said in the statement. Instead, the astronauts could live off the land to an extent, reducing the number of resources that need to be trucked (at higher cost) from Earth. [How The Search for Water on Mars in Pictures]

Mars Odyssey's first major discovery, in 2002, was also linked to water; the spacecraft found buried hydrogen at high latitudes, and the 2008 landing of the Phoenix Mars lander confirmed that there was water ice. However, at lower latitudes, measurements of hydrogen were explained as hydrated minerals (which other spacecraft have also observed). Researchers didn't think water ice was thermodynamically stable in those areas.

For this new study, the researchers analyzed data collected using Mars Odyssey's neutron spectrometer. The instrument is not designed to directly detect water, but by measuring neutrons, it can detect signatures of hydrogen, which can mark the presence of water or other hydrogen-bearing substances.

The science team reduced the blurring or "noise" in Odyssey's data using image-reconstruction techniques based on those used for other spacecraft and for medicine, according to the statement. This improved the spatial resolution of the data to 180 miles (290 kilometers), twice the previous resolution of 320 miles (520 km).

"It was as if we'd cut the spacecraft's orbital altitude in half, and it gave us a much better view of what's happening on the surface," Jack Wilson, the study's principal investigator and a postdoctoral researcher at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Maryland, said in the statement. Using those closer views, the researchers saw even higher levels of hydrogen, suggestive of water.

Their work focused on equatorial areas, particularly in zones around the Medusae Fossae formation, an area that includes material that is easy to erode. Previous observations from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and the European Space Agency's Mars Express orbiter suggested there might be volcanic deposits or water ice just below the surface. Scientists, however, were skeptical that it was water ice, because "if the detected hydrogen were buried ice within the top meter [3.3 feet] of the surface, there would be more than would fit into pore space in soil," Wilson said.

The study's scientists emphasized that more evidence is needed to conclude that the signature indeed comes from water ice. They're not too sure how the water was preserved, they said; perhaps ice and dust flowing from the poles moved through the atmosphere when Mars had a steeper axis tilt than today. However, it's been at least hundreds of thousands of years since those conditions existed, and the water ice deposited back then shouldn't be around anymore, the researchers said. (This would be true even if, somehow, dust or a crust at the surface trapped the humidity underground, the scientists added.)

"Perhaps the signature could be explained in terms of extensive deposits of hydrated salts, but how these hydrated salts came to be in the formation is also difficult to explain," Wilson said. "So, for now, the signature remains a mystery worthy of further study, and Mars continues to surprise us."

The new work was detailed Sept. 28 in the journal Icarus.

Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com.
Google's latest hardware event is almost here, and it's slated to be a big one.

While the upcoming Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL smartphones will likely be the stars of the show, we're also expecting big new announcements for Google Home, as well as the debut of an ultra-premium Chromebook. From sexy new phones to stunning augmented reality tech, here's everything to expect from Google on Oct. 4, and where to watch all the big reveals.

When and Where to Watch

Google's big hardware showcase will kick off on Oct. 4 at 12 p.m. ET, and will be livestreamed on the company's YouTube channel. We'll be on the ground in California covering all the big news as it happens, so be sure to check back right here for all the latest announcements and hands-on impressions.

Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL

Google is set to finally unveil the much anticipated sequels to its Pixel phone, which became an Android favorite last year, thanks to its excellent camera and pure software experience. The Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL are expected to build on that foundation, offering faster performance, curved OLED displays (at least on the XL), waterproof bodies, and, potentially, squeezable frames that let you summon Google Assistant by simply squeezing the phones.

LG is rumored to be building the Pixel 2 XL, while Google's newly-acquired HTC is expected to be working on the Pixel 2. The Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL will likely have 5- and 6-inch displays, respectively, will run on powerful Snapdragon 835 chips, and may ditch the headphone jack, which would be controversial. Expect the Pixel 2 to start at $649, and the Pixel 2 XL at a much more premium $849.

Pixelbook

Chromebooks are known for affordability, but they might soon welcome an ultra-premium member to the family with Google's rumored Pixelbook. This purported high-end Chromebook could feature a 2-in-1 convertible design, complete with a touchscreen and a special Pixelbook Pen designed for accurate drawing.

While Chromebooks typically run almost entirely on web-based applications, the Pixelbook could be different.The highest-end version of Google's notebook is expected to sport a 512GB hard drive (for a whopping $1,749), suggesting that the Pixelbook could launch with a new hybrid software that blends together Chrome OS and Android for more robust app functionality.

Google Home Max and Mini

The Google Home could get two major new variations that would help Google continue to compete with Amazon for smart speaker dominance. According to leaked images, the first of these devices will be the Google Home Mini, a $49 puck-shaped speaker that will come in a variety of colors and looks like a direct answer to Amazon's Echo Dot.

We also might see a higher-end Google Home Max, according to a report from 9to5Google . The Max could feature stereo speakers to deliver higher-quality sound, and is expected to sport "premium" materials. It's unclear whether this device will be a dedicated speaker such as Apple's upcoming $349 HomePod , or a hybrid touchscreen device such as the new $229 Amazon Echo Show . Either way, it'll probably be expensive, and will hopefully sound great.

Daydream and ARCore

Expect to hear updates on both virtual- and augmented reality at Google's big event. Google's Daydream VR headset is approaching its one-year anniversary, and could get three new models that come in charcoal black, fog gray and coral -- just like the leaked Google Home Mini. According to DroidLife , these new models will cost $99, which is a $20 price bump over last year's model. No word yet on what kinds of technical upgrades to expect, nor what kind of new VR content Google has up its sleeve.

There's also Google's new ARCore technology, which is poised to compete with Apple's ARKit by enabling developers to create all kinds of cool AR experiences for your Android devices. Google first unveiled the tech in August, and we expect to see some substantial demos of it in action once Oct. 4 rolls around.
"Sex for me is ... perhaps the single greatest humanizing force on this earth," Hugh Hefner said during a 1974 interview with CBS, sitting alongside Protestant theologian Harvey Cox. "It would be a rather sad planet if there weren't two sexes. And I think that we've managed to use and abuse and misunderstand our sexuality."

"Sex is cheap," sociologist Mark Regnerus at the University of Texas at Austin, explains in his book, "Cheap Sex: The Transformation of Men, Marriage and Monogamy. "It is more widely available, at lower cost to all than ever before in human history. ... Cheap sex has been mass-produced with the help of two distinctive means that have little to do with each other -- the wide uptake of the Pill and mass-produced high-quality pornography -- and then made more efficient by communication technologies. They drive the cost of sex down, make real commitment more 'expensive' and challenging to navigate, ... put women's fertility at risk -- driving up demand for infertility treatments -- and have taken a toll on men's marriageability ... Cheap sex does not make marriage unappealing; it just makes marriage less urgent and more difficult to accomplish."

Playboy was certainly on the cutting edge of the sexual revolution, albeit in ways that seem relatively quaint compared to what's taken as convention these days. Regnerus opens the book with the story of a 32-year-old named Sarah, who is essentially looking for love in all the wrong places, so to speak. Adrift in a sea of casual relationships, she still wants marriage someday -- only nothing she's doing is likely to get her there, as Regnerus' research makes clear.

And his is no "wistful" ode to an era that never was, but a clear-eyed look at what's going on. Regnerus writes with compassion about Sarah and other woman in the U.S. "mating market." His chronicle of the situation, based on extensive numbers and interviews, shows what misery the Playboy Philosophy, as it were, has wrought. It's one fueled by medicine -- primarily, birth control -- and an ideological idolization of a false freedom that changed not just mores, but expectations and led to utter incoherence in individual lives.

"Despite shrinking double standards and growing egalitarianism, something seems amiss with sex these days," Regnerus writes. "Most Americans -- left or right, religious or not -- can sense it. ... Online porn is now standard operating procedure for a near-majority of men. We construct comprehensive identities and communities around sexual attraction in a way unfamiliar to most of the Western world, including Western Europe. Cultural struggles over marriage continue -- now out of the political limelight -- in households, congregations and workplaces. Meanwhile, the common date has eroded, now quaint in light of the ubiquitous, unromantic hookup. ... We can't seem to get enough of sex -- so we focus on technique -- but what we get is leaving us hungering for still more or longing for some emotion or transcendent satisfaction that cheap sex seems to promise but seldom delivers. Social and interpersonal trust erodes; solitude and atomization increase. Mothers and fathers split. In light of these common realities, how many of us would confidently declare that yes, these are the best of times in American sexuality, that we are making progress, that we have modeled a template of more satisfying, fulfilling sexual unions?"

Hugh Hefner has been quoted talking about the devastation of infidelity -- his first wife cheated on him. He also said, during that CBS interview, "I think that there are certain aspects of adolescence that might be best retained for a lifetime." Pretending this is a healthy attitude would fall on the immature side of our perpetual adolescent times and would mean we've learned nothing from Hefner's life and legacy. Hefner's passing invites us to get moving on next steps, so love won't be lost more permanently -- out of reach for so many -- to a state of misery pretending to be freedom.

Kathryn Jean Lopez is senior fellow at the National Review Institute, editor-at-large of National Review Online and founding director of Catholic Voices USA. She can be contacted at klopez@nationalreview.com
Fake news quickly surfaced on Facebook and Googles platforms in the aftermath of Sundays massacre in Las Vegas that left 59 people dead and more than 500 injured.

News reports emerged that Facebooks Safety Check feature surfaced fake news on Monday. Safety Check lets users notify friends and family that they are safe and its crisis response page also surfaces news stories related to the event.

Fast Company reports the page featured a news story from blog Alt-Right News that contained inaccurate information related to the horrific shooting in Las Vegas. The story was subsequently removed from the page.

PRESIDENT OBAMA WARNED MARK ZUCKERBERG ABOUT FAKE NEWS ON FACEBOOK, REPORT SAYS

We recognize that accurate information is critical during a crisis. Yesterday our crisis page included links to articles that contained incorrect information," explained a Facebook spokesman, in a statement emailed to Fox News. "These should never have shown up and our team removed them within minutes. We are working to fix the issue that caused these articles to appear in the first place and deeply regret the confusion this caused.

When Safety Check was activated after the mass shooting in Las Vegas, a crisis page was automatically created, containing publicly posted content to help people stay informed and tools such as fundraisers.

The Verge reports that scammers also targeted the Safety Check page.

Safety Check, which was launched in 2014, has already been used in response to major events such as the Brussels terror attacks, the bombing in Ankara, Turkey and the attacks that rocked Paris in 2015. In June 2016, the service was activated for the first time in the U.S. following the mass shooting at Orlando's gay nightclub Pulse.

Safety Check was also activated for the sniper attack on Dallas police officers and the terror attack in Nice, France. It was also used after the 2016 earthquake in Italy, and more, recently, during Hurricane Irma.

FACEBOOK UNCOVERS $100G IN FAKE AD SPENDING TIED TO RUSSIAN OPERATIVES DURING 2016 ELECTION

The Las Vegas attack is the deadliest in U.S. history. Authorities said Tuesday that 23 firearms were found in the Mandalay Bay hotel room of gunman Stephen Paddock.

Google has also been in the spotlight following the massacre after surfacing threads from the 4chan message board website on Monday that misidentified another man as the Las Vegas shooter.

Google told Tech Crunch that it picked the 4chan thread up from the broader Web, not its Google News feature. The search giant explained that 15 percent of the searches Google sees every day are new, so when the 4chan threads began to circulate, they rose to the top of Google's Top Stories section for specific queries.

We were briefly surfacing an inaccurate 4chan website in our Search results for a small number of queries, explained a Google spokeswoman, in a statement emailed to Fox News. Within hours, the 4chan story was algorithmically replaced by relevant results. This should not have appeared for any queries, and well continue to make algorithmic improvements to prevent this from happening in the future.

Follow James Rogers on Twitter @jamesjrogers
Images obtained by Fox 25 Boston show two of the weapons used in Sundays mass shooting in Las Vegas that left 59 people dead and more than 500 injured.

The images, which were obtained from police sources, show the rifles on the floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel room used by gunman Stephen Paddock. The shooter used the suite to unleash hundreds of rounds on a crowd of concertgoers at Sunday nights Route 91 Harvest Festival.

The mass shooting is the deadliest in U.S. history.

Ryan Cleckner, a firearms attorney at RocketFFL, identified both weapons as AR-15-style rifles. One of the rifles, he told Fox News, has a vertical foregrip and a muzzle brake on its barrel - both of which can help a shooter control a rifle during rapid fire.

LAS VEGAS SHOOTING: FACEBOOK, GOOGLE SURFACED FAKE NEWS

Cleckner also noted that one of the firearms has a bump-fire stock, which would have enabled the shooter to fire off rounds much more quickly.

Bump-firing is a technique whereby a shooter pulls a firearm forward into a stationary trigger finger. The recoil from firing sends the firearm rearward while the forward pull brings it back into contact with the trigger finger thereby firing the rifle again. "Bump-fire stocks" effectively replace a gun's standard stock, with a mechanism that aids in allowing the rifle to slide back and forth behind a stable trigger finger.

Technically, that means the trigger is being pulled once for each round fired, keeping the weapon a legal semi-automatic.

The gun is able to articulate in and out of the stock by an inch or so, said Cleckner. By using the recoil of the firearm, near automatic rates of fire can be achieved.

LAS VEGAS SHOOTING: TECH EXECS, INCLUDING TIM COOK, EXPRESS CONDOLENCES

Two officials familiar with the investigation into the shooting told the AP that Paddock had two "bump stocks." They are investigating whether those stocks were used to modify weapons used in the massacre, according to the officials, who were briefed by law enforcement and spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation is still unfolding.

"We are aware of a device called a 'bump stock' that enables an individual to speed up the discharge of ammunition," said Clark County Sheriff Joseph Lombardo, during a press conference Tuesday. ATF is evaluating the gun modifications, according to Clark.

A semi-automatic weapon requires one trigger pull for each round fired. With a fully automatic firearm, one trigger pull can unleash continuous rounds until the magazine is empty.

Cleckner also noted that the rifle has a holographic sight, which is typically used for rapid, as opposed to precision, firing. Additionally, the orangeish, brownish tint on the rifles barrel indicates recent rapid firing.

Paddock had 23 firearms in his hotel room, authorities said Tuesday. The weapons found include a handgun, and at least 10 rifles, several of them with scopes added, according to a report by Axios.

Cleckner identified the second weapon, which has a bipod and a scope, as a Daniel Defense AR-style rifle. Thats a fairly high-end rifle, he said. Youre looking at a few thousand dollars to get one of those.

The firearms expert said its hard to tell from the picture if the weapon is using .223 or .308 caliber ammunition. The latter, he explained, is better for shooting over longer distances. The presence of a bipod and a scope, however, indicate an intent to take a longer, more precise shot, according to Cleckner.

Cleckner notes that, in most states in the United States, it is legal to purchase an AR-15, provided you are 18 years or older and not a prohibited person, such as a felon. Rifles dont have to be purchased in the buyers home state of residence, but the rifle has to be deemed legal in both your home state and the state youre buying it in, he explained.

During his press conference Tuesday, Lombardo declined to comment on the legitimacy of images appearing in the media that reportedly show the interior of Paddock's hotel room just after the attack. "I can tell you that I am troubled by it," he said, adding that an investigation has been launched.

Lombardo confirmed that police found cameras located outside and inside the room, which may have been set up to alert Paddock.

The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department has not yet responded to a request for comment on this story from Fox News.

The Associated Press contributed to this article. Additional reporting by Fox News Chris Ciaccia.

Follow James Rogers on Twitter @jamesjrogers
A Disney Cruise ship is reportedly sticking to its schedule after accidentally backing into a pier in the Bahamas over the weekend.

The Disney Dream was preparing to dock in Nassau on Saturday when the incident occurred, reports Florida Today. According to footage taken by YouTuber Scott Lewitt, the ship loudly collided directly against the end of the pier, causing damage to the hull before coming to a complete stop.

IS A DISNEY CRUISE WORTH THE COST?

I knew that was going to happen, Lewitt can he heard saying in the footage. (WARNING: The clip below contains explicit language. Viewer discretion is advised.)

Disney has since told Florida Today that no one was injured in the accident, and passengers were not affected. A woman aboard the three-day cruise to the Bahamas claims she didnt even feel the impact.

FOOTAGE CAPTURES CARNIVAL CRUISE NEARLY PLOWING INTO JET SKI

"When we were backing into Nassau this morning, the Disney Dream hit the pier. We never felt a thing, wrote cruise passenger Judi Laplante on Facebook, per Florida Today. Rough seas last night and very foggy this morning, so I'm not sure of those were contributing factors or not."

The hull of the ship, meanwhile, did suffer minor damage, according to Disney, and was subsequently repaired during a scheduled stop at Castaway Cay in the Bahamas. Laplante later tweeted out a photos and video of the crews working to repair the damage to the ships stern.

Florida Today reports that the Dream maintained its original schedule and returned to Port Canaveral, in Florida, on Monday. It was also preparing to depart Monday evening on another four-day cruise to the Bahamas, just as scheduled.

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS

A representative for Disney Cruise Lines was not immediately available for comment.
Google engineer James Damore claimed in his now-infamous memo on diversity in the workplace  citing graphs and exhibits of evolutionary psychology  that women in essence are less apt to succeed in the Google tech industry than their male counterparts. Then Google fired him for perpetuating harmful gender stereotypes.

But Damore didnt just become an overnight symbol of what some consider to be misogyny. He became a martyr for mens rights in corporate America and, according to his supporters, amplifies the growing problem that a company can fire an employee for advocating point of view that may not be politically correct, even if using scientific research.

And other tech entrepreneurs have suggested that even Charles Darwin would be fired from Google for his views on the sexes.

We are in an age when free speech is being threatened by corporations. Those corporations will double down on efforts to silence political and social dissent, Paul Elam, activist and founder of A Voice For Men, told Fox News. James memo was scientifically sound. There are differences in the aptitudes, interests and life choices of men and women. The tendency in workplaces is to view the open discussion of those facts as stereotyping.

Indeed, Googles move last month not only ignited nationwide debate over what constitutes a harmful stereotype, but also raised the heated question of whether corporate speech codes have become so stifling that they suppress even the consideration of empirical evidence on gender differences in the workplace.

The bulk of scientific research on biological and socially constructed sex differences consistently demonstrates profound but complementary differences between men and women. It should be an obvious statement that women tend to perform differently in the corporate environment than men  empirically, women possess different cognitive, relational, emotional and organizational skills, asserted Chicago-area licensed clinical psychologist Dathan Paterno. But speaking to the empirical data on sex differences can be treacherous, as the modern corporate milieu encourages a subjective interpretation as inferior, rather than the more benign, objective meaning.

More and more men specifically in the corporate tech arena are said to be joining various mens rights groups to defend their stances of male-female differences, according to the New York Times, and several men in Silicon Valley have even filed employment discrimination lawsuits.

Because speech codes effectively suppress speech  implying there is wrong speech and correct speech, these codes force ignorance of empirical evidence and ironically prevent a robust appreciation of uniqueness and diversity, Paterno noted.

Speech codes, many argue, have lost their initial intention, which was to limit hateful and slanderous rhetoric, and have ventured into the murky and confining realm of denying the right to free speech. But the reality is, there is no legal right to free speech in corporate America and Google has its defenders.

EX-GOOGLE EMPLOYEE JAMES DAMORE: 'UNDERGROUND CONSERVATIVE NETWORK' IN SILICON VALLEY BEING HUNTED BY LEFTISTS

Mark Lipton, author of Mean Men: Perversion of Americas Self-Made Man, a professor of management at The New School in New York and a consultant to several high-level CEOs, contends that while the empirical research is solid and does show some thematic differences between men and women in the workplace, the data points are too often misrepresented by those who imply all men act one way and all women another.

We see women executives who act more like men than other women. And we see males who thoroughly break the stereotype of male executives by exhibiting subtle yet clear female traits, he explained. So the data is sound but the generalizations one can make at the individual level: youre a woman so I know you are going to act this way, is invalid.

And despite the outpouring of support Damore has received in bringing to light gender issues and speech codes in Americas corporate culture, Lipton insisted Google made the right retaliatory move.

The author of the memo twisted some scientific findings to suit his needs. The tone of the piece did not encourage discussion or dialogue between men and women, it served to only divide them further, he claimed. There is no right to free speech in corporations.

SILICON VALLEY SEES RISE OF VOCAL MEN'S RIGHT MOVEMENT AMID PUSH FOR GENDER PARITY

Troy Slaten, a partner at California-based employment and criminal defense firm Floyd, Skeren and Kelly, concurred that there is no such thing as free speech in the private sector, and the First Amendment is inapplicable to nongovernmental actors.

A company is free to hire and fire based on speech from its employees that it likes or dislikes, just as we saw in the Google memo. Every human resources department is freaked out about a lawsuit based on an alleged hostile work environment that, win or lose, can cost hundreds of thousands in litigation costs, he said. Anything can cause an issue in the workplace because anyone can be sued about anything at any time. This has caused companies to crack down in lots of areas.

On that note, employees are not just subject to restrictive on-the-job speech codes these days, but in all facets of their lives, often unrelated to their work  with social media posts and social settings becoming increasingly under scrutiny from employers. Even the American Bar Association last year adopted a new provision in its Model Rules of Professional Conduct, meaning that any conduct related to the practice of law, which includes interacting anywhere with coworkers, clients or personnel, could render them subject to a bar complaint if their views or actions are considered offensive by another.

While public workers and some states offer a little legal protection from being fired for political and personal views, most in Americas workforce arent offered such protections.

In addition to Damore, two male gaming developers were axed from their jobs after a female tweeted a photograph of them to public shame what she considered to be sexist jokes about big dongles, several people were reprimanded or fired for mocking the Womens March this year  including Paterno who was ordered to step down from his school board position for ridiculing the majority of vagina screechers participating in the protest for likely not having voted.

Even Nobel Prize-winning scientist Tim Hunt was Twitter-vilified before being squeezed out of multiple honorary board positions two years ago, for making a light-hearted luncheon joke about women scientists crying in the lab.

And the subjective notion of what offends, as well as the appropriateness of speech codes in discussing gender matters, is likely only to escalate as a hot-button issue in corporate America.

It has always been difficult to debate or dissent from feminist talking points in and out of the workplace for most people, Elam added, as the perception is that disagreement with feminism implies being anti-woman or anti-equal rights. Time will tell whether society responds through free enterprise, creating the demand for viable platforms predicated on freedom of expression.


A staff member is to blame for the false reports of an active shooter on the University of Southern California campus Monday afternoon, law enforcement officials said.

She reportedly told students during class that there was an active shooter in the building. The announcement came just hours after a gunman opened fire on concertgoers in Las Vegas, killing 59 people and injuring more than 520 others before turning the gun on himself.

Its unclear why the USC staffer made the false claims but Los Angeles police are questioning her.

The school went on lockdown shortly after 12 p.m. after reports surfaced of an alleged shooter on campus.

USC had sent out campuswide alerts announcing police activity near the area. They told staff and students to seek shelter and avoid the area in downtown Los Angeles.

Officers said they found no immediate signs of gunfire. Police searched in and around the building in question but found no signs of a shooter.

Less than an hour later, police gave the all-clear.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Law enforcement officials were working Monday to determine what may have motivated a gunman described as aggressively unfriendly  with an arsenal of weapons  to kill at least 59 people and wound more than 520 enjoying a country music festival on the Las Vegas Strip.

The killer, identified as 64-year-old Stephen Paddock of Mesquite, Nev., was a gambling multimillionaire who made much of his money investing in real estate, according to his brother, Eric, who added that he had no reason to believe the gunman had run into financial trouble.

On Sunday night, Stephen Paddock shot down at the packed Route 91 Harvest Festival from the 32nd floor of the hotel, where he had been staying since Sept. 28. Officials said he booked one suite, with two rooms that had windows facing different directions.

Neighbors in Reno  where he had a home, in addition to a property in Mesquite  described Paddock as extremely standoffish, The Washington Post reported. One neighbor told the paper that Paddock occasionally revealed a refrigerator-sized safe when he opened his garage door, but otherwise kept the blinds drawn.

No affiliation, no religion, no politics. He never cared about any of that stuff, the gunman's brother, Eric Paddock, told reporters as he alternately wept and shouted. He was a guy who had money. He went on cruises and gambled.

He told reporters outside his home Monday that the shooter was a multimillionaire who had no history of mental illness.

Eric said he and his brother had business dealings and owned property together. He said he was not aware that his brother had gambling debts. He had substantial wealth. He'd tell me when he'd win. He'd grouse when he'd lost. He never said he'd lost four million dollars or something. I think he would have told me.

Investigators uncovered 19 firearms, explosives and several thousand rounds of ammunition at the gunman's Mesquite home, police said. In addition, authorities found 23 firearms in Paddocks hotel room. The weapons consisted of a mixture of handguns and long rifles, which, according to Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo, traveled up to his hotel suite through 10 different suitcases.

A computer was also found in Paddock's hotel suite, and is being evaluated as part of the ongoing investigation.

Authorities also found several pounds of tanerite, a product used for firearms target practice, at the Mesquite home.

The shooting Sunday was the deadliest in U.S. history. Gunfire rang out from inside Paddocks hotel room before SWAT officials broke down the door and found the gunman dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Lombardo said earlier that the rifles found included scopes on them. Two of the guns were modified to make them fully automatic, two U.S. officials told The Associated Press.

It was unclear if Paddock used a hammer to break the windows he shot from, or if he just shot them out. Investigators are looking at both possibilities.

Upon inspection of Paddocks car, officials found ammonium nitrate  an ingredient thats harmless alone, but when combined with other chemical ingredients, can make a bomb.

Asked about a potential motive, Lombardo said he could not "get into the mind of a psychopath at this point."

But in spite of what the shooting has brought to the city of Las Vegas, goodness is coming out in full force. Theres a six to eight hour wait to donate blood at nearby centers, supply donations are abundant and a GoFundMe account set up by officials has raised over $2.2 million from more than 30,000 separate contributions as of late Monday night.

Fox News' Jake Gibson and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A Florida man has been sentenced to 13.5 to 27 years in the killing of a suburban Philadelphia teenager more than three decades ago.

Fifty-seven-year-old Geneva resident George Shaw convicted in July of third-degree murder and attempted indecent assault but acquitted of rape in a nonjury trial.

Bucks County authorities said Shaw drugged and suffocated 14-year-old Barbara Rowan in Bensalem in August 1984, then dumped her duct tape-bound body along a highway with the help of a friend.

Through his attorney, Shaw maintained his innocence, saying Rowan was killed by someone else. Defense attorney Louis Busico attacked the credibility of the testimony of a prosecution witness who pleaded guilty to hindering apprehension.

Under law in effect in 1984, the maximum term for third-degree murder was 10 to 20 years.
The Las Vegas hotel room used by the gunman who opened fire on a country music festival Sunday held 23 firearms, authorities said Tuesday.



Assistant Clark County Sheriff Todd Fasulo said officers found the firearms inside the Mandalay Bay room of Stephen Paddock, and an additional 19 firearms at his home in Mesquite, Nevada.

Paddock killed 59 and wounded more than 500.

Police found rifles, equipped with scopes, and at least two of the guns in the cache were modified to make them fully automatic, two U.S. officials told The Associated Press.

The shooting reignited the countrys gun debate.

The crowd fled at the sound of gunshots. Imagine the deaths if the shooter had a silencer, which the NRA wants to make easier to get, Hillary Clinton tweeted, adding: Our grief isn't enough. We can and must put politics aside, stand up to the NRA, and work together to try to stop this from happening again.

White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders also pushed back when asked about Clintons statements at Mondays briefing.

I think before we start trying to talk about the preventions of what took place last night, we need to know more facts, and right now were simply not at that point, Sanders said. It is very easy for Mrs. Clinton to criticize and to come out, but I think we need to remember the only person with blood on their hands is that of the shooter, and this isnt a time for us to go after individuals or organizations. I think we can have those policy conversations but today is not that day.

On Sunday night, Paddock shot down at the packed Route 91 Harvest Festival from the 32nd floor of the hotel, where he had been staying since Sept. 28. Officials said he booked one suite, with two rooms that had windows facing different directions.

Neighbors in Reno  where he had a home, in addition to a property in Mesquite  described Paddock as extremely standoffish, The Washington Post reported. One neighbor told the paper that Paddock occasionally revealed a refrigerator-sized safe when he opened his garage door, but otherwise kept the blinds drawn.

In addition to the firearms, investigators said they found explosives and several thousand rounds of ammunition at the gunman's Mesquite home.

Fasulo stressed that investigators believe Paddock was the sole shooter.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Five people were arrested Monday after authorities found an apparent ready-to-detonate bomb in a chic Paris neighborhood the same weekend as a deadly stabbing at a train station in southern France.

A neighbor alerted authorities to suspicious activity early Saturday in the apartment building in the affluent 16th district of western Paris, Paris police said.

The man was woken up by a noise and a very strong smell of gasoline and discovered a device made of gas cylinder in his hallway, Le Point newspaper reported.

A firing device, made with a mobile phone and connected to several wires, had been attached to these cylinders, law enforcement sources told Le Point.

"This device was perfectly made," a source close to the case told the newspaper.

A separate judicial official told the Associated Press an explosive device was found and deactivated, adding counterterrorism prosecutors opened an investigation.

One of the suspects being held for questioning was already under government surveillance for radicalism, Interior Minister Gerard Collomb said Tuesday on France Inter radio.

When asked to explain how someone under surveillance could carry out an attempted attack undetected, Collomb said radicals usually have "friends, networks that can carry out the act," people who don't show outward signs of radicalization "but are ready to help."

He said the failed bombing shows that the threat against France remains "extremely big."

"Blowing up a building in a chic neighborhood of Paris  is this not a sign that no one is safe? This doesn't happen just in suburbs in working class neighborhoods," he said.

Early last month, an explosives-making workshop was discovered in the southern Paris suburb of Villejuif, according to Le Monde.

The failed bombing came the same weekend a man slit the throat of one woman at a train station in Marseilles before killing her cousin. He was later shot dead by soldiers. Officials have opened a probe as to why the man was briefly detained by police the day before the attack in the city of Lyon, and then released.

Politicians in France are set to vote later Tuesday on a new counter-terror law designed to end the country's two-year state of emergency.

Authorities would be able to place people under house arrest, order house searches and ban public gatherings without needing the prior approval of a judge.

The country has been under a state of emergency since the Islamist attacks in Paris in November 2015, which killed 130 people and left more than 400 injured.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
CNN Senior White House Correspondent Jeff Zeleny still hasnt explained why he thinks so many country music fans likely support President Trump after making the claim shortly after Trumps remarks Monday about the mass shooting in Las Vegas.

A lot of these country music supporters are likely Trump supporters, Zeleny said on air. This is something, of course, hitting the tapestry of all Americans and there are going to be victims from across the country here.

Zeleny didnt elaborate on what he meant, but its safe to wonder if he thinks most country music fans are white. After all, this is the same CNN reporter who said Trumps July trip to Poland included a white America speech.

Thousands of thousands of people were waving American flags and Polish flags, but this is not a speech he could have given, really, anyplace else. This was a white America, America first kind of speech, Zeleny said last summer after the Warsaw speech. He was offering a very stark view, actually, about, you know, migration, immigration, about other things. It wasnt a modern-day speech, if you will. It was sort of a throwback speech.

A gunman opened fire at the Route 91 Harvest Music Festival in Las Vegas late Sunday night, killing at least 59 people and sending more than 500 others to hospitals in what is now the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history.

Media Research Center Vice President Dan Gainor said that a reporter wouldnt be able to get away with assuming a group of predominantly African-American concertgoers supported a specific candidate.

A reporter who made inferences about people of color would probably be accused of stereotyping, Gainor told Fox News. The backlash is always more severe about anything the left doesn't like.

Zeleny wasnt the only person to whip out stereotypes following the tragic event. CBS parted ways with one of the companys top lawyers after she said she was not even sympathetic to victims of the Las Vegas shooting because country music fans often are Republican.

Back in 2009, Zeleny famously asked President Obama what had "enchanted" him about occupying the White House. The clip is now frequently used when political watchdogs compare the way the mainstream media treated Obama compared to how Trump is treated.

Zeleny has also been criticized for declaring that Trump had little empathy for victims of Hurricane Harvey, and was accused of lying by former GOP-presidential hopeful Rick Santorum.

He was even called pathetic and a wannabe journalist by Trump himself during a November Twitter tirade.

CNN did not respond to Fox News request for comment.
MANCHESTER, N.H. -- The bipartisan moment has come, and gone, in Washington.

Forget about the budget agreement President Donald J. Trump sculpted with Democratic leaders in early September. Put aside the accord the president and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi formed over a White House dinner a few days later. There are no more signs that bipartisanship has broken out in Washington than there are indications Kim Jong Un is abandoning his nuclear missile plans.

Just because Trump is a president who won the Republican presidential nomination does not make him a Republican president; John Tyler was elected to the vice presidency in 1840 on the Whig ticket, but when he ascended to the White House after the death of William Henry Harrison, he did not comport himself as a Whig president.

At his core, Trump is more rebel than Republican, more provocateur than politician.

And while a political novice occupies the White House, the professionals up on Capitol Hill remain mystified by his instincts and impulses, some of which -- for the briefest breath in time -- seemed to indicate a presidential willingness to abandon House Speaker Paul D. Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to embrace their Democratic counterparts.

But overlooked amid the shock emerging from the agreement with his Democratic rivals -- political figures he had demeaned, derided and dismissed -- was the fact that Trump may have talked about bipartisanship but, because he was not negotiating with both parties, was not practicing it.

Indeed, Trump, whose Republicans hold a 240-194 majority in the House and a 52-48 advantage in the Senate, was not negotiating with Republicans at all. He was negotiating with one party, and, as former Reagan White House Chief of Staff Kenneth Duberstein said in a telephone conversation the other afternoon, "You have to get both sides together to have bipartisanship, and talking with one side doesn't do it."

The notion of bipartisanship is more than a philosophical concept in American politics. Just last week, as Republicans pressed, and failed, for the third time to overturn Obamacare, an early bellwether of the fate of the effort came with the refusal of Sen. John McCain to side with the Republican repeaters. McCain, the GOP presidential nominee eight years before Trump captured the prize, said that legislation to alter one-seventh of the American economy "requires a bipartisan approach."

McCain's relationships across the partisan aisle have been productive over the years. In 1993, the Arizona Republican and Massachusetts Democratic Sen. John F. Kerry, both veterans of the Vietnam conflict, embarked on a joint mission to the Hanoi prison where McCain was held for six years, producing a cease-fire in the war of recriminations growing out of that country. With Sen. Russ Feingold, a Wisconsin Democrat, he won a landmark campaign finance overhaul 15 years ago. So it was with a plea for bipartisanship that McCain doomed the Obamacare repeal effort:

"We should not be content to pass health care legislation on a party-line basis, as Democrats did when they rammed Obamacare through Congress in 2009. If we do so, our success could be as short-lived as theirs when the political winds shift, as they regularly do."

Trump may be less an operative and more an opportunist -- not always a pejorative term, as Franklin Roosevelt and Richard Nixon, both accomplished schemers and rule-breakers, demonstrated. The president may have moved toward the Democrats merely because, as George Washington University political scientist Sarah A. Binder put it, "the Democrats had some leverage: votes the president needed."

That confederation of convenience was as artificial as the World War II partnership between the Western allies and the Soviet Union -- an arrangement that Winston Churchill called a Grand Alliance, but that Adolf Hitler characterized as an "unnatural coalition" and that the British historian Max Hastings termed a "great charade." At least the World War II alliance lasted four years and produced a victory that changed, and saved, the world.

But Trump's sometimes-partnership with the Republicans makes no sense either. He is more alienated than ever from McConnell, and he and Ryan, who have sparred repeatedly since Trump emerged as a credible presidential candidate, seem to have contempt for each other. Meanwhile, Sen. Jeff Flake, McCain's fellow Arizona Republican, has published a book excoriating Trump. And here in New Hampshire, likely Republican voters surveyed in an August poll indicated that a majority favored Gov. John Kasich of Ohio, who finished a distant second to Trump, for president in 2020.

"A lot depends on what happens in the 2018 midterm elections," says former state Attorney General Thomas D. Rath, an important New Hampshire campaign strategist vigorously recruited by presidential candidates for the first primary of the political season.

At least the Whigs of 1840, understanding their differences, created no party platform.

Trump's best chance to repair his alliance with Republicans is a massive overhaul of the tax code, an effort that almost certainly will return the Democratic leadership into strong opposition and will prompt Pelosi and Schumer to characterize the Republicans as tools of the wealthy and of business interests.

All this underscores the frustration that Trump has fostered in Washington -- and that he surely feels about Washington.

"Political parties are a marvelous mechanism, which, on the national scale, ensures that not a single mind can attend to the effort of perceiving, in public affairs, what is good, what is just, what is true," the French philosopher and political activist Simone Weil wrote in a landmark book, "On the Abolition of All Political Parties," published in Paris in 1957. "As a result -- except for a very small number of fortuitous coincidences -- nothing is decided, nothing is executed, but measures that run contrary to the public interest, to justice and to truth. If one were to entrust the organization of public life to the devil, he could not invent a more clever device."

Perhaps Weil -- an anarchist and onetime Marxist who harbored Leon Trotsky in a Paris apartment -- is the political lodestar for Trump, who until now has been identified with no known political philosophy, nor political party. It is hard to guess which of the two would be more bewildered, or horrified.

David M. Shribman is executive editor of the Post-Gazette (dshribman@post-gazette.com, 412 263-1890). Follow him on Twitter at ShribmanPG.
Three suspected gang members in Cleveland reportedly doused two men with gasoline, tied them up and then raped one with a metal pipe before shooting a third man, police said.

The trio  believed to be part of the dangerous street gang called Heartless Felons  are accused of assaulting a 31-year-old man after storming into his apartment around 12:30 a.m. last Thursday.

Two of the men  identified by officials as Nathaniel Ramos Jr., 18, and Keli Dunnican, 22  were reportedly wearing masks, Cleveland.com reported.

Police said the two men, along with 47-year-old Troy White, stormed into the apartment and pummeled the apartment owner, punching and kicking him. A 51-year-old man, who was in the house, was also assaulted.

The 31-year-old mans hands were tied behind his back with blue tape and he told police he hurled a homophobic slur at White, accusing him of sexually assaulting inmates in prison, police records said.

The accusation seemed to anger White, who had Ramos and Dunnican hold the man down before he sexually assaulted him with a metal pipe threader, police said.

Then Ramos poured gasoline on both men, but they decided against lighting them  police said Dunnican talked them out of it.

A third man, identified only as a 41-year-old, reportedly showed up at the home during the incident.

After scuffling with the third person, White pulled out a gun and shot the man twice in his right leg, police said. The man reportedly yelled for help.

It seemed to spook the three suspects who ran from the home soon after. Dunnican stole a cellphone and shoes.

The men were arrested several hours later outside a home. White was found with a handgun in his pocket, police said.

Ramos had 14 baggies of marijuana and smelled of gasoline, while Dunnican had rolls of duct tape, a knife and three cellphones in his backpack.

Both Dunnican and Ramos declined to talk to investigators, but White told police he was involved in a theft ring with both victims and that they had smoked crack together earlier that day, police reports show.

White, according to prison records, has served two stints in prison for armed robbery.

White is charged with felonious assault and is being held in the city jail on $100,000 bond; Ramos is charged with aggravated burglary and is jailed on $25,000 bond; and Duncan is charged with aggravated robbery and is jailed on $50,000 bond.
O.J. Simpson's lawyer said in an interview Monday that he told his client that he hoped nobody would "pin any of this on you" after he learned about the Las Vegas massacre.

Malcom LaVergne told the New York Post he spoke with the newly freed Simpson on Monday, whos staying in Las Vegas. I spoke to him this morning, and he was What the heck is going on?

And I said, Well, I hope nobody tries to pin any of this on you,' the lawyer said. Simpson, 70, served nine years in prison for an attempted robbery.

Simpson planned to move to Florida following his release but decided to stay in Las Vegas due to the aftermath of Hurricane Irma that tarnished the state.

The place he is looking to move into had a power outage and other troubles, he said. He didnt want any drama, he wanted to wait it out in Nevada, LaVergne told the Post.

Just hours later after Simpson settled into the home following his release from prison early Sunday, gunman Stephen Paddock began his rampage on the Las Vegas Strip from his room at the Mandalay Bay during a music festival.

The gunman used at least 10 guns to shoot from his hotel room on the 32nd floor, killing at least 59 people and injuring more than 520 others.

LaVergne said Simpson has no plans to go out in public right now. He wants to stay back and lay low.
The Navy hospital ship Comfort arrived in Puerto Rico Tuesday as part of the federal government's stepped up support for the island territory in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria.

The Comfort docked in San Juan four days after it departed from its base at Norfolk, Va. and hours after President Donald Trump arrived to tour the devastation.

The Comfort has been deployed in response to numerous other humanitarian disasters, most notably the devastating 2010 Haiti earthquake.

The Trump administration has been heavily criticized for what's been seen as a slow response to Maria, the most powerful hurricane to hit the island in nearly a century. The storm unleashed floods and mudslides that knocked out the island's entire electrical grid and telecommunications, along with many roads.

Nearly two weeks after the storm hit, much of the countryside is still struggling to access such basic necessities as food, fresh water and cash.

According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), there are now more than 10,000 federal officials on the ground on the island, and 45 percent of customers now have access to drinking water. Businesses are also beginning to re-open, with 60 percent of retail gas stations now up and running.

The Health and Human Services Department says federal medical teams with their own equipment and supplies have been sent to help provide care at Centro Medico, a major trauma center in San Juan. Additional teams have been sent to five hospitals in other parts of the island.

For many, however, Washington's response isn't enough. On Monday, the nonprofit relief group Oxfam announced that it would be taking the rare step of intervening in an American disaster, citing its outrage over what it called a "slow and inadequate response."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Nearly two weeks after Hurricane Maria roared through Puerto Rico, destroying much of the islands infrastructure, more than 500 homebound at-risk veterans still havent been reached by doctors, nurses and social workers, Fox News has learned.

There are 1,687 homebound vets in Puerto Rico who require ongoing treatment such as dialysis, chemotherapy and insulin to survive. Since Maria struck Sept. 20, the San Juan VA Medical Center has dispatched special teams consisting of a doctor, nurse and social worker to visit the homes of each one of these vets.

It has been a tough task. Most of the island still lacks power because of damage to the electric grid and intermittent phone service because of downed lines and cell towers. Many rural areas have been rendered inaccessible by damage to roads and the scarcity of gasoline for vehicles.

As of Tuesday, VA officials said visits have taken place at the homes of 1,147 homebound vets. That leaves 540 more to be seen. The VA is vowing to reach the rest but isnt sure how long it will take.

"The safety of all our patients is a top priority," VA spokesperson Mary Kay Rutan told Fox News Tuesday. "We have been going out in the communities where it is safe to do so. Additionally, we are engaged with local shelter operations and other agencies to assist in helping us locate veterans."

One of the visits resulted in a homebound vet who needed more treatment being transported by military helicopter to the San Juan VA, Rutan said.

Another visit brought more insulin to 75-year-old Vietnam vet Miguel Olivera in the hard-hit mountain town of Aguas Buenas, north of San Juan. The Veterans of Foreign Wars in Washington had asked the VA to check on Olivera after learning that he was in danger of losing his last vial of insulin because he had no electricity to keep it refrigerated.

Im just happy to hear one veteran is being taken care of. VFW spokesman Joe Davis told Fox News. I wish there was more that all of us could do for Puerto Rico, its just terrible down there.

VA whistleblower Joseph Colon, a credentialing official at the San Juan VA Medical Center, said more needed to be done for the island's homebound vets.

If you are truly in the business of caring for veterans it should not take two weeks to check on all high-risk patients, Colon told Fox News.

Colon also complained that the majority of staff at the San Juan VA had to be sent home last week because the hospital was running out of food, water and diesel fuel for generators.

He also accused hospital leaders of not having a contingency plan to deal with the storm and said the hospitals acting director, Dr. Antonio Sanchez, wasnt around when Maria struck.

If you know you are going to have problems with water and possibly the electrical grid, why wouldnt you stock up on supplies? he said. There is a big new concrete garage next door, they couldve put it in there.

As of Monday, the hospital was back at full strength, according to officials.

Rutan defended the hospitals plans for dealing with Maria and the previous one that passed through, Hurricane Irma.

The San Juan VA Medical Center has comprehensive and well-tested emergency management and operations plans where they have successfully managed numerous hurricanes and other events, including most recently Hurricane Irma, she said.

Rutan also said that Sanchez was at a VA meeting in the U.S. the day of the hurricane and returned as fast as he could three days later.

He was on the very first available flight to the island on Saturday after the storm, Rutan said. In his absence, the deputy medical center director and the full incident management team conducted necessary operations ensuring the safety of more than 300 patients and 800 staff during the height of the storm.

But Colon said he still questioned why Sanchez wouldnt skip the meeting knowing that a Category 4 storm was bearing down on Puerto Rico.

He had plenty of time to get back here  was that conference so important? he said.
The future of the Iran nuclear deal may hinge on a face-saving fix for President Donald Trump so he doesn't have to recertify the Islamic republic's compliance every 90 days, according to U.S. officials.

Several officials familiar with internal discussions say the periodic reviews mandated by Congress have become such a source of embarrassment for Trump that his national security aides are trying to find ways for him to stop signing off on the seven-nation accord without scuttling it entirely.

The president has called the agreement one of America's "worst and most one-sided transactions" ever. Officials say what Trump hates most, however, is a provision in a 2015 U.S. law  known as the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act  that requires him to tell Congress every three months if Iran is meeting promises to scale back its nuclear program in exchange for broad international relief from oil, trade and financial sanctions.

Because the U.N. nuclear watchdog has found Iran in compliance, it's difficult for the U.S. administration to say otherwise.

But Trump has said repeatedly that he doesn't want to certify Iranian compliance again after having done so twice already, declaring last month he even had made his mind up about what he'll do next. "Decertification" could lead Congress to reintroduce economic sanctions on Iran that were suspended under the deal. If that happens, Iran has threatened to walk away from the arrangement and restart activities that could take it closer to nuclear weapons.

"Iran is not in material breach of the agreement and I do believe the agreement to date has delayed the development of a nuclear capability by Iran," Gen. Joseph Dunford, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday.

Asked if he believed staying in the deal was in America's national security interest, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said, "Yes, senator, I do."

For U.S. officials involved in the decision-making process, the focus on finding a way for Trump to avoid anything looking like approval for the accord has become a source of frustration. Various options are in play to resolve the problem, but none are clean solutions, according to officials who weren't authorized to discuss the private deliberations and demanded anonymity.

The most likely strategy centers on Trump not certifying Iran's compliance when he faces another deadline Oct. 15. Below the president, diplomats and officials would then strive to manage any fallout with Tehran and America's European allies by emphasizing that the U.S. isn't leaving the deal or applying new nuclear sanctions on Iran. After that, Trump wouldn't have to address the certification matter again, officials said.

The State Department and National Security Council declined to comment for this story.

The Iran review law provides a potential out for Trump. The president must determine that Iran is implementing the nuclear deal and hasn't committed a "material breach," or taken action that could advance its nuclear weapons program. It also demands the president's verdict on a fourth question: whether suspending sanctions is "appropriate and proportionate," and if doing so is "vital to the national security interests of the United States."

Mattis hinted his boss may try to decertify without breaking the deal.

"You can talk about the conditions under one of those, and not walk away from the other," he said. "They're two different pieces."

The goal would be to reinforce the administration's argument that Iran's technical compliance  meeting uranium stockpile limits, pouring cement into the core of a plutonium reactor and so on  doesn't mean it's living up to the "spirit" of the agreement. This lofty but ill-defined notion encompasses things not directly covered by the nuclear deal, such as Iran's missile development, threats to America's Middle East allies and support for U.S.-designated terrorist organizations.

While Mattis described the issues of certification and upholding the deal as "different pieces," they overlap.

If Trump declares the nuclear deal isn't in the nation's security interests, how will his administration stick to it? In January, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson must again waive multiple sets of sanctions on Iran, and the national security question is relevant to those decisions.

As a possible solution, officials said the administration is weighing whether to send the question of sanctions back to Congress. But if lawmakers pass new economic penalties on Iran, the same risk to the overall deal applies.

Other alternatives are being weighed, too, according to officials.

One would involve Trump grudgingly certifying Iran's compliance a final time and then persuading Congress to change the law so he wouldn't have to do so again. Officials say this option is unlikely because no one expects already gridlocked lawmakers to pass anything quickly on so polarizing a topic  even if the objective isn't to save or destroy the deal, but help Trump avoid the discomfort of the certification process.

A further, even more remote possibility, officials said, is Trump not saying anything in 12 days' time. His silence would amount to decertification, but would seem to be the least Trumpian course of action for a president who has loudly and consistently railed against the merits of the deal.

Close observers of the Iran deal, both for and against, say Trump may even deliver a major foreign policy speech outlining his decision.
An Iraq War veteran staying at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas heard gunshots ringing out nearby late Sunday, and helped alert authorities to the location of the gunman.

Chris Bethel heard a barrage of gunfire, now known to be 64-year-old Stephen Paddock shooting down from the 32nd floor of the hotel at a crowded music festival on the Las Vegas Strip Sunday evening.

WHAT TO DO DURING AN ACTIVE SHOOTER SITUATION

I could just hear the gunshots. Continuously. Just full automatic, Bethel told KTVT. Theres explosions going off. It was like, a bomb just went off, man. And then there were more gunshots.

The walls and windows were vibrating. You could feel kind of the compression, the sound. It was just.... Bethel said, desribing the shooting to WFOR-TV. I seriously thought he was next door.

Convinced the gunman was nearby, Bethel called police and hotel security. Bethel said police called him back 10 minutes later to say they found the gunman in Room 135, just two floors above where he was staying.

Looking back at what he heard, Bethel said he heard Paddock switch weapons as he was reporting what he heard to law enforcement.

I remember, he switched weapons. The caliber sound switched. He went from automatic to sniper rifle. Phew, phew, just a totally different sound, Bethel told WFAA. The rounds are not stopping. Seconds are going by when I make the phone calls, and the rounds are still going.

The gunfire that Bethel heard from two floors below is now the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history. At least 59 people who were enjoying a country music concert were killed and more than 520 were injured.

REMEMBERING THE FALLEN: LAS VEGAS MASSACRE VICTIMS

While not on the ground during the massacre, the shooting still took its toll on Bethel, who had traveled to Las Vegas from his home in Fort Worth, Texas, for an IT conference.

I feel like I didnt do enough. I feel like I couldnt get ahold of somebody quick enough to let them know. And it felt like it took them too long to get over there to take him out. To get him. And its actually eating me up inside, Bethel said. I just need to go home. Thats my thing. I need to go home to my family. And just process all of this.

"You relive the night over, and over, and it tears you up," he said. "I'm traumatized."
The Las Vegas shooter sent tens of thousands of dollars overseas, federal law enforcement officials told Fox News Tuesday, revealing new information that could shed light on what sparked him to unleash the deadly massacre.

The revelation came amid questions about the whereabouts of Stephen Paddock's girlfriend, Marilou Danley, who left the U.S. before Paddock committed the horrific attack that killed 59 and injured at least 515 others. Police said Tuesday afternoon that they considered Danley a person of interest in the investigation.

Investigators are looking into whether Paddock sent the cash to Danley amid conflicting reports she's in either the Philippines or Japan, the officials said.

In addition, a U.S. government source told Fox News that federal investigators have interviewed an immediate relative of Paddocks girlfriend. This relative said the family found Paddock unstable, and he made relatives uncomfortable. FBI officials declined to comment on this interview.

Investigators noted the money crossing hands was a significant amount and authorities were trying to uncover who received the cash and where it currently is. It was not immediately clear when the money was transferred.

Sources also tell Fox News the FBI ran Paddock through its federal databases and got no hits indicating ties to international terrorism. The FBI now has Paddocks electronics and will take a day or two to process them.

Senior law enforcement in the Philippines also confirmed to Fox News that they are reviewing a photo that was taken around 2012 or 2013 purportedly showing Paddock in the country.

The photo was posted online Tuesday by a relative of Danley, and, if confirmed, is the first documented evidence of the shooter visiting the Philippines.

The photo shows a man who appears to be Paddock sitting down at a table of food and talking to a woman -- possibly Danley. Two other women are in the photo as well.

FULL COVERAGE OF MASSACRE ON THE STRIP

The windows in the background of the photo have grills that are of a typical Filipino style of most middle class urban homes.

Law enforcement in the Philippines told Fox News that they are looking into Paddock's potential past visits and they have been contacted by the FBI.

An Australian newspaper, Brisbanes Courier-Mail, reported Monday that Danley was an Australian citizen originally from the Philippines.

Police say they want to question Danley further when she returns to the U.S.

Paddock was a prolific gambler who was known to play poker games for $1,000 a hand, and was spending up to $30,000 a day on the casino floor in the days leading up to the shooting, according to casino accounts.

It's like a job for him, his brother, Eric Paddock, said Monday. It's a job where you make money. He was at the hotel for four months one time. It was like a second home.

The gunman was purportedly well known in Las Vegas and was even comped free rooms and given access to special casino facilities thanks to the large sums of money he spent on the Strip.

MARILOU DANLEY: WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT LAS VEGAS GUNMAN'S COMPANION

Despite his time gambling, his family said he was simply a wealthy former accountant who enjoyed the Vegas lifestyle, and there is no clear evidence he had incurred massive gaming losses.

ISIS, which has a strong presence in the Philippines, claimed Monday that Paddock was a soldier who converted to Islam months ago. But the FBI on Tuesday discounted any connection between Paddock's deadly rampage and international terrorism.

Fox News Jake Gibson, Catherine Herridge, Mike Cohen and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The Las Vegas mass murderer who killed dozens and injured hundreds by shooting them from 32 floors up deliberately planned out his attack, which included installing cameras inside and outside of his hotel room, authorities said Tuesday.

As law enforcement continued to seek a motive in the shooting and investigated the crime scene at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino where 64-year-old Stephen Paddock shot down at a crowd of 22,000 people at a county music festival Sunday night, authorities said Paddocks actions were premeditated.

This individual was premeditated  obviously premeditated, Clark County Sheriff Joseph Lombardo said at a news conference early Tuesday evening.

The fact that he had the type of weaponry and amount of weaponry in that room, it was preplanned extensively, and Im pretty sure he evaluated everything that he did and his actions, which is troublesome," Lombardo said.

LAS VEGAS SHOOTER DESCRIBED AS 'UNSTABLE' SENT TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS OVERSEAS

Before his attack from his hotel room, Paddock set up two cameras outside his room, including on a service cart in the hallway.

Another camera was placed inside the hotel room door's peephole. Lombardo noted he wasn't aware that any of the footage was being transmitted outside the hotel.

Lombardo speculated the gunman set up the cameras to scout out if anyone was coming to take him into custody.

All electronic evidence found is being investigated. It will take a day or two to process the devices, but a previous FBI analysis indicated there was no connection  at this time to terrorism, the sheriff said.

INSIDE LAS VEGAS SHOOTER'S MANDALAY BAY SUITE

Authorities said 12 "bump stocks"  legal devices that mimic automatic weapon gunfire  were found in Paddock's hotel suite, in addition to 23 firearms.

The firearms  consisting of shotguns, pistols and rifles  were purchased in Utah, California, Texas and Nevada. In total, 47 firearms were recovered from three different locations, including the hotel suite and Paddock's house in Mesquite, Nev.

The Clark County undersheriff said late Tuesday night that the gunman fired on and off between 9 and 11 minutes. The first emergency call was received at 10:08 p.m., and the firing ceased at 10:19 p.m.

While police had formed a group and found the location of the shooter, the room could not be accessed until a SWAT team arrived on scene, according to the undersheriff. It's believed during the time the shooting stopped and SWAT team arrived, the shooter had barricaded himself.

Lombardo revealed that Paddocks girlfriend, who was initially sought out as a suspect after the attack, was now seen as a person of interest.

Marilou Danley, 62, was the shooters live-in girlfriend. She left the U.S. before the massacre, but returned from the Philippines on Tuesday night and was met at Los Angeles International Airport by FBI agents, according to a law enforcement official.

MARILOU DANLEY: WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT LAS VEGAS GUNMAN'S COMPANION

Paddock recently sent tens of thousands of dollars overseas, which authorities have speculated may have been sent to Danley.

A U.S. government source told Fox News that an immediate relative of Danley called Paddock unstable, and made them feel uncomfortable.

We anticipate some information from her shortly, Lombardo said of Danley.

In the days since the Las Vegas attack, police have been searching for a motive behind Paddock's shooting rampage, which left 59 people dead and more than 520 injured.

Fox News' Jake Gibson, Catherine Herridge and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
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A gunman inside a Las Vegas casino killed at least 58 people at a nearby country music festival in a late Sunday night shooting, officials said.

More than 480 others were hurt in the massacre, called the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history, according to police.

Here's a look at how the incident unfolded - and what authorities are currently investigating.

Thursday, September 28

Suspected gunman Stephen Paddock checks into the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

Sunday, October 1

9:40 p.m.

Country music star Jason Aldean starts his performance at the Route 91 Harvest Festival in front of a crowd of more than 22,000 in Las Vegas.

10:05 p.m.

This is when Paddock begins to fire, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department says Wednesday.

10:08 p.m.

I see the shots coming from Mandalay Bay, halfway up! someone says in police scanner audio published by Broadcastify.

10:12 p.m.

Two officers reach the 31st floor of the casino "and announce the gunfire is coming from directly above them," Las Vegas police later say on Wednesday.

10:15 p.m.

Paddock fires his final shots, police say Wednesday.

10:17 p.m.

This is when two officers get to the 32nd floor, where Paddock was, according to the police timeline.

10:18 p.m

A security guard says he's been shot and tells them where Paddock's room is, police say Wednesday.

10:20 p.m.

It's been awhile since we've heard any shots," someone says in a transmission, The New York Times reports. "Does anybody have eyes on the shooter?

10:26 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.

This, police later say, is when eight more officers show up "and begin to move systematically down the hallway, clearing every room and looking for any injured people."

10:38 p.m.

We're investigating reports of an active shooter near/around Mandalay Bay Casino, police tweet. Asking everyone to please avoid the area.

11 p.m.

Part of the Las Vegas Strip is shut down, authorities tweet.

11:20 p.m.

Authorities use a device to breach a Mandalay Bay room.

"They observed the suspect down on the ground and also saw a second door that could be not accessed from their position," police later say Wednesday.

11:27 p.m.

A second breach goes off.

"Officers quickly realized there was no one else in the rooms and announced over the radio that the suspect was down," according to authorities.

11:58 p.m.

Confirming that one suspect is down, Las Vegas police tweet. This is an active investigation. Again, please do not head down to the Strip at this time.

Monday, October 2

12:21 a.m.

"At this time we do not believe there are any more shooters," Las Vegas police tweet.

1:40 a.m.

Officers confronted the suspect on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Hotel, Lombardo says early Monday morning. Authorities say the man is dead. They don't release the suspect's name but say he is a local resident.

The death toll stands at more than 20 dead and 100 injured.

1:57 a.m.

Las Vegas authorities tweet they are looking for two vehicles associated with the gunman.

2:22 a.m.

Las Vegas police tweet a photo of Marilou Danley, believed to be Paddock's partner, saying that they are looking for her.

3:30 a.m.

At least 50 people are said to be dead, with more than 200 injured.

Authorities have identified Paddock as the suspected shooter. They also say they have located Danley.

"We have located the vehicles in question, and we are confident we have located the female person of interest," Las Vegas police tweet at 3:37 a.m.

"Marilou Danley is no longer being sought out as a person of interest," the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department said in an Atlanta Journal-Constitution report published later Monday morning. "LVMPD detectives have made contact with her and do not believe she is involved with the shooting on the strip."

4:11 a.m.

"My warmest condolences and sympathies to the victims and families of the terrible Las Vegas shooting," President Donald Trump tweets. "God bless you!"

4:30 a.m.

"Two on-duty LVMPD officers were injured during the shooting," police tweet. "One is in stable condition after surgery and the other sustained minor injuries."

5:33 a.m.

Las Vegas police tweet a press release which says a SWAT team found Paddock dead in a hotel room at the Mandalay Bay. They say that 50 people are dead and 406 others are hurt.

Police say in the release that an off-duty officer is among the dead.

8:44 a.m.

The death toll reaches 58 with 515 others hurt, Lombardo says.

3:05 p.m.

The death toll moves to 59  including the shooter  with 527 others injured, law enforcement officials say at an afternoon press conference.

8:50 p.m.

The estimated number of people injured is reduced to 516, according to a news release by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. The death toll remains at 59.

10:00 p.m.

During a news conference, officials say the number of those injured was 527, despite a previous press release.

Tuesday, October 3

Tuesday afternoon

During a 1 p.m. news conference, authorities say Paddock set up cameras inside and outside the hotel room where he opened fire. They also say that Paddock put a camera in a food service cart outside his hotel room.

Lombardo also says that Danley is once again a person of interest.

Late Tuesday evening

Danley, who had been in the Philippines, comes back to the United States.

Wednesday, October 4

Wednesday morning

Trump and first lady Melania Trump arrive in Las Vegas, where they meet with Lombardo and others. Later in the morning, they go to the University Medical Center of Southern Nevada, where they meet with victims.

Wednesday afternoon

Trump speaks at Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Headquarters, and tells law enforcement that they should be proud of the way they responded to the mass shooting.

Wednesday evening

The number of those injured was 489, Lombardo says.

"Of that 489, 317 have been discharged from the hospital," he says.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A former New Jersey restaurant owner convicted of fatally shooting his wife in the head is going to state prison.

Sergio DeRosa received a 30-year sentence on Tuesday.

DeRosa was convicted in July on a murder charge for the May 2014 death of 57-year-old Lynn DeRosa at their Mullica Hill home. The couple owned the Old Bay Restaurant & Bar in Egg Harbor City.

Atlantic County prosecutors say DeRosa shot his wife in the head with a shotgun.

He says he accidentally shot his wife while cleaning the gun. In an interview with police that was played to jurors, he cursed himself for putting a live round into the gun and pulling the trigger.

DeRosa's daughter-in-law testified the couple argued about money and DeRosa said he took $80,000 from a safety deposit box.
The one person who can provide insight into the Las Vegas killer's warped mind -- and potential motive -- returned to the U.S. Tuesday night after being in the Philippines, authorities said.

Marilou Danley, the Las Vegas shooter's live-in girlfriend who left the country before Stephen Paddock gunned down 59 people outside the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, was initially cleared in the aftermath of the shooting, but has since become a "person of interest."

How and when did Paddock acquire his deadly arsenal? And why did he open fire on a country concert crowd, killing dozens and injuring more than 500 people?

Clark County Sheriff Joseph Lombardo said Monday that Danley, 62, was in Tokyo, although on Tuesday her location and estimated return date to America were not immediately clear.

"She was reported to have been in the Philippines at the time of the incident, but there are unconfirmed reports that she is no longer in the Philippines at this time," Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs spokesman Robespierre Bolivar told the Sydney Morning Herald on Monday. Bolivar added there was "no official confirmation yet on her nationality, original or acquired."

Police combing the hotel room Paddock used as a perch for his deadly rampage found Danleys slot machine card, Clark County Commission Chair Steve Sisola told the Nevada Independent. Lombardo said Paddock also was carrying some of Danleys identification.

Those items led police initially to declare her a person of interest and launch a search. But detectives later made contact with her and said that they "do not believe she is involved with the shooting on The Strip."

LAS VEGAS SHOOTING: FULL COVERAGE OF MASSACRE ON THE STRIP

I've met her three or four times, Paddocks brother, Eric, told CBS News. She's got a Facebook page; she sends my mom cookies.

Danleys LinkedIn profile reportedly listed her as working as a high limit hostess at Atlantis Casino in Reno between 2010 and 2013. The casino told the Reno Gazette-Journal it was cooperating in the investigation.

An Australian newspaper, Brisbanes Courier-Mail, reported Monday that Danley was an Australian citizen originally from the Philippines.

The newspaper said they believe she left the home she shared with Paddock in Mesquite, Nev., around two weeks ago to head to the Philippines.

Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said American authorities contacted the country after the shooting for help trying to track down Danley.

"They did make inquiries of our authorities about her whereabouts, but she is no longer a person of interest," Bishop told Channel Seven, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.

FAMILIES, FRIENDS OF LAS VEGAS VICTIMS SPEAK ABOUT LIVES OF LOVED ONES

Multiple media outlets have reported that Danleys now-deleted Facebook page identified her as a "proud mom and grandma who lives life to the fullest."

She previously was married to Arkansas resident Geary Danley, until the pair divorced in 2015.

A person listed as her witness in the divorce records insisted Danley isnt connected with Paddocks behavior.

She had nothing to do with this psycho, the man, who was not identified, told the Reno Gazette-Journal. The poor lady, she is in the Philippines visiting family.

Authorities have said Paddock has no links to international terrorist groups, despite ISIS claiming him as a soldier who converted to Islam months ago, The Associated Press reported.
Authorities say a Massachusetts man has been sentenced to 17 years in prison for sexually exploiting about 150 boys by posing as a 14-year-old girl and convincing them to send him nude photos and videos of themselves.

Twenty-four-year-old Curtis Simoneau, of Framingham, was sentenced in federal court Monday after pleading guilty in June to coercion and enticement of a minor and possession of child pornography.

Prosecutors say Simoneau told a 13-year-old boy he was a girl living in Maine. Authorities say the victim believed he was in an online relationship with the girl and the two exchanged nude photos and videos.

Prosecutors say investigators found nude and sexually suggestive photos and videos in Simoneau's home that were sent by boys who thought they were sending them to a girl.
It was a phone call urging renewed scrutiny of the unsolved 1937 killings of two eastern-central Nebraska lawmen that helped lead to a re-examination and solving of the case, Nebraska investigators said Tuesday.

But it wasn't the victims' family calling for a new look. It was the son of one of the suspects.

"He called me in late December 2014," Seward County Sheriff Joe Yocum said. "He had seen a story about the case that had appeared in Nebraska Life magazine. He was convinced that his father was involved in the killing of these men."

The Nebraska Attorney General's office is convinced, too, declaring the shooting deaths solved. Officials gathered for a news conference Tuesday in Albion to say Marion Cooley and Charles Doody  both long dead  had shot Boone County Sheriff Lawrence Smoyer and Boone County Constable William Henry Wathen outside a ranch near Albion on June 17, 1937.

That morning, Smoyer and Wathen were investigating reports of a suspicious vehicle parked at the ranch when they encountered two suspects who fired on the officers. Smoyer was shot in the head and died instantly in the ambush. Wathen returned fire, but was shot in both hips and left for dead. He was found the next day and lived another 108 days before succumbing to his injuries. Tuesday's announcement was made on the 80th anniversary of Wathen's death.

Wathen was able to give detailed accounts of the shooting, the suspects and their car and even the car's license plate. Within days, Cooley and Doody, who were already career criminals, had been identified as the top suspects.

The car used in the ambush turned out to have been stolen from Denver. It was later found in Cheyenne, Wyoming, riddled with bullets from Wathen's gun. Multiple sightings of the car and men matching the description of Cooley and Doody were reported. A plaster cast from the scene matched Cooley's footprints.

When Nebraska investigators were ready to issue an arrest warrant for the men about a year after the shooting, Doody was nowhere to be found, and Cooley was already serving a prison sentence in Colorado in an unrelated case. According to the laws at the time, Nebraska had to wait until Cooley was paroled in 1948 before Nebraska officials could take him into custody.

But by then, World War II had wreaked havoc on the case. The original investigators who would have served as witnesses had died or been killed in the war, were still in the military stationed at unknown posts or had retired to places unknown. A reorganization of the Nebraska State Sheriff's Association into what is now the Nebraska State Patrol saw the shuffling of files in the case that weren't found again until sometime in the last three years.

And as the years marched on, Cooley and Doody  who used the alias Charles Simms  served time in prisons in Colorado and California for various crimes. Officials say Cooley had no known children and died in 1965. Doody, living as Simms, married at least a couple of times and had several children, including the son who called Nebraska investigators in 2014. Doody died in 1995.

Yocum said he and state attorney general chief investigator Bill Black, who is originally from Albion, learned sometime in 2014 that they had both been occasionally investigating the case on their own. They began exchanging information on the case when Doody's son called.

Yocum and Black then began poring over old files in the case whenever they had time aside from their other cases, piecing together long-buried notes, files and evidence to confirm what investigators 80 years ago had believed  that Cooley and Doody were responsible.

Prosecutors reviewed the work against modern prosecutorial standards to close the case, said Suzanne Gage, a spokeswoman for the Nebraska Attorney General's Office.

"If these men were living, they would be charged and, we believe, would be held responsible," she said.

Yocum said he spoke to Doody's son a few days before Tuesday's announcement.

"He said he didn't want to be contacted by media," Yocum said. "All he wanted from me was any newspaper articles or any stories that were written in the local media. He also wanted me to extend an apology to the families of the deceased."
The Las Vegas gunmans exact location took police 72 minutes to reach after the first 911 call.

Police received the first 911 call regarding Sundays shooting at the country music concert at 10:08 p.m. local time, NBC News reported. By the time, Stephen Paddock was done shooting, at least 59 people were dead and 515 injured.

Officers began their search for the gunman following the call and responders discovered the gunfire was coming from a window of the Mandalay Bay hotel-casino after seeing muzzle flashes, dispatch tape showed, The Mercury News reported.

23 FIREARMS FOUND IN MANDALAY BAY HOTEL ROOM OCCUPIED BY LAS VEGAS GUNMAN

Police began searching the hotels 29th floor before determining the gunman was on the 32nd floor, NBC News reported.

Authorities, however, eventually located the shooter due to the large amount of smoke from the gunfire, The Washington Post reported.

Watch the latest video at video.foxnews.com

The SWAT team utilized the alarm activated by the smoke to determine Paddock's location. But it still took SWAT some 20 minutes from the time they arrived at the hotel to pinpoint the exact room Paddock was located in, according to The Post.

The Washington Post reported if the alarm did not go off, the SWAT team would have had to search all 45 floors of the hotel.

LAS VEGAS SHOOTING: REMEMBERING THE FALLEN

When first responders got to the hotel room, Paddock shot through the door, striking one of the hotel's security guards in the leg. SWAT team members then used an explosive device to force the door open into the hotel room but found Paddock had committed suicide.

Investigators found 23 guns  some with scopes  in the hotel room where he had been staying since Thursday. Paddock knocked out two of the rooms windows to create snipers perches he used to rain bullets on the crowd of 22,000 some 500 yards away.

U.S. officials said Paddock had two bump stocks" that can be used to modify weapons to make them shoot rapid-fire.

Authorities found 19 more guns at Paddocks residence, explosives and thousands of rounds of ammunition. His motive was not immediately clear.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Extreme "Trumpism" and "white victimization" motivated the Las Vegas shooter who killed 59 and injured at least 515 others, according to a Drexel University professor.

Associate Professor George Ciccariello-Maher tweeted just hours after the massacre white people and men will go on shooting sprees when they dont get what they want.

Stephen Paddock used a perch inside the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino to rain down fire on a crowd at a country music concert Sunday night.

Drexel University told Fox News the professors tweets dont represent the universitys views.

The recent social media comments by George Ciccariello-Maher, associate professor of Politics and Global Studies at Drexel University, are his own opinion and do not represent the Universitys views, the university said in a statement. Drexel is deeply saddened by the tragic shooting in Las Vegas. The thoughts and prayers of the Drexel community are with the families of those affected by this senseless act of violence.

This professor has a history of controversial tweets. In 2016, he tweeted all I want for Christmas is white genocide.

Cicariello-Maher began a Twitter thread Monday morning with a three word message: A White Man.

Its the white supremacist patriarchy, stupid, he tweeted.

Cicariello-Maher continued:

"But liberals will drown out all discourse with a deafening chorus screeching 'gun control.' To believe that someone who would shoot down 50 people wouldn't circumvent any gun law you pass is the height of delusion. But liberal escapism means talking about easy questions and proposing easy non-solutions rather than talking about who kills and why.

"White people and men are told that they are entitled to everything. This is what happens when they don't get what they want. The narrative of white victimization has been gradually built over the past 40 years. It is the spinal column of Trumpism, and most extreme form is the white genocide myth. Yesterday was a morbid symptom of what happens when those who believe they deserve to own the world also think it is being stolen from them."

He ended with this tweet several hours later:

Here's a wild idea: white supremacy in the U.S. is a bipartisan project, & *both* the gun lobby *and* the anti-gun lobby are racist as f---.
Scientists determined skeletal fragments found in Aruba did not belong to Natalee Holloway, who disappeared on the island in 2005.

Dr. Jason Kolowski, a forensic scientist who led the testing of the bone fragments told Oxygen the results showed the remains did not belong to Holloway. Oxygen recently wrapped up its series, The Disappearance of Natalee Holloway.

The series followed Holloways father, Dave, and private investigator T.J. Ward in their quest to find Natalees remains on the tropical island.

During the Oxygen series, Dave Holloway and Ward went to Aruba for 18 months as part of an undercover investigation with Gabriel, an informant who was friends with an individual who had personal knowledge from Joran van der Sloot, Dave Holloway said.

HUMAN REMAINS FOUND IN SEARCH FOR NATALEE HOLLOWAY BELONG TO FEMALE OF EASTERN EUROPEAN DESCENT, TESTS SHOW

Van der Sloot, a Dutch national, has long been considered a suspect in the case.

Holloway said in August the informant took them to a place where the skeletal remains were found.

Holloways mother, Beth, gave a saliva sample to help with the testing. The remains were said to have been of a female of Eastern European descent. Holloway had Eastern European heritage.

Kolowski said the forensic teams did not know who the bone fragments belonged to.

Out of four individual bone samples only one was found to be human, Kolowski said. The mitochondrial DNA bone sample was not a match to [mother] Beth Holloway, and so it was ruled out as being Natalee Holloway.

NATALEE HOLLOWAYS DAD REVEALS HE FOUND HUMAN REMAINS IN ARUBA

We dont know how old that person is. We dont know how long that person has been dead, Kolowski said.

Natalee Holloway, 18, a straight-A student from Mountain Brook, Ala., disappeared from the Dutch island while celebrating her high school graduation. She was slated to attend the University of Alabama on a full scholarship, Oxygen reported.

Van der Sloot is currently in a Peruvian prison serving a 28-year sentence for killing business student Stephany Flores just five years after Natalee Holloway vanished.
A Texas kindergarten teacher previously charged with allegedly harming children was arrested again Monday, accused of slapping a 5-year-old student.

The El Paso Police Department said Olga S. Najera, 52, was taken into custody and booked into the county jail under a $15,000 bond.

The latest incident allegedly took place at Helen Ball Elementary School between July 31 and Aug. 28, police said in a news release.

Najera was previously arrested in August for a separate investigation of an incident that allegedly happened in August 2016, KFOX14 reported.

In the August 2016 incident, Najera allegedly pinched a child younger than 14 on the arm, and scratched the child around the hands, according to court documents obtained by the television station.

The 52-year-old also allegedly slapped another child in the face, stepped on the childs foot and kicked the child, the documents said.

Najera was originally placed on administrative leave in March due to reports of inappropriate behavior, but there were no findings to prove the allegations and the teacher was transferred to another school, the school district said.

The teacher was cleared through a school district probe and returned to work, but the case was turned over for a police investigation, the El Paso Times reported.

Najera's attorney, Mary Stillinger, called the accusations "absolutely false" in a statement to KFOX 14.

"Olga Najera has worked as a bilingual educator of very young children for over ten years in the Socorro Independent School District. She has an excellent reputation with students, parents and fellow teachers. The accusations made against her are absolutely false," Stillinger said. "The allegations have been investigated and were found to be without any merit."

She added: "Unfortunately, it is very easy to manipulate or misunderstand what very young children say. Our children's safety and education are of utmost importance, but it is also law enforcement's responsibility to do thorough investigation, before bringing charges. That was not done here. These false accusations have been devastating to Ms. Najera and her reputation. We are looking for forward to clearing Ms. Najera's name and getting her back in the classroom."
At least four people are dead and 14 others wounded after a gunman went on a shooting rampage in Northern California Tuesday.

Two children are among the injured.

It's not clear what the gunman's motive was, but neighbors had lodged complaints about him and he was the subject of a domestic violence call the day before the attack.

Heres a look at experts advice on how best to deal with an active shooter situation.

What are the steps to take when theres an active shooter?

In the event of an active shooter, the Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training Center says to avoid, deny and defend -- in that order, if possible.

First, Dr. Peter Blair, the executive director of ALERRT and a criminal justice professor at Texas State University, said people should avoid the attacker by creating an exit plan and moving away from the threat quickly.

The next option, Blair said, is to deny the shooter access to ones location. That could include putting up barriers to block the shooter or turning off the lights.

And finally, as a last resort, one should defend against the attacker, Blair said. Do not fight fairly. This is about survival, ALERRTs website said.

"The immediate goal should be: how do I become a harder target?"  Greg Crane, founder and CEO of the Alice Training Institute

Blair told Fox News that its important for people to be prepared and have a script in mind for high-pressure situations.

23 FIREARMS FOUND IN MANDALAY BAY HOTEL ROOM OCCUPIED BY LAS VEGAS GUNMAN

When you walk into any location, locate the secondary exits, Blair suggested. Be aware so that you can avoid the crowds all leaving out the same main exit.

Blair also encouraged people not to take lightly the feeling that something is wrong. For example, if the concert music stops, start taking action, Blair said.

What if the shooter is at a higher level?

Blair recognized there could be situations when not all of the three recommended steps are viable options, such as during the Las Vegas massacre in October. In instances when the shooter is at an elevated level, the only option people have is to avoid, Blair said.

In those types of situations, Alice Training Institute founder and CEO Greg Crane said people need to evacuate and make themselves less of a target.

WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THE LAS VEGAS GUNMANS COMPANION

The immediate goal should be: how do I become a harder target, Crane said. For a shooter on a higher level, that could mean standing straight up instead of lying flat on the ground, Crane said.

Anything else to know?

When the police arrive, the University of Miamis Miller School of Medicine encourages people to make sure hands are empty and visible. People should also follow officials instructions and avoid making quick movements.

Blair and Crane stressed the importance of recognizing the sound of gunshots.

If you hear repeated loud banging, treat it as if its gunfire, Blair said.
A retired G-man has begun a cold case investigation into who told the Nazis about Anne Franks Dutch hideout during World War II.

Former FBI agent Vince Pankoke will lead a team of 19 top forensic experts using investigative techniques developed in the past decade, including the crunching of big data to uncover leads, The Guardian reported Monday.

The Anne Frank House in Amsterdam has opened its archives and supports the new probe, which will be shown online on video, as the historians, profilers and ex-detectives sort through the evidence, the paper reported.

Pankoke said that by scrutinizing recently declassified documents that had been shipped back to the U.S. after the war he was able to come up with some new theories about what might have happened.

The German security services maintained all records of arrests but it long had been thought that all the documents pertaining to the Franks case were destroyed in a British bombing raid in 1944.

But Pankoke has found a trace of the documents in Washington and we are now restoring damaged documents  water damaged, fire damaged  we are reconstructing them, and we believe they hold the secrets of the time, Thijs Bayens, a filmmaker, told The Guardian.

CLICK FOR MORE FROM THE NEW YORK POST.
Officials in Kazakhstan say five people, including two doctors, have died when a plane carrying them crashed soon after takeoff.

Kazakhstan's Health Ministry said the An-28 plane with a crew of three was flying the doctors from Kazakhstan's largest city, Almaty, to the southern city of Shymkent on Tuesday. Communications with the plane were lost soon after takeoff and its burning fragments were later found near Almaty.

The ministry said all five people aboard were killed in the crash.

The cause of the crash wasn't immediately clear.

The An-28 is a Soviet-built short-range turboprop.
Two days after Catalonias highly-contested referendum for independence, thousands took to the streets of Barcelona on Tuesday to protest what they say were heavy-handed police tactics they claimed turned peaceful demonstrations into scenes of mass violence.

Large crowds gathered outside the national police headquarters in Barcelona. The protesters accused Spanish police officers of becoming an occupying force in the region and urged them to leave.

People are angry, very angry, said Josep Llavina, a 53-year-old self-employed worker who traveled to Barcelona from a nearby town to participate in the protests. They brought violence with them. They have been beaten people who were holding their hands up. How can we not be outraged?

The outrage grew as mobile phone footage made the rounds on social media showing officers in body armor pushing people, dragging them by the hair and striking them with batons.

More than 890 civilians were treated for injuries, most of them not serious, according to Catalan regional health authorities. Spain's Interior Ministry says 431 National Police and Civil Guard agents were injured, too.

The Spanish government, acting on a judge's order to shut down the referendum, defended the response as professional and proportionate.

The police response drew worldwide criticism  though the European Union and most governments backed Spain's stance in what has become the countrys most serious political crisis in decades.

Juan Ignacio Zoido, Spains interior minister, accused the pro-independence Catalan government of representing totalitarianism and hatred for encouraging protests against Spanish police.

"We will not accept the incitement of hatred toward the police and Civil Guard nor that those who have done so much for Spaniards are harassed," he said in a tweet.

He blamed Catalan regional president Carles Puigdemont for the protests after he demanded police leave the region.

Demonstrators arrived by foot, walking along empty boulevards and streets closed off by municipal police as tourists watched from a distance.

Protesters blocked several roads in the city and bus and taxi services were affected.

The strike was not backed by Spain's two main unions, the UGT and CCOO groups, and there were no reports of disruptions affecting big industry or Barcelona's airport.

"I disagree with the strike. In fact, at work nobody told me anything about a strike. So I decided to come," said Jose Bolivar, 54 a town hall employee.

Office worker Antonia Cuello, 37, said the protests were a major disruption but she understood why they had to happen.

"On one side, it is a hassle to try to get to work in the midst of a strike," she said. "We are suffering this because a few decided to behave in an improper way. On the other hand, I understand the circumstances surrounding the strike."

The strike was backed by the famed Barcelona soccer club and two other Catalan teams in the Spanish soccer league.

La Liga leaders said none of its professional or youth teams are practicing on Tuesday and the club headquarters is closed. The Girona soccer team also suspended practice while Espanyol had players undergo physical training behind closed doors.

Barcelona defender Gerard Pique, one of the most outspoken supporters of Catalonias independence, was harassed by fans Monday when he reported to Spains national team training camp in Madrid ahead of upcoming World Cup qualifiers.

Police had to intervene as fans chanted and held posters against him. Spain coach Julen Lopetequi told the COPE radio station the central defender remains motivated despite the abuse from fans. He praised Piques commitment to the national team and said there is no reason not to have him on the squad.

Catalan officials said that 90 percent of the 2.3 million people who voted Sunday were in favor of independence. But fewer than half of those eligible to vote turned out. The vote was boycotted by most of Spain's national parties on grounds it was illegal and lacked basic guarantees, such as a census.

Puigdemont has vowed to act on the results regardless of the legality of the referendum. He is expected to present them this week to Catalonia's regional parliament, which could trigger the process of starting to break away from Spain. Such a move that would inevitably be met by a robust response from Madrid, and Spain's interior minister has said the 5,000 extra officers deployed to Catalonia will stay as long as necessary.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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A group of 20 foreign diplomats who visited Myanmar's Rakhine state, where half a million ethnic Rohingya Muslims fled recent violence, have urged the government to allow access by humanitarian groups and by a United Nations fact-finding mission to investigate allegations of human rights violations.

But the president's office spokesman, Zaw Htay, told The Associated Press on Tuesday the government will stick by its earlier decision to bar the U.N. mission. It has said the group, assembled after similar violence last October, is interfering in Myanmar's affairs.

The diplomats, taken Monday on a guided government tour of the affected area, said in a joint statement that there is a dire need for humanitarian aid.
Iran's foreign minister is in Qatar for talks with top officials there as a quartet of Arab nations continues to boycott the energy-rich country.

Mohammad Javad Zarif's visit on Tuesday comes after Qatar in August restored full diplomatic relations with Iran. Zarif was in Oman on Monday.

Qatar pulled its ambassador from Tehran in early 2016 after Saudi Arabia's execution of a prominent Shiite cleric sparked attacks on Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran. The pullout was in solidarity with the kingdom.

The boycott now by Saudi Arabia and others is partly over what they perceive as Doha's overly warm ties with Tehran.

Iran and Qatar have strong shared commercial interests, namely a massive offshore natural gas field, called the South Pars Field by Tehran and the North Field by Doha.
A report on the almost three-year search for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 said Tuesday the continuing mystery over the fate of the plane and the 239 people on board is "almost inconceivable."

But the Australian Transport Safety Bureau's final report on the search, which was abandoned in January, concedes that authorities are no closer to knowing the reasons for the plane's disappearance, or its exact location. This is despite last year's narrowing down of its most likely resting place to a 9,650-square mile patch of the southern Indian Ocean.

The Boeing 777 carrying 227 passengers and 12 crew disappeared soon into its flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on March 8, 2014.

A 52-day surface search covered an area of several million square square miles in the Indian Ocean west of Australia, before an underwater search mapped 274,000 square miles of seabed at depths of up to 20,000 feet. They were the largest aviation searches of their kind in history, the bureau said.

Despite other methods such as studying satellite imagery and investigating ocean drifts after debris from the plane washed ashore on islands in the eastern Indian Ocean and the east coast of Africa, the 1,046-day search was called off by the governments of Malaysia, China and Australia on Jan. 17.

"The reasons for the loss of MH370 cannot be established with certainty until the aircraft is found," the bureau, which coordinated the search, said in the 440-page report.

"It is almost inconceivable and certainly societally unacceptable in the modern aviation era with 10 million passengers boarding commercial aircraft every day, for a large commercial aircraft to be missing and for the world not to know with certainty what became of the aircraft and those on board," it said.

"The ATSB expresses our deepest sympathies to the families of the passengers and crew on board MH370. We share your profound and prolonged grief, and deeply regret that we have not been able to locate the aircraft, nor those 239 souls on board that remain missing."

However, the report said the understanding of where the plane may be is "better now than it has ever been," partly as a result of studying debris that washed ashore in 2015 and 2016 which showed the plane was "not configured for a ditching at the end-of-flight," meaning it had run out of fuel.

The search team also looked back at satellite imagery which showed objects in the ocean that may have been MH370 debris. The report said this analysis complemented work detailed in a 2016 review and identified an area of less than 9,650 square miles  roughly the size of the U.S. state of Vermont  that "has the highest likelihood of containing MH370."

The bureau noted the Malaysian government is "continuing work on their investigation of the facts and circumstances surrounding the loss of MH370."

The search was extremely difficult because no transmissions were received from the aircraft after its first 38 minutes of flight. Systems designed to automatically transmit the flight's position failed to work after this point, the report said.

Subsequent analysis of radar and satellite communication data revealed the aircraft had continued to fly for seven hours. Its last positively known position was fixed at the northern tip of Sumatra by surveillance systems operating that night, six hours before it ended its flight in the southern Indian Ocean.

The bureau said the search had at least led to some important gains in the field of locating missing aircraft on flights over deep ocean areas, with improvements made to systems for tracking aircraft.

"Steps are being taken to advance other aircraft systems including emergency locator transponders and flight recorder locator beacons," the report said.

ATSB Chief Commissioner Greg Hood praised the commitment of everyone involved in the search.

"This was an unprecedented endeavor and there has been an extraordinary response from the global community," he said in a statement.
Israel's prime minister has pledged to build thousands of new housing units in the West Bank's biggest Jewish settlement and annex it to Israel.

Benjamin Netanyahu spoke during a visit on Tuesday to Maale Adumim, where he promised "enhanced development" of the settlement.

Netanyahu gave no specifics or a timetable, which suggests he may have been playing to his nationalistic base.

Israel captured the West Bank and east Jerusalem in the 1967 war and has since built dozens of settlements there.

The Palestinians, along with much of the international community, view the settlements as illegal and an obstacle to peace. Israel disputes this, saying the fate of settlements must be resolved through negotiations.

Netanyahu has lately amped up his rhetoric, repeatedly pledging that settlements would never again be abandoned.
North Korea threatened to bring nuclear clouds to Japan and mocked Prime Minister Shinzo Abe for acting like a headless chicken at the United Nations General Assembly when the leader urged U.N. members to force North Korea to end its nuclear and missile programs.

Pyongyang claimed Japan was inciting more tension in the Korean peninsula, calling its plea to end Kim Jong Uns nuclear goal a suicidal deed that will end with a nuclear attack to sink the island, according to a statement released Monday by the states official Korean Central News Agency.

Japan's such rackets inciting the tension of the Korean peninsula is a suicidal deed that will bring nuclear clouds to the Japanese archipelago, the statement said. No one knows when the touch-and-go situation will lead to a nuclear war, but if so, the Japanese archipelago will be engulfed in flames in a moment. This is too self-evident."

NORTH KOREA'S HISTORY OF DECLARING WAR ON US

North Korea called Abe a headless chicken and said the country could be the first victim of nuclear disaster in the world.

North Korea has already fired two missiles that flew over Japan in the last two months. The missile from the latest launch in September reached a height of 480 miles and flew 2,300 miles out, putting it in range of U.S. territory Guam. North Korea then threatened to sink Japan and reduce the U.S. to ashes and darkness.

"The four islands of the archipelago should be sunken into the sea by the nuclear bomb of Juche. Japan is no longer needed to exist near us," KCNA said in another message.

A top government spokesman for Japan responded to the threat by calling it outrageous and provocative.

The growing nuclear threat pushed Abe to seek a public mandate on his tougher diplomatic and defense policies to deal with escalating threats from North Korea. He dissolved Japans lower house of parliament and called for a snap election to be held this month.

CHINA CLOSES NORTH KOREAN BUSINESSES; NORTH KOREA ALLEGEDLY SWELLS ARMY TO FIGHT US

North Koreas string of belligerent threats have continued since President Trump vowed to totally destroy the dictatorship in his speech to the U.N. General Assembly. North Koreas foreign minister Ri Yong-ho said Trumps threatening words was a declaration of war, though the White House insisted no such explicit statement was made.

Trump once again ripped Little Rocket Man Kim Jong Un in a series of tweets over the weekend after Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said there was lines of communication to Pyongyang. Trump urged Tillerson to save [his] energy because he was wasting his time trying to negotiate with Little Rocket Man.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Philippine police say two Swedish citizens and their Filipino driver were wounded, apparently in the crossfire, when communist guerrillas attempted to attack a police car in a central province.

A police report said a Swedish man was shot in the wrist and a Swedish woman was injured in the shoulder, while their Filipino van driver was wounded in the face, stomach and thigh during the attack Tuesday by the New People's Army in a village in the coastal town of Cauayan in Negros Occidental province.

The report said the five policemen in the patrol car, which was targeted by the insurgents, were not wounded. The rebels withdrew when army reinforcements arrived.

The communist rebellion in the Philippines has raged for 48 years, making it one of Asia's longest.
Russia's military says its airstrikes in eastern Syria this week killed more than 300 Islamic State militants.

Russia has been a major backer of Syria's President Bashar Assad whose government troops have been advancing in the eastern province of Deir el-Zour against IS under the cover of Russian airstrikes.

Meanwhile, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces are also marching against the Islamic State group, backed by the U.S.-led coalition.

Russia's Defense Ministry said in a statement early on Tuesday that its airstrikes just outside Deir el-Zour, on the eastern bank of the Euphrates River, killed more than 304 IS fighters and left more than 200 wounded.

The ministry says the airstrikes also hit and destroyed an IS training center, as well artillery positions, tanks and ammunition depots belonging to the militants.
The Danish inventor charged with killing journalist Kim Wall aboard his homemade Nautilus submarine had a computer containing video of the torture and killing of women, a prosecutor said Tuesday.

Senior prosecutor Jakob Buch-Jepsen said at a court hearing that investigators uncovered a hard drive with material on it described as torture on other women.

"We think it's video recordings of true killing of women," Jakob Buch-Jepsen said, according to a translation in The Ekstra Bladet newspaper, adding some of the videos containing killings done by "decapitation and burning."

"It's not just that we have the same grounds for arrest as before, but I think they are stronger than last time," Buch-Jepsen said, adding that suspect Peter Madsen should be detained during the hearing. A judge later ruled Madsen will continue to sit behind bars until Oct. 31 as police continue to investigate Wall's death.

Madsen's body also had DNA traces from Wall, including scrapes on his face and neck, according to Buch-Jepsen.

The inventor, who attended the hearing on a video link with his lawyer, said the computer in question has been used by others, including a trainee at the workshop, who "practically" lived there, the Danish B.T. tabloid reported.

"I would like to clarify that the computer in the custody of the police and the items that have been removed from the space laboratory are not mine," he said in court.

While authorities have not yet officially announced a cause of death for Wall, Buch-Jepsen said the journalist had a chest wound, and several stitches had been sewn on her torso.

The wounds came "about the onset of death or shortly thereafter," Buch-Jepsen told the court.

Madsen's lawyer, Betina Hald Engmark, told the court the autopsy report does not indicate Madsen had sex with Wall prior to her death, the B.T. tabloid reported.

The inventor said Wall died after she was hit by a hatch cover aboard the homemade submarine and bled to death from an open skull fracture.

Wall's naked, headless body was found Aug. 21 on a Copenhagen beach, 10 days after she was last seen entering Madsen's sub as part of a story she was writing.

Her family has set up a crowdfunding campaign to raise donations for the "Kim Wall Memorial Fund" -- a grant that will help support a young female reporter.
The three finalists have been selected for the fifth annual Made in FredVA business startup competition organized by the Next Generation of Business Leaders, a program of the Fredericksburg Regional Chamber of Commerce.

The businesses selected are Beyond High C Singing Specialty, Fredericksburg Food Coop and Mandala Pies. Each will have ten minutes to pitch their business ideas to a panel of local entrepreneurs at 6 p.m. Nov. 2 at the Inn at the Old Silk Mill, 1707 Princess Anne St. in Fredericksburg. The judges will have ten minutes to ask the business owners questions.

We were thrilled to receive new and creative ideas for our fifth year of the competition, said Rich Brown, chairman of the NextGen board of directors. It has been great to watch this program grow.

Kiersten Kanasters Beyond High C Singing Specialty is a low-cost, online group music program for survivors of brain injury. It offers post-acute support designed to overcome financial constraints, transportation difficulties and reduce social isolation and instances of depression. There are plans to adapt the program to serve dementia and autism populations.

Fredericksburg Food Coop, presented by board member Rich Larochelle, plans to be a full-service grocery store that will focus on local foods, natural and organic products and practices. It will be owned and controlled by its local members.

Caitlin LaCombs Mandala Pies connects consumers to agriculture by using organically grown, local ingredients for her baked-from-scratch pies. Her specialties include Ginger Spice & Everything Nice, a pumpkin with a gingersnap crust, and The Old Farmers Almanac, an apple pie with a cinnamon roll crust.

Made in FredVA is patterned after the popular Shark Tank television show. This years judges will be Mike Adams, president of JON Properties; Gerald Childress, owner of The Childress Agency; and DD Lecky, owner of LibertyTown Arts Workshop.

The winner will receive $10,000 toward their business startup expenses. Additionally, the audience will vote for the $500 peoples choice cash award. Potential investors are encouraged to attend and hear the business ideas pitched.

The prizes are made possible through sponsorships from the City of Fredericksburg Economic Development Authority, the Stafford County Economic Development Authority, the Next Generation of Business Leaders and Virginia Partners Bank.
Linda Upshaw was looking for bargains, not someone elses childhood memories.

But as she searched through an antique store in King George County, she spotted a book that made her look twice. It was Misty of Chincoteague, a childrens novel about a family raising a filly born to a wild horse.

Upshaw always loved horses and had cared for those rescued from the racetrack at her home near Sneads Farm in Woodford of Caroline County. Also, Misty had been a favorite of her oldest child, Caroline Hughes, whod recently become a mother.

Upshaw thought the book would be a perfect addition to the growing library of Carolines daughter, Harper, who was born in May.

But there was another reason Upshaw couldnt leave Misty behind.

In the back was a two-page inscription from a mother to her daughters, recounting their visit to Chincoteague Island for the annual penning of ponies. It was addressed to Kimmy and Cammy, dated July 1978 and filled with words of wisdom that touched Upshaw, a mother and new Grandmama, as much as the story itself.

The inscription read: All in all girlsalways remember that our lives are lived, not in great sweeps of cosmic time, but in small, graspable, everyday moments. Love always, Mom

Those words would make many eyes misty in the days to come.

HOW FAMILIAR IT FELT

Caroline Hughes lives in Richmond and was spending a day with her mother in August. Upshaw had planned to present the book as a Christmas present, but just couldnt wait.

Over coffee at the kitchen table, Upshaw shared the story of the books discovery and how she paid $10 for it. Thats steep for a woman who follows her mothers mantra to never pay full price.

It made me tear up when I read it in the store, and I just couldnt leave it, Upshaw explained to her daughter, adding: I knew you were the type of person who would really appreciate the words in it.

Indeed she did.

Hughes read the inscriptions account of the sisters, who tried to push each other off a picnic table as they stood on tippy toes to see the activity around them. It sounded like something she and her sister, Ann, would have done.

And the part about the father getting separated from the familythen discovered later, enjoying a tall Pepsi and a box of cookies, well, that could have been their father, Keith Upshaw, Hughes thought.

How familiar it felt, Hughes said about the episode. It could have just as easily been our family.

LIKE A HALLMARK MOVIE

Hughes agreed the book was too personal to leave in a store. But she wanted to take it another step and get it back into the hands of the original owners.

If this were my book, Id want it to be with my family, she said.

But almost 40 years had passed since the family had visited Chincoteague Island. At the bottom of the second page was a name tag that read: HELLO. My name is Cammy.

In a childs handwriting, the last name Robinson had been added in pencil.

Hughes wondered: Was it possible to find Cammy Robinson? Would she be interested in the book? Or did those kind of reunions happen only in Hallmark movies?

WE WERE ALL CRYING

Hughes shared the Misty story on social media and within 15 minutes, her friend and Facebook sleuth, Ryan Ellis, sent her a profile of a woman that looked to be the right age for Cammy Robinson.

Hughes sent Robinson a message, acknowledging this is kind of a long shot, and within minutes, the two were talking.

She called, crying and said, Thats my book, and before you know it, we were all crying, Hughes said.

Robinson, an attorney in Washington and Maryland, has no idea how the book ended up in King George County. She told Hughes about her mother, a psychologist who loved books and believed every good one deserved an equally good inscription. Her name was Dr. Jean Robinson, and she died May 2, 2016.

My mom was my best friend in the whole world, said Robinson, who lives in Northern Virginia with her three children. Its almost earth-shattering when you lose someone that close.

She says its miraculous that shes even still standing after the events of the last two years. Her mom suddenly got sick, Robinson got divorced after 15 years of marriage and her older sister, Kimmy, developed dementia, and Robinson had to put her in a nursing home.

Afterwards, shed gone through the private possessions of both women, sorting through items collected over the course of more than 40 years.

On the same day that Robinson heard from Hughes, she had come back from vacation to find that her mothers cat had gone missing. She and the kids put up posters and Facebook notices and were able to find the cat, seemingly out of nowhere, Robinson said.

Less than 10 minutes later, she got a message from a woman shed never met, saying shed found a book that may belong to her.

It was this unbelievable divine intervention that somebody would have gotten it in King George and been touched by it and then gone through all the trouble to locate me, Robinson said. I was not an overly religious person until my mom passed, but so many things have happened, I feel like theres something bigger out there.

FELT LIKE KARMA

On her way home to Richmond the same day she learned about the book, Hughes had it shipped to Robinson. Hughes and her mother were thrilled to add another chapter to the story, one that helped a grieving daughter reconnect with a little piece of her mother.

It felt like karma, Hughes said. There are times in life when youre struggling and have a lot of challenges, and then little things happen, and they can be a ray of light.

Upshaw prefers to put it another way. My mom always said there are no coincidences in life, and I believe that, too.

The only part of the tale thats unfinished is that Harper Genevieve, whose middle name is the same as Upshaws late mother, doesnt have a book about Misty the Chincoteague pony among her collection.

Grandmama will take care of that at Christmas. And, shell be sure to write the perfect inscription.
Someone recently vandalized the flagpole that flies the controversial Confederate flag that towers above Interstate 95 on private property in the Falmouth area, authorities said.

Stafford County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Amanda Vicinanzo said Deputy George Motley was called to the property Sunday afternoon and found "take it down" and "racist" spray-painted on the base of the pole.

The rope used to hoist the flag was also damaged, Vicinanzo said, and there was an apparent attempt to remove the plaque on the pole that reads, "Virginia."

The huge flag has been especially controversial of late and a number of speakers at several recent meetings have urged the county Board of Supervisors to take a stand against it. They said it reflects poorly on Stafford to have the flag so prominently displayed.

Suggestions have included things from outlawing the flag altogether to issuing a proclamation denouncing the Confederate flag, which some believe is a symbol of racism and white supremacy. In addition, a lawyer in the county recently filed a complaint to the county zoning department, contending that the flag is an illegal sign that should come down.

The flag was raised in 2014 on private property near the intersection of Interstate 95 and U.S. 17. It can be seen by motorists on the interstate.

County Attorney Charles Shumate has said because the flag is on private property, the county has no legal authority to force the property owners to take it down.

Vicinanzo said the landowner, Hubert Cash, informed Motley that the pole is owned by the Virginia Flaggers and that he agreed to have the flag and pole on his property. There are a number of no-trespassing signs around the pole and property line.

Cash told the deputy that he noticed the damage about 3 p.m. Sunday and had last seen the pole undamaged on Sept. 24. Vicinanzo said Cash told police he doesn't know who caused the damage, "but knows there are a lot of people who do not like the flag."

One vocal opponent of the flag on the Cash property, however, says she condemns the vandalism. Susan Kosior recently got a permit to erect her own 80-foot pole on which to fly a Black Lives Matter flag at her home in Ferry Farm in opposition to the Confederate flag.

I have worked tirelessly the last seven weeks to use the system to legally combat the I-95 flag in our community, Kosior wrote in an email. This type of behavior only sets back our work for justice and our cause for peace. I have never advocated violating the Cashes property rights using any means, including trespass and vandalism. I remain steadfast in that conviction.
The James Monroe Museum in downtown Fredericksburg will host a fundraiser Friday for hurricane relief in Monroe County, Fla.

The county, which encompasses the Key islands and was severely damaged when hurricane Irma hit last month, was named for fifth president James Monroe.

"As the museum staff considered how they could help those in need, they thought of focusing their efforts on Monroe County, Florida, established on July 2, 1823, and named after then-president James Monroe," a museum press release states.

Irma destroyed many homes and businesses and was responsible for 14 deaths in the county.

The museum is inviting the public to visit on Friday and make a donation to Habitat for Humanity of the Middle and Lower Keys. Donations will be accepted during the museum's regular hours of 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., as well as during the First Friday event Friday evening from 6 to 8 p.m.

Everyone who donates on Friday will receive a coupon for free museum admission for a group of four.

There will also be a link to Habitat for Humanity of the Middle Keys at the museum's website through the month of October.
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The UK should capitalise on the growing market for plant-based protein such as soya after Brexit, farmers are being told.

A report by think tank the New Economics Foundation, commissioned by the Vegan Society and due to be launched this week, will point to crops such as soya, lentils, peas, beans and flax seeds as being key crops in a more sustainable agriculture system in the UK after Brexit.

Griffin Carpenter, economics modeller at New Economics Foundation, told the Labour Party Conference last week the UK could seize the opportunity created by Brexit to set subsidies at different rates in favour of crops such as soya.

See also: Surge in soya area predicted next season

Soya offers a sizeable global market, with China importing 85m tonnes of the 150m tonnes traded annually on world markets to support its meat sector.

Ready market

In August, prices stood at about 380/t, up from 165/t after it was first introduced as a contender in the UK in 2002.

The UK, while considerably smaller with imports of just 3m tonnes, presents a huge and ready home market for UK growers, according to soya seed supplier Soya UK.

David McNoughton, director at Soya UK, said farmers are already turning to soya because they are very keen to find a spring break crop that delivers a decent gross margin.

This message was echoed by Savills director and Cambridgeshire farmer Peter Bennett at a meeting with farmers in Sprowston, Norfolk, on Friday 29 September.

He said farmers need to consider diversifying into new crops to compete after Brexit, and growing soya makes sound economic sense.

Mr Bennett told Farmers Weekly that when he first attempted to grow soya 15 years ago, the low prices and lower yields forced him to abandon it.

However, he said Soya UK had worked with seed producers to improve yields and this, combined with a rise in prices, has led him to replace oilseed rape in the crop rotation of sugar beet and potatoes at his 243ha farm in Cambridgeshire.

From our point of view, with its gross margin and yield, its a great crop.

There is definitely a market for it. Some farmers are worried about how it fits into a rotation, because of how late it is, he said.

There is no guarantee it will be harvested in time to allow wheat to be sown in the second week of October.

Mr Bennett had been growing the crop under the ecological focus area scheme, and said he would welcome any future incentive to grow the crop.

Although not commonly grown in the UK, the area of soya is predicted to quadruple next year to more than 8,000ha as this years growers look to expand their crop area.
A Pinch of Salt: The election is over, I think, so what now?
LAS VEGAS  Surreal, and, like something out of a movie."

That's how mid-valley residents in Las Vegas on business and pleasure trips described learning that a gunman killed at least 59 people and wounded more than 500 Sunday night at a Jason Aldean country music concert in an outdoor venue near the Mandalay Bay hotel.

Lebanon City Councilor Rebecca Grizzle, who works for Linn-Co Federal Credit Union, planned to attend a business conference Monday morning. Her niece, Jennifer Shelton, who lives in Alaska, is with her, but not on business.

They are staying in the Mandalay Bay hotel, around the corner from the alleged shooters suite.

Its really weird here right now, Grizzle said Monday afternoon. The conference has been canceled, I cant cancel my room and we cant change our flights. There has been a mass exodus out of here.

Grizzle said she and her niece went out Sunday evening and returned to their room about 9:40 p.m.

About 22,000 people were attending the nearby outdoor concert, clearly visible from the hotel. Alleged gunman Stephen Paddock, 64, opened fire into the crowd about 10 p.m. Paddock died of a self-inflicted gunshot, according to Las Vegas SWAT officers. Several rifles were found in the room.

I was asleep in about 10 minutes, but Jennifer took a shower and heard what sounded like pop, pop, pop, Grizzle said. She thought it was a jackhammer or something like that. You just dont know about something like this. We didnt know about the shooting until we received a phone call about 5 a.m. from the hotel staff informing us to not leave our room. Later in the morning, we got another message that said all conferences had been canceled.

Grizzle said she turned on the television and learned about the shooting, that it was over and the shooter was dead.

It was kind of surreal, Grizzle said. When we were able to leave the hotel, we walked down Las Vegas Boulevard and it was eerie. It had been shut down and there was no street traffic at all.

Grizzle said the hotel provided free breakfasts to all guests, but she said it was a very somber experience.

You could tell that folks had been up all night, Grizzle said. We didnt know if someone sitting next to us had lost loved ones, or had someone in the hospital.

Grizzle said she hadnt spoken with anyone else who was to attend the conference, but said it was likely that one of the conference attendees might have been at the concert, since it was only a few hundred yards from the hotel.

Gary Robertson of Albany is in Las Vegas to compete in the senior softball World Series, along with team members from Portland and Salem.

We got into town Thursday and will leave tonight (Monday), Robertson said. We are staying in condos about two miles off the strip, behind the Luxor.

Robertson said he, his girlfriend and a friend attended a Beatles tribute show at the Mirage Sunday evening.

About 11 p.m. my son texted and said there was an active shooter on the strip, Robertson said. I told him we were at the show and we were fine. He lives in Las Vegas and kept texting me reports of what was going on.

Robertson said his friend had been gambling and had gone to cash out about midnight when people stared flooding through the doors saying that was a shooter somewhere outside. There was immediate panic.

Robertson said it was like something out of a movie.

As far as we knew, we were running for our lives, Robertson said. People were dropping things everywhere and everyone was running for the escalators.

By the time Robertson and his girlfriend arrived at their car, his friend already was behind the steering wheel.

We drove out of the parking garage the back way and got out of there, Robertson said. We got back to our rooms, but still didnt really know what was going on. It was run and duck. Our trip to the strip was canceled for today.

Robertson said the plan was to hang out Monday until it was time to catch a flight home.

I have talked to my son several times, he said. Obviously, he is very upset, as is my girlfriend. Everyone is OK, everyone is fine, but it was truly scary stuff.
TNVolunteer73 said: Nope when was the Fed created?



1913 following the Creation we have had



1920 Depression



1929 Great Depression



Recession of 1950s



stagflation of the 1970s



1980 recession



1989 Recession



1999 recession



2008 recession Click to expand...

taxpayer monies, they got to keep all of the foreclosures.

I'd suggest you take it one step farther. EVERYTHING changed in 1913 but the most serious problem when everything changed to a debt based system. When I say serious I mean for us, not the for the powers that be. They never lose. For instance, in the case of the bailouts the banks not only got theSavings and InvestmentIn order for all the debt thats used to create the money supply to be payableeven theoretically payableall of the debt-created money has to be spent into the economy so it will be available for paying off debt. If that doesnt happen then there will be a scarcity of money even if enough new loans are made to keep recreating the money that disappears when debt is paid off.Enter the guys in the white hats (or white coats maybe), the wise principles of sound money managementnamely savings and investment. Most people believe that these things are good and right and wise. In a sensible monetary system, maybe they are. In the fractional-reserve, debt-based system, they can be deadly.A penny saved is a penny held out of the working economy where it could have been used to pay debt. Savings that earn interest, compound the problem because not only is the saved money held out of the economy, its acting as a magnet to draw additional money out of the system. The accumulated interest money is generally added to the savings rather than spent, compounding the interest and drawing more money from the system.You put our fiat currency out there and combine it with a fractional reserve banking system with a debt based economy and we're all ******.
Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2021.
Rental prices in large and university cities : Prices for student apartments are rising steeply in Bonn and Cologne

Bonn/Cologne Students in Germany must pay increasingly more money in rent. Average prices have risen by up to 70 per cent since 2010 and have also gone up in Bonn and Cologne.

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Studying is more popular than ever today. In the winter semester 2016/17, the number of students in Germany exceeded the 2.8 million mark for the first time. As a result, more and more young people are leaving the family home and need their own apartment in their place of study. City life is also becoming increasingly attractive to employees, trainees, long distance commuters and pensioners. This increases competition for the already extremely limited living space.

Whether a shared room, student residence or an apartment, living space is becoming increasingly scarce. Added to this are the huge increases in rental prices, especially in large cities and university towns. These are the results of a report by the Cologne Institute for Economic Research for the German Real Estate Funds Advisor in cooperation with the internet site Immobilienscout24.

The study examined 15 cities over a period from 2010 to the end of the first half of 2017. This showed the highest percentage increase in net rental prices since 2010 was in Berlin with 70.2 per cent (from six to eleven euros per square metre) followed by Stuttgart with 62.2 per cent and Munich with 53.1 per cent.

Rental prices in Bonn up by a quarter

The rental prices for students also rose significantly in Cologne and Bonn. Students in Cologne paid an average of 22.3 per cent more than in 2010 and in Bonn the rents have increased by 24.9 per cent. While the average rent for a typical student apartment in Bonn was 435 Euros in 2010, in the first half year of 2017 it is already 487 Euros. Generally, the experts estimate the average rental prices for new rental contracts in Cologne and Bonn at around eleven euros per square metre.

Reasons for increasing rents

The significant increase is not only due to the generally increasing shortage of living space in desirable locations, but also because an increasing number of rental apartments are offered furnished, which drives prices up even more, said IW property specialist, Michael Voigtlander. The situation can only be eased through more new-build apartments and additional student residences, Voigtlander said.
bayonel3 at 3-10-2017 02:32 PM (5 years ago) (m)

The former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke on Tuesday pleaded with the Federal High Court in Lagos to compel the Attorney General of the Federation to bring her back to Nigeria from the United Kingdom, where she travelled to shortly after leaving office in 2015. Diezani made the plea through an application filed on Tuesday, by one Obinna Onya, a lawyer from Abuja, who appeared before Justice Aikawa with an application seeking the joining of Diezani as one of the defendants in the charge.

The former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke on Tuesday pleaded with the Federal High Court in Lagos to compel the Attorney General of the Federation to bring her back to Nigeria from the United Kingdom, where she travelled to shortly after leaving office in 2015. Diezani made the plea through an application filed on Tuesday, by one Obinna Onya, a lawyer from Abuja, who appeared before Justice Aikawa with an application seeking the joining of Diezani as one of the defendants in the charge. Diezani said she would like to appear in court in Nigeria to defend a criminal charge bordering on alleged laundering of N450m, where her name was mentioned.

The main defendants in the charge are a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr. Dele Belgore; and a former Minister of National Planning, Prof. Abubakar Suleiman. Belgore and Suleiman were charged before Justice Rilwan Aikawa for allegedly collecting N450m from Diezani and laundering same in the build-up to the 2015 general elections.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, which filed the charges, claimed that the N450m was part of a sum of $115m which Diezani allegedly doled out to compromise the 2015 general elections. The SAN and the professor were arraigned on five counts, wherein Diezanis name was mentioned, but she was declared as being at large.

Diezani's application seeking to be joined in the suit was filed pursuant to Section 36(1),(5),(6 (a)-(e) of the Constitution and sections 216 (1) (2) (3) (4); and 217 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, sought an amendment to the charges against Belgore and Suleiman, so as to join Diezani as one of the defendants.

The lawyer contended that contrary to the declaration by the EFCC that Diezani was at large, the former minister was in the UK and was willing to return to Nigeria so that she could appear in court to take her plea and defend the charges..

The lawyer argued that since Diezanis name had been mentioned in the charge, it would be against her right to fair hearing for the case to proceed without affording her the opportunity to defend herself.

The statement made by the prosecution means that the applicant (Diezani) is going to be convicted without being given the opportunity to defend herself, Onya told Justice Aikawa. The application prayed for an order mandating the Attorney General of the Federation, being the agent of the complainant, to facilitate the prompt appearance of the applicant in court on the next adjourned date, to take her plea and to defend the allegations made against her in counts 1, 2,3 and 4 of the charge, numbered FHC/L/35c/2017.

Onya urged Justice Aikawa to hear and determine the application before proceeding with the case on Tuesday. But the prosecuting counsel for the EFCC, Rotimi Oyedepo, opposed him, saying the application was not ripe for hearing, as he had yet to be served.

However, Onya told the court that he had attempted to serve Oyedepo on Tuesday morning on the court premises but that the prosecutor declined, adding that his effort to serve the application at the EFCC office on Friday was also frustrated.

But Oyedepo advised him to go and serve the application at the registry of the EFCC, assuring him that the application would be accepted. Responding, Justice Aikawa said the court could not entertain the application until all the parties had been properly served. Meanwhile, the trial proceeded with the second witness for the EFCC, Usman Zakari, continuing his testimony. Through the witness, Oyedepo tendered two letters written to the EFCC in relation to the case Standard Charted Bank Nigeria Limited and Guaranty Trust Bank.

The court admitted the two letters as exhibits in evidence against the defendants.

However, Oyedepos attempt to tender a trail of electronic mail communication between Diezani and the Managing Director of Fidelity Bank was resisted by the defence counsel, Mr. Ebun Shofunde (SAN) and Olatunji Ayanlaja (SAN).

They contended that the document was not admissible as, according to them, it did not meet the requirement of the Evidence Act. Oyedepo sought an adjournment to counter the objection by the defence. Justice Aikawa adjourned till Wednesday, October 4 for continuation of trial. In the charges, Sulaiman, a professor of Political Science and International Relations at the University of Abuja; and Belgore, a former governorship aspirant in Kwara State, were accused of conspiring between themselves to commit the offence on March 27, 2015. The duo were accused of making a cash transaction of N450m on March 27, 2015, without going through any financial institution.

But they pleaded not guilty to the charges.  Diezani said she would like to appear in court in Nigeria to defend a criminal charge bordering on alleged laundering of N450m, where her name was mentioned.The main defendants in the charge are a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr. Dele Belgore; and a former Minister of National Planning, Prof. Abubakar Suleiman. Belgore and Suleiman were charged before Justice Rilwan Aikawa for allegedly collecting N450m from Diezani and laundering same in the build-up to the 2015 general elections.The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, which filed the charges, claimed that the N450m was part of a sum of $115m which Diezani allegedly doled out to compromise the 2015 general elections. The SAN and the professor were arraigned on five counts, wherein Diezanis name was mentioned, but she was declared as being at large.Diezani's application seeking to be joined in the suit was filed pursuant to Section 36(1),(5),(6 (a)-(e) of the Constitution and sections 216 (1) (2) (3) (4); and 217 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, sought an amendment to the charges against Belgore and Suleiman, so as to join Diezani as one of the defendants.The lawyer contended that contrary to the declaration by the EFCC that Diezani was at large, the former minister was in the UK and was willing to return to Nigeria so that she could appear in court to take her plea and defend the charges..The lawyer argued that since Diezanis name had been mentioned in the charge, it would be against her right to fair hearing for the case to proceed without affording her the opportunity to defend herself.Onya told Justice Aikawa. The application prayed for an order mandating the Attorney General of the Federation, being the agent of the complainant, to facilitate the prompt appearance of the applicant in court on the next adjourned date, to take her plea and to defend the allegations made against her in counts 1, 2,3 and 4 of the charge, numbered FHC/L/35c/2017.Onya urged Justice Aikawa to hear and determine the application before proceeding with the case on Tuesday. But the prosecuting counsel for the EFCC, Rotimi Oyedepo, opposed him, saying the application was not ripe for hearing, as he had yet to be served.However, Onya told the court that he had attempted to serve Oyedepo on Tuesday morning on the court premises but that the prosecutor declined, adding that his effort to serve the application at the EFCC office on Friday was also frustrated.But Oyedepo advised him to go and serve the application at the registry of the EFCC, assuring him that the application would be accepted. Responding, Justice Aikawa said the court could not entertain the application until all the parties had been properly served. Meanwhile, the trial proceeded with the second witness for the EFCC, Usman Zakari, continuing his testimony. Through the witness, Oyedepo tendered two letters written to the EFCC in relation to the case Standard Charted Bank Nigeria Limited and Guaranty Trust Bank.The court admitted the two letters as exhibits in evidence against the defendants.However, Oyedepos attempt to tender a trail of electronic mail communication between Diezani and the Managing Director of Fidelity Bank was resisted by the defence counsel, Mr. Ebun Shofunde (SAN) and Olatunji Ayanlaja (SAN).They contended that the document was not admissible as, according to them, it did not meet the requirement of the Evidence Act. Oyedepo sought an adjournment to counter the objection by the defence. Justice Aikawa adjourned till Wednesday, October 4 for continuation of trial. In the charges, Sulaiman, a professor of Political Science and International Relations at the University of Abuja; and Belgore, a former governorship aspirant in Kwara State, were accused of conspiring between themselves to commit the offence on March 27, 2015. The duo were accused of making a cash transaction of N450m on March 27, 2015, without going through any financial institution.But they pleaded not guilty to the charges. 

Post Reply I scour the world wide web to bring you interesting stories from around the globe. [email protected] Posted: at 3-10-2017 02:32 PM (5 years ago) | Hero
Chances are good that you were among those voters who gave the green light to annual legislative sessions when the idea landed on state ballots in 2010.

Ballot Measure 71 passed with better than a 2-to-1 margin statewide. The measure won a majority in every one of Oregon's 36 counties.

Most Oregon voters  even those with a (well-founded) fear of the Legislature  understood that state government had become such a complicated operation that legislators simply couldn't keep an eye on it by meeting every other year.

But the measure was carefully structured to ease the fears of voters: Most of the Legislature's heavy lifting, we were told, would occur in sessions that took place in odd-numbered years. Those sessions would run 160 days. Those were the sessions to pitch big ideas or major changes in state policies.

The sessions scheduled for even-numbered years, such as the one that will begin next year, were intended essentially for legislators to tie up loose ends from the longer sessions; the idea was that legislators would use the 35-day sessions to rebalance budgets and make technical fixes to laws.

There's a good reason for that: A 35-day session is not the place for big ideas to get the full hearing they deserve, let alone for those ideas to get the public exposure they deserve.

But that's not how the short sessions have played out in recent years. The 2016 session alone featured two big policy measures, a bill requiring power companies to eliminate coal-fired resources from their power supply and another measure to increase the state's minimum wage. Regardless of what you think about both of those measures, they deserved more consideration than they received in the short session.

All of which explains why it's alarming to learn that another big-deal bill may be getting the short-session treatment in 2018. The Oregonian reported over the weekend that many Democrats, including Gov. Kate Brown, will be pushing for a bill to cap greenhouse gases and charge some of the state's largest companies for their carbon output.

The Oregonian reported that Brown has several work groups hammering out the numerous details of the proposal, but the hope is to have bill language ready by November.

To be fair, this bill proposal follows on the heels of other similar bills that haven't gotten much traction yet in the Legislature, so it's not a complete surprise that it's surfacing now.

But so many details remain to be worked out that even some Democrats, such as Sen. Mark Hass of Beaverton, are questioning the wisdom of trying to push it through in a short session. "I'm not sure we have all the answers on a giant policy like that to act in 30 days," Hass told The Oregonian.

It's not just that: Other issues might be competing for legislators' attention during the 2018 session, including school funding and the increasing unfunded liability of Oregon's public pension system, which recently grew to $25.3 billion, not that anyone appears to be counting.

But here's one of the reasons why Brown and other Democrats might want to be pushing the carbon-tax proposal: It could raise big money  $700 million a year  for the state.

Although numerous details remain to be worked out, two ideas are likely to be at the heart of the proposal, according to The Oregonian story: a statewide mandate to lower greenhouse gas emissions 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050 and a requirement that some of the state's biggest polluters would have to pay for their emissions. That money would go to the state, but no one knows yet where exactly it would be spent  or, for that matter, which branch of an already stretched-thin state government will administer the program.

Sound complex? It is. All the better reason for the people pushing the proposal to take their time and aim for the 2019 session, when it will have ample opportunity for the full hearing  with ample opportunities for public input  it deserves. (mm)
With the price of solar panels dropping, more people are opening up to the idea of installing renewable energy in their homes and businesses to help offset electric costs.

Among them is James LaPrade, president of BMS Direct on Millrace Drive in Lynchburg. LaPrade had solar panels installed on the roofs of his business last year, and those panels now supply about half of BMS Directs electricity.

Im a big fan of renewable energy, he said.

When installed, solar panels absorb the suns rays and convert it into electricity. Solar panels are made up of different types of silicon cells joined together to form a circuit. While the savings and environmental benefits from using solar power can be an attractive investment, prospective buyers must weigh those advantages against the upfront cost of installing solar panels and assess whether their property receives enough sunlight to make solar power viable.

When LaPrade built his home 10 years ago, he installed solar hot water and said he has been able to see the savings from that over the years. When an opportunity came to do something similar at his office, LaPrade jumped on it.

The 80,000-square-foot facility that employs 72 people and specializes in processing invoices has a fully open roof with more than 900 solar panels on it. The initial installation last year at BMS involved 722 panels placed on the roof, and this year another 200 were added. The first investment cost $402,000, and LaPrade just added another $100,000.

Before installing the panels, he said, the offices electric bills were anywhere from $6,000 to $9,000 per month. The payback timeline on the panels at BMS is six years.

My intention is to keep adding on each year until I can maximize my roof space, LaPrade said. There is about 40 percent of the roof remaining.

LaPrade hired Affordable Energy Concepts Inc. in Madison Heights.

The cost of solar has dropped dramatically over the past five years primarily due to technology improvements and the supply and demand for solar, Affordable Energy Concepts Owner David Wall said.

Installing residential panels can cost between $2.30 per watt and $2.75 per watt. An average residential installation totals around five kilowatts, or 5,000 watts, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association. For commercial, the panels can cost between $1.40 per watt and $2.20 per watt.

According to the Solar Energy Industries Association, there were 26,000 Virginia homes powered by solar as of Sept. 12, and there has been a 55 percent price decline in solar over the past five years.

Matthew Brady, director of business development for Lynchburg-based New Dominion Solar, said increased electricity costs and the publics greater awareness of solar power have contributed to its popularity.

New Dominion Solar, which opened last year, works mostly in theresidential market but is hoping to break into commercial soon. Brady said using solar panels can replace homeowners and businesses power bills.

Financing is available for solar panels, and in Virginia, those with solar panels are eligible for a 30 percent federal solar investment tax credit. With the tax credit, the net cost of a $20,000 solar installation would be $14,000, with $6,000 returned during the tax season.

Aaron Sutch, program director of Virginia Sun, a nonprofit that helps communities go solar across Virginia and advocates for fair solar policies across the state, said Virginians want solar power and they dont want their options blocked.

He explained there are several regulations from the General Assembly, one being that third-party leases arent allowed.

For example, if a business doesnt have the money to buy the panels upfront, but a third party offers to own the panels and sell the electricity, that isnt allowed, Sutch said.

This can be done in Washington, D.C. and in Maryland.

Stand-by charges exist from Appalachian Power and are billed to the customer if their system uses over 10 kilowatts of alternating current or AC.

Appalachian Power Company serves about 500,000 customers in its Virginia territory, APCo spokesman John Shepelwich said.

It has about 750 customers in its net metering program, which allows the customer to install and use solar generators on their property for their own use while remaining attached to the Appalachian Power grid, and most are residential solar installations.

All APCo customers pay a monthly service charge which is less than $9.

That covers meter reading, billing and account servicing.Others who get some of their power from solar power also receive the monthly service fee and might also receive a stand-by charge if they use over 10 kilowatts of the generation capabilities. Those charges range from about $5 to $75.

Those using solar arent completely going off the grid, Shepelwich said. They are still connected to the utility, which has to have a plan for those customers if their system goes down or power goes out.

Six hours a day [solar] may be generating power for them; the rest comes from us. We still have to have the infrastructure available, power system, transformers and people available to fix all of that stuff, he said. Thats still part of the formula. Were providing that service. It has to be covered in some way.

He said APCo is in a middle ground of moving toward a new world of distributed generation.

As things go along, this will get worked out as we move forward with a renewable energy as the price comes down.

Sutch said companies such as APCo are preventing solar from taking off even more.

Monopoly utilities are blocking access for market options for their customers because solar is a disruptive technology to their business model that hasnt had to change in decades, Sutch said.

Sutch said the charges unfairly target solar producers.

Wall said he wants the regulations to stay fair so solar companies can continue working.

We need fair regulations and fair fee structures; if they do that, we will see the economy grow, he said.

After price, the biggest factorwhen looking at residential is how much sunlight a property gets.

Wall said a home or business should go solar if they have 15 percent or less shade coverage.

Brady said it is rare for New Dominion Solar to turn anyone down due to shade coverage on a roof.

We can usually figure out a way to make it work, he said. We go to extreme lengths to make it work, but we have had to say no to a few.

There are customers who want solar, and they want to maximize production, but Brady said sometimes their homes are not set up for it.

If you put panels there, it could take 30 years to pay off, he said. In full sun, it will pay for itself sometimes in seven years.

LaPrade, of BMS Direct, enjoys his savings from his solar investment and the warranties on the equipment, which last 15 to 20 years.

Its a long-term product that is producing, he said.

LaPrade said one of the biggest benefits is the federal tax credit, and because his business is placed in an enterprise zone, he can take advantage of infrastructure improvement credits through local and state programs.

LaPrade said he thinks one of the biggest hold-ups others have with solar is the initial investment.

Im very happy with what weve done, he said. We feel we are being a good steward of our environment and I think the project we put on here is really helping to educate the public and others about renewable energy. I feel this is our future.
SOUTH BOSTON  On Friday, regional leaders from industry, workforce development and education attended Make Itin SoVA where the Southern Virginia Higher Education Center launched its newest workforce training partnership with Siemens Technik Akadmie in Berlin, Germany.

Were excited to officially launch our partnership with Siemens Technik Akademie. This partnership, and the Siemens Mechatronic Systems Certification Program, will provide a tremendous asset and resource for industries in Southern Virginia, said Betty Adams, SVHEC executive director.

The Make Itin SoVa launch event highlighted the mechatronics training program, and featured special guest speakers from Berlin, Germany and Carson City, Nevada. Mechatronics combines mechanical, electrical, computer, and software and control engineering to design and manufacture products. Individuals trained in mechatronics are prepared for many successful careers including machine operator, industrial maintenance technician, and electrician.

Lauren von Steuben, Product Manager for Digital Products Division at Siemens AG in Berlin, Germany, and oversees the Siemens Mechatronic Systems Certification Program (SMSCP) in 16 countries. She provided an overview of the SMSCP program which provides an internationally recognized certification for individuals trained in mechatronics.

With the SMSCP, students are able to earn a global certification without leaving Virginia. This is the same certification as students in Canada, Germany, and India, von Steuben said. Everything is hands on with 30 percent theory and 70 percent practice. The core of the program is hands-on practice and troubleshooting working with real mechatronic systems, she continued. She described individuals who obtain the Siemens mechatronic certification as being ready to hit the ground running, when hired by industry.

According to von Steuben, the SMSCP is vendor neutral and not dependent on Siemens, or any particular, equipment, SMSCP is a mechatronic skills certification, not a Siemens product certification, she said.

Make Itin SoVA attendees also heard from Dr. Emily Howarth, Professor of Electronics and Industrial Technology at Western Nevada College in Carson City, Nevada. Dr. Howarth launched the SMSCP program a year ago at Western Nevada College, and since then, has seen the difference mechatronics trained students make within industry. Whatever your field or industry mechatronics will cover it. Mechatronic students can analyze problems and provide solutions at a higher level than those not trained in mechatronics. They understand how their work affects other people, and the companys bottom-line, she stated.

Dr. Howarth went on to say that a number of major industries in Nevada, including Tesla, Zappos, Panasonic, and GE, have bought into the concept of mechatronics, hiring graduates from her program and often paying them higher wages because of their Siemens mechatronics certification.

David Kenealy, Director of Industry & Workforce Advancement at the Southern Virginia Higher Education Center shared information about mechatronics training at the SVHEC. Currently all three levels of the SMSCP are available, with several training cohorts in progress. A cohort of seven trainees completed Level 1 mechatronics training in August 2017, and a new cohort of Level 2 trainees is scheduled to start in October. Kenealy emphasized mechatronics training as being essential for preparing workers for the future growth of industrial automation.

Betty Adams closed the launch by speaking directly to regional employers saying, Mechatronics training is hands-on, customized, vendor-neutral, and gives you more bang for your buck. But if you leave with only one thought I hope it is this: The Southern Virginia Higher Education Center is here to help you, to serve you. We want you to succeed because we want Southern Virginia to be strong.

A number of industry representatives attended Make Itin SoVA and were pleased with the information they heard. Cindy Kirby, HR Coordinator for American Buildings Company stated, Im very excited about this program. Im looking forward to investigating it to see what options are available for American Buildings Company.

Individuals or employers interested in learning more about mechatronics training or the Siemens Mechatronic Certification Program at the Southern Virginia Higher Education Center are encouraged to visit contact program coordinator Scarlett Brandon at 434-572-5473 or by email at scarlettbrandon@svhec.org.
VANCOUVER, B.C., Oct. 02, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Metallis Resources Inc. (TSX-V:MTS) (the Company or Metallis Resources) is pleased to announce that it has arranged a non-brokered private placement with 2176423 Ontario Ltd., a corporation beneficially owned by Eric Sprott raising gross proceeds of up to $2,200,000. The financing is expected to close shortly.



Private Placement Details

Two (2) million units will be issued at $1.10. Each unit will consist of one (1) common share of the Company and one-half of one (1/2) non-transferable share purchase warrant. Each whole warrant will entitle the holder to purchase one additional common share of the Company at a price of $1.50 per share for a period of two years from the date of closing. Any finders fees and/or agents fees will be paid in accordance with the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange. The private placement is subject to Exchange approval.

Proceeds from the private placement will be used for the 2018 Drilling Program on the Companys 100%-owned Kirkham Property situated in the heart of the Golden Triangles Eskay Camp in northwest British Columbia and for general working capital.

About the Kirkham Property

The 10,600 hectare Kirkham Property, prospective for gold-copper porphyry, high-grade gold and base metal mineralization, is located about 65 km north of Stewart within the prolific Golden Triangle. The northern border of Kirkham is contiguous to Garibaldi Resources E&L Nickel Mountain Project, approximately 12 km southwest of the Eskay Creek mine. The eastern border is within 15 to 20 km of Seabridge Golds KSM deposit and Pretium Resources Brucejack mine which is now in commercial production.

About Metallis

Metallis Resources Inc. is a Vancouver-based company focused on the exploration of precious metals and base metals at its 100%-owned Kirkham Property in northwest British Columbias Golden Triangle. Metallis trades under the symbol MTS on the TSX Venture Exchange and currently has 26,320,974 shares issued and outstanding and completing the forgoing private placement the Company will have 28,320,974.

On behalf of the Board of Directors:

/s/ Fiore Aliperti

Chief Executive Officer, President and Director

For further information:

Tel: 604-688-5077

Email: info@metallisresources.com

Web: www.metallisresources.com

CAUTION REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This Press Release may contain statements which constitute forward-looking statements, including statements regarding the plans, intentions, beliefs and current expectations of the Company, its directors, or its officers with respect to the future business activities and operating performance of the Company. The words may, would, could, will, intend, plan, anticipate, believe, estimate, expect and similar expressions, as they relate to the Company, or its management, are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future business activities or performance and involve risks and uncertainties, and that the Companys future business activities may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors. Such risks, uncertainties and factors are described in the periodic filings with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities, including quarterly and annual Managements Discussion and Analysis, which may be viewed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. Although the Company has attempted to identify important risks, uncertainties and factors which could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be others that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. The TSX-V Stock Exchange has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release.




London (FSCwire) - Further to the announcement of 18 August 2017, the Board of SolGold (the "Board") is pleased to announce that the Company has issued a prospectus in connection with its admission to listing of its ordinary shares (the "Ordinary Shares") on the Standard Listing segment of the Official List of the UK Listing Authority (the "Official List") and admission to trading on the main market for listed securities (the "Main Market") of London Stock Exchange plc (the "London Stock Exchange") (together, "Admission").

The Prospectus was approved by the UK Listing Authority on 2 October 2017 and is available to be viewed on the Company's website at: www.solgold.com.au/prospectuslisting.

Dealings in the Ordinary Shares are expected to commence at 8.00 a.m. on 6 October 2017 subject to the receipt of the necessary approval from the London Stock Exchange.

The Company's shares will continue to be registered with their existing ISIN number GB00B0WD0R35 and SEDOL number B0WD0R3. The Company's ticker symbol will continue to be SOLG. The Company's existing share certificates will remain valid.

The Company's existing shareholders should consult their own tax advisers as to the tax implications of the Company's proposed move to the Main Market.

By order of the Board

Karl Schlobohm

Company Secretary

Brisbane, Australia

CONTACTS

Mr Nicholas Mather Tel: +61 (0) 7 3303 0665

SolGold plc (Executive Director) +61 (0) 417 880 448

nmather@solgold.com.au

Mr Karl Schlobohm Tel: +61 (0) 7 3303 0661

SolGold plc (Company Secretary)

kschlobohm@solgold.com.au

Mr Ewan Leggat / Mr Richard Morrison Tel: +44 (0) 20 3470 0470

SP Angel Corporate Finance LLP (NOMAD and Broker)

ewan.leggat@spangel.co.uk

Follow us on twitter @SolGold_plc

NOTES TO EDITORS

SolGold is a Brisbane, Australia based, dual AIM and TSX listed (SOLG on both exchanges) copper gold exploration and future development company with assets in Ecuador, Solomon Islands and Australia. SolGold's primary objective is to discover and define world class copper gold deposits. The Board and Management Team have substantial vested interests in the success of the Company as shareholders as well as strong track records in the areas of exploration, mine appraisal and development, investment, finance and law. SolGold's experience is augmented by state of the art geophysical and modelling techniques and the guidance of porphyry copper and gold expert Dr Steve Garwin.

SolGold was shortlisted as a nominee for the Mining Journal Explorer Achievement Award for 2016. The Company announced USD54m in capital raisings in September 2016 involving Maxit Capital LP, Newcrest International Ltd and DGR Global Ltd, and a USD41.2m raising in June of 2017 largely from Newcrest International with USD1.2m raised from Ecuadorean investors. All of these raisings were undertaken at substantial premiums to previous raisings, and SolGold currently has circa USD65 million in available cash to continue the exploration and development of its flagship Cascabel Project.

Mr Craig Jones joined the SolGold Board on 3 March 2017, nominated to the Board of SolGold by Newcrest Mining, now a 14.54% shareholder in SolGold. Mr Jones is a Mechanical Engineer and is currently the Executive General Manager Wafi-Golpu (Newcrest-Harmony MMJV). He has held various senior management and executive roles within the Newcrest Group, including General Manager Projects, General Manager Cadia Valley Operations, Executive General Manager Projects and Asset Management, Executive General Manager Australian and Indonesian Operations, Executive General Manager Australian Operations and Projects, and Executive General Manager Cadia and Morobe Mining Joint Venture. Prior to joining Newcrest, Mr Jones worked for Rio Tinto.

Cascabel, SolGold's 85% owned "World Class" (Ref: Cautionary Notice http://www.solgold.com.au/cautionary-notice/) flagship copper gold porphyry project, is located in northern Ecuador on the under explored northern section of the richly endowed Andean Copper Belt. SolGold owns 85% of Exploraciones Novomining S.A. ("ENSA") and approximately 5.34% of TSX V listed Cornerstone Capital Resources ("Cornerstone"), which holds the remaining 15% of ENSA, the Ecuadorian registered company which holds 100% of the Cascabel concession. Subject to the terms of existing agreements, Cornerstone is debt financed by SolGold for its share of costs to completion of a Feasibility Study ("Financing Option"). In terms of repayment, SolGold shall receive 90% of Cornerstone's distribution of earnings or dividends from ENSA or the Tenement to which Cornerstone would otherwise be entitled until such time as the amounts so received equal the aggregate amount of expenditures incurred by SolGold that, but for the Financing Option, would have been payable by Cornerstone, plus interest thereon from the dates such expenditures were incurred at a rate per annum equal to LIBOR plus 2 per cent until such time as SolGold is fully reimbursed.

The investments by Newcrest for 14.54% of SolGold endorses Ecuador as an exploration and mining destination, the management team at SolGold, the dimension, size and scale of the growing Alpala deposit, and the prospectivity of Cascabel and its multiple targets. The gold endowment, location, infrastructure, logistics are important competitive advantages offered by the project.

To date SolGold has completed geological mapping, soil sampling, rock saw channel sampling, geochemical and spectral alteration mapping over 25km2, along with an additional 9km2 of Induced Polarisation and 14km2 Magnetotelluric "Orion" surveys over the Alpala cluster and Aguinaga targets.

SolGold has completed over 42,000m of drilling and expended over USD50M on the program, which includes corporate costs and investments into Cornerstone. This has been accomplished with a workforce of up to 176 Ecuadorean workers and geoscientists, and 6 expatriate Australian geoscientists. The results of 35 holes drilled (including re-drilled holes) and assayed to date have produced some of the greatest drill hole intercepts in porphyry copper-gold exploration history, as indicated by Hole 12 (CSD-16-012) returning 1560m grading 0.59% copper and 0.54 g/t gold including, 1044m grading 0.74% copper and 0.54 g/t gold.

The average grade of all metres drilled to date on the project currently stands at 0.32% copper and 0.27 g/t gold. Intensive diamond drilling is planned for the next 12 months with 10 drill rigs expected to be operational by early 2018, targeting over 90,000m of drilling per annum.

Cascabel is characterised by fifteen (15) identified targets, "World Class" drilling intersections over 1km in length at potentially economic grades, and high copper and gold grades in richer sections, as well as logistic advantages in location, elevation, water supply, proximity to roads, port and power services; and a progressive legislative approach to resource development in Ecuador.

To date, SolGold has drill tested 4 of the 15 targets, being Alpala Northwest, Alpala Central, Hematite Hill, and Alpala Southeast. Currently drill testing of Alpala Northwest, Alpala Central and Alpala Southeast targets is underway, with drill testing of the Aguinaga target to commence in August 2017.

The Alpala deposit is open in multiple directions and the mineralised corridor marked for drill testing of the greater Alpala cluster occurs over a 2.2km strike length from Trivinio in the northwest to Cristal in the southeast. The mineralised corridor is known to be prospective over approximately 700m width.

High priority targets within the Alpala cluster, at Moran approximately 700m to the north, and at Aguinaga approximately 2.3km north east, are closely modelled by 3D MVI magnetic signatures that currently encompass over 10Bt of magnetic rock. Based on a strong spatial and genetic relationship between copper sulphides and magnetite, this body of magnetic rock is considered to be highly prospective for significant copper and gold mineralisation, and requires drill testing.

SolGold is focusing on extending the dimensions of the Alpala deposit including Hematite Hill, Alpala South East, Cristal, Alpala Northwest and Trivinio before completing a resource estimate and drill testing of the other key targets within the Cascabel concession at Aguinaga, Tandayama-America, Alpala West, Carmen, Alpala East, Moran, Parambas, and Chinambicito.

The Company is currently planning further metallurgical testing and completion of an independent Pre-Feasibility Study at Cascabel. SolGold is investigating both high tonnage open cut and underground block caving operations, as well as a high grade / low tonnage initial underground development towards the economic development of the copper gold deposit/s at Cascabel.

Drill hole intercepts have been updated to reflect current commodity prices, using a data aggregation method, defined by copper equivalent cut-off grades and reported with up to 10m internal dilution, excluding bridging to a single sample. Copper equivalent grades are calculated using a gold conversion factor of 0.63, determined using an updated copper price of USD3.00/pound and an updated gold price of USD1300/ounce. True widths of down hole intersections are estimated to be approximately 25-50%.

Following a comprehensive review of the geology and prospectivity of Ecuador, SolGold and its subsidiaries have also applied for additional exploration licences in Ecuador over a number of promising porphyry copper gold targets throughout the Country. 38 such concessions have been granted and announced to date. SolGold is negotiating external funding options which will provide the Company with the ability to have some of these projects fully funded by a third party while focussing on Cascabel.

In Queensland, Australia the Company is evaluating the future exploration plans for the Mt Perry, Rannes and Normanby projects, with drill testing of the Normanby project planned for the coming quarter. Joint venture agreements are being investigated for a joint venture partner to commit funds and carry out exploration to earn an interest in the tenements.

SolGold retains interests in its original theatre of operations, Solomon Islands in the South West Pacific, where the 100% owned, but as yet undrilled, Kuma prospect on the island of Guadalcanal exhibits surface lithocap characteristics which are traditionally indicative of a large metal rich copper gold intrusive porphyry system. SolGold intends in the future to apply intellectual property and experience developed in Ecuador to target additional "World Class" copper gold porphyries at Kuma and other targets in Ecuador and Argentina.

SolGold is based in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. The Company listed on London's AIM Market in 2006, and dual-listed onto the TSX in July 2017 (both exchanges using the ticker code: SOLG) and currently has on issue a total of 1,516,245,686 fully-paid ordinary shares, 31,795,884 share options exercisable at 28p; 9,795,884 share options exercisable at 14p and 46,762,000 share options exercisable at 60p.

END

This information is provided by RNS

The company news service from the London Stock Exchange

END

To view this press release as a PDF file, click onto the following link:public://news_release_pdf/solgold10032017.pdfSource: SolGold plc (TSX:SOLG, AIM:SOLG)

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Copyright  2017 Filing Services Canada Inc.
Vancouver, 3 October 2017 - Newlox Gold Ventures Corp. (CSE: LUX) (Frankfurt: NGO) ("Newlox" or the "Company") is pleased to advise that it has applied the funds raised in its recent Revenue Participation Financing (July 17, 2017) to fieldwork and toward strengthening of its technical and operations team.

As part of the Company's current fieldwork program, plant circuit modifications and upgrades have been underway. These activities have advanced well and the concentration facility is now undergoing testing.

Newlox has expanded its team of advisors and operations personnel with the following appointments:

Helio Rodriguez P. Senior Consulting Engineer: Mr. Rodriguez is a Civil and Metallurgical engineer with lifelong experience in small, medium, and large mining industry design, development, and operation. He is well experienced in the commissioning, start-up, and optimization of mineral processing operations, as well as chemical and metallurgical plant operations, in Central and South America. Mr. Rodriguez is particularly well suited to Newlox's operations due to his extensive experience operating highly successful gold producing plants in Central America.

Eng. Gonzalo Ramirez, MBA, Process Engineer: Mr. Ramirez is a seasoned process engineer, with vast experience in the analysis, design, construction, and management of mineral resource projects. Mr. Ramirez has been responsible for the design and construction of several notable gold production facilities in Central and South America. His areas of expertise include management of mining projects, design of electromechanical equipment and spare parts, and project management. Mr. Ramirez is highly skilled as a developer and is proficient in the use design software such as AutoCAD. He excels in the design and implementation of maintenance programs for heavy machinery using TPM and RCM methodology.

Dr. Rolando Perera Molina, Metallurgical Engineer (QP): Metallurgical Engineer graduate of the Universitatii Politehnica din Bucuresti with a Masters of Science Degree in Extractive Metallurgy, the Universitatii Politehnica din Bucuresti Doctor of Philosophy Degree. He has practised his profession continuously since 1983. He has been involved in the invention, research, development, patenting, and manufacture of a series of metallurgical products, under his brand Perbols38. Dr. Molina has provided important services to public and private companies and has been involved in the evaluation, design, and operation of mineral processing facilities and recovery systems similar to that utilized by Newlox Gold Ventures Corp. during his career. Dr. Molina is a member of the Association of Engineers (C.I.Q.P.A.), with the designation of Metallurgical Engineer.

Dr. Stewart A Jackson P.Geo Consulting Geologist: (QP): Dr. Stewart A. Jackson, is an accomplished mining professional with 50 years of experience in the exploration and development of mineral deposits and in the management of public companies. He has been involved in multiple mineral discoveries and evaluations. Most recently he has been involved in the delineation of a major uranium, molybdenum, nickel, and vanadium resource in Sweden. Prior to that, he was instrumental in the advancement of the Turnagain nickel sulphide deposit in Canada, held by Hard Creek Nickel Corporation. While involved with his initial public company, Crown Resource Corporation in the 1980's, multiple discoveries of gold were made in the Republic District of Washington State, USA. In the 1970's he recognized the potential of the enormous Red Dog zinc-lead deposits in western Alaska and was instrumental in their exploration and development. Red Dog today produces a substantial portion of the world production of zinc from this long-lived zinc resource field. Subsequently, he was Exploration Manager for Houston Oil and Minerals Corporation during the discovery and development of the Manhattan, South McCoy and Borealis gold deposits of Nevada, USA.

James A Turner P.Geo, Consulting Geologist (QP): James Turner's geology career has spanned more than 42 years commencing in 1974 when he worked with Cominco and Newmont Gold before forming his consultancy, TerraSat Geomatics Inc. in 1990. TerraSat Geomatics Inc. has worked with several juniors involved in greenstone belts around the world. Terrasat was involved in the interpretation of remote sensing data. From 2004-2006, James gained valuable first-hand knowledge in Central America providing valuations and NI 43-101 reports for the several small 100-150 tonne projects. In addition to assisting Newlox, James is advising on a gold project in South Africa, copper deposits in Namibia and British Columbia, tailings deposits in Nova Scotia, Oregon, and Peru.

Ryan Jackson, President of Newlox Gold Ventures Corp., has returned from the field and reports that, "impressive progress has been made in the Company's operations over the past few weeks. Newlox's beefed-up operations team is working in cooperation with the Company's technical advisors to great effect".

About Newlox Gold Ventures Corp.

Newlox Gold Ventures Corp. is focused on recovering contaminants and residual precious metals from historical waste left behind over more than a century of inefficient artisanal and small-scale mining in politically and socially stable jurisdictions in Latin America. The Company, with the guidance of its advisors, has identified remediation technologies designed to recover deleterious materials present due to historical artisanal mining practices and will be deploying these systems in the field as part of the commissioning process.

Newlox has agreements with local artisanal mining cooperatives to provide a steady supply of feedstock and is currently testing its first processing plant in Central America under the supervision of the Company's experienced engineer and metallurgist. With hundreds of years of mining history in Latin America and inefficient artisanal processing continuing to this day, the Company believes that there is a compelling opportunity to grow its business model. Newlox has identified a niche within the extractive industry where a clean-technology company can apply innovative processing techniques to not only recover precious metals but also effect positive change in the environmental and social landscape in its targeted jurisdictions of operations.

Forward-Looking Information

The information in this news release includes certain information and statements about management's view of future events, expectations, plans and prospects that constitute forward-looking information. Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to, the completion of the work programs currently underway and the results of these programs. These statements are based upon assumptions that are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Because of these risks and uncertainties and as a result of a variety of factors, the actual results, achievements, or performance may vary materially from those anticipated and indicated by these forward-looking statements. The material risk factors that could cause actual results to differ include the risk that work undertaken by the Company may have unintended effects, the risk of delays in completing work, and the risk that the Company may not be able to raise sufficient funds and Force Majeure. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking information are reasonable, it can give no assurances that the expectations of any forward-looking information will prove to be correct. Except as required by law, the Company disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information to reflect actual results, whether as a result of new information, future events, changes in assumptions, changes in factors affecting such forward-looking statements or otherwise.

Neither Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release).

Technical Disclaimer

The Company advises it is not basing any decision to produce on a feasibility study of mine reserves demonstrating the economic and technical viability of the project and also advises there is increased uncertainty and specific economic and technical risks of failure associated with any production decision.

Stewart A. Jackson, Ph.D., P.Geo., is a "Qualified Person" within the meaning of National Instrument 43-101 and has approved the contents of this News Release.





On Behalf of the Board,

Newlox Gold Ventures Corp.







Contact Newlox



Ryan Jackson, President

Newlox Gold Ventures Corp.

Telephone: +1 778 998 0867

Email: ryan@newloxgold.com

Website: www.newloxgold.com

Email: info@newloxgold.com





opyright (c) 2017 TheNewswire - All rights reserved


VANCOUVER, Oct 3, 2017 - Nevada Clean Magnesium Inc. . (TSXV: NVM; Frankfurt-M1V; OTCQB: MLYFF) (The "Company") today announced the appointment of Dennis Mee, CPA, CA to the board of directors and as CFO.

Dennis Mee has over 35 years' experience as a senior financial and operational executive with a variety of industries and is currently President of Part Time CFO Inc, providing companies finance/accounting, strategic planning and other operational management expertise targeting smaller companies or those in a startup mode that need assistance developing strategies, business plans, budgeting or in raising capital.

Mr. Mee's previous business experience includes acting as the Chief Financial or Operational Officer for a variety of small to mid-size companies in the Telecommunication, Service and Distribution Industries. Mr. Mee has gained valuable experience on both sides of the business cycle, having led teams through major downsizings and restructurings along with start-ups. Mr. Mee received his Bachelor of Commerce from Carleton University in Ottawa and his C.A. while at K.P.M.G in Toronto. He is a member of both the BC and Ontario Institute of Chartered Accountants.

The Company also announces the acceptance of Steve Thorlakson's resignation as CFO. Mr Thorlakson will remain as a director of the Company.

About Nevada Clean Magnesium, Inc.

Nevada Clean Magnesium is focused on becoming a major U.S. producer and distributor of primary, high grade, low cost magnesium metal extracted from its 100% owned Tami-Mosi property located in North Central Nevada. Based on the Company's NI 43-101 Preliminary Economic Assessment Report published in September 2011 and amended in July 2014, the Tami-Mosi Project has an inferred resource of 412 million tonnes with an average grade of 12.3% Mg for a contained metal content of 111 billion pounds of magnesium using a 12% cut-off grade contained within a high purity dolomite block. For more information, please visit www.nevadacmi.com.

This press release was prepared under the supervision and review of James Sever, P. Eng., president and COO for Nevada Clean Magnesium . Mr. Sever is a non-independent qualified person within the meaning of National Instrument 43-101 standards.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements in this news release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements in this news release include that we will conduct and close a private placement and that we can become a a major U.S. producer and distributor of primary, high grade, low cost magnesium metal. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors, including the Company's dolomite reserves may not be mined because of technical, regulatory, financing or other obstacles, the market price for magnesium may make our resources uneconomic, we may not be able hire and retain skilled employees, and other risks associated with being a mineral exploration and development company. We may not be able to close with interested investors on our intended private placement because of perceived risks or market conditions. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information except as required by law. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release.

To Reach Nevada Clean Magnesium Please Contact:

Edward Lee, CEO at (604) 210-9862

For additional information please visit our website at http://www.nevadacmi.com or view our profile at http://www.sedar.com.

You may also follow us on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.

Copyright (c) 2017 TheNewswire - All rights reserved.


As I read the letters to the editor, it seems that almost everyone misses the "elephant in the room."

In the 1950s, J.Edgar Hoover, head of the F.B.I., told of the Russian plan to take over America without firing a shot. It was common knowledge then. The Russians said they have a long range plan and may take several generations to happen.

The plan included putting their agents in our educational systems, breaking up the family institutions, breaking all of our traditional way of life and traditions and religions.

In other words breaking us down over time so each generation would not remember how it was.

One famous Communist agent is Angela Davis from the University of California at Berkley. She is an avowed Communist and set up cells to preach her poison. Was she fired for being a traitor to our country? No! She was allowed to stay and continued to preach against this Country. She has many followers today. They are grown up and in all walks of life.

People need to research this for themselves. This is what is now happening to our country. Schools no longer teach what we older folks were taught. Besides dumbing down our children, they are now taught in school to march against anyone who disagrees with what their teachers have told them. Universities now teach classes in public disobedience! The Angela Davises have multiplied and are now in power.

Marilyn Taggart Schlim

Sweet Home (Oct. 1)
As new mobility options have transformed the urban landscape, one startup sector was supposed to make it easier to rent a bicycle for a short trip. But over the past year, several dockless bike companies have given up on major cities, leaving the bike rental industry under the stewardship of older, docked bike companies.The two business models are very different, and the difference highlights the importance of what one might call slow urban capitalism. Rather than move fast and break things -- the familiar tech industry mantra -- its better to sometimes move gradually to improve things.Bikesharing has helped define urban transportation in Europe for more than a decade, but it didnt come to a big U.S. city until 2013. That year, New York City entered into a public-private partnership to inaugurate Citi Bike, through which New Yorkers could sign up for annual memberships or buy shorter-term passes to access a bike for a short ride. The idea, modeled on Paris Velib, was that a rider could use a smartphone app to unlock a bike from a stationary dock, take a short trip and leave the bike at any other dock. The Citi Bike model has since been adopted in dozens of cities across the country.Citi Bike, compared to the typical urban startup, was a capitalist dinosaur. Unlike Airbnb and Uber, it didnt just open for business and dare city officials to address regulatory issues and other challenges. Rather, it worked with officials. It participated in local hearings to decide where to place docks. It agreed to reliability standards. And though Citi Bike must sustain itself financially, it does not face competition; it benefits from a long-term franchise.The model has drawbacks. The stationary docks dont meet all commuters needs. The cost of an annual pass, $169, is a barrier for some. And when the company has fallen short of standards -- not emptying full docks or filling empty ones, for instance -- no competitor has been there to step in.Dockless companies like Jump, Lime and Pace promised a more nimble experience. Customers could take or leave a bike wherever they found convenient, paying as little as $1 a ride. In New York, the companies could serve places Citi Bike couldnt, particularly outlying areas such as Staten Island and the Rockaways in Queens.Yet these companies are flailing. Last fall, a season into New Yorks pilot dockless program, Pace abandoned its project, citing low ridership in the cooler weather. And New Yorks leading pro-bike website, Streetsblog, has characterized Limes offerings as a joke, criticizing its electric bikes as rickety and poorly maintained.Other cities have experienced a surge and then an evacuation of dockless bikeshare companies. Ofo, for instance, flooded Europe with bikes two years ago. Now, suffering cashflow problems, it has all but abandoned these cities, often leaving bikes to decay in place.In Paris, meanwhile, the docked Velib system has endured technical glitches and management problems but remains reliable. New Yorks Citi Bike carried an average of 41,000 people a day in December, despite the cool weather. Citi Bike and Velib arent perfect, but because they operate under long-term concessions residents and visitors can generally rely on them.The reliability is in part a byproduct of their capital investment. Its harder for investors to abandon a system of docks and sturdy bikes that cost millions of dollars. Dockless startups are cheaper to launch but are also flexible enough to desert cities when things dont work out, leaving residents without a service that, had it been better conceived, might have provided real public value.
Just a year or two ago, few policymakers had any inkling of an emerging technology known as blockchain. But that is changing rapidly as awareness grows that the technology that underlies the digital currency bitcoin has the potential to modernize how the public and businesses interact with their governments and each other while revolutionizing record-keeping, and to do so far more securely than with the paper records or digital technologies currently in use.Blockchain's potential applications go far beyond finance. It can be applied to a wide variety of functions including ones as disparate as property records, voting and cybersecurity. By broadly distributing record-keeping functions -- a concept known as "distributed ledgers" -- blockchain can maintain accurate, highly secure records of large numbers of transactions without the need for a centralized authority. Blockchain's inherent security is particularly important for governments, which maintain a treasure trove of confidential data that needs to be protected against an ever-expanding cohort of cyber criminals.But governments' role goes far beyond simply securing and modernizing their own business operations. Given their central role in regulating financial transactions among individuals, businesses and local governments, in addition to those among their own agencies, it will fall to state governments in particular to sort out the issues surrounding blockchain.That's beginning to happen. Several state legislatures have already taken up bills related to blockchain. The measures cover a wide range of blockchain uses, from increasing transparency to consumer protection. While not all have been enacted, even those that failed help illustrate potential uses for the technology and some of the issues it raises. One of the earliest out of the gate was Vermont. House Bill 868, which went into effect on July 1, 2016, created what's known as a "rebuttable statutory presumption of authenticity" for records using the technology. This legislation calls for any "fact or record" verified through the use of a blockchain to be considered authentic. This removes barriers to using blockchain-notarized documents, including those on the bitcoin blockchain, in a court of law. Delaware lawmakers recently passed Senate Bill 69, which went into effect Aug. 1. It provides statutory authority for Delaware corporations to use blockchain for corporate recordkeeping, including a company's stock ledger. The legislation is part of the state's effort to promote the use of blockchain via the Delaware Blockchain Initiative, a joint venture between the state and a blockchain provider. Nevada Senate Bill 398, signed into law in June, recognizes and authorizes "the use of blockchain" and smart contracts by the state's residents. The legislation mainly serves to ensure that Nevada's local governments will not interfere with the use of blockchains, either through regulation or taxation. The bill does not prevent the state from regulating or taxing blockchain transactions, but emphasizes that there will be consistent treatment of blockchain in the state. This March, Arizona House Bill 2417 became law. It defines both blockchains and smart contracts. The bill declares that all data tied to a blockchain is "considered to be in an electronic format and to be an electronic record" acceptable for use by the state. Illinois House Resolution 120 calls for the creation of the Illinois Legislative Blockchain and Distributed Ledger Task Force to study how and if Illinois' state, county and city governments can benefit from a transition to a blockchain-based system for record-keeping and service delivery. This task force is in addition to the Illinois Blockchain Initiative, an effort by six state and local agencies. Hawaii House Bill 1481 would establish a working group to consider several ways in which bitcoin and blockchain can help the state develop economically. "Digital currencies such as bitcoin have broad benefits for Hawaii," the bill reads. The bill is pending after passing several committees. In Maine, Senate Bill 950 proposed a 90-day field study to learn the effects of "Using Blockchain in Conjunction with Paper Ballots in Maine Elections." The study was to focus on paper-ballot security, increasing election transparency and reducing costs. The bill did not pass. North Dakota Senate Bill 2100 called for a study to consider "the feasibility and desirability of regulating virtual currency, such as bitcoin." While it passed unanimously in the Senate, it died in the House due to opposition based on the fact that virtual currency is not legal tender under federal law.The range of issues that these measures take up serves to underline the complexity of choices for the regulation and deployment of blockchain technology that policymakers will face in the coming years. Governments at all levels are just beginning to sort these issues out. But it won't be long before they have to start making decisions. Perhaps they should wait for private industry to develop best practices. Or governments could start experimenting by integrating the technology into a limited sector of their operations.Whatever the path they may choose, all governments should, at the very least, investigate the technology and its application to the provision of their core services. In an era when trust in government is nearing all-time lows and "transparency" has become a buzzword, blockchain may serve as a cornerstone for building trust and improving the relationship between the government and the governed.
The Kansas Supreme Court ruled Monday that the state's new school finance system is unconstitutional, striking a definitive blow to the Legislature's latest effort.The decision found the state failed to meet the Kansas Constitution's requirements to adequately fund education, but it did not specify a dollar amount to reach constitutional muster.The ruling also ordered a fairer distribution of state funding to ensure that students in poor districts have the same educational opportunities as their peers in wealthier communities.With Monday's decision, the latest stage of the Gannon v. Kansas school finance case, the justices sent the issue back to lawmakers as they head into an election-year legislative session in January.The majority of justices supported giving the Legislature time during next year's session to try to come up with a school-finance law that meets court requirements.The court is ordering that a new funding law be crafted by April 30 so there's time for the justices to review it before schools' money runs out."...While we stay the issuance of today's mandate through June 30, 2018, after that date we will not allow ourselves to be placed in the position of being complicit actors in the continuing deprivation of a constitutionally adequate and equitable education owed to hundreds of thousands of Kansas school children," the decision reads."I think the court's drawn a line in the sand and they've issued the warning of, 'Don't test us on this one this time around,' " said Olathe Superintendent John Allison, a longtime Wichita superintendent who started in Olathe this school year.Three of the seven justices -- Lee Johnson, Eric Rosen and Dan Biles -- wrote or joined in dissents saying they wanted the Legislature to have to move faster."I would direct the State to tell us no later than the end of this year precisely how the legislature intends to fix its years-long breach of the Kansas Constitution," Johnson wrote.Lawmakers seemed in agreement that the ruling means more funding will be needed. But how much was unclear -- as is the source of any potential increase."The next challenge is if more funding is required -- if -- how do we pass a tax bill to provide more funding? I don't have the answer to that," said Rep. Steven Johnson, an Assaria Republican who chairs the House Tax Committee.Lawmakers labored for weeks this spring to come up with the votes for a tax increase that could overcome Brownback's veto. Johnson doesn't think enough votes could be found to override another veto.The formula the Legislature passed this spring included bipartisan work, and House Minority Leader Jim Ward, a Wichita Democrat, said he hoped that would continue."It really will come down to resources," Ward said. "When you're dealing with adequacy, that's usually resources."Four school districts, including Kansas City, Kan., sued the state in 2010 for more education funding, contending that the state was failing to meet a constitutional requirement for suitable funding.The court has divided the complex case into two parts: adequacy -- the overall amount of education funding -- and equity, whether the Legislature has fairly divided money between property-wealthy and property-poor districts.The court ruled the Legislature had failed on both counts.On adequacy, the court said the state hasn't proved it's providing enough money to fulfill the so-called Rose standards, a set of guidelines stemming from a 1989 Kentucky case that establish what schools must provide to meet students' minimum educational needs.The court also held that the Legislature failed to show equity in funding because it allowed expanded use of so-called local option budgets, which allow residents of wealthier school districts to tax themselves to provide educational extras."That system, through its structure and implementation, is not providing school districts with 'reasonably equal access to substantially similar educational opportunity through similar tax effort,' " the ruling said.LOBs are popular in Johnson County and some other wealthy suburbs -- and are generally considered to be crucial to winning enough lawmakers' votes to pass a school-finance plan in the Legislature.The underlying issue is that in wealthy areas, minor increases in property tax rates can generate large amounts of money because of high property valuations. It's nearly impossible for property-poor districts to raise a significant amount of money that way.The state has provided some funding to poor districts in an effort to offset that advantage, but the court ruled it's not enough.For many districts, the ruling was a win, but their celebration had a cautionary tone."We're pleased and hopeful, but we've been here before," Kansas City, Kan., Superintendent Cynthia Lane said. "We're a little bit cautious because we've experienced these things several times over the last decade. We're hopeful that this time we can come to resolution."Still, she called the day an "important milestone.""Without this today we wouldn't move forward," Lane said. "I don't want to downplay that it was significant. We want to see resolution so we can focus fully on advancing education for kids."In Kansas City, Kan., school leaders have had to cut $55 million in the past eight years, Lane said, dramatically affecting the district's ability to retain teachers, expand early education resources and support a high school career and college readiness program. The district only recouped roughly $10 million through this year's resolution."Just think about all the resources and support that we have not been able to provide to our kids," Lane said.Olathe Superintendent Allison said he recalled the 2009 recession, when some of the first cuts to public education were made. Leaders told school districts that "we'll make this right once the economy improved," said Allison, who was superintendent of Wichita when it filed suit in 2010.He said he saw Tuesday's ruling as acknowledgment from the Supreme Court that Kansas has not delivered on that promise."I think the sad part in all of this is that we have had almost a generation of Kansas students enter school and be close to graduation under ongoing financial and legal issues," Allison said.The Shawnee Mission district's interim superintendent, Kenny Southwick, said in a statement that the district was still reviewing the decision.Lawmakers struggled to approve a new school finance formula during the 2017 session in light of a March ruling from the state's high court that Kansas had failed to ensure adequate funding for public schools.The court's March ruling also found Kansas had failed to provide roughly one-quarter of its public school students with basic math and reading skills.Both the Senate and the House passed the formula late in the session, but it came over vocal objections from leading Democrats about the level of funding. Democratic attempts to pump more money into the formula failed.The new formula adds a net of roughly $488 million over two years, funds all-day kindergarten and adds early childhood funding.Sen. Dinah Sykes, a Lenexa Republican who voted for the formula, said she wasn't surprised by the court's decision."I think there were a lot of us who voted for this, especially moderates, who thought, 'This isn't gonna to do it, but we're going to try to bring those more conservative people on board and get the vote,' " Sykes said.The legal team for the school districts suing the state contended in an earlier court filing that the "the lowest estimate of what it costs to constitutionally fund an education to Kansas K-12 public school students is ... $893 million over the next two years."But the state's legal team argued that the formula met the court's standard.A spokeswoman for Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt said Monday evening that his office was still reviewing the ruling. Gov. Sam Brownback said, "We are looking at the decision and will have further comment upon full review."The GOP Senate leadership issued a statement Monday criticizing the court's decision.Senate President Susan Wagle of Wichita, Vice President Jeff Longbine of Emporia and Majority Leader Jim Denning of Overland Park said the "ruling shows clear disrespect for the legislative process and puts the rest of state government and programs in jeopardy.""As promised, Senate Republicans remain committed to providing every Kansas student with an exceptional education, however, raising taxes to fund this unrealistic demand is not going to happen," the statement said.Sen. Julia Lynn, an Olathe Republican, said legislators worked hard on the formula. She was critical of the tone of Monday's ruling, saying she was "not looking forward to the tax increase debate.""I think it was unnecessary ... for them to have that kind of tone or ... to show such disappointment in our product as if we aren't capable of producing a product that would meet their expectations," Lynn said.She said she's come to the conclusion there will "never, ever be enough money" to satisfy the court."And unless somebody else has a better idea, we're going to be doing this for the rest of our legislative lives. The Legislature will be fighting this," she said.
It could be months, if not years, before southeast Texans and scores of counties and cities receive federal funds to pay for the long-term rebuilding and recovery of homes and communities battered by Hurricane Harveys epic rains.Federal Emergency Management Agency money for short-term relief like debris removal and some house repairs is already flowing to people and government agencies. But state lawmakers were told Monday that Housing and Urban Development disaster relief funds, which includes money for extensive home repairs or rebuilds, could take seven to 32 months to work their way through bureaucratic processes and several layers of government agencies.It could be some time, Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush told the House Urban Affairs Committee.That panel and the House Appropriations Committee met simultaneously Monday on the University of Houston campus to discuss local, state and federal responses to the worst rainfall event in U.S. history. And some officials and experts said they are already starting to worry that countless Texans will lose personal wealth theyd accumulated, slide deeper into poverty or become homeless.We may have a new crisis on our hands, State Rep. Diego Bernal, D-San Antonio.People affected by disasters receive HUD disaster relief funds, which are distributed as grants from various government agencies and non-profits. Before the government agencies can disperse the money, they must develop an action plan that HUD approves. The public must also have a chance to comment on the plan, a process that can take 30 to 60 days. Texas officials have asked that time period be reduced to seven days.State officials told lawmakers that immediate FEMA payments are for homes that are up to 50 percent damaged. Long-term HUD disaster relief funds cover homes damaged beyond that threshold, they said.Beth Van Duyne, the regional HUD administrator for Texas and four other states, said the agency is working to fast-track all processes.What were trying to do is make those time periods in between as tight as possible, realizing people need help today, she said in an interview with The Texas Tribune last month.The funds also come with certain limitations on how they can be spent and who should receive them. Congress approved $7.4 billion in HUD disaster relief funds last month. But that may have to be shared with Florida and Puerto Rico, which have each been hit by hurricanes in the weeks after Harvey battered Texas, unless legislators approve another aid package.State officials said it could be November before HUD releases allocations and the stipulations on how such funds can be spent. From there, the states General Land Office plans to work with metropolitan planning organizations to develop disbursement plans and determine how to divvy money up across such a wide swath of the state.Some southeast Texas officials say they want the HUD funds to come directly to cities and counties, not flow through the state land office and metropolitan planning groups before getting to local governments.Dickinson Mayor Julie Masters, whose town of about 20,000 is southeast of Houston, fears the regions biggest metropolitan planning organization will send the bulk of funds to larger urban areas like Houston and Harris County.And then we all get a crumb at best, she said of the scores of smaller communities also devastated by flooding but that have gotten much less media attention.Houston and Harris County officials also raised concerns with the steps federal relief funds must take to reach to local governments. Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner urged state leaders to send the money directly.Harris County Judge Ed Emmett echoed Turners comments.Fewer hands that touch the money, the better, he said. Direct allocations are better."The reaction from local officials foreshadowed how determining the amount of money various cities and counties receive could become a political minefield.This is going to be a sensitive issue, to be very candid with you, Bush told lawmakers Monday.Bush said as officials await HUDs decisions on allocations and accompanying stipulations, his office is working with several Texas universities collecting data on the extent of storm and flood damage so they will already have a good idea about overall needs.Meanwhile, some local officials and advocates told lawmakers theyre worried about the long-term impact of the storm on vulnerable Texans. Baytown Mayor Stephen DonCarlos said many residents in his town of about 75,000 arent poor enough to qualify for some federal aid programs, but arent wealthy enough to make mortgage payments on damaged houses while paying rent for temporary housing.We are anticipating there is going to be a significant rise in foreclosures, he said.Marilyn Brown, president and CEO of Houstons Coalition for the Homeless, told lawmakers that it could be weeks or months before it becomes clear how many low-income renters now meet some federal definitions of homeless.She said the most vulnerable are people who were living paycheck to paycheck and lost their vehicles to flooding, missed work in the immediate aftermath or now must find apartments in a market inundated with new renters.Thousands of Houstonians are in this precarious situation, she said.Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath spent more than an hour taking the Appropriations Committee through a long list of costs the state might have to consider to get schools back on track. School districts across the state are taking in students who have been displaced from their homes and are enrolling away from their home districts.We have a lot of newly homeless students in the state of Texas, Morath said. The Texas Education Agency plans to shift about $380 million from the second fiscal year of the biennium to compensate districts for their sudden increases in enrollment.The Corpus Christi area has seen the most displacement, hosting the only three school districts still closed, set to open in October, he said. The state agency plans to spend an estimated $250 million to keep up the funding of districts with lower enrollment due to the storm  and ask the Legislature to pay for it in the 2019 legislative session. It also plans to forgive about $150 million of the increase in funds property wealthy districts affected by Harvey would be required to pay the state.Property-wealthy school districts can apply to redirect the recapture funds they would pay to the state to offset property poor districts to instead fix up their own facilities. That could cost the state a maximum of $500 million in lost funds, Morath estimated.The state is also required to pay more for students who are considered homeless and receive free or reduced price lunch over the next two years. That could cost the state $266 million.
Almost immediately after the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history, which killed at least 59 and injured more than 500 country music festivalgoers, the Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center in Las Vegas realized that it needed help.It requested physicians from other states to come and treat the victims suffering gunshot wounds and injuries from being trampled while trying to escape the venue where bullets were firing at rapid speed from a room in a high-rise hotel. On Monday evening, Gov. Brian Sandoval issued a public health and medical state of emergency, which will make it easier for out-of-state doctors to get to work.The emergency declaration reflects not just the large scale of this horrific event but also the state's doctor shortage, which puts Nevada in a uniquely vulnerable position when responding to a mass shooting.The state routinely has one of the lowest resident-to-physician ratios in the country. A 2015 white paper from Merritt Hawkins, a physician research and consulting firm, ranked Nevada 49 out of 50 states, with only 180 doctors per 100,000 people.We need all the medical personnel that are available, said Amy Shogren, director of communications for the Nevada Hospital Association, which worked with the governor to issue the state of emergency.A hospital can request emergency services from out-of-state doctors without a statewide emergency declaration, but having the support of the governors office helps. Shogren said she doesn't know how many out-of-state doctors to expect.Whenever doctors come in from other states in an emergency, they must prove they are a licensed physician in good standing to both the states health department and a high-ranking hospital member. Its a logistical hoop, but one that can be done quickly in times of crisis, says Janis Orlowski, chief health care officer for the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC).Itsnecessary because hospitals cant just have anyone walking in claiming to be a surgeon, she says.Requests for out-of-state doctors during an emergency usually correlate with whether or not a state already has a shortage of physicians. After Hurricane Harvey, medical officials in Texas -- which ranks 42 out of 50 in the Merritt Hawkins white paper -- requested out-of-state help. But after the 2013 mass shooting in Washington, D.C, at the Navy Yard, there was no need to bring in doctors from Virginia or Maryland because there were adequate trauma centers nearby, according to Orlowski.As the country continues to deal with mass shootings and environmental disasters, its important that states continue to think about the number of physicians as a key part of their infrastructure, she says.For its part, the state of Nevada has been trying to address its shortage. It opened a medical school this year at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and two Nevadans introduced a bill in Congress that would require more federal funding for medical residencies.Sixty-eight percent of medical students stay where they trained and did their residency. In 2014, there were 340 residency students in Nevada . The number of residencies varies by state, but across the country, growth is largely flat, according to the AAMC.and
It is inconceivable to me that the governor of our great state of Oregon would sanction laws that are in opposition to the "law of our country." Foreigners who come into our country illegally are breaking the law. Therefore, she is aiding and abetting them by offering them sanctuary. Many people have become citizens of this country by lawfully completing requirements.
On the whole, the size of America's state government workforce has remained flat the last four years. But a closer look at new data shows some states -- and some professional fields -- experienced significant cutbacks.Nationwide, state governments employed just over 2.4 million workers as of March 2016, according to data released last week by the U.S. Census Bureau. That figure, which excludes education, started to drop with the onset of the Great Recession and currently mirrors employment levels from the early 1990s.One of the shifts occurring is a gradual shrinking of the workforce in several areas of state government. Last year, social insurance administration and other government administration incurred the two largest cuts (-2.5 percent and -2.9 percent, respectively) of any employee classification in the Census survey.Looking back further, most areas of state government have experienced much deeper reductions since total employment peaked in 2009. Social insurance administration, which includes agencies providing unemployment assistance and job services, is down 12.5 percent over the seven-year period. Highways and corrections similarly incurred steep job losses that have yet to rebound.The one segment of the workforce that appears to be headed in the opposite direction is higher education. Nationally, employment for state colleges and universities has steadily increased for decades, and it rose again last year.While overall state employment has changed little over the 12-month period ending in March 2016, a few individual states registered substantial declines. Several of these states, predictably, experienced budget shortfalls.The following states registered the largest year-over-year declines in public employment, excluding education:The biggest cut to the workforce -- 4.8 percent -- of any state occurred here. Thats on top of reductions from the prior year, all primarily resulting from plummeting revenues driven by a drop in oil prices. Vacancies accounted for many of the eliminated positions, and the state has consolidated several divisions . Despite these cuts, however, the state still employs a relatively large workforce given its population.: The Aloha State shed about 3 percent of its workforce between 2015 and 2016. Its public hospitals were among the most affected, with employment declining nearly 7 percent for the year. By contrast, both its local schools and higher education institutions reported increases.The state experienced a particularly notable drop in its corrections officers, thanks to a declining prison population that has allowed the state to close a few of its aging facilities and problems filling vacancies. The Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services recently announced a hiring bonus for new officers. In all, total state government employment dipped 2.7 percent last year.The state employs fewer than 13,000 public employees, down 2.7 percent from 2015. The Census data indicate nearly every area of state government experienced a slight reduction in its workforce. More recently, the state announced additional cuts after revenues failed to meet projections and lawmakers rejected proposed tax increases.The size of the Illinois state government workforce has fluctuated a bit in recent years but has stayed relatively flat. Last year, staffing for nearly all types of agencies experienced downsizing, with an overall reduction of 2.6 percent. One area that didnt decline was state law enforcement personnel, which added about 1,100 jobs.
A lawyer for Wisconsin Democrats, who have been shut out of power in the state since Republicans drew new election maps nearly a decade ago, pleaded with the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday to restrict partisan gerrymandering, the practice of one party using redistricting to give itself a political advantage.The politicians are never going to fix gerrymandering, Paul M. Smith, an attorney for the Campaign Legal Center, told the justices. You are the only institution in the United States that can solve this problem.Wisconsin Democrats say the 2011 Republican legislative map violated the First Amendment by punishing them for their political beliefs and violated the 14th Amendments equal protection clause because it intended to dilute Democratic votes but not Republican ones.The Supreme Court has ruled that racial gerrymandering is unconstitutional in many cases, but it has never done so for partisan gerrymandering. It would open up a whole new line of attack on redistricting plans, which judges already scrutinize for racial discrimination and many other factors.One of the reasons the justices have been so reluctant to weigh in on the issue is that they had no good way to gauge how partisan a redistricting plan is. But Smith and many voting rights advocates say there are several tools judges can use to make that determination.Social scientists have come up with several mathematical formulas that show how much maps tilt in favor of one party or the other. Those tools, Smith says, can help courts determine whether a redistricting plan violates the rights of voters in the minority party.The case comes at a crucial time. Every state will have to redraw their legislative maps after the 2020 Census, and whatever the high court does in the Wisconsin case could have a major impact on that process. The courts decision could curtail partisan abuses or, Smith warned, the court could encourage partisans to go even further next time if it doesnt strike down the Wisconsin map.Several Supreme Court justices indicated that they, too, are frustrated by naked partisanship in the redistricting process, but Chief Justice John Roberts expressed concerns about the impact that striking down the Wisconsin map would have on the Supreme Court.Unlike appeals in most other types of cases, redistricting cases automatically end up on the Supreme Court docket. If the court followed Smiths suggestion to use social science to determine how skewed maps are in favor of one party, Roberts said ordinary people likely wouldnt understand it, and it would make it seem as if the court itself were playing politics.We would have to decide in every case whether the Democrats win or the Republicans win, the chief justice warned. That is going to cause very serious harm to status and integrity of this court in the eyes of the country.Wisconsin Solicitor General Misha Tseytlin, the lawyer defending the Wisconsin maps and the GOP lawmakers who drew them, argued that the tools make things more convoluted by comparing actual maps to other possibilities.Plaintiffs are asking the court to launch a redistricting revolution, he said. You'll have federal courts engaging in battles of hypothetical experts.Other justices expressed concerns about the mathematical formulas themselves.Justice Samuel Alito, a conservative like Roberts, said one of the tools touted by the plaintiffs -- the efficiency gap" -- is new and not well-vetted. The empirical measures, he added, might not take into account legitimate motivations by state legislators, including protecting incumbents or obeying the Voting Rights Act.If we are going to impose a standard on courts, it has to be manageable, Alito said.But Justice Stephen Breyer, a member of the courts liberal bloc, suggested that the court could set up a relatively simple set of tests to determine whether political parties went too far in pushing their advantage with new redistricting plans.First, they could see whether one political party controlled the redistricting process. If so, courts could see whether the maps treated both parties similarly, so that a party that won the majority of votes in legislative races would win control of the legislature. (In Wisconsin's case, Democrats won a majority of votes in Assembly races in 2012, but Republicans won 60 of the chambers 99 seats.)Then, they would determine whether that pattern persists over time or occurs under simulations of many different voter turnout scenarios. Then, they could determine if the partisan advantage under the map was particularly extreme. Finally, they would see whether the plans designers had any other justification for the lopsided results.That set of tests would likely limit the number of maps struck down for being too partisan, Beyer said. I suspect thats manageable.Justice Elena Kagan, a liberal, also asked about what thresholds the court should set so that not every redistricting case would lead to a challenge.Whats that line? she asked. But, she added, it seems [Wisconsin's] map has gone over every line.The hearing drew a lot of attention, particularly for a redistricting dispute. Seating in the courtroom was shoulder-to-shoulder, and a raucous crowd chanted outside while carrying signs with slogans such as Equal districts under the law and Let every vote count.Former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who led efforts to move Californias redistricting process to a nonpartisan commission, drew a phalanx of photographers. He told reporters that politicians didnt respond to many looming crises in the country because partisan redistricting kept their jobs safe.The court is expected to issue a ruling in the case by the end of June.
Not long after alleged gunman Stephen Paddock opened fire on the Las Vegas Strip on Sunday night, killing at least 59 people and injuring more than 500, progressive politicians and activists around the country began calling for stricter gun control measures.Early reports suggest the gunman was armed with as many as 20 firearms and may have used an automatic weapon in the attack on the Route 91 Harvest Music Festival, which now ranks as the nation's deadliest mass shooting on record.While details are still unfolding, one thing is for sure: It doesnt have to be this way," said Shannon Watts, founder of gun control advocacy group Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, in a statement Monday. "Americans should be able to go to concerts, to nightclubs, to elementary schools and movie theaters without worrying about the threat of gun violence. While we grieve for the 50 people shot and killed and the more than 400 who are hospitalized, we must also act in their honor. Gun violence is preventable.But Nevada's own recent politics suggest just how difficult it can be for states to enact gun control measures -- even when a majority of their citizens favor them.Nevada has some of America's most lax gun control laws. Residents don't need a permit to buy or own handguns, rifles or shotguns, according to the National Rifle Association (NRA), and the state doesn't require gun owners to register their firearms. There's no mandatory waiting period in Nevada before residents are allowed to purchase a gun. In 2015, the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence gave Nevada an 'F' grade for its gun control measures. (It's not clear whether any of these measures would actually have restricted Paddock's ability to obtain firearms.)Then last year, Nevada voters considered a change.In a ballot initiative, voters were asked whether they supported expanded background checks for private gun sales and transfers, including online and gun show sales. The campaign in favor of the initiative received more than $14 million in financial backing -- the majority of which came from former New York City Mayor Michael Bloombergs Everytown for Gun Safety group, according to state elections officials. The NRA and other gun rights groups contributed $6.7 million opposing the ballot measure.The initiative won narrowly, receiving 50.4 percent of the vote. Citing the new law, the Law Center upgraded Nevada from an 'F' to a 'C-,' placing it in the middle of the pack among the 50 states.But the matter was not over.Just weeks after the election, Nevada Republican Attorney General Adam Laxalt said he wouldnt enforce the new gun regulations. Nevada is one of 12 states that conduct their own background checks, using a state Central Repository, rather than relying only on the FBI's database. But the language of the ballot initiative said that the expanded checks would have to be done through the FBI. In a letter to Laxalt, the FBI said it would not help Nevada with the background checks because the language in the ballot dictated the way federal resources were spent, and the FBI by its own policy could not comply.Gun control supporters accused Laxalt of playing politics. He had publicly opposed the ballot measure during the campaign, and critics said he was using the FBI letter as an excuse to ignore a law he simply didn't agree with.Nevada wouldnt be unusual in having a hybrid system, Jennifer Crowe, Nevada spokeswoman for Moms Demand Action, an advocacy group affiliated with Everytown for Gun Safety, told the. There are other states that have some checks run through the FBI and some checks run through their in-state agencies."In fact, 18 states have requirements like those in the Nevada law, according to theOpponents of the measure, meanwhile, said the backers had purposefully crafted it to rely on the FBI in order to appear revenue-neutral on the ballot. Had it called for the state to conduct the checks, the ballot measure would have had to mention what it would cost the state.Having the FBI conduct the checks would still cost Nevada $650,000, but that fiscal analysis was excluded from the ballot question, which opponents say helped the measure pass."Given that [the ballot initiative] passed by less than 1 percent of the vote, I believe a sizable fiscal note couldve changed the outcome, said Robert Uithoven, a campaign director affiliated with the NRA, in December. The drafters and the sponsor, Michael Bloombergs group, never asked law enforcement to give input on the initiative. ... Had there been some collaboration, this issue might have been brought up earlier, and this couldve been avoided.Uithoven suggested that the confusion over the law -- and the attorney general's refusal to enforce it -- arose because the ballot measure had been pushed by groups from outside Nevada."This is what happens when you allow uninformed, out-of-state lobbying groups that prey on people's emotions to write your laws, he said.
Immigrants who are being held while seeking the right to remain in the United States, and who would pose no threat if released, are entitled to have bail set in an amount that considers how much they can afford to pay and whether they can be safely monitored without bail, a federal appeals court ruled Monday.The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco upheld a federal judge's order that applied only to immigration courts in California's Central District, which covers seven counties, including Los Angeles, and includes nearly half the state's population. But a lawyer for immigrants in the case said Monday's ruling set standards for the entire circuit, which includes California and eight other Western states."Hundreds of detainees are being locked up every day in detention centers across the Ninth Circuit merely because they lack resources to pay a bond," said Michael Kaufman, an American Civil Liberties Union attorney. "It's our expectation that the government will follow the law that the Ninth Circuit laid down."Government lawyers, under President Barack Obama and the Trump administration, argued that bail-setting in immigration cases was a discretionary decision not covered by the constitutional standards for criminal cases, and that taking detainees' finances into account would be time-consuming and expensive.The administration could seek a rehearing from the full appeals court or appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. In the meantime, the lower-court order requiring bail hearings, which had been suspended during the government's appeal, will take effect.On Tuesday, the nation's high court will hear arguments in the Justice Department's appeal of another Ninth Circuit ruling, which entitled immigrants in government custody to a hearing every six months over whether they were eligible for release on bond.The latest ruling came in a class-action suit by immigrants who entered the United States without authorization, or overstayed their visas, and are being held while they seek political asylum or legal status based on considerations such as hardship to U.S. family members.In each of their cases, government hearing officers or immigration courts have found that they would pose no risk of violence or of fleeing if released, but set their bail without considering what they or their families could afford.One plaintiff, a gay man who said he fled Honduras to escape persecution, was held for more than four years before a community organization raised $3,000 to pay his bond, the appeals court said. Lawyers reported the case of another detainee who had to miss the funeral of her mother, who had been murdered, because she could not pay a $9,000 bond.Under the Constitution, "no person may be imprisoned merely on account of his poverty," Judge Stephen Reinhardt said in the ruling. He said the government has no reason to detain "individuals who have been determined not to be a danger to the community and whose appearance at future immigration proceedings can be reasonably ensured by a lesser bond or alternative conditions."The court ordered the government to take financial conditions into account in future cases and for immigrants who are now in custody. One member of the three-judge panel, Ferdinand Fernandez, said in a partial dissent that the ruling should apply only to future cases.
On Sunday, in the afternoon, His Excellency the Honourable Paul de Jersey AC departed Brisbane for an official visit to Sydney, and the Honourable Justice Walter Sofronoff commenced duty as Acting Governor of Queensland.

Following, at ANZ Stadium, the Governor attended the 2017 NRL Telstra Premiership Grand Final contested by the North Queensland Cowboys and the Melbourne Storm.
On Monday, in the morning, His Excellency the Honourable Paul de Jersey AC returned to Queensland, and the Honourable Justice Walter Sofronoff ceased duty as Acting Governor of Queensland.
On Saturday, in the morning, His Excellency the Honourable Paul de Jersey AC and Mrs Kaye de Jersey departed Brisbane for an official visit to the Somerset region.

Following, at the Somerset Regional Art Gallery  The Condensery, Toogoolawah, the Governor, with Mrs de Jersey, unveiled the Red Deer sculpture of Norman and addressed guests, and then toured the Art Gallery.

Following, at the Toogoolawah History Museum, the Governor and Mrs de Jersey toured the Museum and met volunteers, before returning, in the afternoon, to Brisbane.

In the evening, at Blackbird Bar & Grill, Brisbane, the Governor and Mrs de Jersey attended the 20th anniversary of the Brisbane Festival Sunsuper Riverfire Closing Night Function.
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GIS  03 October, 2017: The Energy Efficiency Management Office of the Ministry of Energy and Public Utilities will sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Cooperation in the field of Energy Efficiency with the Bureau of Energy Efficiency of India.

The MoU aims at strengthening, developing and promoting cooperation for implementation of energy audits in small and medium enterprises and for the establishment of an Energy Efficiency Cell by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency.

It further aims at providing technical assistance for the establishment of an Energy Efficiency Information data base and in the economic modelling of energy efficiency. The MoU also focuses on the development of a framework for the implementation of a green building scheme and a framework and guidelines for energy efficiency in agriculture.

The Energy Efficiency Management Office (EEMO) has been set up under Section 4 of the Energy Efficiency Act 2011 with the objectives of, among others, promoting awareness for the efficient use of energy as a means to reduce carbon emissions and protect the environment. The functions of the EEMO are, in particular, to implement strategies and programmes for the efficient use of energy, establish links with regional and international institutions and participate in programmes pertaining to the efficient use of energy.
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GIS  03 October 2017 : The Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Mauritius, Mr Mohammad Moniri Nik, paid a courtesy call on the Prime Minister, Minister of Home Affairs, External Communications and National Development Unit, and Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Mr. Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, today at the New Treasury Building in Port Louis.

In a statement after the visit, Mr Moniri Nik highlighted the fruitful discussions with the Prime Minister in several areas of collaboration where both Iran and Mauritius can provide mutual assistance. He pointed out that Mauritius has a great potential as a tourism market for the 18 million Iranians. He added that the management of the Iranian-owned castle in Moka, Chateau Val Ory, will be reviewed, and that the castle can become a major tourist attraction for visitors from Iran.

The Ambassador also spoke of his countrys energy sector, namely the petrochemicals project. Suggestions for co-investment from the private sector of both countries in joint ventures were put forward to the Prime Minister during the meeting.

Mauritius and Iran relations

Diplomatic relations between Mauritius and Iran were established on 24 September 1971. Cooperation focuses mainly on trade and Mauritian exports to Iran, which are mainly medical products, increased from Rs 568 470 in 2010 to Rs 25 298 605 in 2015, with a peak of Rs 32.5 million in 2013. The main products imported from Iran in 2015 and which amounted to Rs 15 432 592 were paraffin wax, wafers, and dried fruits, among others.
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GIS - 03 October, 2017: The Mauritius Container Terminal (MCT) is now a leading container port in the region with the completion of the extension of the quay to a length of 800 metres. This project, to the tune of Rs 6.5 billion, is in line with Governments vision to make the Port Louis Harbour the preferred maritime gateway in the Indian Ocean. The Mauritius Container Terminal (MCT) is now a leading container port in the region with the completion of the extension of the quay to a length of 800 metres. This project, to the tune of Rs 6.5 billion, is in line with Governments vision to make the Port Louis Harbour the preferred maritime gateway in the Indian Ocean.

This statement was made by the Prime Minister, Minister of Home Affairs, External Communications and National Development Unit and Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Mr Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, yesterday at the inauguration of the new Quay at the Port Louis Harbour, Terminal III, Mer Rouge.

According to the Prime Minister, the extension of the quay project is yet another important milestone in the development of Port Louis Harbour. This project will transform the harbour, the principal gateway of the country handling about 99.5% of the total volume of external trade representing 7.3 million tons of cargo annually, into a major regional logistics and maritime hub offering efficient, competitive and integrated services to the business, shipping and maritime community.

With regards to the quay extension project, Mr Jugnauth stated that it fits the vision of the Government to transform the harbour into a transhipment hub as outlined in the new Port Master Plan elaborated by the Mauritius Ports Authority (MPA). This he added, is a giant leap ahead to attract major players of the shipping community and capture a bigger regional container transhipment share of the market.

The MCT project, he stated, coupled with the forthcoming development of the Riche Terre Special Economic Zone will contribute immensely to the economic development of the country in bringing additional businesses and creating new segments in the manufacturing industry.

Furthermore, the Prime Minister announced another important development project in the port area, namely the construction of an Island Container Terminal opposite the MCT. This facility, he said, will undoubtedly be the most important container port in the region with a capacity of over 1.5 million TEUs. In this respect, the MPA is undertaking a Techno Economic Feasibility study for the Island Container Terminal project which is being financed through a grant from the African Development Bank and is expected to start next month, Mr Jugnauth added.

For his part the Chairman of MPA, Mr Ramalingum Maistry, spoke of MPAs commitment to follow the road map traced by Government to attain its objectives and to bringing vital contribution to the country sustainable economic development.

Quay Extension Project

The project was partly financed by the Agence Francaise de Development to the tune of Rs 1.4 billion, through a grant of 3.0 million Euros from the European Union Infrastructure Trust Fund and the remaining Rs 5.0 billion was injected by the MPA. It comprised the extension of the existing quay to accommodate two large container vessels of about 360 metres each, thus positioning Port Louis Harbour as the deepest port in the South West Indian Ocean. Construction works started in 2015 and the project comprised three components namely: extension of the MCT quay by 240 metres; expansion of the container stacking yard by some 7.5 hectares; and the strengthening of the existing 560 metres quay.
To find trees in the desert, we often have to go up in the mountains. I grew up in the Midwest, so every once in awhile I get a yearning to ...
(TNS)  The University of Texas at Dallas and the city of Richardson are appealing to Amazon's geeky side in their proposal for the Seattle-based technology and retail giant's search for a second headquarters city.UT Dallas is offering Amazon more than 100 acres of vacant land that it owns adjacent to its campus, making its research facilities, students and faculty a short walk away from a future headquarters site. Amazon said last month that it will spend $5 billion to build a new headquarters, dubbed Amazon HQ2, where it can house the employees it expects to hire over the next 10 years  as many as 50,000 people.The university is ready to create a partnership similar to what it has had with Dallas-based Texas Instruments since the university was created 48 years ago, said UT Dallas president Richard Benson. More UT Dallas graduates work for TI than from any other school. The state endowed several chairs at UT Dallas in 2004, and TI built a $3 billion facility nearby. It was the first  and still the largest  economic development partnership of the Texas Enterprise Fund created by former Gov. Rick Perry.The state of Texas is expected to come up with incentives for Amazon that will be neutral to whatever city Amazon might chose in Texas.During the 2016-17 academic year, UT Dallas awarded 2,465 bachelor's degrees, 3,372 master's degrees and 189 Ph.D.s. The fall freshman class has 157 National Merit Scholars."Ninety percent of our students are in STEM and management programs. We have a strong base that aligns with Amazon," Benson said."It's the region's largest recurring source of talent that Amazon will need from interns to their own employees being able to walk over to continue their education," said Bill Sproull, president of the Richardson Economic Development Partnership.Amazon HQ2 located next door to UT Dallas "will be further transformed and benefit the whole region," Sproull said.The Richardson site is located along Waterview Parkway and West Renner Road just south of the President George Bush Turnpike. The proposed Cotton Belt rail line, which will connect northern suburbs with D-FW Airport, runs through the UT Dallas site. Richardon's site proposal includes multiple acreage and square feet of office space available around the two Richardson DART train stations at CityLine and Galatyn Park.Mayors in the region are in agreement that they just want Amazon "to pick Texas and then North Texas," said Richardson Mayor Paul Voelker. "We want Amazon to know that Texas is a really good place to do business. The focus should be on Amazon, not on what makes sense for Dallas or Fort Worth."Still, Voelker said, in addition to UT Dallas students, the region has one of the largest populations of computer and software engineers. "The joke in Richardson is that the neighbor to the left of you is an electrical engineer and the one to the right of you is a software engineer," he said.When he worked at HP, the company would send over algorithms for students to test.UT Dallas' Benson said the university has shown its nimbleness, having created a mechanical engineering department with University of Texas at Arlington less than 10 years ago and has formed a partnership with the UT Southwestern for biomedical engineering.It's one of 14 universities in a program of the National Science Foundation that is researching high speed broadband. UT Dallas is offering Amazon its GENI rack with an ability to connect into its 100 gigabit capacity system.The city of Richardson and its chamber first partnered with UTD in 2013 to join US Ignite's Smart Gigabit Communities program to work on next-generation, high-bandwidth, low-latency fiber optic network applications. It's used in financial transactions and in health care for imagery that must be viewed in real time by physicians during complicated surgeries.Voelker said Richardson has another advantage of being home to a highly educated and diverse population. "Sit around any conference room at a local technology company, and you'll see the diversity that we have in our neighborhoods and at our restaurants."A company like Amazon seeking global talent and future markets to grow in would find a microcosm of the global environment in Richardson," Voelker said.
AUSTIN, Texas  Its relationships between IT and procurement agencies, as well as between government and vendors, that are essential to effective public-sector purchasing.That was the theme at a session with Minnesota CIO Tom Baden and Sarah Hilderbrand, chief procurement officer of Idaho, at NASCIOs annual conference Tuesday morning, one that reflects the previous days opening keynote speech . From making strides in innovation to doing more with fewer resources, establishing open lines of communication with critical partners is key to maximizing impact.When it comes to getting new tech into government, Baden said, the challenge of innovation falls on both sides of the fence.In other words, not only must government figure out how to creatively use new tech, but also vendors need to help them find those use cases.For Hilderbrand, innovation comes from early involvement from vendors, because we need to understand from an industry perspective whats out there, whats coming.Negotiations can be limited if you wait for government to release an RFP, she explained. Getting in early with the public agency builds more flexibility into the ultimate contract, which allows for more innovation; it also helps avoid potential stumbling blocks down the road and allows feedback from both parties.Both Baden and Hilderbrand also stressed the importance of the relationship between a jurisdictions IT and procurement agencies. For example, in Idaho, a monthly meeting between procurement and IT staff helps both groups strategize, and allows for planning based on what theyre seeing in their organizations.Creating this relationship has helped dispel some of the miscommunication between IT and procurement, Hildebrand said, adding that when issues do arise, those lines of communication become key.Both Minnesota and Idaho operate on centralized purchasing models, which according to Baden is essential for everything from cybersecurity to oversight and visibility. It also helps ensure continuity across operations and compliance within applicable legal regulations.Baden also sees enterprise agreements as the future of state government procurement, saying they are really driving us to innovation. This allows for numerous applications to be accomplished with solutions that are already in place, rather than going through a big RFP process every time a need arises.He also spoke to the future of agile procurement as a way to get more done more quickly, operating in terms of many small purchases rather than a few large ones.The days of big, big procurements, Baden said, are a thing of the past.
Employees from the Department of Planning and Zoning estimate flood depth





Civic Tech Volunteers Spearhead Crowdsourcing









The Harvey and Irma open-source sites





Sharing Data Across Agencies

Nothing exposes a citys limited resources quite like an emergency. The reality is that during many natural disasters, municipalities face more 911 calls than they could possibly field, more ravaged buildings than they could possibly repair, and more residents in need of help than they could possibly reach.And yet the situation is not a hopeless one. By leveraging the power of datawhether by pushing relevant information out to residents and volunteer responders or prioritizing for rescue areas with more damage and vulnerable residentscities can maximize the value of the resources they do possess. The successes and missed opportunities in the response to Hurricanes Harvey and Irma are an apt reminder of the value of data in emergency management and the capacity for cities to expand their efforts in the future.During Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, Houston and Miami took on the responsibility of pulling together information from a variety of sources that would be useful to residents and responders during and after the storms. During Harvey, the City of Houston partnered with Harris County in order to release information like flooding estimates and evacuation routes. Then, during the recovery phase, the city released updates on the status of city services , a power outage tracker, and transit routes resuming service . Similarly, Miami curated flood maps from Miami-Dade Countys website and initial storm surge information from Florida International Universitys (FIU) Storm Surge Simulator during the storm and information on city services, transit, and other critical developments throughout the response and recovery.In addition to curating existing data, Miamis GIS teams out of its Department of Information Technology (IT) made efforts to gather new, more accurate flood data in the days following the storm. The city had models of storm surge from old FEMA maps, but wanted more accurate estimates of flooding. With this in mind, the city armed nine pairs of staff members from the Department of Planning and Zoning as well as four volunteer teams with Survey123 for ArcGIS, a tool that allowed users to input flood data from their smartphones.The turnaround was astoundingly swift: Within 24 hours, we had more than 700 datapoints, said Michael Sarasti, Chief Innovation Officer for the City of Miami. The sense of urgency to use data and technology was really impressive. Irma was a rallying point to use tools that have been sitting there for a while, he added. The city made this information available in an online map , enabling residents and responders to make decisions using accurate flood information.Internet of Things (IoT) sensors were also a valuable resource during the response. According to Sarasti, the Miami Police Department used wind sensor data in order to identify opportunities to safely dispatch officers to calls for service.And to ensure this information reached the largest audience possible, these cities brought data to residents where they were already activeon social media. Houston and Miami alike used Twitter to disseminate information like open grocery stores in the area, shelters accepting residents, the safety of drinking water, the status of curfews, and evacuation orders.To supplement city data, Houston and Miami also sought to capitalize on residents knowledge in order provide better information to those affected. Houston started this trend by working with local civic technology group Sketch City to create and disseminate via social media a Google Sheet for residents who needed rescue or knew of someone in distress. Residents were asked to input information including their location, the number of people in need of rescue, and any additional needs, such as medications or wheelchair accessibility. Sketch City then converted all of this information into a crowdsourced Google Map, which rescuersboth government first responders and volunteers like the now famous band of volunteers called the Cajun Navythen used to identify and rescue people in need. Emergency responders and volunteers were able to go from location to location on the map and rescue residents, explained Jesse Bounds, Houstons Director of Innovation. Volunteers in Miami replicated this effort for Irma with the Crowdsource Rescue site , which asked users in need of rescue to input critical information.To ensure that residents not only knew where flooding was happening but could also find their way to safety, Sketch City devised crowdsourced maps of all the shelters in Houston and Miami. The maps allowed residents to input the locations of shelters, whether or not they were accepting residents, and what supplies they needed. To complement this service and make it accessible to residents who may not have had internet connectivity, Sketch City also created a chatbot that enabled residents to ask for the nearest shelter via text.To bring all these resources together, Sketch City and a number of other tech volunteers collaborated to stand up a Harvey Needs website that gathered relevant data and tools in one place. According to Bounds, Throughout Harvey, we were able to express to Sketch City what we needed and they created it for us. On this website, residents could not only input their information for rescue and visualize the locations of shelters, but could also access emergency and safety tips, flooding and evacuation assistance, and emergency and government agency contact information. Residents could also volunteer to help in the relief effort by donating money or working at a shelter or food bank. Sketch City and a number of volunteers then forked the code for this websitecopying the source code for independent developmentin order to create the Irma Response website. Sarasti credits not only developers in the Miami area, but from around the countryincluding Cincinnati Chief Performance Officer Leigh Tami and South Bend Chief Innovation Officer Santiago Garcesfor offering to help in the response. As an example of the kind of ad hoc help offered by civic tech leaders, San Diego Chief Data Officer (CDO) Maksim Pecherskiy built an Irma shelter map for Puerto Rico out of an Airbnb attached to the former Chief Innovation Officers (CIO) house.Going forward, Sarasti hopes to make the process for civic tech collaboration more systematic. We want to develop a more clear process for integrating civic-driven disaster tools with city initiatives, Sarasti said. He envisions a network of civic tech collaborators ready to get to work at the citys request. We want to create those inroads so we just flip that on, he explained. Bounds echoed this hope for systematization, explaining that Houston is developing an emergency response package that will outline processes and civic tech partners for future emergency situations.Houston and Miami also relied on the power of the crowd for additional information on the severity of flooding throughout the city. Created by environmental firm Marine Weather and Climate and tech company Tailwind Labs, online mapping application U-Flood allowed residents to input information on flooding throughout their city. Users needed only visit floodmap.io and click on street segments where they observed flooding. Originally designed for Houston, in anticipation of Hurricane Irma, the companies expanded the application to a number of Florida cities including Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and Tampa.By gathering information from people on the ground during the storm, crowdsourcing allowed Houston and Miami to collect accurate and timely information. With crowdsourcing, we were able to get updates in real time, said Bounds. This allowed the cities to pinpoint areas and people in need and deploy more effective rescues.In the wake of Hurricane Irma, the City of Miami has started thinking about ways to better prepare responders and residents in the days leading up to a storm. This is one of the primary discussions happening in the community nowwas enough done ahead of time? Sarasti explained.A critical part of coordinating a proactive response is thinking creatively about how data across various city departments may be useful to responders. In Miami, the citys Fire Department and Emergency Medical Services did just that, collecting information on the location of vulnerable populations across the city that required additional assistance. According to Sarasti, the Resilience Office shared a list of affordable and critical housing structures, the Department of Planning and Zoning provided a list of assisted living facilities, and Florida Power & Light (FPL) collaborated with the city to provide power outage data. Knowing which neighborhoods had higher concentrations of buildings with prior structural problems, power outages, or residents lacking the physical or economic means to evacuate allowed Miami to send responders where they were needed most.While laudatory of these efforts, looking to the future, Sarasti stated frankly, We can do better. How we prepare communities that need more attention ahead of time and increase awareness of them post-floodthats the next step, he explained.Facilitating easier, quicker access to this data will be one way of improving emergency response. Following Irma, many news outlets circulated a story about an assisted living facility in Hollywood, FL where nine patients died in the wake of Irma. After a fallen tree destroyed the homes generator and disabled the air conditioner, many patients overheated and failed to receive prompt medical attention. While the city was looking at concentrations of assisted living facilities to inform response, ensuring responders have this information well before a disaster hits and make it a real priority in preparation will be critical in similar situations down the road.Cities can also expand the range of data they use to inform response. For example, looking at data from the Department of Motor Vehicles could help determine which residents require assistance finding transportation out of the city. Targeting those areas that have fewer registered vehicles for evacuation assistanceor even pairing residents that do not have vehicles with those that do for carpoolscould ensure that everyone is able to get out of dangerous areas.Realizing these kinds of cross-agency predictive projects requires a culture of data sharing in city government. Were still getting there on embracing open data in the community, Sarasti said. Weve released things like permitting and 311 data, but have not gotten sophisticated enough on the sharing side.Analyzing Hurricanes Harvey and Irma can be a valuable learning experience for cities in the path of natural disasters. These events show that data is not a peripheral tool in disaster management, but rather is absolutely essential to effective rescue and recovery. And, as Sarasti explained, necessary to effective data-driven response is a municipal culture that emphasizes collecting and sharing quality data. Things like data standards, inventories, and useable platforms for sharing are not trivial matters reserved for bureaucratic quibbling, but in fact can be a matter of life and death.
BUSINESS ADVICE

GOVERNMENT ALLY

EQUIFAX

CONTROLS

(TNS) -- After an onslaught of hacking, breaches and malware this year, and the resultant waves of publicity, National Cybersecurity Awareness Month should be a bit anticlimactic.But for some people, the message never gets old.One of the organizations most aware of cyberthreats and most active in countering them is CIS , a non-profit steadily expanding its client base and 130-person workforce. Along with creating benchmarks and protocols by which organizations large and small can secure their computer systems, CIS serves public entities as a cybersecurity partner, including all 50 states and 1,400-plus municipalities containing more than 80 percent of the U.S. population.CIS  formerly the Center for Internet Security  is officially designated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security as the go-to source for free cybersecurity services for state, local, territorial and tribal governments. It is hired by private organizations and companies for similar tasks.CIS is keeping busy.Each year I think it cant get any worse, and then it gets progressively worse, said Curtis Dukes , executive vice president and general manager of the CIS Best Practices and Automation Group.October is Cybersecurity Month , a Department of Homeland Security promotion that gives prominence to issues CIS deals with every month.Too many organizations, Dukes said, are not taking the critical steps of setting up a secure system, then reducing what areas are vulnerable to attack, then working to stay secure by following an industry-accepted protocol of best practices.CIS has developed CIS Controls and CIS Benchmarks as its defense against cyberthreats. There are other protocols, each with their own supporters, Dukes said, and while it would be nice for government and industry to all agree on a single standard, were not there yet. Steven Spano , president and chief operating officer of CIS, spoke Monday at the annual meeting of the Business Council of New York State about the importance of taking preventative steps before a cyberattack.Having a chief information security officer in the company doesnt guarantee there wont be a breach, he said, but not having a CISO will likely make the breach worse.Now you have a PR nightmare on top of the breach, Spano explained.He advises companies to look at the cost of a breach, or of an extinction-level event.The $150,000 salary of a CISO seems small in comparison.Not enough business leaders see this, he said.Theres a disconnect to how a lot of businesses approach cybersecurity. I sense an intrinsic ignorance about the topic.Rather than admit ignorance, he said, they hand the problem off and hope it gets fixed.Cyber is not static, Spano said. Trying to keep pace with the art and the science is a big challenge.He also cautioned against outsourcing cybersecurity and forgetting about it. Oversight is still needed. If theres a breach, ultimately its the business and its customers who will suffer, regardless of who was supposed to be standing guard at the gate.In 2011, CIS took over the Multistate Information Sharing and Analysis Center, which was created by New York state. The MS-ISAC remains a close partner with New York state but also serves the other 49 states, the District of Columbia and the five U.S. territories. There is no cost to government users  Homeland Security picks up the tab for the states and for more than 1,400 municipal entities.The focus is on cyberthreats such as malware, but the MS-ISAC has also warned its municipal partners about hacktivists  those who try to shut down a government website in response to a local incident such as a police shooting.Such threats are more of a nuisance than a danger. Cyberterrorists and cyberwarriors, by contrast, might want to damage critical infrastructure such as the power grid.The MS-ISAC cant detect incoming attacks from unknown sources; its function is to respond to known threats and weaknesses by recommending security updates, and to help entities that have been attacked understand how and why the attack was able to succeed.If needed, its Computer Emergency Response Team can travel to the scene of an attack to do forensics.In their work, MS-ISAC personnel find varying levels of cyber vigilance among municipal entities. This is a critical detail, because most attacks target known weak spots.The MS-ISACs Security Operations Center is staffed around the clock by cybersecurity experts who respond to state and local government inquiries, provide network monitoring for these governments, and watch for data dumps that could compromise members websites. An intelligence team within the SOC investigates attacks and looks for trending indications of threats, though it does not work around the clock.On Tuesday, the SOC was fairly quiet. The total number of tickets  any request for action by a member  stood at one. Network monitoring and bug tracking indicators were both zero. Advanced persistent threats  state-sponsored attacks  also registered zero.The scraper  an automated sweep of open-source websites for anything potentially threatening to a municipal member  periodically bounced from zero to one and back to zero.The threat level was blue, or guarded  second-lowest on the five-step scale from green (low) to red (severe). Multiple vulnerabilities in Google Chrome and Joomla! were the latest threat warnings.Blue indicates there are potentially significant vulnerabilities that havent been exploited, or have been exploited without impact.CIS has never gone to red threat. In 2014, the HeartBleed bug sent CIS to the second-highest threat level, orange, which indicates high risk of increased hacking, virus, or other malicious cyber activity that targets or compromises core infrastructure, causes multiple service outages, causes multiple system compromises, or compromises critical infrastructure.The private client roster of CIS ranges from single-person companies to Fortune 100 firms and stretches around the world. The fee-for-service offerings include vulnerability assessments, consulting and training.Also Tuesday, CIS issued a news release saying the breach at the credit reporting agency Equifax  in which 143 million Americans personal information was exposed  could have been prevented with implementation of CIS Controls. The breach was an exploitation of a known vulnerability, exactly the kind of situation CIS works to prevent.Equifaxs CEO was ousted and its stock value plunged 35 percent in six trading days in mid-September, erasing $6 billion in value  exactly the kind of collateral damage Spano warned about.Equifax is a particularly bad breach for consumers, Dukes said, because it potentially provides all the information needed to validate a transaction with a stolen identity.Once that information is lost, the criminal network can easily take that.Credit agencies relationship is with businesses selling or lending to consumers, rather than with consumers themselves, Dukes said, so they are a step removed from the people affected.Organizations that are holding this information need to be accountable to us, he said, suggesting that standards be set and federal regulations implemented.In the meantime, consumers should not wait for anyone to protect them, Dukes recommended.I think it is now incumbent ... to do some amount of the due diligence yourself, he said.For starters, people should take advantage of the right to a free credit report every quarter, and make note of who is checking their credit and why.Dukes expressed optimism that the business world will move away from collecting such sensitive material as social security numbers.And he urged people to stop giving out such personal identifying information freely whenever asked.I think you have to be mindful each and every time you do an online purchase, he said.CIS Benchmarks and CIS Controls are the centerpiece of the cybersecurity program offered by CIS, formerly the Center For Internet Security.Benchmarks is 100-plus configuration guidelines for various technology groups to safeguard systems against evolving cyber threats.Controls is 20 specific actions that can be used to implement the objectives of cybersecurity frameworks created by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, International Organization for Standardization, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council. It is free, and to date has been downloaded more than 85,000 times.
Riverside County officials arent saying yet who responded to an RFP that marked the public debut of their RIVCOconnect Broadband Initiative, a public-private partnership aimed at building out what may be the nations largest broadband network.But after a four-month procurement process that was extended to nearly six months, responses are in and should be made public later this week. Already, its clear this process could signal a new way of streamlining large, essential IT infrastructure projects.When construction begins, potentially as soon as the summer of 2018, RIVCOconnect will deliver last-mile, gigabit-speed fiber-optic broadband to a far-flung county thats nearly the size of New Jersey and home to more than 2.3 million people.An estimated 21,114 businesses will also benefit from receiving the service, though build-out will take five years.Steve Reneker, RIVCOconnect Chief Broadband Officer (CBO) and recent former Riverside County CIO, said officials decided to act knowing coastal communities like San Diego, Orange County and Los Angeles are typically the first to get these types of services.We know that if we would have done nothing, it would be probably five to 10 years before we would see any type of advanced Internet services. Were excited about what this might be able to bring for economic development, and the digital equity perspective for Riverside County residents, Reneker said.The county also intends to require build-out to cover higher-income areas in equal increments with more disadvantaged regions, to avoid cherry-picking.Nearly 40 potential partners, including representatives of AT&T, Spectrum, Frontier Communications and General Dynamics; the cities of Riverside, Indio and Moreno Valley; and financial institutions including J.P. Morgan attended an online proposers conference with county officials on Thursday, April 20 While typical government procurement will most likely continue in Riverside County, the success of the online conference, and the design of this RFP process could signal an alternative path for similar projects.I would say certainly, large projects, maybe of a capital nature, might make sense to go down this process, Reneker said, describing them as very few and very infrequent.Riverside County extended the deadline to respond to this RFP twice following its release on Monday, April 3 with an Aug. 15 due date. At the request of potential applicants who went on to apply, officials prolonged it to Sept. 7, then to Sept. 28.But Reneker described it as more a Request for Participation than a Request for Proposal because were literally looking for participation from the curator and Internet service providers in the communities determined.One key difference between RIVCOconnect and other projects: the county isnt buying anything, and so it will ultimately enter into a contract with a provider or a team of providers after negotiating based on what these carriers are looking for from government to plan and build out the infrastructure, he said.The public-private partnership the project will create has a valuation of between $2 billion and $4 billion.The Riverside County Board of Supervisors will be briefed before the county releases applicants names. Significantly, however, Reneker noted that the county doesnt represent 24 other incorporated cities  which must get approval from their own elected bodies to opt in or out of the project.While commitment levels may vary, Reneker confirmed some commitment exists from all 24 entities and the county is hopeful all will formally join.There wont be an actual financial commitment from the county or cities, but one request the county has made is for communities to commit to trying to follow either expedited or reduced permitting fees, to ensure the build can be done in an expeditious fashion.Another likely pledge will be making assets available in project areas, including existing fiber networks, streetlights, power poles and municipal facilities.Making all those facilities available for this project at some given price or lease arrangement thats attractive, is what weve all committed to, providing a single point of contact for the effort and providing concierge-type services for the vendors so that they can quickly and efficiently get things through the government bureaucracy as quickly as possible," said Reneker.Should the vendor require it, some of the communities could end up with long-term commitments to high-speed service as a condition of their anchor tenancy, he added.County officials hope to determine which candidates meet the RFPs mission, provide a level of reasonableness and confirm their financial status by mid-October, advancing them to Level One status.By the end of November, officials plan to further evaluate Level One proposals and meet with vendors for about a half-day each, to obtain answers to more detailed questions and move some to Level Two.A scoring process will then determine which vendor or vendors are passed through Level Two to negotiations conducted by Riverside-based national law firm Best, Best & Krieger LLP.Reneker said a master contract or contracts should be ready for approval by the Riverside County Board of Supervisors during the first quarter of 2018.
FEES, NOT PERMITS, WAIVED

SPEED LIMIT

(TNS) -- FLAGLER BEACH  Anyone who wonders how self-driving cars will be able to react instantly to surrounding conditions will soon get an answer: antennas mounted atop municipal utility poles.The Flagler Beach City Commission last week approved an ordinance on first reading that will give city officials some say over how and where the new 5G antennas may be placed in accordance with a recent state law that paves the way for such technology.Local control is limited, however. For instance, city officials cannot outright deny an applicant from installing such an antenna. But the commission did weigh in on portions that the state allows them to decide.Primarily, this refers to design standards, registration and adopting fees.The state Advanced Wireless Infrastructure Deployment Act essentially allows antennas to be attached to public utility poles in rights-of-way. Gov. Rick Scott signed it into law on July 1.In addition to guiding self-driving vehicles, the fifth generation (or 5G) of wireless technology will also provide anyone with compatible devices access to greater quantities of data at higher speeds.A presentation on the subject was made in August during a Florida League of Cities conference. City Commissioner Joy McGrew, referring to the presentation, said most of the antennas would be about the size of a shoebox.Most of them will be installed on existing poles, such as decorative light poles."The biggest issue that I think local governments are going to face is going to be the number of these that are going in," City Attorney Drew Smith said during Thursday night's meeting.Because 5G needs very high frequencies, its antennas must be close together and therefore more numerous.The local ordinance mandates a permit for installation of antennas and conditions under which waivers must be sought. The antennas may not be placed within eight feet of the curb or on arms that support traffic signals.The wireless facilities must be at least 20 feet from energized electrical distribution lines and must not block the view of any sign.In addition, the wireless facilities must be concealed to protect the city's aesthetic qualities.Antennas may not extend more than 10 feet above the pole upon which it is mounted, and they may not be placed onto poles shorter than 15 feet.Here's a look at some other issues addressed by the commission.Issue: Waiving some fees to help residents following Hurricane Irma.What happened: Commissioners unanimously approved an ordinance waiving fees on drywall removal and repairing fences and screened enclosures due to damage from the hurricane. The action formalizes a practice instituted following the Sept. 20 meeting. It covers a 180-day period starting on Sept. 12. The ordinance does not negate the requirement to get a permit for work being done. And any requirements for detailed drawings would remain in effect.Issue: Mandating a speed limit for a stretch of John Anderson Highway within the city limits.What happened: The board voted unanimously to establish a 35-mph speed limit for that part of the road. City Manager Larry Newsom explained that any transition from one speed to another is supposed to be recognized by the agency enforcing the limit  in this case, the city. Though the road was already 35 by default, the transition from State Road 100 hadn't been formally recognized. "Apparently, this is something that should have been done eons ago," said Chair Jane Mealy.
It's sometimes billed as "America's playground," but most of America doesn't live within four highway hours (much less if you speed) from downtown Las Vegas.Which partly explains why the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history -- a Sunday night rampage near the Las Vegas Strip that left at least 59 dead and more than 500 wounded or injured -- feels like a local crime.Though hard numbers aren't known, a huge chunk of the estimated 22,000 people on hand when Jason Aldean's performance was halted by the crackle of an automatic weapon, came from Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties. Even the name of the three-day country music event -- the Route 91 Harvest festival -- refers to the former name of the stretch of freeway and highway that connects Long Beach to Las Vegas.So it's no surprise that an early list of the dead includes a special education teacher and a police records tech from Manhattan Beach; a teacher from Simi Valley, a contractor from Santa Clarita and a Disney California Adventure cast member who went to high school in Orange County and lived in Riverside. The wounded include off-duty sheriffs deputies from Los Angeles and Orange counties, off-duty firefighters from Los Angeles, an off-duty officer from the Ontario Police Department and the manager of a contractor's office in Whittier.The carnage in Las Vegas prompted a national address from President Donald Trump, who described it as "an act of pure evil." But it also brought a city-to-city message of condolence from Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti:"Innocent people went out for an evening of fun," Garcetti wrote. "And (they) walked into a nightmare that defies our ability to understand or express sorrow in words."The shooting spree was the start of a long night of fear and chaos.Though about 10 minutes passed between the first and last showers of bullets, which came down from a two-room suite on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, the concert grounds and surrounding area was an active crime scene for several hours. Hundreds of people hid for much of night, believing the shootings were part of a broader attack; police were unable to assure them otherwise.Initially, survivors were confused by the sound of the gunfire, which came faster than a human can pull a trigger. But confusion switched to grim recognition as some in the crowd fell, wounded or mortally shot."There was blood pouring everywhere," Melissa Ayala, of Orange, told the New York Times."We were trying to take cover and we had no idea where to go."Police said the shooter was Stephen Paddock, a 64-year-old retiree from Mesquite, Nevada, whom they said took his life before authorities could enter his suite. Federal officials said Paddock doesn't appear to be linked to any terror group, though Islamic militants on Monday claimed otherwise.Paddock apparently planned the night in meticulous detail.Police said he used a hammer to break two sealed windows in his suite, No. 32135. He also set up at least two guns capable of automatic weapon fire near those windows, and may have used several other guns as the first weapons became too hot to use.The choice of weaponry seemed to push the death toll higher.Though it is generally illegal to own fully automated weapons, it is possible to modify semi-automatic weapons so they can shoot hundreds of rounds a minute. Police, who said Monday they are continuing to investigate all aspects of the crime, said they found had as many as 20 guns in the room, as well as more guns, ammunition and explosives in Paddock's home, about an hour away from Las Vegas.Police also noted that the site -- about 300 feet above the targeted area -- was an ideal spot for taking lives.The site, and the shooter's behavior, also seemed designed to amplify fear.Videos posted online by survivors indicate about 40 seconds passed from the first burst of gunfire until more bullets came. The shooter then sprayed the area for about 10 minutes, with bullets coming from the sky in unpredictable waves.During that time the crowd turned primal, as people either scrambled to escape or lay flat on the ground, hoping to avoid being shot. Hundreds of people climbed a nearby barbed-wire fence, though fire officials eventually ripped it up from the ground, letting people escape under the metal.It's unclear how many of the estimated 527 wounded were hit by bullets and shrapnel, and how many were hurt trying to escape the area or by others trying to run away.The events also overwhelmed medical help. Though hospitals in the area have trained for exactly the kind of attack that took place, emergency rooms and ambulances and even radio equipment were swamped by the sheer number of dead and wounded, forcing area hospitals to seek regional assistance.It's unclear what sparked the crime. Paddock's brother, who lives in Florida, told news outlets that family is surprised, and that Paddock previously wasn't known to own or use guns and that he had no financial problems or signs of mental instability.Paddock's father, Benjamin Hoskins Paddock -- who reportedly was not close to his sons -- was on the FBI's list of wanted criminals during much of the 1970s, described as a violent, serial bank robber.But even as police worked to sort out Paddock's possible motive, the shooting kicked off discussion of tougher gun laws. Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon, D-Lakewood, said on Twitter that the carnage in Las Vegas is a result of political cowardice. "The police say the shooter appeared to have acted alone. That's not true. Every gun lobbyist and the politicians who do their bidding were all in that room with him."But many survivors had little to say about gun legislation -- for now -- or the shooter's motives. Instead, they focused on what they described as courage and empathy they found in each other.The list of heroes -- and many people helped or comforted the wounded, or shielded others from bullets -- also reaches deep into Southern California.Melanie Cooper, an off-duty investigator with the Orange County Sheriff's Department, performed CPR on a half-dozen people and held a man as he died during the shooting spree.Cooper, like many others, spent much of the rest of the night believing more bullets were coming. After she escaped the concert area, she led a group of strangers to safety when rumors circulated that there was another shooter in the hotel bar.Similar stories were told about some off-duty police and fire personnel who were at the event. The country music scene, many said, is popular in that circle, and dozens of off-duty first responders from Southern California were at the festival.Still, Cooper said the night sparked fear that'll be hard to forget."I keep hearing those gunshots going off and off and off and off."Others have similar memories.Rudy Rios, an off-duty police officer from Long Beach and an Army veteran who served in Afghanistan, remembers empty shoes."You're seeing everybody just running out of their ... boots," Rios said.Rios saw concertgoers sweep up their children and barricade themselves in nearby gaming rooms and hotel rooms; even air conditioning ducts to escape the bullets.Others, Rios said, simply couldn't move."There's people in the fetal position, crying. They don't know what to do."Southern California News Group wire services and staff writers Keith Sharon and Jeremiah Dobruck contributed to this article.2017 The Orange County Register (Santa Ana, Calif.)Visit The Orange County Register (Santa Ana, Calif.) at www.ocregister.comDistributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
(TNS) - Thousands of storm-weary but relieved hurricane evacuees from Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands arrived Tuesday at Port Everglades aboard a Royal Caribbean International cruise ship.The Adventure of the Seas, with a capacity of up to 3,807 passengers, sailed into the Broward County seaport after concluding a humanitarian relief mission that delivered essential supplies to residents in the hurricane-ravaged U.S. territories. The cruise ship then was used to transport many island residents with medical and special needs to the U.S. mainland for treatment and better living conditions.From the U.S. Virgin Islands, priority was given to high risk pregnant women, the elderly and those with urgent medical needs, Governor Kenneth E. Mapp said. Many other passengers had commitments from family members to stay with them in the U.S.Laura Berrios, 30, who arrived with her two small children aged 3 and 8, was among the 1,791 people from Puerto Rico on board, most of whom were fleeing the wreckage and dire conditions left behind by Hurricane Maria. Berrios said the well-being of her children was the overriding factor in her decision to leave her San Juan home."There is no power and although we had some water, it's not potable because the treatment plants are not working." Berrios said. Her mother-in-law who lives in South Florida was scheduled to pick them up and drive them to Tennessee to stay with family there.Carl Fleming, 24, a cook from St. Thomas, lamented the current state of his island home as he waited to transfer to Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport for a flight to Austin, Texas, his final destination.More than 3,000 people from Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands were brought to Florida on board the Royal Caribbean Adventure of the Seas, Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2017, at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale."We're down right now, he said. We have no power, we have nothing. There isn't much to do back home right now because we don't have any tourists to provide the money. The only thing making money right now is the gas stations and food places."University of Miami MBA student Adam Quintanilla, 29, who has family and friends in Puerto Rico, was among those who stood ready to help the displaced passengers arriving at the port. He turned out, he said, because he wanted to help. So he organized nearly two dozen volunteers  many bilingual  to greet and assist the Spanish-speaking evacuees who arrived aboard the ship.Quintanilla said the roughly 20 volunteers planned to assist through the American Red Cross with translation services, filling out Federal Emergency Management Agency paperwork and providing access to cell phones and chargers.Im really happy about the volunteerism going on. A lot of people want to help out, he said. And this is something closer to home that we can do to try to ease the suffering.More than 1,400 people aboard the Adventure of the Seas were from the U.S. Virgin Islands, according to a tourism official.Some 866 passengers boarded the ship Friday in St. Croix, and another 560 from St. Thomas and St. John joined them Saturday before it departed for Fort Lauderdale, said Beverly Nicholson-Doty, the territorys commissioner of tourism, in a news release Sunday.The Adventure of the Seas relief trip brings the total number of people evacuated from the U.S. Virgin Islands on mercy cruises to 3,000 since hurricanes Maria and Irma, Nicholson-Doty said.Hurricane Maria churned through the Caribbean, delivering new devastation to islands previously hit by Hurricane Irma.Other islanders  close to 1,500  were also able to escape the harsh living conditions created by the storms on mercy flights sponsored by airlines such as Delta, United and JetBlue."These gestures go a long way  to help the people of the Virgin Islands get back on our feet and get our economy moving again, said Nicholson-Doty.Adventure of the Seas regular Sept. 30 cruise was canceled to facilitate the relief mission. The cruise ship will return to its home port of San Juan on Friday to prepare for its next scheduled sailing the following day. That sailing, however will operate, on an amended itinerary, which will replace St. Croix with Martinique, Royal Caribbean said.Passengers booked on the canceled cruise received a full refund of the fare and fees paid, and a 25 percent discount for a future cruise booked within 30 days, according to the Miami-based cruise operator. Prepaid shore excursions were also refunded.2017 the Sun Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)Visit the Sun Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) at www.sun-sentinel.comDistributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.


WHAT IS AGILE? The NASCIO/Accenture report defines agile as follows: An iterative project management methodology that delivers differentiated, high-value solutions in rapid deployments and functionality and relies on frequent feedback and adaptation to reach desired outcomes.



WHO'S AGILE? Agile requires an organizationwide change in culture that extends far past the boundaries of IT. Other stakeholders that must be on board are agency leadership, budgeting and procurement, CIOs and CTOs.



AGILE SUCCESS FACTORS The report identifies seven steps to help improve your chances of agile success.



1. Secure Executive Sponsorship

2. Spark a Cultural Transformation

3. Maintain Business Engagement

4. Adopt User-Centric Design Thinking

5. Involve Budgeting & Procurement

6. Engage Authorizing Agencies

7. Conduct Training Across the Enterprise





AUSTIN, Texas  At its annual conference on Oct. 2, NASCIO, in conjunction with Accenture, releasedThe report is fueled by detailed surveys and interviews of state government leaders from across the country, both inside and outside of IT. It makes the point that although government is perhaps better positioned than the private sector to benefit from agile development methods, there are more structural impediments standing in the way of its success. Among governments built-in challenges, according to the report, are budget constraints and cumbersome requirements around compliance.At an afternoon session, New Hampshire CIO Denis Goulet and Nebraska CIO Ed Toner , alongside NASCIOs Eric Sweden and Accentures Keir Buckhurst, offered their take on how to advance agile development in state government, despite the hurdles.As reported byearlier this year, Nebraskas enterprise content management system is run using agile development by an enthusiastic group of millennials, fresh off their college-level agile coursework.In New Hampshire, Goulet brings extensive private-sector agile experience to the state. He pointed out that agile requires a level of commitment from the business side that is far greater than traditional waterfall methods. It was a sell job to the business, really, he said. Theres going to be some fear and uncertainty and doubt.But there are many benefits to be had. Sixty-six percent of survey respondents felt that agile helped avoid major failures, while 58 percent said it kept them from investing in programs that dont meet business needs. About half indicated that agile helps reduce risk and bolster efficiency.In New Hampshire, Goulet described the payoff in specific terms. One agency customer was routinely slow in paying central IT following project delivery. Using agile, central IT worked alongside its agency partners on a year-long project, which included sprints (small, measurable deliverables) every two weeks. Upon the projects conclusion, the agency paid the bill within two days. Goulet credits the change to the customer's full engagement throughout the process that stemmed from agile.Panelists also offered their take on 10 agile starting points offered in the report. The list includes picking the pilot  something with broad impact, preferably; addressing budgeting and procurement , processes that can be at odds with agile; fostering the knowledge and enthusiasm of the team and injecting experience into the process.Some people think agile is just an excuse to be undisciplined, Goulet said, but the reality is quite different. Agile is incredibly disciplined.Done well, agile development has performance management built in. A good agile team knows whos performing, knows who isnt and does a lot of that difficult work for itself/themselves, he added.
Top 10 jobs most vulnerable to automation

Top 10 jobs least vulnerable to automation

(TNS)  CLEVELAND, Ohio  Training and education may not be enough to robot-proof your job, a recent report dealing with the impact of automation and offshoring on job loss shows.The 10 jobs most vulnerable to automation include mathematical science occupations and insurance underwriters, according to a Ball State University study. A college degree is usually required for these occupations, both of which have median annual salaries of more than $65,000.Many of the other top 10 jobs most vulnerable to automation pay less and don't require the same level of education.However, all on the list have something in common, according to "How Vulnerable are American Communities to Automation, Trade and Urbanization?""The study found that low risk of automation is associated with much higher wages, averaging about $80,000 a year," states a news release on the report. "Occupations with the highest risk of automation have incomes of less than $40,000 annually."Only one of the jobs least at risk of automation  occupational therapist  paid about $80,000 a year, according to the updated report released last week, but published in June.Like most of the other robot-proof jobs, occupational therapist is a "high touch" occupation, or one in which direct interaction with clients and/or colleagues is routinely required. Most of the least vulnerable jobs are in health care and related fields.The study looked at communities throughout the United States that are most at risk of job loss due to automation. No Ohio counties made the top 25 list. Ranking first was the Aleutians East Borough, Alaska followed by Quitman County, Georgia and Aleutians West Census Area, Alaska."Automation is likely to replace half of all low-skilled jobs," said Michael Hicks, director of Ball State's Center for Business and Economic Research, in the release. "Communities where people have lower levels of educational attainment and lower incomes are the most vulnerable to automation. Considerable labor market turbulence is likely in the coming generation."The report also looked at jobs most at risk of being off-shored. Several of them had median annual salaries in the $80,000 range or higher. They included: computer programmers ($79,530), computer and information research scientists ($80,110), actuaries ($97,070), mathematicians ($111,110) and statisticians ($110,620).One in four of all U.S. jobs will be at risk of being lost to foreign competition in the coming years, the report says.The report incorporates research on automation and offshoring published in recent years, as well as an analysis of government and other data.1. Data entry keyers. Annual median wage is $29,4602. Mathematical science occupations, $66,2103. Telemarketers, $23,5304. Insurance underwriters, $65,0405. Mathematical technicians, $46,6006. Hand sewers, $23,6407. Tax preparers, $36,4508. Photographic process workers and processing machine operators, $26,5909. Library technicians, $32,31010. Watch repairers, $34,7501. Recreational therapists. Annual median wage is $45,8902. Emergency management directors, $67,3303. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers, $63,0104. Mental health and substance abuse social workers, $42,1705. Audiologists, $74,8906. Healthcare social workers, $52,3807. Occupational therapists, $80,1508. Orthotists and prosthetists, $64,4309. Health technologists and technicians, $41,26010. Hearing aid specialists, $49,600
Pawan To Contest Only In AP?

The statement issued by Jana Sena Party chief and power star Pawan Kalyan on Monday that his party would be contesting elections in 175 assembly seats in the Telugu states has created a lot of confusion among the people as well as his followers.

Pawan sent the message to his party cadre through a statement instead of his regular medium Twitter. But the statement says the Jana Sena would contest 175 seats in Telugu states  which means both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

He also made it clear that his party would contest the elections only in those areas where it was strong enough.

Though his statement appeared to be very clear, the number he has mentioned has created confusion. There are in all 175 seats in Andhra Pradesh. So, when Pawan said his party would contest in 175 seats, it implies that he would be contesting only in Andhra Pradesh.

Secondly, the Jana Sena Party cannot afford to contest in Telangana, because he was a strong critic of bifurcation and many a times, he openly said the bifurcation had done a lot of injustice to Andhra Pradesh.

Probably, he has realised that he might not win a single seat in Telangana, since the Jana Sena does not have enough strength here. So, whatever strength Pawan has, it must be only on Andhra Pradesh. Hence, he might have referred to the number 175.

If that is the case, why did Pawan say Telugu states? May be he does not want to create an impression that he is no force in Telangana, thereby disappointing his fans!
Lucas Bruch, 34, had just checked in to Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino on Sunday before going outside to take a few photos of the Strip. He could hear music from the Route 91 Harvest country music festival when he heard a few pops.
The nations three largest tobacco manufacturers have agreed on the wording and timing of federal court-ordered corrective statements about the dangers of smoking combustible cigarettes.

The ads will commence Nov. 26. Full-page newspaper ads will run in major U.S. metropolitan areas, and 30- to 45-second spot ads will be shown on the ABC, CBS and NBC television networks. In North Carolina, the newspaper ads will be published only in Charlotte.

The ads are projected to cost several millions of dollars for each manufacturer. R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. said Tuesday that it could cost $20 million to comply.

Reynolds spokesman David Howard said Reynolds remains the entity obligated to comply with the court order even though it is now the U.S. subsidiary of British American Tobacco PLC.

R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., along with the other parties, including the U.S. Department of Justice, filed joint consent motions in the U.S. District Court concerning the implementation of the court-ordered corrective statements, Reynolds said in a statement.

Each statement will begin: A federal court has ordered Altria, R.J. Reynolds Tobacco, Lorillard and Philip Morris USA to make this statement ... The manufacturers will take turns being the first listed in the statement.

The agreement settles an 18-year-old lawsuit about the marketing of the manufacturers and their various affiliates and acquisitions going back to the 1950s.

In 2006, U.S. District Judge Gladys Kessler ruled the manufacturers had concealed the dangers of smoking for decades. The U.S. Justice Department filed a civil case in 1999 under the federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations law, or RICO.

In April, a federal appeals court reaffirmed that the manufacturers are required to include corrective warning statements.

However, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit also ruled that the statements cannot include the phrase that Kessler required: Here is the truth.

The courts order requires that the companies publish five statements related to cigarette smoking across several communication channels, including on their websites and on cigarette packs for at least a year.

The statement will cover these categories:

The adverse health effects of smoking.

Addictiveness of smoking and nicotine.

Lack of significant health benefit from smoking low tar, light, ultra light, mild and natural cigarettes.

Manipulation of cigarette design and composition to ensure optimum nicotine delivery.

Adverse health effect of exposure to secondhand smoke.

This industry has changed dramatically over the last 20 years, including becoming regulated by the FDA, which we supported, Murray Garnick, the general counsel for Philip Morris USAs parent company Altria Group Inc., said in a statement.

Were focused on the future and, with FDA in place, working to develop less-risky tobacco products.

Ads to have themes

The newspaper ads with the corrective statements will appear in the front section of the Sunday edition on five different dates: Nov. 26, Dec. 10, Jan. 7, Feb. 4 and March 4.

Each week will feature a different statement theme. Some Spanish-language publications are among the newspapers listed for the ads.

The five broadcast TV ads will run weekly for an entire year, with the manufacturers having the option of when the ads run between 7 and 10 p.m. between Mondays and Thursdays.

The manufacturers are required to notify the federal court a week in advance which statement will run and on which network and in which time slot.

The parties are negotiating how the corrective statements will appear on the manufacturers websites for the first five years of the court order. The goal is to reach a mock-up resolution by Oct. 23.

The 1998 Master Settlement Agreement with 46 state attorneys general led to significant industry changes that included banning cigarette billboards, stadium advertisements and brand-name merchandise.

Restrictions became more extensive in 2009 when Congress gave the Food and Drug Administration broad regulatory authority over nearly every aspect of tobacco product manufacturing and marketing.

We remain committed to aligning our business practices with societys expectations of a responsible company, Garnick said. This includes communicating openly about the health effects of our products, continuing to support cessation efforts, helping reduce underage tobacco use and developing potentially reduced-risk products.

Matthew Myers, the president of Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, said in April that he had mixed feelings about the appellate courts ruling.

While the ruling should clear the way for publication of these long-overdue corrective statements, it is disappointing that the court rejected the here is the truth requirement, Myers said.

The fact that tobacco companies have repeatedly fought this simple phrase shows they havent changed and remain as allergic to the truth as ever, he said.

In court filings, the manufacturers have argued that the 2009 Tobacco Control Act eliminated any reasonable likelihood the companies would commit future violations, thus making the need for remedies, such as corrective statements, moot.

The manufacturers filed a joint appeal of Kesslers ruling in January 2013. They have tried to persuade Kessler to reject the statements, calling them forced public confessions in legal filings.

The appellate court judges, in dealing with that appeal, ruled that Kesslers overarching statement and five preambles exceeded in part the U.S. District Courts limited remedial authority.

The statements were sent back to Kessler for further review.

The appeals court ruled in May 2015 that proposed federal corrective statements on cigarette advertising exceeded their legal reach with some parts of their language, particularly that tobacco manufacturers lied to consumers.
Switching from traditional cigarettes to an electronic version could save the lives of up to 6.6 million Americans over the next 10 years, according to researchers from Georgetown and Yale universities.

The researchers said in a study published Monday in the journal Tobacco Control that 6.6 million lives is on the best-case side of the switching scenario, while 1.6 million lives is on the worst-case side.

The study, funded by National Institutes of Health, compares a status-quo scenario with a scenario in which e-cigs and vaporizers largely replace traditional cigarettes over 10 years.

Researchers said they considered the relative harm of vapor products versus cigarettes, as well as the impact of vaping on cessation, switching and new users, including by nonusers.

Our projections show that a strategy of replacing cigarette smoking with vaping would yield substantial life year gains, even under pessimistic assumptions regarding cessation, initiation and relative harm, the researchers said in their report.

An endgame scenario for cigarettes might well be within reach if new technologies for delivering nicotine with substantially less harm, but sufficient satisfaction, are harnessed with sufficient passion and political will.

As has been the case in most studies reviewing a potential reduced-risk for e-cigs, what these results signify depend on where individuals fall on the anti-tobacco, anti-smoking spectrum.

Some anti-tobacco advocacy groups and Democratic congressional leaders push for banning traditional cigarettes as the lead element of their quit-or-die strategy, eventually getting rid of all nicotine and tobacco products as their endgame.

They claim e-cigs could serve for youths as gateway products to traditional cigarettes  a potential outcome that is under intense debate. They also say that raising tobacco excise taxes, promoting smoke-free public areas and cessation programs have produced more consistent results than e-cigs and vaporizers.

Meanwhile, some studies, including a high-profile one by the Royal College of Physicians, have claimed that e-cigs and vaporizers are up to 95 percent less harmful than traditional cigarettes. The Royal Colleges study on traditional cigarettes played a key role in the landmark 1964 surgeon generals determination on the harmful effects of smoking.

David Levy, a lead researcher and professor of oncology at Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, said that old policies need to be supplemented with policies that encourage substituting e-cigarettes for the far more deadly cigarettes.

The study comes about two months after Dr. Scott Gottlieb, commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, called for a sweeping regulatory road map on tobacco and nicotine products.

That included easing some regulations for product innovations, and extending the application deadline for FDA regulatory review for new products, such as e-cigs and vaporizers, from late 2018 to as far out as August 2022.

This study could represent a seismic shift in the way the FDA and public health groups look at vaping, said Gregory Conley, president of the American Vaping Association.

For years, harm-reduction advocates have relied on quality research from independent European researchers and non-government organizations, only to be told that such research was somehow not trustworthy because the authors were not American.

Now, we have some of the most respected American researchers in the field of tobacco control explaining in detail how vaping can and will save lives, Conley said.

Conley stressed that under current FDA timing, the study assumes that a functional vaping market will still exist in a decade. Some advocates said going through reduced-risk status could cost more than $1 million to go through the application gauntlet.

We are hopeful that studies like this will give Gottlieb the confidence he needs to truly modernize the way FDA regulates smoke-free nicotine products, Conley said.

In August, researchers at Columbia Universitys Mailman School of Public Health and the Rutgers School of Public Health determined that 52 percent of daily e-cig users in a study had quit smoking in the past five years, compared with just 28 percent of adults who had never tried e-cigs.

Researchers said it was one of the first studies to reveal the patterns of cessation prevalence among e-cigarette users at a national level. They determined that as e-cig and vaporizer technology evolves, they become easier to use and more effective in becoming a nicotine product option over traditional cigarettes.

However, infrequent e-cig users were less likely to quit cigarettes or likely to be users of both products.

In April, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a 26-month study of 15,943 adult cigarette smokers. It was published in the journal Preventing Chronic Disease.

The goal was determining what may be the most effective ways of quitting smoking among 10 common methods.

When it came to a potential smoking-cessation device, substituting some cigarettes with e-cigs (35.3 percent) was used by a greater percentage of smokers than the nicotine patch or gum (25.4 percent) or other cessation aids approved by the FDA, the CDC said.
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GREENWICH  Sandy Morgan always saves the New York Times arts section that heralds a new season. It excites her  the promise of novelty that comes with change. To her, autumn is a second New Years, chock full of hope and enthusiasm.

So for her gallerys fall show, Morgan has decided to encapsulate the freneticism and vitality of new beginnings by forging a few of her own with painters and photographers from throughout the East Coast. Through their shared passionate pastels, dynamic angularities and dramatic compositions, five artists diverse styles converge in Punch and Sizzle, which runs at her SM Home Art Gallery through Nov. 18.

Monique Lazard, Brooke Maples, Janice Mehlman, Beth Munro and Katie Re Scheidt are all new to the gallery. Though their works span from abstracts to figurative paintings to florals and have no unifying theme, they are in dialogue because of their pull toward color and life.

When Camilla Cook, associate art director at the gallery, curated the collection, she thought of a few words: Lush, seductive, playful, exuberant, unexpected.

It was all of those adjectives that seemed right for the new season, Morgan said.

The descriptors eventually landed on a gallery invitation, in a whimsical yet refined font that is reflective of the exhibit itself. Cook also named the show. When she threw Punch and Sizzle out as a prospective title, Morgan said, Thats it!

The words do mean something, but its more a feeling and a mood. Were not serving punch, Morgan joked.

We wanted to shake it up a little bit. Just inject a little bit of energy and vibrancy, Cook said. Just give it a little edge, a little something.

Janice Mehlman, a photographer who splits time between New York City and Pietrasanta, Italy, may be adding more than a little edge to Greenwich. Her newest series features abstract photographs of her lingerie, structured in a way to seem almost biological, like veins and arteries.

Im looking into myself a lot this year, and Im thinking a lot about my sexuality, Mehlman said. I think this body of work has a lot of angst in it.

The series includes some 17 photographs, three of which will be on display at Morgans gallery. It is making its debut in Greenwich.

In the past, Mehlman primarily focused on structures in her art, often in black and white. But slowly, she incorporated color over the years, and now her photographs burst with strong, eye-catching hues.

For her latest series, she said, I just sort of started an exploration. Theyre very, very different than my previous works, even my previous colored works.

Cook said Mehlman represented a niche we didnt have. The gallery has presented photographs before, but they have tended more toward seascapes and shorelines.

Janices work was very vibrant and architectural, Cook said. We felt that it would be a nice counterpoint to the things we have here.

Lazards still lifes could not be more different.

Theyre traditional, the painter said. Theyre conservative. They prove non-offensive. They make you happy, theyre happy paintings. I think it fits into the lifestyle in the sense of the good life. Theyre feel-good paintings.

Hailing from Miami, Lazard uses more representative, impressionistic techniques. Though she has painted a myriad of subjects  including the Cuban landscape during a trip to Havana in January 2016, sponsored by PleinAir Magazine  she said Morgan was drawn to her bouquets. And she understood the pull.

I think the paintings, the florals, really speak to people, she said. Everybody loves flowers, lets face it.

Unlike more typical exhibition spaces, SM Home Art Gallery, on Arch Street, feels like a house. The art looks how it might inside a habitable place and not the whitewashed environs where it is sometimes shown.

People can imagine what the work would look like at their home, over their sofa, Cook said.

Still, Morgan  who painted when she was in school  said art serves a larger role than mere decoration. To her, its part of life itself.

It records moments that we dont want to forget, that we may not have noticed, she said. But its essential. Its like breathing.
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GREENWICH  Despite a statement from his own political party that it would not support him following disclosure of a shoplifting arrest last month, Selectman Drew Marzullo is staying in the race for a new term on the Board of Selectmen.

Marzullo was arrested Aug. 26 in Clinton and charged with fifth-degree larceny, a misdemeanor. He is accused of taking items from two stores in the Clinton Crossing Premium Outlet Mall. He did not tell Democratic Town Committee leadership about the arrest until it became public Sept. 21.

In a statement issued Thursday night after a meeting of the membership, the DTC Executive Committee said it could no longer support Marzullos candidacy.

The Greenwich Democratic Party believes elected officials must be held to the highest standards of integrity, honesty and transparency, the statement said. The Executive Committee has concluded that Drew Marzullos actions over the past month have not measured up to these standards.

Marzullo had no comment on the discussion at the DTC other than to say he is still in the race.

Sandy Litvack, the Democrat challenging incumbent Republican First Selectman Peter Tesei, said Friday he felt it was best for Marzullo to withdraw.

I both encouraged (the executive committees) decision and fully support it, Litvack said. Although I am sympathetic and feel badly for Drew, I believe integrity in government is critical and therefore, as I have told him, I believe he should withdraw as a candidate.

Under Connecticut law, the DTC cannot remove Marzullo from the ballot; it is a decision that can only be made by the candidate. Marzullo has said he is moving forward with his campaign for a fifth term.

Howard Richman, treasurer of the DTC who is acting chairman while the partys chairman Jeff Ramer is out of the country, said the DTC would support the other members of the ticket separately from any efforts Marzullo and his supporters might be making toward his re-election.

He added there had been no discussion he was aware of within the party leadership of having Marzullo leave the DTC.

The vote in favor of the committees statement was not unanimous but did have clear support from among those present at the meeting, members who attended Thursday said.

The Executive Committee and I have given this matter a lot of attention and come to, what I think, is the right decision, Litvack said. As a result, I believe the party is more united than ever.

Litvack said he had reached out to Marzullo before Thursdays meeting but had not received any response. As a member of the Executive Committee, Marzullo could have attended the meeting, but chose not to. Richman said on Thursday he had personally asked Marzullo to attend.

According to Richman, nearly 20 people attended. Not all were members of the 21-person Executive Committee.

Christine Edwards, who attended, said she continues to have a lot of respect for Marzullo and the decision about whether he should continue to serve as a selectman should be made by the people.

Drew has served us well for over eight years, (he is) concerned for the needs of the citizens of Greenwich, especially for our most vulnerable populations, Edwards said. Greenwich is a very compassionate community which has people in public life despite DUIs and other offenses who have served us capably. Its up to the voters to exercise their constitutionally protect rights, not for us to judge or condemn one another. Its the old adage of throwing the first stone.

Edwards is not a member of the Executive Committee and did not have a vote on the content of the statement. Samarpana Tamm, the committees District 4 leader, was the lone vote against the statement, though there were three abstentions.

The DTC Executive Committee is not a full representation of the entire body and how people necessarily feel, Tamm said. Many members reached out to me to express their displeasure (with the statement). I personally am appalled.

Executive Committee member Elizabeth Sanders abstained during the vote because she had not talked to all members of District 1 first, she said.

I did not want to speak for myself, I was there representing the district, Sanders said. I think there were some who were speaking for themselves and not their districts at the meeting. We were there to talk about what our districts felt.

Sanders said residents in her district believe what Marzullo is accused of doing is wrong but that the decision on whether he should continue to serve should be made by the voters.

But there were many committee members who said they felt it was up the party to make its views clear. DTC Vice Chair Jonathan Perloe said he wanted to put the incident behind the party and move onto electing the Democratic slate.

I supported the statement because it expresses exactly how I feel. As an Executive Committee member, my responsibility is to the voters and upholding what I believe the Democratic Party stands for, Perloe said.

Executive Committee member Bob Brady said had Marzullo been in corporate America or the military, he would have been dismissed. He estimated DTC members had spent hundreds of hours discussing and debating their stand on the arrest over the past week that should have been spent working to elect the Democratic ticket. Brady said both the arrest and Marzullos silence until the arrest became public bothered him.

He violated a trust that was placed in him when he took his oath of office, Brady said.

Marzullo got strong support from several prominent Greenwich Republicans after the statement was issued, including state Rep. Fred Camillo (R-151st).

When any of us screw up and break the law, there is always a price to be paid for that, Camillo said. In this case, Drew will need to pay a bigger price as he is in the public spotlight. Nevertheless, as someone recently told me, you never want to judge a man on his worst day. Likewise I would say that we should never judge a man on his best day either. Rather we should all be judged by the totality of our lives.

Marzullo is due in court Oct. 17 and is free on a $5,000 bond. According to the Clinton Police Department report about the incident, Marzullo allegedly stole 16 separate items from a J. Crew store worth about $486 and nine items from a Sketchers store worth about $185.

The report, written by Officer Joseph OBrien, says Marzullo initially misled him about the items he was found with, claiming he hadnt shoplifted and that additional items found in his vehicle must have been put there by someone else. The report describes witness statements as well as security footage of Marzullo removing items from the J. Crew.

Ultimately, OBrien said, Marzullo apologized several times for wasting my time and lying to me. He is described in the report as cooperative throughout the process and was booked without incident.

Marzullo admitted that he stole the clothing items from the two stores and said he does not know why he did it because he could have just purchased the items, OBriens report states.

kborsuk@greenwichtime.com
GREENWICH  The League of Women Voters of Greenwich is asking all 270 candidates for the towns RTM to provide information for an online voters guide.

The new initiative is designed to help residents with their ballots on Nov. 7. Interest in national politics has resulted in several grassroots efforts to get more people involved on a local level, creating competitive races in eight of the towns 12 Representative Town Meeting districts.

This can be a very useful guide for the voters and we are hoping everyone will respond, said League member Jara Burnett. We hope voters will pay attention to this because there will be a lot of information in it. We want people to know who their representatives are and what they feel about the issues in town. I believe this guide will be very helpful. Our challenge is to make sure people are aware of this and that they utilize it.

Requests for information were sent out via email and snail mail Sept. 29. As of Tuesday, 14 people had responded. The League is asking for the information by Oct. 10.

The response we have gotten from (RTM) leadership has been good but theres no question that for some people to respond it will be a little bit like pulling teeth, Burnett said. We will have to see but we certainly hope as many people as possible participate in this.

The guide will include names, addresses, photographs, information about the number of terms, if any, a candidate has served and answers to two questions: Why are you running for the RTM and what are the three most important issues facing Greenwich today.

Those who do not participate will still have their names and addresses included but with the notation did not respond.

With 270 candidates, the 230-person RTM will have competitive elections in all districts except Chickahominy (District 3), Byram (District 4), Pemberwick/Glenville (District 9) and Havemeyer (District 12).

The most competitive races are in District 5, which covers Riverside, where 30 candidates are running for 18 spots, and District 8 in Cos Cob, where 37 candidates are running for 26 spots.

I think theres nothing to pique voter interest quite like a competitive election, Burnett said.

The league will publish its annual printed voters guide during the week before the election.

It is also sponsoring an RTM meet and greet from 3 to 5 p.m. Oct. 29, at Central Middle School. Interested residents will be able to meet with candidates in an informal setting for what the league calls handshakes and hellos.

The league is asking both the candidates and the voters to RSVP in advance by emailing Burnett at cdb299@aol.com to gauge attendance. All participants will be wearing name tags.

kborsuk@greenwichtime.com
GREENWICH  When police arrested a New Jersey man in August for allegedly stealing a Honda CRV in central Greenwich, officers assigned to the car-theft squad and the accused had met before.

The alleged thief, Jose Antonion Cruz, 51, of Clinton Place, Newark, had been arrested twice earlier in Greenwich, according to court papers, in 2000 and 1997. The affidavit said Cruz has a record of 20 arrests for auto theft, larceny and burglary all over the region.
LAS VEGAS - Perched in his suite at a high-rise hotel overlooking the Las Vegas Strip, a 64-year-old retiree with no real criminal history and no known affiliations with terrorist groups rained bullets down into a crowd at a country music festival Sunday, killing at least 59 people and injuring hundreds more in the deadliest mass shooting in modern American history.

The attack, at least initially, was as inexplicable as it was horrifying. Law enforcement officials said they could not immediately tell what drove Stephen Paddock to fire at thousands of unsuspecting concertgoers from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino before killing himself.

Authorities said a sweep of law enforcement databases showed that Paddock had no known run-ins with police, and - despite the Islamic State's repeated claims - investigators could not find any connections to international terrorist groups. Paddock was a son of a notorious bank robber, and his own crime demonstrated some sophisticated planning.

Police said he had stayed in the large hotel suite for several days and had aroused no suspicion. He brought with him an arsenal of 23 guns - their calibers ranging from .223 to .308, some with scopes - authorities said. One of the weapons he apparently used in the attack was an AK-47-type rifle, with a stand to steady it for firing, people familiar with the case said. He fired, without warning, from an elevated position on an open-air venue, leaving his victims few options to avoid harm.

"I can't get into the mind of a psychopath," said Sheriff Joseph Lombardo, head of the Las Vegas police department, which is leading the investigation.

Investigators Monday searched Paddock's home in Mesquite, Nev., and another piece of property he owned, and they hoped to review surveillance footage and other electronic equipment to determine how and why Paddock perpetrated the unprecedented massacre.

Among the questions they have: how a former accountant with a penchant for high-stakes gambling obtained a weapon that sounded to those on the ground like it could fire as an automatic, and how he was able to bring it and many other weapons into a Vegas hotel suite undetected.

Lombardo said hotel staff had been in and out of the two-room suite, where Paddock had stayed since Thursday, and had spotted nothing "nefarious," though he had more than 10 suitcases.

"It wasn't evident that he had weapons in his room" before the shooting, Lombardo said.

Investigators believe that at least one of the guns functioned as if it were fully automatic, and they are trying to determine if Paddock modified it or other weapons to be capable of spitting out a high volume of fire just by holding down the trigger, people familiar with the case said.

Gun purchase records indicate that Paddock legally bought more than two dozen firearms over a period of years, according to a person close to the investigation. Guns & Guitars, a store in Mesquite, said in a statement that Paddock purchased some of his weapons there, but that employees followed all procedures required by law and Paddock "never gave any indication or reason to believe he was unstable or unfit at any time." Lombardo said Paddock also seemed to have purchased guns in Arizona.

Investigators also found at least 19 firearms, thousands of rounds of ammunition and the chemical tannerite, an explosive, at Paddock's home in Mesquite, a little more than an hour outside Las Vegas on the Arizona border. They also found ammonium nitrate, a chemical that can be used in bombmaking, in Paddock's vehicle, Lombardo said.

More than 22,000 people were at the Route 91 Harvest festival, a three-day country music concert at a venue across the street from the Mandalay Bay, when the shooting began about 10 p.m. Sunday, according to police. As country star Jason Aldean played what was expected to be one of the last sets of the night, Paddock opened fire - his bullets flying from a window on the casino's golden facade, which he had smashed with some type of hammer.

Aldean fled the stage. Thousands began racing for safety under the neon glow and glitz of the Las Vegas Strip.

"People were getting shot at while we were running, and people were on the ground bleeding, crying and screaming. We just had to keep going," said Dinora Merino, 28, a dealer at the Ellis Island casino who was at the concert with a friend. "There are tents out there, and there's no place to hide. It's just an open field."

The death toll in Las Vegas was massive, surpassing the 49 people slain by a gunman in Orlando, Florida, in June 2016. That shooter, who later said he was inspired by the Islamic State, opened fire inside a crowded nightclub. And Lombardo said the number of dead from Sunday's concert shooting could rise, as an additional 527 were thought to have been injured.

The dead included a behavioral therapist who was soon to be married, a nursing assistant from Southern California, a commercial fisherman and an off-duty Las Vegas police officer. Two other officers who were on duty were injured, police said; one was in stable condition after surgery, and the other sustained minor injuries. Another off-duty officer with the Bakersfield Police Department in Southern California also sustained non-life-threatening injuries, according to a statement from the department.

Some of the wounded were injured not by gunfire but in the ensuing chaos. One 55-year-old California woman who declined to give her last name said she was "trampled" trying to flee what she initially thought were fireworks. Clark County Fire Chief Greg Cassell said responders saw a "wide range" of injured people, including gunshot victims, those wounded by shrapnel, people who were trampled and those who were hurt jumping fences.

But those who ran said they could clearly see the gunman's toll in the bullet wounds of those around them. Taylor Benge, 21, said that when the lights came on, he realized that "about five feet to the left of me there was a man with a bullet wound to his chin."

"He was just lifeless on the ground," he said. He said he and his sister threw themselves on the ground as the gunfire continued, then ran for the exit. "My jeans are covered in someone's blood, my T-shirt is covered in someone's blood, my sister's whole leg was covered in blood," Benge said.

Jonathan Smith - who came to Vegas to celebrate his brother's 43rd birthday - was shot at least twice, including once in the neck.

"I really didn't want to die," Smith said.

Police and hotel security officers scoured several floors of the Mandalay Bay looking for the shooter and came upon Paddock's suite, Lombardo said. At some point, Paddock fired through the door and hit a security guard in the leg, he said, adding that the guard is expected to survive. SWAT officers ultimately stormed the room, and some fired shots, though Paddock is believed to have killed himself, Lombardo said. He was not counted in the death toll authorities reported.

President Donald Trump ordered flags flown at half-staff and said he would visit Las Vegas on Wednesday. He praised the "miraculous" speed with which local law enforcement responded to the shooting - asserting that their actions saved lives - though he noted that hundreds were still mourning the loss of loved ones. Answers for them, he said, would "not come easy."

"It was an act of pure evil," Trump said during remarks from the White House.

Visitors, residents and officials filled the pews at the Guardian Angel Cathedral on Monday looking for comfort and unity during an emotional interfaith service. Hundreds of people wiped tears and embraced, and during a moment of silence, community religious leaders rang a gong 59 times to honor the dead.

Steve Sisolak, Clark County Commission Chair from Las Vegas, praised the police for their quick response and commended the outpouring of support from the community; more than 25,000 people have donated to a fundraising effort for victims and people have been waiting eight hours in line to donate blood, he said.

"Las Vegas will never be quite the same as a result of this," Sisolak said. But, he said, "We'll be back."

Eric Paddock, Stephen Paddock's brother, said he was stunned to learn that his sibling could be responsible for such violence. Stephen Paddock had no history of mental illness, nor did he have problems with drugs or alcohol, Eric Paddock said, noting that his brother was a high-stakes gambler, sometimes wagering hundreds of dollars on a single hand of video poker.

When he spoke to the FBI, Eric Paddock said, he showed agents three years of text messages from his brother, including one that mentioned winning $250,000 at a casino. A federal law enforcement official said investigators had reviewed reports suggesting that Paddock engaged in high-dollar gambling, and they are trying to determine whether he faced financial strains.

Eric Paddock said his brother was "wealthy," in part because he had no children to support. Stephen Paddock had worked in the past as an accountant, and he had real estate investments in the Orlando area, Eric Paddock said.

Eric Paddock said he knew that his brother had guns - Stephen once took Eric's children skeet shooting - though not the sort of weaponry that police discovered.

Police said they think Paddock was a "lone wolf" attacker, though they were still interested in speaking more with a woman named Marilou Danley who lived with him in Mesquite. Police had said they were searching for Danley, Paddock's girlfriend, immediately after the shooting, but they later said she was outside the country - as of Monday afternoon, in Tokyo - and was not involved in the shooting.

"We still consider her a person of interest," Lombardo said Monday. He said investigators also are exploring a report that Paddock attended a different music festival in September.

Not long after the shooting, the Islamic State claimed responsibility, though law enforcement authorities were quick to reject that assertion. "We have determined, to this point, no connection with an international terrorist group," Aaron Rouse, the special agent in charge of the FBI in Las Vegas, said at a news briefing.

The FBI was involved in the case - and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives was helping trace the weapons - but they said they were supporting local authorities in Las Vegas. Department of Homeland Security officials said there were no specific, credible threats to other public venues across the country.

The FBI had a previous dealing with the Paddock family, though it did not initially seem to involve Stephen. Eric Paddock said his father was Benjamin Hoskins Paddock, a convicted bank robber and con man described in a wanted poster as "psychopathic'' with suicidal tendencies. But Eric Paddock said his father, who escaped from prison in 1969 and was at one point on the FBI's list of most-sought-after and dangerous criminals, was not around during their childhood. Benjamin Paddock was apprehended in 1978, according to news reports.

Relatives said Stephen Paddock, a licensed pilot who owned two airplanes, was a quiet man who often went to Las Vegas to gamble and attend concerts. In a statement, Lockheed Martin, the defense giant, said Paddock worked for the company for three years in the 1980s.

A former neighbor of Paddock's recalled that his home in a 55-and-over community in Florida looked more akin to a college freshman's dorm room, with bare walls and only a few pieces of furniture.

"One of the first times we met him, he told me he lived there, in Vegas," recalled Don Judy, his next-door neighbor in the community until two years ago. "He explained that he was a gambler and a prospector. He said he was buying this house to check it out for his mother . . . and that if she liked it, he planned to buy another next door with a floor plan like ours."

Soon, Judy said, Paddock put up a for-sale sign and was gone, saying he was moving back to Las Vegas.

---

Zapotosky, Barrett and Berman reported from Washington. Felicia Mello and Heather Long in Las Vegas; Barbara Liston in Orlando; Justin Glawe in Mesquite, Tex.; and Derek Hawkins, Travis M. Andrews, Brian Murphy, Wesley Lowery and Julie Tate contributed to this report.

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VIDEO: More than 50 dead, 200 injured at shooting on Las Vegas Strip

--URL: http://wapo.st/2xLjCkg

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Connecticut is known to be a particularly wealthy state, and a new report from financial site WalletHub suggests that's because Connecticut residents are smart with their money.

Connecticut ranks number five in WalletHub's 2018 list of the most financially savvy statesthis is down two spots from its number three rank in 2017. The Nutmeg state joins its fellow New Englanders, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New Hampshire in the top 10. New York and New Jersey, which were ranked in the top 10 last year, fell down to numbers 18 and 11.
With the knee-jerk veto of the bipartisan approved budget in both the House and the Senate, the governor just asked for a whole lot of chaos for the citizens of the State of Connecticut for months, if not years, to come.

The approved line by line budget before him was fully vetted by the Office of Fiscal Analysis, balanced, either increased or held towns harmless on education cost sharing funding and did not place a massive burden of the Teachers Retirement Fund obligation on the cities and towns.

It also did not tax second homes in the state and did not tax every cell phone line. Had the governor signed the budget or let it lapse in to law without his signature, we would avoid hundreds of millions of reductions in funding to municipalities by his own executive order.

This is really going to hurt. Schools will be shortchanged as will many social service providers which could cause hundreds if not thousands of layoffs. Additionally, without a budget, Connecticut will miss out on millions of dollars of potential federal funding, further worsening our fiscal crisis. Inevitably, there will be a chain of downgrades to municipalities by the credit rating agencies due to a high level of uncertainty of funding levels from the state, let alone the state itself, which has already been downgraded a half a dozen times.

This will cause an increase in borrowing costs at both levels, further adding to our fiscal crisis. The window in which it is possible to apply for a $343.9 million increase in gross Federal Medicaid funds is shutting rapidly, and if the governor misses that deadline as well, he will further add to our fiscal crisis.

As a result of no budget, the bottom line is that those who need help the most will be suffering the most, and there will be chaos in the school system due to underfunding there and in nearly every other part of state and local government. The governor had a chance to make a moral choice and right the states disastrous course by signing the budget and then making changes going forward. Rather, he chose to take us down a very dark path that he knows will cause a lot of pain. Politics over people at its worst.

State Sen. L. Scott Frantz, R-36, represents all of Greenwich and parts of Stamford and New Canaan.
Critics say the safety risks come with no dialogue and no explanation from the USDA. Photo: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg via Getty Images

For a guy who likes eating fast food because its very clean, President Trump sure is blase about making Americas food safer. (With so many important executive matters to tend to, he cant find time?) After just nine months of controlling policy, hes already gotten angry letters from almost every influential watchdog group  the Center for Science in the Public Interest, the Center for Food Safety, the Center for Foodborne Illness Research & Prevention, Food & Water Watch, STOP Foodborne Illness, Food Policy Action, and even the nonprofit that publishes Consumer Reports.

The latest controversy? Politico reported yesterday on a little-noticed plan by Trumps USDA to shift international food safety from an office where oversight makes sense (the Food Safety and Inspection Service) to a brand-new undersecretary post where it arguably does not. Ted McKinney, the guy who was given this post, which involves foreign trade, is the former head of a giant animal-drug company called Elanco, and effectively knows squat about international food safety. Critics dont trust Big Pharma hack with Americas involvement in a joint U.N.-WHO food-safety panel known as the Codex Alimentarius Commission. A fights currently underway over whether to ban a cattle-feed additive called zilpaterol that Tyson refuses to use, and the European Union, China, and other countries insist is unsafe for humans. Unsurprisingly, McKinney has much more positive feelings about the drug, and food-safety officials from both the Obama and Bush administrations worry what will happen if hes put in charge of the food code.

But, again, this is merely the latest example of experts getting alarmed at ways the presidents administration is chipping away at food safety. Heres a quick primer on six others:

1. During the campaign, Trump very briefly threatened to eliminate what he called the FDA Food Police (capitals in the original). No one took the vow seriously, including staff  whod scrubbed it from DonaldJTrump.com hours after it went live. But either way, the White Houses 2018 budget would still slash the FDAs funding for food safety by $117 million, ostensibly to rein in burdensome regulations that are a source of stagnation in the economy. Also proposed: defunding entire swaths of the CDC that exist solely to ensure that food is healthy.

2. Two words: Sonny Perdue. Trumps Agriculture secretary is a fan of factory farms, used to sell fertilizer, doesnt believe in anthropogenic climate change, and believes his main job is to roll back regulations enacted by his predecessor. Hes also the Georgia governor under whose watch Americas biggest, worst-ever food recall occurred  bad peanuts in 2008 that killed nine people and tainted over 3,900 different products in 46 states.

3. Chlorpyrifos is a pesticide routinely sprayed on strawberries, broccoli, and apples. Its linked to brain damage in kids, among other things; use on tomatoes was banned in 2002. Obamas EPA suggested outlawing it entirely, but Trumps crew has changed the federal governments mind (20 days after EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt met with the pesticides manufacturer, but thats probably random coincidence).

4. Meanwhile, students are getting poorer nutrition under Trump with or without a potentially brain-damaging pesticide. Perdue put an official moratorium on several of Michelle Obamas key school-lunch policies, like a plan that reduced the sodium content allowed each year. He argues that kids throw the former First Ladys meals away because they lack palatability. Solution: more heavily processed bread, and chocolate milk with more fat.

5. In August, Justice Department attorneys joined restaurant trade groups that want to dismantle New York Citys calorie-label law, suddenly taking the FDAs side this time by arguing only that agency can decide when and in what circumstances menu labels are enforced.

6. Immediately after this, the USDAs own inspector general lit into the Agricultural Marketing Service because the office, which is responsible for ensuring that organic imports are compliant, let millions of pounds of fake organics pass through U.S. ports.
Time to close the curtains. Photo: Courtesy of Le Cirque

Forty-three-year-old Le Cirque has suffered in recent years: bankruptcy filings, class-action and sexual-harassment lawsuits, sinking reviews  the storied restaurants future looked bleak. Its not exactly a surprise, then, that Sirio Maccioni and his son, Mauro, will close Le Cirque after dinner on New Years Eve.

Just this week, Mauro told Eater that they have two years left on their lease, and that he was waiting for his father to return to Italy to sit down with their landlord. The Maccionis are now citing high rent as their reason, but their problems clearly extend far beyond that roadblock.

Still, the New York Times reports that theyre looking to move the French restaurant to a smaller space closer to Madison Avenue. To be fair, the restaurant has relocated three times throughout its history. But perhaps this can serve as a lesson to New York restaurateurs  nothing good can come from hosting a fundraiser for Donald Trump.
One of the few actual deals. Photo: Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images

If your Whole Foods shopping trips since the Amazon takeover have been solely for avocados (on sale for 70 cents off), organic bananas (a third off), tilapia (down from $12 a pound to $8), and eggs (just $4 per dozen), you could be under the impression that the grocery chain has become borderline affordable. But that would probably be wrong: A very strategic markdown did occur on a handful of popular everyday items, but some new number crunching by the research firm Gordon Haskett suggests that prices didnt drop by a meaningful amount at all, and in several cases they actually got higher.

The firm started tracking prices on 110 items at a New Jersey Whole Foods the day the price cuts began, August 28. On average, the items got 1.2 percent cheaper. How could it be so negligible, youre wondering, with Whole Foods slashing prices on some things by as much as 43 percent? Because while the cost of 17 items decreased, this was seemingly counterbalanced by raising the price on 16 of the remaining 110. (For example, frozen foods got 7 percent more expensive, the cost of snack items rose by 5.3 percent, and dairy went up by 2 percent.) Everything else  77 items  stayed the exact same cost.

This discount jujitsu resulted in a big win for Amazon, naturally. Whole Foods has done $1.6 million worth of sales on Amazons website alone since coming under the e-retailers wing ($1.6 billion in just five weeks, in other words). The first week that items were available on Amazon Fresh and Prime Now, 93 percent of them sold out  everything from the obvious (coconut water) to turkey deli meat.

The killer combo of cheaper prices and tons of social-media buzz was enough to lure customers away from all of Whole Foods key rivals. According to data-analytics firm Thasos Group, 10 percent of Trader Joes customers checked out Whole Foods the weekend of August 28, while Walmart shoppers were an astounding 24 percent of all of Whole Foods new customers, and people who usually visited Kroger accounted for 16 percent.
No vodka necessary: Carbones spicy rigatoni vodka. Photo: Bobby Doherty/New York Magazine

Besides fettuccine Alfredo, is there a dish reviled by pasta snobs as much as penne alla vodka? The other day, one of these detractors summed up the recipe for us as follows: Bring a large pot of water to a roiling boil, add salt, toss in penne, and cook until al dente. Meanwhile, in a small pot, heat up a can of cream-of-tomato soup. Drain pasta. Dump soup over pasta. Mangia!

Although the pasta snob was just being extra snooty and probably secretly craves the stuff, he wasnt so far off the mark. The problem with vodka sauce is the inherent simplicity of the recipe: just onions, garlic, crushed red pepper, a slug of vodka, tomatoes, and heavy cream. And the trouble with simple recipes, as everyone knows, is that theyre the most difficult to get right. Which might be why it seems that lousy penne alla vodkas (soupy, bland) outnumber outstanding penne alla vodkas (tangy, balanced) by such a wide margin. (Though wed argue that like pizza and mashed potatoes, the dish belongs to that superb group of comfort foods that fall under the heading Good Even When Bad.)

Maybe penne alla vodkas standing in the pasta hierarchy wouldnt be so low if it had a more inspiring origin story. Some say it was invented at Dante restaurant in Bologna in the 80s; others say it was Orsinis in New York at about the same time. But the chef and Italian-food guru Cesare Casella remembers wolfing plates of midnight penne alla vodka at the clubs and discos on the Versilia coast in Tuscany in the late 70s, attributing its presence to vodka-company marketing schemes. A story like that could make any pasta doubt its authenticity and cause it to develop an inferiority complex. Which is why we think critics shouldnt be so hard on the dish.

The good news is that pasta alla vodka and vodka sauce itself are enjoying some degree of hipster celebrity with todays reclamation of all things retro at restaurants like Carbone, where a $26 plate of spicy rigatoni vodka has become one of those signature dishes whose removal from the menu would provoke a pitchfork-and-torches-level revolt by the restaurants regulars. Vodka sauce  a.k.a. pink sauce, which in truth ranges in color from pale salmon to sunset orange  is a mainstay of the citys enduring red-sauce joints, but you can also find it at fast-casual-pasta newcomers Aunt Jakes and the Sosta, and as a pizza topping everywhere from Staten Islands venerable Joe & Pats, which spawns an East Village outpost this winter, to Old Rose, the new restaurant at the Jane Hotel, where chef Joey Scalabrino uses legendary pizza man Chris Biancos proprietary canned tomatoes for his vodka-sauce-and-Stracchino-cheese pie.

This newfound popularity doesnt come without some degree of controversy. Italians can get weird and testy when the subject of combining tomatoes and cream (or dairy in general) is brought up for debate. Youre blending the two worlds of Italian cuisine in a pan: The southern Italians with their tomatoes and the northern Italians with their cream, explains Carbones Mario Carbone. Neither one of them wants to be associated with the other and it just pisses them off. Hes right. Neapolitans, for instance, obsess over pizza Margherita (super-creamy blobs of buffalo mozzarella dotting a tomato-sauced dough), but the idea of adulterating their prized pomodori with acid-muffling butter or cream is loathsome to them. Asking a Neapolitan to add cream to tomato sauce is like asking a Scotch whisky aficionado to cut a 20-year-old single malt with a splash of Mountain Dew. Id never heard of penne alla vodka until I came to this country, says Rosario Procino, the Naples-born co-owner of the downtown pizza restaurant Ribalta. And when I did hear about it, I refused to try it.

Tuscans seem to be less fussy about mixing tomato with cream: Pino Luongo had an early hit with his rigatoni alla buttera, a dish hell bring to the latest version of his Coco Pazzo restaurant when it opens in Soho this fall; and the rigatoni Pitti and pappardelle alla Fiesolana are two of the best sellers at Giovanni Tognozzis Bar Pitti.

But therein lies the rub: None of those dishes are called alla vodka or even contain the spirit. And neither  prepare yourself for a shocker  does Carbones, despite what they call it on the menu. I tried the recipe with varying amounts of vodka in it and it didnt do anything, says the chef. Indeed, the recipes success, says Carbone, can be attributed to flavor builders and texture boosters like onion soubise, good tomatoes, chewy housemade pasta, and high-octane Calabrian chile paste. Why then call it spicy rigatoni vodka instead of, say, pasta a pomodori e panna? Because thats how people have come to know the dish.

Not everyone shares Carbones opinion. In his assiduously researched The Food Lab, J. Kenji Lopez-Alt, citing Harold McGee on the effect of reactive molecules in alcohol on food and other beach-read theories, claims that vodka, though not compulsory, does contribute to the dishs fragrance and flavor, concluding that vodka sauce wouldnt be, well, vodka sauce without it. Except of course when it is.

Vodka or no, Italian or Italian-American, the bastard child of mismatched regional cuisines or the misbegotten fruit of a liquor ad: The one incontrovertible truth about pasta alla vodka is that when done well, its soul-soothingly delicious, with a tangy lushness and just enough of a chile-pepper pop to make you want to keep eating it. As the song says: if loving vodka sauce is wrong, we dont want to be right.

*A version of this article appears in the October 2, 2017, issue of New York Magazine.
Android Pay has added another 16 financial institutions, surpassing the 1,000 mark, now stranding 1,012.

The service is adding banks, retailers and institutions in the US, UK, Canada, Russia, Belgium, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, Australia, Poland, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Ireland.

The list of supported businesses (and countries) is ever growing but there are more than a few that are still holding off, namely Barclays Bank in the UK. So far Apple has been more instrumental in adding support for its Apple Pay than Google has been with Android Pay.

Here's the latest additions to the Android Pay eligibility list. You can check out the source link for the complete list.

Chevron Federal Credit Union

Collins State Bank

Diebold Federal Credit Union

DuGood Federal Credit Union

First Federal Bank

First State Bank of Mendota

Hawthorn Bank

Litchfield National Bank

Pentagon Federal Credit Union

Peoples Choice Federal Credit Union

Peoples Bank

Progressive Savings Bank

Sidney Federal Credit Union

TBK Bank

Vacationland Federal Credit Union

Washington Financial Bank

Source | Via
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Haiti - News : Zapping...





Work stoppage in 49 town halls

Since Monday and until Wednesday, September 27, 49 town halls of the departments of North, North-East and Artibonite observe a work stoppage to against the controversial budget 2017-2018. They condemn the decision of the Head of State to reduce their capacity to collect taxes for the benefit of the communities and demand the payment to the municipalities of the envelope of 3.5 million gourdes provisioned in the amending budget.



Towards a revision of the budget ?

Friday the Head of State returned from New York suggested in hints that the budget https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-22212-haiti-flash-full-details-of-the-2017-2018-budget-revenue-and-expenditure.html the target of all criticism and a source of social disorder, could be improved by declaring "If a law is passed by parliamentarians I have a duty to publish it. If the society has a problem with this law, the Executive can work with Parliament to make improvements," as confirmed by Senator Latortue "[...] there can always be an amending budget [...]"



Justice : threat of resumption of strike

Wando St-Vilier, the President of the Professional Association of Magistrates, said he was satisfied with the strike observed by magistrates during the past two weeks. However, this strike which ended on Friday could resume at the beginning of the judicial recess (first Monday in October), if the government does not meet their demands warns Wando St-Vilier.



2nd promotion of pediatric nurses

On September 22nd, took place the graduation of the second promotion of the specialization training of Haitian nurses in pediatrics (SIPHA) by the Necker Institute of Pediatrics in Haiti (INPHA) in collaboration with the Ministry of Public Health. Since 2015, 57 pediatric nurses have already benefited from this unique 18-month training funded by the French Development Agency (AFD).



Concerns about the judiciary

Former Justice Minister Jean Joseph Exume, said he is worried the various protest movements organized by members of the judiciary to denounce the meager envelope allocated to the Superior Council of the Judiciary (CSPJ) in the budget 2017-2018. He calls on the government to satisfy the demands of the protesters.



First Lady in Bassin Bleu

The First Lady, Martine Moise, accompanied by Wilson Fievre, the Director General of the National Office of Identification (ONI), went to the North-West Department in Bassin Bleu where she was welcomed by the Mayor and the Deputy. This visit is part of the implementation of the registration program for children from 0 to 12 years of age.



HL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - Politics : Government strengthens its control over NGOs





In order to seek effectiveness and synergy in the actions of the Government and NGOs, the Ministers and General Coordinators must now inform the Prime Minister in advance of all technical cooperation actions as well as offers of financing and commitment to spend relative.



The Ministers and the General Coordinators will have to ensure the conformity of the offers of financing and commitment of expenses with the conventions and international agreements governing the matter, signed and ratified by the Haitian State, the laws in force and the roadmaps of the responsible concerned.



Pursuant to Article 3.5 of the Order of 25 January 2009 on the Organization and Functioning of the Office of Management and Human Resources (OMRH), the coordination of technical cooperation programs implemented at the level of Ministries, of technically devolved services and autonomous administrative, cultural and scientific bodies in the areas of institutional strengthening and management of the civil service, is entrusted to OMRH.



Interventions were made and workshops organized by the Government for Haiti's traditional partners, donors and non-governmental organizations to highlight the need to respect the guidelines and priorities of the Haitian State in the framework of cooperation.



Thus, all administrative and legal provisions have been taken to guide the actions of NGOs operating in Haiti, in line with the Government's development objectives.



HL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - News : Zapping...





Few transport disruption in the capital

Despite the lifting of the strike watchword Saturday https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-22277-haiti-flash-jovenel-moise-backtracked-transportation-strike-lifted.html the Unified Movement of Haitian Transporters continued its call for a strike that had little effect. This morning we could see tap-tapes, taxi-motorbikes of minibuses and private vehicles circulated in the capital, while citizens and merchants on the sidewalks were going about their business.



Haitian journalists, targeted by rioters

On Saturday during violent anti-budget demonstrations, journalists from Radio Kiskeya and Radio Metropole were targeted by rioters https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-22270-haiti-flash-violent-demonstration-petion-ville-vandalized.html



Words of Evans Paul

"Nothing can justify the bloody coup of September 30, 1991 in Haiti (against J. B Aristide). Therefore, we must condemn the macabre excesses and exaggerations," declared Evans Paul, former Prime Minister under the Martelly Presidency.



Donation of a lifeboat

The North West Departmental Delegation would like to present its words of thanks to the Regional Committee of the Haitian Red Cross (CRH), which handed a new rescue boat to the Civil Protection Committee of the island of La Tortue in the presence of the authorities .



Gustavo Gallon for a Truth Commission

Gustavo Gallon, the former independent UN expert on the human rights situation in Haiti, said on a radio station in the capital that it is absolutely necessary to set up a Truth, Justice and Reparation Commission on the crimes of the past and the numerous violations of human rights in Haiti.



Diaspora : Religious ceremony for victims of earthquakes in Mexico

Vice-Consul Evence Jean Louis of the Consulate General of Haiti in Chicago participated Saturday, September 30 in the religious ceremony in memory of the victims of the earthquakes of 7 and 19 September 2017 that hit Mexico.



HL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - FLASH : Project to legalize illegal Haitians in Suriname





The Head of Mission meets with the Director of Foreigners and Migration Affairs of the Ministry of Justice and Police of the Republic of Suriname (JUSPOL) on the Legalization Project, initiated by the Surinamese Government in favor of irregular immigrants in the country to which many of our compatriots belong.



After presenting his thanks to the President and the Government of Surinam for allowing our brothers and sisters in an irregular situation in the country to benefit from this new adjustment of status, Consul Jospitre expressed his gratitude to his colleague for having so promptly responded to this emergency meeting requested by the Consulate.



In a courteous atmosphere, Consul Jospitre expressed some apprehensions arising from the requirements of the regularization process, which could represent obstacles that must be overcome for our compatriots concerned by the project: the inaccessibility of certain required documents, whose obtaining would require that our compatriots go to Haiti; certain inapplicable prerequisites and requirements under Surinamian laws vis-a-vis illegal immigrants; the many challenges faced daily by our compatriots who find themselves in this group and the resulting limitations; the need to strengthen collaboration and communication between the Consulate and the Ministry of Justice and Police...



At the end of the meeting, Mrs Groenveld undertook to make special considerations for our nationals on a case-by-case basis with the support of the Consulate.



The Consul Jospitre concluded by reaffirming his commitment to continue working tirelessly with the Surinamese Government for more sustained and effective assistance to its compatriots in difficulty.



HL/ S/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - Security : Agreement on search and rescue in the event of an air crash





In the context of modernization and consolidation aimed at strengthening the links between the National Airport Authority (AAN) and the National Office of Civil Aviation (OFNAC) Olivier Jean, OFNAC's Director General, and Colonel Irving Mehu, Director General of the AAN, signed a first agreement on Aeronautical Search and Rescue.



Recall that the mission of the AAN is to create and manage all the civil airports of the country while OFNAC is the competent body in the field of aeronautical policy and surveillance of Haitian civil aviation.



These two institutions are linked to issues of sustainable development, safety, security, air traffic control, economic regulation, support for aeronautical construction, general aviation, aeronautical training, etc., in accordance with national legislation and international standards and practices implemented by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).



The signing of this agreement will facilitate cooperation between the two institutions in the event of an air crash on the national territory. In addition, OFNAC is actively working on the establishment in Haiti of a Coordination and Rescue Center within the next eight weeks, which will be operational since the reception of the signal from the satellite-sensed distress beacon to the end of the emergency.



HL/ HaitiLibre


















Published on 2017/10/03 | Source

Added episodes 41 and 42 captures for the Korean drama "Bad Thief, Good Thief" (2017)

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Directed by Jang Joon-ho, Oh Kyeong-hoon

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More
Berry Bros appoints new buyer for Italy

By Lisa Riley

Berry Bros & Rudd has appointed Italian wine specialist Davy Zyw as buyer for the category.

Joining the team today (Tuesday 3rd October), Zyw will be looking after the category with the support of buying assistant Chloe Dale-Harris.

He joins the company following a four years stint as global wine & spirits buyer at Direct Wines (Laithwaites), where he was responsible for buying wines from a variety of areas including Italy, Champagne, South Africa, South America and England, before which he was assistant product development manager at Tesco.

Zwy brought experience and a fresh pair of eyes to the family-owned wine & spirits merchant, said buying director, Abi Hirshfeld.

Davy is passionate about Italy and has a deep knowledge of Italian wines. We look forward to his contribution in bringing our Italian range to an authoritative and market-leading level.

During his career in the wine industry, Zyw has completed a Wine Business Degree at Plumpton College and has also worked in the on trade as a Sommelier at Le Gavroche and Commis Sommelier at D&Ds The Bluebird.

He recently published his first book I Love Champagne.
Oct. 1

Kaleen P. Ballard, 27, of Elko was arrested at Gold Dust West for possession of a controlled substance and four counts of use or possession of drug paraphernalia. Bail: $7,560.

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Mark A. Haines Jr., 38, of Elko was arrested at Gold Country for violation of probation or condition of suspended sentence. No bail

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Kevin M. Howe, 46, of West Valley, Utah, was arrested on Wendover Boulevard for DUI, failure to yield at an intersection, and failure to wear safety belt. Bail: $1,330

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Stephen A. Irizarry, 49, of Elko was arrested at Atwal gas station for trafficking a controlled substance. Bail: $20,000

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Hector Ramirez-Garcia, 45, was arrested at the Interstate 80 eastbound ramp for possession of a controlled substance, use or possession of drug paraphernalia, headlamps not illuminated, driving without a drivers license, false statement to obstruct officers, selling or transferring documents or personal ID to establish false statement, and owning or possession a gun by a prohibited person. Bail: $32,090

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Summer C. Smith, 32, of Elko was arrested at Atwal gas station for trafficking a controlled substance and violating probation or condition of suspended sentence. Bail: $20,000
Golden Gate Petroleum of Nevada is planning a truck stop that would include a gas station, convenience store, fast-food service and small casino at the west end of Elko, according to the Elko Planning Commission.

The request for a conditional use permit to construct the truck stop just off Interstate 80 will come before the commission today at its meeting beginning at 5:30 p.m. at Elko City Hall.

Golden Gate is seeking the development permit on the heels of the Elko City Councils approval last week of a request to rezone the proposed truck stop site from agricultural to commercial to allow for the project.

The 7.8 acres designated for the truck stop is on the north side of West Idaho Street roughly 740 feet from I-80 exit 298.

The site is owned by the Bruce and Sidnie Family Trust, but the trust plans to sell the site to Golden Gate, according to the Elko Planning Commission meeting agenda packet.

The rezoning for the truck stop was contingent on the extension of a water line.

They will need to extend a water line from Cattle Drive to their location, Jeremy Draper, development manager for the city, said in an email Monday.

Golden Gate Petroleum of Nevada has offices in Reno. The parent company, Golden Gate Petroleum, is headquartered in Martinez, Calif., and has truck stops in California, Colorado and Nevada, including in Reno, Sparks, Hawthorne, Lovelock, Fallon, Gardnerville and Winnemucca.

According to the companys website, Golden Gate is family-owned and founded in 1946.
A pregnant plus-size woman has lost her job at a US bank after her engagement photoshoot went viral online.



The worker, named only as Stephanie, says her bosses at Austin Bank Texas N.A. told her the photos  in which she appeared topless as she kissed her fiance  were "inappropriate" for a worker at a "family-oriented company".



"There was no defending myself, they had made their decision," Stephanie told Buzzfeed.



"I gave over a year to a company that I worked really hard for and then to have them turn on me for doing something so positive, something that I was so proud of  to help myself as a woman  it was hurtful.



"People were pulling out their phones at work and showing the pictures, and that was blamed on me.



The bank has not yet responded to requests for comment.



The photos were shared more than 85,000 times on Facebook.



Social media users mostly praised Stephanie, five months pregnant, for having the courage to go public with them.



Stephanie, who admitted to having body image problems in the past, told the Huffington Post she had never felt more attractive as she did upon first seeing the photos.





Related stories:

Beer giant responds to employee protests

Chinese employees made to eat live worms as punishment
Elon Musk has a plan, and its about as audacious as they come. Not content with living on our pale blue dot, Musk and his company SpaceX want to colonize Mars, fast. They say theyll send a duo of supply ships to the red planet within five years. By 2024, theyre aiming to send the first humans. From there they have visions of building a space port, a city and, ultimately, a planet theyd like to geoengineer to be as welcoming as a second Earth.

If he succeeds, Musk could thoroughly transform our relationship with our solar system, inspiring a new generation of scientists and engineers along the way. But between here and success, Musk and SpaceX will need to traverse an unbelievably complex risk landscape.

Many will be technical. The rocket thats going to take Musks colonizers to Mars (code named the BFR  no prizes for guessing what that stands for) hasnt even been built yet. No one knows what hidden hurdles will emerge as testing begins. Musk does have a habit of successfully solving complex engineering problems though; and despite the mountainous technical challenges SpaceX faces, theres a fair chance theyll succeed.

As a scholar of risk innovation, what Im not sure about is how SpaceX will handle some of the less obvious social and political hurdles they face. To give Elon Musk a bit of a head start, here are some of the obstacles I think he should have on his mission-to-Mars checklist.

Planetary protection

Imagine there was once life on Mars, but in our haste to set up shop there, we obliterate any trace of its existence. Or imagine that harmful organisms exist on Mars and spacecraft inadvertently bring them back to Earth.

These are scenarios that keep astrobiologists and planetary protection specialists awake at night. Theyve led to unbelievably stringent international policies around what can and cannot be done on government-sponsored space missions.

Yet Musks plans threaten to throw the rule book on planetary protection out the window. As a private company SpaceX isnt directly bound by international planetary protection policies. And while some governments could wrap the company up in space bureaucracy, theyll find it hard to impose the same levels of hoop-jumping that NASA missions, for instance, currently need to navigate.

Its conceivable (but extremely unlikely) that a laissez-faire attitude toward interplanetary contamination could lead to Martian bugs invading Earth. The bigger risk is stymying our chances of ever discovering whether life existed on Mars before human beings and their grubby microbiomes get there. And the last thing Musk needs is a whole community of disgruntled astrobiologists baying for his blood as he tramples over their turf and robs them of their dreams.

Ecoterrorism

Musks long-term vision is to terraform Mars  reengineer our neighboring planet as a nice place to be  and allow humans to become a multi-planetary species. Sounds awesome  but not to everyone. Id wager there will be some people sufficiently appalled by the idea that they decide to take illegal action to interfere with it.

The mythology surrounding ecoterrorism makes it hard to pin down how much of it actually happens. But there certainly are individuals and groups like the Earth Liberation Front willing to flout the law in their quest to preserve pristine wildernesses. Its a fair bet there will be people similarly willing to take extreme action to stop the pristine wilderness of Mars being desecrated by humans.

How this might play out is anyones guess, although science fiction novels like Kim Stanley Robinsons Mars Trilogy give an interesting glimpse into what could transpire once we get there. More likely, SpaceX will need to be on the lookout for saboteurs crippling their operations before leaving Earth.

Space politics

Back in the days before private companies were allowed to send rockets into space, international agreements were signed that set out who could do what outside the Earths atmosphere. Under the United Nations Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies, for instance, states agreed to explore space for the benefit of all humankind, not place weapons of mass destruction on celestial bodies and avoid harmful contamination.

That was back in 1967, four years before Elon Musk was born. With the emergence of ambitious private space companies like SpaceX, Blue Origin and others, though, whos allowed to do what in the solar system is less clear. Its good news for companies like SpaceX  at least in the short term. But this uncertainty is eventually going to crystallize into enforceable space policies, laws and regulations that apply to everyone. And when it does, Musk needs to make sure hes not left out in the cold.

This is of course policy, not politics. But there are powerful players in the global space policy arena. If theyre rubbed the wrong way, itll be politics that determines how resulting policies affect SpaceX.

Climate change

Perhaps the biggest danger is that Musks vision of colonizing Mars looks too much like a disposable Earth philosophy  weve messed up this planet, so time to move on to the next. Of course, this idea may not factor into Musks motivation, but in the world of climate change mitigation and adaptation, perceptions matter. The optics of moving to a new planet to escape the mess weve made here is not a scenario thats likely to win too many friends amongst those trying to ensure Earth remains habitable. And these factions wield considerable social and economic power  enough to cause problems for SpaceX if they decide to mobilize over this.

There is another risk here too, thanks to a proposed terrestrial use of SpaceXs BFR as a hyperfast transport between cities on Earth. Musk has recently titillated tech watchers with plans to use commercial rocket flights to make any city on Earth less than an hours travel from any other. This is part of a larger plan to make the BFR profitable, and help cover the costs of planetary exploration. Its a crazy idea  that just might work. But what about the environmental impact?

Even though the BFR will spew out tons of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide, the impacts may not be much greater than current global air travel (depending how many flights end up happening). And theres always the dream of creating the fuel  methane and oxygen  using solar power and atmospheric gases. The BFR could even conceivably be carbon-neutral one day.

But at a time when humanity should be doing everything in our power to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, the optics arent great. And this could well lead to a damaging backlash before rocket-commuting even gets off the ground.

Inspiring  or infuriating?

Sixty years ago, the Soviet Union launched Sputnik, the worlds first artificial satellite  and changed the world. It was the dawn of the space age, forcing nations to rethink their technical education programs and inspiring a generation of scientists and engineers.

We may well be standing at a similar technological tipping point as researchers develop the vision and technologies that could launch humanity into the solar system. But for this to be a new generations Sputnik moment, well need to be smart in navigating the many social and political hurdles between where we are now and where we could be.

These nontechnical hurdles come down to whether society writ large grants SpaceX and Elon Musk the freedom to boldly go where no one has gone before. Its tempting to think of planetary entrepreneurialism as simply getting the technology right and finding a way to pay for it. But if enough people feel SpaceX is threatening what they value (such as the environment  here or there), or disadvantaging them in some way (for example, by allowing rich people to move to another planet and abandoning the rest of us here), theyll make life difficult for the company.

This is where Musk and SpaceX need to be as socially adept as they are technically talented. Discounting these hidden hurdles could spell disaster for Elon Musks Mars in the long run. Engaging with them up front could lead to the first people living and thriving on another planet in my lifetime.
Charges against 10 of the 11 Jobstown water charge protesters have been formally dropped.

Cheers broke out and air horns sounded in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court yesterday after Judge Melanie Greally formally discharged all but one of the remaining Jobstown accused.

Prosecution barrister Sean Gillane told the court the DPP had requested that a nolle prosequi be entered in respect of all of the charges against the remaining accused, except for one count of criminal damage against Dylan Collins.

Mr Gillane said the case against Mr Collins (22), of Bawnlea Green, Tallaght, was proceeding, but a trial date will probably not be required. Instead, he will be arraigned on November 20.

Six of the accused had been due to go on trial today, while the remaining five were due to face trial next year.

Former Tanaiste Joan Burton and her adviser Karen O'Connell had left a graduation ceremony at An Cosan Education Centre at Jobstown, south Dublin, on November 15, 2014, when protesters surrounded their car, delaying them for three hours.

In June, six men, including Solidarity TD Paul Murphy, were found not guilty by a jury of falsely imprisoning the women following a nine-week trial.

Charges against a seventh man, Ken Purcell, were dropped halfway through the trial.

Carol Purcell, Declan Kane, Glen Carney, Keith Preston, Thomas Kelly, Paul Kiernan and Peter Herbert had been charged with falsely imprisoning Ms Burton and Ms O'Connell, along with violent disorder.

Disorder

Adam Lyons had been charged with false imprisonment, along with one count of violent disorder and one count of criminal damage to a garda car windscreen.

Antoinette Kane and Calvin Carlyle had been charged with violent disorder.

As Judge Greally left court, the room erupted in cheers, with protesters sounding airhorns and chanting: "What do we want? A public inquiry. When do we want it? Now."

Outside the court, Mr Herbert, speaking on behalf of the protesters, said they would continue to demand a public inquiry into the prosecution.
The Bishop of Waterford and Lismore has apologised after warning that a cervical cancer vaccine could lead to promiscuity.

Dr Phonsie Cullinan last week hit out at efforts to prevent the human papillomavirus (HPV) infection among women by saying "we have to do better than to give our boys condoms and our girls injections at the age of 12".

After being roundly criticised by Health Minister Simon Harris and medical chiefs, the senior cleric issued a statement accepting that he had not been "fully informed".

"I wish to apologise for contributing to any misinformation, or indeed for causing upset to anyone, concerning use of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines," said Dr Cullinan.

He said he initially spoke out after parents had raised concerns about the HPV vaccine.

"My intention was solely motivated to protect people from the HPV," he said.

"I was not fully informed about the vaccination programme and I can see now how HPV vaccines can contribute greatly to lowering the rate of cervical cancer.

Vital

"As I have learned, possession of full information is paramount on this vital health issue," he added.

Mr Harris had described the bishop's initial remarks as "ignorant".

The HSE, which has previously warned parents about conflicting and misleading information, said his criticism of the vaccination programme could endanger women's lives.

The HPV vaccine used in Ireland is Gardasil. It is said to protect against two high-risk types of the virus, one of the most common sexually transmitted infections.

Vaccinations against the HPV virus fell by half last year amid scares over side-effects, but the uptake has since stabilised.

Since 2010, more than 230,000 girls have been vaccinated, with about 1,000 reporting adverse reactions.

Ireland has one of the highest cervical cancer rates in Europe, with more than 90 women dying from the disease every year and more than 280 others needing surgery, chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy.
A young woman died from a brain haemorrhage just weeks after starting the contraceptive pill.

Friends concerned for Lauren Johnson (23), from Castle Grove, Swords, found her semi-conscious in bed at home on September 3, 2015.

She died due to a blood clot and associated haemorrhage in the brain at Beaumont Hospital four days later.

Ms Johnson, known to her friends and family as "Rosy", had spent a year in Japan and was working as a Japanese translator in Dublin.

She was suffering from persistent headaches in the weeks leading up to her death, Dublin Coroner's Court heard.

Her parents were away in Portugal when she became ill.

She visited her local GP in Swords on September 1, 2015, two days before she was hospitalised, complaining of headache and visual disturbance.

"She complained a lot about this headache that wouldn't go away," said her best friend, Kevin Gannon.

He became concerned when he received no reply to his texts and calls. "We talked every day," he said.

On September 3, he found Ms Johnson in bed at her house.

"She was groggy and couldn't string a sentence together," Mr Gannon said. An ambulance was called.

"They asked her if she had taken tablets before and she replied 'yes', but she had never done that before," he said.

There was a packet of paracetamol with 16 tablets missing at the house.

Family members said she had been taking paracetamol for her headaches.

Paramedics rushed the woman to the Beaumont Hospital.

On a handover sheet for hospital staff they wrote "query overdose".

Tearful

She was admitted with a suspected paracetamol overdose at 1.35pm on September 3.

She was triaged as a category two patient, meaning she had to be seen by a doctor within 15 minutes.

Dr Farah Mustafa saw Ms Johnson at 1.50pm and said the patient was tearful and drowsy but her vital signs were normal.

She ordered a blood test and a review by a psychiatrist.

At 6.50pm, the psychiatrist approached the doctor, having spoken to Ms Johnson's friends waiting in the emergency department (ED).

"When he expressed concern that she hadn't seen psychiatric services in Beaumont before, that made me concerned," said Dr Mustafa.

A CT scan and further tests revealed a blood clot in the brain. Ms Johnson's parents, Brian and Sandra Johnson, returned to Dublin.

"She was weak and uncoordinated. They were doing more tests," Mr Johnson told the court.

Despite efforts to save her, Ms Johnson died on September 7.

The condition she developed, a blood clot that entered the brain through the jugular vein, and associated haemorrhaging, is very rare, according to consultant neurologist at Beaumont Hospital, Dr Lisa Costello.

Ms Johnson's GP records revealed she had started taking the contraceptive pill in July 2015.

Blood clots in the veins are a known risk factor in taking the contraceptive.

Coroner Dr Myra Cullinane adjourned the inquest for additional pharmacological evidence.
BRISTOL, Va.  The citys Industrial Development Authority board heard multiple updates Monday on efforts to bolster business recruitment efforts.

A new city economic strategic plan is expected to borrow liberally from a regional report released in late August by GO Virginia, the states latest economic development effort, consultant James Bourey told the board during his presentation. The plan would include a vision, some finite goals and a clearly defined procedure to achieve them.

We will build from that, Bourey said of the 150-page GO Virginia document. I anticipate each meeting to have a topic of conversation about the plan to get more specific each time. The bones are there from the GO Virginia plan, but we will make it more specific to Bristol.

The state plan mentions education and workforce training, entrepreneurship and infrastructure, including high-speed Internet, but doesnt mention tourism. IDA Chairman Paul Conco told Bourey that is an area that should be included in a Bristol plan.

The board also heard a presentation from Don Bowman, president and CEO of BVU Authority, regarding its draft application process for businesses seeking its economic development incentive funds. As part of its review by the Virginia Auditor of Public Accounts, BVU must prepare a detailed application for any economic development project to be considered for its $500,000 in incentives funded through its electric division.

Bowman wants the IDA to approve the application  since the funds are only available to businesses within the city limits  before the BVU board approves it and sends it to the Tennessee Valley Authority for its blessing. The matter was discussed last month, but a requested meeting between Bowman, Bourey, interim City Manager Randy Eads and IDA Executive Director Bart Poe hasnt occurred yet.

They were going to look at it and make a recommendation to us, Conco said of the other city officials. Well have some input, but we look to them to advise us. I wish that had happened from the last time wed talked.

Bowman said he is scheduled to meet with Bourey today to discuss the application.

Bowman said BVUs goal is not to get in front but work with the city. The draft application was first presented in January.

My goal is to close this out. Im being monitored on how fast we close out and get these APA issues resolved and I have four of 56 [audit findings] hung up on this economic development piece. I dont want to rush you at all, he said.

After the meeting, Conco said the board wants to solidify the citys business recruitment efforts.

I think we have some foundations. The GO Virginia report, the [citys] comprehensive plan all help to form that development strategy, Conco said. We have a number of applications already regarding incentives. Its a matter of pulling it together.

I think both the IDA and the City Council are on the same page to have more data, more information on proposals, more criteria better spelled out so everybody is clear about what needs to happen, Conco said. And we feel better about a business plan somebody brings to us.
JACKSBORO, Tenn. -- The district attorneys general of Tennessee's Sixth, Seventh, Eighth, Ninth and Tenth Judicial Districts have jointly filed a lawsuit against prescription opioid manufacturer Purdue Pharma L.P. and its related companies.

The suit, filed in Campbell County Circuit Court in Jacksboro, Tennessee last Friday also names two additional plaintiffs known collectively as Baby Doe by and through their Guardians Ad Litem.

The Appalachia High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA), which includes the Sixth, Seventh, Eighth, Ninth and Tenth Judicial Districts of Tennessee, is one of the hardest-hit areas in the opioid epidemic that is plaguing the nation, says Jared Effler, district attorney general for Tennessees Eighth Judicial District. The 15 counties within these five judicial districts border the Interstate 75 corridor, which has long been known as a major path of transportation for the illegal opioid market. Two of these counties  Campbell County and Claiborne County  have the third- and sixth-highest per capita opioid prescription rates for a U.S. county, respectively.

In addition to having a terrible effect on the lives of a disproportionate number of East Tennesseans, opioid addiction places an overwhelming strain on our regions finances, Effler says. This has led to increased costs for each of our counties policing, health care, rehabilitation, housing and criminal justice systems. We believe there is a direct correlation between East Tennessees opioid epidemic and the actions of these opioid manufacturers, and it is our intent to hold them accountable for the damage they have inflicted upon our region.

The lawsuit alleges that:

The manufacturer defendants directed their opioids to the 15 East Tennessee counties of the states Sixth, Seventh, Eighth, Ninth and Tenth Judicial Districts, while the criminal defendants participated in the illegal opioid drug market throughout the same judicial districts along the Interstate 75 corridor;

Purdue Pharma embarked on a fraudulent campaign to convince physicians that OxyContin created minimal risk of addiction;

As Purdues marketing efforts demonstrated success in the form of rapid increases in opioid prescriptions, Mallinckrodt, Endo Pharmaceuticals, Teva Pharmaceuticals, and other opioid manufacturers joined Purdue in its fraudulent scheme;

Purdues efforts and those of the other defendants to mislead doctors and the public about the need for, and addictive nature of, opioid drugs led to an opioid epidemic, created an environment for thousands of individuals in Tennessee to become addicted to opioids, and fueled a dramatic increase in Campbell County, Tennessee, and other East Tennessee counties in the number of individuals exposed and addicted to OxyContin, Roxicodone, Opana  ER and other opioids; and

The manufacturer defendants knew their products were being diverted to the illegal drug market, but did nothing to stop it  choosing profit over people.

The U.S. Department of Justices drug market analyses of the Appalachia HIDTA for 2008 through 2011 detail a steady rise in law enforcement seizures of oxycodone (primarily OxyContin) in the Tennessee illegal drug market  1,069 dosage units of oxycodone seized in Tennessee in 2007 to 4,142 dosage units seized in 2010. In 2015, Tennessee doctors wrote more than 7.8 million opioid prescriptions  or 1.18 for every state resident, placing Tennessee second in the nation for the number of opioid prescriptions per capita. In addition, unintentional overdose deaths, which now account for more premature deaths in Tennessee than automobile accidents, suicides or homicides, increased more than 400 percent from 1999 to 2015 (the last year for which overdose deaths have been calculated). Seventy-two percent of Tennessees overdose deaths in 2015 involved opioids.

The opioid epidemic that is currently ravaging Tennessee, Appalachia and the entire nation did not appear overnight, says J. Gerard Stranch, IV of Branstetter, Stranch & Jennings, PLLC, the Nashville, Tennessee-based law firm that filed the lawsuit. Purdue Pharma and other opioid manufacturers have purposely misled the medical community and the general public about the need for opioids and their addictive nature, and spent years engaged in an aggressive and fraudulent scheme to push their products into a market of unsuspecting patients and physicians. The resulting opioid epidemic has caused incredible suffering for those who become or are born addicted to opioids, and it is costing millions of dollars to local governments forced to deal with the aftermath.

Tennesseans addiction to opioids has created a secondary epidemic of Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) that has its epicenter in East Tennessee. NAS occurs when babies are exposed to opioids in utero and then show symptoms of withdrawal anywhere from a few minutes to a few days after birth. According to the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, the number of Tennessee babies born with NAS increased tenfold between 2000 and 2010. In 2016, 26 of every 1,000 East Tennessee babies were born with NAS.

So prevalent is NAS in the counties served by the five judicial districts that the number of babies born with the condition at East Tennessee Children's Hospital doubled from 2010 to 2011. The hospital, located in Knoxville  the largest city along the Appalachia HIDTA, developed a new set of protocols in 2011 for treating NAS newborns that has been recognized across the country.

According to the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, the average cost of care for babies born with NAS is roughly 10 times more than babies born without NAS. The average cost to stabilize an NAS newborn is nearly $63,000, while the average cost for a non-NAS newborn is approximately $7,200. For the entire state of Tennessee, the care for 660 babies born with NAS cost $41.5 million for most of 2013, compared to $4.79 million for the same number born without NAS.

The lawsuit demands judgment against the defendants for damages resulting from breaches of statutory and common law, seeks to award restitution to the plaintiffs, and requests an injunction to stop the flood of opioids to the region. The suit is the second complaint filed in Tennessee this year against Purdue Pharma and additional pharmaceutical companies. The first was filed in June in Sullivan County Circuit Court in Kingsport, Tennessee.
Boris Navasardyan: The situation is different, the parties dont have serious contradictions (video)

Armenia is unlikely to refuse to finalize the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement with the European Union which is expected to be signed in Brussels in November. The situation is different from that in 2013. Negotiations ended much earlier which speaks to the fact that the parties did do not have serious contradictions, says Boris Navasardyan, a representative of the Armenian National Platform of the EU Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum. People in Armenia understand the complexity of EU-Russia relations, which can have a direct negative impact on the EU-Armenia agenda. That is the reason why the EU officials are moderately optimistic about the document to be signed with Armenia, though it is a weaker document than the previous one and it can satisfy Russia. The provision, which suggests that Armenias obligations within the framework of the Eurasian Economic Union have priority over this new EU-Armenia agreement, in fact interested Russia, says Boris Navasardyan. Johannes Hans, EU Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy, yesterday announced in Yerevan that the new agreement between Armenia and the European Union will show that it is possible for Armenia to be part of the Eurasian integration process while also strengthening relations with the EU. Does it mean that the both  and policy announced by Armenian authorities is working? The policy would have worked if Armenia had signed the Association Agreement with the EU. In that case Armenia-EU relations would be equalized with the relations between Armenia and Russia. Today these relations are not equal. Armenias relations with EEU member countries are far deeper than those with the EU. Many believe that the new agreement between Armenia and the European Union will give new impetus to reforms in Armenia. Mr. Navasardyan thinks that the EU will double its assistance to reforms taking place in our country. The first Ombudsman of Armenia, Larisa Alaverdyan expects changes in the judicial system. She says a number of projects have been implemented in the system with the support of international organizations, but nothing has changed in fact.
ABINGDON, Va.  Newly unsealed search warrants shed light on efforts by law enforcement to establish the identity of the Abingdon woman charged with dressing like a clown and fatally shooting a Palm Beach, Florida, woman 27 years ago.

The warrants, unsealed Monday, reveal that U.S. Marshals wanted identifying information about Sheila Keen-Warren, 54, who last Tuesday was charged with first-degree murder with a firearm in the 1990 death of Marlene Warren, 40.

Authorities sought records related to billing, account status and other personal information from the Washington County Service Authority, a water and sewage utility, one of the warrants showed. The only item seized was a copy of an application for service.

The other warrant was served at the county commissioner of revenues office. Officers sought records, including the name and Social Security number, attached to a home in the 20200 block of Heron Circle in Abingdon, where Keen-Warren lived with her husband, Michael Warren, 65, who was married to the victim at the time of her death.

Nothing was seized and the marshal who served the warrant wrote that no personal property, taxes or DMV records had been filed.

The warrants were unsealed Monday after Washington County Commonwealths Attorney Josh Cumbow submitted an order Friday to Washington County Circuit Court Judge C. Randall Lowe.

Both warrants were filed in mid-September.

The investigation into Marlene Warrens murder went cold until it was reopened in 2014. The Palm Beach County Sheriffs Office received a $125,000 grant from the National Institute of Justice to support the resolution of cold cases, primarily by analyzing new DNA evidence.
HICKORY  In recognition of gifts to the CVCC Foundation, Catawba Valley Community College recently named its Center for Pre-Hospital Medicine in memory of alumna Stephanie Lynn Gabriel.

Housed in the colleges East Campus, the Gabriel Center for Pre-Hospital Medicine features the colleges Emergency Medical Science classrooms and labs, including high-tech lifesaving medical equipment. Students pursuing their paramedic credentials, as well as thousands already certified seeking additional training, are taught in the space.

With the help of gifts from the Gabriel family, cutting edge simulation equipment and software from iSimulate was purchased. Instead of being confined to a classroom or laboratory, the software provides EMS faculty with real-world scenarios students will face in the field.

I dont know of any other community college that offers this type of equipment, said Nimon Badgley, EMS Program director. Adoption of this equipment forever changes our students and the paramedic profession for the better.

David Sain, chairman of the CVCC Foundations board of directors and CVCC alumnus (1969) welcomed Gabriels parents Johnette and David Orr, of Charlotte, and her husband, Keith Gabriel. In attendance at the naming ceremony were past recipients of the Stephanie Lynn Gabriel Scholarship and members of Catawba County Emergency Medical Services, many of whom are CVCC alumni and were Stephanie Gabriels co-workers.

The day I met Mr. and Mrs. Orr was a defining moment for me as a college president, said CVCC President Garrett D. Hinshaw. These parents had the vision and wisdom to carry on their daughters love of Catawba County EMS. They have generously funded many EMS student scholarships. Their support in funding this advanced training technology enhances our students educational experience and positively impacts the health of our community.

Guests toured the classrooms and viewed a student simulation in a small classroom renovated to look like an apartment. This gives students an opportunity to practice their skills in an environment that closely simulates the real world.

Stephanie Lynn Gabriel was a 1996 CVCC graduate of CVCCs Emergency Medical Science program and performed her duties as a paramedic with Catawba County EMS until her death at the age of 43 as the result of an automobile accident in 2010. Her parents, Johnette and David Orr of Charlotte, established a scholarship in their daughters name through the CVCC Foundation. The scholarship provides individuals with financial assistance in their pursuit of the profession that Gabriel loved.
NEWTON  A man charged with the murder of 19-year-old Justin Smith appeared in Catawba County District Court on Monday. Smith was found shot dead in a recliner Friday afternoon.

Jeffery Douglas Brittain, 23, of Maiden, was taken into custody Sunday and charged with one felony count of murder.

At this time, you have been charged with murder, Catawba County District Court Judge Clifton Smith said to Brittain, saying that conviction of the charge carries a maximum punishment of life in prison without the possibility of parole or death.

Brittain opted for court-appointed counsel, and Smith said a representative from the regional capital defenders office would be assigned to represent him.

Smith also clarified with the defendant he had no assets and no income as Brittain listed in his application for court-appointed counsel.

Smith set Brittains probable cause hearing date for Oct. 20, but said the state intends to present the case to a grand jury prior to the court date.

No bond was set in Brittains case.

At the scene of the incident, deputies continued their investigation Monday afternoon.

Catawba County Sheriffs Office Lt. Aaron Turk said the office received information over the weekend that led them back to where the incident occurred.

Turk said the murder weapon has not been found, and were uncertain where (the weapon) might be, and were trying to cover all the ground we think could be a possibility.

The evidence we gathered over the weekend is strong in our opinion and in the opinion of our district attorney (David Learner), and were hopeful to add to that in the coming days, Turk said.

Andrea Kurczi, a neighbor of where the incident occurred, discussed the shooting with the Hickory Daily Record.

Its scary. I stay (close to where the incident occurred) by myself a lot of times, so Ill be locking my doors, Kurczi said.

The dispute that led to Smiths death was over a girl, according to a CCSO press release.

Over a girl, thats what is ridiculous about it, Kurczi said. For a 19-year-old to lose his life over a girl, thats childish. Thats not even being mature.

When asked if the sheriffs office has had any contact with the girl the dispute was believed to be over, Turk said, were not going to get into specifics about interactions (with witnesses).

Its certainly unfortunate that these things happen, Turk said. Especially under circumstances when the two people involved are not known to have any relationship together.

Turk said the sheriffs office is still unsure if Smith knew anyone had animosity toward him, saying thats one of the questions were trying to answer.
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Sometimes a small positive picture is worth a thousand critical words. I was looking at a photograph of Rahul Gandhi speaking the University of California, Berkeley. He looks quiet, composed, easy, autonomous. He looks sensible and spoke sense. The pictures are in stark contrast to the many shot in India where Rahul Gandhi looks distracted. The latter photographs lack presence but the picture at Berkeley conveys a presence. The contrast is stark and sets one wondering.

Maybe he needed a change in context, a chance to be himself. The audience felt more open and he was more candid developing a different narrative of the NRI, distinct from the Silicon Valley pomposity. Getting his historical analogues right, he said the Congress itself was an achievement of an older generation of NRIs. In that sense many of the great figures in the Congress, went out, got a foreign degree before they returned to join the nationalist struggle. The roll call includes Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and BR Ambedkar.

It was a small nugget of insight but a substantial one. He adds in a self-deprecatory style that Narendra Modi was a successful communicator, more successful than he was. The photograph where he stands with Sam Pitroda, and other American politicos again conveys a man who has got his message across, content with his argument. The inanity and mediocrity projected on him has disappeared. He looks ready for a bigger struggle and easy about it. Of course one might be reading too much into a small event, but there is a sense of a difference, a nuance that one feels is critical.

One senses a footnote of success and the best certification of Rahul Gandhis success is the hysteria that accompanies it in Panchjanya and The Organiser, which dismissed Berkeley as the American JNU. A magazine that was dismissive of Rahul Gandhi, condemning him as a dynast now suddenly senses that this dynast, matter of fact about his dynasty could be formidable. Sometimes hysteria is the best compliment an opponent can pay to a rival.

There is another set of points one needs to make. One is not asking for performative miracles but every instance in which Rahul Gandhi sounds coherent, competent and convincing is a sign of hope. I am not saying that such performative acts are enough. The Congress as a party needs more than one miracle but small beginnings could make sense. Rahul Gandhi is conveying an admission of past mistakes. Maybe he is rethinking away from the bumblings of Digvijay Singh. Maybe he has discovered that wandering to new contexts, thinking on your own, outside the iron cage of the old Congress, might refresh his thoughts and strategies.

If Rahul Gandhi capitalises on some of the mistakes made by the NDA government, his learning curve changes. That is all one needs for now. A man who is quietly competent, conveying a quiet presence, waiting for a chance, letting the BJP tie itself into knots. A sense of hope. A message that people are still waiting for an Opposition to rise to the occasion. A small plateau of possibilities but politics often begins in these small nuances. One hopes for a new team, a different approach to ideas, a renewed sense of the vibrancy of Opposition not the knee-jerk comments of a fatalistic Opposition. Let us hope Rahul sustains it. Sometimes a footnote is the beginning of a new history. Gandhi has to understand this, that there is patience and generosity to Indian people. They are still ready, waiting and willing to be surprised by him. The Congress is still a political habit that many Indians do not want to abandon.

Shiv Visvanathan is professor, Jindal Global Law School and director, Centre for Study of Knowledge Systems, O.P Jindal Global University

The views expressed are personal
It was October 1 in 2015, exactly two years ago.

A very sombre President Barack Obama walked up to the podium in the James Brady Room, the venue for daily White House press briefings named after an official disabled for life in the shooting of President Ronald Reagan in 1981.

Theres been another mass shooting in America, Obama had started, after a shooting in which nine people had been killed. That means there are more American families  moms, dads, children  whose lives have been changed forever. That means theres another community stunned with grief, and communities across the country forced to relieve their own anguish, and parents across the country who are scared because they know it might have been their families or their children.

Obamas speech could hold true even today, word for word, sentiment for sentiment, frustration for frustration, for those mourning the 50 victims killed in Las Vegas early Monday morning (IST) or those waiting outside the hospital for a word about the condition of their brother, sister, child, parent or friend  more than 400, by the last count released by authorities. We are the only advanced country on Earth that sees these kinds of mass shootings every few months, Obama had gone on, adding, quoting himself from an earlier interview, The United States of America is the one advanced nation on Earth in which we do not have sufficient common-sense gun-safety laws  even in the face of repeated mass killings.

There is still no word on the motivation of Stephen Paddock ,the 64-year-old white man, local resident, who carried out the massacre, shooting sniper-style from a room up above on the 32nd floor of a hotel. A few more minutes, and the concertgoers would have been on their way home, or hotel, exhausted. There was also no information yet on the kind of weaponry the shooter was carrying, and whether he was licensed to carry and what kind of arms. The Nevada state gun laws are among the most relaxed in the United States, gun owners dont have to register their weapons, they are also free to carry them openly; a permit is needed for carrying concealed weapons though. Las Vegas has only slightly tighter laws.

Thousands of people die every year in gun violence in the United States  12,571 in 2014, 13,500 in 2015, 15,079 in 2016 and 11,652 so far in 2017  according to the Gun Violence Archive, which tracks gun-related violence and mass shootings (any incident with more than four victims) such as the one that took place in Las Vegas. That is more than the number of victims of terrorism, which gets disproportionately more attentions from policy makers than the scourge of gun violence, at least for a section of Americans blinded by their paranoia about their right to bear arms  enshrined in the American constitution  to see the need for some common sense reforms.

Gun-control activists are seeking small changes in the existing gun laws to prevent guns from falling into the hands of those incapable of exercising some control over their use, such as those with mental illness like Adam Lanza, who gunned down 20 first-graders and six educators at a Connecticut elementary school in 2012. They have sought background checks for prospective buyers and stricter control on the sale of weapons at fairs and exhibition and a check on military style weapons that can shoot long bursts, causing many deaths and injuries.

They are not seeking, though they often speak of it, a response resembling Australias in 1996. A mentally disturbed young man had killed 35 people and wounded 23 in Tasmania in what is now known as the Port Arthur Massacre. A horrified nation responded by tightening gun laws to such an extent a gun-related massacre has not been repeated since. Many other developed nations have similar gun laws, a point made by Obama in the Oregon shooting speech. America remains an exception.

The gun lobby, lead by the power National Rifle Association (NRA), has successfully stymied all such moves and attempts, even in the aftermath of the shooting of first-graders at the Newtown, Connecticut school, speaking about which President Obama had broken down, and which had outraged most Americans, even those who owned and loved guns. The NRA has a stranglehold on most conservative politicians and makes its support and endorsement, which matters among conservative voters, incumbent upon their advocacy of gun-rights.

President Donald Trump is pro-guns  his two eldest sons Donald Trump Jr and Eric Trump are avid hunters  and pro-NRA and he has shown no inclination for any changes in gun laws. Remember the time he suggested, as candidate for the White House, his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton might need to be stopped through some violence to prevent her from taking away the Second Amendment, the law that grants Americans the right to bear arms? Expect no changes from him. But also, as some critics have pointed out, it might take a strong and an unequivocal supporter of gun rights such as Trump to actually push the rest of the tribe along that route, of some sensible reforms.

yashwant.raj@hindustantimes.com
It is difficult to fathom a painter unwilling to exhibit. But, renowned painter and sculptor Jatin Das says the excitement to exhibit his work has been on the wane over the past several years.

The increasing commercialisation of the art industry is to blame, he says. Art has become a business, something else altogether. The dichotomy is that one still has to show, Das told PTI.

Returning to Mumbai after a hiatus of almost seven years, the Padma Bhushan awardee has come up with a new show, Figures In Motion. The fortnight long exhibiting will see his deep- rooted and honest artistic expression resurface, as he immortalises his figures on the canvas, with his effortless strokes.

According to him, the art world has undergone a sea of change, with the use of words like market, business, players and clients becoming an everyday affair. This world, he says, is contrary to the times when great camraderie dominated business.

Another factor discouraging him from showcasing his work is the decreasing number of people who can understand and appreciate the art he creates.

Art students are more interested in commercial art or to go abroad to study about art investment. This world did not exist before. People visited studios, sometime multiple times, to look at the works and gave money in installments, he said.

Das latest show that opens at Jehangir Art Gallery in Mumbai on October 4, exemplifies his inexhaustible energy, through his powerful lines and his unending desire to explore human figures, beyond time and space.

For the 76-year-old artist, who believes, creativity is a transfer of energy, it is difficult to come to terms with artists today hogging for limelight or media attention.

I genuinely believe that any person in a creative field has to distance oneself from public for ones own freedom and ones privacy and space for ones creative expression.

I also dont like giving interviews. But if you have a show coming up, I guess you have no choice but to give interviews and spread the word, he said. Another factor discouraging him from showcasing his work is the decreasing number of people who can understand and appreciate the art he creates.

In Bombay, I had so many of my friends  Sukhdev, Chari, Pratap Sharma, Dom Moraes, Leela Naidu  who are just not there anymore. So, when I have a show, I think, who am I showing it to? Of course, the show is open to all, but you think of your friends and wonder what they would feel. It becomes a very personal experience, he said.

Das first show was in 1962 at a newly opened gallery at the J J School of Art in Mumbai, where he showcased his sketches. We all had the idealism to work passionately, with commitment. The idea was not to become an artist or earn money. That was not the concern for any of us, he recalled.

Figures In Motion, presented by Art & Soul, will be on display till October 16.

As for exhibiting in Delhi, where he hasnt had a show for quite some time now, the artist is bringing to town a huge body of work  about 800 portraits  which will be on display at the Lalit Kala Akademi here from November 16.
The Madhya Pradesh government on Tuesday said it will shift all dairies outside its cities and their owners will be provided plots to set up new farms at 10% of their price to keep up with Prime Minister Narendra Modis flagship Swachh Bharat Abhiyan or Clean India Mission.

Narottam Mishra, the spokesperson of the state government and water resources minister, said the proposal to shift the dairies was passed during the meeting of the state cabinet chaired by chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

Mishra said though the matter initially pertained to dairies in Bhopal but the chief minister wanted them to be shifted out of all the cities in the state.

The revenue department will look into the land allotment within 10km of the city limits. The land based on the number of cattle will be handed over to the local civic body through urban administration department, he said.

The talk of shifting dairies on the outskirts of the city has been going on since 2012 after they were found flouting environmental rules. The Bhopal Municipal Corporation even demolished some illegally operating dairies in the past.

The central bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in May asked the Bhopal Municipal Corporation to shift all the dairy farms from the residential areas of the state capital to the outskirts by June 15. The deadline was not followed by the over 700 dairies, which were still found operating in the city.

Last year in April, the minister of state for urban development informed the state legislative assembly that the government was considering shifting all dairies in Bhopal outside the city.

The minister said this while responding to a question of Bharatiya Janata Party legislator Mahendra Hardiya, who wanted to know why authorities were not removing a dairy operating in Bhopals Arjun Nagar despite locals complaining that it was running illegally over encroached land.

Bhopal in the BJP-ruled state emerged as the second cleanest city in the third edition of the Swachh Survekshan, which was carried out nationwide during January and February, under the Clean India campaign in May.

Launched in 2014, the Swachh Bharat campaign aims to make India clean and open-defecation free by 2019, the 150th birth anniversary year of Mahatma Gandhi.

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Actor Ayushmann Khurrana debuted in Bollywood as Delhi boy Vicky Arora, in the film Vicky Donor. But, it wasnt just this role that drew him closer to the Capital. Delhi has always been my second home. My entire maternal family stays in Delhi, says Ayushmann, opening about his relationship with the city.

On a recent trip to the city, when the actor indulged in conversation about his relationship with Delhi, the peppiness in his voice was evident. I miss Appu Ghar  the amusement park of the yesteryears, exclaims Ayushmann, and gradually, the Chandigarh-born stars affiliations with Delhi, start showing up.

Ive always visited the book fair at Pragati Maidan. I like the smell of the old paper in the books. So, that place used to be like a candy shop for me. I love the feel of the Khan Market, especially in winters, says Ayushmann, who was recently seen in two back to back films  Shubh Mangal Savdhan and Bareilly Ki Barfi.

The actors gastronomic tryst with the capital is good enough to advise any food lover to try the best of the delicacies available here. When youre in Delhi, its most important that you go for the late night eating joints. Not just Pandara Road, but also Old Delhi and Chachas joint just outside India Habitat Centre; it serves mouth-watering kebabs and phirni. Now this is one lip-smacking advice!

Follow @htshowbiz for more

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For nine long years, actor Shamita Shetty stayed away from Bollywood, and made a career in interior designing. Now, she is back to acting with a web series, titled Yo Ke Hua Bro.

Asked if she was nervous facing the camera after such a long time, the actor says that its only natural to feel so. But this is something that I absolutely love doing. On the first day of my shoot, I went to my director asking him if I was doing it right, and he explained to me that [because] I hadnt acted for so long... you tend to unlearn everything. He was very encouraging, says Shamita, who made her Bollywood debut with Mohabbatein (2000).

Recalling the time when she worked on her debut film, the actor says that shooting for this web series after such a long break was no different  she again felt like a debutante actor.

When I shot for Mohabbatein, I didnt really know much about acting. I didnt know right or wrong angles, what worked for me, how to do things. You learn all these over the years and because I didnt have all that information, I could perform bindaas (carefree). While doing this web series, I felt [as if] I was working in my first film all over again, shares a nostalgic Shamita.

Known for the longest time in her career as Shilpa Shettys sister, Shamita admits that it took much effort to find her niche. About any apprehensions regarding her comeback, Shamita says, If I wasnt sure about this venture, I wouldnt have gotten into that area. Ive always been like this  unless Im a hundred per cent convinced, I just dont choose to be a part of the film.

Follow @htshowbiz for more
Indias ride-hailing company Ola on Monday secured $2 billion in new funding from a group of investors, including SoftBank Group Corp and Tencent Holdings Ltd, Bloomberg reported, citing a person familiar with the matter.

The funding round isnt finished yet and the amount could change, the person said.

The funding is also backed by venture capital fund jointly run by Indian industrialist Ratan Tata, the University of Californias investment arm and US institutional investors, Bloomberg said, citing people familiar with the deal.

Japans SoftBank has been looking to play consolidator in Indias flourishing startup ecosystem with investments that include about $1 billion in e-commerce company Snapdeal and $70 million in grocery delivery group Grofers.

Ola and SoftBank declined to comment, while Tencent was not immediately available for comment.
Shares of Indias Reliance Communications tumbled as much as 7.8% in early trade on Tuesday to an all-time low after the company scrapped a proposed merger of its wireless arm with rival Aircel, raising doubts about a debt-reduction plan.

Shares in RCom were trading at Rs 17.90, down 6.77%, at 0400 GMT, after dropping to a low of Rs 17.70. Indian markets were closed on Monday for a public holiday.

Reliance Communications said on Sunday it is reassessing debt repayment options after calling off the merger deal, citing regulatory delays and legal uncertainties.

The company is saddled with net debt of about $6.8 billion. It has earned a temporary reprieve from its banks, who have agreed to a standstill on its debt obligations as part of a planned debt restructuring.

The reprieve was largely predicated upon RCom reducing debt by Rs 250 billion by merging its wireless unit with Aircel, a subsidiary of Malaysias Maxis Communications, and selling a stake in its mobile masts arm to a unit of Canadas Brookfield Asset Management.

Late on Sunday, RCom said it had agreed with Aircel to call off the merger due to regulatory delays and legal uncertainties. It is unclear whether the collapse of the RCom-Aircel deal will affect the Brookfield transaction.
Naziya Naaz, 17, like many of her fellow students in class 12 at the Government Girls' Senior Secondary School, can't turn on a computer or speak much English. The broken English she does know came not from school but a two-month-long free training programme at a private institute.

Naziya's 14-year-old brother, Salman Raza, does not have these problems. He can speak decent English and feels at ease using a computer. Salman, unlike Naziya, goes to a private school.

Reena Jha, 17, one of Naziya's classmates, faces the same situation. Her youngest brother, Shivam Jha, 11, also goes to a private school.

Reena's been the butt of jokes as a result. "Till a few years ago, I used to take a mat to school, as we did not have chairs to sit on," said Reena. "He used to tease me by saying, 'Tum bora leke school jati ho' (you take a mat to school)."

Shivam never had to take a mat to KSK Academy, where classrooms have fans, boards, projectors, and the right number of desks and chairs.

In Delhi, it's typical for families to send their girls to government schools they think are dysfunctional while sending their boys to private schools they think prepare the way for success. In the last four years, Delhi government schools have been 52% female and 48% male, while private schools citywide have been 60% male and 40% female.

At the pahadi school, as Naziya and Reena's school is known locally, the student body is 64% female. Yet according to census data, Naziya and Reena's neighbourhood, Sangam Viharm, is only 46% female.

Interviews with families in Sangam Vihar and experts in the Indian education system showed that all sorts of difficult financial circumstances usually lead to the same conclusion: gender discrimination in schooling.

Much like many families in Delhi that favour sons over daughters, Naziya goes to a government school, her younger brother goes to a private school.

"Private schools are English-medium and give better education," said Lalita Devi, Reena's mother. "That is why I send my son to the private school. His school has teachers for all subjects and facilities such as computer labs."

But then why does Reena go to a government school?

"It was due to financial constraints that I had to send her to a government school," Devi said. "If I had the money, I would have sent her to a private school too."

It's the same for Naziya, whose parents say giving her a quality education would be unaffordable even while they send their son to a private school.

"Due to financial constraints, I sent my daughters to a government school," said Aasma, Naziya's mother. "But my son is younger and by the time I had to send him to a school, my financial situation was a little better, so I put him in a private school."

Naziya, however, subscribes to another explanation. "Of course it is because of gender-based discrimination," she said. "Parents think that a girl will go to a different family after marriage but the son will remain with them, so they prefer to educate him better."

Reena helps her brother get ready for his relatively expensive private school.

An extra burden

Naziya is certainly correct about Reena's mother.

"I love my daughter and I want the best for her. But this is how the society works," said Devi. "When my daughter is married, I cannot depend on her, but my son will be answerable to me and will have to take care of me."

Devi said that she needs to save for Reena's wedding, and spending on private education would be an extra burden.

What about marriage expenses for their son? "I have no tension about him. He is a boy," Devi said.

Devi's plans for her children's future fit conveniently with her conception of what would be best for them now.

"My son is too young right now and very naughty," she said. "I don't know what will become of him. But my daughter is really bright and I know she can do well even if her school doesn't have as many facilities."

Asked about her mother's views, Reena was reminded about past encounters with sexism. She recalled how her elder sister, who is married, had to struggle with her in-laws to get permission to come visit them when her father had a brain haemorrhage.

"This needs to change, but as of now it is the reality of our society," Reena said.
DEHRADUN: Excessive harvesting of Brahma Kamal, the state flower of Uttarakhand, for religious purposes has threatened the survival of the plant species, which grows above an altitude of 14,000 feet, scientists said.

The species  its botanical name is Saussurea obvallata  is found in the Himalayas. The species is declining around the shrines of Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath. Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary, Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve and Askot Wildlife Sanctuary are the only areas where the species is protected.

The flower is extensively used in all four shrines and other temples in higher-altitude areas as offerings. But no one is paying heed its conservation and plantation. If this continues, the species would soon disappear, GS Rawat, dean (academics) at the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), told Hindustan Times.

Brahma Kamal, named after Brahma, the god of creation, remains intact throughout its life cycle. It blooms only one night in a year, exposing its star-like petals. The one who sees the blooming flower, it is believed, is blessed by Brahma, and will have prosperity and wealth.

The white-petal flowers, priests say, are the most sacred and should be offered in temples. The flower is of great significance in rituals performed at the shrines and other temples, said Kuber Nath Posti, a priest at Kedarnath shrine.

Concerned over the over-harvesting of the flower, Rawat said, Its important to start a species recovery programme immediately if we wish to safeguard it (the flowering plant).

Experts suggest farming of the species, naturally confined to high-altitude areas, in other areas of the state. Areas in Nainital, Rudraprayag, Chamoli, Pithoragarh and Almora are considered suitable for plantation. The institute, however, hasnt recommended this to the forest department.

We have already alerted the department. If they wish, we can involve ourselves in its conservation programme, Rawat said.

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For the past 72 hours, police across Delhi have been looking for an Afghan national, who escaped their custody on Saturday by allegedly feigning an illness.

Ahmed Javid, 54, arrested three years ago for allegedly smuggling heroin from Afghanistan, complained of chest pain and stomachache and was rushed to the jail hospital on September 29 night, according to prison officials.

While the jail doctor examined the undertrial and admitted him to the hospital, he complained of uneasiness the following morning. Around 11am, he was rushed to All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in a jail ambulance, escorted by jail officials and two armed Delhi Police officers. At AIIMS, he was taken to a room teeming with other prisoners where he took advantage of the crowd and fled. Jail officers suspect he must have feigned his illness.

DCP South Ishwar Singh confirmed the prisoners escape and said an FIR has been registered. Our teams are on the look-out for the man, he said.

The two policemen have been suspended for dereliction of duty. A departmental inquiry has been ordered against the two.

In their statement, the two suspended police officers alleged that after reaching AIIMS, one of them had gone to inform the hospitals police post about the prisoner patient. The other constable had taken him to a hospital room reportedly teeming with other prisoners.

The two alleged that taking advantage of the crowd at AIIMS, while the two police officers were guarding the room, Javid escaped. The police control room and the local police at the Hauz Khas police station were informed but despite the two teams searching the hospital complex, he could not be traced.

An investigating officer told Hindustan Times, We checked the CCTV cameras but Javid was not seen. We have his photographs and will circulate it across all police stations. We have raided some of his possible hideouts but are yet to find him. The search is on.

Jail officers said he was arrested under the NDPS Act for allegedly smuggling the contraband. He was lodged in jail 8/9 of the prison complex.

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Three years ago, Kuldeep Singh, the then station house officer (SHO) at the Defence Colony police station in Delhi, allegedly sent lewd phone messages to a woman during the course of an investigation. On one occasion, he allegedly dropped by her office and forcibly kissed her.

The woman complained to his higher-ups. An inquiry was conducted, following which Singh was let off with a warning. He now serves as the SHO of Neb Sarai.

A Right to Information (RTI) application filed by Hindustan Times found that although four SHOs were charged with molesting women from 2012 to 2016, only one was booked and is still facing trial.

Of the other three, two SHOs said they were let off after complainants withdrew charges against them while the third was given a clean chit.

The Delhi Police had named just three SHOs in its initial response to the RTI query. It was only when HT filed a fresh application with specific details of Singhs case that it disclosed his name.

A fifth case that was reported in the media in 2016 did not figure in the RTI response at all.

When contacted, the SHO in question admitted that a woman had lodged a complaint against him before the magistrate, but said that the complaint was later withdrawn.

In its RTI reply, Delhi Police said these cases were closed but refused to part with inquiry reports.

According to the written complaint against Singh to the Delhi Polices vigilance cell in 2014, a copy of which is in HTs possession, the former Defence Colony SHOs overtures were followed by a flurry of SMS apologies for his behaviour.

Additional deputy commissioner of police (vigilance cell) NS Minhas stated in his response to HTs query that a show-cause notice was issued to Singh, following which he was warned to be more careful in the future.

A request for the investigation report in this connection was rejected on the grounds that it contained personal data as well as third-party information.

Singh, for his part, insisted he was cleared of all charges. The allegation was made against me while I was investigating a case related to education. An inquiry was conducted, but they found nothing, he said.

A source said the matter was escalated to high levels in the police department, but was then abruptly swept under the carpet. They did not even provide the complainant with a copy of the inquiry report despite repeated requests in this regard, he added.

Speaking to HT, former chief information commissioner MM Ansari slammed the Delhi Police for allegedly concealing facts. Its a serious issue. I dont think an inquiry report can be termed as third-party information, he said.

Delhi Commission for Women head Swati Maliwal said that the incident portrayed the hypocrisy behind the city polices mission to ensure womens safety. They did not adopt the correct approach. An FIR should have been filed, and a proper investigation launched into the complaint.

Their allegations, however, were dismissed by special commissioner (operations) Deependra Pathak. Delhi Police is a top-class professional force, and it works hundred percent within the folds of law, he said, without going into the specifics of the case.

The fifth police officer against whom molestation charges were filed was cleared of molestation charges. He was later arrested for allegedly abetting the suicide of a woman and is facing trial in that case.

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New toilets are springing up in Delhi, a megapolis of more than 20 million people that is short on public convenience but long on queues of men relieving against a roadside wall.

Some of these public toilets built with taxpayers money are allegedly coming up near facilities that already exist but no longer in use because of lack of maintenance.

The building frenzy is spurred by the citys three BJP-ruled municipal corporations, which are allegedly hard-pressed to showcase their performance on the third anniversary of the governments signature Swachh Bharat Abhiyan  a mission to modernise sanitation in India.

Read: Delhi rejects 70% applications for toilets under Swachh Bharat Abhiyan

The civic agencies resolved this May that there will be enough public toilets to prevent people from defecating in the open. They announced to achieve the target by October 2, the day Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the cleanliness drive three years ago.

The south and east corporations said in August they would meet the target, but the northern agency called for time till December 15.

But construction began a few weeks ago hurriedly just for the Swachh Bharat campaign, according to Rakesh Kumar, the Ajmeri Gate councillor and opposition leader in the North Delhi Municipal Corporation.

The corporation should maintain existing toilets and make efforts to open unused ones instead of constructing more. I opposed the construction as it encroaches upon a park, he said.

With little time to complete projects, the civic agencies ignored building standards and built toilets at places without looking if a public convenience is required there or not, opposition political parties and residents alleged.

A toilet in Deshbandhu Gupta Park, opposite Kamla Market in the Ajmeri Gate area, is one such instance. The brickwork is almost complete but shopkeepers in the area alleged that the toilet is built without safety features such as pillars or iron beams.

Located close to New Delhi railway station, there are at least six toilets in the vicinity  one right across the road, barely 50 metres away. But most of these are in bad shape and unusable.

They started constructing a month ago  without any support of pillars or iron beams, said a man who runs an eatery nearby.

Read: Soon, an app to locate 1800 MCD toilets in Delhi, file a complaint if it is not clean

The north civic agencys spokesperson dismissed the allegations, saying the department of environment management services (DEMS) surveys a place requiring a new toilet.

Toilets are built in areas that record a high footfall. Ajmeri Gate is a busy place and the authorities found it necessary to build another toilet. The unused unit needs to be checked, he said.

Aya Nagar under the south corporation is teeming with 125,000 people but didnt have public toilets until two were sanctioned recently. These will be barely hundred metres away from each other.

There are places such as Jonapur and Ghitorni, where there are no public toilets. More than one lakh people live in these two areas. Repeated appeals to the civic officials have fallen on deaf ears, alleged Ved Pal, the Congress councilor of the area.

Residents complained that hundreds of people are forced to defecate in the open.

A senior civic official said mobile toilets are being provided in several areas and the municipal corporation will build some soon.

Kalyanpuri in east Delhi has four public toilets and two more are being built along the Chand Cinema road. But six is too low a number for thousands of people living there.

Residents said open defecation is rampant as existing toilets are unusable.

Nothing was done through the year despite repeated appeals. Now that the campaign is about to enter its fourth year, they started constructing toilets under pressure, alleged Kuldeep Kumar, the councilor for Kalyanpuri.

A senior official of the east corporation reaffirmed the agencys commitment to make the 64 wards of in east Delhi open defecation free by October 2.

We are constructing new toilets and  efforts are on to keep existing toilets operational, he said.

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As India celebrates the completion of three years under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, in the heart of its capital, visitors at the Chandni Chowk market, especially women, are still left floundering for a swachh public restroom.

Chandni Chowk market, which caters heavily to a female customer base, is the go-to destination for wedding shoppers, jewellery buyers and even spice lovers.

According to the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), in August 2017, the combined average daily footfall at the Chandni Chowk, Chawri Bazar, Lal Quila and Jama Masjid metro stations exceeds 1,00,000, speaking volumes of the number of people who visit the market and nearby areas.

However, for these shoppers, especially women, a call from nature can prove to be the most unpleasant disruptions to their days plans.

According to Sanjay Bhargava, the president of the Chandni Chowk Sarv Vyapar Mandal, a traders association, the area has no facility for women that is clean or hygienic.

I dont use the public restrooms here. I hold it in as long as I can, or I go to the gurdwara. It is cleaner. I dont know what kind of diseases you could catch if you were to use these restrooms, said Renu (who goes by her first name), who sells bags on the streets.

Though there are a few public restrooms in the area, but the ones that HT visited were almost unusable. One of the bigger ones in the area is located on HC Sen Marg, or the faware wale road, but the unbearable stench and vessels cut out of old oil containers provided for washing makes it next to impossible to use. At the other end, near the Jama Masjid police station, the toilet for women is essentially a single faeces-stained room with a hole in the floor  no commodes, no mugs or buckets.

The metro stations in the area, Chawri Bazaar, Lal Quila, and Jama Masjid also have restrooms, but only passengers would have access to these, as they are on the other side of the entry gates. At Chandni Chowk station, the guards said that people can use the Sulabh toilets without having to purchase a ticket, but many complain of unclean conditions here too.

Ladies visit, kids visit, this is a familys market. There are restrooms in the gurdwara that are clean, but you cant go in all the time, can you? Even the ones in the metro stations are in poor condition, said Neha (who goes by her first name), a shopper in the area.

Nitin Panigrahi, the deputy general manager (project and administration) of the Shahjahan Redevelopment Corporation (SRDC) which is the body working on the redevelopment of Chandni Chowk, said that they were aware of the issue, and they were looking into it as a part of their redevelopment plans. However, he noted that as the Public Works Department (PWD) would be the executing agency for the project, he could not commit on a date by when these would be ready.

PWD principal secretary Ashwani Kumar, however, passed the buck to the MCDs citing the MCD Act, 1957, which puts the responsibility of building public latrines and urinals on the shoulders of the municipal corporation.

Alka Lamba, the MLA from the constituency, also blamed the MCD. The Delhi government has built toilets in the bylanes. And we also know that the restaurants and hospitals in the areas, allow women to use the facilities when needed. The problem is that the MCD can provide space for encroachments, but not for fully functional toilets, she said.

The North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) said that in addition to the ones that HT visited, there is another toilet next to the Town Hall, and that it is in the process of building more.

The major problem is maintenance as the footfall in the area is too high. There is also a scarcity of land. For men, it is easy to build urinals in confined areas; for women we need more land, said an NDMC spokesperson.

While the different agencies are busy passing the buck and playing the blame-game, the common woman is left stranded.

People who live in the area can head home. Otherwise, you should make friends with people who stay here. There is no other way. Men can go anywhere. It is the women who get stuck, said Rama Devi, a fruit vendor in the Dariba Kalan street.

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In its maiden assembly elections in Gujarat, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has focussed on Patidar votes  the community which has been up in arms against the BJP government in home state of PM Narendra Modi.

Of the 20 seats shortlisted by AAP for contesting December polls, 12 are in Patidar dominated areas and rest are reserved Dalit and tribal constituencies. Of these 12, Petlad is the only Congress bastion; the rest have been BJP strongholds for many years.

The community of industrialists and farmers has supported BJP for almost three decades. This time the community youth, demanding OBC reservation in government jobs and educational institutions led by Hardik Patel, have given a call to defeat it.

The results in Dalit and tribal seats that the AAP has been focusing have swung in favour of BJP, Congress, NCP or even independents in recent years. As per the history of the state, voters have never accepted a third option other than BJP and Congress. The small alternatives have only benefitted the BJP.

The Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP had raised issues of corruption, unemployment and farmers and its pitch is quite similar to that of the Congress. AAP is not the only claimant for anti-BJP and Congress votes. The NCP, which so far has contested as a Congress ally, has announced to contest from 100 of total 182 segments in Gujarat. Besides, former CM Shankersinh Vaghela, who resigned from Congress before August Rajya Sabha elections, declared support to Jan Vikalp, a party that claims to be an alternative to the BJP and the Congress.

Unlike options available in the past, AAP is not a product of faction that would have come out of BJP or Congress, said spokesperson Harshil Nayak.

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Overlooking norms set for Vidhayak Adarsh Gram Yojana (VAGY), the state government has distributed extra (more than mandated) funds, as per an announcement that chief minister ML Khattar had made under the scheme to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLAs in Haryana.

As per norms announced by the CM, funds up to Rs 50 lakh can be granted to a gram panchayat that has less than 5,000 population.

The VAGY, started in Haryana on the patterns of Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana, requires MLAs to adopt a gram panchayat each and work for its holistic development.

The scheme encouraged legislatures to bring a change in three villages each and make them adarsh grams (ideal villages).

The scheme did not involve any grant of money. However, when it did not receive any positive response, chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar announced grant of funds to the MLAs according to the population of the villages they have adopted.

As per norms announced by the CM, funds up to Rs 50 lakh can be granted to a gram panchayat that has less than 5,000 population, up to Rs 1 crore to a panchayat with population between 5,000 and 10,000, and up to Rs 2 crore for population above 10,000.

However, data reveals that the government has not followed these norms in distributing grants to many BJP MLAs. For example, Bhiwanis Haluwas village adopted by BJP MLA Ghanshyam Das Saraf has a population of 3,900, for which it is eligible to get funds up to Rs 50 lakh.

But records show Saraf has been granted Rs 91.3 lakh by the government. Similarly, Haryana education minister Ram Bilas Sharma has been given Rs 1.05 crore for development of Nangal Sirohi village that has a population of 6,100. Uchana Kalan MLA Prem Lata has been given Rs 86 lakh for adopting Jinds Khanda village that has a population of 3,620. The list goes on for many other lawmakers of the ruling party.

When HT contacted Ashok Kumar Meena, director of the rural department, over why extra funds have been distributed to BJP MLAs, he claimed that no norms had been laid for granting funds under the scheme.

The transcript of CMs announcement is, however, available on Haryana vidhan sabha website.

HT also spoke to a couple of opposition MLAs who have got no money so far under the scheme. They were critical of the government for the step-motherly behaviour. The BJP MLAs have been getting money in crores, while my party leaders have been given nothing by government. This is all their politics. I have asked Sirsa deputy commissioner many times for funds for my village, but she has always told me in return that money was not available. They have money just for the BJP, said leader of the opposition Abhay Chautala, who has adopted Jamal village in Sirsa.

It is not that all opposition MLAs have not been given funds under the scheme. Records that HT accessed show the government following proper norms in granting funds to few Opposition MLAs.

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BJP president Amit Shah offered prayers at the famous Rajarajeswara Temple in Kannur on Tuesday morning hours before kicking off a rally against alleged Left front violence in a district that has seen scores of political deaths.

Shahs yatra in Payyannur in the district is aimed at increasing the BJPs footprint in a state it has never been a strong force in, let alone being in power.

The BJP president arrived at Mangalore airport early this morning and reached the temple by road from Bakel, an official in the partys state media department said. He was accompanied by state BJP leaders.

The 15-day march is against alleged red terrorism unleashed by the Left against BJP and Sangh parivar workers, saffron party leaders said. The Jan Raksha Yatra (peoples protection march) from

Payyannur will travel through the state before culminating in Thiruvananthapuram on October 17. Several Union ministers will also participate in the march under the theme of All have to live!! Against Jihadi-Red Terror.

As many as 120 BJP workers, 84 in Kannur alone, have been killed in the state since 2001 with 14 of them in the chief ministers home town since he took over the reins last year, the BJP has alleged.

The CPI(M) has, in turn, accused the BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) of resorting to violence and denied the involvement of its government and leadership in political killings.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah on Tuesday came down heavily on ruling CPI(M) in Kerala saying the party never believed in democracy and held chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan responsible for most of the political murders in north Kerala.

Inaugurating the 15-day state-wide Jan Raksha Yatra (peoples protection march) in Kannurs Payyanur, Shah said his party will use all democratic means to expose the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and organise protest marches at many places including the left partys headquarters in New Delhi.

Since the LDF government came to power 13 of our workers got killed. Some of the gory murders took place in CMs own constituency. He is answerable to these killings, he said.

He added violence in the state has increased manifold ever since the Left Democratic Front (LDF) started its rule and also questioned human rights activists who he said continued to keep silence over political killings.

The politics of intolerance cant continue like this. Violence is no means to ideology. Communists should introspect why their ideology is vanishing all over the world. We have seen its plight in West Bengal, he said adding that Communists often turn champions of rights elsewhere but in Kerala, they annihilate their political opponents brutally.

The BJP president spoke in Hindi and his speech was simultaneously translated into Malayalam.

As many as 120 BJP workers, 84 in Kannur alone, have been killed in the state since 2001 with 14 of them in the chief ministers hometown since he took over the reins last year, the BJP has alleged.

Three BJP workers were attacked by suspected CPI(M) workers in Neeleswaram town in Kasargod district ahead of the march on Monday. The attack took place around 9:30pm when the BJP workers were decorating a part of the National Highway 66 for the march.

The CPI(M) has, in turn, accused the BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) of resorting to violence and denied the involvement of its government and leadership in political killings.

Shahs yatra in Payyannur in the district is aimed at increasing the BJPs footprint in a state it has never been a strong force in, let alone being in power.

The BJP will expose CPI(M)s political intolerance and throw enough light on growing fundamentalist activities in the state, said state president Kummanam Rajasekharan, who is leading the yatra.

Earlier in the day, the BJP chief visited the Rajarajeswara Temple in Thaliparambha and offered prayers at the ancient shrine.

During his three-day camp in the district, Shah will also meet families of victims of political violence and address a meeting in Pinarayi, the chief ministers village on October 5. He will cover the distance of 16km on foot a day.

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath will be joining the party president on Wednesday. Many central ministers, including Nirmala Sitharaman, Smriti Irani and Ananth Kumar, are also expected to address the march at different venues.

Shah will also address the concluding session in the state capital on October 17.
An Army jawan was killed on Tuesday as Pakistani forces violated the ceasefire by firing from across the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmirs Poonch district, an official said.

Pakistan Army initiated unprovoked firing on Indian Army posts in the Krishna Ghati sector at around 1250 hours today. Indian Army retaliated strongly and effectively, a defence spokesman said.

In the exchange of fire, Naik Mahendra Chemjung was grievously injured and succumbed to injuries, he added.

Chemjung, 35, belonged to Chilingdin in Nepal and is survived by his wife Nayan Kala Chemjung and a son, the spokesman said.

Chemjung was a brave and sincere soldier. The nation will always remain indebted to him for the supreme sacrifice and devotion to duty, he added.

On Monday, two minors were killed and 12 civilians injured in cross-border shelling by Pakistan along the LoC in Poonch district.

Five children were among the injured, the youngest being five-year-old Zobia Kousar, who was airlifted to a hospital in Jammu.
The West Bengal excise department plans to use intensive satellite imagery to crack down on poppy cultivation and narcotics trade along the India-Bangladesh border by the end of this year or early next year.

The department plans to bring certain pockets in Malda and Murshidabad -- two districts notorious for illegal poppy cultivation and narcotics trade -- under intensive satellite imagery system. Illegal poppy cultivation is used mostly to produce opium.

According to state excise department sources, this system will capture minute details of the areas under focus. With these images one can identify crops and even detect movement of people across the border.

Certain central agencies such as Narcotics Control Bureau, Border Security Force and Sashastra Seema Bal are using this high-end satellite tracking system. The state government will talk to the Centre for installing the system for the state excise department, a senior officer of the Bengal excise department told HT.

Bengal will be the second state after Odisha to install this system. Odisha installed the system earlier this year to keep track of Maoists suspected of being involved in the narcotics trade.

According to the officer, the proposed pockets in Malda district in focus include Kaliachak, Manikchak, Harishchandrapur and Malatipur. In Murshidabad district, Raninagar, Suti and Jalangi and a few other areas will be under the scanner.

Since December 2016, the Malda district police have been using drones to track illegal poppy cultivation in the blocks that are close to the Indo-Bangladesh border.

Read more: Punjabs Jalandhar sees rise in seizure of poppy husk coming from Jammu and Kashmir

Some farmers are switching to illegal poppy cultivation from other crops as it is far more profitable. Intelligence agencies have learnt that people from Bangladesh invest money in poppy cultivation in these areas.

The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act or NDPS Act empowers the Central Government to permit and regulate cultivation of opium poppy for medical and scientific purposes but most cultivation are illegal.

Our special focus will be Golapgunj, a remote village in the Kaliachak block of Malda district. According to NCB inputs, besides catering to the narcotics requirement in Bangladesh, this remote village has recently turned out to be an important narcotics sourcing hub for Russian-origin drug kingpins operating from the Morjim and Mandrem beaches in Goa, the excise department official said.

The matter will be discussed in detail after the state government resumes business after Lakshmi puja. If necessary, we will also seek technical assistance from different central agencies already having the system, he said.

The excise department will also attempt to resurrect the erstwhile joint task force of different central and state agencies so that a coordinated counter-attack against this narcotics racket can be launched.

On September 12, a joint team of BSF and NCB seized one kilogram of opium from Kaliachak. The opium was seized from two persons who were on their way to deliver it to a contact near Kaliachak town.

In April this year, three persons died in Mominpara village under Kaliachak police station after they descended into a well to retrieve illegally hoarded poppy and poppy seed pods. They had inhaled toxic gas in the well and perished.

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A Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader was shot dead outside a hostel near the University of Allahabad in Uttar Pradeshs Allahabad late on Monday, police said on Tuesday.

Enraged BSP workers staged a violent protest and torched a roadways bus demanding the early arrest of the culprits. Heavy police force was rushed near the Indian Press Crossing to control the situation.

Preliminary investigations revealed Rajesh Yadav had gone to meet someone at Tara Chand Hostel with his friend Dr Mukul Singh where he had an altercation with some people.

BSP leader Rajesh Yadav, who was shot dead.

Dr Singh told the police that some people attacked the BSP leader and opened fire at him at around 2.30am. Yadav sustained a bullet injury on his stomach and was rushed to a private hospital by Dr Singh where he died while undergoing treatment.

Allahabad superintendent of police Siddarth Shankar Meena said some empty cartridges were found in Yadavs vehicle.

TV reports said on Tuesday two buses were set on fire and a hospital was attacked allegedly by BSP workers.

Police are investigating the incident and an FIR will be lodged after receiving a complaint, officials said.

A native of Duguna village of Bhadohi, Yadav contested the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections in 2017 on a BSP ticket.

Reports said Yadav lived with his family at Haritkunj Apartment near Chandrashekhar Azad Park.
Jailed Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singhs daughter Honeypreet Insan denied on Tuesday that she had ever left the country or that her adopted father abused her sexually.

Honeypreet, whose real name is Priyanka Taneja and who is on the Haryana Polices most-wanted list on charges of sedition, told TV channels from an undisclosed location that she would surrender after advice from her lawyers.

In the interview she alleged that a pure relationship between her father, Singh, and her had been tarnished intentionally.

Whatever is being said is falsecant a father put his hand lovingly on his daughters head? Are emotions dead? Isnt the father-daughter relation a sacred relation? What are they getting by leveling such false allegations? she told TV channels.

Honeypreet, in her mid-30s, is on the run since August 25, hours after Singh was convicted. The police are on her trail for nearly a month and raids have been conducted in Nepal, Rajasthan, Bihar and Haryana.

Her former husband, Vishwas Gupta, had alleged that Singh had sexual relations with Honeypreet and that the cult leader had threatened to kill Gupta several times.

Honeypreet starred as the main heroine in five films he directed, produced and acted in, in three years. Singh was sentenced to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment for raping two women last month. His conviction led to violence in Panchkula and Sirsa in Haryana, leaving 38 people dead and 264 injured.

In her interviews to TV channels  her first since Ram Rahims conviction  Honeypreet said she would approach the high court and the Supreme Court against Singhs conviction. I am certain my father will be cleared.

Honeypreet said she wasnt on the run and that she went into depression after Singhs conviction.

I was at homeI didnt even knowwe were still crying about papas conviction. We were fearful, she told the news channels.

A father who has done so much for the country, can he do this?
The casket containing the relic of Chinese traveller and Buddhist scholar Xuanzang will soon be shifted from Patna to his memorial at Nalanda, in south central Bihar.

This was decided at a meeting of Nav Nalanda Mahavihar Societys syndicate, held under the chairmanship of West Bengal governor Keshari Nath Tripathi, who also holds the additional charge of Bihar, in Kolkata a few days ago.

At present, the casket containing the skull bone of the Xuanzang is kept at the Patna Museum.

In 1957, the then Chinese government had presented the relic, kept in the Temple of Great Compassion in Tianjin, to India for keeping it in the Xuanzang Memorial at Nalanda. It was handed over to then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru by Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, on behalf of the Chinese government at a ceremony held at the Nav Nalanda Mahavihar, a deemed university. The Dalai Lama fled to India during the Tibetan uprising in 1959, two years after the event .

The relic was later shifted to the Patna Museum, 90 km north of Nalanda, for security reasons.

Over half a century has passed and the Xuanzang Memorial Hall is now fully functional. The Nav Nalanda Mahavihar wants the relic back, SK Sinha, registrar of the deemed university said.

Very soon the Nav Nalanda Mahavihar vice chancellor will send a letter to the Bihar culture departments secretary to initiate the process for shifting the relic casket to Xuanzang Memorial Hall, Sinha, added.

Sinha said the syndicate meeting also decided to celebrate the foundation day of the Mahavihar on November 20. The President of the country will be invited to release the 6th volume of Pali-Hindi dictionary, he said.

Others present at the meeting included Nav Nalanda Mahavihar vice chancellor Pranav Khullar, dean Srikant Singh, academician Suniti Kumar Pathak and principal secretary to the governor Brijesh Mehrotra.

An official said the Nav Nalanda Mahavihar came into existence because of the efforts of its founder director Bhikkhu Jagdish Kashyap, who had proposed to set up the Xuanzang Memorial to pay tribute to the Buddhist scholar and his contributions to Buddhism. It was also intended to strengthen the Sino-Indian friendship, he said.

To support the project, the then Chinese government had also provided 41 volumes of Tripitak and an endowment of Rs 4 lakh for the memorial and museum building, while the Union government had sanctioned Rs 5 lakh, he said.

The construction of the memorial was started in 1961 and completed in 1984. In 2001, the Xuanzang Memorial was handed over to the Nav Nalanda Mahavihar for its renovation and creative development.

The relic was brought to Nalanda after more than five decades at the inauguration of the memorial and the museum on February 12, 2007. It was brought to Nalanda again at the international convention held at Nav Nalanda Mahavihar in March this year, he said. Now there was a plan to shift it to Nalanda permanently, he added.

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Union minister Smriti Irani on Tuesday attacked Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi for allegedly sympathising with those who raised anti-national slogans at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and asserted that the people of Gujarat would never support his party in the upcoming assembly polls.

Addressing a gathering of tribals as part of the BJPs Gujarat Gaurav Yatra - march for honour - Irani accused the Congress former governments at the Centre of stalling the Narmada project, under then chief minister Narendra Modi, out of its grudge.

The entire country had witnessed how Rahul Gandhi rushed to extend his support to those who chanted Bharat tere tukde honge (India you will be broken into pieces) in Delhi. Since this is the land of Sardar Patel and Mahatma Gandhi, I want to know if this land (Gujarat) will support Rahul (in the polls), Irani asked. The crowd responded with a resounding no.

Gujarat is likely to go to polls in December.

Reacting to Gandhis charge that no real development had taken place in Gujarat under the BJP rule, the Union minister for textiles and information and broadcasting said the Congress leader remembers the state and its people only when elections are around the corner.

Though Gujarat had fought for Narmada project, the work could not be completed in 55 years... Railways did not give permission to lay canals in Rajkot and Anand (during the UPA rule). The Congress did that out of its grudge against the BJP. It decided on not giving water till the party comes to power in Gujarat, said Irani, in her speech in Gujarati.

The Union minister added that the party wanted to settle scores with Modi.

People of Gunarat will never forget what the Congress did to them. They did not give water as they wanted to settle their score with Modi. Gujarat will not forget that one son of this soil - Sardar Patel - united this country while their (Congress) son supported those who want to break this country, she said.

Comparing Gandhis constituency Amethi in Uttar Pradesh to Gujarat to counter the Congress vice presidents take on the development in the state, she alleged that farmers there were shot at for demanding urea.

What is his definition of development? In Amethi, which has been a Congress stronghold for the last 50 years, farmers were shot at when they demanded urea. Gujarat might also remember how bullets were fired on farmers in Congress-ruled Maharashtra for demanding water, she said.
Running behind schedule in completing the initial phases of the organisational elections, the Congress has set a deadline of October 10 for all state units to submit their list of delegates eligible to elect the new party chief.

Barring Rajasthan, Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana, Kerala and Bihar, party sources said all other state units have by and large completed the process and finalised the Electoral College.

The cut-off date was set at a meeting between the partys central election authority (CEA) -- a panel overseeing the organisational elections -- and returning officers in here on Tuesday.

As per the Election Commission (EC) deadline, the Congress has to complete its internal polls by December 31 this year.

After the CEA receives the list of delegates from states, the process of electing the new president will begin. The Congress Working Committee (CWC) will meet to finalise the dates of filing and withdrawal of nominations for the party chiefs post.

The initial poll schedule circulated by the CEA to all state units and office bearers had specified that the elections will take place between September 16 and October 15.

However, the grand old party appears to be running behind that schedule.

The CWC had unanimously at its meeting on November 7 last year appealed to party vice-president Rahul Gandhi to take over the reins of the 131-year-old party.

Founded on December 28, 1885, the Congress is Indias oldest political party. Congress president Sonia Gandhi holds the record of being the party chief for more than 19 consecutive years after taking over from Sitaram Kesri in March 1998.

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Launching a counter attack on BJP chief Amit Shah, the CPI(M) on Tuesday accused him of deliberately inciting violence against its leaders and cadres.

Earlier in the day, the BJP president had alleged CPI(M) leader and Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan was directly responsible for all political murders in Kerala.

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh is not the victim, in fact a large number of CPI(M) cadres have been killed by the RSS,  Karat alleged.

He announced a two-week padyatra in all state capitals from tomorrow against the CPI(M)s alleged targeting of his partys workers.

Amit Shah is deliberately inciting violence against CPI (M) leaders and its workers. We are a recognised national party. We are here not because of Shah but because of the people. We will not tolerate this, party leader Brinda Karat told PTI.

Manufacturing of lies is flourishing under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Shah, she alleged.

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh is not the victim, in fact a large number of CPI(M) cadres have been killed by the RSS. It wants to intimidate those who stand up against its terror tactics and communal hatred, she alleged and added the Left, communists, and people of Kerala will never allow it.
Militants on Tuesday night shot dead a former panchayat member affiliated with the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir, police said.

Ghulam Rasool Ganai (52) was shot at and injured by militants at his shop in Mattan area of Anantnag, a police official said.

He said Ganai succumbed to his injuries while being shifted to a hospital. This was the third killing in South Kashmir in the last 24 hours.

Earlier, police recovered bullet-riddled body of a 22- year-old man in Kulgam District.

Showkat Ahmad Dar was kidnapped by suspected militants on Sunday.

On Monday night, a policeman was shot dead by militants in Awantipora area of Pulwama District when he was returning from the marriage ceremony of his relative.
He was good to guard a festival venue as people twirled and danced to the electronic beats of garba in Vadodara, 45km from his village.

But Jayesh Solanki, a 20-year-old Dalit labourer hired for a part-time security job in the city during the nine-day Navratri festivities, wasnt considered socially fit to watch a garba gig in his own village.

A group of upper-caste men and a boy punched and kicked Solanki, and dealt a death blow by banging his head against a brick wall, apparently upset over his watching the annual event at a temple with his brother and confronting them when warned.

The murder happened around 4am on Sunday, the last day of the festival, in Bhandariya village of Gujarats Anand district. Police arrested eight suspects, all from an upper-caste community.

They allegedly believed Dalits have no right over garba, a traditional Gujarati folk dance and song, originally performed as a fertility ritual.

Is watching garba a crime? asked Prakash Solanki, the cousin who was with the slain young man. He died protecting me, he said, choking as he recalled the fateful event.

According to Prakash, his cousin was back from guard duty in Vadodara and both went to the village temple to watch the local garba, where a man, identified as Sanjay Patel, slapped him for watching the performance.

Solanki tried to stop Patel and said they were there just like them to watch garba.

Sanjay probably did not like Jayeshs firm reply. He hurled abuses and left  and returned with seven people, who thrashed Jayesh and banged his head against a wall, Prakash said.

The teenager said they regularly went to garbas in the village, where girls from all communities sang and danced.

The suspects were charged with assault and murder, and cases were filed under the stringent anti-atrocity law for safeguarding scheduled tribes and castes. The adults were sent to jail, while the juvenile was remanded in a home for underage offenders.

Solankis grieving parents are cursing themselves for letting their son go to the village festival.

If I had stopped Jayesh from going out after he returned home from his temporary job in Vadodara, he would have been with me today, mother Madhuben said.

His 50-year-old father, Bhailal, is an agricultural labourer and the family depended on the sons income to make ends meet.

Solankis murder brought back memories of last years Dalit flogging in Una, where self-appointed cattle protectors assaulted lower-caste people who make a living out of skinning dead cows.

The age-old caste divide and discrimination runs so deep that last week two young men were assaulted in Gandhinagar district for their moustaches, considered an upper-caste privilege.

The 20 Dalit families of Solankis village are determined to get justice to the family.

We organised a meeting on Monday. The Anand collector visited us and handed a cheque of Rs 4 lakh as compensation, Prakash said.

The administration had announced an ex gratia of Rs 8 lakh.

The village has around 100 Patel households and the Dalits rarely faced any discrimination, let alone fatal atrocities.

Not all in the village treat us badly. There are Patels and Rajputs who are friendly. But we never interacted with the group that attacked us on Sunday, Prakash said.

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Honeypreet Insan, the adopted daughter of rape convict Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, was arrested on Tuesday from a highway in Punjab more than a month after she went into hiding.

Her arrest came hours after she appeared on multiple television channels to deny police charges of instigating the Dera chief chiefs followers after he was sentenced to 20 years in jail. At least 41 people were killed violence by his followers and subsequent police action.

Aditya Insaan, the Dera spokesperson, is absconding. Both of them have been charged with sedition, conspiracy to free Gurmeet and inciting violence after his sentencing.

Another aide of Gurmeet, Surender Dhiman, was arrested earlier.

Police said Honeypreet, whose real name is Priyanka Taneja, was arrested along with another woman when they were travelling along the Zirakpur-Patiala highway in an SUV. Police did not identify the other woman.

She will be produced in a local court on Wednesday, Panchkula police commissioner AS Chawla told Hindustan Times, adding that she was being interrogated by a senior woman police officer.

Earlier there were reports of her fleeing to Nepal.

At least 12 police teams were deployed in and around Chandigarh since Monday after they were tipped off about her presence in the area, Chawla added.

They found Honeypreet along with another woman in an Innova car near the Nabha Sahib Gurdwara on the Zirakpur-Patiala highway, nearly 20 km from here...the woman accompanying her was driving the vehicle, he said.

He refused to comment when asked if Honeypreet was arrested on her to surrender before a local court.

Honeypreet, accused by her former husband of having a sexual relationship with her mentor Gurmeet, was last seen when she accompanied the Dera chief on a chopper to a Rohtak jail.

Honeypreet, said to be in her thirties, parted ways with her Panchkula-based husband before settling at the Dera headquarters in Sirsa in 2009.

Over the years, she became the most powerful person in the controversial organisation after Gurmeet Singh, who has lakhs of followers.

Described in the Dera website as a prodigy, Honeypreet has a massive fan following in Facebook and Twitter.

She also acted opposite the flamboyant 50-year-old rape convict in several films and directed one of his films, MSG The Warrior Lion Heart.

In her latest interviews, Honeypreet denies her former husband allegations and claimed that Gurmeet was falsely accused of rape.

Chawla said police those who sheltered Honeypreet during her hiding also face arrest.

Some names are already under investigation. All of them are to be dealt seriously, he said.

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Indias first female combat aircraft pilots are likely to fly supersonic fighter jets after they finish the last leg of their training later this month, Indian Air Force officials told Hindustan Times on Tuesday.

Three women are currently training on British Hawk advanced jet trainers at an IAF facility at Kalaikunda in West Bengal. Bhawana Kanth, Mohana Singh and Avani Chaturvedi were commissioned as flying officers in the IAF in June 2016.

The women pilots will be assigned to fighter squadrons after they complete their training in the third week of October. Their performance has been good, a senior officer said. The women volunteered for the fighter stream after the government ended a rigid gender-based combat exclusion policy in the IAF in October 2015.

The women are likely to be assigned to a Sukhoi-30 squadron later this month, IAF sources said. They are part of a batch of around 40 flying officers training on Hawks at the Kalaikunda air force station.

The batch was supposed to be assigned to fighter squadrons in June 2017 but the plan has been delayed by four months due to training backlog and weather-related issues, officials said. Such delays are not unusual.

The women fighter pilots could be stationed together considering there are only three of them in the IAF.

The decision to allow women to fly warplanes was taken on an experimental basis, the government said in December 2015. The entry of women into the IAFs fighter stream was approved on an experimental basis for a period of five years.

The headcount of women in the armed forces is upwards of 3,300, including 1,300 in the air force, but combat roles were off limits to them until the IAF took the lead in crushing internal resistance to grant them equal opportunities.

Warships, tanks and combat positions in infantry are still no-go zones for women, who were allowed to join the armed forces outside the medical stream for the first time in 1992.

The army announced in September that it is giving finishing touches to a proposal for inducting women into the military police. The proposal is very significant as women will be inducted in the militarys non-officer cadre for the first time, although they will be in a non-combat role.

The plan is to induct 800 women in the military police with a yearly intake of 52.
People who follow diverse practices across India can be united only by the spirit of nationalism, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat said in Kolkata on Tuesday.

What unites the diverse languages, practices and ideas of India? Its the notion of Bharat Mata, Bhagwat claimed during an event held to mark the role of Sister Nivedita  a Scots-Irish social worker  in spreading the spirit of nationalism across India. All diverse languages and practices should coexist, but under the unifying idea of Bharat Mata. All diversities must be subservient to nationalism.

The RSS chief also said he will keep opposing the recommendations of the Sachar Committee as long as Muslims in India refuse to accept that they were all Hindus before being converted. He also wanted the minority community to accept the idea of Akhand Bharat.

Bharat, Hindutva and spiritualism are inseparable. Bharat will exist as long as there is dharma and spiritualism, Bhagwat said, adding that everybody  including Muslims and Christians  can live in peace in India as long as they behave like children of Bharat Mata.

The Hindutva leader described Sister Nivedita, an ardent follower of Swami Vivekananda, as the epitome of Indian nationalism. If she, a foreigner, could feel at one with Bharat, why cant we? We need to learn how to love the nation from her, he said.

Bhagwat also referred to litterateur Rabindranath Tagore in his call for unity under the Hindu nationalist banner. Rabindranath told the British that their hope of dividing Hindus and Muslims through clashes will fail because the two communities will find a way to stay united. And that way will definitely be the Hindu way, he said.

Bhagwat was in the West Bengal capital for attending an event held by the Sister Nivedita Trust to commemorate her 150th birth anniversary.

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Asian rivals India and China are bracing for a new war that promises to be a breath of fresh air and change the way we commute.

The two countries want to transform mobility from fossil fuels to electric to tackle air pollution and control international trade in clean energy, a sector that is expanding at a fast clip.

Chinas vice-minister for industry Xin Guobin announced recently his country was considering a ban on petrol and diesel-guzzling cars to phase out fossil-fuel vehicles.

India matched the announcement. Road and highways minister Nitin Gadkari last week declared the cabinet would soon take a call on the National Institution for Transforming India (Niti) Aayogs suggestion to stop by 2030 the registration of fossil-fuel vehicles.

The idea is that by 2030, not a single petrol or diesel car should be sold in India, Gadkari said.

Electric vehicles run at least partially on electricity. They use an electric motor that is powered by electricity from batteries.

The electric push by the worlds two biggest vehicle markets could spur the global clean energy market that was worth $50 billion in 2016.

Around 736,000 electric cars were sold in 2016 and the number is expected to cross 150 million by 2030, with China and India leading the pack, International Energy Agencys outlook for 2017 said, projecting an annual growth of 15.6% till 2030.

China, the agency said, was way ahead but India could leapfrog on the back of rapid expansion of the passenger light duty vehicle market. India could have more than 50 million electric cars in less than 15 years.

It is a bold target, said Sunita Narain, director general of the Delhi-based advocacy group the Centre for Science and Environment, of Gadkaris announcement.

Feasibility will depend upon what is our target  cars or mobility. Cars could be difficult but mobility (public transport) can be achieved as we will have multiple options.

Chinas first off the block

The Chinese announcement triggered a buzz. China sold the worlds most new electric vehicles (NEVs), which includes hybrids, in 2016, a 53% year-on-year increase. Sales are already up by 30% this year.

More than 1.3 million NEVs are running on Chinas roads, of which more than 75% are electric cars, government data says.

In 1990s, Chinas industrial policy focused on electric two-wheelers but sales only took off in the beginning of this decade, as prices came down and battery power improved.

China plans to build more than 12,000 charging stations before 2020 for more than five million NEVs.

Promotion of electric vehicles became a part of industrial policy in the last decade with big investments in the run up to the Olympics, said Lauri Myllyvirta, a Beijing-based global campaigner for Greenpeace.

NEVs would account for more than 40% of total auto sales by 2030, the Society of Automotive Engineers of China says.

Can India catch up?

India woke up to this growing market in 2015 when the government notified faster adoption and manufacturing of (hybrid &) electric vehicles scheme.

It gave subsidy on 160,000 vehicles but more than half of these were diesel hybrids, defeating the purpose of the programme aimed at reducing emissions.

Unlike China, India produces a very small number of electric vehicles. Most are either imported or assembled here. Nearly all the electric two-wheelers in India operated on poor quality lead-acid batteries as opposed to the state of the art lithium-ion batteries, said Anup Bandivadekar, director, passenger vehicles programme, at International Council on Clean Transportation.

Batteries, which accounted for 40% of the vehicle cost, were the real challenge, said Arunabha Ghosh, chief executive officer of Council on Energy, Environment and Water.

In 2030, the battery demand would be five times of the batteries sold across the world currently he said, adding India needed a high-quality battery-producing industry.

The Aayog has proposed incentives for vehicle manufacturers, including tax waiver and rebate on purchases.

The government intends to introduce carbon credits for electric-vehicle owners who could trade them for money.

The Aayog wants charging stations to be part of city planning and electricity charges to be lower than those for domestic consumers.

The government think-tank estimates that new age transport solutions could save $60 billion by 2030 and one gigatonne of carbon emissions  37% of Indias carbon load  between 2017 and 2030.

It would push innovative public transport, an Aayog official said.

Narain agreed, saying electric transport would ensure energy security. Having right incentives and public policy push such as government buying one lakh electric vehicles can drive down the high costs, she said.

Some trials have begun. Taxi-hailing firm Ola had deployed electric three and four wheelers for a pilot and civic bodies in Himachal Pradesh and Karnataka were keen on electric buses, Bandivadekar said.

Step in the right direction

Experts in both countries see the shift as a step in the right direction, one that could cut air pollution by half.

Two and three wheelers burn more fuel and emit about five times as much PM 2.5 as four-wheel private cars, Greenpeaces Myllyvirta said, adding China achieved a high electrification ratio in this segment.

The Indian electric car market in 2030 would be second only to China and would help in checking air pollution, Bandivadekar said.

India, like China, should first push for electric two-wheelers and then turn to public transport, they said.

A cleaner world

Both France and the United Kingdom plan to ban the sale of internal combustion vehicles by 2040. Norway is more ambitious  all light duty vehicles sold after 2025 are to be zero-emission vehicles.

If India puts a right policy in place, India and China could be competing in 2030, Bandivadekar said. If that does not happen, Indian youth will lose a big job opportunity.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday questioned independent MLA from Jammu and Kashmir Sheikh Abdul Rashid, popularly known as Rashid Engineer, in a case related to the funding of terror activities in the Valley, officials said.

Rashid, who represents the Langate assembly seat from north Kashmir, was questioned for nearly six hours and has been asked to appear again on Wednesday, the officials said.

Coming out of the NIA headquarters, Rashid did not take any questions from the waiting media persons saying, I do not wish to comment on an ongoing investigation.

Thank you for waiting but it will be inappropriate on my part to talk about the probe, Rashid, who is the first mainstream politician to have been summoned by the NIA in the case, said.

Earlier, before entering the NIA headquarters, Rashid said that he had nothing to hide.

After trial in the media started about my name, I had approached the speaker of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly to initiate a probe and find out the truth, he had said earlier in the day.

The MLA said he had full faith in the justice system.

Rashids name had cropped up during the interrogation of businessman Zahoor Watali, who was arrested by the NIA for allegedly supplying money to terror groups and separatists in the Valley.

The NIA had registered a case on May 30 against separatist and secessionist leaders, including unknown members of the Hurriyat Conference, who have been acting in connivance with active militants of proscribed terrorist organisations Hizbul Mujahideen, Dukhtaran-e-Millat, Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and other outfits and gangs, officials said.

The case was registered for raising, receiving and collecting funds through various illegal means, including hawala, for funding separatist and terrorist activities in Jammu and Kashmir and for causing disruption in the Valley by pelting the security forces with stones, burning schools, damaging public property and waging war against India, the probe agency said in the FIR.

Hafiz Saeed, the Pakistan-based chief of the Jamaat-ud- Dawa, the front of the Lashker-e-Taiba, has been named in the FIR as an accused.

The NIA has arrested 10 people so far in connection with alleged funding of terror activities case which includes pro-Pakistan separatist Syed Ali Shah Geelanis son-in-law Altaf Ahmed Shah and Watali.

Geelanis close aides Ayaz Akbar, who is also spokesperson of the hardline separatist organisation Tehreek- e-Hurriyat, and Peer Saifullah have been also been arrested.

Others in the list are Shahid-ul-Islam, spokesperson of the moderate Hurriyat Conference, Mehrajuddin Kalwal, Nayeem Khan, Farooq Ahmed Dar alias Bitta Karate, photo-journalist Kamran Yusuf and Javed Ahmed Bhat.
Grappling with a CBI case in a land-for-hotel scam and ongoing trials in the fodder scam, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad appears to have lost focus on fulfilling his family obligations of getting his two sons married.

In short, wedding bells have eluded Tej Pratap Yadav and Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, despite speculations about their marriage plans this year. The Yadav brothers  both in their late 20s  are among Bihars most eligible bachelors.

Prasads elder son and former health minister Tej Pratap was candid in admitting that marriage plans in November has been postponed given the problems his family was facing.

But the 29-year-old took potshots at the CBIs action against his parents and brother, Whenever I get married, the CBI and ghosts would all be invited.

But, he did emphasise that marriage was high on his agenda and his parents were looking for a suitable bride. I will get married when the time comes, he said.

His younger brother and leader of the opposition in Bihar legislative assembly, Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, has maintained silence on his marriage plans despite having drawn thousands of proposals from girls on a WhatsApp group during his stint as a road construction minister.

My parents will decide about it, he said, when asked about his marriage plans.

Insiders in the RJD first family claim a few serious marriage proposals for Tej Pratap and Tejashwi have come but talks have remained inconclusive due to Prasad staying busy with the ongoing trials and the CBIs FIR.

Marriage proposals keep coming for both the brothers and talks are on with a few families. Once things are settled, the weddings would be solemnised, said a senior RJD leader and close aide of the RJD chief. If sources are to be believed, the RJD chief is keen on getting both his sons married the same year, with just a short gap in between.

A month back, Prasads wife and former chief minister Rabri Devi sparked off speculations when she said she was looking for a desi bahu, especially for Tej, insisting she would prefer a girl who does not visit malls and cinema halls..

Devi later retracted on her statement, saying she was looking for well cultured girls as her daughters-in-law.

Meanwhile, another young politician, Chirag Paswan, too is waiting to enter wedlock amid reports that his parents, Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) chief Ram Vilas Paswan and Reena Paswan, were looking for a suitable girl.

Marriage proposals keep pouring in. His marriage will take place at an opportune time, Reena Paswan told a TV channel.

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The Madras high court on Wednesday gave the nod for filing an objection plea against the one-man Commission of Inquiry formed to probe then chief minister J Jayalalithaas death.

When senior advocate K M Vijayan made an appeal to cancel the Commission headed by a former high court judge, Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice M Sundar asked him to file a proper petition. It would be taken up for hearing on Wednesday.

Vijayan, who represented on behalf of the petitioner and an AIADMK worker, said the Commission should be constituted only after passing a unanimous resolution in the Tamil Nadu Assembly.

Setting up such commission is totally illegal, he told the court. He said the Commission should be headed by a retired Supreme Court judge.

The Tamil Nadu government on September 25 set up the Commission to investigate Jayalalithaas death in December and sought a report in three months.
The legacy of Mahatma Gandhi, Dr Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela is that they were exemplars of the fundamental belief that the drivers of conflict are all amenable to non-violent solutions, Indias Permanent Representative to the UN Syed Akbaruddin has said.

At an event held at the UN headquarters in New York to commemorate the International Day of Non-Violence, the top Indian diplomat said the three leaders advocated non-violence to usher social and political changes that were national in nature.

Yet their approach of peaceful, non-violent resolution of differences resonates globally, he said.

The legacy of Mahatma Gandhi, Dr Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela is that they were exemplars of the fundamental belief that the drivers of conflict are all amenable to non- violent solutions A belief that underpins the activities of the UN, Akbaruddin said.

The achievements of Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela demonstrate that the outcome of non-violent change, achieved through persuasion rather than coercion, are durable, Akbaruddin said at the meeting which was addressed by representatives from several countries in addition to Miroslav Lajcak, President of the 72nd Session of the UN General Assembly.

The UN General Assembly on June 17, 2007 voted to establish October 2  the birth day of Mahatma Gandhi  as the International Day of Non-Violence.

Since then every year October 2 is globally observed as the international day of non-violence.

Referring to the remarks made by other leaders at the UNs commemorative event, Akbaruddin said the discussion are an effort to seek pathways to tackle the situation the world is confronted with.

It is imbued with the hope that the concept of non- violence, which is as old as civilisation, can provide a path forward, he said.

As Mahatma Gandhi once said, I have nothing new to teach the world. Truth and Non-violence are as old as the hills. All I have done is to try experiments in both, on as vast a scale as I could, he said.

Observing that the message of non-violence is therefore needed more today than ever, Lajcak said, Unfortunately, we are not yet living in the world that Gandhi dreamt of. Many actors still use violence as their tool of choice. Every day there is new evidence of the destruction and human suffering, which result from this choice

Intolerance and hate speech are features of our world and International human rights and humanitarian law are constantly violated, Lajcak said.

Conflicts, violent extremism, and terrorism dont show any signs of decreasing. Even the planet is suffering from a violence of sorts, due to the harmful impact of human activities, he added.

The Gandhi Memorial centre in a Maryland suburb of Washington DC in cooperation with Embassy of India had a special evening of celebrations to mark the 148th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

Early in the morning, the Indian Ambassador to the US, Navtej Sarna, offered flora; tributes to the apostle of peace to the statue of Mahatma Gandhi located in front of the Embassy premises.

In New York, Bharatiya Vidya Bhawan joined hands with the Consulate General of India, to celebrate Gandhi Jayanti at the Gandhi Statue in Union Square Park.

The programme included offering of floral tribute and singing of Gandhijis favourite bhajans by the students of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan.

Gandhi Foundation of US and Indian Consulate in Atlanta celebrated International Day of Non-violence at the historic Gandhi statue.

Mahatma Gandhi Memorial of North Texas celebrated Gandhijis birthday on October 1st at Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Plaza in Irving, Dallas, with a large number of people participating in Gandhi Peace Walk.
Arrested Malayalam actor Dileep on Tuesday got bail from the Kerala High Court here in the actress abduction case. This was his fifth plea for bail, and the third before the high court.

He was arrested on July 10 for his alleged role in the conspiracy behind the abduction of the actress in February this year.

Justice Sunil Thomas granted bail to the actor under strict provisions. He has been directed not to influence witnesses and appear before the investigating team as and when required. The actor was also asked to surrender his passport and furnish a bail amount of Rs one lakh

The 31-year-old actress was returning from a film shoot on February 17 when she was allegedly abducted by a gang of criminals and sexually assaulted in a moving car in Kochi.

The assailants allegedly recorded the assault on their mobile phones and threatened to release the clip if she dared to approach the police. During the attack, the main accused  Pulsar Suni  allegedly hinted they were committing the crime at somebody elses behest.

She lodged a complaint with the police, who arrested all the accused allegedly involved in the crime.

The special investigation team says Suni was allegedly involved in at least 20 criminal cases who reportedly admitted that many actors used his service to settle scores. The SIT is now looking into two similar attacks.

Another woman actor had said there was a similar attempt to abduct her by the same gang but it was foiled after her husband intervened.

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Suicide attackers of Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed terror outfit carrying guns and explosives stormed a BSF camp on Tuesday morning near the highly secured Srinagar international airport, triggering a gun battle that left three militants and a trooper dead, officials said.

The officials said the militants broke into the Humhama-based 182 Battalion BSF camp around 4.30 am on Tuesday.

The attackers breached four layers of security in the highly-protected area housing the Srinagar international airport and a posh neighbourhood where many of the states whos who live.

This is the first militant attack in nearly 30 years of militancy that occurred so close to the airport. Two militants were killed in the gunbattle near the airport.

Highlights:

2.50pm: At a press conference on the attack, Kashmir IG Munir Khan said that terrorists sneaked in in the dark and one was killed at the time. Khan said the other two terrorists involved in the attack were neutralised during the operation.

He said that the BSF fought off the attack effectively and the operation was well-coordinated. He also said that there was no security lapse at the BSF camp.

Unfortunate we lost one ASI. Three jawans were injured but they are out of danger, he informed.

The IG said there was no collateral damage to civilians. He said that the airport was not attacked but that one flight was diverted.

Khan said there was no doubt that the terrorists were from Jaish-e-Mohammed.

Asserting that the attack was not a setback, he said, Request media to be reasonable before running news,as such attacks will continue to happen as long as Pakistan is our neigbour.

He said there was a manhunt on for 6-7 terrorists and that they needed to be neutralised fast.

1:49pm: Jammu and Kashmir police spokesperson confirms that the third militant has been killed.

1:06pm: Two bodies of terrorist have been retrieved, one jawan has also been killed. One terrorist is still holed up in the administrative block of the camp,  DGP told HT.

Six people have been evacuated from the camp. Five people have been evacuated from S.O (officers) Mess where the second terrorist was neutralised and one person from the administrative block where the third terrorist is holed up, said Vaid.

12:15pm:

Unhone (terrorists) camp mein ghusne ka jo saahas kiya hai iska unhe bahut bada bhugtan karna padega: MoS Home Hansraj Ahir #SrinagarAttack pic.twitter.com/F89F5LSAJH  ANI (@ANI) October 3, 2017

11:30 am: Security forces responded promptly to Srinagar terror attack and ensured there is no collateral damage to civilians, says minister of state Jitendra Singh.

10:30 am: BSF assistant sub-inspector killed in the militant attack, PTI quotes BSF officials.

#WATCH Heavy firing at BSF 182 battalion camp, operation underway. (Visuals deferred by unspecified time) #SrinagarTerrorAttack pic.twitter.com/MwhIeHdzhg  ANI (@ANI) October 3, 2017

10:15 am: Unconfirmed reports say a third militant has been killed in the operation.

9:45 am: Two militants are holed up in the administrative building and the JCO Mess. Operation is underway and senior officers are monitoring it: Deputy chief minister Nirmal Singh tells ANI

9:30 am: Police confirm the second militant has been killed and the operation is on.

Out-station bound passengers allowed towards Srinagar airport.

9 am: Unconfirmed reports say another militant has been killed. It is unclear how many militants are holed up.

8:40 am: Passengers are now being allowed into the Srinagar airport but flights have not been resumed.

8:15 am: Pakistan-based militant group Jaish-e-Mohammad claims responsibility for the attack.

JeM was behind the August attack on a police complex with residential buildings in southern Kashmirs Pulwama district. Four policemen and an equal number of paramilitary troopers were killed in the pre-dawn attack. Police had warned that the group was planning more such attacks on security forces in Kashmir.

What we know so far:

 A body suspected to be that of a militant was found. The identity is yet to ascertained, director general of police SP Vaid said.

 The militants are holed up inside the building campus of the 182nd Battalion camp, BSF officials said.

 Airport operations have been suspended as the security forces were fighting militants who had breached into the 182 battalion headquarters of BSF located in Gogoland, police said.

 This battalion is entrusted with security of runway of the Srinagar airport.

 Adjacent to the camp is the old Srinagar air field which is been run by the Indian Air force. The area also houses training centres of the BSF and CRPF.

(With agency inputs)

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A Border Security Force (BSF) trooper was killed while three sustained injuries on Tuesday after militants attacked a paramilitary complex in a high-security zone close to the Srinagar airport just before daybreak, leading to an hours-long gunfight that ended after all three suspects were killed, officials said.

According to officials and sources in the state police, search and combing operations were started after three militants were neutralised. The attack began around 4am at the 182 Battalion Camp of the BSF, located in a highly sanitised area. An Indian Air Force base, a CRPF camp and an NIA office are close by, making Tuesdays attack a worrying security breach.

Five people have been evacuated from S.O (officers) Mess where the second terrorist was neutralised and one person from the administrative block where the third terrorist is holed up, SP Vaid, the Jammu and Kashmir director general of police, earlier said confirming the death of the second militant.

Before that, inspector general Muneer Khan reported the first militants death in the morning.

The residential quarters of BSF is safe, a police source said.

#WATCH Heavy firing at BSF 182 battalion camp, operation underway. (Visuals deferred by unspecified time) #SrinagarTerrorAttack pic.twitter.com/MwhIeHdzhg  ANI (@ANI) 3 October 2017

Militant group Jaish e Mohammed claimed the attack on the BSF facility, which comes a little over a month after an identical incident in Pulwama on August 26 when 8 security personnel were killed by the outfit.

Sources said it was the Afzal Guru squad of the banned organisation which has been involved in such attacks.

The same group was also involved in one of the deadliest attack on an army installation in Uri in September 2016, in which 18 soldiers lost their lives.

The camp is located at the first entrance of the Srinagar International airport which is also an Air Force base. Sources say the militants entered the camp in army fatigue and were loaded with automatic weapons and grenades.

Two of the militants, whose bodies have been recovered, are said to be not from around the region, according to sources.

Security personnel deployed near the Srinagar airport after the attack on Monday. (Waseem Andrabi / HT Photo)

Morning flights out of the airport were cancelled, and staff and passengers were initially stopped at Humhama chowk a few kilometres before the entrance.

According to Khan, suspicious movement was noticed in the Humhama district after gunshots were heard. Firing was first reported around 4.15 am.

The injured are stable, said Khan.

Ruling out that the target of the militants was the Srinagar airport, Khan said some media organisations had said so without confirmation.

The Srinagar airport is a well guarded airport and was not the target. We only delayed one of the flights from New Delhi while the rest of the airport functions were not stalled.

Khan said the operation could have been completed quickly by using area weapons but it was avoided as the camp is surrounded by civilian areas.

While security forces initially closed the road leading up to the airport till 9 am, Khan said the facility was secure.

The attack came days after unidentified gunmen killed a BSF jawan at his residence in Bandipora district.

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At his first election rally ahead of the upcoming assembly polls in Himachal Pradesh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday hit out at the Congress saying the entire party was out on bail and asked the people to oust the Virbhadra Singh-led Congress government.

Sonia Gandhi is out on bail in the National Herald case, similarly yuvraaj (prince) is out on bail in the National Herald case. Everything is on bail -- the party, its leaders and its government are out on bail, Modi said.

Congress president (Sonia Gandhi) and vice- president (Rahul Gandhi) are on bail in the National Herald case. The situation is no less in Himachal. How long the people of the state will tolerate the government which is on bail, Modi said during his 45-minute speech in Bilaspur after laying the foundation of a Rs 1,350-crore 750-bed AIIMS hospital and an IIIT building.

This is a zamanati sarkar. When some people of Congress came to meet me, I told them the chief minister and his entire family is out on bail, why dont you change him? Strangely, they replied that our entire party is on bail, Modi said while referring to the disproportionate assets cases against Virbhadra. Now tell me, dont do we need to oust this government which is out on bail, he asked the cheering crowd.

Highlighting the corruption during the Congress-led UPA government, Modi said, Before 2014, everyday newspapers were filled with stories of corruption. But in the last three years, there is no stain of corruption on our government.

He also said that his government has approved work on 13 projects worth Rs 15,000 crore in the state which will not only bring employment but also boost the tourism sector in the state.

Roads and electricity can change the fate of Himachal. If there is non-stop power supply in the state, tourists would want to stay here. The more they stay, the more they will spend, Modi said.

Lauding the people of the state, he said Himachal has done a commendable job on the cleanliness front.

Wooing ex-servicemen in the state, Modi said: I had announced during the Mandi rally that we will give one rank, one pension. We have already disbursed three instalments that have benefitted ex-servicemen. Close to Rs 8,500 crore has been distributed and the fourth instalment would be released soon.

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Intense speculation this Durga Puja in West Bengal over the future of senior Trinamool Congress leader Mukul Roy all converged to one point  the veteran leader who was once chief minister Mamata Banerjees closest aide is likely to form his own party that will be close to the BJP.

Roy himself has indicated nothing and has maintained he will announce his plans after the Puja, which ended last Saturday. But sources close to him told HT that he will visit Delhi on October 8. The next day he may resign from Rajya Sabha. He has already resigned from the partys working committee.

Mukul Roy is likely to be with the Nationalist Trinamool Congress (NTC), the party his close followers formed in 2015 after he was sidelined in the Trinamool Congress, said a close associate of the former Union railway minister (March-September 2012).

Though its president Amitabha Majumdar said in February 2016 that NTC would be merged with Trinamool Congress, the process was not completed. Majumdar had gone to Election Commission and obtained a symbol for the party. In the EC records, NTC is still a separate political entity.

Sources said Roy himself wants to join BJP but that it would be difficult for the party to induct him directly. Roy has sought a meeting with Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat when the latter speaks in Kolkata on Tuesday. But the Sangh didnt confirm such a meeting. Over the past weeks, Roy met various BJP leaders.

The saffron partys top leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and president Amit Shah have repeatedly said that none involved in the Saradha and Narada scam will be spared  and Roy is allegedly in both scandals.

If BJP allows Roy to join, it has to surrender the plank of anti-corruption, and Mamata Banerjee can push it as an admission by BJP that the allegations against her party leaders are baseless.

However, ironically, BJP badly needs the service of a man like Roy, who knows the Trinamool Congress machinery better than anyone else in the state. For years he was a trouble shooter for the organisation and negotiated with many leaders of opposition parties to get them into Trinamool.

Trinamool leaders are apprehensive that Roy will try to weaken the party from within. He has too many eyes and ears within the party with which he was associated since its inception in late 1997, said a member of the Mamata Banerjee cabinet.

For BJP, Bengal is one of the focus states in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, when the party wants to corner at least half of the 42 constituencies in the state. During his visit to Kolkata in the second week of September, in a meeting with party workers in Kolkata, Amit Shah expressed displeasure with the state of the party organisation on various parameters in the state.

Roy can provide valuable service to BJP in these circumstances.

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In a breach of diplomatic propriety, Pakistans foreign minister Khawaja Asif branded Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a terrorist, and said the Indian government was being run by a terrorist party.

Asif made the remarks in an appearance on Geo TVs Capital Talk show, in response to external affairs minister Sushma Swarajs UN General Assembly (UNGA) speech last month, in which she had accused Pakistan of producing and exporting terrorism.

Pakistan foreign minister is a political pygmy in a powerless government kowtowing to the terror organisations. These pusillanimous comments reflect Pakistans frustration with Prime Minister Narendra Modis successful diplomacy in exposing the terror face of Pakistan to the world. That Pakistan is getting desperate is evident from these patently foolish and irresponsible comments, BJP spokesperson GVL Narasimha Rao said.

Asif made the remarks while talking about Kashmiris who have been killed in Jammu and Kashmir and civilian casualties in cross-border firing along the Line of Control and the Working Boundary, the Dawn reported.

A terrorist is their (Indias) prime minister at this time. One whose hands are stained with the blood of the Muslims of Gujarat, the report quoted him as saying.

A terrorist party is ruling them (India) - the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) is ruling them. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is like its subsidiary organisation, he said.

But Narendra Modi is an elected terrorist, Hamid Mir, the shows host, reminded Asif. The nation that elects a terrorist... what kind of nation is that? the minister retorted.

Explaining his stance, Asif said, Look at the language the Indian prime minister is using, the way Muslims are being killed over cow-related issues. And just recently, on Dussehra, they burnt the effigies of Rohingya Muslims four times, he claimed.

In Dussehra, they burn the effigies of villains... They declared Rohingya Muslims terrorists, he stressed, adding that although India was quick to call others terrorists, the biggest terrorist (is Modi). Muslims were raped and murdered under his supervision when he was chief minister (of Gujarat). The US had banned him, he said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will kickstart the Bharatiya Janata Partys poll campaign in Himachal Pradesh with a rally in Bilaspur on Tuesday. He will lay the foundation stones of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) at Bilaspur and Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) at Saloh in Una besides inaugurating a steel plant at Kandrori in Kangra.

Modis rally is significant as the saffron party lost due to infighting in 2012 and is putting all its might to regain power in the hill state that goes to the polls soon.

Hamirpur is the home ground of a host of BJP stalwarts, including former chief minister Dhumal, his son Anurag Thakur, and Union health minister Nadda.

The rally in Bilaspur is Modis third after the one at The Ridge in Shimla this year and the Parivartan Rally in Mandi last year. The BJP has so far managed to quell intra-party squabbles and is depending on Modis charisma to score a win in the elections.

In 2012, the BJP, which has 29 seats in the Vidhan Sabha, lost largely due to infighting between former chief ministers Prem Kumar Dhumal and Shanta Kumar.

This time, the BJP has set a target of 50-plus and has been running a focused campaign with scores of central leaders and chief ministers of BJP-ruled states addressing conventions and rallies in Himachal Pradesh for the past one year. Christened Abhaar Rally to express gratitude for central developmental projects, it will be held at the Luhnu ground of Bilaspur, said Pawan Rana, the BJPs organisational secretary.

Naddas turf

Bilaspur is the home turf of Union health minister JP Nadda, who has emerged as the power centre in the BJP after being inducted into the Modi cabinet. Earlier, the BJP politics in the state used to revolve around former chief ministers Dhumal and Shanta Kumar.

Bilaspur district also comprises Hamirpur parliamentary segments where the BJP is strong.

Aware that the rally will be seen as a reflection of the BJPs resurgence in the state, the party claimed that it expects a gathering of over 1 lakh.

Hamirpur is the home ground of a host of BJP stalwarts, including former chief minister Dhumal, his son Anurag Thakur, and Union health minister Nadda. The rally in Bilaspur is the second mega rally after party national president Amit Shahs Yuva Hunkar rally in Kangra last week.

Modi will lay the foundation stones of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) at Bilaspur and Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) at Saloh in Una. He will also inaugurate a steel plant at Kandrori in Kangra district. The announcement for AIIMS was made in 2015, but the party claims the project was delayed by the state government. The Congress has already laid the foundation stone of the IIIT. The BJP, however, claims it had done this without necessary clearances.

On April 27, the PM had launched the UDAN air service, connecting Shimla to Delhi. The central government has also announced 61 national highways in the state besides starting Amrit pharmacies to supply low-cost medicines. The BJP is accusing the state government of delaying the preparation of detailed project reports (DPRs) of these roads. Even central minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, who addressed a press conference here recently, lambasted the Virbhadra Singh government for not submitting DPRs of the national highways.

Aware that the rally will be seen as a reflection of the BJPs resurgence in the state, the party claimed that it expects a gathering of over 1 lakh.

The BJP launched two video series, Vidhayak Ji Jawab Do and Main Hoon Himachal, at a press conference in Bilaspur.
The issue of Rohingya Muslims, is a complex matter of ethnic cleansing and is a heart-breaking humanitarian crisis, said British minister for Asia Mark Field as he called for regional initiatives to help.

Field, in an exclusive interview to HT on Tuesday, said Brexit will bring more good news for Indian businesses.

The Central London MP, who recently travelled to the trouble-prone Rakhine state in Myanmar and held discussions with state counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, termed the Rohingya crisis heart breaking.

That is a pre-dominantly Muslim area. But those who are affected by the ethnic-cleansing include Hindus and Buddhists. It is a complex issue, Field said.

He called for regional initiatives like ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Countries) to take up a more active role in addressing the issue.

When asked about the Indian position on Rohingyas, the minister said he understood New Delhis viewpoint and suggested that all stakeholders work together to ensure the refugees can go back to Myanmar. For that, the state has to be safe for them to return, he said.

Speaking on Britains decision to leave the EU, he said Brexit will provide greater opportunities to Indian companies as EU members would not disrupt the existing mutually-beneficial business models between the two.

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The Supreme Court on Tuesday said it has the authority to review the move to deport Rohingya Muslim refugees, rejecting the NDA governments stand that the judiciary must not interfere with an executive decision.

To say this petition is not maintainable, I believe, is not correct, said an apex court bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dipak Misra. I, for one, believe from my past experience of 40 years that when a petition like this comes to us, the court should be slow to abdicate its jurisdiction.

The judge was responding to additional solicitor general Tushar Mehtas argument that the Centres submission with regard to the case was justified.

Mehta contended that the Centre had arrived at its decision (to deport Rohingya Muslims) on the basis of constitutional principles.

Various parameters are considered before the government arrives at an executive decision, he said. It could be diplomatic considerations; whether a country can sustain refugees; what would be the repercussions of providing shelter among the local population therefore, executive decisions should be left to the government unless any motive is attributed.

Earlier, senior advocate Fali S Nariman had read out a 2011 directive by the UPA government that assured protection to refugees. He insisted that the present governments decision to deport the Rohingyas went against consistent decisions taken in the past in tune with international obligations.

CJI Misra asked Mehta to take Narimans submissions into consideration. They have raised concerns about women and children. They also feel that India should live up to its commitments and take steps to protect this large community. Just think about it, he said, adjourning the case till October 13.

The Centre, meanwhile, filed a rejoinder affidavit in the case. Sticking to its stand that the apex court should not interfere with a core executive function, the document stated that decisions on illegal immigrants are taken on a case-to-case basis.

There cannot be any comparison or claim of discrimination based on an earlier decision taken with respect to one set of illegal immigrants vis-a- vis another set of illegal immigrants, it added.

The document also stated that as New Delhi is not a signatory to the United Nations Convention of 1951 or the Protocol of 1967, they are not binding on the country. Hence, the Centre has the right to deport illegal immigrants in accordance with Indian laws, thereby protecting the fundamental rights of its own citizens in the interests of national security.

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The Supreme Court on Tuesday questioned its earlier order directing the National Investigative Agency to probe the alleged forced conversion and marriage of a Hindu woman in Kerala.

In a hearing, Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra questioned a Kerala high court order in May that annulled the marriage between Hadiya, who converted to Islam, and Shafin Jahan. The apex courts u-turn is another twist in the case which sparked a national controversy earlier this year.

Hadiya, who was born as Akhila Ashokan, has been confined to her fathers house in Thiruvananthapuram for the past four months after the Kerala high court annulled her marriage. Many rights activists have alleged that she is being tortured by her family.

Heres how the case has progressed in courts:

January 25, 2016: Akhilas father, ex-serviceman Ashokan Mani filed the first habeas corpus petition in Kerala HC alleging that his daughter Akhila was missing from campus and was forcibly converted to Islam. Akhila studied Bachelor of Homeopathic Medicine and Surgery in Salem and Manis petition named two of her classmates, according to an India Today report.

June 2016: When Akhila was located, she testified that she had converted to Islam of her own free will and had enrolled in a course to study the religion. The Kerala High Court dismissed Manis habeas corpus petition and allowed Akhila to stay with her friend.

August 2016: Mani filed a second habeas corpus petition, this time alleging that Akhila had been converted to Islam at the behest of the Islamic State.

December 2016: According to the certificates submitted by Akhila, she married Shafin Jahan, 27, in December 2016. Akhila had allegedly converted to Islam and changed her name to Hadiya.

May 25, 2017: The case hit national headlines in May 2017 when, in a highly unusual order, the Kerala HC annulled the wedding on the habeas corpus petition filed by Akhilas father. The court also ordered a probe into allegations that Akhila was forcibly converted and indoctrinated as part of a love jihad conspiracy by the Islamic State.

A division bench of Justice Surendra Mohan and Justice Abraham Mathew ruled that the couples marriage, which was performed without the approval or presence of Akhilas parents, was a sham and held no consequence in the eye of law. Marriage being the most important decision in her (Akhila)s life can only be taken with the active involvement of her parents, the Kerala high court observed.

August 4, 2017: Akhilas husband Shafin Jahan, 27, filed a special leave petition in Supreme Court challenging the high court order and seeking that Akhila, who is in her fathers custody, should be produced before the court.

Jahans lawyers Kapil Sibal and Indira Jaisingh argued that Akhila, 24, is not minor and should be produced in court.

August 16, 2017: Hearing a petition by Akhilas husband Shafin Jahan that challenged the high court order, the Supreme Court directed the National Investigation Agency to investigate the alleged forced conversion.

The order came after NIA, the countrys counter-terrorism organisation, said it was not an isolated case but part of a growing pattern of converting women from Hinduism to Islam.

A top court bench headed by Chief Justice JS Khehar said retired judge RV Raveendran would monitor the NIA probe.

October 3, 2017: In a hearing of the case, Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra questioned the annulment of the marriage by the Kerala high court in May this year. It also questioned an earlier order passed in August by a bench led by former CJI JS Khehar that constituted an NIA probe into the marriage and alleged forced conversion.

A father cant have control over 24-years-old girl. It might send the girl to a custodian or an organisation, the top court said.
Authorities threw a ring of security personnel around the Panchkula district court on Tuesday morning following reports that Honeypreet Insan, daughter of convicted Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, would surrender after almost a month in hiding.

Panchkula police commissioner AS Chawla said she had not been arrested so far. Neither we have been approached by any dera man for her surrender, said Chawla.

In interviews to television news channels on Tuesday, Honeypreet claimed that she would surrender soon and that she had no role in inciting violence across Punjab and Haryana following Singhs conviction on rape charges last month. The ensuing arson and violence had left 38 people dead and scores injured across four states.

There were also speculation that she might appear before the Punjab and Haryana high court where security was also increased.

In her television interviews, she claimed that all allegations against her were false and that she didnt incite violence.

How can I instill fear among dera followers that day from inside the court in tight security? I did not utter a word after Guruji was convicted and did not pass on any code message through her beg, she said.

On being asked why she has been hiding for over a month, she said that she was not hiding.

I just went in to depression after court order. Then I came to know that lookout notice has been issued against me. I did have the knowledge about judicial process. After someones guidance, I somehow managed to go to Delhi to apply for my bail. Now I am planning to surrender before Punjab and Haryana court, she said.
A Border Security Force (BSF) officer was killed in Kashmir on Tuesday as forces foiled a militant attempt to storm a paramilitary base close to the high-security Srinagar airport, sparking an hours-long gun-battle that left all three radicals dead.

Three others security personnel also sustained injuries in the early morning attack, claimed by the Pakistan-based outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), blamed for similar strikes at Indian security bases including one at Uri in September last year that killed 18 soldiers.

All the three militants have been killed. An assistant sub-inspector of BSF also died in the initial assault, Jammu and Kashmir police chief SP Vaid said.

Tuesdays attack was the latest in Kashmir which has seen a spurt in militancy, often blamed on Pakistan-based outfits by India. Last month, India described Pakistan as terroristan in a fiery attack on Islamabads proxy war in Kashmir.

The attack also came amid heightened tensions along the Line of Control (LoC), the de factor border with Pakistan.

India summoned Pakistans deputy high commissioner and issued a demarche over the death of three minors in unprovoked firing by Pakistani forces in the Poonch sector on Monday.

503 such violations (of 2003 ceasefire understanding) have been carried out by Pakistan forces so far during 2017, the external affairs ministry said in a statement in Delhi.

The opposition Congress accused the BJP-led NDA government of compromising national security.

Party spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said Prime Minister Narendra Modi ran a high-decibel campaign in the run-up to the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, depicted by 56-inches chest and red eyes sloganeering to deal with terror and security threats.

But after 40 months, our internal security situation stands gravely in peril, he alleged.

Inspector general of police (Kashmir range) Muneer Khan admitted that six to seven militants of a group which infiltrated between July and August were still at large and were potential threats.

Police sources said the three slain militants were from the JeMs Afzal Guru squad, raised by the outfit to avenge the hanging of the 2001 parliament attack convict.

On August 26, at least eight security personnel were killed in a similar attack by the JeM in Pulwama.

The attack at the BSFs 182 battalion camp was at a highly sanitised area where an Indian Air Force base, a CRPF camp and an NIA office are located, besides the Srinagar airport.

Flights at the airport, which shares a compound wall with the base, resumed after being suspended briefly, officials said.

Sources said the militants entered the camp in army fatigue and were carrying automatic weapons and grenades.

Khan said the militants, who intruded into the camp around 4am after cutting through the concertina wires and fence, entered two separate buildings -- the administrative block and subordinate officers mess. He said one militant was killed at the gate while two managed to get inside the camp where they were shot dead later.

(With inputs from HTC Delhi and agencies)

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Slamming the Narendra Modi government over sliding economic growth and increasing job losses, former Union minister Arun Shourie has likened demonetisation with suicide, saying the latter is too a bold step.

He also called the Narendra Modi government as government of two-and-a-half persons.

This is a government by ilhaam (revelation). The Prime Minister has the ilhaam one night that demonetisation should be done and he does it. In any case it was a bold step. I have to remind you suicide too is a bold step, Shourie said in an interview to NDTV when asked why in his view, the government went in for demonetisation.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes on November 8 last year.

Which argument (offered by the government in defence of demonetisation) today survives? Black money? All of it turned white. Terrorism? Terrorists are still coming into India. At the end they have nothing to say, he added.

Shourie also took a dig at BJP President Amit Shah who has said that current slowdown is due to technical reasons, terming him that famous economist? and underscoring that official figures cannot be brushed under the carpet.

He also said those running the government do not seek any advice or hear the facts.

This is a government of two-and-a-half persons, that is, Narendra Modi, Amit Shah and one in-house lawyer. They dont have the expertise and they have surrounded themselves by persons who dont have the expertise.

They are now in a sealed echo-chamber. They dont hear what is happening. The distress the RBI has documented of small and medium enterprise. These poor fellows had been clamouring and shouting. Nobody heard them, he added.

He said that persons like Yashwant Sinha, P Chidambaram and several other economists have been talking about facts.

And those facts emerge from official reports such as The Economic Survey, the RBI surveys, the SBIs report etc. Is it a fact or not that GDP has collapsed to 3.7 per cent according to the old series? Is it a fact or not that index of industrial production has gone down from about 9 per cent in 2015-16 to about 1.7 per cent in April to July? Is it not a matter of concern? Shourie said.

However, he said, despite all the red signals, there was little hope of a course change as it all flows from the nature of the government and the Modi government has a sense of hustings.

Their core competence is event management. They are so self-satisfied with it. They are just briefing each other, not listening to others... They are concerned about 300-feet statute, bullet trains etc, he said.

On BJP and government functionaries calling former Union minister Yashwant Sinha a frustrated person after he lashed out at the government, Shourie said it was their standard operating procedure.

Whenever they are confronted with inconvenient facts, they try to bury it in avalanche of abuse. I have aconstructive suggestion for them. They should publish a list of persons in advance who they think are frustrated, he said.

He said that the governments policies must have predictability, stability and credibility -- all of which is totally absent now -- so that investors and industry are sure of what they can expect from the government and not taken by surprise by out of the blue announcements followed by policy flip flops as has happened under the present regime, be it demonetisation or GST implementation.
The Supreme Court will put sanitary napkin vending machines, a step that will help lawyers and litigants forced to suspend work and dash to a chemist or shop selling pads during uncomfortable situations.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra issued a directive to the Supreme Court registry on Tuesday to install three machines after advocate Nandini Gore pointed out how difficult it is for women visiting and working in the court to get disposable sanitary napkins when the need arises.

Besides, the courts medical clinics that provide first-aid to lawyers and visitors dont keep pads.

The court released Rs 10 lakh for three machines and an equal number of incinerators to safely dispose of soiled napkins.

The top courts move complements efforts to raise awareness about menstrual hygiene in a country where menstruation is considered a taboo as many Indian women still face challenges such as restrictions on visiting religious shrines and preparing food, and enforced isolation during their periods.

The government hands disposable pads in several states as part of a healthcare initiative for women as well as to break superstitions over menstruation, a subject rarely discussed openly in rural and urban India.

Gore, secretary of the Supreme Court Advocates-On-Record Association (SCAORA), said there are around 1,000 woman lawyers and interns as well as around 250 woman staff with the court registry.

All of them will benefit from todays order.

She said she would request the registry to install a machine in the chamber block outside the court complex where lawyers have their offices.

The other two, she said, should ideally be placed in washrooms.

The funds came from Rs 1.4 crore the court received from two Gurgaon-based doctors, indicted for sheltering a politician accused of murder.

The court imposed the fine after the CBI established the Gurgaon hospital helped former legislator of the Indian National Lok Dal evade arrest.

Besides the vending machines, Chief Justice Misra released Rs 80 lakh for the Supreme Court Bar Association. The amount will go into a fixed deposit. The interest will be used to provide medical assistance to lawyers.

The SCAORA will get Rs 50 lakh, while Rs 5 lakh will be given to the widow of the man allegedly killed by the former legislator.

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Controversial Indian businessman is set to be arrested at 2pm UK time on Tuesday on charges of alleged money laundering brought by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), official sources told Hindustan Times.

The sources said the new charges are an extension of earlier charges against the embattled 61-year-old liquor baron. He is currently out on bail in connection with an extradition warrant executed by the Metropolitan Police earlier this year.

A Crown Prosecution Service official told Hindustan Times that Mallya is appearing in Westminster Magistrates Court shortly in relation to ongoing extradition proceedings.

Mallya, who has been freed on bail until December, will likely continue on the same bail after appearing in court after his arrest.

He is contesting the extradition proceedings brought by India so that he can brought back to face charges of alleged financial wrongdoing.

The case is being probed by the ED and the central agency has already filed a charge-sheet against Mallya and others in a Mumbai court. The CPS is arguing the case against Mallya on behalf of the Indian government.
Controversial Indian businessman Vijay Mallya was arrested again in London on Tuesday and bailed until December 4 on a new charge of money laundering brought by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

The 61-year-old liquor baron, who appeared in court, said No to the chief magistrates query on whether he agreed to be extradited to India. The next hearing is scheduled for November 20.

A visibly pleased Mallya said after the hearing that he was facing many extraordinary charges but asked journalists to wait for the courts ruling at the end of the extradition trial scheduled to begin on December 4.

The Crown Prosecution Service, which acts on behalf of the Indian government, described the days development thus: The government of India laid further supplemental money laundering charges in India. The money laundering charge and the evidence in support has been joined to the original fraud charges.

The new charge is essentially showing where the money went to, for example, it is alleged that some of the funds ended up with the Force India racing team.

As the new charge of money laundering effectively joined up with the existing fraud charges, the legal process included re-certification of the extradition request by the Home Office and a re-arrest of Dr Mallya, which was done before a case management hearing this afternoon (3 October 2017).

The statement added, The existing timetable was adopted and Dr Mallya was bailed to 4 December when his extradition hearing is listed to begin at Westminster Magistrates Court.

Vijay Mallya talks to reporters as he leaves the Westminster Magistrates Court in London on October 3, 2017. (HT Photo)

Mallya was arrested earlier this year and bailed until December 4 - the same date has been set for the latest bail granted on Tuesday.

The hearing on December 4 is estimated to last eight days and the judge may make a decision on Indias extradition request at the conclusion of the hearing, the Crown Prosecution Service said.

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Men are twirling their moustaches for a cause.

After two Dalit men were beaten up by members of the Rajput community for sporting moustaches, men from Gujarat started a social media campaign posting selfies where they can be seen proudly displaying their moustache .

Two Dalit men of a village near Gandhinagar in Gujarat were allegedly thrashed by members of Rajput community for sporting a moustache in two separate incidents last month.

The incidents occurred on September 25 and September 29 at Limbodara village in Kalol taluka of Gandhinagar district.

Users posted selfies as a form of protest against the violence. They used hashtags such as #RightToMoustache and came out in support of Piyush Parmar, one of the victims thrashed in Gujarat.

Twitter user Vishal Sonara said BR Ambedkar, who championed Dalit rights, had in 1927 burnt and destroyed Manusmriti. It is believed that the Hindu caste system is propagated by the teachings in Manusmriti.

#moustache

I upload this photos with moustaches to support piyush parmar who was beaten up for keeping moustaches in Gujarat yesterday pic.twitter.com/PqstgFxfQ9  PARMAR KIRITKUMAR (@PARMARKIRIT86) September 30, 2017

A 21-year-old Dalit man was allegedly beaten to death by a group of men belonging to the upper caste Patel community for attending a garba event in Gujarats Anand district in the early hours on Sunday.

The state had witnessed massive protests in July last year over the brutal thrashing of four Dalit men at a village in Una town.
The district administration, college lecturers and a non-government organisation came forward to help the family of a Class 4 boy who dropped out of school to start polishing shoes after his father died of jaundice about four months ago.

Hindustan Times published a report on October 1 about 10-year-old Rohit Singh Jatav who took up his fathers job to earn bread for his mother, brother and two sisters. The family of four lives in a room at ward 34 of Bharatpur Municipal Corporation.

I have ordered the district head of the social welfare and justice department to provide government assistance to the boy and his family under the governments child development schemes. A toilet will be built in their house under the Swachh Bharat Mission, Bharatpur district collector Narendra Kumar Gupta said.

After the collectors order, we met the family of the boy to provide help. Pension will be given to the children under the Palanhar scheme, said Kartar Singh Meena, district officer of the department.

The story published on October 1.

A pension Rs 1,000 to each child above 5 years and under 18, Rs 500 for his brother under 5 years, and Rs 500 for his mother under the widow pension scheme will be given.

A team of Lupin Human Welfare and Research Foundation will visit the boys family to provide help. We will offer them financial aid and are planning to help the boy continue his education. All facilities for his (Rohits) education will be provided, foundation director Sitaram Gupta Gupta said.

Anil Kumar Nagar, an economics lecturer at the government college, Deeg, provided the family kitchen appliances, grocery and study material.

Arvind Verma, a political science lecturer at Maharani Shri Jaya government college, said he would give Rs 2,000 every month to the boy and get him admitted in a private school.

Members of the Rajasthan Shikshak Sangh (Ambedkar) offered financial help for the boy and his siblings to continue their studies.

Administrative officials and people are approaching us to offer financial help and food items after reading my boys news in HT, said Rohits mother Sunita Devi, who is illiterate and her health conditions do not permit her to do a job.

Our family will now celebrate Diwali; earlier we were not in a position to celebrate any festival due to our critical financial condition, Rohit said.
The Tonk police have arrested three people involved in around three dozen cases of murder, theft and loot, said officials on Tuesday.

According to the police, the arrested trio belongs to the notorious Mogya gang, which targeted elderly people and would often cut the legs of women in order to decamp with jewellery that they wore.

Special teams were constituted to arrest people involved in such heinous crimes following which the officials were on the lookout for the men and gathered intelligence about them through various sources, said the additional director of police, crime, Pankaj Kumar Singh.

The police said that the arrested trio has been identified as Ramswaroop (25), Mukesh (21) and Radheshyam (20). All three of them are from the Mogya community, said officials.

The three arrested people were involved in a slew of heinous crimes in various districts of the state such as Tonk, Pali, Nagaur, Alwar, Jaipur, Sikar and Ajmer. We had to arrest them on the basis of traditional sources of intelligence as they dont use mobile phones, said Tonk superintendent of police Preeti Jain.

During preliminary investigation, it was also learnt that the accused were involved in the murder of an elderly couple in Sojat City in March this year following which they decamped with their jewellery.

In most cases, the men would target elderly couples and often cut their legs to steal the silver and gold jewellery that they wear. In countless cases, they would first murder the woman before cutting her legs, said inspector general of police, Ajmer range, Malini Agarwal.

The police said that the father of Mukesh, one of the arrested men, has 43 cases registered against him.

At present, there are 12 cases registered against Mukesh and we suspect that more such instances will come up during the investigation, said Jain.

Among the other two accused, Ramswaroop has 20 cases registered against him while Radheshyam has two cases registered against him.
Besides being commercially successful and critically acclaimed whats common between Pink, Airlift, Kahaani, D-Day, Madaari, Commando and BA Pass?

Well, all of them have been penned by the same person  Ritesh Shah.

Yes, I wrote them all (some co-written) but the real recognition came with Pink, says super talented writer who is in Lucknow these days for Kumar Mangats production Raid, starring Ajay Devgn and Ileana DCruz.

In the industry people knew me for translating stuff but Pink changed everything for me. It was like a lottery after 11 years of hard work, says the ace writer who began with writing fiction in school days.

Delhi has a culture of theatre and I joined Act One Art Group on backstage. And soon the amateur actor turned into an accidental playwright, says Ritesh whose one of the plays prompted him to move to Mumbai.

It was suggested by a friend who believed one of my plays should have been made into a film. I landed in Mumbai but we failed to connect with it and I shifted my focus towards television, he says.

One day, I accompanied my friend for a story session. We had some chit chat over tea and as luck would have in store they offered me to write the film, instead of him. My friend sportingly suggested me to take it up and we are still very good friends. Thats how I got my first TV series Kagaar, reminisces Ritesh.

It took him around 6 years to get his first film Sujoy Ghoshs Home Delivery.

Pink turned the tide!

Pink got me recognition and I started getting direct feedback from the audience. I feel blessed person that it came from my pen and I was chosen to do that, says the writer who also scripted another blockbuster Airlift the same year.

Pink brought more focus on me as its makers  Shoojit Sarkar and Ronnie Lehri  believe writers are the real hero. And with Amitabh Bachchan rendering those dialogues, it made all the difference, he says.

Ritesh feels after Queen the focus has been more towards content in the industry and filmmakers belief in him has cemented a lot after releases of his successful films.

After a hit there is more pressure on you to deliver another hit. I used to work hard earlier too but now I try to work even harder, he says.

Lucknow connection

He first came to the state capital to shoot a photo feature in 1997. So, my introduction with Lucknow happened with monuments, delicious food and observance of pace of life. Otherwise, my exposure to the city is through Vinod Mehtas books and writings, he says.

Talking about Raid and its city connect he says, This is a combination of certain incidents back in 1980s and probably the best place to tell this story was in Lucknow. The texture of the film matched with the city.

After living in Mumbai when you stay here for long you understand that its more human here. People here interact more. They are interested in what you are doing or will tell what they are doing. For people like us its a blessing as people here talk willingly, he says while revealing a trade secret: Writers basically lifts plots of real life characters they meet and interact.

In that sense, culturally rich cities such as Lucknow, Bhopal or Pune offer a lot more options for people like us to extract from here in terms of content.

Happy phase for writers

Ritesh says in the last 10 years position of writers has improved in terms of recognition and remuneration. I dread that new one must still be struggling as I too have gone through that phase but things have drastically improved.

There is always a fight for credit and fee but its much better for established writers, he says.

There is lot of focus on content. People too have started taking interest in us as they search us on internet and give feedbacks. So, there is nothing to complain, he says.

Chef is next!

The team from Airlift is doing it with Saif Ali Khan in lead. I was reluctant initially but the director was very upbeat about it. Its an adaption of Hollywood film Chef but I eventually did it as I thought that I have a story to tell in that plot. Though adaptations are a thankless job but I would say its a good Indian adaptation. I hope it work well for all of us and Saif as he is a wonderful actor.

He is content writing and is in no hurry to go towards direction. I am happy writing 2-3 films a year. To direct a film I need at least 2 years. I will better write and have good director friends to do that job better than me. I will ideally like to write and produce than directing. And, when I want to then I will probably direct someones good script that writing myself and directing it, says Ritesh who will soon be teaming up again with Shoojit.

Currently the team is making October which is a Juhi Chaturvedi (Piku-fame) script. I may come together as co-writer for their next Uddham (on freedom fighter Udham Singh). For a team like that of Shoojit, who are great creators, I am always ready even its for a petty job, he says.
Never surrender is her motto: Mamtas husband threw acid on her while she was sleeping. My own husband did this to me... what could be worse?, she says. The man wanted a vehicle as dowry and when he didnt get one, he decided to ruin Mamtas life within seconds by dousing her with acid while she was sleeping. He would sexually assault me at night, beat me for hours, deny me food and sleep and torture me, she recalls. Her husband also took away her son, and she craves to see him once. Despite living such hell, Mamta didnt break down. She works with the NGO, Make Love Not Scars and she has devoted her life to the cause of acid attack survivors. Theres so much pain...physical and emotional. Its very tough to start life from scratch. I sit with survivors and make them realise that life is not over. When you dont surrender, we feel very proud of yourself, and that gives you the power to carry on, she says.

Tania Singh, Make Love Not Scars (Photo: Amal KS/HT)

Helping rebuild life: For Tania Singh, 25, life is a constant battle against institutions that are supposed to offer care and support to acid attack survivors but they never do. Tania was studying management in Singapore. One day, she came across a heart-rending picture of an acid attack survivor on the page of an organization called Make Love Not Scars. As she read about the state of acid attack survivors in India, she was left totally shocked. She decided to come to India and join the NGO, Make Love Not Scars. Government, hospitals and police centres are supposed to provide assistance to acid attack survivors but that happens rarely., says Tania. She often comes across cases that can leave a person extremely disturbed. But her job involves handling such cases with courage. This January, while shooting a documentary, Tania visited a slum to meet the family of a two-year-old boy who had been attacked with acid. This was a very difficult case. The two-year-old had been kidnapped by his mothers stalker who attacked the child with acid and threw him in the dustbin. The police found him and called us. No hospital was admitting the child because they were afraid of the medical costs. The law states that acid attack survivors are to be given free treatment if their injuries are life threatening. The child could have died, but the hospital didnt care. The institution that is supposed to save lives became the cause of our agony. We had to file an FIR against the hospital to get him admitted. One can imagine the depth of atrocities acid attack survivors face. The helplessness of their families is clearly etched on their faces, says Singh. Fighting for the rights of acid attack survivors and helping them rebuild their lives is certainly not easy, but Tania, along with Ria Sharma, the founder of Make Love Not Scars, has devoted her life to the cause. Saving lives is a heavy burden to bear...these people depend on us and thats not a responsibility I can evade, says Singh.

Prison reforms activist Vartika Nanda (Amal KS/HT)

Telling stories that no one wants to hear: The greatest battles are not fought against countries, but against a mindset. Prison reforms activist Vartika Nanda has been fighting this battle for more than a decade. Nanda has been working tirelessly to transform lives of prison inmates, who have been deemed unforgiveable by society. While they live in the confines of prison, Nanda teaches them various skills such as painting, writing and singing to make life less wearisome. She also organises motivational training for inmates to reinstill confidence in them so that they can land a job once they are released. This is no mean feat. Most of the inmates have difficulty getting a job because of the tag prisoner. But Nanda is not the one to give up easily. Battling regressive mindsets in our society, she ensures that these inmates get an opportunity, a second chance. People look down upon prisoners. Theres a lot of stigma attached. They are disowned by the society, says Nanda. No wonder, Nandas work draws severe criticism from various corners. Recently, her website was hacked by haters who had been trolling her for her work. But Nanda is not the one to give up. There are many prisoners who want to start their lives from scratch. They repent their mistake and I firmly believe that do deserve a second chance. Life is about falling down and getting up again, says Nanda.

Prakashi Tomar aka Shooter Dadi (Photo: Jasjeet Plaha/HT)

Shooting down patriarchy: Prakashi Tomar aka Shooter Dadi is one of the worlds oldest sharpshooters in India. The 80-year-old has won various medals at the state and national level. This woman is not just a sharpshooter; she has been courageously fighting patriarchy throughout her life. She has waged a battle against women suppression. She hails from a small village, Johri, in Uttar Pradesh. In my village, women werent even allowed to speak in front of men, let alone hold a gun in their hands. They had absolutely no rights. But thanks to dadis rebellion, the tide has turned. From encouraging young women to pursue the sport to giving it back to the trolls, Prakashi Tomar stuck to her guns. She took up sharpshooting at the age of 60. Initially, she kept it a secret from villagers. But things changed when she brought home prestigious awards. Now, shooter daadi is an inspiration for all young women in her village who want to champion the sport.

Noor Enayat is a lesbian Muslim who is fighting for the rights of the LGBT community. (Photo: Amal KS/HT)

Living life on her own terms: Noor Enayat is a lesbian Muslim who is fighting for the rights of the LGBT community. No wonder, bigots hate her to the core. But thats something that bothers her the least. I dont advertise my identity. But if people want to have opinions about me, they are most welcome, she says. The 32-year works closely with LGBT rights NGOs and Delhi Queer Pride Committee. Her social media campaigns draw a lot of flak, and that makes her pledge to fight for equal rights stronger. People believe that the LGBT have no right to exist. I have become thick skinned and immune to hatred, she says, as she carries on her battle.

Transgender activist Rudrani Chettri (Photo: Amal KS/HT)

Fighting for an equal world: Born a man, transgender activist Rudrani Chettri, has been bravely campaigning for equal rights for the transgender community. Rudrani has run various sensitisation campaigns to change this notion. Through her modelling agency, Rudrani helps fellow transgenders embrace their true identity and be proud of who they are. Rudrani also helps re-establish transgender women who have faced the worst kind of atrocities in life, which includes rape and torture by policemen. Its a very tough fight. A trangender is a criminal in everyones eyes. Its unthinkable for many that even transgenders are fellow human beings, she says. But, she is undettered. A typical day involves fighting police cases, counselling sucidal transgenders, looking for job opportunities, and making the world believe that being different is no crime.

DCP PCR, Monika Bhardwaj (Photo: Amal KS/HT)

Fear doesnt feature in her dictionary: DCP PCR, Monika Bhardwaj has taken up several complicated cases, and each one has left her with unforgettable lessons. With every case, I have emerged stronger. Its about having unflinching faith in oneself and ones values, she says. Bhardwaj made headlines for leading a police team that very quickly and efficiently apprehended two juveniles who had kidnapped a three-year-old girl from a Ramleela function in Nihal Vihar and raped her. Bhardwaj was earlier posted in Pondicherry. The gritty officer took an MLA head on and arrested some men who had allegedly gang-raped a 21-year-old woman. The MLA had allegedly doubted the rape survivors character, and has gone to the extent of labelling her a sex worker.

Concept: Shara Ashraf

Text: Abhinav Verma and Prerna Gauba

Styling: Prerna Gauba

Outfits: Tanira Sethi, Vajor.com, Indigene, Pero by Aneeth Arora and Nomad

Makeup: Naina Arora

Accessories: St Erasmus, Vajor.com, Apala by Sumit and Naaniki
The Elphinstone foot overbridge stampede that killed 23 commuters last Friday is seeing the Opposition as well as the BJPs ally Shiv Sena take up cudgels against Prime Minister Narendra Modis ambitious bullet train project.

This has put the ruling BJP on the backfoot with its leaders finding it difficult to defend this Rs1.10 lakh-croreproject owing to the resentment among the common Mumbaiites who rue that the project was being pushed at the cost of upgrading the suburban rail network.

The issue has become polarised with battles being fought out on social media between those supporting the project vis a vis those challenging it.

MNS chief Raj Thackeray who has threatened to not to allow even a single brick of the project to get laid unless conditions improve on the local network would undertake a Morcha on Thursday against the project.

His cousin, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, has roundly criticised the project saying that Modis dream project was crushing the dreams of the common man. His son Aaditya, in his blog for NDTV, described the bullet train as Bullied Train.

He wrote, It raises a fundamental question: do we as a state require an upgrade in our intra-state railway infra, especially for Mumbai, or do we pay for a fancy toy to display theatrics to the world, one which doesnt benefit our state directly? He further wrote No common Mumbaiikar is going to go to Ahmedabad daily using only a bullet train for work, and vice-versa, especially when one compares the practical rates of the ticket vis-a-vis those of the airplane that makes the journey in an hour.

According to a senior BJP functionary, the party needs to focus on improving the suburban railway systems instead of pushing for the bullet train.

There is a strong sentiment against the bullet train project largely due to misunderstanding. But, for now we think its best to lie low and also aggressively push what all we are planning to do to improve local train services, said the leader who did not wish to come on record.

What has made the BJPs position even problematic is an old video of Modi, as the Chief Minister of Guajarat speaking of the bullet train in 2013. The video flagged by local Marathi television channel, ABP Majha has Modi talking about how the bullet train project is more about projecting an image of India as a super power more than about commuters travelling by high speed rail.

Several petitions have been filed with online platform, change.org opposing the bullet train project, including one filed by a XII grade student Shreya Chavan . Chavan has petitioned the Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying We dont need bullet trains, we need better trains.

So far, only the Union railway minister Piyush Goyal and state revenue minister Chandrakant Patil have batted for the project post the stampede.

Goyal had said that bullet train technology was safe and necessary for India.
Two months after the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) passed the Development Plan (DP) 2034, it will release another document for three land parcels in the city. A source said the general body consisting of 227 corporators are likely to release the document on October 12.

The three land parcels  39.3 hectares in the Oshiwara District Centre, 47.37 hectares of A block in Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) and 27.37 hectares of Parigkhadi, an area between LBS Marg and Mithi river in Kurla  were handed over to the BMC by the Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Development Authority (MMRDA) in 2016. By that time, the DP 2034 had already been released, leading to a separate draft.

The BKC land includes Bandra reclamation area, Lilavati Hospital, ONGC Colony and a recreation ground. An official from the DP department said, BKC and Oshiwara district centre are planned areas. Parigkhadi has informal settlements. Though the scope was limited in terms of planning for the three land parcels, we have proposed more developement of them.

Once released, the document will be put up for suggestions/objections from citizens for 60 days.

A planning committee will be appointed by the state to look into their suggestions. The document will follow the similar process as that of DP 2034, said another senior official.

The DP 2034  a vision document for the citys growth in the next 20 years  is currently pending with the Maharashtra state government for a final approval.

In 2016, BMC chief Ajoy Mehta wrote to the state government that Mumbai needs a single planning authority, which has also been suggested in the plan.

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The charge sheet filed in court on Tuesday against six jailors for the murder of Manjula Shetye, 38, inside Byculla prison on June 23 is full of loopholes and contradictions and has little that can lead to their conviction. For example, it admits that her underclothes were bloodstained, but says there were no injuries on her body.

Hindustan Times had first reported that a witness had told the police that Shetye, jailed for murder, had died after she was assaulted by jailors who had inserted a lathi in her privates. The FIR filed with the Nagpada police station had quoted the witness and said Shetye was assaulted by the six jailors when she protested against missing rations for the prisoners housed in her barrack.

The Crime Branch of the Mumbai police took over the investigation and has now filed the charge sheet in a magistrates court. The agency has failed to retrieve the stick the prison officials used to beat up Manjula. And, the charge sheet reflects the lackadaisical attitude of police officials in gathering evidence.

The charge sheet negates the statement of eyewitnesses in the case, based on which the FIR was registered and claims that jail officials assaulted Shetye because she did not obey their orders.

The charge sheet claimed fellow inmates had complained about Shetye, who was put in charge of the barrack for good behaviour, saying she used to give them broken eggs, allotted them little time to meet their relatives, and forced them to give her massages. The agency said that it was because of these complaints that six jail officials -- beat her up, which resulted in her death.

The statement of the key eyewitness and complainant in the case contradicts this. It says Manjulas complaint of two eggs and five pieces of pav (bread) missing from the breakfast rations for her barrack triggered a horrific assault by jailors that led to her death.

There are other contradictions. The inquest panchnama by executive magistrate MS Khoprekar before panch witnesses Babdu Paad, a businessman from Tardeo, and Usha Kamble, a businesswoman from Nagpada, claims that there were no visible injuries on Manjulas body. However, the post-mortem examination report states Manjula suffered 17 contusions on her lower body, face and skull.

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A day after Siddharth College, Fort, wrote to the chief minister about the Grade II heritage building being damaged owing to the ongoing Metro-3 work near the college, officials from the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) said that the cracks on the walls and pillars inside the building were old.

Engineers from the MMRC, who inspected the college building on Tuesday, said vibrations from piling were within permissible limits.

We would like to highlight that vibrations caused during piling work are being continuously measured and it has been observed that they are less than 1/4 of the permissible limit allowed in areas having heritage or weak buildings, said Ashwini Bhide, managing director, MMRC, in a statement.

She added that the MMRC had inspected the college building before the work began and had installed monitoring instruments, including crack-metres, to monitor the effect of construction on the structure. It has also recorded the damage to the structure has sustained before the Metro work began.

While MMRC officials said the cracks on the walls were old, college rubbished the claim.

When a structural audit was conducted, before the work began, the engineers never entered our basement which is where maximum cracks have developed. The report of that audit was submitted to us and it only mentions the ground plus four structure. there is no mention of the basement in it, said principal Umaji Maske.

The college, built in early 1950s, has a gymkhana and offices for most of their cultural bodies, NSS and NCC in the basement. Apart from cracks, the college staff also pointed out at the plaster peeling off the ceiling.

At any given point of the day, there are students in the basement offices. We are worried for their life, Maske said.

After sending SOS letters to several authorities, including the Ministry of Urban Development, Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), MMRC and Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the college received a response from the BMC on Tuesday. The civic body has requested the MMRC to conduct another more structural audit of the college building.

A site engineer from MMRC also visited the college on Tuesday. We hope this matter is being taken seriously, said Maske.

In the statement released on Tuesday evening, Bhide also mentioned that piling work for the underground Metro project will be completed in the next three to four months.

However, considering the apprehension of authorities, our contractors have been instructed to coordinate with the college authorities so that their problems are addressed, she said.

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An online petition demanding that the Rs 3,600 crore to be spent on constructing a Shivaji memorial in the Arabian Sea should be used instead to improve Mumbais local train services has received the support of 25,000 people in just three days.

The petition has gone viral on social media in the aftermath of the Elphinstone Road stampede, which claimed 23 lives last week. Vipin Vijayan, who filed the petition, has addressed it to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadanvis, among others.

The government always points to the paucity of funds when we talk about fixing the railways in Mumbai. Then we see Rs 3,600 crore being allocated to make a memorial in the Arabian sea, which is as good as flushing that much money down the drain, the petition reads.

Suggesting that upgradation of the suburban rail network would be a much better use of the money, the petition says it would save peoples lives. I am so sure that if Shivaji Maharaj was alive today, even he wouldnt have wanted a memorial when people are losing lives, it states.

Following the stampede on September 29, many online petitions have also been filed opposing the bullet train project and suggesting that the authorities prioritise resources to upgrade Mumbais over-burdened rail network. One such petition, filed by a Class 12 student Shreya Chavan to the PM that says we dont need bullet trains, just better railways, has garnered 12,000 signatures.

These online petitions and the volume of support they are receiving reinforce the anger and frustration among Mumbais citizens over the stampede, which was primarily the result of the shoddy state of the suburban rail infrastructure that is used by over 80 lakh commuters every day.

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The charge sheet filed in court on Tuesday against six jailors for the murder of Manjula Shetye, 38, inside Byculla prison on June 23 is full of loopholes and contradictions and has little that can lead to their conviction. For example, it admits that her underclothes were bloodstained, but says there were no injuries on her body.

Hindustan Times had first reported that a witness had told the police that Shetye, jailed for murder, had died after she was assaulted by jailors who had inserted a lathi in her privates. The first information report (FIR) filed with the Nagpada police station had quoted the witness and said Shetye was assaulted by the six jailors when she protested against missing rations for the prisoners housed in her barrack.

The crime branch of the Mumbai police took over the investigation and has now filed the charge sheet in a magistrates court. The agency has failed to retrieve the stick the prison officials used to beat up Manjula. And, the charge sheet (HT has a copy) reflects the lackadaisical attitude of police officials in securing the crime spot and gathering evidence.

The charge sheet negates the statement of eyewitnesses in the case, based on which the FIR was registered and claims that jail officials assaulted Shetye because she did not obey their orders.

The charge sheet claimed fellow inmates had complained about Shetye, who was put in charge of the barrack for good behaviour, saying she used to give them broken eggs, allotted them little time to meet their relatives, and forced them to give her massages. The agency said that it was because of these complaints that six jail officials --

Manisha Pokharkar, Bindu Naikade, Waseema Shaikh, Shital Shegaonkar, Surekha Gulve and Aarti Shingne -- beat her up, which resulted in her death.

The statement of the key eyewitness and complainant in the case contradicts this. It says Manjulas complaint of two eggs and five pieces of pav (bread) missing from the breakfast rations for her barrack triggered a horrific assault by jailors that led to her death.

There are other contradictions. The inquest panchnama by executive magistrate MS Khoprekar before panch witnesses Babdu Paad, a businessman from Tardeo, and Usha Kamble, a businesswoman from Nagpada, claims that there were no visible injuries on Manjulas body. However, the post-mortem examination report states Manjula suffered 17 contusions on her lower body, face and skull.

According to the case details, the trouble started at around 9 am on June 23, when Manjula found that the rations fell short by two eggs and five pieces of pav (bread). Manjula was called to the jail officer, Manisha Pokharkars private room. The witness said in her statement that she heard Manjula scream in pain and that when she returned to the barrack after a while, she was visibly in pain.

The witness said that soon a group of jailors came to the barrack and assaulted Manjula once again. The witness said Manjula was stripped by women constables she identified as Bindu Naikade, Waseema Shaikh, Shital Shegaonkar, Surekha Gulve and Aarti Shingne.

The witness said that Bindu and Surekha then held Manjulas legs apart and Waseema inserted the lathi into her private parts.

Manjula was left bleeding in the barrack, and no help was offered by the jail authorities, the witness said. It was only after Manjula fell unconscious in the bathroom that she was taken to the resident doctor at the jail who immediately asked for her to be transferred to JJ Hospital. Manjula died at the hospital.

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Two farmers from Pune were arrested on Monday by the Thane police in Kasarvadavli for trying to sell ivory [two elephant tusks] worth Rs10 lakh. Nilesh Gorakh Nannaware, 25, and Ajinky Ankush Bagal, 25, had the ivory for the past five years.

One of the tusks, 40-cm-long, has carving that resembles an African woman. It is worth Rs7 lakh in the market. The other, 38-cm-long, is plane and commands Rs3 lakh.

Senior inspector D Dhole from Kasarvadavli police station said, We received a tip-off on Monday from DCP (zone 5) Sunil Lokhande, about two people trying to sell ivory. We formed a team and rushed to the spot near Gyan Ganga College. Frisking of the duo resulted in seizure of two elephant tusks worth Rs10 lakh. Forest officials confirmed that it was ivory. Both the accused are farmers and said they have been trying to sell it for the past five years. But couldnt find a buyer.

Cops said the two have visited Thane on several occasions in the past.

Despite repeated attempts, neither of them managed to find a buyer. The collective weight of the ivory is 2.8kg and its price in the international market is extremely high. The duo had planned to sell the ivory to those residing in upmarket areas of Thane. We are now looking for the person who sold them ivory five years ago in Pune. Both were produced in court and remanded in police custody till Thursday, said inspector Nasir Kulkarni from Kasarwadavli police station.

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A man from Delhi, who stole 1,200 US dollars from a Chinese national and fled to Mumbai in a flight, was arrested by Mumbai police and sent back. Incidentally, this is the third time he was arrested this year in such a case, and was released on bail just last month.

According to the police, the arrested accused, Rajesh Kapoor, 35, dropped out of college after HSC and has two more theft cases against him, where the modus operandi is identical.

Kapoor buys air-tickets for Mumbai to enter the Airport premises. He then tries to steal whatever he can from fellow passengers at the Indira Gandhi Airport in Delhi and flees to Mumbai.

On September 30 at around 9am, he stole 1,200 dollars from the bag of a Chinese national while it was passing through a security bag scanner. The money was kept in the front chain, making it easy for him to steal the amount quickly.

But Kapoor didnt zip up the chain properly, and when the Chinese national collected his bag, he found the front pocket half open. When he found the cash missing, he immediately informed the police who started scanning the CCTV footage and spotted the thief.

The IGI Airport police recognised Kumar, as he has two identical cases against him this year. The police quickly sent an email with his photo and a CCTV grab to their counterparts in Mumbai.

Based on the description provided by the Delhi cops, the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) detained him hours later in Mumbai. He was handed over to Sahar police, who arrested him and handed him over to the Delhi police.
Irked by the delay in providing loan waiver benefits to farmers, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) led by Sharad Pawar is likely to declare an agitation against the BJP-led state government on Tuesday.

Pawar has called partys executive committee meeting on Tuesday, which is expected to take a decision on the issue.

Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis declared a Rs34,022-crore farm loan waiver, following an unprecedented farmers strike in June. However, the government imposed a cap of Rs1.5 lakh for each farmer and imposed several conditions as eligibility criteria, which is being opposed by the farmers outfits and opposition parties, including the NCP.

Farmers outfits have also announced a state-wide agitation against the state government on October 20.

Pawar is likely to speak on Ranes new political outfit  Maharashtra Swabhiman Paksha.

The NCP chief too had left Congress to form the NCP in 1999.

The senior leader is likely to speak on Elphinstone Road stampede tragedy in which 23 people had loss their lives.
A week is a long time in politics, they say, but over the years I have discovered that three is a wondrous number too - in years, not weeks.

When the Shiv Sena-BJP government first came to power in 1995, I remember then Finance Minister Ramrao Adik had gone down on his knees to then chief minister Sharad Pawar not to allow them to form the government. They were in minority and needed the help of 45 Congress rebels to make up the numbers and Pawar could easily have stopped them from supporting the alliance. But he deliberately did not.

Give me three years. Just three years, he told Adik who had been a former Shiv Sainik and knew well the incapabilities of his former party men. But clearly Pawar seemed to know them better. If they do not mess up in three years, I will quit politics forever. Pawars reasoning was that it took just three years for good governance - or bad - to show up and that even the best of governments have to fight this three-year danger hard, so the Sena would never be able to do it.

As he predicted, it took them exactly three years to begin unravelling with Raj Thackerays alleged involvement in the Ramesh Kini scam and after that everything went downhill for the two parties. They could not return to power for 15 long years - that is three terms which is as long as it took to displace the Congress-NCP again. But three years is again as long as it took for scams in the Devendra Fadnavis government to come tumbling out and destroy its carefully built reputation for clean governance.

Harking back to the past, three years was again all it took to similarly destroy then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhis squeaky clean image forever and despite the biggest majority of all times in the Lok Sabha under him, the Congress has since been struggling to regain a firm foothold in electoral politics. However, now, three years is again all it has taken for things to begin unravelling for the current dispensation in New Delhi as it took three years for Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi to find his feet - and voice - again after the massive defeat of 2014.

With the pressures resulting from demonetisation and GST, the BJP is suddenly under pressure in Gujarat (going to polls in November), which is a heavily trader and small and medium entrepreneur based economy. These groups could once upon a time be depended upon to vote for the BJP, but now the jitteriness of the party is apparent in the fact that they seem to have abandoned the plank of development and gone for Gujarati pride - the Congress has always been disrespectful of Sardar Vallabbhai Patel, Morarji Desai and Narendra Modi (three again!), party president Amit Shah has said.

But the fact is that it is the Shiv Sena which abhors the Gujaratis more - and its distrust of the BJP now comes more from its past experience with Morarji Desai who had ordered a firing on protesters of the Samyukta Maharashtra Movement in the 1950s at Flora Fountain that had martyred 106 Maharashtrians, a fact no Maharashtrian can forget. Which is why both Uddhav and Raj Thackeray and Sanjay Raut in recent days are openly targetting both the Union government and the BJP, largely seen as a Gujarati-dominated party today, with a pugnacity that the BJP is finding difficult to combat.

But the power of three finds its effect more with Sharad Pawar, who first propounded the theory of three, than with anybody else. Three years after he suggested the idea of farmers-producers setting up their own companies to gain maximum returns from their crops, these farmers from Nashik who came together to export their grapes to European countries have succeeded like never before and reinvited Pawar to their farms this week to ask him how they can maximise their returns.

His advice is significant and of great import to future governments - dont depend on any government for anything, Pawar told them. Unite and rise on your own and you will never have to suffer.

Pawar is clearly rebuilding his party and has wooed back his core voter base - the farmers - in just three years. If the state and Union governments do not pay heed, it will not even take three years until the next election for them to be hit by the power of three.

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The 32-year-old son of an underworld don was found dead on the tracks at Sewri railway station on Monday.

Gitesh Khopade was the son of Chandrakant Khopade, the leader of Golden Gang, which operated out of Sun Mill compound at Lower Parel. The gang was known to protect other underworld dons such as Haji Mastan and Varadrajan Mudaliyar.

The police said Giteshs body was found on the tracks around 10.30am.

They said based on circumstantial evidence, it is possible Gitesh was killed and his body was dumped on the tracks. Central GRP registered an accidental death case, but they are not ruling out murder as yet.

According to the government railway police, Gitesh lived in Virar and owned a few shops at Lower Parel on which he earned rent.

Crime branch officials said Gitesh was not close to his father and it is not known if he was part of Golden Gang.

In the early age of underworld in Mumbai man power and protection men were provided to Haji mastan and Varadrajan Mudaliyar by the Golden Gang which was run by Chandrakant Alias babya Khopade.
Rocker Tom Petty was hospitalised after suffering an apparent heart attack, reports said on Monday, although his daughter angrily denied reports he had died.

Celebrity website TMZ and later broadcaster CBS, quoting unnamed law enforcement sources, said that the 66-year-old rocker had been found unconscious at his Malibu home and rushed to a hospital, where he was reported to be taken off life support.

The Los Angeles Police Department on Twitter denied providing any such information and one of the rockers daughters, artist Annakim Violette Petty, flatly denied he was dead.

(1/2)The LAPD has no information about the passing of singer Tom Petty. Initial information was inadvertantly provided to some media sources  LAPD HQ (@LAPDHQ) October 2, 2017

His daughter lashed out at music magazine Rolling Stone, one of a number of media outlets that ran obituaries of Petty based on other news organizations reports.

How dare you report that my father has died just to get press because your articles and photos are so dated? she wrote in a profanity-laden Instagram post along with an image of Tom Petty on a 1979 cover.

But she suggested in other posts that her father was indeed facing health issues. She thanked well-wishers, saying, This has been the longest day of my life and writing, in a nod to the Black Lives Matter movement, Dad Lives Matter.

Representatives for Petty did not respond to requests for comment.

Petty -- known for hits such as American Girl, Dont Come Around Here No More and I Wont Back Down -- just last week had wrapped up a tour to mark 40 years of his band the Heartbreakers.

Born in Gainesville, Florida, Petty has infused his brand of rock n roll with Southern influences and a dark lyrical sense, with songs of small-town Americans striving but facing roadblocks.
The Ghaziabad police have arrested four young men for the murder of 18-year-old Farman Qureshi alias Bittu in Ghaziabad. They were arrested from the old Ghaziabad railway junction when they were trying to flee on Monday night.

The police arrested Shoaib, Talib, Nadeem and Rashid for murdering Bittu. The teenagers dead body was found in a pool of blood from the terrace of a market at Ramte Ram Road near Ghanta Ghar Ramlila Ground on the morning of October 2.

The accused, all in the age group of 20-24 years, have been booked under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code.

The four conspired and lured Bittu to the Ramlila fair on the night of October 1 and murdered him to avenge an old rivalry between the families. In April, the families of the prime accused and the victim had clashed following an altercation over a smartphone.

Shoaib is the mastermind and wanted to settle a rivalry between the families. In April this year, Shoaibs family had beat up Farman and his brother. After this, the Qureshis lodged a case, and Shoaib and his family were chargesheeted. The deceased was an eyewitness, said Maneesha Singh, circle officer (city I).

Shoaib and his accomplices wanted to murder Farman on Dusshehra, but he did not come to the market. The next day, Shoaib sent two of Farmans acquaintances Rashid and Nadeemto his house and lure him out on the pretext of visiting the Ramlila fair, Singh said.

At the fair, Rashid and Nadeem spent nearly Rs1000 on food and swings to keep Farman from getting suspicious. Around 9.30pm, they walked to the terrace of nearby Ramanuj Dayal Market where Shoaib was waiting.

Shoaib and Talib, another accused, stabbed Farman at least 10-12 times with meat cleavers. As Farman fought his attackers, Shoaib, too, suffered some cuts. Farman died on the spot because of excessive blood loss, Singh said.

We have completed the forensic examination of blood samples found at the crime scene, and the samples match Shoaibs blood type, Singh said.

Since the murder was a fallout of personal enmity between Bittu and Shoaibs families, police suspect the involvement of Shoaibs brother Amzad and father Yaseen in the murder conspiracy. They are on the run.

Police teams have been fanned out to search for Shoaibs family members.

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A number of saffron outfits on Tuesday came out in support of those involved in firing that took place at the ancient Dasna Devi temple in Ghaziabad on Vijaya Dashmi and condemned filing of an FIR in the matter.

Hundreds of devotees had performed the Shastra Puja rituals and later fired weapons in the air inside the temple complex.

A day later, senior superintendent of police (SSP), HN Singh, took cognizance of a video that had gone viral on social media, showing the indiscriminate use of weapons and had ordered registration of an FIR at Masuri police station.

On Tuesday, members of several saffron outfits came together to support the cause of temples mahant, Yati Narsimhanand, and said that it was an attempt on the part of police to curtail the rights of devotees.

We have been performing rituals and firing our arms on this occasion for many years now, to check if our arms are in order and the police also know of this. We opened fire inside the complex and not in a public place, said Shashi Chauhan, a woman councillor from Dasna, who also featured in the video.

Members of the Shiv Sena said that the administration has failed to set up a proposed shooting range in Niwari, due to which they are forced to do it in other places.

The firing (in the air) is done to check the weapons in the absence of a shooting gallery. The FIR lodged by the police is an attempt to demean the ritual performed by Hindus. We will protest if an arrest is made. Also, we will continue to perform the same ritual next year with more devotees, said Mahesh Ahuja, state vice-president of the Shiv Sena.

Members of the Hindu Raksha Dal said the FIR is an attempt to pressurise the Hindu activists.

The FIR and any action on it will not be tolerated. The Shastra Puja is an age-old ritual which is being performed for centuries now. We will resort to a major protest if any of the devotees seen in the video is arrested, said Pinki Chaudhary, president of the association.

Even Mahant Yati Narsimhanand said that he had been uploading the video of Shastra Puja and the firing activity on the social media for the last three years. Lodging of an FIR is an attempt by the police to hit our sentiments. The activity was not in the open. It was inside the temple complex. We will hold a major protest if the police arrests even one devotee in connection with the FIR, he said.

The police lodged an FIR under the sections of the Arms Act but have not made any arrest in the case.

We are checking the video which went viral on the social media. Arrests will definitely be made in the case but we are still investigating it. Once people are identified from the video, we will take action, said Raj Kumar Pandey, circle officer (Masuri).

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A 26-year-old woman from Delhi delivered a premature baby in a vehicle on Tuesday afternoon after she was allegedly denied a doctor at the Noida district hospital in Sector 30.

Both mother and child are out of danger, but the experience turned out to be traumatic for the family.

According to the womans relatives, they had to return from the district hospital after they failed to find an emergency doctor to treat her early Tuesday morning.

However, the chief medical superintendent of the district hospital, Dr Ajey Agarwal, said that a doctor was present in the emergency section and it was the mistake of the security guard, who didnt inform the family.

Babita, a resident of Azadpur in Delhi was brought to the district hospital in Noidas Sector 30 around 6.30am by her relatives after she experienced labour pains. She was staying at her sister, Sangeetas, residence in Sector 36, from where she was taken to the hospital.

Babita started getting labour pains, so, we took her to the hospital as it was an emergency. We asked the emergency staff to admit Babita but they asked us to get her checked by a doctor before admitting her to the hospital, said Chandra Devi, Babitas mother.

However, her relatives alleged that when they started looking for an emergency doctor, they were told that no one was available at the moment. They further claimed that they couldnt approach any private hospital for emergency as they were not financially well-off.

We feared we couldnt afford the fees of private hospital and so I returned home. But soon, my pain increased and my sister informed her employer, who is a doctor. Her employer arrived at our home and was taking me to a hospital but I delivered my baby in his car itself, said Babita.

The woman delivered a baby boy around 1.30pm near the Nithari market exit, which is approximately 250 metres from the hospital.

CMS Dr Agarwal said that he enquired about the case and found the security guard posted at emergency section guilty of spreading misinformation.

It was the fault of the security guard who gave the wrong information to the mothers family. I will remove him from his post tomorrow, said Dr Agrawal.

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Tension gripped Chapproli Banger village near Noidas sector 168 on Monday after the imam alleged that his brother was roughed up by a mob. No complaint has been lodged so far, however, senior superintendent of police (SSP) Love Kumar said security in the village will be increased, if the need arises. A few policemen have been stationed outside the mosque for now.

While some eyewitnesses said the attackers were from the village, others claimed that it could be the work of outsiders. Chapproli Banger village, located two kilometres away from the Noida expressway, is dominated by Rajputs and houses 2,500-odd people, of which some 25-odd families follow Islam.

The village has two mosques  an old one that has been used for generations and another built in 2013 which is also used by Muslim families from the neighbouring areas. The four-year-old mosque attracts a crowd of 2,500-3,000 people every Friday.

Some villagers have a problem with the new mosque and they want it to be moved. A meeting was scheduled at Suresh Chauhans residence to discuss the issue on Sunday, said Yusuf Ali, a resident of Chapproli Banger.

Suresh Chauhan and his elder brother Kishan hold influence in the village and often act as mediators in inter-community meetings since there is no panchayat system in Noida villages.

The village meeting was scheduled at 9am, but Muslim residents chose not to attend the meeting after they were reportedly tipped off about a possible attack. We were told by our sources to avoid the meeting as the issue had flared up and a crowd had started assembling at the baraat ghar (community centre), Ali said.

Eyewitnesses Shokeen and Mahinuddin alleged that the group vandalized a room inside the mosque and roughed up Saba Hasan, the 19-year-old brother of imam Ziyauddin Al Hussaini. Hasan claimed he was accused of running a madrasa and told to leave the village. I tried to tell them that it is a masjid (mosque) and not a madarsa but they kept beating me and hurled abuses at me. They called me a Pakistani, a terrorist, he said.

Imam Hussaini said he too was called a terrorist. I heard some noise and come out of the mosque. I saw a mob of around 100 people who were pelting stones at a small room where my brother and I sleep. They slapped my brother multiple times and called me a terrorist. I had to run for my life, he said.

Both Hussaini and Hasan hail from Araria district of Bihar and had come to Noida a year ago. Eyewitnesses claimed the mob comprised villagers with whom they have lived in harmony for years.

However, Kishan Chauhan claimed outsiders may be involved in the incident. We dont know who was behind the attack. Some outsiders may have done this. A meeting was scheduled for Monday but Muslims didnt turn up, he said.

Though the victims have refused to lodge an FIR, they said they can identify the people in the mob. They refused to say why they did not want to file a complaint.

We can identify the men who were responsible for the vandalism. I was born here and so was my grandfather. We have lived in harmony with everyone for years and now, all of a sudden, they want us out of the village, eyewitness Mahinuddin said.

Vedpal Pundir, station house officer of Expressway police station, said a distressed call was received from the villagers about an alleged attack at the mosque. We received a call from the villagers saying that a few anti-social elements have attacked a mosque in Chapproli Banger. We immediately reached the spot and diffused the situation. However, the miscreants had fled by then. He added that the situation is under control for now. We talking to the victims so they give us the names of attackers to lodge an FIR, he said.

SSP Love Kumar said additional police force will be deployed in the village, if the need arises. I am constantly in touch with the Expressway SHO and I am keeping track of the situation, Kumar said.

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President Ram Nath Kovind will soon make his first foreign trip as Head of State to Ethiopia and Djibouti in a region that has acquired major significance as a result of geopolitical developments.

Formerly Abyssinia, Ethiopia hosts the African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa. It is located there mainly because Ethiopia is the only country in the continent never to have been colonised, and is considered to have successfully retained its African identity and culture. It has its own calendar and continues to use Amharic as its official language and script whereas the other countries have lost theirs over the years and use the Roman script.

Former French colony Djibouti has acquired significance because of military operations in the Gulf region and the heightened threat of terrorism. Its Camp Lemonnier is a permanent US naval expeditionary base located at the Djibouti airport for providing military support, forming a reconnaissance hub for drones across Africa and supporting aerial surveillance of the Persian Gulf. China has its own base right next to the US base. It is its first overseas military outpost ostensibly to provide logistical support for Chinese interests in the region, but possibly to start a base for its submarines. In addition, the Djibouti port has become strategically important and handles heavy traffic particularly since Ethiopia has to rely on it for all its trade after Eritrea broke away and left Ethiopia landlocked without access to the Red Sea.

Like President Kovind, many Indian heads of State have visited Ethiopia since 1952, probably the most to any African nation. This includes presidents S Radhakrishnan and VV Giri, vice-president Zakir Hussain and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who led India at the Second India-Africa Forum summit in Addis Ababa in 2011.

The previous State visits have each served to strengthen relations with Ethiopia, but did not significantly impact relations with other African countries notwithstanding the presence of the African Union in Addis Ababa. This is because the Ethiopians are ethnically and culturally diverse from the other countries of Sub-Saharan Africa except Rwanda. Besides African countries are independently minded so State visits to Ethiopia hardly make news in Botswana or Angola or impact the continent or its trade as a whole.

What should make a major impact is the presidents presence in Djibouti. There has been no visit to Djibouti by an Indian Head of State although the heads of state of Djibouti have made two visits to India since 2003. Indias relations in the region are fragile and are based fundamentally on Indias past and present contribution to school and college education in Ethiopia. Indian investments in the region, even in Ethiopia, are not significant enough, compared to China and the EU. The relations with French-speaking Djibouti are even more tenuous.

While Djibouti opened its embassy in New Delhi in 2004, India does not have an embassy in Djibouti, unlike the US and China. Indias relations are based on a handful of diaspora and limited trade links from ancient times.

If relations with Djibouti could be strengthened on the basis of providing skills, educational and medical facilities, which are perceived in the region as Indias three areas of greatest strength, it will not be too late for India to look for an opportunity to get a strategic toehold there, perhaps to set up a base for anti-piracy monitoring. It should be possible to achieve this if the presidents visit is well coordinated, help is taken from friends and allies, and most of all Djibouti is not underestimated in any way.

Amitava Chaudhuri is former UN and World Bank adviser in Ethiopia, Rwanda, South Sudan, South Africa and Botswana

The views expressed are personal
Air travel from Chandigarh is set to become costlier. With 11 of 38 flights grounded at the Chandigarh International Airport to carry out runway repairs from Tuesday, the air connectivity has been affected in most of the sectors operating from here.

For instance, the number of flights between the city and Delhi has gone from 16 to 11 while Mumbai flights  which always have huge occupancy  has gone from eight to six.

Travel agents said the Chandigarh-Mumbai fare that was Rs 3,500-Rs 4,000, or even cheaper in lean days, has gone up to Rs 5,000

Amit Raina, who looks after sales in private airlines here, said while he does not see much fare hike on the Chandigarh-Delhi route as there are a lot of alternative options available, the limited number of flights in other sectors, especially Mumbai and Hyderabad, will definitely affect the pricing because of limited seats and high demand.

Travel agents said the Chandigarh-Mumbai fare that was Rs 3,500-Rs 4,000, or even cheaper in lean days, has gone up to Rs 5,000.

Vineet Sharma, a local travel agent, said that ex-Chandigarh airfare may go up by 20-25%, which is already visible in future bookings. Last month, one-way journey to Jaipur cost Rs 3,000-Rs3,500, which has gone up to Rs 4,800 this month.

Reason: Earlier, there were two flights to Jaipur with the total seating capacity of 150. With the cancellation of one flight, the number of seats available have gone down to 70.

In winter season, when tourism in Rajasthan is at its peak, rates will further go up, said Sharma, adding that airfare to the Information Technology (IT) hubs of Bengaluru and Hyderabad will also go up due to the industrys presence in the tricity. In fact, the airfare to Bengaluru has already crossed Rs 5,000, a hike of 15-20% since the last month.

Double whammy

A local airline official, not wishing to be named, said the increase in jet fuel prices will also impact airfares. He said aviation fuel is 6% costlier after the Sundays price revision. Airlines will have to definitely rework on their basic fare due to the increase in input cost, he said.

Growth story hit

According to the Airport Authority of India (AAI)s survey, the city airports traffic has grown exponentially from mere 1 lakh passengers in 2006 to 18 lakh in 2017. It prompted the airlines to spread their network. But the runway repairs that may take up to 18 months are set to put brakes on the airports growth story, for now.

In the new schedule, the watch hours have been curtailed to 10pm to 4pm. Also, there will no operations on Sundays till at least March 31 next year.

Sources said the Indian Air Force (IAF) that manages the air traffic control and has initiated the runway repairs could also close the airport for at least one month on two different occasions. The dates are not specified yet.

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Honeypreet Insan, who is being questioned by the Panchkula police, has revealed that while absconding, she was living with another Dera Sacha Sauda follower in Bathinda district, said Panchkula police commissioner A S Chawla.

The lady who was travelling today has confirmed that Honeypreet Insan was living with her for the last many days in a remote location at Bathinda district, where she has land and a house too, which is where Honeypreet was staying, A S Chawla told media.

This comes from an earlier revelation by the Panchkula police that jailed Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram rahim Singhs adopted daughter Honeypreet Insan was travelling from Guru Sar Modia where Haryana police had conducted raids as well.

The other ladys name is Sukhdeep and is also a follower of the Dera, said Chawla.

He further said that they have deputed senior lady police officers from Haryana for this investigation, adding that Honeypreet Insans questioning is still going on.

The police commissioner asserted that Honeypreet is not revealing a lot of details.

She is not giving many details yet which is why the interrogation is taking a lot of time.

He also said that the interrogation will continuously proceed, where they will take her in remand after she is presented in the court on Wednesday at 2 pm.

He also asserted that they are verifying the facts that have come to the police, adding that, We will have to take her to the locations for confirmation.

Honeypreet was wanted by the police in connection with the violence that broke out in Panchkula in August, the day a court there declared Ram Rahim guilty of rape.

The Delhi high court, on 26 September, rejected the transit anticipatory bail plea of Honeypreet.

For almost 40 days, Haryana police has been tracking leads on Honeypreet in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan.
Mohali: Panic gripped Shivalik Enclave in Kharar after two gangs opened fire at each other and later also shot at the police team that reached there to apprehend them here on Monday.

The incident took place outside Gate No. 2 of the residential locality Shivalik Enclave on the Kharar-Banur road around 5:45pm. Members of two rival gangs  led by a gangster who goes by the name of Baba and other comprising men from Khunimajra village  had reached the spot to resolve an old case of attempt to murder involving them.

Weapons recovered from the damaged car belonging to the gangsters, at the crime spot near Shivalik Enclave in Kharar on Monday. (HT Photo)

Dheera and Billa of Khunimajra along with two dozen aides had come to meet members of Baba gang, who too were around 25 in number. After their talks failed, the two sides attacked each other with sharp-edged weapons and also fired shots, said police. Meanwhile, police too reached there on a tip-off.

On seeing the cops, the gangsters shot eight to nine bullets at the raiding party, said police. Although one of the miscreants, Ajay, was arrested, others managed to flee.

Police said Dheera, Billa and Baba have multiple cases of murder and dacoity registered against them in Kharar and other parts of Punjab. The Kharar police seized a white Hyundai i20 car and two motorcycles from the spot. The car is registered in Hisar, Haryana, in the name of one Sahil.

Meanwhile, four police teams have been formed to raid the possible hideouts of the assailants. Police were yet to register a case till the filing of this report.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has debarred former Jharkhand chief minister Madhu Koda from contesting elections for three years charging him with submitting a false account of poll expenses during 2009 general elections.

Koda, who was chief minister from September 2006-August 2008, had successfully contested from Singhbhum parliamentary constituency in 2009 Lok Sabha polls.

Trouble gripped Koda the same year when joint teams of income tax department and enforcement directorate (ED) carried out search and seizure operations at 75 locations across the country. Further investigation revealed that Koda and many of his associates had allegedly laundered Rs 3,500 crore tainted money. The income tax department had detected that Koda incurred huge expenditure in excess to the permissible limit in 2009 Lok Sabha elections.

Koda has been facing trial in two cases separately lodged by the ED and the CBI here in Ranchi. As an undertrail prisoner, he had spent nearly four years between 2009-2013 in jail before he was released on bail.

Taking cognizance of the findings of the income tax department, the election commission had initiated a proceeding against Koda in 2010.

Pronouncing its verdict on September 27, the commission found that Koda had furnished a false account of his election expenses showing a total expenditure of Rs 18.92 lakh whereas he had incurred Rs 28.01 lakh on advertisements in print and electronic media only. The maximum limit of expenditure for a candidate was fixed to Rs 25 lakh. It disqualified Koda from contesting elections for three years under Section 10 A of the Representation of Peoples Act, 1951.

Unfair elections strike at the root of democracy. With a mass media oriented campaign, any candidate can effectively polarise a decidedly large proportion of votes towards him. Undecided voters...fall victim to the bandwagon effect due to the illusion of mass support created by such a candidate. It is unfortunate that voters are exploited by this show of money power... the commission observed in its 49-page order signed by chief election commissioner AK Joti and election commissioner OP Rawat.

During the course of hearing, the commission had sought the findings of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) and the CBI, which is investigating a disproportionate asset case against Koda, regarding expenses incurred by the former Jharkhand chief minister in 2009 elections.

While the CBDT report and documentary evidences forwarded to the commission indicated that Koda paid Rs 28.01 lakh to different media houses for publication of advertisements, the CBIs chargesheet clarified that Koda had incurred Rs 7.38 crore in 2009 general elections.

The commission had examined eight witnesses, including six representatives of media houses, on its behalf and five witnesses produced by Koda in his defence.

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Firoz Alam and five of his accomplices spent a couple of months behind bars for allegedly inciting communal violence in the citys Bargaiyn locality this June, before finally being granted bail by the high court.

The relief, however, came with a rider. The six were required to spend a specific period of their time performing community services, such as manning the traffic and helping patients at the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) out-patient department.

The punishment turned out to be a lifesaver for Firoz, who has now sworn off violence.

Co-accused Sahid Alam sang a similar tune of peace and tolerance. Five days ago, we reported to the hospital superintendent who briefed us on our jobs after verifying our documents. Our tasks include helping patients locate the doctors chamber and monitoring those with little knowledge of how a hospital functions, he said. Being forced into community service came as a blessing in disguise for us. Here, we get to see human suffering from close quarters and find ourselves relating with it.

Mojibur Rahman also hailed the high courts order, adding that community service should be made a precondition for granting bail to anybody. Tasks like these instill a sense of responsibility towards society in people, said the accused, who was found managing the traffic at RIMS gate. We are happy doing this.

The six took the court directive in all seriousness. The atmosphere in the areas surrounding RIMS was communally charged on Tuesday, with Muslims taking out the Muhurram procession  a day late due to Dussehra  giving rise to huge traffic snarls. Rising up to the occasion, three of them spent the entire day helping traffic personnel in their efforts to keep the vehicles moving.

Three accused persons released by the Jharkhand high court on bail help visitors to RIMS negotiate their way through the hospital out-patient department as part of their community service obligations on Tuesday. (Diwakar Prasad/ HT Photo)

So, how did they end up behind bars in the first place? The six  Imtiyaz Ansari (a businessman), Mojibur Rahman (a central government employee), Shakiruddin, Firoz Alam, Mohammad Aman and Sahid Alam (all students)  allegedly participated in an attack on a Hindu marriage procession in Muslim-dominated Bargaiyn locality on June 3. The incident, which left as many as eight people injured, was allegedly spurred by an objectionable Facebook post shared by the bridegrooms cousin.

Jharkhand high court judge S Chandrashekhar granted provisional bail to the six on August 4, with specific instructions that they perform three hours community service at RIMS on October 3 and November 6. A number of additional conditions were also imposed on them.

When they reported before the RIMS superintendent at 8.30 am on Tuesday, he verified their Aadhaar cards before dividing them in two groups. While three of the accused were deputed at the hospitals main gate to manage the traffic, the others were asked to maintain order at the OPD hall.

Justice Chandrashekhar, in the bail order, asked the RIMS superintendent to submit a report on the accuseds conduct to the investigating officer in charge of the case. He is required to furnish the same on December 14, the next date of hearing.

Service to the society by the accused will not only be appreciated by both the communities but also give solace to the injured, the judge had observed in his order.

According to the two FIRs lodged in the case, around 350 people attacked the wedding party with stones and bamboo sticks while the celebrators were bursting crackers in the vicinity of a local mosque. Later, the wedding party was attacked again at the neighbouring Panchdev Mandir.

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Sometimes a vacation can prove to be as tiring as a work routine. If youre looking for a holiday to simply relax and unwind, a mini-vacation at a spa or yoga retreat is just what you need to beat the blues.

Yoga retreats are not just about yoga classes, but offer an opportunity to travel the world, meet like-minded individuals, and discover what yoga means to you. So, get your friends together or plan a short romantic getaway with your partner and experience a memorable spa-cation.

Here are the top seven spa destinations around the world listed by Varun Gupta, CEO of travel tech company Goomo.

Bali, Indonesia

You are greeted with an overwhelming feeling of having stepped into a mythical land the moment you arrive in Bali and Ubud. Replete with dense rainforests and stunning waterfalls, this enchanting land seems just like a utopia. With a warm, tropical weather throughout the year, the island town of Bali is one big yoga studio surrounded by the ocean. A yoga or spa retreat here is the perfect way to appreciate the stunning landscape of Bali and spend a few peaceful days amid nature.

Kerala, India

Very few destinations in India can match Kerala when it comes to offering an unparalleled spa experience. Whether it is a luxury spa break or a budget holiday you are looking for, Kerala has something for everyone. Most spas offer a variety of Ayurveda treatments as well as yoga centres with trained instructors to help guests on their path to spiritual and mental renewal. Whats more - with its gorgeous backwaters, lush, green hills, tea estates, and coffee plantations, there are enough reasons to visit Kerala even if you want to ditch the spa and the yoga and immerse yourself in the lap of Mother Nature!

Whether you want to lie back and admire the architecture or relax in the octagonal pool when in Budapest, the choice is yours. (Shutterstock)

Budapest, Hungry

The Romans first took advantage of the citys thermal waters almost two millennia ago and the city still sits on a patchwork of almost 125 thermal springs. Though, no baths still operating date back to Roman times but some are a legacy of the Turkish occupation, others are Art Nouveau marvels and there are even spic-and-span modern establishments boasting all the modern conveniences. Whether you want to lie back and admire the architecture or relax in the octagonal pool, the choice is yours.

Phuket and Krabi, Thailand

Phuket and Krabi, the island destinations in Thailand have some of the most beautiful shorelines that you wont ever get over. This peaceful island also offers an opportunity to add celebration to your yoga retreat with its monthly full moon parties, which are regarded among some of the best parties around the globe.

Dead Sea, Jordan

Jordans Dead Sea attracts visitors from around the world, thanks to its therapeutic properties. Its water and mud are rich in minerals and make it a very popular spa destination for its unique and soothing treatments.

From Istanbul to Cappadocia, there are so many varieties of spa options that you just cant keep count. (Shutterstock)

Istanbul, Turkey

Turkey, without a doubt, is among the best spa destinations in the world. From Istanbul to Cappadocia, there are so many varieties of spa options that you just cant keep count. Indulge in relaxing therapies at the cave hotels and resorts or at any of the luxury hotels along the Bosphorus River. If you are looking to be pampered, Turkey is the ultimate place for a spa vacation where you can put your feet up and feel like a queen/king

Bora- Bora, French Polynesia

Bora Bora is the most famous and photogenic of French Polynesias Leeward Islands. Wide land covered with coconut forests, beautiful colourful villages, jagged green peaks, white sandy beaches and crystal-clear turquoise water as far as the eye can see. Bora Bora is a magical place and among the most scenic islands in the world to go for your spa-cation.
Here we are again - in the aftermath of another terrible, inexplicably shocking and painful tragedy. This time - in Las Vegas. Which happens to be my hometown, the late-night hosts voice shook as he began Mondays Jimmy Kimmel Live.

He delivered a touching monologue about the mass shooting in Las Vegas that killed at least 59 people and injured hundreds.

Of course, we pray for the victims - and for their families and friends and we wonder why even though theres probably no way to ever know why a human being would do something like this to other human beings who were at a concert having fun listening to music, Kimmel continued.

Jimmy Kimmel breaks down into tears as he speaks on the mass shooting in Las Vegas. #PrayforLasVegas  pic.twitter.com/zCLGXoPbs8  Dylan (@DylansFreshTake) October 3, 2017

As a result of that this morning, we have children that are without parents and fathers that are without sons, mothers without daughters. We lost two police officers, we lost a nurse from Tennessee, a special ed teacher from a local school here in Manhattan Beach [California], the father of four also said in his monologue, later noting the shootings in Orlando, Newtown, Aurora and San Bernadino as well as Lawrence, Kansas.

Its the kind of thing that makes you want to throw up. Or give up, Kimmel said.

Jimmy Kimmel's a liar.



-Background checks are the law

-There's no gun show loophole

-GOP didn't legalize gun ownership for the mentally ill pic.twitter.com/CIkcnaB7XH  Ryan Saavedra  (@RealSaavedra) October 3, 2017

Its too much to even process. All these devastated families who now have to live with this pain forever because one person with a violent and insane voice in his head managed to stockpile a collection of high-powered rifles - and used them to shoot people.

Late Night host Seth Meyers also began his show by sending his condolences to the families of the victims, and commending first responders and heroic residents who risked their lives to save stranger.

From tonights #LNSM: @SethMeyers offers his thoughts about the tragedy in Las Vegas. pic.twitter.com/9YHqMFjkr7  Late Night (@LateNightSeth) October 3, 2017

It always seems like the worst displays of humanity in this country are immediately followed by the best, and then sadly, that is followed by no action at all. And then it repeats itself, Meyers said, before sending a pointed message to Congress.

I would just like to say - are there no steps we can take as a nation to prevent gun violence? Or is this just how it is, and how its going to continue to be?

He questioned Congress members reasoning for repeatedly insisting now is not the time to talk about gun violence, adding, What you really mean is, there is never a time to talk about it.

Meyers ended his message with a plea for transparency: If youre not willing to do anything, just be honest and tell us. ... If its going to be thoughts and prayers from here on out, the least you can do is be honest about that.

Follow @htshowbiz for more
After decades spent in the limelight for a sexual assault case, director Roman Polanski finally commented on the matter which continues to dominate any discussion of the 84-year-old Oscar-winning director.

During an interview at the Zurich International Film Festival, where he was promoting his latest movie Based on a True Story, he opened up about the case that has followed him for almost 30 years.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the Oscar-winning director said, As you know, Samantha Geimer has been asking for over 30 years for this thing to end. But, Im sorry the judges who dealt with it the last 40 years were corrupted, one covering for the other. So maybe one of them will (eventually) stop doing it.

French-Polish film director Roman Polanski poses on the Green Carpet before the screening of Based on a True Story - D'apres une histoire vraie at the 13th Zurich Film Festival (ZFF) in Zurich. (AP)

Polanskis attorney, Harland Braun has suggested the LA court sentence Polanski in absentia to 334 days in custody, which is equal to the time hes already served over the years in detention in US and Switzerland, where he spent nearly a year under house arrest before the Swiss courts rejected the US extradition request and set him free.

As far as what I did: Its over. I pleaded guilty. I went to jail. I came back to the United States to do it, people forget about that, or dont even know. I then was locked up here (in Zurich) after this festival. So in the sum, I did about four or five times more than what was promised to me, noted Polanski.

The controversy over the decades-old case was reignited earlier this year after Polanski agreed to serve as president of the Cesars, Frances equivalent to the Oscars.

The director eventually withdrew after vocal protests by womens groups.

For the unversed, on March 11, 1977, Polanski, at the time the toast of Hollywood as the director of Rosemarys Baby and Chinatown, was arrested and charged with drugging and raping then-13-year-old Samantha Gailey (now Samantha Geimer).

In this June 9, 2017, file photo, Samantha Geimer, left, appears at Los Angeles Superior Court for a motion hearing in Los Angeles. (AP)

As a part of a plea bargain, Polanski pled guilty to unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor, underwent psychiatric evaluation and spent 42 days in jail.

Polanski also shared that it was unfortunate that the case has affected how his films are viewed.

Roman Polanskis new movie Based on a True Story, which stars Eva Green and Emmanuelle Seigner in pivotal roles was screened at this years Cannes Film Festival.

Follow @htshowbiz for more

ott:10:ht-entertainment_listing-desktop
More than 10,000 Rohingya have massed near a crossing point with Bangladesh, Myanmar media said on Tuesday, as an exodus continues to swell with food supplies low and hostility towards them surging.

The ongoing flight, that has already seen more than 500,000 Rohingyas enter Bangladesh since last month, casts doubt on the practicality of a Myanmar proposal aired on Monday to begin repatriation of the Muslim minority.

Rakhine state has been emptied of half of its Rohingya population in weeks, and more are on the move as insecurity presses them to leave villages which have so far been spared the worst of the communal violence to rip through the state.

Over 10,000 Muslims are arriving at the western grove between Letphwekya and Kwunthpin village to emigrate to the neighbouring country, the state-backed Global New Light of Myanmar reported on Tuesday.

Myanmars government refuses to recognise the Rohingya as a distinct ethnic group, instead calling them Muslims or Bengalis - code for illegal migrants.

Authorities have tried to reassure fleeing Rohingya that they are now safe in Rakhine, the report added, but they want to leave of their own accord.

Villagers are running short on food, while fear in ethnic Rakhine-majority areas has been kindled by the violence and reports of death threats by their Buddhist neighbours.

In some villages they are scared to pass by Rakhine villages, said Chris Lewa, from Rohingya advocacy group The Arakan Project, told AFP.

On occasions when the Rohingya village chief decides to leave, the whole hamlet will follow, emptying a village in just a few hours.

On Monday, Myanmars minister of the office of state counsellor, Kyaw Tint Swe, told Bangladesh his country was ready to return refugees subject to a verification process agreed in the early 1990s by the neighbours.

Under that agreement nearly a quarter of a million Rohingya were repatriated from Bangladesh to Myanmar between the early 1990s and 2005, he explained.

But refugees and rights groups say the verification process relies on documents most Rohingyas do not have.

Rohingya refugees who just arrived from Myanmar carry their newborn babies as they make their way to a relief centre in Teknaf, near Cox's Bazar, in Bangladesh on October 3, 2017. (Reuters)

The refugees also are also deeply fearful of what awaits back in Myanmar, with many recounting stories of rape, murder and arson.

Inside Rakhine, conditions are deteriorating for those left behind.

UN officials toured a conflict-hit portion of the state on Monday, noting the unimaginable scale of suffering.

An EU delegation accompanying them on the government-steered day trip urged for an end to the violence after seeing villages burned to the ground and emptied of inhabitants.
The 2017 Nobel Prize in Physics was on Tuesday awarded to Rainer Weiss, Barry C Barish and Kip S Thorne for decisive contributions to the LIGO detector and the observation of gravitational waves.

LIGO (Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory) a collaborative project with over 1,000 researchers from more than 20 countries. pic.twitter.com/dOjyKx2qUd  The Nobel Prize (@NobelPrize) October 3, 2017

The prize announced by Swedens Royal Academy of Sciences comes with 9 million kronor ($1.1 million). For the past 25 years, the prize has been shared among multiple winners.

This is something completely new and different, opening up unseen worlds, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said in a statement on the awarding. A wealth of discoveries awaits those who succeed in capturing the waves and interpreting their message.

Learn more about the 2017 #NobelPrize in Physics via the popular info "Cosmic chirps" (pdf): https://t.co/tSs58eZ5Xj pic.twitter.com/CLHkegfYgg  The Nobel Prize (@NobelPrize) October 3, 2017

The universes gravitational waves, predicted by Albert Einstein 100 years ago, were observed for the first time on September 14, 2015.

The waves came from a collision between two black holes. It took 1.3 billion years for the waves to arrive at the LIGO detector in the USA. pic.twitter.com/kg6vQbIm7t  The Nobel Prize (@NobelPrize) October 3, 2017

The 2016 Nobel Prize in Physics went to three British-born researchers who applied the mathematical discipline of topology to help understand the workings of exotic matter such as superconductors and superfluids. In 2014, a Japanese and a Canadian shared the physics prize for studies that proved that the elementary particles called neutrinos have mass.

This years Nobel medicine prize went to three Americans studying circadian rhythms  better known as body clocks: Jeffrey C. Hall, Michael Rosbash and Michael W. Young. The prize was announced on Monday.

(With agency inputs)
The two powerful blue beams of light that commemorate the September 11 terror attacks in New York have been radically changing the behaviour of migratory birds, according to new research by British and American experts.

Over seven years, scientists from the University of Oxford, Cornell Lab of Ornithology and New York City Audubon studied migrant bird behaviour in the unique setting of the Tribute in Light art installation that commemorates the September 11, 2001 terror attacks.

In honour of the anniversary of the tragedy, two blue beams of light - formed by 44 xenon bulbs of 7,000-watt intensity - shine into the night sky, mirroring the twin towers of the World Trade Center.

Migratory birds are both attracted to and influenced by light. As a result, their behaviour alters drastically in the presence of artificial light at night. Every year, billions of birds undertake migratory journeys during the spring and autumn months, the University of Oxford said.

However, the new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences offers compelling evidence that artificial light at night causes radical changes in the behaviour of migrating birds.

Benjamin Van Doren, lead author from the Oxfords department of zoology, said: We found that migrating birds gather in large numbers over New York City because theyre attracted to the lights. They slow down, start circling, and call more frequently.

They end up burning energy without making any progress and risk colliding with nearby buildings or being caught by predators.

Co-author Kyle Horton of Cornell Lab said it was a rare opportunity to witness the impact of powerful, urban, ground-based lights on nocturnally migrating birds.

The National September 11 Memorial & Museum turns off the lights for 20 minutes when more than 1,000 birds are seen circling in the beams or flying dangerously low, to the point that they could crash into buildings.

The 20-minute switch-off provided a unique opportunity for the scientists to quantify changes in bird behaviour in several ways during the alternating periods of light and dark.

When the tribute was illuminated, the studys authors found that densities of birds over lower Manhattan could reach 60 to 150 times the number than what would typically be found in the area at that time.

The concentrating effects of the intense light on the birds reached as high as 4 km, even on clear nights, in contrast with many previous studies that highlight the dangers of artificial light and nights with poor visibility. When the light beams were turned off, the birds dispersed within minutes to continue their migrations.

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In a surprise move, two of Nepals biggest leftist parties  the CPN-UML and CPN-Maoist Centre  on Tuesday announced the formation of an alliance ahead of provincial and federal elections.

The two parties also said they would work for their formal merger, with an eight-member committee led by CPN-UML chairman KP Oli and CPN-Maoist Centre leader Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda tasked with finalising the details for this. The new party is expected to be named the Nepal Communist Party.

Other leftist parties are expected to join this new alliance, which many in Kathmandu suspect is being orchestrated by Beijing to create a political system that works in its favour. Sources said the unification bid was engineered by some leaders of both parties who are known to be friendly with China.

Analysts believe the new alliance could boost forces that oppose any role for India in Nepals politics and come as a setback for the government led by the Nepali Congress. The CPN-Maoist Centre is part of the ruling coalition headed by Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba.

Oli and Prachanda announced the creation of the alliance for the federal and provincial polls slated for November and December during a joint news conference in Kathmandu. They were accompanied by another communist leader and former premier, Baburam Bhattarai.

Oli said the new alliance will uphold the principle of balanced relations with neighbours on the basis of mutual respect, the UN Charter and Panchsheel.

The announcement resulted in widespread surprise in political circles. Analysts believe the days of Deubas government could be numbered.

But Prachanda said the Nepali Congress should not be worried about the alliance. This is not targeted at any force and the alliance is for the wellbeing of the people and the nation, he said.

An emergency meeting of the Nepali Congress concluded the CPN-Maoist Centre had betrayed the ruling coalition and decided to take some serious steps. Nepali Congress leaders told Hindustan Times the ultimate design appeared to be the toppling of the government ahead of the polls.

According to a joint statement distributed at the news conference, the CPN-UML and CPN-Maoist Centre will share seats in a 60:40 ratio for the upcoming polls and also support each others candidates. They will also have a joint manifesto for the elections.

The new federal parliament will have 165 seats while the assemblies of the seven provinces will have a total of 330 seats.
The victims just kept coming.

In cars, in ambulances waiting four or five deep, from the walking wounded to the barely alive, they arrived in droves.

I have no idea who I operated on, said Dr Jay Coates, a trauma surgeon whose hospital took in many of the wounded after a gunman opened fire from his 32nd-floor hotel suite Sunday night on a country music concert below. They were coming in so fast, we were taking care of bodies. We were just trying to keep people from dying.

It was the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history, with at least 59 killed and 527 injured, some by gunfire, some during the chaotic escape. Scores remained in critical condition Tuesday.

University Medical Center of Southern Nevada was one of many hospitals that were overflowing.

Every bed was full, Coates said. We had people in the hallways, people outside and more people coming in.

He said the huge, horrifying wounds on his operating table told him this shooting was something different.

It was very clear that the first patient I took back and operated on that this was a high-powered weapon, Coates said. This wasnt a normal street weapon. This was something that did a lot of damage when it entered the body cavity.

The gunman, 64-year-old high-stakes gambler and retired accountant Stephen Paddock, killed himself as authorities stormed his hotel room at the Mandalay Bay hotel casino.

He had 23 guns  some with scopes  in the room where he had been staying since Thursday. He knocked out two windows to create snipers perches he used to rain what may have been automatic weapons fire on the crowd of 22,000 some 500 yards away.

He also had two bump stocks that can be used to modify weapons to fire continuously, as if fully automatic, according to two US officials briefed by law enforcement who spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation is still unfolding.

At Paddocks home, authorities found 19 more guns, explosives and thousands of rounds of ammunition. Also, several pounds of ammonium nitrate, a fertilizer that can be turned into explosives, were in his car, authorities said.

The FBI discounted the possibility of international terrorism, even after the Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack. But beyond that, the motive remained a mystery, with Sheriff Joseph Lombardo saying: I cant get into the mind of a psychopath at this point.

While Paddock appeared to have no criminal history, his father was a bank robber who was on the FBIs most-wanted list in the 1960s.

I cant even make something up, his brother in Florida, Eric Paddock, said when asked what might have motivated his brother. Theres just nothing.

President Donald Trump on Tuesday called the gunman demented and a very, very sick individual. Asked about gun laws, the president said, Well be talking about gun laws as time goes on.

His muzzle flashes visible in the dark, Paddock began shooting just after 10 p.m. and appeared to fire unhindered for more than 10 minutes, according to radio traffic, as police frantically tried to locate him.

We cant worry about the victims, an officer said over the radio at 10:15 p.m. We need to stop the shooter before we have more victims. Anybody have eyes on him ... stop the shooter.

The crowd, funneled tightly into a wide-open space, had little cover and no easy way to escape. Victims fell to the ground, while others fled in panic. Some hid behind concession stands or crawled under parked cars.

Faces were etched with shock and confusion, and people wept and wailed. Some of the injured were hit by shrapnel. Others were trampled or were injured jumping fences.

It was chaos  people just running for their lives. People trying to get down. Trying to get to their loved ones that had gotten hit, Shaun Topper said.

Marie Langer, 16, of Las Vegas, got to the concert early so she could get to the very front, closest to the stage.

That meant she and her friends were among the last to get out, and could hear shots ringing and people screaming the entire time she was trying to flee. She finally had to climb a fence with points on the top of metal bars designed to prevent people from getting over it.

We had no other option, she said.

Tales of heroism and compassion emerged: One man grasped the hand of a dying stranger, unable to pull himself away despite the danger. Another borrowed a flannel shirt from a man he didnt know to create a tourniquet for a girl he didnt know.

Couples held hands as they ran. The healthy carried the bleeding off the grounds. Strangers drove victims to hospitals in their own cars.

Authorities put out a call for blood donations and set up a hotline to report missing people and speed the identification of the dead and wounded. They also opened a family reunification center for people to find loved ones.

Before Sunday, the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history took place in June 2016, when a gunman who professed support for Muslim extremist groups opened fire at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, killing 49 people.
Some 10 million people in the United States saw politically divisive ads on Facebook that the company said were purchased in Russia in the months before and after last years US presidential election, Facebook said on Monday.

Facebook, which had not previously given such an estimate, said in a statement that it used modelling to estimate how many people saw at least one of the 3,000 ads. It also said that 44% of the ads were seen before the November 2016 election and 56% were seen afterward.

The ads have sparked anger towards Facebook and, within the United States, towards Russia since the worlds largest social network disclosed their existence last month. Moscow has denied involvement with the ads.

Facebook has faced calls for increased US regulation from US authorities. Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg has outlined steps that the company plans to take to deter governments from abusing the social media network.

Earlier on Monday, Facebook said in a separate statement that it planned to hire 1,000 more people to review ads and ensure they meet its terms, as part of an effort to deter Russia and other countries from using the platform to interfere in elections.

The latest company statement said that about 25% of the ads were never shown to anyone.

Thats because advertising auctions are designed so that ads reach people based on relevance, and certain ads may not reach anyone as a result, Elliot Schrage, Facebooks vice president of policy and communications, said in the statement.

For 99% of the ads, less than $1,000 was spent, he said. The total ad spend was $100,000, the company has said.

Still, he said it was possible Facebook would find more Russia-linked U.S. ads as it continues to investigate.

Schrage, while criticizing the ad buyers for using fake accounts, also said many of the ads otherwise did not violate our content policies and could have remained if bought using real accounts.

While we may not always agree with the positions of those who would speak on issues here, we believe in their right to do so - just as we believe in the right of Americans to express opinions on issues in other countries, he wrote.

Facebook is working with others in the tech sector, including Twitter Inc and Alphabet Incs Google, on investigating alleged Russian election meddling, Schrage added.

The 1,000 new workers represent the second time this year that Facebook has responded to a crisis by announcing a hiring spree. In May, it said it would hire 3,000 more people to speed up the removal of videos showing murder, suicide and other violent acts that shocked users.

Like other companies that sell advertising space, Facebook publishes policies for what it allows, prohibiting ads that are violent, discriminate based on race or promote the sale of illegal drugs.

With more than 5 million paying advertisers, however, Facebook has difficulty enforcing all of its policies.

The company said on Monday that it would adjust its policies further to prevent ads that use even more subtle expressions of violence. It did not elaborate on what kind of material that would cover.

Facebook also said it would begin to require more thorough documentation from people who want to run ads about US federal elections, demanding that they confirm their businesses or organizations.
It may not have yet reached the level of Diwali  now a mainstream festival in Britain  but a large number of Durga Puja celebrations were held in various parts of UK this year, with London events attracting the most visitors.

Idols were sourced from Kumartuli in Kolkata as thousands of IT and other professionals and their families joined the celebrations attended by people from different religions and communities, as well as MPs and local leaders.

Durga Puja events were reported in more than 50 centres across Britain this year, such as Leicester, Birmingham, Edinburgh and Cardiff, marking a new high for the Bengali community, whose events involve Indians from different communities and states, including those hailing from Assam, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tripura.

One of the oldest Durga Puja events is held at Camden in north London  since the late 1960s  while other major events include the Panchamukhee at Harrow and London Sharad Utsav in Ealing. The Camden event is sponsored by steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal.

Labour MP Seema Malhotra visited the event organised by charity organisation Prabashi in Hounslow, and lauded the efforts to help connect the younger generation with their roots. Local MP Ruth Cadbury (Labour) has also been a regular visitor to Prabashi events.

Ethnically one of the most diverse London boroughs, Hounslow is home to a large number of migrants from India, including professionals. This year marked the sixth Durga Puja organised by Prabashi, attracting people from across London and elsewhere.

The Durga Puja organised by Prabashi at Houslow in west London. (HT Photo)

After an eventful immersion of the deity in the Thames in 2016, Prabashi procured a new idol produced by celebrated artisan Prasanta Pal from Kumartuli. The cost of the deity was met by Santanu Poddar, a Prabashi founding member.

Biraja Ghosal of Tata Consultancy Services, who performed the role of a priest, said: Our focus is on dedication and sincerity, resisting the temptation of going for flashy things. Over four days, between 5,000 and 6,000 people have their food during the Durga Puja and they include people from various religions and ethnicities. We want more people to visit us but paucity of space is the biggest challenge now.

Instead of inviting artists from India, Prabashi seeks to promote talent from members and their families. From around Christmas we start planning for the next year. Prabashi ladies share a lot of responsibilities in planning the programmes and training their kids, said Arya Kashyap, a member of its cultural committee.

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Investigators are still looking for the reason why Stephen Paddock, a 64-year-old who was wealthy, liked gambling, owned and flew planes and largely kept to himself, opened fire on a crowd of concertgoers and killed 59 people and injured more than 500.

Paddock had had a few run-ins with the law but nothing that could point to the lurking mass-murderer in him. I cant get into the mind of a psychopath, Sheriff Joseph Lombardo told reporters and Mayor Carolyn Goodman described the gunman as a crazed lunatic full of hate.

Police officers found Paddock dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in the 32nd floor hotel room from where he had fired on people at the outdoor country music festival below on Sunday. They also found 23 firearms in the room, and 19 more at his home in a retirement community in nearby Mesquite.

Paddock had no known religious or political leanings  the Islamic State claimed he was one of its soldiers but gave no evidence and law enforcement has not found that a credible claim  and was not known for outbursts, according to relatives and neighbours.

He was a gambler, that was his job, Eric Paddock, one of his two brothers, told reporters on Monday in Orlando, Florida. He was a wealthy guy, playing video poker, who went on cruises. He sent his mother cookieshuge, crazy boxes of cookies. The two brothers last communicated by SMS after Florida was hit by Hurricane Irma.

He has said his brother was a successful real estate investor and owned several properties  he was a multimillionaireand helped me become affluent. He had married and divorced twice and had no children.

Paddock was living with his girlfriend Marilou Danley, who police have said had no role in the shootings.

Their father, Benjamin Hoskins Paddock, was a serial bank-robber in the 1960s and was on the FBIs 10 most wanted list from 1969 to 1977. He escaped from prison in 1969 and lived on the run until 1978, when he was arrested in Oregon. He later became a used-car dealer and operated a bingo parlour.

The Paddock brothers didnt see much of their father and were brought up their mother. I didnt know him, we didnt know him, said Eric Paddock.

He was the least violent in the family during my childhood, Patrick Paddock, the other brother, said of the shooter. I have much more anger.

Paddock had, unknown to his family, acquired quite an arsenal  42 firearms in all, and police found fertilizer in his car that could be used for making explosives. Eric Paddock said he knew his brother had some weapons but he was not much of a hunter though he did have a hunting license.

He had a couple of guns but they were all handguns, legal, he told reporters. He might have had one long gun, but he had them in a safe. To CBS news, he said, Where the hell did he get automatic weapons? He has no military background or anything like that.

Investigators have said the shooter was not carrying a machine gun, but the AP cited officials as saying he had two bump-stocks that could have turned a semi-automatic weapon into a fully automatic one.
Indian-American lawmakers have called for changes in the gun control laws in the US, as they condemned the Las Vegas mass shooting, the deadliest in the countrys modern history which claimed nearly 60 lives.

Gun violence is a public health crisis that has claimed thousands of innocent lives and the Congress must do everything it can to address it, Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal said, hours after a gunman opened fire on a large crowd during a music concert in Las Vegas.

The American people are tired of being outraged, sending thoughts and prayers, seeing men, women and children die because the gun lobby does put profit over people, Jayapal said during her speech on the floor of the US House of Representatives on Monday.

That is not what our founders intended by the right to bear arms, the first-time lawmaker from Washington State said, as she joined several of her Congressional colleagues calling for changes in gun control laws.

With rights come responsibilities: the responsibility to stop gun sales loopholes, to enact protections that make sure our children and those with severe mental illnesses dont have access to guns, to address funding for mental health, and to oppose any efforts to make it easier to purchase silencers, Jayapal said.

The first ever Indian-American women elected to the House of Representatives said 87% of gun owners and 74% of NRA members support those commonsense solutions like criminal background checks.

I have a plea for gun owners across this country: Urge the non-resident aliens (NRA) to represent your views. Show them that you mean business by speaking out or even terminating your NRA membership. Show that you care about your fellow Americans, she said.

She added: Act now. Enough is enough.

The Las Vegas shooting on Sunday night, in which at least 59 people were killed and more than 500 wounded, has rekindled the debate on gun control laws in the US.

Nearly 12,000 Americans have been killed by guns in 273 mass shootings in 2017 so far  one incident for each day, according to the Gun Violence Archive, a not-for-profit corporation that tracks gun-related violence in the US.

On an average, more than 90 Americans lose their lives to gun violence every day, a daily toll of heartbreak and tragedy in communities across the US.

Other Indian-American Congressmen too joined Jayapal in condemning the incident.

No community should have to fear going to the movies, a concert, or dropping their child off at school, said Ami Bera, the three-term Congressman from California.

In the wake of this tragedy, I hope well all be able to take the time to look for the helpers and that each of us, in our own way, will seek to help our nation heal, move forward, and work to prevent similar tragedies, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Democrat Congressman from 8th district Illinois, said.

We must end this senseless violence, said Congressman Ro Khanna, Democrat Congressman from 17th district California.

In a statement, UNITED SIKHS condemned the senseless act of terror.

Its volunteers have teamed with Gurdwaras, where shelter, hot meals (langar) and other assistance is being offered to all who may need it.

Sikh taxi drivers are volunteering to drive people to their destinations safely, it said.
Prime Minister Rami al-Hamdallah on Tuesday chaired the first meeting of the Palestinian cabinet in Gaza for three years in a move towards reconciliation between the mainstream Fatah party and Islamist group Hamas.

Hamas seized the Gaza Strip in 2007 in fighting with Fatah forces loyal to President Mahmoud Abbas and has ruled the impoverished desert enclave of two million people since then.

The cabinet session was the first in Gaza since 2014, Hamdallah told his ministers, and a major step in a reconciliation process promoted by neighbouring Egypt and other US-allied Arab countries.

Today, we stand before an important, historical moment as we begin to get over our wounds, put our differences aside and place the higher national interest above all else, he said.

Hamas, considered a terrorist group by Israel and the West, last month disbanded its Gaza shadow government after Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates imposed an economic boycott on its main donor, Qatar.

A banner bearing a photograph of Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi hangs on the facade of the Palestinian government's headquarters in Gaza City on October 3, 2017. (AFP)

But while Hamas handed over administrative responsibilities to a unity government originally formed three years ago, its armed wing remains the dominant force in Gaza.

We understand that returning official institutions to their legitimate and legal framework and ending all the impacts of division will require exhausting efforts and a lot of patience, of time and of wisdom, Hamdallah said.

Abbas told Egyptian TV station CBC on Monday there could be only one state, one regime, one law and one weapon in the Gaza Strip, reiterating a long-held position that security should only be in the hands of the Palestinian Authority (PA).

Abbas is based in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and heads the PA government that administers limited self rule in the territory.

A PA spokesman said Abbas would not lift sanctions on Gaza at this stage but rather await the outcome of talks planned between Fatah and Hamas in the next two weeks.

Pressuring Hamas to loosen its grip on Gaza, he halted payments for Israeli-supplied electricity to the enclave in June, a step that has led to lengthy, daily blackouts. He also withheld salaries for Gaza civil servants.

Everything must be in the hands of the Palestinian Authority, it must be the one to control the crossing points (in and out of Gaza), he said. Both Israel and Egypt maintain a partial blockade of Gaza, citing security concerns.

Under previous understandings, some 3,000 Fatah security men would be integrated gradually into a Gaza police force overseen by an interior ministry headed by Hamdallah. Hamass armed wing, analysts say, has at least 25,000 well-equipped fighters.

The US, which is trying to revive Israeli-Palestinian peace talks that collapsed in 2014, is watching developments closely with the aim of improving humanitarian conditions in Gaza, Jason Greenblatt, US President Donald Trumps Middle East envoy, said on Twitter.

But Greenblatt said: The United States stresses that any Palestinian government must unambiguously and explicitly commit to non-violence, recognition of the state of Israel, acceptance of previous agreements and obligations between the parties, and peaceful negotiations.

Hamas has long rejected those conditions.
President Donald Trump on Tuesday described the gunman behind the Las Vegas mass shooting as a sick, demented individual.

He was a sick man. A demented man, a lot of problems, Trump told reporters as he left the US capital for Puerto Rico. We are dealing with a very, very sick individual.

Stephen Paddock, a 64-year-old gambler and retired accountant, was identified as the shooter who fired on a huge crowd at an outdoor country music concert, killing 58 and injuring over 500.



Investigators are trying to establish a motive for the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history, but so far have been unable to pin down what drove Paddock to shoot into the crowds from a 32nd floor hotel room.

Police recovered an arsenal of 23 guns, including automatic weapons, from his room in the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino across from the concert venue. More guns, ammunition and explosives were found during a search of Paddocks home in Mesquite, Nevada.
The Trump administration on Tuesday ordered the expulsion of 15 diplomats from Cubas embassy in Washington following last weeks US move to pull more than half of its own diplomats out of Havana.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said the latest decision was made due to Cubas failure to take appropriate steps to protect American personnel in Cuba who have been targeted in mysterious attacks that have damaged their health.

The steps being taken by President Donald Trumps administration mark a further blow to his predecessor Barack Obamas policy of rapprochement between Washington and Havana, former Cold War foes.

A State Department official said the number of expulsions was selected to make sure the US and Cuban embassies would have equitable staffing levels while investigations continue into the unexplained health attacks.

The US decision to expel a large portion of Cuban staff at the embassy was communicated to Cuban Ambassador Jose Ramon Cabanas on Tuesday, and the diplomats were given seven days to leave the United States, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The move follows an announcement on Friday that the United States was sharply reducing its diplomatic presence in Cuba as it warned US citizens not to visit because of attacks that have caused hearing loss, dizziness and fatigue in US embassy personnel.

Until the Government of Cuba can ensure the safety of our diplomats in Cuba, our embassy will be reduced to emergency personnel to minimize the number of diplomats at risk of exposure to harm, Tillerson said in a statement.

We continue to maintain diplomatic relations with Cuba, and will continue to cooperate with Cuba as we pursue the investigation into these attacks, he added.

The number of American diplomats suffering symptoms has increased to 22, the State Department official said.

The official maintained that despite the U.S. moves, Washington was not assigning culpability to Cubas Communist government.

Several Cuban-American Republican lawmakers, including U.S Senator Marco Rubio and Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, had urged that Cuban diplomats be expelled in retaliation for the Cuban governments failure to get to the bottom of the attacks.

(Additional reporting by Sarah Marsh in Havana; Editing by Tom Brown)
US senators cutting across party lines reaffirmed their support for ties with India on Tuesday but raised concerns about the state of human rights in the country, targeting of NGOs, shrinking civil society space due to the rise of Hindu nationalism and unequal treatment of foreign businesses.

They asked Kenneth Ian Juster, the US ambassador-designate to India, for his views on these issues at a hearing to process his nomination, and his commitment to pursuing them if confirmed. Juster was on board with them on most issues, but so was the Indian government and civil society, he reminded them.

India has a great tradition of tolerance, he said to a question on religious tolerance in India, especially with regard to minorities, including Sikhs. Its a multi-religious country and it has the values that we have in that area. Nonetheless there are instances that occur time to timethat are troubling.

If confirmed, Juster said, he would work with the Indians on understanding better in seeking ways to improve that situation.

Senate foreign affairs committee chairman Bob Corker, a Republican, led the charge in his opening remarks after approvingly prefacing the growing ties. He expressed frustration over the civil nuclear deal, slow pace of reforms, barriers to Indian market, strict localisation and the unpredictable atmosphere for foreign investment.

Additionally, Corker said, space for civil society was shrinking as Hindu nationalism rises and international NGOs face undue scrutiny. He went on to speak of human trafficking and bonded labour, about which he has been particularly critical.

Ben Cardin, the ranking member, a Democrat, raised similar concerns after stating that bilateral relations have improved. But there are challenges, he said and listed them out while agreeing with Corker  commerce issues (market access and reforms), trafficking, and other human rights challenges.

Juster, an experienced India hand, agreed with the issues raised by the senators  including about poultry and Indias continued refusal to allow American companies to sell chicken despite a WTO ruling  and assured them he would work with them.

If confirmed, which is likely given the breezy nomination hearing he had, Juster will fill a position that has been vacant for months after the exit of Richard Verma, an Indian American appointed by former president Barack Obama.

India and the US share common values and a commitment to democracy, pluralism, and the rule of law, Juster said in prepared remarks for his testimony. The (Trump) administration views India as a leading power and a true friend, whose influence internationally is important and growing.

He added: The administration will build on the excellent meeting that President Trump and Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi had in June of this year in seeking to deepen our partnership for the benefit of the people of both countries, and in the interest of shaping a freer, more secure, and more prosperous world.

Juster was referring to the first meeting between Modi and Trump.

He also spoke of his vast experience working with India and related issues as a government official in the Bush administration and in the private sector. He told the senators his interest in India was sparked by pictures he saw of the country taken by his father, an architect and a photographer, and his mother during their visit. He was 11 then.

I still have vivid memories of the many photographs he took there. That trip sparked my interest in this vast and diverse country and its people.
The White House on Monday ruled out talks with North Korea except to discuss the fate of Americans held there, again appearing to rebuke Secretary of State Rex Tillerson who said Washington was directly communicating with Pyongyang on its nuclear and missile programs.

Weve been clear that now is not the time to talk, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders told reporters, reiterating a tweet from President Donald Trump at the weekend that was seen as undercutting Tillerson.

The only conversations that have taken place were that ... would be on bringing back Americans who have been detained, Sanders said. Beyond that, there will be no conversations with North Korea at this time.

Tillerson said on Saturday during a trip to China that the United States was directly communicating with North Korea on its nuclear and missile programs but that Pyongyang had shown no interest in dialogue.

Trump, who has traded insults and threats with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in recent weeks, later dismissed any prospect of talks with North Korea as a waste of time.

I told Rex Tillerson, our wonderful secretary of state, that he is wasting his time trying to negotiate with Little Rocket Man, Trump wrote on Twitter, using his sarcastic nickname for Kim.

Save your energy, Rex, well do what has to be done! Trump wrote.

It was not the first time the White House and State Department have seemed at odds on policy issues, but when asked if Trump still had confidence in Tillerson as secretary of state, Sanders said: He does.

A senior administration official said Tillerson misspoke.

I think it was just him misspeaking. He was just acknowledging the fact that we do have channels and we might have reason to talk if North Koreas behaviour changes sometime down the road, the official said.

DIALOGUE WITH NORTH?

Tillerson said in Beijing that the United States had multiple direct channels of communication with Pyongyang and that it was probing North Korea to see if it was interested in dialogue.

The top US diplomat expressed hope for reducing tensions with North Korea, which is fast advancing towards its goal of developing a nuclear-tipped missile capable of hitting the US mainland.

We are probing, so stay tuned, Tillerson told a small group of reporters. We ask: Would you like to talk? He said the United States had a couple of, three, channels, open to Pyongyang.

Another US official said Tillerson may have overstated the status of US lines of communication with North Korea for the benefit of his Chinese hosts, who have been pushing the Trump administration to do more to lure Pyongyang to the negotiating table.

Trump has vowed to halt North Koreas nuclear ambitions and tensions have escalated in recent months, with Pyongyang conducting its sixth and largest nuclear test on Sept. 3. It has also threatened to test a hydrogen bomb over the Pacific.

The fate of Americans held in North Korea is also a bone of contention. The Trump administration has demanded North Korea release three US citizens it has detained: missionary Kim Dong Chul and academics Tony Kim and Kim Hak Song.

The Trump White House and State Department have taken to divergent stances on other foreign policy issues.

When a dispute over Qatar erupted this year, Trump strongly backed Gulf Arab leaders who accuse Qatar of supporting Iran as well as Islamist militants. Trump accused Qatar of being a high-level funder of terrorism even as the Pentagon and Tillerson cautioned against the military, commercial and humanitarian effects of a boycott imposed by Arab states.

Months into the dispute, Trump adopted a position more in line with that of the State Department.
ACW is excited to introduce The Blog Roll, a new department featuring original content from Civil War bloggers. The Blog Roll will be an ongoing series highlighting disparate opinions on all things Civil War. First up is John Banks, who explores the equally reviled and revered Captain Henry Wirz, commandant of Georgias notorious Andersonville Prison, and his lasting legacy both North and South.

On a wickedly hot late-spring day, nearly 3,000 people gathered in the center of sleepy Andersonville, Ga., for the dedication of perhaps the most controversial Civil War monument ever erected. In memory of Captain Henry Wirzcommandant at the notorious Confederate prisoner of war camp once located less than a mile awaythe granite obelisk was an inspiration of the United Daughters of the Confederacy.

Reviled in the North and cast as a martyr in the South, Wirz was again in the spotlight on May 12, 1909, nearly 44 years after he had been hanged in Washington, D.C., for wanton cruelty and the murder of 13,000 Union prisoners at Andersonville (nee Camp Sumter). Wirz was the only Confederate officer executed for war crimes.

In the rural village in southwestern Georgia that spring day, flags of the old Confederacy were everywhere and floral designs literally covered the shaft of the monument. As a chorus sang Dixie, Wirzs only living daughter, Julia, pulled a silk cord to release a huge flag, revealing the 36-foot-tall monument. The chorus later sang the pro-Confederate Maryland, My Maryland, and an Americus, Ga., military company fired off a salute.

Carefully crafted text had been inscribed on the panels on each of the monuments four sides. Read one: To rescue his name from the stigma attached to it by embittered prejudice this shaft is erected by the Georgia division, United Daughters of the Confederacy.

According to the Associated Press, the national significance of these exercises was not lost upon the huge crowd, which had sprinkled among it Northern men and women. Some had lost relatives at Andersonville, now buried in the national cemetery that had been established just outside the old camps boundary in 1865.

Those from beyond the Mason-Dixon line looked on in silence, a newspaper in Newport News, Va., reported, while this tribute was paid to the memory of the prison commander.

At least two of the speakers that day referred to Wirz as kindly. He was commanding many desperate men, some of them brave and good, Pleasant A. Stovall, editor of Georgias Savannah Press, declared under a canopy of U.S. and Confederate flags. He was hampered at every step by the exigencies of his government.

Another noted how Wirz had once traveled to Macon, Ga., seeking food and medicine for his prisoners. The Atlanta Constitution quoted a former guard, R.L. Meadows, who had been brought to tears at news of the monument: He was unjustly executed.

Southern newspapers praised the effort to honor Wirz. No intelligent person at this day blames Captain Wirz [for the camps high death toll], the Goldsboro (N.C.) Daily Argus would write. He died a martyr to the cause he believed to be just, and the dedication of a monument to his memoryis a well deserved tribute to his worth as a man and his courage and sincerity as a soldier.

But Northerners, especially Union veterans, would have none of it. In April 1908, at a gathering of former prisoners in Hartford, Conn., pastor E.S. Holloway excoriated the plan to great applause. Oh, women of the Southland, he said, build your monument to [Stonewall] Jackson because he had a pure heart; to [Robert E.] Lee because when he laid down arms he said to his comrades, We have but one country now; to Alexander Stevens, for a self-sacrificing life; but God forbid a monument of shame be built to the butcher Wirz, and if it be built may the lightning of heaven strike it into a thousand pieces.

Joseph Foraker, a Civil War veteran and former U.S. senator from Ohio, was especially perturbed about the memorial. Foraker, only 16 when he enlisted in the Union Army, said he would not shed any tears if some old indignant patriot were to place under that monument enough dynamite to blow it up.

Outrage spiked in Northern newspapers following the dedication. If Wirz deserves a monument, a New York World editorialist fumed, there should be a public memorial to Mrs. [Mary] Surratt, whom the verdict of history has acquitted of real criminal complicity in the assassination of Lincoln. An Ohio newspaper likened memorializing Wirz to honoring Nero for burning Christians at the stake.

It passes all understanding, another Ohio newspaper wrote, how women could be the agents to pay for or erect a monument to such a man. There can be no palliation or defense for the damnable record of Andersonville. Its horrors make it a black page in history, a blot upon civilization.

Complained one veteran: The women of the south who got subscriptions for that monument are worse than the men of the south. No honest American can have a hand in such a proposition.

And in a scathing editorial, the Fort Wayne (Ind.) News called the monument beyond belief:

Wirz was in nothing representative of the splendid and chivalric south. He was an alien, a hired mercenary, who as a soldier of fortune espoused the cause of the confederacy and, while braver and better men did battle for the principles they held sacred, he stayed behind and far from harm, and kept jail.Hells harshest story has not parallel to an iniquity that tongue and pen alike must fail to chronicle for very lack of power. Crowded in a malarious swamp, though healthful hills were close at hand, whole regiments of prisoners of an honorable war were held, the victims of starvation and disease

In condemning the monument, an Ohio Grand Army of the Republic post urged national authorities to take cognizance of the monument [so] such steps as may be necessary, lawful and proper be taken to wipe out this stain on American justice, to the end that our national government may not hereafter be held guilty of deliberate judicial murder in the case of Captain Wirz.

Perhaps channeling Foraker, another Union veteran became so fired up at a G.A.R. gathering in West Virginia that he offered a reward to anyone who would blow up the Wirz monument with dynamite. His statements created a big sensation, The Washington Post reported, and in a moment the convention was in an uproar, and several of the old soldiers offered their services to accomplish the destruction of the monument.

Mercifully, the Post reported, the veterans took no action, further than the sensational discussion.

John Banks (john-banks.blogspot.com) is the author of two Civil War books: Connecticut Yankees at Antietam and Hidden History of Connecticut Union Soldiers.
The demands of World War II propelled the Navy into realms far beyond traditional sea-surface warfare. Naval aviation and the submarine force were expanded. Frogmen were organized into Underwater Demolition Teams. And the Navy established construction battalions, or CBs, whose members were called Seabees. During World War II, Seabees assigned to Marine Corps divisions built support facilities in the rear and advance bases in combat zones.

As early as 1954, Seabeesskilled fighters as well as construction specialistswere among the first Americans sent to Vietnam, initially in small numbers, but their presence increased in 1962 to build camps for Army Green Berets advising the South Vietnamese.

On Feb. 1, 1965, Petty Officer 3rd Class Marvin Glenn Shields, a construction mechanic, deployed to Saigon with Construction Battalion 11. From March to June, the 25-year-old from Port Townsend, Washington, and his fellow Seabees built the Special Forces camp at Ben Soi. On June 4, the nine men of Shields team began constructing a runway for a camp at Dong Xoai, about 50 miles north of Saigon and home to 11 Green Berets of Special Forces Detachment A-342. The bases defenders included about 400 fighters from local tribes.

A half hour before midnight on June 9 an estimated 1,500-2,000 uniformed soldiers of two Viet Cong regiments attacked the still-incomplete camp. Within three hours more than 400 rounds of mortar shells fell on the compound, killing two Green Berets and one Seabee. Shields was wounded. As waves of enemy soldiers threw themselves at the protective wall, the Seabee ignored his wound to carry ammunition to his comrades and return fire on the fanatic assaults.

By 2:30 a.m., the VC had fought past the bases wall, forcing the surviving Green Berets and Seabees to fall back to a large building that was the district headquarters. Vastly outnumbered, the Americansnow fewer than 20 menrepulsed repeated attacks as VC with machine guns, flamethrowers and explosives swarmed around them. Shields was wounded a second time as a bullet struck his face, but he battled the enemy for four more hours and stopped firing only long enough to carry a wounded man to a safer place.

Hope for the bases survival seemed to vanish when the Communists placed a machine gun south of the headquarters building, so close that its heavy fire was especially deadly. Special Forces 2nd Lt. Charles Quincy Williams, already thrice-wounded, asked for a volunteer to assist in what seemed to be the suicide mission of knocking out the threat. Seabee Shields was that volunteer.

Williams got a 3.5-inch rocket launcher, and the two men headed across open terrain to a spot about 165 yards from the VC machine gunner. Williams fired while Shields loaded, and together they knocked out the enemy gun. While returning to the building, both men were again wounded. Williams dragged Shields to a sheltered area and then made his way to the building, where others volunteered to bring in the wounded Seabee.

After 12 hours of fighting the VC rushed into the building, forcing the survivors to pull back to two howitzer pits. Despite the loss of two helicopters shot down in the morning, three unarmed copters braved the melee to fly into Dong Xoai and pick up the remaining Green Berets and Seabees. After the rescue, five were dead, including Shields and one other Seabee. Only one of the 15 survivors was not wounded, and 14 of the men who rallied to their rescue were killed or missing.

On June 23, 1966, Williams was called to the White House to receive the Medal of Honor from President Lyndon B. Johnson, the second Medal of Honor of the Vietnam War. Three months later Williams returned to join the family of Shields as Johnson presented a posthumous medal to the widow of the only Navy Seabee awarded the nations highest valor award.

Doug Sterner, an Army veteran who served two tours in Vietnam, is curator of the Military Times Hall of Valor, the largest database of U.S. military valor awards.
On the night of January 19, 1915, two German Zeppelin airships ponderously dropped their small bomb-loads on Great Yarmouth and Kings Lynn on the eastern coast of England, beginning what was, in effect, the first sustained strategic bombing campaign in history. The British military immediately started looking for ways to bring down the new threat. Focusing on the dirigibles highly flammable hydrogen gas filling, Engineer Lieutenant Commander Francis Ranken of the Royal Navy invented the Ranken dartessentially a hand-deployed anti-Zeppelin incendiary device. The dart consisted of a 13-inch-long tinplate tube capped with a penetrating tip and filled with a combustible mixture. The intention was to drop the darts, loaded in 24-round boxes, from an airplane flying above the Zeppelin. As each dart pierced the airships skin, its three spring-loaded metal arms would open, pulling up an igniter rod inside the dart and detonating the explosives inside (in much the same way as dragging a match head across a rough surface causes it to ignite). The engineering was ingenious, but the devices were not popular with pilots in the Royal Naval Air Service and the Royal Flying Corps (nor with the civilians on whom they might inadvertently fall). The Ranken darts were also inaccurateso much so, in fact, that they may never have been solely responsible for downing an airship. MHQ

CHRIS McNab is a military historian based in the United Kingdom. His most recent book is The FN Minimi Light Machine Gun: M249, L108A1, L110A2, and Other Variants (Osprey, 2017).

[hr]

This article appears in the Summer 2017 issue (Vol. 29, No. 4) of MHQThe Quarterly Journal of Military History with the headline: Torpedoed!

Want to have the lavishly illustrated, premium-quality print edition of MHQ delivered directly to you four times a year? Subscribe now at special savings!
Leaving humour aside a moment, the animated comedy concluded its 29th season premiere with an urgent appeal to support Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria wrought havoc upon the Caribbean island two weeks ago.

The premiere, titled 'The Serfsons', which parodied fantasy shows such as Game of Thrones concluded with an image of the Springfield cast holding the Puerto Rican flag in anger.

Symbolic in that it showed Homer and Bart Simpson being supported by characters whom they typically classified as an enemy, overcoming certain differences to unite for the cause, a far more direct message was carried by Marge Simpson, who held up a sign, which said 'Unido', the Spanish word for unite. The image has since been reposted to Twitter to includes the names of organisations such as UNICEF, One Appeal America and Save the Children, all of which have been working to support the island during its current crisis.

The situation in Puerto Rico remains dire, as only 5% of its electrical grid has been restored, while less than half of the island's residents are currently living without water. At present, the death toll is 16 people, however, no official number has been presented, nor has this count been updated since Wednesday 27th September.
Paul McCartney & Mick Jagger have also paid their respects...

This evening's Portland show began with a minute's silence. The entire arena lit only by people's phones.

When words fail, sometimes quiet is the most eloquent.

R42 pic.twitter.com/HvrbO8l56y  Coldplay (@coldplay) October 3, 2017

Following the minute of silence, Peter Buck joined the band for this wonderful rendition of Freefalling by Tom Petty.

R42 pic.twitter.com/KzRMHYGKwS  Coldplay (@coldplay) October 3, 2017

Sending love to Tom Petty and his family at this difficult time.  Paul McCartney (@PaulMcCartney) October 2, 2017

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So sad about Tom Petty, he made some great music. Thoughts are with his family.  Mick Jagger (@MickJagger) October 3, 2017
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During the worst of Hurricane Harvey, Scott Davis and his family fled their flooding home in Braes Heights to stay with their neighbor.

The normally uneventful walk next door involved an ax and Davis and his wife wading through chest-deep water while carrying their two young daughters.

Their neighbor's place -- a new house built five feet above grade -- was dry.

"One of the safest places to be in Harvey was in a brand-new house," said Davis, a consultant with Meyers Research and historian of Houston development.

New detention standards instituted after Tropical Storm Allison "generally worked," he said, estimating that no more than 1 percent of the new homes under construction or just a few years old flooded.

RELATED: Listen: What's zoning got to do with it?

"By and large our drainage and detention regime is designed so that a new development is runoff neutral -- it runs off water at the same rate that it did before it was developed," he said.

Davis acknowledges there were exceptions, including homes inundated with water from the reservoirs. But he's of the mind that it wasn't Houston's oft-criticized "Wild West development environment" that was to blame.

"I don't know if there's a drainage system on the planet that can drain a year's worth of rainfall in three days and not have flooding in some areas," he said.

Some of the homes in Davis' neighborhood near Brays Bayou have flooded three or four times. His has flooded just twice. The first time was in Tropical Storm Allison.

He renovated it then. He's not sure he's up for doing it again.

RELATED: Many homeowners unaware they lived in reservoir 'flood pools'

He expects it'll cost a minimum of $60 to $70 per square foot to fix the 2,200-square-foot home. With flood insurance, he at least has the option.

But as a taxpayer, he questions rebuilding vs. buyouts or other solutions.

"Why are we continuing to rebuild those houses that flood repeatedly?" he said. "We really need to look at a more flood-resistant way."

To hear earlier Looped In episodes in our series about Harvey, subscribe or listen here.
The sound itself is of escape and joy and a kind of emotional and physical ramble that couldn't take place anywhere but here, right now. But where is here? That's the key to "American Girl." It was written by a man whose catalogue is stuffed with urgent songs that couldn't be by anyone else but could happen anywhere, to anyone, at any time. Of all those songs, none is as Petty-ish in its genius.

"American Girl" defined Tom Petty's writing approach, the idea of staying so "wide open" that he allows "listeners to see themselves in the picture," Warren Zanes wrote in his definitive 2015 biography. You feel nostalgic, desperate, sad, hopeful and yet you have no idea where or when the action is taking place. Or who exactly it's about. No "Tommy used to work on the docks" or Magic Rat driving over the Jersey state line.

"Well she was an American girl

"Raised on promises

"She couldn't help thinkin' that there

"Was a little more to life

"Somewhere else"

Is she a suburban housewife in Eisenhower-era Levittown? An ex-cheerleader in Bloomington desperate to catch a Greyhound to Chicago? A lost soul on a commune, post Summer of Love? Truth is, she could be anyone. Because these everycharacters were what made Petty's songs irresistible, connective tissues.

Instead of names and dates, we got moods and that immediacy that came through Petty's passionate delivery. There's that summer "we smoked cigarettes and we stared at the moon" (1979's "Even the Losers") or 1996's "Walls (Circus)," a song so beautiful and vague lyrically it's almost an exercise in the abstract.

How vague is "American Girl?" So vague that at some point fans grew so desperate for something, anything to latch onto that they created a phony yarn about the one specific reference within the song. In that second verse, the protagonist heads out on the balcony where she "could hear cars go by/Out on 441." A-ha! That had to be Petty writing about a college suicide in his hometown of Gainesville, Florida, where U.S. Route 441 cuts through. Never mind there was no record of said suicide and Petty chuckled about the "urban legend."

"They could have just called me and found out it wasn't true," he once said.

"American Girl" is also, of course, defined by its sound. Petty's fascination with the Byrds was no secret. He recorded a carbon copy cover of the band's "I'll Feel a Whole Lot Better" on 1989's "Full Moon Fever," helped revive Roger McGuinn's pop career in the early '90s and produced Chris Hillman's "Bidin' My Time," an album released just two weeks ago.

The opening jangle of "American Girl" sounds suspiciously like McGuinn's distinctive 12-string Rickenbacker, though it's actually the doubled-up guitars of Petty and Mike Campbell, the longtime guitarist in Petty's backing band, the Heartbreakers. The voice that emerges from that Bo Diddley beat is just a smidge grittier than McGuinn's, so close in spirit that when the former Byrd heard the song, he thought, "When did I write that?"

And yet, it's no theft. It's an update and a reinvention of the Byrds sound - and as he grew as an artist, no more than a sonic shadow of where Petty's voice and catalogue went. You can hear that distance clearly on "King of the Hill," a duet recorded for McGuinn's 1991 solo comeback. By then, Petty's croakier-growl of a voice played the urgent, younger brother to McGuinn's more folksy twang.

Back to "American Girl." I'd heard it so much over the years, I'd mentally dismissed it with so many of the overplayed, FM dinosaurs from childhood, songs by the Doobies, Steve Miller and the Eagles. But one Thursday night a few years ago, in a club outside Boston, Buffalo Tom's Bill Janovitz was playing a set plastered with his favorite covers, including songs from the Kinks, the Stones and the Band. He called up his younger brother, Scott, and broke into a driving version of "American Girl."

On the second verse, as Scott hit the 441, I remember noting that fists seemed to be rising throughout the room to punctuate the line. Never mind that Petty wrote "American Girl" three decades earlier or that those "waves crashin' on the beach" had to be the Pacific. It didn't matter. Petty's writing had delivered something you find in only a perfectly executed song. It somehow felt as if it had been written for each one of us, a universal, emotional footprint that we all could share.
The schedule is full: Lots of authors are coming to Houston this fall to read, discuss and sign their books.

We've told you already about Jennifer Mathieu, who celebrates her new YA novel, "Moxie," with an old-school zine-making workshop at Brazos Bookstore Oct. 16. And KPRC weatherman Frank Billingsley signs his book - about the search for his biological family - at Barnes & Noble on Saturday.

If you're looking for your next good read, here are five more new titles you can have signed in Houston this month.

History:

"Texas Blood" by Roger Hodge

Hodge lives in Brooklyn, but his family goes back seven generations in the Lone Star State. Here, he tells their story - and of the "outlaws, ranchers, Indians, missionaries, soldiers and smugglers of the borderlands."

Roger Hodge will be at Brazos Bookstore Oct. 13.





Fiction:

"Smile" by Roddy Doyle

This Irish writer won the Booker Prize for his novel "Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha." As his new novel opens, a recently divorced guy is having a drink at a pub when he's approached by a man who claims to be an old school friend. Things get complicated.

Roddy Doyle will be at Palmer Memorial Episcopal Church Oct. 26.

Kids' lit:

"Good Day, Good Night" by Margaret Wise Brown, illustrated by Loren Long

Loren Long is an award-winning illustrator - you may have seen his illustrations in Barack Obama's children's book, "Of Thee I Sing." Long's artwork now makes a posthumous book by Margaret Wise Brown ("Goodnight Moon") come to life with rich color.

Loren Long will be at Blue Willow Bookshop Oct. 4.

Mystery:

"The Last to See Me" by M. Dressler

If you love a good ghost story, try Dressler's new novel. Her ghost is a young woman who has lingered for a century after her death in an old house in a California logging town. But now a new owner wants to flush her out.

M. Dressler will be at Murder By The Book Oct. 20.

Memoir:

"Endurance: A Year in Space, A Lifetime of Discovery" by Scott Kelly

Astronaut Kelly spills details about his year on the International Space Station, plus the story of his childhood and the career that took him to space.

Scott Kelly will be at The Ballroom at Bayou Place Oct. 21 and at Books-a-Million in Katy Oct. 28.
My relationship with the Pappas family's restaurants goes back to 1973 - almost to the beginning of the 50-year-old Houston empire's life - when I would stop by the Brisket House on Pierce before my bartending shift at Liberty Hall.

At the live-music venue on nearby Chenevert, I was making 15 bucks a night, plus tips and all the tunes from touring musicians I could inhale. I couldn't afford much in the way of dinner.

But the chopped beef sandwich at the Brisket House was within reach. It was comforting, with its soft texture meshed with barky bits, its gentle hint of smoke, its sweet tang of tomatoey sauce. It was fortifying enough to see me through seven hours on my feet. And it was reliable.

It still is. The Pappas family ultimately put their name on that edge-of-downtown Brisket House, now one of the many Pappas Bar-B-Q spots that dot the Greater Houston landscape. These days I check in five or six times a year to the Gulfgate edition near my East End neighborhood - often a last-minute impulse when the cupboard is bare or a deadline is in progress.

It has never been my first choice for barbecue, but it always comes through in a pinch. That chopped beef sandwich still comforts. So do the mammoth chopped-beef baked potato, the old-fashioned burger, the whopping hand-cut french fries that qualify as some of the best in town. The room is big and comfortable and well-appointed, a Pappas trademark. The self-serve line is efficient. The cast of characters is a democratic east-side gumbo pot of Hispanics, African Americans and Anglos.

Over the decades I've been stopping in to that location, I've seen the menu grow ever more attuned to Houston's demographics. Pico de gallo snuck into the condiments bar, a shrewd borrow from Goode Co. Taqueria's burger fixings. The sides expanded into an array suited to a Southern soul cafeteria. One fine day I was thrilled to find huge plastic tumblers of watermelon agua fresca on the drinks array, right beside the faithful iced tea.

Just recently, I was astonished to discover that the cheesecake slices in the dessert cooler - which I had studiously ignored for years - were a highly credible facsimile of the stupendous cheesecake served at the family's posh Pappas Bros. Steakhouses, at a fraction of the price.

So when the Pappas family announces that it's getting more serious about its barbecue offerings, both at an upscale steak-and-'cue outpost and all the casual joints, I believe it.

After all, I've witnessed how the family has upped its game over the decades.

Back in the 1980s, when the Pappases were churning out concepts such as the Pappasito's fajitas emporia, the Pappadeaux Cajun/Creole spots and the Gulf-Coasty Pappas Seafood Houses, I was a snobby young critic who shrugged off these places as derivative. They never seemed as good as the restaurants that inspired them (Ninfa's or the pre-Fertitta Landry's joints, such as Don's Seafood, for instance). I was immune to their much-discussed big portions. I reviewed them and moved on.

But the Pappases never stopped thinking and tinkering and hiring talented people to improve things. (Such well-regarded chefs as Michael Gaspard, Justin Basye and Brandi Key all have served time in Pappas kitchens in recent decades.)

When the family moved into fine dining in 1995 with Pappas Bros. Steakhouse on Westheimer, it did so in a big way, with a luxe, polished room, a powerhouse wine list and a rare in-house dry-aging program that is a draw to this day. I remember noting with amusement on my first visit that even the parking lot was landscaped to a fare-thee-well, the kind of maniacal detail that has become a Pappas signature.

Pappas Bros. Steakhouse was my first inkling that the family could create a great restaurant, not just a serviceable, popular one. My admiration for it has grown over the years, always a good sign.

I grew to love the chef's counter service; the premium wines-by-the glass program; the little local touches, including the vibrant shrimp remoulade. When they hired the gifted Matt Tanner four years ago as concept beverage manager, I rejoiced that the cocktails were entering the new age. A downtown steakhouse location that opened two years ago struck me as even better, from the well-choreographed service, to the expert wine advice from the sommeliers, even unto the immaculate baked potato.

Along the way, there were other revelations, large and small. In the early aughts, I was taken with the idea of the USDA Prime burgers at Pappas Burger, right near the steakhouse, a fine source of beef trimmings. (To this day, I rely on the Hobby Airport location for its excellent milkshakes to soothe me pre- or post-travel.)

When casual Greek concept Yia Yia Mary's opened near the Galleria, it struck me as a spirited labor of love, drawing on the family's own heritage and introducing good Greek wines to the Houston restaurant market at a time when they were vanishingly scarce.

Apparently my surprises in Pappas Land are not over. I hadn't set foot in a Pappasito's since writing it off as meh in the 1980s. Even when two friends who are trusted dining companions wheedled me to join them at Little Pappasito's on Richmond for the Wednesday half-priced fajita night, I found all kinds of been-there-done-that excuses not to go.

But then. Just last month, I stopped off there with colleagues for a margarita and a snack after a particularly long day at the office. When our queso came, I was floored by how perfect it seemed: just thick enough, just salty enough, endowed with just the right oniony savor and fresh-chopped add-ons. I was startled, too, by the quality of the agave cocktails. "Matt Tanner's been at work," I thought to myself.

So it was that last Wednesday, at long last I found myself at Little Pappasito's for half-priced fajitas night. It was pretty great. My friends showed me the ordering ropes. (Got to insist on medium rare on a high-volume night, they stipulated, and let's get a beef and chicken combo because the chicken is actually good.)

They demonstrated how they customized that captivating queso, spooning a puddle on a side plate and adding some of the excellent roasty red table salsa. They called for the garlic-butter option, a move I usually consider excessive in the consumption of fajitas, but lo! Ladling a bit of this graceful froth on my roll-your-own fajita taco proved absurdly delicious.

They were actually right about the grilled chicken, an item which I ordinarily shun. "Even this watermelon margarita is terrific," I had to confess between mouthfuls.

I approved of the cheese enchiladas smothered in chile con carne we ordered on the side, too. Even though the cumin was a little too in-your-face, the melty textures, flourished with a bit of crunchy chopped onion, were sublime.

Most surprising of all were a quartet of "crabcake-stuffed" shrimp, each dewy, butterflied curl piled with the lightest imaginable crabmeat mixture. The were rather dear at $17.95, but I have a feeling I'll be dropping in to the hospitable bar counter just to eat them. They've even got me wondering whether Pappadeaux might be more my cup of tea these days.

All of which is to say that I've learned where the Pappas family is concerned, one should never count it out. More than ever after my Pappasito's epiphany, I'm eager to see how the family will capitalize on the city and state's current barbecue renaissance, both in upscale and downscale forms. I have a sneaking feeling that my go-to, the humble chopped beef sandwich of my youth, is about to be supplanted.
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Prolong the joy of Taco Tuesday this Wednesday, Oct. 4, since it's officially National Taco Day.

You likely won't be alone. According to NationalTacoDay.com, we are consummate taco eaters: "Last year Americans ate over 4.5 billion tacos! That's 490,000 miles of tacos, which could take you to the moon and back or, if you prefer, could, at 775-million pounds, equal the weight of two Empire State Buildings."

Among the celebrants this year is Tex-Mex chain Chuy's, which is offering a free crispy beef taco with entree purchase to anyone who asks their server to "taco 'bout it." >>See a round-up of Houston's best breakfast and dinner tacos in the gallery above.

Now Playing: Taco Bell will be offering a $5 National Taco Day Gift Set that includes: Nacho Cheese, Cool Ranch, Fiery Doritos Locos Tacos, and the Crunchy Taco. On the Border Mexican Grill & Cantina is offering $0.50 mini crispy tacos all day. Chevys Fresh Mex is holding a special contest: Customers who finish a 4-pound taco within 30 minutes will be awarded free tacos for one year. Customers at Taco Johns locations will get a free taco when they present a coupon available on the chain's social media accounts. Del Taco is offering a buy-one-get-one deal on its double-layer queso crunch taco if you sign up for the rewards club on its website. Video: Wibbitz

Another way to get a freebie at Chuy's: dress up as a taco and post it to Twitter for a complimentary meal. Crispy tacos will be priced at just $1 each with any order all day Oct. 4. Some locations are also offering $1 off Mexican beer.

Fuzzy's Taco Shop is featuring all-day $1 tacos for those dining in at participating locations.

Print out this coupon from El Pollo Loco and enjoy a free taco platter with the purchase of any taco platter priced at the same or greater amount.

Taco Bell is joining in on the festivities, too. Select locations will be offering patrons a "National Taco Day Gift Set," Wednesday, which includes four classic tacos wrapped in a limited- edition packaging, for $5.

PAIRING UP: Forever 21, Taco Bell collaborate on new clothing collection

"With calendars now awash in every manner of 'hashtag holiday,' we know that National Taco Day stands apart, and we want to help our fans embrace the true holiday spirit with an array of new traditions," Marisa Thalberg, Chief Marketing Officer at Taco Bell Corp, said in a prepared statement. "At this time I want to personally wish our fans a hearty 'Seasoned Beefings,' and a very happy National Taco Day to all."

Taco Cabana is slashing half off each chicken fajita taco purchased for dine-in between 5 and 8 p.m.
The U.S. Supreme Court slapped down a Houston serial killer's bid for life Monday, propelling "Tourniquet Killer" Anthony Shore one step closer to his Oct. 18 date with death.

Now, the 55-year-old murderer's hope hangs on last-ditch efforts in the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals.

"We are disappointed," said Knox Nunnally, the Houston attorney representing Shore through the federal appeals process.

Currently the only Houston killer with a scheduled execution date, Shore was convicted of one count of capital murder in 2004 - even after he confessed to three others.

His brutal killing streak started at least as far back as 1986, when he slaughtered 14-year-old Laurie Tremblay. Six years later, he raped and murdered 21-year-old Maria del Carmen Estrada then ditched her naked body outside a Spring Branch Dairy Queen.

In 1994, he killed his youngest victim, 9-year-old Diana Rebollar. A year later, he murdered 16-year-old Dana Sanchez, who disappeared while hitchhiking to her boyfriend's house in north Houston.

DATE SET: Houston serial murderer known as 'Tourniquet Killer' gets October date with death

But the cases turned cold and the crimes went unsolved for nearly two decades, until Shore was arrested for molesting family members.

As a convicted sex offender, the former telephone technician's DNA went on file and eventually investigators matched it to the Estrada case.

When police confronted him, he calmly confessed to Estrada's brutal murder along with the three others.

After he was convicted the following year, he stunned onlookers in court by asking for the death penalty. But ever since then, his lawyers have filed appeal after appeal, hoping a deluge of paperwork can save their condemned client.

When state District Judge Maria T. Jackson in July gave a green light to prosecutors' request for an execution date, Nunnally had already filed a petition for a writ of certiorari with the U.S. Supreme Court. The filing, which rested on a claim that Shore suffered brain damage before the slayings, would have required a lower court to reconsider a request for appeal.

It was always a long shot.

"I would certainly say that the odds are not in our favor," Nunnally said at the time. The court refused the petition without comment.

NEW NUMBERS: Executions on decline in Texas, nation

The Court also denied without comment a petition for Robert Pruett, who is set for execution on Oct. 12. The 38-year-old has spent 15 years on death row for the 1999 slaying of a prison guard in Bee County, where he was already serving a 99-year sentence for a murder in Harris County.

Two other prisoners with Houston ties lost out in their legal battles Monday as well. The Supreme Court denied petitions from Jaime Cole - an Ecuadorian immigrant who killed his estranged wife and her teenage daughter in 2010 - and Garcia White, a fry cook who fatally stabbed twin girls in 1989.

Meanwhile, Shore's counsel continues fighting his case. There's a request for clemency pending with the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles, which Nunnally described as "highly unlikely," as well as a final trial court appeal. As in previous filings, the September appeal in Harris County court hinges on previously unrecognized brain injury that trial lawyers failed to identify.

"I think it's a long shot," Nunnally said. "However, we always try to keep a positive view."
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Editor's note: This is Part 2 of a five-part essay exploring the ways that Houston's food community rallied after Harvey. Read Part 1 here.

Part 2

When the apocalypse hits, I hope there's a chef nearby.

On Sunday, Aug. 27, British-born Richard Knight, co-chef and co-owner of the now-closed but nationally recognized Feast, strapped a canoe to the top of a Range Rover and headed out to rescue people.

By that Monday, he was setting up an improvised relief kitchen in Les Ba'get, a modern Vietnamese bistro in Montrose. Inspired by Knight, the restaurant's owners, Cat Huynh and Angie Dang, who like many other owners had closed because of Harvey, graciously offered their establishment to help feed people.

Also inspired by Knight, whom I've known for several years (we collaborated on a couple of articles  he's good photographer as well as a good chef), I texted him asking if he needed help on Tuesday. He said he'd put me on the list.

Tuesday morning, Knight asked me to talk to Clark Neumann, who operates Radicle Fresh Juice on the University of Houston's main campus. With classes postponed, Neumann wanted to donate his produce. I met Neumann at his Heights duplex, and we discussed possible flood-free routes.

As we crossed White Oak Bayou at Heights Boulevard, we slowed, observing the mass of green vegetation tangled in the columns of the bridge railing, indicating that high, swift moving water had recently engulfed the bridge. As we crossed Buffalo Bayou, we stopped: Memorial Drive was no longer a road, it was a river.

Marie D. De Jesus/Houston Chronicle

At the dining hall where Neumann makes his juices, we learned that because classes had started, the kitchen staff had spent the last six days living on campus  unsung heroes making sure students were fed, and reminding us that for every Harvey story we hear, there are thousands that go untold.

When we arrived at Les Ba'get, Knight and Matt Wommack, the chef at Cane Rosso, were already hard at work in the kitchen. Huynh had offered access to anything in his restaurant, so a big pot of pho broth was filling the kitchen with the warming scent of beef and star anise.

After sorting and storing the produce, Neumann and I began prepping plastic takeout bowls with condiments for pho: mung bean sprouts, Thai basil, sliced jalapenos and shredded carrots and cucumbers  yes, we improvised.

Next, we added sliced brisket to quart containers and ladled in the steaming broth. We had 100 servings of pho ready for first responders.

At that moment, nothing seemed more Houston: people at a Vietnamese restaurant coming together in a crisis to prep a staple of one-time refugees.

AS PRIVATE citizens armed with apps and social media were directing other private citizens to people in need of rescue, Dutch Small, unable to get a flight back to Houston, was stuck in Atlanta as floodwaters threatened his husband.

Small, a publicist who has worked with various Houston restaurants and is well known for his work with the music festival Day For Night, received a message on Monday that a hospital was low on food. Small contacted a friend at Antone's Famous Po' Boy, and they made 2,000 sandwiches.

By the time the sandwiches were ready, the original hospital had found food, so Small had the sandwiches sent to two other hospitals in need.

David Leftwich

From then on, Small and Houston food writer Phaedra Cook, who was in San Diego, worked social media and their industry contacts to match food being made by Knight and chefs working in the kitchens at Reef, Grand Prize Bar, Presidio, Brennan's, Southern Goods and other restaurants around town with people who needed to eat.

Though both might have wanted to be in Houston, their distance helped feed thousands. Many people wanted to lend a hand: What was needed at that moment were people able to direct those hands.

Back at Les Ba'get, someone picked up the pho. I can't remember who, but it might have been Carrie Jean Knight, Richard's wife, who was frantically working the phones arranging donations and pickups while making deliveries with her 8-year-old daughter as co-pilot.

As soon as the pho went out, cooks from Uchi dropped off big containers of soup and rice; Jonathan Jones of Cane Rosso carted in several aluminum hotel pans of polenta and pasta with meat sauce; and Wade Elkins of My Yard Reaction BBQ brought in trays of smoked meat.

Steel guitar player Will Van Horn and Lauren Ferrante, co-owner of Giant Leap Coffee, loaded a small SUV with soup, polenta, pasta and headed to Texas Children's and Ben Taub. The previous day they had seen on Facebook that their friend Adam Dorris, chef and co-owner of Presidio, needed help delivering the food he was cooking. That day, they made two deliveries to the shelter at George R. Brown, but over the next few days they found themselves coordinating hundreds of food delivers from Katy to Port Arthur.

As they left, Anthony Calleo, co-owner and chef at Pi Pizza; Frank Freeman, a well-known barista; and an 8th Wonder Brewery van drove up to make deliveries. Volunteers arrived and volunteers were dispatched with food and comfort.

At 3:30 p.m. my dad, who lives near Barker-Cypress and I-10 texted, "We are preparing to leave. Looks like we will get water in the house."

The empathetic chaos of that day continued, at least for me, until Neumann and I ran that last dirty pot through Les Ba'get's dishwasher and mopped the kitchen floor.

David Leftwich is the executive editor of Sugar & Rice, a Gulf Coast food and culture publication based in Houston. He is also the author of the poetry chapbook The City.





Bookmark Gray Matters. Yes, we improvise.
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The piece: "15th, 17th and Pennsylvania"

The artist: Margaret Griffith

Where: In "Lines Drawn" at DiverseWorks, through Nov. 18

Why: The politically and socially minded works of the show "Lines Drawn" all involved serious research and craft. Each is eloquently provocative, but Margaret Griffith's hanging sculpture delivers the biggest surprise. An unassuming visitor might simply think, "How pretty," until she reads the wall label.

For some time, Griffith has been recreating wrought-iron gates from her Los Angeles neighborhood in meticulously hand-cut paper, seeing herself as a kind of urban scavenger and seeing gates as divisive objects that represent a false sense of security in a fragile world.

This one, however, is a doozy, drooping from the ceiling like a frilly, monumental curtain.

Painted gold, "15th, 17th and Pennsylvania," a life-sized replica of the East and West gates of the White House in Washington, D.C., suggests the decadence and ruin of an institution in crisis. Sad. The veneer of glamour gives way to gravity in each sagging, ornamental curlicue. The piece runs up the middle of the gallery like a limp shower curtain, dividing DiverseWorks' largest space.

From the entry, Griffith's sculpture beckons through Pedro Lasch's "Flag Fusions 20, 21, 28 and 46"  a portion of a work from the 2015 Venice Biennale, with a companion video, that combines the flags of four countries into one.

All of "Lines Drawn" deserves close inspection. DiverseWorks is staging a series of performances, discussions and creative workshops throughout the run of the show, in collaboration with individual artists as well as the Printing Museum, Zine Fest Houston and Houston Cinema Arts Festival.

Bookmark Gray Matters. Unassuming visitors might simply think, "How pretty."


Improved housing stock, revamped parks and new bike lanes and grocery stores are some of the promised benefits of gentrification. But many of the same amenities that are touted as public health improvements can raise concerns from low-income communities vulnerable to gentrification.

It's part of the reason why the $34 million renovation to Emancipation Park in Houston's Third Ward has been welcomed with a cautious optimism, seen as both needed investment in a community staple and a potential draw to hasten the spread of townhouses staking their claim along the edges of the neighborhood.

"Public health, over the last 20 years, has probably contributed to gentrification because a lot of our investment has been in those farmers markets and parks and sidewalks," said Vickie Boothe, senior evaluator with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at a panel discussion Friday at the Baker Institute at Rice University.

Though those improvements are theoretically responsive to community needs  food deserts gain access to healthy foods, children are given spaces to play and gather, neighborhood walkability is improved  they are often hard to disentangle from processes of both public and private investment that drive up housing costs and fuel gentrification.

"The question came: Is gentrification something in and of itself that can impact health," said Quianta Moore, a healthy policy scholar with the Baker Institute conducting a community needs assessments in Third Ward with the Sankofa Research Institute. "And who's really getting the benefit?"

MUST READ: 'Can Third Ward survive prosperity?'

"People renovate places that were in poor condition, they build new units, but again the issue is when that does happen, often you see increases in rent," said Ruby Mendenhall, the associate professor of sociology, African-American studies, regional and national urban planning, gender and women's studies and social work at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. "Who can take advantage of these new units?"

Based on her research interviewing black mothers in Chicago neighborhoods with high crime, Mendenhall has been documenting the ways violence and the stress of violence impacts individual health. "There are a lot of these hidden processes associated with stress," she said. "I think gentrification could help with that, but again I want to stress that those who do not benefit from the gentrification, their level of health and well being has probably decreased a lot."

Part of the issue in addressing the mixed outcomes of gentrification is that some view it is a mostly positive force. "Policymakers have been eager to promote gentrification because they oftentimes see it as a way to alleviate issues like declining tax bases, concentrated poverty" and other concerns, said Lance Freeman, a professor with Columbia University's urban planning program and the graduate school of architecture, planning and preservation.

Janet Ni

Lauded as an example of investment without displacement, Atlanta's East Lake neighborhood was once the location of a 650-unit public housing complex known for crime and poverty. Transformed into a mixed-income development buttressed by job counseling services, school improvements and child care for residents, East Lake saw improved outcomes across the board.

"That's not the real story," said Boothe, repeating what one colleague from Atlanta told her. "Those aren't the original East Lake residents," she added.

Once word of the proposed demolition got around, the tenant association of the original housing complex filed a lawsuit, calling for an injunction. "The tenants lost the litigation, their homes were demolished, and a majority of them never returned to the newly constructed mixed-income community," according to a report from Adam Goldstein with the University of St. Andrews. New screening policies from the housing authority explicitly banned roughly 13 percent of the old families from returning.

"Of the 423 families who lived at the Meadows before the redevelopment," wrote Goldstein, "only [69] families eventually returned."

Looking at the research landscape, Moore said, "there really is not a lot of literature on the displaced and what their health outcomes look like."

But displacement isn't the only thing that keeps original residents from potentially reaping the benefits of more retail, improved transit access and other changes that can come with gentrification.

DISCONNECTED: Levy Park shines, and Houston struggles to keep up

"We've done a number of projects looking at life expectancy and then also ... looking at more of the local data on a social gradient," said Tram Nguyen, a local policy coordinator with the Alameda County Public Health Department in the Bay Area.

In addition to the department's efforts to document rising rents and evictions in Oakland and other neighborhoods in the East Bay, Nguyen said they've also seen a connection between severe housing cost burdens and conditions like hypertension and increased mental health needs of local residents.

"Our thinking about this is very much a public health crisis approach," said Nguyen, "stopping the bleeding ... the community is calling for stabilization first."

In addition to the health burdens associated with rising rents and unstable housing that some might experience as a result of gentrification, there are other, more abstract impacts as well. "Many of the long-term residents, whether or not they are homeowners or renters, may feel a sense of loss of community," said Freeman.

Conflicts over decades-long community traditions highlight friction between newcomers and longtime residents. In Harlem, for example, some newcomers called the police to complain about the noise of a drum circle that had been a regular gathering for decades in the neighborhood. "That just inflames underlying tensions that are already there," said Freeman. And that often points back to not just a neighborhood's shifting economic fortunes but its shifting race and culture.

"I don't see gentrification as necessarily having to involve race," said Freeman, citing the origins of the word in 1960s Great Britain. "They were talking about gentrification in terms of class," he said.

But he acknowledged, in the United States, race and class are often impossibly intertwined, meaning race will likely be part of the conversation.

"There needs to be a forum or mechanism where people can come together and try to adjudicate these competing visions for what a neighborhood should look like," said Freeman.

Jon Shapley/Houston Chronicle

But what are often viewed as local, neighborhood problems are part of regional shifts and require regional responses as well.

As populations move in and out of a neighborhood and even county, as Nguyen said they're finding in the East Bay, health departments and social services need to work to stay connected to the communities they serve. "We're not reaching clients that need those services," she said.

And it's a problem for surrounding counties as well. "What are the costs in the receiving counties that weren't set up for this? We're just starting to try to research that question more as a way to get to a broader regional solution."

Leah Binkovitz (@leahbink), formerly of the Houston Chronicle, is now a staff writer for Rice University's Kinder Institute for Urban Research. This article originally appeared on the Kinder Institute's blog, The Urban Edge.





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The Pasadena City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to approve a $1.1 million settlement agreement of a lawsuit that challenged a city voting plan.

The move, recommended by new Mayor Jeff Wagner, came less than a year after a federal judge found the council election structure adopted in 2013 diluted Latino voting influence.

Councilman Cody Ray Wheeler said that after four years of litigation and $3.5 million in legal fees, he was glad to see the appeal come to an end.

"It all started out as a power grab that has now run its course," Wheeler said. "In addition to the financial hit, the lawsuit gave the city a black eye in the national spotlight. It cost us progress and it cost us time."

Councilman Phil Cayten said he would vote to end the lawsuit to save money even though he thought the city could have prevailed in an appeal.

"I think the three more conservative judges of the appeals court would rule in favor of the City of Pasadena," said Cayten, who apologized to constituents who favored continuing the appeal. "Let me just say that I believe in my heart that the City of Pasadena did not violate the Voting Rights Act or adopt a discriminatory election system."

The settlement calls for the city to pay for the plaintiffs' legal fees and court costs, and to drop its appeal of U.S. District Judge Lee H. Rosenthal's ruling regarding the 2013 council election system.

The charter change, which eliminated two council seats representing specific districts and instead created two at-large seats, was pushed by former Mayor Johnny Isbell and approved in a referendum by 79 votes out of more than 6,000 cast. The 2015 city election was conducted under this system, but Rosenthal ordered the city to return to the prior system of eight single-member districts this year.

The city had been sued by a handful of Latino residents, represented by lawyers from the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund (MALDEF).

In her December ruling, Rosenthal wrote that the new election system intentionally violated the voting rights of Pasadena's Latino voters.

Isbell said by phone Tuesday that he opposed ending the appeal efforts.

"Obviously, I'm disappointed. I think it's a mistake to settle it because I think we stood a good chance to have won the case on appeal and we would not have had to pay the $1.1 million settlement," he said. "And, I certainly disagree with the judge that said we were trying to inhibit the voting rights of the Hispanic population. That is absolutely, categorically, not true."

Nina Perales, vice president of litigation for MALDEF voiced support for the council's decision.

"We are very pleased to reach a resolution of the case that will allow Pasadena to move forward with a fair election system," Perales said. "And, we appreciate the efforts of Mayor Wagner to bring about the settlement."

Although Latinos made no gains in last spring's council elections, experts say an all-district council system is likely to benefit the Latino population in the long term.

The Pasadena redistricting case gained national attention as an example  along with tactics such as voter ID laws and gerrymandering of legislative districts  of efforts to suppress the voting influence of people of color.

Mike Snyder contributed to this report.
LAS VEGAS - Investigators trying to determine what sparked the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history have found the massacre to be the work of a sophisticated planner with the means and desire to inflict unprecedented carnage.

But on the second full day after Stephen Paddock smashed out the windows of a high-floor suite on the Las Vegas Strip and opened fire on a crowd of unsuspecting concertgoers, authorities still were trying to understand what drove him to such evil.

Several new details emerged Tuesday about Paddock - a 64-year-old retired accountant - and how he worked methodically to thwart law enforcement as he killed scores of people and injured hundreds more.

As he fired round after round during an 11-minute stretch from a suite on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, Paddock used video cameras to keep an eye out for police storming his hotel room, according to Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo.

Paddock hid one camera in the peephole of his suite and two more in the hall, at least one of them disguised on a service cart, authorities said. At one point, he shot numerous rounds through the door, wounding a security guard. Paddock eventually put a gun in his own mouth and pulled the trigger as SWAT officers closed in. They found him with blood pooling behind his head and around the empty shell casings that littered the carpet, a handgun near his body.

"It was preplanned, extensively, and I'm pretty sure that he evaluated everything that he did in his actions, which is troublesome," Lombardo said.

Now Playing: Warning: Graphic language. Body-worn camera footage of the mass shooting is Las Vegas is released by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department on Tuesday, October 3, 2017. Video: LVMPD

The sheriff said investigators were "making progress" on determining a motive, but complete answers remained elusive. There were precious few clues in Paddock's background.

Neighbors in several states where Paddock owned homes in retirement communities describe him as surly, unfriendly and standoffish. Paddock was the son of a bank robber who was once on the FBI's most-wanted list and who authorities described at the time as a "psychopath," but Paddock's brother said their father was not involved in their lives when they were children.

Relatives say the roots of Paddock's loner lifestyle might have been planted on July 28, 1960. On that day, when Paddock was 7, a neighbor from across the street took him swimming. The neighbor told a local newspaper at the time that she knew authorities were coming for his father, and she wanted to spare the young boy from the trauma of seeing his father taken away. From that point on, Paddock's family was never the same.

Until carrying out the massacre Sunday night, Paddock had no criminal history himself. Despite repeated claims by the Islamic State to the contrary, he also had no ties to international terror groups, authorities said. He had done some government work during his career, as a letter carrier for the Postal Service, an agent for the Internal Revenue Service and an auditor for the federal government's Defense Contract Audit Agency in the late 1970s and 1980s. He was divorced twice and recently had been dating a woman from the Philippines who has Australian citizenship. He was known to gamble routinely and extensively.

Some public officials seemed to suggest Paddock's mind was troubled, though there were no immediate indications that he had been diagnosed with a mental illness or was anything other than fully aware of what he was doing.

"A normal person would not cause this type of harm to innocent people," said Rep. Ruben Kihuen, D-Nev. "Clearly, there was something wrong with this man."

People close to the investigation also said that in the weeks before the attack, Paddock transferred a large amount of money - close to $100,000 - to someone in the Philippines, possibly his girlfriend. The significance of that development was not immediately clear, though investigators said they were interested in probing Paddock's finances and his avid interest in high-stakes gambling.

The girlfriend, Marilou Danley, was in the Philippines on Tuesday, and investigators considered her a "person of interest," Lombardo said. Sen. Dean Heller, R-Nev., said that police are eager to talk to her, as Paddock "doesn't meet any profiles" and the "best lead is through this girlfriend."

"They don't know a lot about who the girlfriend is and why she left the country a week prior to the shooting," said Heller, who has been briefed by authorities. "She is someone they need to have this discussion with to better understand the shooting and what his thought process was."

At his home in Orlando, Eric Paddock, Stephen Paddock's brother, said he doubts Danley had any prior knowledge of the incident and speculated that Stephen might have been trying to quietly ensure her financial stability. Stephen Paddock loved and doted on his girlfriend, whom he had met when she was a hostess at a casino, Eric Paddock said. The couple often gambled side by side.

"He manipulated her to be as far away from here and safe when he committed this," Eric Paddock said. "The people he loved he took care of, and as he was descending into hell he took care of her."

The shooting - which left 59 people dead and injured more than 500 others - reignited the debate on Capitol Hill and across the country about whether lawmakers should impose new restrictions on firearms. Clark County Coroner John Fudenberg on Tuesday evening clarified that Paddock was among the 59 slain in the incident; previously, authorities had said he wasn't.

Undersheriff Kevin McMahill, speaking after Fudenberg, warned that the number of dead and injured could fluctuate as the investigation progresses.

"The answer that the coroner provided you is the most recent, relevant number that we have," McMahill said.

Several Democrats used the massacre to push for new restrictions, and House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., asserted Tuesday that Republican leaders have no plans to advance a bill, which passed a House committee last month, that would make it easier to buy gun silencers.

Leaving the White House to visit hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico on Tuesday morning, President Donald Trump said that "we'll be talking about gun laws as time goes by."

Paddock brought 23 guns to his Mandalay Bay suite, which overlooked the concert grounds on the southern end of the Strip. Included in that cache was an AR-15-type rifle with a high-capacity magazine and 12 "bump stocks," a modification that would allow a gun to fire as if it were an automatic weapon. He also brought another AR-15-type rifle with a magnification scope commonly used for hunting and a bipod stand to help steady it, according to law enforcement officials and experts who reviewed images of the weapons posted online.

"For this individual to take it upon himself to create this chaos and harm is unspeakable," Lombardo said.

The guns appeared to be but a piece of the arsenal Paddock had acquired during a period of years, at least some of it legally obtained from major retailers such as Cabela's, national retailer of guns and outdoor gear, and Guns & Guitars, a store in Mesquite, Nev., according to people familiar with the case. ATF Special Agent in Charge Jill Snyder said Tuesday Paddock had purchased shotguns, handguns and rifles in Nevada, Utah, California and Texas.

At Paddock's home in Mesquite, Nevada, investigators recovered 19 more guns and an explosive, and in his car, they found ammonium nitrate, a chemical that can be used in bomb making. At another property in Reno, Nevada, investigators recovered five more handguns, two shotguns and a "plethora" of ammunition, Lombardo said Tuesday.

Paddock probably secreted the weapons to his Mandalay Bay suite using more than 10 suitcases he brought with him. Lombardo said hotel housekeeping had been there since Paddock checked in on Sept. 28 and spotted nothing nefarious.

Lombardo said investigators had scoured Paddock's suite, his car and the homes in Nevada, and they were examining surveillance and body camera video evidence and other electronic items they had seized in their searches. Separately, Lombardo said the department had opened an investigation into the unauthorized release of images that show the crime scene. Another sheriff's official confirmed the authenticity of those images.

Police also continued documenting the crime scene and performing the grim task of identifying those slain, some of whom died blocks away from the concert as they tried to flee or seek help. As of late Tuesday afternoon, authorities had tentatively identified all of the victims.

Since the shooting, horrific stories have emerged of lives cut short, some taking bullets as they sought to protect their loved ones.Bobby and Jenny Parks, a married couple from California who had been high school sweethearts, were swaying to a love song when a bullet struck her. He held her as she died.

After Cameron Robinson, a 27-year-old from Utah, was shot in the neck, his boyfriend, Robert Eardley, carried him to a vehicle. Robinson died before they made it to a hospital.

Two people who met at the festival - Kody Robertson and Michelle Vo - were watching the final act together when a bullet struck her chest. Robertson threw his body over hers to protect her. Later, they were separated; he tracked her down to a hospital and was told late Monday morning that she was dead.

Paddock's weaponry would have allowed him to fire both rapidly and precisely at the crowd that was several hundred yards away and below him. The shots - fired from two windows of Mandalay Bay's golden facade, which Paddock had smashed out - sent thousands of people scrambling for safety under Vegas's neon glow. Police on Tuesday showed body camera footage of officers scrambling to determine where the shots came from as they yelled for people to leave the area.

"They're shooting right at us, guys," an officer can be heard saying. "Stay down! Stay down!"

Hospitals across the region continued to treat patients from the scene, many of them seriously injured. Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center says as of Tuesday night, 59 patients remain in the hospital and 31 of them are still in critical condition. University Medical Center said it had 64 patients from the attack, 12 of them critical.

- - -

Lynh Bui and Tim Craig in Las Vegas; Barbara Liston in Orlando, Florida; Ally Gravina in Reno, Nevada; William Dauber in Los Angeles; and Alex Horton, Wesley Lowery, Julie Tate, Jessica Contrera, Sandhya Somashekar, Aaron C. Davis, William Wan and Sari Horwitz in Washington contributed to this report.
John Taggart/Bloomberg)

Drawing cash from an ATM is beginning to feel like a ritual from a bygone era. Like buying a record on vinyl, it's a once-universal experience for which users are now paying a premium. This year marks the 11th consecutive annual increase in bank ATM fees for customers using out-of-network machines, according to a new Bankrate.com report. Over the past decade, such fees have risen 55 percent. The average cost of such a transaction is now over $4.50.

ATM fees aren't rising due to overwhelming demand. In fact, it's the opposite. "It keeps getting easier to avoid the fees, and people are transitioning away from cash," said Greg McBride, Bankrate.com's chief financial analyst. "With fewer people making out-of-network ATM withdrawals, the cost of maintaining that network is being spread over fewer transactions."
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When Ornaldo Ybarra was first elected to the Pasadena City Council, in 2009, he witnessed a political awakening among certain members of his parents' generation.

At 31, Ybarra was the first Latino elected to the Pasadena council in nearly two decades. Previously, many older Latino residents "had no idea what a municipal election was; they didn't know who the council members were or who the mayor was," Ybarra testified in federal court last November.

"For the first time, you saw those parents going to vote," Ybarra testified. "The first time to realize, I can call my council member. If I have an issue with a department head or a city department, I have a voice."

Eight years later, the city is poised to abandon an effort to weaken that voice.

The council on Tuesday is expected to approve a request by the new mayor, Jeff Wagner, to settle a lawsuit challenging a council election plan narrowly approved by voters in 2013. The settlement calls for the city to pay about $1 million for the plaintiffs' legal fees and court costs, and to drop its appeal of a federal judge's ruling that the 2013 system intentionally diluted Latino voting influence.

It remains unclear, however, what effect the end of this court dispute will have on the level of political engagement among Pasadena's Latinos, who represent almost two-thirds of its population and not quite half its voting-age residents. How that plays out is a subject of keen interest far beyond Pasadena.

The charter change, which eliminated two council seats representing specific districts and instead created two at-large seats, was approved by 79 votes out of more than 6,000 cast. The 2015 city election was conducted under this system, but U.S. District Judge Lee H. Rosenthal ordered the city to return to the prior system of eight single-member districts this year.

In terms of Latino representation, the results were the same: Three Latinos were elected each time. And in the seven-member race to succeed the term-limited Johnny Isbell as mayor, none of the three Latino candidates made the runoff.

I asked Ybarra, who couldn't seek re-election this year because of term limits, what he made of this.

"As I look back over the last eight years, we've definitely improved, but we're not there yet," Ybarra said. "If we all knew what the formula was, things would be different."

Despite the lack of an obvious impact in this year's results, an all-district council system is likely to benefit Pasadena Latinos in the long run, said Bob Stein, a Rice University political science professor who has done polling in Pasadena elections.

"There's no question that single-member districts advantage candidates of color, assuming geographically concentrated areas like they have in Pasadena," said Stein. "Over time, quality candidates are likely to run because they think they have a better chance."

This is not just some theoretical exercise.

Testimony in the trial, and reporting by my colleagues at the Chronicle, demonstrated that Pasadena's mostly Latino north side had not received a proportionate level of city services.

Low Latino participation in elections, based on a sense that nothing would ever change, enabled these inequities to persist. As Ybarra noted in his court testimony, many Pasadena Latinos "never got involved because there wasn't somebody like them up there."

The Pasadena redistricting case gained national attention as an example - along with tactics such as voter ID laws and gerrymandering of legislative districts - of efforts to suppress the voting influence of people of color. Municipal elections in Texas are officially nonpartisan, but Rosenthal found that "Hispanic" was a proxy for "Democrat" during the campaign for the charter change, playing to fears of a Democratic surge in the conservative, working-class suburb.

Stein sees some encouraging signs for those who have been waiting, through one election cycle after another, for the "sleeping giant" of Latino voting power to awaken - in Pasadena and elsewhere. The Latino share of the Harris County electorate, he said, increased by 11 percent in the 2016 national election.

And as more Latinos reach the ages of 35 to 45, when people tend to become more politically active, their influence will grow, Stein said.

Perhaps, then, the interests of certain political activists in Austin and Washington will coincide with those of Latinos on Pasadena's north side who are tired of waiting for their street to be resurfaced. Each group should be pleased with the conclusion of this lawsuit.
As chief financial officer of Houston ISD for 11 years, Melinda Garrett helped pilot the state's largest school district through one of its most tumultuous times, an era marked by budget cuts, bond votes, teacher layoffs and administrative upheaval.

Through it all, Garrett earned accolades from all corners. Her deep knowledge of the school finances, no-nonsense attitude and well-timed warmth ensured HISD's money was well managed and students had a stable learning environment.

"The respect for her was universal," said Rosalind Young, the district's chief of staff from 2001 to 2007. "She could see the humor in things, and she made people comfortable, but you always knew she meant business."

Garrett, whose 30-year career with Houston ISD began as a kindergarten teacher and ended with a decade-long run as CFO under three superintendents, died Saturday after a two-day hospitalization, her sister Martha VanDenBossche said. She was 65.

The cause of death was not immediately known, VanDenBossche said.

Garrett helmed the district's finances through the turbulent 2000s, when cutbacks in state funding and the national economic downturn put public school spending under the knife. She ushered principals and administrators through the early days of decentralization, which gave school leaders more authority over how to spend money at their individual campuses. And she was influential in getting massive school bonds passed in 2002, 2007 and 2012, which financed $3.5 billion worth of construction and capital projects across the district.

For her work, the Council of Great City Schools, a coalition of 68 large urban districts, honored Garrett in 2010 with the Bill Wise Award, given annually to one school-finance administrator. The next year, Garrett's department earned the council's Award for Excellence in Financial Management, an honor bestowed on five districts since its inception in 2008.

Former HISD superintendent Kaye Stripling, who in 2001 promoted Garrett from controller to CFO, said her former colleague knew Texas school finance inside-and-out.

"I think she knew the culture of the district," Stripling said. "Melinda understood that in order for people to be successful, they had to work together as a team, and she was definitely a team player."

Garrett graduated from Bellaire High School in 1970, earned a degree from Texas Woman's University and returned to teach kindergarten in HISD in 1976. She left two years later to get a master's degree in accounting, spent several years in the private sector, then again came back to HISD as controller. She held the position for 15 years before her promotion to CFO.

As administrations changed, Garrett remained. When Stripling retired in 2004, Garrett stayed to work under Abelardo Saavedra. When Saavedra left in 2009, Garrett served as interim superintendent for two weeks during the transition to Terry Grier. When Garrett retired, Grier said "no single person has contributed more" to HISD's reputation for managing taxpayer money with an eye on what's best for children.

More Information A visitation is scheduled from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, with funeral services at 11 a.m. Saturday. Both will be held at Earthman Bellaire Funeral Home. See More Collapse

Stripling said she believes Garrett's two years as a teacher helped her understand the impact of daily financial decisions.

"She realized how important it was for us to do our job, so the teachers could impact the students and give them a good education," Stripling said.

Garrett devoted much of her free time to her five nieces and nephews, and later to their 11 children. Her house on Lake Livingston became a frequent gathering point for friends and family.

"She was such a workaholic, but from the day she left HISD, she was just enjoying going on vacations and being with family," VanDenBossche said. "She was just generous beyond means."

Garrett is survived by her husband, Richard. A visitation is scheduled from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, with funeral services at 11 a.m. Saturday. Both will be held at Earthman Bellaire Funeral Home.
Harris County's controversial cash bail system will face new scrutiny Tuesday before a federal appeals court as judges consider whether it violates the constitutional rights of defendants who can't afford to get out of jail.

County attorneys - who have argued that foregoing cash bail puts the public at risk - will ask the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to overturn a lower court order that requires indigent misdemeanor defendants be released on personal bonds within 24 hours of their arrest if they don't have holds or detainers.

Attorneys for the inmates will argue that Chief U.S. District Judge Lee H. Rosenthal's order righted the scales of justice by forcing the county to give low-income defendants the same chance to get out of jail as those with money to post bond.

The class-action lawsuit, filed on behalf of a single mother who couldn't afford to post $2,500 bail for a drivers license infraction, has divided county officials and cost millions of dollars in legal fees.

Rosenthal ruled earlier this year that the county's bond policies kept thousands of people arrested for low-level crimes in jail for months awaiting trial because they did not have the money to pay bail or given a low-cost personal bond. Many ended up pleading guilty so they could return to their lives.

County officials are nearly unanimous in their contention that Rosenthal's order on April 28 compromises public safety by releasing criminal suspects too quickly and without judicial discretion. They say the county's bail practices, which are in the process of being revised, do not violate the law.

Rosenthal, however, found that despite meaningful efforts at reform, the county was still violating the rights of poor people with its bail practices.

Harris County Attorney Vince Ryan, overseeing a defense that has cost $4.2 million so far, argues that Rosenthal's order undermines local judges' discretion because the sheriff must accept people at their word that they can't pay bail and release them. That's the case even if a suspect is accused of domestic violence or drunk driving, and regardless of how many times they've been arrested or failed to make court appearances.

"The judge's order shifts judicial functions - the setting of reasonable bail and conditions of release for misdemeanors - to an affidavit by the defendant which must be accepted by the sheriff," said Ryan. "A system that promotes speedy release without real accountability over public safety is not a system that Harris County can embrace."

Elizabeth Rossi, an attorney with Civil Rights Corps in Washington, D.C., which represents the indigent defendants jailed in Harris County, said the ruling should be upheld to prevent 20,000 constitutional violations each year. The group has filed suit in about 20 jurisdictions nationwide over bail practices.

"Rosenthal's analysis reflected the fundamental principle in American law that a person should not be kept in a cage just because they can't afford to make a monetary payment," Rossi said. "The county and the judges are asking they be permitted to perpetuate a discriminatory system of wealth-based detention, but their position has no basis in fact or law, as Rosenthal found in her thorough ruling."

'Equal is sometimes hard to establish'

Two civil rights groups - the Texas Fair Defense Project and Civil Rights Corp - joined with Susman Godfrey law firm to sue Harris County last year on behalf of Maranda ODonnell, a single mother who was held for two days on a charge of driving without a license because she couldn't afford bail. Two similar lawsuits were merged into the case.

In her April ruling, Rosenthal issued a temporary injunction, concluding the bail system violated the U.S. Constitution's due process and equal protection clauses by discriminating against poor misdemeanor defendants. She ordered the county to begin releasing indigent misdemeanor suspects on personal bonds without posting cash bail if they did not have other charges or warrants.

In the ruling, Rosenthal found that 40 percent of misdemeanor arrestees were being jailed until their case was disposed of by a judge. When they did appear before a judicial officer, the hearing was usually two minutes long and they had minimal opportunity to speak.

Critics worry the opinion is allowing criminals to easily game the system.

City Council member Michael Kubosh, a bail bondsman, said the consequences of letting people out before they see a judge can be quick and irrevocable. He said a man released during Hurricane Harvey was arrested and released three times for looting.

"Where there's no responsibility, there's no accountability," Kubosh said. "It's just making a mockery out of our justice system. Judge Rosenthal has given judicial powers to our jailers to let people out and it just doesn't make any sense."

Commissioner Steve Radack, a former law enforcement officer, said Rosenthal's order didn't leave enough room for judges to properly weigh the consequences of letting people out of jail without bail.

"There's no perfect system," he said, "But equal is sometimes hard to establish."

Jeff Clayton, executive director of the American Bail Coalition, an industry group, said Rosenthal erred.

"She took her eye off the ball and got into what legislators and policymakers should do rather than just applying the law," he said.

Sheriff Ed Gonzalez and County Court-at-Law Judge Darrell Jordan are not appealing the ruling. They both testified the county's bail practices unfairly detain poor defendants and frequently compel them to take guilty pleas. Gonzalez filed a sworn statement saying the county consistently detained people on misdemeanors who would otherwise be released if they could afford bail.

District Attorney Kim Ogg, Public Defender Alex Bunin and County Commissioner Rodney Ellis, also submitted sworn statements supporting the arguments of the indigent defendants.

Ellis said Rosenthal was right on the mark and the county should back out of the suit.

"Undisputed evidence presented in this lawsuit shows people accused of low-level, nonviolent misdemeanors are routinely denied constitutional protections simply because they are too poor to post bail," Ellis said. "Sadly, the county is pursuing a costly defense of its indefensible, two-tiered bail system instead of investing in reforms that treat all people fairly and make our community safer."

And while the bail industry backs Harris County, more than a dozen non-parties have weighed in with friend-of-the-court briefs, with most supporting the argument that cash bail should not be used to detain poor people while letting people with money await trail in the free world.

National demand for change

The one-hour hearing Tuesday will allow the 5th Circuit justices to consider arguments in the case and question lawyers.

The lawyers on both sides may dispute facts and figures since Rosenthal's order went into effect in June, including the circumstances of the 1,000-plus people released and the rate at which they are failing to appear in court. But the facts before the appeals court are those presented last spring, before Rosenthal's order.

Rosenthal examined the evidence and found the county illegally used bail to detain poor misdemeanor defendants in violation of their rights to due process and equal protection. Being detained under these circumstances exacerbated and perpetuated poverty, making them likelier to lose jobs, sever family ties and re-offend.

The appeals court judges will apply a very narrow set of questions to the facts Rosenthal considered, and decide anew whether Harris County's bail practices violate the due process and equal protection clauses of the constitution. If Harris County violated the constitution, the appeals court will determine whether the remedy Rosenthal ordered was proper given the facts of the case.

Rosenthal's opinion makes note of a sea change underway nationally, as cities and counties begin to examine whether their bail systems function in a way that fairly weighs defendants' rights, the risk they pose to themselves and others and the crimes they're accused of.

"Whether by legislative enactment, judicial rulemaking, or court order, there is a clear and growing movement against using secured money bail to achieve a misdeameanor arrestee's continued detention," Rosenthal wrote.

Civil Rights Corps has two cases pending in Alabama and settled three others where the cities or counties involved no longer detain people on money bail. The U.S. Department of Justice weighed in one of those cases, issuing a statement that incarceration due to failure to pay is a violation of due process and equal protection.

The Harris County suit, filed in 2016, now extends to all misdemeanor defendants.

FOLLOW A TIMELINE OF OUR COVERAGE:

May 20, 2016: Harris County's pretrial detention practices challenged as unlawful in federal court

August 28, 2016: Bail foes say Harris County attorneys misled federal judge in civil rights case

Sept. 17, 2016: County leaders have paid $170,000 in legal fees fighting bail reform

Nov. 29, 2016: Videotapes reveal flaws in Harris County bail bond hearings

Dec. 1, 2016: Senator files judicial complaints over county bail system

March 9, 2017: Harris County appeals judge's ruling in bail lawsuit

March 28, 2017: Harris County commissioners exchange words over bail bond lawsuit

April 29, 2017: Federal judge: Harris Co bail system unfair to poor, low-level defendants

May 2, 2017: Harris County officials weighing options on bail reform court order

May 3, 2017: Refusing to settle? New offer on the table in costly Harris Co bail lawsuit

June 6, 2017: Harris County takes bail suit to US Supreme Court

June 28, 2017: Texas among six states backing Harris County's bail battle at Fifth Circuit




The 27-year-old Houston man accused of decapitating his mother Friday was already out on bail for allegedly punching the 76-year-old in the face earlier this year, court records show.

Kyriakos Savvas Georghiou was charged with murder and aggravated assault following the west Houston knife attack that left his mother dead and his father wounded in the hospital.

The son allegedly stabbed his parents inside their 12300 Westella home sometime around 5:20 p.m.

His father, Costas Georghiou, narrowly escaped by running to the neighbors for help.

By the time patrol officers rushed to the home in response to an assault call, they found paramedics treating the elderly man for multiple stab wounds. He was rushed to the hospital and taken to intensive care.

'Didn't say a whole lot'

Meanwhile, the suspected assailant exited the home with two knives and quietly surrendered, police said Monday.

But once officers were finally able to get inside the house, they found the body of Jane Georghiou. The woman's head was "completely separated from her body," according to court records.

Kyriakos Georghiou "didn't say a whole lot" as was taken into custody, Assistant Houston Police Department Chief Wendy Baimbridge told reporters.

He is currently being held in the county jail without bail, according to online records. He did not appear to have an attorney as of Monday morning.

The accused killer has a long arrest record in Harris County, including drug and robbery charges, one of which netted a three-year prison sentence in 2008.

Then in 2014, Georghiou was arrested on a charge of injury to an elderly individual after he punched his mother in the face and broke two of her teeth.

"I beat your mother's (expletive) and I'm going to jail," he said at the time, according to charging documents. Afterward, Georghiou took a plea bargain including three years of prison time, to run concurrently with another sentence.

Arrested again

But earlier this year, he was arrested again - for allegedly doing exactly the same thing.

His mother was sitting in the passenger seat of her son's car in early April when he allegedly reached over and punched her in the mouth, knocking out a tooth, she later told police.

Georghiou's sister told responding officers that her brother didn't have any mental health problems and had previously assaulted his mother - but the elderly woman hadn't called police because she didn't want her son arrested.

After police collared Georghiou last spring, he was released on $10,000 bail in September and banned from contact with his mother. He was still out on bail when police say he killed her.

Following the latest attack, his father requested an emergency protective order, court documents show.

Georghiou is due back in Harris County court Thursday.
The U.S. Supreme Court slapped down a Houston serial killer's bid for life Monday, propelling "Tourniquet Killer" Anthony Shore one step closer to his Oct. 18 date with death.

Now, the 55-year-old murderer's hope hangs on last-ditch efforts in the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals.

"We are disappointed," said Knox Nunnally, the Houston attorney representing Shore through the federal appeals process.

Currently the only Houston killer with a scheduled execution date, Shore was convicted of one count of capital murder in 2004 - even after he confessed to three others.

His brutal killing streak started at least as far back as 1986, when he slaughtered 14-year-old Laurie Tremblay. Six years later, he raped and murdered 21-year-old Maria del Carmen Estrada then ditched her naked body outside a Spring Branch Dairy Queen.

In 1994, he killed his youngest victim, 9-year-old Diana Rebollar. A year later, he murdered 16-year-old Dana Sanchez, who disappeared while hitchhiking to her boyfriend's house in north Houston.

But the cases turned cold and the crimes went unsolved for nearly two decades, until Shore was arrested for molesting family members.

As a convicted sex offender, the former telephone technician's DNA went on file and eventually investigators matched it to the Estrada case.

When police confronted him, he calmly confessed to Estrada's brutal murder along with the three others.

After he was convicted the following year, he stunned onlookers in court by asking for the death penalty. But ever since then, his lawyers have filed appeal after appeal, hoping a deluge of paperwork can save their condemned client.

Court denies petitions

When state District Judge Maria T. Jackson in July gave a green light to prosecutors' request for an execution date, Nunnally had already filed a petition for a writ of certiorari with the U.S. Supreme Court. The filing, which rested on a claim that Shore suffered brain damage before the slayings, would have required a lower court to reconsider a request for appeal.

It was always a long shot.

"I would certainly say that the odds are not in our favor," Nunnally said at the time. The court refused the petition without comment.

The Court also denied without comment a petition for Robert Pruett, who is set for execution on Oct. 12. The 38-year-old has spent 15 years on death row for the 1999 slaying of a prison guard in Bee County, where he was already serving a 99-year sentence for a murder in Harris County.

'It's a long shot'

Two other prisoners with Houston ties lost out in their legal battles Monday as well. The Supreme Court denied petitions from Jaime Cole - an Ecuadorian immigrant who killed his estranged wife and her teenage daughter in 2010 - and Garcia White, a fry cook who fatally stabbed twin girls in 1989.

Meanwhile, Shore's counsel continues fighting his case.

There's a request for clemency pending with the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles, which Nunnally described as "highly unlikely," as well as a final trial court appeal. As in previous filings, the September appeal in Harris County court hinges on a previously unrecognized brain injury that trial lawyers failed to identify.

"I think it's a long shot," Nunnally said. "However, we always try to keep a positive view."
The University of St. Thomas faces $172,000 in fines after a federal investigation found it underreported campus crimes, including a forcible sex offense and robbery.

The U.S. Department of Education also found the university violated the Clery Act by failing to include key information required in an annual report, including details of safety policies.

"UST students and employees were denied important safety information about how to prevent crime; where to report incidents; their rights after an alleged sex offense has occurred; and information about the school's missing student notification procedures," an Education Department letter from Sept. 27 to President Richard Ludwick said. "Students and employees cannot benefit from policies and procedures that have not been provided to them."

The federal Clery Act, named for Lehigh University student Jeanne Clery who was raped and murdered on campus in 1986, requires universities to publish an annual document outlining their safety policies, crime notification systems and statistics on campus crime over the last three years. That document is called an annual security report.

St. Thomas is one of 10 universities fined this year for Clery Act violations.

It is the first Texas university since at least 2015 to be fined under the law.

Ludwick, who began at the university over the summer, said Monday that administrators plan to evaluate the allegations "seriously" and will then assess if St. Thomas will appeal the findings through a hearing or written response. This process must occur by Oct. 20.

The university will review St. Thomas' safety policies and procedures, he said, characterizing the university as "exceedingly compliant" after adding resources to the police department and consulting with outside safety experts.

'Numerous' violations

He said the university was "disappointed" by the fine, which he said was too high and shows that federal regulators hold more and more responsibility for regulating higher education.

"I think a fine is one way that you gain people's compliance, but when they're already seeking to comply, it has a deleterious effect ... what we want to do always is to make sure that our students, faculty, staff, other employees and visitors to campus are safe," Ludwick said.

Complying with the Clery Act is important because current and prospective students and employees should know information on safety to make personal decisions and understand their rights and obligations, the Education Department wrote in its letter.

The letter describing St. Thomas' "very serious and numerous" violations was from Susan Crim, who directs the federal administrative actions and appeals service group of the Education Department's federal student aid and enforcement unit.

It said that the investigation began after complaints that the university allegedly violated the Clery Act by not including sexual assault prevention and response procedures and not properly disclosing reported crimes.

Complainants at the time also accused St. Thomas of not issuing its 2012 annual security report by a federally required deadline.

University spokeswoman Sandra Soliz said in an email that the university's last reporting cycles have been timely.

As part of their investigation, federal officials reviewed samples of St. Thomas' incident reports, arrest records and student and employee discipline documents between 2008 and 2015, the letter said.

The department said about $100,000 of the fines came because St. Thomas did not properly report 2012 and 2013 crime - including a forcible sexual offense, aggravated assault, robbery and motor vehicle theft - in a 2015 annual security report and in data provided to the Education Department. Eleven crimes in total were omitted from the two reports.

'Sloppy errors'

Other fines came because St. Thomas did not include required details on its safety policies in its 2012, 2014 and 2015 annual security reports.

For example, in 2015, the university did not include in its annual security report any outline of policy regarding disciplinary action in cases of alleged dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking, the Education Department said.

Also, according to the letter, the university did not collect crime and fire statistics from the St. Mary's Seminary Campus, which the department said was required. Ludwick said this last finding will be reviewed, as he said the definition of campus may not include St. Mary's, where St. Thomas hosts a theology program.

Clery Act consultants and education lawyers characterized these findings as common across universities that are reviewed for their compliance with the stringent regulations.

"These were all, basically, sloppy errors," said S. Daniel Carter, a longtime campus safety consultant who leads Safety Advisors for Educational Campuses LLC. "It does deny students and others an accurate picture of campus safety, but not in the same way as if you were thinking they were completely suppressing the data."

Speaking generally, he said compliance with the act requires good communication to avoid these mistakes.

Tough procedures

Reporting procedures can get complicated, and universities often have questions on what specifically is defined as part of their campus, said Hayley Hanson, a partner and education practice group leader at Husch Blackwell, a Missouri-based firm.

Many Clery Act violations come when university campuses don't think proactively about campus safety, said Alison Kiss, executive director of a Pennsylvania nonprofit called the Clery Center.

Presidents and chancellors should often speak publicly about campus crime to create a culture of transparency, she said.

"I don't think it's a tremendously onerous task, but there needs to be a buy-in from college and university leadership to support those who are responsible for campus safety," she said.

Ludwick said administrators plan to examine "what reasonable steps are appropriate" to "exceed" the law's standards and keep the campus safe.

The university has recently hired a new police chief with "new eyes" to assess the situation and has consulted with outside experts to ensure compliance with various reporting standards, he said.
MISSION - Before Erick Lugo, 25, was admitted to the program that shields from deportation people who entered the country without legal permission , his life had been confined to the border.

That changed with the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which gives recipients work permits and, for immigrants like Lugo, permission to travel beyond immigration checkpoints in South Texas.

Yet in the weeks since President Donald Trump said he would phase out the five-year program, numerous DACA recipients, including Lugo and his sister, have been temporarily detained at immigration checkpoints.

Lugo lost a job opportunity because of his hours-long confinement. His sister was compelled to give the Border Patrol the names of their mother and father, he said.

"Border Patrol told her, 'It will be easier, and faster, if you give us your parents' names,'" Lugo said of his sister's experience at the immigration checkpoint in Falfurrias. "What do you do when they ask you something like that?"

Thursday deadline

Residents of the U.S. border with Mexico must pass through interior immigration checkpoints to gain access to the rest of the United States. These checkpoints are located along highways miles north of the international line, which DACA recipients have been allowed to pass through.

Since the program's inception, about 800,000 immigrants have become beneficiaries of DACA, which gives two-year renewable work permits to qualifying young people who were brought to the country illegally as children. Nearly 690,000 are enrolled in the program, including around 124,000 in Texas and 10,000 in the McAllen area, according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

The number of DACA recipients who have been detained is not available.

Trump gave Congress until March 5 to pass legislation to help the suddenly vulnerable immigrants. Though the government has stopped accepting new DACA applications, those whose work permits expire before the March deadline have until Thursday to submit renewal applications.

Despite Trump's assurances that DACA recipients have "nothing to worry about," within days of announcing that he would end the Obama-era policy, there were reports of DACA recipients being detained at the immigration checkpoint in Falfurrias. With the future the program cast in doubt, La Union del Pueblo Entero, an immigrant advocacy organization based in Alamo, launched a series of information sessions.

"These sessions were really critical in telling DACA recipients 'you also should know what to do if you have an encounter with law enforcement,'" said John-Michael Torres, spokesman for LUPE. "The situation is alarming enough for us that we wanted to put out a travel advisory."

In late September, the organization sent out a travel alert that warned DACA recipients against unnecessary travel to the border region. LUPE has received reports of DACA recipients suffering mental and emotional abuse and being threatened with deportation. The organization is urging those who are detained to memorize phone numbers of family members, so they can call for help and to avoid signing paperwork without consulting an immigration lawyer.

'A troubling shift'

Reports of checkpoint detentions also drew sharp censure from Rio Grande Valley leaders. Among the more vocal has been U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, D-McAllen. The freshman congressman penned a letter to Trump, demanding clarity of the apparent policy shift within the Border Patrol regarding the young immigrants.

"This incident signals a troubling shift in policing of these young people," Gonzalez said. "How far are we from rounding up these young people for deportation?"

For its part, the Border Patrol has said that when DACA recipients present themselves for immigration inspection, "they will temporarily be detained for accuracy and verification of status. Once substantiated, the DACA recipient will be processed and released accordingly."
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Houston-area officials detailed billions of dollars' worth of Hurricane Harvey recovery needs, from removing debris to building repairs, for state lawmakers Monday as they pleaded for additional state and federal assistance.

More than one month after Harvey's deluge hit, local officials, including Mayor Sylvester Turner and Harris County Judge Ed Emmett, testified at a state House of Representatives Appropriations Committee hearing that more than $370 million worth of debris removal and repair work on more than 50 government buildings has strained local coffers, necessitating quick aid and reimbursement from the federal or state government.

They also emphasized what likely will greatly exceed the costs of immediate recovery: how to prepare for the next storm. That could include billions of dollars for large-scale buyouts, a third reservoir on Houston's west side, a reservoir on the Brazos River in Fort Bend County and hundreds of millions of dollars to jump start bayou improvement projects that have slowed in recent years without federal funding.

"There's going to come a time where we have taken all the money from the feds, we have gotten all the money we're going to get from the state, and we're going to have to decide: What kind of community do we want to be?" Emmett said at the hearing.

Harvey's record-smashing rainfall and floods damaged more than 136,000 homes and other buildings in Harris County and killed nearly 80 people across the state.

The Texas House Appropriations Committee and Urban Affairs Committee met at the University of Houston on Monday to understand public costs and where reimbursements from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and other U.S. Congressional appropriations were being directed in the storm's wake.

Emmett, Turner and Fort Bend County officials testified, as did Texas A&M University Chancellor John Sharp, who is coordinating the state's recovery efforts. The heads of several other state agencies also testified.

The hearing came just three days after Gov. Greg Abbott visited Houston and presented Turner with a check for $50 million. The check almost immediately was spoken for, Turner said, mostly for debris removal and insurance costs.

Appropriations Chairman John Zerwas, R-Houston, said Harvey, in theory, qualified as the "perfect reason" to use the state's so-called "Rainy Day Fund," a savings account comprised of billions in excess oil and gas taxes.

Studying the issues

Abbott had indicated as much last week but said he would tap existing state emergency funds and reimburse them from the Rainy Day Fund when the Legislature next meets in 2019.

"Before the Legislature acts, we need to ensure what the expenses are that the state is responsible for," Zerwas said.

Last week, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick issued a 25-point list of topics that lawmakers should study before the legislative session that begins in 2019, including how to improve Addicks and Barker reservoirs, how schools respond to hurricanes and how Harvey impacted the state's transportation infrastructure.

Testimony from local officials outlined the varied ways in which the cities and counties were grappling with Harvey's impact.

Fort Bend County Judge Bob Hebert said his county incurred more than $1 billion in damage, and that the 100-year storm standard to which special districts design and build levees "needs to be revisited."

"I don't know what the solution is there," he said.

Hebert also said the county needs a better network of roadways for people to travel north and south across the county. During Harvey, many were flooded, including U.S. 59, Texas 6 and parts of U.S. 90.

Damage is done

Turner called housing and debris removal the city's top priorities and urged FEMA and the state to set up programs that would deploy contractors to thousands of flood-damaged homes to more quickly complete repairs and make them habitable again.

He also called on the state to waive administrative fees it is entitled to for acting as the conduit for federal funding to local governments.

"The water has come, the damage has been done," Turner said. "For many people, the damage is behind the walls. I'm particularly sensitive to seniors, people with special needs, people in low-income communities, people who are behind these walls."

The mayor said Houston additionally has been hampered by a voter-imposed revenue cap that limits how much it can take in from property taxes. Last month, he had proposed a one-year property tax rate hike of nearly 9 percent but dropped the idea Friday after Abbott handed him the $50 million check.

Turner said many communities - including some with people in the country illegally - are afraid to seek help.

Turner said he would ask the state to help in reaching that population, a sentiment echoed by Rep. Armando Walle, D-Houston.

"I do want to make sure that we keep our eye on the ball," Walle said.

Harvey's full costs, including the ecological impact, will continue to be felt for years, officials said.

Turner said the city would have a better understanding of the damage it incurred in about 60 days.
Loud restaurants

Regarding "Alison Cook's Top 100 restaurants" (HoustonChronicle.com), no matter what Alison Cook says about the food, the drinks and the service, it can't be fine dining if one can't carry on a conversation with the folks at one's table because the noise level in the restaurant is too loud. I haven't read all of the 100 reviews, but I have read about half of them, and there is only a subtle mention of "racket" or "noise" in two or three of them. There are two restaurants in her Top 10 that we - my wife and I - will not go back to because the noise level is just too high. Indeed, at one of them the noise was so loud that we couldn't even make it in the front door! I have been to a Houston restaurant where the waiter told me that the waitstaff had to complain to OSHA because the noise level was so loud. I won't go back there, either.

Maybe Cook could include a "noise level" listing along with the other information in her reviews. Some Houstonians clearly won't care if the decibel level is out of sight; they'll just shout above it and add to the decibels.

But some of us like to dine out and have quiet conversations along with our meals, and it would be nice if Cook would give us some warning about places whose noise levels rival the Katy Freeway at rush hour.

Daniel B. Barnum, Houston

Charter schools

Regarding "Third Ward charter school abruptly closes" (Page A3, Saturday), I don't even pretend to understand charter schools - neither how they work nor why there is a need for them. As a longtime public school educator, I'm probably biased. I know the good that public schools do. But I also know that public schools have problems.

Reading this article and seeing the picture showing the anguish of the mother filling out forms to get her daughter enrolled in a different charter school, I immediately asked, "Why doesn't she simply enroll her in the neighborhood HISD public school?" Her answer might be, "It's not a good school." But if you read this article, this charter school that is closing consistently had "needs improvement" ratings.

With charter schools (and the potential of private school vouchers) leaching money from the public schools, it is no wonder that many schools need improvement. Throwing money at something is never the entire answer to a problem, but wouldn't our public schools have a better chance at improving if they weren't competing with private schools, both charter and "for profit," for funds? This mother's heart may be in the right place, but her priorities are not.

Russell J. Sanders, Houston

Critical election

Regarding "HISD trustees" (Page A19, Saturday), a couple of trustees elected to the HISD school board stirred up much community contempt through the quite costly circus of renaming mascots and school names, which I doubt has made an iota of improvement in scholastic performance in those affected schools.

If anything positive came of the exercise it may have been to encourage digging into real history books to learn something deeper about those figures whose names were removed.

The editorial duly cautioned voters to be keenly aware of what - and not just who - they were electing.

C.E. Sylvester, Houston
More than a month after Hurricane Harvey literally rained down destruction from the sky, Houstonians are still only beginning to grapple with its costs.

During the storm, the focus was on the immediate emergency at hand, and Houstonians bravely carried out 30,000 rescues. Now, a different sort of rescue is needed.

One of the most pressing needs is debris removal. From major thoroughfares to small suburban cul-de-sacs, Houstonians are confronted with piles of destroyed property, some four or five feet high. The amount of material to be cleared could be 300 million cubic yards, an astonishing number and triple what was left after Hurricane Katrina.

This not only poses a danger but impedes recovery by making it more difficult to travel. Arterial roads that connect homes and residential communities to commercial centers need to be cleared so people can more easily get to their jobs, shop and generate the economic activity the city needs.

Mayor Sylvester Turner has shown exemplary leadership in responding to the city's needs. It was gratifying to see him sitting with Gov. Greg Abbott to announce that the state will allocate $50 million for the clean-up, negating the need for a local property tax increase.

I supported the mayor's proposal because it articulated a strategic and clear-eyed vision for investing in the city's long term success. It is laudable that Gov. Abbott agreed to release these funds but Houston is far from being made whole.

Having maxed out its insurance coverage limit, the city is facing a $10 million price tag for a new one. Gov. Abbott himself estimated that clean-up costs could exceed $150 billion, far in excess of the $15.3 billion recovery package Washington approved last month.

Mayor Turner and Gov. Abbott need to continue working together. Houston cannot wait until 2019 when the state Legislature next meets to be able to access the state's emergency fund. The type of sound long-range investment Mayor Turner envisions requires a degree of fiscal certainty.

The federal government has agreed to shoulder 90 percent of the debris removal costs but Washington must confront expensive crises in Florida, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

In addition to repair and recovery, there is a need for more fundamental capital expenditures to prevent damage in the future.

Two days after I was inaugurated as Secretary of HUD in 1993, President Bill Clinton summoned me to the Oval Office and asked me to head the federal clean-up efforts in South Florida in the wake of Hurricane Andrew.

I spent a month on the ground, and in directing the recovery I learned important lessons that helped us plan for the future. We updated and improved HUD standards for manufactured homes based upon vulnerability to storms. Florida upgraded its building codes.

In January 1994, the Northridge earthquake struck Los Angeles, causing unprecedented damage. Again, we evaluated what went wrong and devised ways to rebuild focused on building structures that could withstand future earthquakes. After you spend for recovery, you must rebuild to minimize damage going forward.

Similar assessments must now take place in Houston. At just 50 feet above sea level, intersected by some 1,700 miles of channels, waterways and bayous, Houston is uniquely vulnerable. I served on a task force with former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and former U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson that examined the impacts of climate change on American businesses.

We found that Houston faces a dangerous combination of threats, with high population density and heavy infrastructure particularly vulnerable to rising sea levels and increasingly strong storms.

As we did in California and Florida, Houston will need to make decisions about how to rebuild. That may mean locating vital utilities on higher floors of buildings and better incorporating topography into planning to encourage building on higher ground. The proper retention of water and channeling to drainage systems will need to improve; consideration must be given to flood control projects like reservoirs and green solutions such as using parks and waterways to capture floodwater.

The time to act is not when these traumas fade in memory but now, while we have the political will to do what it takes to prevent similar damage in the future.

Cisneros served as secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development under President Clinton and for four terms as mayor of San Antonio. He is a partner at the infrastructure finance firm Siebert Cisneros Shank & Company, LLC.
WASHINGTON - Shortly after Bob Corker was elected to the Senate in 2006, I found myself seated next to the Tennessee Republican at a dinner. Corker's race against Harold Ford Jr. had included a Republican National Committee ad with ugly racial overtones, and I asked the new senator what he had learned about running against an African-American opponent.

I can't recall what Corker said, but I do remember what happened after: The next afternoon, my office phone rang. It was Corker on the line, no aide placing the call, saying he had been thinking about my question and felt he hadn't given me a full enough answer.

This was, as it turned out, quintessential Corker, unassuming, thoughtful, decent and diligent. Which is why Corker's announcement Tuesday that he would not seek a third term, while not exactly a surprise, was such a disappointment - especially coming, as it did, hours before racist homophobe and disgraced judge Roy Moore won the Alabama Senate primary.

The Senate - and the Republican Party - needs more Corkers, fewer Roy Moores. The trend line is not promising.

Certainly, Corker is no liberal squish - he is not even a moderate along the lines of Maine Sen. Susan Collins. You're not going to find him casting a vote against Education Secretary Betsy DeVos or to save the Affordable Care Act or to expand background checks for gun buyers.

Yet in an era of virulent partisanship, he has been unwilling to cede the possibility of bipartisan cooperation, whether with Virginia Democrat Mark Warner on housing finance reform or with Maryland Democrat Ben Cardin to ensure a Senate role in approving the Iran nuclear deal.

Voluntarily relinquishing power is an alien concept in Washington, so Corker's retirement announcement felt particularly jarring; he is not only an incumbent senator, but chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee. Yet Corker, 65, is not a traditional Washington creature. He came here saying he expected to serve just two terms, and flirted with leaving after one.

"I have always felt like I was a free agent," he told me in a phone interview Thursday. "I have never felt particularly tied to electoral outcomes because I never expected to be here that long."

So it is possible to misread or overinterpret Corker's decision as a sign of the poisonous times, of frustration with the gridlocked legislative environment (although Corker freely admits to being as frustrated as the next senator) or about having to fend off a primary challenge (a notion that Corker summarily dismisses, noting that he had ample cash and had faced only "third tier" challengers).

But to talk to Corker is also to get a glimmer of the excitement - perhaps even relief - he feels at being entirely liberated from political concerns, and of the role that he can play in his remaining 15 months.

Speaking of the environment today where any incumbent who dares seek bipartisan compromise is in danger of being primaried from the party's extreme flank, Corker said: "No matter what anybody says, you're kind of held hostage, aren't you? You get in a tough, tough primary and as principled as you are, it's in the back of your mind." At "the peak of my producing time here," Corker said, "I didn't want to do anything that would in any way take away from me making the most difference possible."

One of those differences could involve the fate of tax reform, Republicans' last best hope for a legislative win. Corker voted to proceed with a budget framework that allows for $1.5 trillion in tax cuts - but insists that he won't agree to a final deal that adds to the deficit.

"Once the election occurred in November, it's like a light switch went off and we went from caring about deficits to it being party time," Corker said of fellow Republicans. "At the end of the day, if I think it adds one penny to the deficit, I'm not going to vote for it. ... I'm going to lay on the railroad tracks and keep it from happening."

The Senate will be worse off for Corker's eventual departure. But his decision to leave may have the paradoxical effect of making it a better place over the 15 months that remain.

Marcus' email address is ruthmarcus@washpost.com.
The Pregnancy Resource Center of South Central Missouri is hosting a fundraising run/walk Saturday in Houston.

The color run and stroller fun walk will be held at First Baptist Church. Registration is $20 and includes a T-shirt.

Registration for the color run is 7:30 a.m. with the run at 8 a.m. Stroller fun registration is 8 a.m. with the walk at 8:30 a.m.

For more information, call 417-967-1100.
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Fashion reporter, author and columnist Jeanne Beker is calling on Canada to ban animal testing in the beauty industry. The Canadian fashion and media icon is making her plea on behalf of the #BeCrueltyFree Canada campaign led by Humane Society International and Animal Alliance of Canada, part of the largest ever global campaign for an end to cosmetics cruelty.

Asked about her support, Beker said: Theres nothing fashionable about cruelty to animals. Cosmetic animal testing is a senseless practice that has no place in a humane nation, and that is why 37 countries have already taken action to stop animal testing for cosmetics. I am grateful to the Canadian Senate for considering this important issue and I am calling upon the Canadian government to pass a strong ban on cosmetic animal testing and trade. Its time for Canada to #BeCrueltyFree!

Most Canadians share Bekers sentiments on cosmetic animal testing. There is substantial public support for bans on cosmetics animal testing, both within Canada and globally. Eight out of every 10 Canadians surveyed (81 percent) in 2013 oppose animal testing for any purpose. Polling in other major cosmetics markets by HSI and our #BeCrueltyFree partners reveals similar majority support for nationwide bans on the testing of cosmetics and their ingredients on animals.

In laboratories across Canada, animals are suffering and dying in toxicity tests for chemicals that could make their way into mascara, lipstick and other cosmetics. Terrified rabbits have chemicals dripped in their eyes, mice have substances forced down their throat, and guinea pigs endure having ingredients smeared on their bare, shaved skin.

Troy Seidle, HSIs Senior Director, Research & Toxicology, said: Animal testing for cosmetics is quite literally a dying practice. More and more countries around the world are banning it because its cruel, unreliable and completely unnecessary. Thirty-seven countries including the European Union  the largest cosmetics market  have banned cosmetic animal testing. Its time that Canada caught up and ended cosmetics cruelty, too.

Live in Canada? Help Ban Animal Testing of Cosmetics.

The #BeCrueltyFree campaign led by HSI and its partners has been a key force in securing many of the national bans in place today. Laws currently exist to end or limit cosmetic animal testing and/or sales in the 28 member countries of the European Union, India, Israel, New Zealand, Norway, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey and Guatemala. Similar legislation is pending in Australia, Brazil, Chile, the United States, and other countries.

Media Contact: Christopher Pare Office: 514 395-2914 x 206, cpare@hsi.org
When my son Oscar was about three hours old he had started grunting. The Midwifery Care Assistant had come to check on us both to see if he was feeding and I told her he was laughing. She immediately took him from me and pressed the emergency button.

Lots of midwives rushed in and his SATs were taken. They were about 45%.

He was resuscitated and an ambulance was called as we were at our local midwife led birthing centre. We were so lucky that an ambulance was already outside the hospital.

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Whilst Oscar was being put into the incubator to travel in the ambulance my husband arrived from our home with the car seat. He had no idea what was happening.

We were not allowed to travel in the ambulance with Oscar. This was horrific as I had convinced myself that he would die in the ambulance without me.

When we got to the hospital the paramedic was just heading back to the ambulance and she kindly took us to NICU and assured me he was still alive.

He looked so fragile.

When we got to NICU Oscar was on CPAP (to keep his breathing airways open), had intravenous drugs through a cannula, and had various wires attached to a monitor. He looked so fragile. A nurse took us to the relative's room to explain what was happening.

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The first few days were awful as we couldn't really touch Oscar as it caused him so much pain. All the staff were amazing though and very supportive to us.

On day three his infection rates were still increasing despite the IV antibiotics, so it was decided a lumber puncture would be done.

I was really worried about the lumber puncture and we couldn't be by his incubator when it was being done, but another mum who was with her baby said that Oscar didn't even cry during the procedure.

Unfortunately a second lumber puncture had to be done as blood got into the first one. Two hours later the doctor came to tell me it was meningitis and it was bacterial, but they didn't know which strain.

We were devastated, but the doctor told us that it meant they could now give Oscar the correct antibiotics to treat the meningitis.

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When Oscar was a week old he was discharged from hospital and that was the best day ever.

We had to return to the hospital a week later to see the audiology scientist, but Oscar's hearing was fine.

After effects.

After that we lived in a little bubble as Oscar reached all his milestones, and he is now a very bright and clever little boy. However, when he started school he struggled to settle and showed signs of sensory issues (a sign of anxiety).

We removed him from his first school as in our opinion they were unhelpful and issued punishments for behaviour he had no control over.

It was whilst he was at this school that I first phoned the Meningitis Now helpline as I just needed somebody to listen to me whilst I ranted and cried.

The first lady I spoke to was so lovely and she told me that Oscar's behaviour could well be linked to him having meningitis as a baby. She posted me some really helpful fact sheets which I shared with the school.

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We have now found him the most amazing, nurturing school and they have been very proactive in getting other agencies involved. They will be providing a 1-1 Teaching Assistant for him in his next academic school year, as he is extremely anxious and this affects his learning and behaviour.

I want to thank the staff at the birthing centre, as it was their quick action that saved Oscar's life, and Meningitis Now who have been so helpful each time I've spoken to them.
We're not long into a new school year and already I'm feeling the strain.

Me and the Hubs have constant negotiations about who is dropping off and picking up from school and the childminders. Throw in work for both us, after school activity clubs, tea time, bath time, oh and don't forget the reading Boo must do five times a week, the spelling practise, family time at weekends, and it's fair to say WE are knackered and we are the grown ups. Imagine how a six year old feels!

Let's face it, for a six year old that is a lot. It's an early start and a late finish. You need a lot of stamina and concentration to get through the day. This is what we are asking of our young primary school children. But it doesn't stop there, that's not all we are demanding. There is also HOMEWORK! My girl Boo (who has just gone into year two) is expected to read five times a week and practise spellings and do a piece of set homework a week. And I'm the first to say it's too much!

It's too much for her and it's too much for me. Boo is an enthusiastic learner and when I can see on her face the tiredness and the lack of will I know it's time to worry. I'm talking about a girl who self directs her learning, she reads independently far more than the school instructs because she ENJOYS it. She loves nothing more than sitting at the table and writing her own stories. There's been times I've gone upstairs to say goodnight and she's happily tucked up in bed practising French. WTF! These things are great, I encourage it, I don't push it. She does these things because she's enjoying them. It's feeding her thirst for knowledge and she's challenging herself. But it seems these things don't count because they haven't been prescribed by the school, because they haven't been evidenced, and they can't be measured.

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In 2012 Michael Grove scraped the government homework guidelines which stated 5-7 years olds should do one hour of homework a week and instead gave schools greater freedom to set their own homework policies. So I'm baffled that five years on, many schools still set homework that equates to an hour a week if not more. It makes me wonder, what is homework? Is it not the request to read five times a week which must be logged in the reading record book? Is it not the time spent practising spelling that is sent home from school to further support learning? Because in my experience these tasks alone take more than an hour a week.

School homework policies appear to be ignoring the reality of the child, the parents and the teachers. They don't reflect the reality of modern parenting and acknowledge the difficulty in finding the time, especially when such young children require a great deal of support (in addition to the other learning tasks we support them with daily). They don't reflect the needs of the child. Should a six year old child attend breakfast club, spend all day trying hard at school, attend an activity club, come home for tea, practice some spellings, have a play, have a bath, do some reading.... when is there time for additional homework? Will they enjoy it? Judging by the look on my child's face I seriously doubt it! Neither do school homework policies reflect the needs of the teachers. In a climate where we face a shortage of teachers due to the additional pressures they face, do we really need to overload them further with marking homework for five and six year olds? It's quite telling when 91% of teachers feel that less time should be spent on marking and feedback (The Workload Challenge)

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These policies appear to ignore the learning opportunities within the family home that cannot be evidenced or measured. They do not see the times Boo has witnessed her father working from home updating a spreadsheet and she has expressed a genuine curiosity. They don't know that Dad has sat there and explained Excel and she has excitedly created a class register where she has practised spelling the names of her classmates and marked who is having packed lunch or school dinner. It's during activities like this she is learning and she's having fun...when she has the energy and the will to do so.

Schools have such a wonderful opportunity to engage young minds. It's a sad time when learning becomes a chore for all those involved, the child, the parent and the teacher.

So right now, whilst Boo is still very young Homework can f*ck off. I'm not going to allow it to infringe on precious family time. Nor will I let it create additional stress within the family home due to the last minute panic that we must get it done. I will not let it turn a genuine love of learning into a resentment because my six year old is overwhelmed and too tired.

What are your thoughts on homework for five and six year olds?
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I became estranged from my family when I was studying a master's at the University of Nottingham. Estrangement is when a person is disowned, cut off, or does not have a relationship with their family or key family members such as their parents. As the process was gradual and incredibly difficult for me, it took a huge toll on my mental health. I was seen by the university counselling service for which there was a waiting list and my counsellor didn't seem to appreciate the nuances of my situation properly. As I was only entitled to eight sessions of university counselling, I was then offered to be referred to the NHS wellbeing team by my GP for which there was a minimum three-month waiting list. I had no choice but to decline this as my master's was coming to an end and I didn't know if I was going to be staying in Nottingham.

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In some ways, I'm quite lucky that I became estranged during postgraduate studies because, unlike the vast majority of estranged undergraduate students, I didn't have to worry about accommodation over the summertime and other holiday periods. Master's students tend to write their dissertations over summer so their housing needs are much better provided for. As my master's was fully-funded via savings I'd accrued over the years, I had to work part-time competing with other students for hours in my job as a student ambassador on a zero hours' contract. I had to really carefully budget my living costs and weekly food allowance, often using the university's free buses and walking a lot to save on transport costs.

As a result of balancing part-time work with my deteriorating mental health, I wasn't doing too well academically and so I was going to have to retake some exams as well as defer my dissertation- both of which were going to incur more costs. My personal tutor, a middle-aged white man, seemed to have no understanding of, or training in, pastoral issues and my GP took the side of my parents when I tried to explain how much I was struggling with my mental health as a result of emotional abuse. Due to a culmination of these things, I felt that I had no other choice but to drop out.

My story is far from unique. Research carried out by Stand Alone- the UK's leading charity that supports estranged people- shows that 79% of students surveyed become estranged before their 18th birthday. They also found that 41% of students surveyed had considered withdrawing or suspending from their course due to financial pressures, stress and mental health struggles. 14% actually had, which is a rate three times higher than the average student.

Estrangement can happen to people at any age, with one in five families in the UK affected and over five million people estranged from at least one family member. It can come with a lot of stigma, isolation, and emotional stress. Recent stats from 2014/15 show that there were 9,338 students who are 'irrevocably' estranged from their parents, but this figure is likely to be higher as there will be students who aren't recognized as estranged by Student Finance England (SFE), and this doesn't account for postgraduate students either. A key cause of estrangement is mismatched expectations of parents versus aspirations of their children, and this may result in emotional abuse. This problem is exacerbated in the case of LGBT+ people who may not have supportive parents or family members that are accepting of their identity. There is a lot of anecdotal evidence that suggest that family rejection is a key cause of estrangement in the LGBT+ community, which is definitely true in my case.

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Another key impact of estrangement is isolation and loneliness - it's so easy for estranged students to fall through the cracks of academia and feel like we're alone. Over 70% of estranged students report experiencing isolation. Students who are estranged or disowned from their family often feel unacknowledged, invisible and sensitive to judgement and stigma around their family situation. 28% of students in Stand Alone's study expressed that they did not feel comfortable accessing support within their institution, either because they did not know how to access it, or because they had a lack of faith due to previous experiences of insufficient support or stigma. There are further loopholes once an estranged student accesses the support they need as SFE require 'proof' of estrangement which can be emotionally exhausting and almost impossible to obtain, especially when requiring the cooperation of those we have become estranged from. Once SFE provide financial support, it's often inadequate for estranged students, and so we find ourselves having to work alongside our studies. Even renting in the private sector is difficult as we often cannot use our parents or relatives as a guarantor like other students can.

For these reasons, NUS LGBT+ Campaign has teamed up with Stand Alone to launch the Estranged Students Solidarity Campaign. Together we aim to eradicate the stigma surrounding estrangement and support estranged students through their studies. We want to get lots of institutions and students' unions on board with this campaign and there's so much that you can do on your campuses to support estranged students. You can get your institution to sign up to Stand Alone's Pledge, you can organize coffee mornings for estranged students, campaign to get bursaries specifically for estranged students, put on events during the holiday season, lobby accommodation services to provide rooms over the break, introduce guarantor schemes, include estranged students in your mental health campaigns, and much, much more. For more information, please take a look at our online guide to find out what you can do to remove the multiple barriers estranged students face.
My first marriage ended two and a bit years after it started. It didn't fail, it ended..

With the end of that marriage came a waterfall of emotion, upheaval, new beginnings, sore endings, heightened feelings, angry words, resentment and the "what ifs". But the strongest feeling? Devastation and crippling disappointment in myself, coming from a large family on both my mum and dad's side it was a strange feeling. I was the first and the only one (so far) to get divorced. Why had this happened to me? Why did I have to be different, cause a stir? Buck convention?

Despite what we read in the media about the divorce rates and 'failed' marriages, I truly don't believe for a moment that it's as shallow as it sounds. For me it's because times are changing, our generation have been raised to believe in equality, to be emotionally intelligent enough to know that it's not simply a case of 'getting by'. We are allowed to enjoy what we have, be it materially or emotionally or all of it!! Most importantly women have a voice and freedom. Men are being raised to know that women have their own strengths. If a situation is bad it can be changed.

And that was the problem in my first marriage. We couldn't change. Neither of us. He was strong-willed and believed women had a place. I was strong-willed and believed I could be independent and a wife and a mother. We were both right. Just not together.

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We had met for a reason, there were millions of them, but the single most important was our daughter. I can only speak for myself when I say I had completely underestimated how much harder having a child would make a separation and then divorce. A lot of time has passed now and the waters are a lot calmer, but it hasn't been easy. Not one bit.

I learnt hard cold lessons about myself, the kind of thoughts and feelings that you think you'll never have. Huge highs - the feeling of 'I Can', 'I will' and 'Wow' but the lows were like nothing I have experienced. All out failure, my heart ached even though I was the one that asked for the divorce. The judgment from people around me, the 'do you not think you could have tried counseling/tried harder/tried changing?'

I had tried, I'd tried so hard that I had disappeared and turned into a human I didn't recognize, spark gone. Lights out.

In the dark times I would think of my grandparents, married in the late 1940's, my grandmother a wildly independent and spirited soul who met the love of her life Michai, a ridiculously handsome and impeccably dressed Romanian who had ended up in the UK after being captured in World War 2. They were married when my gran was 19 and quickly my mum was born. Their life was tough, really tough. Discriminated against from the wider community and cut off from (some but not all) of my gran's family and friends.

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Was it that their relationship backed by the soundtrack fit for a Hollywood Movie? Or was it sheer grit and determination? What was it that led them to be together until the day my grandad died?

I watched my own parents, my sister and her husband, my cousins, aunts and uncles and a theme started to emerge.

There was no magic wand, there was no formula but there was something that they all had. Themselves. In each relationship, whilst a couple they were also individuals. Yes, they may have slowly over years adapted their behaviours or opened their minds to different ways of doing things but they were still fundamentally the same person. In fact in some cases, they had become stronger versions of themselves as a result of the support, love and loyalty within the marriage.

All of the relationships were perfectly imperfect. They had grown and changed but stayed together. Why? Because when it came to things like money, working, raising their children their baseline was the same.

At times my gran was hateful to grandad, and at times he was a selfish bastard, so it wasn't all about romance, but it was real. As real as the relationships I am surrounded by today.

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I can remember really taking notice of if all, and thinking that if I was lucky enough to meet someone to be with, to build a family with, a home, a life. A second chance. I needed to strengthen up and learn what my "base line" was, without it the same old relationship pattern would start again.

The day my divorce came through, it was an unusually sunny early spring day. I walked to the chip shop and randomly sat on a bench with Esme eating chips, completely baffled by the fact that with a date stamp on a piece of paper it was done. Divorced. Single.

When I met Chris, all the 'things' I had listed in my mind as a priority in my 20's no longer existed. My mum had said to me just weeks before we met "What you need Bec is soft and gentle, strong, but gentle." I remember almost laughing out loud, but she was right.

Chris is gentle and quiet, but driven, strong, loyal, protective and the most intelligent man I know. We are complete opposites. I love people, spontaneity, loud music, entertaining. He is naturally quite shy and prefers to be in the background. He is a listener and I am a talker. He drives me bonkers. I drive him crazy with my over reactions and passionate opinions. I am crap with money, whilst he should be Martin Lewis's right hand man.

Marriage is not 'one size fits all' kind of club. What works for us wouldn't work for others, Chris works A LOT, and I am on my own A LOT, however, we feel the same about our kids and family, and generally most decisions are shared ones plus we hate Sci-fi and walking boots.

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We have the same base line.

respittles@hotmail.com
President David Phelps and Operating Officer Diane Kelly say they've taken precautions to ensure patient care is still provided.

BMC Administration: Patient Care Will Be Unobstructed By Strike

PITTSFIELD, Mass.  Berkshire Medical Center brass say they've taken proper precautions to make sure patient care is uninterrupted during the strike and subsequent lockout.

"We fully expect that our operations will be as they are any other day. If you are a patient and you need to be here with us or you are scheduled to be here and it is elective, it will be no different than it was any other day," said Berkshire Health Systems President David Phelps during a briefing with the media on Tuesday.

The registered nurses at Berkshire Medical Center are expected to walk out of the building Tuesday morning at 7 for the start of a one-day, 24-hour strike. They won't be allowed back into the building for the four days following the strike. The local Massachusetts Nursing Association and the hospital have been unable to reach a contract settlement.

Phelps and Chief Operating Officer Diane Kelly say for those five days, patients will still be able to access the three campuses  Hillcrest, Berkshire Medical Center, and the BMC campus in North Adams  and receive the same level of care.

"When they took the strike vote, we started putting the plan in place, making sure we would know how we would deliver care and making sure we have the right resources," Kelly said. "When it came closer and closer, and we saw what they were doing across the commonwealth, we really started ramping it up."

Kelly said the hospital's plan for the strike has been approved by the state Department of Health's Division of Health Care Quality. It entails bringing in 247 replacement nurses, contracted through U.S. Nursing Corp., additional security, and the opening of two command centers to monitor activity.

"The assignments and choosing of these nurses was a lengthy process. When we got our 247 and they all had the right criteria, it was well planned," Kelly said.

The replacement nurses were picked specifically from the agency because of their certification and history working in specific departments, Kelly said. The hospital had submitted criteria for which nurses they wanted  such as those who have a history of working in emergency departments or those who worked in end-stage renal dialysis to use a few examples, Kelly said.

"We were careful to make sure people carry the right certification for the right area," Kelly said.

Those nurses began arriving this weekend. On Sunday and Monday, the hospital created orientation sites to get them familiar with the equipment and technology used at Berkshire Medical Center.

"It includes a significant amount of introduction to our information systems, which are complicated," Phelps said. "It includes training on the equipment they would use on their assignment here."

On Tuesday morning, the unionized Berkshire Medical Center nurses will leave the job site. The replacements will work in two 12-hour shifts to cover the hospital

"We know these nurses come to us heavily experienced. We don't need to teach them how to be nurses. They are nurses who are well educated, fluent in their work, work all over the country. Our goal is for them to see what our equipment looks like. Even the equipment, it wasn't foreign to them. They've seen this at other hospitals," Kelly said.

Phelps added, "this is our first rodeo but thankfully, it is not theirs."

Kelly said the hospital will continue using the same staffing model and will continue to monitor census numbers and patient condition, making adjustments as needed. Kelly said she hasn't seen much of a shift is appointments or census numbers that are different from normal at this point.

The hospital did, however, ask some patients who were scheduled for surgery Tuesday morning to come in later than normal. Kelly said typically the operating room patients come in for 6 a.m. and the lobby is busy until 7:30 a.m. The nurses, however, are going on strike at 7 a.m. so those patients on Tuesday were asked to come in a bit later so they wouldn't get caught in the shuffle of nurses walking out, and new ones starting.

"The patient won't have to see that transition," Kelly said.

As for the facilities themselves, all three sites will maintain the patient entrances and parking.

"Patient access will not change at all. Some side door access will be changed and it will be badge access required - but most of that happened months ago just because our environment is very different. We always used to be able to use Wahconah Street and go into the cafeteria and we changed that six months ago," Kelly said. "For this, patient access is not changing at all but there will be more people present."

There will be additional security present. Phelps said the hospital has contracted a private security company, which will work alongside the hospital's current security.

"We have a very detailed security plan that has been developed with Pittsfield Police, the sheriff's department, North Adams Police, and our private security," Phelps said. "It is designed to ensure those who are protesting have rights, we want them to be adequately protected, but at the same time, we want to make sure our patients have complete access to the building. We have invested significantly in private security to help with that."

Phelps wouldn't reveal the numbers of additional security. And Kelly said she is hoping "security is a non-event" and isn't really required during the strike and lockout.

Additionally, there are vendors that refuse to cross picket lines and Phelps said the hospital has worked out agreements to ensure all supplies are delivered.

There will be two command centers where administrators will monitor the situation  one in North Adams and one in Pittsfield. The plans for those centers are part of the hospital's emergency operations plan.

After the strike is over, the hospital plans to lock the nurses out, citing a contractual commitment for the replacement nurses of five days.

"This is the third MNA strike. Each of them was called as a one-day strike but the union certainly knew that there is no such thing as a one-day strike," Phelps said.

Overall, Phelps is estimating the cost to the hospital to be in the $4 million range, including the decreased cost of paying the union workers. And after the strike, he isn't sure when the hospital will be returning to the negotiation table with the union.

"I doubt it will be a rush to the table. We'll have some debriefing to do and to get back to normal operations. At some point, for sure, we will be back at the table," Phelps said.

Hospital officials said they told the federal mediator that they were willing to return to the bargaining table over the weekend to avoid a strike but "never heard back." The union also said it wanted to return to the table and hadn't had a response.
Blackmer Releases Economic Development Plan

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. -- Lisa Blackmer, candidate for the Democratic nomination for the 1st Berkshire District, outlines below her goals for economic development in Northern Berkshire:

In 2001, I traveled to Belgium and Luxembourg as part of a Rotary International Group Study Exchange program, a program focused on cultural and vocational interactions. I had recently worked for North Adams' Downtown Development Inc. so my vocation was described as economic development or developpement economique in French. When I arrived, they had me visiting nursing homes and hospitals.

They thought I was a social worker.

Isn't that really what economic development is all about? People -- it's about providing opportunities and resources so that everyone can live work and prosper. It's good paying jobs with good benefits. It's safe roads, bridges, and public transportation to get to those jobs. It's good schools for our kids and continuing educational opportunities for adults. It's affordable and accessible healthcare for everyone.

Experience

As the the assistant downtown manager at DDI, I engaged with divergent groups, such as property owners, contractors, business owners, the public, and city officials to accomplish the economic and physical revitalization of North Adams. I worked with these stakeholders to create and expand community events. I made it easier for downtown businesses to use Community Development Block Grant on facade improvements.

Fifteen years ago, I worked at the Berkshire Chamber of Commerce ( now 1Berkshire) as the member services coordinator. There, I recruited and worked to retain member businesses. I spent time listening to business owners and their concerns and shared with them ways to help make the chamber a stronger advocate for them.

Working as a banking branch manager, I helped customers find the best financing choices for their home improvements or purchases. I worked with small businesses, our banking officers, and the Small Business Administration to help businesses grow.

As the town administrator of Sandisfield, I oversaw the day-to-day management of the town. I managed the special permit process and brought three businesses to the town. I was intimately involved in the town's strategic and master planning. Cooperating with surrounding towns, I prepared our MassWorks STRAP grant resulting in an award of more than $900,000. I worked with MassDOT and Berkshire Regional Planning Commission on a road reclamation project. I have developed good working relationships with regional, state, and federal leaders.

Broadband

High-speed internet access for residents in 2017 is the modern equivalent of rural electrification in the early 20th century. Access to information is a human right. It is unacceptable that many of our residents cannot access the services and information that are changing the way the world operates. Employers will not locate in places that do not have the capacity to share high volumes of data. Our children need

broadband to succeed and prepare for their futures. We must create policy that gets these final-mile links to the rest of the world finished. Waiting for private companies to do the work has taken too long already. The internet is not a luxury, it has become a necessity.

Workforce Development

As a former human resources manager, I know the issues businesses face in hiring and retaining employees. There are hundreds of jobs available in Berkshire County, yet our district continues to suffer from unemployment rates higher than the national average. I will push for more effective workforce development programs to help our residents and our businesses be more competitive in the 21st century economy. Schools like McCann Tech and MCLA can help us get there and not only help today's employers but create and attract the employers of tomorrow.

We need to fund training, internships, and apprenticeships for youth and others to give them needed opportunities to enhance their skills and qualifications. Williams College and MCLA and its Feigenbaum Center for Science and Innovation can be a catalyst for innovation. Organizations like Lever provide an opportunity to take advantage of the entrepreneurial spirit.

Transportation

Berkshire County has unique challenges in addressing the transportation needs of our residents. Our lower population density and distance between towns often make it very difficult for residents to get to work and school. The Berkshire delegation must continue to work together to increase BRTA service when people actually need it and find creative ways to get people who want to work to their jobs.

What good is a good job if you can't get to it? Jobs in hospitality, public safety and health care are 24/7. Our transportation system is not. We need public transportation that meets the needs of employers, employees and students. BRTA needs the resources and flexibility to meet our needs. You shouldn't have to get on a bus at 6 a.m. to get to Berkshire Community College at 8 a.m. for a job or a class.

I will also join the effort to bring better passenger train service to Berkshire County to make Boston and New York easy and affordable trips for those of us who travel for both work and fun. Rail to Boston and New York would be helpful in attracting visitors to work or play. My work in the hospitality industry showed me the impact of bringing visitors to our area.

I have supported and will continue my support for high-speed rail to Boston. As someone who drives to Boston several times a month as a vice president of the Massachusetts Municipal Association, I see the need for this service. It is a waste of time and gas to sit in traffic and doing so pollutes far too much. Telecommuting, augmented by periodic trips eastbound would make Northern Berkshire a viable relocation to raise a family.

Everyone has a story about a pothole or problem in their road. For the last six years I have advocated for more funding for Chapter 90, the money distributed to cities and town for roads. Some of my successes have included the "Pothole Money," extra money allocated after the difficult winters of 2014 and 2015.

We need to increase the funding for MassWorks grants and STRAP (Small Town Road Assistance Program) grants and make it easier for our cities and towns to get and use that money. I wrote a successful million-dollar grant to rebuild a bridge in Sandisfield, which provided a critical link for emergency services. The grants are competitive and many communities wait several years for funding, which delays projects critical to the growth of our cities and towns.

Conclusion

Economic development is not just broadband, transportation, and workforce development, but a combination of everything I've talked about throughout the campaign. It will require the cooperation of everyone, from our non profit institution, to our manufacturing, from our educators to our health care providers, to build on the growth we are already seeing. I have the experience that will allow me to bring our common vision of a thriving region to fruition.
Voters may be asked to approve an expansion of the business district from Bull Hill Road along Route 7 to Laston Field.

Lanesborough Selectmen See Special Town Meeting Articles.



Town Manager Paul Sieloff walks the Board of Selectmen through articles for the special town meeting in November. LANESBOROUGH, Mass.  The Selectmen reviewed possible warrant articles for the Nov. 14 special town meeting, including the vote on regionalizing the elementary school with Mount Greylock Regional along with a raft of zoning changes.

Before Town Manager Paul Sieloff walked the Selectmen through the nine potential town meeting articles Monday, Planning Board member Jamie Szczepaniak went over the zoning changes that will be on the town warrant.

Szczepaniak said town meeting will be asked to accept new zoning that will expand the business district from Bull Hill Road along Route 7 to Laston Field.

"By zoning this business, it will make it a little bit easier to have a village center maybe down the road walk in shops," he said. "There is a lot of open real estate on Route 7 on both sides and this could give us that village center feel."

Szczepaniak said ultimately the Planning Board wants to extend the district to the town line, however, it wants to gauge public opinion before making such a drastic move.

Selectman Henry Sayers suggested updating the zoning in the entire district at once but Szczepaniak said the planners still have to work out the new zoning and want to phase the expansion.

Selectman Robert Ericson said he was hesitant to support the extension and wanted to make sure the town still had some control over what businesses can do in the district.

"This town looks like a good residential property for people and the fact that we have beautiful hillsides and it doesn't look like crap," he said. "Other towns have abandoned businesses and dilapidated properties."

The Selectmen unanimously agreed to approve the item and the Planning Board will have to hold a public hearing.

Szczepaniak added that there will be another zoning article that would create a solar overlay that would dictate where solar panels can be placed. All town properties would be included in the overlay.

Sieloff added that there will be another warrant that will ask town meeting to accept portions of Hobomack Avenue, Iroquois Street, Lacona Street, Bangor Street, Umbagog Street, Roanoke Street, Squanto Road George Street as public ways.

"This should be a win-win for us and could help us get more in Chapter 90," he said. "These are all very small roads."

Voters at the special town meeting also will handle the question of whether or not Williamstown and Lanesborough elementary districts should join together with Mount Greylock Regional as a single K-12 regional school district. The so-called "tri-district" is made up of the junior/senior high Mount Greylock and its two feeder schools, Williamstown and Lanesborough. School and town officials have talked for years about regionalizing but the issue was put aside to concentrate on the renovation and addition project at Mount Greylock. With that under way, regionalization has moved to the top with scheme that would allow the towns to continue to have more control over spending at their separate schools while still creating a single school district and committee to streamline its governing structure take advantage of efficiencies.

Sieloff said two articles having to do with joining the mosquito control district, an article that would allow the town to sell an abandoned part of Quarry Road, an article to purchase a tractor and an article that would increase the local marijuana tax from 2 percent to 3 percent will also be on the warrant.

Town attorney Jeffrey Blake suggested placing a moratorium article on the warrant that would allow the town to not act on recreational marijuana retail and growing facilities applications until December of next year.

"It's quick, it's drafted already and it allows you to put a freeze on the April 1 applications," he said. "You will be able to take time over the winter before the annual town meeting to figure out exactly what you want to do."

Sayers suggested not placing the moratorium on the town meeting because he feared that it would discourage possible businesses from coming into town.

"There other towns going through with this and if we delay this we could lose out on money," he said. "My idea is to push forward with it get the tax money and the benefits. I want to be the first instead of the last."

Blake said by not doing anything and with the uncertainty surrounding the coming state regulations the town may lose control over where a facility can be established and how many can be established.

Blake said the other possible route would be to hold a special town meeting before April when applications can come before the town, and pass recreational marijuana bylaws.

Szczepaniak said the Planning Board already did some of this groundwork.

"We have touched on it and we have an idea of how we think it should go but there were so many unknowns at the state level," he said. "We just shoved it away for a while but it is on our radar and we have the foundation."

The Selectmen agreed to try to push a bylaw through and have a special town meeting before April 1 in order to pass new bylaws.




Haiti - Statue of Peace : Did You Know ?





The Statue of Peace recently inaugurated at the National Police School https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-22245-icihaiti-social-inauguration-of-a-statue-for-peace.html is made of an assembly of iron parts, but not of scrap metal, "it is made up of carcasses and a piece of weapons which have served mostly to attack honest citizens and to kill most of the time without any logical justification," explained Michel-Ange Gedeon the Director General of the National Police of Haiti.



IH/ iciHaiti


















A Moral Obligation

The Fellowship | October 18, 2017

While The Fellowship was at the forefront of bringing Ethiopias Jews to the Holy Land on Freedom Flights, the struggle for these precious children of God does not stop once they make aliyah (immigrate). Writing at The Jerusalem Post, Yael tells of the injustice she sees when visiting Israels Ethiopian communities, and how it is our obligation to ensure fair treatment for all:

Deep inside the Israeli-Arab village of Abu Gosh, Youssefs father, Suheir, stood in the mourning tent wearing a white shirt with an Israeli flag on the shoulder, with a picture of Youssef, and the words hero of Israel.

Surrounded by fellow Muslims and many Jews, Suheir didnt cry, but rather spoke passionately. My son, who was killed by a terrorist [while] protecting the Jewish town of Har Adar, is a hero and he died fighting for the right side: Israel. In this ongoing conflict, Israel is the side which stands for justice and is constantly seeking peace. I am proud of my son for giving up his life to ensure the terrorist didnt enter that village and kill more people, he said.

As I looked around the tent, dozens of Israeli-Arab Muslim citizens nodded their heads fervently in agreement about the terrorist murder of Youssef Yossi Ottman last week. Youssef was a security guard shot dead by an armed Palestinian worker he knew who was seeking to enter Har Adar.

I was speechless. And the truth is, slightly embarrassed. It was the same emotion I felt at the mourning tent of Solomon Gabaria, an Ethiopian-Israeli Border Police officer who was killed in the same terrorist attack as Youssef




This Isnt Our Last Love Letter



Dear Don Don,

Way back in 92



I walked into the room and knew



Never felt this way before



I shook your hand while gazing into your eyes



And the feeling grew



As I took a seat I knew



A love that would have my heart



Forever



I knew



Way back in 92





They say love at first sight doesnt always last or isnt true



We were the exception to that rule



Our love had no where to hide



A spark set fire



As if this is how the universe started





I never doubted our love or what we could do



Together we grew



Forming a bond everlasting



That became our glue



My euphoria was YOU



Im eternally grateful for the love and life we shared



For how fortunate we were :



to have and to hold

through sickness and in health

Til death do us part



Until we are together again



This isnt our last love letter



I love you with all my heart and soul



Yours forever,



Deirdre (Mrs. Hank Snow)





Im fortunate to have fallen in love with, marry and make a life with the sharpest, coolest, funniest, most rare, bad ass, tender loving, loyal man on the planet, my husband Don Imus.









A True American Hero

I dont know why it has been so hard for me to write about my dear friend Don Imus.



I certainly know what he meant to me, my family, my charity, my hospital and the millions of fans that listened and loved him for so many years.



I keep reading all the beautiful condolences that people are writing about how much a part of their lives were effected by listening to him over the years.

But what most people dont talk enough about is what he did for all of us.

In every sense of the word, he was an American Hero. His work with children with so many different illnesses and his dedication to their future was unmatched by anyone I have ever known or heard about.



Besides raising over $100,000,000 for so many causes, he took care of young people for over 20 years in a state where he could not breathe. Along with his incredible wife Deirdre, he created a world where children were not defined by their disease. That was a miracle! He was a miracle.

I will miss him ever day for the rest of my life.

I was blessed to be a part of his and Deirdes life.

No one will ever do what he did.

I love you Don Imus - A TRUE AMERICAN HERO





David Jurist

IMUS IN THE MORNING

FIRST DAY BACK!
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How do you tell a story about the destruction of the world?

Movie- and TV-makers know how to do it with aliens, of course, or suggest it with invented political intrigue and rogue leaders. But capturing the real global threat of climate change is far harder than filming any spaceship landing. Just ask Darren Aronofsky, whose recent thriller, Mother!, buried his climate-change message in allegory.

Its really tough, says Fisher Stevens, the filmmaker and actor. Its not a very sexy subject, and people just dont want to deal with it and think about it.

Stevens, who won an Oscar in 2010 as a producer of The Cove, a documentary about dolphin-hunting, used the star power of Leonardo DiCaprio for his latest environmental film, Before the Flood, which examined global warming in a way Stevens hoped would inspire viewers to change their habits. A 2016 National Geographic documentary, it found a sizable streaming and digital audience.

Jennifer Lawrence in 'Mother!'; the thriller used allegory to impart a climate-change message

But getting Hollywood movies about climate change made is not easy. And when they do refer to it  as did the Roland Emmerich 2004 disaster flick The Day After Tomorrow  they rarely do much to galvanise the public to action. Even well-intentioned filmmakers with carefully drafted cautionary tales often miss the mark, climate scientists say.

Part of the problem is simply plot, says Per Espen Stoknes, the author of What We Think About When We Try Not to Think About Global Warming.

As opposed to terrorism or drugs, there is no clear enemy with climate change, he says. Were all participating in the climate crisis  if there is an enemy, its us. And its hard to go to war against ourselves.

And when climate change is depicted on screen, its often in an onslaught of fire and brimstone, an apocalyptic vision that hardly leaves room for a hopeful human response.

'Before the Flood' follows Leonardo DiCaprio as he chronicles the dangers of climate change

That, climate researchers and social scientists say, is exactly the wrong message to give.

Typically, if you really want to mobilise people to act, you dont scare the hell out of them and convince them that the situation is hopeless, says Andrew Hoffman, a professor at the University of Michigan who is the author of How Culture Shapes the Climate Change Debate.

But that is just the kind of high-stakes film that Hollywood loves to produce  like The Day After Tomorrow, which depicted New York City as a frozen dystopian landscape. Or Geostorm, which comes out on 20 October, in which the climate goes apocalyptically haywire, thanks to satellites that malfunction.

Access unlimited streaming of movies and TV shows with Amazon Prime Video Sign up now for a 30-day free trial Sign up

Copious research shows that this kind of dystopian framing backfires, driving people further into denial and helplessness; instead of acting, they freeze.

You have to frame these things so people feel like they have an entry point, says Max Boykoff, a professor and director of the Centre for Science and Technology Policy Research at the University of Colorado-Boulder.

A tsunami floods New York City and the Statue of Liberty in 'The Day After Tomorrow'

Stevens, the filmmaker, agreed with this approach. Its going to turn people off if its doom and gloom, he says. Although its not easy to do, when youre talking about climate change, as you can see with whats happening now, with the recent hurricanes. Its becoming apocalyptic.

The question becomes how best to motivate people. Its a difficult balance, said Hoffman. You have to communicate the sense of urgency, otherwise you wont have a sense of commitment.

Some high-profile examples, like the Oscar-winning 2006 documentary An Inconvenient Truth, may go too far.

The movie was 100 percent about fear, says Ed Maibach, a professor and director of the Centre for Climate Change Communication at George Mason University. And during the credits, literally the credits, they made some recommendations about what we could do. That shouldve been a prominent part of the narrative, in telling people the highest value actions they could take.

More recent documentaries and programmes like Years of Living Dangerously, a National Geographic series in which different celebrity hosts investigate environmental issues around the world, hope to find the sweet spot between jolting audiences and inspiring them. David Gelber, a co-creator of the series, whose producers include the director James Cameron, says its makers were familiar with climate messaging research.

Little-seen: Al Gore's 'An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power'

The goal is to ensure that our audience doesnt feel like theyre being fed their vegetables, says Tim Pastore, president of original programming and production for the National Geographic channel. We try not to create programming that is a cause for despair, but rather an opportunity. Because, he adds: The greatest goal of climate change programmes is to first find a new audience and stop preaching to the converted. At the end of the day, were trying to find new converts.

But as the well-reviewed and little-seen An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power demonstrates, the right messaging doesnt help if nobody catches it. The term climate change isnt as sexy and script friendly as most plotlines, says Debbie Levin, president of the Environmental Media Association. The solution, some researchers said, was to employ a bit of misdirection. Agriculture, water issues, environmental justice, Levin says. Those all are big issues that work really well dramatically without saying the words climate change.

One bright spot in showing environmental alarm onscreen is childrens programmes, Levin says, which work beautifully for everyday practices and overall awareness. Parents often watch with them, and they learn together. And climate change is a frequent topic of visual artists and writers, where the genre known as cli-fi is growing.

One thing too few people do, according to Boykoff, the University of Colorado researcher, is laugh about climate change. Alexander Paynes forthcoming Downsizing, in which people are shrunk to tiny versions of themselves  thereby using less resources  takes a swing at that approach. Boykoff has had his students perform a comedy show about environmental destruction; a research paper on the outcome is being readied for publication. If just scientists talking about their research and findings were successful in motivating the public, wed be sorted by now, Boykoff says. But thats not true. A lot of people dont engage with these things through scientific ways of knowing. So the arts, the cultural sphere, is a really important part of this thats under-explored so far.

Maibach, the George Mason professor and an expert in polling on climate understanding, says the greatest problem facing climate communicators is that Americans are not talking about climate change enough  in any shape. We call it the climate silence, he says, and its pretty profound.

So, says Hoffman, the University of Michigan professor, we need more movies, more TV, more music.

We have to touch peoples hearts on this, he says. Its critical.

'Geostorm' is out on 20 October

 New York Times
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Chuck Low, best known as Morris 'Morrie' Kesseler in Goodfellas, passed away at a nursing home in New Jersey last month aged 89, it has been revealed.

His career spanned roles in The Sopranos (Shlomo Teittleman in season 1), The Mission, Once Upon a Time in America and more, but it was his pivotal role in Martin Scorsese's Mafia classic that he will be remembered for, his character Morrie suffering a grim death at the hands of Robert De Niro's Jimmy Conway.

Low first met De Niro in unusual fashion: he was his landlord. De Niro once rented out the top three floors of a building Low owned on Hudson Street in New York City.

Low as Shlomo in The Sopranos

Chuck Low at Tribeca Film Festival in 2015 (Photo: Getty)

Low received a funeral with full military honours, according to The Sun, which took place on 20 September. He served as a Major following 30 years as a reserve and eight in the National Guard before carving out a career in acting.

Low's Goodfellas co-star De Niro and The Mission co-star Liam Neeson apparently visited Low in his nursing home.

"De Niro showed up with a few guys, and they sounded like they were having a lot of laughs," a source previously told the New York Post.
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Just days after Hugh Hefner died, Jared Leto has been announced to be playing the controversial head of Playboy in an upcoming biopic.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Brett Ratner  who last helmed the Dwayne Johnson-starring Hercules  will direct.

"Jared is an old friend, Ratner told the publication. "When he heard I got the rights to Hef's story, he told me, 'I want to play him. I want to understand him.' And I really believe Jared can do it. He's one of the great actors of today.

Ratner has been hoping to move forward with the biopic since 2007, with Robert Downey Jr. having once been attached to the role.

Films to get excited about in 2017 Show all 13 1 /13 Films to get excited about in 2017 Films to get excited about in 2017 Star Wars: The Last Jedi Director: Rian Johnson Rian Johnson Cast: Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, and Lupita Nyong'o Plot: No details yet, but it will continue directly on from Rey coming face-to-face with Luke at the end of The Force Awakens. Release Date: 15 December 2017 Films to get excited about in 2017 Thor: Ragnarok Director: Taika Waititi Taika Waititi Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Cate Blanchett, Tessa Thompson, Jeff Goldblum, Karl Urban, and Mark Ruffalo Plot: Story details are minimal as of now, but Thor's third return to screen has already been teased to feature a loose adaptation of the famous 'Planet Hulk' storyline. Release Date: 27 October 2017 Films to get excited about in 2017 You Were Never Really Here Director: Lynne Ramsay Lynne Ramsay Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Alessandro Nivola Plot: A war veteran's attempt to save a young girl from a sex trafficking ring goes horribly wrong. Release Date: Unknown Films to get excited about in 2017 Annihilation Director: Alex Garland Alex Garland Cast: Natalie Portman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Tessa Thompson, and Oscar Isaac Plot: A biologist's husband disappears. She thus puts her name forward for an expedition into an environmental disaster zone, but does not quite find what she's expecting. The expedition team is made up of the biologist, an anthropologist, a psychologist, and a surveyor. Release Date: Unknown Films to get excited about in 2017 Wonderstruck (image from Far From Heaven) Director: Todd Haynes Cast: Julianne Moore, Michelle Williams, and Amy Hargreaves Plot: The story of a young boy in the Midwest is told simultaneously with a tale about a young girl in New York from fifty years ago as they both seek the same mysterious connection. Release Date: Unknown Films to get excited about in 2017 Mother (image of Darren Aronofsky) Director: Darren Aronofsky Cast: Jennifer Lawrence, Javier Bardem, Michelle Pfeiffer, Domhnall Gleeson, and Ed Harris Plot: A couple's relationship is tested when uninvited guests arrive at their home, disrupting their tranquil existence. Release Date: Unknown Films to get excited about in 2017 The Killing of a Sacred Deer (image from The Lobster) Director: Yorgos Lanthimos Cast: Colin Farrell, Nicole Kidman, and Alicia Silverstone Plot: A surgeon forms a familial bond with a sinister teenage boy, with disastrous results. Release Date: Unknown Films to get excited about in 2017 Blade Runner 2049 Director: Denis Villeneuve Denis Villeneuve Cast: Ryan Gosling, Harrison Ford, Robin Wright, and Jared Leto Plot: Thirty years after the events of the first film, a new blade runner, LAPD Officer K, unearths a long-buried secret that has the potential to plunge what's left of society into chaos. K's discovery leads him on a quest to find Rick Deckard, a former LAPD blade runner who has been missing for 30 years. Release Date: 6 October 2017 Films to get excited about in 2017 Lady Bird (image of director Greta Gerwig) Director: Greta Gerwig Cast: Saoirse Ronan, Laurie Metcalf, and Lucas Hedges Plot: The adventures of a young woman living in Northern California for a year. Release Date: Unknown Films to get excited about in 2017 The Kidnapping of Edgardo Mortara (image of director Steven Spielberg and star Mark Rylance) Director: Steven Spielberg Cast: Mark Rylance, Oscar Isaac Plot: The Kidnapping Of Edgardo Mortara recounts the story of a young Jewish boy in Bologna, Italy in 1858 who, having been secretly baptized, is forcibly taken from his family to be raised as a Christian. His parents' struggle to free their son becomes part of a larger political battle that pits the Papacy against forces of democracy and Italian unification. Release Date: Unknown Films to get excited about in 2017 How to Talk to Girls at Parties Director: John Cameron Mitchell John Cameron Mitchell Cast: Elle Fanning, Ruth Wilson, and Nicole Kidman Plot: An alien touring the galaxy breaks away from her group and meets two young inhabitants of the most dangerous place in the universe: the London suburb of Croydon. Release Date: Unknown Films to get excited about in 2017 The Dark Tower Director: Nikolaj Arcel Nikolaj Arcel Cast: Idris Elba, Matthew McConaughey, and Tom Taylor Plot: Gunslinger Roland Deschain roams an Old West-like landscape in search of the dark tower, in the hopes that reaching it will preserve his dying world. Release Date: 28 July 2017 Films to get excited about in 2017 Suburbicon Director: George Clooney George Clooney Cast: Matt Damon, Julianne Moore, Josh Brolin, and Oscar Isaac Plot: A crime mystery set in the quiet family town of Suburbicon during the 1950s, where the best and worst of humanity is hilariously reflected through the deeds of seemingly ordinary people. When a home invasion turns deadly, a picture-perfect family turns to blackmail, revenge and betrayal. Release Date: 24 November

Letos recent roles include Dallas Buyers Club, Suicide Squad, and the upcoming Blade Runner 2049, a sci-fi sequel that has been called a masterpiece by critics.

While the actor never met Hefner, Ratner said: "There's enough footage on Hef out there that Jared will be able to get as much information as he wants.

Hefner  who founded Playboy more than 60 years ago  passed away last week of natural causes at the age of 91.
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The names of the 59 people who lost their lives in the Las Vegas shooting are slowly being released, and among them is Carrie Barnette, a cast member at Disney who worked at the Pacific Wharf Cafe in Disney California Adventure in Anaheim.

She was wounded fatally when a gunman opened fire on a country music concert from the Mandalay Bay hotel, while a fellow Disney employee, Jessica Milan, was left in critical condition.

Walt Disney Company chairman and CEO Robert Iger said in a statement following the tragedy:

"Our hearts go out to everyone impacted by the tragic events in Las Vegas  the victims of violence, the witnesses, and the friends and families mourning loved ones. We are especially heartbroken over the loss of one of our own to this unconscionable and senseless act. Carrie Barnette had been a member of the Disney California Adventure culinary team for ten years and was beloved by her friends and colleagues. Our thoughts are with her family, along with our support, during this incredibly difficult time. Another valued Disney cast member, Jessica Milam, was also seriously injured and we are praying for her recovery."

It was a hail of bullets that marked the start of what was the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history, and again left America confronting the toxic and ever-emotional issue of how to regulate the right to bear arms.

Police have not yet revealed how many bullets Stephen Paddock, a so-called lone wolf, used when he opened fire from a Las Vegas hotel room, equipped with at least 23 weapons and two tripods, set up and with two rifles aimed out of two different windows. But by the time he was finished  the 64-year-old killed himself before police stormed his room  he had taken the lives of at least 59 people and wounded another 527.
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Grammy award-winning country star Maren Morris has dedicated a new song, "Dear Hate", to the victims of the Las Vegas massacre.

Morris, arguably best known for her album Hero, had performed at the Route 91 Harvest Festival near the Mandalay Bay Hotel, alongside some of the biggest names in country music.

Sharing a touching note with the song, which was written three years ago and recorded in 2016 with Vince Gill, Morris also pledged all royalties from the track to the Music City Cares Fund.

The fund was established on 2 October by the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, to raise money for victims of the shooting which left at least 59 people dead and 515 injured.

On the song, Morris sings: "Dear Hate, I saw you on the news today/Like a shock that takes my breath away/You fall like rain, cover us in drops of pain/I'm afraid that we just might drown."

In the social media post she said fans had often asked when she would release the song.

"I never knew when would be the right time, but I realised today that there's never a right time," she wrote. "Hate is everywhere, and I'm sick of not doing enough. In the darkest tunnel, there is still love and music. That's what it's here for."

Sunday night headliner Jason Aldean was performing when gunman Stephen Paddock opened fire on crowds from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Hotel.

In a statement after the attack he said: "Tonight has been beyond horrific... My thoughts and prayers go out to everyone involved tonight.

"It hurts my heart that this would happen to anyone who was just coming out to enjoy what should have been a fun night."

Officials have said they are currently baffled over what his motivation was for the killing spree, having discounted a claim of responsibility by Isis and failing to find any history of mental illness, inkling of social disaffection, radical views or political discontent.

Follow the latest updates on the Las Vegas shooting here.

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Jimmy Kimmel has broken down in a tearful monologue about the Las Vegas shooting which claimed the lives of at least 59 people and wounded another 527.

The talk show hosts voice quiverred as he sought to come to terms with the fact his hometown had been hit with the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history.

Kimmel, who was born in New York but moved to Vegas when he was just nine years old, drew attention to the fact children had been left with no parents and parents with no children.

"Here we are again in the aftermath of another terrible, inexplicable, shocking and painful tragedy, he said embarking on a ten-minute monologue.

"It's the kind of thing that makes you want to throw up or give up. Its too much to even process.

All these devastated families that have to live with this pain forever because one person with a violent and insane voice in his head managed to stockpile a collection of high-powered rifles and use them to shoot people."

Kimmel added: As a result of that this morning, we have children that are without parents and fathers that are without sons, mothers without daughters.

The comedian took aim at Republican leaders such as Mitch McConnell, Paul Ryan, and others for their response to the hail of bullets which rained down on an outdoor music festival near the Mandalay Bay hotel and casino on the Nevada citys famous gaming strip on Sunday.

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

Kimmel argued the politicians would fail to pass gun-control measures because the National Rifle Association, the countrys major gun-rights lobbying organisation, has "their balls in a money clip."

He said: They sent their thoughts and their prayers today. Which is good. They should be praying for God to forgive them for letting the gun lobby run this country."

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President Donald Trump, who received millions of dollars for his 2016 presidential campaign from the National Rifle Association, made no mention of gun control when he addressed the nation in a televised speech after the shooting.

Kimmel also used the segment to broadcast images of over 50 senators who chose to vote against closing loopholes on background checks in the wake of the Orlando Pulse nightclub massacre which killed 49 and injured 53. "With all due respect, your thoughts and your prayers are insufficient," he added.

Kimmel drew attention to a number of recent federal gun-control bills that have failed, arguing the issue simply drops off the political agenda.

"When someone with a beard attacks us, we tap phones, we invoke travel bans, we build walls, we take every possible precaution to make sure it doesn't happen again," Kimmel said. "But when an American buys a gun and kills other Americans, then there's nothing we can do about that.

He highlighted the dearth of action on the part of governments and their long-standing failure to address the toxic issue of gun control.

And you know what will happen, well pray for Las Vegas. Some of us will get motivated, some of us wont get motivated. The bills will be written, theyll be watered down, theyll fail. The NRA will smother it all with money and over time well get distracted, well move on to the next thing. And then it will happen again. And again.

Stephen Paddock, a so-called lone wolf, opened fire from a hotel room while armed with at least 23 weapons and two tripods.

The assailant, a divorced accountant who lived in Mesquite, is believed to have shot and killed himself on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel and casino before the police stormed his room.

 Las Vegas shooting: Who is gunman Stephen Paddock?

Paddocks brother, Eric Paddock, said the family was shocked by the news. Were still just completely befuddled. Dumbstruck, Mr Paddock said outside his home in Orlando, Florida. He described his brother as a wealthy guy. He liked to play video poker. He went on cruises.

Chaotic war zone style scenes descended on Las Vegas. Two festival-goers said they initially heard a noise "like firecrackers" but it became clear a shooter, who discharged hundreds of bullets using an automatic weapon, was unloading "clip after clip" into the crowd. Others reported seeing muzzle flashes from the upper floors of the hotel across Las Vegas Boulevard towards the Route 91 Harvest country music festival.
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From brains to kebabs, top chefs have revealed the foods that they would never, ever eat.

When we posed a handful of chefs the question "what food would you never, ever eat out?" some cited nightmarish childhood experiences as the reason why they won't touch certain dishes, while others suggested that they would dodge some meals to avoid making friends with the toilet bowl. Some - being masters of the kitchen - just preferred homemade version of meals, because a roast dinner somehow just isn't the same when it's not cooked by your nan.

Lee Skeet runs a self-titled pop-up restaurant. He is based in Cornwall

Lee Skeet (left) and friend Dan Harding pictured at a pop-up at The Shop in Kensal Rise, London.

Nothing puts me off eating somewhere more than if I know they're charging premium prices, but don't care about their produce.

Chefs have a responsibility to their guests, and to just put some pre-prepped crap on a plate and charge a premium for it is arrogant and lazy.

Recommended Top chefs reveal the worst things diners do in restaurants

Anywhere that sells tubs of scallop meat and calls themselves fine dining, anywhere that refers to little balls or bits off stuff as caviar. If there's one dish I'd never eat it's scallops, black pudding and peas. For me that dish is the sign of a terrible restaurant and should've never made it past the 90s

Joey O'Hare, 2015 MasterChef the Professional contestant and Young British Foodie nominee

Roast chicken. It such a homely dish it can never taste as good as it does at home, where you can pick at the crispy bits from the roasting tray.

Tarja Silvani, head chef at 28-50 Wine Workshop & Kitchen

I wouldnt eat any raw seafood in places that I dont know well, and cant be 100 per cent sure that the seafood is fresh.

Richard Bainbridge, chef and proprietor of British restaurant Benedicts in Norwich

I will never eat fennel and lovage as they are my absolute kryptonite.

Tilesh Chudasama, founder and chef at Londons Indian street food restaurant Chai Naasto

Without question: donor kebabs.

Hari Ghotra is an Indian chef who works at Tamarind of Mayfair, London

I'm actually happy to try most things - you have to give it a go before making an sedition right? Unfortunately, I'm not the best with crustaceans and have had a few nasty experiences so that would be something I am very weary of.

Anjum Anand, the founder of Spice Tailor

One thing I cant stand is kidneys! My mother used to cook my dad spiced kidneys when I was younger and it made the house smell for days.

Recommended Chefs reveal near death experiences in the kitchen

It put me off kidneys for life. Ive also tried brain before, but I am not a fan of the texture and wouldnt eat it again. When dining out there are tastier dishes to choose between!

Eric Guignard, the head chef at The French Table in Surbiton

A well-known high street burger  I wont say the name  but I cannot stand the smell.

Andrew Dargue, the head chef of vegetarian restaurant Vanilla Black in London

(Vanilla Black)

Anything from a very large menu. A regular size restaurant cannot hold that much stock or have the ability to cook it which tells me its coming from the freezer.

Mary Sue Milliken the co-chef and owner of Border Grill restaurants and trucks in Los Angeles

When Im in a situation where Im worried that the food wont be very good, I order the simplest thing possible. I would never order something complicated from a restaurant I dont trust.

Ivan and Sergey Berezutskiy of Twins Garden, Moscow

We would only ever turn away food if it was rotten or inedible. Anything else is up for discussion.

Kim Woodward, executive chef of European restaurant Skylon in London

I order most foods when I go out, as Im always interested to see what other restaurants are up to. Although, I rarely order fried squid as many places never seem to get it right.
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Russian ads designed to create social and political divisions reached around 10 million Facebook users in the US, the company has revealed.

The social network, which has handed around 3,000 ads to congressional investigators, has admitted that it could yet find more that were spread using its platform.

According to Facebook, 44 per cent of total ad impressions (the number of times ads were displayed) came before the US presidential election on November 8, 2016, and 56 per cent came after the election.

Around 25 per cent of the ads were never shown to anyone.

11 useful Facebook Messenger features you didn't know existed Show all 11 1 /11 11 useful Facebook Messenger features you didn't know existed 11 useful Facebook Messenger features you didn't know existed Go Facebook-free One of the best things about Messenger being split from the main Facebook app is that you can use it without actually having an active Facebook account. Simply log in with your phone number, rather than your Facebook profile. 11 useful Facebook Messenger features you didn't know existed Share music If you use your Facebook account to log in to Spotify, you can use Messenger to easily share songs with your friends. Just tap the + icon in a chat and tap the Spotify button that pops up. 11 useful Facebook Messenger features you didn't know existed Protect your privacy Privacy is important, and Messenger lets you protect your chats by switching on encryption. Just open a conversation, hit the options key and select Secret Conversation. You can even choose to make your messages disappear, by tapping the clock icon in the text box and setting a timer. 11 useful Facebook Messenger features you didn't know existed Plans and polls A lot of people use Messenger primarily to organise events, and the app has a dedicated tool for making plans. In a chat, hit the options key, select Start A Plan and enter the right time and date. In group chats, you can also create polls by tapping the + key in the bottom left-hand corner. 11 useful Facebook Messenger features you didn't know existed Games You can play games on Messenger by tapping the joystick icon that sits in the bottom right-hand corner of the home screen. Classics including Pac-Man, Space Invaders and Snake are available alongside newer titles, and you can also play against your friends. 11 useful Facebook Messenger features you didn't know existed Hidden messages Like email providers, Messenger has its own spam filter that keeps messages from people who arent your friends on Facebook away from your inbox. You can find them by tapping the phone book icon at the bottom of the screen and selecting Message Requests. 11 useful Facebook Messenger features you didn't know existed Themes and nicknames Blue is Messengers default theme, but you can change this by opening a chat, hitting the options button and selecting colour. It wont change your life, but its nice to have the option. You can also create nicknames for yourself and your friends. 11 useful Facebook Messenger features you didn't know existed Messenger Day Messenger Day is almost exactly like Snapchat Stories, letting you post edited pictures and videos that disappear after 24 hours. Just tap Add To Your Day or the circular icon at the bottom of the Messenger home screen, take a picture or video, edit it and post it to Messenger. 11 useful Facebook Messenger features you didn't know existed Resize emoji If you ever get really bored, you can try resizing emoji by tapping and holding them to make them swell up. 11 useful Facebook Messenger features you didn't know existed Chatbots Facebook wants you to start using Messenger to speak to businesses, and you can do this by having a conversation with one of tens of thousands of chatbots. Its a strange feature you can access by tapping the search bar at the top of the app and either browsing the list of suggested bots or looking for a specific one by typing in a company name. 11 useful Facebook Messenger features you didn't know existed Transfer money You can even send and receive money through Messenger, but only in the US right now. In chat, just hit the + icon in a chat, tap the $ key, type the amount you want to transfer and enter your card details.

Most of the ads appear to focus on divisive social and political messages across the ideological spectrum, touching on topics from LGBT matters to race issues to immigration to gun rights, said Elliot Schrage, Facebooks vice president of policy and communications.

A number of them appear to encourage people to follow Pages on these issues.

Facebook says it has to review millions of ads each week, and has promised to improve its processes.

As well as hiring an extra 1,000 members of staff to review ads, the company says it will focus on:

Making advertising more transparent

Strengthening enforcement against improper ads

Tightening restrictions on advertiser content

Increasing requirements for authenticity

Establishing industry standards and best practices

Facebook believes these new efforts would have enabled it to have caught these malicious actors faster and prevented more improper ads from running.

Recommended Facebook set to hire over 1000 people to review adverts

Mr Schrage added: Our effort to require US election-related advertisers to authenticate their business will help catch suspicious behavior. The ad transparency tool were building will be accessible to anyone, including industry and political watchdog groups. And our improved enforcement and more restrictive content standards for ads would have rejected more of the ads when submitted.

Over the weekend, Mark Zuckerberg apologised and asked for forgiveness, after admitting that his work has been used to cause divisions.

Earlier this month, Facebook said it had sold $100,000 worth of political adverts to fake accounts likely operated from Russia.


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WhatsApp is a shelter for paedophiles and gangsters and needs to make messages available to the government, the home secretary has said.

Amber Rudd has complained that apps like WhatsApp are not doing enough to help the government catch offenders. They must do more to allow the government to break into people's messages and read what they are saying, she said.

A large part of Ms Rudd's problem with WhatsApp is that it uses end-to-end encryption to keep messages safe from being viewed by criminals, but which also keeps the government from reading people's private conversations. Technology companies say they need to use that technology to keep people safe  but Ms Rudd said it must be banned, while at the same time admitting that she didn't understand it.

Gadget and tech news: In pictures Show all 25 1 /25 Gadget and tech news: In pictures Gadget and tech news: In pictures Gun-toting humanoid robot sent into space Russia has launched a humanoid robot into space on a rocket bound for the International Space Station (ISS). The robot Fedor will spend 10 days aboard the ISS practising skills such as using tools to fix issues onboard. Russia's deputy prime minister Dmitry Rogozin has previously shared videos of Fedor handling and shooting guns at a firing range with deadly accuracy. Dmitry Rogozin/Twitter Gadget and tech news: In pictures Google turns 21 Google celebrates its 21st birthday on September 27. The The search engine was founded in September 1998 by two PhD students, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, in their dormitories at Californias Stanford University. Page and Brin chose the name google as it recalled the mathematic term 'googol', meaning 10 raised to the power of 100 Google Gadget and tech news: In pictures Hexa drone lifts off Chief engineer of LIFT aircraft Balazs Kerulo demonstrates the company's "Hexa" personal drone craft in Lago Vista, Texas on June 3 2019 Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures Project Scarlett to succeed Xbox One Microsoft announced Project Scarlett, the successor to the Xbox One, at E3 2019. The company said that the new console will be 4 times as powerful as the Xbox One and is slated for a release date of Christmas 2020 Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures First new iPod in four years Apple has announced the new iPod Touch, the first new iPod in four years. The device will have the option of adding more storage, up to 256GB Apple Gadget and tech news: In pictures Folding phone may flop Samsung will cancel orders of its Galaxy Fold phone at the end of May if the phone is not then ready for sale. The $2000 folding phone has been found to break easily with review copies being recalled after backlash PA Gadget and tech news: In pictures Charging mat non-starter Apple has cancelled its AirPower wireless charging mat, which was slated as a way to charge numerous apple products at once AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures "Super league" India shoots down satellite India has claimed status as part of a "super league" of nations after shooting down a live satellite in a test of new missile technology EPA Gadget and tech news: In pictures 5G incoming 5G wireless internet is expected to launch in 2019, with the potential to reach speeds of 50mb/s Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Uber halts driverless testing after death Uber has halted testing of driverless vehicles after a woman was killed by one of their cars in Tempe, Arizona. March 19 2018 Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures A humanoid robot gestures during a demo at a stall in the Indian Machine Tools Expo, IMTEX/Tooltech 2017 held in Bangalore Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures A humanoid robot gestures during a demo at a stall in the Indian Machine Tools Expo, IMTEX/Tooltech 2017 held in Bangalore Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Engineers test a four-metre-tall humanoid manned robot dubbed Method-2 in a lab of the Hankook Mirae Technology in Gunpo, south of Seoul, South Korea Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Engineers test a four-metre-tall humanoid manned robot dubbed Method-2 in a lab of the Hankook Mirae Technology in Gunpo, south of Seoul, South Korea Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures The giant human-like robot bears a striking resemblance to the military robots starring in the movie 'Avatar' and is claimed as a world first by its creators from a South Korean robotic company Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Engineers test a four-metre-tall humanoid manned robot dubbed Method-2 in a lab of the Hankook Mirae Technology in Gunpo, south of Seoul, South Korea Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Waseda University's saxophonist robot WAS-5, developed by professor Atsuo Takanishi Rex Gadget and tech news: In pictures Waseda University's saxophonist robot WAS-5, developed by professor Atsuo Takanishi and Kaptain Rock playing one string light saber guitar perform jam session Rex Gadget and tech news: In pictures A test line of a new energy suspension railway resembling the giant panda is seen in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A test line of a new energy suspension railway, resembling a giant panda, is seen in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A concept car by Trumpchi from GAC Group is shown at the International Automobile Exhibition in Guangzhou, China Rex Gadget and tech news: In pictures A Mirai fuel cell vehicle by Toyota is displayed at the International Automobile Exhibition in Guangzhou, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A visitor tries a Nissan VR experience at the International Automobile Exhibition in Guangzhou, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A man looks at an exhibit entitled 'Mimus' a giant industrial robot which has been reprogrammed to interact with humans during a photocall at the new Design Museum in South Kensington, London Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures A new Israeli Da-Vinci unmanned aerial vehicle manufactured by Elbit Systems is displayed during the 4th International conference on Home Land Security and Cyber in the Israeli coastal city of Tel Aviv Getty

The latest intervention comes after Ms Rudd has repeatedly complained, following recent terror attacks, that tech companies aren't doing enough to stop extremism. Theresa May has also repeatedly called for the regulation of the internet so that it can't be used for crime.

Such a sharp public reprimand for WhatsApp, which hasn't publicly responded, indicates frustration within the government.

Recommended Amber Rudd is making enemies in the tech sector

"We also know that end-to-end encryption services like WhatsApp, are being used by paedophiles," Home Secretary Amber Rudd told party activists in Manchester.

"I do not accept it is right that companies should allow them and other criminals to operate beyond the reach of law enforcement," Rudd said. "We must require the industry to move faster and more aggressively. They have the resources and there must be greater urgency."

WhatsApp, which is owned by Facebook, and similar rival chat services let users communicate with pictures, video and text, using "end-to-end" encryption that can be read only with a key held on the user's device. Without access to the devices, security services cannot read the messages.

Rudd also called on technology giants such as Facebook , Google, Microsoft and Twitter to go further and faster to counter extremist material.

The industry says it wants to help governments remove extremist or criminal material but also has to balance the demands of state security with the freedoms enshrined in democratic societies.

Britain's MI5 security service has said it needs access to encrypted communications to foil attacks. In the United States, the Federal Bureau of Investigation has pushed for full access to encrypted communications and devices but Congress has so far refused.

Security Minister Ben Wallace, who oversees British counter-terrorism and communications data legislation, said he was disturbed to see that end-to-end encryption services prevented security services from tracking criminal messaging.

"We see on a daily basis that this end-to-end encryption protects peadophiles, it protects organised crime too, but it is very disturbing in my job when I know that we know two peadophiles are talking and we think they are doing something about snatching a child but we don't know and we can't get into these communications," Wallace said.

"There are other ways I can't talk about which we think they can help us more without necessarily entering into end-to-end encryption. So we think they can do more."

Additional reporting by Reuters
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Gender reassignment surgery has been available on the NHS for more than 17 years.

Its a treatment for those experiencing gender dysphoria, whereby a person recognises a discrepancy between their biological sex and their gender identity.

Gender identity clinics are in place throughout the UK to provide support to those feeling distressed by the condition - but what happens when a trans person undergoes surgery and later decides to revert back to their original gender?

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Is it possible? Is it safe? And is it available on the NHS?

These are not questions that are not easily-answered. Five phone calls and endless emails later, the details regarding what circumstances would allow for such a treatment to be carried out on the NHS remain muddled.

It's potentially why some of those seeking reversal surgeries are heading to a clinic in Serbia, where Professor Misoslav Djordjevic has been performing them for five years at the Belgrade Center for Genital Reconstructive Surgery.

A specialist in genital reconstruction with 20 years of experience, Prof Djordjevic began conducting the innovative procedures after a transgender patient who had undergone surgery to remove male genitalia requested a reversal.

It's by no means a common practice. He has performed just 14 surgeries to date and is currently in the process of treating two reversal patients, reports The Daily Telegraph, explaining that the procedure is extremely complex and can cost up to 18,000 (15,965).

However, his services aren't easily-accessed. Djordjevic will only treat patients who have undergone a full one-year-long psychiatric evaluation and he stresses the importance of post-surgery aftercare, revealing that he remains in contact with the majority of his patients.

It's not simply a case of people regretting their decision, explains James Morton, manager at the Scottish Trans Alliance, who told The Independent that a range of factors could catalyse the desire for a gender reversal including unusual surgical complications, being worn down by transphobic harassment, family rejection, or developing religious or political beliefs that being transgender is unacceptable.

"If a person has regret about undergoing gender reassignment, it is especially important that they receive counselling and in-depth assessment before undergoing any surgery to attempt partial reversal as their chance of regretting further surgery could be even higher," he said.

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"Any further NHS surgery is determined on an individualised case by case basis because the numbers are so tiny."

So far, Djordjevic has exclusively treated transgender females who have asked to recreate their male genitalia.

Known as phalloplasty, the procedure entails the construction of a penis from skin taken from the groin, abdomen or thigh. Though the surgery produces aesthetic results, many mistakenly assume that it will ultimately render ones genitalia physically futile.

However, a 2013 study revealed that the introduction of penile stiffeners has allowed some plastic surgeons to create a fully functioning organ.

It is a much more risky procedure than its male to female counterpart, vaginoplasty, whereby the testicles are removed and the skin of the penis is used to artificially create a vagina.

Whilst awareness of non-binary issues has increased in recent years, gender reassignment remains a severely under researched topic, so much so that the NHS has produced an online e-learning guide to GPs who might be unfamiliar with gender dysphoria.

The severe lack of understanding surrounding the topic - and its reversal counterpart - became particularly prevalent last week, when a proposed study to explore why transsexual people may want to detransition was reportedly shut down by Bath Spa University so as not to offend people.

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The fundamental reason given was that it might cause criticism of the research on social media and criticism of the research would be criticism of the university and they also added it was better not to offend people, James Caspian, the psychotherapist behind the proposed research, told BBC Radio 4.

He confessed to being astonished at the universitys decision.

As of 30 August, there were 213 patients on the list for gender reassignment surgery at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust.

At present, there are no statistics regarding gender reversal surgeries in the UK.
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Following the announcement of a public inquiry into the blood contamination scandal of the 1980s, a court has now ruled that surviving victims may sue the Government to obtain compensation. After decades, the thousands of victims and their families will feel they have finally been given an opportunity to obtain justice.

About 5,000 people with haemophilia became infected with hepatitis C and HIV following treatment with contaminated blood products between the 1970s and early 1990s as a result of negligence and failings by health authorities. At least 2,400 have since died, but until now there has been no public inquiry into the scandal, or no real opportunity to obtain financial compensation for the harm caused.

The issue began with the development of concentrated blood clotting factors in the 1970s  products derived from blood that proved transformative to patients with haemophilia, allowing them to lead relatively normal lives. Health authorities all over the world aimed for self-sufficiency in blood-based products, but the UK was slow to do so. Instead, it relied on imports from the US, many of which were manufactured from blood plasma drawn from thousands of paid donors. These included products coming from high-risk populations, such as prisoners and drug addicts, where hepatitis C and HIV were more common. While Scotland became largely self-sufficient, the rest of Britain still imported most of its supply from the US during the 1980s  when the risk of HIV was at its greatest.

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The dangers of blood contamination were well understood at the time  and donor screening, HIV testing and heat treatment were recommended by scientists worldwide. But these precautions were not taken up quickly enough in the UK  often because of costs  meaning patients were exposed to unnecessary risks.

Victims and their families have fought for decades to get to the bottom of how such a failure could have happened, yet to date no individual or public authority has been held accountable. Victims were instead offered minimal ex-gratia payments on condition that they dropped their claims.

Other countries took a different approach: in France, for example, more than 30 people including blood centre officials, doctors and ministers were prosecuted for criminal offences including negligence and deception  and two senior officials were jailed.

So the announcement of an inquiry by Prime Minister Theresa May, after years of pressure from MPs and campaign groups, including Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham  who has even claimed there is evidence of a criminal cover-up  has been seen as a last chance for those affected.

The battle for a public inquiry

The inquirys aim is to investigate the failings of authorities at the time. Criminal proceedings may follow if there is evidence of criminal conduct. It has been a long time coming. Lobbying by victims of the contamination for compensation started in England in 1987, with demands for a public inquiry the following year. Resistance in Westminster to launch a public inquiry was reflected in the following statement by Lord Warner, then minister of state for health, in 2006: We do not consider that a public inquiry is justified as we do not believe that any new light will be shed on this issue as a result.

Yet the Archer Inquiry, an independent report funded by donations, and so not a formal public inquiry, published a report in 2009 that stated there was something to hide and that secrecy fosters suspicion. Following devolution the Scottish Executive held the Penrose Inquiry into the scandal, which reported in 2015 and made a number of recommendations to ensure blood safety in Scotland, but was angrily dismissed by campaigners as a waste of time and money for failing to apportion blame. Successive governments in Westminster have failed to act on what was a national scandal.

What are the possible outcomes?

It is hoped that those infected by tainted blood and their families will discover exactly who was responsible. But will criminal charges be brought? Several options are available to prosecutors.

Where those infected by contaminated blood have died, individuals identified as responsible may be charged with gross negligence manslaughter. Where the collective fault of an organisation can be identified, a charge of corporate manslaughter might be brought  but in cases where victims died before this crime was introduced via the Corporate Manslaughter and Homicide Act 2007, prosecution under the old common law offence of corporate manslaughter is unlikely to succeed.

For injuries short of death, individuals who recklessly supplied the contaminated blood could be prosecuted for grievous bodily harm under Section 20 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861. Proving that individuals were grossly negligent or reckless  and that this negligence or recklessness caused the death of the victim  will be hard. Proving the Department of Health guilty of corporate manslaughter might arguably be easier, although prosecutors would also need to demonstrate how the departments policies or practices directly led to the contamination of blood products, causing the victims injuries and deaths.

There have been instances where doctors have been charged with gross negligence manslaughter following the death of patients through negligence, and one instance of a prosecution of an NHS Trust for corporate manslaughter, which was unsuccessful.

Due to the time that has passed and the complexity of the law, it is quite possible that the courts will be unable to hold anyone criminally accountable. But the decision to allow victims to begin proceedings against the Government goes some way towards providing victims some level of justice. If a rigorous, victim-centred inquiry is also conducted, they and the public may at least find some closure in their search for the truth of the failings that scarred thousands of peoples lives.

Handled properly, this inquiry will at least send the message that such professional and institutional failings are unacceptable  and the Governments admission of liability would be a first step toward providing victims with the justice they have sought for so long.

Melinee Kazarian is a lecturer in healthcare law, at the University of Southampton. This article first appeared on The Conversation (theconversation.com)
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Relationships are tough and with 42 per cent of marriages ending in divorce, experts are looking into reasons as to why so many of us are failing at them.

According to one social psychology professor, were simply too idealistic.

Eli Finkel, who teaches at Northwestern University in Illinois, believes that we expect too much from romantic relationships and we should drastically lower our expectations if we ever want to feel truly fulfilled.

Speaking to The Atlantic about his new book, The All-Of-Nothing Marriage: How the Best Marriages Work, Finkel explained why our understanding of marriage has changed in recent years, prompting us to demand more from our partners than we once would have done.

He believes that the biggest changes in society's marital expectations in the past 100 years come down to added pressures which are exacerbated by cultural changes.

In addition to the presumption that we will love and adore our spouse, Finkel explains that there is a modern day assumption that our partner will also enable us to grow ourselves.

He implies that this often leaves people leaning on their partners for self-gratification, relying on them to make them feel competent, ambitious and attractive.

Recommended Women get bored of sex in relationships after one year

This puts too much pressure on the relationship, Finkel argues.

"The idea of the book is that the changing nature of our expectations of marriage have made more marriages fall short of expectations, and therefore disappoint us," he said.

He explained that the relentless pursuit of such an idealistic pairing will put a strain on that relationship's propensity for long term success.

Finkel believes that there should be no shame attached to asking less from your partner.

He advises spending quality time with your partner and scheduling in activities to ensure that both parties are on the same page in terms of what they expect to gain from the relationship.

Finkel's theories are paralleled by a recent study which examined the consequences of unmet relationship expectations in 296 young adults.

Though most of the participants were in their 20s and weren't married, researchers found that many of the their relationship expectations and realities did not match up, leaving them romantically dissatisfied.
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Mobike and Ofo investors are in early talks to push Chinas two largest bike-sharing start-ups into a merger, aimed at ending a costly competitive battle and creating a single dominant player in the fast-growing business, according to people familiar with the matter.

Investors in both companies have been holding talks to sort through issues such as how to split equity as a precursor to getting the companies to the table for negotiations, said the people, asking not to be identified because the matter is private.

The pairs combined valuation would likely exceed $4bn (3bn). The discussions are in a preliminary stage, and may not be consummated, they said.

The companies are separately backed by Chinas two biggest internet giants -- Alibaba and Tencent -- which have a track record of investing in competing startups and then combining them as a leader emerges to save money.

Unlike in ride-hailing for cars however, Chinas bike-sharing startups are the global pioneers and are plotting expansions abroad. A truce at home would give them more resources to gain ground in the US, Europe and other parts of Asia.

Mobike is the clear leader in the global bikesharing industry, supporting 30 million rides in 180 cities around the world every single day, the company said. We are fully focused on extending our global success.

With Tencent backing Mobike and Alibaba siding with Ofo, the startups have flooded major cities such as Beijing and Shanghai with their trademark orange and yellow bicycles just a few years after their founding.

Theyve raised more than $1bn in venture money combined and, with smaller rivals, have waged one of the strangest and most colourful battles in the technology world. Alibaba and Tencent have used the duo as proxies for a battle in mobile payments, cloud computing and winning user data.

In June, Tencent, Sequoia Capital, TPG and Hillhouse backed a $600m funding round for Mobike and its fleet of orange bicycles.

The next month, Ofo, with its canary yellow two-wheelers, raised more than $700m from investors including Alibaba, Hony Capital and Citic Private Equity.

Mobike is valued at $3bn, while Ofo is $1bn, according to researcher CB Insights. Ofo was seeking funding in June at a $3bn valuation.

The companies have forced some smaller operators out of business. Ofo has said it plans to have 20 million bikes in 20 countries by the end of the year.

Ofo was founded in 2014 on the grounds of Beijings prestigious Peking University as a student project.

Once emblematic of Chinas socialist working class, bicycles are rapidly gaining popularity among students and commuters tired of inching their way through jam-packed vehicle traffic.

Instead of using docks, users unlock an Ofo or Mobike off the street using just a smartphone and electronic wallet, ride them to their destination and then dump them.

Merging Ofo and Mobike would follow a familiar pattern for Alibaba and Tencent. Ride-hailing services they backed separately eventually merged to form Didi Chuxing, which drove Uber out of China, while local services giant Meituan Dianping was formed in a similar way.

Such mergers have not always resulted in peaceful settlements.

Meituan riled Alibaba after agreeing to a merger, leading to the e-commerce giant selling off most of its shares and forming its own neighbourhood services unit to compete.

Business news: In pictures Show all 13 1 /13 Business news: In pictures Business news: In pictures Flybe collapses Airline Flybe has collapsed. All future flights on the Exeter-based airline have been cancelled  leaving more than 2,300 staff facing an uncertain future, and wrecking the travel plans of hundreds of thousands of passengers. The chief executive, Mark Anderson, said: Europes largest independent regional airline has been unable to overcome significant funding challenges to its business. AFP via Getty Business news: In pictures Future product placement will be 'tailored to individual viewers' Marketing executives say that product placement in films and televison shows on streaming services such as Netflix may be tailored to individuals in future. For instance, if data shows that a viewer is a fan of pepsi, a billboard in the background of a shot would host an advert for pepsi, while for a viewer known to have different tastes it could be for Coca-Cola Paramount Business news: In pictures Corbyn wishes Amazon a happy birthday In a card sent to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos on the company's 25th birthday, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn writes: "You owe the British people millions in taxes that pay for the public services that we all rely on. Please pay your fair share" Business news: In pictures No deal, no tariffs The government has announced that it would slash almost all tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit. Notable exceptions include cars and meat, which will see tariffs in place to protect British farmers Getty Business news: In pictures Fingerprint payment NatWest is trialling a new bank card that will allow people to touch their hand to the card when paying rather than typing in a PIN number. The card will work by recognising the user's fingerprint NatWest/PA Wire Business news: In pictures Mahabis bust High-end slipper retailer Mahabis has gone into administration. 2 Jan 2019 Mahabis Business news: In pictures Costa Cola Coca-Cola has paid 3.9bn for Costa Coffee. A cafe chain is a new venture for the global soft drinks giant PA Business news: In pictures RIP Payday Loans A funeral procession for payday loans was held in London on September 2. The future of pay day lenders is in doubt after Wonga, Britain's biggest, went into administration on August 30 PA Business news: In pictures Musk irks investors and directors Elon Musk has concluded that Tesla will remain public. Investors and company directors were angry at Musk for tweeting unexpectedly that he was considering taking Tesla private and share prices had taken a tumble in the following weeks Getty Business news: In pictures Jaguar warning Iconic British car maker Jaguar Land Rover warned on July 5, 2018 that a "bad" Brexit deal could jeopardise planned investment of more than $100 billion, upping corporate pressure as the government heads into crucial talks AFP/Getty Business news: In pictures Spotif-IPO Spotify traded publically for the first time on the New York Stock Exchange on Tuesday. However, the company isn't issuing shares, but rather, shares held by Spotify's private investors will be sold AFP/Getty Business news: In pictures French blue passports The deadline to award a contract to make blue British passports after Brexit has been extended by two weeks following a request by bidder De La Rue. The move comes after anger at the announcement British passports would be produced by Franco-Dutch firm Gemalto when De La Rues contract ends in July. The British firm said Gemalto was chosen only because it undercut the competition, but the UK company also admitted that it was not the cheapest choice in the tendering process. Business news: In pictures Beast from the east economic impact The Beast from the East wiped 4m off of Flybes revenues due to flight cancellations, airport closures and delays, according to the budget airlines estimates. Flybe said it cancelled 994 flights in the three months to 31 March, compared to 372 in the same period last year.

The mergers have often also led to the ousting of founders of the companies that end up with the smaller stake.

There have been signs the bike startups would follow a similar path. Allen Zhu, an early investor in Ofo, said at a conference last week that Ofo and Mobike could only become profitable if they merged, Sina reported.

A combination would allow the startups to raise prices, which are usually about 1 yuan an hour (15 cents) and are sometimes discounted to free to attract customers.

Mobike and Ofo could also cut back on the number of bikes they distribute around cities, saving themselves money and avoiding conflicts with locals inconvenienced by the havoc.

The bike-sharing boom has boosted demand for bicycles from companies such as Shanghai Phoenix Enterprise, Zhonglu and Taiwans Giant Manufacturing.

Shanghai Phoenix shares surged in May when the company disclosed an agreement to supply Ofo with at least 5 million bikes.

Bloomberg
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South Western Railway workers have voted overwhelmingly in favour of strike action in a dispute over the role of guards on trains.

Around 80 per cent of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union members who voted backed industrial action, with a turnout of 76 per cent. This ensured that the ballot was valid under new rules requiring 50 per cent of members to vote for strikes to be legal.

If the walkout goes ahead, commuters travelling to and from London Waterloo - the UKs busiest stretch of railway - will face more disruption. Services across its network, which stretches as far as Plymouth and Bristol, would also be affected

Recommended Everything you need to know about the forthcoming Tube strike

SWR only took over the franchise in August, during the last wave of strikes on Waterloo commuter routes. It becomes the fifth railway operator to be caught up in the long-running dispute over driver-only operation of trains.

Unions argue that such trains compromise passenger safety but train companies point to services which have been running without guards for years without an increase in accidents.

SWR said that strike action was unnecessary because the company plans to increase the number of guards on trains in response to passenger feedback.

RMT members at Southern, Merseyrail, Arriva Rail North and Greater Anglia are supporting a 24-hour strike on Tuesday over the same issue, with another walkout set to take place on Thursday.

Union general secretary Mick Cash said RMT had given repeated opportunities for First Group MTR, which runs the SWR franchise, to give workers assurances over the future role of the guards, but the company had provided only spin and prevarication. RMT said it therefore had no option but to ballot union members.

Our members have now voted overwhelmingly for both strike action and action short of a strike and that massive mandate will now be considered by RMT's executive, who will decide the next steps, Mr Cash said.

The RMT is understood to have written to Prime Minister Theresa May, accusing her of sabotaging the negotiations aimed at resolving the disputes.

A South Western Railway spokesperson said the action will cause unnecessary disruption for pasengers.

We have been clear that we plan to retain a second person on our services, as we know that our passengers value the assurance and assistance a second member of on-board staff provides, the spokesperson said.

That's why, during our franchise, we will increase the numbers of drivers and guards so we can deliver more services for passengers.

We aim to deliver improvements for passengers throughout the SWR franchise including new trains, quicker journeys, and earlier and later services.

Today's announcement undermines those efforts. We urge the RMT to avoid premature strike action and work with us to deliver for our customers, and we look forward to meeting them again to discuss our future plans on 5 October as already arranged.

Rail minister Paul Maynard accused the RMT of using passengers as pawns in their political game. He urged union bosses to call off strike action and hold constructive talks.

Business news: In pictures Show all 13 1 /13 Business news: In pictures Business news: In pictures Flybe collapses Airline Flybe has collapsed. All future flights on the Exeter-based airline have been cancelled  leaving more than 2,300 staff facing an uncertain future, and wrecking the travel plans of hundreds of thousands of passengers. The chief executive, Mark Anderson, said: Europes largest independent regional airline has been unable to overcome significant funding challenges to its business. AFP via Getty Business news: In pictures Future product placement will be 'tailored to individual viewers' Marketing executives say that product placement in films and televison shows on streaming services such as Netflix may be tailored to individuals in future. For instance, if data shows that a viewer is a fan of pepsi, a billboard in the background of a shot would host an advert for pepsi, while for a viewer known to have different tastes it could be for Coca-Cola Paramount Business news: In pictures Corbyn wishes Amazon a happy birthday In a card sent to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos on the company's 25th birthday, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn writes: "You owe the British people millions in taxes that pay for the public services that we all rely on. Please pay your fair share" Business news: In pictures No deal, no tariffs The government has announced that it would slash almost all tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit. Notable exceptions include cars and meat, which will see tariffs in place to protect British farmers Getty Business news: In pictures Fingerprint payment NatWest is trialling a new bank card that will allow people to touch their hand to the card when paying rather than typing in a PIN number. The card will work by recognising the user's fingerprint NatWest/PA Wire Business news: In pictures Mahabis bust High-end slipper retailer Mahabis has gone into administration. 2 Jan 2019 Mahabis Business news: In pictures Costa Cola Coca-Cola has paid 3.9bn for Costa Coffee. A cafe chain is a new venture for the global soft drinks giant PA Business news: In pictures RIP Payday Loans A funeral procession for payday loans was held in London on September 2. The future of pay day lenders is in doubt after Wonga, Britain's biggest, went into administration on August 30 PA Business news: In pictures Musk irks investors and directors Elon Musk has concluded that Tesla will remain public. Investors and company directors were angry at Musk for tweeting unexpectedly that he was considering taking Tesla private and share prices had taken a tumble in the following weeks Getty Business news: In pictures Jaguar warning Iconic British car maker Jaguar Land Rover warned on July 5, 2018 that a "bad" Brexit deal could jeopardise planned investment of more than $100 billion, upping corporate pressure as the government heads into crucial talks AFP/Getty Business news: In pictures Spotif-IPO Spotify traded publically for the first time on the New York Stock Exchange on Tuesday. However, the company isn't issuing shares, but rather, shares held by Spotify's private investors will be sold AFP/Getty Business news: In pictures French blue passports The deadline to award a contract to make blue British passports after Brexit has been extended by two weeks following a request by bidder De La Rue. The move comes after anger at the announcement British passports would be produced by Franco-Dutch firm Gemalto when De La Rues contract ends in July. The British firm said Gemalto was chosen only because it undercut the competition, but the UK company also admitted that it was not the cheapest choice in the tendering process. Business news: In pictures Beast from the east economic impact The Beast from the East wiped 4m off of Flybes revenues due to flight cancellations, airport closures and delays, according to the budget airlines estimates. Flybe said it cancelled 994 flights in the three months to 31 March, compared to 372 in the same period last year.

Passengers will face needless delays, even though South Western Railway have been clear no one will lose their job, the minister said.

They plan to keep a second member of staff on board their trains and hire more drivers and guards.

The RMT's dispute is not about safety, as the independent regulator has ruled that driver-controlled trains are safe.
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The White House has said that it is premature to have a discussion on gun control laws in the wake of the deadliest mass shooting in US history.

Officials report 58 people have died and more than 500 injured in the late Sunday evening massacre in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, emotional when she spoke of the victims, said at a news briefing that theres a time and place for a political debate, but now is the time to unite as a country.

Recommended White House official chokes up describing Las Vegas victim actions

It would be premature for us to discuss policy when all the facts about the event are known, Ms Sanders said.

She added: But thats not the place that we are in at the moment.

Donald Trump addressed the nation in the hours after the tragic event and in a break with his predecessor Barack Obama he did not call for tougher gun laws.

In fact, the President did not mention gun control or terrorism in his brief remarks but did receive some praise for what critics called his uncharacteristic restraint.

After the Pulse nightclub mass shooting in Orlando, Florida in June 2016, Mr Trump had tweeted he was right on radical Islamic terrorism.

He referred to the Las Vegas mass shooting as an act of pure evil.

Ms Sanders also said that laws...won't create or stop these type of [shootings] from happening in a possible sign of what position the Trump administration will take on any future proposed legislation limiting use of firearms.

In April 2017, Mr Trump told the NRA that the group and its members have a true friend and champion in the White House.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell also dodged calls by Democratic colleagues for more restrictions on civilian firearms purchase, only saying what is clear now is that this is a moment for national mourning and prayer."

Democratic Senator Chris Murphy said he wants Congress get off its ass and do something about gun violence.

(

Mr Murphy represents Connecticut, where the heinous killing of 27 children and their teachers of Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown took place in December 2014.

Ms Sanders also took a swipe at Hillary Clinton, who took to Twitter to call Congress to put politics aside, stand up to the [National Rifle Association] and its powerful lobby in Congress.

She said it was easy for Ms Clinton to criticise organisations like the NRA but the only person with blood on their hands is that of the shooter.

This isn't a time for us to go after individuals or organisations. I think that we can have those policy conversations, but today is not that day, Ms Sanders said.

The alleged gunman, Stephen Paddock, opened fire on a crowd of 21,000 people attending a concert by country music star Jason Aldean at the Route 91 Harvest Festival on the Las Vegas strip.

Mr Paddock reportedly shot several hundred bullets from the window of his 32nd floor room at the adjacent Mandalay Hotel and Casino, where he was found dead with several weapons and rounds of ammunition according to police.

Police believe he shot himself just before they stormed the room.

They are searching his residence in a retirement community in Mesquite, Nevada, approximately 80 miles northeast of Las Vegas.
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Police are investigating an appalling hate crime where a pigs head was thrown into a Muslim familys home in Manchester.

Two children were watching television in the lounge when a brick smashed through the window, narrowly missing a boys head.

It was followed by the pigs head, which was wrapped in plastic, before the attackers fled.

Ajaz Mahmood said his wife, Ghazle Kauser and their four children were in the house in Hollinwood, Oldham, at the time.

I am not sure whether it is racial or Islamaphobic, he told the Manchester Evening News, wondering if the attack may have been sparked by mistaken identity.

My family have been living in this area for 29 years and in this house for 11 years.

We have never experienced anything like this.

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Mr Mahmood said he was at work when he got a call from home, hearing hysterical screaming in the background.

Its strange and very disturbing. The kids are absolutely petrified, he added. I have worked in Newton Heath, Moss Side, and have always got on with people, my mates are white and Asian. Its baffling.

Parts of pigs, bacon and pork have been used in Islamophobic hate crimes across the UK because the meat is haram, meaning forbidden, for Muslims.

Items have previously been thrown at people and left outside schools and mosques in an attempt to offend worshippers.

A spike in hate crime has been recorded across the UK in the wake of last year's EU referendum, with the latest incident coming days after a Muslim surgeon was stabbed in nearby Trafford.

Police are appealing to trace a Vauxhall Corsa that pulled up outside the home in Chapel Road, Oldham, shortly before Saturday nights attack.

One of the three men inside got out of the back seat and then threw the brick and the pigs head at the window, investigators said. He then ran back to the car and it drove off.

 Polish ambassador calls on government to condemn Brexit-related hate crimes

The suspect is believed to be around 18-years-old and was wearing a black hoodie pulled up over his head.

Greater Manchester Police said Mr Mahmoods son was not injured in the attack but was understandably frightened.

Detective Chief Inspector Chris Downey, from Oldham CID, added: This was a disgusting act against an innocent family who have lived in this community for years and were enjoying being at home together on a quiet Saturday night.

We are treating this appalling incident as a hate crime and are doing everything we can to find those responsible. No one should be made to feel scared in their own home.

The family were extremely shook up by this and we have been out to see them to offer assurance that we will do everything in our power to track the offenders down.

DCI Downey said neighbours and the local community had been supporting the investigation, which includes interviewing potential witnesses, carrying out forensic work, reviewing CCTV and increasing patrols.

He appealed for anyone with information to contact police by calling 0161 856 8972 or phoning the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.


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A British sailor has been honoured for helping rescue more than 900 refugees in the Mediterranean Sea.

Jamie Wilson is the captain of a commercial ship that was checking a pipeline off the coast of Libya when it was drafted to rescue nine overcrowded migrant dinghies over a gruelling five days.

Neither he nor his ships crew had any previous experience of search and rescue work but Captain Wilson said he was compelled to respond to the unprecedented crisis.

His British-flagged ship, the Deep Vision, was sailing off the coast of Libya on 28 January when it received a call from the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) in Rome ordering it to sail to a boat in distress.

The crew arrived to find an overloaded migrant dinghy with 132 people on board, including two pregnant women.

Captain Wilson, who is originally from Falkirk in Scotland, launched a rescue boat and distributed life jackets, before helping transfer the asylum seekers to a French navy ship that took them to safety in Italy.

But during the rescue, his crew found the bodies of two children under a blanket.

Migrants wait to be rescued by the Italian coast guard in the Mediterranean Sea, 30 nautical miles from the Libyan coast (Getty)

Captain Wilson said the incident had a huge emotional impact, with sailors later undergoing counselling.

As a master, the hard part is lifting the spirits of the crew after such events and returning to our normal and familiar work routines, he added.

The migrant situation in the Mediterranean is sad and heart-wrenching.

In some cases, the migrant rafts had run out of fuel, drifting aimlessly and hoping to be found. Others had no engines at all and had been towed out beyond 12nm and left to drift, again in the hope of being found.

Just a day after the tragic rescue, another migrant dinghy was spotted on radar heading towards the Deep Vision, which found 125 people crammed on board.

The crew distributed food, water and life jackets and kept those on board safe while waiting three hours for a humanitarian ship to arrive, which took them to Italy.

Then in the early hours of 31 January, another refugee boat was spotted next to the Deep Vision, which transferred the migrants to an Italian coastguard ship.

 Italian coastguard rescues refugee boat from Libya in the Mediterranean

The next day, Captain Wilsons crew spotted and rescue six refugee dinghies in just five hours, transferring 650 men, women and children to safety  bringing the total rescued to 907.

The sailor said he and his crew had been briefed for potential rescues on the passage between Libya and Italy, which is the busiest and deadliest sea route to Europe for refugees.

But Captain Wilson said the number of rescues was unprecedented, adding: The sheer scale of events and number of migrants were experiences took us by surprise.

Although his ship was working on a commercial charter, the 36-year-old said the laws of the sea require captains to assist any vessel at risk of being lost and anyone in distress.

I am proud of the efforts of the Deep Vision crew in what were very difficult and emotional circumstances, Captain Wilson added.

He has been recognised by the Shipwrecked Mariners' Society at its annual Skill and Gallantry Awards.

Commodore Malcolm Williams, chief executive of the society, said: Captain Wilson led his crew with immense dedication and professionalism, exercising high standards of seamanship and upholding the finest traditions of the sea in going to the aid of those in danger.

He has separately been honoured for his efforts with the Governments Merchant Navy Medal for Meritorious Service for for services to the rescue of refugees in peril.

More than 2,600 migrants have died so far this year while attempting treacherous boat crossings to Europe, with the vast majority drowning, suffocating or freezing to death between Libya and Italy.

In pictures: A day of refugee rescues in the Mediterranean Sea Show all 7 1 /7 In pictures: A day of refugee rescues in the Mediterranean Sea In pictures: A day of refugee rescues in the Mediterranean Sea A baby being taken on to MSF's Bourbon Argos ship from a boat carrying 130 migrants and refugees Lizzie Dearden In pictures: A day of refugee rescues in the Mediterranean Sea A refugee boat carrying 101 people being rescued by MSF's Bourbon Argos Lizzie Dearden In pictures: A day of refugee rescues in the Mediterranean Sea A refugee boat carrying 101 people being rescued by MSF's Bourbon Argos all images by Lizzie Dearden In pictures: A day of refugee rescues in the Mediterranean Sea A baby among refugees on a boat carrying 185 people off the coast of Libya Lizzie Dearden In pictures: A day of refugee rescues in the Mediterranean Sea Migrants and refugees sleeping after being rescued by MSF's Bourbon Argos ship Lizzie Dearden In pictures: A day of refugee rescues in the Mediterranean Sea A crew from MSF's Bourbon Argos ship rescuing a boat carrying 130 migrants and refugees off the coast of Libya, at sunrise Lizzie Dearden In pictures: A day of refugee rescues in the Mediterranean Sea A woman in a stretcher being lifted onto MSF's Bourbon Argos ship from a boat carrying 130 migrants and refugees off the coast of Libya Lizzie Dearden

People smugglers have exploited widespread lawlessness in the ongoing Libyan civil war to set up a profitable operation seeing migrants kidnapped and ferried from southern borders to the Mediterranean coast, frequently being ransomed, tortured or forced into labour and prostitution on the way.

The Italian government has been leading European initiatives to equip, train and fund increased patrols by the Libyan coastguard, which itself stands accused of killing and abusing refugees, to prevent boats from entering international waters.

Some NGOs halted rescue operations over the summer because of threats from Libyan forces, while one had its boat seized by Italian prosecutors over alleged collusion with smugglers, which the charity denies.

There have been fears that a sharp drop in the number of migrants fleeing Libya could have been enforced by militias, leaving thousands trapped, after the Italian interior minister offered local tribes and Libyan mayors incentives to stem the flow of asylum seekers.

Fighting in the ongoing war has recently reached the smuggling hub of Sabratha, where at least five civilians were killed on Monday and a hospital was partly disabled by shelling.

The clashes have pitted the Anas al-Dabbashi brigade, an armed group previously known for migrant smuggling, against the Operations Room to combat the Islamic State, which formed last year to oust jihadists from the area.

Fighting broke out when a Dabbashi brigade member was shot dead at a checkpoint, but the militias leader claimed the underlying cause was the group's move to stop the departure of migrant boats following Italys deal with the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) in Tripoli.

The Central Mediterranean has become both the deadliest and busiest sea route to Europe following the EU-Turkey deal, which dramatically reduced crossings from the Turkish coast by seeing all asylum seekers arriving on Greek islands detained from March last year.

Another 138 men, women and children have died attempting to reach Spain, mostly from Morocco.

Almost 137,300 migrants have survived crossings to Europe in 2017, according to UN figures, mostly coming from Nigeria, Syria, Bangladesh and sub-Saharan African nations.
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Thousands of Muslims have marched through London to protest Isis and terrorism.

Peaceful demonstrators remembered victims of the terror group on Sunday, which also marked the holy day of Ashura.

People of all ages made their way from Hyde Park to Trafalgar Square, holding placards and banners that branded terrorists enemies of Allah and humanity and Isis not Islamic, nor a state.

Faiths Forum, one of the organisers, said more than 10,000 people attended two marches in central London and Holland Park, including the brother of aid worker David Haines, who was beheaded by Isis in 2014.

Addressing the crowd, Mike Haines said: It is important that we react in a positive way against these hate-mongers. I mourn my brother every day. However he knew the risks of being a humanitarian worker.

He and my family accepted those risks because he was doing important work, helping his fellow man regardless of creed, colour, race or religion.

In pictures: Muslims in London protest against Isis Show all 7 1 /7 In pictures: Muslims in London protest against Isis In pictures: Muslims in London protest against Isis Muslims gather with flags in Trafalgar Square on October 1, 2017 Getty In pictures: Muslims in London protest against Isis People listen to a speaker in Trafalgar Square on October 1, 2017 Getty In pictures: Muslims in London protest against Isis Protesters gather with placards ahead of the annual Ashura march in Marble Arch on October 1, 2017 Getty In pictures: Muslims in London protest against Isis Muslims pray ahead of the annual Ashura march in Marble Arch on October 1, 2017 Getty In pictures: Muslims in London protest against Isis Protesters holding placards demonstrate along Oxford Street on October 1, 2017 Getty In pictures: Muslims in London protest against Isis Protesters gather with placards during the annual Ashura march in Marble Arch on October 1, 2017 Getty In pictures: Muslims in London protest against Isis Protesters holding flags and placards demonstrate along Oxford Street on October 1, 2017 Getty

He added: The callous murder of my brother, the bombing of a teenage concert in Manchester, the deplorable attack on a place of worship in Finsbury Park, the inexcusable name-calling of people based on their religion or colour  they all have one thing in common which is to incite hatred.

Ayatollah Fadhil al-Milani, Senior Imam at the Al-Khoei Islamic Centre, told The Independent: "Thousands of faithful marched on the streets of London on Ashura. They did so to remind us of the human message of Imam Hussain and to stand in defiance of fear-mongering and hate.

"Hussain taught us to build social alliances and to embrace each others humanity, surely this is the most powerful vehicle to crush ideologies of hate."

David Haines was executed by the Isis militant known as Jihadi John in September 2014. He was the third Western hostage - and first Briton - to be beheaded by Islamic State in front of the eyes of the world.

Ashura is the 10th day of Muharram, the first and holiest month in Islam. It also marks the day the three Abrahamic religions believe Moses and the Israelites were saved from the Pharaoh by God parting the Red Sea.
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A major fundraising appeal has been launched to help the hundreds of thousands of people fleeing violence in Burma.

The 13 member charities who make up the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) took action to step up their humanitarian relief in the wake of more than half-a-million people seeking medical care, food and sanctuary.

The majority of those are Muslim ethnic minority Rohingya people, who have fled to Bangladesh amid atrocities and fatalities in Rakhine state, on Burma's western coast, following clashes between insurgents and security forces in recent weeks.

The UK Government has pledged to match the first 3 million donated by the public to the DEC emergency appeal.

A campaign video is due to be shown by all major UK broadcasters following the appeal's launch on Wednesday.

DEC chief executive Saleh Saeed said: People are arriving exhausted and traumatised into already overcrowded camps in Bangladesh. This is one of the fastest movements of people we have seen in recent decades.

Families are living in makeshift shelters or by the side of the road with no clean drinking water, toilets or washing facilities. This humanitarian catastrophe is unfolding in a country that is already reeling from the worst floods in decades.

Without urgent support, the risk of disease and further misery is alarmingly high.

In pictures: Burma migrants abandoned at sea Show all 8 1 /8 In pictures: Burma migrants abandoned at sea In pictures: Burma migrants abandoned at sea Myanmar migrants Rohingya migrants swim to collect food supplies dropped by a Thai army helicopter after they jumped from a boat (R) drifting in Thai waters off the southern island of Koh Lipe in the Andaman sea In pictures: Burma migrants abandoned at sea Myanmar migrants Rohingya migrants pass food supplies dropped by a Thai army helicopter to others aboard a boat drifting in Thai waters off the southern island of Koh Lipe in the Andaman sea In pictures: Burma migrants abandoned at sea Myanmar migrants A Rohingya migrant eats food dropped by a Thai army helicopter after he jumped to collect the supplies at sea from a boat drifting in Thai waters off the southern island of Koh Lipe in the Andaman sea. A boat crammed with scores of Rohingya migrants, including many young children, was found drifting in Thai waters, with passengers saying several people had died over the last few days In pictures: Burma migrants abandoned at sea Myanmar migrants Rohingya migrants stand and sit on a boat drifting in Thai waters off the southern island of Koh Lipe in the Andaman sea In pictures: Burma migrants abandoned at sea Myanmar migrants Rohingya migrants stand and sit on a boat drifting in Thai waters off the southern island of Koh Lipe in the Andaman sea In pictures: Burma migrants abandoned at sea Myanmar migrants A Rohingya migrant eats food dropped by a Thai army helicopter after he jumped to collect supplies at sea from a boat drifting in Thai waters off the southern island of Koh Lipe in the Andaman sea In pictures: Burma migrants abandoned at sea Myanmar migrants Rohingya migrants bring back food supplies dropped by a Thai army helicopter after jumping to collect them at sea from a boat drifting in Thai waters off the southern island of Koh Lipe in the Andaman sea In pictures: Burma migrants abandoned at sea Myanmar migrants A Rohingya migrant woman holding a child cries as she stands on a boat drifting in Thai waters off the southern island of Koh Lipe in the Andaman sea

DEC member charities are already on the ground in Bangladesh delivering emergency aid but said they need more funding to reach people in urgent need.

Aung San Suu Kyi - the civilian leader of Burma, also known as Myanmar - has repeatedly faced criticism from across the globe for her refusal to condemn the actions of the security forces.

:: To make a donation to the DEC emergency appeal visit http://www.dec.org.uk, call the 24-hour hotline on 0370 60 60 610, donate over the counter at any high street bank or post office, or send a cheque. Alternatively, donate 5 by texting the word SUPPORT to 70000.

Press Association
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Couples are being forced to sling mud at each other during divorce proceedings due to archaic laws that require them to fault one another in order to end their marriage, the UKs top divorce lawyer has warned.

The Government has come under pressure to scrap the utterly disgraceful legislation which makes what could be amicable break-ups become combative and adversarial, creating a distressing situation for children and destroying any continuing affinity between the parents.

In an unprecedented move, leading divorce lawyer Ayesha Vardag is lobbying the Tory party to bring an end to the obsolete law after the Labour party included it in their manifesto this year, paving the way for what has been a "political hot potato" becoming a reality.

Ms Vardag, who has won a number of notable divorce cases, has seen many couples forced them to throw nasty accusations and insults at each other in court, which she said doesnt get anyone anywhere and serves only to instil an animosity in both parties, making arrangements with money, housing and children much more difficult.

Half of divorces involve one partner asserting that the other has committed a "fault" against them, while more than half of those admit that the allegation of fault wasnt true.

Launching at the Tory party conference today (Tuesday), Ms Vardag's campaign seeks to work with lawyers, judges, academics and politicians to rationalise English divorce law and seek a system which allows adults to end their marriages in a supportive and amicable manner.

Speaking to The Independent ahead of the campaign launch, the divorce lawyer said: Ive been taking this position for years, really since the beginning of platform. Every time the issue has come up, Ive been expressing this opinion because I feel strongly about it.

This is something that is long overdue. And were in a unique position at the moment. In the politicians have suggested this obvious good reform be put into place, but the party on the other side would always seize the opportunity to say 'youre the party thats against the family, youre anti-marriage, youre in favour of quickie divorces'.

Its looked like such a political hot potato, despite the fact that its actually a good thing. No political party has wanted to do it because they dont want to be accused of making divorce easier."

She said the difference now is that the Labour Party has put it in their manifesto, meaning it is worth lobbying the Government to put the proposal forward because the opposition party can no longer accuse them of being anti-family.

Were at the first point at which we now have the consensus where nobody is in the position to make cheap political capital out of this or score cheap points, and we can actually get something good done, which is why Im going and lobbying the Tory party, Ms Vardag said.

Under current divorce law in England, if a couple wants to divorce one party must petition the court demonstrating that the marriage has broken down irretrievably, as evidenced by one of the relevant five facts including adultery, behaviour which makes it unreasonable to expect the petitioner to continue living with the respondent and two years' separation with the consent of the other party.

The other partner is able to challenge the assertion that the marriage has broken down. If successful, the divorce can be refused, effectively trapping their partner in marriage. This forces the petitioning partner to cite faults in their partners behaviour and prove them to the court, which Ms Vardag branded "obselete".

This nasty mud-slinging as the centre of our divorce process is just obsolete. I see couples who have grown apart and decided theyre going to go their separate ways, but theyre feeling very fond of each other, she said.

And then you say right, well weve got to say some unpleasant things about your partner. What shall we say?

Shall we say he was rude about your mother? Shall we talk about that fact that you havent had sex for a couple of years? What shall we pull out of the bag and sneer all over their public records? And thats just utterly disgraceful and unnecessary, and doesnt get anyone anywhere. Its just awful.

Ive had parties tell me that they want to allege adultery even though there was no adultery, just because they dont want to have to say some horrible things about each other.

The impact of this, Ms Vardag said, is that any amicability between the couple is destroyed, meaning the process of coming to settlements over housing and child custody can become incredibly distressing.

Not only does it destroy the relationship between the couple, so theyre no feeling generous about housing or income or sharing the fruits of what theyve built up together, but theyre thinking 'Well, screw you, Im not going to be helpful', she said.

People fight over a bunch of stuff, not just the divorce petition, but the problem is this whole process is started off with this exercise in insulting ones partner and taking a combative, adversarial approach.

Recommended Divorced wives do not deserve maintenance for life

Its also incredibly distressing for the children when theres this animosity between the parents because theyre feeling hurt and insulted and misunderstood. Theres this sense of deep unfairness, which of course makes things much more difficult for sorting out things nicely for contact with the children.

Most divorce petitions are examined for less than five minutes. All this horrible stuff is just skimmed over. But its there, both parties read it, its a document of record, its out there with both parties knowing that some of this might come out into the public domain, that their children might see it. So its incredibly distressing.

In some cases, the law can lead to a frightening situation in which people find themselves trapped in marriage, Ms Vardag said, urging that this only serves to discourage others from getting married in the first place, rather than discourage divorce.

She cited a well-documented case at the start of this year of Tini Owens, 65, who was refused permission to divorce her husband because, according to the court, their rows were just part of married life.

The very idea that you could be trapped in a marriage, like Ms Owens, is really quite frightening, and I think it will do nothing but discourage marriage, because who wants to get married if theres the prospect that some judge somewhere is going to say no youre stuck now and theres no getting out? said Ms Vardag.

That is a form of imprisonment that I think it completely unacceptable in our society. And thats what were being made to live with. Its completely archaic.

No-fault divorce would see the ending of the marriage move from a court-based exercise to a largely administrative one, meaning that people would no longer be forced to justify to the court why their marriage had broken down and no longer required to lay the blame at their spouses door.

Richard Burgon, shadow Secretary of State for Justice and Shadow Lord Chancellor, told The Independent the Labour Party would support the Tories in introducing a no-fault divorce law, but accused the party of "continuing to deny this basic right".

Labours manifesto promised to introduce no-fault divorce. There is nothing to stop the Conservative government getting on with introducing this and if they do Labour will support them," Mr Burgon said.

"But if the Conservatives continue to deny this basic right, then people can be assured that Labour in government will guarantee that our divorce laws are fit for the 21st century.

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The reality is we live in a society in which divorce is completely legal, completely socially accepted, and we are not considered to be inferior or sinful or bad people because we are divorced. But the legal system is supporting the old attitudes which have a completely archaic perspective, Ms Vardag added.

People naively think well wed much rather marriages stay together and isnt it lovely when they do. But they seem to then make the false leap that making divorce nastier keeps people together. But they dont, but they just get divorced in a nastier way.

Ms Vardag will be discussing no-fault divorce on a panel at the Tory party conference at 5:45pm tonight (Tuesday).

Nick Ferrari, LBC radio presenter, will chair the panel with additional guests including Katie Hopkins, Richard Bacon MP, Conservative MP for South Norfolk, Robert Courts MP, Conservative MP for Witney and West Oxfordshire and Thomas Pascoe, a representative from the Coalition for Marriage.
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Travel insurance companies have been accused of discriminating against people with mental health problems after a young woman was refused cover when she revealed that she had bipolar disorder.

Elizabeth Watson, 29, was told by the travel insurance provider Bupa that she could not be covered for a holiday to Spain, even if she paid a higher premium.

She subsequently started a petition urging companies to offer those with mental health conditions travel insurance at a reasonable price.

It had been signed by almost 34,000 people and led to thousands of people coming forward and reporting similar experiences.

Ms Watson told The Independent she had initially decided to use Bupa because she had been physically unwell as she suffered from acid reflux and irritable bowel syndrome. Neither had anything to do with her bipolar disorder.

She was initially told she could be covered for 21.

But when she mentioned her condition to the company, she was asked a series of questions and told they could no longer cover her for any pre-existing conditions.

I was just absolutely appalled. I just couldnt believe the blatant discrimination, she said. Before I mentioned bipolar they were absolutely happy to cover me, but as soon as I mentioned bipolar, no matter how much I paid, they just were not interested.

Since having spoken out about it Ive now realised this is an absolutely massive issue that lots of people have a story about but havent had the voice to say before.

Ms Watson said she complained to Bupa when it happened in August, but had so far only received a letter in the post the stating that they would take another 20 working days to reply, during which time she has already been on her holiday.

When contacted for comment, Bupa told The Independent it was sorry for the distress [it] caused Ms Watson.

It added: We aim to give our customers the most comprehensive cover possible, including mental health conditions where possible.

It comes as new research revealed that many people with mental health problems have been told their insurer wont pay out for any claims relating to their conditions.

It also showed that one in five mental health sufferers have travelled without insurance because it costs to much to get cover.

Ms Watson said she managed to find another company that was able to cover her for the condition for her trip to Spain, but required her to pay four times more money. According to the Bipolar UK website, there are only five UK travel companies that cover bipolar disorder.

Since launching the petition, she said she has heard from thousands of people who have had similar awful experiences.

One old couple have nearly gone bankrupt because the husband had a nervous breakdown on holiday and hed never had any kind of issues before, other than a doctor saying that he had depression once when he was about 20. That then counted as him lying about it, she said.

Someone else said they were quoted something like 2,070 per cent more when they mentioned a mental health condition. I cant believe the things Im hearing. I cant get back to them all because there are thousands. Its been quite overwhelming.

The petition, posted on change.org, has collected tens of thousands of supporters in just two days. Once it attains its target of 35,000, the petition will be sent Bupa, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt, urging them to stop travel insurance companies discriminating against people with mental health conditions.

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Ms Watson said: Its great because if I can help make that change then I really want to. I just think its so unfair. One in three people do suffer from a mental health condition and I think it should be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

I do understand that say if I had schizophrenia or psychosis then that might be deemed slightly more high risk, but if someone is suffering from just something like stress, which is also classed as a mental health condition, they are just being penalised. If they are able to get a policy, they are used as a money-making machine for the companies.

Things are taking off now so Im hoping Ill get some kind of reply or be able to change the law, if thats the road it needs to go down.

It comes after research by charity the Money and Mental Health Policy Institute (MMHPI) last month showed that more than one in five (21 per cent) people who experience mental health problems had travelled without insurance because it was too expensive, while 15 per cent had chosen not to travel at all because of the high cost of insurance.

Many reported having to pay more for travel insurance because of historic mental health problems, even if it was many years ago. Others said they had been charged more because they take psychiatric medication, and many said they were told the insurer wouldnt pay out for any claims relating to mental health, the charity said.

In light of the findings, the MMPHI has urged the FCA, which regulates financial firms providing services to consumers, to carry out a market review that looks into how the price of travel insurance is affected by different health conditions.

It has also urged the FCA to work with insurers and people with mental health problems to make travel insurance easier to understand, and to ensure that if somebody with a mental health problem is refused cover, or offered and astronomical price for it, it steps in and points them in the direction of specialist insurance providers.

Simon Crine, interim director at the MMHPI, told The Independent the travel insurance market isnt working at all and urging the FCA to take on their recommendations.

Elizabeths story is concerning, but unfortunately its not unusual. Our research shows that many people have difficulty accessing good travel insurance because of their mental health, whether thats finding cover thats affordable, which covers them for their condition, or getting insurance at all, he said.

Where they can get cover, many people find that they are paying more as a result of periods of poor mental health that happened a very long time ago and which theyve now recovered from, or because they are taking particular medications which they need to keep them well.

One in four of us will experience a mental health problem each year, and by some estimates this rises to almost half of us across a lifetime. So if the travel insurance market isnt working for all these people, then it really isnt working at all.

Were calling on the financial regulator [the FCA] to conduct a market review, looking at how access to travel insurance is affected by different health conditions, and ensuring that insurers are treating people fairly.

The FCA declined to comment, but Richard Norris, director of consumer insurance at Bupa UK, said: Were sorry for the distress we have caused Ms Watson. We aim to give our customers the most comprehensive cover possible, including mental health conditions where possible.

We screen our Premier and Gold travel insurance customers for physical and mental health conditions to check whether we can provide coverage for any pre-existing conditions while theyre abroad. We continually review our travel insurance cover based on customer feedback.
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Britain voted for Brexit because the Leave campaign stirred up people's concerns about immigration, says a minister in Boris Johnsons department.

Sir Alan Duncan also warned that the Governments job now is to ensure that EU withdrawal is not a disaster for the country.

The comments came just hours after Mr Johnson, the Foreign Secretary, hailed the great Brexit deal ahead and likened the process to liberation in the Second World War.

Recommended Johnson fails to challenge May in conference speech after Brexit rift

Mr Johnson and other leading Brexiteers have been keen to argue that voters wanted to restore democracy at home, summed up in the phrase take back control.

But, speaking in the US, his deputy said: The manner in which the campaign was fought stirred up a lot of sentiment amongst people who were not habitual voters, particularly on the issue of immigration.

You could feel blue-collar, urban, traditional Labour opinion going viral for Leave.

They were stirred up by an image of immigration which made them angry and made them throw a bit of a tantrum.

He said it was one of the paradoxes of the campaign that Boston, in Lincolnshire, had voted so heavily for Leave when the local agricultural sector was dependent on migrant workers from Poland.

Lincolnshire folk if you like said 'Oh, they are coming to pinch our jobs'. Well, they wouldn't do the jobs themselves anyway so it was a slightly artificial anger, he added.

Sir Alan, who is the minister for Europe and the Americas, said the Government was now trying to make the best of the result.

We have to make the most of what we are now required to do by the referendum to try and turn it into an opportunity and not a disaster, he told The Chicago Council on Global Affairs.

Sir Alan was also highly critical of the way the Remain campaign, led by David Cameron and George Osborne, had been fought which, he said, contributed to the outcome.

The Remain campaign was badly conducted in that the then government under David Cameron and George Osborne very much hogged the campaign limelight and it didn't look as though the Remain argument put a vision of optimism, he said.

"Nor did it appear a cross-party endeavour. That made elements of voting opinion treat it as a verdict on the government of the day which invariably creates anti feelings and that converted into votes. That I think explains part of the chemistry that led to the result.
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Boris Johnson has prompted outrage after he said a Libyan city could be transformed into the new Dubai once "they clear the dead bodies" away.

The Foreign Secretarys off-colour comment drew gasps and shocked laughter from the audience at a global trade fringe event at the Conservative conference.

Theresa May was urged to sack him for his latest gaffe, which critics said proved that Mr Johnson - arguably the UK's top diplomat - was not fit to represent Britain on the world stage.

Recommended Johnson fails to challenge May in conference speech after Brexit rift

The remarks are the latest in a string of diplomatic blunders by Mr Johnson, coming days after he was ticked off by the British Ambassador to Burma for reciting a colonial poem in the one of the country's most sacred temples.

Asked about a recent trip to the North African country, Mr Johnson said: "It's got real potential and brilliant young people who want to do all sorts of tech.

"There's a group of UK business people actually, I don't know whether you will have come across this, wonderful guys, who want to invest in Sirte on the coast, near where Gaddafi was actually captured and executed, as some of you may have seen.

They have a got brilliant vision to turn Sirte, with the help of the municipality of Sirte, into the next Dubai.

The only thing theyve got to do is clear the dead bodies.

Mr Johnson then tried to claim there was an optimism" in the Libyan city, a former Islamic State stronghold, before host Baroness Stroud, a former special adviser to ex-Cabinet minister Iain Duncan Smith, said: "Next question."

The Legatum Institute chief executive officer added: "The dead bodies was the move on moment."

Shadow Foreign Secretary Emily Thornberry condemned the comments as "unbelievably crass, callous and cruel" after thousands of civilians and hundreds of government soldiers were killed when Sirte was captured from the Islamic State less than a year ago.

She said: "For Boris Johnson to treat those deaths as a joke - a mere inconvenience before UK business people can turn the city into a beach resort - is unbelievably crass, callous and cruel.

"If these words came from the business people themselves, it would be considered offensive enough, but for them to come from the Foreign Secretary is simply a disgrace.

"There comes a time when buffoonery needs to stop, because if Boris Johnson thinks the bodies of those brave government soldiers and innocent civilians killed in Sirte are a suitable subject for throwaway humour, he does not belong in the office of Foreign Secretary."

Tory conference 2017  in pictures Show all 23 1 /23 Tory conference 2017  in pictures Tory conference 2017  in pictures Comedian Simon Brodkin hands Theresa May a p45 during her conference speech @simonbrodkin/Twitter screengrab Tory conference 2017  in pictures Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May struggles with her water after she suffered a coughing fit whilst addressing the Conservative Party conference in Manchester Reuters Tory conference 2017  in pictures Britain's Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson delivers his speech on the third day of the Conservative Party annual conference Tory conference 2017  in pictures Bear Grylls at the Conservative party conference at the Manchester Central Convention Complex PA Tory conference 2017  in pictures Britain's International Development Secretary Priti Patel gestures after delivering her speech on the third day of the Conservative Party conference Paul Ellis/AFP Tory conference 2017  in pictures Prime Minister Theresa May and Chancellor Philip Hammond visit a home in Manchester during the Conservative Party conference in the city Phil Noble/PA Tory conference 2017  in pictures Britain's Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson returns from a morning run on the second day of the Conservative Party Conference, in Manchester Reuters/Phil Noble Tory conference 2017  in pictures Delegates view a display board showing the history of the Conservative Party as they arrive for the first day of the annual Conservative Party conference Getty Tory conference 2017  in pictures Delegates carry pro-Brexit bags as they arrive for the first day of the annual Conservative Party conference Getty Tory conference 2017  in pictures Delegates listen to Justine Greening's speech on the first day of conference Carl Court/Getty Tory conference 2017  in pictures Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May and her husband Philip applaud a speaker on the first day of the annual Conservative Party conference Carl Court/Getty Tory conference 2017  in pictures Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson speaks at the Conservative Party Conference at the Manchester Central Convention Complex PA Tory conference 2017  in pictures Secretary of State for Education, Justine Greening, speaks on the first day of the conference Carl Court/Getty Tory conference 2017  in pictures Chairman of the Conservative Party, Patrick McLoughlin, speaks at the opening of the first day of the Tory party conference Tory conference 2017  in pictures Chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond, arrives for the first day of Tory party conference Carl Court/Getty Tory conference 2017  in pictures Secretary of State for Defence, Michael Fallon, arrives at conference Getty Tory conference 2017  in pictures Home Secretary, Amber Rudd (C), attends the first day of the Conservative Party conference Carl Court/Getty Tory conference 2017  in pictures Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Sajid Javid, attends the first day of the Conservative Party conference Getty Tory conference 2017  in pictures Former Conservative minister, Edwina Currie, at the first day of conference Carl Court/Getty Tory conference 2017  in pictures Secretary of State for International Trade, Liam Fox, arrives at conference Carl Court/Getty Tory conference 2017  in pictures Britain's Foreign Secretary, Boris Johnson, arrives at the conference hotel for the Conservative Party Conference Reuters/Darren Staples Tory conference 2017  in pictures The anti-Tory march makes its way to the Conservative party conference in Manchester Peter Byrne/PA Tory conference 2017  in pictures A demonstrator walks a dog wearing a European Union flag during a protest on the opening day of the Conservative Party Conference, in Manchester Reuters/Darren Staples

Her concern was echoed by Liberal Democrat deputy leader Jo Swinson, who added: "Diplomacy is a basic requirement for the role of Foreign Secretary.

"This latest unbelievably crass and insensitive comment about an issue of such importance is further proof Boris is not up to the job.

"Theresa May needs to get her house in order and sack him."

Mr Johnson made a two-day visit to Libya in August where he announced Britain would plough 9m into fighting terror and stabilising the country, which has been riven with unrest since Muammar Gaddafi was ousted in 2011.
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EU chiefs made a show on Tuesday of telling Theresa May that the UK has still not done enough to be allowed to discuss a future trade with the European Union.

President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker said British negotiators must more ground in agreeing the terms of withdrawal, in a move likely to anger Conservative Brexiteers.

He was flanked by the EUs chief negotiator Michel Barnier and the European Parliaments Brexit lead Guy Verhofstadt who both demanded more clarity for the UK.

It comes after Ms Mays Brexit speech in Florence, which all three men said had improved negotiations and allowed some progress, and ahead of her keynote speech to Conservative conference on Wednesday.

But they signaled it is unlikely that the EU will allow talks to move on to future trade in October without further concessions on guaranteeing EU citizens rights, settling the divorce bill and the Irish border - with the role of the European Court a key sticking point.

Mr Juncker said: When it comes to Brexit we still cannot talk about the future without any real clarity. We first need to agree on the terms of the divorce and then we see if we can lovingly find each other.

The Prime Minister's speech in Florence was conciliatory but speeches are not negotiating positions. Work still needs to be done. We have not yet made the sufficient progress needed.

Addressing the European Parliament in Strasbourg, Mr Juncker welcomed the conciliatory tone of Ms May's Florence speech, in which she said no EU member state would lose out financially as result of Britain's decision to leave.

Brexit: the deciders Show all 8 1 /8 Brexit: the deciders Brexit: the deciders European Union's chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier Getty Brexit: the deciders French President Emmanuel Macron Getty Brexit: the deciders German Chancellor Angela Merkel Reuters Brexit: the deciders Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker EPA Brexit: the deciders The European Parliament's chief Brexit negotiator Guy Verhofstadt Getty Brexit: the deciders Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May Getty Images Brexit: the deciders Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond PA Brexit: the deciders After the first and second appointed Brexit secretaries resigned (David Davis and Dominic Raab respectively), Stephen Barclay is currently heading up the position PA

He also welcomed Ms May's recognition that the UK had to honour its financial obligations, but added: The devil will, as always, be in the detail.

The taxpayers of the EU27 should not pay for the British decision.

However, he underlined the view of Mr Barnier that more progress was needed.

Mr Barnier said Ms May had given the EU some openings in her Florence speech but called for a reflection of these in specific proposals.

To assess the state of the play objectively, there are still serious divergences, especially on the financial settlement, he warned.

The Commission's chief negotiator suggested Ms May's offer to fulfil Britain's EU budget commitments up to 2020 did not go far enough.

He was applauded by MEPs as he said: We will never accept for the 27 to pay what was decided on by 28, it's as simple as that.

The taxpayers of the 27 don't have to pay for the consequences of the decision that they didn't take.

So, no more, no less.

 Theresa May claims 'united' Cabinet despite Brexit feuding

Ms May has offered to maintain payments into EU coffers but only up to 2018/19, with the EU arguing that some commitments already agreed with the UK will mean the country must continue paying after that date.

Mr Barnier also said Ms May's offer to write EU citizens' rights into UK law did not go far enough, stressing that the European Court of Justice must oversee them.

"We need a consistent interpretation of the agreement on both sides of the Channel that only the ECJ can guarantee," he said.

Guy Verhofstadt, the European Parliament's co-ordinator on Brexit, said the negotiations were being hampered by divisions among senior British ministers.

There is a lack of clarity, there is even disunity. There are oppositions between Hammond and Fox. There are divisions between Johnson and May, he said.

It is difficult to make sufficient progress. It is difficult to make the steps towards the second phase of the negotiations.

Conservative ministers hope that at an EU council later this month, European leaders will at least allow for exploratory talks to begin on future trade allowing for talks to progress at a later date, maybe by Christmas.

A group of hardline Brexiteers have demanded that Ms may walk away from talks if the EU does not allow negotiations to progress by Christmas.
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The most extensive ever study of how race affects the life chances of people in Britain will reveal how a person is twice as likely to be unemployed if from an ethnic minority.

Theresa May will highlight the findings from a review she ordered when she first became Prime Minister, as part of her plans to tackle injustices in society.

The far-reaching study also shows how white state school pupils had the lowest university entry rate last year.

The Prime Minister will say the audit is a critical part of confronting uncomfortable truths about modern Britain.

Commenting ahead of the launch, she said: In doing this groundbreaking work we are holding a mirror up to our society.

The idea itself is not new  Charles Booths maps of rich and poor areas in Victorian London drew attention to hardship that was too often hidden  but this focus on how ethnicity affects peoples lives will present findings that are uncomfortable.

She added: Britain has come a long way in my lifetime in spreading equality and opportunity, but this audit will be definitive evidence of how far we must still go in order to truly build a country that works for everyone.

Tory conference 2017  in pictures Show all 23 1 /23 Tory conference 2017  in pictures Tory conference 2017  in pictures Comedian Simon Brodkin hands Theresa May a p45 during her conference speech @simonbrodkin/Twitter screengrab Tory conference 2017  in pictures Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May struggles with her water after she suffered a coughing fit whilst addressing the Conservative Party conference in Manchester Reuters Tory conference 2017  in pictures Britain's Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson delivers his speech on the third day of the Conservative Party annual conference Tory conference 2017  in pictures Bear Grylls at the Conservative party conference at the Manchester Central Convention Complex PA Tory conference 2017  in pictures Britain's International Development Secretary Priti Patel gestures after delivering her speech on the third day of the Conservative Party conference Paul Ellis/AFP Tory conference 2017  in pictures Prime Minister Theresa May and Chancellor Philip Hammond visit a home in Manchester during the Conservative Party conference in the city Phil Noble/PA Tory conference 2017  in pictures Britain's Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson returns from a morning run on the second day of the Conservative Party Conference, in Manchester Reuters/Phil Noble Tory conference 2017  in pictures Delegates view a display board showing the history of the Conservative Party as they arrive for the first day of the annual Conservative Party conference Getty Tory conference 2017  in pictures Delegates carry pro-Brexit bags as they arrive for the first day of the annual Conservative Party conference Getty Tory conference 2017  in pictures Delegates listen to Justine Greening's speech on the first day of conference Carl Court/Getty Tory conference 2017  in pictures Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May and her husband Philip applaud a speaker on the first day of the annual Conservative Party conference Carl Court/Getty Tory conference 2017  in pictures Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson speaks at the Conservative Party Conference at the Manchester Central Convention Complex PA Tory conference 2017  in pictures Secretary of State for Education, Justine Greening, speaks on the first day of the conference Carl Court/Getty Tory conference 2017  in pictures Chairman of the Conservative Party, Patrick McLoughlin, speaks at the opening of the first day of the Tory party conference Tory conference 2017  in pictures Chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond, arrives for the first day of Tory party conference Carl Court/Getty Tory conference 2017  in pictures Secretary of State for Defence, Michael Fallon, arrives at conference Getty Tory conference 2017  in pictures Home Secretary, Amber Rudd (C), attends the first day of the Conservative Party conference Carl Court/Getty Tory conference 2017  in pictures Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Sajid Javid, attends the first day of the Conservative Party conference Getty Tory conference 2017  in pictures Former Conservative minister, Edwina Currie, at the first day of conference Carl Court/Getty Tory conference 2017  in pictures Secretary of State for International Trade, Liam Fox, arrives at conference Carl Court/Getty Tory conference 2017  in pictures Britain's Foreign Secretary, Boris Johnson, arrives at the conference hotel for the Conservative Party Conference Reuters/Darren Staples Tory conference 2017  in pictures The anti-Tory march makes its way to the Conservative party conference in Manchester Peter Byrne/PA Tory conference 2017  in pictures A demonstrator walks a dog wearing a European Union flag during a protest on the opening day of the Conservative Party Conference, in Manchester Reuters/Darren Staples

The audit, to be fully published next week, will reveal a complex picture of how life chances can change depending on a persons ethnicities or place of residence.

Among findings Ms May will highlight are that the unemployment rate for BAME people of working age is nearly double that for white British groups  8 per cent compared with 4.6 per cent.

Employment rates overall are far higher for white people (75.7 per cent) compared with BAME groups (63.9 per cent).

The study also revealed that white pupils from state schools had the lowest university entry rate in 2016.

In comparison, almost a quarter of Chinese pupils attained three A grades or higher at A-level, with three out of five having gone to university, making them twice as likely to have gone into higher education than white pupils.

Meanwhile, the audit revealed more than nine in 10 headteachers are white British.

Two in three white British householders own their home, though only two in five of householders from any other ethnic group do, the review showed.

The document is also to show where in the UK young black children perform best in school, the proportion of judges from an ethnic minority, which parts of the community have the greatest fear of crime and whether white teenagers are more or less likely to smoke.
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Defence Secretary Michael Fallon has announced an expansion of cadet units in state schools across the UK, claiming there is evidence such schemes boost social mobility.

Ahead of his speech to the Conservative party conference, Sir Michael said he had approved 31 new units across the country and the first in Wales, as part of the Tory drive to increase the number of cadet forces in state schools to 500 by 2020.

The aim of an army cadet force is to instil a series of values and standards in participants, including courage, discipline, integrity, loyalty and respect for others. There are currently over 400 cadet units across England but only around a third are stationed in state schools.

According to the Department for Defence, the cadet units will be focused on schools in areas of high deprivation and will include the first unit to be approved in Wales.

Citing a University of Northampton study, the department added the research showed cadet forces contributed to increasing social mobility and help improve attendance and behaviour among pupils who have previously been excluded.

While there was no mention of the expansion of the scheme - championed by the coalition Government  in the most recent Conservative manifesto, the new units being established are backed by 50m of funding for Libor fines levied on the banks.

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Addressing students at Albion Academy in Salford, which already has a cadet force in place, Sir Michael said: I want more young people from all backgrounds to have the opportunity to be cadets. Cadets help instill values of discipline and loyalty. They develop leadership skills and confidence.

For too long, cadet units have been the preserve of independent schools. But thanks to this Conservative Government, more children in state schools will reap the benefits.

Tory conference 2017  in pictures Show all 23 1 /23 Tory conference 2017  in pictures Tory conference 2017  in pictures Comedian Simon Brodkin hands Theresa May a p45 during her conference speech @simonbrodkin/Twitter screengrab Tory conference 2017  in pictures Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May struggles with her water after she suffered a coughing fit whilst addressing the Conservative Party conference in Manchester Reuters Tory conference 2017  in pictures Britain's Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson delivers his speech on the third day of the Conservative Party annual conference Tory conference 2017  in pictures Bear Grylls at the Conservative party conference at the Manchester Central Convention Complex PA Tory conference 2017  in pictures Britain's International Development Secretary Priti Patel gestures after delivering her speech on the third day of the Conservative Party conference Paul Ellis/AFP Tory conference 2017  in pictures Prime Minister Theresa May and Chancellor Philip Hammond visit a home in Manchester during the Conservative Party conference in the city Phil Noble/PA Tory conference 2017  in pictures Britain's Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson returns from a morning run on the second day of the Conservative Party Conference, in Manchester Reuters/Phil Noble Tory conference 2017  in pictures Delegates view a display board showing the history of the Conservative Party as they arrive for the first day of the annual Conservative Party conference Getty Tory conference 2017  in pictures Delegates carry pro-Brexit bags as they arrive for the first day of the annual Conservative Party conference Getty Tory conference 2017  in pictures Delegates listen to Justine Greening's speech on the first day of conference Carl Court/Getty Tory conference 2017  in pictures Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May and her husband Philip applaud a speaker on the first day of the annual Conservative Party conference Carl Court/Getty Tory conference 2017  in pictures Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson speaks at the Conservative Party Conference at the Manchester Central Convention Complex PA Tory conference 2017  in pictures Secretary of State for Education, Justine Greening, speaks on the first day of the conference Carl Court/Getty Tory conference 2017  in pictures Chairman of the Conservative Party, Patrick McLoughlin, speaks at the opening of the first day of the Tory party conference Tory conference 2017  in pictures Chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond, arrives for the first day of Tory party conference Carl Court/Getty Tory conference 2017  in pictures Secretary of State for Defence, Michael Fallon, arrives at conference Getty Tory conference 2017  in pictures Home Secretary, Amber Rudd (C), attends the first day of the Conservative Party conference Carl Court/Getty Tory conference 2017  in pictures Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Sajid Javid, attends the first day of the Conservative Party conference Getty Tory conference 2017  in pictures Former Conservative minister, Edwina Currie, at the first day of conference Carl Court/Getty Tory conference 2017  in pictures Secretary of State for International Trade, Liam Fox, arrives at conference Carl Court/Getty Tory conference 2017  in pictures Britain's Foreign Secretary, Boris Johnson, arrives at the conference hotel for the Conservative Party Conference Reuters/Darren Staples Tory conference 2017  in pictures The anti-Tory march makes its way to the Conservative party conference in Manchester Peter Byrne/PA Tory conference 2017  in pictures A demonstrator walks a dog wearing a European Union flag during a protest on the opening day of the Conservative Party Conference, in Manchester Reuters/Darren Staples

But Layla Moran, education spokesperson for the Liberal Democrats, said: Hidden amongst this announcement is the chilling admission that too many schools across the country are ill-equipped to promote inclusivity and help the most disadvantaged.

Instead of funding new, low impact pet-projects, the government must immediately address the crisis in school funding.

500 more children marching around the playground in uniform might be great experience for a select few, but will do nothing to help all the children negatively impacted by teacher shortages, poor resources and overcrowded classrooms.
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Watching streamed extremist material online will be a criminal offence under plans to crackdown on terrorist propaganda.

Home Secretary Amber Rudd will say those found guilty of repeatedly viewing terrorist material could face up to 15 years in jail.

The new law will extend an existing ban on downloading and possessing the content on a PC to repeatedly watching it through sites like YouTube.

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Ms Rudd said: I want to make sure those who view despicable terrorist content online including jihadi websites, far-right propaganda and bomb-making instructions face the full force of the law.

Changes will enable police and the security service to keep pace with modern patterns of internet use and intervene earlier in an investigation given the speed with which online radicalisation is taking place.

The move comes as Ms Rudd ramped up her calls for internet giants such as Google and Facebook to do more to tackle the scourge of online extremism.

The Home Secretary yesterday criticised firms for developing encrypted software that has held back the authorities from investigating suspicious activity.

Tory conference 2017  in pictures Show all 23 1 /23 Tory conference 2017  in pictures Tory conference 2017  in pictures Comedian Simon Brodkin hands Theresa May a p45 during her conference speech @simonbrodkin/Twitter screengrab Tory conference 2017  in pictures Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May struggles with her water after she suffered a coughing fit whilst addressing the Conservative Party conference in Manchester Reuters Tory conference 2017  in pictures Britain's Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson delivers his speech on the third day of the Conservative Party annual conference Tory conference 2017  in pictures Bear Grylls at the Conservative party conference at the Manchester Central Convention Complex PA Tory conference 2017  in pictures Britain's International Development Secretary Priti Patel gestures after delivering her speech on the third day of the Conservative Party conference Paul Ellis/AFP Tory conference 2017  in pictures Prime Minister Theresa May and Chancellor Philip Hammond visit a home in Manchester during the Conservative Party conference in the city Phil Noble/PA Tory conference 2017  in pictures Britain's Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson returns from a morning run on the second day of the Conservative Party Conference, in Manchester Reuters/Phil Noble Tory conference 2017  in pictures Delegates view a display board showing the history of the Conservative Party as they arrive for the first day of the annual Conservative Party conference Getty Tory conference 2017  in pictures Delegates carry pro-Brexit bags as they arrive for the first day of the annual Conservative Party conference Getty Tory conference 2017  in pictures Delegates listen to Justine Greening's speech on the first day of conference Carl Court/Getty Tory conference 2017  in pictures Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May and her husband Philip applaud a speaker on the first day of the annual Conservative Party conference Carl Court/Getty Tory conference 2017  in pictures Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson speaks at the Conservative Party Conference at the Manchester Central Convention Complex PA Tory conference 2017  in pictures Secretary of State for Education, Justine Greening, speaks on the first day of the conference Carl Court/Getty Tory conference 2017  in pictures Chairman of the Conservative Party, Patrick McLoughlin, speaks at the opening of the first day of the Tory party conference Tory conference 2017  in pictures Chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond, arrives for the first day of Tory party conference Carl Court/Getty Tory conference 2017  in pictures Secretary of State for Defence, Michael Fallon, arrives at conference Getty Tory conference 2017  in pictures Home Secretary, Amber Rudd (C), attends the first day of the Conservative Party conference Carl Court/Getty Tory conference 2017  in pictures Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Sajid Javid, attends the first day of the Conservative Party conference Getty Tory conference 2017  in pictures Former Conservative minister, Edwina Currie, at the first day of conference Carl Court/Getty Tory conference 2017  in pictures Secretary of State for International Trade, Liam Fox, arrives at conference Carl Court/Getty Tory conference 2017  in pictures Britain's Foreign Secretary, Boris Johnson, arrives at the conference hotel for the Conservative Party Conference Reuters/Darren Staples Tory conference 2017  in pictures The anti-Tory march makes its way to the Conservative party conference in Manchester Peter Byrne/PA Tory conference 2017  in pictures A demonstrator walks a dog wearing a European Union flag during a protest on the opening day of the Conservative Party Conference, in Manchester Reuters/Darren Staples

End-to-end encryption is used in a variety of the most secure messaging apps, including those made by Apple, WhatsApp, Signal and Telegram.

The government has said that it is concerned that the technology keeps them from reading terrorists' and criminals' messages  but experts warn the same technology also keeps private citizens from having their messages read by criminals, and is used to secure banking technologies, among other functions.

Ms Rudd told a fringe event at Conservative conference that companies need to step up at a time where terrorist tactics are at a whole new level.

The tech giants need to step up and do more, take a moral responsibility for the fact their platforms are being used in this way, she said.

She added: Businesses are developing models that keep security services at bay and that is unacceptable.
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Theresa May has said Boris Johnsons conference speech has been looked at by her officials in advance, amid anger around the Foreign Secretarys repeated media interventions that have destabilised her government.

The Prime Minister was pushed in morning interviews to say whether she had pre-checked Mr Johnsons party conference speech, which she will not personally watch, after he appeared to diverge from her position in newspaper articles.

Ms May attempted to underline that she and the Boris have an agreed position on policy, though reports at the weekend suggested the Foreign Secretary believes the PMs tenure will be over within a year.

On the same day Mr Johnson gave an interview to The Sun in which he set out Brexit demands which appeared to go further than Ms May had in her speech on EU withdrawal in Florence the week before.

That followed another 4,000 word article written by Mr Johnson, which precipitated speculations that he was abaout to launch a leadership bid. There have since been angry responses from fellow Tories accusing him of destabilising the Government and making Jeremy Corbyn more likely to take power.

Asked if she had checked Mr Johnson's speech in advance, Ms may told Sky News: There are normal ways and processes of these things to make sure things get looked at."

Pressed again, she said: His speech has been looked at, dont worry.

Tory conference 2017  in pictures Show all 23 1 /23 Tory conference 2017  in pictures Tory conference 2017  in pictures Comedian Simon Brodkin hands Theresa May a p45 during her conference speech @simonbrodkin/Twitter screengrab Tory conference 2017  in pictures Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May struggles with her water after she suffered a coughing fit whilst addressing the Conservative Party conference in Manchester Reuters Tory conference 2017  in pictures Britain's Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson delivers his speech on the third day of the Conservative Party annual conference Tory conference 2017  in pictures Bear Grylls at the Conservative party conference at the Manchester Central Convention Complex PA Tory conference 2017  in pictures Britain's International Development Secretary Priti Patel gestures after delivering her speech on the third day of the Conservative Party conference Paul Ellis/AFP Tory conference 2017  in pictures Prime Minister Theresa May and Chancellor Philip Hammond visit a home in Manchester during the Conservative Party conference in the city Phil Noble/PA Tory conference 2017  in pictures Britain's Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson returns from a morning run on the second day of the Conservative Party Conference, in Manchester Reuters/Phil Noble Tory conference 2017  in pictures Delegates view a display board showing the history of the Conservative Party as they arrive for the first day of the annual Conservative Party conference Getty Tory conference 2017  in pictures Delegates carry pro-Brexit bags as they arrive for the first day of the annual Conservative Party conference Getty Tory conference 2017  in pictures Delegates listen to Justine Greening's speech on the first day of conference Carl Court/Getty Tory conference 2017  in pictures Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May and her husband Philip applaud a speaker on the first day of the annual Conservative Party conference Carl Court/Getty Tory conference 2017  in pictures Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson speaks at the Conservative Party Conference at the Manchester Central Convention Complex PA Tory conference 2017  in pictures Secretary of State for Education, Justine Greening, speaks on the first day of the conference Carl Court/Getty Tory conference 2017  in pictures Chairman of the Conservative Party, Patrick McLoughlin, speaks at the opening of the first day of the Tory party conference Tory conference 2017  in pictures Chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond, arrives for the first day of Tory party conference Carl Court/Getty Tory conference 2017  in pictures Secretary of State for Defence, Michael Fallon, arrives at conference Getty Tory conference 2017  in pictures Home Secretary, Amber Rudd (C), attends the first day of the Conservative Party conference Carl Court/Getty Tory conference 2017  in pictures Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Sajid Javid, attends the first day of the Conservative Party conference Getty Tory conference 2017  in pictures Former Conservative minister, Edwina Currie, at the first day of conference Carl Court/Getty Tory conference 2017  in pictures Secretary of State for International Trade, Liam Fox, arrives at conference Carl Court/Getty Tory conference 2017  in pictures Britain's Foreign Secretary, Boris Johnson, arrives at the conference hotel for the Conservative Party Conference Reuters/Darren Staples Tory conference 2017  in pictures The anti-Tory march makes its way to the Conservative party conference in Manchester Peter Byrne/PA Tory conference 2017  in pictures A demonstrator walks a dog wearing a European Union flag during a protest on the opening day of the Conservative Party Conference, in Manchester Reuters/Darren Staples

Ms May confirmed at an event at her party's conference in Manchester last night that she would not be attending Mr Johnson's speech on the conference floor.

She said on Tuesday: What Boris is going to be doing today at conference is setting out what our plans are for global Britain, how optimistic we are about what we can achieve as a country once we leave the European union.

He and I are both ambitious and optimistic about the opportunities for global Britain.

Speaking to BBC News, Ms May said that she did not want a cabinet of yes men around her and that her Government had come to an agreed position on Brexit in her Florence speech.

On Channel 4 television programme aired on Monday night featured friends of Mr Johnson saying the Foreign Secretary believed Ms May could be pushed from office within a year and that he could have one last shot at getting into Downing Street.
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Activists in Charlottesville, Virginia  the site of a violent, white-supremacist rally over the summer  claim to have chased a prominent white supremacist out of a city council meeting.

The organiser of the Unite the Right rally, Jason Kessler, recently signed up to speak at a Charlottesville town meeting. Seeing his name of the speakers list that day, city council member Kristin Szakos told The Independent she thought: Uh-oh, this could get ugly.

But Ms Szakos had nothing to worry about. When she called Mr Kesslers name, he did not appear. Instead, someone called out from the audience: We chased him out of town!

We found him and his friends and we chased him out of town tonight," yelled another. "Thats why hes not in this room right now."

The meeting room erupted in applause. Several townspeople got to their feet to cheer.

Thats appreciated, one city council member announced through his microphone.

Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Show all 9 1 /9 Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Protesters clash and several are injured White nationalist demonstrators clash with counter demonstrators at the entrance to Lee Park in Charlottesville, Virginia. A state of emergency is declared, August 12 2017 Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Trump supporters at the protest A white nationalist demonstrator walks into Lee Park in Charlottesville, Va., Saturday, Aug. 12, 2017. Hundreds of people chanted, threw punches, hurled water bottles and unleashed chemical sprays on each other Saturday after violence erupted at a white nationalist rally in Virginia. AP Photo Violence on the streets of Charlottesville State police stand ready in riot gear Virginia State Police cordon off an area around the site where a car ran into a group of protesters after a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia AP Photo Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Militia armed with assault rifles White nationalists, neo-Nazis and members of the 'alt-right' with body armor and combat weapons evacuate comrades who were pepper sprayed after the 'Unite the Right' rally was declared a unlawful gathering by Virginia State Police. Militia members marched through the city earlier in the day, armed with assault rifles. Getty Images Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Statue of Confederate General Robert E Lee The statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee stands behind a crowd of hundreds of white nationalists, neo-Nazis and members of the 'alt-right' during the 'Unite the Right' rally 12 August 2017 in Charlottesville, Virginia. They are protesting the removal of the statue from Emancipation Park in the city. Getty Images Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Racial tensions sparked the violence White nationalists, neo-Nazis and members of the 'alt-right' exchange insults with counter-protesters as they attempt to guard the entrance to Lee Park during the 'Unite the Right' rally Getty Violence on the streets of Charlottesville A car plows through protesters A vehicle drives into a group of protesters demonstrating against a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. The incident resulted in multiple injuries, some life-threatening, and one death. AP Photo Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Rescue personnel help injured people after a car ran into a large group of protesters after an white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia AP Photo Violence on the streets of Charlottesville President Donald Trump speaks about the ongoing situation in Charlottesville, Virginia from his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey. He spoke about "loyalty" and "healing wounds" left by decades of racism.

Afterward, Ms Szakos talked to activists who said they had followed Mr Kessler out of the meeting, and into a town nearly 45 minutes away.

"This whole time we had been sitting in a meeting, they had been chasing him out of town with their car," she said.

A local activist group called Solidarity CVille celebrated the news online. The organisation claimed Mr Kessler, a Charlottesville resident, had met with members of a white supremacist organisation in Charlottesville that day.

When word spread of these sightings, community members gathered to protect and defend Charlottesville from the presence of these white supremacists, Solidarity CVille wrote in a post on Medium.

Charlottesville police said they did not receive any reports of the white supremacist organisation, League of the South, organising on Monday. Mr Kessler did not respond to requests for comment.

 Nazi shouts "Hey n****" and fires gunshot at counter-protester in Charlottesville

Charlottesville was shaken by the force of the Unite the Right rally this summer, when thousands of people descended on the small, southern city to protest the removal of a Confederate statue.

Members of neo-Nazi, Ku Klux Klan, and other white supremacist groups flocked to the event, said to be the largest white supremacist gathering in decade.

Dozens of people were injured in clashes between protesters and counter-protesters over the balmy August weekend. One woman, 32-year-old Heather Heyer, was killed.

At the end of Mondays city council meeting, members voted to name a street in downtown Charlottesville Heather Heyer Way.

We cant bring her back, and if we could bring her back we would, said Neighbourhood Development Services Director Alex Ikefuna, who presented the proposal.

He added: "We can only designate this stretch of this street in remembrance of this special lady, who stood for fairness, social justice, and positive change in our community.
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The Trump administration is preparing to ask Cuba to withdraw 60 per cent of its diplomats from Washington, US officials said on Monday, in response to last weeks US move to cut its own embassy staff in Havana by a similar amount.

The US request marks yet another major setback for relations between the United States and Cuba, two countries that only recently renewed diplomatic relations after a half-century of hostility. It comes as the US seeks to protect its own diplomats from unexplained attacks that have harmed at least 21 Americans in Havana with ailments that affected their hearing, cognition, balance and vision.

The State Department is expected to announce the decision on Tuesday, officials said, though they cautioned no decision was formalised until publicly announced. The officials werent authorised to discuss the plan publicly and requested anonymity.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson discussed the plan Monday with President Donald Trump, one of the officials said.

Cuba has denied involvement in the attacks. Though Havana is likely to view the move as unwarranted retaliation, US officials said the goal wasnt to punish the communist-run island, but to ensure both countries have a similar number of diplomats in each others capitals. The United States will formally ask Cuba to pull the diplomats, but wont expel them forcefully unless Havana refuses, the officials said.

Tensions between the two neighbours have been escalating amid serious US concern about the unexplained attacks on Americans in Havana.

On Monday, The Associated Press reported that US spies were among the first and most severely affected victims. Though bona fide diplomats have also been affected, it wasnt until US spies, working out of the embassy under diplomatic cover, reported hearing bizarre sounds and experiencing even stranger physical effects that the United States realised something was wrong, several individuals familiar with the situation said.

The mysterious health attacks started within days of President Donald Trumps election in November, the AP has reported. But it wasnt until Friday that the United States ordered more than half its embassy staff to return home.

Delivering a one-two punch to US-Cuba relations, the US last week also delivered an ominous warning to Americans to stay away from Cuba, a move that could have profound implications for the islands travel industry. The US said that since some workers had been attacked in Havana hotels, it couldnt assure Americans who visit Cuba that they wouldnt suffer attacks if they stay in hotels there.

Cuba had blasted the American move as hasty and lamented that it was being taken without conclusive investigation results. But several US lawmakers had said that move by Washington didnt go far enough, because President Raul Castros government was being permitted to keep all of its diplomats in the US Senator Marco Rubio, Republican-Florida, had called the one-sided action an insult in an AP interview.

There was no immediate reaction from Cubas Embassy in Washington late Monday after word emerged that the US planned to ask Cuban diplomats to leave. Yet the move will bring the two countries closer to the chilly state of relations they endured for decades until 2015, when they restored formal ties and re-opened embassies in Havana and Washington.

The US previously had roughly 50 American workers at its embassy in Havana, so the 60 percent reduction will bring the figure down to roughly 20. It wasnt immediately clear late Monday how Cuban diplomats will have to leave Washington to bring the two countries rosters to parity.

In Fridays travel warning urging Americans not to visit Cuba, the State Department confirmed earlier reporting by the AP that US personnel first encountered unexplained physical effects in Cuban hotels. While American tourists arent known to have been hurt, the US said they could be exposed if they travel to the island.

Because our personnels safety is at risk, and we are unable to identify the source of the attacks, we believe US citizens may also be at risk and warn them not to travel to Cuba, the warning said.

At least 21 diplomats and family members have been affected. The department said symptoms include hearing loss, dizziness, headache, fatigue, cognitive issues and difficulty sleeping. Until Friday, the US had generally referred to incidents. Tillersons statement ended that practice, mentioning attacks seven times; the travel alert used the word five times.

Still, the administration has pointedly not blamed Cuba for perpetrating the attacks, and officials have spent weeks weighing how to minimise the risk for Americans in Cuba without unnecessarily harming relations or falling into an adversarys trap.

In 2015, President Barack Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro restored diplomatic ties, ordered embassies re-opened and eased travel and commerce restrictions. Trump has reversed some changes but has broadly left the rapprochement in place.

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

To medical investigators dismay, symptoms have varied widely. In addition to hearing loss and concussions, some people have experienced nausea, headaches and ear-ringing. The Associated Press has reported some now suffer from problems with concentration and common word recall.

Though the incidents stopped for a time, they recurred as recently as late August.

AP
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When gunfire began to rain down on country music lovers in Las Vegas this weekend, two friends tore down a fence to help people flee the attack before leaving to see if they could help find a way to bring the wounded to the hospital. Former marine Taylor Winston and Jenn Lewis eventually found a truck that was unattended, and decided to grab it.

Jenn and I luckily found a truck with keys in it and started transporting priority victims to the hospital, and made a couple trips, and tried to help out the best we could until more ambulances could arrive, Mr Winston later told the Daily Beast. The two were able to transport about two dozen people to the hospital.

In the wake of the deadliest mass shooting in American history, numerous accounts of heroism like that have emerged. Concert-goers from all over the country reacted to the terror with bravery, saving numerous lives while a man armed with dozens of rifles shot at them from his perch on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel and casino.

After the shooting began, Sonny Melton shielded his wife Heather, and paid for it with his life.

He saved my life. He grabbed me and started running when I felt him get shot in the back, Ms Melton, who was in town with her husband from Tennessee, said. I want everyone to know what a kind-hearted, loving man he was, but at this point, I can barely breathe.

Meanwhile, Jonathan Smith risked his life to try and save others as well.

Las Vegas shooting  in pictures Show all 15 1 /15 Las Vegas shooting  in pictures Las Vegas shooting  in pictures People scramble for shelter at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after gun fire was heard Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures People carry a person at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after shots were fired David Becker/Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures People run from the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after gun fire was heard David Becker/Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures A handout photo released via Twitter by Eiki Hrafnsson (@EirikurH) showing concertgoers running away from the scene (C) after shots range out at the Route 91 Harvest festival on Las Vegas Boulevard EPA/Eiki Hrafnsson Las Vegas shooting  in pictures People lie on the ground at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after hearing gun fire Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures A man in a wheelchair is taken away from the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after hearing gun fire David Becker/Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures People stand on the street outside the Mandalay Bay hotel near the scene of the Route 91 Harvest festival on Las Vegas Boulevard EPA/Paul Buck Las Vegas shooting  in pictures FBI agents confer in front of the Tropicana hotel-casino after a mass shooting during a music festival on the Las Vegas Strip Reuters/Las Vegas Sun/Steve Marcus Las Vegas shooting  in pictures Las Vegas police run by a banner on the fence at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival grounds after shots were fired David Becker/Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures An injured person is tended to in the intersection of Tropicana Ave. and Las Vegas Boulevard after a mass shooting at a country music festival Ethan Miller/Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures Metro Police officers pass by the front of the Tropicana hotel-casino after a mass shooting at a music festival on the Las Vegas Strip Reuters/Las Vegas Sun/Steve Marcus Las Vegas shooting  in pictures A woman sits on a curb at the scene of a shooting outside of a music festival along the Las Vegas Strip AP/John Locher Las Vegas shooting  in pictures A cowboy hat lays in the street after shots were fired near a country music festival in Las Vegas Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures Las Vegas Metro Police and medical workers stage in the intersection of Tropicana Avenue and Las Vegas Boulevard South after a mass shooting at a music festival on the Las Vegas Strip Reuters/Las Vegas Sun/Steve Marcus Las Vegas shooting  in pictures Sheriff Joe Lombardo (2-R) speaking during a press briefing in the aftermath of the active shooter incident on Las Vegas Boulevard EPA

The 30-year-old is said to have saved as many as 30 people, before he spotted a few young girls exposed to the gunfire, and urged them to get to the ground. While doing so, he was shot in the neck.

I couldnt feel anything in my neck. There was a warm sensation in my arm, Mr Smith told The Washington Post afterward while being treated at Sunrise Hospital.

He may live with the bullet lodged in his neck for the rest of his life.

Kurt Fowler, an off-duty Arizona firefighter took a bullet while protecting his wife, Trina, from gunfire. While laying on top of her to act as a human shield, Mr Fowler was hit in the leg by a bullet. He was later rushed to the hospital and underwent surgery, which was successful.

Mike Cronk, who was in town to celebrate his 48th birthday, risked getting shot to save his friend, Ron. After Ron was hit three times in the chest, Mr Cronk tore his shirt off to stave off the bleeding, and slid him underneath the concert stage for protection from the gunfire. A woman came over to help compress the wound.

Mr Cronk and the woman eventually moved Ron to one of the many pickup trucks that were acting as make-shift ambulances to help bring people to get medical care. Three others were already in that truck, one of whom later died.

Im no hero, Mr Cronk later. But theres a lot of heroes out there.

For some of the heroes, their paths crossed on that night of terror.

Kelly Presten McCurdy, a Los Angeles fire captain, carried his sister-in-law, Jessi Preston back to their room in the Mandalay Bay hotel, before returning to see if he could help anybody else, according to Mike Brown, his cousin.

Mr Brown would later encountered an off-duty Nevada firefighter, Steve Keys, not too far away who shot while performing CPR. Mr Keys had been grazed by a bullet, leaving a wound that extended from his chest to his stomach.

He said, Yeah, I got shot, Mr Brown said. He lifts his shirt up. He was shot in the chest. He said, Ill be fine.
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A man has been credited with saving some 30 people during the Las Vegas concert shooting before being hit by a bullet.

Jonathan Smith, 30, went to the concert with nine members of his family. As the rounds began to fly at the Mandalay Bay hotel and casino, his elder brother, Louis Rust, grabbed them and told them all to run.

But Mr Smith, focussed on saving his nieces, turned back into the crowd when they became separated, the Washington Post reported.

Recommended Las Vegas killer legally purchased guns and passed background checks

Fellow concert-goers were paralysed in fear, he said, so he kept shouting, "Active shooter, let's go!" while pushing them towards a parking area. "I got a few people out of there," he told the Post.

But while trying to reach a group of children a bullet struck him in the neck, fracturing his collarbone, cracking a rib and bruising a lung.

"I might have to live with this bullet for the rest of my life," Mr Smith said. Doctors have left it in place for now.

The copy machine engineer said an off-duty police officer likely saved his life, by trying to staunch the bleeding and then finding him a lift to hospital.

Mr Smith's family escaped safely, it was reported.

Las Vegas shooting  in pictures Show all 15 1 /15 Las Vegas shooting  in pictures Las Vegas shooting  in pictures People scramble for shelter at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after gun fire was heard Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures People carry a person at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after shots were fired David Becker/Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures People run from the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after gun fire was heard David Becker/Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures A handout photo released via Twitter by Eiki Hrafnsson (@EirikurH) showing concertgoers running away from the scene (C) after shots range out at the Route 91 Harvest festival on Las Vegas Boulevard EPA/Eiki Hrafnsson Las Vegas shooting  in pictures People lie on the ground at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after hearing gun fire Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures A man in a wheelchair is taken away from the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after hearing gun fire David Becker/Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures People stand on the street outside the Mandalay Bay hotel near the scene of the Route 91 Harvest festival on Las Vegas Boulevard EPA/Paul Buck Las Vegas shooting  in pictures FBI agents confer in front of the Tropicana hotel-casino after a mass shooting during a music festival on the Las Vegas Strip Reuters/Las Vegas Sun/Steve Marcus Las Vegas shooting  in pictures Las Vegas police run by a banner on the fence at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival grounds after shots were fired David Becker/Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures An injured person is tended to in the intersection of Tropicana Ave. and Las Vegas Boulevard after a mass shooting at a country music festival Ethan Miller/Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures Metro Police officers pass by the front of the Tropicana hotel-casino after a mass shooting at a music festival on the Las Vegas Strip Reuters/Las Vegas Sun/Steve Marcus Las Vegas shooting  in pictures A woman sits on a curb at the scene of a shooting outside of a music festival along the Las Vegas Strip AP/John Locher Las Vegas shooting  in pictures A cowboy hat lays in the street after shots were fired near a country music festival in Las Vegas Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures Las Vegas Metro Police and medical workers stage in the intersection of Tropicana Avenue and Las Vegas Boulevard South after a mass shooting at a music festival on the Las Vegas Strip Reuters/Las Vegas Sun/Steve Marcus Las Vegas shooting  in pictures Sheriff Joe Lombardo (2-R) speaking during a press briefing in the aftermath of the active shooter incident on Las Vegas Boulevard EPA

He told the Post he did not see himself as a hero, though he has been held up as one after an image of him in hospital went viral. "I would want someone to do the same for me," he said.

Shooter Stephen Paddock killed 59 people on Monday, and injured more than 500 others.

Police have said they found 23 firearms in his hotel room at the Mandalay Bay, from where he opened fire on the concert, and another 19 at his home in Mesquite, Nevada.
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CBS fired a company executive on Monday after she criticised some victims of the Las Vegas mass shooting as Republican gun toters who did not deserve sympathy.

Hayley Geftman-Gold, who was a vice president and senior legal counsel at CBS in New York, also wrote on Facebook that she had no hope that Republicans - whom she called Repugs - would ever take action and do the right thing if they didn't do anything when children were murdered, an apparent reference to the Sandy Hook shootings that left 28 people dead, including 20 children killed inside their elementary school.

Geftman-Gold made her Facebook comments in the aftermath of the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history, with at least 59 people killed and more than 500 injured. The shooting attack occurred at the end of a three-day country music festival held over the weekend on the Las Vegas Strip. The event drew a diverse crowd of thousands of music fans out, and police said the audience was more than 22,000-strong when gunshots rang out at about 10pm on Sunday.

Recommended Las Vegas gunman a wealthy gambler who owned homes in four states

CBS confirmed to The Washington Post on Monday that Geftman-Gold was dismissed for her deeply unacceptable comments on social media.

This individual, who was with us for approximately one year, violated the standards of our company and is no longer an employee of CBS, the company said in a statement.

Her views as expressed on social media are deeply unacceptable to all of us at CBS. Our hearts go out to the victims in Las Vegas and their families.

Her posts have since been deleted.

The Daily Caller, a right-leaning outlet, first reported on Geftman-Gold's post Monday morning.

Geftman-Gold, who had been with CBS for a year, said that she sincerely regrets her indefensible and shameful post, and is deeply sorry for diminishing the significance of every life affected by the gunman's terrorism, according to Fox News.

Las Vegas shooting  in pictures Show all 15 1 /15 Las Vegas shooting  in pictures Las Vegas shooting  in pictures People scramble for shelter at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after gun fire was heard Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures People carry a person at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after shots were fired David Becker/Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures People run from the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after gun fire was heard David Becker/Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures A handout photo released via Twitter by Eiki Hrafnsson (@EirikurH) showing concertgoers running away from the scene (C) after shots range out at the Route 91 Harvest festival on Las Vegas Boulevard EPA/Eiki Hrafnsson Las Vegas shooting  in pictures People lie on the ground at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after hearing gun fire Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures A man in a wheelchair is taken away from the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after hearing gun fire David Becker/Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures People stand on the street outside the Mandalay Bay hotel near the scene of the Route 91 Harvest festival on Las Vegas Boulevard EPA/Paul Buck Las Vegas shooting  in pictures FBI agents confer in front of the Tropicana hotel-casino after a mass shooting during a music festival on the Las Vegas Strip Reuters/Las Vegas Sun/Steve Marcus Las Vegas shooting  in pictures Las Vegas police run by a banner on the fence at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival grounds after shots were fired David Becker/Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures An injured person is tended to in the intersection of Tropicana Ave. and Las Vegas Boulevard after a mass shooting at a country music festival Ethan Miller/Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures Metro Police officers pass by the front of the Tropicana hotel-casino after a mass shooting at a music festival on the Las Vegas Strip Reuters/Las Vegas Sun/Steve Marcus Las Vegas shooting  in pictures A woman sits on a curb at the scene of a shooting outside of a music festival along the Las Vegas Strip AP/John Locher Las Vegas shooting  in pictures A cowboy hat lays in the street after shots were fired near a country music festival in Las Vegas Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures Las Vegas Metro Police and medical workers stage in the intersection of Tropicana Avenue and Las Vegas Boulevard South after a mass shooting at a music festival on the Las Vegas Strip Reuters/Las Vegas Sun/Steve Marcus Las Vegas shooting  in pictures Sheriff Joe Lombardo (2-R) speaking during a press briefing in the aftermath of the active shooter incident on Las Vegas Boulevard EPA

A petition addressed to the New York State Bar Association has been posted online condemning Geftman-Gold's professional misconduct, and had more than 1,000 signatures as of early Monday evening.

The Washington Post
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Police are seeking clues to explain why a retiree with a penchant for gambling but no criminal record set up a sniper's nest in a high-rise Las Vegas hotel and poured gunfire onto a concert below, slaying dozens of people before killing himself.

The Sunday night shooting spree from a 32nd-floor window of the Mandalay Bay hotel, on the Las Vegas Strip, killed at least 59 people before the gunman turned a weapon on himself. More than 500 were injured, some trampled, in the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history.

The gunman, identified as Stephen Paddock, 64, left no immediate hint of his motive for the arsenal of high-powered weaponry he amassed, including 34 guns, or the carnage he inflicted on a crowd of 22,000 attending an outdoor country music festival.

Recommended Las Vegas gunman a wealthy gambler who owned homes in four states

Paddock was not known to have served in the military, or to have suffered from a history of mental illness or to have registered any inkling of social disaffection, political discontent or radical views on social media.

US officials also discounted a claim of responsibility by Isis.

We have determined to this point no connection with an international terrorist group, Aaron Rouse, special agent in charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation field office in Las Vegas, told reporters on Monday.

Police said they believed Paddock acted alone but were at a loss to explain what might have precipitated it.

We have no idea what his belief system was, Clark County Sheriff Joseph Lombardo told reporters. I can't get into the mind of a psychopath.

Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo briefs members of the media outside Metro Police headquarters (Yasmina Chavez/Las Vegas Sun/AP)

Although police said they had no other suspects, Lombardo said investigators wanted to talk with Paddock's girlfriend and live-in companion, Marilou Danley, who he said was travelling abroad, possibly in Tokyo.

Lombardo also said detectives were aware of other individuals who were involved in the sale of weapons Paddock acquired.

Still, the closest Paddock appeared to have ever come to a brush with the law was for a traffic infraction, authorities said.

The death toll, which officials said could rise, surpassed last year's record massacre of 49 people at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, by a gunman who pledged allegiance to Islamic State.

Paddock, however, seemed atypical of the overtly troubled, angry young men who experts said have come to embody the profile of most mass shooters.

Public records point to an itinerant existence across the US West and South East, including stints as an apartment manager and aerospace industry worker. But Paddock appeared to be settling in to a quiet life when he bought a home in a Nevada retirement community a few years ago, about an hour's drive from Las Vegas and the casinos he enjoyed.

His brother, Eric, described Stephen Paddock as financially well-off and an avid enthusiast of video poker games and cruises.

We're horrified. We're bewildered, and our condolences go out to the victims, Eric Paddock said in a telephone interview from Orlando, Florida. We have no idea in the world.

Las Vegas's casinos, nightclubs and shopping draw some 3.5 million visitors from around the world each year, and the Strip was packed with visitors when the shooting started shortly after 10pm local time on Sunday (4am GMT Monday).

The gunfire erupted during the Route 91 Harvest music festival as country music star Jason Aldean was performing. The musician ran off stage as the shooting progressed.

Video of the attack showed throngs of people screaming in horror and cowering on the open ground, hemmed in by fellow concert-goers, as extended bursts of gunfire strafed the crowd from above from a distance police estimated at more than 500 yards (457 metres). Those at the edges of the crowd fled as best they could, many trampled or hurt jumping over fences while the shooting went on, by some accounts, for about 10 minutes.

The bloodshed ended after police swarming the hotel closed in on the gunman, who shot and wounded a hotel security officer through the door of his two-room suite and then killed himself before police entered, authorities said.

Police said 23 guns were found in Paddock's suite, along with more than 10 suitcases.

Lombardo said a search of the suspect's car turned up a supply of ammonium nitrate, a fertiliser compound that can be formed into explosives and was used in the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing of a federal office building that killed 168 people.

Police found another 19 firearms, some explosives and thousands of rounds of ammunition at Paddock's home in Mesquite, about 90 miles (145km) northeast of Las Vegas, along with some electronic devices, including computers.

They also obtained a warrant to search a second house connected to Paddock in Reno, Nevada, more than 400 miles (644km) northwest of Las Vegas.

Chris Sullivan, the owner of the Guns & Guitars shop in Mesquite, issued a statement confirming that Paddock was a customer who cleared all necessary background checks and procedures, and said his business was cooperating with investigators.

He never gave any indication or reason to believe he was unstable or unfit at any time, Sullivan said. He did not say how many or the kinds of weapons Paddock purchased there.

Las Vegas shooting  in pictures Show all 15 1 /15 Las Vegas shooting  in pictures Las Vegas shooting  in pictures People scramble for shelter at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after gun fire was heard Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures People carry a person at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after shots were fired David Becker/Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures People run from the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after gun fire was heard David Becker/Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures A handout photo released via Twitter by Eiki Hrafnsson (@EirikurH) showing concertgoers running away from the scene (C) after shots range out at the Route 91 Harvest festival on Las Vegas Boulevard EPA/Eiki Hrafnsson Las Vegas shooting  in pictures People lie on the ground at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after hearing gun fire Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures A man in a wheelchair is taken away from the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after hearing gun fire David Becker/Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures People stand on the street outside the Mandalay Bay hotel near the scene of the Route 91 Harvest festival on Las Vegas Boulevard EPA/Paul Buck Las Vegas shooting  in pictures FBI agents confer in front of the Tropicana hotel-casino after a mass shooting during a music festival on the Las Vegas Strip Reuters/Las Vegas Sun/Steve Marcus Las Vegas shooting  in pictures Las Vegas police run by a banner on the fence at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival grounds after shots were fired David Becker/Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures An injured person is tended to in the intersection of Tropicana Ave. and Las Vegas Boulevard after a mass shooting at a country music festival Ethan Miller/Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures Metro Police officers pass by the front of the Tropicana hotel-casino after a mass shooting at a music festival on the Las Vegas Strip Reuters/Las Vegas Sun/Steve Marcus Las Vegas shooting  in pictures A woman sits on a curb at the scene of a shooting outside of a music festival along the Las Vegas Strip AP/John Locher Las Vegas shooting  in pictures A cowboy hat lays in the street after shots were fired near a country music festival in Las Vegas Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures Las Vegas Metro Police and medical workers stage in the intersection of Tropicana Avenue and Las Vegas Boulevard South after a mass shooting at a music festival on the Las Vegas Strip Reuters/Las Vegas Sun/Steve Marcus Las Vegas shooting  in pictures Sheriff Joe Lombardo (2-R) speaking during a press briefing in the aftermath of the active shooter incident on Las Vegas Boulevard EPA

Lombardo said investigators knew that a gun dealer had come forward to say that he had sold weapons to the suspect, but it was not clear if he was referring to Sullivan. He said police were aware of some other individuals who were engaged in those transactions, including at least one in Arizona.

Investigators also want to interview Danley, who police initially described as a person of interest but not a suspect. She is an Australian citizen who is reported to have been born in the Philippines.

Reuters
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Photos reportedly showing the inside of the hotel room used by Las Vegas mass shooter Stephen Paddock have emerged.

The images appear to show two of the 23 rifles found inside the room used by the 64-year-old to murder at least 58 people and injure more than 500 as they attended a country music festival on Sunday evening.

Said to be taken inside Paddocks 32nd floor Mandalay Bay Hotel room, the unverified photos, obtained by Boston 25 News, show military grade weapons, a tripod and spent cartridges.

Various government agencies are investigating what led Mr Paddock to open fire from a Las Vegas hotel room into a crowd of some 22,000 concert-goers.

Hes a sick man, a demented man. A lot of problems, I guess, US President Donald Trump told reporters on Tuesday. We are looking into him very, very seriously. But were dealing with a very, very sick individual, the President added.

The gunfire erupted as country music star Jason Aldean was performing at the Route 91 Harvest Festival. He ran off stage as the shooting progressed.

Video of the attack showed throngs of people screaming in horror and cowering on the open ground as extended bursts of gunfire strafed the crowd from above, from a distance police estimated at more than 500 yards (460 metres).

 Las Vegas shooting: Who is gunman Stephen Paddock?

The bloodshed ended with police swarming the hotel and closing in on Mr Paddock, who shot and wounded a hotel security officer through the door of his two-room suite and then killed himself before police entered, authorities said.

In addition to the 23 guns  and two tripods  found in the hotel room, police also found 19 more firearms, some explosives and thousands of rounds of ammunition at Mr Paddock's home in Mesquite, about 80 miles north-east of Las Vegas.

A search of Paddock's car also led to the discovery of a quantity of ammonium nitrate, a fertiliser that can be turned into explosives.

The shooting has rekindled the controversy over gun policy in the US, with Democrats again calling for stricter gun control laws even though stricter background checks might not have flagged the Las Vegas shooter.

But we cant get caught in the trap of only advocating legislation that addressed yesterdays shooting, Democratic Senator Chris Murphy told reporters on Monday. The fact is, 80 other people died from guns yesterday and stronger background checks laws shouldve saved many of them.

Christopher Sullivan, general manager of Guns & Guitars, a gun shop in Mesquite, Nevada, confirmed that Mr Paddock had bought firearms at his store. Mr Paddock never gave any indication that he might have been unstable, Mr Sullivan said in a statement.

The gun shop owner also said Mr Paddock showed no signs of being unfit to buy guns. All the purchases were legal and cleared routine federal screening, Mr Sullivan said.
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The Las Vegas mass shooter set up cameras around the hotel room used in his deadly attack, police have said.

Clark County Sheriff Joseph Lombardo told reporters that the shooter installed the cameras both inside and outside his room at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, before opening fire on a country music concert below. At least one camera was installed on the service cart in the hallway.

The shooter may have installed cameras to watch for anyone approaching, Mr Lombardo said. All digital and electronic evidence has been taken into custody.

The shooter, identified by police as Stephen Paddock, was able to fire on the crowd for nine minutes before a SWAT team blasted through his door, Mr Lombardo said. The 64-year-old killed himself before officers could reach him.

Paddock's attack injured more than 500 people, and killed at least 59, making it the deadliest mass shooting in US history.

Authorities later found 23 weapons in Paddock's hotel room; 19 in his home in Mesquite, Nevada, and seven in his home in Reno. Explosive substances were also discovered in his home and car.

Las Vegas shooting  in pictures Show all 15 1 /15 Las Vegas shooting  in pictures Las Vegas shooting  in pictures People scramble for shelter at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after gun fire was heard Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures People carry a person at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after shots were fired David Becker/Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures People run from the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after gun fire was heard David Becker/Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures A handout photo released via Twitter by Eiki Hrafnsson (@EirikurH) showing concertgoers running away from the scene (C) after shots range out at the Route 91 Harvest festival on Las Vegas Boulevard EPA/Eiki Hrafnsson Las Vegas shooting  in pictures People lie on the ground at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after hearing gun fire Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures A man in a wheelchair is taken away from the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after hearing gun fire David Becker/Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures People stand on the street outside the Mandalay Bay hotel near the scene of the Route 91 Harvest festival on Las Vegas Boulevard EPA/Paul Buck Las Vegas shooting  in pictures FBI agents confer in front of the Tropicana hotel-casino after a mass shooting during a music festival on the Las Vegas Strip Reuters/Las Vegas Sun/Steve Marcus Las Vegas shooting  in pictures Las Vegas police run by a banner on the fence at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival grounds after shots were fired David Becker/Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures An injured person is tended to in the intersection of Tropicana Ave. and Las Vegas Boulevard after a mass shooting at a country music festival Ethan Miller/Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures Metro Police officers pass by the front of the Tropicana hotel-casino after a mass shooting at a music festival on the Las Vegas Strip Reuters/Las Vegas Sun/Steve Marcus Las Vegas shooting  in pictures A woman sits on a curb at the scene of a shooting outside of a music festival along the Las Vegas Strip AP/John Locher Las Vegas shooting  in pictures A cowboy hat lays in the street after shots were fired near a country music festival in Las Vegas Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures Las Vegas Metro Police and medical workers stage in the intersection of Tropicana Avenue and Las Vegas Boulevard South after a mass shooting at a music festival on the Las Vegas Strip Reuters/Las Vegas Sun/Steve Marcus Las Vegas shooting  in pictures Sheriff Joe Lombardo (2-R) speaking during a press briefing in the aftermath of the active shooter incident on Las Vegas Boulevard EPA

The amount and type of weaponry found in the hotel room suggest the attack was "pre-planned extensively," Mr Lombardo said.

"The world has changed. And, you know, who would have ever imagine this situation," the sheriff added. "I couldn't imagine it. And for this individual to take it upon himself to create this chaos and harm is unspeakable."

Police have yet to determine a motive in the shooting.

 Las Vegas shooting: What we know so far

Investigators are still hoping to interview Paddock's girlfriend, Marilou Danley, who remains a person of interest in the attack. Ms Danley was in her home country of the Philippines on the day of the shooting.

Paddock wired $100,000 to an account in the Philippines prior to shooting, according to NBC News, but it is unclear whether the money was meant for Ms Danley's use.

Employees at the Starbucks near Paddock's Mesquite home said he used to berate his girlfriend in front of them.

He would glare down at her and say  with a mean attitude  You dont need my casino card for this. Im paying for your drink, just like Im paying for you'," a Starbucks supervisor told the Los Angeles Times.

Mr Lombardo said on Monday that police were continuing the investigation, into Ms Danley.

There are several questions that need to be answered  but she is currently out of the country," he said. "We are making arrangements to contact her upon her return."
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Stephen Paddock's father launched a violent attack in Las Vegas decades ago, with chilling parallels to his son's massacre in the same city.

Almost 60 years before his son would use an arsenal of weapons to kill at least 59 people in the Nevada city, Benjamin Hoskins Paddock was involved in a violent incident in Las Vegas himself. Just like Stephen Paddock, his father was pursued by police through the city and he used violence to repel them  unlike Benjamin, he survived and would go on to have a career of crime.

Much has been made of Paddock's father's history of criminal activity, for which he was so notorious that he was on the FBI's 10 most wanted list. It is perhaps the only significant clue that anything was unusual about Stephen Paddock, a man who otherwise has been largely described as normal and never likely to commit such a horrifying atrocity.

Las Vegas shooting  in pictures Show all 15 1 /15 Las Vegas shooting  in pictures Las Vegas shooting  in pictures People scramble for shelter at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after gun fire was heard Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures People carry a person at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after shots were fired David Becker/Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures People run from the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after gun fire was heard David Becker/Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures A handout photo released via Twitter by Eiki Hrafnsson (@EirikurH) showing concertgoers running away from the scene (C) after shots range out at the Route 91 Harvest festival on Las Vegas Boulevard EPA/Eiki Hrafnsson Las Vegas shooting  in pictures People lie on the ground at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after hearing gun fire Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures A man in a wheelchair is taken away from the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after hearing gun fire David Becker/Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures People stand on the street outside the Mandalay Bay hotel near the scene of the Route 91 Harvest festival on Las Vegas Boulevard EPA/Paul Buck Las Vegas shooting  in pictures FBI agents confer in front of the Tropicana hotel-casino after a mass shooting during a music festival on the Las Vegas Strip Reuters/Las Vegas Sun/Steve Marcus Las Vegas shooting  in pictures Las Vegas police run by a banner on the fence at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival grounds after shots were fired David Becker/Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures An injured person is tended to in the intersection of Tropicana Ave. and Las Vegas Boulevard after a mass shooting at a country music festival Ethan Miller/Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures Metro Police officers pass by the front of the Tropicana hotel-casino after a mass shooting at a music festival on the Las Vegas Strip Reuters/Las Vegas Sun/Steve Marcus Las Vegas shooting  in pictures A woman sits on a curb at the scene of a shooting outside of a music festival along the Las Vegas Strip AP/John Locher Las Vegas shooting  in pictures A cowboy hat lays in the street after shots were fired near a country music festival in Las Vegas Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures Las Vegas Metro Police and medical workers stage in the intersection of Tropicana Avenue and Las Vegas Boulevard South after a mass shooting at a music festival on the Las Vegas Strip Reuters/Las Vegas Sun/Steve Marcus Las Vegas shooting  in pictures Sheriff Joe Lombardo (2-R) speaking during a press briefing in the aftermath of the active shooter incident on Las Vegas Boulevard EPA

Part of that violent past includes the confrontation in Las Vegas, which saw Paddock's father come across police while he was on the run. Though the majority of his crime was bank robbery, he appears also to have a streak of violence that led him into trouble with the law.

In 1960, Benjamin Paddock was charged with stealing $25,000 from three different banks in Arizona, where he and his son are thought to have lived. He immediately went on the run, but was identified by a member of staff who spotted strange radio antennas on a car.

A couple of days later came the incident in Las Vegas. Authorities chased him to there and attempted to arrest him  but he drove his car into FBI agents, and one of them fired through his windscreen but failed to stop him.

He was stopped and arrested shortly after that violent incident in Las Vegas. When he was found, his car had weapons including a gun inside it.

Just like his son, Paddock's neighbours expressed shock and surprise that he could possibly be involved in crime. They described him as quiet and unremarkable.

Stephen Paddock's brother Eric said that they had little to do with their infamous father. He said Benjamin was on the run when they were born and they were raised by his mother, and obituaries don't mention either Stephen or Eric.
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Las Vegas shooter Stephen Paddock sent up to $100,000 to an account in the Philippines - the home country of his girlfriend Marilou Danley - just days before he launched his killing spree, detectives have discovered.

Danley has since returned to the US from a holiday in her homeland and was met by FBI agents at an airport in Los Angeles, where she is co-operating with investigators.

As police scramble to identify a motive for the attack that killed at least 59 people and injured 527, officers have focused on financial transactions carried out by the 64-year-old retired accountant who loved to gamble. A definitive answer as to why Paddock fired into a crowd of 22,000 country music fans attending a festival has so far proved elusive, despite new details emerging about the mechanics of the attack.

In the last three years, more than 200 reports about Paddocks activities, particularly large transactions at casinos, have been filed with the authorities, according to media reports. While some mentioned suspicious activity, others were simply currency transaction reports that casinos are obliged to file when a customer withdraws or deposits more than $10,000 in cash.

Police have said they are searching four crime scenes (AP)

As residents in Mesquite, a retirement community 80 miles from Las Vegas where Paddock lived and planned Sundays attack, expressed bewilderment that the killer lived among them, detectives dug deep into his financial history, desperate for any sort of clue.

NBC News reported Paddock had wired $100,000 to the account in the Philippines last week. Officials have confirmed that Marilou Danley, 62, who lived with Paddock in Mesquite, was in the Philippines on Sunday, it was not known whether the money was for her or another purpose.

At a press conference, Las Vegas Sheriff Joseph Lombardo named Ms Danley as a person of interest.

Investigators had been speaking with Ms Danley prior to her arrival from the Philippines and say, we anticipate some information from her shortly."

There were also reports that Paddock had gambled with at least $160,000 in recent weeks in Las Vegas casinos - with 16 separate reports of $10,000 being withdrawn or deposited in a day, with some days showing multiple transactions.

 Pat Robertson blames Las Vegas shooting on lack of respect for Trump and the national anthem

Yet while officials have been able to provide considerable detail about how Paddock carried out the massacre, for all the resources that have been dedicated to the investigation, they have little to say about why he did so.

That trend continued on Tuesday, with authorities filling in some more detail about the mass shooting - with Mr Lombardo saying that Paddock had fired at a progressively rapid rate for nine minutes after the first 911 call as he rained bullets onto the crowd below.

Mr Lombardo said that all but three of the 59 dead had now been identified and, after a search at a property owned by Paddock in Reno, he said police had found five handguns, two shotguns, a "plethora of ammo" and a number of electrical devices.

That makes 49 guns found in connection to Paddock so far. Police have said they recovered 23 weapons and "bump stock" devices  used to let rifles fire continuously  from the suite Paddock booked on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay casino and hotel located on the Las Vegas Strip. It was out of two windows in that suite that Paddock fired on the crowd attending the Route 91 Harvest Festival nearby before killing himself. Authorities also found 19 guns from his house in Mesquite, along with what officers said were explosives and thousands of rounds of ammo. That is in addition to a supply of ammonium nitrate, which can be used to create explosives, in Paddock's car.

Mr Lombardo made clear that Paddock planned his massacre so meticulously that he even set up cameras inside his hotel room and outside his door, apparently to spot anyone coming for him, the sheriff said.

The cameras Paddock set up at the Mandalay Bay hotel casino were part of the extensive preparations that included stockpiling the nearly two dozen guns and two tripods before opening fire from his perch.

I anticipate he was looking for anybody coming to take him into custody, Mr Lombardo said of the cameras.

The fact that he had the type of weaponry and amount of weaponry in that room, it was preplanned extensively, the sheriff added, and I'm pretty sure he evaluated everything that he did and his actions, which is troublesome.

Mr Lombardo said he is absolutely confident authorities will find out what motivated Paddock, but the investigation is proceeding cautiously in case criminal charges are warranted against someone else.

This investigation is not ended with the demise of Mr. Paddock, the sheriff said. Did this person get radicalised unbeknownst to us? And we want to identify that source.

Reuters said one senior US homeland security official said there were no evidence that Paddock had links to international or domestic terror groups.

Marilou Danley (LVMPD)

We cannot even rule out mental illness or some form of brain damage, although theres no evidence of that, either, the official said.

Some investigators turned their focus from the shooter's perch to the festival grounds where his victims fell. A dozen investigators, most in FBI jackets and all wearing blue booties to avoid contaminating the scene, documented evidence at the site where gunfire rained down and country music gave way to screams of pain and terror.

Shoes, baby strollers, chairs, sunglasses, purses. The whole field was just littered with things, said Nevada Attorney General Adam Laxalt, who told The Associated Press it was like a war zone. There were bloodstains everywhere.

As for Paddock's background, he had a business degree from Cal State Northridge. In the 1970s and '80s, he worked as a mail carrier and an IRS agent and held down in an auditing division of the Defense Department, according to the government. He later worked for a defense contractor.

He had no known criminal record, and public records showed no signs of financial troubles,

Nevada's Gaming Control Board said it will pass along records compiled on Paddock and his girlfriend to investigators.

His brother, Eric, has also been unable to provide any genuine insight into what led to the attack.

Las Vegas shooting  in pictures Show all 15 1 /15 Las Vegas shooting  in pictures Las Vegas shooting  in pictures People scramble for shelter at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after gun fire was heard Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures People carry a person at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after shots were fired David Becker/Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures People run from the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after gun fire was heard David Becker/Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures A handout photo released via Twitter by Eiki Hrafnsson (@EirikurH) showing concertgoers running away from the scene (C) after shots range out at the Route 91 Harvest festival on Las Vegas Boulevard EPA/Eiki Hrafnsson Las Vegas shooting  in pictures People lie on the ground at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after hearing gun fire Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures A man in a wheelchair is taken away from the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after hearing gun fire David Becker/Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures People stand on the street outside the Mandalay Bay hotel near the scene of the Route 91 Harvest festival on Las Vegas Boulevard EPA/Paul Buck Las Vegas shooting  in pictures FBI agents confer in front of the Tropicana hotel-casino after a mass shooting during a music festival on the Las Vegas Strip Reuters/Las Vegas Sun/Steve Marcus Las Vegas shooting  in pictures Las Vegas police run by a banner on the fence at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival grounds after shots were fired David Becker/Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures An injured person is tended to in the intersection of Tropicana Ave. and Las Vegas Boulevard after a mass shooting at a country music festival Ethan Miller/Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures Metro Police officers pass by the front of the Tropicana hotel-casino after a mass shooting at a music festival on the Las Vegas Strip Reuters/Las Vegas Sun/Steve Marcus Las Vegas shooting  in pictures A woman sits on a curb at the scene of a shooting outside of a music festival along the Las Vegas Strip AP/John Locher Las Vegas shooting  in pictures A cowboy hat lays in the street after shots were fired near a country music festival in Las Vegas Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures Las Vegas Metro Police and medical workers stage in the intersection of Tropicana Avenue and Las Vegas Boulevard South after a mass shooting at a music festival on the Las Vegas Strip Reuters/Las Vegas Sun/Steve Marcus Las Vegas shooting  in pictures Sheriff Joe Lombardo (2-R) speaking during a press briefing in the aftermath of the active shooter incident on Las Vegas Boulevard EPA

It just makes less sense the more we use any kind of reason to figure it out, he said in text message sent to the news agency. I will bet any amount of money that they will not find any link to anything...he did this completely by himself.

He described his brother as a financially well-off enthusiast of video poker and cruises, with no history of mental health issues. Reports said that several decades ago, Paddock worked as a postal delivery clerk and an agent for the Internal Revenue Service.

President Donald Trump, who is due to visit Las Vegas on Wednesday, told reporters Paddock had been a sick man, a demented man. He declined to answer a question about whether he considered the attack an act of domestic terrorism.

Hes a sick man, a demented man. A lot of problems, I guess, Mr Trump told reporters before boarding his Marine One helicopter on his his way to hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico on a one-day trip.

We are looking into him very, very seriously. But were dealing with a very, very sick individual, the President added.

The shooting has reignited the controversy over gun ownership laws, but the White House and Republicans have brushed aside attempts to discuss gun policy.

When asked whether the Las Vegas shooting would prompt him to take up gun control legislation, Mr Trump responded: Look, we have a tragedy. What happened is, in many ways, a miracle.

The police department, theyve done such an incredible job, he added. And well be talking about gun laws as time goes on. But I do have to say, how quickly the police department was able to get in was really very much of a miracle. Theyve done an amazing job.
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In the quiet retirement community north east of Las Vegas that was home to Stephen Paddock, there were plenty of questions  but very few answers.

As more details trickled out about Paddock and the staggering crime he had committed in the city 80 miles away, those who lived close to him could express little more than bewilderment and surprise.

The man who lived at Babbling Brook Court  the driveway to his modest home now blocked by bright yellow police tape  had set off no red flags, and done nothing to suggest he was capable of the murder he unleashed in such calculated fashion on Sunday.

Paddocks family said they were stunned to learn he was responsible for the deadliest mass shooting in US history (AP)

That is not to say Paddock, who lived with his girlfriend, Marilou Danley, was especially sociable or a regularly involved in community activities. Rather, since he bought the property two years ago, Paddock and Ms Danley lived quietly, making frequent trips into Las Vegas where both gambled and enjoyed doing so.

Such was the low profile Paddock appeared to have kept, one neighbour who lived just a few doors away said he struggled to recognise the man whose face overnight appeared on the front of newspapers around the world.

Standing in his driveway and looking out at Paddocks home, Rod Sweningson said he knew the residents on either side of the property now being searched by police, but not Paddock himself.

I look at his picture on the tube but it doesnt ring a bell, said Mr Sweningson. He was reclusive.

 Mark Kelly on Las Vegas shooting: "This was domestic terrorism"

The 57-year-old said that when he first saw police vehicles swarming at the property, he assumed it was because of excessive socialising. My first thought was someone must be having a heck of a party.

Another resident of Sun City Mesquite, a development of about 1400 homes, who was walking his dog and who asked not to be named, also suggested Paddock had lived an unremarkable life here.

If he had passed him on the pavement, he said, he would not have recognised him.

Yet, however stunned residents here may feel, they have now been forced to confront an almost inconceivable reality; that the divorced, retired accountant, made use of this quiet place, surrounded by mountain tops, mesa and clean desert air, to plan and prepare for what was the deadliest mass killing in modern US history.

In addition to the 23 weapons discovered in Paddocks suite on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay casino and hotel located on the Las Vegas Strip, police recovered 19 guns from his house here in Mesquite. Inside the single-storey property topped with clay tiles, officers also found what were described as explosives.

It appears Paddock purchased his weapons legally (AP)

Meanwhile, inside one of two vehicles registered to Paddock officers found ammonium nitrate, a vital ingredient for making homemade bombs. The news caused many to ask whether Paddock had in mind a massacre on an even greater scale?

Much like Paddocks neighbours, federal and local police were scrambling to explain what motivation lay behind Sundays attack, when he opened fire on a country music festival, killing 59 people and injuring at least 527.

One senior US homeland security official told Reuters there was no evidence that Paddock even had passing links to either international or domestic terror groups. His record showed no history of lawbreaking.

We cannot even rule out mental illness or some form of brain damage, although theres no evidence of that, either, said the official, who was not identified.

Las Vegas shooting  in pictures Show all 15 1 /15 Las Vegas shooting  in pictures Las Vegas shooting  in pictures People scramble for shelter at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after gun fire was heard Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures People carry a person at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after shots were fired David Becker/Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures People run from the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after gun fire was heard David Becker/Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures A handout photo released via Twitter by Eiki Hrafnsson (@EirikurH) showing concertgoers running away from the scene (C) after shots range out at the Route 91 Harvest festival on Las Vegas Boulevard EPA/Eiki Hrafnsson Las Vegas shooting  in pictures People lie on the ground at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after hearing gun fire Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures A man in a wheelchair is taken away from the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after hearing gun fire David Becker/Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures People stand on the street outside the Mandalay Bay hotel near the scene of the Route 91 Harvest festival on Las Vegas Boulevard EPA/Paul Buck Las Vegas shooting  in pictures FBI agents confer in front of the Tropicana hotel-casino after a mass shooting during a music festival on the Las Vegas Strip Reuters/Las Vegas Sun/Steve Marcus Las Vegas shooting  in pictures Las Vegas police run by a banner on the fence at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival grounds after shots were fired David Becker/Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures An injured person is tended to in the intersection of Tropicana Ave. and Las Vegas Boulevard after a mass shooting at a country music festival Ethan Miller/Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures Metro Police officers pass by the front of the Tropicana hotel-casino after a mass shooting at a music festival on the Las Vegas Strip Reuters/Las Vegas Sun/Steve Marcus Las Vegas shooting  in pictures A woman sits on a curb at the scene of a shooting outside of a music festival along the Las Vegas Strip AP/John Locher Las Vegas shooting  in pictures A cowboy hat lays in the street after shots were fired near a country music festival in Las Vegas Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures Las Vegas Metro Police and medical workers stage in the intersection of Tropicana Avenue and Las Vegas Boulevard South after a mass shooting at a music festival on the Las Vegas Strip Reuters/Las Vegas Sun/Steve Marcus Las Vegas shooting  in pictures Sheriff Joe Lombardo (2-R) speaking during a press briefing in the aftermath of the active shooter incident on Las Vegas Boulevard EPA

President Donald Trump told reporters on Tuesday that Paddock had been a sick man, a demented man. He declined to answer a question about whether he considered the attack an act of domestic terrorism.

Officials have revealed that Paddock purchased weapons legally from a number of gun shops in the West, one in Las Vegas, and one in Mesquite called Guns & Guitars.

The shop, where long guns and targets shaped like a rabid dog or a zombie woman hung behind the counter, was shut on Tuesday. But its general manager Christopher Sullivan, earlier told NBC News in a statement Paddock had bought a handgun and two rifles within the last two years.

All necessary background checks and procedures were followed, as required by local, state, and federal law. He never gave any indication or reason to believe he was unstable or unfit at any time, Mr Sullivan said.

We are currently cooperating with the ongoing investigation by local and federal law enforcement in any way we can. We mourn for this tragedy and our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the lost and injured.

Additional reporting by Andrew Buncombe in New York
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TV preacher Pat Robertson has said the Las Vegas massacre was caused by disrespect for authority, including President Donald Trump.

Delivering a speech to camera during his Christian programme The 700 Club on Monday, the televangelist and conservative commentator blamed the mass shooting on critics of the Republican leader, along with protests during the national anthem and the country having no "vision of God".

Mr Robertson said: "Violence in the streets, ladies and gentleman  why is it happening?

"The fact that we have disrespect for authority; there is profound disrespect of our President, all across this nation.

"They say terrible things about him. It's in the news, it's in other places."

He continued: "There's disrespect now for our national anthem. Disrespect for our veterans, disrespect for the institutions or government, disrespect for the court system. All the way up and down the line  disrespect."

He also said a lack of "biblical authority" caused the atrocity, adding: "When there is no vision of God, people run amok."

At least 59 people were killed and more than 500 injured when 64-year-old Stephen Paddock shot at a crowd attending the Route 91 country music festival near the Mandalay Bay Casino and Hotel. Authorities have said they have not yet discovered a motive for the attack.

Mr Robertson is best known for claiming Hurricane Katrina was God's punishment for abortion and that Haiti's 2010 earthquake was caused by a "pact to the devil". In 2015, the Republican evangelist told a mother that God allowed her son to die because he could have grown up to be the next Adolf Hitler.

Mr Trump attracted criticism in July when he agreed to be interviewed by the right-wing commentator for a programme on the The Christian Broadcasting Network.

Las Vegas shooting  in pictures Show all 15 1 /15 Las Vegas shooting  in pictures Las Vegas shooting  in pictures People scramble for shelter at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after gun fire was heard Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures People carry a person at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after shots were fired David Becker/Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures People run from the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after gun fire was heard David Becker/Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures A handout photo released via Twitter by Eiki Hrafnsson (@EirikurH) showing concertgoers running away from the scene (C) after shots range out at the Route 91 Harvest festival on Las Vegas Boulevard EPA/Eiki Hrafnsson Las Vegas shooting  in pictures People lie on the ground at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after hearing gun fire Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures A man in a wheelchair is taken away from the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after hearing gun fire David Becker/Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures People stand on the street outside the Mandalay Bay hotel near the scene of the Route 91 Harvest festival on Las Vegas Boulevard EPA/Paul Buck Las Vegas shooting  in pictures FBI agents confer in front of the Tropicana hotel-casino after a mass shooting during a music festival on the Las Vegas Strip Reuters/Las Vegas Sun/Steve Marcus Las Vegas shooting  in pictures Las Vegas police run by a banner on the fence at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival grounds after shots were fired David Becker/Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures An injured person is tended to in the intersection of Tropicana Ave. and Las Vegas Boulevard after a mass shooting at a country music festival Ethan Miller/Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures Metro Police officers pass by the front of the Tropicana hotel-casino after a mass shooting at a music festival on the Las Vegas Strip Reuters/Las Vegas Sun/Steve Marcus Las Vegas shooting  in pictures A woman sits on a curb at the scene of a shooting outside of a music festival along the Las Vegas Strip AP/John Locher Las Vegas shooting  in pictures A cowboy hat lays in the street after shots were fired near a country music festival in Las Vegas Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures Las Vegas Metro Police and medical workers stage in the intersection of Tropicana Avenue and Las Vegas Boulevard South after a mass shooting at a music festival on the Las Vegas Strip Reuters/Las Vegas Sun/Steve Marcus Las Vegas shooting  in pictures Sheriff Joe Lombardo (2-R) speaking during a press briefing in the aftermath of the active shooter incident on Las Vegas Boulevard EPA

Following the Las Vegas shooting  which was the most deadly in modern US history  right-wing fake news stories claiming that the shooter was a Democrat who opposed Mr Trump were circulated widely, boosted by Facebook and Google.

Far-right blogs falsely identified the man behind the mass killing as Geary Danley. Noting that he was a registered Democrat, they propagated conspiracy theories about the shooter holding "Trump-hating" views.
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A 16-year-old boy allegedly robbed an elderly couple in their home before raping a woman and murdering a teacher in front of his family.

Deonte Green was arrested on suspicion of murder, rape and kidnapping after terrorising a neighbourhood in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

He is said to have broken into the couple's house and forced them to drive to a cash machine before stealing their money and a handgun.

Recommended Homeless man pleads guilty to murder of mother and son

He then made them return home where he raped the elderly woman, said Tulsa police sergeant Dave Walker.

After leaving the pensioner, around 30 minutes later he encountered a woman leaving her home on a nearby street with her daughters. He forced them inside and was confronted by the woman's husband, Shane Anderson.

The husband fought with Green, and Green shot the husband, said Sgt Walker. The husband continued to struggle with Green before collapsing inside the house.

Mr Anderson, 44, a geography teacher at Oneta Ridge Middle School, died from his injuries.

Shane Anderson was shot dead at his home in Tulsa (Broken Arrow Public Schools)

Green fled on foot and 12 hours later allegedly, he allegedly pulled a gun on another couple.

He was spotted fleeing that robbery by police, who arrested him. He was remanded in custody at Tulsa jail.

Police believe Green was part of a gang of youths who have carried out a string of car thefts and burglaries in the area.

His crimes continued to escalate," said police sergeant Shane Tuell. "Calling it a tragedy doesnt do it justice."

Mr Anderson's school paid tribute to him after what it described as "a terrible and senseless act of violence".

I am devastated by the news of Mr Andersons tragic passing, said superintendent Janet Dunlop. Our hearts are breaking for his family, and we will support them every way possible during this unimaginable time.
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The US is one of just 13 countries to have voted against a United Nations resolution condemning the death penalty for having gay sex.

Although the vote passed, America joined countries such as China, Iraq and Saudi Arabia in opposing the move.

The Human Rights Council resolution condemned the imposition of the death penalty as a sanction for specific forms of conduct, such as apostasy, blasphemy, adultery and consensual same-sex relations.

It attacked the use of execution against persons with mental or intellectual disabilities, persons below 18 years of age at the time of the commission of the crime, and pregnant women.

It also expressed serious concern that the application of the death penalty for adultery is disproportionately imposed on women.

The US supported two failed amendments put forward by Russia, which stated the death penalty was not necessarily a human rights violation and that it is not a form of torture, but can lead to it in some cases.

And it abstained on a sovereignty amendment put forward by Saudi Arabia, that stated the right of all countries to develop their own laws and penalties.

 Boris Johnson urges EU to go soft on Turkey's plan to reintroduce the death penalty

The International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA) branded the amendments an attempt to dilute its impact.

Despite Americas opposition, the vote in Geneva passed with 27 of the 47-member Human Rights Council in favour.

There are currently six countries where the death penalty is used for people in same-sex relationships: Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Yemen, Nigeria and Somalia. This number rises to eight if the Isis-occupied territories of Iraq and Syria are included.

There are another five countries where it is technically allowed, but not actually used in reality.

Activists protest the death penalty in Texas Show all 6 1 /6 Activists protest the death penalty in Texas Activists protest the death penalty in Texas Family and friends of Jeff Wood and anti-death penalty activists march from the Texas State Capitol to the Office of Governor Greg Abbott to deliver a petition with over 10,000 signatures asking the governor and the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles to commute Wood's sentence on August 18, 2016 in Austin, Texas. Jeff Wood is scheduled to be executed by the state of Texas on August 24, 2016 under what is referred to as the "law of parties" for a criminal act he committed on January 2, 1996. The Texas law says that if a person, " acting with intent to promote or assist the commission of the offense, he solicits, encourages, directs, aids, or attempts to aid the other person to commit the offense;" then they are criminally responsible for the conduct of another, as well. Tamir Kalifa/AFP/Getty Images Activists protest the death penalty in Texas Carla Harvey adds her name to a petition with over 10,000 signatures asking Governor Greg Abbott and the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles to commute Jeff Wood's sentence, during a demonstration outside of the Texas State Capitol on August 18, 2016 in Austin, Texas. Family and friends of Jeff Wood and anti-death penalty activists delivered the petition to the Office of the Governor after the demonstration. Jeff Wood is scheduled to be executed by the state of Texas on August 24, 2016 under what is referred to as the "law of parties" for a criminal act he committed on January 2, 1996. The Texas law says that if a person, " acting with intent to promote or assist the commission of the offense, he solicits, encourages, directs, aids, or attempts to aid the other person to commit the offense;" then they are criminally responsible for the conduct of another, as well. Tamir Kalifa/AFP/Getty Images Activists protest the death penalty in Texas A massive explosion guts Mexico's biggest fireworks market in Mexico City, on December 20, 2016. The explosion killed at least 31 people and injured 72, authorities said. The conflagration in the Mexico City suburb of Tultepec set off a quick-fire series of multicolored blasts that sent a vast cloud of smoke billowing over the capital. Tamir Kalifa/AFP/Getty Images Activists protest the death penalty in Texas Darius Broussard adds his name to a petition with over 10,000 signatures asking Governor Greg Abbott and the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles to commute Jeff Wood's sentence, during a demonstration outside of the Texas State Capitol on August 18, 2016 in Austin, Texas. Family and friends of Jeff Wood and anti-death penalty activists delivered the petition to the Office of the Governor after the demonstration. Jeff Wood is scheduled to be executed by the state of Texas on August 24, 2016 under what is referred to as the "law of parties" for a criminal act he committed on January 2, 1996. The Texas law says that if a person, " acting with intent to promote or assist the commission of the offense, he solicits, encourages, directs, aids, or attempts to aid the other person to commit the offense;" then they are criminally responsible for the conduct of another, as well. Tamir Kalifa/AFP/Getty Images Activists protest the death penalty in Texas Family and friends of Jeff Wood and anti-death penalty activists march from the Texas State Capitol to the Office of Governor Greg Abbott to deliver a petition with over 10,000 signatures asking the governor and the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles to commute Wood's sentence on August 18, 2016 in Austin, Texas. Jeff Wood is scheduled to be executed by the state of Texas on August 24, 2016 under what is referred to as the "law of parties" for a criminal act he committed on January 2, 1996. The Texas law says that if a person, " acting with intent to promote or assist the commission of the offense, he solicits, encourages, directs, aids, or attempts to aid the other person to commit the offense;" then they are criminally responsible for the conduct of another, as well. Tamir Kalifa/AFP/Getty Images Activists protest the death penalty in Texas Mark Clements (L), who was imprisoned for 28 years before being released and exonerated, encourages passersby to sign a petition with over 10,000 signatures asking Governor Greg Abbott and the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles to commute Jeff Wood's sentence, during a demonstration outside of the Texas State Capitol on August 18, 2016 in Austin, Texas. Clements joined family and friends of Jeff Wood and anti-death penalty activists to deliver the petition to the Office of the Governor after the demonstration. Jeff Wood is scheduled to be executed by the state of Texas on August 24, 2016 under what is referred to as the "law of parties" for a criminal act he committed on January 2, 1996. The Texas law says that if a person, " acting with intent to promote or assist the commission of the offense, he solicits, encourages, directs, aids, or attempts to aid the other person to commit the offense;" then they are criminally responsible for the conduct of another, as well. Tamir Kalifa/AFP/Getty Images

Renato Sabbadini, ILGA Executive Director, said. It is unconscionable to think that there are hundreds of millions of people living in states where somebody may be executed simply because of whom they love.

This is a monumental moment where the international community has publicly highlighted that these horrific laws simply must end.

Heather Nauert, State Department spokesperson, told The Independent: "The headlines, reporting and press releases on this issue are misleading. As our representative to the Human Rights Council in Geneva said on Friday, the United States is disappointed to have to vote against this resolution. We had hoped for a balanced and inclusive resolution that would better reflect the positions of states that continue to apply the death penalty lawfully, as the United States does.

"The United States voted against this resolution because of broader concerns with the resolutions approach in condemning the death penalty in all circumstances and calling for its abolition.

"The United States unequivocally condemns the application of the death penalty for conduct such as homosexuality, blasphemy, adultery and apostasy. We do not consider such conduct appropriate for criminalisation and certainly not crimes for which the death penalty would be lawfully available as a matter of international law."

The 13 states to oppose the resolution were Botswana, Burundi, Egypt, Ethiopia, Bangladesh, China, India, Iraq, Japan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the US and the United Arab Emirates.

The vote was introduced by eight countries - Belgium, Benin, Costa Rica, France, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia and Switzerland  and supported by countries around the world including the UK, Congo, Kyrgyzstan and Bolivia.
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Donald Trump has expelled 15 Cuban diplomats in the latest response to the mysterious sonic attacks targeting US embassy staff in Havana.

Last week, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson announced that America was sharply reducing the number of staff at its embassy after at least 22 diplomats and their family members fell ill to mysterious illnesses. There has been speculation, the health problems were caused by sonic attacks aimed as the facility.

Cuba has stridently denied it is behind the attacks and has taken the unusual step of inviting both the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police to travel to the island to launch their own probes.

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

On Tuesday, Mr Tillerson said the US was expelling the 15 Cubans from its embassy in Washington in order to ensure equity.

US officials in Washington told reporters the steps had been taken in order to protect American staff in Cuba. They said the total number of people who had suffered strange health issues that included hearing problems, had now risen to 22.

Until the Government of Cuba can ensure the safety of our diplomats in Cuba, our embassy will be reduced to emergency personnel to minimise the number of diplomats at risk of exposure to harm, Mr Tillerson said in a statement last week.

A State Department official told reporters the number of expulsions was selected to make sure the US and Cuban embassies would have similar staffing levels

The US decision to expel a large portion of Cuban staff at the embassy was communicated to Cuban Ambassador Jose Ramon Cabanas on Tuesday, and the diplomats were given seven days to leave the United States, the official said.

 Trump says a America has 'rejected the Cuban people's oppressors'

We continue to maintain diplomatic relations with Cuba, and will continue to cooperate with Cuba as we pursue the investigation into these attacks, the US State Department said.

In December 2014, Barack Obama and Cuban president Raul Castro made history by reestablishing ties that were cut in 1961, shortly after his brother, Fidel Castro, stormed to power and overthrew a dictator.

The US tried to kill and overthrew Mr Castro on a number of occasions and enforced a crippling economic blockade. Some estimates suggest, the embargo cost as much as $100bn to Cuba over the decades.

The restoration of diplomatic relations, which included a visit by Mr Obama to Havana, was welcomed by many in both countries. Some disapproved, including Fidel Castro, who died in 2016.

During the election campaign, Mr Trump denounced the deal and vowed to push back the detente that Mr Obama had led. In June, he announced new restrictions on travel and business with Cuba.

I am canceling the last administrations completely one-sided deal with Cuba, Mr Trump said.

They made a deal with a government that spread violence and instability in the region and nothing they got, think about it, nothing they got, they fought for everything and we just didnt fight hard enough, but now, those days are over.
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White House officials are examining a third, previously unknown, email account belonging to Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump during their investigation into the Trump administrations use of personal email servers.

In an echo of the scandal which dogged the presidential campaign of Donald Trumps rival Hillary Clinton, hundreds of emails have reportedly been sent from White House addresses to an account the couple and their personal staff had access to for personal scheduling.

The emails, which include travel documents, internal scheduling and some official White House materials, were in many cases sent from Ms Trump, her assistant Bridges Lamar and other people who work with the couple in the White House.

An unnamed source told Politico said the some of the emails sent included work related data appeared daily.

Theyve pretty much been using it since they got here, he added.

The revelation of a third email account comes after several members of the Trump administration, including the couple, have been criticised for their use of personal email accounts for White House business.

Concerns have been raised about the vulnerability of these personal emails' servers as they are handling potentially sensitive government documents.

At least half a dozen White House officials, including former aides Reince Priebus and Steve Bannon, are believed to have used their own emails since Mr Trump entered the Oval Office.

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

Officials are supposed to use their government emails for their official work so their non-classified conversations will be available to the public or people conducting oversight at a later date.

It is not illegal to use a personal account so long as the information is forwarded to an official account so it is visible.

But many have raised concerns on security grounds in recent years after many commercial email clients and websites have been successfully infiltrated by hackers.

During the campaign, Mr Trump repeatedly attacked Ms Clinton for her use of a private email account during her time as Secretary of State under Barack Obama.

Recommended Kushner used a private email server to carry out government business

He accused her of criminal deception and at one point appeared to ask Russian hackers to find her 30,000 emails that are missing at a press conference in July 2016.

The repeated haranguing of crooked Hillary eventually led to Trump supporters chanting Lock her up! at campaign rallies.

A spokesman on behalf of Ms Trump said: Her White House assistant did not and does not work on these matters.

Her personal and work obligations, schedule, travel arrangements and contacts were and are coordinated in accordance with this separation, as she was advised to do.

Mr Kushners lawyer, Abbe Lowell, said that he uses his White House email address to conduct White House business and claimed he exchanged fewer than 100 messages with government officials on the account.
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Donald Trump has said Puerto Rico should be very proud of the death toll from Hurricane Maria, contrasting it to the thousands of people who died in Hurricane Katrina.

At a meeting with Puerto Rican officials, Mr Trump encouraged those gathered to "look at a real catastrophe like Katrina" for perspective. He then asked Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rossello how many people had died in the storm.

Sixteen, the governor replied.

Sixteen versus literally thousands of people, Mr Trump said. You can be very proud. Everybody around this table, and everybody watching, can really be very proud of what's taken place in Puerto Rico.

Hurricane Katrina struck much of the American south in 2005, killing almost 2,000 people. It is considered one of the five deadliest hurricanes in US history.

The President met with officials during his first visit to Puerto Rico since Hurricane Maria hit, nearly two weeks ago. He announced the visit last week, in the wake of criticism over his administration's handling of the crisis.

 Trump says Puerto Rico's disaster has 'thrown our budget a little out of whack'

Nearly half of all Puerto Ricans remain without power, and many have limited access to food and water. Oxfam International  a global organisation working to end world poverty  has stepped in to help, citing the US government's "slow and inadequate response".

But Mr Trump has defended his administration, tweeting: "We have done a great job with the almost impossible situation in Puerto Rico."

He has also blamed the media for their "biassed" coverage of the situation. He reminded reporters several times that the island is "surrounded by water," and thus difficult to access.

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

Most recently, the President sparred with San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz, who took to the airwaves earlier this week to beg for assistance for the island's capital.

"Such poor leadership ability by the Mayor of San Juan, and others in Puerto Rico, who are not able to get their workers to help," Mr Trump tweeted. "They want everything to be done for them when it should be a community effort."

Ms Cruz attended Tuesday's meeting and exchanged pleasantries with the President beforehand, according to reporters present. But while others applauded several times throughout Mr Trump's remarks, the Mayor kept her hands clasped in front of her.

At the meeting, Mr Trump joked that recovery efforts had hampered the federal budget, saying: I hate to tell you Puerto Rico, but youve thrown our budget a little out of whack, because we have spent a lot of money on Puerto Rico  and thats fine.

He had previously blamed the costly recovery on the island's "broken infrastructure & massive debt," and tweeted ominously about "big decisions" regarding the cost of reconstruction.

The fact is that Puerto Rico has been destroyed by two hurricanes. Big decisions will have to be made as to the cost of its rebuilding! he tweeted last week. He did not specifiy to whcih "big decisions" he was referring.
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An Iraq veteran caught up in the Las Vegas shooting sprang into action to save lives, stealing a pick-up truck and driving victims to hospital.

Taylor Winston, 29, was at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival with friends when Stephen Paddock began spraying the crowd with automatic gunfire from a nearby hotel.

The former marine at first thought the sound of shots was caused by fireworks before he heard screams and saw bodies fall to the ground.

Recommended Las Vegas gunman used legal trick to fire so quickly for so long

He fled the concert with friend Jenn Lewis.

But instead of continuing to safety they commandeered a nearby pick-up, which had no driver inside, and began transporting injured shooting victims to hospital.

Jenn and I luckily found a truck with keys in it and started transporting priority victims to the hospital and made a couple trips and tried to help out the best we could until more ambulances could arrive, Mr Winston, from San Diego, told the Daily Beast.

He said they took about 24 people to hospital in two trips, with wounded festival-goers piling into the back seats and truck bed.

He and others including a trauma nurse set up a makeshift triage outside the concert so they could assess who needed treatment the most urgently.

Las Vegas shooting  in pictures Show all 15 1 /15 Las Vegas shooting  in pictures Las Vegas shooting  in pictures People scramble for shelter at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after gun fire was heard Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures People carry a person at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after shots were fired David Becker/Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures People run from the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after gun fire was heard David Becker/Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures A handout photo released via Twitter by Eiki Hrafnsson (@EirikurH) showing concertgoers running away from the scene (C) after shots range out at the Route 91 Harvest festival on Las Vegas Boulevard EPA/Eiki Hrafnsson Las Vegas shooting  in pictures People lie on the ground at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after hearing gun fire Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures A man in a wheelchair is taken away from the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after hearing gun fire David Becker/Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures People stand on the street outside the Mandalay Bay hotel near the scene of the Route 91 Harvest festival on Las Vegas Boulevard EPA/Paul Buck Las Vegas shooting  in pictures FBI agents confer in front of the Tropicana hotel-casino after a mass shooting during a music festival on the Las Vegas Strip Reuters/Las Vegas Sun/Steve Marcus Las Vegas shooting  in pictures Las Vegas police run by a banner on the fence at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival grounds after shots were fired David Becker/Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures An injured person is tended to in the intersection of Tropicana Ave. and Las Vegas Boulevard after a mass shooting at a country music festival Ethan Miller/Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures Metro Police officers pass by the front of the Tropicana hotel-casino after a mass shooting at a music festival on the Las Vegas Strip Reuters/Las Vegas Sun/Steve Marcus Las Vegas shooting  in pictures A woman sits on a curb at the scene of a shooting outside of a music festival along the Las Vegas Strip AP/John Locher Las Vegas shooting  in pictures A cowboy hat lays in the street after shots were fired near a country music festival in Las Vegas Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures Las Vegas Metro Police and medical workers stage in the intersection of Tropicana Avenue and Las Vegas Boulevard South after a mass shooting at a music festival on the Las Vegas Strip Reuters/Las Vegas Sun/Steve Marcus Las Vegas shooting  in pictures Sheriff Joe Lombardo (2-R) speaking during a press briefing in the aftermath of the active shooter incident on Las Vegas Boulevard EPA

Mr Winston, a sergeant who served from 2006 to 2011, told the injured to apply pressure to wounds as attempted to speed to Desert Springs Hospital Centre "before they bled out".

He fears some of his passengers, who included a woman with neck and chest injuries, may have died.

I cant be for certain," he said. "Theres a few that I dont think probably made it. They were pretty limp when we were pulling them out of the truck, but they still had a pulse, so Im hoping for the best.

At least 59 people were killed and 527 injured when Paddock opened fire from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino.

Mr Winston, who now works as a designer for a country music website, said he was "angry that someone did this".

He was hailed as a "hero" by friends for his efforts to save lives.

"Taylor Winston people were so fortunate to have your guidance during the shooting and for your willingness to take the wounded to the hospital in a truck and for making more than one trip, wrote Jenifer Michelle on Facebook.

I know you didnt do this for recognition but because it was the right thing to do and thats what makes you such an incredible human, she added.

 Las Vegas shooting: What we know so far

But Mr Winston said he did not want to take credit.

People needed to get out of there and we tried the best we could to get as many as we could, he added.

After two trips to the hospital the former marine returned to festival venue on the Las Vegas Trip to find most of the injured had been taken to hospital by ambulance.

He parked the vehicle outside a bar and planned to return it to the scene on Monday morning but it was gone when he went to retreive it.

Im sure they saw the blood all over the vehicle and thought that it should be towed, he said.
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Last week was a busy week for the National Rifle Association.

Americas leading pro-firearms group began Monday 25 September by condemning the hysteria, fake news and fearmongering of gun control advocates who were desperately seeking to thwart the SHARE Act which would make it easier for weapon-owning citizens to buy silencers.

It was a message hammered home throughout the week, with the NRA issuing five tweets about the silencer legislation on Thursday alone.

A busy Friday saw six of the NRAs weekly tally of 31 tweets, plus a retweet announcing: Its Full Auto Friday! Heres a look at the workhorse M240 machine guns currently in use with the US military.

On Monday, however, after Stephen Paddock killed 59 people using semi-automatic guns that may reportedly have been modified to make them fully automatic, the NRAs Twitter feed fell strangely silent. So did the NRAs Facebook page. Its blog site found space on Friday for a venison pastrami recipe, but had no room on Monday for a comment on the most deadly mass shooting in US history  or anything else.

The NRA, observers said, had reverted to its now-customary tactic of "going dark" after a mass shooting.

Not even Hillary Clintons statements about the need to stand up to the NRA could shake the organisation from its silence. Having spent last week loudly condemning the hysteria of those opposing silencer legislation, it remained mute when Ms Clinton asserted: The crowd fled at the sound of gunshots. Imagine the deaths if the shooter had a silencer, which the NRA wants to make easier to get.

This, said commentators, was not so much out of embarrassment, as a well-established NRA tactic.

After mass shootings, said Josh Horwitz, executive director of the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, the NRA always delays its response:

"Their plan is to avoid the media until the story passes and then figure out someone else to blame.

Recommended Late Night hosts speak out about gun violence in the US

This tactic, Mr Horwitz told Politico, had remained largely unchanged in the 28 years he had been monitoring the group.

After the April 2007 Virginia Tech shooting left 33 people dead on a university campus, the NRA took four days to issue a four-paragraph statement insisting: This is a time for people to mourn, not a time for public policy debates. We will participate in this discussion at an appropriate time."

The group stayed silent for fully a week after the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting claimed the lives of 20 children and six adults. Then chief executive Wayne LaPierre held a press conference that some think could now serve as a template for the NRAs response to the Las Vegas shooting.

First, in an echo of the Virginia Tech response, Mr LaPierre turned the NRAs long silence into a criticism of those including President Barack Obama who had responded to the deaths of 20 children by calling for gun control. While some have tried to exploit tragedy for political gain, said Mr LaPierre, We have remained respectfully silent.

Then Mr LaPierre listed what he considered to be the many causes of the Sandy Hook shooting. He cited vicious, violent video games, blood-soaked slasher films, a thousand music videos that portray murder as a way of life  all part of a dirty little truth the [mainstream] media try their best to conceal.

But there was no mention of easy access to firearms like the semi-automatic rifle used by Sandy Hook killer Adam Lanza.

Las Vegas shooting  in pictures Show all 15 1 /15 Las Vegas shooting  in pictures Las Vegas shooting  in pictures People scramble for shelter at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after gun fire was heard Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures People carry a person at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after shots were fired David Becker/Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures People run from the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after gun fire was heard David Becker/Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures A handout photo released via Twitter by Eiki Hrafnsson (@EirikurH) showing concertgoers running away from the scene (C) after shots range out at the Route 91 Harvest festival on Las Vegas Boulevard EPA/Eiki Hrafnsson Las Vegas shooting  in pictures People lie on the ground at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after hearing gun fire Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures A man in a wheelchair is taken away from the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after hearing gun fire David Becker/Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures People stand on the street outside the Mandalay Bay hotel near the scene of the Route 91 Harvest festival on Las Vegas Boulevard EPA/Paul Buck Las Vegas shooting  in pictures FBI agents confer in front of the Tropicana hotel-casino after a mass shooting during a music festival on the Las Vegas Strip Reuters/Las Vegas Sun/Steve Marcus Las Vegas shooting  in pictures Las Vegas police run by a banner on the fence at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival grounds after shots were fired David Becker/Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures An injured person is tended to in the intersection of Tropicana Ave. and Las Vegas Boulevard after a mass shooting at a country music festival Ethan Miller/Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures Metro Police officers pass by the front of the Tropicana hotel-casino after a mass shooting at a music festival on the Las Vegas Strip Reuters/Las Vegas Sun/Steve Marcus Las Vegas shooting  in pictures A woman sits on a curb at the scene of a shooting outside of a music festival along the Las Vegas Strip AP/John Locher Las Vegas shooting  in pictures A cowboy hat lays in the street after shots were fired near a country music festival in Las Vegas Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures Las Vegas Metro Police and medical workers stage in the intersection of Tropicana Avenue and Las Vegas Boulevard South after a mass shooting at a music festival on the Las Vegas Strip Reuters/Las Vegas Sun/Steve Marcus Las Vegas shooting  in pictures Sheriff Joe Lombardo (2-R) speaking during a press briefing in the aftermath of the active shooter incident on Las Vegas Boulevard EPA

Instead the way to stop the shootings, said Mr LaPierre, was to have armed guards in every school  a "solution" he had also advocated after Virginia Tech, because: The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun.

With all the foreign aid, he added, With all the money in the federal budget, we can't afford to put a police officer in every school? I call on Congress to act immediately.

The reference to the foreign aid budget  the bugbear of so many who rail against political correctness - may not have been accidental. After the June 2016 massacre at the Pulse gay nightclub in Orlando, the NRA blamed the Obama administrations political correctness, for what - until Sunday night - had been the worst mass shooting in US history. Its time for us to admit that radical Islam is a hate crime waiting to happen, said Chris Cox, executive director of the NRAs Institute for Legislative Action. The only way to defeat them is to destroy them  not destroy the right of law-abiding Americans to defend ourselves.

When the NRA does respond to the Las Vegas shooting, it is likely, judging by past performance, that the rhetoric will be backed by serious amounts of money. After Sandy Hook, the NRA succeeded in raising record amounts for its political lobbying. The 4.3 million-member organisation raised $2.7m (2m) for its political action committee in January and February 2013, which was reported to have been a 350 per cent increase on the same period after the last mid-term elections.

By 2015 Barack Obama was admitting to the BBC that his attempts to introduce common sense gun-safety laws had been the one area where I feel that I've been most frustrated and most stymied.

During the 2016 presidential election that followed the Pulse nightclub shooting, the NRA broke its record for campaign spending, shelling out at least $36m. Which partly explains why victorious candidate Donald Trump received the most gun lobby funding of any presidential candidate ever.

By October 2016, NBC News was reporting that the NRA had spent a total of $21m helping Mr Trump: $9.6m on adverts and other pro-Trump material and $12m attacking Hillary Clinton.

On Monday, the NRA may have been silent, but the Trump White House wasnt.

Asked about Ms Clintons gun control remarks, White House press secretary Sarah Huckerbee Sanders went on the offensive.

It's very easy for Mrs. Clinton to criticise, but I think we need to remember the only person with blood on their hands is that of the shooter, said Ms Huckabee Sanders. This isn't the time to go after individuals or organisations.

And on Tuesday Mr Trump promised to talk about gun laws "as time goes by", without specifying exactly when that discussion might happen.

To some, the noises coming out of the White House might have sounded a lot like the NRAs previous refrains about not exploiting tragedy for political gain and waiting to participate in public policy discussions at an appropriate time.
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Michael Gracia took a bullet to the head just before his fiancee leapt to shield him from further hits. Summer Clyburn was also shot in the back in the process of shielding her boyfriend and the father of their three-month old baby.

Both have miraculously survived the Las Vegas massacre that led to 59 deaths and over 500 people injured in what is the deadliest shooting in modern American history.

The brave mother can be seen in a Snapchat post, carrying her baby just a short while after being bandaged for her wound at the hospital.

Ms Clyburn's friend wrote in a public Facebook post which accompanied the Snapchat photo that the bullet had "shattered inside of [Ms Clyburn] and unable to be removed."

"If this isn't the definition of a strong woman then [I do not know] what is," she wrote.

The couple is from Upland, California and Mr Gracia is a police officer in Ontario, California who was off-duty while attending the Route 91 Harvest Festival and country music star Jason Aldean's concert on that ill-fated Sunday night.

He has been with the department for "several years" beginning as a jailer and eventually becoming an officer four years ago.

He underwent emergency surgery for his head injury and according to his police department he is in "critical but stable condition."

A GoFundMe page was set up to help the young couple and has already raised over $60,000 to help with Mr Gracia's long recovery process.

Stephen Paddock, the alleged gun, shot several hundred bullets into a crowd of 21,000 people at the concert from the 32nd floor window of his room at the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino on the Las Vegas strip.



Police believe Mr Paddock shot himself just before they stormed the room and found several weapons and rounds of ammunition among his possessions.
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Japan accepted just three refugees in the first half of 2017 despite receiving a record 8,561 fresh asylum applications, the government said on Tuesday, highlighting the nation's reluctance to accept foreigners.

Only four refugees were accepted in the first half of 2016, when fresh asylum applications totaled 5,011, the Justice Ministry said. Human Rights Watch in January described Japan's record on asylum seekers as abysmal.

Unlike other industrialised nations, which have accepted or even encouraged immigration to refresh their labour force, Japan has remained unwelcoming, even though its shrinking, ageing population is a key reason behind the economy's slow growth.

Supporters of Japan's tough asylum process argue that the small number accepted is a consequence of a surge in bogus applications due to changes made to rules in 2010 allowing applicants to work after six months until a decision is made on their claims.

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

There appears to have been an increase in the number of people who are abusing the refugee status process, said Yasuhiro Hishida, an official who reviews applications at the Justice Ministry.

Reuters
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A police probe into the deadly stampede at a railway station in Mumbai, India, has found the incident began with a tragic misunderstanding.

Witnesses have described how people became trapped in an enclosed pedestrian bridge over the tracks at the Elphinstone station last Friday morning.

Mumbai Police sources told the Indian Express the stampede and subsequent crush began and was over in less than 10 minutes, during which 23 people died and 39 were injured.

Sudden torrential rain led passengers to wait under shelter at either end of the packed bridge, as more passengers arrived on the platform with the arrival of a new train every four minutes.

Quoting a senior official in the police probe, the Express reported that a flower seller whose stock was knocked over by the crowd shouting "phool gir gaya (flowers have fallen)".

"This was... mistakenly construed as 'pul gir gaya' (bridge has fallen). Around the same time a young girl slipped on the stairway, leading to a domino effect and the ensuing stampede."

Policemen inspect the site of a stampede at a railway station's pedestrian overbridge in Mumbai, India September 29, 2017 (REUTERS/Shailesh Andrade)

The police probe has also looked into allegations, reported in Indian media after the emergence of mobile phone footage of the incident, that a woman was molested by a man as she lay dying in the stampede.

The Railway Police commissioner had described the "molestation video" as "shameful". But Mumbai Police now believe the man shown in the video had grabbed the woman to try and pull her free.

The victim got stuck in between the railing of the bridge. The commuter tried to drag her out. He rested her body on his foot and was trying to pull her and grabbed her by the chest, the Indian Express quoted an official as saying.

Assistant Commissioner of Police (Dadar Division) Sunil Deshmukh told The Hindu that a man seen in the video standing close to the incident had given a witness statement to police.

"[He said] the woman's upper body was protruding through the [bridge] railing and that the man in the video was supporting her with his thigh while trying to pull her out at the same time, and not molesting her. We also studied a longer version of the video, which corresponds with the witnesss statement."

The stampede has led to calls for action from officials in Mumbai, which has just begun construction of India's first high-speed train to link the city with Ahmedabad. A common complaint has been that the money spent on the so-called Bullet Train would be better diverted towards the city's existing rail infrastructure.

The Elphinstone station manager has said in a statement that he had raised concerns about the chaos on the bridge, but that the incident was over before officials could make their way through the crowd. The probe is expected to find there was no dereliction of duty on behalf of the railway officials.

Update: This story has been updated to reflect the fact that police have investigated and since ruled out the allegations of molestation
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In the wake of the concert massacre in Las Vegas, the deadliest mass shooting in recent US history, commentators have pointed to Australias 1990s crackdown on gun ownership as an example of how to prevent similar atrocities.

On Monday, 59 people were killed and more than 500 injured when a gunman opened fire from a room in the Mandalay Bay hotel, reportedly using a rapid-firing semi-automatic weapon.

Asked whether new gun control rules would follow, White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said: There will be time for that policy discussion to take place but thats not the place that we are in at the moment.

Recommended Late Night hosts speak out about gun violence in the US

Nonetheless, the example has again been raised of how Australia responded to a mass shooting of its own in 1996, when a lone gunman killed 35 people in Port Arthur, Tasmania.

The government of John Howard instituted a ban on, and a mass, compulsory buy-back of, certain kinds of guns, destroying nearly 660,000 rapid-fire weapons over two years amid other measures.

Since then Australia has not suffered another mass shooting, defined by academics as the killing of five or more people, not including the perpetrator.

Last year a Reuters analysis of Australian Bureau of Statistics figures showed that in 1996, Australia had had 311 murders, of which 98 involved guns. In 2014, when the population had increased from about 18 million to 23 million, 238 people were murdered, 35 by guns.

In other words, the likelihood of being murdered by gunshot fell by 72 per cent in that period, from 0.54 to 0.15 per 100,000 people, Reuters said.

Las Vegas shooting  in pictures Show all 15 1 /15 Las Vegas shooting  in pictures Las Vegas shooting  in pictures People scramble for shelter at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after gun fire was heard Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures People carry a person at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after shots were fired David Becker/Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures People run from the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after gun fire was heard David Becker/Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures A handout photo released via Twitter by Eiki Hrafnsson (@EirikurH) showing concertgoers running away from the scene (C) after shots range out at the Route 91 Harvest festival on Las Vegas Boulevard EPA/Eiki Hrafnsson Las Vegas shooting  in pictures People lie on the ground at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after hearing gun fire Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures A man in a wheelchair is taken away from the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after hearing gun fire David Becker/Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures People stand on the street outside the Mandalay Bay hotel near the scene of the Route 91 Harvest festival on Las Vegas Boulevard EPA/Paul Buck Las Vegas shooting  in pictures FBI agents confer in front of the Tropicana hotel-casino after a mass shooting during a music festival on the Las Vegas Strip Reuters/Las Vegas Sun/Steve Marcus Las Vegas shooting  in pictures Las Vegas police run by a banner on the fence at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival grounds after shots were fired David Becker/Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures An injured person is tended to in the intersection of Tropicana Ave. and Las Vegas Boulevard after a mass shooting at a country music festival Ethan Miller/Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures Metro Police officers pass by the front of the Tropicana hotel-casino after a mass shooting at a music festival on the Las Vegas Strip Reuters/Las Vegas Sun/Steve Marcus Las Vegas shooting  in pictures A woman sits on a curb at the scene of a shooting outside of a music festival along the Las Vegas Strip AP/John Locher Las Vegas shooting  in pictures A cowboy hat lays in the street after shots were fired near a country music festival in Las Vegas Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures Las Vegas Metro Police and medical workers stage in the intersection of Tropicana Avenue and Las Vegas Boulevard South after a mass shooting at a music festival on the Las Vegas Strip Reuters/Las Vegas Sun/Steve Marcus Las Vegas shooting  in pictures Sheriff Joe Lombardo (2-R) speaking during a press briefing in the aftermath of the active shooter incident on Las Vegas Boulevard EPA

A study conducted 10 years after Port Arthur concluded: Australias 1996 gun law reforms were followed by more than a decade free of fatal mass shootings, and accelerated declines in firearm deaths, particularly suicides.

Total homicide rates followed the same pattern. Removing large numbers of rapid-firing firearms from civilians may be an effective way of reducing mass shootings, firearm homicides and firearm suicides.

But to mark 20 years since the countrys dramatic intervention the authors of that study conducted a follow-up.

While it also noted an accelerated decline in firearms deaths since the ban, and a statistically significant acceleration in the downward trend of firearm suicides, it concluded they could not be causally linked to Mr Howards ban despite this correlation.

The researchers wrote: There was a more rapid decline in firearm deaths between 1997 and 2013 compared with before 1997, but also a decline in total non-firearm suicide and homicide deaths of a greater magnitude.

Because of this, it is not possible to determine whether the change in firearm deaths can be attributed to the gun law reforms.

Reform advocates in the US face significant opposition from conservative activists and the National Rifle Association, while any new laws would have to take into account the Second Amendment to the countrys constitution.

Las Vegas gunman Stephen Paddock, who had an arsenal of more than three dozen weapons, is thought to have obtained them all legally.
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MEPs have delivered a blow to Theresa May by demanding talks on a post-Brexit trade deal with the EU are delayed because of Britains confused stance.

The European Parliament overwhelmingly passed a motion warning that sufficient progress has not yet been made on agreeing the divorce deal.

EU leaders have insisted Britain must first move to settle three key separation issues: the financial settlement, the future rights of EU citizens and the Irish border.

But the motion  passed unamended  instead accused the UK of having seriously impeded talks over the divorce bill because of a lack of clear proposals.

The resolution was backed by 557 MEPs sitting in Strasbourg, with just 92 voting against and 29 abstentions.

Only a major breakthrough should see the EU council of ministers agree to move onto the second phase of the talks  future trade  at a summit later this month, it said.

The vote in Strasbourg is not binding, but the views of MEPs are crucial because they have a veto over any final Brexit agreement.

It represents a setback for the Prime Minister, who hoped her speech in Florence  promising to plug any hole in the EU budget, until 2020  would break the stalemate.

During the debate, a senior MEP warned Ms May that Boris Johnson must be sacked if she wanted to prevent the Brexit negotiations breaking down.

Manfred Weber, a key ally of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, said the Foreign Secretarys interventions left the Government trapped by their own party quarrels and political contradictions.

 Jean-Claude Juncker: Britain needs a 'miracle' to meet deadline for Brexit deal

Please sack Johnson because we need a clear answer who is responsible for the British position, said the leader of the centre-right EPP grouping in the European Parliament.

Who do I call in London  Theresa May, Boris Johnson or David Davis? Please dont put your party first. We need a clear answer who is responsible for the British position.

The warning was echoed by Guy Verhofstadt, the Parliaments Brexit coordinator, who said cabinet splits were blocking progress in the exit talks.

There is a lack of clarity, there is even disunity, he said. There are oppositions between [Philip] Hammond and [Liam] Fox. There are divisions between Johnson and May.

MEPs made clear they will veto any deal unless Britain continues to accept European Court of Justice rulings during any implementation period.

Such a transitional period can only be envisaged under the full jurisdiction of the Court of Justice of the European Union, the motion said  and if other withdrawal issues are concluded.

However, ending the jurisdiction of the court immediately at the point of Brexit was one of the four red lines set out by the Foreign Secretary over the past weekend.

He also demanded that no new EU directives or regulations should apply to Britain after Brexit and that the UK should not pay, or accept EU rules, to gain long-term access to the single market.

Some senior Tories believe that Mr Johnson is deliberately attempting to set Ms May up to fail by making demands that Brussels will never agree to.

MEPs passed the resolution, drawn up by the Parliaments Brexit Steering Group, following a debate on Tuesday morning with EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and chief negotiator Michel Barnier.
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Thousands of people took to the streets and blocked roads across Catalonia on Tuesday amid strikes to protest against the police violence used during the weekends divisive independence referendum.

In Barcelona, schools, businesses and shops were also shut as part of a strike backed by the Catalan government, which will only serve to increase tension with Spains central government in Madrid.

The protests were largely peaceful, although some protesters forced shops and supermarkets that had decided to remain open to close, graffitiing strike-breakers on the windows.

Spains interior minister, however, accused the Catalan government of inciting rebellion by encouraging the protests as the countrys worst political crisis in decades continues to show no signs of resolution.

Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters Show all 17 1 /17 Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters A man faces off Spanish Civil Guards outside a polling station in Sant Julia de Ramis Reuters Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters Riot police form a security cordon around the Ramon Llull school in Barcelona EPA Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters Riot police evict a young woman during clashes between people gathered outside the Ramon Llull school in Barcelona EPA Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters Spanish Civil Guard officers break through a door at a polling station in Sant Julia de Ramis Reuters Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters Spanish National Police clash with pro-referendum supporters in Barcelona on Sunday AP Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters Crowds raise their arms up as police move in on members of the public gathered outside to prevent them from voting in the referendum at a polling station where the President Carles Puigdemunt will vote later today Getty Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters People confront Spanish Civil Guard officers outside a polling station Reuters Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters Three man hold each other as they try to block a Spanish police van from approaching a polling station AP Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters A woman shows a ballot to a Spanish Civil Guard officer outside a polling station Reuters Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters A man wearing a shirt with an Estelada (Catalan separatist flag) and holding carnations faces off with a Spanish Civil Guard officer Reuters Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters Police try to control the area as people attempt to cast their ballot at a polling station in Barcelona Getty Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters A man is grabbed by officers as police move in on the crowds Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters Two women argue with a Spanish National policeman during clashes between Catalan pro-independence people and police forces at the Sant Julia de Ramis sports centre in Girona EPA Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters Sant Julia De Ramis in Spain Getty Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters Confrontation outside a polling station in Barcelona, where police have tried to stop people voting AFP/Getty Images Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters A Spanish National Police officer aims a rubber-bullet rifle at pro-referendum supporters in Barcelona AP Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters Riot police clashed with voters as polls opened in Barcelona Sky News

Day after day, the Catalan government is pushing the population to the abyss and inciting rebellion in the streets, Juan Ignacio Zoido said, adding that central government will take measures to stop the acts of harassment.

Having previously remained silent on the issue, the European Parliament has confirmed it will hold a special debate on Wednesday.

More than 50 barricades or protests had blocked roads across Spains north-eastern region on Tuesday morning, including major toll roads and motorways which link the country to France, with Catalan president Carles Puigdemont calling for a democratic, civic, dignified protest on Twitter.

He added: Dont let yourself be provoked. The world has seen it: we are peaceful people.

Recommended Catalonia braces for unrest over declaration of independence

Protestors, tractors and tyres blocked the roads, while two people sat playing chess in the middle of one motorway.

FC Barcelona was among those to join the strike, with the club saying in a statement it seeks to bring together all those people who on 1 October, whether they voted or not, were left indignant by the serious events which took place during the day of the Catalan referendum on independence.

While the majority of the people involved in the protests were draped in Senyeras and Esteladas  two variations of the Catalan flag, the latter representing a pro-independence feeling  there were also a number of people with Spain flags protesting against the police violence used on Sunday in an attempt to shut down polling stations across the region after central government had deemed the referendum illegal.

The Catalan government said 893 civilians were injured on the day and one of Tuesdays largest protests took place outside Spains national police building in Barcelona, where there were chants for the Spanish police force to leave the region. Protesters had previously forced 150 police out of a hotel in Canella on Monday night.

Meanwhile, outside the central government office in Barcelona, thousands protested in silence with their hands held in the air.

The metro in the city ran a limited service, with passengers allowed to travel for free, while there were also reduced services at the Port of Barcelona.

However, flights were running as normal from Barcelona-El Prat airport.

Mr Puigdemont has said 90 per cent of Sundays 2.3 million voters backed independence from Spain and while central government will attempt to stop any breakaway, he maintains that the referendum is valid and binding.

But he has stopped short of declaring independence yet, despite his governments previous promise that secession could happen within 48 hours of a Yes vote.

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, though, refuses to give the referendum any credence at all.

We cannot allow the progress of the past 40 years to be replaced by blackmail, he said this week.

We all have reasons to trust our democracy. This has only served to hurt our coexistence. I offer dialogue within the law. I expect them [Catalans] to renounce to what they have done so far.
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Spain's King Felipe has accused the Catalan government of an "inadmissible lack of loyalty" over the independence referendum which has lead to the worst constitutional crisis since the Civil War.

Giving a rare address to parliament, the royal called for calm but accused Barcelona of behaving "irresponsibly" by holding a referendum on independence which had been declared illegal by Madrid.

His intervention followed a 24-hour strike in Catalonia in protest at police brutality against people going to vote at polling stations which left nearly 900 people injured.

Members of the Civil Guard, a central police force bussed in from Madrid, fired rubber bullets at crowds of protesters and were seen beating and throwing voters downstairs as they went to the polling booths.

Defending the actions of the Madrid government, the King said they had a duty to maintain the rule of law in the region and said the situation was "very serious" but believed the country "will overcome difficult times".

Despite the violence 90 per cent of people voted for independence and the Barcelona government has threatened to unilaterally secede from Spain.

Catalan President Carles Puigdemont said the region had "won the right to statehood" and said of the violence "today the Spanish state wrote another shameful page in its history with Catalonia".

Speaking to crowds on Sunday, Jordi Sanchez  the leader of secessionist group ANC  told a large crowd in Barcelona's main square he hopes that "very soon we will see the birth of a new Catalan state."

Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters Show all 17 1 /17 Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters A man faces off Spanish Civil Guards outside a polling station in Sant Julia de Ramis Reuters Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters Riot police form a security cordon around the Ramon Llull school in Barcelona EPA Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters Riot police evict a young woman during clashes between people gathered outside the Ramon Llull school in Barcelona EPA Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters Spanish Civil Guard officers break through a door at a polling station in Sant Julia de Ramis Reuters Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters Spanish National Police clash with pro-referendum supporters in Barcelona on Sunday AP Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters Crowds raise their arms up as police move in on members of the public gathered outside to prevent them from voting in the referendum at a polling station where the President Carles Puigdemunt will vote later today Getty Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters People confront Spanish Civil Guard officers outside a polling station Reuters Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters Three man hold each other as they try to block a Spanish police van from approaching a polling station AP Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters A woman shows a ballot to a Spanish Civil Guard officer outside a polling station Reuters Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters A man wearing a shirt with an Estelada (Catalan separatist flag) and holding carnations faces off with a Spanish Civil Guard officer Reuters Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters Police try to control the area as people attempt to cast their ballot at a polling station in Barcelona Getty Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters A man is grabbed by officers as police move in on the crowds Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters Two women argue with a Spanish National policeman during clashes between Catalan pro-independence people and police forces at the Sant Julia de Ramis sports centre in Girona EPA Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters Sant Julia De Ramis in Spain Getty Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters Confrontation outside a polling station in Barcelona, where police have tried to stop people voting AFP/Getty Images Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters A Spanish National Police officer aims a rubber-bullet rifle at pro-referendum supporters in Barcelona AP Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters Riot police clashed with voters as polls opened in Barcelona Sky News

Mr Sanchez warns local leaders "Now, don't let us down ...The moment of truth has arrived. What the police are doing is simply savage. It's an international scandal."

Spain's Constitutional court had suspended the vote but separatist leaders in Catalonia went ahead with the vote anyway.

The controversial poll was pushed through the Catalan parliament in June but the court in Madrid said is violated the Spanish Constitution which refers to "the indissoluble unity of the Spanish nation, the common and indivisible homeland of all Spaniards" in September.
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Workers in Catalonia have staged a general strike while protests blocked key roads following the Spanish government's brutal crackdown on Sunday's independence referendum.

Footage showed police beating voters and firing rubber bullets into crowds on Sunday during clashes that left more than 800 injured, according to the region's government.

Barcelona's public transport was running at less than half of normal service level on Tuesday morning, and its port was "practically at a standstill", as was Tarragona's, La Vanguardia reported.

The agrarian sector was also at a near-standstill but Barcelona-El Prat airport was functioning normally, the site said.

Labour unions and grassroots pro-independence groups had urged workers to hold partial or full-day strikes throughout Catalonia to protest police conduct.

The strike call came as Catalan leaders considered a possible declaration of independence this week following the referendum which Spain said was illegal and invalid.

Port workers were being called to demonstrate outside the regional headquarters of Spain's ruling Popular Party while firefighters planned a rally outside the Interior Ministry's regional office in Barcelona.

Protests were also to be staged outside polling stations where police acted with force to try to prevent Sunday's poll being held.

Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters Show all 17 1 /17 Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters A man faces off Spanish Civil Guards outside a polling station in Sant Julia de Ramis Reuters Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters Riot police form a security cordon around the Ramon Llull school in Barcelona EPA Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters Riot police evict a young woman during clashes between people gathered outside the Ramon Llull school in Barcelona EPA Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters Spanish Civil Guard officers break through a door at a polling station in Sant Julia de Ramis Reuters Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters Spanish National Police clash with pro-referendum supporters in Barcelona on Sunday AP Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters Crowds raise their arms up as police move in on members of the public gathered outside to prevent them from voting in the referendum at a polling station where the President Carles Puigdemunt will vote later today Getty Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters People confront Spanish Civil Guard officers outside a polling station Reuters Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters Three man hold each other as they try to block a Spanish police van from approaching a polling station AP Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters A woman shows a ballot to a Spanish Civil Guard officer outside a polling station Reuters Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters A man wearing a shirt with an Estelada (Catalan separatist flag) and holding carnations faces off with a Spanish Civil Guard officer Reuters Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters Police try to control the area as people attempt to cast their ballot at a polling station in Barcelona Getty Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters A man is grabbed by officers as police move in on the crowds Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters Two women argue with a Spanish National policeman during clashes between Catalan pro-independence people and police forces at the Sant Julia de Ramis sports centre in Girona EPA Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters Sant Julia De Ramis in Spain Getty Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters Confrontation outside a polling station in Barcelona, where police have tried to stop people voting AFP/Getty Images Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters A Spanish National Police officer aims a rubber-bullet rifle at pro-referendum supporters in Barcelona AP Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters Riot police clashed with voters as polls opened in Barcelona Sky News

Carles Puidgemont, president of Catalonia's Generalitat, said the world had been shocked by the unjustified, abusive and severe police violence committed by the Spanish government, noting that several leaders had expressed concern over the brutal repression.

The referendum had no legal status after being blocked by the Madrid government and Constitutional Court for being at odds with the 1978 constitution, which states that Spain cannot be broken up, and there is little sign of support for Catalan independence in any other part of Spain.
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A couple who were found with a rocket launcher and an AK-47 assault rife in their vehicle during a routine traffic stop, have been arrested by police in southern France.

The pair, in their twenties, who have not been named, were picked up in Port-de-Bouc, near Marseille.

Ammunition was also recovered from the car, Le Parisien reported.

The 25-year-old male was reportedly known to police for abusing his female partner, who was arrested alongside him.

He was not permitted to contact her, according to reports.

According to La Provence newspaper, the man was known for petty crimes and did not have known connections to Islamist extremist groups.

An investigation into the suspects been handed to the Marseille judicial police.

Their arrests came as five people were questioned by police in Paris, following the discovery of a primed bomb at an apartment bloc 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. 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

The men in their thirties, were reportedly known to authorities and one is on an intelligence services list of "radicalised" people, which features the names of potential Islamist militants.

The explosive device was made up of two gas canisters connected with wires to a mobile phone, judicial sources said.
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French police have arrested five people after the discovery of an explosive device outside a residential building in Paris.

Authorities believe the device, which was discovered on Friday, was part of a failed bomb plot in the city's 16th arrondisement, a wealthy neighbourhood in the west of the capital home to Paris Saint-Germain's (PSG) stadium.

One of those arrested was radicalised, France's interior minister said, a likely reference to Islamist terrorism.

Recommended Isis claims Marseille attack in which two women stabbed to death

Gerard Collomb, speaking on French radio, said the discovery of the device highlighted that the threat against France remains "extremely big".

(Police) services are investigating, he said. What I can tell you is that among the people who were arrested, one was... radicalised.

More than 230 people have been killed in attacks by Islamist militants over the past three years. Isis, whose bases in Syria and Iraq are being bombed by French war planes, has urged followers to attack France.

Soldiers shot a man dead on Sunday after he killed two young women with a knife at a train station in the southern French port city of Marseille.

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

A judicial source said the explosive device found late last Friday night was made of four gas canisters and covered in petrol.

The discovery came hours before PSG played at their Parc des Princes stadium, thrashing Bordeaux 6-2. Police have made no indication that the apparent failed bomb plot was targeting the club.

We've foiled numerous attacks since the start of the year that would have involved many deaths, Mr Collomb said. We are still in a state of war.

Additional reporting agencies
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Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has been sentenced to 20 days in prison for calling an unsanctioned rally, disrupting the Kremlin critic's plans to attend another major gathering this weekend.

The narrow corridor leading to the tiny courtroom of Moscows Simonovsky Court was packed with journalists and supporters, all jostling for position with arms, knees, and elbows. Even the man being put on trial, who hopes to challenge for the presidency in elections next year, had difficulty getting in.

You see, they wont let me in anywhere, Navalny said. They wont let me have rallies, they wont let me run [for the presidency] and they wont even let me into my own trial.

Recommended Russian opposition leader barred from running against Putin

A relaxed Navalny told the journalists that made it through the door that he expected no more than a fine not the jail sentence that came. The tea leaves were pointing in the way of leniency, he said. There were not many police in the building, no police vans outside, and hed been allowed to walk free over the weekend. Navalny tweeted, he joked with staff, and posed for photographers gathered by the door until a SWAT officer appeared from behind his back to slam the door shut.

Later, the police officers were in place, and Navalny learned of his custodial sentence. The opposition leader was guilty of calling on supporters to attend an illegal rally, the judge ruled.

Its a birthday present for the old man Putin, Navalny retorted, referring to President Vladimir Putin. Hes frightened of our rallies.

Russias president will celebrate his 65th birthday on 7 October  the same day that Navalny had organised a rally in his home city of St Petersburg.

Navalnys rallies have put him in direct confrontation with the Kremlin. According to a controversial law introduced in Mr Putins first term, mass public meetings need to agreed by local authorities. In practice, the assembly law has been used to blunt opposition forces. The vast majority of Navalnys rallies have not received official permission.

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

In March, however, Navalny called on his supporters to ignore authorities and participate in rallies whether sanctioned or not. Tens of thousands of Russians answered the call. A large number were also arrested over a thousand in Moscow alone.

On Friday, Navalny had issued a similar call to supporters in Nizhny Novgorod, Russias fifth largest city. On his way to the rally, the politician was detained by police.

There is some confusion whether Navalny received permission to hold the event or not. On Friday, the opposition leader claimed the rally was sanctioned by local authorities. In court on Monday, however, he accepted that permission  even if issued  had been withdrawn at last minute. He argued that he was simply doing what a candidate does.

We might need to get used to each other, quipped the opposition leader to the sitting judge. Weve got many more rallies planned.

The judge for a moment smiled, recognising, perhaps, his role in the performance.

The ruling is Navalny's third jail sentence this year, having served 15 days for resisting arrest following the protests in March and then 25 days in the summer for repeatedly violating the controversial law on organising public meetings.

The Kremlin has so far shown no signs of obliging Navalnys ambitions to ballot next spring. It contends that a criminal conviction, which many consider politically motivated, renders the opposition leaders challenge invalid.

President Putin has yet to mention Navalny by name. He still enjoys stratospheric approval ratings  above 80 per cent, according to the respected Levada polling group. But given the otherwise barren political field in Russia, Navalny is Mr Putins most obvious challenge.

Navalnys unofficial presidential campaign has built obvious momentum. Somehow, he has managed to open 80 election hubs, recruit over 100,000 volunteers and run dozens of rallies across the country. Navalnys viral videos proposing allegations of corruption, which claim huge riches in Putins inner circle, have reached tens of millions. The Kremlin has dismissed the allegations in the videos as being without merit.

The Kremlin has been uncharacteristically indecisive in dealing with Navalny. In 2013, following mass protests in Moscow, authorities reversed a court decision to imprison him for five years for embezzlement. That court process has since ruled unfair by the European Court of Human Rights. Later, in 2014, a Russian court imprisoned Navalnys brother for three and a half years, a verdict that many have interpreted as an attempt to create leverage on the opposition leader. Navalny himself has yet to receive a serious custodial sentence.

The Kremlin has not yet come to a clear understanding of what to do with Navalny, said Andrei Kolesnikov, senior fellow at the Moscow Carnegie Center. But the latest verdict has created a dangerous precedent for the presidential hopeful, he added.

It shows that they are intent on making his life impossible and raises the possibility of a criminal case and long-term custodial sentence, Mr Kolesnikov said.

Later on Friday, Leonid Volkov, Navalnys campaign manager, was also sentenced to 20 days in jail. Writing in a series of emotional messages on Twitter, Mr Volkov announced the start of a hunger strike.

Let us out, you b*******, Mr Volkov wrote. Lets compete with our ideas and rallies, not courts and arrests.

Mr. Volkov said the campaign of nationwide rallies would continue regardless of the verdicts.
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India, under pressure to accept Rohingya refugees fleeing state-organised violence in nearby Burma, has seized on comments made by the highest Islamic authority in government-controlled Syria suggesting that the Muslim minority is a threat to Indias security.

The number of Rohingya forced to leave their homes for neighbouring Bangladesh and further afield has been exaggerated by Western media, Sheikh Ahmad Badreddin Hassoun said in a recent interview with Indian news channel World is One.

I sincerely wish the Indian government to open a dialogue with the government of Myanmar. There is a big propaganda [sic] against the government of Myanmar and the story is not as clear as what has been reported in the media.

These 450,000 refugees is repeated at least 100 times in one day, while Saudi Arabia has cost Yemen nine million refugees and there is no mention about this, he said, going on to lend his support to Indias stance that the Rohingya are a threat to security.

While the Saudi blockade of Yemen has prevented most civilians from leaving the country, more than nine million have been internally displaced because of violence in the almost three-year-old civil war.

An army crackdown triggered by an attack on 25 August by Rohingya insurgents on Burmese security forces has triggered a major humanitarian crisis in the country, rights groups say.

Hundreds of people have been raped and killed and nearly 500,000 Rohingya have fled to neighbouring Bangladesh after their villages were burnt to the ground in what the UN has described as a textbook example of ethnic cleansing.

[The media] has made a very big issue of the Myanmar problem to get the attention of the Muslim world, the cleric continued.

In pictures: Burma migrants abandoned at sea Show all 8 1 /8 In pictures: Burma migrants abandoned at sea In pictures: Burma migrants abandoned at sea Myanmar migrants Rohingya migrants swim to collect food supplies dropped by a Thai army helicopter after they jumped from a boat (R) drifting in Thai waters off the southern island of Koh Lipe in the Andaman sea In pictures: Burma migrants abandoned at sea Myanmar migrants Rohingya migrants pass food supplies dropped by a Thai army helicopter to others aboard a boat drifting in Thai waters off the southern island of Koh Lipe in the Andaman sea In pictures: Burma migrants abandoned at sea Myanmar migrants A Rohingya migrant eats food dropped by a Thai army helicopter after he jumped to collect the supplies at sea from a boat drifting in Thai waters off the southern island of Koh Lipe in the Andaman sea. A boat crammed with scores of Rohingya migrants, including many young children, was found drifting in Thai waters, with passengers saying several people had died over the last few days In pictures: Burma migrants abandoned at sea Myanmar migrants Rohingya migrants stand and sit on a boat drifting in Thai waters off the southern island of Koh Lipe in the Andaman sea In pictures: Burma migrants abandoned at sea Myanmar migrants Rohingya migrants stand and sit on a boat drifting in Thai waters off the southern island of Koh Lipe in the Andaman sea In pictures: Burma migrants abandoned at sea Myanmar migrants A Rohingya migrant eats food dropped by a Thai army helicopter after he jumped to collect supplies at sea from a boat drifting in Thai waters off the southern island of Koh Lipe in the Andaman sea In pictures: Burma migrants abandoned at sea Myanmar migrants Rohingya migrants bring back food supplies dropped by a Thai army helicopter after jumping to collect them at sea from a boat drifting in Thai waters off the southern island of Koh Lipe in the Andaman sea In pictures: Burma migrants abandoned at sea Myanmar migrants A Rohingya migrant woman holding a child cries as she stands on a boat drifting in Thai waters off the southern island of Koh Lipe in the Andaman sea

They have five mosques in Yangon the capital. If the government there is burning the mosques in Rakhine, why are they not burning the mosques in the capital?

We need to study the problem in Myanmar is it a religious problem? Or is it a security issue? Religion is being used as a scapegoat for a reason.

In India, the government has tried to justify the planned deportation of up to 40,000 Rohingya by linking them to extremist groups such as Isis and spy agencies in Pakistan. Rohingya community leaders have repeatedly denied the allegations.

The situation is currently under review by the Supreme Court.

Sheikh Hassoun, a close ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, is believed to have had direct involvement in the execution of 13,000 political prisoners in the regimes infamous Saydnaya prison, Amnesty International says.

Syrias complex civil war, now in its seventh year, has left half a million people dead and driven around half of the pre-war population of 22 million from their homes.

Around five million Syrians are now refugees elsewhere, the majority in neighbouring Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon.
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The execution of a man convicted of murder has taken the number of people Saudi Arabia executed in the conservative Kingdom so far this year to 100, the Saudi state news agency has said.

The unnamed individual had his sentence upheld by an appeals court in a case involving the murder of another man, official news agency SPA said, without giving details.

The Independents requests for comment from Saudi government representatives were not immediately answered.

 Saudi Arabia arrest singer for 'doing a dab'

Amnesty International condemned the news, alleging that up to 40 per cent of executions in recent months had been for drug-related charges, which should not be punishable by death. Amnesty remains committed to the abolition of the death penalty under all circumstances.

Since July, the Saudi Arabian government has been on an execution spree with an average of five people put to death per week, said Lynn Maalouf, the organisations Middle East Research Director.

The Saudi authorities have been using the death penalty as a tool to crush dissent and rein in minorities with callous disregard for human life, she continued.

10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses Show all 10 1 /10 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses In October 2014, three lawyers, Dr Abdulrahman al-Subaihi, Bander al-Nogaithan and Abdulrahman al-Rumaih , were sentenced to up to eight years in prison for using Twitter to criticize the Ministry of Justice. AFP/Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses In March 2015, Yemens Sunni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi was forced into exile after a Shia-led insurgency. A Saudi Arabia-led coalition has responded with air strikes in order to reinstate Mr Hadi. It has since been accused of committing war crimes in the country. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses Women who supported the Women2Drive campaign, launched in 2011 to challenge the ban on women driving vehicles, faced harassment and intimidation by the authorities. The government warned that women drivers would face arrest. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses Members of the Kingdoms Shia minority, most of whom live in the oil-rich Eastern Province, continue to face discrimination that limits their access to government services and employment. Activists have received death sentences or long prison terms for their alleged participation in protests in 2011 and 2012. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses All public gatherings are prohibited under an order issued by the Interior Ministry in 2011. Those defy the ban face arrest, prosecution and imprisonment on charges such as inciting people against the authorities. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses In March 2014, the Interior Ministry stated that authorities had deported over 370,000 foreign migrants and that 18,000 others were in detention. Thousands of workers were returned to Somalia and other states where they were at risk of human rights abuses, with large numbers also returned to Yemen, in order to open more jobs to Saudi Arabians. Many migrants reported that prior to their deportation they had been packed into overcrowded makeshift detention facilities where they received little food and water and were abused by guards. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses The Saudi Arabian authorities continue to deny access to independent human rights organisations like Amnesty International, and they have been known to take punitive action, including through the courts, against activists and family members of victims who contact Amnesty. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses Raif Badawi was sentenced to 1000 lashes and 10 years in prison for using his liberal blog to criticise Saudi Arabias clerics. He has already received 50 lashes, which have reportedly left him in poor health. Carsten Koall/Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses Dawood al-Marhoon was arrested aged 17 for participating in an anti-government protest. After refusing to spy on his fellow protestors, he was tortured and forced to sign a blank document that would later contain his confession. At Dawoods trial, the prosecution requested death by crucifixion while refusing him a lawyer. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses Ali Mohammed al-Nimr was arrested in 2012 aged either 16 or 17 for participating in protests during the Arab spring. His sentence includes beheading and crucifixion. The international community has spoken out against the punishment and has called on Saudi Arabia to stop. He is the nephew of a prominent government dissident. Getty

If the Saudi authorities are truly intent on making reforms, they must immediately establish an official moratorium on executions as a first step towards abolishing the death penalty completely.

International human rights watchdogs have consistently condemned Saudi Arabias human rights record.

The Kingdom, which is governed by a very strict interpretation of Islamic law and ruled over by an absolute monarchy, has one of the highest death penalty rates in the world.

Recommended Saudi Arabia lifting their driving ban is little more than a stunt

The sentence is handed down for murder, rape, terrorism, armed robbery, drug trafficking and sometimes apostasy charges.

The death penalty is often declared after flawed court trials and court proceedings which do not adhere to international standards, including confessions obtained by torture, rights organisations allege.

In 2016 Riyadh said a total of 153 people were executed, a figure verified by Amnesty International. At least 33 are currently on death row, and 2,000 people have faced the death penalty since 1985.
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King Salman of Saudi Arabia is to visit Russia in the first ever official trip to the country by a sitting Saudi monarch, the Kremlin has confirmed.

The 81-year-old king, who acceded to the throne in 2015, is set for later this week.

We are awaiting the kings visit on Thursday, President Vladimir Putins foreign policy aide, Yury Ushakov, was quoted by state TASS news agency as saying on Monday.

In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria Show all 30 1 /30 In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria A Syrian family arrives at a checkpoint, manned by pro-government forces, at the al-Hawoz street roundabout, after leaving Aleppo's eastern neighbourhoods Getty In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria A Syrian woman, fleeing violence in the restive Bustan al-Qasr neighbourhood, reacts as she stands with her children in Aleppo's Fardos neighbourhood, after regime troops retook the area from rebel fighters Getty In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria Syrian pro-regime fighters, gesture as they drive past resident fleeing violence in the restive Bustan al-Qasr neighbourhood, in Aleppo's Fardos neighbourhood Getty In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria Syrian rebels withdrew from six more neighbourhoods in their one-time bastion of east Aleppo in the face of advancing government troops, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Getty In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria Syrian rebels withdrew from six more neighbourhoods in their one-time bastion of east Aleppo in the face of advancing government troops, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Getty In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria Syrian residents, fleeing violence in the restive Bustan al-Qasr neighbourhood, arrive in Aleppo's Fardos neighbourhood , after regime troops retook the area from rebel fighters Getty In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria Syrian pro-regime fighters, gesture as they drive past residents fleeing violence in the restive Bustan al-Qasr neighbourhood, in Aleppo's Fardos neighbourhood Getty In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria Syrian residents, fleeing violence in the restive Bustan al-Qasr neighbourhood, arrive in Aleppo's Fardos neighbourhood, after regime troops retook the area from rebel fighters Getty In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria Syrian residents, fleeing violence in the restive Bustan al-Qasr neighbourhood, arrive in Aleppo's Fardos neighbourhood Getty In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria A Syrian pro-regime fighter speaks with a child, as residents flee violence in the restive Bustan al-Qasr neighbourhood. Syrian rebels withdrew from six more neighbourhoods in their one-time bastion of east Aleppo in the face of advancing government troops AFP/Getty Images In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria Smoke rises as seen from a governement-held area of Aleppo, Syria Reuters In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria Syrian soldiers targeting rebels-held areas in the eastern neighborhoods in Aleppo, Syria. According to media reports, the army is now holding on 99 percent of Aleppois eastern neighborhoods EPA In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria Syrian pro-government forces patrol Aleppo's eastern al-Salihin neighbourhood after troops retook the area from rebel fighters Getty In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria Syrian soldiers rest following the battle at al-Sheik Saeed neighborhood in Aleppo, Syria EPA In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria A Syrian pro-government fighter walking past closed shops in the Bab al-Nasr district of Aleppo's Old City. Once renowned for its bustling souks, grand citadel and historic gates, Aleppo's Old City has been rendered virtually unrecognisable by some of the worst violence of Syria's war Getty In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria The crucial battle for Aleppo entered its 'final phase' after Syrian rebels retreated into a small pocket of their former bastion in the face of new army advances. The retreat leaves opposition fighters confined to just a handful of neighbourhoods in southeast Aleppo, the largest of them Sukkari and Mashhad Getty In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria Syrian civilans arrive at a checkpoint, manned by pro-government forces, at the al-Hawoz street roundabout, after leaving Aleppo's eastern neighbourhoods. Syria's government has retaken at least 85 percent of east Aleppo, which fell to rebels in 2012, since beginning its operation Getty In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria Syrian civilians flee the Sukkari neighbourhood towards safer rebel-held areas in southeastern Aleppo Getty In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria Syrians celebrate in the government-held Mogambo neighbourhood of the northern Syrian city of Aleppo, after rebel fighters retreated into a small pocket of their former bastion in the face of new army advances Getty In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria Syrians celebrate in the government-held Mogambo neighbourhood of the northern Syrian city of Aleppo, after rebel fighters retreated into a small pocket of their former bastion in the face of new army advances. The fall of Aleppo would be the worst rebel defeat since Syria's conflict began in 2011, and leave the government in control of the country's five major cities Getty In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria A Syrian refugee camp in the Bekaa Valley, Lebanon, close to the Syrian border PA wire In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria Syrian refugee Aliya inside the tent where she lives with her husband and ten children in a camp in the Bekaa Valley, Lebanon, close to the Syrian border PA wire In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria Syrian refugee women and children outside the entrance to their tents in the refugee camp in the Bekaa Valley, Lebanon, close to the Syrian border PA Wire In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria A Syrian refugee camp in the Bekaa Valley, Lebanon, close to the Syrian border PA wire In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria A Syrian refugee camp in the Bekaa Valley, Lebanon, close to the Syrian border PA Wire In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria A Syrian refugee woman outside the entrance to the tent where her family live, in the refugee camp in the Bekaa Valley, Lebanon, close to the Syrian border PA wire In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria A vehicle drives past a mosque at night in Idlib, Syria. Picture taken with a long exposure Reuters In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria Damaged buildings stand in the rebel-controlled town of Binnish in Idlib province, Syria Reuters In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria The night sky is seen through damaged windows in the rebel-controlled town of Binnish in Idlib province, Syria Reuters In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria Damaged buildings stand in the rebel-controlled area of Maaret al-Numan in Idlib province, Syria Reuters

The Saudi government, in turn, called the visit between 4  7 October historic. President Putin has only been to the Saudi capital of Riyadh once, in 2007, which is to date the only official state Russian visit to the country.

The visit comes before next months Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) summit in Vienna, Austria, of which Riyadh and Moscow are the most powerful members.

Talks are expected to focus on extending the blocs January 2017 commitment to cut crude oil output production, which has helped prop up oil prices during a glut in supplies worldwide.

 Michael Fallon claims Saudi Arabia is only 'defending itself' when attacking Yemen

King Salman does not do courtesy calls so it can be reasonably assumed that his first official visit to the Russian capital is a serious event, Chris Weafer, a senior partner at consultancy Macro-Advisory, said in a statement.

It is not too many years ago that such a visit would have been difficult, if not impossible. Today that has changed 180 degrees. Both countries now see political and economic advantages from a closer, albeit pragmatic, relationship.

While Moscow and Riyadh are economic allies, diplomatic relations have been strained since the Cold War, when Saudi Arabia supported the muhadjadeen resistance against the Soviet Union.

Recommended Saudi Arabia lifting their driving ban is little more than a stunt

In recent years, the two countries' support for opposite sides of the wars in both Syria and Yemen have added to political tensions.

King Salmans trip, however, highlights Russias growing power in the Middle East.

It comes after Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov visited Saudi Arabia for talks on de-escalation in Syria last month.
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When Alissa Ruxin moved to Rwanda in 2005 with her new husband Josh, the nations wounds from its horrific 1994 genocide were still palpable. The couple, both public health professionals, settled in Kigali, where roads were unpaved, electricity was sporadic and everyone they encountered, it seemed, was battling unspeakable grief. Ruxin, a San Francisco native, began volunteering at an orphanage for children who had lost parents to the genocide, and in her off hours she and her husband bemoaned the shortage of quality restaurants in Rwandas capital city. She decided to do something about both.

She never believed, she says now, that less than a decade later Kigali would emerge as one of the most exciting new luxury destinations in Africa. She was just trying to build a project that would help her community and also supply hungry expats with a decent place to eat.

Recommended How cricket is helping Kigali heal

But the timing was right for Heaven, a dreamy open-air restaurant built into a tranquil hill and offering a small, curated menu of African fusion served by a team of young Rwandans eager for training in the hospitality sector. Ruxin opened its doors in 2008, just as Rwandan President Paul Kagames goals for Vision 2020, a sweeping development plan promoting efficiency, technology, infrastructure overhaul and rapid modernization, were kicking into high gear.

Change has since come swiftly to the land of a thousand hills, whose plucky capital city, long relegated to pilgrimages of grief and airport stopovers on the way to see mountain gorillas, is emerging as East Africas greatest success story. In Kigali, a slew of gleaming new luxury hotels, an international restaurant boom and sparkling-litter free streets are luring travellers who might otherwise have overlooked the city in favour of rural safaris. Rwanda, which was ranked as the ninth-safest nation in the world (and number one in Africa) by the World Economic Forum this year, is changing its narrative.

"Kigali is the epicentre of the land of a thousand hills and rapidly becoming the tourism and business hub for the region, says Belise Kariza, chief tourism officer at the Rwanda Development Board.

A Radisson Blu opened in 2016 (Radisson Blu)

Radisson Blu launched a new Kigali complex in 2016 which consists of a 292-room luxury hotel whose exterior is lined with colourful metal ribbons, and the egg-shaped glass-and-steel Kigali Convention Center, which was unveiled just in time for the 2016 African Union Summit last July. Marriott followed suit three months later, launching its first-ever property in sub-Saharan Africa on the opposite side of the city.

The two new international brands have brought competition to a market once dominated by the Serena, a former InterContinental property that for a decade was considered Kigalis only real luxury bolthole; and the grand Hotel des Milles Collines, made famous by the film Hotel Rwanda. The sparkling new Ubumwe Grande Hotel, which also opened just in time for the 2016 African Summit, newbie The Manor, and Swiss International's Villa Portofino are also now in the mix.

Hotel des Milles Collines was made famous by the film Hotel Rwanda (Hotel des Milles Collines)

And cuisine and culture in Kigali have upped their game in tandem. At bustling nightspot Repub Lounge, locals gather on the open-air patio above the citys twinkling lights to sip Virunga beer and feast on coconut curry fish, beef brochettes and liboke chicken in steamed banana leaves. At sleek Pili Pili, an urban lounge with a chill party vibe, its hard to decide what to focus on: the breathtaking view, the turquoise pool, or the solid bistro fare of pizzas, pastas and tapas, all served under pink and purple lights. Sushi lovers now have two duelling hotspots from which to source their sashimi: terrace-style Sakae and super-authentic Kiseki, while Sol E Luna and Brachetto offer top-notch Italian.

The Inema Arts Center sponsors workshops, dance performances and happy hour events in addition to housing 13 resident artists and a womens craft collective; their mission of nurturing Rwandas next artistic generation is echoed by fellow creative spaces Ivuku Arts and NIYO Art Gallery.

And at Heaven, which locals point to as the spark that started the movement, Ruxin says she is just getting started.

Kigali has had a slew of upmarket restaurant openings (Brioche)

Heaven Boutique Hotel, a charming 22-room lodging house with bright, eclectic rooms and soft, mosquito-net covered beds, opened adjacent to the restaurant in 2015, and this summer, Ruxin welcomed the first guests to The Retreat, an 11-room wellness-themed property offering bespoke luxury experiences on a level never before seen in Kigali.

I think we are on the cusp of something so exciting in Rwanda, Ruxin says, noting that the price for a permit to view Rwandas sought-after mountain gorillas has increased to $1,500, and the jungle lodges that house gorilla tourists routinely charge $800 a night or more. There is a niche, there is a market; [gorilla tourists] have to fly in and out of Kigali. I want to be their first night and their last night.

Travel essentials

Getting there

RwandAir (rwandair.com) flies direct from London Gatwick to Kigali from 447 return.

Staying there

Heave Boutique Hotel (heavenrwanda.com) offers doubles from 108, B&B.

More information

rwandatourism.com
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End the ban on British flights to Sharm el Sheikh or risk further airline failures: following the collapse of Monarch, that is the message from MPs and the Egyptian ambassador.

Monarch, which failed in the early hours of Monday morning, had been very badly hit by the Foreign Office prohibition on UK airlines flying to Sharm el Sheikh.

The ban was brought in five days after a crash in October 2015  224 people died when their Metrojet charter flight from Sharm el Sheikh to St Petersburg in Russia crashed in the Sinai desert. It is thought that a bomb was placed on board at the Egyptian airport.

The UK Government took the unprecedented step of banning British airlines from flying from the Red Sea airport until a team of security experts is satisfied with the standards in place.

Recommended Monarch Airlines CEO set up new company days before its collapse

Monarch was heavily committed to Sharm el Sheikh, a destination that provided the airline with healthy year-round business.

In his letter to staff telling them of the airlines shutdown, Monarchs chief executive, Andrew Swaffield, said: The root cause is the closure, due to terrorism, of Sharm el Sheikh and Tunisia and the decimation of Turkey.

There is no warning against travel to Sharm el Sheikh itself, just to the airport. But the effect of the ban has been to end British package tourism to Egypts leading resort.

The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Egypt is calling for immediate action to reopen the route, saying: Monarchs collapse shows that the ban is not only having a devastating effect on the Egyptian economy, but also damaging the British economy.

If we do not want to hear of further similar stories, it is vital that the flight ban be lifted as soon as possible.

 Monarch collapse: What should customers do now?

The group has been calling for an end to the Sharm el Sheikh travel ban for over a year, since a visit to the airport in July 2016.

The Egyptian government and hotel groups have spent over 20m to ensure that Sharm el Sheikh is now one of the safest airports in the Middle East and meets the demands laid out by the British Government in 2015, says the group.

Egypts ambassador to the UK, Nasser Kamel, said: The pain which will be felt across Britain following Monarchs collapse is shared by many in Egypt. Scores of hotels have been forced to close down in the resort and thousands of workers have been laid off as a result of the ban.

I hope that this tragic development might encourage the British government to consider lifting the flight ban as soon as possible.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 9 November 2022 Australia and Spain play during the Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup group A match at the Copper Box Arena, London PA UK news in pictures 8 November 2022 A migrant attempting to communicate with journalists is pinned against a fence by members of staff, before being taken out of view, at the Manston immigration short-term holding facility, located at the former Defence Fire Training and Development Centre in Thanet, Kent PA UK news in pictures 7 November 2022 Handout photo issued by Just Stop Oil of a protester who has climbed a gantry on the M25 between junctions six and seven in Surrey, leading to the closure of the motorway PA UK news in pictures 6 November 2022 A grey seal with its pup, at the Donna Nook National Nature Reserve in north Lincolnshire, where they come every year in late October, November and December to give birth to their pups near the sand dunes, the wildlife spectacle attracts visitors from across the UK PA UK news in pictures 5 November 2022 Demonstrators with placards calling for a General Election march near the Houses of Parliament AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 4 November 2022 A peacock is seen in the early winter sunshine in the Dutch Gardens in Holland Park AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 3 November 2022 Florence Kasumba, Letitia Wright, Tenoch Huerta and Lupita Nyongo attend the European Premiere of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in London Getty UK news in pictures 2 November 2022 A red squirrel gathers nuts in Pitlochry, Scotland Reuters UK news in pictures 1 November 2022 Englands Tara-Jane Stanley scores their sides seventh try against Brazil during the Womens Rugby League World Cup group A match at Headingley Stadium, Leeds PA UK news in pictures 31 October 2022 GBs James Hall competes during the mens parallel bars qualification at the World Gymnastics Championships in Liverpool AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 October 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The building was built in 1480 as a residential dwelling but has been a tearoom for over 50 years PA UK news in pictures 28 September 2022 Criminal barristers from the Criminal Bar Association (CBA), demonstrates outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, as part of their ongoing pay row with the Government PA UK news in pictures 27 September 2022 David White, Garter King of Arms, poses with an envelope franked with the new cypher of King Charles III 'CIIIR', after it was printed in the Court Post Office at Buckingham Palace in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 26 September 2022 A gallery staff member poses next to a painting by Lucian Freud - Self-portrait (Fragment), 1956 - on show at a photocall for the Credit Suisse exhibition - Lucian Freud: New Perspectives at the National Gallery in London PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2022 Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer is interviewed by Laura Kuenssberg in Liverpool before the start of the Labour Party annual Conference which he opened with a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II and sang the national anthem PA UK news in pictures 24 September 2022 Handout photo issued by Buckingham Palace of the ledger stone at the King George VI Memorial Chapel, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 23 September 2022 A climate change activist protests against UK private jets while lighting his right arm on fire during the Laver Cup tennis tournament at the O2 Arena in London EPA UK news in pictures 22 September 2022 Woody Woodmansey, Lee Bennett, Kevin Armstrong, Nick Moran and Clifford Slapper attend the unveiling of a stone for David Bowie on the Music Walk of Fame at Camden, north London PA UK news in pictures 21 September 2022 A flock of birds in the sky as the sun rises over Dungeness in Kent PA UK news in pictures 20 September 2022 Flowers which were laid by members of the public in tribute to Queen Elizabeth II at Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland are collected by the Hillsborough Gardening Team and volunteers to be replanted for those that can be saved or composted PA

The Foreign Office says: We will continue working with the Egyptian Authorities to enable regular flights between the UK and Sharm el Sheikh to resume.

We are also liaising with travel companies so that they are able to resume flights and holidays in Sharm el Sheikh as soon as appropriate security arrangements are in place.

Rumours in the travel industry strongly suggest that David Cameron was preparing to lift the ban last summer, but his resignation as Prime Minister and the ensuing political chaos took Sharm el Sheikh off the agenda.

In July the ban on travel to Tunisia, which had been in force for two years, was lifted by the Foreign Office.
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The famous Las Vegas strip turned off its lights on Monday night to honour the 59 victims of Americas deadliest mass shooting.

A candlelight vigil attended by hundreds of mourners on the corner of Sahara Avenue and Las Vegas Boulevard stood out in the darkness and the High Roller, a 550ft tall Ferris wheel, was lit in red, white and blue.

The lights of the Eiffel Tower in Paris were also switched off last night (AFP/Getty Images)

On Sunday night 64-year-old Steven Paddock began a killing spree from a 32nd-floor window of the Mandalay Bay hotel. Using 34 high powered guns, he began shooting at a crowd of 22,000 who were attending an outdoor country music festival.

In addition to the 59 killed, more than 500 were injured, some trampled in the crush, and the death toll is feared to rise in the coming days.

The neon street is an iconic part of the resort city and its glow can be seen for miles away. After going dark the strip lit up with messages of support. One sign read: Our prayers for the victims.

Other landmarks around the world also went dark in solidarity with Las Vegas. In Paris the Eiffel Tower switched off its lights to show its support for the victims. France had suffered its own atrocity a day earlier when a man stabbed two women to death outside the main train station in Marseille. ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack, although Las Vegas sheriff Joseph Lombardo described Paddock as a "lone wolf" and said, "We have no idea what his belief system was".

In New York, the Empire State building also went dark on Monday night in sympathy with those affected by the attack. An orange halo was lit at the top of the building to raise awareness for the victims of gun violence.
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Almost inconceivable and certainly societally unacceptable in the modern aviation era  that is how the mystery of MH370 is summed up by the final report into the search for the doomed aircraft.

On 8 March 2014, Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 disappeared on a routine flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 227 passengers and 12 crew.

Its last position to be identified by surveillance systems was at the northern tip of Sumatra, way off the course it should have flown.

Analysis of communication pings indicated that the plane flew for a further six hours before running out of fuel and crashing into the southern Indian Ocean.

Recommended New crash site identified for missing MH370 plane

The aircraft was not configured for a ditching at the end-of-flight, notes the report.

In April 2014, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) took control of the underwater search for the Boeing 777, extending up to 2,800km west of the coast of western Australia. Despite a massive international effort that lasted over two years, studying the sea floor up to 6km below the surface, the only traces of the aircraft to have turned up are fragments of wreckage washed up on the western shores of the Indian Ocean.

The ATSBs final report into the fruitless search has now been published. It runs to 440 pages.

The initial surface search and the subsequent underwater search for the missing aircraft have been the largest searches of their type in aviation history, says the report.

In the largest hydrographic survey ever conducted, investigators mapped a total of 710,000 square kilometres of Indian Ocean sea floor: larger than the area of France.

Yet despite the extraordinary efforts of hundreds of people involved in the search from around the world, the fate of MH370 aircraft remains a mystery.

In the hardest-hitting passage of the report, the ATSB says: Whether or not the loss of MH370 was the result of deliberate action by one or more individuals, or the result of a series of unforeseen events or technical failures, it is almost inconceivable and certainly societally unacceptable in this modern aviation age with 10 million passengers boarding commercial aircraft every day, for a large commercial aircraft to be lost and for the families of those on board not to know with certainty what became of the aircraft nor those on board.

After the search was abandoned, a different Australian agency claimed it could pinpoint the location for MH370 with unprecedented precision and certainty.

But plans to begin a new search have yet to be announced.

The report concludes: The ATSB expresses our deepest sympathies to the families of the passengers and crew on board MH370.

We share your profound and prolonged grief, and deeply regret that we have not been able to locate the aircraft, nor those 239 souls on board that remain missing.
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As the 60m airlift to bring Monarch Airlines passengers home goes into its second day, some holidaymakers are reporting that their hotels are demanding cash payments  even though they are on packages protected by Air Travel Organisers Licensing.

After the airline and holiday company failed in the early hours of Monday morning, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) launched a massive operation to fly British travellers home. The airlift, paid for by the Government, is open to all passengers with Monarch bookings on or before 15 October.

In addition, travellers on package holidays organised by Monarch are guaranteed to have their hotel rooms paid for under the Atol scheme. The CAA says: We are working around the clock to contact all accommodation providers in order to make arrangements for you to remain in your accommodation, on the same board basis, for the duration of your holiday, at no extra cost to you.

The authority is telling hoteliers: Please do not ask your customers to pay again or to leave the accommodation as the UK Civil Aviation Authority will arrange this payment as soon as possible.

With the CAA footing the bill, travellers should not be asked for extra cash. But holidaymakers have contacted The Independent to say they have been asked for many hundreds of pounds to remain in their hotels.

Anthony Reilly flew out to Larnaca in Cyprus on Sunday 1 October, the last day of Monarchs operations. He is staying at the Altrium Zenom Hotel, and said: Our hotel is demanding 900 [800] although we have already paid.

The Independent is seeking comment from the hotel, and has been told of similar cases in Tenerife and Turkey.

The CAA is advising travellers having problems with accommodation to call its helpline: 0044 1753 330 330.

If hoteliers insist on payment, the authority is telling holidaymakers: Please pay this and then make a claim to the CAA when you return to the UK.

Make sure you get a receipt from the hotel or apartment, showing a full breakdown of the charges.

On Monday, 61 flights brought almost 12,000 holidaymakers back to the UK. The CAA is chartering more than 60 planes and crews from 16 airlines.

 Monarch: Simon Calder talks to CAA's Chair, Dame Deirdre Hutton

A further 58 flights from dozens of European destinations are planned today.

Andrew Haines, the CAAs chief executive, said: I want to thank all those involved in organising this mammoth operation which has got off to a good start and to reaffirm our commitment to those passengers still abroad that we will get them back to the UK in the days ahead.

Given the unprecedented scale of this task some disruption is inevitable.
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The end of the travellers love affair with Monarch happened in the early hours of Monday, during what had been planned as a brief lull in the airlines flights - when every plane was on the ground in Britain.

But at 6am, the engines of the Monarch Airbus due to take 200 passengers from Gatwick to Las Palmas on Gran Canaria stayed silent.

Instead, a pop-up airline flew a menagerie of aircraft empty, save for their crew, to dozens of airports from the Canaries to Cyprus.

Travel may be the industry of human happiness, but it can also be cruel. As the weakling of the airline market, Monarch was crushed between the heavyweights, Ryanair and easyJet, with Jet2 adding a few blows for good measure.

The Civil Aviation Authority was aware that the airline was running out of options. A covert operation, as clandestine as social media would allow, deployed aircraft and crews across Europe.

Many of the 12,000 passengers brought home by the biggest ever peacetime repatriation exercise enjoyed the unaccustomed comfort of a Qatar Airways jet, whose crews had been on standby since Wednesday.

Others were looked after by the Canadian carrier, Air Transat, while easyJet added a couple of Airbuses for the tricky business of bringing holidaymakers home from Madeira. The Portuguese islands airport requires special training for pilots, and Monarchs neighbour at Luton stepped in to help.

Ironically, poor weather at Funchal scuppered the rescue flight, and another attempt will be made tomorrow.

A further 98,000 Monarch passengers remain abroad and are due to be brought by the pop-up airline whose HQ is on the third floor of a dowdy office block in Holborn, central London.

Unlike the US, Italy and Germany, there is no room under British law for a soft landing for failing airlines. Chapter 11 Bankruptcy, better known as the carwash, allows American carriers to keep flying while they restructure. When Air Berlin failed earlier in the summer, Angela Merkel wrote a cheque to allow Germans to complete their holidays in an orderly fashion. And Alitalia, described as too Italian to fail, keeps defying economic gravity.

Recommended Heartbreak for Monarch staff and passengers after 4am airline collapse

But in Britain, as far as ailing airlines are concerned, once its gone, its gone  which explains why there was so much grief from West Sussex to West Yorkshire, as holidaymakers arrived to check in at Gatwick, Luton, Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds Bradford, only to be told that their dream trips had been turned into nightmares while they drove to the airport.

As tears mingled with overpriced tea, the algorithms kicked in on rival airline databases: responding to a surge in demand for flights to the Mediterranean, air fares soared faster than desperate travellers could click on buy now.

Three-quarters of a million people had clicked on the same button earlier in the year, in the fond belief that Monarch would fly them south for some autumn sun or north to the aurora borealis and Santa Claus. Instead, they found themselves becoming unwilling experts in the merits of Section 75 claims over the Chargeback system.

Monarch was a great airline which, through a combination of misjudgement of the opposition over the past two decades and misfortune over the past two years, ran out of runway.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 14 November 2022 Members of the hospitality sector demonstrate outside parliament in London. The head of the Confederation of British Industry is urging the UK government to relax immigration rules to help British companies with severe staff shortages, ahead of the chancellors autumn statement EPA UK news in pictures 13 November 2022 England celebrate winning the mens T20 World Cup in Melbourne Cricket Ground, Australia AAP Image/Reuters UK news in pictures 12 November 2022 The City of London Pride Group take part in the parade during the Lord Mayor's Show PA UK news in pictures 11 November 2022 City workers attend a Remembrance Day ceremony at Lloyd's of London, in the City of London, to mark Armistice Day, the anniversary of the end of the First World War PA UK news in pictures 10 November 2022 A grey heron lands on the river Dodder in Dublin on a sunny autumn morning PA UK news in pictures 9 November 2022 Australia and Spain play during the Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup group A match at the Copper Box Arena, London PA UK news in pictures 8 November 2022 A migrant attempting to communicate with journalists is pinned against a fence by members of staff, before being taken out of view, at the Manston immigration short-term holding facility, located at the former Defence Fire Training and Development Centre in Thanet, Kent PA UK news in pictures 7 November 2022 Handout photo issued by Just Stop Oil of a protester who has climbed a gantry on the M25 between junctions six and seven in Surrey, leading to the closure of the motorway PA UK news in pictures 6 November 2022 A grey seal with its pup, at the Donna Nook National Nature Reserve in north Lincolnshire, where they come every year in late October, November and December to give birth to their pups near the sand dunes, the wildlife spectacle attracts visitors from across the UK PA UK news in pictures 5 November 2022 Demonstrators with placards calling for a General Election march near the Houses of Parliament AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 4 November 2022 A peacock is seen in the early winter sunshine in the Dutch Gardens in Holland Park AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 3 November 2022 Florence Kasumba, Letitia Wright, Tenoch Huerta and Lupita Nyongo attend the European Premiere of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in London Getty UK news in pictures 2 November 2022 A red squirrel gathers nuts in Pitlochry, Scotland Reuters UK news in pictures 1 November 2022 Englands Tara-Jane Stanley scores their sides seventh try against Brazil during the Womens Rugby League World Cup group A match at Headingley Stadium, Leeds PA UK news in pictures 31 October 2022 GBs James Hall competes during the mens parallel bars qualification at the World Gymnastics Championships in Liverpool AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 October 2022 People dressed in Halloween costumes paddle board along the river Avon in Christchurch, Dorset PA UK news in pictures 29 October 2022 Members of the public take pictures as police officers remove activists from a road during a Just Stop Oil protest, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 28 October 2022 A cosplayer attends the MCM Comic Con London 2022 at the ExCel Centre in London Reuters UK news in pictures 27 October 2022 98-year-old D-Day Veteran Bernard Morgan, whose story is among those featured on the giant poppy wall, during the launch of The Royal British Legion 2022 Poppy Appeal, at Hay's Galleria in central London PA UK news in pictures 26 October 2022 A meerkat explores a pumpkin in the enclosure at Wild Place, Bristol, where some of the animals are having pumpkin treats as part of their environmental enrichment PA UK news in pictures 25 October 2022 King Charles III welcomes Rishi Sunak during an audience at Buckingham Palace, where he invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative Party to become Prime Minister and form a new government PA UK news in pictures 24 October 2022 Rishi Sunak celebrates with Tory MPs outside the Conservative Campaign Headquarters after becoming the new leader of the Conservative Party Reuters UK news in pictures 23 October 2022 The Green Man at October Plenty, Borough Market's annual Autumn Harvest festival, in London, which returns for the first time post pandemic PA UK news in pictures 21 October 2022 Sculptor Peter McKenna puts the finishing touches to a pumpkin that will form part of the Planet A Hebden Bridge Pumpkin Trail in the West Yorkshire town PA UK news in pictures 20 October 2022 Britains Prime Minister Liz Truss delivers a speech outside of 10 Downing Street in central London to announce her resignation AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 19 October 2022 Salmon leap up Stainforth Force on the River Ribble in the Yorkshire Dales as they swim upriver to their spawning grounds during the annual Salmon migration PA UK news in pictures 18 October 2022 Just Stop Oil protesters continue their protest for a second day on the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, which links Kent and Essex and which remains closed for traffic, after it was scaled by two climbers from the group PA UK news in pictures 17 October 2022 Hundreds of students take part in the traditional Raisin Monday foam fight on St Salvator's Lower College Lawn at the University of St Andrews in Fife PA UK news in pictures 16 October 2022 A protester holds a placard during a march into central London at a demonstration by the climate change protest group Extinction Rebellion AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 15 October 2022 A member of the public drags an activist who is blocking the road during a "Just Stop Oil" protest, in London, Britain REUTERS UK news in pictures 14 October 2022 Germanys Womens double skulls during day one of the World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals at Saundersfoot beach, Pembrokeshire PA UK news in pictures 13 October 2022 Family and mourners arrive at St Michael's Church, in Creeslough, for the funeral mass of 49-year-old mother of four Martina Martin, who died following an explosion at the Applegreen service station in the village of Creeslough in Co Donegal on Friday PA UK news in pictures 12 October 2022 Motorists in Coventry pass trees showing autumnal colour PA UK news in pictures 11 October 2022 A woman and her dog in the the North Sea at Tynemouth Longsands beach before sunrise PA UK news in pictures 10 October 2022 Police officers remove a campaigner from a Just Stop Oil protest on The Mall, near Buckingham Palace, London PA UK news in pictures 9 October 2022 A drummer plays during the Diwali on the Square celebration, in Trafalgar Square, London PA UK news in pictures 8 October 2022 Timothee Chalamet attending the UK premiere of Bones and All during the BFI London Film Festival 2022 at the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, London PA UK news in pictures 7 October 2022 Two young male fallow deer lock antlers in Dublins Phoenix park as rutting season begins PA UK news in pictures 6 October 2022 The Princess of Wales during a cocktail making competition during a visit to Trademarket, a new outdoor street-food and retail market situated in Belfast city centre, as part of the royal visit to Northern Ireland PA UK news in pictures 5 October 2022 Greenpeace protesters interrupt Prime Minister Liz Truss as she delivers her keynote speech to the Conservative Party annual conference PA UK news in pictures 4 October 2022 Prime Minister Liz Truss and Britains Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng wearing hard hats and hi-vis jackets, visit a construction site for a medical innovation campus in Birmingham AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 3 October 2022 British artist Sam Cox, aka Mr Doodle, reveals the Doodle House, a twelve-room mansion at Tenterden, in Kent, which has been covered, inside and out in the artist's trademark monochrome, cartoonish hand-drawn doodles PA UK news in pictures 2 October 2022 Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring Manchester City's second goal against Manchester United at Etihad Stadium. Haaland went on to score a hattrick, his third of the season in the Premier League. City beat United 6-3. Manchester City FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 October 2022 Protesters hold up flags and placards at a protest in London. A variety of protest groups including Enough is Enough, Don't Pay and Just Stop Oil all demonstrated on the day AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 September 2022 British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who has not been seen in days, leaves the back of Downing Street after a meeting with Office For Budget Responsibility following the release of her governments mini-budget Getty UK news in pictures 29 September 2022 The Virginia creeper foliage on the Tu Hwnt i'r Bont (Beyond the Bridge) Llanwrst, Conwy North Wales, has changed colour from green to red in at the start of Autumn. The building was built in 1480 as a residential dwelling but has been a tearoom for over 50 years PA UK news in pictures 28 September 2022 Criminal barristers from the Criminal Bar Association (CBA), demonstrates outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, as part of their ongoing pay row with the Government PA UK news in pictures 27 September 2022 David White, Garter King of Arms, poses with an envelope franked with the new cypher of King Charles III 'CIIIR', after it was printed in the Court Post Office at Buckingham Palace in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 26 September 2022 A gallery staff member poses next to a painting by Lucian Freud - Self-portrait (Fragment), 1956 - on show at a photocall for the Credit Suisse exhibition - Lucian Freud: New Perspectives at the National Gallery in London PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2022 Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer is interviewed by Laura Kuenssberg in Liverpool before the start of the Labour Party annual Conference which he opened with a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II and sang the national anthem PA

But in the most important measure of an airline, Monarch will be remembered as an outstanding success. The pilots of the final arrival at Manchester in the early hours of Monday morning, like their predecessors in a million previous mission, delivered their passengers home perfectly safely.
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The Taj Mahal, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, is not mentioned in a new Utter Pradesh tourism booklet which highlights key attractions in the Indian state.

The 32 page booklet entitled Utter Pradesh Tourism - Unlimited Possibilities was unveiled last Wednesday, at a press conference by the states tourism minister Rita Bahuguna Joshi.

A Unesco World heritage site since 1983, the white marble mausoleum was built by Muslim Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal. It draws seven million visitors a year.

Seven million tourists visit the Taj Mahal in Agra each year (Getty Images)

The Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath had criticised the custom of giving Taj Mahal statues to foreign dignitaries. He claimed earlier this year that the structure does not represent Indian culture. Adityanath said: Foreign dignitaries visiting the country used to be gifted replicas of the Taj Mahal and other minarets which did not reflect Indian culture. The Hindu nationalist is six months into his tenure as head of the state.

The booklet does highlight a number of current and future tourism projects. One page is dedicated to the Gorakhnath temple, of which Adityanath is the main priest.

The omission of the 17th century structure has caused politicians, historians and journalists to express anger and bewilderment.

Recommended The tourist attractions that are almost extinct

Congress party spokesman Abhishek Manu Singhvi said: How can you imagine tourism in Uttar Pradesh or India without (the) Taj Mahal. If it is indeed a booklet on tourism and excludes the Taj, it shows a clear religious bias which is completely misplaced.

At one level it is a joke and at another level it is tragic. Such pettiness diminishes India.

Others took to twitter to share their outrage. Writer and historian William Dalrymple wrote: Crazy fundo monk Yogi Adityanath government removes Taj Mahal from Uttar Pradesh's tourism list.

Activist Dhruv Rathee tweeted: Yogi govt. has defamed our countrys heritage by removing Taj Mahal from tourism list. Would be a butt of all jokes in international media.

Avneesh Awasthi, director general of Uttar Pradesh tourism dismissed allegations the Taj was deliberately dropped. Speaking to the Times of India he said: "This wasn't a compendium of tourist attractions, merely a book to highlight the works done by the incumbent government and the projects it plans to take up

"In this category, three projects in the vicinity of the Taj Mahal have also been mentioned.
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Let the lion roar was the hardly self-effacing title given by Boris Johnson's aides to his speech to the Tory conference on promoting global Britain today. It was a reference to Winston Churchills remark after the Second World War that: I was not the lion, but it fell to me to give the lions roar. The Foreign Secretary does not lack ambition.

By the time Johnsons speech was issued by Tory HQ, it was entitled the more anodyne winning the future. He said the lion was not him, but the British people; the politicians should let them roar as the country seized the opportunities of Brexit.

Johnson made a good speech, injecting some fizz into a very flat conference. But the reaction from his audience was more muted than after his barnstormers in recent years. Perhaps Tory members were not fooled by his protestations of loyalty to Theresa May. He said she would deliver a great Brexit deal based on that Florence speech on whose every syllable, I can tell you, the whole Cabinet is united.

Boris is back. That was the whole point of his ruthless self-promotion in the past two weeks. He deliberately overstepped the mark  and the rules of cabinet collective responsibility  by setting out his own Brexit agenda in The Daily Telegraph (his article was actually a speech Downing Street told him not to make) and then claiming through allies that it forced Theresa May to dilute her Florence speech (which No 10 hotly denies). He then issued his four Brexit red lines in The Sun.

 Theresa May asked if Boris Johnson is unsackable

On the eve of his speech, Boris used the oldest trick in the political book and blamed all the fuss on the media. Asked where his red lines had come from, Johnson told the BBCs Newsnight: Search me Guv! Disingenuous to say the least. So the media merely imagined his 4,200 words in the Telegraph and his Sun interview? I dont think so.

The former journalist knew exactly what he was doing. After an invisible summer, and kept out of the Brexit loop by May, he was frustrated and desperate to get back in the limelight. A child-like cry for attention, was how one fellow minister described it.

We also know, thanks to an excellent documentary by Channel 4s Gary Gibbon, that Boris apparently believes May will be gone within a year and that he probably has one more go at the top job in him and then its really over.

This gets to the heart of the matter. Its all about Boriss naked ambition. To land the Tory crown, he may need to seize it before March 2019 when the UK leaves the EU. May wants to see that process through. No one at the conference takes seriously her desire to lead the party into the next election; 2019 is as good as it gets for her. The chatter in Manchesters crowded bars and restaurants is that the Tories might then want to turn the page on Brexit and install a fresh face as leader so they can move on. In which case Johnsons moment might have passed.

His intervention worked only up to a point. He is back at the top of the next leader table, according to a poll of Tory members by the ConservativeHome website. But he is on 21 per cent and A N Other is second on 19 per cent. And Johnson is only in mid-table in the Cabinet performance league.

Many Tory MPs believe Johnsons posturing has backfired because his disloyalty to May undermined her authority just when she needed to reassert it. Hes a Marmite figure now  he repels as many people as he attracts, said one MP. Another described Johnson as more mouse than lion.

Although the Tories 100,000 members will elect the partys next leader, a shortlist of two is chosen by its MPs and there would be a determined effort by his enemies to keep Boris off. After his short-lived campaign last year, when he was stabbed in the front by his fellow Leaver Michael Gove, another humiliating setback would spell the end for the blond ambition.

We are not there yet. Mays allies claim his loyal speech means he has backtracked on his Brexit demands and is back in his box. They suspect he wanted her to sack him and insist she was right to deny him martyrdom.

However, Johnson could again hint at resigning over the painful compromises May will soon need to make to keep the EU negotiations on track  a role for the European Court of Justice during the post-2019 transitional phase and beefing up her 20bn (18bn) divorce payment offer.

Johnsons friends insist his actions have opened up a debate on the most crucial Brexit question of all  the long-term UK-EU relationship  which May wanted to shut down. Sooner or later, May will have to choose between Philip Hammonds plan to hug the EU close and the clean break favoured by Johnson. The Boris soap opera is not over yet.
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The massacre in Las Vegas was not carried out by an Islamist and the attempt by Isis to claim credit for the murders of 58 people was bogus, the US authorities concluded fairly swiftly. But this does not make the task facing the FBI any easier as it copes with investigating the dramatic rise in far-right terrorism which has taken place during Donald Trumps presidency, and a gun lobby triumphant and unbending thanks to the support of said President.

In his first testimony before a Senate Committee since his appointment as the Director of the FBI, Christopher Wray divulged that more than 2,000 terrorism cases were currently under investigation by his organisation and, significantly, that the number was split almost equally between acts of Muslim and right-wing extremists.

While talking about the gravity of the situation and the sheer workload being faced by his men and women, Mr Wray  replacing James Comey, who had been fired by Trump  expressed concern that unlike shootings and bombings by Islamists, severe violence by white supremacists is not a specific crime. While federal legislation makes it illegal to provide material support for foreign-inspired terrorism, there are no corresponding laws tackling support for racially motivated attacks.

Wray was not asked about what he made of Trumps defence of neo-Nazis marching in Charlottesville. But what is plain is that membership of extreme right-wing groups have surged, as has violence from them in recent times.

 Las Vegas shooting: What we know so far

After being pushed to the fringes of American society, some members of these organisations feel an affinity towards the current President. The former Ku Klux Klan leader, David Duke, endorsed Trump when he began running for the office. Rachel Pendergraft of White Resistance News stressed that: The President helps legitimise our message. It gives us the courage to say Hey, if he is able to become President of the United States, then that gives me the courage to tell my friends and my neighbours that I believe this or that. You cant call me names because the man that holds the highest office in the land, he shares the same concern as I do.

There is no evidence that Stephen Paddock was a white supremacist; unravelling what exactly motivated him to carry out this slaughter remains a focus of the ongoing investigation. His father, Patrick Benjamin Paddock, was a prolific bank robber who made the FBIs most wanted list. But one cannot be judged by the sins of ones father. Trumps father Fred was once arrested at a Ku Klux Klan rally; that does not, as his supporters would point out, make Donald Trump a Ku Klux Klan supporter.

But the rise of extreme right-wing groups  which has taken place with little or no condemnation from President Trump  does lead to an additional burden on the FBI and other law agencies. And, Trump is certainly playing a part, a hugely important one, in the critical issue at the heart of this ghastly tragedy: the ability of private individuals to amass firearms in America.

Las Vegas shooting  in pictures Show all 15 1 /15 Las Vegas shooting  in pictures Las Vegas shooting  in pictures People scramble for shelter at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after gun fire was heard Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures People carry a person at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after shots were fired David Becker/Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures People run from the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after gun fire was heard David Becker/Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures A handout photo released via Twitter by Eiki Hrafnsson (@EirikurH) showing concertgoers running away from the scene (C) after shots range out at the Route 91 Harvest festival on Las Vegas Boulevard EPA/Eiki Hrafnsson Las Vegas shooting  in pictures People lie on the ground at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after hearing gun fire Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures A man in a wheelchair is taken away from the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after hearing gun fire David Becker/Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures People stand on the street outside the Mandalay Bay hotel near the scene of the Route 91 Harvest festival on Las Vegas Boulevard EPA/Paul Buck Las Vegas shooting  in pictures FBI agents confer in front of the Tropicana hotel-casino after a mass shooting during a music festival on the Las Vegas Strip Reuters/Las Vegas Sun/Steve Marcus Las Vegas shooting  in pictures Las Vegas police run by a banner on the fence at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival grounds after shots were fired David Becker/Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures An injured person is tended to in the intersection of Tropicana Ave. and Las Vegas Boulevard after a mass shooting at a country music festival Ethan Miller/Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures Metro Police officers pass by the front of the Tropicana hotel-casino after a mass shooting at a music festival on the Las Vegas Strip Reuters/Las Vegas Sun/Steve Marcus Las Vegas shooting  in pictures A woman sits on a curb at the scene of a shooting outside of a music festival along the Las Vegas Strip AP/John Locher Las Vegas shooting  in pictures A cowboy hat lays in the street after shots were fired near a country music festival in Las Vegas Getty Las Vegas shooting  in pictures Las Vegas Metro Police and medical workers stage in the intersection of Tropicana Avenue and Las Vegas Boulevard South after a mass shooting at a music festival on the Las Vegas Strip Reuters/Las Vegas Sun/Steve Marcus Las Vegas shooting  in pictures Sheriff Joe Lombardo (2-R) speaking during a press briefing in the aftermath of the active shooter incident on Las Vegas Boulevard EPA

Paddock had acquired an arsenal of 42 firearms. Some of them were automatic assault rifles, while others had been modified with devices enabling semi-automatics to auto-fire 800 rounds a minute. He had taken 23 of these to his suite at the Mandalay Bay Hotel, overlooking his targets, people at a country music festival, to carry out his slaughter. Two of the rifles were set up on tripods at windows. The police and FBI discovered he had thousands of rounds of military-grade ammunition in the rooms: there were several pounds of fertiliser in his car, a component of bomb-making.

There are now, it is estimated, around 310 million guns among the US population of 323 million. Since the Orlando nightclub shooting in June last year in which 49 died, another 585 have been killed and 2,156 injured in mass shootings.

Every day, on average, 92 Americans die from gunshot wounds; American children are 14 times more likely to die from gunshots than any other developed country. The US administration has done nothing much to stop this carnage. The gun lobby, led by National Rifle Association, is stronger than ever.

President Obama tried to bring in greater control after the murder of 20 children, along with six adults, in Sandy Hook in 2012 by a man with psychological problems. At a memorial service for the victims, he stated:There cant be an excuse for inaction. The former President asked: What choice do we have? We cant accept events like this as routine. Are we really prepared to say we are powerless in the face of this carnage? Are we prepared to say that such violence year after year is somehow the price of freedom? However, he was thwarted in his effort to bring in stricter regulation by the NRA.

Donald Trump repeatedly attacked Hilary Clinton during the election campaign for her advocacy of greater gun control. He decried President Obamas attempts to bring in such laws during his two terms in office. The NRA endorsed him as candidate.

This year, Trump became the first sitting President in decades to address its leadership forum. There, he declared: We have news that you have been waiting to for a long time. The eight-year assault on your Second Amendment freedoms has come to a crashing end.
Europe's highest court should decide whether to ban how internet giants like Facebook send users' data to the US, a judge in Ireland said.

The case could have huge ramifications on EU trade with the US and centres on whether Europeans enjoy enough protection from American mass surveillance.

Thousands of companies rely on current arrangements to transfer information like credit card payments between countries.

They are essential to firms of all sizes, and upholding them is critical to ensuring the economy can continue to grow without disruption, Facebook said.

Privacy campaigners like Edward Snowden and Max Schrems have highlighted major issues surrounding how information stored by internet companies is used across the Atlantic.

On Tuesday, Ireland's High Court said concerns raised by the Republic's data protection authorities were "well founded".

Ms Justice Caroline Costello said: "Union law guarantees a high level of protection to EU citizens as regards the processing of their personal data within the EU.

"They are entitled to an equivalent high level of protection when their personal data are transferred outside the European Economic Area."

She said she was referring the matter to the European Court of Justice (CJEU), which interprets EU law, for a preliminary ruling.

A previous agreement on data-sharing between Europe and the US, Safe Harbour, was largely overturned by the European Court of Justice.

The US has sought to assuage concerns about its successor, Privacy Shield, by proposing an ombudsman to oversee the deal.

Ms Justice Costello added: "The introduction of the Privacy Shield ombudsperson mechanism in the Privacy Shield decision does not eliminate those well-founded concerns.

"A decision of the CJEU is required to determine whether it amounts to a remedy satisfying the requirements of Article 47 (of the Charter of Fundamental Rights)."

Under US law, companies with Europeans' data can be compelled to hand over information to state agencies for national security purposes.

The judge said EU citizens are entitled to an effective remedy before an independent tribunal if their rights or freedoms are violated.

She added: "These include the rights under Articles 7 and 8 to respect for private and family life and protection of personal data concerning him or her."

The case was heard in Ireland because Facebook has its European headquarters in Dublin.

Austrian lawyer and campaigner Mr Schrems has claimed his privacy rights as an EU citizen have been breached through the transfer of his data by Facebook Ireland to US parent company Facebook Inc.

He said: "US citizens would not be allowed to have such mass surveillance as for European citizens and we have to protect our citizens.

"Europe protects anybody because we see it as a human right, not as a citizens' right."

He said in the long run politicians would have to sort it out.

"So far Europe has just butted out, did not do much, just hoped that it did not come back.

"Today we have heard that it does come back so probably the EU will have to come up with a better solution."

Facebook said the standard contract clauses being scrutinised during legal proceedings provided critical safeguards to ensure Europeans' data is protected once transferred to companies that operate in the US or elsewhere around the globe.

It said they are used by thousands of companies to do business.

Its statement added: "They are essential to companies of all sizes, and upholding them is critical to ensuring the economy can continue to grow without disruption.

"This ruling will have no immediate impact on the people or businesses who use our services.

"However, it is essential that the CJEU now considers the extensive evidence demonstrating the robust protections in place under standard contractual clauses and US law before it makes any decision that may endanger the transfer of data across the Atlantic and around the globe."
It is farmers working some of the most marginal and disadvantaged land in the country that have been put top of the wishlist for this years Budget.

For once, all of the myriad farm organisations seem to be speaking as one as they have demanded the 25m promised in the Programme for Government be delivered to the Areas of Natural Constraint Scheme (ANC), formerly known as the disadvantaged areas scheme.

It was described as an easy target for swingeing cuts in 2008 when expenditure was slashed from 257m to 220m. Then a second cut led to it dropping to 195m.

It affected some of the most vulnerable in the farming community and a reversal has already been long promised.

However, the big B word in the farming sector has been Brexit. The rollercoaster volatility in the sterling and euro exchange rate has seen millions of euro wiped off of our valuable agri-trade with our nearest neighbours.

The level of dependence on certain industries, including mushrooms, has seen producers go to the wall, with the UK also taking up to 50pc of our valuable beef exports, worth over 1bn last year.

The Government has signalled this Budget will be framed with measures to help combat Brexit in mind, after an extra 6.7m in funding was recently diverted to Bord Bia to help target market diversification.

Both the Irish Farmers Association (IFA) and the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association (ICMSA) have suggested variations on a farm deposit scheme that would allow farmers to put money in a deposit scheme in good years and draw it down in bad years to smooth-out their incomes.

Farming remains a low-income sector, with the Teagasc figures for 2016 showing the average farm income was just over 24,000. However, incomes on livestock and sheep farms fall significantly below this.

Already the difficulties accessing finance and the high demand for last years government-supported low-cost loans for farms, designed to fund working capital and on-farm investment, has been highlighted. At the Ploughing, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar confirmed measures to provide easier access to finance was under consideration for the Budget.

However, the caveat is that last years funding for the low-cost loan scheme was propped up by 11m of EU funding.

The agricultural budget for 2017 increased from 1.35bn to 1.47bn. However, according to the Comptroller and Auditor General report, the department surrendered a surplus of 231m to the Exchequer as the full budget was not used in some schemes such as the Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (TAMS).

And the Department of Agriculture will be competing with other high priority departments this year, as the lack of housing has not been far from the headlines since the start of the year. Equally, the Department of Health will be raising its hand as the HSE has highlighted a 100m hospital overspend.

Already the commitments from the Department of Agriculture and Minister Michael Creed (inset) under the Rural Development Programme are significant.

However, spending on the schemes such as the environmental programme GLAS and the TAMS scheme that has helped boost a rural building trade are ramping up with the department now spending nearly 1m a week.

The department has already committed to a 300m spend on the Beef Data Genomics Programme (BDGP) to help boost incomes of struggling suckler farmers.

Changes to the Fair Deal nursing home scheme have already been flagged for farm families, with a three-year cap on annual contributions now set to be extended to farmland and business premises. It means the financial burden facing farm families and business owners will be reduced.

However, with sterling volatility a constant reality it is the measures to help tackle Brexit that will be watched by the agri-food and drink industry  with 11bn of yearly exports at play.
A farmer claimed almost 30,000 in farm assistance payments despite having almost half a million euro in various bank accounts.

Shane Dorrian appeared at Letterkenny District Court in Co Donegal charged with illegally obtaining payments from the Department of Social Protection.

The court was told that Dorrian, of Ross House, Rossnakill, Letterkenny claimed a total of 29,753 in farm assistance payments while having a total of 437,267 in various bank accounts.

State solicitor Ciaran Liddy told the court that 43 year old Mr Dorrian had declared in 2013 that he did not have in excess of 20,000 in his bank accounts.

Solicitor for the accused, Cathal Quinn, told the court that his client had worked for up to fifteen years as a plasterer in America.

He has saved hard and had returned home from America having paid all the taxes required of him.

Mr Quinn added that Mr Dorrian had got it into his head somehow that he did not have to disclose the money he had saved.

"He had it in his own head that because he paid taxes in America he should not have to disclose it. It was unwise but there was nothing devious or calculated about it," said Mr Quinn.

He said his client was now a full-time farmer after his father transferred the ownership of the farm to him.

All of the 29,753 had since been repaid.

Judge Paul Kelly remarked that the accused had all this money in the bank and he still tried to take social welfare and asked if all of the 437,267 was gone.

Solicitor Quinn replied that his client was "very ashamed of what he had done."

Judge Kelly said that if Mr Dorrian was willing to make a donation of 2,500 to St Vincent De Paul, then he would consider not recording a conviction.

The case was adjourned until November 7.
A host of key agri-businesses have been named on a list of the countries worst polluters.

In its quarterly name and shame list of worst performers, the Environmental Protection Agency has listed three companies from the dairy sector which scored highly under the categories of complaints, incidents, compliance investigations and non-compliances.

The companies named were Arrabawn Co-Op, Arrow Group, Carbery Food Ingredients and Dairygold Co-op.

Reacting to the news the Irish Wildlife Trust (IWT) has called for Origin Green Bord Bias sustainability programme, to be scrapped as certified companies found to be among the countrys worst polluters.

Origin Green is a marketing label promoted by An Bord Bia which claims to be the worlds first national food sustainability programme.

It was recently in receipt of 1 million in tax-payers money for a national advertising programme.

The agri-food sector in Ireland is the principle pressure on water pollution, habitat loss and greenhouse gas emissions in Ireland, the Wildlife Trust said.

IWT Campaigns Officer, Padraic Fogarty said it is time that Origin Green was exposed for the sham that it is and should be scrapped. Instead of being a tool to promote better environmental performance it is simply a smokescreen for greenwashing the significant environmental problems which we face.

The imminent extinction of the Curlew, for instance, can be directly linked to Fine Gaels massive agricultural expansion programmes, something which Origin Green does nothing to address.

Marketing initiatives, such as Origin Green, significantly hinder efforts at environmental protection by creating the false impression that all is well in the countryside, he said.
AIB has applied to the High Court for approval to overhaul its corporate structure to comply with European rules designed to protect savers from future bank failures.

With court backing the bank is expected to convene an EGM within the next two months for formal investor approval for the plan. Once that is secured AIB will establish a separate holding company in early 2018 at the latest.

The changes mean shareholders own their stake in the bank through a new entity that will sit at a remove from the part of the bank that holds customer deposits. The bank's main debt will also be at a remove from savers - so that bondholders can absorb losses that don't also fall on ordinary savers.

Bank of Ireland has already completed the same process and was inundated last month by investor demand for new bonds.

Meanwhile, in the UK international banks operating there will have to hold more capital in the British unit to guard against losses, under plans being drawn up by the Bank of England.

The implications for Irish lenders are not expected to be great however, because banks here already hold large capital reserves at group level, which could be shared out to UK subsidiaries if needed without raising fresh funds.

Bank of Ireland is the only bank that still has a substantial share of its overall business in the UK.

The Bank of England has proposed a 2019 start date for requirements intended to ensure that UK subsidiaries of foreign banking groups can fund their own restructuring in a crisis, averting any need for public bailouts.
Greencore shares plunged 6pc in early trading yesterday after it said it was voluntarily recalling egg salad sandwiches, ham salad sandwiches, and seafood stuffing from US customers as a food safety precaution.

It followed listeria monocytogenes being found in environmental sampling conducted by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) at a Greencore plant. "No finished products have been found to have listeria present and no confirmed illnesses have been reported," the FDA said.

A Greencore spokesperson said that the recall was "a purely precautionary measure, as no finished products have been found to have listeria present and no confirmed illnesses have been reported".

The affected site in the US remains fully operational.

"Greencore operates to the very highest levels of food safety and hygiene, and has launched an internal investigation in order to establish how this isolated incident of contamination came about," the spokesperson said. None of the products produced at the plant affected are available for sale in Ireland.

Greencore, headed by CEO Patrick Coveney, is recalling lots distributed between September 24 and 27.

Sandwiches in the recall were distributed to American Food and Vending, Hannaford Brothers, Target, and Turkey Hill in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire and New York.

"As of 29 September, all customers have been instructed to remove and destroy impacted product. Customers who have purchased this sandwich are urged to not consume the product and should dispose of the recalled sandwich," the FDA said.

Listeria monocytogenes can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, the elderly and those with weakened immune systems and is linked to miscarriages and stillbirths.

Greencore saw its shares fall by as much as 6pc in London on the news, to 184.50 pence, knocking around 40m off the company valuation.

It is the latest blow to Greencore, which in August announced it was to phase out its contract with US coffee behemoth Starbucks.
Thousands of people have missed repayments on their mortgages and credit cards over the past five years.

One in three adults admits they missed a loan repayment over the past five years.

The most common reason given for missing a mortgage payment was a reduction in household income, with others citing a general rise in the cost of living.

Some four out of ten people admitted missing at least one mortgage payment since 2012, research conducted by Empathy for mortgage lender Pepper Money shows.

A total of 1,500 people were surveyed, with more detailed questions asked of 500 of these who said they missed loan repayments.

The survey is one of the first to ask people if they have missed payments.

The Central Bank produces mortgage arrears figures, showing one in ten behind on their payments, but there are no readily-available statistics on missed payments for other loans.

Nine out of ten of those missed repayments said they had got behind on at least one credit card bill, according to the Empathy research.

Half of these said the main reason for this was that it had slipped their mind.

Nearly half of those who missed a payment said they had found themselves unexpectedly unemployed in the past, the research, seen by the Irish Independent, shows.

The Pepper-commissioned research shows that missed repayments are impacting consumers ability to access finance.

The majority of those who have missed a financial payment believe that having a mark on their credit history or a previous credit rejection will make it more difficult for them to access loans in the future.

The inability to access finance impacting lives and causing distress, Pepper Money said.

One third say their accommodation options have been limited as a result of their previous missed payment. These people say they are living in cramped accommodation, are unable to buy their first home, and cant trade up.

One quarter said they were being held back from purchasing a car or going on holiday, while a similar number said the inability to access finance was negatively impacting their health.

Barry Delaney of Pepper Money said the economic crisis has left thousands of people with damaged credit histories.

Although the majority of people are now recovered and meeting their financial obligations, many are still effectively stuck or locked out of the market and this is having a real impact on peoples lives, he said.

Pepper Money is an Australian-owned mortgage lender with operations in Dublin and Shannon.

It specialises in mortgages for those with impaired credit records and those with non-standard jobs.

Pepper also services of legacy loan books that were once owned by financial institutions who quit the market following the global financial crash in 2008. These include Danske Bank.

It is currently managing about 17bn in loans, split roughly 50-50 between commercial and residential.
DELAYING the payment of the State pension to the age of 66 had little impact on the number of people who decide to give up work, a study by the Economic and Social Research Institute has found.

And there is no evidence that moving the retirement age had any impact on employment and unemployment levels for 65 year olds.

The Government had hoped people would stay in the workforce longer, saving it money on the State pension, when it moved the mandatory retirement at to 66.

From January 2014, the qualifying age for the Irish state pension increased from 65 to 66 years. People born after January 1, 1949, could no longer qualify for the pension at age 65. This date become the cut-off date.

Individuals born before this date could still qualify, provided they had the required social insurance contributions.

Researchers at the ESRI found there is no clear evidence that the change in the pension age impacted the retirement rate of those born after the cut-off point.

The retirement rate for those who missed out on getting the State pension from the age of 65 was the same as for those who just made the deadline to qualify for it.

One of the reasons for this is that those who lost out tried to make up the financial shortfall by getting Jobseekers Benefit.

This was a "type of de facto pension payment until they reached the age of 66" according to researchers Paul Redmond, Seamus McGuinness and Elish Kelly.

"This is likely to have lessened the impact of the change on those born just after the cut-off point," they state.

And a number of employers continue to specify a retirement age of 65 for retirement and pay out on an occupational pension from this age.

"The existence of occupational pensions could limit the impact of the policy on retirement decisions, as individuals with such incomes could still choose to retire at 65 irrespective of the policy change," study states.

It was funded by the Department of Social Protection.

Research officer at the ESRI Paul Redmond said the rising cost of State pensions and the fact that the population is ageing means the age at which people retire is increasingly important for public policy.

"We have not found evidence of people reacting to the policy change in 2014.

"However, the analysis highlighted the need for improved data that allows us to fully identify an individuals precise age, social insurance contribution history and private pension income, so that the impacts of future policy changes in this area can be effectively evaluated."

Previous ESRI research warned that the ageing population would put pressure on public expenditure in the years ahead.

It has compiled a report which shows the cost of population ageing could be offset fully by extending the pension age to 70.

The pension age is already set to rise from 66 to 68 over the next decade.

The economic think-tank says the measure needs to form part of plans to cope with our ageing population.
Management at An Post is offering what is regarded as a generous package to postmasters in a bid to get them to exit the business.

They have been offered nine weeks' pay for every year of service.

This contrasts with a recent order from the Labour Court that An Post pay 300 mail staff it is seeking to lay off a total of six weeks' pay for every year of service.

An Post wants 262 post offices to take the exit deal, but it has not identified any individual offices.

Documents presented to the Irish Postmasters' Union (IPU) claim the company sees as an "ideal" situation the closure of 422 offices.

But that would cost it 27.6m to execute.

"The company has prepared a blueprint of what it sees as the ideal post office network from a commercial and social perspective - this is a network of circa 700 post offices with a reduction of 422 outlets," a presentation to the IPU states.

Instead, An Post is seeking 262 self-employed postmasters to take a deal that will cost An Post 11.5m. Over a three-year period it expects to realise annual savings of 3.9m from the closures.

One source in the network conceded that the offer of nine weeks' pay was generous.

"It goes to show how anxious An Post is to get rid of us," he said.

It is understood the initial offer was four weeks' pay.

The voluntary exit scheme would see retiring postmasters getting nine weeks' pay per year of service, capped at 112 weeks.

Some 202 of the 262 offices would qualify for the maximum payment.

This would likely be around 65,000 for postmasters with earnings of 30,000 a year.

Many of the postmasters likely to take up the offer are earning modest amounts.

The offer would see the post offices close over a three-year period, with most of these in smaller villages and towns.

Large numbers of older postmasters are anxious to leave the business as they are reaching retirement age and their offices have been hit by a fall in transaction levels.

However, the exit offer has been rejected by the IPU.

The offer was discussed at a special general meeting of the IPU at the weekend.

General secretary Ned O'Hara insisted members at the meeting have not accepted the exit offer.

Any post office where the postmaster accepts an exit deal would be unlikely to reopen.

There have been threats to the future of post offices in Kilmeadan, Co Waterford; Lauragh, Co Kerry; and Old Pallas, Co Limerick.

An Post said the documents presented to the IPU were part of a wider package that have been the subject of negotiations since May.

Any final offer would require An Post's board approval and ministerial approval.
Today, the Irish High Court deferred the question of whether to cut off data flows from big companies such Facebook and Google. It kicked the can up to the European Court of Justice.

Its a big international case with global attention. At issue are questions of US spying, European privacy and Irelands role in policing the major tech multinationals based here.

Heres a beginners guide to the affair.

1. Whats this all about?

Europeans remain upset that American security agencies routinely spy on their Facebook accounts, email and other data. Some say that if US spies are allowed to keep trawling through our stuff -- through US laws such as the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act -- we shouldnt let companies here transact any data to US friends or business contacts.

2. Any data? Hang on, is that like an email or a Facebook photo?

Yes.

3. Surely that wont happen?

Well have to see. The High Court has referred the issue to the European Court of Justice, which has the final say on all law within the EU.

4. In the meantime, is my Facebook affected?

No. Everything remains the same until the European Court hears the matter. That looks likely to happen at the end of next year or early 2019.

5. Is there any chance Facebook could be banned?

Not banned, no. But if the European Court takes a hard line and EU lawmakers dont come up with some creative emergency treaty, it means that Facebook -- and other communication service providers like Google, Twitter, Microsoft, Slack and Yahoo which transfer lots of data -- might have to introduce some sort of ring-fenced data arrangement within the EU.

6. But isnt the internet global? How would that work?

Its hard to see how. Weve asked big companies -- including Facebook -- about this before and they dont have a clear idea about how to do this.

7. The company I work for does quite a bit of business with US organisations. Is that going to be affected?

Assuming they use global communication service providers such as Microsoft Outlook or Gmail, yes.

8. What a mess. How did all this come about?

An Austrian student called Max Schrems took the case in Ireland because thats where Facebook has its European headquarters. He argued that what we all found out about US authorities spying activities - through revelations from the whistleblower Edward Snowden - means that the Americans arent respecting European privacy law. As such, he argues, certain aspects of previously accepted European law, which allow companies like Facebook to transfer data between continents, are now redundant. One of these is called a standard contract clause, also known as a model clause. Thousands of multinational companies sign up to this to pledge thta European citizens data is treated with proper respect and privacy when its outside the EU area of protection. But if US authorities routinely endorse security forces trawling through our personal information, it may not have much effect.

9. So this is ultimately about trying to get the Americans (or the British) to stop the CIA and MI5 from routinely sweeping through EU citizens data?

Partially, yes.

10. Is that realistic?

Thats the million-euro question. If US authorities dont satisfy the standards of the European Court -- which they almost certainly wont -- will the EU follow through in suspending data flows from the EU to the US? (Or between the EU and the UK, once its out?) Thats hard to envisage. What might happen is another hastily-formed treaty between the US and the EU to keep existing data transfers legal.

11. Wasnt all this hashed out before with some new US-EU treaty supposed to solve it?

Yes. A treaty called Privacy Shield was agreed last year to replace the Safe Harbour agreement that was struck down by the European Court of Justice two years ago. But privacy campaigners -- and the Irish data protection commissioner -- dont really think that the new treaty is effective enough. It looks more than possible that the European Court could strike down Privacy Shield as well.

12. What happens now?

The Irish High Court is preparing the wording of the questions to be referred to the European Court of Justice. That court will take into account the facts established by the Irish court and rule on the substantive issue of European law involved.
Leisure carrier Monarch has filed for insolvency in the UK's biggest-ever airline collapse, leaving that country's government to arrange return flights for 110,000 passengers.

In the third failure of a major European operator in five months, the airline and Monarch Travel Group have been placed into administration, leading to the suspension of the Luton-based company's operating licence. Future flights and holidays have been cancelled and won't be rescheduled, affecting a further 300,000 people.

The collapse of Monarch, which served more than 40 destinations from five UK bases, follows insolvency filings at Alitalia and Air Berlin, as a glut in capacity, prompted by the low oil price, compels carriers to slash fares in a battle for market share. At the same time, the low-cost operator has seen margins squeezed by higher fuel costs, priced in dollars, following the pound's decline in the wake of last year's Brexit vote.

Monarch CEO Andrew Swaffield said it had fallen victim to "outside influences", especially a flood of seating into its core west Mediterranean markets after a spate of terrorist attacks prompted holiday companies to reduce their exposure to Egypt, Tunisia and Turkey. Attempts to sell the short-haul business prior to the insolvency filing failed, he added.

The crisis at Monarch, which employs 2,100 people and ranks as Britain's fifth-biggest airline by passenger numbers, excluding tour operators, follows on the heels of 20,000 flight cancellations at low-cost rival Ryanair amid pilot scheduling issues. The move has disrupted travel for around 700,000 customers.

Monarch, which was founded in 1968, has come close to collapse before, with the airline rescued by a 165m (186m) capital injection from Greybull Capital last December, just hours before it faced grounding by the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) due to a lack of funds.

Greybull had bought 90pc of Monarch in 2014 via a 125m recapitalization that funded the final elements of a transformation from charter specialist to discount carrier. Greybull said in a statement yesterday that it was "very sorry" the three-year turnaround bid failed.

The insolvency opens up opportunities for rival operators to expand into former Monarch routes or snap up its assets. Cantor Fitzgerald Research analyst Rob Byde said in a note that the failure is "another step in the consolidation of the European short-haul market" and that it views EasyJet, Britain's biggest discount carrier and also based at Luton, as a likely bidder, though a wholesale takeover is unlikely. EasyJet declined to comment.

British Airways owner IAG is reported to be interested in Monarch's slots, fleet and crew. KPMG administrator Blair Nimmo said "the prospect of selling the business as a whole has pretty much gone". Aircraft-maintenance arm, Monarch Aircraft Engineering isn't in administration and continues to operate normally.
The first of three legal challenges to plans for a new 329m runway at Dublin Airport has opened at the High Court.

The proceedings arise over the proposed development of the 3,110 metre runway, located on 261 hectares north and north west of the airport terminal building.

The second runway has been deemed vital to proposals to turn the airport into an international hub.

All three actions are to be heard in sequence by Mr Justice Max Barrett.

The first to be heard has been brought by the St Margaret's Concerned Residents Group - of which the individual residents are members - is against the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA).

The residents claim certain pre-construction works carried out in December of last year on the proposed new runway by the DAA amounts to unauthorised development.

The residents claim the development was carried out in breach of a condition of the planning permission granted by An Bord Pleanala in 2007 allowing the DAA construct the runway.

John Rogers SC, for the residents, said it is their case the DAA failed to adhere to a planning condition covering how waste from the site of the new runway is to be dealt with during the construction phase.

A waste management plan had to be submitted by the contractor and approved by Fingal County Council "prior to the commencement of the development," counsel said.

This was not done and there had been non compliance by the DAA in relation to the planning permission.

Counsel said works commenced on the site of the proposed runway in December 2016, which involved the demolition and removal of buildings, including a fire training facility at the airport, from the lands.

However the required waste management plan was not submitted to the local authority Fingal Co Council until February 2017 after his client's solicitors had raised the matter.

Counsel said that some of the items removed from lands that are adjoining the residents properties contained toxic material including asbestos.

It was not accepted that the breach of a planning condition put in to protect his client's interests was immaterial, counsel said.

The DAA opposes the action and argues that no unauthorised development has occurred. Brian Kennedy SC, for the DAA, said that due to an error, the waste management plan was not submitted to the local authority before works began.

However the problem had been rectified with the submission of the relevant document before the residents began their legal action.

Counsel said the action was "unnecessary".

While the waste management plan had inadvertently not been included in time it had been adhered to since works had began.

The error did not give DAA any advantage and had in fact caused it "a world of pain" counsel said.

Counsel added that if the court did find the works were unauthorised development then the court should use its discretion not to grant any of the orders sought by the residents.

The hearing of that case continues and is expected to conclude on Wednesday.

The second of the three challenges has been brought by 22 individual residents - most with addresses at Kilreesk Lane, St Margaret's, Co Dublin while the third action has been brought by Friends of the Irish Environment.

They allege the development is illegal and that Fingal Council failed to consider or address their concerns about its effect on their homes and lands.

The environmental group's action has been brought on grounds including the decision to grant planning permission is not in compliance with various EU directives such as the Habitats Directive as well as the 2000 Planning and Development Act and is unlawful.

The group also argues that the decision will result in additional greenhouse gas emissions which will increase the pace of climate change.

Those two cases have been brought against Fingal County Council and the State, with DublinAirport Authority plc as a notice party.
Jonathan Smith is said to have saved 30 people during the Las Vegas shooting (Image via @byHeatherLong)

A man has been credited with saving some 30 people during the Las Vegas concert shooting before being hit by a bullet.

Jonathan Smith, 30, went to the concert with nine members of his family. As the rounds began to fly at the Mandalay Bay hotel and casino, his elder brother, Louis Rust, grabbed them and told them all to run.

But Mr Smith, focussed on saving his nieces, turned back into the crowd when they became separated, the Washington Post reported.

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Fellow concert-goers were paralysed in fear, he said, so he kept shouting, "Active shooter, let's go!" while pushing them towards a parking area. "I got a few people out of there," he told the Post.

But while trying to reach a group of children a bullet struck him in the neck, fracturing his collarbone, cracking a rib and bruising a lung.

"I might have to live with this bullet for the rest of my life," Mr Smith said. Doctors have left it in place for now.

The copy machine engineer said an off-duty police officer likely saved his life, by trying to staunch the bleeding and then finding him a lift to hospital.

Mr Smith's family escaped safely, it was reported.

He told the Post he did not see himself as a hero, though he has been held up as one after an image of him in hospital went viral. "I would want someone to do the same for me," he said.

Shooter Stephen Paddock killed 59 people on Monday, and injured more than 500 others.

Police have said they found 23 firearms in his hotel room at the Mandalay Bay, from where he opened fire on the concert, and another 19 at his home in Mesquite, Nevada.
A mum-of-three has told how she feared she would never see her children again during Sunday night's terrifying mass shooting in Las Vegas.

Cafe owner Heather McCrudden (49) was eating dinner at Denny's restaurant on the famous Strip during a birthday trip with husband Uel (53) when shots rang out, forcing diners to flee for cover.

Only 40 minutes earlier the McCruddens had been near the location of the shooting, but decided to move further up the Strip as they viewed the attractions.

A gunman opened fire on guests at the Route 91 Music Festival, claiming at least 58 lives and leaving hundreds injured.

Heather and Uel, from Larne in Co Antrim, told the Belfast Telegraph of the mayhem as diners raced to the back of the restaurant and sheltered under tables for protection.

"I think we're still in shock at the minute," Heather said from the couple's hotel, which is located a mile from the Las Vegas Strip.

Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Las Vegas Metro Police and medical workers stage in the intersection of Tropicana Avenue and Las Vegas Boulevard South after a mass shooting at a music festival on the Las Vegas Strip in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. October 1, 2017. REUTERS/Las Vegas Sun/Steve Marcus LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 01: Las Vegas police stand guard along the streets outside the festival grounds of the Route 91 Harvest on October 1, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. There are reports of an active shooter around the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images) LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 02: Police and rescue personnel gather at the intersection of Las Vegas Boulevard and Tropicana Ave. after a reported mass shooting at a country music festival on October 2, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. A gunman has opened fire on a music festival in Las Vegas, leaving at least 2 people dead. Police have confirmed that one suspect has been shot. The investigation is ongoing. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) A wounded person is walked in on a wheelbarrow as Las Vegas police respond during an active shooter situation on the Las Vegas Stirp in Las Vegas Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017. Multiple victims were being transported to hospitals after a shooting late Sunday at a music festival on the Las Vegas Strip. (Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal via AP) Medics treat the wounded as Las Vegas police respond during an active shooter situation on the Las Vegas Stirp in Las Vegas Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017. Multiple victims were being transported to hospitals after a shooting late Sunday at a music festival on the Las Vegas Strip. (Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal via AP) People react at gunshots heard at music festival in Las Vegas, U.S., October 1, 2017 in this picture obtained from social media. @RTBLECKvia REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. MANDATORY CREDIT.NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES Police officers advise people to take cover near the scene of a shooting near the Mandalay Bay resort and casino on the Las Vegas Strip, Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher) Medics treat the wounded as Las Vegas police respond during an active shooter situation on the Las Vegas Stirp in Las Vegas Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017. Multiple victims were being transported to hospitals after a shooting late Sunday at a music festival on the Las Vegas Strip. (Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal via AP) People run from the New York New York during an active shooter situation on the Las Vegas Stirp in Las Vegas Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017. Multiple victims were being transported to hospitals after a shooting late Sunday at a music festival on the Las Vegas Strip. (Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal via AP) A police officer takes cover behind a police vehicle during a shooting near the Mandalay Bay resort and casino on the Las Vegas Strip, Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher) FILE PHOTO: The Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, June 15, 2004. REUTERS/Ethan Miller/File Photo LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 01 People run from the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after apparent gun fire was heard on October 1, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. There are reports of an active shooter around the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images) LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 01: Las Vegas police stand guard along the streets outside the festival grounds of the Route 91 Harvest on October 1, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. There are reports of an active shooter around the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images) / Facebook

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Whatsapp Las Vegas Metro Police and medical workers stage in the intersection of Tropicana Avenue and Las Vegas Boulevard South after a mass shooting at a music festival on the Las Vegas Strip in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. October 1, 2017. REUTERS/Las Vegas Sun/Steve Marcus

"We keep thinking 'what if?', as we had been down at the MGM Grand earlier and were going to eat down there before we changed our minds.

"After the shots rang out panic broke out, and everyone ran to the back of the restaurant and got under the tables or took shelter in the bathroom.

"Seeing grown men crying and running towards a bathroom to take cover, that's when the reality hits you.

"At one point I thought I would never see my kids again.

"At the time we were just going through the motions, and I was thinking: 'What if the gunmen came up the stairs, would you be able to get out of the way, or would you just freeze?' Uel and I took cover under the table with another girl who was having palpitations. All of the hotels and restaurants were in lock-down, so we were in there for a couple of hours.

"The Strip was full of security officers, police, army and sniffer dogs.

"We didn't know if there was more than one shooter - there could have been more."

Her husband, who owns a furniture shop, said the pair initially feared the incident was a terror attack similar to those which have occurred in London and Paris.

"We heard four or five pops of gunfire and everyone jumped up and ran to the back of the cafe - staff, everybody - sprinting down and into the toilet area," he said.

"That wasn't big enough, so we went under the tables. I was thinking: 'Oh my God, this can't be happening!'

Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close People hug and cry outside the Thomas & Mack Center after a mass shooting at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival on October 2, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 01: People tend to the wounded outside the festival ground after an apparent shooting on October 1, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. There are reports of an active shooter around the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images) A pair of cowboy boots is shown in the street outside the concert venue after a mass shooting at a music festival on the Las Vegas StripY Police vehicles block a street corner after a deadly shooting at a music festival (AP Photo/Ronda Churchill) A woman sits on a curb at the scene of a shooting outside of a music festival along the Las Vegas Strip Blurred image of heavily armed police officers running LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 01 People run from the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after apparent gun fire was heard on October 1, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. There are reports of an active shooter around the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images) People react at gunshots heard at music festival in Las Vegas, U.S., October 1, 2017 in this picture obtained from social media. @RTBLECKvia REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. MANDATORY CREDIT.NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES Police officers advise people to take cover near the scene of a shooting near the Mandalay Bay resort and casino on the Las Vegas Strip, Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher) Las Vegas Shooting Las Vegas Shooting Las Vegas Shooting / Facebook

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Whatsapp People hug and cry outside the Thomas & Mack Center after a mass shooting at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival on October 2, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

"Heather was comforting a wee girl, there was a young lad who was just beside himself, it was absolute mayhem. It was a hairy experience.

"The owner said everywhere was in lockdown, and the police had told him to keep everyone inside. He closed the door and was looking up and down the strip from the balcony.

"We also heard that there was 'activity' in the building right beside ours, which was scary.

"We stayed in there for an hour-and-a-half to two hours. There was no mission that we were going out that door."

After the lockdown ended the couple cautiously made their way back out onto the Strip to hail a taxi to their hotel.

"We weren't able to get a taxi from directly outside as they weren't allowed up that far, so we went to the Venetian and were able to one from there. I've never been so relieved to get into a car in my life," Uel said.
Defendant Peter Herbert at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after charges were dropped against 10 defendants. Picture: Collins

The Director of Public Prosecutions has dropped almost all charges against remaining defendants in the Jobstown water protest case.

The announcement was greeted with raucous scenes at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

Supporters of the accused clapped, cheered and chanted after Judge Melanie Greally said they were free to go.

An air horn was also sounded after the judge had left the courtroom. A number of people began chanting: "What do we want? A public inquiry. When do we want it? Now."

All charges were dropped against 10 defendants.

Most had been facing charges for violent disorder and for the false imprisonment of former tanaiste Joan Burton and her adviser Karen O'Connell outside a graduation ceremony at the An Cosan centre in Jobstown, Tallaght, in November 2014.

A Garda vehicle they were in was surrounded by protesters after the ceremony and it was three hours before they were able to leave the area.

An 11th defendant, Dylan Collins, had a violent disorder charge withdrawn.

However, he is to be arraigned at a later date on a charge of criminal damage.

Prosecution counsel Sean Gillane informed Judge Greally of the decision to withdraw the charges.

Six of the defendants had been due to go on trial today and the remainder in April.

The decision to withdraw charges came after six people, including Solidarity TD Paul Murphy, were acquitted of charges of falsely imprisoning Ms Burton and Ms O'Connell.

Charges against a seventh man were withdrawn during the trial.

The verdicts came after a nine-week trial during which evidence from a number of witnesses was at times contradicted by video footage.
A High Court judge has decided to ask the Court of Justice of the EU to determine the validity or otherwise of EU-US data transfer channels used by Facebook and others.

The outcome of the referral has potentially huge implications for EU-US trade and data privacy rights of millions of EU citizens.

Ms Justice Caroline Costello said she was referring the issues because she concurred with the Irish Data Protection Commissioners view there are well founded" grounds for believing the European Commission decisions approving data transfer channels known as Standard Contractual Clauses are invalid.

It is "extremely important" there be uniformity in the application of the relevant European Directive throughout the EU "on this very important issue", she said in her 152 page judgment. This required that there be "consistency and clarity."

For those reasons, she considered a reference was necessary and appropriate, she added.

She added she did not consider she had to refuse to refer as a result of the recent Privacy Shield agreement between the EU and US.

She will hear submissions as to the precise wording of the questions to be referred to the CJEU later.

Data Protection Commissioner Helen Dixon sought referral after reaching a draft view Austrian lawyer Max Schrems had "well-founded" objections over transfer of his data to the US.

The case arose after Mr Schrems complained in 2013 about the transfer of his personal data by Facebook Ireland to its US parent, Facebook Inc.

That lead to the Irish High Court referring issues to the CJEU which resulted in the European court striking down the Safe Harbour arrangement for data transfers.

Mr Schrems complaint was then investigated by the Commissioner who, in a draft finding of May 2016, found he had well-founded objections to his data being transferred. That was based on her views about the adequacy of remedies available in the US for EU citizens who allege breach of their data privacy rights.

The Commissioner then applied for a referral, saying she wanted the CJEU view before she finalised her decision on Mr Schrems complaint. The key issue was whether the European Commission decisions approving the data transfer channels known as SCCs are valid or not.

The Commissioner's case was against Facebook Ireland  because Facebooks European headquarters are here - and Mr Schrems but no orders were sought against them. The US government, Business Software Alliance and civil liberties groups were among several parties joined as assistants to the court on legal issues.

Mr Schrems opposed a referral, arguing the Commissioner had enough information to finalise his complaint without it.

Facebook also opposed referral but on very different grounds. Both it and the US government argued US law and other measures afford adequate protections for data privacy rights of EU citizens.

That was disputed by Mr Schrems and civil liberties groups including the Washington-based Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC).

The judge had last March reserved judgment on the 21 day case but later agreed to a request from the US government to receive information about what were described as significant new developments in the matter.

Those included a decision of the US Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC) of April 26th last which addressed the failure of US agencies to comply with surveillance restrictions imposed by the FISC and restraining collection of "about" data.

Another development was a decision by the US Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit that Wikimedia, but not several other plaintiffs, had the necessary legal standing to challenge the Upstream surveillance programme.

Both the Commissioner and Mr Schrems argued the developments had no significance for the issues the court had to decide.
A man jailed for 15 years for the rape and sexual assault of a woman whose child he abducted in the same incident faces an increased prison sentence following an appeal by prosecutors.

Michael Murray (46), formerly of Killiney Oaks, Killiney, in Dublin, was jailed for 15 years for rape, attempted rape, oral rape and aggravated sexual assault, child abduction, threats to kill or cause serious harm, false imprisonment and theft at a Dublin apartment on February 12 and 13, 2010.

The Central Criminal Court heard that Murray had lured his female victim into an apartment by telling her that an elderly woman was dying inside and needed her help.

He tied her up and assaulted her before taking her son (4) away, abandoning him in a city centre square late at night. He returned to the flat where he drugged and raped his victim.

Murray had denied the charges. However he was found guilty on all counts by a unanimous jury verdict.

The Director of Public Prosecutions are seeking a review of Murray's 15-year prison sentence on grounds that it is unduly lenient.

Counsel for the DPP, Sean Gillane SC, told the Court of Appeal today that there had been a constellation of aggravating factors including pre-meditation, deception, an extraordinary duration of time as well as egregious degradation and humiliation within the offences themselves.

But there was a further feature of aggravation which placed this case not just into the most serious of cases but in the upper limit of even that range, Mr Gillane submitted.

There was an explicit threat to the victim that her child would be killed if she didn't give in to his sexual depredation and there was the placing of the hands on the child's throat, Mr Gillane said.

The future safety of her child was made dependent on her cooperation with his deviant desires.

During the assault, Mr Gillane said it became apparent that the child saw his mother tied up and knew there was something very, very wrong.

Almost unimaginably, in the course of being sexually assaulted and raped, she had to explain to her child that Murray was a bad man and that he (the child) had to keep quiet.

Then there was the removal of the child and abandonment on the Luas tracks at 10pm at night, counsel said.

Murray finished his attack on the victim and left her bound and gagged. After a period of time, she ultimately freed herself and alerted people in her building.

Mr Gillane pointed to this period of time where she knew her child was no longer in the building and had been removed by the man who had threatened to kill her child. She spent that period of time not knowing whether her child was dead or alive.

Mr Gillane submitted that the trial judge erred in choosing 15 years as a starting point for the sentence before mitigation  of which there was none.

Counsel for Murray, Blaise O'Carroll SC, said the sentencing judge was a judge of tremendous experience who had listened to 29 days of evidence during the trial.

The sentencing judge had not come to a decision off the cuff, Mr O'Carroll said. He decided to adjourn sentencing for a week to consider the case in detail.

In his judgment, the sentencing judge carefully set out the principles he was bound by and the Director of Public Prosecutions had failed to point out any palpable error, Mr O'Carroll said.

Mr Justice George Birmingham, who sat with Mr Justice Alan Mahon and Mr Justice John Edwards, said the court would reserve its judgment.

Murray previously lost an appeal against his conviction in March.

Giving background facts to the case on that occasion, Mr Justice Birmingham said that at 4.10pm on the date in question, the complainant, a young Chinese woman, was walking home from work in the Smithfield area of Dublin accompanied by her four-year-old child when she was lured into an apartment by Murray on the false basis that there was a sick lady inside who needed help.

Thereafter, Murray locked them both into the apartment and subjected to the woman to an escalating and relentless ordeal of rape, attempted rape, sexual degradation and violence, drugging her, binding and gagging her and threatening to kill both her and her young son.

The episode was said to have lasted until Murray left the apartment at 5.30am, leaving her tied up in the bath. Murray had left the apartment at an earlier stage when he took her son away and deposited him on the street sometime around 10pm.

The trial was fully contested and Murray advanced a defence that the woman was a prostitute or escort who had been working for him in an agency that he ran. This proposition was utterly rejected by her.

Murray sought to appeal his conviction on grounds relating to the admissibility of interviews, issues relating to the manner in which the complainant was examined and cross examined, an issue relating to an alleged failure to disclose, an issue in relation to the failure of the judge to warn the jury about the risks of social media influence on the trial and an issue relating to the taking of certain exhibits from the location of the crime after it had ceased to be a designated crime scene.

Mr Justice Birmingham said the Court of Appeal was quite satisfied that none of his grounds were made out, that Murray's trial had not been shown to be unsatisfactory or the verdict unsafe.
A Louth man who had sex with a 15-year-old schoolgirl and made plans to run away with her to Northern Ireland has been jailed for two years.

The man (29), who can't be named for legal reasons, told the girl he could get her a fake passport and said she would have to dye her hair and live under an assumed name if she wanted to stay with him.

The girl later told gardai that she had consensual sex once with the then 25-year-old man as they stayed at various hotel accommodations over a few nights while waiting for the passport.

The man pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to sexual intercourse with a minor at a hotel in Co Dublin between November 28 and December 6, 2013.

Sentencing him today, Judge Cormac Quinn said the man took advantage of a vulnerable young schoolgirl.

He knew she was a schoolgirl, Judge Quinn said, noting the man bought the girl alcohol on a number of occasions and brought her to a hotel and a B&B.

The court heard the man has 38 previous convictions including assault, burglary, criminal damage and theft.

Judge Quinn handed down a three-year sentence, but suspended the final year on a number of conditions.

He accepted the man was remorseful and he noted the victim would probably not have been a co-operative witness had the matter gone to trial. She declined to give a victim impact statement.

At a sentence hearing earlier this year, Sergeant Louise McHugh told Dara Hayes BL, prosecuting, that the man met the schoolgirl outside a pub the previous summer and the two had kept in phone contact.

They met twice to play pool together and on another date the girl stayed with the man in a hotel after spending a night out drinking with him.

On each of these occasions, the man purchased all her food and drinks but they had no sexual relations.

The court heard the girl was on a half-day from school when she met the man at a shopping centre on November 28, while still in her uniform.

He bought her a 60 phone and they spent the day drinking together at the centre before she agreed to stay with him when she missed her bus home.

Over the next few nights, the man booked them into hotel and B&B accommodation and organised a change of clothing for the schoolgirl from his female friend.

He told the 15-year-old that they would stay at the final hotel a bit longer while they waited for the passport. He assured her he knew what he was doing as he had previously arranged a passport for a 16-year-old and nobody had ever found that teenager.

The girl told gardai that the man had sex with her once and that she had been happy to run away with him. She said she hadn't planned to leave home but that it just happened after she missed her bus and didn't want to get into trouble with her mother.

She said that another couple joined them in the hotel room for the last few nights and she described spending the daytime with the female while the men went out to work.

The court heard gardai tracked the girl down to an internet cafe on December 6, after stopping the man and his male friend on a different street.

The girl told officers that the ten year age gap between her and the man didn't bother either of them and that while he never said he loved her, she felt there was something there.

Sgt McHugh agreed with Dominic McGinn SC, defending, that his client had had a history of self harm and had made serious attempts to take his own life. She further agreed that he had co-operated with gardai fully.

Mc McGinn submitted that it was the disparity in age that made the case against his client as there was no evidence of coercion or violence.

Referring to a psychologist's report, Mr McGinn submitted that some of the tragic elements of his client's background had been the catalyst for drug abuse and anti-social behaviour.

The court heard the man tried to take his own life three weeks before the incident with the girl and that he was at a place in his life where he was looking for support.

He has been in custody since May of last year and is an enhanced prisoner. A favourable governor's report was handed up to court.

Judge Quinn backdated the sentence to when the man went into custody.
A man who threatened to kill hotel staff who found cannabis in his room has avoided jail.

Keith Byrne (32), who has 44 previous convictions, made threats to staff members at the time and told them: I have a barrister on speed dial. He has since completed a rehabilitation program.

Byrne, of Ballyogan Lawn, Ballyogan, Carrickmines, Dublin pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of cannabis herb valued at 300 and making threats to kill or cause serious harm to staff at Bewleys Hotel, Sandyford on February 15, 2014.

Judge Melanie Greally said Byrne had engaged in extremely violent conduct towards members of staff and issued credible and very frighting threats. She said the value of the drugs was not significant but noted it was accompanied by drug preparation materials.

She noted he had since completed a residential rehabilitation program and there was a largely favourable probation report before the court. She said he had taken impressive steps to turn his life around and believed it would be counter productive to incarcerate him at this point.

Judge Greally imposed a two year sentence which she suspended for two years on strict conditions.

On the original sentence date last October, Garda Sean Balfe told Fionnuala O'Sullivan BL, prosecuting, that night staff had observed different people coming and going from a particular room in the hotel. At about 2am, Byrne, a guest in that room, and another man came down to the lobby.

When staff said the second man had to remain in the lobby as he was not a guest, Byrne became abusive. When asked by a staff member to calm down, Byrne responded by saying he would slit him from ear to ear.

My sister is a solicitor and I have a barrister on speed dial, he told staff.

He then told staff his girlfriend was ill in the room and a staff member went upstairs to check. A woman answered the door and he asked her to come downstairs. The staff member saw a large bag which seemed to contain weed and brought the bag downstairs.

Downstairs, Byrne was overheard saying the gardai were on the way and telling someone to get the stuff from under the bed. Byrne then told a staff member that he would murder him.

When Byrne discovered the staff member had the bag of cannabis herb, he produced a screwdriver and threatened to stab the man. He then fled the scene.

In garda interviews Byrne took responsibility for the drugs and said he was trying to get rid of them in a quick sale. He accepted he had been in an argument with staff members.

The court heard one staff member has since left his job and the second staff member did not wish to make a victim impact statement.

Barry Ward BL, defending, said Byrne was now free from any substance abuse and had not come to any further garda attention. He said Byrne had made substantial progress and was in employment.

He submitted that this was a drug-fuelled event but that his recent engagement with rehabilitation had been exemplary. Mr Ward said Byrne had a difficult family background.
A man charged with the murder of David Douglas outside a Dublin shop last year has been refused bail in the case due to be heard by the Special Criminal Court.

Frederick Freddie Thompson, ranted and cursed at High Court Judge Paul McDermott this morning when his application for bail failed.

Thompson (36), with an address at Loreto Road, Maryland, Dublin 8, is charged with the murder of Mr Douglas (55) at Bridgefoot Street in Dublin on July 1st, 2016.

The father-of-one was standing in the doorway of a shop owned by his wife Yumei when he was approached and shot several times.

The victim, who suffered a number of gunshot wounds, was rushed to St Jamess Hospital, but was pronounced dead a short time later.

Thompson was arrested on November 1 last year and detained at Kilmainham Garda Station under Section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act, 2007.

He was charged and remanded in custody following a brief hearing at Dublin District Court on November 7.

He previously applied to the Special Criminal Court to have the charge dismissed but the court refused the application as they were satisfied that there was sufficient evidence to put Thompson on trial for the offences.

When his application for bail was refused today Thompson stood up and said "f**k off, I'm not listening to this" and walked towards the door to the holding area where he had been brought to the court.

Prison officers tried to bring him back before the judge but he shouted: "I'm not f***ing going back in" and "the state of the country. Ye are all the same".

Two women who were in the court to support Thompson then left the courtroom before the judge had finished his ruling.

Thompson had sought bail in the High Court but the State objected to the application.

At yesterdays hearing, Sergeant Brendan Brogan from Pearse Street Garda Station told Mr Ronan Prendergast BL for the State, that he was objecting to bail because of the "seriousness" of the charge.

Sgt Brogan also told the court he believed that if the applicant was released on bail he would be a flight risk and might not face trial.

Another ground for objection, the court heard, was Sgt Brogans fear that if the accused man was released on bail it could result in further serious offences being committed.

The court also heard evidence from Chief Superintendent Francis Clerkin who said that his objection was based on Section 2A of the Bail Act.

The section allows a Chief Superintendent give evidence that the refusal of bail is necessary to prevent the commission of a serious offence.

Mr Justice Paul McDermott refused bail on several grounds, including that he represented a flight risk.
A Brazilian man was out for revenge when he stabbed another man to death after being assaulted in the early hours of the morning, a prosecution barrister told a murder trial jury today.

Juraci Da Silva (36), with an address at Park Lane in Waterford has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to the manslaughter of 28-year-old James Banville at New Street in Waterford on October 8, 2016. His plea was not accepted by the State and he is on trial at the Central Criminal Court.

He also pleaded not guilty to assault causing harm to Wexford man Conor Hogan and he pleaded not guilty to a third count of producing a knife. All charges relate to the same location and date.

Opening the trial today John O'Kelly SC for the prosecution told the jury they would see CCTV footage showing that Mr Banville and Mr Hogan twice assaulted the accused over a 20 minute period but then left him and walked away. After a little hesitation, he said, Mr Da Silva followed the two men, produced a long knife and inflicted the fatal injury on Mr Banville. He said Mr Hogan was also injured but recovered fully.

Counsel said it was about 2.55am when the first assault on the accused happened. The city centre was busy. The pubs and nightclubs had closed and people were wandering around, getting food or heading home. Bar workers, having finished their shifts, were on the street.

Mr Da Silva first met the deceased and Conor Hogan on John's Lane, where he talked to them before they assaulted him. Mr Da Silva then went to his nearby home and changed his clothes, reemerging after a short time wearing a red jacket. Less than 20 minutes after the first assault Mr Da Silva is seen on CCTV talking to two women when Mr Hogan and Mr Banville walked by, saw Mr Da Silva, and assaulted him again.

Mr O'Kelly said these assaults do not reflect "any credit" on Mr Hogan or Mr Banville, but they then left the area and walked to an adjoining street. Mr Da Silva ran after them, produced a knife, and the third and fatal confrontation took place at New Street at about 3.15am.

Mr O'Kelly said that if a person is assaulted they are entitled to defend themselves but not to seek revenge. "That is what happened here," he said, adding that in a civilised society victims of assault go to the gardai.

Counsel said the jury might feel anger or even outrage over the first two assaults but that hurt feelings cannot justify such a "terrible revenge".

He added: "When he followed them in to New Street and produced a knife that wasn't self defence, they weren't attacking him. They had gone away in to the next street so anything he did at that stage could never amount to self defence."

Mr O'Kelly further explained to the jury that for an unlawful death to be murder, the accused person must have intended to kill or cause serious injury. He added that the only possible intent when a person stabs someone in the chest is at least to cause "very serious injury".

At the beginning of the trial Colman Cody SC for the defence told the jury that it is accepted that Mr Da Silva inflicted the wound that led to the death of Mr Banville and that he used the knife found near the scene.

The jury saw CCTV footage of the movements of the three men in the build up to the fatal knife attack.

The trial continues tomorrow in front of Justice Michael Kelly and a jury of six men and six women.
A woman has been found not guilty of charges of unlawfully claiming the dole after failing to disclose she had got married.

Marie Moynihan (44) of Farmers Bridge, Tralee, Co Kerry, but formerly of Mount Prospect Grove, Clontarf, Dublin was prosecuted by the Department of Social Protection but was cleared following her trial before Judge John Brennan at Dublin District Court.

Evidence from the defence was given stating that she had told the social welfare authorities that she had got married.

She had pleaded not guilty to the charges which were under the Social Welfare Consolidation Act.

In an outline of the evidence, Judge John Brennan was told by the prosecution that it was alleged she obtained 29,986 over three years and repaid about 2,000 to the social welfare office via a direct debit.

It was alleged that she was claiming the Jobseekers Allowance. She got married in 2012 and her husband was in employment and that would have dis-entitled her to the payments.
More than a thousand members of the Defence Forces have paid the State an average of 300 each to buy themselves out of the military in the past five years.

The huge number prepared to hand over cash to be allowed give up their job underlines the huge personnel problems in the Defence Forces.

A conference will be told today that poor pay rates and terms of contract are being cited as the reasons for the early departure of trained soldiers, sailors and aircrew.

The current strength of the military has dipped under 9,000 - the lowest number in at least fifty years while Ireland's spending on defence is rated as the lowest in the EU, according to official figures.

On the eve of the opening of the annual conference of Pdforra, the association representing the enlisted personnel in the Defence Forces, its general secretary Ger Guinan said the current crisis in recruitment was a major and worrying challenge and the official attitude to resolving it reflected poorly on the Department of Defence and the Government.

Key specialist units, such as the bomb disposal squad and air traffic controllers are being deprived of badly needed resources because of the crisis, delegates in Ballyconnell, Co Cavan, will be told today.

The workload of the bomb disposal unit has increased by 50pc in the past few years because of falling numbers while officers are working 70-hour weeks, their "number twos" 53 hours and drivers 60 hours, an official audit shows.

Each specialist member of the unit costs the State around 100,000 to become fully trained in a four-year time-frame but at the moment there is no move to replace those, who have left.

A numbers crisis in the Naval Service has arisen because there are only seven crews to man eight ships and sailors are being forced to forego shore leave with their families and spend more time at sea to fill in the gaps resulting in forced retirements from the military.

And in the Air Corps, a shortage of air traffic controllers has resulted in a call-out service being operated between 11pm and 7am with staff receiving no extra pay if they have to work in the early hours.

Mr Guinan said only 8pc of those, who expressed an initial interest in joining the Defence Forces during a recruitment campaign, were available if called for selection.

This failure was due to people not enjoying the security of tenure that was available to other public servants or the protections of basic employment legislation, like the working time directive, as well as pay rates at the bottom of the public service league.

"If the Department of Defence is serious about trying to recruit and retain personnel, they need to offer comparable pay and conditions.

"Our members have been sidelined by a government, who profess they will treat us fairly because of the need to exclude us from membership of ICTU but it is difficult to reconcile the aspirations outlined in the Defence white paper with the current malaise and the challenges we are facing", Mr Guinan added.
New entry level requirements for primary school teaching will insist on students achieving 60pc or higher in their higher level Irish Leaving Cert exam.

Here is everything you need to know:

When are the changes happening?

The changes will be introduced by the Department of Education for 2019 and 2020. The requirement changes will not affect students in the current Leaving Cert cycle.

What do the changes involve?

Students must now get 60pc or higher in Leaving Cert Higher Level Irish to be a primary teacher. There will also be a demand for higher grades for ordinary level English and maths. This is 10pc higher than the minimum requirement set out for students due to sit their Leaving Cert next year.

Anything else to note?

In addition to the points requirements by the third-level institutes, Leaving Cert students must also get a specific minimum grade in all three of the core subjects.

In both English and maths, students must now get upwards of 60pc in ordinary level.

The higher level requirements remain the same, however, with students needing a H7 - which is more than 30pc, in both subjects.

Ordinary level Irish is not sufficient to qualify for primary teaching.

Why is this happening now?

Speaking following the announcement, Education Minister Richard Bruton said the changes were introduced in order to equip teachers as best as possible for the challenges of 21st-century teaching.

The minister said the reforms come as part of the Action Plan for Education 2017 - which has the aim of making the Irish education and training system the best in Europe within a decade.

"We are very fortunate here in Ireland to attract excellent candidates into primary education teaching and the quality of Ireland's education system is recognised internationally, but to be the best we need to continuously improve," Mr Bruton said.

One of the objectives in the Action Plan for Education 2017 is to "develop the continuum of teacher education to equip teachers with the right skills for 21st-century teaching and learning and improve school leadership".

"The continued reform of initial teacher training and teacher induction, including the revision of entry criteria for initial teacher education, is one of a number of actions which were formulated to achieve this objective," he added.

Will there be more changes to come?

Yes. Further changes to the minimum entry level requirements will be considered from 2021 onwards and will be based around the experience of the current system, along with consultation with relevant stakeholders.
Gardai are hunting for an armed raider who escaped with a sum of cash after a robbery in Lucan this morning.

According to gardai, the cash-in-transit raid took place outside the Ulster Bank on Main Street in Lucan at around 12.30pm today.

Gardai say that one man, believed to be armed, made off with a sum of cash.

He fled the scene in a Volkswagen Golf.

At approximately 12.40pm a VW Golf car was found on fire at River Forest estate, Leixlip. This car had been driven onto a green area at the rear of San Carlo Senior National School and set alight.

The investigation into the incident is on-going.

Gardai are appealing for witnesses to contact them.

In particular we wish to appeal to anyone who noticed anything in the following areas: Main Street, Lucan, Co Dublin between 12pm and 12.30pm. and River Forest Estate, Captains Hill, or Distillery Lane, Leixlip, Co Dublin between 12.30pm and 1pm.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Lucan Garda Station on 01 6667300.
Tonight's EuroMillions jackpot is set to hit the maximum payout of 190m for the first time since 2014.

If an Irish player is lucky enough to scoop the prize on their own they will become Ireland's biggest ever EuroMillions winner.

National Lottery CEO, Dermot Griffin, explained how the jackpot cap works and how the cash is distributed if the big prize is not won.

"The EuroMillions jackpot roll means Tuesdays jackpot may hit 190 million," he said.

"Under the EuroMillions community rules a jackpot is capped at 190m. Any excess will flow down to the next prize tier at which there are winners."

He added: "If the jackpot is not won on a cap of 190m on Tuesday it can remain capped at that amount for up to a further four draws with any excess jackpot value rolling down to the next prize tier with a winner.

"On the fifth draw at cap, if the 190 million jackpot is still not won, the full value of the jackpot can flow down to the next tier with a prize winner."

The jackpot rarely hits the ceiling, according to Griffin.

"This jackpot will dwarf the 115 million won by Limerick woman Dolores McNamara in 2005," said Griffin.

"And it is the first time since 2014 that we have seen the jackpot at this level."

In that 2014 draw, the 190m prize went to a winner in Portugal.

A bumper jackpot of 190m was also won by a UK player in 2012.
Embattled Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary has pledged to avoid public appearances over the coming months as he moves to repair the damage caused by the recent controversy surrounding flight cancellations.

Mr O'Leary yesterday turned down an invite to appear in front of the Oireachtas Transport Committee tomorrow, telling members that the "needs of our customers and our schedules must take priority at this time".

Ryanair has been under fire after last Wednesday's cancellation of 18,000 flights, affecting potentially 400,000 passengers.

In the letter, seen by the Irish Independent, Mr O'Leary said management would put its energy into "minimising the impact" of cancellations.

He said that Ryanair would move to repair the "management failure" within its pilot rostering department that led to severe disruption.

"I regret to advise that I will not be available to take up your invitation to meet with the committee on Wednesday, October 4, as all of our management time and attention will be devoted to minimising the impact of our recently announced flight cancellations upon our customers," Mr O'Leary wrote.

"Neither I nor Ryanair will be taking on any speaking or outside engagements over the coming weeks and months while we devote all of our time and attention to repairing this pilot rostering failure and to ensure it never recurs.

"Please pass on my sincere apologies to the committee members, but I hope they will understand that the needs of our customers ... must take priority at this time."

Mr O'Leary said customers affected would be re-accommodated or given refunds.

He pointed out that more than 97pc of Ryanair's scheduled early-morning departures operated on time last week.

But Mr O'Leary's decision not to appear in front of the committee has prompted criticism.

Last night, Social Democrats co-leader and committee member Catherine Murphy said the decision represented a missed opportunity for the company.

"I completely understand his point that he wants all energies deployed to resolving this issue. But there is also a trust issue here. It was only last week that Ryanair was running television advertisements promoting a seat sale when they should have focused on a public information campaign," Ms Murphy told the Irish Independent.

"The committee wanted to give Ryanair the opportunity to say what it is doing and what customers can expect."
A petition to impeach the University College Dublin (UCD) Student Union President Katie Ascough has been rejected by the Returning Officer of the Students Union.

Returning Officer Stephen Devine, rejected the petition on Monday as he was concerned with its validity.

Over 1620 students signed the petition calling for UCD SU President Katie Ascough to be impeached due to her pro-life views.

Just weeks into her presidential term Ms Ascough was criticised after she withdrew information over access to abortion services in a magazine circulated to new students.

Ms Ascough said she took an executive decision to redact the information after receiving legal advice that the abortion information was illegal in Ireland, despite the fact the information was previously available in UCD.

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The information in the 'Winging It' magazine that was removed included pregnancy help websites, the prices of abortion in other countries and information on abortion pills.

While it is lawful to provide information in Ireland about abortions abroad, it is subject to strict conditions.

Ms Ascough's decision was widely criticised by the student body as the decision to remove the page, which required reprinting the annual guide, is estimated to have cost the union about 8,000.

The petition calling for Ascoughs impeachment had the following titles: name, programme, stage, student number. However, the petition did not have a section for student's signatures. On this basis, the petition has been rejected by the Returning Officer.

According to Article 6.5 of the UCDSU constitution: In the case of a referendum by petition, each petitioner must sign the referendum petition underneath, at the end of, or on a sheet attached to, an exact copy of the wording of the proposed referendum and provide their name, programme, stage and student number.

According to the University Observer, the petition was handed to the Returning Officer on Monday afternoon with 1620 names, a higher number of names than the number of votes Ascough received in the election in March (1154).

The group calling for Ms Ascough's impeachment said they will begin to collect signatures again and will re-submit the petition.
Alan Shatter has described himself as "the most vindicated politician in the history of the State" and said accusations that he didn't do his job properly as Justice Minister were proven untrue.

The former Fine Gael minister also hasn't ruled out a return to politics, saying: "I have made no definitive decision".

"One of the things Im experiencing is no matter where I am... I am constantly approached by Fine Gael members and Fine Gael supporters asking if Ill go back into politics," he told Claire Byrne Live.

Mr Shatter said he still has "lots of friends" within the party, with some continuing to communicate with him privately.

When asked about his relationship with former Taoiseach Enda Kenny he said it is "non-existent".

"I would have been very supportive of him, very close to him and had a very high regard for him, but events occurred that, for me, were unexpected.

"I found myself in a lot of controversy in the first quarter of 2014, there were all sorts of accusations made that I wasnt doing my job properly.Three-and-a-half years later - we have three judicial inquiries. I must be the most vindicated politician in the history of the State because they have all investigated the frenzy of allegations that were made and theyve established I dealt with matters correctly and told the truth at all times.

"It was like some sort of parallel universe where you kept telling the truth about stuff and people kept on accusing you of lying."

The former justice minister said he believed he had been treated unfairly by his party colleagues in Fine Gael, as he handled all issues with gardai in the "correct and appropriate" manner.

Mr Shatter recently launched his book 'Life is a Funny Old Business' in which he wrote about some of his more personal experiences in life, including the loss of his mother to suicide when he was just 14.

"Any family that experiences the suicide of a loved one, whether its a son or a daughter or a parent, it takes a long time to come to terms with that and I think there are always questions that you cant answer as to why it all occurred," he said.

"I think I was very fortunate in one sense in that I had a father who talked about things. I think with his support and the way that we talked our way through it, I managed to become resilient and get on with life."
Mr Varadkar said Spain was a "friend and ally" but "violence is never the solution". Photo: PA

The Spanish government needs to realise that violence against its citizens leads to further disunity "before anybody gets seriously injured or killed", Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said.

Responding to the violent scenes in the Catalonia region over the weekend, Mr Varadkar said his Government does not accept the legitimacy of the independence referendum.

"The Irish Government respects the constitution of Spain and the territorial unity of Spain," Mr Varadkar said.

"But I'd also like to say that violence is never justified.

"We know from history all over the world that when state actors, state police and the army use violence against civilians - that doesn't work.

"It causes further division, further disunity and also causes radicalisation."

He said less than half of the population of Catalonia participated in the vote "although admittedly it wasn't easy for people to participate".

Mr Varadkar said Spain was a "friend and ally" but "violence is never the solution".

"I was distressed to see the scenes on television last night," the Taoiseach said.

"To see this was happening in a European country.

"We know from history all over the world that when governments use violence against unarmed civilians it doesn't work. It leads to radicalisation, it leads to further disunity, and I sincerely hope the Spanish government will bear that in mind before anybody gets seriously injured or killed."

Despite Mr Varadkar's statement, Junior Minister John Halligan (left) has asked the Taoiseach to call in the Spanish ambassador and "formally condemn the force used by the country's National Police and Civil Guard during Catalonia's unofficial independence vote".

He said that the Irish Government must "convey its horror at voters in any democracy being dragged from polling stations".
Many countries conduct long terms studies of their population to examine various aspects of health, mental and physical - as well as psychosocial and education issues - in the lives of children as they mature into adults. And in some countries the studies continue for decades. In Ireland we have Growing Up In Ireland which commenced in 2006. In Britain there is the Millennium Cohort study which began in the millennium and the third wave of results, after 14 years, have recently been published and in the news. The data relates to mental health.

The participants are almost 20,000 children born in 2000 and their parents. They completed online questionnaires, some requiring the input of the researchers and others exclusively self-rated. There are literally hundreds of questions relating to many aspects of their lives including physical and mental health symptoms, relationships, social and academic activities to name just a few. Parents were also questioned about their teenage children's health.

The results made headlines with claims that 25pc of girls aged 14 were depressed while 9pc of boys were also depressed. What was even more striking was that parents seemed unaware of the unhappiness of their daughters while being more conscious of problems that their sons might have. A possible explanation may stem from the belief that girls are more mature and street-wise than boys at that age and so are a source of less worry to their parents. On the other hand, the vulnerability of boys, evidenced by their very much higher suicide rate than girls, may increase parents' vigilance regarding their mental health. The belief that girls are better at emotional expression compared to boys must also be factored into this. Yet the results demonstrate a lack of appreciation of the reality that girls are more vulnerable that was previously assumed. Although not examined in this study, other large research investigations as well as data from emergency departments have confirmed this vulnerability that manifests itself as overdosing and cutting. In short, young men die by suicide, young women harm themselves.

Other interesting findings were that those from poorer socio-economic backgrounds are more likely to report depressive symptoms than peers from better-off families. Girls from mixed and white ethnic backgrounds were the most likely to report high depressive symptoms, while those of African origin were the least likely to. For boys on the other hand, those from mixed and other ethnic backgrounds were the most likely to report depressive symptoms and those of Bangladeshi and Indian origins the least likely.

Although the term "depression" is used, it is unlikely that this is clinical depression as we understand it in psychiatry, although commentators on the study have pointed to the importance of treatment. But if these young people are sad at their current circumstances, the idea that this can in some way be treated might be considered yet again the medicalisation of unhappiness. Yet there is no doubting the deep unhappiness and sadness that blights the lives of these young people. The study was not really designed to examine the cause of this but a number of possibilities spring to mind.

The first is that perhaps expectations are too high for girls. They have a reputation for being better achievers than their male peers but perhaps this is an additional burden on them. Girls of 14 are often very sensitive about appearance and image generally and perhaps this, along with the widespread use of social media to criticise and bully as well as to admire and praise troubles them, is a further factor. Are they under pressure to engage in early sexual activity or to use illicit drugs? That these symptoms are more common in lower socio-economic groups suggests that the prospect of not achieving their full potential may already be recognised by girls in the poorer groups and lead to demoralisation and a sense of helpless and hopelessness.

Studies such as this grab headlines and media time. However, the methodology used, computer rather than face-to-face personal interviews, has a tendency to over-estimate prevalence and this is a possibility also. Nonetheless, even if the prevalence was over-estimated by 30pc, the findings still point to a large number of girls, on the cusp of womanhood, already having to confront emotions that ordinarily rear their heads at a much later stage in life. This is worrying for society as a whole and for the impact it will have on their adult lives and those of their children. Will the cycle of misery and desolation repeat itself into the future? There most definitely needs to be a discussion about the social, economic and inter-personal factors that may be feeding into this for the sake of generations to come.

But please, let's not medicalise it.
Every parent instinctively wants to protect their children - from sickness, from injury, from bullies and ultimately from anything in life which would make them feel either physically, mentally or emotionally hurt.

But there are some things in life that we just can't shield them from - serious illness being one.

October is 'Cups Against Cancer' month where the Irish Cancer Society is urging people to hold a coffee morning in aid of breast cancer research and to raise awareness from the disease.

One in nine women in Ireland will develop the disease each year and while many will survive and live to tell the tale, some may not make it - and for those who have children, this huge loss in their young lives will be very hard to bear.

Expand Close Alison Coyle on her wedding day with her mum Syliva who passed away this year / Facebook

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Matthew O'Brien lost his wife Sarah to breast cancer two years ago. He was consumed by grief at the time of her death, but says his over-riding concern was for his three children who couldn't comprehend where their mother was and why she wasn't coming back.

"Unfortunately when Sarah was diagnosed, her cancer was quite advanced and had spread to the lymph nodes," he says. "While she was ill and having treatment, the children were being looked after by family and we both tried to reassure them that things were going to be ok - but as Sarah's condition worsened, it became obvious that this wasn't going to be the case.

"We decided we would talk to them together while Sarah still had enough strength for it and to be honest it was heart-breaking. Our eldest was 10 at the time and he was utterly in bits, while the other two, at six and four couldn't understand what we were telling them - and even though they knew that Mammy was going to heaven, they didn't really comprehend what that meant."

Matthew's eldest son bore the brunt of his mother's demise as he was keenly aware of what was happening and after Sarah died, he went through a very tough time both at home and at school.

"When we finally lost Sarah, my eldest had a complete meltdown and hid away in his room for days," the father of three recalls. "He wouldn't eat and wouldn't talk to anyone and I was so worried about him.

"So I arranged for the three of them to attend a bereavement counselling course and while initially, he was reluctant to go, as the months went by, I could see my beautiful sunny son return. Telling children about cancer is a very hard thing to do and dealing with death is even harder, but I really believe that they should be kept informed about what is going on because no matter how hard you try to hide things, they always know that something is wrong and if it is not being discussed, they will have to deal with it on their own and that is something no child should have to do."

Caitriona Plunkett agrees and when she was diagnosed with breast cancer in April 2016, she and her husband Conor made the decision to inform their children - Corinne (10) and Gavin (7) straight away.

"I check my breasts regularly and found a lump in the right one last year," says the Dublin woman. "Corrine was making her communion so although I knew it didn't feel right, I decided to wait until that was over before getting it checked out. I was referred immediately for a triple assessment and five days after that I went in for the results.

"I knew straight away there was something wrong as the nurse told me to bring someone with me when I went back to the hospital. Sure enough, they said I had breast cancer."

Fortunately Caitriona had been diagnosed early and she and Conor decided to inform the children of her illness.

"I was told that it was highly likely that I would be ok after my chemotherapy, so once a treatment plan was in place, we told the kids I had cancer.

"I said I would lose my hair and that I would be feeling very tired and ill for a while but once it was over, I would be myself again. The hospital had given me some comics for them which explained what cancer was and how the treatment zapped all the bad cells and this was great as it really helped them to understand.

"Of course they were upset at first, but we have never kept anything from them so as far as Conor and I were concerned, cancer was another topic which they needed answers on."

At every stage of her illness, Caitriona kept her children informed and says this really helped them to cope with their feelings which, at times, were 'all over the place'.

"By promising the children that we would be honest, they really felt secure knowing that we weren't hiding anything and there would be nothing coming up that they weren't prepared for," she says. "We told them what we knew, in child-friendly terms, and fortunately we were very lucky to be able to say with complete faith that everything would be fine.

"They could tell from our faces that we weren't worried and even though I told them that I would lose my hair and was very scared about what was ahead of me, they were reassured that I would get through it.

"I don't think people give children enough credit for understanding and coping with things and in my opinion, I believe that telling them what's happening right from the start, will help them to deal with whatever the illness brings."

Claire Lalor is a counsellor and art psychotherapist who specialises in helping children to cope with trauma.

She agrees with Caitriona and says it is vitally important for everyone to be informed about what is going on, but says keeping the information age-appropriate is crucial.

"I really believe children should be kept in the loop when a parent is ill," she says. "They will be able to sense that something is wrong so parents should try to inform them gently about the situation. Obviously the level of information they receive will vary depending on their age.

"If they are very young, parents can just explain that Mammy or Daddy is sick and will be going to hospital for a while. And if they are older or the illness is more serious, they can be given a bit more information, particularly if the parent is going to lose their hair or will be very tired and sick for quite some time."

And while the expert says children should be reassured that there will be light at the end of the tunnel, sometimes the news is not good and in this instance, they will also need to be prepared for the worst.

"Letting a child know that their parent is going to die is never going to be easy," she says. "My advice would be to ease them into it gently and make sure to get as much family time as possible - bring them into the hospital, let them make cards, take photos and videos with mum or dad and just try and keep things as happy as possible. Of course this will be extremely difficult for everyone concerned, but it is important.

"Losing a loved-one is very hard, particularly for a child, but there are plenty of support groups available and I would really encourage people to avail of all the help they can get. Of course, while the family is grieving, they may not want to talk to anyone, but I would encourage them to reach out at some point - there are bereavement groups for children, but it's important for the parent to attend as well as they will be suffering too."

No matter how old you are, losing a loved one is heart-breaking and losing a parent always makes you feel vulnerable and lost - whether you are a child or an adult.

Alison Coyle lost her mother in March of this year and although she is 33 years old, says the gap she left behind is enormous.

"It doesn't matter what age you are (when you lose a parent), the pain is the same," she says. "Mum was 63 when she died and I felt a huge part of me was missing, I felt numb at the start and the funeral is still a blur. I then felt angry towards the disease, the pain she went through and frustrated that we couldn't do anything to heal her.

"I have a baby boy (Alfred) who was 9-months old-when mum died so he actually got me up in the morning and helped me see that there were good things in life too. And my husband John was a great support having lost his dad to cancer when he was one - so he totally understood what I was going through."

This October the Irish Cancer Society are asking members of the public to hold a 'Cups Against Cancer' coffee morning and support the fight against breast cancer. Money raised will fund breast cancer research and free services to support breast cancer patients and their families. So get your cups out and gather your bosom buddies together and host a 'Cups Against Cancer' coffee morning.

* For more information see cancer.ie/cupsagainstcancer
Composite: Georgina Campbell with one of her awards (Dublin in background).

The Twelve Hotel in Bearna, Co. Galway, has been named Ireland's Hotel of the Year at the 2018 Georgina Campbell Awards.

The four-star was cited for its "fresh, youthful style and an exceptionally focused food and wine offering" convenient to both Connemara and Galway City.

Managed by "an inspired (and inspiring) proprietor" in Fergus O'Halloran, The Twelve "sings of quality and innovation at every level", Campbell said.

The 2018 awards, held today at Bord Bia's Thinking House in Dublin, also saw Dax in Dublin win Restaurant of the Year, while a 'Hospitality Hero' award for services to Irish food and hospitality was given to Beryl and James Kearney and chef Gary O'Hanlon of Viewmount House in Longford.

Full list of award winners:

Hotel of the Year: The Twelve Hotel, Bearna, Co. Galway

The Twelve Hotel, Bearna, Co. Galway Restaurant of the Year: Dax, Dublin

Dax, Dublin Chef of the Year: David McCann, Dromoland Castle, Co. Clare

David McCann, Dromoland Castle, Co. Clare Outstanding Guest Experience: Quinlan & Cooke, Caherciveen, Co. Kerry

Quinlan & Cooke, Caherciveen, Co. Kerry Host of the Year: Tony Frisby, Dromoland Castle

Tony Frisby, Dromoland Castle Business Destination of the Year: Tankardstown House, Slane, Co. Meath

Tankardstown House, Slane, Co. Meath Newcomer of the Year: Bullitt Hotel, Belfast

Bullitt Hotel, Belfast Country House of the Year: Virginia Park Lodge, Virginia, Co. Cavan

Virginia Park Lodge, Virginia, Co. Cavan Guesthouse of the Year: The Old Bank House, Kinsale, Co. Cork

The Old Bank House, Kinsale, Co. Cork B&B of the Year: Muldowney's B&B, Arranmore, Co. Donegal

Muldowney's B&B, Arranmore, Co. Donegal Farmhouse of the Year: Hillcrest farm, Ahakista, Co. Cork

Hillcrest farm, Ahakista, Co. Cork Bord Bia 'Just Ask' Restaurant of the Year: The Bay Tree Bistro, Waterford

The Bay Tree Bistro, Waterford Taste of the Waterways Award: St. George's Terrace, Carrick-on-Shannon, Co. Leitrim

St. George's Terrace, Carrick-on-Shannon, Co. Leitrim Seafood Restaurant of the Year: Hooked, Galway

Hooked, Galway Wine Award of the Year: Green Man Wines, Dublin

Green Man Wines, Dublin Pub of the Year: Bar One, Castlebar, Co. Mayo

Bar One, Castlebar, Co. Mayo Family Friendly Destination: Amber Springs, Gorey, Co. Wexford

Amber Springs, Gorey, Co. Wexford Pet-friendly Hotel of the Year: Pupp, Dublin

Pupp, Dublin Hideaway of the Year: Castle Murray House, Dunkineely, Co. Donegal

Castle Murray House, Dunkineely, Co. Donegal Atmospheric Restaurant of the Year: The Boathouse Bistro, Dromquinna Manor, Co. Kerry

The Boathouse Bistro, Dromquinna Manor, Co. Kerry Ethnic Restaurant of the Year: Nightmarket, Dublin

Nightmarket, Dublin Casual Dining Restaurant of the Year: Nobel, Holywood, Co. Down

Nobel, Holywood, Co. Down Cafe of the Year: Cakeface Patisserie, Kilkenny

Cakeface Patisserie, Kilkenny Natural Food Award: Vascoe, Fanore, Co. Clare

Vascoe, Fanore, Co. Clare Street Food Award: Food Depot - Gourmet Street Kitchen, Clonakilty & Courtmacsherry, Co. Cork

Campbell's annual awards are the longest running in Ireland, independently assessed, and eagerly awaited as a bellweather of trends in Irish hospitality.

Expand Expand Previous Next Close Twelve Hotel, Galway Georgina Campbell at her 2018 awards. Photo: Paul Sherwood / Facebook

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Through our programme of anonymous assessment were always keeping a sharp eye out for those exceptional establishments which are right on top of their game and going the extra mile for customers," Campbell said this afternoon.

"What we seek is not perfection but real food and hospitality with real heart, and were continuing to find it in clusters of excellence all over the country."

In delivering the awards, she noted especially good experiences in Northern Ireland, the Burren and the northwest, where communities are working together.

A new Street Food award is a nod to the boom in casual dining in Ireland, though she said there is no sign of fine dining disappearing.

"There are times something special is needed."

As is her custom, Campbell did not shy away from highlighting disappointments - particularly with rising hotel prices and "underperforming" four and five-star hotels.

Expand Close Georgina Campbell Awards 2018:Gary OHanlon, Head Chef, James & Beryl Kearney, Proprietors Viewmount House, Longford. Photo: Paul Sherwood / Facebook

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Whatsapp Georgina Campbell Awards 2018:Gary OHanlon, Head Chef, James & Beryl Kearney, Proprietors Viewmount House, Longford. Photo: Paul Sherwood

"Higher prices mean higher expectations, of course, but the high level of dissatisfaction is often down to simple things that could easily be fixed at any level, plus a lack of hospitality (which often means lack of a host) and poor staff training.

"Its hard to avoid the conclusion that there are too many underperforming four and five star properties, whereas good three stars deserve to be held in higher regard and we would like to see the best ones resist the ambition to move up to the next category.

She also called on the Government to retain the 9pc VAT rate for the hospitality industry.

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Busy Phillips and Michelle Williams attend the Opening Of The Louis Vuitton Boutique as part of the Paris Fashion Week Womenswear Spring/Summer 2018 on October 2, 2017 in Paris, France. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)

Busy Phillips and Michelle Williams attend the Opening Of The Louis Vuitton Boutique as part of the Paris Fashion Week Womenswear Spring/Summer 2018 on October 2, 2017 in Paris, France. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)

Anna Dello Russo attends the Opening Of The Louis Vuitton Boutique as part of the Paris Fashion Week Womenswear Spring/Summer 2018 on October 2, 2017 in Paris, France. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)

Camilla Coehlo attends the Opening Of The Louis Vuitton Boutique as part of the Paris Fashion Week Womenswear Spring/Summer 2018 on October 2, 2017 in Paris, France. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)

Urassaya Sperbund attends the Opening Of The Louis Vuitton Boutique as part of the Paris Fashion Week Womenswear Spring/Summer 2018 on October 2, 2017 in Paris, France. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)

Paul Bettany and Jennifer Connelly attend the Opening Of The Louis Vuitton Boutique as part of the Paris Fashion Week Womenswear Spring/Summer 2018 on October 2, 2017 in Paris, France. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)

Nicolas Ghesquiere and Cate Blanchett attend the Opening Of The Louis Vuitton Boutique as part of the Paris Fashion Week Womenswear Spring/Summer 2018 on October 2, 2017 in Paris, France. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)

Alicia Vikander attends the Opening Of The Louis Vuitton Boutique as part of the Paris Fashion Week Womenswear Spring/Summer 2018 on October 2, 2017 in Paris, France. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)

Alicia Vikander attends the Opening Of The Louis Vuitton Boutique as part of the Paris Fashion Week Womenswear Spring/Summer 2018 on October 2, 2017 in Paris, France. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)

Michelle Williams attends the Opening Of The Louis Vuitton Boutique as part of the Paris Fashion Week Womenswear Spring/Summer 2018 on October 2, 2017 in Paris, France. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)

Julianne Moore attends the Opening Of The Louis Vuitton Boutique as part of the Paris Fashion Week Womenswear Spring/Summer 2018 on October 2, 2017 in Paris, France. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)

(L to R) Alicia Vikander, Ruth Negga and Michelle Williams at the opening Of The Louis Vuitton Boutique as part of the Paris Fashion Week Womenswear Spring/Summer 2018

Riley Keough attends the Opening Of The Louis Vuitton Boutique as part of the Paris Fashion Week Womenswear Spring/Summer 2018 on October 2, 2017 in Paris, France. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)

Julianne Moore attends the Opening Of The Louis Vuitton Boutique as part of the Paris Fashion Week Womenswear Spring/Summer 2018 on October 2, 2017 in Paris, France. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)

Alicia Vikander attends the Opening Of The Louis Vuitton Boutique as part of the Paris Fashion Week Womenswear Spring/Summer 2018 on October 2, 2017 in Paris, France. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)

Alicia Vikander attends the Opening Of The Louis Vuitton Boutique as part of the Paris Fashion Week Womenswear Spring/Summer 2018 on October 2, 2017 in Paris, France. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)

Ruth Negga attends the Opening Of The Louis Vuitton Boutique as part of the Paris Fashion Week Womenswear Spring/Summer 2018 on October 2, 2017 in Paris, France. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)

Ruth Negga attends the Opening Of The Louis Vuitton Boutique as part of the Paris Fashion Week Womenswear Spring/Summer 2018 on October 2, 2017 in Paris, France. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)

Ruth Negga has been keeping a low profile lately and made sure it was worth the wait when she popped up during Paris Fashion Week.

The Irish actress (35) was among a host of stars who attended the opening of the Louis Vuitton Boutique in the city, flanked by brand ambassadors for the French fashion house and more Oscar winners than you can shake a stick at. Negga, from Limerick, was wrapped up in a multi-texture coat with suede, leather and a leopard print collar over a plain white t-shirt and cerulean satin skinnies. So far, so good.

But it's the white accessories that bring this look and add a touch of '90s nostalgia that has become synonymous with modern supermodel street style.

Expand Close Ruth Negga attends the Opening Of The Louis Vuitton Boutique as part of the Paris Fashion Week Womenswear Spring/Summer 2018 on October 2, 2017 in Paris, France. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images) / Facebook

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Whatsapp Ruth Negga attends the Opening Of The Louis Vuitton Boutique as part of the Paris Fashion Week Womenswear Spring/Summer 2018 on October 2, 2017 in Paris, France. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)

Vuitton prefers to work with classic names rather than 'it' girls and after providing the former Love/Hate star with her glittering silver gown at the Golden Globes in January, a friendship has been forged. Much like Michelle Williams, who injected a serious throwback by accessorising her blush pink leather shift dress with a vintage LV mini bucket bag. Not to mention those white leather go-go boots.

Expand Close Michelle Williams attends the Opening Of The Louis Vuitton Boutique as part of the Paris Fashion Week Womenswear Spring/Summer 2018 on October 2, 2017 in Paris, France. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images) / Facebook

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Whatsapp Michelle Williams attends the Opening Of The Louis Vuitton Boutique as part of the Paris Fashion Week Womenswear Spring/Summer 2018 on October 2, 2017 in Paris, France. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)

Swedish actress Alicia Vikander showed off her new Tomb Raider toning with her leopard print mini-skirt with a cut-out top and a clasp crossbody bag.

Expand Close Alicia Vikander attends the Opening Of The Louis Vuitton Boutique as part of the Paris Fashion Week Womenswear Spring/Summer 2018 on October 2, 2017 in Paris, France. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images) / Facebook

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Whatsapp Alicia Vikander attends the Opening Of The Louis Vuitton Boutique as part of the Paris Fashion Week Womenswear Spring/Summer 2018 on October 2, 2017 in Paris, France. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)

Monday evening's event is just the precursor to the brand's Spring/Summer '18 fashion show tonight, in one of the final events of fashion month.
A veteran who was killed in the Las Vegas shooting had previously posted on Facebook about the nightmare of being shot at in battle.

Christopher Roybal, 28, had completed four tours in the Middle East including time in Afghanistan where a friend had been killed by an improvised explosive device.

In a post now widely shared, and which is dated from July, Roybal said: Whats it like to be shot at? Its a nightmare.

The October 1 shooting in Nevada left 59 people dead and more than 500 injured after a gunman fired into festival crowds.

Expand Close The Mandalay Bay resort and casino, right, overlooks an outdoor festival grounds across the street (John Locher/AP) / Facebook

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Whatsapp The Mandalay Bay resort and casino, right, overlooks an outdoor festival grounds across the street (John Locher/AP)

The man, identified by police as Stephen Paddock, shot indiscriminately at the crowd enjoying the Route 51 Harvest Festival from a room inside the Mandalay Bay hotel across the street.

In the Facebook post, Roybal gave examples of his time in conflict, with dog Bella at his side.

"What's it like being shot at?"A question people ask because it's something that less that 1% of our American Posted by Christopher Roybal on Tuesday, July 18, 2017

He said he would never speak with a sense of pride and ego of what happened but give people asking about being shot an answer filled with truth and genuine fear/anger.

The two, he said, go hand in hand.

My first fight was something I never will forget, he wrote, explaining it came after a four-hour foot patrol.

Hearing the most distinct sounds of a whip cracking and pinging of metal off of the vehicle I just had my hand resting on is something that most see in movies.

I remember that first day, not sure how to feel. It was never fear, to be honest, mass confusion.

Expand Close Police on the scene during the shooting at the Route 51 Harvest Festival (Chase Stevens/AP) / Facebook

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Whatsapp Police on the scene during the shooting at the Route 51 Harvest Festival (Chase Stevens/AP)

Sensory overload followed by the most amount of natural adrenaline that could never be duplicated through a needle.

I was excited, angry and manic. Ready to take on what became normal everyday life in the months to follow.

Unfortunately, as the fights continue and as they as (sic) increase in numbers and violence, that excitement fades and the anger is all thats left.

The anger stays, long after your friends have died, the lives youve taken are buried and your boots are placed neatly in a box in some storage unit, still covered in the dirt youve refused to wash off for fear of forgetting the most raw emotions you as a human being will ever feel again.

Whats it like to be shot at? Its a nightmare no amount of drugs, no amount of therapy and no amount of drunk talks with your war veteran buddies will ever be able to escape.

His Facebook page has been turned into a memorialised account called Remembering Christopher Roybal. It means it is now managed by a friend or family member.

Roybal, originally from California, worked at Crunch Fitness, a company founded by David Harman.

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Paying tribute to the veteran, Harman said: He is a guy that could always put a smile on your face  after all the stuff he had been through.

He was the guy who if your car broke down in the middle of the night, you could call him and he would come help you.

He is that guy who would find solutions, not report on problems.
'Mr Trump tweeted he had told Mr Tillerson he is wasting his time trying to negotiate with Little Rocket Man, referring to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.' Pic: AFP/Getty

US President Donald Trump's latest tweets on North Korea, in which he said his top diplomat is wasting his time trying to start talks, were seen by some in Asia as sowing confusion and by others as hard reality.

A South Korean newspaper condemned Mr Trump's remarks for belittling efforts toward a peaceful resolution of the nuclear issue, while a Chinese international affairs expert saw the tweets as a message to North Korea and China.

In an editorial, South Korea's progressive 'Kyunghyung Shinmun' newspaper said Mr Trump's remarks were problematic primarily because they show inconsistency in policy. "To negotiate with North Korea, consistency is the most critical element," it said.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said on Saturday the Trump administration is probing North Korea's willingness to talk. But, on Sunday, Mr Trump tweeted he had told Mr Tillerson "he is wasting his time trying to negotiate with Little Rocket Man", referring to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

A small progressive online newspaper, 'Voice of People', said that Mr Trump's comments are signs of confusion in US policy. "Such unstable US policy toward North Korea is entirely a burden on us," it said.

But Cheng Xiaohe, an associate professor at Renmin University's School of International Studies in China, said: "In my view, Trump hopes both North Korea and China hear what he said on Twitter. His Twitter comments put greater pressure on North Korea, which is at a critical road crossing now, so it must make a choice. In the meantime, the US hopes China will continue to put pressure on North Korea."
Bruno Rodriguez speaking at a press conference in Havana after the US expelled 15 of Cuba's diplomats (AP Photo/Desmond Boylan)

Cuba's foreign minister has said Washington's response to mysterious attacks on its diplomats was "reckless" and "hasty".

Bruno Rodriguez spoke on Tuesday after the US government expelled 15 of Cuba's diplomats to protest against its failure to protect Americans from the unexplained attacks.

He said at a press conference in Havana that his government fulfils all its obligations toward foreign envoys.

On Friday, Washington issued a travel warning for the island and said it was reducing by about 60% its diplomatic staffing at the US embassy in Havana.

The scope of the attacks has continued to grow and the US disclosed on Tuesday that the 22nd victim was confirmed the day before.

In recent weeks the US state department had said there were 21 individuals "medically confirmed" to be affected by attacks that harmed their hearing, cognition, balance and vision, some with diagnoses as serious as brain injury.

"The ministry of foreign affairs strongly protests and condemns this unfounded and unacceptable decision as well as the pretext used to justify it," Mr Rodriguez said.

He did not announce any retaliatory measures.

Cuba has said it allowed US investigative agencies to work on the ground in its country for the first time in more than 50 years as part of the investigation into the attacks on American diplomats.

The foreign affairs ministry was detailing its efforts to help in a lengthy statement responding to the Trump administration's decision to expel the 15 Cuban diplomats.

The ministry said US "specialised agencies" visited Havana three times, in June, August and September. The US has said the FBI is leading the investigation.

Cuba said during the second and third visits, it let the US import special equipment and granted access to all facilities.

It also said new, faster communications channels have been opened between the US embassy in Havana and Cuba's diplomatic security department.

US secretary of state Rex Tillerson had earlier said that kicking out 15 Cuban diplomats would "ensure equity".

He said the decision was made "due to Cuba's failure to take appropriate steps to protect our diplomats".

The unexplained attacks in Havana have allegedly harmed at least 22 American government workers and their family members.

Mr Tillerson said the US is maintaining diplomatic relations and will co-operate with Cuba while the investigation continues.

But he said the move to reduce staffing at the Havana embassy was needed to "minimise the number of diplomats at risk of exposure to harm".

Washington has given Cuba a list of 15 of its diplomats who must leave the US within seven days although they are not being declared "persona non grata".

That designation would prevent them from ever returning.

AP
Police run to cover at the scene of a shooting near the Mandalay Bay resort and casino on the Las Vegas Strip (AP Photo/John Locher)

President Donald Trump has called the gunman who killed 59 people in Las Vegas a "very, very sick individual" and suggested he was ready to discuss gun laws "as time goes by".

Mr Trump was speaking to reporters on Tuesday as he departed for a trip to hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico.

He called the gunman "demented" and said "we're looking into him very seriously" and praised police in Las Vegas.

Mr Trump stressed the shooting was a tragedy.

Asked about US legislation, the president said "we'll be talking about gun laws as time goes by".

Stephen Craig Paddock, who killed 59 people and injured 527 others, was a big-spending gambler who took 23 guns into his hotel room before opening fire on crowds attending an outdoor music festival.

Paddock sprayed bullets on revellers enjoying the Route 91 Harvest Festival from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino on Las Vegas Strip.

The 64-year-old retired accountant from Mesquite, Nevada, killed himself before officers stormed Room 135 in the gold-coloured glass skyscraper.

Assistant sheriff Todd Fasulo said Paddock had 23 guns, some with scopes, in his hotel room.

Authorities found 19 more guns at his home in Mesquite, as well as explosives and thousands of rounds of ammunition.

Several pounds of ammonium nitrate, a fertiliser that can be turned into explosives such as those used in the 1995 Oklahoma bombing, were discovered in his car.

Investigators believe the shooting, the most deadly in modern US history, was a "lone wolf" attack, and say they do not have any information to lead them to suspect there were more assailants.

Paddock's brother described the gunman as a multi-millionaire property developer who liked to gamble large amounts of money at the world-famous casinos in Las Vegas who had no known political or religious agenda.

Eric Paddock told reporters his brother often received free rooms and meals from casinos, telling reporters: "He was a guy who had money.

"He went on cruises and gambled."

He told the Orlando Sentinel: "We are completely dumbfounded. We can't understand what happened."

He also said their father was a bank robber who was once on the most wanted list.

Investigators are working to establish a motive for the attack, but a law enforcement official said there was no immediate indication that the massacre was connected to international terrorism.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack and said the gunman was "a soldier" who had converted to Islam months ago, but it provided no evidence to back up the claim.

Country music star Jason Aldean was performing on Sunday night at the end of the three-day festival in front of a crowd of more than 22,000 when the gunman opened fire from inside the 44-floor hotel across the street.

Paddock had checked into the hotel room on Thursday, authorities said.

People attending the country music concert described scenes of horror as they realised that what they first thought were fireworks were actually gunshots.

Harrowing video footage showed Aldean stopping his performance after an initial volley of shots could be heard.

After a pause, the gunman fired another volley, with the muzzle flashes visible from the casino as victims fell to the ground, while others fled in panic.

Jason Sorenson, of Newport Beach, California, said he first realised something was wrong when musicians left the stage.

He ran and said "we saw people with blood all over their shirts".

Brandon Clack, of La Palma, California, said he heard many shots fired and the shooting that "went on for a long time, like 10 minutes".

Concertgoers fled into casinos and crammed into cars to get away from the shooting.

Barbara Magro, of Orange County, California, said "they were getting into people's trucks. I saw one with about 20 people in the back".

Police shut down busy Las Vegas Boulevard, and federal and state authorities converged on the scene.

Interstate 15 was briefly closed, and flights at McCarran International Airport were suspended.

Hospital emergency rooms were jammed with the wounded.

The dead included at least three off-duty police officers from various departments who were attending the concert, authorities said.

Two on-duty officers were wounded, one critically, police said.

Mr Fasulo said Paddock shot a security guard on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Hotel.

In an address to the country on Monday, Mr Trump called the attack "an act of pure evil" and added: "In moments of tragedy and horror, America comes together as one. And it always has."

Prime Minister Theresa May wrote on Twitter: "The UK's thoughts are with the victims and the emergency services responding to the appalling attack in Las Vegas."

Before Sunday's massacre, the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history took place in June 2016, when a gunman who professed support for Muslim extremist groups opened fire at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, killing 49 people.

AP
Lead Brexit negotiation Guy Verhofstadt who visited the island of Ireland last week and addressed a special Oireachtas committee said he was shocked by what he saw when he visited Belfast.

I can tell you it was a shock to go to Belfast, because the reality is that the problems are not over he told the European Parliament in Strasbourg today.

There is peace due to the Good Friday Agreement, but there are still these tensions, there are fences twelve metres high in the twenty-first century.

The worst thing that can happen is to lose the peace that Europe brought, he said of the unresolved issue of what will happen to the Irish border once the UK leaves the EU.

I stood next to memorial monument where you see pictures of young people 15, or 16 years old that died in a conflict based on nationalism, based on extremism. Ensuring violence doesnt return to Northern Ireland has to be an absolute priority for our house, he said.

Meanwhile several MEPs rounded on the British government and pointed to the internal strife within the Tory Party as the reason for the lack of progress on Brexit talks so far.

German MEP Manfred Waber called on UK Prime Minister Theresa May to please sack British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson during a debate on Brexit at the European Parliament.

MEPs were debating a motion in the European Parliament in Strasbourg which calls on EU heads of state to decide that sufficient progress has not been made on three key aims of early Brexit talks, unless the next round of talks on the UKs withdrawal from the EU delivers a major breakthrough.

The motion, Brexit: lack of sufficient progress on divorce terms was carried as the October deadline for ballpark agreement on three priority areas looms large. The three areas are in rights of EU citizens in the UK after Brexit, the UKs financial obligations and the Irish/Northern Irish border. The EU says until sufficient progress is made on agreement in these areas, talks on a trade deal cant commence.

Who shall I call in London that speaks for the British government, Mr Weber said was the top question at the moment. Is it Theresa May, Boris Johnson or David Davis, the UKs Brexit Secretary? Such lack of cohesion shows the British government is trapped by their own party quarrels and political contradictions, he said.

Mr Verhofstadt said he regretted the tenor of the motion and would prefer if it was one declaring that phase two of the talks could begin. But, he said, the disunity among the British government is one of the reasons for the lack of progress. There is opposition between Hammond and Fox, Mr Verhofstadt said, referring to Tory in-fighting between British chancellor Philip Hammond and Trade Secretary Liam Fox. There are divisions between Johnson and May, he told the chamber. Its difficult to make the steps towards the second phase of the negotiations.

I deplore in fact that we are not able to put before you another resolution than the resolution of today, he told the parliament of the motion that points to all of the areas that remain outstanding after four rounds of negotiations between EU lead negotiator Michel Barnier and David Davis.
Price comparison site GoCompare has announced its first overseas investment with the acquisition of a stake in a Middle Eastern firm.

Newport-based GoCompare has bought a minority stake of just under 10% in Dubai-based counterpart Souqalmal.com for two million US dollars (1.5 million).

Matthew Crummack, chief executive of GoCompare Group, told the Press Association the move was part of an ongoing strategy to invest in up-and-coming businesses and firms in the sector.

The deal follows the firms first strategic investment in July, when it snapped up a minority stake in digital robo-adviser Mortgage Gym.

Mr Crummack said GoCompare, which was spun out from esure and listed on the London Stock Exchange in November last year, now has the financial firepower to make canny strategic investments.

He said the firm was very cash generative, having reduced its debt twice since being demerged.

While he said the GoCompare brand is unlikely to expand overseas, the Middle Eastern deal confirms the groups aim to invest in the sector where opportunities arise.

Were all about saving people everywhere time and money, he said.

Wherever these ideas come from, we dont discriminate  were just looking for good ideas, he added.

Souqalmal.com was founded in 2012 and offers comparison services across more than 3,000 products  including banking and insurance  in both English and Arabic.

GoCompare said the firm was the clear leader in financial education and personal finance comparison in the Middle East.

The investment comes after last weeks findings by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) following a probe into the price comparison sector, which saw it announce further investigations into one player  widely understood to be comparethemarket.com  over arrangements with insurers.

It is thought the firms use of so-called most favoured nation clauses could be resulting in higher home insurance costs for consumers.

Mr Crummack said it was not fair that the entire sector is being tarnished as a result of this.

There are some criticisms based on the behaviour of certain companies that gets spread across all players, and we dont think thats fair, he said.

We take our independence very seriously.
Israel's prime minister has pledged to build thousands of new homes in one of the West Bank's biggest Jewish settlements and annex it to Israel.

The comments drew an angry condemnation from the Palestinians and created a new test for the Trump administration, which has been working for over eight months to restart peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians.

Benjamin Netanyahu said during a Tuesday visit to Maaleh Adumim that he was announcing a period of "enhanced development".

"We will build thousands of housing units here," he said.

"We will add the industrial zone needed and the expansion needed to allow for the advanced development of this place."

"This place will be part of the state of Israel," he added.

Mr Netanyahu gave no specifics or timetable, suggesting that his comments may have been playing to his nationalistic base.

Facing a series of corruption investigations, Mr Netanyahu has stepped up his hard-line rhetoric in recent weeks with attacks on the media and appeals to his core supporters.

This has included two other speeches in West Bank settlements where he vowed never to uproot any of them.

The Palestinians seek the West Bank, captured by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war, as part of a future independent state and consider all of Israel's settlements to be illegal, a position that is widely shared by the international community.

Israel says the settlements' fate should be resolved through negotiations.

Maaleh Adumim is a settlement of roughly 40,000 people just east of Jerusalem.

It is considered strategic because it lies in the centre of the West Bank, and making it part of Israel could greatly hinder Palestinian statehood aspirations.

Nabil Shaath, a senior adviser to Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas, called Mr Netanyahu's comments "totally unacceptable."

"This is an attempt by Netanyahu to destroy the two-state solution and a clear refusal of any attempt to revive the peace process, especially by the United States," he said.

President Donald Trump has taken a softer line toward the settlements than his predecessors, and his key advisers, including son-in-law Jared Kushner and ambassador to Israel David Friedman, have longstanding ties to the settlement movement.

Even so, Mr Trump has still asked Israel to show restraint.

Early this year, Israel shelved a proposal to annex Maaleh Adumim under apparent pressure from the White House.

Mr Netanyahu's comments indicated that he may be preparing to revive the proposal.

Mr Trump's Mideast envoy, Jason Greenblatt, has been in the region meeting with the sides as part of his effort to restart talks.

A White House official reiterated Mr Trump's position that "unrestrained settlement activity does not advance the prospect for peace", but past demands for a settlement freeze also have not helped advance talks.

The official said Mr Greenblatt's delegation "is focused on its substantive talks toward an enduring peace deal".

The official did not address Mr Netanyahu's call for annexation of occupied territory.

AP
Members of All India Students Association (AISA) shout slogans as they hold placards during a protest outside police headquarters in New Delhi, India, October 18, 2015. EUTERS/Anindito Mukherjee

An Indian policeman has been been arrested on suspicion of raping a seven-year-old girl, according to a senior officer.

Local media reported the little girl was found naked in the officers quarters in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh.

Police Superintendent Vipin Tada told AFP: We sent her for a medical examination and are awaiting a final report.

The policeman will be undergoing medical tests to confirm whether he was consuming alcohol inside his quarters.

The Press Trust of India reported that angry locals tried to attack the local police in protest, but were apparently pacified when they learned the suspect had been arrested.

India has an endemic problem with sexual assaults against children, with more than 10,000 cases reported in 2015, according to government statistics  with convictions in only a few dozen such cases.

Despite strengthening its laws on sexual violence after the fatal gang-rape of a 23-year-old medical student in Delhi in 2012 caused global outrage, rape against women and children remain commonplace in the country.

There have also been reports of Indian doctors being afraid to help child rape victims obtain abortions for fear of criminal prosecution.

Delhi's Commissioner for Women, Swati Maliwal, has called for better policing to help bring the perpetrators to justice  but has also pointed out that poverty appears to be a major factor in rape and incest cases.

In almost all cases of incest, where we see that family is poor, these kind of questions are coming and they are very, very real questions, she said.

They need to be addressed, there needs to be systems, there needs to be protection of the child.

The country is also ranked as the seventh worst country in the world for child sex trafficking, according to the Maplecroft organisation.

Rape is punishable by the death penalty in India only if injuries result in the death of the victim, and in practice capital punishment is very rarely used.
Mesquite Police Sgt. Tracy Fails and members of a citizen volunteer patrol block the entrance to the Prominence community, where shooter Stephen Craig Paddock owned a home, in Mesquite, Nevada, U.S. October 2, 2017. REUTERS/Las Vegas Sun/Steve Marcus

Mesquite Police Sgt. Tracy Fails talks with another officer at the entrance to the Prominence community, where shooter Stephen Craig Paddock owned a home, in Mesquite, Nevada, U.S. October 2, 2017. REUTERS/Las Vegas Sun/Steve Marcus

A view of houses in the Prominence community, where shooter Stephen Craig Paddock owned a home, in Mesquite, Nevada, U.S. October 2, 2017. REUTERS/Las Vegas Sun/Steve Marcus

Police have confirmed that Las Vegas mass killer Stephen Paddock had an arsenal of weapons in his retirement village home, which amounted to 19 guns, explosives and several thousands rounds of ammunition.

Police also recovered 23 guns from his Las Vegas hotel room, from where he shot and killed at least 59 people and injured 515 enjoying a country music concert at a site on the opposite side of the Strip.

The retiree killed himself before police breached his room, in the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history.

The barrage of gunfire from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel into a crowd of 22,000 people came in extended bursts that lasted several minutes, as throngs of terrified music fans cowered desperately on the open ground, hemmed in by fellow concert-goers, while others at the edge tried to flee.

Expand Close An undated photo of Stephen Paddock Picture: Eric Paddock via AP / Facebook

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Whatsapp An undated photo of Stephen Paddock Picture: Eric Paddock via AP

More than 525 people were injured - some by gunfire or shrapnel, some trampled - in the pandemonium adjacent to the Las Vegas Strip as police scrambled to locate the assailant. Police identified the gunman as Stephen Paddock, 64, who lived in a retirement community in Mesquite, Nevada. Authorities said they believed he acted alone, although his motive was unknown.

The Islamic State militant group claimed responsibility for the massacre, but U.S. officials said there was no evidence to support the claim.

At least a dozen people were in critical condition at University Medical Center in Las Vegas, where the most seriously injured victims were taken, a spokeswoman said.

The preliminary death toll, which officials said could rise, surpassed last year's record massacre of 49 people at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, by a gunman who pledged allegiance to Islamic State.

The dead in Las Vegas included a nurse, a government employee and an off-duty police officer.

Shocked survivors, some with blood on their clothing, wandered streets after the shooting, where the flashing lights of the city's gaudy casinos blended with those of emergency vehicles.

Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close People hug and cry outside the Thomas & Mack Center after a mass shooting at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival on October 2, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 01: People tend to the wounded outside the festival ground after an apparent shooting on October 1, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. There are reports of an active shooter around the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images) A pair of cowboy boots is shown in the street outside the concert venue after a mass shooting at a music festival on the Las Vegas StripY Police vehicles block a street corner after a deadly shooting at a music festival (AP Photo/Ronda Churchill) A woman sits on a curb at the scene of a shooting outside of a music festival along the Las Vegas Strip Blurred image of heavily armed police officers running LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 01 People run from the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after apparent gun fire was heard on October 1, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. There are reports of an active shooter around the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images) People react at gunshots heard at music festival in Las Vegas, U.S., October 1, 2017 in this picture obtained from social media. @RTBLECKvia REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. MANDATORY CREDIT.NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES Police officers advise people to take cover near the scene of a shooting near the Mandalay Bay resort and casino on the Las Vegas Strip, Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher) Las Vegas Shooting Las Vegas Shooting Las Vegas Shooting / Facebook

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Police said Paddock had no criminal record. The gunman shot and wounded a hotel security officer in the leg through the door of his suite then killed himself before police entered the room, authorities said.

"We have no idea what his belief system was," Clark County Sheriff Joseph Lombardo told reporters. "I can't get into the mind of a psychopath."

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Federal officials said there was no evidence to link Paddock to militant organizations.

"We have determined to this point no connection with an international terrorist group," Aaron Rouse, special agent in charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) field office in Las Vegas, told reporters.

CIA spokesman Jonathan Liu said in a separate email: "We advise caution on jumping to conclusions before the facts are in."

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Multiple guns

Police said 23 guns were found in the room where Paddock killed himself, some of them assault-style rifles with scopes and some that appeared to have been modified in an attempt to convert them into machine guns.

Lombardo said the gunman smashed the windows from which he fired in the two-room hotel suite where he had been staying since Thursday. More than 10 suitcases were in the suite.

Lombardo said a search of the suspect's car turned up a supply of ammonium nitrate, a fertilizer compound that can be used in explosives. It was used in the 1995 truck bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City that killed 168 people.

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Police found another 19 firearms, some explosives and thousands of rounds of ammunition at Paddock's home in Mesquite, about 90 miles (145 km) northeast of Las Vegas, along with "some electronic devices that we are evaluating at this time," Lombardo told reporters.

Police obtained a warrant to search a second house connected to Paddock in Reno, Nevada, more than 400 miles (644 km) northwest of Las Vegas, Assistant Sheriff Todd Fasulo later told reporters.

Chris Sullivan, the owner of the Guns & Guitars gun shop in Mesquite, issued a statement confirming that Paddock was a customer who cleared "all necessary background checks and procedures," and said his business was cooperating with investigators.

"He never gave any indication or reason to believe he was unstable or unfit at any time," Sullivan said. He did not say how many or the kinds of weapons Paddock purchased there.

Lombardo said investigators knew that a gun dealer had come forward to say that he had sold weapons to the suspect, but it was not clear if he was referring to Sullivan. He said police were aware of "some other individuals that were engaged in those transactions," including at least one in Arizona.

Investigators also want to interview Paddock's girlfriend, identified as Marilou Danely, who Lombardo said was believed to be in Tokyo. She was initially described by police as a "person of interest" but not a suspect.

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'Heartbreaking'

The shooting, the latest in a string that have played out across the United States over recent years, sparked a renewed outcry from some lawmakers about the pervasiveness of guns in the United States, but was unlikely to prompt action in Congress.

Nevada has some of the nation's most permissive gun laws. It does not require firearm owners to obtain licenses or register their guns.

House of Representatives Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi urged House Speaker Paul Ryan on Monday to create a select committee on gun violence, saying: "Congress has a moral duty to address this horrific and heartbreaking epidemic."

The Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution protects the right to bear arms, and gun-rights advocates staunchly defend it. U.S. President Donald Trump, a Republican, has been outspoken in his support for the Second Amendment.

The White House said on Monday it was too soon after the attack to consider gun control policies.

"Today is a day for consoling the survivors and mourning those we lost," presidential spokeswoman Sarah Sanders told a news briefing.

Trump said he would travel to Las Vegas on Wednesday to meet victims, relatives and first responders. "It was an act of pure evil," said Trump, who later led a moment of silence at the White House in honor of the victims.

The suspected shooter's brother, Eric Paddock, said the family was stunned by the news.

"We're horrified. We're bewildered, and our condolences go out to the victims," Eric Paddock said in a telephone interview, his voice trembling. "We have no idea in the world."

He said his brother belonged to no political or religious organizations, and had no history of mental illness. Their father had been a bank robber who for a time was listed on the FBI's "Ten Most Wanted" list of fugitives.

Speaking to reporters from his doorstep in Orlando, Florida, he described his brother as "a wealthy guy" who liked to play video poker and take cruises. He seemed to have been settling into a quiet life when he moved back to Nevada from Florida.

'Just kept going on'

The gunfire erupted as country music star Jason Aldean was performing on stage. Video of the attack showed terrified crowds fleeing under rapid gunfire as the gunman took aim from a distance of around 1,050 feet (320 m).

"People were just dropping to the ground. It just kept going on," said Steve Smith, a 45-year-old visitor from Phoenix, Arizona.

"Probably 100 shots at a time," Smith said.

Las Vegas's casinos, nightclubs and shopping draw some 3.5 million visitors from around the world each year and the area was packed with visitors when the shooting started shortly after 10 p.m. local time (0400 GMT).

Mike McGarry, a financial adviser from Philadelphia, was at the concert when he heard hundreds of shots.

"It was crazy - I laid on top of the kids. They're 20. I'm 53. I lived a good life," McGarry said.

The back of his shirt bore footmarks from people who ran over him in panic.

Shares of MGM Resorts International, which owns the Mandalay Bay, fell 5.58 percent on Monday to $30.77 a share.
A night time view of the scene of a mass shooting, bottom right, on the Las Vegas Strip, Monday, Oct. 2, 2017, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

A candlelight vigil is pictured on the Las Vegas strip following a mass shooting at the Route 91 Harvest Country Music Festival in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S., October 2, 2017. Picture taken October 2, 2017. REUTERS/Chris Wattie

The Mandalay Bay resort and casino, right, overlooks an outdoor festival grounds across the street (John Locher/AP)

The suspect accused of killing 59 and injuring more than 500 as he fired gunshots from a perch in his Las Vegas hotel had cameras set up inside and outside his hotel room, authorities said today.

"I anticipate he was looking for anybody coming to take him into custody," Clark County Sheriff Joseph Lombardo said today.

He added that FBI agents took all digital and electronic evidence into custody.

Law enforcement officials puzzled on Tuesday over what motivated a retiree with no criminal record to assemble an arsenal in the high-rise Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino and rain gunfire onto a outdoor concert for nine minutes, killing at least 59 people.

Expand Close The Mandalay Bay resort and casino, right, overlooks an outdoor festival grounds across the street (John Locher/AP) / Facebook

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The gunman, identified as Stephen Paddock, ended Sunday nights shooting spree, the deadliest in modern U.S. history, by killing himself.

He left an arsenal of 49 guns but no clear clues as to why he staged the attack on a crowd of 20,000 from a 32nd-floor window of the Mandalay Bay hotel. More than 500 people were injured, some trampled.

Paddock fired on the crowd for nine minutes, Lombardo told reporters on Tuesday, adding that investigators have identified all but three of the victims.

Federal, state and local investigators have found no evidence that Paddock, (64), had even incidental contacts with foreign or domestic extremist groups, and reviews of his history show no underlying pattern of lawbreaking or hate speech, a senior U.S. homeland security official said on Tuesday.

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We cannot even rule out mental illness or some form of brain damage, although theres no evidence of that, either, the official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss the probe.

Paddocks brother, Eric, has described himself as mystified by the attack.

It just makes less sense the more we use any kind of reason to figure it out, Eric Paddock said in a text message on Tuesday. I will bet any amount of money that they will not find any link to anything ... he did this completely by himself.

He said the family did not plan to hold a funeral for his brother, who was not religious, saying it could attract unwanted attention. He described his brother as a financially well-off enthusiast of video poker and cruises, with no history of mental health issues.

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President Donald Trump told reporters on Tuesday that Paddock had been a sick man, a demented man.
A woman sits on a kerb at the scene of the shooting (AP)

An Irishman has described his panic as a gunman opened fire on a concert at a Las Vegas Strip hotel.

Dylan Walsh, from north Dublin, was with a group of friends and revealed they originally thought it was a crash.

Mr Walsh (21), who was staying at nearby Planet Hollywood, said they were on the Strip when the drama unfolded.

"We saw loads of ambulances and I said 'that's a serious crash'. Little did we know at the time.

"Then all the bars and restaurants start closing down.

"The next thing I know someone shouted 'gunman', so we ran. Everyone scattered, casino chips and all still on the table.

"Waiters dropped everything. It was scary looking back now."

Dublin woman Christine O'Hanlon was at the nearby Aria hotel.

"All of a sudden there was a bit of a commotion and people started to run. At first, we weren't really sure what was happening but I could hear popping sounds and obviously that was gunfire, but we didn't realise it at the time," she said.

"Then people were running, it was like a stampede."
The man who killed at least 59 people in the United States worst ever mass shooting was a wealthy property owner and a regular in Las Vegas casinos who made a living through "gambling and speculation," it has been claimed.

Stephen C Paddock, 64, killed himself before armed police blasted their way into his hotel room on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel in Las Vegas on Sunday night.

Next to his body, police found an arsenal of weapons including more than ten rifles but no immediate clue telling them what drove him to open fire from his window at concert goers below.

The Islamic State terror group claimed Paddock converted to Islam a few months ago, through its official Amaq news channel.

Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close People hug and cry outside the Thomas & Mack Center after a mass shooting at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival on October 2, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 01: People tend to the wounded outside the festival ground after an apparent shooting on October 1, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. There are reports of an active shooter around the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images) A pair of cowboy boots is shown in the street outside the concert venue after a mass shooting at a music festival on the Las Vegas StripY Police vehicles block a street corner after a deadly shooting at a music festival (AP Photo/Ronda Churchill) A woman sits on a curb at the scene of a shooting outside of a music festival along the Las Vegas Strip Blurred image of heavily armed police officers running LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 01 People run from the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after apparent gun fire was heard on October 1, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. There are reports of an active shooter around the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images) People react at gunshots heard at music festival in Las Vegas, U.S., October 1, 2017 in this picture obtained from social media. @RTBLECKvia REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. MANDATORY CREDIT.NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES Police officers advise people to take cover near the scene of a shooting near the Mandalay Bay resort and casino on the Las Vegas Strip, Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher) Las Vegas Shooting Las Vegas Shooting Las Vegas Shooting / Facebook

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They said the attack, the deadliest mass shooting in US history, was carried out by a soldier of the caliphate and was done in response to calls to target coalition countries.

In another statement released hours later, Isil referred to Paddock by the nom de guerre Abu Abd al-Barr al-Amriki and said he answered a call to arms by its leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

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US officials have said they are examining the claim, but are yet to find any evidence linking the shooter to any organised terrorist group.

Relatives described Paddock as just a guy who was never in a hurry and retired to the Nevada desert to enjoy a dry climate and Las Vegass casinos.

"We cant understand what happened," a distraught Eric Paddock, Stephens brother, told reporters outside his home in Orlando, Florida.

He said his brother was "not a normal guy" and "played high stakes video poker". He said his brother being named by authorities as the shooting suspect was "like if an asteroid fell out of the sky".

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Eric Paddock says his brother was a multimillionaire who made much of his money investing in real estate.

He told reporters on Monday in Orlando that his brother was also an accountant for many years.

He was not aware of his brother having any recent financial difficulties.

Stephen Paddock recently sent a walking aide by post to his 90-year-old mother.

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The brother says the shooter collected coins when he was a child.

Expand Close U.S. President Donald Trump stands with first lady Melania Trump and Vice President Mike Pence during a moment of silence in the wake of the the mass shooting in Las Vegas at the White House in Washington, U.S., October 2, 2017. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts / Facebook

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"Hes not an avid gun guy at all. The fact that he had those kind of weapons is just  where the hell did he get automatic weapons? He has no military background or anything like that, he told MSNBC.

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"Hes just a guy who lived in a house in Mesquite, drove down and gambled in Las Vegas. He did...stuff. Eat burritos."

The family grew up in Sun Valley, California, Bruce Paddock, another of his brothers, told NBC.

Their father, Benjamin Hoskins Paddock, was a career bank robber who was on the FBI's Top Ten Most Wanted list between 1969 and 1977, it was reported.

Stephen Paddock worked various jobs, including as an auditor at a company that later became Lockheed Martin between 1985-1988.

Family members told local media he also made a living from renting and managing apartment buildings, and he appears to have owned a string of properties in Florida, Texas, and Nevada.

Former neighbours said Paddock had said his main source of income was gambling.

Don and Sharon Judy, who lived next door to Paddock and his girlfriend, Marilou Danley, when he owned a house in Melbourne, Florida between 2013 and 2015, said he was very friendly and lived by gambling.

He was very open about that. He said he traveled all around to his different homes, that he gambled, Mrs Judy told Florida Today.

Mrs Judy said he had once shown her how he had won $20,000 via online gambling on his smartphone.

"He said 'Marilou and I thats what we do for a living, we gamble and we speculate,' she added.

Citing law enforcement sources, NBC said records showed Paddock had racked up several gambling transactions in the tens of thousands of dollars in recent weeks. It was unclear if those were wins or losses.

Paddock moved into a three bedroom, single storey house at the Sun City retirement community in Mesquite, a desert town of about 17,400 people 80 miles northwest of Las Vegas, in 2015.

Police were searching the home on Monday.

Neighbours said Paddock and Ms Danley kept themselves to themselves and he does not appear to have had any trouble with the police.

Joe Lombardo, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Sheriff, said local police had nothing more on him than a seven-year old citation, which had been resolved as a normal practice in the court system."

Paddock held a pilots license, owned two aircraft, and had a permit to hunt in Alaska. He had several legally owned guns, but they do not appear to have been in the arsenal he amassed in his hotel room.

Police say Paddock checked into the Mandalay Bay hotel last Thursday September 28, but it was unclear how he amassed his huge arsenal of weapons in the room unnoticed.

Sherriff Lombardo said police had located Ms Danley, who is believed to be from the Philippines, outside the country and did not believe she was involved in the shooting.

She was not with him when he checked in. We have discovered he was utilizing some of her identification, he said.

Ms Danleys LinkedIn page described her as a Gambling & Casinos Professional who worked at the Atlantic Casino Resort Spa in Reno between 2010 and 2013.

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The terrorist group Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant claimed Paddock had acted on its instructions after converting to Islam several months ago. It offered no evidence for the claim.

The gunman responsible for the worst mass shooting in modern US history is believed to be a grandfather who lived in a remote desert home.

Telegraph Media Group Limited [2022]
Before he opened fire late on Sunday - killing at least 59 people at a country music festival on the Las Vegas Strip - gunman Stephen Paddock lived a quiet life for years in a small town outside Las Vegas.

A retired man, Paddock (64) would disappear for days at a time, frequenting casinos as a professional gambler with his long-time girlfriend, neighbours said. Relatives also said Paddock had been quietly living out his retirement years, visiting Las Vegas to gamble and take in concerts.

"We know nothing. If you told me an asteroid fell it would mean the same to me. There's absolutely no sense, no reason he did this," said his brother Eric Paddock. "He's just a guy who played video poker and took cruises and ate burritos at Taco Bell. There's no political affiliation that we know of. There's no religious affiliation that we know of."

In a brief interview yesterday morning outside his home in Orlando, Eric Paddock said the FBI was inside interviewing family.

For several years, the gunman lived with his girlfriend, Marilou Danley, in a retirement community in Reno, Nevada, neighbours said. They said they interacted with Ms Danley but not Paddock, whom they described as 'extremely stand-offish'. Ms Danley told residents Paddock was a professional gambler, explaining their long absences from the neighbourhood.

Harold Allred, who lives up the street from the couple, said his wife often ran into Ms Danley in exercise classes or social gatherings. He said he and his wife found Ms Danley unremarkable, though perhaps a little odd, and didn't know Paddock. "He was reclusive," said Mr Allred (66). "We never met him."

Paddock and Ms Danley had another home in Mesquite, Nevada, which also meant they went away regularly, said their neighbours.

Diane McKay lived next door to Paddock and Ms Danley until July, when she moved to a different community, but said she only ran into Ms Danley occasionally when both women happened to be pulling weeds from their front yards. Ms Danley wasn't forthcoming about her life, and Paddock was aggressively unfriendly, Ms McKay recalled. She only saw him in the mornings, when he went to the clubhouse to work out. Occasionally, he would open the garage door, revealing a large safe the size of a refrigerator. Other than that, the couple kept their blinds closed.

"He was weird. Kept to himself," said Ms McKay (79), who described Paddock as small but in pretty good shape. "It was like living next to nothing. You can at least be grumpy, something. He was just nothing, quiet. He never went out back and enjoyed the backyard, nature. They had a little backyard, 17 feet to the fence and hill. But the blinds were always closed."

McKay said the couple were gone for six months last year, which she thought was for a gambling trip.

Paddock's family said there was nothing in his past that would suggest violence. Family members said that Paddock spent much of his retirement in recent years staying in hotels in Las Vegas and gambling. They said he listened to country music and went to concerts at Vegas hotels, similar to the one on Sunday night where he opened fire on a crowd of concertgoers.

Public records show Paddock was a licensed pilot who owned two planes. And he had a hunting licence from Alaska.

"We are in complete shock, bewilderment and horror. We have absolutely no idea how in the world Steve did this. Absolutely no concept," said one relative, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to avoid hurting other relatives. "There was nothing secret or strange about him."

Property records show he had homes in both Mesquite, Texas, and Mesquite in Nevada. He bought his current home in Mesquite, Nevada, in 2013, and appears to have been living there ever since.

Las Vegas police said authorities were in the process of searching Paddock's home in Mesquite, Nevada, yesterday morning. Quinn Averett, a spokesman for the Mesquite Police Department, said Paddock was unknown to local authorities in the city 130km northeast of Las Vegas. Mesquite police have no recorded interactions with Paddock.

Las Vegas police said the same.

"We have no investigative information or background associated with this individual that is derogatory," said Sheriff Joseph Lombardo, of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. "The only thing we can tell is he received a citation several years ago, that citation was handled as a matter of normal practice in the court system."

Police believe Paddock was a lone-wolf attacker. Mr Lombardo did not give further details on Paddock's background or possible motivation.

"We have no idea what his belief system was," he said. "Right now, we believe he was the sole aggressor."

Paddock, who arrived at the hotel on Thursday, was found with more than 10 rifles, he said. Relatives said they knew Paddock owned guns but believed they were legal.

Yesterday morning police released a picture of Ms Danley, saying they were searching for her as a person of interest. They later said she was out of the country, and had been located and detained. Authorities called her a companion of Paddock.
Palestine's prime minister has held his first cabinet meeting in Gaza.

The move came as part of a major reconciliation effort to end the 10-year rift between his Fatah group and Gaza's ruling Hamas Islamic militants.

Tuesday's session was made possible after Hamas, in a significant concession, agreed last month to turn over all governing responsibilities to Rami Hamdallah, the premier of the West Bank-based Palestinian government.

Tuesday's meeting in Gaza took place at the residence of Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas.

It marks the first step in the most ambitious attempt at reconciliation since Hamas seized power of the coastal strip in 2007.

The Palestinian premier arrived in Gaza on Monday with armed guards and an entourage of West Bank officials to a hero's welcome from about 2,000 people.

"The only way to statehood is through unity," Mr Hamdallah told the crowd.

"We are coming to Gaza again to deepen the reconciliation and end the split."

He also said the reconciliation will require "hard efforts, time, patience, and wisdom".

Huge posters of Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, who brokered the reconciliation effort, were featured outside Mr Abbas' residence as Hamas policemen were deployed all around.

Egyptian intelligence chief Khaled Fawzy was set to visit Gaza later on Tuesday for meetings with both sides and carrying a letter from Mr el-Sissi.

It would mark the highest ranking Egyptian official to visit Gaza since 2007.

Hamas ousted the Fatah-led forces of the internationally recognised Palestinian Authority in the summer of 2007, leaving the Palestinians torn between rival governments on opposite sides of Israel.

Hamas has ruled Gaza, while Mr Abbas' party has controlled autonomous enclaves in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

Mr Abbas seeks both territories, along with east Jerusalem, for a Palestinian state, and the division is a major obstacle to any possible peace deal.

Israel captured all three areas in the 1967 Mideast war, although it withdrew from Gaza in 2005.

While previous reconciliation attempts have failed, years of international isolation and steadily worsening conditions in Gaza have pushed Hamas toward compromise.

Mr Hamdallah's ministers are expected to begin taking over government ministries after Tuesday's meeting, with negotiations in Cairo on more difficult issues in the coming weeks.

AP
Police in Zimbabwe have detained a journalist for reporting that President Robert Mugabe's wife allegedly donated used underwear and women's nightgowns to ruling party supporters, a defence lawyer said.

Kenneth Nyangani, a reporter with the NewsDay newspaper, was detained on Monday in the eastern city of Mutare after the story was published but police have not formally charged him, lawyer Passmore Nyakureba said on Tuesday.

In the Newsday story published on Monday, Nyangani reported that a ruling party politician donated the clothing items on behalf of Grace Mugabe.

The first lady, whose political profile has risen in the recent years, routinely donates clothing and food items to ruling party supporters at her rallies.

"They wanted to charge him with criminal defamation, but I told them that law has been struck down by the Constitutional Court," Mr Nyakureba said of his conversations with police.

"They didn't even seem aware of that fact.

"They are also not telling us whether the complainant is the first lady or the legislator."

Amnesty International appealed for Nyangani's release, describing his arrest as an attempt to harass and intimidate him and other journalists.

"The intention is to send a chilling message to journalists and media workers that they must self-censor rather than expose truths," said Cousin Zilala, executive director of Amnesty's Zimbabwe branch.

Mr Mugabe, meanwhile, was in South Africa on Tuesday for a meeting with President Jacob Zuma.

He was not accompanied by his wife, who received diplomatic immunity from South Africa after being accused of attacking a young woman in a Johannesburg hotel in August and inflicting head wounds by whipping her with an extension cord.

AfriForum, a group representing 20-year-old Gabriella Engels, has said it is challenging the South African government over the immunity issue in an attempt to complicate any effort by Zimbabwe's first lady to return to South Africa.

Mrs Mugabe has denied any wrongdoing, saying Ms Engels attacked her with a knife while drunk.

AP
Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was jailed by a court in Moscow

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has been jailed for 20 days by a court in Moscow for calling for an unsanctioned protest.

Police detained Navalny on Friday, preventing him from travelling to a rally in a major Russian city that had received official permission.

Charges brought against the top Kremlin foe relate to an upcoming rally in St Petersburg, Russia's second-largest city, which has not been sanctioned.

The Russian law on public gatherings that was hastily adopted following massive anti-government rallies in 2011-2012 carries 30 days in jail for repeated violations

After he announced his presidential bid last year, Navalny, arguably Russia's most popular opposition politician, inspired a grassroots campaign in Russian regions to support his nomination.

AP

After the court ruling, Navalny tweeted: "20 days in jail. Old man Putin got so scared of our rallies in the regions and decided to make himself a little present for himself for his birthday."

The rally in St Petersburg was scheduled for Saturday, which is also Russian leader Vladimir Putin's birthday.

Navalny's campaign called for rallies to protest at his arrest in other Russian cities on Saturday.

AP
Hornby has recruited a new top boss and is mulling an investment in the owner of rival toymaker Oxford.

The Scalextric-to-Airfix business said Lyndon Davies would join as group chief executive, with current CEO Steve Cooke stepping down immediately.

It is also exploring whether to invest in LCD Enterprises Limited, the parent owner of Oxford, where Mr Davies is the majority shareholder.

The 56-year-old, who is also Oxfords chairman, will be tasked with driving through the remaining stages of an overhaul that has helped shore up Hornbys balance sheet.

Shares were up more than 4% in early afternoon trading on the London Stock Exchange.

Interim chairman David Adams said he was delighted to welcome Mr Davies onto the board.

He said: His obvious expertise in and enthusiasm for the toy and hobby industry will provide the group with experienced leadership for the next stage of our development.

Hornby will continue with its turnaround plan and Lyndon is ideally qualified to steer the group through this period.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Steve for his service to Hornby and for his leadership of the first stage of the turnaround plan.

As part of the shake-up, Mr Davies will bring in Tim Mulhall and Simon Kohler as operational consultants in a bid to boost Hornbys financial fortunes.

It comes after Phoenix Asset Management upped its stake to about 72% in Hornby earlier this year.
On Wednesday, Oct. 4the day the N.C. General Assembly reconvenesresidents from across the state will march through downtown Raleigh to the State Legislative Building.

Grassroots groups organized the event to protest the legislatures new congressional districts, which many have criticized for disenfranchising minority voters. Marchers, including a handful from Cabarrus County, will walk along the sidewalk in silence, with taped mouths, representing that the N.C. General Assembly has effectively silenced their voices by suppressing voting rights.

The march titled, Stolen Votes, Silenced Voices, will begin at 10 a.m. at the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts and conclude in front of the State Legislative Building with a press conference at 11 a.m.

The foundation of a representative democracy is the citizens confidence in their ability to elect political leaders who represent them, Doshia James, assistant director of Citizens in Action NC and Concord resident, said. The General Assembly has repeatedly undermined the powers of executive branch leaders who voters elected last year.

In August, state lawmakers from districts deemed unconstitutional by the US Supreme Court once again drew new district lines to rig future elections and protect the legislative branch from the will of the voters. Now, these same lawmakers are returning to Raleigh to attack the independence of the judicial system, with a highly partisan and racially biased plan to gerrymander judicial districts.

Several Concord members of Citizens in Action NC have already petitioned local Cabarrus County governments for their support in challenging the state to address what they call unfair redistricting. Between 10 and 15 of the members will make the trek to Raleigh to join the march.

Across North Carolina, people have finally awoken to the fact our lawmakers are rigging the system, Gail Young, an organizing leader with Citizens in Action NC and Concord resident, said. They are purposefully minimizing the voices of minorities and voters in the opposite party. Its way past time we took our democracy back.

The march, which is expected to draw hundreds, will begin at 10 a.m. in front of the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts, walking north on Fayetteville Street, to the front of the State Legislative building. It will conclude at 11 a.m. with a press conference featuring North Carolina residents explaining how they have been affected by the states redistricting and demanding the General Assembly halt legislative gerrymandering.
Gujarat makes electric push for Indias auto market

India is pushing for clean energy and technologies across its economy, including in the automobile industry. This comes after a recent announcement by Chinas Vice-Minister for Industry, Xin Guobin, who spoke of a tentative national plan to phase out fossil fuel vehicles.

India and China represent the worlds two biggest auto markets, and their future consumption patterns will significantly impact the global clean energy market  worth US$50 billion in 2016.

In India, the state of Gujarat wants to cement its position as the next Detroit of the auto-manufacturing world, and this includes the e-vehicle space, too.

Key players in the electric vehicle making segment in Gujarat are Japans Suzuki Motor Corp., JSW Group, Chinas MG Motors India, and Tata Motors.

These firms intend to produce battery operated vehicles and related auto components in their factories in the state, within the next five years.

India wants to phase out fossil-fueled cars by 2030.

Indias e-commerce firms see high sales this festive season

This festive season was the biggest shopping event for Indias online retailers in terms of units sold, profits generated, market share, and number of customers who shopped online.

Indias online marketplace generated approximately US$1.5 billion in the five-day festive sales, starting from September 19  offering heavy discounts and promotional offers. This will continue till Diwali, end of October.

The countrys largest online retailers  Flipkart and Amazon, recorded a twofold increase in gross sales compared to this period last year. They also added 70 percent new consumers to the online marketplace, mostly from lower-tier cities. While Flipkart managed to grow its market share to 58 percent, Amazon increased it to 26 percent.

According to market analysts, the robust festive season has set the conditions right for Indias e-retailers to finish the year strongly in terms of overall growth.

India WEF report shows countrys progress in ICT indicators

The World Economic Forum (WEF) has ranked India 40 out of 137 countries in its global competitiveness ranking report for 2017. Albeit one rank lower than last years, industry experts say that India continues to show signs of economic progress.

The report, for instance, highlights Indias improvement in information and communications technologies (ICT) indicators, particularly internet bandwidth per user, mobile phone and broadband subscriptions, and internet access in schools.

Currently, India ranks 66 in infrastructure, moving two positions up from last year; 75 in higher education and training, up by six positions; 107 in technological readiness; 75 in labor market efficiency; and third in market size. The country has also shown considerable improvement across key parameters crucial to its future productivity and prospects.
Adani Ports incorporates JV with Gadot Chemical Terminals to buy Israel's Haifa Port Adani Ports & Special Economic Zone Ltd has informed that the Company has incorporated a Joint Venture Company with Gadot Chemical Terminals (1985) Ltd. in Israel namely Mediterrane... November 15, 2022 | 9:19 am

Some corporate and economy snippets for today Corporate Snippets: WF Asian Reconnaissance Fund has bought 50 lakh equity shares in Policybazaars parent company, PB Fintech, for an average price of Rs 388 per share. Apollo Ty... November 15, 2022 | 9:17 am

India's retail price inflation slows down in October India's retail price inflation slowed down to 6.77% in October, from 7.41% in September. This reading is on a year-on-year basis. On month-on-month basis, retail inflation stood at 0.80%... November 15, 2022 | 8:58 am

Markets may start the day in green Indian equity markets may start the day in green today. Retail price inflation of India has come down to 6.77% in October from 7.41% in September. This is the lowest level of inflation in three... November 15, 2022 | 8:44 am

Price of petrol and diesel on November 15 The most recent price notification sent out by fuel retailers showed that the price of gasoline and diesel remained stable in metro areas on November 15. In Delhi, a liter of gasoline or diesel... November 15, 2022 | 8:33 am
Dangal was one of the biggest hits of 2016. Both Sanya Malhotra and Fatima Sana Shaikh were highly praised for pulling off Geeta and Babita Phogat with perfection. It's been almost a year since the movie released and all the newbies associated with Aamir Khan's film are exploring some great possibilities.

Fatima will be seen in Thugs of Hindostan and Zaira Wasim is gearing up for the release of her next film Secret Superstar, under Aamir Khan Productions.

Twitter/Dangal

And now reports claim that Sanya Malhotra too has bagged an exciting project. A Deccan Chronicle report claims that Sanya has signed a film that will be directed by Ritesh Batra and will also star Nawazuddin Siddiqui.

Star India

This for sure is going to be a great jump for Sanya. Confirming the news, Nawazuddin Siddiqui spoke to Deccan Chronicle and said,

Instagram

Sanya has a terrific role in Riteshs film. I cant reveal much about the film except that we will be seen doing a completely different take on Mumbai as compared with Riteshs previous outing, The Lunchbox. We start shooting in Mumbai from October 4.

Sony Pictures

It's not the first time that Nawazuddin Siddiqui is collaborating with Ritesh Batra for a film. The duo has already worked together in The Lunchbox.
Fanney Khan is one project that has been in news for reasons more than one. From Madhavan being replaced by Rajkummar Rao to Aish being paired opposite Rajkummar Rao, the project has seen some interesting developments. Reports claim that Fanney Khan is an adaptation of a Dutch movie, Everybodys Famous and is co-produced by Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra.

Starring Anil Kapoor, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Rajkummar Rao, the film will be directed by Atul Manjrekar.

The first leg of the film shoot has already begun and looks like everyone is pretty pepped up for the shoot.

It was Rajkummar Rao's s first day on the shoot and he couldn't stop praising his co-actor Anil Kapoor. He wrote,

Day 1 on the sets of #FanneyKhan with wonderful @AnilKapoor sir. Brilliant energy on set. pic.twitter.com/HhDXqBO31X  Rajkummar Rao (@RajkummarRao) October 3, 2017

And Anil Kapoor too had the sweetest response. He wrote,
Social worker in Jharkhand, Anamika Mazumdar has become the first Indian celeb to win Rs one crore on Kaun Banega Crorepati 9, and of course, she is beaming with joy.

The 41-year-old homemaker works for an NGO called Faith in India, which is dedicated to uplift women in Jharkhand.

Twitter

The mother of two exhausted all her lifelines before she answered the Rs one crore question. She took her time and made her dream come true.

Twitter

Anamika says she hasnt decided as of yet as to how shell spend this money but she is sure that shell put it to good use. She would go home and decide to put this money to use and help people with it.

Congratulations, Anamika Mazumdar!
An uproar couldn't be avoided when the Uttar Pradesh government dropped the iconic Taj Mahal from its list of tourist destinations published recently.

Also read: ASI Ends Debate On Taj Mahal, Tells Court That Mughal Monument Is Not A Temple But A Tomb

reuters

The new booklet, titled 'Uttar Pradesh Paryatan-Apaar Sambhavanaayein', instead mentions temples in Mathura, Ayodhya, and Gorakhpur. The booklet was released last week by tourism minister Rita Bahuguna Joshi.

UP Chief Minister, Yogi Adityanath had earlier also criticised the gifting of Taj Mahal replicas to foreign dignitaries. He had said that it did not reflect the Indian culture.

Also read: Now You Cant Visit Taj Mahal Museum & These Other Places With A Selfie Stick

After the opposition labelled the Yogi government as "communal", the state's tourism ministry issued a press release detailing the ongoing and future development projects being undertaken by the state, for the state.

reuters

The release also said, "The government, with the help of the World Bank, has proposed projects worth Rs 370 crore, of which projects worth Rs 156 crore are meant for development of the Taj Mahal and Taj Mahal region."

    @WorldBank     -     370        Government of UP (@UPGovt) October 2, 2017

 @TajMahal         156         Government of UP (@UPGovt) October 2, 2017

     -        Government of UP (@UPGovt) October 2, 2017

             Government of UP (@UPGovt) October 2, 2017

Also read: ISIS Terrorists Vow To Intensify Attacks On India, Declare Plan To Target Taj Mahal

The booklet, therefore, highlights the UP government's work in the tourism sector and other development projects for Varanasi, Mathura, Ayodhya, Gorakhpur, Devipatan, Naimisharanya, Allahabad, Chitrakoot, Kushinagar, Bundelkhand, Mirzapur, and Sonbhadra.
Former liquor baron Vijay Mallya, who is on the run from the Indian law has been arrested in London for the second time this year.

AFP

According to report, Mallya has been arrested in a case of money laundering.

However, he was granted bail immediately after the arrest.

Earlier, in April he was arrested in another case and was out on bail.

India is making all efforts to get the fugitive business tycoon extradited from the UK to face at least half a dozen arrest warrants back home.

AFP

India had made an extradition request in February to Britain to send back the businessman. Mallya a former MP is accused of defaulting on loans worth Rs 9,000 crore to various banks in India.

The loans were of his now collapsed Kingfisher Airlines. Facing arrest in the case he fled India in March 2016 and has been living in London ever since.
The nation on Thursday paid its tributes to BSF soldier Mohammad Ramzan Parray who was brutally killed by terrorists in Bandipora on Wednesday night.

ANI

The BSF and many locals came out to pay their last respects to the slain soldier.

ANI

He will be laid to rest in his native of Hajin later in the day.

IG North Kashmir, Nitish Kumar said 3-4 terrorists attacked Ramzan Parray's home, dragged him out, and assaulted him before shooting him dead.

Four members of his family including his brothers, father and aunt were also injured in the firing.

ANI

Ramzan who joined the BSF a couple of years ago was on leave when he was brutally attacked and killed.

There are reports that the terrorists were trying to kidnap Ramzan, similar to what happened to Lieutenant Umer Fayaz, who was abducted and killed by terrorists while attending a wedding in May this year. The terrorists allegedly opened fire after facing resistance from Ramzan's family members.

Even though there is no official confirmation yet Pakistan based Lashkar-e-Taiba headed by Hafiz Saeed is believed to be behind the attack.
Cowardly terror strikes have resumed in the Kashmir valley.

Two terrorists have been gunned down and search for more gunmen is still on, after militants attacked a BSF camp near Srinagar airport on Tuesday.

ANI

The pre-dawn attack began around 4 am when militants suddenly attacked the campus of the 182nd Battalion camp of the BSF.

The attack has left one BSF personnel dead while three others injured.

"A body suspected to be that of a terrorist was found. The identity is yet to ascertained," Director General of Police SP Vaid said.

ANI

"Three BSF jawans and a policeman were injured. Firing is ongoing," according to BSF officials.

According to reports two or three more gunmen are still on the loose and are believed to be cornered inside a building on campus.

An operation for the remaining terrorists is still continuing.

ANI

The "Afzal Guru squad" of Pakistan based Jaish-e-Mohammed has claimed responsibility for the attack.

The attack comes at a time when the Kashmir valley has been witnessing an increase in militancy and infiltration attempts from the Pakistani side.

ANI

On Monday morning two terrorists were killed by the Indian forces during an infiltration attempt in Baramulla.

According to the Army, around 60-70 Pakistani terrorists are waiting in terror launchpads along the LoC in PoK trying to infiltrate to the Indian side before the winter.

Subsequently there has been an increase in the number of ceasefire violations by Pakistan from across the border targeting both military and civilian positions. Terrorists use the ceasefire violations to distract the Indian security forces to infiltrate to India.
Turkish Deputy Prime Minister, Hakan Cavusoglu, has announced that the country will provide university scholarship to 53 Rohingya Muslim students.

The students from the conflict-hit region of Myanmar will study communication, law, politics and human rights at Turkish universities.

Worldbulletin

He added that Rohingya students are already studying in Turkish universities.

Cavusoglu reaffirmed Turkey's support to Rohingya Muslims by providing them food and health facilities.

"We will set up mobile health clinics [in the refugee camps]," he said.

Nearly half a million Rohingyas have fled to Bangladesh due to violence in the Rakhine state that has claimed lives of at least more than 100 people and displaced several others.

Bangladesh is currently sheltering 5,07,000 Rohingya refugees in the country.
One of Apples pride points is that, when it launches a product, they believe its the finest they could output at the best quality. Sure, sometimes they may take away the headphone jack, or add a new feature you dont like, but thats more of a design choice. So what happens when one of the most reliable smartphone companies in the world sees its product goofing up?

A strange issue began surfacing last week, where a few iPhone 8 and 8 Plus users in Taiwan and Japan complained their battery was puffing up and splitting open when charged, to the point where even the devices display panel began falling away from the frame.

Images courtesy: ifeng

The photos, courtesy of tech news outlet ifeng, show a pretty scary sight, considering how much each user shelled out for one of these devices. In addition, they claim they werent using counterfeit chargers, so that could indicate a serious problem.

Its not yet an epidemic a la Samsungs flammable Galaxy Note 7, but its enough of a problem that Apple is looking into the cases. In a brief statement to MacRumours the company only said it was investigating the issue, refusing to comment on a possible cause or whether other owners of the new devices need to be worried.

Then again, its not sure yet whether the battery is even the actual problem. One iPhone 8 Plus user tweeted out a picture of his bulging device, still in the box, having arrived that way at his home from delivery.

Its only a couple of cases so far, so you dont need to rush in for a refund or exchange just yet. However, its probably a good idea to keep a close eye on your new iPhone. Or at least on everything else besides the display youre likely staring at anyway.
Ambassador Duong Chi Dung at a meeting of the World Intellectual Property Organisation (Photo: VNA)



The election was made by representatives of all 191 WIPO member countries at the WIPO General Assemblys 49th session that opened in Geneva on October 2nd.

Ambassador Dung was the candidate of countries in the Asia-Pacific region, which has not had any representatives serving as Chairperson of the WIPO General Assembly for 12 years.

He said his election with the absolute support of the all 191 member countries showed their trust in and support to Vietnam. It was also the result of active contributions by the Vietnamese mission in Geneva and himself to WIPOs activities.

He also appreciated the Vietnamese missions strong electioneering and the solidarity among ASEAN and Asian-Pacific nations which advocated Vietnams candidacy.

The countrys candidacy for and election as the Chair of the WIPO General Assembly are to continue demonstrating Vietnams multilateral foreign policy and being a responsible and proactive member with practical contributions to the building of policies and regulations at multilateral organisations and forums, Dung added.

The WIPO General Assembly, founded in 1967, is one of the 16 specialised agencies of the United Nations.

WIPO is the first and also the most important partner of Vietnam in terms of international cooperation in intellectual property. It has provided the country with much assistance in law making, capacity building, personnel training, and public awareness improvement./.
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Washingtons Iron Curtain on the Euphrates By Mike Whitney For more than six years, Syrians have made great sacrifices to defend their country in the face of a terrorist war of unprecedented brutality. The Syrian people have stood their ground, against all odds, because they knew that this was a war that sought to eliminate their country, and with it, their own existence. They are an example to follow by any people who might face, now or in the future, similar attempts to break their will and deny them their freedom and sovereignty.  Walid Al-Moualem, Syrias Deputy Prime Minister, Statement at the UN General Assembly October 03, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - Washington has delayed its project to throw up an iron curtain along the eastern banks of the Euphrates River in order to deploy its Kurdish shock troops deep into Deir Ezzor province. The Syrian Defense Forces or SDF have been blitzing southward for nearly a week to head off the steady advance of the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and their elite Tiger Forces. The SAAs stunning triumph in Deir Ezzor has knocked Washington for a loop triggering all manner of erratic behavior including rocket and mortar attacks on SAA troop positions, a US-coordinated stealth attack in Idlib province, and numerous other provocations meant to divert attention from the main strategic objective, the lucrative Euphrates Valley oil fields. At present, the SDF is in the best position to liberate the oil fields from ISISs control. One must ask, however, why the SDF has suddenly diverted its attention from the siege of Raqqa and hastily send its troops south to the oil fields if their intention was not to claim ownership of those fields and to prevent the regimes forces from retaking them? That, in fact, is the only logical explanation for their behavior. Clearly, the SDF is not acting on its own behalf, but merely following Washingtons orders putting itself at great risk (of direct aerial bombardment by the Russian Airforce) simply to placate Washingtons insatiable lust for oil. Heres more from South Front: Tensions are rapidly growing between the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and Syrian government forces in the province of Deir Ezzor, north of the provincial capital. Last week, the SDF used the intense fighting between the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and ISIS and seized Isba and Tabiyeh oil and gas fields located north of Khusham village on the east bank of the Euphrates. (South Front) The actions of the SDF confirm that the US-backed militia can no longer be seen as a Syrian ally assisting in the fight against ISIS. The SDF is yet another hostile, insurgent group that is implementing Washingtons imperial agenda. The only question is whether the Syrian Army and their allies will deal with the group as harshly as they have with ISIS. But, of course, the SAA has no choice in the matter since the SDF is trying to seize vital resources that are crucial to the Syrias survival. In short, US-backed proxies and Russian-backed coalition members are going to clash militarily because Washington has eliminated any other option. Heres more from South Front: On Monday, the (mainly Kurdish) SDF media wing directly accused the Russian Aerospace Forces of bombing its positions near the Conico gas factroy.The SDF Command released a statement accusing Russia of supporting ISIS against the SDF: The Russian and regime forces launched an attack on our fighters in Conico Factory with cannons and warplanes. The bombardment resulted in martyring and wounding a number of the fighters. It is worth noting that we are advancing in coordination with the Global Coalition Forces We strongly condemn the Russian aggressive attacks and their allies that serve terrorism, and we assure that we would not stand idly by, and we would use our right in the lawful defense. (South Front) The so called Global Coalition Forces is a Washington invention that was never invited to fight in Syria and which violates Syrias sovereignty. Also, the claim that the SDF will lawfully defend itself against the forces of the sovereign government is not worthy of a comment. The SDF has no legal right to conduct military operations on Syrian territory. No Advertising - No Government Grants - This Is Independent Media Get Our Free Daily Newsletter Also, by its own admission, the SDF is trying to seize the Conico Gas Factory. And, on Monday, they continued their surge southward capturing Ibsah and Taibah oil fields and pushing further towards Jafra fields. Does Washington think that Assad and Putin are too blind to see whats going on? Of course, not. Washington is focused on oil, and its proxies are doing its handiwork. Its as plain as the nose on your face. But, theres one glitch: If Washington wants Syrias oil, its going to have to fight for it. On Sunday, The Russian Ministry of Defense released aerial images showing that US Army special forces are either collaborating or have reached some kind of accommodation with ISIS units in the Deir Ezzor area. Its an interesting story, but it is hard to draw any clear conclusions based on the photos. What is undeniable, however, is that the US-backed forces seem much more focused on oil than they are on ISIS. Not surprisingly, ISIS has taken full advantage of the situation by launching a lethal decapitation attack on the Russian high-command. This is from Moon of Alabama: Last night a Russian three-star general and two colonels were killed in a mortar attack while they visited a Syrian army headquarter in Deir Ezzor: Lieutenant-General Valery Asapov, of the Russian armed forces, has been killed after coming under shelling from Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) militants near Deir ez-Zor, the Russian Defense Ministry has announced. In its statement, the ministry said that Asapov was at a command outpost manned by Syrian troops, assisting commanders in the liberation of the city of Deir ez-Zor.

 Lieutenant-General Valery Asapov is the highest-ranking Russian officer to be killed in the Syrian campaign. He was a commander of the 5th Army in Russias Eastern Military District. For three years ISIS had besieged Syrian troops in Deir Ezzor city and its airport. It had not once managed to successfully attack the Syrian headquarter or to kill high ranking officers. Now, as U.S. proxy forces advised by U.S. special forces, have taken position north of Deir Ezzor, ISIS suddenly has the intelligence data and precision mortar capabilities to kill a bunch of visiting Russian officers? That is not plausible. No one in Damascus, Baghdad, Tehran or Moscow will believe that (Syria  U.S. CentCom Declares War On Russia, Moon of Alabama) Moscow has already drawn its own conclusions about Washingtons role in the Generals death. There will be retaliation, that much is certain. More important, the mask of US involvement has been stripped away leaving the two adversaries standing face to face. Lines of communication remain open, but theyre useless when both parties are determined to capture the same scrap of land. Disputes like this, are typically settled on the battlefield which is where this one is headed. Mike Whitney lives in Washington state. He is a contributor to Hopeless: Barack Obama and the Politics of Illusion (AK Press). Hopeless is also available in a Kindle edition . He can be reached at fergiewhitney@msn.com . This article was originally published by Counterpunch -
The Vietnam NightmareAgain By Eric Margolis October 03, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - Much of America, including yours truly, has been watching the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) series, Vietnam. Instead of clarifying that confusing conflict, the series has ignited fiery controversy and a lot of long-repressed anger by soft-soaping Washingtons motives. This march to folly in Vietnam is particularly painful for me since I enlisted in the US army at the height of the war. Gripped by youthful patriotism, I strongly supported the war. In fact, the TV series even showed a pro-war march down New Yorks Fifth Avenue that I had joined. Talk about deja vu. At the time, 1967, the Cold War was at full force. We really believed that if the US did not make a stand in Vietnam the Soviets and Chinese would overrun all of South Asia. No one in Washington seemed to know that China and the Soviet Union had split and become bitter enemies. As ever, our foreign human intelligence was lousy. We didnt understand that Vietnam deserved independence after a century of French colonialism. Or that what happened in Vietnam was of little importance to the rest of the world. Three American presidents blundered into this war or prolonged it, then could not back out lest they lose face and risk humiliation. I dont for a moment believe that the saintly President John Kennedy planned to end the war but was assassinated by dark, rightwing forces, as is claimed. This is a charming legend. Richard Nixon, Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson all feared that a withdrawal from Vietnam would lose them the next election. Republicans were still snarling over who lost China. The current 17-year old US war in Afghanistan has uncanny resemblances to the Vietnam War. In Kabul and Saigon, the US installed puppet governments that command no loyalty except from minority groups. They were steeped in drugs and corruption, and kept in power by intensive use of American air power. As in Vietnam, the US military and civilian effort in Afghanistan is led by a toxic mixture of deep ignorance and imperial arrogance. The US military understands it has long ago lost the Afghan War but cannot bear the humiliation of admitting it was defeated by lightly-armed mountain tribesmen fighting for their independence. In Vietnam, Washington could not admit that young Vietnamese guerillas and regulars had bested the US armed forces thanks to their indomitable courage and intelligent tactics. No one outside Vietnam cared about the 2-3 million civilians killed in the conflict Unfortunately, the PBS program fails to convey this imperial arrogance and the ignorance that impelled Washington into the war  the same foolhardy behavior that sent US forces into Somalia, Afghanistan and Iraq and perhaps may do so in a second Korean War. The imperial spirit still burns hot in Washington among those who dont know or understand the outside world. The lessons of all these past conflicts have been forgotten: Washingtons collective memory is only three years long. Vietnam was not a tragedy, as the PBS series asserts, but the product of imperial geopolitics. The same holds true for todays Mideast wars. To paraphrase a famous slogan from Vietnam, we destroyed Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria to make them safe for freedom. One of the craziest things about the Vietnam War has rarely been acknowledged: even at peak deployment, the 550,000 US soldiers in Vietnam were outnumbered by North Vietnamese fighting units. Thats because the huge US military had only about 50,000 real combat troops in the field. The other half million were support troops performing logistical and administrative functions behind the lines: a vast army of typists, cooks, truck drivers, psychologists, and pizza-makers. Too much tail to teeth, as the army calls it. For Thanksgiving, everyone got turkey dinner with cranberry sauce, choppered into the remotest outposts. But there were simply not enough riflemen to take on the Viet Cong and tough North Vietnamese Army whose Soviet M1954 130mm howitzer with a 27 km range were far superior to the US Armys outdated WWII artillery. Poor generalship, mediocre officers, and lack of discipline ensured that the US war effort in Vietnam would become and remain a mess. Stupid, pointless attacks against heavily defended hills inflicted huge casualties on US troops and eroded morale. The monumentally stupid war mismanagement of Pentagon chief Robert McNamara, a know-it-all who knew nothing, turned the war into a macabre joke. This was the dumbest command decision since Louis XV put his girlfriend Madame de Pompadour in charge of his armies. We soldiers, both in Vietnam and Stateside, scorned the war and mocked our officers. It didnt help that much of the US force in Nam were often stoned and rebellious. The January 30, 1968 Tet Offensive put the kibosh on US plans to pursue the war  and even take it into south-west China. Tet was a military victory of sorts for the US (and why not, with thousands of warplanes and B-52 heavy bombers) but a huge political/psychological victory for the Communists in spite of their heavy losses. I vividly recall standing with a group of GIs reading a typed report on our company barracks advising that the Special Forces camp in the Central Highlands to which many of our company had been assigned for immediate duty had been overrun at Tet, and all its defenders killed. After that, the US Armys motto was stay alive, avoid combat, and smoke another reefer. The war became aimless and often surreal. We soldiers all knew our senior officers and political leaders were lying. Many soldiers were at the edge of mutiny, like the French Army in 1917. Back in those ancient days, we had expected our political leaders to be men of rectitude who told us the truth. Thanks to Vietnam, the politicians were exposed as liars and heartless cynics with no honor. This same dark cloud hangs over our political landscape today. We have destroyed large parts of the Mideast, Afghanistan and northern Pakistan without a second thought  yet wonder why peoples from these ravaged nations hate us. Now, North Korea seems next. Showing defiance to Washington brought B-52 bombers, toxic Agent Orange defoliants and endless storms of napalm and white phosphorus that would burn through ones body until it hit bone. In spite of all, our imperial impulse till throbs. The nightmare Vietnam War in which over 58,000 American soldiers died for nothing has been largely forgotten. So we can now repeat the same fatal errors again without shame, remorse or understanding. 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 Copyright Eric S. Margolis 2017
America: The Dictatress of the World By Jacob G. Hornberger October 03, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - On July 21, 1821, John Quincy Adams, who would go on to become the sixth president of the United States, warned that if America were ever to abandon its founding principle of non-interventionism in foreign affairs, she might well become the dictatress of the world. Adams issued his warning in a speech he delivered to Congress, a speech that has gone down in history with the title  In Search of Monsters to Destroy . Adams was referring to the fact that the United States was founded as a constitutional republic, one whose military forces did not go around the world helping people who were suffering the horrors of dictators, despots, civil wars, revolutions, famines, oppression, or anything else. Thats not to say that America didnt sympathize with people struggling to experience lives of freedom, peace, and prosperity. It was simply that the U.S. government would not go abroad to slay such monsters. Here is how Adams expressed it: Wherever the standard of freedom and independence has been or shall be unfurled, there will her heart, her benedictions and her prayers be. But she goes not abroad in search of monsters to destroy. She is the well-wisher to the freedom and independence of all. She is the champion and vindicator only of her own. She will recommend the general cause, by the countenance of her voice, and the benignant sympathy of her example. Adams was summing up the founding foreign policy of the United States, a policy of non-interventionism in the affairs of other nations, specifically Europe and Asia. And thats the way the American people wanted it. If Americans had been told after the Constitutional Convention that the U.S. government would be intervening around the world, there is no way that they would have ever approved the Constitution. In fact, as a practical matter, throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, there is no way that U.S. officials could have gone abroad in search of monsters to destroy. Thats because a nation needs a powerful military to go abroad and free people from dictators and despots or save people from famines or other bad things that happen in life. When the Constitution called the federal government into existence, the last thing the American people wanted was a powerful military. They were overwhelmingly opposed to what they called standing armies, which was a term used describe a big, permanent military establishment. That was why there was Pentagon, no big, permanent military-industrial complex, no CIA, and no NSA for more than 100 years after the country was established. The American people didnt want those types of governmental apparatuses to be part of our nations political system. The reason Americans were so opposed to standing armies is because they believed that standing armies constituted a grave threat to their freedom and economic well-being. They knew, from both first-hand experience and through history, that dictators and despots used powerful military establishments to destroy the freedom and prosperity of the citizenry, oftentimes in the name of keeping them safe, secure, and prosperous. So, while there was a basic military force throughout the 19th century  large enough to suppress Native Americans or even to defeat a neighboring Third World nation like Mexico in the Mexican War, it certainly was nowhere near as large enough to cross the oceans and invade and conquer European or Asian countries. The one big exception, of course, was the Civil War, but the army immediately demobilized upon the conclusion of the war. Things started changing with the Spanish American War in 1898. There were those who argued that America could not be a great nation without owning overseas colonies, like the British and French Empires. Opposed to that sentiment was the mindset that had guided the founding of the country: that empire and foreign interventionism would end up destroying the country from within. The interventionists prevailed. First, U.S. officials misled and double-crossed the colonies of the Spanish Empire by leading them to believe that the United States was intervening against Spain to help the colonies win their independence. It was a lie. As the colonies soon learned, the real aim was to step into the shoes of the Spanish Empire by acquiring its colonies. Thats how the United States ended with Puerto Rico, Guam, the Philippines, and Cuba. Second, the trend toward empire as a way to make America great was followed by foreign interventionism, with World War I and World War II being premier examples. No Advertising - No Government Grants - This Is Independent Media Get Our Free Daily Newsletter That was followed by the conversion of the U.S. government from a constitutional republic to what is known as a national-security state, a governmental apparatus characterized by a massive, permanent standing military establishment and secretive agencies with the power to assassinate and spy on the citizenry, in the name of preserving national security. That was followed by massive interventions in search of monsters to destroy through assassinations, coups, invasions, occupations, support of dictatorships, and regime change: Korea, Guatemala, Iran, Cuba, Congo, Brazil, Chile, Grenada, Panama, Iraq, Afghanistan, Yemen, Syria, and others. Here is how Adams eloquently expressed what would happen to America if she were ever to abandon our nations founding principles of anti-empire and non-interventionism: She well knows that by once enlisting under other banners than her own, were they even the banners of foreign independence, she would involve herself, beyond the power of extrication, in all the wars of interest and intrigue, of individual avarice, envy, and ambition, which assume the colors and usurp the standard of freedom. The fundamental maxims of her policy would insensibly change from liberty to force. The frontlet upon her brows would no longer beam with the ineffable splendor of freedom and independence; but in its stead would soon be substituted an imperial diadem, flashing in false and tarnished lustre the murky radiance of dominion and power. She might become the dictatress of the world: she would be no longer the ruler of her own spirit. No one can seriously deny that Adams has been proven correct  that America  or, more correctly, the U.S. government  has become the dictatress of the world  issuing orders and commands to people and regimes all over the world and backing them up with coups, assassinations, sanctions, embargoes, invasions, and occupations, and all headed today by a democratically elected president who has all the traditional traits of an old-fashioned dictator or despot. Jacob G. Hornberger is founder and president of The Future of Freedom Foundation. https://www.fff.org/
The Energy Community Secretariat has approved the internal reorganization plan of public joint-stock company Ukrtransgaz via the creation of Operator of the Gas Transport System (GTS) of Ukraine branch, the press service of Naftogaz Ukrainy reported on Tuesday.

Director of the Energy Community Secretariat Janez Kopac said that the proposed internal restructuring is a right and first realistic step towards the unbundling of the GTS operator that the Energy Community sees in Ukraine, the press service of Naftogaz said. He said that this step is made by people who better understand the process and this will help the Ukrainian government to finish the unbundling of the operator.

Naftogaz said that the reorganization is a practical step to unbundling of the GTS operator outlined in government resolution No. 496 dated July 1, 2016. All business processes, assets and specialists required for transportation of natural gas in Ukraine will be accumulated in the branch. After the complete legal separation from Naftogaz this division will be able to pass the certification of the GTS operator suiting EU requirements.

"Transit to Europe and gas transportation to Ukrainian consumers can not be stopped for a single day. It is the responsibility of all participants of the process. To make the unbundling of Naftogaz group pass the most smoothly for consumers, we have prepared a plan of practical steps based on the successful experience of other countries. These steps were supported by the Secretariat," Naftogaz Ukrainy Head Andriy Kobolev said.

The press service said that the proposed approach was the result of months-long work of experts of Naftogaz, Ukrtransgaz and PwC international consulting company, which has large experience of accompanying similar projects in Poland, Germany and Greece. This decision was also approved by the supervisory board of Naftogaz.

As reported, late September 2017, Naftogaz decided to create a branch of public joint-stock company Ukrtransgaz  Operator of the GTS.
Slaughter in Las Vegas By Stephen Lendman October 03, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - On Sunday, reportedly at least 59 people were killed, another 527 injured in a mass shooting incident during a concert near the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. Police blamed a lone gunman, 64-year-old Stephen Paddock, called a local resident, reportedly firing from a window on the Mandalay hotels 32nd floor. Raw video footage from a taxi driver showed muzzle flashes from the 4th floor. The Harvest Music Festival took place across the street. Did he take his own life as Las Vegas police claimed or did SWAT team members lethally shoot him? His brother, Eric, said (t)here is no reason we can imagine why Stephen would do something like this. We have no idea how this happened. Its like an asteroid just fell on top of our family. Stephen was not an avid gun guy at allHe ha(d) no military background or anything like that. Police located Marilou Danleys whereabouts, living outside America, thought to be his companion and roommate, calling her a person of interest. Shes not considered a suspect. City police tweeted overnight: Confirming that one suspect is down. This is an active investigation. (P)lease do not head down to the Strip at this time. Was it a lone wolf attack or something more sinister? Its too soon to know. One gunman able to kill or wound hundreds of people single-handedly raises suspicions. Nearly two dozen rifles and other firearms allegedly found in his room begs an obvious question. How could anyon get them into the hotel unnoticed? How many suitcases and/or satchels are needed to transport this arsenal, along with munitions? Dead men tell no tales, so his account of what happened wont be told. Witnesses on the scene suggested multiple shooters. One unnamed individual insisted there were more than one. It would seem likely given the high casualty count. No Advertising - No Government Grants - This Is Independent Media Get Our Free Daily Newsletter Even using a semi-automatic weapon, one shooter able to cause this much carnage singlehandedly begs a couple of questions. Were others involved? Was the incident as reported or a false flag? Its reminiscent of multiple July 22, 201l shootings on Norways Utoeya Island, scores of children killed, blamed on Anders Breivik, called a lone gunman. Several eyewitness saw two shooters. Evidence suggests Breivik couldnt have acted alone. Yesterdays incident was also reminiscent of the December 14, 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School incident. The official narrative blamed Adam Lanza. Investigative work by Professor James Tracy questioned whether any shootings took place  at least in the way law enforcement authorities and the nations news media described things. Contradictions abounded. Key questions werent answered. How did one alleged gunman fire so many shots in so little time and supposedly inflict so many casualties? Connecticuts coroner, Wayne Carver, and police officials said Lanza shot each victim from three to 11 times  182 shots, one every 2 seconds plus likely misses. Yet the official narrative called him the sole gunman, a youth with no military training, said to have used a 30-shot magazine in one weapon, having to reload over half a dozen times to have done the alleged shootings himself. Tracy explained (p)hotographic and video evidence (was) lacking in terms of its capacity to demonstrate that a mass shooting took place on a scale described by authorities. There was no visual evidence of Lanzas violent entry  nor any broken glass, blasted security locks and doors, bullet casings and holes, bloodied walls and floors, no evidence that any more than small number of the schools 600 students were evacuated. Tracy concluded that the incident was an elaborate hoax, citing the following reasons: 1. Proof of death (was) suppressed. 2. Emergency protocols were not followed. 3. Drill protocols were used instead. 4. (F)oreknowledge of the event existed. 5. Reports about weapons used were contradictory. 6. No verifiable evidence indicates Adam Lanzas responsibility for the shootings  after supposedly killing his mother, then taking his own life after the incident. 7. Authorities and media sources displayed inappropriate behavior. 8. Photos of the crime scene and victims look(ed) staged or fake. 9. The crime scene was deliberately contaminated and destroyed, making it unusable for investigation. 10. Alleged (d)eceased children sang at the 2013 Super Bowl. Was Sundays Las Vegas incident another Utoeya Island, Norway or Sandy Hook-type incident? The fullness of time may tell. Note: ISIS claiming responsibility for the Las Vegas shootings is meaningless. America supports the terrorist group. Why would it bite the hand feeding it! On Monday, the FBI said Paddock has no connection to ISIS. Whats behind Sundays carnage remains to be revealed. The official account has a familiar disturbing aroma. Was Paddock a convenient patsy? Hes not around to tell his side. stephenlendman.org (Home  Stephen Lendman). Contact at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net . My newest book as editor and contributor is titled Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III. - www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html Exclusive photos of Las Vegas shooter's guns
Cataluna Libre? By Peter Koenig October 03, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - The Referendum decided by the Government of Cataluna, called illegal by the neoliberal Rajoy Government of Madrid  turned into an event of abject police violence against masses of unarmed voters. The Referendum may have been illicit according to the Spanish Constitution, but voting in a referendum as an expression of opinion is a human right, regardless of whether the central government of Madrid would or would not accept the result of the vote. In the early Monday morning hours, the Catalan Government issued statements saying that about 2.3 million Catalans, 42.3% out 5.3 million eligible voters, casted with 90% a yes ballot for Independence. Without the violent interference of the national police and civil guard, the Catalan Government estimated that at least 80% of eligible voters would have cast their ballot. Clearly, the Spanish Governments demonstration of ruthless and brute force was and is a reminder that in Europa fascism is alive and well, that Generalissimo Franco in Spain is not dead. Brussels, miserable, spineless puppets to the transatlantic empire and the European oligarchy, remained shamefully silent  arguing it was a Spanish internal affair, as if Spain, a full member of the EU wasnt a European Unions internal affair. At the end of the day of the Referendum, 1 October, President Rajoy had the audacity to declare literally that there was no referendum taking place in Cataluna. He congratulated and thanked the Spanish police to protect law and order in Barcelona and elsewhere in Cataluna and to uphold the Spanish Constitution. Yet, the media showed and reported all-day long violent police battles against peaceful voters. The forceful, riot-clad Spanish police smashed windows and broke into schools where voting boots were located, attempting to prevent voter from voting; they also removed and destroyed ballot boxes. At the end of the day nearly 1,000 people  844 officially  were injured by national police force, extreme violence, by utterly harmful and potentially deadly rubber bullets and batons smashing indiscriminately into nonviolent unarmed voters, including elderly people, women and children. There were hundreds of thousands of people, families who came with kids to this historic event, some camping since Friday in the schools to make sure that their right to vote was protected. Since the Catalan police decided a hands-off policy, not to interfere with the referendum, but rather to protect the voters from possible violence, the fascist Rajoy Government sent in police and the civil guard from other parts of Spain to prevent the vote to take place. Their brutal and excessive violence against unarmed voters was shocking. They clearly had firm instructions for their brutality from their masters in Madrid  the very masters that congratulated them for carrying out their duties. It was a horrible sight to see. President Rajoy lauding the violent police that left hundreds of inured, many seriously wounded, is yet another testimony that fascism in Europe is growing. Francos blood must be running in Rajoys veins. Brussels, the headquarters of the European Police state  of the growing European military regime  already today engulfing the bulk of the 28 EU member states, concurred with this violence by remaining disgracefully silent. Lets look a bit closer at some of the reasons behind this horrendous crackdown on people who were merely intent of expressing their opinion  a full human right, according to the UN Charter. Cataluna with a population of about 7.5 million (out of Spains 46 million) and a surface of about 7% of Spains 506,000 km2 contributes about 20% to Spains economic output, produces 25% of Spains exports, receives 23.5% of Spains foreign tourist, and 57% of foreign of Spains investments. There is a lot to lose by Catalunas secession. Cataluna today receives about 1,800 euros per capita in tax devolution from Madrid, but contributes at least double that amount to the Spanish Treasury. This imbalance has long been a sore thumb in the relations between Barcelona and Madrid. But Rajoys PP (Partido Popular) Government has always staunchly refused any dialogue for more autonomy and more financial justice. Spains northern Basque Region fought for decades (1959-2011) for independence. The Spain-ETA armed political conflict, also known as the Basque National Liberation Movement, caused hundreds of violent deaths. When they finally reached disarmament and a peace agreement in 2011 with the central government in Madrid, they settled for a considerably fairer fiscal agreement with Madrid. Looking at history, Cataluna became part of Spain in the 15th Century under King Felipe VI and Queen Isabella. In the 20th Century, under the Spanish Republic, Cataluna with her own culture and language, received full autonomy in 1932. I was abolished by Franco, when he came to power in 1938. After Francos death in 1975, Cataluna regained temporary autonomy which lapsed in 2006, when a Spanish High Court challenged the Statute of Autonomy and ruled some articles of the Statute unconstitutional. That was the time when the most recent Catalan Independence Movement began. Since then several mock referenda took place, including the latest in 2014, when 80% of those who voted (about 30% of eligible voters) opted for independence. The 1st October 2017 Referendum was the first serious attempt at secession since 2006. Though non-conform with the Spanish Constitution, the forceful and violent suppression of the peoples freedom of expression  was a grave human rights abuse. It will most likely backfire  badly. This fierce oppression by Madrid, the unwillingness for dialogue, has definitely turned most Catalans against Madrid and for independence. A few weeks ago the polls in Cataluna indicated a close call with a slight edge for those who wanted to remain with Spain. After threats from Madrid for weeks and the violent police crackdown of yesterdays election, at least 80% of eligible Catalan voters now seek independence. A similar trend could be found within Spain. A couple of months ago, 10% to 20% of Spaniards were neutral or favored independence for Cataluna. After yesterdays police fiasco, close to half of Spaniards in solidarity with their Catalan brothers support Catalunas independence. The fight is by no means over after Madrids violent attempted oppression of the vote. We can just hope that civil war can be avoided. Peter Koenig is an economist and geopolitical analyst. He is also a former World Bank staff and worked extensively around the world in the fields of environment and water resources. He lectures at universities in the US, Europe and South America. He writes regularly for Global Research, ICH, RT, Sputnik, PressTV, The 4th Media (China), TeleSUR, The Vineyard of The Saker Blog, and other internet sites. He is the author of Implosion  An Economic Thriller about War, Environmental Destruction and Corporate Greed  fiction based on facts and on 30 years of World Bank experience around the globe. He is also a co-author of The World Order and Revolution!  Essays from the Resistance .
Whose Bright Idea Was RussiaGate?

By Paul Craig Roberts

October 03, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - The answer to the question in the title of this article is that Russiagate was created by CIA director John Brennan. The CIA started what is called Russiagate in order to prevent Trump from being able to normalize relations with Russia. The CIA and the military/security complex need an enemy in order to justify their huge budgets and unaccountable power. Russia has been assigned that role. The Democrats joined in as a way of attacking Trump. They hoped to have him tarnished as cooperating with Russia to steal the presidential election from Hillary and to have him impeached. I dont think the Democrats have considered the consequence of further worsening the relations between the US and Russia.

Public Russia bashing pre-dates Trump. It has been going on privately in neoconservative circles for years, but appeared publicly during the Obama regime when Russia blocked Washingtons plans to invade Syria and to bomb Iran.

Russia bashing became more intense when Washingtons coup in Ukraine failed to deliver Crimea. Washington had intended for the new Ukrainian regime to evict the Russians from their naval base on the Black Sea. This goal was frustrated when Crimea voted to rejoin Russia.

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The neoconservative ideology of US world hegemony requires the principal goal of US foreign policy to be to prevent the rise of other countries that can serve as a restraint on US unilateralism. This is the main basis for the hostility of US foreign policy toward Russia, and of course there also is the material interests of the military/security complex.

Russia bashing is much larger than merely Russiagate. The danger lies in Washington convincing Russia that Washington is planning a surprise attack on Russia. With US and NATO bases on Russias borders, efforts to arm Ukraine and to include Ukraine and Georgia in NATO provide more evidence that Washington is surrounding Russia for attack. There is nothing more reckless and irresponsible than convincing a nuclear power that you are going to attack.

Washington is fully aware that there was no Russian interference in the presidential election or in the state elections. The military/security complex, the neoconservatives, and the Democratic Party are merely using the accusations to serve their own agendas.

These selfish agendas are a dire threat to life on earth.

Dr. Paul Craig Roberts was Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Economic Policy and associate editor of the Wall Street Journal. He was columnist for Business Week, Scripps Howard News Service, and Creators Syndicate. He has had many university appointments. His internet columns have attracted a worldwide following. Roberts' latest books are The Failure of Laissez Faire Capitalism and Economic Dissolution of the West , How America Was Lost , and The Neoconservative Threat to World Order .

The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Information Clearing House.

See also -
This "Russian Influence" Campaign Is Just A Click-Bait Scheme By Moon Of Alabama October 03, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - Congress is investigating 3,000 suspicious ads which were run on Facebook. These were claimed to have been bought by "Russia" to influence the U.S. presidential election in favor of Trump. It now turns out that these Facebook ads had nothing to do with the election. The mini-ads were bought to promote click-bait pages and sites. These pages and sites were created and then promoted to sell further advertisement. The media though, has still not understood the issue. On September 6 the NYT asserted : Providing new evidence of Russian interference in the 2016 election, Facebook disclosed on Wednesday that it had identified more than $100,000 worth of divisive ads on hot-button issues purchased by a shadowy Russian company linked to the Kremlin.

...

The disclosure adds to the evidence of the broad scope of the Russian influence campaign, which American intelligence agencies concluded was designed to damage Hillary Clinton and boost Donald J. Trump during the election. Like any Congress investigation the current one concerned with Facebook ads is leaking like a sieve. What oozes out makes little sense. If "Russia" aimed to make Congress and U.S. media a laughing stock it surely achieved that. Today the NYT says that the ads were posted "in disguise" by "the Russians" to promote variously themed Facebook pages: There was Defend the 2nd, a Facebook page for gun-rights supporters, festooned with firearms and tough rhetoric. There was a rainbow-hued page for gay rights activists, LGBT United. There was even a Facebook group for animal lovers with memes of adorable puppies that spread across the site with the help of paid ads. No one has explained how these pages are supposed to be connected to a Russian "influence" campaign. It is unexplained how these are supposed to connected to the 2016 election. That is simply asserted because Facebook said, for unknown reasons, that these ads may have come from some Russian agency. How Facebook has determined that is not known. With each detail that leaks from the "Russian ads" investigation the propaganda framework of "election manipulation" falls further apart: Late Monday, Facebook said in a post that about 10 million people had seen the ads in question. About 44 percent of the ads were seen before the 2016 election and the rest after, the company said. The original story propagandized that "Russia" intended to influence the election in favor of Trump. But why then was the majority of the ads in questions run later after November 9? And how would an animal-lovers page with adorable puppy pictures help to achieve Trumps election victory? More details via the Wall Street Journal: Roughly 25% of the ads were never shown to anyone. Thats because advertising auctions are designed so that ads reach people based on relevance, and certain ads may not reach anyone as a result.

...

For 50% of the ads, less than $3 was spent; for 99% of the ads, less than $1,000 was spent. Of the 3,000 ads Facebook originally claimed were "Russian" only 2,200 were ever viewed. Most of the advertisements were mini-ads which, for the price of a coffee, promoted private pages related to hobbies and a wide spectrum of controversial issues. The majority of the ads ran after the election. All that "adds to the evidence of the broad scope of the Russian influence campaign ... designed to damage Hillary Clinton and boost Donald J. Trump during the election"? No. But the NYT still finds "experts" who believe in the "Russian influence" nonsense and find the most stupid reasons to justify their claims: Clinton Watts, a former F.B.I. agent now at the Foreign Policy Research Institute in Philadelphia, said Russia had been entrepreneurial in trying to develop diverse channels of influence. Some, like the dogs page, may have been created without a specific goal and held in reserve for future use. Puppy pictures for "future use"? Nonsense. Lunacy! The pages described and the ads leading to them are typical click-bait. That for-profit scheme runs as follows: One builds pages with "hot" stuff that attracts lots of viewers. One creates ad-space on these pages and fills it with Google ads. One promotes the spiked pages by buying $3 Facebook mini-ads for them. A few thousand users will come and look at a page. Some will 'like' the puppy pictures or the rant against LGBT and further spread the page. Some will click the promoted Google ads. Money then flows into the pocket of the page creator. One can automatize, rinse and repeat this scheme forever. Each such page is a small effort for a small revenue. But the scheme is highly scale-able and parts of it can be automatized. This is, in essence, the same business model traditional media publishers use. One creates "news" and controversies to attract readers. The attention of the readers is then sold to advertisers. But this is no longer a closed off oligarchic business. One no longer needs reporters or a printing press to join in. Anyone can now take part in it. We learned after the election that some youths in Macedonia created whole "news"-websites filled with highly attractive but fake partisan stories. They were not interested in the veracity or political direction of their content. Their only interest was to attract viewers. They made thousands of dollars by selling advertisements on their sites: The teen said his monthly revenue was in the four figures, a considerable sum in a country where the average monthly pay is 360 euros ($383). As he navigated his sites statistics, he dropped nuggets of journalism advice. You have to write what people want to see, not what you want to show, he said, scrolling through The Political Insiders stories as a large banner read ARREST HILLARY NOW. The 3,000 Facebook ads Congress is investigating are part of a similar scheme. The mini-ads promoted pages with hot button issues and click-bait puppy pictures. These pages were themselves created to generate ad-clicks and revenue. As Facebook claims that "Russia" is behind them, we will likely find some Russian teens who simply repeated the scheme their Macedonian friends were running on. With its "Russian influence" scare campaign the NYT follows the same business model. It is producing fake news which attracts viewers and readers who's attention is then sold to advertisers. Facebook is also profiting from this. Its current piecemeal release of vague information keeps its name in the news. After the mystery of "Russian" $3 ads for "adorable puppies" pages on Facebook has been solved, Congress and the New York Times will have to move on. There next subject is probably the "Russian influence campaign" on Youtube. Russian Car Crash Compilations have for years attracted millions of viewers. The "Russian" motive behind these videos is to increase the road rage on U.S. highways. This again will - according to expert Clinton Watts - "amplify divisive political issues across the political spectrum". The car crash compilations, like the puppy pages, are another sign that Russia is waging war against the people of the United States! You don't believe that? You should. Trust your experienced politician! Samantha Power @SamanthaJPower - 3:45 PM - 3 Oct 2017 This gets more chilling daily : now we learn Russia targeted Americans on Facebook by demographics, geography, gender & interests, across websites & devices, reached millions, kept going after Nov. An attack on all Americans, not just HRC campaign washingtonpost.com/business/econo It indeed gets more chilling. It's fall. It also generates ad revenue. This article was originally published by Moon Of Alabama - See also - Republican Senator Accuses Russia Of Fomenting NFL National Anthem Controversy Spanish Media Blames Russian Meddlers For Catalan Referendum Crisis
Pilger Criticizes Ken Burnss The Vietnam War



For decades, the U.S. mainstream media has shied away from a clear-eyed view of the Vietnam War, not wanting to offend the wars apologists, a residue of which tainted the recent PBS series, as John Pilger told Dennis J Bernstein.



By Dennis J Bernstein October 03, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - Ken Burnss 18-hour documentary on the Vietnam War, which aired on PBS and BBC, presented extraordinary footage of the wars grotesque brutality but also soft-pedaled the motivations of U.S. policymakers as well-meaning albeit misguided, or as the prologue put it, a conflict begun in good faith by decent people out of fateful misunderstandings. This glossing over of U.S. neocolonialism and its deadly consequences angered John Pilger, who cut his journalistic teeth covering the Vietnam War for a decade. I spoke to Pilger after he watched the first couple of hours of the highly touted series. Dennis Bernstein: I was reading your piece called  The Killing of History  and these lines stood out for me: The revisionism never stops and the blood never dies. The invader is pitied and purged of guilt while searching for some meaning in this terrible tragedy. What is your initial response to the framework of the film? John Pilger: That quote, searching for some meaning in this terrible tragedy, is from Lynn Novick, who is Ken Burns collaborator on this series on the Vietnam War. If we dont understand the meaning of the Vietnam War by now, I dont know where our brains have been all these years. Like so many colonial wars, it was an invasion based on a series of deceptions and lies. This is effectively denied in the Burns series. It starts off with the narrator saying that it was all conducted in good faith by decent people. It was all a big misunderstanding that grew out of the Cold War, and so on. That is complete nonsense. The Vietnam War started specifically with the US arming the French to reclaim their colony in Indochina after the Second World War. It really got underway for the US with the Gulf of Tonkin incidents, following which Congress gave President Johnson the authority to start one of the longest bombing campaigns in the history of warfare, called Rolling Thunder. The long litany of official documents say it all. But these filmmakers put aside all this demonstrable truth and obfuscate what really happened in Vietnam. The word invasion was never used by the press during the Vietnam War and it still isnt being used. Instead that awful word involved is used. The United States was involved in Vietnam. It must be very difficult for truly decent Americans and especially veterans to watch. But it is very interesting, we get such a supply of special forces officers. Maybe we will see the drafted men later on. They were the truth-tellers, in my experience. DB: You write in your piece The Killing of History: The meaning of the Vietnam War is no different than the meaning of the genocidal campaign against the Native Americans, the colonial massacres in the Philippines, the atomic bombings of Japan, the leveling of every city in North Korea. The aim was described by Colonel Edward Lansdale, the CIA man who served as the model for the character in the Graham Greene story The Quiet American. He said, There is only one means of defeating an insurgent people who will not surrender, and that is extermination. There is only one way to control a territory that harbors resistance, and that is to turn it into a desert.' JP: This is the concept of total war, which the US adopted from Korea. The devastation of the Korean War, the millions killed, the new weapons, including napalm, that were used, the dikes that were bombed, costing countless lives. This was the model and it was during this time that the United States assumed its post-World War II imperial role. This concept of total war has been pursued in every colonial war that the US has been involved in since, either directly by the Americans or indirectly through proxies. In Vietnam, for instance, they established free fire zones. You ringed an enormous area with heavy artillery, then you bombed it from above and then you strafed it, so that it would be a miracle if anyone survived. When I went to the province of Quang Ngai, where the massacre of My Lai took place in the late 1960s, free fire zones had killed something like 50,000 people. It happened also in neighboring Laos, the most bombed country in history. In southern Vietnam, since the end of the war, something like 40,000 people have died from unexploded ordnance, a great many of them children. We can go on forever talking in these terrible statistics. You get some sense of that in this PBS series, the archive is really astonishing. But the way it is projected reminds me of the Newsweek cover that described the My Lai massacre as an American tragedy. You get a sense of the same thing in the Burns film. Yes, they interview Vietnamese, yes, you see terrible things happening, but the overall sense you are meant to come away with is that it was a great perplexing tragedy, a great blunder. The whole thing was genocidal. The bombing of Cambodia between 1969 and 1975 was something like five times the equivalent of Hiroshima. According to one study that seemed to have credibility, something like 750,000 Cambodians were killed in that bombing. And that was simply a sideshow to the main event in Vietnam. Total war is a form of industrialized killing. The obsession in Vietnam was with body counts and we get no sense of that from the Burns film. DB: There is a lot of discussion now of how dangerous Trump is, but if you look back at the Vietnam policy, Trump seems to fit right in. JP: Trumps specialty is abusing the world. But youre right, he is just the latest on the team. In fact, he is a bit of a wimp in comparison with the ones who have come before. Obama was probably one of the most violent presidents in US history. He conducted a record of seven simultaneous wars, not to mention his assassination campaign. This is not to say that Trump cannot get up in speed to equal this terrible record. But Once you unTrump should be understood as a symptom and a caricature of a violent, extremist system.derstand that, you can understand how the past has helped create the present. Trump is not an aberration, he is a caricature. Much more interesting is the way the suave Obama went about his violent presidency without due recognition. DB: Lets not forget that Hillary Clinton threatened to totally obliterate Iran. JP: She said that when she was running against Obama. Well, Iran has 80 million people. DB: She and Colonel Lansdale were talking the same language. JP: Yes, and President Truman was talking the same language when he dropped two atomic bombs for reasons that had nothing to do with making the Japanese surrender. These were the first terrible explosions in the Cold War, aimed at intimidating the Soviet Union. DB: What responsibility does the corporate media have for the US and world population not knowing the real story? JP: They are the gatekeepers. People turn to the media for their information, to be able to make some sense of a difficult world. And they dont get it. You will find that most of the exceptions are on the World Wide Web. That is where my article was published. It would not have been published in The Guardian, where I used to publish. I dont agree that everyone is wildly enthusiastic about Burns film. I think there has been a lot of critical response to the film as well. This is going to build, and I suppose he has done us a service in opening up the wound so that people who really experienced Vietnam can describe what happened. DB: Burns also says he is grateful to the entire Bank of America family. JP: The Bank of America was a corporate prop of the invasion that killed up to 4 million people. That is just corporate speak and it rather demeans a filmmaker to talk like that. Dennis J Bernstein is a host of Flashpoints on the Pacifica radio network and the author of Special Ed: Voices from a Hidden Classroom . You can access the audio archives at www.flashpoints.net . This article was originally published by Consortium News -
Ahead of the 2019 Presidential elections in Nigeria, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Southeast is ready to support a candidate of northern extraction for the presidency in the 2019 general elections.

According to the Zonal Chairman of the party, Mr. Austin Umahi who disclosed this while reading a communique at the end of the zonal meeting of the PDP on Sunday in Enugu.

Umahi also said that the zone favoured the emergence of the national party chairman from the south of Nigeria.

He said that the zone also reaffirmed earlier zoning agreement on positions allotted to the Southeast to reflect states that made up the area.

We are committed to the PDP zoning arrangement of the president to the North and national party chairman to the South of Nigeria.

We mandate our governors, zonal chairman and national assembly leaders to liaise with other zones to reach an understanding in respect of the next national chairman of our party, he said.

Umahi said that they were fully in support of the partys candidate in the Nov. 18 Anambra governorship election to ensure the success of the party.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting was attended by a former Vice President, Chief Alex Ekwueme, the governors of Abia and Enugu states while his deputy represented Ebonyi governor.

Also in attendance were Deputy Senate President, Chief Ike Ekweremadu, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, Col. Austin Akobundu (rtd.), Chief Emeka Ihedioha and the Legal Adviser of the party in Abia, Chief Ukpai Ukairo.

Source: ( PM News )
Days after the Operation Python dance in Abia State, the Nigerian army troops of the 6 Division in Port Harcourt, Rivers state,have announced that they are expected to begin Operation Crocodile Smile 2 in the Niger Delta. Days after the Operation Python dance in Abia State, the Nigerian army troops of the 6 Division in Port Harcourt, Rivers state,have announced that they are expected to begin Operation Crocodile Smile 2 in the Niger Delta.

This was confirmed by the the divisions deputy director, army public relations,Col. Aminu Iliyasu, in a statement that was released on Monday, October 2.The exercise would be conducted between October 7 and 28.

He said in the Statement that was released In line with the Nigerian armys training directive for the Year 2017, troops of 6 Division, Nigerian army, Port Harcourt, including its affiliated formations and units, located within its entire Area of Responsibility (AOR), which covers the core Niger Delta states of Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta and Rivers, will be participating in this years Exercise Crocodile Smile II, within the entire Niger Delta region.

The exercise is intended to equip troops with skills in administration, operational, logistics and civil-military cooperation aspects in a military operation, such as the provision of free medical care to host communities, Quick Impact Projects (QIP) and the conduct of sanitation exercises to be undertaken by the troops for the benefit of their host communities and distribution of educational materials to schools. These are parts of armys Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

It will also avail troops the opportunity to sharpen their combat skills in the conduct of land based and joint riverine operations. The exercise will also aim at imparting to the troops the importance of equipment maintenance, reconnaissance, inter-service and inter-agency cooperation, effective application of the Nigerian Army code of conduct, as well as strict adherence to Rules of Engagement (ROE), proper handling of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and captured or surrendered hostile elements, in line with international best practices.

Source: ( Premium Times )
The 49-year-old king abandoned his previously measured tone over tensions with Catalonia as the standoff dragged Spain into its deepest political trouble in decades.

He spoke after hundreds of thousands of Catalans rallied in fury at violence by police against voters during a banned referendum on independence for their region on Sunday.

Catalan regional leaders held the vote in defiance of the national government which brands it illegal  as did Felipe on Tuesday.

With their irresponsible conduct they could put at risk the economic and social stability of Catalonia and all of Spain, he said of the Catalan leadership.

They have placed themselves totally outside the law and democracy, he said.

It is the responsibility of the legitimate state powers to ensure constitutional order.

Source: ( AFP)
Remnants of the Boko Haram sect appear to be taking refuge in Ondo State, South-western part of Nigeria with the arrest of another member in quick succession.

The Police in Ondo State said on Sunday that it had arrested another Boko Haram leader, Mohammed Basha, in the Isua Akoko area of the Akoko South-East Local Government Area of Ondo State on Sunday.

This came six days after one of the leaders of the deadly sect, Idris Babawo, aka Dikko, was arrested in the same location by the state police command.

The Public Relations Officer of the command, Mr. Femi Joseph, said the suspect was arrested by the men of the Anti-Crime Unit of the command while loitering along the Isua-Ifira Akoko Road.

He said, When the suspect was interrogated, he confessed that he was a member of Boko Haram. He said his father is from Niger Republic, while his mother is from Maiduguri in Borno State.

He said when Maiduguri was hot for him, he ran to Nasarawa State last month and he left Nasarawa yesterday (Saturday) and came down to the South-West to hide here.

He also confessed that one Daffo is his team leader, while Shekau is still the overall leader of the group.

Joseph said some items suspected to be charms were recovered from the suspect, adding that Basha was still in the protective custody of the command.
A female Bauchi State pilgrim was left in Saudi Arabia, this was due to the loss of her Passport, according to the Executive Secretary, Bauchi State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, Alhaji Abdullahi Hardawa.

Hardawa, who briefed newsmen on the exercise, on Monday in Bauchi, after the arrival of the last flight that brought back the pilgrims, said that the unnamed pilgrim was from Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area.

All pilgrims are back to the country, except one woman that lost her Passport; we left her behind in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia because she lost her Passport, he said.

The official, however, stated that Nigerian staff members in the Holy city were processing a new Passport to enable the pilgrims to return home.

He described the exercise as generally a success, and attributed that to the full support and total commitment of the Bauchi State Government.

The Emir of Bauchi, Alhaji Rilwanu Adamu, in a remark, commended pilgrims from Nigeria for exhibiting good conduct throughout their stay in the Holy Land.

He also praised states pilgrims welfare boards for their support to the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria during the pilgrimage, and described the 2017 pilgrimage as a huge success.

Alhaji Ibrahim Jahun, Chairman, Bauchi State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, commended officials, sponsored by the state government to cater for the welfare of the state pilgrims, for what he described as total commitment to assigned responsibilities.

Source: ( PM News )
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has backed the idea of creating the new public system for financial and economic maintenance of forest industry  a financial forest fund, according to a posting on the website of the State Forest Agency of Ukraine.

"The draft strategy [for development and institutional reformation of forest industry in Ukraine for the period until 2022] has principles of public governance and financing and returning of the status of the key spending unit of budget funds to the State Forest Agency. The new public system for financial and economic maintenance of forest industry  a financial forest fund - is presented," Deputy Chairman of the State Forest Agency Volodymyr Bondar said.

He said that the issue was discussed at a meeting on the improvement of the public policy in the field of forestry and hunting economy chaired by Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko in Ivano-Frankivsk last week.

"The Ukrainian president backed the proposed idea and instructed to work out the issue jointly with the Finance Ministry," the authority said.

The creation of the financial forest fund would help to prevent unlawful logging, introduce the balanced forest industry in southern and eastern parts of the country, conduct a stocktaking, prevent natural disasters and their aftermath, prevent outbreaks of forest pest spreading and forest diseases and cultivate planting stock.

The draft strategy also has a mechanism for improving the institutional structure of forest industry.

"We enshrine the principle of dividing management functions  management and oversight. Foresters should cultivate forest and protect it. Forest inspectors of the State Forest Agency should fulfill the oversight function," Bondar said.

The agency believes if the strategy is adopted, the country would be able to secure stable development of forest industry meeting Ukraine's international liabilities, create the effective management and oversight system, ensure planting of new forests and preserve biodiversity, settle the timber market, create new jobs and attract investment in the forest sector.
A young Nigerian couple has gone to their hometown to have their pre-wedding photo-shoot and the photos are trending online.

A Nigerian man identified as Abasiodiong Nsekpong, who is set to wed his partner this month, has taken to his social media account and released some of his village-inspired lovely pre-wedding photos.

He shared the photos and wrote; Have you seen my people? What was happening behind closed doors will be demonstrated outside this October oo.

See more photos below;
A Federal High Court Judge, John Tsoho, on Tuesday withdrew from the trial of eight Boko Haram terror suspects charged to his court.

The judge made the decision following an application by six of the defendants asking that their case be transferred from his court.

The defendants are facing trial at an Abuja Division of the court for the alleged murder of five foreigners who were abducted from a construction site in Kebbi State in 2011.

The defendants are also accused of alleged culpability in the murder of seven other foreigners in Borno State. The seven were abducted from another construction site in Bauchi State in February 2013, and taken to the Sambisa forest, as spelt out by the charge.

Source:( PM News )
The Association of Dance Scholars and Practitioners of Nigeria will, between October 3 and 6, hold its fifth national conference at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.

Themed Dance As Therapy For National Security And Economic Stability, the three-day event is organised in collaboration with the Osun State Ministry of Culture and Tourism and OAU.

According to a statement signed by the spokesperson of the Association, Prof. Jeleel Ojuade, the conference will feature paper presentations, workshops and round table discussions.

Osun State Governor, Ogbeni. Rauf Aregbesola, will be guest of honour, while the Osun State Special Adviser to the governor on Culture and Tourism, Mrs. Taiwo Oluga, will be special guest. Others are keynote speaker, Prof. Bakare Ojo Rasaki; lead paper presenter, Prof. Tor Lorapu and chief host, Prof. Eyitayo Ogungbenro, Ojuade adds.

Source: Punch
Nigerian celebrity couple, Ebuka Obi-Uchendu and wife Cynthia are celebrating their 2nd traditional wedding anniversary today.

The couple who have already been blessed with a daughter christened Jeweluchi, shared throwback photos as they celebrate their big day.

Heres what Ebuka wrote;

Whoop!!! Two years today since our Igba nkwu and you still beg me for my food the way youre begging me for palmwine here 

I may never get used to that but most importantly, I will never stop loving you!

God bless the day you stole my heart You rock my world completely!!!

Happy tradiversary|

His wife Cynthia wrote;

Happy tradiversary to us !! Thank you for being my rock . Thank you for loving me unconditionally .. Last two years has been wonderful with you and I look forward to begging you for food for many more years to come ! 
Anglophone Cameroonians numbering over eight have been shot dead by the police during a protest for independence.

Soldiers shot dead at least eight people and wounded others in Cameroons restless English-speaking regions on Sunday during protests by activists calling for its independence from the majority francophone nation, an official and witnesses said.

The demonstrations  on the anniversary of anglophone Cameroons independence from Britain  came as a months-old movement against perceived marginalisation by the francophone-dominated government gathered pace.

The protests, which began late last year, have become a lightning rod for opposition to President Paul Biyas 35-year rule.

Donatus Njong Fonyuy, the mayor of the town of Kumbo, said five prisoners were killed at about 6am after the jail where they were being held caught fire.

We dont know what caused the fire in the prison, but five prisoners were killed by soldiers. Two were wounded by bullets and are at the hospital, he told Reuters, adding that another two civilians were injured.

In other incidents in Kumbo, soldiers shot and killed a demonstrator and wounded two others who had raised the blue and white flag of the Ambazonia separatist movement in the town. Another woman was killed inside her home, Fonyuy said, without giving further details.

Police and army officials were not immediately available to comment on the shootings.

We wont use violence unless there is major cause. There are numerous risks, even terrorist risks. Were keeping calm, said a security source, who declined to be identified because he was not authorised to speak to journalists.

Writing on his official Facebook account, Biya condemned the violence. Let me make this very clear: it is not forbidden to voice any concerns in the Republic. However, nothing great can be achieved by using verbal excesses, street violence, and defying authority, he said.

Cameroons divide has its roots in the end of the first world war, when the League of Nations divided the former German colony of Kamerun between the allied French and British victors.

Before the protests, authorities had banned all gatherings of more than four people, ordered bus stations, restaurants, cafes and shops to shut and forbade movement between different parts of the English-speaking regions. The government also ordered Cameroons border with Nigeria to be closed for the weekend.

Access to popular social media and messaging apps, including Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp, was disrupted from Friday.

The communications minister, Issa Tchiroma Bakary, threatened on Sunday to shut any media outlets giving a voice to separatists, saying they must not encourage those who advocate division, who want to destroy and destabilise our country.

Businesses were closed in the regions main cities, Buea and Bamenda, where military helicopters circled overhead. The security deployment included troops from the Cameroonian armys Rapid Intervention Brigade, a unit that typically fights Islamist Boko Haram militants in the countrys north.

One protester was killed on the edge of Buea as security forces attempted to block pro-independence marchers from entering the city, according to three witnesses.

Hundreds nevertheless slipped through the countryside to get around the blockade and into the city, where security forces used tear gas to try to stop them from marching on the regional governors office.

A Reuters witness heard gunfire, though it was not clear whether the shots were targeting protesters or being fired in the air.

The military, which is supposed to protect lives and property, has turned into our greatest nightmare, said one Buea resident, who asked not to be identified out of fear of reprisal.

In Bamenda, where a bomb attack blamed on separatists wounded three policemen last week, young men brandishing improvised secessionist flags clashed with security forces who attempted to disperse them with tear gas.

Thousands of government supporters marched in Douala, Cameroons main port city and its commercial hub, voicing their opposition to calls for independence or more autonomy for the anglophone regions.

We are here  to reject sectarianism, to condemn all kinds of hate, all forms of violence carried out under any pretext whatsoever, the pro-government crowd was told by the justice minister, Laurent Esso.

Source: Reuters
Ex BBN housemate, Debbie-Rise paid a visit to her Alma mater, Federal Government College, Kabba, Kogi state where she presented them with a guitar. She shared the photos on her Instagram page and captioned it; I visited my Alma mater (F.G.G.C Kabba  Kogi State) and presented them guitar. The reception from the Principal, Staff members and Students melted my heart.. young talents on the R.A.G.E More photos below

Source: Linda Ikejis blog
A robbery suspect, Mr. Ismail Adeyemi, yesterday confessed that late Gulder Ultimate Search 3, (GUS3) winner in 2006, Hector Jobarteh, was shot and killed because the gang was desperate to get some money from him.

NewTelegraphonline reports that according to Adeyemi, he and his gang members, KK and Nonso, only wanted to rob Hector and collect his money, but their trigger-happy partner, KK, shot the star dead.

Recollecting how Hector was killed and his father shot, Adeyemi explained that he and his partners were driving around, scouting for whom to rob, when they sighted Hector in his red car, driving into a close that leads into the estate at Oko-Oba, where he lived.

Acting on a hunch that they would get money from him, KK, the leader of the gang, ordered that they should tail Hectors car. Before they could catch up, Hector had driven into his compound. The robbers were confused.

They sighted a woman and told her that they were looking for a red car that sped off after bashing their car. The woman innocently pointed to Hectors compound.

They followed.

Soon, gunshots rocked the early morning air. The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr Imohimi Edgal, explained that Adeyemi was the prime suspect.

He said Adeyemi, a former filling station attendant at Apapa Wharf area of Lagos, pulled the trigger that killed Hector and landed his father in the hospital.

Speaking with journalists yesterday, Adeyemi vehemently denied the police allegation that he killed Hector and shot his father. He said:

I was not the person that shot Hector; it was my friend, KK, who shot him. I even quarrelled with him for shooting the guy.

It was KK that led the robbery operation. When I asked why he shot Hector, he said that Hector wanted to grab him, possibly to struggle with him.

I reminded him that our agreement was to only rob people and collect their valuables, not to kill. KK got angry and threatened to shoot me. In fact, he even pointed the gun at me.

We met a woman inside the compound and asked her the flat that Hector entered, but she refused to cooperate.

It was at that point that KK brought out the gun and threatened to shoot her. She was scared and took KK upstairs. I was downstairs with Nonso when we heard gunshots. KK called us to come upstairs.

We got upstairs and discovered that KK had shot Hector and his father. KK first shot the father and later shot Hector when he came to know what was happening. We snatched Hectors bag and phone and left.

When we opened the bag, we found only a pair of shoes, boxers and flower. I took his phone.

Adeyemi said he gave the phone to his younger brother who sold the phone for N7,000 at the Ikeja Computer Village. According to him, he gave the brother N2,000 while he pocketed N5,000. Policemen tracked Hectors stolen phone to the Computer Village.

They arrested the trader who bought the phone and later used him as bait to catch Adeyemi. KK and Nonso are still at large. Adeyemi explained that he joined robbery after he met Nonso at Apapa and became friends with him.

He said that Nonso introduced him to KK. He added:

I have done two operations with the gang. The second operation was at Oko- Oba; that was the day KK killed Hector. Even on that day, Nonso and KK were speaking Igbo language. I didnt understand what they were saying.

When we got there, two of them also spoke with one lady who directed them to the house of the guy. We were three that went for the operation.

When I went to meet KK with the guy, they were arguing. I dont know what they were arguing about because they both were speaking in Igbo language. We took his hand bag and found only boxers and shoes.

There was no money.

Edgal said that the suspect led operatives to Gas Line, Ijoko at Sango where his operational pistol with nine rounds of live ammunition was recovered. He added that Adeyemi confessed to the crime and admitted to other various criminal activities within the state.

-NewTelegraphonline
Former Nigeria first lady, Patience Jonathan, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to call the acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), to order.

Ms. Patience accused Magu of being bent on destroying her family, she believes that she is being targeted for the role she played in the 2015 election, according to a report by The Cable.

In a statement published by TheCable on Monday, Belema Meshack-Hart, chief press secretary to the former first lady, said despite campaigning against him in the presidential election, President Donald Trump did not move against Michelle Obama.

We believe that she is being systematically persecuted and punished because of her unflinching support for her husband during the 2015 elections, the statement read.

President Buhari should be reminded that his wife also supported him in all the elections he contested against her husband, former President Jonathan, but Dr. Jonathan did not at any point in time, carry out personal vendetta or go after Buharis wife.

That is the standard practice in all democracies around the world. For instance, Michelle Obama campaigned vigorously for her husbands party during their last Presidential election, but we are yet to see President Donald

Trump move against her. One thing is clear: No matter what they do to Mrs. Jonathan, she will continue to stand by her husband, the father of her children, even if it means paying the supreme price with her life.

We wish to place it on record that in the history of this country, no wife of any President had been so far investigated in such flagrantly vindictive and disgraceful manner, as has been the fate of Mrs. Jonathan, in the hands of Magus EFCC, the statement read.

As a tradition, every first lady in this country has had one pet project or the other, with which they sought to intervene in the lives of the less privileged. Mrs. Jonathan started her NGO in Bayelsa State 11 years ago when her husband was the Governor of the State. With it, she has, over the years, touched the lives of many Nigerians in different ways. It is then surprising that while other First ladies and their pet projects were left alone, it is only her activities and that of her NGOs that are being subjected to indefinite probe and microscopic scrutiny by the Buhari administration.

In a method that clearly bears out the axiom of giving a dog a bad name in order to hang it, Magus EFCC had maliciously linked Mrs. Jonathan to all kinds of fake possessions and properties around the country, including the Local Content Office in Yenagoa which is an arm of NNPC, Shoprite Complex, Nigerian Customs Guest House and Park View Hotel, both in Port Harcourt, as well as the residence of her neighbor who is a serving Senator. It has now come to a point where all the magnificent edifices in Abuja, Yenagoa or Port Harcourt are presented to the media as belonging to Mrs. Patience Jonathan. Not done, they also accuse her of owning several plots of land in many cities across the country, including places she has never visited. The most astonishing of all is that her close relatives are viciously being victimized, as their personal properties are also being investigated.

It is either the EFCC is now led by people who cannot conduct proper investigations, or they are deliberately feeding the public with false information, in line with their sinister script to embarrass and browbeat the former first family.

We wish to remind President Muhammadu Buhari that what Magu and other agents of his government are doing is tantamount to desecrating the hallowed and dignified office of the President, and exposing it to public ridicule before the rest of the world. As the elected President, Muhammadu Buhari has become a father to all Nigerians. He should, therefore, resist the snare of those vile advisers who portray him as a sectional and vindictive leader, out to disgrace his predecessors.

We implore President Buhari to call Magu and his goons to order so he does not further defile and do more damage to the dignity of the seat of the nations President. The seat of the President of any country is sacred and the occupant must be respected. As a former First Lady, Mrs. Jonathan has been falsely called all manner of names, including drug peddler, by Magus well-oiled propaganda machinery.

Source: ( PM News )
A notorious robber operating in Imo State, South-eastern part of Nigeria has been killed during a security raid by the police.

There was jubilation at the Imo State Police Command headquarters in Owerri when the remains of the states most-wanted armed robber, Ihechi Nwankwo, were brought from Umuahia, the Abia State capital.

The spokesman for the Imo State Police Command, Andrew Enwerem, told Southern City News that the 27-year-old armed robber, who hailed from Amaumara in the Ezinihitte Mbaise Local Government Area of the state, had been on the wanted list of the command for a long time.

According to Enwerem, Nwankwo had been involved in a series of criminal operations, including robbing a bank customer of N8m at Access Bank at Ahiara Junction on August 8.

The slain suspect was also said to have robbed one Jovita Enwerem of N650,000 at gunpoint at Ahiara Junction on June 21. A police source, who did not want to be named, told a Punch correspondent that Nwankwo met his waterloo after he masterminded a robbery attack on a Chinese expatriate in Owerri in May.

The expatriate was said to have been dispossessed of his N10m, while his police guard was killed in the criminal operation.

Enwerem said, On September 28, the state police command control room was alerted to a robbery attack along Wetheral Road, Owerri.

A customer of the Wetheral Road branch of Zenith Bank had gone to the bank to withdraw N50m. On their way, along Wetheral Road, they were confronted by a daredevil armed robbery gang operating with a grey colour Toyota Corolla with number plate ABJ 951AA that blocked the convoy and immediately opened fire on the police escorts.

The police spokesman stated that the robbers engaged the cops in a gun duel but they were overpowered by the police. He said three policemen, however, sustained gunshot injuries and were already being treated in the hospital.

Enwerem said, The criminals escaped from the robbery scene but their vehicle was riddled with bullets. We, however, contacted police in the neighbouring states to be on the lookout.

Subsequently, the criminals were intercepted in Umuahia, Abia State, where they engaged the operatives in a gun duel. One of the gang members was gunned down while the others escaped with bullet injuries and the ash coloured Toyota Corolla car was also recovered.

Enwerem said investigation by the commands Special Anti-Robbery Squad operatives revealed that the elder brother of the slain robber, one Chibuike Nwankwo, 42, and Chukwudi Obinwanne, a native of Ugiri in Isiala Mbano LGA of the state, were being held at SARS cell for bank robbery cases.

The two suspects in the police custody, however, denied the allegation when a correspondent sought to know their level of involvement in the crimes.
President of the United States of America, Donald Trump, has ordered that flags be flown at half-mast across the U.S. in honour of the victims of the Las Vegas shooting, which led to the killing of at least 50 people and injuring more than 400 others.

Trump, in a proclamation he signed immediately after his address to the nation on the incident, declared that the country was heartbroken.

Our nation is sad. We mourn with all whose loved ones were murdered and injured in last nights horrible tragedy in Las Vegas, Nevada. As we grieve, we pray that God may provide comfort and relief to all those suffering.

As a mark of respect for the victims of the senseless act of violence perpetrated on October 1, 2017, by the authority vested in me as President of the United States by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America I hereby order that the flag of the United States shall be flown at half-staff at the White House and upon all public buildings and grounds, at all military posts and naval stations.

He said the action would also affect all naval vessels of the Federal Government in the District of Columbia and throughout the United States and its Territories and possessions until sunset, October 6, 2017.

I also direct that the flag shall be flown at half-staff for the same length of time at all United States embassies, legations, consular offices, and other facilities abroad, including all military facilities and naval vessels and stations.

On Sunday night, a gunman opened fire from a hotel room above a packed, outdoor concert in Las Vegas in the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history.

Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo said the shooter, identified as Stephen Paddock, 64, was found dead by officers who stormed his 32nd-floor room at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casinos.

Trump, in his address on the tragedy, praised first responders, including the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, for their courageous efforts.

In moments of tragedy and horror, America comes together as one  and it always has. We call upon the bonds that unite us  our faith, our family, and our shared values. We call upon the bonds of citizenship, the ties of community, and the comfort of our joint humanity.

Our unity cannot be shattered by evil. Our bonds cannot be broken by violence. And though we feel such great anger at the senseless murder of our fellow citizens, it is our love that defines us today  and always will, forever.

He said the speed with which they reacted to the shooting was miraculous and prevented further loss of life, noting that the FBI and Department of Homeland Security are working with local authorities on the investigation.

Hundreds of our fellow citizens are now mourning the sudden loss of a loved one  a parent, a child, a brother or sister. We cannot fathom their pain.

We cannot imagine their loss. To the families of the victims: We are praying for you, and we are here for you, and we ask God to help see you through this very dark period.

The president quoted from Scripture that the Lord is close to the brokenhearted, and said he and first lady Melania Trump were praying for the speedy recovery of the wounded and the families of the victims.

Trump announced that he would be visiting Las Vegas on Wednesday to sympathise with the victims and share in the griefs of the people of the city.

Source:( PM News )
Ukraine needs further reforms to achieve 4% growth and higher  World Bank country director

Ukraine needs further reforms to increase GDP growth, World Bank Country Director for Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine Satu Kahkonen has said.

She said at a press conference in Kyiv on Tuesday that the country needs further reforms to achieve 4% growth of GDP and higher.
Enyioma Madubuike who works with one of the biggest law firms in Nigeria has made an audacious move to give back to the society by offering free online legal services to interested members of the public.

Enyioma Madubuike  a young legal practitioner and powerful game-changer is charting a new course with a colleague to increase the awareness level about the justice system in Nigeria by taking his services to door steps for free.

The brilliant University of Ibadan law graduate has floated an initiative  Legitng.com which taps into the present digital age. This, according to him will go a long way in encouraging the commoners seek redress in court whenever they feel their rights have been abused as well as the general orientation of people towards making the society safer.

Legitng is an online legal content and referral platform committed to hacking access to legal knowledge and services in Nigeria. The online platform has gradually gained a reputation as a start-up registration and advisory platform providing onboarding services to new Nigerian businesses and NGOs across several sectors of the Nigerian economy.

As part of its goal of easing access to top notch legal expertise, Legitng on October 1st launched its online 24 hour legal consultation platforms where a team of Nigerian law experts are available to answer questions on Nigerian law within 24 hours for FREE.

Legitng is able to provide this service through a well cultivated network of on-call legal experts specializing in different aspects of Nigerian law available to provide information on request.

According to Mr. Madubuike, Legitng team lead, this service is targeted particularly at startups and new Nigerian businesses who constantly struggle with accessing quality legal expertise needed in the early years of a companys growth. Enyioma, who had before joining the team worked extensively in one of Nigerias most prestigious law firmsexplained that where the desired level of needed expertise is found, it is often priced above the reach of normal Nigerian startups.

Legitng is committed to ease of access to quality legal information and continues to experiment with models to provide legal information to those who really need it. It has also launched the #Asklegitng hashtag for its twitter page for the same purpose.

If you need excellent legal advice on Nigerian law, head over to their website  legitng.com or you can use the #Asklegitng hashtag and tweet @legitng on twitter and expect a response in 24hrs.
Here are 7 Things To Know About Bright Ikechukwu Echefu, The Owner Of TSTV.

1. Dr. Bright Echefu was at the Medical college of university of Nigeria Nsukka from where he left to pursue further studies abroad.

2. He hails from Obowo in IMO state

3. He is the MD/CEO of Bricke and Athens limited owners of AHTV-Heath Television.

4. He is the chairman of Bright FM.

5. He is also on the board of Bright joy multiveventurs limited.

6. Dr. Echefu is MD/CEO of TSTV

7. He is newly married.

Meanwhile, The launch of a new satellite television, TSTV has been welcomed by many Nigerians who took to their social media platforms to celebrate the new provider.

While celebrating the new provider, they mocked DSTV and other cable service providers saying that TSTV has brought very good competition that would put them on their toes.

Many of the Nigerians who alleged exploitation by existing satellite TV providers said that TSTV has affordable rates and better offers.

TSTV among other things, promises to offer pay-per-view, affordable subscription rates with daily subscription available as well as a 20gb free data all for a N5,000 decoder and maximum monthly subscription of N3,000. Long before it was launched on Oct. 1, many Nigerians had treated the news of its coming with much anticipation.

Many believe the coming of TSTV will break the control of DSTV. On twitter, TSTV trended with over 26,000 mentions as at the time of this report.

Some of the Nigerians who expressed their views on their Twitter handle said that the launch of TSTV which coincided with the nations independence day celebration, meant satellite TV independence for Nigerians.

Meanwhile, the Federal Government has granted TSTV tax free operation for three years as a way of encouraging the company.
Media Personality, Laura Monyeazo Abebe, popularly known as Moet Abebe has taken to her Instagram page to share cleavage baring photos of herself.

The 28-year-old Nigerian video jockey and television presenter flashed her boobs as she rocked a denim jumpsuit.

She wrote:

I always bring my slay game!!! Off to get some new ink!!! Need to feed my craving  #Radiogoddesstakesnewyork

-Yabaleftonline, Instagram
The National Legal Adviser of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Dr. Muiz Banire, said on Monday that poverty and lack of enlightenment were major problems facing Nigeria, not restructuring.

This he said Banire on the sidelines of an Independence Day Anniversary programme organized by the Lagos State chapters of the Buhari Youth Organisation (BYO) and National Orientation Agency (NOA) in Lagos.

The programme tagged: United Nigeria: Challenges and Opportunities started on Sept. 29 with series of activities.

Banire told NAN that poverty and ignorance were the main reasons for agitation for secession in some parts of the country.

He called for correct representation of people to quell agitation, adding that Nigerians should also learn to ask questions from their representatives at various levels.

People agitate only when they feel offended and deprived, but the solution for deprivation does not lie in restructuring. It will never end.

If you split today, some people in the split group will still rise later to agitate for one thing or the other.

It does not solve our problems. What matters is that we must be happy, and to be happy, it means we must enjoy equal opportunity under this system.

It is deprivation and hunger that are causing problems facing the country today.

When we eliminate all inequalities, everybody will be happy with the system.

When hunger is taken care of, most of the issues threatening our unity will go, Banire said.

He called for respect for the rule of law and youth education to foster unity in Nigeria.

Restructuring is not our problem. Our people are not enlightened to ask questions from their representatives, the APC chieftain said.

Banire had earlier at the panel discussion urged youths, as major stakeholders in the Nigerian Project, to rise and take charge of the nations leadership.

He said that there was the need to build the capacity of youths to fill the vacuum in the leadership gap in the country.

Banire said that youths had taken over the social media and should use the medium to propagate ideologies of integrity, transparency, and accountability, which President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration represent.

Also, a security expert, retired Col. Hassan Stanislous-Labo, said that restructuring would calm various forms of agitations in different parts of the country.

Stanislous-Labo stated that President Buhari has the vision to right all the wrongs in the country, but his cabinet members did not have the capacity to execute his mission.

In his remarks, Sen. Olorunimbe Mamora said that the tendency to manipulate religion and diversity was a challenge which must be addressed with proper conflict management.

Mamora stated that diversity could be turned to strength by listening to the grievances of the various groups.

Also, Mr. Dayo Bush-Alebiosu, a former House of Representatives member, urged youths to take advantage of their population to take over the nations leadership.

Mr. Waheed Ishola, the Lagos State Director of NOA, called on those fanning the embers of disharmony to have a change of attitude for the overall interest of the nation.

We must strive to achieve that strength in our diversity. We believe that the unity of Nigeria is sacrosanct, he said.

In his comments, Mr. Biodun Ajiboye, the BYOs National Secretary, called for the restructuring of the mind of Nigerians.

Also, the Lagos State Coordinator of BYO, Mr. Waheed Odunuga, said that lack of love, trust, and greed of the political class were the causes of disunity in the nation, urging youths to rise for national rebirth.

Sheik Abdulrahman Ahmad, the National Missioner Ansar-Ud-Deen Society of Nigeria, decried the trend where youths now worship money and mortgaging their conscience.

Source: ( PM News )
President Muhammadu Buhari felicitated with the family of late retired Air Vice Marshal Mukhtari Mohammed describing him, as one of the finest, most principled, patriotic and loyal military officers he had ever known and respected.

This was stated in President Buhari condolence message issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, in Abuja on Monday.

The president also described late Mohammed, one-time Military Administrator of Kaduna State and Chairman of Freedom Radio Kano, as a fountain of inspiration who loved the progress of Nigeria at all times.

AVM Mohammed was so passionately committed to his principles and beliefs that he had to leave his military career earlier than expected on account of those principles.

Very few Nigerians are ready to lose their jobs or offices on account of their beliefs, but the late Mohammed was an exception to this ugly reality of Nigeria, a society where public office holders respect power more than principles, he said.

The President also recalled the significant role played by the late Air Force Officer in the realization of his peoples desire for the creation of the present Jigawa State.

He extended his condolences to the government, the family and people of Jigawa and Kano States over the loss of this important public figure.

President Buhari prayed to Allah to forgive his gentle soul.

Late Muhammad, who was the Wazirin Dutse in Jigawa, died Sunday in a London hospital after a protracted illness.

He was also the first Governor of Kaduna State, after its creation in 1977, by the defunct military administration of Olusegun Obasanjo.

Source: ( PM News )
Two Nigerian men have allegedly attacked and hacked a Pakistani man to death in a Lagos State community

Joseph Habila, a security guard, and his accomplice, Nelson John, who allegedly hacked a Pakistani to death with a digger in his Victoria Island house, are to cool their heels in Ikoyi Prisons, an Ebute Meta Magistrates Court ruled on Monday. According to the News Agency of Nigeria, the accused  Mr. Habila, 26, and Mr. John, 24  were brought before the court on a two-count charge bordering on conspiracy and murder.

Their plea was not taken by the magistrate, A.S. Okubule, who directed that the accused should be remanded in prison pending advice from the State Director of Public Prosecutions. DPP.

The prosecutor, Chinalu Uwadione, told the court that the accused committed the offences on September 18 at 8.30 p.m. at Plot 1673, Karimu Kotun St., Victoria Island.

He said Mr. Habila, a security guard, had conspired with Mr. John and another man still at large to hack the deceased to death.

According to him, the trio used a digger to butcher Gulfam Shahzad, a Pakistani to death over an undisclosed amount of money that the deceased brought home.

The offences contravened Sections 233 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the section stipulates death sentence for offenders.

The case has been adjourned until November 10.
Chief Femi Fani-Kayode who was present as Fayose kicked off his 2019 Presidential campaign has revealed reasons why he is supporting the Ekiti state Governor.

A former Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, has revealed why he is supporting the Governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Ayodele Fayose to become the President of Nigeria in 2019.

Kayode who was present at the flag off of Fayoses presidential campaign noted that though, they come from different backgrounds and may not agree on everything, they have a similar disposition.

Revealing details for supporting Fayose on his social media handle, he wrote: I stood with Governor Ayodele Fayose because, unlike most, he has immense courage.

We come from completely different backgrounds and we do not agree on everything but we have a similar disposition and we share the same perspective on most things.

He is not bound up in fear and he is not chained down by political correctness. He speaks the raw and bitter truth and he stands up for thr weak and the defenceless.

Like me he moves in the prophetic and his source of strength is the Spirit and power of God. We both love God and we are both men of strength, courage, faith and destiny.

The Spirit of David and Jehu runs through us both. We neither fear death nor incarceration and we hate injustice, evil and oppression.

Thr truth is that he has done an excellent job in his Ekiti state and he has consistently and fearlessly stood against the evil of the Buhari administration and constantly kept them on their toes.



He is a Yorubaman who has the courage and conviction to say that he wants to be President. Why would I not stand with him and attend the launching of his campaign?

I believe that he would make an excellent President and effect the necessary changes and restructurring that our country desperately needs.

I am very proud of Ayo Fayose and I never desert or abandon my friends. He is and will always be my friend and brother.
The World Bank retains its forecast for Ukraine's GDP growth at 2%, World Bank Country Director for Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine Satu Kahkonen said at a press conference on Tuesday.

She said that 2% of the economic growth is not enough for the country. The World Bank sees the risk that Ukraine could get trapped into the low pace of growth, she said.

The World Bank also left unchanged the forecast for GDP growth in 2018 and 2019 at 3.5% and 4% respectively.

Lead Economist and Program Leader covering Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine Faruk Khan said at the press conference that the forecast takes into account the implementation of reforms by authorities, and if no reforms are conducted, the economy would grow within 2% and even less.
Investment professionals are increasingly ditching their jobs at hedge funds and other active asset managers to invest money for wealthy families.

Private-equity practitioners are seeing particularly strong demand from family offices, as the asset class has outperformed other areas of alternative investing over the past few years. Lagging hedge-fund returns and investor preferences for cheaper, passive strategies are contributing to the departures from firms focused on active fund management.

There is definitely an uptick in transition by professionals from these firms to family offices, says Bill Woodson, who oversees family offices in North America for Citigroups private bank. Im getting inquiries from colleagues internally and externally who want to know about the space. And I think it will continue to grow.

So far personnel movement to family offices has been more of a trickle than a flood, as theyve picked up the pace of hiring without making dramatic increases to investment staff.

Industry estimates put the total number of U.S. family offices at 5,500 to 6,500, and a survey from the Family Office Exchange, a Chicago-based industry group, indicates theres an average of three investment workers in each office. Taking the midpoint of the office total, that would mean only 18,000 jobs, though the number is growing, industry experts say.

Theres a lot of demand from investment pros, but there are relatively few opportunities to find positions, says Brendan MacMillan, chief investment officer of Akkad Capital Partners, a family office in New York. My goal is to have more investment pros, but thats a function of what the family will bear in cost.

Others say cost is an issue, too, with many family offices watching their pennies. Akkad Capital has hired three investment staffers since opening a year ago, and MacMillan hopes to bring two more on board over the next three years.

Its easy to see why the number of investment hires is increasing at family offices, even if its not booming. Industry estimates put the amount of assets managed by family offices at $4 trillion. And the total has likely increased by about two-thirds over the last five years, says Robert Casey, senior managing director of research at the Family Wealth Alliance, a family-office consulting firm in Wheaton, Illinois.

Many family offices are eager for private-equity returns without having to pay large fees to an outside manager. In a survey of 118 family offices that was released in May, Family Office Exchange found that on average two of the three investment staffers in each office focus on private equity.

Direct investing gives family offices the opportunity to invest  as a lead or co-investor  in companies they know well and where they, on average, expect double-digit returns, Sara Hamilton, Family Office Exchanges chief executive officer, said in a statement at the time.

The median private equity benchmark (excluding venture capital) registered an annualized return of 10 percent for the three years through 2016, compared to 8.9 percent for the Standard & Poors 500 Index, including dividends, according to the American Investment Council, a trade group for the private investment industry. The Barclay Hedge Fund Index averaged a return of only 3 percent during that period. And 1,057 hedge funds were closed last year  the second highest total ever after 1,471 in 2008, according to Hedge Fund Research.

Given all the challenges facing hedge funds and the closures, considerably more talent is available for family offices than might have been previously, says Karim Ahamed, senior investment adviser at wealth-management firm HPM Partners in Chicago.

Hedge funders have seen industry stars like George Soros and Steven Cohen convert their firms to family offices, though Cohen may go back in the other direction. And while the hedge fund industry has been staging a comeback this year, the high-profile moves of Soros and Cohen have captured the attention of investment professionals.

Traders who see that think, I can trade with increased flexibility at a family office, Citis Woodson says. Presumably they can get the same compensation and learn and develop.

Hedge funders and other money managers also anticipate more stability for themselves at family offices, industry experts say, after finding it difficult to produce returns strong enough to keep investors happy. Meanwhile, firms shift to lower-cost passive strategies is spurring active fund managers to invest for families instead, according to Michael Castine, a partner at New York-based Ridgeway Partners, which places executives at family offices. So people will try to join family offices where they think they will get paid more, he says.
Natixis Global Asset Management has agreed to buy a controlling stake in Investors Mutual to increase its presence in the Asia-Pacific region.

The firm said Tuesday that its buying a 51.9 percent stake in the Australian equities fund manager, which oversees AU$9.1 billion ($7.1 billion) of assets, from Pacific Current Group and Anton Tagliaferro, the founder of Investors Mutual. The asset manager agreed to pay as much as AU$155 million in cash for the combined shares.

The purchase is part of the expansion strategy under Natixis Global Asset Managements new chief executive officer, Jean Raby. When Raby joined the firm in February, following the death of former head Pierre Servant, he immediately moved to increase operations in Asia.

We have previously stated that it is our intention to pursue new growth in the Asia Pacific market, and this marks the first acquisition as part of those plans, Raby said in Tuesdays statement.

Investors Mutual will keep its brand name and management team, including investment director and founder Tagliaferro, after the acquisition is completed.

Natixis Global Asset Management, which opened its first Australian office in Sydney in 2015, said the deal will increase its exposure to the local retail market and the countrys expanding superannuation industry. Australias superannuation assets totaled a record AU$2.3 trillion at the end of June, rising 10 percent from a year earlier, according the Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia.

Natixis Global Asset Management, which manages $951.7 billion of assets globally and is headquartered in Paris and Boston, is joining other asset managers in expanding in the Asia-Pacific region.

Japans MS&AD Insurance Group Holdings said in August that it was buying a 6.3 percent stake in Australian investment group Challenger. About a year ago, Axa Investment Managers acquired Australian investment group Eureka Funds Management, and in November, Canadian wealth manager CI Financial Corp. said it agreed to buy an 80 percent stake in Sydney-based Grant Samuel Funds Management.
The firm is lowering fees on actively managed funds to attract investors who have been shifting money into low-cost passive options.

Fidelity International will begin offering variable fees in response to the growing debate about the value of actively managed funds.

The U.K.-based manager announced Tuesday that it would reduce its annual management fees and link them to performance. Under the new fee structure, Fidelity will charge clients more if it outperforms benchmarks, and less if it meets or underperforms its benchmark.

As many asset allocators move their money into passive funds to avoid high fees, active managers are searching for ways to curb high management costs, especially when their funds underperform benchmarks or passive funds.

We want to demonstrate real commitment to our active management capability, Brian Conroy, president of Fidelity International, said in the firms statement. We will move away from a flat fee model and get paid according to how well we do for our clients.

According to Conroy, part of the decision to change Fidelitys fee structure came as a result of a study released earlier this year by the U.K.-based Financial Conduct Authority. The regulator found that fees are getting in the way of higher returns, particularly in active managed funds.

Our evidence suggests that, on average, both actively managed and passively managed funds did not outperform their own benchmarks after fees, the FCA said in a June report.

Fidelitys new fee structure provides a cap on its highest and lowest fees, according to the firms statement. Our fee structure will give back for underperformance of the benchmark, whereas others do not, Conroy said.

To be sure, Fidelity International isnt the only manager to begin offering sliding fee structures. Orbis Investment Management, a Bermuda-based firm managing about $30 billion of assets, gives money back to investors when it doesnt meet its benchmarks.

[II Deep Dive: Meet the Manager Willing to Give Investors Back Their Fees]

Investors should welcome this general trend, Dan Brocklebank, head of Orbis U.K. operations, said in an emailed statement. It is not yet clear what the cap and floor levels are in their proposed fee structure, but Orbis believes that the best performance fee models involve fee refunds in the event that managers outperform and then underperform.

Brocklebank added that the type of fee structure Orbis offers has been available to U.K. retail investors since 2014 and institutional investors since 2004.
"These measures can help to lessen the impact," says Andrew Hall
The long-term effects of Brexit could lead to a drift away from the London insurance market, and the potential creation of a new hub elsewhere in Europe, according to an insurance lawyer.As the UK insurance industry puts plans in place ahead of the countrys anticipated exit from the European Union, many insurers have revealed plans for post-Brexit bases on the continent.Over time, such moves could lead to the emergence of a new European insurance hub, Mathew Rutter, insurance advisory partner at law firm DAC Beachcroft, told Insurance Business.At the moment the market feels confident and resilient, Rutter said. The plans that most insurers are putting in place dont generally require significant numbers of people to go to Luxembourg, Brussels, Ireland, and indeed I think thats been one of the attractions of Luxembourg  the fact that there isnt a requirement to have huge numbers on the ground.Most of the work that happens in London will stay in London for the short-term, according to Rutter, but there is a potential risk for a shift away from the hub over time.If youve got lots of insurers together in Luxembourg, then theyll meet and talk to each other in Luxembourg, he said, and if businesses senior management are seen to be spending more time in a new hub, overseas bodies and regulators are likely to sit up and pay attention: You can see that over time that might start to ratchet up a bit.Over time you can see a drift possibly, whether thats to Luxembourg or somewhere else in Europe, it could start to happen, Rutter said. And there would be a number of member states that would be very keen to see that happen.However, he stressed that such changes wouldnt happen overnight.When youve got a centre of insurance expertise as we have in London, thats not going to suddenly disappear. But you can see a risk that over time, the force of gravity, as it were, will gradually pull more of the decisions to be taken in other European centres.Its certainly a risk that you wouldnt have had on ones radar even a couple of years ago. But I dont think people need to be worrying too much just yet as to whether theyre going to lose their jobs, or have to move to Luxembourg or somewhere near there. Its probably over generations that youre talking about for that kind of change.
Ellsworth Insurance Agency has announced the appointment of Shelly Pruett as an insurance advisor. In her role, Pruett will provide insurance guidance and advice to Ellsworths clients and prospects.Prior to joining Ellsworth, Pruett was an agent and office manager at an Illinois insurance company. Shes also worked as a sales manager at a management company and in various managerial positions in the hospitality industry.Shelly will make an excellent addition to our company, and we look forward to working with her, Ellsworth owner Kurt Ellsworth said. She brings a wide array of leadership qualities to our agency, and we know our customers will benefit from her vast experience.Founded in 2016, Illinois-based Ellsworth Insurance Agency is a member of Valley Insurance Agency Alliance (VIAA), a family of more than 100 independent insurance agencies in Missouri and Illinois.
Hub International Limited has acquired the shares of Rural Alaska Insurance Agency in Alaska.Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.The Fairbanks-based Rural Alaska specializes in property and casualty insurance. The agencys president, John Kohler, Jr., will join Hub Northwest and report to executive vice-president Steve Wagner.Last month, Hub International purchased Delisle Agencies in Saskatchewan, Canada. The global insurance brokerage also acquired Integro Canada at around the same period. Both Canadian acquisitions were reported as surprises, as several private equity backers in the region were said to be looking to sell stakes in the broker.Hub International Limited is committed to growing organically and through acquisitions to expand its geographic footprint and strengthen industry and product expertise, the company said in its release.
Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company has appointed industry veteran Geoffrey J. Craddock as its chief risk officer. Craddock will report directly to Roger W. Crandall, chairman, president and CEO of MassMutual.



Craddock replaces Elizabeth A. Ward, who has been named MassMutuals chief financial officer. As chief risk officer, Craddock will be responsible for managing global and operational risk for the company and its subsidiaries.



Celebrate excellence in insurance. Join us at the Insurance Business Awards in Chicago on October 26.



This is an executive leadership role that continues to grow in importance, given our unwavering commitment to protecting the company and policyowners by identifying and managing the increasing risks all major companies face in todays rapidly evolving world, Crandall said. In addition to his track record as a highly regarded professional with 20 years of risk management experience, Geoff has a total of 30 years as a financial markets professional  making him an ideally suited leader to drive a holistic risk-management approach across our organization.



Craddock began his career in the 1980s, holding a variety of trading and brokerage positions at investment banks in Europe. In 2008, he joined OppenheimerFunds as director of risk management and was made the companys chief risk officer in 2010.



Craddock holds an MBA from Cranfield School of Management. He is a member of the Investment Company Institute, the Global Association of Risk Professionals Risk Managers Forum, and the Risk Management Association.








Jurors in Bibb County have voted to award over $1 million to companies owned by a Macon couple who claimed that an accountants mistakes led to the couple filing for bankruptcy for several firms in 2013.Miller and Stephanie Heath  owners of Density Inc., Density Utilities of Louisiana LLC and Density Services LLC  filed a suit in 2014 against accountant Rocky Davidson and his Macon-based firm Davidson Collins LLC.Density Utilities was responsible for maintaining 49 wastewater treatment plants in Louisiana and was regulated by the Louisiana Public Service Commission, Department of Environmental Quality and Department of Health and Hospitals.According to court documents, the Heaths hired Davidson in 2009 to provide bookkeeping and accounting services to Density, with additional services later added to subsequent agreements in 2010 and 2011.Density alleged that records were not kept properly and information on the companys assets, debts, revenues and capital expenditures were misstated. Due to this, the data provided to state regulatory agencies was inaccurate.State regulators halted the completion and funding of an approximately $4.5 million bond to be issued for Density due to the misrepresented information, although the bond had already been sold. Not long after, Density filed for bankruptcy protection in 2013.Brian Adams, an attorney representing Density, told The Telegraph that jurors returned their verdict after a week-long trial.While the total award was $1.8 million, they found Density to be 25% at fault, making Davidson liable for $1.35 million.
The World Bank has presented its proposals on the pension reform to the Ukrainian government and parliament and is waiting for response, World Bank Country Director for Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine Satu Kahkonen said at a press conference on Tuesday.

When the World Bank expressed alarm with the amendments made to the bill on the pension reform in public representatives of the bank talked both to the government and the parliament, she said. Now the World Bank is waiting for the final decision, she said.
Number and price of shares in proposed offering yet to be determined
Sutton James Aviation Insurance Brokers, a Hartford, Conn.-based resource for aviation-related coverages throughout North and South America, has joined Optisure Risk Partners to lead the development of Optisures Aviation Practice Group.

Jon Doolittle, president of Sutton James, and the entire Sutton James team have joined the organization and will have responsibility for providing insurance offerings to Optisures aviation client base. The team will represent Optisure clients in the buying and use of aviation-related insurance coverage.

Doolittle has an aviation career spanning more than 30 years. Since starting Sutton James in 1986, he has built the organization into an authority in bringing clients and carriers together in the marketplace, according to Optisure CEO Peter R. Milnes in a company press release.

Through joining Optisure, Sutton James saw the availability of greater capability offerings for long-time clients coupled with enhanced opportunities for its team to grow internally, Doolittle said in the release.

Sutton James broker staff is comprised of licensed pilots with aviation experience and carrier relationships, having developed specialty programs that include an insurance program tailored specifically to meet the needs of qualified Robinson Helicopter operators.

Optisure is a Manchester, N.H.-based provider of risk management and insurance solutions. Optisures regional partners operate locally but with global capabilities, addressing the spectrum of risk management, employee benefit and property-casualty insurance needs.

Source: Optisure Risk partners

Topics Agencies Aviation Connecticut
International broker and risk management firm Integro Insurance Brokers has hired Julie Buckley as managing principal and executive broker in the healthcare practice.

At Integro, Buckley will apply her more than 30 years experience in risk management consulting, insurance placement and production to her role in servicing healthcare clients nationwide. She will be based in the firms Boston, Mass., office.

Buckley joins Integro after more than twenty years at Marsh & McLennan, most recently as senior vice president in its national healthcare practice. She is also experienced in the real estate, hospitality and transportation industry sectors.

Though focusing on healthcare, Buckleys influence within Integro will be far-reaching, according to Marc Kunney, president of North America operations, in a company press release. Her strengths include establishing relationships in the global insurance community, specifically Bermuda, Cayman and London, he noted.

Integro is an international insurance brokerage and risk management firm. Launched in 2005, Integro and its family of specialty insurance and reinsurance companies operate from offices in the United States, Bermuda and the United Kingdom. Its U.S. headquarters is located in New York, N.Y.

Source: Integro Insurance Brokers

Topics Agencies Massachusetts
A new analysis on how much Idaho would save by switching public employees to a self-insurance model puts the amount at $13 million for the first year of operation.

The analysis made public last week by Mercer, an actuarial consultant contracted by state officials, came as Republican gubernatorial candidate Tommy Ahlquist has repeatedly said that the state could save as much as $60 million over three years.

Under the plan, the state would pay for health insurance for about 45,600 state workers and family members directly rather than purchasing insurance through an insurance carrier known as a fully insured model. Idaho currently has a hybrid fully insured plan with Blue Cross of Idaho.

Mercers analysis did not forecast how much the state would save over three years.

Idaho lawmakers the self-insurance system for several years and legislative leaders appointed an interim panel to review the topic for the past two summers, aiming for a final recommendation before the start of the 2018 session.

We are 90 percent self-funded already, said Jennifer Pike, the states group insurance program administrator, during the most recent interim panels meeting. But we do pay (Affordable Care Act) fees and we do pay premium taxes and we cannot get away from those in our current structure.

Ahlquist has highlighted the proposed switch as a solution to slashing what he calls wasteful government spending from the states general fund.

Ahlquist, a Boise businessman running for elected office for the first time, is running television advertisements promising to cut $100 million in state spending during his first 100 days in office if he is elected next year.

A key figure in that ad cites a 2016 report outlining a potential $60 million savings by switching state employees to a self-insurance fund.

Ahlquist said savings of $13 million by switching to the new insurance plan would be significant even though the savings do not represent an equivalent annual amount for the $60 million he has said would be saved over three years.

This to me is a no-brainer, he said in an interview last week at a campaign event.

Ahlquist did not provide any other details on how he would achieve the full $100 million of cuts to the states annual $3.5 billion budget.

There are so many more things in the $100 million, he said.

A new governor will take office in 2019 but the switch to the self-insurance fund could come before that. The interim panels lawmakers are scheduled to finalize their recommendation in October, which would be considered as early as January.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
When Topa Insurance Group President and CEO John Donahue arrived in the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) just a few days after Hurricane Irma hit, one of the first things he noticed aside from the utter devastation was the look in the eyes of those who had been through the storm.

This lady walked up to me and said, You werent here during the hurricane, were you?' Donahue recounted. I said, How do you know that? and she said, I can see it in your eyes. And I told her I can see that you have. They had a look  its a very tired look the people had. That struck me.

He had no idea that just a few days later as he worked with his employees and customers on recovery from Irma, another catastrophic storm would come through  Hurricane Maria  and he too would have that look.

I saw one of those guys in the mirror today when I was getting ready to go to work. It is just this, what just happened? kind of feeling. It takes a little bit of time to shake it off, he said. I definitely see that the people that have been through it twice, I can see that its a did this really just happen again? kind of look. People are anxious to get back to normal and Im hoping that starts sooner rather than later.

Donahue arrived in the USVI from the Los Angeles suburb of Calabasas, Calif., where Topa is headquartered, on Sept. 12 to help with recovery efforts and assist the carriers employees based there with claims handling from Hurricane Irma. The storm was a category 5 when it barreled through the Caribbean region on Sept. 6. Loss estimates for the U.S. and the Caribbean have ranged from $25 to $55 billion, according to various catastrophe modeling companies.

Donahue said he felt very strongly that he personally needed to go to the islands to ensure everything was being done to help the Topa Groups USVI team, including its 22 employees living on the islands, and said sending himself was the logical choice.

I didnt feel right about not being here to support the team on the ground, assess our losses, get in front of our customers to reassure them that were here, and to get in front of the Department of Insurance and make sure that they know were dedicated to getting these people back and paid, trying to get them back to as normal as possible, he said.

Topa Insurance Group, through its subsidiary, Dorchester Insurance Company, Ltd., writes a wide variety of policies on the U.S. Virgin Islands including personal auto, commercial auto, homeowners, business insurance and specialty jewelers coverage. Dorchester is the second largest writer of commercial lines in the VI and the fourth largest overall. It has about 5,000 customers between St. John and St. Thomas, and just about 30 policies in St. Croix, the three territories that make up USVI. Lloyds of London is the largest writer.

Donahue estimated the company had fewer than 1,200 wind policies affected by the storm between St. John and St. Thomas from Irma, and not all of those would become claims.

Arrival on the Islands

Donahue knew Hurricane Irma had been severe and caused destruction, but he was not at all prepared for what he saw when he arrived by a Cessna aircraft that Tuesday.

Listen: Donahue Describes Irmas Devastation to U.S. Virgin Islands

I landed in St. Thomas and it was really an amazing sight. There were several planes overturned on the tarmac or on the side of the tarmac, he said. The first thing I really noticed was this was a beautiful, green, plush island and now its brownThere was no green left. All the leaves were gone  the plants were blown away, he said.

As he made his way through St. Thomas he took in more of Irmas destruction that littered the island: structures with their roofs torn off, a completely demolished post office, boats on the beach or upside down. Electricity was spotty, but mostly out, so there were no working traffic lights, yet he said he was struck by how everyone was working together to keep traffic flowing and helping pedestrians get across the street.

Donahue went from St. Thomas to St. John, and said he was even more shocked by what he saw there, calling the damage startling.

Theres a certain area of St. John where homes are just gone. In the downtown, the roofs are off a lot of the buildings. The commercial buildings took quite a hit, he said. Its all bad from what Ive seen, but that actually surprised me how bad that was.

Donahue got to work with his team to begin taking claims, but said without electricity or phones working, it was difficult for customers to get through.

We dont have electricity and our generator was destroyed, yet our people are sitting at a table and theyre using natural light. The neighbor lent us their extension cord so we can run a copy machine and were getting the First Notice of Loss done Were confirming coverage through our paper files and were assigning the adjuster, he said.

He first spoke with Insurance Journal on Sept. 18 from the top of a hill where he could get cell reception. He said then adjusters had just started seeing properties and Topa was working on getting some funds to clients.

The thing that has been the best part for me is sitting at the table, listening to people say they have a claim and theyre glad were here. They appreciate that were here, he said.

Donahue and customers were even able to keep a sense of humor and enjoy some lighthearted moments.

I had a gentleman in his 80s come in and ask if we could make him 30 years younger under our policy form, but I told him that thats not covered, he said. But he was telling me that I should reread the policy and I promised him Id do that.

Topas employees have had to deal with their own recoveries while helping their customers. Donahue said some lost their homes and the company has been doing what it can to help, including redirecting funds assigned to go to two internal events to its employees in the USVI.

Thats the hard part. People have been impacted personally, and were asking them to step up, so weve been very lax on trying to give them the ability to figure it out for themselves and know that were here to support them and what we do is important were trying to balance all of that, he said.

And Then Came Maria

What Donahue wasnt expecting when he arrived to the USVI was that Hurricane Maria was waiting in the wings. Just two weeks after Hurricane Irma, Maria battered St. Croix, about 40 miles away from St. Thomas and St. John.

Donahue hunkered down in a closet of where he was staying on St. Thomas with a bed of pillows on the floor, listening to the house straining and feeling the pressure changing in his ears.

It was my first hurricane and Im hoping its going to be my last hurricane, Donahue said on a call with Insurance Journal days after Hurricane Maria passed through. That experience was not one that I was banking on when I came down here after Irma. It was quite an experience. Something I dont wish on anybody, actually.

He said after Maria there was frustration among residents that another storm wiped out all of the clean-up efforts and progress that had been made toward recovery from Irma.

All the cleanup that we did is back to where it was right after Irma. The streets look like they did after Irma. It took me three hours to drive 7 miles today to get to work because theres so much debris in the road, he said. Its frustrating for the people here because you go through the first one, you cleaned upthen youre looking at your phone going This cant be coming right at us, but its exactly what happened.

Yeah, it was a punch in the gut because you make this progress and now, you got to start overWere talking about hosing down sidewalks, scraping with shovels, getting the mud out. We just completed all of that, so now, were doing it one more time, he said.

But the people there are resilient, he said. Its amazing, people are just back to work. Its the same guys that were cleaning the street are back cleaning the streets and trying to get back to normal again.

St. Croix took a significant hit from Maria, but the good news for St. Thomas and St. Martin was that the while the storm brought heavy winds and rain, the islands avoided major damage. Donahue said their downtown office in St. Thomas had water damage from storm surge and the team got to work as soon as possible drying carpets and getting the mud out of the offices.

I think were making great progress Were taking claims, we have adjusters out there; were trying to get people their benefits under their policy as quickly as we possibly can, he said. [Maria] is a setback but its not something thats going to stop us from getting things done.

Raising Awareness, Overcoming Obstacles

Donahue said he hoped to get the message out to those on the U.S. mainland about how bad the Caribbean is suffering in the wake of the recent storms, and residents on the islands are genuinely frustrated by the lack of awareness in the U.S. about what Irma did to the USVI.

Its totally appropriate to talk about Houston and Florida and the people impacted. But the feeling here is, Hey, what about us? Were part of the United States, too,' he said. Thats why I wanted to do this interview, just kind of get that out  that the USVI is really, really reeling. Their whole economy is based on tourism. The tourists are obviously not coming right now.

In an effort to raise funds and awareness, Topa set up the Topa Insurance: Aid for US Virgin Islands Fund and Topa plans to match every donation, dollar for dollar up to $250,000. One hundred percent of the funds will go directly to the Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands (CFVI)  Fund for the Virgin Islands, established in response to Hurricane Irma. Topa said the CFVI has been operating in the USVI for more than 25 years and knows the areas that need it most. Every cent is used for those who need it and not diverted to administrative or other expenses. As of Oct. 2, Topa had raised $39,343, before the companys match. Topa employees have personally donated $6,600 to the fund.

When asked if he thinks the islands will recover, Donahue said they will, but he doesnt know when.

I know they will in time. Its just, how much time? he said. Hopefully sooner rather than later the ships will start coming in, the restaurants will reopen, the hotels will be repaired. Its just going to take some time.

The islands are safe, he said, but not stable, and getting stability back is a huge part of the healing and recovery process. For residents, stability will mean just being able to go to the grocery store. Donahue said that day he saw a line of 150 people waiting to get in to the store.

Once it becomes more stable and there is the ability for people to just go to the grocery store and get back to normal, I think things will improve quickly here, he said.

Donahue, who just left USVI to return to Los Angeles after three weeks there, said the experience was a leadership challenge for him and those working with him on recovery efforts, but he was humbled and inspired by what he saw from residents.

A couple of insureds came in to me and they were saying, We can take this. Were used to this. This is what we do. We get back to normal. There is that feeling on the island of this is what happens here and were going to rebuild, he said.

One 78yearold lady said to me, Im alive. She brushed her clothes and said, Im good. Thats an attitude you do see and its amazing to watch.

Donate: Topa Insurance: Aid for US Virgin Islands Fund

OCT3_topa_slide_1 Photo Courtesy of John Donahue OCT3_topa_slide_2 Photo Courtesy of John Donahue OCT3_topa_slide_3 Photos Courtesy of John Donahue OCT3_topa_slide_4 Photos Courtesy of John Donahue OCT3_topa_slide_5 Photos Courtesy of John Donahue OCT3_topa_slide_6 Photos Courtesy of John Donahue OCT3_topa_slide_7 Photos Courtesy of John Donahue OCT3_topa_slide_8 Photos Courtesy of John Donahue OCT3_topa_slide_9 Photos Courtesy of John Donahue OCT3_topa_slide_10 Photos Courtesy of John Donahue

Topics Catastrophe Natural Disasters USA Hurricane
Wells Fargo & Co. CEO Tim Sloan will be questioned about sales practices, mischarging customers for auto insurance, and complaints about mortgage fees at the banks consumer lending unit when he testifies before U.S. senators on Tuesday.

The U.S.s third-largest bank has yet to shake off a year-long sales practices scandal that has hammered its reputation, sparking management changes, lawsuits and government investigations.

Reuters reported on Monday that the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the leading regulator for Wells Fargo, was considering new sanctions against the bank for customer abuses involving auto insurance and mortgage loans.

Wells Fargo reached a $190 million settlement with regulators a year ago after it said it had opened as many as 2.1 million accounts without customers authorization to meet internal sales target.

That estimate was raised to potentially as many as 3.5 million in August after an expanded review.

Sloan, appearing before the Senate for the first time as chief executive, is keen to reassure lawmakers that the San Francisco-based bank has moved on from the scandal and will highlight changes he has made including overhauling the structure and senior management of its retail bank.

But with the emergence of more recent problems in other products, including auto insurance and mortgages, he faces a tough task.

The stakes are high for Sloan, a 30 year company veteran. His predecessor, John Stumpf, resigned less then a month after he earlier appeared before the same committee to answer questions about the banks sales practices.

We came to Congress without a good plan and all of you were right to criticize us, Sloan said in prepared remarks ahead of the hearing.

Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren, who last year accused Stumpf of gutless leadership, has repeatedly called on the U.S. Federal Reserve to remove 12 members of Wells Fargos Board of Directors.

Among those is vice chair Elizabeth Duke, a former Federal Reserve Governor who is set to take over as chair of Wells Fargos board at the start of the year.

Last week, Maxine Waters, the top Democrat on the House Financial Services Committee, released a staff report questioning whether Wells Fargo should be allowed to keep its federal bank charter.

The problems around auto-insurance and mortgage products emerged publicly this year.

In late July, Wells Fargo said hundreds of thousands of customers were due a refund on auto insurance that they did not need.

In late August, a homeowner sued Wells Fargo for charging too much for his fixed-rate mortgage. Wells Fargo has already said its rate lock service is under investigation by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

(Additional reporting by Ross Kerber in Boston; Editing by Carmel Crimmins)

Topics Auto
This week, the U.S. Supreme Court is considering whether employees have the right to bring class actions against their bosses. With the courts Republican majority restored this year by President Donald Trump, labor advocates arent holding their breath.

Instead, theyre pursuing a work-around pioneered on the West Coast. A decade-old California law allows people to act as private attorneys general, bringing cases against companies on behalf of the government. Activists are urging other states and cities to follow suit.

Its the latest skirmish in a long war. Over the past couple of decades, companies have increasingly required their employees  and their customers  to surrender the right to class action in a courtroom, and instead bring any grievances to individual arbitration hearings.

The California model helps plaintiffs to get around such agreements. The worker isnt acting just as a worker  theyre acting as an agent of the state, and the state isnt a party to that forced arbitration agreement, says Meg Fosque, lead organizer for the community group Make the Road New York. Its kind of poetic justice. Her organization is backing a pair of bills to give New Yorks workers and consumers a similar option.

Consumer Complaints

More than half of non-union private-sector employers now make their workers sign mandatory arbitration agreements, and 30 percent of those include class-action waivers, the Economic Policy Institute said this week. The left-of-center think-tank carried out a review of arbitrators disclosures in 2015, and found that corporations engaging in the practice included industry leaders like Anheuser-Busch InBev SA, J.C. Penney Co. and Wells Fargo & Co.

Its becoming a common requirement for consumers, too. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau estimated in 2015 that 53 percent of outstanding credit-card loans went to borrowers whod signed an agreement for any complaints to be handled via arbitration. For pre-paid cards and storefront payday lenders, such terms were even more widespread.

In July, the agency issued a rule that would stop banks and credit-card companies from making customers relinquish their rights to class action, though congressional Republicans are rounding up votes to overturn the rule.

Business advocates argue that courtroom class actions are often frivolous shakedowns, and that arbitration represents a cheaper, faster alternative with better outcomes for all parties except attorneys.

Money for Themselves

Trial lawyers want to eliminate arbitration as an option in as many spheres as possible, to bring more business and money for themselves, says Ted Frank, who directs the Center for Class Action Fairness at the Competitive Enterprise Institute. If somebody really prefers to avoid arbitration, they can find a job that doesnt have an arbitration clause.

But consumer and labor groups, and the attorneys who represent them, say that class actions are often the only financially feasible way for low-income plaintiffs with non-lucrative claims to redress wrongs. A class action waiver is in many cases a waiver of rights altogether, practically, says Justin Swartz, a plaintiffs lawyer whos among a group that provided input on the new bills proposed in New York.

Plus, they say, arbitrators can be biased  because their future earnings depend on companies agreeing to keep using them.

Recent Supreme Court rulings have favored the employers. In a landmark 2011 decision siding with AT&T, the court overturned a California rule invalidating arbitration agreements that prohibited class action. It found that an act passed by Congress in 1925 to promote the use of arbitration had priority. Also, in a 2013 ruling in favor of American Express that cited the same 1925 law, the court said that class-action waivers cant be invalidated merely because its unrealistic for consumers to bring their cases one by one.

On Monday, before the court considered whether labor laws protect employees right to collectively sue their boss, activists expect a similar result.

Not in California

But arbitration advocates havent been winning everywhere  and especially not in California. Since the state passed the Private Attorneys General Act of 2004, its courts have repeatedly denied pleas by companies to handle claims in individual arbitration rather than collectively.

Under PAGA, employees can bring claims as agents of the state  though they first have to give their bosses a chance to resolve the case, and the labor commissioners office retains a veto. If a claim succeeds or gets settled, the payout is shared with the state government, which uses the funds for further labor law enforcement.

In a precedent-setting 2014 case, the California Supreme Court allowed a driver to proceed with a PAGA claim against a transportation company, for failing to pay overtime. The court acknowledged the 1925 arbitration act, but said it does not preclude our Legislature from deputizing employees to prosecute Labor Code violations on the states behalf.

PAGA has enabled some big-money settlements. Bank of America Corp. paid out $15 million for allegedly not providing proper seating for tellers. Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and a group of warehouse contractors reached a $22.7 million agreement to resolve claims including minimum-wage violations.

Changes the Calculus

The possibility of a PAGA case changes the calculus for a company, so that they would invest more in compliance and not be as cavalier about the labor standards, says Rachel Deutsch, a Los Angeles-based attorney for the Center for Popular Democracy, which plans to campaign for PAGA-like bills in four states next year. The group also held a conference in July for municipal lawmakers from around the country, who discussed pushing the measures at the city level. New York Citys public advocates office is considering the idea.

Business advocates say PAGA shouldnt go viral. Its essentially open season on employers, says Paul DeCamp, who led the federal Labor Departments Wage and Hour Division under George W. Bush and now defends companies in employment suits.

The Supreme Court has declined repeated requests to consider whether California courts were wrong to keep PAGA cases out of arbitration. That will change if more states follow Californias lead, says Marshall Babson, a board member of the U.S. Chamber of Commerces litigation arm. And he says the court may decide to treat PAGA claims the same way as other suits filed by employees. If it looks like a duck and sounds like a duck, theres a chance its a duck, Babson says.

Labors supporters say theyre confident the law is on their side, despite prior high court defeats.

Arbitration has interfered with the private individuals ability to protect themselves, says attorney David Seligman, who has drafted a model PAGA-like bill for the National Consumer Law Center. So the state has to figure out a new way to enforce its laws.

Copyright 2022 Bloomberg.

Topics Lawsuits California Legislation Claims New York
Investors focused on social issues are finding that trickle-down diversity doesnt work.

For years, they surmised that having enough women on boards and in senior management would produce fairer policies. Now investors are changing tactics, saying its not enough and that employers also need to implement gender-pay equity and paid-leave policies that attract and retain women.

Zevin Asset Management, in a first-of-its-kind shareholder proposal, is asking Starbucks Corp. Monday to prepare a report on its new paid-leave policy that took effect Oct. 1, saying the approach is particularly unequal. The coffee chain offers 18 weeks of paid leave for mothers in corporate headquarters and just six weeks for those who work in its stores, while also excluding fathers and adoptive parents.

This is an employment discrimination situation waiting to happen, Pat Tomaino, associate director of socially responsible investing at Boston-based Zevin, which holds more than 61,000 Starbucks shares, said in an interview. We want to focus on companies that are managing human capital appropriately and attuned to investing in womens career paths. Such a big divide between headquarters and the front-line workforce can erode morale.

Competitive Approach

Jaime Riley, a Starbucks spokeswoman, said the policy announced in January is exceptional for a retailer because its offered to employees who work a minimum of just 20 hours a week, without a tenure requirement.

We take a competitive approach and evolve our benefits based on ongoing conversations with our partners as we learn more about their different benefits needs and preferences, Riley said in an email.

Zevin has approached more than a dozen major companies about their paid-family-leave policies  they include Costco Wholesale Corp., United Parcel Service Inc., Amazon.com Inc. and Apple Inc.  and plans to file more proposals in coming months. The pressure on firms to deliver is higher now, Tomaino said, noting a lack of action on paid-leave policy from the U.S. government.

Googles Alphabet

Another asset manager, Arjuna Capital, filed nine shareholder resolutions last year over gender-pay gaps at technology companies. Of those, Facebook Inc. and Google parent Alphabet Inc. failed to take meaningful action, Arjuna said in a statement last week. Today, Alphabet is under fire for its lack of transparency on gender-pay equity, making it subject to federal, class action, and shareholder actions, Arjuna managing partner Natasha Lamb wrote in a Sept. 26 letter to Alphabet Chairman Eric Schmidt.

Google reported earlier this year that women are paid 99.7% of what men make and has already provided the methodology it uses to determine equitable pay that Arjuna is asking for, a Google spokesman said. Last month, three women who worked at Google in recent years filed a class-action lawsuit in San Francisco Superior Court, accusing the company of systematically paying male employees more than their female counterparts. Google has said it disagrees with the lawsuits central allegations and that it has extensive systems in place to ensure fair pay.

Corporate policies and practices on gender issues are the next frontier for investors, said Suzanne Biegel, a senior adviser at the Wharton Social Impact Initiative and founder of Catalyst at Large, a consulting firm that focuses on investing through a gender lens.

Unfortunately, there isnt necessarily a correlation between having women on the board and in the C-suite and having fair policies and practices, Biegel said in an interview.

Investors, meanwhile, still remain focused on getting more women on boards and into senior management. State Street Corp., the $2.6 trillion asset manager, voted against director slates this year at about 400 companies that lacked female board representation. The firms SPDR Gender Diversity exchange-traded fund focuses on companies that have greater gender diversity in senior leadership. BlackRock Inc., the worlds biggest money manager, said it supported eight of nine shareholder proposals on board diversity this year and opposed board members at five companies that failed to address it.

Right Thing

Shareholders are drilling down into the details. The top request from Aflac Inc. investors this year was for more information on gender pay equity policies, said Catherine Blades, a spokeswoman for the insurer. That prompted the company to include a detailed section in its corporate responsibility report for the first time about how it determines equitable pay for employees, she said.

These policies are also quickly becoming an issue that can affect customers willingness to open their wallet, according to Columbus, Georgia-based Aflac.

The insurer, in a June survey of 1,001 consumers and 100 investors, found consumers were less willing to forgive a company for not paying employees equitably than for polluting. Slightly more than half of consumers and 34 percent of investors said paying male and female employees the same amount for the same job was a top priority. Paid leave was a bigger issue for investors, with 59 percent saying they strongly agreed that responsible companies offer paid maternity leave policies, versus 51 percent of consumers.

Investors and the public are moving fast, Blades said. People will go out of their way to penalize companies they dont think are doing the right thing.

Copyright 2022 Bloomberg.

Topics Commercial Lines Business Insurance Google
An emergency medical care provider in Oklahoma has authorized its attorneys to take a liability insurance company to court if needed to force the business to pay a claim aimed at covering legal costs.

Emergency Medical Services Authority has a liability insurance policy with Atlanta-based RSUI Indemnity Co. that covers its directors and officers in the case of losses brought through legal actions, the Tulsa World reported.

The board authorized our attorneys, on EMSAs behalf, to take action up to and including a lawsuit with RSUI to compel them to cover us under the D&O policy, said Kelli Bruer, a spokeswoman with the authority.

Bruer said their coverage is limited to $1 million. She said the authority has tried filing a claim with the company, which she says isnt honoring the coverage.

Legal costs have been an issue for the authority since it was sued earlier this year for allegedly entering into a kickback scheme with a Texas hospital to obtain and keep a profitable public ambulance services contract. Legal defense for the lawsuit and another similar lawsuit has cost the authority about $2 million so far.

The Tulsa City Council denied the authoritys request earlier this month to raise its transport rates to help cover its defense in the lawsuit.

The authority provides ambulance care in Tulsa and the Oklahoma City areas.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Carriers Oklahoma
Houston officials say theyre already thinking about how to build and fund projects that will lessen the blow of the next storm, even as the nations fourth-largest city continues to recover from Harveys devastating floodwaters.

Leaders with the U.S. Conference of Mayors gathered in Houston over the weekend to meet with Mayor Sylvester Turner. They discussed how Houston is working to rebuild and what other communities can learn from its experience.

Turner has said his top two priorities in Houstons recovery are removing the 8 million cubic yards of debris that Harvey left behind and finding permanent housing for the hundreds of Houston-area residents who remain in shelters. Harvey made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane on Aug. 25 and dumped more than 50 inches of rain in some areas around the city after weakening to a tropical storm.

But Turner said Saturday that trying to move forward with various flood mitigation projects  such as widening some of the areas bayous and building detention basins  will also be part of the recovery efforts.

 People are wanting to know, `Do we rebuild where we are? Are things going to be different? he said. One thing we know is there will be another storm.

New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu, the president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, said officials reviewed building codes following his citys massive flooding in 2005 during Hurricane Katrina. The U.S. Conference of Mayors is a nonpartisan organization of cities with populations of 30,000 or more that works on developing national urban policies.

Every one of these storms should force anybody whos been a victim of them to rethink where they are, where they live and how they respond to natural disasters that continue to come and come with more frequency, Landrieu said. If you spend money on the front end on mitigation projects, youll save a lot of money and potential loss of life on the back end.

In the Southeast Texas city of Beaumont, about 2,000 homes were flooded. But the citys mayor, Becky Ames, said that figure would have likely been much higher if not for a $65 million drainage project that runs through the center of town. The project was one of several the city built after Hurricane Ike in 2008.

All of those homes through that whole area would have flooded without a doubt before we did that project. I think that helped immensely, Ames told The Associated Press in an interview on Thursday.

Landrieu said Houston continues to have New Orleans undying gratitude for helping shelter thousands of the Louisiana citys residents who evacuated after Katrina.

I just want the people of Houston to know, as hard as it is, its going to be OK. There is a pathway out of it, Landrieu said.

Related:

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics USA Flood
Some 2,000 people who suffered as a result of the conflict in the east of Ukraine will receive assistance from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the German government to develop self-employment and own business.

According to an Interfax-Ukraine correspondent, the IOM and the German development bank KfW, acting on behalf of the German government, have signed an agreement on the implementation of a two-year project that will help 2,000 people affected by the conflict in eastern Ukraine create or develop new opportunities for self-employment and self-sufficiency.

Chief of Mission at IOM Ukraine Thomas Lothar Weiss said that, according to the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine, there are about 1.6 million internally displaced persons in Ukraine, to whom, in particular, the IOM provides support. About 10,000 people have already received such assistance since the beginning of the conflict. Activities in this direction, according to him, are continuing.

Weiss said the matter concerns the issue of funds for doing business.

"We do not give money to beneficiaries," the IOM official said, noting that they provide instruments and opportunities to create start-ups or support the already existing business.

The matter concerns about EUR 5 million for 24 months. It is planned to conduct business trainings for about 3,000 beneficiaries and support about 2,000 beneficiaries with micro-grants, Weiss said.
Houston Fire Chief Samuel Pena says he already sees where he could have done things differently during Hurricane Harvey, including calling in about 500 extra firefighters, as an internal review of his departments response to the storms floods is underway.

Pena also tells the Houston Chronicle the department needs more boats and high-water rescue vehicles.

The newspaper says its review of internal reports and emails in addition to interviews with firefighters and others found firefighters in late August were hobbled by a lack of resources, old equipment and a shortage of manpower.

Pena defends the response and commends firefighters, who performed 7,000 rescues and answered more than 15,000 calls for help in the storms first five days. But he also acknowledges Harvey exposed shortcomings in the departments fleet and training.

Related:

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
A southwest Mississippi city is trying to get paid for $370,000 its spent cleaning up a building that collapsed July 23.

McComb city attorney Wayne Dowdy tells the Board of Selectmen that the buildings owner and its insurer continue to refuse to turn over details of the insurance company.

The Enterprise-Journal reports that Dowdy calls the refusal highly unusual.

The city has sued building owner Talex Enterprises and Hudson Insurance Co., seeking repayment. Dowdy says the insurer says the city sued the wrong company, but the lawyer says the second company and Hudson have common ownership.

The city claims in its lawsuit that Terrance Alexander, who directed the Jubilee Performing Arts Center, knew before the roof collapsed that it was in danger of falling in. Alexander denies that claim.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Carriers Mississippi
North Carolina legislators are grappling with the growing knowledge that industries have discharged unstudied chemicals into the states waters for years, and that a recent upsurge in concern carries the risk of political blame.

The unregulated chemical GenX that for years poured into the drinking water supply for more than 200,000 people in and around Wilmington might be hazardous, but theres been too little health research to know for sure, state Epidemiologist Dr. Zack Moore told a special state House committee Sept. 28. The chemical known by its Chemours Co. trade name is just one of many compounds insufficiently studied to know how much is safe or how much is floating in waterways, Moore said.

It was never just about GenX, Moore said about concerns that captured public attention this summer.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency lists about 85,000 chemicals used in commerce, but only about 10,000 have been tested for potential risks and just 65 declared toxic pollutants, said Lee Ferguson, a Duke University professor who studies water contamination.

GenX is used to make non-stick coatings like Teflon and other products at a Bladen County plant operated by Chemours about 100 miles (62 kilometers) upstream from Wilmington. The chemical was inadvertently produced as a byproduct of a different chemical process and entered the Cape Fear River, said Sheila Holman, an assistant secretary at the Department of Environmental Quality.

State health officials have said southeastern North Carolina residents who rely on the river can safely drink the locally treated water.

Meanwhile, GenX has been found in residential water wells near the Chemours plant at levels exceeding a state health target. State environmental officials have directed the company to provide bottled water to 19 homes.

A company spokesman did not respond to an emailed question Thursday.

The company has offered little information about the plant employing about 1,000 workers since the controversy erupted in June. But a Charlotte lawyer representing Chemours wrote to the state environmental agencys top attorney earlier this month that the chemical company was being unfairly singled out.

North Carolina law allows various known human carcinogens in drinking water at levels far greater  in some instances thousands of times greater  than the two substances about which DEQ has expressed concern in Chemours effluent, attorney R. Steven DeGeorge wrote ahead of an agreement with state attorneys to turn over internal data. DeGeorge did not respond to calls and emails seeking clarification about his claim.

Whatever the cancer risk GenX and similar chemicals may present, a bigger worry is their potential for damaging human reproductive and immune systems, said David Andrews, a scientist at Environmental Working Group in Washington. The company attorneys blame-shifting also doesnt erase the companys responsibility, Andrews said in an email.

Thursdays hearing came amid similar finger-pointing by politicians.

Democratic Gov. Roy Coopers administration has asked the Republican-led General Assembly for $2.6 million, in part to hire more water quality scientists, permit writers and others to keep tabs on river pollution statewide. Coopers administration said GOP legislators have eliminated at least 70 positions in water quality since 2013.

Legislators instead passed legislation Cooper said weakened environmental protections, but which included $435,000 to help Wilmingtons utility remove GenX at water treatment plants and help university researchers test chemicals in the river and its sediments. Cooper last week vetoed the legislation as inadequate and misguided. Lawmakers are expected to try overriding that veto during a work session in Raleigh next week.

Other politicians are working to lay this problem at the feet of the Republican majority in the General Assembly, said Rep. Jimmy Dixon of Duplin County. Earlier reports of GenX and related chemicals in the states waterways were missed by state officials or brushed aside by politicians when Democrats ran state government, he said.

Greensboro Democratic Rep. Pricey Harrison agreed that did happen.

I will take the blame for that for my party, but I think weve been trying, she said.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Legislation Pollution North Carolina Chemicals
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Breaking AI Stock News: GBT's (OTCPK: GTCH) Facial and Body Recognition Patent Application Received a Notice of Allowance

San Diego, CA - November 9, 2022 (Investorideas.com Newswire) GBT Technologies Inc. (OTC PINK: GTCH) with GBT Tokenize Corp. ("GBT/Tokenize") received a notice of allowance for its facial and body recognition non-provisional patent application.

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New Fashion Designer Launches this Holiday Season in Kelowna and Online; Sweet Dees Creations  Fun, Flirty and Affordable

Kelowna B.C. - November 14, 2022 (Investorideas.com Newswire) A local fashion designer is launching a new women's line at Kelowna markets and online this Holiday Season that will make heads turn with her whimsical and colourful choices

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Breaking EV Stock News: Mullen (NASDAQ: MULN) Enters into Agreement with Newgate Motor Group, one of Ireland's most Recognized Auto Groups, to Distribute the Mullen I-GOTM in Ireland and United Kingdom

BREA, Calif. - November 9, 2022 (Investorideas.com Newswire) Mullen Automotive, Inc. (NASDAQ: MULN), an emerging electric vehicle manufacturer, announces today that it has entered into an agreement to appoint Newgate Motor Group, one of Ireland's most recognized dealership groups, as marketing, sales, distribution and servicing agent for the Mullen I-GO in Ireland and the United Kingdom.

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Breaking AI Stock News: GBT's (OTCPK: GTCH) AI Driven Financial Technology Patent Application Received a Notice of Publication

San Diego, CA - November 3, 2022 (Investorideas.com Newswire) GBT Technologies Inc. (OTC PINK: GTCH) received a notice of publication for its financial software patent application.

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Economy Ministry to set up ad hoc group to increase trade between Ukraine and U.S.

The Ministry of Economic Development and Trade intends to create a working group to increase trade with the United States and organize trade missions for Ukrainian and American business in 2018, Deputy Minister of Economic Development and Trade, Ukraine's Trade Representative Natalia Mykolska has said at a meeting of the Ukrainian-American Council on Trade and Investment.

"We are working to remove barriers in the U.S. market, simplify trade procedures, attract investment to export-oriented sectors in Ukraine and strengthen business contracts to increase the number of export contracts. The priority is also the creation of a working group to identify sectors of trade growth and conducting sectoral trade missions for Ukrainian and American business in 2018," the official said.

First Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine Stepan Kubiv also called on American investors to participate in the program of privatization of state-owned enterprises in Ukraine.
British viewers have expressed their shock at the portrayal of the Famine in Sunday night's episode of Victoria.

The ITV drama focused on the Queen's reaction to the Famine in which a million Irish people were killed and a further two million emigrated.
Victoria Beckham coming to Dublin.

The former spice girl is on tour promoting her collaboration with Estee Lauder, VBx and will be popping by Brown Thomas on Grafton Street tomorrow, Wednesday October 4.

In true VB form, details about the event have been kept pretty mysterious.

She announced the news both on Instagram and Twitter, although the tweet has since been deleted.

VB x Estee Lauder is her second collaboration with the makeup brand and so far has been a hit with fans.

This new #VBxEsteeLauder Eye Duo takes its cue from the powerful, dynamic energy of NYC. Shop now: https://t.co/PjPpM8YlRh @victoriabeckham pic.twitter.com/zHlheyleQL  Estee Lauder (@EsteeLauder) September 25, 2017

Its definitely what we want, what we really really want.
By Ann O'Loughlin

A High Court judge will give his decision this week on whether Ryanair is entitled to certain documents for its legal action against Channel 4 and a production company behind an allegedly defamatory TV programme about the airline.

The Dispatches "Secrets from the Cockpit" programme, broadcast in August 2013, dealt with Ryanair's fuel policy, passenger safety, and pilot working conditions.

Ryanair says it was defamatory because it wrongly meant the airline endangered passenger safety by operating a low fuel policy and by pressuring its pilots to take on as little fuel as possible.

Channel 4 and the programme makers, Blakeway Productions, deny the claims. They say the words complained of were true, an expression of honest opinion, and fair and reasonable publication on matters of public interest.

Ryanair sought court orders that the defendants make further and better discovery of certain documents it needs for its action.

The defendants opposed the application.

The discovery application was heard last June by Mr Justice Charles Meenan who said today he would give his ruling this Thursday.
Final preparations are being made for the inaugural Ireland-New York (INY) Festival, which is being hosted in Limerick.

It runs from this Thursday to October 15.
The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for a pair of suicide bombings in the Syrian capital that killed 17 civilians and policemen.

In yesterday's bombings, two men attacked a police station in Damascus's al-Midan neighbourhood with several bombs, before one of them blew himself up, according to Syria's interior minister, Lieutenant General Mohammad al-Shaar.
Cloud data storage management firm Veritas Technologies said that it has started recruitment for innovation and development roles, from graduates to senior executives as it officially opened its European research and development facility in Dublin.

The Californian company said it will create 250 jobs by 2019, with 190 being filled in the next year.

It said that it wanted to open links with universities across the country to create an internship graduate programme.

Chief executive of IDA Ireland, Martin Shanahan said Veritas joins a prominent list of leading companies creating a foundation in the city.

Veritas said it worked with more than 80% of Fortune 500 companies to store and manage their data.

In Cork, long-time employer PepsiCo has opened a research and development nutrition centre in Little Island, saying 40 jobs would be created.

The food and drinks company, whose products include Pepsi, Gatorade and Frito-Lay crisps, said that 26 roles would be created in its nutrition, fruit and vegetable centre, alongside 14 in the dairy and snacks teams.

PepsiCo, which first opened in Cork in 1974, said operations at Cork have steadily expanded over the last five years. It now employs 770 people in the county.

Senior vice president of the company, Jan Weststrate said the availability of educated talent and access to an innovation ecosystem were key in the decision to expand in Cork.

Also in Cork, Clonakilty Food Companys new 5,000 sq m factory was officially opened in a multi-million euro investment.

The new production facility houses administration offices, new product development facilities and distribution.
To view the broadcast, subscribe to the Interfax-Ukraine channel On Tuesday, October 3, at 12.30, the Interfax-Ukraine News Agency's press center will host a press conference dedicated to the results of a round table meeting entitled "Trade Union Maidan  Getting Rid of Corruption and Reform in Trade Unions Federation of Ukraine." The participants will include Director of the October Palace International Center for Culture and Arts Borys Kholodenko, Chair of Kyiv city branch of the Popular Rukh of Ukraine Petro Hudym, chairman of the NGO 'Ordinary People Protection' Dmytro Pavlychenko (8/5a Reitarska Street). Accreditation is required by phone: (098) 256 3363 (Mykhailo).
Bloomberg reported over the weekend that CRH is nearing agreement to buy Florida-based cement producer Suwannee American Cement from its joint owners  US-based road builder Anderson Columbia and Brazilian cement maker Votorantim Cimentos  for an estimated $750m (640m). Suwannee operates from one plant in Florida with production capacity of around one million tonnes.

While the report suggested talks are at an advanced stage  and that an announcement could be made as early as this week  it said any transaction could be delayed or even collapse.

Down by 3.5% since the turn of the year, CRHs shares fell a further 1.5% in Dublin yesterday. The company made no comment on the deal speculation, but analysts were unsurprised at the talk.

CRH has positioned itself as a natural consolidator of the US cement industry. Therefore, speculation of a further deal comes as no surprise and makes strategic sense with the group set to become a sizeable US cement player. In addition, CRH has plenty of firepower, said Goodbody analyst, Robert Eason.

Davys Robert Gardiner pointed to this deal having the ability to increase CRHs footprint in Florida, where it already operates a cement producing joint venture in Sumterville.

Any deal would generate significant synergies for CRH. The group is heavily exposed to Florida operating businesses near Suwannee such as Preferred Materials. Preferred is a leading supplier of asphalt, concrete and concrete products with 16 asphalt plants and 32 ready-mixed plants in Florida, he said.

Just over a month ago CRH announced the 2.2bn sale of its American distribution division and said it was ready to act further on a strong pipeline of acquisition opportunities having spent 1.2bn on purchases in the first eight months of the year. Last month, CRH agreed to buy US-based Ash Grove Cement for $3.5bn (2.9bn), having previously set a limit of 3bn for its total spend up to 2019.

CRH reduced its debt to just 1.3 times earnings in the first half of this year, and CEO Albert Manifold said the group has balance sheet capacity and was intent on using it.
The company, which is chaired by former Nama senior executive John Mulcahy, aims to sell 550m in shares through a placing next week.

It brings together lands in the Dublin area owned by US fund Oaktree Capital with builder Bridgedale, which was founded by Stephen Garvey almost 15 years ago.

The firm said it will use the proceeds from the sale to buy Bridgedale for 2.6m in shares and to purchase conditionally acquired sites.

The rest of the funds will be used to help purchase additional sites.

The conditionally acquired lands involve 27 sites, 14 of which will be purchased from Oaktree for over 131m, which, it said, could deliver 3,020 homes.

The payment includes a 21m cash payment to buy out a sales interest held by Sisk in a development.

Some 12 sites comprise a cash payment of 44.4m linked to a Project Kells portfolio, and one further site which is owned by Mr Garvey and a development company.

It said it has also identified over 1bn in potential sites it could acquire over the next 12 months, including in west and north Dublin.

Three managers  Mr Mulcahy, Mr Garvey and chief executive Justin Bickle  will benefit from a share-based incentive scheme.

It said aims to maintain consistent and disciplined focus on returns and margins, targeting a return on capital employed of at least 25% (from 2021 onwards) on a group-wide basis and...a gross margin of at least 20% once the company achieves scale.
It comes after it was reported the commission was preparing to issue a so-called non-compliance action as soon as this week. The EU has pushed Ireland to collect the money, which was initially due by January 3.

A spokesman for the department said: The Government is fully committed to ensuring that recovery takes place without delay and have committed significant resources to this matter.

Irish officials are continuing the intensive work to ensure that the State complies with all our recovery obligations as soon as possible, and remain in regular contact with the commission and Apple.

In an order that reverberated across the Atlantic, the commission last year slapped Apple with a multibillion-euro bill, saying Ireland granted unfair deals that reduced the companys effective corporate tax rate.

The commissions competition supremo Margrethe Vestager ruled in August 2016 to the effect the Revenue Commissioners had cut sweetheart deals with Apple, in 1991 and in 2007.

The outcome was that by 2014 Apple was paying as little as 0.005% on its European profits, according to the commissions ruling.

The finding that Ireland had given preferential state aid to Apple rested on two tax rulings for Apple entities incorporated here, Apple Sales International, and Apple Operations Europe.

Apple and Ireland are appealing the decision.

Once it is collected, Irish authorities will place the money in an escrow account pending an appeal. If the appeal  which could take five years  is successful, the money will be returned to Apple. The Government is seeking managers to invest the money while the appeal is going on.

If the commission considers an EU state has failed to implement a recovery order in a state aid case, regulators can sue at the blocs courts in Luxembourg. Judges would then rule on the alleged non-compliance and can issue a fine.

In the Apple case, part of the delay may stem from negotiations over the terms of the escrow account, as Ireland sought an indemnity to make sure it is not liable for any drop in the value of the fund while the case winds its way through the EU courts.

In the end, it was agreed that Ireland and Apple will jointly choose investment managers, a decision which could sidestep the need for a formal indemnity.

The EU is targeting what it views as unfair tax practices that give a selective advantage to some companies to attract their business and the jobs attached. The same team is poised to rule on one of the cases against Amazon and McDonalds shortly, according to reports.

Competition watchdogs are also weighing a more general crackdown on special tax deals that EU countries offer big corporations.

The commission is maybe reaching the end of the beginning of the process, but certainly not the beginning of the end, Gert-Jan Koopman, the authoritys deputy director-general for state aid, said last month.

He called the crackdown a long-term, crucial priority.

Irish Examiner and

Bloomberg
Dublin-based Identigen has signed the five-year contract  which will see it use its DNA-based software to trace all Swiss beef  with Proviande, the umbrella body for Switzerlands beef industry.

Traceability has shifted from being a technical requirement to being a mechanism to underpin brand integrity and industry profitability. This deal demonstrates that DNA identification technology is increasingly scalable and can ensure the integrity of natonal meat brands. To underscore animal welfare, sustainability and ethical production claims, industry and consumers want certainty on where meat is coming from, said Thomas Struckmeyer, head of Identigens Swiss operations.
The Wild Honey Inn in Lisdoonvarna received the accolade in the 2018 Michelin Guide Great Britain and Ireland, published yesterday.

Owned and run by prominent chef Aidan McGrath and his partner Kate Sweeney, the Wild Honey Inn  a Michelin Bib Gourmand holder since 2010  becomes the only newcomer to join an 11-strong list of Michelin Star restaurants in Ireland.

The inn, which has a history that dates from 1860, was refurbished in 2009.

Its food offering places emphasis on the French classical genre, using wild, local produce prepared and served in a refined bistro style.

Other restaurants here that held onto their Michelin Stars from previous years were the two-star Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud and the one-star Chapter One, LEcrivain and The Greenhouse in Dublin city, and Heron & Grey in Blackrock village.

In Galway city, the Aniar and Loam have retained their one-stars. The Mount Juliet Hotel in Kilkenny and House Restaurant at Cliff House Hotel, Ardmore, Waterford, have also kept their one-star.

In Belfast two restaurants  Eipic and Ox  retained their Michelin star status.

Seven newcomers have joined the list of 20 Bib Gourmand recipients in Ireland.

The Bib is a separate award for restaurants that offer good food at more affordable prices.

The new awards were dished out to Bastible in Dublin, Richmond in Portobello, Forest & Marcy in Ranelagh, Craft in Terenure, Morrisseys in Doonbeg, Kai in Galway City and TwoCooks in Sallins.

Others to retain Bib Gourmand status from earlier years are 1826 Adare in Adare, Aldridge Lodge in Duncannon, Bastion in Kinsale, Chart House in Dingle, Copper Hen in Tramore, The Courthouse in Carrickmacross, Sha-Roe Bistro in Clonegal and Giovannelli in Killorglin.

In Dublin city, Delahunt, Etto, Pichet, Pigeon House and Pigs Ear retained their Bib Gourmand status.

In the North, Noble in Holywood was awarded a Bib Gourmand listing for the first time.

This increases to seven the number of Michelin Bib Gourmand establishments in the region.

Belfast-based restaurants Deanes at Queens, Bar and Grill at James Street South and Home have all kept their Bib Gourmand awards, as have Fontance in Holywood, the Old Schoolhouse Inn in Comber and Wine & Brine in Moira.

This years Michelin Guide lists a total of 350 establishments in the Republic and 74 in the North, including many which offer overnight accommodation.

Speaking at its launch, Michelin Guide Great Britain and Ireland editor Rebecca Burr said: Im confident the demand for good food in Ireland, from tourists and locals alike, will see further development of its culinary landscape over the next few years.
Roseann Brennans six-year-old son Jake died in her arms after being knocked down by a car outside his home in Kilkenny in June 2014.

Determined that her sons name and spirit would live on, Ms Brennan founded the campaign group Jakes Legacy to push for strict 30km/h speed limits in residential areas.

International evidence shows that Ireland is falling behind Europe in setting 30km/h speed limits in cities and towns.

Research by the Road Safety Authority has found that more than half of drivers break the speed limit on urban roads.

The RSA used its annual academic road safety lecture in Dublin yesterday to highlight the need for more of the lower speed limits across Ireland.

RSA chief executive, Moyagh Murdock, said Dublin City Council pioneered the roll out of 30km/h limits in Ireland and hoped other local authorities around the country follow their example.

Ms Murdock said 30km/h limits in town and city centres created a safer, healthier, greener, prosperous, quieter and better quality of life for people.

30km/h limits in our towns and cities also means a safer place for our most vulnerable road users such as pedestrians, cyclists and children, she said.

The RSAs speed survey found that 57% of car drivers broke the speed limits on Irish urban roads where it was 60km/h or less. Over half of trucks were also speeding in urban areas.

Ms Brennan has said the difference between 50km/h and 30km/h was a broken leg and a child dying in his mothers arms.

I am glad to see that the RSA recognise that speeding in built-up areas is a problem and that a national conversation on the issue is needed. I have been calling for it for three years and two months now.

After her sons death, Ms Brennan was shocked to discover that local authorities had the power to set speed limits of 30km/h in designated areas but few had done so.

I was asked at my little boys inquest if there was anything wed like to see come of his death and we said a speed limit of 30km/h that was mandatory in all housing estates.

Speakers at the RSA event included Rod King, founder and campaign director of the 20s Plenty for Us, a voluntary organisation established in 2007 that supports communities in Britain wanting to lower speeds in residential areas to 20m/h (30km/h).

Over 15m people live in local authorities in Britain that have implemented 20m/h (30km/h) speed limits in both urban and residential streets.

Its not that speed causes collisions so much as speed not allowing the collision to be avoided or the consequences mitigated, said Mr King.

In the last couple of years, there have been significant moves towards 30km/h becoming the default speed limit in urban areas on the continent.

Grenoble in France has introduced a 30km/h zone covering the entire city. Paris intends having a citywide 30km/h limit by 2020.

The Spanish government wants 30km/h to become the default speed limit on urban roads. Valencia has imposed a 30km/h limit throughout its historic central zone.
Special Rapporteur on Child Protection, Dr Geoffrey Shannon warned of the effects emergency accommodation has on childrens rights.

He referred to part of the 1989 UN Convention on the Rights of the Child where it describes how a child is deeply affected by being housed in emergency accommodation.

Childhood is for a limited period of time and cannot be reclaimed if a child has a sub-optimal experience due to inadequate housing, said Dr Shannon.

The measure of democracy, he said, was how the needs of the most vulnerable are considered and met.

Yet, all too often, children are treated as passive spectators in the debate on adequate housing in Ireland. A childs human rights are seriously affected where a child is placed in emergency accommodation.

Dr Shannon said it was salutary that one in four of the population in Ireland was under 18 years of age.

They are our greatest national resource, he said.

However, access to housing was crucial, and they must get right for every family and every child. We need to imagine a new republic based on equality for all children, he said.

Dr Shannon was speaking at the launch of Cope Galways 2016 report which recorded a 27% increase in families seeking help because of homelessness or the risk of homelessness.

The report also reveals the number of children experiencing homelessness in Galway increased by almost 40%, up from 369 in 2015 to 512 last year.

COPE Galway also supported a further 158 children of women who sought the assistance of its domestic violence services, including refuge, last year.

COPE Galway chief executive, Jacqui Horan said the housing crisis was particularly acute in Galway City and while B & Bs and hotels played a significant role in accommodating families they were not the answer.

Ms Horan appealed to people with flats, apartments or houses that were vacant to make them available to rent to families through COPE Galway.

We, in Galway, can create a better living environment for our most vulnerable children, she said.

Meanwhile, the Simon Communities said its 10th anniversary of Simon Week was an occasion marked by sadness, not celebration, claiming an end to homelessness and housing insecurity had moved out of sight.

National spokesperson for the Simon Communities, Niamh Randall, said they never thought when launching their first Simon Week in 2008 that over 8,000 people would now be trapped in emergency accommodation.

During Simon Week, people will be urged to sign the charitys petition  No One Left Behind  demanding the Government builds more social and affordable housing.
It was in Mexico in the 1890s that Aran Islands-born Tomas O Coincheanainn first learned that his native language could be written down. Travelling the US and Central America as a rubber salesman, he saw an Irish magazine printed in New York and decided to teach himself to read and write it.

He would go on to help others do the same for more than a decade with Conradh na Gaeilge  then a fledgling organisation trying to revive the language at home.
Despite his previous plans to have a political agreement on whether to significantly increase taxpayer investment or introduce an income-contingent student loans scheme, neither is now expected to be announced.

A year ago, Mr Brutons spokesperson said a cross-party recommendation on long-term funding solutions would be expected in time for him to bring a plan to the Cabinet in time for Budget 2018.

The Oireachtas education committee was asked to find this consensus based on options in the July 2016 Cassells report on higher education funding.

However, a week ahead of the Budget, the committee has not reached agreement and Fianna Fail is pushing instead for a further 110m to be invested next year.

Although the main opposition party has not ruled out some form of a study now, pay later system as part of the solution, education spokesman Thomas Byrne TD said it has not been convinced that a loan scheme could work.

Nobody has made the case that it can work financially, either for the State or for the universities and colleges, he said.

While this does not firmly rule out agreeing to such a system in the future, the absence of political agreement leaves the higher education sector facing another year of uncertainty about the long-term future, with universities estimating at least 70m is needed in 2018 just to keep up with rising student numbers and associated grant costs.

The Cassells report concluded an extra 600m a year should be invested by 2021 and 1bn more by 2030.

Mr Bruton announced in budget 2017 a year ago that he had secured 160m extra over three years, of which 36m was added this year.

Mr Byrne said this was inadequate, and FF is seeking an extra 44m directly from exchequer funding for 2018, as well as 65m that Mr Bruton claims could be raised by a proposal to begin raising what employers pay into the National Training Fund.
Illegal armed groups have violated the ceasefire 17 times since the beginning of the day, the press center of the anti-terrorist operation (ATO) headquarters has reported on Facebook.

According to the report, taking into account the life-threatening situation, ATO soldiers returned fire 12 times. Ukrainian Armed Forces servicemen were not killed or injured in the fighting.

"The past day in the ATO area ended with an increase in the number of militant attacks on Ukrainian positions in the Donetsk sector. Last evening, pro-Russian mercenaries fired for more than three hours from various types of grenade launchers, heavy machine guns and small arms at the southeastern outskirts of Avdiyivka," reads the report.

In addition, in the Donetsk sector, militants fired twice from IFVs at Ukrainian fortified positions near Zaitseve, and the defenders of Mayorsk and Nevelske came under enemy fire at night.

In the Luhansk sector, at around 18.00, militants used grenade launchers and small arms on the outskirts of the village of Donets, as well as an 82mm mortar not far from Krymske.

The ceasefire was observed in the Mariupol sector after 18.00.
Anyone objecting to the proposed farm of up to 18 acres of solar panels on the outskirts of Enniskeane is asked to give their objections to the group of residents opposing the plan, and as quickly as possible.

We are seeking submissions from local householders against the proposed solar farm. These objections will be collated into a formal objection which will then be submitted to Cork County Council, said Donal Shorten, spokesman for the residents group.
If you were to accidentally end up on the receiving end of a punch from Harrison Ford, you might get a glass of Scotch in compensation. Not a bottle, just a glass. It was probably your own fault anyway.

That is a lesson Ryan Gosling learned the hard way on the set of the long-anticipated and top-secret sequel to Blade Runner, which is being released in cinemas 35 years after the original hit screened.

The film sees Ford reprise his role of Rick Deckard, while Gosling joins him as new character Agent K, alongside a slew of other stars including Robin Wright, Jared Leto and Dave Bautista, while Arrival film-maker Denis Villeneuve takes over the directing reins from Ridley Scott, who serves as executive producer.

The unlikely double act of Ford and Gosling have been taking their show on the road of late as they promote the movie, and seem happy and comfortable in each others

presence  all just acting, Gosling jokes.

Ford, who often does not hide his lack of enthusiasm for hitting the publicity trail, adds: This could be torture, but its been fun working with him.

Blade Runner 2049 features an older Deckard and also an older Ford  now the ripe old age of 75  but that has not stopped him getting stuck into the action component of the sequel.

Maybe my eyesight is not as sharp, he muses, as he sits next to his younger co-star in a

London hotel room.

I did clip him one time in a scene where we had a little unplanned physical contact, lets just put it that way, and walk on by. I apologise.

Gosling, 36, isnt buying any of it. Trust me, hes just as agile, its all up to snuff, he stresses.

I took a bottle of Scotch over to his trailer, Ford continues, and I said Now listen, I really am sorry. He said Am I going to get any of that? and I said yes and poured him a glass and took the bottle. I think hes still looking for the rest of the bottle.

It was good Scotch. The thought was there, it was a sincere apology.

Clearly with Ford, you get what youre given. I never heard of getting a glass as a present. Is that a thing? Gosling asks.

What do you get at Christmas? I send glasses. I can make a bottle last a long time, the older actor chuckles.

To add insult to injury, he adds: It was an accident, it was his accident, not mine.

Inadvertent punches aside, the pair make a merry double act off screen, riffing off each others dry sense of humour and cracking jokes only the other seems to be in on.

When Gosling receives a compliment for the cosy jumper hes wearing to block out the autumnal chill of the capital, Ford says drily: What about me?

It was Ford himself who thought Gosling would be perfect for the role as the mysterious agent.

So did everybody else, he stresses. When I read the little novella that Ridley and Hampton Fancher (the co-screenwriter of both the original movie and the sequel) had developed to serve as an exercise before the script was written, which is all I knew about the project, I saw and read about this character Agent K and I thought that would be a great part for Ryan Gosling.

So with great enthusiasm I proposed this idea to the producers and they said We know, weve been talking to him for months. We hope we can get him, and we got him.

Was he a bit miffed his thunder was stolen?

I was really pleased we were all on the same page because thats a really important part of the recipe for this movie.

Its clear Gosling is thrilled by this compliment from the veteran star but jokes: Little did he know I was sneaking head shots of myself into his day-to-day subconscious, in the newspapers, I rented a billboard by his house for a few months.

But while Ford pegged Gosling for the role, Gosling had no idea what it would be like to work with the star of Indiana Jones, Star Wars and, of course, Blade Runner.

He exceeded my expectations, he enthuses. Show me someone who is not a fan and I will show you a liar, but we had high expectations obviously, but then when he got to set it was a relief because he just turned out to be the best collaborator.

Looking over at Ford, he asks: Are you comfortable with that?

Without missing a beat, Ford replies: Its a start.

Ill work on it, is the reply.

Ford might be an old hand at blade running, but he insists he didnt try to offer any advice to his co-star, or even discuss the matter with him.

No, no. First of all there is a director doing any of the talking that needs to be done and its better. I prefer just to throw myself into the water and find out the temperature rather than say Oh, its too cold, Im not going in there, or Its too hot, somebody help me out here.

Hes really fun to work with on a visceral level.

Gosling adds: Its the same job but there are a lot of differences in the new film so it was fun to explore those differences in the scenes.
In Ireland, the authority with responsibility for passenger rights is the Commission for Aviation Regulation (CAR). Spokesperson Michael Dowling said it has had a busy fortnight since the story broke.

It has a website providing information to passengers, flightrights.ie, and has made a number of updates specifically aimed at those affected by the Ryanair cancellations.

The first thing for anyone affected is to contact the airline, said Mr Dowling. There are two separate elements: expenses claims and compensation claims. We have put two links up on our site.

If a flight is cancelled, an air carrier must offer passengers the choice between rerouting as close as possible to the original departure time, rerouting at a later date, or a refund. Depending on the amount of notice and the option the passenger chooses, they may also be entitled to compensation. Customers must give the airline time to address their issue before taking it further.

In cases like this the first step is to claim from the airline. If they dont get a satisfactory response from the airline or they dont get any response, then they contact the enforcing body in the country where the cancelled flight was due to depart from.

What this means is CAR can only deal with airlines in relation to flights due to leave Ireland, although it has made efforts to assist Irish people with flights taking off from further afield. There is an equivalent authority for every EU country, but we have put links up in our news piece for the relevant ones for the specific Ryanair issue, said Mr Dowling.

Ryanair has been dealing with customers, how long should passengers wait on a response in general? Mr Dowling said: There is no specific timeframe in the regulations but there is a kind of non-binding agreement that airlines will respond in six weeks. So generally we would say that if you havent heard anything after six weeks, to think about escalating it.

To complicate matters, some bodies take a different view. The airport most affected by the initial Ryanair cancellations was London Stansted. Mr Dowling explained that the UK has a slightly different process.

They have a system called Alternative Dispute Resolution, where the civil aviation authorities have nominated specific companies to deal with disputes on their behalf. UK Ryanair cases are dealt with by a body called Aviation ADR, who wont take the case unless you have given Ryanair eight weeks to respond or are unhappy with the response.

Irish passengers can contact the company at www.aviationadr.org.uk.

In general, if you find yourself in a position where you cannot immediately apply for a refund or compensation, there is no need to panic. In Ireland and the EU, passengers have up to six years to apply.

Mr Dowling said the questions the CAR is answering now should serve as a caution for passengers who run into difficulty in the future.

The queries we are getting now relate to people who travelled back with different airlines and people who have prepaid hotel expenses abroad, about whether or not they can claim those back, he said. And in most cases they cant.

While Ryanair may choose to take care of some customer costs in this case, passengers should never presume their chosen airline will do this. The big piece of advice we give people is, where at all possible, stick with the same air carrier, said Mr Dowling. Once you stick with the same air carrier and they reroute you, they are then liable to provide you with food and accommodation until you eventually get away, and food and transfers, etc. If they are giving you a flight in, say, three days and you decide you cant take it and fly with a different airline, you essentially cut your ties with the carrier and you are on your own. The only thing you will get back will be the refund and possibly compensation on top of that, if they havent given you two weeks notice.

Deal of the week

Yes, it is a little early to be talking about Halloween but at least it stops us and the shops mentioning the dreaded C-word for another few weeks.

If you have a little (or not so little) monster to kit out for trick-or-treating, you can get sorted this week at Aldi.

The retailer has a whole range of costumes, for both adults and children, available from Thursday, October 5.

Childrens outfits are 4.99 and come in seven different designs. Depending on age, children can dress as pirates, zombies, skeletons, witches, a prom queen or the grim reaper. Smaller children can be dressed as pumpkins for the occasion.

For 9.99, adults can also dress up, as either skeletons, witches or mermaids.

There are t-shirts for 7.99, for those who dont want to go the whole hog and masks from 3.99.

Spooky partyware, lights and decorations go on sale at the same time, priced from 99c up to 9.99.
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Illegal armed groups have fired twice at the positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in Donbas since the beginning of the day on October 3, injuring two Ukrainian servicemen, spokesman for the press center of the anti-terrorist operation (ATO) headquarters Anatoliy Stelmakh has said.

"Our positions have come under fire twice since the beginning of the day. This is the Avdiyivka industrial zone where the enemy used large-caliber machine guns and small arms. At about 01.00, the enemy opened fire from grenade launchers near Hnutove. Our military returned fire from grenade launchers. Two of our servicemen were injured as a result of this confrontation today," he told the 112 Ukraine television channel on Tuesday.

According to him, reports on civilian casualties during yesterday's shelling of residential areas are being specified.

Earlier on Tuesday, a report by the press center of the ATO headquarters said that illegal armed groups had violated the ceasefire 17 times since the beginning of the day, on October 3, and that there were no losses among Ukrainian troops.
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Ukraine's First Deputy Parliament Speaker and representative of the Minsk Trilateral Contract Group's humanitarian subgroup Iryna Gerashchenko has said she will ask the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to provide information about Russian representatives included in the OSCE's Special Monitoring Mission in Donbas.

"We respectfully acknowledge the work of the OSCE's SMM and its important mission to restore peace in Donbas But we will in the future closely monitor the composition of the SMM and promote the independence of [SMM] observers. Today my deputy colleagues and I are preparing an official request to the OSCE to provide official information about the monthly and yearly composition of the SMM group, starting with Russia. Even our diplomats don't have this information," Gerashchenko said on her Facebook page on Tuesday.

The MP said the issue had been raised previously at political and diplomatic meetings.

"When the mission started there were 20, and as of January 2017 there were 39. That means the number [of Russian citizens] doubled And since January 2017 their number has decreased from 39 to 35, but not from 35 to 20," she said.

Gerashchenko said the OSCE mission to Donbas was comprised of 511 observers, but "during the 'hottest' days in 2015 the number significantly increased," something Ukraine is thankful for. Even though the majority of observers are from European Union countries, the U.S. and Canada, Gerashchenko said the number of Belarusian citizens in the OSCE's SMM increased from one to eight. Belarus is a Russian ally. Gerashchenko added that the number of Serbian monitors increased from one to nine.

"There were 16 citizens of Kyrgyzstan in the mission in January, and nine from countries from former Soviet republics," Gerashchenko said.

"Millions of Ukrainians ask the question why representatives of the aggressor state [Russia] are part of the mission. ...There are indeed observers from 44 countries, but with the exception of Russia, none of these countries attacked Ukraine, killed its citizens, took them hostage, stole our territory, factories and inflicted bodily harm on our citizens Therefore, we will pay special attention to Russian citizens in the mission from now on," she said.

As earlier reported, Gerashchenko said on October 2 that the number of Russian representatives and representatives from countries allied with Russia increased significantly in the OSCE's SMM.

The OSCE's SMM the same day said the number of Russian observers decreased last year.

"OSCE SMM monitors are drawn from 44 OSCE participating States, one of which is the Russian Federation, which contributes 35 monitors (39 a year ago). The majority of SMM monitors come from European Union Member States (339 monitors). In addition, 373 Ukrainian staff work for the Mission," the OSCE's SMM said Monday on its Facebook page.
Local Dems sweep; town rejects pot Every Democrat on the local ballot won their race Tuesday, including Jamestown resident Peter Neronhas re-election as the states top prosecutor, and local voters followed suit with the statewide trend...

Voters rebuff allowing retail pot sales in shops By a margin of 157 votes, the electorate decided Tuesday not to allow local businesses to cultivate, manufacture, test or sell recreational marijuana in Jamestown. The referendum to allow the...

School board agrees to contract with North Kingstown Jamestown students entering high school can continue to choose North Kingstown as their destination for grades 9-12. We are pleased to continue this historic partnership, said Ken Duva, superintendent of...
Head of the Ukrainian Prosecutor General's Office (PGO) Yuriy Lutsenko has asked the president to increase the number of judges in Ukraine's regional centers so that before the creation and functioning of an anti-corruption court there will be an opportunity to try criminal corruption cases.

"We are convinced that a High Anti-corruption Court will be created by constitutional means by the High Council of Justice after conducting the relevant competitions and interviews with non-governmental organizations," Lutsenko said on Tuesday during a briefing in Kharkiv.

The PGO chief said he is convinced an anti-corruption court should be formed not only in Kyiv and not only for cases investigated by the National Anti-corruption Bureau of Ukraine.

"All 4,000 cases involving criminal corruption which are in the courts today must be reviewed by the anti-corruption court," Lutsenko said, adding that the anti-corruption court should be created in each region. He said the appeals court should be created in Kyiv and a chamber of the Supreme Court should perform the appeals function.

"This process obviously will take a year to a year and a half We don't have time to wait to create these institutions. We must increase the number of new judges, who can hear these 4,000 corruption cases," Lutsenko said.

"I have appealed to the president over the past several days to exercise his constitutional authority by year's end and increase the number of judges in all regional center courts in order to accelerate adjudication of corruption cases," Lutsenko said.
About $10 million were withdrawn through fictitious companies to National Science Center Kharkiv Institute of Physics and Technology during the construction of the Neutron Source nuclear facility, Ukrainian Prosecutor General Yuriy Lutsenko has said.

"Now the investigators believe that about $10 million were withdrawn through fictitious companies," Lutsenko said at a briefing in Kharkiv.

"As soon as the trials that have to legally establish the fact of fictitiousness of certain companies are completed, we will be able to indict those persons who signed the relevant accounting documents, and also pushed accountants to certain actions," the prosecutor general added.

He explained that, according to the investigation, the money was withdrawn through five contracting firms with the signs of fictitiousness.

"Now we are talking about fictitious contractors, then we will talk with the leadership of Kharkiv Institute of Physics and Technology. The documents [from the institute] have already been seized," Lutsenko noted.
International humanitarian missions should be immediately granted access to Donbas territories outside Ukrainian authorities' control, Iryna Gerashchenko, the First Deputy Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada and Kyiv envoy to the Trilateral Contact Group's humanitarian subgroup, said.

"Occupied Donbas remains completely closed for international humanitarian missions, though about 70 so-called 'humanitarian convoys' from Russia have broken in there over the past three years. Ukraine demands immediate access to occupied territories [to be provided] to international humanitarian missions," Gerashchenko wrote on her Facebook page on Tuesday following a joint meeting between parliamentary foreign affairs committee chair Anna Hopko and coordinators of EU humanitarian projects.

The humanitarian and environmental situation in the anti-terrorist operation (ATO) zone remains complicated; resettlers primarily demand their problems with housing and jobs be resolved, "and precisely in these domains we need the most substantive support from our partners," she said.

"Together with colleagues, the head of the EU Delegation to Ukraine, Hugues Mingarelli, has talked about the EU Joint Humanitarian-Development Framework, which envisions the implementation of comprehensive measures of assistance to civilians who were affected on both sides of the line of disengagement. We are planning issue invitations to European colleagues in November for an informal parliamentary Minsk platform so that deputies can join a discussion on the EU joint humanitarian plan," Gerashchenko said.

Furthermore, European partners said that without stabilization of the security situation in Donbas, "without a lasting peace and observance of the ceasefire," the humanitarian situation in the region will remain complicated, she said.

The EU humanitarian development plan, aimed at implementing humanitarian and infrastructure projects to support those affected in the crisis in Donbas, was discussed at the meeting, Gerashchenko said.
Another mass shooting with assault rifles in the United States has been followed by an initial surge in the share price of gun manufacturers.

This time, the death of dozens of people at a country music concert in Las Vegas on Sunday night sent the share prices of Sturm, Ruger & Co. up as much at 6.6 percent during trading Monday. American Outdoor Brands Corp. rose as much as 8.1 percent.

Ruger finished trading 3.48 percent higher, or by $1.80, to $53.50. American Outdoor was up 3.21 percent, or by $0.49, to $15.74.

Ruger has at last count 315 employees at its Mayodan production plant.

Analysts say high-profile shootings, such as in Orlando, Fla., Colorado and Connecticut, tend to push gun sales, either for individuals wanting weapons out of fear of personal safety or because they worry about potential federal tightening of gun ownership.

The day after the Orlando mass killings, Rugers share price jumped 8.5 percent.

However, the likelihood of such tightening is slim given the Trump administrations preference for relaxing or ending federal regulations.

For example, the administrations announcement on Sept. 20 that it was considering easing federal gun export laws also caused a mini surge in the manufacturers share price that day.

Bowman Gray IV, an independent local stock broker, said he was not surprised by the share price surge.

It happened after Sandy Hook and Orlando and San Bernardino as well, Gray said. Anytime there is even a hint of a possibility that there may be new restrictive legislation, people flock to the gun stores.

It is a very popular political tactic of fear to convince people that someone is coming to take their guns. Its also good for gun sales.

The debate will rage and nothing will change.

Before Donald Trumps victory in November, pro-gun advocates had expressed concern that Democratic challenger Hillary Clinton would continue President Barack Obamas push to close loopholes on gun purchases and background checks through Congress and possibly through future appointments to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Investment expert Louis Navellier, chairman of Navellier Associates, has said Obama is the best gun salesman on the planet.

The day after Trumps victory, Rugers share price dropped 17 percent from $66.50 to $54.50.

Michael Fifer, Rugers chief executive, said on Nov. 1 that I have no doubt about it, the makeup of the Supreme Court is on the ballot this November, and therefore, the Second Amendment is also firmly on the ballot. Fifer has since retired as chief executive.

Ruger went all in during the presidential campaign with its support of the National Rifle Associations legislative agenda, pledging to provide up to $5 million that included donations from guns sold through the November general election.

John Divine, assistant editor of U.S. News & World Report, has addressed the share price reaction of investors in his report titled The Moral Problem with Gun Stocks Rallying After Mass Shootings.

The sad reality is that the most profitable scenario thats also realistic for Ruger and American Outdoor shareholders is the current environment, Divine said.

Guns that can kill or injure hundreds of Americans in a matter of minutes remain legal, but every now and then theres an over-hyped yet halfhearted debate about more serious gun control that sparks a short-term surge in sales.

Zagros Madjd-Sadjadi, an economics professor at Winston-Salem State University, said that the share price increase is most liklely caused by a belief that there will be more individuals who will wish to carry guns for personal protection reasons in the aftermath of this tragedy.

With little chance of any gun control legislation emanating from this Congress, there is only financial upside to this tragedy with respect to the gun industry.

Therefore, shares are rising based on the expectation of future sales, which will increase profitability for the firearm manufacturers, Madjd-Sadjadi said.
A man armed with a silver handgun robbed the Village Tavern restaurant on Monday night, according to a release from the Winston Salem Police Department.

Officers responded to the restaurant at 221 Reynolda Village shortly before 11 p.m.

Workers there told them that an armed man wearing a black mask and hoodie entered the restaurant and demanded money.

The man obtained an undisclosed amount of cash before fleeing on foot. He was last seen running toward Reynolda Road.

Anyone with information regarding this crime is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 336-727-2800.
Over 26,000 contracts have been signed with the Ukrainian Armed Forces since the beginning of 2017, and the priority list includes the provision of the personnel of artillery depots with servicemen on contracts, the head of the main personnel department and deputy head of the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Artur Artemenko, has said.

"More than 26,000 contracts have been signed with the Armed Forces since the beginning of the year," he said at a briefing in Kyiv on Tuesday, adding that contracts were concluded with 1,800 officers.

According to him, there is a priority demand for posts in the Ukrainian Airmobile Forces and posts in the crews of fighting vehicles. At the same time, in view of the recent emergency situations at ammunition depots, the priority is also ensuring the personnel of the military units of artillery depots.

On September 19, Ukrainian Defense Minister Stepan Poltorak signed order No. 484 on sending into the reserve servicemen of fixed-term military service in October-December 2017. On September 20, the Cabinet of Ministers set the number of Ukrainian citizens subject to conscription for fixed-term military service in October-November 2017 at 10,460 people and allocated UAH 34.4 million for these purposes.
On Tuesday, the Supreme Court will hear arguments tempting it to plunge into an impenetrable political thicket. It will consider a lower court's ruling that, if allowed to stand, will require the judiciary to determine whether and when partisanship in drawing electoral districts -- something as old as the Constitution -- is unconstitutional. And courts will wrestle repeatedly with cases requiring them to decide how to decide how much partisanship is too much.

It is instructive that the phrase "partisan gerrymandering" -- the drawing of district lines by one party to disadvantage the other -- is a redundancy. It has been since 1812, when Massachusetts Democratic-Republicans, serving Gov. Elbridge Gerry, created a district resembling a salamander. By then, the practice was old hat for New York, which had been hard at it since 1788, the year the Constitution was ratified.

The practice has recently become hotly disputed. This is partly because Republicans control 66 of 98 partisan state legislative chambers, and both the legislatures and governorships of 26 states. (A challenge to Maryland's redistricting by Democrats is percolating in the judicial system.) And it is partly because some members of the political science professoriate, which is as ideologically monochromic as academia generally, are inventing metrics that supposedly provide objective standards for identifying partisanship that is unconstitutionally excessive.

For several decades, federal courts produced redistricting plans for Wisconsin after decennial censuses because the legislature could not agree on any. In 2010, however, Republicans won control of both houses of the legislature and the governorship and produced a redistricting plan. In 2012, they won 60 of the 99 state Assembly seats with 48.6 percent of the statewide vote, and in 2014 they won 63 seats with 52 percent of the vote. However, under the court-devised plan in the previous decade, in five elections the Republicans won an average of 55.2 seats with an average of 49.1 percent of the statewide vote. This is partly because under requirements of the Voting Rights Act, Milwaukee's "majority-minority" districts were protected. And it is partly because Democratic voters, in Wisconsin and nationally, are inefficiently distributed, disproportionately concentrated in cities and college towns, such as Milwaukee and Madison. This is why in 2012, Barack Obama carried 27 congressional districts with at least 80 percent of the vote, whereas Mitt Romney carried only one that lopsidedly.

The 12 plaintiffs against the Republican plan have three problems, each fatal. First, they are contesting the entire statewide plan rather than their individual districts. So, they are asking the court to change its traditional standards for "standing" to sue, which require persons to demonstrate a "particularized injury" -- in this case, that the configurations of their individual districts somehow unconstitutionally devalue their votes. The lead plaintiff is a retired University of Wisconsin professor whose Assembly district in Madison has voted Democratic by an average of 67.2 percent in the last five elections. This does not sadden him. What does -- his supposed injury -- is that the statewide plan diminishes his chances of enjoying a Democratic majority in the Assembly.

Second, until 31 years ago, the court held that the inevitable political component of redistricting plans is a non-justiciable "political question" properly consigned to the political (elected) branches. In 1986, the court said a political gerrymander could conceivably be justiciable, but it has never discovered what Justice Anthony Kennedy terms "a manageable standard."

Third, the plaintiffs want the court to plunge the judiciary into unending litigation involving dueling professors who will cherry-pick concocted metrics to serve as standards. Tuesday's arguments will illustrate why Wisconsin warns about a "social science hodgepodge." Plaintiffs will argue that an "efficiency gap" (the difference between all the loser's votes and the surplus of votes in excess of those the winner needed for victory divided by the total number of votes cast) that exceeds 7 percent -- a figure plucked from the ether -- is presumptively unconstitutional. By this metric, one-third of all legislative redistricting maps in 41 states over 43 years were impermissibly partisan.

Using partisan social science, the plaintiffs are asking the court to find in the Constitution a hitherto unnoticed requirement for proportional representation. Justice Felix Frankfurter perhaps anticipated this.

When in 1962 the court first intervened in states' redistricting practices, it propounded only the simple and neutral principle of "one person, one vote" -- districts must be numerically equal. Nevertheless, Frankfurter dissented, having warned in 1946 against even entering "this political thicket." He worried that someday the court might be drawn ever-deeper into the fraught business of fine-tuning political processes. Unless the court is careful, that someday could arrive Tuesday.

The Washington Post
Members of Congress send thoughts and prayers to Las Vegas. The Onion, a satire site, posts: NRA Says Mass Shootings Just The Unfortunate Price Of Protecting Peoples Freedom To Commit Mass Shootings and No Way To Prevent This, Says Only Nation Where This Regularly Happens.

Guns are big business. This year theyve looked to keep shooters eardrums safe, through the sale of silencers. Who cares that some students at the Virginia Tech shooting in 2007 credited hearing the shots fired with keeping them at a safe distance?

Mass shootings are good for business. On the Monday following the deadliest mass shooting in modern American history, it was quickly reported that: Shares of Sturm Ruger (RGR) were up 4%, while American Outdoor Brands (AOBC), the company formerly known as Smith & Wesson, gained more than 3%. A company named Olin (OLN), which owns the Winchester brand of ammunition, rose 6% to an all-time high. Guns are highly profitable, and our representatives have been bought and paid for by special interests like the National Rifle Association and the businesses Congress is entrusted with regulating. A year ago the Washington Post reported, Since 1998, the National Rifle Association has donated $3,781,803 to current members of Congress.

There are so many headlines like the in current Newsweek, Congress Has Basically Done Nothing On Gun Control Since Sandy Hook Shooting, and they tell stories of polarized politics and a failure to act. Even in the areas of huge public support (89 percent), like broad agreement on policies to ensure responsible gun ownership, nothing happens, were going about it wrong. What can we do with this apparently endless cycle of tragedy? The endemic problem of gun violence is real, but hope need not be lost.

Fred Rogers, famous for his role as Mr. Rogers, has shared the advice his mother gave him. As a boy, when he would see scary things on the news, My mother would say to me, Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping. To this day, especially in times of disaster, I remember my mothers words, and I am always comforted by realizing that there are still so many helpers  so many caring people in this world.

Conditions are grim, but they are not hopeless. With the shooting in Las Vegas, just like the others, there are always more people doing good than than the person/people doing bad. Countless people putting themselves in harms way, sometimes as literal shields. Never forget, the good outnumber the bad.

Oct. 2 also served as the 148th anniversary of the birth of Mohandas K. Gandhi, and we can look to his wisdom. In a gentle way, you can shake the world, and Power is of two kinds. One is obtained by the fear of punishment and the other by acts of love. Power based on love is a thousand times more effective and permanent then the one derived from fear of punishment.

When we focus on love, like the kind Mother Teresa is credited with: We can do no great things - only small things with great love, we focus on what we can do.

Do not forget the strength of truth. On Sept. 11, 1906, Gandhi introduced the world to satyagraha, truth-force or soul-force. He opposed a law discriminating against Asians that was passed by the British colonial government of the Transvaal in South Africa. Gandhis campaign forced an end to that law, and Gandhis teaching show us how we can nonviolently change the world. We see we see many more cases of nonviolence working, from civil rights and bus boycotts in the U.S. to resisting the Nazis in WWII Europe to Gandhis successful campaign in Africa and his Salt Marches in India.

Its true, citizens are 20 times more likely to die of gun violence than those of other developed nations, but its also true that we can change the world if we truly commit to it. Like Willy Wonka says: If you want to view paradise, simply look around and view it. Anything you want to, do it; want to change the world... there's nothing to it.

Wim Laven, syndicated by PeaceVoice, worked on reconstruction in Sri Lanka after the 2004 tsunami and is an instructor in International Conflict Management at Kennesaw State University.
Facilitation of visa regime for health tourists could increase their flow to Ukraine by 10% - expert

KYIV. Oct 3 (Interfax-Ukraine)  The facilitation of the visa regime, in particular the reduction of terms of considering visas for health tourists by embassies, could increase their inflow to Ukraine by 10%, President of the Ukrainian Association of Medical Tourism Violetta Yanyshevska has said.

"The number of health tourists in Ukraine could grow by 10% if we relax the visa procedure. If we create favorable conditions in other factors, the flow could increase several-fold," she said at a press conference at Interfax-Ukraine on Monday.

She said that the number of health tourists entering Ukraine in 2016 was around 55,000 patients, including citizens of Israel, Italy, Spain, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Georgia and Azerbaijan. Mainly foreign patients travel to Ukraine to receive rehabilitation and dentists' services, plastic surgery, cell therapy, cardiovascular surgeries and treat ophthalmic diseases.
The US Supreme Court [official website] will hear oral arguments today in Gill v. Whitford [docket], a case directly challenging the constitutionality of Wisconsins congressional districts with broad implications for the limits of political gerrymandering nationwide.

The Court will address both procedural and substantive [questions presented, PDF] issues in this case. As a preliminary matter, the Court must determine whether the district court had the authority to hear a statewide challenge to Wisconsins redistricting plan, as opposed to hearing the case district by district. Substantively, the sides agree that Wisconsins redistricting plan is typical of traditional redistricting plans. Thus, a ruling against Wisconsin will represent a significant change in the law and require state legislatures to reevaluate how they carry out redistricting.

The Court must also address, once again, whether or not partisan gerrymandering claims are justiciable (or capable of being resolved by the judiciary). In 1986, the Court ruled in Davis v. Bandemer [opinion] that political gerrymandering was justiciable, but a majority could not agree on a standard by which to assess political gerrymandering claims. Then, in 2004s Veith v. Jubelirer [opinion], a plurality of the Court led by Justice Scalia sought to overrule Davis, arguing that the lack of manageable standards makes these claims nonjusticiable. The Court will address this question again.

Finally, provided a majority can agree on the justiciability question, the Court must resolve what standard lower courts are to employ in trying political redistricting cases. The district court appeared to draw its test from the plurality in Davis, but a majority on the Court has yet to endorse a test or standard for these cases. In Veith, the conservative and liberal justices split evenly. Justice Kennedy straddled the middle by concurring in the judgment, while refusing to foreclose all possibility of judicial relief if an appropriate standard could be identified.

Well share audio and the transcript as soon as possible.

UPDATE (4:03 PM EDT): The transcript is now available.
The Atlanta City Council [official site] on Monday unanimously approved an ordinance [text] decriminalizing the possession of small amounts of marijuana within the city limits. Following the path of other cities[JURIST report], the council approved, by a 15-0 vote, Ordinance 17-O-1152 to make the possession of less than an ounce of marijuana a non-jailable offense that results in a fine of seventy five dollars without the possibility of incarceration.

The ordinance was spearheaded by Mayoral candidate Kwanza Hall [campaign site] who sponsored the measure due to racial disparities and inequalities [press release] among those imprisoned due to simple possession.

Under the present law, those found guilty of possession would face a fine up to one thousand dollars and a period of up to six months in prison. The new ordinance limits the applicable punishment:

It shall be unlawful for any person to possess one ounce or less of marijuana within the corporate limits of the city. Any person found guilty of violating this section shall be punished by a fine not exceeding $75.00, and shall not be punished by imprisonment for any term.

The ordinance will now go to Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed [official website] for signature, but will become law due to the unanimous approval. The ordinance only regulates conduct within the city limits and does not preclude simple possession from being used as probable cause for criminal investigation purposes.
Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny, was convicted and sentenced [RT report] by a Moscow court to 20 days in jail on Monday after for calling on his supporters to join him in an unauthorized rally in Nizhny Novgorod. Russian officials claim that the planned rally is one among many of Navalnys repeated violations [NYT report] of the law concerning public demonstrations, including a 30-day prison term handed down in July and a 15 day sentence [JURIST reports] in 2015.

Navalny was one of the primary protest leaders during the demonstrations that followed Putins 2012 election as president. He was also a noted whistleblower in a series of corruption scandals involving government-run companies. Russian government officials have previously declared Navalny ineligible to run for election in 2018 because he is still serving a suspended sentence for fraud, a felony conviction that prohibits anyone convicted of the offense from holding high office.

Notably, the 20-day jail sentence is long enough to force Navalny to miss a major rally he scheduled for Saturday. Calling the sentencing a planned birthday present for Putin [WP report], whose birthday falls on Saturday, Navalny claimed that the ruling was politically motivated, and pledged to run for the election regardless. Navalny is planning to hold rallies across Russias 11 time zones, from Arkhangelsk in the north to Vladivostok in the Far East, while Navalnys supporters are planning to move forward with the rally on Saturday, and use the rally as a platform to protest the court ruling.
The Supreme Court began the October 2017 term with oral arguments [day call, PDF] in two cases, one concerning employment dispute arbitration and the other concerning criminal-removal in immigration proceedings.

The first, Epic Systems Corp. v. Lewis [SCOTUSblog materials; transcript], questions the applicability and scope of two federal statutes: the Federal Arbitration Act (FAA) [text, PDF] and the Nation Labor Relations Act (NLRA) [text]. The question is whether arbitration agreements in employment contracts are valid, irrevocable, and enforceable [SCOTUS Blog] under the FAA, notwithstanding the NLRA.

Arbitration agreements often include individual dispute resolution clauses, which require the employee or employer to settle any disputes through individual arbitration and not through class-action lawsuits. Courts have upheld these clauses under the idea that employers and employees mutually agree to the forum and all parties avoid the costly, time-consuming resolution provided by the courts. The downside to such clauses is that they prevent employees from bringing class-action lawsuits, which are more costly and time-consuming than a individual lawsuit, but can allow employees more opportunity to effectuate change.

The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals held that the FAA does interfere with employees rights [opinion, PDF] under the NLRA. Specifically, the court relied on sections 7 and 8 of the NLRA, which grant employees the right to bargain collectively through representatives on their own choosing and engage in concerted activities, such that it shall be an unfair labor practice for an employer to interfere with, restrain, or coerce employees in the exercise of such rights. The Supreme Court will determine whether the FAA is enforceable given the provisions of the NLRA.

The second case, Sessions v. Dimaya [SCOTUSblog materials; transcript], seeks to determine the bounds of judicial review in immigration proceedings. This case concerns the Immigration and Nationality Act [text], which subjects immigrants convicted of aggravated felonies to mandatory removal. The parties dispute the definition of aggravated felony and whether Dimayas non-violent burglary convictions permit his deportation.

The government challenges the Ninth Circuits holding that the INAs definition of aggravated felony was unconstitutionally vague [opinion, PDF]. It contends that challenges to immigration laws for vagueness in language are not appropriate for the courts, since the Executive Branch possesses broad authority in the administration of the immigration laws because of their foreign relations and national security implications. Courts have traditionally given the Executive Branch great deference in the enforcement of immigration laws, in part because immigration law concerns non-citizens in the United States. Thus, in determining the definition of aggravated felony, the Supreme Court must first determine its authority to render a decision on this immigration case, where the question concerns the interpretation of the statutory language.
The Palestinian cabinet met in Gaza on Tuesday for the first time since 2014 in a further step towards the internationally recognised Palestinian Authority retaking control of the territory.

The meeting of the government, which is based in the occupied West Bank, comes as part of moves to end a decade-long split between the PA and the Islamist Hamas movement, which runs Gaza.

In an opening speech, Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah renewed his pledge to end the rift.

"We are here to turn the page on division, restore the national project to its correct direction and establish the (Palestinian) state," he said.

It was the first meeting of the cabinet in Gaza since November 2014, and comes a day after Hamdallah entered the territory for the first time since a unity government collapsed in June 2015.

Hamas has controlled Gaza since seizing it from the PA in a near civil war in 2007 and multiple previous reconciliation attempts have failed.

Last month, the Islamists announced they were willing to cede civilian control in Gaza to the PA, after Egyptian pressure.

The United States and the European Union blacklist Hamas as a terrorist organisation, complicating the formation of any potential unity government.

More than two million people live in impoverished Gaza, which has been blockaded by Israel and Egypt for years.

The head of Egyptian intelligence Khaled Fawzy is to visit Gaza later on Tuesday and meet with Hamas officials, including leader Ismail Haniya, an Egyptian official told AFP.

Tuesday's cabinet session took place at the official Gaza residence of Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas in the cabinet office, hung with portraits of Abbas and historic Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.

No Hamas officials were involved.

Hamas security officials were on the roof of the building, while Palestinian Authority agents were deployed inside, an AFP correspondent reported.

"Today we are faced with a historic revival in which we are grappling with our wounds and elevating our unity," Hamdallah said, reaffirming that there would be no Palestinian state without Gaza.

UN Middle East envoy Nickolay Mladenov said on Monday that he was "carefully optimistic" about the reconciliation talks.

"If the region stays engaged, if Egypt's role continues and if the political parties themselves continue to show the willingness they are currently showing to work with us on this process, then it can succeed," he told AFP.

But analysts remain sceptical about the chances of a wider reconciliation between the two sides.

Hamas retains a powerful military wing that has fought three wars with Israel since 2008 and Hamas officials reject the possibility of dissolving it.

Israeli officials have been wary of encouraging improved relations between Hamas and the PA, while the United States gave a cautious welcome to Hamdallah's visit.

"The United States welcomes efforts to create the conditions for the Palestinian Authority to fully assume its responsibilities in Gaza," White House special envoy Jason Greenblatt wrote on his Facebook page.

But in an apparent reference to Hamas, he said any Palestinian government "must unambiguously and explicitly commit to nonviolence, recognition of the State of Israel, acceptance of previous agreements and obligations between the parties and peaceful negotiations."

Hamas does not accept Israel's right to exist.
KEARNEY  Keeping people safe while respecting the rights of everyone involved in a protest can be tricky business, a police tactical expert told a room full of University of Nebraska at Kearney students.

Veteran police officer and Wentzville, Mo., Police Chief Kurt Frisz was the main speaker Monday at the Criminal Justice Conference at UNK. Frisz is a graduate of the FBI National Academy and a tactical operations and drug enforcement expert, according to a news release from UNK. The conference was in conjunction with the departments annual Criminal Justice Career Fair.

Friszs talk, Police Response to Civil Unrest, focused on the 2014 Ferguson, Mo., protests in which protesters demonstrated against the shooting of Michael Brown, an 18-year-old black man, by a police officer. The killing sparked 18 days of turmoil, violence and vandalism throughout the area.

It became the longest sustained civil disorder in the United States, Frisz said.

Frisz was one of the many officers to respond to the demonstrations and navigated the challenges of protecting those involved and not involved in the protests, respecting everyones constitutional rights, forging relationships with those who were marching, and bracing against public backlash brought on by media coverage and social media platforms.

He compared the Ferguson protests to demonstrations such as the 1992 Los Angeles riots and the 1999 Seattle World Trade Organization protests.

And then you get to Ferguson, and it kind of is a game changer because what had evolved in the period ... was social media, Frisz said.

Social media hashtags such as #Ferguson #MichaelBrown brought on a firestorm of national attention from nationwide, a response that law enforcement had missed at first, Frisz said.

When the protests occurred, law enforcement had little issue with the demonstrators who had come to voice their concerns. However, as social media and national media attention picked up, so did the number of protesters and anarchists who traveled across the country to Ferguson.

Tactics by protesters can include chemical agents; die-ins, in which participants simulate being dead; war wagons; Molotov cocktails; and various other devices and maneuvers to cause disruption.

Frisz explained that when more protesters and anarchists descended on Ferguson, they taught the demonstrators who were already there how to better carry out many of these tactics. Because of these methods, law enforcement officers had to outfit with riot gear to protect themselves, Frisz said.

During the demonstrations, however, each protester has constitutional rights that must be protected, including the freedom to assemble and protest peacefully, freedom of speech and press, the right to security and against unlawful search and seizure, and no excessive bail.

Much of law enforcements job involved also working with the media. In a situation such as Ferguson, the national media had little concern for the relationships between law enforcement and held more of a focus on staying competitive with other media outlets, Frisz said. Local media, on the other hand, will be more forgiving and mindful of the relationship with officers, he explained.

Perhaps most importantly, Frisz wanted to leave students with the realization that these kinds of situations can happen anywhere in the world, even in Kearney.

If it can happen in Ferguson, Mo., ... it can happen anywhere, Frisz said. It can happen here.

@AmandaPush
ALBION, Neb.  Nebraska law enforcement officials believe they have solved one of the most significant cold-case homicide cases in the states history: the 1937 shootings of a sheriff and a constable in the line of duty.

Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson said Tuesday that two violent felons who emerged as prime suspects 80 years ago would face first-degree murder charges if they were still alive.

We have a solid case, we have solid evidence. Were convinced we can prove this case beyond a reasonable doubt, he said.

A fresh review of the original investigative reports along with the discovery of several new details clearly pointed to the pair, who were on the run from authorities in other states when they were confronted by the Nebraska lawmen.

The attorney general announced his conclusion at the Boone County Courthouse in Albion on the 80th anniversary of the death of Constable William Wathen. He and Boone County Sheriff Lawrence Smoyer were shot June 17, 1937, along a remote ranch road in the Sand Hills while investigating a report of a suspicious vehicle. The sheriff died at the scene while Wathen  who lay wounded for 25 hours before he was rescued  died more than three months later in an Omaha hospital.

Descendants of the two lawmen attended Tuesdays announcement.

Phyllis Smoyer Schroeder of Millard, a granddaughter of the sheriff, said, Its such a relief for us.

Peterson said Tuesday he and investigators are convinced the killers were Marion Cooley and Charles Doody. Cooley died at the age of 69 in Las Vegas. Doody was older than 90 when he died in 1995 in Woodland, California.

Neither man was ever charged in the slayings, although Nebraska authorities went as far as obtaining an arrest warrant for Cooley in 1938. But by then, he had pleaded guilty to an unrelated bank robbery in Colorado and was sent to prison. Under the law of the time, Cooley could not be extradited from one states prison to face more serious charges in another state, authorities said.

Ten years passed and Cooley was approaching his release from Colorado. But by then, a new prosecutor in Boone County decided the evidence wasnt strong enough to justify filing charges.

In retrospect, the original investigators had established that multiple eyewitness put the men in the Albion area in the days before the killings, said Bill Black, a criminal investigator in the Attorney Generals Office. The suspects also could be tied directly to a stolen vehicle recovered after the slayings in Cheyenne, Wyoming. The car carried holes from four bullets fired by the wounded constable before the assailants could flee.

The modern investigation of the cold case was carried out over the past three years by the Attorney Generals Office and Seward County Sheriff Joe Yocum. The sheriff became interested in the case in the early 1990s when he acquired some investigative reports from the Smoyer-Wathen shootings while working on a memorial for fallen law officers.

Yocum said new, key information came several years ago when he was contacted by Doodys son, who was a retired prison administrator in California. The son said he suspected his father was responsible for the slayings, but he had fled to California in 1937 and started a new life under an assumed name.

Although Doody spent time in Folsom State Prison for burglary, he was listed in prison records under his assumed identity, Charles Simms. That would largely explain how he was able to thwart Nebraska investigators in an era when information was not as easily shared, even among law enforcement agencies working to solve such a high-profile case, Yocum said.

The recent review of the case did not uncover that either suspect ever confided in friends or family about the shootings. When interrogated by authorities in 1938, Cooley denied involvement.

The killings deeply wounded the small-town of Albion, where both lawmen were well-known and well-regarded.

Smoyer was a 41-year-old World War I veteran, husband and father of six children at the time of his death. Wathen, 53, had a wife and two children.

Investigators credited Wathen for writing descriptions of the assailants, their vehicle and other important details in a log book as he lay unable to move from a bullet wound that damaged his spine. Those writings gave a crucial description of the crime that was still valuable when the case was reviewed decades later, Black said.

In the 1960s, Wathens daughter raised money for a brass and granite monument to the slain officers. The monument was placed where they fell, a location that can only be reached easily by all-terrain vehicle.
FILE - This is a March 10, 2017 file photo of British actor and comedian Steve Coogan poses for the photographers during a photo call for the film 'The Dinner' at the 2017 Berlinale Film Festival in Berlin, Germany. Coogan has received financial damages and an apology from the Mirror Group Newspapers in the settlement of a long-running phone hacking case. Coogan said outside LondonAos High Court Tuesday Oct. 3, 2017, that it was Ausix-figureAu sum. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber/File)
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NEW YORK, Oct. 2 -- People across the United States reacted with shock and sorrow on Monday to what was believed to be the worst mass shooting in U.S. history.

At least 59 people were killed and over 500 others wounded after a gunman opened fire on an open air concert Sunday night outside the Mandalay Bay Hotel in Las Vegas in the U.S. state of Nevada.

The shooting massacre, only 16 months after the deadly mass shooting in the U.S. city of Orlando that killed 49 people, once again brought about furious debate on gun control in the country.

SHOCK AND SORROW

"The shooting was very horrible. It was a big massacre. I was very heartbroken last night when I saw it," New York resident Muhammad, 30, told Xinhua.

Event planner Lenny, 51, was distressed by the fact that innocent people got killed for no reason. "I just don't know what triggered this man to do something like this," he said in New York.

Investigators have identified the shooter as Stephen Paddock, a 64-year-old white man, and did not find any immediate links to terrorism. The motive of the suspect was still unclear.

Information released by authorities so far can barely piece together a clear picture of Paddock.

The shooter was a resident of Mesquite, a town of about 18,000 people on the Nevada-Arizona state line; he'd been staying in the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino since last Thursday; police had nothing more than a routine traffic violation on him.

In Chicago, Bill Weber, a 25-year-old IT consultant, said, "It is just down right tragedy. You have no other reaction besides immediate horror, shock and all."

The gunman rained bullets from a high-floor hotel room of the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino on the Las Vegas Strip when more than 22,000 people were attending the outdoor music festival, the police said.

There are more than 10 rifles in the room where Paddock killed himself, authorities said.

"I was curious about the personality produced by this country that allow someone to bring that amount of weaponry to one place and not being detected. And then clandestinely and evilly, wickedly sit up in a window, and shoot people who can't defend themselves," H.A. Brown III, 65, told Xinhua in Chicago.

Speaking at the White House, U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday called the shooting an "act of pure evil," ordered flags flown at half-staff, adding that he will visit the city on Wednesday.

GUN CONTROL

"The shooting is evidence that we have too many guns in this country, too little regulation of them, and it is time for us to do something about it," New Yorker Milly, 69, told Xinhua.

The manufacture for civilian use of certain semi-automatic firearms was banned in 1994. However, when the ban expired in 2004, the U.S. Congress refused to renew the ban.

In the state of Nevada where Las Vegas is located, gun laws are known to be some of the most lenient in the country.

Nevada law does not require firearms owners to have licenses, register their weapons, or limit the number of firearms an individual possess. Automatic assault weapons and machine guns are also legal in the state as long as they are registered and are possessed in adherence to federal law, according to the National Rifle Association (NRA).

Tax attorney Brain, 57, worried that NRA, as a huge lobbying group, has gained too much power.

"Unfortunately the National Rifle Association has too much power. As a result, we have very relaxed gun control laws in this country. It is time we tackle this," said the New Yorker.

Vincent Smith, a 62-year-old retiree, said "I think we need stricter gun control now. I think people should stop taking money from the NRA. I understand the Second Amendment and right to bear arms, but we have to do something, this is going too far."

Robert Puricelli, in his 70s, said that "My first reaction was it was a terrible but not surprising event."

"The inaction of the U.S. government to enact any kind of fire arms control, magazine size control, automatic weapons control, make these kinds of incidents sort of inevitable. And people are getting kind of numb to them," said the retired security trader.

Some argue that banning guns won't solve the gun violence that has plagued the country.

According to data from the Gun Violence Archive, a total of 273 mass shooting incidents have occurred so far this year in the United States awash with more than 300 million guns.

There are more than 11,600 deaths linked to gun violence so far in 2017, which is roughly equivalent to nearly four 9/11 attacks in terms of the total number killed on Sept. 11, 2001.

"Tighter control on gun ownership may help but will not solve all social problems," Zhiqun Zhu, professor of Political Science and International Relations of Bucknell University.
In this Aug. 7, 2017 file photo, a Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer informs a migrant couple of the location of a legal border station, shortly before they illegally crossed from Champlain, N.Y., to Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle, Quebec, using Roxham Road. The Immigration and Refugee Board says a team set up to hear refugee claims from a surge of irregular border crossers this summer has heard about 300 cases. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP/Charles Krupa
Drapes billow out of broken windows at the Mandalay Bay resort and casino Monday, Oct. 2, 2017, on the Las Vegas Strip following a deadly shooting at a music festival in Las Vegas. A gunman was found dead inside a hotel room. (AP Photo/John Locher)
FILE- In this file photo dated Friday, April 17, 2015, a national library employee shows the gold Nobel Prize medal awarded to the late novelist Gabriel Garcia Marquez, in Bogota, Colombia. The Nobel prize has greater personal impact than merely receiving the monetary award, as it marks the recipient in terms of esteem and global recognition. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara, FILE)
FILE - In this Sept. 11, 2011 file photo, Secret Service snipers keep watch from the roof of the Sept. 11 Memorial Museum during the ceremony to mark the 10th anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York. A Las Vegas shooting from a high-rise hotel that killed dozens of people in a packed concert below on Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017, has forced other cities to examine their tactics for dealing with this kind of nightmare scenario. In New York, which hosts Times Square New Year's Eve and other events surrounded by high-rises, police say they use rooftop snipers to scan for threats, and make security sweeps of nearby hotels. (AP Photo/Timothy A. Clary, Pool, File)
Supporters of Vice President Jorge Glas rally outside the Supreme Court in Quito, Ecuador, Monday, Oct. 2, 2017. Ecuador's Supreme Court has ordered Glas held in jail while he is investigated for allegedly taking bribes from a Brazilian construction giant involved in a sprawling regional graft scandal. (AP Photo/Dolores Ochoa)
Scientist Kip Thorne, of the California Institute of Technology, smiles during a news conference Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2017, in Pasadena, Calif. Thorne won the Nobel Physics Prize on Tuesday for detecting faint ripples flying through the universe, the gravitational waves predicted a century ago by Albert Einstein that provide a new understanding of the universe. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
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I am sitting in my hospital room in a bone marrow transplant unit in a European city. I am a patient who has recently received a stem cell transplant. I am U.S. citizen, but I am a resident of a country with a single-payer health system. The insurance system here covers 85 percent of the population. And participation is mandatory, although high earners can opt out by purchasing private insurance. Citizens and working residents pay a tax of about 15 percent of their earnings for their government-financed health care coverage. The insurance is administered by one of several non-profit organization that differ very little in coverage benefits because of the mandatory high level of minimum coverage. Doctors and pharmacists in private practice are reimbursed by these insurance administrators.

I am not a permanent resident of this country. I live here legally on a temporary work visa. Nonetheless, I am full participant in the insurance plan. The costs of stem cell transplants vary considerably, but in the United States, they average about $800,000. Here they average a bit more than $250,000. In my case, that is about what the insurance plan will end up paying for my transplant. When I walk out the hospital, my bill will be a $10 per day charge. Let me emphasize that is not because I have a Platinum plan at a cost affordable only the jet-setting global elite.

On the contrary, I am getting the same coverage for the same excellent treatment that anyone else living here would receive. Thats what single payer means to me and my family.

Today, the doctor paid me a visit and handed me a letter that I need to submit to the insurance administrator. The letter states that when I am released, I will need to make frequent follow-up visits at a time when my immune system will be weak. By doctors orders, I may not take public transportation. In this case, the insurance administrator is required to reimburse my taxi fare. Once again, a standard benefit of this single-payer scheme.

When Paul Ryan seeks to defend the new Republican health care plan, which according an independent analysis of the Congressional Budget Office would render 14 million people uninsured next year alone, he tends to lean on the rhetoric of liberty. Naturally, this is because he cant plausibly claim that it is good for health outcomes. He says, If the government says, Thou shall buy our health insurance, the government estimate are going to say people will comply. And when you replace that with, Were going to have a free market, and you buy what you want to buy, theyre going to say not nearly as many people are going to do that.

Its time to for Americans to face up to the costs of the kind of liberty that Ryan and his followers advocate. The basic principle of insurance is risk-pooling. If people participate voluntarily on the basis of their beliefs about their own risks, participation will be limited mostly to those who see themselves as vulnerable (the poor, the sick, and the elderly) and the premiums will be expensive. Mandatory participation not only broadens coverage, but it reduces premiums.

Americans already pay more for health care than their counterparts in other wealthy countries. In 2013, the Commonwealth Fund conducted a study of health and health care in the wealthiest countries in world, the OECD countries. It found that In 2013, the U.S. spent far more on health care than these other countries  Despite spending more on health care, Americans had poor health outcomes, including shorter life expectancy and greater prevalence of chronic conditions.

Spending as a percent of GDP in the USA is just over 17 percent. In continental Europe, it tends to be just over 11 percent. For the U.K., it is just under 9 percent. More spending in the U.S. did not result in more doctors to serve the population. There are 2.6 physicians for every 1000 people in the USA, and 4.1 per 1000 in Germany. More spending in the U.S. does not increase life expectancy. Life expectancy at birth in the USA is 78.8 years, and in Germany, its 80.9. Nor does more spending yield a healthier population. The percentage of the population over 65 with two or more chronic conditions in the USA is 68, in Germany only 49.

And the number of infant deaths per 1000 live births in the USA is 6.1; in Germany, its nearly half that 3.3. In general, the coverage is far wider in Europe; the costs of care are less, and health outcomes are better.

The country that I live in can hardly be described as a tyranny. Freedom of religion, speech, and movement are all secure. Elections are free and far less corrupted by money than in the U.S. Better health outcomes at lower costs have not been purchased at the cost of basic liberty. Yes, people must pay into the scheme. But being secure in their health care coverage, they are also freer to take chances in employment moves and entrepreneurial initiatives. And perhaps the biggest difference is in the attitude of solidarity. It is simply unthinkable for most people here that a person should be left to suffer ill-health or even death due to the lack of insurance. Ask not for whom the bell tolls.

When I am healthy enough to leave the hospital and go home, I will count myself as fortunate to be living here where coverage and excellent care was made available by taxpayers. More than that, it is unthinkable to me that someone with my disease in the U.S. might fail to get the life-savings transplant she needs because she is either uninsured or without the insurance that would cover the procedure. That outrage will cast a long shadow on my feeling of good fortune.

Darrel Moellendorf blogs at On Being (a) Patient: Philosophical Confessions of a Stem Cell Transplant Recipient.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
A third former nurse charged in a federal drug diversion investigation in Ward County made her initial appearance in district court Tuesday.

Forty-five-year-old Kim Kochel faces felony charges of endangering a vulnerable adult, criminal conspiracy and theft of property.

Investigators say the diversion occurred between December of 2012 and September of 2014 and involved nurses from Trinitys Home Health and Hospice program. Minot Police have said that Trinity has cooperated with the investigation.

Kochel will be back in court Dec. 14.

Thirty-nine-year-old April Beckler, who faces the same charges as Kochel, made her initial appearance Monday.

State prosecutors dropped a theft of property charge against a third nurse implicated in the case.
A local Kilkenny TD has asked Taoiseach Leo Varadkar to confirm that there will be no change to the administrative boundary between counties Waterford and Kilkenny.

Fianna Fail TD for Carlow/Kilkenny, Bobby Aylward, made the comments earlier this week in the Dail ahead of the publication of the National Planning Framework.

In a statement, Deputy Aylward said: It is expected that the Kilkenny/Waterford boundary issue will resurface in the NPF and many of the public representatives and people from the communities that could be affected have expressed dismay that the issue is still on the table.

He asked that the Taoiseach confirm there will be no change to the administrative boundary border between counties Waterford and Kilkenny and put the issue to bed once and for all.

Addressing the matter in the Dail, Minister of State with responsibility for Local Government and Carlow/Kilkenny TD, John Paul Phelan, said: There are six reports on boundaries, four of them concerning county boundaries between neighbouring local authorities, the Cork city and county boundary review and the Galway city and county review, on which a report has been completed.

It is the Governments intention that the six reports would be dealt in the middle of next month, around the time the boundary review committees for the local authority areas for the local elections commence.

In his statement, Deputy Aylward added: I am hopeful that we can finally put this very contentious issue behind us as quickly as possible. This issue crops up every ten years or so and it is very unfair on the people living in the affected communities.
Thirty-seven horses are to be returned to Kilkenny City following their unlawful seizure on lands adjoining a halting site some 19 months ago.

The animals were seized in February 2016. Twenty-nine horses were taken during the seizure, with a number in foal at the time.

Out of the 29 horses seized, nine had microchips, but these chips did not comply with the relevant regulations. Two horse passports were produced at the time of the seizure but these documents did not correspond with any of the seized animals.

Judge Colin Daly delivered judgement in the case on Monday and said that the appeal was brought by Johnny Carthy, who successfully claimed that he has an interest in the animals.

The judge outlined how there was evidence before the court that none of the seized animals had the relevant microchips or passports as required by law. The judge also remarked that the land on which the animals were kept was not fit to be equine-registered.

Judge Daly told the court that he had to consider if the seizure was properly carried out.

The judge said that a Department of Agriculture official, who was the authorised official in charge of the seizure on the day, had accepted that he did not demonstrate to people at the time of the seizure that he was the authorised official and nor did he produce documentation to that effect.

The judge added that the official did not tell Mr Carthy what statutory powers he was using to effect the seizure.

It is a fundamental right that every citizen knows under what authority their property is being interfered with and I do not think that this was complied with, he said.

The judge ruled that the seizure was not lawful and that the horses are to be returned to the appellant.

The 29 horses were seized from lands adjacent to the Wetlands Halting Site and from Daly's Hill on the Circular Road.

The judge heard the appeal on September 26 and delivered his judgement on Monday.

It is understood that the cost of keeping the animals in livery for the past 19 months and has been footed by the Department of Agriculture.
The symbol of 'LGBT pride' was raised at a Cairo performance of Lebanese band Mashrou' Leila last month

Egyptian authorities arrested two more people  a man and a woman  for allegedly raising an LGBT "rainbow flag" during a Cairo performance by Lebanese band Mashrou' Leila last month, and public prosecution ordered their detention for 15 days pending investigation .

Several people have been detained in the past days in connection with the raising of the flag, which is an international symbol of LGBT pride".

Pictures of several fans raising the flag at the concert went viral on social media and caused a storm of controversy on Egyptian TV talk shows.

On Sunday, the Higher Council for Regulating Media decided to ban the appearance of homosexuals and their slogans on all media outlets, "unless their appearance is identified as a bad behavior that has been repented."

In a separate incident, Egypt's Azbakeya prosecution referred 17 men to a misdemeanour court last week for "forming a network for homosexual acts" and "debauchery", among other charges.

The men were arrested in a police raid on a flat in Cairo's Ramses Square. The prosecution said that some of the young men who had frequented the Ramses flat were involved in raising the LGBT flag.

While consensual homosexual acts are not explicitly criminalised under Egyptian law, people accused of homosexuality have been convicted on charges such as debauchery and violating public morals.

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* Financial sector takes 508 of 517 advisory group seats

* No academic, two consumer groups take part

* Deutsche Bank, BNP-Paribas, Soc Gen take lion's share

By Francesco Canepa

FRANKFURT, Oct 3 (Reuters) - The European Central Bank turns almost exclusively to bankers for advice and feedback on financial issues, exposing it to the risk of becoming too close to a sector it is meant to supervise, an activist group said on Tuesday.

Corporate Europe Observatory (CEO), which monitors lobbying at European institutions, said in a report that 508 of 517 seats available on the ECB's advisory groups are taken by financial sector representatives.

Banks under ECB supervision hold the majority of seats in the 22 advisory groups, which the ECB uses to gather intelligence on subjects ranging from economic and market developments to financial infrastructure and payments, CEO said.

Clearing house Euroclear was the most represented, followed by Germany's Deutsche Bank and France's BNP Paribas and Societe Generale -- three top European banks that are directly supervised by the ECB -- while academics were absent, according to CEO's findings.

"The makeup of the ECB's advisory groups opens the door to the risk (of) the regulatory process being captured by lobbyists," CEO said in its report.

Of the nine seats not taken by the financial sector, seven have gone to non-financial companies such as German industrial giant Siemens and just two to consumer groups, according to the CEO report.

The ECB's interaction with the financial industry is already under scrutiny from the European Union's watchdog after a previous CEO complaint about the involvement of ECB President Mario Draghi and other top officials in the Group of 30, which includes bankers and fund managers.

Besides its role as bank supervisor, the ECB has been the single most important driver of European financial markets over the past few years through its 2 trillion euro bond-buying programme, which is now preparing to scale back.

An ECB spokesman declined to give immediate comment, referring to "extensive information" about contact groups on the ECB's website.

The ECB publishes the agenda and summary of the groups' meetings, as well as participant lists for all but one of the groups.

Reuters reported in 2015 that three of the traders accused of manipulating euro money market Euribor rates were part of the ECB's Money Market Contact Group.

CEO said in the report that banks involved in a separate forex manipulation scandal which emerged in 2013 have been heavily represented on the ECB's Foreign Exchange Contact Group, although it did not suggest that any individual members of the group had been involved in forex rigging.

(Reporting by Francesco Canepa; Editing by Catherine Evans)
MEXICO CITY, Oct 2 (Reuters) - Protesters in northern Mexico blocked access for a fourth day on Monday to a gold mine operated by Canada's Goldcorp over a water dispute, a development that could hit the facility's production of the precious metal.

The entrances to the Penasquito mine have been occupied since Thursday by protesters who demand the company make good on a commitment to supply nearby communities with water, said Felipe Pinedo, a leader of the protesters.

In a statement, the company accepted there were "outstanding commitments between the two parties," and said the protest broke off established negotiations.

Pinedo said the protesters were only allowing workers to leave the mine, which is located in northern Zacatecas state and last year produced 465,000 ounces of gold.

Michael Harvey, Goldcorp's director of corporate affairs, said in a statement the company is open to dialogue with the local communities, but it would not negotiate under the threat of a continued blockade, which it deems illegal.

The company did not detail any potential impact on production at the mine from an extended blockade.

Last year, truck drivers and local residents blocked for more than a week the entrances to the mine as they demanded jobs and compensation for environmental damages as well as water used by the company.

(Reporting by Noe Torres; Writing by David Alire Garcia; Editing by Sandra Maler)
HANOI, Oct 2 (Reuters) - Following is a snapshot of Vietnamese dong exchange rates in the official and unofficial markets, indicative SJC gold prices in Hanoi and interbank offered rates as of 0406 GMT.

October 2 USD/VND mid-point 22,468 USD/VND interbank 22,725/22,728 USD/VND unofficial 22,720/22,740 SJC gold (mln dong/tael) 36.33/36.55

Interbank offered rates Overnight 0.7-1.2

1 week 0.9-1.3

1 month 1.5-1.9

3 months 3.1-3.6

NOTES: As of Jan. 4, 2016 the State Bank of Vietnam has begun setting the mid-point rate on daily basis, allowing dollar/dong transactions to move in a band of +/- 3 percent around the mid point. The dong's exchange rate against other currencies is not restricted by a band. Interbank offered rates are the latest indicative bid/ask prices, quoted from market sources.

One tael is equivalent to 37.5 grams or 1.21 troy ounces. SJC gold prices are quoted by state-owned Saigon Jewelry Co.

For more interbank rate fixings released at 0400 GMT, click on .

For Vietnam market overview click on: Vietnam's bonds market auctions: Bonds auction results: (Compiled by Hanoi Newsroom; Editing by Biju Dwarakanath)
Egypt condemned on Monday the shooting incident that took place earlier in the American city of Las Vegas where no less than 58 people were killed and more than 500 others were wounded, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry announced.

In a statement issued in Cairo, the ministry stated that the people and government of Egypt were standing in solidarity with the people and administration of the United States.

The Foreign Ministry also offered its condolences to the families of the victims and the injured describing the attack as an extreme violation of human values.

Police identified the gunman as local resident Stephen Paddock, 64, but said they had no information yet about his motive to open fire on the open-air concert from a nearby hotel window.

Without providing any evidence, the Islamic State militant group claimed responsibility for the attack in 3 statements published on social media. US officials said there was no evidence so far linking the gunman to any militant group.

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BUENOS AIRES, Oct 3 (Reuters) - Argentina's leading Merval stock index rose for a 13th straight session on Tuesday, the longest streak in its history, as growth picks up and polls show the market-friendly government is likely to win in October's legislative elections.

The index rose 1.3 percent on Tuesday to close at 26,682 points after surging to a record-high 26,691. In a banner year for emerging market stocks, the Merval has outperformed regional peers, climbing 58 percent so far this year compared with 31 percent for Chile's IPSA and 27 percent for Brazil's Bovespa .

The rally accelerated in August after President Mauricio Macri's coalition performed better than expected in congressional primaries, seen as a dry run ahead of the Oct. 22 midterm vote. Most crucially, Macri's candidate nearly beat former populist President Cristina Fernandez in a key Senate race. "The stock index's movement comes in a context of positive economic data at a local level, amid polls that favor the [ruling coalition] ahead of October's congressional elections," Buenos Aires investment bank Puente wrote in a Tuesday note.

Energy companies led the gains, with Sociedad Comercial del Plata up more than 7 percent and local shares of Brazil's Petrobras up more than 5 percent. Oil company shares, including state-owned YPF SA , have surged since the government suspended domestic fuel price controls late last month. Economic indicators released after the August primary have continued to show improvement, potentially giving Macri's candidates a boost. The economy expanded 2.7 percent year-over-year in the second quarter, government data showed last month, while poverty fell to 28.6 percent. While Macri's "Let's Change" coalition will remain a minority in both houses of Congress, a strong performance would strengthen its hand in negotiations with opposition lawmakers to advance its pro-business agenda, including reforms to the country's tax code and capital markets regulations.

More recent polls have shown Macri's candidate, former education minister Esteban Bullrich, ahead of Fernandez in the Senate race for Buenos Aires province, home to nearly 40 percent of the country's electorate. A defeat for Fernandez would reduce the likelihood she returns to the presidency in 2019, a prospect that spooks foreign investors. Her two terms from 2007 to 2015 were marked by interventionist policies such as capital controls and expropriations.

"The markets are rising because of future events that we believe will take place," Claudio Zuchovicki, development manager at the Buenos Aires stock exchange, wrote on Twitter on Tuesday.

(Reporting by Jorge Otaola and Luc Cohen; Editing by Leslie Adler)
MANCHESTER, England, Oct 3 (Reuters) - Brexit minister David Davis said on Tuesday any errors in the negotiations to leave the European Union could cost taxpayers billions of pounds, and Britain was ready for a "no deal".

At the annual conference of the Conservative Party, Davis told party members the government did not want to fail in the talks to unravel more than 40 years of union, but officials were "contingency planning" to make sure all scenarios were covered.

"This is the most complex negotiation you could imagine. Where one oversight, one error could cost the taxpayer billions of pounds," he said.

(Reporting by William James, writing by Elizabeth Piper, editing by Kate Holton)
MANCHESTER, England, Oct 3 (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Theresa May said on Tuesday she did not set "red lines" for the behaviour of her ministers and said she welcomed different voices in her cabinet over how to secure the best Brexit deal.

The annual conference of May's Conservative Party conference has been overshadowed by splits in her cabinet over how Britain will leave the European Union. Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson has set out his own terms for Brexit.

"I don't set red lines," May told BBC television.

"Leadership is about ensuring that you have a team of people who aren't yes men, but a team of people of different voices around the table so that we can discuss matters, come to an agreement and then put that government view forward and that is exactly what we've done."

(Reporting by Elizabeth Piper and Kate Holton; editing by Guy Faulconbridge)
(Kitco News) - Bitcoin has had a very eventful third quarter and this analyst believes new record highs are just around the corner.

Throughout the year we've been predicting the bitcoin price will surpass $5,000 and creep closer to $6,000 by year's end. That prediction is looking more in line with market sentiment these days, Thomas Glucksmann, head of APAC business development at Gatecoin, a cryptocurrency exchange, told CNBC.

The rise to $6,000 means that bitcoin would have to climb around 40% from where it is now. On Tuesday, the digital currency was last seen trading on Kitcos aggregated charts at $4,279.90, down 2.73% on the day.

But, bitcoin will never reach so high without some major volatility in between, Glucksmann pointed out.

The cryptocurrency expert projects major price instability in November, as bitcoin could face another split. This past summer, bitcoin already split into two, creating an entirely new currency called Bitcoin Cash. Following the news, bitcoin first dropped but quickly recovered to reach new record highs in September.

Other experts see $5,000 as the highest possible price level this year, arguing that bitcoins rise will be limited by newly implemented regulations around the world.

Bitcoin's biggest price catalyst is regulation, according to Charles Hayter, CEO of CryptoCompare.

Last month, the Chinese government banned initial coin offerings (ICOs) and shut down some cryptocurrency exchanges.

Also, China increased its efforts to oversee bitcoin exchanges, with the Peoples Bank of China (PBOC) creating a task force that could conduct inspections and enforce an introduction of anti-money laundering systems.

The price of bitcoin dropped more than $1,000 over the course of just three days following Chinas ICOs ban, with the cryptocurrency falling from $5,103 to a low of $4,037.
PRAGUE, Oct 3 (Reuters) - The Czech central state budget deficit will be lower than an approved 60 billion crown ($2.72 billion) gap in 2017, Finance Minister Ivan Pilny said on Tuesday.

Pilny said an estimate was still difficult given an expected pay hike for teachers and other public workers from November and expectations of a higher volume of European Union funds by the end of the year, CTK news agency reported.

"But my estimate is optimistic, that the planned deficit certainly will not be reached," Pilny was quoted as saying. ($1 = 22.0850 Czech crowns)

(Reporting by Jason Hovet; Editing by Michael Kahn)
BOSTON, Oct 3 (Reuters) - Hedge fund industry marketing veteran Brian Shapiro joined Private Client Resources LLC as a senior vice president of product strategy and marketing, PCR said on Tuesday. Shapiro comes to PCR, which offers data reporting to private banks and investment advisory firms, as the company is stepping up its coverage of hedge funds, private equity and real estate firms. He previously worked at Simplify, a company that researches hedge funds for clients, where he had been president. Before that Shapiro was a founding member of Gapstow Capital Partners, a $1.2 billion multi-manager and private equity platform focused on credit markets and real estate debt.

(Reporting by Svea Herbst-Bayliss; Editing by Bill Trott)

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and may not reflect those of Kitco Metals Inc. The author has made every effort to ensure accuracy of information provided; however, neither Kitco Metals Inc. nor the author can guarantee such accuracy. This article is strictly for informational purposes only. It is not a solicitation to make any exchange in commodities, securities or other financial instruments. Kitco Metals Inc. and the author of this article do not accept culpability for losses and/ or damages arising from the use of this publication.
DUBAI, Oct 3 (Reuters) - The new board of governors of Oman's central bank affirmed its commitment to the rial's peg against the U.S. dollar at its first meeting on Tuesday, the central bank said in a statement.

Omani ruler Sultan Qaboos restructured the board last month, appointing Sultan bin Salim bin Said al-Habsi as deputy chairman of the board for a five-year term. He also appointed a new executive president of the central bank, Tahir Salim al-Amri.

The board recognised the currency peg's "realised benefits to the Omani economy in terms of price stability, promoting economic growth as well as foreign direct investment, in addition to stable interaction with the global economy," Tuesday's statement said.

Amri reiterated Oman's commitment to the currency peg in an interview with Reuters in mid-September. (Reporting by Andrew Torchia)
By Ahmad Ghaddar and Libby George

LONDON, Oct 3 (Reuters) - Commodities broker OTC Europe has agreed to purchase rival Oil Brokerage in the latest consolidation in a sector squeezed by rising competition and smaller margins.

OTC Europe, a subsidiary of OTC Global Holdings, said it concluded its purchase of Oil Brokerage, a 29-year-old, London-based firm with some 70 staff, on Tuesday in an effort to expand its global footprint.

"They're very big in areas we simply just weren't in yet, very big in areas that (are) growing geographically such as London and Singapore," OTC Global's President and co-CEO Joseph Kelly said of Oil Brokerage in an interview with Reuters.

Kelly declined to disclose the value of the deal. OTC Holdings, established a decade ago in the United States, is the world's largest independent institutional commodities broker.

The acquisition advances OTC's goal of becoming a one-stop shop for clients who want to take part in evolving and increasingly global commodities markets, Kelly said.

He pointed specifically to rising U.S. exports of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and diesel to Europe, U.S. fuel oil exports globally and the physical European light end and fuel oil markets as areas for expansion.

"The idea at the end of the day is that we will be this one place where you can do anything you need in commodities ... whether it's moving a physical cargo, hedging, trading futures," Kelly said.

Prior to this, OTC's London operations included crude oil products and derivatives, refined products and derivatives including middle distillates, gasoline cracks, biofuels and physical and financial LPG and natural gas liquids.

OTC also has offices in Chicago, Geneva, Houston, New Jersey, Louisville and New York.

Oil Brokerage was founded in 1988 as a broker of physical gasoline in Europe, and later expanded to include physical and paper biofuels, naphtha and fuel oil.

OTC now has a global portfolio of 20 companies, a network that could make the group more competitive in a market that has seen increasing consolidation amid the crude oil price rout and the popularity of electronic trading.

Oil Brokerage itself closed its physical distillates desk in 2014, as did rival Marex Spectron. [ ]

Rival brokerage Tullet Prebon acquired London-based oil PVM Oil Associates in a $160 million deal in 2014, and cut its own staff shortly afterwards. Last year, it finalised a 1.11 billion pound ($1.47 billion) deal to buy bigger rival ICAP Plc's global hybrid voice broking and information business. [ ] ($1 = 0.7539 pounds)

(Editing by David Evans)
WARSAW, Oct 3 (Reuters) - Poland will offer to sell treasury bonds maturing in April 2019, November 2022, January 2023, January 2026 and July 2027 at a switch tender on Thursday, the finance ministry said on Tuesday. In exchange for the papers the ministry said it would buy back debt due in January 2018, April 2018, July 2018 and October 2018. Switch tenders are non-cash operations at which the ministry exchanges papers nearing maturity for longer-term debt.

(Reporting by Marcin Goettig; Editing by Lidia Kelly)

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and may not reflect those of Kitco Metals Inc. The author has made every effort to ensure accuracy of information provided; however, neither Kitco Metals Inc. nor the author can guarantee such accuracy. This article is strictly for informational purposes only. It is not a solicitation to make any exchange in commodities, securities or other financial instruments. Kitco Metals Inc. and the author of this article do not accept culpability for losses and/ or damages arising from the use of this publication.
(Repeating to add more ratings)

Oct 3 (Reuters) - Below are the ratings awarded by Investment Information Credit Rating Agency Ltd. (ICRA) for local debt instruments as of October 28, 2017.

COMPANY INSTRUMENT RATING AMOUNT MOVEMENT

(RS.MLN) ------ ---------- ------ ----- --------- SHORT TERM RATINGS: ------------------- ARS Steels And Alloy ST: Non FB Fac ICRA A3 1060 Assigned International Pvt Ltd Ashok Leyland Ltd CP ICRA A1+ 15000 Assigned Ashok Leyland Ltd Non-FBL (refer note) ICRA A1+ 7500 Outstanding Ashok Leyland Ltd FBL - proposed ICRA A1+ 2000 Outstanding Asian Granito India Ltd ST NFBL ICRA A1 608.4 Outstanding Asian Granito India Ltd CP Programme Provisional 400 Assigned

ICRA A1+ Axis Securities Ltd CP Programme ICRA A1+ 1000 Reaffirmed Billets Elektro Werke Pvt Ltd ST non-fund base ICRA A3+ 34.6 Reaffirmed Billets Elektro Werke Pvt Ltd ST non-fund based ICRA A3+ 34.6 Reaffirmed Chennai Petroleum Corporation CP ICR A1+ 50000 Reaffirmed Ltd Dwarikesh Sugar Industries Ltd CP ICRA A1+ 3000 Assigned Eminent Dealers Pvt Ltd ST non-FBL ICRA A4 5 - Issuer not cooperating Evergreen Seamless Pipes & ST - Non Fund Based ICRA A3 274.8 Revised from Tubes Pvt Ltd ICRA A3+ Jaideep Ispat & Alloys Pvt Ltd ST Bk Fac ICRA A2 635 Upgraded

from ICRA

A3+ Kala Genset Pvt Ltd ST Non FB Limits ICRA A3+ 50 Reaffirmed Kalsi Brothers ST Non Fund Based ICRA A4 80 - Issuer not cooperating Kirby Building Systems NFBL ICRA A1+ 3120 Outstanding India(Uttaranchal) Pvt Ltd Le Marble Gallery Pvt Ltd ST - LOC ICRA A4 70 - Issuer not cooperating Lexus Granito (India) Ltd FB - EPC/FBD# ICRA A4+ - Upgraded

from ICRA A4 # Sublimit within Cash Credit Lexus Granito (India) Ltd Non-fund based - BG ICRA A4+ 47 Upgraded

from ICRA A4 Lexus Granito (India) Ltd Non-fund based - ICRA A4+ - Upgraded

Credit Exposure Limit# from ICRA A4 # Sublimit within Cash Credit Macro Polymers Pvt Ltd Credit Exposure LimitsICRA A3+ 21.6 Issuer not cooperating Mms Infratech Pvt Ltd Non fund based -BG ICRA A4 360 Reaffirmed Oswal Cables Pvt Ltd ST non-fund based ICRA A4+ 851.2 - Issuer not cooperating Sri Manakula Vinayaga BG - Non fund based ICRA A4 144.5 - Educational Trust Issuer not cooperating Stag International BG ICRA A3 10 Reaffirmed Stanley Lifestyles Ltd ST- Non-Fund Based- ICRA A2 125 Assigned

LOC Tata Steel Ltd CP Programme ICRA A1+ 60000 Assigned

LONG TERM RATINGS: ------------------- Ads Spirits Pvt Ltd FB - CC ICRA BBB 135 Upgraded

from

ICRA BBB- Ads Spirits Pvt Ltd FB - TL ICRA BBB 250 Upgraded

from

ICRA BBB- Ads Spirits Pvt Ltd Unallocated Limits ICRA BBB 215 Upgraded

from

ICRA BBB- Annapurna Microfinance Pvt Ltd PTC Series A2 ICRA BB+ 17.4 Reaffirmed Annapurna Microfinance Pvt Ltd PTC Series A1 ICRA BBB 319.5 Reaffirmed Annapurna Microfinance Pvt Ltd PTC Series A2* ICRA BBB- 30 Reaffirmed * Rating of PTC Series A1of Okuni IFMR Capital 2016 has been withdrawn in September 201 Annapurna Microfinance Pvt Ltd PTC Series A1 Provisional 252.8 Assigned

ICRA A- Ars Steels And Alloy LT: FB Fac ICRA BBB- 290 Assigned International Pvt Ltd Ashok Leyland Ltd NCD ICRA AA 4000 Outstanding Ashok Leyland Ltd FBL (refer note) ICRA AA 9000 Outstanding Ashok Leyland Ltd TL (proposed) ICRA AA 550 Outstanding Asian Granito India Ltd CC ICRA A 2000 Outstanding Asian Granito India Ltd TL ICRA A 150 Outstanding Asian Granito India Ltd Unallocated Limits ICRA A 361.6 Outstanding Billets Elektro Werke Pvt Ltd LT fund based ICRA BBB 95 Reaffirmed Billets Elektro Werke Pvt Ltd LT fund based ICRA BBB 95 Reaffirmed Cornerview Constructions And LT -NCDs ICRA B 1100 Revised from Developers Pvt Ltd ICRA D Creations Jewellery FB - Pre Shipment ICRA BBB / 200 Reaffirmed Manufacturing Pvt Ltd Credit - EPC/PCFC** ICRA A3+ ** 100% interchange ability from pre-shipment to post-shipment and 50% from post-shipment to preshipment Creations Jewellery Fund based - Post ICRA BBB / 300 Reaffirmed Manufacturing Pvt Ltd Shipment Credit - ICRA A3+

EBR** ** 100% interchange ability from pre-shipment to post-shipment and 50% from post-shipment to preshipment Creations Jewellery Fund based - Stand by ICRA BBB / 45 Reaffirmed Manufacturing Pvt Ltd Line of Credit ICRA A3+ D.R. Buildestate Pvt Ltd LT FBL ICRA BB- 75 - Issuer not cooperating Dwarikesh Sugar Industries Ltd FB TL ICRA A+ 1224.9 Outstanding Dwarikesh Sugar Industries Ltd FB CC ICRA A+ 2850 Outstanding Dwarikesh Sugar Industries Ltd Non-fund Based ICRA A+ 50 Outstanding Dwarikesh Sugar Industries Ltd Unallocated limit ICRA A+ 1875 Outstanding Eminent Dealers Pvt Ltd LT FBL ICRA BB- 225 - Issuer not cooperating Evergreen Seamless Pipes & LT - FB ICRA BBB- 50 Revised from Tubes Pvt Ltd ICRA BBB Evergreen Seamless Pipes & LT/ST - Unallocated ICRA BBB-/ 129.5 Revised from Tubes Pvt Ltd ICRA A3 ICRA BBB

/ICRA A3+ Green Infra Wind Energy TL ICRA A+ 710 Assigned Project Ltd Green Infra Wind Generation Ltd TL ICRA A+ 980 Assigned Gujarat Peanut Products Pvt Ltd TL ICRA B+ 18.9 Reaffirmed Hpcl-Mittal Energy Ltd LT Bond Programme ICRA AA 10200 Reaffirmed Hpcl-Mittal Pipelines Ltd LT Bond Programme ICRA AA 8185 Reaffirmed Ifmr Capital Finance Pvt. Ltd. PTC Series A2 Provisional 68.5 Assigned

ICRA BBB+ Ifmr Capital Finance Pvt. Ltd. PTC Series A1 Provisional 1015.7 Assigned

ICRA A Jaideep Ispat & Alloys Pvt Ltd LT Bk Fac ICRA BBB+ 1307.3 Upgraded

from ICRA

BBB Jaideep Ispat & Alloys Pvt Ltd Unallocated Limits ICRA BBB+ 157.7 Upgraded

from ICRA

BBB Jk Paper Ltd LT FB Bk Fac ICRA A 1220 Upgraded

from

ICRA BBB+ Jk Paper Ltd LT unallocated ICRA A 280 Upgraded

from

ICRA BBB+ Kala Genset Pvt Ltd LT FB Limits ICRA BBB 300 Reaffirmed Kalsi Brothers LT Fund Based ICRA B+ 150 - Issuer not cooperating Karnataka Water And Sanitation TL ICRA AA- 3421.2 Reaffirmed Pooled Fund Karnataka Water And Sanitation Rs. 100-crore Bond ICRA AA+ 250 Reaffirmed Pooled Fund Programme Kirby Building Systems CC Limits ICRA A+ 110 Outstanding India(Uttaranchal) Pvt Ltd Laxmi Rice Mills LT Fund Based ICRA B 148 - Issuer not cooperating Le Marble Gallery Pvt Ltd LT - CC ICRA BB 90 - Issuer not cooperating Lexus Granito (India) Ltd NCDs (NCD) ICRA BB+ 64 Upgraded

from ICRA BB Lexus Granito (India) Ltd Unallocated NCDs (NCD)ICRA BB+ 86 Upgraded

from ICRA BB Lexus Granito (India) Ltd FB - TL ICRA BB+ 421.8 Upgraded

from ICRA BB Lexus Granito (India) Ltd FB - CC ICRA BB+ 220 Upgraded

from ICRA BB Macro Polymers Pvt Ltd CC ICRA BBB 315 Issuer not cooperating Macro Polymers Pvt Ltd TL ICRA BBB 263.4 Issuer not cooperating Mittal Cot Fibers LT Fund Based ICRA B 65 - Issuer not cooperating Mms Infratech Pvt Ltd Fund based -TL ICRA BB- 18.7 Reaffirmed Mms Infratech Pvt Ltd Fund based -Overdraft ICRA BB- 70 Reaffirmed Mms Infratech Pvt Ltd Unallocated Limits ICRA BB- 53.4 Reaffirmed Mochiko Shoes Pvt Ltd FB - CC ICRA BBB- 127.5 Reaffirmed Mochiko Shoes Pvt Ltd FB - TL ICRA BBB- 12.3 Reaffirmed Mochiko Shoes Pvt Ltd Unallocated ICRA BBB- 49.2 Reaffirmed Needs Manpower Support LT ICRA BBB- 62.5 Services Pvt Ltd Issuer delayed in giving information Needs Manpower Support CC ICRA BBB- Services Pvt Ltd Issuer delayed in giving information Needs Manpower Support LT ICRA BBB- 62.5 - Services Pvt Ltd Issuer not cooperating Needs Manpower Support CC ICRA BBB- - - Services Pvt Ltd Issuer not cooperating New Asian Infrastructure Long-TL ICRA B 261.3 Upgraded Development Pvt Ltd from ICRA D New Asian Infrastructure Unallocated limits ICRA B 33.7 Upgraded Development Pvt Ltd from ICRA D One Point Realty Pvt Ltd NFBL ICRA BB 142.7 Info and fee not provided Oswal Cables Pvt Ltd LT Bk Fac ICRA BB+ 518.8 - Issuer not cooperating Satin Creditcare Network Ltd PTC Series A1 ICRA A- 599.5 Assigned Satin Creditcare Network Ltd PTC Series A2 ICRA BBB 20 Assigned Shree Krishna Paper Mills & Bk Fac ICRA BB- 390 Outstanding Industries Ltd /A4 Shri Vasanthraj Textiles Pvt Longterm, Term -Loan ICRA D 20.2 Assigned Ltd Shri Vasanthraj Textiles Pvt LT FB Fac ICRA D 30 Assigned Ltd Shri Vasanthraj Textiles Pvt LT/ST - Unallocated ICRA D 29.8 Assigned Ltd limits Skr Wind Energy LT, FB ICRA BB+ 67.4 Re-assigned

from

ICRA BBB- Skr Wind Energy LT, Unallocated LimitsICRA BB+ 15.9 Re-assigned

from

ICRA BBB- Spi Power FB ICRA BB+ 333.5 Re-assigned

from

ICRA BBB- Sri Lakhsmi Egg Farming Pvt. BLR ICRA B+ / 200 Ltd. ICRA A4 Issuer not cooperating Sri Manakula Vinayaga CC - Fund based ICRA B+ 1491.9 - Educational Trust Issuer not cooperating Sri Manakula Vinayaga Unallocated (LT / ST) ICRA B+ 109.3 - Educational Trust Issuer not cooperating Sri Sai Shivanagere Solar LT - Unallocated ICRA B 56 - Power Pvt Ltd Issuer not cooperating Sribalaji Hatcheries Pvt Ltd FB - CC ICRA C 50 - Issuer not cooperating Sribalaji Hatcheries Pvt Ltd Unallocated Limits ICRA C 15 - Issuer not cooperating Stag International CC ICRA BBB- 320 Reaffirmed Stag International Unallocated ICRA BBB- 10 Reaffirmed

/ A3 Stanley Lifestyles Ltd LT- Fund BasedCC ICRA BBB+ 125 Assigned Unique Gems FB - PSC/PCFC/EBRD/EPCICRA BB+ 300 Reaffirmed Unique Gems Unallocated Limit ICRA BB+ - Reaffirmed V.P.S. Textiles (India) Pvt Ltd Longterm, Term -Loans ICRA D 5.4 Assigned V.P.S. Textiles (India) Pvt Ltd LT FB Fac ICRA D 30 Assigned V.P.S. Textiles (India) Pvt Ltd LT / ST - Unallocated ICRA D 44.6 Assigned

limits Vijai Marine Services BLR ICRA BB + 254

/ICRA A4+ Issuer not cooperating -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- $: Rating watch with positive implication #: Rating Watch with Developing implications @: Rating Watch with Negative Implications %: Rating under Credit Watch wd -Rating Stands Withdrawn sp -Rating Suspended pp -Principal Protected pn -Principal Not Protected ICRA may apply + or - signs for ratings to reflect a comparative standing within the category. BG-Bank Guarantee; CC-Cash Credit; CCPS-Cumulative Convertible Preference Share; CD-Certificate of Deposit; CLO-Collateralized Loan Obligation; CPA-Claims Paying Ability; CP-Commercial Paper; CPS-convertible preference shares; CRPS- Cumulative Redeemable Convertible Preference shares; DDB-Deep Discount Bond; EPBI-Exchange premium bond; FBL-Fund Based Limits; FRB/FRN -Floating Rate Bond/Note; ICD -Inter Corporate Deposit; ITD-Immediate Term Debt; LOC-Letter of Credit; LT -Long Term; LTB -Long Term Borrowing; LTD -Long Term Debt; MOCD-multiple option convertible debenture; MTD -Medium term Debenture; MTN-medium term notes; NCD(SO) - Non-Convertible Debenture-(Structured Obligation); NCD-Non-convertible Debentures; NCRB-Non Convertible Redeemable Bonds; NM-Not Meaningful; OCD-optionally convertible debenture; OD-Over Draft; OFCD-Optionally Fully Convertible Debenture; PCD-Partially Convertible Debenture; PCN-partly convertible notes; PCPS-Partly Convertible Preference Share; POCD-partly optional; PP-privately placed; PSPC-Post Shipment & Packing Credit; PS-Preference Shares; PTC-Pass Through Certificates; RPS-Redeemable Preference Shares; SCPN-secured convertible preference notes; SDO-Structured Debt Obligation; SLR-Statutory Liquidity Ratio; SO-Structured Obligation; SPCD - Secured Partly Convertible Debentures; SPN-secured premium notes; STB-Short Term Bond; STD-Short Term Debentures; ST-Short Term; Sub. Bonds-Subordinate Bonds; TB-Taxable Bond; TFB-Tax Free Bond; TL-Term Loan; TOCD-triple option convertible debentures. (Mumbai Rate Reporting Unit + 91 22 6180 7222 / 3317 7222 , E-mail at rru.data@thomsonreuters.com)

Keywords: INDIA RATINGS/
Egypt has strongly condemned a terrorist bomb blast in Bahrain on Monday that injured several policemen who were guarding a religious procession on the occasion of Ashoura.

In a statement on Tuesday, Egypt's foreign ministry spokesman expressed his condolences for the injured, stressing Egypt's support for Bahrain in combating terrorism and violence of all kinds.

On Monday, the Bahraini interior ministry said five policemen were injured in a terrorist attack while securing an Ashoura procession in Daih on the outskirts of the capital Manama.

Ashoura is an Islamic festival that falls on the 10th day of the Islamic calendar. Shia Muslims commemorate the martyrdom of the Prophet Mohameds grandson Imam Al-Hussein.

Bahrain has a sizeable Shia population.

The Egyptian ministry expressed its confidence that the Bahraini government and people will withstand such incidents and successfully combat the "obnoxious phenomena" of terrorism that seeks to undermine stability.



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Short link:


BRATISLAVA, Oct 3 (Reuters) - Here are news stories, press reports and events to watch which may affect Slovak financial markets on Tuesday.

ALL TIMES GMT (Slovak Republic: GMT + 2 hours)

=========================ECONOMIC DATA========================

Real-time economic data releases.................. Summary of economic data and forecasts......... Recently released economic data................ Previous stories on Slovak data.......... **For a schedule of corporate and economic events: =======================NEWS=====================================

BUDGET DEFICIT: The Slovak central government budget deficit reached 1.09 billion euros ($1.28 billion) at the end of September, wider than a 0.64 billion euro deficit posted a year ago, the Finance Ministry said on Monday.

Story: Related stories: ===================PRESS DIGEST=================================

CARS: Jaguar Land Rover, owned by India's Tata Motors , said on Tuesday it was launching a campaign to find 1,000 new employees for its Slovak factory due to open next year. The company said it would eventually create 2,800 direct jobs and up to 22,000 indirect jobs. (Reuters has not verified the stories, nor does it vouch for their accuracy.)

For real-time stock market index quotes click in brackets: Warsaw WIG20 Budapest BUX Prague PX Main currency report TOP NEWS -- Emerging markets News editor of the day: Jan Lopatka +420 224 190 474

E-mail: prague.newsroom@thomsonreuters.com

(Reporting by Prague Newsroom)
ZURICH, Oct 3 (Reuters) - Here are some of the main factors that may affect Swiss stocks on Tuesday:

ADECCO The world's biggest staffing group has acquired privately held outplacement firm Mullin International, the Swiss company said on Tuesday, providing no financial terms.

For more, click on COMPANY STATEMENTS * Addex Therapeutics said the US National Institute on Drug Abuse has awarded a $5.3 million grant to support human studies of ADX71441 for the treatment of cocaine use disorder. * Gurit said it will transfer its UK pre-impregnated fibres business to its Spanish production facility by summer 2018 following the shift to a new technology over the last years. * HBM Healthcare Investments said the net asset value was 151.60 Swiss francs per share at the end of September. * Lindt & Spruengli said Kamillo Kitzmantel, CEO of Lindt & Spruengli (Switzerland), will retire by the end of the year. * Lifewatch said its board of directors has sought the delisting of the company from the SWX. * Molecular Partners AG said it nominated Bill Burns for election to its board of directors as vice-chairman with nomination to chairman in 2018. * Nebag AG said the provisional intrinsic value in the first nine months of 2017 stood at 10.48 Swiss francs per share. * Roche said it was launching the NAVIFY Tumor Board solution, a clinical workflow and decision support software that optimises decision-making for cancer patient case reviews in tumor boards, or multi-disciplinary team meetings. * Santhera Pharmaceuticals said it will present additional data from the positive Phase III DELOS trial in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy at a congress in Saint Malo, France. * Turnover on SIX Swiss Exchange trading platforms rose 7.1 percent to 1.021.7 trillion Swiss francs in the first nine months of the year, with the number of trades up 7.7 percent. Turnover averaged 5.4 billion francs per trading day.

* VAT Group AG said it nominated Michael Allison as its new chief executive to succeed Heinz Kundert who will join the board of directors. * Zueblin Immobilien Holding AG says refinancing of Swiss real estate portfolio completed; foreign currency gains realised in connection with sale of German real estate portfolio; current outlook for the semi-annual result is for net comprehensive result of 5.0-5.5 mln francs ECONOMY (Reporting by Zurich newsroom)

Daily Swiss stock market report in German................ All SMI constituent stocks............................ News on major Swiss stock price moves.................. FTSE Eurotop 300 index................................ DJ STOXX index........................................ Top 10 STOXX sectors............................. Top 10 EUROSTOXX sectors........................ Top 10 Eurotop 300 sectors....................... Top 25 European pct gainers... , losers... Swiss mid-cap index SMI futures Swiss all-share index Market statistics Swiss market digest Sector overview All Swiss news Swiss research news All equity news INTERNET ADDRESSES: Swiss Exchange / Eurex STOXX Ltd SPEED GUIDES: ))

Keywords: MARKETS SWISS STOCKS/
BUDAPEST, Oct 3 (Reuters) - The Hungarian Government Debt Management Agency (AKK) sold 15 billion forints ($56.56 million) worth of three-month Treasury bills on Tuesday, as planned, it said. Series: D180110 Issue status: Auction data: AUCTION DATE 03/10/2017 26/09/2017 TOTAL BIDS (bln HUF) 37.55 50.00 ALLOTTED (bln HUF) 15.00 15.00 AVERAGE YIELD (pct) -0.05 -0.07

($1 = 265.1900 forints)

(Reporting by Sandor Peto)

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and may not reflect those of Kitco Metals Inc. The author has made every effort to ensure accuracy of information provided; however, neither Kitco Metals Inc. nor the author can guarantee such accuracy. This article is strictly for informational purposes only. It is not a solicitation to make any exchange in commodities, securities or other financial instruments. Kitco Metals Inc. and the author of this article do not accept culpability for losses and/ or damages arising from the use of this publication.
(Kitco News) - Gold Prices are weaker and dropped to a seven-week low in early U.S. trading Tuesday. The precious metals continue to see selling pressured tied to little risk aversion in the world marketplace, and to a stronger U.S. dollar. December Comex gold was last down $3.10 an ounce at $1,272.70. December Comex silverprices were last down $0.049 at $16.605 an ounce.

World stock markets were mostly firmer again overnight. U.S. stock indexes are pointed toward firmer openings when the New York day session begins. The S&P 500 index scored another record high overnight. Risk appetite is back in the marketplace despite geopolitics and this being the historically troublesome month of October.

In overnight news, the Euro zone reported its August producer price index was up 0.3% from July and up 2.5%, year-on-year. Those numbers were a bit hotter than expected and fall into the camp of the monetary policy hawks who would like to see the European Central Bank clamp down on its heretofore easy-money policies.

Australias central bank held its monetary policy steady at its regular meeting Tuesday.

The U.S. dollar index is slightly higher and hit a six-week high in early U.S trading Tuesday. Greenback bulls have momentum as prices have been trending higher for three weeks. Meantime, the Euro currency continues to slump and hit a seven-week low overnight.

The other key outside market on Tuesday morning sees Nymex crude oil futures slightly lower. Prices last week hit a five-month high and then backed off Monday on profit taking. While the oil bulls still have the overall near-term technical advantage, there are stiff chart resistance layers above the recent high.

U.S. economic data due for release Tuesday includes the weekly Goldman Sachs and Johnson Redbook retail sales reports, the ISM New York report on business, and domestic auto industry sales.

Technically, December gold futures bears have the overall near-term technical advantage. Prices are in a three-week-old downtrend on the daily bar chart. Bulls next upside technical objective is pushing and closing prices above chart resistance at $1,300.00. Bears' next near-term downside price breakout objective is closing prices below solid technical support at $1,250.00. First resistance is seen at Mondays high of 1,282.80 and then at $1,293.20. First support is seen at $1,270.00 and then at $1,265.00. Wyckoffs Market Rating: 4.0

December silver bears also have the overall near-term technical advantage. Prices have been trending lower for three weeks. The next upside price breakout objective is closing futures prices above solid technical resistance at last weeks high of $17.295 an ounce. The next downside price breakout objective for the bears is closing prices below solid support at $16.00. First resistance is seen at Mondays high of $16.75 and then at $16.90. Next support is seen at $16.50 and then at $16.25. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 4.0.
(Updates basis points spread, adds context)

BRASILIA, Oct 3 (Reuters) - The Brazilian government announced it will sell a 10-year dollar-denominated bond while buying back bonds of ten different maturities on Tuesday, as part of efforts to refinance debt.

Bookrunners Deutsche Bank, Itau BBA and Santander expect to price the deal later in the day, the Brazilian Treasury said.

Brazil set a final spread of 235 basis points over U.S. Treasuries on the new 10-year bond to be sold, according to Thomson Reuters' IFR. The bonds being bought back, worth nearly $12 billion in total, have maturities ranging between 2019 and 2030. It is the second foreign issuance by Brazil this year. Treasury officials have said that while Brazil did not need to raise fresh money to cover financial needs, it could take advantage of favorable market conditions to make debt management more efficient.

Brazil's five-year credit default swaps were near 22-month lows on Tuesday at 187 basis points, according to financial data provider IHS Markit.

(Reporting by Silvio Cascione; editing by Grant McCool)
(Adds "Global", paragraph 4, adds Singapore, paragraph 9)

By Ahmad Ghaddar and Libby George

LONDON, Oct 3 (Reuters) - Commodities broker OTC Europe has agreed to purchase rival Oil Brokerage in the latest consolidation in a sector squeezed by rising competition and smaller margins.

OTC Europe, a subsidiary of OTC Global Holdings, said it concluded its purchase of Oil Brokerage, a 29-year-old, London-based firm with some 70 staff, on Tuesday in an effort to expand its global footprint.

"They're very big in areas we simply just weren't in yet, very big in areas that (are) growing geographically such as London and Singapore," OTC Global's President and co-CEO Joseph Kelly said of Oil Brokerage in an interview with Reuters.

Kelly declined to disclose the value of the deal. OTC Global Holdings, established a decade ago in the United States, is the world's largest independent institutional commodities broker.

The acquisition advances OTC's goal of becoming a one-stop shop for clients who want to take part in evolving and increasingly global commodities markets, Kelly said.

He pointed specifically to rising U.S. exports of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and diesel to Europe, U.S. fuel oil exports globally and the physical European light end and fuel oil markets as areas for expansion.

"The idea at the end of the day is that we will be this one place where you can do anything you need in commodities ... whether it's moving a physical cargo, hedging, trading futures," Kelly said.

Prior to this, OTC's London operations included crude oil products and derivatives, refined products and derivatives including middle distillates, gasoline cracks, biofuels and physical and financial LPG and natural gas liquids.

OTC also has offices in Chicago, Geneva, Houston, New Jersey, Louisville, New York and Singapore.

Oil Brokerage was founded in 1988 as a broker of physical gasoline in Europe, and later expanded to include physical and paper biofuels, naphtha and fuel oil.

OTC now has a global portfolio of 20 companies, a network that could make the group more competitive in a market that has seen increasing consolidation amid the crude oil price rout and the popularity of electronic trading.

Oil Brokerage itself closed its physical distillates desk in 2014, as did rival Marex Spectron. [ ]

Rival brokerage Tullet Prebon acquired London-based oil PVM Oil Associates in a $160 million deal in 2014, and cut its own staff shortly afterwards. Last year, it finalised a 1.11 billion pound ($1.47 billion) deal to buy bigger rival ICAP Plc's global hybrid voice broking and information business. [ ] ($1 = 0.7539 pounds)

(Editing by David Evans)
* PAI bids 1.6 bln euros after April rejection

* Refresco shares jump, up 30 pct year to date

* Offer includes Refresco's July buy of Cott bottling

(Updates with PAI declining comment; private equity bids for listed firms more common)

By Toby Sterling

AMSTERDAM, Oct 3 (Reuters) - Dutch juice bottling company Refresco said it received a new 1.6 billion euro ($1.9 billion) buyout offer from French private equity firm PAI Partners on Tuesday.

Refresco said it was considering the offer, which follows a 1.4 billion euro bid by from PAI which Refresco rejected in April. PAI declined to comment.

Private equity firms have typically preferred to target unlisted firms to avoid disclosure rules demanded in bids for listed stocks. But high valuations have prompted more private equity buyers to chase listed firms seen as undervalued.

Germany's Stada and Denmark's Nets , which was originally majority owned by private equity funds, have been among recent buyout targets.

Refresco said it would consider whether the deal was in the interest of "all stakeholders", a term Dutch firms such as Akzo Nobel , PostNL and government-owned energy firm Eneco NV have used to discourage foreign takeovers.

After rejecting PAI's initial offer, Refresco reached agreement in July to buy the bottling activities of Canada-based Cott Corp for $1.25 billion. Refresco Chief Executive Hans Roelofs said in July the buy, a large purchase for a firm of Refresco's size, was intended to boost its U.S. presence and in "no way" a defensive move to ward off a private equity takeover.

Refresco said PAI's new offer, which it described as "unsolicited, indicative and conditional" included the Cott activities acquisition, which is on track to close before the end of 2017, Refresco said.

The Cott purchase would leave Refresco with about 1.8 billion euros in debt, compared to its current market capitalisation of 1.4 billion euros, and debt of 4.5 times adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) for the combined firm.

The PAI offer is to acquire all 81.2 million issued shares in Refresco for 19.75 euros per share.

Refresco shares jumped more than 8 percent in early trading to 18.80 euros, after closing at 17.34 euros on Monday. The stock is up 30 percent year to date after rallying on PAI's April bid.

Refresco was founded in 1999 and floated in 2015 by its owners, which included private equity firm 3i. It makes and bottles fruit juices and soft drinks for retailers and brands in Europe and the United States.

The company employs 5,500 people and has production facilities in the Benelux countries, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Britain and the United States.

In 2016, it reported a net profit of 81.5 million euros on revenue of 2.1 billion euros.

($1 = 0.8532 euros)

(Additional reporting by Dasha Afanasieva; Editing by Keith Weir and Edmund Blair)
Egyptian foreign ministry spokesperson Ahmed Abu Zeid has denied a report by the Washington Post claiming that a shipment of weapons from North Korea seized by Egyptian authorities in 2016 was in fact destined for the Egyptian military.

The US newspaper reported that the Egyptian military was the actual undisclosed buyer of $23 million worth of rocket-propelled grenades seized by the Egyptian customs authority in August 2016 in Egyptian national waters after a receiving a tip from US intelligence.

The newspaper cited "US officials and Western diplomats familiar with the findings" as anonymous sources.

In a detailed statement sent to AFP on Monday, Abu Zeid "entirely dismissed" the claim that Egypt was the final destination for the shipment.

In August 2016, the United States informed Egyptian authorities that the vessel Jie Shun, which was sailing under the Cambodian flag, was headed toward the Suez Canal.

The ship, according to the Post, was being run by a North Korean crew and had "unknown cargo shrouded by heavy tarps."

The same anonymous sources told the Washington Post that a "UN investigation" found that Egypt was the original buyer of the shipment.

Abu Zeid, however, insists that "the shipment that was confiscated was not destined for Egypt."

"Egyptian authorities indeed intercepted a ship flying the Cambodian flag before it entered the southern entrance of the Suez Canal, following information that it was carrying anti-tank rockets from North Korea in violation of [UN Security Council] sanctions," Abu Zeid said.

"Egyptian authorities confiscated and destroyed the shipment in the presence of a team of experts from the 1718 committee overseeing the UNSC sanctions on North Korea," Abu-Zeid told AFP.

Abu Zeid added that "the head of the UNSC North Korea sanctions committee has lauded Egypt's efforts" in respecting the sanctions on North Korea.

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Shenandoah, IA (51601)

Today

Variable clouds with snow showers. Low 24F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 90%. About one inch of snow expected..

Tonight

Variable clouds with snow showers. Low 24F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 90%. About one inch of snow expected.
The Egyptian interior minister's assistant for water surfaces and the environment Nabil Ebada has issued a directive against hunting the American Golden Heron, which has been seen flying over the Nile recently, Al-Ahram Arabic news website reported.

The birds have been migrating from Europe and Iran to spend the winter season in Port Said, Red Sea Islands, Nile islands and Marsa Alam natural reserves.

Ebada's directive is in accordance with an August decision by the environment ministry to regulate hunting birds during migration season, which started on 1 September and will last until mid-November, Khaled Allam, the head of the central administration of biological variety at the ministry, told Ahram Online.

The decision only allows for the hunting of 21 types of migrating birds in some areas of northern governorates, Allam added.

"However, hunting birds in natural reserves is banned by law," said Allam.

"There are 481 kinds of migrating birds that pass through or spend the winter season in Egypt, and their migration is very important to the ecosystem in the country," Allam said, adding that these birds include eagles and hawks.

There are 36 kinds of rare birds that migrate to Egypt or through it, including the Heron birds, according to Allam.

The rare coastal and freshwater Golden Heron is one of 64 species of heron, which mostly feed on fish and insects.

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The Egyptian president addressed a meeting of the Palestinian unity government in Gaza by video link, urging Palestinian officials to grasp the opportunity for lasting peace

History will hold responsible those who waste a chance at building peace, Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi said on Tuesday, in a video address to the Palestinian unity government, which is visiting Gaza for the first time in three years.

The Gaza visit is seen as a historic move towards reconciliation between rival Palestinian groups Fatah and Hamas, the culmination of months of talks sponsored by the Egyptian government.

In his speech, El-Sisi called on the unity government to end the years-long division, while wishing them success in serving the Palestinian people.

"Members of the national reconciliation government, Egypt has forever, despite the challenges, been a supporter of the Palestinian cause. The cause has always been at the top of Egypt's priorities during meetings with world leaders or during international conventions," El-Sisi said.

"I have always known that there is an opportunity for peace in the region, on the condition of union between all parties," he said.

The Egytian president said the whole world was watching the efforts to acheive reconciliation between the Palestinian people, and their persistence in overcoming previous obstacles to harmony and unity is valued.

"I have a full belief that the differences should be solved among Palestinians with the support of your Arab brothers, rejecting interference from any foreign powers on the issue," El-Sisi said.

The Egyptian president added that no one benefits from divisions between the political factions, emphasising his confidence that Palestinian leaders would appreciate the sensitivity of the current situation and the importance of converging to accomplish unity and move forward with the wishes of the Palestinian people.

El-Sisi sent his intelligence chief to attend the meetings in Gaza, as a message of Egypt's keenness to provide all the support necessary to finalise the reconciliation process.

In recent months, Egypt has been sponsoring talks for the resumption of Palestinian national reconciliation efforts, while also pushing for a revival of Israel-Palestine peace talks.

The Egyptian president has repeatedly asked both Palestinians and Israelis to not waste a chance to live in peace.

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East Tennessee PBS participating in National Estate Planning Awareness Week, October 16-22





KNOXVILLE  East Tennessee PBS announces that the station is taking part in a public awareness campaign to promote National Estate Planning Awareness Week, October 1622, 2017.







Estate planning is one of the most overlooked areas of personal financial management. Its been estimated that more than 120 million Americans do not have proper estate plans to protect themselves or their families in the event of sickness, accidents, or untimely death. This circumstance can cause many families unnecessary expense and financial hardship. Proper planning can help avoid these unintended consequences.



In 2008, Congress passed a resolution proclaiming the third week in October as National Estate Planning Awareness Week. Public television has long served as an advocate for financial literacy. Estate planning is a critical component of the financial health of most adults, said Vickie Lawson, CEO and President of East Tennessee PBS.



East Tennessee PBS will recognize National Estate Planning Week by providing local residents a FREE financial planning booklet. The booklet will allow the user to start organizing their financial assets and thinking through their personal goals. Any person interested in receiving this booklet may contact Judy Cutaia, East Tennessee PBS Director of Planned Giving at 865-595-0223 or jcutaia@EastTennesseePBS.org.



For nearly 50 years, East Tennessee PBS has provided public television programs and educational services to the people in this community. Raising awareness about estate planning is in line with our public service and educational mission and we are excited to be able to offer this valuable resource, said Lawson.



East Tennessee PBS is a nonprofit, viewer supported PBS television member station serving East Tennessee since 1967. East Tennessee PBS provides lifelong learning opportunities to more than 1 million viewers in East Tennessee, Southern Kentucky, Southeast Virginia and Western North Carolina. The station achieves this by broadcasting non-violent, commercial-free children's series; instructional programs; and primetime shows that educate, entertain, inform and inspire. East Tennessee PBS exists to serve the needs of East Tennessee as a community partner affecting positive change by educating, entertaining and challenging minds. Published October 2, 2017














The head of Hamas' political office Ismail Haniya said on Tuesday that his movement wants to start a "new page" with Egypt through new strategic relations, as a Fatah delegation and Egyptian officials have been holding meetings with Hamas in Gaza and Ramallah since Sunday.

Haniya told Egypt's official news agency MENA that Gaza would not harbour "any person" who threatens Egypt's national security.

"It is our responsibility from a religious perspective, as well as from a nationalistic, patriotic and humanitarian perspective, to protect Egypt," he said, adding that as long as Egypt is strong, Palestine and the Arab world will be strong.

Two weeks ago, Hamas dissolved its administrative committee running Gaza, making way for a Hamas-Fatah unity government in the Strip.

A delegation of Egyptian officials headed by Khaled Fawzi, the head of Egypt's General Intelligence, attended the first meeting of the Palestinian unity government.

Haniya revealed that Hamas' reconciliation with Fatah came after months of talks with officials from Egyptian General Intelligence in Egypt.

"We made this move to restore confidence between us and the Egyptians, I can tell the Egyptian people that we are starting a new page of relations," he told MENA.

Relations between Egypt and the Palestinian Islamist group, which has ruled the Gaza Strip since 2007, were strained in the wake of the ouster of Egyptian Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in July 2013.

Cairo had accused Hamas of backing Egypt's banned Muslim Brotherhood organisation and of smuggling goods and arms through tunnels under the Gaza-Sinai border.

Tension has eased over the past few months and Egypt has sponsored several rounds of talks with Hamas leaders to discuss security arrangements along the border as well as reconciliation measures with Fatah.

In a new manifesto released in February, Hamas, which was founded in 1989, rebranded itself as an Islamic national liberation movement rather than a branch of the international Arab Muslim Brotherhood.

Haniya said the decision to reconcile with Fatah is strategic and that its timing is important.

"Hamas wanted to send a message to Mahmoud Abbas that it supported him during the meetings of the United Nations General Assembly," Haniya said.

Nevertheless, the Palestinian official stated that it was natural to have problems and crises that needed to be solved in both Ramallah and Gaza.

"The unity-government is tasked with ending these crises, including the blockade problem in Gaza, and we [Hamas] will cooperate [in this respect]. Egypt will also play a big role in this," he said.

Gaza has been under Israeli blockade since 2006.

Cairo periodically opens the border to allow civilians with foreign passports, Palestinian students, and those with medical needs to travel back and forth.

Haniya said that Egypt has allowed supplies, cement, construction material, and fuel to enter the Strip through the Rafah border in order to help offset electricity shortages.

In late June, Egypt trucked 1 million litres of cheap diesel fuel to the Gaza's sole power plant to temporarily ease a crippling electricity crisis, according to AP.

Haniya added that Fawzi spoke with the Hamas delegation about "developing" the Rafah border crossing.

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Crime scene tape surrounds the Mandalay Hotel (background with shooters window damage top right) after a gunman killed at least 58 people and wounded more than 500 others when he opened fire on a country music concert in Las Vegas, Nevada on October 2, 2017.

Police said the gunman, a 64-year-old local resident named as Stephen Paddock, had been killed after a SWAT team responded to reports of multiple gunfire from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay, a hotel-casino next to the concert venue. / AFP-Yonhap



The victims just kept coming.

In private cars, in ambulances waiting four or five deep, from the walking wounded to the barely alive, they arrived in droves.

"I have no idea who I operated on,'' said Dr. Jay Coates, a trauma surgeon whose hospital took in many of the wounded after a gunman opened fire from a Las Vegas hotel window on a country concert below. "They were coming in so fast, we were taking care of bodies. We were just trying to keep people from dying.''

As Sunday night led to Monday morning, the attack became the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history with 59 killed and 527 wounded.

University Medical Center of Southern Nevada was one of many hospitals that were overflowing.

"Every bed was full,'' Coates said. "We had people in the hallways, people outside and more people coming in.''

He said the huge, horrifying wounds on his operating table that told him it wasn't just the massive numbers that made this shooting different.

"It was very clear that the first patient I took back and operated on that this was a high-powered weapon,'' Coates said. "This wasn't a normal street weapon. This was something that did a lot of damage when it entered the body cavity,'' Coates said.

He had seen similar wounds before but ''of course never this many patients,'' he said.

The gunman, 64-year-old retired accountant Stephen Paddock, killed himself as authorities stormed his hotel room.

He had 23 guns _ some with scopes _ in the room at the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino where he had been staying since Thursday. He knocked out two windows to create sniper's perches he used to rain torrents of bullets on the crowd of 22,000 some 500 yards away, authorities said.

Two guns were modified to make them fully automatic, according to two U.S. officials briefed by law enforcement who spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation is still unfolding.

At Paddock's home, authorities found 19 more guns, explosives and thousands of rounds of ammunition. Also, several pounds of ammonium nitrate, a fertilizer that can be turned into explosives, were in his car, authorities said.

Authorities believe Paddock acted alone. While he appeared to have no criminal history, his father was a bank robber who was on the FBI's most-wanted list in the 1960s.

"I can't even make something up,'' his brother in Florida, Eric Paddock, said when asked what might have motivated his brother. "There's just nothing.''

Authorities also had nothing to say about Paddock's motive.





In this Friday, June 2, 2017, file photo, smoke rises from an attack inside the Resorts World Manila complex in suburban Pasay city, southeast of Manila, Philippines. Across the globe, risks of terrorism and other violence have made tight security at hotels and resorts routine. The most recent major attack in Asia, at the Resorts World Manila casino in the Philippines, shares similarities with the shooting Sunday night in Las Vegas that killed 59 and injured more than 500 people. / AP-Yonhap



"I can't get into the mind of a psychopath at this point,'' Sheriff Joseph Lombardo said.

At the concert, headliner Jason Aldean had just started his set shortly after 10 p.m. to close out the three-day Route 91 Harvest Festival when bullets started hitting people.
Unfortunately, America has been suffering from a lot of turmoil in 2017, especially when it comes to gun control and mass shooting/terrorist attacks. The shocking news of America's current safety status is spreading overseas and causing Koreans to voice their opinion on how they feel about America and its difficult situations.

After the horrific events of the mass shooting in Las Vegas, Nevada during a concert on the night of October 1st, U.S citizens alongside foreigners are trembling with fear in their hearts over the situation. While many have posted to Korean SNS and social boards with their opinions, a moving, and informative, video was released regarding the issue as well not too long ago regarding a previous shooting which you can view below.

On various websites, netizens had posted the following comments in regards to the recent shooting in Las Vegas.

"If our country didn't have gun control then more devastating disasters probably would've happened several times..." "But they will not do anything on gun control even after this crisis. No matter if shootings occur, again and again, the U.S. government will be lobbied by the arms industry. It's funny. And Trump is there saying he's blocking the entrance to U.S. in order to protect the citizens? hahaha," "Only the innocent people were damaged by this. Fighting.."

"The person with the title President was tweeting words of encouragement in midst of all this... Of course, he'll engage in various interviews, etc but I don't know. What is up with the social media, you know?" "The shooter was probably a Trump supporter." "He turned it into a sea of hell in just a moment. He's no other than the devil. He'll never be forgiven even after death. It's so unfortunate such (shooting) incidents are re-occuring," and "I saw the videos and it was horrible and so scary. It seems like a lot of people were injured or even died. Condolences to the victims." What do you think of this disturbing situation in the U.S? Share your thoughts and prays in the comments. Thank you.
Netizens were in a bit of an uproar after V decided to let one special (and lucky!) fan call him her boyfriend. Perhaps V has a thing for fan girls?

On September 30th, BTS had held an official fan meeting in Sinchon, Seoul and the news of V referring to being in a relationship with a fan spread faster than water in a sinking ship! Although V is still single, posts alongside a video of V about his conversation with the fan went viral after fans discovered he let her call him "Boyfriend."

In the video, V is heard saying, "You seem like the girl guys talk to often, huh? If none of them suit your taste, just say I'm your boyfriend," permitting her to refer to them as a couple. Fans went crazy with a unique mixture of even and delight after hearing the idol's charming words! View BTS' V whispering sweet nothings to a precious fan down below - just try not to get too green with envy, ladies!
Egypt's government will begin next week demolishing homes vacated by residents in the lower-income area in central Cairo known as the Maspero Triangle to make way for a project to develop the area into an investment and residential hub, the housing ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.

The government has for years been planning to vacate the area, which neighbours deluxe shopping malls and five-star hotels along the Nile Corniche. However, the evacuation had been met with defiance from residents, many of whom had lived or worked there for decades.

The housing ministry's statement came after a meeting between Minister of housing Mostafa Madbouly and Cairo governor Atef Abdel-Hamid.

Over 900 out of 4,500 families residing in the area have received compensation and already vacated their homes, the Cairo governor was quoted as saying in the statement.

The government has listed five methods of compensation for locals in return for their homes, which will be replaced with commercial and residential buildings over three years.

Most of the families would not be able to afford to rent or buy in the area after it is developed, so most have opted for a one-time financial compensation between EGP 100,000 and EGP 280,000 for their residence. Others have agreed to relocate to El-Asmarat neighbourhood in Mokattam district.

The governor said that out of the 900 families, more than 550 have received financial compensation and the rest have been relocated to Mokattam.

The Maspero Triangle, located in the old Boulaq neighbourhood by the Nile, is also home to countless small workshops.

The area, which was given its name because of its triangle shape on the map, stands on 74 feddans (77 acres) and is home to at least 18,000 residents, according to 2014 estimates by Madd platform, an independent urban development institution.

The dispute over the area dates back some three decades, when development projects began to be proposed and Gulf Arab investors started acquiring buildings and blocks of land in the area.

The Cairo governor says the demolition will be carried out street-by-street.

However, Mahmoud Shaaban, who represents tenants in the area, says almost every street still has some occupied homes whose residents have yet to receive compensation that would allow them to vacate.

"The process of handing residents cheques is very slow; only 20 percent of those who chose compensation have received their payments," he told Ahram Online.

"How can they start demolishing when there are residents still waiting to know their fate?" he wondered.

Only 20 percent of residents chose to return to the area after development, officials say.

For those, the minister says, a contract with the Cairo governorate will be drawn up within the coming few days, under which families will receive a 12-month monthly allowance to rent a temporary home in the area of their choice.

Shop owners, meanwhile, will continue to hold their property until an agreement on a "fair compensation" is reached within the coming week, the minister added.

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Related Palestinian prime minister visits Gaza in reconciliation move with Hamas

Prime Minister Rami al-Hamdallah on Tuesday chaired the first meeting of the Palestinian cabinet in Gaza for three years in a move towards reconciliation between the mainstream Fatah party and Islamist group Hamas.

Hamas seized the Gaza Strip in 2007 in fighting with Fatah forces loyal to President Mahmoud Abbas and has ruled the impoverished Israeli-besieged desert enclave of two million people since then.

The cabinet session was the first in Gaza since 2014, Hamdallah told his ministers, and a major step in a reconciliation process promoted by neighbouring Egypt and other U.S.-allied Arab countries.

"Today, we stand before an important, historical moment as we begin to get over our wounds, put our differences aside and place the higher national interest above all else," he said.

But while Hamas handed over administrative responsibilities to a unity government originally formed three years ago, its armed wing remains the dominant force in Gaza.

"We understand that returning official institutions to their legitimate and legal framework and ending all the impacts of division will require exhausting efforts and a lot of patience, of time and of wisdom," he said.

Abbas told Egyptian TV station CBC on Monday there could be only "one state, one regime, one law and one weapon in the Gaza Strip, reiterating a long-held position that security should only be in the hands of the Palestinian Authority (PA).

Abbas is based in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and heads the PA government that administers limited self rule in the territory.

A PA spokesman said Abbas would not lift sanctions on Gaza at this stage but rather await the outcome of talks planned between Fatah and Hamas in the next two weeks.

Pressuring Hamas to loosen its grip on Gaza, he halted payments for Israeli-supplied electricity to the enclave in June, a step that has led to lengthy, daily blackouts. He also withheld salaries for Gaza civil servants.

"Everything must be in the hands of the Palestinian Authority, it must be the one to control the crossing points (in and out of Gaza)," he said. Israel maintain a partial blockade of Gaza, citing security concerns.

Under previous understandings, some 3,000 Fatah security men would be integrated gradually into a Gaza police force overseen by an Interior Ministry headed by Hamdallah. Hamas's armed wing, analysts say, has at least 25,000 well-equipped fighters.

The United States, which is trying to revive Israeli-Palestinian peace talks that collapsed in 2014, is watching developments closely with the aim of improving humanitarian conditions in Gaza, Jason Greenblatt, U.S. President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy, said on Twitter.

But Greenblatt said: "The United States stresses that any Palestinian government must unambiguously and explicitly commit to non-violence, recognition of the State of Israel, acceptance of previous agreements and obligations between the parties, and peaceful negotiations."

*This story was edited by Ahram Online.

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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday Israel would reject any reconciliation deal between the two leading Palestinian factions unless the Iran-backed Islamist movement Hamas disarmed.

"We are not prepared to accept bogus reconciliations in which the Palestinian side apparently reconciles at the expense of our existence," Netanyahu said in a statement.

"Whoever wants to make such a reconciliation, our understanding is very clear: recognise the State of Israel, disband the Hamas military arm, sever the connection with Iran -- which calls for our destruction," Netanyahu added.

Palestinian prime minister Rami Hamdallah began a three-day visit to Gaza on Monday as the two leading factions seek a reconciliation deal that could lead to a unity government.

Unlike Hamas, the internationally recognised Palestinian Authority (PA) has signed a peace deal with Israel, which launched three military offensives against Gaza since 2008.

Hamas maintains a major military wing and senior officials have downplayed the idea of disarming in any reconciliation deal.

However PA president Mahmoud Abbas said in an interview on Monday there would be "one state, one system, one law and one weapon" -- in an apparent reference to Hamas's military wing.

* This story was edited by Ahram Online.

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Up to 78,000 people could be trapped in Islamic State-held Hawija in northern Iraq, the United Nations said on Tuesday, as security forces push to recapture the town.

Iraq started an offensive on Sept. 21 to seize Hawija, which fell to the hands of militants after the Iraqi army collapsed in 2014 in the face of the IS offensive and remains the last militant-held town in the country's north.

U.N. humanitarian spokesman Jens Laerke said the number of people who have fled the fighting has increased from 7,000 people during the first week of the operation to some 12,500 people now. But up to 78,000 remain trapped, he said.

Iraqi security officials say the militants prevent some residents from leaving, while others are afraid of escaping towards government forces because of the explosives that might have been laid by IS around the town.

"We remain concerned for the lives and well-being of these vulnerable civilians and remind those doing the fighting that civilians must be protected at all times and allowed to safely leave Hawija," Laerke said.

Laerke said more people were expected to flee the fighting in areas around Hawija in the next 24 to 48 hours as security forces push into more densely populated areas.

Hawija, north of Baghdad, and a stretch of land along the Syrian border, west of the Iraqi capital, are the last stretches of territory in Iraq still in the hands of IS.



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PRESS RELEASE

Special Counsel Robert Muellers Crimes vs. the United States:

The Get LaRouche Task Force;

Cover-Up of Saudis in 9/11 Attacks;

The Get Trump Task Force

Oct. 2, 2017 (EIRNS)Executive Intelligence Review has published in its current weekly issue, a dossier, Robert Mueller Is an Amoral Legal Assassin: He Will Do His Job If You Let Him.

The dossier details that for nearly 35 years, Special Counsel Mueller has been deployed not for American, but for British intelligence interests, and has again been selected to try to bring down a leading figure organizing for American policies, to break with British geopoliticsin this most dangerous case, President Donald Trump.

Focusing on three major corrupt, even criminal actions which Mueller has led, EIR demonstrates that the ongoing coup attempt against President Trump is being run by the same circles who imprisoned EIR founder Lyndon LaRouche in the 1980s, and who prevented the exposure of the role of the Saudis and their British controllers in the terrorist attack on the United States on Sept. 11, 2001. In all three cases, Robert Mueller played and is playing the hit-man role. Senator Bob Graham, then investigating he 9/11 attacks, has accused Mueller and his FBI of active deception and obstruction to hide the dominant Saudi role in them.

The intention in all three cases of Muellers criminal tactics was the same. It was to prevent the United States from breaking from British financial and geopolitical policies, from returning to the American System of political economy, and from joining forces with Russia and China to defeat international terrorism and build great projects of transformative infrastructure.

EIR shows that the 1980s prosecutions against LaRouche, and the current attempts at criminal investigations and prosecutions against President Trump and his associates, each began in the same way with British intelligence. Both started with virtually identical agent of Russia claims by British intelligence, and with faked evidence of Russian influence over LaRoucheand now Trumpbrought by British intelligence to American intelligence agencies, with Robert Mueller later selected to act on those faked claims.

The FBI, former director James Comey, and Special Counsel Mueller, are now openly obstructing justice by refusing to turn over to the U.S. Congress the documents relating to their cooperation with British Intelligence agent Christopher Steele.

The American population has shown its growing disgust with the failed effort to claim Russia stole the U.S. election from the gullible Americans, and with the equally failed effort to portray Trump as both a Russian puppet and a white supremacist.

But this has not stopped Muellers drive to see the President impeached or even imprisoned. It will be stopped only by the most thorough exposure, circulated internationallybecause many nations relations with the United States, and future prosperity, are at stake.

EIR and its founder Lyndon LaRouche call on all citizens of the world to study and circulate this dossier widely, as necessary to stop terrorism and aggressive wars under various guises, great-power confrontations, and the threat of nuclear war.
PRESS RELEASE

RUSI Presents Its Plan for War in Asia

Oct. 2, 2017 (EIRNS)Malcolm Chalmers, Deputy Director-General of the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) in the UK, has issued (with stiff upper lip) a plan for unleashing complete hell in Asia through a war on North Korea. RUSI properly describes itself a

"an independent thinktank engaged in cutting edge defence and security research. A unique institution, founded in 1831 by the Duke of Wellington, RUSI embodies nearly two centuries of forward thinking, free discussion and careful reflection on defence and security matters."

The executive summary of the report by Professor Chalmers, modestly titled "Preparing for a Second Korean War," opines that

"the U.K. needs to start thinking now about its response to what would be one of the most momentous strategic shocks of the post-Cold War era."

He states that

"War is now a real possibility. With North Korea making rapid progress in its missile and nuclear programmes, time is not on diplomacys side."

As usual, he calls for American brawn to follow the lead of British brains. U.S. President Donald Trump, he argues, has determined that "classical deterrence theory is not applicable."

He describes his plan for jolly good war:

"The war could start in a variety of ways: North Korea could strike first if it believed that the U.S. were moving towards a surprise attack; or a U.S. attack might be triggered by North Korean test missiles hitting the ocean near Guam or California. If war were to begin, it is likely to involve [get it?] a large-scale U.S.-led air and cyber offensive at an early stage, followed by massive North Korean retaliation against South Korea and U.S. bases in the region, using conventional, chemical and possibly nuclear weapons. In these circumstances, a full-scale invasion of North Korea would be highly likely. Casualties in such a conflict would likely reach the hundreds of thousands [yawn], even if no nuclear weapons were used. There could be far-reaching consequences for the global economy, involving sustained disruption of vital supply chains and markets. If the U.S. were to launch a preventive strike without South Koreas agreement, it would be seen as signifying a willingness to sacrifice Seoul."

This is why the British Empire must be destroyed.
Spain's interior minister on Tuesday accused Catalonia's government of "inciting rebellion" after police sent to the region to block a weekend independence referendum were harassed by protesters.

"We see how day after day the government of Catalonia is pushing the population to the abyss and inciting rebellion in the streets," Juan Ignacio Zoido said, adding that his government would take "all measures necessary to stop acts of harassment".

Spanish national police have been driven out of their hotels in Catalonia by locals furious over police violence that marred the region's banned independence vote on Sunday, which separatist leaders organised despite strict orders from Madrid not to do so.

Hundreds of protesters gathered overnight outside a hotel in the seaside resort of Pineda de Mar, about 70 kilometres (40 miles) north of Barcelona where around 200 officers were staying.

In a letter seen by AFP, the hotel management said it had asked police officers to leave the hotel after being "obliged" to do so by local authorities on pain of being shut down.

A further 200 members of Spanish special forces and riot police in Calella, a coastal city also to the north of Barcelona, were told on Monday they would be evicted.

Protestors also rallied outside police stations in Catalonia, according to Spain's main police union SUP.

On Sunday riot police moved in on polling stations across the region to stop people from voting in a referendum deemed unconstitutional by the Spanish courts.

Some officers ran baton charges and fired rubber bullets to disperse crowds.

SUP spokesman Ramon Cosio said the welfare of officers was now under threat.

"They are fleeing from hotel to hotel, they are like rats who have to hide," he said.

He added that the state was losing control of security.

Deputy Prime Minister Soraya Saenz de Santamaria branded the protests against police outside hotels and police stations "mafia behaviour".

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Just in time for Halloween, the Maryland house where The Exorcist author William Peter Blatty lived for 16 years is on the market. And it could be yours for just $3.2 million.

The six-bedroom Georgian Colonial in the Burning Tree neighborhood in Bethesda was home to Blatty and his wife, actress and former Los Angeles Rams cheerleader Julie Blatty, from 2001 until the authors death in January.

William Peter Blatty was a prolific novelist and screenwriter best known for his 1971 novel The Exorcist, about two priests determined to chase away a demon that has possessed a 12-year-old girl in the Georgetown area of Washington, D.C. The book has sold more than 13 million copies.

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Blatty, who later lived in Los Angeles, was a student at Georgetown in 1949 when he read a Washington Post story about an exorcism of an adolescent boy nearby.

In 1973, the book was adapted into the iconic movie starring Ellen Burstyn, Max von Sydow and Linda Blair. The film drew considerable controversy for its graphic violence but was nominated for 10 Academy Awards, winning two, including one for Blatty, who wrote the screenplay.

The Blattys moved to Maryland in 2001 after spending years in Hollywood (before he wrote his iconic horror novel, Blatty had co-written comedy screenplays with Blake Edwards).

Julie Blatty told the Post that she wasnt initially sure what to make of the Bethesda house. This was not our style, she said. But my husband said we can Blatty-ize it. We grew to love its beauty.

The listing for the property, built in 1988, describes it as uniquely beautiful and grand and gracious. The house boasts five full bathrooms, a two-story foyer, a club room and an indoor pool.

The house also might be home to a ghost. Julie Blatty told WTOP-FM that she can sense the spirit of their son, Peter, who died at age 19, in the house.

Peter made his presence very felt, she said. Nothing spooky or scary, just interesting phenomena that led us to believe just because of an accumulation of incidents that it was just the beneficent touch of our son, Peter, letting us know he was still with us and was happy.

In 2015, his father published a memoir, Finding Peter: A True Story of the Hand of Providence and Evidence of Life After Death, that encompassed Blattys time in Hollywood, his sons sudden death from a rare heart disorder and the familys experiences with his spirit afterward.

A brochure for the property doesnt allude to any ghosts, but does mention the homes enormous crystal chandelier, expansive cherry paneled study and embassy-sized dining room.

The property is being brokered by Kara Sheehan of Washington Fine Properties.
The judge overseeing the Waymo-Uber trial over allegations of the theft of trade secrets agreed to postpone the start until Dec. 4  but not before telling lawyers from both companies he doesnt trust any of them.

Despite the excellent quality of the lawyers here, I cannot trust what they say, U.S. District Judge William Alsup said Tuesday at the hearing in San Francisco.

Court documents are filled with a lot of half-truth, a lot of honest argument that is not quite accurate and overstatements. Its hard to get anywhere, the judge said.

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The high-stakes trial was scheduled to begin Oct. 10 before Waymo asked for a delay.

Google has said that engineer Anthony Levandowski stole 14,000 internal documents as he left the company to found his own self-driving truck company, known as Otto. Six months after he left what is now Waymo, the self-driving arm of Google, Uber bought Otto in August 2016 for $680 million and named Levandowski head of its self-driving car project.

Waymo says Uber is using trade secrets contained in some of those documents in Ubers own autonomous driving systems.

Uber denies those claims and has testified that Levandowski did not pass along any data from Google.

At Tuesdays hearing, Alsup said Waymo still has a very strong case against Levandowski but implied that proving a trade secrets violation remains an uphill climb. This is not the home run they were expecting to find, he said.

Under its contract with Levandowski, Google cannot sue him in civil court on the theft allegations, and instead must turn to arbitration. Thus far, the company has chosen not to go that route.

Waymo had asked the court for a continuance to review a mountain of documents related to the case only recently released under a separate court order. The documents are drawn from a report drafted by risk management firm Stroz Friedberg, which Uber hired to conduct due diligence on Levandowski and Otto before Uber acquired the company.

The report, parts of which became public Tuesday, states that Levandowski continued to possess downloaded Google data even after he left the company. Waymo lawyers say the report shows that Uber executives knew Levandowski had the material before the Otto acquisition.

If Levandowski were on trial, the evidence would appear to be damning. However, Waymo is suing Uber, not Levandowski. It must prove that Uber possessed Waymo trade secrets, or used them in its own self-driving technology, or both.

In reluctantly agreeing to the continuance, Alsup made clear the new schedule was set in stone and would not be changed.

When Arturo Gonzalez, Ubers lead lawyer, told the judge he had a conflict with jury selection in another trial, Alsup told him, Too bad.

The stakes in the case are high, at least for the businesses involved. Until recently, self-driving cars were considered a science-fiction dream. But the technology has developed faster than anyone expected, and fully autonomous vehicles already are being tested on public highways. Commercial versions are expected to hit the market early next decade. As the industry grows, annual revenue is expected to total tens and perhaps hundreds of billions of dollars.

The Waymo-Uber case centers on lidar, a technology that bounces laser beams off objects to determine their appearance in fine detail. Lidar works with optical cameras, radar, ultrasound and other sensors to give the self-driving car a map of the world around it. Car companies see lidar as an essential component in autonomous vehicles. One exception is Tesla, whose chief executive, Elon Musk, has said lidar is unnecessary.

The technology is expensive. Companies that can improve lidar performance while bringing costs down are most likely to grab a major chunk of the emerging market.

russ.mitchell@latimes.com

Twitter: @russ1mitchell

UPDATES:

2:10 p.m.: This article was updated with additional context.

This article was originally published at 2 p.m.
Equifax Inc.s former chief executive trekked to Capitol Hill on Tuesday to offer contrition and explanation for the credit reporting companys massive data breach. He was met with bipartisan incredulity and calls for tougher cybersecurity laws to protect Americans sensitive information.

Its like the guards at Fort Knox forgot to lock the doors and failed to notice the thieves were emptying the vaults, Rep. Greg Walden (R-Ore.) told Richard Smith, who stepped down last week in the wake of the hack that exposed the Social Security numbers and birthdates of as many as 145.5 million Americans.

How does this happen when so much is at stake? Walden asked. I dont think we can pass a law that fixes stupid.

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For three hours, Republicans and Democrats on a House Energy and Commerce subcommittee blasted Equifax for allowing its trove of consumer data to be hacked and then bungling the rollout of measures to help consumers deal with the breach.

It seems to me that youve accomplished something that no one else has been able to accomplish  you have brought Republicans and Democrats together in outrage, distress and frustration over whats happened, said California Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-Atherton).

Theres more to come for Smith, who is scheduled to testify at congressional hearings on the breach again on Wednesday and Thursday.

On Tuesday, he was contrite in his testimony, which lessened the hostility in lawmakers pointed questioning.

Im here today to say to each and every person affected by this breach: I am truly and deeply sorry for what happened, Smith said. Equifax is committed to make it whole for you.

He blamed the breach on human error and technology errors.

Equifax failed to apply a software patch for a consumer dispute website in March, and the companys systems did not detect the vulnerability until July 29, Smith said.

Lawmakers were dumbfounded by the companys failure to patch the software and then, once the problem was discovered, to delay notifying the public for nearly six weeks.

Smith said Equifax employees worked around the clock to prepare for an onslaught of consumer inquiries. The company had to set up up a new website and ramp up staffing at call centers.

Rep. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) told Smith that the companys response should have been like a fire alarm on the wall, ready at a moments notice to be pulled.

Smith acknowledged that a crisis never occurs if everything has gone right.

Throughout the hearing, Smith was lectured on the ramifications of the breach.

You cant change your Social Security number and I cant change my mothers maiden name, said Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.). This data is out there forever.

Rep. Ryan Costello (R-Pa.) warned that the hack is going to be potentially so destructive to hundreds of millions of Americans.

The anger is going to be multiplied thousands of times when something actually happens, he said.

Some members of Congress do want to strengthen cybersecurity laws in the aftermath of the Equifax data breach and there appears to be growing bipartisan support for action.

On Monday, Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) reintroduced legislation they tried unsuccessfully to pass in 2015 that would require tough data security practices and additional consumer protections in the event of breaches.

Equifax deserves to be shamed in this hearing, but we should also ask what Congress has done or has failed to do to stop data breaches from occurring and what Equifax plans to do, Schackowsy said. Several lawmakers at Tuesdays hearing said they backed her bill.

Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas) said he thought financial penalties were needed to force companies to take security of sensitive consumer information more seriously.

Youre really only required to notify people and say, So sorry, so sad, Barton said. It seems to me you might pay more attention to security if you had to pay everybody who got hacked a couple thousand bucks or something.

Equifax has been criticized for the delay in notifying the public and then initially making consumers give up their right to sue if they wanted free credit monitoring and identity theft protection.

Equifax later backtracked on that requirement. Smith said a mandatory arbitration clause was mistakenly cut-and-pasted into the terms of the tools offered to customers to deal with the breach.

In response to criticism, Equifax said last week that it would stop charging customers to freeze access to their credit records so that no data would be released to scammers. Smith called for such free credit freezes to be the industry standard and that the nation should consider replacing Social Security numbers as the touchstone for identity verification.

But when asked at the hearing, Smith said Equifax would not pay for credit freezes for affected consumers at the other two leading credit rating companies, Experian and TransUnion.

Smith also was pressed on the sale of stock by three Equifax executives.

On Aug. 1, the executives sold thousands of shares of Equifax stock for about $146 a share. The companys stock sharply declined after Equifax announced the data breach Sept. 7.

Smith said he was notified of suspicious activity in Equifaxs network on July 31. But such activity is common and it wasnt until Aug. 11 that an investigation indicated hackers might have been able to access Social Security numbers and other sensitive personal information.

Lawmakers pressed Smith on whether the executives who sold the stock knew of the scope of the breach when they made the sales.

Theyre honorable men. Theyre men of integrity, Smith said. I have no indication they had any knowledge of the breach at the time of the sale.

Equifaxs board of directors has formed a special committee and is conducting a thorough review of the trading at issue, Theodore M. Hester, an attorney retained by Equifax, said in a letter Friday to Democrats on the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

jim.puzzanghera@latimes.com

Twitter: @JimPuzzanghera

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UPDATES:

11:35 a.m.: This article was updated with additional comments from the hearing.

8:55 a.m.: This article was updated with additional comments from the hearing and background information about three executives sale of Equifax stock.

7:55 a.m.: This article was updated with additional comments from the hearing.

7:25 a.m.: This article was updated with remarks by Rep. Frank Pallone.

This article was originally published at 7:15 a.m.
SpaceX Chief Executive Elon Musk envisions a time in the near future when long-distance travelers on Earth can hop on a rocket to go across the globe in less than an hour.

But before Musk can set his plans in motion, there are a few down-to-Earth logistics questions hell have to answer first.

Under the plan announced last week by Musk, passengers would board a large rocket and spacecraft system known for now as BFR. The rocket would hurtle passengers into space, before the first-stage booster returns to Earth and the spacecraft and second-stage continues on to touch down at its destination.

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A video Musk showed during his keynote speech at the International Astronautical Congress in Adelaide, Australia, said the maximum speed of the vehicle would be about 16,000 mph. That would make a trip from New York to Shanghai as short as 39 minutes.

Questions remain about some technical details of the transport system, as well as what kind of market it would serve. But several analysts said Musks vision at least forces people to think out of the box about supersonic or hypersonic passenger travel. (Supersonic flight is anything faster than the speed of sound, or Mach 1; hypersonic is generally regarded as Mach 5 or faster.)

Musks ideas, and the actions behind his ideas, broaden minds about the future of movement, said Megan Ryerson, an assistant professor of city and regional planning and electrical and systems engineering at the University of Pennsylvania.

And I think that is exciting, even if there are a lot of kinks to work out, she said.

Here are some of those considerations.

The sonic boom that ripples outward after the first-stage booster lands would probably force the takeoff and landing areas to be several hours outside of major metropolitan areas the system is intended to serve.

That could make travelers think twice about whether a rocket trip would be worth it. The video shown by Musk at last weeks space conference depicts a group of passengers boarding a speedy ship to reach a floating platform with the rocket far off the coast of New York City.

The computer-generated animation also shows the rocket landing on a similar floating platform far off the coast of Shanghai.

You may end up saving some number of hours, but you would have to get to the launch site, and then youd have to launch and then youd have to arrive at the destination, said Richard Wirz, a professor at UCLA and director of the universitys Plasma and Space Propulsion Laboratory. There would have to be hours on either end of you embarking and disembarking on your trip.

Ryerson said passengers already have to decide that kind of trade-off when determining whether to travel a potentially further distance to a larger airport with nonstop flights, versus a closer, but smaller airport that offers trips with more layovers.

While a trip to the rocket launcher might be longer for some people, presumably you would make all that up with the time savings in the air, she said.

On the plus side, the flights themselves would be very fast: Musk said in his presentation that most long-distance trips would take less than 30 minutes and that passengers could reach anywhere on Earth in less than an hour.

Several analysts pointed to the supersonic Concorde jetliner as an example of a speedy, but expensive, transportation option whose tiny market was not profitable enough.

The plane could cut travel times in half, but it was ultimately challenged by high maintenance costs, limited routes and ultra-high ticket costs. After 27 years of service and a catastrophic fatal crash in 2000, the Concorde touched down for the last time in 2003.

It was very much a niche market, said Ray Jaworowski, senior aerospace analyst at market research firm Forecast International. I dont think a whole lot has happened in the intervening years to change that.

Although speed is an important factor, airlines rank range, operating costs and seating capacity as more important considerations when determining which aircraft to purchase, Jaworowski said.

Musk has said the cost of a seat on the BFR will be about the same as full fare economy class in an aircraft.

A new crop of supersonic jet developers is banking on technological improvements in materials and computing to decrease construction costs. But analysts say the market for extremely fast air travel will be limited, at least initially, with the first aircraft to be supersonic likely to be business jets.

Boom Technology Inc., a Centennial, Colo., start-up, plans to build a supersonic jetliner called the Boom. Aerion Corp. of Reno has been working with Airbus to develop the A2, a supersonic business jet.

Even NASA is interested in the concept of supersonic planes. Last year, the agency partnered with aerospace giant Lockheed Martin Corp. to create a preliminary design for a Quiet Supersonic Transport, or QueSST, experimental plane.

SpaceX has made landing rocket boosters back on Earth seem routine, but the company will have to scale that technological achievement up to achieve reliable service for everyday travelers.

The idea of a rocket that can serve many markets  point-to-point travel on Earth, missions to the moon and to Mars, as well as low-Earth orbit launches  is the holy grail of the space industry, said Jim Bell, professor at Arizona State Universitys School of Earth and Space Exploration and president of the Planetary Society space advocacy group.

Bell said overcoming some of these technical hurdles could be a tall order. But he noted that many people had doubted SpaceXs ability to land first-stage boosters on floating droneships in the ocean. SpaceX has landed 16 boosters so far, nine of them at sea.

I dont think it pays to bet against Elon Musk at all on this stuff, he said.

samantha.masunaga@latimes.com

Twitter: @smasunaga
Accuracy matters in the moments after a tragedy. Facts can help catch the suspects, save lives and prevent a panic.

But in the aftermath of the deadly mass shooting in Las Vegas on Sunday, the worlds two biggest gateways for information, Google and Facebook, did nothing to quell criticism that they amplify fake news when they steer readers toward hoaxes and misinformation gathering momentum on fringe sites.

For the record: An earlier version of this story incorrectly said Googles algorithms are designed to favor stories that get the most shares and comments.

Google posted under its top stories conspiracy-laden links from 4chan  home to some of the internets most ardent trolls. It also promoted a now-deleted story from Gateway Pundit and served videos on YouTube of dubious origin.

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The posts all had something in common: They identified the wrong assailant.

Law enforcement officials have named Stephen Paddock as the lone suspect, and so far pinpointed no motive. But the erroneous articles pointed to a different man, labeling him a left-wing, anti-Trump activist.

Meanwhile, Facebooks Crisis Response page, a hub for users to stay informed and mobilize during disasters, perpetuated the same rumors by linking to sites such as Alt-Right News and End Time Headlines, according to Fast Company.

This is the same as yelling fire in a crowded theater, Gabriel Kahn, a professor at the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, said of Googles and Facebooks response. This isnt about free speech.

The missteps underscore how, despite promises and efforts to rectify the problem of fake news with fact checkers and other tools after the 2016 presidential election, misinformation continues to undermine the credibility of Silicon Valleys biggest companies.

Google and Facebook have since tweaked their results Monday to give users links to more reputable sources  acknowledging their algorithms were not prepared for the onslaught of bogus information.

This should not have appeared for any queries, and well continue to make improvements to prevent this from happening in the future, a Google spokesperson said about the 4chan link, which surfaced only if users searched for the wrongly identified shooters name and not the attack in general.

Facebook did not respond to a request for comment but told Fast Company it regretted the link to Alt-Right News.

We are working to fix the issue that allowed this to happen in the first place and deeply regret the confusion this caused, the social network said.

Both Google and Facebook  along with Twitter  are under growing pressure to better manage their algorithms as more details emerge about how Russia used their platforms to interfere in the presidential election to sow discord.

The platforms have immense influence on what gets seen and read. More than two-thirds of Americans report getting at least some of their news from social media, according to the Pew Research Center. A separate global study published by Edelman last year found that more people trusted search engines (63%) for news and information than traditional media such as newspapers and television (58%).

Facebooks algorithms are designed to favor the kinds of stories and posts that get the most shares and comments. Promoting those posts drives up engagement, and with it advertising revenue.

But that strategy also helped inflame the spread of fake news during the campaign season  intensifying calls for the platforms to behave more like media companies by vetting the content they promote.

That would require more human management, something tech companies are loath to do given their very existence is owed to replacing human activity with software.

Still, Facebook has tried to strike a balance. In March, it rolled out a third-party fact-checking program with PolitiFact, FactCheck.org, Snopes.com, ABC News and the Associated Press. Those partnerships, however, did not stop inaccurate reports from landing on Facebooks Crisis Response page.

Putting people in charge of content can help tech companies avoid controversy. Snapchat, the disappearing messaging app, maintains strict control over news shared on its platform by employing staffers, including journalists, to curate and fact-check its stories. Granted, Snapchat attracts far fewer users  and far less content  than Facebook or Google.

Facebook has begun boosting its human oversight team. On Monday, the Menlo Park, Calif., social network pledged to hire more than 1,000 employees to vet its advertisements for propaganda.

The changes come amid growing frustration in Washington as lawmakers push Facebook, Google and Twitter to be more forthcoming in the investigation into Russian election meddling.

Facebook on Monday gave congressional committees more than 3,000 ads purchased during the 2016 election campaign by a firm with ties to Russian intelligence. In a blog post, the company said an estimated 10 million people in the U.S. saw the ads. Last week, Twitter briefed Congress on the number of fake accounts run by Russian operatives. And Google said it would conduct an internal investigation on Russian interference. (In a separate move to placate news organizations, the search giant said Monday it will tweak policies to help publishers reach more readers.)

Still, skepticism abounds that the companies beholden to shareholders are equipped to protect the public from misinformation and recognize the threat their platforms pose to democratic societies. Now, calls are growing to regulate the companies more strictly. As platforms, they arent liable for most of the content they distribute.

These algorithms were designed with intent and the intent is to reap financial reward, USCs Kahn said. Theyre very effective, but theres also collateral damage as a result of designing platforms that way.

Its not good enough to say, Hey, were neutral. Were simply an algorithm and a platform. They have a major responsibility that they still have not fully come to terms with.

To read the article in Spanish, click here

david.pierson@latimes.com

Follow me @dhpierson on Twitter

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Its been about a year since the Wells Fargo & Co. scandal unraveled, with the bank admitting that employees created millions of customer accounts without permission.

But for Chief Executive Timothy Sloan, who appeared Tuesday on Capitol Hill to give an update on reform efforts, little time seems to have passed.

Senate Banking Committee members grilled Sloan about the changes put in place at the San Francisco bank, which has acknowledged that onerous sales goals and a focus on selling multiple products to consumers were at the heart of the scandal.

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Sloan was even questioned about whether he was fit to lead the reforms, given his 30-year tenure at Wells Fargo, including a stint as chief financial officer when unauthorized accounts were opened.

At best, you were incompetent. At worst, you were complicit, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) said during the hearing. Either way, you should be fired.

Sloan, 57, replaced former CEO John Stumpf after he was ousted last October following two brutal Capitol Hill hearings held just weeks after the scandal broke.

Since then, though, there has been a steady stream of new disclosures about wrongdoing in other business units.

Among them are allegations Wells Fargo improperly changed the terms of mortgage loans for bankrupt borrowers, signed up customers for unauthorized life insurance policies and overcharged small businesses for credit- and debit-card processing services.

Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio, the committees ranking Democrat, seized on the banks disclosure in July that it would pay $80 million in refunds to hundreds of thousands of vehicle-loan customers who were billed for auto insurance even though they had their own policies in place. Some even had their cars repossessed.

The board chose to limit the scope of the review to the community bank, he said at the hearing. It should have known or should have wanted to know that other problems existed in other divisions.

However, Sloan got some support Tuesday from Wells Fargos single largest shareholder.

In an interview with CNBC, Berkshire Hathaway Chief Executive Warren Buffett said Sloan had my faith. He said the disclosures of other problems were only to be expected after Wells Fargo began a deeper investigation.

You turn over rocks and sometimes you find something, said Buffett, whose company owns 9.4% of Wells outstanding shares. Its very seldom there is just one thing going wrong at a big institution if something like that is going on.

As part of a $185-million settlement with regulators, Wells Fargo admitted in September 2016 that it created as many as 2.1 million checking, savings, credit card and other accounts without customer permission. A recent expanded audit showed that the estimated number of unauthorized accounts could be as high as 3.5 million.

Sloan, in his prepared remarks, said the bank has determined 190,000 customers incurred fees and charges and they are being reimbursed $6.1 million. The bank also has agreed to settle several class-action lawsuits over the matter for $142 million.

Sloan offered a mea culpa of sorts when asked by Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) if it was fair that he got a promotion and board members still were paid after the accounts scandal.

Ive taken responsibility for mistakes made at the company, Sloan said. Im taking action in my role as CEO to make Wells Fargo a better bank than it was a year ago.

In his opening remarks, Sloan listed a number of reforms the bank has undertaken, including the elimination of product sales goals for retail bankers and the adoption of a new employee incentive program based on customer service performance.

Although the two-hour committee hearing was tough, it was not nearly as contentious as the one last year that resulted in Stumpfs ouster.

During that five-hour hearing, Stumpf faced aggressive questioning from a bipartisan group of senators who criticized his leadership and called for his resignation.

Committee members questioned the banks commitment to not require customers to settle their disputes with the bank over unauthorized accounts through forced arbitration. The bank, like many financial institutions, requires customers to give up their right to sue when they sign up for personal accounts and other services.

Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) cited a current court case in which he said attorneys for the bank took the position that customers who had accounts opened without their permission were required to enter into arbitration.

If that is true, that directly contradicts your testimony, Van Hollen said.

Sloan said he was unaware of the banks position in the case but promised he would look into it.

Arbitration has become a big issue on Capitol Hill after the Wells Fargo scandal. Critics have said the wrongdoing at the bank might have been disclosed earlier had customers not been forced into settling their disputes privately.

The class-action lawsuits against Wells Fargo were filed nonetheless  and settled by the bank  despite the arbitration clause, amid the heightened media scrutiny prompted by the scandal.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau issued a regulation in July that would make it easier for customers to bring class-action lawsuits against banks and other financial institutions, but the GOP-controlled House voted to kill the regulation before it could take effect.

A California bill that would prevent banks from using arbitration clauses to protect themselves from lawsuits over sham accounts is awaiting Gov. Jerry Browns signature.

The union-backed Committee for Better Banks released a statement shortly after the hearing began, calling for legislation to prevent predatory practices at banks.

Far from moving past the scandal, Wells Fargos list of misdeeds has grown exponentially, said Erin Mahoney, organizing coordinator for the group, an offshoot of the Communications Workers of America labor union. The bank clearly has not learned its lesson.

The banks pressure-cooker sales culture was first described in a 2013 Los Angeles Times investigation, which Warren referred to during her questioning. She noted that Sloan was interviewed for the report.

Warren read back his quote to him  Im not aware of any overbearing sales culture  and asked if he launched an investigation into the issue either after The Times interview or after the story laying out evidence of the scandal was published.

Sloan said The Times did not provide him with documentation, to which Warren responded, So I take that as a no.

Sloan later said an internal bank review found problems in the Community Banking division, and the matter was elevated to the banks senior leadership team the same year the article was published.

Still, like Warren, Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.) also expressed doubt that Sloan was the right person to lead a turnaround at the beleaguered bank, noting he was unable to answer several questions posed by senators.

I think anyone with an open mind would question whether we would see a culture change, she said.

Sloan told senators that the banks consumer business has slowed since the accounts scandal became public, though employee turnover at Wells Fargo is down to its lowest point in 4 years.

The bank reported last year it fired 5,300 employees for violations of the companys sales practices. The bank has since rehired 1,780 employees who left the bank during those years, according to a transcript of Sloans prepared remarks.

Were not growing as fast as we were prior to last September, but were on a good trajectory, he said. And I think thats because we have taken responsibility.

Shares of Wells Fargo rose 11 cents, or 0.2%, to $55.58 on Tuesday.

samantha.masunaga@latimes.com

Twitter: @smasunaga

UPDATES:

3 p.m.: This article has been updated throughout.

10:35a.m.: This article was updated with details from the hearing.

9:10 a.m.: This article was updated with comments from Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D- Mass.) and Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D-North Dakota).

This article was originally published at 8:15 a.m.
In 1998, about half of all private-sector employers in the United States offered newly hired workers a defined-benefit pension for their retirement.

By 2015, that percentage dropped to just 5%, according to the consulting firm Willis Towers Watson.

Nearly all private-sector workers now make do with a 401(k) plan  and the average 401(k) balance is roughly $95,000, which comes nowhere close to what the typical American will require in their sunset years.

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By the age of 65, experts say, someone making $75,000 annually should have at least eight times their annual salary socked away, or a minimum of $600,000.

Which brings us to Richard Smith, 57, the former chief executive of credit agency Equifax who is scheduled to testify before Congress on Tuesday about the security breach that exposed the personal information of about 145 million consumers to hackers.

Smith retired last week with a more than $18-million pension.

In other words, you may be looking over your shoulder for the rest of your financial life thanks to Equifax. The companys former boss never has to work again.

And Smiths not alone. Many CEOs of large companies have pensions coming their way as part of their compensation packages.

The Institute for Policy Studies estimates that the top 100 CEOs of Fortune 500 companies can expect an average pension check of $253,088 monthly.

Lets underline that: Almost a quarter of a million dollars. Every month. For the rest of their lives.

The optics of this can be pretty tough to explain, said David F. Larcker, an accounting professor at Stanford University who studies executive compensation. To the typical worker, this seems pretty unfair.

With good reason. Aside from their gravy-train pension plans, most CEOs of big companies pull down an average $15.6 million a year in salary and stock options, according to the Economic Policy Institute. Thats a whopping 271 times what average workers make.

Why such a sweet deal? Obviously its no easy task running a major corporation, so a commensurately meaty paycheck is to be expected.

If you talk to CEOs, and I do, they feel justified in what theyre getting, said Robert Wiseman, associate dean of the Eli Broad College of Business at Michigan State University. They feel theyre held to a higher performance standard than other employees.

But thats not the whole story. The bigger picture is that executive compensation is a rigged system, with all concerned focused on maintaining a status quo that keeps everyones pockets full.

It starts with the execs themselves, most of whom have high-power agents to negotiate the heftiest, most luxurious pay packages possible.

Seriously. CEOs have agents, just like movie stars and pro athletes. Is it any wonder they expect  and receive  first-class treatment?

On the other side of the fence are the boards of directors that ostensibly are looking out for shareholder interests and resisting these extravagant pay plans. But they hide behind consultants who routinely say that if you dont offer gobs of money and a pension, youll lose your celebrity CEO to some other firm.

Wiseman said its not much of a stretch to call this collusion.

The board gives the senior executives what they want, and in return the senior executives maintain pay levels for board members, he said.

Equifax, for example, gives each board member an annual retainer of $80,000, plus up to $25,000 more for chairing a board committee, according to the companys 2017 proxy statement.

They also get a one-time allotment of $175,000 worth of stock, along with $150,000 worth of additional shares annually, as well as reimbursement for customary and usual expenses. Most Equifax board members made close to $250,000 last year.

The bulk of Smiths pension at Equifax comes from whats known as a supplemental executive retirement plan, which is a way for companies to pack fat stacks of extra cash into an ordinary retirement program.

He also received an additional boost from being credited with serving 17 years at the company even though he really served 12. The intent was to compensate him for pension benefits he gave up when he departed his previous employer, General Electric.

This is called making an executive whole, because God forbid hed be like the rest of us poor schmucks and have to forfeit certain benefits when moving from one workplace to another.

If youre forfeiting and someone wants to hire you, they have to make you whole, said George Paulin, chairman of FW Cook, a leading executive-compensation consulting firm.

He said firms are focusing nowadays on performance-based stock grants, as well as those supplemental executive retirement plans, or SERPs, that allow a company to throw additional funds into a CEOs 401(k).

There are SERPs out there that are like a turbo charger for your car, Paulin said of some executive retirement plans.

Im not saying that the guy  and its typically a guy  in the corner office isnt deserving of big bucks. Theres a lot of risk in running a company, and there should be reward.

What sizzles my bacon is the huge gap between what CEOs make compared with rank-and-file workers.

The Harvard Business Review published a study a few years ago showing that the average American CEO made 354 times what ordinary workers made  significantly more than the Economic Policy Institutes calculation of 271 times.

The average German CEO, meanwhile, made 147 times what workers made. The average British CEO made 84 times more. The average Japanese CEO made 67 times more.

Im also a big fan of leading by example. Thus, lawmakers eager to reshape the U.S. healthcare system should be required to have the same coverage as everyone else.

By the same token, CEOs should have the same retirement plans as their subordinates. If they feel like a 401(k) with limited annual contributions doesnt provide sufficient security, well, get in line, bub.

This whole business of treating executives like rock stars is completely out of kilter, said David Lewin, a professor at the UCLA Anderson School of Management. It just pushes us further down the road of inequity.

And unlike the boss, most of us wont see a quarter-mil in monthly pension payments at the end of the line.

David Lazarus column runs Tuesdays and Fridays. He also can be seen daily on KTLA-TV Channel 5 and followed on Twitter @Davidlaz. Send your tips or feedback to david.lazarus@latimes.com.

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In Kevin (Probably) Saves the World Jason Ritter, in the title role, plays a failed investment banker and attempted suicide whom life has brought to the spare room in his sisters house in a small town outside of Austin, Texas.

Common to stories with an inspirational bent, sister Amy (JoAnna Garcia Swisher) is a widow  that most sympathetic of marital statuses  a professor with a sullen and obstreperous teenage daughter, Reese (Chloe East). She is also, less usually, a weapons analyst of such high standing that a helicopter comes for her when meteors, more supernatural than scientific, strike simultaneously around the world.

As luck and the script would have it, one of these shooting stars lands a short drive from Amys house, and while Amy is off on her helicopter ride, Kevin and Reese go investigate. Despite his nieces intelligent counsel, Kevin lays a hand on the meteor and is blown comically through the air. When his head clears, or perhaps it hasnt, he is visited by Yvette (Kimberly Hebert Gregory), a warrior for God.

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In every generation, since the dawn of man, there are 36 righteous souls in the world, Yvette tells Kevin, and they protect humanity by merely existing. Now, there is only one. Namely, Kevin. This does sound uncomfortably close to Into every generation a slayer is born, but in other respects we have been down this road to Damascus, with unlikely candidates tasked with or taking on good works or (probably) world-saving missions. (See, for example, Joan of Arcadia, but also My Name Is Earl and Wonderfalls.) There is some nondenominational, vaguely Judeo-Christian arrangement that, as far as I can tell, requires Kevin to go out and find other potentially righteous souls and activate them with a hug. Yup.

Should I just register as a sex offender now? he reasonably inquires.

Michele Fazekas and Tara Butters were writers and producers on the series Reaper, about a big-box store worker with a sideline in sending escaped demons back to hell, of which Kevin, premiering Tuesday, is a kind of heavenly inversion. They are also veterans of Resurrection, also on ABC, in which dead people mysteriously return to take up their old lives. So this quasi-religious ballpark is one whose layout they know.

Yvette tells Kevin hell need to build up your spiritual powers through acts of kindness and selflessness, and obviously the good hell be forced to do will make him a better, more empathetic, more engaged, less negative, cheerier, self-actualizing person. But, all in all, he is not a bad guy to begin with, just a little rumpled and sad and self-involved.

Ritter is a likable, able comic actor who shines in big parts and little ones, though I am not quite sure that he has been perfectly cast here; or rather, I dont buy his back story  the part where he is supposed to have led a life in pursuit of power and money and sex  though I am willing to go forward with him as a mentally disheveled person in a reluctant relationship with a mystical being and earthly life at large. There is the old, old comedy of talking to the person or thing that no one else can see  the ghosts in Topper, the rabbit in Harvey, among the classic examples; the invisible friends in Imaginary Mary, also on ABC, and Moone Boy among more recent ones (We are given a sliver of license to think its all in Kevins head, even as the show repeatedly demonstrates otherwise.). Its pretty reliable stuff.

The titles parenthetical Probably  the series was at one point called The Gospel of Kevin, which may have been regarded as potentially alienating to some viewers  seems meant to give the series an air of snappy ironic knowingness: We know this is sappy stuff, potentially, but it can be funny, too! Whether Kevin (Probably) Saves the World can walk that line is a question later episodes will have to answer. Meanwhile, for all its weird mythology, the values it espouses are simple: Be good, and if you cant be good, act good, which will lead eventually to being good.

Kevin (Probably) Saves the World

Where: ABC

When: 10 p.m. Tuesday

Rating: TV-14-L (may be unsuitable for children under the age of 14 with an advisory for coarse language)

robert.lloyd@latimes.com

Follow Robert Lloyd on Twitter @LATimesTVLloyd

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Irma Garcia did not go to work Monday.

She was too broken up about the Las Vegas shooting massacre, the deadliest in U.S. history. It brought back painful memories of another horrific rampage by a man with a rifle.

Garcia was a 21-year-old student at the University of Texas in 1966, when a Marine named Charles Whitman climbed a tower and began shooting.

Sixteen people were killed and 31 wounded.

Garcia was shot through the shoulder, and the bullet exited near the middle of her back. A stranger dragged her to safety while the shots kept coming.

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Yes, this does bring it back, she said Monday by phone from her home in Whittier, where the courtroom interpreter was watching the news with her husband at her side for support.

The death toll stood at nearly 60, with hundreds injured.

I feel for those people. It was so horrible and out of the blue, and you dont expect it. Im thinking about all of them, and the ones who survived should get some help. Psychological help. I want to let people know it takes a while.

The last time I spoke to Garcia was in April 2013. A few months earlier, 20 elementary school children had been shot and killed  and six adults murdered  in Newtown, Conn. by a lone, well-armed gunman. It was a tragedy so incomprehensible, many thought it would lead, finally, to comprehensive gun control.

But just before I met with Garcia, an assault weapons ban and an amendment to expand background checks on gun purchases had failed in Congress.

I was so disappointed, she told me at the time. I just wish senators had had more courage to do the right thing.

Will it be any different this time?

Garcia said she hopes so. Me, too. But Im not betting on it.

The National Rifle Assn. spent millions of dollars helping elect President Trump, who later told the gun lobby:

You have a true friend and champion in the White House.

The congressional GOP delegation, as well as some Democratic lawmakers, are among the NRAs true champions.

I dont think it matters how many people get killed in Newtown, Orlando, San Bernardino or Las Vegas. The numbers and details do not make a difference.

Our Founding Fathers knew that without 2nd Amendment freedom, all of our freedoms could be in jeopardy, NRA boss Wayne LaPierre said after Newtown. If you arent free to protect yourself  when government puts its thumb on that freedom  then you arent free at all.

No one is free or safe, as a matter of fact, when automatic weapons such as the one used by the Vegas shooter are easy to get ahold of. No such weapon is necessary for self-defense, and no one should be able to amass dozens of firearms, as the Vegas shooter did, without alarms going off.

For all the talk of Muslim travel bans to protect Americans on our own soil, a far bigger threat is domestic terrorism  and, by extension, the NRA. But so far in Washington, the official response to such tragedies hasnt been to make it harder for weapons to fall into the wrong hands. A package of bills is pending, one of which would make it easier to purchase silencers, and another that would expand the right of gun owners with concealed carry permits to take their weapons into states with more restrictive gun laws.

A far bigger issue than mass shootings is the daily toll of gun violence, most of which doesnt make headlines.

Mass shootings are horrible and grab the nation by the lapels, said Los Angeles City Atty. Mike Feuer, who has worked on gun control as a city councilman, legislator and prosecutor. So sure, he said, restricting large magazines and automatic weapons are public policy no-brainers.

But the majority of gun violence, Feuer said, is from suicide, domestic abuse and gang violence.

Our focus should be not on what might have had an impact on any one case, Feuer said, but on what will have an impact in reducing violence generally.

Feuer  who is strategizing with a bipartisan group of prosecutors nationally  said one helpful reform would be to make it illegal in every state for someone subject to a temporary restraining order to purchase a gun.

The city attorney also thinks theres room for more careful restrictions on gun purchases by people with mental health issues.

In my conversation with Garcia, she told me  and then repeated for emphasis  that she was heartbroken by what her home state of Texas has done about guns at school. Last year, Texas made it legal to carry concealed weapons on college campuses, and that right has now been expanded to include community colleges.

She does not agree with the argument that, in a nation with an estimated 300 million guns and far more gun violence than any other country, having more guns on campus makes everyone safer.

People are going to say, well, if you have a gun you can defend yourself, said Garcia, who had nightmares for years and whose upper body is still twisted from the damage caused by the bullet that tore into her. How are you going to defend yourself if a whole bunch of people are packing guns? Can you imagine the crossfire?

Just as someone came to her aid half a century ago, Garcia said, lots of brave people came to the aid of those who were cut down in Las Vegas. She sees hope in that, and prays theres a national reconciliation on curbing senseless violence.

One commentator said Monday that mass shootings are the price of freedom.

Its true that we cant protect everyone at all times in a country that values civil liberties.

But mass shootings and daily bloodshed are not the price of freedom.

They are the price of gun lust, the multimillion-dollar clout of the gun lobby, the mind-twisting glorification of violence and, most of all, the unconscionable failure of lawmakers to keep us as safe as we can possibly be.

Get more of Steve Lopezs work and follow him on Twitter @LATstevelopez

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LAPD Officer John Kline and his wife Dawn were on their third annual visit to the Route 91 country concert series Sunday night when the gunfire began.

I walked to the front of the lounges and all I could describe it as was a war zone, John Kline said. There were people covered in blood.

He said he saw a man shot in the neck and women with a grapefruit-size stomach wound.

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It was an exit wound. She had been shot in the back as she ran, Kline said. I had no firearm with me, It is one thing to deal with it as a police officer but it is very different with your wife at a concert.

It all began with a few pops.

We thought we heard what sounded like fireworks...we were leaving because it was the last song and I presume people were getting a little rowdy, Kline said.

Ive been shooting and around shootings in my 15 years and to me it sounded too echo-ey to be gunshots and I assumed it was firecrackers.

It turned out it was gunfire coming from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino tower nearby. A gunman opened fire on the concert, killing nearly 60 people in the worst mass shooting in modern American history.

The crowd panicked and as Kline and his wife approached the VIP lounges, we actually heard shots whiz past and strike either a metal banister or the VIP trailers, Kline said. This was real. I told my wife to get down low. There were only two exits and running wasnt going to work. The shooting after an initial tap tap tap turned to automatic gunfire, he said.

A security guard was screaming at people to leave the venue, Kline said. Knowing they could be running into a second shooter, instead they hid by the VIP lounges. He said he told his wife to hide under the apron if an attacker came as he went back out front to assess the situation. That is when he took a look outside and saw carnage like he had never seen before.

Kline said he told his wife not to panic and not to look where many people had been shot and some were dead. They then walked a few blocks and called their children to let them know they were safe.

In my 15 years Ive seen some stuff and done some stuff but its a whole different ballgame when its your family involved, he said.

Joel Twycross was another off-duty law enforcement officer listening to Jason Aldean close out the three-day country music festival. Twycross has worked for the LAPD for nine years, and is now an officer in the departments West Traffic division.

He and a friend were grabbing drinks toward the back of the venue when he heard the first pop. Twycross initially thought it was an issue with the speaker, he said.

Then he heard it again. That sounds like gunshots, he thought.

Suddenly, people began running and screaming. Bullets sprayed a table in front of Twycross and his friend. They hit the ground, then took off running.

As Twycross ran out of the venue, he said, he saw people pointing toward the glimmering Mandalay Bay. He could see a muzzle flash at one of the windows.

We train to respond to these active shooters  not to be involved in one at a random place, he said. You dont show up to Vegas for a country music festival thinking this will happen.

The officer described a frantic scene: people hiding behind metal bleachers, Las Vegas police officers shielding people with their own bodies. Twycross tried to help keep people calm and moving quickly, he said. At one point, he said, he grabbed a girl frozen in panic and told her to run.

Lets go, he told her. We need to move.

The officer saw people around them hit the ground.

You couldnt tell if they were dropping because they were shot or dropping because they were ducking, he said.

Twycross ultimately made it to the Tropicana, and then the MGM Grand -- far enough away from the shooter that he felt safe.

Twycross described the experience as being stuck in the middle of a flight-or-fight response. He reverted back to his training, he said: You hear gunfire, you get down and you stay covered. But he was also without a weapon, as none were allowed inside.

Twycross said his captain had already asked him to talk about the shooting with other LAPD officers at roll-call meetings. His advice?

Be mindful. Be ready. Be prepared, he said. Dont ever think it cant happen to you.

Mather reported from Las Vegas, Winton from Los Angeles.
Related Cuba says US withdrawal of embassy staff will affect ties

The Trump administration on Tuesday ordered the expulsion of 15 Cuban diplomats after pulling more than half of its own embassy staff out of Havana last week, further escalating tensions between the United States and Cuba.

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said the latest decision was made due to Cubas failure to take appropriate steps to protect American personnel in Cuba who have been targeted in mysterious attacks that have damaged their health.

The steps being taken by President Donald Trumps administration mark another blow to his predecessor Barack Obamas policy of rapprochement between Washington and Havana, former Cold War foes.

A State Department official said the number of expulsions was selected to make sure the U.S. and Cuban embassies would have equitable staffing levels while investigations continue into the unexplained health attacks.

The U.S. decision to expel a large portion of Cuban staff at the embassy was communicated to Cuban Ambassador Jose Ramon Cabanas on Tuesday, and the diplomats were given seven days to leave, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The move follows an announcement on Friday that the United States was sharply reducing its diplomatic presence in Cuba as it warned U.S. citizens not to visit because of attacks that have caused hearing loss, dizziness and fatigue in U.S. embassy personnel.

Until the Government of Cuba can ensure the safety of our diplomats in Cuba, our embassy will be reduced to emergency personnel to minimize the number of diplomats at risk of exposure to harm, Tillerson said in a statement.

We continue to maintain diplomatic relations with Cuba, and will continue to cooperate with Cuba as we pursue the investigation into these attacks, he added.

The number of American diplomats confirmed to have suffered symptoms has increased to 22, the State Department official said.

The official maintained that despite the U.S. moves, Washington was not assigning culpability to Cubas Communist government. Cuba has denied involvement in the attacks and is conducting an investigation.

Pressure from Lawmakers To Act

Several Cuban-American Republican lawmakers, including U.S Senator Marco Rubio and Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, had urged that Cuban diplomats be kicked out in retaliation for the Cuban governments failure to get to the bottom of the attacks.

I commend the U.S. State Department for expelling a number of Cuban operatives from the U.S.," Rubio, an influential voice on Trump's Cuba policy, said in a statement. He called for a downgrading relations with Cuba and additional measures if the attacks continue.

But Geoff Thale, director of programs at the Washington Office on Latin America, a human rights advocacy group, said: The United States is using the confusion and uncertainty surrounding these events as justification to take a big step backwards in U.S.-Cuban relations.

The Cuban embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Cuba's Foreign Ministry Chief for U.S. Affairs Josefina Vidal said last week that the U.S. decision to reduce staff at its Havana embassy was hasty and would affect bilateral relations.

The State Department announced on Friday that Havana embassy was halting regular visa operations for Cubans seeking to visit the United States and would offer only emergency services to U.S. citizens.

Cuba, the United States and Canada have investigated the attacks, but the probe has not yielded any answers about how they were carried out or who was responsible for them.

The bizarre case has brought simmering U.S.-Cuba tensions since Trump took office to a boil.

Trump, who in June vowed to partially roll back the detente with Cuba agreed by his Democratic predecessor Obama, called the Cuban government "corrupt and destabilizing" in his address to the United Nations General Assembly last month. Cuba described his comments as "unacceptable and meddling."

In Havana, U.S. diplomats have been frantically selling off their belongings at garage sales and on social media. Many say they had chosen to stay despite the risks involved so were disappointed to be ordered to leave.

In a bittersweet message posted on Facebook, the embassy's top official, career diplomat Scott Hamilton, said he would also be leaving. "I am an optimist and hope we will return one day, before too long," he wrote. "Hasta la proxima Cuba."

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A Los Angeles County jury has called for the death penalty for a gang member who was convicted last month of the 2008 murder of five people at a Long Beach homeless encampment.

The jury deliberated for about two hours before deciding late Monday that David Cruz Ponce, 37, should be sentenced to death, Deputy Dist. Atty. Cynthia Barnes said.

Ponce was scheduled to return to court Nov. 27 for sentencing.

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Ponce and co-defendant Max Eliseo Rafael, 31, were found guilty in September of five counts of murder and one count of kidnapping. The jury also found true special circumstance allegations of multiple murders, murder during a kidnapping and murder by an active member of a criminal street gang.

Long Beach police and the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department pieced the case together in a three-year investigation.

In November 2008, police say, the two gang members were looking for a man who apparently owed them money for drugs. They located him in the encampment near the intersection of the 405 and 710 freeways and opened fire, killing him.

The gunmen then turned to two men and two women at the encampment, authorities say, killing them because they saw the first slaying.

They were executed ... to ensure there were no witnesses to the crimes, Long Beach Police Lt. Lloyd Cox said.

The victims were Vanessa Malaepule, 34; her boyfriend, Lorenzo Perez Villacana, 44; Katherine Verdun, 24; Hamid Sammy Shraifat, 41; and Frederick Neumeier, 53.

The two defendants talked about the murders in jailhouse conversations that were recorded, the prosecutor said.

Ponce also was convicted of the kidnapping and murder of Tony Bledsoe on March 23, 2009.

Rafael faces up to life in prison without the possibility of parole when he is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 16.

Los Angeles Times staff writers Ruben Vives and Richard Winton contributed to this report.

doug.smith@latimes.com

Twitter: @LATDoug

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A Russian diplomat said Monday the United States is violating international law by searching a two-story brownstone in San Francisco that was the consuls residence.

Nikolay Pukalov, head of the consular division at the Russian embassy in Washington, said at least 20 U.S. officials were coming in and out of the property Monday as two uniformed officials stood guard outside.

The U.S. State Department confirmed it conducted a walk-through to make sure all residents had left the premises.

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The State Department will secure and maintain the properties in keeping with our responsibilities, it said.

Pukalov called the inspection an intrusion and a violation of international law and of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, a charge the U.S. disputes.

The Russian Federation has not given its consent for American authorities to enter the property, Pukalov said. This intrusion is a gross violation of international law and a violation of the Vienna convention.

President Trumps administration on Aug. 31 gave Moscow two days to shutter diplomatic outposts in San Francisco and other American cities and a month to vacate diplomatic residences in an ongoing dispute.

The Trumps administration decision was in response to an order from Moscow to reduce the U.S. diplomatic personnel in Russia to 455.

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Fearing a federal crackdown on immigrants in the country illegally, Los Angeles lawmakers vowed to protect vendors who hawk food and goods on city sidewalks.

No longer would the sidewalk sellers shilling ice cream or hot dogs wrapped in bacon face criminal charges that could lead to deportation, they declared.

The City Council voted overwhelmingly to decriminalize sidewalk vending in February and said it would soon move to legalize and regulate the bustling business that thrums along walkways in MacArthur Park, the Fashion District and other stretches of the city.

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In the meantime, vendors could still get administrative citations with fines, but they would not face criminal convictions.

But activists complain that L.A. left some loopholes that continue to put vendors at risk of criminal charges. Theres a lot of fear and confusion about why the city was so enthusiastic about decriminalization in February  but still hasnt finalized this, said Doug Smith, a staff attorney with the nonprofit law firm Public Counsel.

Los Angeles stripped out criminal penalties for violating a key section of the Municipal Code that outlawed sidewalk vending, but it did not touch other code sections that target vending in parks and peddling food from a pushcart. Both are typically charged as infractions, but repeated violations for vending in the parks can also be punished as a misdemeanor.

The L.A. Street Vendor Campaign and other advocates have also warned that street vendors charged for peddling can end up facing misdemeanors if they miss a court hearing. And they say that under the Trump administration, merely having criminal penalties on the books could put immigrant vendors in peril.

Meanwhile, lawmakers have yet to approve regulations to let vendors do business legally. A little more than a month after the City Council vote, Maria Medrano was ticketed for an infraction, for allegedly selling hot dogs from a pushcart downtown. In a recent interview, Medrano said she was saddened that little seemed to have changed.

All we are asking for, that we are fighting for, is a permit, Medrano said in Spanish.

In reaction to the concerns raised by activists, Councilman Gil Cedillo said he wants to remove any possible criminal penalties for those sections of the Municipal Code, reducing them to administrative citations. He and Councilman Jose Huizar introduced a proposal Wednesday asking city officials to report back on decriminalizing peddling.

Cedillo is also exploring whether the city should impose a moratorium on enforcing either of the two codes until vending regulations are in place. His spokesman Fredy Ceja said they had not taken action earlier because they had expected L.A. to move quickly to legalize vending.

Weve been clear that we dont want to criminalize people who are selling paletas, Cedillo said, using the Spanish word for popsicles. Being ejected from the country is too high a price for someone trying to make an honest living.

But tackling some of those code sections could prove complicated.

Dennis Gleason, policy director for Councilman Joe Buscaino, pointed out that the same code that penalizes pushcart vendors includes other kinds of sellers  including people hawking food from trailers attached to vehicles. That could be an issue in congested areas, he said.

If sidewalk vendors are still getting infractions under that code section, we want to address that, Gleason said. But if its trailers, that wasnt really the council direction.

Councilman Mitch OFarrell, who heads a council committee that oversees parks, is exploring what it would look like to remove the misdemeanor sections for park vending, his spokesman Tony Arranaga said. But Arranaga added that parks are governed differently than city sidewalks under the city charter.

The Los Angeles Police Department said that from January to September, it had issued 31 citations under the municipal code section that targets peddling from a trailer, wagon or pushcart  all of them infractions  and none for vending in the park. The City Attorneys Office said it has only filed two misdemeanor charges under those two sections in the past five years. Prosecutors have routinely rejected such charges for inadequate evidence or in the interest of justice.

But immigrant advocates say that even categorizing it as a crime could put immigrants in jeopardy. Michael Kaufman, a staff attorney with the ACLU of Southern California, stressed that President Trump has instructed immigration officials to target not only convicted criminals for deportation, but also people who have committed acts that constitute a chargeable criminal offense.

As long as these ordinances remain on the books, ICE can say you engaged in criminal conduct, Kaufman said.

As long as these ordinances remain on the books, ICE can say you engaged in criminal conduct.  Michael Kaufman, staff attorney with the ACLU of Southern California

LAPD First Assistant Chief Michel Moore said that officers are supposed to try to guide vendors to voluntarily relocate if complaints arise from the community, instead of immediately issuing a citation: 99.9% of the time I dont believe theres any enforcement being taken, Moore said.

However, if we have a problematic vendor or someone raising community concern, it is possible they may rely upon an existing ordinance such as this, Moore said.

Despite the broad agreement among lawmakers that vending should be legalized, the council has wrestled with how to regulate it, facing concerns about blocked sidewalks, trash and negative effects on brick-and-mortar shops. Council members have been especially divided on whether some neighborhoods should be able to ban vending in their borders.

In the meantime, Guillermina Lopez, a tamale vendor who has repeatedly gone to city hearings to argue for legalization, said she was frustrated that she was continuing to get costly tickets. The South L.A. resident said she had stopped selling her homemade tamales and was scrambling to find other work before her rent was due.

Were frustrated, Lopez said in Spanish. We thought everything was moving forward well in our favor.

emily.alpert@latimes.com

Twitter: @LATimesEmily

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UPDATES:

1 p.m., Oct. 4: This article was updated with Councilmen Gil Cedillo and Jose Huizar introducing a proposal asking for a report on decriminalizing peddling.

This article was originally published at 5 a.m. on Oct 3.
As state and federal officials investigate how batches of plastic flutes believed to be contaminated with semen were distributed in the spring to schools in Southern California, parents expressed shock at the allegations while health experts said exposure to the flutes likely posed little risk to students.

Officials believe 14 school districts are possibly affected. including ones in Saugus, the Newport Beach-Costa Mesa area and Fountain Valley.

Susan Castellanos was PTA president last school year at Fountain Valleys Courreges Elementary School, one of those schools possibly affected.

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She said Monday that her son, who was then in fifth grade and participating in Flutes Across the World, has a decorated flute from the program. She will hand it over to authorities to help with their investigation, she said.

Its just so disheartening, Castellanos said of the case.

Authorities are investigating a music teaching specialist suspected of contaminating musical instruments with semen. The suspect has not been identified.

A spokeswoman for the Orange County Health Care Agency said Monday that based on public information, Dr. Matthew Zahn, medical director of epidemiology and assessment, believes the situation does not present a health concern.

Zahn reached out to the schools involved, the agency said.

Dr. Carl Schultz, a professor emeritus of emergency medicine and public health at UC Irvine, said some sexually transmitted diseases can be spread through semen but that the risk of infection in this situation is likely very low. The organisms that cause those diseases cant tolerate changes in temperature or drying out over time, he said.

Unless this guy smeared his semen on the flute and handed it to the kids right away, theres really not a risk of transferring anything, Schultz said.

The Health Care Agency suggested that concerned families consult their primary medical providers about an individual risk assessment.

Fountain Valley School District Supt. Mark Johnson said in an announcement last week that fifth-graders at Courreges Elementary received the potentially contaminated flutes in June through an independent contractors music enrichment program called Flutes Across the World.

Courreges is believed to be the only Fountain Valley school affected, Johnson said.

Flutes Across the World came to Newport-Mesa through the districts partnership with the Segerstrom Center for the Arts, according to Newport-Mesa spokeswoman Annette Franco.

That partnership is on hold for the time being, she added.

Flutes Across the Worlds website was down Monday. In an archived version of the site, the organization described itself as a nonprofit based in Ojai.

We understand that this is a deeply upsetting and difficult situation for our parents and that it may be frustrating to not have more details, Franco said in a statement Monday. We are giving our impacted parents as much information as possible, without compromising the open and active investigation.

Please know that our priority and focus is to work closely with the impacted parents and to fully cooperate with law enforcement. We are waiting for direction from the law enforcement agencies on next steps, if any.

Franco said a Sonora parent meeting was held Sunday and that another is scheduled for Monday.

Newport-Mesa trustee Martha Fluor said federal authorities told the district that the suspect took the flutes home overnight and then returned them to students.

We take our students and their safety very seriously, she said. Thats our utmost concern.

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is leading the investigation with support from the California Department of Justice, according to the California attorney generals press office.

As part of the investigation, we are working with local law enforcement and school districts to collect instruments for the California Department of Justice to process, the press office said in a statement.

It isnt clear why the Postal Inspection Service launched the investigation. When asked for details, the agency said it doesnt comment about ongoing investigations.

In a statement Monday, the service said: Protecting children from crimes of sexual abuse and exploitation is a priority of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. We remain steadfast in our efforts to investigate, apprehend and assist in the prosecution of those who seek to exploit children.

Members of the Fountain Valley school board declined to comment directly to the Daily Pilot. A school administrator, speaking on behalf of the board, said Monday that the district had no information to add since Fridays announcement from Johnson.

bradley.zint@latimes.com

hannah.fry@latimes.com

Fry and Zint write for Times Community News

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The State Department on Tuesday ordered 15 Cuban diplomats to leave the United States in the latest response to what U.S. officials call a series of unexplained attacks that have sickened 22 American diplomats in Havana.

The expulsions mark another chapter in a deepening international mystery as U.S. and Cuban authorities seek to determine how and why so many U.S. diplomats came down with a range of ailments, from hearing loss to minor brain damage, in Havana.

The FBI and Cuban law enforcement agencies are cooperating in an investigation but so far, neither government can say what has caused the illnesses, who is responsible, or how to stop them.

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Secretary of State Rex Tillerson ordered more than half the U.S. Embassy staff, and all family members, to depart Havana for their safety last Friday while the probe continues. On Tuesday, he indicated that he had ordered 15 Cuban diplomats to leave their embassy in Washington within one week to keep the two missions the same size.

This order will ensure equity in our respective diplomatic operations, Tillerson said in a statement. He said he was acting due to Cubas failure to take appropriate steps to protect our diplomats in accordance with international law.

Tillerson and other officials insisted the expulsions did not reduce U.S. diplomatic relations with Havana, which were only restored in 2015 after more than half a century, and U.S. officials took pains not to accuse Cuba of causing the illnesses.

Cuban officials were angered, calling the expulsions unfair and unwarranted.

In Havana, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez said Cuba strongly protests and condemns this unfounded and unacceptable decision.

Cuba has never perpetrated, nor will it ever perpetrate attacks of any sort against diplomatic officials or their relatives, without any exception. Rodriguez said in a statement. Neither has it ever allowed nor will it ever allow its territory to be used by third parties with that purpose.

We think this decision is hasty and will affect bilateral relations, said Josefina Vidal, head of American affairs for the Cuban Foreign Ministry and a key diplomat in restoring ties between the two countries.

She said Cuba had rigorously participated in finding the causes of the ailments, and the expulsions seemed to prejudge the investigation.

Some U.S. officials have speculated that the attacks are the work of a rogue Cuban operatives seeking to wreck relations with the U.S., or that of a third nation.

U.S. officials initially suspected that sophisticated acoustic devices were used to aim damaging sound waves at Americans. But no such devices were found and the U.S. Embassy in Havana no longer considers that a likely cause.

Tillerson said last week that 21 U.S. Embassy personnel had been affected, but a senior State Department official said Tuesday that another American who fell ill in January was reexamined and added to the group.

The State Department official, who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity, said the 15 Cuban diplomats had seven days to leave. U.S. officials presented Cuban authorities with a list of names Tuesday, he said.

Cuba must take more action in response to the attacks, the official said without specifying what action was required.

Heather Nauert, the State Department spokeswoman, said the 15 were chosen because their functions related generally to the functions of the American diplomats who had to leave Cuba. None were publicly identified.

U.S. officials refused to say how many Americans are left at the U.S. Embassy in Havana, but its believed to be fewer than 30.

Several Republican lawmakers had sharply criticized Tillerson last week for not expelling Cuban diplomats, blaming the government in Havana for the unusual ailments.

State Department officials first disclosed what they called incidents this summer, but the announcement on Friday described them for the first time as specific attacks that targeted U.S. officials.

They began last year and continued as recently as August, according to U.S. officials.

Since restoring relations, Washington and Havana have cooperated on several regional issues, enjoyed increased trade and a tourism boom. President Trump has tightened some regulations but has largely left the rapprochement intact.

Several experts and organizations that work with Cuba said expelling diplomats would be counterproductive.

The more we escalate tensions with Cuba, the harder it will be to solve this mystery, said Daniel Erikson, who specialized in Latin America in the Obama White House and now is managing director of Blue Star Strategies, a consulting firm. They should be taking steps to investigate, not walk away, he said.

tracy.wilkinson@latimes.com

For more on international affairs, follow @TracyKWilkinson on Twitter


ResourcesVictims

Oct. 5, 2017, 9:45 a.m. California residents can apply for aid for medical bills, funeral expenses after Las Vegas attacks Carmen Alegria recounts her harrowing experience surviving the mass shooting in Las Vegas. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) Californians who were injured in the Las Vegas attack may be able to get some monetary relief. The California Victim Compensation Board, a state program that offers monetary support for victims of violent crimes, has released a single application process to allow people to apply for compensation from California as well as from Nevadas program, said Julie Nauman, the boards executive director. A gunman opened fire on the Route 91 Harvest festival in Las Vegas on Sunday night, injuring almost 500 people and killing 58. Help is available for survivors of those who were killed, anyone who was injured and those in attendance at the concert, as well as their immediate family members, according to a statement the board released Wednesday. The funds can help pay for various costs, including funeral expenses, medical bills, mental health treatment, lost wages. Theres a limit of $70,000 per victim in the California program, but officials from California and Nevada are working together to maximize resources for families, Nauman said. We want victims to know that this help is available, she said. California residents can apply at https://victims.ca.gov/lasvegas/ or can call 1-800-777- 9229. Staff writer Joseph Serna contributed to this report.



Oct. 5, 2017, 8:27 a.m. Las Vegas

Vegas shooter booked room overlooking Lollapalooza in Chicago, official says Fans watch as Charli XCX performs at Lollapalooza in Chicagos Grant Park on Aug 6. (Rob Grabowski / Invision/AP) Police said Thursday they are examining reports that the gunman who fired on a country music festival in Las Vegas also booked rooms in a Chicago hotel overlooking the massive Lollapalooza music festival, the latest new line of inquiry as investigators try to retrace the killers steps in the days and weeks before the attack. TMZ reported that Stephen Paddock, 64, booked two rooms facing Grant Park, where the festival was held from Aug. 3 to Aug. 6, at the Blackstone Hotel, an upscale downtown hotel across the street, but he never showed. We can confirm that a reservation was made under the name Stephen Paddock, however authorities have not confirmed that this is the same person as the Las Vegas shooter, said hotel spokeswoman Emmy Carragher, adding that the guest never arrived. We are cooperating with the authorities on this matter. Lollapalooza draws hundreds of thousands of music fans every year, and this summer the shows attendees included Malia Obama, the daughter of former President Obama. Read more



Suspect

Oct. 4, 2017, 10:47 p.m. Las Vegas

These are the video poker machines Las Vegas gunman Stephen Paddock frequented Video poker machines at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino (Ruben Vives/Los Angeles Times) At the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, the video poker machines stand at the north end of the casino, near an open court across from the black jack tables. Stephen Paddock, the gunman responsible for Sundays mass shootings at a music festival opposite the hotel, liked to play this bank of machines. Hotel staff said hed come to the Mandalay Bay up to twice a month. A real estate investor who also made regular money on gambling, Paddock is said to have preferred video poker. He gambled for 20-plus years, successfully, his brother, Eric Paddock, told reporters on Wednesday. Hed often play $100,000 at a time, he said. "$100,000 isnt that much money.... He gambled that much through a machine in hours.... Hes got the highest level of membership card at a lot of these [casino] hotels. If a lot of these hotels say they dont know Steve, theyre lying. It was from a room 32 floors above the Mandalay Bay casino that Paddock launched his deadly attack, killing 58 people and wounding nearly 500 others. On the casino floor Wednesday night, though, there was little sign of the tragedy three nights earlier. It was business as usual.



Oct. 4, 2017, 8:34 p.m. Why did it take police so long to breach Las Vegas gunmans room? Heres a new timeline How long did it take Las Vegas police officers to storm into the room at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino where gunman Stephen Paddock was laying down fire on a crowd of 22,000 helpless concertgoers below? Initial reports suggested it was 72 minutes. Actually, it was 75 minutes, Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo said Wednesday, as authorities released their first complete timeline of the Sunday night shooting that left 58 people dead and nearly 500 injured. There was a reason for the delay, Lombardo said. Officers actually reached Paddocks hotel room door on the 32nd floor within 12 minutes of the first shots being fired, which is phenomenal, the sheriff said. The shots had stopped 10 minutes after they started, according to the new timeline, which factors in information recorded on police officers body cameras and closed-circuit television footage from the concert venue. The shooting apparently halted when Paddock detected the security guards approach at his hotel room door and turned to shoot the guard, Lombardo said. The first police officers arrived about two minutes after that, the new account suggests. When they saw what had happened, they evacuated nearby rooms and waited for backup from a SWAT team to enter the room. That ended up happening 75 minutes after the first shots were fired. Paddock was already dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Here is the timeline the sheriffs department released: 10:05 p.m.: First shots fired by the suspect. This was seen on closed-circuit television from the concert venue. 10:12 p.m.: First two officers arrive on the 31st floor and announce the gunfire is coming from directly above them. 10:15 p.m.: The last shots are fired from the suspect per body-worn cameras. 10:17 p.m.: The first two officers arrive on the 32nd floor. 10:18 p.m.: Security officer tells LVMPD officers he was shot and gives exact location of the suspects room. 10:26-10:30 p.m.: Eight additional officers arrive on the 32nd floor and begin to move systematically down the hallway, clearing every room and looking for any injured people. They move this way because they no longer hear the gunfire of an active shooter. 10:55 p.m.: Eight officers arrive in the stairwell at the opposite end of the hallway nearest to the suspects room. 11:20 p.m.: The first breach is set off and officers enter the room. They observe the suspect down on the ground and also see a second door that could not be accessed from their position. 11:27 p.m.: The second breach is set off, allowing officers to access the second room. Officers quickly realize there is no one else in the rooms and announce over the radio that the suspect is down. ALSO Vegas shooter booked room overlooking Lollapalooza in Chicago, official says Shooting shows how hard it is to stop a sniper Las Vegas shooting victims: Portraits of the fallen Heres what we know (and dont know) about the Las Vegas shooting



Oct. 4, 2017, 7:20 p.m. Gunmans brother: If a lot of these hotels say they dont know Steve, theyre lying Eric Paddock, left, brother of Las Vegas gunman Stephen Paddock, speaks to members of the media outside his home Monday in Orlando, Fla. (John Raoux / Associated Press) The interview started with Eric Paddock crying. And then  in a rambling, televised interview that stretched for half a hour in Florida on Wednesday  Paddock held court on his brother Stephen, the gunman who attacked a Las Vegas country music festival. He was now one of Americas foremost experts on one of its worst mass killers, and he was trying to explain reports that Stephen Paddock had gambled heavily in Las Vegas in recent months, sometimes with at least $100,000. Were wealthy people, Eric Paddock said. "$100,000 isnt that much money.... He gambled that much through a machine in hours.... Hes got the highest level of membership card at a lot of these [casino] hotels. If a lot of these hotels say they dont know Steve, theyre lying. But his brother also didnt love the casino, Paddock said. The casino was a means to an end. The casino to him was like a job in Toyota in Japan, where you live in the Toyota apartments across the street, and then you go to the Toyota factory to work. Thats what the casino was. Its a place where you lived and they were nice to you, and you could get it paid for by playing slots. Paddock remembered his brother as a man who used his money to take care of his family financially. He helped make me and my family wealthy. I mean, hes the reason I was able to retire three years ago when I got really burned out doing the job I did, Eric Paddock said. He didnt have a lot of friends, Paddock continued. He was a private person. Theres a story about that hes, ohhhh, he kept his shades closed, and he didnt talk to me for the first three times he saw me walking in the neighborhood. Wow. That makes him really weird, doesnt it? He was a private guy. Thats why you cant find out anything about him, thats why theres no pictures. Is he such a weirdo because he didnt have a Facebook page and posted 50,000 damn pictures of himself every day? Whos weird? He said that his heart went out to the victims and that he began crying when his son had called him that day, also crying. I woke up this morning, crying, Paddock said. But, of his brothers attack, Paddock said: This is 100% Steve, did this by himself. People cant seem to cope with that either. But Steve is a  was a  highly intelligent, highly successful person. He could have done anything he wanted to do. And he did. He made himself wealthy. He made us wealthy. He was a very successful person. He gambled for 20-plus years, successfully. Its like a job to him. He did it mathematically. Stephen Paddock loved his girlfriend, Marilou Danley, who flew to the Philippines before the attack, Eric Paddock said. He also wired Danley money. Thats the Steve I know, Eric Paddock said. Thats something that makes sense. Steve would have wanted to take care of Marilou. The couple seem to have met at the Atlantis Casino Resort Spa in Reno, where Danely was a hostess and Stephen Paddock was a big fish, Eric Paddock said. They were adorable, he said. Steves this big, shes this tiny thing. He loved her. He doted on her. He added of his brother: It was fun to hang out with Steve, because he was a rich guy who hung out in the hotels. OK? ... Him getting on a plane and flying somewhere is like you going to Publix. Its something he does every week. The attack was so baffling that I hope to hell they find, when they do the autopsy, that theres a tumor in his head, or something, because if they dont, were all in trouble, Eric Paddock said, adding, Im praying for at least some data points. Because otherwise, the bug in Men In Black put on a Steve suit and went and did this. Theres no other rationalization.



Oct. 4, 2017, 6:15 p.m. Las Vegas gunman may have wanted to survive and escape, sheriff says Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo (KVUU) The gunman who opened fire on a country music festival in Las Vegas may have wanted to survive and escape his attack, but a hotel security guard who approached his door and attracted the shooters gunfire appears to have stopped the massacre, Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo said Wednesday. His bravery was amazing, Lombardo said of the Mandalay Bay hotel security guard, who continued to help police clear guests from the 32nd floor of the hotel even after being shot in the leg by the gunman through the door of the gunmans suite. Investigators also confirmed that Stephen Paddock, 64, of Mesquite had also rented a room at the Ogden condo building earlier in September overlooking an even larger Vegas music event, the Life is Beautiful festival, featuring Gorillaz, Lorde, Chance the Rapper and other artists. Lombardo declined to say what evidence had led him to believe that Paddock might have hoped to escape after the attack, though he confirmed no suicide note was discovered in the room. Investigators were still trying to understand what drove Paddock and whether something triggered him in October 2016, when he began buying dozens of guns. Officials also declined to release details of their interviews with the gunmans girlfriend, but Lombardo said he questioned whether Paddock had managed to amass an arsenal and prepare for an attack on his own. He had to have some help at some point, Lombardo said. Maybe hes a superguy. maybe hes a super yahoo, was working out all this on his own, but it would be hard for me to believe that.



Oct. 4, 2017, 4:17 p.m. Shooters girlfriend: No warning that something horrible like this would happen The girlfriend of the Las Vegas shooter told FBI agents Wednesday that she had no explanation for what motivated the massacre. Her interview with agents dashed any immediate hope that she could help unlock the mysteries of a shooting that left 59 dead and more than 500 injured. I knew Stephen Paddock as a kind, caring, quiet man, Marilou Danley said in a statement read by her attorney, Matt Lombard, after she was interviewed by FBI agents for several hours in Los Angeles. He never said anything to me or took any action that I was aware of that I understood in any way to be a warning that something horrible like this would happen, Lombard read. According to the statement, Paddock announced to Danley two weeks ago that he had bought her a plane ticket so that she could visit family in the Philippines. While she was there, Danley said in the statement, Paddock wired money to her, saying it was for her to buy a house for her and her family. The trip and money suddenly appeared to Danley to be an attempt by Paddock to break off the relationship, but she said she had no inclination he was planning to carry out the massacre. Danley returned to the United States late Tuesday and was met by federal agents after landing at Los Angeles International Airport.



Oct. 4, 2017, 4:05 p.m. Online fundraisers collect millions for Las Vegas shooting victims and give people spaces to grieve (Los Angeles Times) In the midst of mass tragedy, a new normal for collective mourning has emerged. Its not uncommon for family, friends and strangers to grieve together on Facebook, on Twitter and even in the comments of online fundraising campaigns. Thats been true after many recent tragedies and certainly the case in the days since the Las Vegas shooting left 59 dead and more than 500 wounded. Dozens of campaigns on the Go Fund Me website have raised millions for victims and their families, while serving as virtual memorials and tributes. May we all remember you smiling and laughing. You dont know me but I was standing behind you in a group of moms. This is a young woman who loves with all her heart. A devoted aunt, a group of childhood friends, a sister, a brother, a fellow officer, a gubernatorial candidate -- all have launched campaigns for someone hurt or killed during the shooting on the Vegas Strip. The fundraisers have been shared widely on social media. A dip into the comments sections shows just how near and far. I was there at the festival and left unharmed. My heart breaks for all the victims. You are a true jewel. RIP Sending you love, strength and well wishes from Australia. I dont know you, but I hope you get well soon. Weve known each other a long time my friend. From 6th grade to high school. I am so happy you are well.

Oct. 4, 2017, 12:45 p.m. Trump thanks doctors and police who aided Las Vegas shooting victims

President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump visited doctors and patients Wednesday at a Las Vegas hospital that treated more than 100 victims from this weeks mass shooting. It makes you very proud to be an American when you see the job theyve done, the president said. Flanked by medical staff from University Medical Center, the regions only Level 1 trauma facility, Trump applauded the emergency response to the massacre. I just want to congratulate everybody, its incredible work, incredible work youve done, he said. Victims who might have died will instead be released from the hospital in the days or weeks ahead, Trump said. Trump characterized the gunman, Stephen Paddock, 64, as a very sick man, he was a very demented person. Of Paddocks motive, Trump said, You will know very soon if we find something, were looking very, very hard. Trump also praised the incredible job done by police responding to Sunday nights shooting at a country-music festival, crediting officers with stopping the gunfire from the Mandalay Bay hotel within 11 minutes. The professionalism has just been amazing, Trump said. Shortly after, the president and the first lady arrived at the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, where they were greeted by law enforcement officers who responded to the shooting, and where Trump again praised their response. The couple was scheduled to return to Washington after meeting with police. Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo, who runs the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, showed Trump the departments operations center, where police coordinated the response to the shooting. Trump said the first responders to the shooting had been a real inspiration, adding this has been a rough time, but the shooting could have been a lot worse without the help of emergency officials. Trump said he had seen professionalism like you rarely see and thanked them, drawing applause.



Gun Control

Oct. 4, 2017, 12:22 p.m. Reporting from Washington

Sen. Dianne Feinstein proposes ban of bump stock gun modifications Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) hold a news conference to introduce legislation to ban the sale and possession of gun bump stocks. (Bill Clark / CQ Roll Call) Sen. Dianne Feinstein on Wednesday proposed legislation that would ban gun bump stocks, which police said were used by a Las Vegas shooter this week to make semi-automatic weapons work more like automatic weapons. The only reason to modify a gun is to kill as many people as possible in as short a time as possible, the Califormnia Democrat told reporters. After the shooting , many Republicans said it wasnt the right time to talk about gun laws. Its premature to be discussing legislative solutions, if there are any, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Tuesday. But several prominent Republicans appear open to the idea of banning the modifiers. Sen. John Cornyn of Texas told Bloomberg News on Wednesday that Congress should hold hearings on whether to ban bump stocks, and North Carolina Rep. Mark Meadows of the powerful House Freedom Caucus told reporters that if the modification goes around limits on automatic weapons, its something that we obviously need to look at in the future. Read more

Oct. 4, 2017, 12:20 p.m. Watch live: President Trump delivers remarks in Las Vegas



Oct. 4, 2017, 12:10 p.m. Concertgoer commandeered truck to take Vegas victims to hospital People take cover from the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after hearing gunfire Sunday night in Las Vegas. The shooter was firing from the nearby Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. (Getty Images) As people fell to the ground, wounded in the sprays of gunfire, Taylor Winston knew he had to do something. People were bleeding everywhere, Winston said. Gunshot wounds were everywhere. Legs, torsos, necks, chests, arms  just dozens of people. The 29-year-old San Diego man said he realized he needed to help fellow concertgoers get to the hospital. Along with a friend, Winston ran to a parking lot adjacent to the fairgrounds where the Route 91 Harvest festival was staged, looking for a car or truck he could commandeer. He said he knew that festival employees often left keys in work vehicles. The first one we opened had keys inside, Winston said. Over the next 40 minutes, Winston and a friend, Jenn Lewis, would transport 20 to 30 critically injured people to a hospital in the commandeered truck. It was a lot of chaos, but within the chaos, there was a lot of good being done and a lot of people rising to the occasion and helping others, he said. Read more



Oct. 4, 2017, 11:13 a.m. Las Vegas

A roundup of the latest on the Las Vegas shooting: Most of gunmans weapons were purchased since October (Marcus Yam/Los Angeles Times) The gunman responsible for the massacre in Las Vegas first began buying guns two decades ago, a federal source said Wednesday, but the majority of the 47 guns he owned had been purchased since October 2016. Stephen Paddock brought at least 23 weapons, mostly rifles, to the Mandalay Bay hotel room from which he opened fire on a country music concert across the street Sunday night, an attack which left 59 people dead and more than 500 injured. Twelve of the guns were modified with bump-fire stocks, which are legal accessories that allow guns to fire at nearly fully automatic speed, officials said. Meanwhile, FBI agents were slated to interview Paddocks girlfriend, Marilou Danley, in Los Angeles. Read more



Music FestivalOfficersSuspectVictims

Oct. 4, 2017, 11:09 a.m. From the police scanner, a tale emerges of 72 minutes of terror (Eugene Garcia / EPA-EFE) The first call came across the Las Vegas radio channel in a burst of static. We got shots fired, the police officer said, in a breathless voice. Sounded like an automatic firearm. The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Departments scanner traffic, and body camera video released Tuesday, captured officers frantic efforts to find and stop the gunman firing into a crowd of 22,000 people from a perch high above the fairgrounds at a music festival. From the first reports of gunshots at 10:08 p.m. Sunday, it would be 72 chaotic minutes until a SWAT team crept down a carpeted hallway on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel and blew open the hotel room occupied by gunman Stephen Paddock. By then, the gunfire had long since ceased and Paddock was dead. Read more

Oct. 4, 2017, 10:58 a.m. Girlfriend of Las Vegas shooter is being interviewed by FBI in Los Angeles The girlfriend of Las Vegas shooter Stephen Paddock was slated to be interviewed by investigators at the Los Angeles headquarters of the FBI on Wednesday morning, an official said. Clark County Sheriff Joseph Lombardo told reporters meeting President Trumps plane in Nevada that the interview was to be conducted shortly. FBI officials would not confirm the interview timing but acknowledged that the woman, Marilou Danley, was expected to consent to be interviewed by investigators. Matthew Lombard, a Los Angeles attorney hired by relatives to represent Danley, declined to comment. He said he expected to release a statement Wednesday afternoon.

Oct. 4, 2017, 10:03 a.m. President Trump lands in Las Vegas to meet with victims of the attack at music festival

President Trump arrived in Las Vegas on Wednesday morning to meet with law enforcement officials and victims of Sunday nights massacre at a country-music festival on the Strip. Air Force 1 landed at McCarran International Airport at 9:37 a.m., and Trump walked out of the plane with Melania, the first lady. They were greeted on the tarmac by Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo and other dignitaries, which were scheduled to include Republican Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval and Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman, an independent. The president and first lady were scheduled to meet with patients and medical staff at a local hospital at 10 a.m. and then meet with civilian heroes and first responders to the attack at 11:50 a.m., before an expected departure back to Washington at 1:10 p.m.



Oct. 4, 2017, 9:01 a.m. Las Vegas

President Trump visiting Las Vegas to meet with mass shooting victims and first responders Mark Rumpeler (Ruven Vives/Los Angeles Times) President Trumps visit to Las Vegas on Wednesday is his second trip in two days aimed at comforting the victims of tragedy: In Puerto Rico on Tuesday, it was victims of Hurricane Maria; in Nevada, its the families and survivors of a mass shooting opposite the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. Trump was scheduled to arrive at 9:30 a.m. PDT and meet with patients and doctors at a hospital treating the more than 500 people injured in Sundays shooting. Later, the White House said, he was to meet with civilian heroes and first responders who were at the scene when Stephen Paddock , a 64-year-old gambler and real estate investor, opened fire from the 32nd floor of the hotel at a country music festival going on below. Well, Its a very sad thing, Trump told reporters Wednesday as he was preparing to leave Washington. Were going to pay our respects and to see the police who have done really a fantastic job in a very short time. As for the investigation into the shooting, he said: Yeah, theyre learning a lot more. And thatll be announced at the appropriate time. Its a very, very sad day for me, personally. In Las Vegas, some seemed skeptical that the presidents visit would bring much comfort. Mekhaly Rassavong, 50, was at McCarran International Airport, where Trump was to land, to light a candle at a memorial for victims of the shooting. Standing by her silver truck, she said she was worried about Trumps visit. She said she doesnt think Trump is a compassionate person. His abrasive tweets and the comments he made Tuesday while visiting Puerto Rico, she said, made her think he may fail to show genuine compassion for Las Vegas. Puerto Rico lost 16 people and hes saying their losses arent as bad as Katrina and that theyre messing with the budget, she said, shaking her head. If hes not genuinely going to show compassion here, its almost like you shouldnt be here because its just going to make people more upset. Mark Rumpeler, 58, who is a reverend and impersonates Elvis, disagrees. Hes going to salute the first responders and Americans who helped as he should, he said. Rumpeler said hes happy that the president is visiting the city because it takes someone of his caliber to address what has happened. He represents all Americans, whether you voted for him or not, he said. I think he will strengthen America and remind us to keep rowing our boat in one direction.



Oct. 4, 2017, 3:00 a.m. The trigonometry of terror: Why the Las Vegas shooting was so deadly Arthur B. Alphin is well acquainted with the trigonometry of terror. The retired Army lieutenant colonel and West Point graduate, who has a mechanical engineering degree and specialized in ballistics, has testified in many multiple-shooting cases. What he sees so far about Las Vegas shooter Stephen Paddock is a patient, well-trained gunner who did not pick and choose his targets, but held to a steady kill zone centered in the middle of thousands of concertgoers. Once the trigger was pulled, simple laws of physics and trigonometry sealed the fate of more than 500 people who would fall wounded in the ensuing fracas  59 of them fatally. He had a huge area of three, four or five football fields with people standing shoulder to shoulder, Alphin said. He was not aiming at any individual person. He was just throwing bullets in a huge beaten zone. Beaten zone is an infantry term dating to World War I. Shaped like the area a searchlight casts across a flat surface, it represents the area where bullets can strike, and moves substantially with tiny changes in the tilt of the gun. If the shooter shifted by about 1 degree, or the width of two fingers held at arms length, Alphin said, the beaten zone would fall outside the crowd. Thats all the distance you have to move and you arent hitting anybody, Alphin said. So he had to be pointing or aiming at the very center of mass and then bouncing all over with the recoil. > Readers show how they would rewrite the Second Amendment From a perch 320 feet above ground in a hotel whose base was about 1,050 feet from the concert venue, Paddock was firing down the 1,098-foot hypotenuse of a right triangle  and would have to adjust his aim for the arc of the bullet over that distance. Alphin said there was no way the shooter maintained such a steady kill zone by dumb luck. Steady nerves and planning are a better explanation for the casualty rate, he said. How did this guy get trained that well? Where did it come from? At least one of the 23 rapid-firing weapons authorities found in the hotel room had a bipod stand to hold it steady, according to law enforcement authorities. Paddock also may have fitted weapons with a device to make it cycle rounds more quickly into the chamber for firing, or converted some to fully automatic firing, potentially adding as many as eight rounds per second, Alphin said. There may also be expertise at work in deciding when to switch rifles, Alphin said. Gun barrels expand as they heat up, and the bullet can lose contact with the grooves that spin it and keep it point-forward. Without the spin, it will tumble. A bullet tumbling like that, good God, it will land on planet Earth but you dont know where, Alphin said.



Oct. 3, 2017, 9:32 p.m. Girlfriend of Las Vegas gunman, a person of interest in mass shooting, has landed in Los Angeles Marilou Danley, the girlfriend of the gunman who shot and killed 59 people at a country music concert in Las Vegas, returned Tuesday night to the United States from the Philippines, according to multiple law enforcement sources. Danley was met by federal agents at Los Angeles International Airport, said the officials, who were not authorized to discuss the case publicly. Danley was not placed under arrest and it was not known when, or if, she would agree to be interviewed about Stephen Paddock, who killed himself in the Las Vegas hotel room from which he launched his deadly attack. Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo, whose department is leading the investigation into the shooting, on Tuesday called Danley a person of interest and said authorities hoped that talking with her would shed light on why Paddock carried out the rampage.
Pop pop pop pop pop. As bullets rained onto the crowd gathered on the Strip for three days of country music, Travis Phippens training kicked in.

The off-duty emergency medical technician crawled from one victim to another, more than a dozen in all. They lay helpless and bleeding among the cowboy hats and plastic beer cups that concertgoers had dropped in panic when the shooting started.

Phippen plugged wounds with clothing. As he worked, a woman next to him was shot in the head.

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He crawled to his next patient, a 240-pound man, and rolled him over.

It was his father.

The two men had traveled from Santa Clarita for the Route 91 Harvest Festival concert but were separated in the chaos. Now John Phippen, 56, was a casualty vying for Travis Phippens attention.

Phippen tried to plug the bullet hole in his fathers back with one of his fingers as he carried him to help. But it would not be enough.

A total of 59 people were killed and 527 injured when a gunman opened fire from a room in the Mandalay Bay hotel across the street.

It was the deadliest U.S. mass shooting in nearly a century, carried out, authorities said, by a reclusive real estate investor and gambler whod hauled 23 weapons up to his 32nd-floor room and turned it into a hunting platform.

Police said Monday that a search of the home and computer of Stephen Paddock, 64, turned up nothing to explain why he had shot nearly 600 people assembled below on the concert grounds before killing himself as a police SWAT team burst through his hotel room door.

It was an act of pure evil, said President Trump, who will travel to Las Vegas on Wednesday. Our unity cannot be shattered by evil, our bonds cannot be broken by violence.

Authorities said 19 additional weapons were recovered from Paddocks home in the town of Mesquite, Nev., 80 miles northeast of Las Vegas. Ammonium nitrate, which can be used to manufacture an explosive device, was found in his car, Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo said.

Law enforcement were looking through his computer, U.S. Rep. Ruben Kihuen (D-Nev.) said after being briefed by Nevadas multi-agency anti-terrorism center. They couldnt find a motive.

Those who had gathered for Sunday nights festival described a night of laid-back music overcome by the crackle of gunshots so suddenly that at first no one knew what it was.

Country music star Jason Aldean was on his fourth or fifth song  When She Says Baby, a sugar-sweet love song  when the crowd heard the first pop.

Tom Cassidy, 60, of Calabasas saw somebody step on something, maybe a plastic bottle, and thought: Wow, that thing is loud. Others guessed it was fireworks, but there no fireworks were to be seen.

Then Cassidy saw a woman next to him. She had a hole in her face.

With a randomness that was heartbreaking, concertgoers learned the hard way that they were under attack.

Adrian Murfitt, 35, had put his arm around his friend from childhood, Brian MacKinnon, 33, for a photo. Both had come from Anchorage for the show. They heard the pops, and when Murfitt turned to look, a bullet hit his neck and knocked off MacKinnons hat. Murfitt died in his friends arms.

The shooting seemed to last about 10 minutes, much of it rapid-fire, suggesting the gunman had a fully automatic rifle. Aldean and his band ran offstage, and the crowd panicked.

Karlie Cruz, 21, called her mom and left a voicemail: Theres an active shooter. Im OK  for now. I love you. But she still had to escape.

Suddenly, a concert space that had been designed for openness, to accommodate as many people as possible, but also fenced in to provide security, was now a free-fire zone with precious little cover and little chance of escape.

Dozens of people cowered under bleachers. Some, stunned, sat frozen in their seats as others tried to pull them down.

Desera Prosser, 37, and James Glass, 36, had come to Las Vegas to get away from their home in Naples, Fla., damaged in Hurricane Irma. Like many others, they became separated in the chaos and the crush of people.

Glass hid behind a beer cart. He felt a bullet whiz by. He looked up and saw a hole in the beer cart. He ran.

Prosser took cover beneath a food vending truck. After she decided to run, a woman a few feet in front of her was shot in the back. Prosser kept running.

Some helped others hop over the fences to escape. There was a 3- or 4-foot gap in the fence, and everyone was trying to squeeze through it, said Brian Claypool, a Los Angeles attorney.

Some injured survivors were carried away in wheelbarrows. Streets were littered with abandoned heels, skirts and shirts torn off in the chaos.

Once out, some crammed into strangers cars to escape. Many flooded into nearby hotels. They hid in strangers hotel rooms and in restaurant freezers.

Loved ones received desperate phone calls. Mavis Barnette was almost asleep when she received a phone call about 11:30 p.m. from her daughters friend. Her daughter had been shot in the chest.

What are you talking about? Barnette said. Where? When? What?

Her daughter, Carrie Barnette, 34, died before reaching a hospital.

Police started to flood the area, and some officers loaded multiple victims into the backs of their squad cars to take them to hospitals. Were going to have a lot of people self-transporting in pickup trucks, one officer radioed.

The nearby cluster of hotel towers created an echo that made it seem as though the barrage was coming from everywhere. Many thought the gunman was on foot, inside the concert space and getting closer.

In the confusion, police confronted passersby at gunpoint outside the nearby T-Mobile Arena, forcing them to lie facedown on the sidewalk.

As off-duty Los Angeles Police Department officer Joel Twycross ran out of the concert venue  a gun-free zone  he saw people pointing toward the glimmering Mandalay Bay hotel.

Muzzle flashes illuminated one of the windows.

Police and SWAT teams streamed into the building.

Police said they coordinated with hotel security to narrow down what floor the gunman was on.

When a security guard approached Paddocks room, the gunman fired through the door and struck him in the leg, police said.

A strike team of police assembled to breach the door.

We need to pop this and see if weve got any kind of response from this guy, one officer whispered into his radio from near Paddocks room, trying to keep his voice down, as he and other officers prepared an explosive charge for the door.

All units move back, all units move back, a dispatcher said.

Breach, breach, breach! one of the officers said, a transmission that was followed by the sound of an explosion.

But Paddock had killed himself, leaving behind no manifesto explaining what hed done, officials said later. We have one suspect down inside the room, one official radioed.

But the night had only just begun.

A University Medical Center nurse called clinical supervisor Toni Mullan and gave her a blunt instruction: Mass casualty incident. We need you in.

I hung up, Mullan said. I didnt even ask questions.

The wounded poured in on trucks, in taxis, in police cars, in ambulances, some even driving themselves  104 victims at that facility alone, the areas only Level 1 trauma center. Staff started doing triage in the parking lot; blood was splattered across the entrance.

Along with the crush of wounded, though, came an invasion of support: hospital staff who showed up unasked, medical professionals and nurses visiting from out of town showing up and offering to help.

Dr. Jay Coates, a trauma and critical care surgeon at the center, arrived at 11 p.m. and began doing surgeries nonstop for the next six hours.

I had no idea who I was operating on, Coates said. The were coming in so fast, we were taking care of bodies.

The victims didnt have the relatively contained trauma of wounds from handguns, but complex wounds from high-velocity rifle rounds, which often fragment when they hit their victims.

You had people with lung contusions, liver and spleen contusions, broken bones, Coates said. It was like a war zone.

John Phippen hadnt made it  despite the efforts of his son, whod struggled to haul his father to safety in time to stop the bleeding. As it turned out, Travis Phippen had been shot too, in the right arm, but hadnt noticed in the rush to save his father.

He was my best friend, Phippen said Monday. He never did anything wrong to anybody. He was always kind and gentle. He was the biggest teddy bear I knew.

Feeling helpless and wanting to do what he could to help, Rep. Kihuen showed up at the Sunrise Hospital & Medical Center at 3 a.m.

Every single bed was occupied. Every room was occupied in the emergency room area. Every single hallway had patients on beds because they didnt have enough space in the rooms, said Kihuen, who still sounded shaken 12 hours later. People were turning purple.

At about 4:20 a.m., Mason Van Houweling, chief executive of University Medical Center, stood with the police officers outside his building and praised the miraculous work of his staff.

But then his eyes grew cloudy. Its like a bad dream, he said.

An ambulance soon pulled up with a man on a stretcher. He was conscious and shirtless, with a large wrap around his abdomen.

As the sun rose, hundreds of volunteers in the city lined up to give much-needed blood donations for the victims in the local hospitals. Bodies still lay on the ground as police began the massive task of documenting evidence and identifying the dead.

Those whod been at the concert the night before were easy to spot as they lingered, still wearing their cowboy hats. This was a city used to late nights that stretch into the early morning  but not like this. Not like this.

We just wanted to come and have a great weekend, said Robynn Hernandez, 47, of Santa Clarita, who was still wearing her cowboy boots and purple concert wristband.

And we did, Hernandez said, her voice shaken. Up until then.

Potts and Mather reported from Las Vegas. Poston and Pearce reported from Los Angeles. Staff writers Matt Hamilton contributed reporting from Las Vegas, and Laura J. Nelson, Melissa Etehad, Sonali Kohli, Richard Winton, Benjamin Oreskes and Makeda Easter contributed reporting from Los Angeles.

matt.pearce@latimes.com

Matt Pearce is a national reporter for The Times. Follow him on Twitter at @mattdpearce.

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In the aftermath of Hurricane Marias catastrophic sweep across Puerto Rico, some on the U.S. mainland were trying to sort out just how American this territory really is.

This past weekend, President Trump insulted many Puerto Ricans by bashing ingrates who dont fully appreciate U.S. rescue and recovery operations, saying on Twitter that they just want everything to be done for them.

The logistics, he said, were far more daunting than in Texas and Florida, where, his critics say, the federal response was faster after storms devastated those states in recent weeks.

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Trump plans to visit Puerto Rico on Tuesday  nearly two weeks after Maria hammered the island  to survey the storms aftermath.

How did Puerto Rico become part of the United States?

The United States acquired Puerto Rico under the treaty that settled the Spanish-American War in 1898. Its main island, which is about 3,500 square miles, is situated between the Dominican Republic and the Virgin Islands. Two of Puerto Ricos more than 140 much smaller islands, Vieques and Culebra, are also populated.

When did Puerto Ricans become citizens of the United States?

Under a 1917 federal law, Puerto Ricans are American citizens by birth. They are free to travel within the United States at will. More than 95,000 Puerto Ricans are veterans of the U.S. military, and more than 1,225 have died in combat for the United States, according to the Defense Department.

What do people mean when they speak of Puerto Rico as a territory?

The United States has sovereignty over 16 territories in the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean, and they fall outside the jurisdiction of the 50 states. Most of these territories are remote islands with no permanent residents, but five of them are inhabited: Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands and American Samoa.

Sandy Nieves stands Friday in the door of her heavily damaged home in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria in Yabucoa, Puerto Rico. (Gerald Herbert / AP )

How many people live in Puerto Rico?

About 3.4 million. Puerto Rico is the most populous U.S. territory. Most of its residents live in San Juan and other coastal cities of the main island. The mountainous jungle regions in the center of the island are more sparsely populated.

Why is Spanish the first language of Puerto Rico?

Spain claimed Puerto Rico in 1493 after Christopher Columbus stopped there on his second voyage to the Americas. Puerto Ricans lived under colonial Spanish rule for more than 400 years. Early colonists relied on the forced labor of the indigenous Taino and African slaves.

How prosperous is Puerto Rico?

Not very. More than 43% of the islands residents live in poverty. The median household income in 2015 was $19,350. Puerto Ricos colossal debt load  now close to $74 billion  has left it in a state of deep financial crisis. Its inability to maintain basic infrastructure made Puerto Rico highly vulnerable to severe hurricane damage that destroyed much of its water, roadway and electric-power systems.

U.S. and Puerto Rican flags wave next to a highway in eastern Puerto Rico on Friday in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria. (Hector Retamal / AFP/Getty Images )

If Puerto Ricans are U.S. citizens, why cant they vote for president?

Under the U.S. Constitution, the president is chosen by electoral college members who are selected by the states. Only Puerto Ricans who move into one of the 50 states can exercise full U.S. voting rights in their state of residency. Those living in Puerto Rico are effectively disenfranchised in national elections.

But doesnt Puerto Rico hold presidential primaries?

Indeed it does. Both the Democratic and Republican parties let Puerto Rico hold contests for delegates to their presidential nominating conventions.

What about representation in Congress?

As a U.S. territory, Puerto Rico cannot elect anyone to the U.S. Senate or House of Representatives. But it does have a non-voting resident commissioner serving a four-year term in the House. The commissioner, currently Jenniffer Gonzalez, can speak on the floor of the House and introduce bills, but cannot vote.

Has Puerto Rico tried to become a state?

Puerto Rico has voted five times on potential statehood, with varying results. But only the U.S. Congress can change Puerto Ricos status. If Puerto Rico becomes a state, residents would have to start paying federal income taxes. For now, only those working for the U.S. government or those earning income in one of the 50 states have to pay federal income taxes.

Does Puerto Rico at least get to elect its own government?

It does. Puerto Ricos governor, now statehood proponent Ricardo Rossello, is elected by popular vote to a four-year term, as are the 78 members of its two-chamber legislature.

michael.finnegan@latimes.com

Twitter: @finneganLAT

ALSO:

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Updates from Washington
Brushing aside criticism of his administrations response to Hurricane Maria, President Trump visited Puerto Rico on Tuesday, hailing the recovery effort as an amazing job by first responders, telling officials they should be proud of a death toll that stood in double digits instead of thousands.

Nearly two weeks after the Category 4 storm raked the island, Trump, making his fourth visit to a hurricane zone in a month, lavished praise on local officials who spoke highly of him, while taking a veiled swipe at San Juans mayor, who had previously characterized initial recovery efforts as ineffective.

In a televised meeting with officials in a hangar at Muniz Air National Guard Base, Trump struck an upbeat note about progress made since the storm struck on Sept. 20, knocking out the power grid, snatching away cellphone service, isolating dozens of rural communities and leaving hundreds of thousands scrambling for food, water, medicine, cash and gasoline.

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But as sometimes happens when Trump makes off-the-cuff comments, the tone of his arrival remarks seemed jarring at times. He made an oddly jovial reference to the cost of the recovery effort, telling assembled officials: I hate to tell you, Puerto Rico, but you threw our budget a little out of whack!

The president, who has previously drawn attention to the islands crippling debt and faltering infrastructure, then added: But thats fine.

Trump also referred favorably to the official death count on the island  16, but expected to rise  by comparing it to the fatality toll when Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans in 2005, killing an estimated 1,800 people.

Sixteen people certified versus in the thousands, he said. You can be very proud.

Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rossello later announced that the number of deaths connected to the storm had risen from 16 to 34. Nineteen of the 34 were a direct result of the storm, the rest indirectly connected to the hurricane.

Some residents welcomed Trumps visit as a sign that more aid was on the way, but were disturbed by earlier comments seen as disparaging of Puerto Ricans and their local leaders.

He needs to see the devastation. He needs to put his own thoughts and politics aside, said Divinia Marin, 55, whose home flooded during the storm.

Earlier in the day, Rossello had pointed to nascent signs of recovery, but said he would seek to convey the enormous scope of the disaster to the visiting president.

We need more help, the governor told reporters in San Juan as Trump was en route. Its 3.4 million U.S. citizens who we need to get that water, that food  we still need to do a lot more.

At Calvary Chapel church, Trump handed out supplies, drawing some smiles when he lobbed packaged paper towels into a cellphone camera-wielding crowd. The job thats been done here is really nothing short of a miracle, he said.

Some who hadnt gotten close to the president, though, worried whether he had gotten a message of urgent need.

Efrain Rivera, 43, employed by the public works department in the hard-hit coastal city of Yabucoa, said he knew of half a dozen elderly people whose deaths he considered an indirect result of the storm.

We have received very little aid, he said. We are working to recover ourselves. We need medicine, oxygen to take care of people.

Wrapping up his nearly eight-hour visit with an aerial tour, the president flew by helicopter to a Navy ship offshore, the Kearsarge, where he shook hands with service members and met with the governor of the neighboring U.S. Virgin Islands, Kenneth Mapp, before boarding Air Force One for the return flight.

Leaving Washington earlier Tuesday, Trump hailed his administrations recovery efforts in the territory, shrugging off criticism that the initial federal response was less robust than similar efforts when hurricanes struck Texas and Florida.

Its now acknowledged what a great job weve done, Trump told reporters at the White House as he and First Lady Melania Trump prepared to depart for San Juan.

In Texas and in Florida, we get an A-plus, the president said. And Ill tell you what  I think weve done just as good in Puerto Rico.

President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump arrive in Puerto Rico. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times )

During his visit, the president made a seeming attempt to back away from days of Twitter attacks on San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz  though upon arriving, he seemed to take a dig at her by praising Rossello, who has been careful to couple appeals for more aid with praise for the administration.

Right from the beginning this governor did not play politics, Trump said in the hangar meeting, to applause.

Over the weekend, Trump derided the mayors poor leadership and implied that Puerto Ricans were not doing enough to help themselves. He also indirectly slammed the mayor in a tweet decrying politically motivated ingrates who criticized the scope and scale of the initial relief effort.

Embarking on his trip, Trump said the mayor had come back a long way, though without detailing what in Cruzs stance had changed.

The mayor, who has made no direct response to Trumps Twitter attacks, was among those who shook hands with the president on his arrival, but she was not invited to speak during his initial talks.

Cruz said she met with Trump, along with the mayors of Ponce and Guaynabo, but said she wished he had seen more of the islands devastation. She said FEMA was slow to respond and the agency expected those applying for assistance to use the internet, although many lack electricity.

They need to adapt to the reality of the situation, Cruz said. Were talking about life and death. Its an American value to come to the aid of those in need.

She urged Puerto Ricans to contact members of Congress to urge them to support an aid package for the island.

This has to do with people who are hungry, who need dialysis  there is a moral imperative to help Puerto Rico.

Federally directed aid to Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands has dramatically picked up in recent days. But critics point to initial slowness in waiving the Jones Act, which restricts foreign-flagged shipping in U.S. waters, coupled with a delay in appointing an on-the-ground military commander to coordinate relief and a lag in dispatching a Navy hospital vessel, the Comfort.

On a San Juan street corner, a half dozen cab drivers awaiting fares debated the significance of Trumps visit.

He needs to see the mountain areas where roads are still blocked and towns cut off, said Frankie Perez, 52. The others agreed. Hes not going to the bad areas, said Giovanni Maisonet, 39.

But Perez, whose own home was left darkened and sweltering by the power cutoff, was impressed that Trump come at all, especially given the mass shooting in Las Vegas that killed at least 59 people.

Were struggling, he said. Im for the military here -- theyre doing a lot of good. But we need light. Were part of the US.

Staff writers Hennessy-Fiske reported from San Juan and King from Washington.

molly.hennessy-fiske@latimes.com

Twitter: @mollyhf

laura.king@latimes.com

Twitter: @laurakingLAT

UPDATES:

7 p.m.: This article was updated with an increase in the storm-related death toll and comments by the San Juan mayor.

1:55 p.m.: This article was updated with more details, quotes, and Trumps departure.

12:05 a.m.: This article was updated with more Trump comments and comments from residents.

9:25 a.m.: This article was updated with Trumps arrival remarks.

This article was originally published at 9:05 a.m.
Robert Ledbetter was a scout sniper for the U.S. Army Rangers during one tour of duty in Iraq. He was trained for war.

Those instincts kicked in on Sunday night at a different battlefield: about 40 yards from the stage where Jason Aldean was performing.

Ledbetter, 42, now a loan officer in Las Vegas, said at first it sounded like a firecracker or a firework. We all looked around, he said, as he and his wife and family members made sense of the popping sound.

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Another burst of rounds went off, and someone about four rows ahead at the concert dropped to the ground. He saw Aldean escorted from the stage.

Then it really started opening up. Rounds. Rounds. Rounds. Everybody was hitting the ground. I saw some people falling. At that time, the lights went off.

He doesnt remember when the lights came back on, but they shone brighter as the scene of carnage unfolded before him. Some dropped to the ground, and others fled.

Ledbetter and his wife ran to the Neon Lounge, the VIP seating area with a roof that gave some cover. He shoved her underneath a seating platform resembling bleachers as he looked for the shooter.

The lounge, with a stairwell and an elevated, covered platform, became a sort of escape route, and the wounded crawled and staggered over. Ledbetter and others met the injured and gave ad hoc first aid, as best they could.

A young woman looked like she was struck in the face. I couldnt tell where she was shot. Her whole face was just covered in blood, he said. Someone with a bloody shoulder needed pressure applied.

A man looked like he was shot in the leg, and Ledbetter wanted to craft a makeshift tourniquet. His own T-shirt was not sufficient. He saw a man wearing flannel and asked him, I need a shirt.

He just gave me his flannel off his back. Meanwhile, the gunfire was relentless, and the nearby cluster of hotel towers created an echo that made it seem like the barrage was coming from everywhere.

You didnt know which way to run, he said. I didnt.

It was so unreal, Ledbetter added.

When he saw the wounded, covered in blood, he was stunned: What is going on? he recalled. This is not real.

The rounds were all over. It could have come from anywhere, he said.

He remembers looking up at the Mandalay Bay hotel and seeing the flash of light from the gunmans perch. He was just throwing them up in the air and they were coming down. There couldnt have been skill to it.

Pauses helped people escape. When the shots stop, you have a split second to get up and run, he said.

When the shots stop, you have a split second to get up and run.  Robert Ledbetter

Then, people would drop back down when the gunfire returned. When it stopped, he got up again. The location, he now knows, was perfect for the gunman  in the back right of the concert site, exposed to Mandalay Bay.

He had a perfect gap with no obstruction, Ledbetter said.

At one point, Ledbetter decided he and his wife had to flee. He and his wife found a man who was bleeding and looked like he was pierced by gunfire in the leg.

Ledbetter wrapped a T-shirt around him, helped carry him out to Las Vegas Boulevard, and came upon a utility truck with five to 10 other injured people in it that was heading to the hospital.

He and his wife took refuge in Excalibur, seeing patches of blood everywhere. He crossed under a highway, where people took cover.

People hiding under bypasses  not knowing what to do, he said.

They waved a taxi down, and learned from his sister-in-law that his brother was shot and in Valley Hospital. His brother, Gabe Jacobson, 36, of Bishop, Calif., was shot in the arm, and the round appeared to have gone into and out of his chest, leaving one of his lungs collapsed, Ledbetter said.

Based on what he heard from his sister-in-law, Ledbetter said his brother and brothers wife escaped the concert and made their way to a nearby airfield, where police spotted them and drove up.

The officer picked them up, took Jacobson to a firehouse on the airstrip, and paramedics put a tube in his chest and an IV. A paramedic rushed him to the hospital, and Jacobson, a truck driver for U.S. Foods with two children, ages 7 and 2, is listed as stable and expected to survive.

Some fragments of shrapnel are still in his brothers body, and Ledbetter said hes been able to talk to his brother when he occasionally emerges from the fog of drugs, he said.

Hes really lucky, Ledbetter said.

With his brother, sister-in-law, wife, boss and others, they had been enjoying the third night of the country music festival. It is Ledbetters third year attending and his brothers first.

His boss, Philip Aurich, 36, was shot in the back and on Monday afternoon was in his second surgery, Ledbetter said.

Aurichs girlfriend, Alyson Opper, 28, said they all went to the music festival together. The pops made them wonder aloud, Does that sound like a gunshot?

Opper said her boyfriend was shot at some point. She said 911 was not going through when they tried to call.

As they fled the area, a police officer put her boyfriend and other wounded people in his car, and Opper hopped in the front seat with another person.

Aurich was rushed to University Medical Center.

Ledbetter dismissed the notion that he acted heroically. Im a retired vet. There were five surrounding me that were combat medics doing the same thing I was doing, he said. Army veterans helping other veterans, helping people out.

ALSO

At first, they thought it was fireworks  but it wasnt. How a Las Vegas concert went from melody to mayhem

When the shooting stopped, 59 distant lives ended together at a Vegas country music concert

The mystery of Stephen Paddock  gambler, real estate investor, mass killer
Drawing legislative and congressional districts to favor one party over another makes a mockery of the constitutional guarantee of one person, one vote. On Tuesday the U.S. Supreme Court will be asked to end that inherently undemocratic practice.

If the court fails to rise to the challenge, dominant parties in many state capitals will continue to unfairly inflate their influence and marginalize the opposition.

Gerrymandering is almost as old as the republic; it derives its name from Elbridge Gerry, a 19th century Massachusetts governor who approved a redistricting that included a misshaped state Senate district that resembled a salamander. But with the aid of increasingly ingenious computer software, mapmakers can effectively ensure that the majority party wields control in a state legislature or U.S. House delegation wildly out of proportion to its support from voters statewide.

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Overwhelmingly it is the Republican Party that has benefited from partisan gerrymandering (so called to distinguish it from racial gerrymandering, which manipulates district lines to dilute racial minorities political power in violation of the Voting Rights Act). The Brennan Center for Justice, for example, has estimated that aggressive gerrymanders have given Republicans 17 more seats in Congress than they would have won had districts been drawn in a nonpartisan way.

Policing partisan gerrymandering may prove more challenging than policing racial gerrymandering.

But Democrats also have resorted to the practice when theyve had the opportunity. For example, Marylands former Democratic Gov. Martin OMalley has acknowledged that Democrats redrew a congressional district long represented by a Republican with an eye toward replacing him with one of their own.

The case before the court concerns Wisconsin Assembly districts drawn by the Republican-controlled Legislature after the 2010 census. In the first election conducted using the new lines, Republicans won 60 out of 99 seats in the Assembly with just 48.6% of the statewide vote. In the next election, they won 63 of the 99 seats with just 52% of the vote.

A divided three-judge federal court found that the map systematically dilutes the voting strength of Democratic voters statewide. The Supreme Court should reach the same conclusion.

In 1986 the Supreme Court said that partisan gerrymandering could violate the 14th Amendments equal protection clause if it intentionally and effectively discriminated against an identifiable political group. But the court in that case didnt find such a violation. and it has never agreed on a clear standard for invalidating partisan gerrymanders.

If that is to change, the justices must decide on such a standard and how lower courts will apply it. The lower court in the Wisconsin case held that the Constitution is violated if new districts are intended to place a severe impediment on the effectiveness of the votes of individual citizens on the basis of their political affiliation, has that effect and cannot be justified on other, legitimate legislative grounds.

The lower court grounded its ruling in both the 14th Amendments equal protection clause and the 1st Amendment. The latter rationale might have special appeal to Justice Anthony M. Kennedy, who is expected to be the swing vote in the case and who suggested in 2004 that gerrymandering might penalize citizens because of their participation in the electoral process, their voting history, their association with a political party or their expression of political views.

Some of the justices will probably ask why the court should get involved in this issue at all. In 2004, the late Justice Antonin Scalia and three colleagues argued that the court should overturn its 1986 ruling and admit that no manageable standards for deciding political gerrymandering claims have emerged. In other words, leave the drawing of district lines to the politicians.

Thats also what critics said in the 1960s when the Supreme Court issued the landmark rulings that ultimately established the principle that districts must be drawn on the basis of one person, one vote. In one of those rulings, a dissenting justice warned that the court was trespassing on an essentially political process and that lower courts faced with questions about redistricting would have to deal with a mathematical quagmire.

But the courts have managed to enforce both the one-persion, one-vote rule and the more complex requirements of the Voting Rights Act that prohibit district lines that dilute the votes of racial minorities. Admittedly, policing partisan gerrymandering may prove more challenging than policing racial gerrymandering. As Scalia noted in 2004, party affiliation, unlike race, is not an immutable characteristic. But party loyalties do exist and persist over time in geographical areas. Otherwise gerrymandering wouldnt be such a popular  and effective  practice.

When the states dont rein in that practice on their own  as California, for example, has done by entrusting redistricting to a commission  the courts must be able to step in.

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook
The conservative movement is caught in a Catch-22 of its own making. In the war against the establishment we have made being an outsider the most important qualification for a politician. The problem? Once elected, outsiders by definition become insiders. This isnt just a semantic point. The Constitution requires politicians to work through the system if theyre going to get anything done.

Look at all the senators who rode the tea party wave into power: Ted Cruz, Rand Paul, Marco Rubio, Ron Johnson, Pat Toomey, Mike Lee. To one extent or another, they are now swamp-things, not swamp-drainers.

For example, Rubio was hailed as The First Senator from the Tea Party by the New York Times. But once he became a senator he became  a senator. And theres just something about being a senator that makes the lock-and-load crowd want to flip the safeties on their muskets.

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Obviously, policy choices matter. Rubio embraced immigration reform and it killed him with the talk-radio crowd. But theres a larger dynamic at work. Merely talking like a half-way responsible politician  we dont have the votes, we have to pay for it  isnt what the angriest populists want to hear.

MAGA populism is less of an agenda, and more of a mood.

Cruzs case is also instructive. Over the last decade, no politician more deftly hitched his political wagon to populist passions. He wore the animosity of his colleagues, including the GOP leadership, like a badge of honor. He was the leader of the insurrectionists. He had only one problem: He talked like a creature of the establishment  largely because the Princeton and Harvard trained former Supreme Court clerk and career politician was one. He knew the lyrics to every populist fight song, but he couldnt carry the tune.

Until recently there was an outsider glass ceiling. The most strident populists  Ron Paul, Herman Cain, Michele Bachmann  could not get through the presidential primaries, because the math wasnt on their side. At least half of the GOP doesnt want fire-breathers, so the winning candidate had to get a large slice of the traditional Republican vote and combine it with other constituencies. Thats how Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, the Bushes, John McCain and Mitt Romney did it.

But Donald Trump not only jumped into the fray at the height of populist fervor, the field was also divided 17 ways. No one spoke less like a politician. No one who understood how governing works would have promised the things Trump promised  health coverage for all, for less money, eliminate the debt, bring all those jobs back, etc.  because theyd either know or care that such things are literally impossible.

President Trump has learned this simple fact the hard way. Yet for the first eight months of his presidency his core supporters have stuck with him. The establishment remains the villain and Trump the hero for his willingness to say or tweet things that make all the right people angry. For his most ardent supporters, the fault for his legislative failures lies entirely with the swamp, the establishment or the Deep State.

But Judge Roy Moores victory last week in a run-off against Alabama Sen. Luther Strange may signal that the base is not Trumps army to command. Trump endorsed Strange and  contrary to the presidents tweets otherwise  that endorsement didnt help at all. The most important factor was Moores demonization of the establishment, particularly Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. The voters valued sticking their thumbs in the establishments eye more than giving Trump a win.

Whats both funny and sad is that there is remarkably little intellectual or ideological substance to the current populist fever. The Make American Great Again crowds initial preferred candidate was Rep. Mo Brooks  endorsed by radio hosts Sean Hannity, Laura Ingraham and others. He got crushed. Meanwhile, Moore opposed Obamacare repeal and, until recently, couldnt say what DACA was. In other words, MAGA populism is less of an agenda, and more of a mood.

A lot of people are simply mad as hell and dont want to take it anymore. Republican politicians cant ignore the anger. Ideally theyd channel it toward productive ends, as they did in the past. But further stoking the anger for political gain is not just ill-advised, its pointless, because eventually politicians have to govern.

jgoldberg@latimescolumnists.com

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion or Facebook

MORE OP-EDS:

The slaughter in Las Vegas is all too familiar, yet Americans refuse to stop it

The GOPs message on guns: Its not our problem, its Gods

The Senate should give the blue slip the pink slip
President Trump and the Republican Congress sure have it in for blue America. Last weeks immigration arrests targeted sanctuary cities only. The late, unlamented Graham-Cassidy attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act would have decimated health insurance coverage in the preponderantly Democratic-controlled states that accepted the Medicaid expansion, and that did the best job of informing potential beneficiaries of their eligibility.

Now comes the Republicans so-called tax reform package, which also takes dead aim at Democratic states. By eliminating the deduction taxpayers can take on their federal forms for their state and local tax (SALT) payments, the GOP proposal socks it to those Americans who reside in states that have enacted progressive taxes to fund such basics as  see above  increasing the accessibility of healthcare.

Not coincidentally, the state where all of these targeted policies would have their greatest impact is California, the GOPs Great Satan. Fully 167 of the roughly 500 immigrant arrests last week took place in Los Angeles. (Forty percent of those arrested had no criminal convictions.) Graham-Cassidys Medicaid reductions would have plunged millions of Californians back into the uninsured pool. The elimination of the SALT deduction would all but guarantee that middle- and upper-middle-class Californians will pay more taxes.

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President Trump and the Republican Congress sure have it in for blue America.

All of which poses a conundrum for the 14 Republican House members from California. Up to now, theyve been remarkably indifferent to the GOP war on the state they profess to represent. None of them, to my knowledge, has spoken in favor of the ordinances passed by the states major cities to forbid their police departments from detaining individuals for lack of documentation, or the bill the legislature just passed to extend that policy statewide. None has condemned the arrests of noncriminal undocumented immigrants. All 14 voted for the Affordable Care Act repeal that came before the House, notwithstanding the tens of thousands of their constituents whod have lost their coverage had that bill made it into law.

The proposal to eliminate the SALT deduction from federal taxes, however, would hit a constituency that these legislators arent eager to offend: their own voters. In election season, these Republican members of Congress arent usually seeking to turn out the votes of working-class Medicaid recipients or the relatives of the undocumented. But without sufficient support from the upper-middle class, the already enfeebled California Republicans would go the way of the Whigs.

In three of the otherwise red Orange County congressional districts that Hillary Clinton carried in November, for instance, the SALT deduction gets a workout. Forty-five percent of the taxpayers in Mimi Walters district take a SALT deduction (average amount: $8,794); 38% in Dana Rohrabachers ($8,264); 46% in Daryl Issas ($10,024). The elimination of the SALT deduction is one of the main reasons why hardly any of the GOPs proposed multi-trillion dollar tax cut will trickle down even to the upper-middle class, much less to those less affluent. According to the Tax Policy Center, fully 80% of the cuts will accrue to the wealthiest 1%.

It shouldnt be surprising, then, if some California Republicans, in league with GOP members of Congress from such other high tax states as New York, seek to keep the SALT deduction on the books.

The resultant bill would still be a horror, of course: It would still direct most of its relief to those who need it least. The share of the nations income going to the richest 1% last year  24%  was the highest ever on record. And yet the GOP proposes not only to cut their income tax but also eliminate both the estate and alternative minimum tax, which affect only the top sliver of the 1%.

The GOP argues that by showering more wealth on the very wealthy, theyll invest more in job creation  the libraries bulging with evidence to the contrary notwithstanding. But the only significant investments that clearly flow from such tax giveaways are those in the Republican lawmakers own careers  the contributions to their campaigns from the Kochs and the Mercers and their ilk.

Californias Republicans may argue for some changes to their tax bill, then  but nothing, we can be sure, that will diminish the pelf of the plutocrats they so dedicatedly serve.

Harold Meyerson is executive editor of the American Prospect. He is a contributing writer to Opinion.

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion or Facebook

MORE OP-EDS:

The slaughter in Las Vegas is all too familiar, yet Americans refuse to stop it

The GOPs message on guns: Its not our problem, its Gods

The Senate should give the blue slip the pink slip
President Trump is being criticized on the internet  and elsewhere  for not calling the massacre in Las Vegas an act of terrorism. A typical comment on Twitter was: Trump said the Las Vegas shooter was a sick demented man[;] why not call him what he is a TERRORIST because that what he did he caused Terror.

But this isnt the standard definition of terrorism. That term is usually used to refer to mass violence committed to achieve a political or ideological end.

That tracks with legal definitions of terrorism cited by Vox. Its also notable that the FBI, on its website, has a page devoted to terrorism that refers to Islamic State fighters and homegrown violent extremists who may aspire to attack the United States from within. The obvious implication is that terrorism requires a political objective.

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So far, no political or ideological motive has been identified for Stephen Paddock, who fired into a country music concert Sunday night in Las Vegas, killing at least 59 people and injuring 527 others.

I suspect that the insistence on calling this abominable act terrorism can be explained by two factors. One is just linguistic slippage  for some people, terrorism has come to be a synonym for mass killing. That seems to be the case with the tweeter quoted above. The shooter caused terror; ergo, hes a terrorist.

But for others, especially those denouncing Trump for not using the word, this seems to be an extension of a pre-existing claim that Trump in particular and conservatives in general hype Islamic terrorism while ignoring or minimizing violence by right-wing terrorists who happen to be white (and who do fit the traditional definition of a terrorist as someone who commits violence for political ends; Timothy McVeigh, the Oklahoma City bomber, certainly was a terrorist).

There was an echo of the argument in an article by Bradley Burston in the Israeli newspaper Haaretz. Burston wrote:

This is the man who, as a candidate, demanded, again and again and again, that Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton condemn terrorism by Muslims. When will President Obama issue the words RADICAL ISLAMIC TERRORISM, he tweeted after the November, 2015 ISIS attacks in Paris. He cant say it, and unless he will, the problem will not be solved!

Now we know for sure [Burston continues]. When it comes to terrorism by white American gun owners, Trump cant say it. And wont. He had his chance at a news conference on Monday morning. A gunman opened fire, Trump began. A gunman, not a terrorist. It was an act of pure evil. Evil  not terrorism. Of course not.

My problem with this argument is that the people Trump calls radical Islamic terrorists are animated by an ideology; we dont know that thats true of Paddock.

Burston has an answer for that, however. He notes that Nevada state law defines acts of terrorism as any act that involves the use or attempted use of sabotage, coercion or violence which is intended to ... cause great bodily harm or death to the general population. (Andrew McCarthy, a columnist for the National Review, makes the same point about the broad Nevada statute here.)

But that definition of terrorism isnt what most people mean by the term. Certainly its not the sort of politically motivated carnage that the Obama administration described as violent extremism (angering conservatives who objected to having Islamic extremism lumped in with right-wing militia movements).

If it develops that Paddock was indeed motivated by a right-wing ideology, and Trump refuses to call the mayhem he committed terrorism, the president will deserve condemnation. Until then, the criticism seems unfair.

To read the article in Spanish, click here

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook

ALSO

Charles McNulty: If we cant gather for a concert without fear for our lives, we are doomed

Editorial: The slaughter in Las Vegas is all too familiar, yet Americans refuse to stop it

As initial shock fades, the Las Vegas massacre revives debate on gun control
To the editor: The expression of outrage over the slaughter of at least 59 innocent people in Las Vegas sounds like a broken record. The Los Angeles Times editorial points the finger at National Rifle Assn.s enormous influence. (The slaughter in Las Vegas is all too familiar, yet Americans refuse to stop it, editorial, Oct. 2)

I have a simple proposal to counter that influence: Those who oppose the NRAs lobbying should offer to match that groups contribution to any politicians campaign on the condition that the candidate support gun-control legislation. I am confident that many millionaires and billionaires would donate to the cause.

Most of the politicians who depend on campaign contributions from the gun lobby should have the courage and conviction to do what is best for the country. No other civilized country in the world loses so many of its citizens to senseless shootings.

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If money talks in democracy, then two can play this game. Simply expressing outrage over inaction in Congress is not going to make any difference.

Vijay Jeste, Redondo Beach

..

To the editor: If only the guy on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel had used a silencer, nobody would have heard him. He could have shot many more people and perhaps made his escape undetected. He might have been a free man today. Instead, hes dead.

To paraphrase Barry Goldwater, Collateral damage in defense of the 2nd Amendment is no vice.  Bruce Strathdee, Palm Desert

We need public access to silencers. And low-yield nuclear weapons, especially for those moments when youre more than just irritated.

If all those concertgoers had each carried their own submachine gun, they could have laid down withering return fire that would have taken out every window of the Mandalay Bay hotel. To paraphrase Barry Goldwater, Collateral damage in defense of the 2nd Amendment is no vice.

As a country I think weve already traveled most of the way to the loony bin. Now, somebody has to make it to 60, so stay low.

Bruce Strathdee, Palm Desert

..

To the editor: Hillary Clinton called out the NRA for opposing restrictions on silencers. MSNBC host Rachel Maddow pointed out that fully automatic assault rifles are legal. Liberal politicians quickly called for stricter gun controls.

Silencers are irrelevant to this tragedy. It has been illegal to manufacture fully automatic assault rifles since 1986. I doubt the Las Vegas shooter went to the considerable expense and hassle to obtain legal assault rifles. Gun control laws would not reduce the illegal weapons trade and have certainly not reduced gun violence in the major cities where they are in place.

Lets have a discussion about sensible solutions and not knee-jerk, ineffective grandstanding. The detestable killer owned numerous legally acquired weapons. He brought an arsenal into a hotel undetected. I would not be surprised to learn that he suffered from mental health issues.

Connect the dots and take appropriate action.

Hal Bookbinder, Oak Park

..

To the editor: Nothing changed after those innocent children in Connecticut were mowed down at the Sandy Hook Elementary School. Nothing changed after the massacre in San Bernardino, which erupted while the victims were enjoying an office holiday party. Nothing changed after all those people who were out for a fun Saturday night at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando were butchered.

And now a new record has been set for the number of people killed in a single mass shooting. This time, its concertgoers in a city that stakes its reputation on visitors being able to leave reality behind to enjoy a little fun and fantasy.

It sickens me to say this, but nothing will change this time either.

Jay Soloway, Pasadena

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook
To the editor: With so many things happening, including hurricanes and a horrible mass shooting, its easy for some important issues to go unnoticed. But I am stunned and outraged that our president could so casually and publicly undermine our secretary of State for attempting to use diplomacy with North Korea to ease the rising tensions. (Trump tweets that Tillerson is wasting his time on North Korea talks, Oct. 1)

Not only does our president dismiss Secretary of State Rex Tillersons attempts, he pours more fuel on the fire by again referring to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un as Rocket Man. He is consistently inappropriate and childish.

Congress should not wait for the special counsel to pronounce if it has found grounds for impeachment. It should censure the president now. Lawmakers should speak up and put him on notice that his conduct in office deserves a formal rebuke.

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Not to step up to the plate is a dereliction of duty, which itself deserves censure.

Alan Rachins, Los Angeles

..

To the editor: President Trumps ignorance of foreign policy is dangerous. He undercut Tillersons attempt at diplomacy with North Korea and taunted its leader, who is as thin-skinned and volatile as Trump himself.

He thus exacerbated rather than cooled down tensions between our country, which has an arsenal of nuclear weapons, and North Korea, which is on the verge of weaponizing nuclear bombs that can reach our shores.

We can only hope that cooler heads in the administration prevail.

Ann Edelman, Woodland Hills

..

To the editor: This is a plea to Tillerson on behalf of millions of Americans:

Now, you have the power to communicate with Kim and, with Chinese cooperation, forge a deal that will protect Americans from nuclear war.

Dont resign. Do your job. If Trump tries to stop or fire you, perhaps someone in the House will have the guts to start the impeachment process.

Robert M. Fox, Playa Vista

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook
Related France urges Baghdad for concessions on Kurd autonomy

France's lower house of parliament overwhelmingly approved on Tuesdaya new counter-terrorism law on Tuesday, making permanent several controversial measures under the state of emergency that has been in place for nearly two years.

The new anti-terrorism law that gives the police vastly expanded powers to search homes, place people under house arrest and close places of worship.

The bill, passed by France's lower house of parliament, makes permanent some of the exceptional measures contained in the state of emergency imposed after the November 2015 Paris attacks. The emergency is set to expire on November 1.

The law was approved by 415 votes to 127, with 19 abstentions, at its first reading, despite criticism that it will undermine civil liberties but with broad backing from a public traumatised by a string of jihadist attacks.

The bill allows the top government official in each of France's regions to order the closure of mosques, churches or other places of worship for six months if preachers are found to have incited attacks or glorified terrorism.

Investigators will not be required to provide proof of radical preaching or writings. The venue can be closed on the basis of the "ideas and theories" circulated among devotees.

The management of the religious site will have 48 hours to appeal the closure. Non-compliance will carry a three-year prison sentence and fine of 45,000 euros ($53,000).

The authorities can seal off areas around a place or an event, such as a concert, that they deem vulnerable to attack.

People wanting to enter the area will be subjected to searches by the police or private security guards.

The bill gives the police more powers to carry out stop-and-search operations -- one of the most controversial elements which rights groups fear will lead to harassment of ethnic minorities and Muslims.

Under EU border rules, security services can already carry out identity spot checks in border areas and train stations.

The bill expands that to include areas around train stations as well as a vast swathe of territory around international ports and airports, up to a radius of 20 kilometres -- a provision that could include a large section of the mainly immigrant Paris suburbs.

The bill allows the interior minister to place suspected jihadist sympathisers who are not accused of a specific crime under a loose form of house arrest, without the prior approval of a judge.

Under the state of emergency, the individual was confined to his or her home.

The "individual surveillance measures" contained in the bill, which can last up to a year, allows the individuals to go beyond their front door but they must remain with the boundaries of their town or city.

If they want to go further they have to wear an electronic bracelet.

They have 48 hours to appeal the restrictions to a judge and must report to the police once a day.

A local police chief can ask a judge for a warrant to search -- the bill uses the term "visit" -- the homes of people with suspected terror links for evidence.

The person whose home is searched can be held for four hours, during which documents, data and objects can be seized.

Under the state of emergency, the police have had the power to raid homes without a judge's green light, including at night.

A civil servant working in an area related to security or defence can be transferred or even dismissed from the public service if he or she is found to hold radical opinions.

Soldiers can also be discharged for similar motives.

The bill transposes into French law an EU directive allowing security services to access the travel data of airline passengers and provides for the creation of a similar system for maritime travellers.

The bill allows the intelligence agencies to continue to use algorithms to tap into phone and email communications to try detect suspicious behaviour.

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Orange County at center of fundraising in Californias most contested races By Sarah D. Wire More than half of the money raised for the most contested House races in California is going to candidates in Orange County, another indication of its starring role in the Democratic effort to win back control of the House next year. Of the 80 or so challengers in California, 27 are running in Orange County. A Los Angeles Times analysis of this years campaign finance filings found it is also where the cash is going to: About $15 million of the nearly $28.5 million raised this year for 13 key races went to candidates in just four Orange County districts: Read More Facebook

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Gov. Jerry Brown plans climate trip to Vatican, Belgium, Norway and Germany By Chris Megerian (Eric Risberg / Associated Press) Gov. Jerry Brown has mapped out a busy European travel schedule that includes attending the next United Nations conference on climate change in Bonn, Germany. While the White House declares war on climate science and retreats from the Paris Agreement, California is doing the opposite and taking action, Brown said in a statement. We are joining with our partners from every part of the world to do what needs to be done to prevent irreversible climate change. Roughly two dozen public events are planned over 10 days, starting with a speech at a Vatican symposium on Saturday. Brown wont be the only California politician at the conference. Rep. Scott Peters (D-San Diego) is speaking later that day, and state Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon (D-Los Angeles) is scheduled to appear Friday. After the Vatican, the governor is bouncing between Germany and Belgium, plus a stop in Norway to meet with scientists. Hes holding press conferences with the president of the European Parliament and the minister-president of Baden-Wurttemberg, a German state that has collaborated with California on an international climate pact. Once the Bonn conference begins, much of Browns focus will be on how states, provinces and other local governments can tackle climate change absent stronger action from national leaders. He was named a special advisor to the U.N. conference for states and regions earlier this year. Brown is scheduled to appear with former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg on Nov. 11 and speak at numerous other events, a packed itinerary much like the one he kept at the Paris climate conference two years ago. His last event is expected to take place Nov. 14. Facebook

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California business tax incentive program should end, legislative analyst says By Liam Dillon California no longer should give specific tax incentives to businesses and instead should provide broad-based tax relief, the states nonpartisan Legislative Analysts Office said in a new report. The analysts office examined California Competes, a program that began four years ago to give tax credits to businesses looking to move to the state or remain here, and found it puts existing companies that dont receive the awards at a disadvantage without clear benefits to the overall economy. Picking winners and losers inevitably leads to problems. In the case of California Competes, we are struck by how awarding benefits to a select group of businesses harms their competitors in California, the report said. We also think the resources consumed by the program are not as focused as they should be on winning economic development competitions with other states to attract major employers that sell to customers around the country and the world. California Competes has allowed the awarding of nearly $800 million in tax credits. The legislative analyst found that more than a third of the credits awarded through California Competes resulted in no change to the overall economy and put the states existing businesses at a competitive disadvantage. The analyst couldnt assess the value of the remainder of the credits because its impossible to know how businesses would have reacted had they not received them. California Competes is scheduled to end next year. The analysts office recommends replacing it by lowering business taxes overall or, should lawmakers want to keep it, tailor the program more narrowly to focus on attracting and retaining high-value companies. Facebook

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Electric companies found at fault in North Bay fires wont be able to pass costs onto residents under proposed bill By Liam Dillon Jason Miller, 45, plants an American flag on the charred remains of his house in Coffey Park. He had lived in the Santa Rosa neighborhood for 23 years. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) If electric utilities are found at fault in the recent wildfires in the North Bay, a group of state lawmakers want to ensure they dont pass along their costs to residents. Victims of devastating fires and other customers should not be forced to pay for the mistakes made by utilities, state Sen. Jerry Hill (D-San Mateo) said in a release. Hill is one of four Bay Area legislators who said they plan to introduce a bill when lawmakers return to the Capitol in January to block any effort by utilities found at fault to recoup any costs from ratepayers. Investigators have not identified the cause of the wildfires that ripped across Northern California this month that left more than 40 people dead and thousands of homes destroyed. But the lawmakers said their legislation is motivated by San Diego Gas & Electrics efforts to recover costs from wildfires in that region a decade ago. Co-authoring the bill with Hill is Sen. Mike McGuire (D-Healdsburg), Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) and Assemblyman Marc Levine (D-San Rafael). Facebook

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Proposed initiative would end early release for some crimes, allow more DNA collection By Patrick McGreevy (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times) A coalition including police officers and prosecutors on Monday proposed a California state initiative that would end early release of rapists and child traffickers and expand the number of crimes for which authorities could collect DNA samples from those convicted. The ballot measure is sponsored by the California Public Safety Partnership, and would reverse some elements of Proposition 47, which was approved by voters in 2014 and reduced some crimes deemed nonviolent from a felony to a misdemeanor. The proposed initiative would add 15 crimes to the list of violent crimes for which early release is not an option, including child abuse, rape of an unconscious person, trafficking a child for sex, domestic violence and assault with a deadly weapon. These reforms make sure that truly violent criminals stay in jail and dont get out early, said Sacramento County Dist. Atty. Anne Marie Schubert, a leader of the coalition. The initiative would also allow DNA collection for certain crimes, including drug offenses, that were reduced to misdemeanors under Proposition 47. Assemblyman Jim Cooper (D-Elk Grove) said there have been 2,000 fewer hits matching DNA to cold cases annually in recent years. He cited one case from 1989 involving the murder of two young girls in Sacramento that was solved last year by DNA taken from a man in a drug case before those were excluded from DNA collection. If that case happens today, right now, it does not get solved, said Cooper, a former sheriffs captain. Changes in law also made theft of goods valued at less than $950 a misdemeanor, so some criminals are committing serial thefts and keeping each one to $949 or less, Cooper said. The initiative would make serial theft a felony. The measure also mandates a parole revocation hearing for anyone who violates the terms of their parole three times. A Whittier police officer was recently murdered by a parolee who had violated parole five times, said Los Angeles Police Protective League President Craig Lally, who supports the initiative. A representative of the group behind Proposition 47 said it was not reasonable to blame the ballot measure for an uptick in some crimes in some parts of the state. Fluctuations in crime have much more to do with economic and social policies and practices, said Tom Hoffman, a spokesman for the group Californians for Safety and Justice. Its so much more complicated than one piece of legislation as an issue. The proponents of the initiative need to collect signatures from 365,880 voters by the end of April to qualify the initiative for the November 2018 election. Facebook

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When men with power go too far: After years of whispers, women speak out about harassment in Californias Capitol By Chris Megerian Tina McKinnor, left, Sadalia King, Amy Thoma Tan, Jodi Hicks and Sabrina Lockhart have come forward to talk about their experiences with sexual harassment at the Capitol. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times) It started with a dinner invitation from a former assemblyman more than twice her age. He had offered his services as a mentor, but his hand reaching for her knee under the table revealed other intentions. Then came the late-night phone calls and unexpected appearances at events she had to attend for her job in the Capitol. Fresh out of college, Amy Brown did what she thought women were supposed to do in these situations  she reported him. The former assemblyman accused her of slander, an experience that left her so humiliated that she left Sacramento for a new job in San Jose. I immediately got the hell out of town, Brown said. I felt like the people  the person  I was relying on for advancement in my career was preying on me. Stories like these have taken many forms through the years. Sometimes its a professional meeting that turned inappropriately sexual, or its a groping hand on a backside. In one case, a woman said a lawmaker masturbated in front of her in a bar bathroom. No matter the details, each story involves a man with power  the kind of power bestowed by voters, an influential lobbying client or a supply of campaign cash. And instead of wielding that power to shape politics or public policy, the man used it to proposition women or to touch them inappropriately. Read More Facebook

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Big jump in the number of House challengers isnt great news for California Republicans By Christine Mai-Duc So far this year, 80 challengers have reported raising money across California for the 2018 midterm elections, more than triple the number who had done so at this point in the 2016 election. Collectively, theyve raised more than $14.9 million, and 70% of that has gone to the four Republican-held districts in Orange County that Democrats consider key to their chances. There havent been this many congressional challengers in Californias House races this early in the game since at least 2003, and that could be bad news for Republican incumbents. Read More Facebook

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Californias Senate culture doesnt encourage women to file complaints. Heres how that could change By Melanie Mason Senate leader Kevin de Leon (D-Los Angeles), shown in September, acknowledged that the Senate could improve its procedures for reporting misconduct. (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) In 2014, reeling from scandals that led to the suspension of three Democratic senators, Californias state Senate changed its policies to make it easier for employees, members and the public to sound the alarm about misconduct. A Times analysis of those rule changes shows a lack of follow-through to make reporting complaints more accessible. And the lawmaker who worked on changes in the Senates operations after that scandal says more could have been done. Then-Senate leader Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento) suggested at the time that the move would lead to positive cultural change and strengthen the integrity of this great institution. But as the Capitol now soul-searches over allegations of widespread sexual harassment, the current legislative leaders acknowledge the culture still does not encourage women to file complaints. The Senates effort to reform itself three years ago  and how it fell short  is instructive as both legislative houses embark on a new round of self-improvement. Read More Facebook

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Have you experienced sexual harassment in government or politics? Tell us your story If you work in government or politics and have experienced sexual harassment, wed like to hear from you. Please tell us your story using the form below. We will not share your personal contact information. Facebook

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California Assembly Speaker applauds Capitol staffers bravery in going public with complaint against assemblyman By Melanie Mason Gyore spoke publicly for the first time about a 2009 complaint she filed against Bocanegra. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times) Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Paramount) said Friday that the experience of a staffer who filed a complaint eight years ago against now-Assemblyman Raul Bocanegra illustrates why the Capitol culture must change. Elise Flynn Gyore told The Times about her experience filing a complaint against Bocanegra, who was then a legislative staffer, after she said he groped her and followed her in a manner she found threatening at a 2009 after-work event in a Sacramento bar. The Friday morning story in The Times was the first time she had spoken publicly of the incident and the complaint, which resulted in Bocanegra being disciplined. I appreciate Ms. Gyores bravery in bringing this incident forward. We have to change the culture in the Capitol and in society and her experience shows why, Rendon said in a statement Friday afternoon. How incidents of harassment were handled in the past can inform our current efforts to improve the system and to build a future where these injustices are prevented before they happen and no employee has to fear harassment or abuse. Bocanegra, who was first elected in 2012, is part of Rendons leadership team, serving in the position of majority whip. A top lieutenant to Rendon, Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher (D-San Diego), also chimed in with support for Gyore on Friday. I dont know Elise Gyore. But, I believe her & Im grateful for her bravery. This is unacceptable.  Lorena (@LorenaSGonzalez) October 27, 2017 Former Speaker John A. Perez (D-Los Angeles), who led the Assembly from 2010 to 2014, said he was unaware of the complaints existence until The Times report. He said he had never heard of any complaints  formal or informal  against Bocanegra, nor had he witnessed any inappropriate behavior from the Pacoima Democrat. Also on Friday, the organizers of We Said Enough, a recently launched campaign against harassment, thanked Gyore for sharing her story. This is an act of true courage  and we support every woman who chooses to do so. Sadly, this story is just one example of how the existing system fails victims and survivors. We are resolute in our call for action, the group said in a statement. The groups organizers added that they are calling for an overhaul to the complaint process  such as confidential reporting, an independent oversight body and whistleblower protections  to better guard against harassment. Read More Facebook

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Gov. Jerry Brown says California Republicans have slavish adherence to their partys tax plan By John Myers (Rich Pedroncelli/AP) Gov. Jerry Brown took aim at the sweeping tax overhaul plan in Congress and Californias Republican delegation on Thursday, saying their support of the plan is wrong economically and morally. Brown, who joined New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo on a conference call with reporters, aimed most of his fire at the provision to cancel deducting local and state taxes paid from federal taxes. Both governors said it could have a profound impact on their states bottom lines. Brown criticized Californias 14 Republican House members for their Thursday budget vote, which allows for a $1.5-trillion deficit to help finance tax cuts. I know there is a lot of slavish adherence to the Republican leadership, Brown said. Its bad for California. Theyre doing a disservice. California and New York taxpayers have long been able to deduct the cost of paying local and state taxes from their federal tax liability. Both governors said Thursday they believed the effort by President Trump and Republicans to be at least somewhat motivated by their states voting for Democrat Hillary Clinton over Trump last November. Its using a handful of states to finance the tax cuts for their states, Cuomo said. Brown, who sent personal letters to all California GOP members of the House urging them not to go along, said the proposal was particularly unfair in light of how it would not apply equally to corporations. Its a gross manipulation of our tax code, he said. Its a Hail Mary pass by the Republicans. Facebook

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Heres why Republicans could help send Dianne Feinstein back to Washington  even if they cant stand her By Mark Z. Barabak Its the voters like Republican Larry Ward  conservatives who feel voiceless and adrift, bobbing like red specks in a blue sea  who could help usher the 84-year-old Dianne Feinstein back to Washington with a new lease on her Senate seat. Like most voters here in El Dorado County, Ward supported President Trump. He cant understand why Democrats and the media pile on and keep him from cutting taxes and fulfilling a campaign pledge to repeal Obamacare. He certainly doesnt think Feinsteins been too kind to Trump  the argument made by her newly announced challenger, Kevin de Leon. The state senator from Los Angeles and others on the left were spitting fire a few weeks back when Feinstein allowed as how she hoped, given time and a radical transformation, Trump might end up being a good president. Read More Facebook

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Car runs into immigration protesters outside Rep. Ed Royces district office By Sarah D. Wire  A vehicle drove into a group of protesters outside of GOP Rep. Ed Royces office in Brea on Thursday afternoon, but no injuries have been reported to police so far. (Tony Mendoza / Unite Here) A vehicle drove into a group of protesters outside GOP Rep. Ed Royces office in Brea on Thursday afternoon, but no injuries have been reported to police so far. The alleged driver, 56-year-old Daniel Wenzek of Brea, was arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon. He was booked and released pending further investigation, according to Lt. Kelly Carpenter of the Brea Police Department. Organizers say several hundred people were protesting outside Royces office, many of them arriving on buses after a morning news conference with elected officials and labor leaders in Los Angeles MacArthur Park. They were trying to deliver letters to Royce (R-Fullerton) about what losing temporary protected immigration status would mean to them, said Andrew Cohen, a communications specialist with the organization Unite Here. Read More Facebook

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California Secretary of State Alex Padilla backs Gavin Newsom for governor over former colleague Antonio Villaraigosa By Seema Mehta California Secretary of State Alex Padilla, left, and Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) Secretary of State Alex Padilla, the highest-ranking Latino in a statewide elected position in California, endorsed Gavin Newsom for governor on Thursday. Padilla said he had known Newsom for more than a decade and admired his track record as mayor of San Francisco and now lieutenant governor. Its always important to [have] leaders that are committed and get it done, and thats what Ive seen in Gavin Newsom over and over and over again, Padilla said, speaking to dozens of Newsom supporters at a union hall in downtown Los Angeles. The endorsement was seen as a slap at former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who is one of Newsoms top rivals in the governors race. Padilla was president of the Los Angeles City Council during the two years Villaraigosa was a member of the body, and for the first six months of Villaraigosas tenure as mayor. But the two men have never been viewed as close allies. They come from different power bases for Latino politicians in Los Angeles  Villaraigosa from the Eastside and Padilla from the San Fernando Valley. They also have not supported each others political pursuits. In 2001, Padilla backed James Hahn over Villaraigosa in the mayoral race. In 2006, Villaraigosa backed Cindy Montanez in a state Senate race over Padilla. Padilla said he has a relationship with all of the top Democrats running for governor. This is a tough one because I do know Antonio Villaraigosa and I know John Chiang and I know Gavin Newsom, but I think that because of whats happening in the political environment at this time, this isnt one where we can sit back, Yeah. OK. Cool, lets see who wins and well work with whoever, Padilla said. If there is a candidate I believe is best for the future of California, Im compelled to weigh in and thats what Im doing today. Luis Vizcaino, a Vilaraigosa spokesman, said the announcement was to be expected and noted that Padilla had a leadership role in Newsoms short-lived 2009 gubernatorial campaign. The only surprise here is we thought Alex had endorsed Gavin months ago considering he was Gavins Campaign Chair the first time he ran for governor, Vizcaino said in an email. Villaraigosa and Chiang, the state treasurer, have also received key endorsements from Latino politicians. Villaraigosa has the backing of the Latino Caucus in the state Legislature, former Los Angeles County Supervisor Gloria Molina and Lucille Roybal-Allard. Chiang has won the support of Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon and Los Angeles City Councilman Jose Huizar. Updated at 2:07 p.m.: This post was updated to add a comment from Villaraigosas campaign. Facebook

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Californias Rep. Paul Cook picked to lead Foreign Affairs subcommittee By Sarah D. Wire Rep. Paul Cook (R-Yucca Valley) has been named chairman of the House Foreign Affairs subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere. House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce (R-Fullerton) made the announcement in a news release Thursday morning following the former subcommittee chairman Rep. Jeff Duncans (R-S.C.) departure from the committee this week. As a former Marine Corps colonel, Rep. Cook is deeply committed to defending U.S. interests worldwide. I look forward to working with him to continue holding the [Raul] Castro and [Nicolas] Maduro regimes [of Cuba and Venezuela, respectively] accountable for their brutal repression, while increasing U.S. commercial opportunities throughout the hemisphere, Royce said in a statement. California holds several leadership positions on the Foreign Affairs Committee. Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Costa Mesa) is the chairman of the Europe, Eurasia, and Emerging Threats subcommittee. Rep. Brad Sherman of Sherman Oaks is the highest ranking Democrat on the Asia and the Pacific subcommittee and Rep. Karen Bass of Los Angeles is the highest ranking Democrat on the Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations subcommittee. Facebook

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GOP tightens restrictions on Rep. Dana Rohrabachers subcommittee because of scrutiny over his Russia connections By Sarah D. Wire Rep. Dana Rohrabacher speaks to Russian lawmakers at a meeting in the Russian parliaments lower house in Moscow in 2013. (Misha Japaridze / Associated Press) The congressional subcommittee led by California Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Costa Mesa) is being heavily monitored by GOP leaders because of allegations the Orange County congressman has been overly influenced by his connections to Russia. House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce (R-Fullerton) will be more involved in guiding the direction of the subcommittee that is in part responsible for examining U.S. policy in Russia, said a senior congressional aide who asked not to be identified in order to discuss internal committee matters. Rohrabacher has long said that the United States needs a better relationship with Russia, puzzling colleagues who have speculated privately about why hes willing to work with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Connections between Rohrabacher and Russian officials have been newly highlighted as Congress investigates Russian attempts to interfere in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Read More Facebook

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Californias GOP members vote in favor of Republican budget, paving way for tax overhaul By Sarah D. Wire All 14 California House Republicans on Thursday voted in favor of the GOPs budget, which paves the way for overhauling the U.S. tax system. The budget, which allows for a $1.5-trillion deficit increase that sets the stage for President Trumps tax cuts, passed 216 to 212, with 20 Republicans joining Democrats in opposing it. At the root of their objection is the potential repeal of the federal deduction for state and local taxes, which would hit especially hard in wealthier states like New York and California. Gov. Jerry Brown had implored the GOP members not to support the budget, saying there hasnt been enough time to fully understand what it will mean to the estimated 1 in 3 Californians who claim the deduction. Democrats are targeting nine of the states 14 Republican-held districts, and have said theyll make the elimination of the tax deduction an issue in the campaign. Rep. Steve Knight of Palmdale said he voted for the budget because hes been assured that a fix will be made to the tax plan that will address or offset the potential tax increase caused by the elimination of the tax deduction. The tax plan is scheduled to be unveiled next week. Still worried about it, still working on it, Knight said after the vote. I am confident [it will be fixed], but Ive also said that is my No. 1 priority, so if we cant get it fixed then were going to have problems. Facebook

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Gov. Jerry Brown urges California GOP House members to vote no on budget bill: First lets get the facts By Sarah D. Wire Gov. Jerry Brown implores each GOP member of California delegation to vote no on budget today over end of state and local tax deduction. pic.twitter.com/bkCihAtvFG  Sarah D. Wire (@sarahdwire) October 26, 2017 Gov. Jerry Brown implored Californias GOP House members to oppose their partys budget bill over a provision that will end a deduction for state and local taxes used by one in three Californians. In letters to each Republican member of the California congressional delegation, Brown asked the members to at least ask for more time to learn the specifics of the plan. First lets get the facts. Then, debate the issue. And then we can decide whats the right thing to do, Brown says in his letter. The potential repeal of the state and local tax (SALT) deduction  the federal income tax deduction for state and local taxes paid  would hit especially hard in wealthier areas. The vote is scheduled to take place Thursday morning. Facebook

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Six female California lawmakers back Dianne Feinstein in Senate race By Sarah D. Wire Assemblywomen Cecilia Aguiar-Curry, right, and Susan Talamantes-Eggman in May. (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) Six California Assembly committee chairwomen endorsed Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein on Wednesday over their state Capitol colleague, Senate leader Kevin de Leon. In a statement released by Feinsteins campaign, Assemblymembers Cristina Garcia (D-Bell Gardens), Susan Talamantes Eggman (D-Stockton), Jacqui Irwin (D-Thousand Oaks), Blanca E. Rubio (D-Baldwin Park), Cecilia Aguiar-Curry (D-Winters) and Anna Caballero (D-Salinas) said the state needs Feinstein in these uncertain and difficult times. We are proud to endorse Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who has been an inspiration for all of us. The first woman to serve on the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, Sen. Feinstein is now the ranking Democrat on the Judiciary Committee. In that position, she is defending California against the Republicans and the Trump administration on critical issues like immigration, womens rights, federal judicial appointments, LGBT rights, civil rights, and gun control, they said. De Leon is the highest-profile Democrat to announce plans to challenge Feinstein in her bid for a fifth full term. Facebook

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Kevin de Leon vows to back Medicare for all, signaling key issue in 2018 Senate campaign By Sarah D. Wire State Senate leader Kevin de Leons opening salvo in the U.S. Senate race against Sen. Dianne Feinstein takes on one of the main frustrations progressives have voiced with her, a refusal to support single-payer health care. I believe that every family, it doesnt make a difference who you are or where you come from, deserves to have quality healthcare. It is a universal right, De Leon says in a video released by his campaign Wednesday. Its not the exclusive privilege of the elite and the wealthy. The concept of single-payer healthcare has grown in popularity among Democrats since the 2016 election, with some members of the so-called Sanders wing of the party urging Democrats to use support for it as a litmus test in 2018. Such a program is unlikely to become law while Republicans control both chambers of Congress. Feinstein has said she doesnt support expanding Medicare to the entire population at this stage and has cited the cost of doing so as a reason. If he were elected, De Leon would join Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) and 15 other Democratic Senators as co-sponsors of the bill proposed by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). Facebook

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Sen. Kamala Harris wont back federal spending bill without DACA fix By Sarah D. Wire Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) said Wednesday that she wont back a bill that allows the federal government to spend money unless Congress has a legislative fix to address the legal status of hundreds of thousands of people brought to the country illegally as children. I will not vote for an end-of-year spending bill until we are clear about what we are going to do to protect and take care of our DACA young people in this country, Harris said. Each day in the life of these young people is a very long time, and weve got to stop playing politics with their lives. President Trump announced in September that he was giving Congress until March before the program would shutter and recipients would begin losing work permits and protection from deportation. An estimated 200,000 of the nearly 800,000 recipients of the Delayed Action for Childhood Arrivals program live in California, giving the Golden State an outsized stake in resolving their legal status. Harris spoke at a Capitol Hill news conference Wednesday with other members of the California delegation to urge quick action on the issue. It is absolutely urgent that we pass the legislation, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) said. We are determined that the Dream Act will be the law of the land before the year is out. Democrats and Republicans are negotiating the details of a fix, and when something could pass. Pelosi has hinted that if Republicans dont have the votes within their party to pass the end-of-year spending bill, which Congress has to pass to keep the government open, Democrats will offer their votes  for a price. Facebook

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Rep. Dana Rohrabacher gets a second Republican challenger By Christine Mai-Duc A second Republican is jumping in to challenge GOP Rep. Dana Rohrabacher of Costa Mesa, and hes pitching himself as an alternative for conservatives who are fed up with Rohrabachers controversial antics. Paul Martin, 52, is a freelance writer and self-proclaimed Reagan Republican who lives in Costa Mesa. Rohrabacher is himself a former speechwriter for Reagan. Martin grew up in Anaheim with an Italian immigrant mother and a Mexican American father, and says hes opposed to many of the policies coming out of the Trump administration. Ive had enormous struggle with the rhetoric thats coming out of Washington, D.C., and even more so with the rhetoric that comes out of Dana Rohrabachers mouth, Martin said in an interview. Its just not in the spirit that I grew up with. Following President Trumps travel ban announcement, Martin started the Christian-Muslim Alliance, a campaign aimed at fostering dialogue between people of different faiths. He describes himself as a raging centrist on a personal blog, where hes criticized Trumps response to white supremacist violence in Charlottesville, Va., and Rohrabacher for taking money from the National Rifle Assn. Still, Martin says hes a true conservative who wants to focus on issues of human dignity and bring better-paying jobs to the district. Facebook

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Gov. Jerry Brown, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott send a message with their World Series bet By John Myers (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) As governors of states hit hard by natural disasters, the leaders of California and Texas hope to send a message with their wager on the outcome of the World Series. The winner will receive food or drink from either Californias wine country or Houstons best barbecue joints. The bet, made Tuesday before the start of the first World Series game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Houston Astros, came with a request from both Gov. Jerry Brown and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott for tourists to come back to those regions as soon as possible. While we dont expect to have to send any vino to Texas, we hope travelers from all over the world  yes, even the Lone Star State  will continue to visit California, said Brown in a written statement. If the Dodgers win, Abbott will send Brown Texas-style barbecue and a six-pack of Houston-brewed beer. Should the Astros prevail, Brown has promised wine from the Sonoma, Napa and Mendocino regions. Texas and California are recovering from some of the worst natural disasters our states have ever encountered, Abbott said in a joint statement from the two governors. As we work to overcome these challenges, our two states are united by Americas pastime as we cheer on our home teams in the World Series. Go Astros! Facebook

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California Assembly to hold public hearings to address sexual harassment By Melanie Mason Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon, right. (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press)) The California Assembly will hold public hearings next month to address sexual harassment in the Capitol, Democratic lawmakers announced Tuesday, as allegations of pervasive mistreatment continue to ripple through Sacramento. The announcement comes one day after the California Senate announced it has hired lawyers and human resources consultants to investigate allegations of widespread sexual harassment and evaluate Senate procedures. In a joint statement, Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Paramount), Assemblyman Ken Cooley (D-Rancho Cordova) and Assemblywoman Laura Friedman (D-Glendale) said that sexual harassment of any kind is intolerable. The lawmakers say a three-pronged approach is necessary to confront the issue: changing a climate that has been permissive to sexual harassment, offering victims have a safe place to discuss complaints and ensuring that sexual harassment is dealt with expeditiously and that the seriousness of consequences match the violations committed, they said in a statement. Vowing a comprehensive effort to address these issues, lawmakers said there will be public hearings in November to discuss how the Legislature can tackle the issue. The panel, tasked to discuss harassment, discrimination and retaliation prevention and response, is chaired by Friedman and was formed in June, though it has not yet met. The panel is a subcommittee of the powerful Rules committee, chaired by Cooley, which functions as the chambers de facto human resources department. As we move forward, we must remember that the bottom line is harassers need to stop their abusive actions, the statement said. The rest of us need to call out harassment and abuse by its name and stigmatize this behavior each and every single time we see it. Adama Iwu, who helped organize the public letter published last week decrying an atmosphere of sexual harassment in the Capitol, said she and some of the women who signed the letter were concerned if any victim would be asked to testify with no legal guarantee against retaliation. Furthermore, we are concerned about the divergent paths of the Assembly and Senate, Iwu said in a statement. It is imperative that we work with outside experts, as part of a public independent review with whistleblower protections, to address the pervasive culture of sexual harassment in the Capitol community. Meanwhile, the trade association representing lobbyists, the Institute of Governmental Advocates, said in a statement Tuesday that it unequivocally supports [the women who signed the letter] and any other person in our Capitol community who has suffered harassment. Dates for the hearings, which are expected in late November, have not been set. Facebook

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Recall effort against Sen. Josh Newman still on track after too few voters request to remove their names from petitions By Patrick McGreevy State Sen. Josh Newman (D-Fullerton), left, listens to debate in June on a measure to change the rules governing recall elections. (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) Of the more than 70,600 voters who signed petitions to hold a recall vote on state Sen. Josh Newman of Fullerton, only 849 asked that their signatures be withdrawn by the deadline, clearing a major hurdle for an election on whether to oust the Democratic lawmaker, officials said Tuesday. Opponents of the recall needed to get more than 7,000 voters to withdraw their signatures to deprive supporters of the 63,593 signatures needed to put the measure on the ballot, under a new system approved recently by the Democratic-controlled Legislature that slows down the process. Sen. Josh Newman has spent months lying to his constituents by claiming people were duped into signing the recall petition against him, and with todays tally, he has been unmasked again as a pathological liar who is unfit to hold office, said Carl DeMaio, a Republican activist heading the recall drive. We eagerly look forward to voters having a chance to vote him out for his lies and his decision to increase the gas tax. Newman won a close contest last November in a district formerly represented by a Republican. He was targeted for recall by Republican activists for voting in April for a $52-billion transportation plan that raises gas taxes and imposes a new annual vehicle fee. A successful recall would deprive Democrats of a supermajority in the Senate. Once Secretary of State Alex Padilla certifies that there are sufficient valid signatures based on the data collected Tuesday, the new process calls for him to notify the state Department of Finance, which will be given 30 business days to prepare a cost estimate for the recall election. Once the estimate is prepared, the Joint Legislative Budget Committee will have 30 calendar days to review and comment on the estimate, said Sam Mahood, a spokesman for Padilla. On the following business day, the secretary of State will certify to the governor that the recall has qualified for the ballot. That could happen as late as Jan. 11 if the reviews take all the time allotted. Gov. Jerry Brown must then call an election to be held 60 to 80 days later, or within 180 days if there is a regularly scheduled election within Senate District 29 during that period. There will be a June 2018 primary election for the Assembly districts that make up the Senate District, so Brown could consolidate the Senate recall vote with that state primary. However, the new, longer process could end up being abandoned if supporters of the recall are successful in a lawsuit alleging the new rules are improper. At the same time, opponents of the recall have filed a lawsuit to block the recall, alleging petition circulators misled voters by saying their signatures would help repeal the gas tax. The underhanded methods used to qualify this recall likely represent one of the worst cases of voter fraud in California history, said Derek Humphrey, a consultant for the Newman campaign. Now, millions of tax dollars will be wasted to redo an election the Sacramento special interests lost barely a year ago. Its a shameful waste of money that voters will soundly reject and vote to keep Josh Newman fighting for them in the state Senate. Facebook

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Rep. Devin Nunes announces investigation into Obama-era uranium deal By David S. Cloud House Republicans are opening investigations of the Obama administrations 2010 decision to approve the sale of American uranium mines to a Russian-backed company, and California Rep. Devin Nunes is at the forefront. Nunes (R-Tulare), the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, said at a news conference that his panel and the House Oversight Committee would jointly probe the deal, which President Trump has called the real Russia story. Nunes and other Trump supporters have raised the 7-year-old uranium deal while four congressional committees and Special Counsel Robert S. Mueller III are looking into Russia interference the 2016 election and whether Moscow had any direct links to the Trump campaign. Read More Facebook

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Former deputy director of California tax agency says he was fired for whistleblowing By Patrick McGreevy The state Capitol (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) A former deputy director of the state Board of Equalization said Tuesday he was improperly fired this month after cooperating with a state Department of Justice investigation into allegations that agency officials improperly used public resources. Mark DeSio was fired Oct. 12 as the director for external affairs of the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration, which recently was split off from the board in an agency shakeup. He has filed a whistleblower complaint and appeal to the state Personnel Board seeking reinstatement to his position. He alleges the agency before its split up was rife with nepotism and that there is improper hiring and use of employees from one fund to instead help elected board members in field offices. For more than a year, DeSio gave information about the BOE to the Department of Justice and several state agencies and auditors, right up until the time of his firing, said a press release from his attorney, Mary-Alice Coleman. Despite being pressured, DeSio refused to engage in certain activities. DeSios job was threatened multiple times during the course of his employment. In April, Gov. Jerry Brown called for a Justice Department probe of allegations that employees of the state Board of Equalization misused state resources assigning high-paid tax auditors to tasks such as directing traffic for community events promoting elected board members. Brown also set in motion steps that broke up the agency in June, putting the five-member board in one office, and tax collection and appeal system in two other offices. At the time, Brown cited serious problems of mismanagement identified in a Department of Finance audit of the agency, which is responsible for collecting $60 billion in tax revenue annually. DeSio said he has also provided information on alleged improprieties to the state Fair Political Practices Commission, which investigates political wrongdoing. Days before he was notified of his termination, DeSio said he told Department of Justice investigators that the board had misused 30 information officer positions as personal staff for board members. He also said supervisors overruled him when he refused to hire 10 new call center employees from funds not set aside for that purpose. He said 10 people were hired even after Brown had revoked the agencys hiring power. DeSios complaint alleges that in August 2016, board member Jerome Horton pressured DeSio to promote a particular employee who was funded by DeSios office, but actually worked in Hortons office. When DeSio refused, saying the employee was not the top-scoring candidate, the complaint says Horton became angry and his chief of staff threatened DeSio. Board Executive Director David Gau, the complaint alleges, contacted Desio and told him to either do what Horton wanted or be fired. After meeting with Department of Finance auditors, DeSio said he was contacted by Horton in November 2016. Horton demanded to know what DOF had asked and what documentation Desio had provided in response. DeSio said he refused to disclose what he gave the auditor. Horton threatened DeSio, saying, I only need one more vote to take you out, the complaint alleges. Horton disputed the allegations. If he has filed a complaint, the facts will show that I had an excellent professional relationship with Mr. DeSio and the allegations are not true, I had nothing to do with his termination, Horton said in a statement. Gau did not immediately respond to requests for comment. DeSio also alleged multiple cases of nepotism in the agency. In one example, he alleges agency officials improperly orchestrated the hiring of the man whose wife worked for a top manager at the agency. Updated at 3 pm to include comment from Board member Jerome Horton. Facebook

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Want the Sierra Clubs endorsement? Here are its standards By Chris Megerian The Sierra Club is setting some ground rules for California gubernatorial candidates that may want its endorsement. No. 1 on the list is independence from the oil industry, which has been a fault line in the Capitol during debates over climate change policies. This year, given how important Californias role has become to the nation for leadership on the environment, it made sense to lay out in advance what some of the overall characteristics that the endorsement committee will be looking for in candidates, said Kathryn Phillips, director of Sierra Club California. Other requirements include independence from the tobacco and e-cigarette industry and a commitment to public health, environmental equity and transparency. Facebook

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California Senate hires investigators to look into sexual harassment allegations By Melanie Mason California Senate leader Kevin de Leon will hire two outside firms to look into allegations of a widespread culture of sexual harassment in the state Capitol. De Leon announced Monday he has hired the law office of Amy Oppenheimer to conduct an external investigation into harassment and assault allegations, and the consulting firm CPS HR Consulting to review Senate policies on harassment, discrimination and retaliation. De Leon also sent letters to lobbyists in the Capitol community detailing how existing rules protect non-employees. Theres always more employers can do to protect their employees, De Leon said in a statement. Everyone deserves a workplace free of fear, harassment and sexual misbehavior and I applaud the courage of women working in and around the Capitol who are coming forward and making their voices heard. The women behind an open letter sent last week calling out a pervasive culture of mistreatment in the political industry said that De Leons actions were insufficient. More than 140 women, including legislators, Capitol staff, political consultants and lobbyists, signed the letter. To find the truth and rebuild trust, we need a truly independent investigation, not a secretly hand-picked self-investigation, said Adama Iwu, a government affairs director for Visa who spearheaded the campaign. We need full transparency. How was this firm selected? Who will they report their findings to? What exactly are they investigating? Is the Assembly involved? Meanwhile, the women who have signed the letter, who have coalesced into a group called We Said Enough, announced they were formalizing their advocacy efforts on Monday by launching a nonprofit organization. The group plans to hold forums to outline a plan of action for improving how harassment and abuse complaints are reported, investigated and addressed. Facebook

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Kevin de Leon has millions in state campaign accounts that cant be rolled over to his Senate race By Patrick McGreevy State Senate leader Kevin De Leon has millions of dollars socked away in state campaign accounts, but federal law prohibits him from rolling over the money into his federal campaign for the U.S. Senate. So what options does the Los Angeles legislator have as he puts together a campaign to unseat Sen. Dianne Feinstein, a fellow Democrat, in next years election? Read More Facebook

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Gov. Jerry Brown heads to Washington to talk about the threat of nuclear war Facebook

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California Politics Podcast: What happens next in Sacramentos discussion of sexual harassment is important By John Myers Theres a big, challenging question beyond the initial shock of sexual harassment stories told by women working in California politics: What happens next? On this weeks California Politics Podcast, we discuss the allegations that have emerged from an open letter first reported by The Times on Tuesday. And a key part of the next chapter is how legislative leaders and the states major political parties respond to the concerns raised in the letter signed by more than 140 women. We also take a closer look at the new effort by wealthy activist Tom Steyer to demand impeachment proceedings against President Trump, and whether the San Francisco Democrat is thinking seriously about jumping into the U.S. Senate race. And with Gov. Jerry Browns action on hundreds of bills complete, we offer up a few notable decisions in those final signings and vetoes. Im joined by Times staff writer Melanie Mason and Marisa Lagos of KQED. Facebook

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Sen. Tom Cotton chides Californians: Your sanctuary cities werent enough, you had to have a sanctuary state instead By Phil Willon Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton addresses the California Republican Party at its fall convention in Anaheim. (Phil Willon / Los Angeles Times) Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton told California Republicans they should expect better days ahead, in part, because of liberal overreach by California Democrats on taxes, immigration and other issues affecting the daily lives of working-class Americans. Cotton invoked the memory of former president and California governor Ronald Reagan as a guiding light, and ridiculed House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) as a harbinger of doom. All it takes is a little new thinking applied with old principles. The principles of Ronald Reagan, Cotton told a packed ballroom at the California Republican Partys fall convention in Anaheim on Saturday. Cottons keynote address hewed toward traditional conservative themes and was peppered with light moments and witty jabs about the Democrats grip on California politics. When Jerry Brown has to veto your legislation because its too liberal, you might have to take a look in the mirror, Cotton told the crowd. It was a big departure from the speech the night before by GOP firebrand Steve Bannon, President Trumps former political strategist. Bannon unleased attacks on former President George W. Bush and Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.). He told Republicans they needed to rise up in California or else the progressive left and lords of the Silicon Valley would try to secede from the union in 10 to 15 years. Cotton, who at 40 is the youngest member of the U.S. Senate, is widely believed to be eyeing a run for higher office. During the 2016 Republican National Convention, he was the most active politician on the breakfast circuit, visiting the South Carolina, Ohio, Iowa, New Hampshire and California delegations. California, of course, is home to more than 5 million Republican voters and has been a wellspring of political cash for GOP presidential candidates. Cottons message of hope has been a running theme throughout the three-day GOP gathering as the state party tries once again to turn things around in left-leaning California. The partys share of the state electorate has fallen to 26% and no Republican has been elected to statewide office since 2006. Cotton, however, told the party faithful to remain upbeat. Californias Republican members of Congress play a pivotal role in Washington, and there are ample opportunities to rekindle the partys presence in Sacramento and throughout the state. Cotton zeroed in on the new gas tax and vehicle fee hike in the state, which would raise $5.2 billion annually for transportation and mass transit improvements, saying it would hurt ordinary Californians. If you live in West L.A. or San Francisco and you have the money to afford a Tesla, maybe youll be OK, Cotton said. What about the farmer in the Central Valley who has a pickup truck and needs to fill it up three times a week? He also took shots at the so-called sanctuary state law signed this month by Gov. Jerry Brown, which will limit law enforcement agencies from questioning and detaining people for immigration violations. Your sanctuary cities werent enough, you had to have a sanctuary state instead, Cotton said. So all your citizens will face greater danger no matter where they live. Before he took the stage, the state GOP played a short video introduction of the Arkansas senator, focused on his experiences serving as an Army officer in Iraq and Afghanistan. In Washington, Cotton was a harsh critic of President Obama and is considered a hawk on national defense. During a hearing in June, Cotton also openly mocked the idea of the Trump administration colluding with Russia. Facebook

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House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy criticizes Gov. Brown, lauds Trump at California GOP convention By Seema Mehta McCarthy is lauding Trump for his "character and vision and understanding," compares him to Reagan. #cagop17 pic.twitter.com/AlyvgOvQWF  Seema (@LATSeema) October 21, 2017 House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield) on Saturday blasted Gov. Jerry Brown over Democrats positioning the state as the liberal resistance to President Trump and for legislative efforts to circumvent the presidents policies. Brown, he warned, could be viewed similarly to southern governors who sought to pick and choose which federal laws to uphold during the civil rights era. He focused on Browns recent signing of a bill to make California a so-called sanctuary state, which will limit law enforcement agencies from questioning and detaining people for immigration violations. I dont think history will be very kind to Gov. Brown, McCarthy told a few hundred delegates and guests at a luncheon at the California Republican Party convention in Anaheim. California is a critical part of Democrats efforts to retake the House of Representatives, with a focus on seven Republican-held districts that Hillary Clinton won in the 2016 presidential election. Only one of the Republican representatives of those targeted districts had appeared at the convention as of Saturday afternoon, Rep. Mimi Walters of Irvine. McCarthy said Vice President Mike Pence raised $5 million for the efforts to protect the seats during a recent three-day fundraising trip through California, but he did not otherwise go into detail about the congressional battle expected in 2018. He instead lashed out at Republican members of the state Legislature who voted for Democratic policies. My advice to those Assembly members in Sacramento: You will not win a majority by thinking youll be Democrat-light. You will win the majority by showing the differences in the party, McCarthy said. You will not win the majority by voting against your own principles on a Democratic policy, and let Democratic targets vote no. You will not win the majority if youre concerned about being able to stand behind a podium with a Democratic governor instead of giving the freedom to Californians across this entire state. McCarthy did not name the members he was speaking about, but it was clear he was referring to Assemblyman Chad Mayes (R-Yucca Valley) and other Republicans who voted for an extension of the states cap-and-trade program this year. Mayes stepped down as Assembly Republican leader under pressure from others in his party who were upset over his vote for the climate change program, which requires companies to purchase permits to release greenhouse gases. McCarthy spoke a day after former Trump White House advisor Stephen K. Bannon addressed the group. Bannon has declared war on the GOP establishment, of which McCarthy is a member. McCarthy did not push back at Bannons remarks, which included criticism of former President George W. Bush and Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.). Rather, McCarthy lauded Trumps vision, compared him to former President Reagan and pointed to economic gains and regulatory reform since Trump took office. What a difference nine months and one election makes, McCarthy said. What a difference: A man who ran for president on issues and keeps his word and actually enacts the things he promised to do. Trump has tried to enact many of his campaign promises but has been unsuccessful on several priorities, including a travel ban on citizens from Muslim-majority countries and a repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Tax reform is the latest priority on the Republicans agenda, and McCarthy promised that Congress would push a package by Thanksgiving that includes lowering rates for small businesses and corporations, and simplifying the tax code from seven income tax brackets to three. He also spoke out in support of one of the more controversial parts of the proposal: eliminating the deduction of state and local taxes. I dont think its fair for somebody else to subsidize poor management in California, McCarthy said. Look at the entire [tax reform] bill when it comes out, you will pay less. But no longer can Sacramento say, Im going to raise the rates just because Ill have the federal government subsidize it. They will have to be held accountable for when they want to raise taxes. Facebook

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Gold Star father Khizr Khan, who clashed with Trump during the election, goes after him again in California By Phil Willon Khizr Khan at the National Union of Healthcare Workers conference in Anaheim on Saturday. (Phil Willon / Los Angeles Times) Khizr Khan, the father of a Muslim U.S. Army captain killed in Iraq who feuded with Donald Trump during the 2016 presidential campaign, on Saturday criticized the Trump White House for its clash with a widow of a fallen soldier this week. Khan, speaking to reporters after addressing a National Union of Healthcare Workers conference in Anaheim, said the families of all military members killed in combat deserve to be treated with dignity and respect, especially in the days and weeks immediately following the death of their loved one. It was disappointing to see the behavior of [the White House], Khan said, before criticizing Trump administration officials for standing in front of the cameras and providing a defense for the indefensible behavior. Khans comments came just days after the uproar over Trumps call to the widow of Army Sgt. La David T. Johnson of Florida, one of four U.S. soldiers who died in an Oct. 4 ambush in Niger. Rep. Frederica S. Wilson of Florida was with Johnsons wife, Myeshia Johnson, in a car when the widow took Trumps call on speakerphone. Wilson publicly described Trumps comments as insensitive, saying he suggested that the sergeant knew what he was getting into when he joined the Army. White House Chief of Staff John F. Kelly, whose son was killed in combat, defended the presidents comments, saying that he advised Trump on what to say and that the president was trying to praise Johnsons unselfish military service as well as offer words of comfort to his widow. Khan avoided attacking Trump directly or expanding on his remarks, saying he will address the controversy in more detail after Johnsons memorial services. The clash between Khan and Trump ignited after Khans speech at the 2016 Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia. There, Khan ripped into Trump, then the Republican nominee for president. Hillary Clinton was right when she called my son the best of America. If it was up to Donald Trump, he never would have been in America, Khan said at the convention. Donald Trump consistently smears the character of Muslims. He disrespects other minorities  women, judges, even his own party leadership. He vows to build walls and ban us from this country. Trump responded by questioning whether Khans wife, who stood by her husbands side during the couples high-profile appearance, was silent because of her Muslim faith. The controversy ignited by Trumps jabs at a Gold Star family dragged on for days, and he drew rebukes from Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.). During his speech to the healthcare union Saturday, Khan lamented the loss of civility in national political discourse and pointed squarely at the president. He said the current White House has sown division by attacking immigrants and belittling political rivals. Facebook

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California Teachers Assn. votes to endorse Gavin Newsom for governor By Seema Mehta Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks with participants of a march in Pan Pacific Park in Los Angeles commemorating the 102nd anniversary of the Armenian genocide in April. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times) The politically influential California Teachers Assn. on Saturday endorsed Democratic Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom for governor, praising his support for public schools and his promise to hold charter schools more accountable. Gavin has long supported increased funding for education and is committed to making investing in students a top priority as governor, CTA President Eric Heins said in a written statement Saturday. He supports a public education system that attracts, not attacks, teachers, universal preschool and affordable college for all. The move is not entirely surprising given the antagonism between one of Newsoms top Democratic rivals, former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, and teachers unions in California. Villaraigosa launched his career as a union organizer, including for United Teachers Los Angeles, and labor played a critical role in getting him elected to office. But after he tried to gain control of Los Angeles schools, he questioned policies fiercely guarded by teachers unions, such as seniority protections that resulted in regular layoff notices to younger teachers who tend to staff the most challenging schools. He grew to support using student test scores to evaluate teachers and other overhauls opposed by union leaders. Villaraigosa, who eventually gained control of more than a dozen struggling city schools through a nonprofit, ultimately blasted the citys teachers union where he once worked as the largest obstacle to creating quality schools. The teachers association also passed over Democrat Delaine Eastin, a long-shot candidate who jumped into the 2018 governors race last year. Eastin, who served as Californias state superintendent of public instruction, has vowed to put education at the forefront of her campaign. The key question going forward is how much CTA plans to invest in the governors race and how it plans to spend it. In 2014, the union spent $12 million to defeat Marshall Tuck, a huge sum in an obscure race to be state superintendent of public instruction. A Democrat and former charter school leader, Tuck was hired by Villaraigosa to run the nonprofit that oversaw his schools. Tuck, who narrowly lost his race in 2014 against an incumbent, is running for state superintendent again in 2018. CTA on Saturday also endorsed his opponent, Assemblyman Tony Thurmond (D-Richmond). Facebook

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Bannons mention of Sen. John McCain, George W. Bush draws boos at California GOP convention By Seema Mehta  Former Trump White House advisor Stephen K. Bannon ripped into former President George W. Bush and Arizona Sen. John McCain Friday night at the California Republican Party Convention in Anaheim, saying there has not been a more destructive presiden Mere mentions of former President George W. Bush and Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) drew loud boos and catcalls as former Trump advisor Stephen K. Bannon derided the GOP leaders in his address to California Republicans on Friday night at their fall convention in Anaheim. Bannon, who runs the far-right website Breitbart News, blasted Bush for his harsh assessment of Trump and his policies, which the former president delivered at a policy seminar in New York on Thursday. Bush suggested that Trump has promoted bigotry and falsehoods, violating this countrys values. President Bush to me embarrassed himself. Speech writers wrote a highfalutin speech, Bannon said. Its clear he didnt understand anything he was talking about.  Just like it was when he was president of the United States. Bannon, who was ousted from the White House in August but said he considers himself Trumps wingman, didnt stop there. He ripped into Bush, saying he allowed China to grow as a world power under the premise that global engagement might shepherd the county toward democracy. Theres not been a more destructive presidency than George Bushs, Bannon said. Bannon also had no love for McCain, who has openly clashed with Trump and helped torpedo Republican efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act. The crowd at #CAGOP17 just booed George W. Bush and John McCain. "Hang him!" one man yelled about McCain.  Seema (@LATSeema) October 21, 2017 He praised McCains military service, but said as a politician, Hes just another senator from Arizona. The boos from the crowd of Republican donors and activists show how much the state party has changed as its influence has waned and its numbers have dwindled in California. The brand of conservatism belonging to Bush and McCain resonated with Californias GOP voters during their presidential campaigns. Both men forged deep ties with the states Republican elected leaders and donors, raising tens of millions of dollars here for their political campaigns. In California, Bush received 1.1 million more votes in the November 2004 presidential election than Trump did last November. McCain received almost 600,000 more votes in the November 2008 presidential election than Trump received in the state in 2016. Read More Facebook

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College journalists say covering Bannon at GOP convention prepares them for Yiannopoulos on campus By Anh Do Student journos Amy Wells + Brandon Pho of #CalSrateFullerton say peers are interested in party politics, esp info collected by young ppl. pic.twitter.com/b2MikBGnQD  ANH DO (@newsterrier) October 21, 2017 Student journalists Amy Wells and Brandon Pho from Cal State Fullerton teamed up outside Anaheims Marriott Hotel as night descended, assigned to cover Stephen K. Bannons speech and protesters targeting him. We dont underestimate how movements can pull in more youth, especially if they hear other youth pushing it on social media, said Pho, a sophomore majoring in journalism. Were always on the lookout for more policy to dig into because we have a lot of undocumented students on our campus and theyre way aware of national issues, added Wells, a senior pursuing a journalism degree. Pho and Wells said reporting on the small crowd of protesters will prepare them for much larger turnouts when provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos visits their campus at the end of this month. While Bannon is more provocative, he doesnt have the reach of someone like Milo who knows how to engage an online audience, said Pho, 19. We learn from watching how different public figures do outreach. Wells, 22, described the nights gathering as having the feel of a college campus protest. And of course, that feels familiar, with people here maybe figuring out what to do next. Small steps. Facebook

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Indivisible members rally ahead of Stephen K. Bannons speech to California Republicans By Anh Do Michelle Fowle, founder of The Resistance - Northridge, Indivisible, along w 100 supporters, launch protest vs. #SteveBannon in #Anaheim. pic.twitter.com/1yEdrUm9Si  ANH DO (@newsterrier) October 21, 2017 Growing up as a Republican in Southern California, Michelle Fowle said she automatically registered to join the party because her parents were also members. I didnt know the right civics, recalled the Northridge activist, 50. I didnt really know women died for the right to vote. I just voted for whoever I saw on signs, or whose names I remembered. Now Fowle is the founder of The Resistance - Northridge, Indivisible, which united supporters outside the California GOP convention in Anaheim on Friday to protest an appearance by Stephen K. Bannon. She joined a crowd of about 50 people across the street from the Anaheim Marriott on Friday night as they denounced President Trumps former advisor. They were separated from conventiongoers by metal barriers and a cordon of private security guards while police officers observed from nearby. Information and exposure and understanding show us that he is dangerous. Hes a very, very good manipulator, Fowle said of Bannon. His goal is to try and get rid of established Republicans and bring in more extreme people. Bannon is using whatever base Trump has left to recruit. Carolyn Criss, a retired film industry researcher, drove from Sherman Oaks to protest. Bannon is a clear danger to our democracy, she said. Criss said Trumps election awoke her dormant activist tendencies, and she now regularly attends protests against the president. She said she thought Bannons visit was an effort to amplify his voice while also helping the GOP raise money. I really hope the GOP just wants to make some money off him and doesnt believe what he says, she said. Facebook

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California lawmaker plans to introduce legislation to protect workers who exercise right to free speech By Mina Corpuz San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick and Eric Reid, left, take a knee during the national anthem in a 2016 game against the Rams. (Daniel Gluskoter / Associated Press Images for Panini) A California lawmaker plans to introduce legislation that would help protect workers from employer retribution for exercising their right to free speech. Sen. Henry Stern (D-Canoga Park) said Friday that the state should be a sanctuary for free speech, including the kind that some might find offensive. He said he will introduce a measure when the Legislature is back in session in January. It doesnt matter if youre Ben Shapiro speaking at UC Berkeley, a brave female employee standing up to misogyny in her workplace through the #MeToo movement, or a Dallas Cowboy playing in California this Sunday, he said in a statement. The Constitution does not limit speech based on value judgments so long as it doesnt harm others. Stern said the presidents attempt to urge NFL owners to fire players who kneel during the National Anthem is a troubling attack on the 1st Amendment. The Constitution trumps Trump, he said. Americans of all political stripes ought to stand up and defend it. The legislation would also help public institutions fund security for events that could include offensive speech. Public institutions and law enforcement shouldnt have to bear the cost of ensuring constitutional protections for such events, Stern said. Stern, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, is part of the ongoing work to define hate speech and find a way to address it while upholding the Constitution. Facebook

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Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom fights NRA over gun control law in federal court By Patrick McGreevy Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom. (Tim Berger / Times Community News) Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom has asked the courts to lift an order that blocks Californias ban on large-capacity ammunition magazines, which was approved in November by voters when they passed Proposition 63. In June, a federal judge in San Diego ruled in favor of a request by the National Rifle Assn. to temporarily delay the magazine ban until the court could make a final decision on the law. U.S. District Judge Roger T. Benitez wrote then: If this injunction does not issue, hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of otherwise law-abiding citizens will have an untenable choice: become an outlaw or dispossess ones self of lawfully acquired property. In a friend-of-the-court filing, Newsom and the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence argued the ban on large-capacity magazines is needed to help prevent the occurrence of high-fatality gun massacres, and to reduce the bloodshed when these tragedies occur. Newsom, a candidate for governor, sponsored Proposition 63 with the law center. Its a tragic reality that as time passes, we are presented with more and more evidence on the devastating power of large-capacity magazines, which are consistently the accessory of choice in mass shootings for mass murderers, Newsom said Friday in a statement, predicting the federal courts would uphold the ban. Facebook

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State GOP leader says the new gas tax and high poverty rate make Democrats vulnerable in California By Phil Willon California Republican Party Chairman Jim Brulte, center, addresses GOP delegates at the state partys convention in Anaheim on Friday. (Phil Willon / Los Angeles Times) California Republican Party Chairman Jim Brulte kicked off the state GOPs fall convention with a speech to delegates that outlined why he thinks Democrats will be vulnerable in the upcoming 2018 elections. Brulte zeroed in on the new gas tax and policy declaring California a sanctuary state  both approved by Gov. Jerry Brown and the Democratic-controlled Legislature and both, he said, unpopular with California voters. He said Democrats have tried to deflect voter attention from these issues, as well as Californias high poverty rate and an uptick in crime, by continually attacking President Trump. Here in California, the reason they want to talk about Donald Trump is because they dont want to talk about the record they created, Brulte said. They broke it. They own it. If Donald Trump were not president, we would still have 22% of Californians living below the poverty line. Thats not Donald Trumps fault. Thats the Democrats who control California. The state GOPs three-day convention at the Anaheim Marriott will kick off in earnest Friday night when Trumps former political strategist, Steve Bannon, takes the stage for a keynote address to delegates. Facebook

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Far-right blogger Chuck C. Johnson gave bitcoin donation to Dana Rohrabacher By Christine Mai-Duc Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Costa Mesa) speaks to Russian lawmakers at a meeting in Moscow in May 2013. (Misha Japaridze / Associated Press) Right-wing blogger and provocateur Chuck C. Johnson gave Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Costa Mesa) a $5,400 campaign contribution weeks after he said he helped arrange a meeting between the Orange County congressman and Wikileaks founder Julian Assange. The donation, the maximum amount allowed by law, came in the form of bitcoin, a virtual currency. Johnson, who previously was banned from Twitter after soliciting donations toward taking out a prominent black activist, is listed on campaign finance forms as a self-employed investor who lives in Rosemead. Rohrabacher campaign spokesman Jason Pitkin confirmed the donor was the same person who helped arrange the Assange meeting. Johnson also recently sat in on a meeting between Rohrabacher and Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul in the Capitol. Pitkin said they discussed Assanges legal situation and cannabis policy, among other things. Rohrabacher previously said Assange had emphatically stated that the Russians were not involved in hacking the 2016 elections but claimed his plans to bring the information directly to President Trump have been thwarted by White House staffers. Pitkin said Johnson approached the Rohrabacher campaign shortly after his trip to London and said he wanted to donate. He said, Do you take bitcoin? and I said, I think we can,  Pitkin recalled. The campaign then set up a bitcoin wallet to receive the funds, Pitkin said. Rohrabacher is not the only California House candidate this cycle who has accepted contributions in bitcoin. Democrat Brian Forde, who is challenging GOP Rep. Mimi Walters of Irvine, reported raising more than $59,000 in bitcoin donations between July 1 and Sept. 30. Facebook

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Government needs more women, Nancy Pelosi says By Colleen Shalby Nancy Pelosi has 30 years worth of insight for women starting out in politics. Shes run into plenty of naysayers over the years, but said she hasnt let other peoples doubt stop her. Her advice for those at the beginning of their career is simple. Know your purpose, she said in an interview Wednesday night before a Summit event hosted by the Los Angeles Times and the Berggruen Institute. The House minority leader said she hopes more women will run for office, calling their participation a necessity for government and the future. Whether its education, the environment, equal rights, womens health  whatever it is. Master your subject. Have a plan on how you will implement your ideas and you will attract support. Facebook

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This Los Angeles representative spent $105,500 on Hamilton tickets By Sarah D. Wire Rep. Tony Cardenas asks a question of Lin-Manuel Miranda during a town hall at Panorama High School in Panorama City. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) Hamilton fever has caught at least two Los Angeles area members of Congress whove used campaign funds to purchase tickets to the hit musicals run at the Hollywood Pantages. Rep. Tony Cardenas campaign and his political action committee Victory by Investing, Building and Empowering PAC spent $105,500 in April buying tickets to the show, which is playing in L.A. until Dec. 30. Two fundraisers using the approximately 400 tickets have raised more than $300,000, a spokesman for the congressmans campaign said. For both Cardenas campaign and the PAC, the tickets were the single most costly expense of the year. Basically they saw this as an opportunity to have a nice fundraising opportunity and go to a show that celebrates American democracy, campaign spokesman Josh Pulliam said. The Los Angeles Democrat is friends with the father of Lin-Manuel Miranda, the Tony- and Pulitzer-winning creator of Hamilton. When the show opened in Los Angeles in mid-August, Miranda spoke to nearly 1,000 students in Cardenas largely Latino San Fernando Valley district . He raffled off some tickets to the show as an online fundraiser in September. Miranda has a history of supporting Democrats, and Hamilton has been used as a fundraiser before. In July 2016, Hillary Clintons presidential campaign hosted a special showing of the musical for donors, with a starting ticket price of $2,700. Cardenas held two fundraisers tied to the show. Miranda did not attend either event, Pulliam said. Pulliam said a few dozen tickets went to people in the community as gifts. He also raffled off some tickets to the show as an online fundraiser in September. Cardenas isnt in a particularly tough race for 2018. A Democrat and a Green Party member have filed to run in his district, but neither have raised or spent enough to require them to file campaign finance reports. Cardenas most recent report, which covers what he raised and spent in the last three months, shows he raised $232,389 and had $481,049 in the bank as of Sept. 30. Its fairly common for lawmakers or candidates to use sports events or concerts as major fundraising opportunities, especially when big names such as Taylor Swift or Bruce Springsteen play concerts in Washington. Rep. Maxine Waters campaign spent just under $11,000 on tickets to Hamilton in August. Reached by phone, the Los Angeles Democrat seemed surprised reporters were asking about the tickets. She said her campaign made $110,000 at a fundraiser using the tickets. Everybody does it, whether its a concert or a baseball game, she said. Several conservative groups have targeted Waters, an outspoken critic of President Trump, for the 2018 election. She won in 2016 with 76% of the vote over Republican Omar Navarro, who is challenging her again. In a statement released by her campaign, Waters stressed that fundraising at an event means the campaign doesnt have to rent space or buy food. These fundraising activities are similar and sometimes less expensive than the amount of money a candidate would spend to host a fundraising dinner within a private room at a restaurant or hotel  once you factor in associated catering costs, she said. The price for the Hamilton tickets was similar to what one would have to pay at these venues. There was nothing improper or unusual about the expenditure. Facebook

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California Republicans increase security at state convention ahead of Steve Bannon speech By Seema Mehta (Ross D. Franklin / Associated Press) The California Republican Party is ramping up security at its weekend convention in anticipation of protests at the Friday night keynote speech by Steve Bannon, a former advisor to President Trump and the executive chairman of Breitbart News. Part of providing a good experience for our convention goers is assuring your safety, state party Executive Director Cynthia Bryant wrote in an email to attendees on Thursday describing the security measures. Attendees will pass through metal detectors and their property is subject to be searched before they are allowed to enter the ballroom at the Anaheim Marriott, where the speech and dinner are taking place. Weapons, noisemakers and signs are prohibited. We did not make the decision for the additional security lightly and we know that it does impact your convention going experience, Bryant wrote. I sincerely regret that. Its a level of security rarely seen at political party gatherings in California. Convention attendees were also screened when Donald Trump, then a candidate seeking the GOP presidential nomination, appeared at the spring 2015 convention in Burlingame. That decision was made in consultation with the Secret Service, which had already begun protecting Trump. That convention attracted large-scale protests that at times turned into tense stand-offs between activists and police officers. Bannons speech is also expected to draw protests. Bannon, a conservative media leader, promoted Breitbart as a platform of the alt-right and needled establishment Republicans when Trump selected him to be the chief executive of his 2016 presidential campaign. His views as a nationalist, economic populist and nativist indelibly shaped Trumps message to voters. Once Trump was sworn in as president, Bannon was named White House chief strategist. He was a divisive figure in the administration, disparaging his colleagues to the media before he left the White House in August. He has since declared war on the GOP establishment, including supporting challengers to incumbents and other candidates backed by Trump. Facebook

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L.A. County Supervisors unanimously back Sen. Feinstein for reelection By Sarah D. Wire L.A. County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times) The five members of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors have all endorsed Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the senators campaign announced Thursday. The announcement comes as factions of California Democrats begin weighing in on the Senate race between Feinstein and state Senate leader Kevin de Leon next year. Its a snub for De Leon, a native Angeleno who has represented part of the city for more than a decade in the Assembly and state Senate. Sen. Feinstein has been our strong partner on the critical issues confronting L.A. County  homelessness, healthcare, and transportation. Her support for our county hospitals, including her commitment to our new Martin Luther King Jr. Community Hospital, has been essential to our countys healthcare system, Board Chairman and 2nd District Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas said in a statement. Ridley-Thomas said the board members support Feinstein -- including the lone Republican on the board, 5th District Supervisor Kathryn Barger, who said in a statement that California needs Feinstein in the Senate. Ive worked with Sen. Feinstein for many years. Shes extremely knowledgeable and always prepared on the tough issues we confront. Shes a problem solver we can count on now and in the future, Barger said. Feinstein already has the backing of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, which traditionally backs incumbents. Soon after he announced a challenge, De Leon was endorsed by Democracy for America, the progressive political action committee formed by former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean in 2004. Facebook

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Northern California wildfires mean thousands of families will flood the regions already strained housing market By Liam Dillon Tom and Shelly Lanning, from left, talk with Lannings mother, Jeannie Anderson, on Oct.17, 2017. The Lannings have been staying with Anderson since they lost their home in wildfires. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) Even before devastating wildfires struck Northern California last week, the regions housing market was in crisis. Home values and rents already were at or near record highs, and decades of slow construction has left few homes available for the thousands of displaced residents. The number of new families flooding the market is giving rise to fears of widespread displacement and even higher costs. The scope and magnitude of the rehousing is unfathomable, said Larry Florin, chief executive of the nonprofit Burbank Housing, one of Santa Rosas largest low-income housing providers. If you take 3,000 units being demolished in a market that was already dramatically constrained, its hard to imagine whats going to happen, where people are going to go. Read More Facebook

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California lawmaker wants to ban secret settlements in sexual harassment cases after Weinstein scandal By Melanie Mason State Sen. Connie Leyva (D-Chino), shown speaking at a 2016 news conference for ending the statute of limitations for rape, wants to ban confidentiality provisions from sexual harassment settlements. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) A California state senator says she intends to introduce a bill next year to ban confidentiality provisions in monetary settlements stemming from sexual harassment, assault and discrimination cases. Secret settlements in sexual assault and related cases can jeopardize the public  including other potential victims  and allow perpetrators to escape justice just because they have the money to pay the cost of the settlements, Sen. Connie Leyva (D-Chino) said in a statement Thursday. This bill will ensure that sexual predators can be held accountable for their actions and ideally prevent them from victimizing others. The measure comes after revelations of decades-long alleged sexual misconduct by Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein. Some of those incidents were obscured from public view thanks to monetary settlements whose terms required confidentiality. The issue has a renewed resonance in Sacramento after scores of women working in state politics renounced a pervasive culture of harassment and abuse in the Capitol in a public letter this week. Leyva told the Times she intends for her proposed settlement ban to include both private employers and public ones, such as the Legislature. 9:41 a.m.: This post was updated to specify Leyvas proposal would apply to private and public employers. This post was originally published at 8:54 a.m. Facebook

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Nancy Pelosi: Its your problem if you dont recognize that women are ready to do any job By Colleen Shalby Nancy Pelosi knows what it feels like to have to prove herself in politics simply because shes a woman. She says she experiences the pressure every day. But its your problem if you dont recognize that women are ready to do any job, the House minority leader said in an interview before a Summit event hosted by the Los Angeles Times and the Berggruen Institute on Wednesday night. When she decided to run for a leadership position in Congress, Pelosi said a man questioned her move. As if a woman had to be told she could run, she recalled. We just laughed and said poor babies. In the midst of a growing sexual misconduct scandal centered on Hollywood film producer Harvey Weinstein, many women are sharing their stories of sexual harassment and assault. No industry has been spared  women at Californias Capitol signed an open letter Tuesday outlining pervasive harassment in Sacramento. Pelosi said she wasnt prepared to share a so-called me too moment, but she thanked the women who have. The sheer numbers speak eloquently to the fact that we should get to zero tolerance, she said. Facebook

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Watch: The View from California political panel with John Myers Sacramento Bureau Chief John Myers hosted a panel discussion about the view from California as part of our L.A. Times and Berggruen Institute Summit series. Joining him were state Sen. Robert Hertzberg (D-Van Nuys), Republican strategist Luis Alvarado, UCLA political scientist Lynn Vavreck and Alma Hernandez, executive director of SEIU California. We also had a conversation with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi. Watch that here. Facebook

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Watch: House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi talks to the L.A. Times House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) spoke Wednesday about her view of national news, working with the Trump White House and the future of the Democratic Party. The event was co-hosted by The L.A. Times and the Berggruen Institute. Following that conversation, Sacramento Bureau Chief John Myers hosted a panel discussion about the view from California. Joining him were state Sen. Robert Hertzberg (D-Van Nuys), Republican strategist Luis Alvarado, UCLA political scientist Lynn Vavreck and Alma Hernandez, executive director of SEIU California. Watch that here. Facebook

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Kevin de Leon: My whole life, Ive been told to wait my turn and know my place You know, my whole life, Ive been told to wait my turn and know my place. Well, its Californias turn to lead. And Californias place to be a shining example for the world and a stark contrast to the failures of Washington.  State Senate leader Kevin de Leon, kicking off his U.S. Senate campaign Read More Facebook

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Pelosi, in Los Angeles visit, calls on Congress to pass Dream Act By Makeda Easter Rep. Nancy Pelosi meets with young immigrants protected by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program in downtown Los Angeles. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi on Wednesday called on the GOP-controlled Congress to pass the Dream Act by years end. Pelosi appeared at the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights with community leaders and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival recipients in Los Angeles. The San Francisco Democrat said she has confidence Republicans and Democrats will be able to work together to pass the Dream Act. President Trump said we had shared values when we spoke to him, Pelosi said. I trust that he will honor that commitment because the American people want him to do so. The Democratic leader had conversations with Trump about continuing DACA after his heartless decision to end the program. Pelosi said that President Reagan was great on immigration and noted his immigration agenda protected a larger percentage of people than President Obama did with his executive order regarding DACA. She added the last three Republican presidents strongly acknowledged the value of immigration to America. A majority of the estimated 800,000 immigrants who were brought to the United States illegally as children live in California. These newcomers make America more American, Pelosi said. She noted there have been a handful of Republicans who support forcing a Dream Act vote via a procedural move. Still, her party is in the minority. You can have all the conversation in the world that you want, but youve got to have the votes, she said, encouraging moderate Republicans to support the Dream Act. She was joined by Democratic Reps. Jimmy Gomez of Los Angeles, Judy Chu of Monterey Park and Lucille Roybal-Allard of Downey, the first Mexican American woman elected to Congress and original co-author of the Dream Act. Roybal-Allard said the so-called Dreamers have lived in this country, they have grown up here, they have pledged allegiance to our flag. To do anything else but to protect them by passing the Dream 
The Supreme Court heard a powerful plea for reining in partisan gerrymandering, and a majority on Tuesday seemed to lean in favor of a potential landmark ruling that for the first time would limit politicians from entrenching their party in power by clever drawing of legislative or congressional district lines.

The court has never before struck down election maps simply because they lock in an advantage for one party. But now is the time, the justices were told.

Politicians are never going to fix gerrymandering. You are the only institution in the United States that can solve this problem, Paul M. Smith, an attorney for the Wisconsin Democrats who brought the current case, told the justices. And this is really the last opportunity to act before the next round of redistricting following the census of 2020.

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Justice Anthony M. Kennedy, who likely holds the deciding vote on the issue, appeared to agree. He told a Wisconsin state lawyer that he thought extreme partisan gerrymanders could be challenged on 1st Amendment grounds because they deny voters in the disfavored party a right to have their views represented.

That wont work, the state attorney replied. Lets assume that it does, Kennedy said.

If Kennedy holds to the position that he appeared to favor, the court will have five votes for a ruling later this term that would limit gerrymanders. That would have the potential to undermine Republican control of the House of Representatives as well as several state legislatures. Although Democrats also have practiced gerrymanders, theyve had fewer opportunities in the current decade because they control fewer state legislatures.

Kennedy asked questions only of the lawyers defending the map drawn by Wisconsins Republicans. At one point, he asked one of them to imagine that a state passed a law saying its election maps would always favor party X or party Y.

Is that constitutional? he asked.

The lawyer ducked an answer. Kennedy tried again and still got no answer. Well, its a little hard to say at this point, said the lawyer, Erin Murphy. Certainly, the Republicans had not proclaimed they were drawing maps to favor their party, she added.

Kennedy was undeterred: Id like an answer to the question.

Yes, it would be unconstitutional, she relented.

Kennedy said nothing further in the hourlong argument, but it was clear that he believed the Constitution would prevent one party from writing a law that kept it in power for a decade. The only remaining question was whether he believed Wisconsins Republicans had done essentially that when they went behind closed doors in 2011 and used computerized maps to ensure their hold on the state Legislature.

In 2010, Republicans nationwide scored big wins at the polls and took full control in at least half a dozen closely divided states. They used that power to draw election maps that strongly favored their partys candidates.

Pennsylvania, Michigan, Ohio and North Carolina, for example, have 61 representatives among them in the U.S. House, of which 44 are Republicans and only 17 Democrats even though voters in those states are closely divided between the two parties.

In Wisconsin, the election map ensured the GOP would have a supermajority of at least 60 seats in the 99-member state Assembly, even in cases like the 2012 election, when Republican candidates won just 48% of the vote. Last year a three-judge court struck down the map, leading to the current case, Gill vs. Whitford.

Gerrymandering has been part of American politics for over 200 years. The word comes from the name of an early 19th century governor of Massachusetts, Elbridge Gerry, whose party drew a legislative map with a district that resembled a salamander.

In recent years, as computer technology has enabled parties to draw lines more precisely to maximize their advantage, discontent with the practice has increased. Several states, including California, have taken the power to draw legislative boundaries away from lawmakers and handed it to independent commissions. And legal advocates have repeatedly challenged the practice of partisan gerrymandering in court.

Democrats have taken the lead in opposing the practice because Republicans used gerrymanders so effectively after the 2010 election. Ironically, however, a ruling in Democrats favor could help the GOP in the next round of redistricting. Democrats tend to do better in presidential election years, and stand to score big wins in the closely divided states. If so, gerrymandering would give them a chance to redraw election maps in their favor after the 2020 census.

The last time the issue was before the court, in 2004, the justices declined to plunge into it. But Kennedy suggested at the time that he might be willing to consider the issue in a different case.

In Tuesdays argument, the other eight justices sounded split along the usual ideological lines. The conservatives, led by Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., said the court should not get in the business of deciding partisan battles.

We will have to decide in every case whether the Democrats win or the Republicans win, he said. That is going to cause very serious harm to the status and integrity of the decisions of this court in the eyes of this country. Roberts dismissed the statistical measures of gerrymandering devised by lower-court judges as a sociological gobbledygook.

Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. agreed. Is this the time for us to jump into this? he asked, suggesting the answer was no. Justice Neil M. Gorsuch said he did not see anything in the Constitution that authorized the court to intervene.

The four liberal justices were more certain that the court needed to act.

What about the precious right to vote, asked Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. If they can stack the Legislature in this way, what incentive is there for a voter to exercise his vote?

Justice Stephen G. Breyer said he did not need any gobbledygook to rule against the Wisconsin plan.

If Party A wins a majority of votes, Party A controls the Legislature. That seems fair. And if Party A loses a majority of the votes, it still controls the legislature. That doesnt seem fair, he said.

Justice Elena Kagan noted that computers allow party officials to try out hundreds of maps to get the most advantage. It has become extremely sophisticated and can entrench a party in power, she said.

Smith used his closing argument to focus the justices on 2020 and beyond. If partisan gerrymandering is upheld, youre are going see people slicing and dicing a very polarized electorate to the point where one-party control will be guaranteed, he said. Thats going to become the norm.

david.savage@latimes.com

Twitter: DavidGSavage

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In the wake of the worst mass shooting in modern U.S. history, some say the nation could look to California, a state where previous incidents have sparked laws to combat gun violence, for guidance.

I urge statehouses across the nation to look closely at the work weve accomplished here, through the Legislature and the ballot box, and act, Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a written statement Monday as the nation started to get a grim picture of the attack on a concert in Las Vegas.

California has some of the toughest gun control laws in the nation, in part because of its history of gun violence. Here is a look at the last 30 years.

Five dead: Stockton

California approved the nations first law banning the sale of military-style assault weapons in California after the killings of five Southeast Asian refugee children in a Stockton schoolyard.

The children were killed by a mentally ill drifter clad in combat fatigues, who fired 105 shots from a Chinese-made AK-47 at the playground. He also wounded 29 other children and a teacher before turning the gun on himself. The Roberti-Roos bill was announced before the shooting, but supporters said the massacre provided the outrage and emotion needed to get the bill passed. Republican Gov. George Deukmejian, who generally opposed gun control, signed it on May 24.

At the time, Deukmejian was anguished over the killing of children and said he hoped the bill would save innocent lives.

Years later, in 2013, Deukmejian told The Times: "My thoughts simply were that regardless of what argument somebody might make about having the right to own and possess a gun, there was no common-sense reason for someone to have an assault weapon.

Eight dead: San Francisco

A gunman at a San Francisco law firm killed eight and wounded six before killing himself. The attack at the Pettit & Martin law firm was cited by California Sen. Dianne Feinstein as she pushed successfully for passage of the Federal Assault Weapons Ban, which took effect in 1994 but expired in 2004.

Feinsteins career has been marked by violence. In 1978, former county Supervisor Dan White shot and killed San Francisco Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk. Feinstein took over as mayor.

At the state level, California lawmakers in the succeeding years approved additional restrictions, including a ban on purchasing more than one handgun a month and a requirement that handguns meet basic safety standards.

State police personnel lead children from the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. (Shannon Hicks / Newtown Bee)

20 dead: Newtown, Conn.

Stricter gun controls were enacted in California after the 2012 shooting deaths of 20 students and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut and the murder of 12 people by a gunman in a Colorado movie theater that same year.

Resulting laws include a prohibition on kits that allow ammunition magazines to be altered to hold more than ten rounds and a five-year ban on firearm possession by anyone who makes serious threats of violence to psychotherapists.

Six dead: Isla Vista

A disturbed young man killed six UC Santa Barbara students and wounded 13 other people in a shooting and stabbing rampage in Isla Vista.

After reports that the shooters family had unsuccessfully sought help from authorities over concerns he might become violent, legislation was introduced and signed into law that allows the seizure of guns from people determined by the courts to be a threat to themselves or others. The measure allows family members or law enforcement officers to petition the court for a restraining order.

Nine dead: Roseburg, Ore.

Newsom, who is running for governor, authored a gun control ballot initiative partly in response to a mass shooting that left nine dead at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Ore.

The initiative, Proposition 63, requires a background check and Department of Justice authorization to purchase ammunition, prohibits possession of large-capacity ammunition magazines and establishes procedures for enforcing laws prohibiting firearm possession by certain people, including felons.

14 dead: San Bernardino

At the same time the initiative was moving forward, California lawmakers introduced six gun control bills in response to the terrorist attack in San Bernardino that left 14 people dead.

The measures included a ban on large-capacity ammunition magazines, a requirement for background checks on those buying bullets, and new restrictions on semiautomatic rifles.

Gov. Jerry Brown signed them into law on July 1, 2016, saying at the time in a statement: "My goal in signing these bills is to enhance public safety by tightening our existing laws in a responsible and focused manner, while protecting the rights of law-abiding gun owners.

California voters in November 2016 approved Proposition 63, which earned 63% of the vote.

Senate leader Kevin de Leon (D-Los Angeles), who authored some of last years bills, said Monday that he hoped the Las Vegas massacre would convince national leaders to follow Californias lead.

California has learned its lesson and taken steps to ban military-grade weapons and large-capacity magazines, De Leon said. I hope that Congress will consider the casualties of its cozy relationship with the gun lobby and finally find the courage and independence to stand up to them.

Craig J. DeLuz, a spokesman for the Firearms Policy Coalition, a gun owners rights group, denounced political commentary about gun control.

"Gavin Newsom and Kevin de Leon are nothing more than opportunistic politicians who prey on tragedies for headlines, so its not surprising that they would try to rush to promote gun control before the police have finished their investigation, DeLuz said. They treat anti-gun laws as magic talismans that will ward off evil. It hasn't worked in California and it won't work in other states.

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After years of spending money to influence political races around the country, billionaire Democratic philanthropist Tom Steyer is turning his attention to his home state in hopes that investing early in vulnerable Republican districts could help Democrats take back the House.

Steyers nonprofit NextGen America, the California Labor Federation and six voter outreach groups on Tuesday will announce a partnership called Uniting California aimed at mobilizing voters to unseat seven California Republicans whose districts backed Hillary Clinton for president in 2016. The partnership will have several million dollars to work with, NextGen staff said, but a firm amount hasnt been announced.

For the record: An earlier version of this article referred to efforts by Tom Steyers NextGen America and a coalition of groups to reach a million voters in the next year. The goal is to reach a half a million voters.

Mass voter outreach typically doesnt begin until a few weeks before an election. But starting more than a year before the November 2018 midterms leaves plenty of time to train local organizers who will interact with voters repeatedly in the coming months, Steyer said. Hes hoping to reach a half a million California voters and inspire people who havent been engaged in politics to go to the polls.

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Were going to try to work through local groups and empower local groups to be stronger and to do their jobs in a bigger more effective way, Steyer said.

Karla Zombro, who works with the Million Voters Project, one of the voter outreach groups, said theres just no substitute for talking with an actual member of the community, rather than someone bused in to knock on doors. Organizers will check in periodically, invite voters to public meetings and keep them informed about whats going on in Congress and local government.

Were building a relationship with folks, she said. Someones knocking on your door who probably lives down the street.

Labor unions are a major force in California and often do a lot of the door-knocking that residents are used to seeing. But Art Pulaski, head of the California Labor Federation, said the effort brings us to something that is much more in-depth and long-term than weve ever done before.

The California Labor Federation is nonpartisan, but Pulaski said he sees the partnership as going after people who are sinfully bad on issues that affect working people.

Steyer said that he feels as if California is under attack from President Trumps policies and that he wants voters to know Republicans in Californias delegation stand with Trump.

They have voted against the interests of their constituents repeatedly, and I think its important for people to know that. And theyre supporting someone whos targeting California in very specific ways, Steyer said.

Steyer funded other efforts with local organizers in a half dozen swing states in 2016, and will do so again in 2018, his staff said. He has long been regarded as a potential candidate for statewide office. He has been coy about potential plans to run for governor next year, and recently wouldnt rule out challenging Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) in 2018 if she doesnt retire.

A similar voter effort is being organized by the Congressional Leadership Fund, a conservative advocacy super PAC. Its volunteers have been knocking on the doors of swing voters in four of the vulnerable GOP districts since June, and the group plans to spend $1 million in each district.

sarah.wire@latimes.com

Follow @sarahdwire on Twitter

Read more about the 55 members of Californias delegation at latimes.com/politics

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Updates on California politics
Republicans, in a shift after Las Vegas massacre, are open to considering a gun limit -- on bump stocks

The Las Vegas massacre has forced a breach in congressional Republicans solid opposition to gun restrictions, prompting many, from party leaders on down, to say they will consider banning bump stocks that turn assault rifles into virtual machine guns.

The National Rifle Assn., to which most Republicans are loyal and which had been silent since the gunmans attack Sunday night, on Thursday in a statement said it could back such limits -- as a federal regulation, not law.

The NRA believes that devices designed to allow semi-automatic rifles to function like fully-automatic rifles should be subject to additional regulations. its statement on Thursday said.

The NRAs blessing will probably increase the number of Republicans willing to back restrictions, but if those limits come in the form of regulations from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), rather than in a law, Democrats are certain to object.

Just Wednesday, when California Sen. Dianne Feinstein introduced legislation to ban bump stocks by law, only fellow Democrats joined with her.

By Thursday, however, top GOP leaders in the House and Senate, including Speaker Paul D. Ryan of Wisconsin and Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn of Texas, signaled their interest in working on legislation that that could limit access to the devices.

Clearly thats something we need to look into, Ryan told MSNBC host Hugh Hewitt in an interview scheduled to air this weekend.

Senators on Thursday morning privately discussed ways they could tackle the issue as they met for routine business.

I will tell you that the unique aspect of the bump stock and how you would literally transform a semiautomatic weapon into an automatic weapon is something that I think bears looking into, Cornyn told Texas reporters on a conference call.

He has asked Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Charles E. Grassley of Iowa to convene a hearing and look into it.

Even Rep. Mark Meadows of North Carolina, chairman of the House Freedom Caucus of conservative hard-liners, told reporters earlier in the week hed be willing to consider banning bump stocks, if the Senate passes a bill and sends it to the House.

The shift is notable for Republicans who, under great pressure from the NRA and other gun rights groups, have resisted past efforts at gun control, even after some of the most devastating mass shootings in the United States.

Coming after the Las Vegas shooting, which left 58 dead and hundreds wounded in what authorities said is the deadliest mass shooting in modern American history, the movement may indicate the potential limits of the gun lobbys reach into politics and policy.

Polls show Americans overwhelmingly want measures that could curb gun violence and pressure has mounted as cultural figures, including late-night comedian Jimmy Kimmel, have delivered heart-wrenching criticisms of congressional inaction.

Democrats, who have at times splintered on firearms issues as conservative-state lawmakers joined Republicans to defeat gun-safety bills, welcomed the changed outlook.

They have called on President Trump to cut across partisan lines and push Congress toward legislation to reduce gun violence that polls show most Americans would support.

Will the president stand up? said Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer of New York. The president has a choice.

Many Democrats, however, will not want to limit action to bump stocks.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco said bump stock legislation was one approach, but no substitute for a background check bill that she said would have bipartisan support in the House if Ryan would allow a vote.

It really is all up to the speaker, she said. Is he going to bring the bill to the floor?

At the same time, lawmakers were skeptical that initial interest in limited bipartisan legislation would translate into enough actual votes to write the restriction into law.

We need to move Republicans from being open to the idea to being willing to actually work on it, said Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut, a Democrat who has become a leader on firearms safety measures since the 2012 killings of 20 first-graders and six adults at an elementary school in Newtown, Conn.

One key Republican, Sen. Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania, who co-sponsored a bipartisan background check bill that was defeated a few years ago, was noncommittal Thursday. He said he was just learning about bump stocks and needed more information.

Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas told reporters it was too soon, as the investigation in Las Vegas was just underway, to consider legislation.

Lawmakers, though, appeared concerned that the device offers a way to get around the existing ban on automatic weapons, which have been outlawed for years except for military use.

In the House, several military veterans, led by Rep. Adam Kinzinger, a Republican from Illinois, sent a letter to federal officials asking them to reconsider how they regulate the devices. During the Obama administration, the ATF authorized use of the stocks.

This is definitely an area were going to look [at], Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy of Bakersfield said on Fox News.

A number of lawmakers, including Ryan, an avid hunter, said they were unfamiliar with bump stocks before the Las Vegas shooting. The alleged gunman appears to have used the device for rapid shooting.

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As state and federal officials investigate how batches of plastic flutes believed to be contaminated with semen were distributed this past spring to schools in Costa Mesa, Fountain Valley and elsewhere in Southern California, health experts in Orange County said Monday that exposure to the flutes likely posed little risk to students.

Officials from the Newport-Mesa Unified School Districts Sonora Elementary School and the Fountain Valley School Districts Courreges Elementary said in emails to parents that they believe they are among schools in 14 districts possibly affected.

Authorities are investigating a music specialist suspected of contaminating musical instruments with semen. The suspect has not been identified.

An email sent to the Sonora Elementary community Friday night said the district believes exposure to the flutes was limited to four classrooms. The instruments were made of PVC pipes.

A spokeswoman for the Orange County Health Care Agency said Monday that based on public information, Dr. Matthew Zahn, medical director of epidemiology and assessment, believes the situation does not present a health concern.

Zahn reached out to the schools involved, the agency said.

Dr. Carl Schultz, a professor emeritus of emergency medicine and public health at UC Irvine, said some sexually transmitted diseases can be spread through semen but that the risk of infection in this situation is likely very low. Sexually transmitted diseases are time-sensitive and dont tolerate changes in temperature or drying out, he said.

Unless this guy smeared his semen on the flute and handed it to the kids right away, theres really not a risk of transferring anything, Schultz said.

The Health Care Agency suggested that concerned families consult their primary medical providers about an individual risk assessment.

Fountain Valley School District Supt. Mark Johnson said in an announcement last week that fifth-graders at Courreges Elementary received the potentially contaminated flutes in June through an independent contractors music enrichment program called Flutes Across the World.

Courreges is believed to be the only Fountain Valley school affected, Johnson said.

Flutes Across the World came to Newport-Mesa through the districts partnership with the Segerstrom Center for the Arts, according to Newport-Mesa spokeswoman Annette Franco.

That partnership is on hold for the time being, she added.

Flutes Across the Worlds website was down Monday. In an archived version of the site, the organization described itself as a nonprofit based in Ojai.

We understand that this is a deeply upsetting and difficult situation for our parents and that it may be frustrating to not have more details, Franco said in a statement Monday. We are giving our impacted parents as much information as possible, without compromising the open and active investigation.

Please know that our priority and focus is to work closely with the impacted parents and to fully cooperate with law enforcement. We are waiting for direction from the law enforcement agencies on next steps, if any.

Franco said a Sonora parent meeting was held Sunday and that another is scheduled for Monday.

Newport-Mesa trustee Martha Fluor said federal authorities told the district that the suspect took the flutes home overnight and then returned them to students.

We take our students and their safety very seriously, she said. Thats our utmost concern.

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is leading the investigation with support from the California Department of Justice, according to the California attorney generals press office.

As part of the investigation, we are working with local law enforcement and school districts to collect instruments for the California Department of Justice to process, the press office said in a statement.

It isnt clear why the Postal Inspection Service launched the investigation. When asked for details, the agency said it doesnt comment about ongoing investigations.

In a statement Monday, the service said: Protecting children from crimes of sexual abuse and exploitation is a priority of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. We remain steadfast in our efforts to investigate, apprehend and assist in the prosecution of those who seek to exploit children.

Members of the Fountain Valley school board declined to comment directly to the Daily Pilot. A school administrator, speaking on behalf of the board, said Monday that the district had no information to add since Fridays announcement from Johnson.

Susan Castellanos was Courreges PTA president last school year. She said Monday that her son, who was then in fifth grade and participating in Flutes Across the World, has a decorated flute from the program. She will hand it over to authorities to help with their investigation, she said.

Its just so disheartening, Castellanos said of the case.

She said the 125 fifth-graders from Courreges who participated in the program last year donated flutes that were sent to other countries.

bradley.zint@latimes.com

Twitter: @BradleyZint

UPDATES:

5 p.m.: This article was updated with comments from Dr. Carl Schultz and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

This article was originally published at 3:10 p.m.
The Huntington Beach City Council formed a committee Monday to address the mysterious foul odors afflicting the community.

The council voted 6-0 to work with other agencies to identify the source of the sulfur-like smell and possible solutions. Councilman Erik Peterson was absent.

The committee consists of Mayor Pro Tem Mike Posey and council members Patrick Brenden and Billy OConnell, who proposed the idea.

OConnell said its important to show residents that the council is proactive.

Not enough progress is being made to address the source of the odor, he said in a written statement.

Councilwoman Jill Hardy said the smell has gotten worse. The Marina High School teacher said there was a moment last year when she believed a stink bomb had been released in her classroom.

Ocean View School District board President Gina Clayton-Tarvin voiced support for the committee at the council meeting. The foul smells are present throughout her district.

Thank you for hearing the voices of your constituents, she said.

Residents have reported headaches, nausea and sore throats, but according to the city website, the odor is not an immediate life safety issue.

Mayor Barbara Delgleize said public agencies began working together on the issue at the beginning of the year.

The South Coast Air Quality Management District, the lead agency, hasnt been able to identify the origin, though spokesman Sam Atwood has said its likely offshore.

Seal Beach and Long Beach have reported similar odors.

General plan update

In other business, the council voted 6-0 in favor of an update to the citys general plan.

The item had been continued from the last meeting so City Attorney Michael Gates could look into how state Senate Bill 35, which would ease local development restrictions to encourage homebuilding, may apply to the plan.

Chief Asst. City Attorney Mike Vigliotta told the council the bill does not affect the plan update.

California cities are required to have general plans and update them at regular intervals. Huntington Beachs general plan hasnt been comprehensively updated since 1996.

The last update forecast 86,499 residential units through 2040. The new update projects 85,403 units through 2040.

The update also includes a new land-use designation  research and technology  intended to help fuel job and economic growth.

benjamin.brazil@latimes.com

Twitter:@benbrazilpilot
Reaction among parents at Sonora Elementary School in Costa Mesa on Tuesday morning to news that plastic flutes children used last spring may have been contaminated with human semen was near universal  disgust, outrage, grave concern, vulnerability.

Its disgusting and its horrible, parent Tracy Taber said. And its heartbreaking, across the board.

Federal and state officials announced late last week that Sonora Elementary and Courreges Elementary School in Fountain Valley were two of many campuses throughout Southern California that participated in Flutes Across the World, an Ojai-based nonprofits program in which children decorated PVC flutes for themselves and for distribution to far-off countries.

It has not been determined whether Sonora or Courreges flutes were contaminated. A suspect in the case, who has not been identified, was in possession of Sonoras flutes overnight before returning them to the campus, according to Newport-Mesa Unified School District trustee Martha Fluor.

Newport-Mesa officials informed parents late Friday about the investigation, which is being led by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service with support from the California Department of Justice.

The district held private meetings Sunday and Monday for parents of children who were in the program. District officials have said exposure to the flutes was limited to four classrooms. Children in third or fifth grade last spring participated at Sonora. It included a concert for parents using their decorated instruments.

Newport-Mesa officials have said no district employee has been named as a suspect or was directly involved with Flutes Across the World, which came to Sonora through an education partnership with the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa. That partnership is now on hold, Newport-Mesa spokeswoman Annette Franco said Monday.

Franco said volunteers as well as teachers are vetted to work at the district.

Still, said Sonora parent Stacy Zachary, people are feeling victimized.

Her child was in third grade last year and participated in Flutes Across the World. For her, anger was the first thing that came to mind, she said. Its disgusting. You feel violated.

Zachary, a nurse, wondered about her childs potential exposure to any sexually transmitted diseases or hepatitis C. She said some parents are having their children medically tested.

On Monday, experts at the Orange County Health Care Agency and UC Irvine said they did not think the situation poses a health concern.

Dr. Carl Schultz, a UCI professor emeritus of emergency medicine and public health, said the risk of infection from the flutes is likely very low.

Taber said her daughter was in fifth grade last school year and was in Flutes Across the World.

She called the news one of those senseless acts we cant wrap our heads around. Parents find themselves continually mulling it over, she said.

Were appreciative of the [districts] caution, Taber added, but were hoping theres no contamination on our end.

The case has affected the entire Sonora community, even those without children in the program, parents said Tuesday morning before school.

Deborah Montaldo has two children at Sonora, but they werent in the flute program.

Still, they had a toy flute they got from Costa Mesa High School. We threw it out, just in case, Montaldo said.

Its very disturbing to think kids could have been using those flutes, she added.

Kip Hancock said his family felt terrible after hearing the news.

We were very lucky that our daughter wasnt involved, he said. Hopefully nothing comes to fruition.

Many parents were wondering how the investigation started and were frustrated at the lack of available details.

Its still vague, said parent Raymi Wun.

bradley.zint@latimes.com

Twitter: @BradleyZint

ALSO

Flutes at 2 local schools may have been contaminated with semen; O.C. experts downplay health danger

Flutes possibly contaminated with bodily fluids given to O.C. students, prompting investigation
An off-duty Glendale firefighter was among the hundreds of people injured during a mass shooting at a Las Vegas music festival Sunday evening.

Steve Keys was grazed by a bullet while performing CPR on another person who was injured during the chaos. In a Facebook video from an account that appears to belong to Keys, the bullet looks to have left a small wound on the side of his torso.

In a post accompanying the video, Keys said he was OK, but a lot of people werent.

I am lucky. Stayed behind on the street to help people, he said. Worked alongside a lot of [expletive] heroic men and women.

Anita Shandi, a spokeswoman for the Glendale Fire Department, said a total of four local firefighters attended the Route 91 Harvest Festival. Keys was the only one injured.

In addition to city firefighters, a group of officers from the Glendale Police Department were also at the concert. Sgt. Robert William, a department spokesman, said the officers were there with their families and friends when the gunfire started.

Fortunately, they were all able to escape from the attack unharmed, he said.

An officer from the Burbank Police Department was also in attendance at the concert with his family. They were able to get away uninjured, according to department spokesman Sgt. Derek Green.

At least 59 people were killed and more than 500 were wounded when a gunman open fired on the more than 22,000 concertgoers around 10:05 p.m. The shots originated across the street from a room on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino.

Authorities have called the incident the deadliest mass shooting in modern American history.

Police in Las Vegas said the suspect, 64-year-old Stephen Paddock of Mesquite, Nev., had at least 23 guns in his hotel room. He killed himself by the time authorities were able to get to his location.

Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo called the man a lone-wolf attacker, and there was no further threat to people.

andy.nguyen@latimes.com

Twitter: @Andy_Truc

UPDATES:

Oct. 3, 2017; 11:24 a.m.: This article was updated with details from a Facebook post attributed to the injured Glendale firefighter and a revised number for the amount of guns the shooter left behind.

This article was originally published on Oct. 2, 2017 at 3:30 p.m.
US Defense Secretary James Mattis said on Tuesday the United States should consider staying in the Iran nuclear deal unless it were proven that Tehran was not abiding by the agreement or that it was not in the U.S. national interest to do so.

Although Mattis said he supported US President Donald Trump's review of the agreement curbing Iran's nuclear program, the defense secretary's view was nonetheless far more positive than that of Trump, who has called the deal agreed between Iran and six world powers in 2015 an "embarrassment".

Trump is weighing whether the deal serves US security interests as he faces a mid-October deadline for certifying that Iran is complying with the pact, a decision that could sink an agreement strongly supported by the other powers that negotiated it.

"If we can confirm that Iran is living by the agreement, if we can determine that this is in our best interest, then clearly we should stay with it," Mattis told a Senate hearing.

"I believe ..., absent indications to the contrary, it is something that the president should consider staying with, Mattis added.

Earlier, when Mattis was asked whether he thought staying in the deal was in the U.S. national security interest, he replied: "Yes, senator, I do."

The White House had no immediate comment on Mattis' remarks, which once again highlighted the range of views on key policy issues within the Trump administration.

If Trump does not recertify by Oct. 15 that Iran is in compliance, Congress would have 60 days to decide whether to reimpose sanctions on Tehran suspended under the accord.

That would let Congress, controlled by Trump's fellow Republicans, effectively decide whether to kill the deal. Although congressional leaders have declined to say whether they would seek to reimpose sanctions, Republican lawmakers were united in their opposition to the deal reached by Democratic former President Barack Obama.

Iran "Fundamentally" In Compliance

In a House of Representatives hearing later on Tuesday, Mattis said Iran was "fundamentally" in compliance with the nuclear deal.

"I believe that they fundamentally are. There have been certainly some areas where they were not temporarily in that regard, but overall our intelligence community believes that they have been compliant and the IAEA also says so," Mattis said, using an acronym for the International Atomic Energy Agency.

A collapse of the deal could trigger a regional arms race and worsen Middle East tensions.

Last month, Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said the accord cannot be renegotiated.

Last month, the top US military officer said Iran was complying with the pact and warned that any American decision to walk away from it would make other nations less likely to enter into agreements with the United States.

Marine Corps General Joseph Dunford, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, had said previously that Iran was complying with its obligations under the deal, but had increased its activity in other areas.

Trump has said he has made a decision on what to do about the agreement but has not said what he has decided.

The prospect of Washington reneging on the agreement has worried some US partners that helped negotiate it, especially as the world grapples with North Koreas nuclear and ballistic missile development.

The deal was signed by Britain, China, the European Union, France, Germany, Iran, Russia and the United States.

White House national security adviser H.R. McMaster has defended Trump's criticism of the deal, saying it had the "fatal flaw" of a 'sunset clause,' under which some of the deal's restrictions on Iran's nuclear program expire from 2025.

European ambassadors speaking in Washington last week said they would do everything possible to protect companies based in Europe and that continue to do business with Iran, from reimposed U.S. sanctions.

French Ambassador Gerard Araud noted that the other countries that signed the pact had made clear they do not support renegotiating it.

J Street, a liberal pro-Israel group, said Trump did not have legitimate grounds to decertify the deal.

"If he chooses to do so anyway, he will be acting purely based on divisive politics and dangerous ideology, and endangering the security of the US and our allies, Dylan Williams, vice president of government affairs for the group, said in a statement.

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There was something undeniably appealing about the handsome young investment banker who spoke loftily of transforming Frances rigid old order  and reminded some fans of a gap-toothed John F. Kennedy.

He was seductive, Martine Barbier, a 50-year-old social worker, said of Emmanuel Macron, who earned her vote in Frances May presidential election even though she feared he was untested and, in a country long ruled by dour establishment figures, too nakedly ambitious.

Four months later, Barbier joined thousands demonstrating against Macron at the Place de la Bastille in Paris, assailing the new presidents labor reforms as elitist and pro-business, far from the inclusive optimism of his campaign.

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There was so much euphoria and hope about him, Barbier said. But that was a sort of delirium.

At the start of the summer, Macron, 39, stood atop the Western political world, a telegenic independent who created his own party and slew a far-right populist challenger, Marine Le Pen, by promising something for almost everyone: free-market economic reforms, tax cuts, liberal social policies, strengthening the European Union.

Macron once said he wanted to be a Jupiterian leader, unchallenged and detached from trivialities, like the Roman god of the skies. But the mundane challenges of governing  and a series of public relations missteps  have dragged the political neophyte swiftly down to earth.

A demonstrator holds a sign reading The reign of Jupiter during a Sept. 23, 2017, protest in Paris by a leftist parliamentary group over the French governments labor reforms. (Zakaria Abdelkafi / AFP/Getty Images)

Only 30% of respondents in a YouGov poll last month said they approved of Macron, down from 43% in June. It was a sharper fall over the same period than that of his predecessor, Francois Hollande, who was so disliked by the end of his five-year term that he didnt bother seeking reelection.

As Macron begins the toughest part of his agenda  trimming Frances social welfare system to make the economy more competitive, and working with Germany to promote deeper European integration  he could confront opposition not only from powerful labor unions but also from middle-of-the-road voters who are skeptical that he can succeed where previous French leaders have failed.

It is normal for a new president to have a drop in popularity in the first months, but the abnormal thing for Macron is that his drop has been faster and stronger than others before him, said Thomas Guenole, associate research fellow at the French Institute for International and Strategic Affairs in Paris.

The problem for Macron, Guenole said, is that centrist voters are the most volatile of all. It is an inherently fragile electoral support.

The numbers arent altogether surprising, given that Macron won just 24% of the vote in the first round of presidential balloting and many voters, including Barbier, chose him in the second round mainly to reject Le Pen. Aides are banking that his support will return, but they also have been busy attending to self-inflicted crises.

In August, it was reported that Macron, the youngest French leader since Napoleon, was spending $10,000 per month on a makeup artist to buff him up for public appearances.

Before that, he had to withdraw a plan to create an office for his wife  France has no first lady position  after more than 300,000 opponents signed an online petition. (The idea seemed especially inopportune because one of Macrons campaign rivals was derailed by accusations that he had paid his wife for a fake parliamentary job.)

He alienated conservatives by engaging in an ugly public spat with the army, Frances most beloved institution, over his proposal to cut nearly $1 billion in defense spending in order to meet EU deficit targets. The army chief, Gen. Pierre de Villiers, resigned in protest after Macron suggested in newspaper interviews that he was angry at having his decisions questioned.

Last month, he annoyed liberals when he called opponents of his economic reforms lazy  recalling an incident from 2016 when, as Hollandes economy minister, he retorted to a pro-labor demonstrator who jeered at his well tailored suit: The best way to afford a suit is to work.

The elitist moniker has stuck to Macron as he pushes ahead with his first salvo in the reform battle: undoing some of the protections guaranteed to French workers, perhaps the most pampered labor force in the industrialized world.

Frances byzantine, 3,300-page labor code enshrines a 35-hour workweek, near-absolute job security, generous severance packages for laid-off staff  even a mandatory meal break every six hours. The safeguards and benefits are widely blamed for Frances stagnant economy and an unemployment rate that hovers around 10%.

Macrons reforms, unveiled in August, aim to loosen restrictions on businesses to spur hiring and innovation. The main changes reduce payouts for laid-off workers and allow small- and medium-sized companies, which employ more than half the French workforce, to bypass powerful trade unions and negotiate directly with employees over working conditions.

A demonstrator holds a placard referring to Emmanuel Macron as the slacker king during a protest in Paris on Sept. 23, 2017, over the French presidents labor reforms. (Christophe Ena / Associated Press)

The changes were always going to be contentious  French people, Macron said in another typically brusque comment, detest reforms  but analysts said the initial proposals further alienated centrists.

The first economic announcements in July and since have given the impression of a mainly right orientation, when Macron campaigned on a left and right message, said Bruno Cautres, a professor at the Center for Political Research at Sciences Po, a university in Paris.

In Jupiterian fashion, Macron introduced the changes by executive decree and signed them into law last month. The procedural tactic avoided debate in Parliament, but with his party holding a majority in the lower house there was little political opposition.

Further reforms could prove tougher, especially if Macron keeps pledges to trim Frances massive public sector and amend the pension system. But street protests, which were the death knell of previous governments reform efforts, did not turn out large enough crowds in September to disrupt Macrons agenda.

One of the countrys biggest unions, the Force Ouvriere, gave a boost to Macron by saying it wouldnt participate in demonstrations, signaling that its leaders were encouraged by government concessions such as increasing funds for occupational training.

Arun Kapil, a political science professor at the Catholic University of Paris, said Macrons changes so far are not huge and could help France move away from a rigid, hierarchical employment system to one more suited to the modern economy.

Macron wants to introduce flexibility and he wants to change the dynamic psychologically, Kapil said. Luckily for him, its coming at a time when economic growth is picking up  not because of anything hes done  but if he gets the dynamic going, it could change things for the better in France.

Macrons supporters are continuing an effort begun during his campaign, going door to door to sell the reforms to constituents. On a recent Saturday morning, Stephan Savarese stood outside a subway station in a working-class district of north Paris, handing out leaflets proclaiming, Lets transform France and unblock jobs.

Savarese, a 48-year-old environmental consultant, ditched Hollandes Socialist Party to join Macrons En Marche! (Onward!) movement soon after its launch 18 months ago. He said Frances small companies suffer because of a lack of social dialogue between employers and employees, with laws on working conditions set by the state.

Winding through cobblestone streets below the white-domed Sacred Heart Basilica, Savarese thrust fliers into the hands of shopkeepers and residents, many from North and West African immigrant communities that suffer disproportionately high unemployment.

Small communications mistakes are negligible compared to what Macron brings, which is vision, hope and a will to change the way things are done, Savarese said.

But anger from both the right and left is rising. Last month, rival conservatives strengthened their majority in the Senate, Frances upper house, where members are chosen by elected officials who oppose Macrons plans to cut the budgets of local governments. Macrons party fell far short of the seats it had hoped for.

On the left, many believe Macrons style has done lasting damage.

Hes too arrogant, said Alain Fauvel, a 70-year-old retiree watching the recent protest from a sidewalk. If we go down his path, workers will have no rights at all. He doesnt know the workers  he has barely lived at all.

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shashank.bengali@latimes.com

Follow @SBengali on Twitter

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The project will be centred around constructing dikes to protect low-lying areas from flooding from the Mediterranean Sea as sea levels rise

The Green Climate Fund (GCF) approved on Sunday a $31.4 million United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) project to protect Egypt's Nile Delta from rising sea levels due to climate change, the UNDP said in a press statement.

The project titled Enhancing Climate Change Adaptation in the North Coast of Egypt will be implemented by the Egyptian Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation over seven years.

The GCF is a global fund that offers support to developing countries to deal with the challenge of climate change.

The approval for the project came during the GCF's 18th board meeting in Cairo from Saturday to Monday.

Egypt's irrigation ministry will contribute EGP 140 million to the project, which is centred around the construction of dikes to prevent flooding of homes and farmland due to rising sea levels and extreme weather due to climate change.

"The project aims to protect the densely populated low-lying lands in the Nile Delta, the home of 25 percent of the Egyptian population, which have been identified as highly vulnerable to climate change induced Sea-Level Rise (SLR)," read the UNDP press statement.

The irrigation ministry said that the project is the biggest grant Egypt has obtained from the GCF to help adapt to climate change, according to Al-Ahram Arabic.

"The project will also support the development of an Integrated Coastal Zone Management Plan (ICZM) for the North Coast of Egypt that links the plan for shore protection from SLR with the national development plan of the coastal zones," the UNDP added.

Some scientists have predicted that Egypt will suffer environmental calamities as a result of climate change, with the Nile Delta particularly at risk from flooding by the Mediterranean Sea.

According to the UNDP, rising sea levels will have a critical impact on Egypts infrastructure and development along the low-lying coastal areas, eventually having an impact on Egypts entire economy.

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Egypt's national airline EgyptAir announced on Tuesday that it is cutting ticket prices up to 40 percent for a limited period for certain international flights.

The special prices, which have been posted on the company's official Facebook page, are for flights to the United States, several European cities, North African countries, as well as Beirut, Dammam, and Riyadh.

Passengers who are travelling to or transiting at JFK airport in New York on their way to 42 other US airports can make use of the offer for flights before 17 December.

EgyptAir is the only Egyptian airline that flies to the United States, operating flights between Cairo and New York.

The decreased ticket prices for flights to European countries start from EGP 4,241 for economy class and EGP 8,461 for business class.

Clients travelling to Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco before 10 December can buy tickets for EGP 4,160 for economy class and EGP 8,183 for business class. The ticket price decrease is in effect until 15 October.

Special prices for flights to Beirut are on offer for tickets purchased before 21 October for flights travelling before 15 December, and between 15 January and 24 March, as well as 25 April to 1 June.

EgyptAir is also providing a 25 percent decrease for flights to Saudi Arabia's Dammam and 20 percent on flights to Riyadh if passengers buy tickets before 5 October for flights before 10 December.

The 85-year-old airline has been facing several challenges over the past few years.

Last May, the Egyptian minister of civil aviation announced that the company has lost around $777 million since 2011.

The company has a development plan that includes adding 38 new planes to its fleet, but the deal, worth EGP 60 billion, has not yet been approved.

In August, EgyptAir added seven new Boeing planes as part of a deal to buy nine planes from Boeing for $1 billion.

EgyptAir currently has a total of 67 planes in its fleet.

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A Portlaoise GP has been granted permission to retain building works at his proposed new clinic on the Dublin Road, despite objections from nearby residents who raised safety issues as well as concerns over proper planning regulations.

Dr Ashfaq Ahmad of the Kilminchy Medical Centre applied to Laois County Council to retain the demolition and reconstruction of a dwelling house structure at his site opposite the hospital on the Dublin Road, where he plans to build a pharmacy, doctors consultation surgery, and cafe. Permission was previously granted for the construction of this medical clinic.

However, a number of submissions were made to the council objecting to the retention of works. In one submission, William Marum, Burnwood, Clonad, Portlaoise, said that he found the plans to be consistently inaccurate and accused the applicant of displaying total disrespect and lack of social responsibility.

He said that the applicant had demolished a dwelling house on site without authorised permission to do so.

However, Mr Marums submission was disputed by Evelyn Duff, architect for the development, who said Mr Marums comments were vexatious, malicious and frivolous.

In my opinion, the submissions made by Mr Marum are disrespectful to Dr Ahmad and to the professionals engaged by Dr Ahmad, she said, adding that to suggest the information was misleading could be considered libellous.

Ms Duff said that Dr Ahmad had spent in excess of 30,000 to rectify unforeseen deficient structural elements that were found on site.

In support of this, a letter from Kilgallen & Partners, consulting engineers, stated that the demolition and reconstruction of existing masonry walls last October was necessary for structural and safety reasons, as the structure was in very poor condition.

Separate submissions were made by Elizabeth Clear, Glen Carrig, Dublin Road, who feared proposed signage would dominate the front of her property; and John and Moira Phelan, Castletown House, Donaghmore, owners of the property that adjoins part of the development, who objected to trees being planted on this site as they feared danger to anyone going onto the Dublin Road from their property and not having a proper view of traffic.

In response to these submissions, Ms Duff said that only small trees were planned, and a 4m high sign had been omitted from the application.

The council has now granted conditional permission to Dr Ahmad.
Legendary AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd was due to play in Portlaoise this October 14 however the gig has now been cancelled as well as the entire European tour.

An AC/DC tribute band called Whole Lotta Voltage will now play on the night instead. Anyone who had tickets for the Phil Rudd gig, which was happening in Kavanagh's Bar and Venue in Portlaoise, can get entry for two into the Whole Lotta Voltage gig as well as a free pint on the night.

Refunds are available from whatever site the original tickets were bought from too.

It has been reported by Blabbermouth.net that the European tour which was re-scheduled to run from September 14 through November 6, after it was postponed in the summer, was called off because of a combination of reasons including a band member coming down with a virus and unforeseen logistical and technical issues according to a statement released by Rudd's management, Wave 365 Media Limited.

One of the organisers of the gig in Portlaoise, Colm O'Hara, has said that it is "a bit of a sickner" that the highly-anticipated gig has been cancelled for the second time.

It was originally organised for July this year.

Colm explained that the gig is being rescheduled for June 2018 but it might be "too much messing" to organise it for Portlaoise again.

Whole Lotta Voltage is an AC/DC tribute act that are delighted to take to the stage instead of Rudd and band on the night.

Check out their Facebook page here.
Next Saturday, October 7 will see the arrival of the Heritage Boat Group in Rathangan, bringing a variety of boats that were originally used to move goods on Ireland's Inland Waterways.

The group will be welcomed at 11.30am, followed by an Ecumenical Blessing of the boats at 12 noon.

The group will then be taken on a walking tour of the village and informed of its history. At 2.30pm they will visit Lullymore Heritage and Discovery Park.

At 6pm they will have dinner in the Village Pump and at 7.15pm, there will be a photo exhibition of local Waterways in the Community Centre and at 8pm there will be a One Act Comedy Play. There will be music in local pubs from 9pm.

The visit should create a bit of a buzz and an opportunity to get an understanding of the importance of the canal in the 18th and 19th centuries and early 20th.

In conjunction with the visit, Larry Fullam, who is organising the photo exhibition, would appreciate anybody who has old photographs/memorabilia related to the canal and canal buildings to add to their collection.

He has already located a Pathe Newsreel dealing with a Turf Cooperative in Bracknagh, which features the loading of turf onto a horse drawn barge in Rathangan, and which then shows the loaded barge being drawn away under the bridge towards Glenaree.

This was probably filmed during the World War II, when horses made a comeback on the canal as a result of fuel shortages. Larry can be contacted at 0867774825 or email lifullam@gmail.com.
Campaigners for a new second level school in South Kildare are yet again calling for a meeting with the Forward Planning Section of the Department of Education and Skills to put forward their case.

South Kildare Educate Together Second Level (SKET2L) is also calling for local representatives to continue to support the three year voluntary campaign.

The campaign appreciates Senator Catherine Noones efforts raising the shortage of second-level places in Kildare South in the Seanad on September 26 last, said a spokesperson.

The reply she received from Minister of State at the Department of Education & Skills, Deputy Mary Mitchell O'Connor is however disappointing.

SKET2L said the Minister referenced the report commissioned by its campaign, based on data from Census 2016, and quite wrongly inferred a contradiction between the findings and the census data contained therein.

The report was submitted to Minister Bruton on August 28 last, however the group said it had yet to receive a reply from his office to indicate that the content has been read and reviewed by the relevant officials.

We are also still waiting on a reply to our request for a meeting. Despite the Departments reluctance to engage with the evidence of a shortfall in second level places, we look forward to the results of their ongoing demographic exercises and promised review of second-level school places in South Kildare, expected before the end of the year, added the spokesperson.

This outputs of this review are now quite urgent. Any delay in this process is further threatening the ability of children to attend second-level education in their own area of South Kildare, and increasing pressure on the local schools.
Tributes have been paid to Athy Garda Sergeant Bernard Clinch who passed away suddenly over the weekend.

At the start of the Kilcock District Court sitting today, solicitor David Powderly, spoke on behalf of his legal colleagues about what he called the untimely passing of Sgt Clinch, who is based at Athy Garda Station.

Mr Powderly said Sgt Clinch was a fine and upstanding member of an Garda Siochana.

We are very sorry and we pass our condolences onto his family, he said.

Garda Inspector John Costello thanked Mr Powderly for his kind words, and endorsed them on the tragic circumstances in which he has left his young family.

Judge Desmond Zaidan said the death was sad and tragic and extended his sympathy to Sgt Clinchs wife and children, his extended family, friends and colleagues.

Sgt Clinch was married with four children and lived in Kildangan.

His funeral is due to take place tomorrow, Wednesday October 4 at Our Lady Of Victories Church, Kildangan at 11am and afterwards in Newlands Cross Cemetery, Dublin.
Earlier this year, the South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner, Dr Alan Billings off Thought for the Day, lost a legal action in the high court over his decision to dismiss Chief Constable David Crompton following a press release in which Billings alleged that Crompton sought to defend the actions of police counsel at the Hillsborough Inquest.

The high court described Billings decision as irrational, perverse, unreasonable, misconceived and wholly disproportionate. The case in my view hinged on whether the conduct of police counsel at the inquest was defensible or not. If it was indefensible  as the Hillsborough families claim (and they were there and I was not)  then Crompton was wrong to defend it. On the other hand if it was defensible, then it is hard to see what sacking offence Crompton committed.

It was therefore a mystery to me why the case that Billings made against Crompton did not address counsel conduct at the inquest. I read the file: 405 pages of mostly press commentary on the fallout of the inquest. Having cost the South Yorkshire Police budget over 500,000 in legal and other costs I felt this was an appropriate matter for the commissioner to be held accountable for.

The chair of the Police and Crime Panel did not agree. (webcast)

This generated the most extraordinary minute (from here)

The Chair replied that he did not see any merit in going over the details of the judgement or reviewing the decision of the court. The Panel were welcome to pass comments on the report or ask for any clarifications but going back over the Judicial Review and requesting the Commissioner to explain his actions was inappropriate in this forum and would not help the Panel going forward.

This is precisely the statutory function of a Police and Crime Panel. Local councillors may no longer have any decision making role over local policing, that belongs to the commissioner, but we still have a right, indeed a statutory duty to ask questions. Particularly, I would say, difficult ones. (For those who enjoy webcasts, theres a slightly perplexed discussion of the minute here.)

For the following meeting (last Friday) I submitted a written question asking for the Commissioners views on the resignation of Sarah Champion MP from Labours front bench over remarks made in a national newspaper relating to an organised sex crime problem in the region, as I wrote about at the time.

Again, the question was not allowed. (webcast) This was an awful decision. To send the message loudly and clearly that victims will be listened to, and that it is worth their while coming forward and seeking justice, we must not shut people down who try to talk about the problem. It is highly relevant question, albeit a difficult one, whether Alan Billings agrees with Sarah Champion or not.

In both of these cases, it is hard to see what answer Dr Billings could have given, that would have sent a worse message than not allowing the question. Hes perfectly capable of giving intelligent and thoughtful answers, good enough even for Radio 4. But Labours instinct to close ranks and shut down scrutiny and debate trumps all.

* Joe Otten was the candidate for Sheffield Heeley in June 2017 and Doncaster North in December 2019 and is a councillor in Sheffield.
TRIBUTES have been paid to Limerick nun Sr Mary Cahill of the Sisters of Mercy, who passed away this week.

Sr Cahill, of Westbourne Convent on the South Circular Road, passed away peacefully in the loving care of community and staff of Catherine McAuley House on Sunday.

Late of Croagh in County Limerick, she was described as a perfect lady who had dedicated her life as a Sister Of Mercy, having previously trained as a speech therapist in Swansea University.

Once qualified she went on to work in clinics and schools as a speech therapist until her retirement in 1997.

Sr Moynihan of the Sisters of Mercy Convent said she dedicated her whole life to the Sisters of Mercy, she was refined, gentle and a woman of prayer.

Deeply regretted by the Sisters of Mercy, her brothers, Patrick, John and Gerry, her sisters Brid, Lil, Lucy and Pauline her nieces, nephews, grandnieces, grandnephews, extended family, relatives and friends.

Reposing at Westbourne Convent this Tuesday from 2.30pm with prayers at 5.30pm. Funeral arriving at St Josephs Church, OConnell Avenue, on Wednesday for 10.30am Mass. Burial after in St. Marys Convent Cemetery.
Oct 3, 2017, 1 PM

Picturing Bacchus (the Roman god of wine) serving man the first beer, the unique 1875 25 beer revenue stamp with inverted center brought $56,050 at the Siegel sale.

Thomas Old Bullion Benton, a senator from the state of Missouri, is pictured standing on his head in the series 1878 25 beer stamp with inverted center. This unique stamp went to a new home for $67,850 at the Siegel sale.

This 1909 1/3-barrel beer stamp  one of two known and with small faults  was knocked down to a new owner for $11,800 at Siegels Sept. 20 sale of the Grant Inman collection.

This 1934 $40 wine stamp with the tablet for affixing more stamps sold at Siegels Sept. 20 Grant Inman sale for $13,570.

The 5 silver tax stamp of 1939, also unique, sold for $20,650 in the Siegel sale.

Siegel sold this unique 1939 1 silver tax stamp with handstamped overprint and extremely fine centering for $21,830 during the firms Sept. 20 auction in New York City.

The rarest of the series 1941 silver tax set is the $500 stamp, with only three known. The Inman example sold for $20,650 at the Siegel auction.

Up for bids in the Siegel Grant Inman sale was a series 1942 $400 wine stamp, one of only four used examples known. The happy new owner paid $18,880 for it.

This 1942 17/10 wine stamp in the Inman U.S. revenue collection exchanged hands at the Sept. 20 Siegel auction for $25,960. Discovered in the 2005 Smithsonian National Postal Museum deaccession, only three unused examples of the stamp are known.

In 1942 the silver tax stamps were reissued with a Series 1942 overprint. The scarcest of these is the $50 stamp, with only three examples known. This example, from the Grant Inman collection, realized $34,220 at the Siegel sale.

This used 3 wine stamp from the Grant Inman collection of U.S. revenues crossed the Siegel auction block for $16,520.

The unique unused -barrel fermented fruit juice stamp offered in the Siegel sale of the Grant Inman collection sold for $41,300.

Auction Roundup  By Tim Hodge

Although the United States philatelic auction scene was somewhat slow this past month, the sixth installment of the impressive Grant Inman collection of U.S. revenues  featuring some of the rarest and most sought-after wine, beer, and silver tax stamps  came to the auction block Sept. 20 at Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries in New York City.

Grant Inman, the founder of Inman Investment Management, started collecting stamps in 1978. He built an important collection of U.S. regular issues (including position 68 of the 1918 Inverted Jenny airmail error stamp [Scott C3a]), which sold privately through Siegel Auction Galleries for several million dollars, according to information from Siegels dedicated Jenny Invert website.

This time his stellar collection of U.S. revenues is being sold by Siegel at public auction in seven installments.

On Sept 8, 1916, Congress passed a law that required revenue stamps to be affixed to the outer cases of wine or cordials, rather than upon each individual bottle.

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This came with a stipulation that the taxes were levied when the wine left a bonded storage facility, such as a customs house or winery, rather than upon the retail sale of the wine. Greater denominations needed to be applied at one time.

To allow room for this, booklets of wine stamps were produced. They were issued in booklets of $400 regardless of the denominations of the stamps. Each stamp was perforated on the left and bore a label, called a tablet, on the right. An inscription on the tablet reads, This space is for affixing additional stamps. After cancellation, affix stamps by pasting the top part to this space and overlapping them.

On the left, the tab that remained in the booklet bore the serial number of the stamp and six lines to record information about the stamps use. When Prohibition began in 1920, these stamps continued to be used for religious and medicinal purposes.

In 1933, when the 18th Amendment was repealed by the 21st Amendment and Prohibition ended, new stamps needed to be printed.

The same designs of 1916 were reprinted in 1934, continuing the serial numbers of the preceding issue. The stamps still state Series of 1916, as if no time had passed. Later, probably in 1936, the $50 and the $100 stamps were reprinted again with gauge 12 perforations, rather than the gauge 12 of the 1934 reprinting.

A 1934 reprint of the $40 wine stamp with tablet (Scott RE107B) sold in Siegels Grant Inman sale for $13,570, including the 18 percent buyers premium Siegel adds to all lots. This realization is noticeably more than the 2018 Scott Specialized Catalog of United States Stamps and Covers value of $9,000.

The year 1933 was an important one for wine stamp collectors. In April of that year, when Prohibition was coming to a close, Congress changed the legal definition of intoxicating beverages to 3.2 percent ABV (alcohol by volume), from 0.5 percent ABV previously.

This allowed the sale of low alcohol wine and beer until the repeal of the 18th Amendment Dec. 5. In anticipation of repeal, several 1933 series beer stamps were overprinted wine or fermented fruit juice for use as fermented fruit juice stamps.

The overprint was applied to the -barrel, -barrel, and 1-barrel beer stamps of the time. Unfortunately, no known examples of the -barrel or 1-barrel overprinted stamps exist.

The unique unused -barrel fermented fruit juice stamp (Scott REF10) offered in the Siegel sale sold for $41,300. Its status no doubt contributed to the handsome realization, which handily eclipsed the 2018 Scott Specialized catalog value of $30,000.

As the 1930s progressed, more wine revenue stamps were issued. These were smaller than the wine stamps from booklets. While technically they could be used on the tablet of a wine stamp booklet, no such examples are known.

Some of the scarcest wine stamps that were only known used became available in unused condition when the Smithsonian National Postal Museum deaccessioned its archive in 2005.

The Grant Inman collection features some of the finest and rarest of these wine stamps in existence.

A very fine used example of the series 1941 3 green and black (Scott RE114) was among the gems offered in the Siegel auction.

The 3 rate was valid for only 13 months, between Oct. 1, 1941, and Oct. 31, 1942, during which time it paid the tax for half-pints of artificially carbonated wines.

The Internal Revenue Department only received one delivery of the stamps. As such, this was a very limited run of stamps, in use for a short period, for a specialized rate. No new examples surfaced during the Smithsonians deaccession.

The 3 stamp in the Inman collection crossed the Siegel auction block for $16,520, about 30 percent more than the Scott catalog value of $12,750.

Also up for bids was a series 1942 $400 yellow green and black stamp (Scott RE165B), one of only four used examples known. Six unused examples also surfaced as part of the Smithsonians deaccession. Against a Scott catalog value of $14,000, the stamp realized $18,880.

The 1942 wine stamp series is one of the largest series in U.S. philately, with 104 denominations. Some of these are the most esoteric values possibly seen on U.S. stamps.

The unused 17/10 wine stamp (RE182F) in the Inman collection exchanged hands for $25,960. All three recorded unused examples of Scott RE182F were discovered in the Smithsonian National Postal Museum deaccession. Two others exist used.

Similar to the wine stamps, beer stamps were used to pay excise taxes on beer.

Egypt was the earliest recorded civilization to impose a tax on beer. Queen Cleopatra VII imposed a heavy tax on beer toward the end of her reign to fund her war with Rome, although she claimed it was to discourage drunkenness.

At the time, beer was the most consumed beverage in Egypt. Her popularity waned overnight.

All serious beer aficionados are familiar with the Bavarian Purity Law of 1516, which states that only barley malt, hops, yeast and water may be used in the production of beer. Defining what beer is allowed Germans of the time to tax beer effectively.

A beer tax was first levied at the federal level in the United States by President Abraham Lincoln to help fund the Civil War. This federal excise tax was imposed July 1, 1862, but it was not until July 13, 1866, that stamps were required as proof of tax payment.

The first stamps were printed by the Treasury Department. When they were first issued, the tax rate was $1 per barrel. At the time, a barrel held approximately 31 gallons of beer.

In 1871 beer stamps began being produced in two colors. Each color was printed separately.

The frames were printed by the National Bank Note Co., the same company that held the postage stamp printing contract. The stamps were then delivered to the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, where the centers (vignettes) were printed in a different color.

This proved cumbersome, and the next issue was printed entirely by the National Bank Note Co. in 1875.

At this point, the postage stamp contract had passed to the Continental Bank Note Co., but National continued to be involved in the production of a few revenue stamps.

With the complication of two companies producing beer stamps, it is almost surprising that no center inversions are known to have occurred. It was not until the 1875 issue that center inversions were discovered.

Only three beer stamps exist as center inverts (Scott REA32a, REA36a and REA39a), and only one example of each exists. Inman had two of them (REA32a and REA39a) in his collection.

The first two are from the 1875 series, picturing Bacchus serving man the first beer. The third is from the 1878 series depicting notable politicians. This 25 stamp (Scott REA39a) illustrates Thomas Old Bullion Benton, a senator from the state of Missouri and the first member to serve five terms in the Senate.

The first recorded owner of the series 1875 25 beer stamp with an inverted center (Scott REA32a) was Edgar L. Green of Philadelphia.

Siegels lot description for the stamp provides some instructive history: [Edgar Greens] advertisements seeking Medicine and Perfumery stamps appeared as early as 1906 in druggists publications, such as Practical Druggist and Spatula, alongside help-wanted ads. Greens collection was purchased by noted dealer Philip H. Ward around 1930 and was part of Wards estate when he died in 1963. Wards stock, including this stamp, was bought from the estate by the Weill Brothers of New Orleans. The late Robert H. Cunliffe purchased this rarity from the Weills and owned it for several decades. Cunliffes Invert collection was sold after his death by Spink Shreves in 2009. Therefore, this is only the second time this important rarity has made an auction appearance since its discovery more than a century ago.

This unique beer stamp, with small thins and a small sealed tear, brought $56,050.

The series 1878 25 beer stamp with inverted center (Scott REA39a) was not discovered until much later. The first record of this stamp comes from prominent philatelist Henry Holcombe.

The date of discovery is unknown, but Holcombe was active in the 1930s through 1950s.

After Holcombe, its provenance is very similar to that of its series 1875 invert brother.

This spectacular rarity  with several faults common to beer stamps (thins, a crease and two small holes)  found a new home for $67,850.

Two 1/3-barrel beer stamps also were tapped from the Inman collection. Third barrels were so unusual that there is no term describing them. Whereas a quarter barrel is a firkin and a half barrel is a kilderkin, there is not a term describing the 1/3-barrel size.

A 1909 1/3-barrel beer stamp (Scott REA85)  one of two known and with small faults  was knocked down to a new owner for $11,800. The unique 1934 1/3-barrel beer stamp (REA184) sold for $14,160.

When the Great Depression hit in 1929, the public lost confidence in the banks. This sparked widespread buying and hoarding of gold bullion.

To stabilize the economy and prevent runs on banks, the gold standard was abolished in 1933. All investment-quality gold bullion and coins in private hands not being used for artistic or industrial purposes was required to be sent to the U.S. Treasury.

To prevent hoarding of silver bullion, the Silver Purchase Act was established in 1934, which required all investment grade silver to be sent to the Treasury within a 90-day period, to be reimbursed by the Secretary of the Treasury. This act also required that all profit from the sale of silver be taxed at a rate 50 percent.

Silver tax stamps were authorized by Congress June 19, 1934, to be placed on transfer memoranda for payment of the new federal silver tax.

The first stamps used were workhorse documentary stamps overprinted SILVER TAX in two lines.

Examples of the overprint handstamped in violet are extremely scarce to unique. They appear on the 1, 3, 5, 10 and 80 documentary stamps of 1917.

All of these silver tax stamps with handstamped overprints appeared in the Grant Inman collection. The unique 1939 1 silver tax stamp (Scott RG28), with extremely fine centering, sold for $21,830. The 5 stamp of the same issue (Scott RG30), also unique, sold for $20,650.

In 1941, the first dedicated silver tax stamps were issued. With designs mirroring the documentary stamps of 1940, each stamp depicts the head of a former secretary of the treasury and is overprinted Series 1941.

The rarest of this set is the $500 stamp (Scott RG81), with only three known. The Inman example of the series 1941 $500 silver tax stamp sold for $20,650.

The next year, the stamps were reissued with a Series 1942 overprint. The scarcest of these is the $50 stamp (Scott RG103), with only three examples known. Inmans series 1942 $50 silver tax stamp realized $34,220.

Want to read the rest of our U.S. Auction Roundup?

In addition to the Siegel Grant Inman collection, Tim Hodge breaks down the Clipper City collection, which was also presented by the Siegel firm. Subscribe to Linns Stamp News to read all about it!
Oct 3, 2017, 5 AM

Mystic Stamp Company president Don Sundman presents 250 pounds of donated stamps for use by the Foxborough Regional Charter Schools Holocaust Stamp Project to Elsa Carlson, a Foxborough Regional Charter School representative.

By Linns Staff

The Mystic Stamp Company of Camden, N.Y., has donated approximately 1 million postage stamps to the Foxborough Regional Charter Schools Holocaust Stamp Project.

The project began in 2009; its goal is to collect 11 million postage stamps, one for every life taken during the Holocaust.

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The student are counting these canceled stamps, trimming them and then using them to create 18 collages and other displays. Each collage will include at least one dove stamp to represent the hope for peace and the end of discrimination and bullying.

Don Sundman, president of Mystic Stamp Company, said: I think its great postage stamps are being used for such a worthy cause. And its especially exciting to see young people getting exposed to stamps and learning about the history and culture that make collecting such a fun and meaningful hobby.

To date, more than 9.4 million canceled stamps have been donated from 40 states, Australia, Canada, Ireland, Israel, and the United Kingdom. The American Philatelic Society donated 500,000 stamps to the project.

Visit the Mystic website for more information about the project and how to donate canceled stamps.
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Paul S. Otellini, who led microprocessing giant Intel Corp. even as the computer world began shifting away from desktops and laptops, died in his sleep, the company said Tuesday. He was 66.

Mr. Otellini, who died Monday, joined the Santa Clara company in 1974 and became its fifth CEO in 2005. He retired in 2013.

We are deeply saddened by Pauls passing, Intel CEO Brian Krzanich said in a statement. He was the relentless voice of the customer in a sea of engineers, and he taught us that we only win when we put the customer first.

Intel noted that the company generated more revenue during his eight-year tenure than during its previous 45 years: The year before he became CEO, sales were $34 billion; the number grew to $53 billion in 2012.

Mr. Otellini made a name for himself when he oversaw the introduction of Intels Pentium processor in 1993. Shortly after he took over for former CEO Craig Barrett, he presided over another historic change when he stepped onto a Moscone West Convention Center stage and embraced the late Apple CEO Steve Jobs as the two former rivals announced what had once seemed an unlikely alliance.

Apple had agreed to dump its longtime partners Motorola and IBM and instead use Intel microprocessors inside Macintosh computers.

Were so happy the worlds most innovative computer company and the worlds most innovative chip company have finally teamed up, Mr. Otellini told the crowd. I think this brings together the skills and the engineering excellence of two great companies.

But two years later, Apple introduced the iPhone, which set in motion a shift toward mobile devices and away from the desktop and laptop computers that fed the Intel-dominated microprocessor market for decades.

Mr. Otellini helped Intel rebound from a 42 percent drop in profit in 2006 after losing share in the server market to Advanced Micro Devices. The company posted record profit and sales for two years starting in 2010.

Mr. Otellini was born in San Francisco on Oct. 12, 1950. He attended St. Ignatius College Preparatory, and received an economics degree from the University of San Francisco and an MBA from UC Berkeley. He is survived by his wife, Sandy; son, Patrick; and daughter, Alexis.

Benny Evangelista is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: bevangelista@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ChronicleBenny
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LaShonda Johnson of Missouri City didn't have any experience working with human anatomy before she applied for her first autopsy technician job nearly eight years ago, but she had always been fascinated by it.

In spite of her lack of experience, her confidence and determination landed her the job and launched her career.

"I have a knack for working with the deceased," Johnson said.

Over the years, she'd never been one to get emotionally attached to the people who came through the morgue. She understood that a level of professional detachment was necessary in a job like this.

That changed when, while working in the morgue at MD Anderson Cancer Center in the Texas Medical Center, Johnson was diagnosed with Stage 2 breast cancer. Johnson had long suspected that she might get breast cancer, even at the age of 43. Almost all of the women on her father's side of the family had it at some point. One aunt had passed away.

When she found a lump in her breast in October 2015, she went straight to her doctor. Johnson had just had a mammogram a few weeks before and the results showed no sign of cancer, so the doctor dismissed it. But by December, the lump had grown much larger. The week of Christmas, Johnson decided she had to go back to her doctor and insist on additional testing. She had an ultrasound and a biopsy, and then she waited.

On Jan. 25, 2016, Johnson sat in her doctor's office. When the doctor stepped into the room, she didn't need to say it. Johnson could see from her expression that it was cancer.

"I just broke down crying," Johnson recalled.

"It's not good," her doctor told her.

The tumor in her breast had grown rapidly. Johnson was thankful that she had accepted the job at MD Anderson the year before. At the time, she was choosing between two job offers - one at Methodist Hospital and the one at MD Anderson. Methodist Hospital offered more pay, but Johnson's gut told her to take the job at MD Anderson. Now she knew why.

Johnson enduring 12 rounds of one type of chemotherapy that was ineffective before doing six rounds of a heavy chemotherapy known as the "red devil" because of how brutal it is on the body.

"It just sucks the life out of you," Johnson said.

Still, even as she went through chemotherapy, she continued to work. Because her job was in the same building as her chemotherapy, she was able to go right upstairs to her office before or after rounds of treatment.

But her work had taken on a new meaning. While she had been able to remain emotionally unaffected in the past, she connected more with the cancer patients who had lost the battle she was currently fighting.

"What if I end up in one of these coolers?" she thought.

One day, a woman just one year older than Johnson was brought into the morgue. She had breast cancer, but had been declared cancer free before another aggressive resurgence took her life.

"It scared me to death," Johnson said.

But she pressed on through the brutal months of chemotherapy with the support of her husband, two children, mother and countless friends. In September of last year, she stood with her mother and rang the bell of celebration indicating her final chemotherapy treatment.

Johnson decided to get a double mastectomy to limit the chances of the cancer returning, especially since she discovered that she has a gene that doctors believe greatly increases the chances of developing breast cancer.

For the past year, Johnson's shown no signs of the cancer returning, but she still sometimes fears that it will. Cancer and chemotherapy forever changed her, from how her body functions to how she looks at life.

She believes her experience has made her more empathetic to the cancer patients she sees at MD Anderson every day. While she knows there can be healing, her job at the morgue reminds her that not everyone will survive.

"I tell (the patients) that they're going to be ok," she said. "But I know some of them are going to come through the morgue."

While that same fear lingers for Johnson, she is determined to make the most of the life that she is grateful to have. Now, she doesn't put off the things that she wants to do in life.

"When I was going through it, there were certain things I wanted to do," Johnson said. "You never know what going to happen."
In Blade Runner 2049, theres a sequence inside an old casino, where holographs of long-dead performers can be seen with the press of a button. Theres Elvis singing in his white jumpsuit. Theres a brief flash of Marilyn and another of Liberace. Theres a song by Sinatra. And seeing these people, a forlorn feeling sets in. These are emblems of a simpler time, when everyone understood what it meant to be human.

Theres no such understanding in the world of 2049. In this sequel to Ridley Scotts 1982 film, its impossible to tell one kind of mechanical human being  that is, replicant  from another kind, and equally impossible to tell a replicant from a human being. And this brings up all kinds of existential questions that make Frankenstein seem like a cheery fairy tale: Is there really much of a difference, after all? Maybe replicants are like humans and have a soul. Or maybe humans are like replicants, and everythings mechanistic, and the whole notion of the soul is just fantasy.

The task of science fiction is often to threaten us with the prospect of essential human values not prevailing into the future  and then, sometimes, to assure us that they will. Blade Runner 2049 offers no such assurance. It takes modern-day anxieties and blows them out, presenting a world in which life is less than cheap. Its not even life.

Ryan Gosling, with that look he has, is ideally cast here as K, a replicant LAPD officer whose job is to track down and kill older-model replicants. Whats the look? Complete self-confidence and absolute confusion, the eyes of someone who knows exactly what to do and yet has no idea what any of it means. Ks confusion runs even deeper when he comes across evidence suggesting that a miracle took place some years back: A human woman and a replicant man apparently had children together, something that was supposed to be impossible.

This discovery is the propelling incident of the movie. For Ks boss, Lieutenant Joshi (Robin Wright), it represents a threat to the principalities of creation and to the structures of civil society. But for Niander Wallace (Jared Leto), the diabolical creator of replicants, and to his evil assistant, Luv (Sylvia Hoeks), it represents an opportunity. If replicants can reproduce on their own, they can populate distant planets and completely supplant humanity.

In this way, K finds himself at the center of the conflict. He is assigned to find and kill the hybrid replicant/human offspring, but everybody is tracking him, trying to help or interfere, and meanwhile he is coping with his own doubts. Thats a modest amount of story, but it turns out to be enough to embroider a series of scenes that play like somber ruminations on the nature of existence and the future of life on Earth. Yes, this is a movie that takes itself very seriously, but it saves itself by taking its subject even more seriously.

Eventually, Harrison Ford shows up as Deckard, the hero of the 1982 movie, and its always good to see him, even if he never looks happy to see anybody. Given the state of the world (not just 2049s, but ours), Fords incurable grumpiness seems like a refreshing and healthy alternative to despair. The entrance of Ford signals the coming of some genuine action sequences, but for the most part, Blade Runner 2049 is quiet, thoughtful science fiction, nothing like a summer blockbuster, but more like Arrival, from the same director, Denis Villeneuve.

Villeneuve keeps the emphasis on the performances. He casts fairly unknown actors and gives them a chance to make strong impressions, sometimes in a single scene. The Swiss actress Carla Juri has only one long scene (and a bit of another), as a sheltered scientist who specializes in the creation and implantation of false, happy memories, but she remains vivid throughout, as lasting as one of the scientists fake-happy creations.

Blade Runner 2049 is long and slow. Its never boring, but its a little too mired in one sustained note of sadness to break out as a great experience or to stand out as a great movie. Still, there are some remarkable scenes: A large plastic bag breaks, and a brand new replicant, a fully grown woman, drops onto a platform, dripping with slime, in what looks like a gross parody of human birth. And we think, like Peggy Lee, is that all there is? Is that all there is to being born and being alive?

Blade Runner 2049 leaves us with such thoughts, the kind that Mary Shelley was writing about two centuries ago. The difference here is that with artificial intelligence breathing down our collective neck, its beginning to feel personal.

Mick LaSalle is The San Francisco Chronicles movie critic. Email: mlasalle@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @MickLaSalle

Blade Runner 2049

Science fiction. Starring Ryan Gosling and Harrison Ford. Directed by Denis Villeneuve. (R. 165 minutes.)
The City of Bunker Hill Village approved an ordinance that prohibits right turns for vehicles at a red light in school zones.

The main intersection affected is at Memorial Drive and Gessner Road, where Frostwood Elementary sits on the north side of Memorial.
Although her hair grew back a little grayer than she remembered, South Belt resident Audris Valoy is feeling young and well.

Valoy recently endured her last round of chemotherapy and is scheduled to undergo a partial mastectomy in October, but the 37-year-old mother of four is full of positive energy.

"I feel great," she said.

In between getting up early, taking her kids to school and going to work at her job as a cashier, Valoy barely has time to fret about cancer. But when she has to sit through a grueling day-long chemo session every three weeks, she has time to reflect on her ongoing fight and its physical and emotional toll.

Valloy arrived in Houston from the Dominican Republic when she was 15, but her story with cancer begins in Orange County, New York, where she lived for 14 years before returning to Houston to be with family in 2016.

She had felt a small mass, a lump in her left breast, but she had given birth to her third child less than two years before and assumed it was calcification. After all, she was only 37 years old and had no family history of the disease.

"I wasn't concerned," she said. "I never thought about getting it checked out. But right before we were going to leave New York, I started to feel pain in my left breast, and that's when I realized I had better get it checked out."

Once in Houston, Valoy was referred to The Rose, which provides screening, diagnostic and treatment services to insured and uninsured women and men in the region, relying on revenue from paying customers, grants and donations to serve those without financial resources.

"At that time I didn't have health insurance, and they took care of everything," she said.

Valoy had had a pregnancy test before her mammogram, and when the results came back positive for both in December 2016, it was a roller coaster of emotions and questions, she said.

"It was bittersweet because I welcomed the idea of having another baby, and then they tell me that I have cancer," she said. "I thought I was going to have to terminate the pregnancy because I didn't know I could go through treatment while I was pregnant."

Maria Linares, patient navigator at The Rose, became her champion and life-line.

Linares, a breast-cancer survivor, helps as patients deal with a cancer diagnosis while worrying about payment options. In Valoy, she saw a resilience.

"As soon as I saw that smile, I knew she was going to be OK," Linares said.

Because Valoy had no family history of cancer that she knew of, it was a shock to learn that her type of breast cancer was genetic, due to her body producing inordinately high levels of estrogen.

"It was so unexpected to me, and it was devastating at the beginning. But I can't say I was depressed because Robert, my husband, and my family were so supportive. But I was worried about the baby," she said. "At some point, it wasn't even about me."

Valoy was assured she could have her baby while undergoing treatment and by February, she had started chemotherapy at MD. Anderson Cancer Center and would undergo six treatments throughout her pregnancy before a pause in to have a caesarean birth.

The mastectomy is to ensure that the cancer doesn't come back, Valoy said.

"That's the hope," she said.

She had initially opted not to have reconstructive surgery, but because the mastectomy will include the removal of just one breast, she changed her mind.

She's determined to make the experience an empowering one.

"My scars will just be part of my journey," Valoy said.

After the surgery, there will be more chemo, and while Valoy admits she's afraid and anxious, that anxiety is eased by the birth of her daughter.

"That's what has kept me going," she said. "It gave me something to look forward to."

Xia Valoy was born June 22, and true to the Mandarin Chinese origin of her name, Xia is her mother's "glow of the sunrise."

"When we were picking out names, that one had the most meaning for me," Valoy said.

Through the diagnosis, the chemo and the coming mastectomy, Xia has been her mother's strength.

"I call her my little fighter," Valoy said. "She's been with me through all of this and she really is like a new beginning."

For more information on the Rose, visit its website at www.therose.org or contact one of its two Houston-area locations:

The Rose-Southeast, 12700 N. Featherwood, Suite 260, 281-484-4708;

The Rose-Galleria, 5420 West Loop South, Suite 3300, Bellaire, Texas at 281-484-4708.
Fort Bend ISD Board of Trustees President Kristin Tassin announced Friday that she will run for the Republican nomination for State Senate District 17, which includes parts of Fort Bend, Brazoria and Harris counties.

The office is currently held by Republican Joan Huffman.

Tassin is serving in her second term on the Fort Bend ISD school board. Before being elected to the school board, Tassin was a managing member at the law firm Dry & Tassin, PLLC, where she practiced intellectual property and special education law. She and her husband, Shannon, also co-founded Father's Joy, a charity dedicated to supporting children with disabilities and their families.

Tassin said that she decided to run for the State Senate position because she believes that elected state representatives have used tax money for "special interests" instead of committing it to public school funding, property tax reform and infrastructure.

"I have spoken with people from across the 17th District who agree we deserve new leadership who can deliver actual results on the conservative reforms we need to strengthen our communities and serve our families," Tassin said in a press release. "I am a solutions-driven conservative, who has a proven record of getting things done that make a real and positive difference for the families and children I serve."

Tassin listed Fort Bend ISD cutting taxes, increased teacher salaries and implementing school reform among her accomplishments while serving on the Fort Bend ISD board. She has also been vocal at the State Capitol and in the community about her opposition to the Texas Education Agency's accountability rating system and has lobbied for more state funding for public schools.

"I have the background to help fix these issues and the courage to take on any special interest that threatens the success of our children, our communities and the future of our great state of Texas," Tassin said in the press release.

Tassin, a 21-year resident of Missouri City, has three daughters attending Fort Bend ISD schools.
Nicole Wang, a 17-year-old from Sugar Land, is a blogger, a bibliophile and an artist.

She's also one of 63 seniors attending Fort Bend ISD schools to be named a semifinalist for the 2018 National Merit Scholarship Program. The prestigious program, run by the not-for-profit National Merit Scholarship Corporation, will award more than $32 million in college scholarships to 7,500 of the nation's most academically advanced high school seniors next year.

The 16,000 semifinalists, representing less than one percent of entrants, were selected for receiving the highest scores in their respective states on the Preliminary SAT exam during their junior years.

The news that Wang had been selected as a semifinalist came as a surprise to her. She recalled that she had not gotten enough sleep the night before she took the PSAT test and had feared that her tiredness might have hampered her test-taking, but she was happy to hear it hadn't.

Wang credited the emphasis on SAT preparation at her school, Clements High School in Sugar Land, where she had already taken the PSAT during her sophomore year.

Since taking the PSAT last year, Wang has taken the SAT and works to help tutor other students with SAT preparation, as well as in school subjects such as math and English.

Her tutor work is on top of her regular schoolwork, as well as her many extracurricular activities, including serving as an officer for the Houston-area Rotary Interact Club, the National Art Honor Society, the Student Council and the International Club.

But even as her schedule keeps her extremely busy  often keeping her up until 2 or 3 a.m.  Wang finds time to hang out with her friends, read fiction books and write for a blog that she shares with several other teen girls, called twirlingpages.com.

Wang revived her blogging this year after a hiatus while she started high school. When she was 12, she started her own blog where she reviewed books and had attracted about 3,000 followers. Though she took a break, she was eager to get back to blogging this year and contacted her friend in California who runs twirlingpages.com about working together.

"We post about random things in our lives; anything that makes us think," Wang said.

While Wang enjoys creative writing, much of her time is currently spent working on college essays as she prepares to apply to several schools, including the University of Texas at Austin, Brown University and Princeton, where she plans to study economics or business.

In the meantime, she hopes to make the most of her senior year at Clements.

"I just want to make a lot of really good memories," Wang said.

Wang was one of 31 Semifinalists from Clements High School. Dulles High School had 18 semifinalists, Austin High School had seven, Elkins High School had four, Hightower High School had two and Travis High School had one.

The semifinalists will submit an application to the NMSC including information on academic record, participation in school and community activities, demonstration of leadership, employment and honors, according to the NMSC website. About 15,000 are expected to advance to the finalist level, which will be announced in February. The scholarship winners will be selected from this group and will be announced in April-July next year.
Las Vegas

At first, it sounded like fireworks  a loud, crackling noise. Then the awful realization began to spread, unevenly, through the huge crowd.

It dawned on people when they heard screams, when they saw bloodied victims collapse around them, or when others stampeded for the exits, trampling some of the people in their way.

Many of the terrified concertgoers followed their instincts and crouched or lay flat, not realizing that they remained exposed to a gunman lodged high above them. Others surged into surrounding streets and buildings, leaving behind debris lost in the panic  drink cups, shoes, and cellphones that kept ringing for hours, as relatives and friends tried to reach their loved ones to find out if they were safe.

By sunrise Monday, the staggering toll at an outdoor country music festival on a cool desert night was becoming clear: at least 59 people killed, police said, and 527 injured, either by gunfire or in the flight to safety.

A lone gunman perched on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino had smashed the windows of his hotel suite with a hammer, taken aim at a crowd of 22,000 people at about 10 p.m. Sunday, and committed one of the deadliest mass shootings in U.S. history. Late Monday, law enforcement officials said they still had no idea what the motive was.

The gunman had 17 firearms, including a handgun, in his suite, according to Sheriff Joseph Lombardo of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. And when police searched the shooter's house Monday, "we retrieved in excess of 18 additional firearms, some explosives, and several thousand rounds of ammo," Lombardo said. He added that they also found ammonium nitrate, a fertilizer sometimes used in making bombs, in the gunman's car.

The sheriff said some rifles found in the hotel room may have been modified to make them fully automatic. Automatic rifles, which fire multiple rounds with a squeeze of a trigger, are highly regulated, and on videos posted online by witnesses, the rapid-fire sound indicated that at least one weapon was fully automatic.

Among the revelers below at the Route 91 Harvest festival, Melissa Ayala, 41, said she first realized what was happening when a man near her fell to the ground with a bullet wound to his neck. "There was blood pouring everywhere," she said.

Ayala said she and four friends, who had come to the festival from California, were drinking and laughing when they heard the gunfire, which at first they thought was fireworks.

And then: "It was just total chaos," she said. "People falling down and laying everywhere. We were trying to take cover and we had no idea where to go."

Police identified the gunman as Stephen Paddock, 64, a retiree with no significant criminal history, who liked to gamble and seemed to live a quiet life with his girlfriend in Mesquite, Nevada, about 80 miles northeast of Las Vegas. He fatally shot himself before police reached his room.

The Islamic State claimed Monday that the gunman was "a soldier of the Islamic State," but provided no evidence. The group has generally been accurate in claiming only violence carried out by those directed by ISIS or inspired by their ideology online. However, in recent months, the group has become more sloppy and has made at least two false claims, including for an attack on a casino in Manila and a bomb plot at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris.

Aaron Rouse, the FBI special agent in charge in Las Vegas, said that so far there was no proof that Paddock had links to any international terrorist organization.

Speaking at the White House, President Donald Trump called the shooting "an act of pure evil," ordered flags flown at half-staff, and said he would travel to Las Vegas on Wednesday.

On Capitol Hill, Rep. Nancy Pelosi, the House Democratic leader, sent a letter to House Speaker Paul Ryan calling for him to create a select committee on gun violence to "study and report back common sense legislation to help end this crisis."

Previous mass shootings have not generally resulted in changes to federal gun laws. Asked at a news conference about whether the president, who has said that some mass shootings could be mitigated if victims had more liberty to buy guns, would now ask for changes to gun laws, his press secretary, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, said that "there will be, certainly, time for that policy discussion to take place, but that's not the place that we're in at this moment."

"I think one of the things that we don't want to do is try to create laws that won't stop these types of things from happening," she added.

Last Thursday, officials said, Paddock checked into the gold-tinted, 43-story Mandalay Bay at the southern end of the string of big hotels that line South Las Vegas Boulevard, the renowned Las Vegas Strip. He took Suite 32135, at the end of a hallway, giving him sweeping views to the east and north. He brought in more than 10 suitcases.

Over the following three days, the Las Vegas Village and Festival Grounds, northeast of the Mandalay Bay, played host to the Route 91 Harvest festival, featuring dozens of country music acts.

It was after 10 p.m. Las Vegas time Sunday, while Jason Aldean was on the festival stage singing "When She Says Baby," that the first burst of gunfire hit the crowd. At 10:08, someone broadcast on a police radio channel, "we got shots fired  sounds like an automatic firearm," and less than a minute later, "It's coming from upstairs in the Mandalay Bay."

Video of the shooting captured nine seconds of continuous, rapid bursts of fire, followed by 37 seconds of silence from the weapon, as some in the crowd screamed in panic and others just looked around in confusion. Aldean kept singing for a few seconds before realizing what was happening and taking cover.

Gunfire then erupted again and again, in rapid-fire bursts.

Jamey Eller, 66, said she and her friends hit the ground with the first fusillade, and then "the second round came and we started to belly-crawl." As the shooting continued, they decided they had to get up and run.

"We had no idea where we were going," she said. "We just kept hearing shooting. It felt like they were following us."

Her sister, Cindy McAfee, 56, called her husband, Steve McAfee, who had stayed back in their hotel room  on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay. "He was looking down and seeing what was going on and said, 'Just get out of there  he's not in the venue, he's here,'" Cindy McAfee said. "It was absolutely the most scared I've been in my entire life."

Almost nine minutes after the shooting began, an officer radioed, "We're still taking gunfire, we're pinned down." Seconds later, an officer broadcast: "We need to snuff the shooter before there are more victims. Anybody have eyes on him?"

Some survivors tried to climb the chain-link fence topped with barbed wire around the nearby McCarran International Airport, until firefighters ripped the fence up from the ground, allowing them to crawl under it.

Krystal Legette, who was visiting from New York, and several other people were at Sundance Helicopters office at the airport, waiting for a sightseeing flight when she said three women burst into the building, screaming, "They're shooting, they're shooting." Then another woman came in, bleeding from a bullet wound in her right arm, and Legette, a nurse, and three others applied a tourniquet.

More and more people ran into the office, until about 100 had taken shelter there, she said. Ambulances arrived at the festival grounds quickly, but were overwhelmed by the number of casualties. Their radio frequencies were so clogged that some paramedics used their cellphones instead to call ahead to hospital emergency rooms. Victims arrived at hospitals in cars and the backs of pickup trucks.

As survivors poured into streets and buildings surrounding the concert site, police swarmed the Mandalay Bay, conducting a floor-by-floor, room-by-room search starting on the 29th floor and working their way up, Lombardo said. At one point, he said, Paddock fired at them through the door of his suite, wounding a hotel security guard in the leg. The officers backed off, he said, and then SWAT teams went in.

Police also searched for Paddock's girlfriend, Marilou Danley, thinking that she might have been with him, in part because he had been gambling using a Players Club Card, a kind of casino debit card, that was issued in her name. Later, the sheriff said, it was determined that Danley, who has worked in casinos in the past, had been out of the country at the time of the shooting.
U.K. Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson insisted he was behind "every syllable" of Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit plan, falling into line after a succession of challenges to her authority.

After an onslaught of criticism from Conservatives at the party's annual conference, the perennial leadership contender said he fully supported the contents of May's Brexit speech in Florence.

Days before, he had set out his own "red lines," prompting questions of whether May should fire him for defiance.

"Contrary to some of the stuff that I notice has been knocking around in the media, you have a Cabinet that is totally united behind every comma, every full stop, every syllable of the Prime Minister's excellent Florence speech," Johnson told BBC Newsnight on Monday.

His insubordination in recent weeks had thrown into question May's ability to unite her party behind a common Brexit stance. Her position was made more precarious after she made some key concessions to the European Union last month in an effort to move Brexit talks along.

"The mood here very much has been amongst MPs and party members that they're pretty unimpressed with those ministers who want to set down their own red lines on Brexit," House of Commons Treasury Committee Chairwoman Nicky Morgan told Bloomberg Television on Tuesday. Morgan expects May to remain leader through March 2019 as there's no appetite in the party for a leadership contest any sooner, she said.

On Monday, lawmakers had made veiled -- and not so veiled -- references to his bad behavior. John Howell, who represents Johnson's old constituency, said the minister should "keep his bloody mouth shut."

Ministers had called on May to fire Johnson for his rebellion, The Times of London reported, after May laughed off a question on Sunday about whether her foreign minister was "unsackable."

His comments will bring some relief to a weakened May, who lost her working majority in June's election. Johnson, a former mayor in the traditional Labour stronghold of London, was a lead campaigner in the Brexit referendum, and has long been seen as a potential leader.

He has sold a vision of Brexit where more money would be spent on public health and free trade deals would abound -- and said little about the compromises that might be needed.

But he has little power to bring about his campaign pledges in his role in the foreign office, with Brexit in the hands of May and Brexit Secretary David Davis. He supported a sharper break with the EU than the strategy pursued by May, who last month asked for a two-year transition deal after 2019, which would see the U.K. pay into the budget and abide by EU rules for two years.
BERLIN - On Tuesday, Germans will celebrate the anniversary of their country's reunification. But 27 years after East and West Germany became one state, the optimism about their union has all but died.

Less than two weeks ago, the far-right Alternative for Germany party, or AfD, won nearly 100 seats in Parliament on the back of strong support in eastern Germany. In the state of Saxony, the party - often blamed for inciting hatred and defending Nazi crimes - even came in first.

Now, a new survey confirms what many in both the East and West of the country have long suspected: Germany still isn't truly unified, at least when it comes to the worldviews of its citizens. Only half the country agrees that Germans are a "mostly unified people," and skepticism of German unity is especially prevalent in the states that once constituted the communist German Democratic Republic.

Even as younger generations appear more optimistic about unity - 65 percent of German youths 14 to 21 said they felt that the country had mostly grown together - attitudes are changing slowly, if at all. The percentage of people who agreed in the latest survey that Germans are mostly unified remained the same as it was 7 years ago.

The survey comes as divisions between western Germany and the formerly communist East are starting to crystallize more clearly again, reversing a decade in which reunification was mostly celebrated as a success. Die Welt am Sonntag, a center-right German newspaper, led its front page Sunday with the headline: "We have to talk about the East (but really). The results of the election show: We have sugarcoated the problems."

That provocative assertion appears to be shared across the political spectrum in many parts of western Germany. Eastern Germany still lags behind the western parts of the country in terms of its economic performance and unemployment rates, despite continuous financial assistance since reunification. Germany's leading companies remain concentrated in the West; the East's productivity is still more than 30 percent lower than in western states; and growth in the former GDR has slowed significantly in recent years.

At an election-night protest in Berlin against the AfD, many protesters - the demonstrators were predominantly left-wing - blamed the rise of the far right on a lack of political education, saying that Germans who grew up under an authoritarian system may lack experience with principles of democracy - a common yet unproven argument.

"What might help would be more social equality and investments into education," said 28-year old Lydia Braun, a university graduate and protester who attended the demonstration.
Jalal Talabani, the Kurdish leader who used pragmatism, guile and an outsize personality to navigate a hazardous course in Mideast politics, surviving guerrilla war, the terrors of Saddam Hussein and shifting alliances to become the first president of Iraq under its postwar constitution, died on Tuesday in Berlin. He was 83.

The cause was a brain hemorrhage and a stroke, his second since 2012, according to Saadi Bira, a spokesman for Talabanis Patriotic Union of Kurdistan.

The Iraqi presidency, on paper, is largely ceremonial. But Talabani, through skillful bridge building, used his tenure in office, from 2005 to 2012, to act as a chief executive with a broad and powerful portfolio.

President George W. Bushs administration saw Talabani as an important ally, though at times he was a harsh critic of U.S. policies and military tactics. The Obama White House was also quick to reach out to him. Michael Rubin, editor of Middle East Quarterly, reported that less than two weeks into his presidency, President Barack Obama telephoned Talabani to discuss the way ahead.

Talabani was long an ardent campaigner for a sovereign Kurdish state in northern Iraq, where his political beginnings, like his family, were rooted. But he submerged many of those aspirations in his later years as he worked to unify the factions that contested for power after the fall of Saddam in 2003.

Talabani was a member of the Iraqi Governing Council, which drafted the countrys interim constitution after the war. The National Assembly named him interim president in April 2005, to succeed Ghazi Mashal Ajil al-Yawer. A year later he became the first president to be elected under the new constitution.

As the war in Iraq wound down in 2010, Talabani figured in the Obama administrations plans for a postwar government there. In their 2012 book, The Endgame: The Inside Story of the Struggle for Iraq, from George W. Bush to Barack Obama, Michael R. Gordon, a former correspondent for the New York Times, and retired Lt. Gen. Bernard E. Trainor wrote that Obama made a confidential call to Talabani asking him to give up the Iraqi presidency so that a more inclusive government might be formed under Ayad Allawi, a Shiite with broad Sunni support. The administrations aim, the authors wrote, was to counter what the White House saw as a drift toward authoritarianism under Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.

Talabani refused. He was re-elected a week later.

Talabani, widely known as Mam Jalal or Uncle Jalal, cut a Falstaffian figure, typically in bespoke suits. A rotund, gregarious gourmand, he enjoyed nothing so much as a bountiful table and Cuban cigars as he grew wealthy from duties on oil exported illegally through Turkey.

His health was not as robust. He collapsed from exhaustion in February 2007, and a U.S. military plane took him to a hospital in Amman, Jordan. He returned home after 17 days, but that May he went to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., for rest and treatment for what he called my obesity. In the summer of 2008, he returned to the Mayo Clinic for an operation to repair a heart valve. Then came the stroke, at the end of 2012, when he was flown to Germany for treatment.

Talabani was a consummate political survivor and an openhanded pragmatist, if not an ideological chameleon, adept at maintaining his equilibrium in the sectarian, often ruthless environment of postwar Iraq. He was quite capable of startling marriages of political convenience, some ending in equally expedient divorce.

After the Islamic revolution brought Ayatollah Khomeini to power in Iran in 1979, for example, Talabani backed the Iranian Kurds against the regime in Tehran. Later, he allied himself with the Tehran government in its war with Baghdad.

In a 2007 profile in the New Yorker by Jon Lee Anderson, Iraqs national security adviser, Shiite politician Mowaffak al-Rubaie, was quoted as calling Talabani very difficult to define.

If you are an Islamist, he brings you Koranic verses; if youre a Marxist, hell talk to you about Marxist-Leninist theory, dialectics and Descartes, the article quoted al-Rubaie as saying. He has a very interesting ability to speak several languages, sometimes with a very limited vocabulary. He has a lot of anecdotes and knows a lot of jokes. He is an extraordinarily generous person, and he spends like theres no tomorrow.

Jalal Talabani was born on Nov. 12, 1933, in the northeastern Kurdish village of Kelkan, near Suleimaniya. The Talabani clan was a powerful one, and his father was one of its leaders. Jalals political life started early. At 13 he joined a clandestine group of Kurdish students in what was then British-ruled Iraq. At 18 he was among the ranking members of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, led by Mustafa Barzani.

Talabani is survived by his wife, who owns a television station and a newspaper in Suleimaniya; their two sons, Bafel, who works in counterinsurgency for the Patriotic Union on Kurdistan, and Qubad, the deputy prime minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government; and three grandchildren. His wife and children were in Germany with him when he died, according to a spokesman for his party.

Mark McDonald is a New York Times writer.
BARCELONA - In remarks unprecedented in modern-day Spain, King Felipe VI told the nation in a televised address Tuesday that the separatist government in Catalonia had acted "totally outside law and democracy" by staging a disputed referendum on independence.

The king charged, "They have meant to fracture Spain."

Sitting at his desk in Zarzuela Palace in Madrid, the king said the central government must ensure constitutional order in Catalonia.

The Spanish constitution describes the monarch as head of state and commander in chief, although the king serves a largely symbolic role these days. He traditionally addresses the nation during the Christmas holidays - not during political crises.

His words are likely to bolster the central government's case that the Catalan separatists have gone too far - and may signal new get-tough measures by Madrid against the Barcelona rebellion.

As the king addressed the nation, trade unions in Catalonia led a powerful general strike Tuesday that shut down businesses, highways and schools in a mass protest against police violence during the region's chaotic independence vote.

Huge crowds poured through the streets of Barcelona and other cities in the region in the latest act of defiance against the central government and its rejection of Sunday's referendum, in which more than 2 million people voted in support of Catalonia's bid for nationhood.

Demonstrators said they were appalled by images of officers of Spain's national police and civil guard, sent to shut down Sunday's referendum, beating voters with rubber batons and dragging them away from ballot boxes.

On the streets Tuesday, the marchers chanted, "Occupying forces get out!"

The raw emotions - and the stark divisions between the separatists and those who want to keep Spain united - are only growing.

Paula Miranda, a university student, said, "I felt lots of impotence and rage. I was not expecting this."

Marches Tuesday were led by Catalan firefighters in orange jackets and yellow helmets. Others were guided by leftist theater troupes and union longshoremen from the Barcelona port. There were anarchists and families with children in strollers. Some demonstrators covered themselves in makeup that was meant to appear like ashes. The demonstrations were peaceful, by turned somber and festive.

While the secessionists in Catalonia kept up the pressure by stoking anger over alleged police brutality, the central government in Madrid continued to defend its actions and reminded the world that the Spanish courts had ruled the Catalan referendum illegal.

Spanish leaders offered broad support for the police and condemned the Catalan government as rebels who have broken with the constitution and muffled the many here who oppose independence.

Spain's Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said, "I want to express my total support for the security forces, who are defending legality and the rights of everyone in Catalonia."

The Spanish Interior Minister Juan Ignacio Zoido tweeted, "We will not accept the incitement of hatred toward the police and Civil Guard."

Carles Puigdemont, the regional president and a leading secessionist, said Sunday that Catalonia had won "the right to independence" and on Monday he called on European leaders to support the cause.

But Spain's European Affairs Minister Jorge Toledo told Politico the crisis was an internal matter, and any future discussions must be between the central and regional governments.

"You can change the law, you can oppose it, but you cannot disobey it," Toledo said.

According to the Catalan government, which announced the referendum results early Monday, 90 percent of the voters chose independence. More than 2 million people voted for it, while fewer than 177,000 voted no, the regional government said.

The turnout for the referendum was just 42 percent, Catalan authorities said.

Catalans who were against declaring an independent state did not vote.

Some of that intimidation was visible as the general strike began on Tuesday morning, as groups of young people marched in the neighborhoods, shutting down intersections, heckling taxis and blocking tourist buses, warning the drivers against breaking the strike.

Most shops and cafes had pulled their metal shutters down. Those small businesses that remained open faced crowds who banged on their doors or spray-painted their shop windows with slogans.

Several activists surrounded a deliveryman with a handcart loaded with milk cartons. He told them in tough Spanish - not in the region's Catalan language - that he could not care less about their strike and that they should get out of his way, or else.

When marchers tried to force a pharmacy to close its doors, Gregorio Pena, a retired banker, came to their aid.

"Leave them alone!" he shouted.

Pena, who opposed Sunday's referendum, said he thought Catalans were being manipulated - "brainwashed" - by hardcore secessionists.

Surveys taken in the months before Sunday's referendum show Catalans roughly divided between those who wanted an independent republic and those who wanted to remain in Spain.

"What we are seeing now is the part of Catalonia that controls the government, with a minority government, which in a best-case scenario never got more than 46 percent of the vote, trying to change the rules and impose on the other part of Catalonia and on the whole of the country a revolution," said Catalan lawyer, Ignasi Guardans, a former member of the European Parliament.

The Catalan filmmaker Isabel Coixet said pro-independence authorities have muffled debate.

"We are completely silenced," she said. "They have created a climate of tension in which anyone who doesn't agree with them, doesn't exist and is discredited. And, honestly, there are so many people keeping quiet. The biggest problem I see is the double fracture that has been created - the division with Spain and the division between the Catalans."

Coixet said the "independence narrative" sells well abroad, but doesn't reflect the silent majority at home.

- - -

Raul Gallego Abellan in Barcelona and Pamela Rolfe in Madrid contributed to this report.
As he did nearly a year ago to win the presidency, Donald Trump has done the seemingly impossible and brought together disparate coalitions of unlikely interests. This week, it happened again when Trump managed to unite an unlikely band of fossil-fuel and renewable-energy advocates.

These 11 energy associations are working together. Together, that is, against the Trump administration's latest energy policy directive.

On Monday, a coalition of 11 energy lobbying groups asked the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to delay issuing and enforcing a new rule issued by the Energy Department. Energy Secretary Rick Perry had asked for FERC to streamline the rulemaking process but the groups want time to weigh in during the traditional comment period.

The coalition attracted some strange bedfellows, including renewable-energy lobbyists such as the American Wind Energy Association and the Solar Energy Industries Association and oil and gas heavyweights such as the Natural Gas Supply Association and the American Petroleum Institute.

"This is the first time we've filed a motion in conjunction with API," said Gil Jenkins, a spokesman for the American Council on Renewable Energy, one of the groups in the coalition.

"So, it's unprecedented," Jenkins added. "Just as this very action taken by DOE."

Here's the backrgound. On Friday, Perry, issued a sweeping proposal to redefine how coal and nuclear power plants are compensated for the electricity they provide to the power grid.

In a letter and proposed regulation, Perry asked FERC to consider issuing new rules to ensure that nuclear and coal-fired plants are compensated not only for the electricity they provide to homes and businesses, but for the reliability they add to the grid.

The concern among Perry and others in the administration is that growth in natural gas and renewables has undermined the economic viability of these so-called "baseload" coal and nuclear power plants.

If the grid becomes too dependent on cheap but intermittent solar and wind sources that generate electricity only under the right weater conditions, homes and businesses will soon be unable to rely on the grid for electricity at all hours of the day -- or so that line of thinking goes.

But the proposed change is happening too fast for a broad spectrum of energy providers. Those groups are concerned about the swifter timeline proposed by Perry -- 45 days for notice and comment after which the commission should "complete final action on the rule" in 15 days.

"I know that 45 days seems like a long time," said Dena Wiggins, president of the Natural Gas Supply Association. "But for such a massive proposal, 45 days is a blink of the eye."

She added she "was really shocked" by the decision more broadly that she believes will artificially prop up coal and nuclear plants from the former three-term governor of a state, Texas, rich in natural gas.

"Competing on the economics - we're fine with that," Wiggins said. "This seems to be putting the thumb on the scale against natural gas."

What the groups have on their side: While technically housed under the Energy Department, FERC is an independent agency. In the case of Perry's recommendations, the 5-member commission has the leeway to accept or reject them wholesale. By allowing no more than three commissioners to be from the same party, the commission is supposedly untethered from party influence.

What the groups have going against them: Or at least FERC was intended to be free of partisan politics. Two of FERC's three commissioners, Neil Chatterjee and Robert Powelson, were both appointed by Trump. And two more Trump nominees, Richard Glick and Kevin McIntyre, are up for consideration in the Senate.

In an inauspicious sign for the coalition, the thinking of at least one of those new commissioners is in line with Perry's.

Chatterjee, a former energy-policy staffer for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and current acting FERC chairman, has expressed support for giving extra compensation to baseload power producers.

"I believe baseload power should be recognized as an essential part of the fuel mix," Chatterjee said in August. "I believe that generation, including our existing coal and nuclear fleet, need to be properly compensated to recognize the value they provide to the system."

- - -

Add another investigation to the list: The Interior Department's internal watchdog has launched an investigation into Secretary Ryan Zinke over "his use of taxpayer-funded charter and military planes to his mixing of official trips with political appearances," reports The Post's Lisa Rein.

Spokeswoman Nancy K. DiPaolo explained that the investigation was a broad look at Zinke's "travel in general." "It's not just one trip," she added. "It's seven months of travel." She noted that the office had received numerous complaints from employees and from the public. The probe follows reports that Zinke and his aides took a more than $12,000 flight from Las Vegas to near Zinke's Montana home.

What to know: The inspector general is taking the flights more seriously than Zinke himself. On Friday, he called the flying fiasco "a little B.S."

But what really matters for the job security of Zinke and of Environmental Protection Agency head Scott Pruitt, after news surfaced of Pruitt taking chartered flights and trying to install a private soundproof phone booth in his office, is what their boss thinks.

So far, Trump has demurred from weighing in on the spending habits of anyone other than now-former Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price.

- "An all-electric future:" General Motors signaled it could soon end the production of internal combustion engines and move toward an all-electric future, reports The Post's Peter Holley. The top automaker will release two new electric models in 2018 and plan another 18 by 2023. The company did not explicitly say when it could stop producing gas and diesel vehicles altogether, but said a "zero emissions future" will require battery electric and hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles.

What's going on: GM and other car manufacturers with big U.S. footprints, including Ford, Volvo and Nissan, are also making an electric push. Meanwhile, Trump's EPA has indicated it intends to relax rules governing greenhouse gas emissions on new model cars.

So why are automakers doing it? Because the United Kingdom, France, India and, most importantly, China are all reviewing plans to phase out internal-combustion cars between 2030 and 2040. GM's announcement again demonstrates how even if the Trump administration avoids addressing global warming, climate policies in other countries can shape the behavior of U.S. companies that sell abroad.

-- Oil and gas back Trump's tax plan: So far, the Republican tax plan is short on details. But what the oil and gas industry does know about the proposal to overhaul the tax code doesn't have them too worried just yet. The Independent Petroleum Association of America called it a "positive step forward." API said the proposed changes would "strengthen the U.S. energy renaissance."

The lobbying groups say this even though, as Tim McDonnell writes in The Post, the GOP blueprint "limits some benefits that oil companies traditionally rely on, such as deductions for interest payments that make it easier to raise money for expensive infrastructure like pipelines."

So why is oil and gas happy? Because it could have been worse.

According to a 2015 Obama administration review, the U.S. oil and gas industry benefits from a bevy of specialized subsidies adding up to about $4.6 billion per year. Given how low oil prices are, many projects would be not make economic sense without the subsidies, some studies suggest. So for the U.S. oil and gas sector, anything close to the status quo is the way to go.

- - -

-- Count 'em: Here's another record broken by the 2017 Atlantic hurricane season. All told, Hurricanes Irma and Maria covered a total of 1,500 miles of territory as Category 5 storms, passing a record for the total distance traveled by a Category 5 storm in any Atlantic hurricane season. The Post's Ian Livingston writes: "This season will be remembered as a standout among those rare years in which multiple Category 5 storms formed... it's sort of hard to wrap your head around the fact that there is twice as much Category 5 track this year compared to 2005, a year widely considered the benchmark for the number and intensity of storms."

This Atlantic hurricane season has been the third-most active on record, Bloomberg News notes. Only in 1933 and 1940 did the Atlantic basin produce more tropical cyclones.

There's still about two months left to go.
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The Las Vegas gunman used a "bump stock'' to turn at least one rifle into something akin to an automatic weapon, as well as remote video cameras to alert him when police were closing in on his firing positions, according to law enforcement officials.

One of the cameras was placed on a room service food cart just outside Stephen Paddock's hotel room door, in what officials said was an apparent effort to get an early warning when police were about to break in. At least one other camera was positioned inside the room, apparently for the same reason, officials said.

People familiar with the investigation said the cameras were linked to a tablet device that allowed the gunman to "watch his back" for first responders while firing down on the concert crowd from his 32nd-story suite, killing 59 people and injuring more than 500 others.

The cameras and weaponry speak to what officials said Tuesday was a remarkable amount of planning and preparation by the shooter to increase the lethality of his attack. He may have used the cameras to ensure he was not captured alive, according to people familiar with the investigation.

When a SWAT team burst into his room, they found him dead on the floor, apparently having shot himself in the mouth with a silver, black-handled revolver.

Officials revealed more details of the 23-gun arsenal the shooter brought up to Room 32-135 of the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. He hauled them in suitcases and apparently was stealthy enough that hotel staff members never spotted the weapons and stacks of ammunition magazines.

Detectives believe he used a hammer to break out two windows in the large suite, then moved between the openings, alternating weapons as he alternated windows, according to people familiar with the investigation.

After the attack, investigators found another 19 guns at the shooter's home in Mesquite, Nev. Authorities say the weapons purchases appear to have been legal, some acquired at local stores near his home and others bought at chain retailers such as Cabela's.

Officials from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said Tuesday evening that 12 of the guns recovered in Las Vegas had "bump fire" stocks - devices that make semiautomatic weapons fire almost as fast as fully automatic weapons. Investigators are still working to determine how many guns in his arsenal the shooter used.

Agents from the FBI's headquarters were in Las Vegas to help collect evidence, some of which would be sent back to FBI labs for further testing and evaluation, Clark County Sheriff Joseph Lombardo said.

The arsenal included AR-15-type rifles, as well as an AK-47-type weapon, according to officials. Some of the weapons were mounted on bipods. At least one had a scope.

Photos obtained by local Boston affiliate Fox 25 show an AR-15-type rifle on the floor of the hotel room. The weapon has a bump- or slide-fire modification, said Cody Wilson, director of Defense Distributed, which primarily sells a gunmaking machine.

Bump-fire stocks, first made by the company Slide Fire, are legal modifications to the lower receiver of rifles that simulate automatic fire. The modified stock harnesses the energy from recoil, forcing the firing mechanism to move faster than originally designed, according to the Trace, a nonprofit website that examines gun violence in the United States. Numerous videos online, including from Slide Fire, demonstrate the mechanics.

The ATF decided in 2010 that bump stocks do not violate federal firearms laws.

The modified rifle with the bump-fire mechanism included a high-capacity magazine that could hold between 60 and 100 rounds, an EOTech-brand holographic sight and a forward hand grip - a key accessory that allows a shooter to push the rifle away from the body to bounce, or bump, the weapon into the trigger finger.

Those components used together in a weapon suggest a desire to quickly shoot a lot of automatic-like fire into masses of people without much concern for accuracy, as the recoil from simulated automatic fire would make it difficult to hit specific targets at long range. The concert stage was between 400 and 500 yards from the hotel.

"He obviously tried this out before he was in the hotel room," Wilson said. He added that his initial conclusion from audio of the gunfire pointed to a bump modification on at least one weapon. The fire rate was inconsistent with a weapon originally designed to fire automatically, Wilson said.

Another photographed weapon, however, shows a meticulous collection of accessories indicating that the shooter also readied himself for precision fire.

An AR-15-type weapon is shown mounted with a magnification scope commonly used for hunting, which assists in focusing on individual targets for single shots. The bipod legs at the front of the weapon would have been used to steady the rifle on hard surfaces, such as a table, a move that could have provided distance from the window that would help conceal smoke and gunfire flashes.

That weapon did not appear to have been modified beyond the accessories, Wilson said.

Las Vegas officials have opened an internal investigation into how the photos of the crime scene became public.

Lombardo said authorities have recovered .223-caliber weapons - associated with AR-15-style rifles - as well as at least one .308 rifle - a caliber common for hunting game. Lombardo was unsure whether any of the weapons were originally designed as automatic, or whether any illegal modifications were used on other weapons.

Other controversial yet legal modifications can simulate automatic fire, such as attachable cranks, gunmetal versions of a jack-in-the-box handle that attach to the weapon and strike the trigger faster than a finger can. A crank can be bought online for as little as $40.

Modifications such as the bump stock and crank do not technically qualify adapted rifles as automatic weapons or machine guns, which are legal but difficult to obtain and highly regulated in the United States. Those weapons are commonly found at gun shows and firing ranges, including one near Las Vegas that allows customers to shoot military-grade weapons.

The high number of firearms found at the hotel suggest a concern for overheating rifle barrels. The barrels can reach several hundred degrees, turning orange and even blue as rounds travel thousands of feet per second through them. In one crime-scene photo published by the Daily Mail, the gunman appears to be wearing a glove on his left hand, probably for holding a smoking-hot barrel.

- - -

Video: McConnell: 'Premature' to discuss gun-control legislation

After a shooting in Las Vegas left at least 59 people dead and injured hundreds, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Oct. 3 said it is "premature to be discussing legislative solutions if there are any" on gun control.

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Former Equifax chief executive Richard Smith was grilled by animated lawmakers Tuesday, during the first congressional hearing after the company disclosed a massive security breach.

Lawmakers from both parties questioned Smith on his role at the embattled credit reporting agency and indicated that tighter data security standards are long overdue.

Rep. Greg Walden, R-Ore., the chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, described Equifax's response to the breach as "ham-fisted" and "unacceptable," echoing several other lawmakers on the panel. In a remarkable exchange, Walden held up a thick stack of paper, which he said was a full Equifax consumer credit report, and asked Smith how such a sophisticated company responsible for so much data could allow the breach to occur. "How does this happen?" he said, with exasperation.

Smith confirmed at the hearing that intruders were able to penetrate the company's network by exploiting a known vulnerability that Equifax had failed to patch. But for the first time, Smith acknowledged that the employee responsible for assigning a correction to that vulnerability failed to do so, even though that person knew the patch was needed.

Smith also fielded questions concerning reports that his former colleagues sold an unusual amount of stock after the breach was known to the company but before it was disclosed to the public. Smith said that at the time, Equifax knew only that suspicious activity had been detected, and not that personal information had been stolen from the company. "To the best of my knowledge they did not know," Smith said.

The former Equifax chief executive declined to directly answer whether Equifax suspects a nation state was involved in the breach. "I have no opinion," he said, when asked by Rep. Leonard Lance, R-N.J., several times. Smith said that the FBI is involved.

The morning hearing before the House Digital Commerce and Consumer Protection subcommittee has been a fact-finding mission - one peppered with public reprimands and calls for sweeping improvements. Lawmakers said that they want to hold Equifax accountable for what they called glaring security lapses, a limp response to widespread outrage and possible insider trading.

The hearing comes a day after Equifax said that the data of an additional 2.5 million consumers may have been compromised by the cyber breach, bringing the total number of consumers who may have been affected to a staggering 145.5 million.

Last week, Equifax tried to get ahead of what may be an intense round of questioning. On Thursday, the company announced a new, free service that will allow consumers to lock and unlock their credit information for life, starting next year. It has also been considering clawbacks for some of its executives, according to the Wall Street Journal. But that may not be enough for lawmakers and consumer advocates who have asked the credit agency for more extensive remedies and protections. There have even been calls to change the entire credit reporting industry.

While many high-profile companies have suffered damaging data breaches, the Equifax hack stands out because of the company's sprawling influence on American commerce. The crucial, identifying information belonging to millions of people, including Social Security numbers and home addresses, may have been compromised.

The hack has prompted dozens of lawmakers, state attorneys general and federal agencies to examine the breach. Security experts have said that the ripple effects will be felt for years to come and that the ultimate costs are hard to discern.

After Equifax disclosed the breach in September, the public outcry was swift and resounding. Reports quickly surfaced that several Equifax executives had sold an unusual amount of stock after the company discovered the breach but before it was made public. Not only did consumers feel exposed after learning that their sensitive information may have been stolen, but they also were angered by Equifax's bungled response. The call center was understaffed, and a help website that the company put up had the trademarks of a phishing scam while offering little guidance as how to protect affected people, experts and consumers said.

A week later, the company's chief security officer and the chief information officer announced their sudden retirements. Then Smith, the former chief executive, said that he, too, would step down.

Smith will also testify in three other hearings this week. It's not clear whether the company's attempts at reform will preempt new cybersecurity regulations backed by some lawmakers.

Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., chairman of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology and the Law, another panel that will question Smith, told The Washington Post in a statement that he hopes the hearing before his committee will offer insight into how data brokers can better protect sensitive information from large-scale breaches. Democrats Rep. Ted Lieu, Calif., and Sen. Mark Warner, Va., said the hearings would help build momentum for a federal data breach notification law. Echoing the concerns of their constituents, many lawmakers stressed their unease with Equifax's delayed disclosure.

"This reemphasizes the need for data breach legislation, so there is a standard - so you don't have a company decide when they want to disclose when a breach has occurred," Warner said.
The Pentagon's top leaders defended the Trump administration's new strategy for Afghanistan in detail Tuesday, saying that it will last as long as is needed and includes provisions under which U.S. troops will be placed alongside Afghan troops at lower levels of command to provide them with better coalition air support.

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and Marine Gen. Joseph Dunford Jr., the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, described the strategy in separate hearings before the Senate and House armed services committee as an effort to win, rather than not lose, a conflict that began 16 years ago. They faced skeptical lawmakers, including committee chairman John McCain, R-Ariz., who lambasted a lack of transparency by the administration about its plans.

"In the six weeks since the president made his announcement, this committee and the Congress, more broadly, still does not know many of the crucial details of this strategy," McCain said. "This is totally unacceptable. I repeat: This is totally unacceptable."

The hearings mark the first time that Mattis and Dunford have elaborated in great detail on what they call President Donald Trump's "South Asia Strategy." Trump announced Aug. 21 that he would continue U.S. involvement in the war in Afghanistan and send a few thousand more troops, even though his initial instinct told him not to do so.

Citing a desire to keep enemy forces off-balance, the Trump administration has declined to disclose some commonly released details about the plan, including exactly how many additional troops will deploy. Mattis has said about 3,000 U.S. troops will join 11,000 American forces and 6,800 additional international troops from allied nations. McCain and defense officials, speaking on condition of anonymity in order to describe Pentagon deliberations, put the number of additional U.S. troops at closer to 3,500.

Mattis, a retired Marine general who once commanded troops in Afghanistan, said that Afghan commandos who have fought with U.S. military advisers alongside them "have won every time they have fought the enemy," and that those who have fought alone "have not won." The Pentagon is adding more Special Operations troops for that purpose, Mattis said, as well as more U.S. advisers so that when a conventional Afghan unit carries out offensive operations, they will have them.

Some of the additional U.S. military advisers will be assigned to work with an Afghan corps, a large unit that includes thousands of soldiers. Within that corps, there will be a brigade of a few thousand Afghan soldiers working closely with American advisers, enabling a kandak - a unit of a several hundred Afghan soldiers - to better carry out offensive operations, Mattis said.

"They have not had them in the last several years, and that means they were not able to get swift access to NATO air support and fire support," he added.

McCain, who often criticized the administration of former president Barack Obama for its decisions on Afghanistan, said that he admires Mattis and Dunford, but that he thinks the amount of information they have shared about their plans is severely lacking. Ending the Obama administration's "foolish policy of arbitrary timetables for withdrawal" and shifting to a conditions-based approach in Afghanistan was encouraging, McCain said, but more information is needed.

Mattis introduced a new acronym to explain the Trump administration's plan: R4+S. It stands for regionalizing the approach to consider involvement by India, Pakistan, Iran, Russia and China, realigning the military effort to put more U.S. advisers at the brigade and battalion levels of Afghan units, reinforcing the effort with additional U.S. troops, looking for ways to reconcile with "fence-sitters" in Afghanistan who might work with the government, and making sure that the 320,000 Afghan forces are sustained as they face a tough fight.

The Trump administration has stressed that pressing the Pakistani government about its relationships with extremist organizations in Afghanistan will be part of the equation. Mattis and Dunford said that broadly, that will require the United States to build more support internationally to sway Pakistan from doing so. More specifically, Mattis plans to visit Islamabad soon, he said.

Mattis said there are several signs that the situation on the ground in Afghanistan is changing. He cited a recent decline in the Afghan military's fatalities and a boost in U.S. airstrikes as examples, without providing specific statistics. The number of airstrikes, Mattis said, are higher than at any point since 2012, as the Obama administration's surge in troops there came to a close.

"That's a tactical effect that will make the Afghan army bolder, and it will give them more opportunities militarily to take the fight to the enemy," Mattis said. "And that would be the way, as we take the fight to the enemy, we convince the Taliban, 'You're not going to win this by killing.'"

Dunford, who was the top general in Afghanistan under Obama from February 2013 to August 2014, said that the decision to reduce military advising to conventional Afghan forces, along with aviation, artillery and intelligence support beginning in January 2015 left the Afghan military without the support they needed on the battlefield.

"My military assessment is that we drew down our advisory effort and combat support for the Afghan forces too far and too fast," Dunford said. "As a result, the Taliban expanded territorial and population control and inflicted significant casualties on the Afghan army and police, while the campaign lost momentum."
Wells Fargo CEO Tim Sloan appeared in front of the Senate Banking Committee in Washington Tuesday morning to testify about the banks efforts to address a scandal that severely damaged the companys reputation. Last year, Wells Fargo disclosed that employees created up to 2 million fraudulent accounts in the names of real consumers in order to hit aggressive sales goals. The bank has since admitted that the number of accounts may actually be 3.5 million.

9 a.m.  The hearing is over.

8:31 a.m.  Sloan says the bank could not take action on the LA Times story because the newspaper would not provide information before publication.

8:30 a.m.  Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, D-ND, notes that Sloan said that he was not aware of several pieces of information. "What else were you not aware of?" She adds that Wells Fargo should not have to rely on the LA Times to provide information in order to discover wrongdoing.

8:12 a.m.  Sloan says Wells Fargo has now centralized enterprise risk management. He suggests that's why the company missed the scandal.

8:03 a.m.  Sen. Schatz: So you're too big.

8:03 a.m.  Sloan: We serve one out of three customers. The bank employs a lot of people.

8:02 a.m.  Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, asks: Why shouldn't the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (a federal bank regulator) revoke Wells Fargo's charter?

7:53 a.m.  Sen. Warren to Sloan: "You lied." She says Sloan enabled the fake account scam and was at best incompetent, at worst complicit. You need to be fired."

7:53 a.m.  Sloan says that since he become CEO, he made fundamental changes to the company.

7:52 a.m.  Warren quotes Sloan as saying that the banks "fundamental strategy will not change."

7:49 a.m.  Warren notes that in a Los Angeles Times story, Sloan said he wasnt aware of a problem with the banks sales culture. Sloan said the newspaper did not provide any information.

7:48 a.m.  Warren: I read transcripts. No one bragged more, not even John Stumpf (the former Wells Fargo CEO who resigned last year), about opening new accounts.

7:47 a.m.  Sloan: "No I didn't."

7:46 a.m.  Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-MA, notes Sloan served as the banks chief financial officer and spoke to investors a lot. He aggressively promoted bank's ability to open new accounts, she says.

7:45 a.m.  Sloan says Wells Fargo has hired 17,000 branch employees since September. Ten percent of that number were rehires, including people the bank dismissed for not meeting sales goals.

7:43 a.m.  Sloan says yes.

7:42 a.m.  Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) asks if Sloan is confident that 3.5 million possible fake accounts is the right number.

7:40 a.m.  Sloan says "We're not doing it," of forced arbitration with regard to accounts that were used to make fake accounts.

7:39 a.m. Sloan commits that the bank "will make it right" for consumers on fake accounts. He hedges on whether the bank will not used forced arbitration.

7:37 a.m.  Sloan says that "listening to (employees) changes culture."

7:34 a.m.  Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana asks Sloan what has been done to change the banks culture. "If we're here again six months from now, it will not be good."

7:32 a.m.  Sloan says the bank didn't examine accounts prior to 2009, the merger of Wells Fargo and Wachovia.

7:29 a.m.  "I'm not against big. I'm against dumb." -- Sen John Kennedy, R- Lousiana.

7:28 a.m.  Sloan says Wells Fargo made fundamental changes to its business that will limit the need for arbitration.

7:25 a.m.  Sen. Brown says that forced arbitration always favors the bank.

7:25 a.m.  Sloan says the bank will not abandon forced arbitration.

7:23 a.m.  Sloan says the bank acted too slow.

7:22 a.m.  Sen. Brown: We still don't have a good answer on how this happened. Prior to 2015, did you see any problems with bank?

7:19 a.m.  Sloan says 41,000 people responded to banks request for information from people concerned about credit scores. Half of them had impacted credit scores.

7:18 a.m.  Sen. Crapo asks: How is Wells Fargo compensating people for impacted credit scores?

7:17 a.m.  Sloan: "If there is a problem, we want to hear about it." Sloan completes remarks. Questions from senators begin.

7:15 a.m.  Sloan says that the bank always expected there were more fraudulent accounts.

7:12 a.m.  Sloan: "I also want to be clear about another thing: Wells Fargo is a better bank today than it was a year ago. And next year, Wells Fargo will be a better bank than it is today. That is because we have spent the past year determined to earn back the publics trust."

7:12 a.m.  Wells Fargo CEO Tim Sloan starts prepared remarks, which read, in part: Let me be very clear about this: I am deeply sorry for letting down our customers and team members.

I apologize for the damage done to all the people who work and bank at this important American institution. When the challenges at Wells Fargo demanded decisive action, the banks leaders acted too slowly and too incrementally. That was unacceptable.

7:09 a.m.  "Has the bank changed?" asked ranking Democrat Sherrod Brown. He accuses the bank of deliberating hiding information or misleading people. He adds: "It's no wonder the public doesn't trust our financial institutions.

7:03 a.m.  Senate Banking Committee Chairman Mike Crapo notes companys recent disclosures about finding possible new fraudulent accounts and misconduct in auto insurance business.

These new developments raise questions about Wells Fargos behavior, he said.

7:02 a.m.  Hearing starts. The Senators acknowledge Las Vegas shootings

Thomas Lee is a San Francisco Chronicle columnist. Email: tlee@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ByTomLee
Immediately after the state rested its case Monday against a former H-E-B executive accused of possessing and promoting child pornography, the defense presented its only witness, a digital forensics examiner, who could neither confirm nor deny that John Morgan Campbell manipulated computer images.

Campbell, 66, a former vice president at the San Antonio-based grocer who is widely credited with developing H-E-Bs Central Market stores is accused of possessing and sending lewd digital images of underage boys in 2014. He was arrested after another H-E-B employee contacted police after receiving a pornographic image from the executive, who told police that he accidentally attached the object in an email.
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Stephen Paddocks lethal attack on a Las Vegas country music festival Sunday night was distinguished from most mass shootings by two features: the size of the arsenal he smuggled into the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino and the great height from which he shot.

With a cache of 17 mostly powerful firearms, Paddock, 64, smashed the windows of his 32nd floor hotel room and then, from high above the Las Vegas Strip, sprayed bullets down on 20,000 people listening to country music star Jason Aldean.

One of the weapons Paddock apparently used in the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history was an AK-47 type rifle, with a stand to steady it for firing, according to people familiar with the case.

Investigators believe at least one of the guns functioned as if it were fully automatic and are now working to determine if he modified it or others to be capable of spitting out a high volume of fire just by holding down the trigger, people familiar with the case said.

The ATF hasnt evaluated them yet, Las Vegas sheriff Joseph Lombardo said at a news conference Monday evening.

But video from the attack suggests Paddock may have used at least one fully automatic rifle, marking the first time such a weapon has been wielded by a public mass shooter in the United States, experts said.

I really cant recall another case where one has been used, said James Alan Fox, a Northeastern University criminologist who studies mass shooters and believes Paddock was armed with an automatic weapon when he killed at least 59 people and set off chaos that injured more than 500.

It doesnt take that much imagination to know what automatic gunfire sounds like, Fox added. Anyone who has seen a war movie or an Untouchables episode knows what it sounds like.

To Fox and others, the Las Vegas rampage represents a frightening turn in the nations struggle to stop mass shootings.

In addition to Paddocks choice of weaponry, mass shooting experts were struck by his decision to shoot at the concertgoers from high above, rather than walking through the crowd or firing from a nearby secluded spot on the ground.

The tactic echoed two earlier mass shootings, most notably Charles Whitmans 1966 attack from atop the University of Texas Tower. The ex-Marine sharpshooter killed 17 and wounded more than 30, including a pregnant student shot in the belly.

A decade later, Michael Soles, a 19-year-old dumped by his girlfriend, chose the top of a Holiday Inn in Wichita, Kansas, to shoot and kill three people while wounding eight others.

But Paddock was far higher than either Whitman or Soles. Lombardo estimated that he was shooting at victims at least 500 yards away.

Investigators are working to determine if Paddock modified the AK-47 with mechanical components to make it fully automatic, which is illegal, or if he used a legal modification like an attachable crank, which depresses the trigger faster than a finger and can be bought online for as little as $40.

Automatic firearms have been heavily restricted in the United States since 1986, when Congress passed the Firearm Owners Protection Act.

Under the law, such weapons made prior to 1986 can be legally owned following a stringent background check and registration of the gun. Last year, the ATF sent a letter to the National Firearms Act Trade and Collectors Association saying that 490,664 automatic weapons were registered in a government database.

Gun owners with technical know-how can illegally modify rifles to make them automatic. But the industry also sells legal add-ons that can make semiautomatic rifles such as the AR-15 mimic automatic fire.

Gun purchase records indicate Paddock legally bought more than two dozen firearms over a period of years, according to a person close to the investigation.

Guns & Guitars, a shop in Mesquite, Nevada, released a statement acknowledging that Paddock bought guns at the store, but passed all necessary background checks. He never gave any indication or reason to believe he was unstable or unfit at any time. We are currently cooperating with the ongoing investigation by local and federal law enforcement in any way we can.

Lombardo said Paddock brought the weapons to his hotel room, probably concealed in a duffle bag or some other way.

When he began firing, Paddocks victims were confused, defenseless and easy targets as police scrambled to find where the shots were coming from. Las Vegas first responders found Paddock after smoke from his rifles set off fire alarms in his hotel room.

Adam Lankford, a University of Alabama criminologist who studies mass killers, said attacking from such a high location gave Paddock a tactical advantage that rendered moot everything Americans have been taught to do in mass shooting situations - to run from the gunfire, hide or even fight back if encountering the shooter.

The people below are at a clear disadvantage, Lankford said. Theyre helpless.

Paddock also had the advantage of time.

The vast majority of active shooter incidents end within five minutes, with the shooter being stopped by police, bystanders or their own suicides, according to an FBI study of attacks between 2000 and 2013.

Paddock is believed to have killed himself as police closed in, but had ample time before officers arrived to reload and switch rifles if one overheated or malfunctioned. Lombardo said he had used multiple weapons.

Fox, the Northeastern University professor, said the apparent automatic-style firing combined with an elevated shooting position is what led to the extraordinary victim count. If Paddock had been on the ground, Fox said, he still would have killed a lot of people, but he would have been overtaken more quickly.

Now, for experts who study these horrifying events, there is concern about what happens next.

There have been studies suggesting that contagion plays a crucial role in mass shootings - that one shooting leads to another. Will other shooters go for automatic firepower? Will tall buildings become coveted shooting perches?

Fox is concerned about those issues, but hes most troubled by news organizations repeating that Paddocks attack is the worst mass shooting in modern U.S. history. Mass shooters typically revere their predecessors and often leave writings or other evidence (charts, lists, etc.) that show attempts to set new killing records.

Why do we keep such records? Fox said. Thats more of an enticement to follow in his footsteps than anything else.
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SACRAMENTO  Two teachers and a school office manager from California were among the people killed in the Las Vegas massacre, school officials said Monday.

Jennifer Parks, a kindergarten teacher in Palmdale was in her third year at Anaverde Hills School in the Westside Union School District, and special education teacher Sandy Casey, taught special-education at Manhattan Beach Middle School for nine years. Both were killed, according to officials in their districts.

A school office manager, Susan Smith, in the Simi Valley School District was also killed, said Jake Finch, a spokeswoman for the Simi Valley School District.

She was a wonderful teacher, Westside Union Superintendent Regina Rossall said of Parks. She loved her job, she loved her family. She was a teacher who loved coming to school, you could see it in her face. Its been a very sad day.

Rossall said Parks has a child who attends the school.

Its been an extremely difficult day for the school, she said.

Manhattan Beach Unified School District officials informed parents on Monday morning that Casey was among those killed in Las Vegas.

She is loved by students and colleagues alike and will be remembered for her sense of humor, her passion for her work, her devotion to her students, and her commitment to continuing her own learning and to taking on whatever new projects came her way, the district said in a statement. She has made a tremendous difference in the lives of her students and their families, many of whom worked with her over multiple years.

Finch said Smith, 53, was an office manager at Vista Fundamental School for the past three years, but had spent 16 years with the district.

She was amazing, Finch said. She was kind and patient with staff and kids alike, which is important in that position.

Eric Heins, president of the California Teachers Association, said the teachers union is offering their assistance as the long process of healing begins.

A tragedy of this magnitude once again forces teachers and school support professionals to try and answer the unanswerable, and to do our best to reassure our students, to allay their fears, to comfort those experiencing loss, and to continue to ensure that our schools remain safe places for all students, Heins said in a statement.

Melody Gutierrez is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mgutierrez@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @MelodyGutierrez
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More Hill St blues

I write in response to your article regarding Auckland Transports proposed new Matakana link road route (MM September 20). AT says that out of 221 submissions on this new link road, 35 per cent were in favour of Option D and that 28 per cent favoured option A. The other options didnt get a mention. All these options run almost parallel to one another, with all options exiting onto SH1 about 250m north of the showgrounds entrance and about 250m south of the new Auckland motorway on/off ramps  near the old weigh station building. I attended the AT public presentations at the Mahurangi Rugby Club earlier this year. I spoke with three people and asked them this question: Why has AT not considered having this link road come out further north so it comes on to SH1 directly opposite the new on/off ramps to the Auckland motorway? All three answered that about 90 per cent of all who attended throughout the day had asked the same question. Nearly all these people thought the AT options were completely wrong. I also wrote on my submission that this proposed road coming out near the showgrounds would become the new Hill St within three to four years of it opening, due to the fact that all vehicles travelling to and from Matakana, Leigh, Omaha and Warkworth would have to stop at this new intersection before going through to the proposed roundabouts to get on to the new motorway. A direct connection would eliminate this intersection. How come AT has taken no notice? If they did, they would find that they would have a bigger percentage of support. Surely the direct link between the motorway and this proposed link road is by far the best option  unfortunately we were not asked. One has to ask Auckland: Is anyone down there listening to what the people of this area actually want? Obviously Big City knows better, or so they think.

Maurice Purdy, Kaipara Flats

Info on roads

Regarding your front-page article Money down the potholes (MM September 20). I would like to inform the residents of Rodney that there is a set maintenance schedule for all the unsealed roads in the Rodney district. The company who holds the road maintenance contract is contracted and paid to grade and maintain all unsealed roads to that contracted schedule. Under the Official Information Act, any resident of Rodney district can obtain the maintenance schedule for their road. This schedule will then show the residents how many times a year their road is contracted by Auckland Council to be graded and maintained.

The easy way to obtain the road maintenance schedule is to email officialinformation@at.govt.nz. Use wording similar to Under the Official Information Act please supply the road maintenance schedule for  and type the name of the road you live in. You can also request maintenance work on your road by going on the Council website. It is a good idea to keep a written record of all correspondence, requests for maintenance, and actual maintenance on your road. I personally have been keeping a written record since 2007 for the road in which I live.

Margaret Skilton, Warkworth (Abridged)

Hostel campaign

Campaigners are desperately trying to rally support to prevent the closure of the iconic Opoutere Youth Hostel near Whangamata and YHA members living in the Mahurangi Matters circulation area could be the ones who may make the difference. The Youth Hostel Association of NZ national board has made a unilateral decision to close the much loved hostel next Easter in defiance of a notice of motion to be considered at the organisations annual meeting in Wellington on October 28. Anybody with an interest in saving Opoutere should register their support on Facebook at Save Opoutere YHA Hostel.

David Wildish, spokesperson Save Opoutere Youth Hostel Campaign (Abridged)
After two visits to Thailand, I have fallen in love with Thai food. It is fresh and simple (my most adored combination), and it is full of flavour. Generally, the Thais dont use all the mass-produced, gluten-rich products that we often do in our meals. They work with fresh local produce  meat, seafood, vegetables, fruit, herbs, and spices. Now that it is spring, and I see beautiful new green shoots and blossoms appearing, I cant help thinking about the fresh coriander and chillies in a sensational Thai dish that I love, Pad Thai. Its really popular among tourists, served roadside by many a Thai street vendor, and fairly easy to whip up. It contains ingredients that (aside from the shrimp paste and fish sauce) are not foreign to your average Kiwi home cook, and it doesnt even take that long to make. Now that we have warm spring temperatures, I feel the time is right to share a rendition of this dish with you.

Ill take a Pad Thai, please

200g thick rice noodles (no need to specialty shop, you can buy these at most supermarkets)

3 tablespoons of oil (preferably peanut oil)

3 eggs

 teaspoon of shrimp paste (most often needs to be purchased from an Asian supermarket)

1-3 red chillies, finely diced

400g chicken breast (sliced in to small-medium chunks) or 400g fresh prawns with tails on, peeled and deveined

3 fresh spring onions, finely diced

1/3 cup fish sauce (most often needs to be purchased from an Asian supermarket)

1/3 cup lime juice

1  tablespoons brown sugar

1  cups fresh bean sprouts

 cup fresh coriander leaves

 cup garlic chives (the dish can survive without these)

 cup plain roasted peanuts, chopped roughly

Place the noodles in a heat-proof dish, cover with boiling water and then the bowl with a kitchen cloth. Leave to soften.

Place a non-stick deep dish pan on high heat  a wok works splendidly if you have one.

When things really start to warm up, quickly crack all three eggs in to the pan. Swirl them around until they are only just cooked. Remove the eggs from the pan and set aside, clean the pan ready to re-use. When softened, drain your noodles, rinse briefly under cold water, and toss them with two tablespoons of your oil. Set them aside for later.

Place one tablespoon of oil in your pan and return it to high heat. Add the shrimp paste, making sure that you havent used more than the specified amount. Shrimp paste is quite potent stuff. Simmer for a minute or two until fragrant. Throw in your chopped chillies, and your chunks of chicken or prawns, and toss everything about. Cook for approximately three minutes.

Add noodles, sliced spring onions, fish sauce, lime juice and brown sugar. Toss everything together, cooking for a further three minutes. Finally, add your cooked egg, bean sprouts, garlic chives, and coriander leaves and toss over high heat for one last minute. Pour everything on to a big beautiful serving dish, and drizzle all the roughly cut peanut pieces over the top. Give everyone a bowl and a fork, and let them tuck in. Deliciousness!

by Nicola Bolton

rosierambino@outlook.com
The record amount of rainfall in January and February has delayed the completion of forest clearance on 11ha of Auckland Council land near Leigh until next summer.

Contractor Woodbank began harvesting the pine trees between Ti Point and Leigh Roads last July and was due to finish the job between January and March.

However, although workers managed to fell 80 per cent of the trees, exceptionally heavy rains in the early part of this year scuppered any chances of finishing the job. Woodbank founder and director Darrin Collett says the wet weather played havoc with this and other local jobs.

We missed the season; every couple of weeks there was a cyclone, he says.

They need six weeks of dry weather before they can restart cutting the Ti Point Road trees to minimise the risk of environmental damage to Whangateau Harbour.

Theres 20 per cent left and its all coastal. If it wasnt dry, that would mean sediment into the harbour, and were not going to have that, so it will be next summer, Darrin says.

Once the land, which is zoned Rural Coastal, has been cleared, its future remains uncertain. Auckland Council said that, potentially, a limited number of lifestyle blocks could be developed on the land, but this would require resource consents and a large area of revegetation planting to be established.

In addition, a thorough risk assessment would be required, since the site was formerly used for landfill and, before that, quarrying.

For example, the former quarry sites  which were subsequently landfilled  require specific geotechnical risk assessment, a Council spokesman said. The catchments around the former quarry and landfill sites are steep and there are stormwater design and performance issues to consider as part of an overall risk assessment.

He added that the landfill sites would also require further investigation to better understand the risks and opportunities in any future development of the land, which there are no plans for at present.

The forest was planted 25 years ago and was originally due to be harvested in 2013. However, the discovery of kauri snails, a protected species, led to its postponement and some 50 snails and 22 eggs were subsequently discovered and relocated to Auckland Zoo.


The Ministry of Education has agreed that Gulf Harbour School can drop its provision of Year 7 and 8 classes.

The schools board applied to drop the classes in May (the process is known as decapitation).

Last month it was formally advised that the Ministry agreed it could close the Year 7 and 8 classes from next January.

The school is working with students and families during the transition.
Years in the bricklaying trade all over the world has given Arkles Bay businessman John Sunter an appreciation of how outdoor spaces can be improved.

Originally from Lancashire, in England, John spent nearly four years with Volunteer Service Overseas (VSO) teaching bricklaying in Kenya. Then, a casual conversation with an Irishman in a pub took him to Connecticut, in the US, where he worked on a number of housing projects. After leaving that job, he returned to the UK as an external foreman/site agent for a construction company involved in large commercial developments such as hotels and supermarkets.

My wife Helena and I first came to NZ when my parents were here on a six-month holiday, he says. We fell in love with the country and as soon as we returned home, we started thinking about moving here permanently.

John says one of the first things he noticed when he started work on the Coast was how little choice there was in external surfaces. He started researching kiln-dried aggregates, which he had used in the UK, and recently set-up his new business Gravel Bound.

Were not trying to replace concrete or timber, but are offering another option  an option that is durable, easy to maintain and looks fantastic.

The aggregate, from Central Otago and Invercargill, is bonded with high performance polyurethane resins and comes in a range of finishes including matt or gloss.

The mixture is mixed wet and hand trowelled for a seamless finish, and the result is a permeable paving that is ideal for covering existing concrete floors or timber decking.

It is overlaid as a veneer finish, which allows water to follow existing drainage channels. Given that 40 per cent of any section in Auckland has to be permeable, the aggregate is ideal for people who have already reached that limit. The flooring can be used in a variety of outdoor settings such as in boat storage and BBQ areas.

John says he and Helena, and their dog Ozzie, who travelled with them from the UK via Perth, love the Coast lifestyle.

One of the challenges of introducing a new product like this is changing peoples thinking so they can see there are other ways of accomplishing a good finish, he says.
Entering the threshold of October has brought many things: whether its Halloween or the Mooncake Festival, this month plays host to a slew of hubbub and commotion. Incidentally, the beginning of the tenth month gives way to another prestigious celebration: Deepavali.

Distinguished as an auspicious time for Hindus, Deepavali is celebrated to spiritually symbolise the ultimate triumph of good over evil; hence aptly named the Festival of the Lights due to the devout belief of the lights prevalence over darkness.

During this festive season, one can expect fragrant flower garlands, exquisite Henna designs, Rangoli patterns and of course, the symbolic oil lamps. However, if theres one thing we are looking forward to, it would be the sugary Deepavali treats! As self-proclaimed gluttons, the very thought of saccharine Ladoo balls, mouth-watering Gulab Jamun and creamy Kheer pudding, has us foaming at the mouth!

Primarily consisting of traditional Indian spices (think Cardamom, Saffron and Rosewater), milk, sugar and coconut, Deepavali treats are a welcomed deviation from the norm! Sample cultural delights like the deep-fried Jaleebi (pictured above)- bathed in sugar syrup and drizzled with Saffron, this Pretzel-esque treat will leave you longing for more.

Weve taken the liberty to round up the best spots in Singapore to satisfy your sugar fix this Deepavali. From high-end eateries like the Tiffin Room, to the humble Ajmir Store, these establishments promise delectable treats to binge on this festive season!

Ashley Anand

READ MORE:

Festive Food: Where to go for your Deepavali dinner?

Diwali Fashion: What to wear for the Festival of Lights?

Curry, Spice, And Everything Nice: 6 Best Indian restaurants to try in Singapore
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LONGMEADOW -- The new owners of the historic Brewer-Young home on Longmeadow's Town Green will present their preliminary $2-million renovation plan to the Planning Board Wednesday night.

Henry Clement, owner of Innovative Building and Design in Granby, said he and his partners have early-stage drawings showing how they hope to arrange parking and a proposed floor plan for the renovations to the 11,000-square-foot mansion's interior.

"We are all systems go," Clement said Tuesday.

Clement's partners in the project are financial services professional Christopher Orszulak and Dr. Andrew Lam, an ophthalmologist and eye surgeon. The three men, acting under the name Longmeadow Historic Preservation Partners Inc., bought the 1885 neoclassical mansion at 734 Longmeadow St. in August for $470,200 from JP Morgan Chase Bank.

The bank took the property in a foreclosure in 2014 and had the previous occupants evicted by sheriff's deputies in 2015. Since then, the house has been empty.

The new plan is to renovate it into a new home for the medical practice of plastic surgeon Dr. Glen Brooks and for his Spa on the Green medical day spa, which are currently located a few doors away at 776 Longmeadow St.

"We are all systems go on this thing once we get the proper approvals," Clement said.

But the medical office and day spa would require changing the zoning on the property from residential to professional. That's a tall order in a town where development is highly regulated and many don't want to see commercial uses on the Green.

Wednesday's meeting -- 7 p.m. at Longmeadow High School, 535 Bliss Road, in room A15 -- is informational only. No vote is scheduled on the matter.

Town Manager Stephen J. Crane said the zoning change would require approval at a Town Meeting. Such a meeting might be called for the spring of 2018.

Converting to a professional use is the best way to save the building, Crane said.

"I know the partners are open to public input," he said. "But they are committed to their general plan, which I think is a very good plan."

Clement said his preliminary estimate for the project is $2 million. He and his partners would rent the property to Brooks.

Renovating the home into a modern single family home with updated mechanical systems and a repaired exterior would cost $1.5 million in construction alone.

That's just not financially feasible, as the property wouldn't be worth that much even after all the work, Clement said.

"There is no one who is spending that kind of money on a single family home locally," Clement said. "If you have property in Wellesley? If you have property in Westchester County, New York? OK."

The Rev. Samuel Wolcott, who wrote more than 200 Christian hymns, was the first to live in the home. Edward Brewer bought it in 1901.

It was later owned by Ida Young of W.F. young and Absorbine fame. She named the property Meadowview Farms, entertained lavishly there. She died in 1960 at the age of 95. The home stayed in the family into the 1990s but then changed hands.

The mansion has 11 bedrooms, five full bathrooms and three half baths. It features a living room-ballroom, marble floors in the front foyer, leather embossed wallpaper on the first floor and Egyptian-themed murals. Its glassed-in conservatory was based on the Crystal Palace from the Great Exhibition of 1851 in London.
BY RAY KELLY | rkelly@repub.com

From a haunted mansion in the Berkshire to a Cape Cod farm crawling with the undead, Massachusetts has more than its share of chills planned for the Halloween.

There are scary hayrides, graveyard tours and more awaiting revelers in the days and weeks leading up to Halloween.

Here are some of the highlights:

Don't Edit

Factory of Terror in Fall River and Worcester

Factory of Terror bills itself as New England's premier haunted house with scare shops set up at 33 Pearl St. in Fall River and 201 Grafton St. in Worcester. It is open Friday and Saturday nights in October, as well as Halloween and some Sunday nights. Adult tickets are priced at $32 with online discounts available. For more details, visit factoryofterror.com

Don't Edit

Monster Mash Haunted Hayride at McCray's Farm in South Hadley

McCray's Farm, Friday, Saturday and Sunday now through Oct. 29, 55 Alvord St., South Hadley, 7 p.m. until the lines end with a Munchkin Mash Kiddie Hayride from 5:30 p.m. to 6:45 p.m., Monster Mash is $25 for those over 52 inches, $15 under 52 inches, and $5 ages 2 and older for Munchkin Mash; call 413-533-0775 or visit www.fearonthefarm.com

Don't Edit

Fright Fest at Six Flags New England

Six Flags New England, weekends through Oct. 29, at 1623 Main St., Agawam. There is plenty of fun for youngsters during the daylight hours, but the chills begin with the sun goes down. Tickets and special discounts available on website, for hours call 413-786-9300 or visit www.sixflags.com/newengland

Don't Edit

Harvest of Horrors in East Falmouth

The longest continuously running haunted attraction on Cape Cod. Enjoy a chilling haunted hayride across 20 acres of farm land, followed by a hike through the creepy forest at Tony Andrews' Farm in East Falmouth. Thrills and chills at every turn! Frightful fun for the whole family, this event is recommended for adults and children 12 and over. Tickets are $13; harvestofhorrors.com

Don't Edit

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Rebecca Rosko, left, and her husband Steve Brown, right, in the roles of characters from the horror movie "Nightmare Before Christmas," walk through downtown Salem, Mass. during the annual Halloween parade. (AP file photo)

STEVEN SENNE

Salem Haunted Happenings in Salem

In a city where everyday is Halloween, late October is frighteningly fun time in Salem. The museums, historic homes and nightly ghost tours have plenty of tricks and treats in store for visitors. For a list of daily haunted happenings, visit https://hauntedhappenings.org/event-calendar/

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13 Haunting Nights at Jiminy Peak

- Jiminy Peak, open every Friday & Saturday night through the month of October as well as Sunday, Oct. 9, as well as Sunday, Oct. 29th  Tuesday, Oct. 31. , featuring hauntings from the mountain base to the peak, 37 Corey Road, Hancock, 6:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., admission is $25 or $37 for the special Scare and Scream package, which includes a trip through the 13 Night plus two rides on the Giant Swing and/or Soaring Eagle; 413-738-5500 or visit 13nightsatjiminy.com



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A3 @passionpassport The Stockbridge Cemetery! Old, creepy, and many famous burial plots including Norman Rockwell. pic.twitter.com/pSnzTrUWKw  The Berkshires, MA (@BerkshiresToday) October 29, 2015

Exploring Stockbridge Cemetery

Pre-Halloween Tour - Luminaries: Exploring Stockbridge Cemetery - Norman Rockwell Museum, walking tour begins at 5 p.m. on the lawn adjacent to the bell tower parking area at the Old Town Hall; Oct. 26, 9 Route 183, Stockbridge, $5 and members and children 12 and under free; 413-298-4100 or www.nrm.org

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Haunted Halloween Havoc in West Springfield

Open Oct. 8, 13, 14, 20, 21, 27, 28 from 7 to 10 p.m.; $20. Come to Storrowton Village where 50,000 square feet of fright, fear, fun and food await you. Where you will be entertained inside an enclosed area while you are waiting to enter a haunted exhibit. Eastern States Exposition, Memorial Avenue, West Springfield; westernmasshauntedhouse.co

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Hanson's Haunted Hayride

Friday and Saturday nights in October Hanson's Haunted Farm, Framingham . Over 100 volunteers come out to thrill and scare you in an exciting hayride through our farm; hansonsfarm.50webs.com/hayride.html

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#OTD January 30, 1815

Pres. James Monroe approved act of Congress appropriating $223,905 to purchase Jeffersons library of 6,487 volumes. pic.twitter.com/8qYhroZKJf  Gore Place (@GOREPLACE) January 30, 2017

The Gore Mansion in Waltham

Frightful Friday Ghost Stories and Tour at The Gore Mansion  Oct. 13, 20 & 27. Gore Place 52 Gore Street Waltham. Guides lead visitors through the 1806 Governor Gore mansion where they hear stories from New England and beyond  $15, $10 members and children ages 5-12; http://www.goreplace.org

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DementedFX Haunted House in Holyoke

Formerly located in Easthampton, the Demented FX Haunted House is now located in Holyoke at 530 Main St., Thursdays from 7 -11 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays from 7 p.m.-midnight., t and Sundays from 7-11 p.m. through Oct. 29, $25; visit www.dementedfx.com

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Haunted House at Naumkeag

In Stockbridge, Naumkeag's Haunted House returns with more scares, bigger haunts and new surprises that are not for the faint of heart! This year, we're moving things into the mansion itself in addition to a new, frightening path through the historic gardens. Recommended ages 12 and up. Oct. 20-21 and 27-28. Admission is $25 for non-members.



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(Photo illustration based on AP file photo)

Halloween Ghost Tour in Lenox

The Mount, 2 Plunkett St., Lenox, Friday nights at 7 p.m. throughout October, $24 for adults and $20 for youth 12-18 years, advance reservations required; 413-551-5100 or www.edithwharton.org

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Beacon Hill with a Boo tour for @bostonbyfoot on Halloween pic.twitter.com/nyk2PE5FOa  AlineKaplan (@AlineKaplan) October 31, 2016

Beacon Hill with a BOO!

October 31. Boston By Foot, Inc. 77 North Washington Street Boston. Beacon Hill With a BOO! is the Halloween walking tour of Beacon Hill featuring the murders, executions, ghosts and politicians of this seemingly quaint neighborhood; $20. http://www.bostonbyfoot.org/tours/Beacon_Hill_Halloween

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Looking to go ghost hunting? Stop by the USS Salem docked in Quincy, MA and experience Ghost Ship Harbor https://t.co/TyAA7uQZwM pic.twitter.com/f2ylnL44fc  Callanan & Klein (@CallananKlein) October 20, 2016

Ghost Ship Harbor in Quincy

A deadly plague has broken out and all hell has broken loose. The ship will be leaving port Oct. 31 so you must get on before that if you want to survive. It is important that anyone who comes has not contracted the virus. You will be checked before getting on the ship to make sure you will not contaminate it. Open Fridays through Sundays in October, as well as Halloween. Tickets start at $29; ghostshipharbor.com/

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CHELSEA -- Chelsea police identified the man who was wounded in a drive-by shooting Tuesday and later died as 37-year-old Eduardo Troche, of 119 Congress St.

Troche and his 19-year-old niece, Breannalee Pagan, were sitting on Troche's front porch at about 7:45 p.m. Tuesday evening when investigators said a small gray car, possibly a Honda, drove by the house. A shooter in the car opened fire, hitting both people.

Torche was transported to Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston where he remained in critical condition until he died Saturday.

Pagan hit once in the leg and is said to be recovering.

State Police detectives attached to the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office and Chelsea police are investigating the incident, and ask that anyone with information to contact police.

Anyone with information is asked to call Chelsea police at 617-466-4800.
A man waving two knives and threatening people as they walked and drove by him in Medford on Tuesday forced local and State Police to converge on the area near a school and tackle him.

The incident drew the attention of media helicopters that were asked by Massachusetts State Police to pull back from the scene as officers responded.

Medford police received a call around 11:30 a.m. notifying them of a man carrying two knives in the area of Medford and Main streets.

"The caller said that he was carrying two knives and waving them as he threatened people passing by both on foot and those in cars," police wrote in a statement. "That man made his way to the area of Willis Ave. and Hicks Ave. where he was confronted by a Medford Police Officer."

The officer called for help and more police arrived. Medford police had a beanbag shotgun with them and State Police responded with Tasers.

The man, identified as 25-year-old Anderson Jean-Renee, was surrounded and kept in the area of Hicks Avenue near the school, police said.

A Medford officer, who is a trained negotiator, spoke to Jean-Renee as other officers watched him. A trooper armed with a Taser was nearby in case Jean-Renee made any "dangerous" movements.

"As the negotiator spoke to the subject for approximately an hour, the subject who was still acting very irrational began to let his guard down," police said. "During conversation, he sat down with his back to the ramp. The second trooper who was not armed with a Taser was positioned close enough to the subject that he was able to jump on him when he saw the opportunity."

Officers then moved in and disarmed Jean-Renee. He was handcuffed and taken to a local hospital for a mental evaluation. Police said Jean-Renee may face charges pending the outcome of the evaluation.

Jean-Renee was near the front of the school near a ramp at the time of the incident.

"When this situation began, the Medford Police notified the Columbus School personnel to take secure action within the school, so the children would be safe," police said. "We also sent a School Resource Officer into the school to maintain internal security. At no time was any child or school personnel in harm's way during this police action."

Police said they do not believe Jean-Renee intended to go inside the school.
The ancestral memorial service is the central event of Chuseok, Korea's most important holiday. It's a complex affair, and many Koreans are unsure about the principles for setting out the Chuseok ritual table or the procedure for the service and just follow what others do. Here, the Chosun Ilbo explains the correct procedure in easy-to-follow steps.

 How to Set out the Chuseok Ritual Table

Make five rows on the table. In the first row from the folding screen, place songpyon, goblets, spoons and chopsticks. In the second row, place grilled and seasoned meat or fish (jeok) and pan-fried dishes (jeon). In the third row, put soup, in the fourth row, slices of dried meat or fish and seasoned vegetables and in the fifth row, fruit in odd numbers. The principles may vary from region to region or from family to family, but the following seven principles are common. Remember, however, the most important thing is sincerity in preparing the dishes.

Assuming that the ancestral tablet is the north:

1. Red fruit should be put in the east and white fruit in the west.

2. Place jujube, chestnuts, pears and persimmons in that order from the left. You can change the order of pears and persimmons.

3. Put beef jerky on the left, and shikhye (an authentic Korean drink made from fermented rice) on the right.

4. Place kimchi in the east and seasoned and steamed greens in the west.

5. Place meat in the west and fish in the east.

6. Let the fish face east with its tail in the west.

7. Put rice in the west and soup in the east.
SPRINGFIELD -- So much emphasis has been placed on getting donations out to Puerto Rico that many people living in Western Massachusetts have not had time to process the massive damage and loss caused by Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico and other Caribbean islands.

The local faith-based community, as part of the National Hispanic Leadership Conference, a national coalition of evangelical churches, has extended a call to prayer to be held on Thursday from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Court Square in Springfield.

"There is a lot of pain, and people need to be given the opportunity to express that. People need to begin to heal, and prayer is medicine," said Pastor Elsie Sanchez, of Odres Nuevos, a church in East Longmeadow.

She said the church has a dedicated group of chaplains who have been doing outreach in the community for many years and did not hesitate when asked to be part of the prayer service.

"We want to offer people hope and comfort during this difficult time, not only with what's happening in Puerto Rico, but in Mexico and here at home," she said.

Springfield - Faith-based community unites for Puerto Rico.

Pastor Eli Serrano, of Restoration Worship Church in Springfield, said he hopes the community will come together not only to pray for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands but for all of the tragedies that have affected the world lately, from hurricanes in Texas and Florida, earthquakes in Mexico, to the recent mass shooting in Las Vegas.

"I think faith and spirituality are an important aspect of all this. We believe in the power of prayer," he said.

Serrano said he saw an increase in attendance last week at Restoration Worship Center.

"Over 300 new people attended our services last Sunday, and that is because there is a need," he said. "Any time there is a natural disaster of this magnitude or a national tragedy, it puts things into perspective what's important."

He said along with city officials, school administrators and service organizations that are getting ready for the influx of Puerto Ricans moving to Western Massachusetts in the coming months, the faith-based community must also be prepared.

"We have to be ready to heal the broken-hearted and to minister comfort," he said.

Serrano, who lost both of his parents last year, said tragedy affects people in different ways and there is no one right answer to give someone who has suffered trauma.

"Our words have to be measured, not superficial or cliche," he said. "Telling people everything is going to be all right is just not enough."
All but three of the 59 people killed during Sunday's mass shooting in Las Vegas have been identified, police said Tuesday.

Clark County Sheriff Joseph Lombardo did not name the victims during a press conference, but said all but three had been identified.

The types of injuries ranged from gunshot wounds to people who were trampled and other injuries, Lombardo said.

When police got a call about gunshots going off, Stephen Paddock continued to fire weapons at the crowd for nine minutes, the sheriff said.

Paddock shot at a crowd of more than 22,000 people at the Route 91 Harvest Festival. In addition to the 59 who were killed, more than 500 were injured.

The attack was clearly planned, Lombardo said.

Lombardo called Paddock's girlfriend, Marilou Danley, a person of interest and said officials remained in contact with her. He said he was currently in the Philippines.

NBC News has reported Paddock allegedly wired $100,000 to one of Danley's accounts in the country.

Two of the people killed in the attack had Massachusetts ties.

Rhonda LeRocque of Tewksbury was shot while at the concert with her husband. Her 6-year-old daughter and father-in-law left just before the gunshots went off.

Sandy Casey, an Assumption College alumna who was a teacher in California, was also killed.
An Assumption College graduate who was a special education teacher in California and a Vermont native was among those killed during Sunday's mass shooting in Las Vegas.

Sandy Casey was identified by her school district and relatives as one of the 59 people killed in the shooting at the Route 91 Harvest Festival.

Casey, 35, received a Master of Arts in Special Education degree from Assumption in 2005, the college said.

"Sandy truly embodied the Assumptionist spirit as an individual who was using her gifts to make a meaningful impact in this world," Assumption College President Francesco C. Cesareo wrote in a statement.

She was also an alumna of the College of St. Joseph in Rutland, Vermont, her cousin, Linda O'Leary, told The Associated Press.

Jane and I are deeply saddened to hear that Vermonter Sandy Casey was among the victims in Vegas. Our hearts are with her friends & family. https://t.co/igPQZGqn5Q  Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) October 2, 2017

Stephen Paddock opened fire from his hotel room 32nd floor room at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino and sprayed bullets onto a crowd of more than 22,000 people Sunday night. Authorities found him dead inside the hotel room from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Fifty-nine were killed and 527 people were wounded.

Casey was at the concert with her fiance, who shared a photo of the two on Facebook.

"As I sit and mourn such a beautiful life gone too fast, all I can say is look up and watch the birds fly high and free today as that's where I feel you smiling down upon all of us," Casey's fiance, Christopher Willemse wrote. "I love you baby girl! Love you to pieces!"

Casey lived in Redondo Beach, California, and taught middle school students.

"This is unbelievably tragic and sad," Mike Matthews, superintendent of the Manhattan Beach School District, wrote in a Monday morning letter to the district. "This loss is impacting many of our staff members deeply."

Casey's mother, Teresa Casey, who lives in Vermont, told the VT Digger that her daughter "was a beautiful girl and a beautiful person."

A GoFundMe page to help with Casey's funeral expenses surpassed its goal of $10,000.

Material from The Associated Press was used in this report.
President Donald Trump has led a moment of silence on the South Lawn of the White House, facing the Washington Monument, to remember the victims of the mass shooting in Las Vegas, Nevada on Sunday. It was the worst mass shooting in recent U.S. history with at least 58 dead and 515 wounded.

Trump has ordered flags across the country to fly at half staff. He plans to go to Las Vegas Wednesday to meet with first responders and console the victims and their families. The president has called the shooting an "act of pure evil."

Police and federal investigators still do not have a motive. They say 64-year-old Stephen Paddock of Mesquite, Nevada opened fire on a crowd of more than 22,000 attending a country music show before killing himself. Paddock shot from a hotel room on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, located across the street from the outdoor concert. Videos show concertgoers ducking for cover, screaming and running as the shots rang out.

"We don't know what his belief system was at this time," Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Sheriff Joseph Lombardo said. Lombardo said SWAT officers burst into Paddock's hotel room and found him dead. Police also found at least 10 rifles in the room.

Islamic State is claiming responsibility, saying the gunman was one of its "soldiers" and converted to Islam months ago. The FBI says there is no evidence Paddock was tied to any international terror group.

Paddock's brother, Eric, is just as baffled as police by his motive. He said the family is "horrified and bewildered." He said his brother was a wealthy man with no known political or religious affiliations, no ties with white supremacists, and no history of mental illness.

"Where the hell did he get automatic weapons? He's a guy who lived in a house in Mesquite and drove down and gambled in Las Vegas," Eric Paddock said.

Eric Paddock also said their father was a bank robber who was at one time on the FBI's 10 most wanted list, but that the brothers had no contact with their father.
Premier Li Keqiang met with 40 foreign ambassadors to China at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Sept 30, ahead of the 68th anniversary of the founding of the Peoples Republic of China.

Premier Li welcomed and talked with the ambassadors, who all assumed office in China in the past year. He hailed the new achievements that China and their countries have made in bilateral relationship and cooperation, and asked them to convey his sincere greetings and best wishes to their state leaders and their nations.

The Premier stressed that China cherishes friendship and cooperation with related countries, and adheres to following the road of peaceful development. China is willing to create a community of a shared future for mankind with countries around the world on the basis of mutual respect, equal treatment and win-win cooperation, he added.

Adhering to the principle of multilateralism and trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, China will strive to expand common interests and overcome challenges and difficulties with all countries, to push ahead lasting peace, common prosperity and sustainable development in regional areas and in the world, the Premier said.

Since Chinas opening-up and reform started almost 40 years ago, China has achieved remarkable results in its social and economic development, which not only benefited the Chinese people, but also made contributions to global peace and development, the Premier said.

He said China is glad to better link its Belt and Road Initiative with development strategies of other countries to create and share the development opportunities together.

He expressed hopes that the ambassadors could do more to deepen the friendship and cooperation between China and their own countries, consolidate the mutual political trust, deepen pragmatic cooperation and close the people-to-people belt, adding that the Chinese government is willing to provide support and help for their work in China.

Those ambassadors conveyed greetings from their own governments and people to Chinas National Day. They said Chinas development is remarkable, and it plays an important role in safeguarding regional and international stability and promoting prosperity.

All their countries regard the relationship with China as the priority in diplomatic policies, and as ambassadors to China, they said hey could deeply feel the responsibilities. They are glad to make efforts to boost bilateral relations and improve peoples well-being in their countries and China, those ambassadors said.

After the meeting, the ambassadors attended the reception marking the 68th anniversary of the founding of the Peoples Republic of China at the invitation of Premier Li.
"For years weve talked about the pending workforce shortage," Ed Cervone, director of Educate Maine, told Mainebiz on Wednesday. "Its no longer pending. It is a problem today and it is getting worse. The sense of urgency is real, we cant accept failure."

by Renee Cordes

http://www.mainebiz.biz/article/20170928/NEWS01/170929943/coalition-unveils-four-strategies-to-tackle-maine%27s-workforce-challenges
Bozemans next top administrator will be a North Carolinian with a resume outlining 26 years of city work and planning within communities experiencing growth.

During a regular meeting Monday night, commissioners said Andrea Surratt is ready to deal with Bozemans swelling population and the planning stresses that come with more people. The commission agreed to hire Surratt with a unanimous vote.

"I think we picked the best candidate of all 82," Mayor Carson Taylor said, referencing the six-month national search to fill the position.

Katheryn Houghton Chronicle Staff Writer

https://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/news/city/bozeman-picks-next-city-manager/article_bbdd050e-a7ea-11e7-a7d8-372ec1b97def.html
A push by the White House to pour $200 million a year into programs that encourage computer science education has won the praise of a Missoula-based nonprofit, which believes the investment could go far in helping Montana build a competitive workforce.

Last week, President Trump signed an agreement launching the initiative, which pledges $1 billion over the next five years. Five of the nations leading tech firms have also joined the cause, pledging an additional $300 million over the same timeframe.

"We dont have huge details yet as to how those grants will become available to the state level, the district level and to local nonprofits," said Devin Homes, founder and CEO of the America Campaign http://www.americacampaign.org/ , based in Missoula. "But this is a commitment to focus on increasing computer science education in our schools, and increasing diversity in computer science among women and underrepresented minorities."

By Martin Kidston

***

Welcome To The America Campaign. We Build Solutions That Create Impact. http://www.americacampaign.org/
Prospera Business Network is the lead non-profit organization advancing and supporting community-centered economic development in southwest Montana. Our focus is helping people start and grow their business  in turn strengthening our regions economy and communities.
Le ministre du Developpement Industriel a pris la parole sur la motion de Tania Diolle pour donner son avis au parlement sur le programme gouvernemental lu par le President de La Republique le 24 janvier 2020.



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Merck Foundation (Merck-Foundation.com), the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany has launched the First Episode of their first-ever TV program  Our Africa by Merck Foundation on Saturday, 16th April 2022 on KTN, Kenya and Sunday, 17th April on NTV, Uganda. The first episode which focused on raising awareness about the prevention of Diabetes amongst African communities has received great feedback and reviews from the viewers of the two channels.

The first-of-its-kind TV program Our Africa by Merck Foundation, which is set to be the voice of the voiceless and break the silence about many critical and sensitive social and health issues in Africa such as; Breaking Infertility Stigma, Ending Child Marriage, Ending FGM, Stopping GBV, Supporting Girl Education, Women Empowerment and promoting Healthy lifestyle.

Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation expressed, I am very happy to receive this very positive and encouraging feedback on the show from our African viewers. I have received numerous messages on our social media about how they enjoyed and benefited from the first episode and are looking forward to watching more episodes with their family and friends. Our viewers and social media followers totally loved the fusion of addressing health / social issues with fashion, art and music! They found the show to be very entertaining and informative at the same time.

Watch the First Episode here: https://bit.ly/36E6z7W

The first episode focused on creating awareness about the rising incidence of Diabetes and ways to prevent it, through the African Community of Fashion and Art with Purpose. This is to be noted that 45 million adults (20-79) in the African Region have Impaired Glucose Tolerance (IGT) which places them at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes. These figures are estimated to reach 110 million by 2045. Moreover, Africa has the highest percentage of undiagnosed people  70% of adults living with diabetes do not know they have it. The First episode has raised awareness about diabetes early diagnosis. The guests highlighted the early signs and symptoms can include frequent urination, increased thirst, feeling tired and hungry, vision problems, slow wound healing, and yeast infections. They also highlighted diabetes prevention such as eating healthy, exercising regularly, stopping smoking, and limiting alcohol intake.

The first episode featured designs from Gabriel Froid and Kinneh Mbenga, young designers from Mauritius and The Gambia; Cwezi, a popular singer from Ghana; Teenusha Soobrah, a Nutritionist from Mauritius. The purpose was to educate our African communities about the prevention and early diagnosis of Diabetes through dialogue, featuring awareness messages in their designs. Moreover, creating a song about diabetes called No More Diabetes by Cwezi, Singer and Musician from Ghana.

This pan African show is conceptualized, produced, directed, and co-hosted by Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation to feature Fashion Designers, Singers, and prominent guests from various domains with the aim to raise awareness and create a culture shift across Africa. The show is co-hosted by Brian Mulondo from Uganda.

I am very proud to inform all our viewers that Merck Foundation has been providing specialty training for African, Asian, and Latin American doctors to better manage diabetes, hypertension, and endocrinology patients, through their Merck Foundation Diabetes Blue Points Program in partnership with African First Ladies, Ministries of Health and Medical Societies.

Merck Foundation provided 660 scholarships for Diabetes Master Course, One-Year Postgraduate Diploma and two-year master degree in Diabetes, Endocrinology and Preventative Cardiovascular Medicines from University from UK for doctors from 43 countries in Africa and beyond. Furthermore, the Master course in the Clinical Management of Diabetes in 4 languages- English, French, Portuguese and Spanish, endorsed by Diabetes UK for doctors from African and Latin American countries. Therefore, Id like to ask doctors who are watching to apply for our scholarships on submit@merck-foundation.com to fill the public healthcare gap if needed in their communities, added Dr. Kelej.

But Merck Foundation has provided more than 1300 scholarships in 32 critical and underserved specialties such as; reproductive and sexual care, oncology, respiratory care, acute care, advanced surgery, pediatric emergency, orthopedic, neonatal care, fertility care and embryology, and more, Dr. Rasha Kelej emphasized.

Our Africa by Merck Foundation TV program is currently being broadcasted in Kenya, Uganda, and Ghana, the TV program will also soon be aired in other African countries. Below are the details of the channels on which the TV show will be aired:

 Every Saturday @ 5:30 pm (EAT) on KTN, Kenya

 Every Sunday @ 6:30 pm (EAT) on NTV Uganda

 Every Sunday @ 2 pm on (GMT) GHOne TV, Ghana

Watch the Promo of Our Africa by Merck Foundation here: https://bit.ly/36E6BN6

I am very excited to bring to you all the upcoming episodes of OUR AFRICA by Merck Foundation TV program. So, stay tuned and be ready to Get informed, Get healthy, and Get entertained!, concluded Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej.

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Ce urmeaza dupa retragerea rusilor din Herson: Putin e pe cale sa faca o grava eroare din punct de vedere militar / Niciodata sa nu-ti intrerupi dusmanul cand face o greseala
CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury, would inaugurate the march, which is expected to be attended by one lakh party workers, to be taken out to the Raj Bhavan.
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Significant Necrosis Demonstrated in Invasive Ductal and Lobular Cancers, Which are Normally Resistant to Chemotherapy. Significant Necrosis from a Single Injection of up to 100% of a Tumor was Observed During the Trial Within the Tumor ...
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Karen J. Maschke, Michael K. Gusmano and Mildred Z. Solomon. Breakthrough Cancer Treatments Raise Difficult Questions. Health Affairs, (2017). DOI: 10.1377/hlthaff/2017.1032

Karen Maschke, the first author, said that safety, access, and the cost has to be figured-out if everybody is going to benefit from the therapy.Maschke, Michael Gusmano, and Hastings Center president Mildred Solomon describe the breakthrough, evaluate the challenges, and make recommendations in the October issue of Health Affairs.Novartis developed this new therapy, which helps to treat children and young adults with relapsed or refractory B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell treatment works by genetically reengineering a patient's T cells and white blood cells in the immune system. The T cells which are altered are later infused into the patient to attack the cancer cells.The clinical trials conducted by Novartis showed that 52 patients out of 63 were in remission for three months after they have received a one-time infusion.However, about 76 percent of patients experienced life-threatening neurological and other side effects caused by this gene therapy, which increased the risk of patients developing secondary cancers."The FDA and Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) with oversight over human subjects research must carefully scrutinize [the risk-benefit profile] to determine whether the potential benefits of the investigational treatment justifies permitting cancer patients to enroll in a study," reveals the research team, as they continue to test the CAR T cell cancer treatments in clinical trials before obtaining FDA approval.The research team also recommend the IRBs to mention all the possible adverse effects in the consent forms and later the FDA can conduct post-licensing monitoring of the adverse events, which the patients experience.The agency requests Novartis to conduct a postmarketing study on the safety and efficacy of Kymriah."However, it is an open question whether the FDA, under the administration of President Donald Trump, will withdraw licensing approval from breakthrough therapy products whose clinical use over time indicates that they are ineffective or harmful to patients," they write.The research team raises concern that most patients will not be able to access the therapy for a while even though they could benefit from it, it needs highly specialized skill to genetically reengineer the patients' T cells, administer the infusion, and treat severe side effects.Kymriah will be available in only 16 states at certified treatment centers, all but four with just one treatment site.The authors write, "Having fewer sites with highly trained clinical staff treating very sick patients is often optimal for ensuring high-quality delivery of sophisticated therapies, but at least at first there will be a severe access challenge."The problem of availability can be resolved. However, the cost of treatment still poses important questions of justice, explains the article.Kymriah will cost about $475,000 for a one-time infusion, and FDA approval of this gene therapy does not guarantee if the insurers would cover it.The authors also write that if CAR T cell therapies are proven to be as safe and efficient as other recent breakthrough treatments, the benefits will be tremendous, and the demand will be high."However as has been the case with other recent beneficial but high-priced drugs, CAR T cell therapies may lead to higher health care costs, highly limited access, and even greater inequalities in access and health outcomes. For the public to benefit from breakthrough treatments without breaking Americans' health care system or pocketbooks, ethics and wise policymaking need to catch up with the science."Source: Medindia
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Diabetes accounts for 5.4 percent of deaths in South Africa and is currently ranked second among natural causes of death in the country. In 2013, South Africa outlined a strategy for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) that called for a 30 percent increase in the number of patients with controlled diabetes by 2020.The research team constructed a diabetes care cascade in which patients with diabetes were classified into one of five categories: unscreened, screened but undiagnosed, diagnosed but untreated, treated but uncontrolled, and treated and controlled.The research team then analyzed a sample of 4,083 respondents, among whom 521 had diabetes. They found that of the 10.1 percent of those aged 15 or older with diabetes, 45.4 percent were not screened, 14.7 percent were screened but undiagnosed, 2.3 percent were diagnosed but untreated, and 18.1 percent were treated but uncontrolled. Only 19.4 percent were receiving treatment with the disease controlled.The study provides recent national estimates of the burden and population-level management of diabetes among South African adults. The research integrated laboratory assessment with interviews, allowing the researchers to objectively measure diabetes status instead of relying on self-reported data."We thus begin to fill the gaps in the evidence base that will allow a targeted response to the growing epidemic of diabetes in South Africa," the researchers wrote. The research team had previously used a care cascade to evaluate hypertension levels in the country.The study also found a higher-than-reported prevalence of diabetes among adults aged 40-plus: 18.9 percent, compared to the 14.3 percent reported by the National Income Dynamics Study (NIDS) in 2012.Prior estimates were largely based on self-reported data, which fail to capture undiagnosed cases and largely come from sub-national samples or estimates derived from data collected across multiple countries.Although the study's results imply a slightly lower prevalence of diabetes in South Africa as compared to the US, the estimates also suggest that South Africa has a much greater unmet need for diabetes care, with nearly twice the proportion of cases that are undiagnosed."The current estimates should serve as a benchmark for evaluating the effectiveness of the proposed reforms, particularly the re-engineering of primary care, and motivate policies aimed at redressing unmet need for diabetes care in South Africa," the researchers wrote.Source: Eurekalert
It may be the first day of autumn, but in Connecticut we are still sweating out a budget process that the governor called one hot mess.

And thats not the worst of what Gov. Dannel P. Malloy had to say about the sorry situation. Our states highest leader said Wednesday  in a sobering assessment  that he doubts Connecticut will have a fully adopted budget by Oct. 1. The consequences of that failure are dire, affecting every community.

It didnt have to be this way. The Legislature has had since the cold of last winter, when Malloy submitted his budget, to get to work on House and Senate versions.

A week ago, in a surprise turn, the Senate and then the Democratically controlled House narrowly passed a Republican budget that alleviated Malloys massive teacher pension shift from the shoulders of local communities. The governor said he would veto it.

That is where we are now  the last state in the union without a budget in place, one that we should have had 84 days ago.

This stalemate benefits no one, least of all Connecticut taxpayers. Every day without a budget costs the already cash-strapped state $1 million, according to the governors office. The stakes are much higher once the federal budget kicks in a week from Sunday.

But there is room for a last-minute compromise, and what it will take is putting aside pride and politics. Both sides have to give, and both sides have to own the final product. Legislators cannot be guided by their re-election prospects next year because, lets face it, if they let Connecticut go over the cliff without a budget by Oct. 1, no one is going to return them to office.

Let the barely passed Republican proposal be a starting point for an eventual bipartisan agreement. Where can compromise happen? The drastic cut to higher education should be negotiated. The impact to the flagship University of Connecticut varies  from Republicans saying it would be $186.8 million to UConns president estimating $308 million. The state has worked too hard to elevate UConn to its prestigious level to now knock it in the knees.

One of the greatest resources Connecticut offers is an educated workforce. A higher education must remain as affordable as possible for students at UConn, the four state universities and 12 community colleges. A small reining in of state support is realistic and should be a point both parties could reach.

The Education Cost Sharing grant in the GOP budget would have money returned to each of the 169 municipalities, a popular move back home but one that dilutes resources away from districts most in need. The formula can, and should, be another point for compromise, as should the payment of teacher pensions.

Malloy asked GOP leaders to meet with him Friday, today. We urge them, and the Democrats, to find common ground. Summer is over and there is not much time. Connecticut is at their mercy.
Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said Tuesday that the more than 3,000 additional troops being deployed to Afghanistan will effectively be on "combat duty" as they support Afghan security forces on the front lines.

"The fighting will continue to be carried out by our Afghan partners," he said, "but our advisers will accompany tactical units to advise and bring NATO fire support to bear when needed."

"Make no mistake, this is combat duty, but the Afghan forces will remain in the lead for the fighting," Mattis said at a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on Afghanistan strategy that took place 16 years after U.S. troops went into Afghanistan in October 2001.

The commitment of U.S. troops to "combat duty" -- calling in airstrikes and providing direct tactical advice on the front lines -- marks a major shift from the Obama administration's strategy in ending U.S. troops' combat role in 2013.

Mattis was purposefully unclear on how many more U.S. troops would deploy to Afghanistan -- and when -- saying "more than 3,000" would bolster the 11,000 now on the ground "in the coming months," although senators on the committee said the number would be about 3,500.

"I'd like for you to tell me how the inclusion of 3,500 is going to change the battlefield equation," Sen. John McCain, the committee chairman, told Mattis.

When Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, a New York Democrat, asked for a specific number, Mattis replied, "No, ma'am."

He said he would not give details "if it involves telling the enemy something that will help them."

Mattis said he would give the committee numbers in private sessions.

"I think the specifics are best shared with you alone," he said, adding he is open to asking President Donald Trump to authorize the deployment of more than 3,000 troops if he determines it is necessary.

"Right now, I think I have what I need," he said. "If not, I'll go back in" to ask Trump for additional troops.

On other issues, Mattis said he is in favor of the U.S. remaining in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action with allies to halt Iran's nuclear programs, despite Trump's criticism of the deal.

When asked by Sen. Angus King, an independent from Maine, whether he thinks the U.S. should continue to support the JCPOA, Mattis replied, "Yes, senator, I do."

-- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com.
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...
The Pentagon has identified the service member killed Sunday in Iraq in a roadside bomb attack as a soldier from the U.S. Army's 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry).

Spc. Alexander W. Missildine, 20, of Tyler, Texas, died Oct. 1 in Ninawa Province, Iraq, as a result of injuries sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his convoy, according to a Defense Department press release.

In addition to Missildine, an unidentified service member was wounded in the attack.

The incident remains under investigation, according to the release.

Missildine was a motor transport operator assigned to the 10th Mountain's 710th Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, located in Fort Polk, Louisiana, according to a Fort Drum press release.

He joined the Army in July 2015. After training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, he arrived at Fort Polk in December 2015. Missildine deployed with his unit in September 2017 to Iraq in support of Operation Inherent Resolve.

Missildine's awards and decorations include the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Combat Action Badge, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal with one campaign star, National Defense Service Medal and the Army Service Ribbon.

His death marks the eighth U.S. service member killed in action fighting Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria in 2017.

Thirteen U.S. troops have lost their lives in combat situations since operations against ISIS began in August 2014, according to the Pentagon. More than 50 have been wounded in action.

In late September, a French paratrooper was killed while advising local forces fighting ISIS, though officials did not specify whether the incident was in Iraq or Syria. It was France's first combat fatality since it joined the anti-ISIS fight in September 2014.

-- Stars and Stripes contributed to this report.

-- Matthew Cox can be reached at matthew.cox@military.com.
ANN ARBOR, MI - After

from one of Ann Arbor's downtown public parking garages, city officials say accelerated action is being taken to install safety fencing.

City Administrator Howard Lazarus shared the news with City Council members Monday night, Oct. 2.

Lazarus, who serves on the Downtown Development Authority board, said he talked with DDA Executive Director Susan Pollay on Monday afternoon about "the concern about the security of our parking decks and the unfortunate events of people jumping off of them."

Pollay is going to direct the DDA's engineer to go back and get prices from contractors for installing perimeter fencing around the upper levels of parking garages and move forward on it, Lazarus said.

Lazarus said Pollay, with his support, will seek ratification from the DDA's board on Wednesday to approve the actions taken.

"Our conversation this afternoon was reflective of the council's priority to address the security of the top level of our decks as quickly as possible," Lazarus said.

"So I wanted to pass that along so that council members can be assured that we are proceeding with all due diligence."

The City Council unanimously approved a resolution on Sept. 18

to prevent more suicides or falls from the city's parking garages, which the DDA manages for the city. The resolution urged the DDA to place "the highest priority" on providing physical barriers on parking garages, starting with the levels highest above the ground, and encouraged temporary barriers if permanent structures are delayed for any reason.

Council Member Jack Eaton, D-4th Ward, said he was saddened to hear about another death on Monday.

"It just emphasizes how important it is that this move forward," he said during the meeting.

The DDA has been looking into the idea of safety fencing since last year and delayed moving forward with the work in June after receiving a bid totaling nearly $1.4 million for installing fencing on the rooftops of six parking garages, about $1 million more than expected.

As a result of the high cost, the DDA had put the project on hold with plans to seek new bids this winter.

Five people jumped or fell -- including three fatalities -- from parking garages in Ann Arbor from November 2015 to December 2016.

There have been three more fatal jumps or falls this year -- one June 15 at the Fourth and William garage, one Sept. 7 at the Fourth and Washington garage, and the latest incident on Monday, Oct. 2, at the Fourth and William garage.

Shortly before the City Council meeting started Monday night, police were still on the scene at Fourth and William.

Mayor Christopher Taylor said he didn't know the 56-year-old man who died but he considers it a tragedy.

"If it is in accord with previous tragic experiences, it's a tragedy of mental illness, a tragedy of community health, and it's something that we need to focus on," he said. "We need to make sure that people who cry out for help receive it."

He said he's glad the DDA is taking accelerated action "at great expense" to make sure changes to the city's parking garages happen effectively and swiftly. The DDA also installed suicide-prevention signs at downtown parking garages earlier this year.

In an email exchange with Council Member Chuck Warpehoski, which Warpehoski shared on Twitter on Monday, Lazarus said chain-link fencing could be installed as an alternative if the fabricator of the desired permanent fencing has a long lead time.
ANN ARBOR, MI - A new University of Michigan initiative aiming to address societal health problems will begin with the opioid crisis, President Mark Schlissel announced Tuesday, Oct. 3.

During the annual president's leadership breakfast, Schlissel unveiled the new Precision Health initiative, which is comprised of three components: discovery, treatment and implementation.

The initiative will include researchers from across the university, bringing together genomics with millions of other data points to better understand what factors influence an individual's health and wellness.

"Opioid misuse and addiction is a national health emergency," Schlissel said during the leadership breakfast Tuesday. "On an average day in the United States, at least 91 people die from opioid overdose. Our Precision Health initiative will work to understand opioid addiction at multiple levels."

Opioids are a class of drugs that include the illegal drug heroin, synthetic opioids such as fentanyl and prescription pain relievers such as OxyContin, Vicodin and codeine.

Opioids can be highly addictive, and their use and abuse is a growing issue in the United States. While the U.S. has about 5 percent of the world's population, it consumes about 80 percent of the global supply of prescription opioids.

Michigan health-care providers wrote 11 million prescriptions for opioid drugs in 2015 and another 11 million in 2016, compared to roughly 8 million prescriptions in 2009. That equates to about 1.1 prescriptions for every Michigan residents, according to the state's drug monitoring system.

"When patients undergo surgery and get an opioid prescription, some achieve good pain control using the prescribed dose, but many others don't. And some become addicted," Schlissel said. "Most new chronic users receive their first opioid prescription for post-surgical care, and 6 percent of patients who have never had an opioid before will become dependent long after surgery. Some patients don't take their full dose, meaning unused pills can end up in the wrong hands."

Schlissel said the project will examine ways health professionals can predict how much pain medication someone will need, based on their individual genetic profile, physiological condition and social, environmental and lifestyle factors, tailoring how they help individual patients manage pain.

"Accurate doses will diminish the likelihood that someone will become addicted and reduce the number of pills that leave the pharmacy unnecessarily," Schlissel said. "This research also has the potential to identify genes that predispose individuals to addiction, allowing us to focus interventions on those most at risk.



"There is no better university in our nation to tackle a problem like this," he added.

The Precision Health initiative also is expected to address other health concerns like depressive illnesses, metabolic diseases and cancer.

Initial support for the initiative will come from the university's Office of the Provost, Medical School, School of Public Health and College of Engineering.
ANN ARBOR, MI - A University of Michigan student was left without a vehicle after an apparent engine malfunction caused a sedan to catch fire Monday, Oct. 2 near Ann Arbor's Kerrytown district.

Riley Simmington, 21, was getting into his 2001 Buick LeSabre off Catherine between Division and North State streets to meet a friend for dinner when the fire started.

"I got in the car and started it. It began starting and then I heard a loud bang," Simmington said. "I grabbed my bag and got out."

Ann Arbor firefighters arrived with two engine trucks at 5:34 p.m., finding flames coming from the engine compartment of the maroon-colored vehicle, said Battalion Chief Randy Menard.

"The whole engine compartment was fully involved," Menard said.

The fire was extinguished within five minutes, he said, and an Ann Arbor police vehicle blocked traffic coming south on Catherine from North State.

The blaze left behind a charred engine compartment along with a smell that prompted some passersby to cover their noses while walking through the area.

A good Samaritan walking nearby moved some garbage cans to keep other motorists from passing near the scene, Simmington said.

The UM student said he wasn't anticipating difficulty getting to class, but trips home to Flint or to the grocery store could be difficult until he gets a replacement vehicle.

He watched as an Ann Arbor firefighter dismantled some of the engine before hosing it down with water.

Another vehicle fire took place in the same area last week, Simmington said, and he remembered thinking how he wouldn't want to be the driver in that situation.
BAY CITY, MI -- A ringleader of Saginaw's Sunny Side Gang responsible for large-scale heroin and cocaine distribution has followed several of his cohorts' leads in pleading guilty to a federal charge.

Now, 17 of the 18 gang-connected men initially charged are in prison or awaiting sentencing.

But one man is holding out and his trial begins today, Oct. 3.

Damarlin D. "Bleed" Beavers on Sept. 11 appeared in the federal courthouse in downtown Bay City and pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and heroin. The plea agreement states Beavers' sentencing guidelines range from 262 to 327 months -- or 21.8 to 27.25 years -- in prison. The agreement further states the parties have stipulated to Beavers receiving a sentence of 292 months, or 24.3 years.

Ludington is to sentence Beavers at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 21.

In pleading, Beavers admitted that from about June 5, 2015, through Aug. 30, 2016, he and 17 others sold heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, and cocaine base throughout the Great Lakes Bay Region. The drugs were supplied to the Sunny Side Gang by Derek D. Riley. Beavers, a leader of the gang who worked his way up from an enforcer, acquired the drugs from Riley, then redistributed them to his underlings and codefendants.

In all, Beavers and his codefendants distributed at least 1,000 grams of heroin, 0.78 grams of fentanyl, 711.65 grams of cocaine, and 127.91 grams of base cocaine.

Beavers was among 13 men indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2016. Five more men were indicted in April.

Of those 18 indicted on a total 35 charges, only Calvin E. McReynolds Jr. has not taken a plea deal. His case is scheduled to proceed to trial before U.S. District Judge Thomas L. Ludington on Tuesday, Oct. 3.

The defendants "used various locations and houses to conduct drug transactions, to store controlled substances, paraphernalia used in the distribution of controlled substances and firearms, and to gather in furtherance of the controlled substances conspiracy," indicting documents state.

Riley was the first member of the conspiracy to be sent to prison. Ludington in March sentenced him to 160 months there, plus a consecutive 30-month term for violating the terms of a prior supervision by committing his latest offenses.

Ludington has also given the following defendants the respective sentences:

Javon M. "YaYo" Pratt -- 70 months

Marquise D. "Ooh Stacks" Ashworth -- 135 months

Darreyon R. "D-Money" Mayfield -- 87 months

Jeremy A. "Jig" Cameron -- 145 months

Jauane R. Allen -- 65 months

Alvin R. "La" Pratt -- 140 months

All who have been sentenced had to forfeit nine firearms, an abundance of ammunition, a Rolex watch, and $70,436 in cash.

The following men have pleaded and are awaiting sentencing along with Beavers:

Kendrell Stephens

Eugene "Spank" Smith III

Morie D. Broaden

Brandon O. "Blue" Pratt

Allan G. Jones Jr.

Dewayne J. McKinney

Michael A. Pratt Jr.

Terence J. "Big Cheese" Johnson

Lamar T. "Marley" Simon

Case background

According to sworn affidavits authored by FBI Special Agent Mitchell L. King, his agency began investigating the Sunny Side Gang in June 2015. On Aug. 30, 2016, personnel with the FBI's Bay City-based Mid-Michigan Safe Streets Task Force executed eight search and arrest warrants in Saginaw as a result of an investigation into the area's heroin problem.

The search of just one Saginaw stash house saw investigators seize 584.07 grams of cocaine, 92.89 grams of cocaine base, and 418.79 grams of heroin, three guns, and various paraphernalia associated with packaging and selling drugs.

The investigation began in Bay City before leading to Saginaw, police have said. Investigators have also described the group as the area's main supplier of heroin.

As part of the bust, the Bay City Department of Public Safety seized $127,910 in heroin in 2016, compared to $16,175 in 2015 and $11,355 in 2014.

Despite the large haul, opiate overdoses surged in Bay County in the wake of the gang members' arrests and indictments, with 23 reported in 2016. The issue is part of national trend, with opiate-related deaths now considered the number one killer among Americans younger than 50.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that since 1999, the number of opiate-related overdose deaths has quadrupled. In 2015, 33,091 people died from opiate-related overdoses nationally, more than any other year on record.

"From 2000 to 2015, more than half a million people died from drug overdoses," the CDC states, adding that 91 Americans die each day from an opiate overdose.

Michigan experienced a 13 percent increase in the number of opiate-related fatal overdoses from 2014 to 2015, according to the CDC.

Though the total of opiate-related deaths across the nation for 2016 hasn't yet been determined, estimates are that it will exceed 59,000.
Q11. Madras Motors first imported the Royal Enfields to India in 1953 when it received a big order. Who placed the order?

A picture shared by Royal Enfield's President Rudratej Singh on Twitter created a flutter among bike enthusiasts awaiting details of the company's much-anticipated 750cc model.

In his tweet, Singh had shared a picture of himself in full riding gear alongside Siddhartha Lal, the CEO of Eicher Motors and Royal Enfield.

The picture that was taken at Bruntingthorpe Aerodrome and Proving Ground, UK had three partially visible bikes in the background that the duo was test driving. Many believe that the unclear vehicles are the new 750cc motorcycles from Royal Enfield.

Also Read: Royal Enfield interceptor 750 to debut on November 7 at EICMA: Sources

According to a report by the NDTV, the picture is about the final test ride by the bosses of the company of Royal Enfield's brand new model at the aerodrome where the companys technology centre is also located.

The yet-to-be-launched twin-engine model is expected to make around 50 bhp with 60 NM of torque. The model, which will be the fastest and the most powerful motorbike from the company is likely to cost over Rs 4 lakh in India.

It is expected that the 750 cc variant will be launched on 7th November at the EICMA motorcycle show in Milan, Italy.
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The General ManagerDept. of Corporate ServicesBSE Limited, 1st Floor,P.J. Towers, Dalal Street,Fort, Mumbai - 400 001Dear Sirs,25th Annual General MeetingSub. : Intimation of Proceeding of 25th Annual General meeting of the Company held on 29th September, 2017We are enclosing in terms of Regulation 30 of SEBl (Listing obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015, a summary of the proceedings of the 25th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Company held on 29th September, 2017 at Mumbai. We would advise that all the Resolutions for approval at the 25th AGM, as set out in the Notice dated 5th September, 2017, have been passed by the Members by requisite majority.Kindly take the above on record.Thanking youFor Garnet Construction Ltd.Kishan Kumar KediaChairman & Managing DirectorDIN no. 00205146Encl : As aboveSource : BSE

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The Company's 37th Annual general Meeting ('AGM') was held on Friday, 29th September, 2017 at 11.00 a.m. at at Hotel Shabri Sai dwar, Near Laxmi Industrial Estate, SAB TV lane, Andheri (west), Mumbai - 400053.Mr. Sanjay Shringarpure, Partner, PRS Associates, Company Secretaries was appointed as Scrutinizer to scrutinize E-voting and poll process at the AGM. The scrutinizers Report dated 29th September, 2017 is attached herewith and marked as 'Annexure A'All resolutions as set out in the Notice of the AGM have been duly approved by the Shareholders unanimously.Source : BSE

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Bengaluru-based Flipkart has approved a share buyback plan to repurchase employee stock options (ESOP) worth USD 100 million, a source-based report in the Economic Times said.

"The overall corpus reserved for buyback of shares from employees is over $100 million," sources told the newspaper.

The buyback will be the largest in the startup space with employees getting an opportunity to liquidate their shareholding in the company. The move is expected to benefit nearly 6,000 employees, both current and former.

Besides Flipkart, employees of its subsidiaries like Myntra will also be a part of the ESOP repurchase plan.

The process is expected to be closed by December this year. According to the report, employees will be allowed to sell a certain percentage of their shares.

The move comes after Flipkart raised close to USD 4 billion from Softbank Corporation and Tencent. With this funding, Softbank also became the largest shareholder in Flipkart.

After this financing round, Flipkart claimed that it will have in excess of USD 4 billion of cash on the balance sheet.

The e-retailer gives stock options for over a four-year period with employees investing every month after a one-year threshold.

This is not the first time Flipkart will be going for an ESOP buyback plan. In 2015, the e-retailer had sold Rs 240 crore to provide liquidity for the employees.

ESOPs are a way to retain high-level employees, but companies typically put limits on cash out options.

The rebound in Flipkart's cash position is noticeable given that in 2016, the e-tailer was said to be having a difficult time with funding raising, amid multiple management changes and a fall in valuations.

In April this year, the company's valuation fell to USD 11.6 billion as against a peak valuation USD 15.2 billion in 2015, as per the latest funding round.
Known for their rough and tough merchandise and other adventure gear, footwear, apparel and accessories brand Woodland is all set to debut in the premium market with their new leather collection for both men and women.

Starting with high heels to fancy purses and party wear Woods a sub brand of Aero Club (the owner of the brand Woodland) will have dedicated stores for their new collection. Most of the collection would be designed and even manufactured by experts in places like Italy and others.

For long we have been known for being the adventure gear makers but the luxury market is growing with a rise in demand for premium products and Woods is an initiative to cater to the segment, said Harkirat Singh, Managing Director, Aero Club.

With 6 dedicated Woods stores spread across Delhi, Mumbai, Pune and Bangalore, Singh is upbeat about taking the number up to 15 in a year's time. Given investments to the tune of Rs 10 crore have gone into putting up the six stores another odd Rs 15 crore would be put in for the new additions in the chain.

As for adding more categories to their existing collections, the premium line is not the solo entrant; there is inner wear and leisure wear for men, too. The range would be sold through all their 1,000 retail outlets globally, including those in Hong Kong, Russia and Dubai.

A micro-unit in Delhi NCR (Noida) has been set up for production of this new inner-wear collection and a capex of Rs 50 crore-Rs 60 crore has been ear-marked for technology development, implementation as well as cost of entering new market domestically as well as internationally.

With more plans in the pipeline Singh said, "We are also in the process of launching a series of wearables including watches, fitness bands and eye-wear. This invites a stand-alone announcement and thus, will share this development in due course while the product-lines are being finalized and shipments getting ready for display.

Growing at 15 percent YoY, Woodland plans to open another 40 odd stores this year in India. The brand that already has 600 outlets in the country and is now also looking at setting foot in the Canadian and African markets.

Already operating in Hong Kong, UAE and Russia belt, the brand is upbeat about its international expansions. As a part of their globalizing initiative Woodland has already tied up with Aokang International earlier this year. As per the arrangement Woodland would be selling their footwear at the Chinese companys multi-brand outlets.
Arvind Panagariya

Top Indian economist Arvind Panagariya has told the United Nations that the world export market worth nearly USD 22 trillion is extremely large to have any adverse impact of protectionism.

In a keynote address yesterday to the Second Committee of the UN General Assembly, Panagariya, 65, also played down the fears that automation would kill jobs.

Panagariya, who stepped down as the NITI Ayog vice chairman recently, is now back in the US as Professor of Economics and Jagdish Bhagwati Professor of Indian Political Economy at Columbia University.

"My own personal view on this (automation) is that we often overstate, because we can see what jobs automation we destroy. But we cannot see what jobs automation will actually create," he said, arguing that never in the history technological advancement has actually ended up cutting jobs.

"It has made us all get busier and busier and where automation is the most, in industrialised countries, people are busier," he said and added: "so historically, automation has never been able to made people less busy or labour markets more slack."

To a question on the issue of rising protectionist threat, Panagariya said his own take is that the global market is extremely large.

For instance, he said, the merchandise export market is USD 17 trillion, and another USD 5-6 trillion is the services export market, thus a total USD 22 trillion worth of market is the global market.

What happens tomorrow to the size of this market -- it becomes USD 22 trillion or 25 trillion of 20 trillion -- is much of less valance than what individual countries can do to get a larger share, he noted.

India's is a prime example as its share in merchandise exports is just 1.7 per cent. So any drop in the size of such a market is of far less relevance to India, than whether India is able to raise its share from 1.7 per cent to four or five per cent, he argued.

"That is where the real action is. That depends on what India itself does in terms of its own policies. So, in the end, in my thinking, ultimately countries on leadership and on policies and their implementation good governance are going to determine the future of the countries rather than anything else that happens either in terms technology to change or in terms of the global policies," the economist said.

To a question on global governance, Panagariya said the importance of developing countries is much larger globally today -- both in terms of the economic trade and the voices that they have.

They still need to acquire much greater voice in these international institutions, he said, adding that these institutions themselves require necessary reform.

"But I would not go so far as to place all the policy making it into global governance in one single institution. I think multiple institutions do serve a purpose and I would rather keep that," he said.

Sharing the concern expressed by representative from Tanzania that there is some kind of threat today to the WTO, the Indian economist said at least some part of this world body is working reasonably efficiently in terms of a dispute settlement body.

The developing countries have been able to challenge the developed countries quite successfully in a number of different cases and where the size of the country has not been central to what the decision ultimately gets made, he said.

"But today there is some bit of a change in there. So, I think that the membership has to be very vigilant to ensure that, he said, insisting that there has to be four-five judges in the appellate body at all times.

These are the kinds of "immediate threat" appearing at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) which needs to be resolved, he told the UN committee, observing that developing countries must bring pressure on those nations that are dragging their feet on this.

"But, I personally believe that WTO is a certainly a sound body and this is the most recent body that have we have created in terms of governance as opposed to International Monetary Fund or the World bank. It is well worth preserving and hopefully eventually also making progress," Panagariya said.
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As the Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) docked at Paradip Port in Odisha on Monday to unload its 1.6 million barrels of shale oil, history was created. This was the first time since the US allowed exports of its oil after a ban of 40 years that it has supplied to India. But the move is significant in many other ways than just the symbolism attached to it.

India and other Asian countries were dependent to a large extent on oil production in west Asia by the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). Because of the proximity to Asian economies, these OPEC countries charged a premium for the oil they supplied.

Taking into account that the cost of transportation from any other major oil producing countries would be prohibitive, OPEC countries got away with this. India has been raising the issue of the premium with OPEC countries over the last three years. Being the third-largest oil consumer, India demanded at a meeting of OPEC members and non-members that the premium be removed. The minister of petroleum and natural gas, Dharmendra Pradhan, said at the meeting that the global oil industry stood at a delicate crossroads and that any attempt to frustrate or assign lower importance to Indian demand would be detrimental to the suppliers.

While the OPEC nations were still deliberating on the action to be taken, India moved ahead by ordering its first consignment of 2 million barrels of shale oil for around USD 100 million. This move again was not just symbolic in order to put pressure on the OPEC countries, but it made economic sense, too.

As the cartel of OPEC nations was trying to keep oil prices higher by deliberately cutting production, US oil fields were firing on all cylinders. As a result of higher supply, the spread between Dubai Oil and those from Brent and WTI (West Texas Intermediate) fields fell in favour of the western oil fields. This made importing oil from the US cheaper than those from west Asia.

The government played an important role in bringing transportation costs down as it eased restrictions on importing oil compulsorily through ships owned by Indian companies. Using a VLCC to transport oil reduced the cost of transportation and made the decision economically viable.

The refiner, in this case, Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), benefited not only from the lower price of crude but also from a better quality of the oil. Shale oil, also known as tight oil, gives the best yield for the most lucrative middle distillates. In other words, the gross refining margins (GRM) of refineries will improve if the shale oil is used. Little wonder then that Reliance Industries too has booked 1 million barrels of WTI and Eagle Ford crude each.

Finally, the geopolitical benefit that India gains by purchasing US crude also needs to be taken into account. The deal to buy US oil was struck in a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump. For India, importing crude oil also helps in bringing down the USD 24-billion trade deficit which Trump has been pointing to in his attack on Indias impact on US jobs.

In the context of around 1,500 million barrels of oil imported by India, the present import is too small to move the needle, but it is surely going to turn heads in the OPEC world as the cartel struggles to find new markets and environmental awareness puts pressure on oil demand.

(Disclosure : Reliance Industries Ltd. is the sole beneficiary of Independent Media Trust which controls Network18 Media & Investments Ltd.)
Indian companies raised a record close to Rs 27,000 crore through initial public offerings in the first half of the current fiscal and an impressive pipeline is already in place for coming months.

"Besides, over a dozen firms, including New India Assurance Company, Reliance Nippon Life Asset Management and HDFC Standard Life Insurance Company, have lined up their IPOs to raise funds totalling Rs 35,000 crore in coming months," Dinesh Rohira, founder and CEO at 5nance.com, said.

Adding to the depth of the IPO market, companies from diverse sectors like insurance, healthcare, education, bank, cable TV and shipping have made their way to the IPO space during the period under review.

According to the latest data compiled from stock exchanges, 19 companies garnered over Rs 26,720 crore through their respective IPOs in April-September of the ongoing financial year, much higher than Rs 16,535 crore raised by 15 firms in the year-ago period.

Prior to that, companies had raised a record Rs 21,244 crore from initial public offers (IPOs) in the first half of 2007-08.

Proceeds of the IPO were used to fund business expansion plans, pay debt, meet working capital requirements and for other general corporate purposes.

"One of the big reasons why we are seeing so many IPOs hitting stock markets is the uplift in investor sentiment, which is also reflected in the returns that the Nifty gave in the first half of the year," Rohira added.

"Further, Sebi's proactive regulations and (Narendra) Modi-led government's pro-business policies have helped both companies and investors shrug off fears and lap up opportunities to become part of the India growth story," he noted.

Making a similar point, Bajaj Capital CEO Rahul Parikh said: "The underlying bullish sentiment in the markets and consequent high demand from domestic investors means that companies can get a good price for their issues. Also, there is a need to deleverage balance sheets."

He added: "Time is also ripe for institutional investors like private equity to exit at a good price as prevailing valuations in secondary markets are high."

Market watchdog Sebi has taken numerous steps that have encouraged companies to sell shares. One key enabler is making Asba (Application Supported by Blocked Amount) mandatory for all investors, including retail. Also, Sebi's proactive approach to the market has calmed investors' nerves on frauds.

By taking the IPO route, the companies achieve benefits of listing as well as enhance their brand name and provide liquidity to the existing shareholders.

Moreover, IPOs like Avenue Supermarts -- which runs retail chain D-mart -- and CDSL clocking more than 200 percent returns since listing have bolstered investors' faith to clock handsome gains.

The IPO chart in the first half of the current fiscal was led by SBI Life Insurance (Rs 8,400 crore), followed by ICICI Lombard General Insurance (5,700 crore), AU Small Finance Bank (Rs 1,912 crore), Eris Lifesciences (Rs 1,741 crore), Cochin Shipyard (Rs 1,468 crore) and Housing and Urban Development Corporation (Rs 1,224 crore).
22:00 India is expected to retain its position as the top remittances receiving country, with its diaspora set to pump in a whopping USD 65 billion in the year 2017, the World Bank said on Tuesday.

Ahead of the annual meeting of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, a report issued by the global lender said that remittances, which include flows to high-income countries, are projected to grow by 3.9 per cent to USD 596 billion.

21:34 BSE

has said it will extend the trading session for gold exchange-traded funds (ETF) and Sovereign Gold Bond on October 17 till 7pm on the occasion of Dhanteras, a festival celebrated two days before Diwali.

Besides, the exchange will conduct muhurat trading session on account of Diwali Laxmi Pujan on October 19 from 6.30pm to 7.30pm, the BSE said in a notice.

21:10 We have more details about that hack attack. UIDAI and BSE are among 6,000 Indian organisations reportedly affected by a data breach. Find out more here.

20:50 BJP President Amit Shah on Tuesday appealed for an end to communism in India, stating that political killings are common in Kerala, West Bengal and Tripura  all states led by Left parties.

"I want to appeal to all the citizens of the nation, not just the citizens of Kerala, to raise their voice against the political violence that is happening in Kerala, West Bengal and Tripura," Shah said in an interview to News18.

Shah kicked off a 15-day march against political violence in Kerala on Tuesday in which hundreds of BJP leaders and workers participated. The 'Janraksha Yatra' (March for Protection of People) that began from Payyanur will pass through several parts of Kerala before concluding in state capital Thiruvananthapuram on October 17.

20:32 For the full story on the excise duty cut, go here.

20:15 Prices of petrol and diesel will be reduced by the amount of duty cut with effect from Wednesday.

20:09 Meanwhile, there are a reports that a hacker has put up for sale the information of more than 6,000 Indian companies. We'll bring you more information on that shortly.

20:05 FICCI President Pankaj Patel says the excise duty cut will actually help control inflation and is a signal for RBI to cut rates.

19:59 Following the increase in the international prices of petrol and diesel during the last few weeks, the Retail Selling Prices (RSP) of petrol and diesel at Delhi have risen to Rs 70.83/litre and Rs 59.07/litre respectively as of Monday.

The government said this rise in the prices is also reflected in WPI inflation, which has increased to 3.24 percent for August, as compared to 1.88 percent for July, thus prompting it to act "swiftly".

19:50 Taneja says he hopes that state governments will take a cue and reduce state levies where they can.

19:47 Narendra Taneja of the BJP's Energy Cell says the excise duty cut is an early Diwali gift for consumers.

19:45 Former Oil Secretary Saurabh Chandra says the government will have to depend on tax collections, non-tax realisations to make up the shortfall.

19:41 Sarraf says he doesn't believe the spurt in crude prices will persist.

19:39 DK Sarraf, former ONGC Chairman and Managing Director, says the excise cut is negative for government revenues but positive for consumers. "The government should have waited for some more time," he says.

19:36 The cut in excise duty on petrol and diesel will help cushion Indian consumers from the sharp rise in global crude oil prices. Crude prices have jumped more than 10 percent in the last one month and is currently hovering around USD 59 to a barrel.

Pump gate prices of petrol and diesel, which are revised daily in India, are linked to international crude price movements. A cut in excise duty would proportionately reduce oil companies tax outgo, helping to keep retail prices from rising for retail consumers.

19:30 The government says the revenue loss on account of these reductions in excise duty is about Rs 26,000 crore for the full year and Rs 13,000 crore for the remainder for the current financial year.

19:28 The Ministry of Finance says this decision has been taken by the government to protect the interest of the common man.

19:26 RS Sharma, former Chairman of ONGC, tells CNBC-TV18 that oil marketing companies will benefit from this decision.

19:24 The excise cut has been done to cushion the impact of rising international prices of crude petroleum oil & petrol and diesel on their retail sale prices, says the finance ministry.

19:21 The government has reduced basic excise duty on petrol and diesel, both branded and unbranded, by Rs 2 per litre with effect from Wednesday.

19:11 AIADMK's Sasikala has been denied parole. Currently in a Bengaluru jail after being convicted in a disproportionate assets case, she had sought parole in order to visit her ailing husband.

19:10 For the full lowdown on what happened with regard to Vijay Mallya today, read the full story. Meanwhile, we move on to our regular news coverage in this blog.

18:59 The extradition process from the UK involves a number of steps, including a decision by the judge whether to issue a warrant of arrest. In case of a warrant, the person is arrested and brought before the court for preliminary hearing followed by an extradition hearing before a final decision is taken by the secretary of state.

18:50 Indias bid to bring back liquor baron Vijay Mallya from the United Kingdom is built around irregularities in the Rs 950 crore IDBI Bank loan to Kingfisher Airlines (KFA) and evidence about alleged illegal overseas fund funnelling of more than Rs 3,200 crore. Find out more here.

18:35 A lawyer for the Enforcement Directorate says the agency has evidence of dual criminality against Mallya.

18:30 Mallya has repeatedly refused to appear before courts and investigators in India since he secretly fled to Britain last March, after defaulting on loan payments to state-owned banks and allegedly misusing the funds by rerouting them to tax havens.

18:20 Here's a timeline of everything that has happened in the Vijay Mallya case so far.

18:12 The final hearing in Mallya's extradition case is scheduled for December.

18:05 The two agencies are now planning to file chargesheets and present it as evidence in the Westminster Magistrates' Court to expedite his extradition.

18:00 The CBI and ED had recently uncovered that Mallya had diverted a major chunk of Rs 6,027 crore loan, taken from a consortium of 17 banks led by SBI, to several countries including US, UK, France and Ireland.

17:55 The ED lawyer says that the agency submitted fresh evidence in the IDBI Bank loan case.

17:52 A lawyer for the Enforcement Directorate tells News18 that the bail to Mallya is 'procedural'.

17:46 Mallya has now been granted bail by the London court after providing surety and a bail bond.

17:44 More charges are expected to be added against Mallya today. Sources are telling News-18 that Mallya is likely to be granted bail.

17:41 Sudhanshu Mittal of the BJP says the law has caught up with Vijay Mallya and the government has pursued this case. He has to face law of India, Mittal says.

17:34 The Enforcement Directorate reportedly told the London court that Mallya diverted loan money to tax havens.

17:31 News18 reports that today's arrest took place after the Enforcement Directorate filed a fresh affidavit in a London court.

17:27 Mallya was also arrested by the London police in April this year but was granted bail the same day. India had given a formal extradition request for Mallya as per the Extradition Treaty between India and the UK through a note verbale on February 8.

17:22 Mallya went to Britain in March 2016 after being pursued in courts by banks seeking to recover about Rs 9,000 crore owed by his Kingfisher Airlines.

Vijay Mallya has been arrested in London on money laundering charges, reports DD News.

17:15 Coal output up 15.3 percent vs 0.7 percent rise (MoM), crude oil output down 1.6 percent vs 0.5 percent decline (MoM).

17:05 The growth of eight core sectors has risen to 4.9 percent in August from 2.4 percent in July.

16:40 Watch our evening market show to know what moved the markets today.

16:19 Watch this video to know more about gravitational waves, the discovery of which has earned three US scientists the Nobel prize for physics.

Scientists Rainer Weiss, Barry Barish and Kip Thorne won the 2017 Nobel Prize for Physics for decisive contributions in the observation of gravitational waves, the award-giving body said on Tuesday.

This is something completely new and different, opening up unseen worlds, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said in a statement on awarding the 9 million Swedish crown ($1.1 million) prize.

16:03 After being on the run for over a month, Honeypreet Insan, adopted daughter of the jailed Dera Sacha Sauda chief, was arrested by the Haryana Police from Zirakpur-Patiala road in Punjab in connection with the violence that followed the sect head's conviction. Priyanka Taneja alias Honeypreet was arrested from Zirakpur-Patiala road, Haryana Police DGP BS Sandhu said.

Honeypreet tops the list of 43 people 'wanted' by the Haryana Police in connection with the incidents of violence that left 41 people dead and several injured following Gurmeet Ram Rahim's conviction in rape case. Talking to mediapersons at Panchkula, Police Commissioner AS Chawla said, "She has been taken into custody by SIT in-charge (Mukesh Kumar) from Zirakpur-Patiala road in Punjab. She is being brought to Panchkula for questioning in connection with the incidents of violence". Chawla stated that Honeypreet will be presented in court on Wednesday.

15:38 Piramal Realty on Tuesday said it has agreed to buy a 3.2 acre land from Mumbai-based real estate developer Nirmal Lifestyle for Rs 153 crore, reports Mint. The land is located, adjacent to Piramal Revantaa residential project currently being developed by Piramal Realty at Mulund. Spread across 12 acres, Piramal Revanta is being built at an investment of Rs 1,800 crore.

15:17 Indian banks may have to take a haircut of Rs 6,000 crore on Reliance Communications debt, reports CNBC-TV18. Foreign lenders too may have to take a Rs 6,000 crore haircut. Sources said banks may have to take over 26% of the companys debt as equity, which at the current price, would account for about Rs 1,200 crore of debt.

A telecom tower deal may exhaust Rs 5,000 crore of RComm's debt. Sale of the mobility business could take away Rs 8,500 crore, while development of Dhirubhai Ambani Knowledge City (DAKC) land via a special purpose vehicle (SPV) can assume Rs 4,000 crore of debt. Its remaining businesses - date centre and undersea cable  is expected to assume Rs 10,000 crore.

14:55 Honeypreet Insan has surrendered to Punjab Police, reports CNN-News18. The Haryana Police has taken custody of Honeypreet from the Punjab police.

14:47 European shares hovered around three-month highs on Tuesday as a sell-off in Spanish stocks eased and financials gained following another record-breaking session on Wall Street, reports Reuters. The pan-European STOXX 600 index was flat, while Spain's blue chip index added 0.1% as Madrid and Catalonia appeared to carefully weigh their next steps following Sunday's independence referendum, which the central government has declared illegal.

14:34 UK construction unexpectedly shrank for the first time in more than a year in September as Brexit weighed on investment in commercial building, reports Bloomberg. IHS Markits Purchasing Managers Index fell to 48.1, the lowest since the aftermath of the EU referendum in 2016 and far weaker than economists had forecast.

14:33 High-income shoppers will fuel holiday spending in the US this year, even as less affluent consumers keep their purse strings tight, reports Bloomberg. Thats the finding of a survey released Tuesday by PricewaterhouseCoopers. The firm expects Americans overall to increase spending by 6% this season, but those with household incomes under USD 60,000 will cut their outlays for both gifts and entertainment as they deal with stagnant wages.

14:31 Appliance maker Amber Enterprises has filed preliminary papers with Sebi to raise Rs 555 crore through an initial share-sale offering, according to draft prospectus filed with the markets regulator. The IPO comprises fresh issue of equity shares worth Rs 450 crore and sale of scrips to the tune of Rs 105 crore by promoters Jasbir Singh and Daljit Singh.

The company plans to use the proceeds for repayment and advance payment of certain loans and for other general corporate purposes. Edelweiss Financial Services, IDFC Bank, SBI Capital Markets and BNP Paribas will manage the company's initial public offer (IPO). The Gurugram-based Amber Enterprises manufactures air conditioners.

14:29 TVS Motor Company reported a 23% YoY increase in total sales at 3,59,850 units in September. The Chennai-based company had sold 2,93,257 units in September 2016. Total two-wheeler sales during the month increased 22% to 3,50,854 units. Exports during the month were at 50,971 units as against 38,164 in September 2016, a rise of 34%.

14:26 Pakistans ruling party on Tuesday re-elected ousted premier Nawaz Sharif as its leader, saying he was back with full force, a day after using its parliamentary majority to amend a law to allow him to re-take the job, reports Reuters.

14:19 German luxury carmaker Mercedes-Benz has expanded its C-class portfolio with the launch of Edition C sedan, with price starting at Rs 42.54 lakh (ex-showroom). The C 200 Avantgarde Edition C is priced at Rs 42.54 lakh, C 220 d Avantgarde at Rs 43.54 lakh and C 250 d Avantgarde Edition C at Rs 46.87 lakh.

13:53 IDFC and Shriram Group are still working on a new deal structure, reports CNBC-TV18. The proposed deal earlier involved the merger of Shriram City Union with IDFC Bank, while Shriram Transport Finance was to become a subsidiary of IDFC and likely de-listed, with the insurance businesses of Shriram Group becoming subsidiaries of IDFC.

Sources now say that Ajay Piramal, Chairman, Piramal Enterprises, will not hold more than 5% stake in IDFC Bank and that Shriram Transport Finance will continue to remain an independent entity.

The deal is yet to be finalised even as the 90-day deadline approaches. Sources suggest the exclusivity period for the merger talks is likely to be extended by 6-8 weeks to complete the deal.

13:37 BJP President Amit Shah trained his guns on the Left saying that political killings are common in both Kerala and Tripura, both Left front rules states, reports CNN-News18. Whenever the Left Front comes to power the cycle of violence begins in Kerala. Over 120 BJP and RSS workers have been killed and Kerala. Over 80 of them have been killed in Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayans constituency. He needs to answer to the public, Shah said. He also questioned human rights organisations for not talking about and protesting against the political killings in Kerala.

13:34 Exports from special economic zones (SEZs) paced up 15.4% YoY to Rs 1.35 lakh crore during the first quarter this fiscal, Commerce Ministry data shows. Exports grew about 12% to Rs 5.24 lakh crore in FY17 as against Rs 4.67 lakh crore in the previous fiscal.

13:30 Auto major Mahindra & Mahindra reported a 16% YoY increase in total sales at 53,663 units in September. The company sold 46,130 units in the same month last year. In the domestic market, sales were up 19% at 50,456 units last month compared to 42,545 in September 2016. Exports declined 11% to 3,207 units in September against 3,585 in the year-ago month.

13:27 Hinduja Group flagship Ashok Leyland has reported a 27.53% jump in total sales at 15,370 units in September. The company had sold 12,052 units in the same month last year. Sales of medium and heavy commercial vehicles grew 31.77% to 11,804 units as against 8,958 in the year-ago month. Light commercial vehicle sales grew by 15.26% to 3,566 units compared to 3,094 in September last year.

13:24 Apollo Tyres stated it has no intention of making any attempt of acquiring Kumho Tyres, reports CNBC-TV18. The stock is trading 2% lower, closer to the lows of the day.

13:20 The Supreme Court has sought responses from the Centre and the Election Commission of India on a PIL challenging the recent amendments made to the law related to political funding, reports PTI. A bench comprising Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices AM Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud issued the notice on a plea filed by NGO Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR). Lawyer Prashant Bhushan, appearing for the NGO, said the amendment has removed the cap that barred corporates from donating more than 7.5% of their average net profit to a political party.

13:16 Bahujan Samaj Party leader Rajesh Yadav was shot dead near the Tarachand hostel of Allahabad University on Monday, reports PTI. Soon after, BSP supporters went on a rampage on Tuesday and burnt public vehicles, protesting against the state police.

13:04 Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) has forayed into construction equipment business by launching its first motor grader. The Mumbai-based company today rolled out its first motor grader - Mahindra RoadMaster G75 - under the business vertical. The motor grader is priced at Rs 34.99 lakh and is around one-third the cost of similar such equipment being sold by other companies.

12:52 Data released by the Controller General of Accounts (CGA) shows that even with the early passage of the Budget by Parliament, the government spent only 35.5% of Rs 3.1 trillion capital expenditure earmarked for 2017-18 during the first five months of the year (April-August), against 37% during the same period a year ago, reports Mint. The major departments where capital expenditure is less than last years level are telecommunications (3% in FY18 versus 34% in FY17), railways (21% versus 32%), space (34% versus 38%) and urban development (36% versus 71%).

12:47 Digital money Monaco gained as much as 695% in value since May 17, when its issuing company tweeted that it would offer a Visa-branded payment card, reports Bloomberg. Monaco didn't have a deal with Visa. Later that month, Monaco put out a press release describing the benefits of its Visa-branded card. Again, no agreement with Visa. Monaco is, however, working with a Visa-licensed issuer, Wirecard AG. As far as Visa goes, Monaco is being vetted through the credit-card issuer's review process.

11:45 Mahindra & Mahindra may still be eligible to participate in Energy Efficiency Services (EESL) e-car tender, reports CNBC-TV18. Sources said EESL may reach out to the company to re-participate in bids, adding that the automaker may still be eligible to bid for at least 30% of the total e-car tender.

11:35 An attempt by NCP MLA Jitendra Awhad and his supporters to stage a rail roko (rail block) at the suburban Kalwa station in neighbouring Thane district during peak office hours on Tuesday morning was foiled by the railway security personnel, reports PTI. Awhad had given a call for agitation, which he dubbed as the 'mother of all protests', at Kalwa station to protest against the "casual approach" of railway authorities towards the safety of suburban commuters after the stampede on the foot overbridge of Elphinstone Road station on Friday which killed 23 passengers.

11:33 The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) asked RJD leader Lalu Prasad Yadav and his son Tejashwi Yadav to appear before it for questioning on October 5 and 6 in an alleged corruption case after both leaders expressed their inability to appear on given dates, reports PTI. The CBI wants to question the former railways minister Lalu Prasad Yadav for a contract given for the maintenance of two IRCTC hotels in 2006.

Tejashwi is also made an accused in the CBI FIR pertaining to alleged corruption in the deal. It is alleged that Yadav as Railway Minister handed over maintenance of two Railway hotels BNR Ranchi and Puri to Sujata Hotel (a company owned by Vinay and Vijay Kochhar) after receiving a bribe in the form of prime land of three acres through a benami company.

11:27 The Supreme Court has ruled in the Kerala love jihad case. Questioning the high courts decision nullifying marriage of a Hindu woman who converted to Islam, the apex court said prime facie the marriage cannot be nullified. It stated that the father can't have control over a 25-year old adult. The court will hear the matter in detail on October 9.

11:22 Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike, whose new party is challenging Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abes ruling bloc in the October 22 national election, said she would 100% not run in the poll, the latest twist in a drama giving voters whiplash, reports Reuters. Speculation has persisted that Koike, a former LDP member and defence minister, would resign to run for a seat in parliament needed to make a bid for the premiership.

11:21 Indian manufacturing activity expanded for a second consecutive month in September although firms struggled to sustain demand, with the price of goods barely increasing, reports Reuters. The Nikkei/Markit Manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index, compiled by IHS Markit, held steady at Augusts 51.2 last month, its second month above the 50 mark that separates growth from contraction.

11:09 State Bank of India (SBI) has cut one-year retail term deposit rates by 25bps to 6.5%.

10:58 Taj Mahal, one of the World's Seven Wonders, has found no mention in a Uttar Pradesh government's tourism booklet on key attractions in the state, reports CNN-News18. The 32-page glossy booklet titled 'Uttar Pradesh Paryatan-Apaar Sambhavanaayein' (UP Tourism-Unlimited Possibilities), which has the iconic Ganga Aarti of Varanasi as its cover image, has been printed to promote the tourist spots in Uttar Pradesh, but surprisingly the most prominent and popular one is missing. The embarrassment led the UP government to go defensive with Tourism Minister Rita Bahuguna Joshi saying that the Taj Mahal was a part of UP's cultural heritage and a key priority for the state government.

10:47 The Karnataka government plans to bring a legal framework to protect its 100% reservation policy for Kannadigas in blue-collar jobs, reports The Times of India. This move comes after the government was legally challenged over its pro-Kannada stance.

With the law department vetoing 100% reservation for C and D group (blue-collar) employees in private sector earlier this month, the issue has now landed in front of the advocate general (AG) for consideration. The department had cited that the 100% reservation policy in private sector would create legal challenges by curtailing the fundamental rights guaranteed in the Constitution by violating article 14 (right to equality) and article 16 (right of equal opportunity).

10:43 The Centre has begun a slew of measures to boost medium and small scale industries, exports and the textile sector, reports The Economic Times. During its September 27 Cabinet meeting, the government had discussed proposals related to providing stimulus to medium and small-scale industries, exports and the textile sector which have not performed to their optimum strength in last few quarters.

10:36 The number of new internet and technology start-ups launched in the first nine months of this year has slumped to 800 from more than 6,000 in all of last year, as start-up closures, the struggles of large internet companies and a slowdown in the growth of the e-commerce market took their toll on entrepreneurial activity, reports Mint. Data from Tracxn, a start-up tracker, shows that the number of new start-ups has now dropped steeply for two years in a row.

10:19 Honeypreet Insan, who was absconding, has claimed she and Dera Sacha Sauda Chief Ram Rahim Singh are innocents, reports CNN-News18. Rejecting that she and Ram Rahim had an illicit relationship, Honeypreet appealed to people to think twice before maligning a father-daughter relationship. She said she has met an advocate in Delhi and claimed she will go to Punjab and Haryana High Court in Chandigarh to follow the legal process. Reacting to the reports that she had fled the country, Honeypreet said she did not go to Nepal.

10:12 The Reliance Communications stock tumbled 7.8% after the company scrapped a proposed merger of its wireless arm with rival Aircel, raising doubts about a debt-reduction plan. The company on Sunday said it is reassessing debt repayment options after calling off the merger deal, citing regulatory delays and legal uncertainties.

10:03 SBI Life Insurance debuts at Rs 733 per share, up 5% from its listing price of Rs 700 per share.

09:50 North Korea on Tuesday threatened Japan with nuclear destructions in response to Tokyos attempts to convince the international community to reject dialogue in favour of applying more pressure on Pyongyang, reports IANS. In an article released by Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Pyongyang responded to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abes speech at the UN General Assembly last month, in which he called for pressure, not dialogue to force North Korea to abandon its nuclear ambitions.

Kim Jong-uns regime accused Abe of using the theory of crisis on the Korean peninsula' for political purposes, and in particular to facilitate Japans militarisation and at the same time strengthen inside unity and save the present rulers driven into a tight corner with corruption and irregularities. The article added that Abe had already shown his sinister political goal with measures such as increasing defence costs and calling snap elections. Japans rackets inciting the tension of the Korean peninsula is a suicidal deed that will bring nuclear clouds to the Japanese archipelago.

09:39 Dera Sacha Sauda Gurmeet Ram Rahim's adopted daughter Honeypreet Insan is likely to surrender on Tuesday or Wednesday before the Panchkula Court, reports CNN-News18. The former actress said she will surrender after taking legal advice.

09:30 The Tata Motors stock is trading up close to 5% on robust September auto sale numbers. The company reported an exponential rise in its domestic sales for September on the back of growing festive demand and introduction of new products. September domestic passenger and commercial vehicle sales rose 25% to 53,965 units. However, exports declined 27% to 3,887 units.

09:24 About 30.1 lakh shares of Indiabulls Ventures traded in two blocks on the bourses at Rs 259.55 per share.

09:23 About 2.7 lakh shares of Zee Entertainment traded in two blocks on the NSE at Rs 522 per share.

09:19 The two-day rate setting meeting of RBIs Monetary Policy Committee will start today. This will be the fourth bimonthly monetary policy meeting of the FY18. With inflation firming up and rupee coming under pressure, many economists feel that central bank will vote to keep the repo rate unchanged at 6%.

09:11 Greenko, backed by Singapore's GIC and Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, has sought to acquire Anil Ambani-led Reliance Infrastructure's flagship Mumbai electricity business for an enterprise value of Rs 13,000-14,000 crore, reports The Economic Times.

09:08 Every day, South Korea's Unification Ministry sends officials to the border village of Panmunjom to call North Korea at 9 am and 4 pm For more than 18 months, the North hasn't picked up. As North Korea steps up its nuclear weapons tests and threats, the Unification Ministry, dedicated to improving relations with the North and eventual peaceful reunification, faces an almost existential crisis, reports AP.

09:03 Which stocks and sectors are on the wish-list of foreign and domestic brokerages today, click here to find out

08:29 SBI Life Insurance will make its stock market debut today after raising Rs 8,400 crore in its initial public offering. The company is a joint venture between SBI and BNP Paribas Cardif (BNPPC). Its initial public offer was oversubscribed 3.58 times between September 20 and September 22. Experts see the issue listing at a premium of Rs 20-30.

08:24 Automakers drove in robust sales in September led by festive season and new offerings. Tata Motors sales rose 25% while Maruti posted a 10% growth. Royal Enfield continued its strong run.

08:21 Dr Reddy's Laboratories will be in focus today as the company has launched a generic version of Renvela in the US.

08:19 Markets regulator Sebi has put off implementation of its directive "until further notice" that required listed firms to inform exchanges if they default on loan payments to banks and financial institutions, reports PTI. In a circular, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (said it has decided to defer implementation of its earlier directive "until further notice". Last month, the regulator had directed listed companies to disclose from October 1 any payment defaults to banks and financial institutions within one working day of such a miss.

08:14 In a relief for Indian IT bellwether Tata Consultancy Services, a US court has more than halved the compensatory and punitive damages to USD 420 million imposed on company in a lawsuit filed by Epic Systems.

08:10 Anil Ambani-led Reliance Communications has called off its much anticipated merger with Aircel. RComm cited regulatory delays and opposition from creditors for the deal falling through and said that they were looking at alternative ways to reduce its debt, including sale of real estate assets and "optimisation of spectrum".

08:07 Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy may be forced to play his constitutional trump card to attempt to restore order in Catalonia. On Sunday, violence erupted between activists and Spanish police, who were seeking to shut down the region's independence referendum that had been deemed illegal by the nation's constitutional court. Rajoy has now met the leader of opposition socialist party to figure out the next step in the Catalonian crisis.

- Republican Party of India established.- Two US Special Forces helicopters are shot down during an ambush in Mogadishu, Somalia. 17 US peacekeepers are killed.- OJ Simpson is acquitted of the murders of his estranged wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ronald Goldman.

1997 - Financial and operational autonomy given to 97 profit-making public sector enterprises (mini-ratnas) other than the navaratnas.

07:57 Japanese companies inflation expectations eased slightly in September from three months ago in a worrying sign the economy continues to struggle with a deflationary mindset, reports Reuters. Companies surveyed by the Bank of Japan expect consumer prices to rise 0.7% a year from now, lower than their projection for a 0.8% increase three months ago. Firms also expect consumer prices to rise an annual 1.1% three years from now, unchanged from the previous survey.

07:55 Is China's real reasons for enforcing North Korea sanctions aimed at US President Donald Trump and its Party Congress? CNBC reports that China's measures against North Korea may just be a temporary move for its own gain. China is looking to improve relations with the US as well as ensure stability ahead of a key meeting of Communist Party officials, experts said.

07:49 Las Vegas massacre: Scenes from the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history

07:42 Indias ride-hailing company Ola on Monday secured USD 2 billion in new funding from a group of investors, including SoftBank Group Corp and Tencent Holdings, reports Bloomberg. The funding round isnt finished yet and the amount could change. The funding is also backed by venture capital fund jointly run by Indian industrialist Ratan Tata, the University of California's investment arm and US institutional investors.

07:36 Banks operating in Britain must find a net GBP 4 billion (USD 5.3 billion) by 2022 to comply with rules aimed at shielding taxpayers if lenders go bust, the Bank of England said on Monday. Ten years after the financial crisis that cost British taxpayers billions of pounds to rescue banks like Royal Bank of Scotland and Lloyds, the BoE said its was putting the finishing touches to a system for dealing with failing banks. This would ensure that even large banks can be wound down and would be no longer too big to fail and hold taxpayers to ransom. BoE Deputy Governor Jon Cunliffe said the BoE does not run a zero failure regime.

07:30 Factories across the euro zone enjoyed their most productive month since early 2011 in September, and the momentum looks set to continue into October as new order growth accelerated, reports Reuters. That increase in demand and activity came despite firms raising prices at the fastest rate in five months, in welcome news for policymakers at the European Central Bank, which look set to announce a reduction of its asset-buying programme soon. IHS Markits final manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index climbed to 58.1 from Augusts 57.4, just missing a flash estimate of 58.2 but its highest level since February 2011.

07:28 British manufacturing growth cooled last month as cost pressures lurched higher, according to a survey that could put the Bank of England a step closer to raising interest rates, despite a murky outlook ahead of Brexit, reports Reuters. Mondays IHS Markit/CIPS UK Manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) fell to 55.9 from a downwardly revised 56.7 in August. By contrast, euro zone factories had their best month since early 2011.

07:27 A measure of US manufacturing activity surged to a near 13-1/2-year high in September, reports Reuters. Disruptions to the supply chains caused by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma resulted in factories taking longer to deliver goods and boosted raw material prices. The Institute for Supply Management index rose to 60.8 in September from 58.8 in August. US construction spending also rebounded in August after two straight months of declines, boosted by increases in both private and public outlays.

07:24 Crude oil prices extended losses, as optimism surrounding an apparent re-balancing of the market began to fade following news of an increase in Iraqi production and a rise in US oil rig counts. Gold fell to its lowest since mid-August on Monday as rising US treasury yields pushed the dollar higher, while concerns over violence during Catalonia's independence vote at the weekend weighed on the euro.

07:22 US stocks started the fourth quarter on a strong note, with all three major indexes closing at record highs on Monday after data underscored strength in the economy. The small-cap Russell 2000 posted another record high close. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 152.51 points, or 0.68%, to 22,557.6, the S&P 500 gained 9.76 points, or 0.39%, to 2,529.12 and the Nasdaq Composite added 20.76 points, or 0.32%, to 6,516.72.

07:17 Asian shares tiptoed lower on Tuesday, pressured by weaker oil prices but supported by records on Wall Street and upbeat economic data that lifted US Treasury yields and the dollar. Japan's Nikkei stock index added 0.3%, getting a tailwind from a weaker yen. Australian shares slipped 0.4% ahead of the Reserve Bank of Australias (RBA) policy decision. China and South Korean markets are shut for trade today due to public holidays. SGX Nifty is trading 18 points higher.

07:09 A retiree armed with multiple assault rifles strafed an outdoor country music festival in Las Vegas from a high-rise hotel window on Sunday, slaughtering at least 59 people in the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history before killing himself, reports Reuters.

The barrage of gunfire from the 32nd-floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel into a crowd of 22,000 people came in extended bursts that lasted several minutes, as throngs of terrified music fans desperately cowered on the open ground, hemmed in by fellow concertgoers, while others at the edge tried to flee.

More than 525 people were injured - some by gunfire or shrapnel, some trampled - in the pandemonium adjacent to the Las Vegas Strip as police scrambled to locate the assailant. The Islamic State militant group claimed responsibility for the massacre, but US officials said there was no evidence of that.

07:03 The White House on Monday ruled out talks with North Korea except to discuss the fate of Americans held there, again appearing to rebuke Secretary of State Rex Tillerson who said Washington was directly communicating with Pyongyang on its nuclear and missile programs, reports Reuters.

Weve been clear that now is not the time to talk, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders told reporters, reiterating a tweet from President Donald Trump at the weekend that was seen as undercutting Tillerson. The only conversations that have taken place were that ... would be on bringing back Americans who have been detained, Sanders said. Beyond that, there will be no conversations with North Korea at this time.
BSNL Office In Mumbai

With most corporate occupiers pre-booking upcoming office spaces, absorption in this segment is likely to remain stable this year and is expected to touch 32 million sq ft by end of 2017, says a report by global real estate solutions company Cushman & Wakefield.

Bengaluru has witnessed the highest volume of net absorption at 4.8 million sq ft this year. The IT/ ITES and BFSI processing businesses have driven 60 percent growth in absorption in Chennai, and Kolkata has recorded a surge in supply and vacancy due to low net absorption, it says.

Net absorption for the first nine months of 2017 has been recorded at approximately 18 million square feet (msf), registering a marginal decline of 7 percent year-on-year (YoY) across the eight major cities of India. The trend for office space absorption has been looking positive despite a seeming slowdown in the early part of the year 2017.

Restricted supply in the markets should be viewed positively as it reduces the chances of oversupply in the markets. Given that Indian commercial office sector is reactive and gets majorly impacted by changes in the international business environment, the restrictive supply also forms a safety net for the developers as rents are maintained. To counter the slowdown in supply and hedge against high rental spikes, most occupiers are pre-committing upcoming supply. Further, the present demand-supply dynamics also bodes well for most large developer-landlords as they are able to offload some of their stake to institutional investors at better valuations as the interest of such investors in revenue generating assets continues to grow. We feel that similar to net absorption, the total supply for the top 8 Indian cities will remain stable like the last year, says Anshul Jain, Managing Director, India, Cushman & Wakefield.

Chennai saw a growth of net absorption of 60 percent YoY. Bengaluru continued to register the highest volume of transaction with approximately 5.0 msf of net absorption, while Hyderabad registered the second highest volume of net absorption at 3.2 msf, albeit both registering a decline from the same time last year, says the report.

The Chennai market witnessed robust activities in the last few quarters registering a steady growth QoQ due to an increase in interest from occupiers. There is availability of quality office stock as well as lower rental values. Chennai gives the added benefit to occupiers of a rife talent pool in the area. Absorption in Chennai has been led by sectors such as e-commerce, IT/ BPM and BFSI for processing units. As a result of this positive trend in office absorption, Chennai has seen a significant drop in vacancy bringing it down from 15 percent in 2015 to 9 percent in 2017.

Bengaluru, on the other hand, has been witnessing inadequate office space supply, which has been restricting the uptake of office space, leading to a decline of 17 percent year-on-year. On a positive note, new inquiries for fresh space for growth and new offices have picked up in the third quarter, unlike the previous quarters where the focus on many large occupiers was on consolidation and/or relocation, it says.

Mumbai has emerged as the most stable market from net absorption perspective in 2017 registering total net absorption of 2 msf in 2017 year--to-date (YTD). The market has been receiving steady demand from sectors such as IT/BPO, consulting, BFSI, healthcare and media that have been looking at growth within the city. Delhi NCR, too, saw a manageable decline of 3 percent year-on-year in the YTD net absorption despite a drop in supply of office space, says the report.

The supply for office space has been greatly constricted in India with a drop of 38 percent being registered in the top eight markets of India. Almost all cities (exception of Kolkata) saw a decline in commercial office supply. Mumbai (56 percent), Pune (51 percent) and Chennai (47 percent) have been witnessing a slow development and construction due to numerous reasons ranging from general delays in construction to lack of clarity from the market trends. Even Bengaluru recorded its lowest quarterly supply in the last 2 years at less than 1 msf in the third quarter this year.

We have entered the second half of 2017 with a positive outlook, and have seen occupiers absorbing and pre-committing greater volumes of office spaces. Almost 30 percent of the total net absorption for YTD 2017 took place in the third quarter of the year and going by the previous years trends, another 3035 percent is expected to be recorded in the last quarter of the year. Hence, we expect to see close to 12-14 msf of additional net absorption in Q4 2017. This means that 2017 remains on track to record net absorption similar to last year at around 30-32 msf, says Anshul Jain, managing director, India Cushman & Wakefield.
(Representational image)

Godrej Properties Ltd has announced that it has entered a partnership to develop a residential project on approximately 59 acres in Mamurdi, West Pune, within Pune Corporation Municipal Corporation (PCMC) limit. The project will offer approximately 418,000 square metres (4.5 million sq. ft.) of saleable area.

This is the companys third project in West Pune.

The site is strategically located just off the Mumbai - Pune expressway and very close to prime commercial centers such as Wakad, Hinjawadi, and the automobile hub at Pimpri Chinchwad, a company release said.

It is situated behind the MCA stadium and is well connected to the social infrastructure at West Pune.

We are happy to add this large new project in Pune which is a critical growth market for us. This fits with our strategy of deepening our presence across the country's leading real estate markets, said Pirojsha Godrej, Executive Chairman, Godrej Properties.
In yet another addition to the food-tech startups' graveyard, Gurgaon based cloud kitchen company Yumist has decided to down shutters after it failed to raise a subsequent round of funding.

Founded in 2014, by ex-Zomato chief marketing officer Alok Jain, the company had raised close to USD 3 million from investors such as Unilazer Ventures and Orios Venture Partners.

Yumist provided on demand meals in a box from its own kitchen focused in Delhi NCR region.

The companys founder and CEO Alok Jain announced in a blog post last week that the company had tried multiple iterations across the supply chain to achieve profitability.

We failed to raise the kind of capital that this business required while staying true to the customer problem, he said.

He also said that theres a bunch of internal and external factors that led Yumist to 'a dead end'.

Here is what the company founder posted on Yumist website:

The Yumist journey comes to an end...

When we gave birth to Yumist in 2014, we had a singular vision in mind  to make honest, homely food available conveniently at affordable prices. We wanted to build the go-to food brand for the daily meals market in India, a fragmented market serviced largely by unorganised players offering sub-standard food.

From the very beginning, we knew that our biggest challenge will be finding a business model thats profitably scalable. We tried multiple iterations across our supply chain to achieve this.

There was a time in early 2015 when our bikers had hot meals with them basis a demand prediction algorithm and orders were delivered within 15 mins. We delivered one such order in 2 mins and the customers expression was priceless, but our P&L had a different sort of expression.

The one thing going in our favour was we learnt and recovered from our mistakes quickly. By March 2017, we had hit the sweet spot. We were making Rs 65 in margins per order at an average order value of Rs 190 (an avg order for us would serve 2 people), our delivery outlets were breaking even at just 70 orders a day, we were acquiring new customers at Rs 180 and recovering back this money within 45 days. Owing to our product quality and customer experience, we enjoyed good word of mouth (with 50% of our new customers coming through referrals), 70 percent of our monthly orders were from repeat customers and from March until September we tripled our revenues and gross margins. With these trends, Yumist would have become a profitable company by June 2018.

Yet, we are shutting shop today. We failed to raise the kind of capital that this business required while staying true to the customer problem. In hindsight, theres a bunch of internal and external factors that led us to this dead end.

From launching in a second city prematurely, or committing to a high growth, high burn model just because prospective investors wanted to see that back in 2015, or taking a tad bit too long to find the right business model, we made our mistakes. We learnt from these mistakes and recovered fast, but maybe not too fast.

Also, every company has a context in which it operates  the economic climate, investor sentiment, the sector one operates in. Essentially, there are external factors which one cant really control. 2016 onwards, food tech (in the manner the term is loosely used) had amassed a notoriety with investors and media and became almost a dirty word. We failed in all our attempts to fundraise since then, as investors wanted to wait it out.

At this juncture, some questions haunt us. Had we built Yumist in a different time, would the outcome be different? Would we then have raised enough capital allowing us to build this same business profitably across the Country? Maybe yes, maybe no. We will never know.

What we do know is this. Cloud Kitchens are here to stay. Its probably the case that the first one through the door gets shot. The problem we were trying to solve is a big one and we are certain someone will pick up from where we left. Our wishes and support are with them.

In hindsight, we have no complaints and, in fact, are proud entrepreneurs today. Building Yumist gave us the opportunity to work with great minds, work at the cutting edge of food science and technology in all its facets, and create frameworks and supply chains we believe will become industry standards in the near future. The thrill and meaningfulness of the journey supersede any destination we might have hoped to reach.
Chinese internet giant has concluded a USD 2 billion fund raising from Tencent, Japan's SoftBank and other US-based investors, according to multiple news reports. Tencent has concluded a $400 million investment in the Indian cab aggregator, according to a report in The Economic Times. The fresh round of investment has pegged the Bangalore-based startup's valuation at more than USD 3.8 billion.

While the transaction has been confirmed, the agreement is still awaiting approval from the Competition Commission of India (CCI). "The investment has been completed and the understanding is that a sizeable portion will be allotted towards boosting the electric vehicle segment," a source told the newspaper. The report also suggested that Ola could raise more investment from US-based hedge funds Coatue Management in this round.

Tencent's investment in the cab-hailing firm is part of its ongoing round of financing. Ola has managed to pick up investments worth USD 800 million since November 2016.

Tencent's entry could help Ola counter influence of its largest shareholder SoftBank. In November 2016, SoftBank had invested USD 250 million in Ola.

It has also raised USD 150 million from funds such as Ratan Tata's venture fund RNT Capital Advisors, US-based hedge fund Falcon Edge and New York-based hedge fund Tekne Capital Management.

Investor interest in Ola has increased at a time when its rival Uber is facing internal challenges.

Several reports suggest that Ola was the market leader in August having completed approximately 1.5 million rides per day against Uber's 1.3 million rides per day.

Earlier this year, Uber exited direct operations in Russia. In 2016, it had sold its China-business to rival Didi Chuxing.

Softbank's Vision Fund and Tencent had also invested a total of around USD 4 billion in e-commerce giant Flipkart this year.
CNBC-TV18 brings you a brand new week of Bull's Eye. It's the popular game show where market experts come together to dish out trading strategies for you to make your week more exciting and compete with each other to see whose portfolio is the strongest.

Remember these are midcap ideas not just for the day, but stocks that look attractive in the medium-term as well.

This week, Ruchit Jain, Rakesh Bansal and Vishal Malkan battle it out for top honours.

Below their top stock picks and analysis:

Ruchit Jain of Angel Broking

Buy FDC with a stoploss at Rs 179 and target of Rs 200

Buy Tata Motors with a stoploss at Rs 390 and target of Rs 420

Buy Chennai Petroleum Corporation with a stoploss at Rs 386 and target of Rs 430

Sell Canara Bank with a stoploss at Rs 315 and target of Rs 296

Rakesh Bansal of RK Global

Buy Adani Transmission with a stoploss at Rs 145 and target of Rs 165

Buy Aegis Logistics with a stoploss at Rs 215 and target of Rs 270

Buy Gokaldas Exports with a stoploss at Rs 98 and target of Rs 122

Buy Healthcare Global Enterprises with a stoploss at Rs 26 and target of Rs 317

Vishal Malkan of malkansview.com

Sell Tata Chemicals with a stoploss at Rs 650 and target of Rs 610

Sell HDIL with a stoploss at Rs 58 and target of Rs 54

Buy CESC with a stoploss at Rs 980 and target of Rs 1030

Buy Tata Power with a stoploss at Rs 77 and target of Rs 83
live bse live

nse live Volume Todays L/H More 

Shares of Pidilite Industries advanced 2 percent intraday Tuesday as Credit Suisse has maintained outperform rating with a cut in price target to Rs 910 from Rs 920.

The firm believes that the input cost headwinds will impact the margins in the near term.

It has also cut the EPS estimates by 3 percent for FY18.

In the second quarter the broking house expects recovery in sales, while the stronger recovery in second half FY18 will aided by a weak base of demonetisation.

The recent correction provides a good entry point.

The firm expects 9 percent sales growth, 220 basis points decline in margins and 5 percent decline in net profit in second quarter.

At 11:04 hrs Pidilite Industries was quoting at Rs 798.70, up Rs 5.95, or 0.75 percent.
Tech Mahindra has signed a multi-year, multi-million euro deal with fiber-based materials maker Ahlstrom-Munksjo to manage the companys end-to-end IT operations.

The agreement with the Helsinki-based company is an extension of an existing contract Tech Mahindra signed with Ahlstrom three years ago.

Earlier this year, Ahlstrom and Munksjo announced a merger, with the combined entity making products such as decor paper, filter media, release liners, abrasive backings, nonwovens, electrotechnical paper, glass fiber materials, food packaging and labelling, tape, medical fiber materials and solutions for diagnostics.

As per the new contract, Tech Mahindra will assist Ahlstrom-Munksjo in its digital transformation journey, with end-to-end IT services and solutions including IT user support, infrastructure management and application support using next-generation digital and automation tools and technologies.

Around 25 employees of Ahlstrom-Munksjo are expected to be transferred to Tech Mahindra as per the agreement.

IT is an important factor in Ahlstrom-Munksjos journey to continue to establish its position as a leading supplier of fiber-based materials. With a global technology partner like Tech Mahindra assisting us in the process, we aim to build strong tech-enabled systems and processes to make this journey smoother and make ourselves future-ready, said Kristiina Lammila, chief information officer at Ahlstrom-Munksjo.

Tech Mahindra has significant presence in Europe, which accounts for around 30 percent of the companys overall business. Within Europe, Finland is one of the strategic markets, which has been bolstered by successful engagements with leading corporations and organisations in the region, it said in a statement.

Our deep rooted manufacturing strengths and our investments in to the digital technologies backed by focus on D.A.V.I.D (Digitalization, Automation, Verticalization, Innovation and Disruption) would be an immense value to this longer term engagement, said Rajesh Chandiramani, Head of Continental Europe at Tech Mahindra.
2. COSYN | Return in December 2017: 21.96% | 2016: 58.69% | 2015: 22.67%

Moneycontrol News

Even as the Modi government accelerates its plans to complete rural electrification by 2018 with Saubhagya scheme, government data suggests that rural India is far from getting electricity for 24 hours. Villages in just six states receive round-the-clock or 24-hour electricity supply, according to the data from the Power Ministry.

Rural areas in Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, West Bengal and Telangana receive 24 hours of power supply. Meanwhile, rural households in 9 out of the 28 states  Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana, Jammu & Kashmir, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Mizoram, Sikkim and Uttar Pradesh  receive less than 18 hours of power supply in a day.

Villagers in Mizoram sustain themselves with just 13 hours of electricity in a day while Haryana's rural areas fare slightly better at 13.58 hours.

The data does not include the seven Union Territories of India.

The Power Promise

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana, known as 'Saubhagya' which aims to electrify all households in India by December 2018.

A project with a budget of more than Rs 16,000 crore, this is the grand project which will end just before the parliamentary elections in 2019.

The Saubhagya scheme is estimated to cost around Rs 16,320 crore, of which the central government will pay Rs 12,320 crore. The rural and urban break-up of funds is Rs 10,587.50 crore and Rs Rs 1,732 respectively.

Under the scheme, free electric connections will be provided to households below the poverty line (BPL) and a minimum cost of Rs 500 needs to be paid in 10 installments for households above the poverty line.

The BPL households will be those recognised using the Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC) 2011. MoS for Power R K Singh said that the government plans to set up prepaid meters wherein households can buy the quantity that they wish to consume.

He also elaborated that the next target of the scheme would be to ensure that undisturbed power supply is meted out to all households 24x7.

Funding and state incentive

States that will complete the target by the December 2018 deadline will be given a 15 percent incentive. The scheme, which is funded 60% by central grants, 30 percent by bank loans and 10 percent by states, will be looked after by the Rural Electrification Corporation.

Further, the Press Information Bureau said that the scheme will "ensure electrification of all willing households in the country in rural as well as urban areas". However, the determination and definition of "willing" households" remains murky.

Repackaging existing schemes

The Deendayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana (DDUGJY), which came to effect on July 2015, already provides state governments with subsidies to provide free connections to below poverty line households.

According to data submitted by the Power Ministry in September 2017, the former Power Minister Piyush Goyal said that 4372 villages still remain to be electrified in India under the scheme. Of the 18,452 unelectrified villages in India, 14,080 villages have been electrified as on July 31, 2017.

A village is considered to be electrified if 10 percent of the households have access to electricity. The DDUGJY scheme had already taken up the initiative to provide 24x7 electric supply to all households in collaboration with the various state departments by 2021-2022, which is now replaced by the launch of Saubhagya only with a preponed deadline.

The scheme had already taken up the initiative to provide 24x7 electric supply to all households in collaboration with the various state/UT governments by 2021-2022, which is now replaced by the launch of Saubhagya only with a preponed deadline.

Further, the idea of providing free electricity to the poor dates back to the Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana which was flung in 2005 under the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government. The scheme as also meant to provide subsidies to the state government for free electricity to the deprived.
A man has been arrested by Mumbai Police for duping 50 people in tune of Rs 20 lakh in Mumbai.

The 30-year-old goes by as many as 10 names, some of them being Sanjay Kumar Govardhan, Sanjay Sharma and Captain Mishra. The ex-merchant navy cadet used to lure people promising jobs and cheat them after taking money.

According to a report by Hindustan Times, Mumbai Police received a complaint forwarded by Rajasthan Police earlier this year regarding missing merchant navy official Sanjay Kumar Bishnoi. Incidentally, the police also found a complaint lodged in RCF police station (in Chembur, Mumbai) against the same name.

A receptionist at a private hospital in Chembur had registered an FIR alleging that Bishnoi duped her of Rs 2 lakh on the pretext of giving her husband a job in the merchant navy.

The woman told us that Bishnoi was a sweet talker. He befriended her at the hospital where he was undergoing treatment, and duped her two months ago, the report quoted Sachin Sanap, sub-inspector, RCF police station.

After receiving a tip-off that Bishnoi is living in Shell Colony in Chembur, a police team reached the spot but found that the door was locked from outside. However, the team could hear a voice of a woman inside.

The police team waited and laid a trap. When Bishnoi came home two hours later, he was arrested. He had been living with his girlfriend, who was unaware that he was running a job racket, said Sanap.

Bishnoi worked with merchant navy for three years from 2012 to 2015. He abruptly left the job without resigning. After arriving in Mumbai, he began targeting people.

A case of cheating and impersonation under appropriate sections of the Indian Penal Code has been initiated against Bishnoi.
Indian Railways

An attempt by NCP MLA Jitendra Awhad and his supporters to stage a rail roko (rail block) at the suburban Kalwa station in neighbouring Thane district during peak office hours this morning was foiled by the railway security personnel, a senior official said.

Awhad had given a call for agitation, which he dubbed as the 'mother of all protests', at Kalwa station today to protest against the "casual approach" of railway authorities towards the safety of suburban commuters after the stampede on the foot overbridge of Elphinstone Road station on Friday which killed 23 passengers.

"Elaborate security arrangements were put in place which prevented the protesters from stopping the trains, however, they held up a 9.22 am local at Kalwa station," said a senior Central Railway official.

He said the train was held up for a few minutes, before the jawans of Railway Protection Force (RPF), Government Railway Police and city police dispersed the protesters from the premises.

The official added that there was no major impact on the train schedule.

Justifying his rail roko call, Awhad, a NCP legislator from the Mumbra-Kalwa belt, said, "Despite several reminders, railway administration has turned a deaf ear to the commuters woes and rising fatalities and hardships were due to the failure of the Central Railway administration to cater to rush hour crowd."

The NCP MLA said, "Over 20,000 innocent passengers have lost their lives in last five years because of the poor infrastructure of the Central and Western Railways.

"Over 3,000 innocent passengers have lost their lives only in Thane-Kalwa section which is also known as a killer stretch. I want to know what Railways is doing to save the precious lives of the passengers."

Awhad said, "We don't believe in the tall promises made and fake assurances given by the Railway Ministers."

He also slammed the Bullet Train project saying such a train was introduced just to "show-off" to the world at the cost of the lives of thousands of passengers who die for want of basis amenities.

Meanwhile, railway activists slammed the protesters for "aggravating" the woes of commuters by holding up the local trains during peak office hour rush.

Subhash Gupta, president of the Rail Yatri Sangh Mumbai and member of National Railway Users Consultative Committee (NRUCC) said, "It is extremely unfortunate that these leaders are aggravating the woes of the passengers to push their political agenda. Railway administration should book these protesters to prevent such incidents in future."

When contacted a senior railway official said "We will be booking the protestors as per the provisions of law."
Vijay Mallya

Liquor baron Vijay Mallya was arrested on Tuesday in London after Enforcement Directorate filed a fresh affidavit under the prevention of money-laundering act. He was soon released on bail.

Mallya, whose defunct Kingfisher Airlines owes over Rs 9,000 crore to different banks in India, fled to Britain in March last year.

This is Mallyas second arrest this year after he was taken in by the Scotland Yard on April 18 on an extradition warrant. Early in February, India had requested Britain to extradite Mallya who has been wanted by various investigative agencies for loan default and other financial irregularities.

Here is a brief profile of the once celebrated billionaire:

1) Vijay Mallya was born in 1955 as a son of entrepreneur Vittal Mallya who was the Chairman of United Breweries Group.

2) He completed his Bachelors in Commerce from the University of Calcutta and later interned with Hoechst. He also has an honorary Doctorate degree in Business Administration awarded by the University of Southern California.

3) Soon after the demise of his father, he assumed the position of Chairman of UB Group. At that time UB sold about 2.85 million cases of liquor per year. Today, the group sells 120 million cases a year.

4) Over time, Mallya sold loss-making companies and bought a few like Berger Paints, Malabar Chemicals and Fertilizers, The Asian Age, Best and Crompton.

Also Read: Vijay Mallya arrested in London again this year: What has happened so far? A timeline

5) However, all his sales and purchases were overshadowed when he ventured into the airline industry in 2005 with Kingfisher Airlines. In 2007, he purchased Air Deccan to fly on international routes.

6) Within a few years, the flamboyant airline was shut down with a debt of over Rs 7,000 crore and losses amounting to Rs 6,600 crore. The airline did not pay its employees pending salaried of 15 months. Thus, began the decline of its owner.

7) For many years, Mallya featured among the Forbes Indias richest list and was recently removed and termed as Former Billionaire.

8) He was also a two-time MP from Karnataka in Rajya Sabha. He resigned from his office in 2016 shortly before fleeing to the UK.

9) Currently, he is wanted in a Rs 9,000 crore claim made by a group of Indian Banks led by State Bank of India. The Enforcement Directorate has attached properties owned by him in India and it is trying to do the same abroad.

10) The authorities are also seeking an Interpol arrest warrant and making efforts to extradite him from the UK.
The first step to create a developed India is to create a clean India, Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu said today.

Naidu was speaking at India Today's 'Safaigiri' awards on a day the Centre is observing the third anniversary of its Swachh Bharat Mission, which aims at making the country open defecation free (ODF) by 2019.

"The first step to create a developed India is to create a clean, hygienic and, therefore, a healthy India. A wealthy India can't be made without a healthy India," Naidu said.

The vice-president said that the cleanliness campaign was conceptualised as a people's movement to effect a change in mindset.

"It is easy to build a road, bridge or an airport but trying to change human behaviour is complex. I am happy that because of collective efforts by all there is a change of mindset," Naidu added.

Echoing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech earlier in the day, Naidu laid emphasis on the role played by women who have demanded toilets in their homes and villages.

"Chhattisgarh's 105-year-old Kunwar Bai has sold her boats and contributed for construction of toilets. A teenager in Karnataka went on fast demanding that everyone in the neighbourhood should have a toilet. Dr Manjula, former CEO of Bangalore Rural, achieved ODF in 48 gram panchayats in six months. A 16-year-old from north Karnataka recently went on a hunger strike to put pressure on her mother to build a toilet," Naidu enumerated.

While listing the achievements of the government's cleanliness campaign, Naidu said there was still "a long way to go" and a "business as usual approach" would not deliver results.

He also proposed that the government might have to think of punitive measures to ensure "swacchta".

"We have to think of going for punitive action also. It is crucial that swacchta becomes everyone's business," the vice-president said in his address.

Referring to the note-ban, Naidu said that "safaigiri" is "cleaning the dirt everywhere -- tan se, man se, dhan se".

Naidu later also gave away awards at the event.

Babu Bai of Toomdar village, Rajasthan, who sold her jewellery to build a toilet for herself and her daughter-in- law won an award.

Among others who were recognised was Bangladesh for Best Asian Government Initiative in public sanitation, hygiene and cleanliness. Its High Commissioner Syed Muazzem Ali received the award.
Anna Hazare

Anna Hazare, whose anti-corruption protest attracted a huge outpouring of support in 2011, today threatened a rerun of his crusade as he denounced the Modi government over its "failure" to appoint a Lokpal and create a graft-free India.

Hazare, who was the face of the impassioned movement for the creation of Lokpal at the Centre and Lokayukta in states to probe corruption in the government, targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying "he is averse to appoint anyone to the office".

The announcement came after the octogenarian Gandhian visited Raj Ghat to pay tributes to Mahatma Gandhi on the occasion of the 148th birth anniversary of the Father of the Nation.

"The movement I started for appointing a Lokpal is incomplete, which is why there is a need for another agitation.

"The government failed to appoint a Lokpal in the last three years. In fact, it has weakened the Act (The Lokpal and Lokayukta Act, 2013)," he told reporters at a press conference at the New Maharastra Sadan here.

The new movement, he said, would be launched by the end of the year or early next year.

Hazare, who drove thousands of people onto streets in 2011, said he will interact with volunteers from across the country in Ralegaon Siddhi in Maharashtra on October 7 and 8 to chalk out future course of action.

He accused the government of not fulfilling its promises of bringing back black money stashed abroad and implementing the Swaminathan Commission report.

The promise of bringing back black money remains unfulfilled, the number of farmer suicides is increasing at an alarming rate, the Swaminathan Commission report has not been implemented yet, and corruption in the country is on the rise, Hazare said in a letter to the prime minister today.

Citing media reports, the social activist claimed that corruption had increased over the last 15 years.

"He (the prime minister) has shown no interest in appointing a Lokpal. When he was the chief minister of Gujarat, he did not want a Lokayukta. So he went to the High Court against the move and later approached the Supreme Court," he claimed.

Hazare has written several letters to Modi in the past over the appointment of a Lokpal.

Asked whether he had received a response from the government, Hazare said, "There has been no response to my letter. Why will they write back to me? They only respond to industrialists."

The Lokpal and and Lokayuktas Act was enacted in 2013.

The Act was amended in 2016 to allow extension of the time given to public servants and trustees and board members of NGOs receiving government funds of more than Rs 1 crore or foreign funding of more than Rs 10 lakh to declare their assets and those of their spouses.

Referring to the amendment, Hazare alleged that the amendment diluted the provisions of the Act and it was passed in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha in three days "without holding discussions".
iPhone X

South Korean conglomerate Samsung is set to rake in around USD 4 billion more in revenue from Apple iPhone X parts that it manufactures.

A research done by Counterpoint Technology for The Wall Street Journal suggests that the amount earned by Samsung from making iPhone X parts, could be more than what it gets from own flagship device  the Galaxy S8.

The revenue is expected based on prediction on iPhone X's projected sales in the 20 months beginning November 3 when it hits the market.

Samsung is one of the small number of semiconductor makers that makes large number of NAND flash memory chips used in iPhones. It also is also supplying OLED screens to iPhone X.

The research expects Apple to sell 130 million units of iPhone X till the summer of 2019, which would help Samsung USD 110 on each of those units.

Also Read: DATA STORY | An iPhone costs hundreds of dollars but its raw material costs just over $1

Galaxy S8's global sales are expected to be around 50 million, which would help the South Korean tech-giant earn USD 202 per unit.

Apple is actively trying to reduce its dependency on Samsung for iPhone parts. The California-based tech company has recently encouraged OLED screen production by rival suppliers such as Japan Display and Sharp. It is also looking for other sources of NAND flash memory chips. Apple recently agreed with Bain Capital and others to acquire Toshiba's chip plant in a deal pegged at USD 17.7 billion.
The government has extended for a second time, the deadline for mobile phone makers to provide mandatory Indian language support in their devices to February 1 next year, due to the complexity involved in creating keyboards for some languages.

In a notification the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology said that mobile handset manufacturers have raised concerns with regard to compliance to the Order, and that the ministry was extending the date of compliance of the order from October 1 to February 1, 2018 to let manufacturers address these issues and to facilitate the industry for smooth implementation of the Order.

Moneycontrol had reported last week that the deadline was likely to be extended due to the complexity involved in creating keyboards for some languages.

MeitY additional secretary Ajay Kumar had told Moneycontrol at the time that because unused characters in some scripts increase the keyboard complexity, a restricted keyboard has been suggested to the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) that will have to be approved by a working group.

Also read: Why South India is crucial to Modi govt's digital payments push

Last year, the BIS had issued a standard that required all mobile phones to have the ability to type in English, Hindi and at least one additional Indian official language. It also required that people should be able to read all 22 Indian official languages on their devices.

The government had earlier set the deadline for the order to come into effect as July 1 which was extended to October 1.

The script adopted by the manufacturers differs from BIS' standards. The Indian Cellular Association had said last month that the industry was facing issues with standardisation of the Brahmi script.

The focus on Indian languages is the next frontier for the growth of mobile and internet penetration in India, where most of the urban and primarily English-speaking markets are now well versed with the use of the internet.

Internet giants like Google, Facebook, Apple, Samsung and Microsoft are also upping their game in India to provide local language support across their products and offerings.

Last week, in a video message, played at a Reliance Jio event announcing offers for the latest iPhones, Apple CEO Tim Cook said that the new iPhones have a new keyboard for India which now supports 11 local languages. The iPhone now takes dictation in Hindi," he said in a video message.

Similarly, Google last month extended the capability of its Translate product to include translations in several more regional languages, as well as enabling conversation mode for local languages.

A report by industry body Internet and Mobile Association of India last year found that the English language still accounts for 56 percent of the content on the worldwide Web, while Indian languages account for less than 0.1 percent.
As Hyderabad suffered from a cloudburst on Monday, heavy rains and floods deluged the city and claimed three lives.

The city recorded a rainfall of 13.25 cm in just two hours. As a result, Hyderabad was flooded; there were power outages and massive traffic problems.

Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao called it an emergency and asked citizens to stay inside as far as possible.

Heres your guide to this natural calamity that can devastate your city in just two hours.

The phenomenon of cloudburst

Cloudburst is defined as an event of unexpected and rapid rainfall concentrated in a small geographical area and leads to intense flash floods and landslide. It has a shorter lifespan than tropical cyclones.

According to weather experts, a cloudburst can be detected from the intensity of the rain i.e. if the fall rate is 100 mm or 10 cm per hour or more. This intensity inundates small regions easily and creates flash floods.

Reason behind

Rainstorms of the cloudburst-kind are extremely heavy and localized. That is because the robust cumulonimbus clouds, causing the cloudburst, do not move around much unlike during normal thunderstorms that spreads out from five to 50 km radius and create rainfall.

The monsoon clouds contain a condensed amount of water droplets and move across land as warm air keeps them floating and hinder rain. But this way, more water droplets are collected by the cloud and it grows in size, moving more slowly.

When the mechanism sustaining a cumulonimbus cloud fails and the cloud starts to dissipate, losing all of its moisture, it results into a sudden and heavy rainfall known as cloudburst, according to the Weather and Climate Handbook by Michael Allaby.

In short, the heavy cloud, unable to move, collapses under its own weight and causes massive downpour.

It is more probable in hilly terrains, but often happens in the plains too due to weather conditions and movement of wind.

Record cloudbursts in India

As per the meteorological department, the average annual rainfall in India is 119 cm meaning any region in India is supposed to get an average of that much rain over a year.

Though the 119 cm figure varies with regions as India is a big country with different terrains, a cloudburst can cause around 10 percent of the national annual average rainfall in just one hour.

The last record cloudburst that happened was in July 2016, in Uttarakhand and killed more than 30 people. It was a reminder of the 2013 North Indian floods that centered around Uttarakhand; it was a cloudburst that lasted for several days, causing a mayhem and claiming over 5000 lives.

Eight cloudbursts that happened over three weeks in Kashmir, took dozens of lives in July, 2015.

Over 200 people were killed in flash floods triggered by cloudbursts in the Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir in August, 2010.
Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg on Sunday sought forgiveness for the way his social media platform was being used to divide and hurt people.

"For the ways my work was used to divide people rather than bring us together, I ask forgiveness and I will work to do better," he said in a Facebook post

Facebook is currently on the radar for the presence of Russian advertisements on the social media platform during the presidential elections 2016. Recently, US President accused the networking site of being "anti-Trump".

It is also facing a probe for disclosing after it disclosed the details about the presence of Russian political ads worth USD 100,000.

Alongside, Facebook is also grappling with managing the bulk of fake news that is generated on the platform. It is formulating a process through which fake news can be screened.
14:43 All three of the BSF jawans who got injured in the gun fight with terrorists are now stable, officials said. The operation took longer than it would have because civilian safety had to be ensured, they said.

14:41 Kashmir police also confirmed that there was no security lapse at the BSF camp and said that the attack was not a setback for Indian security forces.

14:39 Kashmir police has said that 25 terrorists entered Kashmir

in July and 6-7 of them are still at large, adding that the hunt for them is ongoing.

14:35 The gun fight between BSF and the terrorists has ended and BSF and Kashmir police have confirmed that there was no collateral damage as a result of the attack.

14:11 There are multiple TV reports claiming the gun fight at the BSF camp in Srinagar has finally ended. Three terrorists were shot down and the BSF lost one of its own in a battle started at 04:30 IST this morning.

13:49 Two terrorists holed up in an administrative building and JCO Mess. The operation is still underway. The senior officers are monitoring it. We assure that soon the operation will be over. The operation is going on in a much planned manner. There is a proper coordination between JKP, Indian Army, CRPF, and BSF, Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh told ANI.

12:38 BSF officials have said that firing is still taking place at irregular intervals inside the camp.

12:34 A caller identifying himself as a spokesperson of Jaish-e-Mohammed told local news agencies that the outfit was responsible for the attack on the BSF camp on Srinagar.

12:11 Minister of State for Home Affairs Hansraj Ahir has said that the terrorists have to pay the price for daring to enter a BSF camp. The attack is a challenge to us, he said.

12:05 Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has said that the BSF conducted a good operation and that the one terrorist still holed up inside the camp will be neutralised soon.

11:38 There are multiple reports by TV channels saying fresh gunfire has just been heard at the camp. Stay tuned for more updates.

11:21 Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has called for a cabinet meeting at 3 PM today, Republic TV has reported.

11:15 BSF officials have said that a BSF sub-inspector was killed in the face off with the terrorists. There are also unconfirmed reports of a third terrorist being killed a short while ago in the fire fight.

10:46 Passengers scheduled to fly out of Srinagar have finally been asked to proceed toward the airport. Incoming flights from New Delhi are expected to land shortly.

10:44 According to police officials in the area, one terrorist is still holed up inside a building within the camp. BSF is now combing the entire camp.

10:39 Pakistan-based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed's 'Afzal Guru' squad has claimed responsibility for the attack. A group of the surviving terrorists are still holed up in the camp.

10:30 The attack started at 04:30 IST when the terrorists reportedly entered the 182 battalion of the BSF camp outside the Airforce station of Gogo Humhama.

10:23 A group of terrorists reportedly attacked a Border Security Force camp in Srinagar in the early hours of Tuesday resulting in a fire fight involving BSF jawans. The camp was located near Srinagar International Airport.

According to media reports, 2 of the terrorists have been shot dead by security forces, while 3 jawans and 1 policeman were injured in the attack. Some of the terrorists are still believed to be holed up inside the camp and an operation to flush them out of there is currently underway.

Flight services were suspended in light of the attack but are expected to resume shortly.
Taj Mahal, Agra, India

Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government has been under fire after it excluded the Taj Mahal from one of the UP tourism booklets published recently.

However, clarifying its stand the UP government has maintained that the booklet only documented some of the development projects taken up by the current government to boost the tourist attraction of Uttar Pradesh.

On Monday, the state government also released a press statement which said that Rs 370 crore has been set aside for tourism in UP of which Rs 156 crore will be utilized to improve the tourist attraction in and around Taj Mahal.

The tourism booklet which documents some of the key tourist attractions in the city has been published by tourism minister Rita Bahuguna to mark the six months completion of Chief Minister Adityanath and the BJP government.

Named 'Uttar Pradesh Paryatan-Apaar Sambhavanaayein' with the Ganga Aarti of Varanasi as the cover image, the 32-page booklet has elaborate pictures of various tourist destinations printed in glossy pages.

While the booklet features the Gorakhnath temple where Yogi Adityanath is the head priest, the UP government has been criticized for deliberately excluding one of the seven wonders of the world the Taj Mahal.

Built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in 1632, the monument which symbolizes "love" and "beauty" is one of the prime tourist spots in India, attracting around 7-8 million tourists every year.

The white marble masterpiece has been designated as one of the 'seven wonders of the world' globally, with 0.8 million overseas tourists annually.

Additionally, the UNESCO declared it as a World Heritage Site in 1983 for being "the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the worlds heritage".

Opposition leaders in the state have criticized the move, saying that the BJP is critical of Muslim art and wants to erase any traces of it from the history of India.

Indeed, the move follows after Adityanath received flak as he sought to remove the Taj Mahal from the global tourism map, claiming that it cannot be India's icon. He even criticized the custom of gifting Taj Mahal mementoes to foreign dignitaries because it is not representative of the Indian culture.

Rajendra Chaudhary of the Samajwadi Party told NDTV that the exclusion of Taj Mahal is a reflection of BJP's mentality, emphasizing that Taj Mahal bears no connections to caste and community and must be preserved.
Vijay Mallya at an interview with FT

Liquor baron Vijay Mallya was arrested today in London after Enforcement Directorate filed a fresh affidavit under the prevention of money-laundering act.

Mallya, whose defunct Kingfisher Airlines owes over Rs 9000 crore to different banks in India, fled to Britain in March last year.

This is Mallyas second arrest this year, after he was taken in by the Scotland Yard on April 18 on an extradition warrant. Early in February, India had requested Britain to extradite Mallya who has been wanted by various investigative agencies for loan default and other financial irregularities.

Here's a round-up of events on what has happened to the liquid baron so far:

October 2017: Mallya was once again arrested in London following an Enforcement Directorate affidavit.

April 2017: Mallya arrested in London on India's request for extradition.

April 2016: Enforcement Directorate approach special court to issue non-bailable arrest warrant against Mallya.

April 2016: Ministry of External Affairs revokes Vijay Mallyas passport.

April 2016: Hyderabad court convicts Vijay Mallya in case filed by GMR Hyderabad International Airport for bounced cheque.

April 2016: Banks rejected Mallyas offers for payment of dues worth Rs 9,000 crore.

March 2016: Mallya offers to pay Rs 4,000 crore by September to banks.

March 2016: On March 9, Mallya leaves India.

March 2016: Vijay Mallya in discussion with banks to settle debt.

February 2016: SBI led consortium moved debt recovery tribunal (DRT) to attach Vijay Mallyas passport.

December 2015: CBI questions Vijay Mallya in Rs 900 crore IDBI Banks loan.

October 2015: CBI conducts raids on Vijay Mallyas offices in connection with Rs 950 crore loan provided by IDBI Bank.

April 2015: United Spirits Limited (USL) asked Vijay Mallya to step down as chairman and director of fund on alleged fund diversion.

February 2015: SBI led bank consortium takes possession of Kingfisher House in Vile Parle.

December 2014: United India Bank recognises UBHL, guarantor of Kingfisher Airlines as wilful defaulter.

March 2013: Kingfisher Airlines net worth falls to negative of Rs 13,000 crore.

February 2013: UBHL seeks shareholders approval for Rs 450 crore for Kingfisher Airlines.

2012: Mallya gives guarantees of Rs 5,904 crore for carriers loan.

2011: 11 bank accounts were suspended by service tax department for non-payment of Rs 70 crore.

2011: Airline accumulated losses reach more than 50 percent of its net worth.

2009: Airline debt reaches Rs 7,000 crore.

March 2008: Kingfisher Airlines debt touches Rs 934 crore due to spike in oil prices.

2008: UBHL paid Rs 550 crore for a 26 percent stake in Air Deccan.

June 2007: Kingfisher Airlines decides to purchase debt-ridden Air Deccan.

May 2005: Vijay Mallya sets up Kingfisher Airlines to cater to the premium segment.
TORONTO, ON - FEBRUARY 21 - New Democratic Government and Consumer Services critic Jagmeet Singh during question period at Queen's Park, February 21, 2017. (Andrew Francis Wallace/Toronto Star via Getty Images)

The global spotlight is on Canada's Jagmeet Singh after he became the first non-white to head a major political party in Canada, putting him on track to take on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in the 2019 national elections.



Thank you, New Democrats. The run for Prime Minister begins now #LoveAndCourage pic.twitter.com/FDUem3pfGT

 Jagmeet Singh (@theJagmeetSingh) October 1, 2017

The 38-year-old Sikh criminal defence lawyer-turned-politician registered a convincing victory to be elected as the leader of New Democratic Party (NDP).

During his campaign, a video of Singh, the son of immigrant parents from Punjab in India, went viral following his calm response to a heckler accusing him of being in bed with the Muslim Brotherhood. Singh, known for being social media savvy and a vocal champion of the rights of people of colour as well as the LGBT community, earned universal praise for his handling of the situation in which he talked about love and courage.

But while the world is at his feet, Jagmeet is not a welcome figure in his homeland.

Outspoken critic

In December 2013, Singh became the first sitting member of a Western legislature to be barred from travelling to India. He was denied a visa by the Indian government while he was a member of the provincial parliament (MPP) in Ontario.

So what had Singh done to upset the UPA-led government so much? Above all, he has been vocal against India's treatment of Sikhs in the aftermath of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's assassination by her Sikh bodyguards in 1984.

During his early career as a young attorney, Singh had offered pro bono support to a group protesting a visit to Canada by then Indian Trade Minister Congress leader Kamal Nath, who was believed to have persecuted Sikhs.

Singh failed in his attempt to move a motion in Ontario in 2016, in which he criticised the Indian government for the 1984 anti-Sikh riots and sought to term the atrocities "genocide".

A year later, when a similar motion was successfully moved by a member of the ruling Liberal Party of Ontario, Singh was vocal about his views on the Indian government.

During his campaign to become the next leader of Canada's New Democratic Party (NDP) this year, in an official statement, he said that "the government of India initiated a genocidal campaign against the Sikh minority".

While describing the riots as an attempt to extinguish the Sikh community, he added that the Indian military "killed thousands of innocent people in just one day. This genocide continued for the next twenty years. Across Punjab, Sikh youth disappeared, torture was rampant, and Sikhs endured relentless state-sanctioned terrorism.

Singh is said be backed by pro-Khalistan elements, a Sikh nationalist movement that wants to create an independent state for Sikh people through armed or political struggle.

According to some reports, Sukhminder Singh Hansra, a leading figure among the separatists, was present at the hotel during the NDP leadership results announcement.

Other causes

The vocal side of Singh stems from his own experiences  he was picked on as a child, for his name, skin colour, and long hair. Thus, he speaks up for all these values, which struck him as unjust.

I also realized I wasnt alone. I saw kids around me  kids no less capable, no less worthy of respect and dignitywho were not in a position to follow their dreams, simply because their families couldnt afford it. That struck me as incredibly unfair, his statement on his website states.

Over the past six years, Singh developed his personal style as a Sikh politician who wears colourful bright turbans, and tailor-made three-piece suits.

Singh graduated in biology from the University of Western Ontario in 2001 and obtained a Bachelor of Laws degree from York Universitys Osgoode Hall Law School in 2005. In 2006, he joined the bar, where he began working as a criminal defence lawyer in the Greater Toronto Area.

After defending refugees and immigrants for years, Singh entered politics in 2011 by running as a member of the provincial parliament (MPP) with the NDP in Bramalea-Gore-Malton, Ontario. He has also served as the Deputy Leader of the Ontario NDP.

Singh has run several campaigns including against rising tuition fees and against carding  a practice whereby police officers stop individuals randomly and ask for their identification. The law was used to disproportionately target people of colour, which was banned later.
trends Beating the odds with focus and innovation The following article is an initiative of CNBC TV18 and HSBC and is intended to create awareness among the readers.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) on Tuesday appointed Soumya Swaminathan as Deputy Director General for Programmes of the United Nations agency based in Geneva, Switzerland that is concerned with international public health.

The 58-year-old Swaminathan is a pediatrician and a clinical scientist known for her research on Tuberculosis (TB). Most recently, Swaminathan was Secretary of the Department of Health Research and Director General of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

Swaminathan is the daughter of MS Swaminathan, an Indian geneticist renowned for his leading role in India's Green Revolution.

Swaminathan will be a part of WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus's new team that will steer the international public health body.

Tedros of Ethopia took over as Director General of WHO in July this year.

The new WHO senior leadership team represents 14 countries, including all WHO regions and women representing 60 percent of the leadership team.

The new team includes former ministers of health, some of the worlds leading physicians, scientists and researchers, and programmatic experts in universal health coverage, health emergencies, communicable and non-communicable diseases, climate and environmental health, and womens, adolescents and childrens health," the WHO said in a release.

"Individually and collectively, they have a wealth of experience across government, private sector, multilateral, civil society and academic organizations, WHO added.

Swaminathan who holds MBBS from Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC), Pune and MD in Pediatrics from AIIMS, New Delhi, subsequently held a Post Doctoral Medical Fellowship in Pediatric Pulmonology at the Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California and a Research Fellowship in the Dept. of Pediatric Respiratory Diseases, University of Leicester, UK.

She joined the Tuberculosis Research Centre, Chennai in 1992 and has spent the past 23 years in health research.

Her research interests include pediatric and adult tuberculosis, epidemiology and pathogenesis, the role of nutrition and HIV-associated TB. She also served for 2 years as Coordinator, Neglected Tropical Diseases at TDR and sat on several WHO and global advisory bodies and committees on public health,TB,innovation and intellectual property.

She published more than 250 peer-reviewed publications and book chapters.
President Donald Trump today termed as an "act of pure evil" the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history and said America was "joined together in sadness, shock and grief" after at least 58 people were killed and over 500 others injured at a concert in Las Vegas.

Calling it a "very, very sad day", Trump said that he would go to Las Vegas on Wednesday.

"Last night, a gunman opened fire in a large crowd at a country music concert in Las Vegas, Nevada. He brutally murdered more than 50 people and wounded hundreds more. It was an act of pure evil," Trump said in his address to the nation from the White House.

"We are joined together in sadness, shock and grief," the US President said.

Trump also called for unity, asserting that in moments of tragedy and horror, America has always stood united.

"We'll be going to Las Vegas.. a very, very sad moment for me and for everybody," Trump told reporters in Oval Office of the White House at a joint press appearance with visiting Prime Minister of Thailand Prayut Chan-o-cha.

The President said that he will be seeing the Nevada Governor, Las Vegas Mayor and the Sheriff as he praised the police response.

He said that he will be spending the full day there and "maybe longer".

Speaking through a translator, the Thai Prime Minister expressed his condolences to Las Vegas shooting and hurricane victims.

As a mark of respect for the victims of the senseless act of violence, Trump issued a proclamation ordering that the US flag be flown at half-staff at the White House and other federal buildings.

Trump said he would be travelling to Las Vegas on Wednesday to meet with law enforcement, first responders and the families of the victims. Trump will travel to Puerto Rico tomorrow.

"Hundreds of our fellow citizens are now mourning the sudden loss of a loved one: a parent, a child, a brother or sister. We cannot fathom their pain. We cannot imagine their loss.

"To the families of the victims, we are praying for you, and we are here for you, and we ask God to help see you through this very dark period," he said while consoling his countrymen.

At least 58 people were shot dead and more than 500 others injured when a gunman went on a shooting rampage during a music festival in the casino city of Las Vegas, an FBI special agent said.

"Scripture teaches us the Lord is close to the brokenhearted, and saves those who are crushed in spirit. We seek comfort in those words, for we know that God lives in the hearts of those who grieve.

"To the wounded who are now recovering in hospitals, we are praying for your full and speedy recovery, and pledge to you our support from this day forward," Trump said.

The FBI has joined the investigations.

The gunman identified as Steven Paddock, 64, was a local Las Vegas resident, was killed in a 32nd floor of a hotel room. The police have also located an Asian female identified as Marilou Danley, 41, who has been described as roommate of the shooter.

The police said they received first reports of active shooting from a Mandalay Bay Hotel towards a musical concert taking place across the road.

The gunman was shooting from the 32nd floor of the hotel. He was shot dead later during an exchange of fire with the police.

"We call upon the bonds that unite us: our faith, our family and our shared values; we call upon the bonds of citizenship, the ties of community, and the comfort of our common humanity," he said.

"Our unity cannot be shattered by evil. Our bonds cannot be broken by violence. And though we feel such great anger at the senseless murder of our fellow citizens, it is our love that defines us today, and always will, forever," he said.

Trump said he and the First Lady Melania were praying for every American who has been hurt, wounded or has lost the loved ones in the "terrible" attack, the deadliest mass shooting in the US.

"We pray for the entire nation to find unity and peace. And we pray for the day when evil is banished, and the innocent are safe from hatred and from fear," he said.

"My warmest condolences and sympathies to the victims and families of the terrible Las Vegas shooting," Trump had tweeted earlier.
Nawaz Sharif is set to be re- elected as the president of Pakistan's ruling PML-N tomorrow as Parliament today passed a controversial bill, paving the way for the ousted prime minister's return.

Sharif, 67, had to step down as the chief of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) after he was disqualified as the prime minister by the Supreme Court on July 28 in the Panama Papers scandal.

The Election Reforms Bill 2017, whose copies were torn by the protesting opposition parties in the National Assembly (NA) -- the lower house of the Parliament -- has a clause that allows politicians disqualified from holding public office to head a political party.

The bill had already been passed by the NA and the Senate -- the upper house of the Parliament -- but was returned to the lower house for fresh votes on the Senate's amendments.

According to PML-N sources, the new bill would be signed by the President tomorrow after which it would become a law and enable Sharif to be elected as the party chief.

Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf's (PTI) senior leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that the Clause 203 was against the spirit of the Constitution and was incorporated to accommodate Sharif.

"Sharif has been disqualified under the Article 62 of the Constitution and cannot hold any office," Qureshi said and announced to challenge it in the Supreme Court.

Pakistan Peoples Party, Jamaat-i-Islami and Awami Muslim League also opposed the bill, which was introduced by Law Minister Zahid Hamid.

The protest, however, could not stop the government from getting the bill passed in the National Assembly where the ruling PML-N party enjoys a majority.

Earlier, the Central Working Committee of the PML-N passed a resolution reposing its confidence in the leadership of Sharif, Pakistani media reported.

The leaders also agreed to amend the party's Constitution so that any person could assume the presidency even if that person did not hold public office, Dawn newspaper reported.

PML-N chairman Raja Zafarul Haq presided over the CWC session, which was also attended by Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif, Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and interim president Senator Sardar Yaqub Nasir.

Earlier in the day, an informal advisory session was held after Nawaz returned to Punjab House after appearing before an accountability court.

Nawaz had appeared before the Accountability Court today after being summoned in connection with three graft cases prepared by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) against him and his family in the Panama Papers case.

However, he was not formally charged with a crime as his lawyer argued that all of the accused in the case must be present in court before they could be indicted. The accused  Nawaz; his children Hussain, Hassan, and Maryam; and son-in- law Mohammad Safdar  are now expected to appear on October 9 to be formally indicted.

The court has issued non-bailable arrest warrants for the men and a bailable warrant for Maryam, likely keeping in mind that she may need to stay with her ailing mother in London.

The PML-N has also convened a meeting of its general council today and tomorrow to formally begin the process of re-electing Sharif as the party's president.

Earlier, there had been reports that the ousted prime minister would fly to London on Thursday to be with his wife, Kulsoom, who has been undergoing treatment for throat cancer at a private hospital in London.
Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai poses with her medal during the Nobel Peace Prize awards ceremony at the City Hall in Oslo December 10, 2014. Pakistani teenager Malala Yousafzai, shot by the Taliban for refusing to quit school, and Indian activist Kailash Satyarthi received their Nobel Peace Prizes on Wednesday after two days of celebration honouring their work for children's rights. REUTERS/Cornelius Poppe/NTB Scanpix/Pool (NORWAY - Tags: SOCIETY CIVIL UNREST TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY) NORWAY OUT. NO COMMERCIAL OR EDITORIAL SALES IN NORWAY. - LR1EACA11H1B4

The Nobel Prize, regarded as the highest academic honour globally, has not been a forte of women through its 115 years of existence, and the curiosity behind the cause for the same has always been part of the popular debate.

Despite the Nobel Committee insisting that gender does not play a role when determining awards, the gender distribution gap among Nobel Prize awardees is simply shocking.

Over a good period of more than a century (115 years, to be precise) from 1901 to 2016, only 48 women have been awarded the Nobel Prize.

This amounts to only 5.8 percent of women winning the award as compared to men.

According to a report by Fortune magazine, of all the six categories, the Nobel Prize for literature has had the most female representation (12.5%), with the Nobel Peace Prize following closely behind (12.4%). Physics has had the least female recipients (around 1%).

It is not that chronology is to be blamed for the situation either. The last time there when there wasn't even a single women laureate across all categories was as recent as 2005, 2006, 2010, 2012 and 2016.

After 11 male laureates were picked last year (2016), many authors and academicians started a backlash stating the Nobel judges had a lack of imagination.

Some of the chief reasons as to why that many women do not figure on the list could be the following-

1. A vast share of the Nobel prizes are awarded in scientific fields and if one looks at history, women were always discouraged from entering into them. An already existing gender imbalance in science further led women to think that they will be taken less seriously as professionals.

2. Carl Johansson of the Swedish Research Council was quoted in a US News report saying that the biggest reason is the historical lack of women in the fields of research mostly honoured by the Nobel Prizes.

3. Nobel Prizes are awarded not for the latest research work but rather for groundbreaking research that has brought scientific innovation. This often goes back into research work 20 years or more down the line. Because throughout history, womens participation in the field of science has been low, this might a factor be impacting the numbers at present.

4. A further divulging gap is seen in the number of women awardees in Physics or Chemistry as compared to Medicine or Biology. One of the reasons popularly attributed is a higher share of women here due to an industry correlation where there is less sexism as compared to academics.

5. The fact that most Nobel committee members are men could be another factor affecting the judgement, although it's difficult to know for certain.

However, there is a silver lining.

In 2014, Malala Yousafzai, a victim of a terrorist attack in Pakistans Swat Valley, became one of the youngest awardees of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014 jointly with child's right activist Kailash Satyarthi.

A little back into history, Marie Curie was the only woman to be honoured twice, and in two different fields.

Also, developing countries like Belarus, Burma, Iran, Kenya, Liberia and Yemen have all had Nobel laureates at all because of females.

Interestingly, 50 percent of the winners from Chile, Guatemala and Pakistan were female.
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,
"The thought is that parents, grandparents, will bring their kids there to have fun, to use the trails, but also to understand the history of veterans' service in Towamencin," land planner Peter Simone
Ever find it hard to find the right kind of movie to watch? This could fix that
Mount Pleasant, SC (29464)

Today

Cloudy this evening with showers after midnight. Low 53F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Cloudy this evening with showers after midnight. Low 53F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.
The popular mortgage interest deduction continues to be a hurdle in tax reform, with a major industry group criticizing Republican lawmakers latest tax plan for its handling of the deduction.



The current GOP plan would preserve the mortgage interest deduction, but decrease the number of homeowners likely to take it, according to The Hill. The plan would nearly double the standard deduction  and taxpayers can only claim the mortgage interest deduction if they itemize their deduction rather than taking the standard deduction.



So while the mortgage interest deduction is protected in theory, said NAR President William E. Brown, its nearly eliminated in practice.



This proposal recommends a backdoor elimination of the mortgage interest deduction for all but the top 5% who would still itemize their deductions, Brown said in a statement. When combined with the elimination of state and local tax deduction, these efforts represent a tax increase on millions of middle-class homeowners. That tax increase flies in the face of a reform effort ostensibly aimed at lowering the tax burden for Americans. At the same time, the lost incentive to purchase a home could cause home values to fall.



The White House, however, dismissed the idea that the GOP tax plan would hurt the housing market.

People dont buy homes because of the mortgage deduction, White House National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn said during a press briefing. The number-one reason why people buy homes is theyre excited and optimistic about the economy. They have a job today, they feel confident theyre going to have a job tomorrow, and their kids are going to get a job and their spouse has a job.



Cohn insisted it was overall consumer confidence, not a tax break, that would encourage homebuying.



We have to get America back to a place where people feel excited and exuberant about the economy, he said. When they do that, theyll go out and spend money, theyll buy homes.


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The Midland Development Corp. on Monday approved a trio of donation agreements with the Texas Department of Transportation that will help major roads projects in Midland move forward. The economic group is also looking to work closely with the city to get more infrastructure improved.

At its meeting Monday, the board voted 4-0 to approve three separate donation agreements with the states transportation agency.

The first is $3 million toward the construction of a Loop 250 overpass at County Road 1140. The total project cost is $19.2 million, according to the Permian Basin Metropolitan Planning Organizations latest Master Transportation Plan. The MPO is a federally mandated agency whose board programs federal and state transportation funding within its boundaries, which include portions of Midland, Ector and Martin counties.

The second agreement is $2 million for the reconstruction of the interchange at Interstate 20 at Midkiff Road. The MTP lists the cost at $25.52 million.

The third agreement is $2 million toward the ramp reconfiguration project at Loop 250 and State Highway 191, which is listed at $10 million.

The MDC is looking to leverage funds to get transportation projects finished faster, particularly converting the eastern portion of Loop 250 into freeway-grade highway like its western counterpart. Chairman Brent Hilliard calls it turning small dollars into large dollars, and it seems to be working.

The economic development group has chipped in on several projects, which have moved higher on the MTPs fiscally constrained list. Projects on this list have complete funding planned. The MPO board worked for several months in determining how to rearrange the MTP. It opted to give greater priority to projects with contributions.

The MDC committed $2 million toward the overpass at Loop 250 and county roads 1150 and 60, a complex curvilinear interchange that has a price of $21.5 million. It now sits fourth on the MTP list and is scheduled to begin in 2019, though steps in the process already are underway.

TxDOT will hold a public meeting from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Oct. 24 at Sibley Nature Center, 1307 E. Wadley Ave., to provide information about the project and to get feedback.

The interchange reconfiguration at Loop 250 and SH 191 sits sixth and has a target year of 2021. The I-20 and Midkiff Road interchange is seventh and also is slated for 2021. In the ninth spot is the overpass at Loop 250 and CR 1140. Its target year is 2022.

The MDC has worked since November with the Odessa Development Corp., the cities and the counties to come together and commit money to improve the regions blighted transportation networks. Last month, the ODC announced its commitments:

 An overpass at Yukon Road and Loop 338: $2 million.

 An overpass at Faudree Road and I-20: $2 million.

 Improvements to U.S. Highway 385 and South Loop 338: $2 million.

 Improvements at Business 20 and Faudree Road: $2 million.

 Improvements to West Loop 338 and Eighth Street: $2 million.

 Upgrades to the intersection of Loop 338 and 52nd and 56th streets: $500,000.

 Improvements at Faudree Road from SH 191 to Yukon Road: $500,000.

 Interchange work at U.S. 385 and Loop 338: $500,000.

In total, the MDC has committed this year to nine infrastructure projects totaling $13,698,767.34, according to data received from the economic development group. Since 2010, the MDC has committed $40,037,916.18 toward 28 projects  and its looking to do more.

On Monday, the board voted to allow the chairman to negotiate and execute an economic development agreement with the city for the purpose of combining funds for future infrastructure improvements. Projects the city and the MDC will team up on are yet to be determined.

In other business

 Over budget: The board voted 4-0 to amend its budget because the MDC has gone over. The budget was at $7,190,088 for fiscal year 2016-17. The amended budget is $8,118,670.50. The amount of sales tax collected this year was $9,368,827.23, a 4.3 percent increase over last year. Collections in September were up 40.92 percent.

 Developing Mims: The board approved allowing the chairman to negotiate an agreement for a road at David Mims Business Park. Weir Oil and Gas has agreed to build a $30 million facility on a 20-acre portion of the business park, and the road will help support its operations and those of future companies. The road is expected to cost about $500,000, though it could be more.

 Its good to know somebody: The board approved the purchase of a new server from Atlas Business Solutions in the amount of $6,884.68 and authorized future purchases from Atlas so long as theyre under $5,000 per transaction. Hilliard owns Atlas and said he can get servers cheaper than the city can, so the MDC is getting them through him at cost.

 Baby on the way: The board voted 4-0 to allow the chairman to hire an advertising firm for one year to replace a staffer who soon will be out on maternity leave.

 A little more time: The MDC has given Basin PBS until June to complete its renovation of the Ritz Theater as its new headquarters. The MDC has offered $300,000 toward the cost of the project when Basin PBS secures $2.7 million.
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The Midland Development Corp. completed two big steps in its mission to improve education Monday after it voted to approve a pair of measures affecting the University of Texas of the Permian Basin.

At its monthly meeting, MDC board members unanimously greenlighted contributing $5 million toward the construction of UTPBs engineering building, which will be built near the Center for Energy and Economic Development (CEED) in the city of Midland, and for the development of a business incubator and makerspace at the CEED.

The economic development group is building the third floor of the engineering school, which will enable UTPB to expand its offerings to include chemical and electrical engineering. The MDC will contribute $3 million toward the engineering building and its programs, and it will put $2 million toward the business incubator and makerspace.

I just want to have a moment to say thank you for your willingness to partner with the University of Texas of the Permian Basin, UTPB President Sandra Woodley said. We have big plans for the College of Engineering. ... Were about to do a national search for an engineering dean to help us grow all of our programs.

This isnt the first deal the MDC has struck with UTPB. As the city looks to diversify the economy with the aerospace industry, the MDC funded the establishment of an aeronautical engineering program. Its contribution of $200,000, which was celebrated Monday with an oversized check, has helped hire Redha Wahidi and construct a research lab. Aerospace engineering isnt its own program; rather, it is integrated with the mechanical engineering track.

Wahidi, who has a Ph.D. in aeronautical engineering from Mississippi State University, thanked the MDC and said the money will help produce graduates that serve the economy and that being active in research builds the reputation of UTPB. He also received a University of Texas Rising STAR grant, which is available for the recruitment of promising faculty members who are recruited in a tenure track position, according to UTs website.

Earlier this year, the MDC partnered with the universitys Small Business Development Center to start an entrepreneurial challenge in which small companies compete for money to grow their businesses and get guidance along the way. Each business receives between $50,000 $75,000 and has to meet a number of goals.

UTPB will not receive the funding approved Monday in one lump sum. Rather, it will be paid in equal installments of $1 million. The first payment is due by the end of 2017.

MDC Vice Chairman Keith Stretcher said the development group, which is funded by the quarter-cent Type A sales tax, is looking to establish a long-term relationship with the university.

Woodley reiterated her thanks and said, Youll hear from us again.

District 4 City Councilman and UTPB graduate J.Ross Lacy had kind words for Woodley. We have a rock star for a president at our university, he said, adding that she will grow the school beyond our imagination.

Fellow UTPB graduate and District 2 City Councilman John B. Love III summarized his delight about the deals tersely: Go Falcons!








Jimmy Stallings was born and raised in the Permian Basin; Jodi McLane moved here from Oklahoma City about a year ago because her son lives in Midland; Jacque Wise first came to Midland in 1969 and has intermittently called the Tall City home ever since. No matter how long theyve been in West Texas or their reasons for moving here, they all have one thing in common: they love taking College Classics courses at Midland College.

It keeps us relevant, Wise said.

MC administration initiated College Classics, a series of courses designed especially for local residents who are 50 and older, in 1989. Since that time, more than 2,000 Midlanders have taken courses ranging from in-depth analysis of classical movies to lively discussions centering around politics, U.S. presidents and art history.

The courses are taught by MC faculty and community members who volunteer their time to teach. Students pay $25 each semester and take as many courses as they desire. Courses are offered once a week for four weeks. Two four-week terms are offered in the fall, and three four-week terms are offered in the spring.

Want to know more? For more information on College Classics, call the Midland College department of Community Programs Continuing Education at 685-4518. See More Collapse

One of the most popular courses, Political Geography, is taught by MC government professor, Terry Gilmour. While most of the courses are held on the main MC campus, Gilmours class is taught on Monday mornings at the Margaret Cowden Clubhouse at Manor Park.

We have a lot of fun, and I think I learn as much as the students do, Gilmour said. Each semester, the students and I pick a country to study, and then we discuss the politics of the country, geography, history and culture. The students are a very lively, knowledgeable group, and I look forward to meeting with the class each week.

Ive traveled to over 66 countries,said Richard Jensen, who is originally from Calgary, Canada. I retired early from the oil industry in Calgary, and my wife and I moved to Scottsdale, Arizona, where we lived for 28 years. During that time, my daughter married a Midlander and moved to Midland. So, about 2 1/2 years ago, we decided it was time to be closer to her, and we moved to Manor Park.

Right after we moved here, I started taking Dr. Gilmours Political Geography class, and Ive never missed a semester. I enjoy geography and history, and this course combines both of those things in an interesting format.

I havent traveled as extensively as Richard, said Stallings, who owned an accounting and financial services company in Stanton for more than 55 years. However, I did just return from Switzerland, Germany and France where I celebrated my 89th birthday on the Rhine River. Im one of the original Political Geography students; Ive been in the class since it started.

I began taking Political Geography last year, said Carol Beckett, who moved to Manor Park 21/2 years ago from Alamagordo, New Mexico, in order to be closer to her daughters and grandchildren. Manor Park is perfect for us, and this class is very convenient. However, I also take classes on the Midland College campus. In addition to Political Geography this semester, Im taking The Conquerors and The Constitution and Supreme Court. The instructors are phenomenal, and the classes are fun.

The first College Classics course I ever took was taught by Dr. Will Morris, who is now retired, Wise said. He taught a class every semester that covered various history subjects. One semester, he even led a College Classics tour to the King Tut exhibit in Dallas.

While one can be as young as 50 to take College Classics courses, most of the students are between 65 and 90. Two of Gilmours Political Geography students are under 70 and two are over 90. The remainder fall in the age range of 70 to 90.

The College Classics instructors are as varied as the students, but all agree that volunteering as an instructor has proven to be one of the most rewarding and enjoyable things that they do.

Bob Barndt, pastor of Midland Lutheran Church, is teaching a College Classics course this semester on The Reformation.

Nancy Hart has been teaching College Classics courses since she retired from her full-time administrative and faculty position at Midland College. Now she is an adjunct government professor and teaches The U.S. Constitution and Supreme Court for College Classics. She claims to have tremendous assistance while at home prepping for her courses from her group of canine teaching assistants.

David Hopkins has taught history at Midland College since 2015 and is the newly appointed Henry Chair of History bu this is his first semester to teach College Classics. He said that he is looking forward to teaching The History of the Vietnam War during the second four-week term, which begins Oct. 16.

Not all College Classics courses are held at desks and tables in a classroom. The College Classics course catalog also includes dance classes.

Mona Milam teaches Lets Dance, which is a low-impact choreographed cardio dance class that includes music from various genres with easy-to-follow moves. In addition to her College Classics course, Milam also teaches classes at COM Aquatics.

Nine years ago, Tori Baca began teaching tap dancing in the College Classics program as a fun way for students to exercise. The class has evolved into clogging, and now Baca teaches two sections of the popular dance course. Students in her advanced clogging class perform at various locations and events throughout West Texas.

I love sharing my dance experience with others, Baca said. I find joy in teaching when dancing becomes a part of my students lives.

Rebecca C. Bell is dean, Community Relations, at Midland College.
U.S. Ambassador to present Wallenberg Tribute Oct. 8

Rabbi Ambassador David N. Saperstein will speak on the topic "Being the Hands of God: Our Social Justice Agenda in a Time of Crisis."

Monday, October 2, 2017 09:15 AM

Rabbi Ambassador David N. Saperstein will be at Muhlenberg College on Sunday, October 8, to present the annual Raoul Wallenberg Tribute Lecture and to receive the Wallenberg Honors from the College. Rabbi Saperstein will speak at 3:30 p.m. in Miller Forum, Moyer Hall, on the topic, Being the Hands of God: Our Social Justice Agenda in a Time of Crisis. He served for more than 30 years as executive director of the Religious Action Center for Reform Judaism, leaving in early 2015 when President Barack Obama appointed him to be ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom in the U.S. State Department. He was the first Jew to hold that office.

Saperstein has been hailed as the quintessential religious lobbyist on Capitol Hill by the Washington Post and as the most influential rabbi in America by Newsweek magazine. He has returned to service as a senior policy advisor at the Religious Action Center.

The Wallenberg Tribute has been a fixture at Muhlenberg College since the mid-1980s. It honors the service and heritage of Raoul Wallenberg, a Swedish diplomat in Budapest, Hungary, who defied Adolf Eichmann and the Nazi-sympathizing government of Hungary in the waning months of World War II. Wallenberg is credited with saving as many as 100,000 Jews from deportation to death camps, through the wholesale distribution of protective passes that put Jews under the protection of the Swedish embassy and in safe houses that he had set up across the city.

A reception in Rabbi Sapersteins honor, sponsored by the Berman Center for Jewish Studies of Lehigh University, will be held following the lecture in Seegers Union on the College campus. The College will then present Saperstein with the 2017 Wallenberg Honors, in recognition of the way his own service has embodied the courageous moral action that characterized Wallenberg, at a dinner to follow the reception, The lecture and dinner are organized by the Institute for Jewish-Christian Understanding of Muhlenberg College. Sapersteins award will be presented by Linda Wimmer, who served as part of the steering committee that founded the IJCU in 1989 and as a national board member of the Union of Reform Judaism, sponsors of the Religious Action Center.

At the dinner, the Institute for Jewish-Christian Understanding will also recognize 2017 Muhlenberg graduate Emily Goldberg, who received the Jeanette Eichenwald Interfaith Award at the Colleges Honors Convocation in the spring. Goldberg was a research associate and intern at the IJCU throughout her college career.

About Muhlenberg College

Founded in 1848, Muhlenberg is a highly selective, private, four-year residential, liberal arts college offering baccalaureate and graduate programs. With an enrollment of approximately 2,200 students, Muhlenberg College is dedicated to shaping creative, compassionate, collaborative leaders through rigorous academic programs in the arts, humanities, natural sciences and social sciences; selected preprofessional programs, including accounting, business, education and public health; and progressive workforce-focused post-baccalaureate certificates and masters degrees. Located in Allentown, Pennsylvania, approximately 90 miles west of New York City, Muhlenberg is a member of the Centennial Conference, competing in 22 varsity sports. Muhlenberg is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
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Our apologies, unfortunately our website is currently unavailable in most European countries due to GDPR rules.




High-quality human resource is always a target of any economy.













On the occasion of the 2nd APEC Senior Officials Meeting (SOM 2) held recently in Hanoi, VietNamNet co-operated with the World and Vietnam newspaper to organize the online roundtable talks with the theme "Human Resources in the Digital Age: Challenges in Vietnam" in order to provide a multi-dimensional perspective on this issue. This is also a major topic for high-level policy dialogue within the framework of SOM 2.The talks were broadcast live at 10am on May 23, 2017, and streamed live via fanpage Vietnamnet.vn with the participation of four guests.- Mr. Vu Khoan, Former Deputy Prime Minister- Dr. Dao Quang Vinh, Director of the Institute of Labor Science and Social Affairs, Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs- Ass. Prof., Dr. Huynh Quyet Thang, Vice Rector of the Hanoi University of Technology- Mr. Hoang Nam Tien, Chairman of FPT Software

This is the content of the first part of the talks.



Journalist Pham Huyen: Mr. Dao Quang Vinh, are there any numbers that address Vietnam's fundamental challenges that will increase in the digital era with respect to human resources?













Dr. Dao Quang Vinh, Director of the Institute of Labor Science and Social Affairs, Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs









Dr. Dao Quang Vinh: Our recent studies show that there is a great gap between the need for skills and the ability to satisfy that demand.



It is clearly shown through the number of unemployed university graduates at the end of last year, which reached more than 200,000 people.



Demand for IT workers from 2012 to 2015 doubled. It is forecast that by 2020, Vietnams IT industry will need up to 80,000 workers, while domestic training institutions will only be able to train about 30,000 people. It means that we now have a considerable distance between the training capacity and the recruitment needs of enterprises.



In the world, recent studies also show that in the context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, with the increasing use of new technologies, the demand for human resources in the data analytic field will increase very fast.



For example, in Malaysia, from now to 2020 the demand for data analysis will increase fourfold, about twofold in the Philippines. In Singapore, the number will increase from 9,000 to about 15,000 people, and from 2.4 million to about 2.7 million people in the US.



In Vietnam, some recent studies suggest that the number of data analysis staff can increase to tens of thousands. However, our training facilities are not ready to meet this high demand.



That is not to mention the middle-level technical human resources to serve businesses, because the application of new technology in production facilities is very fast, with lot of breakthroughs. If the labor market is not ready, it will be very difficult to provide human resources for businesses.



Mr. Hoang Nam Tien: People often say that in this age, robots will replace people and that is true. For example, 2.5 million workers in the garment industry will face the possibility of losing their jobs in the next few years.



But in the opposite side, we need thousands, tens of thousands of employees. In this age, our company needs the workers who know about cloud computing, mobile computing, artificial intelligence, Internet of Things, etc. In the next 3 months, when students graduate, FPT software will recruit 2,500 people and I'm afraid there will not be enough qualified people to recruit.



Journalist Pham Huyen: Mr. Huynh Quyet Thang, as a representative from the Hanoi University of Technology, what do you think about the number of employees  more than 2,500 people - that Mr. Tiens company needs to recruit in the upcoming time?













Ass. Prof., Dr. Huynh Quyet Thang, Vice Rector of the Hanoi University of Technology













Dr. Huynh Quyet Thang: In the field of information technology, the Hanoi University of Technology and the Institute of Information Technology and Communications currently recruit about 800 students a year, and about 700 students in the field of electronic telecommunications. Meanwhile, the number assigned by the State is about 1,500 students. It is our school's responsibility to train these students with good knowledge and soft skills to meet the needs of business.



However, I thinkwe need to have more accurate forecasts of the needs of human resources of industries so that we can allocate reasonable quotas for training facilities. This is a macro level task. But within the framework of our university, we will do our best to fulfill our responsibilities.



Journalist Pham Huyen: I have a concern to share with Mr. Hoang Nam Tien. It is often said that many manual workers will later face unemployment because of the replacement of robots and smart applications. Do you think that in the near future, Vietnam's labor may be unemployed because of the rise of the fourth Industrial Revolution? From the anger of a business, do you have any initiative to solve this problem?



Mr. Hoang Nam Tien: It is true that the fourth industrial revolution has been recently mentioned in Vietnam but actually in other countries it has traveled a relatively long distance.



The term "dark factory" means a factory without lights because the factory employs only robots so it does not need lights anymore. Just recently, Foxconn, one of the companies that provide assembly service for Apple, put into work 60,000 robots that can replace millions of workers. Such things have happened, so what do we do?



When we return to this issue, we still face the old story, how to have laborers suited to the international environment. Here I want to talk about the most advanced environments in the world, such as America, Japan and Europe.













Former Deputy PM Vu Khoan (left) and Mr. Hoang Nam Tien, Chairman of FPT Software













Therefore, we have suggested some methods and we are currently implementing them: We are testinga fast-train and fast-work model. Specifically, we still train college students but we change the education process so that our students can go to work after only two years of training.



We affirm that under the current curriculum, after only two years students can go to work, of course, with certain conditions. After going to work, they can choose not to graduate from college, or return to college to study for two more years to earn a college degree.



Here the views of businesses and also state agencies of neglecting degrees is very important. You can do the job, no need for a degree. But this is very difficult because it is contrary to what we still think about, the traditions of learning in our country: if you go to school, you must have a degree!



The second suggestion is that our training is career change training. At present, society is changing quickly, the economy requires different skills. There are many people who study electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, but when they graduate and go to work for a number of years, they are not used properly. Their income is also not good, so they have a need to switch professions.



We strongly recommend universities, especially large universities such as the Hanoi University of Technology, to offer a 12 to 14 month training program for those who wish to have a second university degree. These people will be provided with the most up-to-date skills, so that they can work immediately after graduation.



These are the two proposals that we are implementing right now. I believe that if they can be done, within a very short time, about two to four years, we will have hundreds of thousands of people ready for the demands of this new shift.



Journalist Pham Huyen: What do you think about Mr. Tiens proposals, Mr. Huynh Quyet Thang?













From left: Dr. Huynh Quyet Thang, Mr. Vu Khoan and Mr. Hoang Nam Tien













Dr. Huynh Quyet Thang: From the perspective of a university, the school needs to train in the form of layers.

According to some surveys, for example at our Hanoi University of Technology, about 5-15% of the best students can get overseas scholarships, or are employed with very high salary. The remaining 35% work in businesses with specified direction. About 50% of the rest go to work in the businesses with the orientation and specification are less than those required by the two kinds of the businesses above.



At present, the Hanoi University of Technology enrolls about 6,000 students each year, so we also have to find the businesses that can meet the best of demands for jobs of about 3,000 students, corresponding to the other 50%. We also have to make sure that the top 15% of the other students can earn very high incomes, have in-depth knowledge and can apply for scholarships immediately. We consider it the responsibility of our school.



Thus, our university need to work with businesses to understand businesses requirement for skills so that we can train qualified students. At the same time, we must have laboratories and international cooperations that suit the current situation, when new technologies are released on a daily basis and the frontiers of research between labs will be gone. Therefore, our students need to integrate into the world.



We also set very clear orientation, and our staff members are classified by such groups. Teachers who studied abroad, have good international relations and have good research ability will join the research group of the top 15% of students. Teachers who have good relations with businesses, good practical knowledge will train 35% and 50% of students of the second and third group. The school will create conditions for the teachers to work with their true desire, aspirations and properly promote their strong points. Our school is now promoting the ownership and mastership of not only the students, but also the school leaders.



Secondly, we want to promote cooperation with businesses to identify the demand and the skill standards of employees that they want so as to help our students have the best working skills upon graduation.



Thirdly, we want to try to strengthen international cooperation in training, actively use the network of alumni of the Hanoi University of Technology to connect with former talented students who are currently working abroad.



According to our statistics, in the past 10 years, about 5% of graduates of the Hanoi University of Technology got very good scholarships in other countries and about 80-90% of them stayed abroad for work or study. We consider them a very good network to support our lecturers and our labs on how to advance in this digital age.



There are many challenges but the opportunities are also great. I very much agree with Mr. Tien's proposal about the two-year training program and then students can work immediately. Vietnam has overemphasized degrees and our vocational training college system cannot develop partly because of that thinking. There are professions that earn good money without requiring degrees, so, why not direct students to study in such fields?



Of course universities will not accept the two-year training without a degree model. This is not the thinking of universities. The social responsibility of each university will be different from that of colleges and businesses.



Journalist Pham Huyen: Mr. Vu Khoan, you attended the High-Level Policy Dialogue on Human Resources in the Digital Age - an event within the framework of the recent APEC SOM 2 in Hanoi. Could you share with us the big issues that Vietnam are facing as well as the concerns of businesses, researchers and educators which were presented at the dialogue?













Former Deputy PM Vu Khoan













Former Deputy Prime Minister Vu Khoan: This year the APEC SOM 2 took place in Vietnam at a time when the world economy was transforming deeply under the influence of new and powerful inventions of science and technology. Therefore, the content of cooperation in science and technology, including cooperation in training Human Resources, was a focus. That was the initiative of Vietnam. Vietnam was aware of this issue and during the preparation of APEC meetings it put the issue of scientific and technological cooperation as the new content of APEC.



I think, perhaps APEC has long talked about three pillars, but it has only focused on trade as the main topic.



With regard to human resources, I think we should not just think of the employers. There are three issues that, in my opinion, should be noted.



The first is the trainer, the inventor of invention, not just the user. In this group, our distance is even further.



The second is the users of invention. We should not just think of big companies like FPT, the Hanoi University of Technology, or the Institute of Labor and Social Sciences, but the people themselves. People now have direct access to those, and among them, there are government officials.



The third is training to deal with new ones. When we talk about this issue it should also be extended to all three subjects. If we only train the users, for example, the software makers of FPT, it is important, but it is also very important how more than 90 million people will approach it. What should we do if several million people do not know how to use it?



I think this is too new, too complicated, and we have only mentioned it without doing much yet.



Even APEC has just approached the issue. In that situation, how can we utilize international integration and APEC integration in particular? It is through the bilateral channels and multilateral fora that we can train human resources, as well as through FDI enterprises because the vocational schools of the Ministry Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs are not enough. We have to rely on international cooperation for training. It is very difficult to do it alone.















VietNamNet
A gunman has been charged with aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer after he threaten police during a standoff in Melbourne on Monday night, officials stated.

Carlos A. Flores shot a gun, threaten officer, officials say

Melbourne Police Department received a 911 call at around 9:54 p.m., which was hanged up, from a home on the 2800 block of Maderia Circle. When officers arrived, they could see through the front window of the home Carlos A. Flores on the phone with a gun in his hand, stated Lt. Cheryl Trainer in a press release.

The 67-year-old Flores then became violent, according to Trainer.

"Flores then fired several rounds within the residence and at one point verbally threatened an officer while holding a firearm by his side," Trainer confirmed.

The Melbourne SWAT team and a negotiation unit tried to communicate with Flores, but when that failed, a tactical robot was sent into the home to find where Flores was, Trainer explained.

Eventually, chemical agents were put into the home and officers were able to enter and take Flores into custody without incident.
In the wake of Hurricane Maria's destruction in Puerto Rico, Orange County is preparing for an influx of thousands of the island's residents to the Sunshine State.

Thousands of Puerto Ricans expected in Central Florida

Islanders displaced after destruction from Hurricane Maria



RELATED: MARIA: Schools, UCF prepare for students from Puerto Rico

At a county commission meeting Tuesday, Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs expressed concern there would not be enough housing within the county.

However, commissioners said the county's resources must first be requested with the state, which then sends the request to FEMA.

"The challenge for me is that we aren't the ones who get to make the decisions," Jacobs said. "As much as we have a community that wants to do things and help, those need to be funneled up to the state EOC so that they can decide who is providing what service."

Jacobs has also been working with Osceola County officials to ensure a seamless response when the time comes.



Jacobs was expected to present details of a new section on the countys website called, Puerto Rico Disaster Relief: United We Can Do More," at the meeting. Information on the website will be continually updated on relief efforts, officials said.

Members of the Puerto Rican community spoke on the needs the county will face.

Some think there will be huge stresses on county resources if nearly a third of the island's population  about a million people  come to Florida looking for work and shelter.

"I'm not saying the million will come to Orange County, but it will be in the state of Florida, so housing will becomes a very serious issue," former commissioner Mildred Fernandez said.

The Puerto Rican Action Initiative, meanwhile, said it wants want to make sure affordable housing issues, medical insurance concerns and education needs are addressed.

"As much as we love the organizations that are in place, sometimes those organizations don't have enough diversity that represents the Puerto Rican community. The United Way and Red Cross are probably the ones that are going to receive the funding to help with the people coming here. So we want to take this opportunity (to ensure) that they include the PR community," the Puerto Rican Action Initiative's Jimmy Torres Velez said.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency also will help with housing assistance, crisis counseling, unemployment assistance and legal advice. School districts and the University of Central Florida also have announced initiatives and made preparations for Puerto Rican students.
Brent Hackett (right) is administered the oath of office as Hale County Precinct 1 Constable by County Judge Bill Coleman during a ceremony at 4 p.m. Monday in the second floor courtroom at the Hale County Courthouse. A retired Lubbock police officer, Hackett, 54, fills a vacancy created by the July 12 death of Mark Mull, 51, who was constable for 15 years. Hackett grew up in Plainview and graduated from Plainview High School. He worked at Plainview Plate Glass and later Craftons Glass in Lubbock before joining the Lubbock Police Department as a patrol officer in October 1991. He retired May 2014.
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As Jason Price crouched down beneath an empty stage, the popping noise echoing over his head was unmistakable.

It wasn't a car backfiring. It wasn't nearby fireworks.

It was the sound of the nation's deadliest mass shooting in recent history, unfolding chaos that enveloped the Houston concert promoter.

"It was like a movie  a movie that I don't ever wanna watch," he said afterward.

Price tried to play the hero, running out into the pandemonium armed with nothing but concert tees and stage tape, hoping to save lives.

By the end, at least 59 people had died, including three Price tried to save with CPR even as they bled out onto the ground around him.

The 46-year-old was among the tens of thousands of concert-goers crowded around the stage Sunday night to watch the closing act of the three-day Route 91 Harvest Festival when the gunfire started.

From a perch on the 32nd floor of the nearby Mandalay Bay high-rise casino and hotel, 64-year-old retiree Stephen Paddock took aim at the throngs below, ultimately killing dozens and wounding hundreds more before shooting himself.At first, they thought it was fireworks.

Now Playing: Joann Bierl just got married this weekend and was on her way to the concert when gunfire broke out. Video: KCCI

For Mark Bethune and his wife Sherrell, it started when they thought they heard the pop-pop-pop of fireworks.

But then, the music stopped. The screaming started.

And the gunfire picked up.

"It seemed like it would never end," the Galveston County native said Monday from the Las Vegas hotel room where he'd planned to celebrate his 50th birthday.

The Bethunes were lucky. They scaled fences and climbed walls to flee, but managed to escape.

"I would say it was maybe four songs into the set, maybe five, when I heard something," Bethune said.

"You could hear the pops but you couldn't see any lights - and a moment later you could see on the screen Jason Aldean run off stage."

Everyone hit the ground. The shots kept coming.

"It was just chaos," Bethune said.

TRAGEDY IN VEGAS: Sniper in high-rise hotel kills at least 58 in Las Vegas

When Price first heard the shots, he hunkered down in a production trailer and turned off the lights.

"I felt helpless sitting in there," he said. But then, he turned on a scanner app and heard calls for help. They needed towels; he had T-shirts. They needed medical tape; he had stage adhesives.

Supplies in hand, he dove out into the thick of it, running to a makeshift triage center under the stage.

But the bullets kept coming, and the bodies piled up.

Then, a break. Silence.

"Some people got up and ran and some stayed on the ground," Bethune said. "We went ahead and ran."

They headed for a back exit, fleeing over grounds covered with huddled bodies, spilled drinks and discarded bottles.

As the Bethunes made it outside, a fresh string of gunshots echoed through the night sky.

"We thought there was a second shooter - and the first shooter was pushing us into another one," he said.

Terrified, they jumped one fence, then another. Sherrell hurt her hip, and Mark fell on his knee - but after what seemed like an eternity of breathless running, they made it back to their hotel.

TEXAS CONNECTIONS: Las Vegas shooter Stephen Paddock lived and worked in Texas

Price kept running.

First to the stage. Then out for more supplies. Then to another triage spot.

He saw bodies, people wounded and dying. He tried compression. He tried CPR.

"They were still warm, but their pulse was weak," he said.

He'd never seen anything like it, not even in his military days.

As people died around him, survivors used T-shirts to cover them up.

"There was not a lot that could be done," he said.

It seemed like an eternity before help arrived. But finally it did.

Price and other helpers were shepherded away from the scene as first responders took over, ushering survivors to a nearby warehouse, where safety awaited and shock set in.

"I'm numb," Price said. "You can't unsee certain things.

******

From the window of their room at the Hooters Casino Hotel - a spot they picked for its proximity to the venue - the Bethunes could still see the chaos. They locked their door and hunkered down. But they still had no idea what happened.

"We started trying to find information - but it was so new nothing was on TV," he said.

At first, there were rumors of other shooters down the strip. Then, death tolls began to emerge. Two dead. Twenty injured.

"My wife and I just looked at each other and said that's not possible," he said. And it wasn't. As the night went on, the numbers climbed.

By the next day, officials put the death toll at 59, with more than 500 wounded.

It's still not clear what motivated the attack. At one point, ISIS took credit, but the terror group offered no proof of its claim. Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman called it the act of a "crazed lunatic full of hate."

For hours, local authorities shut down streets and nearby hotels. Interstate 15 was shut down and flights at McCarran International Airport were put on hold.

By noon Monday, some parts of the strip seemed to be opening up again, and the Bethunes hoped to make their afternoon flight back to West Texas, where they now live.

"Time is just a blur," Bethune said, thinking back on the night with barely an hour of sleep under his belt.

"The total amount of gunfire was just incredible."
#singer Shinhwa's Shin Hye-sung referred to prosecution for refusing breathalyzer test Police said Tuesday that they have referred Shin Hye-sung, a member of the long-running idol group Shinhwa, to the prosecution for indictment on charges of refusing to take a breat...
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Federal officials searched and took control of the Russian consular residence in San Francisco Monday, following the closure of the consulate in September.

The former home of the Russian consul general and his family, located just paces from the Presidio, was inspected by State Department officials as security guards stood outside the two-story brownstone building. The residents had left the premises before it was searched, meeting an Oct. 1 deadline.

We conducted a walk-through to secure the residential portions of the buildings and confirm that all residents had left the premises, a State Department spokesperson said in a statement.

Russian trade offices in Washington, D.C., and New York also were ordered closed by the State Department last month, escalating tension between the United States and Russia. The Trump administrations order to shutter the foreign posts followed Moscows decision to expel some U.S. diplomatic personnel in Russia.

A Russian diplomat who was at the consulate residence Monday and watched as multiple plainclothed officials entered the property said the action violated international law.

Its a gross violation of the fundamental diplomatic and consular conventions, said Nikolay Pukalov, head of the the consular division at the Russian Embassy in Washington, D.C. This is a completely and totally unlawful and flagrant act.

Pukalov said that U.S. officials removed and replaced the locks at the residence.

Theyre searching it, theyre doing whatever they want, but they have absolutely no right to be there because thats not their property, Pukalov said.

A State Department spokesperson said they will secure and maintain the properties and entry or access to the office space will be granted only by the Department of State.

The spokesperson declined to comment on Pukalovs claims.

Joaquin Palomino is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jpalomino@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JoaquinPalomino
Dr. Jennie Bennett achieved her dream of earning her doctorate when she earned a Ph.D. in Education from the University of Houston in 1993.

It was a hard-won battle toward her goal that included fractured family relationships, financial struggles, dysfunctional relationships with men and a sense of emptiness that followed her despite a lifetime spent as a member in her Christian church.

Even after completing her degree, she discovered that many of her friendships had deteriorated over the years she spent focused on the studies which consumed her life.

Now Playing: The American Cancer Society released exciting news on Tuesday. Between 1989 and 2015, the death rate from breast cancer dropped 40 percent. The report points to early detection during mammography and improvements in treatments as the contributing factors. But it is still a great concern, already expecting to bring 252,000 new cases this year alone Statistics showed that U.S. women have a 1 in 8 chance of being diagnosed. 'VEEP' star and 'Seinfeld' alum Julia Louis-Dreyfus recently went public with her diagnosis. Video: Wibbitz

It would only be three short years later that she learned how important those friendships and emotional bonds really were when the now 67-year-old received a breast cancer diagnosis in 1996.

Her journey from heartbreak and illness to a faith-filled life free of cancer led her to create Reconstruction of a Survivor in 2007, a nonprofit and support group for women who can lean on each other during the toughest time in their lives through emotional vulnerability and searching within to heal old, childhood wounds that have kept them from truly loving life, even with cancer.

She believes her own emotional rebirth through finding forgiveness for her mother and sister was just as pivotal in her cancer remission as the mastectomy of her left breast the same year she received the diagnosis.

"That uneasiness stays in your spirit, it stays with you," said Bennett of the years she spent holding on to resentment toward her mother. "It doesn't help you beat cancer."

Her support group has trained facilitators who teach specific lesson plans and multiple locations throughout Houston and some in Baytown, Humble, League City, Pearland, Sugar Land, Texas City and Lafayette, La.

The Board of Advisory for the nonprofit includes U.S. Congressowoman Sheila Jackson Lee, who represents the 18th Congressional District of Texas; Dr. Angel Rodriguez, director of the Triple Negative Breast Cancer Clinic at Houston Methodist Cancer Center; and Dr. Lovell Jones, founding co-chair of the Intercultural Cancer Council, the nation's largest multicultural health policy group focused on minorities and the medically underserved and cancer.

Through her close relationships with Methodist staff and other leaders in cancer treatment in Houston, she was able to gain the attention of Susan G. Komen, the international breast cancer research and policy foundation.

Bennett says the Komen organization often refers patients to her group for the financial and emotional support Reconstruction of a Survivor offers to applicants.

Bennett was a rising academic in the mid-1990s. Her dissertation was in mathematics and she was teaching and directing a program for African American and Hispanic middle and high school students in math and science at U of H. She began authoring math textbooks, lecturing throughout the country and writing mathematics curriculum for the state of Texas. She had control of her finances and was achieving success and recognition that she had never experienced before.

But it wasn't until cancer brought her face-to-face with her troubled relationship with a mother she felt squandered her late-father's earnings, and a sister who was largely absent during the cancer discovery and surgery that involved life-threatening complications.

"I had to call my mother and say, 'I forgive you,'" she said as she exhaled and leaned back into her chair. "It was so powerful."

Now, she's an education consultant for math curriculum and instructors, and has brought that background to the classes in her support groups that meet monthly. They reflect the kind of self-awareness that helped her find peace and positivity in a dark time.

Lesson plans include the latest in healthy eating, exercising, various forms of self-care and, of course, the emotional work that freed her.

Fittingly, the most important for healing is, she says, "I will forgive."

"I have the women write a letter to whomever they're not forgiving," said Bennett. "We don't send it, we do it for ourselves."

Another class, "It's Okay to Cry," was transformative for Patricia Oropeza.

"I've sat in this room and cried so many times," said Oropeza in the conference room at Houston Methodist Outpatient Hospital in the Texas Medical Center where she meets once a month with the group.

The 55-year-old has metastatic breast cancer which has spread to her liver. Originally diagnosed in 2012, she learned the cancer was growing the week of Thanksgiving in 2014.

"I know I was losing my faith," she said. "And I knew I was depressed. But I learned you have to appreciate life, and I cherish life now."

Through encouragement from the women in the support group, she went on a Christian retreat during her cancer treatment.

"It was the best thing ever," she said. "Every time I heard a testimony it was about forgiveness. I came home with a whole new outlook and I had to forgive a lot of people."

Oropeza works at a rental car location near Hobby Airport and has one son in his 20s who lives with her.

"My son was there for all of it," she said as her smile faded and tears welled in her eyes. "He's supposed to have his own life. He's been a big help."

Although Bennett is a Christian and most of her lessons have connections to scripture from the Holy Bible, she says people of all faiths are welcome to the class and can go through the same healing process.

She said there have been Jews, Muslims and women of all ages.

The youngest, said Bennett, was a 25-year-old physician's assistant student who eventually led classes. Professionally, she went on to work with newly diagnosed breast cancer patients.

A decade after her own diagnosis, Bennett's relationship with her mother, who now suffers from dementia-like symptoms, has improved and Bennett sees her almost every day in the nursing facility where she lives. Things between she and her sister, however, haven't gone as well.

The two haven't become close, but recently her sister was diagnosed with breast cancer too.

"She finally called me and said, 'What do I do?,'" said Bennett. "I have to do forgiveness everyday."
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For years, Elon Musk has been focused on building a colony on Mars. It's why he founded SpaceX in 2002, and it's been the driving force behind it ever since.

But during a speech in Adelaide, Australia, Friday morning, Musk said he has dramatically expanded his already-outsize ambitions. In addition to helping create a city on the Red Planet, he said the next rocket he intends to build would also be capable of helping create a base camp on the moon - and flying people across the globe.

"It's 2017, we should have a lunar base by now," he said during a 40-minute speech at the International Astronautical Congress. "What the hell has been going on?"

In a surprise twist, he also said the massive rocket and spaceship, which would have more pressurized passenger space than an Airbus A380 airplane, could also fly passengers anywhere on Earth in less than an hour. Traveling at a maximum speed of more than 18,000 mph, a trip from New York to Shanghai, for example, would take 39 minutes, he said. New York to London could be done in 29 minutes.

"If we're building this thing to go to the moon and Mars, why not go other places as well?" he said.

The speech was billed as an update to one he gave a year ago, in which he provided details for how SpaceX would make humanity a "multi-planet species."

At the speech a year ago, Musk unveiled a behemoth of a rocket that was so ambitious and mind-bogglingly large that critics said it was detached from reality. Now, he and his team at SpaceX have done some editing, and Musk presented a revised plan early Friday to build a massive, but more reasonably sized, rocket that he calls the BFR, or Big [expletive] Rocket.

"I think we've figured out how to pay for it, this is very important," he said.

The new fully reusable system includes a booster stage and a spaceship capable of carrying 100 people or so. It would be capable of flying astronauts and cargo on an array of missions, from across the globe, to the International Space Station in low Earth orbit and to the moon and Mars in deep space. It'd also be capable of launching satellites, he said, while effectively replacing all of the rockets and spacecraft SpaceX currently uses or is developing, making them redundant.

That would allow the company to put all of its resources into development of the BFR, he said.

Earlier this year, Musk announced that SpaceX would fly two private citizens in a trip around the moon by late next year. And he hinted at the moon base during a conference in July.

"If you want to get the public really fired up, I think we've got to have a base on the moon. That'd be pretty cool. And then going beyond there and getting people to Mars," he said. "That's the continuance of the dream of Apollo that I think people are really looking for."

But Friday morning he made it clear that Mars is still the ultimate goal. During his talk, a chart showed that SpaceX planned to fly two cargo missions to Mars by 2022, a very ambitious timeline.

"That's not a typo," he said, but allowed: "It is aspirational."

By 2024, he said the company could fly four more ships to Mars, two with human passengers and two more cargo-only ships.

SpaceX has upended the space industry, and Musk, with his celebrity, bravado and business acumen, has reignited interest in space. The company, which has won more than $4 billion in contracts from NASA, was the first commercial venture to send a spacecraft to the International Space Station; previously it had only been done by governments. It currently flies cargo there, and is also under contract from NASA to fly astronauts there, which could happen as early as next year.

But despite all its triumphs, the company still hasn't flown a single human to space, not even to low Earth orbit, let alone Mars, which on average is 140 million miles from Earth (though the planets come to within 35 million miles of each other every 26 months).

The travel between cities on Earth would also face substantial hurdles. In addition to the technological challenges, there would have to be regulatory approval from the Federal Aviation Administration.

Musk's speech comes two days after NASA announced that it had signed an agreement with Roscosmos, the Russian space agency, to study exploration in the vicinity of the moon under a plan called the "Deep Space Gateway" that could, eventually, lead to a habitat near the moon.

Lockheed Martin also unveiled a plan for deep space exploration Thursday, updating its "Mars Base Camp" system, a massive orbiting laboratory. Now the company says it could also build a lander capable of touching down on Mars or the moon. The company said it could launch within a decade in conjunction with NASA.

---
WASHINGTON  Wells Fargos chief executive Timothy J. Sloan on Tuesday defended the bank against withering criticism from lawmakers that the mega bank has not done enough to reform itself since admitting last year it had opened millions of fake accounts customers didnt want.

I am deeply sorry for letting down our customers and team members, Sloan told the Senate Banking Committee. When the challenges at Wells Fargo demanded decisive action, the banks leaders acted too slowly and too incrementally. That was unacceptable.

The bank has overhauled its community banking division where the problems occurred, ditched the aggressive sales goals that led some employees to open fake accounts and taken other steps to address its problems, he said.

But lawmakers appeared unimpressed with Wells Fargos efforts.

What in Gods name were you thinking? I am not against big, but with all due respect, I am against dumb. I am against a business practice that has puts Wells Fargo first and customers second, said Sen. John Neely Kennedy, R-La.

Citing Wells Fargos debacles, a recent Equifax breach that compromised 145 million Americans personal financial information and a breach at the Securities and Exchange Commission that may have allowed insider training, Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, ranking Democrat on the committee, said it is no wonder the public doesnt trust our financial system.

The changes Mr. Sloan and his team have made are not sufficient to reform a corporate culture that is willing to abuse its customers and employees in an effort to pad its numbers and increase executive compensation, Brown said.

Capitol Hill has not been very kind to Wells Fargo.

Last year, its former chief executive John Stumpf was pummeled by lawmakers for hours as he attempted to explain why the mega bank had created millions of fake accounts that customers didnt want or need. After a dismal performance, Stumpf stepped down.

Now its Sloans turn. It is likely to be a key test of Sloans leadership since he took over 11 months ago as chief executive of one of the countrys largest banks.

When my predecessor testified here last year, we had not fully grappled with the damage the sales practices scandal had done to our customers, our team members, and their trust in the bank, Sloan said.

But I heard you  and I heard our customers and our team members  loud and clear. You expect us to do better, and so do we.

But the bank has struggled to squelch concerns over the last year that it has learned its lesson. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., a fierce Wall Street critic, has called for the companys entire board of directors to be removed and Federal Reserve Chair Janet L. Yellen labeled the companys conduct egregious and unacceptable.

Pressure on the bank began to build again recently after Wells Fargo announced that the creation of fake accounts had gone on for far longer than it initially acknowledged and that it had found more than 1 million new potential cases. Rather than creating up to 2 million fake accounts, the bank said it was probably 3.5 million. It also said in August that for six years, about 570,000 of its customers were charged for auto insurance they didnt need, driving some to default on their loans and have their cars repossessed.

That has sparked calls for more severe consequences for the bank, including another large government fine.

Wells Fargo has a long-running pattern and practice of hiding its misconduct from public scrutiny, Americans for Financial Reform and Public Citizen, a public advocacy group, said in a letter to Sens. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, and Brown. The bank, for example, knew about the problems with its auto division last year but did not acknowledge them until they were exposed by the media, the letter said.

Wells Fargo already has paid a price for its misconduct. Its longtime chief executive, Stumpf, gave up millions in bonuses and the chairman of its board will be replaced starting next year. Wells Fargo also has paid $185 million in fines to regulators and reached a preliminary settlement of a class-action lawsuit for more than $100 million.

Wells Fargo is a better bank today than it was a year ago. And next year, Wells Fargo will be a better bank than it is today. That is because we have spent the past year determined to earn back the publics trust, Sloan said.
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Anyone who knowingly interferes with the duties of Californias independent state auditor will be fined up to $5,000 under a bill signed into law Monday by Gov. Jerry Brown.

Under the law, which will take effect on Jan. 1, people who obstruct a state audit with intent to deceive or defraud will have to pay the fine.

Assemblyman Al Muratsuchi, D-Torrance (Los Angeles County), and two other Democratic lawmakers wrote AB 562 after state Auditor Elaine Howle said in April that she had to discard part of her audit of the University of California presidents office because administrators there interfered with the probe. The presidents office runs the 10-campus system.

I am very disturbed by the findings of interference, Muratsuchi said. This law will give the state auditor additional enforcement authority to fine those who intentionally obstruct their audits.

Howles audit revealed that the office of UC President Janet Napolitano had amassed $175 million in reserve funds it hadnt disclosed in its budget to the Board of Regents. As part of the audit, Howle had sent a confidential survey to the campuses to learn if services provided by the presidents office were necessary.

She tossed the survey results after learning that Napolitanos staff required campus officials to share their responses with them  a level of tampering that the auditor said made it impossible to rely on the results.

Ive never had a situation like that in my 17 years as state auditor, Howle told state lawmakers at a May hearing on the audit findings.

Administrators at three campuses changed their responses to reflect more favorably on Napolitanos office after her staff directed them to make the changes, The Chronicle learned in its reporting.

In June, the regents hired former state Supreme Court Justice Carlos Moreno to investigate the alleged tampering. No findings have been released, and the presidents office did not respond to a request for an update. Nor did the office respond to a request for comment about the new law.

Assemblyman Phil Ting, D-San Francisco  a co-author with Muratsuchi and Assemblyman Kevin McCarty, D-Sacramento  called the law extraordinarily important.

What we saw in UCs example is that anybody could tamper with an audit and have no consequences, Ting said. And the state could really do nothing about it, and the auditor would have to do another audit. We think this sends the right message.

Nanette Asimov is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: asimov@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @NanetteAsimov
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Model Amber Rose hosted her third annual Slutwalk on Sunday, Oct, 1, 2017, in Los Angeles.

Thousands of men and women came out for the risque event in support of gender equality, ending rape culture, victim blaming, and body-shaming.

LOOKING FOR HELP: Amber Rose wants a breast reduction, asks Instagram followers for advice

Appearing alongside Rose was her beau 21 Savage, a.k.a Shayaa Bin Abraham-Joseph.

The Dominica-born rapper, who rose to fame after the release of his extended play "Savage Mode" with producer Metro Boomin, backed his lady by marching side-by-side with Rose during the Slutwalk.

Now Playing: Mic sat down with former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for a roundtable on Tuesday. In a prerecorded video, model, actress and activist Amber Rose asked Clinton what it takes for women to succeed in male-dominated spaces. You cannot win a game you dont play, Clinton responded. You cannot make a contribution if youre not there at the table. Video: Mic

However, his show of support did not sit well with many of Savage's fans who said he was no longer "savage" for attending.

Not one to sit and take it, Rose and Savage offered naysayers a few choice words in an online video.

"How the f*** is my man no savage anymore," says Rose in the video. " Do y'all want him to pistol whip me? Beat me up? Shoot up the slut walk?"

Savage also chimed in saying people needed to "get off his d***," and that the Slutwalk was "fun as a m*****f*****."

Take a look through the photos above to see scenes from Amber Rose's "fun" Slutwalk.
Matthew Busch, For The San Antonio Express-News / For The San Antonio Express-News

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With a gif and a like, San Antonio Chef Jason Dady appears to have pointed the finger at a certain TV host as the person who asked for a free meal in exchange for an Instagram post.

Mario Lopez, of Extra TV and Saved By The Bell fame, was in San Antonio Monday dining at downtown favorite Mi Tierra. But it seems Mi Tierra may not have been the star's first choice.

"A certain celebrity called Range tonight asking for a free meal in exchange for a single Instagram post promoting it. Quote. Unquote. 'We'll put you on the map,'" Dady said on his Facebook page. "We called back to decline and literally got hung up on."

RELATED: Mario Lopez says he 'always' makes a stop at Mi Tierra while in S.A.

Now Playing: Celebrity chef and restaurateur Tom Colicchio explains how much it frustrates him when customers wait until they leave a restaurant to complain about a bad meal. Colicchio founded Crafted Hospitality, is the head judge on reality show "Top Chef," and is a spokesperson for Arnold Bread and America's Better Sandwich. In a recent interview, Colicchio explained that if you tell the waitstaff about the problem in the restaurant, they can fix it by offering you another meal. Video: Wochit

Dady said if his post received more than 1,000 likes, which it did, he would reveal the shady celebrity. After confirming the caller was "absolutely not" a Spurs player, Dady liked a post suggesting Lopez was the culprit and then posted a gif, or moving image, of Lopez from his Saved By The Bell days.

"Hates gonna hate, Slaters gonna slate," the gif reads, while Lopez jumps into the splits.

Theories of who the caller could be flooded Dady's post, one suggesting it was journalist and others thinking it could be actor Tommy Lee Jones.

But most commenters pointed their finger at Lopez.

RELATED: Review: Chef Jason Dady hits his target at Range chophouse on the River Walk

Lopez posted an Instagram of his trip to downtown favorite Mi Tierra on Monday saying, "Always make a stop at Mi Tierra. Love this town..."

Mi Tierra did not immediately respond for comment.

When asked by mySA.com if Lopez was, in fact, the celebrity asking for a handout, Dady said: "Oh what happens on Facebook. Stays on Facebook."

kbradshaw@express-news.net | Twitter: @Kbrad5
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MIDDLETOWN  The developer of the College Street Apartments hopes to sign leases by next fall with tenants who are already clamoring to secure a spot at the 93-unit six-story building a block away from downtown .

The construction was delayed about 15 months, said Chuck Hajjar, president of the Milton, Massachusetts-based Hajjar Management Co.

The boxes that we assembled got wet, and that required us to rip out the insulation and sheetrock and rebuild them, he said. Thats what were in the process of doing.

Hajjar estimates the high rise, at 138 College St., which includes a 2,500-square-foot ground-floor commercial space, will be open by September 2018.

Im glad theyre taking the time to correct the problem that occurred to make sure the end product is high-quality, said Common Councilman Gerry Daley, longtime chairman of the Economic Development Commission. Its unfortunate they ran into the problem but theyre taking all the right steps to remedy it.

The building is weather-tight (now). More and more buildings are being built modular. Its my first experience with it. Typically its faster. Its more controlled because its built in a controlled factory, so the workmanship is better, Hajjar said.

Its not necessarily cheaper, but its not any more money, either, its just that you can pick up the savings of time, which ends up being more money, he said.

The project, located at a formerly grassy lot on the corner of Broad and College streets next to the Middlesex Corporate Center, broke ground in September 2015. Hajjar is the trustee of the College Street Realty Trust, which owns the building.

It will be a big step in terms of high-end mixed-use apartments in the downtown. We havent had anything like that in a long time, except Rivers Edge apartments on deKoven Drive, which was built more than two decades ago, Daley said.

The building is expected to include a dental office on the ground floor. Two-thirds of the untis will be one bedroom, about 20 percent will be two bedroom and the remainder studios, said Hajjar. He already has hundreds of applicants.

Comeau and Kelly of Stoughton, Massachusetts, is overseeing the project. Studios will be priced between $1,340 and $1,672 a month, while one-bedrooms will lease in the range of $1,600 to $2,250, Hajjar said. Two-bedroom units will rent for between $2,370 and $2,450.

Originally the commercial space was envisioned to be more in the range of 5,000 or 6,000 square feet, Hajjar said. The first floor will include a community room, lounge, gym and small office.

Several new companies have relocated downtown recently, most recently three major technology companies that work directly with Pratt & Whitney Aircraft and United Technologies Corporation.

Belcan, Quest Global, and Cyient international engineering firms, which serve the aerospace industry, have brought more than 200 high-paying skilled engineering positions to the city, according to the mayors office.

The trend is people want to live in cities and walk to restaurants and walk to do their shopping, Hajjar said. I think those new employees will rent from us and a lot of empty nesters that just want to live in the city will maybe keep a place there and live in Florida after they sell their house.

At the ground-breaking, Mayor Daniel Drew called the project a game-changer for the city, which will play into the rennaisance of Middletowns downtown.

In addition to developments like this, that are freestanding, there are a couple that are being talked about, Daley said, such as a plan for apartments on the Connecticut riverfront on River Road at the old Jackson Corrugated building.

He anticipates that projects like those may still happen.

Once we see these get started, what I expect to happen, like in places like Hartford, a lot of renovations will take place, Daley said, such as housing above storefronts years ago on Main Street.

Theres still an opportunity for those to get upgraded and updated, he said.

For information on rentals, call 860-638-5151.

Managing Editor Cassandra Day can be reached at cassandra.day@hearstmediact.com.
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UPDATE: Tom Petty has died, according to a family spokeswoman. News story below. For a full obituary, click here.

From the Associated Press:

Tom Petty, an old-fashioned rock superstar and everyman who drew upon the Byrds, the Beatles and other bands he worshipped as a boy and produced new classics such as "Free Fallin,' "Refugee" and "American Girl," has died.

Now Playing: On Monday, at the age of sixty-six, Tom Petty died after suffering cardiac arrest at his home in Malibu, causing musicians and celebrities to take to social media to pay tribute to the rock and roll legend. Eric Clapton said in a statement, "I'm shocked and saddened by the news of Tom's passing, he's such a huge part of our musical history, there'll never be another like him. Video: Wochit

Petty passed away Monday night at UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles after he suffered cardiac arrest at his home in Malibu, California, spokeswoman Carla Sacks said. He was 66.

Petty and his longtime band the Heartbreakers had recently completed a 40th anniversary tour, one he hinted would be their last.

Earlier story below:

Musician Tom Petty has reportedly been taken off life support after being found unconscious and not breathing on Sunday night, as TMZ reports.

CBS News and Variety are reporting that Petty has died, but TMZ contests that, writing that though "(Petty)'s not expected to live much longer...at this time, he's still clinging to life."

Petty, 66, was reportedly in full cardiac arrest, and after being taken to the UCLA Santa Monica Hospital, he was put on life support.

Petty performed at the BottleRock Fest in Napa in the spring, and at the Greek Theatre in Berkeley in August.

This story is developing.

Alyssa Pereira is an SFGATE staff writer. Email her at apereira@sfchronicle.com or find her on Twitter at @alyspereira.


Immigrants who are being held while seeking the right to remain in the United States, and who would pose no threat if released, are entitled to have bail set in an amount that considers how much they can afford to pay and whether they can be safely monitored without bail, a federal appeals court ruled Monday.

The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco upheld a federal judges order that applied only to immigration courts in Californias Central District, which covers seven counties, including Los Angeles, and includes nearly half the states population. But a lawyer for immigrants in the case said Mondays ruling set standards for the entire circuit, which includes California and eight other Western states.

Hundreds of detainees are being locked up every day in detention centers across the Ninth Circuit merely because they lack resources to pay a bond, said Michael Kaufman, an American Civil Liberties Union attorney. Its our expectation that the government will follow the law that the Ninth Circuit laid down.

Government lawyers, under President Barack Obama and the Trump administration, argued that bail-setting in immigration cases was a discretionary decision not covered by the constitutional standards for criminal cases, and that taking detainees finances into account would be time-consuming and expensive.

The administration could seek a rehearing from the full appeals court or appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. In the meantime, the lower-court order requiring bail hearings, which had been suspended during the governments appeal, will take effect.

On Tuesday, the nations high court will hear arguments in the Justice Departments appeal of another Ninth Circuit ruling, which entitled immigrants in government custody to a hearing every six months over whether they were eligible for release on bond.

The latest ruling came in a class-action suit by immigrants who entered the United States without authorization, or overstayed their visas, and are being held while they seek political asylum or legal status based on considerations such as hardship to U.S. family members.

In each of their cases, government hearing officers or immigration courts have found that they would pose no risk of violence or of fleeing if released, but set their bail without considering what they or their families could afford.

One plaintiff, a gay man who said he fled Honduras to escape persecution, was held for more than four years before a community organization raised $3,000 to pay his bond, the appeals court said. Lawyers reported the case of another detainee who had to miss the funeral of her mother, who had been murdered, because she could not pay a $9,000 bond.

Under the Constitution, no person may be imprisoned merely on account of his poverty, Judge Stephen Reinhardt said in the ruling. He said the government has no reason to detain individuals who have been determined not to be a danger to the community and whose appearance at future immigration proceedings can be reasonably ensured by a lesser bond or alternative conditions.

The court ordered the government to take financial conditions into account in future cases and for immigrants who are now in custody. One member of the three-judge panel, Ferdinand Fernandez, said in a partial dissent that the ruling should apply only to future cases.

Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @egelko
People whose homes and businesses were damaged by flooding caused by Hurricane Harvey could receive some tax relief from the Katy Independent School District.

On Friday, the Katy ISD trustees voted unanimously to authorize the reappraisal of taxes on property within the school district boundaries.

Under the law, owners must continue to pay the taxes on the full value of the property - even if it has been damaged or destroyed. Only a taxing entity - such as Katy ISD - can request the reappraisal of property after the county has already completed its annual appraisal process.

"While no homeowner will be required to seek a reappraisal of their home as a result of the board's action, this resolution will clear the way for thousands of our families who are recovering from Harvey to seek tax relief on properties damaged by the storm," said Lance Hindt, Katy ISD superintendent.

It will be up to the chief tax appraiser of Fort Bend, Waller and Harris counties to reach out to the owners to determine if they want their flood-damaged property reappraised.

Hindt said officials from Fort Bend and Waller counties have indicated they are going to reappraise the damaged properties. They are still waiting on whether Harris County will follow, he said.

"They have not committed to it one way or the other," he said.

A reappraisal can only happen in areas formally declared as disaster areas by the governor. Fort Bend, Waller and Harris counties all meet that criteria.

Katy ISD officials said 15,000 students and 2,600 employees were impacted in some way by the devastating flooding brought on by Hurricane Harvey. They stressed that any tax reappraisal would be carried out only if the property owner assents.

"We would like to provide that choice to the homeowner. We would like to provide that choice to the business owner," Hindt said.

According to an initial estimate, Katy ISD could lose between $1.5 million and $3.5 million if there is a temporary reappraisal of damaged property taxed by the school district.

"But we really don't have a clue what this is going to cost us until we know who takes advantage of it," Hindt said.

Trustee Rebecca Fox, who supports property reappraisal, said any temporary financial setback to Katy ISD wouldn't impact the district's core mission.

"We will still instruct children and we'll take care of our teachers and our staff," she said.

According to Hindt, the district may be able to recoup about 66 percent of the money lost from the post-Harvey property reappraisal from state education officials.

The school board meeting was held at the Miller Career and Technology Center because of heavy flood damage at their usual board room in the Katy Education Support Complex. The board members strongly supported the call to offer property tax reappraisal.

"I think this is the right thing at the right time for our community," said trustee Bill Lacy.

Katy ISD trustee George Scott called the resolution, "the right thing to do."

"I think this is part of helping to get the community back together," Scott said.
Houston's Indian-American community was honored by Mayor Sylvester Turner over the weekend for their relief efforts and monetary donations after Hurricane Harvey dropped over 50 inches of rain on the city and decimated homes and businesses across the region.

At the west Houston home of Amit and Arpita Bhandari on Saturday night, 150 guests attended a reception where Turner accepted a $250,000 check from various Indo-American organizations for Turner's "Mayor's Fund for Hurricane Harvey Relief."

"The contributions of the Indo-American community did not just start with Hurricane Harvey," said Turner. "Indo-Americans have been contributing to this city for a long, long time. The Indian community is vital to the city and helps make Houston the great city that it is."

"I want to thank Indo-Americans for what you have done prior to Hurricane Harvey," he said. "I want to thank you for what you are doing now, and I want thank you for what you will be doing to help rebuild this great city. We will rebuild, we will be stronger, more resilient, and better prepared for next time around."

Bhandari is the owner and CEO of BioUrja Group, an energy and agricultural commodity trading company based in Houston with offices around the globe.

But more than 50 Indian businesses, organizations and individuals contributed to a financial gift totalling $1.5 million to other Harvey-related charities along with meal and housing efforts for victims of the storm.

"Indo-American volunteers helped rescue 700 Houstonians by boats, trucks, or by foot," said Bhandari.

"More than 35,000 hot meals have been distributed to the hungry. More than ten temporary medical care facilities have been set up to provide urgent care. Additionally, more than 2,000 volunteers contributed 45,000 hours of service. Two emergency call centers were set up, 300 families sheltered, and 450 flooded homes were cleared out."

During the event Bhandari recognized specific organizations including Sewa International, BAPS Swami Narayan Temple, Bohra samaj, several other Hindu temples, all the Sikh gurudwaras and mosques and various businesses and restaurants that provided free meals.

One Indian-owned business made a special presentation to Turner and guests which will directly aid victims during a natural disaster.

Gaurav Khandelwal, CEO of ChaiOne, a Houston-based developer of mobile apps, introduced DisasterConnect. The app helps victims and donors make direct contact with each other to streamline relief efforts.

India's Consul General to Houston Dr. Anupam Ray echoed Turner's remarks of appreciation for the Indo-American community. "Your generosity makes India proud," said Dr. Ray. "A community is great if it rises above its suffering. Through your contributions toward Hurricane Harvey relief, you've demonstrated that as a community, you've risen above your sufferings."
Houston Methodist West Hospital will be in the pink during Breast Cancer Awareness Month during October.

Flamingos will cover the green areas of the hospital grounds and pink exterior lights will shine at night during October.

"Houston Methodist West Hospital is committed to bringing awareness to our community on the importance of breast care," said Kim Collins, director of the Houston Methodist Breast Care Center at West. "Our goal is to remind every woman to be proactive about their health and to schedule their mammogram screenings."

According to the American Cancer Society, breast cancer is the most common form of cancer, likely to affect one in eight women. Survival rates continue to improve steadily each year thanks to early detection and advanced treatment.

At Houston Methodist West, a multidisciplinary team of doctors and comprehensive breast care staff offers personalized, comprehensive breast care services  from screenings in a spa-like atmosphere to treatment and support programs  all in one location close to home.

For the second year in a row, Houston Methodist West is partnering with LaCenterra at Cinco Ranch by hosting "A Night of Positively Pink," a breast cancer awareness celebration. Women and their families are invited to meet women's health specialists, receive breast health information and enjoy music by The Mockingbirds Band. A Night of Positively Pink is Friday, Oct. 13 from 6-9 p.m. at LaCenterra at Cinco Ranch Courtyard, located at 23501 Cinco Ranch Blvd. in Katy.

To schedule a mammogram appointment at Houston Methodist Breast Care Center at West, visit houstonmethodist.org/appointments or call 832.522.PINK (7465).
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When Hurricane Harvey's floodwaters invaded Sarah's House, a Pasadena facility for homeless women and children, nearly everything was lost. Now, as the community rallies around those Sarah's House serves, officials can see their way forward.

"There's peace after every storm," said Millie Edwards, program director at the nonprofit facility, which was established in 2001 and typically serves 16 women and children. "The storm was hard on us and we lost everything, but the community has been amazing."

So far, Ashley Furniture HomeStore, Chevron Phillips Chemical Co. and Pearland native Fozzy Whittaker of the NFL's Carolina Panthers have stepped up to assist Sarah's House, which lost all of its bedroom furniture, four computers, diapers and food as well as suffering structural damage.

Chevron Phillips organized a recent volunteer project to repair plumbing and structural defects caused by the storm. Whittaker, along with his wife Jasmine, started an online crowdfunding campaign that raised more than $34,900 at presstime for Sarah's House and other causes. The couple donated $15,000 in funds to the homeless shelter, along with another $5,000 in supplies.

"That is going to help us compensate for our loss, which is really amazing," Edwards said.

Jasmine Whittaker said it was important to her and her husband that any funds raised would make an immediate impact. After conducting a computer search for shelters serving women and children, they found Sarah's House and knew it would be a good fit.

"One thing that's important to us is, 'Where do the homeless go when their shelter is lost?' " Jasmine Whittaker said. "We were really concerned with helping people who might normally not receive help. They have needs before the storm; so imagine what their needs would be after."

On Sept. 22, Ashley HomeStore donated, delivered and set up nine twin-sized beds, six dressers, mattresses and a truckload of clothing donations.

"They were so compassionate," Edwards said. "For a shelter that has clients who come in with nothing and then they're able to have some place to lie their head and a place to put their clothing rather than carrying it around in a bag, that's priceless."

Edwards said for the last four years Ashley HomeStore has contacted Sarah's House to offer assistance, but the shelter always told them that it had all it needed. This year, however, when the need was real, Edwards didn't even think to contact the furniture chain.

"I was dealing with so much, but they called again, and we are so grateful," she said.

Jeff Magner, vice president of marketing for Ashley HomeStore, said his company works to help those in need, particularly children, as part of the company's nationwide Hope to Dream initiative.

"We loved being a part of (helping Sarah's House recover," Magner said. "Helping those less fortunate is part of our core beliefs. It's baked into who we are, and it's important for all of us to be good corporate citizens."

Still, Edwards knows there's a ways to go. She hopes the community will continue to rally around those served by Sarah's House, located at 711 Perla Road. She invites anyone interested in donating money to stop by the facility and observe the assistance being offered.

"They can come by and take a look, and if they contribute to us they will know they are making a positive impact to feed and house the homeless," she said. "We want to let them know that they are truly making a difference."

Residents at the facility are not given a timeline for staying, but they must seek employment. The goal of Sarah's House is to provide food, shelter and clothing to women and women with children who have found themselves without a home while they transition into work situations and independent living, Edwards said. Once they gain employment, residents are required to open their own savings account and save 60 percent of their income to establish financial stability.

Despite its own needs, the shelter is eager to help others rebuild. Sarah's House will participate in a Nov. 4 event to feed the homeless at downtown Houston's St. John's United Methodist Church, 2019 Crawford St.

"We just want to pay forward our blessings," Edwards said.

For more information, visit www.sarahshouse.org, call 713-475-1480 or visit Sarahs House on Facebook.

Fozzy Whittaker's crowdfunding "Fozzy's Future Heroes" site on youcaring.com can be reached at http://bit.ly/2xOcymZ.
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In the aftermath of Harvey, neighborly support and fellowship are thriving and with the generosity of a caring and kind community, Hope For Three Autism Advocates can make a significant difference in the lives of many, including those affected by Hurricane Harvey.

"We applaud The George Foundation for presenting Hope For Three with a $ 25,000 check to provide relief and assistance to Fort Bend families living with autism affected or displaced by Hurricane Harvey," said Darla Farmer, Hope For Three executive director. "The kindness continued, as Timewise generously provided a limited match for gas card donations," said Farmer.
ANSONIA  For Jason Edwards, soaring to the highest rank in scouting makes him realize he could pretty much do anything he sets his mind to.

Edwards, 18, was recently recognized for achieving Eagle Scout Rank as a member of Housatonic Council Troop 3 Derby. An Eagle Scout Court of Honor ceremony took place at the Derby Second Congregational Church, where Ansonia Mayor David Cassetti and Derby Mayor Anita Dugatto lauded Edwards for his perseverance and dedication to scouting and community service.

Edwards, the son of Ronald and Elaine Edwards, is Troop 3s 309th Eagle Scout, according to Troop 3 Scoutmaster Randy Ritter. Edwards brother, Matthew, is Troop 3s 300th Eagle Scout.

Jason has had an outstanding scouting experience to date, and we look forward to his continued involvement as he gives back to help other scouts on their journey to Eagle Scout, Ritter said.

For his Eagle Scout project, Edwards led a group of volunteers in making improvements and beautifying Veterans Memorial Park, which is located next door to Ansonia City Hall. He and his crew of helpers built and installed a new wooden park entrance sign and flower box, flanked by American flags, a half dozen wooden birdhouses and they assisted in the planting of arborvitae bushes.

His project serves as a testament to all Ansonia veterans who have served and sacrificed in the armed forces of the United States of America, said Ritter.

Edwards, a 2017 graduate of Ansonia High School, is attending Southern Connecticut State University, where he is majoring in journalism. He began his adventures in scouting at 7 years old as a Tiger Cub in Cub Pack 3, where he earned the Arrow of Light award, and later climbed the ranks to Troop 3, where he served as patrol grubmaster, quartermaster, den chief, patrol leader, troop quartermaster and assistant senior patrol leader.

For 11 years, Edwards has performed in the annual Scout Gang Show, and is an active parishioner at Holy Rosary Church, where he is a founding member and current president of Venture Crew 77, a co-ed scouting group sponsored by the churchs Mens Club.

Edwards is proud of earning scoutings highest rank.

Becoming an Eagle Scout meant so much to me because it made me realize if I could meet all the requirements, complete the project and the work that followed, I could aspire to do anything that I put my mind to, said Edwards. I've enjoyed scouting all these years mostly because of the skills, bonds and friendships that I had formed. The people who dedicated their time and those who participated with me, whether from Pack 3, Troop 3 or Crew 77, it has made the experience all the more worthwhile.

Throughout his years in scouting, Ritter said Edwards has participated in numerous activities, including campouts and summer camp at Edmund D. Strang Scout Reservation in Goshen, and the 2013 National Scout Jamboree at the Summit Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve in West Virginia. He and his family have hosted exchange scouts from Peterborough, England. Edwards also participated in a three-week cross country camping adventure in 2014.

Edwards has earned a total of 46 merit badges, according to Ritter.
LONDON - Is Boris Johnson daring the British prime minister to fire him?

It's a question that some are speculating about as they try to understand the recent antics of Britain's flamboyant foreign secretary.

Days before British Prime Minister Theresa May set out her vision for Brexit in a landmark speech in Florence, Italy, Johnson penned a 4,000-word article in the Daily Telegraph outlining his plan for exiting the European Union.

Over the weekend, Johnson again landed in the headlines. He gave an interview to the Sun in which he appeared to spell out "red lines" over Brexit, some of which seemed to go further than what May has stated publicly.

Analysts say such acts of disloyalty normally constitute firing offenses. In Britain, there's a political norm of collective cabinet responsibility - the government's senior leadership team isn't supposed to air disagreements in public.

"There are bounds to what's considered to be acceptable behavior, and Boris exceeded those bounds by quite some margin," said Rob Ford, a politics expert at the University of Manchester.

"To undercut and attack her before she delivers a banner speech, normally that would be firing territory," Ford said. "It's almost as if Johnson is daring her to fire him. It's sort of like, 'Come and have a go if you think you're hard enough.' "

But it's not clear that May has enough political capital, after the bungled election earlier this year, to remove Johnson (or others) from his post even if she wanted to.

May is in "a quandary," Ford said. "If she does nothing, it looks like she's letting disloyalty go unanswered. If she acts, then she gives Boris potentially what he wants."

When asked by the BBC's Andrew Marr over the weekend whether Johnson was "unsackable," May swerved, saying instead that the government was "united" in its mission.

In interviews Tuesday morning, May said she doesn't lead a team of "yes men" and insisted she was in charge.

Johnson is a divisive politician but a darling of the annual Conservative Party conference, where on Tuesday afternoon he delivered a lively speech that was light on policies but heavy on optimism.

He told the party faithful that it was time for Britain to be "bold" and stop treating the Brexit result as if it were a "plague of boils."

Johnson dismissed claims of cabinet infighting, saying the entire team was united behind "every syllable" of May's recent Brexit speech. He also praised May for her "steadfastness."

But questions about his loyalty remain, and his focus on largely domestic issues - though he is the foreign secretary - did nothing to squash rumors that he covets the crown.

His speech was reportedly vetted beforehand.

"His speech has been looked at, don't worry," May told Sky News on Tuesday morning.

If Johnson were to be removed from his post, it would come as welcome news to some in the European Union who say that London is sending mixed messages on Brexit negotiations.

Manfred Weber, a senior German member of the European Parliament and a key ally of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, has called for Johnson to be dismissed.

According to a report in the Guardian, Weber asked during a debate Tuesday: "Who speaks for the British government - Theresa May, Boris Johnson, or even [Brexit secretary] David Davis?

"By reading Johnson's attacks against his own prime minister he shows the British government is trapped by their own party quarrels and political contradictions. . . . Please sack Johnson because we will have clear answers as to who is responsible for the British position."

It could be exactly what Johnson wants.

Johnson, an overtly ambitious politician, was one of the leading lights of the Brexit campaign. And ever since the general election this year, in which the Conservative Party lost its parliamentary majority, there has been speculation about how long May will remain in the top job.

As Johnson continues to wax poetic about a "glorious Brexit," he is making clear that he is on the side of the hard-line Brexiteers within his party and that he could be their banner waver in any future leadership contest. If he were to be fired, he could portray himself as a martyr for the cause.

There doesn't appear to be widespread appetite within the Conservative ranks for any big changes at the top - another general election could see the party lose to Jeremy Corbyn's resurgent Labour Party, and there isn't a clear alternative to May within the Conservative Party. Indeed, there are those in the Conservative Party who say they would vote for "ABB" - Anybody But Boris. But few think May will lead her party into the next election, whenever it comes.

For his part, Johnson has repeatedly insisted that May's senior leadership team is not divided.

"We are a nest of singing birds," he said when confronted by reporters recently in New York.

It may just be that Johnson wants to be talked about, to remain in the headlines and in the frame, should there be a vacancy for the top job.

As Oscar Wilde once wrote: "There is only one thing in life worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about."
BRUSSELS - As Europe makes gains in its battle to stop migrants from reaching its shores, newer routes are seeing fresh traffic, a measure of the demand to reach safer lands and the dangers that await some of the world's most vulnerable people.

Flows across the central Mediterranean from Libya to Italy plunged in mid-July after Italian authorities struck an unusual deal with local Libyan militias to clamp down on people smuggling. But smaller routes have experienced an uptick, with traffic from Morocco to Spain steadily increasing, and more people undertaking the perilous Black Sea passage from Turkey to Romania.

The surges do not seem to be directly related to the Libyan clampdown, but they are illustrative of migrants' tendency to find new paths to Europe as old ones close, officials and analysts say.

"These flows aren't necessarily the same people, but they do demonstrate that the migration routes and flows are constantly shifting," said Elizabeth Collett, director of the Migration Policy Institute Europe, a think tank.

The sharp drop-off in flows from Libya - from 22,155 people in June to 2,887 in August - has been a relief for European leaders fearful of restive voters who have started to rebel against the arrival of more migrants. Germans last week awarded Alternative for Germany, a far-right, anti-migrant party, nearly 13 percent of the vote in national elections. That came after June local elections in Italy that rewarded anti-immigrant politicians.

But the bottled-up traffic comes at a steep human cost, trapping migrants in the shifting winds of Libya's conflict, where they are often forced into detention centers against their will and made to do labor that is little different from slavery.

Farther south, in the sub-Saharan African nations that are the source of much of the migration through Libya, the closed route has led at least some migrants to take new paths, sometimes at the cost of their lives. Countries such as Niger are struggling to accommodate refugees from neighboring countries with no escape valve and often only limited assistance from Europe.

"When you shut down the major routes, you see a proliferation of smaller, potentially more expensive routes," Collett said. "The fundamentals are not changed in that there are a number of simmering conflicts in sub-Saharan Africa."

European leaders have pressed on several fronts to stem migration after a burst in 2015 of more than a million asylum seekers. Afterward, European Union leaders struck a $7.1 billion deal with Turkey to seal its borders and stanch the flow. They also started to work intensively in sub-Saharan Africa, tying development aid to countries' willingness to accept returnees from Europe and offering fresh assistance in exchange for pledges to cut flows.

Before Libyan strongman Moammar Gadhafi's 2011 downfall, the Italian government made similar deals with him. But the absence of a strong central authority since his death has made exerting control deeply difficult - that is, until Italy's outreach to local leaders this summer.

Italian Interior Minister Marco Minniti, a former spy chief, masterminded the plan, which funds the local governments that, critics say, are often little more than militias deeply entangled in the smuggling business themselves. Minniti denies the charges.

Italy and the E.U. have also worked to train and equip the fledgling Libyan Coast Guard to turn back migrant ships, an effort that has stopped up to 16,000 people so far this year, according to data compiled by the U.N. refugee agency. But the Libyan Coast Guard itself has been implicated in abuses.

And the Italian government has engaged the warring national factions within Libya, hosting Prime Minister Fayez Serraj, the head of the U.N.-installed unity government, in July, and Gen. Khalifa Hifter, aligned with a rival eastern Libyan government, last week.

So far this year, more than 104,000 people entered Italy, most of them before mid-July. Even though the flows have settled, many migration analysts are hesitant to declare the route closed. The instability of Libya makes any long-term predictions impossible. A small uptick in departures from the smuggling hub of Sabratha after fighting swelled there starting Sept. 17 was the latest reminder of the tenuous situation, said Carlotta Sami, a U.N. refugee spokeswoman based in Rome.

"It's still a bit early to say that the route from Libya to Italy has stopped," she said.

And in the nations leading into Libya, migration traffic also remains volatile. Niger has led a crackdown on the main smuggling route to Libya, but that has caused smugglers to search for new, more dangerous routes northward, as well as try to expand their paths into Algeria, Sami said.

"The number of people that are found dead or abandoned in the desert are increasing," she said.

The U.N. refugee agency has pushed for more legal paths for asylum seekers to reach Europe, Sami said, a step the agency believes would ease pressure on irregular migrant routes. The agency also favors increasing the range of reunification policies that enable family members to travel to Europe legally if a relative is already there, Sami said.

This year more than 19,000 migrants have arrived on Spanish shores, compared with about 9,100 over the same period last year. Unlike on the route from Libya, most of those landing in Spain are Moroccan nationals. The increase has caused nervousness among leaders and concerns about what will happen during the height of migration season next year, after smugglers have had a chance to regroup. Migration numbers typically drop in October as temperatures fall and seas grow choppier.

And in a possible measure of smugglers' resourcefulness, six boats this year have landed in Romania after setting sail from Turkey, carrying a total of 572 people. The number is so small that it barely registers against pressures elsewhere, but border officials say that smugglers may be testing vulnerabilities.

"We perceive it as something that is being tested as a possibility," said Ewa Moncure, a spokeswoman for Frontex, the E.U. border and coast guard agency. "The numbers are definitely lower, but the crisis is not over."
WASHINGTON - A widely anticipated agreement between President Donald Trump and top Democratic leaders to work on legislation to protect hundreds of thousands of young undocumented immigrants is in doubt nearly three weeks since it was announced, putting the legal status of "dreamers" at risk ahead of a spring deadline.

Republican lawmakers who dined with the president Monday night cast doubt Tuesday on Trump's talks with "Chuck and Nancy" - Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y., and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. -- about plans to protect eligible children of undocumented immigrants and make changes to the nation's border security. The trio agreed to work on legislation that would couple plans to protect "dreamers" with legislation to bolster U.S.-Mexico border security, but not include the construction of more border wall. But no specific items were agreed to, and Democratic leaders say they are still waiting for Trump to submit ideas on how Congress should proceed.

Hanging in the balance is the legal status of roughly 690,000 dreamers protected by Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, a Obama-era program that Trump last month decided to end, giving Congress six months to come up with a solution. Failure to act also would rob Congress of a chance to strike a bipartisan agreement on a key part of the protracted immigration debate at a time when Americans are fed up with the lack of progress on Capitol Hill on health care, taxes and other matters.

Republican lawmakers, wary of Trump cutting deals with top Democrats - especially on an issue as contentious as immigration - sought Tuesday to discount talk of a bipartisan agreement. Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., who attended Monday's fish dinner at the White House, dismissed as "spin" the idea that Schumer and Pelosi had a deal with Trump.

"President Trump said there's no deal, [White House Chief of Staff John] Kelly, who attended that dinner said there's no deal. So there has to be a negotiation that occurs between the House and the Senate," Cotton said.

Cotton also said that Trump agreed with the lawmakers that any agreement to protect dreamers should apply only to the roughly 800,000 people who've ever been protected by DACA - not to all children of undocumented immigrants, who number more than 1 million.

House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., who was also at the dinner, said that Trump urged Republicans not to rush into a debate on immigration.

"The first thing he said is he wants to do tax reform first," McCarthy said. "He doesn't want to mix them together."

Republican leaders are hoping to complete work on an overhaul of the tax system by the end of the year, a timetable already facing backlash from some Republicans concerned about details of the plan.

But Cotton disputed McCarthy's description, saying that "we didn't discuss concrete timelines." Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, who also attended the dinner, said that "No decisions were made." He added that he expected that the White House could send proposals on how to address the issue as early as this week.

The White House would not comment on the dinner with Republican lawmakers, but said in a statement Tuesday that Trump "has made clear he wants Congress to act and pass responsible immigration reform, which will include his priorities of massive border security and interior enforcement." Aides also would not say when or if Trump's ideas ever will be shared with lawmakers.

Schumer told reporters that he has no reason to believe Trump is backing of his pledge to work with Democrats on immigration, which he agreed to do during a Sept. 13 White House dinner over Chinese food.

"If the president is changing his view he should tell us," he told reporters Tuesday, adding later that "If they want to back off, let them tell us."

Trump has not met in person with Schumer or Pelosi since their September dinner, but the president did speak with Schumer by phone last Thursday about the future of DACA and other matters, according to aides familiar with the call. Pelosi and Schumer have spoken several times by phone with Kelly about the matter, the aides said, declining to share details of the calls.

The White House's delay in sharing immigration proposals has caused Democrats and Republicans to use familiar procedural tactics to jump-start an immigration debate and to reintroduce bills that have failed before.

House Democrats last week launched an attempt to force an up-or-down vote on the Dream Act, a bill that would make some DACA recipients eventually eligible for citizenship. The 194 House Democrats have signed a discharge petition that would force a vote on the legislation. The bill is co-sponsored by five Republicans, but Rep. Mike Coffman, R-Colo., is the only Republican to sign the petition, which requires a majority of House members to force a vote.

At a hearing Tuesday about the future of DACA, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, said that any agreement to help dreamers should include changes in border security, "and by that, I don't mean a wall. Of course, tactical infrastructure like fencing is a part of the answer, but border security is more than that."

Grassley also renewed calls to make the E-Verify employment verification system mandatory for all employers - an issue that was a large part of a bipartisan immigration agreement that passed the Senate in 2013 but sputtered in the House.

Cornyn said at the hearing that any agreement to help dreamers should include conservative proposals to tackle security concerns. He cited a bill he's written that would spend $15 billion over four years to rebuild the existing wall, hire more U.S. Border Patrol personnel and build new fencing, but not fulfill Trump's campaign pledge to build a wall along the entire length of the border.

"I don't think we're capable of passing a comprehensive immigration bill," Cornyn said, suggesting instead that Congress should work "step-by-step" on the issue.

Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., told Cornyn that Democrats are willing to work with Republicans on certain border security measures, but "I can't subscribe to a litany of possibilities here. There are some who have saved up every idea they've had on immigration and want to slap it on to the Dream Act."

Schumer also told reporters that any attempt to include E-Verify or to boost the Border Patrol beyond the actual southern border would spoil the agreement with Trump.

During the hearing, officials from the departments of Homeland Security and Justice repeatedly declined to take firm positions on the Dream Act and related legislation. But Michael Dougherty, a DHS assistant secretary for border and immigration issues, said under questioning by Sen. John Neely Kennedy, R-La., that "Under a rational bill, these individuals would be allowed to become lawful permanent residents."

Schumer and Durbin later seized on the statement as a sign of Trump's support for the Dream Act's eventual passage.

Witnesses also that the administration would not be extending a Thursday deadline for eligible DACA recipients to renew their status and receive another two years of legal protections. Of the roughly 154,200 people whose status is set to expire by March, roughly 48,000 have not yet applied to renew their status, the department said in a statement.

---

Mike DeBonis and Jenna Johnson contributed to this report.
How big is the federal workforce?

Much bigger than you think.

A new study on "The True Size of Government," by Paul Light, professor of public service at New York University, says the government's "blended" workforce is 7 million to 9 million strong - including contractors and grantees.

Grantees include a range of folks, such as the Ohio State University team that studied "Swedish massages for rascally rabbits," as former senator Tom Coburn, R-Okla., described in his "Wastebook 2014."

That example was not in Light's paper, and he does not diminish the work of anyone serving the government. But Light does raise a serious issue about the impact of so many non-employees.

"Although Washington's blended workforce has an imperative role in the nation's success, it may have grown so large and poorly sorted that it has become a threat to the very liberty it protects," Light wrote. "With seven to nine million employees, the federal government's blended workforce may have become too complicated and codependent to control."

"I think we've gotten close to it," he said later, adding the use of private security forces by the military as an example.

The threat to liberty, he explained, "comes from the pressure to maintain and expand missions that are primarily for the benefit of one or more parts of the blended workforce and not necessarily for the benefit of the public."

Think private prisons. Commercial prison operators have a financial incentive to get and keep people locked up, deprived of their liberty.

Tony Reardon, president of the National Treasury Employees Union, pointed to the IRS mandate to use private debt collection agencies. "Twice this program has failed because of high cost and poor quality," Reardon said, "yet Congress ignored the history and ordered a third attempt, knowing that highly trained federal employees are better equipped to collect the debts, and uniquely authorized to provide assistance and options to low-income taxpayers."

Broken down, the 9 million included about 2 million employees, 3.7 million contractors, 1.6 million grant employees, 1.3 million active duty military personnel and 500,000 Postal Service employees in 2015. The 7 million excludes the Postal Service, which does not receive congressional appropriations for its operations, and the military. The grantee and contractor numbers are estimates based on a Bureau of Economic Analysis model that considers money spent on projects and the labor needed to produce products.

"I suspect many taxpayers have no understanding that their tax dollars pay for 3.7 million private sector employees," Reardon said. "The work of federal employees, on the other hand, is transparent and accountable."

An important takeaway is "the study reminds us that the nation depends on a very large blended workforce that includes many more contract and grant employees than federal civil servants. It is easy to say the civil service is too big, but it is only part of the workforce needed to faithfully execute the laws," Light said.

"The question is not whether we have too many government employees, but [do] we have the right blend to deliver the mission at the best price, value, and performance . . . This means we should be counting all the heads when we get into debates about cutting workforces."

One of the unknown - or overlooked - points in that debate, Light said, is former president Barack Obama "actually shrunk the true size of government quite dramatically." From 2010 to 2015, the blended workforce dropped by more than 2 million people, from 11.3 million to 9.1 billion, according to the study published by The Volcker Alliance.

This is "contrary to those in the Trump administration who have argued there was a 'dramatic expansion in the federal workforce' during the Obama administration," the report says. It's also contrary to the image of Ronald Reagan as a small government president. In 1984, after his third year in office, the total workforce was almost 9.8 million people.

Light praised contract and grant workers for bringing "great strengths to the federal workforce, including skills that are in short supply inside government. I also think profit is a perfectly reasonable motivation for contract firms and grant agencies, as is fair pay for everyone in the blended workforce."

That raises the debate over the cost of using contractors instead of feds. In a section on confused comparisons, Light says "contract and grant employees are often promoted as a low-cost alternative to federal employees, but the data suggest quite the opposite."

Even if an individual contractor earns less than a comparable federal employee, the overhead contractor companies charge means they are not a bargain, Light argues.

"Contract employees are less expensive only until overhead - or indirect costs such as supplies, equipment, materials, and other costs of doing business - enter the equation," he wrote. "Add overhead to the totals, and contract employees can cost twice as much as federal employees."

Max Stier, the president and chief executive of the Partnership for Public Service, agreed with the thrust of Light's point about the need for the right blend. "Previous administrations have not smartly invested in the internal resources needed to understand when contractor help is needed, what external resources are required and how best to use those resources effectively," Stier said. "In the end, we often wind up wasting taxpayer dollars and failing to achieve our intended results."

In Light's view, however, cost is not the only factor.

"We are lucky to have this blended workforce and should be celebrating its performance as a whole even as we ask tough questions about who can provide the best price, etc." he said. Rather than pretending that only feds can do the job or contractors are always less expensive, "what I want to know is whether the blend is working for the public interest."
MOSCOW - Jon Huntsman Jr., the new U.S. ambassador to Moscow, presented his credentials to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday and pledged to work on repairing relations that are at their worst since the twilight years of the Cold War.

The former Utah governor and ambassador to China, who had called on Donald Trump to drop out of last year's presidential race, arrived this week as President Trump's envoy toRussia amid several investigations into Moscow's interference in the 2016 election and its role in Trump's victory.

He inherits a powder keg from John Tefft, the outgoing ambassador who spent the past three years quietly trying to build bridges in Moscow, and he will preside over a deeply depleted embassy that cut 755 employees last month as a punishment ordered by Putin.

Russia and the United States are trapped in tit-for-tat retaliations in which hundreds of diplomats have been expelled by both sides and diplomatic properties seized, including the San Francisco consulate of Russia's mission to the United States.

On Monday, Russia's Foreign Ministry accused U.S. authorities of illegally breaking into residences at the San Francisco consulate and threatened retaliation.

Seething over the seizure of five diplomatic properties, Moscow complained that "now the front doors have been broken open and a total search has been executed within."

"We declare our strong protest against this latest hostile action by the United States," the ministry said in an acerbic statement. "We reserve the right to respond."

What exactly that response might be has not been revealed.

In Washington, the State Department denied the Russian allegation, saying that its personnel had simply entered to "look around" and make sure no one was still living at the consulate past an extended Oct. 1 deadline.

Tempers were somewhat more subdued Tuesday at a ceremony in the Kremlin's St. Alexander Hall, where Putin received credentials from more than 20 foreign diplomats, including Huntsman. In remarks before the ceremony, Putin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said he hoped Huntsman could "repair the damage" caused to the relationship between the two countries "by Washington's actions."

Putin called current relations "unsatisfactory" and demanded greater respect for "national interests and noninterference in internal affairs," a reference to his anger at alleged U.S. meddling in Russian politics.

"I look forward to working to rebuild trust between our two countries and to strengthening the bilateral relationship based on cooperation on common interests," Huntsman said following the ceremony, according to the U.S. Embassy in Moscow. "I will seek out Russian people from all walks of life to share perspectives, to relay American values, and to deepen my growing appreciation for Russia's rich and fascinating history and culture."

Huntsman, whose nomination was approved by the Senate on Thursday in a voice vote, has said there is no question that Russia interfered in the 2016 U.S. election, putting him at odds with Trump, who has played down the charge.

Huntsman ran for president in the 2012 Republican primaries before throwing his support to Mitt Romney, the eventual GOP nominee. He is a former chairman of the Atlantic Council, an international think tank that has criticized Russia for its support of Ukrainian separatists and interference in U.S. politics.

---

The Washington Post's William Branigin in Washington contributed to this report.
Nevada voters last year narrowly approved a ballot measure to require background checks for gun sales between private individuals.

Nearly a year later, the resulting law isn't being enforced. State officials cite federal objections -- a disagreement that initiative backers say is ripe to be resolved.

Nevada became the latest flash point in the gun control debate Sunday after at least 59 people were killed and 527 others injured at a concert by a gunman firing from a Las Vegas hotel room overlooking the outdoor venue.

Suspected shooter Stephen Paddock had 23 guns in his hotel room, including high-powered rifles and more ammunition, according to authorities who were trying to determine where the weapons were purchased.

The troubled course of Nevada's attempt to expand background checks offers a window into the intricacies of enacting firearms control, an emotional issue being raised anew following what appears to be the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history.

"It is certainly possible to work these things out," said Robert Spitzer, a political scientist at SUNY Cortland in New York who has written five books about gun control. "And that happens all the time, certainly with respect to federal government-state government relations -- when the parties are willing to do it."

About a dozen states have passed tighter gun laws since the Sandy Hook schoolhouse massacre in 2012. Roughly twice that number have loosened regulations, Spitzer said.

Nevada, a "purple state" between left and right, may offer room for agreement on measures such as background checks, which enjoy support from most people including gun owners, said Spitzer.

"Could they have worked this out? Of course they could have," Spitzer said. "But the key state leaders have shown little interest in doing that. So guess what? The law is going nowhere."

Nevada voters in November on a vote of 50.45 percent to 49.55 percent passed a measure requiring federal background checks for sales of guns between private individuals. The new requirement to close what some call the gun-show loophole was in addition to the longstanding requirement for background checks for purchases from licensed gun dealers.

The ballot measure required both the buyer and seller to appear before a federally licensed firearms dealer to request a background check. The aim was to keep guns from felons, domestic abusers and the dangerously mentally ill, according to the measure's backers.

The proposal was backed by $3.5 million from Michael Bloomberg, majority owner of Bloomberg LP, the parent company of Bloomberg News, and $14.5 million from Everytown for Gun Safety, a group that Bloomberg supports.

The National Rifle Association spent $6.5 million opposing what was known as Question 1.

Don Turner, president of the Nevada Firearms Coalition, the NRA's state affiliate, opposed the measure, saying it could lead to a database of gun owners.

Turner said that under Nevada law, it's already illegal for individuals to sell guns to those prohibited from owning a firearm. "There's responsibility between two parties," he said.

In December, the FBI said in a letter to state officials that Nevada could better assess applicants' fitness themselves because records such as arrest warrants and drivers' records are kept by the state. State legislation can't dictate how federal resources are applied, according to the letter.

Adam Laxalt, the state's Republican attorney general, concluded in December that the measure was unenforceable, citing the FBI letter. Laxalt had opposed the requirement, and his campaign manager, Robert Uithoven, led NRA Nevadans for Freedom, the political action committee that opposed the measure.

Monica Moazez, a spokeswoman for Laxalt, didn't respond to a telephone call and email. The FBI declined to comment.

Gun-control advocates want the state to find a way to entice federal cooperation, rather than take the FBI decision as a final defeat.

"That doesn't mean there couldn't be a solution," said Avery Gardiner, co-president of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. She called the situation "frustrating but not particularly surprising that the NRA is opposed to increasing background checks," adding that gun makers support the advocacy group and stand to make more money with fewer restrictions.

Each mass shooting in the U.S. reignites debate over gun rights. Firearms are involved in the deaths of more than 33,000 people in the U.S. annually, about two-thirds of which are suicides, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In Washington, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, a California Democrat, called for a special gun-violence committee and a vote on a background check bill. Several House Democrats called for Republicans to scuttle a bill that would make it easier to obtain silencers that muffle the sound of gunshots.

Republican Sen. Dean Heller, who represents Nevada, said on Twitter that he was praying for the victims of the "senseless, horrifying act of violence" and that had spoken to Sandoval and would continue to monitor the situation.

Heller is one of the most vulnerable Republicans in next year's midterm elections, and the shooting could increase pressure on him to back any effort in Congress to revive federal legislation that would impose stricter background checks on gun purchasers.

Heller voted against a version of background-check legislation that came close to Senate passage in 2013 after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.

President Donald Trump, who won the presidency with the backing of the NRA, opposes expanded background checks yet has said he supports efforts to strengthen the current system.

White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said Monday it would be "premature" to discuss policy responses such as gun control until authorities have a clearer understanding of the event.
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NEW HAVEN  A weathered path alongside Ella Grasso Boulevard could be outfitted with a sidewalk if the city receives a state grant to install a new pedestrian walkway.

The city is applying for a State of Connecticut Community Connectivity Grant Program to pay for a sidewalk alongside a portion of Ella T. Grasso Boulevards eastern side between Legion Street and Frank Street to enhance pedestrian access. City Engineer Giovanni Zinn formally made the request to the Board of Alders to allow Mayor Toni Harps office to apply for grant, which the alders voted Monday to forward to committee for further consideration.

The city is requesting $317,085 for the project.

Transportation, Traffic and Parking Director Doug Hausladen said Tuesday the new path would help connect existing sidewalks near the northern and the southern end of the projects limit, which is near Printers Lane. The new sidewalk would also link to an existing bus stop near that intersection.

The path would also provide a connection to the Boston Post Road, which leads into the University of New Havens campus in West Haven.

The current path is called a, desire line or goat path, Hausladen said, since theres regular foot traffic. The new sidewalk would run parallel to Evergreen Cemetery and St Bernard Cemetery .

Whats really striking if you go by there, even if you look at it on Google Street view, is how the deep theres this dirt rut where everybodys been walking for many years, Zinn said Tuesday.

You see a real strong desire for pedestrians to be there, Hausladen added. Theres a deep groove in the grass.

Near the south end of the projects limit, a large plaza houses services offices including the New Haven Adult Education Center and Workforce Alliance/American Job Center. The city is hoping providing a walkway will make life easier for folks traversing the area en route to job opportunities.

Weve been meeting with our neighboring property owners to let them know what our desires are as a city, Hausladen said. There are two different cemeteries, both of which are good community partners and good neighbors.

The boulevard has been the site of two fatal accidents this year: A crash involving two cars striking a pedestrian on Sept. 23 and another involving a cyclist struck by an alleged drunk driver on April 2. Hausladen said these crashes reinforced, the citys goal to improve the infrastructure there.

Local alders Latrice James, D-3, and Evelyn Rodriguez, D-4, have given their blessings for the project, which they said could improve access to job cluster areas along Printers Lane. The street section crosses James and Rodriguezs wards.

The new sidewalk would be a five-foot pedestrian sidewalk. It would be approximately .6 miles in length, Zinn said. This equates to about 3,300 feet in linear distance, according to the grant application.

The grant is part of a statewide transportation initiative from Gov. Dannel Malloy called LetsGoCT!, which seeks to improve transportation infrastructure in the state.

According to the grant application, the city would start construction between 60 to 90 days after a grant is awarded. Hausladen said the city has received a grant from the program before, which provided $1.2 million for an Edgewood Avenue biking lane

It is a competitive grant. Were competing across the state, Hausladen said.

The resolution requesting permission to apply for the state grant will now be considered by the Board of Alders Community Development Committee and the City Plan Commission.

Reach Esteban L. Hernandez at 203-680-9901 or esteban.hernandez@hearstmediact.com
President Donald Trump arrived in Puerto Rico on Tuesday and began his visit with a briefing on Hurricane Maria's damage in the company of the San Juan mayor he insulted on Twitter.

"It's a beautiful place," Trump said. "Every once in a while you get hit. And you really got hit. No question about it."

He shook hands with San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz, who told him, "it's not about politics." After she criticized Acting Homeland Security Secretary Elaine Duke over the weekend for calling the federal response to Puerto Rico a "good news story," Trump maligned "politically motivated ingrates" in the territory on Twitter.

At a briefing with local officials in an airport hangar, he suggested the federal commitment to the disaster had already complicated the budget.

"I hate to tell you, Puerto Rico, but you've thrown our budget a little out of whack -- because we've spent a lot of money on Puerto Rico and that's fine, we've saved a lot of lives," Trump said.

He also suggested the 16 deaths on the island so far officially attributed to the hurricane indicated a better response than George W. Bush's handling of Katrina in 2005.

"When you look at a catastrophe like Katrina and you look at the tremendous, hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of people that died, and you look at what happened here, with really a storm that was just totally overpowering, nobody's ever seen anything like this," Trump said. "And what is your death count right now?"

The natural disaster has exposed Trump's inexperience at governing and raised questions about his ability to handle a major crisis.

Trump's visit offers a chance to show his commitment to rebuilding an island that remains almost completely without power and short on food, water, medicine and other supplies nearly two weeks after Hurricane Maria. The trip, along with one on Wednesday to Las Vegas after a mass shooting there, poses a test of his capacity to fulfill the president's traditional role of uniting the country in moments of tragedy.

Puerto Rico's governor, Ricardo Rossello, and Kenneth Mapp, the governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands, which were badly damaged by Hurricane Irma, will also meet with Trump during his visit.

Cruz said in a statement Tuesday that she had accepted the White House's invitation to attend the briefing, at a National Guard base on Puerto Rico, and would stress to the president that "this is about saving lives, not about politics; this is also about giving the people of Puerto Rico the respect we deserve; and recognizing the moral imperative to do both."

As Trump left Washington for the trip, he was unabashed in boasting about the federal response, describing the effort as "incredible" and comparing it favorably with aid after hurricanes in Texas and Florida.

"In Texas and Florida we got an A-plus, and I'll tell you what, I think we've done just as good in Puerto Rico, and it's actually a much tougher situation," Trump told reporters outside the White House. "Now the roads are clear, the communications are starting to come back."

On the ground in Puerto Rico, 93 percent of homes still lacked electricity as of Tuesday and less than a quarter of the population had cell phone service. The president waited eight days to waive restrictions under the Jones Act that limit which ships can deliver relief supplies, and he also was criticized for tweeting more about football players kneeling during the national anthem in the days after the storm than about the crisis on Puerto Rico.

The bankrupt territory's recovery stands to be long and expensive, with serious implications not just for Puerto Rico's residents but also its bondholders, U.S. taxpayers and perhaps even Trump's political prospects. Puerto Rico's $74 billion of debt cripples its ability to raise money on its own.

One potential outcome, should rebuilding bog down, is that some of the island's 3.4 million residents, who are American citizens, could relocate en masse to Florida and other mainland states. Even before the storm, Puerto Rico's fiscal plan released in March projected that the island's population would decline by 0.2 percent a year during the next decade.

"You're not going to get hundreds of thousands of Puerto Ricans moving to the states -- you're going to get millions," Rossello said Tuesday at a news conference. "You're going to get millions, creating a devastating demographic shift for us here in Puerto Rico, a brain drain."

Oxfam, which rarely responds to disasters in the United States and other wealthy countries, said Monday that it would start work in Puerto Rico amid "the slow and inadequate response the US Government has mounted," said Oxfam America's president Abby Maxman. "The US has more than enough resources to mobilize an emergency response" but "has failed to do so in a swift and robust manner."

---

Bloomberg's Toluse Olorunnipa, Nathan Crooks, Jonathan Levin, Kathleen Hunter and William Selway contributed.
U.S. Special Counsel Robert Mueller has a distinctly modern problem. The president, judging by his tweets, could try to pardon people in his circle even before prosecutors charge anyone with a crime.

Mueller's all-star team of prosecutors, with expertise in money laundering and foreign bribery, has an answer to that. He's Michael Dreeben, a bookish career government lawyer with more than 100 Supreme Court appearances under his belt.

Acting as Mueller's top legal counsel, Dreeben has been researching past pardons and determining what, if any, limits exist, according to a person familiar with the matter. Dreeben's broader brief is to make sure the special counsel's prosecutorial moves are legally airtight. That could include anything from strategizing on novel interpretations of criminal law to making sure the recent search warrant on ex-campaign adviser Paul Manafort's home would stand up to an appeal.

"He's seen every criminal case of any consequence in the last 20 years," said Kathryn Ruemmler of Latham & Watkins LLP, who served as White House counsel under President Barack Obama. "If you wanted to do a no-knock warrant, he'd be a great guy to consult with to determine if you were exposing yourself."

Dreeben, 62, built that expertise over three decades as an appeals lawyer at the Justice Department. As a deputy solicitor general, he's pored over prosecutors' moves in more than a thousand federal criminal prosecutions and defended many of them from challenges all they way to the nation's highest court.

Dreeben has begun working on legal issues as a counselor to Mueller but is also retaining some of his solicitor general work for the sake of continuity, according to Peter Carr, a spokesman for the special counsel's office. Carr declined to elaborate on Dreeben's work with Mueller or make Dreeben available for comment.

Pre-emptive pardons are a distinct possibility now that current and former Trump advisers are under Mueller's scrutiny. Trump himself has tweeted that everyone agrees the U.S. president has "complete power to pardon." Some of those kinds of executive moves have been well studied, including Gerald Ford's swift pardon of Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton's exoneration of fugitive financier Marc Rich. But the legal territory is largely uncharted over pardons of a president's own campaign workers, family members or even himself -- and how prosecutors' work would then be affected.

What Dreeben brings to the question, say those who know him, is a credibility that comes from parsing how criminal prosecutions have played out across the country. A balding and bearded New Jersey native with a slightly nasal delivery, he has a knack for building careful arguments and the eloquence in court to lay them out in well-reasoned paragraphs, said Miguel Estrada, a lawyer at Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP.

His path wasn't exactly direct. Dreeben intended to pursue an advanced degree in history at the University of Chicago before changing his mind and enrolling at Duke University School of Law, according to a profile of him last year in Law360. He studied at Duke under Sara Beale, who'd worked in the Solicitor General's office and helped plant the idea of representing the U.S. in arguments before the country's highest court.

Dreeben got his first shot in 1989. His opponent before the Supreme Court was another first-timer, a private practice lawyer named John Roberts.

Dreeben lost. But the moment left an impression on Roberts, now the court's chief justice. After Dreeben made his 100th argument before the court last year, Roberts called him back to the lectern, recalling the decades-earlier meeting.

"You have consistently advocated positions on behalf of the United States in an exemplary manner," Roberts said, extending the court's appreciation for his "many years of advocacy and dedicated service."

Dreeben had urged the court that day to uphold the conviction of former Virginia governor Robert McDonnell on charges of public corruption. The Supreme Court ultimately overturned McDonnell's conviction.

Dreeben's reviews of how cases were built against McDonnell and others will be invaluable to Mueller. Appellate lawyers like Dreeben are stuck with decisions already made at the prosecutorial level, said Estrada, who worked in the Solicitor General's office in the 1990s. But now, he added, Dreeben is in a position to troubleshoot problems before cases are filed.

"You have to argue what you've got, and the cake is already baked," Estrada said. On Mueller's team, by contrast, Dreeben "has the opportunity to measure the flour."
The University of Southern California locked down Monday after a faculty member told her students during class that there was an active shooter on campus, according to police.

But police found no evidence of a shooter or any crime at the private university of 44,000 students in Los Angeles, and detained the faculty member for a mental health evaluation.

The alert frightened many, coming the day after the deadliest shooting in modern U.S. history. At least 59 people were killed and more than 500 injured at a concert Sunday night in Las Vegas.

Police responded in force. An alert was sent out minutes after a 911 call, warning people to shelter in place. The Daily Trojan, the campus newspaper, reported a SWAT team searched Fertitta Hall at the USC Marshall School of Business with helicopters hovering overhead. The paper quoted a student, Remy Porsella, who said he heard screaming and saw hundreds of people running out the doors of Fertitta Hall. "It was full panic," Porsella told the Daily Trojan.

"The campus is safe," said Mike Lopez, an officer with the Los Angeles Police Department. And the person who raised the alert was detained to determine her state of mind; he said an incident commander called it "an episode" she had had.

"In light of what happened last night in Las Vegas this was - it was great that we were able to respond to a situation threat as a real live situation, but luckily it wasn't," Lopez added.

"Thanks to the rapid response of the USC Department of Public Safety and LAPD, we were able to quickly verify that there was no active shooter," John Thomas, the chief of the USC Department of Public Safety, said in a statement Monday evening. "It was reported a faculty member during class falsely told her students there was an active shooter in the building. The faculty member has been detained by the LAPD."

Officer Irma Mota with the Los Angeles Police Department said there was a report of a shooting in a building, about 12:20 p.m. local time. But officials found no evidence of any threat.

Within an hour or so, they were able to reassure the campus community.

"We can confirm there's been NO shooting on @USC Campus. Systematic search was conducted in coordination with @USCDPS. No danger to community," LAPD tweeted.
Whom did Puerto Rico go for in the 2016 presidential election?

Well, technically, nobody.

Although Puerto Ricans are U.S. citizens, they don't vote in the general election. The territory's residents do, however, participate in the primary elections - and while Democratic voters chose Hillary Clinton, the island's Republican voters chose Sen. Marco Rubio, Fla., the candidate who launched some of the most brutal attacks on the future president.

Puerto Rico, a U.S. commonwealth, has only nonvoting representation in Congress. And political parties other than the Democratic and Republican parties run island affairs.

These are the most dominant political parties in Puerto Rico:

The New Progressive Party: A conservative political party, but its members are affiliated with both the Democratic and Republican parties.

The Popular Democratic Party: A centrist party that aligns mostly with the Democratic Party.

The Puerto Rican Independence Party: A social-democratic party that advocates for independence from the United States.

Nearly 42,000 Puerto Ricans participated in the territory's Republican primary and overwhelmingly chose Rubio. More than 88,000 residents participated in the Democratic primary, with Clinton winning the competition.

But island residents weren't able to vote in November's presidential election. However, residents who had moved to the mainland United States were eligible to vote in the presidential election.

During President Donald Trump's visit to Puerto Rico on Tuesday to observe hurricane relief efforts on the island, he praised Puerto Rican politicians who had praised his response.

"Your governor has been - who I didn't know, I heard very good things about him," Trump said about Ricardo Rossello. "He's not even from my party, and he started right at the beginning appreciating what we did.

"He was tremendously supportive," Trump added. "I just want to tell you that right from the beginning this governor did not play politics. He didn't play it at all. He was saying it like it was. And he was giving us the highest grades."

Actually, while Trump gave his administration an "A plus" for its response to Puerto Rico, Rossello has expressed fear that Congress would shortchange the island once the initial wave of emergency relief is gone.

"We still need some more help. This is clearly a critical disaster in Puerto Rico," he told The Washington Post on Sunday night. "It can't be minimized and we can't start overlooking us now that the storm passed, because the danger lurks."

Rossello, who took office this year, is the president of the New Progressive Party. It supports statehood for the island. Rossello is a centrist on social issues and was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 2008 for Hillary Clinton and in 2012 for Barack Obama.

Trump also praised Jenniffer Gonzalez-Colon, the resident commissioner of Puerto Rico and a nonvoting member of the U.S. House of Representatives, for praising his team's response to Puerto Rico.

"She was saying such nice things about all of the people that have worked so hard," he said.

"And it's not about me," Trump added. "It's about these incredible people from the military to FEMA to first responders. I mean, I've never seen people working so hard in my life."

Like Rossello, Gonzalez-Colon is a member of the New Progressive Party. She's also a member of the Republican Party, where she has held leadership positions. Gonzalez-Colon supported Rubio in the 2016 election.

Trump, unsurprisingly, did not praise Carmen Yulin Cruz, the mayor of San Juan, whom he attacked on Twitter over the weekend as having "such poor leadership ability." Cruz did attend the Tuesday briefing. She belongs to the more centrist Popular Democratic Party, and she campaigns to maintain Puerto Rico's status as a self-governed, unincorporated U.S. territory. But she has, at times, advocated for more independence.

Cruz endorsed Clinton in the primaries, then withdrew her support.

Although he did not acknowledge her in his briefing, Trump suggested before heading to Puerto Rico that Cruz recognized his administration's efforts.

"I think she's come back a long way. I think it's now acknowledged what a great job we've done, and people are looking at that," he told reporters.
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WINSTED  The Gilbert School brought a bit of China to Winsted Thursday evening, as the school's annual celebration of the Moon Festival was held.

This is the fourth year the school has celebrated the traditional Chinese fall festival, Assistant Director of Student Life Michelle Cundiff said.

Gilbert students, hailing from both Winchester and abroad, and members of the school community came together for crafts, food, and performances, including a series of offerings from the Wenqin Art Troupe of Zhejiang University in China.

The aim of the festival is to provide a touch of home and a familial spirit for the Chinese students who attend Gilbert.

When students come from China, the whole purpose of the Moon Festival is they spend time with their family - they eat together, they see people from far away, said Cundiff. When they come here, we really become their family, and so we want to make them feel welcome and embrace their culture. And this is a really good way to do something for them.

Both American and international students work together to put on the event, Cundiff said.

Sky Johnson, a junior, and Tuohong Zeng, a senior, were both part of the theater crew that put on the performances in the school auditorium Thursday. Both said they enjoyed running shows - Zeng said its his favorite thing he's done at Gilbert.

Johnson, the stage manager, said the Moon Festival had given him a window into Chinese culture.

I think it was amazing. I never really got to see that culture of China, so having it brought to our school felt really cool, said Johnson. And we have all the international students as well, so it brings them home in a way.

The Moon Festival is an opportunity for families to come together, Zeng said. The shape of the moon - the circle - represents unity for the family, and the festival brings good luck.

This is my last time running the Moon Festival celebration (at) Gilbert, and it's probably the first time and the last time I'll see such a great performance in the U.S., said Zeng.

Mandarin teacher Kevin Hu brought the Wenquin Art Troupe over as part of the school's connection with the Confucius Institute at Central Connecticut State University. He said he enjoyed the festival.

I really feel at home here, with this kind of thing, with things organized by Michelle, said Hu. (I) really enjoyed it, really enjoyed it. I just feel (like) I'm here, at home, so we can celebrate our traditional holiday... it's really amazing.

william.lambert@hearstmediact.com
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The Austin City Limits Music Festival is slated to take over Zilker Park in Austin over the next two weekends, and in the wake of the mass shooting at the Route 91 music festival in Las Vegas that's making some fans nervous.

On Tuesday, the organizers announced that they would be offering up refunds to fans still shaken by the tragic events in Las Vegas.

RELATED: Las Vegas music fest shooting raises concerns for Austin City Limits

Austin360 reported on Tuesday that so far, only two fans have inquired about getting their money back just days before the festival's first weekend of music.

Now Playing: APD Chief Brian Manley said the plan for ACL has been in place for months but because of the attack he has met with commanders to reassess that plan. Video: Fox7

Law enforcement officials said this week that they were doing everything they could to assure fans that their safety was of the utmost importance.

"As you can imagine, I'm not going to go into specifics of what you will see or what you will not see," interim police chief Brian Manley told the Austin American-Statesman on Monday. "We will have plenty of officers that will be visible, but we will also have plenty that will not be visible, strategically placed, that will only come out if necessary to address any specific incidents."

Austin resident Lauren Clary said Tuesday that she is still planning on attending the festival even after the events in Las Vegas.

"I think with the tragedy that happened this past weekend, we have a bigger need for a fun, festival like ACL to bring us together in hard times," Clary told Chron.com. "Music does that. It brings out people from all walks of the earth with one love in common."

About 75,000 people attend the festival daily, according to Austin360. Each weekend of the festival runs from Friday until Sunday.

RELATED: Gunman had 'bump-stock' device that could speed fire

This year, the festival is headlined by Jay-Z, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Killers, Chance The Rapper, and Gorillaz.

The refund process can be started by calling Front Gate Tickets at 512-674-9300 or visiting the dedicated customer support website.
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Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff and Commissioners Paul Elizondo and Kevin Wolff unveiled a plaque in front of the county courthouse Tuesday morning that commemorates recipients of the Texas Legislative Medal of Honor, the highest military award in the state.

Relatives and friends of the honorees, along with many city officials, watched as the commissioners pulled a black sheet off the memorial, revealing a bronze structure with eight plaques and a short dedication message.

For those families who are here, for friends who have come, thank you so much for your individual sacrifices and for your familys sacrifices, Kevin Wolff said. Its right for us to remember and to honor them.

Each plaque includes the name, military rank and dates of birth and death of the award recipient. The memorial includes eight deceased veterans, each of whom had various ties to Bexar County or South Central Texas. Only 12 people have ever received the medal.

The new memorial stands near the corner of Dolorosa Street and Main Avenue, where Confederate symbols  including a plaque commemorating Robert E. Lee and a marker of the Jefferson Davis Memorial Highway  stood until 2015.

The memorial cost the county roughly $6,000 to create and install.

Among the recipients honored on the memorial was San Antonian Roy Cisneros, a corporal in the Marine Corps who died in North Vietnam in 1968.

In the middle of a reconnaissance mission, Cisneros company came under intense fire, but he advanced alone and used an anti-tank assault weapon, hand grenades and his rifle to fight back the attack. He died from his wounds.

My brother will get the recognition that he deserves, said Jim Cisneros, who had fought since 2015 to get recognition for his brother and the seven other recipients.

This is definitely a masterpiece of the county, Cisneros said. I hope it remains in perpetuity.
Kirby City Council will consider the appointment of a new council member at its next meeting due to the resignation of one of its council members.

Councilwoman Barbara Bowie submitted a letter dated Sept. 25 to Kirby City Manager Monique Vernon, announcing her resignation from city council. Bowie is in New York, dealing with family affairs after the death of an older brother early last month. Bowie felt she could not take care of family issues there and fulfill her council responsibilities.

Bowie became a council member in February, when then-Councilman Roger Romens stepped down from his council seat to run for mayor. He suggested Bowie as his replacement. The seated council voted 4-1 to accept his recommendation that allowed Bowie to serve out the final few months of Romens unexpired term.

Bowie then ran for election in May, as she promised upon accepting the seat, and was elected to a two-year term.

Council has 30 days from receipt of the resignation to fill the slot. Their next two council meetings are Oct. 12 and 26, with the latter being outside of the 30-day window. Vernon said council would have to approve someone Oct. 12 or hold a special meeting prior to Oct. 24 to appoint a replacement.

No names of potential replacements surfaced during the Sept. 28 city council meeting. Kirby residents who wish to be considered for the council seat have until 1 p.m. Friday, Oct. 6, to fill out the paperwork and submit an application.

In other action at the Sept. 28 meeting, city council heard from representatives of two of the three organizations bidding to take over the citys pool and concessions management. Representatives from YMCA and San Antonio Pool Management presented their management packages and accompanying prices. Both organizations represent year-round pool management contracts and come with fully staffed lifeguard rosters and pool managers.

The item was a discussion-only item and did not require a vote.

Council will look over the firms management packages and costs  YMCA at $51,000, and San Antonio Pool at $42,000.

A third firm, Veteran Pool Management, supplied a bid but had no representative at the city council meeting. Its submitted bid exceeded $70,000.

Vernon provided council with an update on progress at the Kirby-Bexar Animal Facility, which opened in May on grounds between the Kirby Fire Department and the Kirby Animal Shelter on Duffek Drive.

She said Kirby budgeted and has staffed two animal control officers and three kennel technicians who work with a Bexar County kennel manager to oversee the dogs and cats being kept in the facilitys 60 kennels.

Vernon said adoptions continue to increase, given the county focus on the effort. Mayor Lisa Pierce said they would like to see more foster families take dogs for fostering and adopting, in order to allow the county facility to have additional space for more pets.

jflinn@express-news.net
Judson ISDs Crestview Elementary School has been named a National Blue Ribbon School. Its one of two Bexar County schools, and one of 342 schools nationwide, to receive this years honor

Travis Early College High School in the San Antonio Independent School District also was honored.

Crestview, in Live Oak, placed in the top 15 percent statewide on standardized tests in English and math, and earned all possible distinctions last year under the states accountability system. About 65 percent of its students are economically disadvantaged, based on federal income thresholds.

Since it opened in 1975, Crestview has built a reputation through the years as a school that produces excellence in academic and personal achievement among its students and staff, Steve Linscomb, spokesman for Judson ISD, said in a prepared statement.

More than 8,500 schools have been recognized in the Blue Ribbon programs 35 years. This years winners will be honored in November in Washington, D.C.

Live Oak

Doggy costume contest highlights Pet Palooza

The Humane Society of Live Oak is hosting its fifth annual Pet Pawlooza on Oct. 14 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Live Oak City Parks large pavilion.

Pet Pawlooza includes dog- and kid-friendly activities, craft and business booths, local pet rescues and adoptions, and a doggy costume contest.

The event, which includes food booths, crafts and business tables, a raffle and a silent auction, is one of the agencys biggest fundraisers of the year. All booth fees, donations, and money collected from the raffle and auction go back into the nonprofit to aid animals in need of homes and medical care, and to assist Live Oak Animal Control.

Pet Pawlooza is free. Vaccinated and leashed dogs are welcome. For details, email HumaneSocietyofLiveOak@gmail.com.

San Antonio

Nominations sought for military service award

The Bexar County Veterans Service Office is accepting nominations for the 2017 LeRoy V. Greene Jr. Memorial Award, which recognizes outstanding contributions by Bexar County residents to veterans, and military service members and their families.

Nominations will be accepted from individuals who have personal knowledge and who can attest to the accomplishments of the person they are recommending. Nominations from spouses, siblings or children of would-be nominees will not be accepted.

To be eligible, nominees must have been a Bexar County resident for at least two years at the date of nomination; performed noteworthy actions over the current year and over a period of time, mostly as a volunteer; exhibited competence in teamwork, cooperation, leadership skills and dedication; and shared their time and knowledge with the veteran and military community.

For a nomination form, send an email to vets@bexar.org, with LRVG AWARD in the subject line. Forms may be returned by email to vets@bexar.org; by fax to 210-335-3632; or by mail to Bexar County Veterans Service Office, 233 N. Pecos, Suite 320, San Antonio, TX 78207. The nomination deadline is Friday, Oct. 6.

Schertz

Free dental work provided for uninsured for one day

Schertz Family Dental, 2184 FM 3009, is offering Free Dentistry Day, which is dedicated to provide free dental care to those without dental insurance.

One free cleaning or extraction will be provided per patient between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 7. Patients will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.

For more information, call 210-251-4979 or go to FreeDentistryDay.org.

WOW jobs bus to stop

in city on Thursday

Job seekers can apply for jobs and explore the Workforce Solutions Alamo WOW Bus from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 5, at the Schertz Public Library, 798 Schertz Parkway.

The WOW Bus is coming to Schertz at the invitation of the Schertz Economic Development Corp. as part of its Business Retention and Expansion program. The WOW Bus helps companies in Schertz fill positions.

Its equipped with a dozen Wi-Fi-enabled computers and resources to help job seekers. Job seekers are encouraged to bring personal documents, a resume and a cover letter.

Workforce Solutions Alamo staff will help applicants search and apply for jobs.

Universal City

Entry forms available

for Veterans Day parade

The 47th Annual Veterans Parade will be at 10 a.m. Nov. 4 at Pat Booker Road in Universal City.

Parade entry forms are available on the city of Universal Citys website. The parade viewing stand will be at 902 Pat Booker Road. The parade will end at American Legion Post 667.

Contact Dave Crookham at 210-658-7179 for more information.

Compiled by staff
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The San Antonio Police Department released a sketch of the man suspected of sexually assaulting a woman while she was running last month in Hardberger Park.

"Hopefully this will break the case wide open," said San Antonio Police Chief William McManus. "We'll see."

The man is believed to have grabbed the woman from behind around 8:30 a.m. while she was on a trail in the park located in the 13000 block of Blanco Road.

He then took her behind a bush and digitally raped her while wearing a glove, police said.

RELATED: SAPD: Woman sexually assaulted while running in North Side park

Now Playing: SAPD investigates a report of a sexual assault on a trail in Hardberger Park, Tuesday morning, Sept. 12, 2017. Video: San Antonio Express-News

The man has yet to be identified. McManus said detectives are working the case "hard" to find and identify the suspect.

The sketch released Tuesday represents the closest police have come to identifying the suspect and the next step in the investigation, said Sgt. Doug Greene, a spokesman for the department.

He said multiple special victims unit detectives and supervisors are looking at the case and using their experience and perspective to help solve it.

"All of these cases have their own unique intricacies to them that the detectives have to cipher though," Greene said.

The suspect is described as about 5 feet 9 inches to 6 feet 1 inch tall. He has a strong, stocky build with light colored hair in "messy layers," police said.Police described his face as angular and said he has medium to light colored eyes.

He has a thin scar starting at the front of his chin that curves underneath. Police say he has "cauliflower ear" on his left ear and a piercing in the same ear but no earring.

RELATED: Man accused in sexual assault near UTSA was out on bond for different sexual assault charge

He has a noticeable Adam's apple. He was last seen wearing a grey hoodie, officials said.

McManus said the man depicted in the sketch is not currently suspected in any other sexual attacks. Until he's found, police will maintain an increased presence in Hardberger Park and will continue to search for him.

"He's still out there," McManus said.

Anyone with info on the suspect is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 210-224-7867.

Text "NEWS" to 77453 for breaking news alerts from mySA.com

cdowns@mysa.com | Twitter: @calebjdowns
Documenting both the Korean and Vietnam wars as an Army photographer, Samuel Lee Swain never shared what he recorded with his family.

He didnt speak to us very much about the wars, his daughter Leanne Swain Ball said. The only thing he used to say was that being a combat photographer just means that you have to carry more stuff.

Assigned to the Department of the Army Special Photography Office, Swain worked in many dangerous situations, including during the 1968 Tet Offensive in Vietnam.

The Vietnam War was a dirtier war than we showed, Swain said in a 2002 Express-News interview. The country smelled dead.

Transferred to Kansas City, Missouri, after the Vietnam War, Swain was working for what is now Joint Base Hometown News Service when he and a couple of colleagues developed the Army Hometown News Center Feature Program, writing profiles of soldiers to send, with photos, to be published in their hometown newspapers.

The popular program netted the team a Silver Anvil from the Public Relations Society of America in 1978, only the second Army unit to receive the prestigious award.

Swain died Sept. 30 at 87.

More Information Samuel Lee Swain Born: June 21, 1930, Pittsburgh Died: Sept. 30, 2017, San Antonio Preceded by: Parents Robert Lee and Lula Matilda Swain Dunn; three sisters; and a brother Survived by: Wife Ann Swain; daughters Denise Swain and Leanne Swain Ball; three grandchildren Services: Memorial at 3 p.m. Thursday at the Lee Swain Carriage House, VFW Post 76, 10 10th St. See More Collapse

Joining the Air Force in 1951, Swain served for four years before leaving to attend college for two years.

In 1958, he enlisted in the Army, which assigned him to his photography unit.

He learned about photography in the Army, Ball said.

Falling in love with the sister of a good friend who lived in Omaha, Nebraska, Swain married in 1965.

When he proposed to her he said, Ill get out of the Army and stay in Omaha, Ball said. She said, Oh, heck no. My mom wanted to get out of Omaha.

In addition to various stateside postings, Swain and his family also lived in Hawaii and Thailand, where they tried to experience as much of the local culture as possible.

He ended up being transferred to San Antonio with what by that time was the Army & Air Force Hometown News Service. In 1981, Swain retired from the military while in San Antonio, although he continued to do contract work for the government for several years.

A longtime member of VFW Post 76, Swain served as chaplain and commander.

One of the things he loved to do is go to the post and take pictures of the people, print them out and give it them to take with them, daughter Denise Swain said. He loved to meet people.

mheidbrink@express-news.net
Last year, I proposed a handy rule of thumb for evaluating the economic proposals of politicians: The more growth they promise, the worse their plan probably is.

Why? Because the promise of bonkers growth usually means the politicians need that bonkers growth to paper over the ginormous deficits sure to follow  in the real world, under more realistic assumptions.

If you assume that the economy goes gangbusters and everyone gets a lot richer, then the tax base swells, spending on social-safety-net services falls, and hallelujah! That expensive thing you want no longer looks so expensive. Maybe its even free!

This is particularly relevant with the Big Sixs new tax plan.

I put plan in scare-quotes here because its not really a plan. At best its an outline, offering barely more detail than the bullet points the Trump administration released in April. It doesnt even specify the thresholds for the individual income-tax rates it proposes. It also doesnt identify a single individual tax preference it would kill, despite claiming to simplify the code and close lots of loopholes. Even the state and local tax deduction, which administration officials have talked about eliminating, isnt explicitly mentioned.

The plans designers may not know what their proposal is, exactly, but they know it will turbocharge growth. President Trump told a group of Democrats and Republicans last week that this tax framework could lead the economy to grow more than 6 percent a year.

To give you a sense of how ridiculous that is, the Federal Reserves median forecast for long-term growth is 1.8 percent, thanks in part to demographic challenges facing the country. The Congressional Budget Office, in scoring Trumps budget this year, said it would add maybe a tenth of a percentage point to growth  bringing us to a whopping 1.9 percent.

Trumps own economic advisers have said they think the sum total of all his tax and regulatory policies would get us to only 3 percent growth, a number that has been mocked by more or less the entire economics community.

National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn is one of the administration officials who has been using that 3 percent benchmark, which he repeated on CNBC on Thursday while declaring that perhaps we might get even substantially over 3 percent.

Uh-huh.

A Tax Policy Center estimate of the fuzzy April framework found that it would lower revenue between $3.5 trillion and $7.8 trillion over a decade, depending on which loopholes you assume get closed. Its numbers dont change much after accounting for economic growth effects.

A separate estimate of the more recent framework, released by the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, put the cost at about $2.2 trillion.

Whatever the actual number is, we know its in the trillions and no realistic amount of growth is going to wipe that out.

In light of all these grand growth projections, I propose a corollary to my earlier rule.

Here it is: If you promise that your policy will pay for itself through faster economic growth, you must commit  in advance  to cutting the programs you love most if that growth doesnt materialize.

For Republicans, that means writing language into their tax bill lopping trillions off defense spending. Hey, if they truly believe their plan wont cost a dime, surely theres no risk to our national security.

Otherwise, the yawning deficits that would inevitably result from the Trump plan may turn into an excuse to decimate programs Republicans are already eyeing, such as Medicaid and food stamps.

Kansas provides a cautionary tale here. The state passed sweeping tax cuts in 2012 on promises that they would unleash boundless economic growth. Instead, the state had below-average growth and huge budget shortfalls, which led to brutal cuts to services. School districts had to end the school year early.

Eventually, after coming to terms with the failure of their supply-side experiment, the state partially reversed its disastrous tax cuts.

Which may be where the country ends up in a few years, if this Trump tax framework passes. But as Kansas proves, a lot of damage  including, in the federal case, bigger debt  can be done in the meantime.

crampell@washpost.com
As city and county officials weigh the merits of offering incentives for Credit Human to move its headquarters near downtown to The Pearl, its instructive to think about what this deal is not.

First, Credit Human, formerly San Antonio Federal Credit Union, is not leaving the metro area.

It has been in San Antonio for more than 80 years. In theory, it could move its headquarters to Schertz, which is about 22 miles northeast of downtown San Antonio.

Thats still in the San Antonio metro area. Not ideal for San Antonio, but still in the region, which means folks likely still spending disposable income in San Antonio and Bexar County.

But such a move is also unlikely. A Credit Human spokesman even said as much, telling Express-News reporters Richard Webner and Patrick Danner that Credit Human hasnt really looked seriously outside San Antonio.

Credit Human is not adding a significant number of new jobs.

It has 435 employees at its headquarters on the North Side, 6061 W. Interstate 10. Under the agreement, Credit Human would need to add another 50 jobs. Given the expense of The Pearl, upscale and booming, its fair to assume those jobs would be created regardless of Credit Humans new location.

It is not reflective of the citys so-called equity budgeting priorities.

During recent budget discussions, Mayor Ron Nirenberg and a majority on City Council made quite a big deal about equity budgeting. That is, prioritizing needs in the community over geography.

It is a commendable and smart approach. But providing $5.8 million in tax abatements and rebates from the city and another $3 million in property tax abatements from the county is the exact opposite approach.

The city and county would be reducing tax revenue from the overall community to subsidize development in the most popular center-city destination in town. If Credit Human can afford to buy a $112.5 million office tower there, then it can pay its fair share of taxes.

Besides, taxpayers have already offered a number of incentives to The Pearl area and the Broadway corridor, north of downtown. As Webner and Danner have reported, the city has awarded $27.7 million in incentives for developments in that area. We were surprised to learn that this includes $3.7 million for Cellars at Pearl apartment complex, where a penthouse rents for $13,975 a month.

The Broadway corridor is also receiving $42 million in street improvements from the recently approved bond package.

What then is the proposed incentive deal for Credit Human? Its to subsidize a local move  and that does not warrant taxpayer support.

We recognize there is a lack of fairness in drawing a line with Credit Human when it comes to incentives. Other companies have received incentives, so why single out a local credit union that has an important place in our community?

As Bexar County Commissioner Kevin Wolff has said, Think about it this way: Youre a local business, youre invested in our community, you give back to the community.  Youre watching all of these new companies coming in, who some may be actual competitors to you, and theyre being given economic development incentives.

But have the city and county created an environment where incentives are expected, and if so, what needs to happen to change that dynamic?

The city and county could reject incentives for Credit Humans local move. The merits of San Antonio and The Pearl speak for themselves.
The San Antonio real estate market may be entering another stratosphere of luxury rental living  months after the Cellars complex at The Pearl tested whether San Antonio renters can support $14,000 monthly leases.

A new apartment complex on the River Walk, the Floodgate, is set to rent units out at an average price of $4 per square foot, which would make it the priciest apartment building in San Antonio. The rent is on par with average rents in Boston  the third-most expensive city behind San Francisco and New York for rentals in the U.S., according to the 2017 Rental Affordability Index by U.K. website Nested.

The luxurious Cellars opened last spring with an average rent of about $3.14 a square foot, according to rental housing research firm Austin Investor Interests. Upscale complexes such as the Agave Apartments in Southtown and others in The Pearl area often have rents at around $2 a square foot.

We feel the community could absolutely support this, said the developer, Keller Henderson, citing its location on the River Walk on East Commerce Street, the renovation of Hemisfair, new hotels being built nearby, and downtowns strengthening office market. We feel were poised in the exact center of all this activity.

The Cellars complex has filled up fast, and some apartment units in downtown, on lower Broadway and in the Alamo Heights area rent for more than $4 a square foot, Henderson said. The Floodgate will feature amenities such as a rooftop pool and terrace, a spa and concierge services, he said.

Henderson has decided to raise the $30 million buildings height from 10 stories to 15 because he believes that downtowns multifamily market is becoming stronger, he said. The number of apartment units has remained about the same, but he has increased their size so that the units will range from 900 to 2,400 square feet, he said. The building will include three stories of retail, including restaurant space on the River Walk.

The average rent for high-end apartments was $1.28 a square foot in the local market at the end of last year, and $1.68 for the downtown area, according to Austin Investor Interests, a firm that analyzes San Antonios multifamily market.

For a long time, rents at $2 a square foot were considered the top of the local market. The 122-unit Cellars complex broke new ground when it opened in May; amenities such as a rooftop pool and professional wine storage, great views of San Antonios skyline and access to The Pearls culinary scene allowed it to charge rents as high as $13,975 a month for a 3,986 square-foot penthouse suite, or $3.51 a square foot.

At that time, the second most expensive complex in San Antonio was Agave Apartments on the border of downtown and King William, with rents of $2 a square foot.

Five years ago, if you told me you could get $2 a square foot rents in San Antonio, I would have sent you to the funny farm, Brad Miller, president of Dallas-based Encore Multi-Family, told the Express-News in December. Encore is building a 338-unit complex in south downtown where rents will average about $2 a square foot.

Tim Barton, chief executive of JMJ Development of Dallas, said he doesnt think Henderson will have trouble finding 53 tenants willing to pay high rents to live at a prestigious address. JMJ is building a 28-story apartment tower on the River Walk where rents will likely be around $2.40 a square foot, he said.

Why does he price it at double the market? Because the people who want to pay it are the people who want that level of luxury, Barton said. The tenant wants that status: I live in the most expensive apartment. I live in the most exclusive location. Based on the wealth I see in the city, are there 53 people? I think there are.

Henderson said hes in talks with three financial institutions that are very interested in funding the Floodgate. The building will also be financed with private equity from a family that has owned the property since the 1970s, he said.

The project has received conceptual approval from the citys Historic and Design Review Commission and will have to return to the commission for final approval. Henderson expects construction to begin in six to nine months and to last 18 months or two years.

rwebner@express-news.net

@rwebner
The Zanu-PF provincial leadership in Masvingo is set to recall from Parliament four legislators that were believed to be some of the foot soldiers of the G40 faction within the ruling party.

The recalls are expected to claim the scalp of former Foreign Affairs Minister Engineer Walter Mzembi.

Mr Mzembi

Zanu-PF Masvingo provincial chairperson Cde Ezra Chadzamira said Eng Mzembi  who is the Masvingo South legislator  together with ex-Masvingo Minister of State for Provincial Affairs Dr Paul Chimedza (Gutu South), former provincial political commissar Mr Jappy Jaboon (Bikita South) and ex-deputy secretary for transport in the Politburo Dr Daniel Shumba (Masvingo Urban) would soon be recalled from Parliament.

Mr Jaboon

The quartet was expelled from Zanu-PF together with other members of the G40 cabal that were allegedly abusing their proximity to the then President Mugabe to foment confusion in the ruling party.

Speaking during a Zanu-PF provincial coordinating committee meeting in Masvingo on Sunday, Cde Chadzamira said processes were already under way to recall the four from Parliament.

Dr Shumba

We have already made contact with Cde Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri (Zanu-PF national chairperson) concerning the fate of Mzembi, Shumba, Chimedza and Jaboon so that they are recalled from Parliament since they were sacked from the party and something is being done about that, he said.

Eng Mzembi had a very short stint as Foreign Affairs Minister until his ouster following the launch of Operation Restore Legacy by the Zimbabwe Defence Forces./.

Dr Chimedza

Prior to that, Eng Mzembi served as Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister and had been Masvingo South legislator since 2005.

Dr Chimedza had a short spell as the minister responsible for Masvingo, a post he assumed following the death of national heroine Cde Shuvai Mahofa.

He was first elected Gutu South legislator in a 2011 by-election held to fill a vacant seat left after the death of MDC-T legislator Professor Eliphas Mukonoweshuro.

Mr Jaboon was elected Bikita South legislator in the 2013 harmonised elections, while Dr Shumba was elected on a Zanu-PF ticket to represent Masvingo Urban.

Cde Chadzamira said the ruling party was eyeing to retain all the 26 House of Assembly seats in the province.

He said the Masvingo party leadership wanted at least 72 percent of the anticipated 800 000 registrants under the Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) system to vote for Zanu-PF in the 2018 polls.

While we are generally satisfied with the number of people who have registered under the BVR system, we are still concerned over the low number of people who registered to vote in Gutu District, he said

Cde Chadzamira said more campaigns would be held in Gutu to encourage more people to register under the BVR system.

He said the recent extension of the registration exercise was another window for Zanu-PF to make sure more people registered.

 Herald

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The $676 billion trucking industry looks for safe, reliable and convenient stops to keep moving.

ALEXANDRIA, Va.  There are roughly 34 million trucks registered for commercial use in the United States, hauling about 10.5 billion tons of freight and logging almost 450 billion miles each year.

On this weeks Convenience Matters podcast, we talk with Glen Kedzie, vice president of the Energy & Environmental Counsel, and Mike Tunnel, director of Environmental Affairs, at the American Trucking Association. From the Fuels Institute, podcast co-hosts John Eichberger and Donovan Woods talked with our guests to learn more about the trucking industrys most important issues and concerns.

As it relates to the Fuels Institute with respect to the future of fuels, It is critical that we continue looking at the entire breadth of transportation options out there and whats going on in all arenas, Eichberger said.

A new Convenience Matters podcast is released every week focusing on topics related to convenience stores.
ST. LOUIS  Panera Bread announced on Sept. 20 a new approach to the kids menu, where children can choose almost any item on the Panera menu as a smaller sized entree. To spark further dialogue for change, Ron Shaich, Paneras founder, chairman and CEO, challenged leading restaurant industry CEOs to join him in eating from their kids menus exclusively for seven straight days.

For too long, restaurants in America have served menus full of nutritionally empty chicken nuggets, pizza and fries, paired with sugary drinks and cheap toys, said Shaich. Im challenging the CEOs of some of the largest companies in the industryMcDonalds, Burger King and Wendysto personally eat exclusively from their restaurants kids meals for an entire weekand if not, to take a thoughtful look at what they are offering our smallest guests.

In August 2016, Panera issued its Kids Meal Promise to express the companys beliefs about kids meals and commitments relative to its Panera Kids menu. The promise is meant to be a challenge to the restaurant industry and to all food manufacturers who offer food for kids. Paneras five tenets of the Kids Meal Promise include:

Clean. No artificial flavors, preservatives, sweeteners or colors from artificial sources in any

menu item.

menu item. No marketing gimmicks. No cartoon characters, crazy colors, toys, or toy-shaped food.

Real options. Let kids be kids. Let them be picky. Let them make their own choices from a menu full of tasty, wholesome options.

Nutritiously paired. Growing bodies need a meal complete with nutritious sides. Not fries, not onion rings. Options like organic yogurt, sprouted grain rolls, apples or no side at all.

No sugar-laden drinks as part of a meal. Kids meals shouldnt be bundled with a sugary drink.

Shape.com reports that so far, none of the three CEOs from McDonalds, Burger King and Wendys have accepted Shaichs challenge. However, one Denver-based eatery did step up to the plate: Garbanzo Mediterranean Grills executive team says it will eat the company's kids' meals not just for one week, but for 30 days and will raise money for charity while doing so.
Find the newest releases to watch from National Geographic on Disney+, including favourite documentary series and films Free Solo, The Rescue, Shark Beach with Chris Hemsworth and The World According to Jeff Goldblum.
Boston Scientific employeesin Clonmel joined South Tipperary General Hospital staff to officially open a new play area in the hospitals Paediatric Ward.

The play area will be a resource for children and visitors who are attending the unit.

The entire project was the brainwave of Boston Scientific Clonmel employees and all funds raised were done so by the companys Employee Charity.

Barry Ryan, a Boston Scientific Engineer, came up with the idea of creating the play area.

The great thing about our Employee Charity is that it is employee led and operated. We give our official support to one local charity every year.

Boston Scientific and HSE staff at the play area opening.

Any employee can nominate a charity and all employees get to vote on which charity they wish to support. The process is fully democratic and gets everybody engaged.

Barry proposed the creation of a play area due to a personal connection to the hospital.

My wife Sinead is a nurse in the Paediatric Unit and I always hear about the great work that happens in the hospital. It was actually Sinead who suggested the concept originally and put forward the original plan.

The idea of a play area was to alleviate some of the stress for patients, parents and siblings when visiting the hospital.

We have worked closely with the staff to make this area a reality and I would like to give special mention to Kenneth Hennessey Architects for their support throughout the project.

The new play area in the hospital.

Speaking at the official opening for the play area nursing manager Olivia Butler said: It is great to have a dedicated area for children of all ages. This play area will definitely alleviate some of the stresses that a hospital visit entails.

Over the past 10 years Boston Scientific employees have boxed, baked, danced and dunked to raise almost 500,000 for a number of charities in the local area.

JP Fitzpatrick is the current Chair of the Boston Scientific Employee Charity Committee.

Speaking in South Tipperary General he said: This official opening is the culmination of hard work from a number of Boston Scientific employees. Its a proud day for Boston Scientific employees to see another project that we initiated brought to life.

 Last year we sponsored a bus for Friends of Bridgewater House and this year our charity events are in support of South Tipperary Autism Support Group. Weve done a lot of work in the community for the past 10 years and we hope to do even more during the next 10!
What to Know Albert Einstein predicted the waves a century ago as part of his theory of general relativity

Gravitational waves are extremely faint ripples in the fabric of space and time

The waves detected by the laureates came from the collision of two black holes some 1.3 billion light-years away

The Nobel Physics Prize 2017 has been awarded to three scientists, including two from Caltech in Southern California, for their discoveries in gravitational waves.

Sweden's Royal Academy of Sciences announced Tuesday that the winners are Rainer Weiss of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Barry Barish and Kip Thorne of the California Institute of Technology. The three were key to the first observation of gravitational waves in September 2015.

Barish received his Ph.D. in experimental high energy physics at the University of California, Berkeley.



When the discovery was announced several months later, it was a sensation not only among scientists but the general public. Gravitational waves are extremely faint ripples in the fabric of space and time, generated by some of the most violent events in the universe.

"These gravitational waves will be powerful ways for the human race to explore the universe -- not for the next few years or decades but for the next few centuries," Thorne told The Associated Press.

Barish, speaking by phone from Santa Monica, California, said he and his colleagues knew there was a good chance they would get recognized by the Nobel team. The call came at 2:41 a.m., beating his own alarm by 4 minutes.

"There was some anticipation. But, the Swedish Academy is so secretive," he told The Associated Press.

He added Tuesday's announcement was "a win for Einstein, and a very big one."

Thorne called the award is "a win for the human race as a whole." He said he was a "little disappointed" that thousands other scientists who have worked on the project did not get to share the prize, adding: "Nevertheless I'm tremendously pleased to accept this" on their behalf.

Weiss, in a phone call with the news conference at the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, said "I view this more as a thing that recognizes the work of a thousand people."

Gravitational waves were predicted by Albert Einstein a century ago as part of his theory of general relativity, but he thought they might be too weak to be detected. General relativity says that gravity is caused by heavy objects bending space-time, which itself is the four-dimensional way that astronomers see the universe.

The waves detected by the laureates came from the collision of two black holes some 1.3 billion light-years away. A light-year is about 5.88 trillion miles.

The German-born Weiss was awarded half of the 9-million-kronor ($1.1 million) prize amount and Thorne and Barish will split the other half.

For the past 25 years, the physics prize has been shared among multiple winners.

Last year's prize went to three British-born researchers who applied the mathematical discipline of topology to help understand the workings of exotic matter such as superconductors and superfluids. In 2014, a Japanese and a Canadian shared the physics prize for studies that proved that the elementary particles called neutrinos have mass.
The deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history has prompted some to call on Congress to reform gun laws across the country, but changes will likely have to wait.

President Donald Trump on Tuesday said, "we'll be talking about gun laws as time goes by."



While the nation waits to see if changes are made to gun and gun safety regulations, The Washington Post poked around to see which U.S. Congress members have received donations from the National Rifle Association, which advocates for gun rights.

The NRA has given $3,533,294 to current members of Congress since 1998, The Washington Post reported. Just under half (49) of the 100 U.S. senators in office and 258 of the 435 representatives in the House have accepted those donations.

In the Golden State, 16 current members of Congress have received a combined $241,020 from the NRA, according to The Washington Post. Fifteen of those members are Republican.

House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi and other House Democrats on Wednesday are slated to honor the victims of the mass shooting in Las Vegas as well as press for "commonsense gun violence prevention legislation."

Congressman Mike Thompson, who is the chair of the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force and is scheduled to attend Wednesday's event, is one of the California members of Congress who received donations from the NRA, according to The Washington Post. Thompson supports an individual's rights granted by the Second Amendment, according to his website. He also believes that "we have a responsibility to make our schools, streets and communities safe."

"We can do both, but Congress will need to step up," a statement on Thompson's website reads.

NBC Bay Area has reached out to Thompson and other California members of Congress for comment.

Below is a breakdown of members of Congress in California who have received donations from the NRA:

1. Rep. Ken Calvert (R): $42,550

2. Rep. Darrell Issa (R): $29,900

3. Rep. Duncan Hunter (R): $24,850

4. Rep. Devin Nunes (R): $22,950

5. Rep. David Valadao (R): $19,400

6. Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R): $18,000

7. Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R): $15,450

8. Rep. Tom McClintock (R): $13,950

9. Rep. Duncan D. Hunter (R): $13,000

10. Rep. Ed Royce (R): $11,970

11. Rep. Susan Brooks (R): $6,000

12. Rep. Paul Cook (R): $6,000

13. Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R): $6,000

14. Rep. Mike Thompson (D): $4,000

15. Rep. Mimi Walters (R): $4,000

16. Rep. Steve Knight (R): $3,000
Doctors, nurses, sailors and U.S. Marines set up an emergency field hospital Monday in San Francisco as part of a Fleet Week drill to respond to a catastrophic incident.

In this case, the exercise was done in preparation for an earthquake. But, in the wake of the tragic events that took place in Las Vegas late Sunday night, many questions focused on handling victims of a mass shooting.

Dr. Christopher Colwell, director of emergency medicine at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital has been part of an emergency response to two mass shootings in Colorado. He was called out to treat the victims at Columbine High School in 1999, when two students gunned down 12 classmates and a teacher before taking their own lives.

Thirteen years later, Colwell was on duty the night James Holmes opened fire in the Aurora, Colorado, theater.

"So I had a chance to see some of these events unfold and had a real opportunity to learn lessons for how we can be better prepared for events like this," he said.

Colwell had some ideas on how to rethink the way we respond to disasters. Sending ambulances to the scene and then transporting hundreds of victims to hospitals doesnt work if it ends up overwhelming the emergency rooms, he said.

"We just simply transplant the disaster, which is what weve done across this country," he said.

For starters, hed like to see alternative care sites identified throughout the city, where resources and people could be sent to handle cases closer to the scene.

"Save the hospitals for truly the most critical patients and ultimately get them all to the hospital, but not all at once," Colwell said.

Places like the military field hospital assembled Monday could be put up in churches or gyms or a large space with running water, he said.

"We could identify 50 centers in San Francisco alone that we could mobililze in a matter of hours," Colwell said.

As for the series of drills scheduled for this week, they were to be done in conjunction with the military, the Department of Public Health and the Department of Emergency Services. In the case of a major earthquake, marines and sailors set up a field hosptial and trauma center at Zuckerberg San Francsico General Hospital.

One tent is set up to handle light to moderate injuries while others were designated for trauma center operating rooms and critical care units.

The Marines' officer in charge took a lot of pride in how quickly the teams can set up. He said getting a trauma victim to a medical care within 60 minutes is the key to survival. Trauma teams call it the "golden hour."

"With all hands involved on it, we can make that," said Lt. Rob Parker of the Travis Surgical Unit. "The fastest weve done is 26 minutes."

"If you can capture them within an hour, theres a high chance that they can survive from whatever issue that occurred," said Navy corpsman Lashad Hamilton.

But in mass shootings like the one in Las Vegas that left at least 59 people dead and more than 520 injured, the militarys rapid response wouldnt be nearly fast enough. The Marines need 96 hours to get their people and equipment deployed.

"Thats a reality, but I dont think its an unreal assumption that we would need help five days after a catastrophic earthquake," said Mike Dayton of the Department of Emergency Management.
The shooting at a music festival in Las Vegas is one of the deadliest mass shootings in American history. At least 59 people were killed and 527 wounded, according to authorities. That makes it the deadliest in modern American history. Here is a list of some of the worst mass shootings in recent years:

.large div.leadMediaRegion {border:none} .large .leadMediaRegion.city_module iframe {height:520px;}

59 Killed - Las Vegas, Nevada (Oct. 1, 2017) - A gunman on the 32nd floor of a Las Vegas strip casino fired down on a country music festival below, killing at least 58 people and wounding 515, according to authorities. The suspected gunman, Stephen Paddock, killed himself at the scene, police said.

49 Killed - Orlando, Florida (June 12, 2016) - Forty-nine people were killed and 53 wounded in a shooting at the Pulse nightclub. Gunman Omar Mateen was killed after taking hostages.

32 Killed - Blacksburg, Virginia (April 16, 2007) - Thirty-two people were killed and 17 wounded in a shooting on the Virginia Tech campus by gunman Seung-Hui Cho, who also fatally shot himself.

26 Killed - Newtown, Connecticut (Dec. 14, 2012) - Twenty-six people, including 20 children, were killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School. Gunman Adam Lanza killed his mother before the shooting and later fatally shot himself.

23 Killed - Killeen, Texas (Oct. 16, 1991) - Twenty-three people were killed and 20 injured when George Hennard crashed his pickup into Luby's Cafeteria then opened fire on customers before fatally shooting himself.

21 Killed - San Ysidro, California (July 18, 1984) - Twenty-one people were killed and 19 injured at a San Diego McDonald's. James Huberty was killed by police.

17 Killed - Austin, Texas (Aug. 1, 1966) - Thirteen people were killed and more than 30 others wounded when student Charles Whitman opened fire from the 28th floor of the University of Texas campus tower then was killed by police. Seventeen deaths were ultimately attributed to the shooting.

14 Killed - San Bernardino, California (Dec. 2, 2015) - Fourteen people were killed and 22 wounded at a meeting of San Bernardino County employees. Husband-and-wife suspects Syed Rizwan Farook and Tashfeen Malik were killed in a gunfight with police.

14 Killed - Edmond, Oklahoma (Aug. 20, 1986) - Postal worker Patrick Sherrill killed 14 co-workers and wounded six others before fatally shooting himself.

13 Killed - Fort Hood, Texas (Nov. 9, 2009) - Thirteen people were killed and more than 30 wounded by Maj. Nidal Hasan, an Army psychiatrist. Hasan was sentenced to death.

13 Killed - Binghamton, New York (April 3, 2009) - Thirteen people killed and four wounded at a citizenship class by gunman Jiverly Antares Wong, who then killed himself.

13 Killed - Littleton, Colorado (April 20, 1999) - Twelve students and one teacher were killed and 20 wounded at Columbine High School. Attackers Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold killed themselves.

12 Killed - Aurora, Colorado (July 20, 2012) - Twelve people were killed and 70 wounded at a movie theater during a midnight showing of "The Dark Knight Rises." Gunman James Holmes, arrested outside the theater, had booby-trapped his home with explosives. He was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole.

12 Killed - Washington, D.C., (Sept. 16, 2013)  Twelve people were killed and eight injured at the Washington Navy Yard. Gunman Aaron Alexis, of Texas, was killed.

9 Killed - Charleston, South Carolina, (June 18, 2015)  Nine people were killed at a prayer meeting at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church, a historic African-American church. Gunman Dylann Roof, a white supremacist, was sentenced to death.

[[449002033, C]]

CORRECTION (Oct. 2, 2017 1:53 p.m. ET): This article has been updated to fix a typo on the number of those killed in Austin, Texas, and to clarify that 17 deaths were ultimately attributed to the shooting at the University of Texas.
Three women from the Bay Area were among the 59 people who were killed during the mass shooting at a country music festival in Las Vegas Sunday night.

A family member on Tuesday wrote on Facebook that Novato resident Stacee Etcheber, who went missing after the gunman opened fire on thousands of concertgoers, had died. Etcheber was married to a San Francisco police officer who was also at the concert and jumped in to aid the wounded.

"It's with a heavy heart and deep sorrow, Stacee Etcheber has passed away," Al Etcheber, Stacee Etcheber's brother-in-law, wrote. "Please pray for our family during this difficult time."

Facebook, SFPOA

Michelle Vo, a 2003 graduate of San Jose's Independence High School, was also among those killed.

The 32-year-old previously worked as an administrative assistant in Mountain View before moving to Southern California. She was described as being "a sweet soul" with a bright smile.

Later Tuesday, NBC Bay Area learned a third Bay Area woman, Denise Cohen, of San Ramon, also was killed in the shooting, according to Facebook post by the California High School Alumni Association. Cohen graduated from Cal High in 1977.

KSBY

Stacee Etcheber was instructed by her husband to run when the gunman, who was perched on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Casino and Hotel, unleashed a barrage of bullets in the direction of the open concert venue.

Stacee Etcheber's husband Vincent stayed behind to help the shooting victims, but when he later tried to find his wife, he was never able to spot her amid the chaos, according to the San Francisco Police Officers' Association. Stacee Etcheber did not have her cellphone with her during the concert, and she had handed her ID to her husband when the concert began.

Michelle Vo, a 2003 graduate of San Joses Independence High School, was among those killed in the Las Vegas concert shooting. Raj Mathai reports.

San Francisco Police Chief William Scott wrote in a statement that Stacee Etcheber "was taken in a senseless act of violence" while her husband "heroically rushed to aid shooting victims."

Al Etcheber indicated that his sister-in-law, who worked as a hair stylist in Marin County, leaves behind two children.

"We will dearly miss you," Al Etcheber wrote on his Facebook post.

[NATL-LA] Mass Shooting at Las Vegas Concert Leaves 58 Dead

In addition to the 59 people who were killed during the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history, 527 people were also wounded. The gunman, who has been identified as 64-year-old Stephen Paddock, killed himself before officers stormed the hotel room he was staying in.

NBC Bay Area's Shawn Murphy contributed to this report.
The wife of an off-duty San Francisco police officer is missing following the mass shooting Sunday night in Las Vegas, police said Monday.

A post on Facebook said that Stacee Etcheber, of Novato, is missing and that she is the wife of Vincent Etcheber, who's listed as an officer with the San Francisco Police Department's Northern Station in a station newsletter from last year.

The Facebook post by Al Etcheber, Vincent's brother, also said that after the shooting Vincent helped injured people to the hospital.

At least 59 people were killed and more than 520 were injured in the shooting at a country music festival near the Mandalay Bay casino.

Al said his brother shepherded his wife and friends to a partition or scaffolding when the shooting started. Then a woman near them was hit, and Vinnie went to help treat her and helped get her to the hospital in a pickup truck, Al said. Vinnie told Stacee and their friends to "make a run for it" when he thought it was clear.

Thats the last time he saw Stacee, Al said.

"The complication lied in the fact that his wife did not have her cellphone with her; she had left it at home, probably didnt want to lose it," Al said. "And then, she did not have her ID on her. My brother held her ID, probably just for safe keeping."

Al Etcheber said even more concerning is the fact that Stacee knows her huband's phone number and hadn't called him yet. He also said family members were not being allowed into hospitals or triage centers Monday and had to wait for further instructions.

Despite their lack of information, the Etcheber family remained positive.

"Stacees tough as nails," Al said. "If anyones going to make it through this, its going to be her. And knowing her, she probably came back looking for her husband or to try and help other gunshot victims."



The San Francsico Police Officers' Association said it was sending a crew of its members down to Las Vegas to assist Vinnie in his search for his wife.

City officials did not address Etcheber's case specifically but did speak about the tragedy.

Mayor Ed Lee said in a statement, "We are sending our deepest condolences and sympathies to the hundreds of families affected by this senseless act of gun violence. Our nation needs stricter, common sense gun laws. We cannot continue to play politics with American lives."

San Francisco District Attorney George Gascon also released a statement about the shooting and the country's gun laws.

"The rights of gun owners must be weighed against everyone's right to be safe from gun violence," Gascon said. "Lawmakers continue to pay deference to gun owners and the gun lobby at the expense of the public at large."

Lee said that as San Francisco visitors, residents and employees prepare to take part in upcoming civic events such as Fleet Week, police will be more present, and they will be working with state and federal authorities to keep residents safe.
Many New England residents started to return home on Monday following the mass shooting at a concert in Las Vegas on Sunday night.

Adrienna Coonan, of Auburn, Massachusetts, stepped off a plane at Logan Airport and embraced her mother after the night of gunfire and chaos.

"It just kept going and going and going and it didnt stop," she said.

The 26-year-old was in the crowd at the country music festival when investigators say suspected gunman, Stephen Craig Paddock, opened fire from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino. At least 59 people were killed and more than 500 were injured before SWAT agents entered Paddock's room. He had already killed himself.

Coonan, like all the other concert goers, had been listening to Jason Aldean when the shots rang out.

"He started a new song. He was in his third line and it just started going," recalled Coonan. "We ran and every time the shot fired we dove to the ground. We ran and ran."

Some people who stepped off the plane at Logan weren't at the concert, but told NBC Boston they were in the area. Despite not being at the shooting, many were still emotional when talking about the horrific event.

Pat Scurlock, of Natick, and her husband were in the same hotel as the shooter  just across the street from the massacre.

"I just wanted to see my kids," Scurlock said when she arrived back to Boston. "All those people... someone daughters son, mothers... its so tragic. It could have been my kids."

Nick Pratt told NBC Boston that he was in a nearby hotel when he saw some of the wounded run inside.

"It was my first time ever seeing a gunshot wound," Pratt said. "In an instant, everyone was helping out everybody and they were just doing what they could."

Passengers like David Byrne from Cape Cod could barely get out any words after arriving home from Las Vegas.

"It just makes you sick," said Byrne.
Heartbreak and isolation is how one New England native describes life on Puerto Rico in the days following hurricane Maria.

After dozens of canceled flights, Brittany Canner of Greenland, New Hampshire, finally caught a plane off the island and flew into Boston on Thursday night.

When I saw Boston flying in, I was like, Oh, I love that dirty water - Boston youre my home,'" she said, smiling. I was so happy!

Canner said it was truly a sigh of relief to escape what she describes as apocalyptic conditions on the island shes called home for the last two and a half years.

I felt like I was in a movie, Canner said in an interview with NBC Boston on Friday afternoon.

Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico overnight, and by morning, her tropical paradise was unrecognizable.

Its like a lake outside my apartment, Canner said. The water is brown - it used to be that gorgeous blue color.

She said debris-filled water flooded the streets, destroyed her favorite restaurants and damaged homes and cars across the island.

Im not kidding when I say eight to 10 hours is how long you could wait in a gasoline line, Canner said.

But she admits that her disappointment pales in comparison to those who grew up on the island.

I have friends whose homes are ruined, whose lives are completely ruined there, she said.

Whats worse, Canner said, is that Puerto Ricans have been left for days feeling hopeless and alone.

Just that feeling of, Where are the people who are helping us? she asked.

By the time Canner caught her flight out of a storm-ravaged airport on Thursday night, she was encouraged to see some aid coming in, but still frustrated that it didnt happen sooner.

I think that island is a bit of a forgotten place, she said. Theyre U.S. citizens, they should be getting just as much support as anyone else in the continental U.S. should get.

Canner said shes still trying to figure out if shell go back to Puerto Rico or if this trip home was her last.
Charter Communications, Inc. has plans to build a new 500,000-square foot headquarters in Stamford, a move that will create hundreds of new jobs, according to an announcement by the governors office Tuesday.

Charter is the second-largest cable operator in the U.S. and has committed to creating an additional 1,100 corporate headquarter jobs and agreed to a total in $100 million in planned expenditures in Connecticut over the next few years. Charter previously committed to create and retain 400 jobs under the states First Five Program in 2012.

The new 15-story facility will be at 406 Washington Avenue.

This new, state-of-the-art facility in downtown Stamford will provide Charter the necessary resources to facilitate its continued growth. We are excited to continue expanding in Connecticut, and thank Governor Malloy, Mayor Martin, the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development, and the entire Stamford-area federal, state and local delegation of elected officials for their continued partnership and support, wrote Charter CEO and Chairman Tom Rutledge in a statement.

The Department of Economic and Community Development will provide a 10-year, $10 million loan to assist with the project. State funding will be used for new equipment and leasehold improvements, and Charter might be eligible for loan forgiveness depending on how employment obligations are met. Charter will also get $10 million in tax credits through DECD.

Today is a great day for Connecticut, Governor Malloy wrote in a statement. Charters announcement to create an additional 1,100 jobs shows that our strategic investments are continuing to spur economic growth and create good paying jobs in the state. We look forward to the continued success of Charter Communications as they grow within Connecticut.
A first-grade teacher from Wallingford has been selected as the 2018 Connecticut Teacher of the Year.

The honor was bestowed Tuesday upon Erin Berthold, a teacher at Cook Hill School who was selected from among four finalists, 15 semifinalists and more than 100 district-level teachers of the year.

"The teacher of the year committee said to me on Thursday, 'Do you have any questions?' And I said, 'I just want to say thank you. I've never had so many people come together for me before," Berthold said.

Berthold has been an early childhood educator at Cook Hill School since 2015, according to the Connecticut Department of Education. Before that, she was a special education teacher at Yalesville Elementary and Moses Y. Beach Elementary School, also in Wallingford.

Berthold previously worked at Lincoln Middle School in Meriden and Woodhouse Academy in Milford.

As an early childhood educator, Mrs. Berthold has the opportunity to inspire a love of learning and set up her students for lifelong success. Congratulations to Mrs. Berthold on being named the 2018 Teacher of the Year and thank you to all of our educators for the work that you do each day on behalf of Connecticut children, Gov. Dannel Malloy said in a statement.

According to the state Department of Education, Berthold originally planned to pursue a degree in the arts and went on to earn a bachelors degree in digital media from Marist College.

However, her mother was a teacher to young children in New York and that inspired Berthold to combine her interests in the arts and education and pursue a masters degree in teaching, childhood and special education, which she obtained from St. Thomas Aquinas College, according to the state Department of Education.

"My mother is a teacher and she suggested I spend a day with her at school and that kind of changed my life. I said, this is what I want to do," Berthold

I encourage students to take action, Berthold said in a statement. They may encounter some bumps along the way, but the best and deepest learning occurs when students reroute themselves. I believe children need to learn to make decisions regarding their own learning at an early age, so they are prepared to make life decisions. I encourage students to try new things, pursue their interests, and see failure as an opportunity for growth.

A statewide committee of former teachers of the year and representatives from a variety of education organizations selected Berthold from among four finalists, 15 semifinalists, and more than 100 district-level teachers of the year.

Berthold said she thinks having fun in the classroom with her 6-year-old students makes a big difference.

"Sometimes the kids have even said to me, 'Well, we didn't learn anything today. All we did today was have fun,'" Berthold said. "I'm like, 'What are you talking about? We did science, we did reading,' and they don't even realize how much they're learning by just playing."

Berthold succeeds 2017 Connecticut Teacher of the Year, Lauren Danner, a science teacher at North Branford High School.
Mayor Luke Bronin is expected to nominate Connecticut State Police's lieutenant colonel to be the Hartford Police Department's next chief of police.

Lt. Colonel David Rosado currently serves as the commanding officer of the office of field operations for Connecticut State Police. Hartford's current police chief, James Rovella, is expected to retire early next year.

"As weve prepared for Chief Rovellas retirement early next year, Ive gathered input about potential successors from across Connecticut, and one name that kept coming up was Lt. Colonel David Rosado of the Connecticut State Police," Bronin said.

Rosado is a Hartford native who graduated from Bulkeley High School before attending the University of Connecticut School of Law.

"Beyond his distinguished career in law enforcement, Lt. Colonel Rosado brings a deep love and knowledge of our City and a commitment to maintaining our Police Departments strong partnership with the Hartford community," Bronin said.



The mayor's office said the community will have a number of forums in the next coming weeks to meet and interact with Rosado.



Rosado's nomination will be subject to City Council confirmation.

"It is an honor to be considered as a potential Police Chief for the city where I was born and raised," Rosado said. "Im looking forward to meeting as many City leaders as I can and engaging directly with residents in the coming weeks."
Two Nevada gun shops confirmed to NBC News Monday that they sold firearms to Mandalay Bay shooter Stephen Paddock in the last year and said he passed all required background checks.

It was unknown if the weapons Paddock bought from the gun shops, New Frontier Armory in North Las Vegas and from Guns and Guitars in Mesquite, were used in the casino massacre.

Christopher M Sullivan, the general manager of Guns & Guitars, Inc., in Mesquite, Nevada, released a statement confirming Paddock was a customer at his store. Sullivan said "all necessary background checks and procedures were followed, as required by local, state, and federal law."

"He never gave any indication or reason to believe he was unstable or unfit at any time," he said. "We are currently cooperating with the ongoing investigation by local and federal law enforcement in any way we can."
Treating victims of a mass casualty incident is a situation for which hospitals train, but administrators at North Texas hospitals say the shooting in Las Vegas will help them better prepare.

"No one is prepared to have 100, 200, 300 injured patients arrive on their doorstep in a period of an hour," said Dr. Michael Foreman, medical director of trauma at Baylor University Medical Center.

Foreman said he watched the events in Las Vegas unfold and was reminded of the Dallas police shootings of July 2016.

"We thought we had a really good mass casualty plan until we had that first mass casualty," he said.

Foreman said many lessons were learned after the Dallas police shootings, such as communication improvements.

While no single local hospital is equipped to handle hundreds of shooting victims at one time, there is a plan for them to work together during a mass casualty event.

In Dallas, there are four Level I trauma centers as well as additional Level I and Level II trauma centers in surrounding cities.

Trauma centers are ranked by the American College of Surgeons, from Level I (comprehensive service) to Level III (limited-care).

"We try to get those patients where they need to go and get them there as fast as possible, so we would disperse those patients so they could get the right care at the right time," said Jorie Klein, chair of the North Central Texas Trauma Regional Advisory Council and director of the Trauma Program at Parkland Health & Hospital System.

Klein believes North Texas is prepared for a situation similar to the Las Vegas shooting.

"We had the tornadoes. We had the police shooting last year. I think we are as prepared as we are going to be. The only thing that would make us better is people have to own this," Klein said.

By that, she means, people should be proactive and know where the nearest trauma center is located.

She also suggests people carry and learn how to administer a tourniquet.

Lessons come from tragedies, and while they come at a high price, Foreman said they're essential and life-saving.

"We will learn from this as well, and we pray that we won't have to use it," Foreman said.

MORE: To find a trauma center near you, click here.


Coca-Cola North America announced it acquired fast-growing Topo Chico, a premium sparkling mineral water company.

The drink that has recently grown popular in Texas will continue to be imported from the same natural source in northern Mexico, where it has been bottled since 1895.

The Coca-Cola Company bought the brand mineral water company for $220 million in order to expand and strengthen the national presence of Topo Chico products.
Faith leaders came together in Thanks-Giving Square in downtown Dallas for a prayer vigil Monday evening for the victims of the Las Vegas shooting.

Before the event began, Imam Omar Suleiman, co-chair of Faith Forward Dallas, spoke about the overwhelming amounts of loss that people are experiencing from all sides.

"You're hearing about a new war, you're hearing about a new genocide, you're hearing about so much violence and so much despair all the time," Suleiman said. "I think people are tired, there's no doubt about it. People start to ask, 'What's the point? There are still incidents taking place. You know, if we go out to a vigil, if we re-commit to love, hateful incidents will still take place.'"

But he said even though people may feel that way, we still need to push for peace over violence.

Kaylyn Williams, who lives in Dallas, attended the prayer vigil to show support. She was one of about 50 people in attendance when the event started.

"Numbers are not always the most critical things, because people do things behind the scenes," Williams said. "Even though there may not be a lot of people here, I believe that Dallas and Fort Worth and the community are going to support and wrap their arms around anybody that's having any type of devastation right now."

A small group of faithful, praying and also working to end violence while also hoping to not have a reason for another vigil.

"If hate grows then love has to grow as well," Suleiman said.
Security changes are likely to better protect fans at outdoor venues and secure hotels after the mass shooting in Las Vegas, two former US Federal Bureau of Investigation agents said Monday.

Its a new era. Theres no question its a new era, said retired Dallas FBI Special Agent in Charge Danny Defenbaugh.

Police in Las Vegas said 58 victims were killed and more than 500 wounded when a shooter opened fire from a high rise hotel on concert goers below at a country music festival Sunday.

There are going to be without any question some security enhancements, Defenbaugh said. However, the question really is how far do you go?

Las Vegas authorities said more than ten guns were discovered in the hotel room where 64-year old suspect Stephen Paddock was found dead from a self-inflicted wound. The man checked into the hotel three days earlier. Paddock had no criminal history and people who knew him reported nothing suspicious about his behavior.

I dont think anybody knows what his motive was, what set him off, said former FBI Agent Gil Torrez. I think this one event will redefine security and other venues of this type in the future.

The Las Vegas attacker took advantage of circumstances that the former agents said security experts have always feared.

Military tactics 101, Torrez said. You get high ground and want to pick off people in the low ground.

Defenbaugh said organizers could reconsider large gatherings in open air venues below high rise buildings and hotels may boost security to be more watchful about what guests bring inside.

Youre talking about not only expense but Im not so sure if the American public would want to put up with that either. So youve got to weight and balance, Defenbaugh said. Are we going to treat it like The President coming to every one of those events and have snipers on every roof top?

In Downtown Dallas, concerts are popular at Klyde Warren Park which is surrounded by high rise buildings. The lawn where Reunion Arena once stood has been a concert location recently. High rise Hyatt Regency Hotel overlooks the Reunion site.

Torrez said security will be vigilant now for others who might try the same tactics.

Someone else who hadnt thought about it adopts the idea, Torrez said.

Defenbaugh was the lead agent in the investigation of the 1995 truck bombing of the Oklahoma City Federal Building that killed 168 people. He said this investigation will examine all the weapons.

You can imagine how complex this will be to see whether or not there were others involved, Defenbaugh said.
A Texas Tech University graduate is among the injured after a man opened fire on a crowd of thousands at a country music festival in Las Vegas, her family says.

Danae Gibbs graduated from Texas Tech in May and currently lives in Austin, her father said.

On Sunday, Gibbs was attending the Route 91 Harvest country music festival when shots started to ring out shortly after 10 p.m.

Gibbs was shot in the leg and remains in the hospital, according to her father, Darrell Gibbs.

He said his daughter and a friend had gone to Las Vegas to attend the country music concert.

"Two days ago, life was normal, life was wonderful," Darrell Gibbs said in an interview Tuesday.

He said his daughter laid on the ground when the shooting started, not realizing the gunfire was coming from above.

"They get on the ground, they're monitoring the situation," Darrell Gibbs said. "There's a lull in it. They make a break for it. The shooting starts up again."

That's when the bullets started landing closer, he said.

"She kind of looks at her friend and says, 'I think I'm going to get hit.' About that time she feels a pain in her leg," he said.

She hid under a food truck until a stranger in a pickup truck rushed her and other victims to a hospital, he said.

Danae Gibbs is expected to be released from the hospital in the next few days, her father said.

She is expected to make a full recovery, but the bullet went through her leg and lodged near her spine. Doctors say it is too dangerous to remove right now, her family said.

Her father said he is grateful for the doctors and medical staff who helped save her life  and for the driver of the pickup who got her to the hospital.

"Angels come in different forms," Darrell Gibbs said. "Heroes don't necessarily wear badges or kavalar or go to war. All it takes is one moment to be a hero, to step up and do the right thing."

HOW TO HELP: GoFundMe account for Danae Gibbs' medical expenses


Tom Petty, an old-fashioned rock superstar and everyman who drew upon the Byrds, the Beatles and other bands he worshipped as a boy and produced new classics such as "Free Fallin,' "Refugee" and "American Girl," has died. He was 66.

Petty died Monday night at UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles a day after he suffered cardiac arrest at his home in Malibu, California, spokeswoman Carla Sacks said.

Petty and his longtime band the Heartbreakers had recently completed a 40th anniversary tour, one he hinted would be their last.

[NATL]Tom Petty: A Life in Photos

"I'm thinking it may be the last trip around the country," Petty told Rolling Stone last year. "We're all on the backside of our 60s. I have a granddaughter now I'd like to see as much as I can. I don't want to spend my life on the road. This tour will take me away for four months. With a little kid, that's a lot of time."

As news of his death spread, friends and fans took to social media to express their condolences.

[[449107293, C]]

Usually backed by the Heartbreakers, Petty broke through in the 1970s and went on to sell more than 80 million records. The Gainesville, Florida, native with the shaggy blond hair and gaunt features was loved for his melodic hard rock, nasally vocals and down-to-earth style. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, which inducted Petty and the Heartbreakers in 2002, praised them as "durable, resourceful, hard-working, likeable and unpretentious."

"I'm shocked and saddened by the news of Tom's passing, he's such a huge part of our musical history, there'll never be another like him." Eric Clapton wrote in a statement.

[NATL-DO NOT USE] In Memoriam: Influential People We've Lost in 2017

Petty's albums included "Damn the Torpedoes," ''Hard Promises" and "Full Moon Fever," although his first No. 1 did not come until 2014 and "Hypnotic Eye." As a songwriter, he focused often on daily struggles and the will to overcome them, most memorably on "Refugee," ''Even the Losers" and "I Won't Back Down."

"It's sort of the classic theme of a lot of the work I've done," he told The Associated Press in 1989. "I think faith is very important just to get through life. I think it's really important that you believe in yourself, first of all. It's a very hard to thing to come by. But when you get it, it's invaluable."

Petty didn't just sing about not backing down, he lived it. In 1979, he was enraged when his record label was sold and his contract transferred. Stating that he would not be "bought and sold like a piece of meat," he self-financed what became "Damn the Torpedoes" and declared bankruptcy rather than allowing his label, MCA, to release it. He eventually reached a new deal with MCA, for better terms. In the early 1980s, he was again at war with MCA, this time over the label's plans to charge extra money, a dollar higher than the standard $8.98, for his album "Hard Promises." He again prevailed.

First Drafts of Rock takes a look at the original version of Tom Pettys Free Fallin' entitled Free Horses with Kevin Bacon.

Petty was both a musician and obsessive fan, one who met his childhood heroes and lived out the fantasies of countless young rock lovers. He befriended Byrds leader Roger McGuinn and became close to George Harrison, who performed on "I Won't Back Down" and joined Petty, Bob Dylan, Roy Orbison and Jeff Lynne in the impromptu super group the Traveling Wilburys. Petty inducted Harrison into the Rock Hall in 2004; two years earlier Dylan's son Jakob inducted Petty. In the 1980s, Petty and the Heartbreakers supported Bob Dylan on a nationwide tour.

He would speak of being consumed by rock music since childhood, to the point where his father, whom Petty would later say beat him savagely, thought he was "mental." Awed by the chiming guitars of the Byrds, the melodic genius of the Beatles and the snarling lyrics of Dylan, he was amazed to find that other kids were feeling the same way.

"You'd go and see some other kid whose hair was long, this was around '65, and go, 'Wow, there's one like me,'" he told The Associated Press in 1989. "You'd go over and talk and he'd say, 'I've got a drum set.' 'You do? Great!' That was my whole life."

By his early 20s, Petty had formed the group Mudcrutch with fellow Gainesville natives and future Heartbreakers (guitarist) Mike Campbell and (keyboardist) Benmont Tench. They soon broke up, but reunited in Los Angeles as the Heartbreakers, joined by bassist Ron Blair and drummer Stan Lynch. Their eponymous debut album came out in 1976 and they soon built a wide following, fitting easily into the New Wave sounds of the time.

The world changed more than Petty did over the past few decades. In 2014, around the time he received an ASCAP Founders Award, he told The Associated Press that he thought of himself as "kind of a music historian."

"I'm always interested in the older music, and I'm still always discovering things that I didn't know about," he said. "To be honest, I really probably spend more time listening to the old stuff than I do the new stuff."

Associated Press Writer Andrew Dalton and AP Entertainment Writer Sandy Cohen contributed to this report.
SAN FRANCISCO - A Russian diplomat says the United States is violating international law by searching a two-story brownstone building in San Francisco that was the consul's residence.

Russian diplomat Nikolay Pukalov says at least 20 U.S. officials were coming in and out of the property Monday.

The U.S. State Department confirmed it conducted a walkthrough to make sure all residents had left the premises.

Pukalov, head of the consular division at the Russian embassy in D.C., called the inspection an "intrusion" and a violation of international law and of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations.

President Donald Trump's administration on Aug. 31 gave Moscow two days to shutter diplomatic outposts in San Francisco and other American cities and a month to vacate diplomatic residences.
The former head of South Korea's earthquake research center was sentenced Monday to 14 months behind bars for laundering more than $1 million in bribes from two seismological companies, including one based in Pasadena, that paid him in exchange for insider information.

Heon-Cheol Chi, a 59-year-old resident of South Korea, was also ordered to pay a fine of $15,000 and serve a year of supervised release after he gets out of prison.

Prosecutors had asked U.S. District Judge John F. Walter to impose a five-year prison term, while the defense argued for a six-month sentence that would include time served.

Defense attorney Marilyn E. Bednarski said Chi would return to South Korea upon release from custody.

"The sentence reflected the judge's view of how to balance the seriousness of the offense with Mr. Chi's extraordinary characteristics," she said outside court.

Chi was convicted in July of one federal count of transacting in criminally derived property. The jury in downtown Los Angeles failed to reach a unanimous verdict on five other counts of money laundering.

"This is precisely the kind of corruption and abuse of the U.S. banking system that the U.S. money laundering statutes seek to prohibit and prevent," federal prosecutors wrote in sentencing papers.

Chi headed the Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources' Earthquake Research Center, where he tested seismological equipment, offered technical certifications for equipment used in government-funded projects and developed an early-warning earthquake system.

According to evidence presented at trial, Chi laundered funds that were the proceeds of bribes he accepted in violation of South Korea law.

"The American financial system is not to be used as a storehouse for the proceeds of corrupt activity," acting U.S. Attorney Sandra R. Brown said following the trial. "This defendant used a bank account here in Southern California to conceal over $1 million in bribe money obtained through the abuse of his public position. This conviction sends a message that should be heard around the world."

From at least 2009 through 2015, Chi abused his senior position at the earthquake center to demand more than $1 million in bribes from Pasadena-based Kinemetrics and United Kingdom-based Guralp Systems Ltd., which both produce seismic equipment. In exchange for the bribes, Chi gave the companies inside information on open contracts and advocated for the earthquake center and others to buy their equipment, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

In addition to his use of cash payments and the U.S. banking system, evidence showed that Chi took a number of steps to conceal his bribery scheme, including instructing representatives of the companies to delete or not respond to his emails, requesting that company representatives not inform his colleagues at the center of his illegal arrangements with those companies, and by sending fictitious invoices listing a false address in New Jersey.


A U.S. Navy veteran from Corona was among those killed in Las Vegas in the worst mass shooting in U.S. history.

Christopher "Chris" Roybal, 28, was killed with 58 others in the Sunday night massacre.

Roybal had been in the Navy for a decade and had recently finished a tour of duty in Afghanistan, according to social media and other reports.

"He went to combat and came back without being injured, and then goes to a concert and dies," the victim's mother, Debby Allen, told NBC4.

Roybal was set to celebrate his 29th birthday next week, she said. The mother and son were in Las Vegas to enjoy the Route 91 Harvest Festival, a country music festival.

The two got separated at the concert -- Allen on one side of the venue and her son on the other.

Allen described how she tried to run toward the gunfire to find her son. A stranger -- a firefighter -- promised her that despite the chaos, he would try to find Roybal.

"He was trying to help him, but the gunfire was coming and he says he saw Christopher take his last breath."

City News Service contributed to this report.
The fear of the unknown  thats what those in Las Vegas were dealing with after a man opened fire Sunday night on a concert , leaving over 50 people dead and hundreds wounded.

People didn't know actually what happened. They knew something bad happened, but they didn't know what, said Eli Depas, who arrived back at Miami International Airport on Tuesday.

We thought it was a machine, and when I looked behind me it was people just running all over the place, said fellow traveler Orlando Jimenez.

For Jimenez, it was supposed to be a getaway trip. He proposed to his partner in Las Vegas, and even had dinner at the Mandela Bay just a few hours before the shooter opened fire.

Everybody was screaming. We thought it was actually in the Caesar Palace, then after 10 minutes we saw people coming from the lobby, running so the pool, and looking for an exit, Jimenez said.

Jimenez says the first thing that came to mind was the Pulse nightclub shooting last year in Orlando, where he lost two of his best friends on that horrific night.

From the room where we were located we could see everything, the helicopter. It was pretty close, so the first that comes to my mind was what happened in Orlando, he said.

Through it all, passengers say during a time of division, this is a time for everyone to come together.

There's crazy people all over the world. We just need to be together and to be strong, Depas said.
Authorities are looking to identify a stranger who allegedly stopped a young girl in Connecticut Tuesday and asked her if she wanted to see the cute dog in the back of his Jeep, according to police.

The girl was at her bus stop at the intersection of Clinton Avenue and Breezy Knoll around 7:20 a.m. when the man, who looked to be between 40 and 50 years old, approached her, police said.

The man initially walked up and down Clinton Avenue, then got into an older green Jeep Grand Cherokee and asked the girl twice if she wanted to see the cute dog in the back of his car, police said.

The girl immediately ran home and notified her parents.

The man has brown hair and a bald spot; police did not release a photo of him. Anyone with information to help identify the man is asked to call the Westport Detective Bureau at 203-341-6080.

The Westport Police Department said officers are working closely with the Westport Board of Education to ensure the safety of our students and continue to keep the public informed.
What to Know Jenna DeCandio, of Jamesburg, was at the Route 91 Harvest Festival Sunday night when a gunman perched in a nearby hotel opened fire

She was shot in the hip and pelvis area, according to family member Jill Pasternak DeCandio, who was with DeCandio at the concert

The nurse told the family that the bullet missed Jenna DeCandio's stomach, bowels, intestine, vital organs and arteries

A New Jersey woman is among the more than 500 wounded in the Las Vegas mass shooting in which 59 people were also killed, family members say on social media.

Jenna DeCandio of Jamesburg, New Jersey, was at the Route 91 Harvest Festival Sunday night when she was shot in the hip and pelvis area, according to family member Jill Pasternak DeCandio, who was with DeCandio at the concert but not injured.

By Monday night, DeCandio was out of surgery at Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center. The nurse told the family that the bullet missed her stomach, bowels, intestine, vital organs and arteries, "and for that we are truly thankful," Pasternak DeCandio said on Facebook.

A spokesperson for the hospital confirmed to NJ.com that a woman by DeCandio's name remained hospitalized Monday night.

Her co-workers at Shima Seiki USA, Inc. in Monroe told News 4 Tuesday that she started working there in July after graduating from North Carolina State University in Raleigh. They declined to comment further.

More than 22,000 people were attending the country music concert on the Las Vegas strip when 40- to 50-round bursts of automatic weapons fire rained down on them from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay casino hotel. Authorities say 59 people died and 527 others were injured in the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history.

The gunman, identified as Stephen Craig Paddock, a 64-year-old retired accountant from Mesquite, Nevada, killed himself before officers stormed Room 135 in the gold-colored glass skyscraper.


A woman who recently moved to Las Vegas from Van Nuys, Southern California, was in a hotel restaurant several floors above a gunman who opened fire Sunday night on an outdoor music festival, killing more than 50 people and injuring 500 others.

Forbes Riley was attending a party on the 63rd floor of the hotel when she heard rapid gunfire. In a video captured by Riley, dozens of people at the Route 91 Harvest Country Music Festival can be seen below scrambling around in an effort to avoid the gunfire.

She later learned she witnessed the deadliest mass shooting in recent U.S. history.

"The noise that I thought was fireworks was people dying," Riley said.

From the balcony of the Foundation Room, a steak house Riley was in, she heard what she thought was a machine gun and proceeded to record. Doctors said some of the gunshot wounds were so severe that they knew they had to be from high-powered weapons not usually seen on the street.

"Look at how many people are not moving," one person can be heard saying in the video.

Security at the steak house ordered attendants to cover for shelter, according to Riley.

"My two children were like, 'Mommy, please be careful,'" she said.

Riley said she did not know the gunfire was coming from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay high-rise.

"I could see them all running," she said.

Fifty-nine people died in the massacre and hundreds more were injured. Investigators said 64-year-old retired accountant Stephen Paddock killed himself before authorities entered his hotel room.
Have you ever engaged in genocide?

It's a pretty straightforward question, one that comes with only two answers, and one that is asked of immigrants who seek permanent residence in the United States.

A Delaware County, Pennsylvania, businessman named Mohammed Jabateh allegedly lied when answering "no" to that question in 2002.

Jabateh, federal prosecutors allege, actually took part in atrocities during a decade-long civil war in the west African country of Liberia. At the time, prosecutors say he was known as "Jungle Jabbah," a feared commander in one of two warring military factions in the late 1980s and 1990s.

The now 50-year-old owner of a shipping company, who lives in Lansdowne, went on trial at the federal courthouse in Philadelphia on Oct. 2 to face two counts of filing false immigration documents and two counts of perjury. Each count comes with up to five years in prison and deportation.

He has pleaded not guilty.

U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania

A long list of witnesses are expected for both the U.S. Attorney's office and in Jabateh's defense.

In his new life since coming to America in 1998, seeking asylum, some in greater Philadelphia's close-knit Liberian community know Jabateh as a hard-working businessman. They had no idea that he was a man that prosecutors now link to the bloody war that left 200,000 dead and many thousands more maimed, raped and displaced.

(David Guttenfelder/Associated Press)

Witnesses that prosecutors are expected to call, however, paint the picture of a military leader hellbent on not only killing his enemies, but torturing them.

One witness, according to court documents, recalled Jabateh allegedly ordering tires placed around prisoners. He then ordered his men to douse the tires in gasoline.

"The prisoners of war burned to death," the documents say.

Another witness will recount the painful death of a friend named Jaffo.

"Jaffo was a light-skinned black youth whom Jabbateh ordered to be sacrificed," documents allege. "To this end, a [United Liberation Movement of Liberia for Democracy] soldier, on Jabbetah's orders, slit Jaffo's throat."

The backdrop for such violence was a country divided by both military coups and ethnic hatred.

"Chaos is too kind a word," said Maghan Keita, professor of history at Villanova University.

He said very few Liberians escaped the war either as an aggressor or victim. Battlefields didn't exist and the brutality played on in villages and towns.

The main target becomes the coercion of civilian populations, as opposed to engagement with other combatants who are as heavily armed as you are," Keita said.

Maghan Keita, a professor of history at Villanova University, talks to NBC10 about those who fought in wars will always have their past following closely behind.

Jabateh has been jailed since his arrest in April 2016.

Among those American Liberians who know Jabateh since his arrival in the U.S. in 1998 is a cousin and fellow businessman named Voffee Jabateh, who called Mohammed Jabateh "a pillar" of the local community.

"I got to know Mohammed here, as a family man," Voffee Jabateh said.

Mohammed Jabateh's attorney, Greg Pagano, told NBC10 that Jabateh is "peaceful, deeply religious, and he is intensely loyal to the United States of America."

John Prall, another Liberian who escaped to southeastern Pennsylvania, will be watching the trial closely. He hopes it is a start, not an end, to the pursuit of justice for victims of his native country's civil war.

Prall believes there are more than one former warlord living in his community.

"There are so many here," he said. "There are so many."

Maghan Keita, a professor of history at Villanova University, talked with NBC10 about immigrants who flee their native country and remake their lives in a new place.
A group of protesters gathered outside a Philadelphia Fraternal Order of Police fundraiser for a suspended officer who fatally shot a man in the back during a traffic stop.

A fundraiser for Philadelphia Police officer Ryan Pownall took place late Sunday afternoon at Philadelphia FOP Lodge 5. Proceeds for the event, which included food, drinks and music, went directly to Pownalls family. Supporters paid $40 each to attend.



During Sundays fundraiser, about a dozen members of Black Lives Matter Pennsylvania as well as the Justice for David Jones Coalition protested outside the FOP building.

"Our dear brother David Jones," Black Lives Matter Pennsylvania leader Asa Khalif shouted via loudspeaker during the protest. "A man that was loved by his family, his friends, and his community. You shot him in the back! And he's dead! And now you have to deal with the consequences! Now you throw a party! You're celebrating killing black people!"

During the protest, more than 30 officers stood outside the FOP Lodge and set up a barrier around the building.



Pownall, a 12-year veteran of the police department, shot David Jones, 30, in the back and buttocks following a struggle back on June 8. Jones later died from his injuries.



Surveillance video shows Jones running away as he's shot. He was stopped for riding a dirt bike on city streets, which is illegal, and police say he reached for a weapon during a scuffle with Pownall.



After an investigation, Philadelphia Police Commissioner Richard Ross announced in September that Pownall was suspended with intent to dismiss.

"There were serious policy violations that were committed  ones that were on video," Ross said during a news conference. "It's not even a question of what someone's perception was versus another's. I saw it. The shooting investigators saw it. And that's where it starts and stops."

Ross said Pownall's first attempt to shoot at Jones was justified under department policy, because it happened right after the struggle with a weapon.

Pownall's gun jammed, and as he fixed it, Jones dropped his gun and fled. He was at least 10 feet away and had his back turned to Pownall when he was shot, Ross said.

While Pownall was suspended, he has not been criminally charged.



Several groups have protested in the weeks following the shooting. In July, protesters marched on the Police Administration Building and City Hall demanding a larger investigation. In August, dozens of activists protested outside of Pownalls home in Northeast Philadelphia and called for his firing and arrest.

During a police rally at the FOP Lodge 5 headquarters on August 31, FOP President John McNesby referred to the activists who protested outside Pownalls home as a pack of rabid animals.

"When you go to work each day, you shouldn't have to worry that a pack of rabid animals will suddenly show up at your home and openly threaten your family," he told the gathered crowd of a couple hundred people, according to WHYY.



McNesby went on to describe the protesters as "racist hate groups determined to instigate violence."

Khalif called McNesbys comments, ridiculous.

"Were not going to dignify that with an answer," Khalif said. "That ridiculous comment doesn't deserve a response. Ill simply say, 'Justice for David Jones.'"

Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney also criticized McNesby's comments.

"Referring to black people as animals has a long, painful history in this country. Fighting divisive words with divisive words gets us nowhere," he told Philadelphia Magazine.

McNesby responded that he never referred to black people in his remarks, and had no idea if protesters were black, white or Asian.

Ross said some of the protests outside the officer's home were "out of bounds."

The Philadelphia Inquirer reports Pownall was involved in another shooting in 2010. In that case, Pownall and other officers fired at Carnell Williams-Carney, who also ran from police after being stopped with an illegal gun. Williams-Carney was struck in the back by a bullet that Pownall later said he fired.

Williams-Carney was paralyzed from his injuries. Pownall and the other officers remained on the job. In a federal civil suit filed by Williams-Carney, a jury ruled in 2013 that the officers were justified in opening fire.
UPDATE (10/17/17): NBC 7 Investigates has learned, with help from the group Saved in America, the teenager is now back home with her family. She was found at the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica October 12.

The Department of Justice estimates at any given time there are 2,500 children missing from San Diego and within 48 hours of going missing, they will be approached by a sex trafficker.

Meet "Saved in America," a group of 18 special warfare operators, using their particular set of skills to bring back children lost to the streets, many sold into sex slavery. NBC 7 Investigates followed the team in their search for a 15-year-old Escondido girl, Seraphine, who ran away in July.

Through the Oregon Department of Corrections, Lane County Court records and a former employer, NBC 7 Investigates verified Seraphine is traveling with a sex offender by the name of Tyler Le-Vesque. He calls himself Tyler Rose and has a large rose tattoo on the left side of his neck. Court records show he has been convicted of the rape and molestation of underage victims.

"We dont know if she has been trafficked," Saved in America Co-founder Joseph Travers said. "We know there have been ads for her."

In their search for Seraphine, three teams from Saved in America drive north to Santa Monica to search the Third Street Promenade, a GoodWill store in the area and Venice Beach. A thinner, darker haired Seraphine was recorded on security cameras at all three places, since her disappearance.

Travers said his team members, called operators are former Navy Seals, British Special Air Service, and American law enforcement members. All are now licensed, private investigators. The group is funded by the Lynch Foundation for Children and other donors, while the operators donate their skills and time.

The team has drawn some critics. While serving as Department of Justice Human Trafficking Task Force Commander, Danny Santiago, said he had concerns about Saved in America tactics.

"We were afraid that since these were special operators, and me myself being a former member of the military, we were afraid they were doing snatch and grabs," he said.

Travers said, "out of 43 recoveries weve never had to touch a child or one of the bad guys. Only one of those operations did anyone even know we were there."

Dave and Maureen Toal's 16-year-old daughter was one of those recovered. She disappeared from their Newport home in January 2016.

Toal said her daughter met up with her friend, who had run away from home a month earlier; the two got in a car with a man who drove them to Los Angeles. After three weeks working with law enforcement but no closer to bringing her home, she said she turned to Saved in America.

"The police are just too overwhelmed," Toal said.

Saved in America launched a website and offered a reward to help find the teen. Within a week the team received a tip, leading them to Toals daughter. Toal said she was found in Compton with suspected gang members.

"To look a mother in the eyes like Maureen and to see just heart when she knows 'I have my child back,' thats our reward," Travers said.

After spending a year in therapy out of state Toals daughter recently returned to her family. She turned 18 years old last week and Toal said her daughter disappeared the next day. There was a note indicating she wanted to start her life over. Toal said she fears she will end up right back from where she was rescued.

Saved in America's search for Seraphine continues. A search of the Promenade did not lead to Seraphine but Travers said searchers did develop a new internet lead and intelligence on the man with whom she is traveling.

According to advocates for missing children, getting them back may be only half the battle. Many trafficked children become drug addicted, they said, some even brainwashed by their handlers and even with treatment they sometimes return to the streets.
A U.S. Navy SEAL died over the weekend in a non-training-related sky diving incident in Southern California, officials confirmed.

Commander Seth A. Stone, 41, died Saturday while sky diving in Perris, California. Stone was assigned to Special Operations Command Pacific and was on leave at the time of his death.

The Naval Special Warfare community is deeply saddened and mourns the tragic loss of one of our best, said Rear Admiral Tim Szymanski, who oversees all Navy SEALS. Seths absence will be sorely felt across the staff, command and the entire special operations community. NSW is a close-knit family, and our primary focus is to provide care and support for Cmdr. Stones family.

Lt. Commander Mark Walton, of the Naval Special Warfare Command public affairs office in Coronado, California, told NBC 7 Stones death was not related to any kind of Naval training exercise.

Stones death is being investigated by law enforcement agencies in Riverside County.

Walton said Stone was assigned to the headquarters staff of Special Operations Command in Hawaii where he developed and provided guidance on current operations and plans.

He had also trained in Coronado over the course of his career.

The highly-decorated combat veteran completed multiple tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. During the Battle of Ramadi in Iraq in 2006, Stone led his team against an enemy force, directing reinforcements, providing cover fire and dragging a critically wounded comrade to safety, the U.S. Navy said. For this, Stone was awarded a second Silver Star.

His awards and decorations also include the Silver Star with Gold Star, Bronze Star with Valor device, Army Commendation Medal with Valor device, Navy Commendation Medal, Navy Achievement Medal and Meritorious Unit Commendation.

As a Navy SEAL Cmdr. Stone epitomized the warrior ethos, risking his life on many occasions in combating our nations enemies, a statement released Monday by the U.S. Navy read. He saved countless U.S. service members and helped bring stability to embattled regions of the world. Outside of the military, he was liked by everyone fortunate enough to cross his path. He made great friendships and found solace in pursuing his passion for surfing and other adventurous activities.

Stone graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, in 1999. His past assignments include Naval Special Warfare Command and the USS Gettysburg (CG-64).

The Navy said Stones military training includes Navy Freefall Parachutist, Basic Underwater Demolitions/SEAL, Survival Evasion Resistance Escape (SERE), Airborne, Special Operations Survival Training, Tomahawk Watch Officer, Basic Aegis Officer Console Operator, Surface Warfare Gunnery and Harpoon Officer.

No further details were released on what lead to Stones death during Saturdays sky diving session.
For at least two months, thieves hit neighborhoods in Fairfax and Loudoun counties. They broke into cars and stole loaded guns and other valuables.

Three men and one juvenile have been charged in these crimes in Loudoun County as of Tuesday, and police in Fairfax County say more arrests will be made soon. An alert neighbor helped end the crime spree.

The rash of overnight car break-ins started in mid-July. In some cases, the cars had been left unlocked; in others, the thieves used bricks to bash in windows. They were after valuables, but especially guns. Once they got those guns, they sometimes fired.

"It was concerning to us," Loudoun County Sheriff Mike Chapman said.

"I think they were after, in particular, anything they could make money off of. And certainly they wanted to go after guns if they could find guns in a car," he continued.

The suspects were finally caught in the Willowsford neighborhood on Sept. 11. A neighbor saw a vehicle with the doors all flung open, so, he called police.

Loudoun County deputies flooded the area, and Fairfax County sent its chopper to help. Finally, after two hours, two young men emerged from the woods and were arrested.

Onan Nunez, 19, of Ashburn; Justin Rubianes, 21, of Reston; and Bryan Sandoval, 19, of Reston have been arrested. A juvenile who police did not name also faces charges.

Court documents show their information led detectives to a townhouse in Reston. There, police seized dozens of stolen items, including guns and ammunition.

In Fairfax County alone, police have 200 items to try to trace back to their owners.

"It's unfortunate that that's how illegal guns are getting onto the streets," Loudoun County resident Dawn Scontras said. She woke up one morning last month to a flood of police on her block, searching for the thieves.

In an effort to track down all the guns, Fairfax County sent its dive team to a pond in Reston last week. News4 shot exclusive video there.

The Loudoun County sheriff said these crimes underscore the need to always lock up your vehicle and keep everything valuable out of sight. Bring guns inside. When that's not possible, lock them in the trunk or in a special safe.
The Department of Justice is investigating allegations of discrimination against Hispanics and African-Americans within the Prince George's County Police Department, Chief Hank Stawinski said in a letter to the community Tuesday.

Some officers say complaints about white officers are handled differently than complaints about officers of color, according to the American Civil Liberties Union.

A 300-page complaint was sent to the U.S. Department of Justice last year. More than 100 county police officers have signed on to the complaint.

Stawinski was notified Saturday of "a pattern and practice investigation into allegations of discrimination against Hispanics and African-Americans in violation of Title VII with respect to their employment in sworn positions on our police department."

"I won't stand for it," Stawinski said in a news conference Tuesday afternoon. "I will not tolerate an unfair work environment I will not tolerate an injustice."

Two officers told reporters at the news conference they filed the complaint alleging discrimination when it comes to transfers and promotions after first trying to resolve the problem with the chief.

"The main reason for the complaint is that we get fair treatment for all officers regardless of race," said Capt. Joe Perez, representing the Hispanic National Law Enforcement Association. "If you look through the country, you see all kinds of race issues. What makes you think we're immune to that here? If you think it doesn't happen here, you're living somewhere else."



Stawinski said he will fully cooperate with the investigation.

"I and the department will cooperate fully and completely with this investigation and will provide any and all requested information to the Civil Rights Division without reservation," the chief wrote in his letter to the community.



Stawinski said he learned in October 2016 of a complaint filed in March 2016.

One particular concern that they raised is that complaints that are filed by the public against officers of color are actually being treated more harshly than complaints that are filed against white officers, ACLU of Maryland Public Policy Director Toni Holness said in February.

The ACLU is working with the officers who filed the complaint. Some of the officers who signed the complaint are retired while others have been fired by the Prince Georges County Police Department.

"As of todays date, neither I nor the department has ever been provided with the complaint," Stawinski wrote. "I do not fault the Department of Justice for this."

The department and the Fraternal Order of Police convened a panel in April to investigate perceptions of the department and make corrections, Stawinski wrote. The panel has met eight times.

The department also began pubishing quarterly discipline reports in June, Stawinski wrote.
Faith leaders gathered at the Washington National Cathedral on Tuesday to remember those lost in the deadly Las Vegas shooting.

The Bourdon Bell pealed 60 times for the 59 victims who died and the gunman, Stephen Paddock, who took his own life as police moved in to stop his rampage on Sunday night. Paddock unleashed hundreds of rounds on a crowd of concertgoers, killing 59 and injuring hundreds more.

Regardless of how we feel about his actions, our faith compels us to ask Gods mercy to be with him, said Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde, with the Episcopal Diocese of Washington.

The faith leaders used the memorial to call for change to law to help save lives and prevent similar tragedies in the future.

To call upon Congress to summon the courage of their conviction to enact common sense legislation, said the Rev. Canon Jan Naylor Cope, with the Washington National Cathedral.

Who will say yes to background checks and no to easily available silencers, said Rabbi Jonah Pesner, with the religious Action Center of Reform Judaism. Who will protect our children.

The scriptures tell us that faith without works is dead, said Budde. Prayers without actions means little.

The often controversial topic of gun control dominated the conversation during the memorial. But even though not everyone agreed with what the leaders said, the faith leaders were convinced that their message will save lives.

Universal background checks, limits on access to semi-automatic weapons and rounds of bullets that can shoot so rapidly, said Budde.
A Maryland couple said Ford agreed to buy back their Explorer after a News4 consumer investigation discovered a carbon monoxide leak.

After toxicologist Albert Donnay found elevated levels of carbon monoxide in Mark and Valentina Shedricks 2016 Explorer a few weeks ago, Ford sent engineers to test and repair it within days.



Ford said their engineers took it out for an "in-vehicle drive evaluation" and tested for carbon monoxide. The Shedricks said the engineers detected carbon monoxide but refused to put the results in writing.

What is it going to take to make a black and white copy with the elevated levels carbon monoxide? Valentina Shedrick asked.

When News4 asked Ford why the engineers wouldn't document the carbon monoxide levels, we were told, "The Ford engineers who investigated the customer's vehicle did not generate a written report. They provided the information from our investigation directly to the customer, verbally.

The response had one car safety expert questioning Ford's motives.

No data, no problem, car safety expert Sean Kane said.

Ford serviced the Shedricks vehicle and took it out for another test drive and found "consistent carbon monoxide readings near zero," which they did document.

When News4 had their vehicle retested by Donnay, he found the same.



Even though the Shedricks' car was repaired and showing no levels of carbon monoxide, they said they don't trust it and refuse to drive it.

I'm still not convinced this vehicle is safe to drive, Valentina Shedrick said.

Tuesday afternoon, the Shedricks called to say Ford has offered to buy back their vehicle.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating more than 2,700 complaints from Ford Explorer owners who say fumes or carbon monoxide is leaking into their SUVs and making them sick.

It's been going on a number of years, Kane said.

Ford continues to say it has "not found carbon monoxide levels in non-police Explorers that present a risk to safety."

There is no federal standard for vehicles for interior cabin air quality, particularly carbon monoxide, Kane said.

In a letter sent to NHTSA, Ford said when it tested several Explorers, it found levels of carbon monoxide well below its own "internal air quality standards."

When News4 asked what those standards are, Ford said, There is no standard specifically for vehicle interiors."

The company went on to say, "Ford references a variety of government standards, guidelines and sources to ensure the safety of our vehicles."

One of those references is the global vehicle interior air quality standard, but several air quality experts told News4 they have never heard of it. Ford declined to provide information about where that standard came from.
The American Civil Liberties Union of the District of Columbia announced that the District of Columbia has agreed to settle a civil rights lawsuit on behalf of Lourdes Ashley Hunter over her arrest in November 2016.

The lawsuit challenged the actions of four Metropolitan Police Department officers who entered her home and arrested her without a warrant. Hunter was arrested in her home following a dispute between Hunter and her neighbors about the level of noise coming from her apartment.

Hunter is the executive director and co-founder of the Trans Women of Color Collective.

Police officers came to the apartment for what they described as an investigation of a possible assault, then entered Hunters apartment without a warrant, according to the ACLU. Hunter said she suffered injuries when officers arrested her.

The U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia declined to prosecute Hunter.

The lawsuit, filed in February, charged that the warrantless home entry and arrest violated the Fourth Amendments protections against unreasonable searches and seizures as well as D.C. law, which prohibits most warrantless arrests for alleged misdemeanors, according to the ACLU.
Police in St. Albans, Vermont released new information on two people found dead over the weekend in an apartment home on Lincoln Avenue.

Police Chief Gary Taylor identified the people discovered late Sunday as 37-year-old Stephen Puro and a woman named 51-year-old Leaf Blouin.

Investigators said Blouin was stabbed multiple times in the neck and torso.

However, they said they do not know how Puro died, saying only that there was no trauma to his body. They also said it appears Puro died after Blouin.

Police said they hope a toxicology report should shed light on Puros death, though noted that could take more than a month.

Investigators said the upstairs apartment was locked from the inside, with no evidence of forced entry, and that the bodies might have been inside for several days before they were discovered.

As NECN reported Monday, the mans family called police after they had not heard from him for several days.

St. Albans police said Stephen Puro had a lengthy criminal record, including charges of domestic violence and aggravated domestic assault, involving different victims.
The family and community of a Massachusetts woman killed in Sunday's shooting rampage in Las Vegas is mourning her death.

Rhonda LeRocque, 42, of Tewksbury, was among the dozens killed in the gunfire that broke out at the Route 91 Harvest Festival at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino on the Las Vegas strip.

LeRocque had traveled to Las Vegas with her husband Jason and their 6-year-old daughter to attend the country music festival. Her husband was not injured, and the child had left the concert with her grandfather shortly before the shooting.

"Jason was right next to her when she fell, he thought she was ducking, he thought she was ducking, but she didn't get up," LeRocque's mother, Priscilla Champagne, told NBC Boston.

A GoFundMe page has been set up by LeRocque's aunt, Gloria Murdock, to help pay for her family's expenses related to her death.

LeRocque was active at Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses in Wilmington.



"I pray for Jason, and his family, for them to rally around each other they will have support from the congregation here," said Gary Nelson, an elder in the church community.

LeRocque's neighbor Maria Mendonca says she is still in shock.

"It's a sad world," Mendonca said.

Tewksbury Town Administrator Mark Kratman says the entire town is rocked by the senseless tragedy.

"We will do whatever we need to do to gather around this family to help them in this time of need," said Kratman.

At least 59 people were slain in Sunday's mass shooting, which also left more than 520 others injured. Investigators say the gunman, identified as 64-year-old Stephen Paddock, died from a self-inflicted gunshot in a room on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay.
Caring for mothers and newborn babies in foreign countries offers some women rare chance to travel

Men Anping, a Beijing-based domestic maternity nurse who cares for mothers and newborn babies, has just agreed another job offer to go to Australia for two months.

In May, she stayed in Sydney for a month to care for a Chinese woman and her newborn baby.

For her new contract in January, she will take care of another Chinese woman giving birth in Sydney. This time, the woman intends to spend two months at home rather than one month, which is usual for Chinese women after giving birth.

Maternity nurses attend a training session in Ji'an, Jiangxi province, in May last year, on how to cook nutritious meals for women who just give birth to a baby. Li Fusun / For China Daily Maternity nurses participate in a baby care competition in Qinyang, Henan province, in April last year. Li Yafeng / For China Daily

"Such trips to a foreign country are beyond my expectations. I was born and raised in a rural area, and didn't anticipate that I could leave the countryside and go to Beijing. Now I am going farther, even abroad," said Men, a 48-year-old from Liaoning province in Northeast China.

Nowadays, with the number of Chinese women giving birth overseas rising, many domestic maternity nurses, like Men, are traveling far afield.

The demand for such services has grown considerably over the past five years.

The domestic services company Youfumama, which first began providing outbound services in 2013, said the number of maternity nurses that went overseas that year was three, and the number has risen to 20 so far this year. Shanghai Xinmu International Domestic Service said the demand for domestic helpers around the world has surged by around 30 percent each year in the past five years.

Clients from Beijing and Shanghai account for more than 80 percent of the total and many of those who invite maternity nurses to undertake overseas assignments are those who plan to give birth to their children abroad, said Man Jinglun, operations manager of Youfumama, which is based in Beijing and has businesses in seven Chinese cities.

Man said the pay for an overseas assignment is at least 20 percent higher than an equivalent assignment at home, for which the pay is no lower than 10,000 ($1,500) in major cities.

"The pay is the same no matter where their destination is and the client has to pay for the domestic helper's round trip air tickets and food," said Man. Given the nature of the work, they stay in the clients' homes.

The agencies give instructions to the domestic maternity nurses about dos and don'ts, the weather and the time difference before departure.

"We will tell them how to deal with unexpected situations. For example, if their purse is stolen. We also advise them to start an international roaming service for their cellphones so that we can get in touch with them," Man said.

Most maternity nurses are happy to accept the opportunity to work abroad.

"First of all, the experience is an advantage. Each ayi has a brief introduction of themselves on our company's website. Such experience means they are likely to be chosen by more clients and get a higher rank and pay from their companies," Man said.

Moreover, it may be an once-in-a-lifetime chance for the domestic helpers to go abroad, as most are from impoverished rural backgrounds.

"For many of them, it may be their first time taking an airplane. In most cases the clients will give them a couple of extra days to travel around at the destination after they finish the work, which is four weeks in most cases," he said.

But still, about 1 in 5 will say no to such an opportunity for reasons such as the concerns that they will not adapt to the local culture.

However, this was not the case for Men, one of her agency's star maternity nurses, she earns 15,800 yuan for each monthlong service.

Men said she applied for a passport when she returned to her home province during the Spring Festival in January. "Some younger colleagues had already obtained such opportunities to go abroad, I wanted to try it as well," she said.

Most of the domestic maternity nurses Youfumama recommends to clients are in their 30s, said Man.

"Although English is not a must, we hope they will be flexible when encountering emergencies. For example, they know how to use a translation app on a smartphone and how to express themselves with body language," he said.

Men said it was her first time taking an airplane. "I was very excited and nervous. I arrived at the airport three hours before the boarding time and was told that the flight was not ready to check in," she said.

The job went smoothly and, after completing the month of work, she had two days to travel around by herself. Men spent one day joining a Chinese tour, including visiting the Sydney Opera House and enjoying a dinner on a cruise around the Sydney Harbor Bridge, and the other day visiting the zoo to see koalas and kangaroos.

The main challenge for maternity nurses overseas is that they don't have the same food ingredients as those in China.

"In China, we traditionally stew soup with crucian carp for new moms, as it ensure the women have enough breast milk for the baby. But such fish is nowhere to be found in Western countries," said Hua Hongmei, a 48-year-old maternity nurse from rural Huai'an, Jiangsu province.

"I encourage my overseas clients to ensure they have some traditional Chinese medicine ingredients available for after they give birth," said Hua, who has been to Australia and the United States to care for mothers and their newborns.

Visa problem

Domestic services agencies said they usually suggest their staff obtain tourist visas for jobs overseas as their work contracts are short term.

"Although some of our ayi are from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the island of Taiwan, and it is easier for them to get a visa to the United States," said Iris Yang, a customer services manager at Shanghai Xinmu International Domestic Service.

Once they obtain a visa, some maternity nurses try to make the best use of it by working sequential contracts for different families in different US cities or working in local postpartum care centers until their visa expires.

However, some companies said they don't covet the overseas demand for maternity nurses because it can be hard for their staff to get a visa. One of these is Domo, an agency for domestic workers based in Shanghai.

"It's usually easier for an ayi, who is a local Shanghainese, to get a visa but she usually asks for a higher pay and it's hard for the ayi and the client to reach an agreement," said a supervisor at Domo who only gave her surname as Luo.

zhouwenting@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 10/03/2017 page8)
A new agreement between one of New Englands most famous consumer brands and advocates for migrant farmworkers aims to improve working conditions and human rights for farm laborersregardless of their citizenship status.

Chanting, Yes, its possible in Spanish, migrant farmworkers and their supporters cheered a new agreement with Ben & Jerrys signed Tuesday afternoon on Burlington, Vermonts Church Street Marketplace.

The deal, said to be the first of its type in the nations dairy industry, is a worker-driven program called Milk With Dignity.

This is a watershed momenta historic moment, Thelma Gomez, a leader of the nonprofit advocacy group Migrant Justice, said through an interpreter. A wonderful dayand Im so proud of my community, for having achieved this and for coming together to create this tremendous step forward.

Migrant Justice has been pushing for the program for several years, even hosting protests which NECN covered earlier this year. Ben & Jerrys said from the beginning, it was aligned with Migrant Justice on the concepts of the program, but how to execute the goals remained tricky.

While many specifics were kept confidential, under Milk With Dignity, the ice cream giant will call on its northeast milk suppliers to collaborate with farm workers on improving conditions like better housing, wages, and safety initiatives. They will also launch a conflict resolution council.

Many Vermont dairy producers rely on migrant farmhands who came to this country without U.S. government permission, often from Mexico. Some of those workers have complained farms can be exploitative, demanding extremely long work weeks and not always offering paid sick days or access to safety training.

But following the new Milk With Dignity pledge, Ben & Jerrys will send farms incentive payments when they promise to improve labor standards and treatment of employees, regardless of citizenship.

No, the price of ice cream is not going to go up, said Jostein Solheim, the CEO of Ben & Jerrys. This is a cost we have to absorb in our system. That is part of doing business with a values-led business model.

Solheim predicted that eventually, the concept will spread to other aspects of the countrys food system, which most agree couldnt function the way it does today without undocumented workers.

We really believe this is going to travel, the executive told necn. This is going to travel across the nation.

This is just the first step, said Migrant Justice community leader Enrique Balcazar, through an interpreter. Were here celebrating today together, and we are committing ourselves to keep pushing forward.

Migrant Justice said it hopes to take the concept to other food producers and encourage its expansion elsewhere.

Solheim said it may take a few years, but eventually, he wants to get to 100 percent participation from dairy farmers in the Ben & Jerrys supply chain here in the northeast.
A man who was seen running around in the area of a Massachusetts elementary school making threats and carrying knives is now safely in custody.

Police in Medford responded to a report of a suspicious individual shortly before noon on Tuesday. They said the man was running around a neighborhood threatening people on foot and in cars with knives.

The man made his way to the area of Willis and Hicks avenues where he was confronted by a Medford police officer. That officer called for help, and additional officers responded.

The man was ultimately apprehended in the area of Columbus Elementary School when an officer jumped on him as police were negotiating with him. Officers moved in quickly and disarmed and handcuffed the man.

The situation forced the school into lockdown right around lunchtime. Parents received a robocall from the district and many of them rushed to the school.

Police said at no time were any children or school personnel in harm's way.



"The worst," parent Taylor Dolfi said. "Especially with what happened in Las Vegas. I heard the helicopters coming over my house."

Police surrounded the suspicious man, who was found to be carrying three knives.

"He was carrying knives and making threatening statements to himself and others he was encountering along the way," Medford Police Chief Leo Sacco said.

School Superintendent Roy Belson said school safety drills helped prepare students and staff for the situation.

"The school did what they had to do and informed parents," he said. "Some were obviously more emotional about the situation."

Right now, police said the suspect is not behind bars, but at an area hospital. He will receive mental health treatment and may face criminal charges at a later date.
State biologists in Vermont are encouraged about new findings from a survey into a struggling wild animal species.

A year ago, NECN reported how Vermonts Fish & Wildlife Department was concerned a colony of little brown bats might have been harmed or displaced when a fire destroyed a covered bridge in Cornwall where the animals roosted for part of the year.

Vermont lists the little brown bat as endangered.

Now, biologist Alyssa Bennett, who led the project, tells necn her study has found most of the colony appears to have been successful finding new homes near the former bridge.

Bennett credited bat boxes recently installed by The Nature Conservancy, a non-profit environmental organization, and by the Vermont Agency of Transportation, with giving the animals places to settle.

She said she counted bats coming and going from the new boxes, and the number was very close to the figure estimated to have previously lived in the crevices of the bridge.

Bennett noted that the fire, which destroyed the bridge connecting Cornwall and Salisbury on September 10, 2016, would have been far more destructive to the bat population had it broken out earlier in the summerwhen bats would have been more likely to be inside it with their young.

Biologists say the little brown bat plays an important role in the ecosystem, helping control the mosquito population. However, they have been dying in large numbers across much of the country in recent years, due to a fungal disease called White Nose Syndrome.
Regular columnist Philip Young urges us to offer One Love as we face up to the disasters that frequently beset our planet.

I dont know about you, but I am feeling a bit bashed about by events so far this year. We are living in very uncertain and unstable times and we are in need of finding some hope and stability amongst the turbulence disturbing us.



I am worried that the United Kingdom is not very united and that many people are suffering from a general mood of depression and lack of vision for the future.



In our country this year we have had a number of tragic terrorist attacks including those on Westminster Bridge on March 22nd, the Manchester Arena on May 22nd, the London Bridge attack on June 19th and the more recent bucket bomb at Parsons Green on the Underground on September 15th.



On June 14th we woke up to the distressing news of the Grenfell Tower fire disaster. It has left many of us suspecting that the events were linked somehow to the unfair way that the poor and disadvantaged are treated. Questions remain unanswered and we have yet to see if the enquiry will face up squarely to the questions raised about social justice.



World events also have had the effect of making us feel vulnerable and bashed about. Extreme weather in Bangladesh and South Asia with the consequent flooding compounded by the influx of Rohingya refugees fleeing persecution from Myanmar. Then two hurricanes Irma and Maria bringing devastation to parts of the Caribbean and other Islands and Florida too. As if that wasnt enough we then heard of the earthquakes in Mexico and further destruction and loss of life.



I believe there is an appropriate response to this turmoil, and all the rest that could be mentioned, and that is the message of ONE LOVE that came out loudly and clearly after the Manchester tragedy.



The above turmoil can help us wake up to the fact that we are all connected to one another and that none of us is immune from suffering disaster. In all these events it is our brother and sister human beings who suffer and who are in need of our love and help.



Love is also the central message of the Christian Faith and the higher message of all that is good in religion. Where there is hate or terror spread in the name of religion then we have to strongly state this is not a grown up or a mature religion.



In response to disasters we can see human beings at their best. We see the police and emergency services running towards danger and putting the safety of others above their own. We see communities coming together and deciding that ONE LOVE is an appropriate response. We see ordinary Mexicans coming together with the emergency teams to search in the rubble for survivors.



We need to capture and to spread this human and divine energy.



Saint Paul encourages us to have the same mind that was in Christ Jesus (Philippians 2 vv1-11). Jesus is sometimes called the man for others because he cared deeply for each one of us and particularly had time for those who were poor, disabled and disadvantaged. He had the mind of ONE LOVE.



A tragedy usually has the consequence of destroying things and pulling people apart. It is disintegrating and disabling. Death disintegrates people or literally they are even blown apart. It leaves the bereaved with lives torn apart, never to be the same again.



Our best human response is to offer ONE LOVE, which is in touch with the divine love of God. This can be in the form of aid and help to victims of disaster. It can be in the response of the community coming together to offer practical help along with loving care. In the case of Grenfell Tower we need to respond so that, in future, corners are not cut when housing is provided for the less well off.



ONE LOVE needs to be our creed and our philosophy to build a more peaceful and stable world. War will cease when we see each other as brothers and sisters living together in one world.



As I write these words the world looks very unstable as the United States and North Korea threaten each other with ever more provocative words and military maneuvers. War in North Korea would be a huge disaster and we need all the power of ONE LOVE to avoid it.



Every act of ONE LOVE has the power of being creative by bringing people together and helping us to realise that we are all connected. So we must encourage one another to practice ONE LOVE every moment of every day. Each small act of kindness and love does make a difference and can have a multiplying influence.



I came across this wonderful quote from Jimi Hendrix recently that said,

When the power of love overcomes the love of power the world will know peace



Love is powerful. Love is the answer when it comes to lifting us out of a general mood of depression and it can give us a vision for the future.



Imagine a world where love is put at the centre of all that we do. We will continue to have disasters, as that is the way it is. If these disasters can draw out of us the response of ONE LOVE then we can build a better world-



A world that is in touch with God, the source of all love, for, God is love.



The image above is courtesy of https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons







Philip is an Anglican, Quaker, and a member of the Third Order of Franciscans. He now lives in Felixstowe. Until July 2014 he was the Diocesan Environmental Officer for the Norwich Diocese. In June 2017 he stood as an Independent Candidate for the General Election in the Suffolk Coastal Constituency. He is now a freelance writer on spiritual and political matters. He is available to run Quiet Days, give talks, presentations or to preach and can be contacted at philipyoung@btinternet.com

The views carried here are those of the author, not of Network Norfolk, and are intended to stimulate constructive and good-natured debate between website users.

We welcome your thoughts and comments, posted below, upon the ideas expressed here.


New light shed on Norwich mystery of wartime heroine New light shed on Norwich mystery of wartime heroine

New light has been shone on the mystery Norwich home of World War Two heroine Elsie Tilney, who rescued Jews from the Nazis, following an appeal on the Network Norfolk website.

Prof Philippe Sands, QC, a London barrister and leading human rights lawyer, who describes Elsies extraordinary story in his international best-seller, East West Street, on the origins of genocide and crimes against humanity, asked for help in finding her Norwich home.



Prof Sands' mother, Ruth, as a year-old baby, was rescued by Elsie Tilney, a Christian missionary, 78 years ago, from Nazi-occupied Vienna and reunited her with her father Leon in Paris.



There, Elsie handed the baby over to Leon, quickly writing her name and Norwich address in pencil on a scrap of paper, two inches square. It said simply: Miss E.M.Tilney, Menuka, Blue Bell Road, Norwich, Angleterre.



For more than 60 years, the babys father, Leon, treasured that slip of paper. After Leon died, the yellowing paper fell out of an old suitcase as Prof Sands was researching his family history. For two years, the scrap of paper hung above his desk as he sometimes wondered about the person who wrote it.



Now, after our online appeal, two Norwich historians have come up with vital clues to the mystery address, which no longer exists.



Surrey Chapel historian Dr Rosamunde Codling believes she has located the site of Menuka. She said: After working on various Surrey Chapel documents, combined with research at the Forum Local History section, I discovered that the house was near the Eaton end of Bluebell Road and was demolished to enable the Cringleford bypass to be built in 1975.
WASHINGTON - As the United States reeled from the deadliest mass shooting it has ever seen, politicians in Washington on Monday offered condolences and vowed thorough investigation into the tragedy.

US President Donald Trump tweeted early morning after being briefed on the shooting, "My warmest condolences and sympathies to the victims and families of the terrible Las Vegas shooting. God bless you!"

Hours after the tweet Trump appeared on television and delivered a somber remark, calling the shooting "an act of pure evil."

"In memory of the fallen, I have directed that our great flag be flown at half-staff," Trump said in a televised statement.

Following his order, flags around Washington D.C. including in the national mall, can be seen flying at half-mast.

Trump also announced a visit to the wounded city on Wednesday "to meet with law enforcement, first responders and the families of the victims," following his scheduled visit to the hurricane devastated island of Puerto Rico Tuesday.

In the afternoon, Trump and the first lady led a moment of silence on the White House south lawn, in remembrance of those unfortunate.

The sentiment was shared on Capitol Hill, as multiple members of Congress also offered their sympathies.

"We are with you during this time. The whole country stands united in our shock, in our condolences, and in our prayers," House Speaker Paul Ryan said in a statement.

Amid the condolences questions are quickly being raised on gun control, a recurring debate in the United States that followed each mass shooting the country has recently seen.

When asked about whether the administration is considering gun regulation reform, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said in a press briefing Monday that it was too early for such discussions.

"Today is a day for consoling the survivors, and mourning those we lost...there's a time and place for a political debate, but now is the time to unite as a country," an emotional Sanders told the briefing.

"There is currently an open and ongoing law enforcement investigation. A motive is yet to be determined. And it would be premature for us to discuss policy when we don't fully know all the facts, or what took place last night," she said.

"I think that there will be, certainly, time for that policy discussion to take place. But that's not the place that we're in at this moment," she added.

Despite the hesitation from the White House, left-wing politicians unanimously called for more gun regulations.

Hillary Clinton, the Democrat's presidential nominee in 2016, launched a pointed attack against the National Rifle Association (NRA), a major lobby group for gun rights.

"Imagine the deaths if the shooter had a silencer, which the NRA wants to make easier to get," she said, adding "our grief isn't enough. We can and must put politics aside, stand up to the NRA, and work together to try to stop this from happening again."

Her voice was echoed by Democratic Senator from the state of Connecticut Chris Murphy, whose constituency saw the tragic Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in 2012 which killed 28 people, including 20 children.

"This must stop. It is positively infuriating that my colleagues in Congress are so afraid of the gun industry that they pretend there aren't public policy responses to this epidemic," he said in a statement.

Murphy pointed out that the number of mass shootings in the US so far this year has averaged more than once a day.
'The children involved are likely to be scarred for life.'

A TADLEY man who was part of a global audience who watched a four-year-old girl being sexually abused live on the internet has avoided jail.

Gareth Gascoigne-Leopold  who was living at Rectory Lane  was one of six people from the UK who logged into the online forum while the abuse was streamed live for a global audience in December 2015.

Sentencing him on September 29 at Lewes Crown Court, Judge Recorder Swirsky told Gascoigne-Leopold: The images you watched were vile and the children involved are likely to be scarred for life.

Gascoigne-Leopold was sentenced to five years in prison  suspended for two years and made subject to a 10-year sexual harm prevention order.

He was also ordered to attend a rehabilitation course and receive internet sex offenders treatment.

The 35-year-old was arrested as he landed at Gatwick airport while returning from Spain in December 2016.

He was charged on July 4 with intentionally encouraging and/or assisting the commission of an offence, possessing an extreme pornographic image, possessing an indecent photograph/ pseudo-photograph and possessing a prohibited image of a child.

His arrest forms part of a wider National Crime Agency (NCA)-led investigation into the streaming of child sexual abuse through an online video conferencing platform.

The NCA said that people are utilising the platform to stream the live and pre-recorded sexual abuse of child victims and also to share and view indecent imagery.

Graham Ellis from the NCAs Child Exploitation and Online Protection Command said: The abuse this little girl suffered was unimaginable. That it was also streamed live around the world makes it even more horrific.

The individuals who were logged into the forum to watch this abuse thought they would remain anonymous. But they thought wrong  there is no hiding place.

Using all the powers and means available to us, we will identify and locate those who seek to exploit children for their own sexual pleasure and bring them to justice.

The girl, from Denmark, has since been identified and safeguarded by authorities and the offender arrested.

Five other people from the UK identified at the same time as Gascoigne-Leopold have been arrested, and are now at various stages of the criminal justice system.
...and this time, defendant was almost three time the alcohol limit

A MOTORIST from Donnington had drunk almost three times the legal limit when he was caught behind the wheel.

And it was not the first time Gary William Hayes had committed a similar offence, Reading magistrates heard.

Helen Gambrill, prosecuting, said concerned members of the public alerted police to the fact that the 62-year-old, of Alexandria Cottages, Castle Lane, was putting the public at risk by driving.

Tests subsequently showed 306mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood in Mr Hayes system.

The legal limit is 107mg.

Mr Hayes had denied being in charge of a Peugeot 207 in Castle Lane, Donnington, on April 15.

But he failed to attend his trial and was convicted in his absence.

Mr Hayes also has a previous conviction for drink-driving in 2014, the court heard.

Steve Molloy, defending, told a sentencing hearing on Friday, September 15, that his client had not intentionally missed his trial, but had got his dates mixed up.

In addition, said Mr Molloy, Mr Hayes suffers from mobility problems.

He added: In fact, he is in very poor health. He has had two knee replacements and he suffers from gout.

Mr Molloy said he did not believe his client would benefit from an alcohol treatment programme.

District judge Shomond Khan pointed out: This is quite a high reading and he has a previous conviction... arguably, this crosses the custody threshold.

However, after considering a probation report, Mr Khan did not impose an immediate custodial sentence. Instead he sentenced him to six weeks imprisonment, suspended for 12 months.

Mr Hayes was ordered to pay 200 costs, plus a statutory victim services surcharge of 115 and he was banned from driving for four years.
World-leading Xtrac planning major growth in business and people

A MAJOR expansion of a world leading Thatcham-based company is on the horizon following a multi-million pound buyout.

Designer and manufacturer of high-performance transmissions for the motorsport and automotive industry, Xtrac, has been acquired by funds managed by Inflexion Private Equity.

Xtrac, based in Gables Way, supplies most of the worlds top motorsport teams, from MotoGP to Formula 1.

Inflexion, which invests equity of 10m to 150m, said it was backing Xtracs well-established management team, who will remain with the business.

The buyout was announced on Monday and will signal expansion plans for the companys Thatcham premises.

The investment will help fuel Xtracs rapidly-growing high-performance road car division and increase its team of 330 in the UK and its hub in Indianapolis.

Managing director of Xtrax, Adrian Moore, told the that the mothership is here in Thatcham and that the company wanted to help put the UK at the forefront of automotive technology for hybrid hyper cars and electric vehicles.

He said: With this investment we are planning to grow the business.

We have been growing in the last few years anyway, but this additional support will keep that growth building.

Most importantly we invest in our people we will continue to invest in our people and machinery.

The funding will support the extension of Xtracs factory and purchase of additional world-class machinery, accelerating the development of the next generation of high-end automotive transmission systems and advancing its capabilities in hybrid and electric vehicles.

Mr Moore, said: We are proud of the leading global business Xtrac is today; persistent innovation and exceptional customer service remain our highest priorities.

Inflexion shares our values; its investment will accelerate our ambitious growth strategy, developing the next generation of high-end automotive transmission systems and expanding our coverage of the high-performance hybrid and electric car transmission market.

This partnership with Inflexion supports Xtracs ethos of employee ownership, and our team look forward to a new chapter in the continuing development and growth of our company.

Xtrac sees strong earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation growth, with more than 80 per cent of its revenue generated through exports, in particular for high-performance automotive applications including hybrids and electric vehicles.

Managing partner at Inflexion, Simon Turner, said: We are backing a highly-experienced management team with serious ambition.

Xtrac is a truly exciting business, leading its market with superior design capabilities and a blue-chip global client base.

We bring experience from across the specialist engineering sector with businesses such as Shimtech and Aspen Pumps, and an extensive track record in growing teams to promote sustainable growth.

We are delighted to partner with the Xtrac team.

The Inflexion deal team comprised John Harper and Henry Arundel, both of whom will join the board at acquisition.
Chinese fashion designer Chen Xuzhi is preparing to reveal his latest collection  inspired by the female soldiers of the Mexican revolution.

Chen, who graduated from a design school in London, will present his Spring/Summer 2018 collection at this month's Shanghai Fashion Week.

The London-based designer runs his Xu Zhi luxury Chinese label which is known for its contemporary attitude to both aesthetic and craftsmanship.

He says his latest collection has been inspired by Las Soldaderas, the female fighters who fought with the federal and rebel armies of the Mexican Revolution.

"In the process of research, we found this interesting contrast among these women, both personality-wise and outfit-wise" Chen said. "Many would still wear floral Mexican folklore dresses to go to the war and often appear to be both fragile and strong-minded at the same time; something I'm always trying to create and shape within the Xu Zhi women image."

Chen focuses on textiles and details to create an impression of movement. He experimented with new techniques and fabrics, such as multi-frayed dresses, which he said is challenging at times.

"Continuing with our signature braiding, Xu Zhi this season also adds a lot of new materials and techniques, such as pleating and lace-weaving, or what we would call the artificial braiding effect," Chen said.

"We want to create the effect of clothes as the body's armor," he added. "So a lot of metallic fabrics were embedded into the looks."

Chen was a semi-finalist last year in the LVMH Prize and Asia finalist for the International Woolmark Prize.

He recent catwalk presentation in the Teatro Armani in Milan was described as a "polished, tightly edited show" by Women's Wear Daily magazine.

Born in China and trained in women's wear design at Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design in London, Chen's graduate collection helped establish his signature technique of yarn and embroidery.

He has since shown his designs at shows in London, Paris, Milan and China.
By Express News Service

KOCHI: The Kerala High Court today granted bail to Malayalam actor Dileep, behind bars for 85 days in connection with the abduction and sexual assault of a South Indian actress.

A few hours later, he walked out of the Aluva sub-jail, waving and blowing kisses to his fans, who had gathered in large numbers.

Justice Sunil Thomas imposed stringent conditions while granting bail to 49-year-old Dileep and said he should not tamper with evidence.

Dileep should surrender his passport, deposit a bail bond of Rs one lakh and two solvent sureties for the like amount besides appear before investigating officers as and when required, the court said.

It also said he should not influence or threaten the victim or witness by any means including words expressed through print and electronic media.

In the event of Dileep violating any of the conditions of his bail, the court said it shall be open to the magistrate to take steps in that regard, including cancellation of bail after notice.

Police had a tough time controlling the crowd which had thronged the premises since afternoon soon after hearing about the high court granting him bail.

The fans distributed sweets and flowers and garlanded a huge cut-out of the actor near the sub-jail.

This was the fifth time that Dileep has approached a court for bail.

Four bail pleas filed by Dileep were earlier rejected --twice each in a magistrate court at Angamaly and the high court.

Since the investigation against Dileep was in the final stages, his further custody was not necessary, the court held.

The police have claimed that a conspiracy to abduct and assault the actress in a moving car and film the act was hatched by Dileep.

During his 85-day incarceration, he was permitted to come out of the jail only for few hours on September 6 to enable him to perform certain rituals in connection with his father's death anniversary.

WATCH | Fans cheer as Dileep granted bail in Malayalam actress molestation case

Dileep's actress-wife Kavya Madhavan had also been questioned by investigating officers and fearing arrest she had moved the high court for anticipatory bail, last month.

However, after police gave assurance in the court that she will not be arrested, it was dismissed.

Dileep's friend and director Nadirshah had also been extensively questioned by investigating officers.

His anticipatory bail plea is coming up before the high court tomorrow.

Six persons, including key accused Pulsar Suni, were arrested in connection with the actress abduction case.

Read the bail order here:

The actress, who has worked in Tamil and Telugu films, was abducted and allegedly molested inside her car for two hours by the accused, who had forced their way into the vehicle on February 17 night and later escaped in a busy area.

Following his imprisonment, the release of Dileep's multi-crore film "Ram Leela" had been held up several times, but it hit theatres last Friday and is running to packed houses across the state.

Dileep was given a warm welcome by his mother, wife Kavya, daughter Meenkashi and other members of his family when he reached home.

Many members of the Malayalam film fraternity expressed happiness at the actor being granted bail.

KOCHI: The Kerala High Court today granted bail to Malayalam actor Dileep, behind bars for 85 days in connection with the abduction and sexual assault of a South Indian actress. A few hours later, he walked out of the Aluva sub-jail, waving and blowing kisses to his fans, who had gathered in large numbers. Justice Sunil Thomas imposed stringent conditions while granting bail to 49-year-old Dileep and said he should not tamper with evidence. Dileep should surrender his passport, deposit a bail bond of Rs one lakh and two solvent sureties for the like amount besides appear before investigating officers as and when required, the court said. It also said he should not influence or threaten the victim or witness by any means including words expressed through print and electronic media. In the event of Dileep violating any of the conditions of his bail, the court said it shall be open to the magistrate to take steps in that regard, including cancellation of bail after notice. Police had a tough time controlling the crowd which had thronged the premises since afternoon soon after hearing about the high court granting him bail. The fans distributed sweets and flowers and garlanded a huge cut-out of the actor near the sub-jail. This was the fifth time that Dileep has approached a court for bail. Four bail pleas filed by Dileep were earlier rejected --twice each in a magistrate court at Angamaly and the high court. Since the investigation against Dileep was in the final stages, his further custody was not necessary, the court held. The police have claimed that a conspiracy to abduct and assault the actress in a moving car and film the act was hatched by Dileep. During his 85-day incarceration, he was permitted to come out of the jail only for few hours on September 6 to enable him to perform certain rituals in connection with his father's death anniversary. WATCH | Fans cheer as Dileep granted bail in Malayalam actress molestation case Dileep's actress-wife Kavya Madhavan had also been questioned by investigating officers and fearing arrest she had moved the high court for anticipatory bail, last month. However, after police gave assurance in the court that she will not be arrested, it was dismissed. Dileep's friend and director Nadirshah had also been extensively questioned by investigating officers. His anticipatory bail plea is coming up before the high court tomorrow. Six persons, including key accused Pulsar Suni, were arrested in connection with the actress abduction case. Read the bail order here: The actress, who has worked in Tamil and Telugu films, was abducted and allegedly molested inside her car for two hours by the accused, who had forced their way into the vehicle on February 17 night and later escaped in a busy area. Following his imprisonment, the release of Dileep's multi-crore film "Ram Leela" had been held up several times, but it hit theatres last Friday and is running to packed houses across the state. Dileep was given a warm welcome by his mother, wife Kavya, daughter Meenkashi and other members of his family when he reached home. Many members of the Malayalam film fraternity expressed happiness at the actor being granted bail.
PLA Navy frigates Yangzhou and Huanggang make a port call at London's Canary Wharf at the start of a five-day goodwill visit. [Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]

After visiting the Belgian port of Antwerp and making a stop in Denmark, naval frigates from the 26th Escort Task Group of the People's Liberation Army Navy berthed at London's Canary Wharf on Monday at the start of a five-day goodwill visit to the United Kingdom.

The visit, which Liu Xiaoming, China's ambassador to the UK, described as history-making in the realm of China-Britain military relations, is expected to offer the British public and its military the chance to see first-hand China's growing military strength and its unremitting contribution to world peace.

Senior Captain Wang Zhongcai, who is also the fleet commander, said the ships will be open to the British public so people can get a better understanding of China and its Navy. Wang said there will also be a number of deck receptions for special guests.

The Chinese and British navies will also hold a joint humanitarian rescue symposium on Thursday.

Liu said the visit will strengthen China-UK bilateral ties and relations between the two navies and consolidate strategic mutual trust between both nations.

"This year is the 45 anniversary of the ambassadorial-level diplomatic relationship between China and the UK, and the 90th anniversary of the founding of the People's Liberation Army," Liu said. "This visit by the Chinese Navy fleet will leave its mark in the history of our military-to-military exchanges and state-to-state relations."

He added that the visit can also be seen as reaffirming China's commitment to world peace.

"The Chinese military has been an active contributor to UN peacekeeping missions, it has made significant contributions to world peace and stability, and has proven to the world with its actions that China is a strong force for world peace," Liu said.

The Chinese Navy has dispatched 26 escort task force convoys since 2008, consisting of more than 70 ships that have escorted convoys in the Gulf of Aden and off Somalia. They have guaranteed the safe passage of more than 6,300 international ships.

And in more general terms, the Chinese military had participated in at least 24 UN peacekeeping missions worldwide as of June 2017, dispatching more than 31,000 peacekeepers. Thirteen of them lost their lives in the line of duty.

The latest visit is the fourth to the UK by the Chinese Navy since 2001. British Royal Navy vessels have paid eight visits to China.

Rear Admiral Alex Burton, Commander United Kingdom Maritime Forces, said such bilateral military exchanges reflect the lengthy, strong and close relationship between the nations.

"We have both confronted common challenges: counter-piracy, natural disasters and peacekeeping. The need to work in partnership, as we have done for so many years, to find common solutions to these challenges, is way more important today," he said.

The 26th Escort Task Group departed from the naval port of Zhoushan, in East China's Zhejiang province, in April.

It will make a port call in France after its visit to the British capital.

The 26th Escort Task Group is part of China's ongoing effort to safeguard international nautical routes. It comprises the missile-carrying frigates Huanggang and Yangzhou and the comprehensive supply ship Gaoyouhu, as well as ship-borne helicopters.

According to previous media reports, it is the first time that three Chinese naval vessels have conducted convoy duties together in the Gulf of Aden and waters off Somalia.

Because of the nation's deepening reforms, the PLA has embraced a more open and proactive attitude toward interacting with the public wherever missions take place.

Naval Task Group 150 of the People's Liberation Army Navy started a four-day stop at the Greek port of Piraeus on July 23, during which people could take a close look at the vessels and interact with members of the Chinese Navy.

The group departed from Shanghai on April 23 and conducted maritime training. The group also made goodwill visits to Asia, Europe, Africa, and Oceania, said Rear Admiral Shen Hao, Commander of the Chinese Navy Fleet.
PCD captures Division IV girls soccer title as Rogers comes up short

When the final horn sounded the Knights raced toward their keeper Sarah Howe and the celebration was on. It was a sweet win, one the Knights earned.
Champaign, IL (61820)

Today

Variable clouds with snow showers. Low around 30F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 80%. Snow accumulations less than one inch..

Tonight

Variable clouds with snow showers. Low around 30F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 80%. Snow accumulations less than one inch.
Allahabad: Bahujan Samaj Party leader Rajesh Yadav was shot dead near the Tarachand hostel of Allahabad University on Monday night. Soon after, BSP supporters went on a rampage on Tuesday morning and burnt public vehicles, protesting against the state police.

Scores of BSP workers took to the streets this morning, ransacking roadways buses and damaging public property while shouting slogans against the police, for failing to protect the BSP leader.

A group of journalists also came under fire and sustained injuries in the clashes. However, police say, the situation is now under control.

According to Yadavs family, the BSP leader had gone out with a friend, who is a doctor, late in the night on Monday. They were later informed of his death due to bullet injuries.

The family members found his body at this doctor friends hospital. According to sources, Yadavs friend took him to the hospital when he was shot. However, he was already dead by then.

Police have lodged a case and are trying to identify the culprits.

Rajesh Kumar Yadav had contested the last Vidhan Sabha elections from the Jaunpur seat of Bhadohi district.
New Delhi: Honeypreet Insaan, 'adopted daughter' of Ram Rahim Singh, said the allegations about her relationship with Dera Sacha Sauda chief are baseless.

In an interview to News24, Honeypreet said that she will surrender after legal advice. This came amid reports that she will surrender by Wednesday.

I have full faith in the judiciary, I will approach the Punjab and Haryana High Court, she said. Breaking her silence on the issue, Honeypreet questioned why people are tarnishing a father-daughter relationship. Why are they flinging such malicious charges. Cant a father love his daughter, cant a father touch his daughter lovingly? she said.

Honeypreet Insans former husband Vishwas Gupta had alleged that he had caught Ram Rahim having sex with Honeypreet. He claimed his ex-wife used to sleep in the gufa at the Dera Sacha Sauda headquarters in Sirsa.

Honeypreet slept in Ram Rahim's bed and had sex with him too. I saw her naked with Baba, he said, adding that Ram Rahim would ask him to stay out of his room while she was inside with him and warned him to not tell anyone about it.

Quashing reports that she had fled to Nepal, Honeypreet said that she had never left the country. I was shocked when a look-out notice was issued against me. I never fled anywhere, was just waiting for the right legal advice.

On September 27, the Delhi High Court had rejected the transit anticipatory bail plea of Honeypreet, facing charges of sedition and inciting violence.

The court said she was not entitled to any discretionary relief as she has been evading arrest since the violence that had erupted after the conviction of the Dera chief on August 25, claiming 41 lives and leaving scores injured.

Transit anticipatory bail application is meant to seek protection against arrest. In this case, Honeypreet had sought protection from arrest during her transit from Delhi to Haryana to join the probe in the sedition case.

In the bail plea moved by her lawyer on Monday, Honeypreet has claimed that my father Ram Rahim has been falsely implicated. The plea also alleged that Honeypreet was facing threat to life from drug mafias in Punjab and Haryana.

A court in Panchkula had issued arrest warrants against Honeypreet, whose real name is Priyanka Taneja, Aditya Insan and Pawan Insan. The Haryana Police had sounded an international alert against all three.

Honeypreet, in her mid-30s, is on the run since August 25, hours after Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was convicted. She has been the closest aide of Ram Rahim since 2009. The police is on her trail for nearly a month and raids have been conducted in Nepal, Rajasthan, Bihar and Haryana.

Honeypreet, who used to claim that she was Ram Rahim's "adopted daughter", starred as the main heroine in five films he directed, produced and acted in, in three years. Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh has been sentenced to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of over Rs 30 lakh.
New Delhi: Karnataka Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy has said that the killers of journalist Gauri Lankesh have been identified.

We know the killers but cant go public because we need more proof, he said. Reddy refused to divulge more details saying that the investigation is ongoing.

The 55-year-old, who was the editor of a Kannada weekly and a fierce critic of right-wing organisations, was shot dead at her house in Bengaluru on September 5. The murder led to widespread speculation that she was targeted by right-wing organisations.

The Karnataka government had formed a Special Investigation Team to probe the murder. The state government also announced a reward of Rs 10 lakh for anyone who can help the police nab Lankesh's killers.

The BJP has demanded a CBI probe, saying the Congress-led state government may not be able to handle the investigation.

The state organised Lankesh's funeral with full state honours.

CCTV footage showed the suspected killer recceing the senior journalists house twice on the day of the killing. Sources said the recce was allegedly done outside Lankesh's home once at 3 pm and then again at 7 pm by a person wearing a white shirt and a black helmet and riding a scooter.

CCTV footage showed the person passing by her home at 3 pm, taking a U-turn at the end of the road and turning back towards the house again. He repeated the manoeuvre at 7 pm, just an hour before the murder.

Sources said he reached the spot again at 8:05 pm, accosted Lankesh when she got in through the small gate to open the big one to let her car in and shot at her. The journalist made a desperate move towards her house but then collapsed seconds later in a pool of blood.
New Delhi: Haryana Police have finally taken custody of Honeypreet Insan, Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singhs adopted daughter on Tuesday, after a month-long chase. Honeypreet, in her mid-30s, was on the run since August 25, hours after Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was convicted in two rape cases.

Stay tuned for LIVE updates:

Read all the Latest News , Breaking News , watch Top Videos and Live TV here.
Chandigarh: Honeypreet Insan, the 'adopted daughter' of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, on Tuesday came out of hiding after being on the run for over a month and was arrested by the Haryana Police.

The 36-year-old, whose real name is Priyanka Taneja, had gone missing soon after large-scale violence broke out in Panchkula following the conviction of Ram Rahim in a rape case a little more than a month ago.

Although the police had been unable to track her down, she appeared in interviews on two TV channels on Tuesday morning. Hours later, she was taken into custody by the police.

Confirming the arrest, Haryana DGP BS Sandhu said she was picked up from the Zirakpur-Patiala highway near Chandigarh. Panchkula police commissioner AS Chawla said she is being taken to Panchkula and will be produced before a magistrate on Wednesday.

Honeypreet was top of the list of 43 people who were wanted by Haryana police in connection with the Panchkula violence that left 41 people dead. She has been accused of inciting the mob of Dera supporters to riot after Ram Rahim was pronounced guilty as well as trying to help the Dera chief escape after he was sent to jail.

Her role in the violence will be probed... who provided her shelter or support during her run from police will also be produced. She will be produced before a court (in Panchkula) tomorrow and we will seek her police remand, Chawla said.

Chawla also said that another woman who was accompanying her was also taken into custody. He said Punjab Police has been informed about the arrest.

On Tuesday morning, Honeypreet had told a TV channel that she was depressed and devastated by the baseless allegations levelled against Papa and her.

She was last seen accompanying Ram Rahim in a chopper when he was flown to Rohtak jail on August 25, but dismissed reports that she had fled to Nepal. She said that she never left the country and was just waiting for the right legal advice. I was shocked when a look-out notice was issued against me. I never fled anywhere, she said.

She justified her vanishing act by saying that she was in shock after her fathers arrest. Try and understand my condition. I was completely shaken to hear of sedition charges when I haven't even killed an ant. I was devastated, she said in the TV interview, adding that she had complete faith in the judiciary and would approach the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

On her former husband Vishwas Guptas allegations that she shared a sexual relationship with Ram Rahim, Honeypreet questioned why people are tarnishing a father-daughter relationship. Why are they flinging such malicious charges. Cant a father love his daughter, cant a father touch his daughter lovingly? she said.
Hyderabad: Heavy rains battered Hyderabad on Monday evening that led to waterlogging and traffic jams across the city. Three people have been killed in rain related incidents.

Officials termed it a cloudburst as some areas recorded 7 cm to 12 cm rainfall. Drains were overflowing at many places, inundating major roads in the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad, in the Information Technology hub of Cyberabad and on the outskirts. Several colonies plunged into darkness as the wires snapped, disrupting the supply.

Two people, including a child, were killed and two injured when a wall collapsed in Singadikunta area in Banjara Hills. One person died of electrocution in Old City.

Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) Commissioner B Janardhan Reddy has advised people to venture out as per the rain updates on Met department website.

According to a Met official, 67.6 mm of rainfall was recorded in the city from around 4.30 PM to 8.30 PM. The rainfall was mainly due to the monsoon.

The downpour led to inundation of several low-lying areas and traffic moved at a snail's pace due to water-logging at different places in the city.

The GHMC said its personnel have been pressed into service to flush out stagnated water and to take up other relief works.

Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, who spoke to GHMC Commissioner and the city police commissioner, urged the official machinery to be on alert throughout the night.

(With agency inputs)
Thiruvanathapuram: Malayalam actor Dileep was given bail by the Kerala High Court on Tuesday in the case of abduction and sexual assault of a fellow actress.

The bail was granted by Justice Sunil Thomas after imposing stringent conditions, including surrendering of his passport, a deposit of Rs 1 lakh and two solvent sureties for the like amount.

Another condition was that he should not tamper with evidence and appear before investigating officers as and when required.

Granting bail, Justice Thomas said investigation against Dileep was in the final stages and his further

custody was not necessary.

The development comes as a sigh of relief for the actor, who was denied bail five times before  twice by the Angamaly magistrate court and thrice by the Kerala High Court. The HC had last week denied his bail for the fifth time saying that Dileep might influence the case if he is let out on bail.

The actor is accused of hiring a gang to abduct and sexually assault the actress to settle a personal score.

Six persons, including Dileep and main accused 'Pulsar' Suni, were arrested in connection with the incident in which an actress, who has worked in Tamil and Telugu films, was abducted and allegedly molested inside her car for two hours on February 17.

Dileeps friend and director Nadirshah, who has also filed an anticipatory bail plea in the HC, was also questioned by the police on Sunday.

The court, while considering the plea, directed the police to produce the details of questioning in a sealed cover. Dileep wife, Kavya Madhavan, had also filed an anticipatory bail plea in the Kerala High Court, apprehending arrest in the case of her husband.
New Delhi: Liquor baron Vijay Mallya, who is wanted in India for defaulting on loans worth Rs 9,000 crore, was arrested in London on Tuesday but was granted bail soon after.

Mallya was arrested after the Enforcement Directorate presented fresh documents. Earlier, in April 2017, he was apprehended on the basis of an FIR filed by CBI. He was released on bail immediately.

With this arrest, both the cases are now officially part of the proceedings in UK court. The ED had, in March 2016, registered a money-laundering case against Vijay Mallya, and the then CFO of Kingfisher Airlines A. Raghunathan in connection with the CBIs investigation into the alleged corruption and default of Rs. 900-crore loan in collusion with IDBI officials.

The ED case is under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act to trace the transactions pertaining to a suspected diversion of funds.

ED had registered the case after receiving case details from CBI regarding the corruption and criminal conspiracy case against Mallya, his top management at Kingfisher and the then top management of IDBI bank. CBI had alleged that the loan was sanctioned and disbursed to the company in violation of banking rules.

The man who made Kingfisher a global brand has been staying in the United Kingdom for over a year now. He slipped out of the country in March 2016 after the screws tightened around him to recover over Rs 9000 crore which was loaned to his, now-defunct, Kingfisher Airlines. This loan was given to him by a consortium of banks

The Indian request for extradition was first made in February 2017, when the government formally requested Britain to send Vijay Mallaya back to India and face trial. Indian agencies, primarily CBI and ED, followed up the request with a 2,000-page dossier against Mallya.

In July, a UK court had fixed December 4 as the final hearing date for the extradition case. Even if the UK court allows extradition, he would still have two pending appeals in a higher court of law.

Mallya has repeatedly refused to appear before courts and investigators in India since he secretly fled to Britain last March, after defaulting on loan payments to state-owned banks and allegedly misusing the funds by rerouting them to tax havens.

The extradition process from the UK involves a number of steps, including a decision by the judge whether to issue a warrant of arrest. In case of a warrant, the person is arrested and brought before the court for preliminary hearing followed by an extradition hearing before a final decision is taken by the secretary of state.

Earlier in January this year, a CBI court had issued a non-bailable warrant against Mallya in the Rs 720-crore IDBI Bank loan default case.

Mallya, who remains a part-owner of the Force India Formula One team, has come to personify India's problems with bad debts that are piling up on the balance sheets of banks.
New Delhi: In a twist to what is now popularly known as Kerala Love Jihad case, the Supreme Court on Tuesday said that prima facie, the High Court could not have nullified the marriage of a Hindu woman with a Muslim man after she converted.

A bench led by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra observed that it was a key question whether the Kerala HC had the jurisdiction to anull the marriage of a major woman after embracing Islam.

Can the High Court under Article 226 (writ jurisdiction) nullify a marriage? Prima facie, we say it cant, observed the bench.

The Court also remarked that a father cannot have control over a 25 year old woman and that such a claim cant be made in respect of a major.

A father cant say I will have control over her. After all she is a 24-25 year old lady, observed the bench, also comprising Justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud.

Clarifying that the apex court will do whatever is right in law, the bench fixed the case for detailed hearing on October 9.

The case pertains to a 25 year old woman from Kerala, who married Shafin Jahan after converting to Islam. The HC nullified this marriage and ordered the state police to investigate into such cases. The HC also handed over the custody of the adult woman to her father.

Jahan challenged the annulment of his marriage in the Supreme Court and urged the Court to seek presence of the woman before it.

The Court, however, ordered a NIA probe into the matter on August 16 after the agency told the apex court that love jihad is for real. There is a pattern to convert Hindu girls and get them married to Muslim men, NIA told SC.

The court noted it has asked the specialised agency to weigh in for a neutral and unbiased assistance in the matter and to get a view on investigation carried out by the Kerala police after the May order by the HC.

If there are issues going beyond the purview of Kerala, they should be able to assist us. Is this a small pocket individual issue or is it an issue that has wider ramifications that should concerns us? We want them to help us in this determination, the bench told advocate Harris Beeran, who appeared for the Muslim husband.

The Kerala government also did not oppose an NIA investigation into the matter.

Ashokan KM, the father of the woman, had alleged that there was a well-oiled systematic mechanism for conversion and Islamic radicalisation.

Jahan, on the other hand, has premised his case on autonomy of women and her right to make choices in life.

NIA, in the meantime, has also submitted an interim report in the Court.
Bhopal: The Madhya Pradesh government is planning to introduce a legislation that provisions for capital punishment against those involved in the manufacturing and selling of hooch.

Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced that his government plans stringent action against spurious liquor trade and an Act would be passed during the upcoming session of the state Assembly.

The CM claimed that no new liquor shop or liquor manufacturing unit would be allowed to open in the state.

While there would be no new liquor vend in 5km periphery of the river Narmada. Liquor ban didnt find a mention in Chouhans speech, though he claimed that liquor vends would be gradually reduced in the state.

In April this year, Chouhan had announced a decision to close down liquor vends in phased manner, an announcement the state government retracted later.

Amid speculations of an absolute liquor ban in MP from October 2, government spokesesperson Narottam Mishra had clarified last week that MP government had no plans to ban liquor in the near future.

Sources claimed that after studying liquor ban initiatives in Gujarat and Bihar, MP government refrained from such a populist measure owing to revenue constraints. Liquor along with petroleum products offer major chunk of revenue to the debt-ridden MP government.

Interestingly, besides opposition Congress, a section from Bhratiya Janata Party has been raising the demand for liquor ban in Madhya Pradesh.
New Delhi: Days after a fierce war of words between Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj and Pakistani Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi at the United Nations, another Pakistan minister said India is being "ruled by terrorists".

In an interview to Geo TV on Monday, Pakistan Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif said that Sushma Swaraj shouldnt be accusing Pakistan of exporting terrorism as the country itself is being run by a terrorist.

He also called RSS a terrorist outfit and that it is ruling the country and BJP is just a part of the organisation.

Khawaja Asif said in the interview, What can we say about a country that elects a terrorist (as prime minister). Asif further implied that Muslims and Dalits are being killed in India in the name of cow protection.

This comes just days after Indian diplomat Eenam Gambhir and Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj launched a scathing attack on Pakistan at the United Nations General Assembly, when Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi accused India of terrorism.

Indias First Secretary to the UN, Gambhir, retorted to Abbasis claims and instead said that the neighbouring country has become synonymous to terrorism and referred to it as Terroristan.

I would like to tell Pakistan's politicians just this much, that perhaps the wisest thing they could do is to look within. India and Pakistan became free within hours of each other. Why is it that today India is a recognised IT superpower in the world, and Pakistan is recognised only as the pre-eminent export factory for terror?" Swaraj asked at the 72nd United Nations General Assembly on September 24.
Srinagar: The last of the three terrorists to be killed in the attack on the BSF camp near Srinagar on Tuesday had disguised himself as a CRPF personnel before mounting a final assault on the soldiers stationed at the base.

An assistant sub-inspector of the BSF was killed and four security personnel were injured in the attack on the security camp, which is close to the Humhama airport.

According to an official, after the first terrorist was killed, the two others ran into two buildings  the mess and the administrative block  and started firing from there.

While the terrorist who ran towards the mess was killed in retaliatory firing by the security personnel, the third one came out of the administrative block wearing CRPF-like camouflage and tried to slip into the defensive perimeter set up by the security forces.

He also positioned himself facing the administrative building and signalled a CRPF soldier to come closer. The soldier, assuming that it was a colleague who had run out of ammunition, moved towards him to supply more ammunition.

It was then that the terrorist turned around and tried to shoot down as many CRPF men as he could, but was neutralised in retaliatory fire, said the official.

The gun battle had lasted close to 10 hours. Pakistan-based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad called a local news agency and claimed responsibility.

However, police sources said that the fidayeen squad has taken a lot of precautions to hide their Pakistani links. Police also believe that the attackers are from the same group that killed eight security personnel in Pulwama on August 26.

This group infiltrated from the Sakhdar side in Jammu region. We suspect 6-7 more terrorists from the group could still be in the valley, IG Muneer Khan said in a press conference at the BSF battalion headquarters.
Srinagar: A BSF jawan was killed and two security personnel were injured when terrorists attacked a camp near the Srinagar airport on Tuesday morning. Three terrorists have been gunned down. Sources said Jaish-e-Muhammed may be involved in the suicide attack.

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Srinagar: Three BSF jawans were injured after terrorists attacked a camp in Kashmirs Srinagar on Tuesday morning.

Sources said the incident took place around 4:30am. Three personnel have been injured. Firing is going on, a BSF officials said.

The terrorists targeted the administrative block of BSF's 182nd battalion, located just outside the main gate of the airport, a police official said.

The terrorists are believed to be holed up inside a building in the campus of the 182nd Battalion camp.

The BSF camp is near the Srinagar airport. The area around the airport has been sealed off and flights have been cancelled.

(More details awaited)
Toes to bar workout helps improve grip and strengthens shoulders and back. In this episode of of Limitless With Vidyut Jammwal, the actor talks about the benefits of toes to bar workout.
American carriers have issued waivers for travelers who were booked to fly in and out of Las Vegas following the horrific shooting that killed at least 59 people on Sunday.

United Airlines has waived their rebooking fees for flyers who were originally scheduled to fly between October 2 and 6.

Rebooking fees will be waived for new flights departing before October 13 as long as travel is rescheduled in the originally ticketed cabin or fare class between the same original cities.

Likewise, American Airlines is allowing flyers to change their travel dates, though the waiver is a little less flexible.

Affected flights must have been originally scheduled to fly October 2-3, and rebooked for travel up to October 6.

The route must remain the same and rebooked tickets for the same cabin.

Meanwhile, foreign state departments have updated their travel advice pages advising citizens to avoid the affected area in Las Vegas.

The shooting also warrants a second look at safety and security recommendations for travel to the US.

"The possession of firearms and the frequency of violent crime are generally more prevalent in the US than in Canada," reads a Canadian government web page for the US.

"Within large metropolitan areas, violent crime more commonly occurs in economically disadvantaged neighbourhoods, particularly from dusk to dawn, and often involves alcohol and/or drug consumption. Incidents of violent crime are mainly perpetrated by gangs or members of organized crime groups. Incidents of mass shooting receive a lot of media attention, yet account for a very small percentage of all homicide deaths in the country."

While violent crime rarely affects tourists, Canadian travelers are advised to be mindful of their surroundings, particularly at night, the advisory continues.

An updated British travel advisory likewise summarizes the shooting events in Las Vegas, and reminds its 3.8 million British nationals who visit the country every year to avoid walking through quieter areas alone at night.

The advisory also points out that "terrorists are very likely to carry out attacks in the USA. Attacks could be indiscriminate, including in places visited by foreigners."

A dedicated family reunification hotline has been opened in Las Vegas for anyone concerned about individuals who may have been affected. The hotline, valid in the US, is 1-800-536-9488.
Actor Kangana Ranauts sister Rangoli has hit out against Hrithik Roshan calling him uncle and accusing him of reviving an old stalking complaint against the Queen star.

Rangolis outburst came a day after Republic TV aired the contents of a 29-page complaint filed six months ago by Hrithik and his legal counsel in which he had alleged that he was stalked and hounded by Kangana.

This is the best you can do to save your face?Revive same old stalking, sexually harassing baseless complaint?, Rangoli asked Hrithik in her tweet.

This is the best you can do to save your face?Revive same old stalking, sexually harassing baseless complaint? @iHrithik Rangoli Chandel (@Rangoli_A) October 2, 2017

She also went on to say that Kangana was in school when Hrithiks first film hit the theatres and by that logic, she would have called her uncle and that there was no need for a young, beautiful, talented, rich girl like Kangana to stalk him.

Kangana was in school when your first film came if not in the industry she would have called you her uncle... @iHrithik Rangoli Chandel (@Rangoli_A) October 2, 2017

The Republic report, quoting sources, said the complaint was filed by Hrithiks counsel Mahesh Jethmalani in April last year. Kanganas lawyer has accused Krrish star of putting out a six-month old complaint in public and making a deliberate attempt to evade questions asked to him.

In the complaint, Hrithik had reportedly accused Kangana of sending sexually explicit emails in which she referred to him as her eternal lover. He also said he was repulsed but had ignored those mails out of decency.
Chennai: Actress Tamannaah Bhatia is confident that the magic of Kangana Ranaut-starrer Queen will be recreated in its Telugu version which was officially launched on Sunday.

The remake, to be directed by Neelakanta Reddy, has been titled Queen Once Again.

"It's an exciting project and I love doing roles that talk about women empowerment. I'm confident we can recreate the magic of the original. At the same time, not make our film look like a frame-to-frame remake. We'll adapt it to suit Telugu sensibilities," Tamannaah told IANS.

Ever since she saw the Vikas Bahl-directed Queen, she wanted to be a part of its remake.

"I wasn't even sure if it was going to be remade. What makes Queen special is that it's one of those rare women-centric films which succeeded in reaching out to everybody, across all sections of the audience," she said.

Tamannaah starts shooting for the project from October 25.

Queen is the story of the self-exploration of a young Punjabi girl, played by Kangana, who embarks on her honeymoon to Paris alone after her fiance calls off the wedding.

Last week, the Tamil and Telugu versions of Queen were launched. The Tamil version, which has been titled Paris Paris, stars Kajal Aggarwal in the lead.

The Kannada version, which has been titled Butterfly and stars Parul Yadav, has already gone on the floors.

Actor-filmmaker Ramesh Aravind is directing the Tamil as well as Kannada versions of the remake.
New Delhi: BJP president Amit Shah on Tuesday trained his guns on the Left saying that political killings are common in both Kerala and Tripura, both Left front rules states.

Whenever the Left Front comes to power the cycle of violence begins in Kerala. Over 120 BJP and RSS workers have been killed and Kerala. Over 80 of them have been killed in Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayans constituency. He needs to answer to the public, Shah said.

He also questioned human rights organisations for not talking about and protesting against the political killings in Kerala.

Earlier in the day, the BJP chief offered prayers at the famous Rajarajeswara Temple in Taliparamba near Kannur.

Shah inaugurated the BJP's Janaraksha Yatra in Payyannur in the district. He arrived at Mangalore airport early on Tuesday morning. He was accompanied by state BJP leaders.

After offering prayers, Shah proceeded to Payyannur to launch the 15-day march in the state against the alleged red terrorism unleashed by the Left party against BJP and Sangh parivar workers.

The Jan Raksha Yatra (people's protection march) from Payyannur will travel through the state before culminating in Thiruvananthapuram on October 17.

Several Union ministers will also participate in the march under the theme of "All have to live!! Against

Jihadi-Red Terror."

As many as 120 BJP workers, 84 in Kannur alone, have been killed in the state since 2001 with 14 of them in the chief minister's home town since he took over the reigns last year, the BJP has alleged.

The CPI(M) has, in turn, accused the BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) of resorting to violence and denied the involvement of its government and leadership in political killings.
New Delhi: Bharatiya Janata Party President Amit Shah will flag off a fortnight long campaign from Kannur against alleged killing of party and RSS workers in Kerala on Tuesday.

BJP national leaders will be leading yatras across the state to mobilise its own cadre and challenge the ruling CPM in its own bastion from October 3 to 17.

Apart from party chief Amit Shah, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to Home Minister Rajnath Singh, the whos who of the saffron party are slated to participate in the campaign.

According to sources in the Kerala BJP, firebrand Hindutva leader Adityanath will march in areas where the party wants to send a strong message to its political opponents.

According to a senior leader in Kerala BJP, Adityanath in all likelihood will be visiting Malappuram, a Muslim majority district in Kerala.

Malappuram has, off late, been in the news for reports on 'Love Jihad' and conversion to Islam.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) probing the Hadiya conversion case has mentioned that Kerala-based outfit Popular Front of India (PFI) has been using organizations like Malappuram-based Sathya Sarini for forced conversions.

Top leadership is yet to confirm but we definitely want Yogi Adityanath to walk the stretch in Malappuram, a Kerala BJP leader told News 18 while Shah will march in chief minister Pinarayi Vijayans hometown Mambaram in Kannur district.

When asked, KPA Majeed, MLA from Mankada in Malappuram district, said the BJP padyatra was nothing but a desperate move.

We are not preparing anything. They can walk wherever they want, speak wherever they want, even if its in Malappuram. There are certain extreme elements that may try to disrupt peace in the area. But then again, I am sure there will be no law and order situation, said Majeed, who is also general secretary of Muslim League.

CPM has alleged that Shah is trying to create trouble and to destroy the reputation of the state which is known for its secular and democratic credentials.
New Delhi: CPI(M)'s Youth Wing, Democratic Youth Federation of India (DFYI), has moved the Supreme Court urging judiciary not to deport Rohingya children as it would be a violation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, 1989, as children are being "slaughtered as part of ethnic cleansing in Myanmar".

A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra stated that the apex court will hear the matter on October 13.

The petitioner organisation has contended that under Article 32 of the Constitution of India, deportation of the child refugees in Rohingya camps must be safeguarded. "Children arriving in the camps have already endured long and dangerous journeys. Many of them have lost family members in the ethnic violence and have reached the refugee camps, separated and unaccompanied. If the Rohingya children in the refugee camps are deported to Myanmar, a country where in thousands of such children are slaughtered as part of the ethnic cleansing, it will be the violation of Articles 2,6,7,19,20,22,31 and 37 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, 1989, which India ratified in December, 1992," reads the petition.

CPI(M) politburo member Brinda Karat told News18 that the party's official stand has been to stop the deportation of Rohingyas. "The official stand of the party has been to stop the deportation of helpless Rohingya Muslims on the ground of compassion and humanity. DYFI as a youth organisation has pleaded for the children, but we as an organisation are against the decision to deport them," she said.

The Petition also alleges violation of Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution of India, highlighting the fact that Tibetans, the Chakmas of Bangladesh, Afghans and Tamils from Sri Lanka have been given refuge in India. There is, therefore, no rationale in discriminating against Rohingya refugees, it contends.

DYFI has claimed that the environment in Myanmar is not conducive for children to stay and that the government should find a way to arrange for their care in India. "Union of India shall find alternate care for the child such as foster care, adoption or Kafalah of Islamic law. Any other action other than this will be a violation of Article 37 of the convention. Article 37 of the Convention ensures that children shall never be subject to torture," submitted DYFI through its petition.

The petitioner has also submitted a list of dates by which the petitioner has shown that Rohingyas came into being in Myanmar from 4th Century and that the current persecution is atrocious.

The government affidavit had claimed that the Rohingyas are nothing but a drain on natural resources, but the petitioner contends that "a child growing up with healthy educational and cultural opportunities is a hope to humanity. This may be the reason why Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore penned, 'every time a child is born, it brings with it the hope That God is not yet Disappointed with man'."
Bhopal: Former Congress MLA from Madhya Pradesh Kalpana Parulekar was on Tuesday sentenced to two years in jail in relation to a case wherein the legislator was accused of morphing the image of former Lokayukta PP Naolekar.

A penalty of Rs 12,000 was also slapped on the former assembly member.

In 2011, Parulekar had circulated a picture of then Lokayukta PP Naolekar, apparently dressed as an RSS worker.

CID had lodged three different cases against Parulekar. The team investigating the matter had alleged that in order to vindicate that Naolekar, a former Supreme Court judge, was getting favours in the appointment as Lokayukta in MP, Parulekar allegedly doctored RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and Naolekars pictures to prove his allegiance with the Sangh Parivar.

The said picture was produced in the assembly during a no-confidence motion. Interestingly, Naolekar was constantly slammed by Congress and anti-graft activists for his alleged proximity with the ruling BJP throughout his stint.

Earlier, a court had handed a year imprisonment to Parulekar in connection with a defamation case filed by the then secretary MP Assembly Bhagwandev Israni. During her stint as the MLA, Parulekar on November 23, 2012, had accused Israni of corruption during the winter session of the assembly.

The former MLA from Mahidpur in Ujjain, however, secured bail after the punishment was announced on Tuesday.
Kolkata: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Chief Mohan Bhagwat on Tuesday said that despite a conflict between Hindus and Muslims, one day the two communities will find a solution and that path would be a "Hindu way".

Bhagwat referred to Rabindra Nath Tagore's views on Swadeshi Samaj, saying, We believe in what he had said."

Speaking on the occasion of 150th Birth Anniversary Celebration of Sister Nivedita at Science City Auditorium in Kolkata, Bhagwat said, We may have different chitt (mind), but despite that, we can walk together. There will be differences in opinion, but for Bharat, we have to walk together. Bharat is our Dharma and we have to look forward to Ek Bharat.

Recalling a brief conversation with a Muslim scholar, Bhagwat read out Sister Niveditas idea of Nationalism and said, The Muslim scholar was a former MP, and once he asked me why I opposed Sachar committee He admitted that all of them were once Hindus ( a long time ago), adding that since they had a habit of singing bhajan (when they were Hindus)  they are now into Qawwali now. I am not saying this. These are his (Muslim scholar) words. He had said that Sachar committee will help us understand our history through education and then the conflict will end forever. I told him that I am aware of these facts and Dr. Keshav Rao Hedgewar told me this in 1925. I further told him that the problem is that the people he represents are not aware of these facts. I told him that educate these people, and I will withdraw by opposition to Sachar Committee. I told him that we have digested so many things in the past, but in recent past, there was some indigestion (Hamara Hazma Kharab Ho Gaya Tha).

Hinting towards the conflict and portrayal of Ganga as Bharat, he said, Ganga remains Ganga despite so many rivers flowing into it. It will remain Ganga, and no one can change it. Sister Nivedita said there cannot be a nationalistic feeling in the country if people continue fighting each other. She had said that we have to learn from European people how to rid ourselves of internal differences.

His visit to Kolkata turned into a controversy after authorities at Mahajati Sadan  an auditorium run by the West Bengal Government  denied permission on September 6 to hold the event organized by Sister Nivedita Mission Trust, citing renovation work as the reason. However, opposition leaders alleged that the government deliberately refused to accept the hall booking because of Mohan Bhagwats speech.

Bhagwats visit was closely monitored by the state administration. Ever since Mamata Banerjee came to power in Bengal, the Sangh's membership in the state has increased by nearly five times. Not only Hindus but several leaders from the Muslim community, have also joined the RSS and have been working extensively on rural development in Bengal.

This was Bhagwats third visit to Bengal in the last ten months. On January 14 - for the first time  the 66-year-old addressed a Hindu Sammelan at the Brigade Parade Grounds, the largest venue for holding any political gathering in Kolkata. Even then, his visit had courted controversy after the Kolkata Police denied permission for a rally in the city, prompting the Sangh to move Calcutta High Court for approval.
New Delhi: RSS Chiefs annual Vijayadashmi speech is keenly watched by swayamsewaks across the country. The message from the Reshim Bagh headquarters after the customary shastra pujan is for one and all  Sangh workers in various walks of life. That includes political workers, whether in power or in opposition.

This Vijayadashmi address by Mohan Bhagwat was the last but one speech before BJP as the party in power (and with absolute majority) faces the electorate once again in 2019. In that sense, it was a mid-term review of Sanghs political affiliate  now in power at the Center and an overwhelming majority of states.

Though not part of the written text, Bhagwat in his address laid a lot of stress on discussion, debate and inputs in decision making. He will follow this up with an interaction in Delhi with about fifty opinion makers.

We have invited people from media, business community, educationists and even some economists for the discussion, said an RSS leader.

This also alludes towards a more proactive role being adopted by the RSS in steering the governments agenda after giving a long rope for more than three years.

The feedback system is an integral part of RSS operations. It is precisely on this feedback that Bhagwat struck a note of caution on the state of economy on Vijayadashmi. He sought small and medium enterprises, traders and farmers be protected from the tremors caused by economic reforms. It was all based on the inputs received from various affiliates of the RSS. The last comprehensive meeting was held at Vrindavan near Delhi last month where Swadeshi Jagran Manch, Bhartiya Mazdoor Sangh and others gave feedback in presence of BJP President Amit Shah.

Bhagwat patted the government on its Kashmir policy. But at the same time laid down the follow-up agenda  the Constitutional amendments that RSS wants for total integration of Kashmir with India. He spelt out in unequivocal terms what governments policy on Rohingyas should be. And it is unfair to link, he said, activity of cow protection with violent incidents or communal feeling.

In the process, Bhagwat made Sanghs position on all contemporary issues clear and categorical. For swayamsewaks, both in government and opposition.

Before Diwali, RSS will further deliberate on these issues at its annual national executive (Akhil Bhartiya Karyakari Mandal) in Bhopal.
Chennai: The prison authorities in Karnataka on Tuesday turned down the parole application of jailed AIADMK leader V K Sasikala. Sasikala had applied for 15 days' parole as her husband is to undergo a liver transplant at a Chennai hospital.

In her parole application, along with a medical certificate, she submitted that her husband is suffering from kidney and liver failure.

Sasikala's (60) husband M Natarajan (74) is admitted in the liver intensive care unit of a corporate hospital since last month. He is awaiting a deceased donor liver transplantation and a kidney transplantation, according to doctors.

Jail officials, however, rejected the application saying it was incomplete, as a certificate from a local MLA or MLC or a gazetted officer stating that he is seriously ill was not part of the application. If a fresh appplication is filed with this certificate, it may be considered again, said jail officials.

According to rules, even if it is an emergency parole application, where the prison superintendent has powers to allow it, the jail head will seek the opinion of the local police station in Chennai on whether it could be processed, keeping in mind security and sensitivity concerns.

Sasikala is in jail in Bengaluru since February after the Supreme Court upheld her conviction by a special court in a disproportionate assets case. Along with Sasikala, her relatives Ilavarasi and V N Sudhakaran are also serving a four-year jail term.

According to rules, Sasikala has completed six months in prison and is eligible to apply for parole.

Sasikala's nephew and sidelined AIADMK leader T T V Dinakaran had also said in Chennai on Monday that she had applied for a 15-day parole to meet her ailing husband.
Some 10 million people in the United States saw politically divisive ads on Facebook that the company said were purchased in Russia in the months before and after last year's U.S. presidential election, Facebook said on Monday. Facebook, which had not previously given such an estimate, said in a statement that it used modelling to estimate how many people saw at least one of the 3,000 ads. It also said that 44 percent of the ads were seen before the November 2016 election and 56 percent were seen afterwards. The ads have sparked anger towards Facebook and, within the United States, towards Russia since the world's largest social network disclosed their existence last month. Moscow has denied involvement with the ads.

Facebook has faced calls for increased U.S. regulation from U.S. authorities. Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg has outlined steps that the company plans to take to deter governments from abusing the social media network. Earlier on Monday, Facebook said in a separate statement that it planned to hire 1,000 more people to review ads and ensure they meet its terms, as part of an effort to deter Russia and other countries from using the platform to interfere in elections. The latest company statement said that about 25 percent of the ads were never shown to anyone.

"That's because advertising auctions are designed so that ads reach people based on relevance, and certain ads may not reach anyone as a result," Elliot Schrage, Facebook's vice president of policy and communications, said in the statement. For 99 percent of the ads, less than $1,000 was spent, he said. The total ad spend was $100,000, the company has said. Still, he said it was possible Facebook would find more Russia-linked U.S. ads as it continues to investigate. Schrage, while criticizing the ad buyers for using fake accounts, also said many of the ads otherwise "did not violate our content policies" and could have remained if bought using real accounts. "While we may not always agree with the positions of those who would speak on issues here, we believe in their right to do so - just as we believe in the right of Americans to express opinions on issues in other countries," he wrote.

Facebook is working with others in the tech sector, including Twitter and Alphabet's Google, on investigating alleged Russian election meddling, Schrage added. The 1,000 new workers represent the second time this year that Facebook has responded to a crisis by announcing a hiring spree. In May, it said it would hire 3,000 more people to speed up the removal of videos showing murder, suicide and other violent acts that shocked users. Like other companies that sell advertising space, Facebook publishes policies for what it allows, prohibiting ads that are violent, discriminate based on race or promote the sale of illegal drugs. With more than 5 million paying advertisers, however, Facebook has difficulty enforcing all of its policies.

The company said on Monday that it would adjust its policies further "to prevent ads that use even more subtle expressions of violence." It did not elaborate on what kind of material that would cover. Facebook also said it would begin to require more thorough documentation from people who want to run ads about U.S. federal elections, demanding that they confirm their businesses or organizations.

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Smartron, Indias global technology OEM and IoT brand, announced their plans to introduce the newly launched Qualcomm Mesh Networking platform for IoT connected devices for the Indian market. With this association, Smartron & Qualcomm Technologies aim to build a robust ecosystem of connected devices and services suited for the Indian smart home. The Mesh Wi-Fi platform from Smartron, features the Qualcomm Mesh Networking Platform, which includes the Qualcomm Wi-Fi SON (Self-Organising Network) Feature suite, that is designed to ensure corner to corner Wi-Fi coverage in the house, the Qualcomm IoT Connectivity Feature Suite that supports multiple IOT communication protocols for virtually seamless onboarding and control of a wider range of IoT devices.

It also includes integrated voice capabilities that support smart voice assistant to help consumers with simple daily tasks such as telling the time, weather, calendar events, and control IoT devices using voice, as well as Qualcomm Mesh Networking Reference Design that enables partner OEMs to develop next-generation products with cutting-edge features. Smartron had recently unveiled tronX which is intelligent and assistive AI + IoT platform that connects a range of devices, sensors and systems to the core to offer personalised experiences, services and care to consumers across Home, Health, Infra and Personal verticals. With tronX and Smartron s home built Natural Language Processing capabilities, the company is looking at enhancing the voice control experiences suited to a host of Indian languages and accents as well.

The introduction of the Mesh Wi-Fi Platform from Smartron, powered by Qualcomm Technologies will see the rollout of new home automation devices and products being launched for consumers in the next few months.

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Washington: An influential US lawmaker has introduced a Congressional resolution to commemorate the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi and encouraged Americans to observe the International Day of Non-Violence in honor of the apostle of peace.

Introduced by Congresswoman Grace Meng, the resolution expresses support for the goals and ideals of the International Day of Non-Violence, and encourages the people of the United States to observe the celebration with appropriate ceremonies, programs, and activities.

"This resolution is a fitting way to pay tribute to Gandhi's philosophy of non-violence, and remember the legacy of peace that he left behind," Meng said in a statement.

"It is also a way to make more Americans understand, support, and appreciate the significance of International Day of Non-Violence," she said.

The resolution was referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform for necessary action.

Mahatma Gandhi was a world-renowned civil rights and spiritual leader, who experienced injustices early in life, and learned to embrace the principles of non-violence as a vehicle for social and political change, the resolution said.

Noting that Gandhi was influenced by religious teachings in Hinduism, Jainism, and Christianity in the development of his philosophy; the resolution observes that the father of the nation was a major influence for Martin Luther King, Jr, whose emphasis on non-violence is credited with ushering in America's civil rights.
Sulaimaniyah, Iraq : Ex-Iraqi president Jalal Talabani, a veteran leader of the struggle for Kurdish self-determination and a unifying elder statesman, died Tuesday in Germany aged 83, Kurdish officials said.

Talabani was Iraq's president from 2005 to 2014 and a key figure in Iraqi Kurdistan, where voters last week overwhelmingly backed independence in a referendum.

An official with Talabani's Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) said he had died in Germany where he was undergoing medical treatment.

A family member said his health had worsened and he been transported to Germany, along with his wife and two children, before the referendum.

Iraqi Kurdish lawmaker Zana Said paid tribute to Talabani as "the only president whose death saddens Arabs, Kurds and all other ethnicities".

"We pray to God that his death will help to bring back good relations between the brothers of Iraq."

Talabani's death, following a decades-old struggle for Kurdish statehood, came after Iraq's Kurds voted 92.7 percent in favour of independence in the September 25 referendum.

The vote, rejected by Baghdad as illegal, has put deep strain on ties between the Kurds and central Iraqi authorities, who have cut off international flights to the region and threatened further action.

Talabani was an avuncular politician and a skilled negotiator, who spent years building bridges between the country's divided factions, despite his efforts for Kurdish independence.

Uncle Jalal

Born in 1933 in the mountain village of Kalkan, he studied law at Baghdad University and did a stint in the army before joining the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) of Mullah Mustafa Barzani, father of current Kurdistan regional president Massud Barzani.

Talabani took to the hills in a first uprising against the Iraqi government in 1961 but famously fell out with Barzani, who sued for peace with Baghdad, and joined a KDP splinter faction in 1964.

Eleven years later, he established the PUK after Barzani's forces, abandoned by their Iranian, US and Israeli allies, were routed by Saddam Hussein's army.

He became president in April 2005 after the first post-Saddam election in Iraq and continued in the post until 2014, when he was replaced by the current president, Fuad Masum.

Iraq's head of state plays a largely ceremonial role and is elected by members of parliament.

In his mountainous northern fiefdom of Sulaimaniyah, Talabani was known simply as Uncle (Mam) Jalal.

In August 2008, the married father of two underwent successful heart surgery in the United States, then in 2012 he was flown to Germany after suffering a stroke, casting doubt over his ability to ever return to Iraq.

He did go back in July 2014, with Iraq in crisis after the Islamic State group had taken control of swathes of the country, and was replaced by Masum following a parliamentary election.
Gaza City: The Palestinian cabinet met in Gaza for the first time since 2014 Tuesday, as Israel warned it would reject any reconciliation deal between the Palestinian factions unless Islamists Hamas disarm.

The meeting comes as part of moves to end a decade-long split between the internationally recognised Palestinian Authority, based in the occupied West Bank, and Hamas, which runs the Gaza Strip.

The return of the PA to Gaza had been cautiously welcomed by the United States and the United Nations, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said it could be a "bogus" reconciliation "at the expense of our existence".

Hamas has controlled Gaza since seizing it from the PA in a near civil war in 2007, and since then multiple reconciliation attempts have failed.

But following Egyptian pressure the Islamists announced last month they were willing to hand over civilian control to the PA, which is dominated by Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas's Fatah movement.

Tuesday's cabinet meeting was the first in Gaza since November 2014, and comes a day after Palestinian prime minister Rami Hamdallah entered the territory for the first time since a unity government collapsed in June 2015.

At the beginning of the meeting, which took place at the official Gaza residence of Abbas in Gaza, Hamdallah pledged to end the rift.

"We are here to turn the page on division, restore the national project to its correct direction and establish the (Palestinian) state," he said.

Afterwards government spokesman Yusuf Al Mahmud said a full reconciliation deal would take time.

"The government does not have a magic wand," he told reporters.

Egypt has brokered the rapprochement between the two sides.

Its intelligence chief, Khaled Fawzi, visited the strip in the afternoon and met with Hamdallah and Hamas head Ismail Haniya.

In a pre-recorded speech played at the meeting, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi backed the talks.

"The whole world is waiting for your efforts to achieve reconciliation among the Palestinian people," he said.

The sides will hold further talks on Tuesday in Cairo.

Hamas disarming

More than two million people live in impoverished Gaza, which has been blockaded by Israel and Egypt for years.

Hamas hopes to convince Egypt to ease its border restrictions, which, along with the isolation of key regional ally Qatar, have left the Islamists weak.

The Palestinian Authority has also sought to punish Hamas for setting up what was seen as a rival government, reducing electricity payments for Gazans.

A key sticking point between the two Palestinian sides will likely be Hamas's powerful military wing that has fought three wars with Israel since 2008.

The Palestinian Authority has signed peace deals with Israel, but Hamas was not party to them and does not recognise Israel's right to exist.

The United States and the European Union blacklist Hamas as a terrorist organisation, complicating the formation of any potential unity government.

Israel said any deal would be unacceptable unless Hamas disarmed.

"We are not prepared to accept bogus reconciliations in which the Palestinian side apparently reconciles at the expense of our existence," Netanyahu said in a statement.

"Whoever wants to make such a reconciliation, our understanding is very clear: recognise the State of Israel, disband the Hamas military arm, sever the connection with Iran -- which calls for our destruction."

In response Hamas said Israel was the primary beneficiary of the division.

In an interview on Monday night Abbas said there would be "one state, one system, one law and one weapon" -- in an apparent reference to Hamas's military wing.

Hamas could not "copy or clone Hezbollah's experience in Lebanon," he added, referring to a situation where an independent armed group exerts major influence on national politics.

Hamas officials reject the possibility of disarming.

Hamas leader Haniya said they were willing to "pay any price" for reconciliation but analysts say disarming would effectively mean the end of the movement.

The United States cautiously welcomed Hamdallah's visit Monday.

But US special envoy Jason Greenblatt also said any Palestinian government "must unambiguously and explicitly commit to nonviolence, recognition of the State of Israel, acceptance of previous agreements and obligations between the parties and peaceful negotiations."

UN Middle East envoy Nickolay Mladenov said he was "encouraged" by the developments and wanted to see the Palestinian Authority government exercise full control in Gaza.

"This is essential for resolving the humanitarian situation as soon as possible, most notably the crippling electricity and health crises," he said in a statement.
Moscow: A Russian court sentenced opposition leader Alexei Navalny to his third jail term this year on Monday, disrupting plans by the long-time Kremlin critic to campaign before Russia's coming election.

Russia holds a presidential election in March next year. The incumbent Vladimir Putin has yet to announce his candidacy but is widely expected to do so and to win.

Navalny hopes to run, even though Russia's central election commission declared him ineligible because of a suspended prison sentence, which he says was politically motivated.

He was detained by police on Friday as he left his Moscow home to attend a pre-election rally in a provincial town and later charged with repeatedly violating laws governing the organisation of public meetings and rallies.

A court sentenced him to 20 days in jail on Monday, a term which means he will miss a campaign rally planned in Putin's hometown of St Petersburg on Oct. 7 - the Russian leader's birthday.

"Old man Putin is so scared of our meetings in the regions that he decided to make himself happy with a small gift for his jubilee," Navalny said on Twitter after his sentencing.

Navalny has been jailed twice already this year after organising rallies and protests against government corruption.

Russian opposition activists say they are coming under increased pressure as the election approaches, with authorities frequently turning a blind eye to violent attacks.
Washington: US President Donald Trump has termed the Las Vegas attack as an "act of pure evil" and said America was "joined together in sadness, shock and grief" after at least 58 people were killed and over 500 others injured.

"Last night, a gunman opened fire in a large crowd at a country music concert in Las Vegas, Nevada. He brutally murdered more than 50 people and wounded hundreds more. It was an act of pure evil," Trump said in his address to the nation from the White House. "We are joined together in sadness, shock and grief," the US President said.

Trump also called for unity, asserting that in moments of tragedy and horror, America has always stood united. "We'll be going to Las Vegas.. a very, very sad moment for me and for everybody," Trump told reporters in Oval Office of the White House at a joint press appearance with visiting Prime Minister of Thailand Prayut Chan-o-cha. The President said that he will be seeing the Nevada Governor, Las Vegas Mayor and the Sheriff as he praised the police response.

He said that he will be spending the full day there and "maybe longer". Speaking through a translator, the Thai Prime Minister expressed his condolences to Las Vegas shooting and hurricane victims.

As a mark of respect for the victims of the senseless act of violence, Trump issued a proclamation ordering that the US flag be flown at half-staff at the WhiteHouse and other federal buildings.

Trump said he would be travelling to Las Vegas on Wednesday to meet with law enforcement, first responders and the families of the victims. Trump will travel to Puerto Rico tomorrow.

"Hundreds of our fellow citizens are now mourning the sudden loss of a loved one: a parent, a child, a brother or sister. We cannot fathom their pain. We cannot imagine their loss.

"To the families of the victims, we are praying for you, and we are here for you, and we ask God to help see you through this very dark period," he said while consoling his countrymen.

At least 58 people were shot dead and more than 500 others injured when a gunman went on a shooting rampage during a music festival in the casino city of Las Vegas, an FBI special agent said.

"Scripture teaches us the Lord is close to the brokenhearted, and saves those who are crushed in spirit. We seek comfort in those words, for we know that God lives in the hearts of those who grieve.

"To the wounded who are now recovering in hospitals, we are praying for your full and speedy recovery, and pledge to you our support from this day forward," Trump said. The FBI has joined the investigations.

The gunman identified as Steven Paddock, 64, was a local Las Vegas resident, was killed in a 32nd floor of a hotel room. The police have also located an Asian female identified as Marilou Danley, 41, who has been described as roommate of the shooter.

The police said they received first reports of active shooting from a Mandalay Bay Hotel towards a musical concert taking place across the road. The gunman was shooting from the 32nd floor of the hotel. He was shot dead later during an exchange of fire with the police.

"We call upon the bonds that unite us: our faith, our family and our shared values; we call upon the bonds of citizenship, the ties of community, and the comfort of our common humanity," he said.

"Our unity cannot be shattered by evil. Our bonds cannot be broken by violence. And though we feel such great anger at the senseless murder of our fellow citizens, it is our love that defines us today, and always will, forever," he said. Trump said he and the First Lady Melania were praying for every American who has been hurt, wounded or has lost the loved ones in the "terrible" attack, the deadliest mass shooting in the US.

"We pray for the entire nation to find unity and peace. And we pray for the day when evil is banished, and the innocent are safe from hatred and from fear," he said. "My warmest condolences and sympathies to the victims and families of the terrible Las Vegas shooting," Trump had tweeted earlier.
Islamabad: Nawaz Sharif was on Tuesday re-elected as the president of Pakistan's ruling PML-N party after Parliament passed a controversial bill, paving the way for the ousted prime minister's return to politics.

Sharif, 67, had to step down as the chief of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) after he was disqualified as the prime minister by the Supreme Court on July 28 in the Panama Papers scandal.

Under The Representation of Peoples Act 1976, a disqualified person could not hold office of a party. However, the legal hurdle in his way to become party chief was cleared yesterday when the National Assembly passed a controversial Election Bill 2017 that allows politicians disqualified from holding public office to head a political party.

President Mamnoon Hussain signed the controversial Election Act 2017 into law hours after it was bulldozed through the parliament amid pandemonium on the opposition benches.

PML-N leader Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry submitted Sharif's papers for party president in the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) while no one other candidate from the party contested the election.

Minister of State Talal Chaudhry told media that Sharif will remain chief of PML-N. "He will also become Prime Minister of the country. Sharif cannot be removed from politics through conspiracies, he said.

The election of party president is a requirement by Election Commission of Pakistan that already last month issued notice to PML-N for failing to choose permanent successor of Sharif.

Sharifs election has temporarily healed the rifts within the party which appeared on the verge of defections after his ouster.

But Sharifs fate as party president still hangs in balance as Pakistan Awami Tehreek party has challenged the new law in the Lahore High Court, while Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and other parties have announced to challenge it in the Supreme Court.

Opposition parties allege that the new law was "Sharif-specific" to allow him to return to politics. They also content that the law is against the spirit of the Constitution.
Islamabad: The ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party on Monday nominated ousted premier Nawaz Sharif as its leader, local media said, hours before it used its parliamentary majority to amend a law to permit him to be re-elected as party chief.

Sharif resigned as prime minister in July after the Supreme Court disqualified him for not declaring a source of income. He was also forced to step down as president of PML-N, though he kept control of the party and installed Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, a loyalist, as prime minister.

Dawn newspaper and other local media reported a parliamentary meeting of the ruling party chaired by Abbasi nominated Sharif as its leader. He will be formally re-elected president in a session scheduled for Tuesday.

Hours later, Pakistan's parliament amended a law to enable Sharif to re-take PML-N leadership. The amendment bill was presented by country's law minister Zahid Hamid and passed by lower house with a majority.

"We feel very strongly Nawaz Sharif has to lead our party.

He's the symbol of unity in our party," said Rana Afzal Khan, a PML-N lawmaker.

Khan said Sharif was battling to assert "civilian supremacy" and boost democracy in a nation that has been beset by military interference in politics.

In protest some opposition lawmakers tore up paper copies of the Election Bill 2017, passed by the Senate last week, that allows Sharif to become the party president again despite his disqualification by the court. But the vote was more of a formality as PML-N has a vast majority.

A previous election bill barred from office someone disqualified under Article 62 and 63 of the Constitution, which was used by the courts to remove Sharif.

"You are making a law for one person. You are putting the assembly on stake for one person," said Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, the leader of Awami Muslim League, a small opposition party.

Sharif on Monday morning appeared before an anti-corruption court and is expected to be indicted next week, along with three of his children.

The veteran leader denies any wrongdoing and has alleged there was a conspiracy against him, with senior PML-N figures pointing fingers at elements of Pakistan's powerful military. The army denies playing a role.

Relations between the military and civilian establishment were strained again on Monday when the paramilitary Rangers force, nominally under the control of the interior ministry, barred Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal from entering the National

Accountability Bureau (NAB) courts where Sharif appeared.

Iqbal, appearing visibly incensed, threatened to resign in protest against a parallel state.

"I cannot be a puppet interior minister," Iqbal said. "I am the interior minister and my subordinate force takes orders from somewhere else."

"Two states cannot function in one state."
Beijing: Chinese President Xi Jinping has reshuffled the top leadership of the powerful PLA, packing it with a new set of generals, vastly strenghtening his power base in the world's largest military ahead of the Congress of the ruling Communist party.

The reshuffle comes prior to the 19th Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) which will open here from October 18. The meeting is widely expected to confer a second five-year term to Xi as General Secretary.

Two top officials, Gen. Fang Fenghui, head of the Joint Staff Department Central Military Commission (CMC), and Gen. Zhang Yang, head of its Political Work Department have been removed in the latest shake up of the 2.3 million strong PLA, increasing Xi's dominance over the military.

Xi heads the all-powerful CMC the overall high command of the PLA and he is the only civilian in the 11-member body. The "ousting" of Fang and Zhang is further proof that Xi is "cementing his control over the military", the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported today.

Fang has been replaced by Gen. Li Zuocheng, a decorated veteran of the Sino-Vietnamese war and Admiral Miao Hua, formerly the PLA Navy's political commissar has been appointed as head of the Political Work Department in the place of Gen.

Zhang.

Xi promoted Li to full general and Miao to the equivalent naval rank in 2015 and both men are seen as being firmly in his camp, the Post report said.

He heads the Presidency and the military, which makes him far more powerful compared to his predecessor, Hu Jintao. In his first term, Xi has carried out a massive anti-graft campaign in the party and the military in which thousands of officials from top to bottom were either punished or purged.

"Whatever option will be chosen, the first thing Xi will do is to root out the harmful influence left by the two disgraced CMC vice-chairmen, Guo Boxiong and Xu Caihou," the Post quoted an official as saying.

Guo and Xu became the most senior military officers probed for buying and selling military ranks and other forms of corruption in the sweeping anti-graft campaign launched by Xi soon after he became party general secretary in November 2012.

Since then, at least 13,000 military officers involved in corruption have been punished, the Post quoted a report by the PLA Daily, official organ of the Chinese military as saying. Guo, 75, was sentenced to life imprisonment in July last year and Xu died of cancer at the age of 72 in 2015 while in custody and under investigation for graft.

Since he took over Xi's focus remained on revamping the military. In an unprecedented overhaul, he had announced that PLA would shed three lakh troops, taking their number down to two million.

He has also cut the size of the army to a million and vastly increased the role of the navy and the air force to assist Chinas global push for influence. He had also scrapped the PLAs four former headquarters General Staff, General Political, General Logistics and General Armaments and established 15 functional departments to divide their powers.

The PLAs seven military commands were also reshaped into five theatre commands.

Xi will use the party congress to restructure the CMC, the Post quoted officials as saying.

He may either trim the size of the 11-member CMC to just the chairman and four vice-chairmen or induct heads of the five theatre commands into the high power body.

The current CMC comprises one chairman, two vice-chairmen, and eight regular members: the defence minister, the heads of the four former headquarters, and the commanders of the air force, navy and rocket force.

"Rooting out the harmful influence of Guo and Xu is one of the key reasons Xi needs to reform the CMC," Beijing-based military expert Li Jie told the Post.

The structure of the commission also needs to fit the ongoing military overhaul, with thousands of senior officers being laid off, he said.

Shanghai-based political commentator Chen Daoyin said Xi was intent on reforming the CMC to strengthen his hand against those in the party opposed to his new political thinking. Xi hoped his political ideas would to be in included in the party constitution at the upcoming congress, like those of his predecessors Mao Zedong, Deng Xiaoping, Jiang Zemin and Hu Jintao, and become part of the partys political guidelines. "But it seems there are some different voices inside the party against him," Chen told Post.

"The removal Fang and Zhang and reform the CMC could remind his opponents that Xi has absolute dominance in the army, which helped put the Communist Party in power," he said.
Starting in advertisements in late November, Henrico County-based Altria Group Inc. and other major U.S. cigarette companies will publish a series of statements about the health risks of smoking.

The court-ordered corrective statements are set to run on television and in newspapers as part of an agreement reached in an 18-year-old federal lawsuit that accused cigarette-makers of deceiving the public. The statements include Smoking is highly addictive and Smoking kills, on average, 1,200 Americans every day.

Altria  parent company of cigarette-maker Philip Morris USA  will jointly run the ads with its competitor Reynolds American Inc. and several other companies.

Altria said Monday that the companies had reached an agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice on the timing of the statements. Documents were filed Monday in U.S. District Court in Washington.

Murray Garnick, Altrias executive vice president and general counsel, said in a statement that this industry has changed dramatically over the last 20 years, including becoming regulated by the FDA, which we supported. Were focused on the future and, with FDA in place, working to develop less risky tobacco products.

On television, the statements will appear in 30-second ads, running once per week for 52 weeks, mostly on the major television networks during prime-time hours. The companies also will run full-page ads in 45 newspapers across the country over a six-month period.

The statements also list various diseases linked with tobacco use, and the companies are required to say that they had intentionally designed cigarettes with enough nicotine to create and sustain addiction.

In 2006, U.S. District Judge Gladys Kessler ordered the cigarette-makers to publish the corrective statements after an eight-month civil trial in which the Justice Department accused tobacco companies of a conspiracy dating back to 1953 to hide the dangers of smoking.

The lawsuit, filed in 1999, initially sought up to $280 billion in what the government claimed were ill-gotten profits. A federal appeals court eventually threw out the monetary claims.

The companies also will put corrective statements on their websites and on their cigarette packaging. The timing of those steps is still being negotiated with the Justice Department.

The corrective statements cover five broad topics:

the adverse health effects of smoking;

the addictiveness of smoking and nicotine;

the lack of significant health benefit from smoking low-tar and light cigarettes;

the manipulation of cigarette design and composition to ensure optimum nicotine delivery; and

the adverse health effects of exposure to secondhand smoke.
TWO Bulawayo police officers appeared in court yesterday for allegedly assaulting and stealing US$200 from a suspected foreign currency dealer on the day a law criminalising cash vending came into effect.



Prosper Problem Musvanhiri (25) and his colleague Judith Magamu (34) appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Mr Tinashe Tashaya and pleaded not guilty to assault and theft charges.



The magistrate granted them $50 bail each and set October 10 as their trial date.

Allegations are that the cops committed the crime last week on Thursday, the day Government gazetted Statutory Instrument 122A of 2017  Exchange Control (Amendment) Regulations 2017 (No 5)  to deal with the widespread cash vending on the streets.





The law was enacted after Government realised that cash vending had become a catalytic agent to the price madness obtaining in the country.





Police intensified the fight against cash vending following the enactment of the law and according to the State the two cops ended up stealing from a suspected foreign currency dealer whom they had arrested.





The duo, who were represented by Mr Liberty Mcijo of Mcijo, Dube and Partners Legal Practitioners and Mr Wish Ndongwe of Mashayamombe and Company allegedly assaulted Mr Shooter Ngwenya and stole his US$200 and $50 Bond Notes.





The State led by Mr Taurayi Hondoyemoto alleged that the two cops approached Mr Ngwenya who was near Chicken Inn along Leopold Takawira Avenue and Fort Street.

They held him by the waist, lifted him up and threw him to the floor. They continued to press his neck with booted feet and eventually handcuffed him, said Mr Hondoyemoto.

While he was still in their custody they forcibly took his US$200 and $50 Bond Notes and led him to the police station.





He said the two were arrested when Mr Ngwenya made a report against them.

Their arrest came at a time when police have introduced lifestyle audits in the force as one of the strategies to curb corruption among police officers.





National police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba said the Zimbabwe Republic Police has zero tolerance for corruption





Lifestyle audits involve verification of a persons personal expenditure patterns to determine if it is consistent with an individuals sources of income that include salary.

She said any officer found to have engaged in corruption will be dismissed from the force. Chronicle




The duo appeared before Ms Josephine Sande yesterday for bail application. After hearing submissions from both parties, Ms Sande remanded the pair in custody to today for bail ruling. They were represented by Ms Kuzivakwashe Ngodza from the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights. The prosecutor, Ms Linda Gadzikwa alleged that on September 29 at around 11am, the pair acting in connivance with other anti-Government activists, conspired to cause public violence in the Central Business District.

They allegedly gathered at Copacabana bus terminus at the intersection of Chinhoyi and Speke Avenue while armed with stones and sticks. It is the States case that they chased away illegal money dealers around that area before throwing missiles everywhere causing mayhem as people scurried for cover. The gang allegedly destroyed several shops shattering glasses with stones. Some of the rowdy demonstrators started looting from shops forcing banks and supermarkets to briefly close.



They stoned a Ford Ranger double cab belonging to Zanu-PF Member of Parliament for Harare South Constituency Cde Shadreck Mashayamombe, which was parked along Leopold Takawira, it is alleged. They proceeded to the Main Post Office along Julius Nyerere Way where they stoned a Ford Fiesta which was being driven by Cde Claude Muzanenhamo, who is the Zanu-PF Harare Province administrator. All the windows and windscreen of the vehicle were shattered.



At Lotus Mobile shop, the gang is said to have stolen wrist watches, mobile phones and $300 cash and at Vintage shop along Chinhoyi Street it is alleged they stole 10 mobile phones. The court heard that the mob proceeded to a flea market at the intersection of Park Street and Jason Moyo Avenue where they allegedly stole several mobile phones and various electrical gadgets. The State is also alleging that at Chinhoyi mall, the hooligans stole 20 mobile phones, 10 wallets, eight wrist watches and boxes of lipsticks and $120 cash. The gang ran along Jason Moyo Avenue and stopped at Pick n Pay supermarket and started throwing stones damaging property.



The shops two employees, Stanley Mumera and Tinashe Nyabanda were unfortunate as the missiles landed on them. They sustained injuries and are still undergoing treatment, the court heard. Edgars Eastgate and First Street branches were not spared as glasses and windows were shattered. Several shops were also destroyed during the skirmishes. Police responded swiftly by deploying in various areas in the CBD. Upon his arrest, Chihuri was allegedly found in possession of various stolen mobile phones. The value of the stolen and damaged property is still to be ascertained. herald Two suspected hooligans aligned to the #Tajamuka pressure group who were last Friday arrested for public violence which occurred during a failed demonstration in the CBD were yesterday further remanded in custody by a Harare magistrate. Gibson Mavhunga and Thomas Chihuri appeared in court on Saturday and were remanded in custody.The duo appeared before Ms Josephine Sande yesterday for bail application. After hearing submissions from both parties, Ms Sande remanded the pair in custody to today for bail ruling. They were represented by Ms Kuzivakwashe Ngodza from the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights. The prosecutor, Ms Linda Gadzikwa alleged that on September 29 at around 11am, the pair acting in connivance with other anti-Government activists, conspired to cause public violence in the Central Business District.They allegedly gathered at Copacabana bus terminus at the intersection of Chinhoyi and Speke Avenue while armed with stones and sticks. It is the States case that they chased away illegal money dealers around that area before throwing missiles everywhere causing mayhem as people scurried for cover. The gang allegedly destroyed several shops shattering glasses with stones. Some of the rowdy demonstrators started looting from shops forcing banks and supermarkets to briefly close.They stoned a Ford Ranger double cab belonging to Zanu-PF Member of Parliament for Harare South Constituency Cde Shadreck Mashayamombe, which was parked along Leopold Takawira, it is alleged. They proceeded to the Main Post Office along Julius Nyerere Way where they stoned a Ford Fiesta which was being driven by Cde Claude Muzanenhamo, who is the Zanu-PF Harare Province administrator. All the windows and windscreen of the vehicle were shattered.At Lotus Mobile shop, the gang is said to have stolen wrist watches, mobile phones and $300 cash and at Vintage shop along Chinhoyi Street it is alleged they stole 10 mobile phones. The court heard that the mob proceeded to a flea market at the intersection of Park Street and Jason Moyo Avenue where they allegedly stole several mobile phones and various electrical gadgets. The State is also alleging that at Chinhoyi mall, the hooligans stole 20 mobile phones, 10 wallets, eight wrist watches and boxes of lipsticks and $120 cash. The gang ran along Jason Moyo Avenue and stopped at Pick n Pay supermarket and started throwing stones damaging property.The shops two employees, Stanley Mumera and Tinashe Nyabanda were unfortunate as the missiles landed on them. They sustained injuries and are still undergoing treatment, the court heard. Edgars Eastgate and First Street branches were not spared as glasses and windows were shattered. Several shops were also destroyed during the skirmishes. Police responded swiftly by deploying in various areas in the CBD. Upon his arrest, Chihuri was allegedly found in possession of various stolen mobile phones. The value of the stolen and damaged property is still to be ascertained. herald
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As bullets rained down on the Las Vegas Strip on Sunday, some 30 people escaped to Allegiant Air's office at McCarran International Airport. There, airline officials gave them food, water, clothes, and helped them get in touch with loved ones, report KSNV and the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Now, Allegiant is going a step further to help those affected by the deadliest mass shooting in US history. On Monday, the airline announced it would offer free flights to and from Las Vegas for relatives of the 59 people killed and hundreds wounded in Sunday's shooting. Anyone hoping to take advantage of the offer is asked to contact Allegiant's communications department.

"Las Vegas is Allegiant's hometown, and on this tragic day we are heartbroken but gratified to see the world rally around our community with so much support and love," says the airline, which is also waiving additional fees for Las Vegas travelers who've opted to change their flight plans following the shooting. Offers of help are also coming from area restaurants, many of which have offered to feed victims' families, first responders, and Las Vegas residents who waited in line for hours to donate blood Monday, reports the Review-Journal. Meanwhile, some 42,000 people have donated nearly $3 million to aid survivors and their families through a GoFundMe page. (Read more Las Vegas shooting stories.)
US officials say the Trump administration is preparing to ask Cuba to reduce the staff at its embassy in Washington by 60%, the AP reports. The move follows last week's US decision to reduce American personnel at the embassy in Havana by a similar amount. That move was in response to mysterious health attacks on US government workers in Cuba that have affected their hearing, balance, and vision.

The officials say the State Department is expected to announce the decision Tuesday. They say the intention isn't to punish Cuba, but to ensure both countries have a similar number of diplomats in each other's capitals. The Cuban diplomats won't be formally expelled unless Havana refuses to send them home. The AP reported on Monday that the attacks hit US spies first and most severely. (Read more Cuba stories.)
President Trump is planning to meet hurricane victims as well as officials and first responders when he visits Puerto Rico on Tuesdaybut not everybody will be happy to see him. The AP spoke to residents angry about the president's description of some officials as "ingrates" who "want everything to be done for them." "He makes a fool out of himself and a fool out of his country," says linguist Rachel Cruz. She says most struggling Puerto Ricans feel the same way but they are unlikely to insult Trump because they still need his help. School principal Nancy Rivera says people appreciate the aid that has been received, but "his comments are not true." 'We don't deserve that," she says.

Other residents say they wish Trump had come sooner and they hope federal aid will be stepped up when he sees the devastation left by Hurricane Maria for himself, NBC News reports. Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rossello says aid already surged in the days before Trump's visit, the BBC reports. He says around half the island's 3.4 million people now have running water, and 10% of residents will have power restored within the next two weeks. Federal officials say there are now 10,000 relief workers on the island. The White House says the president and First Lady Melania Trump will meet Rossello and other officials after receiving a briefing on relief efforts and meeting residents impacted by the hurricane. (Read more Puerto Rico stories.)
As the small convoy carrying volunteers, dried food, and canned meat pulls up before a revered Hindu temple on the slopes of Bali's Mount Agung volcano, dogs trot out from the mist shrouding the temple's cascade of steps. Now, an animal welfare organization founded by a Californian woman who's made the Indonesian tourist island her home is making daily forays into the danger zone around the volcano to feed the hungry temple dogs and rescue village dogs left behind by fleeing residents, the AP reports. Pura Besakih, aka the "Mother Temple," is usually busy with thousands of tourists, but it's now desertedsave for its canine residents. More than 140,000 people have fled from the surrounds of Mount Agung since authorities raised the volcano's alert status to the highest level on Sept. 22 after a sudden increase in tremors.

Janice Girardi, a Pennsylvania native who first came to Bali on vacation in 1973 and never really left, says she's nervous about getting close to Mount Agung, but she wants to ensure the animals are treated humanely. "We're just seeing a lot of starving ... [and] scared dogs," she says. Girardi and local animal welfare volunteers have been driving up the mountain to retrieve roaming and chained-up dogs. The group rented an empty pig farm and created an animal shelter, which now houses 70 dogs; they're starting a second shelter. "People are telling us where [the dogs] are or they're running up, getting them, and bringing them to us," says Girardi, who also runs a jewelry business on the island. (Read more uplifting news stories.)
The search for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 was officially nixed in January, and now Australian Transport Safety Bureau investigators have submitted their final report, per the BBC. In it, they say it's "almost inconceivable" that, three and a half years after the Boeing 777 plunged into the water during a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, it was never found. They add that it's "certainly societally unacceptable in the modern aviation era with 10 million passengers boarding commercial aircraft every day, for a large commercial aircraft to be missing and for the world not to know with certainty what became of the aircraft and those on board." The report, which the Washington Post calls "brutal," documents the lengthy search, as well as posits the belief that the plane is likely 9,700 square miles or so north of the original search area in the southern Indian Ocean.

Investigators outline the timeline, challenges, and what they've learned since the crash, noting "the understanding of where MH370 may be located is better now than it has ever been." Still, the grim conclusion: "The reasons for the loss of MH370 cannot be established with certainty until the aircraft is found." The Aussies have tapped out for good, however, noting the search would only be revived with "credible" new evidence, per the BBC. The Malaysian government is still investigating, with the wife of a passenger telling News.com.au "it can't end here." "We ... deeply regret that we have not been able to locate the aircraft, nor those 239 souls on board that remain missing," investigators conclude. "I hope  [the bereaved] can take some solace in the fact that we did all we could do to find answers," adds ATSB chief Greg Hood, per the Guardian. (Read more MH370 stories.)
Every day, South Korea's Unification Ministry sends officials to the border village of Panmunjom to call North Korea at 9am and 4pm. For more than 18 months, the North hasn't picked up. As North Korea steps up its nuclear weapons tests and threats, the Unification Ministry, dedicated to improving relations with the North and eventual peaceful reunification, faces an almost existential crisis. Not too long ago the ministry was one of Seoul's most powerful departments, reports the AP. It had central roles in engineering two historic summits between the leaders of the two Koreas and launching joint economic projects in the 2000s. That is mostly gone after nearly a decade of hard-line conservative rule in the South, and a rapid expansion of missile and nuclear weapons development in the North.

The most important decisions on North Korea now come from the South Korean president's office and the defense and foreign ministries. The Unification Ministry has been mostly left to issuing boilerplate denouncements of Pyongyang's weapons tests and propaganda outbursts. The election of a liberal president in May, ending nine years of conservative government, briefly raised hopes. But Pyongyang has so far ignored a Unification Ministry proposal in July to hold inter-Korean military and Red Cross talks. In changed circumstances, it is less clear what the Unification Ministry should, or can do. Jeong Se-hyun, who served as unification minister under two South Korean presidents, says "the ministry has ... to keep placing calls on the Panmunjom telephone. The situation can quickly change and North Korea could feel the need for dialogue." (Read more South Korea stories.)
A clearer timeline of the Las Vegas shooting is coming into focus, though exactly what Stephen Paddock was up to during the 72 minutes between the first 911 call and the time officers entered his suite at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino is still taking shape. NBC News reports the first 911 call came at 10:08pm local time, just as a police officer on the scene raised the alarm: "We got shots fired, sounds like an automatic firearm," the officer said over a police radio channel, per the New York Times. Less than a minute later, an officer described shots as "coming from upstairs in the Mandalay Bay," per the Times. Within minutes, an officer who'd reached the 31st floor of the 43-story Mandalay Bay commented that he could hear "automatic fire coming from  one floor above us."

Per a Times analysis of video of 15 seconds of the attack, about 90 shots were fired in just 10 seconds. Police communications suggest the shooting had ended by 10:25pm, when officers arrived outside Suite 135 on the 32nd floor, though a hotel security guard was at one point shot through the suite door. It took almost an hour for SWAT teams to secure the floor before Paddock's room was accessed using an explosive device. Paddock, who'd allegedly smashed the floor-to-ceiling windows in the suite in order to take aim at a crowd of 22,000 gathered for the Route 91 Harvest festival 500 yards away, was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound at 11:20pm, per the Las Vegas Review-Journal. It's unclear at what point during the preceding hour Paddock died. (Read more Las Vegas shooting stories.)
Plumbers called to a UK home that had been having toilet trouble found a terrible reason for the issues: the body of a newborn boy. Sinead Connett, now 29, was recently sentenced to 12 months in prison following the plumber's discovery last year. She told cops she was "shocked" when she found out she was pregnant and scared her partner would ditch her; she confessed to giving birth alone in her apartment bathroom in August 2013, per the Telegraph. (She says the baby was stillborn, but claims she tried to revive him; the BBC reports a cause of death was never determined.) The former HR executive later dumped the baby's body, wrapped in a towel and plastic bags, in a drainage pit behind her parents' home two and a half hours away, knowing they were on a trip at the time. She had left the body in the trunk of her car for at least two days before dumping it, per the Grimsby Telegraph.

In February 2016, Connett's father called a plumber about issues he and his wife were having with their downstairs toilet. The plumber believed the problem was a blockage in an outside drain; while attempting to clear it, the two men found the body. Connett was ultimately convicted of concealing the birth of a child. She told cops she didn't realize she was pregnant until it was too late to terminate, but medical records show her pregnancy was recorded in January 2013. She visited an abortion clinic in May but was told it was too late to get an abortion then. The baby was conceived with partner Jonathan Layfield, a teacher who got banned from teaching in 2014 due to an inappropriate relationship with a teen student. Despite all of these issues, the couple wed in November 2016. Connett was charged in May 2017 after her initial stories about the baby's conception were found to be lies. (Read more child death stories.)
Roman Polanski is now facing sexual assault charges from a fourth woman, the New York Times reports. Renate Langer says the director raped her in February 1972 when she was 15 years old. The 61-year-old former actress says she was visiting Polanski, who she met while working at a modeling agency in high school in Germany, in Switzerland because he was thinking about casting her in a film. She says she tried to defend herself when he raped her at his home. Langer says she didn't tell police, friends, or family because she was worried about her parents. "My mother would have had a heart attack," she says." I felt ashamed and embarrassed and lost." She says Polanski called and apologized a month later, offering her a small role. But while filming in Rome, Langer says he raped her again despite her throwing bottles of wine and perfume at him.

Swiss police interviewed Langer about the allegations last month, AFP reports. While Switzerland has no statute of limitations on child sex abuse, a spokesperson says it's unclear at this moment if charges will be filed against the 84-year-old Polanski. Langer says she decided to come forward after another woman did so in August and now that both her parents are dead (her father died over the summer). A woman named only as Robin M. said in August that Polanski "sexually victimized" her in 1973 when she was 16, according to Salon. In 2010, actor Charlotte Lewis said Polanski sexually assaulted her in the 1980s when she also was 16. Polanski fled the US in 1978 after pleading guilty to unlawful sex with a 13-year-old girl. (Read more Roman Polanski stories.)
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New Delhi:

The Kerala High Court on Tuesday granted bail to Malayalam actor Dileep in the actress abduction case.



This was Dileeps fifth bail plea, and the third before the High Court.



He was arrested on July 10 on charges of conspiracy behind the abduction and assault of a South Indian actress.



As per the prosecution, Dileep had given a 'quotation' or contract for kidnapping and sexually molesting the actress.



The prosecution told the court that Dileep would have obtained Rs 65 crore if the 'quotation' was properly carried out by Sunil Kumar alias 'Pulsar' Suni, the first accused in the case.



Unlike earlier bail pleas which cited merit, the actor had contended this time that it was his eligibility to get statutory bail as police hasn't filed a chargesheet in 60 days.

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New Delhi:

BJP national president Amit Shah on Tuesday said that his aJan Raksha Yatraa will create awareness in people of Kerala against 'red terror'. He said if they donat come forward, the ruling party CPI (M) would continue apolitical murdersa in the state.

He said 13 workers have been brutally murdered in a short span of time. While talking to ANI, he said he chose Kannur because most political murders took place in the district.

Shah said the movement will continue till October 17 and party leaders and activists will organise similar padyatra in other state capital, including Delhi.

Yatra is to invoke awareness. 13 workers have been brutally murdered in a short span of time: Amit Shah on Jana Raksha rally in Kannur pic.twitter.com/JIaSnpsBpG a ANI (@ANI) October 3, 2017

On the first day of his three-day stay here, he launched 'Jan Raksha Yatra' (people's protection march) from Vijayan's home town in Kannur district and was later joined by a large numbers of party workers as he walked over nine kilometres, blaming the ruling CPI(M) for "political murders" of the BJP and RSS workers.

Movement to go on till Oct 17, also in Delhi&all state capitals. Then we'll take out huge 'Jan Sampark Abhiyan' in Kerala: Amit Shah to ANI pic.twitter.com/46hmigHMy3 a ANI (@ANI) October 3, 2017

"More than 84 BJP and RSS workers have been killed in the district alone. I want to ask Pinarayi Vijayan...Who has killed them? If he does not have answers, then I am saying that the chief minister is responsible for the killings," he said.

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New Delhi:

Haryana Police arrested Dera Sacha Sauda Chief Gurmeet Singhs 'adopted daughter' Priyanka Taneja alias Honeypreet Insaan from Zirakpur, around 25 kilometers from Haryana-Punjab capital Chandigarh on Tuesday.

Panchkula Police Commissioner said, We have arrested Honeypreet. She will be produced in court tomorrow.

Senior police officers from the Haryana Police said raids were conducted to nab Honeypreet after they received intelligence inputs regarding her hideout in Zirakpur, an adjoining city to Panchkula.

Last week she had filed for anticipatory bail with the Delhi Police, which was rejected.

Also read: Delhi High Court dismisses Honeypreet Insan's anticipatory bail plea



Honeypreet had been evading arrest after Haryana Police mentioned her name in an FIR for inciting violence in Panchkula and adjoining areas on August 25, the day when Gurmeet Singh was convicted for raping two of his followers by the CBI court.

Earlier, Haryana Police had formed several raiding teams to nab Honeypreet. Police had conducted raids at Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Bihar, Rajasthan and Delhi to nab the Dera chiefs daughter.

Also read: Honeypreet Insan's former husband Vishwas Gupta alleges threat to life



Honeypreet told the media soon after her arrest that she was in India.

She further added, "I'm pained and shocked, how can the world do this to us? We are great patriots and we love India. Truth will prevail and the world will see this."

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New Delhi:

Karnataka Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy on Wednesday claimed the Special Investigation Team probing the killing of senior Kannada journalist Gauri Lankesh has got clues and is in the process of gathering evidence.

Gauri Lankesh, known to be an anti-establishment voice with strident anti-right wing views, was shot dead at close range by unknown assailants at her home here on the night of September 5.

"We have got clues, but we cannot tell things to the media for now, because we should have correct evidence for the clues we have got," he told reporters at Chikkaballapura.

He said "If there are no proper evidence when we file a charge sheet at the court, it won't stand. So we are trying to collect the evidence correctly... Our SIT is working towards gathering evidence."

The Minister had on September 9 made similar claims about SIT having gathered "some clues" in connection with the case, as he expressed hopes about nabbing the culprits soon.

The Karnataka government, which has constituted the SIT headed by IGP (Intelligence) B K Singh, has announced a Rs 10 lakh reward to anyone who gives clues about the killing thatled to outrage and protests.

As a political slug fest broke out over the killing, her family had pleaded against giving a political colour to it. The family had said the investigators should look into all angles behind Gauri's killing, whether it was right wing or Naxals, as reports have emerged about a possible Naxal hand, other than suspected involvement of right-wing extremists, the ideology Gauri opposed.

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New Delhi:

Neerja Batra, who was suspended from the post of Ryan International School principal due to her negligence in the school where the eight-year-old was brutally murdered on September 8 has been appointed as a teacher in school's Sec 40 branch.



"Suspended Principal of Ryan International School (Bhondsi), Neerja Batra joins Gurugram's Sector- 40 branch as teacher," reported ANI.



The move has left parents fuming as they are demanding that until the case closes, the staff present at the school on the day of the murder should be treated with suspicion.

A parent was quoted in media as saying that Until and unless she is declared not guilty, she should remain suspended.

Father of Pradyuman Thakur, was killed in Ryan school, condemned the move. "How can you reinstate the principal who failed to fulfill her responsibility? What is the meaning of suspension then?," Pradyuman's father Varun Thakur asked.

He further questioned, "How can you expect her (Neerja Batra) to fulfil responsibilities as a teacher. It's a risk to security & safety of students."



She was the principal of the institution in which the gruesome murder of an innocent child took place. She was suspended for negligence in delivering her duties and now the management cannot assign her a new task in another branch. How can they reinstate an employee who is found guilty of not doing her job responsibly? said Ramneek Vashishtha, another parent told Hindustan Times.

Read | Punjab: Ryan International School student allegedly beaten up by 2 teachers



Batra, who has been working with Ryan schools for 20 years, was appointed at Sec 40 branch after administrative clearance from school management and Gurgaon district commissioner's office.



Vinay Pratap Singh, deputy commissioner, Gurgaon, told a newspaper, I had ordered to send her to the sector 40 branch of Ryan International School as she was not responsible for the incident. She had done her bit by informing the school management of the safety and security lapses through emails and she had no financial power. If she had not sent the emails, she would also have been arrested by the police for her negligence. Her deployment was originally at the sector 40 branch and I have sent her back as keeping her at Bhondsi could have been an issue.



If parents have issues they should speak to the school management. Now, it is the school managements prerogative to retain her in the branch or post her to another. Now its up to the sector 40 school management how to utilise her services, said Singh who is the administrator of the school for three months by a government order.

Read | Ryan murder case: Punjab and Haryana HC stays Pinto family's arrest until further hearing

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New Delhi:

Honeypreet Insan, the "adopted daughter" of the jailed Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh wants to surrender before the Panchkula court on Tuesday but only after 'certain conditions' are met, several media reports cited on Tuesday.

Having failed to arrest top Dera associates including Honeypreet Insan, the Haryana Police has now formed a new team to nab them. Meanwhile, the close Gurmeet Ram Rahim aide may move anticipatory bail plea on Tuesday, which if rejected, may result in her surrendering before the cops.

The development comes after the state police was accused of helping Honeypreet Insan and other Dera aides, who have been on the run for more than a month, even after lookout notices and on-bailable arrest warrants were issued against them by a Panchkula Court. Haryana Police is also hesitating to share the information about raids after making failed attempts at about two dozen places.

It is notable that Honeypreet gave Haryana Police the slip more than six times in the recent past. Police officials now believe that they will either arrest Honeypreet or she will surrender before the court herself.

Haryana Police has already installed barricades across the state in a bid to arrest Honeypreet. The police is also searching vehicles to ensure that Honeypreet does not escape in disguise. Ever since the Honeypreet exclusive interview on India Today and Aak Tak was telecast, the Haryana Police has swung into action.

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New Delhi:

Hyderabad Police has claimed to arrested three foreigners indulged in human trafficking on Tuesday.

The police have arrested the three foreigners as Tanzanian nationalists.

Police have recovered four mobile phones and several incriminating material from the possession of the arrested.

Police said a case has been registered under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 370 (a), 3, 4 and 5, Prevention of Immoral trafficking Act and section 14 of Foreigners Act.

Also read| Hyderabad: 'Contract marriage' racket busted, 8 Arab Sheikhs, 3 Qazis arrested



In August, Himachal Pradesh Police had busted a flesh trade in Kullu and arrested a woman from Tanzania. Police then had rescued two foreigners who were forced into the flesh trade by the Tanzanian nationalist.

Police then had said that the rescued foreigners were also from Tanzania.

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New Delhi:

An Army soldier lost his life in ceasefires violation by Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir's Bhimber Gali on Tuesday.

The soldier has been identified as Naik Mahendra Chemjung.

Earlier in the day, security forces foiled an attempt by the Jaish-e-Mohammed to storm a BSF camp near the high- security Srinagar airport today, killing all three militants in an operation that also claimed the life of an assistant sub-inspector of the force, police said.

State Director General of Police S P Vaid said the three terrorists who had sneaked into the BSF camp had been "neutralised".

#FLASH: Naik Mahendra Chemjung lost his life in ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir's Bhimber Gali pic.twitter.com/OYwcfqqwkY  ANI (@ANI) October 3, 2017

"We are carrying out search operations inside the premises to rule out the possibility of planting of explosives," he said.

Officials in the know of developments said there was prior intelligence that a Jaish-e-Mohammed operative identified as 'Noora Trali' had brought in a suicide squad into the city.

Also Read: BSF ASI killed, 3 militants killed near Srinagar Airport; Operation ends, combing operation underway

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New Delhi:

The Karnataka Prisons department on Tuesday rejected Sasikala's parole application to visit her ailing husband.

Superintendent Somashekar cited inadequacies in the applicationA and sought more details and affidavits. He asked the counsel to make a fresh application.

Earlier, the prison authorities were considering a plea by jailed Sasikala to release her on parole for 15 days to meet her ailing husband, who is awaiting a liver transplant at a Chennai hospital.

"Yesterday, we received an application from Sasikala, urging us to release her on a 15-day parole. She has said that her husband is unwell and admitted to a hospital in Chennai. Our legal cell is considering the plea," Parappana Agrahara Prison Superintendent P S Ramesh had said.

#FLASH: Karnataka Prisons department rejects Sasikala's parole application to visit her ailing husband. a ANI (@ANI) October 3, 2017

Sasikala's (60) husband M Natarajan (74) is admitted in the liver intensive care unit of a corporate hospital since last month following a kidney and liver failure.

Superintendent Somashekar cites inadequacies in application, seeks more details and affidavits and asks counsel to make fresh application a ANI (@ANI) October 3, 2017

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New Delhi:

Supreme Court on Tuesday scheduled the hearing of the 'Love Jihad' matter for October 9. The plea was filed by a Kerala man opposing NIA probe into his marriage with Hindu woman who had converted to Islam.



The court will examine as to whether a high court can annul the marriage by exercising its writ powers.



A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra said that it will hear on October 9 the fresh plea of Shafin Jahan, the Kerala man seeking recall of its earlier order by which the National Investigation Agency (NIA) was asked to probe whether there was a wider pattern of alleged love jihad in the case.



Senior Advocate Dushyant Dave, appearing for Jahan, argued that in a multi-religious society the apex court should not have ordered NIA investigation in the case and urged for an urgent hearing on the plea seeking a recall of the order.



Pattern or no pattern, the question is, can the high court annul the marriage by exercising its powers under Article 226 of the Constitution, the bench which also comprises Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud said.

Read | Kerala love jihad case: Man files plea in Supreme Court against NIA probe



Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre sought an adjournment on the ground that another ASG Maninder Singh, who has been appearing in this case was out of station for personal purposes.Jahan had on September 20 approached the apex court seeking recall of its order directing the NIA to investigate the controversial case of conversion and marriage of a Hindu woman with him.



The Kerala High Court had annulled the marriage terming it as an instance of love jihad, following which he had approached the apex court.



The top court had on August 16 directed the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to probe the incident under the supervision of retired apex court judge, Justice R V Raveendran.



Jahan has claimed in his plea that the Kerala human rights commission has received several complaints regarding the detention of the woman at her fathers house.



He has also claimed that the woman has made it clear that she had accepted Islam on her own free will and after the May 24 order of the high court, she has been detained against her will and her rights have been violated.



Jahan, who had married a Hindu woman in last December, had moved the apex court after the Kerala High Court annulled his marriage, saying it was an insult to the independence of women in the country.



The woman, a Hindu, had converted to Islam and later married Jahan. It was alleged that the woman was recruited by Islamic States mission in Syria and Jahan was only a stooge.



Ashokan K M, the father of the woman, had alleged that there was a well-oiled systematic mechanism for conversion and Islamic radicalisation.



The high court, while declaring the marriage as null and void, had described the case as an instance of love jihad and ordered the state police to conduct a probe into such cases.

(With Inputs from PTI)

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New Delhi:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday addressed gathering after foundation stone laying ceremony of AIIMS in Himachal Pradeshs Bilaspur.

PM Modi began the speech by saying that he has a strong connection with Himachal Pradesh.

PM Modi lays foundation stone of AIIMS in Bilaspur. Governor Acharya Dev Vrat, CM Virbhadra Singh and Union Minister JP Nadda were present at the foundation stone of AIIMS.

Here are the live updates from the PM Modis speech:

# Over 4 crore families still do not have access to electricity. Through Saubhagya Yojana we want to ensure power for them.

# Himachal needs good roads & proper electricity. Only then tourism will get a boost and hence add to the state's economy.

# Earlier there used to be only news about scams & corruption. Since we came to power, there has been no news of corruption.

# What Himachal Pradesh is seeing now is a 'Zamanati Sarkar'. People of this state do not deserve such a government.

# I laud people of Himachal for their awareness towards Swachhata. A clean Himachal would boost tourism & add to progress of the state.

# There are 13 development projects in Himachal Pradesh for which Central Govt will invest Rs 15,000 Crore

# By conducting Surgical Strikes, the country's military has shown its prowess and made the nation proud

# For over 40 years, the matter of OROP was pending. Now, we have disbursed 3 out of 4 installments that have benefitted ex-servicemen.

# With the Shilanyas of IIIT, we are laying the foundations of a futuristic Himachal Pradesh. This will benefit the people of the state.

# IIIT is not just a college but it is the beginning of a new era.

# Indradhanush Yojna has covered significant ground in vaccination. I congratulate JP Nadda for his efforts.

# We're making a campus where over 3000 people will work together. This is also bringing employment opportunities.

# This AIIMS has not only come as lifeline for the people of Himachal but also a boost to the tourism sector here.

# Opening of AIIMS in Himachal Pradesh especially in this region of the state has a lot of benefits for people.

# Tourists come here from far off places. If they get access to AIIMS & get treated well, they will want to come here frequently.

# I will be fortunate if I get the opportunity to work for Himachal Pradesh.

# I have a strong connection with Himachal Pradesh.

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New Delhi:

Liquor baron Vijay Mallya who was arrested under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act in London on Tuesday morning has been granted bail.

Mallya appeared before the Westminster Magistrates' Court at 2 PM (London time).

The court will hear on the case on November 20.

He was arrested on extradition request made by government of India based on money laundering charges against him.

Mallya talking to the reporters said, "Nothing to add, you heard it all (in the court)"



Mallya is wanted in India for defaulting on loans worth Rs 9,000 crore. The liquor baron has been repeatedly refused to appear before courts and investigators in India.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) have said that the funds were allegedly laundered to shell companies in more than six countries.

According to reports, investigative agencies including CBI and ED recently completed the submission of probe evidence to the British Crown Prosecution Service.

Sleuths from the probing agencies have said that they are filing a fresh prosecution complaint and have issued letters rogatory to seven countries to establish the alleged diversion of funds to shell companies.

Mallya had secretly fled to Britain in March, 2016, after defaulting on loan payments to state-owned banks and allegedly misusing the funds. He has been staying in London for over a year now evading arrest.

Also read: CBI, ED investigations find Vijay Mallya diverted huge chunk of Rs 6,000 crore loan to shell companies in 7 nations



He had fled to Britain after being pursued for recovery of Rs 8,191 crore owed to a consortium of 17 Indian banks by his now defunct Kingfisher Airlines.

Mallya was arrested and granted bail in London by the Scotland Yard on an extradition warrant on April 18 .

India in February had made an extradition request to Britain to send back the liquor tycoon to face trial.







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New Delhi:

Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Tuesday has summoned the Pakistan Deputy High Commissioner in connection to death of three minors by Pakistan forces in unprovoked firing at Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir on Monday.

According to reports, the Ministry of External Affairs lodged a strong protest with the Pakistan over the unprovoked firing by Pakistan forces on October 2.

The MEA in a statement also conveyed Pakistan that such deliberate targeting of civilians was not acceptable and was against humanitarian norms and practices.

The Ministry also showed strong concern over continued unprovoked firing by Pakistan security forces across LoC and international boundary in violation of 2003 Ceasefire Understanding.

Also read| J&K: 3 minors killed, 8 civilians injured as Pakistan violates ceasefire in Poonch sector



Sources said, MEA has asked Pakistan to investigate the incident and bring to justice the individuals and entities responsible for orchestrating the heinous attack which led to killing of three minors in the LoC.

On October 2 ceasefire violation three civilians (all minors) were killed and 8 persons had suffered serious injuries in Jammu and Kashmirs Poonch.

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New Delhi:

A 26-year-old Delhi woman, who returned from Noida district hospital on Tuesday morning on allegedly not finding a doctor in the emergency, delivered a premature baby in a car later in the day.

According to relatives of the woman they had to return from Noida district hospital after they failed to find an emergency doctor in the hospital.

However, the chief medical superintendent of the hospital Dr Ajey Agarwal denied absence of doctor.

A doctor was present in the hospital. The Guard on duty gave them wrong information, he added.

According to relatives of the 26-year-old pregnant woman, Babita, she was brought to the district hospital in Noida Sector 30 around 6:30 am after she experienced labour pains.

Also read| Madhya Pradesh: NHRC sends notice to hospital which allegedly refused treatment to HIV-positive pregnant woman



We asked the emergency staff in the hospital to admit Babita in the hospital but they asked us to get her check by a doctor first, said Babitas mother Chndra Devi.

She added that when we started searching for the doctor, they were informed that no doctor was available at that moment.

Another relative of the woman said, When her pain increased we contacted Babitas sisters employer, who is a doctor.

Also read| Bhopal: Woman delivers baby in hospital toilet, doctors refuse to attend



We were on way to hospital on the doctors car when Babita delivered the baby, aherdly 200 metres away from the hospital, added the relative.

According to doctors both the mother and the baby are fine now.

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New Delhi:

The entire Congress party, including party president Sonia Gandhi, vice president Rahul Gandhi and others were out on bail on corruption charges against them, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday during a public meeting in Himachal Pradeshs Bilaspur.

Modi during the public meeting also termed Virbhadra Singh cabinet as government on bail.

Prime Minister was in the poll bound state to lay the foundation stone of Rs 1,3500 crore 750-bed AIIMS hospital in Bilaspur, IIT and a unit of SAIL steel plant.

Prime Minister further added, Sonia Gandhi is out on bail in the National Herald case, similarly yuvraaj (prince) is also out on bail in the National Herald case.

Also read: PM Narendra Modi in HP: By conducting surgical strikes, military has made nation proud



He added,  Everything is on bail  the party, its leaders and its government are out on bail,

Modi further added that when few Congress leaders came to me him he told them the chief minister and his entire family is out on bail.

This is zamanati sarka (Government on bail). Why dont you change the chief minister, Modi said referring to Virbhadra Singh, who is facing cases of disproportionate property and his out on bail.

Also read: Anna Hazare attacks PM Modi for not appointing Lokpal, threatens fresh protest



Modi further asked the public during the rally, Now tell me, dont we need to oust this government which is out on bail.

During the public meeting Modi also slammed the previous Himachal and central governments for delaying projects in the state.

He said, The steel plant project worth Rs 70 crore was delayed for over seven years.

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New Delhi:

After Rashtriya Janata Dal leaders Lalu Prasad Yadav and Tejashwi Yadavs request, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday gave both of them more time for questioning in Railway hotel tender case.

The CBI has asked Lalu to appear for questioning on October 5 and Tejashwi on October 6.

The CBI has taken decision after Lalu and Tejashwi sought more time to appear in CBI headquarter. Both of them expressed inability to appear in CBI headquarter.

It is alleged that Yadav as railway minister had handed over the maintenance of two Railways hotelsBNR Ranchi and BNR Purito Sujata Hotel, a company owned by Vinay and Vijay Kochhar, after receiving a bribe in the form of three acres of prime plot of land through a benami company.

The FIR alleged that Yadav, as a railway minister, abused his official position for extending undue favours to Kochhars and acquired the high-value premium land through a benami company Delight.

It alleged that Yadav, dishonestly and fraudulently, managed the award of leasing out BNRs at Ranchi and Puri to the company of Kochhars in quid pro quo transactions.

The CBI has registered the case against Lalu Yadav, wife Rabri Devi, son Tejashwi, and Sarla Gupta, the wife of former union minister Prem Chand Gupta.

Others named as accused in the FIR include Vijay Kochhar, Vinay Kochhar, both directors of Sujata Hotels and owner of Chanakya Hotel; Delight marketing company, now known as Lara Projects and the then Managing Director P K Goel.

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New Delhi:

The Supreme Court on Tuesday issued notice to Centre and Election Commission on a PIL challenging recent changes in law on political funding.

The Supreme Court sought response from both Centre and EC .

A bench comprising Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud issued the notice on a plea filed by NGO Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR).

Lawyer Prashant Bhushan, appearing for the NGO, said that the amendment has removed the cap that barred corporates from donating more than 7.5 per cent of their average net profit to a political party.

He also said that the political parties can now take donations in the form of election bonds without disclosing the source.

The Lok Sabha had in March this year approved a proposal by the government, as part of amendments to the Finance Bill, 2017, relaxing conditions for corporate funding to political parties.

With PTI inputs

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New Delhi:

Terrorists attacked the Border Security Forces 182 battalion camp near Srinagar airport in the wee hours of Tuesday morning. Three militants were killed in the gunbattle that is raging near the airport, forcing brief suspension of air traffic and closure of schools in the vicinity.



A police official said that a group of militants, whose exact number could not be known immediately, stormed the BSF camp located just outside the main gate of the high-security Srinagar International Airport at 4.00 am.



Two militants have been killed so far while a BSF jawan identified as B K Yadav laid down his life while battling the attackers, officials said in the morning. Another militant was gunned down after a long gunbattle till around 2:00 PM.



Three other BSF personnel were injured in the firefight while a policeman guarding the residence of a retired police officer nearby sustained superficial injuries due to a stray bullet, the official said.



Intermittent exchange of firing was going on, he added.

Read | Surgical Strikes First Anniversary: We can conduct such operations again, repeat them

Airport operations were suspended in the morning due to the gunfight but later resumed as security forces managed to limit the action around the building where the militants are holed up.



Normal flight operations have resumed and passengers were boarding flights, said Director, Airport Authority of India, Srinagar, Sharad Kumar.The 182 battalion is entrusted with security of runway of the Srinagar airport.



Adjacent to the camp is the old Srinagar air field which is been run by the Indian Air force. The area also houses training centres of the BSF and CRPF. Schools in the vicinity of the airport have been closed.



Jaish-e-Mohammad militant outfit has claimed responsibility for the attack.A caller identifying himself as spokesman of the outfit told local news gathering agencies that Jaish militants carried out the attack.

Here are the live updates:

#UPDATE J&K BSF camp attack: Three militants killed. Operation ends, combing operation underway  ANI (@ANI) October 3, 2017

#SrinagarTerrorAttack Operation underway at BSF 182 battalion camp (Visuals deferred by unspecified time) pic.twitter.com/5c5wJBRjVV  ANI (@ANI) October 3, 2017

#11:20 AM: Security forces responded promptly to Srinagar Terror Attack & ensured that there is no collateral damage to civilians: MoS PMO Jitendra Singh

#WATCH Heavy firing at BSF 182 battalion camp, operation underway. (Visuals deferred by unspecified time) #SrinagarTerrorAttack pic.twitter.com/MwhIeHdzhg  ANI (@ANI) October 3, 2017

#SrinagarTerrorAttack: One BSF personnel lost his life, 2 terrorists killed. Operation underway. (Visuals deferred by unspecified time) pic.twitter.com/DWbPmZCk24  ANI (@ANI) October 3, 2017

#10:30 AM: One ASI of BSF succumbed to his injuries

#10:27 AM: Operations resume at Srinagar airport. AirAsia flight lands

#10:11 AM: Jaish-e-Mohammed has claimed responsibility for the attack

#10:09 AM: Ministry of Home Affairs update:

2 terrorists killed in total. 1 still holed up inside. Daily Security review meeting may be in the afternoon. Srinagar attack may be discussed there

#9:32 AM: Another terrorist gunned down during ops at a building inside BSF camp near Srinagar Airport. Total 2 terrorists killed. Ops on.

#9:15 AM: Total three BSF jawans and a policeman were injured. Firing is ongoing: BSF officials

#8:39 AM: Passengers now allowed to enter Srinagar Airport after security check to avoid inconvenience. However, the decision of resuming air traffic to be taken by Airports Authority of India and concerned airlines.

#8:36 AM: After terrorist attack near Srinagar airport, airports in metro cities have been put on high alert.

#8:29 AM: Home Minister Rajnath Singh has called a high level meeting at 10.30 am to discuss J&K issue.

#8:20 AM: Passengers allowed to move towards airport

#8:14 AM: In view of terrorist attack on BSF camp in Srinagar, Kashmir Valley School, which is in vicinity of the area, will remain closed.

#8:12 AM: What we know so far:

-3-4 terrorist holed up inside BSF camp

-1 fidayeen shot down

-3 BSF troopers injured

-Srinagar airport shutdown, taken over by CRPF

#8:11 AM: Injured are being evacuated; terrorists isolated; flush out drills in progress with precision: Official statement

#7:50 AM: The troops of CRPF, 53RR, BSF and SOG zonal QAT CRPF have placed a cordon around the building. Intermittent firing on. IG SNR CRPF and senior officials of SFs are on the spot. Update follows - Official statement

#7:45 AM: Srinagar Airport shut due to ongoing encounter/operation. No flight operation till security clearance. Airport under CRPF security: CRPF

#7:22 AM: Morning flights cancelled at Srinagar Airport following the attack

#Visuals from the vicinity of Srinagar Airport; passengers stranded as way to the airport has been closed after attack on BSF camp nearby. pic.twitter.com/95hK6SsHAb  ANI (@ANI) October 3, 2017

#7:19 AM: Ministry of Home Affairs statement on terrorist attack on BSF camp

MHA. As per BSF Control Room, today(03.10.2017) at about 0415, a group of 2-3 militants carried attack on BSF camp of 182 Bn BSF HQ near airport Srinagar, u/PS- Hamaama, district- Budgam, J&K. In this incident, 03 jawans got injured. In the retaliatory action by the troops, 01 Fidayeen also killed. The encounter is in progress. Details awaited.



#7:10 AM: A total of 3 BSF troopers injured in attack on campus of BSF's 182 battalion in Srinagar

#7:00 AM: Official confirmation of 1 terrorist death in, security forces suspect 3-4 terrorists involved in attack, ops on

#6:37 AM: At least 25 blasts were heard when the attack began: NN reporter in Srinagar

#6:36 AM: Intermittent firing is still on, flushing out efforts continue

#6:34 AM: Following attack on BSF camp near Srinagar Airport, no employee or passenger or vehicle is being allowed to go towards the Airport.

#6:25 AM: Sources say that the security forces are engaged in a gunfight with the terrorists. Two BSF troopers have been injured.

Suicide attack at BSF 182 battalion camp near Srinagar airport. More details awaited. (visuals deferred) pic.twitter.com/8m2lZteUAQ  ANI (@ANI) October 3, 2017



#6:11 AM: The firing seems to have stopped now, no gunfire can be heard now. Sources say that a terrorist has been shot dead, but no official confirmation has come in yet

#6:11 AM: Several bomb blasts were heard in the early morning hours before firing began

The region under attack is a high-security zone and is heavily guarded at all times. Airport operations continue as usual for now.

The remaining terrorists are holed up inside the building campus of the 182nd Battalion camp, BSF officials said.The attack comes days after the first anniversary of the deadly Uri attacks, which left 19 soldiers and 4 attackers dead. The last year's attack, which caused India to retaliate with surgical strike, was also carried out at 4 AM by the terrorists.

(With inputs from PTI)

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New Delhi:

The discovery of gravitational waves was a breakthrough that confirmed Albert Einsteins theory which the physicist predicted a century ago. Now, the three American physicists behind the discovery of the ripples in the fabric of spacetime have won the Nobel prize in physics for the same.

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in Stockholm has announced one half of the 9m Swedish kronor (825,000) prize for Rainer Weiss, while half of the price will be shared by Kip Thorne and Barry Barish.

Weiss, Thorne and Barish played a leading role in the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory, or Ligo, experiment. In September 2015, the first historic observation of gravitational waves was made by Ligo.

Weiss, who is an emeritus professor of physics at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, is an experimentalist, played a major role in contributing to the concept, design, funding and eventual construction of LIGO.



Kip Thorne, who is the Feynman professor of theoretical physics at California Institute of Technology, is a theorist. He predicted how the gravitational wave detected would actually look like and how that signal within the data could be identified.



The credit for getting the experiment off the ground goes to Barry Barish, a former particle physicist at California Institute of Technology (now emeritus professor). Barish took over as the second director of LIGO in 1994. At that time, the project was at risk of being cancelled. However, things turned around, thanks to Barish, who saw it through to construction in 1999 and its first measurements three years later.



In the end, experimentalists created one of the most sensitive detectors on Earth, while theorists figured out what a signal emerging from the collision of two black holes would actually look like.

ALSO READ | All you need to know about Gravitational waves detected by LIGO scientists for the second time



Less than 18 months after the detection of gravitational waves for the first time, Scottish physicist Ronald Drever, who played a leading role in building LIGO, died in March due to dementia.



The Nobel prize is not normally awarded posthumously.



Weiss described receiving the phone call as really wonderful. I view this more as a thing that recognises the work of about 1,000 people. I hate to tell you but its as long as 40 years of people thinking about this, trying to make a detection  and slowly but surely getting the technology together to do it, he said during a press conference.



It took us a long time  almost two months  to convince ourselves that we had seen something from the outside that was truly a gravitational wave, he said.

ALSO READ | Gravitational waves study: LIGO project in India expected to be functional by 2023

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Islamabad:

Nawaz Sharif is set to be re-elected as the president of Pakistans ruling PML-N on Tuesday as Parliament on Monday passed a controversial bill, paving the way for the ousted prime ministers return.

Sharif, 67, had to step down as the chief of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) after he was disqualified as the prime minister by the Supreme Court on July 28 in the Panama Papers scandal.



The Election Reforms Bill 2017, whose copies were torn by the protesting opposition parties in the National Assembly (NA) -- the lower house of the Parliamenthas a clause that allows politicians disqualified from holding public office to head a political party.



The bill had already been passed by the NA and the Senate -- the upper house of the Parliamentbut was returned to the lower house for fresh votes on the Senates amendments.



According to PML-N sources, the new bill would be signed by the President tomorrow after which it would become a law and enable Sharif to be elected as the party chief.

Read | Sharif's indictment over corruption cases deferred to October 9

Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insafs (PTI) senior leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that the Clause 203 was against the spirit of the Constitution and was incorporated to accommodate Sharif.



Sharif has been disqualified under the Article 62 of the Constitution and cannot hold any office, Qureshi said and announced to challenge it in the Supreme Court.



Pakistan Peoples Party, Jamaat-i-Islami and Awami Muslim League also opposed the bill, which was introduced by Law Minister Zahid Hamid.



The protest, however, could not stop the government from getting the bill passed in the National Assembly where the ruling PML-N party enjoys a majority.

Earlier, the Central Working Committee of the PML-N passed a resolution reposing its confidence in the leadership of Sharif, Pakistani media reported.

The leaders also agreed to amend the partys Constitution so that any person could assume the presidency even if that person did not hold public office, Dawn newspaper reported.

Read | Know how it is possible for Nawaz Sharif to become PML-N chief again



PML-N chairman Raja Zafarul Haq presided over the CWC session, which was also attended by Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif, Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and interim president Senator Sardar Yaqub Nasir.



Earlier in the day, an informal advisory session was held after Nawaz returned to Punjab House after appearing before an accountability court.



Nawaz had appeared before the Accountability Court today after being summoned in connection with three graft cases prepared by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) against him and his family in the Panama Papers case.



However, he was not formally charged with a crime as his lawyer argued that all of the accused in the case must be present in court before they could be indicted. The accused Nawaz; his children Hussain, Hassan, and Maryam; and son-in-law Mohammad Safdar are now expected to appear on October 9 to be formally indicted.



The court has issued non-bailable arrest warrants for the men and a bailable warrant for Maryam, likely keeping in mind that she may need to stay with her ailing mother in London.



The PML-N has also convened a meeting of its general council today and tomorrow to formally begin the process of re-electing Sharif as the partys president.



Earlier, there had been reports that the ousted prime minister would fly to London on Thursday to be with his wife, Kulsoom, who has been undergoing treatment for throat cancer at a private hospital in London.

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United Nations:

With a dangerous political standoff over elections still unresolved in the Democratic Republic of Congo, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is urging caution over further cuts to the UN peacekeeping mission there, according to a confidential report.

Guterres told the Security Council that more cost-cutting could hamstring the 18,000-strong MONUSCO force in its efforts to prevent a collapse of the vast, mineral-rich African country.

In a 27-page strategic review of MONUSCO, the UN's largest and most expensive mission, Guterres said the force was streamlining operations after the peacekeeping budget was cut.

"I am confident that the changes underway in MONUSCO will yield efficiencies. Yet, member-states should exercise caution in making further cuts to the mission's budget that may compromise its ability to deliver on its core priorities", Guterres wrote.

"MONUSCO's ultimate purpose is to prevent the DRC's collapse until it ceases to pose a threat to regional and international stability", he added in the report sent to the council on Friday.

Read more: Las Vegas shooting: 58 killed, 515 injured; US denies ISIS connection

Under pressure from the United States, the Security Council in March voted to cut 2,000 troops from MONUSCO while a USD 600-million cut to the peacekeeping budget was agreed for this year by all UN member-states.

In his report, Guterres said holding elections would open the door to a further drawdown of forces and eventually the mission's exit after 17 years in the country.

"Yet, unless the Congolese are able to quickly overcome the current political impasse, the mission may never reach that point", he warned.

The elections would pave the way to DR Congo's first democratic transition.

In his address to the United Nations last month, President Joseph Kabila said he was "most certainly moving towards credible, transparent and peaceful elections" and that a timetable would be announced "soon."

In power since 2001, Kabila officially ended his term in office in December, but he was allowed to remain under the deal reached on December 31 in exchange for guarantees that elections will be held.

There is little prospect that a vote will be held this year, however, fueling concerns that tensions will escalate into large-scale violence.

The council is scheduled to discuss the volatile situation in the DR Congo next week.

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Nissan Motor says it will recall about 1.2 million vehicles that hadn't received pre-shipment inspections by qualified workers at all domestic plants.

President and CEO Hiroto Saikawa said he didn't know about the problem until he was informed by the Transport Ministry. He said the vehicles were sold between October 2014 and last month.

Saikawa said the cost of the recall is estimated to exceed 220 million dollars.

He said he plans to conduct an investigation with an outside party, and report back to the ministry about preventive measures the company will take.

Oct 03 (ANNnewsCH) - ceaeSaaaeSaYace aYaaeaaYaeaaaaaaaeac121aaaaSaaceaaaaYa
The stunning natural phenomenon looks more like an otherworldly dragon as itas filmed slowly retreating up to the sky.

Japan is a country known for its natural beauty, but this weekend people in Niigata were treated to a rare display from the heavens that left people awestruck by its mysterious appearance.

The scene was captured on video by a resident and posted on Twitter by Chiba-based weather forecasting company Weathernews, where it received more than 60,000 retweets and over 91,000 likes in just a couple of days.

Funnel clouds are actually made up of condensed water droplets, extending from the base of a cloud and forming its shape when combined with a rotating column of wind. Unlike a tornado, which touches the ground and builds up speed, funnel clouds don't reach the ground or a water surface.
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MannKind received FDA approval to update the label on its inhalable insulin product, Afrezza, in a move that will make it easier to market the drug, the company announced this week.

The new label will clarify the starting and mealtime dosages, in addition to listing the initial and peak effects of the drug.

Its a pivotal moment in the history of the company, CEO Michael Castagna said during a conference call on Monday. He said the labeling allows the company to eliminate confusing language that has bogged down the label information since it launched Afrezza.

The language really restricted our ability to truly articulate the PK-PD (pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic) activity of the product, he said, adding the company has been working to get the label updated for about two and a half years.

MannKind is based in California and has a large manufacturing facility in Danbury.

Investors welcomed the news and the stock rose 7.8 percent to $2.34 per share on Monday. In late trading Tuesday, the stock rose more than 20 percent to $2.81 per share.

Castagna highlighted other company milestones during the call. On Sept. 29, Afrezza began its first pediatric trial. It will also file soon with Brazil to have the product sold and marketed there, the first of several international markets in which MannKind intends to sell Afrezza.

Castagna said the company is looking to hire a chief medical officer soon.

MannKind has made several top-level management moves this year. Castagna, 40, took over as CEO from Matthew Pfeffer in May. Steven Binder was named CFO and Patrick McCauley the chief commercial officer in July.

We will pull our sales force together to make sure we focus them and get good execution happening here in Q4 and get ready for 2018, he said.

In addition, Castagna said the FDA approved a glucose monitoring system that could spur sales to Type 2 diabetes customers. He said current MannKind sales are evenly split between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes patients, although 95 percent of overall diabetes patients have Type 2.

Being able to check your blood sugar without pricking your finger six or seven times a day will make it easier for people to figure out how to manage their glucose control, he said.

The updated label information includes new clinical data that was presented at the American Diabetes Associations 76th Scientific Sessions in June 2016.

These data articulate the rapid-acting nature of Afrezza to address post-prandial hyperglycemia, setting it apart from other mealtime options available to help patients maintain greater control over their blood glucose levels, Satish Garg of the Barbara Davis Center for Diabetes at the University of Colorado, said in a statement.

cbosak@hearstmediact.com; 203-731-3338
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BETHEL  A Wisconsin man is under investigation in connection with a far-reaching sexual blackmailing scheme that ensnared as many as 300 teenaged girls, including one from Bethel.

According to St. Croix County court documents, Barton Scott, 34, of New Richmond, Wis., posed as one of the girls friends to hack into her Snapchat account, where he found private nude photos. He then threatened to post the photos in a public forum if she did not send him more explicit videos and photographs, documents show.

You are fed, he told the girl, documents state. I wasnt gonna do sh, but f you now I am.

Using the aliases Chris Johnson and Rocking Horse, Scott exchanged hundreds of messages with the girl, documents stated.

Scott was convicted in 2015 of sending pictures of his genitals to underage girls. In that case, he obtained the girls phone numbers when they came into a Verizon store where he worked, according to The River Falls Journal in River Falls, Wis.

After a 6-month jail sentence, Scott was released on probation and ordered to stop communicating with girls under 18, including via social media. He was required to register as a sex offender for 10 years, according to the Pierce County Herald in Ellsworth, Wis.

Earlier this year, authorities learned he was trying to obtain nude photographs from a college-age woman in St. Paul. But not until late summer did they obtain a warrant to search his phone, documents show.

Police then seized several cellphones and an iPad, where they found evidence Scott had hacked more than 300 social media accounts belonging to girls in several states, documents said. The Bethel girls was one of them.

The girls mother agreed to allow Bethel police to assist in the investigation.

Wisconsin officials declined to discuss the case in detail.

At this point there is an ongoing investigation, said St. Croix County District Attorney Michael Nieskes. Were working with the FBI, Minnesota and Wisconsin authorities.

Police said Scott admitted contacting the Bethel teen in an interview last month, but he claimed he didnt know she was under 18. He said his contacts willingly sent him their usernames and passwords, court documents state.

Asked by police how many people he contacted, he said he had no clue.

It was a lot, he added.

blytton@hearstmediact.com; 203-731-3411; @bglytton
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BROOKFIELD  A class of 19 juniors and seniors sit in front of computers, listening through headsets to their AP Spanish teacher as she asks them questions about the documentary they had just watched on Cuba.

The teacher, Sarah Bengtson, divides the students into pairs to discuss a photo displayed on their screens. There is a chorus of Holas as the students greet their partners.

But they dont have to get out of their seats to do so. Instead, they speak Instead, students can hear their partners voice through the headsets and even record their conversations using the software in the lab.

The high school opened this $100,000 world language lab this fall for students learning a foreign language and non-native speakers learning English. Each of the 30 computers has software called Soloist that allows students to converse with one or more peers, respond to their teacher, record their voices and more.

Teachers and students said the lab helps kids improve their accents and language development, while getting them used to speaking spontaneously.

I feel a lot more comfortable speaking when its one-on-one with someone across the room, said senior Alex Heckmann, who is taking Advanced Placement Spanish. Despite not having the face-to-face connection, you still feel like youre talking right to them.

Students visit the lab about once a week.

The software is critical in preparing students for the AP exam, as well as a test called the Assessment of Performance toward Proficiency in Languages. Students must pass these tests to earn the state Seal of Biliteracy, an indication on their transcripts and diplomas that they are proficient in English and another language.

Previously students practiced for the AP exam in a regular computer lab using software that was not as reliable, Bengtson said

This has taken our abilities to the next level, she said.

Students said the software is easy to use and the ability to listen to their voices is helpful.

You catch mistakes that you wouldn't normally hear yourself say, Heckmann said. Because when youre speaking, youre not playing back everything you said. But then hearing it back, youre able to pick it up, like Oh thats not the right form. I need to fix that before the AP test.

The lab also serves the districts English language learners, or ELL students, a group that has grown from 43 students in 2013-14 to 96 students this year, said Kemen Holley, department chair for world language/English language learners

Holley was an ELL student herself. She said she often hesitated to speak English because she felt she said certain words weird. But the lab provides a safe forum for ELL students to talk without worrying about their accents, she said.

It gives them a forum to just be kids, to have a conversation about their weekends, Holley said. You feel protected, like you can express yourself.

Even though their teacher is standing in front of them, the students listen to the instructors voice through the headset, providing for a more personalized learning experience, Holley said.

Youre getting that individualized support, she said.

Teachers can listen to pairs without their knowing and jump in if they hear a mistake  without calling out the student in front of the other kids. Teachers can also send individual students or a whole class a note of advice or praise.

The technology is particularly beneficial for students who are nervous speaking in front of others.

It helps for the shy students because they dont feel as if theyre on the spot, Bengtson said.

Holley said the district is considering bringing the software to the middle school, as well as adding a digital portfolio function that would store students work from when they start Spanish in kindergarten until they graduate.

That would be great to have a digital program where you can see your growth as a language learner, Holley said.
WINNIPEG, Oct. 2, 2017 /CNW/ - Artis Real Estate Investment Trust (TSX: AX.UN) ("Artis" or the "REIT") announced today that it intends to release its financial results for the quarter ended September 30, 2017, after the close of the Toronto Stock Exchange on Monday, November 6, 2017.

Interested parties are invited to participate in a conference call with management on Tuesday, November 7, 2017, at 12:00 p.m. CT (1:00 p.m. ET). In order to participate, please dial 1-416-764-8688 or 1-888-390-0546. You will be required to identify yourself and the organization on whose behalf you are participating.

Alternatively, you may access the simultaneous webcast by following the link from our website at http://www.artisreit.com/investor-link/conference-callspresentations/. Prior to the webcast, you may follow the link to confirm you have the right software and system requirements.

If you cannot participate on Tuesday, November 7, 2017, a replay of the conference call will be available by dialing 1-416-764-8677 or 1-888-390-0541 and entering passcode 881659#. The replay will be available until Tuesday, December 5, 2017. The webcast will be archived 24 hours after the end of the conference call and will be accessible for 90 days.

*********

Artis is a diversified Canadian real estate investment trust investing in office, retail and industrial properties. Since 2004, Artis has executed an aggressive but disciplined growth strategy, building a portfolio of commercial properties in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario and select markets in the United States. As of June 30, 2017, Artis' commercial property comprises approximately 25.9 million square feet of leasable area.

During the three months ended June 30, 2017, Property Net Operating Income ("Property NOI") by asset class, including Artis' proportionate share of properties held in joint venture arrangements, was approximately 56.6% office, 20.0% retail and 23.4% industrial. Property NOI by geographical region, including Artis' proportionate share of properties held in joint venture arrangements, was approximately 3.9% in British Columbia, 25.6% in Alberta, 6.5% in Saskatchewan, 13.3% in Manitoba, 10.9% in Ontario, 8.3% in Arizona, 17.7% in Minnesota, 9.4% in Wisconsin and 4.4% in U.S.  Other.

Property NOI is a non-GAAP measure. Artis calculates Property NOI as revenues less property operating expenses such as utilities, repairs and maintenance and realty taxes. Property NOI does not include charges for interest or other expenses not specific to the day-to-day operation of the REIT's properties.

The Toronto Stock Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.

SOURCE Artis Real Estate Investment Trust

For further information: Mr. Armin Martens, President and Chief Executive Officer; Mr. Jim Green, Chief Financial Officer; or Ms. Heather Nikkel, Vice-President - Investor Relations of the REIT at 1.204.947.1250
$150,000 has been pledged to supporting men's and women's health initiatives

TORONTO, Oct. 3, 2017 /CNW/ -- This Fall, Moores Clothing for Men, a subsidiary of Tailored Brands, Inc. (NYSE:TLRD), is joining the fight against cancer. Knowing that cancer affects our customers, our employees and their families, we are focused on supporting the Movember Foundation and the Canadian Cancer Society to promote awareness and raise funds for both men's and women's health and cancer research.

Moores has committed to donating $100,000 to the Movember Foundation. Movember is a global organization that helps men live happier, healthier, longer lives by funding men's health projects focusing on prostate and testicular cancer, mental health and suicide prevention. In addition to the financial support for the charity, Moores is offering customers a special Movember deal starting November through December. Customers who sign up on Movember.com will receive a coupon for a free custom shirt with the purchase of a custom suit. Show your personal Movember Mo Space page or email from Movember.com in-store to receive the offer.

"The Movember Foundation's corporate partners have played an extraordinary role in a mission that has helped the Foundation fund more than 1,200 men's health projects in 21 countries," says Ken Aucoin, Country Director, the Movember Foundation. "Our partnership with Moores will allow us to expand our brand awareness and reach new audiences  all in an effort to help men live happier, healthier, longer lives."

In continuing to raise awareness for cancer research, Moores is participating in October's National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. We will be contributing $50,000 to the Canadian Cancer Society in support of their efforts. Funds will go towards high-quality breast cancer research, educating women about early detection and providing information and support services to those living with the disease.

"This October, we are pleased to partner with Moores in the fight against breast cancer," says Carly Schur, National Director of Corporate Programs for the Canadian Cancer Society. "With their support, we can take action against a disease that touches far too many lives."

"I am proud that Moores has pledged to support such worthy organizations," said Richard Bull, Vice President of Merchandising at Moores Clothing for Men. "It is important to our employees and company culture to get involved in our communities and to help these organizations with their efforts in the fight against cancer."

About Moores Clothing for Men

Launched in 1980 and a subsidiary of Tailored Brands, Inc., Moores Clothing for Men is the leading national retailer of men's business attire in Canada with over 120 stores. Moores' stores carry a full selection of suits, sport coats, slacks, formalwear, sportswear, outerwear, dress shirts, footwear, and accessories in non-exclusive and exclusive merchandise brands such as Joseph Abboud, AWEARNESS Kenneth Cole, BLACK by Vera Wang, among others. Moores is also the largest provider of tuxedo and suit rentals in Canada. For additional information on Moores Clothing for Men, please visit mooresclothing.com or follow us @MooresClothing on Facebook , Instagram, and Twitter.

About the Movember Foundation

The Movember Foundation is the only global charity focused solely on men's health, funding over 1,200 innovative projects across 21 countries. To date, the Foundation has raised $839 CAD for men's health programs supporting these critical areas: prostate cancer, testicular cancer, mental health and suicide prevention. But our work is not done. Be the difference and go to Movember.com to donate or participate. Together we can stop men from dying too young.

About Canadian Cancer Society

The Canadian Cancer Society is a national community-based organization of volunteers whose mission is the eradication of cancer and the enhancement of the quality of life of people living with cancer. When you want to know more about cancer, visit our website cancer.ca or call our toll-free, bilingual Cancer Information Service at 1 888 939-3333.

For media inquiries, contact:

Director of Public Relations All Brands

Diego Louro, [email protected]

Public Relations Marketing Manager  Moores Clothing for Men

Julie Weber, [email protected]

SOURCE Moores Clothing for Men

Related Links

https://www.mooresclothing.com


VANCOUVER, Oct. 2, 2017 /CNW/ - Nevsun Resources Ltd. (TSX: NSU) (NYSE MKT: NSU) plans to release the updated Preliminary Economic Assessment for the Timok Upper Zone project along with its third quarter 2017 financial and operating results on Thursday, October 26, 2017, after close of trading. A conference call and webcast will follow on Friday, October 27, 2017, at 8AM Vancouver / 11AM Toronto, New York / 4PM London.

Please call in at least five minutes prior to the conference call start time to ensure prompt access to the conference. Dial in details are as follows:



North America: 1 888-390-0546 / +1 416-764-8688 / +1 778-383-7413

UK: 0800 652 2435 (toll free)

Other International: +1 416-764-8688 / +1 778-383-7413

The conference call will be available for replay by phone until Friday, November 3, 2017, by calling 1 888-390-0541 / +1 416-764-8677 and entering passcode 184710 #.

A live audio webcast of the conference call will be available on the Company's website www.nevsun.com or by clicking https://event.on24.com/wcc/r/1510784/2833217E5B8B257192DBAFDBC54A5E0E

About Nevsun Resources Ltd.

Nevsun Resources Ltd. is the 100% owner of the high-grade copper-gold Timok Upper Zone and 60% owner of the Timok Lower Zone projects in Serbia. Nevsun generates cashflow from its 60% owned copper-zinc Bisha Mine in Eritrea. Nevsun is well positioned with a strong debt-free balance sheet to grow shareholder value through advancing Timok to production.

NEVSUN RESOURCES LTD.

"Peter G.J. Kukielski"

Peter G.J. Kukielski

President & Chief Executive Officer

SOURCE Nevsun Resources Ltd.

For further information: Nevsun Investor Relations, Tel: +1 604 623 4700, Toll free: 1 888 600 2200, Email: [email protected], Website: www.nevsun.com
The Associated Press

By Ben Axelson | baxelson@nyup.com

A lone wolf shooter opened fire on a crowd at a country music concert in Las Vegas Sunday, killing 58 people and injuring more than 500. It was the worst mass shooting in modern U.S. history, and it's impact has been felt across the United States.

Upstate New York residents who were in Las Vegas during the shooting are beginning to return home. With them come nightmarish stories of the chaos, terror and panic that followed the shooting.

Read the first-person accounts of seven Upstate New Yorkers in Vegas below.

Don't Edit

"It's never gonna happen to you"

Chris Greco, of Williamsville, had spent four nights in Vegas celebrating his anniversary with his wife. They were at the Cirque du Soleil Michael Jackson tribute show on Sunday night at the Mandalay Bay Resort when when the show abruptly stopped.

Chris told WGRZ-TV that SWAT officers stormed into the room, and it quickly became apparent that an active shooter situation was unfolding. Chris and other audience members were locked down in the theater for three hours, during which one woman had a seizure and another was on the verge of a heart attack.

"Everyone says it all the time, it's never gonna happen to you. All the sudden, it's there. You're there," Greco said. "The most, scariest moment."

Don't Edit

"They just shut down the strip"

Scott Glenn, of Lewiston, was on the same flight from Las Vegas to Buffalo as Greco. He was at the other end of the Las Vegas Strip from the shooting, but he felt the effects of it rippling throughout the city.

"I could see out my window, and just the massive amount of police start to come to the scene," Glenn told WGRZ. "I could see it in the distance, how they just shut down the strip. It was a pretty amazing thing to watch."

"I can't wait to go home and see my kids and get back to normal Buffalo life."

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

"Run as fast as you can"

Shelly and Joe Comfort were in Las Vegas with Kristi and Joe Shur, two friends from Rochester. They were having drinks at a hotel bar at the Delano, a sister property connected to the Mandalay Bay when the band stopped playing an ran off stage.

"The SWAT team came running into the (casino), running in with machine guns," Shelly told the Democrat & Chronicle. "We were told to run as fast as we can, there's an active shooter. It was crazy. People were diving under tables."

Bolting for the packed elevators, the Comforts and the Shurs retreated to their 60th floor room where they let two women who couldn't get back to the Mandalay stay with them.

"We were up until 4 in the morning" responding to texts from friends and family back home, she said.

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

"Eerily quiet"

Greece resident Theresa Toscano was in Vegas on work, staying a few blocks from the Mandalay when her hotel loudspeakers started blaring.

"They said there was a shooting, but I didn't know where so I just got back to my room," she told the D&C. She fell asleep to the loudspeakers repeatedly warning of an active shooter, and when she woke up, it was to a changed city.

"It is crazy quiet here, like you never imagine Las Vegas would be," she told the paper. "There's no cars down there, not even people walking around. It's nuts."

Toscano said she could see police barricades outside her window and crews boarding up the broken window on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay. But she said the life had gone out of Vegas.

"Eerily quiet. Totally surreal," she said from the airplane on her way home.

Don't Edit

The Associated Press

"No--that's gunshots"

Alicia Bemis, of Clifton Park, was at the Jason Aldean concert with a friend on Sunday night, and remembers the exact moment the chaos started. She told the Albany Times Union that people around her thought firecrackers were going off at first.

"I know the difference between gunshots and firecrackers, and I said, 'No  that's gunshots.'"

When a second round of gunshots went off, she dove under a table for safety. When the shooter paused, she ran for it. As she fled, she saw a first responder get shot while administering CPR to a victim.

Concertgoers encountered police trying to keep people off of Las Vegas Boulevard, and chaos erupted.

"People were tearing down barriers, tearing down walls," she said.

Bemis told the Times Union she nearly passed out as she got caught in the bottleneck of panicked concertgoers trying to escape.

"It really is surreal," she said. "At one point, you're listening to a performer you love so much and then next you're on the ground fearing for your safety."

She was able to locate her friend who had also made it to safety.

Don't Edit

"People aren't speaking"

Jeff DeFrancisco, an attorney from DeWitt and son of State Sen. John DeFrancisco, was in his hotel room blocks away from the shooting when he began to see emergency vehicles speeding down the strip. He continued to watch the chaos unfold, but what stuck with him was the stillness afterward.

"Everything stood still," he told syracuse.com. "It was eerie."

As he prepared to return home on Monday morning, he described the mood in the city.

"People aren't speaking. Everything is quiet."

Don't Edit

"Thank God"

A last minute decision may have been the difference between life and death for Baldwinsville's Alex Tuch. The Golden Knights player had just finished a pre-season game, and he and some teammates were considering going to the Jason Aldean concert.

"Thank God we didn't," Tuch told syracuse.com. The group went to dinner at The Cosmopolitan instead. He said they try not to think about what would have happened if they chose differently.

"We try to think about how lucky we were not to be there."

Tuch remembers how the restaurant went into lockdown in the middle of their meal. That lockdown didn't end until 3 a.m.

Don't Edit

MORE STORIES FROM VEGAS VICTIMS: 'He saved my life and lost his'

Details are beginning to emerge about the dead and the survivors of the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history.

Don't Edit
Editor's note: This story has been updated to reflect the proper sentence. An earlier version had the wrong length of sentence.

A 55-year-old Cheshire man was sentenced to 24 months in prison Tuesday followed by three years of supervised release for defrauding the U.S. Postal Service of nearly $750,000, officials said.

Robert Kuss was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Robert N. Chatigny in federal court in Hartford, according to a release from U.S. Attorney Deirdre M. Daly.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Kuss was the managing partner of Creative Marketing Group, a mail service provider in the business of sending bulk mailings. CMG has a Permit Imprint bulk mailing permit that allows the company to print postage indicia directly onto an envelope rather that affix a postage stamp or a meter impression to each piece of mail - the printed postage indicia tend to be pink printings on the upper right hand corner of an envelope, officials said.

Generally, a PI permit holder has an account from which the U.S. Postal Service debits the appropriate postage charge for each bulk mailing. To utilize its PI permit, a mailer generally drops off its bulk mailing at the office that maintains its permit, known as a Business Mail Entry Unit - in this instance the Bristol Post Office. There, the mailing is examined and accepted by BMEU postal employees. The USPS then debits the mailers account the appropriate amount for postage, officials said.

To save money, a bulk mailer may also transport the bulk mailing itself to a destination USPS facility to obtain lower postage rates rather than simply deliver the bulk mailing to the appropriate BMEU. To do so, a mailer must bring both the bulk mailing and a form known as Postal Service Form 8125 to the BMEU for verification.

Once verified, the BMEU personnel debit the mailers account and fill out the PS 8125 Form with information about the bulk mailing, including the mailers permit number, the total number of pieces of mail and the total mail weight. BMEU personnel also affix a USPS stamp to the form.

The mailer then takes the bulk mailing and the PS 8125 Form to the destination USPS facility for delivery. A USPS employee at the destination facility reviews the bulk mailing and the form to ensure they match and for completeness before accepting the mailing and the PS 8125 Form, officials said.

Between approximately July 2014 and March 2016, Kuss brought bulk mailings to destination USPS facilities with fraudulent PS 8125 Forms, federal officials said. Kuss had filled out and stamped the forms to appear as though the bulk mailings had been brought to and verified by the BMEU in Bristol, and as though the USPS had appropriately debited his advanced deposit account. In fact, Kuss had not brought the bulk mailings to the BMEU, the BMEU had not verified the mailings and the USPS had not debited his advanced deposit account, officials said.

Kuss delivered at least 125 bulk mailings to destination USPS facilities around the country pursuant to this scheme, court records show. As a result, he sent 3,260,183 pieces of mail without paying for postage, and the USPS lost $749,573.

Judge Chatigny ordered Kuss to pay full restitution to the USPS. On Dec.12, 2016, Kuss pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud.

Kuss, who is released on a $100,000 bond, was ordered to report to prison on Nov. 8.

This matter was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John T. Pierpont Jr. and John H. Durham.
The West Haven Columbus Day Committee will honor Grace Iannucci Hendricks as Italian-American of the Year Friday at the citys 19th annual Columbus Day Celebration.

Hendricks, the granddaughter of immigrant grandparents from Naples, Italy, will receive the committees Italian-American of the Year award in a ceremony outside City Hall's Main Street entrance.

Members of the West Haven Italian-American Civic Association will escort Hendricks to the steps of City Hall at 11:30 a.m., accompanied by Italian music.

The award is given each year to a resident or couple of Italian heritage who epitomize service in the citys Italian-American community.

"I am honored and proud to be named West Havens Italian-American of the Year," said Hendricks, a longtime member of the West Haven Italian-American Ladies Auxiliary. "It gives me great pleasure to accept this award, as I am proud of my heritage."

Hendricks grandparents left their homes in the Campania region of southern Italy in the late 1800s, seeking a better life the U.S.. Her paternal grandparents eventually settled in West Haven.

Mayor Edward M. OBrien, whose Italian heritage runs on his mothers side of the family, praised Hendricks, who has a passion for Italian music and opera, for her "enduring and inspiring good works in shaping the life of our community.

"As we commemorate the daring legacy of Christopher Columbus and his intrepid voyage 525 years ago, we pay tribute to the millions of Italian sons and daughters who pursued the young explorers route to the New World in search of a better life," OBrien said.

"We also acknowledge the incalculable contributions of Italians like Grace Iannucci Hendricks to the character, culture and vibrancy of our nation and our city," he said.

O'Brien will present Hendricks, a parishioner of St. Lawrence Church, with a citation recognizing her "selfless devotion to West Haven and its deep-rooted Italian-American community  noble qualities that epitomize the citys top paisana of the year."

She will receive an Italian flag from Paul M. Frosolone, president of the Italian-American Civic Association, and Josephine Matera, former president of the Italian-American Ladies Auxiliary, as well as a jacket embroidered with her new title, Italian-American of the Year, from OBrien.

The event will include remarks from city Corporation Counsel Vincent N. Amendola Jr., as master of ceremonies, and Italian musical selections by Vinnie Carr.

The Rev. Eric Zuniga, parochial vicar of St. John XXIII Parish, which serves St. Lawrence, St. Louis and St. Paul churches, will offer an Italian blessing. Members of West Haven High Schools Bel Canto Choir will sing "The Star-Spangled Banner," followed by a rendition of the Italian national anthem by Liz Levy and a greeting from OBrien.

A lunch will follow in the basement conference room of City Hall, 355 Main St.

Iannucci Hendricks was born in New Haven in 1931 to Salvatore Iannucci, a supervisor at the Winchester Repeating Arms Co. in the Elm City, and the former Rose Zingarella, a homemaker who also worked part time at Winchester during World War II.

After moving to West Haven in 1940, Hendricks and her eight sisters and three brothers were brought up in a single-family home on Sumac Street in West Shore.

A graduate of Stiles Elementary School, she attended the old West Haven High School on Main Street and earned her GED diploma in 1974.

Hendricks formerly was employed as an office clerk at the Armstrong Rubber Co. on Elm Street in West Haven and worked at the Connecticut Savings Bank on Church Street in New Haven. She was also an administrative assistant for the Democratic registrar of voters and a paraprofessional for the Board of Education in West Haven.

She has served on the board of directors of the West Haven Community House and the boards Fundraising and Head Start committees. She is also a member of the agencys Head Start Policy Council and Personnel and Fund Development committees.

Her dedication to the Community House was rewarded in 2011 with the Pauline Lang Exceptional Board Member award.

Hendricks was a 10-year member and secretary of the Board of Police Commissioners, has served on the pension board and is a member of the Ward-Heitmann House Museum Foundation. She is the widow of the late Democratic Party activist James Hendricks, who died in 2001.

The couple raised their four daughters  Kathleen Hendricks, Patricia Carney, Rosemary Turcotte and Theresa Palluzzi  on Union Avenue. Carney died in 2008. Hendricks has 13 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren. Her name will join the 18 previous Columbus Day recipients on a plaque in City Hall.
NEW HAVEN  One of President Donald Trumps most impactful taunts during the 2016 primary season was when he branded former Florida governor Jeb Bush as low energy. Tony Schwartz, the former journalist who co-wrote Trump: The Art of the Deal in 1987, said he believes Trump has energy, but its all directed at maintaining an image for the benefit of others.

Schwartz was invited to Yale University Monday by Shabtai, the universitys Jewish intellectual society, to speak about his experience. During the same presidential primary as Trumps low energy comment, Schwartz made a series of media hits speaking about how the Trump he shadowed for 18 months before writing the book is a self-serious liar.

Schwartz told a packed room at Yales Linsley Chittenden Hall that the only true skill Trump has is that he is relentless.

Schwartz, who is now CEO of The Energy Project, a consulting firm that promises to teach employees how to be productive by managing their energy, framed his hour-long speech around how those in the audience could unlock a higher potential by managing their relationships between an inner life and an outer life. After telling his own story of adapting to a tyrannical mother and coming up through the ranks in journalism by seeking adoration and stardom, he acknowledged it was his time with Trump that people came to hear about.

He first met Trump in a business context after writing a piece in New York about how Trump sought to push tenants with rent-controlled apartments out of a building; Trump loved it, because it made him look tough, Schwartz said.

I already knew Trump was a bad actor, Schwartz said, yet he couldnt turn down the money and prestige offered to him when Trump commissioned him to write his memoir for half of his $500,000 advance and any future residuals.

Upon getting to work, Schwartz said he discovered Trump was like a kindergartener who cant sit still in a classroom, and the bulk of his reporting was done listening in on phone calls and then later interviewing those with whom he spoke.

Schwartz repeated a claim hes made several times since May  that special counsel Robert Mueller may uncover information about Trump that leads him to resign.

His value is directly proportional to how much money he has, Schwartz said. I have been right so many times.

Amelia Nierenberg, a senior campus member with Shabtai, said she found Schwartz to be a very thought-provoking and controversial speaker, which fits in with Shabtais mission of acting as host for intellectually diverse speakers in an intimate setting.

Brendan Hellweg, also a Shabtai campus member, said Schwartzs various media appearances in the last year may give people a certain perception, which made him a good candidate for the group to host.

Its hard to pass judgments if you dont know the character, he said.
TORRINGTON  The father-in-law of a Torrington High School baseball player was among the 59 people who died in the Las Vegas shooting late Sunday.

C.J. Giampaolo and his wife, Jessica, both Torrington residents, along with her father, Kurt Von Tillow, 55, of California, and other family members would meet up every year for this concert, said Charles Giampaolo, C.J.s father. He said it was an annual tradition for the family since it started four years ago.

Kurt was hit, right next to my son, and [Kurt] went down, said Charles Giampaolo. They tried to cover him up; no one knew what had happened at that point because it was early in the shooting.

Two other family members were also shot: one in the ankle and the other in the thigh. Charles Giampaolo believes both women were in surgery but did not suffer life-threatening injuries.

Charles Giampaolo described Von Tillow as just an overall great guy with a wonderful sense of humor full of laughter and joy. Giampaolo said he had known him for almost a decade.

Von Tillow always made it a point to stop to see his daughter and son-in-law when he drove through Connecticut to transport items for his trucking company, Giampaolo said.

Friends and family gathered at the Cameron Park Country Club Monday to mourn and remember Von Tillow, KCRA News reports. They led a procession of golf carts from the club, to which he belonged, to his home.

Outside Von Tillows backyard, family created a memorial with flowers and American flags, the news outlet said. They played the national anthem, as they say Von Tillow would have wanted.

My brother-in-law was the most patriotic person you've ever met, Mark Carson told KCRA. Guarantee you, he's covered in red, white and blue right now, with a Coors Light in his hand, smiling with his family and listening to some music.

Of the 527 people injured in the shooting, many remained in critical condition Tuesday, the Associated Press reports. As of Tuesday afternoon, the shooters motive was still unknown.

Correction: This article has been updated to reflect the correct name of one of the people involved. C.J. Giampaolo was in Las Vegas with his wife, not Nick Giampaolo.
christine stuart / ctnewsjunkie file photo / christine stuart / ctnewsjunkie file photo

Connecticut Attorney General George Jepsen opined Tuesday its not exactly clear how the court would view the spending decisions Democratic Gov. Dannel P. Malloy has made in the absence of a state budget, because the decision the judiciary would have to apply is 125 years old.

The precise constitutional limits of the Governors authority are difficult both to delineate and apply, Jepsen wrote.
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WALLINGFORD  Connecticuts 2018 Teacher of the Year didnt start out wanting to spend her career in a classroom.

My mother used to ask me at the end of every (school) year what I wanted to be and wrote it down, Erin Berthold said after it was announced Tuesday that the Cook Hill Elemetary School first-grade teacher had received the honor. Not once in all that time did I every say I wanted to be a teacher.

After graduating from Marist College with a degree in digital media, Berthold had visions of a career in graphic arts. But her career goals changed after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.

My father is a first responder and after that happened, I was kind of reluctant to work in New York, the Orange County, N.Y., native said.

Suddenly, her mothers career as a small-town teacher working with young children held a lot more appeal. So Berthold went back to school to pursue a masters degree in teaching, childhood, and special education from St. Thomas Aquinas College in Rockland County, N.Y.

Now, a decade later, Berthold said she cant imagine doing anything else. She is the first Connecticut Teacher of the Year to come from Wallingford, Superintendent of Schools Salvatore Menzo said.

She is a transformational educator, Menzo said.

Bertholds digital media back ground has helped her make a difference beyond her classroom, according to Cook Hill Principal Kristine Friend.

Berthold launched a You Tube channel, Cook Hill Reads, first by videotaping herself reading childrens stories. Later, she began offering to record her colleagues doing readings in their spare time.

It started as something aimed at the Cook Hill community, Friend said of the initiative. But now it has grown beyond that to the district level. Reading aloud to children is so important at this age and these videos serve as model on how to do that.

Connecticut Education Commissioner Dianna R. Wentzell told Cook Hill students and teachers, as well as town officials, that Berthold has high expectations for her students.

That means she believes in you, Wentzell told Bertholds first-grade students, who were sitting in the front row for the announcement.

Berthold has been at Cook Hill since 2015. Before that, she was a special education teacher at Wallingfords Yalesville and Moses Y. Beach elementary schools.

Earlier in her career, Berthold worked at Lincoln Middle School in Meriden and at Woodhouse Academy in Milford. Berthold said she tries to stir her students interest in learning by making it seem like play.

You have to have fun if you want kids to do their best learning, she said. Playing is the work of children.

Berthold was selected for the honor from a field of more than 100 district-level teachers of the year. Her selection marks the second year in a row that the Connecticut Teacher of the Year has come from New Haven County. Lauren Danner, a science teacher at North Branford High School, was the 2017 Teacher of the Year.

luther.turmelle@hearstmediact.com
Catholic Bishop of Sokoto, Most Rev. Mathew Hassan Kukah

The reason for the chaos and anger exhibited by Nigerians, according to Catholic Bishop of Sokoto may be because some of the reasons why Nigerians fought in the civil war are still present today.

The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto, Most Rev. Mathew Hassan Kukah, on Monday urged Nigerians to make up their minds to develop good attitudes to promote good governance and peaceful coexistence.

Kukah made the call on Monday at `The Platform Nigeria powered by the Covenant Christian Centre, Lagos.

The Platform is an evangelistic tool.

The theme of the October Platform is: Putting Together the Jigsaw Pieces that Form Nigeria

Kukah spoke on the sub-theme The Weakness of Power.

He said that although the country was facing challenges, positive change of attitude, peace, unity and good governance would improve Nigeria.

He noted that many Nigerians were not satisfied with the situation of things in the country but cautioned that anger, hatred and violence would not tackle the challenges.





Nigerians have reasons to be angry but they should remember that a lot of people have sacrificed their lives for the country, he said.

Kukah also called for prayers for the country to attract divine intervention.

He appealed to Nigerians to love one another irrespective of their ethnic, religious and political leanings.

The cleric urged more patriotism by the citizens.





Our love for Nigeria should not die; we will redeem this country. This is our country; let us pray for our nation, he said.

Here are 10 unforgettable quotes from Kukahs delivery;

-Anyone who want to govern Nigeria must be prepared to cope with our Anger

-The only freedom people confer on you is the freedom to agree with them

-Some Nigerians think being in office means being in Power. Power is about influence.

-Power and leadership is about getting people to do what they dont want to do, but doing it happily

-You can be in office and not be in power. You can be in power and not be in office

-Every unhappy family is unhappy differently, but they all have one thing in common. They are unhappy

-If you are genuinely ready to serve, why must it be at all cost? These problems come from our greed

-Anything can go wrong where we are now. We are at a tipping point

-For the first time every Nigerian is very angry, although the reason may be very different

-If we fought the civil war 40 years ago and the reasons why we fought still persists, then there is a problem.
The Anambra state Governor, Willie Obiano has revealed the outcome of his meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.Governor Obiano said President Buhari likes governors like him  governors who deliver dividends of democracy to their people.Briefing reporters after the meeting, Governor Obiano said President Buhari assured him of a free and fair governorship election in Anambra State.Hes (Buhari) reassured free and fair election, thats what should be important to me, he told State House correspondents.The governor also said the president is happy with states governors who are committed to delivering democracy dividends to the people.He said, He likes governors like me. (Governors) who are hardworking, who are delivering on what people can see, who are bringing dividends of democracy to their people, thats what the president wants.He doesnt care about your party, he wants to know that you are doing well in this area, in that area, and thats how a president should work.On his partys preparation ahead of the governorship poll in Anambra, Obiano said the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has no intention to rig the election.We do not believe in rigging, APGA has never rigged an election. All we want is for the umpires to be unbiased  free and fair election  and you will get the result, he said.Meanwhile, the President held a separate meeting with Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State and the Minister of Solid Mineral Development, Dr Kayode Fayemi.At the meeting, Governor Akeredolu made a case for Deep Seaport in Ondo State for easy export of abundant mineral resources from the state.Dr Fayemi, on his part, briefed President Buhari on the Ajaokuta Steel Company with a view to bringing it back on stream quickly.
Electricity consumers who bypass their meters will be forced to pay up to N450,000 as fine, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commissio...

Electricity consumers who bypass their meters will be forced to pay up to N450,000 as fine, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission has declared.According to NERC, financial sanctions ranging from N50,000 to N450,000 for meter bypass by power consumers have been drafted by it and have been endorsed by the 11 electricity distribution companies operating in the country.It was gathered that NERCs decision was also endorsed by the Federal Government through the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola.This is coming as the regulator revealed that it was perfecting plans to deploy prepaid meters in governments Ministries, Departments and Agencies in order to avert future debt accumulation by the MDAs.The Vice Chairman, NERC, Sanusi Garba, while speaking on the prepaid meter issues raised in the zone of the Jos Electricity Distribution Company, told Fashola and other participants at the last monthly meeting of operators in the sector that the amount being charged as financial sanctions depended on the class of power consumer.Garbas disclosures were captured in the minutes of the 19th monthly power sector meeting, obtained by our correspondent from the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing in Abuja on Monday, as operators in the sector gear up for the next meeting this month.The minutes read in part, The vice chair, NERC (Garba), stated that the commissions order on financial sanctions on meter bypass was ready for signature. He noted that the financial sanctions on meter bypass ranged from N50,000 to N450,000, depending on the class of customer.He stated that the order was made in consultation with the Discos and that the commission would hold a meeting with the relevant stakeholders to discuss issues surrounding eligible customer declaration, metering, review of the MYTO methodology and regulations on business continuity.The minutes noted that Fashola advised NERC to be more accommodating during consultation and advised the commission to place the highest level of sanctions on meter bypass to deter customers from such act.He (Fashola) advised the Discos to prosecute offenders at the municipal level by liaising with the respective state governments, it added.The minutes added that all queries from the Discos on the MDA debts were answered in a memo to the Federal Executive Council, which was forwarded to the Permanent Secretary of the power arm of the FMPWH.Fashola then suggested that payments should be made on undisputed claims, while the disputed MDA debts were reconciled.The suggestion was unanimously accepted, the minutes added.Garba informed the meeting that plans were underway by the NERC to deploy prepaid meters in governments MDAs to avert future debt accumulation, as the meeting resolved that the Discos should bear the cost of verifying the remaining disputed MDA debts for a period of one to two months.The Market Operator reported that Eko and Yola Discos made 100 per cent payment for services rendered in the month of July, as participants applauded both firms for the feat.The NERC vice chairman also informed the meeting that the commission wanted to meet the minister to discuss tariff issue for some classes of customers.
At least 17 people were killed over the weekend in clashes linked to a symbolic declaration of independence by Cameroons anglophone min...

At least 17 people were killed over the weekend in clashes linked to a symbolic declaration of independence by Cameroons anglophone minority, concurring sources said on Monday.Amnesty International said at least 17 people were killed by security forces in the countrys two English-speaking regions, a figure that concurred with a toll given by official sources, who said two Nigerians were among the dead.An earlier tally compiled by AFP put the death toll at seven, who were shot dead by security forces.AFP
The Ekiti State House of Assembly has sent letter of protest to the Acting Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr. Ibrahim Magu, over the arrest and detention of the Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Toyin Ojo; and the Accountant General, Mrs. Yemi Owolabi.In the letter, the Assembly described the arrests of Ojo and Owolabi as premeditated, malicious, politically motivated, contemptuous and unconstitutional in all ramifications; saying it smacked of gangsterism by an agency that derives its power from the constitution but acts in clear contempt of the rule of law.The letter, which was dated October 2, and signed by the Speaker, Mr. Kolawole Oluwawole, was delivered at the EFCCs Abuja office on Tuesday.The Assembly accused Magu and the EFCC of disobedience to court orders.We, therefore, wish to put you on notice that should you fail to desist from further disobedience to the court order mentioned above by continuous infraction against the people and the government of Ekiti State, contempt proceeding will be initiated against you without delay, the letter said.
Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, has reiterated the need for a six-year single term for the President of the country and the state governors, saying it was imperative for Nigeria to emulate Mexico in this regard.According to him, Nigeria and Mexico have a lot to learn from each other, since they have a lot in common in vast territories, presidential and federal systems.He also expressed the National Assemblys commitment to strengthen institutions of democracy, such as state Houses of Assembly, and equally stressed the need for autonomy for local governments across the country and state Houses of Assembly.Speaking, yesterday, in Abuja when he received Ambassador of Mexico to Nigeria, Ambassador Garcia Moreno Elizondo, who paid him a courtesy visit on the fringes of the 57th independence anniversary celebration, Ekweremadu said the move would guide against state executives interference in the manner they carry out their responsibilities, since he who pays the piper dictates the tune.He said strengthening the nations local governments and parliaments would help to promote checks and balances as well as deepen the nations democracy.Ekweremadu said: The National Assembly is committed to strengthening institutions of democracy, such as state Houses of Assembly, by placing them on first line charge so that their funds are guaranteed from the consolidated revenue funds from respective states.This is so ensure they are independent of the state executives, since he who pays the piper, dictates the tune.Im aware that Mexico runs a six-year single term Presidency, known as the Sexino. This is something Nigeria will be looking at because what we are doing now has a lot of difficulties.So, we are looking at the possibility of constitutional reform that can guarantee a single term so that the money we spend in running elections and the problem of chief executives struggling and concentrating to come back, using resources and instruments of state, can be overcome.We would like to hear more from you on how the single term works and whether it has been beneficial to your system so that we can also collaborate in that respect.Ekweremadu observed that the states in Mexico had substantial autonomy and their respective constitutions.He noted: When we are talking about devolution of power, strengthening our federalism, Mexico is a place we can look at.At present, we are trying to see what we can do to empower not just states, but also the local governments, so as to strengthen our federalism. And part of the things we are looking at is to get autonomy for the local governments, such that they are able to get their funds directly from the Federal Government to special accounts created by each local government.So they get their funding from the federation account straight to their own account at the various states. I used to get my funds directly from the Federal Government as a council chairman before 1999. But in 1999, all that changed with the introduction of what they call the Joint State/Local Government Account.On his part, Ambassador Elizondo said Nigeria and Mexico had the common challenge of improving the well-being of their citizens.According to him, this can only be effectively addressed with political stability and very strong democratic institutions.He canvassed political cooperation and dialogue of the highest level between the two countries through their national parliaments to boost and diversify economic relations.
The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr Ibe Kachikwu, on Tuesday deplored the leakage to the public of a memo to President Muh...

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr Ibe Kachikwu, on Tuesday deplored the leakage to the public of a memo to President Muhammadu Buhari by the ministry.Kachikwu expressed the displeasure in a statement in Abuja by Mr Idang Alibi, Director, Press Relations, in the ministry.He said the attention of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources has been drawn to a publication on a memo emanating from the ministry.Please note the following: the communication under reference is a normal procedural correspondence by the minister to the President relating to developments in parastatals under his supervision.It is most distressing to the ministry of petroleum resources that a confidential communication to the President on the performance of one of its parastatals can be made public.The focus of the communication was on improving efficiency and deepening transparency in the oil and gas sector for continued investor-confidence.It is noteworthy that the President has been fully supportive of the efforts of the ministry to entrench good governance and accountability in the oil and gas sector.The ministry of petroleum resources remains focused on achieving measurable progress in the implementation of the ongoing oil sector reforms in line with the mandate of the president.The social media had reported that Kachikwu wrote a letter to Buhari complaining of disregard for official processes by Dr Maikanti Baru, Group Managing Director of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
Following the recent upgrade of the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic (MAPOLY), Abeokuta, to a University of Science and Technology, the Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, has assured students of the institution who are currently running different programmes of completion of their courses within next four years.The governor said this while addressing hundreds of students from different higher institutions in the state, who stormed the Governors Office, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, protesting over the state of education in Ogun.The governor told the students that MAPOLY lecturers were the ones delaying the commencement of the second semester examination and that his administration is working assiduously to improve the standard of education in the state.He said the government would invite the leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) to a meeting so as to deliberate on issues surrounding halt in academic activities in the school.Governor Amosun informed the protesting students that there would be no automatic appointment for any lecturer in the new university.The governor said, I am not happy because this is my school. What is happening today is because those that have been given the privilege to serve us are not serving well.Everybody here (current MAPOLY students) will finish their courses. It will take four years before MAPOLY will go into extinction, you are not going to Ipokia. If the lecturers dont want that, we will sort them out.We will sort for new lecturers for the university and the new poly. MAPOLY lecturers are not comfortable with it. The appointment they have is for MAPOLY, for the new University, they will have to reapply. If they are qualified, they can take them. I will ask the Commissioner to meet them again.They cannot hold us to ransom, they will explain to us why there is delay but it cannot be because we are creating new schools.We are only admitting ND 1. We are not admitting any student to MAPOLY. We are not sacking anybody, we are not taking them automatically. Why should we carry another place problem to the new one?We are only admitting ND one. If you have carryover you are going to Ipokia. I told them (management) dont admit new students to MAPOLY.Education will be free at the primary and secondary schools, for tertiary we will subsidise it.The Chairman of National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Comrade Olawale Balogun told the Governor that the students were unhappy with the State of education, urging the government to address the issue as a matter of urgency.The student union leader said the delay in commencement of examination in MAPOLY would affect the career of the students.
The senate has asked the ministry of power, works and housing to remove thousands of speed bumps on federal highways.





The upper legislative chamber also asked the ministry to ensure that service lanes have petrol stations, so that motorists would not have access to the highway directly.





These resolutions were sequel to a motion sponsored by Barnabas Gemade, senator representing Benue north-east, and Stella Oduah, senator representing Anambra north.





While moving the motion on Tuesday, Gemade said there should be no constraints restricting free flow of traffic on federal highways.





The senate notes with dismay the thousands of speed bumps recently erected on almost all federal highways nationwide ostensibly to control the speed of motor vehicles plying the roads, the senator said.





There is a need for speed control on our highways to avoid over speeding by motorists especially around hospitals and schools, interestingly the FRSC has introduced a speed control device to be installed in commercial vehicles which took effect two months.





These speed bumps constitute a nuisance source other than serving any useful purpose whatsoever.





Some of the hazards to vehicle owners are accelerated wear and tear of the vehicles, loss of many hours in the billions when qualified nationwide, damage to vehicle suspension systems as most of these bumps are not professionally designed.





The senator said bumps were used in streets to control intersections but not on free ways.





Even in the city of Abuja when these bumps were indiscriminately applied on city streets, there was an outcry and they were removed and approved only at necessary points, he said.





The departments of highways in the ministry of power, works and housing is not controlling the development of structures along federal highways allowing illegal fixed structures to be erected less than the prescribed 45 metres off the roads.





The senate adopted the motion after it was put to vote by Senate President Bukola Saraki.
The National Judicial Council (NJC) is probing 15 judges for alleged misconduct.

The National Judicial Council (NJC) is probing 15 judges for alleged misconduct.Two of those under investigation are Chief Judges.Fifteen committees  one for each of the cases  have been constituted to handle the petitions.But the NJCs Informastion Director Soji Oye, who confirmed the probe in a statement, did not name the judges.Oye said the NJC constituted the committees at its 83rd meeting last week in Abuja after considering the reports of the two Preliminary Complaints Assessment Committees (PCAC) it set up to examine 46 petitions written against judges of federal and state courts.The NJC also agreed to recommend Lagos lawyer Adesina Ogunlana to the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC.) for allegedly using uncouth language in a petition he wrote against a former Chief Judge of Lagos State, Justice Olufunmilayo Atilade.Oye said the NJC treated as withdrawn, the petitions against Ondo States Acting Chief Judge, Justice O. O. Akeredolu and Justice J. T. Tsoho of the Federal High Court.NJC, he said, issued two letters of advice to Hon. Mr. Justice M. A. Dada of the Lagos State High Court and Hon. Mr. Justice Chukwudi Charles Okaa of the Anambra State High Court for violation of extant laws in the course of their judicial dutiesThe statement added: It (NJC) dismissed a total number of 31 petitions, 29 of which it found unmeritorious, and the remaining two written against Hon. Mr. Justice J. T. Tsoho of the Federal High Court and Hon. Mr. Justice O. O. Akeredolu, Acting Chief Judge of Ondo State, were withdrawn at the instance of the petitioners.Al-Sagr National Insurance Company that wrote against Hon. Mr. Justice Tsoho withdrew its petition since the Hon. Judge had delivered the ruling in his case.Chief Raheem A. Badmus who wrote against Hon. Justice Akeredolu also voluntarily withdrew his petition for personal reasons.Council treated the two petitions as withdrawn, since it did not find anything in them sufficiently serious for further consideration as stipulated in Regulation 9 (1) of the Judicial Discipline Regulations.Council considered and found worthy of further investigation, the petition written by Azi A. Phillip on behalf of All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Plateau State Chapter, accusing Hon. Justice P. D. Damulak, the immediate past Chief Judge of Plateau State of bias, for failure to make his judgment in suit No. PLD/J/236/16 delivered on 4th November, 2016 available to him till the time he wrote the petition.Council however decided not to constitute an investigative committee to look into the matter, because the Hon. Chief Judge had already retired from service and therefore no longer in the employment of the National Judicial Council.It also considered and dismissed petitions written against two other judicial officers for lack of merit. They are Hon. Justice Mr. L. T. C. Eruba  High Court of Justice, Abia State; andHon. Grand Kadi Abdullahi Waiya  Shariah Court of Appeal, Kano State.It also decided to issue two letters of advice to Hon. Mr. Justice M. A. Dada of the Lagos State High Court of Justice and Hon. Mr. Justice Chukwudi Charles Okaa of the Anambra State High Court for violation of extant laws in the course of their judicial duties based on petition written against their Lordships by Dayo Adamolekun, Esq. & Ridwanulah Olanite, Esq. and Reverend F. U. Ekavhiare & Associates respectively. Council agreed to report Adesina Ogunlana, Esq., to the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (L.P.D.C.) for misconduct, for the use of uncouth language in a petition written to the National Judicial Council against Hon. Justice O. O. Atilade, the immediate past Chief Judge of Lagos State.Council welcomed as good development, a letter from Zamfara State Government approving the recommendation of the National Judicial Council for the compulsory removal of Hon. Mr. Justice Musa Ibrahim Anka from office for allegedly receiving a bribe of Two Hundred Thousand Naira (N200, 000) from one Zubairu Abdumalik in order to deliver judgement in his favour.The recommendation was made to the Zamfara State Government by Council in 2011.
The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, on Monday blasted Southeast governors, describing them as Hausa -Fulani puppets.

The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, on Monday blasted Southeast governors, describing them as Hausa -Fulani puppets.

IPOB also added that only Nigeria regards it as a terrorist organisation.





It further denied that its members were planning to destroy some police stations in Aba, Abia State, saying the allegation was part of a plan hatched to arrest and detain more of her members.





A statement by IPOB spokesman, Emma Powerful, accused Abia State governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu of being part of the plan to kidnap and abduct innocent Biafrans under the pretext that they were the perpetrators of some heinous crimes in the city.





He said: IPOB has never engaged in any crime of any sort from its inception to date. There is no police station that can claim to have received any complaint of lawlessness or crime allegedly committed by IPOB.





Our rallies and evangelism are all done in full view of the public and well attended within communities with no single recorded adverse incident till date.





IPOB has never been involved in any retaliatory attacks or killing of any human being because we believe, along with our ancient values, that life is a rare gift from God, which is not in the place of man to take.





Igbo governors, who are essentially Hausa Fulani stooges in government houses across the South East are doing their damned best to turn global opinion against IPOB.





However, civilized nations and countries around the world know that IPOB under the leadership of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, is not and can never be a terrorist organization.





The APC government of Nigeria headed by President Muhammadu Buhari, in collaboration with Governors Dave Umahi, Okezie Ikpeazu, Willie Obiano and others, is making every effort to tarnish the impeccable global standing of IPOB.





This latest evil plot, already perfected, is designed to legitimise even more brutal deaths, arrests, torture and detention without trial at the hands of Nigerian soldiers and police.





Okezie Ikpeazu, in his jealousy fuelled vendetta against IPOB, has unwittingly turned hitherto peaceful Abia State to a killing field for blood thirsty Islamic Jihadists from Arewa North, who are hell bent on spreading Islam to every nook and cranny of Biafraland.





IPOB is therefore calling on all conscientious and civilized men and women, lovers of freedom, the international community especially USA, EU, Britain, Russia and France, to intervene to stop this horrendous ethnic cleansing going on in Abia State, for the sake of humanity.





The scale of killings going on is a tragedy of immense proportions and until the world brings this to a halt, injustice will continue to reign supreme in Nigeria.
A former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, has urged the Federal High Court in Lagos to compel the Attorney General of the Federation to bring her back to Nigeria from the United Kingdom, where she travelled to shortly after leaving office in 2015.She said she would like to appear in court in Nigeria to defend a criminal charge bordering on alleged laundering of N450m, where her name was mentioned.The main defendants in the charge are a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr. Dele Belgore; and a former Minister of National Planning, Prof. Abubakar Suleiman.Belgore and Suleiman were charged before Justice Rilwan Aikawa for allegedly collecting N450m from Diezani and laundering same in the build-up to the 2015 general elections.The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, which filed the charges, claimed that the N450m was part of a sum of $115m which Diezani allegedly doled out to compromise the 2015 general elections.The SAN and the professor were arraigned on five counts, wherein Diezanis name was mentioned, but she was declared as being at large.At the resumed proceedings in the case on Tuesday, one Obinna Onya, a lawyer from Abuja, appeared before Justice Aikawa with an application seeking the joining of Diezani as one of the defendants in the charge.The application, filed pursuant to Section 36(1),(5),(6 (a)-(e) of the Constitution and sections 216 (1) (2) (3) (4); and 217 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, sought an amendment to the charges against Belgore and Suleiman, so as to join Diezani as one of the defendants.The lawyer contended that contrary to the declaration by the EFCC that Diezani was at large, the former minister was in the UK and was willing to return to Nigeria so that she could appear in court to take her plea and defend the charges..The lawyer argued that since Diezanis name had been mentioned in the charge, it would be against her right to fair hearing for the case to proceed without affording her the opportunity to defend herself.The statement made by the prosecution means that the applicant (Diezani) is going to be convicted without being given the opportunity to defend herself, Onya told Justice Aikawa.The application prayed for an order mandating the Attorney General of the Federation, being the agent of the complainant, to facilitate the prompt appearance of the applicant in court on the next adjourned date, to take her plea and to defend the allegations made against her in counts 1, 2,3 and 4 of the charge, numbered FHC/L/35c/2017.Onya urged Justice Aikawa to hear and determine the application before proceeding with the case on Tuesday.But the prosecuting counsel for the EFCC, Rotimi Oyedepo, opposed him, saying the application was not ripe for hearing, as he had yet to be served.However, Onya told the court that he had attempted to serve Oyedepo on Tuesday morning on the court premises but that the prosecutor declined, adding that his effort to serve the application at the EFCC office on Friday was also frustrated.But Oyedepo advised him to go and serve the application at the registry of the EFCC, assuring him that the application would be accepted.Responding, Justice Aikawa said the court could not entertain the application until all the parties had been properly served.Meanwhile, the trial proceeded with the second witness for the EFCC, Usman Zakari, continuing his testimony.Through the witness, Oyedepo tendered two letters written to the EFCC in relation to the case Standard Charted Bank Nigeria Limited and Guaranty Trust Bank.The court admitted the two letters as exhibits in evidence against the defendants.However, Oyedepos attempt to tender a trail of electronic mail communication between Diezani and the Managing Director of Fidelity Bank was resisted by the defence counsel, Mr. Ebun Shofunde (SAN) and Olatunji Ayanlaja (SAN).They contended that the document was not admissible as, according to them, it did not meet the requirement of the Evidence Act.Oyedepo sought an adjournment to counter the objection by the defence.Justice Aikawa adjourned till Wednesday, October 4 for continuation of trial.In the charges, Sulaiman, a professor of Political Science and International Relations at the University of Abuja; and Belgore, a former governorship aspirant in Kwara State, were accused of conspiring between themselves to commit the offence on March 27, 2015.The duo were accused of making a cash transaction of N450m on March 27, 2015, without going through any financial institution.But they pleaded not guilty to the charges. 
A former governor of Osun State, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, has advised Christian youths to go into politics armed with the whole armo...

A former governor of Osun State, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, has advised Christian youths to go into politics armed with the whole armour of God.The former governor said it would be suicidal for politicians claiming to be Christians to join those involved in corruption and other evil acts associated with politics, saying such persons would be easily destroyed by the devil.Speaking at a forum organised by the youths of the Living Faith Church, Osogbo on Sunday evening, Oyinlola, who was represented by his former aide, Mr. Gbenga Abiola, stated that Nigeria needed God-fearing leaders in every sector.He said, Christian youths should go into politics but you cant make impact in politics as a pseudo Christian. How many politicians today are called by God? If God calls you into politics, it will make things easy for you there.Christians, who want to go into politics, must go there armed very well. They must be armed with the whole armour of God because of the kingdom of darkness.A governorship aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party in Osun State, Mr. Kayode Oduoye, said politicians would not invite Christian youths into politics and urged youths, who had interest in politics, to register as members of political parties.Oduoye said, Christian youths should be involved in politics. As youths, you are vibrant, full of ideas and you have the energy to pursue your dreams. So, this is the time to get involved. Or, do you want to join politics when your usefulness has been dispensed with.A former chairman of Egbedore Local Government Area of Osun State, Mr. Bamidele Salam, said Christians must strive to be honest in whatever position they find themselves.He stated that not every politician would contest elective offices but advised that everybody, who found themselves in any position, should use such to improve on the lives of the people.The Chief Executive Officer of Rave FM based in Osogbo, Mr. Femi Adefila, said Christian youths would disappoint God if they refused to show interest in how they were governed.He said, As Christian youths, you will be disappointing God if you do not show interest in how you are being governed.
Residents doctors in Kaduna State have begun an indefinite strike on Tuesday over what they described as the sorry state of healthcare facilities in hospitals owned by government.President, Association of Resident Doctors in the state, Dr. Joseph Jokshan, said at a press briefing Monday night in Kaduna that the state government had not responded to any of the doctors demands issued 21 days ago.He said the doctors were pained to begin the strike, but unfortunately, we cannot effectively carry out these tasks in the current sorry state of our healthcare facilities.Jokshan listed issues that prompted the strike to include poor funding, equipping and staffing of hospitals and non provision of living environment for medical, health workers and patients.He said members of the association were also demanding the payment of House Officers salaries and arrears and immediate and full implementation of corrected CONMESS.Immediate implementation of already approved funding for residency training of Kaduna state doctors in their chosen fields, as well as promotion of our doctors that are due.He urged the general public to join us in this struggle and push the government to do the needful.This is the struggle we intend to see through to the end, not because we are unaware of the implications of this action, but because we are left with no other option, he added.
The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, denied yesterday that its members were planning to destroy some police stations in Aba, Abia Sta...

The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, denied yesterday that its members were planning to destroy some police stations in Aba, Abia State, saying the allegation was part of a plan hatched to arrest and detain more members of the group.This came as scores of youths yesterday stormed Lagos, to kick against the countrys dismemberment; urging the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and other ethnic groups behind the moves to limit their demands within the confines of the law, even as they argued that demands could be achieved through dialogue, rather than through violence which often leads to loss of lives and property in the country.A statement by IPOB media and publicity secretary, Emma Powerful, accused Abia State governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu of being part of the plan, adding that the plan was a cover to kidnap and abduct innocent Biafrans under the pretext that they were the perpetrators of some heinous crimes in the city. He said: IPOB has never engaged in any crime of any sort from its inception to date.There is no police station that can claim to have received any complaint of lawlessness or crime allegedly committed by IPOB. Our rallies and evangelism are all done in full view of the public and well attended within communities with no single recorded adverse incident till date. IPOB has never been involved in any retaliatory attacks or killing of any human being because we believe, along with our ancient values, that life is a rare gift from God, which is not in the place of man to take.Youths decry secession At a gathering organized by a youth group, NaijaDay Foundation, yesterday, in Lagos, with the theme Significance of peace and unity in Nigeria, put in place to commemorate Nigerias 57th independence anniversary, the youths also urged government at all levels to keep their quota of responsibilities, so as to ensure adherence of peace and unity among citizens, especially youths.The 2017 Mandela-Washington Fellow and Director, Prisoners Right Advocacy Initiative (PRAI), Ahmed Adetola-Kazeem, while addressing the youths, warned agitators to desist from hate speech while demanding for their rights in the country, just as he cautioned against overheating the polity with various hate moves.He implored Nigerians not to share every post on social media because a lot of them were written to cause discord amongst Nigerians, stressing that every Nigerian needs to be armed with correct information and shun gullibility. We all possess innate weapons to fight intolerance and hatred, lets use it. Most of the people sponsoring and leading the clamour for war will jet out of the country if it happens and the common man who has blindly followed them would be made to suffer, Adetola-Kazeem added.He stressed that whenever war occurs in a country, the nation would metamorphose negatively and may not regain its potentials several years after the crisis might have ended. The rich will become poor, children will become orphans, wives transformed to widows, landlords of palatial homes will become refugees who will queue for food. Rather than fighting ourselves, we must fight that peace may reign.It is impossible for all of us to agree on the same thing but it is possible for us to be tolerate one another. For Publisher, Checkout Magazine, and a United Kingdom (UK) based journalist, Lekan Fatodu, pocket of violence within the country, which was due to agitations from the regions for secessions, restructuring and others, indicated that it was time to make peace a national mantra.We are aware that Nigerian security operatives have little or no regard for human life as is their custom and tradition ably demonstrated over the centuries through a series of well documented pogroms. Igbo governors, who are essentially Hausa Fulani stooges in government houses across the South East are doing their damned best to turn global opinion against IPOB. However, civilized nations and countries around the world know that IPOB under the leadership of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, is not and can never be a terrorist organization. The APC government of Nigeria headed by President Muhammadu Buhari, in collaboration with Governors Dave Umahi, Okezie Ikpeazu, Willie Obiano and others, is making every effort to tarnish the impeccable global standing of IPOB.This latest evil plot, already perfected, is designed to legitimize even more brutal deaths, arrests, torture and detention without trial at the hands of Nigerian soldiers and police. Okezie Ikpeazu, in his jealousy fuelled vendetta against IPOB, has unwittingly turned hitherto peaceful Abia State to a killing field for blood thirsty Islamic Jihadists from Arewa North, who are hell bent on spreading Islam to every nook and cranny of Biafraland.IPOB is therefore calling on all conscientious and civilized men and women, lovers of freedom, the international community especially USA, EU, Britain, Russia and France, to intervene to stop this horrendous ethnic cleansing going on in Abia State, for the sake of humanity. The scale of killings going on is a tragedy of immense proportions and until the world brings this to a halt, injustice will continue to reign supreme in Nigeria.
The Presidency has once again made it clear that it would not consider the 2014 Confab report despite calls from some quarters that the recommendations be considered and implemented.Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari, ruled out the implementation of the report on Sunday night, when he appeared on a Channels Televisions programme on Nigerias 57th Independence anniversary celebrations.Asked why the Federal Government would not consider the report, Shehu said: It was not an inclusive conference.You very well recall that the leaders of our own party  whether ACN and all of that and the governors were missing from that conference.To make matters worse, the confab was heavily criticised but the Goodluck Jonathan administration went on with it.This (the confab) was lopsided in terms of representation, ethnically, religiously, regionally and they were insensitive to all of these things and then they want to force it down the throats of everyone.That is why its a problem.President Buhari and his administration had called on aggrieved people in the country to take their grievances to the National Assembly which it said had the constitutional backing to address such concerns.But there had been concerns that it would be impossible to get the National Assembly to make laws in line with the desires and wishes of Nigerians, especially as such laws may be detrimental to interests represented by the lawmakers.Shehu is not bothered by such concerns.Reason: The members of the National Assembly are not aliens and they dont come from the moon.They are Nigerians and they are representing definite constituencies in some of the states.So, they are serving the purpose of representation. Why cant they be trusted?The Presidential aide suggested that those behind the agitation in the country were those who had failed the nation in the past.He said: It is not like I have no respect for older people.But there are people who think that they have messed up this country so much that they now want to resolve the problems that they created and they are in a hurry to do that.
Be there at the big fall outing Art For Arts' Sake 2017, Saturday
New Orleans will get its largest cruise ship ever in 2018
Philip Lonzo, 32, is wanted on a charge of aggravated domestic battery in the incident, which took place Thursday afternoon (Sept. 28, 2017) in the 7800 block of Symmes Avenue, police said.(NOPD)
The early voting period for Saturday elections in Louisiana usually runs from Saturday to Saturday, with no voting on Sunday, and ends a week before election day. But because the early voting period for the Nov. 18 election includes the 2017 Veterans Day holiday, there's a twist this year. (Photo by Brett Duke, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune archive)
Candidates across the region have been signing up this week for a full slate of elections on Oct. 12. (File photo)
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.
New Orleans Saints free safety Jairus Byrd (31) reacts to his interception being nullified after a Saints penalty against the San Diego Chargers during the game at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, Ca. Sunday, October 2, 2016. (Photo by David Grunfeld, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune)
Today

Thunderstorms likely. Rainfall will be locally heavy at times. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. Low 58F. Winds SE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%. 1 to 2 inches of rain expected.

Tonight

Thunderstorms likely. Rainfall will be locally heavy at times. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. Low 58F. Winds SE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%. 1 to 2 inches of rain expected.

Tomorrow

Overcast. High 63F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph.
CLARINDA  For the second time in three years, Scott Hook led the Ankeny Centennial High School marching band to Best Overall Band honors during the 62nd Annual Southwest Iowa Band Jamboree held Saturday in Clarinda.

A 1998 graduate of Clarinda High School, Hook also saw Ankeny Centennial named the Best Overall Band in 2015. Hook has served as the director of the Ankeny Centennial marching band since the school was formed in 2012.

Ankeny Centennial delivered a dominate performance Saturday to capture the top award for the Southwest Band Jamboree. After winning the Class 4A parade competition in the morning, Ankeny Centennial added a victory in the field competition held Saturday afternoon at Cardinal Field.

Along with winning the field event, Ankeny Centennial also was awarded three field certificates for its performance. The band was recognized for having the best horn line, color guard and drum line among all the schools that participated in the field judging.

Papillion La Vista, Nebraska, also turned in a strong showing in Class 4A with second place finishes in both the parade and field competitions. Des Moines Lincoln added a third place finish in the Class 4A parade judging Saturday.

Waverly, Nebraska, emerged as the top band in Class 3A. Waverly won both the parade and field categories. Waverly drum majors Bentley Tonigas, Mia Hartley and Tessa Johnson also received a field certificate as the best drum majors of the field competition.

Creston finished second in both the Class 3A parade and field events, while Savannah, Missouri, placed third in the parade competition. Harlan added a fourth place finish in the Class 3A parade judging.

In Class 2A, Underwood won the parade competition and was second in the field judging. Treynor prevailed in the field competition after finishing second in the parade event. A tenor sax solo by Treynor was also awarded a field certificate for the best solo performance Saturday afternoon.

Red Oak and Shenandoah added third and fourth place finishes respectively in the Class 2A parade competition of the Southwest Iowa Band Jamboree.

Tri-Center was named the top band in the Class 1A field competition. Bedford earned second place honors.

The Class 1A parade judging was won by Fairfax, Missouri, while Sidney and Lenox tied for runner-up honors. Also placing in the Class 1A parade competition were Tri-Center, fourth; Worth County, Missouri, fifth; Griswold, sixth; North Andrew, Missouri, seventh; and Bedford, eighth.

The Saturday morning parade competition also featured three middle school classes.

Tri-Center won the Class I middle school division, while Underwood was second. Bedford and Mount Ayr tied for third place honors.

In Class II of the middle school parade competition, the Glenwood Middle School eighth grade band was named the winner. Creston followed in second, while Red Oak placed third in the judging.

The Glenwood Middle School seventh grade band emerged as the champion of the Class III parade event. Harlan finished second in the class, while Atlantic collected third-place honors.
Erin Lee Macke left a gun on her bedroom shelf and her four young children to fend for themselves, according to police, and then jetted off last week for an 11-day vacation in Europe  cut somewhat short by the mothers arrest Thursday on child endangerment charges.

Macke left her 12-year-old twins and 6- and 7-year-old daughters at home near Des Moines on Sept. 20 to visit relatives in Germany, Lynn Aswegan with the Johnston Police Department told People.

By all indications, he said, it was a social venture.

Indeed, the 30-year-old mother got to see the Danube River and the Walhalla Memorial before police cajoled her back to the United States, according to vacation photos shown by Inside Edition.

I wish I could say Im surprised, but Im not, her ex-husband Matthew Macke told the outlet.

Macke had planned to return on Sunday, police said in a statement, but someone asked them to check on the children about 24 hours after she left.

They had been alone the whole time, Aswegan told People.

At some point, the police lieutenant said, Macke had talked to some relatives about watching the kids, but they had conflicts.

She gave them the indication she had it taken care of, he said. She felt comfortable that the kids were responsible enough to take care of themselves during that duration.

When officers arrived at the home that evening, Aswegan told People, they found the twins preparing to feed their little sisters. And one of the 12-year-olds led them to the absent mothers bedroom, he said, where she had left a gun and ammunition on an open shelf.

Authorities notified child protective services, and got in touch with Macke in Germany.

She didnt understand or agree with the concern, Aswegan told People.

But police told the mother to fly back home. She did  a full week later, and was promptly arrested on Thursday. In addition to the child endangerment charges, Macke was charged with giving a minor access to a gun, The Washington Post reported.

In green prison stripes, she appeared in a Polk County courthouse Friday, as a judge told her to find an attorney and prepared her to go free on a $9,000 bond before trial.

Macke could not, the judge stressed, see her children in the interim.

You are to have no contact with them  direct, indirect, writing, phone, voice messaging, text messaging, the judge said in video taken by KCCI. No contact whatsoever. That includes going to the address.

I dont go there, or they dont go there? Macke asked.

This led to a confused exchange between the defendant, judge and a county lawyer, as the court tried to determine whether the children were still at Mackes house.

The lawyer said she had no confirmation that child services had placed the children elsewhere, while Macke sounded certain they were all safe with relatives.
When businesses need to hire workers, they ought to consider those with disabilities as much as any other candidates.

A ceremony Monday morning at the Omni Center marked National Disability Employment Awareness Month.

The observation seeks to promote the hiring and retention of people with disabilities, said Sam Comfort, work experience coordinator for Goodwill Industries Inc. serving eastern Nebraska and southwest Iowa.

We all have things we can contribute, he said. We try to focus on the ability, not the disability.

Brad Krause, owner of Grease Monkey of Council Bluffs, did just that in the hiring of a man with disabilities through the encouragement of the Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation organization.

Hes been working for us for two years, and hes been great, Krause said at the event. Hes a good guy, and he wants to be with us the rest of his life.

Council Bluffs Mayor Matt Walsh issued a proclamation for disability employment awareness for this month saying that those with disabilities can still contribute on an equal basis.
Dive into local and state history with two upcoming events at the Western Historic Trails Center this week.

Starting Wednesday, the State Historical Museums Iowa History 101 mobile museum will visit the center, offering exhibits on the history of Iowans at home, work and play, according to a release.

The museum will remain at the center through Sunday. It will display dozens of artifacts from the museums collection exploring how history shapes Iowans now live.

In addition, this Saturday will feature an event exploring the tales of adventure and promises of a new beginning that lured many Americans to travel the countrys westward trails in the mid-19th century.

Three stories will be shared  those of siblings Sarah, John and James Stageman  when Kathryn Webb Wikert presents Walking in Their Footsteps at 11 a.m. Saturday at the center, 3434 Richard Downing Ave.

Wikerts program, which is based on a collection of letters dated between 1854 and 1864, is presented as part of the Western Historic Trails Centers celebration of National Family History Month in October, according to a release.

The Stagemans story begins in 1840 when the family emigrated from England to America. They lived in Maryland for 11 years before joining the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and moving to Pottawattamie County, where they settled on 160 acres three miles east of Council Bluffs, the release states.

The travelers went different ways: Salt Lake City, the California gold rush and Western ranching and mining.

The Western Historic Trails Center is overseen by the State Historical Society of Iowa, a division of the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs. Both events are free.
The Lewis Central school board advanced revisions to the districts tobacco policies Monday to specifically prohibit other nicotine products from school property and activities.

Previously, the policies referred only to tobacco products for the Lewis Central Community School District. The new language bans tobacco and nicotine products as well as devices that can be used to deliver nicotine including look-alike devices and products.

The rule would apply to all students, employees, volunteers and visitors at all times, during school-sponsored events and during non-school-sponsored events, the proposed revision states.

Misty Graeve, youth coordinator for Health Promotion Strategies, a contractor with the Iowa Department of Public Healths Division of Tobacco Use Prevention and Control, recommended Lewis Central change the wording of its policies in a letter to Lewis Central Superintendent Mark Schweer last spring.

Lewis Central is currently just tobacco-free, Graeve said in the letter, which was included in the board materials for the meeting.

Our policies did not include a reference to nicotine, Schweer said.

The districts legal counsel also recommended that the board add nicotine to the language, he said.

Most area public school districts, including the Council Bluffs Community School District, have already updated their policies to ban tobacco-free nicotine products, such as e-cigs, as well as traditional forms of tobacco, Graeve said,

Lewis Central is the only public school that is not tobacco-free/nicotine-free in all seven of my counties, she wrote in the letter.

Graeve serves Pottawattamie, Harrison, Cass, Crawford, Ida, Monona and Shelby Counties.

In other business, the board approved first readings of the districts corporal punishment, immunization certificate, campus release and student directory policies without changes. Schweer said he was seeking feedback on a couple of the policies from district staff.

The board also approved a change order for the bleacher project at the stadium that would save the district an estimated $10,000. The track contractor will provide a thickened slab for the foundation, according to board materials.

Jeff Carper, director of operations, said the project is mostly done and that the restrooms would be ready by Friday.
The Museum of Danish America in Elk Horn opened a new exhibit Saturday that pays tribute to the long military and diplomatic relationship between Denmark and the United States.

Lars Bo Muller, a Danish diplomat, and two Danish military veterans visited the opening of the temporary exhibit, which is called Denmark  Americas Smallest and Biggest Ally.

The U.S. and Denmark have had diplomatic relations since 1801  the longest unbroken diplomatic relationship between any two nations in the world, according to the museum. An estimated 375,000 Danes emigrated to the United States in the 19th and 20th centuries.

The exhibit focuses on the military alliance. The two countries have had a continuous military relationship since World War II, when the U.S. sent troops to Greenland, a Danish territory. In the Cold War the U.S. established Thule Air Base and several bases in Greenland.

The museum, at 2212 Washington St. in Elk Horn, is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and from noon to 5 p.m. Sundays. On weekdays it is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The special exhibit will run until Sept. 3, 2018.
The Quality Growth Fund Citizens Review Committee will propose a downtown facade restoration grant program.

The committee met on Monday and after much discussion came up with the program that will likely go to the North Platte City Council in November, according to Gary Person, executive director of the North Platte Area Chamber and Development Corporation.

In an email, Person gave details about the proposed program and the request being made by the QGF committee to the City Council.

He said the committee would request that $350,000 from the Quality Growth Fund be set aside for this program, and that the North Platte Area Chamber and Development Corporation be the official applicant and administrator. The $350,000 was established so that it matched the amount being requested from a downtown revitalization grant program through the Nebraska Department of Economic Development.

The committee decided that to be eligible for grants, buildings must be at least 50 years old and located in the downtown area of either the south or north side of North Platte, from First to 13th streets and from Vine to Walnut streets.

According to Person, specific preservation guidelines will be established as part of the Certified Local Government designation. The North Platte Historic Preservation Commission would then review individual applications to make sure the proposed work is in compliance with the guidelines.

Building owners, or tenant business owners in cooperation with the building owner, could apply for up to $10,000 of matching funds for exterior facade restoration. Smaller amounts of matching funds could be requested, and the owners or tenants contribution could exceed $10,000.

The program will dovetail in its timing with proposed changes in the downtown area, including the removal of awnings on Dewey Street in the spring, according to Person.

Funds will only be distributed after the work is completed and a review of the work showed it to be in conformance with the original application, preservation guidelines and submission of invoices, he said.

Also, businesses must use the funds within two years of receiving a grant. Any money that has not been spent by that date is to be returned to the Quality Growth Fund, unless an exception is made.

Person said the Chamber Development Board will discuss the proposal at its October meeting, and if it endorses the plan, the official application will go to the City Council.
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North Plattes Habitat for Humanity hosted a breakfast and prayer program at its offices Monday to celebrate World Habitat Day.

The first Monday in October has been set aside each year for the event since 1986.

Valley Christian Church Pastor Brent Montgomery led the group in prayer.

Loving God, you made us in your image and blessed us with wisdom, creativity, skill, compassion and love, Montgomery read, and the people responded, Give us sight to see your children in need, ability to hear your call to serve and willingness to be your hands and feet.

After several verses of prayer, the group closed the session with the words, Make us into one people  your people  like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.

Mayor Dwight Livingston spoke and shared a proclamation from the city.

My mom worked with Habitat for Humanity for many years, Livingston said. When she was 65 or 70, I went to Lincoln one time to visit and she was at a Habitat house, and when I got there, she was on the roof.

Livingston said she worked until she couldnt do it anymore.

When she came to North Platte on a visit, she asked if there was a Habitat house going up somewhere, Livingston said. As soon as I left for work, she grabbed her tool belt and went to the house and asked if she could help, and they put her to work.

The mayor read from the proclamation that the United Nations General Assembly took an important step in promoting the idea that everyone deserves a decent place to live.

Dalene Skates, executive director of North Platte Area Habitat for Humanity, said the group is finishing house No. 50 and is in the middle of building No. 51.

We are actually going to be doing a wall raising on Saturday on house No. 52, Skates said. This engine just keeps rolling along.

Skates said Habitat has purchased lots on West Fifth Street where Nos. 53 and 54 will go.

For more information on Habitat, call the office at 308-534-6251.
Recent studies have shown that the average American spends nearly 17 hours preparing to file their taxes because our nations tax code is so complicated. We last reformed the tax code in 1986, and its high time for an update.

In the coming weeks and months, Congress has a historic opportunity to revamp the nations broken and outdated tax code. This process began with an outline from the White House, the Senate and the House of Representatives laying out the guiding principles for debate. The goals of the framework are two-fold: keep taxes fair and simple at home and make America more competitive.

Above all, the goal is to lower the tax rates for individuals and middle class families. It also recommends doubling the standard deduction. This means more money back in the pockets of hardworking Americans in Nebraska and across this country.

A better tax code is one thats easier to understand. The tax reform framework recommends consolidating the number of tax brackets from seven to three. With this simple change, more Americans will be able to complete their taxes on their own without wasting time and money filling out seemingly endless paperwork.

We also need to lower taxes on small and family-owned businesses, the backbone of Americas economy. The tax reform framework makes doing so a priority. It limits the maximum rate for our small businesses to 25 percent, a rate significantly lower than what these businesses are currently paying today. A lower rate will give our small businesses more breathing room to grow, invest and create jobs.

Another burden currently on Americas family-owned businesses is the death tax. For so many Nebraskans, their work and legacy is passing down their business from generation to generation. The death tax makes doing so unnecessarily difficult. This double taxation is not right, and its not fair. It forces rising small business owners to pay the government before they can take full possession of the land or business their family already owns. Because the wealth of these businesses is often in the form of land or equipment, the children inheriting the businesses often need to sell parts of the business their family spent generations building in order to pay this misguided tax. Through tax reform, Im hopeful we can repeal the death tax and keep Nebraskas proud tradition of family-owned businesses alive.

Everyone wants Americas businesses to be able to grow and thrive, but right now, our corporate tax code is hurting our competitive edge. Tax reform gives us an opportunity to level the playing field and promote American competitiveness in our global economy. One way to do this is by lowering the corporate tax rate. Right now, Americas corporate tax rate is 35 percent, the highest among our trading partners, and its a major reason businesses are keeping money in accounts overseas. Reducing this corporate rate will encourage companies to bring that money back to the U.S. and invest it here at home. It will also empower American entrepreneurs to start and grow new businesses.

Now that congressional leaders have unveiled a tax reform framework, the Senate Finance Committee and the House Ways and Means Committee will begin drafting tax reform legislation. Although the legislative process is just beginning, tax reform is the single most important action we can take to spur economic growth in this country. Im ready to get to work.
The world's largest uranium miner has been reeling in a long, draw-out state of misery since the Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011. Many industrialized nations have revisited their long-term power-generation strategies to include a future without atomic energy. The rise of emission-free wind and solar energy, which continues to outpace even the most optimistic projections, makes it even easier to envision a world with diminishing reliance on nuclear power.

None of that has stopped Cameco Corp (NYSE: CCJ) bulls or management from predicting a brighter future ahead. The company has slashed operations and kept a remarkably healthy balance sheet throughout uranium's multiyear slide as a global commodity. While it appears to be making all of the right moves today, every day the company inches closer to an existential line in the sand: the year 2021.

That is the year most of its supply contracts expire. Given the current uncertainty surrounding nuclear power, investors shouldn't be so sure the next round of renewals will be executed in a shareholder-friendly manner. That leads us to ask, where will Cameco Corp be in five years?

The coming contract cliff

Historically speaking, Cameco has managed its portfolio of long-term supply contracts very well. That has insulated the company from the recent downturn in uranium selling prices. For instance, while spot prices are at 12-year lows today, the uranium miner realized a 60% premium to that for every pound sold last year.

The reason is simple: Power companies were locked into higher prices when current contracts were signed. Although fortuitous today, these same forces may also prove problematic moving forward. Why? Uranium prices have trended down, while the uncertainty surrounding the future of nuclear power has trended up. The result: Power companies are hesitant to sign new contracts today out of fear they'll be locked into higher-than-market prices in future periods.

It's a bit of a game of chicken. After all, if power companies wait until the last minute and bet incorrectly (uranium prices rise), then they'll be locked into higher prices anyway. That would work out for Cameco. And since the miner has a big influence on spot market supply -- which it currently isn't selling into -- power companies hoping to meet future needs through the spot market could be in for a rude awakening.

But Cameco can still lose this game -- and badly. It all depends on whose estimates prove correct. On one hand, the miner thinks global nuclear power capacity will continue to rise, therefore pressuring uranium prices in its favor. It uses optimistic projections in investor presentations to support its argument that between now and 2026, the world will need 800 million pounds of uranium that aren't currently covered by supply contracts.

On the other hand, all of the projections on which Cameco bases its argument could prove disastrously incorrect. Unfortunately for shareholders, every new data point that comes in seems to hint that may be closer to reality.

Consider that Cameco estimates there are 57 nuclear reactors under construction today throughout the world, including 30 in China, India, and the United Arab Emirates. The miner is also optimistic that most of the 49 nuclear reactors currently offline in Japan will restart operations soon.

However, growth in China and India likely won't be enough to save the global nuclear industry. A report by S&P Global Ratings estimates half of the 99 nuclear reactors currently operating in the United States could be taken offline in the next 17 years. That's the equivalent of shutting all nuclear reactors in France or Japan -- the second- and third-largest atomic powered countries, respectively, by installed capacity. The report thinks America could be nuclear-free by 2055.

Worse, changing political tides in Japan don't look favorable for nuclear power. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe recently dissolved the nation's lower parliament in an effort to maintain his party's majority after the general election scheduled for October 22. But in a surprise move, the two largest opposition parties merged into one. A major talking point of the "new" party: making Japan nuclear-free by 2030. Depending on the outcome of the election, the market may know the fate of atomic energy on the island nation well before 2021 -- bad news for Cameco's efforts to renew supply contracts.

Taken together, closing half of American nuclear reactors and all of those in Japan by about 2030 would remove roughly 104 nuclear reactors from operation. Add Germany's eight nuclear reactors that will be shuttered by 2022, and the world could lose 25% of its nuclear power capacity in the next two decades. Planned additions from China, India, and the rest of the world wouldn't come close to offsetting the losses.

What does it mean for investors?

It would be hypocritical to point out that Cameco's optimism is based on projections while neglecting to note the same is true for global nuclear reactor retirements. However, given the global rise of wind, solar, and liquefied natural gas (LNG) -- the last of which is increasingly important to Japan -- the days of nuclear power certainly seem to be numbered. Forces both economic and political will be difficult for the industry to overcome.

If additional announcements are made for closures in America or Japan in the near future, it could jeopardize the company's efforts to sign new long-term supply contracts to replace those that expire in 2021. While there's much uncertainty about where Cameco will be in five years, the current trend doesn't look very favorable. Investors beware.

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Local law enforcement and hospital personnel regularly drill for the grim possibility of active shooters and the mayhem they can cause.

Stephen Scheckel, Munsters chief of police and law enforcement group leader for the Northwest Indiana District 1 Task Force, said police learned after the Columbine High School massacre in 1999 in Colorado that waiting for a SWAT team to respond may cost lives.

"They realized a lot of people became victims because the police were waiting, he said. Since then, patrol officers have been taught they are to engage an active shooter.

The first officers on scene must weigh their options and coordinate their response. "Then we will start coordinating assets as they arrive on scene, and that takes it off the individual officers' shoulders, so they can then focus on the threat, Scheckel said.

It would be up to administrators to consider how many people have been killed or injured and how many more resources are needed, he said.

Efforts are being made to train all law enforcement officers across the country the same, Scheckel said, so any agencies called to assist know what to expect.

Coordinating the Regions different SWAT teams and other groups is considered during training, he said.

Yearly training

In general, police train at least once a year for such a situation, Scheckel said. The Northwest Indiana District 1 Task Force trains for mass shootings at larger venues, such as the U.S. Steel Yard in Gary, he said.

Individual departments train in schools and other venues within their jurisdiction. We work with our schools. We train in our schools. Weve trained in religious institutions to keep our skills honed, so, God forbid, this type of situation happens, you know what to do, Scheckel said.

Lt. Terry W. Gose, commander of the Indiana State Police Lowell post, said, "We train at least annually in active shooter situations. We practice on how to enter venues, individually or as a group, in locations as far away as Kokomo to get them familiar with areas they would not otherwise know."

"This isn't a run around and shoot-em-up (scenario). We try to make it as realistic as possible," Gose said. The training involves law enforcement officers posing as active shooters and armed with 'simunition' guns, which fire low-velocity wax bullets. "It leaves welts when you get hit," he said.

"These practice tactics of how you clear a scene, how you are going to respond individually or en masse, these are things you have to watch for to make sure you don't get caught in a friendly fire situation or shoot an innocent person, because it is absolute chaos when something like this breaks out."

Gose said state police sporadically do tabletop training discussions, including one they will do in coming weeks with all Porter County agencies.

Hammond police Lt. Steven Kellogg said Monday, "We finished our 2017 active shooter training in April at an abandoned school administration building. Our previous active shooter trainings have been held at various Hammond schools, a (then-abandoned) warehouse on Conkey Street and a wing of (Franciscan Health hospital in Hammond).

"Our trained tactics include communication, threat assessment, response to an individual actively armed with a weapon and triaging the scene following the incident while extracting victims from the location. I am confident that our Hammond officers have the tools they need to quickly and effectively respond to an active shooter situation."

Community members, schools on board, too

Valparaiso schools Superintendent Ric Frataccia said they have begun the first full year of a safe schools response plan that they now have deployed throughout the county.

"We have a dual leadership role with Porter County Sheriff David Reynolds developing the active assailant portion of the plan, which is, 'run, hide and defend,'" Frataccia said.

"We have been trained to activate the school's Guard 911 and evacuate the building. If evacuation isn't possible, hide in a secure location, lock and barricade the door, turn off the lights and get out of sight. The last resort is to defend. That is how we are training our people and the rest of the people in the county using the same procedure and the same vocabulary."

Lake Criminal Court Senior Judge Samuel Cappas said county police and the courts in Crown Point have been giving active shooter training at the Lake County Government Center since a bomb threat last February prompted the county to purchase the Guard 911 software program that can be activated by court employees to alert all staff to the location of the threat as well as generating 911 calls to federal, state and local law enforcement officers in close proximity.

Emergency medical protocols in place

Scheckel said once police secure a scene, emergency medical workers respond and considerations for a surge in emergency rooms begins. Emergency workers must begin to identify victims and record hospitals to which theyre taken, so their families later can be directed to the correct place, he said.

Northwest Indiana currently has two Level III trauma centers: Methodist Hospitals Northlake Campus in Gary and Franciscan Health hospital in Crown Point. The Level III designation means that general surgeons and anesthesiologists are available within 30 minutes.

With that designation, the hospitals have to undergo drills twice a year to practice handling a sudden influx of patients.

"It could be a shooting, it could be an act of terror, it could be an explosion, a bus accident, a plane accident," said Emery Garwick, emergency preparedness coordinator for Methodist Hospitals. "We take a look at all the different areas: natural disasters, man-made disasters, transportation of hazardous materials. We also have the steel mills that are very close, as well as railroad tracks, the toll road just to the north, the Borman just to the south."

He said the biggest mass casualty fear would be a weather-related event, like a tornado.

The 16 hospitals in Lake, Porter, LaPorte and Jasper counties are part of an emergency planning committee that plan for large-scale disasters together. The district has two mass casualty trailers that can be turned into mobile hospitals. Methodist Hospitals and Franciscan hospital in Crown Point also do active intruder drills annually.

The nearest Level I trauma centers are Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, Illinois, Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, Illinois, Stroger Hospital in Chicago and University of Chicago Medical Center (for children only). Level I facilities have surgeons in-house 24-7 and the prompt availability of a variety of specialists, including neurosurgeons, orthopedic surgeons and critical care doctors.
WINFIELD  The Lake County prosecutor is asking for an independent police probe into an alleged hit-and-run by a Winfield town councilman.

Prosecutor Bernard Carter confirmed Tuesday he will be asking the Lake County Sheriff's Department to investigate a Sept. 27 incident involving Winfield Town Councilman Jim Simmons and the owner of a landscaping service.

"I'm seeing enough here to warrant an independent review," Carter said.

Simmons declined comment on the matter, referring all questions to his attorney, Paul Stracci.

Stracci wasn't immediately available for comment Tuesday afternoon.

Attorney and former Lake County sheriff Roy Dominguez said the incident followed an argument between Simmons and Dominguezs client, James Ballard, who owns a landscaping service. The two argued over wood chips that were either near or in the street in the 5200 block of 105th Lane in Winfield, Dominguez said.

According to Dominguez, Simmons demanded the chips be cleaned up and his client Ballard said it would be cleaned up when they were finished with the job.

In a letter sent Tuesday to Carter, Dominguez said Ballard, of Gary, was assaulted by Simmons, who identified himself as the Town Council vice president, when Simmons drove his truck over the landscaper's foot and lower leg. Ballard fell on Simmon's truck during the incident, Dominguez alleges.

Dominguez said Ballard asked his employees at the site to call 911, and Simmons stated, "I pay the police."

Shortly thereafter, Dominguez said, a county police officer and Winfield Deputy Marshal Branden Benton arrived.

According to Dominguez, an ambulance was dispatched to the scene. Ultimately, Ballard was treated at Community Hospital in Munster where he was diagnosed with a fractured bone to his left foot and injuries to his leg and hips.

Dominguez states in his letter to Carter that by the time police arrived, Simmons had left the scene in his pickup truck. Dominguez said Ballard asked Benton if he was going to arrest Simmons for a hit-and-run accident, criminal recklessness or other potential criminal charges, but that Benton did nothing and took no statements from the witnesses at the accident scene.

Dominguez is asking that Benton and Town Marshal Dan Ball assign the matter to the Indiana State Police because Simmons is a town councilman, and therefore an employer of town marshal personnel.

Ball told The Times in an email Tuesday he had no comment about the matter, noting the case had been turned over to the prosecutor's office.

"It is basic law enforcement practice that a police officer cannot ethically investigate their employer/elected official," Dominguez said. "They have refused. And to date, no accident report has been completed, and no charges have been filed."

Carter said Dominguez raised enough questions in his letter to warrant a police probe independent of the Winfield town marshal. However, the prosecutor is referring the matter to the Lake County sheriff, who already has a police contract and jurisdiction in Winfield.

Lake County Sheriff Oscar Martinez confirmed Carter asked his office Tuesday to investigate the matter because of a possible conflict with the Winfield town marshal investigating a town councilman.

"I'm here to assist the prosecutor with whatever he requires," Martinez said.
HAMMOND  A pipe bomb that exploded last month at the East Chicago post office is believed to have been meant to go to a contract employee who does work for the city of Hammond, authorities said.

The FBI is investigating the incident as well as a related threatening, bulky letter sent to a separate Hammond worker, confirmed Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr., who said he personally spoke to the FBI for a couple of hours about the incidents.

An FBI spokesperson did not immediately return a call late Tuesday afternoon from The Times.

"The city of Hammond is being threatened by some creep, and that person sent a bomb and threatening letter," he said Tuesday.

Officials and employees with the city have been told to notify police about any packages or suspicious letters they may receive. McDermott said police also have been extra-watchful of city employees.

"Welcome to America in 2017," McDermott said. "It seems like the new norm."

On top of the normal stress of being mayor, McDermott said he has had to deal with warning his own wife and children to watch out for suspicious mail. His employees, he said, also have had to deal with doing the same with their own families.

"I hope it gets resolved soon," McDermott said.

One postal employee was injured after a pipe bomb exploded shortly after 5:30 p.m. Sept. 6 at an East Chicago post office at 901 E. Chicago Ave. The female employee was transported to St. Catherine Hospital in East Chicago with minor injuries, the FBI said shortly after the incident.

The single pipe bomb did not cause damage to the building, postal officials said.

Late last month, the FBI released a sketch of a person of interest in the explosion. He was described as white, about 6 feet tall and about 30 years old with a thin build and clean-shaven face. He wore dark-rimmed glasses, black pants with very slender legs, dark vinyl sneakers and a faded black sweat shirt with the hood up.

The FBI also said the man had a unique walk.
HOBART  Police say they have forwarded a case for a fatal July 28 crash to the Lake County Prosecutor's Office to review for potential charges.

A crash report shows motorcyclist Jeffrey S. Marquiss, 51, of Hobart, died after his motorcycle collided with a vehicle at U.S. 30 and Grand Blvd.

A preliminary report shows the other driver's failure to yield was the contributing factor in the crash.

Police arrived on scene about 4:45 p.m. to find Marquiss on the ground being administered CPR. He later died at St. Mary Medical Center in Hobart.

The driver in the first vehicle said she was northbound on Grand Boulevard waiting to turn left to go westbound on U.S. 30 when she struck Marquiss' southbound motorcycle, the report notes. A witness told police he observed the vehicle turn left into the motorcycle, according to the crash report.

The driver's name is being withheld because the individual has not been charged. The results of a chemical test conducted on the driver at the scene indicated she was not under the influence of any intoxicants, police said.

According to family, Marquiss' wife was a passenger on the motorcycle and is recovering from her injuries.

Marquiss' sister, Cheri Marquiss Dalton, of Chatham, Illinois, said the family wants to see the driver cited or charged in the crash that resulted in her brother's death.

"My whole thing is I know this woman is probably devastated. But it doesnt bring my brother back," she said. "At least ticketed. I'm questioning why she wasnt cited? Obviously, the report says she was at fault, I dont understand.

Police confirmed they documented the driver's failure to yield in the report, but have not ticketed her. Police said they forwarded the case to the prosecutor's office last week for review.

Dalton said her brother grew up in Highland and Schererville and attended Lake Central High School before moving to Florida for several years. He returned home in the mid 1990s and was an avid biker and fan of Harley Davidson.

Hobart Police declined to comment on the results of the toxicology results of the deceased, pending the consideration of charges through the Lake County prosecutors office.

Toxicology screenings were sent to the prosecutor's office as part of the overall investigation, police said.
INDIANAPOLIS  The bodies of two Gary women were discovered over the weekend in a burning car in Indianapolis, each with a gunshot wound to the head, according to authorities.

The Marion County Coroner's Office identified the women Tuesday as 24-year-old Martina Webb and 21-year-old Aliyah Igartua.

The bodies were discovered early Saturday on Indianapolis' west side by firefighters who extinguished the car fire, according to the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department.

Homicide and arson detectives were called shortly after midnight Saturday to the 1600 block of North Goodlet Avenue to investigate two bodies discovered in a burned vehicle, according to a police news release.

Detectives responded and began canvassing the area for witnesses, police said. The Indianapolis-Marion County Forensic Services Agency responded to assist with identifying and collecting potential forensic evidence.

It's not clear why the women were in Indianapolis.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call the IMPD Homicide Office at 317-327-3475 or Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana at 317-262-8477.

People can also visit CrimeTips.org to submit a web tip. Those who submit a tip this way will remain anonymous and may be eligible for a cash reward of up to $1,000 if the information leads to a felony arrest.

Only tips submitted directly and anonymously to Crime Stoppers are eligible for these cash rewards.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
CROWN POINT  A 19-year-old woman told a jury Tuesday she was seated in her vehicle with a childhood friend in February 2016 when everything went black.

She next remembered lying bloodied from two gunshot wounds in an alley in the 900 block of Chase Street in Gary. She watched as her vehicle sped off toward Ninth Avenue, and then she crawled to a neighbor's house.

Kendra Skinner told the jury she believed she was shot by her friend, Tyler L. Steffey, who is on trial this week in Lake Criminal Court for attempted murder in the shooting.

Steffey's attorney, Marc Laterzo, said in opening statements the shooting was a tragedy, but his client "absolutely denies" committing the act.

He said Steffey and Skinner were friends since middle school, and often spent time together.

There was no motive for the shooting, and no forensic evidence tying the 20-year-old defendant to the crime scene, according to Laterzo.

"You aren't here to fill in the blanks," he told the jury.

Steffey, 20, is alleged to have twice shot Skinner on Feb. 19, 2016. Skinner was transported to an Illinois hospital, where she was treated for gunshot wounds to the head and abdomen.

Skinner told the jury in often tearful testimony she and Steffey plotted to rob a marijuana dealer, who Steffey said would meet them in the alley in the 900 block of Chase Street.

She said the marijuana dealer never showed up, so they sat and talked about the gun, which she said was in Steffey's possession.

She could not remember the shooting, but she remembered waking up two days later in the Illinois hospital, where she said she wrote down Steffey's name on a white board.

She said she wrote his name, "because I know he did this to me."

Skinner said she suffered hearing loss and loss of smell because of the shooting. She also suffers headaches and short-term memory loss.

Steffey's trial is scheduled to continue Tuesday.
VALPARAISO  Prosecutors have dropped the high-level felony charges against four Fort Wayne residents who claim the 10 pounds of "white flaky substance" found in their vehicle last month was soy wax and not methamphetamine.

The action was taken after state police received an inconclusive field test result and left the substance in the car unbeknownst to prosecutors, according to Porter County Prosecutor Brian Gensel.

By the time prosecutors learned this week that the substance was left behind, the vehicle had already been reclaimed from the tow yard and, along with it, any opportunity to carry out conclusive testing, he said.

Indiana State Police spokeswoman Sgt. Ann Wojas had the same understanding of the events.

"We never took it," she said of the substance in question.

The defendants were charged with two high-level felony counts of dealing in methamphetamine  one carrying a potential sentence of 10 to 30 years behind bars and the other carrying a potential of three to 16 years, according to court documents.

Gensel said the charges were filed based on the first of two field tests done, which returned a positive result for methamphetamine. A second, more thorough, field test returned inconclusive results, so the officers left the substance behind.

Each of the defendants still faces low level drug charges, he said.

The higher-level charges were dropped a day after prosecutors agreed in court to reduce the $15,000 cash bonds on the defendants to $2,000.

The reduction was pursued by defense attorney Bob Harper, who argued on behalf of his client, Jessica Jones, 25, for quicker testing of the substance in question and for a bond more in line with the possibility that it is candle wax.

"The defendant tried to explain to the officer that the material was bought for approximately $20 from Amazon and in fact contained a soy wax which was used for making candles," according to the motion Harper prepared on Jones' behalf.

Harper said Tuesday he was happy for Jones and the others.

"This could have gone on for months," he said.

The other defendants in the case are Shawn Williams, 39; Cassandra Rigg, 25; and Michael Mavrides, 30.

The four were arrested following a traffic stop Sept. 14 in the parking lot of AJ's Pizza Co. just east of Ind. 49 near the access point to the Indiana Toll Road in Chesterton, according to the charging documents.

Police said they found a scale and hypodermic needles in the vehicle, a plastic bag containing a white substance and a metal bucket containing the plastic bag with 10 pounds of a "white flaky substance."
INDIANAPOLIS  Hoosiers supporting redistricting reform rallied outside the federal courthouse here Tuesday, hopeful that the U.S. Supreme Court soon may prohibit state lawmakers from drawing legislative district boundaries that benefit one political party.

The practice, known as gerrymandering, dates to the earliest years of the United States. But the nation's high court, in a case out of Wisconsin, is reconsidering whether partisan gerrymandering should be prohibited akin to racial gerrymandering.

Julia Vaughn, policy director at Common Cause Indiana, said when legislators pick their voters by drawing district lines that effectively guarantee their election, they often no longer feel the need to listen or respond to their constituents.

"The power of voters in Indiana, and across our country, is being subverted because of these lines that were drawn to advantage a political party over another," she said.

Shelia Kennedy, an Indiana University law professor who served on the Legislature's 2015-16 redistricting study committee, said gerrymandering has gotten worse as new mapping tools and other technology make it easier to identify partisan supporters and group them in ways that obliterate the other side.

"One out of 20 Americans lives in a competitive congressional district," Kennedy said. "Safe seats allow our legislators to ignore public opinion, ignore the desires of their constituents and simply hang on to power."

Hoosier lawmakers repeatedly have rejected proposals to have Indiana's legislative districts be drawn by an independent commission on the grounds that every person serving on such a commission still would have an inherent partisan bias.

Vaughan said she's nevertheless optimistic that a strong Supreme Court ruling against partisan gerrymandering will prompt the Republican-controlled Indiana General Assembly to support fair district lines, since nothing less than democracy itself is at stake.
LAPORTE  Plans for a new auto parts store have drawn both criticism and compliments for its expected impact on blight along a main artery into the city.

The City Council could vote Oct. 16 on a rezoning request by O'Reilly Auto Parts to build along the 200 block of East Lincolnway.

Members of the American Legion next door, though, say they are against it, feeling squeezed in by a structure that would sit right beside their club's property line and close enough to the road to obstruct their view of oncoming traffic.

Chuck Greenawalt, commander of the American Legion Post No. 83, asked the Council at a public hearing Monday to either vote against it now or wait to see if changes are made in the drawings "so it doesn't impact our Legion."

Five dilapidated homes along the four-lane highway would be demolished to make way for the development.

Councilman Tim Stabosz said the project could be the start of converting what was originally a residential stretch of highway into all commercial, but wants the auto parts store to be aesthetically pleasing.

Wayne Zeman, a past American Legion commander, said he prefers the houses be fixed up instead of replaced by "big block buildings with no soul."

Landlords said they want to sell their homes to the developer. They wouldn't be able to get more than the $400 a month in rent they collect now. Even if they fixed up the homes, they wouldn't be able to recover their costs, they said.

"They're not going to look prettier than they are right now," said Ray Miller, who lives in that neighborhood.

Councilman Miles Fettinger said allowing the auto parts store to go up would start the process of redeveloping that side of the city.

"If we don't change, we can't grow," Fettinger said.
A national child welfare organization is asking for the public's help locating a missing 14-year-old girl who may travel in the areas surrounding Chicago and Gary.

Ashanti Keys went missing on Sept. 30, 2016, and was last seen in Richton Park, Illinois, according to a news release from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.

Keys is described as 5 feet 2 inches tall and weighing approximately 130 pounds. She has black hair and brown eyes.

Anyone with information about Keys' whereabouts can contact the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at 1-800-843-5678 (1-800-THE-LOST) or the Richton Park Police Department at 708-481-8911.
INDIANAPOLIS  State Sen. Eddie Melton, D-Merrillville, is working to ensure Gary and Muncie are the only school districts ever taken over by the state due to financial distress.

On Monday, he urged a legislative study committee to support his efforts to develop an early warning system that would allow school corporations to access state assistance, and possibly additional funding, at the first signs of financial trouble  instead of after becoming a crisis.

"I firmly believe that with the right indicators and the right processes put in place, we should be able to prevent those from even happening," Melton said.

The first-term senator seemed intrigued by a preliminary electronic "dashboard," developed by the nonpartisan Legislative Services Agency, that would collect in one place, and enable the public to view, data showing every aspect of a school district's financial condition.

Melton recommended if such a system ultimately is launched statewide that it be used proactively by Indiana officials as a tool to identify schools confronting potential financial pitfalls and to offer advice on how to cross them.

He admitted there's a lot of work still needed to make that possible as Hoosier lawmakers have not figured out which financial indicators might prompt the state to offer assistance, and then what happens if school district leaders say they don't want any help.

"It's incumbent upon us in the General Assembly to be prepared to work alongside our own communities," Melton said.

"This is an instance where if we see symptoms or some type of signs of sickness, if we're able to catch that sickness earlier on and treat it the correct way, we can reduce a more drastic outcome."

Superintendent Jeffery Studebaker, of Merrillville Community Schools, told the committee that one service the state might offer is long-term forecasting of population growth and tax revenue as a way for schools to take immediate steps that could save money over time.

State Rep. Tim Brown, R-Crawfordville, was skeptical: "It seems a little, kind of Pollyanna, to say that we would give you better data for forecasting than what you have," he said.

It's not yet known whether the Interim Study Committee on Fiscal Policy will recommend any school finance legislation to the 2018 General Assembly that convenes in January.

Melton said he considers just starting the conversation to be a step in the right direction.
The U.S. Virgin Islands Gov. Kenneth Mapp is set to meet with President Trump on Tuesday, and intends to request more money for disaster recovery.

The governor said the U.S. military will fly him and a few other people involved in disaster recovery out to a naval vessel off the coast of Puerto Rico, where he will meet with the president at 11 a.m.

Mapp said he is generally pleased with the federal government's response to the two Category 5 storms that struck the U.S. Virgin Islands on Sept. 6 and Sept. 20 and 21. Five people died in the storms.

About 105,000 people live on the four islands, almost all of whom reside on Saint Thomas and Saint Croix.

Most of the buildings sustained some damage.

Mapp has four main points that he wants to bring up with Trump, and almost all of them are about more money for the disaster recovery on the U.S. Virgin Islands.

But Mapp also said he wants to deal with some apparent bureaucracy, and he said he was very dissatisfied with the Blue Roof Program, especially because it has been raining lately.

For that program, blue tarps are placed on the homes that no longer have roofs, or homes with holes in their roof.

Mapp said the program is moving at a snail's program.

"It was not on my list. But with my meeting tomorrow with President Trump, it will be on my list, because that is clearly a bureaucracy issue," Mapp said. "Somebody isn't seeing the trees, because of the forest."



"I don't care how many contractors it takes to rapidly produce tarps on roof," Mapp continued. "The Army Corps of Engineers knows how many roofs they anticipate they will fix."

Mapp said there should be 50 tarps placed on roofs per day, but only 47 homes have had tarps installed in the eight days of the program.

At best, about five percent of locations on the four islands have any electricity. Mapp said he hopes that 90 percent will have power by December so they can claim some of the tourism this coming season.
President Donald Trump is visiting Puerto Rico today to survey the damage caused by Hurricane Maria.

The president will speak with first responders and victims of the storm.

The White House has been criticized by some who say the response has been too slow.

Many on the island still don't have power, and there are shortages of food and other basic needs.

But the president says his administration has sent more than enough supplies to Puerto Rico.

"It's been amazing what's been done in a very short period of time on Puerto Rico. There's never been a piece of land that we've known that was so devastated. The bridges are down, the telecommunications was non-existent and it's in very very bad shape, the electric grid was totally destroyed, but we've gotten tremendous amounts of food and water and lots of other things, supplies, generally speaking on the island," Trump said.

The mayor of San Juan, Carmen Yulin Cruz, has called the federal relief process inefficient.

Trump called his team's critics "politically motivated ingrates."

While on his trip today, President Trump will meet with the governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Governor Kenneth Mapp, who's a Brooklyn native, will discuss recovery efforts in the region.

Mapp says he and several others will meet with the president on a naval vessel off Puerto Rico's coast.

The governor says so far he's been happy with the federal storm response, but he plans on asking for more money for recovery efforts.

He also wants to discuss a roofing program that he says is taking too long to reach some residents.

"It was not on my list, but with my meeting tomorrow with President Trump, it will be on my list. That's clearly a bureaucracy issue, somebody isn't seeing through the trees because of the forest. The reality is I don't care how many contractors it takes to rapidly produce tarps on roofs. You know how many roofs you anticipate to fix," Mapp said.

Five people died on the Virgin Islands as a result of Hurricanes Irma and Maria, and buildings were left heavily damaged.

Only about five percent of the four islands currently have electricity.
The city's former fire commissioner, who was in charge of the department on 9/11, is now leading the federal government's relief efforts in Puerto Rico. Thomas Von Essen was sworn in to his new position Monday, and has a daunting task ahead. Our Grace Rauh has the story.

Thomas Von Essen has been on the front lines of tragedy before.

343 firefighters died in the September 11th terror attacks. Von Essen was the city's fire commissioner.

"It's been rough," he said in December of 2001. "We're healing, and it's going to take a long time."

Von Essen was sworn-in Monday as the new head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) division that includes Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands  islands that were devastated by Hurricanes Maria and Irma.

Congressman Adriano Espaillat, who represents parts of the Bronx and Upper Manhattan, just returned from a visit to assess the damage on Puerto Rico. He praised Von Essen's appointment.

"Being a fire chief and a commissioner in New York City just gives you the upper hand  it gives you an edge  to ensure you get the work done in Puerto Rico, because you already have a working relationship with those communities back home," Espaillat said.

Von Essen's new job brings his career full-circle; he started out as a firefighter in the South Bronx in 1970. The neighborhood was home to many Puerto Ricans.

"I am sure for Tommy Von Essen that all those years as a firefighter, as a union leader, and as a fire commissioner, that this is deeply personal as well," Former Deputy Mayor Randy Mastro said. "There is a special bond between the people of New York City and the people of Puerto Rico."

It's a high-pressure job, and one that is sure to generate some heat from Puerto Ricans in need of help and perhaps even from President Trump, who has shown an unusual willingness to publicly attack or question his aides.

In a telephone interview with NY1, Von Essen said he is not a big fan of politicians; he said he just likes fixing stuff.
What was an active Lugongwe town deep into Mubende districts Kitumbi sub-country is now in slumber.

Just two months ago, what described this gold-mining town were hills covered in blue makeshift and permanent structures. Business boomed and optimism was high. Two months later, this good story has changed.

The hills are now engulfed by brown smoke from the burning canvas that roofed the makeshift buildings. Graders manned by the military have spent the last month pushing the last standing structures to the ground.

The only activity left to the mostly youthful population is playing Ludo. A few goats meat and chapatti stalls and half-stocked retail shops are temporarily operational.

At various corners of the town, people sit idle in small groups. One can easily read worry, anger, despair and hopelessness on their faces.

Twaha Ssebandeke

This entire state of affairs stems from a July directive to evict thousands of artisanal miners from the gold mines, a move that exposed contradiction by government. Government spokesman Ofwono Opondo said the evictees were foreigners; Energy Minister Irene Muloni said they had evicted illegal miners; while a section of local council authorities said they had evicted encroachers on an investors land.



LOST LIVELIHOOD

Investments by these artisanal miners have been affected greatly. While some have a string of life to cling to, many are stranded, pondering their next move since most of their property was buried by bulldozers.

Twaha Ssebandeke, 28, from Masaka district, is one of those with nowhere to go. He has sought refuge at his friends home, erecting a small makeshift structure by putting a few wooden polls inclined towards the wall of his friends house and covering the polls with a blue canvas. This will be his new home in the meantime, which he shares with his two children.

I came here with nothing but just my head and strength, the muscular youth tells me. I had made money, my children were studying, things were good but I tell you currently, I search for Shs 2,000 and I cant get it.

Ssebandekes story starts from 2006 on the streets of Kampala where he worked as a hawker, vending toys, stockings and plastics. City authorities confiscated his property, arrested, charged and convicted him of operating illegally.

After his release a month later, a friend sold him an idea of going to South Sudan to start a new life.

I went to South Sudan and I started hawking again. I made some little money and eventually opened up an electronics shop that was doing well. Then the civil war broke out and we had to run, I lost everything, he says. But I didnt give up, I was told by a colleague that we could come here and mine gold and there I was.

Ssebandeke lost an investment of over 30 million on the day of the eviction from the mines. He says he wasnt allowed to retrieve any of his machines.

We had gone to work as usual in the morning and shortly, we saw the army and police surrounding us. They told us we had two hours to leave the place, Ssebandeke says. People scattered in different directions. We couldnt take anything because the soldiers blocked us at the exit. We ran out hoping that the following day we would be allowed to pick our property.

This didnt happen as the following day; graders buried most structures together with everything therein.

Those soldiers are selling our things, Ssebandeke alleges.

Army spokesperson, Brigadier Richard Karemire, dismisses Ssebandekes allegation, saying the armys interest is just to help police evict these illegal miners, not to sell their property.

While appearing on point FM in Mubende, President Museveni faulted the army for mishandling the evictions noting that it overstepped its mandate by using too much force.

Ssebandeke had established a bar near the mine which he says made about Shs 100, 000 a day, and this was constructed on the land he bought from a one Ezra Pirelli, one of the landlords in the area.

I didnt steal that land. I bought it out of my sweat. Now they have taken it and everything in it, he says. We had the plans to get rich but our chances have been thwarted by God and our president.

When I ask Ssebandeke about his next move, he keeps quiet, looks at me and then looks down.

That question brings a lot of sorrow to my heart because I dont know what to do, my children are currently in good schools but I dont think they will go back. I dont think I can feed them for the next two months. I dont., he says before breaking down in tears and walks away.



INNOCENT SOULS

His children Swabul and Shakira are in the nearby house doing their homework. The plastic chairs they are supposed to sit on are being used as writing tables while they kneel on the dusty floor.

Eight-year-old Shakira wants to work in a bank in future and this is a decision she has made after their familys eviction from the mines.

I want to become a bank manger because I want to bring back all the money our daddy has lost in the mines, the soft-spoken Shakira says.

Her brother Swabul is not far from that thinking. Albeit with a different profession in mind, he also wants to do something for the mine when he grows up.

I want to become an Engineer so that I can fix our gold mine. Whatever has been broken, he says.



CRIMINAL MINDS

Since the eviction, residents say the crime rate has soared because youths are idle. Two nights before my visit, four houses were broken into. Now moving at night is dangerous, whether you have money or not.

The soldiers deployed at the mines harass residents too.

A section of the destroyed structures for miners

While government maintains the evictions were to weed out illegal immigrants, many people disagree.

The people they chased are Ugandans; they should not lie. If we were not Ugandans, we would have packed our bags and gone already but we are instead stranded here with nowhere to go, Safari John Mary, a gold dealer says.

However, some maintain there were some immigrants who but these had all documentation required to operate. These, residents say, employed many people whom they paid handsomely and that they were very few to prompt such a ruthless eviction. Until now, some families have not found their loved ones.

Local leaders say they are stuck with children who were either left behind unknowingly by their parents during the raid or intentionally, if parents thought they could no longer look after them anymore.

People reportedly scattered in all directions when the soldiers came in. Some ran and forgot their children. Other men ran to different directions from their wives and have never been seen again.

Local leaders and the owners of the land on which some mines sit blame the government for carrying out the eviction without informing them.



BUSINESSES LOST

The evictions took place in about five mines according to Robert Ssempewo, the chairperson of miners and processors in the area.

Out of the estimated70,000 people in the mines, only 20,000 were involved in actual mining and the rest were doing other related businesses.

Tendo Nassuuna has been selling soft drinks, polythene bags and sacks in the mines. She says she found solace in the mines after Kampala Capital City Authority chased her from city streets. But the long hand of the state even followed her to Mubende. To date, she still remembers a grader raze the house where she kept her fridge and could not be allowed to retrieve it.

My husband chased me from home for supporting Museveni but even the Museveni I love has chased me, she says. Where will I go, where will I take my children?

Meanwhile, Jacob Mutabazi looks and talks bitter. He is a professional teacher who has never chanced a job in Uganda. The 48-year-old is one of the people who own land in the mines but was also evicted and his property destroyed.

The short, wrinkled and grey-haired man says he was making at least Shs 6 million a month from the rentals, commercial buildings, bar andlodge and a public toilet that he had set up in the mines.

On his buildings, Mutabazi put a water-harvesting system to collect water which he sold.

His wife, in turn, had a juice business, selling almost seven buckets of passion and orange juice a day and taking home Shs 300,000.

Everything has been destroyed, everything. My children have been studying from Seeta, a place I had never dreamt of but today even when they say school fees is Shs 100, 000, I cannot afford it, Mutabazi says.

He says that even when government has mineral rights, the surface is theirs and, therefore, there is need for the two parties to sit and negotiate.

Most youths are now redundant

This is not fare. We were not waging war on anyone. We want to know who has interest in this land. Who is chasing us? Why cant they compensate us? he wonders.

Many miners say that what government should have done was to organize them and make a system that ensures that every gold piece mined is taxed.

Even small financial institutions like savings cooperatives in the area are counting losses arising out of the loans given to the miners which cant be recovered.

George Kasule, the secretary of Mubende trust gold buyers and traders Sacco says they have lost over Shs 50 million in loans because of the evictions.

We had also got loans from banks and had based on members shares to provide loans, Kasule says. Now even the artisans machines that were put as security have been destroyed in the raid, others confiscated and we have no access to it.



LANDOWNERS

Some of the people evicted from the mines are bibanja holders who had settled here for over 40 years, while others are those who had subsequently bought portions of land.

Many have no land titles to claim ownership but have sale agreements. About two landlords reportedly own land titles. However, this could not be independently verified because they were absent at the time of this visit.

Those who own the land on which mines had been had a mutual agreement with the miners who would pay a defined sum of money.

Ismail Nkwatilire, 63, claims to have been among the first people to come to this area in 1973.

This was public land and there are a few people who lived here. It was a forest, he says. I stayed near some bazungu (whites) down there who used to mine gold but I didnt know it was gold by then. People started coming with time and that is how the community started to grow.

Nkwatilire says the portion of the bazungu was fenced and abandoned since the overthrow of Idi Amin and that until now, all they knew is that it belonged to one Gertrude Njuba.

In 2012, when a group of young men discovered gold deposits in the area, Nkwatilire, who was later elected chairman of all mines, say life of the entire community changed drastically.

There were only two big houses then but now look at all these houses. People are getting money. People are doing business and the place is developing, he says. But now greedy people want to take everything for themselves, a few of them want to send away many of us.



ENTER NJUBA

Many of the people we spoke to have a common name that comes to their lips when asked who truly owns the land. A name they dread and speak of with scorn is Gertrude Njuba, whom they blame for their mischief.

Njuba is the head of the State House land department.

A portion of the mines formerly occupied by whites about 40 years ago is reportedly leased to Njuba.

Miners believe that Njubas company must have sought to take over their land too.

Njubas known phone numbers went unanswered on several tries but appearing on the Nze nga bwendaba segment on CBS radio recently, Njuba said she has a license from the ministry of Energy allowing her to develop the mines. She added that despite the fact that she is not yet mining, she pays Shs 100 million each year.

How can a person that came to an area in 1987 be the bad one for evicting people who came in 2016? Njuba wondered. Let them bring their papers and I also bring mine and we see who the rightful owner is.

When asked on whether getting an eviction order was something that they cared about. Njuba asked: When chasing a thief from your house, do you first have to go to court for an order?

While government hasnt come out to address clearly outline the fate of the miners, many lives, hopes and futures of the evicted people like

Ssebandeke and his dependents have been shattered. Although many admit to having no licenses, they want to be compensated for property that was destroyed during the ugly evictions.

Kamogajonathan50@gmail.com




























Suspected grenades were hurled into compounds of two opposition MPs, Allan Ssewanyana and Robert Kyagulanyi homes in Makindye and Magere in the wee hours of Tuesday morning.



According to the Makindye West MP, Allan Ssewanyana two grenades were hurled into his compound at about 1.20am today morning, with one of them slightly damaging his house and the other giving off a huge blast that could be heard over a kilometre away.

Barbie Kyagulanyi, wife to MP Robert Kyagulanyi inspecting the damaged windows at their home in Magere after the blast

No physical injuries were reported but Ssewanyana says his children were psychologically tortured.



Similarly, at Kyagulanyis home in Magere, a grenade was hurled into the compound just about the same time. The blasts shattered glass windows of one of his son's bedroom.



According to Kyagulanyi, this is the second incident involving grenades being thrown into his compound in a week.

"I had decided to ignore these threats, but it seems they are now getting real. Let me announce to the whole world that these past days I have been receiving death threats on an almost daily basis.

I have also been advised by some friends who know more than I know that I should be very careful what I eat or drink, how I drive and from where, whom I meet, even who touches me while I go to Parliament", he wrote on his facebook page.

Adding: "Apparently something could be done to me during the kind of scuffle that happened when state agents invaded the Parliamentary chamber! Reason? Opposing the removal of age limits in the Constitution! Anonymous calls targeting not only me but my family as well. I have been told that 'if I don't leave that thing a lone, I will just be terminated or disabled.'

These are cowardly acts which must be condemned by all people of good conscience. We are not involved in war. We are just citizens who are interested in a good country for ourselves and the generations to come."

Last week, explosives went off at MP at Rubaga North MP Moses Kasibantes home shattering his front door glass. The blast at Kasibantes home also went off at about 2am. Police has dispatched officers to the MPs homes to investigate the incidents .



The executive director of Uganda Media Centre, Ofwono Opondo said on his twitter account that those were Flash bang grenades used for training purposes, not harmful. Some opp [opposition] elements could have acquired them.

Adding; "Opp [opposition] MPs know they dont have the numbers and logical arguments to stop Age Limit, now using scarecrow tactics."
Several key political figures opposed to lifting the age limit from the Constitution have been arrested from different parts of the city.



First to be arrested in the morning was Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago, who was arrested from near his home in Wakaligga for wearing a red ribbon over his head.

Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago being arrested for wearing a red ribbon

According to police, Lukwago was to use the red ribbon to mobilise people to join in the protests against presidential age limit amendment. He was driven and detained at Kira division police headquarters in Namugongo in Wakiso district.



Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party secretary in charge of mobilisation, Ingrid Turinawe was arrested in Kasangati soon after distributing red ribbons to the area residents.



Turinawe was arrested by police and whisked away from a commuter taxi heading to the city, Kampala.

Ingrid Turinawe arrested in Kasangati for distributing red ribbons that #Uganda-ns are using to protest against #AgeLimit ?@bamulanzeki pic.twitter.com/tZmnzQGnpF  The Observer (@observerug) October 3, 2017

Also arrested is Kyadondo East MP, Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine, who's home was attacked with grenades today morning. He was arrested from Kisaasi and whisked away in the infamous Besigye van to Naggalama police station in Mukono district.

Bobi Wine being arrested in Kisaasi today

NORMAL BUSINESS IN THE CITY



But despite the polices fears, it was normal business in Kampala city despite calls for walk to work protests by Dr Kizza Besigye, the former FDC party president.



Besigye, over the weekend asked Ugandans to park their vehicles and walk to work to protest the proposed amendment of article 102 (b) of the Constitution, which caps the president's age at 75 years.



Besigye implored the citizenry especially the elites to walk to work so they can associate with the ordinary Ugandans. He also asked them to wear red ribbons to show their discontent against the lifting of the age limit.



URN toured Namirembe road, Wilson and William street among others and saw traders, Boda boda motorists and taxi operators going about with their businesses. There was smooth flow of traffic on major roads in the city center.

Just a few people were seen donning the red ribbons.



Darious Serumaga, a resident of Makindye West and shopkeeper around Mini Price complex told URN that he walked to his shop from home but didn't see his area Member of Parliament, Allan Sewanyana.



"I'm walking back home after work in the evening I will be able to determine whether this campaign will work for us or not," said Sserumaga.



Mark Tumusiime, a businessman a long Buganda road told URN he can't participate in any kind of demonstration.



"I am past the years of participating in any kind of demonstrations. I have what [work] to do," he said. Adding that; "Demonstrations can only succeed at higher institutions of learning like Makerere University where children of the rich can be rescued by their parents in case they are arrested".



Sandra Nakajjugo, another city dweller said she is ready for the protests. "I will participate if I see others [participating]. Our Constitution shouldn't be raped", she said.

MAGYEZI BILL TABLED

Meanwhile Igara West MP, Raphael Magyezi's Constitution Amendment Bill 2017 (No.2) was today tabled for the first reading on the floor of a one-sided parliament.

MP Raphael Magyezi presenting his bill for first reading

The bill, among other things seeks to amend the presidential age limit capped at 75 years. The largely unpopular bill was tabled with a few murmurs from the gallery.

It has been referred to the parliamentary Legal and Affairs committee for consideration. After tabling, Speaker Rebecca said, she had to "remind the honourable members" to involve the people in the process of the amendment.

BESIGYE PROMISES MORE ACTION

The opposition doyen, said the red ribbon campaign is not a one-day (Tuesday) event, saying other actions are to come until the regime falls. He said once people are organised the regime can't defeat their will.

Commenting on the grenade attacks at the homes of MPs opposed to lifting of the age limit, Besigye said the attacks signify that the pressure is real against the State and that now it's trying to intimidate families of the MPs so they can talk them out of opposing the age limit amendment.
MGM Resorts today is offering prayers for the victims and gratitude to the brave responders who responded to the horrific shooting of people attending the Route 91 Harvest Festival concert last night near its Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.

Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Dept. has confirmed 58 deaths and 515 injuries from a lone wolf shooter identified as Stephen Paddock, 64, who fired on the crowd of 22,000 from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay.

SWAT units found the body of Paddock, who apparently shot himself and in excess of 10 rifles in his room on the 32nd floor.

President Trump today described the carnage, which is the worst mass shooting in US history, pure evil and called for unity and peace.

MGM Resorts posted on its website a phone number for the Las Vegas Metro Police for help locating missing or injured loved ones.
FleishmanHillard will merge its Canadian unit with High Road, sister Omnicom shop, in January to create FleishmanHillard High Road to blend FH's corporate/branding savvy with High Road's social, digital experiential strengths.

Katherine Fletcher (L) & Angela Carmichael

Angela Carmichael, FH's Toronto general manager, will helm the merged shop as president, supported by Katherine Fletcher, HR's managing director, who takes on COO responsibilities.

The partners have a history of collaboration and teamed on number of projects during the past year, according to Fletcher.

She expects "current and future employees will benefit from the growth opportunities presented by this powerhouse in Canada."

FHR's offices are to be led by senior VPs in Montreal (Nathalie Bergeron), Ottawa (Gordon Taylor Lee) and Vancouver (Mark Reder), with Carmichael retaining leadership of Toronto.
5W Public Relations formed a unit to handle PR for Initial Coin Offerings (cryptocurrency). Services include media relations, targeted outreach to crypto industry publications, content creation, digital media campaigns, speaking opportunities and celebrity relations. ICOs  at launch and after  have unique PR strategies and campaigns and we understand how to build those brands, said Ronn Torossian, CEO of 5WPR. As we were at the outset of online gaming, electronic cigarettes and other fast growing industries, we too will excel at ICO communications.

Brand-News-Team, digital communications outfit, received federal authorization to fly drones in controlled Silicon Valley airspace. The Federal Aviation Administration granted Brand-News-Team permission to fly near San Jose International Airport and Palo Alto Airport. Authorization also has been granted for drone flights in several counties in New York and Connecticut. The firm plans to use aerial content collected from drone flights in public relations, advertising, marketing and social media campaigns. This will allow us to legally fly a drone to capture 4K video, raw stills and data for a wide range of clients, said Brand-News-Team president Roger Rosenbaum. All flights will be carefully researched, planned and coordinated with air traffic control officials.

Baker Public Relations, Inc., is celebrating ten years of business with the opening of a new location. The firms new offices are in the Loudon Plaza development. Owner Megan Baker, a former TV news anchor and reporter who opened the agency in September 2007 designed the 2,400-square-foot space. A New York State Certified Woman-Owned Business Enterprise, Baker PR provides services in media relations, social media management, marketing, event planning, crisis communications, media training and public affairs.



April Mason

Violet PR opened a new office in Montclair, NJ. The firm expects the new location to help it better serve a growing roster of both regional and national clients. Violet got placements for clients in the New York Times,Wall Street Journal, CNN, "Good Morning America," NPR, Politico and Fast Company. We are excited to move into a new space that has extra room for our team to create and innovate, says president and owner April Mason, who founded Violet in 2010.
Edelman CEO Richard Edelman unveiled the firm's new "Earn It" narrative in his Oct. 1 blog to reflect the current "time of uncertainty and interconnectedness" when companies and brands can no longer buy reputation or preference.

Richard Edelman spoke at the Life and Times of Dan Edelman event held Oct. 2 at New Yorks Baruch College to mark the 65th anniversary of the biggest independent firm.

The blog marked the 65th anniversary of the shop founded by Dan Edelman. The biggest independent firm celebrated its anniversary with events in Chicago and New York.

Clients Earn It via action and peer-to-peer discussion, according to Edelman. The goal is to achieve trusted relationships with consumers, employees, suppliers and investors.

The new mantra is a "further explication of communications marketing, which is the merging of brand and corporate reputation and houses our ambition to be the lead creative partner, aiming for ideas that have impact and are social at the core," wrote Edelman.

Edelman believes the Earn It philosophy captures the firm's entrepreneurial spirit. "It defines how we do business, serving clients first, not shareholders, and recognizing our responsibility to improve society," he wrote.
Offaly TD Marcella Corcoran Kennedy has said that 106,464 has been allocated under the Trading Online Voucher Scheme to help Offaly businesses improve and develop their online presence.

I placed a Parliamentary Question before the Minister for Community Development, Natural Resources and Digital Development, Sean Kyne TD to ascertain the uptake of the scheme in Offaly. I very much welcome confirmation from Minister Kyne that 53 Offaly businesses have availed of the Trading Online Voucher Scheme, Deputy Corcoran Kennedy told offalyexpress.ie.

Operated through the Offaly Local Enterprise Offices (LEO) and funded by the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment, the Trading Online Voucher Scheme offers a financial incentive of up to 2,500 to small businesses to develop their online trading capacity, along with training, mentoring and support.

Under the Trading Online Voucher Scheme over 106,464 has been allocated to Offaly businesses to help them develop an online retailing presence. By the end of June this year 68,740 of the allocation had been put to use by Offaly businesses.

The importance of the online marketplace for small, local businesses cannot be overestimated, the local Fine Gael TD continued.

 Research commissioned by Government, and carried out by Indecon, shows that the digital economy represents 6% of Irelands GDP and that Irish consumers are spending 850,000 per hour every day online. However, an estimated 70% of this goes abroad.

With the Trading Online Voucher Scheme the Government is aiming to retain more the online spend in Ireland by helping businesses to launch or develop an online sales facility for customers both here and abroad. Since the Schemes introduction in 2014 5.6 million has been allocated to achieve these aims.

The figures for Offaly are encouraging and I would urge any interested businesses in Offaly to contact Offaly LEO or my office. The scheme is having a positive impact and is attracting small businesses from a wide range of sectors including retail, arts, design, food and professional services.

Read: Pieta House Midlands opens
Agricultural News

Oklahoma Native Leslie McCuiston Named 2017 Pig Farmer of the Year by the National Pork Board

The National Pork Board announced today that Leslie McCuiston, a pig farmer from Columbus, Nebraska, has been named the 2017 America's Pig Farmer of the YearSM, by achieving the highest combined score from a third-party judging panel and online voting. The award recognizes a pig farmer who excels at raising pigs using the We CareSM ethical principles and who connects with today's consumers about how pork is produced.







"We are pleased to have Leslie represent America's pig farmers. She embodies the very best in pig farming," said Terry O'Neel, National Pork Board president and a pig farmer from Friend, Nebraska. "It's important that we share with today's consumers how we raise their food in an ethical and transparent way. Leslie's interest in sharing her farm's story, as well as putting a face on today's pig farming, will help us reach this goal."







McCuiston is a native of Oklahoma and received an Associates degree at Connors State and an Ag Economics degree at Oklahoma State. After graduating from OSU in 2001, she worked with Cargill Pork in eastern Oklahoma, served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Oklahoma Pork Council and is a graduate of Class 12 of the Oklahoma Ag Leadership Program.















Focusing on people is McCuiston's main goal as a senior production manager for The Maschhoffs, LLC. McCuiston believes in equipping employees with the right tools to provide the best animal care every day. She oversees 70 employees who care for more than 18,000 sows in central Nebraska and surrounding states.







"For me, pig farming isn't just a job, it's a career that I am passionate about," McCuiston said. "I want to find new, innovative ways to show others what we do in pig farming, explain how much we care and help people understand where their food comes from."







McCuiston was named America's Pig Farmer of the Year following a third-party audit of on-farm practices and after taking part in a series of written and oral interviews by subject-matter experts. She has achieved excellence in all aspects of pig farming, including animal care, environmental stewardship, employee work environment and outstanding community service.







The panel of expert judges met in early September with the four finalists. Members of the five-member panel included Brittni Furrow, Walmart's senior director of sustainability; Robin Ganzert, president and CEO of American Humane; Kari Underly, a third-generation Chicago butcher, author and principal of Range, Inc., a meat marketing and education firm; J. Scott Vernon, professor, College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences, Cal Poly; and Brad Greenway, the 2016 America's Pig Farmer of the Year and chairman of the U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance.







"As an animal lover and the leader of the country's first national humane organization, I am honored to be a judge for America's Pig Farmer of the Year," Ganzert said. "American Humane celebrates all those, including our nation's farmers, who care for animals and work hard to ensure they are treated humanely. Today, more than ever, it is important not only to point out where progress is needed, but to recognize when we get it right."







To learn more about McCuiston and the America's Pig Farmer of the Year Award, visit americaspigfarmer.com.







Source - The National Pork Board



















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WASHINGTON  An additional 2.5 million consumers may have been affected by the massive data breach at Equifax, the company said in a statement Monday, bringing the new total of potentially affected consumers to 145.5 million.

"I was advised Sunday that the analysis of the number of consumers potentially impacted by the cybersecurity incident has been completed, and I directed that the results be promptly released," said interim Chief Executive Paulino do Rego Barros Jr. "Our priorities are transparency and improving support for consumers. I will continue to monitor our progress on a daily basis."

Mandiant, the cybersecurity firm hired by Equifax to investigate the breach, has completed its analysis of affected consumers and did not find evidence of another attack or newly accessed databases, Equifax said.

The announcement comes as Equifax braces for several rounds of extensive questioning from lawmakers on Capitol Hill. Former Chief Executive Richard Smith is slated to testify in front of four congressional committees this week, and frustrated lawmakers are expected to grill him on the company's cybersecurity practices, its immediate response to the hack and reports of insider trading.

In prepared testimony published Monday, Smith said that he "was ultimately responsible for what happened" on his watch and that Equifax let consumers down.

Earlier this month, the credit reporting company announced that crucial, identifying information belonging to nearly half the country may have been compromised, including birth dates, home addresses and Social Security numbers. In addition to the hearings, the hack has prompted state attorneys general and several federal agencies to examine the data breach and the company's response.

Security experts have warned that the long-term consequences of the hack will be difficult to fully discern. But Equifax is offering free credit-monitoring services for one year and will unveil a new service next year allowing consumers to freeze and unfreeze their credit information at no charge for life.
A 28-year-old Norfolk, Nebraska, man who said he didnt have any identification has been arrested in connection with a drug case after police IDd him by his tattoos.

About 11:05 p.m. Monday, Norfolk police were sent to a residence southwest of Norfolk Avenue and U.S. Highway 81 to check out reports of a man firing a BB gun at a neighbors dog.

The man verbally identified himself, police said, but said he didnt have any identification. He was identified through his tattoos, police said.

He was arrested on suspicion of criminal impersonation after he was accused of lying about his identity, police said. He also had three outstanding arrest warrants from Lancaster, Colfax and Sarpy Counties.

A 32-year-old woman who also was at the residence was taken into custody on a Stanton County arrest warrant accusing her of obstructing a police officer.

Later, a search of the residence turned up three glass pipes that tested positive for methamphetamine, police said.

The man and woman also were arrested on suspicion of possession of a controlled substance.
Schools in a Des Moines suburb were closed Tuesday due to threats issued against some students and parents, according to authorities.

Johnston Community School District officials told the Des Moines Register late Monday that the threats to students and parents safety were anonymous.

The district said it plans to reopen for school Wednesday after authorities said they couldn't substantiate any of the threats.

Johnston Police Chief Dennis McDaniel said at a press conference Tuesday that federal, state and local investigators couldn't substantiate "any credible or imminent threat."

According to the districts website, Around 8 p.m. on the evening of October 2, individual students and parents within our school district received anonymous messages, threatening the safety and security of our students. In an effort of caution, we will be canceling school for all students and district staff on Tuesday, October 3. All district buildings will be closed ...

We understand this may inconvenience parents and caretakers. However, the safety of our students  your children  is the foremost reasoning behind this action.

As we receive information from the Johnston Police Department, we will keep you updated.

A posting on the school districts Facebook page said: Parents and staff members can check their email for more information.

The closure affects about 7,200 students and 1,000 district employees in the sprawling district, which serves Johnston as well as parts of Des Moines, Granger, Grimes and Urbandale.

Johnston is situated on the northwest edge of Des Moines.

This report includes material from the Associated Press.
Bob Jones cello was a ticket to the world.

Jones toured Europe with a U.S. Army symphony and played at more than 1,000 Omaha-area weddings and countless funerals and parties. He died Thursday of skin cancer at age 82.

Jones retired from a 40-year insurance career as senior executive vice president of Continental General Insurance Co. in 2000.

He played in every church in Omaha, said daughter Kate Jones of Omaha. He had a great time. His cello took him all sorts of places ... and he played a lot of Pachelbels Canon in D.

A native of Auburn, Nebraska, Robert A. Jones started cello lessons in his hometown of Peru, Nebraska, when a kindergarten teacher noticed his long arms and suggested that he learn to play the instrument.

It changed his life, Kate Jones said.

Jones graduated from Peru State Teachers College with a music education degree in 1956. During high school and college, he played drums for jazz bands that performed in bars and dance halls across southeast Nebraska.

He taught music and English at Brock High School before turning down admission to the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York, to enlist in the Army and play with the Germany-based 7th Army Symphony from 1957 to 1960.

He had the opportunity to tour Europe for 3 years and he took full advantage of that, his daughter said.

He was a full-time or substitute member of symphonies in Omaha, Lincoln and Sioux City, Iowa. He played in string quartets Wednesday nights at V. Mertz in the Old Market and at Sunday brunches at the old Gallaghers restaurant in west Omaha. Most recently, he was a member of the Intergeneration Orchestra in Omaha. He was a charter member of Omahas Myron Cohen String Quartet and the Metropolitan String Quartet.

He performed for numerous visiting Broadway shows at the Orpheum Theater, Aksarben coronations, Opera Omaha and the TV miniseries Amerika.

He performed for President Bill Clinton, first lady Barbara Bush and Hillary Clinton. In retirement, he was a faculty member at Bryan High School in Omaha and served as a string specialist for the Omaha Public Schools.

He loved teaching and had private cello students, Kate Jones said.

Jones started his insurance career with Mutual of Omaha from 1960 to 1964.

In addition to Kate Jones, survivors include his wife of 44 years, the former Rosellen Connolly of Council Bluffs, and three other children, Michelle Anderson of San Juan Bautista, California; Allison Albright of Elkhorn; and Michael Anderson of Wheaton, Illinois; and eight grandchildren.

The funeral Mass is scheduled for 10 a.m. Friday at St. Patricks Catholic Church in Elkhorn.
Douglas County officials propose to pay about $3,600 to a Gretna family after a deputys dog attacked a woman and one of the familys dogs.

The money would reimburse the family for its expenses caused by the Aug. 29 attack. Those are primarily veterinarians and medical bills.

The Douglas County Board is scheduled to vote today on paying $3,617.56 to settle a claim from Michael Suing. The countys risk and safety coordinator has recommended that the board approve the payment.

Suing filed the claim in September. He and his wife, Shannon, live next door to a Douglas County sheriffs deputy and his working German shepherd named Chet.

The deputys dog got out of his fenced-in backyard through the garage, the Sheriffs Office has said.

Suings 12-year-old daughter was returning from taking the familys wheaten terrier for an afternoon walk when she noticed the deputys dog in her familys driveway, according to the familys claim. Shannon, who was walking to a car carrying the familys Jack Russell terrier, tried to tell the German shepherd to go home.

But the sheriffs dog attacked the wheaten terrier. Shannon Suing tried to intervene. The German shepherd pulled her to the ground. She suffered bite wounds on her arms and legs.

The deputy, Dave Wintle, heard Shannon Suings screams for help and came out and called off his dog.

Our wheaten was badly injured, Michael Suing wrote in his claim. She suffered a large neck laceration to the point where it was flapped open and you could see muscle and anatomical structures underneath. She also received numerous punctures and skin tears on her abdomen and a torn abdominal muscle.

His wife received a tetanus shot and antibiotics.

Both Shannon Suing and the wheaten terrier are recovering well from their injuries.

Michael Suing declined to comment, saying the family was not seeking publicity.

Tom Wheeler, Douglas Countys chief deputy sheriff, said in September that the Sheriffs Office regretted the incident and wishes a speedy recovery for Mrs. Suing and her dog.

He said it was the first time that Chet bit someone outside of a law enforcement action, and the first time the dog was outside its fence without its handler. A second gate was added to prevent the dog from getting out again.
A 34-year-old Omaha man who died Monday after being struck in a hit-and-run was remembered as a kindhearted person who would do anything for anyone, even a stranger.

Anh Tuan Phan was struck about 4:50 a.m. near 72nd Street and West Center Road. The vehicle left the scene, police said.

Phans family doesnt know why he was at that location at that time, said his former girlfriend, Meranda Mladek of New Braunfels, Texas, who also is the mother of Phans son.

Phan lived with his brother, Vu Phan, Mladek said.

Anh Phan was very big-hearted, said his ex-girlfriend, who last spoke with him less than three weeks ago.

He was caring and respectful, especially to elders, she said.

He would go out of his way to help others, even when he didnt have anything, she said. He loved his family, and he treated people he just met like family.

Phans family also includes his father, of Lexington, Nebraska, and a sister in Vietnam.

Phan and his father and brother moved to Lexington after fleeing Vietnam as refugees. Phans mother died in Vietnam before the move, Mladek said.

Phan went to high school in Lexington and worked several years at a meatpacking plant with his father, she said.

Phan moved to Omaha about the same time that Mladek moved to Texas, about 2010, she said. Their son, Asianh, is now 12.

Mladek said she last knew Phan to be working at a Jimmy Johns restaurant, where he hoped to become a manager.

Phan was found early Monday in the right curb lane of northbound 72nd Street, police said. He was taken to Creighton University Medical Center-Bergan Mercy in extremely critical condition, with CPR underway, rescue squad personnel said. He was pronounced dead at the hospital.

The vehicle that hit him was described as a black or dark gray 2016 or 2017 Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck with an extended or crew cab. The vehicle probably has damage to its grille and the area around its passenger-side headlight, police said.

The vehicle description was based on witness statements and evidence at the scene, police said.

Funeral services were pending.
Rather, its an important indication that the monarchy now thinks it doesnt have to defer to the countrys religious establishment.

Thats a remarkable development that may allow some modernization  but also heralds a move away from the separation of powers and toward consolidation of absolute authority in a totalitarian king.

Although its little understood in the West, the Saudi dynasty was built on a foundational partnership between kingly and religious authority. On the worldly side was the royal House of Saud, going back to the 18th-century founder Muhammad bin Saud. On the spiritual side was what is called the House of the Sheikh. That name refers to the Arabian sheikh par excellence: Muhammad Ibn Abd al-Wahhab, the 18th-century founder of Wahhabism.

The partnerships modern form was established during the career of Abdulaziz Ibn Saud, the founding monarch of the current Saudi state, who died in 1953.

The basic constitutional idea is that the religious scholars, associated with the House of the Sheikh, provide the formal legal justification for the monarchs rule.

In theory, the scholars get to determine what rules are consistent with Islamic law. The monarch then carries out those rulings. His authority to govern legitimately is ultimately supposed to rest on his compliance with the Shariah as interpreted by the scholars.

In practice, like all separation of powers, however rudimentary, there is negotiation and compromise. Oil wealth has given the monarchy far more influence and therefore room for maneuvering than it would otherwise have. Scholars can be co-opted or at least influenced through lucrative government posts.

But the religious scholars have never forgotten that their institutional power can be preserved only if they continue to say no to certain reforms sought by the monarchy. The scholars background threat is that they might withdraw their support for the monarch.

They couldnt bring down a king on their own, but they could lend their moral support to a coup. That has been all the leverage they traditionally needed.

The ban on women driving has long been a highly visible, symbolic instance of the religious scholars exercise of a veto power over the monarchy. For least 25 years, perhaps longer, Saudi kings have been delicately exploring the possibility of allowing women to drive. But the scholars have always given a clear no.

The reason had less to do with any really compelling principle of Islamic law than with the scholars institutional need to demonstrate their authority.

Religious conservatism is the scholars brand and the source of their power.

Thats why the driving announcement is so important for the distribution of power in the kingdom.

King Salman is engaged in a historic experiment: the most significant attempt to consolidate the monarchs power in the last 75 years of Saudi history.

That involves marginalizing the rest of the royal family and focusing authority in his son, Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman. Crucially, it also involves weakening the authority of the religious establishment.

By permitting driving, King Salman is telling Saudis that the clerics now have less power than they did before. And hes sending a message to the clerics themselves: Be flexible or be ignored.

This is a delicate game, to say the least. The steps Salman and Muhammad have taken to centralize power leave them vulnerable to pushback from other members of the royal family who might fantasize about trying to replace the crown prince and maybe even his father. Alienating the religious establishment would give clerics the incentive to back a competing candidate.

In a sense, then, this is a test of the traditional system of clerical influence. The king and the crown prince are betting that the old system has been sufficiently weakened that it will now fail.

If that happens, the consequences will be major  and very tricky.

From the standpoint of many Western onlookers, the collapse or at least great weakening of the conservative religious scholars will seem like a happy result.

After all, the scholars have long blocked egalitarian reforms.

Yet its important to remember that, notwithstanding their conservatism, the scholars have also balanced and to a degree checked the monarchy. Unfettered power tends to become not merely authoritarian, but totalitarian.

And an unchecked monarchy may in the long run have drawbacks for Saudi subjects, male or female.

Its natural to celebrate allowing women to drive. But real sex equality is still several generations away in Saudi Arabia, if that. The true development is yet another increase in royal prerogative. The experiment is under way. The outcome remains uncertain.
OK! Magazine 15 Nov 2022

'The Tonight Show' alum Jay Leno is 'gonna be fine' after being burned in a garage fire, his employee says.
Fifteen Cuban migrants had to be rescued off an uninhabited island east of Key West, according to authorities.

cbs4.com 19 Mar 2022
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All rights reserved.

One News is a registered trademark

of One News Page Ltd.
SeattlePI.com 03 Oct 2022

STOCKHOLM (AP)  The winner, or winners, of the Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine will be announced Monday at the Karolinska..
KTNV Channel 13 Las Vegas 15 Mar 2021

One of the women accused of attacking an Uber driver in San Francisco will appear in a Las Vegas court room this morning.
Rumble 30 Sep 2022

Tomorrow will be five years since the October 1, 2017 Las Vegas shooting massacre. Long time viewers will recall that it was this..
By Moira Macdonald

Celeste Ng was quite certain nobody would read her debut novel, 2014's "Everything I Never Told You."

The book, which she began writing while working on her master of fine arts degree from the University of Michigan, is the elegantly hypnotic tale of a devastated Chinese-American family in 1970s small-town Ohio. On the book's first page we meet the Lees and learn of their tragedy: Beloved daughter Lydia has drowned in the nearby lake. No one knows why.

"Debut novels are difficult because nobody knows you. They just don't find a huge audience because that's how the market works," said Ng, who will appear in Portland at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 3, at Powell's City of Books. "The only way I could get myself to finish writing it was to tell myself, 'No one will ever read this, it will never get published, so you may as well write it down.' "

And then the reviews and accolades came pouring in. The book became a New York Times best-seller, was named Amazon's 2014 Book of the Year, received numerous literary honors, and was sold in more than 20 languages. (And yes, a movie is in development.)

"If you had asked me, in your wildest dreams, 'What do you think your book could do,' that would have been it," said Ng. "It did well critically, did well commercially, connected with readers, and now it's starting to be taught in colleges and in high schools. I remember being in high school and being in college - those were books that shaped me. It's very humbling to think that I might be having any kind of influence."

Ng took herself back to those high-school years for her second novel, "Little Fires Everywhere," out this month from Penguin Press. The new book is set in the late 1990s in the Cleveland suburb of Shaker Heights: a time and place Ng - a 1998 graduate of Shaker Heights High School - knows well.

"I really wanted to write about my hometown," she said, describing the book's impetus. "I think I had reached a stage where I'd been away long enough, so I could see it with a bit of distance. I loved growing up in Shaker Heights, and I really miss it."

It was, she said, an unusual place for its diversity, its frank awareness of issues of race (her high school had a race-relationships group), and its careful observance of rules for things like lawn-mowing and garbage pickup.

As she thought about her past, a story began to take shape. "I wanted to write about the community - it's got such idealism, so at odds with the messiness of the world that we live in," she said. "I started trying to think about a family that embodied that kind of spirit of the town, and how I could disrupt them."

That family became the Richardsons, whose warm, spacious home became a haven for teenage Pearl, new in town with her artistic single mother, Mia. Mr. and Mrs. Richardson live in suburban splendor with their four children: Lexie, Moody, Trip and Izzy - the last of whom is the black sheep of the family, the child within whom a strange fire burns.

It's a haunting, layered story of mothers and daughters, and how they attract and repel each other. There are Mia and her daughter Pearl; the very formal and controlled Mrs. Richardson and her two teenage girls; and Mrs. Richardson's friend Linda McCullough, who is trying to adopt a Chinese-American baby whose struggling mother would very much like to have her back. The mother roles switch back and forth: Izzy is drawn to arty, independent Mia; Pearl is fascinated by the more conventional Mrs. Richardson.

"It's kind of a mother/daughter 'Freaky Friday' swap," said Ng. "Part of that speaks to the idea that there's the mother you are born to, and there's the mother that you choose. The one you are born to isn't always the one who can see you the most clearly. A lot of times you have to get that from outside - you and your mother are actually too much alike. I liked playing with that idea."

To create the three teenage girls at the center of the story, Ng drew on herself. "I would have been a senior in high school at the time it is set, same age as Lexie," she said. "They each have a different aspect of my personality. I would have liked to have been as cool as Lexie, but I think I was much more like Izzy and Pearl; I was sort of bookish and a little bit nerdy and kind of quiet, secretly radical but kind of a rebel without a cause, looking for things to express myself in."

As a teen, Ng said she avidly read poetry ("I really wanted to be a poet, until I realized that I really didn't have what it took to be a poet"), particularly Anne Sexton and Sylvia Plath, and the plays of Samuel Beckett. She remains a tireless reader of fiction, citing Arundhati Roy's "The God of Small Things" ("I read part of it every year") and the works of Elizabeth Strout and Toni Morrison as inspirations. Strout's "Amy and Elizabeth" was "a big influence on 'Everything I Never Told You' - that claustrophobic story about a mother and daughter that also casts a wider view out to the whole community they live in."

For now, she's relieved, if a little apprehensive, to be sending her second novel out into the world. "It's been a little bit scary," Ng confessed. "I'm very much a people pleaser, and the first book had such a devoted and loving following. The response has been so heartfelt that I was hopeful that readers would be willing to follow me into the second world."

That unexpected success became, she said, a motivator. "I felt like there were readers who were cheering me on, and I was inspired by that."

***

Celeste Ng

When: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 3

Where: Powell's City of Books, 1005 W. Burnside St.

Admission: Free
All of Yahoo's 3 billion user accounts in 2013 were affected by its massive data breach - not the 1 billion accounts that were initially reported, the company said Tuesday.

The revised number vastly expands the scope of the historic hack, which had previously broken records as the world's largest data breach. The updated figure comes as the public is still reeling from back-to-back reports of data breaches at Equifax and the fast-food chain Sonic.

News of the Yahoo breach broke last summer as it was being acquired by Verizon. The incident raised major questions about whether Verizon should go through with the deal, and it delayed its closing by several months. But now, Yahoo is pointing to "new intelligence" that persuaded it that the scope of the data breach was far more significant.

"All Yahoo user accounts were affected by the August 2013 theft," Yahoo admitted in a statement. "While this is not a new security issue, Yahoo is sending email notifications to the additional affected user accounts."

Yahoo added that no credit card information or unencrypted passwords associated with the additional affected accounts appear to have been stolen. The revised number of accounts includes those that may not have been "active" users at the time, meaning account holders who do not regularly log in, according to a person familiar with the matter, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the investigation.
The Oregonian/OregonLive honored 100 employers in Oregon and southwest Washington during the sixth annual Top Workplaces competition.

Starting with staff recommendations and self-nominations, the employee research and consulting firm WorkplaceDynamics invited more than 1,400 companies to participate in confidential employee surveys last spring.

WorkplaceDynamics surveyed 152 organizations that agreed to participate. Those firms employ 42,627 people in the region. Of those employees who received questionnaires, 27,159 responded, either on paper or online. All responses were anonymous.

Top Workplaces 2017

Happy employees share the secrets of a great workplace

Complete coverage

WorkplaceDynamics then took the results and ran statistical tests to ensure validity. This year, 100 employers scored high enough to earn Top Workplaces honors. Grouped by size, the winners include the top 15 large companies (500 or more employees), the top 40 midsize companies (100 to 499 employees), and the top 45 small companies (less than 100 employees).

The months-long process culminated Thursday night in downtown Portland with an awards banquet hosted by The Oregonian/OregonLive. All told, more than 500 were on hand to celebrate their companies and colleagues.

The winners list includes a wide range of industry type and size. Employees gave their opinions on everything from pay and benefits to working conditions to corporate leadership.

The top three winners in each size category:

LARGE

The Oregon Clinic Edward Jones Les Schwab Tire Centers

MIDSIZE

Dutch Bros. Coffee Living Room Realty Vernier Software & Technology

SMALL

Propeller Transaction Tax Resources CIS (Citycounty Insurance Services)

-- The Oregonian/OregonLive
A woman in east Vancouver died Sunday after a fire erupted inside a single-story home, officials said.

The blaze broke out around 10:10 p.m. on the 800 block of Southeast 122nd Avenue, Capt. Raymond Egan told The Oregonian/OregonLive.

Firefighters who arrived on scene within minutes learned that someone was possibly still inside the burning house, Egan said. They soon pulled a woman out from the home and tried to give her CPR, but she could not be saved.

The woman's name has not been released.

Roughly two-dozen members of the Vancouver Fire Department battled the blaze for 20 minutes, eventually bringing it under control. The case is under investigation by the Vancouver Fire Marshal's Office.

-- Shane Dixon Kavanaugh

skavanaugh@oregonian.com

503-294-7632 II @shanedkavanaugh
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Through a recent plea agreement, a Fremont man with several felony convictions wont have to spend a mandatory 10 years in the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services for his most recent crime.

Richard V. King Jr., 57, of Fremont pleaded guilty in Dodge County District Court to being in possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver  methamphetamine, a Class II felony.

At the time of his arrest, King was charged with two counts of delivery of a controlled substance  methamphetamine, two counts of being in felony possession of a controlled substance  methamphetamine, and an infraction offense of being in possession of drug paraphernalia.

Through the agreement, King faces a 10-20 year sentence in the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services. Through the acceptance of the plea, King wont be listed as a habitual criminal offender, which would require him to spend a bare minimum of 10 years in prison before being eligible for any good time. Through the Good Time Law of Nebraska, King could be eligible for release in five years, Dodge County Attorney Oliver Glass said during a Monday interview with the Tribune.

King was arrested in late April by members of the III CORPS Drug Task force after he made two drug transactions with a criminal informant between the dates during December 2016 and January 2017. The first transaction, occurring Dec. 15, 2016, resulted in the criminal informant receiving 8.21 grams of methamphetamine (packaging included). On a Jan. 4 transaction, court records show that the criminal informant received 4.51 grams of methamphetamine (packaging included).

At the time of his detainment in early January, King was not arrested because he agreed to help the task force with future law enforcement cases, court records show.

After not fulfilling his end of the agreement, an arrest warrant was issued for King April 24. All criminal activity occurred in Dodge County.
Celebrating 50 years of Politics at Otago

Panel Discussion: 100 years since the Russian Revolution 1917

The panel

Hosted by Dr Rosemary Overell, University of Otago

Associate Professor Brian Roper, University of Otago

Dr James Headley, University of Otago

Dr David Neilson, University of Waikato

Andrew Tait, journalist, activist, member of the International Socialist Organisation

About the lecture

This panel will debate and discuss the legacy of 1917 on the hundredth anniversary of the Russian Revolution. The October Revolution of 1917 was of world historic significance because for the first and only time in history a popular movement of workers and peasants overthrew an absolutist monarchy and attempted to build a socialist society. Tragically the revolution degenerated into an authoritarian regime of terror as Stalin took power and then moved to systematically eliminate all opposition, including the bulk of the Bolsheviks who played leading roles in the October Revolution.

The legacy of 1917 remains contested and continues to generate debate between conservative and liberal defenders of the capitalist status quo, social democrats who accept the status quo but push for reforms within the capitalist system, and revolutionary socialists who reject the status quo altogether and argue for a democratic and socialist alternative to neoliberal capitalism. Within these debates, the October Revolution is either an historical experience that shows why it is neither feasible nor desirable to attempt to create a socialist alternative to capitalism or a continuing source of inspiration for those advocating a socialist alternative in the 21st Century.

The panel will explore the legacy of the October Revolution of 1917 with reference to the making of the Russian Revolution, the Stalinist degeneration of the Revolution, Russia under Putin, Antonio Gramscis analysis of the differences between capitalist hegemony in Russia and Western Europe, and the relevance of the October Revolution for the Left in Aotearoa in the 21st Century.

Date Thursday, 5 October 2017 Time 6:00pm - 7:30pm Audience Public,All University Event Category Humanities Event Type Public Lecture

Campus Dunedin Department Politics Location Burns 1 Lecture Theatre Contact Name Department of Politics Contact Phone +64 03 479 8663 Contact Email politics@otago.ac.nz Website http://www.otago.ac.nz/politics

Save this event
Wednesday 4 October 2017 11:38am

Jude Ball

Overall todays adolescents are better behaved than teens in the 1990s, says a University of Otago, Wellington researcher.

Why this is so remains quite a mystery and the news isnt necessarily all good.

Jude Ball, a public health research fellow at the University of Otago, Wellington presented her research this week at the Public Health Associations Conference in Christchurch, focusing on worldwide research exploring how larger-scale social changes may be influencing individual behaviours.

Ms Ball says we dont fully understand the causes behind declines in adolescent risky behaviours such as smoking, drinking, drug taking and unsafe sex.

While it is difficult to make direct comparisons between countries, it is interesting that there have been almost simultaneous and major declines across a range of countries and behaviours.

Her research focuses on trends in adolescent behaviour in New Zealand, Australia, the US and England, but she says the same declines can be seen in other high-income jurisdictions, but not all  Austria, Italy and Denmark for example.

Its not that young people are healthier. Theyre not eating better or getting more exercise, and theres evidence of rising mental health issues.

She says her research suggests public health interventions like tobacco tax may have played a role in the decline but that the decline similarities across countries, despite different regulatory contexts, suggests broader social forces are at play.

Other hypotheses include that social media is replacing risky behaviours because adolescents can be cool and sociable without drinking, or that gaming, texting and social media means they are less inclined or have less time to drink and smoke.

While this is a popular notion, theres also a large body of evidence against it. This and other theories remain largely untested so far, she says.

On the face of it, these trends are really positive from a public health perspective. Risk of long-term harm is greater when kids engage with substances, so reducing and delaying use is important.

But because the drivers of the decline are largely unknown, we need to be alert to the possibility that rising mental health problems and falling risk behaviours might be two sides of the same coin, driven by perhaps by pressure to succeed, or by increasing social isolation, Ms Ball says.

For further information contact:

Ms Jude Ball

Department of Public Health

University of Otago, Wellington

Email: jude.ball@otago.ac.nz
In the hours after a killer unleashed gunfire from a Las Vegas hotel window on fans at a country-western music festival Sunday night, thousands of people, including several Bay Area residents, ran for their lives, sheltering under bleachers, concession stands and liquor carts.

The pop-pop-pop of bullets sounded like firecrackers during headliner Jason Aldeans set. But the noise was too consistent and too close. His band members looked confused by the noise. Then the stage lights flickered off, and Aldean sprinted off the stage.

The crowd pulsed as thousands ran for cover, leaving behind cell phones, purses, shoes and plastic drink cups.

It sounded like malfunctioning fireworks, like those popping things you throw on the ground, said Nadine Reyes, a Santa Rosa realtor who attended the concert with a friend and their daughters.

The 64-year-old gunman, identified as Stephen Craig Paddock of Mesquite, Nev., fired on the crowd of 22,000 gathered at the outdoor Route 91 Harvest Festival from the 32nd floor of nearby Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, police said.

At least 58 people were killed and 515 others were injured, many critically, in what officials described as the deadliest mass shooting in the nations recent history.

Thousands of other concert-goers hid on the festivals grounds or were evacuated. Rumors that there was a second gunman went rampant.

Everyone was looking around trying to figure out what was happening, said Tiffany Farris, an elementary school principal in Riverside, who was at the concert with her mother and friends. Everyone was dropping to the ground. We thought it was fireworks. I remember thinking, Wow, those are really close to us.

Farris and her mother  who lost her flip-flops in the mayhem and went barefoot  ran to a nearby concession building to hide. She said she saw one woman receiving cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and another woman bleeding and screaming that she had been shot.

I lost my friends, and it was scary to think that we just didnt know what had happened to them, Farris said. We all went in different directions. We didnt know what to do. No one knew what to do.

But some didnt hesitate. In the immediate chaos of the massacre, Reyes said a man threw himself on top of her and Rebecca, her 28-year-old daughter. The stranger protected them until there was a break in the gunfire, and then told them to get out.

He laid literally on top of my daughter and I, Reyes said. I dont know whatever happened to him. I wish I could.

They ran, and the sound of gunfire seeming to come from every direction. When the escape route was blocked by a perimeter fence at the McCarran International Airport, next to the concert venue and less than a mile from the Mandalay Bay, a stranger with a four-wheel drive truck came out of nowhere and pulled the fence down.

The crowd of terrified survivors ran onto the airports tarmac, Reyes said. She said the driver of the pickup truck held up the fence to allow more people to run through.

The couple hid behind an air conditioning unit until police came and took them to a private hangar. People with injuries scattered the runway, she said. Reyes friend, a registered nurse from Santa Rosa, treated a man with a gunshot wound to the leg.

There were some incredible people who helped a lot of people, Reyes said.

Reyes and her daughter were later taken to another holding area at the University of Nevada Las Vegas, before finding a hotel room in Henderson, Nev., at 3:30 a.m. The two are waiting for the Las Vegas Strip to reopen so they can return to their original room at the Luxor Resort & Casino and head home on a rescheduled flight Monday afternoon.

Weve come to this festival almost every year except last year, Reyes said. Theres no other word than just terrifying.

Lizzie Johnson and Annie Ma are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: ljohnson@sfchronicle.com, ama@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @LizzieJohnsonnn @anniema15
Airlines on Monday waived fees for travelers trying to delay and rebook trips to Las Vegas, as one of Americas most popular vacation spots reeled from a horrific mass shooting, and saddened travelers weighed their options.

The number of people flying into Las Vegas has climbed as the economy improves, with the citys McCarran International Airport reporting a record 4.3 million passengers in July. The shooting, however, could make some travelers reconsider their plans, at least in the coming days.

Vegas is a place where you can usually take your mind off of things, and its kind of hard to do things like that right now, said Clarence Tam of San Jose. He is scheduled to attend a tech conference in Las Vegas next week and is now unsure whether to attend. His fiancee has asked him not to go.

I dont know how people are going to enjoy themselves, said Tam, 34.

McCarran airport was briefly locked down early Monday following Sunday nights mass shooting, which erupted at a concert site not far from the runways.

The brief closure, however, did not appear to cancel or delay any flights from San Francisco International Airport, said SFO spokesman Doug Yakel. Four airlines  United, Southwest, Virgin America and JetBlue  offer direct flights from San Francisco to Las Vegas, with an average of 25 flights from SFO to McCarran each day.

The details on how Tam and other travelers might change their flights varied.

United Airlines waived the flight-change fee for anyone scheduled to fly to or from Las Vegas from Monday, Oct. 2, through Friday, Oct. 6. The airline also will waive any difference in fares between the new flight and the one originally scheduled, so long as the traveler books the same cabin as before, doesnt change any of the cities on the trip and flies by Oct. 13.

American Airlines, in contrast, waived the change fee for anyone scheduled to fly to or from Las Vegas on Monday and Tuesday of this week, so long as those people still travel by Friday.

Virgin, now part of Alaska Airlines, will waive the change fee and difference in flight price for anyone who had been scheduled to fly Monday or Tuesday, as long as they agree to fly by Sunday. Those who simply cancel their plans can request a refund.

Southwest agreed to let travelers who were booked to fly to or from Las Vegas on Monday to adjust their travel plans without additional cost, said spokeswoman Emily Samuels, in an email. The offer does not extend to the rest of the week.

JetBlue will waive the change fee and fare difference for people scheduled to travel to or from Las Vegas Monday or Tuesday, if they fly by Saturday.

It remains to be seen whether Las Vegas hotels will follow suit and waive cancellation fees. MGM Resorts International  which owns many of the citys largest hotels, including the Mandalay Bay, location of the shooter in Sunday nights attack  did not address the issue on Monday. The company did, however, provide counselors for guests and employees, set up transportation to help guests visit the injured, and created a hot line, (888) 634-7111, for the families of guests to arrange airfare and hotel accommodations.

David R. Baker is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: dbaker@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @DavidBakerSF
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The article originally appeared on The Oregonian/OregonLive.com

The brother of the gunman in the Las Vegas mass shooting told reporters their father was once on the FBI's list of 10 Most Wanted Fugitives, a convicted bank robber who was ultimately arrested under an alias while operating a bingo parlor in Oregon.

Eric Paddock, the brother of Stephen Craig Paddock, who police say killed at least 50 people from his hotel room at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino late Sunday, told the Orlando Sentinel that their father was Benjamin Hoskins Paddock.

Benjamin Hoskins Paddock, born in Wisconsin, was the 302nd person who appeared on the FBI's 10 Most Wanted Fugitive list. He was added on June 10, 1969, and remained on the list for eight years. His name was removed on May 5, 1977, according to the FBI.

Paddock had been wanted for escaping from a federal prison in Anthony, Texas, after he was convicted of a string of armed bank robberies in Arizona. He was found operating a bingo parlor in Springfield under an assumed name.

The FBI's Most Wanted poster said Paddock had been diagnosed as a psychopath with suicidal tendencies who was armed during several bank robberies.

He had been serving a 20-year term in federal prison for a 1960 bank robbery in Phoenix, Arizona, when he escaped in 1969.

Paddock moved to Oregon in 1971 and opened the Springfield bingo parlor in September 1977 under the name Bruce Werner Ericksen, according to Oregonian articles.

Paddock was manager of The Bingo Centre, 612 Main St., Springfield. He had lived in the Eugene-Springfield area for several years and escaped detection by changing his appearance and avoiding contact with law enforcement, according to The Oregonian.

The FBI and Springfield police arrested him in September 1978 after receiving tips about his alias. He later pleaded guilty to escape and was sentenced to two more years in federal prison.

Benjamin Paddock died in 1998.

-- Maxine Bernstein

The article originally appeared on The Oregonian/OregonLive.com
The close-knit aviation community lost a pilot -- Paul Pangborn, 76 -- in a fatal helicopter crash Sunday afternoon.

The pilot from Midland died after the 1965 Brantly Hynes model B-2B helicopter he was flying crashed in a Lee Township field at about 2:48 p.m., according to the Midland County Sheriff's Office.

Pangborn's grandson, 16-year-old Devon Schweinsberg, was the only passenger. He sustained minor injuries.

Pangborn was a 1959 Midland High School graduate, and served in the U.S. Air Force during the Vietnam War.

The Facebook page for Pangborn Marine Inc. -- which he was owner and operator of -- posted Sunday night that "Hours will be varied this week, please understand. We appreciate your patience during this difficult time."

He was "well-liked and respected as a certified pilot" around the Jack Barstow Municipal Airport, said fellow pilot Dave Schmelzer.

Schmelzer is from Midland and said he has been flying airplanes for 52 years. Pangborn was a regular at Jack Barstow airport, Schmelzer said, and also flew fixed-wing airplanes.

Before the crash, Pangborn flew the aircraft eastward toward North 11 Mile Road, then headed north to West Olson Road, deputies said. The helicopter began to to fly west, but rotated, and for unknown reasons started to slowly descend. The aircraft crashed in a field near the corner of North 11 Mile and West Olson roads.

Pangborn and Schweinsberg were taken to MidMichigan Medical Center-Midland. Pangborn was later pronounced dead. Schweinsberg was treated and released.

"Paul was at the airport regularly, was a very friendly man, always very willing to help (other pilots) in any way he could," Schmelzer said.

Pangborn's family didn't comment on the incident, and is asking for privacy, according to the sheriff's office.

Flying is safer than driving a car, Schmelzer said, and serious accidents are rare.

"We're very sad for the loss, in a close-knit community like this. He'll really be missed. It leaves a hole in what we do here."

Pangborn is survived by his fiance, Joanne Jolliffe, son Jon Pangborn, daughter Janis Schweinsberg, stepdaughter Jacqueline Haller, stepson Chris Jolliffe, and brother Ken Pangborn. He also had nine grandchildren and three great-grand children.

Funeral services will take place at 11 a.m. Thursday at the Wilson Miller Funeral Home. An obituary is in today's Daily News.
Iowa's lone Democrat in Congress said Monday that "it is past time we act" in the aftermath of the Las Vegas shooting that left at least 58 people dead and hundreds wounded.

In a statement Monday, Rep. Dave Loebsack, D-Iowa, offered condolences to the victims, but added that isn't sufficient.

"We must take time to honor the victims, but words alone are not enough. It is past time we act to keep our families and communities safe. We must come together and work toward ending these heinous acts," Loebsack said.

Loebsack didn't expand on what that might be. However, his comments came as there were renewed calls in Congress for stricter gun control measures. They also were a contrast from Republicans in the state who offered condolences but steered clear of anything controversial.

"My prayers are with all of the victims in Las Vegas, and their loved ones affected by this senseless act of violence," Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, said in a statement. "As we learn more about what happened in the days ahead, let us come together and show our gratitude to our first responders and the other unsung heroes who put their lives on the line for others."

Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, also offered his prayers.

Gov. Kim Reynolds said the shooting was horrific and ordered flags flown at half staff. But she also told reporters that it wasn't the right time to talk about policy changes. "Right now I think we just need to keep the families and the victims in our thoughts and prayers and really focus on the people," she said Monday.

White House press secretary Sarah Sanders also told reporters it wasn't the time for political debates. However, as details of the mass shooting, the worst in U.S. history, unfolded, many congressional Democrats disagreed.

Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said it was Congress' responsibility to do something. "The notion that theres no way to prevent gun violence is falseand without action to stop gun attacks, Congress is complicit in them," Durbin said on Twitter.
A 76-year-old Midland man died after the helicopter he was piloting crashed Sunday.

The Midland County Sheriffs Office reported this morning the crash occurred at 2:48 p.m. in Lee Township. The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating.

Paul Weyant Pangborn was piloting the aircraft, which took off from a North 11 Mile Road address with a passenger, Pangborns 16-year-old grandson, Devon Schweinsberg, of Lee Township.

The helicopter flew east toward North 11 Mile Road, then headed north to West Olson Road. Pangborn started to head west, but the helicopter rotated and for unknown reasons started to slowly descend. It crash landed in a field near the corner of North 11 Mile and West Olson roads, tilting onto its right side.

Pangborn and Schweinsberg were taken to MidMichigan Medical Center-Midland. Pangborn later was pronounced dead. Schweinsberg was treated for minor injuries and was released.

Pangborn owned the 1965 Brantly Hynes model B-2B helicopter, Federal Aviation Administration registration number N2284U, that he was piloting.

Deputies were assisted by Lee Township firefighters, MidMichigan Medical Center EMS and Deputy Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Dennis Wagner.

The family has asked to have time to grieve without interruption, Midland County Sheriff Scott Stephenson stated in a media release. The property owners of where the crash occurred have asked for people to respect their privacy and not trespass on their property.
During more than 17 years as a dental hygienist, I have witnessed too many people fall through the cracks of our existing dental care system. I have volunteered in communities around Michigan for programs that offer free dental care services to treat underserved people. Many of these patients come in for a variety of ailments, ranging from needing a dental cleaning to having a tooth infection, but those programs are not always sustainable.

Despite working in oral health care myself, I have family members and friends who avoid necessary preventative dental care because they dont qualify for state aid and cant afford care that they need.

This is a problem here in Midland and across our state. Its clear the existing model of care isnt working and impacts some of the people who need it the most, including many seniors, pregnant women and children from families with low incomes.

Senate Bill 541, introduced by Sen. Mike Shirkey, R-Clarklake, would create a new dental professional called a dental therapist. Dental therapists would deliver routine, yet necessary, care allowing dentists to focus on more complicated procedures.

The dental therapist would work collaboratively under the supervision of a dentist and have a written practice agreement between the dental therapist and the dentist. A few examples where this new dental therapist would practice are designated shortage areas, school-based health centers, federally funded health clinics or a practice where 50 percent of the patients are uninsured or on Medicaid.

SB 541 provides an opportunity for dental hygienists to continue their education, expand their existing skills set and provide services to patients who lack dental care, and lower costs.

Preventative oral care is vital to overall health and is a necessity not a luxury. Every Michigan resident should have access to dental care and SB 541 is a tangible way to make that possible.
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BLOOMINGTON  State Farm plans to let some local employees go, but will continue to have the same number of workers in Bloomington-Normal while restructuring its information technology department over the next year.

"Job reductions will begin by offering a severance payment to certain employees who voluntarily elect to leave the company. We are uncertain how many employees will take this offer," the company said in a statement released Tuesday afternoon.

The Bloomington-based insurer is not releasing how many workers are expected to leave overall or what the severance packages will entail, said a spokesperson.

"You are likely hearing many numbers or percentages, but its important to understand these numbers include employees located in various locations ... and/or percentages based on areas within our IT function," according to the statement.

State Farm has regional hubs in Atlanta, Dallas and Phoenix.

The restructuring is intended to "better serve customers increasing expectations for simpler, faster, technology-driven ways to do business with the company," including "more sophisticated online and mobile solutions to customers in our fast-paced, hyper-connected world," according to the company.

No specific technology initiatives were listed in the release.

"State Farm anticipates changes in the marketplace and continually evaluates all its operations," said the statement. "Because technology continues to change our industry and the needs of our customers, it remains a key factor in our business."

"The overall State Farm local workforce will continue to fluctuate around 15,000 employees as hundreds of employees move in and out of the companys Bloomington facilities every year," according to Tuesday's statement. "Currently, State Farm has nearly 70,000 employees across the U.S."

Investment and other income of $4.4 billion  an increase of $400 million over the previous year  helped offset the underwriting loss to reduce the overall operating loss.

The State Farm group ended the year with a combined net worth of $87.6 billion  up from $82.7 billion at the end of 2015.
LEROY  A Chicago man faces several traffic-related charges, including speeding and driving under the influence, after allegedly fleeing from LeRoy police and crashing his car in Bloomington.

LeRoy Police Chief Jason Williamson said that at 2:53 p.m. Monday, LeRoy officers were notified of an erratic driver heading west on Interstate 74, approaching LeRoy.

A black Lexus was reported to be traveling at a high rate of speed and driving erratically, he said. A LeRoy police officer immediately saw the vehicle upon reaching Interstate 74 at LeRoy and clocked the vehicle at 116 mph. The officer was not able to catch up to the vehicle until the Main Street exit in Bloomington. The vehicle hit a sign in the median and continued on.

Williamson thinks the driver was able to see and hear the LeRoy squad attempting to stop it, but fled at a high rate of speed north on Main Street. Because of safety concerns, the LeRoy officer terminated the pursuit and notified Bloomington and Illinois State Police.

Moments later, Williamson said, a two-vehicle crash involving a black Lexus was reported on U.S. 150 at Rhodes Lane in Bloomington. The LeRoy officer and Bloomington Police responded to that crash and discovered it was the same vehicle from the pursuit.

Both the driver of the Lexus, identified as Kharon Overton, 20, and the driver of the other vehicle, were transported to the hospital with apparent minor injuries, he added.

Overton was arrested at the hospital on preliminary charges of speeding more than 40 mph over the speed limit, aggravated fleeing and eluding police, driving on a suspended drivers license, reckless driving, illegal consumption of alcohol, and driving under the influence of alcohol.

Overton remains in the McLean County jail pending a bond hearing on Wednesday.
BLOOMINGTON  Tired, frustrated but upbeat.

That's how Clinton Brown of Towanda described residents of St. Croix, where he's working as an American Red Cross Central and Southern Illinois Region volunteer, helping after the devastation of Hurricane Maria.

"People on the island are upbeat despite their hardship," Brown wrote in one of several email exchanges from St. Croix with The Pantagraph this week. Email was the best way to communicate because of spotty cellphone service.

"We had a massive flash flood Saturday at sundown that flooded streets, stranded many cars and spread debris on roadways," Brown wrote. "This set back many islanders who are trying to live under tarps or in their damaged homes.

"Tired, frustrated, exhausted, raw (and) emotional are words I would use to describe local islanders who have been impacted first by Hurricane Irma (in early September) and now by Maria," which hit Sept. 20.

Brown is a Red Cross board member who received accelerated training as a volunteer when the agency asked for volunteers willing to work "under extreme hardship conditions" in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands (St. Croix, St. Thomas and St. John), said Lyn Hruska, CEO of the Red Cross Central and Southern Illinois Region.

Brown wrote that, on St. Croix, there is no electricity, water has been contaminated by E. coli bacteria and there are no leaves on any trees, many of which have been blown down along with power lines.

"Curfews remain in effect from 6 p.m. to 10 a.m.," Brown wrote. "Police patrol streets and monitor intersections."

Brown is volunteering with Red Cross public affairs. "Lack of communication has hampered cooperation between the agencies and my role will be to add assistance to that effort," he wrote.

About 1,000 damaged or destroyed homes have been assessed by Red Cross in St. Croix. "Assessment is slow as moving (through) neighborhoods is complicated by debris and ... downed trees," he wrote.

Red Cross has seven shelters on the Virgin Islands, including three on St. Croix, where hundreds of people, mostly older adults with medical needs, have been helped, Brown said.

In addition, Red Cross has several points of distribution where home cleanup kits, personal hygiene items, water and tarps are being distributed. Volunteers work 12-hour shifts.

"We are ... squeezed into this tiny chapter house with fans and generators, trying to coordinate these efforts," Brown wrote. "Red Cross staff and volunteers are going above and beyond."

Brown is among more than 200 Red Cross volunteers and staff from Central and Southern Illinois who have been deployed to assist survivors of Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria in eight states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, said Trish Burnett, Red Cross regional communications director.

In the past five weeks, nearly 13,000 Red Cross volunteers overall, partnering with community groups and governments, have provided 1.2 million overnight stays in emergency shelters, 5.2 million meals and snacks, 2.3 million relief items and 154,000 health services.

Hruska, of rural Normal, for example, worked last week in a shelter in Houston, helping to coordinate relief work with several agencies, while also focusing on pet sheltering. Volunteer Mike McKnight of Normal continues to work in Beaumont, Texas, getting crews the supplies they need.

"At this stage of the disaster (several weeks after Harvey hit on Aug. 25), there is a lot of frustration," Hruska admitted. "Folks are tired. They want their normal life back. People express frustration. But, in their next sentence, they express gratitude for the help received.

"There have been some glitches in some services provided. That's natural given the volume of the people who need help. There were three hurricanes one after the other; it's like nothing we've ever seen before.

"But overall I think the agencies are working really well together," Hruska said. "All of us are committed to getting people the resources they need. These disaster operations will continue for some time."

McKnight said "People around me are working awful hard to do a lot of good for a lot of people.

"Sometimes, you get a hug. You can't beat that."
The recent findings of the Illinois State Police investigation of Central Illinois Arena Management are appalling and inexcusable. Most egregious is the wording of the indictments and ensuing media coverage that assert this money was stolen from and owed to the city of Bloomington.

No, this money was stolen from and owed to the taxpayers of Bloomington. The wording of the indictments is endemic of politicians who put government ahead of taxpayers. The scene is played out locally on a regular basis by council members in both Bloomington and Normal who blindly follow city staff recommendations, outside consultants and yes, audit reports. The end result is tax increases and rate hikes to feed the uncontrollable appetite of government that is growing at a faster rate than the private sector.
Ecolab to Acquire Georgia-Pacific Paper Chemicals Business

Georgia-Pacific's paper chemicals business supplies differentiated products and applications that provide strength, softness and durability to paper.

Oct. 2, 2017 - Ecolab Inc. said that it has signed an agreement to acquire the paper chemicals business from Georgia-Pacific. This business supplies differentiated products and applications that provide strength, softness and durability to paper. These products and applications will enhance Ecolab's position in the growing Tissue and Towel, as well as the Packaging and Board segments of the paper industry. The business had 2016 revenues of approximately $43 million.

The transaction is expected to be completed before the end of the year subject to customary closing conditions.

Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

The acquisition will expand the paper industry offerings of Ecolab's Paper business, which provides innovative chemistries and solutions, to help producers improve their efficiency, water and energy savings, product quality, and profitability.

This acquisition will enable us to provide additional value to our customers who strive to produce higher-quality paper more efficiently while preserving natural resources, said Christophe Beck, executive vice president and president, Nalco Water, Ecolab's water management business. The chemistries gained through this transaction will complement our existing solutions and provide greater opportunity to customize end-to-end programs that meet the needs of our customers.

We believe this sale to a global industry leader like Ecolab's Nalco Water will be in the best interest of our customers and stakeholders, said Rick Urschel, president, Georgia-Pacific Chemicals.

Ecolab (ECL) is a leader in water, hygiene and energy technologies and services. To learn more, please visit: www.ecolab.com

SOURCE: Ecolab
Buckman Acquires CiDRA Chemical Management Inc. As part of the transaction, Buckman will have a global, exclusive, and perpetual license to a family of CCMI's intellectual property, including patents for measuring entrained air in the paper, pulp, biorefining, bioprocessing and ethanol industries. October 3, 2017 (Press Release) - Buckman is pleased to announce the acquisition of CiDRA Chemical Management Inc. (CCMI). On September 30, Buckman took ownership of CCMI's outstanding stock, a wholly owned subsidiary of Connecticut-based technology innovation leader CiDRA Holdings Inc. For the last 20 years, CiDRA has made a name for itself in the manufacturing and processing arena by creating new tech-and-data driven measurement and management solutions for commercial markets, such as mining, oil and gas and genetic laboratories. As part of the transaction, Buckman will have a global, exclusive, and perpetual license to a family of CCMI's intellectual property, including patents for measuring entrained air in the paper, pulp, biorefining, bioprocessing and ethanol industries. This technology is non-intrusive, provides real-time continuous data and requires no downtime to install. But most importantly, the data it provides enables manufacturers to reduce the amount of variability in certain aspects of their manufacturing process. For pulp mills, this non-intrusive technology provides a continuous stream of information in real time, allowing defoamer to be adjusted to maintain maximum washing efficiency across the brown stock washing system. This allows pulp mills to optimize their process to maximize production rate, reduce water flow to recovery and improve pulp cleanliness. Paper mills can realize efficiencies by reducing variability in the wet end, reducing machine breaks and improving sizing. Combining Buckman's defoaming technology with this industry-leading technology will allow both pulp and paper mills to reduce variability in the process to achieve improved performance. Buckman owns exclusive rights to this technology in the paper industry, which means Buckman customers could soon have a competitive advantage in the market. Buckman strives to be a leader not just in bringing products and knowledge to our customers around the globe, but in partnering with our customers to proactively improve their operations, says Jim Doan, President and COO of Buckman North America. With the addition of CCMI's entrained air technology, we are able to provide a smart solution that results in more accurate data and better process control for our customers. In addition to the exclusive rights to offer the products to the paper, pulp, biorefining, bioprocessing and ethanol industries, Buckman will also be able to offer these solutions non-exclusively to the oil and gas, automotive, metalworking and paints and coatings industries. The current CCMI employees will also become part of the Buckman family and integrated into its existing workforce. Sales of the entrained air technology will begin with customers in North America, with global sales to follow. The acquisition of CCMI is very much in line with the vision for the future of Buckman, says Junai Maharaj, CEO and President of Bulab Holdings Inc., which wholly owns Buckman. We are a privately-owned company with a global footprint, and our size affords us the agility and ability to quickly adopt innovative, smart solutions for our customers. But the real value comes from being able to leverage smart technology with our proven chemical applications, advanced monitoring systems and dedicated, experienced people to deliver a solution specific to the customer that improves their operations, productivity and performance. It's a sentiment echoed by CiDRA as well. Buckman is an organization that can rapidly expand the global reach of the innovative CiDRA solution via its worldwide footprint, says Kevin Didden, President and CEO of CiDRA. We are very excited to support Buckman in this new endeavor and look forward to a long term partnership. Buckman has the values, capabilities and leadership that CiDRA felt were critical to take the CiDRA solution to a global level. About Buckman

Buckman is a privately held, global specialty chemical company with headquarters in Memphis, Tenn., USA. Buckman works proactively and collaboratively with worldwide customers in pulp and paper, leather and industrial water treatment and process chemistry to deliver exceptional service and innovative specialty chemical solutions. Buckman's goal is to help customers boost productivity, reduce risk, improve product quality and provide a measurable return on investment. Buckman is committed to safeguarding the environment, maintaining safety in the workplace and promoting sustainable development, for its associates, its customers and the communities it serves in more than 90 countries around the world. To learn more, please visit: www.buckman.com . About CiDRA

Headquartered in Wallingford, Connecticut, USA, with an increasing international presence, CiDRA is a trusted partner and leading supplier of highly differentiated process optimization and enhanced recovery solutions and services to many of the world's largest industrial markets, including minerals processing, mineable oilsands, dredging, concrete and power generation. CiDRA's products and services, successfully maintaining over 5,000 installations in over 45 countries, enhancing process control and material recovery, while maintaining safety in all workplaces. SOURCE: Buckman
Irving Consumer Products Breaks Ground for New Tissue Production Plant in Georgia

Oct. 3, 2017 - Irving Consumer Products on Sept. 28 broke ground on the construction of their new $400 million state-of-the-art tissue plant in Macon, Georgia at an event at the site of their future home.

We're excited to begin construction on this new plant. The plant will create over 200 permanent, skilled jobs and allow us to continue to meet our customers' growing demands, said Robert K. Irving, President of Irving Consumer Products. It will also provide growth in our home province. The pulp will be from Irving Woodlands, manufactured at our New Brunswick pulp mill.

In November 2016, Irving announced that it agreed to purchase a new Thru-Air Dried (TAD) tissue making machine from Valmet, and in August 2017 the company selected Macon, Georgia as the site for their new plant.

The new plant will produce ultra-premium quality household paper products including soft bath tissue and high quality paper towel and will double the company's Thru-Air Dry capacity, increasing it by 75,000 tonnes  the equivalent of 15 million cases.

It's a great day in Georgia when we get to celebrate a ground-breaking event, said Georgia Department of Economic Development Deputy Commissioner, Tom Croteau. We are excited that Irving Consumer Products chose Macon to expand their North American footprint, and are confident that they will find success here in Georgia.

Following the ground breaking, Irving Consumer Products hosted a community BBQ in Rosa Parks Square to recognize first responders for their efforts during Tropical Storm Irma. Hundreds of emergency responders worked to open shelters, restore major power outages and clear debris from blocked roads. Irving Consumer Products contributed $30,000 to local relief efforts. The American Red Cross of Central Midwest Georgia and Salvation Army of Central Georgia each received a check for $15,000 for disaster response and relief efforts in Macon-Bibb County.

Construction of the new facility will be completed in 2019.

Irving Consumer Products is one of North America's leading manufacturers of household paper and baby diaper products. Irving Consumer Products companies include Irving Tissue and Irving Personal Care. To learn more, please visit: www.jdirving.com .

SOURCE: J.D. Irving, Limited
Wonderstruck

Mary Cybulski courtesy of Amazon Studios

Todd Haynes' transcendently beautiful new film has two storylines. One (shot in black & white) is in the 20s where a young deaf girl named Rose (Millicent Simmonds) runs away to New York City to see a movie star (Julianne Moore) who is performing on stage. The other thread is about a young boy, Ben (Oakes Fegley), in the 1970s who recently lost his mother and had his hearing impaired by a freak accident. He sets off to New York City, also, in search of a father he has never met. Seamlessly, these stories eventually converge in a way that left me in quiet awe. The gorgeous cinematography by Edward Lachman, dreamy score by Carter Burwell, astonishing art direction by Ryan Heck and Kim Jennings, and exquisite period costuming by Sandy Powell help create a film as mysterious as it magical and infinitely moving.

The Florida Project

Courtesy Marc Schmidt and A24

Director Sean Baker has a sweet affection for the fringe people and disenfranchised. His glorious first film was Tangerine, about a group of transgender misfits, and his new film focuses on the tawdry residents living in a strip of garishly colored motels just outside Disneyworld in Orlando, Florida. But he does so without snark or imperious irony. Willem Dafoe plays the manager of the purple-painted monstrosity the Magic Castle Motel, and he's a gruff but surprisingly sympathetic figure in this enclave of beautiful losers. Bria Vinaite plays Halley, the tattooed, multi-color-haired mess of a mom of 6-year-old firecracker Moonee (Brooklynn Prince), and she has to scheme all sorts of illegal methods to scrape together the rent every month. But this story is really about the kids who have a great time every day around these motels -- exploring the abandoned houses nearby, causing mischief, eating ice cream, running wild. It's the Our Gang for the twenty tens, and you feel the exhilarating anarchy of youth in every frame. Willem Dafoe is just terrific as the stern watchful-eyed manager -- his confrontation with a creepy guy chatting up the kids is just perfection. And Brooklynn Prince is so natural and engaging and hilarious it propels this sensational movie into the stratosphere. Look for a riotous cameo from foul-mouthed New York cable TV queen Sandy Kane lounging topless around the pool.

Tom of Finland

Finnish director Dome Karukoski's exceptional bio-pic is on the life of famed erotic artist Tom Of Finland. Touko Laaksonen (Pekka Strang) moved in with his sister Kaija (Jessica Grabowsky) after serving in World War II. Still haunted by traumatic events he experienced, particularly when he was forced to kill a handsome Russian paratrooper, Touko's escape was to draw a series of pornographic drawings based on his creation of the ideal leatherman, almost cartoonishly muscled men with oversized dicks reveling in sex. He even mixed in fetishistic imagery based on instances he witnessed of cops beating up gays cruising at night in the park. In those years that "homosexuals" were made to feel shame and lived in terror of arrest, Touko's drawings (under the pseudonym "Tom") treated men having sex with each other as positive and liberating. He smuggled his artwork out of the country, it was printed and sold internationally, and a subsequent trip to Los Angeles revealed how his "dirty drawings" were revered and celebrated. It's a fascinating and terrific film and a fitting tribute to a true subversive gay hero.



Faces Places

Famed Belgian director Agnes Varda teams up JR (photographer/street artist) to travel along the French countryside, stopping along the way to interview and photograph in a van capable of producing large oversized pictures that are pasted onto the sides of buildings. In a former mining town where most of the houses are empty save for a lone woman who refuses to move, they put up antique pictures of miners and the woman's proud beautiful face across her home. At a shipyard they photograph the worker's wives across stacked containers, in an deserted village that was never finished they invite neighbors for a picnic and place their pictures all over filling this desolate place with life. Varda, is in her late 80s and with vision problems, but she and the 34 yr.-old artist JR are like kids when they are together. Not only do they inspire each other and are creatively compatible, they truly enjoy each other's company. Varda also has a way of connecting with all the interesting people they come across. An ill-fated adventure to visit Jean-Luc Godard at the end is quite poignant. A joyous, delightful, experience.

BPM (Beats Per Minute)

Devastating, profoundly moving, film by Robin Campillo about the French Act Up faction in Paris, France in the 1990s. In almost documentary style we are plunged into the testy meetings and newsworthy actions they plan to pull off, making sure lawmakers don't forget that people are dying and nothing seems to be getting done. This was right on the cusp of the breakthrough protease inhibitor treatment, but many of the group would tragically not live long enough to see this turning point. Their fury as drug companies seemed to be dragging their heels while people suffered and died was justified. Much of the movie is about the new guy in the group Nathan (Arnaud Valois) and his love affair with funny, but very sick, rabble-rouser Sean (an astonishing Nahuel Perez Biscayart). We really feel the camaraderie and passions of this activist group. The film wisely won the Grand Prix at this year's Cannes Film Festival and should not be missed.

78/52

It's impossible for modern audiences to understand the power and shock that Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho caused audiences when it premiered in 1960. Hitchcock's previous film was North By Northwest, a romantic, commercial, thriller. But this film, based on a horror novel by Robert Bloch, shot in black amd white with a TV crew, was the director's bold experiment to toy with audiences in ways no one had dared. To kill off the lead (Janet Leigh) in the first 20 minutes pulled the rug out from under theatergoers -- and in a shower, no less. Director Alexandre O. Philippe meticulously and fascinatingly examines this famous murder sequence. There are interviews with directors, editors, and even the woman who was Janet Leigh's body double in the film. Hitchcock realized the only way to shoot the scene was impressionistically -- in short fragments of film which build with excruciating suspense. Storyboarded by Saul Bass, with an unforgettable score by Bernard Herrmann, it changed the landscape of fear on screen forever.

The Death And Life Of Marsha P. Johnson

Via Netflix

Another intensely moving documentary by David France (How To Survive A Plague) about the mysterious death of legendary transgender "street queen" Marsha P. Johnson ('The P is for 'Pay It No Mind'). Johnson was right up front during the riots at the Stonewall bar that kick-started the Gay Rights movement. She also, with fellow rabble-rouser Sylvia Rivera, founded STAR (Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries) which provided aid to transgender homeless teens. The documentary focuses on Victoria Cruz from the Anti-Violence Project working tirelessly to find justice for Johnson (whose body was found floating near the Hudson piers in 1992). Cruz hunts down former detectives, former roommates and witnesses, even tracking down autopsy records. Sadly, the flurry of recent attacks against transgender people take precedent over a cold case with little to no evidence. One heartbreaking moment is at a NYC gay pride rally in 1973 where Sylvia Rivera is booed by an audience of homogenized gays in Washington Square Park. Mercifully, years later Rivera is cheered at a gay rally in Italy and thanks all the "children" she helped form in this endless fight for equality.

The Foreigner





A father goes to murderous lengths to find the killers of his daughter in this taut thriller directed by Martin Campbell (Casino Royale) and based on Stephen Leather's book The Chinaman. Jackie Chan plays Quan, owner of a take-away food restaurant in London. His young daughter, and only living family left, gets blown up in front of him by a mystery IRA splinter group. Quan haunts Scotland Yard, asking to be given the names of the terrorists, which to be honest, no one knows. Then he sets his sight on a Belfast governmental official, Liam Hennessey (Pierce Brosnan), with old deep ties to the IRA. He shows up at Hennessey's office and demands to know who was responsible for his daughter's death, but is rebuffed and told to leave. All concerned are in for a rude awakening because Quan has Special Ops training and keeps explosively coming back to show he means business. Lots of double dealing and political intrigue, and Jackie Chan gets to scale buildings and single-handedly overtake lethal bodyguards in this enjoyable and scarily timely drama.





Via Quad Cinema

And if you're in NYC from October 13-19 there's a glorious 3D festival at the Quad Cinema (34 W. 13th St.) with 35mm prints including the world premiere of Frankenstein's Bloody Terror (1968), a Spanish werewolf film starring Paul Naschy. Other wild ones include Arch Oboler's weird 1966 film The Bubble, Amityville 3D (1983), Paul Morrissey's hilariously gory Flesh For Frankenstein (1973) and the rare sci-fi/body horror film Parasite (1982) starring a young Demi Moore. Go get those damn glasses on!

Splash photo via Netflix.


Of all the quotable lines in Cardi B's inescapable hit "Bodak Yellow," her bars about her red-bottomed Christian Louboutin "bloody" shoes is one of the most visceral (and fun to say). Now, the French designer himself has weighed in on Cardi's love of his iconic shoe in an interview with the New York Times.

At first, he admitted he wasn't super familiar with the Bronx rapper, which we can forgive him for, given that Cardi only really gained mainstream fame this past summer. "She has the hair like that?" Louboutin asked the Times, as he put his hands around chin level to indicate Cardi's bob. "She's a rapper? This 'Yellow' song? [] I don't know much more than that, to be honest."

Louboutin did however appreciate Cardi's love of the shoe, saying it was fitting that so many performers are fans of his design. "In a way, it comes back to some of my origins," he said. "The first shoes I ever designed were for showgirls, people on stage. Showgirls have a kind of attitudethey're driving forces."

That sentiment applies twofold given Cardi's past life as a stripper, though we're not sure Louboutin is aware of the rapper's origins.

Either way, Cardi B's love for Louboutins goes beyond a shout out in a song. In a recent Billboard interview, her stylist Kollin Carter revealed that she has over 90 pairs of the design. "She usually buys a pair or two every couple of weeks," he said. "Where she's from, when girls are ready to get dressed up that's what you wear. And in real life, before 'Bodak' blew up, she wore red bottoms because that's what it means to make it in the Bronx. It's a status symbol that the masses can relate to; everyday girls work hard and save up their money to have that shoe. Cardi did the same."

[h/t Complex]

Image via Getty
MASON CITY | Cerro Gordo County employees honored John Boedeker Tuesday morning for his 40 years in the county assessor's office, most of it as the assessor.

Boedeker is retiring at the end of the year.

He was given a surprise reception after the Board of Supervisors meeting and he reacted with his typical wry sense of humor.

"It's never been dull," he said with a smile. "Some of you have made it much more interesting than necessary."

He began work in the assessor's office in 1977 and became the assessor in 1980.

It has been his role for 40 years to make sure county properties are assessed equitably and that they reflect their market values.

He admits to not always being the most popular public official. He recalled Tuesday the time an irate property owner pulled a gun on him as he approached the man's property.

Asked what he did under those circumstances, his answer was succinct. "I left," he said.

County assessors in Iowa are not elected but are appointed by conference boards made up of elected officials from cities and counties they represent. The intent is to keep the job free from politics.

Boedeker once said, "In my work, if you do your job, you'd never get re-elected."

The Cerro Gordo County Conference Board met last week and hired Deputy Assessor Katie Bennett to succeed Boedeker.
If theres been a theme to my recent posts, its that theres more to the universe than can be dissected, measured, and catalogued. We dont live in a clockwork universe, we live in a magical universe that is stranger than we can imagine. Yes, theres a logical answer for everything, but that logic is not simple and straightforward. There are some things science cant explain yet, and other things science may never be able to explain.

This bothers some people. Thats understandable  when your foundational assumptions about the nature of the world and how it works are questioned, most people push back. So I respect my atheist and agnostic friends and neighbors, and I have neither the need nor the desire to convert them. If thats you, you may want to skip this post.

But if the idea of a magical universe appeals to you, read on. Because youre living in one.

What is a magical universe?

The world is full of Gods and spirits. Every living thing in the world is not a thing but a person, a person with a spirit. Perhaps it would be better to say a person is a spirit and some persons have bodies. Some do not.

Our ancestors live among us. That they live on in our dreams and memories is beyond question  that they occasionally speak to us from the Otherworld is clear to those of us whove experienced them.

Gods are the mightiest of spirits. Im not exactly sure what They are beyond that. I do know They are older, stronger, and wiser than me and you. I find Them worthy of worship  working with and for Them have been some of the most amazing experiences of my life.

The world is probabilistic, not deterministic. Einstein said God does not play dice. Stephen Hawking responded not only does God play dice, sometimes he throws them where they cant be seen. In a probabilistic universe, anything is possible. But some things are so likely theyre practically certain, while other things are so unlikely theyre practically impossible.

Because the world is probabilistic, there is always hope, and the more we do to move the odds in our favor, the more likely we are to get a favorable outcome.

We can  at least occasionally  work wonders. The best way to believe in magic is to work magic. Magic doesnt work on belief, it works on action. Do the spell properly and youll get results.

There may also be side effects and blowback. I do not believe in the Law of Threes, but I do believe in what John Michael Greer calls the strawberry jam effect  you cant work with it without getting it all over yourself. So be mindful what you work magic for, but if you work magic youll get results.

If you expect to see bluestones flying from Wales to the Salisbury Plain, youre likely to be disappointed. But if you have a great need, you never know which action will put you over the line from failure to success. Use all the tools at your disposal, including your magical tools.

Whats not part of a magical universe?

The law of limits is not repealed. The universe may be magical, but the laws of physics still apply. Humans cannot fly without mechanical assistance. We cannot breathe underwater unless we bring air with us. We cannot see in a cave unless we bring light. These are hard limits.

There are also soft limits  things that are possible separately but impossible together. I can go to the gym in the morning or I can sleep in, but I cannot do both. At Mystic South, I missed a speaker I wanted to hear  I was also scheduled to speak in that time slot. I used to have a boss whose stock line about projects was good, fast, or cheap  pick any two.

Miracles do not happen on a regular basis. A miracle is something that defies the odds, not something that defies the law of limits. That doesnt happen. Your magic may be able to manifest money out of nowhere once or twice, but eventually the odds will catch up with you (there is wealth-generating magic  its not my specialty).

Ive found that the deeper I go into magic and into Pagan religion, the less I actually work spells. The magic works to align my life with the currents of Nature and the doings of the Gods and things fall into place. Most of the time, anyway.

But when spells are necessary, I work them.

Work is still necessary. Theres a reason why no human society ever went back to hunting and gathering after taking up agriculture  the food supply is greater and more certain. But it requires work. Magic will help crops to grow, but if you dont plant seeds in the ground, your harvest is guaranteed to be nothing.

There are serious issues with our socio-economic system  that topic is beyond the scope of this essay. But whether the economy is based on capitalism, socialism, communism, or anything else, someone still has to plant and harvest the crops. Someone still has to bake the bread. Someone still has to take out the trash. Work is still necessary.

Oh, and like any other skill, magic requires practice. Lots of practice. Magic is a different kind of work, but its still work. Necessary work.

The benefits of living in a magical universe

A shift to long term thinking. Yes, I know  if your house is on fire youre all about short term thinking, and rightly so. But most of our houses arent on fire. We live in a society where all that matters is making this months rent or impressing Wall Street with this quarters earnings report.

Our Gods have the perspective of millennia. The spirits of the land were here long before we got here and theyll be here long after were gone. Our ancestors remind us there are things of value in the past, and they remind us that someday we will be the ancestors. What kind of world will we leave for those who come after us? Will we be worthy of their honor?

When we realize we live in a magical universe, we start to make time out of our daily urgencies to do something to make tomorrow better than today. Do that consistently and at some point you look back and realize you did make your life a lot better than it used to be.

Less stuff and more relationships. Both the consistent practice of magic and consistent religious devotion have a clarifying effect on priorities. You start to realize that once you have what you need, your time is better spent nurturing your relationships, not chasing more stuff and you dont need a Mercedes. You may be surprised with just how little you really do need.

Build strong enough relationships and you build families of blood or of choice  people who will stand by you year after year, because they know youll stand by them. Some of our families are living humans. Some are ancestors. Some are Gods. Relationships bring the lasting comfort and security that things cannot.

Less fear. When you realize the world is full of magic and you have access to it, what do you have to fear? Death? Just a transition into the next life. Hardship? Your ancestors survived far worse. Difficult circumstances? You have tools and skills to move the odds in your favor.

We should never be so arrogant as to assume the Gods are on our side. But when They call us to Their service and we accept, we are on Their side. That doesnt mean They will make our lives easier (They usually make things harder) but it does mean someone with divine perspective believes in us. If the Forest God or the Battle Raven thinks I can do Their work, my fear is misplaced.

Im not a conspiracy theorist, but

Benjamin Franklin said three can keep a secret if two are dead. If there was some grand conspiracy, it would be all over CNN, Fox News, and YouTube. That doesnt mean there arent some very powerful people in some very high places with a vested interest in keeping you away from magic, even if they dont believe in it themselves.

Who wants you focused what theyre trying to sell you today? I want to punch every salesman who forces the word today into the conversation. Who wants you to ignore your relationships and buy more stuff?

Who wants to keep you afraid?

Im not interested in overthrowing them. Ive been called to be many things  a savior isnt one of them. Instead, Im interested in making them irrelevant in my life, and in the lives of as many people as possible.

And because we live in a magical universe, I can.

And so can you.
An email came in the other day which showed some confusion about the role of grace, faith and good works in our salvation.

The Catholic was worried because a friend said salvation was by grace alone. I think he confused this with the Protestant heresy that salvation is by faith alone. Then the Protestants protest that Catholics think salvation is by good works alone.

The puzzle can be solved when you remove the word alone from the discussion. That little word has caused huge division and dissension and it is not warranted.

In fact, our salvation is accomplished by one of Gods little holy trinities. Grace, faith and works all combine together, and when you think about it, it is all rather neat because it connects with our selves who (because we are created in Gods image) are also little holy trinities. (some more holy than others). Grace connects with our soul or spirit. Faith connects with our mind and intellect. Works connects with our body and actions.

We need all three to be working together in unity and harmony.

Think of it like this: Youve got a car that will take you to your destination. Gods grace is the gas in the tank without which nothing in the car will go. Faith is the belief that the car will get you to your destination. Good works are you getting into the car, putting the key in the ignition, starting her up and driving off.

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Before Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or YouTube made their entry in the media market, the PatnaDaily had already registered its presence in...
MASON CITY | A Mason City traffic stop led to multiple drug charges for a Clear Lake man early Monday morning.

Terry Lynn Hansen, 53, was stopped by Mason City police for a traffic violation around 2:05 a.m. Monday at 12th Street Northwest and North President.

According to court documents, police found Hansen in possession of several baggies of suspected marijuana, 20 blue Clonazepam pills, more than 5 grams of suspected methamphetamine, a scale, baggies and large amounts of cash.

He was charged with possession of marijuana  third or subsequent offense, possession of a controlled substance  third or subsequent offense, a controlled substance violation and possession of drug paraphernalia.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Friday in Cerro Gordo County District Court.

 Courtney Fiorini
Iran Worried As Unemployment Reaches 60% In Some Cities

10/03/17

Source: RFE/RL

The Islamic Republic's Interior Minister has expressed concern about unemployment; especially in those cities where he says about 60% of the workforce is unemployed. In an interview with Iran Students News Agency, ISNA, the minister noted, "Social harms are more acute in areas where the unemployment rate is high".



Read related report (in Persian) by Ghanoon daily



In the interview he says that in spite of Iran's 12% national unemployment rate, the same average in some cities has reached to 60%, Abdol-Reza Rahmani Fazli has reiterated, without naming the cities where the rate is so high.



Though the official rate of unemployment last year was reportedly 12.04%, it has been much higher in some provinces. Kermanshah with 22%, Chahar Mahal and Bakhtiari with 20.02% and Kurdestan with 15% rates have suffered more than other provinces from unemployment.



According to Cooperatives, Labor and Social Welfare Minister, Ali Rabiei, 3,200,000 Iranians are unemployed. Nevertheless, the parliamentary Center for Research believes that 6,500,000 to seven million people are unemployed in the country.



Part of the huge difference in numbers might be due to the government's definition of employment. The Islamic Republic considers anyone who works for one hour a week, as employed. This means that the government greatly underestimates the number of the unemployed.



Based on Sixth Five-Year Development Plan, the government is dutybound to create more than 970,000 new jobs in the current Iranian year (starting 21 March 2017).



Masoud Nili, an economist and advisor to President Hassan Rouhani has cautioned, "Unemployment among three groups is reaching crisis levels, namely the youth, women, and people with higher education".



Rouhani's critics have repeatedly blamed his administration for the crisis. But independent economists say that the rate of economic growth in the past 38 years has barely been 3% in Iran - which has been inadequate to create enough jobs for a fast growing population.



Without presenting a figure, the interior minister in his interview has admitted that the unemployment rate among graduate job seekers is much higher than the average.



According to the minister, a high level meeting has taken place to discuss social ills, with the participation of the Supreme Leader, ayatollah Ali Khamenei.



"An appropriate report on actions taken [to tackle unemployment and reduce social harms] was delivered. However, there's a very long way to go", the minister said, speaking about the high-level meeting.



Yet, deputy to Cooperatives, Labor and Social Welfare Minister, Hassan Taei had earlier noted that the "unemployment rate among people with a university degree is between 21.5% and 22%".



Furthermore, Rahmani Fazli maintained, "Ayatollah Khamenei has prioritized matters related to social ills".



"Combat against narcotics and drug addiction", "slums and suburban settlements", "divorce" and "fighting crime" were included in priorities set by Khamenei to check social harms, Rahmani Fazli said.



Social problems according to the Islamic Republic's officials are mainly comprised of drug addiction, poverty, slums and shantytowns, a high rate of school dropout, high crime rate and divorce.
First Lady Mrs Rebecca Akufo-Addo says early detection and effective treatment of breast cancer are the best possible options available that could help women with the disease to survive.



She said even though not much was known about the actual cause of breast cancer and how it could be prevented, there was hope for those who got the disease through early detection and seeking effective treatment.



She has, therefore, encouraged women to report early at recognised health facilities and comply with treatment that had been proven to be effective, saying, It is important that we access proven treatment methods and educate others to do the same.



Mrs Akufo-Addo, who was speaking at the launch of the 2017 Breast Cancer Awareness Month, hosted by the Authorities of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) on Monday, said: If we are to make a headway in improving the sad outcomes of Ghanaians with breast cancer, we cannot ignore the two pillars of options, which are early detection and effective treatment.



The theme for the October Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign, being championed by the Korle-Bu Breast Surgical Unit, is: Early Detection and Effective Treatment Save Lives.



The month-long campaign, named the: Pink October, is a globally adopted month that helps to improve awareness of the breast cancer disease.



It features activities including breast screening services, sharing of leaflets on breast cancer and media discussions on the disease.



Mrs Akufo-Addo said, globally, breast cancer was the leading cancer for women and second leading cause of female cancer deaths, while in Ghana it was both the leading cancer and cause of death.



She indicated that the WHO estimates show that more than 2000 women in Ghana get the disease and more than 1,000 die from it every year, with most of the young women between the ages of 40 and 49 being the majority affected.



She said the situation was also compounded with misconception about the disease as well as false claims on treatment on the internet, social media platforms, friends, relatives, and even casual acquaintances.



Mrs Akufo-Addo said unlike advanced countries where patients reported to hospital on time to be diagnosed and treated, majority of breast cancer patients in Ghana reported late and, therefore, received delayed treatment.



The First Lady commended the KBTH for collaborating with other health facilities in the country to mount the awareness crusade and many other laudable projects to reach out to the public for effective prevention, management and control of breast cancer.



Hopefully, when clients respond accordingly, they will experience a very supportive environment for their treatment and recovery, she noted.



Dr Felix Anyah, the Chief Executive Officer of KBTH, said over the years the Hospital had made significant strides in the management of breast cancer, and the National Radiotherapy Centre, established in 1997, had been a big boost to the management of cancers in the Hospital, especially breast cancer.



Before then patients had to travel outside the country to have a full treatment for breast cancer. But now specialists from the centre have since been active in breast cancer research and treatment. The Centre is one of the leading oncology centres in the West African sub-region, he said.



The Minister of Health, Mr Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, in a speech read for him, said various interventions were being implemented throughout the continuum of care and more professionals were also being trained to help provide services to save many patients from dying from cancers.



Professor Joe Nat Clegg-Lamptey, the Head of Surgical Unit of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), urged all women to visit the various partner health institutions including the 37 Military Hospital, Accra Regional Hospital (Ridge), Nyaho Medical Centre, and the KATH.



Others are the VRA Hospital, Ho Regional Hospital, Tema General Hospital, Legon Hospital, LEKMA Hospital, Trust Hospital Well Woman Clinic and the KBTH for free breast cancer screening during the awareness month.

Source: GNA









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President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has reiterated his governments commitment to improving the countrys agriculture, especially the cocoa sub-sector, through the mass spraying exercise and provision of subsidized fertilizers to farmers.



According to the president, Ghana will soon regain her pride of place in the cocoa industry with deliberate policies and measures aimed at boosting production.



Speaking at a grand durbar to celebrate Cocoa Day in Kumasi yesterday, President Akufo-Addo indicated that as part of the policy to increase production, the government had taken away the oversight responsibility of the cocoa industry from the Ministry of Finance.



The ceremony was under the theme, 70 Years on: Mobilizing for a Sustainable Cocoa Economy, with the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, being named as Cocoa Consumption Ambassador.



President Akufo-Addo revealed that the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) has now been made responsible for all matters relating to the cocoa industry for effective formulation of relevant policies required to boost agriculture and cocoa production.



Today, one of the greatest threats in the cocoa industry in our country is not disease or death; price volatility on the international cocoa market represents, perhaps, the biggest threat to our cocoa. The prices of cocoa are forecast to remain low till the year 2020, President Akufo-Addo disclosed.



He stated that the fortunes of the countrys cocoa farmers unfortunately have become tied to the volatile cocoa beans market.



He explained that this accounted for the cooperation between Ghana and her sister nation, Cote dIvoire  the two largest cocoa producers in the world  to ensure that they do not continue to be victims of trade of the global cocoa industry to the detriment of the hard work of the two countries farmers.



I have, since assuming office, worked closely with His Excellency Alassane Dramane Ouattara, President of the Republic of Cote dIvoire, to provide the necessary leadership, and technical and political cooperation that addresses effectively the international cocoa pricing from short to medium term, he pointed out.



President Akufo-Addo said the two countries were fashioning a far-reaching policy towards achieving a shared vision of an industrialized and profitable domestic cocoa economy.



Together, Ghana and Cote dIvoire account for more than 60 percent of the world cocoa output. Ghana, for example, earned US$2 billion for the sale of cocoa beans in the year 2015. Cote dIvoire earned US$3.7 billion, he revealed.



According to the president, the two put together, amounted to US$5.7 billion and yet the total proceed realized from the global value of cocoa amounted to US$100 billion, pointing out that that translated to 5.7 percent received, despite the hard work and sweat of the nations farmers.



President Akufo-Addo said that could not be allowed to continue since it constitutes a manifest injustice to the producers, and intimated further that Ghana and Cote dIvoire need to device ways to ensure that farmers reap much better value from their activities.



He disclosed that he had asked the Minister of Food and Agriculture to direct the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) to work towards increasing domestic processing of cocoa beans from the current levels to a minimum of 50 percent annual production by 2020.



In the presidents view, this would increase significantly Ghanas export revenues and foreign exchange earnings from cocoa.



He stated that this should go beyond grinding of the cocoa beans to tertiary manufacturing for local consumption.



Chocolate and cocoa products from Ghana should be readily accessible anywhere on the globe. As part of the one district, one factory programme, Cocobod and other private sector activists will roll out programmes that create small scale cocoa processing industries across the cocoa growing districts of our country, he underscored.



President Akufo-Addo challenged the countrys youth to take advantage of the opportunities that will be made available.



The export market, nonetheless, should be focused with the processing of the cocoa, he asserted and added that this ought to be done alongside the promotion of the nutritional and health benefits of cocoa consumption.



The celebration attracted top government officials and other international high-profile personalities, including the President of the World Cocoa Foundation, Richard Scobey and representatives of the International Cocoa Organisation.

Source: Daily Guide









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Barring any last-minute hitches, the Accra Circuit Court will today resume hearing of a fraud case involving the National Organizer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Kofi Adams.



Last month, the case was put on a temporary hold when the judge presiding over the case, Harriet Jane Akweley Quaye decided to recuse herself.



Her decision to recuse herself was based on an accusation from lawyer for the accused person, Arnold Asante that she had conferenced with the former prosecutor, who was handling a different case involving the accused person.



While vehemently denying meeting with the former prosecutor of the case, the judge stated that the matter has to be investigated.



However, DAILY GUIDE has gathered that the Chief Justice has directed her to continue hearing the case.



The directive, according to sources, is based on the fact that the CJ does not think the judges reasons for recusing herself are strong enough.



Kofi Adams is in court after he was allegedly defrauded by Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Kamsak Limited Ghana, Arnold Asante to the tune of over GH840,000.



The accused person allegedly received the money from Mr. Adams with the intent of using it to pre-finance a tyre supply contract secured from Goldfields Mining Ghana at Tarkwa.



An Accra Circuit Court ordered the arrest of Arnold Asante on August 31, 2017.

Source: Daily Guide









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has celebrated the hundreds of thousands of cocoa farmers across the country responsible for the production of a crop that has, for over a century, been the mainstay for the economy of our country.



At an event at the Jubilee Park in Kumasi, on Monday, 2nd October, 2017, to mark World Cocoa Day, President Akufo-Addo also congratulated Board of Directors, Management and Staff of COCOBOD for 70 years of its existence.



Acknowledging with gratitude the work of the past generations of cocoa farmers who were responsible for the growth of the cocoa industry, the President noted that in their hundreds and hundreds of thousands, they worked to provide us the income with which we have built our nations infrastructure and its most important educational institutions.



The history of Ghanas cocoa, he said, cannot be complete without mention of the legendary Ghanaian, Tetteh Quarshie, through whose efforts the cocoa industry was established and nurtured.



The President added that the celebration of World Cocoa Day should be a day where Ghanaians recollect also those great patriots who led the agitation, in the Gold Coast, in seeking just and fair rewards for the countrys cocoa farmers, an agitation that resulted, eventually, in the establishment of the Cocoa Marketing Board.



Despite supplying the half of worlds cocoa tonnage by 1935, 60 years after the arrival of Tetteh Quarshie from Fernando Po, President Akufo-Addo noted that, as was the order of those times, cocoa farmers in the Gold Coast did not have any say in the price paid for their products.



When world cocoa prices began to slump, most of the European firms, who purchased cocoa, formed a Pool to agree on the price to be paid for cocoa.



This Pool was viewed with great suspicion by the farmers, and with the co-operation of chiefs, and advice from persons like Dr. Joseph Boakye Danquah and the other nationalists, the farmers decided to boycott the Pool, and refused to sell their cocoa to them, the President recounted.



He continued, Dr. Danquah wrote an account of the boycott in a pamphlet titled The Liberty of the Subject. It was largely the agitation led by Dr Danquah which brought about the appointment of the Nowell Commission in 1937. Indeed, the recommendations of the Nowell Commission eventually led to the establishment of the Cocoa Marketing Board in 1947.



For his efforts, on 13th July, 1946, President Akufo-Addo indicated that the farmers presented Dr Danquah with a Commendatory and Acclamatory Address at Nsawam for showing them the way to prosperity. They referred to him as Akuafo Kanea  The Light of the Farmers  for his role in seeking a better welfare for them.



Seven years after the establishment of the Cocoa Marketing Board, the Hall Council of University College of the Gold Coast, now University of Ghana, decided to name the newly constructed Hall of Residence, Akuafo Hall, in appreciation of the generous gesture of the farmers of the then Gold Coast who, through the Cocoa Marketing Board, contributed considerable sums of money for the establishment of Akuafo Hall as a Hall of Residence.



These farmers also contributed to other structural works for the University College of the Gold Coast in a project which was spearheaded by Dr. Danquah.



This is part of the monumental contribution of cocoa farmers to the development of our country, and I think it appropriate that, on this occasion, we recollect these facts, in order to give credit to those to whom credit is due, President Akufo-Addo said.



President Akufo-Addo, in his admonition to the new Board of Directors and Management of COCOBOD, urged them to put behind them the era of systemic mismanagement, gross financial malfeasance and flagrant misappropriation of funds that allegedly characterised the running of COCOBOD in the recent past.



The Ghanaian people, he added, demand accountability and the judicious use of COCOBOD funds, and I know you will not disappoint them.



President Akufo-Addo was confident that with the reintroduction of the Cocoa Diseases and Pest Control Programme (CODAPEC), otherwise known as mass cocoa spraying exercise, on 7th August, 2017, at Dansokrom in Sefwi Wiawso, together with the provision of subsidised fertilizer to farmers, we will regain our pride of place in the cocoa industry.



President Akufo-Addo revealed further that as part of measures to improve productivity, the Ministry of Finance no longer exercises oversight ministerial responsibility over the cocoa industry, which has been the previous practice.



The Ministry of Food and Agriculture is now responsible for all matters relating to the cocoa industry, a step which aids in the effective formulation of the relevant, coherent policies required for boosting agricultural productivity, including cocoa productivity, he added.

Source: Today









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How much does it cost to establish a radio station? A business man worth billions of Ghana cedis, asked to pay such a hefty fine, will rather fold up his business.



No matter which formula or legal regime that was used to arrive at these figures, it simply does not make sense.



Ever since radio gold, started operations, we at The Herald do not think they have made the amount the station is being asked to pay cumulatively.



The action of the National Communication Authourity is a subtle way of using legal means to break the front of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), so that the only story out there for the consumption of Ghanaians is that of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).



Indeed the 2020 campaign has just started, as the government is bent on suing every means possible to make sure every media house, affiliated to the NDC is forced out the landscape.



Kweku Sekyi Addo, who has built his career in the media and having been given the rare opportunity to chair the Board of NCA, must not be the one championing this crusade, which is an upfront on media freedom.



We agree with the NCA that, any radio station that flouts its regulations must be fined, but asking a firm to pay as much as over 61 million Ghana Cedis, is unthinkable, unpardonable and indefensible. The NCA, could just have gone ahead to revoke or withdraw their licences, because at the end of the day, that is the intention.



The NCA, according to what we have seen is going to bag 1.18 billion Ghana cedis, should all defaulters pay. Has the NCA bothered to check the books of these radio stations, to see if they have the financial capacity to pay the fines?



The NDC, should also get its act together. The party is sleeping, if they allow this cruelty to stand, the NPP, would have won the 2020 elections two years ahead.

Source: The Herald









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An unidentified farmer, on Thursday, shot a forest guard, Mr. Collins Gyamfi, in the Sefwi Awaso Forest Reserve, in the Bibiani-Anhwiaso-Betwai District of the Western Region.



The suspect, who is on the run, shot the guard, to prevent his arrest for illegally farming in the forest reserved.



The suspect, who was among a group of five illegal farmers, is said to have opened fire as the forest guards, who questioned them about their presence in the forest reserved.



Mr. Gyamfi, who sustained gunshot wounds, was rushed by his colleagues to the Bibiani Government hospital, from where he has been referred to the Komfo Anokye Teaching hospital, Kumasi.



Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Olivia Ewurabena Adiku, Western Regional Police Public Relations officer, confirmed the incident to the Ghanaian Times yesterday.



She said; This suspect, who is yet to be identified, fled the scene after allegedly shooting the forest officer. This is a case of attempted murder, and the police are seriously working to arrest him to assist in investigations.



ASP Adiku explained that, at about 2pm on Thursday, the Bibiani District Forestry Manager, Mr. Adams Baafal, reported to the Bibiani Divisional Police command, that at 12pm, there forestry guards, Francis Adu Gyamafi, Mathew Kyem and Collins Gyamfi, 36, went for tree seedlings in the Sefwi Awaso forest, for transplanting.



She indicated that the officers saw five illegal farmers in the forest and questioned them for illegally farming in the forest.



One of the said farmers, ASP Adiku fired a single barrel gun at three guards injuring Gyamfi, but no arrest has been made.





Source: The Ghanaian Times









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The self-acclaimed darling boy of former President John Dramani Mahama, Kwaku Appiah widely known as Appiah Stadium says his viral telephone call recording with the former president was staged at a gunpoint.



He alleged that some military men held his throat and threatened him to say certain things against the NDC while speaking to the former President.



The Kumasi-based NDC serial caller has been in the news over the couple of weeks for raining abusive words on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo  he tagged the president as a drug addict and likening him to an ape.



He was later invited by the Bureau of National Investigations [BNI] for interrogation but the president in a statement noted that he was not interested in the case  hence, Appiah Stadium was freed.



The controversial serial caller after his release was captured in a video speaking on phone with a person believed to be former President John Mahama.



In the video which went viral on social media, Appiah Stadium pleaded with the former President to intervene on his behalf as some appointees of the erstwhile NDC government wanted him imprisoned by the current government.



But, in his newest video circulating on social media, the staunch NDC support has alleged that he was threatened by soldiers to say bad things against his party (NDC).



During my conversation with former President Mahama, I was surrounded by soldiers who were strangling me. Anyone in my shoes would have said worse things, he explained.



He said the video was deliberately leaked to disgrace and to also cover up the impasse between Kwame A Plus and the two Deputy Chiefs of Staff, Francis Asenso-Boakye and Samuel Abu Jinapor.



The NPP deliberately leaked the video to taunt the NDC and cover up the corruption allegations leveled against some appointees at the Presidency by A Plus. That video is useless and anyone who has it should throw it away, he stressed.

Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/Peacefmonline.com/ Twitter: @Washman5/ Instagram: Ambrose_wash









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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CHARLES CITY | A Charles City man is accused of fondling a 13-year-old girl in Floyd County.

Jason Carlton Wilson, 33, was arrested Sept. 27 and charged with felony lascivious acts with a child and misdemeanor indecent contact with a child.

According to court documents, Wilson allegedly grabbed a 13-year-old females buttocks and kissed her neck on three separate occasions between April and August 2017 at his residence in Floyd County. He is also accused of rubbing the childs inner thigh.

The defendant admitted this was in a sexual manner and admitted it was wrong and he should not have done it, court documents say.

Wilsons arraignment is scheduled for Oct. 31 in Floyd County District Court.

He is being held on a $7,000 bond in the Floyd County Jail.

 Courtney Fiorini
MASON CITY | A Mason City man was sentenced to prison Monday for fondling a 10-year-old child.

Christopher Alan Hull, 37, entered a guilty plea in Cerro Gordo County District Court to felony lascivious acts with a child, permit/cause child to fondle.

Mason City man pleads guilty to fondling child MASON CITY | A Mason City man on Thursday submitted a written guilty plea to fondling a 10-y

Hull touched a 10-year-old child's genitals and placed the child's hand on his own genitals in Mason City in 2015, according to the criminal complaint filed April 19.

He was sentenced to a prison term not to exceed 10 years and a $1,000 fine. According to court documents, Hull will complete sex offender treatment while in prison.

Hull was arrested May 6.

 Courtney Fiorini
Hens are shown in a backyard in Ann Arbor, Mich. on Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2015. Residents in some Toronto neighbourhoods will be allowed to keep chickens in their backyards under a pilot project approved today by city council. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP/The Ann Arbor News, Ryan Stanton LOCAL TELEVISION OUT; LOCAL INTERNET OUT
FILE - In this Feb. 26, 2017 file photo, host Jimmy Kimmel appears at the Oscars in Los Angeles. Late-night comics decried the Las Vegas mass shooting as a confoundingly repetitive American tragedy, with Jimmy Kimmel and Trevor Noah lashing out at politicians who oppose gun control. They spoke out on Monday, Oct. 2, the day after the worst shooting in modern U.S. history. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP, File)
FILE - In this Sept. 25, 2017, file photo, Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., speaks on Capitol Hill in Washington. Wyden wants to know how well prepared the countryAos top voting machine manufacturers are against hackers. In letters shared with The Associated Press, Wyden asks the CEOs of six election technology firms to answer a range of questions detailing how they protect sensitive voter data and test their own internal security systems.(AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, file)
NORTHWOOD | A St. Paul woman arrested at Diamond Jo Casino was charged with a felony after hiding two vials of drugs in her "vaginal area," officials say.

A Worth County Sheriffs deputy was dispatched to Diamond Jo for a medical call Saturday evening, in which a male was transported and Amber Rose Rogalla was arrested.

Rogalla, 33, had a felony warrant out of Minnesota, according to court documents. She was transported to the Worth County Jail.

After arriving at the jail Rogalla was searched, and she removed two vials from her vaginal area, court documents said.

Rogalla told law enforcement one vial that contained a clear liquid was GHB, a controlled substance, according to court documents, and the second vial contained methamphetamine residue. The vial, which contained a crystal-like substance, field tested positive for meth, court documents said.

Law enforcement also said they discovered a blue case in Rogalla's purse which contained a small glass vial with meth, as well as a Finding Dory tin containing a device used to smoke marijuana, a multicolored glass pipe for smoking marijuana and a green, leafy substance that field tested positive for marijuana, according to court documents.

Rogalla was charged with felony possession of contraband in a correctional institution, as well as a number of misdemeanors: possession of drug paraphernalia, controlled substance violation  GHB, possession of a controlled substance  meth and possession of a controlled substance  marijuana

She is held in the Worth County Jail on a $25,000 bond.

Rogella has submitted a written plea of not guilty. A trial has been set for March 1 in Worth County District Court for the possession of drug paraphernalia charge.

A preliminary hearing is Oct. 10 for the other four charges.
Investigators work at a festival grounds across the street from the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino on Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2017, in Las Vegas. Authorities said Stephen Craig Paddock broke windows on the casino and began firing with a cache of weapons, killing dozens and injuring hundreds at the music festival on Sunday. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Trump visit Puerto Rico on Tuesday, 95 percent lack power



Opportunites for systems using solar, batteries are present.



By Robin Respaut and Gabriel Stargardter

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico

Petroleumworld 10 03 2017

President Donald Trump is set to make his first visit to Puerto Rico on Tuesday, two weeks after Hurricane Maria devastated the U.S. territory, and is likely to face more criticism of his handling of the disaster as the vast majority of inhabitants lack power and phone service and are scrambling for food, clean water and fuel.

San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz led the attack on the administration's response on Friday, criticizing an official's description of relief efforts as a good news story and urging Trump to act more decisively. Trump fired back at Cruz on Twitter, accusing her of poor leadership.

It is not clear if the two will meet during Trump's visit.

She (Cruz) has been invited to participate in the events tomorrow, and we hope those conversations will happen and that we can all work together to move forward, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders told reporters on Monday.

Trump will spend significant time on the island. He is due in Las Vegas on Wednesday to meet with people affected by Sunday's mass shooting.

For 72-year-old Angel Negroni of Juana Matos, the situation has begun to improve as flood waters receded from his neighborhood, located 20 minutes from San Juan.

Locals could occasionally get spotty cellular service, an improvement from the communication vacuum of days earlier. And he can trade his neighborhood's restored municipal water for ice made by a friend's generator-powered freezer.

It's better now, said Negroni, while standing on his covered porch on Monday, cooking fish on a propane-powered camping stove. We're OK.

At least 5.4 percent of customers in Puerto Rico had their power restored by mid-morning on Monday, according to the U.S. Energy Department, with San Juan's airport and marine terminal and several hospitals back on the power grid. It said the head of Puerto Rico's power utility expects 15 percent of electricity customers to have power restored within the next two weeks.

Mobile phone service is still elusive. The U.S. Federal Communications Commission said on Monday 88.3 percent of cellphone sites - which transmit signals to create a cellular network - were out of service, virtually unchanged from 88.8 percent on Sunday.

FEMA Administrator Brock Long on a trip to the island on Monday said things were improving with traffic moving and businesses reopening.

I didn't see anybody in a life-threatening situation at all, he told reporters. We have a long way to go in recovery, adding that rebuilding Puerto Rico is going to be a Herculean effort.

GAS FLOWING

Nearly two weeks after the fiercest hurricane to hit the island in 90 years, everyday life was still severely curtailed by the destruction. The ramping up of fuel supplies should allow more Puerto Ricans to operate generators and travel more freely.

We've been increasing the number of gas stations that are open, Governor Ricardo Rossello said at a news briefing, with more than 720 of the island's 1,100 gas stations now up and running.

Puerto Rico relies on fuel supplies shipped from the mainland United States and distribution has been disrupted by the bad state of roads.

Within the next couple of days, Rossello expects 500,000 barrels of diesel and close to 1 million barrels of gasoline to arrive on the island. All of Puerto Rico's primary ports have reopened but many still have restrictions, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

At least four tankers carrying fuel are waiting to unload with two more on the way, according to Thomson Reuters shipping data.

The flow is coming, gasoline is getting here, Rossello said. We have been able to reduce the time that it takes to get gasoline and diesel at different stations.

Federal and local authorities were working together to keep 50 hospitals operational and Rossello said the U.S. Navy hospital ship Comfort would arrive in Puerto Rico between Tuesday and Wednesday.

RUNNING OUT OF CASH

As it tries to get back on its feet, Puerto Rico is in danger of running out of cash in a matter of weeks because the economy has come to a halt in the hurricane's aftermath, Rossello told the local El Nuevo Dia newspaper in an interview published on Monday.

After filing for the largest U.S. local government bankruptcy on record in May, Puerto Rico owes about $72 billion to creditors and another $45 billion or so in pension benefits to retired workers.

What little cash it has is now being diverted to emergency response while it works to secure aid from the federal government. The grinding halt to the economy will delay a fiscal recovery plan and negotiations with creditors.

There is no cash on hand. We have made a huge effort to get $2 billion in cash, Rossello said in the interview. But let me tell you what $2 billion means when you have zero collection: it's basically a month government's payroll, a little bit more.

Trump's administration is preparing to ask Congress for $13 billion in aid for Puerto Rico and other areas hit by natural disasters, congressional sources said. The island's recovery will likely cost more than $30 billion.







Story by Robin Respaut, Gabriel Stargardter; Additional reporting by Nicholas Brown and Carlos Barria in SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico; Doina Chiacu, Roberta Rampton, Tim Ahmann and Makini Brice in WASHINGTON; Marianna Parraga in HOUSTON; Rodrigo Campos and Herb Lash in NEW YORK and Esha Vaish in BENGALURU; Writing by Bill Rigby and Lisa Shumaker; Editing by Bill Trott and Mary Milliken from Reuters.



reuters. com / 10 02 2017
As he stood before a crowd of cheering fans in a Maryland gym, Tim Krieger knew his glory days as one of Americas top amateur wrestlers were nearing the end.

It was 1987, and Krieger had just completed an undefeated season and won the first of his two national titles. With sweat dripping off his Iowa State wrestling singlet, he wondered if anything could top this.

When I won, I thought, What is it going to be like when I cant feel like this anymore?  Krieger later told reporters.

Krieger delayed that painful moment for more than two decades, as he found new foes to conquer in the high-stakes world of commodities trading. In some years he made as much money as top executives at Minnesotas biggest companies by wagering in the arcane world of electricity futures.

But he could not stay on top forever. Kriegers latest Minneapolis-based company, Aspirity Energy, filed for bankruptcy on June 30. In court, he said he faces financial ruin.

Now Krieger is in the middle of a legal fight over what went wrong. Former employees are angry that he received at least $18 million from his failing business before firing his workers and closing the doors. Todd McRae, a former risk analyst for Kriegers company, has complained to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, alleging that his former boss committed fraud when he shifted millions of dollars in assets out of the business, leaving it incapable of meeting its obligations.

Krieger graduated from Mason City High School in 1984, and was inducted into the school's Athletic Hall of Fame in 2015. The Globe Gazette named him its Athlete of the Century in 2000, based on his remarkable prep and collegiate wrestling career.

Read the rest of this story at startribune.com or Wednesday's print or e-edition of the Globe Gazette.
In general, men are twice as likely to cheat on a spouse than women are. That frequency increases over the lifespan, peaking among the elderly. Among men 18 to 29 who have ever been married, about 1 in 10 is
Elisha Sharpe walks by photos of the victims of gun violence placed on the Art Museum steps on June 15 Read more

In his short speech about the Las Vegas attack, President Trump said:

"Our unity cannot be shattered by evil, our bonds cannot be broken by violence."

It's a nice-enough sentiment. But it's not true.

Our unity is shattered, and our bonds are broken by violence in this country every single day.

That's in the daily, mostly ignored, violence in cities across the country. (In Philadelphia alone, there's one shooting every six hours. So far this year, 231 people have been killed in the city.)

That's in the horrific mass shootings that have long become our new normal. (There's a mass shooting almost every day in the United States. So far this year, there have been 273 mass shootings. )

This chaos has become so normal that our hash-tagged thoughts and prayers are on auto-pilot. So are our empty commitments of reform.

BuzzFeed reporter Lindsey Adler tweeted about the depressing reality that the breaking-news team had to develop "a replicable plan for mass shootings." It's something all newsrooms plan for, because we know they will happen again.

This mass shooting  modern history's deadliest mass killing by gun by an American on American soil  has quickly captured our depleting sense of shock. But there will be another one.

There is always another one.

In one of many sobering tweets posted Monday, one by CNBC reporter Carl Quintanilla stuck out. He said that since 9/11 there have been 22 moments of silence at the New York Stock Exchange. Eight have been for shootings, he wrote, and all of them have been in the last six years.

This time, a gunman took aim from the 32nd floor of a Las Vegas hotel-casino and fired a hail of bullets onto people enjoying an outdoor country-music festival below. At least 59 people died, and more than 500 were injured.

We still don't know why, and even when some reason is given, it will be of little solace.

It bears noting, especially during National Domestic Violence Month, that most mass shootings in the United States are related to domestic violence, and that before Monday's shooting, the two deadliest shootings this year involved men targeting their wives.

But the reason for this particular massacre is almost beside the point. What really matters is what's at the center of this tragedy, what's always at the center of these horrific tragedies  guns.

As Trump said, this was an act of pure evil. It was also an act of opportunity  another opportunity for an American to attack fellow Americans with a gun.

Read more about the Las Vegas shooting:

America sends its 'warmest condolences' because we refuse to speak the truth on guns | Bunch

A mass shooting that strikes at the heart of American pop culture

Philadelphians caught in terror in Las Vegas
Flowers and candles left at a memorial site on Las Vegas Blvd., on Tuesday, A gunman opened fire on an outdoor concert Sunday, killing at least 59 people and injuring hundreds. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson) Read more

Our mass shootings follow a script.

It starts with a madman, of which, sadly, we seem to have no shortage, armed with legally (or illegally) acquired firepower.

This person opens up on innocents at school, church, a movie theater, a nightclub or a concert, causing carnage and shattering families, cutting another hole in the national psyche.

We recoil in horror. We think, oh, not again. We maybe wonder what's wrong with our country.

Then, from our leaders, there's a litany of thoughts and prayers, the lowering of flags, the moments of silence.

Then we get ritualistic responses from politicians, varying according to their ideology, constituency, or their place in the election cycle.

Usually, not always, Republicans stress prayer, Democrats stress action.

So it is with Vegas.

Republican U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta, a candidate to oppose Democratic Sen. Bob Casey next year: "My thoughts and prayers are with the victims and families of those affected by the horrific shooting in Las Vegas."

Casey: "While we pray for the victims of this horrific attack and their families, it's not sufficient to just offer thoughts and prayers. The nation's security continues to be at risk because Congress refuses to take real, meaningful action to curb gun violence."

Politics never takes a day off.

There's also those submerged in the religious right who tend to blame bad things  hurricanes, floods, mass shootings  on us: for legalized gay marriage or legal abortion or any other real or imagined offense against a deity presumably seen as more vengeful than forgiving.

TV evangelist Pat Robertson, for instance, blames mass murder in Vegas on disrespect for President Trump, protests during the national anthem, and the country's lack of a "vision of God."

(Robertson, in 1988, was a GOP primary candidate for president.)

What, if anything, to do about mass shootings, then takes up lots of media air and space.

Calls come for, among other things, stricter gun laws, tighter control over high-capacity ammo magazines, and money to research gun violence as an issue of public health.

This, of course, won't happen. If it didn't happen after the 2012 shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut that killed 20 children and six adults, it won't happen now.

But it will unleash the unofficial spokesmen for a country of 300 million-plus people and 300 million-plus guns to argue nothing can prevent tragedies such as the one in Vegas or at Sandy Hook, laws don't stop illegal actions; in essence, if you outlaw guns only outlaws have guns.

This ignores data showing states with strict gun laws, such as New Jersey and Massachusetts, have lower rates of gun-related deaths than gun-friendly states such as Pennsylvania.

But those data are from the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, which last year partnered with former Democratic U.S. Rep. Gabby Giffords, a victim of gun violence, so it'll be viewed as skewed data, "fake news."

Now, because of Vegas, calls for gun control are temporarily louder. And congressional efforts to further appeal to gun enthusiasts, including legislation making it easier to buy gun silencers, are quieting down.

But that won't last. We're headed into a congressional and legislative reelection year. Expect a quick return to normalcy. Expect those seeking any change to be labeled "snowflakes" on what the Wall Street Journal's Daniel Henninger once called "the mosquito cloud of social media."

Expect, in Pennsylvania, a continued push to expand gun rights, to deter and punish cities, such as Philadelphia, trying to deal with guns on their own.

Expect the usual campaign mantra: The Second Amendment must be protected because any effort to reduce gun violence is an effort to take it away.

And, mostly, expect our politicians to act out their post-mass-shooting parts, playing to their separate gerrymandered constituencies. For to do otherwise, to act in the interest and safety of all Americans rather than only those who vote for them requires courage and common sense; and that's not in the script.
Every year in Philadelphia, about 30 babies die unnecessarily, often lying right next to parents who love them deeply. This is a repeating tragedy that we can end, and with a new campaign launched last week, the Philadelphia Department of Public Health hopes to do just that.

Babies are vulnerable when they sleep. Their brains are not mature enough to ring alarm bells when their airways are partially blocked  by a pillow, a blanket, or even a parent  and they can't readily move their heads to get more air. In these situations the falling levels of oxygen and rising levels of carbon dioxide in their blood can cause babies to stop breathing entirely, leading to what is called a "sleep-related death."

In years past, babies who were put to sleep on their stomachs were the primary victims of sleep-related deaths. After "Back to Sleep" campaigns launched in 1994 urged parents to put babies to bed on their backs, the rates of sleep-related deaths fell byhalf in the U.S.

Still, too many infants are dying needlessly. There is one major contributor found in almost 70 percent of sleep-related infant deaths in Philadelphia today: when a baby is placed to sleep on a bed or a couch rather than in a crib or a "pack 'n play." A bed or couch may be a comfortable place for an adult to sleep, but babies can easily become smothered when they are put to sleep on furniture for adults.

For years, we have listened to Philadelphia families share their sleeping habits. We found that parents often feel safer and calmer when their babies are close. To many parents, sleeping with their baby on a bed or couch feels protective. Based on that observation, we created our campaign message: Same Room, Different Beds, Better Rest for All. This acknowledges common parental feelings while simultaneously sharing potentially life-saving advice.

Many families whose infants die of sleep-related deaths own cribs and use them  but not consistently, leading to a tragedy during the occasional nap on the couch. With this in mind, our campaign stresses the importance of "Every Step, Every Time":

Step 1: Your baby always sleeps in a Pack 'n Play or crib.

Step 2: That Pack 'n Play or crib is just for the baby. NO pillows, bumper, blankets or toys.

Step 3: Lay your baby on his or her back.

The campaign images, showing Philadelphia parents keeping their infants close without sharing a bed or couch, will appear on bus shelters, subway platforms and billboards. The message will also be distributed over Facebook, Pandora and local radio stations. The health department is also asking hospitals, doctors, childcare providers, and others to distribute this message to parents of newborns or those who are expecting. Families can learn more about safe sleep and request a pack 'n play by visiting the campaign's website at SafeSleepPhilly.org.

Many health problems can only be cured or prevented with expensive medical care. Saving infants from sleep-related deaths is not one of them. It requires nothing more than a pack 'n play or crib that is used consistently at nap time and bedtime. If everyone in touch with new parents delivers the "Same Room, Different Beds" message, each year 30 more babies in Philadelphia can reach their first birthdays.

Thomas Farley, MD, MPH, is the commissioner of the Philadelphia Department of Public Health.
Compared to heroin, a much smaller amount of fentanyl can prove fatal. Read more

Authorities in Montgomery County announced Tuesday the seizure of enough deadly fentanyl that they said could have killed half of the county's 800,000 residents. The controlled buy at a Cheltenham shopping center in July was one of the largest fentanyl seizures in area history.

Police seized nearly a kilogram (about two pounds) of the potent painkiller. Three people  two from Philadelphia and one from New York  were arrested on drug-trafficking charges as a result of the joint investigation.

"We pulled together to bring down these defendants," said District Attorney Kevin R. Steele, "who were peddling some of the worst kinds of poison."

Less than a week ago, the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy named Montgomery County a High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area. The designation means more money, law enforcement resources, and training aimed at nabbing big-time drug dealers and stemming drug-related crime, said Jeffrey Daley, executive director of the Philadelphia-Camden High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area.

Daley said he could not put an estimate on the amount of federal money Montgomery County could receive or when those funds might be available. The designation comes after six months of discussion, petitioning, and congressional review.

Montgomery County joins Delaware, Chester, Philadelphia, and Camden Counties, which have for years been considered High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas because of higher-than-average drug trafficking and related crime.

While the large-scale fentanyl bust was not related to this designation, Steele said the case was a prime example of why Montgomery County needs more help fighting the opioid epidemic.

The investigation began July 11, when undercover officers arranged for a controlled buy of nearly 15 grams of heroin. For $1,000, authorities bought the drug from Christina Mota Soto, 29, of Philadelphia, authorities said.

Tests showed the substance was fentanyl, a pain medication often found in anesthesia that can be up to 50 times more powerful than heroin.

So another buy was arranged, this time for a kilogram of fentanyl. The price: $64,000.

On July 24, in the parking lot of a Home Depot in the Cheltenham Shopping Mall, Mota Soto handed over the fentanyl and was placed under arrest, according to authorities.

The investigation continued.

"We're looking at where the drugs are coming in, the borders they're crossing, the source cities," Steele said.

Based on messaging evidence found on Mota Soto's phone, Lincoln Payano Del Orbe Jr., 25, of Philadelphia, and Wilbert Taveras Payano, 33, of Bronx, N.Y., were linked to the case and subsequently charged.

Mota Soto's lawyer could not be reached for comment Tuesday afternoon and court documents for Taveras Payano did not list an attorney.

But R. Emmett Madden, who represents Payano Del Orbe Jr., said the evidence against his client is based solely on messages allegedly sent and received using a WhatsApp account connected to his phone number. WhatsApp is a phone and desktop application in which accounts are linked to a phone number but can be logged into from any device, not just the device connected to that number.

Authorities "never saw my client talking to anyone," Madden said. "No one ever saw him do a darn thing."

All three defendants were being held at Montgomery County Prison on Tuesday, with bail set at $1 million for each.

Even a few grains of fentanyl can be fatal. In Montgomery County, authorities have stopped field-testing heroin, Steele said, after two police officers went into respiratory arrest when a puff of what they thought was heroin went airborne. The substance was actually fentanyl.

"This is deadly stuff," Steele said. "It is a scourge that we want to rid this county of."

As opioid overdose has become a nationally recognized crisis, many lawmakers have focused in on the dangers of fentanyl, which users have been known to lace into heroin, or take separately.

Between 2015 and 2016, deaths by fentanyl and similar synthetic opioids nearly doubled nationally, accounting for more than 20,000 overdose deaths last year, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In Pennsylvania, fentanyl was identified in about 52 percent of the more than 4,600 people who died from overdose in 2016, according to a joint report by Philadelphia's Drug Enforcement Agency and the University of Pittsburgh. In Philadelphia, almost half of the 2016 overdose deaths involved fentanyl.

And the problem has shown no signs of slowing down this year. Just last week, four men were indicted in New Jersey after a June bust uncovered nearly 100 pounds of fentanyl in North Bergen and Willingboro. Authorities there said it was the most fentanyl ever seized in the state.

In 2016, Montgomery County saw 249 overdose deaths, 108 of which involved fentanyl, according to the District Attorney's Office. So far this year, the county is on pace to log a similar number of fatal overdoses, but fentanyl has been involved in more than 50 percent of those deaths.

"This is more [fatalities] than traffic. This is more than guns," Steele said. "This is the mechanism of death."
A 33-year-old Camden woman has been charged with fatally beating her boyfriend with two frying pans, the Camden County Prosecutor's Office announced Tuesday. The beating happened about a month ago inside a food market in Woodlynne. The boyfriend died last week.

Maleia Cole was being held Tuesday in the death of Jason Lewis, 35, also of Camden.

Officials said on Sept. 2 law enforcement authorities responded to an emergency call about an aggravated assault of a man inside Pantry One, a food market on Mount Ephraim Avenue in Woodlynne.

When the officers arrived, Lewis was conscious but had serious head injuries, including cuts to his face, officials said in a statement.

Lewis told the officers that Cole had followed him across the street and into the store, all the while beating him repeatedly with the frying pans. Afterward, she left in the direction of her home on Mount Ephraim Avenue, he said.

He was hospitalized with pain and dizziness, and received emergency surgery, but died Sept. 26 of the injuries sustained in the attack. Cole was charged Sept. 30 with one count of first-degree murder.

Cole was apprehended by authorities with the U.S. Marshal's Office on Monday in Camden. She was remanded to the Camden County Correctional Facility.
Wade Millward, who grew up in Bucks County, reported on the country music festival massacre for the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Read more

Wade Millward had just returned to Las Vegas late Sunday night, home after a trip to a work convention. He unpacked and lay down in bed. Then he got the text message:

"Report of two active shooters at Mandalay Bay. Who's available to help?"

Millward, a graduate of New Hope-Solebury High School who grew up in Bucks County, moved to Las Vegas in December. He's a business reporter for the Las Vegas Review-Journal and lives close to the Strip. So he texted his editor back: "I'm awake if I can do anything."

The roads were blocked off by the time Millward got near the area where Stephen Paddock had opened fire on a country-music festival less than two hours earlier. The reports weren't confirmed (it turned out there was only one active shooter); Millward did not yet know there had been a mass shooting. But when he stopped in a parking lot and people began streaming in from the direction of the festival, wearing purple general-admission bands and cowboy boots, looking dirty and talking about stepping over bodies amid "an endless spray of gunfire," he started to figure it out.

"Just talking to the people made me realize it's not going to be good," Millward, 25, said by phone Tuesday. "People kept talking about stepping over bodies, dragging their friends out, thinking it was fireworks and then realizing it wasn't when Jason [Aldean] left the stage."

Millward wasn't sure where the shooter was or even exactly where the concert had been. He just kept interviewing.

"I guess you just go into work mode, where I'm like, 'OK, I need to talk to as many people as possible and get all this stuff and send it in.' "

He worked from 11:30 p.m. Sunday to 5 p.m. Monday.

At the hospital where he went next, he saw people who had lost their clothing and shoes, a large group of people smoking cigarettes outside the hospital. The crowd waiting for friends and family spilled out the doors. Nobody knew yet that this had been the deadliest shooting in modern U.S. history. They just wanted to know whether their loved ones would be OK.

One girl was waiting for information about her friend who had been shot in the back. She changed her blood-soaked shirt for a hospital frock.

"That was a pretty tough thing to see," Millward said. "[Then] I step outside and see some discarded bloody clothing.  There was this bloody plaid shirt next to this parking garage. It's a lot of thoughts all at once. It's like, 'Wow, this is not going to be good.' And also wondering, 'OK, where should I go next, where does my editor want me?' "

He was told he could go home, but he lives next door to police headquarters, and as he arrived, a news conference was starting. Police gave Paddock's name and address. Millward called his editor and volunteered to go to the man's home in Mesquite, about an hour away.

First, he went to his apartment to check on his cat. He gathered some things to throw in the car. A videographer colleague drove and Millward slept.

In Mesquite, Millward and his colleague tried to find people who had known Paddock. They scrambled up a mountain through cacti and dirt to get a better shot of his home. They went to the local Taco Bell after hearing Paddock's brother had told the media that the man liked the restaurant. They tried the local gun store twice.

He kept wondering what made Paddock do it. He was thinking about Orlando and the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting, which he had followed closely, having spent his early childhood in South Florida. He was expecting the death toll to rise.

"All these people's lives are changed forever because this one guy took this action. And then you think about, all these people have so many friends and family. It's just such an affecting thing."

Millward finally got some sleep Monday night, after drinks with coworkers. On Tuesday, he exchanged texts with people he interviewed, many of whom were waiting for family members to come out of surgery but "being very positive," he said. Vegas feels like a small town to its permanent residents, he said, and seeing community members try to help has been encouraging.

As a business reporter, Millward wonders how this will affect the city  and its lifeblood of tourism  in the long term, how deep the wounds will be.

"It's a heavy thought. It makes you think: 'What kind of world is this? How could someone do this?' " he said. "But then, you know, journalists have that sense of duty. Today I'm like, I'm ready to go."
Opening arguments in the trial of Mohammed Jabateh, a Delaware County man accused of lying about his past as a warlord in the Liberian civil wars, are set to begin Tuesday. In this 1992 file photo, a young soldier from the ULIMO militia  a faction Jabateh fought for in the 90s  listens to his commanding officer during a briefing of troops. (Hassan Amini / AP Photo) Read more

A jury of eight women and four men was selected Monday to decide the fate of a Delaware County man who federal prosecutors say committed horrific atrocities in Liberia's civil wars and later lied about them while seeking asylum in the United States.

Lawyers in the case of Mohammed Jabateh, 51, of East Lansdowne, are expected to deliver their opening arguments to the panel Tuesday.

Prosecutors have flown in more than 16 witnesses from Liberia who are expected to testify about a series of brutal rapes, murders, and acts of cannibalism Jabateh allegedly committed while fighting in the early '90s under the nom de guerre "Jungle Jabbah."

Jabateh has denied those allegations and pleaded not guilty to charges of lying to immigration authorities.

He could face up to 20 years in a U.S. prison if convicted. Immigration authorities have signaled they hope to deport him regardless of the trial's outcome.
MASON CITY | A real estate transfer involving KIMT's studio in Mason City is one of the latest developments involving the TV station's sale from NexStar Broadcasting Group, Inc. to Heartland Media LLC in June 2016, according to the station's general manager.

Lin Television Corp. sold two lots of its Mason City property to Rochester TV LLC for $614,659 and $672,659, respectively, according to Cerro Gordo County property records filed late last week.

KIMT General Manager Steve Martinson said the deal is one of the many transactions in the $115 million multimedia deal completed last June, which involved four other TV stations in the Midwest.

"This is a huge deal," he said of the entire process. "I can't even imagine how many attorneys and legalese it takes to put this together."

KIMT sold in multi-million-dollar deal MASON CITY  KIMT-TV, the CBS television station in Mason City, has been sold in a multi-med

He added the Rochester name is used because it is the "net market" for KIMT, which he said is typical for deals like this one.

Some local KIMT viewers have been complaining on social media about how the station is drifting toward covering more southern Minnesota news. Martinson said no cuts have been made at the Mason City studio, and that KIMT has had offices in Rochester since 1988.

Martinson added, however, that KIMT has been expanding its Rochester studio during the past nine to 12 months  but doesn't believe it will lessen important news coverage of North Iowa.

"No one is going to wait until the 6 o'clock newscast," he said of local news coverage. "Everything's happening instantaneously ... no matter where in our coverage area it happens, we gotta get there fast."
LAS VEGAS  Investigators trying to determine what sparked the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history have found the massacre to be the work of a sophisticated planner with the means and desire to inflict unprecedented carnage.

But on the second full day after Stephen Paddock smashed out the windows of a high-floor suite on the Las Vegas Strip and opened fire on a crowd of unsuspecting concertgoers, authorities still were trying to understand what drove him to such evil.

Several new details emerged Tuesday about Paddock  a 64-year-old retired accountant  and how he worked methodically to thwart law enforcement as he killed scores of people and injured hundreds more.

As he fired round after round during an 11-minute stretch from a suite on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, Paddock used video cameras to keep an eye out for police storming his hotel room, according to Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo.

Paddock hid one camera in the peephole of his suite and two more in the hall, at least one of them disguised on a service cart, authorities said. At one point, he shot numerous rounds through the door, wounding a security guard. Paddock eventually put a gun in his own mouth and pulled the trigger as SWAT officers closed in. They found him with blood pooling behind his head and around the empty shell casings that littered the carpet, a handgun near his body.

"It was preplanned, extensively, and I'm pretty sure that he evaluated everything that he did in his actions, which is troublesome," Lombardo said.

The sheriff said investigators were "making progress" on determining a motive, but complete answers remained elusive. There were precious few clues in Paddock's background.

Neighbors in several states where Paddock owned homes in retirement communities describe him as surly, unfriendly and standoffish. Paddock was the son of a bank robber who was once on the FBI's most-wanted list and who authorities described at the time as a "psychopath," but Paddock's brother said their father was not involved in their lives when they were children.

Relatives say the roots of Paddock's loner lifestyle might have been planted on July 28, 1960. On that day, when Paddock was 7, a neighbor from across the street took him swimming. The neighbor told a local newspaper at the time that she knew authorities were coming for his father, and she wanted to spare the young boy from the trauma of seeing his father taken away. From that point on, Paddock's family was never the same.

Until carrying out the massacre Sunday night, Paddock had no criminal history himself. Despite repeated claims by the Islamic State to the contrary, he also had no ties to international terror groups, authorities said. He had done some government work during his career, as a letter carrier for the Postal Service, an agent for the Internal Revenue Service and an auditor for the federal government's Defense Contract Audit Agency in the late 1970s and 1980s. He was divorced twice and recently had been dating a woman from the Philippines who has Australian citizenship. He was known to gamble routinely and extensively.

Some public officials seemed to suggest Paddock's mind was troubled, though there were no immediate indications that he had been diagnosed with a mental illness or was anything other than fully aware of what he was doing.

"A normal person would not cause this type of harm to innocent people," Rep. Ruben Kihuen (D., Nev.) said. "Clearly, there was something wrong with this man.

People close to the investigation also said that in the weeks before the attack, Paddock transferred a large amount of money  close to $100,000  to someone in the Philippines, possibly his girlfriend. The significance of that development was not immediately clear, though investigators said they were interested in probing Paddock's finances and his avid interest in high-stakes gambling.

Stephen Paddock's girlfriend Marilou Danley, 62, who was in the Philippines at the time of the shooting, returned to the United States and was met by FBI agents at the airport in Los Angeles late Tuesday night, according to a law enforcement official.

Sen. Dean Heller (R., Nev.), said that police are eager to talk to her, as Paddock "doesn't meet any profiles" and the "best lead is through this girlfriend."

"They don't know a lot about who the girlfriend is and why she left the country a week prior to the shooting," said Sen Dean Heller, who has been briefed by authorities. "She is someone they need to have this discussion with to better understand the shooting and what his thought process was."

At his home in Orlando, Eric Paddock, Stephen Paddock's brother, said he doubts Danley had any prior knowledge of the incident and speculated that Stephen might have been trying to quietly ensure her financial stability. Stephen Paddock loved and doted on his girlfriend, whom he had met when she was a hostess at a casino, Eric Paddock said. The couple often gambled side by side.

"He manipulated her to be as far away from here and safe when he committed this," Eric Paddock said. "The people he loved he took care of, and as he was descending into hell he took care of her."

The shooting  which left 59 people dead and injured more than 500 others  reignited the debate on Capitol Hill and across the country about whether lawmakers should impose new restrictions on firearms. Clark County Coroner John Fudenberg on Tuesday evening clarified that Paddock was among the 59 slain in the incident; previously, authorities had said he wasn't.

Undersheriff Kevin McMahill, speaking after Fudenberg, warned that the number of dead and injured could fluctuate as the investigation progresses.

"The answer that the coroner provided you is the most recent, relevant number that we have," McMahill said.

Several Democrats used the massacre to push for new restrictions, and House Speaker Paul Ryan (R., Wis.) asserted Tuesday that Republican leaders have no plans to advance a bill, which passed a House committee last month, that would make it easier to buy gun silencers.

Leaving the White House to visit hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico on Tuesday morning, President Trump said that "we'll be talking about gun laws as time goes by."

Paddock brought 23 guns to his Mandalay Bay suite, which overlooked the concert grounds on the southern end of the Strip. Included in that cache was an AR-15-type rifle with a high-capacity magazine and 12 "bump stocks," a modification that would allow a gun to fire as if it were an automatic weapon. He also brought another AR-15-type rifle with a magnification scope commonly used for hunting and a bipod stand to help steady it, according to law enforcement officials and experts who reviewed images of the weapons posted online.

Read more: Did the Las Vegas shooter use an automatic weapon?

"For this individual to take it upon himself to create this chaos and harm is unspeakable," Lombardo said.

The guns appeared to be but a piece of the arsenal Paddock had acquired during a period of years, at least some of it legally obtained from major retailers such as Cabela's, national retailer of guns and outdoor gear, and Guns & Guitars, a store in Mesquite, Nev., according to people familiar with the case. ATF Special Agent in Charge Jill Snyder said Tuesday Paddock had purchased shotguns, handguns and rifles in Nevada, Utah, California and Texas.

At Paddock's home in Mesquite, Nevada, investigators recovered 19 more guns and an explosive, and in his car, they found ammonium nitrate, a chemical that can be used in bomb making. At another property in Reno, Nevada, investigators recovered five more handguns, two shotguns and a "plethora" of ammunition, Lombardo said Tuesday.

Paddock probably secreted the weapons to his Mandalay Bay suite using more than 10 suitcases he brought with him. Lombardo said hotel housekeeping had been there since Paddock checked in on Sept. 28 and spotted nothing nefarious.

Lombardo said investigators had scoured Paddock's suite, his car and the homes in Nevada, and they were examining surveillance and body camera video evidence and other electronic items they had seized in their searches. Separately, Lombardo said the department had opened an investigation into the unauthorized release of images that show the crime scene. Another sheriff's official confirmed the authenticity of those images.

Police also continued documenting the crime scene and performing the grim task of identifying those slain, some of whom died blocks away from the concert as they tried to flee or seek help. As of late Tuesday afternoon, authorities had tentatively identified all of the victims.

Since the shooting, horrific stories have emerged of lives cut short, some taking bullets as they sought to protect their loved ones. Bobby and Jenny Parks, a married couple from California who had been high school sweethearts, were swaying to a love song when a bullet struck her. He held her as she died.

After Cameron Robinson, a 27-year-old from Utah, was shot in the neck, his boyfriend, Robert Eardley, carried him to a vehicle. Robinson died before they made it to a hospital.

Two people who met at the festival  Kody Robertson and Michelle Vo  were watching the final act together when a bullet struck her chest. Robertson threw his body over hers to protect her. Later, they were separated; he tracked her down to a hospital and was told late Monday morning that she was dead.

Paddock's weaponry would have allowed him to fire both rapidly and precisely at the crowd that was several hundred yards away and below him. The shots  fired from two windows of Mandalay Bay's golden facade, which Paddock had smashed out  sent thousands of people scrambling for safety under Vegas's neon glow. Police on Tuesday showed body camera footage of officers scrambling to determine where the shots came from as they yelled for people to leave the area.

"They're shooting right at us, guys," an officer can be heard saying. "Stay down! Stay down!"

Hospitals across the region continued to treat patients from the scene, many of them seriously injured. Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center says as of Tuesday night, 59 patients remain in the hospital and 31 of them are still in critical condition. University Medical Center said it had 64 patients from the attack, 12 of them critical.

Lynh Bui and Tim Craig in Las Vegas; Barbara Liston in Orlando, Florida; Ally Gravina in Reno, Nevada; William Dauber in Los Angeles; and Alex Horton, Wesley Lowery, Julie Tate, Jessica Contrera, Sandhya Somashekar, Aaron C. Davis, William Wan and Sari Horwitz in Washington contributed to this report.
Associates of President Trump and his company have turned over documents to federal investigators that reveal two previously unreported contacts from Russia during the 2016 campaign, according to people familiar with the matter.

In one case, Trump's personal attorney and a business associate exchanged emails weeks before the Republican National Convention about traveling to an economic conference in Russia that would be attended by top Russian financial and government leaders, including President Vladimir Putin, according to people familiar with the correspondence.

In the other case, the same Trump attorney, Michael Cohen, received a proposal in late 2015 for a Moscow residential project from a company founded by a billionaire who once served in the Russian Senate, these people said. The previously unreported inquiry marks the second proposal for a Trump-branded Moscow project that was delivered to the company during the presidential campaign and has since come to light.

Cohen declined the invitation to the economic conference, citing the difficulty of attending so close to the GOP convention, according to people familiar with the matter. And Cohen rejected the Moscow building plan.

Nonetheless, the information about the interactions has been provided to congressional committees as well as special counsel Robert S. Mueller III as they investigate whether Trump associates coordinated with Russian efforts to interfere in the U.S. election, according to people familiar with the inquiries who, like others cited in this story, spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the inquiry.

Details of the communications were turned over by the Trump Organization in recent days to the White House, defense lawyers and government investigators and described to The Washington Post.

Though there is no evidence that these Russia-related entreaties resulted in further action, the email communications about them show that Trump's inner circle continued receiving requests from Russians deep into the presidential campaign.

After WikiLeaks began to publish emails from the Democratic National Committee that were widely believed to have been hacked at the direction of Moscow, Trump said on several occasions that he had no financial ties to Russia. In July 2016, he tweeted: "for the record, I have ZERO investments in Russia."

But the new disclosures add to an emerging picture in which Trump's business and campaign were repeatedly contacted by Russians with interests in business and politics. Trump's son, son-in-law, campaign chairman, low-level foreign policy advisers and, now, Cohen, one of his closest business confidants, all fielded such inquiries in the weeks before or after Trump accepted the nomination.

The documents also underscore the Trump company's long-standing interest in doing business in Moscow.

In a statement Monday, Cohen stressed that he did not attend the economic forum. "I did not accept this invitation," he said. "I have never been to Russia."

Cohen has said he will cooperate with authorities.

Alan Garten, general counsel for the Trump Organization, said the newly disclosed Moscow proposal needed to be understood "in context."

"Like any other international real estate brand, it is not uncommon for third party developers to submit proposals for potential real estate projects all over the world," he said, adding that, only a "very small percentage of these proposals are ever pursued."

White House lawyer Ty Cobb declined to comment, saying he was not familiar with the documents.

The June 2016 email to Cohen about the economic conference came from Felix Sater, a Russian-born real estate developer and former Trump business associate. Sater encouraged Cohen to attend the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, with Sater telling Cohen that he could be introduced to Dmitry Medvedev, the Russian prime minister, top financial leaders and perhaps to Putin, according to people familiar with the correspondence. At one point, Sater told Cohen that Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, could help arrange the discussions, according to a person familiar with the exchange.

Robert Wolf, an attorney for Sater, declined to comment.

The correspondence included a formal invitation to the conference from the Russian leader of the event, according to people familiar with the Trump Organization documents. The invitation included a letter signed by a conference official designed to help Cohen get a visa from the Russian government.

Cohen and Sater had earlier that year been working on a deal to build a Trump Tower in Moscow. The email exchange did not directly address the Moscow Trump Tower plan that Cohen, Sater and Trump had been working on earlier in 2016, according to people familiar with the correspondence.

But Sater was eager to rekindle interest in the project, which had been canceled five months earlier, according to a person familiar with his thinking.

The project had begun in the fall of 2015, when Trump was competing for the GOP nomination. He signed a so-called letter of intent in October 2015 to license his name to the Moscow developer working with Sater to construct what they hoped would be one of the tallest buildings in the world.

In January 2016, Cohen emailed Peskov, Putin's spokesman, saying the project had stalled and asking for assistance in pushing it forward. Cohen has said he received no response from Peskov and canceled the deal shortly thereafter.

Peskov has said he received the email but did not reply. He said Sunday that he did not remember any discussions about Cohen attending the St. Petersburg economic forum. But he said the conference, an annual event, is designed to allow attendees to meet with government and business leaders.

"My job [is] to assist in that!" he wrote in a text message.

Cohen rebuffed the invitation, and the project was not restarted.

Sater, who emigrated from Russia to the U.S. as a youngster, served time in jail as a young man following a bar fight and then was convicted in 1998 for his role in a Mafia-linked stock fraud. He has also been hailed for cooperating in the past with U.S. Justice Department probes in undisclosed national security matters.

Sater has had a long relationship with Cohen, whom he knew in high school, and with Trump. A firm in which he played a principal role, Bayrock, partnered in building the Trump Soho tower in New York City. And Sater and Cohen met with a Ukrainian legislator in 2017 to discuss how to promote a Ukrainian peace plan to the new Trump White House team.

The newly disclosed documents show publicly for the first time that, in addition to Sater's efforts, the Trump Organization fielded another inquiry for a Moscow project during the presidential campaign.

That proposal originated with Russian billionaire Sergey Gordeev, a Moscow real estate mogul who served through 2010 as a member of the Russian Senate.

The discussions about working with Gordeev took place via email between Cohen and an international financier he had worked with in the past, Giorgi Rtskhiladze, according to people familiar with the correspondence.

A spokesman for Rtskhiladze, Melanie A. Bonvicino, confirmed the proposal for a Trump-branded residential development, saying a 13-page document with pictures was delivered in October 2015.

But, Bonvicino said, Cohen informed Rtskhiladze in 2015 that the Trump company could not pursue the project because it was already committed to another developer in Russia  a reference to the proposal being guided by Sater.

No letter of intent was ever signed, according to people familiar with the interaction. Cohen and Rtskhiladze "did not speak of the project again," Bonvicino said.

A spokeswoman for Gordeev's company said he had no comment.

Rtskhiladze has had a long-standing interest in working with Trump in the region and pursued a project to build a Trump Tower in Batumi, Georgia, overlooking the Black Sea. Trump traveled to Georgia in 2012 to promote the Batumi deal and was paid nearly $1 million in upfront cash, but the project was never built and was formally canceled by the Trump Organization in December, as Trump prepared to take office.
New Jersey State Senate President Steve Sweeney, backed by fellow South Jersey lawmakers and other supporters, speaks at a news conference outside Memorial Hospital of Salem County on Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2017. He called for the return to the county of a $51 million trust fund that is now held by a Morris County foundation. The money, the lawmakers say, would help facilitate the sale of Memorial to a new buyer. Read more

The Memorial Hospital of Salem County, which has been struggling for years, remains on life support and desperately needs an infusion of cash from a trust fund to keep its doors open, state lawmakers said Tuesday.

A trio of lawmakers led by State Senate President Steve Sweeney (D., Gloucester) called for the return of the $51 million trust fund to Salem County to help facilitate the sale of the hospital. The money was set aside for the Salem Health and Wellness Foundation when the hospital was sold earlier, in 2002.

"This is not their money, it belongs to the people of Salem County and is supposed to be used to support medical care in the area," Sweeney said in a statement. "The funds are a key ingredient to facilitate the sale to a non-profit that will keep the hospital open and provide medical care for the region. Salem Memorial is the only acute care facility in the region and it is needed to provide medical care."

Sweeney, joined at a news conference outside the hospital by Deputy Assembly Speaker John Burzichelli and Assemblyman Adam Taliaferro, also Gloucester County Democrats, along with bipartisan local elected officials, nurses and doctors, said the funds would be used by the Inspira Health Network, which wants to buy the hospital.

Inspira currently operates hospitals in Cumberland, Gloucester, and Salem Counties.

Salem County's other hospital, Elmer Hospital, is operated by Inspira, but is 25 miles from the county's main residential areas.

"We regularly consider potential programs and affiliations as part of our commitment to improving the lives of all we serve," Inspira spokesman Paul Simon said in a statement Wednesday. "Because some ideas we explore do not come to fruition, we make no public comments about our strategic planning until our plans are final and ready to move ahead."

The lawmakers said Community Health Systems, Memorial's industry-giant parent company, has been trying to complete a deal with Inspira, but the trust fund is key to the transaction. The trust fund, designated as "charitable assets," was sent several years ago by the Salem Foundation to the Community Foundation of New Jersey in Morris County, Sweeney said.

"The Community Foundation of New Jersey and Salem Health and Wellness Foundation remain open to on-going conversations with all parties to deliver improved health and wellness to the people of Salem County," Brenda L. Goins, executive director of the Salem Health and Wellness Foundation, said in a statement. "As with other potential acquisitions of the hospital, we have expressed a willingness to support the purchase with an investment from the foundation."

Goins confirmed that the foundation has "spoken several times" to Inspira about its bid to acquire the hospital. Under the law, the foundation has the first option to buy the hospital.

Memorial Hospital is the only acute-care facility in Salem County and the only one operated by Community Health System in New Jersey. It was also one of the largest employers in the county of 63,000 people, but staffing has dwindled from about 500 employees to about 250 amid uncertainty about its fate, Sweeney said.

Community Health Systems officials did not respond to a request seeking comment. Based in Franklin, Tenn., it is one of the country's largest providers of general health-care services. It operates six hospitals in Pennsylvania, including in Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, and Berwick.

The hospital was sold in 2002 to Community Health Systems for $35 million after a law was passed to allow for the purchase of the nonprofit hospital by a for-profit entity. It was the first such purchase in New Jersey by a for-profit health-care system. The funds were invested and have grown to $51 million, Sweeney said.

Under the legislation, the sale proceeds were earmarked to establish the trust fund to provide to Salem County residents health services not offered by the hospital. Salem County is the second-poorest county in the state. Since 2014, the fund has distributed $4.5 million in grants to 52 community groups, Goins said.

"We have a fiduciary responsibility to ensure these funds are used to support the most effective health and wellness programs in the county," Goins said.

Goins said the $51 million trust fund was moved to the Community Foundation of New Jersey to augment the work of the hospital's foundation. The funds are earmarked for health and wellness work only in Salem County, she said. The Community Foundation serves all of New Jersey.

Lawmakers grew dissatisfied with the operation of the hospital and passed another law in 2015 clearing the way for a nonprofit to buy Memorial, but that sale fell through, Sweeney said. Yet another potential deal, with Prime Healthcare Foundation, unraveled at the last minute last spring.

The 2015 legislation allows for a new nonprofit to use the foundation money to buy the hospital if Salem Health and Wellness Foundation opts not to purchase it, Sweeney said.

"Our big concern is that this hospital closes," Sweeney said in an interview Tuesday. "It's a real threat and it's a real concern."

The lawmakers said legal action may be taken in Superior Court seeking to transfer the funds back to Salem.

"There is a risk that the hospital would be forced to close, which would be catastrophic for the region," Burzichelli said in a statement.

Sweeney said the trust fund would be needed by any potential buyer to make upgrades to the hospital.

The 126-bed hospital has been struggling for years, losing money, patients, and staff. It closed its maternity ward in 2014. Cooper Health System took over operations of its emergency room several years ago.

Memorial Hospital was founded in 1919 in downtown Salem City. It moved to its current location in Mannington Township in 1951.
Starting Monday, Mohammed Jabateh, a 50-year-old Delaware County man, will face a federal trial on allegations he lied about his war crimes he allegedly committed during Liberias bloody civil wars. In this 1992 file photo, members of ULIMO, the militia of which Jabateh was a member, tease a suspected rival soldier with a mock execution on the outskirts of Monrovia, Liberia. Read more

As his federal trial opened Tuesday, a Delaware County man accused of hiding his past as a Liberian war criminal was cast by his defense as a victim  first of an authoritarian regime that drove him to seek asylum in the United States, and now of nearly two dozen former countrymen expected to take the witness stand and accuse him of atrocities he insists he did not commit.

Mohammed Jabateh, they are expected to say, terrorized whole villages  murdering men, raping women, and eating the hearts of his enemies  as the rebel commander known as "Jungle Jabbah" during a civil war that roiled his West African nation in the early 1990s.

But addressing the jury for the first time Tuesday, defense lawyer Greg Pagano maintained that each of his client's accusers has political, religious, or factional reasons to lie.

"This case has the intrigue of international war," he said. "This case has the intrigue of grotesque acts of human cannibalism. But this is a case about lies. And the question is: Who is lying?"

That salvo opened the unusual court proceeding set to play out in Philadelphia over the next several weeks  one that has captured the attention of Liberians both here and in Africa.

Prosecutors allege that Jabateh, a 51-year-old business owner and father of five, committed unspeakable crimes during the first Liberian civil war, which ravaged the country between 1989 and 1997. But the case itself revolves around a simple immigration question: whether he lied about those acts while applying for asylum and eventually a green card in the United States.

The government contends that Jabateh hid his past as a rebel commander leading the Zebra Battalion of the United Liberation Movement of Liberia for Democracy (ULIMO-K), a faction opposed to former Liberian President Charles Taylor's National Patriotic Front of Liberia.

More than 250,000 people died in multi-factioned conflict that erupted in the jungles and brushlands along Liberia's border with Sierra Leone. But, remarkably, no one has ever been held criminally responsible in Liberia for the documented atrocities committed by all sides.

"You can't commit heinous war crimes in your home country and then come to this country and lie about those crimes," Assistant U.S. Attorney Nelson Thayer said in his own opening remarks to jurors.

Thayer warned the panel that the testimony would include disturbing allegations of evisceration, sexual slavery, torture, and ritual cannibalism.

To prove its case, the Justice Department has flown in more than 20 witnesses from Liberia for the trial.

Some come from urban backgrounds in the capital city, Monrovia; others grew up in the backcountry bush with little to no formal education. Few knew one another before this case, and they have little reason to collude, Thayer said.

Court filings lay out their tales of almost unfathomable brutality, including one woman's account of Jabateh and fellow commanders ordering her to cook her husband's heart in a soup and serve it to them moments after they cut the man down with a machete.

Another, the first of Jabateh's alleged victims to testify, told jurors Tuesday that he plucked her out of the crowd after seizing her village in 1994, named her his wife, and forced her to sleep with him twice a day for three weeks.

"Some of it will be difficult to conceive, sitting here in Philadelphia  separated by nearly two decades and thousands of miles from such atrocities," Thayer told the jury. "It may be difficult for you to even comprehend how some of these events could have occurred."

For his own part, Jabateh says he never hid either his wartime role with ULIMO-K or the fact that his childhood nickname was "Jungle Jabbah."

He sat quietly in a dark suit  his legs crossed under the defense table, fist clenched against his lips  as the government laid out its case against him.

He maintains that he spent most of the war not in the jungles where the alleged atrocities occurred, but working security in Monrovia at the Liberian equivalent of the White House.

When Taylor's rival NPFL took control of the capital in 1997, Jabateh says, he was jailed, and ultimately tortured. A West African peacekeeping force eventually released him and he fled to the U.S. soon afterward.

Since then, Jabateh says, he spent his time devoted to his family and his international shipping business, Jabateh Brothers Inc., in Southwest Philadelphia.

It was there that James Fasuekoi  a Liberian photojournalist who shot a striking wartime image of a young "Jungle Jabbah," eyes covered in reflective shades, hair in short dreadlocks, an automatic weapon slung over his arm  said he was shocked to find Jabateh working 18 years after taking that photo.

Fasuekoi, then living in Allentown, testified Tuesday that he had come to Philadelphia to ship a car back to Liberia from the United States.

Asked by prosecutors whether he was sure that Jabateh was the man he saw in the jungle decades ago, the photographer paused to consider.

He stood up, walked over to the defense table, and peered into Jabateh's eyes.

"It's been a long time," he said eventually, "but it's him."
This skull of an Australian soldier who was killed in World War I hate been on display at the Mutter Museum. Read more

The skull that had been on display at the Mutter Museum of an Australian soldier who was killed in World War I will be returned to his nation's military, the museum announced Tuesday.

In Philadelphia, at a date to be set, the museum will present the skull, which still has a bullet lodged in it, to Brigadier S.L Gabriel, military attache of the Australian Embassy in Washington. In a letter to the museum, Gabriel confirmed a finding by a British military forum that the skull was that of Pvt. Thomas Hurdis, of New South Wales.

Hurdis, who was 27, was wounded Sept. 28, 1917, during the Battle of Polygon Wood near Ypres, Belgium. He died five days later.

The U.S. Army surgeon who treated him was W.T. Shoemaker, a Philadelphia ophthalmologist.

Initial reports had indicated that Shoemaker had donated the skull to the Mutter. The museum, however, said Tuesday that the British government, through the British Medical Services, gave the skull to the museum as part of a collection intended for study by military doctors conducting reconstructive surgery on soldiers.

Gabriel noted that the museum's possession of the skull was "entirely consistent with the applicable laws and protocols."

The skull's existence and the nationality of its owner were not widely known until an article appeared Sept. 25 in the Guardian, prompting some Australian politicians to call for its return.

The Mutter said the Australian army first contacted the museum about the skull in August.

"I very much appreciate [the museum's] understanding and respect for the nature of this request and the considerable detail [they] have provided  including how this has directly contributed to the development of military medicine capabilities," Gabriel said in his letter. "The repatriation and interment of Private Hurdis' skull is consistent with our ongoing efforts to recover, identify and formally inter human remains of our fallen from all conflicts."

Robert Hicks, director of the Mutter Museum and the Historical Medical Library of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia, said in a statement: "We can appreciate the position of, and are sympathetic to the mission of the Australian Army. The recovery of remains of soldiers who were lost in combat or died as prisoners of war is vital work."

"The Mutter Museum observes a high standard of care and respect regarding human remains, and our observances of relevant laws and protocols is consistent with best practice in United States museums," he said.

The U.S. and British armies have long authorized the collection of specimens without permission from wounded or dead soldiers for medical education as long as the individuals from whom they were taken were not identified in relation to the specimens.

A current exhibit at the Mutter focuses on Civil War medicine and includes specimens collected during the war and provided to the museum by the U.S. Army.

Members of a British military forum started investigating the origin of the skull after the Guardian article appeared.

Based on when the soldier was shot and when he died as well as the nature of his wounds and location of the hospital where Shoemaker was stationed at the time, the forum members said they believed the skull was that of Hurdis, whose grave is near where the hospital was in France.

"I'm really pleased to hear that, on the centenary of his death, Australian authorities have confirmed that the skull is that of Thomas Hurdis and that the museum is to return it," said John Hartley, a military historian and member of the forum. "The right thing has been done here and we can look forward to Thomas' skull being buried, along with the rest of his remains, at the Commonwealth War Graves cemetery in Le Treport, France. I hope to pay my respects to this brave man during a battlefields trip next spring."
MASON CITY | About 15 NIACC students gathered in a hangar early Monday morning at the Mason City Municipal Airport to load a chartered airplane with supplies for Key West students affected by Hurricane Irma.

The Student Ambassador club and carpentry club got together and raised money to get supplies to send to Key West, said Tanya Dadisman, student ambassador adviser at North Iowa Area Community College Student.

The students raised about $1,000 and collected donated school supplies for Florida Keys Community College, who started classes Monday after a three-week break for Hurricane Irma.

This is the hardest they (Key West) have been hit by a hurricane, Dadisman said. We dont live near the water so we cant even imagine what theyve gone through.

NIACC student Rylie Smith, 18, said it took them about a week to gather funds and supplies.

(It) feels really great to help out, Smith said.

North Iowa Air Service and Harley Davidson of Mason City donated the fuel for the plane, while Sukup Manufacturing Co. donated the plane for the cause. Steve Sukup stopped by the hangar Monday morning to chat with students before they loaded the plane.

You guys have better stuff in your dorm rooms than I did, pilot Todd Kyle said while loading.

The plane was full of Powerade, toilet paper, paper towels, macaroni and cheese, fans, laundry detergent, Clorox wipes, blankets, bins, toiletries, notebooks, binders and more.

I lived on macaroni and cheese, Kyle said.

The group packed softer items like blankets in the nose of the plane.

It was very important to try to make a difference, said Kade Schares, 19.

Dadisman is proud of the students for taking initiative in the project and for getting up early to help out.

Im very proud of them, Dadisman said. They did an amazing job.
WASHINGTON  Sen. Bob Casey called for Congress to toughen gun laws in the aftermath of the Las Vegas shooting that killed more than 50 and injured hundreds in the worst mass shooting in U.S. history.

"While we pray for the victims of this horrific attack and their families, it is not sufficient to just offer thoughts and prayers," Casey, a Pennsylvania Democrat, said in a news release Monday, becoming one of the first lawmakers to call for new laws following the shooting.

"Congress must engage in a robust debate about common sense ways to keep guns, particularly military-style weapons, out of the wrong hands," Casey said. "Congress should take up and vote on legislation to ban military-style weapons, limit the size and capacity of magazines, which contribute to deadly mass shootings, and put in place universal background checks. If Congress continues to fail its most basic obligation to keep America safe, then these mass shootings will continue to occur."

Some other Democrats also joined Casey's call, though with a Republican-controlled Congress, the odds of any new gun law passing are close to zero.

Very little was publicly known about the shooter and his weapons by mid-day Monday, including whether he would have been stopped by a background check. Early questions have arisen, based on the audio of the shooting, over whether he had an automatic weapon. Such guns are already heavily regulated.

Proponents of tougher laws, however, have long pushed to ban semi-automatic weapons as well. Such guns have been used in numerous mass shootings, including the 2012 school massacre in Newtown, Conn., an incident that prompted Casey to change his views on gun laws and become an outspoken advocate of some new restrictions.
Former first lady Michelle Obama in a conversation with TV director Shonda Rhimes Tuesday during the Pennsylvania Conference For Women. Read more

Michelle Obama confessed that her years in the White House were a whirlwind during an appearance before thousands of convention-goers at the Pennsylvania Conference for Women in Center City on Tuesday, but the former first lady stayed largely away from politics and the current president.

"The last eight to 10 years I felt like I was just running. It felt like being shot out of a cannon," Obama said. "I was trying to develop initiatives and keep the girls' lives normal. It was a constant feeling of not doing enough."

In an hour-long discussion moderated by television writer and producer Shonda Rimes, Obama dispensed career advice to the women at the conference, encouraging them to "make your voice heard, or speak up, even in the White House." During her career as a lawyer, Obama said, "a lot of times at the table I would realize someone's an impostor, like 'You are a fool.' "

Currently, she's working on completing a book that should be released "around this time next year."

She also commented briefly on the carnage in Las Vegas: "My heart goes out to the victims and their families."

Obama didn't mention President Trump by name during the session, though she seemed to allude to him. "On our campaign trail [in 2008] the bar just kept moving. You'd meet it and then the bar would change," Obama said.

Referring to the White House now, she lowered her hand in a step-down motion and said: "It's amazing to watch."

She also chided older politicians who "don't give up their seats" to a new generation. "Young people don't know how to get into politics  and that's partly because some politicians hold on a little too long," Obama said. "It's a bubble of isolation, and some parts of you can lose touch. So it's important to make way for young people." It was unclear if she was referring to political dynasties such as the Clintons and the Bushes, or to Washington in general.

Obama told the crowd that her parent treated her and her older brother equally.

"When my father taught him how to box, I got a little pair of boxing gloves too. I was never so precious that I couldn't be sitting right at the table," she said. "They gave us power to be heard at a very young age. It's also OK to teach our girls to be angry. We're afraid when our daughters get angry, and we shouldn't [be]."

She recalled telling her boss at her law firm that she didn't want to be summoned to "useless" meetings. "I'm working my butt off, and I needed and asked for flexibility with my time  without a pay cut," Obama said. "I realize the vast majority of people don't have the option of flex time, but if you do, and you're in the C-suite, then you have to make those arguments, or give up your seat to someone who will."

Organizers said about 12,000 women attended the 14th annual conference, held at the Convention Center. Many of the exhibitors said they use the conference as an opportunity to network and expand their small businesses.

"I run a woman-owned business and this was a great draw" with Obama as the keynote speaker, said Cynthia Oliver, a Pittsburgh-based entrepreneur and social-media expert. Among issues on her radar are tax reform, Oliver said.

"I'd like to see tax rates come down. It's hard to hire more employees and grow without that as a small business, since we are taxed almost as much as an individual."

Kim Milligan, owner of Zane'y Couture in Clifton, N.J., said that she's attended for a few years and that Obama "inspires women. It would be nice if she said she was running for president."

Shani Newton of Germantown exhibited at the conference for the first time this year, as the owner of Dolly's Boutique. She came "because it's a time to meet women from all walks of life. Plus, we're looking for encouragement and the Obamas gave us that. I'm also watching tax reform and how it will affect my business."

Moriah Muse traveled from Boston to hear the former first lady and show her wares at the conference. As cofounder of HerStory Apparel, "this is our target audience, smart entrepreneurial women." She sells T-shirts highlighting women "left out of history" such as Calamity Jane and Emily Roebling, a lead engineer who helped complete the Brooklyn Bridge.
WASHINGTON  The Supreme Court was told Tuesday that it is the "only institution in the United States" that can prevent a coming wave of extreme partisan gerrymandering that would distort the basic structure of democracy.

But the justices seemed split about whether they could find a "manageable" way of determining when politics plays too big a role in drawing legislative districts that are the building blocks of representative government.

The deciding vote will likely be cast by Justice Anthony Kennedy, and lawyers for challengers of the plan had to be happy with what they heard from him at the hour-long oral argument.

He gave a hard time to those defending Wisconsin's 2011 redistricting plan, which has been criticized as one of the most extreme versions of partisan gerrymandering in the country. He asked no questions of the challengers' lawyers

He pressed the state's lawyers about whether it would be unconstitutional for the state to simply declare that it was going to favor one party over another. They reluctantly answered that it would, but denied this challenge fit that framework.

Washington lawyer Paul Smith, representing challengers, told the justices that if they let Wisconsin's redistricting plan stand, the court would create "a festival of copycat gerrymandering the likes of which this country's never seen." States are required to draw new legislative and congressional districts after each decade's census.

But Chief Justice John Roberts pushed back. He said Smith was asking the courts to effectively take over the process of redistricting from elected officials, something he said would lead the public to question the "status and integrity of decisions of this court."

If the court opens the door to partisan challenges, he said, "every one of these cases will come here.

"We will have to decide in every case whether the Democrats win or the Republicans win."

The court may rely on mathematical theories and scientific predictions on what makes a plan too partisan, Roberts said, but a member of the public will say "baloney."

Other conservative justices who asked questions had similar worries about exactly how the court could make such evaluations. Wisconsin Solicitor General Misha Tseytlin said the challengers had brought nothing new to help the justices since the last time the court decided not to invalidate a state's plan, in 2004.

Liberal justices seem to think the court needed to be involved in partisan gerrymandering, just as it evaluates plans for racial gerrymandering.

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg said what was at stake was "the precious right to vote."

With partisan gerrymandering, "the result is preordained" in many districts.

When the lawyers for the state said any evaluation of a plan would necessitate the court to rely on predictions of voter behavior, Justice Elena Kagan said that would not be hard.

"The world of voter technology has changed a great deal," she said. Just as lawmakers use the technology to design districts most favorable to the political party involved, so, too, can challengers, and courts use it to discover when it is entrenching that party in power.

Justice Stephen Breyer proposed a test that would include whether one party was in control of the process, whether each party would have a chance to control the legislative body if it got similar amounts of votes, whether there was a persistent unfairness, whether the map was an "extreme outlier" from other states and whether there was any neutral justification for the way the challenged map was drawn.

It is similar to how a lower court decided Wisconsin's map was unconstitutional.

The justices have never thrown out a state's maps because of partisan gerrymandering. But challengers from Wisconsin say they have the evidence that Republican leaders of their state drew maps to ensure enduring GOP control of the legislature, and a test for deciding when political advantage goes too far.

The outcome could change the way American elections are conducted. Wisconsin officials say if their maps, which follow traditional redistricting standards, are illegal, dozens of state plans will need to be thrown out.

Waiting in the wings are gerrymandering complaints from North Carolina and Maryland. The Maryland case alleges that the state's Democratic leadership drew congressional maps that put Republicans at a disadvantage.

The Supreme Court routinely makes states redraw maps when there is evidence that drawing of legislative maps harms racial minority voters by making it more difficult to elect representatives of their choice.

Individual justices have said partisan gerrymandering is harmful as well. But even some of those who agree have said redistricting is a political question between representatives and their constituents, and the courts should stay out.

Others  most importantly, Kennedy  have said extreme partisan gerrymandering can violate constitutional rights. But in the court's most recent look at the issue in 2004, he did not find a workable test for deciding what is excessive.

In the Wisconsin case, a panel of three federal judges ruled 2-to-1 that the state's leaders had used a secretive process for drawing the maps after the 2010 census that went too far.

The lower court concluded that the districting plans were drawn to create districts favorable to Republicans, that the advantage would be "enduring" even when Democrats outperformed Republicans at the polls and that the drawing of the districts could not be explained by nonpartisan reasons.

They said Republicans packed Democrats into some districts and spread them out across others as a way to create more districts conductive to a GOP candidate.

The plans, developed in 2011 by Republican leaders who controlled the legislature and signed by Gov. Scott Walker, R, were effective.

In the election held after the new district maps were adopted, Republican candidates got just 48.6 percent of the statewide vote, but captured a 60-to-39 seat advantage in the State Assembly.

Evidence uncovered during lawsuits over the redistricting found that models showed Democrats would have to win about 53 percent of the statewide vote to capture a bare majority of the seats.

Republicans counter that it is political geography that explains the Democrats' uphill task. They say their political opponents are clustered in the cities of Milwaukee and Madison, making it impossible to draw maps that would give them an advantage.

The case is Gill v. Whitford.
MASON CITY | My Happy Haven is hoping to give bedroom makeover to more North Iowa women with cancer in the coming year with the help of its first fundraising gala.

The Chrysalis Ball is 5-8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7, at the Best Western Holiday Lodge in Clear Lake. It will include dinner, music, "diamond in a glass," a wine pull, a silent auction and a candle-lighting ceremony.

The past year's room recipients will also be honored during the event with a gown, hair and makeup and limo service before the gala with a red-carpet entrance. Video clips of each of their rooms will kick off the evening.

Those being honored are:

 Hampton  Jessica Johnson, Karen Ringleb (will not be present).

 Manly  Rose Hanson.

 Mason City  Jean ONeil, Misty Theilen, Bridget True and Briana Sykes.

 Rockwell  Katie Blackdeer.

Holly Platts, daughter of former room recipient Sharon Lindsay, who lost her battle to cancer, will be a guest speaker.

The community-based nonprofit's goal is to complete at least 10 bedroom makeovers a year for women in Mason City or within a 30-mile radius.

Tickets are $40 online or $45 at the door. Visit www.myhappyhavenmc.com for more information.

 Ashley Stewart
Last Minute Japan 4G Pocket WIFI Rental in Malaysia

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Some Malaysians are late minute kings. They are always late for meetings, appointments, drinks, meals and sometimes to airports with plenty of excuses. Sometimes, they forget to book the Japan 4G Pocket WIFI. If you want to book last minute, there are not many brands out there can accommodate you except Klook.com. If you read our blog, you know we are regular user of Klook.com, a travel website that offers cheaper rates in attraction tickets, JR Passes and many other deals in Japan and all around the world. The start-up company from Hong Kong is one of the most reliable travel websites in Japan and they are one of the few official travel website agents for Universal Studios Japan and also Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea.

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Wilson Ng A Father and traveler who enjoys to eat, shop, travel and taking pictures with Samsung S22 Ultra and Sony ZV-1. Im a full time blogger, youtuber and father for two. I used to travel around 17 International trips per year but now staying at home. Remember to follow us at www.instagram.com/placesandfoods and www.youtube.com/placesandfoods. For advertisements or features, contact me at [email protected] See author's posts
At first glance, the number seems like an error  as if an FBI statistician had accidentally transposed some digits in the bureau's annual report on crime released earlier this week.

Alas, anyone who has been paying attention to violence in Chicago knows the FBI didn't make a mistake  the shocking number is accurate. There really were 765 murders in Chicago in 2016. Chicago's annual murder total jumped 86% in the space of two years, evoking memories of the early 1990s crack wars when annual homicide totals regularly approached 1,000, reports the Daily Caller.

Chicago's wave of killing wasn't an aberration, nationally speaking. Six other major U.S. cities experienced a surge in murders in at least one year between 2014 and 2016.

Some criminal justice experts say there is a causal link between the unrest and the two-year rise in homicides nationwide. Heather MacDonald, a fellow at the Manhattan Institute, has dubbed the phenomenon the "Ferguson Effect," in reference to a rise in violent crime that followed the shooting of Michael Brown by Ferguson, MO, police officer Darren Wilson in 2014.

As McDonald sees it, agitation by groups such as Black Lives Matter, encouraged by slanted media coverage, has led to a retrenchment among big-city police forces. Street cops are so worried about being vilified by city leaders and the press that they are avoiding contact with the criminal element, she says.

"Cops are backing off of proactive policing in high-crime minority neighborhoods, and criminals are becoming emboldened," MacDonald wrote in a Sept. 25 piece for City Journal. "Having been told incessantly by politicians, the media, and Black Lives Matter activists that they are bigoted for getting out of their cars and questioning someone loitering on a known drug corner at 2 a.m., many officers are instead just driving by."

Another year's worth of FBI data adds weight to MacDonald's argument. Killings have spiked in several cities that experienced rioting or significant protest against the police.
Prescription opioid drug overdose death has become an increasingly well-documented epidemic in Iowa and across the country in the last 15 years. More and more, people are using prescription opioid medications, often transitioning to heroin, destroying families and lives. Too often, it proves fatal.

The University of Iowa Injury Prevention Research Center recently convened a meeting of stakeholders in Des Moines to address methods of countering this growing crisis. Representatives from more than a dozen fields, including law enforcement, substance abuse treatment, medicine, public health and pharmacy, in addition to elected officials or their representatives, met in April to identify priorities that government leaders and policy makers could consider to address the epidemic.

The numbers in Iowa are disturbing, in both rural and urban areas. As many as 1,239 people died from an overdose of prescription opioids in Iowa between 2002 and 2014, and heroin deaths have increased nine-fold in 15 years. While rates of prescription opioid deaths are low in Iowa compared to other states, the death rate has quadrupled in the past 20 years. This makes Iowa only one of four states with such a dramatic increase. Prescription opioids account for the most overdose deaths among all opioid-involved deaths in Iowa.

The nine-fold growth of heroin deaths is two to three times higher than the national average. While prescription opioid overdose deaths have decreased in recent years, heroin deaths have risen as prescription opioid users switch to the more accessible and affordable drug.

In response, the stakeholders brought together by the university arrived at five priorities to address the crisis. Specifically, the stakeholders identified the need to:

 Provide evidence-based physician training in pain management and opioid prescribing to medical students while still in medical school. For current licensed professionals, develop a presentation that will provide a historical perspective with up-to-date data focusing on evidence-based solutions to alter the course of this epidemic.

 Educate physicians, nurses, pharmacists and other practitioners to ensure a strong knowledge base in recognizing patients at high risk for opioid abuse and addiction.

 Make Iowas Prescription Monitoring Program, or PMP, a database of selected controlled substance prescriptions dispensed by Iowa pharmacies, an accurate and effective clinical tool for all prescribers.

 Strengthen capacity to conduct opioid drug overdose surveillance and prescription opioid monitoring among multiple organizations and agencies.

 Ensure that Medicaid and other state health programs adequately cover all FDA-approved medication assisted treatment and evidence-based behavioral interventions, and encourage or require commercial health plans to adopt similar policies.

We will discuss these recommendations in more detail on Monday, Oct. 16 with the legislative interim study committee tasked to comprehensively evaluate Iowa's response to the opioid epidemic. This committee wants input from various relevant agencies and entities and plans to submit a report with its findings and recommendations to Gov. Kim Reynolds and the general assembly by Nov. 15, in time for action during the next legislative session.

The next step is for stakeholders across Iowa, including our political leadership and policy makers, to work together to identify ways to curb the opioid epidemic. We hope our report is an important part of that process.
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As the Supreme Court begins its new term, it will consider argument on so called partisan gerrymandering in the case of Gill v Whitford. Most eyes will be on Justice Kennedy for any indication of where he is leaning in a case that could redefine the meaning of fairness in our elections.

Simply put, partisan gerrymandering is a rebrand of race based gerrymandering. Republicans are trying to find the magic words to suppress votes by people who are more likely to vote for Democrats.

The extreme element of the Republican party knows it cant come right out and say to the courts that the vote should be limited to Republican white men. The Republican partys sharp turn to the far right, alienated moderates which strengthened extremists. It also means the Republican Party is predominantly white and male, while the Democratic Party is more diverse in demographics  and in philosophy.

With this is still very much about race, Republican advocates of gerrymandering are hoping with the whiting of their party, they can pretend this is purely about partisan interests.

This brings us to why eyes will be on Justice Kennedy searching his questions, the tone of his voice and his facial expressions to figure out his position on partisan gerrymandering.

Back in May, the Slates Mark Joseph Stern made the following observation in this case in light of Kennedys vote with the majority in Cooper v Harris.

Alarmingly for voting rights advocates, Justice Anthony Kennedy joined the opinion in full, lodging no protest against the passages framing partisan gerrymandering as constitutionally permissible politics as usual.

That case struck down Republican efforts to gerrymander two districts in North Carolina on racial grounds. On its face, this was a good ruling. However, as Stern pointed out, that ruling couple with an earlier case, Easley v Cromartie left room for opponents of fair elections to argue that because their gerrymandering favors Republicans and merely coincidentally packs or weakens votes by black people who vote Democrat, its really partisan gerrymandering and therefore legal.

In reality, this is splitting hairs  something Republicans are adept at in the name of realizing their agenda. Access to healthcare exists, even if you cant afford it. Tax cuts for the rich and tax increases for the poor really dont benefit the rich. And gerrymandering that weakens the votes of black people who are likely to vote for Democrats, it really is just about gaining partisan advantage. The key thing is its still about weakening votes by black people.
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Facebook is releasing the details about the Russian ad campaign that was part of their interference to get Trump elected, and the numbers are a how to guide for building an illegitimate US president.

According to Facebook:

 An estimated 10 million people saw the ads. We were able to approximate the number of unique people (reach) who saw at least one of these ads, with our best modeling

 44% of the ads were seen before the US election on November 8, 2016; 56% were seen after the election.

 Roughly 25% of the ads were never shown to anyone. Thats because advertising auctions are designed so that ads reach people based on relevance, and certain ads may not reach anyone as a result.

 For 50% of the ads, less than $3 was spent; for 99% of the ads, less than $1,000 was spent.

This means that before the election, 4.4 million people were exposed to the Russian Facebook ads. But Donald Trump only won the electoral college with 78,000 votes from three swing states, including Pennsylvania, of which I am a resident.

Trump supporters here in small town Pennsylvania would read Clinton Facebook feed conspiracies to me as if it were gospel during the election. They could not tear themselves away from Facebook. They did it during work, they did it when I was paying them for a service, they did it even when I asked them to stop, they did it even when their boss asked them to stop. The news they read to me from their Facebook feeds was, without fail, about Hillary Clinton doing something so awful and crazy there was no way to toss reality into the mix.

Whatever the Russians were doing, it was compelling; it functioned like a drug on a vulnerable population.

Donald Trump barely squeaked by with an electoral college win, and with these Facebook numbers, its becoming increasingly clear that he only did that with the help of the Russians posting fake news on Facebook. It took exposing 4.4 million people to Russian propaganda meant to help elect Donald Trump for Trump to eek out 78,000 votes from three swing states to win.

Thats not only sad, it spells illegitimate.

Correction October 3rd 1:25PM: Updated to correct 4,400,000 million to correct 4.4. million in lower paragraph.
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The facts are still coming in on the mass shooting in Las Vegas. The anatomy of reporting on mass shootings depends on the perpetrators race. If the shooter was a white male, like Stephen Paddock, we are urged to wait for the facts. We dont assume that mass shooting was a terrorist act when the shooter is white.

Of course, the right wing trolls and the Russian bots arent waiting. Theyre pushing the narrative that suits their politics. They named the wrong person, circulated the wrong picture, but why let facts get in the way of a good opportunity to divide Americans further.

If the shooter is a person of color or a Muslim, the terrorism card is played quickly  way before facts emerge, way before presidential briefings. Our President will tweet or speak about how great he is before throwing some racist laden red meat to his base. The victims, if mentioned, will be an afterthought.

Appreciate the congrats for being right on radical Islamic terrorism, I don't want congrats, I want toughness & vigilance. We must be smart!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 12, 2016

In a tweet, Steve Kopack made similar observations about Trumps priorities during times of unspeakable tragedy.

Tweets Trump posted on the day of the Pulse nightclub attack congratulating himself for being right vs. tweet posted today in remembrance. pic.twitter.com/MoGYsGqP7u  Steve Kopack (@SteveKopack) June 12, 2017

Conversely, Trump described the Las Vegas massacre an act of true evil. No mention of radical domestic terrorism in his speech or his early morning tweet.

My warmest condolences and sympathies to the victims and families of the terrible Las Vegas shooting. God bless you!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 2, 2017

He actually acknowledged the victims. No ego. No mention of being tough or smart. No expressed desire to ban all people of the shooters demographic.

Also worth noting. Trump announced he will visit Las Vegas on Wednesday  days after the massacre. And while that is warranted, compare it with his response to the devastation in Puerto Rico attacking victims and the mayor of San Juan. Waiting two weeks for a visit, that perhps would be better skipped given the Presidents view that Puerto Ricans want everything done for them. visiting nearly two weeks after the fact, But one American tragedy at a time.

This isnt going to change as a result of Las Vegas  at least not with this congress and definitely not with this president because terrorism is only terrorism when a person of color, a Muslim or both is responsible for a mass shooting. It must mean terrorism. It must mean they are part of a cell. No need to wait for facts. We know they dont like us, our values, our flag and our confederate statues.

. If we hear one Republican acknowledge that Las Vegas was as much a terrorist act as the Pulse shooting, I will happily retract my cynicism. But heres where I think things will go.

After the ritualistic and meaningless recitation of thoughts and prayers, we will speed past serious discussion about gun safety measures. But, there will be a vote on deregulating silencers because we really need to get on protecting hunters from hearing loss.

For all the words that will be written and said about how it should be different this time most of us know it wont be. Most of us know that if Republicans cant bring themselves to consider gun safety laws after Sandy Hook and after the June massacre, the October massacre wont change a thing.

It means if we want a change, we need to change Congress. We need a president who always recognizes that you cant solve a problem unless you call it by its name. Trump described this latest chapter in American terrorism as evil but he didnt call it by its name. He also showed us, again, the degree of the presidents compassion is directly proportionate to the skin color.
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Following the deadly mass shooting in Las Vegas that took the lives of at least 59 people and injured more than 500, Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut said on Monday that silence is no longer an option.

This is gonna keep happening over and over again, and I know the answer cant be that we are powerless as a body to do something about it, Murphy said.

Video:

.@ChrisMurphyCT on the Senate floor moments ago: Silence is no longer an option. #VegasStrong pic.twitter.com/yyN0mf9719  Sean Colarossi (@SeanColarossi) October 2, 2017

Murphy said:

This is a growing fraternity  a tragic, awful fraternity: members of Congress who represent states who have gone through these horrific mass executions.  But this silence has become unintentional endorsement. Its become a kind of sick complicity. And I hope that in the coming days, we can come together  Republicans and Democrats  to start talking about, at the very least, some baby steps to show the people of Las Vegas, to show the people of Orlando, to show my constituents, my friends in Sandy Hook, that silence is no longer an option.

Murphy, who has become a champion of this issue since tragedy struck Newtown in 2012, plans to introduce anti-gun violence legislation very soon.

Ill be introducing a new background checks bill shortly, Murphy said on Monday, according to The Hill.

Like previous proposals, the legislation would likely expand background checks to include all gun purchases, whether theyre made at gun shows or over the internet.

It is something that 90 percent of the country supports, but NRA-funded Republicans have blocked it in recent years.

Legislation like this would only be a baby step, as Murphy said on the Senate floor on Monday, but its a step in the right direction and could lay the groundwork for more legislation to address the uniquely American gun violence crisis.
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After Special Counsel Robert Mueller requested Jared Kushners private emails, Trumps son in law moved his emails to Trump Organization servers.

USA Today reported:

President Trumps son-in-law Jared Kushner and daughter Ivanka Trump moved their personal email accounts to computers run by the Trump Organization as public scrutiny intensified over their use of private emails to conduct White House business, internet registration records show.

The move, made just days after Kushners use of a personal email account first became public, came shortly after special counsel Robert Mueller asked the White House to turn over records related to his investigation of Russias interference in the 2016 election and possible collusion with Trump associates. It also more closely intertwines President Trumps administration with his constellation of private businesses.

The only reason to make this move is to try to hide records from the Special Counsels request. Jared Kushner is trying to dodge giving Mueller his the emails that were government business conducted on a private email account by moving the emails so that he can claim that they are outside the jurisdiction of Muellers request.

There is a reason why Trumps own attorneys have told him to distance himself from Kushner. Trumps son in law is one of the key links between Putin and Trump. Kushner bragged about the data operation that he built for Trump, but investigators are looking at how Kushner got the data and who he might have been sharing it with.

Kushner has major problems, and these dodge and weave games are an effort to buy himself more time. The next step will be for Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner to move back to New York.

Jared Kushner could be a key part of the Trump/Russia relationship, and his downfall could send the entire house of cards tumbling down.
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Late night host Jimmy Kimmel told Republicans that they should pray to God for forgiveness because their obstruction of common sense is getting innocent people murdered on a daily basis.

Video:

Kimmel emotionally discussed the massacre in his hometown and said, There are a lot of things we can do about it. But we dont, which is interesting. Because when someone with a beard attacks us, we tap phones, we invoke travel bans, we build walls, we take every possible precaution to make sure it doesnt happen again. But when an American buys a gun and kills other Americans, then theres nothing we can do about that. And the Second Amendment, I guess, our forefathers wanted us to have AK-47s is the argument, I assume.

The late-night host said that Republicans should be praying to God for forgiveness, President Trump is visiting Las Vegas on Wednesday. He spoke this morning, he said he was praying for those who lost their lives. You know, in February, he also signed a bill that made it easier for people with severe mental illness to buy guns legally. The Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell, the speaker of the House, Paul Ryan, a number of other lawmakers who wont do anything about this because the NRA has their balls in a money clip, also sent their thoughts and their prayers today  which is good. They should be praying. They should be praying for God to forgive them for letting the gun lobby run this country. Because it is, it is so crazy.

Kimmel continued to speak the truth, We have a major problem with gun violence in this country, and I guess they dont care. If Im wrong on that, fine. Do something about it, because Im sick of it. And I want this to be a comedy show. I hate talking about stuff like this. I just want to laugh about things every night, but that seems to be becoming increasingly difficult lately. It feels like someone has opened a window into hell, and what Im talking about tonight isnt about gun control. Its about common sense.

The late-night host was right on all points. The NRA and Republicans like to frame this discussion as all or nothing. Either everybody has unlimited access to guns, or nobody has access to guns. There is no room in the discussion for common sense, which says that people who are criminals or who suffer from a mental illness should not be able to buy guns with the same ease as a responsible and sane gun owner.

Common sense says that all guns shouldnt be and cant be banned, but that there is a middle ground on this issue that Republicans never want to discuss. Policy solutions that wont solve all the problems, but are moderate steps in the right direction.

The next mass shooting, and the one after that, and the one after that will all have been aided by NRA owned Republicans. Republicans should pray for forgiveness because their refusal to do the right thing means that their hands are stained with the blood of innocent Americans who lost their lives to gun violence.
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By Susan Cornwell and Richard Cowan

WASHINGTON (Reuters)  Sundays massacre in Las Vegas spurred a ritual-like response from U.S. politicians following the mass shootings that have left a trail of victims across the country: Democrats renewed demands for tougher gun laws while Republicans offered up prayers but showed no signs of supporting such legislation.

One day after the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history, which left at least 59 people dead and over 500 injured, House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan, a Republican, said in a statement on Monday: The whole country stands united in our shock, in our condolences and in our prayers.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, also a Republican, led his chamber in a moment of silence following the devastating massacre and urged national mourning and prayer.

Democrats were not falling in line.

Thoughts & prayers are NOT enough. Not when more moms & dads will bury kids this week, & more sons & daughters will grow up without parents, Senator Elizabeth Warren said in a morning tweet.

Senator Chris Murphy, whose home state of Connecticut was the scene of a mass shooting in 2012 that killed 20 6-year-olds and six adults, was blunter.

Its time for Congress to get off its ass and do something, Murphy said in a statement.

Murphy said he would introduce a new background check bill and House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi also urged passage of legislation toughening checks on gun sales.

The Connecticut tragedy sparked serious negotiations in Congress on tighter gun laws, including tougher background checks for gun buyers. But the effort failed in 2013 amid strong opposition from gun groups such as the National Rifle Association.

Subsequent mass shootings have brought a similar call for Congress to act on tougher gun laws, only to see Republicans and some Democrats balk at what they see as infringements on the right to bear arms embedded in the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders, asked whether President Donald Trump might now favor tighter gun laws, told reporters: I think thats something that we can talk about in the coming days and see what that looks like moving forward. She said the administration would not want laws created that would fail to stop these types of things from happening.

Nevadas two U.S. senators, Republican Dean Heller and Democrat Catherine Cortez Masto, on Monday both issued statements offering prayers to victims and thanks to first responders, but neither mentioned anything about gun laws.

SENATE DEMOCRATS TAKE FLOOR ON GUNS

Ryan, when asked in an interview last month with the Associated Press about steps to diminish gun violence, said many mass shootings were at the hands of people with mental illnesses and said Congress needed to ensure that federal funds were available to address such illnesses.

But if youre saying that this Republican Congress is going to infringe upon Second Amendment rights, were not going to do that, he said.

The House, however, recently passed a massive funding bill for next year that would cut $306 million from the governments Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration.

Democrats on Monday wrote to Ryan asking that he stop from further consideration a bill before the House that would make it easier to buy gun silencers, something that gun control advocates oppose. Supporters argue the bill would protect more gun users from damage to their hearing.

Senate Democrats were holding the floor into the evening on Monday to talk about the Las Vegas massacre and the need for gun controls.

One California politician offered another possible path forward. Gavin Newsom, the states current lieutenant governor and a candidate for governor in the 2018 election, suggested that California act on its own.

We are heartbroken that we cant pass commonsense gun laws in our nation, Newsom said in a statement. If the Republican leadership of Congress and this president continue with their moral and intellectual abandon, California has and must continue to chart the path of rationality.

California has already acted on gun control, with voters last November approving a proposition outlawing possession of ammo magazines that hold more than 10 rounds.

As has been the case following past mass shootings in the United States, the Las Vegas murders raised expectations of brisk gun sales by people who fear that gun control laws will be become stricter, driving up the shares of gun makers.

American Outdoor Brands rose 3.2 percent while Sturm Ruger & Co rose 3.5 percent. That followed a trend seen following the June 12, 2016 shooting at an Orlando, Florida, nightclub, when American Outdoor gained 7 percent and Ruger jumped 8.5 percent.

#GunControlNow was among the top trending hashtags on Twitter in the United States on Monday.

(Reporting by Richard Cowan, Susan Cornwell and Steve Holland in Washington and Lance Tupper in New York; Editing by Leslie Adler)
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From the Trump swamp, details emerged Tuesday morning that President Trumps Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt meets near-daily with those hes supposed to be regulating, including top corporate executives and lobbyists, and almost no meetings with environmental groups or citizen groups.

The New York Times reported that Pruitts schedule shows back-to-back meetings, briefing sessions and speaking engagements almost daily with top corporate executives and lobbyists from all the major economic sectors that he regulates  and almost no meetings with environmental groups or consumer or public health advocates.

Most of these players have high-profile matters pending before the agency, with potentially hundreds of millions of dollars in regulatory costs at stake.

Nothing to see here, folks. Just a swamp afillin at record pace.

Pruitts 320-page schedule from February through May also shows that he took several trips home to Oklahoma for long weekends, often with one or two brief work meetings, followed by long stretches of downtime.

The new administrator of the EPA who actually sued the EPA at least 14 times before being put in the position to allegedly enforce the laws he doesnt agree with, they reported, dined with top executives from Southern Company, one of the nations largest coal-burning electric utilities, at Equinox, a white-tablecloth favorite of Washington power brokers  as you would if you called filling the swamp drain the swamp.

Eric Lipton and Lisa Freidman of the NYT also reported Pruitt taking a meal at BLT Prime inside the Trump International Hotel in DC, to meet with the board of directors of Alliance Resource Partners, a coal-mining giant whose chief executive donated nearly $2 million to help elect President Trump.

Or, as Trump himself would put that, Crooked Pruitt eating with Trump donors hes supposed to be regulating.

The Trump swamp is dangerously close to overflow.

Pruitt met privately with top executives and lobbyists from General Motors who wanted him to block Obama era restrictions on emissions.

Pruitt also took non-commercial flights totaling more than $58,000, including charging the taxpayers for his private plane use in his home state, In July, EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt flew on a private plane for official travel in his home state of Oklahoma  leaving taxpayers on the hook for more than $14,000.

This news comes on the heels of Trumps HHS head Tom Price resigning over his use of taxpayer funded private charted jets after news that his travel costs had reached $1,000,000.

A federal watchdog is also reviewing a trip taken by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and his wife to Kentucky to view the solar eclipse. Mnuchin said he doesnt regret using a government plane, calling it completely justifiable.

Investigators are also looking at why Mnuchin requested the use of an Air Force jet to travel on his honeymoon to Europe.

The Interior Departments watchdog agency launching an investigation into Secretary Ryan Zinkes travels after reports emerged last week that he had used a private plane owned by an oil executive.

Zinke used military and private planes, including chartered private planes during a three-day trip to the Virgin Islands in March.

Then, days ago we learned that less than two weeks after Trumps Veterans Affairs Chief signed a memo instructing VA staff to cut down on nonessential travel, he took a 10 day taxpayer funded trip with his entourage to Europe that included a River Cruise and visiting palaces, according to a Washington Post report.

We are not even a year into Donald Trumps first year as president, and already the corruption is exploding from within. Trump promised to drain the swamp, but instead hes not only filling it deliberately, but undermining the publics faith in government to an extent that must please Vladimir Putin.
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Whether or not collusion occurred and then can also be proven, there is mounting evidence that the White House anticipates damaging reports from the Russia probe, according to Just Securitys Ryan Goodman.

Goodman goes into detail on these points at the above link:

1. 1. White House Counsel contemplated resigning; Trump and Kushner rejected lawyers advice on Russia investigation protocols

2. Trump legal team prepared for Kushner resignation in light of June 9 Russia meeting

3. Bannon thought/said there was enough evidence on Kushner to sink the presidents son-in-law

4. Kushner may have advised Trump to appease Republican Senators in case the Russia investigation goes south

5. Roger Stone predicts (or: threatens) that congressional members should fear for their lives if they vote for impeachment

The Just Security analysis came out the morning after the report on yet more Paul Manafort emails.

Manafort is but one piece of the Russian puzzle surrounding President Trump, including Flynn, Stone, Page, and Kushner. If the evidence against Manafort continues to build, it could make it easier to pressure him to turn on President Trump.

If the White House was concerned about the Russia probe before, they must be more concerned now, perhaps because of what evidence or testimony Manafort could provide against the President if he were successfully squeezed hard enough to turn.

Even if Manafort doesnt turn on Trump, it is clear from both the behavior of those in the White House and what can publicly be known about the Special Counsels activities that more bad news is coming for Trump on the Russia front. Collusion is a difficult charge to prove, but it makes a really great motive for presidential obstruction of justice.

One that is agreed upon by many within Trumps White House is that Jared Kushner is a liability who could bring this White House down. More bad Russia news is coming for Trump. It is only a matter of when it arrives.
Three former Tesco execs pressured staff 'to cook books'

The book-keeping scandal at Britains largest retailer Tesco has entered a new stage, and the case proceeds to courts. Three former executives of the company abused their positions of trust to encourage the manipulation of profit figures, lied to auditors and misled the stock market, prosecutors told a London court.

The senior executives were cooking the books" to support Tescos share price and secure huge compensation packages, and bullied and coerced" subordinates into compliance, Reuters cited lead prosecutor Sasha Wass as telling Londons Southwark Crown Court on Friday.Christopher Bush, 51, who was managing director of Tesco UK; Carl Rogberg, 50, who was UK finance director; and John Scouler, 49, who was UK food commercial director, all deny charges of fraud and false accounting.The charges follow Tescos announcement in 2014 that its profit forecast had been overstated - a statement that saw its shares tumble and plunged the company into the worst crisis in its near 100-year history. The company suspended eight senior members of staff, including Bush, Rogberg and Scouler.Wass told the jury the case centred on two statements made by Tesco to the stock market in 2014. In the first, the firm published a trading update on Aug. 29 in which it downgraded its financial guidance. In the second, on Sept. 22, Tesco said it had found a GBP 250 million over-statement of its expected profit, mainly due to booking commercial deals with suppliers too early.The trial is expected to last until Christmas.
Charleston, SC (29403)

Today

Cloudy skies early, then off and on rain showers overnight. Low 52F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Cloudy skies early, then off and on rain showers overnight. Low 52F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.
BYRON  Byron Public Schools will be levying more money next year, a decision that will cause about a $30 bump, per $100,000 of property value, to taxpayers' bills.

School board and school district leaders say they've tried to keep costs down for taxpayers for as long as possible, but because state funding isn't keeping pace with the cost of living, they're turning to a type of levy that doesn't require taxpayer approval.

The nearly 2,000-student school district has been "underutilizing" this state-provided option, which most Minnesota school districts already take advantage of, according to school district officials. The decision will bring an additional $290,000 in funding to the district's $18.7 million operating budget.

"Up until this year, and we've tried our best to not do this, but we're just at the point where we have to," said outgoing school board chairwoman Peggy Harris. "So we feel very good that we've done our due diligence and our best to keep that burden off of the taxpayers, unlike some districts."

Last year, Byron was one of 25 districts statewide that wasn't "maximizing" this type of funding, according to the Minnesota Department of Education.

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The funding, called "local optional revenue," provides districts with up to an additional $424 per student through a mix of state aid and local levy. Currently, Byron is pulling in $238 per student with this type of funding. This year, only 14 districts are at less than $424, according to MDE.

With the increase, the additional cost will be $31.83 per $100,000 of market value, said Jennifer Walsh, the district's business manager.

Overall, the district's levy will be $347,000 higher than the 2017-18 budget.

Part of that is due to a $15,000 budget boost from increasing enrollment, Walsh said, a $68,000 increase from long-term facilities maintenance levy and a $289,000 increase that's a result of the increase in "local optional revenue."

The district will finalize its levy during a public truth-in-taxation meeting on Dec. 18, Walsh said.

Cuts might be on the horizon for the school district as well, Harris said, noting none of those will be to teaching positions. She pointed to the decision as one that will be made by administrators, who will look at "things we can do in our buildings, from equipment to maintenance to how many copies we make."

"All of these positions we have this year we will be keeping for this year," she said.

The district also is going through its routine, annual audit. Results are expected sometime in October, at the finance committee's meeting, according to school board meeting minutes.

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"It isn't anything out of the ordinary, we do it every year," Harris said.
Another area health care system plans to work with Wisconsin tech giant Epic Systemsto upgrade its electronic medical records.

Following Mayo Clinic's lead, Olmsted Medical Centersigned a contract with Epic in later September, according to Barb Sorensenof OMC's communications office.

The goal is to shift an estimated 350,000 medical records to the Epic system by the fall of 2018, she said. OMC also is transitioning its revenue cycle management system to Epic.

Mayo Clinic has set up its own Epic training center in northwest Rochester to educate its employees.

"OMC has identified key individuals who will build the system, train the staff and then help with implementation," Sorensen said. "These individuals will be attending training at the Epic campus (in Verona, Wis.). All employees of OMC who need to use Epic will be provided training prior to our go-live date."

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Mayo Clinic already has switched its Wisconsin sites, including La Crosse, Onalaska, Prairie du Chien and Sparta, to Epic to manage its more than 200,000 patient records.

Mayo Clinic Health Systemsites in Minnesota are scheduled to make the transition in November, followed by the Rochester campus in May.

Arizona and Florida will complete the systemwide change in October 2018.
ALBERT LEA  After months of debate, a fiscal consultant finally has been hired to assess the viability of a full-service, acute care hospital in Albert Lea.

Quorum Health Resources will complete a review of Mayo's Albert Lea campus during the next 45 to 60 days, city officials announced Monday. Quorum is described as "one of the top-ranking health care consulting firms in the nation, serving over 700 hospitals."

The assessment will include analysis of the financial and operational performance of the hospital, analysis of the market conditions for sustainability and options moving forward.

Quorum's services are projected to cost about $75,000. The Albert Lea City Council, Freeborn County Board and Save Our Hospital group all have pledged to split that bill evenly, up to $35,000 apiece.

The independent assessment was deemed necessary after Mayo announced June 12 that it would be moving most inpatient services from Albert Lea to Austin. The first stage of that 18-month consolidation plan occurred during the weekend when Mayo moved the ICU, despite intense criticism from local officials, residents and some state lawmakers.

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More than 300 people attended a Rally for Rural Healthcare Saturday outside Mayo's Albert Lea campus.

"Mayo has been stating that our facility has not been making money the last couple of years," said Albert Lea City Manager Chad Adams. "We've been talking to other experts, hospitals and others in Minnesota and really across the region  who are baffled why our hospital has not been shown to be profitable."

Mayo has explained and defended its move by saying it's lost about $12 million during the last two years, while also facing declining patient enrollment and a significant staffing shortage. The previously stated concerns fit national trends in rural health care.

"Our goal has always been to keep the hospital in Albert Lea strong and viable for current and future generations and to deliver safe, high-quality care to all our patients," Mayo spokeswoman Ginger Plumbo said last week via email.

However, Mayo's decision was made after an internal 18-month study of which details have not been made public. Additionally, no one from the community was consulted or informed during Mayo's evaluation process.

Adams said Mayo has declined the city's requests for financial documentation, but he says enough data is public  due to Mayo's status as a not-for-profit  that an accurate assessment still is possible.

It's possible the city's fiscal review will lure another health care provider to the city; at least three unnamed organizations have been meeting with the city and expressed an interest, Adams said.

"We're all in the mindset that we'd like to retain a full-service, acute care hospital that's as profitable as we can, whether that's with Mayo or not," Adams said.
The four Rochester Christian congregations that have so far joined a movement aimed at providing refuge for undocumented immigrants say their actions are meant to be more than symbolic.

But whether they expect to take in undocumented immigrants any time soon is unclear.

Despite having voted to become a sanctuary church, the First Unitarian Universalist Church doesn't yet have the accommodations to house immigrants and it won't have them for several weeks, said Phil Wheeler, a UU church member. The church plans to hire an architect to design the living quarters that would house them.

Leaders of Peace United Church of Christ, which also declared itself a sanctuary church Monday, said they would need 24 hours notice before taking an undocumented worker. A classroom has been set aside as a living space for undocumented immigrants should the case arise. But officials there say they are not aware of any immediate need for them.

"We would probably be in a position to take them within a day," said Pastor Beth Rogers. "We have space we are choosing to set aside."

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The number of undocumented immigrants who have currently sought protection in Minnesota churches is unknown at the moment. Some say there are four in Minnesota. Others say there are more. JaNae Bates, the communications director for ISAIAH, the religious group that has organized the sanctuary movement in Minnesota, declines to provide a number.

"At this point, we're not publicly announcing anyone being in sanctuary," Bates said.

With the addition of the Rochester faith communities, including the Sisters of St. Francis and the Friends of Rochester Quaker congregation, there are 51 congregations statewide that have joined the sanctuary movement. Recently, the First Presbyterian Church in Rochester announced on its website that it was discussing the issue.

Twenty-one are sanctuary churches, and 31 are supporting sanctuary congregations, Bates said. While supporting churches don't provide shelter, they offer food, companionship and support to immigrants who have taken refuge in sanctuary churches.

Bates said officials expect the movement to grow, given what she described as the "ramping up of expedited deportations." Bates cited a case in Willmar, Minn., highlighted the more aggressive tactics taken by federal agents. There a faith leader who was undocumented was detained by federal officials. Though his wife is a U.S. citizen and they have two children and despite not having a criminal record, she said, they "are looking" to deport him.

"With DACA being at risk, a lot of congregations are finding absolutely necessary to step up in this moment," Bates said, referring to the program that allowed individuals who were brought to the U.S. as minors to obtain work permits.

Bates said the sanctuary movement is not only about protecting undocumented workers, but "pointing out the larger issue of immigration reform that needs to take place in this community."

"It's symbolic in that this is a Band-Aid (on the problem), and we do need some major comprehensive reform," Bates said.
Mayo Clinic announced an ambitious transatlantic partnership this morning that ties together two of the world's elite health care providers.

Mayo Clinic, the University of Oxford and the Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust have signed an agreement aimed at improving medical research and patient care for patients across the globe.

Mayo's Stephen Cassivi, a Rochester-based doctor who has served as the medical director of the collaboration for the past year, says it's now time for both sides to "roll up their sleeves" as they work through the remaining logistics of the high-potential relationship.

"It's a really great opportunity for both of these world-renowned institutions to come together and join forces," Cassivi said. "Bringing Mayo Clinic and Oxford together is a really unique and singular  opportunity."

As part of the arrangement, Mayo and Oxford will share a physical space in London, where a new clinic is expected to open in early 2019 under a new, independent business subsidiary that's not yet been identified by name. Cassivi says a building has been acquired in London's downtown medical district that will be refurbished over the next year, though he declined to identify its exact location.

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It's unclear how much will be invested financially in the new clinic, though Cassivi says a similar physical setup will not be pursued in the United States, now or in the future.

According to Mayo's press release, the new clinic "will provide leading-edge screening and diagnostics outside the United Kingdom's National Health Service (NHS). Additionally, surplus funds from the site will be used to "help advance clinical education and patient care, and to fund vital medical research."

The new clinic will be staffed by Mayo and Oxford personnel, with Cassivi continuing to lead it from Rochester. Employees will spend time embedded in each other's main campuses to be cross-trained in Mayo and Oxford's coordination of care prior to the clinic opening in about 18 months, Cassivi said.

Cassivi expects the Oxford partnership will advance all three phases of Mayo's so-called three shields of education, research and clinical care.

"This agreement represents a commitment to collaboration among recognized leaders in health care," said Mayo Clinic Vice President Gianrico Farrugia, M.D., CEO of Mayo's Jacksonville campus. "As culturally aligned organizations, Oxford University, Oxford University Hospitals and Mayo Clinic will work together to drive advances for patients in all areas of medicine."

Mayo has garnered international acclaim since it was founded in Rochester more than a century ago. Its main campus in Rochester, where it employs about 34,000, has been ranked No. 1 in the U.S. three of the last four years by U.S. News & World Report. Mayo's campuses in Florida and Arizona were ranked No. 1 in their respective states in the latest rankings released in August.

The Mayo system serves more than 1.3 million patients worldwide on an annual basis.

The University of Oxford is also an internationally-acclaimed facility. It sits atop the overall Times Higher Education World University Rankings, where it's been entrenched in first place internationally for medicine for the last six years. Its medical sciences division boasts 5,500 academics, researchers, physicians and administrative staff and more than 3,000 students.

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Mayo's addition builds on the existing collaboration between Oxford and the Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. The Trust is described as "a leading academic medical centre and one of the largest teaching trusts in the United Kingdom."

Sir John Bell, Regius Professor of Medicine at the University of Oxford, hailed the joining of "two global brands," while Dame Fiona Caldicott, chair of the Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, is banking on long-term success.

"I am in no doubt that this high-powered collaboration will bring very positive benefit to hard-pressed NHS services in the medium and longer term," Caldicott said.
The Minnesota Supreme Court last week threw out parts of a law few people knew existed.

The statute is part of a disorderly conduct law that bars people from disturbing public meetings. The case stems from a 2013 City Council meeting in Little Falls where a woman was escorted out and charged with disorderly conduct after she refused to sit in the gallery and held a protest sign. Robin Hensel was later convicted.

Hensel is the type of person many city councils, county boards and school boards across the state deal with. A gadfly who annoys public officials over disagreements they have with local governance.

For elected officials such residents can be frustrating as they try to do their jobs.

And beyond annoyances, elected officials may be anxious about potential violence at a meeting as the level of public discourse in the country deteriorates.

But allowing officials to have someone arrested and charged with disrupting a public meeting, even though they have not threatened violence, is a violation of the First Amendment. The Supreme Court justices ruled the statute was overly broad and could be used in "countless ways" by elected officials who wanted to quiet critics.

Local officials could decide someone is disruptive if they raise their voice at a meeting during a debate or if they bring a sign or wear an offensive T-shirt. That kind of potential restriction against free speech is unacceptable.

As far as the potential for violence at a meeting, elected officials can still use other statutes to deal with people who actually threaten or commit violence or are acting in a way that makes them an imminent threat.

Elected bodies can and do use rules that try to keep meetings orderly, but democracy is often messy and public meetings can at times be raucous. That's not a crime. Creating laws that violate people's ability to speak and hold their officials accountable is unacceptable and unconstitutional.

Why it matters:

The state Supreme Court made the right decision in throwing out a law that bars people from disturbing public meetings.
LAS VEGAS  A Spring Valley native, who now works as a Las Vegas police officer, was confirmed to be safe after the worst mass shooting in modern U.S. history unfolded Sunday night.

The Fillmore County Sheriff's Office posted an update on its Facebook page after learning that Meghan Kraut, 34, was working "an overtime shift at the event" when the mass shooting at a country music concert occurred, which left 58 people dead, and at least 500 people injured as of Monday.

"We are relieved to report that she is OK and was not injured," said Sheriff Tom Kaase in the update. "As put by Deputy Tim Rasmussen, 'She had a front row seat to this horrific event.' Please keep Officer Kraut and her family in your thoughts and prayers."

Kraut has a degree in law enforcement from Winona State University and graduated from Kingsland High School in 2002.

Kraut is the daughter of Kenneth and Janell Kraut of Spring Valley, authorities said.

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Attempts to reach Kraut in Las Vegas were unsuccessful.
WABASHA  Tom Crowley's afternoon trek from St. Elizabeth's Medical Center to downtown Wabasha leaves him sweaty but refreshed.

Locals eagerly wave to the hospital's longtime president during his daily jogs by local landmarks  the marina and the National Eagle Center, to name a few  while enjoying the picturesque scenery in the rural town nestled along the Mississippi River. Some even stand to salute him, offering immediate insight to the respect Crowley has earned since taking over in 1982.

On Monday, Crowley regained full control of the campus after a lengthy relationship in attached buildings with Mayo Clinic.

Historically, Mayo Clinic Health System was the sole provider of clinical services, while St. Elizabeth's provided hospital services on the shared campus. Mayo built its own clinic attached to the hospital on St. Elizabeth's land. However, the relationship soured after Mayo began consolidating services , including baby delivery, in 2015 in response to the rural health care crisis impacting facilities across the country.

Wabasha leaders formed a rural health-care task force in 2016 and communicated directly with John Noseworthy, Mayo's president and CEO, and other leaders to express their dissatisfaction about the direction of their campus.

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Engaged in a similar fight, l eaders in Albert Lea have been watching Wabasha closely as a potential roadmap to independence.

"There's a desire to maintain access," said Crowley, who has also been on the Minnesota Department of Health's Rural Health Care Advisory Committee for nearly four decades. "Without that access, elderly people are driving long distances for care and that just doesn't work.

"It is really critical to have good, strong health care in these rural communities. It is life and death for them."

The divorce was announced in separate news releases in June, but the working relationship will remain in place, as it's been since the 1930s . In fact, Mayo actually agreed to lease the clinic space to St. Elizabeth's while working toward a long-term solution, which could ultimately include the sale of the clinic to Ascension, a faith-based organization that operates 141 hospitals across the country, including St. Elizabeth's.

Ascension owns and operates the hospital, while Mayo has owned and operated the clinic, which is attached to the hospital. Mayo says it supports an integrated care model because it's in "the best interest of the community."

Perhaps more importantly, Mayo will continue to provide some specialty care in Wabasha in cardiology and dialysis, while also staffing some ER and hospitalists shifts, according to Dr. Brian Whited, CEO of Mayo Clinic Health System in Cannon Falls, Red Wing and Lake City. Many also traded in their Mayo badges to continue working in Wabasha under Crowley's leadership  with Whited's blessing.

"As we went into this, we wanted to make sure we supported their practice as they ramped up," Whited said. "We also wanted to support our employees. They've been incredibly supportive of Mayo  so we felt that was the best option out there to let them have some choice moving forward.

"It may be a tad bit unusual, but we feel like we've landed in a fairly good spot," Whited said.

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After years of criticism, both sides are praising the other's flexibility as St. Elizabeth's works through the details of organizing a new primary care clinic. It could result in the return of services Mayo discontinued  re-evaluating baby delivery is one of Crowley's top goals.

Crowley has also partnered with Olmsted Medical Center to offer podiatry care, while an orthopedic surgeon from Gunderson Lutheran in La Crosse, Wis., will work in Wabasha on a limited basis.

'The support is unreal'

A donor recently stepped forward to offer a key assist in the transition process. The donor, who hasn't been identified and declined interview requests through St. Elizabeth's, delivered $1 million to the hospital after never before giving a dime, according to hospital officials.

That kind of financial support is a key piece in St. Elizabeth's survival plan. The financial track record suggests it may, in fact, thrive.

Paul Busch, SEMC's Foundation chairman for the past two decades, says his group has raised about $15 million in the last 15 years to support the hospital's capital improvement projects. In a town of around 2,500, that reflects annual support of nearly $4,000 per resident, though donations do come in from throughout the region of 20,000 people.

In recent years, the Foundation has purchased a $700,000 CAT scan machine, 3D mammogram device for $400,000, and funded a $1.4 million expansion of the operating room, among other things. Additionally, a core group of 150 volunteers 14,000 hours annually to perform routine tasks at the hospital.

Crowley says most hospitals have gone away from relying on auxiliary groups, but Busch proudly declares that Wabasha's Foundation remains just as active as when it formed roughly 70 years ago. Busch says that's a reflection of the community's trust in Crowley.

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"If something is needed, Mr. Crowley brings it up and the funds are there," Busch said. "The support is unreal for a town of 2,500.

"He's very sincere and dedicated. I've talked to him on holidays and he's out making the rounds to make sure all of our patients are tucked in and taken care of. He gives 110 percent, and we're very fortunate to have him."

'It always works out'

Crowley routinely sets up community focus groups to explore and explain his future requests. After that phase is complete, he addresses the 90-plus member Foundation about four times a year. The next focus group is expected to be about returning baby delivery services to Wabasha, Crowley said.

"(This model) only works if you have active participants in your community who value the programs you're providing," Crowley said. "The city, the school district, the EDA and (Wabasha administrator) Chad Springer, they all recognize that."

"It always works out. We meet our operating costs and the community helps us with capital needs. That's consistent year after year, and they've never said no to any of our requests."

Physician Dennis Spano has been selected to lead the clinic, which is currently staffed by five former Mayo providers. A sixth, Dr. John Cierzan of Olmsted Medical Center, was announced Friday and is expected to start in January.

Spano said he jumped at the new opportunity after nearly 30 years at Mayo's Lake City facility largely because of Crowley and the community support.

Jim Root, St. Elizabeth's vice president of operations, says that's been a common theme as they've worked to recruit about nine providers. After one recruiting pitch, a physician told Root that Wabasha was breaking the mold in rural health care and "I can't wait to say we're breaking the mold."

"It's been a fair amount of work, but it's been exciting to know there's a bright future for good health care in our community," Root said.
MINNEAPOLIS  The U.S. Supreme Court said Monday that it won't review Minnesota's civil commitment program for sex offenders, which had been challenged as unconstitutional for rarely releasing residents.

The program has faced legal challenges for years. An attorney for the system's more than 700 residents argued the program, which allows people who are deemed sexually dangerous to be committed to a treatment facility indefinitely, violates their rights because it amounts to a life sentence.

While state leaders vowed to continue making changes to the program, others noted that pressure from the court to do so is now gone.

"In the absence of compulsion by the federal court, it seems unlikely that they are going to make any changes (to the program) because the political leadership in this state wants these folks locked up," said Dan Gustafson, an attorney for the residents.

Gustafson said he's disappointed in the decision, but also disappointed for the "administration of justice, because that suffered a setback today."

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Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton said in a statement that "this ruling does not mean that we abandon our ongoing reforms, to prioritize the safety and wellbeing of all Minnesotans." Instead, he said, reforms will continue without a federal directive.

The program currently has 720 residents. Even though the program is more than 20 years old, only eight people have been granted provisional discharge and are living in the community under supervision; only one person has been fully discharged.

Attorneys for the residents argued that their clients' rights are violated because they have little chance for release. The "fatal flaw" in the system is that Minnesota doesn't require a regular review of cases to see if individuals should continue to be committed, the lawyers said.

Attorneys for the state argued that offenders can petition for release using a simple-to-obtain form. They said the program is necessary to protect citizens from dangerous sexual predators who would otherwise roam free.

In 2015, the program was declared unconstitutional by U.S. District Judge Donovan Frank, who ordered changes to the system to create a more achievable path to release. But a three-judge panel of the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reversed that decision in January and found the program is constitutional.

The Supreme Court's decision means the 8th Circuit's ruling stands.

Gustafson said the federal courts have a history of intervening when states oppress a group of people, and the high court's decision should concern people who believe the federal courts should protect the rights of unpopular citizens.

The Minnesota case has been closely watched by lawyers, government officials and activists in the 20 states with similar programs. While civilly committed offenders in California, Wisconsin, New Jersey and other states are allowed to re-enter society after completing treatment, Minnesota's only full discharge didn't come until August 2016. Minnesota also has the highest per-capita lockup rate.

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Dayton has pushed to make changes to the program while insisting it's constitutional, and the state started releasing more offenders in the months after the lawsuit was first filed. Dayton has sought $18.4 million to build less-restrictive housing facilities, improve staffing and conduct biennial evaluations to target more offenders for possible release.

But state lawmakers have shown little interest in addressing the highly charged  and politically risky  topic while the legal battle progressed.

Minnesota Department of Human Services Commissioner Emily Piper, whose agency runs the program, said she expects to continue to seek funding for less restrictive housing and other changes.

When asked whether it will be harder to get lawmakers to pay for more housing options without enforcement from the court, Piper said: "I expect them to do their job."
Minnesota Senator Al Franken has declared that he will not return his blue slip on President Trumps nomination of Minnesota Supreme Court Justice David Stras to the Eighth Circuit. By withholding his blue slip Franken seeks to block Strass nomination from consideration by the Senate. Frankens statement on the Stras nomination is posted online here.

I have been working like a beast of burden to ascertain whether Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar has returned her blue slip on the nomination of Justice Stras, as her statement of many twists and turns suggested she would. Klobuchars statement, however, is a bit difficult to nail down. It reads like it was written by a staffer seeking to satirize her yen to have it every which way on controversial issues.

Senator Klobuchar has declined to responded to my inquiries regarding her blue slip on Justice Stras. Shes just that way.

After much digging, I can now report that Klobuchar has in fact returned her blue slip, formally indicating her approval of the nomination proceeding to a hearing. I have confirmed this with Senate Judiciary Committee staff. Woo hoo!

This squarely raises the question whether Senator Grassley will prevent the Stras nomination from proceeding based on one home state senators withheld blue slip. In the concluding paragraph of her statement on the Stras nomination, Klobuchar implied that Franken had the last word. She bid Stras a cold farewell: I have enjoyed getting to know Justice Stras throughout this process and I know he will continue to serve admirably on the Minnesota Supreme Court.

I will have more to say about it, but I predict that under the circumstances Chairman Grassley will proceed with the Stras nomination in due course.
Mark Steyn appeared in Minneapolis as the featured speaker of the Center of the American Experiments fall briefing last night. The centers site is here and its hot new issue of Thinking Minnesota has been posted online here. Let me say at the top that Mark Steyn recommends Katherine Kerstens cover story on the rot in the Edina public school system.

Our own John Hinderaker is president of the center. John introduced the events sponsor, our friend Howard Root. Drawing on his ordeal with the criminal justice system, Howard introduced Mark.

This was a triumphant return. As he had done in 2014 at the same event, Mark turned in a bravura performance. Last time Mark appeared on an empty stage at Orchestra Hall. This time Mark appeared on the stage of the Guthries more intimate Wurtele Thrust Theater in front of the set for Romeo and Juliet, of which Mark made liberal use, before a packed house.

Mark somehow managed to integrate references to the Guthries misconceived production of Romeo and Juliet into his comments on recent events. The theme of Marks remarks was the possibly fatal stupidity of the culture. The Guthries treatment of Romeo and Juliet in its current production proved a case in point. Here I think Mark made good use of Johns comments on the production.

Mark appeared on a somber day, following the massacre in Las Vegas late Sunday night. Mark opened his remarks with 15 minutes or so geared to the news of the day. He eloquently lamented the habit of our public eminences to retreat to their characteristic tropes on such occasions. Here is Hillary Clintons. If the question is mass murder, the answer is gun control and the perpetrator is the National Rifle Association (even if the trope is hypothetical and counterfactual).

Mark commented most powerfully on the lack of humanity demonstrated by now former CBS vice president and senior counsel Haylee Geftman-Gold in response to the massacre. (Paul Mirengoff provides the details in the adjacent post.) By contrast, Mark spoke of his own sympathy for the victims of the 2016 massacre at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando even though he is not a practicing homosexual. Or a nonpracticing one, he helpfully added, despite the familiarity he acknowledged with the theatrical milieu (gesturing behind him toward the set of Romeo and Juliet).

Commenting on his own disclaimer of homosexuality, Mark paraphrased Hamlets judgment on his mother: Methinks he doth protest too much. Im laughing even as I type it out.

Mark quoted Lord Moulton, an English judge who went on to hold during the Great War the enviable title of Director-General of the Explosives Department. Moulton divided society into three sectors, of which he considered the most important to be the middle land between law and absolute freedom. At one end, one is free to do anything; at the other, one is forbidden to do certain things; but in between lies the domain of manners, in which the individual has to be trusted to obey self-imposed law.

In this domain, wrote Moulton, we act with greater or lesser freedom from constraint, on a continuum that extends from a consciousness of duty through a sense of what is required by public spirit to good form appropriate in a given situation.

Marks remarks on the Las Vegas massacre said something original and true. Thinking them through would afford the benefit of a liberal education in politics. Providing such commentary on news only hours old is a task performed with a high degree of difficulty. Mark, however, made it look easy.

Moving on from the massacre, Mark touched on The Cat in the Racist Hat. Here the question of our possibly fatal cultural stupidity came to the forefront.

Last time around, I observed that what John Coltrane was to the saxophone, what Art Tatum was to the piano, Mark Steyn is to the English language applied to politics. He is an artist and improviser in a class of his own. But then you knew that.
Steve and I have written about the efforts of Democrats and the media to convince the public that Hurricane Maria is Trumps Katrina. Actually, its doubtful that Hurricane Katrina was Bushs Katrina. In any event, there is no merit to the lefts attempt to treat President Trumps response to Hurricane Maria as wanting, much less scandalous.

Glenn Reynolds explains why in his column for USA Today. He begins with this quote from former Navy Captain and disaster-relief expert Jerry Hendrix:

Puerto Rico is an island that suffers from its position in the middle of the Caribbean and its physical separation from the U.S. Its roads were in disrepair and its electrical grid was antiquated prior to the hurricane. The island has also suffered for years from ineffective local government and rising local territorial debt. The Navy used to operate a large Navy base there, Naval Station Roosevelt Roads. I spent six months on the island in 1993, but when the islands population protested the presence of the training range at nearby Vieques Island, the Navy shuttered the base, taking $300 million a year out of the Puerto Rican economy.

The absence of a base from which to provide hurricane relief is the result, I assume, of Puerto Rican nationalism. It certainly is not the fault of Donald Trump.

Citing Hendrix, Reynolds goes on to describe the substantial efforts of the Trump administration to prepare for Hurricane Maria. Large ships were dispatched. They carried large amounts of water, food, and other supplies.

But because Puerto Rico is an island and because its roads are in such disrepair, there were limits to how much could be supplied quickly, especially given the damage the storm inflicted on the islands ports and airports. The problem was compounded by the fact that most truck drivers, about 80 percent of them, were unable to get to work. Thus, there were ships full of supplies backed up in the ports, waiting to have a vehicle in which to unload.

In addition, as Tevi Troy notes in an article for the Wall Street Journal, it was harder for the residents of Puerto Rico themselves to evacuate when planes and boats were the only means of escape. There could be no escape via long lines of cars, such as those we saw on Interstate 95 headed north from Florida before Hurricane Irma.

Reynolds also points out that Maria was the second hurricane to hit Puerto Rico and the third to hit the United States in the space of a few weeks. Therefore, many U.S. government assets were already committed elsewhere.

A final problem, not discussed by Reynolds, is the failure of San Juans mayor to work with FEMA. During an appearance on Fox and Friends, FEMA Deputy Administrator Dr. Daniel Kaniewski complimented Governor Ricardo Rossello and many of Puerto Ricos mayors. As for Carmen Yulin Cruz, mayor of the islands most important city, this was his comment:

I can just say that the mayor of San Juan has not participated substantially in any efforts of the joint field office. Thats where all three levels  federal, commonwealth and the locals  work together to develop plans, to execute those plans, and to deliver aid to those in need. Other mayors have been participating. Theyre connected to us either by satellite phone in far-off areas all around Puerto Rico, as well as being on site. . .in San Juan where this joint field office is.

Apparently, Cruz didnt make it to emergency planning meetings in her own city.

The mayor of a neighboring town confirmed Yulins non-participation. And Debra Heine of PJ Media reports that a female police officer called a New York radio station in tears last week, complaining that Yulen Cruz was not allowing anyone to distribute supplies while Puerto Ricans were dying of hunger.

Instead of cooperating with the relief effort, the mayor has opted to become, in the words of another mayor, the new face of the island in the media with her sharp criticism of the administrations efforts. She has the American left and the mainstream media behind her, but not the facts.
( Read 14546 Times)

Source :

Youth Festival at Mumbai UniversityRecently, I got the opportunity to visit Mumbai to judge a folk and tribal dance competition at Mumbai University Campus, Kana. Whliile it was great fun to watch the wide range of performances from different states of India, it was equally difficult to tell who was better. 52 teams from colleges affiliated to Mumbai University participated in this two-days long competition. Strict rules were followed during this youth festival. Marking was done on the basis of Authenticity, Quality of Music and Dance Movements, Costumes and Ornaments, Coordination and Overall Impact.I was accompanied by Dilip Khanderay from Aurangabad, a known figure in traditional folk and classical dances, and Sugam Gurang from Darjeeling, a choreographer, musician and visionary artiste.Suggested by Dr. Ganesh Chandanshive, Dean, Faculty of Fine and Performing Arts, we were invited by Dr. Sunil Patil, Director, Department of Students Development and Prof. Nilesh Sawe, Cultural Coordinator, University of Mumbai.It was expected that the performances of folk and tribal dances of Maharashtra be best in all respect as it got revealed in Dhol Dance, Thakari Gongadi, Gauri Naach, Tarpa Dance, Dhangari Dance, Toor Thal Dance, Aagari Bhavari Dance. These dances were natural. It was also understood that the Athango Gop Raas, Tippani, Rathwa and Dangi Dances of Gujarat, and Kamsale Dance from Karnataka were neighbouring states, hence these dances too were authentic and attractive. But what was most interesting was to watch the youth participants of Mumbai University take special effort to explore the cultural heritage of sister states of India and perform their folk and tribal dances with the same purity and intensity. They must have surely gone beyond Google searchmastering local music, playing indigenous folk instruments, learning songs in local dialect, singing with indigenous flavour and performing dances with authentic costume. It was clear that the students went through tedious rehearsals and understood about the community, their culture and the significance of such dances before bringing it on stage. I admit that our country is bound together by its culture and not boundaries.Badhai dance and Gudum Baja performed by Dhulia community of Madhya Pradesh, Panthi dance of Satnam community of Chattisgarh had more than one entries. Even Hozagiri dance of Reayang community of Tripura was performed by two groups. Chirmi dance and Dungari Garasia dance flaunted the vibrant colours of Rajasthan. Assam was represented by Hamjar (Rabha), Bihu, Jhumur, Nagurani (Bodo), Baghrumba (Bodo) dances. Himachal Pradesh by Nati and Ludi, Uttar Pradesh by Charkula, Baredi,Chattisgarh by Garudi, Kaksar and Raut Nacha, Sikkim by Rechungma (Bhutia) Dance, Lepcha Dance, West Begal by Tusu Parab (Santhal) Dance, Andhra Pradesh by Goddi Beta Dhimsa, Madhya Pradesh by Korku Gadli, Kerala and Tamil Nadu by Paliyan Dance and many more.For me, the highlight of the festival was the enthusiasm of young dancers. They were educated, disciplined and committed to give their best. They had perfect combination and coordination with their fellow dancers. Their choreography included few movements which have not been seen in the traditional folk and tribal dancers. This innovation added to their grace and did not disturb the essence of the original dance at all. An additional aspect noticed was the unconditional smile on their faces and a sense of triumph glorifying their performances. To celebrate the young talents a band performance was arranged too.I am overwhelmed with the efforts these young college students put in their performances. They did their homework on dances from other states before presenting them. Some of the the dances were outstanding and can even be performed professionally.I would take this opportunity to make a few suggestions to add feathers to their cap. Such a well knit event can either be organized in open spaces or in ventilated closed spaces with exhaust fans. Since the elaborate lighting on stage creates enormous heat, dancers will be comfortable having such facility. Secondly, most of the teams had professional choreographers and musicians barring few like Gudum Baja, Tarpa, Gaur dances, hence they were not in costume. The folk or tribal performances get more colour and meaning when the entire team is in costume. The authorities may adopt this practice when they send their students to inter-university events.A big thank you to the Vice Chancellor Prof. Devanad Shinde who graced the festival with his august presence and motivational blessings to the young students who are preserving the cultural heritage of India.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Oct. 02, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Board of Directors of the BC Achievement Foundation is pleased to announce the jurors for British Columbias National Award for Canadian Non-Fiction: Jan Walter, Rick Antonson and Eliza Reid. The 2018 jury members will determine the best works of Canadian non-fiction for the 14th awarding of the prestigious prize.



The award longlist will be revealed on November 1, 2017, with the shortlist being announced December 1, 2017. The shortlisted authors will be celebrated and the winner announced at a presentation ceremony in Vancouver in early 2018.

Scott McIntyre, Chair of the BC Achievement Foundation noted: "Once again we look to the experience and wisdom of our esteemed jury to help celebrate the inspired writing of 2018 nominees. Another treasure trove for readers and writers alike."

About the Jury:

Jan Walter

Returning juror and 2018 Jury Chair, Jan Walter has spent her life around books: selling, acquiring, editing, publishing, promoting. She began as a bookseller at Mel Hurtigs store in Edmonton, and later joined Hurtig Publishers as editor-in-chief. She then moved to Toronto where she held executive positions with several Canadian publishing companies, including Macmillan and McClelland & Stewart. In 1988, together with writer/editors Gary Ross and John Macfarlane, she launched Macfarlane, Walter & Ross, which became one of Canadas premier publishers of quality non-fiction, publishing over 60 award-winning and bestselling titles. Walter has made her home in Kingston, Ontario since 2004 and is a former Chair of the Kingston WritersFest Board.

Rick Antonson

Rick Antonson is the author of six books, including To Timbuktu for a Haircut and Route 66 Still Kicks. He entwines travel, history, and memoir when writing about extraordinary places and the people who call them home. An inveterate traveller, visiting places as varied as Iraq, Iran and North Korea, Antonsons forthcoming book is based in Papua New Guinea. He was President and CEO of Tourism Vancouver for over two decades, and is also a former book publisher. Capilano University awarded Antonson an Honorary Doctorate of Laws and the tourism industry conferred recognitions in Canada, Europe, the US, and Asia. Antonson is currently co-scriptwriting a musical play, and delivers his Cathedral Thinking address around the world; he and his wife, Janice, live in Vancouver and Frankfurt.

Eliza Reid

Eliza Reid, the First Lady of Iceland, is co-founder of the acclaimed Iceland Writers Retreat, an annual event that combines small-group writing workshops with cultural tours to introduce visitors to Icelands unique literary heritage. She was the editor of Icelandairs in-flight magazine from 2012-2016 and was a staff writer at Iceland Review from 2005-2008. In Canada, where she was born and raised, Reid has been published in The Globe and Mail, The Walrus, and The Ottawa Citizen. Until she became First Lady, Reid was a regular commentator on Icelandic current affairs for foreign media, and made appearances on BBC Radio Scotland, CBS Radio, CBC Television and Radio, France 24, and RTE (Ireland).

The BC National Award for Canadian Non-Fiction is awarded annually to the author whose book stimulates our national conversation and shares knowledge about the complex world in which we live. The award is presented by the British Columbia Achievement Foundation, an independent foundation established and endowed by the Province of BC in 2003 to celebrate excellence and achievement in the arts, humanities, enterprise and community service.

The award consists of $40,000 for the winning author and $5,000 for each of the remaining finalists. All of the shortlisted titles receive extensive national publicity and marketing support. Background information and a list of past winners is available at http://www.bcachievement.com/nonfiction.

Contact:

Cathryn Wilson

Executive Director, BC Achievement Foundation

604-261-9777
GLASSBORO  Rowan University is honoring the 25th anniversary of the $100 million donation to then-Glassboro State College from the Rowan family with a new webpage and video.

In 1992, Henry and Betty Rowan made history when they gave the college $100 million, prompting the renaming of the post-secondary institution in Gloucester County.

Their generosity changed our university, the town of Glassboro and South Jersey for all time, Rowan President Ali A. Houshmand said. It created countless opportunities for individuals and organizations, truly improving peoples lives just as the Rowans intended.

The new website includes a biography on Henry Rowan, information about the gift and its effect on the campus, past tributes to the Rowan family and images of Henry Rowan over the years.

Henry Rowan was an engineer and entrepreneur with no real ties to Glassboro State College. An MIT graduate, Rowan admitted in his book that he could have easily given the money to his alma mater. Instead, he decided to make an investment in the education of New Jerseyans.

Education is still the single most important means of changing a persons life, Rowan said in 2012. It is what made the difference for me, and its critical that our investment supports superior education for as many students as possible.

I dont think of myself as a philanthropist. I made an investment in something I believe in. I challenged the people at Glassboro State to make a difference with the financial help we provided.

When Rowan made the donation, he challenged Glassboro State to establish an engineering college. The engineering school at Rowan, which graduated its first class 17 years ago, is now ranked 19th by U.S. News & World Report among the top 50 engineering programs in the nation.

At seven colleges and five schools, Rowan has seen its enrollment double over the past 25 years. It has embarked on several development efforts, including the Rowan Boulevard project and new student housing to accommodate the influx of students.

In 1992, the Glassboro State College Development Fund was at $787,000. Today, the Rowan University Foundation holds $208 million in total assets.

For more on Henry Rowan and his $100 million gift, visit sites.rowan.edu/henryrowan/.
South Jersey paramedics have joined state law enforcement, emergency responders, search and rescue workers, and disaster-relief volunteers in the U.S. Virgin Islands as the Caribbean territory continues to recover from Hurricanes Irma and Maria.

AtlantiCare paramedics Debra Bell, Frank Intessimoni and Lou Raniszewski flew out Sunday to St. John and St. Thomas to treat and transport harmed or injured patients to medical facilities and locations on the islands.

AtlantiCare officials said they will be there up to 14 days. They join State Police troopers, disaster mental health counselors, New Jersey National Guardsmen, Security Forces Airmen and other members of the New Jersey EMS Task Force in regions hit hardest by the storms.

Our response teams train and plan for these types of scenarios on a regular basis and are well prepared to assist residents and fellow first-responders already on the ground in helping to return some semblance of normalcy to the area, Gov. Chris Christie said in a statement Monday.

The majority of residents continue to suffer through power outages, damaged homes, flooding and lack of clean water, medicine and other basic needs after back-to-back Category 5 hurricanes slammed into the islands last month.

More than 1,400 people from the U.S. Virgin Islands arrived in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Tuesday aboard a Royal Caribbean International cruise ship that returned from delivering supplies to the islands on a humanitarian relief mission, a tourism official told the Sun Sentinel news outlet.

Priority was given to residents with medical and special needs.

More than 30 members of the New Jersey EMS Task Force were sent this past weekend to help with relief efforts.

AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center is the south region lead agency for the states EMS Task Force. In their task force roles, Bell is a state planner, Intessimoni is a staging manager/logistics specialist and Raniszewski, assistant chief of AtlantiCares EMS, is a task force leader.

The trio is helping in their specialized roles under the direction of the state Department of Health. They brought with them an Alternate Support Apparatus, or an EMS all-terrain vehicle that can get medical professionals into hard-to-reach areas.

The New Jersey EMS Task Force was formed in response to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and includes more than 200 career and volunteer EMS professionals who respond to disasters such as Hurricane Sandy, wildfires and the crash of U.S. Airways Flight 1594 on the Hudson River in January 2009.
Trumps Afghan mistake

Donald Trump made a campaign promise to get out of Afghanistan. What happened? He said that hes a winner, but theres no way to win there. The Russians couldnt and 100,000 American troops couldnt. This is Vietnam again.

The biased media has already started to make this President Trumps war. Nothing there is in our national interest and worth any more American blood.

Once we pull out, the Taliban, Al Qaeda, Isis, Sunnis and Shiites will go back to fighting among themselves. Trump will however achieve one goal, which will be to unite this country to protest this war. Trump has become just another politician.

John Applegate

Galloway Township

Target business tax cuts

Regarding the Aug. 23 commentary by Betsy McCaughey, Cutting business taxes will boost growth, increase workers wages:

McCaughey suggests that cutting business taxes will boost growth, increase wages. This is an old and new fairy tale that corporations will give employees higher salaries, and hire more employees, expand offices (buildings, stores).

Businesses expand based on increases of services, products or technology, innovation. Personnel are paid by production and creativity, and are awarded as such. If any business is to receive a decrease of federal taxes, it must first outline by statement how, where and when they will increase their business and the new salaries and benefits will follow at a reasonable time period.

Yes, decrease for the 1 percent taxpayer as they may by another car, house or plane. Tax incentives should be for new, young businesses that create new jobs, new products, new services.

Louis Green

Mays Landing

Pipeline approval votes worse than embezzling

Bob Barr and other Ocean City Housing Authority commissioners believe new information about its disgraced executive director could lead to more charges. That strikes me as self-righteous grandstanding. Yes, her crime of embezzling $8,000 in public money warrants punishment. With three years of probation and an order to pay the money back, in my view justice has been served.

Barr was chosen to replace Pinelands Commissioner Robert Jackson. I believe Jackson was removed because he voted to reject the South Jersey Gas pipeline and Barr was nominated by Sen. Jeff Van Drew for one reason  he would be a willing accomplice to vote in whatever way the senator wanted, thus obscuring the fingerprints of his mentor.

Though Barr said he had an open mind and studied thousands of pages of testimony concerning the pipeline issue before his vote, his vote to approve the pipeline was no surprise. This month he voted to approve another pinelands pipeline farther north.

Three devastating hurricanes  Harvey, Irma and Jose  have happened recently. Many climate scientists believe they may have been stronger due to the increase in greenhouse gases from burning fossil fuels. Barrs votes for these unnecessary pipelines reveal a willingness to serve his political mentors and corporate profits.

The Earth and all the living creatures including humanity that are endangered by these hurricanes apparently dont enter into his cynical decisions.

The actions of Barr and Van Drew dwarf the crimes of petty embezzlers, who make no pretensions of serving the public.

Steven Fenichel

Ocean City
High pressure in New England keeps us in the same weather pattern we were in Monday afternoon.

A thin layer of fog will be in parts of the region early Tuesday morning. However, this should burn off by midmorning.

Then, we will see plenty of sunshine until it mixes with a few afternoon clouds.

East winds will keep high temperatures just a touch cooler than Monday, keeping it nice and seasonable for early October.

Temperatures will then cool off quickly Wednesday night, again due to a calm wind and clear sky. If you want to impress your friends, meteorologists use the term radiational cooling.

Winds then will make the much awaited flip to the southwest as we get to hump day.

This will bump highs well into the 70s for Wednesday. Thursday then will likely be the warmest day of the forecast, ahead of a cold front. This front is moisture-starved, though, so other than a partly sunny afternoon, no rain will be expected.

Instead, keep the windows open and head to the beach if you can, with highs in the upper 70s to low 80s!

Friday will be another South Jersey winner. Expect a good amount of sunshine, with low humidity. By the time the weekend comes, we will be in a very dry two-week stretch.

Millville has not reported measureable rainfall since Sept. 20. A.C. International Airport had a measly 0.01 inches Sept. 27. The pattern will break down, however.

A low-pressure system will cut from the Great Plains up into New England. Saturday should be dry, with mostly cloudy weather. On Sunday, temperatures will make a run at 80 degrees again. However, a few showers will be expected.

This is not looking like a washout, though. My advice is unless you are very sensitive to rain, do not cancel any outdoor plans.
In a release issued earlier today by Trinidad Drilling Ltd. (TSX:TDG), please note that the headline of the release should read "Trinidad Drilling Third Quarter 2017 Results and Conference Call," not "Trinidad Drilling Second Quarter 2017 Results and Conference Call" as previously stated.

Corrected release follows.

Trinidad Drilling Third Quarter 2017 Results and Conference Call

CALGARY, Alberta, Oct. 02, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Trinidad Drilling Ltd. (TSX:TDG) (Trinidad) is pleased to announce that we will release our third quarter 2017 results after market close on Wednesday, November 8, 2017. The news release will provide consolidated operating and financial information. The full managements discussion and analysis as well as the consolidated financial statements will be posted on the Investor Relations section of Trinidads website at www.trinidaddrilling.com and will also be filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.



Conference Call:

Thursday, November 9, 2017

9:00 a.m. MT (11:00 a.m. ET)

866-326-3081 (toll-free in North America) or 734-385-2616 approximately 10 minutes prior to the conference call

Conference ID: 89745453

Archived Recording:

855-859-2056 or 404-537-3406

Conference ID: 89745453

Webcast: https://www.trinidaddrilling.com/investors/events-presentations

Trinidad is a corporation focused on sustainable growth that trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol TDG. Trinidad's divisions currently operate in the drilling sector of the oil and natural gas industry, with operations in Canada, the United States and internationally. In addition, through joint venture arrangements, Trinidad operates drilling rigs in Saudi Arabia and Mexico, and is currently assessing operations in other international markets. Trinidad is focused on providing modern, reliable, expertly designed equipment operated by well-trained and experienced personnel. Trinidad's drilling fleet is one of the most adaptable, technologically advanced and competitive in the industry.

For further information, please contact:

Lisa Ottmann

Vice President, Investor Relations

403.294.4401

email: investors@trinidaddrilling.com

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES.
CALGARY, Alberta, Oct. 02, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Newton Energy Corporation (the "Company" or "Newton") announces that it has, subject to final approval of the NEX board of the TSX Venture Exchange Inc. (the "NEX Board"), closed the first tranche of its previously announced non-brokered private placement (the "Private Placement") of common shares of the Company (the "Common Shares"), pursuant to which, Newton issued an aggregate of 11,000,000 Common Shares for gross proceeds of CDN$165,000 (the "First Tranche"). The Company anticipates closing on an additional 700,000 Common Shares for additional gross proceeds of $10,500 (the "Second Tranche") on October 3, 2017.



Gross proceeds from the First Tranche and Second Tranche of the Private Placement will be used by the Company towards the reduction of accounts payable and for general working capital. Pursuant to applicable securities laws, all securities issued pursuant to the Private Placement will be subject to a hold period of four months plus one day following the date of issuance of such securities.

Upon closing of the First Tranche, A2 Capital Management Inc. ("A2") and Terei International Ltd. ("Terei") will each own approximately 13.08% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares. Prior to the Private Placement, A2 and Terei did not own or exercise control over any securities of Newton. The Common Shares were acquired by A2 and Terei for investment purposes. Upon the closing of the Second Tranche, A2 and Terei will each own approximately 12.8% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares.

An early warning report will be filed by A2 in accordance with applicable securities laws and will be available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com or may be obtained from Gino DeMichele, President and Chief Executive Officer of A2, upon request at the telephone number or address immediately below.

A2 Capital Management Inc., 3400, 350  7th Avenue S.W., Calgary, Alberta, T2P 3N9, Telephone: 403-680-7898.

An early warning report will be filed by Terei in accordance with applicable securities laws and will be available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com or may be obtained from Kevin Taylor, President of Terei, upon request at the telephone number or address immediately below.

Terei International Ltd., 4, V. Dimech St, Floriana Malta, Telephone: 416-972-9993.

Change of Management

Newton is pleased to announce the appointment, subject to approval by the NEX Board, of Mr. Gino DeMichele to its board of directors and as President and Chief Executive Officer of Newton. Mr. DeMichele currently serves as the President and CEO of A2, a private merchant banking and trading operation. He has been engaged in global and domestic financial markets since 1990 and brings over 25 years of corporate finance and merger and acquisition expertise.

Mr. DeMichele's appointment to the board of directors of Newton and as President and Chief Executive Officer is in replacement of Mr. Merv Chia, who resigned as a director and as Chief Executive Officer of Newton. Newton also announces the resignation of Lorraine (Lori) K. Stewart and Jimmy Chow from the board of directors of Newton. Mr. Jimmy Chow will remain as Chief Financial Officer of Newton. Newton would like to thank Mr. Chia and Ms. Stewart for their services to the Company and wishes them success in their future endeavors.

Termination of LOI

Newton announces the termination of its previously announced non-binding letter of intent dated April 27, 2016 (the "Letter of Intent") with Kicker Power Corp. ("Kicker").

Debt Settlement

Newton has entered into a debt settlement agreement (the "Agreement") with Kicker pursuant to which Kicker has agreed to issue an aggregate of 19.9% of the outstanding shares in the capital of Kicker in order to settle an outstanding debt of $349,154.

The Company will issue a further news release in respect of the resumption of trading of its Common Shares.

For further information, please contact:

Newton Energy Corporation

Gino DeMichele, President & CEO

1600, 333 - 7th Avenue S.W.

Calgary, Alberta T2P 2Z1

Phone: 403-680-7898

This news release may contain certain forward-looking information and statements, including without limitation, statements pertaining to regulatory approval for the appointment of the new Chief Executive Officer and director of Newton, including the Company's ability to obtain necessary approvals from the NEX Board, the closing of the Second Tranche, the resumption of trading of the Common Shares and final approval for the Private Placement. All statements included herein, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking information and such information involves various risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. A description of assumptions used to develop such forward-looking information and a description of risk factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from forward-looking information can be found in Newtons disclosure documents on the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com. Newton does not undertake to update any forward-looking information except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

Neither the NEX Board nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the NEX Board) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
LONDON, Oct. 3rd, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Condor Gold (AIM: CNR) is pleased to announce new rock chip results from the La India Project, Nicaragua, and results of detailed geological mapping, which expand three areas of known gold mineralisation. In line with the Company's strategy of proving a major gold district at the La India Project, 200 new samples have been taken from the Mestiza, Cacao and Andrea areas (see Figure 1) since December 2016 (see RNS dated 15th December 2016). All three areas have been drilled since December 2016 and these samples were collected to help extend laterally the known vein mineralisation and plan step-out drilling. Mapping was carried out at the same time.

Highlights

Surface rock chip sampling has produced results of up to 37 grams per tonne ('g/t') gold from Mestiza, up to 24 g/t gold on Andrea and up to 16 g/t gold on Cacao.

Geological mapping has demonstrated potential extensions to known vein mineralisation at all three targets.

The three main veins on the Mestiza vein set: Tatiana, Jicaro and Buenos Aires , appear to coalesce into a single northwest-striking vein.

, appear to coalesce into a single northwest-striking vein. Trenching and mapping are now underway on Mestiza, aimed at identifying drill targets, which may contain additional high-grade oreshoots similar to Big Bend, a potential high-grade oreshoot within the Tatiana vein.

The Cacao vein appears to have a concealed extension to the east and is potentially at least twice as long as previously thought.

Mark Child, Chairman and CEO, comments:

'Condor continues its strategy of proving a major gold district at the La India Project. Mapping and rock sampling by our experienced senior geologists has produced high grade gold results of 37 g/t, 24 g/t and 16 g/t gold in three new areas, along strike from known mineralisation at Mestiza, Andrea and Cacao, which provides excellent upside potential.

Furthermore, recent drilling by Condor at Mestiza increasingly demonstrates the importance of high-grade 'oreshoots' within long, relatively continuous veins. These offer the best chance of adding high-grade economic ounces to the global resource at La India Project.

Surface rock chip sampling and trenching are the best tools at our disposal to follow up on targets identified by geophysics, geochemistry and a structural model, before making a drill decision. The northwest extension of Mestiza, where veins coalesce and intersect, is now a high priority, as is the eastern, concealed, extension of Cacao.'

Background

La India Project's existing NI 43-101-compliant mineral resource is 18 million tonnes ('Mt') at 4.0 g/t gold for 2.31 million ounces ('Moz') of gold. It comprises seven separate resources, most open along strike and at depth (Figure 1). It includes Mestiza, which hosts a NI 43-101-compliant Inferred resource of 1,490 thousand tonnes ('kt') at 7.47 g/t (333,000 ounces ('oz') gold). Here, Soviet-backed drilling in 1991 resulted in an historic, Soviet-style mineral resource of 2,392 kt at 10.2 g/t gold for 785,694 oz gold (see RNS dated 22nd May 2017). The bulk of the resource is in the Tatiana vein, the largest of the four main veins at Mestiza. Cacao has a small resource of 58,000 oz of gold, estimated in 2011. Condor completed 719 m of drilling at Cacao in December 2016 and proved a much wider vein at depth (See RNS dated 27th January 2017). Andrea was scout-drilled in the first quarter of 2017 and showed potentially economic mineralisation in the final hole (see RNS dated 31st March 2017). This was sufficient motive to explore farther east.

Figure 1 Location of 7 resources that comprise La India.

https://www.juniorminingnetwork.com/images/news/October_2017/Condor_Gold_10-3-2017_1.jpg

Note: the Andrea area lies approximately 5 km North of Mestiza

Discussion of rock chip results

Mestiza

Recent drilling at Mestiza (5922 m total; see RNS dated 30th August 2017) concentrated on Big Bend, a potential high-grade oreshoot within the Tatiana vein. The new mapping and rock chip sampling focused on the northwest extension of the Mestiza veins, beyond Big Bend. The aim was to identify new bends, vein intersections, and other potential structurally-controlled oreshoots. Figure 2, below, shows the main veins, all former rock samples, and the new rock chip results. The samples are a mix of vein outcrop and subcrop (semi in situ vein material within the soil).

Mapping has traced epithermal quartz veins over a strike length of at least 3.5 km in the Mestiza area. The topography becomes steeper and forested towards the northwest and mapping more difficult. But the Tatiana, Jicaro and Buenos Aires veins appear to coalesce into a single northwest-striking vein (Figure 2).

The new samples (Figure 2) confirm historic sampling of the northwest extension of all these veins, and include samples with 37.1, 13.9 and 27 g/t gold. These come from close to a previously reported sample of 47.7 g/t gold, about 450 m along strike from the westernmost Tatiana vein exposures.

The Espinito Vein has now been confirmed over a strike length of at least 2.6 km, and shows a jog in the Chaparro area, which seems to have higher grades (Figure 2). It hosts numerous artisanal workings and previously reported sampling gave up to 41.5 g/t gold. A series of east-northeast linking structures, with a strike length of over 300 m, occur between the southernmost part of the Espinito and Tatiana veins. These probably represent more dilational structures, exploited by mineralising fluids. Historic sampling includes 17.3 g/t gold.

Trenching of key areas is now underway at Mestiza, to help define new drill targets. New lines are being cut through thick vegetation to locate the northwest extensions of the Tatiana, Buenos Aires and Jicaro veins. They have located veins with true widths up to 3 m. Sampling is underway.

Figure 2 Map of Mestiza with location of new samples (top, yellow triangles) and results.

https://www.juniorminingnetwork.com/images/news/October_2017/Condor_Gold_10-3-2017_2.jpg

Cacao and Santa Barbara

The Cacao vein, drilled recently (see RNS dated 27th January 2017), is an east-striking quartz/carbonate vein, which flares upwards into chalcedony-rich hydrothermal breccias and a possible sinter (hot spring deposit).

New mapping demonstrates that the Cacao vein is covered in the east by a sheet of alluvial gravel, up to 20 m thick. This gravel contains blocks of chalcedonic sinter up to two metres in diameter. These blocks occur at the precise projected location of the Cacao vein, about 500 m east of the last known outcrops (Figure 3). This implies that the strike length is approximately double that known currently. Furthermore, new samples from river exposures, about 1.6 km east of the Cacao vein, again directly along strike, give values of 11.6 g/t gold (Figure 2). These also line up with new samples from Santa Barbara (Figure 3), with up to 15.8 g/t gold. Increasingly, the Cacao-Santa Barbara vein looks like a continuous corridor. Float boulders at Santa Barbara include typical high-level epithermal features, including chalcedony and bladed calcite replaced by quartz. Santa Barbara has never been drilled.

Figure 3 Map of Cacao and Santa Barbara with location of new samples and results.

https://www.juniorminingnetwork.com/images/news/October_2017/Condor_Gold_10-3-2017_3.jpg

Andrea

The recent six drill holes (total 945 m) on the Andrea vein, which lies about 5 km North of Mestiza (outside Figure 1), were designed to test the structure. The final hole, in the southeast (LIDC 341) gave an intersection of 5.1 m at 1.9 g/t gold (see RNS dated 31st March 2017), suggesting improving gold grades to the southeast. Mapping and sampling were therefore extended to the southeast, an area which has never been drilled. The most promising samples, with grades up to 23.7 g/t gold, are shown in Figure 4. The sampling implies excellent potential for mineralised veins and will be followed up by trenching.

Figure 4 Map of Andrea with location of new samples and results.

https://www.juniorminingnetwork.com/images/news/October_2017/Condor_Gold_10-3-2017_4.jpg

Competent Person's Declaration

The information in this announcement that relates to the mineral potential, geology, exploration results and database is based on information compiled, and reviewed, by Dr Warren Pratt, Chartered Geologist (1994), Fellow of the Geological Society of London and Fellow of the Society of Economic Geologists. Dr Pratt is a geologist with over 20 years of experience in the exploration and definition of precious metal mineral resources. Dr Pratt consults to Condor Gold plc for 100 days per year and has considerable experience in epithermal mineralisation, the type of deposit under consideration, and sufficient experience in the type of activity that he is undertaking to qualify as a 'Competent Person' as defined in the June 2009 Edition of the AIM Note for Mining and Oil & Gas Companies. Dr Pratt consents to the inclusion in the announcement of the matters based on their information in the form and context in which it appears and confirms that this information is accurate and not false or misleading.

Technical Glossary

Assay The laboratory test conducted to determine the proportion of a mineral within a rock or other material. Usually reported as parts per million which is equivalent to grams of the mineral (i.e. gold) per tonne of rock Ag Silver Au Gold breccias A fragmental rock, composed of rounded to angular broken rock fragments held together by a mineral cement or in a fine-grained matrix. They can be formed by igneous, tectonic, sedimentary or hydrothermal processes. C1 C1 reserves are broadly equivalent to JORC indicated resources and have been estimated by a sparse grid of trenches, drill holes or underground workings. The quality and properties of the deposit are known tentatively by analyses and by analogy with known deposits of the same type. The general conditions for exploitation are partially known C2 C2 reserves are broadly equivalent to JORC inferred resources and have been extrapolated from limited data, probably only a single hole Chalcedony A variety of quartz formed by microscopic or submicroscopic crystals. In an epithermal environment, chalcedony is formed in low temperature and pressure conditions high in the system. Colloform banded A texture found in fine grained quartz (chalcedony) veins where crystals have grown in a radiating and concentric manner form a vein centreline to give a finely banded appearance Comb quartz A quartz vein texture describing masses of parallel long, thin crystals growing inwards from the vein margins produce a texture like that of a comb. Drusy quartz A coating of fine quartz crystals on a rock fracture surface, which may be an open space in the vein. Fiamme Fragments of volcanic ejecta, often pumice, that have been flattened by compaction to form flame-like shapes Geochemistry The study of the elements and their interaction as minerals to makeup rocks and soils Geophysics The measurement and interpretation of the earth's physical parameters using non-invasive methods such as measuring the gravity, magnetic susceptibility, electrical conductivity, seismic response and natural radioactive emissions. Hydrothermal Hot water circulation often caused by heating of groundwater by near surface magmas and often occurring in association with volcanic activity. Hydrothermal waters can contain significant concentrations of dissolved minerals. Kt Thousand tonnes Mineral Reserve The economically mineable part of a Measured and/or Indicated Mineral Resource. It includes diluting materials and allowances for losses, which may occur when the material is mined. Appropriate assessments and studies have been carried out, and include consideration of and modification by realistically assumed mining, metallurgical, economic, marketing, legal, environmental, social and governmental factors. These assessments demonstrate at the time of reporting that extraction could reasonably be justified. Ore Reserves are sub-divided in order of increasing confidence into Probable Ore Reserves and Proved Ore Reserves. Mineral Resource A concentration or occurrence of material of economic interest in or on the Earth's crust in such a form, quality, and quantity that there are reasonable and realistic prospects for eventual economic extraction. The location, quantity, grade, continuity and other geological characteristics of a Mineral Resource are known, estimated from specific geological knowledge, or interpreted from a well constrained and portrayed geological model. NI 43-101 Canadian National Instrument 43-101 a common standard for reporting of identified mineral resources and ore reserves Phreatic breccias Fragmental rocks formed near the Earth's surface by the interaction of hot rock and cold water, or vice versa. Commonly occur at the top of mineralized epithermal gold systems. Rock chip A sample of rock collected for analysis, from one or several close spaced sample points at a location. Unless otherwise stated, this type of sample is not representative of the variation in grade across the width of an ore or mineralised body and the assay results cannot be used in a Mineral Resource Estimation Soviet Classification The former Soviet system for classification of reserves and resources, developed in 1960 and revised in 1981, which divides mineral concentrations into seven categories of three major groups, based on the level of exploration performed: explored reserves (A, B, C1), evaluated reserves (C2) and prognostic resources (P1, P2, P3) Soviet GKZ The former Soviet State Commission for Mineral Reserves. Stockwork Multiple connected veins with more than one orientation, typically consisting of millimetre to centimetre thick fracture-fill veins and veinlets. Strike length The longest horizontal dimension of an ore body or zone of mineralisation. Vein A sheet-like body of crystallised minerals within a rock, generally forming in a discontinuity or crack between two rock masses. Economic concentrations of gold are often contained within vein minerals. Welded tuff A fragmental volcanic rock formed by sufficiently hot volcanic ejecta that the fragments weld together Zeolite veinlets Zeolites are hydrated aluminosilicates found in gas bubbles within basalts and in geothermal districts. They also found in the upper parts of gold-bearing epithermal systems.

About Condor Gold plc:

Condor Gold plc was admitted to AIM on 31st May 2006. The Company is a gold exploration and development company with a focus on Central America.

Condor completed a Pre-Feasibility Study ("PFS") and two Preliminary Economic Assessments ("PEA") on its wholly owned La India Project in Nicaragua in December 2014. The PFS details an open pit gold mineral reserve of 6.9 Mt at 3.0 g/t gold for 675,000 oz gold producing 80,000 oz gold per annum. for seven years. The PEA for the open pit only scenario details 100,000 oz gold production per annum for eight years whereas the PEA for a combination of open pit and underground details 140,000 oz gold production per annum. for eight years. La India Project contains a total attributable mineral resource of 18.08 Mt at 4.0 g/t for 2.31 million oz gold and 2.68 million oz silver at 6.2 g/t to the CIM Code.

The resource calculations are compiled by independent geologists SRK Consulting (UK) Limited.

Disclaimer

Neither the contents of the Company's website nor the contents of any website accessible from hyperlinks on the Company's website (or any other website) is incorporated into, or forms part of, this announcement.

For further information please visit www.condorgold.com or contact:

Condor Gold plc Mark Child, Executive Chairman and CEO +44 (0) 20 7493 2784 Beaumont Cornish Limited Roland Cornish and James Biddle +44 (0) 20 7628 3396 Numis Securities Limited John Prior and James Black +44 (0) 20 7260 1000 Blytheweigh Communications Tim Blythe and Camilla Horsfall +44 (0) 20 71383204

SOURCE Condor Gold plc
Following successful test flights, Insitu's ScanEagle helps combat Oregon wildfire

COSTA MESA, California, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Insitu, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Boeing Company, together with Esri, the world leader in spatial analytics, successfully completed test flights on a revolutionary new way to support firefighting efforts using state-of-the-art software for firefighters and first responders. The flights were held at the Warm Springs, Oregon, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Test Range, a member of the Pan Pacific FAA UAS Test Site for commercial UAS testing. The national FAA test site program facilitates the UAS industry in meeting strict customer needs and qualifications.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/566478/Insitu_EagleCreekFire.jpg

A week after successfully completing customer acceptance test flights, Insitu, a leading information services company with more than one million operational UAS flight hours, deployed its INEXA Solutions professional aerial remote sensing teams to aid firefighters in suppressing the Eagle Creek fire In Oregon. Collaborating with customers to identify business challenges, INEXA Solutions professionals use a continually expanding suite of capabilities such as INEXA Control (ground-based command and control), INEXA Cloud, INEXA manned and unmanned air vehicles including ScanEagle, and INEXA sensors and analytics to provide custom solutions and answers to mitigate business challenges from seabed to space.

Coordinating with the Oregon Department of Forestry and other governing entities, Insitu's ScanEagle system provided optimal, near real-time data for firefighters and first responders, resulting in heightened emergency response efforts, increased situational awareness and safety, and supported planning and resource allocation. Equipped with electro-optical (EO), in daylight, infrared (IR) video for nighttime flights, and mid-wave sensors, the ScanEagle surveyed fire lines at night over the Eagle Creek wildfire, which had spread to nearly 49,000 acres throughout the Columbia River Gorge region.

"Throughout the difficult Eagle Creek wildfire, our thoughts have been with our friends and neighbors impacted by this unfortunate event," said Mark Bauman, Vice President, and Co-General Manager, Insitu Commercial. "We stand prepared to assist local authorities with ongoing operations in any way we can, and we extend our gratitude to all of those working hard to contain the fire."

The ScanEagle can supplement manned firefighting fleets by operating during dense smoke and at night, when manned aircraft typically cannot fly. Infrared camera technology is utilized to penetrate smoke and gather and disseminate geo-referenced still images of points of interest. These images allow Geographic Information System (GIS) specialists to perform analysis using Esri's Geographic Information System ArcGIS software.

As the sole aviation over watch within the temporary flight restriction, the ScanEagle provided persistent nighttime oversight, and monitored the progression of the fire. Insitu coordinated manned and unmanned aviation assets, and through data collection, analysis, and integration capabilities, produced near real-time georeferenced spatial data (maps tied to specific known locations). Thus, incident commanders, firefighters, and first responders had data that delivered updated incident perimeter maps, identified spot fires, located fire lines and hotspots, and provided near real-time video feed and still images of critical infrastructure, historical structures, and more.

"Prior to pursuing any new effort, we consider the reasons we exist as a company  we call it our 'why,' explains Jon Damush, Insitu's Chief Growth Officer. "Insitu's 'why' is to pioneer and innovate in all that we do to positively impact people's lives and change the course of history," he continues. "This statement guides our actions and investments, and is precisely why we are doing the things we are doing to help those in need with our unique technologies and professional approach to aviation."

About Insitu

Insitu is an industry-leading provider of information for superior decision making. With its headquarters in Bingen, Wash., and offices in the U.S., U.K., and Australia, the company creates and supports unmanned systems and software technology that deliver end-to-end solutions for collecting, processing and understanding sensor data. We proudly serve the diverse needs of our global customers in the defense, government and commercial industries. To date, our systems have accumulated more than one million flight hours and nearly 125,000 sorties. Insitu is a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Boeing Company.

For more information, visit insitu.com.

Follow us on Vimeo, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

Contact: Monica Golden

Insitu Media Relations

+1 509.637.6574

monica.golden@insitu.com

Related Links

http://www.insitu.com



SOURCE Insitu
"Maarten's addition to Crowell & Moring's Brussels office further strengthens our global network of experienced data protection lawyers," said Jeffrey L. Poston , co-chair of the firm's Privacy and Cybersecurity Group. "This will be a great asset to clients as they navigate cross-border issues and recent EU developments in the data protection area."

Before joining Crowell & Moring, Stassen served as director in the privacy and data protection department of Deloitte's Cyber Risk Services practice in Brussels. In this role, he advised a broad range of European, U.S., and Asian companies on the legal and operational implications of European privacy and data protection legislation. His clients have included international brand names, with a particular focus on the automotive, financial services, life sciences, and retail sectors. Before joining Deloitte, he was the European compliance and privacy officer at Cigna, a role in which he oversaw monitoring and assessing privacy risks and controls of the health services organization's European businesses and the European implementation of its global compliance and privacy programs.

"Companies will have to make significant changes to their data protection practices to ensure that their process and policies conform to the GDPR," said Thomas De Meese, co-managing partner of the firm's Brussels office. "Maarten's experience leading organizations through Europe's data protection framework to achieve compliance with the new requirements will make him an invaluable addition to our team."

Stassen has served as the faculty leader of the European Privacy Academy, where he taught on privacy-related topics, including privacy by design, privacy impact assessments, breach notifications, privacy vs. security, and HR-related topics. He is an active member of the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP) and a former member of its European Advisory Board.

"Crowell & Moring is a leader in the privacy and cybersecurity space," Stassen said. "I am excited to join the firm and look forward to working with the firm's lawyers to expand our privacy and data protection capabilities in Europe."

Stassen received his Belgian law degree, cum laude, from KU Leuven. He received his Spanish law degree from the Universitat Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona. He is a certified Information Privacy Manager (CIPM) and holder of the CIPP/E certificate. He is fluent in Dutch, French, English, Spanish, and Catalan.

Stassen's arrival comes on the heels of several significant hires in recent months that will work closely with Crowell & Moring's clients to identify the challenges of globalization and technology, and the intersections around risk and compliance. In July, Ambassador Robert W. Holleyman II, the former deputy U.S. trade representative, joined C&M International as president and CEO and Crowell & Moring as a partner in the firm's International Trade Group. He has spent more than two decades in business and government, expanding market access around the globe for leading technology companies and companies from the manufacturing and services sectors that face unfair trade barriers. In May, Paul M. Rosen, a former federal prosecutor who served as chief of staff at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, joined the firm's Los Angeles office as a partner in the White Collar & Regulatory Enforcement, Privacy and Cybersecurity, and Government Contracts groups. With more than a decade of legal and policy experience across all three branches of the U.S. government, Rosen focuses his practice on government investigations, cybersecurity and data privacy, and crisis management.

Media Contact:

An Pham

Manager, Media PR & Communications

+1 202.508.8740

Email: apham@crowell.com

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/566140/Crowell_Moring_Maarten_Stassen.jpg

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/566148/Crowell_and_Moring_LLP_Logo.jpg

Related Links

http://www.crowell.com



SOURCE Crowell & Moring LLP
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, October 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

TSX: WPM

NYSE: WPM

Wheaton Precious Metals Corp. will release 2017 third quarter results on Thursday, November 9, 2017, after market close.

A conference call will be held Friday, November 10, 2017, starting at 11:00 am (Eastern Time) to discuss these results. To participate in the live call please use one of the following methods:

Dial toll free from Canada or the US: 1-888-231-8191 Dial from outside Canada or the US: 1-647-427-7450 Pass code: 94521962 Live audio webcast: http://www.wheatonpm.com

Participants should dial in five to ten minutes before the call.

The conference call will be recorded and available until November 17, 2017 at 11:59 pm ET. The webcast will be available for one year. You can listen to an archive of the call by one of the following methods:

Dial toll free from Canada or the US: 1-855-859-2056 Dial from outside Canada or the US: 1-416-849-0833 Pass code: 94521962 Archived audio webcast: http://www.wheatonpm.com

Patrick Drouin, Senior Vice President, Investor Relations, Wheaton Precious Metals Corp., Tel: 1-844-288-9878, Email: info@wheatonpm.com, Website: http://www.wheatonpm.com

SOURCE Wheaton Precious Metals Corp
NEW YORK, Oct. 02, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Guggenheim Investments, the investment management division of Guggenheim Partners, today announced that the following Guggenheim exchange traded funds (ETFs) have declared distributions. The table below summarizes the distribution for each ETF.



Distributions Schedule Ticker Exchange Traded Fund Name Ex-Date Record

Date Payable

Date Total Rate Per

Share GSY Guggenheim Ultra Short Duration ETF1 10/03/17 10/04/17 10/06/17 $ 0.0636 GTO Guggenheim Total Return Bond ETF 10/03/17 10/04/17 10/06/17 $ 0.1148 BSCH Guggenheim BulletShares 2017 Corporate Bond ETF 10/03/17 10/04/17 10/06/17 $ 0.0212 BSCI Guggenheim BulletShares 2018 Corporate Bond ETF 10/03/17 10/04/17 10/06/17 $ 0.0265 BSCJ Guggenheim BulletShares 2019 Corporate Bond ETF 10/03/17 10/04/17 10/06/17 $ 0.0315 BSCK Guggenheim BulletShares 2020 Corporate Bond ETF 10/03/17 10/04/17 10/06/17 $ 0.0364 BSCL Guggenheim BulletShares 2021 Corporate Bond ETF 10/03/17 10/04/17 10/06/17 $ 0.0408 BSCM Guggenheim BulletShares 2022 Corporate Bond ETF 10/03/17 10/04/17 10/06/17 $ 0.0442 BSCN Guggenheim BulletShares 2023 Corporate Bond ETF 10/03/17 10/04/17 10/06/17 $ 0.0466 BSCO Guggenheim BulletShares 2024 Corporate Bond ETF 10/03/17 10/04/17 10/06/17 $ 0.0521

1 Effective June 30, 2017, the funds name was changed to Guggenheim Ultra Short Duration ETF. Please see the funds prospectus for more details.

Distributions Schedule Ticker Exchange Traded Fund Name Ex-Date Record

Date Payable

Date Total Rate Per

Share BSCP Guggenheim BulletShares 2025 Corporate Bond ETF 10/03/17 10/04/17 10/06/17 $ 0.0536 BSCQ Guggenheim BulletShares 2026 Corporate Bond ETF 10/03/17 10/04/17 10/06/17 $ 0.0445 BSJH Guggenheim BulletShares 2017 High Yield Corporate Bond ETF 10/03/17 10/04/17 10/06/17 $ 0.0342 BSJI Guggenheim BulletShares 2018 High Yield Corporate Bond ETF 10/03/17 10/04/17 10/06/17 $ 0.0737 BSJJ Guggenheim BulletShares 2019 High Yield Corporate Bond ETF 10/03/17 10/04/17 10/06/17 $ 0.0897 BSJK Guggenheim BulletShares 2020 High Yield Corporate Bond ETF 10/03/17 10/04/17 10/06/17 $ 0.0972 BSJL Guggenheim BulletShares 2021 High Yield Corporate Bond ETF 10/03/17 10/04/17 10/06/17 $ 0.1028 BSJM Guggenheim BulletShares 2022 High Yield Corporate Bond ETF 10/03/17 10/04/17 10/06/17 $ 0.1170 BSJN Guggenheim BulletShares 2023 High Yield Corporate Bond ETF 10/03/17 10/04/17 10/06/17 $ 0.1148 BSJO Guggenheim BulletShares 2024 High Yield Corporate Bond ETF 10/03/17 10/04/17 10/06/17 $ 0.1077

Past performance is not indicative of future performance. To the extent any portion of the distribution is estimated to be sourced from something other than income, such as return of capital, the source would be disclosed on a Section 19(a)-1 letter located on the Funds website under the Literature tab. Distributions may be comprised of sources other than income, which may not reflect actual fund performance.

For more information, please visit http://www.guggenheiminvestments.com/etf.

About Guggenheim Investments

Guggenheim Investments is the global asset management and investment advisory division of Guggenheim Partners, with $237 billion1 in total assets across fixed income, equity, and alternative strategies. We focus on the return and risk needs of insurance companies, corporate and public pension funds, sovereign wealth funds, endowments and foundations, consultants, wealth managers, and high-net-worth investors. Our 275+ investment professionals perform rigorous research to understand market trends and identify undervalued opportunities in areas that are often complex and underfollowed. This approach to investment management has enabled us to deliver innovative strategies providing diversification and attractive long-term results.

Media Contact

Ivy McLemore

Managing Director, Investment Communications

Guggenheim Investments

Ivy.mclemore@guggenheimpartners.com

(212) 518-9859

This material is not intended as a recommendation or as investment advice of any kind, including in connection with rollovers, transfers, and distributions. Such material is not provided in a fiduciary capacity, may not be relied upon for or in connection with the making of investment decisions, and does not constitute a solicitation of an offer to buy or sell securities. All content has been provided for informational or educational purposes only and is not intended to be and should not be construed as legal or tax advice and/or a legal opinion. Always consult a financial, tax and/or legal professional regarding your specific situation.

Read a funds prospectus and summary prospectus (if available) carefully before investing. It contains the funds investment objectives, risks, charges, expenses and other information, which should be considered carefully before investing. Obtain a prospectus and summary prospectus (if available) at http://guggenheiminvestments.com or call 800.820.0888.

The referenced funds are distributed by Guggenheim Funds Distributors, LLC. Guggenheim Investments represents the investment management businesses of Guggenheim Partners, LLC (Guggenheim), which includes Guggenheim Funds Investment Advisors, LLC ("GFIA") and Guggenheim Partners Investment Management (GPIM), the investment advisors to the referenced funds. Guggenheim Funds Distributors, LLC, is affiliated with Guggenheim, GFIA and GPIM.

BulletShares, BulletShares USD Corporate Bond Index, and BulletShares USD High Yield Corporate Bond Index are trademarks of Guggenheim Index ServicesSM and have been licensed for use by Guggenheim Investments. Guggenheim Index Services is an affiliate of Guggenheim Investments.

1 Guggenheim Investments total asset figure is as of 06.30.2017. The assets include leverage of $11.3bn for assets under management and $0.4bn for assets for which we provide administrative services. Guggenheim Investments represents the following affiliated investment management businesses of Guggenheim Partners, LLC: Guggenheim Partners Investment Management, LLC, Security Investors, LLC, Guggenheim Funds Investment Advisors, LLC, Guggenheim Funds Distributors, LLC, Guggenheim Real Estate, LLC, GS GAMMA Advisors, LLC, Guggenheim Partners Europe Limited, and Guggenheim Partners India Management.
SAINT JOHN, NB, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ - This year, Irving Oil is celebrating 15 years of Fuel the Care, and on October 3rd, employees will be out at select gas stations to celebrate with customers.

Working with a network of seven partner hospitals in Atlantic Canada, Quebec and New England, Fuel the Care has supported more than 50,000 families and caregivers who need to travel frequently to access medical care for their child.

Fuel the Care was developed to provide relief to families during a stressful time. Multiple hospital trips, often from far distances, time away from family and missing days of work increase the challenges families face. Fuel the Care offers assistance so parents can focus on what's most important - being together and helping their children.

"Our customers' support allows us to help thousands of families every year with Fuel the Care," says Sarah Irving, Executive Vice President and Chief Brand Officer for Irving Oil. "We are very thankful for their support in helping to make a difference for families in our local communities."

To express thanks to customers for their support, hundreds of Irving Oil team members will be pumping gas, washing windshields and raising awareness about the Fuel the Care program on October 3rd. Celebrations are taking place at over 30 Irving Oil retail locations across Atlantic Canada, New England and Quebec.

Fuel the Care partner hospitals:

For more information visit Irving Oil's social media channels or the Fuel the Care webpage:

#fuelthecare

Facebook: www.facebook.com/irvingoil

Instagram: @irving_oil

Twitter: @irvingoil

ABOUT:

Irving Oil was founded in 1924 and is an international refining and marketing company with a history of long-term partnerships and relationships. Named one of Canada's Top 100 Employers in 2017, Irving Oil operates Canada's largest refinery, in Saint John, New Brunswick, which is located 65 miles north of the US border and has reached production rates in excess of 320,000 barrels per day. It also operates Ireland's only refinery, located at Whitegate in southern Ireland, with a capacity of 75,000 barrels per day. With over 900 fuelling locations, operations from ten distribution terminals, and a delivery fleet of tractor-trailers, Irving Oil serves wholesale, commercial, and retail customers in Atlantic Canada, Quebec, and New England. Learn more at facebook.com/irvingoil or www.irvingoil.com.

SOURCE Irving Oil
HERZLIYA, Israel, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- SafeDK, the leading end-to-end mobile SDK management platform and mobile Ad Intelligence solution is releasing today a new Mobile SDKs Trends report which for the first time includes an analysis of SDKs related privacy issues. The report reveals who the top mobile SDKs are, by SDK category, by app or game category, by developer geo and more.

The data consists of over 190,000 free Android apps, including apps that were featured in Google Play's top charts, crossed with a database of over 1,000 mobile SDKs. The report also includes a comparison to the previous report that was released on May 2017, revealing interesting new trends.

The current report includes a new section that is dedicated to the privacy issues that have captured the media's attention recently. In this report, for the first time, we review the different type of private user data that SDKs access  location, user apps, contacts, emails accounts and many more - with or without the app owner's knowledge.

Here are the main highlights from this report:

The average number of mobile SDKs in an app now stands on 17.9, representing a slight increase compared to May 2017 .



. Blockchain economy is gaining traction in the mobile industry as presented by the increased market share of Skubit , a bitcoin Payment SDK, which has sky rocketed in the past quarter, and is used more than other "traditional" Payment SDK.



, a bitcoin Payment SDK, which has sky rocketed in the past quarter, and is used more than other "traditional" Payment SDK. With recent lawsuits against mobile app publishers and the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) getting closer, privacy issues are a growing concern. Over 50% of apps having at least one SDK trying to access user location and 40% of apps have SDKs that are looking at the list of other apps installed on their users' devices.



It's not surprising that Google Play Services continues to lead the pack, with Facebook steady in second place, Firebase gaining market share and Crashlytics back in the top five.

To explore many additional trends, as well as to learn about differences between developers' geos, please download the full report here

For media queries only, contact: Einav Laviv, G2M TEAM, [email protected]

SOURCE SafeDK
Through its Business Education Alliance or membership networkAACSB provides quality assurance, business education intelligence, and professional development services to over 1,600 partner institutions or organizations, and 796 accredited business schools worldwide. As such, it is ideally positioned to help business schools address diversity and inclusion as part of their commitment to social responsibility and continuous improvement.

"Diversity and inclusion are central to addressing global challenges and driving prosperity," said Thomas R. Robinson, president and chief executive officer of AACSB. "Business schools and industry must be equipped to cultivate the skills, mindset, and perspectives that enable individuals to work effectively with diverse groups of people, value different perspectives, and seek collaborative solutions. Juliane's commitment to research and evidence-based solutions reflects a crucial level of expertise, experience, and inquiry that AACSB needs to carry this important work forward."

In her new role, Iannarelli will lead the organization's efforts to drive awareness of diversity and inclusion issues and effective practices, foster a data- and research-driven approach to support diversity and inclusion globally, and explore and develop partnerships that enhance these perspectives in the business education ecosystem. The new position will also complement Iannarelli's current focus and responsibilities of developing business education intelligence for AACSB and the broader stakeholder network. Her 13 years with AACSB have also included roles as an accreditation manager and lead researcher for numerous global thought leadership reports.

"I am intrigued by the many ways in which diversity is measured throughout the world, and am proud that AACSB encourages our global membership to think broadly about diversity and what it means within specific cultural contexts," said Iannarelli. "It is energizing to see that across all contexts there is a shared desire to understand how business schools and business can not only best achieve diverse teams, but can also cultivate the inclusive environments, empathy, and interactions that are good for business and society. I look forward to being part of such important efforts."

Over the years, AACSB has worked to advance diversity and inclusion within the organization, its member schools, and the global business community. Through its highly sought after accreditation processes, the organization reinforces that diversity in people and ideas is a universal, fundamental element of quality business education. Recent updates to its standards for accreditation reinforce the notion that celebrating differences in people and ideaswhile providing a safe and supportive environmentenhances the educational experience in every business program, and serve as requirement for schools to demonstrate during their recurring quality assurance reviews.

AACSB further promotes the value of diversity through support for initiatives such as The PhD Project, the Women Administrators in Management Education Affinity Group, the PhD Pipeline Program, and the Forte Foundation, as well as its 2015 best practices partnership with the White House and more than 150 deans and business leaders. As a co-convener of the Principles for Responsible Management Education, a strategic partner of the Globally Responsible Leadership Initiative, and author of the Collective Vision for Business Education, AACSB challenges global business schools to examine their relationship to society, the business community, and the higher education landscape.

Looking to the future, AACSB will host its inaugural Diversity and Inclusion Summit on November 9, 2017, in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. This one-day event will help attendees explore and uncover processes and policies at their institutions in which unconscious bias is a barrier to inclusion and diversity objectives; gain ideas for new programs and initiatives; and identify data, tools, and talking points to assist them in the pursuit of inclusivity and diversity.

For a more comprehensive understanding of AACSB's approach to diversity and inclusion, visit aacsb.edu/about/diversity.

About AACSB International

As the world's largest business education alliance, AACSB InternationalThe Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) connects educators, students, and business to achieve a common goal: to create the next generation of great leaders. Synonymous with the highest standards of excellence since 1916, AACSB provides quality assurance, business education intelligence, and professional development services to over 1,600 member organizations and 796 accredited business schools worldwide. With its global headquarters in Tampa, Florida, USA; Europe, Middle East, and Africa headquarters in Amsterdam, the Netherlands; and Asia Pacific headquarters in Singapore, AACSB's mission is to foster engagement, accelerate innovation, and amplify impact in business education. For more information, visit aacsb.edu.

SOURCE AACSB International

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Growth in all divisions have prompted satisfied customers to lobby the company to open satellite locations in areas near them all over the Eastern United States.

"Extremely happy customers have asked about our ability to service them locally in Raleigh, Charlotte, Charleston, Nashville, Huntsville, and even San Antonio," says Steve Kuhn, Chief Operating Officer at Able. "Acquiring existing operations in one or more of these places may be easier then starting from scratch, but we are not ruling that out either," he added.

Expansion options in the local market are not as mutually exclusive. The company's existing need for additional space in the market could easily be aided through the acquisition of another local company, adding needed employees and more customers along the way.

Having just completed a 50,000 SF building at its Manassas headquarters brings their SF total there to 250,000, and it's not enough. Leasing another 50,000 SF in Gainesville has helped, but what Able needs is another 20-30 acres capable of at least 300,000 SF of development.

"We have made absolutely sure our real estate brokerage relationships have always been good," says Kuhn. "Not only are we counting on that community for expansion ideas and answers, they themselves are some of our best commercial clients."

In its rapid growth, Able seems to have lost none of the focus it keeps on its primary goal; to offer superior service to their customers. The company firmly believes it is what separates them from the pack, and is the reason for their growth. Recent newcomers to the family owned business echo this sentiment.

Mike Murphy, former operations manager at Office Movers, knows this is just the beginning for the company. "The customer service here is unbelievable, this story is just starting to get out. I will see many of my industry colleagues in the hallways at Able in the future. It's just a good situation."

Realizing their rapid expansion path, and even triple digit growth in some of its divisions, the company recognizes that new proposals and opportunities are a forgone conclusion, and Able welcomes every one of them. Company President Jim Singleton says, "We did not get where we are today by not listening to people. Just because our wheels are always turning does not mean we are not listening."

Check out our new website at www.ablemoving.com

Follow us on Twitter @ablemovinginc

Like us on [email protected]

SOURCE Able Moving & Storage

Related Links

http://www.ablemoving.com


PFLUGERVILLE, Texas, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Hurricane Harvey made landfall in our home state of Texas shortly after 11 p.m. Friday, Aug. 25, 2017, just north of Port Aransas. The Category 4 storm was the strongest hurricane to hit the United States since 2005 and over four days it dumped over 50 inches of rain creating one of the worst flood disasters in history.

Accent Food Services

Accent Food Services wasted no time in coming to the aid of employees, customers and the people impacted by Harvey. Despite personal losses, our staff was quickly back to work. "Accent has the resources and the connections to immediately get food, water and more to those who needed it. We secured housing for our team members and care packages for our customers impacted by the flooding. We knew we had to do whatever it took to help," said Josh Rosenberg, Accent Food Services CEO.

Accent Food Services began collecting donations for hurricane relief through their branches and the Stamina Foundation which today total over $50,000. We also reached out to and coordinated the delivery of donations from industry partners like Turn Key Corrections, Dr. Pepper Snapple Group, Company Kitchen, and Wallingford Coffee. We continue to work and partner with members of our industry, such as Company Kitchen, to provide meals and donations to those in need.

Accent Food Services will continue to push all donations into the region and is actively collecting both monetary and supply donations at each of our locations. For more information, please visit AccentFoods.com or email [email protected]. While Harvey has presented many uncertainties, one thing's for sure, Texas is home. We expect a many-year recovery in Texas, however, we will rebuild and be stronger than ever.

About Accent Food Services - For 30+ years Accent has been the industry leader with a deep commitment to our customers, our employees, our community and the environment. We provide customized refreshment and convenience solutions designed to boost workplace culture and productivity. We service a wide variety of customers including those in Education, Health Care, Hospitality and B&I. Born and headquartered in Austin, Texas, our services now span across the United States.

www.accentfoods.com

Veronica Arellano

(866) 305-1260

Related Links

www.accentfoods.com

SOURCE Accent Food Services

Related Links

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AMSTERDAM, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Adyen, the payments platform of choice for the world's leading companies, today expanded its partnership with the world's largest third-party mobile and online payment platform, Alipay, to enable retailers worldwide to easily accept non-cash payments from Chinese customers in store. Used by more than 520 million people, the Alipay partnership comes at a pivotal time ahead of the Golden Week retail rush.

China's National Day Golden Week, starts on Sunday 1st October, marking a seven-day holiday where over four million Chinese residents will travel abroad to make the most of retail opportunities. The Chinese spend $300 billion abroad each year, and analysts estimate that UK retailers stand to make upwards of $337 million over the period 1.

The partnership enables retailers using Adyen's point of sale solution to take payments in store from Chinese consumers paying with their Alipay-enabled mobile device. The Adyen-Alipay solution is completely integrated into the current in store solution Adyen retailers use, so there's no need for additional terminals or devices. The Alipay payment option is simply added as a new option to the existing payment terminal.

"Europe and the US are popular destinations for the Chinese tourists, so it's vital that retailers are able to cater to their needs," said Souheil Badran, President, Alipay North America. "Given the capabilities built into Adyen's omni-channel service for retailers, as well as Alipay's included marketing solution, we look forward to enhancing what it means to deliver an integrated retail solution for retailers."

Roelant Prins, Chief Commercial Officer at Adyen adds: "Chinese tourists are an important audience for retailers to consider. At Adyen, we're committed to making payments processes as easy as possible for retailers, while delivering a great experience for customers. Our partnership with Alipay helps retailers unlock an enormous opportunity to grow and gain more revenue. For Chinese customers travelling abroad, they will encounter the payment experience they are used to while at home."

About Adyen

Adyen is the technology company reinventing payments for the global economy. The only provider of a modern end-to-end infrastructure connecting directly to Visa, MasterCard, and consumers' globally preferred payment methods, Adyen delivers frictionless payments across online, mobile, and in-store. With offices all around the world, Adyen serves more than 4,500 businesses, including 8 of the 10 largest U.S. Internet companies. Customers include Facebook, Uber, Netflix, Spotify, and L'Oreal.

About Alipay

Operated by Ant Financial Services Group, Alipay is the world's largest mobile and online payment platform. Launched in 2004, Alipay currently has over 520 million active users and over 200 domestic financial institution partners. Alipay has evolved from a digital wallet to a lifestyle enabler. Users can hail a taxi, book a hotel, buy movie tickets, pay utility bills, make appointments with doctors, or purchase wealth management products directly from within the app. In addition to online payments, Alipay is expanding to in-store offline payments both inside and outside of China. Over 10 million brick-and-mortar merchants now accept Alipay across China. Alipay's in-store payment service covers more than 30 countries across the world, and tax reimbursement via Alipay is supported in 24 countries and regions. Alipay works with over 250 overseas financial institutions and payment solution providers to enable cross-border payments for Chinese travelling overseas and overseas customers who purchase products from Chinese e-commerce sites. Alipay currently supports 27 currencies. Follow us on Twitter @antfinancial and @alipay.

Press Contacts

[email protected]

Berns Communications Group

Stacy Berns/Danielle Poggi

(212) 994-4660

[email protected]

1 UK Chinese Visa Alliance, 2017 http://www.theindustrylondon.com/west-end-contribute-11bn-economy-2020/

SOURCE Adyen

Related Links

https://www.adyen.com


NEW YORK, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

"Agricultural micronutrients Market projected to grow at a CAGR of 8.60%."

The agricultural micronutrients market has grown rapidly in the last few years and is estimated to reach USD 5.83 billion by 2017. It is projected to reach USD 8.81 billion by 2022 at a CAGR of 8.60% from 2017, in terms of value.



Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05129362



The agricultural micronutrients market is driven by increased awareness among growers about the benefits of micronutrients, shrinkage of agricultural land, and effectiveness of micronutrients for crop yield and productivity. The lack of awareness among farmers and critical application doses of micronutrients are the restraining factors for the agricultural micronutrients market.



"The zinc segment to dominate the agricultural micronutrients market through 2022."

In 2016, the zinc segment accounted for the largest share of the agricultural micronutrients market in terms of value. Zinc plays an important role in the growth of plants as it regulates auxin, a vital growth hormone in pollen formation. It also acts as an enzyme activator in protein synthesis and is involved in the regulation and consumption of sugars which enhance the global zinc consumption in agricultural micronutrients.



"North America is estimated to be the second-largest region in the agricultural micronutrients market in 2017."

The North American region is estimated to account for the second-largest market share in 2017, in terms of value. The demand for micronutrients is expected to increase in the future with the shrinking arable land in North America.



North America is a key market for agricultural micronutrient manufacturers. The use of micronutrients depends on a number of factors such as soil type, crop system, local environmental conditions, and economic factors. The major companies operating in North America include Helena Chemical Company (US), The Mosaic Company (US), Agrium (Canada), and The Andersons, Inc. (US).



Break-up of Primaries:

 By Company Type: Tier 1  28%, Tier 2  39%, and Tier 3  33%

 By Designation: C - level  34%, D - Level 19%, and Others*  47%

 By Region: North America  25%, Europe  21%, Asia Pacific  32%, South America  13%, and RoW** - 9%.

*Others include sales managers, marketing managers, and product managers.

**RoW includes Africa and the Middle East.



The leading players in the agricultural micronutrients market are BASF (Germany), Dow Chemical (US), AkzoNobel (Netherlands), Agrium (Canada), Yara International (Norway), The Mosaic Company (US), Land O'Lakes (US), Helena Chemical Company (US), and Nufarm (Australia).



Research Coverage:

The agricultural micronutrients market is segmented on the basis of type, crop type, mode of application, form, and key regions. On the basis of type, the market is segmented into zinc, copper, boron, manganese, molybdenum, and others (nickel and chloride). The crop type segment comprises cereals, oilseeds & pulses, fruits & vegetables, and others (floriculture crops, permanent crops, pastures, grasslands, and other cultivations).



The form segment is further segmented into chelated and non-chelated. The mode of application segment is divided into soil, foliar, fertigation, and others (seed treatment and hydroponics). On the basis of region, the market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, South America, and the Rest of the World (RoW). The report also includes an in-depth competitive analysis of the key players in the market along with their company profiles, competitive leadership mapping, recent developments, and key market strategies.



Key Benefits of Buying the Report:

 To get a comprehensive overview of the agricultural micronutrients market with specific reference to agricultural markets

 To gain a wide range of information about the top players in this industry, their product portfolios, and key strategies adopted by them

 To gain insights of the major regions/countries in which the agricultural micronutrients industry is flourishing



Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05129362



About Reportlinker

ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place.



https://www.reportlinker.com





__________________________

Contact Clare: [email protected]

US: (339)-368-6001

Intl: +1 339-368-6001

SOURCE Reportlinker

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"Being tech-savvy in today's marketplace is no longer optional. With the significant numbers of millennials comprising the next wave of homebuyers, and the unprecedented diversity among them, consumer expectations and the manner in which we conduct business with them are changing. I am looking forward to sharing insight on the 'push-click' generation and the resources being developed to meet the demands of this burgeoning group," commented Rick Arvielo.

The event will be held on October 4, 2017 from 8:30 A.M. -11:30 A.M. at the Hilton Mission Valley located at 901 Camino del Rio S, San Diego, CA 92108. New American Funding will bring in a panel of experts to discuss the millennial generation, technology, marketing and the impact Latinos are having on the housing industry. Senator Joel Anderson, representing the 38th Senate District in the California State Senate, will also participate in the panel discussion.

"I am very excited to host this Ahead of the Curve event and embrace the needs of the multicultural market. Achieving cultural competency is becoming increasingly critical for business. I hope that people will learn how to provide solutions to the pain points of this important generation and how we can help them achieve their dream of homeownership," said Patty Arvielo.

This event is produced in collaboration with Freddie Mac and Radian. More information can be found at http://www.teamnewamerican.com/.

About New American Funding

New American Funding is a Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and Ginnie Mae Direct Seller/Servicer, FHA Direct Endorsement and VA Automatic mortgage lender. The company is licensed in 48 states, has 130+ branch locations, and offers a variety of home loan options, including: Conventional, FHA, Cash Out, Fixed Rate and Adjustable Rate Mortgages, VA, HARP 2.0, Jumbo, and Reverse Mortgages.

SOURCE New American Funding

Related Links

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NEW YORK, Oct. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- AlgoTerminal LLC announced the release of AlgoTerminal, its powerful algorithmic trading platform for hedge funds, trading firms and professional quants.

"After more than a decade of R&D and an exhaustive beta period, we're excited to introduce AlgoTerminal's new trading platform to the global financial community," says Daniel Tochner, the founder of AlgoTerminal LLC. "The platform offers a complete high-end solution for quantitative traders, including strategy development, backtesting, optimization and live trading."

AlgoTerminal's powerful features include:

Strategy Development: An architecture that features 18 different types of scripts that control every aspect of algorithmic trading, all of which can be written in C#, VB.NET, F# and R.NET.

An architecture that features 18 different types of scripts that control every aspect of algorithmic trading, all of which can be written in C#, VB.NET, F# and R.NET. API: A robust yet easy to use API that offers 600+ functions that are categorized into neatly organized libraries.

A robust yet easy to use API that offers 600+ functions that are categorized into neatly organized libraries. Backtesting: A blazing fast backtesting engine that can backtest an entire portfolio of sophisticated multi-asset trading strategies in a single integrated environment.

A blazing fast backtesting engine that can backtest an entire portfolio of sophisticated multi-asset trading strategies in a single integrated environment. Optimization: A multi-core optimization engine that can optimize or walk-forward optimize a portfolio of strategies using Genetics, Monte-Carlo or Brute-Force algorithms.

A multi-core optimization engine that can optimize or walk-forward optimize a portfolio of strategies using Genetics, or Brute-Force algorithms. Risk Management: An automated risk management module that can be used to monitor multiple trading strategies and manage portfolio level risk.

An automated risk management module that can be used to monitor multiple trading strategies and manage portfolio level risk. Live Trading: A broker-neutral high-frequency trading solution that can trade thousands of strategies and symbols at the same time.

A broker-neutral high-frequency trading solution that can trade thousands of strategies and symbols at the same time. Connectivity SDK: A Software Development Kit (SDK) that trading firms can use to integrate with proprietary systems, preferred data or brokerage providers.

A Software Development Kit (SDK) that trading firms can use to integrate with proprietary systems, preferred data or brokerage providers. Discretionary Trading: A polished, feature-rich platform for discretionary trading, including cutting edge charts, flexible workspaces, DOM, T&S and more.

A polished, feature-rich platform for discretionary trading, including cutting edge charts, flexible workspaces, DOM, T&S and more. Charting and Visualization: A rich charting package that offers an extensive selection of bar types, chart styles and customizations, all of which can be accessed from the API.

A rich charting package that offers an extensive selection of bar types, chart styles and customizations, all of which can be accessed from the API. Indicators and Scripts: A large selection of nearly 200 pre-built indicator scripts, as well as hundreds of other scripts such as patterns, signals, and drawing tools.

A large selection of nearly 200 pre-built indicator scripts, as well as hundreds of other scripts such as patterns, signals, and drawing tools. Modern User Interface: A modern desktop UI that is both skinnable and highly configurable.

SaaS and Source Code Solutions

The platform is available both as a service and as a source code solution for large enterprise customers. The source code solution is designed for large hedge funds and buy-side trading firms that require full control over their execution technology and would like to customize it to their needs.

About AlgoTerminal LLC

Established in 2010, after years of R&D, AlgoTerminal LLC is a leading provider of high-performance trading solutions for professional traders.

For more information, please visit: https://www.algoterminal.com

For a complete feature set, please visit:https://www.algoterminal.com/features

For video tutorials, please visit: https://www.algoterminal.com/video-tutorials

Media Contact

Daniel Tochner

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 702.425.4300

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SOURCE AlgoTerminal LLC

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Data wrangling, the ability to prepare and transform data for analysis.

Data enrichment, extensive third-party data partnerships and offers proprietary data.

Model governance, monitoring customer analytics models to detect degradation and make modifications to ensure continuous improvement.

Project management, ensuring client engagements are on time and within scope.

According to the report, "Many of Allant strengths lie in its database marketing heritage. It has a team of business-savvy data scientists who specialize in applied customer analytics." The report further states, Allant "boasts a strong data engineering team that leverages proprietary tools such as Identity Resolution Services to prepare the data for analysis. This frees up the data science team to focus on building better models and accelerates time to value for its clients."

"We are excited to see Forrester recognize Allant for all the things that we continue to focus on which ultimately leads to the value we add to our clients," explained Julie Schmidt, Allant Group SVP of Analytics and Insights. "It is truly a team effort and we continue to strive to be the best at what we do, take customer data and turn it into actionable insights to make better decisions."

"Allant's 3rd party data and ability to integrate our customers 1st party data through our Iris Solution takes the data wrangling to a minimum and allows our data scientists to focus on what we love to do, finding new ways to drive incremental returns from our client's marketing objectives, Schmidt continued. "As many of our clients know, driving customer insights is in our collective DNA at Allant."

A complimentary copy of the "The Forrester Wave: Customer Analytics Service Providers, Q3 2017" report is available for download here. For more details, see our blog post for more information.

About Allant Group

Allant is a marketing technology services provider that delivers end-to-end omni-channel marketing services. Allant's expertise and market knowledge enables the delivery through faster customer and 3rd party data integration, improved analytical insights, easy to understand data visualizations, and effective campaign management execution to enable personalized communication by marketers to acquire, retain and win back customers. Allant is a privately held company headquartered in the Chicago area. For more information, call 800.367.7311 or visit allantgroup.com.

Contact:

Tim Finnigan

630-778-2758

[email protected]

SOURCE Allant Group

Related Links

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NEW YORK, Oct. 02, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TAP Air Portugal won three World Travel Awards this weekend, being named Europes Leading Airline to Africa, Europes Leading Airline to South America, and Leading Inflight Magazine for UP. The awards, considered the "Oscars" of world tourism, were held in St. Petersburg, Russia.

Portugal was named Best Destination in Europe, the first time the country has received the honor. Moreover, Portugal also won the most awards overall, with 37 awards ranging from Best Cruise Port (Lisbon), Leading Island Destination (Madeira), Best Beach Destination in Europe (Algarve) and Best European Tourism Entity (Turismo de Portugal).

Launched in 1993, the World Travel Awards were created with the aim of acknowledging, rewarding and celebrating the pursuit of excellence in all travel and tourism industry sectors across the globe. Voted among some of the best known airlines worldwide, TAPs election resulted from an online voting process, mainly by trade professionals in travel and tourism around the world, such as travel agents, operators and tourism organizations from more than 100 countries and by the general public as well.

TAPs 2017 awards now join the airlines previous World Travel Award wins, including Europes Leading Airline to both Africa and South America in 2014, 2015 and 2016, the World's Leading Airline to Africa in 2011 and 2012 and also the title of World's Leading Airline to South America in 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012. UP magazine was also celebrated as Europes Leading Inflight Magazine both in 2015 and 2016.

About TAP Portugal

TAP is Portugals leading airline, and member of Star Alliance, the global airline alliance to offer customers worldwide reach, since 2005. In operation since 1945, TAP celebrated 70 years on March 14, 2015, and has completed its privatization process in 2015, with the Atlantic Gateway Group now as new private shareholders of its share capital. TAP hub in Lisbon is a key European gateway at the crossroads of Africa, North, Central and South America, where TAP stands out as the international leading carrier in operation to Brazil. The companys network currently comprises 85 destinations in 35 countries worldwide. TAP currently operates about 2,500 weekly flights in average on a modern fleet of 66 Airbus aircraft and 21 aircraft in TAP Express livery, operating in the companys regional network, adding up to a 87 aircraft fleet in the whole.

Within the vast restructure program currently going across the company as the outcome of its privatization process, TAP has announced its Network restructure, its medium and long haul fleet renewal program as of 2017 and the retrofit of the fleet currently in operation as well as the launch of the new branded product TAP Express, which replaced PGA and operates a new fleet of 17ATR 72 and Embraer 190.

In the pursuit of its customer focused policy, TAP continuously strives to deliver safe, reliable and upgraded products & services, tailored to meet customers expectations. Retaining the Portuguese character of the Companys brand and quality service as the basic concept has been the main driver of TAP strategy in most recent years. Recognized and awarded as the Europes Leading Airline to Africa as well as Europes Leading Airline to South America by the World Travel Awards in 2016, 2015 and 2014, the company was also awarded as the WTA Worlds Leading Airline to Africa in 2011 and 2012 and the WTA Worlds Leading Airline to South America in 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012, while the companys In-flight magazine UP also received the WTA award as Europes Leading In-flight Magazine in 2015 and 2016. Voted Best Airline in Europe in 2011, 2012, 2013 and again in 2015 by the Global Traveler, USA, the company was also honored by UNESCO and by the International Union of Geological Sciences with the IYPE Planet Earth Award 2010, in the category of Most Innovative Sustainable Product. TAP was also voted Best Airline by Conde Nast Traveller Magazine in 2010 and Best Portuguese Tourism Company by the specialized magazine Marketeer, in 2011.

Media contact:

Gareth Edmondson-Jones

GEJ, Ink

917 399-9355

GEJink@gmail.com
(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160303/792302 )

Browse 102 Market Data Tables and 22 Figures spread through 194 Pages and in-depth TOC on "Alpha Olefins Market"

http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/alpha-olefin-market-1282.html

Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report

Rising applications such as polyolefin co-monomers, lubricants, surfactants and intermediates, plasticizers, fine chemicals, and oil field chemicals are driving the alpha olefins market. Along with these, the growing demand for automobiles and plastics are also driving the market.

Polyolefin co-monomers application accounted for the largest share in 2016

The polyolefin co-monomers segment is projected to be the largest market for alpha olefins from 2017 to 2022, owing to the rapid growth of the plastics industry in the Asia-Pacific. Factors such as rising disposable incomes; rising living standards; flexible government taxation policies; rapid technological advancements in products & product offerings, by major international and domestic players, at competitive prices; are a few of the major factors driving the market for plastics, which in turn are driving the alpha olefins market in the polyolefin co-monomers application.

Get PDF Brochure @ http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownload.asp?id=1282

1-Butene is expected to be the fastest-growing segment in the alpha olefins market

The main reason for the high demand for 1-Butene can be attributed to the increasing consumption of plastics and automobiles, which are its largest end-use industries. The growing plastics industry worldwide drives the market for 1-Butene, and demand is expected to be higher in emerging countries. The rising demand for plastic packaging in food, pharmaceutical, and other industries is boosting the plastics market, which in turn is expected to drive the alpha olefins market. 1-Butene is used as a copolymer in the production of gasoline, butadiene, and other products, which increases its scope of applications.

North America was the largest alpha olefins market in 2016

In North America, the US was the largest market for alpha olefins in 2016, wherein the polyethylene industry is driven by demand from industries, such as automotive, packaging, and electrical & electronics. The alpha olefins industry is undertaking various technological developments and expansions to meet the increasing demand and enhance profit margins. The market in this region has promising growth potential owing to the availability of low-cost raw materials and the production of shale gas. The presence of polyolefin manufacturers such as Chevron Phillips Chemical Co., The Dow Chemical Company, and ExxonMobil in the US and their capacity expansion plans for polyolefins are expected to meet the demand for alpha olefins in the country.

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The Global Alpha Olefins Market has a large number of market players; however the market is led by some major players, such as Shell (The Netherlands), Chevron Phillips (US), Ineos (Switzerland), SABIC (Saudi Arabia), Sasol (South Africa), Evonik (Germany), Dow Chemical (US), ExxonMobil (US), PJSC Nizhnekamskneftekhim (Russia), and Qatar Chemical Company Ltd (Qatar), among others.

Browse Related Reports

Polyolefins Market by Type (Polethylene, Polypropylene, and Functional Polyolefins), Application (Film & Sheet, Injection Molding, Blow Molding, Fibers & Raffia), and Region - Global Forecasts to 2021

http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/polyolefins-market-1235.html



Plasticizers Market by Type (Low Phthalates, High Phthalates, and Non-Phthalates), Sub-Type (DOP, DINP/DIDP, DOTP, Bio-Based, & Others) & Geography - Trends and Forecasts to 2019

http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/plasticizers-market-688.html



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NEW YORK, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF) and Pfizer's Centers for Therapeutic Innovation (CTI) announced they will jointly support a new project that could result in a potential therapeutic to treat Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and other neurodegenerative diseases. The program is being led by Valina Dawson, PhD, and her team at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

The collaboration between the ADDF and CTI was born at a Faster Cures "Partnering for Cures" conference, and it represents the increasingly important role of collaboration across industry, academia, and foundations in the drug discovery process. These collaborations are particularly critical in Alzheimer's disease, which currently has no disease-modifying treatment options.

In addition to monetary support from CTI and the ADDF, Dr. Dawson and her project team will benefit from the comprehensive drug development expertise and resources of Pfizer's CTI, as well as the ADDF's disease knowledge. She will work closely with Dr. Paul Wes, Director at Pfizer's CTI, and scientists from Pfizer's Neuroscience, Medicinal Chemistry, Primary Pharmacology, and Drug, Safety, Research & Development units.

Dr. Uwe Schoenbeck, Senior Vice President of Pfizer's External Science and Innovation group, explains: "By combining Dr. Dawson's approach and expertise with Pfizer's drug development expertise and resources, we hope to accelerate and optimize the development of a potential therapy to patients. The goal of this collaboration with the ADDF is to find the most promising new targets for treating Alzheimer's and Parkinson's and develop potential medicines against them as quickly as possible to the benefit of patients."

Howard Fillit, MD, Founding Executive Director and Chief Science Officer at the ADDF, says, "The ADDF has a vast wealth of knowledge about emerging targets in Alzheimer's disease and the academic scientists pursuing them. CTI has access to resources that are necessary to create and develop drugs for human clinical trials. Our collaboration is built on our shared belief that Alzheimer's disease can and will be treated, and we can get there faster if we work together."

About the Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation

Founded in 1998 by Leonard Lauder and Ronald Lauder, the Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF) is the only philanthropy solely focused on accelerating the development of drugs to prevent and treat Alzheimer's disease. Its venture philanthropy approach and scientific expertise allows the ADDF to fund the most promising ideas around the world. And 100% of your donation funds drug research programs. To learn more, visit AlzDiscovery.org.

About Pfizer's Centers for Therapeutic Innovation

Pfizer's Centers for Therapeutic Innovation (CTI) is a unique model created by Pfizer, Inc. for academic-foundation-industry collaboration, designed to help bridge the gap between early scientific discovery and its translation into new medicines. A key aspect of CTI is its local Centers in biomedical research hubs that enable Pfizer and academic teams to work together, blending the research expertise of academics in disease biology, targets and patient populations with Pfizer's development expertise and resources. The ultimate goal of each collaborative research project is to identify a drug candidate that can be moved into clinical testing. For more information about CTI, please visit: www.PfizerCTI.com

SOURCE Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation

Related Links

http://www.alzdiscovery.org


HOUSTON, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Cancer Society will break ground at 10 a.m. EST, Tuesday, October 3, 2017, on the Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation Hope Lodge. The $30 million facility will be the largest of its kind in the country, offering free lodging for patients seeking cancer treatment in the Houston medical community. The groundbreaking ceremony will take place at the construction site, located at 6801 Ardmore Street, and will be available via live stream at https://livestream.com/ACS/HoustonHope.

The American Cancer Society operates more than 30 Hope Lodge facilities nationwide. Each Hope Lodge community offers cancer patients and their caregivers a free place to stay when their treatment is away from home. Since 1984, the American Cancer Society has provided more than 5 million nights of lodging to patients across the country. When the Houston Hope Lodge opens its doors, the 64-room facility will save cancer patients and their caregivers an estimated $3 million annually in lodging expenses. Some patients spend days, weeks, even months away from home. The emotional and financial toll of the loss of income, medical bills, lodging, and dining out can be staggering. The American Cancer Society Hope Lodge communities located around the country can help alleviate some of those issues.

"As a cancer survivor who traveled 400 miles for treatment and struggled to find affordable lodging I know how Hope Lodge will alleviate the financial burden and anxiety for future cancer patients," said Zach Jurgensen, cancer survivor and beneficiary of the American Cancer Society Hotel Partners Program. "The sense of community Hope Lodge will give and the relief people will feel knowing they have a safe place to stay is extremely important to cancer patients and will be impactful for the city of Houston."

At full occupancy, the Houston Hope Lodge facility will provide more than 23,000 room nights each year. It will include private guest suites, a library, shared living room, kitchen and dining areas, help-yourself pantry, daily access to linens, space for recreation and contemplation, and transportation services. The Hope Lodge community will not only offer the comforts of home, but it will also bring together cancer patients and caregivers who can support and learn from one another. Patients will also have access to free transportation services to and from the world-renowned cancer centers within the Texas Medical Center. This program benefit is in addition to the American Cancer Society's current offerings in the community.

"The Hope Lodge Houston facility promises to be one of the most tangible demonstrations of the American Cancer Society's commitment to improving the quality of life of cancer patients and their families in and around Houston by providing them a home away from home and offering greater access to care," said Gary Reedy, CEO, American Cancer Society.

The Houston Hope Lodge capital campaign is led by Chairpersons Bob and Janice McNair and Honorary Chairpersons President George and Mrs. Barbara Bush. At the completion of the campaign, $40 million will have been raised to support the construction and ongoing operational costs of the Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation Hope Lodge facility. The American Cancer Society still needs the community's help to reach that goal. To make a gift or for more information about Hope Lodge Houston Visit www.cancer.org/hopelodgehouston to make a gift or for more information about Hope Lodge Houston.

To make a gift, contact the American Cancer Society

Sandy Biggers, Campaign Director

American Cancer Society

2500 Fondren Road, Suite 100

Houston, TX 77063

Phone: 713-706-5640

www.cancer.org/hopelodgehouston

Interview opportunities during ground-breaking:

Gary Reedy, CEO, American Cancer Society

Sandy Biggers, Campaign Director, American Cancer Society

Zach Jurgensen, American Cancer Society spokesperson and cancer survivor

Richard M. Schulze, Founder of the Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation

Video Opportunities

Ceremonial Groundbreaking

Interview opportunities

Pre-event b-roll



About the American Cancer Society:

The American Cancer Society is a global grassroots force of nearly 2 million volunteers saving lives in every community. As the largest voluntary health organization, the Society's efforts have contributed to a 25 percent decline in the cancer death rate in the U.S. since 1991, driven by less smoking, better treatments, and earlier detection. We're finding cures as the nation's largest private, not-for-profit investor in cancer research, ensuring people facing cancer have the help they need and continuing the fight for access to quality health care, lifesaving screenings and more. For more information, to get help, or to join the fight, call us anytime, day or night, at (800) 227-2345 or visit cancer.org.

SOURCE American Cancer Society

Related Links

http://www.cancer.org


KANSAS CITY, Mo., Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Global asset management firm American Century Investments has reorganized the Nomura High Yield Fund into American Century High Income Fund. Nomura Corporate Research and Asset Management Inc. (NCRAM), which has managed the Nomura fund since its introduction in 2012, will remain the subadvisor. Also, on May 19, the company launched American Century NT High Income, a new NCRAM subadvised fund based on the existing high yield fund but used exclusively in the firm's popular One Choice Target Date Portfolios.

The investment objective of American Century High Income and NT High Income is to achieve current yield and capital growth. Under normal circumstances, the funds invest at least 80 percent of net assets in a portfolio of high yield bonds generally rated below investment grade by Moody's Investors Services Inc., Standard & Poor's Rating Services or Fitch, Inc. NCRAM's approach is opportunistic  seeking to capture credit market returns while minimizing losses.

The fund's benchmark is the Bank of America Merrill Lynch US High Yield Constrained Index.

American Century's reasoning for reorganizing the Nomura fund into American Century High Income is straightforward, according to Co-CIO David MacEwen.

"The Nomura investment team are seasoned investors with proven track records," MacEwen said. "We believe this is an excellent opportunity for the firm to leverage their investment capability for the benefit of our clients."

The veteran team of David Crall, CFA and Stephen Kotsen, CFA, who have worked together for nearly 20 years, comanage American Century High Income and NT High Income.

David Crall, CFA, is the Chief Investment Officer (CIO) and a Managing Director with NCRAM. He joined NCRAM in 1992 and has served as CIO since January 2010. In this role, he leads the investment activities and investment team and serves as Chairman of NCRAM's Investment Committee and Portfolio Manager of the Global High Yield Strategy. Mr. Crall received his B.A. from Yale University in 1992. He is a CFA charterholder, a member of the CFA institute, and a member of the New York Society of Security Analysts.

Stephen Kotsen, CFA, is a Managing Director and Portfolio Manager with NCRAM. He joined NCRAM in December 1998 and has been a Portfolio Manager for NCRAM's high yield bond investments since 2000. Mr. Kotsen received his M.B.A. in Finance from Columbia Business School in 1995, and his B.A. in International Relations from Princeton University in 1991. Mr. Kotsen is a CFA charterholder, a member of the CFA Institute, and a member of the New York Society of Security Analysts.

"Being able to tap into the team's skill set serves as a testament to our strategic partnership with Nomura," MacEwen said. In 2016, Nomura completed its purchase of a 41 percent non-controlling equity stake in American Century.

American Century Investments is a leading global asset manager focused on delivering investment results and building long-term client relationships while supporting research that can improve human health and save lives. Founded in 1958, American Century Investments' 1,300 employees serve investment professionals, institutions, corporations and individual investors from offices in New York; London; Hong Kong; Mountain View, Calif.; and Kansas City, Mo. Jonathan S. Thomas is president and chief executive officer, and Victor Zhang and David MacEwen serve as co-chief investment officers. Delivering investment results to clients enables American Century Investments to distribute over 40 percent of its dividends to the Stowers Institute for Medical Research, a 500-person, non-profit basic biomedical research organization. The Institute owns more than 40 percent of American Century Investments and has received dividend payments of nearly $1.3 billion since 2000. For more information about American Century Investments, visit www.americancentury.com.

You should consider the fund's investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses carefully before you invest. The fund's prospectus or summary prospectus, which can be obtained by visiting americancentury.com, contains this and other information about the fund, and should be read carefully before investing. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

The lower rated securities in which the fund invests are subject to greater credit risk, default risk and liquidity risk.

American Century Investment Services, Inc., Distributor

2017 American Century Proprietary Holdings, Inc.

Contact: Laura Kouri

(816) 340-4710

Media Line

(816) 340-7033

SOURCE American Century Investments

Related Links

http://www.americancentury.com


PROVIDENCE, R.I., Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the American Urogynecologic Society (AUGS) kicks off the 38th Annual Scientific Meeting, Pelvic Floor Disorder (PFD) Week in Providence, Rhode Island. PFD Week convenes leading physicians, nurses, physical therapists, students, researchers, educators, and other healthcare professionals from around the world who will present and discuss the latest in female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery.

PFD Week continues to attract world renowned experts and includes more than 1,100 attendees, 18 workshops chaired by experts in the field, 25 roundtable discussions, and more than 200 oral, oral poster, poster, and video presentations. This year's meeting focuses on the latest treatment techniques and developments in both surgical and non-surgical settings with interactive learning formats and numerous opportunities for peer networking.

"Our female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery field continues to grow and advance at a rapid pace and PFD Week is the perfect platform to exchange new ideas, and discuss the latest research and technology that will help us continue to advance patient care," said Halina Zyczynski, MD, president of AUGS. "It is our hope that this year's robust program and educational sessions will provide practical insights and best practices with real-world patient and clinician benefits that can be implemented immediately."

To further spotlight research, the PFD Week Program Committee selects outstanding abstracts to recognize at the 2017 meeting. The outstanding abstract winners are selected based on groundbreaking, unique results and are acknowledged in the session and receive a certificate. The selected abstracts will also be published in the special October edition of Female Pelvic Medicine & Reconstructive Surgery (FPMRS), the official journal of AUGS.

The PFD Week 2017 Outstanding Abstracts: Day-by-Day Highlights

Thursday, October 5

Best Clinical Paper: CHANGES OVER TIME IN ANTERIOR AND POSTERIOR VAGINAL SUPPORT AFTER CESAREAN VERSUS VAGINAL BIRTH

Author: Victoria Handa , MD, Johns Hopkins

Time of Presentation: 8:15 a.m.  8:27 a.m.

Best Abstract: CONTROLLING ANAL INCONTINENCE IN WOMEN BY PERFORMING ANAL EXERCISES WITH MANOMETRIC-ASSISTED BIOFEEDBACK OR LOPERAMIDE: THE CAPABLE TRIAL

Author: John Jelovsek , MD, Cleveland Clinic

Time of Presentation: 8:27 a.m.  8:37 a.m.

Best Video: MODIFIED PENILE INVERSION VAGINOPLASTY FOR THE TRANSGENDER WOMAN

Author: Tonya Thomas , MD, Cleveland Clinic

Time of Presentation: 8:57 a.m.  9:10 a.m.

Best Overall Paper: TWO-YEAR OUTCOMES OF SACRAL NEUROMODULATION VS. ONABOTULINUMTOXINA FOR REFRACTORY URGENCY URINARY INCONTINENCE

Author: Cindy Amundsen , MD, Duke University

Time of Presentation: 2:47 p.m.  2:57 p.m.

Friday, October 6

Best Basic Science Paper: OVEREXPRESSION OF ESTROGEN RECEPTOR BETA IN BLADDER UROTHELIUM PROTECTS AGAINST UROPATHOGENIC E. COLI INFECTION

Author: Judy Yeh , MD, Yale School of Medicine

Time of Presentation: 8:45 a.m.  8:57 a.m.

Best Resident/Fellow Paper: ROLE OF PROTEASE INHIBITORS IN HEALING OF THE VAGINAL WALL

Author: Maria Florian-Rodriguez , MD, UT Southwestern

Time of Presentation: 12:15 p.m.  12:25 p.m.

Saturday, October 7

Best Technology/Novel Therapies Paper: EFFECTIVENESS AND SAFETY OF A NEW DISPOSABLE VAGINAL DEVICE FOR THE NON-SURGICAL MANAGEMENT OF PELVIC ORGAN PROLAPSE (POP) IN WOMEN

Author: Elan Ziv, MD, Gynecology-Hertzelia

Time of Presentation: 8:35 a.m.  8:45 a.m.

Join the PFD Week Discussion

Read more about these specific abstracts and others being presented at PFD Week here. Follow our #PFDWeek hashtag for real-time updates and news from the meeting. PFD Week general sessions will also be available virtually via live streaming and on-demand. For more information about the virtual conference access, please click here.

Qualified media are invited to attend and lead authors will be available to discuss specific abstracts. Contact Katy Frame (703-739-8358) for interviews. Click here for more information.

About AUGS

The American Urogynecologic Society (AUGS), founded in 1979, is the premier non-profit organization representing more than 1,900 members including practicing physicians, nurse practitioners, physical therapists, nurses and health care professionals, as well as researchers from many disciplines, all dedicated to treating female pelvic floor disorders (pelvic organ prolapse and urinary incontinence). As the leader in Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery, AUGS promotes the highest quality patient care through excellence in education, research, and advocacy.

Contact:

Katy Frame: 703-739-8358, [email protected]

Tristan Wood: 412-477-5318, [email protected]

SOURCE American Urogynecologic Society

Related Links

https://www.augs.org


LONDON, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- According to Stratistics MRC, the Global Angina Pectoris Drugs Market is accounted for $8501.3 million in 2016 and expected to grow at a CAGR of 6.7% to reach $13441.0 million by 2023.



Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/5126505





The market factors such as sedentary lifestyle and obesity in young generation, research and developments for effective drugs, high demand for target specific and tailored drugs for angina pectoris treatment and in developing countries the awareness related to cardiovascular diseases is increasing which in turn is driving market growth. Further market will witness few trends such as introduction of new pharmacologic agents, Genomic medicines and growing trend of strategic alliances and acquisitions.

?-Adrenoceptor antagonists (?-blockers) are recommended for the first-line treatment of heart failure, coronary artery disease, and atrial fibrillation as well as of hypertension complicated with heart failure, angina pectoris, or prior myocardial infarction. ?-Blocker therapy should also be considered in asymptomatic patients with large areas of ischemia (level IIa C evidence) and in microvascular angina to improve effort-related angina symptoms. According to The British journal of Cardiology, chronic stable angina pectoris affects around 2  4% of the population in western countries and it is associated with an estimated annual risk of death and non-fatal myocardial infarction (MI) of 12% and 3% respectively.



Current European and North American guidelines advise continuing dual antiplatelet therapy for 1 year following an acute coronary syndrome. Cangrelor is a novel P2Y12 inhibitor that, like ticagrelor, binds directly to the receptor and induces reversible blockade. The drug is a nonthienopyridine adenosine triphosphate analogue that is administered intravenously and has shown promising results in clinical trials to date. bciximab (a monoclonal antibody fragment), tirofiban (a small, non-peptide molecule) and eptifibatide (a cyclic heptapeptide derived from rattlesnake venom) are used in clinical practice.



There are three main classes of L-type channel blockers: phenylalkyamines, benzothiazapines, and 1,4-dihydropyridines. In particular, CCBs have been one of the most widely used classes of antihypertensive agents in the last 20 years, based on their effectiveness in reducing BP levels, good tolerability, and abundant evidence on reducing cardiovascular and renal consequences of hypertension.



In the United States, eight of the major CCBs are currently marketed. From a clinical point of view, dihydropyridinic CCBs are considered one of the first-line therapeutic options to treat hypertension and reduce hypertension-related cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers are available in single pill combinations with betablocker or angiotensin receptor blocker; verapamil is available in combination with an ACE inhibitor.



North America is projected to dominate this market due to higher prevalence of chronic diseases and better healthcare infrastructure. According to U.S. National Institutes of Health, Dantonic (T89) is a botanical drug that comprises extracts of Danshen (Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae) and Sanqi (Radix Notoginseng) with borneol in a capsule form.



The drug is currently approved in 26 countries outside the USA for the treatment and prevention of chronic stable angina pectoris and other cardiovascular disease related conditions. Europe is the second largest market followed by Asia Pacific. Asia Pacific is estimated to grow at significantly due to rising prevalence of angina pectoris, high awareness related to cardiovascular diseases and developing healthcare infrastructure.



The key players in global Angina Pectoris Drugs market are Astellas Pharma, Cardium Therapeutics, Cardeus Pharmaceuticals, CardioVascular BioTherapeutics (CVBT), Ark Therapeutics Group plc, HUYA Bioscience International LLC, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Korea Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co.,Ltd, Pfizer, Inc., Baxalta US Inc., Sanofi SA, Gilead Sciences, Inc, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, AstraZeneca PLC and TSH Biopharm Corporation Limited.



Drug Classes Covered:

 Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors

 Beta-adrenergic blocking agents

 Calcium channel blockers

 Short & Long  acting Nitroglycerines

 Anti-ischemic agents

 Antiplatelet agents



End Users Covered:

 Hospital Pharmacies

 Online Pharmacies

 Retail Pharmacies



Regions Covered:

 North America

o US

o Canada

o Mexico

 Europe

o Germany

o UK

o Italy

o France

o Spain

o Rest of Europe

 Asia Pacific

o Japan

o China

o India

o Australia

o New Zealand

o South Korea

o Rest of Asia Pacific

 South America

o Argentina

o Brazil

o Chile

o Rest of South America

 Middle East & Africa

o Saudi Arabia

o UAE

o Qatar

o South Africa

o Rest of Middle East & Africa



What our report offers:

- Market share assessments for the regional and country level segments

- Market share analysis of the top industry players

- Strategic recommendations for the new entrants

- Market forecasts for a minimum of 7 years of all the mentioned segments, sub segments and the regional markets

- Market Trends (Drivers, Constraints, Opportunities, Threats, Challenges, Investment Opportunities, and recommendations)

- Strategic recommendations in key business segments based on the market estimations

- Competitive landscaping mapping the key common trends

- Company profiling with detailed strategies, financials, and recent developments

- Supply chain trends mapping the latest technological advancements



Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/5126505



About Reportbuyer

Reportbuyer is a leading industry intelligence solution that provides all market research reports from top publishers

https://www.reportbuyer.com



For more information:

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Research Advisor at Reportbuyer.com

Email: [email protected]

Tel: +44 208 816 85 48

Website: www.reportbuyer.com

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TUKWILA, Wash., Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- This Sunday, Teamsters from APP/World Fuel Services showed the incredible power of solidarity as they voted unanimously in favor of a strike action at their employer. The group of almost 90 fuel truck drivers have been fighting for a first contract for nearly a year, and this strike authorization vote was an important next step in that battle.

The APP drivers voted to join Teamsters Local 174 in November of last year. Since then, even without a contract, the group has seen firsthand the power of union representation on the job, as Local 174 Senior Business Agent and Western Region Tankhaul Director David Jacobsen has successfully fought back against every unjust termination the company has attempted in the past year. These newly-minted Teamsters were also able to support their Teamster Brothers and Sisters in the sand and gravel industry by refusing to cross the picket lines during the CalPortland strike in August.

"Even without a contract, we are Teamsters through and through," said APP employee and Bargaining Committee member Antonio Anaya.

Negotiations between Local 174 and the multinational fuel delivery company APP/World Fuel Services have been ongoing for nearly a year now, and had been progressing smoothly and amicably for the first several months. However, as the one-year anniversary of the group's decision to become Teamsters approached and more contentious and controversial issues were brought to the table for discussion, negotiations began to stall out.

"Negotiations have dragged on since January and it is almost a year since we were certified," said Local 174 Director of Bargaining Patty Warren. "Our patience is running thin and it's time to get this done. Local 174 doesn't stop fighting until we get a great contract for our members, and we hope that this unanimous strike authorization vote sends APP management a message."

A strike by APP drivers would wreak havoc on the local economy, as these drivers deliver 25% of the fuel to our geographic area  including many employers of Local 174 members, such as the sand and gravel companies and the sanitation companies. Without regular fuel deliveries, many of these companies' operations would be paralyzed.

"Driving a fuel tanker truck is an extremely dangerous undertaking that requires incredible skill and experience to perform safely," said Local 174 Senior Business Agent David Jacobsen. "These drivers not only have skills that make them unique, but also incredibly strict licensing requirements  they need a Class A CDL with HAZMAT endorsement, a TWIC card, as well as specialty training to load out of several refineries in Washington State including U.S Oil, Shell, Conoco Phillips, Targa, and Tesoro. For APP/World Fuel Services to find replacement workers in the event of a strike would be extremely difficult."

There are many issues still up for debate at the negotiations table, including protections for seniority and issues related to overtime. Economic issues, including health and welfare as well as pensions, have barely been discussed.

"It would be in everyone's best interest for this contract to be resolved at the negotiating table rather than through a strike, but if a strike is what it takes to get our members what they deserve, then a strike is what APP will get," said Teamsters Local 174 Secretary-Treasurer Rick Hicks. "These workers have an incredible set of skills that their employer needs to start recognizing. They have been mistreated and underpaid for far too long. It is time to get serious about getting a contract for these drivers, and we hope that this unanimous strike authorization vote will get APP management's attention."

As for the members themselves, they are growing weary of waiting for a contract  but they have not grown even remotely weary of being Teamsters. "We still think that voting to join the Teamsters was one of the best things we ever did for our careers," said APP driver and Bargaining Committee member Tony Inglett. "If this company thinks we are just going to lose interest in fighting for our rights on the job, they are crazy. We are even more committed to being Teamsters now than we were a year ago!"

Armed with the 100% strike authorization, Local 174 and APP will meet again on October 19 and 20 to continue negotiations, hopefully reaching a deal without the need for a strike.

"If it's going to take a strike to get APP to take us seriously, then we are ready," Inglett said. "We're Teamsters now, and Teamsters don't go out lying down."

Founded in 1909, Teamsters Local 174 represents 7,200 working men and women in the Seattle area. "Like" us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TeamstersLocal174.

Contact:

Jamie Fleming, (206) 441-6060

[email protected]

SOURCE Teamsters Local 174
ST.HELENA, Calif., Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Appellation St. Helena (ASH) announced their inaugural Holiday Wine Experience to be held on Wednesday, November 8, 2017 at the Golden Gate Club located within the Presidio in San Francisco, CA. Media and the wine trade are complementary and invited to attend the pre-opening from 3:30pm to 5:30pm, and the public invitation is from 5:30pm to 8pm. Consumers will meet winemaking teams and proprietors from over 24 member wineries producing some of the best $50+ ultra-luxury wines made in the heart of Napa Valley.

"Few wine growing regions have the iconic portfolio that St. Helena has. As the epicenter of Napa Valley Wine Excellence, our winery members produce some of the world's most sought-after wines. Bringing our Valley to the City is an excellent opportunity for our Bay Area wine connoisseurs to learn more about us, taste our portfolios, and take home wine for the upcoming holidays," said Lesley Keffer Russell, ASH President.

"Many of these wines are available only on allocation or to wine club members," said Stanley Harris, an avid wine collector. "Having the ability to taste these wines, some of which are well over $100 a bottle  and potentially get on the winery's allocation list  is an exciting and rare opportunity."

Wines from pioneering vineyards dating back to the 1860s from wineries including Charles Krug, Pellet Estate, and Varozza, will be poured alongside contemporary producers such as Spottswoode, Corison and Alpha Omega. Attendees will enjoy tasting selections from each winery's portfolio, meeting members of their team, and enjoying on-site purchase opportunities of these limited production wines.

A full list of wineries and tickets are available at https://ashholidaywine.eventbrite.com. Learn more about us at http://bit.ly/2yMmZFq.

Space is limited to 250 attendees.

About ASH

Established in 1875 as the St. Helena Viticulture Club, and today known as Appellation St. Helena, our mission is to promote the quality of grapes grown and wines produced from the St. Helena AVA, Napa Valley's epicenter of wine excellence. Comprised of roughly 12,000 acres with more than 400 different vineyards, and over 75 member wineries and growers, St. Helena is the birthplace of Napa Valley's commercial wine industry. Our members produce world-renowned Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Syrah, Zinfandel, and Sauvignon Blanc.

Media Contact

Lisa Stockon

29 Marketing Studio

707.291.2296

[email protected]

SOURCE Appellation St. Helena
ATLANTA and LAUSANNE, Switzerland, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Arbor Pharmaceuticals, LLC, a U.S. based specialty pharmaceutical company, and Debiopharm International SA, part of Debiopharm Group, a Swiss-based global biopharmaceutical company, announced today that Triptodur (triptorelin) is now commercially available in the U.S. for the treatment of pediatric patients 2 years and older diagnosed with central precocious puberty (CPP)  a rare condition that affects one in every 5,000 to 10,000 children.1

"We are pleased to be providing this important new treatment option for children diagnosed with CPP," said Ed Schutter, President and CEO of Arbor. "We believe that many providers, patients and parents will appreciate the convenience Triptodur offers through a once-every six-month dosing schedule."

CPP is a condition that occurs when a child shows signs of puberty earlier than normal: before age 8 in girls and age 9 in boys.2,3 Without appropriate treatment, children with CPP will be shorter in height than their peers due to premature fusion of growth plates.4 CPP has also been associated with low self-esteem and higher anxiety, irritability or withdrawal.5-7,12

"Early puberty in a child can pose significant physical and emotional challenges throughout their life, including shorter adult stature, social, psychological and emotional effects," said Karen Klein, M.D., Pediatric Endocrinologist, University of California San Diego and Rady Children's Hospital. "With treatment, hormone levels in children with CPP may be returned to a normal level, slowing the clinical signs of puberty until an age appropriate time."

Triptodur (triptorelin) is the first gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist administered through intramuscular injection (IM) to offer once-every six-month dosing.8 This treatment helps to return hormone levels in children to a normal prepubertal level, pausing the clinical signs of puberty until an age appropriate time. GnRH agonists are the primary treatment for CPP and can help preserve time in childhood.9

"We are very pleased to offer this well tolerated and efficacious triptorelin formulation to children suffering from central precocious puberty, for which no other 6-month GnRH agonist formulation is approved", said Eija Lundstrom, Medical Director, Debiopharm International SA.8

Triptodur (triptorelin) has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of children with CPP. In a phase III clinical trial, Triptodur (triptorelin) demonstrated a return to pre-pubertal luteinizing hormone (LH) levels in 93 percent of patients after 6 months of treatment, and in 98 percent of patients after 12 months.10 The most common adverse reactions in clinical studies were injection site reactions, menstrual (vaginal) bleeding, hot flush, headache, cough, and infections (bronchitis, gastroenteritis, influenza, nasopharyngitis, otitis externa, pharyngitis, sinusitis, and upper respiratory tract infection). Please see Important Safety Information below.

Triptorelin extended release formulations were developed by Debiopharm and are manufactured in Switzerland by Debiopharm Research & Manufacturing SA. Arbor acquired exclusive U.S. commercial rights to Triptorelin 6-month for CPP in November 2015 and it was approved by the U.S. FDA in June 2017.

About Central Precocious Puberty (CPP)

GnRH-dependent CPP is defined by pubertal development occurring before the age of 8 years in girls and 9 years in boys.1-2 It is characterized by early pubertal changes such as breast development and start of menses in girls and increased testicular and penile growth in boys, appearance of pubic hair, as well as acceleration of growth velocity and bone maturation and tall stature during childhood, which often results in reduced adult height due to premature fusion of the growth plates.11

Reliable epidemiological data on CPP worldwide is not available. The condition is a rare disease occurring in about 1 out of every 5,000 to 10,000 children.3 Central precocious puberty is more common in girls than in boys, with a female: male ratio estimated to be between 3:1 and 23:1.10

About TRIPTODUR

INDICATIONS

TRIPTODUR is indicated for the treatment of pediatric patients 2 years of age and older with central precocious puberty (CPP).

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

Contraindications

TRIPTODUR is contraindicated in:

Individuals with a known hypersensitivity to triptorelin or any other component of the product, or other GnRH agonists or GnRH.

Women who are or may become pregnant. Expected hormonal changes that occur with TRIPTODUR treatment increase the risk for pregnancy loss and fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman. If this drug is used during pregnancy, or if the patient becomes pregnant while taking this drug, the patient should be advised of the potential risk to the fetus.

Warnings and Precautions

Initial Rise of Gonadotropins and Sex Steroid Levels - During the early phase of therapy, gonadotropins and sex steroids rise above baseline because of the initial stimulatory effect of the drug. Therefore, a transient increase in clinical signs and symptoms of puberty, including vaginal bleeding, may be observed during the first weeks of therapy or after subsequent doses.

Psychiatric Events - Psychiatric events have been reported in patients taking GnRH agonists. Postmarketing reports with this class of drugs include symptoms of emotional lability, such as crying, irritability, impatience, anger, and aggression. Monitor for development or worsening of psychiatric symptoms during treatment with TRIPTODUR.

Convulsions  Post-marketing reports of convulsions have been observed in patients receiving GnRH agonists, including triptorelin. These included patients with a history of seizures, epilepsy, cerebrovascular disorders, central nervous system anomalies or tumors, and patients on concomitant medications that have been associated with convulsions such as bupropion and SSRIs. Convulsions have also been reported in patients in the absence of any of the conditions mentioned above.

Adverse Reactions

In clinical trials for TRIPTODUR, the most common adverse reactions (4.5%) are injection site reactions, menstrual (vaginal) bleeding, hot flush, headache, cough, and infections (bronchitis, gastroenteritis, influenza, nasopharyngitis, otitis externa, pharyngitis, sinusitis, and upper respiratory tract infection).

For additional safety information, consult the TRIPTODUR full Prescribing Information: http://arborpharma.com/docs/TriptodurFullProductInformation.pdf

For More Information

For additional news or information about Triptodur (triptorelin), please visit www.Triptodur.com.

About Debiopharm International SA

Part of Debiopharm Group  a Swiss-headquartered global biopharmaceutical group including five companies active in the life science areas of drug development, GMP manufacturing of proprietary drugs, diagnostic tools and investment management  Debiopharm International SA is focused on the development of prescription drugs that target unmet medical needs. The company in-licenses and develops promising drug candidates. The products are commercialized by pharmaceutical out-licensing partners to give access to the largest number of patients worldwide.

About Triptorelin

Triptorelin is an agonist of the natural gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH). Debiopharm has developed three sustained-release formulations (1, 3 and 6 months) of triptorelin pamoate. The 1-, 3- and 6-month formulations have been registered in numerous countries for several indications.

Triptorelin was first registered in France in 1986 and is currently marketed in more than 80 countries for various indications including CPP.

For more information, please visit www.debiopharm.com.

We are on Twitter. Follow us @DebiopharmNews at http://twitter.com/DebiopharmNews.

About Arbor Pharmaceuticals LLC

Arbor Pharmaceuticals, headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, is a specialty pharmaceutical company currently focused on the cardiovascular, neurology, hospital and pediatric markets as well as generics through its Wilshire division. The company has approximately 750 employees, with over 625 sales professionals that promote its products to hospitals and physicians. In addition to its extensive pipeline, the company continues to actively pursue growth through acquisition or licensing of marketed or late-stage development products. Arbor currently markets twenty-two approved NDA and ANDA products, and, along with Wilshire, has over forty products in development. For more information regarding Arbor Pharmaceuticals or any of its products, visit www.arborpharma.com or send email inquiries to [email protected].

References

1. Partsch CJ, Sippell WG. Treatment of central precocious puberty. Best Pract Res Clin Endocrinol Metab.2002;16:165-189.

2. Muir A. Precocious puberty. Pediatr Rev. 2006;27:373-381.

3. Carel JC, Leger J. Clinical practice. Precocious puberty. N Engl J Med. 2008;358(22):2366-2377.

4. Carel JC, Lahlou N, Roger M & Chaussain JL. Precocious puberty and statural growth. Human Reproduction Update. 2004;10:135147.

5. Precocious puberty. Mayo Clinic Web site. http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/precocious-puberty/symptoms-causes/dxc-20266003. Accessed June 21, 2017.

6. Mendle, J., et al. Detrimental Psychological Outcomes Associated with Early Pubertal Timing in Adolescent Girls. Dev Rev. 2007; 27(2): 151-171.

7. Johansson T & Ritzen EM. Very long-term follow-up of girls with early and late menarche. Endocrine Development. 2005;8:126-136.

8. Triptodur [package insert]. Atlanta, GA: Arbor Pharmaceuticals, LLC. http://arborpharma.com/docs/TriptodurFullProductInformation.pdf

9. Faqua JS. Treatment and outcomes of precocious puberty: an update. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2013;98(6):2198-207.

10. Klein K, et al. Efficacy and safety of triptorelin 6-month formulation in patients with central precocious puberty. J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab. 2016;29(11):1241-1248.

11. Antoniazzi F, Zamboni G. Central precocious puberty: current treatment options. Paediatr Drugs. 2004;6:211-231.

12. Early Puberty. Lurie Children's Web site. https://www.luriechildrens.org/en-us/care-services/conditions-treatments/early-puberty/Pages/index.aspx. Accessed June 21, 2017.

PP-TRIP-US-0056

SOURCE Arbor Pharmaceuticals LLC

Related Links

http://www.arborpharma.com


WASHINGTON, Oct. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- On October 2, 2017, the American Security Project (ASP) welcomed back founding member Secretary John Kerry to its Board of Directors. After leaving the ASP board to fulfill his duties as Secretary of State in 2013, ASP is pleased to have one of its founding members return to help continue its mission of vision, strategy, and dialogue.

Upon rejoining the board, Secretary Kerry said:

"I am very proud of the bipartisan consensus ASP has been building around critical national security issues. When I formed ASP with my Senate colleagues more than 10 years ago, we agreed that the security of our nation was not a partisan issue, and that we could all work together to secure the future of our country. Today, I am excited to return to the board and work with the men and women of this organization to continue its tradition of bipartisan cooperation and educate the American public on solutions to the many threats we must address."

ASP President, Mr. Nelson Cunningham said:

"Secretary Kerry's vision for national security in the 21st century remains critical. His focus on uniting our policymakers around a national security strategy based on facts and the long-term interests of our country continues to be vital in the years ahead. We are pleased to have him back."

ASP Chairperson, Governor Christine Todd Whitman said:

"I am delighted to welcome Secretary Kerry back to the board. As we persevere in our efforts to find solutions to the threats we face, we cannot underestimate the need for the kind of bipartisan consensus building he has strived for and exemplified in the founding of the American Security Project."

About The American Security Project

The American Security Project (ASP) is a nonpartisan organization created to educate the American public and the world about the changing nature of national security in the 21st Century.

Our mission:

To communicate our vision for security in the 21 st Century by developing and sharing new ideas and critical analyses on the most important national security issues of our time;

for security in the 21 Century by developing and sharing new ideas and critical analyses on the most important national security issues of our time; To forge a bipartisan consensus on a new national security strategy that will restore America's leadership and ensure our security;

that will restore America's leadership and ensure our security; To raise the American public's understanding of critical national security issues through direct engagement and dialogue .

Founders:

Hon. John F. Kerry

Hon. Chuck Hagel

Hon. Gary Hart

Hon. Warren Rudman

Board Members:

Chairperson 

Gov. Christine Todd Whitman

President 

Nelson W. Cunningham

CEO 

BGen Stephen A. Cheney, USMC (Ret.)

Norman R. Augustine

Ambassador Jeffrey Bleich

Hon. Donald Beyer

Alejandro Brito

LTG Daniel Christman, USA (Ret.)

Nicholas Clark

Robert B. Crowe

Lee Cullum

ADM William Fallon, USN (Ret.)

Raj Fernando

Scott D. Gilbert

VADM Lee Gunn, USN (Ret.)

Hon. Chuck Hagel

Hon. Gary Hart

LTG Claudia Kennedy, USA (Ret.)

Hon. John F. Kerry

Gen Lester Lyles, USAF (Ret.)

Dennis Mehiel

Stuart Piltch

Ed Reilly

LtGen Norman Seip, USAF (Ret)

Ex Officio 

Dante Disparte

http://americansecurityproject.org/

@amsecproject

1100 New York Avenue NW

Suite 710W

Washington, DC 20005

SOURCE American Security Project

Related Links

http://americansecurityproject.org


English Dutch

's-Hertogenbosch, the Netherlands, 3 October 2017

Van Lanschot Kempen today announced that it has completed its share buy-back programme. A total 300,000 shares (depositary receipts for Class A ordinary shares) have been repurchased under the programme at an average price of 26.00 per share, representing a total amount of 7,799,010.

The repurchased shares will be used to cover the depositary receipts to be allocated to employees under existing remuneration policies and share plan.

In the period between 26 September 2017 and 2 October 2017, Van Lanschot Kempen repurchased 54,305 of its own shares at an average price of 26.59 per share - a total amount of 1,443,802. These repurchases formed part of the share buy-back programme for a total of 300,000 shares, announced on 7 June 2017 and 29 August 2017. The share buy-back programme has now been completed.

More information, including a detailed overview of the repurchase transactions under this programme, is available at www.vanlanschotkempen.com/sharebuyback.

Media Relations: +31 20 354 45 85; mediarelations@vanlanschotkempen.com

Investor Relations: +31 20 354 45 90; investorrelations@vanlanschotkempen.com

About Van Lanschot Kempen

Van Lanschot Kempen, a wealth manager operating under the Van Lanschot, Evi and Kempen brand names, is active in Private Banking, Asset Management and Merchant Banking, with the aim of preserving and creating wealth for its clients. Van Lanschot Kempen, listed at Euronext Amsterdam, is the Netherlands' oldest independent financial services company with a history dating back to 1737.

vanlanschotkempen.com

Disclaimer

This document does not constitute an offer or solicitation for the sale, purchase or acquisition in any other way of or subscription to any financial instrument and is not an opinion or a recommendation to perform or refrain from performing any action.

This document is a translation of the Dutch original and is provided as a courtesy only. In the event of any disparities, the Dutch version will prevail.
GREEN BAY, Wis. and CHICAGO, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Associated Banc-Corp (NYSE: ASB) ("Associated") announced yesterday that it has closed the previously announced acquisition of Whitnell & Co. ("Whitnell"), a wealth management and multi-family office services firm based in Oak Brook, Illinois.

Whitnell will be part of Associated's Private Client & Institutional Services group and will enhance Associated's ability to provide comprehensive financial services related to tax, charitable and estate planning. Associated's Private Client Services includes Private Banking, Investment, Trust and Insurance Services for affluent individuals, executives, professionals and business owners. Associated's Institutional Services focuses on working with businesses and other entities to provide Employee Benefits, Retirement Plans, Insurance & Risk Management and Institutional Investment Management services.

"The acquisition of Whitnell aligns with our continued focus on improving the customer experience and strategy to drive shareholder value through a diverse set of specialty businesses," said Philip B. Flynn, president and CEO, Associated. "With the addition of Whitnell, we can offer a unique set of additional planning, asset management and related services to high net worth clients across our markets."

In conjunction with Associated, Whitnell's more than 25 professionals will continue to provide affluent Midwest families with a complete set of multi-family office services centered around financial planning, wealth management and generational wealth transfer.

Whitnell has approximately $1.0 billion assets under management. The acquisition is expected to increase both Associated assets under management and related run-rate revenue by more than 10%. The transaction is not expected to have a material impact on Associated's 2017 earnings and is expected to be accretive to Associated's 2018 earnings.

Associated will release 2017 third quarter financial results on Thursday, October 19, 2017, after market close. The company will host a conference call for investors and analysts at 4p.m. Central Time (CT) on that day to discuss results along with this transaction.

ABOUT ASSOCIATED BANC-CORP

Associated Banc-Corp (NYSE: ASB) has total assets of nearly $30 billion and is one of the top 50 publicly traded U.S. bank holding companies. Headquartered in Green Bay, Wisconsin, Associated is a leading Midwest banking franchise, offering a full range of financial products and services from over 200 banking locations serving more than 100 communities throughout Wisconsin, Illinois and Minnesota, and commercial financial services in Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio and Texas. Associated Bank, N.A. is an Equal Housing Lender, Equal Opportunity Lender and Member FDIC. More information about Associated Banc-Corp is available at www.associatedbank.com

Media Contact: Jennifer Kaminski

920-491-7576

[email protected]

Investor Contact: Jessica Vanden Heuvel

920-491-7059

[email protected]

SOURCE Associated Banc-Corp

Related Links

http://www.associatedbank.com


MANASSAS, Va., Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- ATCC, a global leader in biological materials management and standards, today announced two appointments to the senior leadership team. Mr. Daniel Kelly joins ATCC as Chief Information and Technology Officer (CITO), and Mr. John Sweeney joins as Chief Financial Officer (CFO).

As CITO, Mr. Kelly will develop and drive information and technology strategies that sustain ATCC's current mission as well as extend our reach into new technology-based business opportunities. Mr. Kelly brings more than 30 years of progressive experience in management consulting, IT professional services, IT management, and operations management. Prior to joining ATCC, Mr. Kelly was Chief Information Officer at Parsons Infrastructure, and held executive leadership roles at organizations such as MedRisk, Apria Healthcare, and Perot Systems. Mr. Kelly is a graduate of Siena College in Loudonville, New York, where he earned his Bachelor's Degree in Marketing/Marketing Management.

As CFO, Mr. Sweeney will oversee finance and accounting and other corporate matters and will work with the ATCC executive leadership team to explore a wide range of new initiatives that both advance our mission and aid in the diversification of opportunities.

Mr. Sweeney has over twenty years of experience in the pharmaceutical and life sciences sector. Prior to joining ATCC, Mr. Sweeney was Vice President of Finance for the US Division of Alvogen Group, and held leadership roles in organizations including Actavis and Purdue Pharma. Mr. Sweeney is a Certified Public Accountant and earned his Bachelor's Degree in Accounting at Western Connecticut State University and his MBA from the Stern School of Business at New York University.

"We are excited to have Dan and John on the leadership team," said Dr. Raymond H. Cypess, ATCC Chairman and CEO. "Dan is an accomplished and innovative information technology executive with extensive experience across multiple commercial and public market sectors. John brings a wide range of experience to ATCC as both a finance and business leader in the life sciences, with expertise in financial analysis, budgeting, cash management, and acquisitions, as well as a strong technical accounting background". Dr. Cypess added, "both executives bring new skills and perspectives to ATCC and are poised to align well with our go-forward growth strategy."

About ATCC

ATCC is a leader in biological materials management, providing the worldwide scientific community and US government with research and development, products, and services in support of global health issues. With a history of innovation spanning more than 90 years, ATCC offers the world's largest and most diverse collection of human and animal cell lines, microorganisms, biological products, and standards. ATCC is a non-profit organization with headquarters in Manassas, VA, and an R&D and services center in Gaithersburg, MD. For more information about ATCC, visit us at www.atcc.org.

SOURCE American Type Culture Collection

Related Links

http://www.atcc.org


SAN MATEO, Calif., Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- AtScale, the only company to provide enterprises with a universal semantic platform for BI on Big Data, announced today the appointment of Pete Perrone as Chief Financial Officer. In this role, Perrone will be responsible for developing the framework and processes necessary to continue supporting AtScale's rapid growth.

"AtScale is a case-study for what rapid product-market fit and hyper-growth look like in the enterprise: the company has enabled the world's most recognizable brands to achieve value from Big Data," said Ryan Floyd, Founding Managing Director of Storm Ventures. "We are excited for Pete to join. He will help AtScale achieve its next milestone: becoming the de-facto standard for BI on Big Data."

To get access to AtScale's latest platform, go to www.atscale.com/try

Perrone comes to AtScale with more than 20 years of finance, operations and investing experience in high growth, venture companies, and has also held CFO positions at public and privately held companies. He was previously Managing Director at Goldman Sachs and CFO of Limelight Networks and Percolate Industries. Pete earned engineering degrees from Duke University and Georgia Tech, and an MBA from MIT Sloan.

"AtScale has the opportunity to disrupt the Business Intelligence market in the same way Business Objects did it in the nineties," said Perrone. "The company's product addresses a huge technical gap and pain point in this vast market. Its early customers are some of the most recognizable companies in the world and the company has realized enormous business benefits. I am excited to join this team and help with the continuing growth of the company."

This appointment comes on the heels of major industry recognition for the company: CRN recognized AtScale as an Emerging Big Data Vendor for 2017 and credited the company for "its critical role in bridging the gap between popular, user-centric data visualization tools and big data sources, on-premises or in the Cloud." 451 Research highlighted AtScale for its "highly differentiated offering" and for its ability to address "a wide variety of use cases and workloads."

To find out more about AtScale, simply go to www.atscale.com/try

About AtScale

AtScale makes BI work on Big Data. With AtScale, business users get interactive and multi-dimensional analysis capabilities, directly on Big Data, at maximum speed, using the tools they already know, own and love  from Microsoft Excel to Tableau Software to QlikView. Built by Big Data veterans from Yahoo!, Google and Oracle, AtScale is already enabling the BI on Big Data revolution at major corporations across healthcare, telecommunications, retail and online industries. To see how AtScale can help your company, go to www.atscale.com/try

SOURCE AtScale

Related Links

http://www.atscale.com


NEW YORK, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05126483







Factors such as growing requirement for energy-efficient methods, developments in solar-powered tractors and improvement in agriculture robotics are driving the market growth. However, design and development cost is hampering the market growth. Autonomous tractors are driverless vehicles which are distantly controlled by sensors, visual systems and wireless technology to evade obstacles and carry out farm operations. Different type of autonomous tractors, such as time, reliability, and speed with high efficiency, maximize production to make sure better returns to farmers.



In autonomous tractors, development in technologies enables the farmers to monitor and control the tractors remotely. Hardware solution plays a major role to assist the tractors in different applications such as harvesting, irrigation and seed sowing.



Harvesting application is mainly used with autonomous tractors owing to their high-precision productivity such as changing track without any setback in operations and easy obstacle discovery.



Based on geography, Asia Pacific commanded the largest market share during the forecast period. Under Asia Pacific, Australia and New Zealand are the fastest growing regions due to the presence of key players operating in this region.



Some of the key players in this market include Aurotron Pty Ltd, John Deere US, Case IH, Kubota Tractor Corporation, New Holland, AGCO Corporation, Yanmar, Kinze Manufacturing, Autonomous Tractor Corporation and Fendt Corporation.



Solutions Covered:

 Services

 Hardware

 Software



Applications Covered:

 Irrigation

 Harvesting

 Seed Sowing

 Other Applications



Regions Covered:

 North America

o US

o Canada

o Mexico

 Europe

o Germany

o U.K.



o Italy

o France

o Spain

o Rest of Europe

 Asia Pacific

o Japan

o China

o India

o Australia

o New Zealand

o South Korea

o Rest of Asia Pacific

 South America

o Argentina

o Brazil

o Chile

o Rest of South America

 Middle East & Africa

o Saudi Arabia

o UAE

o Qatar

o South Africa

o Rest of Middle East & Africa



What our report offers:

- Market share assessments for the regional and country level segments

- Market share analysis of the top industry players

- Strategic recommendations for the new entrants

- Market forecasts for a minimum of 7 years of all the mentioned segments, sub segments and the regional markets

- Market Trends (Drivers, Constraints, Opportunities, Threats, Challenges, Investment Opportunities, and recommendations)

- Strategic recommendations in key business segments based on the market estimations

- Competitive landscaping mapping the key common trends

- Company profiling with detailed strategies, financials, and recent developments

- Supply chain trends mapping the latest technological advancements



Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05126483



About Reportlinker

ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place.



https://www.reportlinker.com





__________________________

Contact Clare: [email protected]

US: (339)-368-6001

Intl: +1 339-368-6001

SOURCE Reportlinker

Related Links

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NEW YORK, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Aviation Week Network today announced the release of its 2018 Fleet & MRO Forecasts. Prepared by data and analytical experts at the largest information provider for the global aviation, aerospace and defense industry, the Aviation Week forecasts offer in-depth analysis in four sectors -- Commercial Aviation, Military, Business Aviation and Helicopter -- across geographical regions including Africa, Asia-Pacific, China, Eastern Europe, India, Latin America, Middle East, North America and Western Europe.

Aviation Week's 2018 Fleet & MRO Forecasts assist industry professionals in discovering new business opportunities for OEMs, Suppliers, MRO and other service providers by aircraft type, engine family, other major components, and more. The forecasts also offer insight into fleet makeup and distribution by country, region and operator as it stands today, as well as in the future.

Aviation Week's 2018 Fleet & MRO Forecasts are based on unbiased data and predictive intelligence gathered by Aviation Week Network's data and analytical team. These experts  along with advisory boards  create trustworthy forecasts and offer reliable data that simplifies predicting market opportunities.

"Our 2018 aerospace market forecasts combine superior fleet data, MRO cost projections and analytics with the integrity that is the hallmark of Aviation Week Network. The resulting products provide aviation industry professionals with tools to garner insight into the diverse markets and analysis to help drive new business, maximize revenue and minimize risk," said Brian Kough, Director, Forecasts & Aerospace Insights, Aviation Week Intelligence Network.

Among the findings within Aviation Week's 2018 Fleet & MRO Forecasts are:

Strong growth continues for Western-built commercial aircraft. Fleet growth will increase at a 3.1% rate over the coming decade with the Asia-Pacific region leading growth by both volume and value of deliveries, while North America's fleet strength will continue to surpass both the Asia Pacific and Western Europe regions by 2027.

region leading growth by both volume and value of deliveries, while fleet strength will continue to surpass both the and regions by 2027. Commercial 10-year aircraft MRO will, for the first time, exceed $1 trillion in requirements over the upcoming decade, with Boeing and Airbus manufactured aircraft responsible for nearly 90% of this demand.

in requirements over the upcoming decade, with Boeing and Airbus manufactured aircraft responsible for nearly 90% of this demand. Business aviation's fleet will see muted growth at only 1.5% fleet growth on deliveries of over 11,000 jet and turboprop aircraft over the decade. North America will continue to dominate the world's fleet strength; Textron Aviation should dominate unit deliveries at 27% over the decade.

will continue to dominate the world's fleet strength; Textron Aviation should dominate unit deliveries at 27% over the decade. The worldwide western-produced helicopter deliveries of $45 billion will produce sluggish fleet growth to nearly 30,650 turbine aircraft by 2027, but with a 10-year MRO requirement of $81 billion predominantly in North America and Western Europe .

New features of the 2018 Fleet & MRO Forecasts include the addition of:

Multi-Mission details of military aircraft within the online interface, allowing for enhanced specifics and analysis within all filter and sort functions;

Delivery and retirement type details, providing a more granular view into Commercial retirements and deliveries;

Operator and owner country filter options within the Business Aviation forecast; and

Filterable SAR/Hoist indicator field in the Helicopter forecast.

For more information or to subscribe, call +1.866.857.0148 (outside North America, call +1.847.763.9147).

ABOUT AVIATION WEEK NETWORK

The Aviation Week Network is the largest multimedia information and services provider for the global aviation, aerospace and defense industries that has a database of 1.2 million professionals around the world. Industry professionals rely on Aviation Week for analysis, marketing and intelligence. Customers include the world's leading manufacturers, suppliers, airlines, business aviation operators, militaries, governments and other organizations that serve this global market. The product portfolio includes Aviation Week & Space Technology, AC-U-KWIK, Aircraft Blue Book, Airportdata.com, Air Charter Guide, Air Transport World, AviationWeek.com, Aviation Week Intelligence Network, Business & Commercial Aviation, ShowNews, SpeedNews, Fleet and MRO forecasts, global maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) tradeshows and aerospace & defense conferences.

ABOUT INFORMA

Aviation Week Network is part of Informa, the international business intelligence, academic publishing, knowledge and events group. Informa serves commercial, professional and academic communities, helping them connect and learn, and creating and providing access to content and intelligence that helps people and businesses work smarter and make better decisions faster.

Informa has over 7,500 colleagues in more than 20 countries and a presence in all major geographies. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a member of the FTSE 100.

MEDIA CONTACT

Elizabeth Sisk

Director, Marketing Communications

Aviation Week Network

860.245.5632

[email protected]

SOURCE Aviation Week Network

Related Links

http://aviationweek.com


BOSTON, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Gibson Sotheby's International Realty recently welcomed The Moran Group to its growing Back Bay office. The group is led by Michael Moran, a highly respected Broker with 28 years of industry experience. He consistently ranks among the top agents in Boston.

"Michael has long been on our radar," said Paul McGann, President of Gibson Sotheby's International Realty. "We feel the partnership is timely and impactful due to the parallel momentum of Michael's team and ours."

Born into a family of real estate professionals, Moran began his career working for his family's company, The Moran Company Realtors. He has represented many of Boston's finest condominium developments including the award winning residences at Nine Commonwealth Avenue. Michael also represented the buyer for the record setting highest priced condominium sale in New England to date.

Alongside Moran, Gibson Sotheby's International Realty welcomed Mark Ruane of The Moran Group. Ruane has been successful in the Boston real estate market for over a decade. "Mark is a very strong agent and a great guy," noted Chairman Larry Rideout. "Together with Moran they have completed over $300 million dollars in sales. It's extremely impressive."

The Back Bay office also recently welcomed Joanna Hochman, a 25-year veteran of the Boston real estate market. A former teacher, Hochman developed a reputation as a trusted advisor for her clients. She is known as a kind, knowledgeable and attentive agent.

In addition to having several top agents join their firm, Gibson Sotheby's International Realty just completed a move to a paperless transaction management system and several office renovations. They plan to announce other system upgrades which are aimed at improving the agent experience, as well as office expansion in the coming weeks.

About Gibson Sotheby's International Realty

Founded in 1962 by Betty Gibson, Gibson Sotheby's International Realty is Boston's largest independent real estate company and has passed the incredible billion-dollar mark for closed sales so far in 2017. Of the top five firms in Massachusetts, Gibson Sotheby's International Realty was the only firm to gain marketshare in 2016. Gibson Sotheby's International Realty is part of the Sotheby's International Realty network which encompasses 900 offices in 68 countries and territories worldwide. Each office is independently owned and operated. For more information, please visit gibsonsothebysrealty.com.

CONTACT: Michelle Atkins

857.362.1896

[email protected]

SOURCE Gibson Sotheby's International Realty

Related Links

http://www.gibsonsothebysrealty.com


WASHINGTON, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Medicomp Systems, a provider of clinically contextual patient data solutions, announced today that Bangpakok 9 International Hospital in Bangkok, Thailand has selected Medicomp's Quippe Basic for point of care electronic documentation. Bangpakok 9 will be the first organization to implement the Quippe Basic offering, which provides the same point of care functionality and quality clinical content as Medicomp's standard Quippe Clinical Data Engine solution, but requires less time for implementation and includes fewer customization requirements.

Bangpakok 9 International Hospital, which is one of 7 private hospitals owned by the Bangpakok Hospital Group, will use Quippe Basic to support the implementation of standardized care processes and for the capture of actionable data to assess the quality of patient care. By leveraging the clinical support tools within Quippe Basic, doctors and nurses will have the information they need for point of care decision-making within their standard workflows.

"We are honored to partner with Bangpakok 9 as they advance their quality of care efforts and work to improve operational processes," said David Lareau, CEO of Medicomp. "We're excited to provide them our new Quippe Basic solution, which is ideal for organizations that want point of care electronic documentation with clinical decision support tools, but need an option that is more streamlined and less expensive than our standard Quippe offering. Because Quippe Basic includes the same high-quality content that is in the Quippe Clinical Data Engine, it is an excellent choice for organizations that have less complex requirements and need less customization."

Medicomp introduced Quippe Basic in response to market requests for a solution that included a higher level of support and less complexity than the standard Quippe Clinical Data Engine platform. Quippe Basic is pre-packaged with multiple Medicomp-designed templates, ensuring high-quality content and significantly reduced implementation times. Quippe Basic customers who wish to create their own clinical content in the future will have the option to upgrade to Quippe Clinical Data Engine.

"We believe that our use of Quippe Basic will allow us to implement standards of care that will improve the quality of care for all patients  something that has been difficult to monitor or enforce using our current paper-based documentation," said Phicha Chandrakamol, deputy managing director of Bangpakok Hospital Group. "Medicomp is well known in the Thailand healthcare market and we are pleased they have introduced a simplified version of the Quippe solution, which we believe is better suited to address the financial and operational requirements of hospital groups like ours."

Bangakok 9 is scheduled to go live on phase 1 of its implementation by the end of 2017.

Bangpakok 9 International Hospital

Bangpakok 9 International Hospital is one of the leading private hospitals in Thailand, and under the BPK Hospital Group. The Group was founded by Dr. Chareong Chandrakamol and Associate Professor Bidhya Chandrakamol in 2003. The hospital is located only 30 minutes from Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport, a little south of Central Bangkok, on Rama 2 Road, in the area of Bangpakok, near the famous Chao Praya River. Equipped with an expert team of doctors, very latest medical equipment, and certified by JCI (Joint Commission International) and HA (Hospital Accreditation,) Bangpakok 9 International Hospital is ready to provide local and international patients with high standards of medical care.

About Medicomp Systems

In 1978, Medicomp Systems pioneered its patented MEDCIN Knowledge Engine, co-designed with physicians, to transform disorganized, complex arrays of medical information into structured, clinically relevant data at the point-of-care. Leveraging its flagship engine, Medicomp's Quippe suite of solutions uniquely delivers longitudinal patient information within a problem-oriented clinical view, mirroring the way physicians think and work to drive optimal patient outcomes. Quippe also includes wizard-based documentation functionality, which integrates into existing clinical workflows and EHRs, enabling health systems to further enhance EHR usability. With Quippe, healthcare organizations of all sizes can satisfy quality measures and regulatory compliance, increasing physician productivity while effectively positioning themselves for future market demands. Today, leading hospitals and health systems such as Phoenix Children's Hospital and over 100,000 users/day rely on Medicomp's proven domain expertise and clinician-designed technology to improve the quality and efficiency of care delivery. For more information, please visit http://www.medicomp.com/.

Media Contact: Lisa Chernikoff, Amendola Communications for Medicomp, 734-678-5513, [email protected]

SOURCE Medicomp Systems

Related Links

http://www.medicomp.com


Allen has been a Bench International executive since 2006. To meet current challenges of the global life sciences industry as the impact from Brexit unfolds, Allen's key responsibilities include leading all corporate and business development activities as well as project execution in the UK. She also serves as an executive member of Bench's Global Leadership Team. "The future is unwritten but that doesn't mean the unknowns are to be feared. I am very proud to be representing Bench to ensure our UK Life Science sector's success is maintained through Bench recruiting leaders for the UK's unique and innovative capabilities," notes Allen. "Brexit is simply another unknown. Scientific innovation thrives on unknowns," Allen adds.
RICHARDSON, Texas, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas (BCBSTX) announced today that it will donate $1 million to help with Hurricane Harvey relief efforts.

"When the storm hit southeast Texas, we took immediate action to offer support to those impacted  including members, employees and communities," said Dr. Dan McCoy, president of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas. "We also knew the road to recovery would be long and that it would take some time to identify the region's long-term needs.

"As the flood waters receded, we thought strategically about how our support could make the biggest difference," McCoy continued. "With that in mind, we made the decision to donate to four organizations with programs in place to help those in need. We hope our donation will play a small part in helping victims of this horrific storm to recover."

In the immediate aftermath of the storm, BCBSTX donated $100,000 to the American Red Cross in respond to urgent housing, food and health needs in the Houston area. The remaining BCBSTX contributions to Hurricane Harvey relief efforts will be distributed as follows:

United Way of Greater Houston  $300,000 to support basic needs of the organization's clients as well as case management of funding opportunities as defined by their grant funnels;

to support basic needs of the organization's clients as well as case management of funding opportunities as defined by their grant funnels; Greater Houston Community Foundation (GHCF)  $300,000 to support the most pressing needs as identified by leading nonprofits in the Houston community. The GHCF was set up by Mayor Sylvester Turner and Harris County Judge Ed Emmett for victims affected by Hurricane Harvey.

to support the most pressing needs as identified by leading nonprofits in the community. The GHCF was set up by Mayor and Harris County Judge for victims affected by Hurricane Harvey. Feeding Texas  $300,000 to support food banks' efforts to distribute food across the disaster zone.

In addition to the generous monetary donations of BCBSTX employees  some of whom were themselves impacted by the storm  many also gave personal time to serve evacuees in shelters across the state  particularly Beaumont, Houston, Corpus Christi, Dallas and Austin.

BCBSTX employees also helped more than 1,900 displaced families, including administering vaccinations for 700 adults and children through the Care Van Program. Moreover, BCBSTX employees also provided more than 1,600 bags filled with various toiletries, including toothbrush kits, bars of soap, face cloths and deodorant, to The Houston Area Urban League, Kids' Meals, Catholic Charities and the city of Houston.

As well, in addition to the $1 million donation from BCBSTX, 22 Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans across the country have donated more than $2.3 million to Hurricane Harvey relief efforts.

"Our efforts to help the greater Houston region to recover will not end with our donation today," McCoy added. "We plan to be a part of the recovery effort for the long haul."

About Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas (BCBSTX)  the only statewide, customer-owned health insurer in Texas  is the largest provider of health benefits in the state, working with nearly 80,000 physicians and healthcare practitioners, and 500 hospitals to serve more than 5 million members in all 254 counties. BCBSTX is a Division of Health Care Service Corporation (HCSC) (which operates Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans in Texas, Illinois, Montana, Oklahoma and New Mexico), the country's largest customer-owned health insurer, and fourth largest health insurer overall. Health Care Service Corporation is a Mutual Legal Reserve Company and an Independent Licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.

BCBSTX.com | Twitter.com/BCBSTX | Facebook.com/BlueCrossBlueShieldOfTexas | YouTube.com/BCBSTX

SOURCE Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas

Related Links

http://www.bcbstx.com


NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C., Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Boeing [NYSE: BA] has rolled out the first 787-10 Dreamliner built for Singapore Airlines at its Final Assembly facility in North Charleston, South Carolina.

The airplane will now undergo the painting of the airline's livery and begin its system checks, fueling, and engine runs. Singapore Airlines is due to take delivery of its first 787-10 in the first half of 2018 and will be operated on the airline's medium-haul routes.

Singapore Airlines is the launch customer of the 787-10 and currently has 30 airplanes on firm order. The airline also signed a letter of intent in February to purchase 19 additional 787-10s.

"Boeing is excited to have finished final assembly of the first 787-10 Dreamliner for Singapore Airlines," said Dinesh Keskar, senior vice president, Asia Pacific & India Sales, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. "With its unprecedented efficiency, greater capacity and the Dreamliner's known preferred passenger experience, the 787-10 will be an important part of the airline's future fleet."

As an 18-foot (5.5-m) stretch of the 787-9, the 787-10 will deliver the 787 family's preferred passenger experience and long range with 25 percent better fuel per seat and emissions than the airplanes it will replace.

The 787 Dreamliner family offers a modern, optimized and efficient airplane family in every market segment. Since entering service in 2011, the 787 family has flown more than 190 million people on more than 560 unique routes around the world, saving an estimated 18 billion pounds of fuel.

Contact:

Joanna Pickup

International Communications

Boeing Commercial Airplanes

+1 425-879-6077

[email protected]

SOURCE Boeing

Related Links

http://www.boeing.com


English French

Elis launches an offering of Bonds Convertible into New Shares and/or Exchangeable for Existing Shares (OCEANEs) due October 6, 2023 for a maximum nominal amount of 400 million

Saint Cloud, October 3, 2017 - Elis (ISIN FR0012435121, the "Company"), announces today the launch of an offering of bonds convertible into new shares and/or exchangeable for existing shares ("OCEANEs") due October 6, 2023 (the "Bonds") by way of a private placement to institutional investors, for a maximum nominal amount of 400 million (the "Offering").

The net proceeds of the Offering will be used to refinance the recent acquisition of Berendsen through the partial redemption of the bridge loan and for general corporate purposes.

The nominal unit value of the Bonds will be set at a premium of 38% to 42% above Elis reference share price on the regulated market of Euronext Paris.

The Bonds will be issued at par and will bear a coupon of 0.00% to 0.75%, payable annually in arrears on October 6 of each year (or on the following business day if this date is not a business day), beginning on October 6, 2018.

The final terms of the Bonds are expected to be announced today and settlement of the Bonds is expected to take place on October 6, 2017.

Unless previously converted, exchanged, redeemed or purchased and cancelled, the Bonds will be redeemed at par on October 6, 2023 (or on the following business day if this date is not a business day). The Bonds may be redeemed prior to maturity at the discretion of the Company, under certain conditions, and at the discretion of bondholders in case of a Change of Control (as defined in the terms and conditions of the Bonds).

The Bonds will be guaranteed (cautionnement solidaire de droit francais) by MAJ S.A., a French company with limited liability (societe anonyme) and a subsidiary of Elis, within the limit of the amount of the proceeds from the Bonds that will be on-lent by Elis to MAJ S.A.

Application will be made for the listing of the Bonds on the Euronext Access market of Paris (ex-Free Market). Such listing is expected on November 6, 2017 at the latest.

Conversion Right

Bondholders will be granted a conversion right of the OCEANEs into new and/or existing shares which they may exercise at any time from the 40th day following the issue date (i.e. November 15, 2017) and up to and including the 7th business day preceding the maturity date or the relevant early redemption date.

The conversion or exchange ratio is set at one share per Bond subject to standard adjustments in certain cases.

Upon exercise of their conversion right, bondholders will receive at the option of the Company new and/or existing Elis shares. The Elis new shares eventually delivered shall carry current rights to dividends paid following the date of delivery of the shares.

Lock-up

In the context of the Offering, the Company will agree to a lock-up undertaking of 90 days as of the issue date, subject to certain customary exceptions or waiver from the Joint Global Coordinators.

Legal framework of the issue and placement

The Offering of the Bonds will be conducted solely on a private placement basis. The Offering will be made in compliance with Article L. 411-2-II of the French monetary and financial code (Code monetaire et financier), as per the authorization granted by the Company's extraordinary general meeting held on May 19th, 2017 (26th resolution), by way of a private placement in France and outside France (excluding in particular the United States of America, Canada, Australia or Japan).

Available information

The Offering of the Bonds is not subject to a prospectus approved by the French Financial Market Authority (Autorite des marches financiers) (the  AMF ). Detailed information on Elis, including its business, results, prospects and related risk factors are described in the Company's registration document (Document de base) filed with the AMF on 6 April 2017 under number R.17-013, and the update of the registration document (Actualisation du Document de Reference) filed with the AMF on 27 July 2017 under number D.17-0163.A01 which are both available together with all the press releases and other regulated information about the Company, on Elis website (www.corporate-elis.com).

Important information

This press release does not constitute or form part of any offer or solicitation to purchase or subscribe for or to sell securities to any person in the United States of America, Australia, Canada or Japan or in any jurisdiction to whom or in which such offer is unlawful, and the Offering of the Bonds is not an offer to the public in any jurisdiction, including France.

DISCLAIMER

This press release may not be released, published or distributed, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States of America, Australia, Canada or Japan. The distribution of this press release may be restricted by law in certain jurisdictions and persons into whose possession any document or other information referred to herein comes, should inform themselves about and observe any such restriction. Any failure to comply with these restrictions may constitute a violation of the securities laws of any such jurisdiction.

No communication or information relating to the offering may be transmitted to the public in a country where there is a registration obligation or where an approval is required. No action has been or will be taken in any country in which such registration or approval would be required. The issuance or the subscription of the Bonds may be subject to legal and regulatory restrictions in certain jurisdictions; none of Elis and the Joint Bookrunners assumes any liability in connection with the breach by any person of such restrictions.

This press release is an advertisement and not a prospectus within the meaning of Directive 2003/71/EC of the European Parliament and the Council of November 4, 2003 as amended (the "Prospectus Directive").

The Bonds have been offered only by way of a private placement in France to persons referred to in Article L.411-2-II of the French monetary and financial code (Code monetaire et financier) and outside France (excluding the United States of America, Australia, Canada and Japan), and there will be no public offering in any country (including France). This press release does not constitute a recommendation concerning the issue of the Bonds. The value of the Bonds and the shares can decrease as well as increase. Potential investors should consult a professional adviser as to the suitability of the Bonds for the person concerned.

European Economic Area

With respect to the Member States of the European Economic Area (the "Relevant Member States"), no action has been undertaken or will be undertaken to make an offer to the public of the Bonds requiring a publication of a prospectus in any Relevant Member State. As a result, the Bonds may only be offered in Relevant Member States:

(a) to qualified investors as defined in the Prospectus Directive; or

(b) to fewer than 150 natural or legal persons (other than qualified investors as defined in the Prospectus Directive); or

(c) in any other circumstances falling within Article 3(2) of the Prospectus Directive,

provided that no such offer of Bonds shall result in a requirement for the publication by the Company or any Joint Bookrunner of a prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the Prospectus Directive.

For the purposes of this paragraph, the expression "offer to the public of Bonds" in any Relevant Member State, means any communication, to individuals or legal entities, in any form and by any means, of sufficient information on the terms and conditions of the offering and on the Bonds to be offered, thereby enabling an investor to decide to purchase or subscribe for the Bonds, as the same may be varied in that Relevant Member State.

These selling restrictions with respect to Relevant Member States apply in addition to any other selling restrictions which may be applicable in the Relevant Member States who have implemented the Prospectus Directive.

France

The Bonds have not been and will not be offered or sold or cause to be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, to the public in France. Any offer or sale of the Bonds and distribution of any offering material relating to the Bonds have been and will be made in France only to (a) persons providing investment services relating to portfolio management for the account of third parties (personnes fournissant le service d'investissement de gestion de portefeuille pour compte de tiers), and/or (b) qualified investors (investisseurs qualifies) acting for their own account, as defined in, and in accordance with, Articles L.411-1, L.411-2 and D. 411-1 of the French monetary and financial Code (Code monetaire et financier).

United Kingdom

This press release is addressed and directed only (i) to persons located outside the United Kingdom, (ii) to investment professionals as defined in Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (the "Order") or (iii) to people designated by Article 49(2) (a) to (d) of the Order (the persons mentioned in paragraphs (i), (ii) and (iii) all deemed relevant persons ("Relevant Persons")). The Bonds are intended only for Relevant Persons and any invitation, offer of contract related to the subscription, tender, or acquisition of the Bonds may be addressed and/or concluded only with Relevant Persons. All persons other than Relevant Persons must abstain from using or relying on this document and all information contained therein.

This press release is not a prospectus which has been approved by the Financial Conduct Authority or any other United Kingdom regulatory authority for the purposes of Section 85 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000.

United States of America

This press release may not be released, published or distributed in or into the United States of America (including its territories and dependencies, any State of the United States of America and the District of Columbia). This press release does not constitute or form a part of an offer of securities for sale or of any offer or solicitation to purchase securities in the United States of America. The securities mentioned herein have not been, and will not be, registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), the law of any state of the United States of America and may not be offered or sold in the United States of America or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. Persons, except pursuant to an exemption from, or a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act or the law of the above states. The Bonds will be offered or sold only to Non-U.S. Persons in offshore transactions outside of the United States of America, in accordance with Regulation S of the Securities Act. Elis does not intend to register any portion of the proposed offering in the United States of America and no public offering will be made in the United States of America.

Australia, Canada and Japan

The Bonds may not and will not be offered, sold or purchased in Australia, Canada or Japan. The information contained in this press release does not constitute an offer of securities for sale in Australia, Canada or Japan.

The distribution of this press release in certain countries may constitute a breach of applicable law.
NEW YORK, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- BOLT Solutions, Inc. (www.boltinc.com), provider of the leading online distribution and customer support platform to the property and casualty (P&C) insurance industry, welcomes its newest team member, John Felton as the Managing Director of Strategic Accounts. As consumers' appetite for digital engagement and product choice continues to grow, Felton will assist insurers in responding to the increasing market demand with the BOLT Platform.

"The industry is constantly changing and we are thrilled to have John join our team to assist clients as they embrace digital channels of engagement and round out their product portfolio with the BOLT Platform," said Eric Gewirtzman, BOLT CEO. "With John's knowledge, skills and expertise, he will be a vital team member in meeting the needs of P&C insurers."

Felton brings over 15 years of successful sales experience in the P&C insurance industry including pricing analytics, competitive analysis and online marketing. Before joining BOLT, Felton aided EverQuote in becoming one of the fastest growing companies in Boston history as VP of Business Development. He was instrumental in forming and managing key carrier relationships. Prior to EverQuote, Felton worked for Quadrant Information Services as EVP presiding over business development activities and driving growth for almost a decade.

At BOLT, Felton will be responsible for responding to growing market demand for digital distribution capabilities and product choice, working with insurers embracing the customer experience. BOLT has $1.4 billion in premiums flowing through the BOLT Platform.

About BOLT Solutions Inc.

BOLT Solutions, Inc. (www.boltinc.com), the leading provider of digital distribution solutions to the P&C insurance industry, is helping insurers transform the way they sell and market their products to consumers and small business owners. Compatible with existing infrastructure, The BOLT Platform provides a single interface that connects seamlessly with back-office systems and improves carrier reach through a vast market network of new products. Insurers gain the ability to bundle their offerings with those from other carriers, positioning them to meet all of the customer's needs without underwriting additional risk. Designed to connect carriers and their agents directly to consumers and small business owners, The BOLT Platform delivers the optimized solutions, and ideal experience customers expect today.

Contact:

Michelle Lyng

Novitas Communications

[email protected]

202-380-7114

SOURCE BOLT Solutions, Inc.

Related Links

https://www.boltinc.com


BRIGHTON, England, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Brandwatch announced its first direct integration with Twitter Ads, allowing customers of its audience analytics product, Brandwatch Audiences, to maximize their marketing ROI by uploading fine-tuned lists of Twitter users for highly targeted paid campaigns.

Brandwatch Audiences offers instant search of a live database of over 320 million active Twitter users. Users can build exportable lists with precision, combining multiple filters using keywords in bios and tweets, interests, professions, key demographics and followers of any account and get benchmarked insights into any audience.

This allows advertisers to maximize ROI by pinpointing relevant people, capitalize on secondary reach by targeting high-impact users, and tailor their content to specific segments of their audience.

Brandwatch was selected as one of a small handful of companies earlier this year to have a more strategic partnership with Twitter as part of the Official Partner program. With complete access to Twitter data streams Brandwatch is now working closely with Twitter to provide market-leading technology solutions to marketers, advertisers, and brands.

"Brandwatch continues to be a stellar partner, finding new and interesting uses for Twitter Data, including how to more effectively target audiences on our platform," stated Seth McGuire, co-GM of the Data Licensing & Solutions business at Twitter.

With the Twitter Ads integration customers can now bid high with confidence by knowing their target audience is informed by high quality social insights, and are able to deliver targeted and more personalized marketing initiatives

Read the blog for more details on the Brandwatch and Twitter Ads integration.

About Brandwatch

Brandwatch is the world's leading social intelligence company. The company's flagship products, Brandwatch Analytics and the Vizia platform, fuel smarter decision making around the world.

The Brandwatch Analytics platform gathers millions of online conversations every day and provides users with the tools to analyze them, empowering the world's most admired brands and agencies to make insightful, data-driven business decisions. The Vizia platform distributes visually-engaging insights to the physical places where the action happens.

The Brandwatch platform is used by over 1,300 brands and agencies, including Unilever, American Airlines, Whirlpool, Asos, Walmart, British Airways, and Dell. Brandwatch continues on its impressive business trajectory, recently named a global leader in enterprise social listening platforms by the latest reports from several independent research firms. Increasing its worldwide presence, the company has offices around the world including Brighton, New York, San Francisco, Berlin, Stuttgart, Paris and Singapore.

Brandwatch. Now You Know.

www.brandwatch.com | @Brandwatch | press office | contact

Contact: Kellan Terry, 347-474-3075, [email protected]

SOURCE Brandwatch

Related Links

http://www.brandwatch.com


LOS ANGELES, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Broadvoice, an award-winning provider of hosted voice, unified communications (UC), and SIP trunking services for businesses, has made yet another investment into its channel management team with the hires of Randy Greene and Todd Scarborough.

As Channel Manager of the southwest region, Greene brings more than 25 years of experience in telecom and communications to the table. He joins Broadvoice after 14 years at TPx Communications (formerly TelePacific), where he was most recently a senior channel manager. While there, he was named local channel manager of the year by Telarus.

Prior to Telepacific, he held positions at Covad Communications, Everest Broadband, and Qwest Communications, among other providers. Greene holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from La Salle University and is based in Simi Valley, Calif.

"I could not be more excited to join such a dynamic, forward-thinking team at Broadvoice," Greene said. "This is a company in high-growth mode, with an unwavering dedication to its channel partners, and I'm ready to use my experience to go all-in on that mission."

Scarborough meanwhile brings an extensive background in both cloud sales and partner management to his position as Channel Manager for the Texas region, with channel-focused stints at Birch Communications and X4. Most recently, he was business development manager for Channels & Alliances at Serenova (formerly LiveOps Cloud), where he worked with cloud service providers and sales partners across the globe to help them build and refine cloud contact center (CCaaS) practices.

A US Marines Corp. veteran with more than seven years of service stationed in Iraq and the US, as well as a tour of duty during Operation Iraqi Freedom II, Scarborough is based in Austin, Texas. He volunteers extensively with various non-profits, including ReGroup Ranches, which works proactively to end homelessness, suicide, and other effects of PTSD.

"Broadvoice is a company that's known for its community spirit and strong commitment to channel partners and their customers, and a will to innovate and grow through embracing the cloud and other leading-edge technologies," Scarborough said.

"As a Marine, I only know one direction, and that's forward. I'm thrilled to be be working with the best, dedicated to ensuring partner success and helping them move ahead."

Greene and Scarborough join at a time of unprecedented growth for the company: Broadvoice has seen a 167% overall sales increase in the last three years with channel sales tripling over the preceding year. Broadvoice is ranked among the Inc. 500|5000, as one of the nation's fastest growing private companies.

"We have seen an amazing amount of dynamism, excitement and growth this year in our channel partner program and within Broadvoice as a company," said Sam Ghahremanpour, president at Broadvoice. "We are thrilled to invest further in our channel team and resources, and look forward to having Randy and Todd's individual unique and deep expertise in the field with our partners, driving us ahead into 2018."

Broadvoice offers a flexible, smart portfolio of IP-based voice and data offerings, backed by its enterprise-class, geo-redundant IP telephony platform. For businesses, the technology contains a full UC suite and cloud PBX services, including unlimited voice calling plans throughout the continental United States and Canada.

For more information on the Broadvoice Partner Program, please call 866-634-1394, or visit www.broadvoice.com/partners.

About Broadvoice

Headquartered in Los Angeles, Broadvoice is a premier provider of cloud phone service, contact center solutions, collaboration, and conferencing. Utilizing the latest cloud communications technology, Broadvoice helps businesses achieve higher call quality and faster internet speeds while reducing overall costs and improving efficiency.

Media Contact:

Broadvoice

Marisa Freeden

408-471-5075

[email protected]

Related Links

http://www.broadvoice.com

SOURCE Broadvoice

Related Links

http://www.broadvoice.com


Mr. David Allen, Chairman and CEO of Buffalo Pacific, noted "acquiring TPT is the culmination of a long- standing strategy to implement the revolutionary Holographical Reality patent portfolio within the architecture of Community Portals built by Buffalo Pacific. Buffalo Pacific Portals will provide communities with access to services by experts and professionals from around the world with an immersive telepresence experience.

Mr. Duffie White, TelePresence Tech Founder and Inventor says, "It has been my passion to extend beyond the barriers of geographical distance by transmitting people to appear holographically at life-size within a room with true depth for live interaction in real time. Most importantly, the participants do not need to wear 3D glasses or headsets and can make aligned eye contact to engage in natural human interaction. This vision is being achieved with the high definition 3D within the Buffalo Pacific Community Portals."

The first 8,000 sq. ft Buffalo Pacific Portal is currently under construction in Troy, Ohio with opening scheduled by the end of this year.

Buffalo Pacific intends to transform banking, education and healthcare by increasing customer access to services from these "telepresence centers." The BP Community Portal will become a local community asset and central access point to key services for the area.

Buffalo Pacific is working to secure leases with a variety of financial service, education and healthcare leaders across the country who believe that the Omni-Series will give their firm the opportunity to better serve their consumers while generating new relationships from new communities and solidifying their distributed access. These Portals under one roof will provide the foundation for our company's significant growth and sustained excellence. We intend to completely change the world of banking, education and healthcare by increasing customer access to a service experience like no other, available in community portals that will be convenient and accessible nationally.

TPT will operate as a wholly-owned subsidiary and continue designing, engineering, and manufacturing Holographical Reality solutions for Buffalo Pacific and existing clients. Buffalo Pacific will continue to focus its efforts on their Community Portal initiative, that brings together education, financial services and telemedicine health-care through distributed access to communities around the country.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePSfowzanPY

About Buffalo Pacific

Buffalo Pacific is an entrepreneurial company started by David Allen, who was the leader developing and launching the entire "telepresence" industry in the 1990s. Today, Buffalo Pacific is leading the industry toward a new level of customer engagement and experience. Every day, we work toward ensuring a closer connection between your subject matter experts and customers to create a revenue-building engagement process that grows the reputation and success of the institution. www.BuffaloPacific.com

About Telepresence Technologies

Telepresence Technologies (TPT) was formed in 2004 by Duffie White, founder, inventor and creator of the ex-tensive Holographical Reality patent portfolio. www.TelepresenceTech.com

PRESS RELEASE

Buffalo Pacific Contact:

Bruce Clapp, Vice Chairman/COO (937) 716-9220

[email protected]

www.BuffaloPacific.com

SOURCE Buffalo Pacific, LLC

Related Links

http://www.BuffaloPacific.com


RALEIGH, N.C., Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Bulk TV & Internet, a leading integrator of television, data and voice solutions to more than 450,000 rooms in commercial properties nationwide, has been selected as one of the fastest-growing middle-market companies in the state by Business North Carolina and Cherry Bekaert LLP.

The seventh-annual NC Mid-Market FAST 40 program was originally established to honor the leading contributors to revenue and employment growth out of the middle market business segment throughout all parts of North Carolina. Bulk TV placed #3 among the list of 40 esteemed companies across a variety of industries.

"The Mid-Market FAST 40 list is comprised of the most notable companies in the state for job creation and economic growth," said Tim Conley, chief operating officer at Bulk TV. "Our success has been driven by our strong corporate infrastructure, which includes the most talented and dedicated employees in our industry. It is an honor to be included as part of this prestigious group, especially at the top of the list."

In order to be eligible for the list, companies must have met the following criteria:

Be headquartered in the state of North Carolina

Be a commercial enterprise, not a nonprofit

Be either privately owned or publicly traded

Have net annual revenue in the range of $10 million to $500 million

Demonstrate sustained revenue and employment growth over the past 3 years

Bulk TV has grown to become the national leader in television programming solutions for hotels, senior living communities, healthcare properties and universities. The company's focus on customized solutions to meet the specialized needs of these unique markets has propelled the company's success since it began in 2004. Today, the company services thousands of locations throughout the country and has earned preferred or approved provider status with major hotel brands such as Hilton, Hyatt Hotels, InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), Best Western and Choice Hotels. Bulk TV has also been recognized by DIRECTV as #1 Lodging & Institutions Provider based on new subscribers for nine consecutive years.

Bulk TV provides professional turnkey services including engineering, project management, installation and technical support. Additionally, to simplify vendor management for the customer, Bulk TV offers Samsung hospitality-grade TVs, wireless network solutions in partnership with Blueprint RF and Mitel voice systems.



The Mid-Market FAST 40 winners are profiled in the supplement to the November 2017 edition of Business North Carolina. For more information on Business North Carolina, please visit www.businessnc.com. For more information on Bulk TV, visit www.bulktv.com.

About Bulk TV & Internet

Bulk TV & Internet (Bulk TV) is a leading provider of DIRECTV solutions designed to meet the unique needs of the hospitality industry. Bulk TV provides service to more than 450,000 rooms nationwide including free-to-guest television programming and digital satellite TV systems, IPTV platforms, and over-the-top content delivery solutions. Each customized TV solution receives thorough quality assurance throughout every step of the process, which includes engineering, project management, professional installation and 24/7 technical support. Additionally, Bulk TV also offers high-speed Internet access services in partnership with Blueprint RF and Mitel voice systems.

About Business North Carolina

Business North Carolina is a Charlotte-based monthly magazine that focuses on the people, events and trends that shape business in North Carolina. Since it began publication in 1981, it has won more than 80 national awards for its writing, reporting and design.

SOURCE Bulk TV & Internet

Related Links

http://www.bulktv.com


NASHVILLE, Tenn., Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Business-Management-Degree.net has recently released their list of the Best Online Schools for Masters of Business Intelligence/Data Analytics, a comprehensive catalog containing the finest graduate distance education programs in this discipline.

You may view the list, along with a description of the benefits of each institution, by clicking the link below:

http://www.business-management-degree.net/best-online-schools-for-masters-of-business-intelligencedata-analytics/

A business intelligence/data analytics graduate degree program, or its equivalent, prepares students to analyze, utilize, and manipulate data in business and business-related environments. Coursework involves computer science and information technology courses with a heavy focus on data-driven aspects of these fields, as well as, a concentration in business and marketing strategies. Students learn how to establish and/or enhance the technology behind a business's marketing and administration in positive ways. The curricula prepares students to work in any type of business or marketing environment, as well as, government and non-profit agencies. Some career paths include insurance analyst, business consultant, marketing specialist, and more!

These 20 online schools were chosen for many reasons, yet all of them give students superb resources that will support them throughout both their academic and professional careers. Individuals can rely on outstanding faculty members that bring worlds of applicable information and experience to the virtual classrooms. Students are immersed among a diverse number of peers and professionals to create academically nurturing atmospheres in which they grow to become experts in their field upon graduation. The curricula prepares students for successful positions of employment, or even further education in Ph.D. programs.

According to lead researcher and writer, Rowan Jones, "This degree program is great for students who feel a vested interest in data-driven and computer sciences, as well as, business administration and marketing. In these online schools, students learn management and leadership strategies that help them to make the most sound decisions possible when utilizing and manipulating data."

Below we have listed the schools that have made the Best Online Schools for Masters of Business Intelligence/Data Analytics:

- Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia, PA

- Arizona State University - Tempe, AZ

- Columbia College - Columbia, CO

- Southern New Hampshire University - Hooksett, NH

- American University - Washington, D.C.

- Full Sail University - Winter Park, FL

- Syracuse University - Syracuse, NY

- Southern Methodist University - Dallas, TX

- Boston University - Boston, MA

- Georgia Institute of Technology - Atlanta, GA

- University of California, Berkeley - Berkeley, CA

- Illinois Institute of Technology - Chicago, IL

- Northwestern University - Evanston, IL

- Indiana University - Bloomington, IL

- Oklahoma State University - Stillwater, OK

- Villanova University - Villanova, PA

- University of Notre Dame - Notre Dame, IN

- West Virginia University - Morgantown, WV

- Saint Louis University - St. Louis, MO

- University of Nebraska-Lincoln - Lincoln, NE

These Best Online Schools for Masters of Business Intelligence/Data Analytics were chosen for several factors that put them ahead of other online graduate programs, due to the: nature of the coursework, degree of thoroughness and complexity of the curriculum, 100% online availability, sufficient financial aid availability, and an education that give students more than just classroom experience. Business-Management-Degree.net is an online web publication that is committed to enhancing the information available to students when choosing an academic institution.

The editors of Business-Management-Degree.net collect the most important and relevant data about colleges, universities, and campus facilities from various highly respected sources and offer them in a simple format that is easy to understand. In developing this list, Business-Management-Degree.net, chose not to list the schools in an ordered way, but instead highlighted 20 of the very best programs, all of which have their own unique strengths.

Contact:

Rowan Jones

Researcher/Writer

Business-Management-Degree.net

Email: [email protected]

Cell: (931) 636-4286

SOURCE Business-Management-Degree.net

Related Links

http://www.business-management-degree.net


GATINEAU, QC and GAINESVILLE, FL, Oct. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ - Agrisoma Biosciences Inc., is expanding its partnership with the University of Florida (UF) to advance the supply of bio jet fuel in the United States.

The Quebec-based company and its subsidiary, Agrisoma USA, is working with a network of 40 academic researchers from seven Universities associated with UF's Institute of Food and Agricultural Science. Agrisoma's goal is to maximize production of the tiny Carinata seed grown in the southeastern US, used to produce bio jet fuel.

"Our research shows that Carinata grows well in the winter when fields are unseeded, giving farmers the opportunity to make a profit on their farms during winter months," says Steven Fabijanski, PhD., President and CEO of Agrisoma Biosciences Inc.

The research project will operate under the oversight of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture, in conjunction with the Florida-based Southeast Partnership for Advanced Renewables from Carinata (SPARC).

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Sonny Perdue is providing a $15M grant from the USDA to support the research initiative aimed at scaling commercial production of Carinata for aviation fuel.

The SPARC team consists of scientists from several Southeast U.S. universities, government agencies, industry and a consortium representing the commercial aviation industry.

"Our goal is to commercialize Carinata to produce jet fuel and feed for livestock while mitigating risks along the entire supply chain," says David Wright, project lead and an agronomy professor at the University of Florida.

For several years, Wright has led a team of researchers at the UF/IFAS North Florida Research and Education Center in Quincy, Florida in studies to increase production of Carinata. These studies, supported by Agrisoma, have initiated large-scale commercial production of the crop in Florida, Georgia and Alabama.

An advantage of the fuel produced from Carinata is that it requires no blending with petroleum-based fuel, says Ian Small, an assistant professor in the UF/IFAS plant pathology department and SPARC deputy project director.

The military and commercial aviation industries are interested in renewables due to national security, their commitment to environmental stewardship and potential incentives from carbon credits, says Wright.

To find out more about the Agrisoma and SPARC team, go to www.sparc-cap.com and www.agrisoma.ca

SOURCE Agrisoma Biosciences Inc.
CHICAGO, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Feeding America, the leading domestic hunger-relief organization, today announced a $1.3 million gift from the Caterpillar Foundation to help more than 500,000 people who struggle with hunger in 38 counties across the country. This gift will benefit 30 Feeding America member food banks, providing four million meals locally to children and families in need.

"Feeding America is grateful to the Caterpillar Foundation for its commitment to fighting hunger in local communities," said Matt Knott, president of Feeding America. "No one should have to worry about whether or not there will be food on the table  especially children. This partnership will help the Feeding America network provide more meals to children and families in need."

More than 41 million people face hunger in America, including 13 million children. In the counties served by the Caterpillar Foundation's investment, an average of 14.6% of the population is food insecure, which is slightly higher than the national average of 14.1%.

The Caterpillar Foundation is committed to supporting programs that are focused on alleviating poverty. Their generous donation will support feeding programs that provide nutritious food to families and children. Funds also will support partner agencies; mobile pantries; and child hunger initiatives like the BackPack Program, an effort that provides food to children on the weekends when free or reduced-price school meals are unavailable.

The Caterpillar Foundation's support of Feeding America has helped provide nearly seven million meals to Caterpillar communities since 2015.

"We are proud to work with Feeding America to support our neighbors who may not know where their next meal will come from," said Michele Sullivan, president of the Caterpillar Foundation. "When people's basic human needs are met, they are able to more effectively pursue economic and educational opportunities. And when they can do so, an entire community can benefit."

The Feeding America network responds to the hunger crisis in America by providing food to people in need. It provides more food to children, families and seniors than any other charitable organizationmore than four billion meals each year. To find the Feeding America food bank in your area, visit www.feedingamerica.org.

About Feeding America

Feeding America is the largest hunger-relief organization in the Unites States. Through a network of 200 food banks and 60,000 food pantries and meal programs, we provide meals to more than 46 million people each year. Feeding America also supports programs that prevent food waste and improve food security among the people we serve; educates the public about the problem of hunger; and advocates for legislation that protects people from going hungry. Individuals, charities, businesses and government all have a role in ending hunger. Donate. Volunteer. Advocate. Educate. Together we can solve hunger. Visit www.feedingamerica.org, find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.

About the Caterpillar Foundation

Founded in 1952, Caterpillar's philanthropic organization, the Caterpillar Foundation has contributed more than $685 million to help make sustainable progress possible around the world by providing program support in the areas of environmental sustainability, access to education and basic human needs. To learn more about the global impact of the Caterpillar Foundation, please visit www.togetherstronger.com.

Contact

Mamie Moore

Feeding America

312.641.5645

SOURCE Feeding America

Related Links

http://www.feedingamerica.org


MADISON, N.J., Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Century 21 Real Estate LLC, franchisor of the iconic CENTURY 21 brand, announced today the launch of the "Empowering Latinas" program, an educational and business opportunity that will help Latina entrepreneurs in South Florida earn a real estate license. In partnership with the Hispanic Heritage Foundation, Century 21 Real Estate will not only provide 70 scholarships but C21 affiliated brokers in the greater South Florida region will also mentor the scholarship awardees and offer them the opportunity to hone their craft with a local franchise affiliate.

"Not only is the Latina population booming in the United States, the impact of the ambicultural Hispanic woman as the primary household income earner and purchasing decision maker makes her a mainstream powerhouse and a real estate industry catalyst for entrepreneurial growth," said Cara Whitley, chief marketing officer, Century 21 Real Estate LLC. "Empowering Latinas is an opportunity for Hispanic women to advance their educational and career goals with a global family of brokers and agents who share similar cultural foundations like family, traditions, and an amazing work ethic."

The "Empowering Latinas" scholarships cover the 63-hour course tuition fees for the Gold Coast School in the metropolitan Miami and Fort Lauderdale area plus the fees to take the Florida real estate agent exam.

"When you become part of the CENTURY 21 System, you'll have the flexibility and entrepreneurial opportunity of being independently owned and operated along with joining a global brand committed to your personal growth," said Melva Garcia, director of the luxury division and affiliated agent at CENTURY 21 Yarlex International Realty.

The deadline to apply for the scholarship is Friday, December 8, 2017. Go to the C21empoweringlatinas.com to find out more about the "Empowering Latinas" scholarship program, or to the Hispanic Heritage Foundation to complete the scholarship applications in English, http://hispanicheritage.org/empoweringlatinas/, or in Spanish, http://hispanicheritage.org/empoweringlatinas-spa/.

About Century 21 Real Estate LLC

Century 21 Real Estate LLC is comprised of approximately 7,450 independently owned and operated franchised broker offices in 79 countries and territories worldwide with more than 115,000 independent sales professionals. Century 21 Real Estate has numerous websites to help answer specific consumer needs. They are century21.com, century21global.com, commercial.century21.com, century21.com/finehomes, and espanol.century21.com.

2017 Century 21 Real Estate LLC. All Rights Reserved. CENTURY 21 and the CENTURY 21 Logo are registered service marks owned by Century 21 Real Estate LLC. Century 21 Real Estate LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Each office is independently owned and operated.

Contact:

Peter Mosca

Century 21 Real Estate LLC

Phone: 973.407.5180

Email: [email protected]

Polvora Advertising

Aleyso Bridger

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE CENTURY 21

Related Links

http://www.century21.com


"INROADS has been making a big difference in the lives of underserved youth for many years," said Collier. "I am honored to serve on the national board of directors, especially in light of the legacy of prior board service established by my colleagues at Southern Company. I am eager to get to work in support of the organization in its future and strategic endeavors."

"We welcome Chris to our National Board and are truly excited to have him as a partner with INROADS," said Forest T. Harper, Jr., INROADS President and CEO. "At INROADS, we grow young students to become 21st century leaders through our programs. We develop top, diverse talent for the workforce, and we believe that Chris' expertise will play a unique role in helping our students reach their goals for the future."

Collier serves as the head of Talent Acquisition and director of Diversity and Inclusion at Southern Company. In this role, he creates long-term D&I strategies and is responsible for all aspects of the recruiting and selection processes across the Southern Company system of 32,000 employees. This includes the fulfillment of all skill categories with an emphasis on diversity, strategic sourcing and critical partnerships with colleges and universities, the military and other key organizations. Prior to joining Southern Company in 2007, Collier was a senior recruiting leader in both the transportation and consumer products industries.

He has served in many capacities in the community over the years, including past board member of the Atlanta chapter of the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM). He currently sits on the Chastain Park Conservancy Board in Atlanta and the Dean's Advisory Council for Auburn University's College of Liberal Arts. He gives back through consulting and mentorship to up-and-coming human resources industry professionals and is actively involved with various community-based organizations. Collier continues his professional efforts through memberships in SHRM and the Georgia State University HR Executive Roundtable.

A graduate of Auburn University, he earned a bachelor's degree in mass communications and also served in the U.S. Army for almost 10 years. Collier will officially take on his two-year board term on Wednesday, October 11, 2017, at the annual INROADS National Board Retreat in Florida, where he will work with other fellow board members to create innovative strategies for INROADS to continually support and develop talented youth for Corporate America.

For more information about INROADS, its programs and how you can become connected to the nonprofit, visit INROADS.org.

About Southern Company

Southern Company (NYSE: SO) is America's premier energy company, with 46,000 megawatts of generating capacity and 1,500 billion cubic feet of combined natural gas consumption and throughput volume serving 9 million customers through its subsidiaries. The company provides clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy through electric operating companies in four states, natural gas distribution companies in seven states, a competitive generation company serving wholesale customers across America and a nationally recognized provider of customized energy solutions, as well as fiber optics and wireless communications. Southern Company brands are known for excellent customer service, high reliability and affordable prices that are below the national average. Through an industry-leading commitment to innovation, Southern Company and its subsidiaries are inventing America's energy future by developing the full portfolio of energy resources, including carbon-free nuclear, 21st century coal, natural gas, renewables and energy efficiency, and creating new products and services for the benefit of customers. Southern Company has been named by the U.S. Department of Defense and G.I. Jobs magazine as a top military employer, recognized among the Top 50 Companies for Diversity by DiversityInc, listed by Black Enterprise magazine as one of the 40 Best Companies for Diversity and designated a Top Employer for Hispanics by Hispanic Network. The company has earned a National Award of Nuclear Science and History from the National Atomic Museum Foundation for its leadership and commitment to nuclear development and is continually ranked among the top energy companies in Fortune's annual World's Most Admired Electric and Gas Utility rankings. Visit our website at www.southerncompany.com.



About INROADS

Founded in 1970, INROADS develops and places talented underserved youth in business and industry, preparing them for corporate and community leadership that affects community renewal and social change and elevates economic status and quality of life. INROADS has placed students in over 135,000 paid internships throughout its history, and graduated over 28,000 alumni into full-time professional and leadership positions with over 1,000 corporate partners. Currently, INROADS serves nearly 1,300 interns and 200 corporate clients. Learn more at INROADS.org and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn: @INROADSInc.

SOURCE INROADS Inc.

Related Links

http://www.inroads.org


Latvian English

Yesterday at the meeting of the National Alliance and the Ministry of Economics, the Chairman of the board of "Latvijas balzams" Intars Geidans replied to the questions raised by politicians regarding the tax deduction provided in the Law on Corporate Income Tax in case of large-scale investments. There were matters discussed about the nature of the planned investment project, the type of investment and the benefits for Latvian economy at the end of the investment project.

This is an important decision to be decided by the government. Therefore, we appreciate the opportunity to meet with the politicians in person to speak about our intentions in expanding and modernizing the historical "Latvijas balzams" plant. We have said previously that the completion of the project will result in increasing the company's competitiveness and increasing efficiency among the regional producers. The total cost of the investment project is planned at 23 million euros. Such meetings, where we can explain the nature of the project directly, are a part of the process, and we understand that the government may need additional time to get acquainted with the project in detail. We are certain that the government understands the importance of developing one production and providing high export volumes to one of the largest taxpayers and employers in Latvia and that a positive decision will be adopted at the next government meetings," says I.Geidans.

JSC "Latvijas balzams" is one of the largest employers and taxpayers in the country  every year company contributes about 50 million euros to the state budget via the taxes paid and in case project will be accepted there will be additional 6.4 million euros paid in taxes during 10 years. JSC "Latvijas balzams" is the leading alcoholic beverage producer in the Baltic States, which produces more than 100 different brands of beverages. Our products are sold in more than 170 export markets through the SPI Group, as well as in more than 42 markets by direct export of JSC Latvijas balzams.
ZURICH, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Chubb Limited announced today several management appointments for its general and life insurance operations globally.

Cunqiang Li has been named Chief Operating Officer of Chubb Life, the company's international life insurance division. Currently Chairman and CEO of Huatai Life, a joint venture between Chubb and the Huatai Insurance Group in China, Mr. Li will be based in Hong Kong and will focus on leading the day-to-day operations of Chubb Life's Asian life insurance entities, in addition to continuing to provide governance oversight to the operations of Huatai Life. Mr. Li will report to Russell Bundschuh, Senior Vice President, Chubb Group and President, Chubb Life.

Kevin Goulding has been named President of Combined Insurance, the company's agency and worksite-based personal accident and supplemental health insurance company. Currently Regional President, Asia Pacific, of Chubb Life, Mr. Goulding will be responsible for all management aspects of this business, which has operations in the United States and Canada. He will be based in Chicago and will report to Ed Clancy, Executive Vice President of Chubb Group, Global Accident & Health and Life.

Brad Bennett has been named Regional President of the company's Far East operations in Japan. Currently Senior Vice President, Chubb Group and President, Combined Insurance, Mr. Bennett will be responsible for the management and business results for all general insurance operations including property and casualty, accident and health, and personal lines. He will be based in Tokyo and will report to Juan C. Andrade, Executive Vice President, Chubb Group and President, Overseas General Insurance.

Jeff Hager has been named Regional Chief Operating Officer of the Pacific Region in the United States. Currently Regional President, Far East, Mr. Hager will provide management oversight for the regional underwriting and sales strategies in the seven branches of the region which include Los Angeles, San Francisco, Newport Beach, San Ramon, Seattle, Portland and Phoenix. Mr. Hager will be based in San Ramon, where he will also lead that branch, and report to Jim Darling, Regional Executive Officer for the Pacific Region.

Chris Martin has been named Chief Operating Officer of Combined Insurance. Mr. Martin is currently President of Chubb Workplace Benefits, the worksite division of Combined Insurance, and he will continue with these responsibilities. He is based in Chicago and will report to Mr. Goulding.

All of the appointments are effective December 1.

"One of Chubb's greatest strengths is the experience and depth of our management team globally, which is fully evident in the leadership appointments we announced today," said Evan G. Greenberg, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Chubb. "The executives who will be moving into new roles  Cunqiang Li, Kevin Goulding, Brad Bennett and Jeff Hager  each has strong technical and leadership expertise, as well as an internationalist's perspective earned from working and living in different countries and regions. We identified and brought Cunqiang Li to our joint venture with Huatai Life and have worked closely with him over the years. So, we are delighted to welcome him to this new and important role with Chubb Life. Kevin, Brad, Jeff and Chris have each made important contributions to the management and performance of their respective businesses, and we're pleased to give them the opportunity to bring their experience and energy to their new responsibilities."

Cunqiang Li has more than 25 years of insurance industry experience. Mr. Li joined Beijing-based Huatai Life in 2012 as CEO and President and was named Chairman and CEO in 2016. Prior to joining Huatai, he held positions of increasing seniority and responsibility at Mass Mutual for 10 years, most recently as Mass Mutual International's Senior Managing Director and CFO. He began his financial career in public accounting. Mr. Li holds a BS degree from Northwest Normal University of China and a Master's degree from McGill University in Toronto.

Kevin Goulding has more than 25 years of insurance industry experience. He was appointed Regional President, Asia Pacific, of ACE Life in 2012, a position he retained after ACE acquired Chubb in 2016 and adopted the Chubb name globally. Prior to joining Chubb Life, Mr. Goulding was CEO of AIG China. At AIG, he held several other senior management roles over 13 years throughout Asia, including serving as President and CEO of American Home Assurance in Singapore. Mr. Goulding began his career as an agent with Allstate Insurance Company. He received his BS degree from Ithaca College.

Brad Bennett has more than 30 years of insurance industry experience. He joined the company in 2012 as President of Combined Insurance after more than 17 years with AIG. Working primarily in Asia, Mr. Bennett started with AIG in Thailand, held senior positions in Korea and Malaysia, and in his last position served as Chief Operating Officer and Head of Distribution for Chartis Companies Japan. Mr. Bennett began his career as an agent with Allstate in the U.S. and held a number of field sales management positions there. He received his BS degree from California State University.

Jeff Hager has more than 25 years of insurance industry experience in Asia and North America. In 2011, he joined ACE as Regional President, Far East, a position he retained after ACE acquired Chubb. Previously, Mr. Hager was National Sales Leader with Fireman's Fund Insurance Company in Dallas. Prior to that, he served in executive leadership positions at AIU, including Executive Vice President in charge of the company's P&C and A&H insurance company in Japan. Mr. Hager has also held management positions in sales, distribution, marketing and claims over 14 years in the U.S. He began his insurance career in 1991 as Claims Adjuster at Safeco in Denver. He received his BS degree from Kansas State University.

Chris Martin has more than 20 years of insurance industry experience. He joined Combined Insurance in 2011, bringing with him extensive experience in management and development of worksite-style businesses. Mr. Martin spent 17 years with Trustmark, where he helped build and lead the company's voluntary business unit. He received his BA degree from Yale University and his Master's degree from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

About Chubb

Chubb is the world's largest publicly traded property and casualty insurance company. With operations in 54 countries, Chubb provides commercial and personal property and casualty insurance, personal accident and supplemental health insurance, reinsurance and life insurance to a diverse group of clients. As an underwriting company, we assess, assume and manage risk with insight and discipline. We service and pay our claims fairly and promptly. The company is also defined by its extensive product and service offerings, broad distribution capabilities, exceptional financial strength and local operations globally. Parent company Chubb Limited is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: CB) and is a component of the S&P 500 index. Chubb maintains executive offices in Zurich, New York, London and other locations, and employs approximately 31,000 people worldwide. Additional information can be found at: www.chubb.com .

SOURCE Chubb Limited

Related Links

http://www.chubb.com


HOUSTON, Oct. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- CITGO Petroleum Corporation, an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A., announced today that it will donate up to 50,000 barrels of diesel to Puerto Rico. The donation is to assist the federal, state and local authorities in providing services to those afflicted by Hurricane Maria's devastating path.

CITGO, in conjunction with the Government of Puerto Rico and the Municipality of San Juan, will direct the barrels of diesel produced from the CITGO Lake Charles Manufacturing Complex to meet the pressing needs of public hospitals, nursing homes, shelters and other qualified organizations currently operating on diesel generators.

This donation is aligned with the company's longstanding tradition of supporting disaster relief programs as part of social responsibility efforts in the communities in which it operates and beyond, such as the relief efforts for Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005, for Hurricane Sandy in 2012, and most recently for Hurricanes Harvey and Irma which devastated Coastal Texas, Louisiana and Florida. In times of natural disasters, CITGO has made it a priority not only to help those affected but also to use the strength of its resources and operations to restore fuel supply to meet the energy needs in the region.

The hearts of the people of CITGO are with the people of Puerto Rico during this difficult time. CITGO hopes this donation will help alleviate the suffering of the most vulnerable while electrical power is restored in the island.

About CITGO

CITGO, based in Houston, is a refiner, transporter and marketer of transportation fuels, lubricants, petrochemicals and other industrial products. The company is owned by CITGO Holding, Inc., an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A., the national oil company of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. For more information, visit www.CITGO.com.

SOURCE CITGO Petroleum Corporation
NEW YORK, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Collective, the technology company bringing transparency to programmatic media, announced today that University of California, Berkeley senior Nathaniel Medina has been awarded the third annual Bill Caspare Memorial Fund Scholarship. Established to support multicultural students pursuing careers in advertising and media. The $10,000 award will aid Medina as he completes his business administration studies, in which he is focusing on marketing and technology.

logo

Medina was selected in part for his academic record, industry involvement and community leadership. A proud member of the Hispanic American community, Medina celebrates his heritage by serving as historian chair of Hermanos Unidos de UC Berkeley, a Chicano and Latino fraternity, and project manager of DiversaTech, a student-run technology consulting organization. He is also a program fellow at Management Leadership for Tomorrow, a nonprofit organization guiding multicultural youth along their educational and career paths. Medina has completed internships at Facebook, Google and the Center for Information Technology Research in the Interest of Society (CITRIS).

"We are honored to continue Bill's legacy by bolstering the education of talented and diverse youth. Nathaniel embodies the qualities that this scholarship was created to nurture, demonstrating intelligence as well as leadership in his community. He's clearly passionate about the industry and has already shown his ability to seize amazing opportunities. We are happy to support Nathaniel in his education, and wish him a successful career," said Kerry Bianchi, CEO of Collective.

Established in 2015 by Collective and The 4As, the national trade organization representing advertising agencies in the US, the scholarship commemorates Bill Caspare, a former senior executive with Collective. The fund provides a variety of resources including scholarships that allow students and young professionals of diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds to explore careers in new media, data science and product development. This includes all rising college juniors and seniors who identify as African American, Asian American, Hispanic American, Native American, Multiracial or LBGTQ.

Last year's winner was Cindy Almonte, an alumnus of Ringling College of Art and Design, who majored in Advertising Design.

To learn more about the scholarship visit: http://www.collective.com/scholarship/

About Collective

Collective is a technology company dedicated to bringing transparency, interoperability and accountability to digital advertising. The company's Visto Enterprise Advertising Hub is a vendor-agnostic platform that unites the complete ad tech stack in a single user-friendly interface. Brands and agencies benefit from transparency in managing execution partners, optimizing ad spend, measuring performance and leveraging analytics to drive efficiencies and improve ROI. For more information, contact www.collective.com.

About the 4As

The 4A's is the catalyst for bringing together the right people in the right places at the right time to address the advertising industry's most critical business issues. It provides leadership, advocacy, guidance and community to its members and the industry at large, with proprietary access to the people, information and tools needed to make smarter management decisions. Its mission is to help agencies become more successful. Visit the 4A's at www.aaaa.org.

Press Contact

Sherry Smith

Clarity PR for Collective

[email protected]

(917)-545-6493

SOURCE Collective

Related Links

http://www.collective.com


(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20151026/280732LOGO )



(Photo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/559728/Richard_Coleman_Collinson_Group.jpg )



Coleman joins with strong leadership and insurance credentials having spent nearly 20 years at Zurich Insurance, most recently as managing director of the UK Commercial Broker business. He managed large multifunctional teams of over 1,000 people through both growth and transformation.

Richard will work closely with David Evans, joint CEO of Collinson Group, to continue the organisation's global expansion, and help develop high performing teams in a collaborative and energising work environment. He will lead a team of around 500 people across Collinson Group's key European territories consisting of France, Germany, Italy, UK, Spain, Benelux and the Nordics.

David Evans, joint CEO, Collinson Group, said: "We are delighted to have Richard join our senior team. With an ever-changing consumer landscape in an increasingly globalised world, fresh thinking is required to meet evolving customer needs and maintain strong growth. We have many exciting projects underway which reflect our ambition to deliver the best products and services for our customers. Richard brings the ideal skillset and experience to drive Collinson Group's growth strategy in the region, and expand our insurance and assistance revenue outside of Europe."

Richard Coleman said: "I am looking forward to becoming a part of this ambitious and successful team - Collinson Group is a world leader in the industry and has an excellent portfolio. While already established in Europe, there is clear potential for growth which would further cement Collinson Group as an organisation with truly global capabilities. We will be continuing our expansion in the insurance, loyalty and lounge sectors and I'm looking forward to the challenge."

About Collinson Group

Collinson Group (www.collinsongroup.com ) is a global leader in influencing customer behaviour to drive revenue and value for clients.

The Group offers a unique blend of industry and sector specialists who together provide market-leading experience in delivering products and services across four core capabilities: Loyalty, Lifestyle Benefits, Insurance and Assistance. The group provides unrivalled insight and expertise around affluent consumers and frequent travellers, creating and delivering products and services that increase engagement, loyalty and value for customers.

We have 25 years' experience, with 25 global locations, servicing over 800 clients in 170 countries, employing 2,000 staff, and managing over 20 million end customers. Our clients include: Mastercard, Visa, Diners Club, Cathay Pacific, British Airways, Air France KLM, Vhi, Accor Hotels and Mandarin Oriental.

SOURCE Collinson Group
SALT LAKE CITY, Oct. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Comet Enterprises, a Gold level member of Oracle PartnerNetwork, today announced the availability of a new solution that incorporates Oracle VM VirtualBox with Comet's cutting-edge LeVAULT security software. LeVAULT creates a proprietary, secured means of protecting access to virtual machines and operating systems. Oracle VM VirtualBox is a widely-used means for creating virtual computing across multiple operating systems. The combined solution allows users to easily secure the host, client, and back-end servers. Comet will be demonstrating the solution at the upcoming Oracle OpenWorld 2017 conference in San Francisco.

LeVAULT with its Flexible Advanced Multifactor Authentication bundled with Oracle VM VirtualBox delivers an unprecedented secure virtual machine. LeVAULT helps prevent identity theft through the management of dynamically-generated, complex passwords, encryption keys and PIN numbers. LeVAULT works with laptops, desktops, tablets and cell phones. The LeVAULT solution with Oracle VM VirtualBox can either be hosted by Comet or by customers either onsite or at their datacenters.

"The LeVAULT solution with Oracle VM VirtualBox is the culmination of several-months' work by both Comet and Oracle and is tremendously important to our commercialization strategy for LeVAULT. Comet will benefit from the collaboration by offering the solution to its customers and believe that it can enhance our prominence in the cyber-security community. We look forward to helping customers address their security concerns with the LeVAULT solution with Oracle VM VirtualBox," said Edgar C. Jerez, CEO of Comet Enterprises, Inc.

The LeVAULT solution with Oracle VM VirtualBox can either be hosted by Comet or by customers either onsite or at their datacenters.

LEVAULT will be at this year's Oracle OpenWorld Conference in San Francisco, California from October 1 to October 5, at Booth # 5223, which is directly across the hall from the Oracle security pavilion. Short (five minutes or less) demonstrations of the software will be offered in the Booth throughout the Conference. Comet will also introduce LeVAULT at two twenty-minute presentations held in the Oracle Pavilion's Exchange Theater at times to be announced.

As part of its business plan, Comet is pursuing additional vendor relationships, sales channels and enterprise customers.

About Oracle PartnerNetwork

Oracle PartnerNetwork (OPN) is Oracle's partner program that provides partners with a differentiated advantage to develop, sell and implement Oracle solutions. OPN offers resources to train and support specialized knowledge of Oracle's products and solutions and has evolved to recognize Oracle's growing product portfolio, partner base and business opportunity. Key to the latest enhancements to OPN is the ability for partners to be recognized and rewarded for their investment in Oracle Cloud. Partners engaging with Oracle will be able to differentiate their Oracle Cloud expertise and success with customers through the OPN Cloud program  an innovative program that complements existing OPN program levels with tiers of recognition and progressive benefits for partners working with Oracle Cloud. To find out more visit: http://www.oracle.com/partners.

ABOUT COMET ENTERPRISES, INC.

Comet Enterprises, Inc. has been in business for over 20 years, and is the developer of the LeVAULT security software. LeVAULT helps prevent identity theft through the management of dynamically-generated, complex passwords, encryption keys and PIN numbers. LeVAULT, with its Flexible Advanced Multifactor Authentication, works with laptops, desktops, tablets and cell phones.

For persons that would like more information about this topic, please contact Edgar C Jerez at 801-436-0000 or by email at [email protected]

Trademarks

Oracle and Java are registered trademarks of Oracle and/or its affiliates.

Contact: Edgar C Jerez, CEO

Telephone: 801-436-0000

Cell: 801-688-9043

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.cometenterprises.com

SOURCE Comet Enterprises, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.cometenterprises.com


RESTON, Va., Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- comScore and PlaceIQ today announced the launch of a joint solution, PlaceIQ PVR powered by comScore, which measures lift in retail visits resulting from TV, mobile and desktop advertising. With this solution, marketers and their agencies will be able to understand the holistic impact of their advertising on driving visitation to physical locations such as retailers, automotive dealerships, dining establishments and more. In addition, media sellers will be able to prove the value of their inventory and its ability to drive consumers to visit brick-and-mortar locations.

The new joint offering is built on comScore and PlaceIQ's history of providing marketers with accurate insight into the efficacy of advertising. Ad exposure data from comScore is matched to location data from PlaceIQ to measure the overall and individual impact of campaign components such as TV networks, digital publishers, dayparts and placements. comScore can further integrate viewability measurement to account only for digital impressions that have an opportunity to be seen, as is the standard in TV. This viewable lift data provides marketers with an apples-to-apples comparison of lift across platforms and the ability to optimize spend accordingly.

"Auto dealerships, restaurants, travel providers and retailers all have the challenge of connecting the dots between ad exposures and in-store foot traffic," said Steve Ahlberg, senior vice president, advertising products, comScore. "Today's launch gives marketers access to the neutral, third-party data they need to make those connections, and to ultimately optimize their marketing mix. comScore is excited to partner with PlaceIQ, a premier provider of advanced location data and analytics, to launch this product, which is available to our clients today."

In addition to measuring lift, PlaceIQ PVR powered by comScore also provides clients with a detailed picture of campaign-exposed consumers. This feature extends beyond demographics alone, to include advanced audience descriptors such as likelihood to engage with other brands across different shopping categories. With this information, clients can understand the broader interests and affinities of a target audience and tailor future messaging strategies across channels.

"Our longstanding partnership with the comScore family continues to equip marketers with advanced audience insight and measurement solutions," said Duncan McCall, CEO of PlaceIQ. "For seven years, PlaceIQ has been at the forefront of developing innovations such as Place Visit Rate (PVR), which has become an industry-standard for measuring foot traffic and informing media decisions. PlaceIQ PVR powered by comScore is a significant addition to our large portfolio of location-driven product innovations. It unifies our sophisticated approach for real-world attribution with comScore, the industry's trusted choice for impartial measurement in the digital realm. It provides a powerful way to quantify engagement and justify investments. With it, marketers get a better understanding of how all forms of media impact foot traffic, the audience affinities behind those interactions, critical insight into viewability for digital campaigns, and the ability to optimize cross-channel campaigns to drive additional visitation."

For more information about comScore, please contact us.

All matches of ad exposure provided by comScore and PlaceIQ are done in a privacy-compliant manner without the exchange of personally identifiable information (PII) between companies.

About PlaceIQ

PlaceIQ is a leading data and technology provider that powers critical business and marketing decisions with location data, analytics and insights. An early industry pioneer, PlaceIQ has become the standard for fueling better decisions for marketers, analysts and publishers through powerful location-based consumer insights, real-world measurement and attribution.

With PlaceIQ, companies can uncover opportunities within the consumer journey by learning about and connecting with location-based audiences, measuring real-world ROI, and applying insights that drive intelligent marketing and successful business outcomes.

The company is headquartered in New York City and has offices in Chicago and San Jose. For more information, visit www.placeiq.com. Follow us on Twitter @PlaceIQ and like us on Facebook: PlaceIQ.

About comScore

comScore, Inc. (OTC: SCOR) is a leading cross-platform measurement company that precisely measures audiences, brands and consumer behavior everywhere. comScore completed its merger with Rentrak Corporation in January 2016, to create the new model for a dynamic, cross-platform world. Built on precision and innovation, our unmatched data footprint combines proprietary digital, TV and movie intelligence with vast demographic details to quantify consumers' multiscreen behavior at massive scale. This approach helps media companies monetize their complete audiences and allows marketers to reach these audiences more effectively. With more than 3,200 clients and global footprint in more than 75 countries, comScore is delivering the future of measurement. For more information on comScore, please visit comscore.com.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, including, but not limited to, expectations regarding the impact and benefits to comScore from comScore advertising suite of products, financial or otherwise. These statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results to differ materially, including, but not limited to: the features and characteristics of the products, the rate of development of the digital marketing intelligence, Internet advertising and e-Commerce markets; the growth of the Internet as a medium for commerce, content, advertising and communications; and the acceptance of new products.

For a detailed discussion of these and other risk factors, please refer to comScore's most recent respective Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Annual Reports on Form 10-K and from time to time other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), which are available on the SEC's Web site (http://www.sec.gov).

Stockholders of comScore are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date such statements are made. comScore does not undertake any obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements to reflect events, circumstances or new information after the date of this press release, or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

SOURCE comScore

Related Links

http://www.comscore.com


RESTON, Va., Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- comScore today announced that Gregory A. Fink has joined comScore as Executive Vice President, Finance, effective today, October 3, 2017. He will report to David Kay, who was appointed Interim CFO & Treasurer in September 2017.

Mr. Fink is an accomplished senior finance executive with more than 25 years of experience in accounting, financial reporting, business analytics, budgeting, internal controls, and talent development. He most recently served as Senior Vice President, Controller and Chief Accounting Officer at Fannie Mae where he led a team of 600 professionals and oversaw a multi-billion dollar annual expense budget. With extensive experience in SEC reporting, Mr. Fink had responsibility for Sarbanes-Oxley compliance and Audit Committee reporting. Prior to joining Fannie Mae in 2006, he served as Vice President of Financial Reporting and Policy at MCI, Inc. and was a Senior Manager at Deloitte. Mr. Fink holds a B.S. in Business Administration with an accounting emphasis from San Diego State University and is a licensed Certified Public Accountant in Virginia.

"I'm delighted to welcome Greg to comScore," said Gian Fulgoni, comScore's Chief Executive Officer. "He's a proven leader with an outstanding track record of managing large finance teams, and comes to us with a wealth of experience in overseeing complex financial operations that will help move comScore forward."

As Executive Vice President, Finance, Mr. Fink will be responsible for all aspects of the on-going finance function activities, which would include general accounting, accounting policy, taxes, treasury, financial planning and analysis and financial reporting.

About comScore

comScore, Inc. (OTC: SCOR) is a leading cross-platform measurement company that precisely measures audiences, brands and consumer behavior everywhere. comScore completed its merger with Rentrak Corporation in January 2016, to create the new model for a dynamic, cross-platform world. Built on precision and innovation, our unmatched data footprint combines proprietary digital, TV and movie intelligence with vast demographic details to quantify consumers' multiscreen behavior at massive scale. This approach helps media companies monetize their complete audiences and allows marketers to reach these audiences more effectively. With more than 3,200 clients and global footprint in more than 75 countries, comScore is delivering the future of measurement. For more information on comScore, please visit comscore.com.

SOURCE comScore

Related Links

http://www.comscore.com


Moyer joined Confluence in 2012 as Senior Vice President of Global Sales. In 2014 he was promoted to Executive Vice President of Global Business Development, leading Confluence's global growth efforts as they relate to strategic market management and sales strategy and execution. Under his leadership, Confluence has consistently achieved year-over-year record breaking growth. He also provided strategic direction for extending the value of the Confluence platform, including the launch of the company's innovative RegTech platform for asset management which uniquely supports the entire reporting process for post-trade regulatory filings from one data-centric platform, eliminating the need to use multiple disparate systems.

In his role as COO, Moyer will provide strategic and operational direction globally, while continuing to focus on global expansion and ensuring operational accountability as the company delivers on its promises to clients as it extends the value of the Confluence platform. He will lead the company's operations functions as well as market-facing activities which include sales, account management and marketing.

"These are exciting times for our industry as the back office embraces digitalization as a key to competitive differentiation and operational efficiency. I am honored to lead Confluence's role in this transformation," said Todd Moyer, Chief Operating Officer. "We are fortunate to have an exceptionally strong base of client partners that have put their trust in Confluence as the market-leading platform for data consolidation and automation. Our amazing team is committed to their success through innovation and operational excellence."

As a 20-year financial services technology veteran, Moyer has extensive experience managing business relationships, developing strategic partnerships, generating revenue, leading operations organizations and driving revenue and profitability. Prior to joining Confluence, he served as Executive Vice President of SunGard's Wealth Management business, where he was responsible for sales strategy and the delivery of integrated wealth management solutions. During his time at SunGard, Moyer also held several management positions in the areas of product development, operations and client services.

"Todd has been instrumental in establishing key client partnerships and delivering record-breaking year-over-year revenue growth while leading a team of market strategists to establish Confluence as the leader in RegTech for asset management," CEO Mark Evans said. "Under his leadership as Chief Operating Officer I trust that he will deliver on our promises to our clients while continuing to focus on strategic growth opportunities and extending the value of Confluence as the single platform of choice across the industry."

About Confluence

As a global leader in data-driven solutions for efficiency and control, Confluence solves tough data management and automation challenges for the asset management industry, including performance reporting, regulatory reporting, investor communications and fund expense management. Confluence solutions enable asset managers and third-party administrators to consolidate and leverage data across business operations, which results in lower costs, reduced risk, decreased reporting turnaround times and the scalability to automate more processes without additional resources. The platform features solutions to support a wide array of fund types  including mutual funds, ETFs, alternative investments, institutional portfolios and UCITS funds. Seven of the top 10 global service providers license Confluence products and eight of the top 10 global asset managers have business processes automated through Confluence.

Headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA, Confluence serves the international fund industry with locations in Brussels, Dublin, Ho Chi Minh City, London, Luxembourg and San Francisco. For more information, visit www.confluence.com.

SOURCE Confluence
ATLANTA, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Cousins Properties (NYSE:CUZ) announced today that it will release its Third Quarter 2017 earnings after the market closes on Wednesday, October 25, 2017. Cousins will hold its Third Quarter 2017 earnings conference call on Thursday, October 26, 2017, at 10 a.m. (Eastern Daylight Time). The number for this call is (877) 247-1056. The live webcast of this call can be accessed on the Company's website, www.cousinsproperties.com, through the "Cousins Properties Third Quarter 2017 Earnings Conference Call" link on the Investor Relations page.

A playback of this call will begin at 11:00 a.m. (Eastern Daylight Time) on Thursday, October 26, 2017 and run through Thursday, November 2, 2017. To access the playback, please dial (877) 344-7529 and enter the passcode 10112941. Also, the playback can be accessed on the Company's website through the "Cousins Properties Third Quarter Earnings 2017 Conference Call" link on the Investor Relations page.

Financial information will be placed on the Company's website promptly after the earnings release announcement. This information will be available in the "Featured Reports" section on the Investor Relations page of the website. In addition, the information can be accessed through the "SEC Filings" and "Supplemental Information" links on the Investor Relations page of the website.

About Cousins Properties

Cousins Properties Incorporated is a fully integrated, self-administered and self-managed real estate investment trust (REIT). The Company, based in Atlanta, GA primarily invests in Class-A office towers located in high-growth Sunbelt markets. Founded in 1958, Cousins creates shareholder value through its extensive expertise in the development, acquisition, leasing, and management of high-quality real estate assets. The Company has a comprehensive strategy in place based on a simple platform, trophy assets, and opportunistic investments. For more information, please visit www.cousinsproperties.com.

CONTACT:

Marli Quesinberry

Vice President, Investor Relations

404-407-1898

[email protected]

SOURCE Cousins Properties Incorporated

Related Links

http://www.cousinsproperties.com


BOSTON, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Harvard Business School (HBS) Executive Education will launch Leading and Building a Culture of Innovation on the HBS campus in Boston from December 38, 2017. This new program will examine how senior executives can build and sustain an innovative organization by creating culture and capabilities that encourage creative problem-solving.

Today's workforce needs a new kind of leader who can spark ingenuity across an entire organization. This program offers senior executives a highly interactive forum in which to explore, debate, and examine best practices for leading change in their businesses. Participants will return to their organizations with a new understanding of their leadership role, along with specific tools and techniques for building and sustaining a culture of innovation.

"Most leaders I meet tell me they are worried that their organizations can't innovate enough. And it's no wonder why: leading innovation is hard, emotionally taxing work, even for the best of leaders," said Linda A. Hill, Wallace Brett Donham Professor of Business Administration and faculty chair of Leading and Building a Culture of Innovation. "We designed this program to help leaders learn how to unleash the talents of their organization and harness them into innovative solutionsnot just once, but time and time again."

The program curriculum provides an immersive, hands-on experience, including multiple learning modalities, simulations, and time for reflection. The program is presented in an interactive lab environment to maximize participation and collaboration among participants. Topics of study include redefining leadership in today's organizations, developing the capabilities for collective genius, creating and sustaining a culture of continuous innovation, and learning from successes.

Leading and Building a Culture of Innovation is designed for general managers and senior executives whose responsibilities include leading innovation and change. The program is open to executives with cross-organizational responsibilities; leaders of startups and innovation labs; and those who run business units, divisions, or other large-scale organizations. Ideal participants will have at least 15 years of work experience. Teams are encouraged to apply.

As with other HBS Executive Education offerings, Leading and Building a Culture of Innovation will rely on research from leading HBS faculty, collaboration with industry peers, and learnings from real-world case studies from successful, innovative global companies.

For more information, please contact:

Jim Aisner, [email protected], +1-617-495-6157

Program Details:

Leading and Building a Culture of Innovation will take place from December 38, 2017 on the Harvard Business School campus. Please visit https://www.exed.hbs.edu/programs/li/ for complete curriculum and to apply.

Faculty:

Linda A. Hill, Wallace Brett Donham Professor of Business Administration and faculty chair of Leading and Building a Culture of Innovation.

Ryan L. Raffaelli, Assistant Professor of Business Administration, Richard Hodgson Fellow.

Maurizio Travaglini, Founder and Managing Partner of Architects of Group Genius and Research Fellow at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design.

About Harvard Business School:

Harvard Business School Executive Education, a division of Harvard Business School, is located on a 40-acre campus in Boston, Massachusetts. In fiscal year 2017, HBS faculty developed and delivered more than 60 Executive Education programs for leading organizations worldwide. Over 10,000 business executives attended programs held on campus in Boston as well as classrooms in Mumbai and Shanghai. With global research centers in eight key regions, HBS faculty continue to develop groundbreaking research, forge powerful alliances with global organizations, and fulfill the mission of educating leaders who shape the practice of business and innovation. Learn more at www.exed.hbs.edu.

SOURCE Harvard Business School Executive Education

Related Links

http://www.exed.hbs.edu


MISSION, Kan., Oct. 03, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- (Family Features) Criminals are increasingly targeting people age 65 or older for personal identity theft. In 2014 alone, there were 2.6 million such incidents among seniors, according to the Department of Justice.



A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c5edae68-7f98-4791-a61d-ae518e382465.

A growing offshoot of identity theft is healthcare fraud, which can result when someone unlawfully uses another persons Medicare number. Medical identity theft can lead to inaccuracies in medical records, which in turn can result in delayed care, denied services and costly false claims.

Thats why Medicare works with the Department of Justice, taking aim squarely at would-be thieves. In the largest law enforcement action against criminals fraudulently targeting the Medicare, Medicaid and Tricare programs, 412 people around the country, including 115 doctors, nurses and other licensed medical professionals, were charged in 2017 with bilking U.S. taxpayers out of $1.3 billion.

The next big fraud-fighting push is well underway -- and its focus is protecting the personal information of senior citizens by removing their Social Security numbers from Medicare cards.

People with Medicare dont need to take any action to get a new Medicare card. Beginning in April, 2018, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will mail out newly designed Medicare cards to the 58 million Americans with Medicare. The cards will have a new number that will be unique for each card recipient. This will help protect personal identity and prevent fraud because identity thieves cant bill Medicare without a valid Medicare number. To help with a seamless transition to the new cards, providers will be able to use secure look up tools that will support quick access to the new card numbers when needed.

Healthcare fraud drives up costs for everyone, but healthcare consumers can be an effective first line of defense against fraud. Follow these tips to help protect yourself:

Do

Treat your Medicare number like a credit card.

When the new card comes in the mail next year, destroy your old card and make sure you bring your new one to your doctors appointments.

Be suspicious of anyone offering early bird discounts, limited time offers or encouraging you to act now for the best deal. That's an indicator of potential fraud because Medicare plans are forbidden from offering incentives.

Be skeptical of free gifts, free medical services, discount packages or any offer that sounds too good to be true.

Only give your Medicare number to doctors, insurers acting on your behalf or trusted people in the community who work with Medicare, like your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP).

Report suspected instances of fraud.

Check your Medicare statements to make sure the charges are accurate.

Don't

Dont share your Medicare number or other personal information with anyone who contacts you by telephone, email or approaches you in person, unless youve given them permission in advance. Medicare will never contact you uninvited and request your Medicare number or other personal information.

Dont let anyone borrow or pay to use your Medicare number.

Don't allow anyone, except your doctor or other Medicare providers, to review your medical records or recommend services.

Don't let anyone persuade you to see a doctor for care or services you don't need.

Don't accept medical supplies from a door-to-door salesman.

Learn more about how you can fight Medicare fraud at Medicare.gov/fraud, or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). You can also visit a local SHIP counselor, who can provide free, one-on-one, non-biased Medicare assistance.

With a common sense approach to protecting health information, senior citizens can be effective partners in fighting Medicare fraud.

By Seema Verna, CMS Administrator

Michael French

mfrench@familyfeatures.com

1-888-824-3337

editors.familyfeatures.com

About Family Features Editorial Syndicate

Established in 1974, Family Features is a leading provider of free food and lifestyle content for print and online publications. Our articles, photos, videos and web content solutions save you time, money and help create advertising opportunities. Registration is fast and free  with absolutely no obligation. Visit editors.familyfeatures.com for more information.
FORT WORTH, Texas, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Crestline Investors, Inc. ("Crestline"), an institutional alternative asset manager, is pleased to announce the recent closing of a refinancing and acquisition facility of Quintes Holding BV ("Quintes"), an insurance intermediary business based in The Netherlands. Quintes will use the acquisition facility to scale up its business-to-business portfolio in the non-Randstad regions of the Netherlands.

In this investment, Crestline has teamed up with Dutch asset manager Dexteritas Capital Partners BV ("Dexteritas"), which has in-depth local market knowledge in the Benelux, an economic union in Western Europe that includes Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg.

The financing was provided through the Crestline Opportunity Fund III strategy and Dexteritas Corporate Investments-1 B.V. Crestline Opportunity Fund III is a part of Crestline's opportunistic investment group that invests primarily in small to mid-size corporate and asset-based investment opportunities.

"We have worked closely with Crestline and Dexteritas to fine-tune our buy-and-build strategy with a capital structure that is fitting for the future. The industry has seen significant changes over the last few years driven by regulatory changes as well as technology. With a strengthened equity position and the available acquisition facility, Quintes is in a healthy position with all the tools necessary to be a consolidator in the industry," said Gijsbert van de Nieuwegiessen, CEO of Quintes.

"We are delighted to be supporting Quintes through this investment," said Andrey Panna, Managing Director at Crestline Europe, LLP, the European affiliate of Crestline Investors. "We are impressed with the quality of the team at Quintes and look forward to working with Gijsbert and his colleagues to help accelerate Quintes' growth."

Jens Jantzen, Managing Partner at Dexteritas, believes that "Quintes is well placed to play a role in the consolidating insurance market. We are very pleased to be able to assist the company in this effort."

Quintes was advised by Roodhals Capital and legal advisor BarentsKrans. Crestline and Dexteritas used NautaDutilh as their legal advisor and Trip Law as Notary.

About Crestline Investors, Inc.

Crestline Investors, Inc., founded in 1997 and based in Fort Worth, Texas, USA is an institutional alternative investment management firm. Crestline specializes in credit and opportunistic investments, including financing and restructuring solutions for mature private equity funds. In addition, the firm manages a multi-PM equity market-neutral hedge fund, and provides Beta and Hedging Solutions for Institutional clients. In addition to its Fort Worth headquarters, the company also maintains affiliate offices in London, New York City, Chicago, Toronto and Tokyo. For more information, please visit www.crestlineinvestors.com.

About Quintes Holding

Quintes is a Dutch insurance intermediary business, carrying several local brands with deep regional ties and highly experienced team of professionals. The company has the backbone, IT infrastructure, operational and compliance skills in place to tie up with smaller players. It has concluded several acquisitions since 2012. For more information, please contact Gijsbert van de Nieuwegiessen, CEO of Quintes.

About Dexteritas Capital Partners B.V.

Dexteritas Capital Partners B.V. was founded in 2016 to invest in and provide funding solutions to small- and medium sized companies in the Benelux. The company specializes in more complex financing structures, including growth financing, ownership changes and capital restructuring.

For more information, please contact:

Crestline European Investment Opportunities:

Andrey Panna

+44 20 7747 2162

[email protected]

Media Contact:

Dmitriy Ioselevich

+1-212-279-3115 ext. 243

[email protected]

Dexteritas Capital Partners B.V.:

Folef Hooft Graafland

+31 (0)6 5162 9068

SOURCE Crestline Investors, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.crestlineinvestors.com


"Jim brings a wealth of talent, energy and remarkable program execution credentials to Cubic," said Dave Buss, president of Cubic Global Defense. "With his deep understanding of ground training and extensive customer insights, Jim will be integral in leading the growth of one of our most important business areas."

Prior to joining Cubic, Craig completed a 35-year career at Lockheed Martin where he most recently served as the director of business transformation for the company's rotary and mission systems (RMS) business. Craig was also the vice president of global training and logistics and held numerous leadership roles including corporate strategy, business growth and program management.

About Cubic Corporation

Cubic Corporation designs, integrates and operates systems, products and services focused in the transportation, defense training and secure communications markets. Cubic Transportation Systems is a leading integrator of payment and information technology and services to create intelligent travel solutions for transportation authorities and operators. Cubic Global Defense is a leading provider of live, virtual, constructive and game-based training solutions, special operations and intelligence for the U.S. and allied forces. Cubic Mission Solutions provides networked Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) capabilities for defense, intelligence, security and commercial missions. For more information about Cubic, please visit the company's website at www.cubic.com or on Twitter @CubicCorp.

SOURCE Cubic Corporation

Related Links

http://www.cubic.com


ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Dental Services Group, North America's largest network of dental laboratories today announced a new brand identity that better reflects the quality and breadth of the products and services offered to customers and partners.

"We continue to be committed to providing our customers with the strength and capabilities of a national network and the personal attention and care of a local dental laboratory. Our new brand identity is the face of our seamless network operations and unparalleled customer experience to the outside world", said Matt Morgan, President & Chief Executive Officer.

DSG aims to create the ultimate customer experience through:

National Network, Local Care

Expert Customer Service and Technical Support

Innovative Digital Technology and Expertise

Gokce Sezgin, DSG's Senior VP of Marketing added: "In an increasingly cluttered world  physical and digital  it was important for us to create a unified look and feel that would act as an umbrella over our entire network, and also allow for the strength and equity of each of our laboratories in their respective territories. We designed a brand identity that represents the people of DSG: reliable, expert and committed".

DSG also redesigned their website, to better reflect their capabilities, products and services: (www.DentalServices.net).

About Dental Services Group (DSG)

Dental Services Group, a growing network of dental laboratories based in North America, provides dentists with the best of both worlds: the personal relationship and care of a local laboratory, combined with the technical expertise and full suite of offerings of a national laboratory. Headquartered in St. Petersburg, Florida, DSG's full-service laboratory network offers customers a variety of options in fixed, removable, implant, orthodontics and sleep dentistry products and services. As a strong supporter of digital dentistry, DSG also has various programs available to help practices join this revolution. More information available at: http://www.dentalservices.net/.

SOURCE Dental Services Group

Related Links

http://www.dentalservices.net


RESTON, Va., Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Leidos (NYSE: LDOS), a FORTUNE 500 science and technology company, was awarded a prime task order contract by the Department of Energy's (DOE) Energy Information Administration (EIA), under the Leidos EOP IV IDIQ support contract, to provide comprehensive performance solutions for the 2018 Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey (CBECS) and 2018 Commercial Buildings Energy Supplier Survey (CBESS). The single-award cost-plus-fixed-fee contract has a four-year period of performance, and an anticipated contract value of $25 million. CBECS survey work will be performed across the nation.

CBECS and CBESS are large, complex, high visibility surveys. CBECS provides EIA with comprehensive national and regional information on the consumption of and expenditures for energy in the commercial sector of the U.S. economy. The CBESS provides EIA with each survey building's energy consumption data directly from utility providers, as needed when building respondents cannot provide the required data. Ultimately, survey data are used for policy planning and for forecasting future energy consumption.

Since 2009, Leidos has established an integrated, innovative and trusted business management approach for CBECS for numerous survey cycles. Under the new contract, Leidos will apply its incumbent expertise on the program, serving as the program management, project control, and risk management lead. Leidos will integrate its proven strategies to deliver support throughout the life cycle of the project for key management tools including the schedule, risk register, and communications plan. The Leidos team will develop new and modern methods to update the data collection process and analysis.

"Leidos is pleased to continue to provide the Department of Energy with proven, tested, feasible, and reliable technical management approaches that have been refined over the last 40 years and applied to this program since 2009," said Leidos Civil Group President Angie Heise. "We look forward to working cooperatively with the Energy Information Administration to achieve program goals and objectives, while remaining committed to offering innovative solutions that improve efficiency and data quality."

About Leidos

Leidos is a Fortune 500 science and technology solutions and services leader working to solve the world's toughest challenges in the defense, intelligence, homeland security, civil, and health markets. The company's 32,000 employees support vital missions for government and commercial customers. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, Leidos reported annual revenues of approximately $7.04 billion for the fiscal year ended December 30, 2016. For more information, visit www.Leidos.com.

Statements in this announcement, other than historical data and information, constitute forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause our actual results, performance, achievements, or industry results to be very different from the results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Some of these factors include, but are not limited to, the risk factors set forth in the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the period ended December 30, 2016, and other such filings that Leidos makes with the SEC from time to time. Due to such uncertainties and risks, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof.

SOURCE Leidos

Related Links

http://www.leidos.com


ALBANY, New York, October 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

The global dry shampoo market is gaining from a number of favorable factors. Firstly, dry shampoo has aroused the interest of the growing working-class population, globally, who are looking for hair products that do not require much time for application suitable for their hectic lifestyle. This population group requires frequent hair washes as they are exposed to dirt and pollution while traveling to and from the workplace. Dry shampoo is best suited in this scenario, as frequent use of regular shampoo leads to loss of strength and sheen of hair. The ease of use as it does not require water to reduce greasing from the scalp and hair is also a significant factor boosting the demand for dry shampoo.

According to estimates presented by a report by Transparency Market Research (TMR), the global dry shampoo market will expand at a CAGR of 6.2% between 2017 and 2022 vis-a-vis revenue. Expanding at this pace, the market is likely to become US$4,110.6 mn by 2022-end from its estimated worth of US$3,043.5 mn in 2017.

View Full Report at https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/dry-shampoo-market.html

Apart from this, the changing consumer preference for natural and organic hair care products is also stoking growth of dry shampoo market. To cater to this, a number of hair care brands have introduced natural and organic variants of dry shampoo, which are attracting a large number of consumers. These variants are not only free of harsh chemicals, which are associated with loss of luster and strength of hair, but also help improve hair health through nourishing the scalp. Further, rising hair fall concerns and the rising prevalence of scalp related diseases are increasingly leading consumes opt for natural and herbal hair care solutions.

Request to View Sample Report- https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=31118

The influence of the fashion industry leading individuals to adopt hair care solutions endorsed by models and hair stylists has also been boosting the growth of the dry shampoo industry. The advent of new formula based hair care products briefly gained the interest of models and hair stylists for increasing hair volume and providing rich hair texture. However, excessive use of chemical-based hair styling solutions and frequent shampooing have been associated with severe scalp issues, with baldness being one of them. This has led models and hair stylists to switch to dry shampoo that substitutes chemical-based products for hair styling needs.

Global Dry Shampoo Market: Key Insights

Among the key form type segments, spray form is estimated to hold the leading 66.2% of market share in 2017. In absolute numbers, the spray form segment is estimated to be valued at US$2,016.3 mn in 2017. The form spray segment is anticipated to register a CAGR of 6.3% between 2017 and 2022, for the segment to touch a revenue valuation of US$2,738.4 mn by the end of 2022. The form spray type segment is estimated to display the leading year on year absolute growth of US$144.4 mn over the course of the forecast period from 2017 to 2022.

Request to download and view full ToC - https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/report-toc/31118

As per function classification, the segments of the global dry shampoo market include anti-dandruff, color protection, hair loss prevention, and others.

From a geographical perspective, the report studies the global dry shampoo market across North America, Europe, Asia Pacific except Japan, Japan, and the Middle East and Africa. Of them, North America is expected to account for the leading revenue contribution of US$1,134.0 mn in 2022. However, Asia Pacific except Japan is expected to register the leading 7% CAGR over the forecast period between 2017 and 2022.

Global Dry Shampoo Market Report is available @ US$ 5795

Global Dry Shampoo Market: Competitive Analysis

The global dry shampoo market is competitive with a presence of a considerable number of established players. Key players operating in the global dry shampoo market include The Unilever Group, The Procter and Gamble, Kao Corporation, The Estee Lauder Companies Inc., Shiseido Company Limited, Church & Dwight Co. Inc., Coty Inc., Revlon Inc., Henkel AG & Co. KGaA, and L'Oreal SA.

About TMR

Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The company's exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMR's experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.



Contact

Transparency Market Research

State Tower

90 State Street,

Suite 700,

Albany NY - 12207

United States

Tel: +1-518-618-1030

USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453

Email: [email protected]



Website: http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com

Blog: http://www.editiontruth.com/

SOURCE Transparency Market Research
WOODCLIFF LAKE, N.J. and MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Eisai Inc., the U.S. pharmaceutical subsidiary of Tokyo, Japan-based Eisai Co., Ltd., today announced that it has signed an agreement with Grupo Biotoscana (GBT) granting GBT the exclusive licensing rights to commercialize Eisai's Halaven (eribulin mesylate), Lenvima (lenvatinib), Fycompa (perampanel) and Inovelon (rufinamide) throughout Latin America. GBT will be responsible for obtaining and maintaining most marketing authorizations and any related regulatory and/or pricing approvals in the territory, with Eisai serving as the exclusive supplier of the products. In Mexico, however, Eisai will retain the rights to Halaven and Lenvima, and will seek to continue to build upon the growth of its oncology business in this country.

"We are excited to collaborate with Grupo Biotoscana, a company with an extensive reach in the Latin American market," said Shaji Procida, President and COO of Eisai Inc. "This agreement will provide important therapeutic options for patients in need in a number of countries where they currently remain unavailable."

In addition to receiving compensation for supply of the products, Eisai is eligible to receive a one-time payment and certain financial milestone payments.

"We are honored to be partnering with Eisai, one of the leading research-based companies in the world, in order to help expand the usage of Halaven, Lenvima, Fycompa and Inovelon, four compounds that bring new hope for patients with debilitating diseases in Latin America," said Mariano Garcia-Valino, CEO of Grupo Biotoscana. "We are also excited to continue building on the success of Halaven and Lenvima in Brazil, as well as to expand the reach of Eisai's oncology and neurology products through future launches in Latin America. We believe this partnership will be key for GBT, and it reinforces our position as the partner of choice for cutting-edge medicines in Latin America."

Please see U.S. Prescribing Information for FYCOMPA, including BOXED WARNING, and the Medication Guide.

About Eisai Inc.

At Eisai Inc., human health care (hhc) is our goal. We give our first thoughts to patients and their families, and helping to increase the benefits health care provides. As the U.S. pharmaceutical subsidiary of Tokyo-based Eisai Co., Ltd., we have a passionate commitment to patient care that is the driving force behind our efforts to discover and develop innovative therapies to help address unmet medical needs.

Eisai is a fully integrated pharmaceutical business that operates in two global business groups: oncology and neurology (dementia-related diseases and neurodegenerative diseases). Each group functions as an end-to-end global business with discovery, development, and marketing capabilities. Our U.S. headquarters, commercial and clinical development organizations are located in New Jersey; our discovery labs are in Massachusetts and Pennsylvania; and our global demand chain organization resides in Maryland and North Carolina. To learn more about Eisai Inc., please visit us at http://www.eisai.com/US and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

About Eisai Co., Ltd.

Eisai Co., Ltd. is a research-based human health care (hhc) company that discovers, develops and markets products throughout the world. Eisai focuses its efforts in three therapeutic areas: integrative neuroscience, including neurology and psychiatric medicines; integrative oncology, which encompasses oncotherapy and supportive-care treatments; and vascular/immunological reaction. Through a global network of research facilities, manufacturing sites and marketing subsidiaries, Eisai actively participates in all aspects of the worldwide healthcare system. For more information about Eisai Co., Ltd., please visit www.eisai.com.

About Grupo Biotoscana

Grupo Biotoscana (GBT) is a biopharmaceutical group that operates in the fast-growing Latin American region and focuses on rapidly growing market segments such as infectious diseases, oncology and onco-hematology, special treatments, immunology and inflammation and orphan/rare diseases, among others. GBT is currently present throughout 10 Latin American countries where it operates under its companies Biotoscana, United Medical and LKM. GBT's strong portfolio combines world-class licenses and proprietary products. GBT is controlled by a global private equity firm Advent International, with other significant shareholders including Essex Woodlands and several private investors.

To find out more about Grupo Biotoscana, please go to www.grupobiotoscana.com.

Media Inquiries Investor Inquiries Patricia Councill Ivor Macleod Eisai Inc. Eisai Inc. 201-746-2139 201-746-2660

SOURCE Eisai Inc.

Related Links

http://www.eisai.com


NEW YORK, Oct. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- O'Reilly Velocity (BOOTH #19)  Electric Cloud (http://electric-cloud.com), the leader in DevOps Release Automation and Continuous Delivery, today announced it has been positioned by Gartner, Inc. as a leader in its 2017 Magic Quadrant for Application Release Automation (ARA).* In its Magic Quadrant (MQ) for ARA research, Gartner analysts evaluated companies for their 'Ability to Execute' and 'Completeness of Vision.' Electric Cloud was positioned the highest for their 'Ability to Execute.' Download the full report at:

(http://electric-cloud.com/resources/whitepapers/gartner-magic-quadrant-application-release-automation/).

"We feel it is quite an honor to be named by Gartner as an ARA leader two years in a row," said Steve Brodie, CEO of Electric Cloud. "We continuously add new features that our customers request with our sights set on providing the most complete, unified ARA platform in the industry."

Automation, Modeling and Release Coordination

Gartner's highly sought-after 2017 Magic Quadrant and Critical Capabilities for ARA considered vendors based on a minimum of three product-related functions, namely 1) Automation 2) Environment Modeling and 3) Release Coordination. From Electric Cloud's perspective, these elements support the goal of end-to-end DevOps toolchain orchestration, which enables greater release agility, faster time to market, consistent methods for continual deployment, quality through automation and constant feedback loops.

"The primary objective for DevOps toolchain orchestration is to ensure the DevOps delivery pipeline is managed in line with business priorities," noted George Spafford and Joachim Herschmann in a July 2017 Gartner research report.* "This means releases must be visible to all members of the DevOps team, including business stakeholders. This visibility is also used to identify bottlenecks and delays, as well as areas where effort, cost and time can be saved. The orchestration of the pipeline should still provide the flexibility to embrace agile practices. It should also provide a level of control that ensures that activities adhere to corporate business guidelines (for example, security and compliance regulations)."

Accelerate Digital Transformation

"As organizations scale their DevOps efforts, some of the main pain points we hear is the need to consolidate islands of automation without inhibiting pockets of innovation, while simultaneously increasing collaboration and governance," Brodie adds. "The unified nature of ElectricFlow allows customers to address these challenges by providing a common, flexible platform to orchestrate the entire Continuous Delivery pipeline with deployment automation, release coordination, pipeline modeling and analytics in an easy-to-consume push-button fashion for enterprise use. We believe these factors, along with recent recognitions from leading industry analysts, have contributed to a growing roster of new customers  on track to triple in 2017."

"At SOMOS, we decided to move off of our 30-year-old mainframe application, responsible for managing over 41 million toll-free numbers in North America. One of many challenges was how to modernize and build a DevOps culture and environment for SOMOS while simultaneously moving to a microservices architecture," said Gary McKay, scrum master at SOMOS. "We chose Electric Cloud's ElectricFlow because of its support for both containerized and mainframe workloads, and because it can coordinate delivery of those workloads safely across all our development and production environments. The results have been stunningly positive."

For more information about ElectricFlow and to download the free Community Edition, please visit: (http://electric-cloud.com/products/electricflow).

Connect with Electric Cloud

Follow @electricccloud on Twitter

Connect with Electric Cloud on LinkedIn

Like Electric Cloud on Facebook

Share This: .@electriccloud named a leader in @Gartner_inc's 2017 Magic Quadrant for Application Release Automation http://electric-cloud.com/company/news/press-releases/item/electric-cloud-positioned-highest-execution-gartners-application-release-automation-magic-quadrant-second-year-row/ #DevOps

*Gartner, Magic Quadrant for Application Release Automation, September 27, 2017

*Gartner, Critical Capabilities for Application Release Automation, September 27, 2017

*Gartner, Hype Cycle for DevOps, 2017, July 14, 2017

Gartner Disclaimer

Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner's research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose

About Electric Cloud, Inc.

Electric Cloud is the leader in DevOps Release Automation and Continuous Delivery. We help organizations like E*TRADE, Gap, HPE, Intel and Lockheed Martin deliver better software faster by accelerating development, automating deployments, and coordinating releases.

Contact:

Jeremy Douglas

Catapult PR-IR

303-581-7760

[email protected]

SOURCE Electric Cloud, Inc.

Related Links

http://electric-cloud.com


LONDON, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- According to Stratistics MRC, the Global Ethoxyquin market is expected to grow from $150.10 million in 2016 to reach $233.60 million by 2023 with a CAGR of 6.5%.



Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/5126513







The adoption of pets across the world is the emerging trend having significant impact for the growth of Ethoxyquin market as it is used as a preservative in pet products. Increase in the food trade around the world, growing requirement for pet food products, rising feed prices, need for preservatives in poultry and fish meals and rising demand from agricultural sector are some of the key factors propelling the market growth. However, strict government rules the usage of chemicals in pet food products is hindering the market growth.



By Application, the aquaculture segment holds the largest market share due to its wide applications of Ethoxyquin in this sector. Intensifying demand for fish and fishmeal products in developing economies and growing consumption of fish and shrimps among people are the factors contributing to the growth of this segment in the market.



Geographically, North America holds the largest market share due to the less regulation on the usage of antioxidants. Ethoxyquin is used in pet food preservatives and pesticides in this region while its consumption doesn't exceed the specified level. Increasing usage of ethoxyquin-95 in the poultry and the aquaculture industries and demand from food industry the region is expected to dominate the market in upcoming years. In addition, Asia Pacific region is the fastest growing owing to rapid industrialization and increasing meat and protein consumption.



Some of the key players in the Ethoxyquin market are Mitsui & Co. Ltd, Novus International, Skystone Feed Co, Impextraco N.V, Shanghai Fuda Fine Material Co. Ltd, Jiangsu Zhongdan Group, DuPont Nutrition & Health, Nutreco N.V., Perstorp Group, Kemin Industries Inc, Archer Daniels Midland Company, Cargill Inc, Merck KGaA, Royal DSM, Industrial Tecnica Pecuaria S.A. and Rensin Chemicals.



Applications covered:

 Poultry Industry

 Spice Color Preservatives

 Aquaculture Industry

 Pesticides

 Industrial Application

 Pet Food Preservatives

 Chemicals

 Other Applications



Products covered:

 Ethxyquin-66 Powder

 Ethxyquin-95 Oil

 Ethxyquin-33 Powder



Regions Covered:

 North America

o US

o Canada

o Mexico

 Europe

o Germany

o UK

o France

o Italy

o Spain

o Rest of Europe

 Asia Pacific

o Japan

o China

o India

o Australia

o New Zealand

o South Korea

o Rest of Asia Pacific

 South America

o Argentina

o Brazil

o Chile

o Rest of South America

 Middle East & Africa

o Saudi Arabia

o UAE

o Qatar

o South Africa

o Rest of Middle East & Africa



What our report offers:

- Market share assessments for the regional and country level segments

- Market share analysis of the top industry players

- Strategic recommendations for the new entrants

- Market forecasts for a minimum of 7 years of all the mentioned segments, sub segments and the regional markets

- Market Trends (Drivers, Constraints, Opportunities, Threats, Challenges, Investment Opportunities, and recommendations)

- Strategic recommendations in key business segments based on the market estimations

- Competitive landscaping mapping the key common trends.

- Company profiling with detailed strategies, financials, and recent developments

- Supply chain trends mapping the latest technological advancements



Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/5126513



About Reportbuyer

Reportbuyer is a leading industry intelligence solution that provides all market research reports from top publishers

https://www.reportbuyer.com



For more information:

Sarah Smith

Research Advisor at Reportbuyer.com

Email: [email protected]

Tel: +44 208 816 85 48

Website: www.reportbuyer.com

SOURCE ReportBuyer

Related Links

http://www.reportbuyer.com


Wardega has several years of M&A deal experience, as well as a broad-based business practice providing general business counseling to middle market and Fortune 500 corporate clients. His experience includes entrepreneurs with business formation and equity or debt financing, negotiating agreements with strategic partners or investors, managing clients' trademarks and copyrights and negotiating complex business transitions.

"As a second-career attorney, Frank brings to McDonald Hopkins several years of unique legal and business experience to assist our clients with their legal and business counselling needs," said James E. Stief, chair of the Business Department.

Prior to practicing law, Wardega spent 11 years at Ernst & Young LLP in New York City and in Cleveland.

Wardega earned his J.D., cum laude, from Cleveland-Marshall College of Law in 2007, where he served as the research editor of the Journal of Law and Health. He received a B.A. in English from Ohio University in 1991. He serves as a mentor and instructor at BadGirl Ventures, a non-profit that provide funding to start-ups, a board member for Applewood Centers and serves as an adviser to the board of directors at RePlay for Kids.

Wardega can be reached at [email protected] or 216.348.5418.

About McDonald Hopkins

Founded in 1930, McDonald Hopkins is a business advisory and advocacy law firm with locations in Chicago, Cleveland, Columbus, Detroit, Miami, and West Palm Beach. With more than 50 service and industry teams, the firm has the expertise and knowledge to meet the growing number of legal and business challenges our clients face. For more information about McDonald Hopkins, visit mcdonaldhopkins.com.

CONTACT:

Deborah W. Kelm

McDonald Hopkins LLC

600 Superior Avenue, East, Suite 2100

Cleveland, Ohio 44114

Phone: 216.348.5733

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE McDonald Hopkins

Related Links

http://www.mcdonaldhopkins.com


"Steve's exemplary, dynamic leadership will be greatly missed around the organization," said Jeff Dailey, chief executive officer of Farmers Group, Inc. "His brand stewardship yielded consistent year-over-year growth and profitability, the impact of which cannot be understated. With Steve's retirement, we're very fortunate to field a deep bench of experienced leadership and are confident that the future of Farmers Specialty and Foremost are bright with Mike at the helm."

Boshoven joined Farmers in 2000 when Foremost Corporation of America was acquired, where he had been since February 1986 as its controller. Rising through the ranks, he was promoted to the position of chief operating officer of Farmers Specialty Lines and to president and chief operating officer in 2006. In 2007, he was appointed senior vice president of Farmers Group, Inc.

Cok is another senior Foremost leader brought on following the 2000 acquisition, having joined in 1987 as assistant treasurer and controller. Prior to joining Foremost, Mike worked for international accounting and consulting firm Deloitte. In 2013, Mike took on the role of chief operating officer for Farmers Specialty and the Foremost Brand, where he has served ever since.

About Farmers Insurance

"Farmers Insurance" and "Farmers" are tradenames for a group of affiliated insurers providing insurance for automobiles, homes and small businesses and a wide range of other insurance and financial services products. Farmers Insurance is proud to serve more than 10 million households with over 19 million individual policies, across all 50 states, through the efforts of more than 48,000 exclusive and independent agents and approximately 21,000 employees. Farmers Insurance Exchange, the largest of the three primary insurance insurers that make up Farmers Insurance, is recognized as one of the largest U.S. companies on the 2017 Fortune 500 list.

For more information about Farmers Insurance, visit Farmers.com, Twitter and Instagram, @WeAreFarmers, or Facebook.com/FarmersInsurance.

About Foremost Insurance Group

Foremost is a proud member of the Farmers Insurance Group of Companies, and a single source for property and casualty insurance. Foremost offers insurance products for manufactured homes, landlord properties, vacant properties, seasonal properties, RVs, motorcycles, off-road vehicles, snowmobiles, boats, personal watercraft, and collectible autos as well as programs for non-standard and mono line auto. For more information, visit www.foremost.com.

SOURCE Farmers Insurance

Related Links

http://www.farmersinsurance.com


PHILADELPHIA and LONGMONT, Colo., Oct. 03, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Three leaders were honored last Wednesday in recognition of their commitment to excellence in the Native CDFI industry at the 2017 Native CDFI Awards Ceremony, part of the 14th Annual Native CDFI Convening hosted by Opportunity Finance Network (OFN) and First Nations Oweesta Corporation (Oweesta).



The Circle of Honor Award recognizes a Native CDFI that is successfully increasing access to capital and financial resources in Native communities by developing innovative loan products, promoting community development, and overcoming challenges. The 2017 Circle of Honor Award winner is Sequoyah Fund, a Native CDFI located in Cherokee, North Carolina, that offers economic and community development within the Qualla Boundary, the home of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. Sequoyah Fund demonstrates outstanding leadership within the industry by overcoming adversity in a challenging rural economic climate, while meeting community needs for development of financial capabilities and credit counseling, youth programming, and capitalization and training and technical assistance for entrepreneurs. Under the direction of Russ Seagle, Sequoyah Fund has made rapid progress since their inception, cultivating strong relationships with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Tribal leadership, community programs, neighboring cities, peers, mentors, and partners. Sequoyah Fund has also developed an innovative entrepreneurship brand, Authentically Cherokee, to support the marketing of contemporary Native artist-entrepreneurs.

Sequoyah Fund was selected from a highly competitive group of Native CDFI nominees and was awarded for building and retaining strong partners and enhancing the quality of life and asset building opportunities for members in their community. Sequoyah Fund is led by Russ Seagle, Executive Director, who accepted the award on behalf of the organization.

The Visionary Leader Award for Outstanding Achievement recognizes a person who has made a long-term contribution to the Native CDFI industry and whose local financing and asset building efforts make them an inspiration for others. Angie Main, Executive Director of NACDC Financial Services, has been a trailblazing visionary leader exemplifying a level of commitment to NACDC Financial Services and the Native CDFI industry. Under her leadership, NACDC Financial Services has provided affordable capital to over 200 Tribal members across the state of Montana, lending out over $1.5 MM. In the last year, NACDC Financial Services has seen significant growth with loan volume doubling from 2014 to 2016 and total assets increasing to over $1 MM. She has also forged partnerships with local, state, and governmental entities to propel economic development efforts benefitting Tribal members located on all seven reservations in Montana.

Oweesta also introduced a new award; The Rodger Boyd Nataanii Award for Advancing National Policy Inclusion for his contributions to the Native CDFI industry. Rodger Boyd worked with the CDFI Fund in its inception and through his efforts established the first Native American Program within the Treasurys CDFI Fund. He also led the efforts to develop the first Native American Lending Study that highlighted the access to capital issue in Native communities. This study led to the Native set aside funding to support the development and growth of Native CDFIs. He also dedicated 13 years leading the HUD Office of Native American Programs as Deputy Assistant Secretary, impacting Tribal communities nationwide.

Sequoyah Fund, our Circle of Honor awardee, works hard serving their clients to provide as a great example of what Native CDFIs can do for their community in creating and expanding economic opportunity which otherwise would be unavailable. We are thankful and excited to be able to honor Sequoyah Fund, and we know they will continue to be an innovative, and hardworking, group, providing support, encouragement, and opportunity to their community. We are also so pleased to honor Angie Main with the Visionary Leader award. Under Angies leadership, NACDC Financial Services has expanded services to all seven Tribes across Montana to reach all Tribal members throughout the state. And finally, we are so thrilled to unveil this new award to special partners and people who are looking out for and protecting our industry. Rodger has worked tirelessly on behalf of Native communities his entire career, and the Native CDFI industry would not be what it is today without his policy efforts and we felt it important to recognize that and honor him in this measure, said Chrystel Cornelius, Executive Director, First Nations Oweesta Corporation. Every year we look forward to the opportunity to give much deserved recognition to our award winners. We would also like to thank OFN for recognizing the achievements of these three recipients.

Congratulations to this years three award winners. OFN values the opportunity to recognize Sequoyah Fund, Angie Main, and Roger Boyd for their hard work and dedication to serving Native communities, said Lisa Mensah, President and CEO of Opportunity Finance Network. "Each year, we are impressed by the positive economic impact of the Circle of Honor and Visionary Leader award recipients, and this year is no different. Were also thrilled to recognize Roger Boyds contribution to the Native CDFI industry through Oweestas new award, The Rodger Boyd Nataanii Award for Advancing National Policy Inclusion. Sequoyah Fund, Angie Main and Roger Boyd are at the forefront of positive change in their respective communities."

The awards ceremony capped off the 14th Annual Native Convening in conjunction with the 33rd Annual OFN Conference where Native economic development practitioners and Tribal representatives from across the country joined hundreds of other opportunity finance experts to share and learn about new ideas, strategies for change, and innovations from the field.

For more information on Sequoyah Fund, please visit their websites at www.sequoyahfund.org.

For more information on Angie Main and NACDC Financial Services, please visit www.nacdcfinancialservices.com.

First Nations Oweesta Corporation provides opportunities for Native people to develop assets and create wealth by assisting in the establishment of strong, permanent institutions and programs, leading to economic independence, and strengthening sovereignty for all Native communities. Based on First Nations Oweesta Corporations Integrated Asset Building Model, our programs and services help build local capacity and provide powerful tools for Native community development. For more information, visit www.oweesta.org.

Opportunity Finance Network (OFN), the leading national network of private financial institutions, creates growth that is good for communities, investors, individuals, and the economy. Members of OFN are community development financial institutions (CDFIs) that deliver responsible lending to help low-wealth and low-income communities join the economic mainstream. Through 2015 OFN's network originated $48 billion in financing in urban, rural, and Native American communities. This financing has helped to create or maintain more than 1,044,000 jobs, start or expand nearly 191,000 businesses and microenterprises, and support the development or rehabilitation of nearly 1.5 million housing units and 9,800 community facility projects. For more information, visit ofn.org.

Contacts:

Heather Rademacher Taylor (Programs Officer, Oweesta)

303.774.8838 heather@oweesta.org

Michelle Vroom (Public Relations for OFN)

610-228-0607 michelle.vroom@buchananpr.com
WASHINGTON, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Leaders with the American Federation of Government Employees, the largest federal employee union, are calling on President Trump and Congress to expedite the pace of recovery efforts to the 3.5 million American citizens in hurricane-battered Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

In an open letter to President Trump and members of Congress, AFGE National President J. David Cox Sr. and Fifth District National Vice President Everett Kelley said residents on the islands "desperately need our help."

The largest federal employee union, the American Federation of Government Employees, is calling on President Trump and members of Congress to expedite the pace of recovery efforts for the 3.5 million American citizens in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands who are struggling in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria. Above is an aerial photo of northern Puerto Rico taken on Sept. 26 by the U.S. Air Forces Civil Air Patrol, in cooperation with the Air National Guard.

"Failing to treat this disaster with the same sense of urgency you displayed when Hurricanes Harvey and Irma battered the mainland just weeks earlier is indefensible," the letter states. Nearly two weeks after Hurricane Maria made landfall, most residents still lack essentials like running water, food, and electricity.

"Our fellow Americans in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands are being treated like second-class citizens," President Cox said. "There's no excuse for it taking this long to get aid and relief to people who desperately need our help. While President Trump's visit to Puerto Rico is a welcome show of support, residents need immediate action, not just rhetoric. Congress and the White House need to step up the recovery efforts at once."

AFGE represents more than 5,000 federal employees who work in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. They have been working around the clock to continue serving the public, even as they face their own personal tragedies and losses.

"Thousands of federal workers who call these islands home are looking to their government for help, and the silence is deafening," said NVP Kelley, whose district includes both islands. "They're working under extraordinarily difficult circumstances to deliver care and assistance to our citizens in need. Help cannot come fast enough."

The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) is the largest federal employee union, representing 700,000 workers in the federal government and the government of the District of Columbia.

For the latest AFGE news and information, visit the AFGE Media Center. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

SOURCE American Federation of Government Employees

Related Links

http://www.afge.org


DETROIT, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Ford CEO and President Jim Hackett, will join Reverend Jesse Jackson, Sr., founder and president of Rainbow PUSH Coalition, for the Leadership Breakfast discussion themed, "The New Normal: Positioning Businesses for the Browning of America" at 8:00 a.m. on Friday, October 20, 2017 at the MGM Grand Detroit. The breakfast kicks off the 18th Annual Rainbow PUSH Global Automotive Summit, the largest gathering in the auto industry for people of color.



The high-powered discussion will be moderated by James Lowry, senior advisor at Boston Consulting.



"CEO Hackett is well regarded for bold corporate culture change that bolsters competitiveness," notes Jackson. "That is why I look forward to our candid conversation on how the auto industry can make the best use of opportunities presented by the increased browning of America."



Through this dialog, Rainbow PUSH Automotive Project, an initiative of Citizenship Education Fund, will dissect the socio-economic imperative of minority executives and entrepreneurs, and explore ways to boost business competitiveness as the American marketplace continues its "browning" journey.



In addition to the Leadership Breakfast, this year's Summit will include panels that explore opportunities for people of color in various areas of the auto industry, including dealerships, human resources, autonomous vehicles and advertising and marketing.



It will also include a panel that features vice presidents of global purchasing from five automotive manufacturers, who, collectively, are responsible for hundreds of billions of dollars in global purchases each year.



Additionally, Dikobe Ben Martins, South Africa's deputy minister of public enterprises, will give remarks.



About Organizers

The Rainbow PUSH Automotive Project encourages and engenders the full and equitable participation of minorities in the growth and well-being of the global automotive industry. By creating meaningful awareness, fostering knowledge and understanding and facilitating functional partnerships and healthy collaborations, the Automotive Project enables minorities to participate fully in employment, procurement, marketing, advertising, dealer development and board membership opportunities.



For more information, please visit http://automotiveproject.org.

SOURCE Rainbow PUSH Coalition

Related Links

http://www.automotiveproject.org


MARLTON, N.J., Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The results are in! The New Jersey Law Journal Best of 2017 Readers' Poll is completed and Foundation Title has achieved top honors.

New Jersey Law Journal Award for Top 3 Title Agency in the Best of 2017 Readers' Poll.

Since 2005 Foundation Title has established itself as a premier provider of title insurance and settlement services in New Jersey. Foundation is constantly investing in technology and training to improve their quality of service and security of information systems. One distinguishing trait of Foundation's success is a strong focus on building relationships with real estate attorneys. Their team of energetic, educated and service minded account representatives brings more than just policy delivery to the table. Not just the smiling face of the company, Foundation's account representatives help to communicate industry news and alerts as well as mitigate some of the issues that arise in the course of preparing a settlement.

"We would like to thank the New Jersey Law Journal and its readers for this great honor," said Edward Rickenbach, Co-Managing Member of Foundation Title, LLC. "Kudos also to our wonderful team members for making this possible. Foundation has and will always value our relationships with our attorney clients."

With 14 convenient branches and 140 employees serving the state from top to bottom, they are well positioned to continue this level of excellence for many years to come.

Media Contacts:

Dan Merlino, Phone: 973-477-8947, Email: [email protected]

Chris Gimello, Phone: 856-630-7231, Email: [email protected]

Related Files

NJLJaward2017 ver2.pdf

Related Images

image1.png

NJ Law Journal Award Shield

image2.png

Foundation Title Logo

Related Links

Foundation Title Blog

New Jersey Law Journal

SOURCE Foundation Title, LLC
BOLZANO, Italy, Oct. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- After successfully realizing its private investment target, FTB is pleased to announce the launch of its Initial Coin Offering to the public on Oct. 1. A total of 10 billion FTB Fincoins are available in the sale. These tokens represent shares in the company and allow investors to purchase services at more advantageous prices.

FTB is set to disrupt the crypto investment industry through the development of a platform capable of enhancing blockchain values. FTB's unique approach to investments is based on an ecosystem of financial tools that allow users to invest in digital currencies backed by blockchain security and real-world assets.

With vigorous attention to users' experiences and in-depth expertise in the cryptocurrency industry, FTB makes it possible for users without technical or financial know-how to exploit high earning opportunities based on the crypto market's volatility.

Key Investment Tools

Connect World Funds: Connected World Funds  or CWF  is a seamless investment tool that enables investors to purchase tokens representing real-world investment funds and allows them to switch between these funds by simply exchanging their tokens.

Imagine if there was a token tied to a JP Morgan funds' value, one that the user can seamlessly switch to a Goldman Sachs fund simply by exchanging their FTB_JP_Morgan token with FTB_Goldman_Sachs_one.

FTB makes it easy to buy these new tokens. All the user has to do is take advantage of the infrastructure built around Connect World Funds and accumulate profit.

Crypto-Funds Investments: Through cryptocurrencies and fiat currencies, FTB's platform provides investment opportunities in the new and emerging crypto-markets, giving insights on potential high-earning assets. FTB does not require large investments for high returns. The platform is dedicated to identifying the best opportunities for investors.

Cloud Funds: This new concept of perceiving common investment funds allows users to execute operations based on other investors ideas. FTB allows investors to take advantage of the community's financial and economic knowledge by organizing user-generated ideas in specific forums. The strategy that receives the highest consensus will be executed. This concept is particularly helpful when investing in emerging crypto-markets without profound understanding of the economic factors involved.

FTB Fincoin and FTB's ICO

The FTB ICO is scheduled to commence on the 1st of October and end on the 31st of the same month.

Investors will be able to exchange currencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum or Waves for FTB Fincoins that can be used on the platform.

The hard cap for the ICO is advantageously low, with only $ 4,680,000 needed to reach the maximum goal.

How to participate

The ICO is being hosted on the Waves blockchain platform. Investors will need a Waves wallet to receive FTB Fincoin, which they can buy directly on the platform. They can also participate by filling a form on FTB website http://ftb.fund and purchasing tokens using Bitcoin, Ethereum, Bitcoin Cash or Litecoin. You can also purchase FTB Fincoin directly with waves, euros or dollars via the Waves Platform.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FTB.fundofficial

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ftbankofficial

Medium: https://medium.com/@Ftbank

Website: http://ftb.fund

Telegram: https://t.me/FTBICO

Media Contact

Contact Name: Ivan Milan

Contact Email: [email protected]

Location: Bolzano, Italy

FTB is the source of this content. Virtual currency is not legal tender, is not backed by the government, and accounts and value balances are not subject to consumer protections. This press release is for informational purposes only. The information does not constitute investment advice or an offer to invest.

Related Links

Bitcoin PR Buzz

FTB FINCOIN

SOURCE FTB FINCOIN

Related Links

http://ftb.fund


NEW YORK, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- FutureLearn, the leading social learning platform, is announcing its partnership with the New York Institute of Finance (NYIF), a global leader in skills-based training for the investment banking industry and related financial services.

New York Institute of Finance

The partnership will see NYIF host a set of paid-for courses that lead up to a professional certificate in mergers and acquisitions aimed at financial analysts, associates as well as directors and managers who have transitioned, or hope to transition, to mergers and acquisitions from other areas, such as equities or fixed income.

"We're delighted to welcome the New York Institute of Finance as our latest U.S. partner. They have a fantastic reputation as a global leader in training for financial services and related industries and it's great to be able to offer that expertise to our six million learners through their set of courses on Mergers and Acquisitions. Many of our learners are particularly interested in courses that will enhance their professional development so we expect this set to be popular with not only those already in the financial space but also those looking to expand their professional horizons or even entrepreneurs who want to prepare for their eventual exit strategy," said Nigel Smith, Head of Content at FutureLearn.

The Mergers & Acquisitions Professional Certificate Program is comprised of five online courses plus an exam. The Program is part of FutureLearn's suite of credit-bearing courses, specifically aimed at offering learners the opportunity to gain credits for degrees, MBAs and professional qualifications. The first course in the Program, Mergers and Acquisitions: Concepts and Theories, is open for enrollment now and starts this week.

The program is taught by, Jeffrey Hooke and Steve Literati, two industry-leading finance professionals with decades of experience on Wall Street. In the first course of the Program, Mergers and Acquisitions: Concepts and Theories, learners will get an intensive overview of the major aspects of the mergers and acquisitions (M&A) industry including the theories and concepts that underpin mergers and acquisitions, and learn the skills involved in executing transactions, from a deal's inception to post-merger integration.

Upon completion of this first course, learners will be able to:

Identify common motivations for acquisitions and the reasons why many are unsuccessful

Identify public companies, comparable companies, comparable acquisitions, and leverage buyout valuations

Explore the key risks associated with the acquisition process

Discuss the characteristics of a successful deal

Summarize the top ten buyer motivations for M&A

Additional courses include Mergers and Acquisitions: Advanced Theory, starting on 23rd October, Mergers and Acquisitions: Structuring The Deal, starting on 6th Nov., Mergers and Acquisitions: Free Cash Flow Modeling, starting on 27th Nov., and Mergers and Acquisitions: Accounting Principles, starting on 4th Dec.. Once learners complete this set of courses, they then have the option to go on to complete an examination to earn a Professional Certificate in Mergers and Acquisitions from the New York Institute of Finance, a sought-after credential that leading financial services employers around the world know and trust.

Anton Theunissen, the Managing Director of NYIF, said: "We are extremely pleased to offer our course on Mergers and Acquisitions to the FutureLearn community. The New York Institute of Finance has been a leading provider of financial training since 1922 and our Professional Certificate is for ambitious, career-focused professionals who understand the value of having a complete set of real-world skills, a natural fit for FutureLearners. We look forward to working closely with FutureLearn to offer more courses in the near future to enhance the career opportunities of their learners with desk-ready skills in core areas of finance."

Learners who complete the Mergers and Acquisitions program on the FutureLearn platform will also benefit from the social learning pedagogy that underpins the design of the platform, built from over 50 years of experience of digital storytelling and distance learning. Like all courses on the platform, this will incorporate the distinctive FutureLearn storytelling techniques, guiding learners through a compelling narrative composed of videos, articles, case studies, and rich media features. Learners can engage in curated conversations throughout the educational material to enhance their understanding and to allow them to learn from each other in any location or time zone.

Paid-for courses at FutureLearn: Whilst the majority of FutureLearn courses are offered with an option to learn for free, some are only offered on a paid-for basis. These courses are designed for professionals looking to advance their careers and learn with a smaller group of like-minded individuals.

About FutureLearn (www.FutureLearn.com)

Founded by The Open University in 2012, FutureLearn is a leading social learning platform, enabling online learning through conversation. With over 6.5 million people from over 200 countries across the globe  a community that is continuously growing  it offers free and paid for online courses from world-leading U.K. and international universities, as well as organisations such as the European Space Agency, the British Council, and Cancer Research UK. FutureLearn's course portfolio covers a wealth of areas to promote lifelong learning for a range of applications including general interest, an introduction to university studies, continuing professional development and fully online postgraduate degrees.

About New York Institute of Finance (www.nyif.com)

The New York Institute of Finance (NYIF) is a global leader in professional training for financial services and related industries. NYIF courses cover everything from investment banking, asset pricing, insurance and market structure to financial modeling, treasury operations, and accounting. The New York Institute of Finance has a faculty of industry leaders and offers a range of program delivery options, including self-study, online courses, and in-person classes. Founded by the New York Stock Exchange in 1922, NYIF has trained over 250,000 professionals online and in class, in over 120 countries. NYIF trains leading global institutions and finance professionals, some of NYIF's US customers include the SEC, the Treasury, Morgan Stanley, Bank of America and most leading worldwide banks. In 2017, NYIF launched two financial designations, the Chartered Financial Risk Engineer and the Chartered Investment Banking Analyst. The Mergers & Acquisitions Professional Certificate offered on FutureLearn is a component of the Chartered Investment Banking Analyst professional designation. See all of NYIF's training and qualifications here.

Join the conversation on Twitter: @NYFinance #FLMergers

For further press information, please contact:

New York Institute of Finance

+1 347-842-2501

[email protected]

FutureLearn

Niamh O'Grady, Head of Communications

[email protected]

SOURCE New York Institute of Finance

Related Links

http://www.nyif.com


"Wakeel has demonstrated his talent for identifying key markets in need of affordable housing and articulating a clear pathway to success in those markets. His work has been integral to the success of the development team in St. Louis and Gardner Capital in general. We are proud of him and his accomplishments to date, and we're excited to see his potential in a leadership position," said Michael Gardner, President, Gardner Capital.

A St. Louis native, Rahman graduated from the Walker School of Business at Webster University in 2013 with a bachelor's degree in Economics, and he expects to graduate with an MBA from the Cook School of Business at St. Louis University in 2018.

About Gardner Capital

Gardner Capital is an affordable housing and solar development, tax credit syndication, and investment company with primary regional offices in St. Louis, Dallas, San Francisco, Atlanta, and Springfield, Missouri. Since 1992, Gardner Capital has placed more than 2 billion dollars of equity in affordable housing. More recently, Gardner Capital added a rapidly growing solar development and investment platform with several solar projects across the United States. The principals, Mark Gardner and Michael Gardner, are committed to improving the wellbeing of families by developing and raising capital for affordable housing and clean energy projects. Visit www.gardnercapital.com for more information.

SOURCE Gardner Capital

Related Links

http://www.gardnercapital.com


MACON, Ga., Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Georgia Employers' Association 2017 Fall Conference will focus on critical workplace issues that impact the operations of Georgia businesses and discussion of how the new administration might affect the legal landscape. Attendees will hear from experts in the legal, healthcare, and security fields and gain valuable information that will help them chart a course in the coming year. The event is scheduled for November 2, 2017 at Ritz-Carlton Reynolds, Lake Oconee.

"The legal and regulatory environment is complicated and Georgia's employers face challenges that range from EEOC compliance to Workers' compensation, FLSA and Department of Labor complaints," states GEA Executive Director, Mike McCurdy. "Our Fall conference provides both high level and focused analysis of key issues from some of the best employment law experts in the country."

The keynote speaker for the event, Neil Wasser, is Chair of the Executive Committee for leading employment law firm Constangy, Brooks, Smith, and Prophete, LLP. Wasser will share his perspective on OSHA compliance with an emphasis on employers' rights during and after an OSHA inspection. Mel Haas, who leads the Macon office for the firm, will provide a status report on new developments in labor and employment law.

Leonard Bevill, President and CEO of Macon Occupational Medicine and Greg Norred, CEO, Norred and Associates are among the other featured speakers for the event. Topics include importance of workplace diversity, how to implement a successful drug-screening program, workplace security topics, and strategies to deal with harassment and discrimination issues.

The content and presentations for the conference are designed to provide business owners, executives, and professionals in the HR field with a base of knowledge that can help them remain in compliance, avoid liability, and implement successful management strategies.

Since 1981, Georgia Employers' Association has provided a valuable resource to help Georgia businesses manage risk, develop leadership capabilities, and build an engaged workforce. GEA is a single source for training, consulting services, legal resources and other products and professional services that members need to succeed.

A full list of topics and speakers for the Georgia Employers' Association Fall Conference is available on the GEA website at georgiaemployers.org/2017-fall-conference. The conference is approved for HRCI accreditation.

For more information about the event or Georgia Employers' Association, please contact:

Mike McCurdy

Executive Director

Phone: 478-722-8282

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Georgia Employers' Association

Related Links

http://www.georgiaemployers.org


ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems, a business unit of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), was recently awarded a $17 million contract by the U.S. Army Contracting Command in Picatinny, N.J., for production of the 40mm M781E1 Low Velocity Day/Night/Thermal training cartridge. This award is the first option of the company's Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) contract for Low Rate Initial Production. The contract has a potential value of over $97 million if all options are exercised.

The 40mm M781E1 Low Velocity Day/Night/Thermal provides improved training capability for the Army's M203 and M320 low-velocity grenade launchers over the currently fielded M781-TP cartridge. The M781E1 signature material, upon impact, provides a signature that is easily visible, day or night, with an unaided eye, and thermal and night vision weapon sights providing a more realistic simulation of a tactical scenario. The cartridge also provides greater safety during training because it does not contain a fuze or explosives.

"This cartridge is the next evolution in 40mm grenade launcher training. Its unique signature and expanded training capability better prepares the warfighter for combat by allowing them to train in a realistic battlefield environment," said Steve Torma, vice president and general manager for Munition Systems, General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems. "This capture in the 40mm low velocity grenade munitions market represents our continued investment and commitment to expand our customer base and develop the best solutions for their requirements."

More information on General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems is available at www.gd-ots.com.

SOURCE General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems

Related Links

http://www.gd-ots.com


Iron Side was first introduced in 2012 by Latitude Beverage Company, one of the fastest growing wine companies in the U.S. Unlike the other brands under the Latitude umbrella, including 90+ Cellars, Iron Side was created as the company's first foray into winemaking. Along with two all-star winemakers in Healdsburg, CA, the team sources super premium red wines from some of the best vineyards in California, and crafts custom blends that highlight a bold perspective on California red wine.

In time for fall, these new releases are robust, elegant and sure to impress:

Iron Side Cellars Reserve Red, Napa Valley, CA, 2016  This full bodied red features a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah and Zinfandel. The Cabernet comes from the prestigious appellation of Howell Mountain, known for producing some of Napa's boldest wines. The Merlot grapes, which grow in the cooler region of Carneros, provide a cool sensibility and counterweight to the dramatic Cabernet. (SRP $29.99)

Iron Side Cellars Reserve Pinot Noir, Monterey, CA, 2016  Brand new to the Iron Side portfolio, the Reserve Pinot Noir is bold and fruit-forward, showing off a style of California Pinot Noir that has grown in popularity over the past few years. It's a smooth and elegant wine, featuring generous flavors of black cherries, plus a sweet spice, making for the ultimate crowd-pleaser. (SRP $24.99)

"Iron Side embodies the qualities we know and love in an exceptional bottle of California red," says Brett Vankoski, VP and Wine Director, Latitude Beverage Company. "Napa Valley Reserve Red is one of our fastest selling wines and this year's blend is our best yet. We're excited to bring the new vintage to market along with our new Reserve Pinot Noir. If you enjoy a robust, fruit-forward California Pinot, you are going to fall in love with this wine."

Iron Side Reserve Red and Iron Side Reserve Pinot Noir feature a new felt label and premium medallion for an elevated look that will make a striking first impression. The wines are now available for a limited time at retail locations in 15 states where Iron Side and 90+ Cellars wines are sold. Both wines are also available for purchase online with direct shipping to more than 30 states nationwide. For more information about Iron Side Cellars, and to see the full portfolio of Iron Side reds, please visit www.ironsidecellars.com.

About Latitude Beverage Company

Latitude Beverage Company is the innovative, Boston-based company behind a portfolio of national wine brands, including 90+ Cellars, Lila Wines, Mija Sangria, Iron Side Cellars, and Magic Door Vineyards. The company was founded in 2007 by Kevin Mehra who saw an opportunity to make high-end wine more accessible by purchasing oversupply from top wineries across the globe, bottling the wine under his own labels, and selling it to consumers at a lower price. This unique business model, based on the centuries old function of the negociant, became the foundation for 90+ Cellars. This same model has enabled Latitude Beverage Company to expand its portfolio with four additional labels, and the company is now recognized as one of the fastest growing wine companies in America. For more information, visit ninetypluscellars.com.

CONTACT: Andrea Salzman, [email protected]

SOURCE Latitude Beverage Company

Related Links

http://www.latitudebeverage.com


VANCOUVER, British Columbia, October 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Glance Technologies Inc. (CSE: GET.CN) (OTCQB: GLNNF) (CSE: GET.WT) (FKT: GJT) is pleased to announce that Netcoins Inc., who enables approximately 4,000 stores to become bitcoin teller locations through virtual ATM software, has entered into an alliance with Glance Technologies. Netcoins Inc. provides an easy way for people to buy bitcoins whereas Glance will allow users to spend their bitcoins quickly and easily via Glance Pay.

According to blockchain.info the price of bitcoin has increased over 600% during the past year, making the current market capitalization of bitcoin over $72 billion USD. This means there is 6 times as much purchasing power in the bitcoin community versus just 1 year ago, with still limited opportunities to spend bitcoins compared to traditional currencies.

The alliance between Netcoins and Glance will give people better access to both buying and spending bitcoin. One of the current difficulties in using bitcoin is the time it takes to complete a transaction, which can be many minutes and in some cases many hours. Glance can help solve this problem by allowing bitcoins to be converted to Glance Dollars, which can then be used to make lightning fast transactions using the Glance Pay app.

In conjunction with the alliance, Michael Vogel and Dominic Vogel (the founders of Netcoin) have agreed to act as Glance's advisers regarding cryptocurrencies. These advisors join Spiros Margaris on Glance's advisory board, who has been recognized as the No. 1 top global Fintech influencer by Onalytica.com and No. 10 overall Blockchain influencer by Right Relevance.

"We are thrilled to have the opportunity to work with the awesome people at Glance Technologies and offer up our collective bitcoin and cyber security expertise," says Netcoin Co-founder Dominic Vogel.

"Cryptocurrencies and blockchain technologies are transforming payments and security. We are committed to being at the forefront of payments, security, and mobile technologies and are excited by the possibilities of combining our anti-fraud technologies with cryptocurrencies," says Glance CEO Desmond Griffin. "We are also thrilled to add 2 more experts to our advisory board as we continue innovating in these leading edge domains."

Glance has been successful with its warrant acceleration program and from August 1, 2017 to September 29, 2017 it received over $5.2 million through the exercise of options and warrants.

About Netcoins Inc.

Netcoins Inc. is a Canadian company that provides virtual ATM software to retail locations. Stores become bitcoin teller locations, where users can come and purchase bitcoins immediately with cash or debit. Users can also purchase Flexepin vouchers at approximately 4,000 stores (including many Esso gas stations) and redeem to Bitcoin on Netcoins website (www.goNetcoins.com/locations).

About Glance Technologies Inc.

Glance Technologies owns and operates Glance Pay, a streamlined payment system that revolutionizes how smartphone users choose where to dine, order goods and services, make payments, access digital receipts, redeem digital deals, earn great rewards and interact with merchants. Glance is building a valuable network of merchants and consumers, and offers targeted in-app marketing, geo targeted digital coupons, social media marketing, customer feedback, in-merchant messaging and custom rewards programs. The Glance Pay mobile payment system consists of proprietary technology, which includes user apps available for free downloads in IOS (Apple) and Android formats, merchant manager apps, a large scale technology hosting environment with sophisticated anti-fraud technology and lightning fast payment processing. Glance Pay has entered into significant licensing agreements to access the cannabis and fitness and wellness industries through Active Pay Distribution Inc. and Cannapay Financial Inc.

About Cannapay Financial Inc.

Cannapay is a partially owned subsidiary of Glance Technologies. Cannapay combines traditional financial services with innovative technology to provide enhanced digital financial services to legally operating businesses in the cannabis industry. Cannapay currently has an app in development leveraging the Glance Pay mobile payment system for the cannabis industry. The app is available for international licensing.

For more information about Glance, please go to www.glance.tech .

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking information or forward-looking statements (collectively "forward- looking information") within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward- looking information is typically identified by words such as: "believe", "expect", "anticipate", "intend", "estimate", "potentially" and similar expressions, or are those, which, by their nature, refer to future events. Glance cautions investors that any forward-looking information provided by Glance is not a guarantee of future results or performance, and that actual results may differ materially from those in forward-looking complete discussion of such risk factors and their potential effects which may be accessed through the Glance's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com .



For more information, contact:

Christina Rao

Vice President, Investor Relations

+1-604-723-7480

[email protected]



SOURCE Glance Technologies Inc.
OTTAWA, Oct. 03, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- betterU Education Corp. (TSX-V:BTRU) (FRANKFURT:5OGA), (the Corporation or betterU), is pleased to announce that it has entered into a non-binding letter of intent (LOI) with HT Overseas Pte. Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of HT Media Limited (HT), an Indian media conglomerate. Up to $10 Million media investment will to be utilized over 2 years to provide betterUs marketplace with an increased visibility and brand awareness to millions of people across India.



In a market as large as India, with over 1.3 billion people, visibility can be as important as the products or services being offered. Mass media visibility is critical to building brands, trust, awareness and credibility. The addition of the HTs media investment, which is strong in the North of India, will increase the support betterU requires to advance its efforts in India. betterUs global education partnerships have been growing significantly over the last year and this media deal will help reach many new learners across the country. Visibility across India is critical to our success in generating credibility and learner acquisition. We are excited that HT will be part of helping us achieve success for India, said Brad Loiselle, President and CEO of betterU.

The proposed media investment will be made in eight (8) equal tranches of CAD $1.25 Million. Each Tranche shall result in HT receiving common shares (the "Shares") in the capital of betterU from treasury. The Shares shall be issued at a price equal to the volume weighted average price of the Shares on the facilities of the TSX Venture Exchange ("TSXV"), calculated by dividing the total value by the total volume of Shares traded for the thirty (30) days ending on the day which is one trading day prior to the date of issuance, or such higher price as the TSXV may require.

The obligations of HT and betterU to complete the proposed media investment are subject to conditions including, but not limited to: (i) the execution of a definitive agreement; (ii) satisfactory due diligence; (iii) approval from TSXV of the transaction; and (iv) other customary closing conditions.

About HT Media

HT Group has built a Pan India reach via its various print, radio and digital properties. The combined reach is an astonishing ~10% of Indian population. In print alone, HT Groups Hindustan Times (English medium), Hindustan (Hindi medium), Mint (English Business daily) give a combined readership of over 29.9 million. This readership is multiplied significantly through HTs radio channels (104 Fever and 107.2 Nasha) which have dedicated audience of over 21.7 million in Delhi, Kolkata, UP, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad and the Indo Gangetic belt. This is further complemented by HTs digital presence including hindustantimes.com, livehindustan.com, livehindustan.com, desimartini.com and shine.com.

Geographically, HT Group has the following reach:

In West, HT is able to reach 7 million population in Mumbai through their highly recognised Brands in Print(HT/Mint), Radio(Fever/Nasha) & Digital.



In North, HT Media Group is an undisputed leader in Delhi NCR. Print readership of around 4.3 million complemented by leading radio channels such as 104 Fever and 107.2 (giving an additional audience of 8.1 million) makes HT Group a clear leader in the Delhi NCR region.

Hindustan Times is an Indian English-language daily newspaper founded in 1924 and the flagship publication of HT Media. Hindustan Times is one of the largest newspapers in India, by circulation. According to the Audit Bureau of Circulations and it has a circulation of 1.16 million copies as of November 2015. HT is one of the top most widely read English newspaper in India. It is popular in North India, with simultaneous editions from New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Lucknow, Patna, Ranchi and Chandigarh.

About betterU

betterU, a global education marketplace, aims to provide access to quality education from around the world to foster growth and opportunity to those who want to better their lives. The company plans to bridge the prevailing gap in the education and job industry and enhance the lives of its prospective learners by developing an integrated education-to employment ecosystem. betterUs offerings can be categorized into four broad functions: to compliment school programs with flexible KG-12 programs preparing children for next stage of education, to foster an exceptional educational environment by providing befitting skills that lead to a better career, to bridge the gap between ones existing education and prospective job requirement by training them and lastly, to connect the end user to various job opportunities.

www.betterU.ca and www.betterU.in

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This press release may contain forward-looking statements and information, which may involve risks and uncertainties. The results or events predicted in these statements may differ materially from actual results or events. Factors that might cause a difference include, but are not limited to, competitive developments, risks associated with betterUs growth, the state of the financial markets, regulatory risks and other factors. There can be no assurance or guarantees that any statements of forward-looking information contained in this release will prove to be accurate. Actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. These and all subsequent written and oral statements containing forward-looking information are based on the estimates and opinions of management on the dates they are made and expressly qualified in their entirety by this notice. Unless otherwise required by applicable securities laws, betterU disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether because of new information, future events or otherwise. Readers should not place undue reliance on any statements of forward-looking information that speak only as of the date of this release. Further information on betterUs public filings, including their most recent audited consolidated financial statements, are available at www.sedar.com.

For further information, please visit http://www.betteru.ca/investor-overview/

Investor contact:

Investor Relations

1-613-695-4100 Ext. 233

Email: ir@betteru.ca
ALBANY, New York, October 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

The global pharmacovigilance and drug safety software market is projected to create new opportunities in the coming years on account of the escalating complexity of drug safety regulations. Among the key contributing factors of the market could be tighter regulatory inspections implemented to control the rise of the incidences of drug-associated adverse events and spiraling concerns pertaining to patient safety.

Pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies are predicted to largely adopt pharmacovigilance software for curbing the burden on medical outlay and facilitating clinical trial programs. The fortifying growth of contract research organizations (CROs) that perform pharmacovigilance for pharma firms could also strengthen the growth of the global pharmacovigilance and drug safety software market.

As per Transparency Market Research (TMR), the global pharmacovigilance and drug safety software market could earn a US$187.0 mn by 2022 end after advancing from a US$143.6 mn achieved in 2017 at a CAGR of 5.4%.

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Global Pharmacovigilance and Drug Safety Software Market: Major Insights

The world pharmacovigilance and drug safety software market is envisaged to gain momentum from crucial applications in clinical research for performing post-marketing surveillance roles and conducting clinical studies. On a global platform, some of the most commonly used pharmacovigilance software could be Argus and ArisG. The benefits that such software bring to the table, including decreased redundancy in data and ease of access, could strongly fuel the demand in the market. In the foreseeable future, the usage rate of pharmacovigilance tools is envisioned to receive a good boost due to the rising pressure on drug manufacturers to identify early indications of drug-related adverse interactions and increasing withdrawals of high-profile drugs.

The world pharmacovigilance and drug safety software market is forecasted to be cataloged according to software type, end user, and delivery mode. In terms of segmentation by type of software, fully integrated software, issue tracking software, drug safety audits software, and adverse event reporting software could be prominent markets for pharmacovigilance and drug safety software. The adverse event reporting software market could rise at a 6.2% CAGR.

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By end user, the world pharmacovigilance and drug safety software market could see a segmentation into business process outsourcing (BPO) firms, CROs, pharma and biotech companies, and other pharmacovigilance service providers. On the basis of mode of delivery, there could be important segments such as on-premise and cloud-based keeping the hopes alive for growth.

Geographically, North America could secure a top position in the world pharmacovigilance and drug safety software market while raking in a US$79.2 mn by the end of 2022. Between 2017 and 2022, Europe is prophesied to make its contribution to the market by creating an absolute revenue opportunity that could be greater than that expected to be achieved by Asia Pacific except Japan (APEJ) during the forecast period. Markets such as Japan, Latin America, the Middle East and Africa (MEA) could be other key segments of the market.

Global Pharmacovigilance and Drug Safety Software Market: Vendor Landscape

Some of the crucial companies functioning in the worldwide pharmacovigilance and drug safety software market could be UMBRA Global LLC, AB Cube, United BioSource Corporation, Sparta Systems, Inc., Oracle Corporation, EXTEDO GmbH, Ennov Solutions, Inc., and ArisGlobal.

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About Us

Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The company's exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMR's experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.

TMR's data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With extensive research and analysis capabilities, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.

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SOURCE Transparency Market Research
DUBLIN, October 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

The "Global RF Filters Market 2017-2021" report has been added to Research and Markets' offering.

The global RF filters market to grow at a CAGR of 16.73% during the period 2017-2021.



Global RF Filters Market 2017-2021, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.



The latest trend gaining momentum in the market is Development of 5G. 5G is expected to improve performance in terms of network capacity, cost, mobile connections, latency, data rates, and coverage. 5G is the fifth-generation wireless systems or mobile networks that will provide a comprehensive IP solution to users where voice, data, and streamed multimedia can be given anywhere and anytime. 5G networks represent the future of wireless technology.



According to the report, one of the major drivers for this market is High proliferation of mobile computing devices. The demand for mobile computing devices is growing among mobile users and business travelers, who require portability and connectivity. Consumers are using these devices for several purposes such as accessing social networking apps, surfing the web, reading news, and checking emails. High internet penetration rate and the availability of high data rates at affordable speed are driving the mobile computing devices.



Further, the report states that one of the major factors hindering the growth of this market is Cyclical nature of semiconductor industry. The semiconductor industry is cyclical in nature. It constantly faces economic expansion and contraction in demand for products. Demand typically tracks end-market demand for smartphones, tablets, and other electronic equipment. It is difficult for semiconductor companies to produce microchips quickly enough to meet demand during good times. Laptop sales, for instance, are very unpredictable and can have adverse impact on the semiconductor.



Key vendors

Broadcom

Qorvo

Murata Manufacturing

TDK

Other prominent vendors

ABRACON

API Technologies

Akoustis Technologies

Bird Technologies

Oscilent

RTx Technology

Skyworks Solutions

Key Topics Covered:



Part 01: Executive Summary



Part 02: Scope Of The Report



Part 03: Research Methodology



Part 04: Introduction



Part 05: Market Landscape



Part 06: Market Segmentation By Application



Part 07: Market Segmentation By Technology



Part 08: Geographical Segmentation



Part 09: Key Leading Countries



Part 10: Decision Framework



Part 11: Drivers And Challenges



Part 12: Market Trends



Part 13: Vendor Landscape



Part 14: Key Vendor Analysis



Part 15: Appendix



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/kstg9p/global_rf_filters

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]



For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900



U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716

SOURCE Research and Markets

Related Links

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SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- GlobalMed, an international provider of telehealth solutions, announced today that CEO Joel Barthelemy has been recognized as Global Business Executive of the Year by the Phoenix chapter of Global Chamber, the first chamber of commerce to focus on growing cross-border trade and investment in a collaborative way across 525 metro areas around the world.

To download a photo of Barthelemy receiving the award, click this:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/23613459628/in/dateposted-public/

Barthelemy was recognized for building the global profile of metropolitan Phoenix, the nation's fifth largest city, by "sweeping the world with telemedicine, right from Arizona." GlobalMed's technology is currently used in 55 countries.

Global Chamber's mission is to accelerate cross-border trade and investment by engaging top executives and regional leaders to grow business, increase community success and change the world.

"There's a good reason why the word global has been in our company name since we launched in 2002," explained Barthelemy. "Telehealth makes it easy to export and replicate the universal tenets of healthcare to distant cultures that are far different from our own. Core concepts like patient access to quality care, accurate diagnostics and cost management are important to every demographic around the world. I am honored to be recognized for leading a global telehealth company based in Phoenix."

The award ceremony was held on Oct. 2 at the PHX 2017 Grow Globally Fair. The "Grow Globally Fair" is an annual trade fair event for exporters, importers and investors doing international business.

About GlobalMed

GlobalMed's evidence-based telehealth solutions power the largest telehealth programs in the world, facilitating 3.5 million consults each year, enhancing diagnostics and improving patient outcomes in 55 countries. GlobalMed is the only vertically integrated provider of products and technology that deliver HIPAA-compliant video collaboration among healthcare professionals and patients, regardless of location. GlobalMed partners with leading medical groups, healthcare enterprises and government, and is the telehealth provider for the White House.

Founded in 2002 by a Marine Corps Reserve Veteran still serving as CEO, GlobalMed is proud to be a Veteran Owned Small Business (VOSB).

Media contact: Marcia Rhodes, Amendola Communications, (480) 664-8412, ext. 15 / [email protected]

SOURCE GlobalMed

Related Links

http://www.globalmed.com


MINNEAPOLIS, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Braun Intertec, a premier geotechnical engineering, testing and environmental consulting firm, is pleased to announce it has joined forces with GME Consulting Services (GME), a Dallas-based engineering and testing firm.

"As we expand our ability to support clients in new geographic areas, we have sought opportunities to add talent that enhances our services. I am pleased that GME, a highly respected firm, has become part of our team. GME has a strong reputation for building mutually-beneficial, trust-based relationships with its clients and business partners," says Jon Carlson, CEO of Braun Intertec. "Ultimately, our goal with an acquisition like this is to provide great benefit to our clients and our employee-owners, including our GME team members."

Founded in 1997, GME Consulting Services is a well-established engineering and testing firm based in Dallas, Texas. The GME team adds local knowledge and depth to the services currently offered by Braun Intertec including geotechnical engineering, construction materials testing and inspections, environmental consulting and physical condition assessments.

"This is an excellent opportunity for our entire team. We both place a high value on maintaining strong client relationships, providing exceptional service and providing meaningful work for our employees," says Mark Kawalek, PE, founder and principal of GME.

The acquisition added 13 members to the Braun Intertec team. GME Consulting Services will continue to operate as a subsidiary of Braun Intertec. For more information about GME, visit http://gmeconsult.com/ and to learn more about Braun Intertec, visit www.braunintertec.com.

About Braun Intertec

Based in Minneapolis, employee-owned Braun Intertec (www.braunintertec.com) is a premier engineering, environmental consulting and testing firm with nearly 1,000 employees located in Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, North Dakota, Texas and Wisconsin. Braun Intertec subsidiaries include Agile Frameworks, LLC; and Braun Intertec Geothermal, LLC; both based in Minneapolis, as well as GME Consulting Services, Inc., based in Dallas.

SOURCE Braun Intertec

Related Links

http://www.braunintertec.com


LOS ANGELES, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- GOAT, the leading marketplace for sneakers, announced the launch of The Greatest  a pop-up sneaker gallery debuting on Oct. 7th at Platform in Culver City, California. The rotating exhibition will run through Dec. 31st, and serves to celebrate the artists, shoes and boutiques that have shaped pop culture and paved the way for sneaker enthusiasts everywhere. October's month-long exhibit, The Greatest: Los Angeles, pays homage to LA's profound impact on global sneaker culture from the year 2000 to present day.

From the Air Jordan 4 Retro collaboration that skyrocketed Undefeated to the top of the shoe market, to the more recent Fear of God x Vans Vault Mountain release, the first exhibit traces the evolution of LA's rich and ever-growing history with sneaker culture. The story of the city's influence will be told through 25 pairs of historically-significant shoes born out of LA including: Air Jordan 3/8 Retro Pack 'Kobe Bryant,' Dunk Low Pro SB 'Diamond,' Air Force 1 'Mr. Cartoon,' Yeezy PowerPhase 'Calabasas,' Air Huarache Le 'Stussy,' and Air Max 97 360 x Union.

"I think people are a product of the environment in which they were raised. LA is not only a melting pot of various ethnicities, but LA is also an intersection of diverse subcultures such as skate, surf and gangs," said Jason Markk, Founder and CEO of Jason Markk, Inc. "This is evident in the way we live, carry ourselves, and also what's on our feet."

Taking a holistic look at the sneaker phenomenon, GOAT will also host sessions led by those who have shaped the broader culture through photography, fashion, design and product innovation. Guests can learn and interact with industry pioneers and legendary streetwear figures including: Jeff Staple, Jason Markk, "The Shoe Surgeon," Andrea Lieberman, Sophia Chang, Jimmy Gorecki, Ja Tecson, Cole Younger, Theo Martins and Josh Peskowitz. The pop-up's programming features fireside chats, Q&A's and workshops throughout the duration of The Greatest.

"We've wanted to create a physical space like this for a long time, to inspire and bring people from different backgrounds together through their love of sneakers," said Daishin Sugano, Co-founder and CPO at GOAT. "We're excited for the opportunity to share some of LA's contributions to the sneaker community since 2000, and explore where the industry is headed to next."

To kick-off The Greatest, GOAT is hosting a special opening day event, on Saturday, Oct. 7th from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. featuring a special guest DJ. Two additional 'themed' exhibits will be on display in November and December, with announcements to come at the end of the month.

The Greatest will be open from Oct. 7th through Dec. 31st at Platform: 8830 Washington Blvd, Suite 101, Culver City, California. Hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily, with the exception of holidays and closings. Admission is free.

To learn more about GOAT or to RSVP for the The Greatest opening event and programming, please visit www.goat.com/platform. GOAT is available to download on the App Store and Google Play for free.

ABOUT GOAT

Founded in 2015 and based in Los Angeles, California, GOAT is the safest way to buy and sell authentic sneakers through your mobile device. Whether you're looking to buy rare sneakers, discover new sneaker releases, or earn money by listing sneakers you already own, GOAT is your destination. And with an authentication service, buyer protection guarantee and great customer service, it's the safest option in the industry.

SOURCE GOAT Group

Related Links

http://www.goat.com


NEW YORK, Oct. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Premium Belgian chocolatier, Godiva, is thrilled to announce an exciting new partnership with 20th Century Fox for the much-anticipated film Murder on the Orient Express, a big screen reimaging of the classic mystery novel by master storyteller Agatha Christie.

Set in the 1930s, what starts out as a lavish train ride through Europe quickly unfolds into one of the most stylish, suspenseful and thrilling mysteries ever told. Kenneth Branagh directs and leads an all-star cast including Penelope Cruz, Willem Dafoe, Judi Dench, Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer, Daisy Ridley and Josh Gad.

A perfect match for two timeless icons, the film introduces Godiva as the chocolate of choice for the film. Hercule Poirot is the Belgian private detective, famed for his discerning taste and his penchant for the beautiful and the luxurious.

In honour of the collaboration, Godiva's talented chef chocolatiers have crafted a new Chocolate Collection. All indulgent new pieces are decorated with a whimsical moustache motif, inspired by Poirot's own distinguishable whiskers. The unique limited edition collection includes three new chocolate pieces in delicious flavours including: an intense dark chocolate ganache encased in a white chocolate shell, a tangy raspberry ganache sheathed in a milk chocolate shell and a creamy almond praline encased in a sweet milk chocolate shell. Synonymous with the craftsmanship, quality and chocolate artistry for which Godiva is renowned, the delicious chocolates are presented in a stunning, vintage-inspired, limited edition gold gift boxes that features a stylish Orient Express-themed design.

The chocolatier will also celebrate its first movie collaboration with a delicious Belgian speculoos-flavoured hot chocolate with an eye-catching new sleeve, playful chocolate moustaches on sticks and a bundle of four of Godiva's exquisite G Collection tablets, which are presented in a beautiful train-inspired packaging.

Murder on the Orient Express launches on November 10th.

Godiva's Orient Express-themed products are available for purchase beginning October 22nd.

Note to editors:

About Godiva Chocolatier

Godiva is a global premium chocolate brand, built on an over 90-year legacy of chocolate artistry, blending tradition with pioneering innovation. Maintaining its Belgian origin in the chocolate capital of the world, Godiva creates an unparalleled assortment of indulging chocolates that celebrate the world's finest quality ingredients and cultural flavours. Godiva has a presence in more than 100 countries with distribution in 800 boutiques, global travel retail, department stores, speciality stores and online.

About Twentieth Century Fox Film

One of the world's largest producers and distributors of motion pictures, Twentieth Century Fox Film produces, acquires and distributes motion pictures throughout the world. These motion pictures are produced or acquired by the following units of Twentieth Century Fox Film: Twentieth Century Fox, Fox 2000 Pictures, Fox Searchlight Pictures, Fox International Productions and Twentieth Century Fox Animation.

About the Film:

Set in the 1930s, what starts out as a lavish train ride through Europe quickly unfolds into one of the most stylish, suspenseful and thrilling mysteries ever told, Murder on the Orient Express tells the tale of thirteen strangers stranded on a train, where everyone's a suspect. One man must race against time to solve the puzzle before the murderer strikes again. Kenneth Branagh directs and leads an all-star cast including Penelope Cruz, Willem Dafoe, Judi Dench, Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer, Daisy Ridley and Josh Gad. For more information please visit www.cluesareeverywhere.com

SOURCE Godiva Chocolatier
MEXICO CITY, Oct. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Grupo Rotoplas SAB de CV (BMV: AGUA) ("Rotoplas" or "the Company"), the leading provider of individual and integrated water solutions in the Americas is pleased to invite you to participate in its 2017 Third Quarter Results Conference Call on Thursday, October 19th, 2017 at 10:00 a.m. Mexico City time (11:00 a.m. EST).

Carlos Rojas Mota Velasco, CEO, and Mario Romero, CFO, will host the call. Remarks will be followed by a question and answer session.

The quarterly results will be released after the market closes on Wednesday, October 18th.

To participate in the conference call please dial:

Mexico : 01 800 289 0551

: 01 800 289 0551 USA : 1 888 349 9586

: 1 888 349 9586 Other countries: 1 719 325 2396

Conference ID: 8440882 or via the Company's website: www.rotoplas.com/investors.html

Safe Harbor

This press release may include certain forward-looking statements relating to Grupo Rotoplas S.A.B. de C.V., it relies on considerations of the Grupo Rotoplas S.A.B. de C.V. management which are based on current and known information; however, the forward-looking statements could vary due to facts, circumstances and events beyond the control of Grupo Rotoplas, S.A.B. de C.V.

About the Company

Grupo Rotoplas S.A.B. de C.V. is one of the leading providers of individual and integrated water solutions for storing, carrying, and treating water in the Americas. With almost 40 years' experience in the industry and 21 plants throughout the Americas, Rotoplas has a presence in 14 countries and a portfolio that includes 18 product lines. Grupo Rotoplas has been listed on the Mexican Stock Exchange (BMV) under the ticker "AGUA" since December 2014.

IR Contact:

+52 55 5201 5000 ext 50163

[email protected]

SOURCE Grupo Rotoplas S.A.B. de C.V.

Related Links

http://www.rotoplas.com


COLLEGE PARK, Md., Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Experts from the likes of Nvidia, Booz Allen Hamilton and Index Analytics will join clinical leaders from the University of Maryland Medical System, Johns Hopkins Medicine, and researchers from over 40 colleges and universities including Carnegie Mellon University, Harvard University, University of Michigan, Vanderbilt University, University of North Carolina and Georgia Tech for the Conference on Health IT & Analytics, (CHITA) Friday and Saturday, Nov. 3-4, 2017, at the Westin Georgetown, 2350 M St NW, Washington, D.C.

The conference is hosted in its eighth year by the Center for Health Information and Decision Systems (CHIDS) at the University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business. Each year, the forum facilitates interaction and collaboration involving over 100 experts representing academia, government and industry. Their fields cover medical informatics, public health, health administration, business and economics. During CHITA, they will present and discuss the latest findings and practices connected to information technology and analytics making healthcare more patient-centered, effective and cost-efficient.

"CHIDS is pioneering work at the intersection of AI, information systems, mHealth and healthcare, and is proud to convene this event, where experts will debate the landscape and impact of current uses and potential future breakthroughs such as deep learning," says CHITA Chair Ritu Agarwal, CHIDS founding director, Robert H. Smith Dean's Chair of Information Systems and senior associate dean at the Smith School. "When we combine the increasingly large amounts of digitized medical data with state-of-the-art analytical methods, we have unprecedented opportunities to improve health outcomes and reduce costs."

Conference topics include machine learning in healthcare, applied analytics in the field, mHealth, telehealth, data security and management, health information exchange, technology adoption and impact, genetics informatics, and social media in healthcare.

The keynote speakers are Martin "Marty" Makary, professor and chief of the Johns Hopkins Islet Transplant Center and a New York Times best-selling author, and Warren D. D'Souza, vice president for enterprise data and analytics, and chief of medical physics, for the University of Maryland Medical System.

Featured panelists, discussing AI in healthcare and applications of innovative analytics in healthcare settings, will be:

Cupid Chan , chief technology officer for Index Analytics

, chief technology officer for Index Analytics Rema Padman , professor of management science and healthcare Informatics at Carnegie Mellon University's H. John Heinz III College

, professor of management science and healthcare Informatics at H. John Heinz III College Hoo Chang Shin, Ph.D. , solutions architect at Nvidia

, solutions architect at Nvidia Anna T. Fernandez, senior associate and healthcare technology and informatics strategist at Booz Allen Hamilton

senior associate and healthcare technology and informatics strategist at Booz Allen Hamilton Hong Yu , professor, Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Medical School ; research health scientist for Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital; and core investigator for the VA Center for Healthcare Organization and Implementation Research

, professor, Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, ; research health scientist for Memorial Veterans Hospital; and core investigator for the VA Center for Healthcare Organization and Implementation Research Charles Gabrial , analytics and data science manager at the Defense Health Agency

The conference will run 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Friday, with an evening reception, and 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Saturday. On-site registration opens at 8 a.m. Friday and Saturday. Register in advance at www.rhsmith.umd.edu/chids/chita. Discounted early registration closes October 15 and online registration closes November 2.

Saturday will include a book signing by Makary ("Unaccountable: What Hospitals Won't Tell You and How Transparency Can Revolutionize Health Care") and awards will be presented for best paper, best student-authored paper and best junior researcher-authored paper. Ahead of the main gathering, a doctoral student consortium, by invitation, will take place on Thursday.

CHITA is hosted in collaboration with the University of Michigan School of Public Health. Sponsorship opportunities are available. Inquire at [email protected].

About CHIDS

The Center for Health Information and Decision Systems (CHIDS) is an academic research center based in the Department of Decision, Operations & Information Technology (DO&IT) at the Robert H. Smith School of Business that collaborates closely with industry, government, and other key health system stakeholders. CHIDS' research seeks to understand how digital technologies can be more effectively deployed to address outcomes such as patient safety, healthcare quality, efficiency in healthcare delivery, and a reduction in health disparities. CHIDS offers the benefit of renowned scholars in healthcare analytics, technology innovation, adoption, implementation, and design. The pool of talent, knowledge and expertise in DO&IT is acknowledged by several publications as a top-5 performer in research production worldwide; the Information Systems group is ranked in the top-10 worldwide by BusinessWeek and U.S. News and World Report. CHIDS pioneers in the study of digitally enabled health system transformation and is widely known for its thought leadership and research collaborations.

Media Contacts:

Kenyon Crowley, CHIDS deputy director

[email protected]

301-405-9593

Greg Muraski

[email protected]

301-892-0973

SOURCE University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business

Related Links

https://www.rhsmith.umd.edu/


LONDON, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- According to Stratistics MRC,the Global Healthcare IT Consulting Market is accounted for $15.69 billion in 2016 and expected to grow at a CAGR of 20.2% to reach $56.9 billion by 2023.



Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/5126502



The market is driven by rapid growth in digitization of healthcare, rapidly changing HCIT landscape, government support for healthcare IT solutions, growing HCIT expenditure, growing venture capital investments in health IT, and the need for data security are driving the growth of this market. However, concerns regarding data confidentiality will hamper market growth. Furthermore, cloud consulting, increasing consolidation in the healthcare industry, opportunities in small rural hospitals and need for healthcare IT consultants in emerging economies is providing lot of opportunities.



Healthcare 2.0 is a new wave focused on improving clinical efficiency, quality of care, affordability, and fee-for-value. Healthcare IT exceeds expectations in the healthcare IT consulting / staffing field. A healthcare data analytics platform can be defined as a single, interoperable system that uses retrospective data to produce business intelligence reports that quantify enterprise-level financial and operational performance, as well as, disparate clinical data to enable predictive, real-time reporting of patient outcomes against every episode of care delivered. For example, some health systems might utilize advanced enterprise data processing architecture to derive patient-specific insights for every episode of care, whereas others still rely on basic reporting capabilities of legacy Business Intelligence (BI) tools.



Use cases in the healthcare industry encompass monitoring a patient's health progress while in the hospital. Implementation of many healthcare regulations in the hospitals like Obamacare has showed an increase in the Healthcare Business Process Management market. Integrating all the data requires concentrated efforts and healthcare expertise to pool data in order to improve the expected outcomes. Healthcare has a low tolerance to errors because all the diagnosis is dependent on the right, nay accurate, data.



Healthcare organizations are embracing program and portfolio management to address enterprise-level needs. Projects in the healthcare sector can be large or small and involve one person or thousands of people. Most healthcare projects are done to help people prevent, improve, or deal with a health concern.



The government is often the sponsor or reason for a healthcare project or it creates laws or standards that must be followed in private healthcare projects. Hospital and physician integration is accelerating, and organizations must use standardized clinical and business models. Enterprise project portfolio management is a way for healthcare networks to manage and evaluate a large number of projects by grouping them into strategic portfolios.



North America is projected to dominate the market, followed by Europe. The growth is attributed to government initiatives to enhance adoption of Healthcare solutions, increasing government expenditure, stringent legislative requirements and accreditations required for healthcare IT solutions. Asia-Pacific is anticipated to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period due to the government initiatives to establish standards, regulations, and infrastructure to promote HCIT.



The key players in global Healthcare IT Consulting market are ALLSCRIPTS HEALTHCARE SOLUTIONS, INC., Cerner Corporation, Cognizant Technology Solutions, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited, Epic Systems Corporation, General electric (GE) company, IBM Corporation, Infor, Inc., Koninklijke Philips N.V., McKesson Corporation, NTT DATA Corporation, Oracle Corporation and Siemens Healthineers (a division of Siemens Ag).



End Users Covered:

 Healthcare Payers

o Public Payers

o Private Payers

 Healthcare Providers

o Ambulatory Care Centers

o Diagnostic and Imaging Centers

o Home Healthcare Agencies, Nursing Homes, and Assisted Living Facilities

o Hospitals, Physician Groups, and Integrated Delivery Networks (IDNS)

o Other Healthcare Providers

 Other End Users



Types Covered:

 Regulatory Compliance

 Production Go-Live/Post Go-Live Support

 Healthcare/Medical System Security Set-Up and Risk Assessment

 Healthcare Enterprise Reporting and Data Analytics

 Healthcare Business Process Management

 Healthcare Application Analysis, Design and Development

 HCIT Strategy and Project/Program Management

 HCIT Integration and Migration

 HCIT Change Management

 Other Consulting Services



Regions Covered:

 North America

o US

o Canada

o Mexico

 Europe

o Germany

o UK

o Italy

o France

o Spain

o Rest of Europe

 Asia Pacific

o Japan

o China

o India

o Australia

o New Zealand

o South Korea

o Rest of Asia Pacific

 South America

o Argentina

o Brazil

o Chile

o Rest of South America

 Middle East & Africa

o Saudi Arabia

o UAE

o Qatar

o South Africa

o Rest of Middle East & Africa



What our report offers:

- Market share assessments for the regional and country level segments

- Market share analysis of the top industry players

- Strategic recommendations for the new entrants

- Market forecasts for a minimum of 7 years of all the mentioned segments, sub segments and the regional markets

- Market Trends (Drivers, Constraints, Opportunities, Threats, Challenges, Investment Opportunities, and recommendations)

- Strategic recommendations in key business segments based on the market estimations

- Competitive landscaping mapping the key common trends

- Company profiling with detailed strategies, financials, and recent developments

- Supply chain trends mapping the latest technological advancements



Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/5126502



About Reportbuyer

Reportbuyer is a leading industry intelligence solution that provides all market research reports from top publishers

https://www.reportbuyer.com



For more information:

Sarah Smith

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Email: [email protected]

Tel: +44 208 816 85 48

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SOURCE ReportBuyer

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LONDON, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- According to Stratistics MRC,the Global Healthcare Quality Management Market is accounted for $1.62 billion in 2016 and expected to grow at a CAGR of 16.0% to reach $4.59 billion by 2023.



Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/5126501



The market is driven by increasing volume of unstructured data in the healthcare industry, need to curtail healthcare costs & medical errors, government mandates for healthcare providers to report quality and improve performance. However, high cost of quality reporting and data security concerns will hamper market growth. Further, dearth of skilled IT professionals and reluctance among medical professionals to adopt healthcare quality management software will pose threat to the industry. In addition, the market will observe few trends such as potentiality in emerging economies, introduction of HL7 QRDA-III STU R2.1 guidelines & ICD 10, Natural Language Processing (NLP) technique to revolutionize data abstraction.



For healthcare providers, analytics and insights make the difference in tomorrow's clinical outcomes. The need to understand healthcare data and to draw insights and correlations from BI & Analytics continues to grow.



With increasing data volumes, disparate data sources, and a lack of resources, reporting actionable insights from the hospital floor is presumed difficult but the healthcare sector has become a constant progressing sector. For example, Piedmont launched a collaborative initiative called Patient First to allow physicians to focus attention on one patient centered activity at a time. Also, a Late-Binding data warehouse provides not only faster time to value, but also the agility necessary to meet today's healthcare analytics demands.



Data Processing & Analysis is attributed to the increasing volume of disparate data and the requirement of quality-based reports by regulatory bodies. Electronic Health Record (EHR) is important for data processing, communication, efficiency and effectiveness of patients' information access, confidentiality, ethical and/or legal issues. Many countries have been complaining for incompleteness, inappropriateness and illegibility of records.



Therefore creating awareness on the magnitude of the problem has paramount importance. In many cases, the elderly population suffers from multiple chronic conditions simultaneously. Such socio-demographic and epidemiologic challenges place increasing pressure on the health sector, calling for better prevention and more effective management of chronic diseases.



Based on End users, some of the often mentioned trends have been accountable care organizations (ACOs), the formation of large hospital health systems, and the continuation of private insurance coverage by self-funded employers. However, the marketplace had undergone many subtle changes that began before the ACA, which only accelerated after its passage.



As an example, Memorial Hermann Physician Network and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas are developing an ACO for 100,000 patients. Memorial Hermann Health System is hedging its bets, because it also has an ACO relationship with Aetna and a medical home model with Humana. The trends that will increasingly impact multiple healthcare stakeholders over the next few years include: revenue-driving consolidation, specialty drug use driving the cost of care and information technology innovations driving interstakeholder communications etc,.



Some of the key players in global Healthcare Quality Management market are Altegra Health, Cerner Corporation, Citiustech Inc., Dolbey Systems, Inc. , Enli Health Intelligence, McKesson Corporation, Medisolv, Inc., Nuance Communications, Inc., Premier, Inc., Quantros, Inc., Truven Health Analytics (A Subsidiary of IBM Watson Health) and Verscend Technologies.



Delivery Modes Covered:

 Web & Cloud Based Solutions

 On-Premise Solutions



Types Covered:

 Physician Quality Reporting Solutions

 Business Intelligence and Analytics

 Provider Performance Improvement Solutions

 Clinical Risk Management Solutions



Applications Covered:

 Risk Management

 Data Management

o Data Processing & Analysis

o Unstructured Data Abstraction

o Report Generation

o Report Submission



End Users Covered:

 Hospitals

 Ambulatory Care Centers

 Payers

 Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs)

 Other End Users



Regions Covered:

 North America

o US

o Canada

o Mexico

 Europe

o Germany

o UK

o Italy

o France

o Spain

o Rest of Europe

 Asia Pacific

o Japan

o China

o India

o Australia

o New Zealand

o South Korea

o Rest of Asia Pacific

 South America

o Argentina

o Brazil

o Chile

o Rest of South America

 Middle East & Africa

o Saudi Arabia

o UAE

o Qatar

o South Africa

o Rest of Middle East & Africa



What our report offers:

- Market share assessments for the regional and country level segments

- Market share analysis of the top industry players

- Strategic recommendations for the new entrants

- Market forecasts for a minimum of 7 years of all the mentioned segments, sub segments and the regional markets

- Market Trends (Drivers, Constraints, Opportunities, Threats, Challenges, Investment Opportunities, and recommendations)

- Strategic recommendations in key business segments based on the market estimations

- Competitive landscaping mapping the key common trends

- Company profiling with detailed strategies, financials, and recent developments

- Supply chain trends mapping the latest technological advancements



Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/5126501



About Reportbuyer

Reportbuyer is a leading industry intelligence solution that provides all market research reports from top publishers

https://www.reportbuyer.com



For more information:

Sarah Smith

Research Advisor at Reportbuyer.com

Email: [email protected]

Tel: +44 208 816 85 48

Website: www.reportbuyer.com

SOURCE ReportBuyer

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LONGMONT, Colo., Oct. 03, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The upcoming Halloween holiday is a time for trick or treating, revelry and dressing up in costume for children and adults alike. Adults may choose to don elaborate costumes and makeup. Some even decide to change the look of their eyes with the help of Halloween contact lenses.



However, there can be numerous risks associated with these types of lenses. Buying them from a costume shop or other unreliable source brings no guarantee of safety for the individual wearing them. In fact, permanent vision and eye damage can occur.



Fortunately, Longmont Vision Center offers a range of Halloween contact lenses in many looks and effects. From cat eyes to reptilian slit eyes to irises in just about any color that can be imagined, the Longmont optometrist has the ideal set of contact lenses to complement any Halloween costume idea.



Contact lenses are medical devices regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Picking up a pair from a retail outlet without a prescription or as a cosmetic product is not only unsafe; it is illegal. These costume contact lenses are often sold online with even more potential risk.



In addition to doubts about the materials used to make the contacts as well as their sterility, one of the biggest issues is fit. Improper fit can cause scratches on the cornea, the clear portion of tissue that protects the iris (colored portion) of the eye. In some cases, an ulcer can develop on the cornea, also known as a corneal infection.



Risk of conjunctivitis (pink eye) and other bacterial infections increases as well, and this can lead to impaired vision. In a worst-case scenario, injuries from unregulated Halloween costume contact lenses can even lead to blindness  and all from just wearing them one time. Even just a few minutes on the eyes can lead to life-changing damage. Some lenses may even be made of toxic materials, chemically-based dyes and even heavy metals like lead and mercury.

The best way to avoid these issues is by visiting Longmont Vision Center for an eye exam and fitting for Halloween contact lenses. The Longmont optometrist offers a range of colors and styles to help ensure the perfect accent for any Halloween costume or theme.



Dr. Roger Trudell says, Dr. Kevin Cottrell and I are committed to helping clients to have a safe and festive Halloween experience. Come in for your Halloween contact lens fitting today.



Longmont Vision Center is located at 412 Main Street, Longmont, Colorado. Those in the area who wish to order Halloween contact lenses or book a general eye exam may do so by calling (303) 651-6700. Additional information about the practice is also available by visiting the Longmont Vision Center website.
FORT WORTH, Texas, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Higginbotham and Kilpatrick Insurance announced today that the two independent insurance brokers have merged in Fort Worth, Texas. Kilpatrick Insurance will relocate from 2410 Montgomery Street three miles east to Higginbotham's two downtown offices and take Higginbotham's name.

This is Higginbotham's sixth merger this year and its second in Fort Worth, home to the firm since opening in 1948. Higginbotham is growing its operation by partnering with brokers across Texas that enable it to reach more customers with its single source insurance solution. Kilpatrick Insurance adds 15 professionals to Higginbotham's commercial and personal property/casualty division.

"Much of our expansion efforts have been put into widening our footprint, but there's still room to grow in Fort Worth because DFW keeps topping the charts of growing metropolitan areas," said Higginbotham President/CEO Rusty Reid. "We've built a business model that gives customers a single source for all their insurance, risk management and administration services, and partnering with agencies like Kilpatrick gives us the manpower to keep pace with the growing population so we continue fulfilling that model."

Kim Kilpatrick-Terrell, Kilpatrick Insurance president and granddaughter of the agency's founder, said, "Uniting with Higginbotham provides more value to our clients because we can offer additional services beyond insurance coverage that are outside the threshold of smaller agencies. We're proud to become part of the largest broker in Fort Worth and plan to grow alongside them."

Kilpatrick Insurance is slated to move in December 2017.

About Kilpatrick Insurance

Kilpatrick Insurance is an independent agency offering personal and commercial coverage in Fort Worth, Texas. It provides additional protections in the areas of loss control and human resources. The agency has been led by three generations of Kilpatricks. MJ Kilpatrick opened the agency in 1944 with Jimmy Kilpatrick assuming leadership a few years later until Kim Kilpatrick took the reins in 1989. Visit www.kilpatrickinsurance.com for more information.

About Higginbotham

Higginbotham is a single source for insurance and financial services that brokers business insurance, employee benefits, retirement plans, executive benefits, life insurance and home/auto insurance from more than 250 regional and national carriers. It supplements coverage with in-house risk management and benefit plan administration services. The firm was founded in 1948 and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, with 26 additional offices serving domestic and international customers. Higginbotham ranks by revenue as the nation's 27th largest independent insurance brokerage firm, making it the largest Texas-based broker (Business Insurance, July 2017). Visit www.higginbotham.net for more information.

SOURCE Higginbotham

Related Links

http://higginbotham.net


CHICAGO, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- HighTower ranks number 37 on the Barron's Penta list of the Top 40 Wealth Management Firms. On average, asset growth between 2016 and 2017 at the top 40 firms was a "blistering" 19%, according to Barron's Penta. HighTower surpassed the overall average with a 33% increase in asset growth since last year.

"The HighTower community is made up of elite professionals who share a commitment to serving the best interests of the client as opposed to pushing the sale of proprietary products," said Elliot Weissbluth, CEO of HighTower. "Our rapid growth over the past year is proof that clientsparticularly in the high and ultra-high net worth categoriesrecognize the value of this approach."

Other 2017 awards and rankings that feature HighTower and its advisors include: Barron's Top 1200 Advisors by State, Top 100 Financial Advisors, Top 100 Women Advisors, and Top 100 Independent Advisors; the Crain's Chicago Fast 50; the Financial Times' FT 300; Forbes' America's Top Women Advisors and America's Top Wealth Advisors; the Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing private companies in America; and On Wall Street's 40 Under 40.

Barron's Penta provides insights and advice for families with assets of $5 million or more. The Top 40 Wealth Management Firms are ranked according to criteria including U.S. private-client AUM, number of wealth managers and clients per manager, number of U.S. branch offices and more. To see the full list, visit http://online.wsj.com/public/resources/documents/Top40WealthManagementFirms2017.pdf.

About HighTower

HighTower is reshaping the financial services industry from the inside out. As one of the nation's largest Registered Investment Advisors (RIAs) dedicated to providing advice, not selling a product, we are a relentless champion of the fiduciary standard. We believe that the wealth management industry can and should do a better job of serving the needs of individual investors and their financial advisors. We built HighTower upon a commitment to put our clients' best interests first. For the 6th consecutive year, HighTower ranks on the Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing companies in America (2012  2017). For more information, see www.hightoweradvisors.com and www.byadvisorsforadvisors.com.

Melinda Brodbeck

JConnelly

973-850-7348

[email protected]

SOURCE HighTower

Related Links

http://www.hightoweradvisors.com


FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Hyundai Motor America today reported September sales of Hyundai and Genesis branded vehicles of 57,007 units, a 14 percent decline compared with the company's best all-time September in 2016. CUV sales continue to grow with both Tucson and Santa Fe up compared with a year ago and Tucson achieving a record September, up 38 percent year-over-year. The overall monthly sales decline continues to be attributed to a reduction in fleet sales that were down 37 percent from a year ago.

SALES BY BRAND



Sept-17 Sept-16 2017 YTD 2016 YTD Hyundai 55,271 65,399 496,638 584,980 Genesis 1,736 1,211 15,102 2,708 TOTAL 57,007 66,610 511,740 587,688

HYUNDAI BRAND HIGHLIGHTS

"The Hyundai Tucson continues to be a standout with another month over 10,000 units, leading to our best CUV September of all time," said John Angevine, director, National Sales, Hyundai Motor America. "While our car-to-SUV mix is improving, it's still in an inverse position to the industry. Despite that, we've retained our retail market share for the year."

September was a busy month for Hyundai with several significant product and technology launches, and corporate initiatives. On the product and technology front, the all-new 2018 Accent made its U.S. debut at the Orange County Auto Show, a new Rear Occupant Alert system was unveiled, Elantra was named highest in overall owner experience for vehicle technology by J.D. Power and the first SEMA display car was released, the i30N that successfully competed in the 24-hours of Nurburgring. Hyundai Motor America also welcomed its new president and CEO, Kenny Lee, opened more than 100 EV charging stations at its headquarters, gave its three-millionth Elantra sold to a first responder hero in Texas and is preparing a major announcement for its renowned Assurance program on Oct. 10.

Hyundai Hope On Wheels, Hyundai's non-profit organization committed to the fight against pediatric cancer, launched its annual campaign in honor of National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month in September as well. Throughout the month, Hope On Wheels awarded 40 research grants to children's hospitals across the country, adding $8.5 million in critical funds to the field of pediatric cancer research.

HYUNDAI MODELS

Vehicle Sept-17 Sept-16 2017 YTD 2016 YTD Accent 7,379 7,495 44,641 62,200 Azera 237 419 2,611 3,775 Elantra 14,401 19,382 143,067 157,050 Equus 1 60 20 1,297 Genesis 4 845 1,132 21,663 Santa Fe 11,420 11,350 95,655 98,298 Sonata 9,889 15,347 107,718 155,279 Tucson 10,118 7,333 82,839 65,333 Veloster 685 3,168 10,526 20,085 Ioniq 1,137 0 8,429 0

GENESIS BRAND HIGHLIGHTS

September Genesis sales totaled 1,736, a 43 percent increase over last year.

"Our G80 and G90 sedan lineup saw strong demand as the summer sales season wound to a close," said Erwin Raphael, general manager of Genesis in the U.S. market. "Additionally, we couldn't be more proud of the accolades our brand collected during that time. Our brand or products gathered awards from distinguished third parties like J.D. Power, AutoPacific and Strategic Vision while our product's safety capabilities were recognized by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety as well as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration."

GENESIS MODELS

Vehicle Sept-17 Sept-16 2017 YTD 2016 YTD G80 1,367 1,201 11,856 2,698 G90 369 10 3,246 10

HYUNDAI MOTOR AMERICA

Hyundai Motor America, headquartered in Fountain Valley, Calif., is a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Company of Korea. Hyundai vehicles are distributed throughout the United States by Hyundai Motor America and are sold and serviced through more than 830 dealerships nationwide. All new Hyundai vehicles sold in the U.S. are covered by the Hyundai Assurance program, which includes a 5-year/60,000-mile fully-transferable new vehicle limited warranty, Hyundai's 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain limited warranty and five years of complimentary Roadside Assistance.

For more details on Hyundai Assurance, please visit www.HyundaiAssurance.com

Please visit our media website at www.hyundainews.com

Hyundai Motor America on Twitter | YouTube | Facebook

SOURCE Hyundai Motor America

Related Links

http://www.hyundainews.com


DALLAS, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- On September 18, 2017, the state of Illinois enacted into law H.B. 162, reinstating the expired Economic Development for a Growing Economy (EDGE) Tax Credit Program until June 30, 2022. The purpose of the EDGE Tax Credit Program is to provide tax incentives that inspire companies to either build a new location or expand existing operations in Illinois. To partake in this program, taxpayers must apply for designation and enter into a written agreement with the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO).

The reinstated EDGE Tax Credit Program has several important changes, including the items summarized below:

The previous EDGE Tax Credit was offered as a percentage of up to 100% of personal income tax withheld of new employees in connection with a project. Credit awards are now capped at the lesser of 50% of the incremental personal income tax withheld attributable to new employees plus 10% of the training costs for new employees, or 100% of the incremental personal income tax withheld attributable to new employees at an EDGE applicant's project.

of 50% of the incremental personal income tax withheld attributable to new employees plus 10% of the training costs for new employees, or 100% of the incremental personal income tax withheld attributable to new employees at an EDGE applicant's project. For projects in "underserved areas," the 50% option above is increased to 75%. Underserved areas are geographic areas that meet one or more of the following conditions:

poverty rate of at least 20%,



75% or more of the children in the area participate in the federal free lunch program,



at least 20% of households in the area receive assistance under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and/or



the area has an average unemployment rate that is more than 120% of the national unemployment rate for a period of at least two consecutive calendar years preceding the date of application.

In very unique circumstances, applicants may be eligible for up to 25% of the incremental personal income tax withheld attributed to retained employees for a project.

To be eligible for the EDGE Tax Credit, applicants must have a project that achieves one of the following criteria:

Companies with more than 100 employees must:



Employ a number of new employees in Illinois equal to the lesser of 50 new full-time jobs or 10% of their full-time world-wide employees at the date of application.

equal to the lesser of 50 new full-time jobs or 10% of their full-time world-wide employees at the date of application.



Make at least $2.5 million in capital investment in Illinois . This update reduces the amount of required investment of $5 million .

in capital investment in . This update reduces the amount of required investment of .

Companies with less than 100 employees must:



Employ a number of new employees in Illinois equal to the lesser of 50 new full-time jobs or 5% of their full-time worldwide employees at the date of application.

equal to the lesser of 50 new full-time jobs or 5% of their full-time worldwide employees at the date of application.



There is no minimum capital investment required.

In addition to the updates above, to qualify for the EDGE Tax Credit, applicants must demonstrate that the project would not occur in Illinois but for the EDGE credit.

The reinstatement of the EDGE Tax Credit will be used to enhance economic development opportunities throughout the state of Illinois.

About Ryan

Ryan, an award-winning global tax services and software provider, is the largest firm in the world dedicated exclusively to business taxes. With global headquarters in Dallas, Texas, the Firm provides an integrated suite of federal, state, local, and international tax services on a multi-jurisdictional basis, including tax recovery, consulting, advocacy, compliance, and technology services. Ryan is a five-time recipient of the International Service Excellence Award from the Customer Service Institute of America (CSIA) for its commitment to world-class client service. Empowered by the dynamic myRyan work environment, which is widely recognized as the most innovative in the tax services industry, Ryan's multi-disciplinary team of more than 2,100 professionals and associates serves over 14,000 clients in more than 45 countries, including many of the world's most prominent Global 5000 companies. More information about Ryan can be found at ryan.com.

TECHNICAL INFORMATION CONTACTS:

Allea Newbold

Principal

Ryan

813.228.7100

[email protected]

Mike Falleroni

Team Leader

Ryan

412.535.4400

[email protected]

SOURCE Ryan

Related Links

http://www.ryan.com


LOS ANGELES, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Lundin Law PC, a shareholder rights firm, announces the filing of a class action lawsuit against SCANA Corporation ("SCANA" or the "Company") (NYSE: SCG) concerning possible violations of federal securities laws between January 19, 2016 and September 22, 2017, inclusive (the "Class Period"). Investors who purchased or otherwise acquired shares during the Class Period should contact the firm prior to the November 27, 2017 motion deadline.

To participate in this class action lawsuit, click here.

You can also call Brian Lundin, Esq., of Lundin Law PC, at 888-713-1033, or you can e-mail him at [email protected].

No class has been certified in the above action yet. Until a class is certified, you are not considered represented by an attorney. You may also choose to do nothing and be an absent class member.

According to the Complaint, throughout the Class Period, SCANA made false and/or misleading statements, and/or failed to disclose, adverse information regarding the construction of its project to build nuclear reactors at the V.C. Summer Nuclear Station in South Carolina, assuring investors that costs spending was prudent and substantial progress was being made, even when cost overruns and other delays began to materialize.

On July 31, 2017, the Company announced that it would abandon construction of the nuclear project because of cost overruns and delays. On August 4, 2017, the South Carolina Attorney General announced the opening of an investigation into the Company's abandonment of the nuclear project. On the same day, South Carolina state senators called for a special legislative session to investigate SCANA. On September 22, 2017, the South Carolina Attorney General publicly requested that the South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division launch a criminal investigation into the project. Upon release of this information, shares of SCANA fell in value materially, which caused investors harm according to the Complaint.

Lundin Law PC was founded by Brian Lundin, Esq., a securities litigator based in Los Angeles dedicated to upholding shareholders' rights.

This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethics rules.

Contact:

Lundin Law PC

Brian Lundin, Esq.

Telephone: 888-713-1033

Facsimile: 888-713-1125

[email protected]

http://lundinlawpc.com/

SOURCE Lundin Law PC

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GUELPH, ON, Oct. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ - Inbox Marketer, a Canadian based marketing services company, announced today that it has been named one of the leading email marketing agencies by The Relevancy Group (TRG) in its annual Email Agency Buyer's Guide. "This report is proof of our team's expert ability to drive positive business outcomes for our clients," said Geoff Linton, CEO and Founder of Inbox Marketer. "We are proud to be recognized for our consistent, data-driven approach and focus on innovation."

TRG CEO & Founder David Daniels endorsed Inbox Marketer, stating, "We liked their commitment to client service and account management. Inbox Marketer is well-suited for organizations seeking top-notch customer support with industry expertise."

The report highlights Inbox Marketer's experienced team of marketing professionals who use a proven approach to problem solving. "Over the last 15 years, we've developed a unique process to identify and solve marketing challenges", said Linton. "Our mission is to help marketers achieve better results through efficiencies and insights. Data-driven marketing is at the core of what we do and we leverage our service processes and integrated technology expertise to deliver, reliable, scalable and rapid digital messaging campaign management.

The Relevancy Group report went on to say, "Inbox Marketer boasts about their experienced marketing services with an engineering discipline and it shows. They demonstrated a very robust custom analytical solution that leverages their ESP partners, as well other data partners including Zapier and eDataSource."



More information on these findings is located at: http://info.inboxmarketer.com/reports/relevancy-group-2017-email-ageny-buyers-guide

About Inbox Marketer | inboxmarketer.com | @InboxMarketer

Inbox Marketer is a leading data driven marketing services company that provides actionable insights and integrated technology expertise in digital messaging. Working together with clients, we help deliver reliable, scalable and rapid digital messaging that drives transformational business results. Clients across North America trust Inbox Marketer's proven experience, strategic expertise and digital leadership.

About The Relevancy Group, LLC | relevancygroup.com | @RelevancyGroup

Led by tenured industry analyst and marketer David Daniels, The Relevancy Group (TRG) combines original and thought-provoking market research with unrivaled advisory services. Producing research on email, social, mobile, omnichannel and identity marketing; TRG research helps companies compete more effectively within the broader digital economy. TRG measures consumer and executive behaviors to develop strategies that optimize a return on marketing investments. All TRG Analysts have a minimum of 15 years of experience in digital marketing. As a trusted advisor to leading organizations, TRG works with the largest vendors and brands as well as early stage companies where marketing and advertising intersects. TRG assists vendors in generating leads and developing a market presence. TRG produces dozens of surveys, research reports and webinars annually, as well as publishes the digital magazine for marketers by marketers, The Marketer Quarterly, that is available for free with registration online at www.marketerquarterly.com, and through the MQ app on iTunes, Google Play and Amazon.

SOURCE Inbox Marketer Corporation

Related Links

http://www.inboxmarketer.com


DUBLIN, October 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

The "India LED Lighting Market Overview, 2016-2022" report has been added to Research and Markets' offering.

Indian lighting market has seen positive trends in the past years and so did the LED lighting market.

The Indian LED lighting market in precedent years has been witnessing tremendous growth in terms of value as well as volume. The governance of market is maintained by the exhaustive efforts being done by the government through various schemes such as UJALA and SLNP as well as the efforts by the major players in terms of bringing awareness in India. India is a market of huge opportunity and it will continue to grow at a healthy rate in the next few years to come.

The LED lighting industry which was struggling in the initial years to get a market has finally seen a tremendous rise in the market share in just last 3 years. LED lighting market has literally increased in a very steep manner and the major factor behind this was the government's initiatives of providing LED light 9W bulbs at a cheaper rate than the market as well as the program for replacing the traditional street lights with LED street lights. The other factors which have made this significant impact are the advertisements for increasing the awareness of LED lights amongst the people as well as the new architectural designs which has boost up the growth of LED Panel and LED Down lights.

Philips and Surya Roshni have been emerged as the big players in the LED lighting market acquiring almost 30% of the total market share while Havells and Bajaj are also significant players. Another catchy factor in the LED market is the presence as well as acceptance of products of the Local players which makes it a lucrative market for the budding enterprises.

The wind of the transition from the CFL and incandescent bulbs to LED lights is gaining pace with major population replacing the old lights when stop working with the LED lights. Use of solar LED lights is also gaining momentum in the rural areas of India. Government is yet supposed to distribute nearly 52 Crore LED light bulbs under UJALA. With a wider market to be penetrated as well as the re-purchasing market the LED lighting market in India is expected to perform very well in the future years.

Key Type

LED bulbs/ Lamps

LED Luminaires

LED Street lights & Flood Lights

LED Strip Lights

Key Category

Residential LED lights

Roadways & Area LED lights

Commercial & Industrial LED lights

Key Topics Covered:



1. Executive Summary



2. Global LED Lighting Market Outlook



3. Indian Lighting Market Outlook



4. India LED Lighting Market Outlook



5. Company Profiles



Philips India Limited

Havells India Limited

Bajaj Electricals Limited

Syska LED lights Pvt. Ltd.

Surya Roshni Limited

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/2xh6m3/india_led

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]



For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900



U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716

SOURCE Research and Markets

Related Links

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PORTLAND, Ore., Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In an evidentiary hearing motion brought before U.S. Federal District (Oregon) Judge Michael Simon, the Columbia-Snake River Irrigators Association (CSRIA) presented very strong evidence that fish managers' 2015 decisions decimated about 65% of the wild, spring chinook returns to Idaho (2017 adult fish returns). Other hatchery fish suffered as well, and the final numbers for returning Idaho steelhead will document further losses.

USACE Juvenile Fish Transportation Program Barge USACE Juvenile Fish Transportation Program Barge

The records confirm that the Columbia River fish managers allowed Endangered Species Act (ESA) listed salmon and steelhead migrations to remain in the Lower Snake River, during extremely poor in-river conditions, rather than rely on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' successful juvenile fish transportation program. The fish were exposed to adverse river conditions that proved fatal, as documented by the fish managers' recently released evaluation (Comparative Survival Study, 2017).

The evidence clearly shows that the Fish Managers ignored the legally required, ESA (Biological Opinion) 'spread the risk' policy, in the spring 2015, when they transported only 13% of juvenile salmon/steelhead during low flow and high temperature conditions, when young fish are the most vulnerable to the adverse effects of remaining in-river. This was the lowest percent transported since records were first kept in 1993.

NOAA Fisheries' scientists attempted to obtain an early spring 2015 start date for transportation to get the juvenile fish out of the river during poor survival conditions, but other state agency fish managers defiantly blocked this crucial action.

CSRIA representative Darryll Olsen characterized the 2015 fish kill, "as defying every manner of sound judgement, and the sad product of 25-years of irrational ESA litigation in the Oregon District Court. The Federal Administration, faced with fish managers' stark incompetence, must invoke a formal ESA Committee (God Squad) Review action, as required by the ESA statutes."

For more information, contact Darryll Olsen of Columbia-Snake River Irrigators Association at 509-783-1623 or [email protected].

About CSRIA

The Columbia-Snake River Irrigators Association (www.csria.org) is a leading organization in promoting water conservation and water efficiency in the Pacific Northwest. CSRIA's membership includes row crop, vineyard, orchard and livestock operations and we irrigate about 250,000 acres of prime agricultural lands in Washington State and primarily consist of operations along the Columbia-Snake River system, relying almost exclusively on private investment to build and operate highly efficient, state-of-the-art river pump stations and water distribution systems. Additionally, many municipalities and port districts are members of CSRIA. In economic terms, CSRIA members annually generate about $475-600 million in state and local income by purchasing goods and services from numerous economic sectors, ranging from paper products and food packaging to financial, legal and marketing services.

SOURCE Columbia-Snake River Irrigators Association

Related Links

http://www.csria.org


PLYMOUTH MEETING, Pa., Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Close to two weeks after Hurricane Maria struck Puerto Rico and several other Caribbean islands, officials are reporting that only 5 percent of the island has electricity, and schools are not even close to reopening. As it begins to look more and more likely that many Puerto Rican students will need to continue their education on the mainland, some of the largest school districts in Florida, plus major cities like New York City and Chicago, are preparing for the possibility of an influx of students from this hard-hit locale.

There are 1,113 public schools with a student population of 350,000 on the island, and only 400 schools of these schools have been assessed for damage, according to Julia Kelleher, Puerto Rico's secretary of education. With an inflow of this magnitude, it is a strong possibility that many schools will not be adequately staffed to provide necessary services.

Therapy Source, Inc., a national provider of special education services and online therapy staffing, has committed to utilizing their full resources  including an extensive database of teaching and therapy professionals  in order to assist the many metropolitan school districts who experience shortages due to an influx of students.

"Our hearts are with these students and their families," said Joshua Cartagenova, co-owner and CEO of Therapy Source. "We know it's important for the transition to be as seamless as possible, and are prepared to quickly respond to the staffing needs of these schools so that these displaced children can immediately resume their education."

Since commercial flights have not yet resumed regular schedules, it will likely be several weeks before districts have a true sense for the numbers. 39 passenger flights were expected on Sunday in Puerto Rico, which has a maximum efficiency of 60 flights, according to CNN.

"We don't yet have a clear sense of how many families and students might be coming into some of the larger metropolitan areas, but the devastating effect of Hurricane Maria is already being felt in some Florida district schools," said Cartagenova.

Many schools have reported that they will waive the necessary documents needed for enrollment for displaced students and work hard to make the transition as smooth as possible.

Some students coming from Puerto Rico may have limited English skills, with many already weeks behind by the time of arrival in the U.S. Others will be experiencing trauma as a result of the storm and its aftermath, and will be in need of resources to address their emotional needs.

Said Cartagenova, "We have a robust network of education service providers at our fingertips. We are ready to provide qualified teachers and therapists in an environment of growing caseloads and limited budget. It is especially fulfilling when we can make an impact in a situation such as the aftermath of a devastating hurricane, such as Maria."

About Therapy Source, Inc.

Therapy Source, Inc. (www.txsource.com) is the premier national therapy provider of comprehensive in-person and online staffing services and solutions. A powerful presence in the educational sector since 2001, Therapy Source's personalized commitment to service  and ability to facilitate rapid therapist placement  have resulted in partnerships with hundreds of school districts across the U.S. Therapists, psychologists, BCBAs, and special education teachers seeking placement  and schools seeking an agency to assist in filling therapist, psychologist, BCBA, or special education teacher positions.

Media Contact:

Rachel Ostafi, Marketing Director

Phone: 866.783.5301 ext.305

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Therapy Source, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.txsource.com


NEW TAIPEI CITY, Taiwan, Oct. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Infortrend Technology, Inc. (TWSE: 2495) announced its enhanced services with a revamped Service Manager and redesigned website service portals to let users easily manage and maintain their systems, conveniently access support related features, and request for technical services.

The Service Manager integrated into the central management tool "EonOne" can thoroughly monitor storage systems, which helps to identify common critical events that need help from Infortrend quickly. Furthermore, with a streamlined configuration, its setup is now easier than ever, with the user just needing to follow the setup wizard.

When an event occurs, Service Manager will judge its severity, and in the case of critical events such as hardware failure (power supply unit, drives, etc.) or firmware diagnostic errors, it will automatically deliver a warning message to notify users and create a service request to Infortrend Service Center to speed up the issue fixing process. Parts can be exchanged quickly for RMA issues, while other problems such as system issues can also be quickly and efficiently solved. Users can also manually request service through Service Manager and view request history and tracking status.

The redesigned support portals on the Infortrend website now groups all service and support related features together, allowing users to easily obtain the latest firmware, guides, and other documents, get quick answers to frequently asked questions and request for online technical support, and access various warranty and repair services policies and service requests.

"Storage system uptime is critical for business operations. With Infortrend Service Manager and our new web design for support, our services are now more responsive and easier to access, providing our customers quicker service and support," said Thomas Kao, Senior Director of Product Planning at Infortrend.

Visit the Infortrend website www.infortrend.com for easy support access.

About Infortrend

Infortrend (TWSE: 2495) has been developing and manufacturing storage solutions since 1993. With a strong emphasis on in-house design, testing, and manufacturing, Infortrend storage delivers performance and scalability with the latest standards, user friendly data services, personal after-sales support, and unrivaled value. For more Information, please visit www.infortrend.com

Infortrend and EonStor are trademarks or registered trademarks of Infortrend Technology, Inc., other trademarks property of their respective owners.

Media contact:

Infortrend Corporation

David Morarity

Tel: (408) 988-5729

E-mail: [email protected]

SOURCE Infortrend Technology, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.infortrend.com


OKLAHOMA CITY, Oct. 03, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The successful reorganization of Life Partners Holdings Inc. (LPHI), which preserved the Life Partners $2.4 billion portfolio of life insurance policies, will be honored as the Turnaround of the Year involving large companies at the prestigious 2017 Turnaround and Transaction of the Year Awards.



I am deeply humbled and gratified by this recognition of the work we did to turn around the Life Partners enterprise and protect Life Partners investors, but it was only possible due to the extraordinary work of every single member of our team, said H. Thomas Moran, II, the Chapter 11 Trustee for LPHI. Moran is the president and CEO of Asset Servicing Group, LLC, an Oklahoma City-based firm that manages life insurance portfolios.

The awards, which are determined by the Turnaround Management Association (TMA), will be handed out during a special awards celebration at The 2017 TMA Annual, taking place October 23-25 at the Omni Fort Worth Hotel in Fort Worth, Texas.

In addition to Moran, the TMA will recognize the following professionals involved in the LPHI turnaround:

Katharine Battaia Clark, Thompson & Knight LLP

David M. Bennett, Thompson & Knight LLP

Jason S. Brookner, Gray Reed & McGraw LLP

Jay H. Ong, Munsch Hardt

Dawn Ragan, Bridgepoint Consulting LLC

Joseph Wielebinski, Munsch Hardt

Dan Young, Vida Capital

Since 1993, TMA has honored excellence through its annual awards program, which recognizes the most successful turnarounds and impactful transactions, according to the official TMA press release that announced the honorees in 11 categories. This years winners saved countless jobs and made a significant economic impact, both locally and globally.

The Life Partners turnaround had its roots in December 2014, when the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) secured judgments against Life Partners and its senior executives totaling more than $46.8 million for engaging in serious violations of securities laws. That judgment prompted the companys former management team to put the company in bankruptcy in the Northern District of Texas (Fort Worth Division, Case No. 15-40289-RFN-11).

The U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Texas appointed Moran, a highly regarded expert in the life insurance industry, as Trustee in March 2015. Moran was a pioneer in life settlement portfolio management and his firm was the first independent third-party servicer of life insurance policies purchased on the secondary market. The Court-approved LPHI reorganization plan preserved the Life Partners $2.4 billion portfolio of life insurance policies, which includes approximately $1.4 billion of investor capital still at risk. The plan allowed investors to select among various options for the recovery of their capital, including options that enable them to avoid exposure to any future financial commitments or to tie their future returns to individual policies still active in the company portfolio.

About ASG

Founded in 2002, Asset Servicing Group, LLC (ASG) was the first third-party servicer in the life settlement industry. ASGs experienced team provides turnkey life insurance policy servicing from beginning to end, including policy acquisition services, policy verification services and due diligence, premium administration, premium optimization, mortality tracking, death claims administration and custodial services. Managing over 6,000 policies with a total face value of more than $4 billion, ASG is one of the largest servicing firms in its class. For more information, please go to www.asgllc.us.
(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130122/589162 )



Infosys has been awarded the 2017 Oracle Excellence Award for Specialized Partner of the Year under CX Cloud category both globally and in North America. Infosys earned these two recognitions for its ability to deliver innovative customer experiences with a mobile-first approach. The company's offerings cover the entire spectrum of Oracle CX Cloud, including pre-built industry solutions and integrations through PaaS solutions.

Infosys has also won the 2017 Oracle Excellence Award for Specialized Partner of the Year in North America for the on-premise-to-cloud Business Model Transformation category. This award recognizes Infosys for providing a comprehensive, end-to-end Oracle Cloud solution spanning Software-as-a-Service, Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) and Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS), and lift-and-shift on-premise legacy applications to the cloud.

"Our goal was to provide our sales representatives, sales managers and sales leaders with meaningful intelligence that they can actually use to manage and measure their business," said Anil Roy, VP, Enterprise Applications, Ricoh USA Inc. "Infosys partnered with us for this CRM Transformation initiative to create the roadmap for future technology architecture for the organization. Together, we have started migration to Oracle Cloud PaaS to provide meaningful analytics to our sales teams. We not only expect significant cost savings but also anticipate a reduction in the time taken for a new business requirement to production deployment."

Infosys is also an Oracle Cloud Managed Service Provider (MSP), helping enterprises accelerate their cloud journey and achieve compelling business value by combining Oracle's IaaS and PaaS with expertise from Infosys Cloud Consulting, implementation and managed services. Infosys' differentiated tools and solutions, such as Infosys Workload Migration Suite and Infrastructure Management Suite, together with Oracle Infrastructure-as-a-Service can empower enterprises to leverage their existing IT investments while accelerating their journey to the cloud.

In addition to Infosys, two of its clients - Cummins and Ricoh - have also been recognized by Oracle with the 2017 Oracle Proactive Support Champion Individual Award and 2017 Oracle Innovation Award - Application Development, respectively, based on solutions Infosys helped these two companies implement.

Ravi Kumar S., President and Deputy COO, Infosys, said, "Winning Oracle Excellence Awards under CX Cloud and On-Premise-to-Cloud Transformation categories this year is an endorsement of our innovation, investments and expertise in Oracle Cloud Applications, platform and infrastructure. We are also proud to be collaborating with Oracle as a Cloud Elite Partner in empowering and accelerating our customers' journey to the cloud. Together, Infosys and Oracle reinvent enterprises, making them agile, connected and ready to succeed in the digital economy."

Camillo Speroni, Vice President Worldwide Strategic Alliances, Oracle, said, "We congratulate Infosys in achieving the 2017 Oracle Excellence Award for Specialized Partner of the Year for CX Cloud (North America and Global) and On-Premise-to-Cloud Transformation (North America) categories. This achievement is a testament to the company's commitment to providing differentiated customers solutions and services that drive real business value and results."

About Infosys Ltd

Infosys is a global leader in technology services and consulting. We enable clients in 45 countries to create and execute strategies for their digital transformation. From engineering to application development, knowledge management and business process management, we help our clients find the right problems to solve, and to solve these effectively. Our team of over 200,000 innovators, across the globe, is differentiated by the imagination, knowledge and experience, across industries and technologies that we bring to every project we undertake.

Visit http://www.infosys.com to see how Infosys (NYSE: INFY) can help your enterprise thrive in the digital age.

About Oracle PartnerNetwork

Oracle PartnerNetwork (OPN) is Oracle's partner program that provides partners with a differentiated advantage to develop, sell and implement Oracle solutions. OPN offers resources to train and support specialized knowledge of Oracle's products and solutions and has evolved to recognize Oracle's growing product portfolio, partner base and business opportunity. Key to the latest enhancements to OPN is the ability for partners to be recognized and rewarded for their investment in Oracle Cloud. Partners engaging with Oracle will be able to differentiate their Oracle Cloud expertise and success with customers through the OPN Cloud program - an innovative program that complements existing OPN program levels with tiers of recognition and progressive benefits for partners working with Oracle Cloud. To find out more visit: http://www.oracle.com/partners.

Trademarks

Oracle and Java are registered trademarks of Oracle and/or its affiliates.

Safe Harbor

Certain statements in this press release concerning our future growth prospects are forward-looking statements regarding our future business expectations intended to qualify for the 'safe harbor' under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties relating to these statements include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties regarding fluctuations in earnings, fluctuations in foreign exchange rates, our ability to manage growth, intense competition in IT services including those factors which may affect our cost advantage, wage increases in India, our ability to attract and retain highly skilled professionals, time and cost overruns on fixed-price, fixed-time frame contracts, client concentration, restrictions on immigration, industry segment concentration, our ability to manage our international operations, reduced demand for technology in our key focus areas, disruptions in telecommunication networks or system failures, our ability to successfully complete and integrate potential acquisitions, liability for damages on our service contracts, the success of the companies in which Infosys has made strategic investments, withdrawal or expiration of governmental fiscal incentives, political instability and regional conflicts, legal restrictions on raising capital or acquiring companies outside India, and unauthorized use of our intellectual property and general economic conditions affecting our industry. Additional risks that could affect our future operating results are more fully described in our United States Securities and Exchange Commission filings including our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2017. These filings are available at http://www.sec.gov. Infosys may, from time to time, make additional written and oral forward-looking statements, including statements contained in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and our reports to shareholders. In addition, please note that any forward-looking statements contained herein are based on assumptions that we believe to be reasonable as of the date of this press release. The company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements that may be made from time to time by or on behalf of the company unless it is required by law.

SOURCE Infosys
A week after successfully completing customer acceptance test flights, Insitu, a leading information services company with more than one million operational UAS flight hours, deployed its INEXA Solutions professional aerial remote sensing teams to aid firefighters in suppressing the Eagle Creek fire In Oregon. Collaborating with customers to identify business challenges, INEXA Solutions professionals use a continually expanding suite of capabilities such as INEXA Control (ground-based command and control), INEXA Cloud, INEXA manned and unmanned air vehicles including ScanEagle  , and INEXA sensors and analytics to provide custom solutions and answers to mitigate business challenges from seabed to space.

Coordinating with the Oregon Department of Forestry and other governing entities, Insitu's ScanEagle system provided optimal, near real-time data for firefighters and first responders, resulting in heightened emergency response efforts, increased situational awareness and safety, and supported planning and resource allocation. Equipped with electro-optical (EO), in daylight, infrared (IR) video for nighttime flights, and mid-wave sensors, the ScanEagle surveyed fire lines at night over the Eagle Creek wildfire, which had spread to nearly 49,000 acres throughout the Columbia River Gorge region.

"Throughout the difficult Eagle Creek wildfire, our thoughts have been with our friends and neighbors impacted by this unfortunate event," said Mark Bauman, Vice President, and Co-General Manager, Insitu Commercial. "We stand prepared to assist local authorities with ongoing operations in any way we can, and we extend our gratitude to all of those working hard to contain the fire."

The ScanEagle can supplement manned firefighting fleets by operating during dense smoke and at night, when manned aircraft typically cannot fly. Infrared camera technology is utilized to penetrate smoke and gather and disseminate geo-referenced still images of points of interest. These images allow Geographic Information System (GIS) specialists to perform analysis using Esri's Geographic Information System ArcGIS software.

As the sole aviation over watch within the temporary flight restriction, the ScanEagle provided persistent nighttime oversight, and monitored the progression of the fire. Insitu coordinated manned and unmanned aviation assets, and through data collection, analysis, and integration capabilities, produced near real-time georeferenced spatial data (maps tied to specific known locations). Thus, incident commanders, firefighters, and first responders had data that delivered updated incident perimeter maps, identified spot fires, located fire lines and hotspots, and provided near real-time video feed and still images of critical infrastructure, historical structures, and more.

"Prior to pursuing any new effort, we consider the reasons we exist as a company  we call it our 'why,' explains Jon Damush, Insitu's Chief Growth Officer. "Insitu's 'why' is to pioneer and innovate in all that we do to positively impact people's lives and change the course of history," he continues. "This statement guides our actions and investments, and is precisely why we are doing the things we are doing to help those in need with our unique technologies and professional approach to aviation."

About Insitu

Insitu is an industry-leading provider of information for superior decision making. With its headquarters in Bingen, Wash., and offices in the U.S., U.K., and Australia, the company creates and supports unmanned systems and software technology that deliver end-to-end solutions for collecting, processing and understanding sensor data. We proudly serve the diverse needs of our global customers in the defense, government and commercial industries. To date, our systems have accumulated more than one million flight hours and nearly 125,000 sorties. Insitu is a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Boeing Company.

For more information, visit insitu.com.

Follow us on Vimeo, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

Contact: Monica Golden

Insitu Media Relations

+1 509.637.6574

[email protected]

SOURCE Insitu

Related Links

http://www.insitu.com


STOCKHOLM, October 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

The press conference held in connection with the publication of Essity's interim report for the third quarter of 2017 will also be available via webcast and it is possible to join by phone.

The interim report will be published on October 26, 2017 at approximately 08:00 CET. The subsequent press conference will be held at 10:00 CET at Essity's headquarters, Waterfront Building, Klarabergsviadukten 63, Stockholm, Sweden.

At the press conference, President and CEO Magnus Groth will present and answer questions regarding the report.

Press conference:

Date: Thursday, October 26, 2017

Time: 10:00 CET

Venue: Essity Headquarters, Waterfront Building, Klarabergsviadukten 63, Stockholm, Sweden

The press conference will be webcast live at www.essity.com. It is also possible to participate in the press conference by telephone by calling +44 (0)20 7162 0077,

+1 646 851 2407, or +46 (0)8 505 201 10. Call in good time before the conference starts. Provide the code "Essity" or the conference ID 962907.

For further information, please contact:

Karl Stoltz

Media Relations Manager

+46-8-788-51-55

Johan Karlsson

Vice President Investor Relations

+46-8-788-51-30

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

http://news.cision.com/essity/r/invitation-to-essity-s-q3-2017-press-conference,c2358757

The following files are available for download:

http://mb.cision.com/Main/15798/2358757/730613.pdf Invitation to Essityas Q3 2017 press conference

SOURCE Essity
CHICAGO, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following statement was released today by Richard Pearson, Executive Director of the Illinois State Rifle Association (ISRA):

"Like all people of good conscience, lawful Illinois firearm owners abhor criminal acts of violence committed against innocent citizens. At the same time, we firmly hold the freedoms enshrined in the U.S. Constitution in the highest regard. Thus, we reject the false notion that security may only come with the diminishment of liberty.

Our nation recently suffered terribly at the hands of a vicious criminal whose wanton disregard for civility and humanity tore at the fabric of this nation's greatness. While most citizens stood stunned in response to the crimes committed in Las Vegas, a sizeable segment of the mainstream media and public officials seized the opportunity to advance a host of political agendas.

In swift and predictable fashion, the gun control movement blamed this crime against America on the very freedoms that make us all Americans. As we have seen in the past, the gun control movement's solution to criminal violence is to curtail the basic Constitutional rights of law-abiding citizens.

The gun control movement seems all too eager to surrender hard-fought liberties to those bent on domination of the American spirit. The nation's firearm owners, on the other hand, will not surrender to the criminal element and we will not knuckle under to those so willing to do so.

We are confident that, in the end, logic and reason will prevail and the nation will turn toward rooting out wickedness and away from vilifying the very people who make this the greatest nation on earth."

The ISRA is the state's leading advocate of safe, lawful, and responsible firearms ownership. For more than a century, the ISRA has represented the interests of millions of law-abiding Illinois firearm owners.

WEB SITE: http://www.isra.org

SOURCE Illinois State Rifle Association

Related Links

http://www.isra.org


HOUSTON, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- KBR, Inc. (NYSE: KBR) announced today that its global government services business, KBRwyle, was awarded a $52 million contract to provide maintenance for security systems and equipment for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

Under the terms of the contract, over the next five years KBRwyle will maintain the security systems and equipment of more than 500 FAA locations nationwide that ensure the safety of U.S. national air space. The company has provided similar services to the FAA since 2011.

"KBRwyle offers the highest levels of security systems maintenance expertise in our industry. We are extremely pleased to be given this opportunity to continue to support the FAA in safeguarding our national airspace," said Byron Bright, KBRwyle President.

Revenue associated will be booked into the backlog of unfilled orders for KBR's Government Services business segment.

About KBR, Inc.

KBR is a global provider of differentiated professional services and technologies across the asset and program life cycle within the Government Services and Hydrocarbons sectors. KBR employs over 34,000 people worldwide (including our joint ventures), with customers in more than 80 countries, and operations in 40 countries, across three synergistic global businesses:

Government Services, serving government customers globally, including capabilities that cover the full life-cycle of defense, space, aviation and other government programs and missions from research and development, through systems engineering, test and evaluation, program management, to operations, maintenance, and field logistics

Technology & Consulting, including proprietary technology focused on the monetization of hydrocarbons (especially natural gas and natural gas liquids) in ethylene and petrochemicals; ammonia, nitric acid and fertilizers; oil refining; gasification; oil and gas consulting; integrity management; naval architecture and proprietary hulls; and downstream consulting

Engineering & Construction, including onshore oil and gas; LNG (liquefaction and regasification)/GTL; oil refining; petrochemicals; chemicals; fertilizers; differentiated EPC; maintenance services (Brown & Root Industrial Services); offshore oil and gas (shallow-water, deep-water, subsea); floating solutions (FPU, FPSO, FLNG & FSRU) and program management

KBR is proud to work with its customers across the globe to provide technology, value-added services, integrated EPC delivery and long term operations and maintenance services to ensure consistent delivery with predictable results. At KBR, We Deliver.

Visit www.kbr.com

Forward Looking Statement

The statements in this press release that are not historical statements, including statements regarding future financial performance, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. These statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the company's control that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results expressed or implied by the statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: the outcome of and the publicity surrounding audits and investigations by domestic and foreign government agencies and legislative bodies; potential adverse proceedings by such agencies and potential adverse results and consequences from such proceedings; the scope and enforceability of the company's indemnities from its former parent; changes in capital spending by the company's customers; the company's ability to obtain contracts from existing and new customers and perform under those contracts; structural changes in the industries in which the company operates; escalating costs associated with and the performance of fixed-fee projects and the company's ability to control its cost under its contracts; claims negotiations and contract disputes with the company's customers; changes in the demand for or price of oil and/or natural gas; protection of intellectual property rights; compliance with environmental laws; changes in government regulations and regulatory requirements; compliance with laws related to income taxes; unsettled political conditions, war and the effects of terrorism; foreign operations and foreign exchange rates and controls; the development and installation of financial systems; increased competition for employees; the ability to successfully complete and integrate acquisitions; and operations of joint ventures, including joint ventures that are not controlled by the company.

KBR's most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K, any subsequent Form 10-Qs and 8-Ks, and other Securities and Exchange Commission filings discuss some of the important risk factors that KBR has identified that may affect the business, results of operations and financial condition. Except as required by law, KBR undertakes no obligation to revise or update publicly any forward-looking statements for any reason.

SOURCE KBR, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.kbr.com


LA JOLLA, Calif., Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Kopari, the digitally native, San Diego-based, coconut-powered beauty company, is thrilled to announce its first award win at the prestigious Allure "Best of Beauty" awards.

The Allure "Best of Beauty" Awards, which bestow the brand's signature seal of approval, are held annually and considered to be the most influential distinction in the health and beauty industry. Allure's editors research and test thousands of products  from mass to prestige, classic to cutting-edge  to identify the best-of-the-best. Award winners represent the most effective and innovative products in the marketplace, recommended by the Allure team of editors who are highly respected authorities in beauty for their industry insight and knowledge.

Chosen for its luxurious and effective exfoliative capabilities, the Kopari Coconut Crush Scrub is a coconut oil-infused all-over body scrub with small pieces of Tahitian coconut shell that polishes, exfoliates, and hydrates dry skin for a gorgeous glow. With just one use, complexion is left looking polished, restored, and radiant with a sweet, milky coconut scent.

"As someone that has lived in New York and spent much of life flipping through the pages of Allure every month, it's truly an honor to be selected as a winner this year," says co-founder Kiana Cabell. "We started Kopari because of our strong belief in the power of coconut. The Coconut Crush Scrub, along with all our other products, were created to harness the power of coconut oil, alongside ingredients that feel great. We are proud that Allure agrees."

Sustainably manufactured in Southern California, all Kopari products start with the best quality coconuts, sourced from small family farms in the Philippines, for their 100% organic coconut oil. Kopari is prejudiced against parabens, and they give a stiff middle finger to sulfates. In a nutshell, Kopari is passionate about products that make the world look and feel gorgeous with ingredients that feel great.

About Kopari:

Say Aloha to Kopari Beauty a coconut-powered lifestyle-beauty brand based in San Diego.

Kopari's coconut oil beauty is powerful beauty. They combine their superfood oil with high performance ingredients to create natural born luxury for gorgeous skin and healthy hair. Sustainably manufactured in Southern California, Kopari sources the purest, most nutrient-rich coconut oil from small family farms in the Philippines. Their small batch coconuts are hand-picked at peak quality, never exposed to extreme temperatures and ever-so-carefully cold pressed.

Launched in 2015, Kopari was founded by Hawaiian-born naturalist and certified organic chef, Kiana Cabell, third generation beauty experts and industry veterans Bryce and Gigi Goldman, and health entrepreneur and co-founder of Suja Juice, James Brennan.

Loved by beauty enthusiasts, wellness gurus and digital influencers around the world, Kopari has quickly become the most talked about coconut in the beauty biz. So now that you know, get your coconut on.

About Allure:

Trusted by consumers since 1996, the Allure Best of Beauty Awards are considered the beauty industry's ultimate stamp of approval. Allure's editors research and test thousands of products  from mass to prestige, classic to cutting-edge  to identify the best-of-the-best. Each year the award winners represent the most effective and innovative products in the marketplace.

SOURCE Kopari
NORTHRIDGE, Calif., Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Regal Medical Group (RMG) and Lakeside Community Healthcare (LCH) are working to make flu vaccinations an in-and-out process, with free drive-thru flu shot clinics in Thousand Oaks and West Covina. Doctors and trained medical staff will be on-site to administer the shots, ensuring a quick and easy experience. The events will be held in Thousand Oaks on Saturday, October 14, and in West Covina on Saturday, October 28.

These clinics are free for Regal and Lakeside members, as well as non-members, ages 18 and older. Those interested can drive through the parking lot of the specified LCH clinics, complete their basic paperwork and receive a free vaccination. Certified benefits specialists will also be present to speak with attendees about the many advantages of gaining access to health insurance and the value of choosing a Regal or Lakeside doctor.

"By providing this service, we are hoping to better prepare people for the upcoming flu season," explained Mindy Morgen, Senior Director of Marketing and Health Education, at Regal Medical Group. "Our community deserves to spend the holidays feeling their best, so we're here to help. Preventive measures like this reduce the risk of getting sick with seasonal flu and spreading it to others."

In addition to the drive-thru clinics, other LCH offices throughout Southern California will host walk-in flu shot clinics throughout the month of October. LCH clinics will be providing free flu shots at the following dates and locations, while supplies last:

Saturday, October 14, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. (Drive-Thru Clinic)

612 E. Janss Rd.

Thousand Oaks, CA 91360

Saturday, October 28, 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. (Drive-Thru Clinic)

1500 W. West Covina Pkwy.

West Covina, CA 91790

Tuesday, October 10, 7:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

191 S. Buena Vista St., Ste. 215

Burbank, CA 91505

Friday, October 13, 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

24355 Lyons Ave., Ste. 222

Santa Clarita, CA 91321

Tuesday, October 17, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

117 E. Live Oak Ave., Ste. 101

Arcadia, CA 91006

Wednesday, October 18, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

1500 S. Central Ave., Ste. 200B

Glendale, CA 91204

Thursday, October 19, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

7325 Medical Center Dr., Ste. 300

West Hills, CA 91307

Thursday, October 19, 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

14901 Rinaldi St., Ste. 200

Mission Hills, CA 91345

Wednesday, October 25, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

12660 Riverside Dr., Ste. 310

North Hollywood, CA 91607

About Regal Medical Group and Lakeside Community Healthcare

Regal Medical Group and Lakeside Community Healthcare, affiliates of Heritage Provider Network (HPN), serve as a trusted healthcare network for more than 500,000 Southern California members. As the largest doctor-owned medical group in Southern California, Regal and Lakeside are dedicated to quality, affordable healthcare. For more information, please visit www.regalmed.com or www.lakesidemed.com.

SOURCE Regal Medical Group; Lakeside Community Healthcare

Related Links

http://www.regalmed.com


CHICAGO, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Supply Clinic, the online marketplace for dental supplies, announced the appointment of Jeffrey Ganeles, DMD, FACD to its Advisory Board.

Dr. Ganeles is one of the country's most recognized periodontists and dental implant surgeons. He practices with the South Florida Center for Periodontics & Implant Dentistry in Boca Raton, FL, serves as Adjunct Associate Professor at Nova Southeastern University College of Dental Medicine, and holds an appointment at Boston University Goldman School of Graduate Dentistry.

An innovator and pioneer, Dr. Ganeles has authored over 45 articles and textbook chapters and given over 100 lectures worldwide. He focuses on developing more efficient and less traumatic patient treatments. His recent advancements have been in digital guided surgery, surgical navigation and robotics. He founded TeethToday, LLC, an affiliation of dental specialists dedicated to immediate tooth replacement with dental implants, and DentalImplan, Inc., a patient education software developer.

Dr. Ganeles graduated from Cornell University and received his DMD with valedictory honors from Boston University Goldman School of Graduate Dentistry. He completed a General Practice Residency at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and received his Certificate in Periodontics from University of Pennsylvania College of Dental Medicine.

"Dr. Ganeles is a tremendous thought leader in the dental world, and is on the forefront of adapting technology. We're thrilled to have him involved," said Scott Drucker DMD, President of Supply Clinic.

"Some aspects of my profession are incredibly sophisticated, but the way most dentists run their businesses is primitive. It's time to harness web-based marketplace shopping to purchase supplies more efficiently. Supply Clinic is the best and most efficient site focused on dental practices; I'm honored and thrilled to be a customer and advisor," said Dr. Ganeles.

About Supply Clinic

Supply Clinic was founded by Periodontist Dr. Scott Drucker and his brother Jacob, a Harvard-educated statistician. As a resident, Dr. Drucker could not find any trusted source to price-compare and buy supplies. The brothers assembled a talented team and built Supply Clinic to fill the void. With over 100 trusted sellers and 35,000 products, Supply Clinic lets customers compare products and pricing, and buy from multiple sellers with a single checkout.

For more information, call (773) 634-1462 or visit www.supplyclinic.com.

CONTACT:

Scott Drucker DMD

(512) 508-8028

[email protected]

SOURCE Supply Clinic

Related Links

https://www.supplyclinic.com


BEIJING, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- "We are not looking for traditional businesses who are trying to build technology on top of their existing business models. We are looking for entrepreneurs who are willing to give up the traditional infrastructure and start from scratch," says China's top venture capitalist Will Jiang, "Leave your success and start over."

Will Jiang - Founding Partner of N5Capital (PRNewsfoto/N5Capital)

N5Capital, one of China's leading venture capital firms, was founded in 2013 by Will Jiang and Weiguo Zhao with a vision to build a different breed of VC firm that encompasses both Chinese entrepreneurial spirit and a winning investment philosophy. N5Capital's investment philosophy focuses on finding innovative business models rather than overestimating the power of technology. Ultimately, the bet is made on the exceptional entrepreneurs who can run a business and successfully leverage the power of the internet, rather than techies. This mind set attracts a sophisticated set of limited partners who are interested in maximizing the opportunity present in China.

N5Capital's investment strategy plays at the backdrop of the two largest trends driving China's economic engine.

Firstly, by 2020, Chinese consumption will grow by USD$2.3 trillion to hit USD$6.5 Trillion (BCG). One of N5Capital's focus has been the consumer sector, which is experiencing unprecedented growth. However, consumer behaviour is changing and VCs need to think ahead. For example, Gen Y and Millennials are not as brand loyal as baby boomers. The only way to win is through efficiency and higher gross margin facilitated by technology. In addition, N5Capital is looking for trends and opportunities in progressive digital content and formats that acquire users at zero or very low costs.

"We are looking for business people that can improve gross margin by leveraging mobile internet as infrastructure," says N5Capital founding partner Will Jiang.

Secondly, a new McKinsey Global Institute report finds that a new approach centered on productivity could generate USD$5.6 trillion of additional GDP by 2030, compared with continuing the investment-led path. N5Capital's investment approach centres on productivity improvements made through mobile tech and the Internet as infrastructure. Examples of investments that utilize this approach include Hot & Hot, a leading crawfish delivery company, which acquired upper stream supply chain from Egypt at low price and high quality and Transfereasy, an online payment and settlement solution service provider, which significantly simplifies payment through automatic application, verification and compliance for cross-border businesses.

N5Capital is currently seeking investors for the next round of funding. Through its broad network, in-depth industry knowledge, and rigorous user behavior research, N5Capital is shifting the investment landscape for both start-ups and investors.

Contact N5Capital

About N5Capital:

N5Capital is a Beijing-based leading venture capital firm. Its investment philosophy targets early stage Chinese businesses in the consumer sector and industries that utilizes content generation, mobile technology and the Internet to improve productivity and gross margins. N5Capital currently manages two RMB funds and one USD fund, with total assets under management of $350 million USD. In 2016, N5Captial was awarded the Top 20 Early Stage Venture Capital Firm in China.

www.n5capital.com

Media Contact

Karen Liu

[email protected]

Phone: +86 10 64457337

SOURCE N5Capital

Related Links

http://www.n5capital.com


The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (the Corps), the lead permitting agency, completed the cooperating agency review of the preliminary final Donlin Gold Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) with the final document scheduled for filing in 2018

Donlin Golds current drill program aimed at supporting ongoing optimization efforts and further enhancing the value of the project is well underway

With over $88 million in its treasury as of August 31, 2017, NOVAGOLD has sufficient financial resources to complete permitting of Donlin Gold as well as currently planned project optimization

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Oct. 03, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NOVAGOLD RESOURCES INC. (TSX:NG) (NYSE American:NG) today released its third quarter financial results and updates for its flagship Donlin Gold project in Alaska, which NOVAGOLD equally owns with Barrick Gold Corporation (Barrick) and its Galore Creek copper-gold-silver project in British Columbia, which NOVAGOLD equally owns with Teck Corporation (Teck).

Details of the financial results for the three and nine months ended August 31, 2017 are presented in the consolidated financial statements and quarterly report filed on Form 10-Q with the SEC that will be available on the Company's website at www.novagold.com, on SEDAR at www.sedar.com, and on EDGAR at www.sec.gov. All amounts are in U.S. dollars unless otherwise stated and all resource and reserve estimates are shown on a 100% project basis.

Third quarter highlights and achievements include the following:

The Corps published the preliminary final EIS for internal review by the cooperating agencies, which was completed on schedule in September:

 Donlin Gold continued to provide requested information to the Corps and cooperating agencies to support the advancement of the final EIS

 The final EIS is anticipated to be published in 2018, with a Record of Decision (ROD) expected to follow shortly thereafter





 Donlin Gold continued to provide requested information to the Corps and cooperating agencies to support the advancement of the final EIS  The final EIS is anticipated to be published in 2018, with a Record of Decision (ROD) expected to follow shortly thereafter Significant progress was also made on other major State permits and approvals for Donlin Gold, the status of which are as follows:

 The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, Division of Air Quality issued the final Prevention of Significant Deterioration permit on June 30

 The draft water discharge, integrated waste management and reclamation and closure plan permits are expected to be released for public comment by the end of 2017

 The majority of key State permits and approvals are scheduled to be finalized concurrently with the Corps ROD





 The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, Division of Air Quality issued the final Prevention of Significant Deterioration permit on June 30  The draft water discharge, integrated waste management and reclamation and closure plan permits are expected to be released for public comment by the end of 2017  The majority of key State permits and approvals are scheduled to be finalized concurrently with the Corps ROD Donlin Golds current drill campaign in support of the optimization program is well underway:

 NOVAGOLD and Barrick jointly developed the $8 million program (100% basis) aimed at gathering additional geochemical and structural data to strengthen understanding of the mineralized zones and deepen their knowledge of the structural controls as part of the optimization work

 The optimization work will also assess selective mining methodology to potentially further improve mined grades and also consider opportunities to reduce initial capital cost outlays

 The program includes 22 planned core drill holes; 9 holes of which have been completed to-date (4,502 meters)



 NOVAGOLD and Barrick jointly developed the $8 million program (100% basis) aimed at gathering additional geochemical and structural data to strengthen understanding of the mineralized zones and deepen their knowledge of the structural controls as part of the optimization work  The optimization work will also assess selective mining methodology to potentially further improve mined grades and also consider opportunities to reduce initial capital cost outlays  The program includes 22 planned core drill holes; 9 holes of which have been completed to-date (4,502 meters) Community outreach efforts continued with local stakeholders in both Alaska and Northern British Columbia as follows:

 Donlin Gold engaged with multiple traditional village councils, regional tribal gatherings, and residents across the Yukon-Kuskokwim (Y-K) region

 Donlin Gold hosted several project site tours to give key stakeholder representatives an opportunity to see the proposed development location first-hand and to ask questions

 Donlin Gold collaborated with the Calista Corporation and The Kuskokwim Corporation (owners of the mineral and surface rights, respectively) on community engagement efforts

 Galore Creek Mining Corporation sponsored the Tahltan Literacy/Cultural Camps in Northern British Columbia as well as other local community initiatives



Presidents Message

Donlin Gold Project

It is very encouraging to be in the final stretch of the Donlin Gold EIS permitting process. Looking back at all of the milestones we have achieved to date, what really stands out is the level of dedication and collaboration demonstrated by all of the projects stakeholders to make this important project a model mine for generations to come. Our strong partnerships with the Calista Corporation (owner of mineral rights) and The Kuskokwim Corporation (owner of surface rights), our time-tested engagement with various government agencies and non-governmental organizations, coupled with the common set of values for safe as well as socially and environmentally responsible project development we share with our partner, Barrick, give us a sense of gratification that we are on a steady path towards achieving something very significant not only for all of our stakeholders but for our industry as a whole. Furthermore, as we approach the end of the projects EIS and permitting process, we also are doing important optimization work to ensure that the ore bodys well defined grade and space characteristics can be put to work in an operationally sound and economically efficient manner.

Activities in the third fiscal quarter of 2017 were focused on advancing the Donlin Gold final EIS. The Corps, Donlin Golds lead federal permitting agency, completed and distributed the preliminary final EIS in July for review by the cooperating agencies. The cooperating agencies completed their review and submitted their input to the Corps on schedule in mid-September. Donlin Gold continued to support the EIS process by providing requested information to the Corps and cooperating agencies. The final EIS is anticipated to be published in 2018, followed by the issuance of a record of decision (ROD). Other major state permits continue their advancement and are scheduled to be finalized concurrently with the Corps ROD or shortly thereafter. Notably, the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, Division of Air Quality issued the final Prevention of Significant Deterioration permit on June 30, 2017, and the draft water discharge, integrated waste management and reclamation and closure plan permits are expected to be released for public comment by the end of 2017. We look forward to achieving these key project permitting milestones.

NOVAGOLD and its partner Barrick have been persistently working to realize the extraordinary potential of Donlin Gold. Its endowment of 39,000,000 ounces of gold resources in the measured and indicated category, inclusive of proven and probable reserves (541 tonnes with an average grade of 2.2 grams per tonne), really set it apart from other development-stage projects. Moreover, with planned production averaging approximately 1,100,000 ounces of gold per year over its projected 27-year mine life and its extraordinary exploration potential which exists along an 8-kilometer gold mineralized belt, make it truly unique. Besides size, quality and exploration potential, one should never overlook the fact that it is located in Alaska, a mining-friendly jurisdiction that is the second largest gold-producing State in the U.S. At a time of extreme geopolitical uncertainty around the world, Alaska is welcoming new responsible development. It is a State with tremendous mineral potential, an established mining industry, political and social stability, and the rule of law. We are truly blessed.

During the last quarter, we made real progress in advancing our project optimization efforts. In July 2017, NOVAGOLD and Barrick launched an $8-million drill program, which includes a total of 22 holes, to gather additional geochemical and structural data to further strengthen our understanding of the targeted mineralized zones, deepen our knowledge of the structural controls and support ongoing optimization work. So far, we have drilled 4,502 meters in 9 holes and final results will be released after all assays are available.

Galore Creek Project

In the third fiscal quarter of 2017, NOVAGOLD and its partner Teck focused on site care and maintenance efforts. Approximately half of the workforce employed in 2017 at Galore Creek are Tahltan First Nation. The team at site has done excellent work in helping to maintain the property in good order. Since our focus remains on advancing Donlin Gold, we remain committed to sell all or part of our 50% interest in the project. Galore Creek is a significant polymetallic deposit located in Canada, another jurisdiction with a well-developed mining tradition. Once developed, Galore Creek is expected to be one of Canadas largest and lowest cost copper producers.

Stakeholder Engagement

We continue to invest our time and resources into the communities where we operate. This activity is fundamental to our core corporate values and culture. Throughout the summer months, Donlin Golds project team was busy meeting with surrounding communities through multiple traditional village council meetings, regional tribal gatherings, and village visits across the Y-K region. Several site tours were held at Donlin Gold to give key stakeholder representatives an opportunity to see the project first-hand, ask questions and interact with those working at camp. NOVAGOLD is an active participant and supporter of these important endeavors. Donlin Gold also worked closely with both the Calista Corporation and The Kuskokwim Corporation to efficiently facilitate and execute all outreach initiatives. In Northern British Columbia, the Galore Creek Partnership again sponsored the Tahltan Literacy/Cultural Camps which teach youth the importance of literacy and culture, and the balance between the two.

Balance Sheet

By carefully managing our treasury, we have remained financially strong with over $88 million in cash and term deposits as of August 31, 2017, which is more than sufficient to deliver on our stated objectives of completing permitting activities at Donlin Gold, and advancing the current drill program and related optimization work with Barrick.

We are grateful for the support and trust from all our stakeholders, including our shareholders, Native Corporations, First Nations, and the government agencies of the jurisdictions in which our assets are located. We are also very thankful for the guidance from our Board of Directors and for the hard work and dedication of our project teams in advancing the value of both the Donlin Gold and Galore Creek projects.

Gregory A. Lang

President & CEO

Financial Results

in thousands of U.S. dollars, except for per share amounts

Three

months

ended

August 31,

2017

$ Three

months

ended

August 31,

2016

$ Nine

months

ended

August 31,

2017

$ Nine

months

ended

August 31,

2016

$ General and administrative expense (1) 4,646 4,230 16,163 16,132 Share of losses  Donlin Gold 3,165 1,980 7,794 6,485 Share of losses  Galore Creek 612 212 987 726 Total operating expenses 8,423 6,422 24,944 23,343 Loss from operations (8,423 ) (6,422 ) (24,944 ) (23,343 ) Other income (expense) (1,903 ) (885 ) (3,836 ) (3,000 ) Loss for the period (10,393 ) (7,381 ) (28,998 ) (26,496 ) Loss per share, basic and diluted (0.03 ) (0.02 ) (0.09 ) (0.08 ) At At



August 31,

2017

$ Nov 30,

2016

$ Cash and term deposits 88,542 105,274 Total assets 413,318 408,261 Total liabilities 113,008 107,998 (1) Includes share-based compensation expense of $2,141 and $1,869 in the third quarter of 2017 and 2016, respectively, and $8,115

and $8,446 in the first nine months of 2017 and 2016, respectively.



Loss from operations in the third quarter increased from $6.4 million in 2016 to $8.4 million in 2017 and increased in the first nine months from $23.3 million in 2016 to $24.9 million in 2017 due to drill program expenses at Donlin Gold, as well as increased care and maintenance activity at Galore Creek. In the third quarter, general and administrative expense was also higher due to higher share-based compensation costs for stock options compared to the same quarter last year. The current year stock option grant to the Companys Directors is scheduled to fully vest on December 1, 2018 and is being amortized over a two-year period. The prior year stock option grant to Directors vested immediately and was expensed on the grant date.



Net loss in the third quarter increased from $7.4 million ($0.02 per share) in 2016 to $10.4 million ($0.03 per share) in 2017 and increased in the first nine months from $26.5 million ($0.08 per share) in 2016 to $29 million ($0.09 per share) due to the increased loss from operations, an unfavorable net change in foreign exchange gains and losses, and higher interest expense on the promissory note.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

Cash, cash equivalents and term deposits decreased by $5.0 million and $16.7 million, in the third quarter and first nine months of 2017, respectively. Cash used to fund our projects increased in the third quarter and first nine months of 2017 compared the prior year periods due to commencement of the drill program at Donlin Gold and increased care and maintenance activity at Galore Creek. Cash used in operating activities increased in the third quarter as the prior year quarter benefited from the receipt of exploration tax credits. The decrease in cash used in operating activities during the first nine months is primarily due to lower withholding taxes paid on vested performance share units. The Company elected to deliver full shares to executives in the first quarter of 2017 to reduce the use of cash. No cash was used in or provided by financing activities in the first nine months of 2017 or 2016.

2017 Outlook

For the full year, we continue to expect to spend approximately $27 million, including $11 million for general and administrative costs, $14 million to fund our share of expenditures at the Donlin Gold project, and $2 million at the Galore Creek project.

NOVAGOLD remains focused on five primary goals in 2017: advance the Donlin Gold project toward a construction/ production decision; maintain strong relationships with all stakeholders; continue to enhance the value of the Galore Creek project and monetize if warranted; safeguard our treasury; and promote a strong safety culture.

Conference Call & Webcast Details

NOVAGOLDs conference call and webcast to discuss these results will take place on October 4, 2017 at 8:00am PT (11:00am ET). The webcast and conference call-in details are provided below.

Webcast: www.novagold.com/investors/events/ North American callers: 1-855-475-2134 International callers: 1-661-378-9964 Conference ID: 87572517

The webcast will be archived on NOVAGOLDs website for one year. To request a transcript of the call, please email us at: info@novagold.com.



About NOVAGOLD

NOVAGOLD is a well-financed precious metals company focused on the permitting and development of its 50%-owned Donlin Gold project in Alaska, one of the safest mining jurisdictions in the world. With approximately 39 million ounces of gold in the measured and indicated resource categories, inclusive of proven and probable reserves (541 million tonnes at an average grade of approximately 2.2 grams per tonne), Donlin Gold is regarded to be one of the largest, highest grade, and most prospective known gold deposits in the world. According to the Second Updated Feasibility Study (as defined below), once in production, Donlin Gold is expected to produce an average of more than one million ounces per year over a 27-year mine life on a 100% basis. The Donlin Gold project has substantial exploration potential beyond the designed footprint which currently covers only three kilometers of an approximately eight-kilometer long gold-bearing trend. Current activities at Donlin Gold are focused on permitting, optimization work, community outreach and workforce development in preparation for the construction and operation of this top tier asset. NOVAGOLD also owns 50% of the Galore Creek copper-gold-silver project located in northern British Columbia. According to the 2011 Pre-Feasibility Study (as defined below), once in production, Galore Creek is expected to be the largest copper mine in Canada, a tier-one mining jurisdiction. NOVAGOLD anticipates selling all or a portion of its interest in Galore Creek and would apply the proceeds toward the development of Donlin Gold. With a strong balance sheet, NOVAGOLD is well positioned to stay the course and take Donlin Gold through permitting.

Scientific and Technical Information

Scientific and technical information contained herein with respect to Donlin Gold is derived from the Donlin Creek Gold Project Alaska, USA NI 43-101 Technical Report on Second Updated Feasibility Study prepared by AMEC with an effective date of November 18, 2011, as amended January 20, 2012 (the Second Updated Feasibility Study). Kirk Hanson, P.E., Technical Director, Open Pit Mining, North America, (AMEC, Reno), and Gordon Seibel, R.M. SME, Principal Geologist, (AMEC, Reno) are the Qualified Persons responsible for the preparation of the independent technical report, each of whom are independent qualified persons as defined by NI 43-101.

Certain scientific and technical information contained herein with respect to Galore Creek is derived from the technical report entitled "Galore Creek Project British Columbia NI 43-101 Technical Report on Pre-Feasibility Study" dated effective July 27, 2011 (the "2011 Pre-Feasibility Study"). The Qualified Persons responsible for the preparation of the independent technical report are Greg Kulla, P. Geo., Principal Geologist (AMEC Americas Limited), and Jay Melnyk, P. Eng. (AMEC Americas Limited), each of whom are independent "qualified persons" as defined by NI 43-101.

Clifford Krall, P.E., who is the Mine Engineering Manager for NOVAGOLD and a qualified person under NI 43-101, has approved the scientific and technical information related to the Donlin Gold and Galore Creek projects contained in this press release.

NOVAGOLD Contacts:

Melanie Hennessey

Vice President, Corporate Communications

Erin OToole

Senior Stakeholder Relations Specialist

604-669-6227 or 1-866-669-6227

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes certain forward-looking information and forward-looking statements (collectively forward-looking statements) within the meaning of applicable securities legislation, including the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein including, without limitation, the timing of permitting and potential development of Donlin Gold, statements relating to NOVAGOLDs future operating and financial performance, outlook, production estimates, and the potential sale of all or part of NOVAGOLDs interest in Galore Creek are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are frequently, but not always, identified by words such as expects, anticipates, believes, intends, estimates, potential, possible, and similar expressions, or statements that events, conditions, or results will, may, could, or should occur or be achieved. These forward-looking statements may include statements regarding the 2017 outlook; exploration potential of Donlin Gold; mine life and production estimates at Donlin Gold; perceived merit of properties; anticipated timing and content of an updated feasibility study; anticipated permitting timeframes; exploration results and budgets; mineral reserve and resource estimates; work programs; capital expenditures; timelines; strategic plans; completion of transactions; market prices for precious and base metals; or other statements that are not statements of fact. Forward-looking statements involve various risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from NOVAGOLDs expectations include the uncertainties involving the need to obtain permits and governmental approvals; the need for additional financing to explore and develop properties and availability of financing in the debt and capital markets; uncertainties involved in the interpretation of drilling results and geological tests and the estimation of reserves and resources; the need for continued cooperation with Barrick Gold Corporation and Teck Resources Limited for the continued exploration and development of the Donlin Gold and Galore Creek properties, respectively; the need for cooperation of government agencies and native groups in the development and operation of properties; risks of construction and mining projects such as accidents, equipment breakdowns, bad weather, non-compliance with environmental and permit requirements, unanticipated variation in geological structures, ore grades or recovery rates; unexpected cost increases, which could include significant increases in estimated capital and operating costs; fluctuations in metal prices and currency exchange rates; and other risk and uncertainties disclosed in NOVAGOLDs Annual Report filed on Form 10-K for the year-ended November 30, 2016 with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, Canadian securities regulators, and in other NOVAGOLD reports and documents filed with applicable securities regulatory authorities from time to time. NOVAGOLDs forward-looking statements reflect the beliefs, opinions and projections on the date the statements are made. NOVAGOLD assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements of beliefs, opinions, projections, or other factors, should they change, except as required by law.

Cautionary Note to United States Investors

This press release has been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the securities laws in effect in Canada, which differ from the requirements of U.S. securities laws. Unless otherwise indicated, all resource and reserve estimates included in this press release have been prepared in accordance with Canadian National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (NI 43-101) and the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM)CIM Definition Standards on Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves, adopted by the CIM Council, as amended (CIM Definition Standards). NI 43-101 is a rule developed by the Canadian Securities Administrators which establishes standards for all public disclosure an issuer makes of scientific and technical information concerning mineral projects. Canadian standards, including NI 43-101, differ significantly from the requirements of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and resource and reserve information contained herein may not be comparable to similar information disclosed by U.S. companies. In particular, and without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the term "resource does not equate to the term "reserves. Under U.S. standards, mineralization may not be classified as a "reserve unless the determination has been made that the mineralization could be economically and legally produced or extracted at the time the reserve determination is made. The SEC's disclosure standards normally do not permit the inclusion of information concerning "measured mineral resources, "indicated mineral resources or "inferred mineral resources or other descriptions of the amount of mineralization in mineral deposits that do not constitute "reserves by U.S. standards in documents filed with the SEC. Investors are cautioned not to assume that all or any part of measured or indicated resources will ever be converted into reserves. Investors should also understand that "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 the inferred resources will ever be upgraded to indicated resource, measured resource, or mineral reserve status. Under Canadian rules, estimated "inferred mineral resources may not form the basis of feasibility or pre-feasibility studies except in rare cases. Investors are cautioned not to assume that all or any part of an "inferred mineral resource exists or is economically or legally mineable. Disclosure of "contained ounces in a resource is permitted disclosure under Canadian regulations; 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 measures. The requirements of NI 43-101 for identification of "reserves are also not the same as those of the SEC, and reserves reported by NOVAGOLD in compliance with NI 43-101 may not qualify as "reserves under SEC standards. Neither Donlin Gold nor Galore Creek have known reserves, as defined under SEC Industry Guide 7. Accordingly, information concerning mineral deposits set forth herein may not be comparable with information made public by companies that report in accordance with U.S. standards.
BOSTON, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- LogicManager has been named the 2017 Company of the Year and a Technology Leader in the global governance, risk management, and compliance (GRC) market by Quadrant Knowledge Solutions. Quadrant's Best Practice Research Team analyzed the offerings of leading GRC software vendors with an integrated solution. LogicManager placed first among these solutions, with best-in-class strategy implementations driven by global megatrends and industry transformation.

In Quadrant's report, Market Outlook: Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC), 2017- 2022, Worldwide, the firm identified the top three GRC vendors. LogicManager earned the highest Company of the Year score, based on their strategy, business and growth (SBG) performance, and industry impact.

Company of the year Evaluation SBG Index Industry Impact Average Score Weightage 50% 50% 100% LogicManager 8.9 8.2 8.55 SAI Global 8.5 8.2 8.35 LockPath 8.1 7.8 7.95 1=Poor, 10=Excellence

Source: Market Outlook: Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC) Platform, 2017- 2022, Worldwide. Quadrant Knowledge Solutions.

"This recognition is a testament to our company's commitment to innovation and providing real value to our users," says Steven Minsky, CEO of LogicManager. "We are honored to be recognized as thought leaders and disrupters in our industry."

Traditionally, organizations have used multiple point solutions to manage departmental risks, such as IT risk management, compliance management, and vendor management. However, the GRC market landscape is changing. An integrated solution with a single framework is needed to monitor and manage risks across the enterprise.

"LogicManager is well recognized for delivering a strong customer ownership experience with its risk-based, user friendly, and flexible GRC software platform," said Piyush Dewangan, Industry Research Manager at Quadrant Knowledge Solutions. "The company supports diverse use cases across industry verticals and offers a wide range of resources, tools, industry-specific templates, and plugin content to support evolving needs of customers."

LogicManager uniquely enables organizations to maximize performance and protect their employees, customers, and investors. The company provides centralized taxonomy technology to define risks and relationships across departments and levels, a Software-as-a-Service platform for best-in-class flexibility, and unlimited support with a 90-day satisfaction guarantee to ensure continuous success.

About LogicManager

LogicManager believes performance is a result of effective risk management. LogicManager's GRC software empowers organizations to uphold their reputation, anticipate what's ahead, and improve business performance through strong governance. For more information about LogicManager, visit www.logicmanager.com.

Media Contact

Caitlin Seele: [email protected], (617) 530-1208

SOURCE LogicManager

Related Links

http://www.logicmanager.com


MILWAUKEE, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- To help ghosts and goblins of all ages get in the Halloween spirit, Marcus Theatres and Marcus Wehrenberg Theatres are offering two Halloween-themed film series at select locations throughout October.

Beginning October 5, classic horror films from the '70s and '80s will return to the big screen during the Fright Night Film Series. Admission for these movies is just $5 per person.

Kicking off October 13, the Kids Dream Not-so-Scary Halloween Film Series presented by American Family Insurance will feature family favorites that are a little spooky and a whole lot of fun. Admission for these films is just $3 per person. For free tickets courtesy of American Family Insurance, guests can visit their American Family Insurance agent or the Kids Dream Series' website: www.marcustheatres.com/kidsdream.

Showtimes and Trick-or-Treat Party

Showtimes for Fright Night films will be Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 10 p.m., and Not-so-Scary Halloween movies will play on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays at 10 a.m. In advance of "Shrek," all locations participating in the Not-so-Scary Halloween series will also host a Trick-or-Treat Costume Party on October 21 at 9 a.m. Children of all ages will enjoy trick-or-treating, Halloween-themed crafts, games, snacks and more!

Titles, dates and showtimes are subject to change. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit: www.marcustheatres.com/marcus-specials/marcus-film-series/.

Fright Night Series:

October 5-7: "The Shining"  Rated R

Lauded as one of the best horror films of all time, "The Shining" tells the story of a family headed to an isolated hotel for the winter. Once settled in, an evil and spiritual presence influences the father into violence, while his son is plagued by psychic premonitions.

October 12-14: "A Nightmare on Elm Street"  Rated R

Several people are hunted by a cruel serial killer who kills his victims in their dreams. While the survivors are trying to find the reasons for being chosen, the murderer won't lose any chance to kill them as soon as they fall asleep.

October 19-21: "The Exorcist"  Rated R

When a girl is possessed by a mysterious entity, her mother seeks the help of two priests to save her daughter.

October 26-28: "Halloween"  Rated R

Fifteen years after murdering his sister on Halloween night 1963, Michael Myers escapes from a mental hospital and returns to the small town of Haddonfield to kill again.

Not-so-Scary Halloween Series presented by American Family Insurance:

October 13-15: "Monsters vs. Aliens"  Rated PG

A woman transformed into a giant after she is struck by a meteorite on her wedding day becomes part of a team of monsters sent in by the U.S. government to defeat an alien mastermind trying to take over Earth.

October 20-22: "Shrek"  Rated PG

After his swamp is filled with magical creatures, Shrek agrees to rescue Princess Fiona for a villainous lord in order to get his land back.

October 27-29: "The Book of Life"  Rated PG

Centered around the "Day of the Dead," a young man is torn between fulfilling the expectations of his family and following his heart. From there, he embarks on an adventure that spans three fantastic worlds where he must face his greatest fears.

Locations:

The Fright Night Series will be available at the following Marcus Theatres and Marcus Wehrenberg Theatres locations:

State Locations Illinois Addison Cinema, (630) 932-4572 Chicago Heights Cinema, (708) 747-0928 Country Club Hills Cinema, (708) 365-1380 Elgin Cinema, (847) 622-3023 Gurnee Mills Cinema, (847) 855-9945 Orland Park Cinema, (708) 873-1582 Iowa Cedar Rapids Cine, (319) 393-8942 College Square Cinema, Cedar Falls, (319) 433-1166 Minnesota Duluth Cinema, (218) 722-1573 Elk River Cinema, (763) 441-1954 Oakdale Cinema, (651) 770-4992 Parkwood Cinema, Waite Park, (320) 251-1188 Missouri Ronnie's Cine + IMAX, St. Louis, (314) 756-9325 St. Charles Cine, (636) 699-4144 Nebraska Lincoln Grand Cinema, (402) 323-6721 Majestic Cinema of Omaha, (402) 445-0617 Twin Creek Cinema, Bellevue, (402) 827-8946 North Dakota West Acres Cinema, Fargo, (701) 282-6930 Ohio Crosswoods Cinema, Columbus, (614) 436-9818 Pickerington Cinema, (614) 759-8616 Wisconsin Bay Park Cinema, Ashwaubenon, (920) 497-2453 BistroPlex Southridge, Greendale, (414) 448-2972 La Crosse Cinema, (608) 788-1212 Majestic Cinema of Brookfield, (262) 798-4099 Menomonee Falls Cinema, (262) 502-9071 Palace Cinema, Sun Prairie, (608) 825-9004 Point Cinema, Madison, (608) 833-3981 Ridge Cinema, New Berlin, (262) 797-0889 South Shore Cinema, Oak Creek, (414) 768-5960 Valley Grand Cinema, Appleton, (920) 831-0431

The Not-so-Scary Halloween Film Series presented by American Family Insurance will be offered at the following Marcus Theatres and Marcus Wehrenberg Theatres locations:

State Locations Illinois Addison Cinema, (630) 932-4572

Bloomington Cine + IMAX, (309) 828-8081 Chicago Heights Cinema, (708) 747-0928 Country Club Hills Cinema, (708) 365-1380 Elgin Cinema, (847) 622-3023 Gurnee Mills Cinema, (847) 855-9945 O'Fallon Cine, (618) 624-7363 Orland Park Cinema, (708) 873-1582 Iowa Cedar Rapids Cine, (319) 393-8942 Coral Ridge Cinema, Coralville, (319) 625-2100 Crossroads Cinema, Waterloo, (319) 235-9703 Minnesota Elk River Cinema, (763) 441-1954 Lakes Cinema, Hermantown (218) 729-0334 Oakdale Cinema, (651) 770-4992 Parkwood Cinema, Waite Park, (320) 251-1188

Rochester Cine + IMAX, (507) 529-1753 Rosemount Cinema, (651) 322-1775 Southbridge Crossing Cinema, Shakopee, (612) 252-5119 Missouri Cape West Cine, Cape Girardeau, (573) 651-3182 Chesterfield Cine, (636) 777-4154 Ronnie's Cine + IMAX, St. Louis, (314) 756-9325 St. Charles Cine, (636) 699-4144 Nebraska Lincoln Grand Cinema, 402-323-6721

Majestic Cinema of Omaha, (402) 445-0617 Twin Creek Cinema, Bellevue, (402) 827- 8946 North Dakota West Acres Cinema, Fargo, (701) 282-6930 Ohio Crosswoods Cinema, Columbus, (614) 436-9818 Pickerington Cinema, (614) 759-8616 Wisconsin Bay Park Cinema, Ashwaubenon, (920) 497-245

Hillside Cinema, Delafield, (262) 646-7302 La Crosse Cinema, (608) 788-1212 Majestic Cinema of Brookfield, (262) 798-4099

Menomonee Falls Cinema, (262) 502-9071 North Shore Cinema, Mequon, (262) 241-6181

Oshkosh Cinema, (920) 233-1804 Palace Cinema, Sun Prairie, (608) 825-9004 Point Cinema, Madison, (608) 833-3981 Renaissance, Sturtevant, (262) 884-9253 Ridge Cinema, New Berlin, (262) 797-9021 Sheboygan Cinema, (920) 459-5122 South Shore Cinema, Oak Creek, (414) 768-5961 Valley Grand Cinema, Appleton, (920) 831-0431

About American Family Insurance

Madison, Wisconsin-based American Family Insurance group, celebrating its 90th anniversary in 2017, is the nation's 13th-largest property/casualty insurance group and ranks No. 315 on the Fortune 500 list. The company sells American Family-brand products, including auto, homeowners, life, business and farm/ranch insurance, primarily through its exclusive agents in 19 states. American Family affiliates (The General and Homesite) also provide options for consumers who want to manage their insurance matters directly over the Internet or by phone. Web www.amfam.com; Facebook www.facebook.com/amfam; Twitter www.twitter.com/amfam.

About Marcus Theatres

Marcus Theatres, a division of The Marcus Corporation, is the fourth largest theatre circuit in the United States and currently owns or operates 895 screens at 69 locations in Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota and Ohio. For more information, please visit www.marcustheatres.com and follow the company on Facebook and Twitter (@Marcus_Theatres).

SOURCE Marcus Theatres

Related Links

http://www.marcustheatres.com


NEW YORK, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05126487







Some of the key factors influencing the market growth include increasing installation of scanjet anti-piracy solutions, need to build up maritime security and emergence of smart anti-piracy system. However, challenges associated with carrying firearms on ships are hindering the market growth.



The lethal anti- piracy segment amongst products had a steady growth during the forecast period. Lethal anti- piracy segment includes guns & rifles and are used in cases where the crew has the need to defend themselves from a potentially lethal attack from pirates. With piracy acts reappearing in the recent years, defense agencies across the globe will focus on procuring more weapons. This will contribute to the growth of this market segment during the forecast period. Europe, Middle East and Africa will be the key revenue contributors to the market. Countries in the European Union (EU) have extended their support for anti-piracy missions through multiple programs.



The naval forces mainly operate in the Southern Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, the Indian Ocean, and the Somali Coastal territory. In addition, the Nigerian government has been making efforts to reinforce the maritime sector for economic growth. Nigeria is looking to implement an anti-piracy law that will decrease the actions of pirates and other maritime offenders in the country.



Some of the key players in global Maritime Anti-Piracy Systems market include BAE Systems, A.ST.I.M, ST Electronics, Sentient Vision system, SAFRAN Group, Monitor Systems, LRAD, Guardian Maritime and CONTROP Precision Technologies.



Products Covered:

 Non-lethal Anti-Piracy Weapons

 Lethal Anti- Piracy



Regions Covered:

 North America

o US

o Canada

o Mexico

 Europe

o Germany

o UK

o Italy

o France

o Spain

o Rest of Europe

 Asia Pacific

o Japan

o China

o India

o Australia

o New Zealand

o South Korea

o Rest of Asia Pacific

 South America

o Argentina

o Brazil

o Chile

o Rest of South America

 Middle East & Africa

o Saudi Arabia

o UAE

o Qatar

o South Africa

o Rest of Middle East & Africa



What our report offers:

- Market share assessments for the regional and country level segments

- Market share analysis of the top industry players

- Strategic recommendations for the new entrants

- Market forecasts for a minimum of 7 years of all the mentioned segments, sub segments and the regional markets

- Market Trends (Drivers, Constraints, Opportunities, Threats, Challenges, Investment Opportunities, and recommendations)

- Strategic recommendations in key business segments based on the market estimations

- Competitive landscaping mapping the key common trends

- Company profiling with detailed strategies, financials, and recent developments

- Supply chain trends mapping the latest technological advancements



Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05126487



About Reportlinker

ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place.



https://www.reportlinker.com





__________________________

Contact Clare: [email protected]

US: (339)-368-6001

Intl: +1 339-368-6001

SOURCE Reportlinker

Related Links

http://www.reportlinker.com


FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla., Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- On the heels of helping investors recover losses after brokers recommended BreitBurn Energy Partners LP., the Mark A. Tepper law firm announced today that it is continuing its investigation into alleged claims against Hilliard Lyons and other brokerage firms for recommending BreitBurn to customers.

Investors who recovered losses in recent months after Brokers recommended BreitBurn have praised the Mark Tepper Law firm for its work in representing claims for damages against both Merrill Lynch and Raymond James. The individual claims were each upheld by FINRA arbitrators.

These include a retired school teacher who recently recovered losses in BreitBurn. A Circuit Court ruled that in addition to damages, Merrill Lynch must also pay attorney's fees, interest and costs for the retiree. The ruling follows the successful arbitration results obtained by the Mark Tepper law firm against Merrill Lynch. The brokerage firm had recommended BreitBurn to the retiree.

How Investors May Recover BreitBurn losses

Investors, whose brokers unsuitably recommended BreitBurn, may be eligible to file claims for recovery against their broker.

Did Hilliard Lyons or your broker explain the risk of loss in BreitBurn?

If the answer is "no" you may have a claim against Hilliard Lyons or your broker to recover losses you sustained.

For a free case evaluation from the law firm of Mark A. Tepper P.A., email attorney Mark A. Tepper at [email protected] or telephone 954-961-0096.

About Mark A. Tepper, P.A. (www.MarkTepper.com)

Attorney Mark A. Tepper is the former Chief Trial Counsel at the New York Attorney General's Bureau of Investor Protection and Securities. He has earned the reputation of "Investor Advocate" while practicing law for over 35 years representing individual investors. FINRA arbitrators have upheld stockbroker fraud claims filed by Mr. Tepper against many brokerage firms. A member of the Florida, New York and California Bars, Mr. Tepper is peer-reviewed for 17 consecutive years as AV PREEMINENT for ethical standards and legal ability. It's the highest rating of lawyers in the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Mark Hopkinson, NewsMark Public Relations

561-852-5767 [email protected]

http://www.newsmarkpr.com

SOURCE Mark A. Tepper, P.A.
IRVINE, Calif., Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) today reported total September U.S. sales of 25,738 vehicles, representing an increase of 3.4 percent versus September of last year. With 26 selling days in September 2017, versus 25 the year prior, the company posted a decrease of 0.6 percent on a Daily Selling Rate (DSR) basis.

Key September sales notes:

The Mazda CX-5 posted its best-ever month since going on sale in February of 2012, with 12,440 vehicles sold in the month of September. This number represents an increase of 32.6 percent versus September of last year, and marks its seventh best-ever month in CY2017.

Momentum around the Mazda MX-5 Miata continues, with the world's best-selling two-seat roadster posting a year-over-year (YOY) increase of 12.5 percent in the month of September. Total sales, which includes both the MX-5 soft top and MX-5 RF, reached 846 vehicles sold in the month of September.

Sales of the seven-passenger Mazda CX-9 rose 0.9 percent YOY with 1,850 vehicles sold in the month of September.

Total sales of Mazda's CX crossover SUV line, including the CX-3, CX-5 and CX-9, were up 23.6 percent YOY with 15,743 vehicles sold in the month of September. Among CX buyers, Mazda customers continue to choose the AWD option, with 62.2 percent of CX-line vehicles sold in September being equipped with i-ACTIV All-Wheel Drive.

Mazda reported Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) sales of 3,580 vehicles, marking a YOY increase of 29.0 percent.

Mazda Motor de Mexico (MMdM) reported September sales of 3,888 vehicles, marking a decrease of 17.9 percent versus September of last year.

Mazda North American Operations is headquartered in Irvine, California, and oversees the sales, marketing, parts and customer service support of Mazda vehicles in the United States and Mexico through nearly 600 dealers. Operations in Mexico are managed by Mazda Motor de Mexico in Mexico City. For more information on Mazda vehicles, including photography and B-roll, please visit the online Mazda media center at InsideMazda.MazdaUSA.com/Newsroom.



Month-To-Date

Year-To-Date























September September % % MTD

September September % % YTD

2017 2016 Change DSR

2017 2016 Change DSR























Mazda3 6,112 7,350 (16.8)% (20.0)%

60,107 74,131 (18.9)% (20.0)%

Mazda5 1 3 (66.7)% (67.9)%

10 365 (97.3)% (97.3)%

Mazda6 3,036 4,052 (25.1)% (28.0)%

27,850 35,862 (22.3)% (23.4)%

MX-5 Miata 846 752 12.5% 8.2%

9,717 7,840 23.9% 22.3%

CX-3 1,453 1,513 (4.0)% (7.7)%

11,981 14,007 (14.5)% (15.6)%

CX-5 12,440 9,385 32.6% 27.5%

92,550 82,439 12.3% 10.8%

CX-9 1,850 1,834 0.9% (3.0)%

18,082 9,621 87.9% 85.5%























Total Vehicles









































CARS 9,995 12,157 (17.8)% (20.9)%

97,684 118,201 (17.4)% (18.4)%

TRUCKS 15,743 12,732 23.6% 18.9%

122,613 106,067 15.6% 14.1%























TOTAL 25,738 24,889 3.4% (0.6)%

220,297 224,267 (1.8)% (3.1)%













































Selling Days 26 25





230 227



















































SOURCE Mazda North American Operations

Related Links

http://www.mazdausa.com


WINNIPEG, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ - Medicure Inc. ("Medicure" or the "Company") (TSXV:MPH, OTC:MCUJF), a specialty pharmaceutical company, today announced that it has sold its interests in Apicore to an arm's length, pharmaceutical company (the "Buyer").

Medicure acquired Apicore in a series of transactions occurring between July 3, 2014 and July 12, 2017 and had obtained a CDN$60 million loan towards these purchases. Under the transaction, Medicure will receive net proceeds of approximately US$105 million. These funds to be received by the Company are after payment of all transaction costs, the cashing in of Apicore employee stock options, the redemption of the remaining shares of Apicore not owned by Medicure and other adjustments. Over the next 18 months, additional payments may be payable under the agreement, in the form of contingent payments, including an earn out payment based on the achievement of certain financial results by Apicore following closing and other customary adjustments.

"We are very pleased with our return on investment in Apicore", stated Medicure's President and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Albert D. Friesen. The Company intends to use the proceeds from the sale to retire its approximately CDN$61 million long-term debt, pay the required debt pre-payment fees, pursue the acquisition of additional commercial cardiovascular products and further advance its product development pipeline.

This transaction constitutes a Reviewable Transaction under the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange (the "Exchange"). The transaction has been approved by the Exchange and as required by the policies of the Exchange has also been approved by the written consent of shareholders holding more than 50% of the issued shares of Medicure.

About Medicure Inc.

Medicure is a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of therapeutics for the U.S. hospital market. The primary focus of the Company is the marketing and distribution of AGGRASTAT (tirofiban hydrochloride) in the United States, where it is sold through the Company's U.S. subsidiary, Medicure Pharma, Inc. For more information on Medicure please visit www.medicure.com.

About Apicore

Apicore is a private, New Jersey based developer and manufacturer of specialty Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients ("APIs") and pharmaceuticals, including over 15 Abbreviated New Drug Applications ("ANDAs"), one of which, is partnered with Medicure. Apicore manufactures over 100 different API's, including over 35 for which Drug Master Files have been submitted to the FDA and 16 that are approved for commercial sale in the U.S. by customers of Apicore. Apicore specializes in the manufacture of difficult to synthesize, high value and other niche API's for many U.S. and international generic and branded pharmaceutical companies. Apicore has two FDA-approved facilities. In the U.S., the Somerset, New Jersey facility can produce a few grams up to 200 kg volumes and in India, the Vadodara, Gujarat facility can produce a few kilograms up to 60 metric tons yearly. Both facilities are equipped with state-of-the-art analytical and research capabilities. For more information, please visit Apicore online at www.apicore.com.

To be added to Medicure's e-mail list, please visit:

http://medicure.mediaroom.com/alerts

Forward Looking Information: Statements contained in this press release that are not statements of historical fact, including, without limitation, statements containing the words "believes", "may", "plans", "will", "estimates", "continues", "anticipates", "intends", "expects" and similar expressions, may constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian and U.S. federal securities laws (such forward-looking information and forward-looking statements are hereinafter collectively referred to as "forward-looking statements"). Forward-looking statements, including the receipt of contingent payments under the Apicore sale transaction, the potential for Medicure to secure and advance new products are based on the current assumptions, estimates, analysis and opinions of management of the Company made in light of its experience and its perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, as well as other factors which the Company believes to be relevant and reasonable in the circumstances. Inherent in forward-looking statements are known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors beyond the Company's ability to predict or control that may cause the actual results, events or developments to be materially different from any future results, events or developments expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, and as such, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Such risk factors include, among others, the Company's future product revenues, stage of development, additional capital requirements, risks associated with the completion and timing of clinical trials and obtaining regulatory approval to market the Company's products, the ability to protect its intellectual property, dependence upon collaborative partners, changes in government regulation or regulatory approval processes, and rapid technological change in the industry. Such statements are based on a number of assumptions which may prove to be incorrect, including, but not limited to, assumptions about: general business and economic conditions; the impact of changes in Canadian-US dollar and other foreign exchange rates on the Company's revenues, costs and results; the timing of the receipt of regulatory and governmental approvals for the Company's research and development projects; the availability of financing for the Company's commercial operations and/or research and development projects, or the availability of financing on reasonable terms; results of current and future clinical trials; the uncertainties associated with the acceptance and demand for new products and market competition. The foregoing list of important factors and assumptions is not exhaustive. The Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or otherwise revise any forward-looking statements or the foregoing list of factors, other than as may be required by applicable legislation. Additional discussion regarding the risks and uncertainties relating to the Company and its business can be found in the Company's other filings with the applicable Canadian securities regulatory authorities or the US Securities and Exchange Commission, and in the "Risk Factors" section of its Form 20F for the year ended December 31, 2016.

SOURCE Medicure Inc.

Related Links

http://www.medicure.com/


PITTSBURGH, Oct. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Michael Baker International, a global leader in engineering, planning and consulting services, today announced that Martin J. Miner has joined the firm as Chief Technology Officer (CTO). In the newly created CTO role, Mr. Miner will serve as a member of the Michael Baker's Executive Leadership Team and lead all facets of the firm's technology, including the Information Technology Services (ITS) organization.

Based in Michael Baker's Alexandria, Va., office, Mr. Miner brings more than two decades of military experience and nearly 30 years of professional experience in leadership positions that span system development and deployment, operations and program management. He has extensive IT enterprise architecture, governance and program/project management experience with a strong focus on innovation, driving growth and creating differentiated value propositions for clients.

"Technology integration and the operational efficiencies it creates has never been more important in the engineering industry. Michael Baker International will leverage Marty's extensive experience to enrich our firm's technological capabilities," said Brian A. Lutes, Chief Executive Officer at Michael Baker International. "Marty's hiring allows Michael Baker to expand our Technology & Innovation practice as he will focus on improving our service delivery efficiency and advancing our various client-centric technologies, such as LiDAR, GIS, GIT, UAS and other emerging opportunities, to remain best-in-class."

In his leadership role, Mr. Miner will utilize his diverse technology background to establish a holistic approach to building a stronger coalition of technology thought leaders throughout the firm. He will cultivate the spirit of innovation and the creative minds within Michael Baker to leverage existing technology and expand the firm's capabilities into new, emerging fields.

Prior to joining Michael Baker, Mr. Miner served in numerous roles at Leidos, the largest U.S. Government IT services contractor in the country. He joined the company in 1997 and progressed through several leadership positions of increasing responsibility, including the role of Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer. Mr. Miner also served as an Officer in the U.S. Air Force for 10 years, followed by 14 years in the Air Force Reserves, retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel.

Mr. Miner is an active member of his community, contributing his time to such organizations as Rebuilding Together, Hearts & Hammers, Habitat for Humanity, the Child Rescue Center and Mercy Hospital in Sierra Leone. He earned bachelors' degrees in Computer Science and Mathematics from the United States Air Force Academy and a master's degree in Operations Research from the Air Force Institute of Technology, Graduate School of Engineering and Management. He is also a graduate of the Executive Program at the University of Virginia's Darden School of Business.

About Michael Baker International

Michael Baker International is a leading global provider of engineering and consulting services, which include planning, architectural, environmental, construction, program management, and full life-cycle support services as well as information technology and communications services and solutions. The company provides its comprehensive range of services and solutions in support of U.S. federal, state, and municipal governments, foreign allied governments, and a wide range of commercial clients. Michael Baker International has more than 6,000 employees in more than 90 locations across the U.S. and internationally. To learn more, visit www.mbakerintl.com.

Contact: Justin Falce

[email protected]

(866) 293-4609

SOURCE Michael Baker International

Related Links

http://www.mbakercorp.com


MBEC is a licensed Article 28 Freestanding Ambulatory Surgical Center dedicated to providing endoscopic procedures. This single-specialty center is a joint venture between Bronx-Lebanon Hospital Center , Morris Heights Health Center , four hospital-employed GI physicians, and four independent gastroenterologists. Physicians Endoscopy is the management company providing administrative services and working exclusively on the business and operational components of the Center.

Physicians Endoscopy efficiently navigated the project through the rigorous certificate of need program within New York State's Department of Health. Upon approval in 2016, PE managed the entire construction process including licensing and accreditation, and together with all owners ensured a successful opening.

"This was an exciting but complicated project. Opening a center in the state of New York is difficult in itself. Obtaining successful CON approval with so many different class owners was a huge challenge. The ability for the physicians, from several different practices, to remain organized throughout the lengthy regulatory process is a testament to their continued partnership. It is very satisfying to meet the expectations of the physicians, hospital, and the health center who were all counting on PE to achieve their goal," said Carol Stopa, SVP, Business Development, Physicians Endoscopy.

"We leverage every opportunity to create a safe, efficient, cost-effective experience for our patients always putting them first. Physician Endoscopy's extensive expertise in the GI ASC field supports the health center's mission to continually improve the outcomes of our service and of our commitment to serving the community," said Claudette Phipps, Vice President of Fund Development, Planning & External Affairs, Morris Heights Health Center.

"Mid-Bronx Endoscopy Center represents the continued commitment to business and delivery of healthcare in New York City for Physicians Endoscopy and partners in the Center. We are all proud to set a new standard of excellence for endoscopy services in this community," said Bob Estes, VP Center Development and Implementation, Operations, Physicians Endoscopy.

"An unprecedented partnership between Bronx-Lebanon Hospital Center, Morris Heights Health Center, Physicians Endoscopy, and a highly qualified group of GI providers, MBEC is a symbol of our unceasing promise to provide the highest quality of GI endoscopic services, while improving the health of patients in the community," commented Prospere Remy, MD, Medical Director, Mid-Bronx Endoscopy Center.

Physicians Endoscopy is a nationally recognized development and management company affiliated with GI-focused ambulatory surgery centers. The company currently operates nearly 60 facilities in 15 states with 23 different hospital systems. Their success is measured in building long-term relationships with physicians and hospitals and impacting communities and patients with a positive healthcare experience. For more information, visit http://www.endocenters.com/ or contact (866) 240-9496.

Media Contact:

Carol Stopa

(215) 589-9018

SOURCE Physicians Endoscopy

Related Links

http://www.endocenters.com


Migrant Justice's Milk with Dignity Program, modeled after the world-renowned Fair Food Program, enlists the resources of food industry leaders, such as Ben & Jerry's, to provide a premium for dairy ingredients to participating farmers who agree to work towards compliance with the labor standards in the Milk with Dignity Code of Conduct. The premium paid to farmers helps offset farms' costs of compliance with the Code, rewards farms that comply, and allows farmers to pass-through a portion of the premium as a bonus paid to workers. In the Milk with Dignity Program, compliance on the farm is achieved through a unique partnership and problem-solving approach among farmers, farmworkers, and the Milk with Dignity Standards Council (MDSC). The MDSC is an independent non-profit that works with farmers and farmworkers to understand, participate in, and achieve compliance with labor standards in the Code.

A group of farmworkers, supporters and Ben & Jerry's employees stood outside the company's flagship store on Vermont's iconic Church Street, where farmworker organizer and former dairy worker Enrique Balcazar shared, "This is an historic day for dairy workers. We have worked tirelessly to get here, and now, we move forward towards a new day for us dairy workers. This is a huge step forward for us and for all workers and we appreciate that Ben & Jerry's has taken a leadership role to source its milk in a way that improves working and housing conditions on dairy farms."

"This is a ground breaking, historic moment not only for two organizations, but most importantly for the hard working dairy farm workers who are a critical part of our community." Solheim acknowledged how key the farmers and cooperative are to making the next steps of program implementation possible, sharing that this program will result in a win-win for all involved. "Vermont's farmers can continue to set the tone for the dairy industry. Today, whether it is for animal care, environmentally sound operations, and now, enhanced labor practices, Vermont's farming community will continue to lead the nation. We are proud of our partnership with the St. Albans Cooperative and these farmers have our full commitment. We recognize the many challenges facing the Vermont dairy farmers today, and we need to do what we can collectively to support the farmers moving forward. We can't do this without them."

Both organizations put pen to paper at the Ben & Jerry's scoop shop in their shared hometown of Burlington, Vermont. The plan now is to put the buyer's agreement into practice by recruiting farmers from St. Albans Cooperative to join the Program as soon as possible. Ben & Jerry's has committed to work towards the goal of sourcing 100% of its dairy ingredients through the Milk with Dignity Program over a period of years. Moving forward, The MD Program will be one of the focused "pillars" of Ben & Jerry's new dairy sourcing to address the full farm ecosystem.

For more information about Migrant Justice, Milk with Dignity, or Ben & Jerry's follow the links below:

Migrant Justice: http://migrantjustice.net/

Milk with Dignity: https://migrantjustice.net/milk-with-dignity

Ben & Jerry's: www.benjerry.com/

About Migrant Justice

Our mission is to build the voice, capacity, and power of the farmworker community and engage community partners to organize for economic justice and human rights. We gather the farmworker community to discuss and analyze shared problems and to envision collective solutions. Through this ongoing investment in leadership development, members deepen their skills in community education and organizing for long-term systemic change. From this basis our members have defined community problems as a denial of rights and dignity and have prioritized building a movement to secure these fundamental human rights to: 1) Dignified Work and Quality Housing; 2) Freedom of Movement and Access to Transportation; 3) Freedom from discrimination; 4) Access to Health Care.

About Ben & Jerry's

As an aspiring social justice company, Ben & Jerry's believes in a greater calling than simply making a profit for selling its goods. The company produces a wide variety of super-premium ice cream, yogurt and sorbet using high-quality ingredients. Ben & Jerry's incorporates its vision of Linked Prosperity into its business practices in a number of ways including a focus on values-led sourcing. In 2015 the company completed its transition to using entirely non-GMO (genetically modified organisms) ingredients by source as well as to fully source Fairtrade-certified ingredients wherever possible, which benefits farmers in developing countries. Ben and Jerry's products are distributed in 35 countries in supermarkets, grocery stores, convenience stores, franchise Ben & Jerry's Scoop Shops, restaurants and other venues. Ben & Jerry's, a Vermont corporation and wholly-owned subsidiary of Unilever, operates its business on a three-part Mission Statement emphasizing product quality, economic reward and a commitment to the community. Ben & Jerry's became a certified B Corp (Benefit Corporation) in 2012. The Ben & Jerry's Foundation's employee-led grant programs totaled $2.5MM in 2016 to support economic and social justice, environmental restoration, and peace through understanding. For the inside scoop on Ben & Jerry's visit www.benjerry.com.

SOURCE Ben & Jerry's

Related Links

http://www.benjerry.com


MONTREAL, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ - Montreal startup Soul.City Group Inc. announces the expansion of its city discovery application into two major US cities, with five more worldwide destinations planned by end of 2017. New York City and San Francisco may now be discovered through one's feelings, where walking itineraries of 2, 4, or 6 hours may be selected from a suggested list of moods.

Realizing that the notion of feeling is at the base of most memorable experiences, the startup's three co-founders polished their idea to create an innovative and free local discovery app. Since its launch on the Apple App store and Google Play in 2016, the application has attracted tens of thousands of users on both sides of the Atlantic.

"We are disrupting city discovery by offering a unique, live, and enhanced experience. The response from our users and corporate partners has been simply incredible. Essentially, we have created an inventory of feelings for people to enjoy", says CEO Annick Charbonneau.

The strategic move into the US market comes at a time of rapid growth for the young company.

"We are in talks with partners to help us take Soul.City global, as fast as possible. We aim to be in 100 cities by 2020", a challenge CEO Annick Charbonneau and her co-founders are keen to take on. The co-founders' main objective: to constantly improve and personalize the user experience, wherever she or he may be in the world.

Soul.City is available for free download on the Apple App Store and Google Play.

About Soul.City: A Franco-Canadian collaboration, the startup's three co-founders evolve on two continents. Annick Charbonneau, CEO based in Montreal, is a world-travelled entrepreneur. Stephane Hamilton, also in Montreal, is the technical force of the trio. He has accompanied several well-established brands in the digital world. Michael Bechler is a designer specialized in the user experience and consultant in lean startups. He brings his European flair to the project with a vast experience in digital tourism.

SOURCE Soul.City Group Inc.

Related Links

http://www.soul.city


NASHVILLE, Tenn., Oct. 03, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Healthcare Realty Trust Incorporated (NYSE:HR) today announced that on Wednesday, November 1, 2017, after the market closes, it expects to report results for the third quarter of 2017.



On November 2, 2017, at 9:00 a.m. Central Time, Healthcare Realty Trust expects to hold a conference call to discuss earnings results, quarterly activities, general operations of the Company and industry trends. Simultaneously, a webcast of the conference call will be available to interested parties via an Internet link at www.healthcarerealty.com under the Investor Relations section. A webcast replay will be available following the call at the same Internet site address.

Conference Call Details

Domestic Dial-In Number: 1.877.507.5522

International Dial-In Number: 1.412.317.6077

Replay Conference Call Details

Domestic Dial-In Number: 1.877.344.7529

International Dial-In Number: 1.412.317.0088

Conference ID: 10112817

Healthcare Realty Trust is a real estate investment trust that integrates owning, managing, financing and developing income-producing real estate properties associated primarily with the delivery of outpatient healthcare services throughout the United States. As of June 30, 2017, the Company had gross investments of approximately $3.6 billion in 197 real estate properties in 26 states totaling approximately 14.5 million square feet. The Company provided leasing and property management services to approximately 10.9 million square feet nationwide.

In addition to the historical information contained within, the matters discussed in this press release may contain forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. These risks are discussed in filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission by Healthcare Realty Trust, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016 under the heading Risk Factors, and as updated in its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed thereafter. Forward-looking statements represent the Companys judgment as of the date of this release. The Company disclaims any obligation to update forward-looking statements.

Carla Baca

Director of Corporate Communications

P: 615.269.8175
"We are very excited to be the Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival presenting sponsor for 2017, and thrilled to continue to build on our relationship with this important event and organization. Mountain Valley Spring Water believes strongly in the film festival goal of highlighting the art of documentary film making, and ultimately bringing cultural and social enrichment to our community and state."  Stephan Williams, Director of Marketing.

As part of their sponsorship, Mountain Valley Spring Water is hosting a student filmmaker contest called Back to the Source Films. Students are asked to create an original 'Back to the Source' 1.5 to 2-minute film that captures their creative interpretation of "Back to the Source." All filmmakers who enter submissions will receive a student pass to the Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival. All films have the chance of running on all Mountain Valley Social Media outlets and website; filmmakers will be alerted if theirs is chosen. The winner will be announced live at the opening ceremony of the HSDFF on 10.6.17 and will receive a $5000 grant for their next film.

Werner Herzog, the acclaimed screenwriter, film director, author, and actor, is coming to Arkansas to take part in the 26th annual Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival. The festival received 1,179 documentary submissions and HSDFF leaders are putting the final touches on the 2017 slate. Additional prominent attendees and films will be announced in the coming weeks.

About Mountain Valley Spring Water

Mountain Valley Spring Water Co. is the authentic American natural spring water in the United States. Headquartered in the Ouachita Mountains region of Hot Springs, Ark., the iconic American brand has been serving consumers since 1871. It has been named the "Best-Tasting Water in the World" twice at Berkeley Springs International Water Tasting. Mountain Valley Spring Water is a Great Range Capital corporation.

SOURCE Mountain Valley Spring Water Company
CHARLESTON, S.C., Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) has been awarded a $600,000 grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The award marks MUSC as one of only two national Telehealth Centers of Excellence in the United States. As a national telehealth coordinating center, MUSC will continue to provide a range of telehealth services at more than 200 locations statewide, leading and modeling the way for health care delivery through advanced technology.

"This is a phenomenal achievement," said Patrick J. Cawley, M.D., MUSC Health CEO and vice president for Health Affairs. "This grant acknowledges the premier position that our telehealth team has established not only in South Carolina, but across the nation. It serves as another clear affirmation of our institution's commitment to fulfill our vision  to lead health innovation for the lives we touch."

As a founding member of the South Carolina Telehealth Alliance (SCTA), a collaboration to empower care providers and patients across the state to effectively use telehealth, MUSC is uniquely qualified to lead these efforts. The institution has a long history of executing its three-part mission in a state with largely rural areas and high rates of chronic disease among a particularly impoverished and medically underserved population. Familiar with the patient care, research, and educational leadership talent within the institution, the South Carolina legislature has generously supported expanding telehealth across the state through the SCTA, acknowledging MUSC's proven track record of achieving astronomical growth in telehealth services while keeping cost effectiveness at the forefront.

"This is one of the first of its kind HRSA grants with only two awarded in the entire country," said Shawn Valenta, MUSC Center of Telehealth director. "Grant funds will allow the MUSC telehealth team to leverage the unique qualities intrinsic to our academic medical center and extend this mission nationally to accelerate the dissemination of best practices to achieve effective and efficient care."

Through the grant, MUSC will continue to:

Look beyond using telehealth to merely replicate care over distance.





Achieve efficiencies within health care delivery and assess the impact on the patient, the referring site, the consulting provider, the payer, and the health care system.





Balance the need for population-level outreach while concurrently using a targeted approach to health system integration.





Foster a culture of collaboration and understand the importance of interdisciplinary efforts.





Strive for deep understanding of barriers and facilitators for the diffusion of innovations in rural health care settings and team experience in overcoming these barriers.





Enhance alignment of historically competing health systems for the benefit of patients.





Reinforce the commitment and expertise necessary to use evidence-based, data-driven approaches to identify needs for telehealth services, and to monitor and improve existing programs.





Work with legislators and policy-makers to develop and maintain bipartisan support for telehealth initiatives.





Demonstrate robust financial accountability and efficient use of resources for telehealth.





Rely on proven ability to recognize and facilitate the development and testing of new ideas for improving rural health and the care of underserved populations.





Build upon high levels of provider acceptance through innovative education and training initiatives.

"The South Carolina legislature has placed a lot of trust in MUSC and the other members of the South Carolina Telehealth Alliance to use telehealth to improve access to quality health care in our state," said South Carolina Representative G. Murrell Smith. "This achievement is a testament to the leadership, collaboration and hard work that's been taking place these last few years. We are proud of what MUSC and SCTA have been able to accomplish thus far, and we take comfort knowing that no matter what happens with the health care debate at the national level, we have an effective and cost-conscious model that we hope one day will enable every citizen of our state to access the high-quality care they deserve."

Smith's colleague at the statehouse, South Carolina Senator Thomas C. Alexander, echoed the praise for MUSC and SCTA. "Innovation in health care is a critical component of how we offer forward-thinking solutions to today's challenges," he said. "The South Carolina legislature recognized the potential for MUSC and SCTA to carve the path to better health across this state by employing advanced technology and strategic thinking. This grant gives MUSC the opportunity to share that knowledge and success on a national level, and we are proud to support this extended impact."

About MUSC

Founded in 1824 in Charleston, The Medical University of South Carolina is the oldest medical school in the South. Today, MUSC continues the tradition of excellence in education, research, and patient care. MUSC educates and trains more than 3,000 students and 700 residents in six colleges (Dental Medicine, Graduate Studies, Health Professions, Medicine, Nursing, and Pharmacy), and has nearly 13,000 employees, including approximately 1,500 faculty members. As the largest non-federal employer in Charleston, the university and its affiliates have collective annual budgets in excess of $2.3 billion, with an annual economic impact of more than $3.8 billion and annual research funding in excess of $250 million. MUSC operates a 700-bed medical center, which includes a nationally recognized children's hospital, the Ashley River Tower (cardiovascular, digestive disease, and surgical oncology), Hollings Cancer Center (a National Cancer Institute-designated center), Level I trauma center, Institute of Psychiatry, and the state's only transplant center. In 2017, for the third consecutive year, U.S. News & World Report named MUSC Health the number one hospital in South Carolina. For more information on academic programs or clinical services, visit musc.edu. For more information on hospital patient services, visit muschealth.org.

CONTACT: Heather Woolwine

843-792-7669

[email protected]

SOURCE Medical University of South Carolina

Related Links

http://www.musc.edu


WASHINGTON, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Association of Psychiatric Health Systems (NAPHS) has published the NAPHS 2018 Membership Directory, a comprehensive referral resource with information about the nation's behavioral healthcare systems.

The NAPHS directory is designed to assist clinicians, hospital admissions staff, nursing home staff, employee assistance directors, school counselors, librarians, legal system personnel, and others who need to identify sources of help for people with mental health and substance use disorders.

This resource provides the name, location, website address, phone and fax numbers, and chief executive officer for each behavioral health system. The directory also lists the names of facilities within systems, which include specialty hospitals, psychiatric units in general hospitals, residential treatment centers, partial hospital programs, and outpatient centers. It also includes a geographical listing to find services by state, as well as an alphabetical listing.

How to Order

Copies of the NAPHS 2018 Membership Directory are available from NAPHS for $35, which includes shipping and handling. (Please note: residents in Washington, D.C. are required to pay a 6-percent sales tax.) To order, please visit www.naphs.org and click on Resources/Directories.

About NAPHS

The National Association of Psychiatric Health Systems (NAPHS) advocates for behavioral health and represents provider systems that are committed to the delivery of responsive, accountable, and clinically effective prevention, treatment, and care for children, adolescents, adults, and older adults with mental and substance use disorders. Its members are behavioral healthcare provider organizations that own or manage more than 800 specialty psychiatric hospitals, general hospital psychiatric and addiction treatment units and behavioral healthcare divisions, residential treatment facilities, youth services organizations, and extensive outpatient networks. The association was founded in 1933.

SOURCE National Association of Psychiatric Health Systems (NAPHS)

Related Links

http://www.naphs.org


SANTA ROSA, Calif., Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Center for Victims of Crime announced a $500,000 donation from the Lytton Rancheria Tribe, owner and operator of the San Pablo Lytton Casino in California, for victims of the mass casualty shooting in Las Vegas.

"We are humbled by and so appreciative of the generous contribution from the Lytton Tribe. Their significant donation to the National Compassion Fund Las Vegas, as well as those from countless others, will help support the unmet need of victims and their families in the darkest of times," said Mai Fernandez, Executive Director of the National Center for Victims of Crime.

The National Compassion Fund was established by the National Center for Victims of Crime, a 501(c)3 nonprofit and an authority on how victims are compensated for loss, as a safe and transparent way to give to victims directly and is the only straight-to-victim fund of its kind in the country.

"Our Tribe is devastated by the senseless, horrifying act of violence that occurred in Las Vegas this week," said Lytton Tribal Chairperson Margie Mejia. "It is the Lytton Rancheria's deepest hope that our donation will help to support the victims of this tragedy as they begin to recover and rebuild their lives. We are also hopeful that this donation will inspire others to contribute anything that they can to assist the National Center for Victims of Crime, as 100% of all donations will be distributed directly to the victims and their families."

The Lytton Rancheria of California and San Pablo Lytton Casino are committed to aiding programs whose efforts significantly impact those most in need. Over the last several years, the Tribe and casino contributed over $18.5 million to underserved communities throughout the nation.

To Donate to the National Compassion Fund:

Visit NationalCompassionFund.org

By mail. Please make checks payable to the National Compassion Fund Las Vegas and send to:

National Center for Victims of Crime

ATTN: National Compassion Fund Las Vegas

2000 M Street, NW, Suite 480

Washington, DC 20036

The National Compassion Fund promotes transparency, helps prevent fraud, and ensures the fair and equitable distribution of funds directly to victims. The Fund together with Equality Florida and the City of Orlando distributed over $32 million to more than 300 victims of the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting.

The National Compassion Fund is designed, first and foremost, to serve victims. The goal is to help victims recover and rebuild their lives after a horrific crime. The National Center has the experience to help victims navigate this process, and to treat victims with the respect and dignity they deserve. Victims or family members who have questions about the Fund and/or resources available should call our VictimConnect Resource Center toll-free at 855-4-VICTIM between the hours of 9am and 7pm eastern time.

About the National Center Victims of Crime

For 30 years the National Center for Victims of Crime has been the nation's leading resource and advocacy organization for crime victims and those who serve them. The National Center for Victims of Crime is a 501(c)3 nonprofit and an authority on how victims are compensated for loss.

About the Lytton Band of Pomo Indians

The Lytton Band of Pomo Indians is a federally recognized tribe of Pomo Native Americans. The Lytton Band of Pomo Indians owns and operates San Pablo Lytton Casino. What began as a card room has expanded to a full-fledged casino with Class II Gaming Machines, Poker, Black Jack, Pai Gow and more.

CONTACTS:

National Center for Victims of Crime: Tara Ballesteros

202-467-8743 or [email protected]

Doug Elmets, Lytton Rancheria

(916) 329-9180

SOURCE Lytton Rancheria of California
LISLE, Ill., Oct. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Navistar International Corporation (NYSE: NAV) today announced that Walter Borst, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, will attend the Deutsche Bank's 25th Annual Leveraged Finance Conference in Scottsdale, Arizona on Tuesday, October 3 and Wednesday, October 4.

For additional information on the company, visit the Investor Relations section of Navistar's website at www.Navistar.com.

About Navistar

Navistar International Corporation (NYSE: NAV) is a holding company whose subsidiaries and affiliates produce International brand commercial and military trucks, proprietary diesel engines, and IC Bus brand school and commercial buses. An affiliate also provides truck and diesel engine service parts. Another affiliate offers financing services. Additional information is available at www.Navistar.com.

SOURCE Navistar International Corporation

Related Links

http://www.navistar.com


CHICAGO, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Pork Board announced today that Leslie McCuiston, a pig farmer from Columbus, Nebraska, has been named the 2017 America's Pig Farmer of the YearSM, by achieving the highest combined score from a third-party judging panel and online voting. The award recognizes a pig farmer who excels at raising pigs using the We CareSM ethical principles and who connects with today's consumers about how pork is produced.

"We are pleased to have Leslie represent America's pig farmers. She embodies the very best in pig farming," said Terry O'Neel, National Pork Board president and a pig farmer from Friend, Nebraska. "It's important that we share with today's consumers how we raise their food in an ethical and transparent way. Leslie's interest in sharing her farm's story, as well as putting a face on today's pig farming, will help us reach this goal."

Focusing on people is McCuiston's main goal as a senior production manager for The Maschhoffs, LLC. McCuiston believes in equipping employees with the right tools to provide the best animal care every day. She oversees 70 employees who care for more than 18,000 sows in central Nebraska and surrounding states.

"For me, pig farming isn't just a job, it's a career that I am passionate about," McCuiston said. "I want to find new, innovative ways to show others what we do in pig farming, explain how much we care and help people understand where their food comes from."

McCuiston was named America's Pig Farmer of the Year following a third-party audit of on-farm practices and after taking part in a series of written and oral interviews by subject-matter experts. She has achieved excellence in all aspects of pig farming, including animal care, environmental stewardship, employee work environment and outstanding community service.

The panel of expert judges met in early September with the four finalists. Members of the five-member panel included Brittni Furrow, Walmart's senior director of sustainability; Robin Ganzert , president and CEO of American Humane; Kari Underly, a third-generation Chicago butcher, author and principal of Range, Inc., a meat marketing and education firm; J. Scott Vernon, professor, College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences, Cal Poly; and Brad Greenway, the 2016 America's Pig Farmer of the Year and chairman of the U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance.

"As an animal lover and the leader of the country's first national humane organization, I am honored to be a judge for America's Pig Farmer of the Year," Ganzert said. "American Humane celebrates all those, including our nation's farmers, who care for animals and work hard to ensure they are treated humanely. Today, more than ever, it is important not only to point out where progress is needed, but to recognize when we get it right."

To learn more about McCuiston and the America's Pig Farmer of the Year Award, visit americaspigfarmer.com. A video Q&A with McCuiston and Underly is available at https://youtu.be/Qoo4ioiGRro.

The National Pork Board has responsibility for Checkoff-funded research, promotion and consumer information projects and for communicating with pork producers and the public. Through a legislative national Pork Checkoff, pork producers invest $0.40 for each $100 value of hogs sold. Importers of pork products contribute a like amount, based on a formula. The Pork Checkoff funds national and state programs in advertising, consumer information, retail and foodservice marketing, export market promotion, production improvement, science and technology, swine health, pork safety and sustainability and environmental management. For information on Checkoff-funded programs, pork producers can call the Pork Checkoff Service Center at (800) 456-7675 or check the Internet at www.pork.org.

Contact: Cindy Cunningham

National Pork Board

[email protected]

(515) 223-2600

SOURCE The National Pork Board

Related Links

http://www.pork.org


NEW YORK, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The New America Alliance (NAA), a national collective of influential Latino business leaders, focused on Capital Access and Leadership Acceleration, released a statement today to highlight the heroic efforts of NAA members who have been directly impacted by Hurricanes Irma and Maria, and who are actively engaged in leading relief efforts for the 3.4 million American citizens living through the devastation and humanitarian crisis in Puerto Rico.

New America Alliance board members Cyril Meduna, Managing Partner, Advent Morro Equity Partners and Rafael Ortiz, Managing Director, MoonSail Capital LLC are residents of Puerto Rico and actively involved in efforts to ensure the repair and revival of critical infrastructure, and efficient delivery of food supplies, water and medicine throughout the Island. Board member Juan Sabater, Partner, Valor Equity Partners and New America Alliance founder Henry Cisneros are actively engaging with Latino leaders across the country to ensure that aid dollars and resources are allocated to the Caribbean island, which so many American citizens call home.

"It is our intention to make visible the gravity of the situation in Puerto Rico and to highlight and support the efforts of our members," said board members Pilar Avila, Carmen Ortiz-McGhee and Joseph Acevedo. "NAA issues a call to action to investment and business communities to make a contribution to help alleviate the devastation to our fellow American citizens in Puerto Rico."

NAA stands with its members Meduna and Ortiz as they lead efforts on the ground to drive progress for the people of Puerto Rico. Meduna is working collaboratively to ensure the safety and well-being of the thousands of employees in the Advent Morro portfolio companies. Ortiz, a seasoned investment manager, is presently serving as the interim director of the assets of Foundation for Puerto Rico.

The Foundation for Puerto Rico (FPR) is a private foundation that works with local nonprofit groups and government to improve the economy of the island of Puerto Rico. During the crisis on the island, FPR has allocated the entirety of its staff and facilities to establish a center that is coordinating outside assistance going into Puerto Rico and deploying aid to relief and rebuilding efforts. The Foundation has an operational center in Santurce, Puerto Rico with 50-plus operational workstations with electricity, telephone service, internet access and meeting space. The Foundation is working to expand capacity to 100 workstations and to make the infrastructure available for NGOs and key strategic businesses, to get operational and deliver relief to the residents of Puerto Rico. Donations can be made to: http://foundationforpuertorico.org/unete/dona. 100% of all funds received will go directly to help Puerto Rico recover from the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria.

About the New America Alliance

Founded in 1999, the New America Alliance is dedicated to building on American Latino success to forge a stronger America. NAA members leverage their influence to promote Latino leadership in entrepreneurship, corporate America, and public service; increase Latino access to capital; and accelerate the rise of Latinas and the new generation of American Latino leaders.

Press Contact:

Cindy Stoller

FeverPress

[email protected]

SOURCE New America Alliance
SAN DIEGO, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Newly issued guidance for government procurement personnel and contracting officers, from the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense, indicates many U.S. defense contractors  especially small and medium sized businesses  are struggling with strict regulations designed to protect Covered Defense Information (CDI), a new category of information that is unclassified but still considered sensitive. The DFARS 252.204-7012 "Safeguarding Covered Defense Information and Cyber Incident Reporting" clause, now found in all DoD solicitations other than purely COTS procurements, stipulates that all defense contractors handling CDI must adopt a wide-ranging set of security controls including all 110 requirements prescribed by NIST Special Publication 800-171 "Protecting Controlled Unclassified Information in Nonfederal Information Systems and Organizations," no later than December 31, 2017. (More information and resource links are available at www.eresilience.com/dfars-7012 )

In response to the urgent need for awareness building, training, and legal interpretation of the clause and its impacts across the entire defense industry supply chain, nationwide training is being produced by the non-profit Cyber Collaboration Center, with speakers including Ms. Vicki Michetti (Office of the DoD CIO); Ms. Mary Thomas (Office of the Secretary of Defense); Alexander Major and Franklin Turner, defense contract law specialists from McCarter & English LLP; and Tim Williams, Technical Director of eResilience, a new division of cybersecurity firm Referentia Systems. "DFARS 7012 Cybersecurity Compliance Boot Camp" training sessions are scheduled Friday October 20th, 2017 from 0800 to 1630 PDT at the Hilton San Diego Airport / Harbor Island, with simultaneous live streaming available nationwide, and Monday October 23rd at the Cyber Collaboration Center in Honolulu.

"We've been working and communicating with hundreds of companies, and it's clear that training is the most important thing the industry can do to prepare for what is coming," said Nelson Kanemoto, founder of eResilience. "Implementing NIST guidelines and other requirements of DFARS 7012 is much more complicated than many companies realize. It goes way beyond the average IT skillset, and government-issued guidelines often have gray areas that require careful interpretation. These Boot Camp events will provide contractors and their executives, IT managers, Program Managers, and FSO's with an ideal mixture of government, legal, and technical education."

The new guidance issued by OSD encourages contracting officers to specify what type of information will be considered CDI under the contract, and recommends contractors do careful assessments to determine what organizational and infrastructural changes to their systems, policies, and procedures will be needed to adequately meet the DFARS compliance requirements. This can include identifying where in-house efforts will suffice versus where assistance from 3rd parties with expertise in complex NIST cybersecurity implementations may be necessary. The Boot Camp training sessions will help contractors make those distinctions.

The full-day DFARS training sessions cost $795; proceeds cover costs of the non-profit Cyber Collaboration Center's DFARS 7012 Awareness Campaign, including production of the Boot Camp training events, webinars, and other community outreach. For more information and to register for live or streamed classes, visit www.cybercollaborationcenter.org or email [email protected]

About eResilience (www.eresilience.com): eResilience is a new division of Referentia Systems, a National Security Agency (NSA) Trusted Integrator, focused on commercial cybersecurity solutions, risk management and DFARS compliance services.

URL for OSD Guidance PDF: http://www.acq.osd.mil/dpap/policy/policyvault/USA002829-17-DPAP.pdf

Contact: Larry Lieberman

[email protected] / (808) 840-8580

SOURCE eResilience

Related Links

http://www.eresilience.com


ALCOA, Tenn., Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Author, trainer and President of Designer Drapery Hardware, LLC - Nathan Cole seeks to demystify one of the most difficult products in the interior decorating industry with his new book "Heavy-Duty And Decorative Traverse Curtain Rods." When published on DesignerDraperyHardware.com, reviews and ratings for the e-book version were very positive, and a print version has followed. The book is currently available at Designer Drapery Hardware's website: www.DesignerDraperyHardware.com

Heavy-Duty And Decorative Traverse Curtain Rods by Nathan Cole, Designer Drapery Hardware, LLC www.DesignerDraperyHardware.com The clear, eye-popping graphics help make a complex process easy to understand. www.DesignerDraperyHardware.com

"Heavy-Duty And Decorative Traverse Curtain Rods" walks anyone from the most experienced interior designer or architect to the casual homeowner through the process of selecting and installing a custom drapery hardware treatment. With particular emphasis placed on helping the reader understand the relationship between the fabric portion of the treatment and the hardware necessary to support it, the author breaks down the selection process in easy to follow steps, citing examples and tackling common questions along the way.

"It's the same approach we take when training designers or working with homeowners," says Cole. "Everyone is intimidated by custom rods initially because of their complexity. But, when you approach them step-by-step, it's pretty straightforward."

"Nathan does a really good job of explaining a difficult product in easy to follow language. And, the detailed illustrations are absolutely incredible," says Paige Lankford, Vice-President of HT Barnes, a Kirsch Curtain Rod Fabricator and Distributor in Foley, Alabama. Each style of drapery rod featured was painstakingly computer modeled (CGI) to produce vivid, photo-realistic drawings. "There simply wasn't existing imagery of this type of product from any manufacturer; at least not at this level of detail. So, we created it from scratch for this book," says Cole. The extensive use of CGI throughout is an industry first and allows the reader to instantly visualize the related concepts.

The first section contains a general curtain rod primer and covers basic tasks like determining width, mounting location, cord drop and return size. Drapery style, weight and functionality must all be considered when selecting a rod profile. "Heavy-Duty And Decorative Traverse Curtain Rods" covers how each window treatment style will affect the type of carriers required. Pinch-Pleat draperies typically use overlapping masters with independent wheeled or ball-bearing carriers. And, Ripplefold style curtains usually require butting masters with attached carriers. The final sections cover general installation for both wall and ceiling mount applications. Step-by-step hanging instructions with supplemental illustrations cover about ninety-five percent of all installation situations.

The supplemental material provided in the appendix includes fabric stacking charts, stringing guides as well as common maintenance issues like adding or removing carriers. Detailed illustrations covering Ripplefold Drapery Fullness is also included.

About Designer Drapery Hardware

Designer Drapery Hardware, LLC is an online retail and wholesale drapery hardware distributor founded by Nathan Cole. The most comprehensive resource of its kind, Designer Drapery Hardware is visited by thousands of interior designers and homeowners every month in search of custom heavy-duty curtain rods and decorative window treatments.

Author Contact and Media Inquiries

Nathan Cole

Designer Drapery Hardware, LLC

PO Box 43

Alcoa, TN 37701

800-383-6617

SOURCE Designer Drapery Hardware, LLC

Related Links

http://www.DesignerDraperyHardware.com


NEW YORK, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Dr. Benedict Oramah, President and Board Chairman of African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank); joined by senior bank officials; will be hosted by Professor Yaw Nyarko, Director of New York University (NYU) Africa House, for a financial roundtable and an Evening Keynote Address and Conversation with the President of Afreximbank on October 10th, 2017, from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm at the NYU School of Law, located at 40 Washington Square South, New York, NY 10012.

The Afreximbank presidential delegation will outline a path to African prosperity, building on opportunities for economies of scale and structural transformation offered by intra-African trade in a continent where the digital revolution has re-ignited the spirit of innovation with tremendous potential for enhancing the integration of Africa into the global economy as a competitive player.

Professor Nyarko, Director of NYU Africa House, emphasizes, "It is extremely important for the world to hear from Africans on the tremendous progress and accelerated growth taking place on the continent. This program brings together distinguished NYU faculty members and students, business leaders, investors, members of the diplomatic community, and the Diaspora to learn the latest trends of intra-Africa trade and investment opportunities from one of Africa's leading financial institutions."

To confirm your participation, RSVP here or contact Kingsley Essegbey at +1.212.992.6570 or [email protected].

African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) was established in 1993 by African Governments, African private and institutional investors, as well as non-African financial institutions and private investors for the purpose of financing, promoting, and expanding intra- and extra-African trade. Over the years, the Bank has doubled its balance sheet to $12bn and increased its capital base. Under its Fifth Strategic Plan "Impact 2021Africa Transformed," the Bank intends to act as catalyst for industrialization and export development, helping to steer Africa away from a model where growth is primarily driven by export of primary commodities and natural resources.

NYU Africa House is an interdisciplinary institute devoted to the study of contemporary Africa, focused on understanding the links between Africa and the rest of the world through social, historical, and economic lenses. NYU has a large number of professors and students conducting research in the areas of economic development, macroeconomics, microfinance, analysis of the effectiveness of foreign aid, politics and political economy, and law and legal institutions in Africa.

SOURCE New York University Africa House

Related Links

http://www.nyuafricahouse.org


SAN DIEGO, Oct. 03, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ziyen Inc., a Scottish-American software company, has introduced a new corporate brand, logo and corporate website. The rebranding comes at a significant stage in the evolution of Ziyen, following the tech companys installation of a new division: Ziyen Energy.



The division has secured its first oil and gas contract in the Midwestern United States, orchestrated by Ziyens Oil Intelligence Director- Shane Fraser. Fraser is a highly experienced oilfield engineer with over 28 years experience. He has 21 years working for Royal Dutch Shell in the North Sea and Syria, before going on to deliver technically challenging brownfield and greenfield projects for several other multinational oil companies.

The bold, new logo and corporate brand evoke a cleaner, more contemporary approach as the company looks to target and expand within the energy market of the U.S. The rebrand also reflects evolution within Ziyen Inc. their commitment to utilize the latest sustainable technological advances for energy production, software solutions, and content management.

For the Ziyen Intelligence division, the new logo underscores the companys long-standing aim to develop streamlined technology and facilitate the process by which customers can access procurement information and contracts on a global scale.

I am very excited about the new rebrand. It is a substantive change, and the fresh contemporary look aligns perfectly with the work going on here at Ziyen. It wonderfully supports the expanded direction the company is taking, as we continue to build up our software offering and introduce the new Ziyen Energy division.

-David Rogers, Vice-President of Ziyen Inc. Board of Directors

For more information visit http://www.ziyen.com

About Ziyen Inc.

Founded in 2016, Ziyen Inc. is a Scottish-American company developing cutting edge procurement software to provide clients with industry specific government and private contracts via procurement portals. In 2017, Ziyen diversified, instating the Ziyen Energy Division, with intent to produce oil in the U.S. with advanced extraction methods and technology implemented and guided by career experts in the oil and gas industry. In June 2017, Ziyen acquired the mineral rights to its first oil field in Indiana. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) qualified Ziyen Inc. under Tier One of Regulation A+ in Oct, 2016. Ziyen plans to go public to the markets with an IPO targeted for early 2018.

About Granite PR

Founded in 2008, Aberdeen-based Granite PR offers the full spectrum of PR services with an emphasis on the energy, technology, hospitality, food and drink, professional services and healthcare sectors. The company has developed strong links in domestic and overseas markets, particularly the US and Scandinavia, and these have been enhanced by Granite PRs Gateway series of business events which encourage trade between key locations. For more information visit www.granitepr.co.uk

Forward Looking Statements:

Certain statements in this press release including, but not limited to, statements related to anticipated commencement of commercial production, targeted pricing, performance goals, and statements that otherwise relate to future periods are forward-looking statements. These statements involve risks and uncertainties, which are described in more detail in the Company's periodic reports filed with the SEC- specifically the most recent reports which identify important risk factors that could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are made and based on information available to the company on the date of this press release. Ziyen Inc. assumes no obligation to update the information in this press release.

Contact:

Brett Jackson

Managing Director

Granite PR

info@granitepr.co.uk
DALLAS, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- NexPoint Capital, Inc. (the "Company"), a non-traded publicly registered business development company and affiliate of Highland Capital Management, L.P., today announced the expiration and final results for its tender offer (the "Tender Offer") for up to 2.5% of its outstanding common stock ("Shares") at a price equal to 90% of the offering price per Share in effect on the Expiration Date (as defined in the Offer to Purchase) (the date of repurchase) and any unpaid dividends accrued through the expiration date of the Tender Offer. The Fund's Tender Offer expired on September 29, 2017 at 5:00 p.m. New York City time. 37,284 shares of the Company were tendered for repurchase in the Tender Offer.

Any questions regarding the Tender Offer can be directed to the Company's Tender Agent, DST Systems, Inc., at 1-844-485-9167. The Company's current offering price for its Shares, as well as other information, including information about management and the healthcare-focused investment strategy, are available at http://nexpointcapital.com. The information on or accessible through http://nexpointcapital.com is not incorporated by reference herein.

About NexPoint Advisors and NexPoint Capital, Inc.

NexPoint Capital, Inc. is a healthcare-focused business development company sponsored and managed by NexPoint Advisors, L.P., an affiliate of Highland Capital Management, L.P. NexPoint Advisors, L.P., is an SEC-registered investment advisor to the closed end fund, NexPoint Credit Strategies Fund.

About Highland Capital Management, L.P.

Highland Capital Management, L.P. is an SEC-registered investment adviser which, together with our affiliates, has approximately $13.7 billion of assets under management. Founded in 1993 by Jim Dondero and Mark Okada, Highland is one of the largest and most experienced global alternative credit managers. Highland specializes in credit strategies, such as credit hedge funds, long only funds and separate accounts, distressed and special situation private equity, and collateralized loan obligations (CLOs). Highland also offers alternative investments, including emerging markets, long/short equities, and natural resources. Highland's diversified client base includes public pension plans, foundations, endowments, corporations, financial institutions, fund of funds, governments, and high net-worth individuals. Highland is headquartered in Dallas, Texas and maintains offices in New York, Sao Paolo, Singapore, and Seoul.

Except for the historical information and discussions contained herein, statements contained in this news release constitute forward-looking statements. These statements may involve a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, including the performance of financial markets, the investment performance of NexPoint Advisors, L.P.'s or Highland Capital Management L.P.'s sponsored investment products, general economic conditions, future acquisitions, competitive conditions and government regulations, including changes in tax laws. Readers should carefully consider such factors. Further, such forward-looking statements speak only on the date at which such statements are made. NexPoint Advisors, L.P. and Highland Capital Management L.P. undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of such statement.

This material has been distributed for informational purposes only and should not be considered as investment advice or a recommendation of any particular security, strategy or investment product. Neither the Company, nor the Company's Board of Directors, nor NexPoint Advisors, L.P., makes any recommendation as to whether to tender or not to tender any Shares in the Tender Offer. No part of this material may be reproduced in any form, or referred to in any other publication, without express written permission.

For information on the Tender Offer:

Financial Advisors: 855-498-1580

Shareholders: 844-485-9167

Highland Media Relations: 972-419-6272

SOURCE NexPoint Capital, Inc.

Related Links

http://nexpointcapital.com


WASHINGTON, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- NASA astronaut Scott Tingle and crewmates Anton Shkaplerov of the Russian space agency Roscosmos and Norishege Kanai of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) will discuss their upcoming mission to the International Space Station in a news conference at 2 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, Oct. 11 at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston.

The news conference will be broadcast live on NASA Television and streamed on the agency's website, and the crew will be available for in-person or remote media interviews afterward.

Tingle, Shkaplerov and Kanai will launch to the space station aboard the Soyuz MS-07 spacecraft on Dec. 17 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. They will join the station's Expedition 54 crew, and return to Earth in April 2018 as members of Expedition 55. This will be the first spaceflight for Tingle and Kanai, and the third for Shkaplerov.

Reporters who wish to participate by telephone must call Johnson's newsroom at 281-483-5111 no later than 1:45 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 11. To request credentials to participate in person or to schedule an interview, U.S. reporters must contact Johnson's newsroom by 5 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 10. Those following the briefing on social media may ask questions using the hashtag #askNASA.

During a planned four-month mission, the station crew members will take part in about 250 research investigations and technology demonstrations not possible on Earth in order to advance scientific knowledge of Earth, space, physical and biological sciences. Science conducted on the space station continues to yield benefits for humanity and will enable future long-duration human and robotic exploration into deep space, including missions past the Moon and Mars.

A U.S. Navy captain, Tingle grew up in Randolph, Massachusetts, and earned a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering from Southeastern Massachusetts University in Dartmouth, now the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, and a Master of Science in mechanical engineering from Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. Following graduate school, Tingle spent three years with the Aerospace Corp., in El Segundo, California, as a technical staff member in its Propulsion Department. He was commissioned as a U.S. Navy officer in 1991, and accumulated more than 4,500 flight hours in 51 types of aircraft, 750 carrier arrestments and 54 combat missions. Tingle was selected in July 2009 as one of 14 members of the 20th NASA astronaut class. His training included scientific and technical briefings; intensive instruction in space station systems; spacewalks; robotics; physiological training; T-38 flight training; and water and wilderness survival training.

View Tingle's full biography at:

https://www.nasa.gov/astronauts/biographies/scott-d-tingle/biography

Follow Tingle on Twitter at:

@Astro_Maker

Follow Tingle on Instagram at:

@astro_maker

Learn more about the International Space Station and its crews at:

http://www.nasa.gov/station

SOURCE NASA

Related Links

http://www.nasa.gov


NEW YORK, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- North 6th Agency, Inc. (N6A), an award-winning communications and social media agency based in New York City and Toronto, today announced the recipients of its signature performance, perks and quality of life programs for the month of September 2017.

Account Executive Cristina Colossi was named the "N6A Chairman's Pick" for the third quarter of 2017. The "N6A Chairman's Pick" recognition goes to the N6Aer who has best displayed N6A values over the previous quarter; accountability, fearlessness, positive energy, sacrifice, selflessness, and team spirit. All "N6A Chairman's Pick" winners will receive a four-day trip to Jamaica near the end of this year.

This month, Account Coordinator Ariel Radow was promoted to Communications Executive in the N6A Brand Services Group and will report directly to Communications Director Lindsey Salas in her new role.

The account team AbelCine captured "N6A Team of the Month" honors in September. The "N6A Team of the Month" program rewards the account team that demonstrates the most impressive results, service, and collaboration for an N6A client throughout the month.

The N6A Cannabis Group took home the "N6A Golden Group" trophy as the highest-performing group for the month. The "N6A Golden Group" competition is awarded monthly, with cash bonuses being awarded to the winning group.

Additionally, the following N6A staff members were named "N6A Producer of the Week" in September. The "N6A Producer of the Week" program was created to reward individual N6A staff members who achieve the highest level of production and contribute the most to N6A on a weekly basis. "N6A Producer of the Week" winners receive an extra $1,000 base salary increase for every week they take home the prize.

Week of September 4 th to 11th: Danielle Montana , Account Executive

Week of September 18 h : Shayla Ridore , Account Executive

Week of September 25 st: Ali Shapiro , Account Coordinator

For more information on N6A please visit www.n6a.com, follow N6A on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter, and click on this video to learn more about N6A's roots and culture.

ABOUT NORTH 6TH AGENCY, INC. (N6A):

North 6th Agency, Inc. (N6A) is an award-winning brand communications and social media agency based in the heart of SoHo in New York City and Toronto's financial district.

N6A's client roster includes emerging, mid-sized and enterprise brands from more than 30 industries. N6A has been awarded several prestigious industry recognitions, including ranking in the Top 50 in more industry categories than any agency in the United States, the #1 Fastest-Growing Firm ranking in O'Dwyer's in 2016, NY Observer Power Agency List, Digiday "Most Innovative Culture" Award finalist, and has been selected as one of the "coolest spaces at the hottest PR firms" by the New York Observer.

N6A's "Compete and Care" culture and "Embrace the Pace" atmosphere have been lauded as one of the most rewarding, collaborative and unique to the agency world by Forbes, Monster.com, New York Post, Chief Learning Office Magazine, Entrepreneur, and others. For more information on N6A, visit www.n6a.com, and for more information on N6A's "Compete and Care" culture and perks, visit www.competeandcare.com.

Media Contact: North 6th Agency, Inc. (N6A)

212.334.9753

[email protected]

SOURCE North 6th Agency, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.n6a.com


The @health_esteem Instagram initiative was launched across the country during the back-to-school season. The objective is to hack social media, which can sometimes lead to low self-esteem, to instead build health and self-esteem. The goal is to ignite a movement among college students to pay mental wellness forward.

"I'm on a mission to build acceptance across college campuses. @health_esteem has the potential to virtually ignite and connect students that would leverage the benefits (positives) of social media. We want to give college students an authentic and empowering platform in which to express themselves that will help students lift each other up when they're feeling down,"

says CEO and founder of I Am Acceptance Hakeem Rahim.

The "health esteem" grassroots social initiative was launched on Instagram through their College Acceptance Ambassadors. @health_esteem is a social platform where college students can express themselves freely and feel heard and accepted. They can post their truths that other students can relate to. And they can help build health esteem by liking, commenting, tagging, sharing, and connecting with others to spread mental wellness. The initiative will be ongoing, with the intent to activate a community of students around the country to drive self-acceptance and, ultimately, acceptance of others.





"This transition period is a fragile time in one's life. There's nothing more important than building self-esteem and self-acceptance among teenagers and young adults. We wanted to help raise awareness and destigmatize mental health in a way that was organic to college students, be where they are, and provide a platform for them to be their authentic selves," says Partner and Chief Creative Officer of The Bloc Elizabeth Elfenbein.

About I Am Acceptance: I Am Acceptance is a not-for-profit company that promotes positive mental wellness in the lives of college students. Their goal is to raise awareness around mental health and to break the stigma associated with it. For more information, visit www.iamacceptance.org.

About The Bloc: The Bloc is a leading health creative engagement agency based in New York. Founded in 2000 by Susan Miller Viray and Rico Viray, The Bloc is also a founding member of The BlocPartners, the strongest global network of leading independent health creative agencies.

For more information, visit www.thebloc.com.

Contact:

The Bloc

32 Old Slip

New York, NY 10005

212-524-6200

[email protected]

SOURCE The Bloc

Related Links

http://www.thebloc.com


WASHINGTON, Oct. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Approximately 58 million Americans today rely on Medicare for their health insurance. As the program enters its 52nd year, the number of choices and options has skyrocketed. Add in that certain Medicare plans change their offerings and coverages each year, and it is ever more vital for the health and wallet of Medicare subscribers to rethink their choices each year during open enrollment (Oct. 15-Dec. 7).

AARP Bulletin October 2017 Issue

To help Americans find their best Medicare options, AARP Bulletin's in-depth report "Getting the Best Out of Medicare," provides an easy-to-understand guide to assist in not only getting the right coverage for each person's unique needs, but also saving hundreds, perhaps thousands of dollars a year. The report features insights from over two dozen AARP researchers, policy experts and member advocates, and details how to shop for coverage, plan for additional health costs that Medicare won't cover, get the right supplemental insurance, assess Part D drug plans, and more.

Other stories in October's AARP Bulletin:

Health

Is the salt in your food bad or good for you? New studies are making it harder to answer that question. In "Salt v. The State of Your Health," AARP puts salt under trial, presenting the evidence of its harmful impact on blood pressure for many Americans, but also some strong counterarguments, and debunking many truisms along the way. You'll be surprised to learn where doctors are beginning to lean.

Fraud

Scammers stole tens of billions of dollars last year from older Americans and the many government programs that serve them. Medicare fraud alone is estimated at $60 billion annually. In this month's issue, AARP Bulletin profiles the top scam artists who befriended or pretended to serve older Americans and stole millions before their shameful rip-offs landed them in jail.

On average, 244 new cyber threats are launched every minute of every day. And today's online scams are effective because they've got a new focus: exploiting your most admirable characteristics. AARP Bulletin's October issue offers advice on how to protect yourself from scams targeting your industriousness, curiosity and geniality.

Business

Big companies are increasingly on the hunt for workers over age 50. With unemployment rates at 16-year lows, companies are using creative recruitment strategies to attract older workers, who bring mature skills and temperaments to the workplace. In this month's issue, AARP Bulletin sheds light on the value of recruiting and hiring older workers and the benefits of programs like AARP's Employer Pledge Program, which matches older workers with less-seasoned peers.

Lifestyle

Recent natural catastrophes, from hurricanes to wildfires, are a fresh reminder that disaster can strike at any time and place. While the circumstances may differ, there's one tip that every person needs to take from these situations: how to pack a "go bag." In this month's issue, AARP Bulletin discusses the necessary items to include in a "go bag" and how it can make all the difference in an emergency.

Millions of people affected by the record setting rains and unprecedented flooding from the hurricanes that slammed into Texas, Louisiana, Florida and the southeastern United States are in desperate need of relief. In her column, AARP CEO Jo Ann Jenkins addresses how AARP and AARP Foundation raised $2 million to aid the victims of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma.

Learn more at http://www.aarp.org/bulletin/. Interviews with AARP's experts are available upon request.

About AARP Bulletin

The definitive news source for AARP's members, AARP Bulletin (http://www.aarp.org/bulletin/) reaches more than 23.5 million households each month in print, with additional news and in-depth coverage online. Covering health and health policy, Medicare, Social Security, consumer protection, personal finance, and AARP state and national news developments, AARP Bulletin delivers the story behind the key issues confronting 50+ America. The monthly consumer-oriented news publication has become a must-read for congressional lawmakers and Washington opinion leaders, and it provides AARP members with pertinent information they need to know.

About AARP

AARP is the nation's largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering Americans 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With nearly 38 million members and offices in every state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, AARP works to strengthen communities and advocate for what matters most to families with a focus on health security, financial stability and personal fulfillment. AARP also works for individuals in the marketplace by sparking new solutions and allowing carefully chosen, high-quality products and services to carry the AARP name. As a trusted source for news and information, AARP produces the world's largest circulation publications, AARP The Magazine and AARP Bulletin. To learn more, visit www.aarp.org or follow @AARP and @AARPadvocates on social media.

SOURCE AARP

Related Links

http://www.aarp.org


CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Oncorus, Inc., a biotechnology company developing a next-generation immunotherapy platform of oncolytic viruses for the treatment of several tumor types including highly malignant and aggressive cancers such as glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), today announced the appointment of Christophe Queva, Ph.D., as Chief Scientific Officer and Senior Vice President, Research. The company also announced the addition of Eric M. Sullivan as Senior Vice President, Finance & Operations and Treasurer, and Michael Paglia as Vice President, Chemistry, Manufacturing and Controls.

"We are thrilled to have Christophe, Eric and Michael join Oncorus in these vital roles at this important time as we advance our development program based on our next-generation immunotherapy platform of oncolytic viruses," said Mitchell H. Finer, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer. "With Christophe's breadth of expertise in the discovery and development of small molecule and biologics for oncology and immuno-oncology, and the extensive experience both Eric and Michael have in finance, operations and discovery to late-stage clinical manufacturing, they will play a critical role in helping us fulfill our mission of developing new therapies for patients with cancers for whom limited treatment options exist."

Prior to joining Oncorus, Christophe was Chief Scientific Officer at iTeos Therapeutics where his responsibilities included leading the generation of an innovative immuno-oncology portfolio of small molecule and antibody programs and overseeing the company's translational medicine strategy for its A2A antagonist and TIGIT programs. Before iTeos, he held successive senior positions at AstraZeneca, Amgen and Gilead Sciences where he led or supported drug discovery programs for oncology and inflammatory diseases, from target selection to commercial approval for small molecules and biologics. A holder of five patents and widely published, Christophe trained as a post-doctoral fellow at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle after receiving his Ph.D. in Life and Health Sciences from the University of Lille, France.

"The opportunity to join Oncorus greatly appealed to me and I am honored to be here. I am excited to partner with Mitch, the Board and our talented team to help bring new options for patients with cancer, particularly the most aggressive and deadliest tumors like GBM, for which there remains significant unmet medical need," said Dr. Queva.

As Oncorus's Senior Vice President, Finance & Operations and Treasurer, Eric is responsible for finance and accounting, administration and corporate operations. Prior to joining Oncorus, Eric was at bluebird bio, Inc., where he was Vice President, Finance, Treasurer and Principal Accounting Officer. At bluebird, he helped raise more than $1.5 billion through multiple public equity financings and helped build and scale the finance team during a period of tremendous company growth. Previously, Eric was in management positions at Merrimack Pharmaceuticals and PricewaterhouseCoopers. He received his BS in accountancy from Bentley College and is a Certified Public Accountant in Massachusetts.

As Vice President, Chemistry, Manufacturing and Controls, Michael leads Oncorus's process development, manufacturing, analytical sciences and quality control operations. Previously, he was at bluebird bio where he established and was responsible for internal and external cellular process development and analytics, cGMP manufacturing operations, CMC regulatory strategy, cellular procurement, and process characterization and validation activities. Prior to bluebird, Michael advanced multiple immunology and cancer biology programs from discovery to late-stage clinical manufacturing at Tolerx, Inc. He received a BS in Biology from Providence College and a MSc in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the University of New Hampshire.

About Oncorus, Inc.

Oncorus, Inc., is a biotechnology company developing a portfolio of next-generation immunotherapy products, leveraging its proprietary oncolytic Herpes viruses platform, to treat several types of cancer, including highly malignant and aggressive cancers, based upon the work of renowned scientists Joseph Glorioso III, Ph.D., and Paola Grandi, Ph.D., from the University of Pittsburgh. A leader in corporate philanthropy, Oncorus has taken a pledge to donate a portion of product sales to fund promising cancer research and to support cancer care in the developing world. The company is located in Kendall Square, Cambridge, Massachusetts. Visit www.oncorus.com for more information.

SOURCE Oncorus, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.oncorus.com


CLEVELAND, Miss., Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Retirees learn how to avoid retirement mistakes and costly missteps in a new seminar offered by one of Mississippi's accomplished tax reduction professional and financial planner, Gary Gainspoletti, CPA, CFP.

Retirement has become a much more complicated affair for the 44 million Americans over age 65 who are facing stiff challenges to retire and stay retired.

Retired business owners, executives and professionals are invited to a free, private briefing to find out how to reduce income taxes and estate taxes and discover the challenges and options available to them.

"Business owners, executives and professionals face a dozen significant challenges and obstacles to enjoying the reward for a lifetime of hard-work and sacrifice. One of their biggest obstacles is taxes," says financial educator, author, speaker, tax reduction professional, and financial planner, Gary Gainspoletti, CPA, CFP.

According to the Tax Foundation and the latest IRS data, if you are one of the top 10 percent of income earners in the United States, you bear over 70 percent of the income tax burden, accounting for over $70,000 of every $100,000 collected in taxes. Half of America's taxpayers pay over 97 percent of all income taxes.

Gainspoletti continues, "Folks who have worked hard and accumulated wealth, along with the top income earners, already bear the brunt of the progressive tax system and will continue to do so if they do not employ the latest tax savings strategies."

This new seminar educates and equips retirees against the little-known mistakes and costly missteps that can derail their plans in retirement. The fast-paced, 77-minute presentation explores the keys to an abundant retirement.

"Most retirees want to more fully enjoy retirement, yet they are uninformed about the many dangers and obstacles they face. For example, another obstacle is running afoul of IRS retirement account rules that can unknowingly cost retirees a bundle," says Gainspoletti.

The seminar uses real-world examples to show attendees how to create substantial income tax deductions, help avoid double taxation on retirement accounts, legally bypass capital gains taxes on stocks, bonds and real estate and reduce and possibly eliminate income taxes on your IRA and 401(k).

"You only get one shot with your money and retirement," says Gainspoletti, "so you might as well enjoy it fully. There will be nothing to buy at this briefing and every attendee will receive a free action guide. I sure hope folks take advantage of this educational event and get registered by calling our office at 662-843-6090."

About Gary Gainspoletti, CPA, CFP:

Gary Gainspoletti, CPA, CFP is an accomplished Financial Educator, Author, Speaker, Tax Reduction Professional, and Financial Planner. Gainspoletti is the Co-Author of the book, Retire Abundantly! Business owners, executives and professionals have benefited from his wisdom and guidance for over four decades on how to reduce taxes, keep more of what they earn, and grow their wealth confidently. Gainspoletti's multi-disciplinary combination of Certified Public Accountant* and Certified Financial Planner, a dual distinction held by only 2 percent of CPAs in the United States, gives him and his team a multi-dimensional approach that allows clients to more fully enjoy, preserve and pass on their wealth.

Gainspoletti has been recognized for his dedication, service and "give back" attitude, including receiving the Bolivar County Chamber of Commerce Presidents Award and S. E. Kossman Chamber Award. He is active and shares his leadership skills with many organizations, including Alderman-at-Large for the city of Cleveland, Cleveland-Bolivar County Chamber of Commerce, Economic Development Foundation, Team Cleveland, Advisory Board of Cleveland School District, Knights of Columbus, Delta State University Foundation, and others. Gary Gainspoletti is a warm communicator with a passion for educating people on their tax and financial options and helping clients keep more of their hard-earned wealth and leave more to the people, organizations and causes they care about deeply.

The information has been obtained from sources considered to be reliable, but we do not guarantee that the foregoing material is accurate or complete. Any opinions are those of Gary Gainspoletti and not necessarily those of Raymond James. *The tax advice and/or services of Gary Gainspoletti are independent of RJFS.

805 West Sunflower Rd, Cleveland, MS 38732: Securities offered through Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. Member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advisory services are offered through Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. Gainspoletti Financial Services is not a registered broker/dealer and is independent of Raymond James Financial Services.

Contact

Jennifer Pongetti

Administrative Assistant

662-843-6090

SOURCE Gary Gainspoletti
SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Oracle OpenWorld -- Further expanding its new Oracle Intelligent Bots capabilities, Oracle today announced it has agreed to embed CHATBOX Instant Apps in Oracle Mobile Cloud. With this new capability, Oracle Mobile Cloud will provide a richer, more-contextual user experience, which enables chatbots to switch seamlessly between unstructured conversation and personalized, structured data exchange.

Leveraging Chatbox technology, Oracle Mobile Cloud will now offer customers a chatbot that can deliver an interface that is appropriate to the interaction, such as an online form with pertinent information from the conversation. Supporting many of today's most popular interaction channels, including Amazon Echo, Facebook Messenger, and GoogleHome, customers can have powerful, contextual conversations with end users through almost any platform.

For example, using Oracle Mobile Cloud with Chatbox, a consumer interacting with a bot to return a retail item would use a Chatbox Instant App. It would guide the person through a simple, personalized experience within the messaging platform to gather all relevant information  without the need for emails, downloads, or phone calls. The bot is able to collect accurate, meaningful data in a way most convenient for the customer.

"As enterprises look for ways to streamline business processes, intuitive tools designed around existing workflows are ideal ways to increase productivity and better utilize resources," said Steve Miranda, executive vice president, Oracle Applications Product Development. "By integrating Chatbox technology into our new intelligent bots, businesses can further leverage their existing platforms to more comprehensively engage with customers and simplify processes  both for data collection and end-user actions."

Featuring AI-powered intelligent chatbot capabilities, Oracle Mobile Cloud is helping enterprises build applications that can automate more engaging conversations at scale. The new capabilities offer organizations a multi-channel platform, deep analytics that link key stakeholder experiences across bots, mobile applications and web, as well as simplified bot development features. The addition of Chatbox Instant Apps to this powerful portfolio enables enterprises to rapidly and easily build personalized experiences to better engage with customers and employees across today's most popular messaging platforms.

"We believe that Oracle's Intelligent Bots, coupled with Chatbox Instant Apps, will provide companies with a significant competitive advantage in the messaging space," said Phil Gordon, founder and CEO, Chatbox. "We are proud to work with a company like Oracle that continues to invest heavily in delivering exceptional, personalized customer experiences."

Chatbox is a simple scalable solution for businesses to communicate with customers where they respond best  messaging. Chatbox Inc. is based in Seattle, Washington. For more information about Chatbox, please visit chatbox.com.

Additional Resources

About Oracle

The Oracle Cloud offers complete SaaS application suites for ERP, HCM and CX, plus best-in-class database Platform as a Service (PaaS) and Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) from data centers throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia. For more information about Oracle (NYSE:ORCL), please visit us at www.oracle.com.

About Oracle OpenWorld

Oracle OpenWorld, the industry's most important business and technology conference for the past 20 years, hosts tens of thousands of in-person attendees as well as millions online. Dedicated to helping businesses leverage Cloud for their innovation and growth, the conference delivers deep insight into industry trends and breakthroughs driven by technology. Designed for attendees who want to connect, learn, explore and be inspired, Oracle OpenWorld offers more than 2,500 educational sessions led by more than 2,000 customers and partners sharing their experiences, first hand. With hundreds of demos and hands-on labs, plus exhibitions from more than 400 partners and customers from around the world, Oracle OpenWorld has become a showcase for leading cloud technologies, from Cloud Applications to Cloud Platform and Infrastructure. For more information; to register; or to watch Oracle OpenWorld keynotes, sessions, and more, visit www.oracle.com/openworld. Join the Oracle OpenWorld discussion on Twitter.

Safe Harbor Disclaimer

The preceding is intended to outline our general product direction. It is intended for information purposes only, and may not be incorporated into any contract. It is not a commitment to deliver any material, code, or functionality, and should not be relied upon in making purchasing decisions. The development, release, and timing of any features or functionality described for Oracle's products remains at the sole discretion of Oracle Corporation.

Statements in this article relating to Oracle's future plans, expectations, beliefs, and intentions are "forward-looking statements" and are subject to material risks and uncertainties. Such statements are based on Oracle's current expectations and assumptions, some of which are beyond Oracle's control. All information in this article is current as of October 2, 2017 and Oracle undertakes no duty to update any statement in light of new information or future events.

Trademarks

Oracle and Java are registered trademarks of Oracle and/or its affiliates. Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

SOURCE Oracle

Related Links

http://www.oracle.com


PEORIA, Ill., Oct. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Becker's Hospital Review, the leading magazine for hospital news and analysis, announced today OSF Innovation is on the 2017 list of 58 Hospitals and Health Systems with Innovation Programs. Launched in 2016, OSF Innovation is a multidisciplinary center and program focused on internal and external innovation to re-invent the health care delivery system of the future.

According to Becker's, the hospitals and health systems featured have committed to innovation with dedicated centers and departments. Research and development from these programs range from technicalincluding medical devices, diagnostics and mobile health platformsto clinical workflows, payment models and process improvements. Some have also established commercial arms and technology transfer offices addressing some of the most complex challenges facing patient care and delivery.

"It is an honor to be recognized for our dedication to transform health care into value for the patients and communities we serve," said Kevin Schoeplein, CEO of OSF HealthCare. "As we continue to build a culture of innovation throughout our health care Ministry, we aim to come up with solutions that will ensure health care outcomes and access are no longer based on how much money a patients has, their age or their distance to a health care facility."

OSF HealthCare was also ranked as having one of the top 10 innovation centers in the U.S. earlier this year by Modern Healthcare, a leader in health care business news, research and data.

OSF Innovation employs a variety of approaches to innovation such as improving processes and functions to serve patients; mentoring, networking and partnering with external companies working on solutions to health care problems; investing in start-ups through OSF Ventures; and developing and testing internal and external ideas that could revolutionize how health care is delivered.

Becker's Hospital Review has published a version of the Innovation Programs list since 2015. The full 2017 list features individual profiles of all the featured hospitals.

Note: The Becker's Hospital Review list is not an endorsement of included hospital, health systems or associated health care providers and organizations cannot pay for inclusion on this list. Organizations are presented in alphabetical order.

OSF HealthCare, headquartered in Peoria, is owned and operated by The Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis, and consists of nearly 19,000 Mission Partners (employees) in 115 locations, including 11 hospitals throughout Illinois and Michigan. Its physician network employs nearly 1,200 primary care, specialist physicians and advanced practice providers. OSF Innovation, ranked among the top 10 innovation centers in the country, is located in Jump Trading Simulation & Education Center. Launched in 2016, OSF Innovation is a multidisciplinary innovation center focused on internal and external innovation of the largest health care challenges. More at www.osfinnovation.org and www.osfhealthcare.org.

Becker's Hospital Review is a monthly publication offering up-to-date business and legal news and analysis relating to hospitals and health systems. Articles are geared toward high-level hospital leaders and provide valuable information, including hospital and health system news, best practices and legal guidance specifically for these decision-makers. Each issue of Becker's Hospital Review reaches more than 18,000 people, primarily acute care hospital CEOs, CFOs and CIOs.

Contact: Denise Molina-Weiger 309.308.9547 [email protected]

SOURCE OSF HealthCare

Related Links

https://www.osfhealthcare.org


LONDON, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- OTC Europe, LLP, a subsidiary of leading independent commodities interdealer broker OTC Global Holdings (OTCGH), today announced the acquisition of Oil Brokerage Limited, a London-based global physical and financial oil products firm.

The acquisition further strengthens OTC Europe's and OTCGH's position as a major global player across all commodity markets by deepening its liquidity pools, product offerings, expertise and information resources in the global physical and financial oil products. Coming on the heels of the formation of OTC Asia in Singapore at the beginning of this year, it also continues OTCGH's geographic expansion and marks another significant milestone for the company as it celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2017.

"Putting these two firms together brings unparalleled value to our clients and employees. Both companies have had incredible success and growth, especially in the last five years when many of our peers in commodities have folded, sold or floundered," said Joe Kelly, OTCGH President and Co-CEO. "While we typically build our own firms, we also have made strategic acquisitions and Oil Brokerage was strong in areas of the market we weren't in yet but saw an opportunity."

Established in late 1988, Oil Brokerage specializes in the brokering of Physical Gasoline, Gasoline Components, Gasoline Swaps, Physical Naphtha, Naphtha Swaps, Fuel Oil, LPG and Freight Futures (FFA) for clients such as major oil companies, oil trading divisions of investment banks and commodity houses as well as other established independent trading concerns and funds. It has more than 70 employees working at offices in London and Singapore.

Oil Brokerage will become one of OTC Europe's brokering groups, joining the London office's Aalpha Energy, Ion Energy UK, Choice! UK and P&P Oil desks, and will have the ability to leverage OTCGH's global network of 20 independent portfolio companies in Chicago, Des Moines, Geneva, Houston, London, Louisville, New Jersey, New York and Singapore as well as technology resources such as the company's EOXLive platform to serve its clients.

"A decade ago we structured our agile and innovative business model with deals like this in mind. This acquisition again exemplifies why that model works as we can bring in a company like Oil Brokerage, allowing them to maintain their independence and ability to offer specialized products while at the same time enjoying the financial, managerial and technological resources needed to compete effectively in today's rapidly changing marketplace," added Kelly.

"This deal is a sound strategic move for our company," said James McNicol, Oil Brokerage's Managing Director. "We've had major success in Europe over the years and recently expanded our business in Asia. OB has been pursued by a number of suitors during our nearly 30 years in business, however, the opportunity to accelerate our growth within OTC Global's structure is something we are genuinely excited about and look forward to greatly. ."

OTC Europe's office is located at 10 Finsbury Square, 5th floor, London, United Kingdom, EC2A 1AF. For more information about OTC Europe or its divisions, visit www.otcgh.com or call +44 (0) 20 7726 8601.

About OTC Global Holdings

Formed in 2007, OTC Global Holdings has become the world's largest independent institutional broker of commodities, covering financial and physical instruments from offices in Chicago, Des Moines, Geneva, Houston, London, Louisville, New Jersey, New York and Singapore. The company is a leading liquidity provider on CBOT, ICE, NYMEX and NFX, ranking number one amongst its peers in numerous derivatives contracts across biofuels, emissions, commodity index products, crude oil, natural gas, natural gas liquids (NGLs), metals, petrochemicals and refined products, power, proppants, soft commodities, and weather derivatives. The company serves more than 450 institutional clients, including over 70 members of the Global Fortune 500, and transacts in hundreds of different commodity delivery points in Asia, Europe and the Americas. To learn more about the company, please visit www.otcgh.com or go to https://player.vimeo.com/video/146686709.

Contact:

Mike Gehrig

Pierpont Communications

+ 1 713 627-2223

[email protected]

SOURCE OTC Global Holdings

Related Links

http://www.otcgh.com


"I didn't open a Thai restaurant, I opened a restaurant that serves Thai food," Hong Thaimee says overlooking the open kitchen of her latest NYC restaurant that opened a few weeks back inside Williamsburg's McCarren Hotel & Pool. We're discussing the role of fusion on her menu, which includes a version of Pad Thai made "carbonara"-style with nubs of pork and bright yellow egg yolk. "Pad Thai has variety, Pad Thai is alive and can transform," she continues. "This is the sexiest Pad Thai in New York City!"

Thaimee's eponymous restaurant, which she runs together with business partner Matt Bruck, came together more or less on the fly. Bruck approached Thaimee about opening a restaurant in the hotel's below ground space and then, six weeks later, they officially opened. The kitchen staff, which aside from Thaimee has never cooked Thai food before, trained in about two weeks to cook dishes like the Pad Thai Carbonara and Gaeng Khiaw Wan Nua ($24), beef in a green curry that Thaimee makes at the restaurant.

Two other restaurants run by ThaimeeNgam and Thaimee Boxare located near Union Square, where the chef stops regularly to visit the greenmarket. She'll incorporate seasonal ingredients like the mushroom and acorn squash curry and an apple-slaw topped crab cake for autumn. The Flower District's fresh markets also helped design the menu: it's where Thaimee found the fresh bamboo for her Pla Tom Mai Phai ($26), fish in bamboo.



(Scott Heins/Gothamist)

The space that houses Thaimee's latest restaurant has undergone several transformations since the North 12th Street building first opened as a hotel. The subterranean first opened as Michelin-starred chef Paul Liebrandt's The Elm before pivoting to fern bar-inspired Oleanders.

The turnover has netted Thaimee with a glut of utensils, serving vessels and wine glasses as hand-me-downs from previous tenants, but the chef isn't concerned with the remnants. "It's not about the plate, it's about what I put on it."

The bowls may be basic, but many of the dishes are arresting in both their visual appearance as well as Thaimee's devotion to chilies, which appear in many of the dishes, including a Chocolate Chili Souffle ($9). Khao Krieb Pak Mor, traditional steamed dumplings, make their presence known with their bright purple color, while the "Magic Noodle Salad" ($12) transforms from blue to purple with the addition to acid.

160 North 12th Street, (718) 218-7500; thaimeeatmccarren.com

Fall Winter Dinner Thaimee at Mccarren by Nell Casey on Scribd
HARRISBURG, Pa., Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The PA Breast Cancer Coalition (PBCC) hosts its annual Conference Friday, October 6 from 8:30a.m. to 3:30p.m. at the Hilton Harrisburg. The one-day Conference features workshops from world-renowned experts in the breast cancer community. Attendees will learn the latest on topics including metastatic breast cancer, lymphedema, genetics, survivorship, clinical trials, families and breast cancer, immunotherapy, nutrition, yoga and more!

The PBCC presents the Pink Ribbon Award to Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf at this year's luncheon beginning at 12:00p.m. in the Hilton's Harrisburg Ballroom. Governor Wolf made Pennsylvania the first state in the nation to cover 3D screening mammograms at no cost to women insured under PA law. Since that time, the PBCC has seen an overwhelming increase in the number of mammography centers offering 3D screenings. The number of 3D facilities went up 29 percent in the past year alone.

"Governor Wolf's decision to make 3D screening mammograms free for women in Pennsylvania is saving lives," said PBCC President and Founder Pat Halpin-Murphy. "3D mammography offers better detection and fewer false alarms. The PA Breast Cancer Coalition is proud to recognize the Governor for making a difference for the women and families of Pennsylvania with his groundbreaking action. Thank you, Governor Wolf."

The 2017 Potamkin Prize winner Clifford A. Hudis, MD is CEO of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) where he oversees 43,000 oncologists across the country. Dr. Hudis also cares for breast cancer patients at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York. For decades, his research has transformed treatments for cancer patients through advances in chemotherapy, metastatic breast cancer clinical trials and palliative care. Dr. Hudis kicks off the Conference with a workshop on his latest studies of obesity and its impact on breast cancer.

Pink Ribbon Awardees and Helen Michener and Laraine Forry dedicate their lives to supporting breast cancer survivors and researchers in PA and host several events for the PA Breast Cancer Coalition. Through their efforts with Toasting a Cure at the Vineyard, Drive Out Breast Cancer and the 104-mile Freedom from Breast Cancer Walk, Michener and Forry have raised more than $87,000! The PBCC awards the Dr. William L. and Marilynn R. Kanenson Shining Light Award to Breaststroke for Breast Cancer, a Grassroots Partner swimming event held each year at the Hershey Aquatic Club. Breaststroke for Breast Cancer has contributed $78,000 toward the PBCC's mission and vision.

For more information, visit pbcc.me/Conf.

About the PA Breast Cancer Coalition

The PA Breast Cancer Coalition, a 501(c)3 organization, represents, supports and serves breast cancer survivors and their families in Pennsylvania through educational programming, legislative advocacy and breast cancer research grants. The PBCC is a statewide non-profit organization dedicated to finding a cure nowso our daughters won't have to. For more information, please call 800-377-8828 or visit www.PABreastCancer.org.

Natalie Kopp

Communications Director

717-769-2302

[email protected]

@PBCC #PBCCconference

SOURCE PA Breast Cancer Coalition

Related Links

http://www.pabreastcancer.org


PITTSBURGH, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- PA Health & Wellness (PHW) will hold a career fair on October 4 and 5 looking for full time employees in both staff and leadership positions ahead of the Community HealthChoices (CHC) program launch on Jan. 1, 2018. Community HealthChoices is Pennsylvania's mandatory managed care program for dually eligible individuals and individuals with physical disabilities.

The company plans to expand to more than 200 employees supporting the program in the Pittsburgh area by the end of 2017. PHW is located in Robinson Township near Settlers Ridge.

PHW will be hosting the event at the Pittsburgh Airport Marriott in Coraopolis, Pa. The fair will take place from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. on Wednesday and from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. Thursday. Company representatives will be holding interviews on-site for multiple leadership and staff-level positions.

"We have a significant number of positions to fill," said Eric Lisle, CEO and president of PHW. "Pittsburgh has a huge talent pool that we plan to tap into, and believe the competitive benefits and culture of PA Health & Wellness encourages many potential qualified candidates to consider joining our team."

PHW offers a fully-rounded employee benefit package to all job candidates that includes competitive pay, a comprehensive health insurance program and paid vacation among other attributes. For more information, please visit http://www.centene.com/careers.html or www.pahealthwellness.com/about-us/career-fair.html to learn about what positions are available.

PHW is a wholly owned subsidiary of Centene Corporation (www.centene.com).

About PA Health & Wellness

PA Health & Wellness is a managed care plan that provides health insurance to the people of Pennsylvania. Established in 2017, PA Health & Wellness exists to improve the health of its members through focused, compassionate and coordinated care. PA Health & Wellness is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Centene Corporation, a diversified, multi-national healthcare enterprise. For more information, visit www.pahealthwellness.com.

SOURCE PA Health & Wellness

Related Links

http://www.pahealthwellness.com


IRVINE, Calif., Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Amtrak Pacific Surfliner will offer concertgoers traveling to opening weekend at Irvine's new FivePoint Amphitheatre the opportunity to experience the comfort and convenience of train travel before arriving just steps from Orange County's newest concert venue. Travelers attending concerts on October 5  7 will also receive a free companion fare with the purchase of one regular adult fare on all Pacific Surfliner trains to and from the Irvine Station.

The Amtrak Pacific Surfliner travels along a 351-mile coastal rail route through San Diego, Orange, Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties.

The Pacific Surfliner directly serves the FivePoint Amphitheatre, which is located adjacent to the Irvine Station. "The venue's front gate is about a five minute walk from the train station, which will help reduce traffic in and out of the facility," said Matt Prieshoff, Live Nation Chief Operating Officer  California.

When developing the venue, developer FivePoint and events producer Live Nation wanted to give attendees easy access to public transportation.

"People will be able to come to the concerts using the train and enjoy the shows without worrying about parking or safely getting home," said Tony Kranz, chairman of the Los Angeles  San Diego  San Luis Obispo Rail Corridor Agency, which oversees the Pacific Surfliner service.

Amtrak will offer special late-night northbound Pacific Surfliner service to Los Angeles and north Orange County after each concert, including Young the Giant (October 5), Fish Family Night (October 6), and Jack's 12th Show (October 7). Concerts end at 11 p.m.

The special northbound return train (597) will depart Irvine promptly at 11:40 p.m. A southbound Pacific Surfliner train (796) will depart Irvine at 11:09 p.m. Concert attendees can take any Pacific Surfliner train to the FivePoint Amphitheatre with service from San Diego, Oceanside, Anaheim, Los Angeles and intermediate stops.

For more information, visit http://www.pacificsurfliner.com/livenation

About the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner

The Amtrak Pacific Surfliner travels along 351-mile coastal rail route through San Diego, Orange, Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties. To learn more, visit http://www.pacificsurfliner.com/.

About the LOSSAN Rail Corridor Agency

The Los Angeles  San Diego  San Luis Obispo (LOSSAN) Rail Corridor Agency manages the Pacific Surfliner service in close coordination with its member agencies, Amtrak and Caltrans.

SOURCE Amtrak Pacific Surfliner

Related Links

http://www.pacificsurfliner.com


TOKYO, Oct. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- PLANET (JASDAQ: 2391) is pleased to announce its results for the fiscal year ended July 31, 2017.

Summary of Results

Domestic consumption rebounded firmly during the year, buttressed by an upswing in business confidence at consumer-related companies in the second half. PLANET was established in 1985 with investment by eight leading manufacturers of daily necessities and cosmetics and an independent information and communication technology (ICT) company.

Since that time, PLANET has operated information infrastructures based on standard specifications in the consumer packaged goods industry, providing stable, ongoing services amid ongoing changes in the surrounding IT environment. To continue fulfilling this role, the company has switched over its network foundation for such Web-based services as MITEOS (a Web-based service for receiving orders and communicating purchase information), sales reporting services, general database services and Buyers' Net.

In the fiscal year ended July 31, 2017, PLANET generated net sales of JPY2,974 million (up 2.5% YoY), operating income of JPY686 million (down 0.8% YoY) and profit of JPY478 million (up 6.9% YoY).

In the electronic data interchange (EDI) business, PLANET encouraged the further spread of its EDI for enterprise systems to increase the efficiency of operations between consumer packaged goods manufacturers and wholesalers. As a result, PLANET saw increases in the number of manufacturers and wholesalers newly using its service, as well as a rise in the types of data used per customer, leading to an increase in the volume of EDI data processed. During the year, this business generated sales of JPY2,612 million (up 4.3% YoY).

In the database business, the company continued to conduct surveys and register data for enhancing retail store siting conditions and store information. Such information goes into a business partner database that amasses standard transaction codes for retailers' stores and wholesalers' branches and distribution centers. During the year, this business generated sales of JPY339 million (down 9.7% YoY).

In other businesses, the company researched, studied and pursued development initiatives to make visible the vast quantities of transaction data in the consumer packaged goods industry and use big data effectively. This business generated sales of JPY21 million (up 0.7% YoY).

In the fiscal year ending July 31, 2018, PLANET intends to continue encouraging the spread of its EDI business into such sectors as health foods and nursing care products. The company will also promote its sales reporting services, which help reinforce manufacturers' selling activities, and work to introduce MITEOS, which helps wholesalers increase the percentage of orders placed online. The company believes use of EDI services will expand as it reduces fees, but expects cost of sales to rise due to the configuration of a safer system infrastructure and service upgrades. Also, PLANET forecasts an increase in selling, general and administrative expenses, including R&D related to leading-edge communications and system technologies and the outsourcing of some operations. For the upcoming year, PLANET forecasts net sales of JPY3,020 million (up 1.5% YoY), operating income of JPY705 million (up 2.6% YoY) and profit of JPY485 million (up 1.3% YoY).

PLANET's basic policy on dividends is to award dividends twice each year: an interim dividend and a year-end dividend. For the year ended July 31, 2017, the company has awarded an interim dividend of JPY19 per share and expects to pay a year-end dividend of JPY20, totaling JPY39 for the year. For the year ending July 31, 2018, PLANET forecasts annual dividends of JPY40 per share, comprising interim and year-end dividends of JPY20 each. The company aims to continue increasing its dividend payout ratio going forward.

The summary of non-consolidated financial results for the fiscal year ended July 31, 2017 for PLANET, Inc. (2391, JASDAQ Standard, Tokyo Stock Exchange) is available here:

https://www.planet-van.co.jp/ir/pdf/2017jul_settlement.pdf

Release Disclaimer

This release is for the purpose of providing information to serve as a reference for investment decisions and not for the purpose of soliciting investment. Please make your own judgment on final decisions such as investment policy, timing and selection. Please be advised that we do not assume any responsibility for damages caused by this service.

Release Inquiries

Borderless IR Co., Ltd.

Sixth Floor, Toyo Building 1-2-10 Nihonbashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 103-0027 JAPAN

TEL: +81-3-4588-6706

[email protected]

Borderless IR specializes in the overseas distribution of IR content, including the dissemination of newsletters and annual reports providing the latest information and main strengths of Japanese companies directly to overseas investors through leading global media, corporate information database services and mailing lists. Borderless is also engaged in supporting other global IR efforts.

SOURCE PLANET, Inc.
ASTON, Pa., Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Polaris Brand Promotions, a promotional marketing agency serving alcoholic beverage producers, distributors, wholesalers and retail outlets, is excited to announce its launch today. Based out of Aston, Pennsylvania, the company provides brand ambassador staffing and recap services throughout the United States.

Evanne and Olivia, Brand Ambassadors for PolarisBrandPromotions.com

"The alcoholic beverage industry is one of the most diverse industries in the world  in terms of new companies and products launching daily  and one which faces constantly changing consumer tastes," says Al Schuster, Polaris Brand Promotions' founder and President, who has staffed numerous promotions throughout his career including beer and liquor samplings, nightclub parties and virtual reality events. "While many promotional agencies are simply focused on booking 'models for shifts,' our mission is to provide enthusiastic, experienced and knowledgeable brand ambassadors who will promote our clients' brands and create value through successful promotions and timely recap." In addition to staffing for beer, wine and liquor/spirits sampling events, Polaris Brand Promotions also provides promotional model staffing for bars, nightclubs, restaurants, conventions and trade shows as well as for corporate and charity events.

As working with alcoholic beverages presents a unique set of challenges above standard product promotions, Polaris Brand Promotions sets itself apart from its competitors with:

Liquor liability and worker's compensation insurance

Alcohol training certification, such as TIPS, required for all brand ambassador team members

Industry-leading technology, including utilizing PopBookings online portal for event staffing

Boozeonomics.com, the company's alcoholic beverage industry news, event and resource website

To learn more about Polaris Brand Promotions and how their experienced team will create value for your brand, please visit www.PolarisBrandPromotions.com.

About Polaris Brand Promotions

Founded in 2017, Polaris Brand Promotions, a Limited Liability Company based out of Aston, Pennsylvania, provides nationwide promotional marketing services for the alcoholic beverage industry. Polaris Brand Promotions is an Associate Member of the Brewers Association.

Media Contact

Polaris Brand Promotions, LLC

Attn: Al Schuster, President

PO Box 311, Media, PA 19063

Phone: (484) 885-0090

[email protected]

http://www.polarisbrandpromotions.com

SOURCE Polaris Brand Promotions

Related Links

http://www.polarisbrandpromotions.com


The Praxis executive team, possessing more than $6.3 billion of transactional experience in the multifamily sector, including institutional management of more than 90,000 apartment units, seeks to build a large portfolio of Class B/C workforce housing, consistently unlocking embedded value in multifamily real estate. Praxis also looks to expand its relationships with Family Office and Institutional JV Equity sources.

Using the conservative underwriting and extensive due diligence for which Praxis is known, the firm performed an exhaustive search before seizing this high potential opportunity. "Similarly upgraded nearby properties are achieving $362 rent premiums over the in-place rent at Villages at Turtle Creek, making this an ideal value-add play," says Brian Burke, President of Praxis Capital. "We've had tremendous success employing similar strategies with properties in other states and this property holds promise for excellent cash flow with upside potential. We foresee this as a very desirable property for both our residents and investors."

The Class B Villages at Turtle Creek offers a tremendous value-add opportunity. Built in 1985 and situated on over 11.5 acres, the 15-building property has 232 one- and two-bedroom units, ranging from 450 to 1,010 square feet, all with in-unit washer/dryer connections. Praxis plans to invest nearly $3 million to renovate and upgrade the property. The property is being managed by Praxis' wholly-owned subsidiary, PM Residential Management LLC.

To learn more about Praxis and its investment models, accredited investors or advisors may contact Bob Dreher at [email protected] or (707) 703-4500.

About Praxis Capital, Inc.

Praxis Capital, Inc., formed in July 2001, is a real estate private equity investment firm which is committed to developing lasting relationships with our clients by assisting them in building wealth through quality real estate investments. Praxis is focused on value-add multifamily properties in US growth markets. The company currently owns properties in five states.

Bob Dreher, SVP/Investor Relations

Praxis Capital, Inc.

3550 Round Barn Blvd, Suite 104

Santa Rosa CA 95403

www.praxcap.com

[email protected]

(707) 703-4500

SOURCE Praxis Capital, Inc.

Related Links

https://praxcap.com


Ascend analyzed the leadership pipeline for San Francisco Bay Area technology companies through publicly available data covering 2007-2015. All companies with 100-plus employees are required to file EEOC reports identifying workforce composition by job categories, race and gender. Therefore, the study includes pipeline data aggregated from hundreds of companies, including Apple, Cisco, Facebook, Google, HP, Intel, Twitter, Yelp and others.

While the Bay Area is home to one of the most heterogeneous populations in the U.S., researchers found that diversity in technology leadership roles has generally stagnated over the last decade. Here are some key findings in The Illusion of Asian Success:

Race is an increasingly more significant impediment than gender to climbing the management ladder, with Asian women and Hispanic women most affected.

to climbing the management ladder, with Asian women and Hispanic women most affected. Asians are the least likely to be promoted to managerial or executive positions, in spite of being the largest minority group of professionals and the most likely to be hired. In particular, Asian women are the least represented group as executives, at 66% underrepresentation.

in spite of being the largest minority group of professionals and the most likely to be hired. In particular, White men and women are twice as likely as Asians to become executives and hold almost three times the number of executive jobs.

and hold almost three times the number of executive jobs. Even though white women are now substantially more successful in reaching the executive level than ALL minority men or women, white men are still 47% more likely than white women to be executives.

Both Blacks and Hispanics have declined in their percentage share of the professional workforce despite efforts to hire more underrepresented minorities.

"When we used the Executive Parity Index to compare the numbers of minorities as executives to their numbers in the workforce, it was clear that that efforts to promote more Asians, Blacks, and Hispanics have made no meaningful impact to the minority glass ceiling," said Buck Gee, a former vice president and general manager at Cisco Systems who is an Ascend executive advisor and a study co-author. "That said, we saw progress made by white women, so we know tech companies can change. Now it's time to do the same for minority men and women."

Co-author and Ascend executive advisor Denise Peck, a former vice president at Cisco, stated, "Minority women continue to bump against a double-paned glass ceiling. The data show that a general focus on developing women leaders has not addressed the distinct challenges for Asian, Black, or Hispanic women. This has been an unspoken truth in the minority community, and we hope that our report opens a long overdue dialogue. We encourage all companies to take a hard look at their minority pipeline and ask how they can do better."

"In spite of companies investing in their recruiting and hiring of Asians, Blacks and Hispanics, advancement to senior corporate ranks and corporate boards is still highly limited," said Anna Mok, executive vice president and national board member of Ascend. "To make the systemic changes that positively impact and advance results, CEOs, their executive teams, and corporate boards need to actively lead change and drive solutions."

How is Your Company Addressing Diversity?

Ascend offers two simple tools to help companies determine if they have a leadership diversity imbalance. The Executive Parity Index (EPI) scores a company's diversity in its executive workforce relative to its entry-level workforce. The new Management Parity Index (MPI) helps assess the flow of diversity from the ground floor to middle management. Just plug your most recent EE0-1 data into the calculators to determine your MPI and EPI.

Download a free copy of The Illusion of Asian Success: Scant Progress for Minorities in Cracking the Glass Ceiling from 2007-2015 from the Ascend website at www.ascendleadership.org/research.

About Ascend Foundation and Ascend

Ascend Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization with a mission to educate, advocate, and enable Pan-Asian business leaders to reach their full potential and provide scholarships to honor students who demonstrate scholastic excellence, leadership, and commendable community service. Ascend (@AscendLeader) is the largest, non-profit Pan-Asian membership organization for business professionals in North America. Established in 2005, Ascend, a career lifecycle organization, reaches 60,000+ senior executives, professionals, and MBA/undergraduate students involved in its 50+ chapters in the United States and Canada. Visit http://www.ascendleadership.org for more information.

2017 Ascend Foundation. Executive Parity Index (EPI) and Management Parity Index (MPI) are trademarks of Ascend Foundation. All rights reserved.

Contact:

Sofia Poyhonen, PR Manager, (212) 248-4888 x111, [email protected]

Lisa Hawes, Sterling Communications, (408) 884-5155, [email protected]

SOURCE Ascend Foundation

Related Links

http://www.AscendLeadership.org


LAS VEGAS, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Hearing that the people of Catalonia were brutally prevented from voting on their independence from Spain, Rael, spiritual leader of the International Raelian Movement (IRM), expressed his compassion for the Catalans and voiced dismay at what he called "the recurrent colonial attitude of the Spanish government."

"The police violence against voters in Catalonia showed the colonialist mentality of the [current] Spanish government, which is worse than during the dictatorship of Franco and similar to the genocides and pillages Spain committed in South America against the Incas and other native peoples," Rael said in a statement issued this morning by the IRM. "A peaceful future can only be reached by the dismantlement of large nations and the creation of human-size countries according to their traditional culture and languages. These would be micro nations of human size federated in a world government created by the people and for the people and not serving any financial interest."

For Rael, the era of kingdoms and empires is a thing of the past.

"With human-size nations, weapons of mass destruction and national armies will become obsolete and easier to destroy, and they will be replaced by real peacekeepers created to serve and protect the populations."

In his book "The United Kingdom of Kama [Africa]", Rael encouraged small nations stand up and fight for independence.

"No people or ethnic group is too small to be independent," he wrote. "Whatever the number of years spent under the domination of a country that conquered them by force, the desire of the peoples to be independent is inextinguishable. The future is in autonomy and solidarity, in a federation of small independent countries, free by their own choice and helping each other."

In today's statement, Rael also reminded Spain of its postcolonial debt.

"Spain should give back the tons of gold it stole from Peru, Bolivia and other countries, plus give compensation for the genocides. Such pillage and genocide is a crime against humanity forever, and failing to respect the right to secession is also a crime. [The right to secession] is granted by human rights to every community in the world."

SOURCE Raelian Movement

Related Links

http://www.rael.org


(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130912/638839 )



Interact with experts at booth #36 in the exhibit area to learn how Newgen banking solutions will help banks to engage with customers better, enhance market share, improvise profitability, improve compliance adherence and achieve digital transformation goals.

Speaking on this participation, Anand Raman, VP - Sales and Marketing, Newgen Software Inc. said, "The dynamic nature of the financial industry presents significant challenges for banks and financial institutions. Newgen banking solutions built on configurable BPM framework connects systems processes, people and things in innovative ways to create an engaging and responsive enterprise. It delivers omni-channel experience, end-to-end risk management and real-time dashboards to ease digital transformation of banks."

Banks can get hands-on experience of Newgen's banking suite that enables real-time banking with multi-channel presence. Newgen's solution is delivered on-premise and cloud. Cloud deployment of the solutions ensures faster deployment, lower infrastructural cost and faster ROI. Newgen's solutions are adaptable and scalable for future requirements.

Newgen's banking solutions will equip banks to leverage legacy systems and automate end-to-end credit cycle for full range of lending products, including commercial lending, consumer lending, online account opening, digital and mobile customer experience, commercial and institutional loan (C&I), commercial real estate loan (CRE), small business administration loan (SBA) and other loans.

Newgen's Commercial lending solution combines its rich domain expertise with industry best practices that is required in a robust commercial lending solution. It automates and streamlines end-to-end lending cycle from prospecting, credit origination, underwriting, approvals, disbursement and servicing in a paperless and digital-enabled workflow environment. The platform is available both as on-premise and cloud-based delivery models.

BAI Beacon is an immersive, fast-paced, financial services conference that will help strengthen your strategic business plans for 2018 and beyond.

About Newgen Software Inc.

Newgen Software Inc. is a global provider in banking process automation with more than 200 leading banks and financial services institutions as its clients. Newgen's banking process management framework automates critical business processes for banking institutions across commercial lending, consumer lending, customer on-boarding, online account opening, trade finance, digital and mobile customer experience strategy. Newgen offers flexible on-premise and cloud-based solutions to its banking customers. For more information, please visit http://www.newgensoft.com.

Media Contact:

Asif Khan

[email protected]



SOURCE Newgen Software Inc.
SANTA MONICA, Calif., Oct. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Rightscorp (OTCQB: RIHT), a leading provider of data analytics and litigation services, as well as copyright infringement protection services to support artists and owners of copyrighted property, has announced plans to further its international expansion with the signing of a consulting agreement with Chinese entrepreneur Mr. Vincent Yen to formalize an agreement with a major Chinese media company, to monitor copyrighted content for online infringement from the world's most populous country, the People's Republic of China.

As part of the agreement, Mr. Yen will assist Rightscorp in securing an exclusive anti-piracy relationship to represent Chinese audio and visual copyrights and monitor peer-to-peer activity in the U.S. for infringement of Chinese content. Discussions are underway to bring Rightscorp's technology to China for both Chinese and U.S. content.

Since 2005, The National Copyright Administration in Beijing has pledged a campaign against online piracy, targeting unauthorized streaming, downloading and sales of literary, film, television and music works. Beijing's municipal copyright administration has been monitoring videos and music streaming websites to deter copyright violation. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology pledged to offer full support on internet supervision and detection to help the fight against online piracy.

Rightscorp President, Christopher Sabec stated, "Participating in the Chinese market has always been compelling. We have held promising meetings in Beijing with both State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television (SARFT) and Chinese media companies, and are extremely excited to be working on initiatives to educate on the detrimental affects of illegal peer-to-peer file sharing. We are a proven solution for tracking, enforcement, and monetization of P2P infringements, and believe this is yet another testament to the effectiveness of our value and service."

About Rightscorp, Inc.

Rightscorp (RIHT) is a leading provider of data and analytic services to support artists and owners of copyrighted Intellectual Property (IP). The Company's patent pending digital loss prevention technology focuses on the infringement of rights to digital content such as music, movies, software, books and games and ensures that the rights of owners and creators are protected. Rightscorp works closely with its clients to develop programs of education and notice, and as necessary to pursue copyright infringers for their illegal file sharing activities via notifications sent through Internet Service Providers (ISPs). The Company's technology identifies copyright infringers, who are provided information about copyrights and the importance of Intellectual Property and offered a reasonable opportunity to terminate their activities and pay a nominal settlement option that is generally a fraction of the statutory minimum in an effort to avoid the need for expensive litigation. With minimum statutory penalties of $750 and up to $150,000 per infringement, Rightscorp's technology and process of notice allows all parties to efficiently and economically address copyright infringement without the costs and burdens of litigation. Based on the fact that 22% of all Internet traffic is used to distribute copyrighted content without permission or compensation to the creators, Rightscorp's technology and process provides one of the best and most cost efficient means of addressing this issue for both the artists and those who have infringed their works.

http://www.rightscorp.com/

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release may include forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this press release, including, without limitation, statements regarding the Company's anticipated financial position, business strategy and plans and objectives of management of the Company for future operations, are forward-looking statements. When used in this press release, words such as "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "intend," and similar expressions, as they relate to the Company or its management, identify forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs of the Company's management as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to the Company's management. Actual results could differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements as a result of certain factors not limited to, general economic and business conditions, competitive factors, changes in business strategy or development plans, the ability to attract and retain qualified personnel, and changes in legal and regulatory requirements. Such forward-looking statements reflect the current views of the Company with respect to future events and are subject to these and other risks, uncertainties and assumptions relating to the operations, results of operations, growth strategy and liquidity of the Company. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to the Company or persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by this paragraph.

For further investor and media information, contact:

Andrew Haag

Managing Partner

IRTH Communications

[email protected]

1-866-976-4784

SOURCE Rightscorp, Inc.

Related Links

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A Columbia doctoral student is suing a veteran professor of Greco-Roman history for allegedly exploiting his power and sexually harassing her over the course of several years, ultimately disparaging her within her academic circle. The suit also accuses the administration of turning a blind eye to 79-year-old Professor William Harris's regular abuses towards women prior to him meeting the plaintiff.

"Professor Harris, aware of his position of power, understood his conduct violated sexual harassment policies and was beyond all possible bounds of decency," the suit states.

Harris's harassment "was enabled and encouraged by Columbia's longstanding history of willfully ignoring Professor Harris's history of sexualized behavior and harassment," it continues.

The 29-year-old student, identified only as Jane Doe, met Harris in the spring of 2014, according to court papers, during a lecture series at Columbia. Harris then invited her to participate in "one-on-one supervised readings," and Doe began visiting Harris's office once a week. During that time, Harris allegedly told Doe, "I want to help your career." He also asked her to co-author a publication with him, and she accepted.

The suit alleges that Harris began asking Doe questions about her personal life early on in their relationship, and "ingratiated himself as a trusted confidant" as he learned about her father's suicide, among other things. That same spring he started telling her frequently that she was attractive, to which Doe responded that she felt uncomfortable. Things allegedly escalated on one occasion. From the suit:

Plaintiff was standing in front of the desk in the office of Professor Harris. Suddenly, and without warning, Professor Harris lunged forward, put his arms around Plaintiff, and started feeling up and down her back in a sexualized manner. Plaintiff froze in response. Professor Harris then took a step back and said, "I'm sorry, that wasn't appropriate, was it?"

The physical advances continued that spring and on through 2015, leaving Doe "emotionally traumatized," according to the suit.

Once, Harris allegedly forced Doe against a desk and kissed her, another time putting his mouth on her breast "suddenly, and without warning." He also explicitly asked her for sex, which she refused, and sent her a pornographic email. The behavior allegedly continued despite Doe's July 2014 email to Harris stating that, "I feel very strongly that going forward we should only see each other in professional contexts and never alone."

After that email, Harris invited Doe on a research trip under the pretense that he had booked two rooms, when in fact he had only booked one. Doe had until that point maintained the relationship fearing that breaking it off would negatively impact her career. But she ultimately withdrew from Columbia for the 2015-16 school year and officially withdrew from working with Harris in January 2016. This allegedly prompted Harris to "disparage her" to other students and faculty.

This past summer, Doe allegedly contacted Columbia's Title IX Coordinator, Associate Vice President Marjory Fisher, and asked that Harris not be allowed to enter her department building. Harris was subsequently scheduled to teach twice a week in the building, according to the suit. Today, Doe continues to worry about encountering Harris on campus. She has suffered nightmares and insomnia and struggled to read.

"I have no comment on these allegations," Professor Harris told Gothamist via email.

"We treat any claim of harassment or other gender-based misconduct in our community with the utmost seriousness, but we do not comment in the press on allegations made in legal complaints," said the university in a statement.

The lawsuit, which was filed Monday in Manhattan Federal Court, accuses Columbia of gender-based discrimination violating the NYC Human Rights Law and Title IX. Harris is accused of "negligent infliction of emotional distress."
WASHINGTON, Oct. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Asurity Technologies (Asurity), a premier RegTech platform built by industry-leading compliance experts, announces the release of the 2016 Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) Peer Databases and Rankings in RiskExec, a comprehensive web-based solution that provides lending institutions the ability to manage and analyze Fair Lending, Redlining, HMDA and CRA compliance.

Asurity Technologies

"Within hours of the government's release of the 2016 HMDA data set, we were able to integrate validated HMDA data in RiskExec's compliance software," says Luke Wimer, chief operating officer of Asurity Technologies. "By using a SaaS-based model, we have unmatched agility in providing new data first in the industry."

The 2016 HMDA dataset contains more than 16 million records. Between 2015 and 2016, the residential home market increased by one million originated loans and two million applications.

"The increase in originated loans could be a positive indicator of housing market health and the easing of credit requirements for residential lending," says Dr. Anurag Agarwal, founder, president and chief architect of RiskExec. "In today's regulatory environment, it is critical for lenders to quickly and easily understand how the landscape is evolving, and how their lending profiles compare among peers."

From dedicated redlining analysis and interactive mapping to peer rankings and data visualization, RiskExec provides executive and regulatory reporting for the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA), Community Reinvestment Act (CRA), and fair lending compliance requirements.

For additional information regarding Asurity Technologies and RiskExec, please visit www.asurity.com. For media inquiries, please contact Ilana Moreno at [email protected].

About Asurity Technologies

AsurityTechnologies engineers solutions to support regulatory compliance management for the country's largest financial institutions. Fueled by decades of regulatory and engineer expertise, Asurity is committed to providing best-in-class solutions that provide a holistic compliance solution from mortgage origination to HMDA, CRA, redlining, and fair lending compliance. Asurity provides RiskExec, a suite of HMDA, CRA, redlining, and fair lending SaaS solutions; TRID Assure, a proprietary file testing system that ensures full compliance with the TILA-RESPA Integrated Disclosure (TRID) Rule; BoardEffect, an easy-to-use solution for board governance; and MRGDocs, a leading solution for the dynamic preparation of compliant mortgage document packages. For additional information, please visit www.asurity.com.

MEDIA CONTACTS

Ilana Moreno, Brllnt, [email protected], (202) 270-1004

Jake Sandler, Asurity, [email protected], (301) 395-7183

Related Links

Asurity Technologies

RiskExec

SOURCE Asurity Technologies

Related Links

https://www.asurity.com


SEATTLE, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Royal Ridge Fruits announces, via its Stoneridge Orchards brand, the introduction of its Tart Cherry Juice Concentrate, a new liquid twist on their popular dried Montmorency cherries.

The Montmorency tart cherry, grown largely in the U.S and Canada, are abundant in anthocyanin's  a natural, flavonoid compound that contributes to the ruby-red color and distinctive sour-sweet taste. The fruit has become the source of over 50 studies supporting health benefits such as:

Natural ant-inflammatory agent: targeted for general pain relief, reducing muscle soreness after exercise and easing arthritic or gout pain

Natural sleep aid: through the presence of melatonin, a human sleep regulating hormone also found in certain plants.

Natural immune system regulator: through the presence of vitamin C.

Royal Ridge Fruits is the largest West Coast producer of Montmorency tart cherries, through its farming settlement along Central Washington's Columbia river basin  known for rich soils and a diverse climate. The product will be the first juice available among an extensive line of premium dried fruits, in whole, sliced and diced varieties.

"Responding to a growing body of research on tart cherries, and the popularity of our own tart cherry dried fruit snacks, adding the Tart Cherry Juice Concentrate was a natural step for us," says Mila Savella, Vice President of Marketing at Royal Ridge Fruits. "The Montmorency cherry has held a special place in our growing cycle for decades, and through our new concentrate we're hoping more can enjoy it year-round."

Each bottle of the Tart Cherry Juice Concentrate contains up to 1,000 individual cherries, providing a rich source of the fruit's natural nutrients. All ingredients in the drink are natural, non-GMO and gluten-free. The Tart Cherry Juice Concentrate will be available to consumers in select US markets through the company's retailer network. For the initial launch, Stoneridge Orchards will offer the product for $2.00 off.

About Royal Ridge Fruits:

Third generation family-owned and operated, Royal Ridge Fruits has been growing and producing all-natural and organic premium products, such as cherries, blueberries, raspberries, apples and strawberries, since 1962. The company has been renowned as the largest producers of Montmorency cherries on the west coast for over 50 years. All products feature organic, all-natural ingredients, produced without sulfites, artificial preservatives, colors, hydrogenated oils, high fructose corn syrup, or other undesirable ingredients. Products also comply with HACCP food safety and quality requirements.

For more information, visit http://www.stoneridgeorchards.com/royal-ridge-fruits

SOURCE Royal Ridge Fruits

Related Links

http://www.stoneridgeorchards.com


SYRACUSE, N.Y., Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Defense and security company Saab has received an order from the U.S. Navy to provide the Sea Giraffe Agile Multi Beam (AMB), Multi-Mode Radar (MMR). The order value amounts to $16.8M USD.

Saab's Sea Giraffe MMR  a 3D, electronically scanned phased array radar  will be deployed on the US Coast Guard's (USCG) newest class of ship, the Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC). The MMR provides high radiated power, selectable waveforms, and modern signal processing to consistently achieve high performance across various marine environments. The initial order covers the procurement of two systems with options for additional radars providing a total potential contract value of up to $118.5M USD.

"The US Coast Guard is increasingly called upon to support an array of critical missions in the most challenging conditions. Saab's OPC MMR will support the customer in fulfilling those missions, from the tropics to the Arctic. The MMR radar provides simultaneous sea to sky radar coverage against the most challenging tracks to ensure total situational awareness," says Erik Smith, President and CEO of Saab Defense and Security USA (SDAS).

Saab is a world leader in radar and sensor technology. The company's AN/SPS-77 radar is currently deployed on the US Navy's Independence-class Littoral Combat Ship. Additionally, a derivative of AN/SPS-77 known as AN/SPN-50, is being developed to meet the Air Traffic Control needs on aircraft carrier and amphibious assault class ships for the US Naval Air Systems Command. The addition of the OPC program to the current Sea Giraffe deliveries will allow Saab to further leverage commonality and provide additional value to the US Navy and Coast Guard.

The order will contribute new jobs to SDAS' Sensor Systems facility in Syracuse, NY. In January, Saab signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with New York State aimed at expanding Saab's presence in Central New York and creating more high-tech, local jobs in the region.

"This allows us to move forward on our Central New York growth strategy, and to expand our deliveries of Saab's proven naval radar capabilities to these important US Navy and USCG customers," says Erik Smith.

saabgroup.com

saabgroup.com/YouTube

saabusa.com

Twitter: @SaabUS

Saab Defense and Security USA delivers advanced technology and systems to United States armed forces and other government agencies. Headquartered in Ashburn, VA, the company has business units and local employees in four states. Saab Defense and Security USA LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Saab.

Saab Group serves the global market with world-leading products, services and solutions within military defense and civil security. Saab has operations and employees on all continents around the world. Through innovative, collaborative and pragmatic thinking, Saab develops, adopts and improves new technology to meet customers' changing needs.

Reference

CU 17:070 E



SOURCE Saab
FREMONT, Calif., Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Sage Clarity earns a place in the list of "Top 10 Manufacturing Intelligence Solution Providers 2017" by Manufacturing Technology Insights.

"It's a great pleasure to include Sage Clarity in our ranking list for its continued success in developing cutting edge solutions that address the most urgent industry challenges and provide our growing list of satisfied customers with the highest value solution, on-time and on-budget," said Laura Davis, Managing Editor of Manufacturing Technology Insights. "I congratulate Sage Clarity for its achievement."

Sage Clarity logo

Sage Clarity is developing solutions to enable the "Next Generation Manufacturing Enterprise." They provide leading edge manufacturing solutions to enable the hyper information enabled workforce of the future. This includes collaboration tools, social media technologies and execution methods all geared toward the hyper information enabled workforce. Sage Clarity is focused on the tools and technologies that enable better decision making in manufacturing.

About Sage Clarity

Sage Clarity is a privately held company founded in 2011, headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. Sage Clarity combines best of breed manufacturing applications with rich data visualization to enhance supply chain performance. This coupled with their experienced manufacturing consultants lends Clarity and Insight to manufacturing operations. For more info, visit: sageclarity.com

About Manufacturing Technology Insights

Published from Fremont, California, Manufacturing Technology Insights is a print magazine that explores and understands the plethora of ways adopted by firms to execute the smooth functioning of their businesses. A distinguished panel comprising of CEOs, CIOs, IT VPs including Manufacturing Technology Insights editorial board finalized the "Top 10 Manufacturing Intelligence Solution Providers 2017" in the U.S. and shortlisted the best vendors and consultants. For more info: www.manufacturingtechnologyinsights.com

Media Contact:

John Fox

800-809-3042

[email protected]

SOURCE Sage Clarity

Related Links

http://sageclarity.com


SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Salesforce [NYSE: CRM], the global leader in CRM, today announced the Salesforce Impact Fund from Salesforce Ventures, the company's corporate investment group. The new $50 million fund will accelerate the growth of companies using Salesforce technology to address challenges across workforce development, equality, sustainability and the social sector. The first funding recipients include Angaza, Ellevest, Hustle and ViridisLearning.

Comments on the News:

"With the new Salesforce Impact Fund, Salesforce Ventures is investing in companies that are not only creating innovative solutions for customers, but also improving the state of the world," said John Somorjai , EVP of Corporate Development and Salesforce Ventures, Salesforce. "We're proud to broaden our focus on impact investing as part of our portfolio."

, EVP of Corporate Development and Salesforce Ventures, Salesforce. "We're proud to broaden our focus on impact investing as part of our portfolio." "At Salesforce, we've been committed to doing good as part of our business model since our founding and pioneering of the 1-1-1 model," said Suzanne DiBianca , EVP Corporate Relations and Chief Philanthropy Officer, Salesforce. "The Salesforce Impact Fund allows us to support a new generation of startups that are focused on driving positive social change."

, EVP Corporate Relations and Chief Philanthropy Officer, Salesforce. "The Salesforce Impact Fund allows us to support a new generation of startups that are focused on driving positive social change." "Ellevest is committed to unleashing women's financial power and ending the gender gap in investing and personal finance," said Sallie Krawcheck , CEO and co-founder, Ellevest. "We're excited to receive an investment from the new Salesforce Impact Fund, given equality is one of Salesforce's core values, and partner with them as we grow."

, CEO and co-founder, Ellevest. "We're excited to receive an investment from the new Salesforce Impact Fund, given equality is one of Salesforce's core values, and partner with them as we grow." "The launch of Salesforce's $50 million impact investing fund is yet another data point of the growing momentum of the field. With expertise in both venture capital and a fundamental commitment to impact, Salesforce is extremely well-positioned to achieve both financial returns and social impact at scale," said Matt Bannick , managing partner, Omidyar Network. "We applaud Salesforce in launching this fund and look forward to continuing to provide support to and co-invest with the team."

Salesforce Impact Fund to Fuel Companies Driving Positive Change on the Salesforce Platform

Salesforce believes that businesses can be powerful platforms for change and is committed to serving the interests of all stakeholders, including customers, partners, employees, investors, our communities and the environment. Salesforce Ventures is uniquely positioned to catalyze the growth of companies who are building products and solutions to benefit society across four key focus areas:

Workforce development: Companies enabling equal access to education to prepare students and the workforce for jobs of the future.

Companies enabling equal access to education to prepare students and the workforce for jobs of the future. Equality: Companies developing tools that promote equal opportunity and economic empowerment for women and underrepresented groups.

Companies developing tools that promote equal opportunity and economic empowerment for women and underrepresented groups. Sustainability: Companies creating better access to clean energy, improving resource efficiency and increasing supply chain performance.

Companies creating better access to clean energy, improving resource efficiency and increasing supply chain performance. Social sector: Companies amplifying impact for nonprofits and NGOs through technology that increases efficiency and transparency.

The Salesforce Impact Fund builds on previous investments in companies driving positive social change and aligns with Salesforce Ventures' charter to strategically invest in companies built on the Salesforce Platform, delivering unique capabilities to Salesforce customers. The first funding recipients include:

Angaza : A leading SaaS platform that enables manufacturers and distributors to make clean energy products more affordable to the world's 1 billion off-grid consumers.

A leading SaaS platform that enables manufacturers and distributors to make clean energy products more affordable to the world's 1 billion off-grid consumers. Ellevest : An investing platform designed for women that aims to solve the gender investment gap.

An investing platform designed for women that aims to solve the gender investment gap. Hustle : A peer-to-peer text messaging platform enabling non-profits, educational institutions and advocacy groups to connect with donors and constituents at scale.

A peer-to-peer text messaging platform enabling non-profits, educational institutions and advocacy groups to connect with donors and constituents at scale. Viridis Learning: A leading human capital SaaS platform that uses machine learning and predictive analytics to facilitate career discovery, create career pathways and ensure learning aligns with 21st century workforce needs.

Salesforce Ventures, A Leading Global Corporate Venture Capital Group

Salesforce VenturesSalesforce's corporate investment groupinvests in the next generation of enterprise technology to extend the power of the Salesforce Intelligent Customer Success Platform to help companies connect with their customers in entirely new ways. Focused on building the world's #1 cloud computing ecosystem, Salesforce Ventures is the most active investor in the Forbes Cloud 100 list. Salesforce Ventures has also been one of CBInsights' top 4 most active global CVCs for the past 4 years.

Portfolio companies receive funding as well as access to the world's largest cloud ecosystem and the guidance of Salesforce's innovators and executives. With Salesforce Ventures, portfolio companies can also leverage Salesforce's expertise in corporate philanthropy by joining Pledge 1% to make giving back part of their business model. Salesforce Ventures has invested in more than 250 enterprise cloud startups in 14 different countries since 2009.

Additional Information

To learn more about Salesforce Ventures, please visit: www.salesforce.com/ventures

To learn more about how Salesforce is driving workforce development with Trailhead, please visit: https://trailhead.salesforce.com/en

Connect with Salesforce

Like Salesforce on Facebook http://facebook.com/salesforce

Follow@salesforce and @SalesforceVC on Twitter

About Salesforce

Salesforce, the global CRM leader, empowers companies to connect with their customers in a whole new way. For more information about Salesforce (NYSE: CRM), visit: www.salesforce.com.

Any unreleased services or features referenced in this or other press releases or public statements are not currently available and may not be delivered on time or at all. Customers who purchase Salesforce applications should make their purchase decisions based upon features that are currently available. Salesforce has headquarters in San Francisco, with offices in Europe and Asia, and trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol "CRM." For more information please visit http://www.salesforce.com, or call 1-800-NO-SOFTWARE.

SOURCE Salesforce

Related Links

http://www.salesforce.com


BOSTON, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Santander US announced today that the Company and its businesses have taken important steps to assist its customers, communities and employees affected by the devastating impact Hurricane Maria has had on Puerto Rico. Together, Santander US and its San Juan-based subsidiary, Banco Santander Puerto Rico (BSPR), will donate $2 million to local aid and relief organizations, divided between non-profit organizations aiding in the relief effort and a fund being established to help BSPR employees begin to recover from the after effects of this hurricane.

BSPR is also collecting donations for employees and qualified non-profit organizations at its branches and is organizing employee volunteer brigades to offer immediate assistance to employees who have been unable to contact family or need help with cleanup and repair.

"Like all businesses on Puerto Rico, Banco Santander was impacted by Hurricane Maria and we are working to return to normal operations as soon as possible so we can continue to serve our customers," said Scott Powell, Santander US CEO. "Puerto Rico is experiencing a massive humanitarian crisis and our primary concern is the safety and well-being of our employees and customers. These charitable donations and the employee fund are part of the way we can help our community when it needs us most."

In addition to BSPR donations, Santander US has also announced that it will match its mainland employee contributions to non-profit organizations aiding in the Hurricane Maria recovery efforts, up to $1,250 per employee donation. This match is in addition to the matching and other donations the Company made to Habitat for Humanity and the American Red Cross in Puerto Rico following Hurricane Irma.

In Puerto Rico, BSPR, Santander Securities, LLC (SSLLC) and Santander Asset Management (SAM) are open for business on a special schedule, affording colleagues the time and flexibility needed to manage their personal affairs and assist family members. BSPR continues to work tirelessly to make as many branches and ATMs available to customers on the island as possible. The offices of Santander Consumer International, Puerto Rico  an auto loan servicing center  are closed; however, operations are continuing and calls are being handled at alternate sites on the U.S. mainland with no significant impacts to customers or service levels.

Fredy Molfino, President and CEO of BSPR, said, "In addition to working on Puerto Rico's reconstruction efforts, we are activating assistance programs for customers on the island to help them move forward." Molfino added, "We are firmly committed and are working hard every day to make our island stronger and even more beautiful and charming following the recent hurricanes. We will continue to help throughout the long rebuilding process."

To further assist its customers, employees and the community during this difficult time, BSPR is also:

Allowing customers to voluntarily defer personal loan and credit card payments for three months, if the customer's account was current as of August 31, 2017 . Customers enrolled in direct debit payments need to authorize BSPR to suspend the deductions temporarily by calling 787-999-6221 for personal loans, and 787-625-2082, for credit cards.

. Customers enrolled in direct debit payments need to authorize BSPR to suspend the deductions temporarily by calling 787-999-6221 for personal loans, and 787-625-2082, for credit cards. Allowing customers to voluntarily defer mortgage payments for up to three months. BSPR mortgage customers interested in this benefit should call 787-625-2858 or send an email to [email protected] before October 31, 2017 .

before . Providing stations at BSPR's main office in San Juan for charging cellular phones and other devices, and offering daily Wi-Fi access free of charge to the general public.

for charging cellular phones and other devices, and offering daily Wi-Fi access free of charge to the general public. Setting up a collections center for necessities benefiting affected employees.

Transporting the volunteer employee brigades to employees' homes and providing supplies.

Contact Information for Customers:

BSPR customers can make transactions through the 'Santander PR' app from their smartphone or tablet, through the online banking service 'Santander eBanking' by accessing www.santander.pr or by calling 787-281-2000 or 1-800-726-8263 for information on how BSPR can assist them during this difficult time. BSPR will continue to post updates via social media at Facebook.com/santanderpr and Twitter.com/santanderpr.

SSLLC clients in Puerto Rico who need assistance can contact 787-759-5330 or 866-736-6475 between 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. AST. If clients receive a busy signal at these numbers and need immediate transaction support, they can call representatives in our Boston office at 617-514-5368 or 617-514-5413.

Santander Consumer USA (SC) customers who have questions about their accounts in the wake of Hurricane Maria can contact SC by phone at 888-222-4227 Monday through Thursday from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. AST, Friday 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. AST and Saturday from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. AST, or online at www.santanderconsumerusa.com. Customers with Chrysler Capital accounts can reach a service agent at 855-563-5635 Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. AST and Saturday from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. AST, or online at www.chryslercapital.com.

About Santander Holdings USA, Inc.

Santander Holdings USA, Inc. (SHUSA) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Madrid-based Banco Santander, S.A. (NYSE: SAN) (Santander), one of the most respected banking groups in the world with more than 125 million customers in the U.S., Europe, and Latin America. As the intermediate holding company for Santander's U.S. businesses, SHUSA includes six financial companies (collectively, "Santander US") with more than 17,500 employees, 5.2 million customers and assets of over $135.1 billion. These include Santander Bank, N.A., one of the country's largest retail and commercial banks by deposits; Santander Consumer USA Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: SC), an auto finance and consumer lending company; Banco Santander International of Miami; Banco Santander Puerto Rico; Santander Securities LLC of Boston; and Santander Investment Securities Inc. of New York.

Media Relations Contacts:

Nancy Orlando

Santander US

617-757-5765

[email protected]

Charmaine Llauger

Banco Santander Puerto Rico

787-458-4141

[email protected]

SOURCE Santander US
CAYCE, S.C., Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- SCANA Corporation (NYSE: SCG) will release its third quarter earnings on Thursday, October 26, 2017, before the market opens. SCANA's management will discuss those results in a conference call with analysts, details of which are as follows:

Date and Time: Thursday, October 26, 2017, 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time



Call in Number: U.S. 888-347-3258

Canada 855-669-9657

International 412-902-4279



Speakers: Kevin Marsh Chief Executive Officer  SCANA

Jimmy Addison Chief Financial Officer  SCANA







Instructions: The conference call will begin promptly at 3:00 p.m. ET. Participants should call in 5-10 minutes prior to the call to ensure operators have sufficient time to record your name and company affiliation. A replay of the conference call will be available approximately 2 hours after completion of the call through November 5, 2017. To access the replay, call 877-344-7529 (U.S.), 855-669-9658 (Canada), or 412-317-0088 (International) and enter the event code 10112384. A transcript of the call will be available on the Investors section of the Company's website at www.scana.com.



Internet Access: The press release, presentation materials and a live listen-only webcast of the conference call will be available on the Investors section of the website at www.scana.com. The webcast will begin Thursday, October 26, 2017 at 3:00 p.m. ET. A replay of the conference call will also be available on the Company's website through November 5, 2017.

SCANA Corporation, headquartered in Cayce, SC, is an energy-based holding company principally engaged, through subsidiaries, in electric and natural gas utility operations and other energy-related businesses. Information about SCANA and its businesses is available on the company's website at www.scana.com.

Analyst Contacts:

Bryant Potter Iris Griffin (803) 217-6916 (803) 217-6642

SOURCE SCANA Corporation

Related Links

http://www.scana.com


ROCKPORT, Texas, Oct. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- "Something CAN Be Done About It" is the motto of the Scientology Volunteer Ministers and a fitting name for the humanitarian convoy that arrived at Aransas County Airport from Salt Lake City Friday, Sept. 29, with 200 tons of materials to rebuild homes. Scientology Volunteer Ministers have been in the region since Hurricane Harvey struck and are still hard at work, helping the community recover.

Joava Good, Deputy National Director of Churches of Scientology Disaster Response, at the ceremony at Aransas County Airport welcoming the Something CAN Be Done About It convoy filled with materials to rebuild local homes.

U.S. Congressman Blake Farenthold was joined by Rockport Mayor Charles "C.J." Wax, Mayor Jimmy Kendrick of neighboring Fulton, and Aransas County Judge C.H. "Burt" Mills, Jr. in a brief ceremony. They thanked the truckers, the people of Utah who raised the funds to make this possible, and the Scientology Volunteer Ministers who arrived right after the disaster struck and are still there, helping the people of the county recover.

While images of Houston submerged under flood waters dominated the news in the weeks after Hurrican Harvey, in Rockport and the rest of Aransas County where the storm made landfall, as many as 80 percent of the homes were damaged or destroyed.

In addressing those gathered for the ceremony, Joava Good, Deputy National Director of Churches of Scientology Disaster Response, described arriving in Aransas County in August right after the hurricane and working with the volunteer firefighters, police and other first responders as she coordinated the work of the teams of Volunteer Ministers cleaning up Rockport and nearby towns.

When she returned home to Utah, Good, who serves as Communications Chair of National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD), learned that KSL TV and Bonneville radio stations raised nearly a million dollars in their Hope for Houston telethon. She contacted the station, and they agreed  they would use the money to help Rockport.

From Aransas County officials, Good learned that what they need most are the supplies to rebuild homes. A coalition of religious groups and charities raised additional funds, bringing the final figure to $1,009,523. The Scientology Volunteer Ministers funded the convoy itself.

The "Something CAN Be Done About It," convoy left for Texas on Tuesday, traveling on behalf of Utah VOAD member organizations responding to Hurricane Harvey, including Habitat for Humanity, Adventist Disaster Response, Southern Baptist Convention, the Salvation Army, LDS Charities, the American Red Cross, and the Volunteer Ministers of the Churches of Scientology Disaster Response. "And the final result is what you see here today," said Good.

"Getting to know so many of you made this tragedy very personal," she said. "Judge Mills described it perfectly today when he said 'we're all family now.' That is exactly how we feel. This is only the first of many shipments of supplies. And I want you to know one thing we will not forget Rockport!"

For more news on the Scientology Volunteer Ministers, visit www.volunteerministers.org/news.

For more information, please contact:

Luis Gonzalez (323) 960-3500

email: [email protected]

Related Images

image1.jpg

Joava Good, Deputy National Director of Churches of Scientology Disaster Response, at the ceremony at Aransas County Airport welcoming the Something CAN Be Done About It convoy filled with materials to rebuild local homes.

image2.jpg

The Something CAN Be Done About It convoy from Salt Lake City to Aransas County Texas

image3.jpg

The Rockport fire station was Scientology Volunteer Ministers headquarters in the early days after the disaster.

SOURCE Scientology Volunteer Ministers

Related Links

http://www.volunteerministers.org


CINCINNATI, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The E.W. Scripps Company (NYSE: SSP) will launch a search for a new chief financial officer after the departure this week of Executive Vice President and CFO Tim Wesolowski.

Scripps Chief Strategy Officer Lisa Knutson will serve as CFO in the interim.

Wesolowski had served as CFO since September 2011, overseeing the company's accounting, finance, treasury, tax, procurement and risk management functions. His departure is not related to financial disclosures, accounting practices or legal matters.

"During his first week with Scripps, Tim arranged financing for our acquisition of nine McGraw Hill stations, and since then he has helped lead us through the purchase of Granite TV stations, the country's first double-spin, double-merge transaction with the former Journal Communications that divested us of newspapers, a $400 million debt offering, and the acquisitions of Newsy, Midroll, Cracked and most recently the four Katz multicast networks," said Scripps President and CEO Adam Symson. "Tim's expertise and business acumen have been instrumental in strengthening our company's financial foundation, and we greatly appreciate his service."

Knutson, who has deep experience in finance, accounting and human resources, was recently promoted to chief strategy officer, taking on corporate development. She had served as chief administrative officer and retains those responsibilities: leading enterprise-wide strategic planning, consumer insights, human resources, information technology and corporate communications/investor relations. Prior to coming to Scripps in 2005, she had worked most of her career at Fifth Third Bank and at Arthur Anderson, where she developed and oversaw an operating and sales budget for a $105 million multi-office practice and human resources and staffing across nine locations. A Certified Public Accountant, she has a bachelor's in accountancy from Miami University.

About Scripps

The E.W. Scripps Company (NYSE: SSP) serves audiences and businesses through a growing portfolio of television, radio and digital media brands. With 33 television stations, Scripps is one of the nation's largest independent TV station owners. Scripps runs an expanding collection of local and national digital journalism and content businesses, including Newsy, the next-generation national news network; podcast industry leader Midroll Media; and fast-growing national broadcast networks Bounce, Grit, Escape and Laff. Scripps produces original programming including "Pickler & Ben," runs an award-winning investigative reporting newsroom in Washington, D.C., and is the longtime steward of the Scripps National Spelling Bee. Founded in 1878, Scripps has held for decades to the motto, "Give light and the people will find their own way."

SOURCE The E.W. Scripps Company

Related Links

http://www.scripps.com


HARRISBURG, Pa., Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Secretary of State Pedro A. Cortes today reminded Pennsylvanians they have one week left to register to vote in the November election. He encouraged citizens to take advantage of the online voter registration (OVR) site.

Eligible citizens have until Tuesday, October 10, to apply for a new voter registration or make changes to their existing registration.

"Voting is one of our most fundamental rights," Secretary Cortes said. "That's why Governor Wolf and the Department of State have made it a priority to implement innovations that make registration more convenient, secure and accessible."

The state's OVR application can be found at register.votesPA.com. In addition to applying for a new registration, the OVR system can also be used to make updates to an existing voter record, such as a change of name, address or party affiliation. Since the OVR launch in August 2015, more than 962,000 eligible Pennsylvanians have used the site.

Voters are also encouraged to use the online system to confirm their registration status prior to the deadline.

Registered voters planning to cast an absentee ballot are advised to pay close attention to important deadlines. Although the deadline to request an absentee ballot is Tuesday, October 31, the voted ballots must be received in the county election office by 5 p.m. on Friday, November 3.

Due to the 3-day time frame and cutbacks in service by the U.S. Postal Service, voters are strongly urged to mail their absentee ballot request (PDF) no later than October 20, two weeks before the voted ballot must be received by the county office.

Voters may deliver their voted absentee ballots in person to county election offices or mail them if there is adequate time for delivery. A postmark is not sufficient for the ballot to be counted.

On November 7, Pennsylvania voters will elect judges for the Pennsylvania Supreme, Pennsylvania Superior and Commonwealth courts, as well as the Court of Common Pleas in each county. Also on the ballot will be an array of local and county seats.

Individuals wishing to register to vote in the November election must be:

A citizen of the United States for at least one month before the election.

A resident of Pennsylvania and the election district in which the individual desires to register and vote for at least 30 days before the election.

At least 18 years of age on or before the date of the election.

Eligible voters also can register by mail or apply in person at a county voter registration office; county assistance offices; Women, Infants & Children (WIC) program offices; PennDOT photo and driver's license centers; Armed Forces recruitment centers; county clerk of orphans' courts or marriage license offices; area agencies on aging; county mental health and intellectual disabilities offices; student disability services offices of the State System of Higher Education; offices of special education in high schools; and Americans with Disabilities Act-mandated complementary paratransit providers.

Applicants using the OVR system must complete and submit their application by 11:59 p.m. on October 10. Traditional paper application forms must be received in county voter registration offices by close of business or postmarked by October 10.

Electors who do not receive confirmation of their application within 14 days of submission should contact their county voter registration office.

The Department of State's website votespa.com, available in English and Spanish, offers printable voter registration applications (PDF), a polling place locator and county boards of elections contact information. It also includes tips for first-time voters and members of the military.

In addition, voters can familiarize themselves with the voting system they will use in their home county on Election Day.

For more information on voter registration, call the Department of State's toll-free hotline at 1-877-VOTESPA (1-877-868-3772) or visit votesPA.com.

MEDIA CONTACT: Wanda Murren (717) 783-1621

SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of State

Related Links

http://www.state.pa.us


In a Sunday press release and playful tweet, Governor Andrew Cuomo touted that "approximately 53 percent" of full-time CUNY and SUNY in-state students are now attending college without having to pay tuition. He credited the Excelsior Scholarship, a program he announced in April as the country's first two- and four-year statewide free college tuition plan.

"More than 210,000 New York residents are going to school tuition-free thanks to the addition of students receiving the Excelsior Scholarship," the release states.

But that 210,000 number includes 165,000 students receiving federal and state assistance who did not apply for Excelsior. Another 23,000 applied for Excelsior and learned that they in fact qualify for a pre-existing state or federal scholarship, like TAP or Pell.

Only 22,000 of the 210,000 students cited in the press release received funding through Cuomo's new program. That's 29 percent of the 75,000 total applicants, with 6,000 applications still pending.

Cuomo's office says that everyone who met scholarship requirements was accepted but has declined to provide a breakdown of reasons students were rejected, saying the numbers remain in flux.

At first glance, the Excelsior program described in the press release seems simple and generous: full tuition relief for individuals or families making up to $125,000 per year, by 2019. Yet experts tell Gothamist that Excelsior has an inordinate amount of restrictions that immediately disqualify many students, and leave accepted students at risk of losing the scholarship down the road.

"We have found in our research that if you want these scholarships to be successful you need to be really clear with the messaging, and complexity is your enemy and simplicity is your friend," says Dr. Michelle Miller-Adams, a research fellow with the W.E. Upjohn Institute in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

Dr. Miller-Adams' research has influenced guidelines for the Kalamazoo Promise, an in-state free college program launched in 2005 that served as a model for more than fifty similar programs currently in place from Tennessee to Rhode Island.

"The New York program has a lot of these little wrinkles," she said. "They should absolutely not assume that students are fully aware going into it."

For example, Excelsior's requirement that qualifying students must be full-time is retroactive, meaning students are ineligible if they have been part-time college students or have taken time off school.

More than half of part-time students in New York are financially independent, and "independent students tend to be much poorer," according to Brad Hershbein, an economist with the W.E. Upjohn Institute.

About 44 percent of four-year students and 40 percent of two-year students at CUNY were part-time in 2015. Approximately 30 percent of SUNY students were part-time last year. Nationwide, 37 percent of students study part-time.

Part-time students "are way more likely to be supporting a family and working long hours," said Marcella Bombardieri, a senior policy analyst at the Center for American Progress.

In this way, Excelsior excludes New Yorkers who arguably need the program the most.

"If you are at half-time enrollment and now want to go full-time, why wouldn't that be something that the scholarship would encourage?" Bombardieri says.



Frenkel (left) and Green both applied for Excelsior this summer and were rejected because they are not on track for on-time graduation. (Courtesy of Frenkel and Green)

Sabrina Green, a 22-year-old Hunter College student studying psychology and neuroscience, was rejected from Excelsior because of the retroactive full-time requirement.

"I'm a working-class person," she told Gothamist. "I was a full time preschool teacher for a year, so I only took, like, two or three classes at a time. I couldn't find the time to do full time because I had to pay for student loans, and food and my rent and stuff like that."

"I thought with this scholarship, since I would have everything paid for with my tuition, I would be able to work less and go to school full time," Green added.

New York's retroactive full-time requirement is the first of its kind, according to the Campaign for Free College Tuition, a bipartisan nonprofit that formed in 2014. Programs in Santa Barbara, Cleveland and Philadelphia have full-time requirements, but they're not retroactive. This could be explained by the fact that "most state programs only apply to a cohort of students who are just graduating from high school," said spokesman Brian Newman.

Jenny Frenkel was a few weeks away from the start of her sophomore year at St. John's University in Queens when she got into a near-fatal jet ski accident. The trauma of the crash changed her course. "The right side of my face was cut in half and sewn back together, and you don't want to go back to school like that," Frenkel, now 23, told us. "A semester turned into three years taking a break. I was working full-time."

Frenkel worked at a pharmacy, then as a receptionist. Having accumulated $70,000 in loans from St. John's, she decided it made more economic sense to transfer to public school, and started at FIT for the Spring 2017 semester. After Cuomo announced the Excelsior Scholarship, Frenkel applied, only to learn that the retroactive full-time requirement rendered her ineligible.

Breaks in attendance including "medical, military or personal leave will be evaluated on a case by case basis to ensure maximum flexibility," according to Daniel Fuller, the State's Assistant Secretary for Education.

"I almost died, and I couldn't afford to go back," Frenkel said. "How much more can I explain?"

For those who do receive Excelsior, the award remains precarious. Students are required to live and work in-state after graduation for two or four years. Otherwise the grant reverts to a loan.

Excelsior recipients must also maintain a 30 credit annual course load, in excess of the 12 credits required per semester for full-time status at CUNY, or risk paying back their grant. Summer and winter courses can contribute to the total, and Excelsior includes a grace period for current students who are short six or fewer creditsthey'll be eligible to apply next year if they make up the difference. Students with a personal hardship can pause the scholarship on a case-by-case basis, according to Cuomo's office.

But Judith Scott-Clayton, a professor of economics and education at Teachers College, described Excelsior as a crude attempt to mash together the expectations of merit-based scholarships, which select for high-performing students, with the rhetoric of a universal, all-inclusive free college program.

"Students are not all sufficiently prepared to take 15 credits and succeed in one term," she said. "I think that's where there needs to be some sensitivity that, yeah, we can push students to do more, but it's not a one-size-fits-all."

"It's certainly not going to be cost-free to figure out where the students are who completed [too few] credits and get them to repay," Miller-Adams added. "I guess it's a perfect subcontract for a debt collection agency but is that what they're trying to do with this scholarship?"



Russo, 19, on the UAlbany Campus. (Mark Schmidt)

Gianluca Russo, a 19-year-old journalism and creative writing major at the University of Albany, was excited to receive Excelsior after some last-minute finagling with his advisor this spring. Russo acknowledged that his jobfreelance writing for online publicationshas more flexible hours than some. Still, he said he's staring down a daunting semester. Because he switched majors, he'll have to take 18 credits per semester or risk losing the scholarship.

"I have class every Monday, Wednesday, Friday from 9:00 to 1:30, and then I have an internship from 1:30 to 5:00, and then Tuesday and Thursday I have an internship from 9:00 to 12:00 and then class 12:00 to 4:00. So I really have a full schedule," he told Gothamist last month. "And then I'll be, of course, freelance writing. Probably not as much as this summer, but it's definitely going to be a really strong work load."

"But it will help me so much," he added. "Ultimately, I know, the work will pay off after school, and the fact that I don't have to worry after school about loans or paying anything back is going to be great."

Marc Cohen, president of the Student Assembly of The State University of New York, is hopeful that legislators will take student concerns into account. While those with extenuating circumstances should not "fall behind" because of the full-time requirement, "We have to realize that nothing is free... we have to make sure that people are going to school, working hard, and getting into the work force," he said.

CUNY and SUNY have praised Excelsior, which they say encourages on-time completion.

"Excelsior will help more students toward completion and the promise of a college degree," said CUNY spokeswoman Holly Liapis.

"New York has led the nation by becoming the first state to make two- and four-year public college tuition-free, and the Excelsior Scholarship is providing thousands of New Yorkers the opportunity to go to college with zero tuition costs," a spokeswoman for the Governor stated. "A central goal of this administration is to make college more affordable for the middle-class, and the Scholarship is helping thousands by doing just that."

Sara Goldrick-Rab, a Professor of Higher Education at Temple University who helped draft Oregon's tuition-free community college legislation, maintains that the governor is "killing free college."

"What do I mean when I say he's 'killing free college'? I mean he takes a really important turning point in educational policy, that is really about fixing the lack of trustworthiness and the complexity of our system, and uses it to [his] political advantage while making it just as untrustworthy and just as complicated," she said.

Goldrick-Rab added, "He's made it so clear that he's using this as a political tool and nothing else."
NEW YORK, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Semarchy, the Intelligent MDM company, announced today they will be a gold sponsor of the 12th annual MDM & Data Governance Summit next month in New York. The company's presence at the world's largest such conference will highlight innovative use cases from clients, with in-depth best practices presentations. Semarchy will also release the latest version of its hybrid, multi-vector Master Data Management (MDM) software, xDM, generally available at the Summit.

Share this story on Twitter via Click-to-Tweet: http://ctt.ec/0YHU1

"Semarchy continues to push the state-of-the-art for MDM and Data Governance, with its Intelligent MDM paradigm and xDM software solution," said Aaron Zornes, chief research officer for The MDM Institute and conference chairman for the Global MDM & Data Governance Summit Series. "Our annual New York Summit is the ideal showcase for innovation and best practices across this growing segment of enterprise information management," he added, remarking that a revised Field Report on Semarchy would be made available at the Summit.



Clients highlighting the advancements they have made with xDM include:

Pacific Investment Management Company (PIMCO)

Vinay Jain, SVP of PIMCO and Michael Hiskey, CMO of Semarchy will be presenting; MDM, RDM, Data Quality and Governance- The Most Important Parts of Your CRM Solution? on Wednesday, October 11th at 2 pm. The session will focus on how it is a mistake to have data governance, data quality, reference and master data as afterthoughts when building an effective enterprise-wide CRM. PIMCO leveraged xDM from Semarchy to take a fresh look, viewing these initiatives as the cornerstone of an effective enterprise information management strategy that fuels consistent data for better decisions.

Vermont Information Processing (VIP)

Tim Clark, Data & Analytics Evangelist, VIP, Peter Hayes, Advanced Analytics & Data Disruptor, VIP will share their experiences in a general session presentation entitled; Extending MDM Beyond Your Organization to Be An Industry-Standard Application on Thursday, October 12th at 3pm. This session will focus on how over the past year VIP leveraged Intelligent MDM solution xDM from Semarchy to get the data definitions, policies, formats, and other standards right for the U.S. beverage industry.

Digital Realty

Paul Balas, VP of Information Delivery at Digital Realty (NYSE: DLR) will discuss Addressing Technical (& Intellectual) Debt via MDM on Thursday, October 12th at 3pm. In this session, Balas revisits the impact that xDM, the intelligent MDM solution from Semarchy has had on empowering business users to make decisions based on data in which they can feel truly confident. Digital Realty, by leveraging an agile approach, ended manual integration from 50+ internal systems, along with the technical and intellectual debt associated at the hands of the business user.

Semarchy xDM 4.2

Since announcing a total reimagination of MDM in their fourth-generation solution in April 2017, Semarchy has caught the attention of press, analysts, and industry luminaries with xDM. Untethered from conventional solutions based on legacy product-only or customer-only MDM software from the last decade, xDM puts the power to master any kind of data in the hands of any kind of user. This latest xDM release will further the application of artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms for data stewardship, curation and advanced matching for users of all types, with a straightforward upgrade from the firm's previous generation of MDM solutions.

Full details on Semarchy xDM 4.2 will be made available at the conference, October 12-14, 2017. The Summit will be held at the New York Marriott Marquis in Times Square. Details and discounted registration are available on the Semarchy website.

ABOUT SEMARCHY

Semarchy(www.semarchy.com) is the Intelligent MDM company. Its xDM platform is an innovation in hybrid, multi-vector Master Data Management (MDM) that leverages smart algorithms and material design to simplify data stewardship, governance and integration. It is implemented via an agile and iterative approach that delivers business value almost immediately, and scales to meet enterprise complexity.

Intelligent MDM, xDM and Semarchy are trademarks of Semarchy, Inc. in the US and other countries.

Tweet Text: #MDMDG Gold Sponsor @Semarchy highlights client speakers from @PIMCO VIP, @DigitalRealty highlighting #NextGenMDM https://www.semarchy.com/news/mdmdgny2017/

Media Contact: North 6th Agency

212.334.9753

[email protected]

SOURCE Semarchy

Related Links

http://www.semarchy.com


ATLANTA and HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill., Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Serta, Inc., a subsidiary of Serta Simmons Bedding, LLC (SSB), announced its selection of Leo Burnett Group as the company's new lead creative agency, following a review process.

"The agency appointment was made after a rigorous review. On behalf of Serta, I would like to thank all of the participating agencies who demonstrated a high level of thinking and creative approaches. We selected Leo Burnett based on their understanding of our business and creative vision," said Warren Kornblum, Interim Chief Marketing Officer for SSB. "We look forward to partnering with the team at Leo Burnett to deliver bold, innovative ideas and creative campaigns that will extend Serta's position as the best-selling brand in the United States."

"We look forward to creating a new partnership with Leo Burnett," said Andrew Gross, Executive Vice President, Marketing for the Serta brand. Doner previously led Serta's creative account. "We would like to thank Doner for their many years of service with us and for their past contributions in making Serta the top-selling brand," Gross added.

"We are thrilled to be partnering with Serta. The brand has a storied history of product and marketing innovation that has defined comfort and sleep for generations," said Rich Stoddart, CEO, Leo Burnett Worldwide. "Our focus, in close partnership with the Serta team, is to help evolve the brand with a relentless focus on reaffirming Serta's position as the undisputed category leader."

About Serta, Inc.

Serta, Inc. ("Serta"), through its licensees, is the #1 mattress manufacturer in the United States. Serta's product portfolio includes the Perfect Sleeper, which is the Only Official Mattress of the National Sleep Foundation, and the iComfort Sleep System, both named Consumers Digest Best Buys. Serta through its licensees also manufactures the iSeries Hybrid Sleep System and the exclusive Bellagio at Home mattress collection. As a leading provider of mattresses to the hospitality industry, Serta partners with hotel groups such as Hilton Worldwide, Marriott International, Intercontinental Hotels Group, Choice Hotels International, Best Western International, Omni Hotels and Resorts, as well as Bellagio Las Vegas. In addition, Serta is distributed internationally in more than 100 other countries. With its worldwide network, Serta is able to respond quickly to customers' needs while still preserving strict control standards to ensure the highest quality. For more information, visit www.serta.com.

About Serta Simmons Bedding, LLC

Serta Simmons Bedding, LLC is the leading sleep company and the largest manufacturer, marketer and supplier of mattresses in North America. Based in Atlanta, SSB owns and manages two of the largest bedding brands in the mattress industry, Serta, which has five other licensees who manufacture mattresses in the United States, and Beautyrest. The two brands are distributed through national, hospitality, and regional and independent channels throughout North America. SSB also owns Tomorrow, a direct-to-consumer mattress brand. The company operates 39 manufacturing plants throughout the United States and Canada. For more information about SSB and its brands, visit www.sertasimmons.com.

About Leo Burnett Worldwide

Leo Burnett Worldwide is a communications agency powered by its HumanKind operating system, with the belief that creativity, data and technology work together to transform human behavior and drive prosperity for clients. Part of Publicis Communications, with offices within Publicis One, the agency works with some of the world's most valued brands including Coca-Cola, Fiat, Kellogg's, Kraft, McDonald's, Nintendo, P&G, Samsung and Tata among others. To learn more about Leo Burnett and its rich, 82-year history of creating iconic brands, visit our site, Facebook page and follow us via @leoburnett.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties. All statements other than statements of historical fact or relating to present facts or current conditions included in this press release are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements give our current expectations and projections relating to our financial condition, results of operations, plans, objectives, future performance and business. You can identify forward-looking statements by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. These statements may include words such as "anticipate," "estimate," "expect," "project," "seek," "plan," "intend," "believe," "will," "may," "could," "continue," "likely," "should," and other words. Such statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results projected, expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement made by SSB in this press release speaks only as of the date on which it is made. SSB does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as may be required by law.

Serta Simmons Bedding, LLC Investors Contact:

D. Paul Dascoli

Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

[email protected]

+1 770-673-2625

Serta Simmons Bedding, LLC Media Contact:

Noreen Pratscher

Vice President, Corporate Communications

[email protected]

+1 470-303-4937

SOURCE Serta Simmons Bedding, LLC

Related Links

http://www.sertasimmons.com


CHICAGO, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Outcome Health, which provides health intelligence in moments of care to improve patient outcomes, today announced the appointment of Seth Darmstadter as its General Counsel. In this new role, Darmstadter will oversee Outcome Health's legal affairs, ethics, corporate policies, regulatory and compliance; Darmstadter will report to Chief Executive Officer Rishi Shah.

"I have for many years, passionately served as a trusted advisor to best-in-class technology companies like Outcome Health on legal, strategy and targeted growth," said Darmstadter. "I am humbled by the opportunity to join Outcome Health to further establish its positioning as the leader in innovation and best practices, at the nexus of the healthcare ecosystem."

Darmstadter most recently co-founded the Chicago office of Michelman & Robinson LLP (M&R), a premiere boutique law firm, where he was a Partner in the firm's Commercial & Business Litigation Practice Group. During his time at K&L Gates, and then M&R, Darmstadter frequently innovated alongside his high-growth technology company clientele as a strategic partner for clients across ad tech, health tech, media tech, tech manufacturing, social media, green energy, music, integrated marketing and communications businesses.

"Seth is an industry thought leader who sets himself apart through his integrity, entrepreneurial passion, and commitment to scaling practices," said Rishi Shah, Chief Executive Officer of Outcome Health. "With his extensive experience advising CEOs, management teams and organizations with a solutions-based approach to law and commerce, we are honored to have Seth join Outcome Health as General Counsel to partner together for the long term."

Darmstadter, an experienced and accomplished commercial litigator, was honored in 2014 by the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin and Chicago Lawyer Magazine, when they named him to their lists of "40 Under Forty." Darmstadter also has been named a "Rising Star" for the past seven consecutive years by Super Lawyers, a designation reserved for only the top 2.5% of lawyers under the age of 40.

Darmstadter's appointment follows the company's recent announcement of Outcome Tower, its new global headquarters, with room to grow to 2,400 Chicago-based employees.

About Outcome Health

Outcome Health's mission is to activate the best health outcome possible for every person in the world through technologies that change behavior to positively shape the human condition. The company serves health information and health intelligence during critical moments of care to enable patients and physicians to make the best healthcare decision possible. The company, founded in 2006 by Rishi Shah and Shradha Agarwal, partners with 231,000 healthcare providers nationwide to impact 500 million patient visits annually.

Outcome Health has offices in Chicago and New York City, employing more than 600 people, and partners with large healthcare systems, private physician practices, medical associations, global life sciences companies as well as pharmacies and payers.

To learn more about Outcome Health's solutions and impact, visit http://www.outcomehealth.com/outcomes.

Media Contact

Philip de Guzman

Communications Lead

Outcome Health

[email protected]

SOURCE Outcome Health

Related Links

http://www.outcomehealth.com


NEW YORK, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of RPM International Inc.("RPM" or the "Company") (NYSE: RPM). Such investors are advised to contact Robert S. Willoughby at [email protected] or 888-476-6529, ext. 9980.

The investigation concerns whether RPM 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 September 9, 2016, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission charged RPM and its general counsel with "failing to disclose a material loss contingency, or record an accrual for, a government investigation when required to do so under governing accounting principles and securities laws."

On this news, RPM's share price fell $3.37, or 6.11%, to close at $51.75 on September 9, 2016.

The Pomerantz Firm, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Paris, 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

CONTACT:

Robert S. Willoughby

Pomerantz LLP

[email protected]

SOURCE Pomerantz LLP

Related Links

http://www.pomerantzlaw.com


CORTE MADERA, Calif., Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- SL RTView 3.8 is making a splash with the launch of new Apache Kafka and TIBCO Adapter monitoring solution packages. SL is the leading performance monitoring vendor for middleware and middleware-powered applications.

In addition to new monitoring targets, Kafka and TIBCO Adapters, the RTView 3.8 release expands functionality and support for TIBCO BusinessWorks, TIBCO ActiveSpaces, and TIBCO EMS.

"Demand for Kafka monitoring within our customer base has exceeded expectations and we are excited to help our middleware-centric customers take advantage of new architectures," says Ted Wilson, COO at SL. "As RTView customers transition their technology footprints to include new technologies such as Kafka, it's critical they stay focused on the performance of their middleware infrastructure."

Apache Kafka Monitoring

SL's new RTView's Solution Package for Apache Kafka provides a complete Kafka monitoring solution with pre-built dashboards and pre-configured alerts for monitoring Kafka brokers, producers, consumers, topics and Kafka Zookeepers.

TIBCO Adapter Monitoring

The new RTView Solution Package for TIBCO Adapters gives you visibility into the performance of this critical layer with prebuilt dashboards and pre-configured alerts for various technical adapters, functional adapters, and custom adapters.

TIBCO BusinessWorks Monitoring

The Solution Package for TIBCO BusinessWorks has been enhanced with new alerts and the addition of data management options for improving performance. It also includes improvements to the way it detects and presents the status of BW Engines.

TIBCO ActiveSpaces Monitoring

The RTView Solution Package for TIBCO ActiveSpaces provides new pre-configured alerts and enables users to visualize the load on space member processes, such as CPU and memory, to better understand available capacity.

TIBCO EMS Monitoring

The Solution Package for TIBCO EMS has been enhanced with several user experience improvements.

For more information on RTView 3.8, or to sign up for a self-guided test drive, please visit www.sl.com.

About SL: SL is a San Francisco Bay Area-based software company that develops real-time monitoring, visualization and diagnostic software for Global 1000 and mid-market companies whose businesses depend on complex, high-performance applications. The company has deep expertise in monitoring and management of custom, distributed applications running in heterogeneous middleware environments.

Contact:

Gia Lombardi-Hodges

[email protected]

415-927-8541

SOURCE SL Corporation

Related Links

http://www.sl.com


BEIJING and SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Stepes (pronounced /'steps/), a leader in just-in-time translation services, has announced the integration of ABBYY text recognition for faster translation of scanned documents on demand. Stepes desktop and mobile translation solutions now use ABBYY Cloud Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology to automatically convert scanned documents and images into editable formats for agile translation services.

Billed as the "Amazon" of translation services, Stepes online translation ecosystem automates many of the human touch points associated with traditional translation processes, significantly improving project turnaround and cost efficiency while achieving quality results. With the ABBYY integration, Stepes further streamlines its on-demand translation services by extracting translatable text from scanned PDF documents and pictures to provide customers with instant project estimates. Upon approval, the scanned documents are reviewed by a human project manager to ensure quality before sending out to translators for translation.

ABBYY OCR solution performs fast and accurate text recognition on scanned PDF documents and images in over 190 languages including European, Asian and Arabic languages.

"We are excited to expand our on-demand translation solutions to scanned documents," comments Stepes Visionary Carl Yao. "By automating extraction of translatable text from scanned PDF documents and images, Stepes further strengthens its leadership position in providing global businesses with fast language translation services that today's digital economy demands."

In addition to text extraction, the integrated ABBYY Cloud OCR technology automatically converts translated contents to match the exact format and layout of the original scanned document. This automated desktop publishing (DTP) process eliminates the need to recreate the source document manually saving time and translation costs.

"ABBYY has a strong track record of providing intelligent capture solutions to businesses around the world. We are pleased that Stepes is now a valuable partner. We support the company's mission  to facilitate multilingual communications  and are happy to contribute to their success," comments Bruce Orcutt, Senior Vice President of Product Marketing at ABBYY.

To learn more about the Stepes OCR translation solutions, please visit: www.stepes.com/scanned-document-translation/.

To learn more about ABBYY Coud OCR SDK, please visit: https://www.abbyy.com/en-us/cloud-ocr-sdk/

About Stepes

Stepes is the world's first mobile translation platform powered by human translators and interpreters from around the world. Stepes disrupts the traditional translation process by providing on-demand, agile, and just-in-time translation services for the digital economy. Stepes breaks down language barriers between businesses and their customers, and among nations and people by seamlessly connecting businesses with professional translators and bilingual subject matter experts around the world. The word Stepes stands for Social Translation Experiment Project and Eco System. For more information, please visit www.stepes.com.

About ABBYY

ABBYY is a global leader in intelligent capture driving innovation in the areas of meaningful insights, data, and relationships to improve business outcomes. ABBYY offers a complete range of AI-based technologies and solutions transforming business documents and content into business value. By providing digital transformation solutions to financial services, insurance, transportation, healthcare and other industries, the company helps organizations achieve the next wave of growth by understanding customers and delivering responsive real-time intelligent systems. The flexibility of ABBYY AI solutions enables customers to utilize a diverse range of advanced technologies, platforms and solutions for classification, text analytics, data and entity extraction, and data validation via any communication channel and in any format. ABBYY technologies are used and licensed by some of the largest international enterprises and government organizations, as well as SMBs and individuals. The company maintains offices in Australia, Canada, Cyprus, France, Germany, Japan, Russia, Spain, Taiwan, UAE, the UK, Ukraine, and the United States. For more information, please visit www.abbyy.com/company.

ABBYY and the ABBYY Logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of ABBYY Software Ltd. Other product names mentioned herein may be trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective owners and are hereby recognized.

SOURCE Stepes

Related Links

http://www.stepes.com


ZUG, Switzerland, October 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Streamr, the decentralized peer-to-peer data sharing protocol, today announced the success of its precontribution window which reached its 5 million CHF hard cap in 25 minutes. Tokenizing real-time data, Streamr enables a new way for machines and people to trade data on a decentralized P2P network.

"The centralization of existing data infrastructure has left current systems vulnerable, concentrated, and uninspiring. As we see the explosion of decentralized apps and technologies, it is now time for real-time data from connected devices to share that independence in a robust, secure, and persistent manner. Our platform provides the missing link that makes pipe-dreams of unrestricted, unstoppable data a reality," Streamr CEO and Co-founder Henri Pihkala said.

Frustrated by the inefficiencies and limitations of traditional centralized data distribution systems, Streamr Network AG was co-founded this year by Henri Pihkala, Nikke Nylund and Risto Karjalainen to offer scalable, low-latency, and secure data delivery. The founding team has worked together for years building an advanced streaming analytics platform which is now being decentralized by Streamr.

Streamr CEO Henri Pihkala previously worked as a software engineer and an algorithmic trader, leading the development of several high-frequency algorithmic trading platforms. Nikke Nylund is a serial entrepreneur with several successful exits in the software sector. With a Ph.D. in Decision Sciences from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, COO Risto Karjalainen brings a wealth of knowledge on real-time computing, machine learning, and behavioral finance. Karjalainen previously worked as a Quant and Portfolio Manager with JP Morgan and Merrill Lynch before immersing himself into the world of real-time data and decentralized computing.

Connecting producers and consumers, Streamr aims to create a market for real-time data. The Data Market categorizes and showcases publicly available data streams. The Streamr token, DATAcoin, is needed to access and operate the market, and to compensate nodes in the P2P network. Subscribers pay for the data with the token while producers and participants are reimbursed automatically and securely.

Advising Streamr as a Technical Expert is Julian Zawistowski, CEO and Co-Founder of Golem, the first global market for idle computer power. Recognizing the shared vision and complementary goals of the two projects, Streamr and Golem began to mutually address the technical overlap in July 2017.

"This partnership brings together some of the most innovative minds in the industry. As we collaborate with Streamr we are not only improving efficiencies but benefiting the wider community. Working simultaneously opens the door to tremendous talent and technology. The partnership will take us, one step at a time, towards a decentralized future," Zawistowski said.

A luminary in decentralized technology, Julian Zawistowski joins Streamr's stellar board of advisors, consisting of trailblazers like Wendell Davis, an early instigator for many blockchain-related companies and projects, including OmiseGO and Golem, Thomas Greco, special advisor to OmiseGO, and Dr. Luka Muller, Co-founder of MME and legal advisor to Ethereum, Consensys, and Bancor. Kimmo Halunen, Senior Scientist at VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland with over 20 publications on information security and cryptography, has also joined Streamr as its Cybersecurity Advisor.

"Streamr seeks to deliver unstoppable data to unstoppable applications. We cannot do so without the continued support of our passionate community. The overwhelming success of our precontribution period is both encouraging and inspiring, and we are incredibly grateful to our early participants as well as to the wider Streamr community," added Pihkala.

Opening on September 14, the Streamr precontribution window was the first of its kind on Bitcoin Suisse, the world's leading crypto-asset broker and asset manager. Operating on a registration model, interested parties underwent a thorough Know Your Customer (KYC) evaluation prior to participating. Following this model, Streamr could proactively manage and prevent any risks associated with token sales, while also raising a substantial amount.

Bitcoin Suisse Head of ICO and Streamr advisor Nicolai Oster said, "Working closely with the Streamr team has been extraordinary, and I am proud to help them as an advisor. In my professional capacity, I see dozens of new projects every single day, and Streamr stands out as a project with terrific potential backed by deep technical experience and competence."

Following the successful precontribution period, registration for the Streamr crowd contribution period will commence on October 9, 2017, at 12 noon UTC with DATA tokens available at a rate of 1 CHF = 18.25 DATA. The overall cap for all contributions is 30 million CHF.

For more information visit www.streamr.com.

Streamr Co-Founder and CEO Henri Pihkala is available for interview

About Streamr:

Streamr, the technology stack for real-time data, aims to tokenize the value in data by enabling a new way for machines and people to trade it on a decentralized P2P network. Founded in 2017 by Henri Pihkala, Nikke Nylund and Risto Karjalainen, Streamr offers scalable, low-latency, and untamperable data delivery and persistence in an effort to overcome the limitations of traditional centralized real-time data platforms.

Media Contact:

Alex Sheehan

Account Supervisor

Wachsman PR

[email protected]

+353-87-097-9702

SOURCE Streamr
NEW YORK, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Stribling & Associates, a premier New York residential brokerage, today releases the third quarter Manhattan Market Report. The report, which covers the entire borough, reveals mixed sales activity, several submarket price increases, and an increased demand in the more affordable price brackets. The Downtown submarket outpaced the rest of the city in terms of total number of sales and average prices.

"Downtown continued to be the most expensive market in the third quarter, but we are seeing a slight pullback in terms of pricing," said Garrett Derderian, Director of Data & Reporting at Stribling. "The yearly increases have tapered Downtown, while other markets, like Midtown East and West, saw double-digit growth over last year. We expect that to continue." Derderian cited upcoming closings for units already in contract along Billionaires' Row, in Midtown East, as a key driver.

The report also mentioned the decline in less expensive sales as a direct result of the shrinking class of inventory. As Derderian noted, "There are more units on the market priced above $10M than below $500,000."

He also highlighted, "What we found, for the first time, was closings under $500,000 and above $5M had equal market share, both at 10%. These high-priced deals, fueled almost entirely by new development, are expected to increase market share in the near-term." Derderian stated, "Properties selling for under $500,000 are almost exclusively co-op resales."

Rising land and labor costs in Manhattan have proven cost-prohibitive to building new units in the lower price brackets. "From a developer prospective, it is financially unworkable to bring a unit to market under $500,000. This is true even for Upper Manhattan, which remains the most affordable submarket."

However, the report also revealed condo and co-op inventory prices remained relatively flat year-over-year. "The key takeaway is that, while Manhattan has experienced tremendous growth over the past several years, we are beginning to see sellers price more realistically," Derderian said. "While the market remains strong, many buyers have plenty of options to choose from, the ability to negotiate, and time to wait it out."

Highlights from Stribling & Associates 3Q Manhattan Market Report:

Median sales price was $1,250,000

Average sales price dipped to $2,167,096

Average price per square foot was $1,566

Average days on market is 106

There are 7.1 months of supply, up from 6.1 last year

There were more closings above $5M than below $500K

Inventory:

The number of available listings increased 10% YoY to 6,379

Condo units made up the largest share of inventory, with 53%

Condo units had an average PPSF of $2,079

Co-op units were the most affordable, with an average PPSF of $1,278

2BRs made up 32% of inventory

The $1-3M bracket totaled 41% of inventory

bracket totaled 41% of inventory There was more inventory priced above $10M than below $500K

than below Upper Manhattan condos had a median rise of 21% to $955,500

condos had a median rise of 21% to Upper West Side co-ops median price increased 43% to $1,349,500

Contracts Signed:

Total contracts signed decreased 14% to 2,090

1BRs made up 39% of all contracts signed

Condo units priced below $500K and above $20M saw the greatest median and average price increases

and above saw the greatest median and average price increases Co-ops priced between $10-20M had the most significant price gains

had the most significant price gains Downtown captured the most contracts signed, with 29%

Midtown West saw the least number of contracts, at 4%

saw the least number of contracts, at 4% Downtown averaged the highest PPSF, $1,840 , and largest apartments, 1,354 square feet

, and largest apartments, 1,354 square feet Upper Manhattan condos were the only ones to see median, average, and PPSF increases

condos were the only ones to see median, average, and PPSF increases Upper West Side and Upper Manhattan co-ops posted the strongest yearly gains

Recorded Sales:

There were 2,740 recorded sales to date, a 9% decrease from one year ago

Co-ops made up the largest share of closings, with 51%

Condos totaled 44% of all deals

Condos were the most expensive, with an average PPSF of $1,819

1BR units captured 36% of all sales

4+BRs, with 7% sales, had the highest average PPSF of $2,323

All condo unit types experienced price reductions, with 4+BRs seeing the steepest declines

4+BR co-op units had the greatest price appreciation; the median was up 9% and average 31%

$20M+ condo sales noted the biggest yearly price declines; the average PPSF dropped 21%

Downtown captured the greatest share of closings, with 32%, and was the most expensive market with the largest apartments

Midtown East and Midtown West condos had the greatest median and average price rises

and condos had the greatest median and average price rises Upper East Side co-ops saw a median rise of 19% and average increase of 22%

To view the Q3 Manhattan Market Report, and other research by Stribling & Associates, please visit our website: http://www.stribling.com/market_reports

About Stribling & Associates

Stribling & Associates, Ltd. is a premier residential real estate firm with over 300 agents throughout three locations in Manhattan and one in Brooklyn. As one of the most renowned brokerages in New York, Stribling uses its respected expertise in the current market to provide individualized services to both buyer and sellers. Stribling agents specialize in the sale of luxury townhouses and cooperative and condominium apartments. The company's philosophy is based on professional, personalized services coupled with exceptional knowledge of key residential market trends. Stribling Private Brokerage specializes in the discreet marketing of properties over $5 million and commands a prominent market share in that sector of Manhattan residential real estate. Through strategic partnerships with Miami's Cervera and international estate services firm Savills, Stribling's global reach extends to more than 700 offices worldwide.

Press Contact:

Ashley Murphy, Director of Public Relations

[email protected]

646-675-5068

SOURCE Stribling & Associates
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Oct. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Sun Trolley is now offering guided tours on the third Saturday of each month beginning Saturday, October 21, 2017.

Whether you are a long-time Broward County resident or are visiting South Florida for the first time, this two-hour guided tour is your ultimate backstage pass to the "Venice of the Americas." Tour participants will learn about Fort Lauderdale's rich history, nature, nightlife and some of the most eclectic neighborhoods, as well as Fort Lauderdale's fast growth and exciting upcoming projects.

"Our charming red and yellow trolleys have become a Fort Lauderdale icon," said Robyn Chiarelli, Executive Director of the Downtown Fort Lauderdale Transportation Management Association. "The goal of our new guided tours is to create a fun and educational experience for our guests as they learn more about Fort Lauderdale and all it has to offer."

The guided tours will run from 10 a.m. to noon. Guests will board the trolley at The Galleria at Fort Lauderdale and visit various points of interest such as the FATVillage/MASS District, Historic Sistrunk, the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, Fort Lauderdale Beach, Hugh Taylor Birch State Park, and many more!

Tour tickets are $38 per person and $24 for each child under 12 years old. Infants under 2 years old ride free. Click here to purchase tickets. Please arrive 30 minutes prior to departure, as the trolley will leave promptly at 10 a.m. Please note that the tour's end time might vary due to traffic, events, and unexpected circumstances.

Click here to learn more about Sun Trolley and its guided tours, or call 954-TROLLEY. Like what Sun Trolley is doing? Show it here.

ABOUT TMA (Transportation Management Association)

Founded in 1992, the Downtown Fort Lauderdale Transportation Management Association (TMA), a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization, manages the Sun Trolley and the Riverwalk Water Trolley. Approximately 40,000 passengers per month utilize the TMA's eight routes connecting residents, tourists and working professionals from Fort Lauderdale's neighborhoods to Broward County Transit and Tri-Rail as well as destinations such as Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, Fort Lauderdale Beach, the Broward County Courthouse and the Galleria at Fort Lauderdale. TMA services are provided without regard to race, color, national origin. For more information, visit www.suntrolley.com or call 954-TROLLEY.

CONTACT: Laurie Menekou, (954) 732-0754 (or)

[email protected]

SOURCE Sun Trolley

Related Links

http://www.suntrolley.com


BOULDER, Colorado, October 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Brandy Keen, Surna Inc.'s. (OTCQB: SRNA) Sr. Technical Advisor and Co-founder, will be speaking on the topic of cannabis energy and water conservation solutions that produce greater yield at three upcoming conferences in October:

Cannabis World Congress and Business Expo (CWCBExpo) in Boston on Oct. 5

on Sustainability Symposium in Denver on Oct. 16

on CannaGrow Expo in Denver on Oct. 28

Keen works with Surna clients to guide them on industry best practices and practical ways that they can use to conserve energy cost effectively without sacrificing quality. This value-added approach includes explaining complex and rapidly changing regulatory environments-and how to successfully navigate them, along with sharing best practices and state-of-the-art knowledge in the facility design process.

"Consumption of electricity and water is a recurring monthly expense that can have a huge impact on the bottom line. When properly optimized, energy consumption can be reduced significantly, and indoor facilities can use dramatically less water than outdoor or greenhouse facilities," Keen said. "In an increasingly competitive marketplace, every cultivator should be focusing on how to reduce operating costs without sacrificing production," Keen added.

The cannabis industry's energy consumption is estimated in the United States at 1% of national electricity use, or $6 billion each year[1] . Keen will describe six key ways to conserve energy during her presentations.

"When cultivators improve on energy and water conservation, the entire industry wins collectively in an environmentally sensitive way," Surna CEO Chris Bechtel said. "Surna is committed to being a thought leader in this ongoing effort," added Bechtel.

For more information on Surna, please see http://www.surna.com.

About Surna

Surna, Inc. is a Boulder, Colorado-based manufacturer of a proprietary line of optimized lighting, environmental control and air sanitation systems for state-regulated cannabis cultivation facilities as well as traditional indoor agricultural facilities (http://www.surna.com ). We develop innovative technologies and products that monitor, control and or address the energy and resource intensive nature of indoor cannabis cultivation. Our goal is to provide intelligent solutions to improve the quality, the control and the overall yield and efficiency of controlled environment agriculture. Though our customers do, we neither produce nor sell cannabis. Surna is a public company whose shares are traded on the OTC Markets under the ticker symbol "SRNA."

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding the Company's future business expectations, which are subject to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are only predictions and may differ materially from actual results due to a variety of factors including Surna's ability to monetize service components, Surna's support of premium prices for existing products, commercialization of research and development efforts and continued expansion of legal cannabis markets. Other risks and uncertainties include, among others, risks related to new products, services, and technologies, government regulation and taxation, and fraud. In addition, the current global economic climate amplifies many of these risks. More information about factors that potentially could affect Surna's financial results is included in Surna's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent filings. The Company cautions readers not to place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. The Company disclaims any obligation subsequently to revise any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of such statements or to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events.

Statement about Cannabis Markets

The use, possession, cultivation, and distribution of cannabis are prohibited by federal law. This includes medical and recreational cannabis. Although certain states have legalized medical and recreational cannabis, companies and individuals involved in the sector are still at risk of being prosecuted by federal authorities. Further, the landscape in the cannabis industry changes rapidly. What was the law last week is not the law today and what is the law today may not be the law next week. This means that at any time the city, county, or state where cannabis is permitted can change the current laws and/or the federal government can supersede those laws and take prosecutorial action. Given the uncertain legal nature of the cannabis industry, it is imperative that investors understand that the cannabis industry is a high-risk investment. A change in the current laws or enforcement policy can negatively affect the status and operation of our business; require additional fees, stricter operational guidelines and unanticipated shut-downs.

[1]http://evanmills.lbl.gov/pubs/pdf/cannabis-carbon-footprint.pdf

Contact:

Jamie English

[email protected]

+1-303-993-5271 ext. 110



SOURCE Surna Inc
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SAO PAULO, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

SUZANO TRADING LTD.

(an exempted company incorporated with limited liability in the Cayman Islands)

Expiration of Offer to Purchase for Cash

Up to U.S.$150,000,000 Aggregate Principal Amount of Suzano Trading Ltd.'s Outstanding

5.875% Senior Notes due 2021

(CUSIP: 86960FAA1 and G8600UAA1; ISIN: US86960FAA12 and USG8600UAA19)

Guaranteed by Suzano Papel e Celulose S.A. (incorporated in the Federative Republic of Brazil) and subject to the Tender Cap and other Conditions



Suzano Trading Ltd. ("Suzano") previously announced an offer to purchase for cash (the " Tender Offer ") up to US$150,000,000.00 aggregate principal amount (the " Tender Cap ") of outstanding 5.875% Senior Notes due 2021 (" Notes "). The Tender Offer was made subject to the terms and conditions contained in the Offer to Purchase, dated September 5, 2017 (the " Offer to Purchase "), and corresponding Letter of Transmittal dated September 5, 2017, both as amended from time to time.

Suzano hereby announces that the Tender Offer expired at 11:59 p.m., New York City time, October 2, 2017 (the " Expiration Date ").

An aggregate principal amount of US$146,233,000.00, as a result of pro ration and rounding, was allocated to holders who validly tendered their Notes in the Tender Offer and whose orders were accepted by September 18 (the " Early Tender Date ") (the " Accepted Notes "). The total cash payment to purchase the Accepted Notes of U.S.$159,393,970.00, including the Early Tender Consideration and excluding accrued and unpaid interest, was paid to holders on September 20, 2017.

Because holders of Notes subject to the tender offer validly tendered and did not validly withdraw Notes on or prior to the Early Tender Date for which the aggregate consideration payable exceeds the Tender Cap, Suzano decided not to accept for purchase any Notes tendered after the Early Tender Date.

Accordingly, considering that the Tender Cap was reached in respect of tenders made on or prior to the Early Tender Date, the U.S.$1,923,000.00 aggregate principal amount of Notes that were tendered after the Early Tender Date have not been accepted for purchase will be promptly returned to tendering holder.

D.F. King & Co., Inc. is acting as the tender agent and as the information agent (the "Tender and Information Agent") for the Tender Offer. J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Santander Investment Securities Inc., BB Securities Limited, Itau BBA USA Securities, Inc. and Mizuho Securities USA LLC are acting as dealer managers (the "Dealer Managers") for the Tender Offer.

NEITHER THE OFFER TO PURCHASE NOR ANY OF THE OTHER DOCUMENTS RELATING TO THE TENDER OFFER HAVE BEEN FILED WITH OR REVIEWED BY THE FEDERAL OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION OR REGULATORY AUTHORITY OF ANY COUNTRY, NOR HAS ANY SUCH COMMISSION OR AUTHORITY PASSED UPON THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THE OFFER TO PURCHASE OR ANY OF THE OTHER DOCUMENTS RELATING TO THE TENDER OFFER. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS UNLAWFUL AND MAY BE A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.

Subject to applicable laws and the terms set forth in the Tender Offer, Suzano reserves the right, with respect to the Notes, (i) to waive or modify in whole or in part any and all conditions to the Tender Offer, (ii) to extend the Expiration Date, the Early Tender Date, the Early Settlement Date, the Settlement Date or any other date mentioned herein, (iii) to modify or terminate the Tender Offer or (iv) to otherwise amend the Tender Offer in any respect.

Neither this press release nor the Offer to Purchase constitutes an offer to purchase the Notes in any jurisdiction in which, or to or from any person to or from whom, it is unlawful to make such offer under applicable securities laws. If Suzano becomes aware of any jurisdiction in which the making of the Tender Offer would not be in compliance with applicable laws, Suzano will make a good faith effort to comply with any such laws. If, after such good faith effort, Suzano cannot comply with any such laws, the Tender Offer will not be made to (nor will tenders of Notes be accepted from or on behalf of) the owners of Notes residing in such jurisdiction. Neither the delivery of the Tender Offer to Purchase nor any purchase hereunder shall under any circumstances create any implication that the information contained therein is correct as of any time subsequent to the date hereof or that there has been no change in the information set forth herein or in any attachments hereto or in Suzano's affairs since the date hereof. The Dealer Managers may be tendering Notes in connection with the Tender Offer.

The Offer to Purchase does not constitute an offer to sell any securities or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities (other than the Notes). Any offering of securities will only be made by an offering document and any such offering may not be registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

NOTICE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This press release contains statements that are forward-looking within the meaning of Section 27A of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements are only predictions and are not guarantees of future performance. Investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are and will be, as the case may be, subject to many risks, uncertainties and factors relating to Suzano that may cause the actual results to be materially different from any future results expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements. Although Suzano believes that the expectations and assumptions reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable based on information currently available, Suzano cannot guarantee future results or events. Suzano expressly disclaims a duty to update any of the forward-looking statements.

The Tender and Information Agent for the Tender Offer is:

D.F. King & Co., Inc.

48 Wall Street, 22nd Floor

New York, New York 10005

United States

Email: [email protected]

www.dfking.com/suzano

Banks and Brokers call: +1 (212) 2695550

All others call toll free (U.S. only): +1 (800) 967-7574

By Facsimile Transmission:

(for Eligible Institutions only)

+1 (212) 7093328

For Confirmation

+1 (212) 269-5552

Attn: Andrew Beck

Any questions or requests for assistance or for additional copies of the Offer to Purchase may be directed to the Tender and Information Agent at one of its telephone numbers above. A Holder (or a beneficial owner that is not a Holder) may also contact the Dealer Managers at their respective telephone numbers set forth below or its broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee for assistance concerning the Tender Offer.

The Dealer Managers for the Tender Offer are:

J.P. Morgan Securities

LLC

383 Madison Avenue New York, New York

10179

Attn: Latin American Debt

Capital Markets

Toll Free: 866-846-2874

Collect: 212-834-7279 Santander Investment

Securities Inc.

45 East 53rd Street, 5th

floor

New York, New York

10022

Attn: Liability Management

Group

Toll Free: 855-404-3636

Collect: 212-940-1442 BB Securities Limited

4th Floor  Pinners Hall 105-108 Old Broad Street London, EC2N 1ER United Kingdom Attn: Operations

Department

Collect: +44 (20) 7367-5803 E-mail:

[email protected] Itau BBA USA

Securities, Inc. 767 Fifth Ave, 50th Floor New York, New York

10153 USA Attn: Debt Capital

Markets Toll Free: +1 (888) 770-4828 Collect: +1 (212) 710-6749 Mizuho Securities USA

LLC

320 Park Avenue New York, New York

10022 USA Attn: Liability Management

Toll Free: 866-271-7403

Collect: 212-205-7736

SOURCE Suzano Trading Ltd.
FREMONT, Calif., Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- This Fall, Tailored Brands, Inc. (NYSE:TLRD) and its subsidiaries, Men's Wearhouse, Jos. A. Bank, K&G Fashion Superstore, and Canadian retailer Moores Clothing for Men, are joining the fight against cancer. Knowing that cancer affects our customers, our employees, and their families, we are focused on supporting the Movember Foundation, the National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc. and the Canadian Cancer Society to promote awareness and raise funds for both men's and women's health and cancer research.

Men's specialty clothing retailers, Men's Wearhouse, Jos. A. Bank and Moores Clothing for Men, have committed to donating $100,000 each to the Movember Foundation. Movember is the only global charity focused solely on men's health, funding projects focusing on prostate and testicular cancer, mental health and suicide prevention. In addition to the financial support for the charity, each retailer is offering customers a special Movember deal starting November through December. Customers who sign up on Movember.com will receive a coupon for a free custom shirt with the purchase of a custom suit. Show your personal Movember Mo Space page or email from Movember.com at any of these retailers to receive the offer.

"Movember partners have played an extraordinary role in a mission that has helped the Foundation create more than 1,200 men's health projects in 21 countries," said Adam Garone, co-founder and U.S. Country director at the Movember Foundation. "Our partnership with Tailored Brands will allow us to expand our brand awareness and reach new audiences  all in an effort to ultimately help men live happier, healthier, longer lives."

In continuing to raise awareness for cancer research, our brands are participating in October's National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Men's Wearhouse, Jos. A. Bank and K&G Fashion Superstore will be contributing $50,000 each to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc. Canada based Moores Clothing for Men will also be contributing $50,000 to the Canadian Cancer Society. Funds will go towards helping to provide assistance and inspire hope to those affected by breast cancer through early detection, education, and support services.

"We are thankful for Tailored Brands' support of our mission of Helping Women Now," said NBCF Founder and CEO, Janelle Hail. "Their donation will help us provide life-saving services to women in need all across the country."

"I am proud of how our brands are coming together to nurture our community and support such worthy causes," said Doug Ewert, CEO of Tailored Brands, Inc. "Partnering with these charities is a good opportunity for us to get involved and to help these organizations with their efforts in the fight against cancer."

Visit any of our Men's Wearhouse, Jos. A. Bank, Moores Clothing for Men, or K&G Fashion Superstore locations nationwide. For additional information on Tailored Brands, please visit tailoredbrands.com.

About Tailored Brands

Tailored Brands, Inc. is a leading authority on helping men dress for work, special occasions and everyday life. We serve our customers through an expansive omni-channel network that includes over 1,400 locations in the U.S. and Canada as well as our branded e-commerce websites. Our brands include Men's Wearhouse, Jos. A. Bank, Joseph Abboud, Moores Clothing for Men and K&G. We also operate an international corporate apparel and workwear group consisting of Dimensions, Alexandra and Yaffy in the United Kingdom and Twin Hill in the United States.

For additional information on Tailored Brands, please visit the Company's websites at www.tailoredbrands.com, www.menswearhouse.com, www.josbank.com, www.josephabboud.com, www.mooresclothing.com, www.kgstores.com, www.mwcleaners.com, www.dimensions.co.uk, www.alexandra.co.uk. and www.twinhill.com.

About the Movember Foundation

The Movember Foundation is the only global charity focused solely on men's health, funding over 1,200 innovative projects across 21 countries. To date, the Foundation has raised $769M USD for men's health programs supporting these critical areas: prostate cancer, testicular cancer, mental health and suicide prevention. But our work is not done. Be the difference and go to Movember.com to donate or participate. Together we can stop men from dying too young.

About National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc.

Recognized as one of the leading breast cancer organizations in the world, National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF) is Helping Women Now by providing early detection, education and support services to those affected by breast cancer. A recipient of Charity Navigator's highest 4-star rating for twelve years, NBCF provides support through their National Mammography Program, Patient Navigation, Beyond The Shock, breast health education, and research programs. For more information, please visit www.nbcf.org.

For media inquiries, contact:

Diego Louro,

Director of Public Relations All Brands

[email protected]

Julie Weber,

Public Relations Marketing Manager, Men's Wearhouse, Jos. A. Bank, Moores

[email protected]

SOURCE Tailored Brands, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.tailoredbrands.com


PALO ALTO, Calif., Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Telestax, the Restcomm company, today announced that it has added four more application partners to the RestcommONE Marketplace, which was launched in May 2017.

The RestcommONE Marketplace offers participating service providers a new business opportunity by providing in demand real-time applications and solutions that are certified and integrated into the RestcommONE Platform. This new CPaaS-enabled computing paradigm blends traditional telecommunications with new enterprise applications to create and deliver real-time communications business solutions that scale.

New Marketplace application partners feature a diverse range of solutions including virtual meetings, IoT enablement, and omnichannel communications.

Midori is a leading Telco Bot Framework, providing a CPaaS solution for messaging and multi-channel automation. The company's cloud platform connects existing systems and processes to chatbots to lower costs while staying well-connected with their customers through the myriad of messaging channels. Midori integrates SMS, MMS, email, voice, and social media to give operators and organizations wider reach, responsive automated care, and a greater overall consumer satisfaction.

Rocket Hangar MessageBoard is the SMS enablement solution of choice for RestcommONE. It provides all the capabilities needed to quickly SMS-enable landline and toll-free numbers no matter who the supplier is. It allows controlling access to each number and connects numbers to all the best-of-breed chatbots. And, by using powerful data appenders, it captures all of the messaging traffic that has previously been missing.

Simfony Mobile provides a versatile and easy-to-use IoT Cloud Platform, powering a wide range of solutions in multiple industries. By choosing our platform, companies will be able to pick and choose the building blocks needed for their future IoT projects, from global connectivity to data analytics, all based on a cloud-cost model. Simfony's out-of-the-box solutions are designed to increase business efficiency and ROI.

Veeting, Virtual Meeting Rooms. 100% WebRTC. Veeting offers the most advanced text, audio and video technology for online conferencing. Veeting delivers clear voice and video real-time communication solutions and provides a wide array of the latest features from whiteboard and document sharing to video presentations. The virtual meeting environment is entirely browser-based so no extra software or plugins are needed; and it's scalable, affordable and easy to use. Veeting can be white-labeled (customized) for any company.

"Telestax with its RestcommONE Marketplace provides service suppliers with a simple way to deliver integrated applications to customers," said Roy Illsley, Lead Analyst for Virtualization and Cloud Computing of Ovum. "The customer engagement market is a fast-growing segment and is seeing rapid new developments in the different ways customers are engaged. For any service provider, keeping up with this demand means that they must deliver new integrated applications when customers demand them, otherwise customers will go elsewhere."

Instead of receiving fractions of a penny for moving messages, voice and voice traffic on behalf of third parties, Service Providers now become their own CPaaS and have the opportunity to scale their business by earning significantly more for moving the same traffic. Marketplace Service Provider partners already have relationships with business customers and can now offer them real-time communications applications in addition to the traditional services they have provided in the past. The Telestax RestcommONE Marketplace offers Service Providers a new and unique business direction, along with a compelling revenue-generating opportunity.

"We are excited to grow our RestcommONE Marketplace and make it easy for communications service providers to offer their customers the most innovative Voice, Video, Messaging and IoT solutions on the market," said Ivelin Ivanov, co-founder and CEO of Telestax. "As we continue to add new application partners to the RestcommONE Marketplace, we look forward to offering our communications service providers a wide range of rich communications applications within a single platform."

Resources:

Ovum Research Report  On the Radar: Telestax RestcommONE Marketplace enables delivery of integrated apps.

About Telestax

Telestax is quickly becoming the catalyst for bringing real-time communications into the mainstream. Our RestcommONE platform is scalable, highly available and is the only WebRTC platform that supports cloud, on premise and hybrid deployment configurations. RestcommONE is fast becoming the platform of choice for rapidly building enterprise class real-time messaging, voice and video applications. RestcommONE Marketplace connects these new Omnichannel applications with RestcommONE CPaaS-enabled (Communications Platform as a Service) service providers and increases the revenue opportunity for both. The RestcommONE Marketplace is generating a positive disruption in the real-time communications market by changing the way organizations acquire and utilize their business software. Telestax is a privately held global company with headquarters in Austin, TX.

Media Contact:

Michael Gallo

[email protected]

212-239-8594

SOURCE Telestax

Related Links

https://telestax.com


SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Linux Foundation today announced Open Source Networking Days (OSN Days), a series of free regional events hosted and organized by local open source networking communities and The Linux Foundation members and projects including ONAP, OPNFV, OpenDaylight, DPDK, FD.io, PNDA, and more. Designed to foster innovation across the entire open source networking ecosystem, the inaugural OSN Days will take place in Paris, Milan, Stockholm, London, Tel Aviv, and Japan from October 9-19.

"We are pleased to be working with industry-leading partners  from developers to service providers to vendors  to collaboratively create solutions to accelerate open network transformation," said Arpit Joshipura, General Manager, Networking and Orchestration, The Linux Foundation. "OSN Days create a wonderful opportunity for both network users and developers to learn how various open source initiatives fit together to advance and change the face of network orchestration and solutions."

Each free day-long event will begin with a plenary session presented by site hosts and speakers from The Linux Foundation on the state of the industry and how projects across the open networking stack integrate. Additionally, the events will feature technical sessions, tutorials, demonstrations, and workshops presented by community experts on the state of the industry and business opportunities enabled by network transformation  such as 5G and IoT. Attendee participation and collaboration will be encouraged, with the goal of deepening knowledge of open source networking and setting the stage for continued collaboration in each region.

OSN Days are made possible by the generous support of our site hosts and sponsors, including: Amdocs, Atos, Cloudify, Ericsson, Huawei, Intel, Nokia, Orange, Red Hat, SUSE, and Vodafone. More information, including registration and site-specific details, is available here: https://sites.google.com/linuxfoundation.org/osndays/home and here: https://www.linuxfoundation.org/audience/introducing-linux-foundations-open-source-networking-days/.

Supporting Quotes From Site Hosts

Ericsson (Stockholm)

Mats Karlsson, Head of portfolio & architecture, digital services, at Ericsson says: "Ericsson is strongly promoting several open source initiatives in the Orchestration, SDN, NFV, and Cloud technology areas, thus accelerating innovation and industry adoption of new technologies as part of our overall vision for 5G. As part of Ericsson's collaboration and deep involvement in many open source projects such as ONAP, OPNFV, ODL, and FD.io, we are organizing and hosting the Open Source Networking Days in Stockholm so that we can bring this event closer to Scandinavian and European operators, partners, and communities."

Orange (Paris)

"Orange places a great deal of trust in open source as it is an environment where operators and manufacturers innovate and even develop together," said Emmanuel Lugagne Delpon, senior vice president, Orange Labs Networks. "Open source communities enable quick and sustainable innovation, while also securing future interoperability of these new virtualized networks architectures."

SUSE (Milan)

"It is a great pleasure for SUSE to support The Linux Foundation's newly launched Open Source Networking Days," said Alan Clark, CTO Office, Directing Industry Initiatives, Emerging Standards and Open Source at SUSE and OpenStack Board Chair. "This event offers an ideal communication platform for developers and those interested in learning more about open source innovation. With open source projects such as OpenStack or OPNFV, which are at the core of digital transformation, this event is definitely a highlight."

About The Linux Foundation

The Linux Foundation is the organization of choice for the world's top developers and companies to build ecosystems that accelerate open technology development and commercial adoption. Together with the worldwide open source community, it is solving the hardest technology problems by creating the largest shared technology investment in history. Founded in 2000, The Linux Foundation today provides tools, training and events to scale any open source project, which together deliver an economic impact not achievable by any one company. More information can be found at www.linuxfoundation.org.

The Linux Foundation has registered trademarks and uses trademarks. For a list of trademarks of The Linux Foundation, please see our trademark usage page:https://www.linuxfoundation.org/trademark-usage. Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds.

Red Hat is a trademark or registered trademark of Red Hat, Inc. or its subsidiaries in the U.S. and other countries.

Media Inquires

Jill Lovato

The Linux Foundation

[email protected]

SOURCE The Linux Foundation

Related Links

http://www.linuxfoundation.org


"Our company is actively in development on projects from the Pacific Northwest to the Gulf Coast," says Rich Worthington, president and chief executive officer for The Molasky Group of Companies. "Some are design builds that came on line relatively quickly; others have been in the works for several years. Regardless of the circumstance, our company and partners are committed to more than $450M in construction."

The Molasky Group has been in business for more than 65 years and is best known for building many of modern Las Vegas's construction firsts  master-planned community, apartments, hospital, enclosed mall and office tower. These accomplishments set the stage for the Molasky Group to work on a national level, building more than 2 million square feet of space in large-scale projects for the federal government including field offices for the FBI in six markets and buildings for the IRS, Social Security Administration, National Archives and Records Administration and Veterans Affairs from Nevada to Alabama.

The company has gradually increased its presence in private sector work, especially multifamily, as a purposeful strategy to complement its prolific public-private-partnership portfolio.

In June, Sky 3 (http://www.sky3pdx.com/) became the company's first project to come online with 194 units and 15,000 square feet of retail in downtown Portland, Oregon. Sky 3 adds values to the urban core by offering efficient units and high-quality amenities in a sustainable environment. Ground floor retail includes local coffee roaster Coava and online retailer Amazon is opening a package delivery and drop-off concept specific to universities as Portland State University is within walking distance.

Several blocks away, the company, along with local partner Langley Investment Properties, is putting the finishing touches on North Hollow. The 121-unit 6-story multi-family complex complements Portland's charming Goose Hollow neighborhood.

The Harrison (http://www.harrisonglendale.com/) will come on line in by the end of 2017 bringing 164 units to the Los Angeles submarket of Glendale. Sustainable design with a 15,000 square foot CVS Pharmacy on the ground floor that includes a drive-thru prescription drop-off and pick-up lane. Sustainably designed with a look and style to meet the sophisticated demands of the LA market, The Harrison offers a mix of studio, 1 and 2 bedroom units with high-grade resort inspired amenities.

Currently under construction in the Belltown district of Seattle by joint venture development partners The Molasky Group + Binjiang Tower Corp. is Arrive (http://arriveseattle.com/). When it opens in 2019, the 41-story building will be one of the first for-rent mixed-use properties in downtown Seattle with ground level retail, an upscale hotel, well-amenitized apartments and secure below grade parking. It is adjacent to the landmark Seattle Cinerama on 4th Avenue and only two blocks from Amazon's three million square foot headquarters. Formerly known as Potala Tower, the property was revitalized by a substantial new investment by the joint venture development partners, as well as a recommitment of EB5 investor capital. The general contractor is Denver, CO-based PCL, the sixth largest contractor in the United States. The architect is Weber Thompson, Seattle's most notable architectural firm. The Los Angeles office of Hirsch Bedner Associates (HBA), the world leader in interior design, is creating the signature decor at Arrive.

The Molasky Group and SouthEast Development Group are restoring downtown Jacksonville's historic Barnett Building and the Laura Street Trio structures. Architect Edward H. Glidden designed the oldest of the three buildings in the Classical Revival style. The Bisbee Building was constructed between 1908 and 1909, and it was designed by prominent Jacksonville architect Henry J. Klutho in a Chicago School-influenced Prairie Style. The third structure, The Florida Life Building, was also designed by Klutho, between 1911 and 1912.

The deal moved forward when the Jacksonville City Council approved $9.8M in economic incentives. Molasky and SouthEast plan a total of $78 million work of work to build apartments, restaurants, a bank, hotel and bodega market. The developers would also build an adjacent parking garage. The Trio structures, comprising the Florida Life Building, the Bisbee Building and the old Marble Bank Building, include about 72,000 square feet of general office space and 10,000 square feet of commercial and retail space. Plans include a Courtyard by Marriott hotel, bodega market, cafe, restaurant, rooftop bar and retail office space. The Barnett Bank building will be converted into 50,000 square feet of office space and 100+ apartments. A 550-space, $11 million parking garage also is part of the project and will be built by the developers on property the city owns at Adams and Laura streets.

About the Molasky Group

The Molasky Group of Companies is one of the most prolific real estate development and property management companies in the United States. For more than 65 years, the company has created an impressive and highly marketable portfolio of office, commercial, multi-family, retail, healthcare, aviation, law-enforcement and correctional properties. The Molasky Group has significant experience with Public-Private Partnerships on large-scale build-to-suit projects for federal, state and local agencies. And, it is a market leader in sustainable construction building seven LEED Gold, three LEED Silver and two LEED Certified large scale properties across the United States. The Molasky Group is based in Southern Nevada and has offices in Atlanta, Georgia and Portland, Oregon. For more information visit http://molaskyco.com/

SOURCE The Molasky Group

Related Links

http://www.molaskyco.com


"The Top Workplaces award is not a popularity contest. And oftentimes, people assume it's all about fancy perks and benefits," says Doug Claffey, CEO of WorkplaceDynamics. "But to be a Top Workplace, organizations must meet our strict standards for organizational health. And who better to ask about work life than the people who live the culture every daythe employees. Time and time again, our research has proven that what's most important to them is a strong belief in where the organization is headed, how it's going to get there, and the feeling that everyone is in it together. Claffey adds, "Without this sense of connection, an organization doesn't have a shot at being named a Top Workplace."

Alacrity Services is a wholly owned subsidiary of Lowe's, and provides a managed network of nationwide contractors who provide property repair and restoration services. With headquarters in Eugene, Oregon, a second office in Charlotte, North Carolina and remote staff strategically located across the nation, Alacrity Services has experienced strong growth in the past few years. "We're honored to be receiving this distinction for the second year in a row. This is more than an award for us. It's a testament to our hardworking employees, who are the foundation of our company's success and remarkable culture. Leading a company of talented and dedicated employees who love what they do is a privilege for me. They are the reason we continue to succeed," says Jonathan Miko, President of Alacrity Services.

About Alacrity Services, a Lowe's Company

Alacrity Services (www.AlacrityServices.com) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Lowe's, and has been a leading supplier of home restoration and repair services since 1999. The company is powered by an elite, pre-screened network of contractors providing services covering a broad range of needs, from traditional home repairs to emergency services. The company's key markets include insurance carriers, financial and institutional investors. Alacrity Services also offers its services direct to homeowners and other customers interested in obtaining contractor assistance via Resolve (www.ResolvebyLowes.com). Alacrity Services is headquartered in Eugene, Oregon, with a second office in Charlotte, North Carolina and field staff strategically located across major metropolitan regions.

About WorkplaceDynamics, LLC

Headquartered in Exton, PA, WorkplaceDynamics specializes in employee feedback surveys and workplace improvement. This year alone, more than two million employees in over 6,000 organizations will participate in the Top Workplaces campaigna program it conducts in partnership with more than 40 prestigious media partners across the United States. Workplace Dynamics also provides consulting services to improve employee engagement and organizational health. WorkplaceDynamics is a founding B Corporation member, a coalition of organizations that are leading a global movement to redefine success in business by offering a positive vision of a better way to do business.

SOURCE Alacrity Services

Related Links

http://www.alacrityservices.com


DALLAS, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Thompson & Knight LLP today announced Partner Mario Barrera has joined the Firm's Mexico City office in the Tax Practice Group.

"Our Mexico offices offer the legal experience and local presence necessary to deliver a comprehensive portfolio of services to our U.S., Mexican, and international clients doing business in Mexico and Latin America," said Luis F. Gomar, Thompson & Knight's Mexico City Office Leader and a Partner in the Firm's International Energy Practice Group. "Mario's nearly 20 years of experience counseling clients on domestic and international tax law will complement and expand upon our existing breadth of expertise."

Mr. Barrera focuses his practice on domestic and cross-border tax advisory, planning, and strategy. He represents clients before tax authorities in non-litigation procedures such as tax audits, administrative appeals, settlements, and mutual agreement procedures. Mr. Barrera also has experience handling tax treaties, transfer pricing, and corporate reorganizations.

Recognized for his legal work, Mr. Barrera has been selected for inclusion in Who's Who Legal: Corporate Tax (2015; 2017) as a leading tax attorney and in International Who's Who of Corporate Tax Lawyers (2012). He has authored numerous papers for specialized journals including Tax Notes International, Puntos Finos, IDC, and Practical Mexican Tax Strategies, and is a frequent speaker and lecturer on Tax Law. He is actively involved in various professional organizations, including the International Fiscal Association; The Asociacion Nacional de Abogados de Empresa, A. C. ; The Harvard Club of Mexico; The Colegio Nacional de Economistas, A. C. Transfer Pricing Commission; and The Harvard Law School Student Association, A. C.

Mr. Barrera received his law degree (J.D. equivalent), summa cum laude, from the Universidad de las Americas in 1999, graduated from the International Tax Program at Harvard Law School in 2000, and obtained a Master of Laws in Taxation, summa cum laude, from Universidad Panamericana in 2002. He is a native Spanish speaker, proficient in English, and advanced in French.

Immediately prior to joining Thompson & Knight, Mr. Barrera was a Partner with Basham, Ringe y Correa, S.C. in Mexico City. He is licensed to practice in Mexico.

About Thompson & Knight

Established in 1887, Thompson & Knight is a full-service law firm with more than 300 attorneys. The Firm provides legal solutions to clients and communities around the world and is particularly recognized for its depth of experience and capabilities on behalf of the energy industry. Thompson & Knight has been named "Law Firm of the Year" in Oil & Gas Law in U.S. News-Best Lawyers "Best Law Firms" for 2011-2013, 2015, and 2017. This year, Thompson & Knight proudly celebrates 130 years of service. For more information, visit www.tklaw.com.

For additional information:

Lauren Foreman

Senior Communications Manager

214.969.2599 | [email protected]

SOURCE Thompson & Knight LLP

Related Links

https://www.tklaw.com


BATON ROUGE, La. and SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The new BASIS Baton Rouge charter school  set to open to 450 K-5 students next fall  hosts a groundbreaking ceremony this week on the site of the brand new campus.

BASIS Baton Rouge, which is currently accepting applications for the 2018-2019 academic year, is the first school in Louisiana for the nationally-renowned network of BASIS Curriculum Schools. The open enrollment, tuition free charter came to Baton Rouge via a first-of-its-kind partnership with the East Baton Rouge School District and Woman's Hospital. The school will be located on the Woman's Hospital campus, where the groundbreaking will take place, at the northeast corner of Airline Highway and Stumberg Lane.

The groundbreaking is particularly notable due to the high caliber speakers at the event, who include:

Craig R. Barrett , Chairman of the BASIS Baton Rouge Board of Directors and former President and CEO of Intel;

, Chairman of the BASIS Baton Rouge Board of Directors and former President and CEO of Intel; Teri Fontenot , President and CEO of Woman's Hospital; and

, President and CEO of Woman's Hospital; and Warren Drake , Superintendent of East Baton Rouge Parish Schools.

While the plan is for BASIS Baton Rouge to be K-5 school when it opens, with enough community interest, 6th graders may also be enrolled next fall. Eventually, BASIS Baton Rouge will serve K-12 students.

"This ceremony is a nice combination of something practical, and something symbolic for BASIS Baton Rouge," said BASIS.ed CEO Peter Bezanson. "Practically speaking, we're building a new schoolhouse from the ground up, and we are looking forward to starting that vital, tangible project. But the symbolism is important too. Breaking ground makes clear our stake in this city, signifies a literal and figurative foundation of something real and durable and useful here."

BASIS Baton Rouge is the 25th charter school in the BASIS Curriculum Schools network, which now has a total of 32 schools in six states, the District of Columbia, and China. The network is highly-regarded for excellence by any measure  national rankings, Advanced Placement results, OECD/PISA testing, and college admissions, among other factors. It serves thousands of individual students with the world class BASIS Curriculum and consistently outstanding student outcomes.

About BASIS Curriculum Schools

The BASIS Curriculum Schools network is among the best in the world, serving students from Preschool through Grade 12. The BASIS Curriculum  founded in 1998, and cultivating excellence every year since -- educates students at the highest international levels, preparing them to be participants, not spectators, in the 21st-century global workforce of commerce and innovation. There are currently twenty-four operating public charter schools in Arizona, Texas, and Washington, D.C., five independent schools in California, New York, and Virginia, and two international schools in Shenzhen and Guangzhou, China. For more information, please visit BASISBatonRouge.com, BASISed.com, or vectors.BASISed.com.

SOURCE BASIS.ed

Related Links

http://www.basised.com


SACRAMENTO, Calif., Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- To further support the ongoing expansion of its business in North America, TopDevz today announces the addition of Eric Gilbert as Director of Engineering, responsible for the Information Technology and Software Engineering groups.

Eric Gilbert joins TopDevz bringing more than 20 years of experience in software development across a number of vertical sectors. Having worked on a variety of diverse projects and with all mainstream development languages and methodologies, Eric has consistently created value for every project he delivered. As an already accomplished software professional and a strong supporter of agile and lean development methodologies, he continues to develop his skills as a critical thinker and innovative problem solver.

Most recently, prior to joining TopDevz, Eric led the cybersecurity software engineering group at Masergy, a managed network and security service provider. In addition, he has held senior leadership positions at Orthofix, a medical device company, and L3 Communications' Link Simulation and Training, where he led engineering teams creating high-fidelity flight simulators for federal government customers around the world.

Eric holds an MBA from Dallas Baptist University and a bachelor's in Computer Science from Oregon State University.

ABOUT TopDevz

TopDevz is a leading provider of expert, affordable onshore software development resources. With headquarters in Sacramento California and a regional headquarters office in Toronto, Ontario, the company serves the North American market delivering services to large global companies and mid-market enterprises. With previous experience of accelerating a consulting services company to $50M+, Ashkan Rajaee founded TopDevz on the principles that experience matters, that effective communication leads to higher quality results and that qualified onshore resources provide the greatest likelihood of achieving a successful project.

For more information and resources on topdevz.com, please visit www.topdevz.com

Related Links

TopDevz

SOURCE TopDevz

Related Links

https://www.topdevz.com


LAKE OSWEGO, Ore., Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Mark Russo, CEO of Treasure Investments Corporation (TIC) enters into an agreement to purchase Bend Bronze, Inc. Bend Bronze is a sculpture casting foundry located just outside Portland, Oregon and focuses on high-end bronze and pure silver castings. Founded by Roy Swan in 2003, Bend Bronze provides casting services for over 85 sculpture artists throughout the United States. Employing 12 incredibly talented men and women, Bend Bronze is one the nation's finest foundries.

Treasure Investments Corporation

"Purchasing the foundry gives Treasure Investments additional control and privacy over its production of new images that come to market. Ownership will also give our shareholders a 50 percent reduction in casting costs and expenses in the mold making processes," says Mark Russo of TIC.

Roy Swan, a master craftsman and bronze artisan, has been creating castings for over 20 years. Roy has been casting works for Mark Russo since 1997. Roy knows the quality of work desired by Russo and the two have developed a strong and dependable working relationship. Bend Bronze not only casts small desk top size pieces but also is a leading monumental casting foundry as well, building and creating heroic monuments over 50' in height including several massive eagle sculptures and a 35' bronze elephant by Lorenzo Ghiglieri.

Treasure Investments Corporation provides high-end limited-edition bronze sculptures for charity fundraising events as well as creating and distributing its world-class images to fine art galleries in the United States. The subject matter of these pieces ranges from wildlife themes to historical, cultural, western, and biblical.

Treasure Investments Corporation has amassed a master mold collection of more than 700 original works of art including many works from world-famous artists, Lorenzo Ghiglieri and Laran Ghiglieri, as well as master molds that originated from the Vatican and the Villa Borghese Museum in Rome. Bernini and Michelangelo are also among the artists that are included in the mold collection.

The company has a strong focus on philanthropy. One of their main business divisions is their charity auction program, which provides fine art pieces for fundraising events and auctions. The unique business model sets the company apart from the rest. Russo created this innovative model in 1998 by placing valuable bronze castings into gala charity fundraising events and giving 50 percent of the final sales price of the pieces to the nonprofit with no strings attached. The first piece sold for $63,000. This model has subsequently created tens of millions of dollars in revenue for the nonprofits.

"Treasure Investments Corp is now positioned to be the sole provider of high-end bronze sculptures for nonprofit auctions throughout the United States," says Russo. "With more than 600,000 live charity auctions per year, and growing daily, the ability for Treasure Investments Corp to scale its auction model is beyond exciting for just one of its profit centers."

Treasure Investments Corporation has had a third party independently appraise its mold collection at more than $900 million. This asset of master molds took more than 35 years to create and is truly irreplaceable. Currently, Treasure Investments Corp has no debt and has successfully completed its first round of equity finance of $1 million.

To learn more about the company and its work with nonprofits, visit Fineart1.com.

About Treasure Investments Corp

Treasure Investments Corp has a diverse business platform, creating and providing fine art in original sculptures from small desktop images and collectibles to larger than life heroic monuments. The company's master mold collection contains hundreds of original molds from world-famous artists in the United States and Europe. For more information, visit Fineart1.com.

Related Images

image1.jpg

35' Elephant by Lorenzo Ghiglieri

image2.jpg

Related Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YmllbLsDss

SOURCE Treasure Investments Corporation

Related Links

http://www.Fineart1.com


CANFIELD, Ohio, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Children of Vietnam Veterans Health Alliance (COVVHA) will mark Agent Orange Awareness Month with a three-day convention in Washington D.C., Oct. 5-8. The convention will educate the public about Agent Orange and its effects in relation to the Vietnam War. Powerful stories of generations impacted will be given, as well as expert educational sessions from speakers from around the world.

Heather Bowser, daughter of an American Vietnam Veteran holds her hand in the frame with 14-year-old Vietnamese boy living in Tu Du hospital in Ho Chi Minh City

The 3-day conference will be held at the Washington Dulles Airport Marriott. Daily tickets can be purchased for $45.00 per day. The ticket is good for entry into the educational sessions, meals not included. The Saturday ticket will also include transportation to the Vietnam Memorial Wall, seats limited.

The Conference will feature the following experts: Dr. Ken O'Brien, of Australia, son of an Australian Vietnam Veteran, who specializes in generational trauma. Susan Hammond, daughter of a Vietnam Veteran, and director of the War Legacies Project. Dr. Robin Gay, daughter of a Vietnam Veteran, and Senior Psychologist of Mount Sinai School of Medicine. Dr. Victoria Davey, Associate Chief Research & Development Officer for Epidemiology and Public Health In the Veterans Administration of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

The event will include personal stories of those believed to be affected by Agent Orange, such as Josh Kelley, son of a Vietnam Veteran, born missing both arms and his left leg, his father lost to suicide. Rachel Harting, daughter of a Vietnam Veteran, who suffered with infertility, her father also lost to Agent Orange Illness. Brandy Lien Worrall, daughter of an American Vietnam Veteran and a Vietnamese mother, diagnosed at age 31 with breast cancer, and who lost her father to Agent Orange-related cancer.

The following organizations will also share their missions: Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, AmerAsians Building Bridges and Expedition Orange Organization.

The event will kick off Thursday night with a film viewing of "Agent Orange Memories" featuring three COVVHA member's trip to meet Vietnamese Agent Orange survivors in Vietnam. Friday's events will open with the Virginia Patriot Guard Riders followed by educational expert sessions. Saturday evening, participants will travel to The Vietnam Memorial Wall together via charter bus.

COVVHA

COVVHA was started in 2011 as a nonprofit in the State of Ohio. It became a federally recognized 501 (c)(3), non-profit in January 2012. COVVHA is the only 501 (c)(3) founded by, governed and run by Children of Vietnam Veterans for their own peers.

Our Commitment

Those who have been hurt by Agent Orange Dioxin, but were not in the military have been forgotten. Little to nothing has been done to identify and meet the needs of those left behind. COVVHA is committed to educating others about the lasting negative effects of chemical warfare. COVVHA is committed to help find answers, resources, and ultimately justice for all secondary exposures to military herbicides also known as Agent Orange as well as the other Rainbow Herbicides.

Media Contact: Heather Bowser

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 330-787-1428

Website: http://www.covvha.net

Related Images

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Hands of Agent Orange

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Josh Kelley

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Dr. Ken O'Brien, Speaker

Related Links

Convention schedule

Ticket Information

SOURCE Children of Vietnam Veterans Health Alliance (COVVHA)

Related Links

http://www.covvha.net


CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa., Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Maybury James the ultimate holding company for Peter D James Ltd and Stewart Miller McCulloch & Co Ltd, a specialist insurance broker based in the West Midlands of the UK has been acquired by Vantage Holdings Ltd., a subsidiary of NSM Insurance Group. This is the first acquisition made by Vantage Holdings since it was acquired in December 2016 by NSM Insurance Group and forms an integral part of their strategy to expand in the UK insurance market.

https://www.vantageinsurance.co.uk/

http://www.peterjamesinsurance.co.uk/

http://www.stewartmillerinsurance.co.uk/

http://nsminc.com/

John Collyear CEO of Vantage said:

"We are delighted to welcome Maybury James Ltd into the Vantage Group and we very much look forward to working with the excellent management team and staff at Peter James Insurance and Stewart Miller Insurance."

"This acquisition is an important first step in our ambition to become one of the UK's leading specialist insurance brokers."

"A key aspect of this growth strategy is to expand our specialist insurance operations and we were immediately attracted to Maybury James because of the nature of their business. They, like us, are highly niche and their classic car, classic motorcycle and classic motor trade business will complement very nicely with our own Classic Insurance Services business and through Peter James Insurance we will be well placed to expand in this exciting market. It will also give us a valuable presence in the West Midlands and a more diverse commercial book of business."

Peter James MD of Peter James Insurance and Stewart Miller Insurance said:

"After a long career in the Insurance Industry and a 40 year involvement with the Classic Vehicle Movement I see this move to join the Vantage Group as being a logical next step in our development. My fellow directors, Cheryl Maybury and Tracey James, our management team, our staff and myself look forward to working with our new colleagues and growing our footprint in the specialist vehicle sector."

Editors Notes

Launched in 1979, Stewart Miller Insurance has gone from strength to strength to become one of the Midlands' leading insurance providers, offering a range of commercial, personal and household cover.

Peter James Insurance has traded since 2007 and with a 40 year involvement with the Classic Vehicle Movement their experience and expertise is unrivalled.

Additional Information

VISL's core activities:

The outdoor leisure and enthusiast sector, including the following:

Caravan, static caravan and caravan & motorhome trade



Motorhome



Towing vehicles



Professional & amateur photography



Allotments and society schemes

Tour operators & travel agents liability and financial failure bonds

Professional Indemnity, Healthcare, Medical & Aesthetics

CISL's core activities:

Classic car collections

Classic motor trade

High net worth household and collectable insurance

MJL's core activities:

Classic car & motorcycle

Motor Trade

All types of Commercial Insurance

Personal Lines Insurance

NSM Insurance Group is aggressively seeking to acquire additional niche specific insurance businesses and program managers both in the United States and the UK. For more information, contact Geof McKernan, CEO, at 800-970-9877 ext. 9600

SOURCE NSM Insurance Group

Related Links

http://www.nsminc.com


ATLANTA, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Veristor Systems, Inc., a leading provider of transformative business technology solutions, today announced that CRN , a brand of The Channel Company, has honored Veristor with its esteemed 2017 Triple Crown Award, for the second consecutive year. Forty of the North American solution providers had the necessary revenue, growth and technical expertise to be recognized on three of CRN's pre-eminent solution provider lists, earning them the Triple Crown Award this year.

"At Veristor, we take a holistic approach to our customer engagements, bringing a spirit of partnership and collaboration as we serve as an experienced guide along the path to technology transformation and business success," said Ashby Lincoln, president and CEO, Veristor. "It's this customer-centric viewpoint, along with our passion for all things IT, that has been the driving force behind our success. We are honored to have been named, again, as a CRN Triple Crown Award winner. It's a recognition that we are truly proud of."

"This year's CRN Triple Crown Award winners boast multiple, advanced technical certifications from leading vendors, rank among the top-earning IT solution providers in North America, and are some of the fastest-growing organizations in the channel today," said Robert Faletra, CEO of The Channel Company. "These over-achieving businesses have set the standard for success in the strategic service provider era and are leading the channel into an exciting new future."

CRN assembles lists and rankings each year to recognize solution providers who are setting the bar in the IT industry, including the Solution Provider 500, which lists the largest solution providers in North America by revenue; the Fast Growth 150, which ranks the fastest-growing solution providers; and the Tech Elite 250, which recognizes solution providers that have received the highest-level certifications from leading vendors. It is a considerable achievement for a solution provider to make any one of these lists; to make it onto all three, howeveras this year's Triple Crown Award winners have doneis a big achievement. A company must simultaneously have enough revenue to be ranked on the Solution Provider 500 list, record double- or triple-digit growth for recognition on the Fast Growth 150, and invest heavily in top certifications to attain Tech Elite 250 status.

The 2017 Triple Crown Award winners will be featured in the October issue of CRN and can be viewed online at www.crn.com/triplecrown.

To see the complete list of awards Veristor has won, visit: https://veristor.com/about-veristor/awards-recognition.

About Veristor Systems, Inc.

A leading provider of transformative business technology solutions, Veristor helps its customers accelerate the time-to-value for the software, infrastructure and systems they deploy. We do this by harnessing deep expertise in today's most advanced data center, security, networking, hybrid cloud, and big data technologies and guiding businesses to the right solutions for their most pressing challenges. And with a full suite of design, deployment, support, and managed service offerings, we work shoulder-to-shoulder with our customers at every step of their technology journey to make technology truly work for them. IT's just who we are. Learn more at veristor.com.

About the Channel Company

The Channel Company enables breakthrough IT channel performance with our dominant media, engaging events, expert consulting and education, and innovative marketing services and platforms. As the channel catalyst, we connect and empower technology suppliers, solution providers and end users. Backed by more than 30 years of unequaled channel experience, we draw from our deep knowledge to envision innovative new solutions for ever-evolving challenges in the technology marketplace. www.thechannelco.com

Follow The Channel Company: Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook

SOURCE Veristor Systems, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.veristor.com


NEW YORK, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Infor, a leading provider of beautiful business applications specialized by industry and built for the cloud, today announced an agreement with the VIA University College of TEKO Design & Business Birk, Denmark. As part of the agreement, Denmark's largest University College plans to use Infor Fashion PLM within a course that is part of its Professional Bachelor's Degree in Design and Business Purchasing Management, giving students access to real world applications which are designed to support purchasing management in particular.

Supported by Infor's Educational Alliance Program (EAP), 50 professors and students will have access to Infor Fashion PLM, as used by customers such as Dansk Supermarket, in order to help them develop the technical expertise and experience the industry demands. Those students enrolled in the course will be eligible to apply for certain internships and graduate placements at Infor from May 2018 through the Infor EAP Scholars program.

"Expedited by a surging demand for technology skills, Infor's EAP continues to work with leading educational establishments around the world. We are delighted to be working with VIA University College, Denmark," comments Mark Stewart, Director, Infor Education Alliance Program, EMEA. "Understanding current product lifecycle management applications is intrinsic to any design role, and our relationship with Denmark's largest University College has been established in recognition of this. We look forward to working alongside staff and students alike to help ensure they get the most out of the solution, learning through practical classes, company projects and industrial work placements, with the goal of developing the very skills which future employers value."

"With 19,000 students studying across eight campuses, it is paramount that we deploy the very latest thinking and toolsets to support our focus on professional practice," comments Inger Catherine Gerdsen, Professor for VIA Design, Purchasing Management, VIA University College, Denmark. "Technology is at the heart of business and design, and as such, we are delighted to partner with one of the leading technology platforms in this field to help ensure our students enter industry ready to hit the ground running in their chosen roles."

About Infor

Infor builds business software for specific industries in the cloud. With 16,000 employees and over 90,000 customers in more than 170 countries, Infor software is designed for progress. To learn more, please visit www.infor.com.

For more information:

Richard Moore

Infor

+44 121 615 8189

[email protected]

SOURCE Infor

Related Links

http://infor.com


SAN DIEGO, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Viriom Inc. announced today that it will be presenting "Preclinical Development of Elsulfavirine/VM1500A Long Acting Injectable Formulations" at the 16th European AIDS Conference in Milano, Italy. The study evaluates new options for treatment and prevention of AIDS, especially for patients with resistant HIV strains, that would allow for infrequent dosing, thus facilitating patients' adherence and likely improving long-term treatment outcomes. Viriom invites interested researchers and physicians to the poster viewing session on Wednesday, October 25, 15:00 to 17:00. The study results will be presented by Dr. Kan and Dr. Bichko, CSO of Viriom.

In addition, Viriom is participating in IDweek2017 from October 4th to October 8th in San Diego, CA, and invites partners with breakthrough HIV therapies and prophylactics to meet at the convention or visit Viriom offices at 6605 Nancy Ridge Drive, San Diego CA 92121.

Viriom also invites interested researchers and physicians to attend the launch symposium of Elpida - "First in XXI Century. Innovations in HIV treatment in Russia" at 12-13.30 pm on October 5th within the framework of the 2nd St. Petersburg Forum on HIV/AIDS infection "Modern Aspects of Prophylaxis, Diagnostics and Treatment", where Dr. Hammond, Dr. Petrovich, Dr. Kravchenko, Dr. Efimov and Dr. Nagimova will be presenting at the panel discussion.

The results of an earlier study, "Red Blood Cells are a Natural Slow Release Depot for Elsulfavirine/VM1500A HIV NNRTI", were reported by Dr. Bichko at the 20th European Society for Clinical Virology (ESCV) annual meeting during the "HIV and Other Retroviruses" oral session on September 14 in Stresa, Italy. The study explained VM1500A beneficially long plasma elimination half-life after oral administration of Elsulfavirine.

"We are very pleased with the latest clinical results and most importantly with our first launch activities," commented Nikolay Savchuk, Chairman of the Board of Viriom. "Elsulfavirine has shown its virologic and immunologic efficacy in various formulations, combinations, and routs of administration, demonstrating its potential as a unique multidimensional therapeutic alternative for unmet needs in safe, tolerable and long acting regiments for HIV treatment, importantly including patients with drug-resistant HIV mutations or high viral load before treatment."

About Viriom

Viriom focuses on the treatment, prophylaxis, and eradication of infectious diseases globally. Viriom is developing and commercializing the most innovative and affordable solutions to radically expand global access to antiviral treatments and prophylaxis. Viriom's broad, proprietary, and partnered pipeline covers therapeutic, prophylactic, and curative medicines for HIV/AIDS and other highly communicable diseases. Viriom's most advanced drug is Elpida/Elsulfavirine, a once-daily 20 mg oral prodrug of VM-1500A, a novel HIV non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI). Development is underway for once-weekly oral and longer-acting parenteral formulations of Elpida/Elsulfavirine, combination and formulations with VM-2500 proprietary pro-drug nucleoside inhibitor and other drugs. Learn more at www.viriom.com.

Media Contact:

Ronald Demuth

CFO, Viriom

+1(858)-794-4860x321

[email protected]

SOURCE Viriom Inc.

Related Links

https://www.viriom.com


"We take pride in being a unique company to work for and are proud to be recertified as a Great Place to Work," said Chairman and CEO Rodney O. Martin, Jr. "To drive business and operational performance, we start with our foundation  our employees. Voya strives to be a diverse and energetic environment, where employees care about each other and are excited to come to work. Our culture enables us to work towards our mission of making a secure financial future possible  one person, one family, one institution at a time."

Voya Financial earned this certification after an extensive process, which included completing a culture briefing questionnaire around the company's practices and programs, and having employees complete a Trust Index survey. The survey, which measures the level of trust in their organization and the extent to which employees say it is a great workplace, asks employees about the company's challenges, atmosphere, rewards, pride, communication and bosses. The independent analysts at Great Place to Work then reviewed all of the results to determine if Voya met the certification threshold, which is a 70 percent average Trust Index score.

Voya's employee participation rate exceeded last year's number by more than 400 additional respondents. Approximately 1,300 Voya Financial employees completed the Trust Index survey, resulting in a 90-percent confidence level and a margin of error of  2.04. Other highlights from the survey results include:

90 percent of employees say Voya has a great atmosphere;

91 percent of employees feel good about the ways Voya contributes to the community; and

92 percent of employees say they have great pride working at Voya.

Voya joins the ranks of 85 other financial service and insurance companies that are also certified. Great Place to Work provides the benchmarks, framework and expertise needed to create, sustain and recognize outstanding workplace cultures through proprietary assessment tools, advisory services and certification programs, including Best Workplaces lists and workplace reviews. Since last year's certification, Voya has conducted focus groups to gain insight on its health care offerings and released a financial wellness survey to help improve employees' financial futures, both of which enhanced practices and services provided to employees. The company also announced an employee value proposition  a unique set of offerings or attributes that characterize how Voya differentiates itself from competitors and drives the employee experience.

"We applaud Voya Financial for seeking certification and releasing its employees' feedback," said Kim Peters, Executive Vice President of Great Place to Work's Certification Program. "These ratings measure its capacity to earn its own employees' trust and create a great workplace  critical metrics that anyone considering working for or doing business with Voya Financial should take into account as an indicator of high performance."

Voya Financial's full results are available at http://reviews.greatplacetowork.com/voya-financial.

Media Contact:

Jeanne LaCour

Voya Financial

(212) 309-8949

[email protected]

About Voya Financial

Voya Financial, Inc. (NYSE: VOYA), helps Americans plan, invest and protect their savings  to get ready to retire better. Serving the financial needs of approximately 13.6 million individual and institutional customers in the United States, Voya is a Fortune 500 company that had $11 billion in revenue in 2016. The company had $517 billion in total assets under management and administration as of June 30, 2017. With a clear mission to make a secure financial future possible  one person, one family, one institution at a time  Voya's vision is to be America's Retirement Company. Certified as a "Great Place to Work" by the Great Place to Work Institute, Voya is equally committed to conducting business in a way that is socially, environmentally, economically and ethically responsible and has been recognized as one of the 2017 World's Most Ethical Companies by the Ethisphere Institute, as well as one of the Top Green Companies in the U.S., by Newsweek magazine. For more information, visit voya.com. Follow Voya Financial on Facebook and Twitter @Voya.

SOURCE Voya Financial, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.voya.com


LOS ANGELES, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Websites Depot, a leading web design and SEO company located in the Silver Lake neighborhood of Los Angeles, has announced an expansive re-branding of its offerings. Already known for its innovative work in the online marketing space, Websites Depot's newest incarnation is that of a full-service digital marketing agency.

Websites Depot Inc.

While its previous list of services was formidable, Websites Depot's re-positioning as a full-service digital marketing agency means that clients will now have complete one-stop shopping. Consumers turning to Websites Depot will have the availability of social media marketing, digital branding, web design, online reputation management, content writing, and as always, the company's industry-renowned SEO services, as well as much more.

As a special promotion for the company's new list of marketing products, Websites Depot is offering a discounted, yet comprehensive package. For $2,500, customers can receive a full-service digital marketing plan that includes SEO, web design, branding, content creation, and social media. It's a boldly competitive package that announces Websites Depot's ambitious intent in the digital marketing world.

On October 18, from 9 to 11am PDT, Websites Depot will be co-hosting an event with Google that outlines the increasing importance of digital marketing in business. The event will be held at the company's Silver Lake offices, located at 4343 W. Sunset Boulevard, and potential attendees are urged to reserve their free tickets promptly, as the guest list is filling fast.

More information about the event, as well as Websites Depot's digital marketing solutions, can be found at the company's website, and customers are encourage to call its offices at 888-477-9540.

Related Images

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image2.jpg

image3.png

image4.jpg

Related Links

Free Event RSVP Page

Websites Depot Blog

SOURCE Websites Depot Inc.
PARSIPPANY, N.J., Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- In New Jersey, an estimated 70,000 instances of domestic abuse are reported to police each year, with an untold number of cases left unreported. Domestic violence does not discriminate. According to current data, nearly one in three women and one in four men will experience abuse by a spouse or intimate partner.

Managing Partner Bari Z. Weinberger, Esq.

Given these dire statistics, Weinberger Divorce & Family Law Group will honor October's Domestic Violence Awareness Month by supporting local domestic violence prevention efforts and making available new legal resources to help victims obtain protection.

"As family law attorneys, domestic violence is a personal issue for us. We view it as our obligation to reach out to our communities to let anyone affected by DV know: you can get out, you can get your kids out, and you can be safe," explains family law expert, Bari Z. Weinberger, Esq., founder and managing partner of Weinberger Divorce & Family Law Group.

Free Resources

Throughout the month of October, the firm will host a series of free webinars devoted to legal rights awareness for victims. Broadcast via Facebook Live, scheduled topics include:

How to Help a Friend Get a Temporary Restraining Order ( October 6 );

); Keeping DV Victims Safe: Temporary Spousal and Child Support ( October 13 );

); and 5 Steps to Take Before Your Final Restraining Order Hearing ( October 19 ).

"We look forward to giving people solid legal information about the restraining order process and other legal remedies. For example, many victims don't realize that they can qualify for temporary alimony and child supportgiving them money to live. This is important information to share," Weinberger notes.

In addition to making their eBook for Domestic Violence Victims, available for free during the 15-21 October Week of Action, Weinberger Divorce & Family Law Group will distribute its new printable Safety Plan. The free PDF booklet helps individuals devise an emergency plan for getting help and leaving a violent or abusive situation. Included in the guide is an updated list of New Jersey domestic violence agencies and emergency contact numbers.

Community Support & Leadership

As an advocate for domestic abuse survivors, Bari Weinberger will participate in the 7th National Call of Unity, hosted by the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence. The call is an opportunity for Weinberger and other leaders to bring new strategies for abuse prevention to their local community. Follow Weinberger Divorce & Family Law Group for live tweets from the event on October 4. Additionally, firm attorneys will participate in the NNEDV (National Network to End Domestic Violence) Twitter chat on October 17.

Weinberger Divorce & Family Law Group will also be in attendance at domestic violence vigils taking place this month, including the Center for Hope and Safety's Paramus Vigil on October 4, and an October 6 candlelight vigil in New Brunswick organized by Women Aware, the designated domestic violence agency in Middlesex County.

Purple is the official color of Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Look for purple candles to glow from the firm's office windows as a symbolic way to shine a beacon of hope for victims. Staff members will "go purple" on Purple Thursday, October 19, to further raise awareness. Weinberger Divorce & Family Law Group's Hackensack office will be collecting gently used women's professional clothing to benefit Women in Transition, an agency that helps women displaced by domestic violence to re-enter the workforce.

"We're all in this together and every step, everything we do this month and beyond, comes with the hope that by empowering people to break free from abusive and violent relationships, we are helping to make their future safe," says Weinberger.

Media Contact:

Bari Z. Weinberger, Esq.

(888) 888-0919

SOURCE Weinberger Divorce & Family Law Group
HAMILTON, Bermuda, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- White Mountains Insurance Group, Ltd. (NYSE: WTM) announced today that it has entered into an agreement to acquire a 50% equity stake in DavidShield, its joint venture partner in PassportCard, and a leading provider of expatriate medical and other accident and health insurance coverages. Following closing of the transaction, White Mountains and Alon Ketzef, the founder of both DavidShield and PassportCard, will be 50/50 partners in both businesses. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

DavidShield is the leading provider of expatriate medical insurance to individuals and corporations in Israel. Like PassportCard, DavidShield's proprietary technology and delivery systems allow its customers to access healthcare coverage across the globe, without paying any out-of-pocket expenses or submitting claims forms. DavidShield's solutions provide an exceptional, highly-differentiated customer experience that has earned the Company numerous accolades and awards over the years, including the 2014 and 2016 Expatriate Management and Mobility Award, which recognizes the industry's most innovative uses of technology.

Teresa Chia, Managing Director of White Mountains Capital, said: "We are pleased to expand our existing relationship with Alon Ketzef and DavidShield. We have witnessed firsthand the tremendous response that customers have to the PassportCard and DavidShield experience. We look forward to working with Alon to grow these businesses into global leaders in the accident and health market."

Alon Ketzef, founder and CEO of DavidShield, said: "White Mountains shares our vision to revolutionize the travel and expatriate medical insurance experience around the world through innovations in technology and service. Their investment is a validation of the tremendous opportunities we see ahead."

The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions.

About DavidShield

DavidShield is a leader in technological solutions for the health insurance and healthcare management industries. The Company has a strong worldwide presence, with offices throughout Europe, an innovation lab in Israel, and partnerships across the globe. Since 2000, DavidShield has delivered industry leading medical insurance solutions to diplomats, NGOs, and thousands of multinational corporations and individuals in over 95 countries. For more information, visit www.davidshieldgroup.com.

About PassportCard

Based in the UK, PassportCard offers the travel industry's first real-time, paperless insurance solution, facilitating claim payouts in minutes, on the spot, where the customer needs it. The Company directly markets its solutions in select markets and also franchises its offerings to major travel insurance and medical assistance companies worldwide. Since launch in 2012, PassportCard has served over two million customers. To learn more about PassportCard, visit www.passportcard.com.

About White Mountains

White Mountains is a Bermuda-domiciled financial services holding company traded on the New York Stock Exchange and the Bermuda Stock Exchange under the symbol WTM. Additional financial information and other items of interest are available at the Company's web site located at www.whitemountains.com.

Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995

This press release may contain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included or referenced in this press release which address activities, events or developments which White Mountains expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. The words "will," "believe," "intend," "expect," "anticipate," "project," "estimate," "predict" and similar expressions are also intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include, among others, statements with respect to White Mountains:

change in adjusted book value per share or return on equity;

business strategy;

financial and operating targets or plans;

incurred loss and loss adjustment expenses and the adequacy of its loss and loss adjustment expense reserves and related reinsurance;

projections of revenues, income (or loss), earnings (or loss) per share, dividends, market share or other financial forecasts;

expansion and growth of its business and operations; and

future capital expenditures.

These statements are based on certain assumptions and analyses made by White Mountains in light of its experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors believed to be appropriate in the circumstances. However, whether actual results and developments will conform to its expectations and predictions is subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations, including:

the risks that are described from time to time in White Mountains's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including but not limited to White Mountains's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016 filed February 27, 2017;

claims arising from catastrophic events, such as hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, fires, terrorist attacks or severe winter weather;

the continued availability of capital and financing;

general economic, market or business conditions;

business opportunities (or lack thereof) that may be presented to it and pursued;

competitive forces, including the conduct of other property and casualty insurers and reinsurers;

changes in domestic or foreign laws or regulations, or their interpretation, applicable to White Mountains, its competitors or its customers;

an economic downturn or other economic conditions adversely affecting its financial position;

recorded loss reserves subsequently proving to have been inadequate;

actions taken by ratings agencies from time to time, such as financial strength or credit ratings downgrades or placing ratings on negative watch; and

other factors, most of which are beyond White Mountains's control.

Consequently, all of the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements, and there can be no assurance that the actual results or developments anticipated by White Mountains will be realized or, even if substantially realized, that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on, White Mountains or its business or operations. White Mountains assumes no obligation to publicly update any such forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

CONTACT:

Todd Pozefsky

(203) 458-5807

SOURCE White Mountains Insurance Group, Ltd.

Related Links

http://www.whitemountains.com


CHICAGO, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The highest percentage of claims leaders (46 percent) surveyed in Rising Medical Solutions' 2017 Workers' Compensation Benchmarking Study believe adjusters become expert at claims management within four to six years on the job. This begs the question, what makes a claims expert and how do adjusters become one? A new white paper, co-authored by study program director Rachel Fikes and industry journalist Peter Rousmaniere, examines strategies for achieving peak adjuster performance rooted in "deliberate practice," a performance improvement concept retailed by pop psych author Malcolm Gladwell as the "10,000 hour rule" in his bestseller, Outliers: The Story of Success.

This short report  Do 10,000 Hours Make a Great Claims Professional? How Claims Teams Can Achieve Peak Performance  investigates Gladwell's assertion that an individual can master a field with 10,000 practice hours, and applies it to worker's compensation, showing how claims adjusters can evolve from good, to proficient, to masterful.

With expert interviews from Albertsons Companies, Daimler Trucks North America, Sedgwick and industry consultants, the white paper not only identifies strategies for mastery development, it also reports the extent to which the industry is facilitating mastery amongst its adjusters by citing findings from the 2016 and 2017 Workers' Compensation Benchmarking Study surveys.

"What we found is that the 'deliberate practice' concept effectively explains why many claims professionals grow to peak performance, and also why many do not," says Fikes. "Claims mastery requires more than a sheer volume of hours, days, or years of practice, certain conditions and skill development methods must be present to elevate adjusters to experts."

Benchmarking Study results confirm that those claims organizations doing more to help adjusters reach peak performance also have better claim outcomes than their lower performing peers.

What does deliberate practice mean to the time-pressed claims executive today? It can mean making small but striking adjustments to skill development methods in order to achieve adjuster and organizational success. To learn what these methods are and to read the entire white paper, visit Rising Medical Solutions' website here.

The comprehensive 2017 Workers' Compensation Benchmarking Study Report will be published later this fall.

About Rising Medical Solutions

Rising Medical Solutions (www.risingms.com) is a national medical-financial solutions firm that provides medical cost containment and medical care management services to the workers' compensation, auto, liability, and group health markets. Rising also directs and publishes the annual Workers' Compensation Benchmarking Study, a national research program examining the complex forces impacting claims management in workers' compensation today.

CONTACT: Rachel Fikes, [email protected]

SOURCE Rising Medical Solutions

Related Links

http://www.risingms.com


The partnership with WorkWave will further drive awareness for the organization, whose mission is to give the gift of free house cleaning to women undergoing treatment for cancer. Cleaning For A Reason allows these brave and strong women to use the energy they have to focus on their health and treatment, while the cleaning service takes away the worry and work of cleaning their homes - free of charge.

"Minit Maids began its partnership with Cleaning For A Reason in 2007," said Catherine Rollins, Office Manager at Minit Maids, named a Top 50 Cleaning Partner for 2016. "To date, we are proud to have helped over 120 women in the Charlotte area. There is so much appreciation in the voices of these women we help. To have our team come into their home, clean it from top to bottom, washes away just one small concern they might have."

WorkWave continues to support organizations within its surrounding community and beyond to help those in need. A number of WorkWave clients actively support Cleaning For A Reason including Texas-based Buckets & Bows Maid Service, Indiana-based Constant Clean Maid Service, Michigan-based Ask Alice, Kentucky-based Top Mops Cleaning Service and many more.

"We are pleased to partner and raise awareness for Cleaning For A Reason," said Chris Sullens, CEO of WorkWave. "One of our core values at WorkWave is focusing on doing the right thing and showing compassion for those in need, and our team at WorkWave is happy to help these strong women battling cancer."

WorkWave partners with cleaning companies across the country to help them improve operations and drive growth with their field service business management software solution, WorkWave Service. WorkWave Service simplifies the complexity of running a service business by streamlining back office operations, increasing field visibility and productivity, and enhancing customer experiences.

To learn more about WorkWave, visit workwave.com.

About WorkWave

WorkWave is dedicated to simplifying the complexity of running field service and other fleet-based businesses, large or small - a $45+ billion market worldwide. The company's suite of solutions, which include PestPac, WorkWave Service, ServiceCEO, WorkWave Route Manager, WorkWave GPS, GPS Heroes and ContactUs, allow WorkWave clients to easily attribute and automate sales and marketing activities, improve their back office efficiency and increase their visibility into field operations through a single, easy to use interface. WorkWave's platform provides its 8,000+ clients an unprecedented level of business insight and information, enabling them to increase efficiency, increase revenue and provide a 5-Star customer experience. Founded in 1984, WorkWave has been recognized with multiple awards for its outstanding growth and culture, including the Inc. 5000, SaaS Award, and Best Place to Work by NJBiz & Inc. Magazine. For more information, visit www.workwave.com.

About Cleaning For A Reason

Cleaning For A Reason strives to aid women who are undergoing treatment for cancer by teaming up with cleaning services across the United States and Canada. Together, these two forces offer free cleaning services to meet the needs of women during this most difficult time in their life. Since 2006, over 26,000 women have been provided the gift of a clean home free of charge. Based in Lewisville, TX, Cleaning For A Reason works with more than 1,200 cleaning services and continues to grow and gain support. To learn more about Cleaning For A Reason and to apply for free house cleaning, visit www.cleaningforareason.org.

Contact

Danielle Panichi Email

[email protected] Phone

800-792-6067 Website

https://www.workwave.com

SOURCE WorkWave

Related Links

http://www.workwave.com


Volvo is now launching trucks that can cut CO 2 emissions by 20 to 100 per cent. With a firm focus on new, energy-efficient technology for gas-powered vehicles, Volvo Trucks makes it possible to significantly reduce the climate impact of heavy regional and long-haul transport operations.

To view the Multimedia News Release, please click:

https://www.multivu.com/players/uk/8192551-volvo-trucks-new-gas-cut-co2/

Volvo Trucks is now introducing Euro 6-compliant gas-powered trucks that offer fuel efficiency and performance on a par with that of diesel-driven trucks, but with far lower climate impact. The new trucks, the Volvo FH LNG and Volvo FM LNG, can run on either biogas, which cuts CO 2 by up to 100 per cent, or natural gas which reduces CO 2 emissions by 20 per cent compared with diesel. This relates to emissions from the vehicle during usage, known as tank-to-wheel.

Compared with current gas-powered trucks available on the market, Volvo Trucks' new vehicles use 15 to 25 per cent less fuel. In order to give the trucks the greatest possible operating range, they run on liquefied natural gas (LNG).

"Our new trucks running on liquefied natural gas or biogas produce a far smaller climate footprint than diesel trucks do. In addition, they are much more fuel-efficient than the gas-powered trucks available on the market today. This makes gas more viable as a replacement for diesel even for heavy long-haul operations," says Mats Franzen, Product Manager Engines at Volvo Trucks.

An operator covering 120,000 km per year in heavy transport who chooses natural gas instead of diesel can cut CO 2 emissions by 18 to 20 tonnes a year. Bearing in mind that last year alone more than 264,000 heavy trucks were registered in the EU, there is immense potential for significantly reducing emissions globally from heavy commercial traffic. There is excellent availability of natural gas, it is competitively priced in many countries, and LNG infrastructure is currently being expanded throughout Europe in accordance with the European Commission and member states' action package for securing Europe's long-term energy supply.

"As a result we regard LNG as a long-term first choice alternative to diesel, both for regional and long-haul truck operations where fuel efficiency, payload and productivity are crucial. With a higher proportion of biogas, climate impact can be reduced far more. For transport operations in urban environments, where range is not as critical, electrified vehicles will play a greater role in the future. Our vision is that trucks from Volvo will eventually have zero emissions, although the way of achieving that is not by one single solution but through several solutions in parallel. LNG is one of them," says Lars Martensson, Director Environment and Innovation at Volvo Trucks.

Link to high resolution images

Link to LNG film on Youtube

Link to animation of technical solution behind the new LNG driveline

For broadcast-quality videos supporting this press release and more, please visit http://www.thenewsmarket.com/volvotrucks

Press images and films are available in the Volvo Trucks image and film gallery at http://images.volvotrucks.com

Volvo Trucks provides complete transport solutions for professional and demanding customers, offering a full range of medium to heavy duty trucks. Customer support is secured via a global network of 2,000 dealers and workshops in more than 120 countries. Volvo trucks are assembled in 15 countries across the globe. In 2016, more than 102,800 Volvo trucks were delivered worldwide. Volvo Trucks is part of Volvo Group, one of the world's leading manufacturers of trucks, buses and construction equipment and marine and industrial engines. The Group also provides solutions for financing and service. Volvo's work is based on the core values of quality, safety and environmental care.

Note to Editors:

A picture accompanying this release is available through the PA Photowire. It can be downloaded from http://www.pa-mediapoint.press.net or viewed at http://www.mediapoint.press.net or http://www.prnewswire.co.uk .

For further information, please contact:



Fredrik Klevenfeldt

Director Public Relations and Social Media

Volvo Trucks

Tel: +46-31-322-1106

email: [email protected]



(Photo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/566020/Volvo_Euro_6_Trucks.jpg )



Video:

https://www.multivu.com/players/uk/8192551-volvo-trucks-new-gas-cut-co2/



SOURCE Volvo Trucks
If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this





Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found here
Agartala/Aizawl, Sep 28 : In view of the Rohingyas' movement along the India-Myanmar and India-Bangladesh borders and the on-going Durga Puja festivities, vigil has been increased in the border areas, officials said on Thursday.

"Though Tripura has no borders with Myanmar, we have asked the Border Security Force (BSF) to further strengthen security along the 856-km boundary with Bangladesh," Director General of Police Akhil Kumar Shukla told media persons in Agartala.

He said: "According to the Border Security Force (BSF), over 18 battalions of para-military troopers were earlier deployed along the India-Bangladesh border with Tripura. We have asked the BSF to also deploy their training battalions in these frontiers."

The Tripura Police chief said that in view of the Rohingya imbroglio in Myanmar and the on-going Durga Puja festivities, border security has been further intensified to foil any attempt by the Rohingyas, fleeing the Rakhine state in Myanmar, to enter India through Bangladesh.

A Mizoram Home Department official said Special Secretary (Internal Security) Rina Mittal and Joint Secretary (North-East) Satyender Garg last week visited four northeastern states -- Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram and Manipur.

"The Home Ministry officials studied the India-Bangladesh and India-Myanmar boder issues. They also observed the free movement of Indian and Myanmarese citizens within 16 kilometres of the border," the state official said.

The four states together share 1,643 km of mountainous and unfenced border with Myanmar.

Counter-insurgency-trained Assam Rifles personnel are guarding the India-Myanmar border.

The Home Ministry officials also had a series of meetings with the Chief Secretaries, police chiefs of these states and officers of Assam Rifles.

BSF officials looking after security along the Bangladesh border with Tripura and Mizoram said: "Our commanders are taking suitable steps to thwart any attempt by the Rohingyas who are fleeing Myanmar from entering Indian territories. The BSF is also prepared to deal with any eventuality."

On many occasions in the past, Rohingyas had entered Tripura and a few other northeastern states via Bangladesh illegally in search of jobs.

Subsequently, they were pushed back to Bangladesh after following the legal and security formalities.

India shares a 4,096-km-long border with Bangladesh in the states of West Bengal (2,216 km), Tripura (856 km), Meghalaya (443 km), Mizoram (318 km) and Assam (263 km).

Large parts of these borders with Bangladesh and Myanmar are riverine, mountainous and unfenced, thereby enabling illegal immigrants, intruders and smugglers to cross over without much problem.
Srinagar, Sep 28 : Terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) was responsible for the killing of a Border Security Force (BSF) trooper in Jammu and Kashmir's Bandipora district, police said on Thursday.

Deputy Inspector General of Police, North Kashmir, Nitish Kumar, told reporters that three to four LeT militants attacked trooper Muhammad Ramzan Parray, at his home in Parray Mohalla of Hajin area in Bandipora.

"They first attacked the BSF trooper with a knife and later fired indiscriminately killing Parray and injuring his father, two brothers and his aunt.

"Prima facie we know that LeT terrorists Muhammad Bhai and his associates carried out the attack around 9 p.m. yesterday (Wednesday)," he said.

Parray, 31, had joined the BSF a few years ago. Deployed with the 73rd battalion, he was on leave for the past 20 days.

Director General of Police S.P. Vaid has also said three to four militants barged into Parray's home and dragged him out. "When the family resisted, the attackers opened fire, fatally injuring Parray."

The BSF denounced the murder as "cowardly".

In May, a Kashmiri Army officer was abducted and killed by militants in Shopian.
N0ew Delhi, Sep 29 : The surgical strike carried out in 2016 across the LoC in Pakistan-administered Kashmir was aimed to deter (the enemy), and it was a success since there has not been any major incident since then, former Army chief General Dalbir Singh said on Friday.

Singh headed the Indian Army when the surgical strikes were carried out along the Myanmar border in 2015, and later across the Line of Control on September 28-29 night in 2016. He gave credit for the decisive stand on the strike to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"What is the aim of a surgical strike? First, that we cause casualty, much more, manifold, than what they caused to our brave soldiers... it was also to make sure we create a sense of insecurity that they are themselves insecure in their own land," Singh said on the sidelines of the launch of book 'Securing India The Modi Way' by Nitin A. Gokhale.

"What is also important is the impact of such strike. The impact of these strikes is deterrence -- in the last one year we did not have any major terror incident," the retired General said.

"It was a very bold decision of the Prime Minister to approve the surgical strike. So, the credit firstly goes to our Prime Minister for the strike," he said.

"The credit also goes to my able commanders and brave soldiers who executed these surgical strikes. I would say we are grateful to the Prime Minister for reposing faith and confidence in the Indian Army and we lived up to his expectations. With these surgical strikes, India's image has gone very high, national as well as internationally," Singh said.

The September 28-29 night strike on terror launch pads in Pakistan-administered Kashmir came after a terror attack at an Indian Army camp at Uri in Jammu and Kashmir, in which 19 soldiers were killed.

In June 2015, the Indian Army carried out the surgical strike along the India-Myanmar border on camps of Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagaland (Khaplang) militants, days after an ambush in which terrorists killed 18 Army men in Manipur.
Srinagar, Sep 29 : In her first visit to Jammu and Kashmir as Defence Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday reviewed the security situation in the state and also called on Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and Governor N.N. Vohra.

Her visit coincided with one year of the Indian Army's surgical strike on terrorist hubs in Pakistani-administered Kashmir.

Immediately after her arrival, the Defence Minister was given a briefing by field commanders about the ongoing anti-militancy operations in the hinterland and the Line of Control (LoC) which divides Jammu and Kashmir between India and Pakistan.

A Defence Ministry statement said Sitharaman visited the Srinagar-headquartered Chinar Corps "to review the overall security situation in the Valley".

Accompanied by Army chief Gen Bipin Rawat, she was received by Northern Army commander Lt. Gen. D Anbu and Chinar Corps commander Lt Gen. J.S. Sandhu.

Sitharaman also visited the forward areas along the LoC and was briefed about the "robust counter infiltration posture" along the boundary separating Kashmir between India and Pakistan.

She was subsequently briefed by Gen Anbu at Badami Bagh Cantonment on the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir and given an overview of the counter-infiltration and counter-terrorist operations undertaken in the recent past, the statement said.

"She appreciated the effectiveness of the intelligence and operational grids and commended the troops for the excellent operational successes, which had contributed significantly towards a secure environment in the state," it added.

Sitharaman complimented the commanders for the "high level of synergy achieved with the the state police and the central armed paramilitary forces".

She later met the Chief Minister and called on the Governor.

Sitharaman will stay in Srinagar overnight and fly to Thoise in Siachen -- the world's highest battlefield -- on Saturday before returning to New Delhi.
New Delhi, Sep 29 : India has registered three points decline in Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) to 34 per 1,000 live births in 2016 from 37 per 1,000 live births in 2015, an official statement said in Friday.

According to the SRS Bulletin, last year, the IMR only saw a two point decline.

"Not only this, India also recorded a major drop in birth cohort, which has for the first time come down to below 25 million. India has registered 90,000 fewer infant deaths in 2016 as compared to 2015. The total number of estimated infant deaths have come down from 9,30,000 (9.3 lakhs) in 2015 to 8,40,000 (8.4 laks) in 2016," said the statement.

SRS Bulletin says that the gender gap in India for child survival is reducing steadily.

"The gender difference between female and male IMR has now reduced to less than 10 per cent giving a major boost to the 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao' scheme of the Government," said the statement, adding that its strategic approach has started yielding dividends and the efforts of focusing on low performing states is paying off.

"Among the Empowered Action Group states and Assam, all states except Uttarakhand have reported decline in IMR in comparison to 2015. The decline is reported as four points in Bihar, three points in Assam, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand and two points decline in Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Rajasthan," said the statement.

These remarkable achievements in merely one year is also the result of a countrywide efforts to increase the health service coverage.

The coverage has been through various initiatives of the government that includes strengthening of service delivery; quality assurance; RMNCH+A; human resources, community processes; information and knowledge; drugs and diagnostics, and supply chain management.
New Delhi, Sep 30 : President Ram Nath Kovind on Saturday appointed new Governors for five states, including Tamil Nadu, which got its first full-time Governor in a year amid the continuing political crisis. Banwarilal Purohit, Congress-turned BJP leader, will occupy the Raj Bhavan in the southern state.

According to a Presidential statement, BJP leader Satya Pal Malik will hold charge in Bihar, where Kovind was Governor before he became President, former Delhi BJP MLA Jagdish Mukhi is Governor in Assam, Bihar BJP leader Ganga Prasad in Meghalaya and Brigadier (retd) B.D. Mishra, a war veteran, in Arunachal Pradesh. Former Navy chief Admiral (retd) D.K. Joshi was named as the new Lt. Governor of Andaman and Nicobar islands.

Purohit, a former national Vice President of the BJP, will be taking over as Governor at a time when Tamil Nadu is going through a political crisis due to infighting in the ruling AIADMK.

There has been demand for a full-time Governor in the state where Maharashtra Governor C. Vidyasagar Rao was holding additional charge since K. Rosaiah retired in August last year.

Purohit - a long-time social and political activist from Vidarbha in Maharashtra - was elected to the Lok Sabha thrice from Nagpur. He won the elections twice on a Congress ticket in 1984 and 1989 and once as a BJP member in 1996.

Last year, Purohit was appointed Governor of Assam, where he is being replaced by Jagdish Mukhi, veteran BJP leader. Mukhi was earlier Lt. Governor of Andaman and Nicobar islands.

Admiral Joshi, who takes over in the Union Territory, had resigned in the middle of his tenure as Navy chief after a fire broke out aboard Kilo-class submarine INS Sindhuratna on February 26, 2014. He was to retire in August 2015.

Bihar also got a full-time Governor in Satya Pal Malik - a former Janata Dal MP from Aligarh and BJP Vice President.

Bihar politician Ganga Prasad, the new Governor of Meghalaya, had been part of BJP's national executive after Amit Shah took over as party President. He has been a member of Bihar's legislative council for 18 years.

Brigadier Mishra, a war veteran who served the Indian Army in three major wars in 1962, 1965 and 1971, will be handling Arunachal Pradesh.
Islamabad, Sep 30 : Ousted Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is expected to be re-elected as the president of his PML-N party next week under a new proposed law that will allow a disqualified lawmaker to take over reins of a political party.

Sharif had to step down as the head of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz after the apex court in its July 28 verdict disqualified him in the Panama Papers scandal.

The former premier's way to the presidency of his party was paved amid much uproar when during a September 22 session of Upper House of the Parliament (Senate), an amendment in the Election Bill 2017 was okayed by a single vote allowing a disqualified legislator to head a political party, Dawn online reported.

The new law will be presented in the Lower House on Monday for fresh votes on the Senate's amendments. It is expected to be passed easily as the ruling party has a majority in the house.

After getting clearance from both the houses, the bill would go to President Mamnoon Hussain's desk for endorsement, thus making it a law.

The PML-N will hold a general council meeting of the party on October 2 to amend the party constitution that also barred a disqualified person from holding any party office, said Minister for Climate Change Mushahidullah Khan.

Before the General Council, a meeting of PML-N central working committee (CWC) will be held. The second session would be held on October 3 to elect a new party president, added Khan.

Khan, who is also PML-N's central information secretary, said that "all legal hurdles in the way of Sharif re-assuming his role as party chief would be removed by October 3".

The third-time ousted premier had to relinquish the top slot of the party after the Supreme Court disqualified him from office for concealing employment with a UAE-based firm owned by his younger son Hassan.

Khan added that in the meantime, Sharif would continue to appear before court(s) in the National Accountability Bureau references. A NAB court has summoned the former Prime Minister on October 2 to indict him in three graft cases.
Damascus, Oct 1 : At least 3,000 people including 955 civilians were killed in September in the ongoing civil war, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Sunday.

Over 70 per cent of the civilians were killed in airstrikes, the monitor's head Rami Abdel Rahman said.

The forces of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad are pressing a battle to retake Islamic State-controlled areas in the eastern province of Deir al-Zour, Xinhua news agency reported.

A US-led coalition has been providing air support to a Kurdish-Arab alliance also fighting the jihadists in its former northern bastion of Raqqa city and Deir al-Zour.

The number of people killed in September was higher due to increased fighting and "intensified air raids against jihadist bastions in the north and east of Syria", Abdel Rahman said.

The 955 civilians killed in September included 207 children, said the observatory, which relies on a wide network of sources inside Syria for its information.

Syria's conflict has killed more than 330,000 people and displaced millions since it broke out in 2011.
Riyadh, Oct 3 : Saudi Arabian King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud will visit Russia on Thursday at an invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Saudi Press Agency reported on Monday.

The two leaders will discuss bilateral relations and means to boost cooperation in various fields, in addition to reviewing regional as well as international issues of mutual interest.

The visit comes a month before members of the OPEC oil cartel, of which Saudi is the biggest producer, are due to meet with the other nations including Russia that have jointly cut crude output to extend the pact that has helped prop up prices.
New Delhi, Oct 3 : She grew up during India's fight for freedom under the guidance of Mahatma Gandhi and is among the country's foremost writers with feminist concerns. But Nayantara Sahgal, a member of the Nehru-Gandhi family, says that contemporary Indian history is being fantasised, the minorities are under threat and there's a long fight ahead to preserve the "true meaning of India".

"In the BJP-ruled states, history is not just being rewritten. It is being fantasised. The Mughal empire is being ruled out of it. (Jawaharlal) Nehru has been wiped out of it. A fictitious narrative is being created in place of history, just as mythology is being promoted as science.

"The threat to the minorities and attacks on them, especially Muslims, and all others who do not fall in line with the ruling (party's) ideology are destroying India's great achievement of unity in diversity and the democratic freedoms and equality that Indian citizens have enjoyed since independence," Sahgal told IANS in an email interview from Dehradun, where she is settled.

"We, for whom India is a secular, democratic, inclusive republic -- whose citizens have grown up in freedom -- can never settle for less, and the protests against the crushing of dissent and debate are coming from many different groups: Writers, historians, scientists, students, professors and Dalits. One cannot despair of an India that refuses to bow down to any form of dictatorship. But there is a long fight ahead to preserve the true meaning of India," she added.

Sahgal, along with a host of leading literary stalwarts, returned her Sahitya Akademi award in 2015 to protest against rising intolerance in the country. While many joined the silent protests with black gags and bands that rocked the Rabindra Bhavan (which houses the Sahitya Akademi here), there was "an equal music" from the other end of the political spectrum.

Those opposed to these spontaneous protests questioned the motives of the protesting writers, dubbed them as politically motivated by people with "vested interests" and questioned why these writers couldn't show the "social reality" that they are protesting against through their writings.

Two years later, Sahgal is out with her novel "When The Moon Shines By Day" (Speaking Tiger/Rs 399/168 pages). It is a fitting response to the contemporary state of affairs, and is billed as a "dystopian satire" that draws a telling portrait of our times. In this extremely symbolic work of fiction, Sahgal achieves the rare feat of critical imagination and elegantly wraps it around "her deepest concerns".

And, therefore in the novel, a character finds her father's books on medieval history disappearing from bookstores and libraries. Her young domestic help, Abdul, discovers it is safer to be called Morari Lal on the street, but there is no such protection from vigilante fury for his Dalit friend, Suraj. Kamlesh, a diplomat and writer, comes up against official wrath for his anti-war views.

Sahgal said that all writers tell different stories, out of differtent backgrounds and urges, but maintained that her own "background has been political so politics is my natural material".

"Writing, for me, has been a way of expressing my deepest concerns, through both fiction and non-fiction. My novels have been set against the political situations of their times, and have reflected the aspirations and shortcomings of India since independence. In that sense they have been about the making of modern India. Reflecting the times we are living in, my new novel is about the unmaking of modern India," Sahgal explained.

Reflecting on her early days, she recalled that she grew up during India's fight for freedom. Her family was involved in the struggle, and her father, Ranjit Sitaram Pandit, died during his fourth imprisonment under British rule. At independence in 1947, India, Sahgal contended, a deeply religious country of many religions chose to become a secular democratic republic, rejecting a religious identity and making religion a private affair. The constitution guaranteed every Indian the right to freedom of expression, worship and lifestyle.

"This is no longer the case. These freedoms are now under attack and the present government seeks to give India an exclusive Hindu identity, calling it a Hindu rashtra," she lamented.

"When The Moon Shines By Day" is a rather unusual title. She explained that the moon obviously does not shine by day nor does the sun shine by night. "Something is wrong if one is forced to agree with such propositions, or be punished for refusing to agree," she quipped.

Apart from the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1986, Sahgal has also received Britain's Sinclair Prize for fiction in 1985 and the Commonwealth Writers Award (Eurasia) in 1987. She was also a Fellow of the Woodrow Wilson International Centre for Scholars, Washington, from 1981 to 1982.

(Saket Suman can be contacted at saket.s@ians.in)
Mumbai, Oct 3 : Actor-entrepreneur Pankit Thakker will foray into direction and production with soon-to-be launched "Showbiz with Vahbiz" chat show with business partner Vahbiz Dorabjee.

Asked if the "Kabhii Sautan Kabhii Sahelii" actor always dreamt of directing, he said in a statement: "Not really. I have been an actor and will always continue to be one. When Vahbiz and I started out with our business partnership, we never thought that we would get into production so soon, but we were on the same page. We wanted to make some good content."

"Both of us are working actors, so we knew that we wanted to do something that will not cut down on our acting offers. Whether I would get into direction or not... I hadn't thought about it. I realized that I enjoyed direction while making the pilot of our chat show, 'Showbiz with Vahbiz'," he added.

The process of putting a show together and working with the cast and crew as a director-producer "felt good".

When did he start writing the script of the show?

"I guess that happened when Vahbiz told me 'let's work on a chat show'. Working in TV for so long... the experience of working as an actor and an artiste, the whole discipline of writing was already instilled in my system," he said.

Has acting helped him?

"Hundred per cent. Acting always challenges our creativity. Whenever we enact scenes... it is almost like an exercise. When you remember dialogues and create moments out of that, there's a certain kind of education happening even within that kind of space," he said.

"It is playful and fun, and I will always continue my journey as an actor. I guess most intelligent actors know how to go about direction, but it is a choice."

Pankit doesn't "like distractions" and needs to be alone while writing.

"It also depends a lot on the nature of the content we are shooting. So, how you approach a content, becomes really important," he said.

At times, there are certain external factors that play a role.

"For example, when we are shooting with actors who are committed to a show and already tied up due to current and ongoing daily soaps; we aren't only following the deadlines set by the production team but also working along the deadlines set by these actors," he said.

"So, a certain kind of discipline is required. If an actor says 'We are coming at 7 p.m. and will leave by 10 p.m. then they would stick to it. That means that you have to drive and motivate your crew in a different way.

"But if you are shooting with actors that allow you to have a certain kind of flexibility, your demeanour changes...And sets are always chaotic. I wish that wasn't the case."

The first season of "Showbiz with Vahbiz" will features actors like Divyanka Tripathi, Vivek Dahiya, Manish Raisinghani, Avika Gor and Drashti Dhami.
Islamabad, Oct 3 : Pakistan's ruling PML-N on Tuesday re-elected ousted Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif as its chief months after the country's top court disqualified him from holding any public office, party officials said.

Sharif's election came hours after after the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz's central working committee approved an amendment to the party's constitution, paving Sharif's way to lead the party, Dawn online reported.

PML-N leader Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry submitted Sharif's papers for party president in the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) while no one other candidate from the party contested the election.

The formal announcement was made at the party's general council meeting at Convention Centre here by the PML-N's chief election commissioner Chaudhry Jaffar Iqbal. The crowd erupted in thunderous applause as soon as Sharif's name was announced as the party president amid chants of "Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif!"

Sharif will later address the meeting, which is being attended by all senior PML-N leaders including Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar.

Addressing the crowd, Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi termed the occasion a "historic day".

The premier said he is proud to be among the few people who witnessed the moment Sharif took his place as the party chairman for the first time.

Abbasi presented an "open challenge to all the dictators and PPP" to compare the development work carried out by them with that of the PML-N.

On Monday, the PML-N took full advantage of its position as the ruling party as President Mamnoon Hussain signed the controversial Election Act 2017 into law hours after it was bulldozed through the National Assembly amid pandemonium on the opposition benches.

The law was passed to allow the party to re-elect the disqualified former Prime Minister as party chief, on the eve of a party convention called for the express purpose of electing Sharif to the post.

The bill was cleared by the Lower House within minutes amidst ugly scenes, as opposition members gathered around the speaker's podAium, chanting slogans, tearing up copies of the bill and flinging them towards the dais.

Sharif had relinquished the position of PML-N chief after his ouster from power under the July 28 verdict of the Supreme Court in the Panama Papers case.
Los Angeles, Oct 3 : Stars Justin Theroux, Kathy Bates and Sam Waterston have joined actress Felicity Jones in the Ruth Bader Ginsburg biopic titled "On the Basis of Sex".

The production will soon be launched in Montreal, reports variety.com.

Actor Armie Hammer will portray Ginsburg's husband Marty.

The film will narrate the story of how Ginsburg along with her husband brought a groundbreaking case before the Supreme Court and overturned a century of gender discrimination.

Jack Reynor, Stephen Root and Cailee Spaeny have also joined the cast, with Mimi Leder directing a script by Ginsburg's nephew Daniel Stiepleman.

The feature will premiere in 2018.

Theroux will play Mel Wulf, a longtime national legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union. Bates will portray attorney and activist Dorothy Kenyon, and Waterston will play Erwin Griswold, who served as Solicitor General of the United States under Presidents Lyndon Johnson and Richard Nixon.

"Our story of Ruth Bader Ginsburg resonates with me on so many levels - from the inspiring partnership she found in her marriage, to overcoming adversity as a woman and discovering the strength of her own voice, to her empathetic commitment to those in need of a voice no matter their gender, race, status or religious beliefs," Leder said.

"In these tumultuous times, stories like this speak to the heart of humanity and remind us what it means to lead with love and compassion as the way forward."
New Delhi, Oct 3 : As Google prepares to launch flagship devices Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL, the new devices can only compete with the other premium Android handsets if Google invests further in improving sales and marketing, an expert said on Tuesday.

"Google's positioning in the smartphone space is still unclear and there is a good reason for that: it can't compete too directly with handset brands using Android in the high-end segment," Thomas Husson, Vice President and Principal Analyst, Forrester, told IANS.

"I'd expect the new Pixel smartphones to showcase what is possible with Google's latest software (like Oreo OS, Google Assistant, Google Lens). Despite acquisition of key HTC assets, Google still needs to invest billions of dollars on sales and marketing and to build a global distribution network, should it want to become a serious player in that game," Husson added.

Google is expected to launch two Pixels -- Pixel 2 and a larger Pixel 2 XL -- on October 4 that would directly succeed Google's existing line-up.

While Pixel 2 XL is rumoured to have a new bezel-less display design, the Pixel 2 might have a similar design to the original.

The devices are expected to house Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 System-on-Chip (SoC) and 4GB RAM.

"I think Google's hardware move is more interesting when it comes to new form factors and post-smartphone experiences," Husson said.
Gaza, Oct 3 : The Palestinian national unity government has taken over the administration of the Gaza Strip from Hamas, a government official said on Tuesday.

"We've considered what happened yesterday and today, an official handover to administer the Gaza Strip, so we already started practising the government's missions," said Yousef Al-Mahmoud, spokesman of the national unity government, after the weekly cabinet meeting in Gaza.

"The cabinet meeting stressed gaining back all establishments. This needs great efforts in order to start working on a right basis and correctly resolve all outstanding issues," he was quoted as saying by Xinhua news agency.

Al-Mahmoud also voiced the government's appreciation for "the important and historic role of Egypt" in brokering the deal to end the internal Palestinian division.

The spokesman said all government bodies will start working on the urgent missions in response to Gaza's requirements including water, electricity and the reconstruction work.

"During the cabinet meeting, Prime Minister (Rami) Hamdallah asked the cabinet ministers to prepare full reports on all the initial needs of the population in the Gaza Strip, in order to improve life there," Al-Mahmoud said.

The Hamas movement said in an official press statement that it has done everything to hand over the administration work, calling for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to cancel sanctions against it.

"We have presented everything required in order to help the government its tasks, missions and responsibilities without hesitation, postponement or delay. In return, President Mahmoud Abbas should take an urgent decision calling off punitive measures taken against the Gaza Strip," the statement said.

In response, Abbas said he will undo his recent measures against Gaza including cutting off salaries and reducing the payment of electricity bill, after a review of the government's work in the coastal enclave.

Islamic Hamas movement and Palestinian President's Fatah party were scheduled to hold an assessment meeting in Cairo next week where they will discuss the progress of the government's first week of work in Gaza.

"The committees will start its discussions and studying all issues right after the meeting," Al-Mahmoud said.

Earlier in the day, the Palestinian government held its first cabinet meeting in Gaza since October 2014.

"We are here to turn the page on division, restore the national project to its correct direction and establish the (Palestinian) state," said Hamdallah.

Hamdallah and his ministers as well as chiefs of security arrived in Gaza on Monday to take over responsibilities in the coastal enclave.
New Delhi, Oct 3 : Two Kashmiri prisoners were beaten up and injured in a fight between members of two groups lodged in the highly-secured Tihar jail here.

The September 13 brawl over some "trivial issue" in the overcrowded prison has raised safety concerns for Kashmiris in the jail that also houses separatist leaders, arrested on charges of terror funding.

DIG Prisons S.S. Parihar confirmed to IANS that there was a "fight between members of two groups in Jail No.3 and that two Kashmiri prisoners were beaten up", though they were not part of the warring groups.

"It was a trivial issue and a police complaint has been filed," Parihar said.

The two Kashmiri prisoners were identified as Mohammed Shafi and Javaid Ahmed.

The incident has raised concerns over the safety of other Kashmiri prisoners, including eight separatist leaders arrested on charges of receiving funds from Pakistan-based terror groups for inciting trouble in Jammu and Kashmir.

The separatist leaders, including Hurriyat chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani's son-in-law Altaf Shah, are lodged in the high-risk prison, Jail No.4.

But Parihar denied that there were safety concerns for the Kashmiri inmates in the prison. "There have been incidents of fighting between inmates in the past. We cannot say that Kashmiris were specifically targeted."

Fights between inmates in the over-populated Tihar Jail are common and some of them have turned deadly in the past.

At least 17 prisoners were injured in March this year when a clash broke out between two groups.

Last year, an inmate was killed in a fight between two groups in a moving jail van entering the Tihar Jail from Saket court.

In a similar incident in 2015, two inmates were allegedly beaten to death by seven others in a fight that broke out inside a prison van heading from Rohini court to Tihar jail.

Tihar Jail, located in north Delhi, houses nearly 15,000 inmates against the capacity for a little over 8,300.
Vijayawada, Oct 3 : Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu on Tuesday laid the foundation stones for six national highway projects and an inland waterway in Andhra Pradesh.

He also dedicated seven other national highway projects. The total cost of all 13 highway projects is Rs 4,153 crore.

Naidu also laid the foundation stone for development of an inland waterway in the Krishna River between Muktyala and Vijayawada (National Waterway-4) in the capital region of Amaravati.

In the first phase of the project, the stretch between Muktayala and Vijayawada will be developed for transportation. The total project cost is Rs 7,015 crore and the length of the waterway will be 315 km.

Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways Nitin Gadkari and Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu attended the function held here.

Naidu stressed the need for interlinking of rivers and their protection. He claimed that the Pattiseema Lift Irrigation Scheme which linked Krishna and Godavari rivers saved Krishna delta from a drought-like situation.

Gadkari said the Centre would spend more than Rs 1 lakh crore on improving national highways in Andhra Pradesh and this would give a tremendous boost to the development of the state.

He said a six-lane access controlled greenfield Amaravati Expressway will be built to connect the new capital city Amaravati with Anantapur and also provide connectivity to Kurnool and Kadapa.

The project has been approved with a total length of 557 km and cost of about Rs 25,000 crore. He added that the Andhra Pradesh government is preparing a detailed project report and it is in the process of acquiring land.

The Minister also said that under Sagaramala programme, several port-related projects would be taken up in the state and the capacity of the Visakhapatnam port would be expanded.

Visakhapatnam-Chennai industrial corridor is another major project which would benefit the state enormously and it would be taken up expeditiously, he added.

Gadkari gave assurance that the Polavaram irrigation project would be completed before the next general election in 2019 and the Union Government would render all necessary assistance to the state government for the purpose.
New Delhi, Oct 3 : As AAP leaders continued to oppose the proposed Metro fair hike, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday asked Delhi government representatives in the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) Board to call for an emergency meeting over the matter.

The AAP government has locked horns with the DMRC over the hike proposed to be enforced from October 10, the second this year. The last hike was effected in May.

Kejriwal directed Delhi government representatives to give notice immediately for convening such a meeting, a statement from the Chief Minister's Office said.

Earlier in the day, during a meeting attended by Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot, Chief Secretary M.M. Kutty, and other government officials, Kejriwal directed Kutty to apprise the DMRC Board about the notice for the sought-for meeting.

"The Delhi government is of the clear view that Delhi Metro's decision to further burden its commuters, already reeling under the adverse impact of steep fare hike in May, will only result in reduced ridership, forcing them to look for vehicular modes of transport," the statement read.

In May, the minimum fare went up from Rs 8 to Rs 10 and the maximum from Rs 30 to Rs 50.

Last Thursday, Kejriwal asked Gahlot to find within a week a way to stop the "anti-people" fare hike.

Gahlot met DMRC Managing Director Mangu Singh and asked for putting on hold the proposed hike till the Delhi government completed an inquiry on the matter.

On Friday, the AAP warned of a protest campaign if the DMRC remained adamant on increasing the Metro fares.

The DMRC defended its decision on fare hike by saying that its input costs have gone up over the years, and the increase is at par with Metro rails in other cities.

On Saturday, Kejriwal urged Union Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Puri to direct the DMRC to withhold the fair hike and on Sunday called for an independent audit of DMRC's accounts.
Las Vegas, Oct 3 : Musician Bryan Hopkins hid in a large ice chest with dozens others while the deadliest mass shooting in US history unfolded in Las Vegas claiming 59 lives and injuring over 500 others.

Hopkins was performing at the Route 91 Harvest festival here and had stepped off stage and into the crowd when gunman Stephen Paddock opened fire on the audience from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Hotel.

The musician and several others immediately took shelter in the ice chest to escape the carnage. In chilling footage from their hiding place, Hopkins streamed a Facebook Live account of what was happening around them.

"We're in this icicle room right now. Some sort of shooting or something at the Jason Aldean concert."

Hopkins told CNN he initially thought the "pop, pop, pop" was something wrong with the sound system or pyrotechnics gone wrong.

People can be heard on the video discussing whether to stay inside the ice chest. Hopkins said there were as many as 30 people hiding.

He said some in the ice chest worked to calm down the others while he opened the door and discovered the gunfire was still raining down on the festival.

"The thing I'll always remember is a police officer who ran towards me and said, 'This way,' pointed to where to run, and then ran towards the gunfire," Hopkins said.

The gunman, identified by police as 64-year-old Stephen Paddock, killed himself before law enforcement breached his hotel room and found a cache of weapons including 10 rifles.
New Delhi, Oct 3 : The Congress on Tuesday accused the Narendra Modi government of putting internal security in peril due to "inaction and lack of direction" and said it should come out with a road map to deal with Pakistan-sponsored terrorism.

In a statement, Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala said there had been a spike in violence in Jammu and Kashmir with terrorists seeking to attack security installations.

"Under the watch of the BJP Government, 253 personnel of our brave security forces have been martyred and 124 civilians have died in 102 major terror attacks in last 40 months," he said.

Referring to Tuesday's attack at a Border Security Force camp by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed in which three militants and a trooper were killed, Surjewala said the attack took place near the "maximum security" Srinagar Airport Zone.

"It is another grim reminder of breach in the security protocol. Empty phrases, chest thumping and indulgence in TV studio warfare by the BJP government have only created a superficial and false discourse The reality is that an unprecedented security situation is being witnessed in Jammu and Kashmir, whereby terrorists from across the border have repeatedly attacked our security installations and apparatus.

"Inaction, lack of direction and policy paralysis reflect the compromise of our national security. After 40 months, our internal security situation stands gravely in peril. A series of major terror attacks on our security establishments validate the seriousness of the situation," he said.

Listing some of the terror strikes in the past two years - the July 2015 attack at the Dinanagar police station in Punjab, the January 2016 attack on the Pathankot Air Force Base Station in Pathankot, the September 2016 attack at Army camp in Jammu and Kashmir's Uri, Surjwala warned India's security is "imperilled by terrorism".

"The days of lip service and strong condemnation are over. It is high time that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Government lay down a road map to deal with Pakistani-sponsored terrorism and to prevent repeated terror attacks on our security forces and civilians."
New Delhi, Oct 3 : The CBI has conducted narco-analysis and lie-detector tests on the suspects arrested in connection with the gang rape and murder of a schoolgirl in Kotkhai area of Himachal Pradesh's Shimla district, informed sources said on Tuesday.

Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) sources, however, refused to divulge the tests conducted on particular suspects but said these were conducted last week.

Himachal Police had arrested Ashish Chauhan alias Ashu, 29, driver Rajender Singh alias Raju, 32, Subash Singh Bisht, 42, Deepak alias Deepu, 29, and Lok Jung alias Chotu, 19, for the crime.

The 16-year-old schoolgirl was offered a lift in a vehicle by prime accused Rajinder Singh on July 4 while she was returning home from school in Kotkhai town, nearly 56 km from the state capital.

On the way, the accused and his accomplices raped and murdered her in a nearby forest. Her naked body with injury marks was found two days later.

The case got a new twist after Nepal national Suraj Singh was allegedly strangled by Rajinder Singh in Kotkhai police station lock-up on July 19.

What happened at the police station remained a mystery because the two were housed in adjacent cells with minimal security.

Following the gang rape and murder, Himachal residents held massive protests in the hill state. The victim's family alleged that the "real culprits" belonging to high-profile families had gotten away "scot-free".

Later, on the state government's plea, the Himachal Pradesh High Court recommended a CBI probe. Earlier, the Special Investigation Team of the state police was handling the case.
New Delhi, Oct 3 : Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal on Tuesday said that a bill to regularise 15,000 guest teachers in Delhi government schools is "beyond the legislative competence" of the assembly and asked Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to reconsider introduction of the proposed legislation in the house.

The bill approved by the Delhi Cabinet is slated to be introduced in the assembly's special session on Wednesday.

In an official statement here, Baijal said the matter involved is related to 'services' and quoted a High Court order: "The government of National Capital Territory of Delhi cannot claim any executive power in relation to matters with respect to 'services'."

The statement, quoting the High Court order, went on to add that 'services' is a matter in respect of which the Lt Governor is required to act in his discretion.

Baijal said the decision to introduce the bill in the assembly is not in accordance with the "constitutional scheme of governance of NCT of Delhi".

BJP MLA and Leader of Opposition Vijender Gupta called the bill a "sheer populist measure without legal and constitutional framework".

In response, Aam Aadmi Party MLA Saurabh Bharadwaj said that the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party was trying to spread confusion regarding the bill.

"On the one hand, (Delhi BJP chief) Manoj Tiwari makes videos, asking the AAP government to bring a bill to regularise guest teachers. On the other hand, the BJP government-nominated L-G asks the Chief Minister not to present the bill," Bharadwaj said.

The AAP leader said that the Lt Governor last month had approved Delhi Cabinet's decision to regularise Kashmiri migrant teachers and asked how could there be a different law for regularising guest teachers.
Candidates for Helena City Commission spoke Monday about why they are running for the position in addition to contentious local topics such as the Confederate fountain removed from Hill Park.

Five of the Helenans vying for the job met at the Helena Civic Television Studio Monday afternoon to take questions from Helena-area League of Women Voters board member Claudette Morton. The forum will be televised repeatedly this week. Candidates Mark A. Burzynski, Andres Haladay, Sean Logan, Heather K. O'Loughlin and Gary L. Spaeth participated in the meeting. The other candidate Justin Ailport, the development director for the Montana Democratic Party, was not able to attend.

Two seats on the city commission will be filled this year.

Haladay, who is currently on the commission, said his experience combined with his skills garnered at his day job as an attorney make him the best choice. Both positions require swift analysis, he said.

"You have to be able to take a great deal of information and synthesis it quickly," Haladay said, adding he has the most experience of those sitting at the table.

Logan, who retired as chief of the Helena Fire Department about a year ago, said his time as administrator for firefighters taught him the importance of infrastructure and collaboration.

"That was really a landmark in my career," he said.

As fire chief, Logan said he attended commission meetings regularly and has working knowledge of budgets.

Spaeth said he has the experience and imagination to be a productive commissioner. He retired as assistant chief counsel for the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation. He also served four terms in the state House, where he was appropriations chairman and majority whip, in addition to local boards.

"We have become complacent. We're a government town and government towns tend to become complacent," Spaeth told about 30 people in the audience for the taping.

OLoughlin is the co-director of the Montana Budget and Policy Center, a non-profit organization focused on advancing policies to improve the lives of Montana families with low to moderate incomes. She said her devotion to public service and experience with budgeting puts her in front of the pack.

O'Loughlin said her main strengths are vision, action and collaboration.

Burzynski, a former chief financial officer for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Montana, said he recently decided it was time to repay the community for what it has given his family.

"You do it because you want to serve," he said. "There are a lot of people serving us that make our quality of life improved."

When posed a question regarding the commission's involvement and discussion of state and national issues, the candidates' responses were mixed.

Logan said he has seen many commission conversations veer outside the role of the city and he said that time would be better used hammering out the essential functions locally. He said the city should take care of itself first and foremost. Logan referenced the increase of calls Helena firefighters respond to annually. That number has more than doubled since he first started with the HFD in 1996, he said.

Haladay said those conversations are necessary due to the impact of state and federal funding and policies on the city.

"You can see direct relationships," he said. As a commission, the members are willing to meet until the work is done even if it means discussions that last into the night. "We have time to do it all."

Burzynski said one issue right now is having the faith of tax payers.

"I think the taxpayers want the commission focus on things that impact them," he said. "I don't think that exists right now."

O'Loughlin said while state and federal budgets are interconnected with local issues, residents' concerns should remain in the forefront.

"We should be talking about what state policy decisions mean for this community," she said.

Spaeth agreed that Helena should be first.

"We should start out with Helena and consider the issues that impact Helena," he said.

"We really are reactive and not proactive," Spaeth added.

Morton asked each candidate what the most important issue in front of the commission is this year.

Haladay said continuing work on policies, in particular the issue of affordable housing. Helena remains relatively inexpensive but it is falling behind the curve, he said.

"It has to be thought of in a long-term goal," Haladay said.

Logan said economic revitalization is needed in order to advance the quelling of problems such as an overcrowded jail and issues with schooling.

Spaeth said the focus needs to be on garnering more businesses with good wages so that the city doesn't depend so much on state jobs.

"We have to have economic development," he said.

O'Loughlin said she opted to run because she wants to help with downtown development. She wants to partner with existing resources to create long-term visions for retail opportunities and housing in Downtown Helena.

Burzynski said Helena needs to become a better ambassador for itself in order to attract new businesses. He asked if the city is welcoming compared to competing municipalities such as Great Falls or Missoula.

"I don't think our reputation is very good," he said.

Morton brought up the admittedly hot-button issue of the removal of the Confederate fountain from Hill Park in August. The commission directed the city manager to extract the fountain during a meeting and it was removed within days. Morton asked more specifically if there should be a privately funded effort to replace the fountain with something representing Helena.

O'Loughlin said she's heard the public would have liked more input before a decision was made on the matter. She said she strongly supports a new landmark in its place.

Burzynski said he too heard from dismayed residents.

"The process was somewhat flawed," he said, adding the only way the fountain should be replaced would be through private funding.

Haladay said the local public arts committee has already been budgeted with roughly $12,000 for some sort of installation at Hill Park prior to the removal. Another group has been fundraising as well, he said.

"There is a process underway," Haladay said.

Logan said the fountain has been the most divisive issue he's seen in Helena.

Logan thought the agreement to put an interpretative sign on the fountain was the best decision for all involved. When the signage took too long and city officials took action, that caused a great separation within the community.

"It should be something that heals our community," he added.

Spaeth said he was concerned the fountain issue was not on that meeting's agenda.

"I'm not sure I would have done what they did," he said.

"Transparency is very important."
Mumbai, Oct 3 : From acting to producing films, actress Anushka Sharma has now turned designer and on Tuesday launched her new entrepreneurial venture, clothing line "Nush". She says it is daunting and she is excited but nervous too.

"It is a really special day for me.. this is something I had been planning for the past one and a half years, and quite honestly as I stand here in front of everyone, I am excited but at the same time, I am extremely nervous. Because when you put yourself out there like that it can be a little daunting but I am really happy that I am doing it and I am really glad that I am doing it" said Anushka at the launch of her new venture on Tuesday.

"Because I've always done something that I love, whether it was starting to make films with my production Clean Slate Films. And today, whether it is doing something that I love which is wearing good cloths, so I present my venture, something very special to me, it is a clothing line, Nush," she said about her new venture.

With Salman Khan, Hrithik Roshan and many more celebrities having their own labels and clothing line, so Anushka, when asked about the big rush to enter the fashion industry "rat-race", said it was the more, the merrier.

"I don't it is a rat-race as such, I think the more the merrier. It is a great thing that you have fashion available to you, like this. More brands, more designs, more styles, more choice and if I can enable and add value to that, I think that is a great thing. I don't see it in negative at all; this reflects my aesthetics, my sense of style," she said.

About challenges of turning designer for a fashion brand, she said: "Challenges, you face in everything you do, but for me, this is something that helps me focus. When I am facing a challenge, I feel more focused, more driven, more involved and (it is) something I enjoy doing."

On the film front, Anushka is gearing up for her own production "Pari", Aanand L. Rai's next starring Shah Rukh Khan and Katrina Kaif as well as YRF's "Sui Dhaaga" opposite Varun Dhawan.
Tehran, Oct 4 : The Iranian Embassy in Afghanistan denied a recent report released by US-based Human Rights Watch on using Afghan children in the Syrian conflict, Tehran Times daily reported on Tuesday.

"Iran has recruited no Afghan children (for fighting in Syria)," said the statement, adding that the country is committed to following international regulations.

Iran is hosting the largest number of Afghan refugees in the world and spares no efforts in supporting Afghan's rights, the statement said.

On Sunday, Human Rights Watch reported that Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps has recruited Afghan immigrant children living in Iran to fight in Syria.

Iran has appeared as a staunch regional supporter of Syria's Bashar al-Assad government in its struggle against the opposition militants.
Dhaka, Oct 4 : The UN said on Tuesday that it would appeal for $430 million in aid from the international community to respond to the Rohingya refugee crisis in Bangladesh, a figure which is more than double what was calculated weeks earlier when the number of refugees was lower.

Six weeks after the UN relief operations started, Mark Lowcock, the UN head for humanitarian affairs said that the conditions in Rohingya camps were terrible and that the UN would make an appeal on October 23 in Geneva.

"We are imminently going to be publishing an update to the UN response plan and will be looking, in order to support the government of Bangladesh and Bangladesh's own institutions, to raise from international community something like &430 million to enable us to scale up the relief operation," Lowcock said in a press conference in the Cox's Bazar district, Efe reported.

"We have a fantastic set of proposals that come from all the response agencies and we are in a stage now where the main constrain we face is finance for those essential programs," he added.

The executive director of UNICEF, Anthony Lake, said that the situation of refugees in Bangladesh was catastrophic for every refugee.

"I have never practically seen, around the world, people who are so traumatized by the experiences that they have suffered. And I mean not only the children but the women who have watched the male members of their family being slaughtered they themselves sometime being raped," Lake said, referring to the crimes faced by the refugees before entering Bangladesh.

According to the UN, more than half a million Rohingyas have arrived in Bangladesh since August 25, fleeing a wave of violence in Myanmar.

UNICEF figures show that more than 60 percent of the refugees are children.

The exodus of Rohingyas began on Aug. 25, when a rebel group of the Muslim minority attacked government posts and the Myanmar army launched a military campaign in response, which has been called a "textbook example of ethnic cleansing," by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
This easy, color changing test has proven to save lab technicians time by simplifying the process of the testing for Strep B, increasing sensitivity, decreasing turn-around time, and lowering overall cost.

Hardy Diagnostics, an FDA licensed and ISO certified biomedical manufacturer, is proud to announce the release of Strep B Carrot Broth One-Step for the detection of beta-hemolytic strains of Group B Streptococcus in pregnant women. This newly released version of Strep B Carrot Broth does not require the addition of a reaction tile like in the original Carrot Broth.

This easy, color changing test has proven to save lab technicians time by simplifying the process of the testing for Strep B, increasing sensitivity, decreasing turn-around time, and lowering overall cost. With the new One-Step color changing test, lab technicians will save even more time through the elimination of the reaction tile step.

Carrot Broth media was found to be more sensitive than the LIM Broth, Granada agar plate methods, and even PCR. In house studies showed a sensitivity of 99% at 102 CFU/ ml, and specificity of 100%. Data is available upon request.

ABOUT HARDY DIAGNOSTICS

Hardy Diagnostics is an FDA licensed manufacturer of medical devices for microbiological testing with an ISO 13485 certified Quality Management System. The company manufactures over 3,500 products for the culture and identification of bacteria and fungi from its California and Ohio manufacturing facilities. Hardy Diagnostics headquarters in Santa Maria, CA, services over 8,000 laboratories across the nation.

In 2015 the company became 100% employee owned. Founded in 1980 by Jay Hardy, a Clinical Laboratory Scientist from Santa Barbara, CA, Hardy Diagnostics exports products to over 60 foreign distributors and maintains nine distribution centers nation-wide.

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For more information on products and services and a complete profile on the companys history, visit http://www.HardyDiagnostics.com.

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Ralph Robertson, Chairman of the Farm Credit Foundation for Agricultural Advancement's Board of Directors This Foundation was formed with the intention of ensuring the industry thrives for the future generations. I encourage all those eligible for this scholarship to apply. Wed love to help you pursue your dream of working in agriculture.

The Farm Credit Foundation for Agricultural Advancement will be awarding a total of $100,000 in scholarships to students who are planning to attend or are currently enrolled as full-time students at a college, university, or technical school, planning to pursue a career in agriculture. The deadline for all applications and supporting materials is January 12, 2018.

We received applications from over 120 talented students last year, says Ralph Robertson, a Maryland farmer and chairman of the Foundations board of directors. It made the selection process a tough one, but I have no doubt the future of agriculture is in great hands. These students have such a passion for the industry, and as a farmer myself, that makes me immensely proud.

The Farm Credit Foundation for Agricultural Advancements scholarship program will award ten scholarships in 2018, each valued at $10,000. This program is open to high school seniors or students currently enrolled in a two or four year educational program. All applicants must be planning to pursue a career in agriculture. This includes students planning to go into production agriculture, as well as those planning to be educators, veterinarians, engineers, economists, or another profession within the industry. Applicants must reside in MidAtlantic Farm Credits five-state territory. For a complete list of eligible counties, please see FCFoundationforAg.org.

Ive always looked at agriculture as one giant family, and these students certainly prove that to be true, says Robertson. This Foundation was formed with the intention of ensuring the industry thrives for the future generations. I encourage all those eligible for this scholarship to apply. Wed love to help you pursue your dream of working in agriculture.

Applications are being accepted online now through January 12, 2018. For more information, please visit FCFoundationforAg.org or email info(at)FCFoundationforAg(dot)org.

About Farm Credit Foundation for Agricultural Advancement

The Farm Credit Foundation for Agricultural Advancement is a $3M non-profit foundation formed in 2015, created to help advance the future of agriculture. The Foundations scholarship program is open to all students residing in MidAtlantic Farm Credits five-state territory who are studying to pursue a career in agriculture and fit the eligibility requirements.
With constant new product releases it can be a daunting task finding a compatible case to protect your new investment. Sunrise Hitek offers a wide variety of iPad cases to fit all different models. Their cases are all durable and offer ultimate protection for tablet devices. To make it as easy as possible, they have created a handy chart to see case compatibility at a glance.

Sunrise Hiteks most popular case, especially for school is the G6 iPad Slim Tough Case. Its highlights include a dual-layer rugged design including a protective silicone skin over an inner hard case and a naked frame for the very best touch experience, which is 100% stylus compatible. The Built-in stylus glides smoothly on the glass screen and keeps it clean. Handy magnetic closure keeps the folio cover shut when closed and the strong kickstand with stainless steel pins provides superb stability.

The Rugged Defender Case offers durable protection with a slim profile. Its double layer construction offers impact protection and shock absorption. The Rugged Defender Cases dual-layer design features an inner hard shell for impact protection, and a soft silicone outer layer for maximum shock absorption. This case was specifically designed to endure the daily use and abuse by students, and salespeople, and fits in Bretford PowerSync and other charging carts. The defender is now shipping models for the iPad Pro, iPad Mini 4, and Kindle 7 HD. As with all of Sunrises tech gear, this case is customizable.

Another popular case is the Dura Tough Case. With the same rugged protection, super thin profile, and versatile kickstand, featured in the other models, customers can now outfit their new iPad Air 2s in this popular case. This case combines protection, versatility, and value into one great product. The TPU inner case fits tightly around the iPad with precision cut-outs and allows easy access to all functions. The hardened polycarbonate back plate provides strength and impact protection around all four corners. A multi-function kickstand props up the iPad at two angles, for moving watching or for typing. Stainless steel pivots and slides make the kickstand virtually unbreakable, allowing it to be safely used as a handle as well. The DTCs super slim profile (only 0.55 on the iPad Air) is designed to fit the Bretford PowerSync and other iPad charging carts. Its available in (6) vibrant colors, all ready to ship now.

Available for iPad Air and Air 2, the iPad Hard Case from Sunrise Hitek is made of durable polycarbonate with rubberized soft-touch coating and an ultra-thin profile. This case is hinged at (3) places, to allow iPad viewing use in any one of five possible positions - lay-flat, slightly raised for typing, and three vertical movie-watching angles. The iPad hard case also boasts a smart cover with magnetic closure.

About Sunrise Hitek

Sunrise Hiteks Hitek store, is a leading maker of protective gear for Apples iPad. The brand changed to uuber when the company starting developing cases for other devices, such as the MacBook, Chromebook, and Samsung devices. Sunrise Hitek Group, LLC, owner of the uuber brand, also operates Sunrise Hitek, a leading digital printing company based in Chicago. As a G7 Qualified Master Printer, Sunrise is uniquely qualified among protective gear makers to offer a wide array of customization options, ensuring the most consistent and accurate color reproduction. Sunrise is an Inc. 5000 company established in 1988 and employs the most advanced equipment and technology, such as G7-certified HP Indigo and UV flatbed presses, and digital die-cutting, to create best-in-class products. A privately-owned enterprise, the company is based in Chicago and sells products worldwide.
AquaBlok, Ltd., a manufacturing company based in Northwest Ohio, will participate in five conferences across the United States this October.

The Toledo-based company will begin its October conference schedule at the Ohio Transportation and Engineering Conference (OTEC) from October 10-11 at the Columbus Convention Center in Columbus, Ohio. Together with their Ohio distributor, Meredith Brothers, AquaBlok will exhibit at the event, which is one of the largest transportation conferences in the state. The two companies will showcase AquaBloks bentonite-based sealing material, AquaBlok 2080FW, and share projects in which the material was used as an anti-seep collar, trench dam, cut-off wall, dam/berm construction and repair, and more. AquaBlok and Meredith Brothers encourage attendees to visit them at booth numbers 433 and 435. For more information on OTEC and to register for the conference, please visit http://www.otec.transportation.ohio.gov.

Following their participation at OTEC, AquaBlok will sponsor, exhibit, and present at MGP 2017, an international exhibition focusing on the remediation and redevelopment of manufactured gas plant sites, in New Orleans from October 16-18. COO and General Manager John Collins will give a poster presentation titled Remediation of Coal Tar Impacted Intertidal Sediment in the Fore River, Portland Harbor, Maine on Tuesday, October 17 from 5:00-6:30pm. In addition to presenting, AquaBlok is a Bronze Sponsor for the event and will showcase their AquaGate and AquaBlok products, as well as samples and case studies, at exhibit booth number 13. More details on MGP 2017, including registration information, can be found at http://www.mgpsymposium.com.

The same week, AquaBloks Supply Chain Manager/Assistant Plant Manager Scott Collins will be giving a platform presentation at the 33rd Annual International Conference on Soils, Sediments, Water, and Energy in Amherst, MA. His presentation, titled Methodology and Testing of As-Placed Organoclay-Based Contaminated Sediment Cap Materials at East Branch of the Grand Calumet River, will take place on Tuesday, October 17 at 4:00pm during the Sediments Session. Mr. Collins will be available for discussion following the presentation. For more information on the conference, which is hosted by the Association for Environmental Health and Sciences (AEHS) Foundation, and to register, please visit http://www.aehsfoundation.org/east-coast-conference.

On October 24-25, AquaBlok will exhibit at the Railroad Environmental Conference (RREC) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, an annual networking and educational event for professionals in the railroad environmental community. This will be AquaBloks third consecutive year as an exhibitor at the conference. To see product demonstrations and collect project information, attendees are encouraged to visit the manufacturing company at booth number I-27. Conference and registration information for RREC can be found at http://www.railtec.illinois.edu.

To conclude their October conference schedule, AquaBlok will participate in the Western Dredging Associations (WEDA) Pacific Chapter Meeting on October 25-27 in Portland, OR. John Collins will give a platform presentation, titled Pacific Northwest Active Materials Applications for Contaminated Sediments  Portland Harbor ROD and Beyond, on Friday, October 27 at 9:00am. For more information on WEDA and to register for the meeting, please visit http://www.westerndredging.org.

About AquaBlok

AquaBlok provides a full range of powder-coated materials for sealing and contaminated sediment remediation applications. Both in-situ treatment materials and low-permeability thin capping materials are supplied under the AquaGate and AquaBlok names. In-situ treatment materials include AquaGate+ORGANOCLAY, a proven approach for construction on a permeable adsorptive (reactive) barrier or for use in remediating coal tar, creosote or other PAH contaminants and AquaGate+PAC, a powder-activated carbon (PAC) delivery system. Key benefits of AquaGate and AquaBlok products include a higher rate of adsorption than granular material, uniform delivery of a high surface area with less mass of treatment material, and high specific gravity, which allows placement directly through the water column and uniform mixing/placement with other materials. For more information, please visit. http://www.aquablok.com.
The NFFF plays an immediate role in the difficult time families experience following a loved one's death in the line of duty.

GovX, the online shopping site exclusively for current and former military, first responders and government employees, selected the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation as October's recipient of the Mission Giveback donation program. Each month, GovX supports a new service-related foundation performing work in the military, first responder, or law enforcement communities with each order placed on GovX.com during the given month.

The NFFF's mission is to honor and remember the fallen heroes of America's fire services, and to provide resources to assist their family members in rebuilding their lives in the aftermath of tragedy. The foundation also performs work within the fire service community to reduce firefighter deaths, researching causes of death and promoting on-the-job health and safety.

"Having just attended the San Diego 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb where we got to meet so many amazing people from the fire service, it's a special honor to be able to support the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation as this month's Mission Giveback recipient," said Alan Cole, GovX CEO.

Created by Congress in 1992, the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit which continues to lead nationwide efforts to honor the men and women working in the country's fire services.

The NFFF plays an immediate role in the difficult time families experience following a loved one's death in the line of duty. Families receive emotional support through peer support networks comprised of other firefighter family members, and spouses and children are eligible for scholarship assistance for education and job training.

In addition to their support for firefighters' families, the NFFF works to examine the increasing number of firefighter line-of-duty deaths occurring in America each year. Since 2004, they have identified 16 firefighter life safety initiatives as part of their national program to prevent on-the-job deaths. The program, called "Everyone Goes Home" is being implemented nationwide as part of the U.S. Fire Administration's goal to minimize firefighter death.

At the beginning of National Fire Prevention Week in October, the Foundation holds the official national tribute to career, volunteer, military, and wildland firefighters who died in the line of duty during the previous year. The event is held at the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, MD, and includes special programs for survivors and coworkers along with public ceremonies honoring the men and women of the fire services.

The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation is very excited about this opportunity to partner with GovX on this dynamic event, said Chief Ron Siarnicki, Executive Director of the NFFF. We are also grateful for GovXs generous support of the Foundation and the fire service, as well as their commitment to heightening awareness about our mission to a broader audience.

About GovX:

GovX.com is for men and women of service. A members-only online destination for military, first responders, and government employees, the site offers thousands of products, tickets and experiences from hundreds of brands at members-only pricing. Members include active and veteran U.S. military, firefighters, law enforcement officers, federal agents, and personnel from related government agencies. For more information, visit http://www.govx.com.
Jesus Cruz, VP National Diversity Market Specialist "We are dedicated to incorporating best-in-class educational programs and excited that Jesus Cruz will be leading the way, said Pat Walden, CEO and President at Envoy Mortgage.

With the demographic trends and impacts on homeownership, Envoy Mortgage headquartered in Houston, TX reaffirmed its commitment to the Hispanic community. At the helm of providing borrowers with the best home buying experience, the company appointed Jesus Cruz as the Vice President, National Diversity Market Specialist, in addition to the recent unveiling of Envoy Va Contigo, a fully encompassing marketing and educational program for Hispanic borrowers and real estate professionals.

Envoy supports the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals (NAHREP) mission to increase sustainable Hispanic homeownership in America by launching Envoy Va Contigo to over 150 of its branches nationwide. Poised to increase market-share and serve a growing number of Hispanic homebuyers, this program covers Spanish-language digital and print marketing and educational materials, niche loan program offering, and recruitment of Spanish-speaking sales and operational support.

The growing population of Hispanic first-time homebuyers is undeniable, shared Pat Walden, CEO and President of Envoy Mortgage. Were committed to conducting business in an unbiased manner and strive to establish a close working relationship with a diverse set of borrowers nationwide, he added. We are dedicated to incorporating best-in-class educational programs and excited that Jesus Cruz will be leading the way.

Cruz joins Envoy Mortgage from Citibank where he was Area Manager of the San Francisco Bay Area. During his time with Citibank, Cruz developed multiple strategic partnerships with many community relations groups to increase the companys core responsibility and provide affordable lending to the Hispanic market. Leveraging Envoys upward momentum and dedication to the Hispanic market, Cruz recognized that partnering with Envoy will take guided Hispanic home buying to the next level.

I am very excited to join Envoy and look forward to contributing to an initiative that hits close to home, said Cruz. Trends within the U.S. Hispanics show dramatic increases in household income and education achievements. Theyre forming households at a faster pace than any other demographic, replied Cruz when asked about the growth potential of the Hispanic market. Hispanic homebuyers are projected to represent nearly 60% of homeownership gains within the next fifteen years and Envoy is going to be right there with these homebuyers to get them into their dream homes.

About Envoy Mortgage:

Founded in 1997, Envoy Mortgage is an independently owned, full-service mortgage lender headquartered in Houston, TX. As a Fannie, Freddie and Ginnie approved seller/servicer, Envoy branches offer a full menu of loan products with locations across the U.S. In addition to the retail channel, Envoy operates its nationwide Correspondent Lending Division from Monroe, Louisiana and an in-house servicing operation at the Houston headquarters. Licensed in 49 states, Envoy branches provide outstanding customer service by offering a full menu of loan products with the tools, expertise and technology needed to support all functions of the mortgage process. For more information, visit http://www.EnvoyMortgage.com. Envoy Mortgage, Ltd. NMLS #6666.
Hunger is a serious issue in Puget Sound, and we hope to do our small part to help eradicate it. Were hopeful our customers will agree and make this first Founders Event a significant contributor to these worthy food banks working to end hunger.

In October, Olympic Hot Tub kicks off its first annual Founders Event by shining a light to help end hunger supporting three regional food banks serving communities in the Puget Sound area. The event honors founders Alice Cunningham, and Blair Osborn and their legacy of giving. This years beneficiaries include the Marysville Community Foodbank, the Rainier Valley Food Bank in Seattle, and Eloises Cooking Pot Food Bank in Tacoma.

Alice and Blair recognized the importance of giving back to the communities where we do business, said Olympic Hot Tub Owner Don Riling. They were always very concerned about the ever-growing plight of hunger and homelessness in our region. This made perfect sense, as Olympic has always been focused on offering products to improve our health and well-being.

To support the participating food banks, Olympic is partnering with Hot Spring Spas, Finnleo Saunas, and Covana Automated Gazebos, and will donate a portion of their sales between October 1 and October 31. In addition, a food drive to support the food banks will be conducted at each Olympic showroom.

Olympic Hot Tubs goal is to give a total of $15,000 towards ending hunger in Puget Sound.

Olympic encourages community members to donate directly to their own local food bank or the three participating food banks.

Our company has always been focused on health and wellness productsone of the reasons weve adopted Welcome to the Wellness Generation as Olympics mantra. We think that everyone, regardless of their situation in life, deserve the most basic needs to survive. Hunger is a serious issue in Puget Sound, and we hope to do our small part to help eradicate it. Were hopeful our customers will agree and make this first Founders Event a significant contributor to these worthy food banks working to end hunger, said Riling.

About Olympic Hot Tub:

http://www.olympichottub.com

Olympic Hot Tub has been in business 40 years and has five retail locations, Seattle, Everett, Issaquah, Fife and Lacey; as well as an outlet/service center in Auburn.

The company is credited by The Seattle Times as introducing hot tubbing to the Pacific Northwest. Olympic Hot Tub has a focus on wellness and the health benefits of both Hot Spring Spas and Finnleo Saunas.

About the 3-local foodbanks:

Rainier Valley Food Bank

http://www.rvfb.org/

Our mission is to nourish with good food, empower with knowledge, and serve with compassion.

The food bank fulfills nearly 5,000 requests for food each month. Demand for RVFBs services grew 105% percent over the past five years and the need continues to rise. In 2015, RVFB served more individuals than any of Seattles 25 food banks. 2016 saw a 21% increase alone as compared to 2015.

We have built a successful weekly home delivery service for over 200 people unable to leave their homes, created partnerships throughout Seattle, Washington state and nationally, and cultivated a volunteer base of over 3,000 people donating around 1,500 hours every month.

The food bank has a strong and committed Board of Directors who meet regularly, as well as dedicated volunteer committees who create community events and fundraising initiatives to keep the Food Bank thriving.

Marysville Community Food Bank

http://www.marysvillefoodbank.org/

The Marysville Community Food Bank receives over 80,000 pounds of usable product every month from individuals, food drives, and local grocery stores. This translates into $138,000 of value that we distribute to about 1,100 families each month. We receive additional monetary support from local churches, organizations, and individuals.

The financial support of the community allows us to provide food for families in need, pick up food donations, pay overhead costs, and employ three part-time staff. We stretch every donation as far as possible by purchasing food in bulk from the most affordable source. All overhead expenses are kept at a minimum. The local support is crucial as we seek to help the hungry in our community.

Eloises Cooking Pot Food Bank

http://themadf.org/eloises-cooking-pot/

Eloises Cooking Pot Food Bank provides quality food to the communities of East and South Tacoma, Washington. Ahndrea Blue, our founder, was concerned about the children in these communities who were not eating on a regular basis due to their families experiencing economic hardship.

Without government assistance, Ahndrea began delivering food to her tenants in this area. This is how the foundation for Eloises Cooking Pot Food Bank began. The food bank is named after Ahndreas grandmother Eloise. Eloise was a woman of humble means, but would generously share whatever food she had by providing a hot meal to anyone who was in need.

Eloises Cooking Pot also provides professional cooked meals to the homeless. On every fifth Sunday, Eloises Cooking Pot Food Bank, along with a local executive Chef and volunteers prepare a hot meal and serve over 100 clients, staff, and volunteers of the Matt Talbot Center located in Seattle, Washington. Eloise Cooking Pot Food Bank is a program under Making A Difference Foundation.
The Helena area is forecast to catch the southern end of a winter storm expected to dump 1-2 feet of snow in some parts of central Montana.

The National Weather Service in Great Falls was tracking the storm as it began dropping precipitation across the region Monday. The heaviest snow was expected from Monday night into midday Tuesday.

The Helena area is forecast for 2-3 inches of snow in the valley. In the mountains from 6-12 inches of snow was expected, and 12-18 inches farther north. The Bears Paw Mountains could see up to two feet of snow, said Megan Syner, warning coordination meteorologist.

Forecasters also predicted wet snow that could damage trees and powerlines, along with high winds. Along the Hi Line, 30-40 mile-per-hour winds were forecast with the storm and 20-30 miles per hour in the central part of the state.

Low temperatures could also cause some issues with unflushed sprinkler systems and pipes, Syner said, as temperatures are forecast Wednesday morning in the high teens to low 20s. Travel will become treacherous across much of the region, she said.

Snow is expected to dissipate by midday Tuesday.
Jyot mein Jyot Pyramid Projection The Golden Temple is the holiest and most important shrine for Sikhs from all over the world and we are of the view that theatrical storytelling works best in highlighting the history and ethos of Sikhism in a dynamic and thought-provoking manner

Christie technologies have enabled pilgrims and visitors to better appreciate the history and ethos of Sikhism through a slew of spectacular projections and displays at the basement complex of the Golden Temple, which is the holiest shrine of Sikhism.

Divided into four galleries, the basement complex has been drawing huge crowds since its opening and is a perfect example of how technology can be deployed to enliven the rich heritage and history of Sikhism. Christies state-of-the-art projection, display and image processing solutions, comprising 10 Christie WU12K-M 3DLP projectors, 18 Christie D12WU-H 1DLP projectors, 72 Christie Ultra Series FHD552-X HD LCD panels and Christie Pandoras Box system, have been chosen to deliver the visuals due to their high-performance, outstanding image quality, and reliability.

The projectors are used for large screen projections, including a stunning 270-degree projection and holographic projection, while the LCD panels offer an immersive three-dimensional visual experience of exploring the Golden Temple. The sophisticated task of designing these experiential spaces was undertaken by Designhabit, a leading design house based in New Delhi, which is responsible for numerous acclaimed large-scale projects across India including Virasat-e-Khalsa in Anandpur Sahib, while Christie Indias partner Pan Intellecom Ltd was responsible for installing and commissioning the entire fleet of Christie solutions.

The Golden Temple is the holiest and most important shrine for Sikhs from all over the world and we are of the view that theatrical storytelling works best in highlighting the history and ethos of Sikhism in a dynamic and thought-provoking manner, said Amardeep Behl, managing director, Designhabit. And through this process, visitors are able to appreciate the rich heritage of Sikhism and establish an emotional connection through the multimedia showcase in all four galleries. We have carefully integrated the various Christie solutions into each gallery and complemented them with meticulously designed animations, voiceover narrations and composed music to create an emotional impact and immersive experience.

Harbir Singh, Managing Director, Pan Intellicom, commented, We are honored to be involved in the installation and commissioning of the visual solutions in the Golden Temple basement complex, and Im pleased to note that the results of the displays and projections are highly satisfactory. Feedback from visitors has also been very positive, with many of them highly impressed with the quality and performance of the Christie solutions used in all four galleries. The visuals have added emotional depth and dimension in telling the story of Sikhism and history of the Golden Temple. It is wonderful that visitors continue to be spellbound by the high-tech multimedia showcases that feature visual, sound and light effects.

Rajesh Patkar, Deputy General Manager, Christie India, added, The Golden Temple is an important place of worship and pilgrimage for members of the Sikh faith, and this high-tech basement plaza has become a not-to-be-missed destination for both pilgrims and visitors alike. Were honored that the Golden Temple has chosen our state-of-the-art M Series and H Series projectors, Ultra Series LCD panels, and Pandoras Box system to be installed in the galleries to showcase the rich heritage of the Sikh community and history of this holy shrine. Designhabit has accomplished a marvelous job of designing the galleries infused with traditional history and heritage, which in turn inspires visitors with a renewed relevance of the message of the great Sikh gurus for the world today.

Gallery 1: Jyot mein Jyot Pyramid Projection Mapping

The fascinating pyramid projection, titled Jyot mein Jyot, uses 10 Christie WU12K-M projectors positioned around the base of the 10-sided inverted glass pyramid while the Christie Pandoras Box driving the content. The multimedia showcase portrays the preface to Sikhism by highlighting the 10 Sikh gurus and their teachings.

Gallery 2: The History of Golden Temple 270-degree Projection

This spectacular and immersive 270-degree projection is made possible by 10 Christie D12WU-H projectors installed overhead around the gallery, and Christie Pandoras Box. The 15-minute presentation relates how the holiest shrine came into being through the use of animated video contents, archival video footages and an engaging voiceover narration.

Gallery 3: A Day at Darbar Sahib Showcase

A total of 72 Christie Ultra Series FHD552-X LCD Panels and four Christie D12WU-H projectors are used here to deliver an immersive presentation to describe to pilgrims about the ongoing routine activities underway in the Golden Temple. Be enthralled by bright and rich visuals displayed on the LCD panels and lifelike projections on the Golden Temple model in the center of this gallery.

Gallery 4: Bani Guru-Guru hai Baani Holographic Projection

An eye-catching holographic projection using 4 Christie D12WU-H projectors is used to highlight the importance and teachings of Guru Granth Sahib in this meticulously designed gallery. Similar to the previously mentioned galleries, the Christie Pandoras Box drives all content.

Located in the city of Amritsar in the state of Punjab, the Sri Harmandir Sahib, or more widely known as the Golden Temple, is the holiest site of Sikhism. It is intended to be a place of worship for men and women from all walks of life and all religions to worship God equally. The Golden Temple is accessible by four entrances (representing the four directions) and this symbolizes the openness of the Sikhs towards all people and religions. Over 100,000 people visit the holy shrine daily for worship.

About Christie

Christie Digital Systems USA, Inc. is a global visual and audio technologies company and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ushio Inc., Japan (JP:6925). Consistently setting the standards by being the first to market some of the worlds most advanced projectors, complete system displays, and cinema audio solutions; Christie is recognized as one of the most innovative visual technology companies in the world. From retail displays to Hollywood, mission critical command centers to classrooms and training simulators, Christie display solutions and projectors capture the attention of audiences around the world with dynamic and stunning images, accompanied by awe-inspiring sound. Visit http://www.christiedigital.com.
TRAXXALL Technologies, providers of an innovative aircraft maintenance tracking and inventory management system, today announced new client Executive AirShare.

Executive AirShare serves shareowners in Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas and New York. The company currently serves the Central US and Great Lakes regions, operating a fleet of Bombardier Learjet 45XR, Embraer Phenom 300 and Phenom 100, Cessna Citation CJ2+ and Beechcraft King Air 350i aircraft. Executive AirShare also offers aircraft management and charter services through its subsidiary Executive Flight Services.

After a comprehensive analysis of all available options, Executive AirShare selected TRAXXALL for the maintenance tracking of its aircraft fleet.

We started using TRAXXALL in April and are very pleased with its performance, says Mike Bianchi, Vice President, Maintenance, Executive AirShare. This advanced system is cost-effective and easy-to-use. Additionally, it is supported by a knowledgeable and responsive team of maintenance tracking experts. Because we offer the only day-based fractional ownership program in the country, we need to manage our fleet with exceptional efficiency. TRAXXALL helps us accomplish this critical goal. Based on our positive experience, I am pleased to recommend TRAXXALL to business aircraft owners and operators.

We are very pleased to be working with Executive AirShare  a leader in the US fractional ownership market, continues Mark Steinbeck, President, TRAXXALL. The Executive AirShare team has distinguished itself by truly understanding the needs and preferences of its clientele. There are several important synergies between our two companies and we look forward to a long and successful partnership with Executive AirShare.

About TRAXXALL Technologies

TRAXXALL delivers the most innovative aircraft maintenance tracking and inventory management system on the market today. Founded by established maintenance tracking experts, TRAXXALL is headquartered in Montreal, Canada, with offices in Jacksonville, FL; Wichita, KS and London, UK. For more information, please visit http://www.traxxall.com.

About Executive AirShare

Executive AirShare serves shareowners in the Kansas City metropolitan area (Kansas and Missouri); Wichita, Kan.; Tulsa and Oklahoma City, Okla.; Fort Worth, Dallas, Houston, Austin and San Antonio, Texas; and Buffalo, N.Y. Its subsidiary, Executive Flight Services, manages aircraft for owners from bases in Fort Worth, Dallas, Wichita, Kansas City and Buffalo. Executive AirShare currently serves the Central U.S. and Great Lakes regions, operating a fleet of Bombardier Learjet 45XR, Embraer Phenom 300 and Phenom 100, Cessna Citation CJ2+, and Beechcraft King Air 350i aircraft. Executive AirShare also offers aircraft management and charter services through its subsidiary, Executive Flight Services. For more information about Executive AirShare and its services, please visit http://www.execairshare.com.

Note to Editors: TRAXXALL will exhibit at NBAA-BACE, October 10  12 in Las Vegas, booth N4508. To schedule an interview, please contact Mark Lowe, PRagmatic Communications: mark(dot)lowe(at)pragcom(dot)com / (514) 499-9632 / (514) 576-2519.
Using Fb Messenger to get a rate quote Integrating Elafris SMS and chatbot capabilities into our current service channels will let policyholders seek assistance any time using their preferred method to reach us. said Insurance entrepreneur Jeff Arnold, RightSures President and CEO

Elafris, the Artificial Intelligence communications provider, announced a new partnership with RightSure Insurance Group, the innovative agency offering premium Insurance products, to bring cutting-edge customer service to clients via the Elafris AI communications platform.

RightSure has a stellar reputation for service and is well-known for effective implementations of Insurance technology. said Elafris CEO Jake Diner, This makes them the ideal partner to be one of the first to implement AI-driven service. Elafris is proud to work with such a well-regarded agency.

The Elafris communication platform brings intelligent, automated agents to the communication channels customers love like Facebook Messenger, SMS, and Amazon Alexa. Lightning-fast adoption of texting, chat apps, and voice-enabled devices means customers already expect service on these channels from businesses, including Insurance providers. The Elafris technology puts agencies and insurers at the communications forefront with mature solutions on these emerging channels.

We are thrilled to work with innovative firms, like Elafris, that help us better serve and advise our clients. Integrating Elafris SMS and chatbot capabilities into our current service channels will let policyholders seek assistance any time using their preferred method to reach us. said Insurance entrepreneur Jeff Arnold, RightSures President and CEO.

RightSure is widely recognized by the Insurance industry and customers alike for superior service, receiving the prestigious Safeco Insurance Presidents Award for top performance. This reputation is earned, in part, by its innovative mindsetmaking sure they are the first to offer the best products and service delivery options. The addition of Elafris AI joins to the list of RightSure advances that make it a market leader and customer favorite.

###

About RightSure Insurance Group

Headquartered in Tucson, Arizona, RightSure Insurance Group is a full-service independent Insurance agency providing Insurance products to families and businesses in 42 states. By using a unique, client-centered approach combined with superior technology, RightSure presents clients with a wide range of Insurance options and a seamless purchasing process. To learn more, visit https://www.rightsure.com or call 520-917-5295.

About Elafris, Inc.

Headquartered in San Francisco, Elafris, Inc. is the developer of the first Artificial Intelligence communications platform specifically tailored for the Insurance industry. The company's AI platform leverages Neural Networks and Machine Learning technologies to create virtual insurance agents that eliminate waiting times and response lag for Insurance customers, whenever they need to communicate with their provider, file a claim or buy an add-on product. To learn more, visit the Elafris website at http://www.elafris.com.

Media Contacts:

Elafris

Corporate Communications Department

info(at)elafris(dot)com

310-404-1957

RightSure

Evie Quintana

Evieq(at)rightsure(dot)com

520-777-1125
Jeffrey "Blue Shark' Gliwa, Founder of Blue Shark Pictures I look forward to hand picking the next generation of film students who are the best of the best, and help them break through into the film industry working alongside of A-list industry veterans. - Jeffrey "Blue Shark" Gliwa

Blue Shark is the sponsor of the SFAI Film Department Fundraiser and Celebration happening on October 4th, 6-8pm at Cafe Zoetrope, 916 Kearny St., San Francisco and will be in attendance. More information can be found here; http://m.bpt.me/event/3094524

The world premier of the new film Torch directed by Christopher Coppola will be at the 40th Anniversary of the prestigious Mill Valley Film Festival on October 8th at 9pm. Come find Blue Shark there, and screen the film with him and participate in a Q & A afterwards. There will also be a private VIP after party with celebrity guests after the screening. More information about the Mill Valley Film Festival can be found here; https://tickets.cafilm.org/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=316757%7E983c845f-a11a-4407-a254-d45cc3fdaab3&epguid=a1ad63af-e5ba-48a3-940d-9a52532417fb

Interested parties can visit his website, and make an appointment to do lunch. His website can be found here; http://bluesharkpictures.com/career-opportunities/

About Jeffrey Gliwa: Jeffrey Gliwa (known as Blue Shark) is an executive producer and founder of Blue Shark Pictures, LLC. He translated his talent for production and promotion into film fund raising ventures with a focus on introducing legacy talents to the industry.

Blue Shark Pictures specializes in pairing talented, up and coming aspiring filmmakers with industry veterans and helping them break through in the film industry.

Blue Shark Pictures website; http://bluesharkpictures.com/

Jeffrey Gliwa's website; http://jeffreygliwa.com/ and IMDB page; http://www.imdb.com/name/nm7627683/
We hope this new study can bring to light common challenges across nations where heart failure carers need support and the strategies needed to improve quality of life outcomes for those in a caregiving role.

The International Alliance of Carers Organizations (IACO), supported by Novartis, has released a first-of-its-kind global study examining the role and impact of heart failure caregiving. Presented at the 7th International Carers Conference in Adelaide, Australia, the Carers of Persons with Heart Failure study analyzed data collected from more than 500 heart failure carers in Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States to determine the key challenges that they face.

The research builds on existing evidence of the positive influence of caregiving on heart failure outcomes, including improvements in health-related quality of life, reduced rates of hospitalizations, and improved survival for the person with heart failure when the carer receives adequate support.

Despite this positive influence, many carers face a significant unmet need for resources and support, according to the new data. Key findings include:



While 70% percent of carers helped with medical and nursing tasks such as managing medications or monitoring symptoms, only one in five (19%) say they were prepared for these tasks by health care professionals.

More than half of carers (53%) reported that they felt like they had no control of the heart failure condition.

Caring for someone with heart failure was found to have a significant personal impact on caregivers, as many carers noted that they had to take an early retirement or quit work in order to provide care.

One-third of carers found it difficult to support the person with heart failure with activities of daily living, such as bathing or toileting, and instrumental activities of daily living, such as managing finances and housework.

On average, heart failure caregivers scored their quality of life as six on the ladder of life from 0-10.

Receiving adequate support from a caregiver is an important factor in the health-related quality of life of persons with heart failure, but  as these data show  caregivers themselves dont have adequate support to help them play this important role while minimizing impact on their own well-being, said David Palacios, Head of Global Patient Relations, Novartis Pharmaceuticals. This study provides an important insight into the role and impact of heart failure caregiving, and underlines that better support for caregivers is an important way we can improve overall health outcomes in this space.

Carers in general, and heart failure carers in particular, are an under-recognized group, said Rick Greene, Executive Advisor, International Alliance of Carer Organizations. "We hope this new study can bring to light common challenges across nations where heart failure carers need support and the strategies needed to improve quality of life outcomes for those in a caregiving role. Supporting carers is a critical step in improving outcomes for the person with heart failure.

In response to the study findings, IACO outlined several key policy recommendations to help address the need for improved support and levels of resources available to caregivers in heart failure. Highlights include:

Ensuring health care professionals engage, assess and support caregivers as members of the heart failure care team, and acknowledge their critical role in the implementation of the treatment plan for people with heart failure;

Improving government information and increasing awareness and understanding of heart failure caregiving and the challenges faced; and

Providing caregivers with resources and support to prepare for their role and navigate the workplace, health system and available support services.

The study was conducted in Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States and IACO collaborated with carer and patient organizations in the four countries. The leading organizations were: Carers Australia, Carers Canada, Carers UK, National Alliance for Caregiving (US), WomenHeart: The National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease (US), Pumping Marvellous (UK), Canadian Home Care Association, The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, and Heart Support-Australia Ltd.

For more information and to download the study, visit http://www.internationalcarers.org.

About IACO

The International Alliance of Carer Organizations (IACO) is a global coalition of 15 member nations committed to building a global understanding and respect for the vital role of family carers. Recognized as an official NGO by the United Nations, each IACO member country is represented by a nationally-renowned carer organization. The coalition meets annually to share best practices, identify global issues, and advocate for family carers. To learn more, visit http://www.internationalcarers.org.

About Novartis

Novartis provides innovative healthcare solutions that address the evolving needs of patients and societies. Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Novartis offers a diversified portfolio to best meet these needs: innovative medicines, cost-saving generic and biosimilar pharmaceuticals and eye care. Novartis has leading positions globally in each of these areas. In 2016, the Group achieved net sales of USD 48.5 billion, while R&D throughout the Group amounted to approximately USD 9.0 billion. Novartis Group companies employ approximately 119,000 full-time-equivalent associates. Novartis products are sold in approximately 155 countries around the world. For more information, please visit http://www.novartis.com.
I have implemented most of the SEIM products on the market and finally one company, HAWK, has delivered based on my expectations with HAWK.ios cloud-based, big data security analytics platform

HAWK Network Defense, announced that in a head-to-head evaluation with another incumbent enterprise security MSSP, HUNT Companies selected HAWK.io as their cloud-based big data security analytics (BDSA) platform. HAWK.io provides HUNT Companies and most of their operating companies, real-time security monitoring and rich analytics on all of their core security infrastructure.

Hunt Companies, like most companies these days are faced with the challenge of doing more with less. In this case HUNT Companies needed to focus their efforts on investigating and remediating only true security incidents with very few resources. HUNT was searching for technology that could automate with a high degree of accuracy the creation, validation, and prioritization of security events that would rise to the level of a security incident. HUNTS criteria also included the ability to provide this solution via the cloud as a service so they would not have to invest in any additional infrastructure or security engineers.

HUNT Companies commissioned an independent Big 4 firm to perform red team testing to facilitate a competitive evaluation between HAWK.io and an incumbent tier-1 MSSP. HAWK.ios rich analytics accurately detected and alerted on 96% of the test activities, while the competition alerted on less than 30%. This independent test validated once again HAWKS rich analytics combined with artificial intelligence automates the critical thinking required to determine what is and what is not a security incident.

I have implemented most of the SEIM products on the market and finally one company, HAWK, has delivered based on my expectations with HAWK.ios cloud-based, big data security analytics platform. The combination of their technology, processes and people delivers strong value into my Information Security Program. We can finally focus our attention on performing security investigations and remediation work instead of analyzing security events, said Randy Stroud, CISO of HUNT Companies.

The HUNT deal further validates our strategy and solution. The industry has needed the ability for artificial intelligence to automate the triage of security events for some time now. HAWK.ios ability to deliver this solution with great accuracy proved to be a differentiating factor in the selection of HAWK. The fact that we are able to deliver this solution as a SAAS solution in conjunction with rapid onboarding of systems represents the new model in an ever-changing cyber security landscape, said David Harris, CEO of HAWK Network Defense.

HAWK.io Key Features



True Multi-Tenant Support  HAWK.io was designed and built from the ground up with a patented multi-tenant architecture

Same Day Onboarding  Support for any device

V-Stream  HAWKs patented streaming database allows for massive scalability

Rich Streaming Analytics  No need for static correlation rules

Powerful Dashboards and Reporting  Perform forensic analysis, view incident timelines, manage/assign incidents thru to closure

Integrated Dynamic Threat Intel Feeds  HAWK.io has out-of-the-box threat intel feeds, and can integrate any 3rd party or proprietary lists. HAWK.io automatically updates and dynamically loads as feeds change

Concierge Service  Incident monitoring and notification

About HAWK.io

HAWK Defense offers HAWK.io, the first true multi-tenant, cloud-based BDSA platform. HAWK.io provides leading edge BDSA functionality for an affordable subscription-based pricing model. HAWK.io is designed to have fast and simple onboarding of users and devices helping customers avoid lengthy, expensive deployments and results in rapid time-to-value.

HAWK Defense built HAWK.io on the HAWK eyeContm 5.0 platform. HAWK eyeContm provides an innovative Big Data Security Analytics (BDSA) platform that allows enterprises to identify, validate and prioritize true security incidents. Hawks eyeContm software is the natural evolution of legacy SIEM to Big Data Analytics. eyeContm features a massively scalable architecture that delivers high-speed data ingestion and a highly efficient patented analytics engine. HAWK Defense customers benefit from rapid installation and setup times, simple administration, out-of-the-box analytics, and dynamic threat intelligence feeds.

About HUNT Companies

Hunt Companies, Inc., is privately owned and dedicated to fostering long-term partnerships through the development, investment, management, and financing of real estate assets.

Founded in 1947 and headquartered in El Paso, Texas, Hunt is a diverse, full-service real estate company. The companys core competencies are Real Estate Investments, Military Communities, Public Infrastructure, Financial Services, and Asset Services. Hunts family of companies is committed to creating valuable solutions and effective partnerships with public and private sector clients worldwide.

For more information, contact:

Reed Harrison

HAWK Network Defense, Inc.

http://www.hawkdefense.com

rharrison(at)hawkdefense(dot)com
Execute to Win Those insights are invaluable...

Sunshine Acres Children's Home first opened its doors in 1954 with a mission to provide a loving, wholesome, Christian home for children who are separated from their parents and help them establish long-term relationships with stable parental figures, preparing them for success in adult life. Out of 120 group homes in the state of Arizona, they are the only home not licensed by the state, meaning they get no funding from the government. Additionally, they do not solicit donations.

As different as they are from the majority of group homes, they are still must comply with the same Department of Child Safety Requirements. In an effort to find a new, more objective mechanism for measuring and reporting on the children's progress, Sunshine Acres turned to ETW.

ETW has helped Sunshine Acres:



Provide detailed progress reports on children, DCS required information, and give Sunshine Acres an advantage in grant funding since they now have proof of concrete positive outcomes

Engage staff so they are immediately made aware of a change in a childs progress and prevent them from falling off the radar

Increase efficiency in reporting, as it only takes teachers 2-3 minutes to enter an update and review the childs history rather than searching for a file

Executive Director Kevin Humphrey describes the results of implementing the ETW System, ETW helps us see the kids who are doing well and bring more focus to those falling behind. Those insights are invaluable.

He continues by encouraging similar operations to consider ETW, While Sunshine Acres is the only group home that is not contracted by the state of Arizona, I know that a contracted one has even more complex requirements. This would help those homes tremendously, due to the excess administrative burden placed on them.

ETW CEO Lee Benson gives his perspective on Sunshine Acres success, Our clients are always finding unique and positive ways to utilize the features of ETW. Benson continues, It all stems from the concept of finding better organizational alignment, by having better conversations, leading to better actions that produce better results.

Read the full case study here.

About Sunshine Acres

Founded 1954 by Rev. James and "Aunt" Vera Dingman, Sunshine Acres Children's Home is more than a home...we're family. Placements are private so there is no government support for the children's care. Our home is faith-based and does not solicit. Individuals, churches and companies give and raise funds for the home because they have a heart to support the mission and not because they've been asked for support. No child is turned away for financial reasons.

About ETW

ETW provides a platform to track, evaluate and measure employee performance against the major objectives of the organization. Easily execute and translate long-term strategy into clear, actionable goals. With ETW you can effectively communicate the companys roadmap to success and engage everyone throughout the organization with that roadmap. ETW is your platform for turning strategy and culture into tangible results.
Intelligence Systems Group LLC DCS has extensive experience, especially with the Dept. of Defense, in the key areas of Cost Benefit Analysis (CBA); Cloud Access Point (CAP) applications; systems accreditation and overall architecture design / migration project management.

Intelligence Systems Group (ISG) is a Service Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) specializing in information technology services to the Intelligence Community, Government and commercial clients with offices in Northern Virginia and Pittsburgh, announced today that it has entered into a Letter of Intent with Data Center Services Inc., headquartered in Richmond, Virginia to combine the two organizations.

Data Center Services (DCS) specializes in technical expertise for government cloud migration and strategic advisors in the compliance process. Recently, DCS supported the first U.S. Army application to achieve pilot mode status for Department of Defense Level 5 compliance on the Microsoft Azure Platform as a Service (PaaS). Microsoft received DODs Level 5 Provisional Authority (PA) only in November 2016 and became an option for US Army cloud migration in January 2017.

We are excited to bring the two companies together to assist our government clients as they migrate to the cloud. DCS has extensive experience, especially with the Dept. of Defense, in the key areas of Cost Benefit Analysis (CBA); Cloud Access Point (CAP) applications; systems accreditation and overall architecture design / migration project management. stated Eric Hoffman, CEO of ISG.

Robert Hermanns, President of DCS, added, By combining the talent of the two organizations, our government clients now have access to strategies and knowledgeable consultants that have implemented cloud strategies, at the highest security levels, including approval for Level 5 PaaS applications. With this deep experience, we can achieve migration in less time and provide substantial savings to government agencies. Our objective is not just to help our clients migrate to the cloud, but rather to help them leverage the benefits of the cloud including improved security compliance, improved operational efficiency, and a reduction in total cost of IT operations

With AWS GovCloud earning DOD Cloud Security Model (CSM) Level 3-5 Provisional Authority, ISG also announced it has become a member of the Amazon Web Service Partner Network (APN) in order to provide clients with a choice of platform providers.

About Intelligence System Group LLC

ISG is a SAM-registered, cVe-certified SDVOSB with an active TS/SCI Facility Clearance and a deep bench of subject matter experts, partner companies, and contract vehicles supporting the Department of Defense and the Intelligence Community. ISG is headquartered in Reston, Virginia with satellite locations in Pittsburgh and the DC Metro region.

For more information, visit http://www.contact-isg.com

About Data Center Services Inc.

Data Center Services began operations in 2007 providing IT consulting and training services within environments at the Department of Defense and in the private sector. The firm brings extensive IT strategic planning experience from financial sector companies including Capital One and the Federal Reserve. Based in Richmond, Virginia, DCS specializes in cybersecurity and data migration projects including strategic architectural planning and review; accreditation; detailed CBA analysis of cloud service providers; and guiding clients through the cloud migration process in the shortest time feasible. DCS maintains numerous industry certifications (CISSP; CISM; CISA; CCSK and PMP).
Hank, owned by Garrett Durst in the office of Rep. John Garamendi (3rd CA)

Members of Congress have been bringing pets to work since the nations founding. A new survey confirms that Capitol Hill remains a very pet-friendly workplace today, with a solid majority of House and Senate offices who responded to the survey saying they welcome pets at work on the Hill.

The survey included in-person interviews in House and Senate offices during August 2017 and was sponsored by Nestle Purina PetCare and conducted on behalf of the Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI), to call attention to the benefits of pet-friendly workplaces. The Hill survey findings paint a picture of a very pet-friendly workplace:



More than 80 percent of the 192 House and Senate offices who responded say they welcome pets in the office, either during recess, while Congress is in session, or both. By comparison, according to the Society for Human Resource Management, just 7% of American workplaces allow pets.

The pet-friendly Hill office findings were relatively consistent across party lines, geographic regions, and both chambers, suggesting wide bipartisan support for having pets at work.

The bond we share with pets is something we can all agree on, said Dr. Kurt Venator, DVM, Ph.D., and Chief Veterinary Officer at Purina. Weve been bringing our own dogs and cats with us to work for decades because we believe life is better with pets. We know that pets help us de-stress, lower blood pressure, get our exercise, and even forge stronger social connections.

Steven Feldman, Executive Director of HABRI, agrees: Scientific research shows that pets in the workplace can boost productivity, collaboration, and employee satisfaction, said Feldman. We hope that more companies and workplaces will follow the lead of Congress to begin to think about pets as a way to boost employee health and wellness.

Pets have had a presence in Congress from the beginning. In a recent interview, the Assistant Senate Historian, Dan Holt, said senators used to bring their hunting dogs into the Old Senate Chamber  to sit right by their feet during floor debates. Circa 1800, congressional rules were enacted to prohibit pets on the Chamber floors. Congressional rules, however, permit pets nearly everywhere else on Capitol Hill, and staffers are almost universally aware that pets are permitted throughout congressional buildings, with few limitations.

The rich tradition of pets on Capitol Hill continues through today. According to Congressional historians and media reports:

Dozens of members of Congress and their staffers are regularly seen accompanied by their four-legged friends in and around Capitol Hill offices. Some dogs are known as being greeters to visitors to their offices

Some congressional pets even have their own business cards, like Oklahoma Rep. Jim Bridenstines Spaniel & Statesman, Oliver

Staffers sometimes announce when pets are in the office, as with a recent dog photo and note taped to Tennessee Rep. Steve Cohens office door stating, Stevie is in the House!

On October 4, 2017, HABRI and the Pet Leadership Council will bring the pet care community together to celebrate Pet Night on Capitol Hill. The event will include therapy animals and treat stations (for pets and humans). For more information, please visit http://www.petnight.com.

Purina actively supports pets at work, pets in hospitals and pets in domestic violence shelters, added Dr. Venator. We also support legislation that helps keep pets and people together, including the Pet and Women Safety (PAWS) Act (H.R. 909, S. 322), and hope that this survey and Pet Night on Capitol Hill will help remind policymakers and the public about the importance of pets in our lives.

About Nestle Purina PetCare

Nestle Purina PetCare promotes responsible pet care, community involvement and the positive bond between people and their pets. A premiere global manufacturer of pet products, Nestle Purina PetCare is part of Swiss-based Nestle S.A., a global leader in nutrition, health, and wellness.

About HABRI

HABRI is a not-for-profit organization that maintains the worlds largest online library of human-animal bond research and information; funds innovative research projects to scientifically document the health benefits of companion animals; and informs the public about human-animal bond research and the beneficial role of companion animals in society. For more information, please visit http://www.habri.org.

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Emily Ladd-Kravitz, a corporate associate in Greenberg Traurig, LLPs Boston office will be a panelist for the MIT Sloan Boston Alumni Association program, Start-Up Law 101 Panel, Thursday, Oct. 12, 2017. As part of the Boston Innovation and Entrepreneurship Network (BIEN) Speaker Series, the program will feature experienced Boston lawyers who will share their experiences working directly with startups and investors.

Ladd-Kravitz advises startup and growth-stage companies in all aspects of transactional work, including corporate formation, operating agreements, and governance strategies, as well as investment transactions and exit strategies. She also represents venture capital funds, private equity firms, and other institutional investors in mergers and acquisitions, private placements, minority investments, venture capital financings, and corporate governance matters. Her clients span a variety of industries including technology, life sciences, medical devices, clean energy, and sustainable solutions. Ladd-Kravitz is a frequent speaker on the corporate issues facing early-stage companies and investors.

About Greenberg Traurigs Boston Office

Established in 1999, Greenberg Traurigs Boston office is home to nearly 70 attorneys practicing in the areas of corporate, emerging technology, governmental affairs, intellectual property, labor and employment, life sciences and medical technology, litigation, public finance, and real estate. An important contributor to the firm's international platform, the Boston office includes a team of nationally recognized attorneys with both public and private sector experience. The team offers clients the value of decades of legal experience and hands-on knowledge of the local business community, supported by the firm's vast network of global resources.

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. 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.
Proponent identity representing Kapco Global and Avio-Diepen debuts at MRO Europe, Oct 3rd Under the Proponent name, Kapco Global and Avio-Diepen will work together to differentiate themselves within the industry as a customer-centric organization with a focus on customer relationships, creative problem-solving and value-added distribution.

Kapco Global and Avio-Diepen announced today that they will continue their path toward full integration under the new name Proponent. The two aircraft parts distributors joined forces in May 2016, creating the largest independent aerospace distributor in the world. Under the Proponent name, the two companies will work together to differentiate themselves within the industry as a customer-centric organization with a focus on customer relationships, creative problem-solving and value-added distribution.

Proponent is a one-word mission statement, said Proponent CEO, Andrew Todhunter. It means advocate, champion, supporter. Our goal with this new company is to be a champion for our suppliers and customers. We will do everything in our power to help our suppliers and customers succeed.

The aim of the Proponent identity is to create a new and different aerospace distribution experience for customers. With hundreds of thousands of high-quality parts, global scale and decades of reliable on-time performance, Proponent will be able to compete with larger aircraft parts distributors, but the organizations goal is to differentiate the company by placing a greater emphasis on deep partnerships, agility and innovative service offerings.

A key priority for Proponent will be listening closely to the challenges of customers and suppliers, and being able to work closely with each customer and supplier to create a unique solution for each situation. Proponent hopes to fill a gap between the needs of the industry and what is being offered by other aerospace distribution companies. Among the innovative services and solutions that Proponent is focusing on to address this gap are customized solutions to aid in vendor consolidation, product kitting and tailored stocking solutions.

U.S.-based Kapco Global and Netherlands-based Avio-Diepen bring 115 years of collective experience in aviation. Both companies specialize in supplying aftermarket aircraft parts to the worlds leading MROs and airlines, with only a 10% overlap in product offerings. The identity refresh allows Proponent to give prominence to additional services and business development efforts in which Kapco Global and Avio-Diepen have engaged but have yet to elevate as key market differentiators.

The Proponent identity will make its public debut at the MRO Europe trade show on October 3, 2017.

About Proponent

When two of the worlds leading independent aerospace distributors combine, great things happen. Proponent is the fresh new identity representing not only the expertise of Kapco Global and Avio-Diepen as one united company, but also the unique capabilities and perspective that the organization brings to the aerospace market.

In addition to over 115 years of collective experience in supporting the MRO, OEM and airline markets, our organization has a history of offering innovative inventory and supply chain management solutions to both OEM and aftermarket customers. Proponent combines the scale and agility of two of the worlds largest independent aircraft parts distribution businesses with the passion, proficiency and know-how of a team dedicated to comprehensive customer service and innovative personalized solutions.

Proponent is an employee-owned company, with 600 staff operating out of 12 facilities in 8 countries across the globe.

For more information, please visit http://www.Proponent.com.
Debbie Qaqish, Principal and Chief Strategy Officer, The Pedowitz Group The emerging MO leader is operationalizing marketings role as a digitally responsive growth driver and it requires a fresh and dynamic new approach to planning and budgeting. We call it SPB&M or MO-led Strategic Planning, Budgeting and Management, notes Debbie Qaqish.

Revenue Marketing consulting firm, The Pedowitz Group (TPG), announces its partnership with Allocadia, experts in Marketing Performance Management. TPG and Allocadia share a common vision: to help marketing operations (MO) leaders optimize marketing spend for maximum revenue impact. The timing of their partnership could not be better as marketers are moving quickly into budgeting season for 2018.

This announcement comes during the MarTech Conference in Boston, October 2-4th, where Allocadia is exhibiting in Booth 42. TPG will be exhibiting in the Marketo Vendor Lounge at the Marketo Mini-Summit, which is located inside the MarTech Conference.

TPG and Allocadia are committed to giving Marketing Operations leaders the strategies, tools and training to drive ROI and earn trust at the highest levels within their respective organizations. Together these two powerhouses are helping marketing leaders transform the way they optimize their impact on the business. Joint marketing initiatives will educate the industry on what it takes for marketing operations to perform optimally and thrive in todays customer-centric, buyer-driven marketplace.

The emerging MO leader is operationalizing marketings role as a digitally responsive growth driver and it requires a fresh and dynamic new approach to planning and budgeting. We call it SPB&M or MO-led Strategic Planning, Budgeting and Management, notes Debbie Qaqish, Chief Strategy Officer, TPG.

This summer, TPG and Allocadia presented a joint webinar titled: Marketing Planning Master Class: The Marketing Operations Approach to Planning. Tune in here to listen to Qaqish and Sam Melnick, VP of Marketing of Allocadia, explain how to run marketing like a business using a proven 5-step model for operationalizing the SPB&M process.

Recently, Qaqish and Justin Yopp of TPG, along with Melnick, authored a complimentary white paper: Marketing Operations Leader Guide to Strategic Planning, Budgeting and Management.

In addition to partnering with Allocadia on events and collateral, TPG has added Allocadia to its MarTech reference platform architecture. The two share several joint customers including Citrix and are pursing multiple opportunities across North America.

We are seeing a groundswell of organizations embracing the potential of Marketing Performance Management, said Richard Sharp, Allocadias Chief Operating Officer. As more teams seek to realize the benefits of MPM to transform Marketings impact on the business, The Pedowitz Group offers valuable guidance to support their ambitions. Were confident that our partnership is a powerful combination of world-class technology and expertise.

About Allocadia

Allocadia is the leader in Marketing Performance Management and creators of the #RunMarketing movement. The companys award-winning technology empowers marketers with confidence in their plans, investments, and ROI. Founded in 2006 by twin sisters Kristine Steuart and Katherine Berry, Allocadia today serves more than 10,000 marketers worldwide, managing over $20B in marketing investment to-date. Learn how leading marketing organizations at over 150 companies including Microsoft, Juniper Networks, VMware, Red Hat and Charles Schwab run the business of marketing at Allocadia.com.

About The Pedowitz Group  Connecting Marketing to Revenue

The Pedowitz Group wrote the book, and is the undisputed thought leader on Revenue Marketing. As your partner, TPG helps you plan, build and optimize your revenue engine by delivering services in MarTech, demand generation and marketing operations. We believe that Marketing is the driver of customer engagement that fuels the revenue engine. The Pedowitz Group customers have won over 50 national awards for their Revenue Marketing excellence. To discover how we can help your organization become successful Revenue Marketers, visit http://www.pedowitzgroup.com, or call us at 855-REV-MKTG or visit Revenue Marketer Blog.
AERA Statement on Mass Shooting in Las Vegas

Executive Director Felice J. Levine Extends Condolences, Urges Lifting Restrictions on Gun Violence Research

October 2, 2017

The massacre in Las Vegas last night, coming a week after the senseless shooting in a Tennessee church, is the latest national tragedy by gun violence. Each event is horrific beyond belief. We extend our condolences to the victims and their families and friends.

In this period of human devastation and public pain, it is incumbent upon us to confront our collective responsibilities as researchers, educators, and policy makers to engage in a dialogue about the pervasive and lethal effects of guns in the hands of those seeking to render violence. We owe immediate action to those who have been harmed or have lost their lives and to those who care about them. We owe this also to persons throughout our nation who seek to pursue their lives freely and safelyin schools, on campuses, and in public spaces across our cities and communities.

Once again, AERA calls on Congress to lift restrictions that prevent the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from conducting gun violence research. These restrictions obstruct the development and implementation of evidence-based policies and programs that foster gun safety.

AERA also continues to urge the education research community to redouble its commitment to developing and promoting research-based programs and policies to reduce the risk of violence in public areas. AERA has been, and will continue to be, vocal on this issue, as in past statements on the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School; in Charleston, S.C.; at Umpqua Community College; and in Orlando.

AERA stands with all affected by these tragic events.

About AERA

The American Educational Research Association (AERA) is the largest national interdisciplinary research association devoted to the scientific study of education and learning. Founded in 1916, AERA advances knowledge about education, encourages scholarly inquiry related to education, and promotes the use of research to improve education and serve the public good.

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Our significant growth provides us with the opportunity to accelerate investments in new markets as well as strengthen our engineering and development resources, which will allow us to remain in the vanguard of machine learning and content analytics

Seal Software, the leading provider of Contract Discovery and Analytics, today announced the continued expansion of its worldwide operations with a new office in Egypt, as well as bolstering its team in Sweden. Seizing on the companys accelerating momentum in signing global Fortune 1000 clients, including the recently announced deal with Parker Hannifin, Seal is dedicating more resources and expertise to both its research and development and field sales operations.

Building on its efforts to research, develop, and deliver leading-edge machine learning technologies, Seal is opening a Center of Excellence (CoE) based in Cairo, Egypt. The CoE will be led by Mohammed El Reedy, a highly experienced manager of R&D centers. Prior to his appointment by Seal, El Reedy spent the past eight years running the EMC/Documentum CoE, also based in Cairo.

Seals CoE has already hired more than a dozen dedicated engineers and developers, with plans to add additional functions over time. The Cairo-based CoE team will work closely with Seals existing Gothenburg, Sweden-based development team, providing an even deeper bench of distinguished engineering resources for the market-leading contract analytics platform and its impressive roster of customers.

As part of its momentum efforts, the field operations team is expanding into Sweden, with a dedicated sales force established to serve the Nordic markets. Hakan Axtelius has been appointed Nordic General Manager after successful sales leadership roles at Github, Cygate, and EMC. Axtelius will be based in Stockholm.

I am delighted to announce these new offices and proud of our teams accomplishments, said Ulf Zetterberg, co-founder and CEO, Seal Software, Our significant growth provides us with the opportunity to accelerate investments in new markets as well as strengthen our engineering and development resources, which will allow us to remain in the vanguard of machine learning and content analytics.

Kevin Gidney, co-founder and CTO of Seal Software also commented, With the addition of the Cairo-based CoE, Seal now has more dedicated developers and engineering resources working on content analytics than any other company in this space, and clients can rest assured that we will remain at the forefront of breakthrough solutions and offerings that will help them transform their businesses.

Earlier this year Seal also announced that it has opened a business development center in Dublin, Ohio, creating local jobs and centralizing the companys US-based business development resources.

About Seal Software

Seal Software is the leading provider of contract discovery, data extraction, and analytics. With Seals artificial intelligence, machine learning, and natural language processing technologies, companies can find contracts of any file type across their networks, quickly understand what risks or opportunities are hidden in their contracts, and place them in a centralized repository. Based in San Francisco, Seal empowers enterprises around the world to maximize revenue opportunities, reduce costs, and mitigate risks associated with contractual documents, systems, and processes. For more information, visit Seal Software at http://www.seal-software.com.

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Happy Head Massage I love following the Happy Head on Facebook. They always offer great deals and their massages are always the best!

Happy Head Massage is the premier place in San Diego to get a great massage without the spa price. They currently have 8 locations in Southern California. Starting on October 3, 2017, the Happy Head will be announcing a free massage winner a day on their company Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/superhappyhead/. To participate and for a chance to win a free massage daily, just follow the Happy Head on their company page.

Follow the Happy Head Facebook page to get the latest deals, promos, coupons, prizes, news, and much more. New promos will be posted on Happy Heads page to ensure that the best deals are offered all the time. In addition to the company page, Happy Head Massages local pages offer local discounts that are specific to each location. Happy Head Massage currently has locations in San Diego in downtown, Hillcrest, Pacific Beach, and more. For Happy Head locations, customers can visit their locations page on their website at http://www.happyheadmassage.com/locations/.

The Happy Head continues to look for new ways to improve their customer experience. Kim, a customer at Happy Head says: "I love following the Happy Head on Facebook. They always offer great deals and their massages are always the best!" Facebook has become a great way to communicate with their clients to ensure that they get the best experience. To receive additional discounts, promotions, and the latest Happy Head news, customers can also sign up for the Happy Head email newsletter at http://www.happyheadmassage.com/join-our-mailing-list/.

Massage winners will be announced every day for the next seven days. Those interested should sign up to follow the Happy Head on Facebook and check back daily to see if they are a winner. After all, the only one thing better than a great massage without the spa price is a great free massage.
This revised management structure will more fully optimize the talents and passions of our individual executives.

Aruze Gaming America (Aruze) today announced several changes to its organizational structure and leadership team that will become effective October 3rd, 2017.

Aruze is continually looking at adapting our organization in response to changes in the gaming market and personal situations, stated Takahiro Usui, Aruzes CEO and Chairman of the Board. He added that, this revised management structure will more fully optimize the talents and passions of our individual executives.

The organizational changes announced today include the resignation of Richard Pennington from his positions as President, Chief Administrative Officer, and Chief Financial Officer at Aruze. Mr. Pennington remarked that, I am extremely proud to have been a member of executive management at Aruze for the last seven years. I truly wish I could continue for another seven years, but my personal situation makes that impractical. Mr. Pennington, will continue his association with Aruze as Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors and Senior Advisor to the CFO and CEO.

With Mr. Penningtons departure, Eric Persson will assume the responsibilities of President and be added as a Member of the Board of Directors. Mr. Persson has also been appointed to the position of Chief Operating Officer. Im excited to be a part of this opportunity and to utilize the knowledge Ive gained over the past 18 years to take Aruzes sales, marketing, and R&D to the next level. Mr. Usui added, Eric is a proven leader with a track record of success. Im confident that he is the right person for these roles.

Yugo Kinoshita, Aruzes current COO and Member of the Board of Directors, will relinquish his responsibilities as COO to Mr. Persson and focus on finance, accounting, treasury, and strategic planning as Aruzes Chief Financial Officer and Chief Strategic Officer. In addition to overseeing Aruzes strategic planning process, Mr. Kinoshita will continue managing its manufacturing operations. Mr. Pennington, Aruzes former CFO stated, Yugo is a great fit for this position; he is strategic, well educated, and a seasoned gaming executive.

With these organizational changes, Robert Ziems, Aruzes Chief Legal Officer will continue with his current responsibilities reporting directly to both the Board of Directors and the CEO. Mr. Ziems will assume the additional responsibilities of Corporate Secretary and become a Member of the Board of Directors. Mr. Ziems stated, I feel fortunate to join a Board with complementary skill sets and 80+ years of gaming experience.

Mr. Usui closed by pointing out, Aruze exists to make gaming more entertaining for the player. These organizational changes enhance our leadership capabilities and gives Aruze the best opportunity to fulfill its mission.

About Aruze Gaming

Aruze Gaming designs, develops, and manufactures slot machines and gaming devices for the global casino market. With affiliates in America, Hong Kong, Australia, South Africa, Macau, Philippines, and Japan, Aruze produces innovative gaming products, including high resolution video and stepper slot machines, communal gaming products, and multi-terminal devices.
Plastic Surgery Associates is excited to reveal that practice co-founder, Heather Furnas, MD, has been asked to present at the upcoming Experienced Insights in Breast and Body Contouring meeting. The event will be held in San Francisco, October 19-21, 2017. Dr. Furnas will speak on several hot aesthetic topics, including labial and vaginal rejuvenation.

The American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) is the worlds leading organization for aesthetic medicine. Founded in 1967, the ASAPS boasts more than 2,600 members. The group routinely hosts a range of meetings and symposiums across the United States and abroad. Each symposium brings together renowned plastic surgeons and aesthetic specialists for continuing education programing, designed to improve the quality of patient care, introduce cutting-edge surgical procedures and boost communication among the medical community. The meetings are organized and managed by the Aesthetic Society, fulfilling their stringent continuing education requirements.

The October program, Experienced Insights in Breast and Body Contouring, will spotlight aesthetic and reconstructive breast surgery and body contouring techniques. The event is designed to offer a unique blend of lectures, debates and instructional courses, all presented by leading aesthetic practitioners from around the globe. In addition to the discussion sessions, vendors will be on hand to provide a look at the cutting-edge products and services coming onto the aesthetic market.

This years Breast and Body Contouring event will feature a variety of distinguished presentations on topics such as the future of fat transfers, dealing with capsular contracture, out-of-the-box body contouring techniques and how to manage complications. Accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education, physicians can earn a maximum of 18.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits at the October meeting, including 9 Patient Safety Credits.

Dr. Furnas will host two discussions at the ASAPS event, both touching on her specialty of female genital surgery. Her first lecture, Labial and Vaginal Rejuvenation Zealot Phase? Check! What Have We Learned? Technology vs Exisional Techniques: Developing an Algorithm, will include a panel discussion with insights from Christine Hamori, MD, Jamil Ahmad, MD and Julie Khanna, MD. Additionally, Dr. Furnas, Dr. Hamori and Dr. Khanna will present on the hot topic, What Do Men Know Anyway? Heres What Plastic Surgeons Should Do: Trust Us. Each lecture will provide time for additional questions and follow-up information.

Dr. Furnas is a graduate of the UCLA School of Medicine and Stanford University, as well as, an Adjunct Assistant Professor at Stanford University. She is considered one of the countrys leading experts on female genital surgery and vaginal rejuvenation. In 1991, Dr. Furnas co-founded Napa Valleys Plastic Surgery Associates with her husband, Francisco Canales, MD. Both doctors are board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. Dr. Furnas and Dr. Canales frequently present at plastic and aesthetic surgery conferences around the world.



More information on Dr. Heather Furnas and Dr. Francisco Canales can be obtained by contacting Plastic Surgery Associates Santa Rosa office at 707.537.2111. Further information on the Breast and Body Contouring Symposium can be found on the ASAPS website.
Acumatica Shipping Software Visit V-Technologies, LLC at the Acumatica Road Shows to learn how Acumatica customers streamline shipping operations with efficient shipping processing, integration to accounts receivable and customer service for improved productivity and cost savings.  Caroline Rua Past News Releases RSS Stratotech Partners Earn Acumatica...

Leading Credit Card Processing...

V-Technologies, LLC, StarShip...

V-Technologies, LLC, leading integrated Acumatica shipping software, StarShip solution announces Platinum sponsorship of Acumatica 2017 R2 Launch Day Event held on Wednesday, September 13, 2017 in Boston, Massachusetts. This kick-off Acumatica Road Show event was the first of several Road Shows across the country that will provide Acumatica customers, partners, and industry analysts an in-depth look at Acumatica 2017 R2. V-Technologies, LLC is a Platinum sponsor of the following Acumatica Road Shows:

Columbus, OH - September 21, 2017

Dallas, TX - September 26, 2017

Orange County, CA - October 3, 2017

Seattle, WA  October 5, 2017

Chicago, IL  October 10, 2017

StarShip's integration is an Acumatica-Certified Application (ACA). This title represents a select group of development partners whose applications have met the highest standards set for Acumatica integration and functionality. Acumatica is a comprehensive, browser-based Cloud ERP solution optimized for ease of use, adaptability, mobility, speed, and security.

Customers who want to stay competitive need flexible, responsive technology to execute their long-term business strategies, said Christian Lindberg, Vice President of Partner Solutions at Acumatica. Our ACA label is built to help customers find applications capable of delivering that. Were proud to recognize V-Technologies, LLC as an Acumatica-Certified Application. It masterfully utilizes the Acumatica platform to meet customers growing business demands.

About V-Technologies, LLC:

Founded in 1987, V-Technologies is a shipping software development company who offers a selection of solutions to meet the growing demand for integrated shipping. StarShip and ShipGear are the two flagship shipping software products. V-Technologies develops interfaces with Sage Softwares Sage 100 (formerly MAS 90 and MAS 200), Sage 500, Sage 50, Microsoft Dynamics GP, Acumatica, QuickBooks, Macola, QuickBooks, Fishbowl, Amazon and eBay.

V-Technologies has partnerships with other supply chain management solutions such as EDI integration with HighJump True Commerce, SWKs MAPADOC, Edisoft and SPS Commerce along with popular barcoding solutions such as Scanco, ScanForce and Panatrack. Additional information about V-Technologies and its solutions is available at http://www.vtechnologies.com

About Acumatica

Acumatica provides cloud-based business management software that empowers small and mid-size businesses to accelerate their businesses and drive growth. Built on cloud and mobile technology and a unique customer-centric licensing model, Acumatica delivers a suite of fully integrated business management applications, such as Financials, Distribution, CRM and Project Accounting, on a robust and flexible platform. In an interconnected world, Acumatica enables customers to take full control of their businesses, play to their organizations unique strengths and support their clients by following them anywhere on any device. For more information, visit acumatica.com
We are recognized as experts globally for providing tolerance analysis and GD&T software solutions, as well as industry-leading training and consulting services, and now we are proud to offer tolerance analysis solutions in all major CAD markets.

Sigmetrix, global experts in GD&T and mechanical variation, announced their newest software release for Autodesk Inventor users  EZtol for Autodesk Inventor. This 1D analysis tool is designed to enable designers and engineers to quickly understand the impact of part and assembly variation on the fit and performance of their products.

EZtol for Autodesk Inventor builds on the capabilities of Sigmetrix standalone EZtol solution by utilizing tolerance information (i.e. PMI) from the dimensions in the part files. This new version also includes auto-part-loop generation; EZtol will create the loops based on assembly constraints or joints, the user will simply select the loop and the analysis will be calculated! With the utilization of PMI and assembly constraint and joint information it has some of the most powerful automation capabilities of any product in the Sigmetrix portfolio.

We are thrilled to be able to expand into the Autodesk user community with EZtol for Autodesk Inventor, stated Chris Wilkes, President and CEO of Sigmetrix. We are recognized as experts globally for providing tolerance analysis and GD&T software solutions, as well as industry-leading training and consulting services, and now we are proud to offer tolerance analysis solutions in all major CAD markets.

EZtol for Autodesk Inventor is an add-in for Inventor 2018 that has been designed to make it easier to create, manage and report upon multiple 1D tolerance analyses in an assembly. Some of the additional features youll get with EZtol for Autodesk Inventor are:



Builds the analysis on top of the 3D design model:

o Uses the actual nominal distances between surfaces/features from the design.

o Helps to ensure all components in the loop are included.

o Shows the optimum dimensioning scheme for the single analysis.



Automatically calculates the worst-case, RSS, and statistical results of the analysis. Metrics for statistical results can be reported as: Cpk, Sigma, DPMO, or % Yield.

Lists of contributors sorted from largest to smallest.

Define multiple tolerance stackup analyses on the same model.

Provides a summary table showing the objectives and results of each stackup analysis along with a visual indication of whether the requirement has been met.

Automatically finds stackup loop of parts between stackup endpoints from Inventor assembly constraints and joints.

Links to tolerances, both on linear dimensions and geometric (i.e. GD&T & GPS), so that changes update both the design and analysis data.

Stores the dimensions, with tolerances, defined for each part so that the user doesnt have to re-enter them for each loop. This also allows the automatic updating of all analyses when the user makes a modification to a tolerance used in multiple analyses.

Generates detailed report with graphical view of the dimension loop over the models involved and a graphical presentation of results and the top contributors.

Provides an indication that the tolerance stackup may not be 1D in nature including a note that the results provided may underestimate the actual variation that will occur during production.

Sigmetrix is pleased to be exhibiting and demonstrating this solution that can leverage the new MBD capabilities of Autodesk Inventor at Autodesk University to be held November 13  16, 2017 in Las Vegas, NV. Peter De Strijker will be presenting Inventor 2018 Model-Based Definition: Why and How to Apply which will include a focus on downstream consumption of MBD and a short demonstration of the functionality of EZtol for Autodesk Inventor by Stephen Werst, Senior Product Strategist at Sigmetrix. Learn more about the conference at: http://au.autodesk.com/las-vegas/overview.

We were excited to partner with Autodesk to embed our GD&T Advisor technology into Autodesk Inventor 2018 to augment its MBD capabilities, commented Stephen Werst, Senior Product Strategist at Sigmetrix. But getting the correct tolerances, whether expressed as G&DT or +/- tolerances, requires a tolerance stackup analysis to see how those tolerances impact the assembly requirements. EZtol for Autodesk Inventor bridges the gap between manual tolerance stackups and an advanced tool like CETOL 6 perfectly.

EZtol for Autodesk Inventor is now available for purchase at: https://www.eztol.com

About Sigmetrix

Sigmetrix is a global provider of comprehensive, easy-to-use software solutions that help users achieve robust designs through tolerance analysis and the correct application of GD&T. With over 20 years of research and development, Sigmetrix products eliminate the error between as-designed assemblies and as-produced products. For more information, visit their website at http://www.sigmetrix.com.
This recognition reflects our commitment from the top down to making Fisher Investments the best possible place to come to work, day in and day out.

Fisher Investments is pleased to announce it has been named a Top Workplace in Oregon and southwestern Washington by The Oregonian. The newspaper also recognized Fisher Investments for offering its employees the best benefits of any company in the region.

The Oregonian was supported by independent research firm WorkplaceDynamics in the selection process, which relied exclusively on employee survey results. Over 27,000 employees in the region submitted feedback on topics including their employers values, leadership, organizational effectiveness, employee appreciation and opportunities for growth, as well as pay and benefits. Fisher Investments was previously recognized as one of the Best Places to Launch a Career by BusinessWeek magazine.

Lane Jarvis, Executive Vice President of Global Human Capital at Fisher Investments, commented, We are honored to be named one of The Oregonians Top Workplaces in Oregon and southwest Washington. This recognition reflects our commitment from the top down to making Fisher Investments the best possible place to come to work, day in and day out. Our success as a firm is 100% dependent on our employees and we are particularly happy this award was based on their positive feedback. Having a fully-engaged workforce that is confident in the direction of our business is one of our competitive advantages. It helps us provide our clients with unparalleled service and differentiates us from our competition.

2017 marks the sixth year The Oregonian and WorkplaceDynamics have conducted the Top Workplaces survey. The nomination process is open to any employer with at least 35 people on its payroll in Oregon or in Clark, Cowlitz, or Skamania counties in Washington. WorkplaceDynamics, which conducts Top Workplaces surveys for more than 45 major metropolitan news organizations, polled more than 2.8 million employees at nearly 7,000 organizations in 2016.

About Fisher Investments

Founded in 1979, Fisher Investments is an independent, fee-only investment adviser with $90 billion under management. Fisher Investments maintains four principal business units: Fisher Investments Institutional Group, Fisher Investments Private Client Group, Fisher Investments 401(k) Solutions Group, and Fisher Investments International Group, which serve a global client base of diverse investors. The clients of Fisher investments and its affiliates include over 175 institutions and over 43,000 high-net-worth individuals. Founder and Executive Chairman Ken Fisher wrote the Forbes Portfolio Strategy column for over 30 years, continues to write for Financial Times and USA Today, and has authored four New York Times bestsellers on finance and investing. For more information, please visit http://www.fisherinvestments.com/. (All data as of 9/30/17.)
GTI_Logo_Stacked_Green_SML.png having the backing of a solid brand like GreenTree Inn will continue to help us grow our presence in Prescott Valley and provide our guests world-class programs

GreenTree Hospitality Group, Inc., the 14th largest hotel brand globally, with over 2600 hotels worldwide, is pleased to share that tomorrow it will open its first U.S. franchise property, the former Arizona Inn will be rebranded as a GreenTree Inn property. The Arizona Inn, a boutique 77 room property located in Prescott Valley, Arizona, in the heart of Yavapai County, will officially open its doors as part of the GreenTree Inn family.

GreenTree Inn Prescott Valley, formerly The Arizona Inn, has been touted as a traveler, family friendly property, offering multiple amenities including hot breakfast, high-speed Wi-Fi, in-room mini-fridge, microwave & coffee maker, pet-friendly rooms, seasonal outdoor heated pool, business center and more. GreenTree Inn Prescott Valley joins GreenTree Sedona and GreenTree Flagstaff, growing the GreenTree presence throughout northern Arizona.

Pro Hospitality One PV LLC has inked the deal to be the first United States franchise for GreenTree Inn, by converting its Arizona Inn to GreenTree Inn Prescott Valley. Pro Hospitality One PV will operate under the franchise agreement.

The property is located close to the Prescott Valley Event Center, home of the Northern Arizona Suns and host to a large variety of events catering to several interests. While staying at GreenTree Inn Prescott Valley (formerly the Arizona Inn), travelers can enjoy scenic hikes as well as colorful local night life at a nearby casino or at Prescotts World Famous Whiskey Row.

We are proud to have the Arizona Inn join the GreenTree Inn family officially tomorrow, and look forward to exposing the GreenTree Inn brand to its guests. Renovations and updates have been on-going and will continue through 2018, bringing the best parts of the GreenTree Inn brand to Prescott Valley. The former Arizona Inn guests will have access to GreenTree Inns loyalty program, GiveBack Rewards, excellent guest service and GreenTrees commitment to its social responsibility campaigns shared Kevin Brooks, managing director, GreenTree Hospitality Group.

Alex Rizk, managing member (Pro Hospitality One PV LLC) shared, Having the backing of a solid brand like GreenTree Inn will continue to help us grow our presence in Prescott Valley and provide our guests world-class programs. We are very excited to being this new chapter as the first U.S. franchise for GreenTree Inn. We intend to help GreenTree Inn grow in the US and we look forward to many more opportunities in the very near future."

ABOUT GreenTree Inn

GreenTree Inn, a US based limited service brand dedicated to providing quality hotels in Arizona and California. GreenTree Inn is committed to practices and programs that pay respect to, and lessen our footprint on, our changing environment. Learn more about GreenTree Inn by visiting our website http://www.greentreeinn.com.

ABOUT GreenTree Hospitality Group, Inc.

GreenTree Hospitality Group, Inc. is a leading hotel owner, operator and franchisor with over 2600 hotels worldwide. As the 14th largest hotel brand globally, its GreenTree Inn hotels are trusted by corporate and leisure travelers seeking product that boasts of consistent quality guest rooms and public areas.

GreenTree Inn is a growing select-service hotel brand and prides itself on delivering an affordable lodging experience to its guests. Learn more about GreenTree Inn and GreenTree Hospitality Group by visiting us at http://www.greentreeinn.com or contact us at info(at)greentreeinn(dot)com.

Media Contact

Amanda Saye, Director of Marketing

GreenTree Hospitality Group, Inc.

480-201-9671

amanda.saye(at)greentreeinn(dot)com
This is a cause thats very near and dear to my heart, not only because of the survivors I have worked with in the past, but also because of my mother

In recognition of October being National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Dr. Mark Deutsch of Atlanta-based Perimeter Plastic Surgery will be donating a percentage of the proceeds from all breast surgeries he performs in October 2017 to the charity organization, Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

Each year, I am proud to participate in National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, to help support the fight for a cure for the disease and support those who suffer from it, says Dr. Deutsch, who is a double board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon with more than 20 years of cosmetic and reconstructive surgery experience.

Dr. Deutsch is a fervent champion of the breast cancer awareness movement and the Susan G. Komen organization. He is one of the few surgeons in Atlanta who specializes in DIEP Flap Reconstruction, a procedure that takes abdominal tissue to reconstruct patients breasts, resulting in a flatter stomach and natural-looking breasts. Special training at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texasone of the foremost breast cancer centers in the worldqualifies Dr. Deutsch as one of the most respected and capable breast reconstruction surgeons in Atlanta.

Susan G. Komen is the worlds largest breast cancer organization, funding more breast cancer research than any other nonprofit group. Since its founding in 1982, Komen has funded more than $800 million in research and provided $1.7 billion in funding to screening, education, treatment and psychosocial support programs serving millions of people in more than 30 countries worldwide.

Dr. Deutschs decision to donate a portion of all breast surgeries to Susan G. Komen comes not only from his frequent interactions with patients who survived breast cancer, but also to honor his own mother who is a breast cancer survivor.

This is a cause thats very near and dear to my heart, not only because of the survivors I have worked with in the past, but also because of my mother, says Dr. Deutsch. Im honored to be able to contribute to such an amazing organization that continues to positively impact thousands of lives every day.

About Perimeter Plastic Surgery:

Dr. Mark Deutsch is the founder of Perimeter Plastic Surgery and a top plastic surgeon in Atlanta. He is board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, and performs a variety of cosmetic and reconstructive surgeries. In addition to his work in the United States, he travels annually to South America to perform volunteer procedures. For more information about Dr. Deutsch and Perimeter Plastic Surgery, please visit perimeterplasticsurgery.com.
Fall is often the time when San Franciscans get serious about tax and estate planning.

Safe Harbor LLP, recognized as one of the leading accounting firms in the San Francisco Bay Area for estate and tax planning both for businesses and for high net worth individuals, is proud to announce its October newsletter. The newsletter is available online to both clients and the general public.

Fall is often the time when San Franciscans get serious about tax and estate planning, explained Chun Wong, Managing Partner at Safe Harbor LLP. With summer behind us, many people not only return to work but look to the future and the future that they do not want is one with high estate taxes vis-a-vis their family and loved ones. Accordingly, our October newsletter is very informative as a starting point to a discussion.

To view the October newsletter, visit http://www.safeharborcpa.com/san-francisco-tax-tips-october-2017-newsletter/. Those who would like to view an online estate planning guide can also visit http://www.safeharborcpa.com/estate-planning-guide/. However, San Francisco Bay Area residents who have business interests and/or are high net worth individuals are urged to reach out to the accounting firm for a consultation. No two situations are alike and the best next step is a consultation on estate and/or tax planning.

A NEWSLETTER FOR SAN FRANCISCANS WHO CARE ABOUT TAXES

Low income people do not need complex tax planning and tax strategies. That's the reality. Higher income people, either those with investment or property income or perhaps those working in San Francisco's booming technology sector, are another story. Still another are people who are aging and are looking at estate and tax planning vis-a-vis the estate tax. San Francisco residents who are seeking a boutique CPA firm that cares about its clients yet has the intellectual stamina to cleverly take advantage of every legal tax saving opportunity turn to Safe Harbor LLP for their tax and estate planning strategy. Working, if necessary, with a San Francisco estate planning attorney, the accountants at Safe Harbor LLP can devise a strategy to minimize taxes in the long run. The zero cost newsletter produced by the firm is but the first step towards a freer, less taxing future. Interested parties should read it at once.

ABOUT SAFE HARBOR LLP - A PROFESSIONAL CPA FIRM IN SAN FRANCISCO

Safe Harbor LLP is a CPA firm that specializes in accounting and tax services for individuals and businesses throughout the San Francisco Bay Area and greater California. Safe Harbor CPAs helps both individuals and businesses with tax preparation, IRS audit defense, and audited financial statements. The firm prides itself on friendly yet professional service and utilizes state-of-the-art Internet technology to provide quality customer service.

Safe Harbor CPA

http://www.safeharborcpa.com

Tel. 415.742.4249
The reaction in the stock market to the development has been swift and punishing. Nordstrom's stock dropped 7.4% as of 12:58 pm EST, while fellow department stores JCPenney (-8.3%), Dillard's (-7.1%) Macy's (-5.6%) and Kohl's (-4.1%) were collateral damage.

Nordstrom's contagious woes are just the latest entry in the ongoing retail apocalypse, which has seen emerging juggernauts like Amazon threaten the long-term future of traditional brick-and-mortar retailers. Just two weeks ago, Toys R Us filed for bankruptcy amid industry headwinds, while traders also placed large bets against the store's suppliers.

In fact, the Toys R Us bankruptcy has played a direct role in Nordstrom's failure to raise debt, with potential investors feeling anxiety around sinking money into an unstable area, according to the Post.

And while news of the financing struggles is hitting Nordstrom shares, William Blair analyst Dylan Carden isn't particularly surprised, describing the debt-raising process as a "major sticking point" for the success of the deal in a research note published on Monday.

To make matters even worse, Nordstrom investors weren't exactly braced for a negative development in the go-private process. Prior to Monday's sell off, short interest on the company's stock was at its lowest level since 2015, relative to outstanding shares available to loan, according to IHS Markit data.

The lack of bearish positioning may be explained by the fact that even following the initial news about Nordstrom's go-private plans, the company's stock was down 1.6% year-to-date.
The stake adds to Berkshire Hathaway's bet on the US economy. Buffett already owns stakes in US airlines and railroads, which would also benefit from an increase in trade and economic activity.

BDT & Company advised Pilot Flying J on the deal with its in-house finance arm, BDT Capital Partners, exiting its minority investment in the company. Not heard of BDT & Company? That's by design. Here's everything you need to know about Warren Buffett's favorite banker.

We talked to a UBS behavioral finance specialist about how emotions get the best of even the most experienced investors.
Like all the other reporters there, Coles desperately wanted to interview the woman. Ultimately, she came up with a  creative way to do so, one that's emblematic of her lifelong gutsiness.

On an episode of Business Insider's podcast, "Success! How I Did It," Coles shared the story with Business Insider US editor-in-chief Alyson Shontell:

"I covered the appeal at the high court when she was released, and everybody wanted to interview her, but it turned out, because this was 25 years ago, that I was the only woman actually covering the case. Everybody else was male.

"And she left the high court at top speed in a cab and rushed off to King's Cross station to get a train up north because she, too, was from Yorkshire  and actually the judge was from Yorkshire, too, Judge Pickles he was called  and of course on getting to the station, what would she naturally do, like every other person, she went to the bathroom, and all I can remember is jumping over the turnstile because you had to put sixpence in, I think, to go through the turnstile into the bathroom, and of course none of the men could follow.

"So then I thought: 'Christ, I've got a scoop. I'm going to get the first interview, but what shall I ask her? And where is she?' And obviously she was in a bathroom stall. But then I suddenly thought: 'What if she gets away? What if she gets away?'

"So I kicked open the door as if I was Starsky and Hutch. Poor girl was mid-pee, looked up kind of bleary-eyed at me, and then I thought, 'What on earth do I ask her?' And I think I asked one question and then I sort of backed out and waited for her. Got a minor interview because she wasn't a very interesting girl and then got the story and that sort of taught me my own level of ambition and also that there's a point in which you've gone too far, and that was the point, I think  bursting in on people during mid-pee."

Listen to the whole episode and subscribe for more Success!

Since landing that not-quite-scoop, Coles has transitioned into magazine journalism; she's served as the editor-in-chief of Marie Claire and the editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan, and she's currently the first chief content officer at Hearst Magazines. But her willingness to take risks and seize the opportunities in front of her has lasted throughout her career.

Actually, Coles was always bold: In the interview with Business Insider, she said she and a friend put together a magazine when they were 11 years old and sent it to the Queen. In response, they received a letter saying the Queen loved it and was looking forward to another issue.

Coles has said that the riskiest career move she ever made was leaving her job as a foreign correspondent for the Times of London and taking a job in magazine journalism. As she wrote on LeanIn.org, at the time she was pregnant with her second child and didn't have a visa that would allow her to stay in New York.

"Anxious to push forward and on a time deadline, I decided to accept a role junior to my experience in exchange for the opportunity to get sponsored in the States. Though the employer had no issue telling me I 'came with a lot of problems,' they were also dedicated to helping me sort through them. I was immensely grateful for their support and I leaned in, which required a 50% cut in my salary and compensation package.
On Monday, a group of shareholders led by Zevin Asset Management filed a resolution to express concern with the company's "unequal paid parental leave policy."

While Starbucks' corporate offices have extensive maternity and paternity leave policies, these policies do not include in-store workers. Corporate employees can receive up to 18 weeks of paid maternal leave, and fathers or adoptive parents receive up to 12 weeks of paid leave.

However, in-store workers receive just six weeks of paid maternal leave. Adoptive parents can request up to six weeks of paid leave.

"This runs counter to Starbucks's widely recognized commitment to social responsibility, nondiscrimination, and inclusion," the resolution reads. "Our Company's unequal stance may disproportionately harm low income workers and workers of color. LGBTQ workers face particular challenges, as they are four times more likely to parent adopted children and six times more likely to raise foster children."

The resolution requests that Starbucks' board prepare a report on the coffee giant's family leave policy that evaluates the risk of employment discrimination at the company.

Starbucks spokesperson Reggie Borges told Business Insider that the company is one of the few to provide hourly employees full benefit eligibility at only 20 hours a week.

"We offer a more robust benefits package than any other retail company," Borges said in an email.

He continued: "With respect to our new parental leave benefit, this will be exceptional within the retail industry not only because of paid time off component, but also because its offered to anyone who works just 20+ hours or more a week, and there is no tenure requirement attached to it."

Zevin Asset Management, which classifies itself as a socially responsible impact investing firm, says it began conversations regarding weak family leave policies with more than 10 companies in client portfolios this summer.

"Paid family leave is a matter of gender justice in America. And it's quickly becoming a business risk," Pat Miguel Tomaino, associate director of socially responsible investing at Zevin, said in a statement.
At New York Fashion week in mid-September, he told a reporter "there is no me," and that there's no meaning to anything in life. The remarks instantly went viral. A few weeks later at the Toronto International Film Festival the internet went crazy when he revealed how "Her" director Spike Jonze almost directed "Ace Venture: When Nature Calls."

Now get ready for this one.

The legendary funny man has shown up on Norm Macdonald's podcast and revealed how much Tommy Lee Jones hated him while the two made "Batman Forever."

Jones revealed this to Carrey one evening in the middle of production, before the two had a major scene together. They happened to be at the same restaurant.

This is how Carrey told it:

"The maitre d' said, 'Oh, I hear you're working with Tommy Lee Jones. He's over in the corner having dinner.' I went over and I said, 'Hey Tommy, how are you doing?' and the blood just drained from his face. Like he had been thinking about me 24 hours a day. And he got up shaking  he must have been in mid kill-me fantasy or something like that. And he went to hug me and he said, 'I hate you. I really don't like you.' And I said, 'What's the problem?' And pulled up a chair, which probably wasn't smart. And he said, 'I cannot sanction your buffoonery.'"

In the 1995 Batman movie directed by Joel Schumacher, the two played villains across then-Batman Val Kilmer. Carrey played the Riddler and Jones played Two-Face.

Macdonald told Carrey after hearing the story that he believes Jones acted that way because Carrey was at the height of his fame at that time, and Jones didn't like him getting all the attention.

Carrey, who was on the podcast to promote his upcoming Netflix documentary, "Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond - With a Very Special, Contractually Obligated Mention of Tony Clifton," had another theory.

"He might have been uncomfortable doing that work, too," Carey said. "That's not really his style of stuff."

Watch Carrey's appearance on Macdonald's podcast below. Carrey talking about Jones starts at the 1:08:27 mark:
According to him, female students who have rented hostels and houses stand a high risk of getting pregnant since they will not be under the guidance of school authorities.

He said since there is going to be lack of supervision of the male students living outside the schools, it is possible for those students to get pregnant.

Many first-year students of SHS have been left on their own in private hostels after they were denied admission by authorities due to accommodation challenges.

But the NDC Central Regional Chairman speaking on Accra-based Adom FM said the situation is worrying.

READ MORE: GES calls back 51
LINCOLN  One man has been wounded in a shooting in Lincoln and two people have been arrested in connection with the incident, police said.

Lincoln police were called about 2 a.m. Sunday to the 700 block of Walnut Street for a report of a shooting that injured a Lincoln resident in the chest and arm.

Police Chief Paul Adams said Logan County Paramedics and the Lincoln Fire Department aided the man, who lived in an apartment where the shooting happened. The victim was taken to the local hospital and later flown to another hospital where he was in stable condition.

Adams said witnesses reported seeing two men with guns, one in a dark blue Ford Escape and the other in a white Cadillac Escalade with tinted windows, flee the scene.

Lincoln police conducted search warrants at the victims residence on Monday and found a large amount of currency and crack cocaine, said Adams, adding a man and a woman were arrested on charges of manufacture and delivery of more than 100 grams of a controlled substance.

The victim and those involved are prior residents of the Chicago area, Adams said.

They are scheduled to be in Logan County Court today.

The investigation is ongoing, Adams said.

Anyone with any information concerning this crime is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (217) 732-3000.
The president was speaking at the 2017 celebration of World Cocoa Day in when he made the promise.

Nana Addo believes that this programme would boost the consumption of cocoa products locally.

The provision of the free chocolate to all pupils would be reportedly run alongside the school feeding programme.

"It is for this reason that the Ministry of Agriculture through COCOBOD, the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection through the school feeding programme, and the Ministry of Education through the Ghana Education Service, are to ensure the sustained provision of cocoa beverages and chocolates to school children from primary school to secondary level," he said.

Local manufacturing companies who are into the production of cocoa products have reportedly agreed to help government with the programme according to Nana Addo's statements.

Nana Addo explained that the target for the NPP government was to "provide every Ghanaian student with a bar of chocolate or cocoa beverage each day whilst in school."

Cocoa is the chief agricultural export of Ghana and the country's main cash crop. Behind Ivory Coast, Ghana is the second largest cocoa exporter in the world.

However, the consumption of cocoa products locally has not been up to the expected level.
So, when the news that Stonebwoy was getting married broke, Ghanas internet broke along with it. The doctor angle provided a sweet twist to the tale especially for the petty ones who could only shade a certain Dancehall King.

Stonebwoy defied the usual odds of people thinking for a musician, who had used so many video vixens showing their body on camera, marrying a doctor was kind of unacceptable. But hey, who set those rules?

The fact that the two-time BET Awards nominee stood his ground against all odds (including a very specific odd from an ex) proved to everyone Stonebwoy loved Dr Louisa (Ansong) Satekla. And Ghanaians loved their love story too.

Well, until a statement from the Ghanaian musicians management team following his Ashaiman To The World Concert on Saturday, September 30, 2017.

For a show that was supposed to tell a lost love found between Stonebwoy and Shatta Wale, it turned out otherwise as a more serious news of Stonebwoys wife being stabbed made the headlines.

The initial report of Stonebwoys wife getting stab wounds and being rushed to the hospital was confirmed on the musicians Facebook page:

Knife cuts Tru My Tent Missed Me As Target And Cuts wifey on her back side! Minute Before I Hit Stage! But #IstillDeliveredForMyPeople and Rushed To The hospital right after I Got Off Stage

Cant express my gratitude enough to all who Came To make it possible. #ATTWC17 Record Broken!

History Made.

#HatredHasNoCure

#IGoFindDem

Now hold up!

How in the world would you leave your stabbed wife to climb a stage to perform? And ow, as the confirmation post said, Stonebwoy was the target meaning his security was still at risk when he climbed the stage to perform.

For the record, we saw how Stonebwoy reacted a fan imitated his style of walking on stage some months ago. That is in no way validating that fans abysmal behaviour but that should tell you Stonebwoy does not take such things as joke.

So why now, when his better halfs life and his were actually threatened?

The second part of the message sent a different message. Stonebwoy sounded more interested in a record broken and a history made than his interest what had happened to his wife.

Granted, a lot of these celebrities have other people handling their social media but unless the incident was actually being blown out of proportion than what it really was, whoever validated that message before it went out did more harm than good.

Later happening would come to prove this.

The Tema Divisional Police has confirmed that no official complaint was made by Stonebwoys team concerning the attack on Louisa.

Confirming to Radio Univers, ACP Joseph Benefo Darkwah told Abrantepa his team was still waiting for an official report from the dancehall musician and his team.

The management team of Stonebwoy got the message and did respond. But the response has created more doubts than answering the questions that have been raised so far.

The Public Relations Officer at Zylofone Media, Stonebwoys management team, on Monday said on Hitz FMs Day Break Hitz with KMJ said:

The safety of the lady is really important and we needed to take care of her first. If we report to the police, what will be the reason behind it? Is it to arrest the culprit or to sound a caution?" Sammy Baah popularly known as Sammy Flex said.

We did not record it as attempted murder. Even as an artiste your fans out of the love they have for you can hurt you.

Like seriously?

First of all, neither Stonebwoy nor any member of his team can actually define what attempted murder is. It is the job of the Ghana Police Service. That is why the incident should have been reported.

Then again, unless the entire story about Stonebwoys wife being stabbed is fabricated.

Second, asking Is it to arrest the culprit or to sound a caution? is just out of the world of reasonable thoughts. No offence.

It is for the Ghana Police Service to start their investigations.

It is for the Ghana Police Service to sound a warning to the other hooligans who plan to invade the next musical tour.

It is for the good of a civilized society where perpetrators are fished out and punished.

So Stonebwoys team just shot themselves in their own foot with the follow-ups since announcing the love of their artistes life was threatened.

But then again, this industry has seen so many publicity stunts just to get the attention and make the news. This could be one of those.

There is no logical explanation that Stonebwoy left his stabbed wife and performed with a sound mind on stage to please fans when his life had been threatened.

As it stands there are so many holes in that story that makes it really difficult to believe. Everything can change with the team reporting to the police and releasing a medical report as Dr Louisa Satekla has been reportedly discharged.
Our wedding is this Saturday and for the first time in my life I just gave her one small slap and she threw my ring to my face and called it off. If a woman cannot endure a little slap from the man she loves then what can she endure in the marriage? Just correction slap and she is forming yanki girl saying domestic violence, how? Should I beg her? Or do you people think she is unserious? My mum said she is not a serious wife. I slapped her because she picked my call and I have warned her never to try it because I dont pick hers or go close to her phone.
The convict pleaded not guilty, but the court presided over Mrs. Abena Oppong Adjin-Doku found him guilty on the charge of defilement.

Kwame Mensah was arrested by members of the Achimota Forestry Rapid Response Task Force, who chanced upon him, as he was dressing up just after having sexual intercourse with the ten-year-old victim.

Asked if he had anything to say before the courts ruling was pronounced, Kwame Mensah prayed the court to tamper justice with mercy and forgive him, saying he was the one taking care of his aging mother.

I have a son who is currently staying with my mother and I am the one taking care of him. Please forgive me, he pleaded.

Prosecuting, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Agnes Boafo, narrated to the court that, the victim is a class three pupil living with her grandmother at Maamobi, While the convict resides at Adjiringanor, all suburbs of Accra.

The complainant was Mrs. Edith Ansah, the Greater Accra Regional Manager of the Forestry Commission.

ASP Agnes Boafo said on January 17, this year, at about 10:00 hours, the convict met the victim at her school at Kotobabi and persuaded her to follow him in order to collect some books and pens for her teacher.

She said Mensah managed to lure the victim to board a car with him and took her to the Achimota Forest Reserve. The convict then asked the victim to lie on the floor where he defiled her.

According to the prosecutor, The girl refused and started crying. Mensah slapped her and pulled out a knife, threatening to kill her if she does not comply. He then had sexual intercourse with her.

ASP Agnes Boafo further explained that, luck eluded Mensah when he was spotted by the Achimota Forestry Rapid Response Task Force just as he started dressing after the sexual act.

The convict took to his heels, but was chased up and arrested. He was then sent to Mrs. Ansah, who lodged a complaint with the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit at Tesano, whilst the victim was given a medical form to seek treatment.

The convict tried to deny the offence, saying that, the Task Force did not arrest him at the Forest as they claimed.
The order was given after Chief Inspector Hanson Armah told the court that he had been informed by the Case Investigator that, the accused was indisposed and was receiving medical attention at the Prisons infirmary.

Earlier, sympathizers of the 33-year old deceased mechanic, Yaw Boadi, clad in red arm bands expressed their displeasure about the absence of the suspect in court and threaten that, they would march from the Abeka District Court premises to the Tesano Police Station over what they referred to as questionable absence of the accused in court.

The matter was however adjourned to October 16 for the next sitting.

It would be recalled that, on August 8, this year, the victim was shot after an argument ensued between him and the accused, Nana Frimpong.

The accused who had parked his red Hyundai car at the spot got angry when the deceased allegedly asked him to park it well to enable him park his 207 Benz bus.

READ ALSO: Suspects acquitted and discharged for inadequate evidence

During the argument, Nana Frimpong allegedly pulled a gun out of his car and shot Boadi in the stomach.
The Registrar of the Secretariat Kingsley Agyemang, made this revelation when a delegation led by the President of the UK based Worldwide Miracle Outreach, Dr Lawrence Tetteh, paid him a courtesy call.

Agyemang explained that the first years will be covered by the free Senior High School policy just like their colleagues from other parts of the country.

Students in their second and third year would be given full scholarships under the Secretariats Hardship Scholarship to complete their courses, Registrar of the Secretariat.

He explained that his outfit decided to do this after they received a request from the opinion leaders in Denkyira Obuasi to help take care of the education expenses of children left behind by their parents.

He added that after careful deliberations the secretariat decided to enrol between 70 and 100 students from the town on the Hardship Scholarship.

Agyemang argued that the children must not be made to suffer for the criminal acts of others since they did not play a part in it.

Denkyira Obuasi became a popular town after some residents in the area lynched an officer of the 5th Infantry Battalion, Major Maxwell Mahama on May 29, 2017.

READ ALSO: Three students of Agona Kwanyako Anglican JHS drown

The residents of Denkyira Obuasi suspected the late soldier to be an armed robber and therefore murdered him in his line of duty.

A total of 60 suspects arrested in connection with the murder has since made an appearance at the Accra Central District Court.

This has led to a public disdain for the residents of the area.
The description of President Akufo Addo being fat and over weight has sparked anger among Ghanaians on social media .

"Like many of his countrymen, the round-faced president himself is overweight." The article titled Obesity Was Rising as Ghana Embraced Fast Food. Then came KFC published on October 02,2017.

The writers of the article Dionne Searcey and Mat Richtel sought to highlight the rise of obesity in Ghana and KFC's role in this.

The article painted a gloomy picture of how obesity has become an albatross on the neck of Ghana as most of its citizens are overweight and mostly die of heart diseases and other diseases related to obesity.

It made reference to data from Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, an independent research center at the University of Washington.

READ ALSO: Armed robber jailed 18 years

However, at a point in the article, the writers tried to allude to the Presidents campaign promises and his position on obesity, saying, Of course, he said, hes worried about skyrocketing obesity and related diseases. Like many of his countrymen, the round-faced president himself is overweight. He said hes also concerned about the increase in fast food restaurants that fuel the trends but said: Im strongly averse to banning things'.

Another part of the article which struck a nerve of some Ghanaians suggested patronage of KFC's is linked to social status.
Appiah stadium said he was threatened with a gun to render apology to Nana Addo.

According to him, he was forced by National Security operatives led by Hopeson Adorye to apologise to the President.

"National Security operatives led by Hopeson Adorye pointed a gun at me and asked me to apologize. I was left me with no other option than to apologize," he said.

Speaking on Accra-based Asempa FM, he said "I wouldnt have apologized to President Akufo-Addo if I was not forced. I had to say something to save my life."

He claimed he was sent to the house of Madam Ama Busia where he met Prophet Owusu Bempah where he was maltreated for expressing his opinion.

He added that he was treated like a common criminal when he only stated the obvious truth.

"I was kidnapped and they were threatening to kill me if I dont apologize so I had to do it," he noted.

Background

Appiah Stadium who was supposed to be part of the "Save Mahama Campaign" and a street demonstration in the United States of America was refused a visa by the embassy.

Appiah Stadium registering his disappointment for not being part of the protest said he would have wrapped a substance, puffed the smoke through his nostrils to show that Nana Addo smokes if he had had the opportunity.

He alleged that "It is sad I was denied a visa, I would have wrapped a substance and smoked in front of the president and his entourage and show them that he smokes."

However, he has rendered an unqualified apology to the President.

He was arrested by the police in the Ashanti region and transferred to Criminal Investigations Department at the police headquarters in Accra.

READ MORE: Appiah Stadium Mahama for elections 2020

But the President in a press statement signed by the Information Minister Mustapha Hamid said Appiah Stadium was blinded by propaganda.

"H.E. Nana Akufo-Addo wishes to state that he is not interested in pursuing the matter since same was ruled upon by the National Media Commission (NMC) on February 6, 2015. This followed series of publications in pro NDC news papers making similar claims.
This was in response to demands made by the chiefs and people of the Dorimon traditional area in the Upper West region.

READ ALSO: NPP Executives threaten to sue A Plus over corruption allegations

What we are saying is that all the things that you have put to me are things that I am very concerned about  extending the school feeding programme, establishing nurses training collegebut a lot of them depend on the state of our public finances. And the truth of the matter is that, I am not a lucky son, I did not inherit a rich father. The inheritance I got from my predecessor was an empty treasury so I have to work my way from the bottom up.

He was quick to give an assurance that he will honour all his campaign promises.

We are determined to realize all the commitments that we made to the people of Ghana before they gave us this vote because we want the people of Ghana to understand that not all politicians are liars, and not all politicians make promises to get the votes. But there are some who make promises and commitments because they know that if you give them the chance they can do it. They told me that I couldnt do the free SHS that I was lying to the people of Ghana, that it was an election gimmick. Well, the gimmick is out today, he said.

The President is on a 7-day tour in northern Ghana.

He is in the Upper West Region for 2 days.

In the Upper West Region, the President used the opportunity to commission a $55.50 million water project at Wa.

The Water Project, which was constructed with a facility from the Korean Exim Bank, will supply 3.3 million gallons of water per day to the 100,705 residents of Wa.
In a statement signed by the spokesperson of the former president, Frank Agyekum said the association of the name of Kufuor to such a story must be condemned.

He further explained that former president Kufuor has no faction in the party during his tenure as president of Ghana.

READ ALSO: A Plus apologises to Abu and Asenso over corruption allegation

His reactions follow an accusation by the Alfred Kwame Larbi aka DJ Oxygen that members from then-president Kufuors camp hired him to write slanderous articles against Nana Addo.
DECATUR  As the band warmed up in a classroom at St. Teresa High School, other students handed out lyric sheets to a song called Guantanamera, a Cuban folk song considered one of the island's most patriotic.

Lauryn Rowe-Adams manned the maracas and danced.

Oh, I had a great time, the senior said afterward, laughing.

The period from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 is National Hispanic Heritage Month, and the St. Teresa's International Club is choosing a different country each week to celebrate at its Friday meetings. Most recently, it was Cuba, which the students visited during the summer.

I've been in the club since freshman year, said Lauryn, who has taken three years of Spanish classes and is considering a year of studying abroad in college. I've always enjoyed taking part in activities and learning about different cultures and people and experiencing some of the elements like food.

Originally, the idea was to provide exchange students with a place to feel comfortable and share their own country's culture, said Jack Monk, president of the club.

Every month, we'll pick one country and we'll present information and stuff, said Jack, who played guitar in the combo. We wanted to honor a Latin American country because the Hispanic culture has given so much to America, and just being the International Club, we have a lot of foreign exchange students here, and sometimes they feel left out and it's a whole new experience.

We allow them to feel welcome and just celebrate (their culture). We're all human. We're all connected.

Members of the club visited Cuba over the summer, and one thing Monk and Alex Hein, who played keyboard, noticed particularly was how much more relaxed people were there.

Everyone's very laid back, and no one's in a hurry, Hein said. They just want to have a good time, really.

The visit became possible after the United States and Cuba reopened their relationship two years ago, when the two countries restored diplomatic ties and eased travel and commerce restrictions. But last week, the U.S. warned Americans to stay away from Cuba after invisible, unexplained attacks had harmed at least 22 Americans in Havana.

When the St. Teresa students visited Cuba, they saw the culture firsthand at different schools and workplaces. He said it was pretty easy to get used to the country's slower pace, and coming back felt odd.

We got to see that no matter what people in the news are saying, they want to open up to us, and we need to open back up to them, he said.

Spanish teacher Luis Peralta is from the Dominican Republic and a native speaker of the language. When students wanted to form the club three years ago, they asked him to be the adviser, and he said he was happy to agree.

I was one of the original people who came up with the International Club, said Robert Malkamaki, a senior. He, Monk and Hein worked together, with some foreign exchange students, he added. We wanted them to feel they had a place here, somewhere they could go where they could share their culture.

Cuban food was provided for the event by Mia Chiligiris.

My family's Greek, she said. I love to cook, and we share Greek food with friends, so I just found recipes and made this last night.

Her versions of fried rice, flan and Cuban sauce, which the club members tried while in Cuba, met with the club members' approval, and she didn't have any leftovers.
These they achieve through advocacy, public awareness programs, policy research, lobbying of parliament, public opinion polls and organized protests.

Focusing on Ghana, we don't seem to have these serious movers and shakers in place in the system save for the odd union here and there who come out with angry faces and loud voices amidst jama, chanting and kpanlogo dances with associated unrest vying for change.

The whole idea of kicking up a stink against policies and organisations in a bid for positive change or prodding policies in the right direction away from disaster is practically non-existent in our society.

The media associations are too busy chasing politicians to find out who just had a gold tooth fitted recently and barely have time to advocate for decentralization.

We can mention hundreds but only few are significant in our democracy.

Names such as Committee for Joint Action (CJA), Let my vote count alliance (LMVCA), OccupyGhana, Alliance for Accountable Governance (AFAG), etc.

Committee for Joint Action (CJA)

The CJA, a pressure group supposedly formed to speak for the voiceless was championed by Managing editor of the Insight newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr and supported by former ministers and deputies in the erstwhile government of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

In 2008, they demonstrated across the nooks and crannies of the country, accusing the Kufuor administration of corruption, insensitivity, bad governance, and topped it up with this cocaine issue. Anytime fuel price increases, armed robbers attacked, the CJA pointed their crooked fingers at Kufuor.

When the Kufour administration wanted to sell Ghana Telecom, the late President Atta Mills led a CJA demonstration to kick against it. He was seen carrying a placard with the inscription: 'Ghanaians can manage their own businesses' and many other developments the group kicked against whiles in opposition.

Let my vote count alliance (LMVCA)

LMVCA is a civil society pressure group committed to preserving the integrity of the electoral process and democracy in Ghana.

The multi-party alliance was formed to educate Ghanaians about the need for them to insist that their votes were factored into the outcome of national elections.

They urged the Supreme Court to ensure that justice was not sacrificed under the pretext of peace because the ordinary Ghanaian who stood in long queues to cast their votes would not take kindly to an abuse of their trust reposed in the judiciary.

Alliance For Accountable Governance (AFAG)

AFAG is pro-democracy group formed in 2009 with the sole objective of ensuring national administrations are accountable to the people of Ghana.

The political pressure group was formed just 5 days after Professor Mills was sworn in as President and their main agenda is to undermine the Mills administration and make it unpopular to enable them grab power in December 2012 but it failed.

When the AFAG was formed by a group of young men from the opposition parties some two years ago, they were however, congratulate them for coming together to fight for the voiceless.

On second thought, a lot of Ghanaians shelved the idea because like many groups that have come and gone, they may have a fine idea but lack the courage to hold the bull by the horns.

Then they started issuing interesting statements and challenging the status quo. Unlike the CJA led by Kwesi Pratt, who insulted the sensibility of Ghanaians and even the then sitting president in the person of John Agyekum Kufuor, this particular group is made up of well cultured young men with a purpose.

They seldom backfire since they thoroughly make research before issuing any statement.

However, what is seriously lacking in the activities of the AFAG is their inability to get their roots in the other regions apart from Accra. Some Ghanaians had cause to write some time ago that people who live in Accra should not have the funny feeling that Accra is synonymous to Ghana. In fact, there are millions of people out there who want to be part of AFAG and sometimes join the demonstrations but sadly the group is held up in Accra alone.

OccupyGhana

OccupyGhana is a social and political non-partisan pressure group. They are passionately committed to ensuring that Ghana develops to its full economic potential and remains a strong democracy

OccupyGhana is formed out of a philosophy of positively changing mindsets, systems and structures leading ultimately to the attainment and sustenance of good governance.

They have promised continue to exist as a watch-dog to hold all elected governments accountable for their actions and celebrate good governance and be a positive renovation of developing strategies to ensure that all governments, irrespective of political party, are accountable to Ghanaians

OccupyGhana build alliances and partnerships with other Civil Society Organizations, Think Tanks and political pressure groups to analyze, review public policies and initiatives.

But they are just like the CJA who are aligned with the New Patriotic Party (NPP). Many have been appointed by Nana Addo to the various public offices. Though theyve played their part as watch dogs, a lot needs to be done to be objective and not to be corrupt within and deceive the public.
"Until the government of Cuba can ensure the safety of our diplomats in Cuba, our embassy will be reduced to emergency personnel to minimize the number of diplomats at risk of exposure to harm," he said.

"This order will ensure equity in our respective diplomatic operations," he said.

Cuba's Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla said he would protest the order -- which he branded "unjustified... unfounded and unacceptable" -- but did not immediately threaten further tit-for-tat action.

"By these politically motivated and thoughtless actions, the US government is responsible for the current and possibly future deterioration of bilateral relations," he said.

The attacks, which US officials initially suggested could have been carried out with some sort of covert acoustic device, have affected at least 22 US embassy staff in Havana over the past few months.

Those affected have exhibited physical symptoms including ear complaints, hearing loss, dizziness, headache, fatigue, cognitive issues, and difficulty sleeping.

Tillerson said the US would "maintain diplomatic relations with Cuba, and will continue to cooperate with Cuba as we pursue the investigation into these attacks."

US relations with Havana were only fully restored in 2015 -- after a half-century Cold War breakdown -- and have deteriorated since President Donald Trump took office in January.

Last week, Tillerson said he was withdrawing more than half the personnel from the US embassy in Cuba in response to the unexplained attacks.

The US expelled two Cuban diplomats in May, and Tillerson has raised the possibility of closing the American mission in Cuba altogether over the issue.

Observers doubt that Cuba would have risked antagonizing its neighbors at the end of 2016 -- when relations between the former enemies were still thawing.

And even Washington has not blamed Cuba directly, although no other suspects have been identified.

'Protect our people'

The Cuban diplomats, who were given seven days to depart, were not declared persona non grata, a US official speaking on condition of anonymity said.

"Our position ... does not presume Cuban culpability," the official said.

The US diplomats leaving Cuba are expected to be out by the end of the week, and the State Department has given the Cubans a list of which diplomats they wanted expelled.

Routine US visa operations in Havana have been suspended indefinitely, and US officials have urged Americans to refrain from visiting the island.

Parrilla told the UN General Assembly last month that his country has found no evidence to support US claims that diplomats were harmed due to attacks.

Cuba 'behaving badly'

US officials previously told reporters they believed some kind of inaudible sound weapon was used on the US staff either inside or outside their residences in Havana.

Canadians in Cuba have also been hurt, with a source close to that country's embassy telling AFP that more than five families were affected, including several children.

Cuban-American Senator Marco Rubio, an outspoken critic of the Havana regime, has demanded that, until those responsible for the attacks are found, Washington should expel the same number of Cuban diplomats as Americans it is pulling from Havana.

Washington should also consider putting Cuba back on a terror blacklist, Rubio said.

"The era of constructive engagement has been replaced by one depicting the Cuban government as behaving badly," said Paul Webster Hare, a former British ambassador to Havana and political science professor at Boston University.

Webster Hare cited a September speech at the UN General Assembly in which Trump said the United States "has stood against the corrupt and destabilizing regime in Cuba."
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!
Scientists have solved one of Pluto's most puzzling mysteries. In 2105, NASA's New Horizons spacecraft flew by Pluto. What it saw near Pluto's equator has baffled scientists ever since: Giant spires of methane ice that stand as tall as a NYC skyscraper.

"We asked ourselves why it forms all of those ridges as opposed to just being big blobs of ice on the ground." -Jeffrey Moore,

The answer reveals that Pluto's climate is more dynamic than previously thought.

Smaller versions of these icy forests exist on Earth. The structures are called penitentes. They form near Earth's equator on top of tall mountains. Up there, conditions are right to turn snow straight to water vapor. This process  called sublimation  creates hard, sharp spikes of snow.

NASA scientists think the same process happens on Pluto. But this could only be possible if Pluto had been warmer in the past. Otherwise, the methane ice couldn't sublimate away. Scientists say this is proof of Pluto's complex climate.The planet slightly cools, warms, and cools again over millions of years.
Reacting to the shooting, which is being regarded as the deadliest in American history, the Pontiff sent a telegram voicing his prayers for victims and their family.

It read, Pope Francis sends the assurance of his spiritual closeness to all those affected by this senseless tragedy.

He commends the efforts of those police and emergency services personnel, and offers the promise of his prayers for the injured and for all who have died, entrusting them to the merciful love of almighty God.

Crux Now reports that it was sent via Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin to Bishop Joseph Pepe of Las Vegas.

Bishop Joseph Pepe of Los Vegas has also released a statement concerning the tragedy.

He said, We are also very heartened by the stories of all who helped each other in this time of crisis.

As the Gospel for todays Mass reminds us, we are called to be modern-day Good Samaritans. We continue to pray for all in Las Vegas and around the world whose lives are shattered by the events of daily violence.

Statements, tweets and more condolence messages have been sent from other people including Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, Archbishop of Galveston-Houston and President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

The terrible incident happened on Sunday evening at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.
The ones performed by South African pastors people fall into the second category. They are just that weird.

We take a look at some of the unbelievable miracles performed by these preachers.

1. Masturbation miracle: In order to bring Heaven to earth, Pastor Penuel Mnguni of End Times Disciples Ministries told his congregation to undress in church and start masturbating until they reached orgasms. Apparently, the holy fluid of masturbation would produce a sacrosanct fluid which would make the church floor as sacred as heaven. Surprisingly, the congregation obeyed.

2. Snake-to-food miracle: In 2015, the same Mnguni ordered his members to eat snakes, after turning them to chocolate. Once again, they obeyed without any hesitation.

ALSO READ: Zimbabwean Pastors have a special kind of anointing

3. Shoe miracle: Pastor Zendile Andries November of Victorious Faith Ministries in Bloemfontein healed a woman by placing his holy shoe on her private part. Speaking with TMG Digital, he said, the woman came to me about pimples on her vagina. This made it impossible for her to sleep with her husband. Because the problem was on her private part I decided to use the shoe rather.

4. HIV miracle: Prophet Theo Bongani Maseko of the Breath of Christ Ministries in Daveyton, has a way to heal HIV. It has to do with engine cleaning fluid. In January 2017, he made his churchgoers drink the fluid as a way to cure HIV, and cast out devils.
The state of education in Nigeria is not totally poor but pictures like this only testifies to the poverty of standard Nigerian elementary schools are suffering from.

This picture of a primary school in Nassarawa shows the level of poor education some young Nigerians are receiving in the so-called government schools.

Sodiq Adelakun, a photojournalist took a picture of three primary school pupils standing in a seeming abandoned and dilapidated building.

Unfortunately, that building is the classroom, where the three pupils receive the formal education that is meant to shape their future and make them useful for the society.

Adelakun posted the picture on Instagram with the caption,

"Education: window to their world. Portrait of pupils in a classroom in Gaate Village, Nasarawa State, Nigeria."

The state of education in Nassarawa state is not a fine one. The West Africa Examination Council ranking of the 36 states based on students performance results showed Nassarawa state is not among the best as the state occupies 23rd position for three consecutive years in the ranking from 2015 to 2017.

This shows the stagnant and unimproved level of education in the state.

Moreover, this is not the first time pictures of the unconducive classrooms in Nigerian public schools would surface online.

ALSO READ:Graduate bags first class in Economics after spending 4 years in prison

In July, a world Bank Executive, Jaime Saavedra posted a picture of a Nigerian primary school classroom with 135 pupils.

Saavedra tweeted about the overcrowded classroom:

135 students in one secondary classroom. And it is not an anecdote. Will continue working with the Nigerian government to change this.
Editor's note: The Herald & Review each day is listing a reason the Decatur region is loved. We're profiling people, places and history that are special to our region  and that make it a great place to live. See more here.

Abraham Lincolns path to the becoming 16th president of the United States in 1861 goes right through Macon County  and Decatur has the statues to prove it.

At Millikin University, a bronze figure of a young Lincoln in short sleeves and boots is seated on a tree stump, ax propped against leg.

At twenty one I came to Illinois is engraved in the base, a reference to the presidents arrival from Indiana in spring 1830.

Dedicated on Oct. 24, 1948, the artwork was the brainchild of local attorney Thomas W. Samuels, who raised money and support. A University of Chicago student posed for sculptor Fred Torrey, who crafted two designs  one standing and one seated  that were voted on during a display at the Decatur Public Library. The seated version won.

Weighing more than 4,000 pounds, the statue is several miles from the Lincoln Trail Homestead State Memorial on the Sangamon River near Harristown, where the Kentucky-born Lincoln and his father built a cabin after leaving Indiana.

Shortly after arriving, Lincoln is said to have delivered his first political speech, defending the Illinois Whig Party candidate at Harrells Tavern in downtown Decatur.

Three decades later, after stints as a country lawyer and state lawmaker, Lincoln accepted the endorsement for president at the state Republican convention, and gained the nickname The Rail Splitter Candidate, in Decatur.

His last visit to the city was while he was going to Washington, D.C., for the inauguration. One of his well-wishers was James Millikin, founder of Millikin University.

The regions place in Lincoln lore is chronicled with a series of bas-relief artworks and placards. Looking for Lincoln includes 15 sites of historic importance.

In October 1968, a bronze statue of a young Lincoln was erected at east and north Main streets, recognizing the Harrells Tavern speech. The Macon County Heritage Committee collected money for the work, designed by Anthony Vestuto, an Illinois Wesleyan University professor.

We especially have the responsibility of standing for the things from which Lincoln stood and of upholding his ideals, said Vern Lynn Sprague, director of the Illinois Sesquicentennial Commission, during the dedication ceremony. Youth of this time, more than ever before, seem to need substantial heroes. I think it is important that children will be able to look at this statue and say, Mr. Lincoln probably stood right in this spot.
Mr. Obi, however, said that the problems in the country were as a result of the cumulative years of leadership failure for which the entire political class is guilty.

Obi stated this in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, on Saturday, September 30, during the 2017 Independence Anniversary lecture at the Akanu Ibiam International Conference Centre where he was a guest lecturer.

The former Governor who spoke on the topic, 'Change and changing Nigeria through harnessing of investment potentials of Ebonyi State: Yesterday, today and tomorrow,' expressed regrets that the countries with the same growth trajectory as Nigeria in the 80s have all overtaken the country in all indices of development.

The former Governor blamed the recent rise in agitation by youth across the country, especially the Indigenous People of Biafra [IPOB], as a result of the poor leadership of the past administrations in Nigeria, saying that the political class, including himself, was guilty.

Obi said that whether Nigeria was 'out or in' recession, the fact remained that a lot still needed to be done by the leaders, calling on the country to embrace the Sustainable Development Goals.

According to him:

Nigeria should cue into Sustainable Development Goals [SDG], not in the signature. The country is there in the signature and it is the only country that got involved in Millennium Development Goal [MDG] and did not achieve one goal because as soon as we signed the signature, we threw it away and came here and started doing things wrong.

China put MDGs in their developmental agenda; they main streamed it in their developmental agenda and they are targeting to lift 16 million people out of poverty but I dont know how many people Nigeria will lift in the next 10 years because there are no such measurable goals, everything is done in confusion.

Our reserve is weak today and we are not talking about savings, rather we are borrowing more. No country succeeds by such Epicurean life.

Obi thanked Governor Dave Umahi for what he is doing in Ebonyi State and urged him to continue to tell the people he is ruling the truth, adding that the people will trust and believe him the more.

Concluding, Obi called on leaders in Nigeria to be alert to the dynamics of the world, especially the shift from baggage to a knowledge economy.

We are moving from baggage economy to knowledge economy. So, the country should stop dwelling on solid minerals because it is a baggage economy and nobody lives with it.
This new incident of mass shooting in the USA has once again brought the issue of America's right to bear arms. The liberals want gun control and the conservatives don't.

Crime is a reality in Nigeria especially in cities such as Lagos and Abuja. According to the National Bureau of Statistics Crime Rate Report, Lagos had the highest number of crimes in 2016. The city of Abuja also had a high crime rate.

The Nigerian Police Force has vowed to do something about the high crime rate. In September 2017, Commissioner of Police for Lagos State Command vowed to reduce the crime rate by 30 percent in two months.

This is an admirable statement from the commissioner. But as the popular saying goes "Heaven helps those who help themselves."

During the mid-90s, the crime rate in Lagos was high. Armed gunmen would force their way into the homes of private citizens, rob them and in some cases kill them.

The situation was so bad during this period that after 7 pm, Lagosians locked their doors. In 1996, Buba Marwa Military Governor of Lagos dealt with the issue with great success.

We are a far cry from those days of near anarchy. This doesn't mean a Nigerian shouldn't bear arms to protect himself. With the high rate of kidnap and the emergence of killer cults, it won't be bad to have a Desert Eagle on you.

What does the Nigerian Constitution say about the right to bear arms?

The Firearms Act provides that no person shall hold firearms without first obtaining a license from the President, the Inspector-General of Police or the Commissioner of Police if he is resident in Lagos.

On paper, anyone would be entitled to a license provided that they are above 18 years of age, of sound mind and not visually impaired. Such a person should not have been convicted of a crime involving violence in the five years preceding his application for a license.

In reality though, getting a license is near-impossible. The application process is riddled with red tape. More often than not, influence is the only thing that matters.

ALSO READ: Customs intercept 2,671 pump action rifles

Minus this red tape, one of the leading experts in the country Abayomi Nurain Mumuni doesn't it is practical right now.

"Nigerians possessing arms is not visible because we do not have a working system," he tells Pulse in an interview.

"Before buying such, the purchaser will have to undergo some process, by the way of profiling the person soliciting to bear firearms, we do not have a data bank to identify who is whom.

"Each firearm, will surely be linked to the purchaser profile to enable smooth trace, should in case of misconduct or abuse of the weaponry, by the Corona, m ore so, with our unprotected borders, foreigner will be privileged to use such weapons against our citizens without traceable address, like cross-border bandits" he further says.

He also believes Nigerians would abuse the privilege. "Definitely, the privilege will abuse to the fullest, also remember, that with the level poverty, the country may likely turn to ," he says.

It doesn't look like a good idea for Nigerians to move with guns and rifles. Pulse reached out to the PRO of the Lagos state command for further commentary but he wasn't available for comment.

While crime is an issue here, it is very rare for us to have gun massacres or mass shootings. While we do have security challenges, the situation is not dire enough to require everyone walking with a gun.
Please note that theres a stipulated length of time for which you can stay in these countries without a visa, when this period elapses, youll be required to obtain a visa.

Heres a list of countries Nigerians can travel to without a Visa.

1. Bangladesh

Get a Visa in this beautiful South Asian country on arrival (stamp). For 30 days enjoy Bangladesh for little or nothing.

2. Barbados

Barbados is one of a few Caribbean countries that do not require visas from Nigerians.

However, entry is to the discretion of Barbadian immigration officials as they can easily refuse entry if they are suspicious of you intending to stay and work in Barbados.

3. Maldives

Hit the Maldives for 30 days without a visa but your Nigerian passport.

4. Mauritius

Visit this beautiful island for two weeks without a visa.

5. Cambodia

Get a Visa on arrival in Cambodia for little or nothing at the airport. Beware of Immigration officers though.

6. Cameroon

Visit this central African country on the Gulf of Guinea for 90days without a Visa.

7. Cape Verde

Although a West African country, visa invitation letters are usually necessary from the visa applicant when travelling to Cape Verde from Nigeria.

All countries in West Africa will admit Nigerians without a passport for 90 days.

8. Chad

Go to this Central Africa country visa-free for three months only.

9. Comoros

Stamp your passport on arrival for a little fee.

10. Djibouti

Visit this republic bordered by Eritrea in the north, Ethiopia in the west and south and Somalia in the East, for nothing.

11. Dominica

Yet another country Nigerians can visit visa-free for six months.

12. Fiji

Visit the sensational Fiji islands for a period of four months.

13. Haiti

Enjoy this hotspot for three months without a visa.

14. Iran

Iran is your next destination? Visit for 30 days.

15. Madagascar
The Nupe call themselves Nupeci and refer to their language as Nupe and are the dominant group in Niger State, an important minority in Kwara State and present in Kogi State as well.

Traditionally called the Tapa by the Yorubas, the Nupes trace their origin to Tsoede who fled the court of Idah and established towns along the Niger in the 15th century.

The Nupe are divided into different subgroups, including Batau, Kyedye, Eghagi, Ebe, and Benu, along with several others that speak related languages. Some Nupe have always lived outside the group's boundaries, and others have lived in Nupeland.

There are probably about 3.5 million Nupes, mostly in Niger State, although a small but growing diaspora of Nupe can be found in Knowle in the West Midlands of England. The Nupe language is also spoken in Kwara and Kogi States. They are primarily Muslims, with a few Christians and followers of African Traditional Religion.

The Nupe people have several local, traditional rulers. The Etsu Nupe (Bida) is not Nupe and is actually part of the Fula tribe but they came to rule the Bida in 1806.

Many Nupe people often have tribal scars on their faces (similar to an old Yoruba tradition), some to identify their prestige and the family of which they belong as well as for protection, as well as jewellery adornment. But these traditions are dying out in certain areas. Their art is often abstract. They are well known for their wooden stools with patterns carved onto the surface.

Nupe brass smiths (tswata muku) are found mostly in Bida. The woodcarving tradition of the Nupe does not depend on the ceremonial or ritual use of artifacts but is almost entirely "art for art's sake."

In Nupe communities religious rituals are relegated to different officials. At Doko the Dibo Saba ritual addressed to an ancestor chief is performed by the chief, while the sako ritual, which involves a small group of hereditary hunters, is performed by the head of that group.

The gunnu priest is known as Gunnuko (Great gunnu) or, more specifically, Ndazo, "the rare man." In Jebba the Ejuko is the guardian of the lineage of Tsoede. The importance of these rituals has not shielded them from the impact of cultural change. After Islamization these activities were curtailed, and they now are regarded as Satanic worship.
Oloko made the announcement in an e-mail sent to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

He said that the consulate and the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) were collaborating to showcase Nigerian products at the fair.

Thirty six small and medium enterprises from Nigeria are to participate at the 14th China International Small and Medium Enterprises Fair in Guangzhou from Oct. 9 to Oct. 13."

We are to ensure that Nigerian entrepreneurs showcase their products to visitors and investors from all over the world and explore export opportunities."

The SMEs of the Federal Republic of Nigeria will exhibit food, clothing, handicraft and manufactured agricultural products.

According to him, the Nigerian SMEs will also be participating at the Canton International Trade scheduled to commence on Oct. 15th in Guangzhou.

The envoy said the fair would also provide an opportunity for the consulate and SMEDAN to inform Chinese investors of Nigerias ongoing economic diversification and recovery efforts.

Oloko said it was imperative to make the Chinese know of the Nigerian Governments commitment to improving its infrastructure and transforming Nigeria to a producing nation.

Nigerian Government takes the issue of economic revitalisation seriously and will grant incentives to encourage investments in the priority sectors listed in the recently released Economic Recovery and Growth Plan."
Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, revealed this while he was speaking at a press briefing on the 2017 World Teachers' Day in Abuja on Tuesday, October 3.

The minister asked those present at the event to pray for the recovery of his colleague who had recently been spotted wearing a cervical collar at a Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting two weeks ago.
FORSYTH  Tickets to the three-day Route 91 Harvest Festival were a Mother's Day gift for Brian and Michelle Huggins of Forsyth.

The couple, both 50, traveled to Las Vegas and attended the country music festival with their son and daughter-in-law, Jacob and Taylor Huggins, who live there.

Until Sunday night, it was a great time for the family, who attended the festival all weekend and enjoyed the music and the time together.

Then, Stephen Craig Paddock opened fire from the 32-floor window at the Mandalay Bay hotel near the festival. He killed 59 people and injured more than 500, in the worst mass shooting in modern American history. Police responded quickly, and when they reached Paddock's room, said they found he had killed himself. Police have not been able to discern a motive.

The Huggins family was in the crowd, along with nearly 22,000 other people who were standing almost shoulder-to-shoulder, Brian Huggins said.

The crowd was too easy as a target, he said. The guy probably didnt have to aim at all just lobbing those (bullets) down into the crowd.

When the gunshots started and didn't stop, he knew the outcome would be tragic, he said.

I was hoping that it couldnt be as bad as it was, but the number of shots, it was standing-room-only ... an automatic weapon shooting the number of shots I heard, for as long as I did, he said. I knew it had to be bad.

Living in the Midwest, Huggins said he is familiar with the sound of gunshots connected with hunting. He had never heard anything like the rapid-fire shots that sounded like automatic gunfire.

Im sure the sound is the same, but when you know they are trying to shoot at people, which is just sick, it seems like a different sound to me than what Ive heard in my life before, he said.

The noises were out-of-place, Huggins said, because the shooting started in the middle of Jason Aldeans set and it was too early for fireworks. There were a few shots, then silence. Then, the sound of an automatic gun.

When the shots didnt stop, I knew, he said. It just never stopped.

It felt like everything lasted for a long time, he said. The family hit the ground. Then, they tried to stay low and run to safety.

It was a strange feeling you knew you had to get yourself and your family out, he said. You cant even control that.

Brian Huggins and his wife were separated from his son and daughter-in-law, who later found a stranger to give the family a ride to safety.

Back at home, the Huggins' other children, Cody, 23, and Meghan, 20, were horrified by news of the shooting. The siblings live in Bloomington and found out about the shooting minutes after it began.

Around 12:15 a.m., Cody Huggins received a few missed calls from his mother and a text from his brother saying there was a shooting, but they were OK. He immediately returned the call and talked to his mother as his parents fled to a gas station near the concert.

From the tone of his mother's voice, Cody Huggins said he knew immediately how serious and scary the situation was.

"Being on the phone with them as they are running to safety, you can do nothing but worry at the time and just hope and pray they are somewhere safe, really," he said. "It was all pretty emotional, to say the least."

The Huggins family is thankful to be safe and trying to focus on the positive: The first responders and strangers who rushed to help during the tragedy; the people lining up to give blood to help victims; the volunteers making sandwiches for people who are waiting to give blood.

But, the bad thoughts creep in, too.

I never thought Id be in this type of situation, especially coming from a small town, Brian Huggins said.

The bullets reached farther than Brian Huggins thought possible, he said. The couple saw on the news Tuesday morning that someone was shot in the leg crossing the same fence they crossed.

They are trying not to play what-if games, but the thoughts are hard to stop, Brian Huggins said. He is trying not to ask why they lived and others died. His biggest concern now is how experiencing the tragedy will continue to affect his family in the future.

To be honest, Im still trying to realize the extent of it, he said. I dont know if I will ever understand it.

The mass shooting has reignited a national conversation about security measures and the political debate surrounding gun control. For Brian Huggins, it is too early to think about ways to prevent tragedies like the one he and his family experienced. He said it is still time to heal, rather than fighting and blaming others.

When somebody is shooting at you, it changes the way you think, he said. There is an interesting balance between freedom and the ability that these people (have to) do this when they decide to inflict harm on people.

The Huggins family is home now and everyone is safe, but they're still dealing with anger, grief and other emotions. Brian Huggins said he hears the gunshots when he closes his eyes.

You try to forget about it, and you cant," he said. "It creeps back into your mind.
According to Punch, the gunmen stormed the newspaper's office at the Old Market in Onitsha, Anambra State, at about 10.25am.

"They (gunmen) have killed our circulation representative. I am rushing to the hospital where he was taken to. But I can confirm to you that the incident happened and our circulation man is dead," the source, who did not want to be named, said.

It was gathered that the gunmen shot Obi three times and carted away the money from newspaper sales.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Nkeiruka Nwode, said the command has swung into action to unravel the identity and whereabouts of the killers.

She assured that the suspects will be brought to justice.
Owobo made the revelation when he testified at the ongoing trial of a former Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshall Adesola Amosu and 10 others charged with N22.8 billion fraud.

Amosu was on June 29, 2016, arraigned by EFCC alongside Air Vice Marshal Jacob Adigun, Air Commodore Gbadebo Olugbenga and eight companies.

The companies are Delfina Oil and Gas Ltd, Mcallan Oil And Gas Ltd, Hebron Housing and Properties Company Ltd, Trapezites BDC, Fonds and Pricey Ltd, Deegee Oil and Gas Ltd, Timsegg Investment Ltd and Solomon HealthCare.

The accused are standing trial on charges bordering on conspiracy, stealing and money laundering.

They had pleaded not guilty to the charges and were granted bailsx.

In his testimony before Justice Mohammed Idris on Tuesday, the witness disclosed that investigations by his team revealed that a bank staff, one Funke Osisanmi, carried out every debit transactions done on the Air Force account after receiving instructions to that effect from Air Commodore Gbadebo.

If debit were to be made from the account, she receives instructions from Air Commodore Gbadebo and debit the account following which she liaised with various Bureau de Change (BDC) operators for the conversion of the money to foreign currencies, he said.

He listed the BDCs involved in the transactions as Lebol Oil and Gas, Judah Oil and Gas and Right Option Oil and Gas.

The witness said following interrogation, Osisanmi revealed that after conversion, she usually hands over the foreign currencies to either Air Commodore Gbadebo or other officers.

Owobo said N5.9 billion was moved to Delfina Oil and Gas Ltd, N6.1 billion was moved to Mcallan Oil and Gas Ltd, Trapezites BDC got N3.6 billion, N800 million was moved to Deegee Oil and Gas Ltd while N700 million was moved to Timsegg Investment Ltd.

In all, about N21 billion was moved from Air Force account to these companies and there were no contractual agreement or Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between these companies and the Air Force before these funds were transferred.

The witness added that the funds moved to these companies were eventually used to purchase property in Nigeria and abroad for the service chiefs.

On efforts to recover the fund, Owobo said: We were able to recover some of the accounts that received funds from NAF.

The first defendant (Amosu) also raised draft and refunded over N2 billion to government coffers.

The property were traced and marked. We visited the property in Nigeria and most of them have been handed over to the Asset Management Division of the EFCC after obtaining orders of interim forfeiture from court.

Justice Idris has adjourned further hearing until Oct 4.

The accused were alleged to have indirectly converted N3.6 billion belonging to the Nigerian Air Force to their own.

The EFCC also alleged that Amosu and the others stole over N323 million from the accounts of the Nigerian Air Force between March 21, 2014 and March 12, 2015 and the money was utilised for the purpose of purchasing for themselves a property situated at No.1, River Street, Wuse II, Abuja.
Omowaiye told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Ibadan that the governor had promoted growth and development in the state.

He also described as laughable the threats by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to take over in Osun in 2018.

Highlighting Aregbesolas achievements, he stated that the school feeding programme of the administration had increased primary school enrollment by 60 percent.

Omowaiye said the Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme (OYES) as well as massive road and school infrastructure projects had become models for other states.

Unfortunately, the governor has been circumstantial victim of misrepresentation and orchestrated media attack.

It is on record that the SUKUK loan which was used as part of the re-engineering tool in the state has become a template for the Federal Government now despite the widespread criticism against the noble idea.

Even some European countries have become beneficiaries of the loan too after Osun, he said.

He said that the bailout fund given to the state was transparently and judiciously spent on the payment of salaries and pension to state and local government workers as well as OYES cadets.
A small minority of residents in these states had voted a 72-year old former military dictator as President, against popular opinion and biases enforced by history.

Others had come to realise that they were under the mans leadership till the next elections, regardless of their affiliations. 24 months after the fact, Osinbajos visit marked the first time they would be visited by their president, and it was not the man they voted for.

As 2017 draws to an end, we are inching closer towards election season. Some would even go as far as saying that campaigns have already begun, as sightings and jingles of various political heavyweights have already started appearing across the nation.

In Kano, Rabiu Kwankwansos election machinery has been in swing since the results of the last election were announced. Ekiti State governor, Ayo Fayose has also announced his intention to run for President in 2019.

Ask anyone who is most likely to be in the conversation and a familiar list of names will arise; Abubakar Atiku is already ahead of the pack and President Buharis base will expect him to complete another unlikely victory come election day.

However, in the midst of these veterans of Nigerias too-predictable politics, Yemi Osinbajo might be the only name that matters after February 16, 2019.

The most important reason is the most simple of all. Yemi Osinbajo is a seasoned lawyer, a veteran of Nigerias academic halls and a senior advocate of Nigeria and a professor of law.

In the past, Nigerian politics has been dominated by power players and bigwigs with little to show that suspicious conglomerates and the support of their base, either towns, states or regions.

While this was enough to be a strength and not a hindrance in the past, an increase in political awareness has led a new generation of Nigerians to lament the fact that a large number of our political leaders have very little expertise in any particular field or the intellectual acumen to prove their worth among peers around the world.

This is not a problem Osinbajo is likely to face. His sophisticated demeanour and eloquence have endeared him to the younger generation who crave a young, intelligent and vibrant leader.

In the same vein, he has also earned the respect of the older generation who would consider his level of education and his experience in both the public and private sectors.

Osinbajo has served in various capacities throughout his 36-year career. Starting out in 1981 as a lecturer of law at the University of Lagos, he later attained the title of Senior Lecturer of Law at the same institution from 1983 to 1986.

From 1999 to 2007, he served as a member of Bola Tinubus cabinet as Attorney General of Lagos State, and also Commissioner of Justice.

Experience, of course, is not enough to win an election. In a country where godfathers decide voting patterns, an important factor is the support power players. Osinbajo has some of the most influential politicians in Nigeria as allies, one of which is the current President, Buhari.

The relationship between the president and vice president infers that there is a high level of trust and loyalty. The oyalty shown by Osinbajo to President Buhari, during his absence, seems to have endeared him to the president, an element that may prove important as Osinbajo will need Buharis support and blessing in the North if the latter decides not to contest the next election.

There are a couple of reasons why most commentators expect Buhari may not contest in the 2019 elections, the most important of which is his health. The circumstances surrounding the Presidents health are unknown to the public.

Starting with his medical leave, they have been subject to a lot of rumours and speculation and his media spokespersons have chosen to clear the air with very sad statements that seem like jokes and reasons to worry at the same time.

It is not far-fetched to believe that the president would prefer to succumb to nature when his first term ends. As it stands now, it appears that few politicians command the following in key Northern states that Buhari has.

All things being equal, this would be another phalanx in Osinbajos battle strategy. For Atiku, who will need to rely on the Northern vote, it is not the best of indicators.

Another key ally of Osinbajo is the former governor of Lagos state and the national leader of the APC, Bola Ahmed Tinubu. On the surface, it would be easy to refer to Osinbajo as Tinubus boy, and credit him as being the reason why Osinbajo is vice president.

Tinubu commands a lot of respect and powers in the South-West and states such as Lagos and Osun.

Things may not be the same as they were in 2015 but in the absence of any credible candidate from the South, Tinubus support will be pivotal in gathering follower-ship and building enthusiasm for Osinbajos candidacy.

Should he choose to run, Osinbajo can call his record as Vice-President and his stint in the Presidents seat as a reference point.

In an office that his predecessor, Namadi Sambo has defined with lethargy and the art of disappearing, Osinbajo as vice president has functioned as the level-headed and articulate deputy to a rash, often impulsive Buhari.

In the latters absence, he has functioned as a sort of damage control officer and an approachable ambassador for the Buhari administration.

Most notably, Osinbajo has been mobile, almost to a fault. He has led with his attendance at various events and dialogues across the country (especially in parts of the country that President Buhari has mysteriously not visited since he assumed office).

His leadership during his 6-month stint in the presidency viewed as stable and not overly ambitious (a trait which deepened the trust Buhari has for him).

That stint did much to help Osinbajos popularity; his willingness to communicate and address sensitive issues doused tensions at key moments such as the 50th anniversary of the Biafra War.

The implication of this was so tangible that a lot of people even felt that the economic hardship eased up under Osinbajo.

Finally, Osinbajo is a pastor. Say what you may about Nigerias division along religious lines, the Man of God factor will help him greatly among the demographic of voters who take religion as an important criterion in deciding who they vote for.

If Osinbajo was a store product, he would be in the middle of the shelf, in the part of the store that is most patronised with labels that scream TRY THIS OUT.

The 60-year old may be one of the most well equipped and most marketable candidates for the 2019 elections. He has no scandals trailing his name, a rarity in a nation where every politician has a case file with Linda Ikeji or the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

He also has the sophistication and presentation to encourage a large youth turnout that will undoubtedly prove vital in the next elections.

It goes without saying that this is mostly speculation, and with Nigerian politics in a constant state of flux, it may be too early to call the elections.
INEC Director of Publicity and Voter Education, Mr Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abuja.

The AD had on Wednesday, in a letter written to INEC by its factional National Chairman, Alhaji Ismail Ayodele, said that the names of its candidates were omitted from the list of contestants in the Anambra governorship poll.

NAN recalls that INEC had on Wednesday published list of 37 political parties and their candidates for the Nov. 18 governorship election.

The party did not make a submission of the necessary forms and list of their candidates before the close of work on the last day for submission.

From our records, Ismaila Ayodele is the National Treasurer of the party, not its National chairman.

National Chairman is Chief Joseph Avazi, Osaze-Uzzi said.

The party according to the letter listed Nze ValentineFavour Onwuka and his running mate Chijioke Onyekaonwu, as the names of its candidates submitted to INEC for the election.

The party according to Ayodele complied with Sections 85 and 87 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) in notifying INEC of its primary election held on Aug. 22 in Awka, Anambra State.

Ayodele said that the primary was monitored by INEC while the party also collected and submitted forms F001 and F002 to the commission.

We are therefore surprised that the names of our Governorship and Deputy Governorship candidates did not appear in your published list of candidates for the Election.

We urge you to use your good offices to rectify this and ensure that the names of our candidates are included in the list of those contesting the election.

We reaffirm our confidence in the Commission and believe that all eligible candidates for the Governorship Election are given the opportunity to participate in it.

This is the only way we will deepen our emerging democracy.
The president revealed the meeting on his official Twitter account , promising that the government will ensure a free and fair process takes place in Anambra state's upcoming gubernatorial election on Novermber 18.

He posted, "Today I received Governor Obiano at the State House. The Federal & State Govts will work together to ensure free & fair elections next month".

President Buhari also met with Ondo state governor, Rotimi Akeredolu and Minister of Solid Minerals, Kayode Fayemi at the State House on Tuesday.

While addressing State House correspondents after the meeting, Governor Obiano said the president is a fan of hardworking governors like him regardless of party affiliations.

He said, "He (President Buhari) likes governors like me who are hardworking, who are delivering on what people can see, who are bringing dividends of democracy to their people, that's what the president wants.

"He doesn't care about your party, he wants to know that you are doing well in this area, in that area, and that's how a president should work."

He also promised that his party, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), isn't interested in rigging election and promised a fair process.

"We do not believe in rigging, APGA has never rigged an election. All we want is for the umpires to be unbiased - free and fair election - and you will get the result," he said.
The brilliant team received their first round of funding from a US-based, early venture capital fund. Beta Ventures.

The first round of funding, or 'Series A' funding, is capital a company raises to help it enhance the product and the user or customer base.

"But it's not a charity. In return, the investor in return gets to own a share of the company. This investment is to help fast track Elephab's ambitions to become the first major source of 3D printed parts in Nigeria.

Take a car AC Blower for example. When a damaged AC Blower needs replacing, mechanics rely on used parts or in other cases, imports that take time. Elephab wants to reduce that waiting time from weeks, to minutes.

Led by the tag team, Anjola Badaru and Damilola Akinniyi, the fund will help validate their business model. Anjola, who's an industrial designer and engineer, said this:

We truly believe the future of manufacturing for products used in Africa is in Africa. We cant keep importing parts from overseas and then wonder why our economy is struggling

The Power Question.

One thing manufacturers get asked a lot is this; how will you have to deal with Nigeria's erratic power supply? Damilola has an answer:

"The 3D printers we use consume about 100 watts when printing, which is about as much energy as a few light bulbs. We could run 2 printers off one solar panel if we wanted to.

Over to the guys at Beta Ventures.

The co-founders of Beta Ventures, Ike Eze and Ovo Emorhokpor, strongly believe in the potential for scaling manufacturing companies in Africa. Ike said:

When you remove power and access to raw materials as barriers to entry, suddenly manufacturing in Africa looks attractive to investors.

Great things always begin somewhere.

This product idea came out of the GE Lagos Garage's advanced manufacturing training program. It was here that Anjola refined his business idea and came up with his first fully functioning replacement part.He also built a pitch deck and gained access to investors through the program. Patricia Obozuwu, Director Communications and Public Affairs for GE Africa, which created and funds the GE Lagos Garage program said this:

In demonstration of GEs commitment to skills development on the continent, the GE Garage program was conceived to produce a new wave of African innovators and entrepreneurs, by equipping them with modern technologies and business development skills. It is a springboard for Africans to compete in the fast-evolving work environment of the future.

On Elephab, she said: We are particularly delighted and proud of the progress made by Anjola in turning his idea into a venture in a short time. His is another of the over forty commendable success stories recorded since the inception of the Lagos Garage in November 2016

Elephab is trying to be (surprise-surprise), Elephants.

Anjola and his team are not here to play small. The 3D printing machines the company will use were purchased from Germany and the US, and are capable of much larger build volumes, speed and a higher finish quality than household 3D printers. It's why Anjola said:

3D printing is not just for prototypes anymore. With these professional-grade machines, we can print fully functional parts in minutes, that now rival the original parts in quality, durability, and strength.
Underground and suburban rail traffic was disrupted, and officers went house to house to ensure that the area was cleared before disposal experts moved in.

More than 70 years after the end of the war, unexploded ordnance is regularly found buried in Germany, a legacy of the intense bombing campaigns by Allied forces against Nazi Germany.

At least 60,000 people were evacuated in central Frankfurt in September, the biggest operation of its kind in post-war Germany, after a 1.8-tonne British bomb nicknamed "Wohnblockknacker", or blockbuster, was discovered.

In May, 50,000 residents were ordered out of their homes in the northern city of Hanover over several WWII-era bombs.
The vote comes following a string of attacks in France since 2015 and just two days after more bloodshed in the southern port city of Marseille when a suspected Islamist knifeman killed two women.

While Interior Minister Gerard Collomb defends the bill as a "lasting response to a lasting threat", it has come under fire from the French left and human rights groups.

"What makes us angry is that it's a state of emergency that would become permanent and roll back our freedoms," said Christine Lazerges, the head of the National Consultative Committee on Human Rights, a state body.

The law, designed to replace the state of emergency that France has been under since the November 2015 Paris attacks, would come into force on November 1 if approved by both houses of parliament.

The lower house will vote Tuesday on the bill which will give authorities the power to place people under house arrest, order house searches and ban public gatherings without the prior approval of a judge.

Marseille attack

The state of emergency was meant to be temporary but was extended six times for various reasons, such as the need to protect major sporting and cultural events, as well as presidential and parliamentary elections earlier this year.

The vote comes after a knifeman stabbed two women to death on Sunday at the main train station in Marseille shouting "Allahu Akbar" ("God is greatest"). He was shot dead by soldiers.

The Islamic State claimed the attacker was one of its "soldiers", though a source close to the investigation told AFP no solid evidence linked him to the group.

The stabbings bring to 241 the number of people killed in jihadist attacks in France since January 2015, while Collomb said last month that 12 planned attacks have been foiled since the start of the year.

In an environment of widespread fear about Islamist violence, extensions of the state of emergency have met with little public opposition, with critics of the new law limited to the hard left and human rights groups.

"Gradually our public freedoms... are being eroded," said lawmaker Alexis Corbiere of the hard-left France Unbowed party.

Last week two UN experts raised fears that the bill could see security forces discriminate against Muslims and undermine France's standing as a beacon for human rights.

"The normalisation of emergency powers has grave consequences for the integrity of rights protection in France, both within and beyond the context of counter-terrorism," UN human rights expert Fionnuala Ni Aolain warned.

Too harsh or too 'soft'?

Under international human rights standards, "the duration of the state of emergency must be time-bound, revised regularly, and meet the criteria of necessity and proportionality," she wrote in a letter co-signed by Michel Forst, the UN's special rapporteur on human rights defenders.

In their letter, addressed to the French authorities, they said the bill's "vague definition of terrorism" deepened fears that "emergency powers could be used in an arbitrary way".

Some lawmakers from the French right-wing Republicans party as well as the leader of the far-right National Front have criticised the bill for not going far enough.

Far-right leader Marine Le Pen, calling the proposed legislation "soft", said it could not be considered "the great law to eradicate Islamist terrorism".

Interior Minister Collomb said last week the bill "aims to guarantee the fullness of our individual and collective freedoms but promises that all measures will be taken to ensure the security of the French people."

Macron, whose centrist party has a comfortable parliamentary majority, has promised that the legislation, which was approved by the Senate in July, would be reviewed in 2020.
Hanspeter told AFP that police interviewed Renate Langer on September 26 concerning accusations that Polanski raped her in Gstaad when she was 15.

Polanski in 1977 pleaded guilty in the United States to having unlawful sex with Samantha Geimer -- aged 13 at the time -- but fled the country before he could be sentenced. He remains a fugitive from the US justice system.

Langer is a 61-year-old former actress who was born in Munich, according to multiple media reports.

She is the fourth woman to publicly accuse Polanski of sexual assault.

In August, a woman identified only as Robin told a news conference in Los Angeles she was "sexually victimised" by the legendary French-Polish film director when she was 16, in 1973.

Robin said she was prompted to come forward out of anger after Geimer urged authorities to finally put her famous case to rest.

Robin told reporters she wanted people to know that Polanski, now 84, had victimised others.

According to The New York Times, Langer finally decided to approach police in part because of Robin's example and because her parents are no longer alive.

She told the paper she met Polanski while working as a model in Munich and travelled with him to a house in Gstaad, where she said he raped her.

Hanspeter told AFP it was not yet clear if criminal charges would be filed.

Swiss prosecutors can still move forward with the case, although the elapsed time makes it less likely.

Polanski's film career has continued to flourish since he fled the US for France, where many consider him an icon.
A heavily-armed gunman opens fire inside a gay nightclub in the city of Orlando on June 12, 2016 and kills 49 people.

The attacker is killed in a shootout with police; he pledges allegiance to the Islamic State group, which later claims responsibility.

Virginia Tech: 32 killed

A 23-year-old student of Korean origin goes on a rampage at Virginia Tech University in the town of Blacksburg in April 2007. He kills 27 students and five teachers before committing suicide.

Sandy Hook: 26 killed

A disturbed 20-year-old man kills his mother in Newtown, Connecticut, in December 2012 before blasting his way into Sandy Hook Elementary School and shooting dead 20 six- and seven-year old children and six adults. He commits suicide.

Texas restaurant: 22 dead

In October 1991 a man shoots dead 22 people in a restaurant in the town of Killeen, Texas and then kills himself. Another wounded victim dies later.

California office party: 14 dead

A newlywed radicalized Muslim couple storm a Christmas office party at a social services center in San Bernardino in December 2015 and gun down 14 people, wounding 22 others. They are shot dead by police.

Fort Hood military base: 13 dead

In November 2009 a US army psychiatrist opens fire at his military base in Killeen, Texas, killing 13 people and wounding 42, before being overpowered by police.

New York immigrant center: 13 dead

A Vietnamese immigrant shoots dead 13 people at a civic center in the New York state city of Binghamton in April 2009, before killing himself.

Columbine High: 13 dead

Two teenage boys shoot and kill 12 classmates and a teacher at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado, in April 1999, before killing themselves.

Marines: 12 dead

A troubled former serviceman shoots randomly at workers at the Washington Navy Yard headquarters in September 2013, killing 12 people before he is shot dead by officers.

Denver cinema: 12 dead
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr Geoffrey Onyeama in a statement by his Spokesperson Dr Tope Elias-Fatile on Tuesday in Abuja described the Sunday shooting as senseless.

This dastardly attack that led to the death of 59 persons and left 527 others injured has been reported as the deadliest shooting by a lone man in modern U.S. history.

Truly, it was an act of evil. Nigeria commends the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and others for their swift intervention by curtailing the incident, which would have claimed more lives.

Nigerian Government stands with the rest of the world in condemning, in the strongest terms, the killing of innocent people who have been deprived of their fundamental right to life.

He reiterated governments conviction that no cause could justify taking innocent lives.

He added that the Federal Government commiserates with the families of the victims and prays that Almighty God grants them the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.

The Nigerian government also prays for quick recovery of the wounded.
Some rumors identified the wrong person as the shooter, others named a search for a female person of interest described as a "Trump-hating Rachel Maddow fan," referring to an MSNBC host who is a fierce critic of President Donald Trump.

After news outlets pointed out false reports from the 4chan message board were appearing at the top of Google search results, the internet giant said it acted to correct the problem.

"Within hours, the 4chan story was algorithmically replaced by relevant results," Google said in an email to AFP.

"This should not have appeared for any queries, and we'll continue to make improvements to prevent this from happening in the future."

Facebook said it discovered a false news story on the shooting and acted to remove it.

"However, its removal was delayed by a few minutes, allowing it to be screen captured and circulated online," Facebook said.

"We are working to fix the issue that allowed this to happen in the first place and deeply regret the confusion this caused."

Twitter said it too was stepping up efforts to weed out false reports on the shooting.

"We are aware of this issue and are proactively taking action on content that violates our terms of service," a Twitter spokesman said.

The online giants have faced increasing pressure to prevent manipulation of their platforms after revelations of Russian-led efforts to spread misinformation ahead of the 2016 US election.

In Las Vegas, Stephen Paddock, a 64-year-old gambler and retired accountant, was identified as the shooter who fired on a huge crowd at an outdoor country music concert before killing himself.
What happened

A crowd of more than 22,000 people was listening to country music star Jason Aldean at the Route 91 Harvest Festival when there was a burst of automatic gunfire around 10:08 pm (0508 GMT).

Police said a lone gunman opened fire on concertgoers from his 32nd floor room at the Mandalay Bay hotel-casino across the street on the famed Las Vegas Strip.

Robert Hayes, a firefighter from Los Angeles who was attending the concert, told Fox News it resembled a "war scene."

"It was kind of like shooting goldfish," Hayes said.

The toll

Police said at least 50 people were killed and approximately 406 were transported to hospital. The authorities launched an appeal for blood donors.

The gunman

Police identified the gunman as Stephen Craig Paddock, a 64-year-old white man from Mesquite, Nevada, around 80 miles (130 kilometers) northeast of Las Vegas. Paddock was the lone suspect in the shooting, according to the authorities. He was found dead in his hotel room when a police SWAT team breached the room. Police said they believe Paddock killed himself. Police said they recovered at least eight rifles from his room. Little else was immediately known about Paddock, who did not appear to have a criminal record.

Reaction

President Donald Trump sent his "warmest condolences and sympathies" to the victims and families affected by the shooting. The White House said Trump was to make televised remarks to the nation at 10:30 am (1430 GMT).

Pope Francis said he was "deeply saddened" by the "senseless tragedy."

Deadliest US mass shooting ever

Although the final toll has yet to be confirmed, the Las Vegas Strip shooting is already the deadliest ever in the United States.

The previous deadliest shooting was in June 2016 when 49 people were killed at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida.
In an opening speech, Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah renewed his pledge to end a decade-long split between the Islamist Hamas movement that controls Gaza and his West Bank-based government.

"We are here to turn the page on division, restore the national project to its correct direction and establish the (Palestinian) state," he said.

The session took place at the official Gaza residence of Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas in the cabinet office, hung with portraits of Abbas and historic Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.

It was the first meeting of the cabinet in Gaza since November 2014, although Hamdallah visited a year later without his ministers.

Hamas ousted the PA from Gaza after bloody street fighting in 2007, but finally agreed last month to its return, under pressure from the territory's powerful neighbour Egypt.

A visiting Egyptian official told AFP that his country's intelligence chief, Khaled Fawzi, was expected to meet Hamas leader Ismail Haniya in Gaza later on Thursday.

UN Middle East envoy Nickolay Mladenov said on Monday that he was "carefully optimistic" about the reconciliation talks.
General Ben Hodges, commander of US ground forces in Europe, said Russia split up the Zapad-2017 (West-2017) drills into smaller events to flout international agreements on reporting military exercises.

The Russian defence ministry said the joint drills with Belarus on NATO's eastern flank involved just 12,700 troops and were "strictly defensive" in nature, but the show of strength caused consternation in Poland and the Baltic states, which only broke free of the Kremlin's grip some 25 years ago.

"My guess is that there probably were over 40,000 service members in this whole-of-government exercise," Hodges told reporters.

He said Moscow broke up the exercises into smaller drills to skirt international protocols allowing foreign observers to inspect events involving more than 13,000 troops. NATO was invited to send observers to so-called visitors' days.

"But in fact from a professional military standpoint these were all connected," Hodges said.

In the run-up to Zapad, NATO complained about Russian secrecy surrounding the event, warning that Moscow could be hugely underreporting the scale of the exercises. Estonia, Lithuania and Germany all said they thought about 100,000 troops would take part.

The war games came with tensions between Russia and NATO at their highest since the Cold War due to the Kremlin's meddling in Ukraine and the US-led alliance bolstering its forces in eastern Europe.

The last two editions of Zapad, in 2009 and 2013, involved a simulated nuclear strike against Warsaw according to various officials, though NATO itself has never said this.

Hodges said that this time, Russian nuclear drills began after the conclusion of Zapad.

"I did not see in the scenario what I had seen before, where the scenario starts off with nuclear strike on a Western city," he said.
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said, however, that the United States would continue to maintain diplomatic relations with Cuba even though the size of the US mission in Havana would be reduced to a minimum.

"The decision was made due to Cuba's failure to take appropriate steps to protect our diplomats in accordance with its obligations under the Vienna Convention," he said in a statement.

"This order will ensure equity in our respective diplomatic operations," he said.

"Until the government of Cuba can ensure the safety of our diplomats in Cuba, our embassy will be reduced to emergency personnel to minimize the number of diplomats at risk of exposure to harm," Tillerson said.

The attacks, initially described as emanating from some sort of acoustic device, have affected at least 22 US embassy staff in Havana over the past few months.

Those affected have exhibited physical symptoms including ear complaints, hearing loss, dizziness, headache, fatigue, cognitive issues, and difficulty sleeping.

The United States will "continue to maintain diplomatic relations with Cuba, and will continue to cooperate with Cuba as we pursue the investigation into these attacks," he added.

US relations with Havana were only fully restored in 2015, and have deteriorated since President Donald Trump took office in January.
HILLSBORO, MISSOURI A man who killed six people in Illinois nine years ago is expected to plead guilty Wednesday to murdering an Arkansas couple who were staying at a hotel in near St. Louis.

Relatives of the couple are unhappy about the plea because it would remove the possibility of the death penalty in the case.

Tom and Jill Estes, both 54, of Sherwood, Arkansas, were staying at the Comfort Inn in Festus, Missouri, in June 2008 because it allowed dogs. They were in town for a graduation party in St. Louis. The high school sweethearts were the last of Nicholas Sheley's victims  eight in all, police said.

Sheley had already killed a 93-year-old man in his hometown of Sterling, Illinois; four people including a 2-year-old in Rock Falls, Illinois; and a 65-year-old man in Galesburg, Illinois, when he happened upon the couple at the Festus hotel.

After beating the Esteses to death, police say Sheley loaded their bodies into a pickup truck belonging to his Galesburg victim and dumped the couple behind a gas station a short distance away. Hotel guests called police after finding the couple's dogs covered in blood and roaming the parking lot. Deputies followed a 1.5-mile trail of blood to the gas station.

Sheley is serving life sentences for the six slayings in Illinois. Illinois prosecutors dropped their pursuit of the death penalty for Sheley after former Gov. Pat Quinn signed legislation abolishing the death penalty in 2011.

Prosecutors in Jefferson County, Missouri, filed notice on June 8, 2015, of their intent to press for Sheleys execution if he was convicted of murdering the Esteses.

Assistant Jefferson County Prosecutor Steve Jerrell declined to comment Monday about why prosecutors had offered Sheley a plea, saying he could not comment until after Wednesday's hearing.

The move angered Patrick Steed, whose wife, Jaime Steed, 39, is the Esteses' daughter.

Steed said his family has not spoken to the media about the murders, because they did not want any attention. But he said he felt compelled to speak out this week to let the public know his family and those of the Illinois victims are disappointed that Missouri prosecutors are no longer seeking the death penalty against Sheley.

Relatives of the Illinois victims could not be reached for comment Monday.

"All of the families wanted to see the death penalty," Steed said. "We feel like our voice wasn't really considered. We feel marginalized."

Steed said prosecutors told him about three weeks ago that the death penalty was off the table because prosecutors feared technicalities related to Sheley's extradition to Missouri from Illinois, as well as a child pornography conviction of a former deputy who handled evidence at the murder scene, could jeopardize the case.

Steed said his family would not have cared if those issues derailed the case. They know Sheley is going to spend the rest of his life in prison even if he gets away with the murders of Tom and Jill Estes.

"We'd rather risk a not-guilty verdict and know we tried rather than, 'We're not going to try and there's nothing you can do to change our minds about it,'" Steed said. "How can you get closure knowing this guy is still alive? There's no remorse, no regret, no feeling of punishment. His life is probably better now than it was on the outside.

"I don't want to go to my grave with the thought that he's still alive living off my tax dollars. We're paying to feed this guy so he can bulk up, have better health care, dental, free meals. Why? There is no justice in that situation for us."

Prosecutors say the string of drug and alcohol induced killings began June 26, 2008, in Sheley's hometown of Sterling, Ill., where the body of farmer Russell Reed, 93, was found in the trunk of his car.

Four days later, the bodies of Tom and Jill Estes were found behind a gas station in Festus. Less than two hours later, the body of Ronald Randall of Galesburg, was found behind a grocery store there.

Also that day, the bodies of Kenneth Ulve, 25, Brock Branson, 29, Branson's fiancee Kilynna Blake, 20, and her 2-year-old son, Dayan Blake, were found inside a Rock Falls apartment in northwestern Illinois. They had all been bludgeoned to death with a hammer.

After a nationwide manhunt, Sheley was arrested July 1, 2008, outside a bar in Granite City in the Metro East. Patrons recognized him from the media coverage.

In April 2009, Sheley attacked jail guards at the Knox County jail in Galesburg, and was sentenced to seven years in prison for the attack.

Prosecutors in Illinois alleged in 2013 that Sheley's rampage was prompted by his belief that one of his victims, Brock Branson, was having an affair with his wife. Another witness told police Sheley and Branson had argued about drugs. Police believe the Esteses and Randall were random victims. Sheley's wife later testified that Reed once let her and her husband take scrap metal from his property to use toward paying for their wedding, according to the Quad City Times.

Sheley has been awaiting trial at the Jefferson County Jail in Hillsboro since February 2015.
ROCK ISLAND -- The city council honored 28 winners of the "Tell On Your Neighbor" awards Monday night.

Nearly all of the winners were present for the 43rd annual awards presentation. The names of the winners and a slide show with pictures of their properties was shown while Mayor Mike Thoms posed for a giant group picture.

The winners were:

 Sandra Hickman -- 1602 26th St.

 William and Gene Burton -- 560 22nd Ave.

 Dennis and Jane Woodward Sr. -- 3406 14th St.

 Diane von Dresky -- 1710 Lincoln Court

 Kathy and Donald Healy -- 2227 26th St.

 Bill Anderson -- 2221 20 1/2 Ave.

 Molly Forslund -- 1824 42nd St.

 Gary Rowe -- 1231 21st St. A

 Robert and Nancy Graf -- 14 Deer Run

 Daine and John Breckle -- 1628 21st Ave.

 Brian Borzick -- 2501 21st Ave.

 Charles Muscovalley -- 502 18th Ave.

 Heledio Perez -- 522 18th Ave.

 Lizzie Nimmers -- 724 10th St.

 Westgate Condominiums (Perry and Linda Davis) -- 1511 21st Ave.

 Dave Hansen -- 2005 46th St.

 Debbie Wiedenhoeft -- 3819 29th Ave.

 Janice Berry -- 2106 28th St.

 Julie Daley -- 1027 19th St.

 Teresa and Julius Thornton -- 1012 21st Ave.

 Mike and Karen Hines -- 2113 28th St.

 Forrest and Kathy Belzer -- 2611 34th St.

 Glen and Ann Cook -- 2619 30th St.

 Dan and Eddie Pearson -- 3921 18th Ave.

 Charley and Mary Arnold -- 3215 30th St.

 Jeffrey and Amber Mortiz -- 1507 35th St.

 Arthur and Rosa Steinbaugh -- 1515 24 1/2 St.

 Mitchell and Donette Coopman -- 1510 24 1/2 St,

In other business, the council approved spending $7,276 on nine tax auction properties. Two of the properties will need to have the current structures torn down because they are beyond repair.

Lauterbach and Amen, of Warrenville, won a five-year contract with the city to perform professional auditing services. The contract, worth $307,650, will cover this year and end in 2021.

Ald. Joshua Schipp said the current audit reports are only helpful to a limited extent. He asked Stephanie Masson, director of finance, how much it would cost to get a more "exhaustive review."

She told him it would cost more than $60,000 a year for a more in-depth report. She also noted that this was a new firm that would be doing the audits and was the lowest of the eight bids received.

The council also approved continuing a partnership with the Rock Island-Milan School District to complete sidewalk repairs at various schools over the next several years. The cost is not to exceed $7,000. The agreement passed with six votes. Ald. Ivory Clark abstained because he is an employee of the school district.

Ald. Dylan Parker announced that he would be hosting a personal finances workshop, presented by the Illinois comptroller's office. The workshop will go over basic finances, such as how to write a check and how to create a budget, Ald. Parker said. The workshop is open to everyone, including nonresidents, and will be held at 1 p.m. Friday at the Rock Island Township Hall, 2827 7th Ave.

"People don't know how to open a checking account," Ald. Parker said after the meeting. "People don't know how to open a credit card and not go thousands of dollars in debt. It's small, it's not going to change the world, but it's just another thing that I am trying to do with my office as alderman to benefit the community."

During a study session held before the city council meeting, the council and the mayor saw a presentation on the new Interstate 74 bridge. Ryan Hippen of the Illinois Department of Transportation gave a slide presentation similar to the one shown during public meetings.

Mr. Hippen said the bridge project had originally been planned as an eight-year project, but it was shortened to just 3 1/2 by reducing traffic to one lane in 2019. He said the new bridge, which is expected to have a 100-year life span, is expected to cost $1.2 billion.
PARKTON, N.C. (AP)  Authorities say a North Carolina man was fatally shot during an hourslong standoff with police.

State Bureau of Investigation spokeswoman Patty McQuillan says the standoff with 33-year-old Kevin Anthony Battaglia began when county deputies and state troopers went to check on him at his home near Parkton. She says Battaglia began shooting at the officers, then barricaded himself inside his home and continued shooting.

One trooper was shot in his safety vest, taken to a hospital and released.

No other information was released.

News outlets report that officers went to Battaglia's home Sunday afternoon after he was seen carrying a rifle, and the standoff ended around midnight.

Parkton is about 15 miles (25 kilometers) south of Fayetteville.
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Senate has confirmed President Donald Trump's nominee to serve as chairman of the Federal Communications Commission despite Democratic complaints that Ajit Pai will undermine net neutrality.

The vote was 52-41 on Monday for Pai, who has served as a commissioner at the FCC since 2012.

The nomination turned into a proxy fight over Obama-era net neutrality rules established in 2015. Those rules mean service providers such as Verizon, AT&T and Comcast must treat all content the same and not favor their own websites and apps over others, such as a movie streaming service. Pai has tried to roll the rules back, drawing more than 22 million comments and ire from Democrats.

Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., warned that Pai "will do an enormous amount of damage to one of the foundational principles of the internet - net neutrality."

"'Net neutrality' means that after you have paid your internet access fee, you get to go where you want, when you want, and how you want," Wyden said. "We are not going to have some kind of information aristocracy in our society whereby the affluent have access to some kind of technological treasure trove, and folks who do not have much are kind of stuck with what almost resembles dial-up."

The rules, opposed by Republicans and telecom companies and supported by consumer advocacy groups in Washington and internet companies, were upheld by a federal appeals court in 2016.

In defense of Pai, Republican Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi said he is "working to establish the light-touch regulatory framework that allowed the internet to become the marvel of the modern age, keeping it free and open for consumers, innovators and providers. Internet technology will continue to thrive if we keep the heavy hand of government away from the controls."

Democrats also are wary of Pai loosening media regulations that cap how many TV stations one company can own, especially as the agency evaluates conservative-leaning broadcaster Sinclair's proposed takeover of Tribune Media.

Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., praised Pai as an "important partner in my quest to bring rural America in much of my state online."

Four Democrats joined Republicans in backing the nomination - Sens. Claire McCaskill of Missouri, Gary Peters of Michigan, Jon Tester of Montana and Joe Manchin of West Virginia.
Celebrating Our Service Members

Friday, November 11 is Veterans Day, when we honor and show gratitude to all members of our Armed Forces  those currently serving, those who...

Transit Equity Starts With QueensLink

For decades Queens has seen a disinvestment in the necessary transit infrastructure the borough needs to promote equity and sustainability. Most of the time, transformative...
Under the agreement Tyrol will contribute 10m towards the 14.3m project, with the remainder coming from the Bavarian government. The partners have agreed to seek European Union funding through the Interreg programme, which aims to promote co-operation between regions.

The project is due to be completed in 2020 and will enable the extension of the hourly Garmisch-Partenkirchen - Reutte electric service to Pfronten-Steinach. A through service from Munich to Pfronten-Steinach via is also planned.

This is a small but symbolic step towards the gradual reduction of the diesel island in the Allgau, says Herrmann. In the medium term we want to extend the electrification to Kempten.
Progress Rail and Pacific Harbor Line, Inc. (PHL) on Oct. 2 showcased the U.S. EPA Tier 4-certified EMD24B switcher locomotive at the Port of Long Beach for port officials attending the American Association of Port Authorities 2017 convention.

The EMD24B, powered by a Cat 3512C HD engine and constructed with remanufactured core parts, has been completing its California Air Resources Board (CARB) verification testing with PHL, which has confirmed it plans to lease the unit.

Progress Rail has already delivered Tier 4 passenger locomotives in the state of California (the EMD F-125, 40 of which have been ordered by Metrolink) that meet lower emissions standards set by the U.S. EPA, said Gary Eelman, Vice President of Transit, Leasing and Repowers at Progress Rail. Today, we are pleased to share that PHL will utilize our latest switcher locomotive and continue to operate with a lower fleet emissions footprintvital for the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles. The EMD24B is offering a sustainable solution for railroad customers.

PHL is pleased to work with Progress Rail once again and looks forward to leasing the new EMD24B, not only for its performance, but also to continue to create awareness of the need for implementing greener technology in the ports, said Otis Cliatt, President of Pacific Harbor Line. PHL will operate the new switcher in and around the port area once the verification testing has been completed.

Progress Rail is a wholly owned subsidiary of Caterpillar Inc.
Organizers for Railway Interchange, North Americas largest railway industry exhibition and technical conference, report that the 2017 event, held in Indianapolis Sept. 17-20, posted total registered attendance of 8,150, with a record-breaking 738 exhibitors. There were 1,099 international attendees and 108 international exhibitors representing 46 countries.

Railway Interchange 2017 showcased the latest technology, services, and research by members of the Railway Supply Institute (RSI), the Railway Engineering-Maintenance Suppliers Association (REMSA), and Railway Systems Suppliers, Inc. (RSSI). Railway Interchange also featured technical presentations and discussions by the American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association (AREMA) and the Coordinated Mechanical Associations (CMA).

The host organizations of Railway Interchange 2017 are pleased with overall attendance and industry support for the event, which has grown to be the leading North American railway exhibition and technical conference. Our entire AREMA program was very well-received this year, said AREMA Executive Director and CEO Beth Caruso.

RSI President Tom Simpson said, Our attendees and exhibitors are giving Railway Interchange 2017 good reviews; our goal is to constantly improve upon the experience for participants. Attendance for CMA sessions continues to grow because of the quality speakers and topics represented on their agendas.

REMSA Executive Director David Tennent noted, Demand for exhibit space has increased from the first Railway Interchange in 2011 to this years event, underscoring its reputation as the must-attend railway industry exhibition and technical conference in North America.

Even following on the heels of major hurricanes in Texas and Florida this year, Railway Interchange 2017 was a clear success, added RSSI Executive Director Michael A. Drudy. Although booth space sales for Railway Interchange 2019 wont begin until October 2018, advance interest is already strong.

The previous Railway Interchange, held in 2015 in Minneapolis with outdoor exhibits, drew more than 9,000 attendees and featured 687 indoor and outdoor exhibitors, with participants from 42 countries, organizers said. Railway Interchange was last held in Indianapolis in 2013; that event drew 7,850 attendees, 657 exhibitors and participants from 40 countries. Railway Interchange 2019 returns to Minneapolis with outdoor exhibits Sept. 22-25, 2019. Dates have been scheduled for 2021 and 2013. For more information, see www.railwayinterchange.org.
The Chicago Transit Authority celebrated its 70th anniversary Oct. 1, the date when in 1947 the public agency started as owner and operator of what is the current Chicago Transit Authority bus and L train service.

The agency marked the occasion with a celebration in Daley Plaza for customers and transit fans.

The second-largest U.S. transit system, the CTA was created by the Illinois General Assembly to consolidate several private transit companies operating in Chicago. Today, CTA carries about 1.6 million riders on an average weekday.

One of the things that makes Chicago one of the most famous and appealing cities in the world is the CTA and our iconic L elevated train, said CTA President Dorval R. Carter, Jr. In commemorating our 70th year as public servants serving Chicago, I am proud of CTAs important role in everyday lives of Chicagoans and I thank all of our customers for taking transit today and for the next 70 years.

The event featured displays of vintage CTA buses as well as rides on heritage fleet subway cars, including a pair of 4000 series cars built in 1923, and 2400-series trains dating to 1976-78. The CTA also sold commemorative paper tickets for single rides. The 4000-series cars, built by the Cincinnati Car Co., were the first steel cars to operate on the L. They were known as plushies, for their comfortable plsuh seats. The 4000s were retired in 1973 after 50 years of servcie.

CTA earlier celebrated the 125th anniversary of the L on June 6, 2017; the citys first elevated train line was built in 1892 between Congress and 39th Street, ahead of the Worlds Fair the following year.
New Braunfels, TX (78130)

Today

Cloudy early with some clearing expected late. Low around 40F. Winds N at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Cloudy early with some clearing expected late. Low around 40F. Winds N at 10 to 20 mph.
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Recovery of $31 mln from HSBC in favor of firm formerly related to Browder upheld

MOSCOW, October 3 (RAPSI)  The Sixteenth Commercial Court of Appeals has upheld an order to collect 1.8 billion rubles (about $31 million) from HSBC Management (Guernsey) and HSBC Bank (RR) in favor of Dalnaya Step, a company believed to be formerly under the control of William Browders Hermitage Capital Management, according to court records.

In June, an acting manager of Dalnaya Step filed a claim to collect funds from companies formerly in control of it, namely HSBC Management (Guernsey) and HSBC Bank (RR). In August, the Commercial Court of the Republic of Kalmykia granted the lawsuit. HSBC appealed the ruling.

On March 21, 2016, the court ruled to resume bankruptcy proceedings with regard to Dalnaya Step. According to an acting manager back then, proceedings were still in effect and there was a need to make former controllers of the company accountable.

In 2015, the department of Russias Federal Tax Service (FTS) for the Republic of Kalmykia filed a motion with the court to declare void a decision made in October 2007 to complete the liquidation of Dalnaya Step. The FTS department said the reason for the petition is that Russias Interior Ministry is investigating Alexander Dolzhenko, former bankruptcy management at Dalnaya Step, on suspicion of premeditated bankruptcy.

Browder stands charged with several economic crimes in Russia, including premediated bankruptcy and tax evasion, according to lawyer Alexander Antipov.

Earlier, the Tverskoy District Court arrested Browder in absentia on charges of embezzling stock of Russias oil giant Gazprom. According to Russian authorities, Browder illegally bought over 130 million Gazprom shares worth at least 2 billion rubles ($34 million at the current exchange rate) at a lower, intra-market price through a Russian company he controlled, Kameya LLC, which amounts to large financial loss for Russia.

However, the United Kingdom refused to extradite its national.

In 2013, a Russian court sentenced Browder in absentia to 9 years in prison. The court found that from 1997 to 2002, Hermitage Capital auditor Sergey Magnitsky created and applied an illegal tax evasion scheme in the interests of Browder.

Magnitsky worked for Firestone Duncan and represented Hermitage Capital, which the Russian authorities accused of tax evasion. Magnitsky was arrested on fraud charges in November 2008 and found dead in a Moscow detention center in November 2009. The lawyers death provoked an international outcry.

In July 2013, Moscows Tverskoy District Court found Magnitsky guilty of tax evasion and closed the case due to his death. According to the case materials, Magnitskys and Hermitage Capital director William Browders actions cost Russia over 500 million rubles ($8.5 million).
Russian childrens rights ombudsman supports creation of drug rehab center for teenagers

MOSCOW, Octover 3 (RAPSI)  Anna Kuznetsova, Russia's children's rights commissioner, has supported a proposal to establish interregional center for rehabilitation of drug-addicted teenagers, press-service of the ombudsman told RAPSI on Tuesday.

Earlier, Kuznetsova held a meeting with a head of social-rehabilitation center for children and teenagers Revival Dmitry Korenyak.

During the meeting Korenyak argued for creation of a center and said that it will allow authorities to establish a pioneering ground for work with drug-addicted teenagers and their families. Korenyak also noted that the most difficult task is actually detecting children consuming psychoactive substances because only a small portion of addicts ask for help on their own.

Kuznetsova stated that aside from detection and rehabilitation of drug-addicted teenagers it is also important to prevent the problem altogether. She added that these issues will be discussed by the Council for Civil Society and Human Rights in the near future in order to establish a system of help for children suffering from the addiction.
For months now, the U.S. has been trying different measures to get North Korea to give up its nuclear program. In recent weeks, many have assumed that an attack on North Korea was no longer on the table  that there would be some sort of diplomatic solution, mainly focused on sanctions, 
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Johannes Hahn, Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations will visit Armenia on 2 October in order to prepare for the Eastern Partnership Summit taking place on 24 November in Brussels.

Commissioner Hahn will meet with the President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan, Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan, Minister for Foreign Affairs Edward Nalbandian, to discuss the priorities of the Eastern Partnership Summit and the deepening of EU-Armenia relations. This is reflected in the new EU-Armenia Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement and Partnership Priorities which will set the joint policy priorities for the coming years.

Accompanied by the Armenian Minister of Education, he will also meet young Armenian students and discuss future areas of cooperation between the EU and Armenia which will focus, among others, on innovation and skills development.

Ahead of the mission, Commissioner Hahn said: "This is a very important year for EU-Armenia relations as we broaden and deepen our cooperation based on mutual interests. The EU is ready to sign the new Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement with Armenia. This, together with the agreed Partnership Priorities will shape our cooperation where we plan to invest, among other areas, in education and innovation, as skills development will be key for Armenia's future. My visit will also prepare for the next Eastern Partnership Summit by discussing our joint progress on the "20 deliverables for 2020", which aim to bring tangible benefits to the daily lives of Armenian citizens.

In the scope of the visit Commissioner Johannes Hahn and Minister for Foreign Affairs Edward Nalbandian will make press statements.
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The conglomerate, which has received environmental clearance for the project, plans to invest around Rs 1,500 crore in it

Port-to-power behemoth Adani Group is set to enter the airport business with an international airport at Mundra, Gujarat.

The group has firmed up plans to upgrade the existing airstrip at Mundra to a full-fledged commercial airport with integrated cargo and aerospace operations.

The conglomerate, which has received environmental clearance for the project, plans to invest around Rs 1,500 crore (Rs 15 billion) in it.

In 2008, the government allowed fully owned private airports without any equity participation from the Airports Authority of India (AAI).

However, central agencies will oversee functions like navigation, security, customs, and immigration in such airports.

The Adani Group, through its subsidiary Mundra International Airport Private Ltd (MIAPL), will operate the airport to cash in on the corporate traffic in Mundra, which is fast developing into a business hub.

Besides that, with Ahmedabad being the only airport in Gujarat with prime international connectivity, the group believes there is potential for the airport to provide direct connectivity to a large expat Gujarati population.

According to documents filed with the environment ministry, the group plans to upgrade the airstrip to a runway capable of handling large passenger aircraft like Boeing 747 and Airbus A350.

A passenger terminal building with a capacity of 300 passengers, to be increased in the future, will also be constructed. The company didnt respond to queries.

There are also plans to develop the airport as a hub for cargo operations and maintenance and night-landing facility for aircraft.

A separate cargo terminal will be developed to capitalise on the requirement of business houses in the Mundra special economic zone (SEZ) to export their goods.

The airport has potential to develop into a modern state-of-the-art international airport capable of serving the requirements of cargo hub centre, MRO facilities, and assembly-line facilities for various aircraft, says the feasibility report of the project.

Among the major airports in Gujarat, Ahmedabd is already functioning above its capacity, while Vadodara is a defence airport, which puts restrictions on development of infrastructure.

India has seen an exponential growth in air traffic due to falling ticket prices and burgeoning disposable income.

Civil Aviation Minister Jayant Sinha said that with the current rate of growth, India would need investment of Rs 2-3 lakh crore over the next 10-15 years for setting up new airports and adding capacity to the existing ones.

I will not be surprised that in 10-15 years, we are in the range of 250-300 airports. Cities like Jamshedpur, which have a population of 14-15 lakh, do not have an airport large enough. Every city in India that has a population of above 10 lakh should get a high-quality airport, Sinha said recently.

Photograph: Jason Reed/Reuters
Beleaguered liquor baron Vijay Mallya was arrested in London on Tuesday in a money laundering case filed by the Enforcement Directorate, before being released on bail by Westminster Magistrates Court.

The 61-year-old flamboyant businessman, already out on bail on an extradition warrant executed by the Metropolitan Police earlier this year, was released on the same bail conditions as before to appear for his trial on December 4.

Speaking outside the court room, Mallya said that has done nothing wrong and described the allegations against him as fabricated.

I deny all allegations that have been made and I will continue to deny them, he said.

I have not eluded any court. If it is my lawful duty to be here, Im happy to be here, he said, adding, Ive given enough evidence to prove my case.

The judge, Chief Magistrate Emma Louise Arbuthnot, said that Mallya has been freed on the same bail conditions as before which he must abide by.

Earlier, the UKs Crown Prosecution Service, which is arguing the case against Mallya on behalf of the Indian government, had confirmed the arrest.

Vijay Mallya has been arrested on money laundering charges and will be appearing in court today, a CPS spokesperson said.

Sources in New Delhi said the arrest was pursuant to the extradition request made by the Indian government based on money laundering charges against Mallya.

The case is being probed by the ED and the central probe agency has already filed a chargesheet against him and others in a Mumbai court.

Arbuthnot has been hearing Mallyas extradition case at Westminster Magistrates Court on his previous arrest warrant executed by Scotland Yard in April.

He had been arrested by Scotland Yard on an extradition warrant on behalf of the Indian authorities on April 18.

He had attended a central London police station for his arrest and was released on conditional bail a few hours later after providing a bail bond worth 650,000 (Rs 5.6 crore), assuring the court of abiding by all conditions associated with extradition proceedings, such as the surrender of his passport and a ban on him possessing any travel documents.

Mallyas trial in that case is scheduled for two weeks, starting December 4.

The embattled businessman, who has been based in the UK since he fled India in March last year, is wanted in India for his erstwhile Kingfisher Airlines default on loans worth nearly Rs 9,000 crore.

It remains to be seen if both cases will be clubbed together, which may lead to a delay in the trial date.
German aid likely for Bengaluru-Chennai bullet train

Germany is likely to follow Japan in aiding Indias quest for superfast trains.

After laying the foundations of the Ahmedabad-Mumbai bullet train with aid from Japan, India is tapping Germany to finance and execute the proposed Chennai-Bengaluru high-speed rail project, which will have almost the same terms as the Japanese venture.

For the Rs 110,000-crore (Rs 1,100 billion) Mumbai-Ahmedabad project, Japan has offered a loan of Rs 88,000 crore (Rs 880 billion at a minimal interest of 0.1 per cent, which can be repaid in 50 years.

Germany has shown an interest in executing and giving a loan for the Chennai-Bengaluru bullet train project. Discussions are in initial stages but they are likely to agree to the way the Japanese are doing it, said an official close to the development.

In October last year, India and Germany signed a deal on bilateral cooperation in the rail sector.

According to the pact, Germany is expected to look at the possibility of a bullet train and increasing the speed of trains on existing routes to 200 km per hour (kmph).

In order to increase the overall speed of Indian trains, the railways ministry has made a multi-pronged strategy.

The Railway Boards plans include running high-speed trains (with a speed of more than 300 kmph), semi high-speed trains (with a speed of 160-200 kmph), and increasing the average speed of the existing trains, the official added.

The Mumbai-Ahmedabad route will cover 508 km and 12 stations have been proposed on the route. This distance is likely to be covered in two hours and 58 minutes by the bullet train, travelling at 320-350 kmph.

The distance by train between Chennai and Bengaluru is around 358 km. If the Mumbai-Ahmedabad project is taken as the benchmark, the Chennai-Bengaluru route is likely to cost Rs 70,000-80,000 crore (Rs 700-Rs 800 billion).

Many analysts, however, say that the Mumbai-Ahmedabad project cost is too high compared to that offered by Chinese and some European companies.

According to sources, five planned high-speed routes - Delhi-Mumbai, Mumbai-Chennai, Delhi-Kolkata, Delhi-Nagpur, and Mumbai-Nagpur - are also in various stages of consultation.

A Chinese consultant, The Third Railway Survey and Design Institute Group Corporation, is doing the feasibility study for the Delhi-Mumbai route, while a consortium led by French major Systra, RITES, and Ernst and Young are studying the Mumbai-Chennai route.

A consortium led by Spanish company Typsa is studying the feasibility of the Delhi-Kolkata route.

The feasibility for the Delhi-Nagpur and Mumbai-Nagpur routes is being conducted by China and Spain, respectively, on a government-to-government basis.

Our priority is completing the Mumbai-Ahmedabad and Chennai-Bengaluru routes. The rest of the projects will be taken up only after that, the official added. For the Mumbai-Ahmedabad route, Japanese Shinkansen technology will be used. The project will cover 155.6 km in Maharashtra, 350.5 km in Gujarat, and 2 km in Dadra and Nagar Haveli.

Photograph: Richard Chung/Reuters
One may find delicious cherry-kebabs, combining sweet, spicy, sour tastes, and Maria Mema's Chicken only at Chez Hratch, a recently opened eatery featuring western Armenian cuisine in Yerevan.

"Maria Mema's Chicken is prepared following my mothers recipe, says Sonig Farahian-Garjigian, who moved to Armenia from Lattakia, Syria. She claims its a unique dish which cannot be found anywhere else.

Sonig and Yeran, mothers of two Syrian-Armenian families who are the founders and cooks of Chez Hratch, make all kinds of Syrian and Armenian dishes.

Sonig moved to Yerevan in the summer of 2015, when they came to Armenia with her husband and daughter to visit her 19-year-old son, studying in Armenia.

When they came, they decided not to return, leaving everything behind in Lattakia.

"If my children were going to live and study here, what would I do there without them?" says Sonig. "Even if there is no war in Lattakia itself, the country is still in a war. Why should my children stay in an Arab environment when they have a homeland? "

Now, Sonig's 19-year-old daughter is also a student. Both children work in parallel with their studies and occasionally help at the restaurant.

The idea of opening a western Armenian eatery surfaced a year ago. The place was already rented, and it was named after the departed husband of Yeran.

"We have two families working in this canteen. Its us and the Balmanougians from Aleppo. We didnt know each other, our children worked together and decided to open this restaurant, " says Sonig.

All mothers cook deliciously

Sonig is an artist by profession. Even now, she sometimes prepares and sells natural decorations made of wheat spikes, grape leaves, stones. Most of the time, though, shes busy with the restaurant.

She says she hasnt learnt anything special to be a cook. The most important thing is that she cooks with great love, like she would for her own children. "All mothers can cook delicious food. You try to make the best for your children, " she says.

The restaurant is open every day until midnight. Most of the customers are tourists and diaspora Armenians. Locals also come by, but not many. "It's natural, weve been working for only a year, were not that famous yet. There are too many restaurants in Yerevan, " says Sonig.

Yeran cooks, too. Her three sons and Sonig's husband, Vigen, are also in the business. Vigen is an accountant and a manager at the same time.

The restaurant is more crowded on weekends. Tourists prefer Armenian dishes, and diaspora Armenians mostly order Maria Mema's Chicken.

Overcoming the difficulties

Chez Hratch was opened with money invested by the two families. Sonig is not aware of a state support program for Syrian-Armenians. She says the only support theyve ever got was from the Armenian Red Cross, in the form of some $500 in kitchen utensils.

"We own nothing here. In Syria, we all had our own houses, shops. We arent used to paying rent, were used to earn what we earn and live quietly. But here, its all about rent, be it the house or the workplace. "

Although Sonig says she works without taking breaks, so that she can earn a bit more than needed for rent and taxes, she doesnt complain. She says every job has its own difficulty, and there are problems everywhere.

She says everything depends on the way you look at life and how you perceive it. "There is no easy job, there is no quiet country, there is no completely positive city. There is no such thing as if I go there, Ill live very well or very badly. All of us should try for a better future, but there are things that are wrong in every country. We have to be patient, " she says.

No intention to go back

Sonig's family has left a house and shops in Lattakia, but has no intention of going back. "We used to trade Chinese shoes, bags, underwear, accessories; it was a family business. Our shops and house are still there, and we are here, " she says.

Sonig, born and raised in Syria, had not been to Armenia before 2015, and could not even imagine that she would come one day, not wanting to return.

"When we were far away, I did not imagine that I could live in Armenia. People used to talk only about difficulties. No one spoke of the good that exists in Armenia. Thats the worst.

Sonig has attended travel guide trainings and sometimes participates in inbound tours as a guide. Shes been almost everywhere in Armenia. Cascade has always been one of her favorite places, since they saw it when they first arrived in Armenia.

They aim to develop the idea of "medical tourism" in Armenia together with her friend, meaning tours" to health resorts, spa resorts, make-up and massage salons and so on. Many things are still pending for this, though.

"We would like to cooperate with medical centers. We need to study and find the good ones, so that they can help with health care issues, "says Sonig.

Certainly, she says she wants her friends and relatives to come to Armenia, but she herself will never return to Syria.

"Yes, there are many difficulties, but there are also many advantages. First of all, when its your country, all people that surround you are Armenians. It's a great advantage, not every country has this. At least for me it's a great advantage, says Sonig.
The US needs to find global support, especially from Russia and China, to make North Korea back down, says Claude Smadja.

Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff.com

If it (the US) is forced to defend itself or its allies, we will have no choice but to totally destroy North Korea. Rocket Man is on a suicide mission for himself.

These were the extraordinary words of President Donald Trump in his address to the UN General Assembly on September 18.

Seoul and Tokyo may have found solace in the fact that the US leader was thus reaffirming unambiguously Washingtons commitment to defend its allies against North Koreans belligerence.

This came four days after Pyongyang added a new provocation by test firing a ballistic missile, which flew over Japan and had the range to reach the US territory of Guam.

At the same time, it was quite unprecedented to have the leader of the first superpower in the world threatening from the UN podium not only a regime but a whole country -- or part of it if you consider that South and North Korea are still the same country -- of direct annihilation.

Once again, Mr Trump lived up to his reputation and managed to generate awe, concern and unease by his choice of words, the tone of his speech and his direct targets -- not only North Korea but also Iran, and more incidentally Venezuela -- put in the same category of rogue states

When the US president promised earlier to unleash fire and fury on the Pyongyang regime, this could be seen as improvised remarks -- the kind of which the world is becoming accustomed to from Mr Trump.

However, a speech in front of the UN General Assembly -- the first from the American leader -- is all but improvised, and this marks a new escalation in the war or words and reciprocal threats between the two countries.

Will the combative rhetoric of the US president make Kim Jong-un back down?

Certainly not.

In fact, this makes the prospects of resolving the present crisis through negotiations even more remote, as the North Korean leader cannot afford to look like he is intimidated by US threats -- he would lose face and put his regime at risk.

In fact, Mr Kim may consider that Mr Trumps threats are providing him a justification for accelerating his nuclear programme as the best way to safeguard the survival of his regime and -- as importantly -- to force the US to recognise North Korea as a nuclear power and deal with his regime on a quasi-equal footing.

Which leads to one ominous question: Are we inexorably moving into a war in the Korean peninsula which -- either triggered by a Pyongyang or Washington first strike -- could unleash an unpredictable chain of events, involving not only the US and North Korea but also Japan, South Korea, China, and Russia?

The risk cannot be underestimated.

However, even if this may sound unduly optimistic, the situation remains manageable.

Contrary to his depiction as an unpredictable lunatic by many international commentators, Kim Jong-un is a remarkable, cool-headed poker player.

He has so far been able to placate the US and China -- the two most powerful countries in the world.

On the one hand, he is betting that the US would not dare start a war, which would provoke -- by way of North Korean reprisals -- the obliteration of a great part of South Korea, and the loss of life for tens of thousands of Americans based in Korea.

This would also destroy the US credibility as a security guarantor not only in the Asia Pacific region but worldwide. And this, without even talking about the risk of a direct confrontation with China.

On the other hand, he knows that though there is no love lost between him and the Chinese leaders, Beijing cannot afford to have an allied regime being destroyed by the US not only because of the blow to the international prestige of China but also out of concern for the refugee crisis that war in North Korea will certainly unleash on its bordering region.

In addition to that, as he prepares for the 19th Congress of the Communist Party of China, which will mark the consolidation of his grip on power and endorse the domestic and international orientations on which he will embark his country over the next five years, President Xi Jinping is looking for anything but the diversion created by an acute international crisis.

IMAGE: Sooner rather than later, Donald Trump will need to find ways -- short of military action -- to demonstrate his determination to contain Pyongyang. Photograph: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters

While, as has been often mentioned, China does not have as much leverage on the Pyongyang regime than Mr Trump credits it for, it has nevertheless some tools to exert tough, but discreet, pressure on Mr Kim.

It is not unrealistic to expect that these tools will increasingly be applied by Beijing to prevent the rhetorical war between Washington and Pyongyang from escalating into a real one.

As mentioned, the North Korean leader is no fool.

He wants to stay alive, maintain his power and continue to enjoy his Emmental cheese. So he will presumably listen to the messages from Beijing and Moscow on how far he can push the envelope with his provocative ballistic missiles tests.

However, he will not renounce on his goal to be recognised as an interlocutor by Washington and to have North Korea join the group of nuclear powers.

This is where the real challenge resides for President Trump.

The US diplomats around him will certainly have noted that his attempt at the UN General Assembly to rally the world around the US to try to rein in North Koreas and Irans nuclear programs has not generated a widespread support -- to say the least.

Whatever the revulsion that the North Korean regime inspires, no one would endorse or support a first strike against the Korean regime.

So, sooner rather than later, the US president will need to find ways -- short of military action -- to demonstrate his determination to contain Pyongyang. He will also need to find ways to control his own temper as bombastic threats not only alienate much needed international support but increasingly make him look like a paper tiger.

This is where Russias and Chinas support is absolutely essential for any hope of reducing tensions and finding a way out of the present dangerous crisis.

These are the only two countries that can have a real impact on the North Korean leader actions.

So far, despite Moscows and Beijings reluctance at seeing Pyongyang achieve nuclear power status and China exasperation with Kim Jong-un provocations, neither Vladimir Putin nor Xi Jinping have had a real incentive to take the North Korean thorn away from Mr Trumps side.

At some stage, sooner rather than later, the US president will need to find -- and propose -- the kind of quid pro quos that will make his Russian and Chinese counterparts join him and truly weigh in, presumably quietly, to tame the Rocket man.

Claude Smadja is the president of Smadja & Smadja, a strategic advisory firm.
Nearly a month after journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh was shot dead in an audacious attack in Bengaluru, Karnataka minister Ramalinga Reddy has claimed that the Special Investigation Team probing the incident has identified the killers.

The home minister, however, refused to divulge further details, saying the SIT was gathering evidence.

We have got clues, but we cannot tell things to the media for now because we should have correct evidence for the clues we have got, he said.

If there is no proper evidence when we file the charge sheet in the court, it wont stand. So we are trying to collect the evidence properly. We know who has done it (the killing) and what.... everything we know, Reddy said on Sunday.

Gauri Lankesh, known to be an anti-establishment voice with strident anti-right wing views, was shot dead at close range by unknown assailants at her home in Bengaluru on the night of September 5.

The killing had led to national outrage and protests by several groups over rising intolerance in the country and attempts to muzzle dissent with the criticism targeted at the Modi government and right wing groups.

Reddy had on September 9 made similar claims about the SIT having gathered some clues in connection with the case.

The Karnataka government, which constituted the SIT headed by Inspector General of Police (Intelligence) B K Singh, has also announced Rs 10 lakh reward for anyone giving clues about the perpetrators of the crime.

As the killing also gave way to a political slug fest, Gauris family had made a plea against giving political colour to it.

The family had said the investigators should look into all angles in the case, as reports had emerged about a possible Naxal hand in the crime other than the suspected involvement of right wing extremists.
Nawaz Sharif was on Tuesday re-elected as the president of Pakistan's ruling party, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz after Parliament passed a controversial bill, paving the way for the ousted prime minister's return to politics.

Sharif, 67, had to step down as the chief of the PML-N after he was disqualified as the prime minister by the Supreme Court on July 28 in the Panama Papers scandal.

Under The Representation of Peoples Act 1976, a disqualified person could not hold office of a party.

However, the legal hurdle in his way to become party chief was cleared on Monday when the National Assembly passed a controversial Election Bill 2017 that allows politicians disqualified from holding public office to head a political party.

President Mamnoon Hussain signed the controversial Election Act 2017 into law hours after it was bulldozed through the parliament amid pandemonium on the opposition benches.

PML-N leader Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry submitted Sharif's papers for party president in the Election Commission of Pakistan while no other candidate from the party contested the election.

Minister of State Talal Chaudhry told media that Sharif will remain chief of PML-N. "He will also become the prime minister of the country. Sharif cannot be removed from politics through conspiracies, he said.

The election of party president is a requirement by Election Commission of Pakistan that already last month issued notice to the PML-N for failing to choose permanent successor of Sharif.

Sharifs election has temporarily healed the rifts within the party which appeared on the verge of defections after his ouster.

But Sharifs fate as party president still hangs in balance as Pakistan Awami Tehreek party has challenged the new law in the Lahore high court, while Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and other parties have announced to challenge it in the Supreme Court.

Opposition parties allege that the new law was "Sharif- specific" to allow him to return to politics. They also content that the law is against the spirit of the Constitution.
His tightly clenched fist raised amid chants of Bharat mata ki jai, Bharatiya Janata Party chief Amit Shah set off on a 15-day foot march on Tuesday to protest the Communist Party of India-Marxists alleged violence against workers of his party, which is trying to emerge as the main challenger to the Left in Kerala.

IMAGE: BJP president Amit Shah and Tourism Minister Alphonse Kannanthanam waves to the crowed during the partys Jan Raksha Yathra at Payyannur in Kannur. Photograph: PTI Photo

On the first day of his three-day stay, Shah launched Jan Raksha Yatra (peoples protection march) from Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayans home town in Kannur district.

He was later joined by a large numbers of supporters as he walked over nine kilometres, blaming the ruling CPI-M for political murders of BJP and RSS workers.

More than 84 BJP and RSS workers have been killed in the district alone. I want to ask Pinarayi Vijayan...Who has killed them? If he does not have answers, then I am saying that the chief minister is responsible for the killings, he said.

The BJP chief met the family members of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh-BJP workers killed in the political violence in the state and also inaugurated an exhibition organised in their memory.

He also announced a padyatra over the issue in other state capitals from Wednesday.

Seeking to corner the ruling alliance and boost the BJPs standing among the masses, the party has asked its senior leaders, including Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanth and several Union ministers, to join the exercise. Adityanath is expected to be in the state on Wednesday.

IMAGE: Amit Shah pays a floral tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Payyannur in Kannur.

Photograph: PTI Photo

Communists have destroyed a peaceful Kerala, more than 120 BJP and RSS karyakartas have been murdered in Kerala so far, Shah alleged.

I want to tell CM Pinarayi Vijayan that the more they try to muddy the political environment, more the lotus will bloom in Kerala, the BJP president said.

The yatra is the beginning of the end of the CPI-Ms politics of violence, he said and appealed to the people to remove the Left party from power and bring in a BJP government for peace and prosperity.

Political violence and Left governments go together, he alleged, adding that wherever the Left rules, the state sees political violence.

Kerala is the land of great saints and social reformers such as Adi Shankara, Sreenarayana Guru and Chattambi Swamikal, but it has been turned into a state of bloodshed with the rise of the Left, Shah alleged.

He also accused human rights activists of maintaining silence over the violence against the BJP and RSS workers and asked them to ignore this perception that red violence is not violence.

IMAGE: Addressing a crowd, Shah alleged, "Communists have destroyed a peaceful Kerala, more than 120 BJP and RSS karyakartas have been murdered in Kerala so far." Photograph: PTI Photo

The silence of the activists over the killing of more than 120 BJP workers working on a nationalist agenda is a question mark on their allegiance, he said.

This Jan Raksha yatra is a satyagraha against the atrocities and the killings by the CPI-M, he said.

The Jan Raksha Yatra, held under the theme of All have to live! against Jihadi-Red Terror, from Payyannur will travel through the state before ending in Thiruvananthapuram on October 17.

As many as 120 BJP workers have been killed in the state since 2001 with 14 of them in the chief ministers home town since he took over the reigns last year, the BJP has alleged.

The CPI-M has, in turn, accused the BJP and the RSS of resorting to violence and denied the involvement of its government and leadership in the political killings.

The BJP is working overtime to become a potent force in the state by 2019 Lok Sabha polls. It had garnered 10 per cent and 15 per cent votes respectively in 2014 Lok Sabha and 2016 assembly polls.

With the Congress, the main opposition party in the state, and the Left, maintaining a coordination against the BJP in politics at the national lever, the saffron party believes that it can occupy the opposition space in Kerala and build on its gains to become a major force by the next Lok Sabha polls.
While Karat is opposed to any understanding with the Congress, Yechury is of the view that the situation warrants putting together a national alternative to the BJP, reports Archis Mohan.

The Communist Party of India-Marxist is headed for yet another showdown between party chief Sitaram Yechury and former party chief Prakash Karat at the partys three-day central committee meeting, starting on October 14.

The bone of contention is whether the CPI-M should be a part of the Congress-led national alliance to fight against the Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party government.

On Monday, the CPI-M Politburo met in New Delhi to forward the central committee two conflicting drafts, or outlines, of its future political tactics.

The central committee would discuss and vote on the two drafts -- one backed by Yechury and the other by Karat.

The final draft would then be circulated for further discussions and adopted at the partys conclave in Hyderabad in April 2018.

The political resolution passed at the conclave will determine the CPI-Ms strategy for the next three years -- whether the party will have electoral alliances with non-Left secular democratic parties at the national level for the 2018 assembly polls and for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Karat has argued against such an electoral alliance. He wants the party to persist with its 2015 political tactical line to focus on building its organisational strength and involve itself with agitation on the ground.

It had then decided that while the main direction of the partys attack should be against the BJP, but an electoral understanding with the Congress cannot be ruled out. It also decided against the CPI-M being part of any national alliance of regional parties.

Yechury has pointed to changing conditions in the country for the CPI-M to amend its political tactical line to fight the BJP-RSS combine.

The Yechury camp has invoked a line from Leon Trotsky, who, in 1931, appealed to German Communists to fight fascist forces led by Adolf Hitler, but had no alliance with the Social Democrats.

March separately, but strike together, Trotsky said in 1931.

The CPI-M hasnt taken part in an opposition unity rally in Patna in August 27, and the central committee had also voted against a third Rajya Sabha term for Yechury with Congress support. This party line has come under heavy criticism from other opposition parties.

After the last politburo meeting on September 6-7, Yechury indicated the political tactical line of 2015 needed to be amended and pointed at recent events like the murder of journalist Gauri Lankesh and other developments.

The concrete conditions have changed since 2015 to 2018 (April) when we meet again. So the basic essential element of Marxism is concrete analysis of concrete conditions. Conditions have changed, so our analysis and alignment will accordingly change, he said.

That did not go down too well within the party, as the next day the politburo issued a statement to clarify Yechurys comments.

If Karat is opposed to any understanding with the Congress, Yechury is of the view that the situation warrants putting together a national alternative to the BJP.

Yechury and others have argued that the BJP is no ordinary bourgeoisie party, but is a front of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh with a fascist agenda.

According to them, the Modi government needs to be fought at all levels as it threatens parliamentary democracy, and the CPI-M has in the past backed broad national platforms.

The Jalandhar party conclave in 1978 after the Emergency had decided to defend the broad platform represented by the Janata Party, which had included the Jana Sangh, against authoritarian attacks (of the Indira Gandhi-led Congress government).

Similarly, in 1989 there was an alliance of the National Front, comprising regional parties and Janata Dal, and the Left parties. The Janata Dal had an electoral understanding with the BJP.

The CPI-M cooperated with the United Front government from 1996 to 1998, which was supported from the outside by the Congress to keep the BJP at bay.
Mane Gevorgyan

On October 16, the Armenia Startup Academy will be launched in Armenia, which aims to develop the Armenian start-up ecosystem by utilizing necessary knowledge and experience, and create an environment where global level technology start-ups will be born.

It will help start-ups to create products that are really needed and for which people are willing to pay.

The Academy is one of the initiatives of the Catalyst Foundation created by SmartGateVC's founders. It is implemented within the framework of the SMEDA program funded by the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and supported by the German Federal Enterprise for International Cooperation (GIZ).

All operating start-ups can apply to the Armenian Startup Academy before October 9. As this is a pre-acceleration program, start-ups have to have completed the incubation period intended for the original idea.

Up to 15 start-ups will be selected based on applications and interviews. The duration of this educational program is twelve weeks.

The first four weeks are intended for clarifying internal and external factors associated with start-ups. During that time, the discussed topics will include work efficiency of the founders, options to improve product quality, the market and potential investors.

During the following four weeks, the market will be selected and developed, and, by the end, start-ups strategy of going to market will be ready. Many factors will be taken into account: potential accelerators in the given market, user behavior, prospects of product development in the given market, etc.

The last four weeks are for preparing for market validation. It is anticipated that, at the end of the program, startups will continue to operate for some time in the already chosen market or will be included in some global accelerator to clarify the existing business assumptions.

Armenia Startup Academy is based on some of the programs used in the Silicon Valley, which have been developed and adapted to the Armenian reality. Some entrepreneurs from the diaspora expressed willingness to support the project. Many of them will be involved in the program as mentors or simply help with their advice.

The program is primarily intended for selected start-ups, but public events will be open to all. There are no restrictions on participation. It is envisaged that participants will spend most of the day in a special co-working area, which will also include meeting rooms.

Mentors, trainers, instructors, entrepreneurial assistants will work in the Academy, conveying their expertise and knowledge on specific areas. Invited speakers will lecture on a variety of topics. Five priority areas have been identified: Growth hacking, Product analytics, Customer development, Sales, Communication and Culture. Within several weeks, these topics have been thoroughly studied by previously selected seven young professionals, who will now pass their knowledge to start-ups. One of the important opportunities offered by the Academy will be the use of customer development tracking methodology. Due to this approach, which is accessible to few, it is possible to clarify the customer segment, value proposition, and optimize sales channels.

Co-founder of SmartGateVC, Hambardzum Kaghketsyan, says the Academy's educational program is intended not only for providing theoretical and practical knowledge, but also for making start-ups as ready as possible from the perspective of investors. "Venture investors, before making a decision, check ten possible aspects of the start-up. There are technical, market, financial, legal, team, customer-related and other due diligence processes. Our program includes relevant topics to address each of these ten aspects every week, " Hambardzum says.

Every three weeks, start-ups will summarize the results of their work during their presentations. During this entire period, as well as on the last day, different investors will be present.

Co-founder of SmartGateVC Ashot Arzumanyan says, "As venture co-investments are very popular, we do everything we can to make the Academy's investors acquainted with each other, follow the start-ups activities, so that they also invest in them."

After completing this program of the Armenia Startup Academy, start-ups will be ready for independent development or participation in the accelerator program, having an action plan for 6-12 months.
On the eve of local elections in Georgia, its apparent that the contestants are using the Armenians of Samtskhe-Javakhki, and their issues, to stir up tensions in the region.

Just days ago, the installation of a stone cross at a church in the village of Gumburdu led to a confrontation and scuffle between residents and police. The incident sparked comments about a so-called Russian-Azerbaijani conspiracy, and raised questions about the alleged friendly relations between Yerevan and Tbilisi.

Minutes ago, Hetq received a phone call from residents of Tabatzghour, an Armenian-populated village in the Borjomi region of Georgia.

Theyve been waging an ongoing battle with Vardan Ayvazyan, a member of the parliament in Armenia, over fishing rights in the village lake.

Ayvazyans company Ldjer Ltd. has leased the lake for fishing, banning entry to residents.

Those close to Ayvazyan have said that the company has sold its rights to the lake to a Georgian hotel owner in the area. Residents believe this is a ruse to remove the spotlight from Ayvazyan.

According to the Georgian State Corporate Registry, Armen Ayvazyan (Vardan Ayvazyans nephew) and Ldjers sole shareholder sold 50% of the stock to Zaza Saralitze, the Georgian hotel owner, for the equivalent of US$125,000 in Georgian Laris.

In this transaction, Saralitze served as a mediator for Georgi Karaghyan, a resident of the town of Khashur.

One Tabatzghour resident told Hetq that the new co-owner of the lake will be visiting on October 5 and that he threatened to employ special forces units to finally resolve the fishing rights issue.

The resident says the villagers will not give in.
Disclaimer

This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.
Syria: Changes to legal exemptions from compulsory military service, including implementation (January-July 2017)

Publisher Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada Publication Date 18 September 2017 Citation / Document Symbol SYR105971.E Related Document(s) Syrie : information sur les modifications aux exemptions prevues par la loi concernant le service militaire obligatoire, y compris sur leur mise en oeuvre (janvier-juillet 2017) Cite as Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Syria: Changes to legal exemptions from compulsory military service, including implementation (January-July 2017), 18 September 2017, SYR105971.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59d37c754.html [accessed 15 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Ottawa

1. Modifications to Allowed Exemptions from Compulsory Military Service in 2017

1.1 Travel Abroad

According to the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), a state-run news agency in Syria, in January 2017, President Bashar al-Assad issued Law No. 3 of 2017 that amended articles 48 and 49 of the 2007 Legislative Decree No. 30 on military service (SANA 5 Jan. 2017). The same source states that

[t]he amendments provide for allowing Syrians between 17 and 42 of age to travel abroad upon getting a travel approval from the General Conscription Directorate after paying a bail of SYP 50,000 [approximately C$102.06].

The law exempts from paying the bail civil employees, people exempted from compulsory military service, personnel serving in the Army and Internal Security Forces and people dispatched by the government on study or official mission among others. (ibid.)

Further and corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

1.2 University Students

The Syrian Voice, a news website which focuses on the impact of the Syrian Civil War on the lives of civilians (The Syrian Voice n.d.), reports that on 26 March 2017, the general command of the Syrian Army sent a circulation to its recruitment administration calling for a "cessation ofments offered to students pursuing an advanced diploma in education who do not possess a 'related' university degree" and nullifying "existingments that fall under the same categorization" (The Syrian Voice 12 Apr. 2017). According to Syria Direct, a non-profit journalism organization covering Syria that provides training to aspiring Syrian and American journalists, the decision was issued by the Syrian Army's General Directorate of Conscription, and narrowed "the criteria for male university students to military service," specifically those pursuing a one-year post-graduate diploma in teaching and "whose original undergraduate studies were unrelated" (Syria Direct 20 Apr. 2017). An August 2017 report on recruitment practices in Syria by the Danish Immigration Service (DIS) and the Danish Refugee Council (DRC), based on interviews conducted in Beirut and Amman between 26 March and 5 April 2017, cites a "major international non-governmental organization" as indicating that students at the master's level may still military service, but that a decree issued in April 2017 states that students studying at the diploma level may no longer do so (Denmark and DRC Aug. 2017, 8-9).

The Middle East Monitor, a media monitoring network that provides "focused and comprehensive coverage of Palestine, and its regional neighbours" (Middle East Monitor n.d.), reports that an order was issued by the Defence Ministry in Damascus in late March 2017 that abolished "all previous service postponements for university students who possess non-specialist degrees," banned students with postponements from travelling outside the country, and ordered them to "join the ranks of the regime forces until 21 November [2017]" (ibid. 6 July 2017). The DIS and DRC report cites a diplomatic source as noting, with regard toments for university students, that "leniencies have been cut back, e.g. university students whose military service was postponed during their studies, are now called up immediately after their final exam rather than at the end of the academic year as was the case prior to the conflict" (Denmark and DRC Aug. 2017, 8).

The Syrian Voice explains that many Syrian students pursued an "advanced diploma in education" if they did not qualify for master's or doctoral programs, as it previously qualified them for a two yearment, but the decision by the Syrian Army limited this option to students with degrees in "related" fields such as history, sociology, and Arabic (The Syrian Voice 12 Apr. 2017). Syria Direct, citing an interview with an impacted Syrian university student, states that prior to the decision, students could take the one-year teaching diploma, which could allow them to military service for up to two years if they failed the first year (Syria Direct 20 Apr. 2017). The same source cites the student as stating that other options to avoid service are to intentionally fail a course in the final year, thus delaying graduation and extending thement legally, or to pay a bribe to an officer to receive ament for one year (ibid.).

1.3 Medical Exemptions

According to the DIS and DRC report, Professor Basel Al-Hassan, a Professor in Political Science at Lebanese American University, in an interview on 3 April 2017, indicated that

exemptions for e.g. medical reasons are no longer strictly adhered to and that individuals who have previously been exempted for medical or mental conditions have in some instances undergone renewed medical, physical and mental assessments. The purpose of such assessments has been to identify individuals with minor medical issues who, despite prior exemptions, can be considered fit for either logistical or combat roles. (Denmark and DRC Aug. 2017, 9)

In a July 2017 article, the BBC, citing the "Facebook page of the pro-government Damascus Now news website," reports that men exempted on the grounds of poor health "would now be referred to an independent committee" (BBC 5 July 2017).

1.4 Other Exemptions

The DIS and DRC report indicates that representatives of the UNHCR noted "intensified efforts" by the government to recruit reservists and conscripts, including a "rise in the targeting of certain groups, which were previously considered as 'protected' with regards to serving military service, i.e. prisoners, university students, public servants and to some extent also certain religious minorities" (Denmark and DRC Aug. 2017, 60). The same source cites a "major international non-governmental organization operating in Syria" as noting that "the option for many public servants to military service has been annulled" (ibid., 9). Further and corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

According to the Middle East Monitor, citing SANA, in July 2017, the Syrian government "introduced amendments to a law covering military service, under which all those who were exempted or had their conscription postponed will now be obliged to serve in the army" (Middle East Monitor 6 July 2017). The same article, citing official sources, reports that "paragraph (H) of Article 25 of the 2007 Legislative Decree No. 30 regarding military service is henceforth cancelled; all service exemption approvals will be revoked" (ibid.; 6 July 2017). The July 2017 BBC article reports that a part of article 25 of the legislative decree on compulsory military service "which stipulates that men could be exempt from military conscription 'based on the leadership's decision'" was cancelled in July 2017, and that all those who had been exempted under this section would be summoned for military service (BBC 5 July 2017). Further information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

The DIS and DRC report, citing Professor Hilal Khashan, a Professor of Political Science at the American University of Beirut, and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace's Middle East Center, in interviews on 3 April and 28 March 2017 respectively, indicates that "the government has begun to recruit everyone, [including] only male children of families who previously, by law, have been exempted from service" (Denmark and DRC Aug. 2017, 9). The BBC article reports that exemptions issued under other parts of article 25, such as those issued to "men who have no brothers or those whose brothers have died and who have become the only family supporter" would remain in place (BBC 5 July 2017).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). 5 July 2017. BBC Monitoring Middle East. "Syria Reportedly Amends Military Conscription Law." (Factiva) [Accessed 9 Aug. 2017]

Denmark and DRC. August 2017. Danish Immigration Service (DIS) and Danish Refugee Council (DRC). Syria: Recruitment Practices in Government-controlled Areas and in Areas under Opposition Control, Involvement of Public Servants and Civilians in the Armed Conflict and Issues Related to Exiting Syria. [Accessed 22 Aug. 2017]

Middle East Monitor. 6 July 2017. "Syrians Now Obliged to Fulfil Military Service." [Accessed 9 Aug. 2017]

Middle East Monitor. N.d. "About Us." [Accessed 18 Aug. 2017]

Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA). 5 January 2017. H. Said. "President al-Assad Issues Law Regarding Injured Military Personnel who Succumb to Wounds as Martyrs." [Accessed 9 Aug. 2017]

Syria Direct. 20 April 2017. Bahira al-Zarier and Maria Nelson. "Damascus Student to Pay 8 Months of Salary in Bribe to Avoid Military Service." [Accessed 9 Aug. 2017]

The Syrian Voice. 12 April 2017. Eyad Muhammad Mudhar and Avery Edelman. "Syrian Army Modifies Academic Deferment Rules Amid Efforts to Boost Recruitment." [Accessed 9 Aug. 2017]

The Syrian Voice. N.d. "Who We Are." [Accessed 18 Sept. 2017]

Additional Sources Consulted

Oral sources: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

Internet sites, including: Al Jazeera; Amnesty International; Carnegie Endowment for International Peace; ecoi.net; Factiva; Human Rights Watch; IHS Jane's; Integrated Regional Information Networks; International Crisis Group; Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently; Reuters; Syria - People's Assembly (Parliament); Syria Deeply; Syrian Observatory for Human Rights; United Nations - Refworld; United States - Department of State; War Resisters International.
Chad: The Framework of Popular Action for Solidarity and Unity of the Republic (Cadre d'action populaire pour la solidarite et l'unite de la Republique, CAP-SUR) political party, including the treatment of its members by the authorities since the presidential elections on April 10, 2016 (2015-January 2017)

Publisher Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada Publication Date 20 January 2017 Citation / Document Symbol TCD105719.FE Related Document(s) Tchad : information sur le parti politique Cadre d'action populaire pour la solidarite et l'unite de la Republique (CAP-SUR), y compris le traitement reserve a ses membres par les autorites depuis les elections presidentielles du 10 avril 2016 (2015-janvier 2017) Cite as Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Chad: The Framework of Popular Action for Solidarity and Unity of the Republic (Cadre d'action populaire pour la solidarite et l'unite de la Republique, CAP-SUR) political party, including the treatment of its members by the authorities since the presidential elections on April 10, 2016 (2015-January 2017), 20 January 2017, TCD105719.FE, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59d37e244.html [accessed 15 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Ottawa

1. CAP-SUR

In correspondence sent to the Research Directorate, a representative of Human Rights Without Frontiers (HRWF) - Africa, a Chadian legal organization whose objectives are to promote and to protect human rights (HRWF - Africa n.d.), stated the following:

[Translation]

The Framework of Popular Action for Solidarity and Unity of the Republic (CAP-SUR) political party is an opposition party. The party's president, [Joseph] Dadnadji Djimrangar [was] an activist of the party in power (Patriotic Salvation Movement [Mouvement patriotique du salut, MPS]). He served as minister several times under the regime of President [Idriss] Deby. He was prime minister from February to November 2013, when he resigned. He was a candidate in the presidential elections of April 10, 2016. (24 Dec. 2016)

Sources report that Joseph Djimrangar Dadnadji resigned from the MPS in January 2015 (Topona 19 Jan. 2015; RFI 24 Apr. 2015). According to RFI, he created his political party, the CAP-SUR, on 15 April 2015 (ibid.).

In a telephone interview with the Research Directorate, a Chadian journalist-blogger, who is a human rights activist, explained that a number of current CAPSUR members are former senior officials who worked with Joseph Djimrangar Dadnadji when he was prime minister and that they left the party in power at the same time as he did (3 Jan. 2017). Corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

Sources indicate that political opposition parties founded the New Opposition Front for Alternation and Change (Front de l'opposition nouvelle pour l'alternance et le changement, Fonac) (DW 26 July 2016; Xinhua 7 Aug. 2016). Sources specify that Fonac was established on 26 July 2016 (Tchadinfos.com 26 July 2016; Tchadactuel 27 July 2016). The journalist-blogger indicated that CAP-SUR had been part of Fonac (journalist-blogger 3 Jan. 2017). The same source added that a new platform, called the Citizen Awakening Movement (Mouvement pour l'eveil Citoyen, MECI) and consisting of political parties and members of civil society, was recently created and that CAPSUR was part of it (ibid.). According to a document prepared in N'Djamena on 9 December 2016 and posted on the independent news site Makaila.fr, J. Djimrangar Dadnadji of CAP-SUR is a signatory of that platform (Makaila.fr 30 Dec. 2016). Corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

1.1 The Authorities' Treatment of CAP-SUR Members

The journalist-blogger indicated that Joseph Djimrangar Dadnadji had been prevented from travelling (3 Jan. 2017). Other sources report that the authorities prevented him from travelling on 18 December 2016, when he had to go to Cameroon to attend a scientific conference (VOA - Africa 18 Dec. 2016; DW 19 Dec. 2016).

The journalist-blogger indicated that Abdoulaye Adoudou, a member of CAPSUR, had also been prevented from travelling (journalist-blogger 3 Jan. 2017). Corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

The journalist-blogger reported that CAP-SUR members who had worked with Joseph Djimrangar Dadnadji when he was prime minister were [translation] "ostracized" by the regime in power, which was "very repressive" (ibid.). According to that same source, the entourage of CAP-SUR members is subjected to [translation] "acts of reprisal" by the regime in power (ibid.). As examples of this, the journalist-blogger mentioned that children of CAP-SUR members who attend public schools have been unable to obtain scholarships to study abroad and that the spouses of CAP-SUR members have lost their jobs in the public service (ibid.). Corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

Further information on the authorities' treatment of CAP-SUR members could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. However, the information that follows might prove useful.

2. Authorities' Treatment of Opposition Members

According to Deutsche Welle (DW), a German international broadcaster (DW n.d.), "[t]he April elections took place amid a climate of repression. Opponents of the regime were jailed for organizing peaceful protests" (8 August 2016a). In addition, according to the French daily Liberation, [translation] "opponents who were planning to organize demonstrations against [Idriss Deby's] fifth presidential term were jailed before the vote" (30 Apr. 2016).

Sources indicate that on 6 August 2016, Chadian police used tear gas to break up a Fonac rally [CAP-SUR was a member of Fonac, according to the journalist-blogger (3 Jan. 2017)] that had been prohibited by the Chadian authorities (Xinhua 7 Aug. 2016; BBC 6 Aug. 2016). With respect to that rally, the Chinese news agency Xinhua reports that Chadian police [translation] "arrested many demonstrators" (7 Aug. 2016).

A number of sources indicate that Fonac organized a march on 7 August 2016 that had been prohibited by the Chadian authorities (Xinhua 7 Aug. 2016; BBC 6 Aug. 2016). According to DW, [translation] "the dissenters were violently dispersed by defence and security forces" (8 Aug. 2016b). RFI also notes that the rally was broken up by security forces (7 Aug. 2016). Sources specify that one demonstrator was killed and that another was in serious condition (DW 8 Aug. 2016b; RFI 7 Aug. 2016). Based on information it was provided by opposition activists, RFI reports that [translation] "several of the injured were also struck with clubs" (7 Aug. 2016). Tchadinfos.com, an information portal on Chadian current affairs (Tchadinfos.com n.d.), reports that the intervention of law enforcement officials on 7 August 2016 resulted in [translation] "a few arrests" and "minor casualties and the death of a university graduate from Sarh" (ibid. 15 Nov. 2016).

Sources report that on 17 November 2016, law enforcement officials used tear gas at a Fonac rally that had been prohibited by the Chadian authorities (Tchadinfos 23 Nov. 2016; VOA - Africa 18 Nov. 2016). Sources report that activists were arrested at that rally (DW 8 Dec. 2016; TchadConvergence 6 Dec. 2016). Sources add that they were then judicially released (DW 8 Dec. 2016; RFI 8 Dec. 2016). TchadConvergence specifies that [translation] "some 30 opponents were questioned before being released, except for two party leaders, the activist Kally Mahamat and eight other activists" (TchadConvergence 24 Nov. 2016). The same source reports that a lawyer stated that [translation] "some claim to have been beaten" and that [translation] "the detention conditions at the jail [where the 11 opponents were taken] are not very good" (ibid.).

La Croix reports that [translation] "Laoukein Kourayo Medard, Mayor of Moundou, who was third in the presidential elections, denounces the harassment of his activists" (2 May 2016). An article published by Voice of America (VOA) - Africa also specifies that Laoukein Kourayo, leader of the Chadian Convention for Peace and Development (Convention tchadienne pour la paix et le developpement, CTPD), [translation] "reported the arrest of his supporters, namely, Idriss Ramadan of the CTPD's youth league and Dionadji Dionheur, the party's departmental campaign manager," who stated that they had been tortured by the National Security Agency (13 May 2016).

2.1 The Authorities' Treatment of Opposition Leaders

Sources report the disappearance of Mahamat Ahmat Lazina, leader of the National Movement for Change in Chad (Mouvement national pour le changement au Tchad) (La Croix 2 May 2016; VOA - Africa 24 Apr. 2016). According to an article published by Jeune Afrique, a weekly African newspaper (Jeune Afrique 15 Oct. 2016), Mahamat Ahmat Lazina [translation] "stated that he was incarcerated for 10 days before leaving the country" (ibid. 13 May 2016).

According to an article published by the Xinhua News Agency, law enforcement officials [translation] "surrounded the residence of opposition leader Saleh Kebzabo [on 6 August 2016]" (7 Aug. 2016). An article published by DW also reports that [translation] "the residences of opponents Saleh Kebzabo, Joseph Djimrangar Dadnadji and Mahamat Ahamat Alhabo were besieged by the presidential guard" (DW 8 Aug. 2016b).

Sources mention that Dinamou Daram, president of the Socialist Party without Borders (Parti socialiste sans frontiere), an opposition party that is part of Fonac, was arrested in October 2016 (TchadConvergence 6 Dec. 2016; RFI 10 Oct. 2016). The alleged reason for his arrest was a memo sent to a radio station (TchadConvergence 6 Dec. 2016; PLD 31 Oct. 2016). According to a press release prepared by the Party for Liberty and Development (Parti pour les libertes et le developpement, PLD), a Chadian political party (PHW 2015), [translation] "when arrested, [Dinamou Daram] was struck, tortured and thrown in a local jail" (PLD 31 Oct. 2016). Corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

Sources indicate that two opposition party presidents, Mahamat Bahr Bechir [Kindji] and Gapili [Gondebne], were arrested by Chadian police on 17 November 2016, at a Fonac rally that had been prohibited by the authorities (Tchadinfos 23 Nov. 2016; VOA - Africa 18 Nov. 2016).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

BBC. 6 August 2016. "Tchad : manifestation d'opposants dispersee." [Accessed 29 Dec. 2016]

Chadian journalist-blogger, human rights activist. 3 January 2017. Telephone interview with the Research Directorate.

La Croix. 2 May 2016. "Les disparitions se multiplient au Tchad." [Accessed 29 Dec. 2016]

Deutsche Welle (DW). 19 December 2016. "Joseph Djimrangar Dadnadji empeche de voyager." [Accessed 22 Dec. 2016]

Deutsche Welle (DW). 8 December 2016. "Tchad : des militants de l'opposition relaxes." [Accessed 5 Jan. 2017]

Deutsche Welle (DW). 8 August 2016a. "Growing dissent in Chad as Deby embarks on fifth term." [Accessed 9 Jan. 2016]

Deutsche Welle (DW). 8 August 2016b. "En route pour un cinquieme mandat." [Accessed 28 Dec. 2016]

Deutsche Welle (DW). 26 July 2016. "Ou en est le dialogue au Tchad?" [Accessed 29 Dec. 2016]

Deutsche Welle (DW). N.d. "Deutsche Welle at a glance." [Accessed 22 Dec. 2016]

Human Rights Without Frontiers (HRWF) - Africa. 24 December 2016. Correspondence sent to the Research Directorate by a representative of HRWF - Africa.

Human Rights Without Frontiers (HRWF) - Africa. N.d. "A propos." [Accessed 13 Jan. 2017]

Jeune Afrique. 15 October 2016. "Qui sommes-nous?" [Accessed 9 Jan. 2017]

Jeune Afrique. 13 May 2016. "Tchad : apres avoir ete porte disparu, l'opposant Mahamat Ahmat Lazina est arrive en France." [Accessed 6 Jan. 2017]

Liberation. 30 April 2016. "Tchad : une vague de disparitions entache la reelection de Deby." [Accessed 13 Jan. 2017]

Makaila.fr. 30 December 2016. "Une robuste robuste coalition cree au Tchad pour balayer Idriss Deby en 2017." [Accessed 4 Jan. 2017]

Parti pour les libertes et le developpement (PLD). 31 October 2016. "Communique de presse." [Accessed 5 Jan. 2017]

Political Handbook of the World (PHW). 2015. "Chad." Edited by Thomas Lansford. Wahsington, DC: CQ Press. [Accessed 13 Jan. 2017]

Radio France Internationale (RFI). 8 December 2016. "Tchad : une dizaine de militants de l'opposition liberes." [Accessed 5 Jan. 2017]

Radio France Internationale (RFI). 10 October 2016. "Tchad : un opposant, membre du FONAC, arrete." [Accessed 5 Jan. 2017]

Radio France Internationale (RFI). 7 August 2016. "Tchad : violentes manifestations a la veille de l'investiture d'Idriss Deby." [Accessed 29 Dec. 2016]

Radio France Internationale (RFI). 24 April 2015. "Tchad : un nouveau parti politique pour l'ex-Premier ministre Dadnadji." [Accessed 22 Dec. 2016]

Tchadactuel. 27 July 2016. "Les partis de l'opposition democratique ont convenu de creer un regroupement denomme Front de l'Opposition Nouvelle pour l'Alternance et le Changement." [Accessed 29 Dec. 2016]

TchadConvergence. 6 December 2016. "L'ordre regne au Tchad: le President Idriss Deby est au Palais rose, les opposants pourchasses, tortures et jetes a la sinistre prise d'Am-Sinene." [Accessed 5 Jan. 2017]

TchadConvergence. 24 November 2016. With the BBC and the African News Agency. "Tchad : 11 opposants dont 2 chefs de partis ecroues a la sinistre prison d'Am-Sinene dans une cellule de 4m carres ou se trouvent deja 100 de personnes." [Accessed 9 Jan. 2017]

Tchadinfos.com. 23 November 2016. "Deux chefs des partis et des militants de l'opposition inculpes pour attroupement non arme." [Accessed 5 Jan. 2017]

Tchadinfos.com. 15 November 2016. "Tchad : le meeting du FONAC prevu pour demain est interdit par les autorites." [Accessed 28 Nov. 2016]

Tchadinfos.com. 26 July 2016. "Politique : le G6 maintient sa position pas d'investiture." [Accessed 28 Dec. 2016]

Tchadinfos.com. N.d. "A propos." [Accessed 6 Jan. 2016]

Topona, Eric. 19 January 2016. "Dadnadji quitte le navire MPS avec fracas." Eric Topona Blog. [Accessed 29 Dec. 2016]

Voice of America (VOA) - Africa. 18 December 2016. "Un ancien premier ministre tchadien interdit de quitter le pays." [Accessed 29 Dec. 2016]

Voice of America (VOA) - Africa. 18 November 2016. With Agence France-Presse. "Le FONAC exige la liberation de deux leaders de l'opposition au Tchad." [Accessed 5 Jan. 2017]

Voice of America (VOA) - Africa. 13 May 2016. "Tchad : une victime presumee de l'Agence nationale de securite temoigne." [Accessed 13 Jan. 2017]

Voice of America (VOA) - Africa. 24 April 2016. "Un parti de l'opposition tchadienne n'a pas de nouvelles de son president depuis une semaine." [Accessed 6 Jan. 2017]

Xinhua News Agency. 7 August 2016. "Tchad : la police disperse un meeting de l'opposition." (Factiva)

Additional Sources Consulted

Oral sources: Association tchadienne pour la non-violence; Association tchadienne pour la promotion et la defense des droits de l'homme; Ligue tchadienne des droits de l'homme.

Internet sites, including: Africa Confidential; AfricaNews; Africa News Hub; Africa Research Bulletin; African News Agency; Afrik.com; Afriques en lutte; Agence Afrique; Amnesty International; Courrier des Afriques; Federation internationale des ligues des droits de l'homme; Freedom House; Human Rights Watch; IRIN; Jane's Intelligence Review; Journal du Tchad; Le Monde; Le Pays; United States - Department of State.
Chad: Child custody rights when the father is deceased, including the mother's rights if she refuses levirate (2014-2016)

Publisher Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada Publication Date 28 December 2016 Citation / Document Symbol TCD105718.F Related Document(s) Tchad : information sur les droits de garde des enfants lors du deces du pere, y compris les droits de la mere si elle refuse le levirat (2014-2016) Cite as Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Chad: Child custody rights when the father is deceased, including the mother's rights if she refuses levirate (2014-2016), 28 December 2016, TCD105718.F, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59d37f504.html [accessed 15 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Ottawa

1. Chadian Laws

Several sources indicate that customary and/or religious laws are enforced, particularly with respect to family estate and status of persons (Chad June 2014, 21; IBCR May 2014, 39; Africa for Women's Rights 5 March 2010).

2. Custody of Children in the Practice of Levirate

Information on the custody of children in the practice of levirate was scarce among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

In correspondence with the Research Directorate, an anthropologist who specializes in Islamic history and culture in western Africa, and in Chad in particular, and who is affiliated with the African Studies Centre at Leiden University, stated the following with respect to the custody of children when the mother refuses to participate in levirate:

The customs in this respect are different in various ethnic communities, and where there is a supra-ethnic (Islamic) rule, the practice depends on the custom in a village, a region, even a family [and indeed] on the relation in certain situations between customary law, the civil code, and religious law. In many cases, although customary law is often prevalent where family matters are concerned, people with power can make either of these systems work for them. (4 Dec. 2016)

In correspondence with the Research Directorate, a professor at the African Studies Centre at Leiden University, whose areas of interest include youth and children as well as violence and human rights in western and central Africa, stated that, with respect to the custody of children in the practice of levirate, [translation] "each subregion and sub-group in Chad has different rules" (1 Dec. 2016).

In addition, a report submitted by the government of Chad in 2007 to the United Nations (UN) Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination states that in the country, "customary rules are so numerous and diverse that those of one region or ethnic group sometimes contradict those of another region or group" (Chad 4 Sept. 2007, para. 145).

In written correspondence with the Research Directorate, an anthropologist from Universite de N'Djamena who specializes in history and mass communication in Chad stated the following:

[translation]

A woman who refuses to participate in levirate cannot have the custody of her children taken from her by her parents-in-law. Of course, part of the spirit of the practice of levirate is to keep the orphaned children in the "larger paternal family," but that practice is based on consent from the widow in the majority of Chad's ethnic groups. Consequently, even if a woman refuses levirate, she could, if she wishes, take custody of some of the children (usually the youngest).



The majority of ethnicities in Chad are patrilineal; therefore, children of both sexes belong to the paternal family. According to customary standards, all children of both sexes are supposed to be placed in the custody of their paternal relatives (paternal uncle, grandfather, aunt, etc.). However, for educational or practical reasons, boys are often placed in the custody of their paternal relatives and girls are kept by their mothers, if the mothers so desire. The context has changed today and it is possible for the mother to request and be granted custody of both sexes if she has the means to take care of them. (9 Dec. 2016)

However, Catherine Enel and Gilles Pison, two authors who co-wrote a book published in 2007 titled Genre et societes en Afrique, write that [translation] "[t]he practice of levirate exists in the vast majority of African societies.  If the widow refuses to participate in levirate, which she is generally entitled to do, she must leave her deceased husband's home and abandon her children" (2007, 327).

Furthermore, in a 2002 article on the status of widows in Chadian law, Djikoloum Benan Benjamin, a doctor of law at the Universite de N'Djamena (Benan Benjamin 2002, 811), states the following with respect to the various customs in southern Chad (ibid., 823):

[translation]

The spouse's death automatically quashes the mother's authority over her children; guardianship is granted to the husband's parents, as is the case in the majority of Chad's customs. That is in contradiction to Chad's jus scriptum, which states that the surviving spouse has guardianship of the children.



It is easy to understand why a widow who is very close to her children feels obligated to accept levirate in order to be close to her children because, in those circumstances, raising the children is part of the widow's "inheritance."



Generally speaking, the decision to transfer care of the children is left to the family council. (ibid., 822-823)

The same source indicates that [translation] "it appears that, officially, Islamic law grants custody of the children to the widow" (ibid., 823). Furthermore, in his research paper on polygamy in Chad, Haroun Koumakoi, a student at the Demographic Training and Research Institute (Institut de formation et de recherches demographiques) of the Universite de Yaounde II, writes that according to Islamic law in Chad, [translation] "the widow is free to remarry and may have the right to keep her children" (Koumakoi Sept. 2007, 12).

In correspondence with the Research Directorate, a representative from Human Rights Without Frontiers - Africa (Droits de l'homme sans frontiers - Afrique DHSF - Afrique], [translation] "a Chadian law organization" with the aim of "promoting and protecting" human rights (DHSF - Africa n.d.) writes the following:

[translation]

In Chad, when the widow refuses to marry her deceased husband's cousin or brother, the law grants custody of the minor child to the widow  as long as she does not decide to marry outside of the family of her parents-in-law. [I]n that case,  the ascendants or the brothers and sisters with a direct connection to the deceased may seek custody of the children. The custom is such that a woman who has lost her husband cannot live under a new husband's roof with the children of her first, now deceased, husband. (20 Dec. 2016)

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Africa for Women's Rights. 5 March 2010. "Cahier d'exigences : Tchad." [Accessed 30 Nov. 2016]

Anthropologist, African Studies Centre, Leiden University. 4 December 2016. Correspondence with the Research Directorate.

Anthropologist, Universite de N'Djamena. 9 December 2016. Correspondence with the Research Directorate.

Benan Benjamin, Djikoloum. 2002. "La condition de la veuve dans le droit positif tchadien des personnes et de la famille." Revue internationale de droit compare. Vol. 54, no 3. [Accessed 30 Nov. 2016]

Chad. June 2014. Ministere de la Sante publique, de l'Action sociale et de la Solidarite nationale. Rapport national d'evaluation des vingt (20) ans de mise en oeuvre des recommandations du programme d'action de Beijing. [Accessed 5 dec. 2016]

Chad. 4 September 2007. Rapports presentes par les Etats parties conformement a l'article 9 de la Convention - Quinzieme rapport periodique des Etats parties qui devait etre presente en 2006 - additif - Tchad. (CERD/C/TCD/15) [Accessed 5 Dec. 2016]

Droits de l'homme sans frontieres - Afrique (DHSF - Afrique). 20 December 2016. Correspondence sent by a representative to the Research Directorate.

Droits de l'homme sans frontieres - Afrique (DHSF - Afrique). N.d. "A propos." [Accessed 21 Dec. 2016]

Enel, Catherine and Gilles Pison. 2007. "Veuvage et levirat : une etude de cas a Mlomp (Senegal)." Genre et societes en Afrique : implications pour le developpement. Edited by Therese Locoh. Paris: Institut national d'etudes demographiques.

International Bureau of Children's Rights (IBCR). May 2014. Cartographie et evaluation du systeme de protection de l'enfant et de la formation des forces de securite sur les droits de l'enfant au Tchad. [Accessed 5 Dec. 2016]

Koumakoi, Haroun. September 2007. Pratique de la polygamie au Tchad : a la recherche des facteurs explicatifs. Thesis, graduate degree specializing in demographics, Institut de formation et de recherches demographiques, Universite de Yaounde II. [Accessed 21 Dec. 2016]

Professor, African Studies Centre, Leiden University. 1 December 2016. Correspondence with the Research Directorate.

Additional Sources Consulted

Oral sources: African Centre for Democracy & Human Rights Studies; Association des femmes africaines pour la recherche et le developpement; Association des femmes juristes du Tchad; Association pour la promotion des libertes fondamentales au Tchad; Association tchadienne des juristes; Association tchadienne pour la promotion et la defense des droits de l'homme; Avocats sans frontieres; Cellule de liaison et d'information des associations feminines au Tchad; Centre d'etudes et de formation pour le developpement; Commission nationale des droits de l'homme du Tchad; Femmes Africa solidarite; International Bureau of Children's Rights; lawyer in Chad; Ligue tchadienne des droits de l'homme; United Nations - UN Women, UNICEF Chad.

Internet sites, including: African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights; Amnesty International; Centre for Civil and Political Rights; ecoi.net; Factiva; Human Rights Watch; IRIN; Juriscope; Ligue tchadienne des droits de l'homme; Minority Rights Group International; United Nations - Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women, UN Women; United States - Department of State.
Chad: Information on the Mouvement d'action pour le changement au Tchad (MACT), including ideology, activities, and structure within and outside Chad; treatment of members, leaders and their families, by authorities (2012-December 2016)

Publisher Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada Publication Date 23 December 2016 Citation / Document Symbol TCD105712.E Related Document(s) Tchad : information sur le Mouvement d'action pour le changement au Tchad (MACT), y compris son ideologie, ses activites et sa structure au Tchad et a l'etranger; information sur le traitement reserve aux membres, aux dirigeants et a leurs familles par les autorites (2012-decembre 2016) Cite as Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Chad: Information on the Mouvement d'action pour le changement au Tchad (MACT), including ideology, activities, and structure within and outside Chad; treatment of members, leaders and their families, by authorities (2012-December 2016), 23 December 2016, TCD105712.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59d380c34.html [accessed 15 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Ottawa

1. Overview and Ideology

A press release on the website of the Mouvement d'action pour le changement au Tchad (MACT) states that it was established in June 2011 in Tibesti (MACT 4 Dec. 2012a). Sources describe the MACT as a [translation] "politico-military" movement (ibid. 22 Dec. 2012; Ambenatna Infos 6 Dec. 2012). In a communique published on Tchadactuel, a Chadian online news source, the MACT describes itself as having been founded by Chadian [translation] "patriots" in response to a need for change in Chad following decades of rule by President Idriss Deby (MACT 4 Dec. 2012a).

2. Leadership

The MACT indicates in its press release that Mr. Ali Ordjo Hemchi was designated president of the MACT following the creation of the organization in anticipation of the holding of a congress in [translation] "the near future" (MACT 4 Dec. 2012a). According to sources, Ordjo Hemchi is a former academic (Ambenatna Infos 6 Dec. 2012; IHS Global Insight 28 Sept. 2015) and "former militant" (ibid.). Ambenatna Infos, a website dedicated to news from Chad and Africa, reports that Ordjo Hemchi is an economist who is also known for his [translation] "battle exploits" while participating in an eastern rebellion as an influential leader of the UFDD [Union des forces pour la democratie et le developpement] (6 Dec. 2012). For information on the UFDD, see Response to Information Request TCD105337 of October 2015.

In December 2012, the MACT announced in a decision posted on its website, that it had chosen Andre Ngarbatem as its communication representative for Europe (MACT 4 Dec. 2012b). The MACT also announced in another decision that it had named Jebren Ahmed Issa as its representative for the Middle East (ibid. 15 Dec. 2012).

In an interview with Senegalese news site Dakaractu, Abdallah Chidi Djorkodei, a Chadian living in exile in the US and who was also previously active in other opposition movements such as the UFDD, and who founded Groupe Tchadhana Press to [translation] "provide news on Chad and the world," identified himself as a member of the MACT (Dakaractu 3 Apr. 2013). Corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

Further information on the leadership of the MACT could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

3. Structure and Affiliates

Information on the structure of the MACT could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

In an article posted on the MACT website, it is stated that the movement [translation] "is formed around a solid core of youth" (MACT 22 Dec. 2012). In a press release published on the website of the MACT, a group called the Collectif des jeunes patriotes tchadiens pour la democratie et la paix (CJPTDP) announced that it was giving its complete support to the MACT, and called on [translation] "all youth forces" of Chad to do the same (CJPTDP 13 Dec. 2012). The press release identifies "Mahamat M.K" and "Francois D.N" as co-ordinators of the CJPTDP (ibid.). Information on the CJPTDP and its role within the MACT could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

A press release from the "Coordination de la Jeunesse du MACT," published on the "Tchadenligne" blog, which describes itself as a [translation] "synthesis of Chadian sites" (Tchadenligne, n.d.), states that the "Coordination de la Jeunesse du MACT" was organizing a meeting in Tours, France, on December 2012, where it invited all Chadian youths to become involved and present their ideas about the MACT (MACT 10 Dec. 2012). Further information on the role of the Coordination de la jeunesse du MACT within the MACT could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

4. Activities

In 2015, IHS Global Insight, a "country and industry forecasting service" that provides "economic, financial, and political coverage of countries, regions, and industries" (IHS Global Insight n.d.), reported that,

[i]n May 2013, there was an unconfirmed local media report that three senior military officials had defected from the Chadian armed forces in Biltine province with five vehicles and weapons to join the ranks of MACT rebels. In a press statement in August 2015, Hemchi urged a general mobilisation against Deby as his 'armed forces' were ready to rise to the challenge. (IHS Global Insight 28 Sept. 2015)

A September 2015 article on the website of weekly Cameroon newspaper Integration reported that the MACT had announced a [translation] "military operational command centre" in northern Chad (Integration 21 Sept. 2015). According to sources, there were reports that forces under the command of Ali Ordjo Hemchi, were planning to attack Ndjamena (ibid.; IHS Global Insight 28 Sept. 2015) which were based on an unconfirmed report from a local news agency, according to IHS (ibid.). Further information on alleged military actions or other activities by the MACT could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

5. Treatment of Members, Leaders and Their Families, by Authorities

Information on the treatment of members and leaders of the MACT and their families could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Ambenatna Infos. 6 December 2012. "Bruit de bottes dans le Tibesti: le MACT du Dr. Ali Ordjo HEMCHI ouvre le front| Ambenatna." [Accessed 12 Dec. 2016]

Collectif des jeunes patriotes tchadiens pour la democratie (CJPTDP). 15 December 2012. "Communique de presse: soutien du Collectif des jeunes patriotes tchadiens pour la democratie et la paix (CJPTDP) au MACT." [Accessed 12 Dec. 2016]

Dakaractu. 3 April 2013. "Abdallah Djorkodei : 'L'Affaire Hissene Habre est un dossier monte de toutes pieces par feu le dictateur Kadhafi et l'Occident, notamment la France!'" [Accessed 12 Dec. 2016]

IHS Global Insight. 28 September 2015. Murtala Touray. "Chad Faces Elevated Risk of Insurgency Amid Persisting Threats of Islamist Attacks Against Western Assets and Personnel." (Factiva)

IHS Global Insight. N.d. "About IHS Global Insight." [Accessed 22 Dec. 2016]

Integration. 21 September 2015. Celestin Ngoa Balla. "Decheance: Les Americains quittent le Tchad." [Accessed 20 Dec. 2016]

Mouvement d'action pour le changement au Tchad (MACT). 22 December 2012. "Le MACT: le nouvel horizon du peuple tchadien." [Accessed 12 Dec. 2016]

Mouvement d'action pour le changement au Tchad (MACT). 15 December 2012. "Decision N 004/PR/MACT/12." [Accessed 15 Dec. 2016]

Mouvement d'action pour le changement au Tchad (MACT). 10 December 2012. "Communique de presse: La coordination de la jeunesse du MACT organise une reunion a Tours en France." [Accessed 12 Dec. 2016]

Mouvement d'action pour le changement au Tchad (MACT).4 December 2012a. "Communique: relatif a la creation du Mouvement d'action pour le changement au Tchad (MACT)." [Accessed 15 Dec. 2016]

Mouvement d'action pour le changement au Tchad (MACT).4 December 2012b. "Decision N 003/PR/MACT/2012." [Accessed 12 Dec. 2016]

Tchadenligne. N.d. "Tchadenligne.com." [Accessed 22 Dec. 2016]

Additional Sources Consulted

Oral sources: Association tchadienne pour la non-violence; Association tchadienne pour la promotion et la defense des droits de l'homme; journalist and human rights activist; Ligue tchadienne des droits de l'homme.

Internet sites, including: AllAfrica; Amnesty International; ecoi.net; Factiva; Flux-info.fr; Groupe de reflexion et d'action pour le Tchad; Human Rights Watch; Jamestown Foundation; Jeune Afrique; Jeunes Tchad; JournalduTchad.com; Khabar Tchad; Makaila.fr; Pambazuka News; Political Handbook of the World; Regard Excentrique; Le Site Ndoune; Tchadactuel; Le Tchadanthropus; TchadConvergence; Tchadenligne; Tchadhanana Press; Tchadonline; Tchadoscopie; UN - Refworld; Zoom sur le Tchad.
Albania: Requirements and procedures to obtain a biometric identity card, including renewal and replacement, both within and outside the country; appearance and content of the card (2015-September 2017)

Publisher Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada Publication Date 18 September 2017 Citation / Document Symbol ALB105977.E Related Document(s) Albanie : information sur les exigences et la marche a suivre pour obtenir une carte d'identite biometrique, y compris le renouvellement et le remplacement d'une telle carte, au sein du pays et depuis l'etranger; apparence de la carte et renseignements y figurant (2015-septembre 2017) Cite as Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Albania: Requirements and procedures to obtain a biometric identity card, including renewal and replacement, both within and outside the country; appearance and content of the card (2015-September 2017), 18 September 2017, ALB105977.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59d3822a4.html [accessed 15 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Ottawa

Sources indicate that Albania launched a secure Identity Card (ID card) project in 2008 (The World Bank Group et al., 35; Safran Magazine June 2014). A progress assessment for Albania by the European Commission states that "applications for [Albanian] biometric ID cards have been accepted since 12 January 2009," and that they began to be issued in February 2009 (EU 27 Nov. 2009).

According to sources, the company responsible for implementing both the ID card and biometric passport is Aleat, a joint venture of OT-Morpho (previously Morpho) and the Albanian-American Enterprise Fund [1] (OT-Morpho n.d.b; Entrust Datacard n.d., 1). According to an article published in August 2013 by OT-Morpho, Morpho (OT-Morpho) and the Albanian Ministry of Interior signed an agreement that extends, for an additional 10 years, Aleat's production and distribution concession of identification documents, including the ID card (OT-Morpho 5 August 2013).

A joint discussion paper on "digital identity" prepared by The World Bank Group, GSMA and the Secure Identity Alliance (SIA) [2] indicates that the Albanian Ministry of Interior Affairs partnered with Aleat to re-register the entire population of Albania in a new digital database, instead of digitalizing the existing provincial, paper-based registers, "many of which were inaccurate" (The World Bank Group et al. July 2016, 35). The same source further adds that

[Aleat] collects, manages, and stores all the data, and a copy of the data is provided to the Ministry of Interior Affairs. Although the firm technically owns the data, there are security measures in place to ensure that only Ministry officials can gain access to sensitive data. (ibid.)

Corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

1. Physical Appearance of the Biometric ID Card

The joint paper issued by the World Bank Group and its partners describes the Albanian ID card as a "smartcard" which contains "digital certificates" used to access electronic governmental services through kiosks (ibid.). Entrust Datacard, which provides equipment and technical support for the Albanian electronic passport and ID card systems, indicates that the "highly secure" and "laser engraved" ID cards can be used as electronic voter ID cards (Entrust Datacard n.d., 1). A sample of the Albanian ID card obtained from the Public Register of Authentic Travel and Identity Documents Online of the European Union is attached to this Response.

2. Requirements and Procedures to Obtain a Biometric Identity Card in Albania

Sources indicate that ID cards are valid for 10 years and are issued to Albanian citizens who are over the age of 16 (Albania n.d.b; Aleat n.d.). The World Bank Group report states that, in order to obtain an electronic ID card, "citizens enroll in one of [the] 400 centers nation-wide" (The World Bank Group et al. July 2016, 35). Their personal data is verified against the central database, after which "[c]ards are then printed off-site and sent back to the municipal enrollment center for later pick-up" (ibid.). On its website, Aleat similarly explains that applicants must go to a "Civil Status Office" where their personal information is verified for accuracy and where they apply for an ID card (Aleat n.d.). Applications for ID cards are made "at each Municipality/Administrative Unit or Commune which has an application office where the citizen is registered" (ibid.). The same source further states that applicants need to purchase a voucher for an electronic ID card at the post office for 1,500 Albanian Leke [C$16.58] as well as provide identification documents, such as a birth certificate or citizenship certificate, to the Civil Status Office in order to register their personal data (ibid.). The ID card can only be obtained by the applicant at the "office of application" (ibid.). According to the same source, the processing time for the delivery of ID cards is usually 15 days, barring any delays incurred "when the data needs clearance" (ibid.). The same source states that the existing ID card must be provided in cases of replacement or renewal as well as for changes in information, and that an original police report must be provided to replace a lost or stolen card (ibid.). Corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

3. Procedures to Obtain an Albanian ID Card Abroad

The website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Ministria E Puneve te Jashtme) of the Albanian government states that Albanian citizens who live abroad can apply for an ID card at one of the country's missions abroad, namely:

Embassy of Athens, General Consultate in Thessaloniki, Embassy in Rome, General Consulate in Milan, EU Mission in Brussels, Embassy in London, Consulate Office in New York, and Embassy in Bern. (Albania n.d.a)

According to the same source, the following documentation must be provided while applying for the ID card:

[translation]

Family certification; and/or Old model passport; and/or Driver's licence, electronic model (the new model); and/or Another valid document containing a photograph issued by the host country. ID card coupon[;] Confirmation of payment via the applicant's account. (Albania n.d.b)

The information in the following paragraph regarding the procedures required to obtain an ID card is provided by the website of the Albanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In order to apply for a national ID card, the applicant must appear in person and must have his or her identity verified. The identification data is then compared with the information found in the Albanian National Registry of Civil Status. The applicant submits a digital photograph, has his or her fingerprints scanned and provides an electronic signature. Biometric data is taken again when the applicant picks up his or her ID card (Albania n.d.b).

According to the same source, the fees associated with an ID card application are as follows:

[translation]

Greece, Italy: 12 [euros] Brussels: 16 [euros] England: 13 [British pounds] Switzerland: 18 franc USA: $18.00. (Albania n.d.b)

The website specifies that the processing time for an ID card is 28 business days (ibid.).

In a telephone interview with the Research Directorate, a representative from the Albanian Consulate in New York City indicated that Albanian citizens can obtain an ID card in North America only from the Consulate in New York (Albania 1 Sept. 2017). The same source explained that applicants complete a form found online to apply for an ID card or a passport and return it to the Consulate via email (ibid.). The representative added that someone from the Consulate reviews the application form and, if everything is in order, invites the applicants to the Consulate to have their fingerprints taken (ibid.). The same source noted that a third party, such as a family member, can apply for someone else by filling out the form on behalf of the applicant, but that the applicant will still need to go to the Consulate in person to have his or her fingerprints taken (ibid.). According to the representative, the processing time from the moment the application is received to delivery of the ID card is between 6 weeks to a maximum of 2 months (ibid.).

In a telephone interview with the Research Directorate, a representative from the Albanian Embassy in Ottawa stated that the Embassy in Ottawa does not issue biometric ID cards or passports, but can issue a laissez-passer to Albanian citizens, which is a document valid for 30 days from the date of issuance (Albania 30 Aug. 2017). The same source further explained that an Albanian citizen who resides in Canada and who does not hold a dual citizenship with Canada can only obtain a biometric ID card in Albania (ibid.). The Embassy issues a laissez-passer, if required, for the applicant to enter Albania and request the ID card (ibid.). According to the same source, if the applicant is a dual citizen of both Albania and Canada, then the applicant can apply for an ID card at the Albanian Consulate in New York City (ibid.). In Contrast, in correspondence with the Research Directorate, the consul from the Albanian Consulate in New York City stated that "all Albanian citizens who live in Canada and the US, whether or not they hold dual citizenship, are allowed to request ID cards from the Consulate in New York" (Albania 12 sept. 2017).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

Notes

[1] OT-Morpho is a company dedicated to digital security and identification technologies that fused with Oberthur Technologies in May 2017 (OT-Morpho n.d.a), while the Albanian-American Enterprise Fund (AAEF) is a non-for-profit US corporation that aims to promote the development of the private sector in Albania (AAEF n.d.).

[2] The GSMA is described as an organization that "represents the interests of mobile operators worldwide," while the SIA is described as an alliance of public, private and non-governmental organizations dedicated to the "development of trusted digital identities and the widespread adoption of secure eServices" (The World Bank Group et al., 2).

References

Albania. 12 September 2017. Consulate of Albania in New York City. Correspondence from the consul to the Research Directorate.

Albania. 1 September 2017. Consulate of Albania in New York City. Telephone interview with a representative..

Albania. 30 August 2017. Embassy of Albania in Ottawa. Telephone Interview with a Representative.

Albania. N.d.a. Ministria E Puneve te Jashtme. "Identity and Travel Documents." [Accessed 5 Sept. 2017]

Albania. N.d.b. Ministria E Puneve te Jashtme. "Identity Card Issuance (Over the Age of 16)." Translation by the Translation Bureau, Public Services and Procurement Canada. [Accessed 5 Sept. 2017]

Aleat. N.d. "ID Card." [Accessed 5 Sept. 2017]

Entrust Datacard. N.d. "Albania Increases ID Security and Efficiency." [Accessed 5 Sept. 2017]

European Union (EU). 27 November 2009. European Commission. Updated Assessment of the Implementation by Albania of the Roadmap for Visa Liberalisation. [Accessed 5 Sept. 2017]

OT-Morpho. 5 August 2013. "Albania Extends Morpho ID Concession into e-Services." [Accessed 6 Sept. 2017]

OT-Morpho. N.d.a "About Morpho." [Accessed 5 Sept. 2017]

OT-Morpho. N.d.b. "Morpho in Albania." [Accessed 6 Sept. 2017]

Safran Magazine. June 2014. "Albania: A New Identity." [Accessed 6 Sept. 2017]

The World Bank Group, GSMA and Secure Identity Alliance (SIA). 1 July 2016. Digital Identity: Towards Shared Principles for Public and Private Sector Cooperation. [Accessed 5 Sept. 2017]

Additional Sources Consulted

Internet sites, including: Albania - Embassy in Ottawa, Consulate Office in New York; ecoi.net; United Nations - Refworld; United States - Department of State.

Attachment

European Union (EU). N.d. Public Register of Authentic Travel and Identity Documents Online. "Document: ALB-BO-01001." [Accessed 15 Sept. 2017
Niger: The situation of sexual minorities, including legislation; treatment of sexual minorities by society and the authorities; protection provided to sexual minorities who are victims of violence (2015-September 2017)

Publisher Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada Publication Date 17 September 2017 Citation / Document Symbol NER105974.FE Related Document(s) Niger : information sur la situation des minorites sexuelles, incluant les lois; traitement des minorites sexuelles par la societe et les autorites; protection offerte aux minorites sexuelles victimes de violence (2015-september 2017) Cite as Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Niger: The situation of sexual minorities, including legislation; treatment of sexual minorities by society and the authorities; protection provided to sexual minorities who are victims of violence (2015-September 2017), 17 September 2017, NER105974.FE, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59d383854.html [accessed 15 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Ottawa

1. Situation of Sexual Minorities

Sources state that, although no legislation in Niger prohibits same-sex sexual relations, such relations are highly stigmatized (US 3 Mar. 2017, 20; Freedom House 18 Aug. 2016). In its Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2016, the US Department of State adds that gay men and lesbians experienced societal discrimination and social resentment in Niger (US 3 Mar. 2017, 20). That same report states that due to societal pressure "many LGBTI [lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or intersex] individuals married and had families, often while pursuing LGBTI relationships in secret" (US 3 Mar. 2017, 20).

The International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA) reports that the Nigerian Penal Code (Code penal) states that the legal age for consensual sexual relations for heterosexuals differs from that of same-sex persons (ILGA May 2017, 27). Articles 277, 278 and 282 of the Nigerian Penal Code provide as follows:

[translation]

Section II.  Indecent assault

Art. 277: Indecent assault means any indecent act committed directly against another person of either sex.

Art. 278: Any non-violent indecent assault or attempted assault against a child of either sex under the age of thirteen is punished by two to less than ten years' imprisonment and a fine of 20.000 [C$46] to 200.000 francs [C$456].

[]

Section III.  Indecent acts with a minor of the same sex

Art. 282: Every person who commits an indecent act or an act against nature with a minor of the same sex, whose age is less than 21 years, shall be punished by imprisonment for a term of six months to three years and a fine of 10.000 [C$23] to 100.000 francs [C$228] (Niger 1961).

Information on the application of this legislation by Nigerian authorities could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

2. Treatment of Sexual Minorities by Society and the Authorities

A survey conducted by Afrobarometre, [translation] "a pan-African independent research network that conducts public attitude surveys on democracy, governance, economic conditions, and related issues in Africa" (Afrobarometre 1 Mar. 2016, 2), reports, according to data collected in Niger in April 2015 from a sample of 1,200 people (Afrobarometre Aug. 2015, 2), that five percent of the population of Niger would like or attach little importance to having a homosexual neighbour, versus 21 percent in most of the 33 African countries surveyed (Afrobarometre 1 Mar. 2016, 2, 13). The same source states that 91 percent of the population of Niger [translation] "would really hate" having a homosexual neighbour, while four percent "would somewhat hate" it (Afrobarometre 1 Mar. 2016, 28).

According to the Country Reports 2016, there were no documented cases of discrimination against LGBTI persons in employment, occupation, housing, statelessness, or access to education or health care in Niger in 2016 (US 3 Mar. 2017, 21). The same source states that observers believed stigma and intimidation of individuals concerned impeded individuals from reporting such abuse against them (US 3 Mar. 2017, 21).

Country Reports 2016 states that there were no reports of violence against individuals based on their sexual orientation or gender identity (US 3 Mar. 2017, 20). Information on cases of violence against members of sexual minorities in Niger could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

On its website, the ILGA states that the Nigerian Armed Forces do not prohibit gay, lesbian or bisexual persons from entering the country (ILGA n.d.). Corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

In a declaration by Islamic associations in Niger [1], released in March 2017 on ActuNiger, a Nigerian news website, it states that the signatory associations oppose the project by the Nigerian authorities to introduce sexual education in schools [2] and state, among other things, that [translation] "the meteoric rise of homosexuality elsewhere sufficiently shows the inevitable decline of civilization in its people" (ActuNiger 27 Mar. 2017).

A 2017 report on Niger, called the Qualitative Study on Adolescents' Level of Information, Opinions, and Effective Practices in Sexuality and Reproductive Health (Etude qualitative sur le niveau d'information, les opinions et les pratiques effectives des adolescents en matiere de la sexualite et sante de la reproduction), published by Miseli, an association located in Mali that conducts anthropological research and works in Niger (Miseli n.d), states that the NGOs responsible for raising awareness are wary of challenging traditions or religion, and this means that [translation] "[s]ome themes, such as homosexuality, [] do not have any information or awareness-raising campaigns" (Miseli Jan. 2017). The same source reports that homosexuality is among the themes missing from sexual education given to youth in Niger, although it is a part of their daily lives (Miseli Jan. 2017). Corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

3. Protection Provided to Sexual Minorities who are Victims of Violence

Information on the protection provided to sexual minorities who are victims of violence was scarce among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

Freedom House states, in its document Freedom in the World 2016, that there is no protection provided in Niger against discrimination based on sexual orientation (Freedom House 18 Aug. 2016). Corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

Notes

[1] The following Islamic associations are signatories to the declaration: IKS [Al Islam Kitab Wassounna (Niger and Denmark April 2006, 2)]; ANASI [Nigerian Islamic Call and Solidarity Association] [Association nigerienne pour l'appel et la solidarite islamique (Niger and Denmark April 2006, 2)]; ASJN, ACJMN [Muslim Youth Clubs Association of Niger] [Association clubs des jeunes musulmans du Niger (Le Sahel n.d.a)]; AEMN [Muslim Students Association of Niger] [Association des etudiants musulmans du Niger (Le Sahel 22 Aug. 2017)]; LNJM [Nigerian Muslim Youth League] [Ligue nigerienne de la jeunesse musulmane (Gomez-Perez and Leblanc 2012, 224)]; APCI; Anri Hatoul-Islam (ActuNiger 27 Mar. 2017).

[2] Another declaration of Islamic associations of Niger, released in November 2014 in Le Monde d'aujourd'hui, a Nigerian daily, states that the Ministry of Secondary Education prepared two documents in March 2014, the first called: [translation] Training Module on the Sexual and Reproductive Health of Adolescents and Youth for Responsible Conduct (Module de formation sur la sante sexuelle et reproductive des adolescents et des jeunes pour un comportement responsable), and the second an instructor's guide to introducing sexual education at school (Le Monde d'aujourd'hui 2 Nov. 2014). The same source states that, according to the Module de formation, [translation] "[r]omantic and sexual life may be a matter of human rights" and that each individual may "choose to have an intimate relationship with a same-sex person" (Le Monde d'aujourd'hui 2 Nov. 2014). An article published by Le Sahel, a Nigerian newspaper, states that in October 2014, the Minister of Secondary Education announced the withdrawal of the document for educators of secondary school (Le Sahel n.d.b).

References

ActuNiger. 27 March 2017. "Declaration des associations islamiques contre la degradation des murs et l'introduction de l'education sexuelle a l'ecole." [Accessed 16 Aug. 2017]

Afrobarometre. 1 March 2016. Bons voisins? Les Africains demontrent un sens eleve de la tolerance envers beaucoup, mais pas tous. [Accessed 15 Aug. 2017]

Afrobarometre. August 2015. Herve Mukuna. Manuel de codes pour la serie 6 d'enquetes Afrobarometre au Niger. [Accessed 30 Aug. 2017]

Freedom House. 18 August 2016. "Niger." Freedom in the World 2016. [Accessed 15 Aug. 2017]

Gomez-Perez, Muriel and Marie Nathalie Leblanc. 2012. L'Afrique des generations. Entre tensions et negociations. Editions Karthala

International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA). May 2017. Aengus Carroll and Lucas Ramon Mendos. State-Sponsored Homophobia. [Accessed 15 Aug. 2017]

International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA). N.d. "Law in Niger." [Accessed 16 Aug. 2017]

Miseli. January 2017. Laurence Toure. Etude qualitative sur le niveau d'information, les opinions et pratiques effectives des adolescents en matiere de sexualite et sante de la reproduction. [Accessed 16 Aug. 2017]

Miseli. N.d. "Miseli, l'anthropologie dans le developpement." [Accessed 16 Aug. 2017]

Le Monde d'aujourd'hui. 2 November 2014. "Declaration des associations islamiques en date du 26 octobre 2014, correspondant au 02 Mouharam 1436h." [Accessed 16 Aug. 2017]

Niger. 1961 (amended in 2003). Code penal. (Loi no 2003-025 du 13 juin 2003 modifiant la loi no 61-27 du 15 juillet 1961, portant institution du Code penal, Journal officiel special no 4 du 7 avril 2004). [Accessed 15 Aug. 2017]

Niger and Denmark. April 2006. Moulaye Hassane, Marthe Doka and Oumarou Makama Bawa. Etude sur les pratiques de l'Islam au Niger. [Accessed 30 Aug. 2017]

Le Sahel. 22 August 2017. Mamane Abdoulaye. "4eme congres ordinaire de l'Association des etudiants musulmans du Niger (AEMN) : un engagement pour la promotion d'une citoyennete responsable." [Accessed 30 Aug. 2017]

Le Sahel. N.d.a. Mamane Abdoulaye. "21eme edition de la Tournee de solidarite islamique (TSI) : les valeurs de l'Islam, vecteur de paix et de developpement en toile de fond." [Accessed 30 Aug. 2017]

Le Sahel. N.d.b. Assane Soumana. "Billet : le module abject ne passera pas." [Accessed 16 Aug. 2017]

United States (US). 3 March 2017. Department of State. "Niger." Country Reports on Human Rights Practice for 2016. [Accessed 15 Aug. 2017]

Additional Sources Consulted

Oral sources: Association nigerienne de defense des droits de l'homme; Collectif des organisations de defense des droits de l'homme et de la democratie; Mouvement nigerien pour la promotion et la defense des droits de l'homme; Rassemblement democratique des femmes du Niger.

Internet sites, including: Amnesty International; BBC; ecoi.net; Factiva; Human Rights Watch; IRIN; Micro Rainbow International; Minority Rights Group International; Le Monde; La Nation; Niger  Ministry of Justice; OutRight Action International; Pink News; Rainbow World Fund; UN  Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Syria: Requirements and procedures to obtain, renew, and replace passports and national identity cards, including in Canada and in neighbouring countries; information and details contained in each document, including physical characteristics (2015-July 2017)

Publisher Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada Publication Date 11 September 2017 Citation / Document Symbol SYR105970.E Related Document(s) Syrie : information sur les exigences et la marche a suivre pour obtenir, renouveler et remplacer un passeport et une carte nationale, y compris au Canada et dans les pays voisins; information sur les details contenus dans chaque document, y compris les caracteristiques physiques (2015-juill. 2017) Cite as Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Syria: Requirements and procedures to obtain, renew, and replace passports and national identity cards, including in Canada and in neighbouring countries; information and details contained in each document, including physical characteristics (2015-July 2017), 11 September 2017, SYR105970.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59d384c14.html [accessed 15 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Ottawa

1. Requirements and Procedures to Obtain, Renew and Replace Passports

According to the US Department of State's Reciprocity Schedule for Syria, there are four types of Syrian passports: Service (green), Diplomatic (red), Special (light brown), and Regular (dark blue) (US n.d.). Without providing further information, the Reciprocity Schedule further states that there is a "Transportation Letter in case the passport is lost or stolen abroad" (US n.d.).

A July 2017 report by Norway's Country of Origin Information Centre (Landinfo), citing meetings with the Directorate of Migration and Passports in Damascus in September 2013 and October 2014, and meetings with a Syrian lawyer in September 2013 and October 2014, indicates that passports are usually valid for six years, but that men between the ages of 18 and 42 who have not completed military service generally receive passports valid for two years (Norway 3 July 2017, 12). The same source, citing a meeting with the Directorate for Migration and Passports in September 2016, also notes that [translation] "validity periods other than six and two years are possible" in the case of boys under the age of 18 who receive passports valid until they turn 18 (Norway 3 July 2017, 12).

1.1 Passport Requirements and Procedures in Syria

The Landinfo report, citing meetings with the Directorate for Migration and Passports in September 2015 and May 2017, indicates that applications for passports must be submitted to an office of the Directorate for Migration and Passports, and that this can be done at any of the provincial capitals where offices are operating, not necessarily where the applicant is registered as a resident (Norway 3 July 2017, 13). Citing a meeting with the Directorate for Migration and Passports in May 2017, the same source reports that prior to the outbreak of civil war in the country, there were regional passport offices in all fourteen provincial capitals, and all were operating as of July 2017, with the exception of those in Raqqa, Idlib, and Dayr as-Zur, while additional offices located in: Nabak in Rif Dimashq province, Tadmur and Hesya in Homs, Manbij in Aleppo, and Albu Kamal in Dayr az-Zur had been closed (Norway 3 July 2017, 11).

The same source, citing Syria's Ministry of the Interior and a meeting with the Directorate of Migration and Passports in September 2015, states that the following are required to apply for a passport:

[translation]

ID card or printout of information in the National Register, [including] a photograph,

two passport photographs,

authorization from the employer in the case of public servants, authorization from military authorities for all men between 17 and 42 years of age, and

the old passport, if available (Norway 3 July 2017, 13).

Citing the same sources, the report further indicates that children under the age of 18 require the consent of their parent or guardian, and that children under 15 years of age require a printout of their information in the National Registry (Norway 3 July 2017, 13).

According to the website of the Syrian Ministry of Interior, the following documents are required for obtaining or renewing passports:

[translation]

Personal identification card, or a Registry Extract issued by the civil registry, including a photo of the applicant and the stamp of the locality chief; Two colour photos with the applicant facing the camera and white or light background; Approval of the place of work for employed individuals or a permit for non-employed individuals; Approval of the conscription division for those aged between 17 and 50 who are not exempted from service; Evidence showing occupation for those aged between 18 and 60; The cost of a passport is 1,500 Syrian [Pounds] [$C3.65], as well as the cash deposit [to guarantee the individual's return] and revenue stamps for the application; and Approval of the guardian for minors and incompetent persons. (Syria n.d.a)

The Landinfo report, citing a meeting with the Directorate of Migration and Passports in May 2017, indicates the fee for a regular issue is currently 12,100 SYP [$C29.71] or 29,500 SYP [$C72.43] for an expedited application (Norway 3 July 2017, 12-13).

1.1.1 Passport Replacement

The website of the Ministry of Interior states that [translation] "[a] citizen can have his/her passport replaced when he/she so desires for valid reasons as per the discretion of the Immigration and Passports Department" (Syria n.d.a). The website indicates the procedure for replacing a lost passport as follows:

An application shall be submitted to the Immigration and Passports Department, or its branches in the provinces, in order to refer the application for investigation at police stations and Immigration Department branches about the loss; A passport can be obtained as a replacement for a lost passport after the applicant pays the prescribed fine of 500 Syrian [Pounds] [$C1.22] and the fee for a new passport with full validity period. The applicant shall be required to submit the same documents as required to issue a new passport. (Syria n.d.a)

The website further lists the procedure for replacing a damaged passport as follows:

An application for a replacement passport attached to the damaged passport shall be submitted to the branch of Immigration Department in the province or to the branch that had issued the passport; A new passport may be issued if there is no doubt, manipulation, forgery or deliberate damage done to the damaged passport, otherwise, necessary legal actions shall be taken; and The same documents shall be required similar to issuing a new passport for the first time. (Syria n.d.a)

1.2 Passport Requirements and Procedures Abroad

The US Department of State's Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2016 for Syria indicates that, in 2015, the Syrian government "began allowing Syrians living outside of the country whose passports expired to renew their passports at consulates" (US 3 Mar. 2017, 36). According to sources citing Al-Watan, a "pro-government daily newspaper" in Syria (Al Jazeera 27 Apr. 2015), in 2015, the Syrian government announced that it would allow citizens abroad to obtain passports even if they had left the country "illegal[ly]" (VOA 8 May 2015) and without undergoing an "intelligence review" (VOA 8 May 2015; Al Jazeera 27 Apr. 2015; Al Araby 26 Apr. 2015). Al Jazeera further reports that the intelligence review "had long made it difficult for anyone who escaped the country's roiling war by sneaking across its porous borders or via rebel-held checkpoints - many out of fear of arrest or military conscription - to apply for travel documents" (Al Jazeera 27 Apr. 2015).

The Landinfo report, citing meetings with the Directorate of Migration and Passports in September 2015 and 2016, and the Syrian Foreign Ministry in September 2015, indicates that [translation] "many" embassies "have the capability" to issue passports, and that those that are unable to do so, forward applications to Damascus where the passports are processed and returned to the requesting embassy via diplomatic post (Norway 3 July 2017, 11).

Sources report that in April 2017, consular fees charged to issue and renew travel documents abroad were changed (Al Araby 4 Apr. 2017; Al Arabiya 2 Apr. 2017). Article 1 of Law No. 18 of 2017, passed by the Syrian government on 9 April 2017 provides the following

Article No. 1 of the Legislative Decree No. 17 of 2015, which amended Law No. 1 of 2014, shall itself be amended as follows:

The consular fee for immediate granting or renewing of a passport or a travel document, for Syrian citizens (or those having the same legal status) who reside outside the Syrian Arab Republic shall be US $800. The consular fee for regular process to grant or renew of a passport or a travel document, within the first-come first-served system, for Syrian citizens (or those having the same legal status) who reside outside the Syrian Arab Republic shall be US $300. The processing time for immediate granting or renewing of a passport or a travel document at overseas representation offices shall be 3 working days maximum, as of the date of application and payment of fees. The processing time within the first-come first-served system shall be 10 to 21 working days maximum, as of the date of application and payment of fees. The required official documents shall be specified by a decision issued by the Minister of Interior, and shall be duly checked. The processing time for immediate granting or renewing of a passport or a travel document for a person who resides outside the Syrian Arab Republic, through a relative or a legal representative inside the Syrian Arab Republic at one of the branches of the Immigration and Passports Department, shall be 24 hours maximum; it shall be 7 to 15 days maximum within the first-come first-served system. (Syria 2017, emphasis in original)

Article 3 of Law No. 18 of 2017 provides the following:

The fees specified above shall not be subject to any additional fees mentioned in the laws and regulations in force, including local administration fees; they shall be subject, however, to the addition of the consular registration fee at the overseas representation office, if [the person] is not already registered there. (Syria 2017)

In April 2017, according to Al Arabiya, a "pan-Arab news channel operated by MBC [a Dubai-based broadcaster]" (BBC 23 May 2016), the government of Syria announced that it would stop renewing passports at its consulates in Jordan and Turkey (Al Arabiya 24 Apr. 2017). In March 2017, according to Syria Deeply, "an independent digital media project led by journalists and technologists that explores a new model of storytelling around a global crisis" (News Deeply n.d.), the Syrian government stopped extending the validity of passports at the consulates in Jordan, Turkey, and Kuwait (News Deeply 29 June 2017). The Landinfo report, citing a meeting with the Directorate of Migration and Passports in May 2017, states that prior to 19 April 2017, it was possible to extend the validity of passports, but that this practice was stopped in Syria on 19 April 2017, and at embassies abroad between 19 and 25 April 2017 (Norway 3 July 2017, 12).

1.2.1 Passport Requirements and Procedures in Canada

In April 2016, the CBC reports that the Syrian Consulate in Montreal was ordered closed by Global Affairs Canada in February 2016, and that this action, coupled with the closure of the Syrian Embassy in Ottawa in 2012, left the Syrian consulate in Vancouver as "the only Syrian consular office in North America" (CBC 29 Apr. 2016). The website of the Honorary Consulate of Syria in British Columbia, without providing further information, states "[p]lease take notice that the Honorary Consulate for Syria in B.C. has no jurisdiction to issue or extend Syrian passports. Kindly contact the Syrian Embassy either in Brazil, Venezuela or by obtaining a new Syrian passport from Syria directly" (Syria n.d.b). Information on the requirements and procedures to obtain a passport from the Syrian embassies in Brazil and Venezuela could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

1.2.2 Passport Requirements and Procedures in Neighbouring Countries

1.2.2.1 Passport Requirements and Procedures in Jordan

The website of the Embassy of the Syrian Arab Republic in Amman, Jordan, states the following with regard to issuing passports:

[translation]

Documents required for issuing passports for [Syrians] residing in Jordan or outside it

The consular fee is US$800 for expedited issue or renewal of passports or travel documents for Syrians and those with similar status who are living outside the Syrian Arab Republic; The consular fee is US$300 for the regular queue system to issue or renew passports or travel documents for Syrians and those with similar status who are living outside the Syrian Arab Republic; and The person concerned shall appear in person or his/her attorney shall appear with a duly certified power of attorney for those residing outside Jordan.

Required documents:

Passport or travel document + a copy thereof;

Three (3) personal photos with a white background which shall be 4 x 4 in size;

Personal identification card + a copy thereof or a registration extract including a personal photo and duly authenticated by the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for those who entered Jordan illegally and don't have the personal identification card + a copy thereof (for males under the age of 18), as well as the family book + two copies thereof or a true copy of the birth statement issued by the Embassy for those who were born in Jordan + two copies thereof;

A copy of the Jordanian security card + a copy of the residency as issued by the country of residence for those residing outside Jordan; and

A fine of US$50 shall be imposed on damaged or lost passports. A passport replacing the lost or damaged one shall be issued subject to the approval of the Immigration and Passports Department. (Syria n.d.c)

With regard to passports with a six-year validity, the same source further indicates:

[translation]

Documents required for issuing a 6-year passport for [Syrians] residing in Jordan or outside it

The consular fee is US$800, for expedited issue or renewal of passports or travel documents for Syrians and those with similar status who are living outside the Syrian Arab Republic. The fee for the regular queue system is US$300.

The six-year passport shall be issued to:

Those who have performed the military service (or paid the cash alternative) or those who are exempted for being the only son of both parents, or one of the parents, or those who are exempted on health grounds;

Those who are exempted because they have performed the obligatory service in another country;

Those who are over 42 years old;

Females;

Students studying outside the Syrian Arab Republic;

Students who are on scholarships unless a shorter period is specified on a letter issued by the entity granting the scholarship; and

Children under the age of 11.

The person concerned shall appear in person (provided he/she had left Syria legally). He/she shall bring the following with him/her:

Passport or travel document + a copy thereof;

Three (3) personal photos with a white background which shall be 4 x 4 in size;

Syrian personal identification card + a copy thereof or a registration extract including a personal photo and duly authenticated by the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, or the family book + two copies thereof;

a registration extract including a personal photo and duly authenticated by the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the family book + two copies thereof; A copy of the Jordanian security card + a copy of the residency as issued by the country of residence for those residing outside Jordan; and

A fine of US$50 shall be imposed on damaged or lost passports. A passport replacing the lost or damaged one shall be issued subject to the approval of the Immigration and Passports Department. (Syria n.d.d, emphasis in original)

The website also states that:

[translation]

The Embassy receives applications on Sundays, Mondays and Tuesdays, from 8:30 AM to 12:00 noon, as per the waiting ticket which citizens receive at the information window in the Embassy; The Embassy hands the completed expedited passports after 48 hours from the date of the application. As to applications submitted as per the regular queue system, they are handed one month after the date of the application. This shall be on Thursdays, from 12:00 noon to 2:00 PM; and The Embassy receives applications to issue passports for those residing outside Jordan on Thursdays, from 8:30 AM to 12:00 noon. The expedited applications are handed within 48 hours from the date of the application. As to applications submitted as per the regular queue system, they are handed one month after the date of the application. This shall be on Thursdays, from 12:00 noon to 2:00 PM. (Syria n.d.c)

1.2.2.2 Passport Requirements and Procedures in Lebanon

The website of the Embassy of the Syrian Arab Republic in Beirut, Lebanon indicates the following with regard to the issue of passports:

[translation]

Personal identification card, a passport or a recent registration extract (less than 3 months with a personal photo) authenticated by the Syrian Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Ministry; Three personal photos with white background, dark clothes and 4 x 4 in size; The consular fee is US$325 (US$300 for passports requested under the regular queue system + US$25 for consular registration);

The consular fee is US$825 (US$800 for expedited passports + US$25 for consular registration);

The fine for lost or damaged passports is US$50; and The Application form.

*In case of damaged or lost passports, a fine of US$50 shall apply, together with the fee for the issue of a new passport. (Syria n.d.e, emphasis in original)

1.2.2.3 Passport Requirements and Procedures in Turkey

The website of the Consulate of the Syrian Arab Republic in Istanbul, Turkey indicates the following with regard to passports:

Required documents for issuing passports:

Original passport with a legal entry seal into Turkey or evidence showing applicant has entered or residing legally in Turkey;

Identification document of the applicant;

Military service book;

Six (6) personal photos (white background, 4 x 4 in size, non-glossy/matte)

A written request submitted by the applicant in person for those who are above 18 years of age;

The consular fee is US$325 (US$300 for passports requested under the regular queue system + US$25 for consular registration);

+ US$25 for consular registration); The consular fee is US$825 (US$800 for expedited passports + US$25 for consular registration); and

passports + US$25 for consular registration); and The fine for lost or damaged passports is US$50.

'Syrian citizens or those with similar status can receive Syrian passports or travel documents for up to two years. As to those desiring to receive passports or travel documents valid for six years, they can obtain them subject to the approval of the Immigration and Passports Department.' (Syria n.d.f, emphasis in original)

Syria Deeply describes the process of obtaining a passport from the Syrian Consulate in Turkey as follows:

The standard procedure involves first getting an appointment to confirm one's identity as a Syrian citizen and request permission to apply for a passport. This preliminary step involves a full security and background check from the Syrian Interior Ministry - a daunting prospect for the sizable number of Syrian men who have evaded military conscription.

After these initial screenings, it takes another 45 days to get a response to the passport request. If accepted, submitting the application and providing the necessary personal details requires another appointment. A passport is usually issued 45 days after this final interview.

Overall, it should take an average period of three months to obtain the passport after the first screening. (News Deeply 29 June 2017)

The same source further reports that the cost of the process in Turkey "starts at $330 and can go up to $830 if an expedited passport is requested" (News Deeply 29 June 2017).

1.2.3 Obtaining Passports through Third Parties

Syria Deeply reports that "Syrian law allows the mother or father of an applicant to submit a passport request inside Syria" and that this process "usually costs as much as a passport would in Istanbul - $330 for a regular passport and $830 for an expedited one" (News Deeply 29 June 2017). The Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), a state-run news agency in Syria (BBC 13 Feb. 2015), reports that in March 2017, the Syrian Cabinet "approved a bill on amending the consular fees granting and renewing passports and travel documents for Syrians residing abroad," adding that this bill included the option for a person's passport to be issued to families and persons with power of attorney within Syria (SANA 7 Mar. 2017). Article 2 of Law No. 18 of 2017 provides the following:

The fees specified [by the law] shall be collected from Syrian citizens (or those having the same legal status) who reside outside the Syrian Arab Republic, or from their relatives or legal representatives inside the Syrian Arab Republic, in US dollars or the equivalent thereof in Euros or in an adopted local currency of the country in which a Syrian Arab Republic embassy or consulate is operational, as per the selling exchange rate listed in the first quarterly bulletin issued by the Central Bank of Syria. At payment, fractions are to be rounded up to the higher denomination. (Syria 2017)

The Landinfo report, citing meetings with the Directorate of Migration and Passports in September 2015 and May 2017, states that a third party may apply for a passport on a person's behalf, but that they must either be a relative or have written authorization from the applicant (Norway 3 July 2017, 13). The same source, citing meetings with the Norwegian Embassy in Amman in June 2013 and September 2015 and a Syrian Lawyer in September 2013, further reports that the third party must submit a pre-filled application form, passport photos, and the printout of information from the National Registry (ikrhraj qaid); the printout is mandatory, but a brother, father or authorized lawyer in Syria may obtain the printout on behalf of the applicant (Norway 3 July 2017, 13).

1.3 Physical Characteristics and Information Contained Within Passports

The US Reciprocity Schedule for Syria indicates the following concerning the "Regular" Syrian passport:

The Syrian Government issues a photo-digitized machine-readable passport with security features. The current passport is 5 inches by 3.5 inches. The color of the passport is dark blue and has a golden eagle seal in the middle. The Syrian passport displays the following key features:

The passport is 48 pages and is in ICAO format (smaller than the previous one).

It is machine readable.

The photograph is photo-digitized and printed on the bio-page.

A small OVD eagle is printed onto the bio-page.

Father's and mother's names are added to the bio-page.

The biographic page is covered by a thin plastic laminate.

The perforations on the bio-pages are covered by laminate as well.

The signature is also printed at the back of the bio-page.

The passport is laser perforated.

There is micro-text printing on the regular pages underlining the word visas, and in a straight line down each page "Syrian Arab Republic" in English and French

The background of the regular pages show historical or modern sites printed in blue.

There is intaglio printing on the inside of the front and back pages of the passport. (US n.d.)

Details and images of three Syrian passports as made available by the Council of the European Union's Public Register of Authentic Travel and Identity Documents Online (PRADO) are attached to this Response (attachment 1). Details and images of a Syrian passport, issued November 2002, as contained in the Kessing Reference Systems database, are attached to this Response (attachment 2).

The Landinfo report, citing Edison TD, email correspondence from the National ID Centre in November 2016, and a meeting with the Directorate of Migration and Passports in September 2016, indicates that there is a 12-digit number on the personal details page, and that the first three numbers correspond to the place of issue; the code for Damascus is 002, for Aleppo 004, and for Homs 007 (Norway 3 July 2017, 12). Corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

2. National ID Cards

Syrianationality.org [1] reports that the National ID Card is an official proof of identity and nationality that is "used for official purposes and everyday use," and is also used to establish the right to vote once the holder turns 18 (Syrianationality.org n.d.a). Landinfo, citing a meeting with the Civil Status Department in September 2016, reports that the ID card is mandatory and it is the responsibility of the guardian to ensure that applications are submitted when it becomes required (Norway 3 July 2017, 8). Further and corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

2.1 Requirements and Procedures to Obtain, Renew and Replace National ID Cards

Without providing further information, the US Reciprocity Schedule for Syria notes that the National ID Card is free, available "after the age of 14," issued by "[t]he Civil Affairs - Ministry of Interior," and is obtained in person (US n.d.). Syrianationality.org reports that the National ID Card is obtained from the Civil Registrar at the Ministry of Interior, "must be obtained from the age of 14," must be obtained in person and can only be obtained inside Syria (Syrianationality.org n.d.a). Without providing further detail, the same source reports that the following documentation is required to obtain a National ID card: four colour photographs, the guardian's ID, and the family booklet (Syrianationality.org n.d.a).

The Landinfo report, citing a meeting with the Civil Status Department in May 2017 and the Civil Status Act, indicates that National ID cards do not list an expiration date, but must be renewed after ten years (Norway 3 July 2017, 8). Citing meetings with the Civil Status Department in September 2016 and May 2017, the report states that when the ID cards are renewed, the photographs, serial numbers, and issuing dates will change, but all other information will remain the same (Norway 3 July 2017, 8). The same source, citing a meeting with a Syrian lawyer in October 2014 and an international organization in 2017, reports that there can be delays of over one year in obtaining a National ID Card, and that in the interim, a receipt is issued as proof of having applied (Norway 3 July 2017, 9).

Based on information obtained from meetings with the Civil Status Department in September 2016 and May 2017, the Landinfo report indicates that the applications must be submitted to the Civil Status Department office in the applicant's home city, as that is where the person is registered in the National Registry (Norway 3 July 2017, 9). The same source, citing the same meetings, further reports that civil status offices in rebel-held areas cannot issue National ID cards, and as a result, "a number of new offices have been established" to replace them (Norway 3 July 2017, 9). Further and corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

2.2 Physical Characteristics and Information Contained Within National ID Cards

Without providing further information, the US Reciprocity Schedule for Syria describes the format of the National ID Card as being a "[p]lastic ID" with "[n]o seal" (US n.d.). A photograph of a Syrian National ID Card from the Syrianationality.org website is attached to this Response (attachment 3).

3. Obstacles to Obtaining Passports or Identity Cards

According to the US Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2016, in Syria, "[w]hile citizens have the right to travel internationally, the government denied passports and other vital documents based on the applicant's political views, association with opposition groups, or ties to geographic areas where the opposition dominated" (US 3 Mar. 2017, 35-36). The same source further reports that

[t]here were reports Da'esh [also known as ISIS, ISIL, IS and Islamic State] destroyed Syrian passports and legal records and produced its own passports, not recognized by any country or entity. These policies disproportionately affected children, because many left the country before obtaining a passport or identification card. Additionally, Syrians born abroad to parents who fled the conflict and remained in refugee camps generally did not have access to Syrian citizenship documents. (US 3 Mar. 2017, 36)

Syria Deeply reports that the decision to stop passport extensions in Turkey has made it more difficult to get an appointment at the consulate to obtain a passport, with many applicants resorting to using third party "fixers" for additional cost to arrange appointments (News Deeply 29 June 2017). Corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

Note

[1] Syrianationality.org is a project on "understanding statelessness in the Syria refugee context" by the Institute on Statelessness and Inclusion (ISI), "an independent non-profit organisation committed to ending statelessness and disenfranchisement through the promotion of human rights, participation and inclusion," and the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), "an independent, humanitarian, non-governmental organisation, which provides assistance, protection, and contributes to durable solutions for refugees and internally displaced people worldwide," and " is part of the research agenda of the Knowledge Platform on Security & Rule of Law and funded by the Netherlands' Ministry of Foreign Affairs through NWO-WOTRO [Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research - Science for Global Development] (Syrianationality.org n.d.b)

References

Al Arabiya. 24 April 2017. "Syria Says it Will Halt Passport Renewals in Jordan, Turkey." [Accessed 2 Aug. 2017]

Al Arabiya. 2 April 2017. "Syrian Passport, one of the Weakest, Becomes World's Most Expensive." [Accessed 8 Aug. 2017]

Al Araby. 4 April 2017. "Syrian Passport now the World's Most Expensive." [Accessed 8 Aug. 2017]

Al Araby. 26 April 2015. AFP. "Syria Promises to Renew Passports for Citizens Living Abroad." [Accessed 8 Aug. 2017]

Al Jazeera. 27 April 2015. Michael Pizzi. "Syria Relaxes Passport Rules, Letting Refugees and Draft Dodgers Apply." [Accessed 8 Aug. 2017]

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). 23 May 2016. "United Arab Emirates - Media." [Accessed 8 Aug. 2017]

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). 13 February 2015. "Syria Profile - Media." [Accessed 8 Aug. 2017]

Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). 29 April 2016. "Global Affairs Canada ordered closing of Syrian consulate in Montreal." [Accessed 2 Aug. 2017]

News Deeply. 29 June 2017. Shawn Carrie and Rami Zayat. "The Maddening Maze of Getting a Syrian Passport Abroad." [Accessed 2 Aug. 2017]

News Deeply. N.d. Syria Deeply. "About Syria Deeply." [Accessed 8 Aug. 2017]

Norway. 3 July 2017. Landinfo. "Syria: Identitetsdokumenter og pass." [Accessed 8 Aug. 2017] Translation provided by the Translation Bureau, Public Services and Procurement Canada.

Syria. 2017. Law No. 18 of 2017. [Accessed 8 Aug. 2017]

Syria. N.d.a. Ministry of Interior. "Immigration and Passport Transactions." Translation provided by the Translation Bureau, Public Services and Procurement Canada. [Accessed 22 Aug. 2017]

Syria. N.d.b. Honorary Consulate of Syria in British Columbia. "About." [Accessed 2 Aug. 2017]

Syria. N.d.c. Embassy of the Syrian Arab Republic in Amman. "Documents Required for Granting a Passport." Translation provided by the Translation Bureau, Public Services and Procurement Canada. [Accessed 22 Aug. 2017]

Syria. N.d.d. Embassy of the Syrian Arab Republic in Amman. "Documents Required for Issuing a 6-Year Passport." Translation provided by the Translation Bureau, Public Services and Procurement Canada. [Accessed 22 Aug. 2017]

Syria. N.d.e. Embassy of the Syrian Arab Republic in Beirut. "Passports." Translation provided by the Translation Bureau, Public Services and Procurement Canada. [Accessed 22 Aug. 2017]

Syria. N.d.f. Consulate of the Syrian Arab Republic in Istanbul. "Passports." Translation provided by the Translation Bureau, Public Services and Procurement Canada. [Accessed 22 Aug. 2017]

Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA).7 March 2017. Hazem Sabbagh. "Cabinet Approves Bill Amending Consular Fees fo Travel Documents fo Syrians Abroad." [Accessed 2 Aug. 2017]

Syrianationality.org. N.d.a. "Syrian Documents." [Accessed 4 Aug. 2017]

Syrianationality.org. N.d.b. "About Us." [Accessed 4 Aug. 2017]

United States (US). 3 March 2017. Department of State. "Syria." Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2016. [Accessed 4 Aug. 2017]

United States (US). N.d. Department of State. "Syria Reciprocity Schedule." [Accessed 2 Aug. 2017]

Voice of America (VOA). 8 May 2015. Jamie Dettmer. "Syria Battles Economic Woes Amid Rebellion." [Accessed 8 Aug. 2017]

Additional Sources Consulted

Internet sites, including: Amnesty International; Australia - Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade; ecoi.net; European Union - European Asylum Support Office; Factiva; Human Rights Watch; Intergovernmental Consultations on Asylum and Migration; United Nations - Refworld.

Attachments
Manus Island: Tragic death proves situation increasingly desperate

Publisher Amnesty International Publication Date 2 October 2017 Cite as Amnesty International, Manus Island: Tragic death proves situation increasingly desperate, 2 October 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59d38b064.html [accessed 15 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

On learning of the reported death of a refugee who had been held in the Australian-run detention centre on Manus Island today, Kate Schuetze, Pacific Researcher at Amnesty International said:

"This tragic and avoidable death is the sixth death related to the Manus Island centre, and the ninth overall connected to Australia's offshore processing regime.

"Immigration Minister Peter Dutton has blood on his hands. This death proves, yet again, that offshore processing is untenable, and must end immediately.

"This death comes only a few days after a small number of refugees were offered asylum in the United States, making the situation increasingly desperate for those who are left behind in Australia's offshore processing centres.

"Australia must immediately ensure the safety of all people held on Papua New Guinea and Nauru. The fairest and quickest way to ensure safety for all remains bringing them to Australia to process their asylum claims, and welcome refugees into our community."

Copyright notice:  Copyright Amnesty International
If World Dairy Expo is where the dairy industry meets, then just down the road from the grounds is where the 4-H dairy world meets. From Sunday to Wednesday, the best and the brightest of 4-H dairy members gather at the National 4-H Dairy Conference held in downtown Madison.

Youth from all across the country gather to share ideas, learn about the industry, and make meaningful connections.

During her welcome speech at the 63rd national conference, Youth Planning Committee member and Washington 4-H representative, Anna Teachman, summarized the experience and shared her advice for this years attendees. She said 4-Hers should embrace the opportunity to meet people but also to consider their future careers.

Fellow Youth Planning Committee Member John Mark Huff from Mississippi told the 4-Hers to be themselves and embrace the chance during the week to meet new people and learn new things.

National 4-H Dairy Conference visited Fort Atkinson on Monday, and Hoards Dairyman was honored to show them around our offices and farm. The video above shows just a few candid images from their stop. While in town, they also toured Nasco and the National Dairy Shrine.

Tuesday the conference will feature tours of technology-forward dairies while Wednesday, attendees will attend seminars on pertinent dairy topics and get to spend the afternoon at World Dairy Expo. If youre interested in learning more about the conference visit www.national4hdairyconference.org.

The author is an associate editor. She covers feeding and nutrition, youth activities and heads up the World Dairy Expo Supplement. Maggie was raised on a 150-cow dairy near Valley Center, Kansas, and graduated from Kansas State University with degrees in agricultural communications and animal sciences.
Russian authorities lock up opposition leaders for organising a peaceful rally

Publisher Amnesty International Publication Date 3 October 2017 Cite as Amnesty International, Russian authorities lock up opposition leaders for organising a peaceful rally, 3 October 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59d38ceb4.html [accessed 15 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

The sentencing of opposition leaders Aleksei Navalny and Leonid Volkov to 20 days in administrative detention is yet further evidence of the Russian authorities' relentless stranglehold on civil society, said Amnesty International. The organization is calling for the immediate and unconditional release of both men.

"The arrest of Aleksei Navalny and Leonid Volkov comes as no surprise. It is a blatant attempt by the Russian authorities to suppress and suffocate any dissenting voices and intimidate people trying to exercise their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly," said Denis Krivosheev, Deputy Director for Europe and Central Asia at Amnesty International.

"Peaceful protest is a right, not a crime nor a privilege which the authorities can bestow on a whim to people in Russia. The activists' imprisonment embodies the everyday harassment of civil society across the country, including many of Navalny's supporters. Over the last few months, scores of activists across Russia have been subjected to arbitrary detention, over-the-top fines, beatings and intimidation."

Aleksei Navalny and Leonid Volkov were found guilty of "repeated violation of the established procedure of organizing or holding meetings, rallies, demonstrations, marches or picketing." They were tried on the same day in two different courts in Moscow. Both were sentenced to 20 days of administrative detention.

"This is the third time this year that Aleksei Navalny has been thrown behind bars solely for peacefully exercising his rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. He has committed no crime, yet will have spent two months in prison simply for challenging the repressive Russian laws on public gatherings," said Denis Krivosheev.

Background

Aleksei Navalny, an anti-corruption campaigner and aspiring presidential candidate, was detained by police on 29 September in the lobby of his apartment building. He was on his way to the train station to go to Nizhnii Novgorod (Central Russia) where he was going to take part in a rally.

While he was released in the evening of the same day, he was charged under Article 20.2.8 of the Russian Code of Administrative Violations ("repeated violation of the established procedure of organizing or holding meetings, rallies, demonstrations, marches or picketing"). His chief of campaigns, Leonid Volkov, was briefly detained on the same day in Nizhnii Novgorod and accused of the same offence.

The rally had been agreed with the local authorities, in accordance with the overly restrictive Russian law which requires the authorities' express prior permission. However, earlier that week, the Nizhnii Novgorod city administration withdrew its permission for the rally, a move that Navalny described as unlawful. The rally went ahead. According to eyewitnesses, around dozen peaceful demonstrators were detained by police in Nizhny Novgorod.

Navalny and Volkov's detention comes days before another rally he was organizing in St Petersburg, on Saturday 7 October, the birthday of President Vladimir Putin. The local authorities have not yet replied to the organisers request to hold the rally.

Copyright notice:  Copyright Amnesty International
Saudi Arabia Death toll reaches 100 as authorities carry out execution spree

Publisher Amnesty International Publication Date 2 October 2017 Cite as Amnesty International, Saudi Arabia Death toll reaches 100 as authorities carry out execution spree, 2 October 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59d38d304.html [accessed 15 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

The Saudi Arabian authorities executed a man today, bringing the total number of people put to death so far in 2017 to 100, with 60 people executed in the past three months alone, said Amnesty International.

"Since July 2017, the Saudi Arabian government has been on an execution spree with an average of five people put to death per week. This sets the country firmly on track to remain one of the most prolific executioners on the planet," said Lynn Maalouf, Director of Research for Amnesty International in the Middle-East.

"If the Saudi authorities are truly intent on making reforms, they must immediately establish an official moratorium on executions as a first step towards abolishing the death penalty completely."

Forty percent of the executions carried out so far this year were related to drug-related offences, which do not fall into the category of "most serious crimes". The use of the death penalty for such offences violates international human rights law.

Unfair trials

Many people in Saudi Arabia sentenced to death and executed are charged guilty following seriously flawed court proceedings that routinely fall far short of international fair trial standards. They are often convicted solely on the basis of "confessions" obtained under torture and other ill-treatment, denied legal representation in trials which are held in secret, and are not kept informed of the progress of the legal proceedings in their case.

For example, on 13 September Said al-Sai'ari was executed in the city of Najran, in the southwest of Saudi Arabia. He was found guilty of the murder of another Saudi Arabian man, by the same court that concluded that there was not enough evidence to convict him.

"Said al-Sai'ari was put to death in spite of the lack of evidence against him. This just shows how facile it is for the Saudi Arabian authorities to resort to this inhumane, and more crucially, irreversible punishment," said Lynn Maalouf.

Death penalty as a tool to crush dissent

"The Saudi authorities have been using the death penalty as a tool to crush dissent and rein in minorities with callous disregard for human life. They should immediately quash these sentences and ensure that all trials meet international fair trial standards without recourse to the death penalty" said Lynn Maalouf.

At least 33 members of Saudi Arabia's Shi'a Muslim community currently face the death penalty. All were accused of activities deemed a risk to national security. Among them are Ali al-Nimr, Abdullah al-Zaher, Dawood al-Marhoon who were arrested for alleged offences committed when they were under 18 and who said that they were tortured in order to make them "confess". Last month the family of another young man Abdulkareem al-Hawaj were informed by court officials that the Supreme Court had upheld his death sentence for offences related to his involvement in anti-government protests. Al-Hawaj was only 16 when he took part in the protests; he has exhausted all his appeals and can be executed as soon as the King ratifies his sentence. They are all at imminent risk of execution.

On 11 July, Yusuf al-Mushaikhass along with three other Shi'a men were executed in the country's Eastern Province of Qatif for terror-related offences in connection with their participation in anti-government protests between 2011 and 2012. He was convicted following a grossly unfair trial which hinged largely on a "confession" obtained through torture.

The families of the 14 Shi'a men accused of protest-related crimes and whose death sentence was upheld by the Supreme Court on 24 July live in the fear of receiving at any time the horrific news of the execution of their relatives.

Background

Saudi Arabia uses the death penalty for a wide range of offences that are not accepted as the "most serious crimes" under international human rights law, which are limited to crimes involving intentional killings.

Saudi Arabia is one of the top executioners in the world, with more than 2,000 people executed between 1985 and 2016.

Amnesty International opposes the death penalty in all cases without exception regardless of the nature or circumstances of the crime; guilt, innocence or other characteristics of the individual; or the method used by the state to carry out the execution.

Copyright notice:  Copyright Amnesty International
Egypt escalates LGBTI crackdown with fresh wave of arrests and anal examinations

Publisher Amnesty International Publication Date 2 October 2017 Cite as Amnesty International, Egypt escalates LGBTI crackdown with fresh wave of arrests and anal examinations , 2 October 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59d38d894.html [accessed 15 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

The Egyptian authorities have arrested 22 people over the past three days alone, stepping up a campaign of persecution against LGBTI people in the country which began after a rainbow flag was displayed at a Mashrou' Leila concert in Cairo provoking a public outcry, Amnesty International said today.

The arrests bring the total number of people who have been detained based on their perceived sexual orientation to 33 - 32 men and one woman - since the Public Prosecutor announced an investigation into the rainbow flag "incident" on 25 September. The Forensic Medical Authority has carried out anal examinations on at least five of those arrested.

"In a matter of days the Egyptian security forces have rounded up dozens of people and carried out five anal examinations signalling a sharp escalation in the authorities' efforts to persecute and intimidate members of the LGBTI community following the rainbow flag incident," said Najia Bounaim, North Africa Campaigns Director at Amnesty International.

"Forced anal examinations are tantamount to torture - there is no scientific basis for such tests and they cannot be justified under any circumstances.

"The scale of the latest arrests highlights how dangerously entrenched homophobia is within the country. Instead of stepping up arrests and carrying out anal examinations, the authorities must urgently halt this ruthless crackdown and release all those arrested immediately and unconditionally."

All 33 people detained are facing prosecutor interrogations and significantly expedited trial proceedings.

According to the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, at least 10 people were arrested between 28 and 30 September and put on trial yesterday, alongside another six who were arrested earlier in the week. The verdict in the trial of all 16 men has been scheduled for 29 October.

On 1 October one man was detained in the Mediterranean port city of Damietta in relation to the rainbow flag incident. Six further people were also detained in Cairo in the last 48 hours for promoting "habitual debauchery" through online dating applications and four further arrests took place from a flat in Giza, also in the last 48 hours.

The authorities also detained one woman suspected of raising the rainbow flag at the concert. She has been charged with "promoting sexual deviancy" and "habitual debauchery" in the first such incident involving a woman in years.

The Egyptian authorities' announcement that they are investigating the rainbow flag incident as a criminal act is utterly absurd. No one should be punished for expressing solidarity with LGBTI individuals or based on their perceived sexual orientation," said Najia Bounaim.

"This is the worst crackdown against people based on their perceived sexual orientation since the mass arrests of 52 people following a raid on the Queen Boat, a floating nightclub on the Nile, in 2001."

Amnesty International is calling on the authorities to immediately and unconditionally release the 33 who have been detained and halt all plans to carry out further anal examinations. Such tests violate the prohibition against torture and other ill-treatment under international law.

Background on last week's arrests

On 23 September, a day after the Mashrou' Leila concert in Cairo, a 19-year-old man was arrested on charges of "debauchery". He was sentenced last week to six years in prison, followed by six years of probation.

Two other men who were arrested last week are currently detained in Agouza police station in Cairo and are due to stand trial on 11 October. Another two men were arrested on 28 September and are detained in Dokki police station in Cairo.

Copyright notice:  Copyright Amnesty International
Cameroon: UN Secretary-General urges dialogue to resolve grievances

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 3 October 2017 Cite as UN News Service, Cameroon: UN Secretary-General urges dialogue to resolve grievances, 3 October 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59d390ae4.html [accessed 15 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Strongly condemning recent violence in south-west and north-west regions of Cameroon, including reported loss of life, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has urged all stakeholders to refrain from any further acts of violence and called on the authorities to investigate the incidents.

In a statement attributable to his spokesperson, the Mr. Guterres urged political leaders on both sides to appeal to their followers to refrain from any further acts of violence, and to unequivocally condemn all actions that undermine the peace, stability and unity of the country.

[He] takes note of the calls by the authorities for dialogue and encourages representatives of the Anglophone community to seize the opportunity in their quest for solutions to the community's grievances, within the framework of the Cameroonian constitution, the statement added.

The Secretary-General reiterates the support of the United Nations for such efforts, through the UN Regional Office for Central Africa (UNOCA), the statement noted.
As Rohingya crisis continues, UNICEF seeks funds to reach 720,000 children in need

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 2 October 2017 Cite as UN News Service, As Rohingya crisis continues, UNICEF seeks funds to reach 720,000 children in need, 2 October 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59d3912b4.html [accessed 15 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Amid the deepening refugee crisis in Bangladesh and its attendant toll on children, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNCEF) launched today an appeal for its emergency response to reach some 720,000 children  both in Rohingya refugee and host communities  with protection and assistance.

Desperate, traumatized children and their families are fleeing the violence in Myanmar every day. We are scaling up our response as fast as we can, but the magnitude of need is immense and we must be able to do more to help them, said Anthony Lake, the UNICEF Executive Director, who is visiting southern Bangladesh.

These children are being denied a childhood. They need our help now and they need our help to have a future, he added.

The UN agency's $76.1 million appeal, primarily focused on preventing outbreaks of water-borne diseases such as diarrhoea, covers expansion of safe water and sanitation services, as well as improvements in hygiene systems for Rohingya children, many of whom are living in harsh and unsanitary conditions in makeshift camps and settlements.

It will also provide nutritional support to at least 60 per cent of an estimated caseload of 7,500 children suffering from severe acute malnutrition and 70 per cent of children with micronutrient support, including Vitamin A.

David Beasley, WFP Executive Director, along with Anthony Lake, the UNICEF Executive Director (right) and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Mark Lowcock (left).

Another key part of the response will be providing protection services, including psychosocial and recreational support to up to 180,000 children through structured activities at child friendly spaces and referrals for children who require specialized support. The UN agency will also expand the network of adolescent centres to provide life-skills training, recreational activities, and psychosocial support to an especially vulnerable group.

UNICEF will also initiate an oral cholera vaccination campaign, targeting all children over one, and 900,000 doses of the vaccine are expected to arrive in Bangladesh on 7 October, possibly earlier.

Refugee crisis a 'Level 3' emergency

Level 3 emergency

In the context of Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC), a Level 3 emergency would typically be a sudden onset complex emergency requiring the activation of a UN system-wide response, with agreed mechanisms, tools and procedures.

Glossary, UNHCR Global Report 2014

In related news, the UN refugee agency also issued an supplementary appeal for its emergency response in for the Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh.

Declaring the crisis a 'Level 3 Emergency,' the Appeal issued by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) seeks $83.7 million in urgent additional requirements from September 2017 through to February 2018 and is built on the respective elements of the Preliminary Response Plan for the Influx into Cox's Bazar.

The Preliminary Response Plan was initially drawn, in early September, up by the Inter-Sector Coordination Group. It had appealed for $77 million for the response and is presently under revision.

The UNHCR requirements presented in this Supplementary Appeal will be reflected in, and aligned with, the respective components of that revised appeal, the UN agency said.
Amid 'critical' resource shortage, UN agency cuts food rations for refugees in Kenya

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 2 October 2017 Cite as UN News Service, Amid 'critical' resource shortage, UN agency cuts food rations for refugees in Kenya, 2 October 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59d391d54.html [accessed 15 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

For 420,000 refugees living in northern Kenya, insufficient funding has forced the United Nations food relief agency to cut rations by 30 per cent, as it appeals for nearly $30 million for assistance.

We are facing a critical shortage of resources, which has compelled us to reduce the amount of food given to the refugees only six months after we resumed full rations, said World Food Programme (WFP) Representative and Country Director Annalisa Conte in a statement.

Overall, refugees living in Dadaab and Kakuma camps will receive a food ration equivalent to 70 per cent of their requirements.

WFP urgently needs $28.5 million to adequately cover the food assistance needs for the refugees for the next six months, she added.

The UN agency provides sustenance assistance to refugees in Kenya as a combination of dry food  including cereals, vegetable oil and nutrient-enriched flour  as well as mobile phone cash transfers to buy fresh food from local traders.

However, while keeping cash transfers unchanged, starting this month, WFP will provide through health clinics fortified flour only for pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers instead of the general population, which may lead to a rise in malnutrition levels among the refugees.

Working closely with UNHCR [Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees] and other partners, WFP strives to meet urgent food and nutrition needs of refugees and other vulnerable groups, and calls upon all parties to take all necessary steps to end conflicts and create conditions for refugees to safely return home, she continued.

In addition to the general food ration and cash transfers, WFP provides nutritious foods to young children, pregnant women and nursing mothers, to stave off malnutrition. Primary grade students receive porridge in school, which helps them concentrate on their classes and provides an incentive for families to send them to school. For the time being, WFP can maintain these critical safety nets for refugees.

Cutting rations is a last resort and we hope that it is only a short-term measure as we continue to appeal to the international community to assist, said Ms. Conte.

If new funds are received immediately, WFP can quickly mobilize food stocks from within the region, and/or increase the amount of cash transfers to the refugees allowing them to buy adequate food from the local markets.

An abrupt halt to food assistance would be devastating for the refugees, most of whom rely fully on WFP for their daily meals, she concluded.
For Yemenis and migrants, protracted conflict an 'endless nightmare'  head of UN agency

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 2 October 2017 Cite as UN News Service, For Yemenis and migrants, protracted conflict an 'endless nightmare'  head of UN agency, 2 October 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59d392574.html [accessed 15 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Amid worsening famine and cholera in war-torn Yemen, the head of the United Nations migration agency has called for greater humanitarian access to enable relief workers reach those most in need and save lives.

The authorities have a responsibility to give humanitarians more access, including reopening the airport for essential aid deliveries, and the world has an obligation to come to the aid of the Yemeni people, said William Lacy Swing, the Director General of the UN International Organization for Migration (IOM), on a visit to the country.

Responding to the outbreak has been further complicated as the conflict in Yemen has left the country's water and sanitation systems in near-ruin and almost 80 per cent of the population  some 21 million people  as well as thousands of migrants dependent on humanitarian aid.

The world's worst cholera outbreak is now part of this volatile mix and, as mind-numbing as it may seem, one million Yemenis are expected to contract the deadly disease by the end of this year, added Mr. Swing.

According to estimates, more than 2,000 people have succumbed to the deadly disease since October last year and 750,000 have been hit with 5,000 additional people being infected every day.

Furthermore, more than three million Yemeni children under the age of 5 are at risk of severe acute malnutrition as an ever-present risk of famine looms larger.

The internecine conflict, which has convulsed Yemen for over two years already, shows no sign of being resolved, said the IOM Director General, noting that the situation of the nearly 6,000 migrants who continue to enter the country each month is of particular concern.

They come in the hope that they can make their way through Yemen to the Gulf countries to find work.

However, few realize the grave dangers they are likely to face along the route, including exploitation, abuse and abduction by criminal gangs for hefty ransoms.

For Yemenis and migrants, the protracted conflict has become an endless nightmare, said Mr. Swing.

During his visit, the head of IOM has met with authorities whom he called on to improve humanitarian access. He also met with persons displaced by fighting, whom the UN agency was only able to reach with aid a few weeks ago  the first time they received assistance since fleeing their homes more than a year back.

More than two years of brutal conflict has turned this society upside down leaving a trail of needless devastation in its wake, noted Mr. Swing, adding: I urge all parties to the conflict to make real efforts towards finding peace because aid alone is not a solution.
Press freedom violations recounted in real time January 2017

Publisher Reporters Without Borders Publication Date 3 October 2017 Cite as Reporters Without Borders, Press freedom violations recounted in real time January 2017, 3 October 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59d393014.html [accessed 15 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has learned that Mehdi Khazali, an outspoken blogger who was arrested on a Tehran street by plainclothesmen on 12 August, was freed on 28 September. The editor of the Baran blog, he had been openly critical of the head of the judicial authority in the months prior to his arrest. Arrested many times in the past, he was sentenced to 14 years in prison in 2011. The conditions of his latest release have not been revealed. He is the son of Ayatollah Abolghasem Khazali, an influential conservative cleric and regime member for 37 years.

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14.09.2017 - Detention of two journalists extended by another month

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemns a judicial decision to extend the provisional detention of two journalists - Sasan Aghai, the deputy editor of the newspaper Etemad and Yaghma Fashkhami, a reporter for the news website Dideban e Iran - by another month in violation of both Iranian law and international standards. They are also being denied the right to see a lawyer and to be visited by their families.





Both were arrested last month at their workplace by plainclothesmen from the justice department's intelligence protection section - Aghai on 11 August and Fashkhami on 21 August. The authorities have still not said why they were arrested or where they are being held.

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11.09.2017 - Kurdish journalist freed on completing jail term

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is pleased to learn that Khosro Kurdpour, a Kurdish journalist who edited the Mokeryan news website in the northwestern city of Mahabad, was released on 8 September on completing a sentence of five-year in prison. Ministry of intelligence officials arrested him at his home in Mahabad on 7 March 2013, one day before summoning and then arresting his brother, Masoud Kurdpour, who contributed to the website. The Mahabad revolutionary court that sentenced them both on 9 November 2013 gave Masoud Kurdpour a three and a half years jail term.

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30.08.2017 - Two women journalists freed provisionally

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is relieved to learn that Hengameh Shahidi, a woman journalist who edited the Paineveste blog, and Zeniab Karimian, a woman journalist who hosted a programme on Iran's 3rd TV channel, were both released provisionally yesterday on bail of 900 million toman (810,000 euros).





Arrested on 9 March, Shahidi staged several hunger strikes in protest against her detention and prison conditions, despite being very ill. Karimian was arrested at her home on 23 January 2017 by intelligence ministry plainclothesmen.





Both were held in isolation in different security sections of Tehran's Evin prison, initially under the intelligence ministry's control and then under the control of the justice department's intelligence section. When Shahidi emerged from the prison, she appeared weak and had clearly lost a lot of weight.

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07.08.2017 - Imprisoned citizen-journalist's wife arrested

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemns the arrest of Nastaran Naimi, the wife of the imprisoned citizen-journalist Soheil Arabi. Plainclothesmen arrested her at her home on 31 July after searching it. Her family has still not been told why she was arrested or where she is being held.





Arabi has been detained for the past three and a half years. Arrested by Revolutionary Guards in December 2013, he was incarcerated in Security Section 2a of Tehran's Evin prison, where he was isolated and mistreated for two months to get him to confess to helping to create a Facebook network that blasphemed Islam and criticized the government.

The confession led to the imposition of a death sentence in August 2014, which - following protests by his lawyer and the intercession of UN special rapporteurs - was eventually overturned. At a retrial in September 2015, he was sentenced to seven and a half years in prison starting with two years under observation, during which time he must prove he has repented to avoid reimposition of the death sentence.

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02.08.2017 - A journalist and four Telegram group administrators bailed

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has learned that four administrators of a group that used the instant messaging service Telegram to circulate information - Seid Mojtaba Bagheri, Said Naghdi, Javad Jamshidi and Nima Keshvari - were freed on bail of 500 million toman (410,000 euros) on 30 and 31 July.

Held in Tehran's Evin prison after their arrest by Revolutionary Guards on 16 March, they are due to be tried on 12 August. Two other members of the group who were arrested at the same time, Sobhan Jafari Tash and Ali Ahmadinia, will be freed as soon as their bail is paid, their lawyer, Ali Mojtahad Zadeh, said.





RSF has also learned that the journalist and photographer Assal Esmaeilzadeh was freed on bail of 300 million toman (270,000 euros) on 13 July pending trial. She was arrested without charge at the behest of the Tehran prosecutor's office for culture and media on 20 June.

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30.06.2017 - Two months after release, journalist sentenced again

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemns the six-month jail sentence that was imposed on Issa Saharkhiz, the former editor of several, now-closed reformist newspapers, on 19 June, just two months after his release. His lawyer, Mahmoud Alizadeh-Tabatabaie, said he was convicted of insulting the head of the judicial system.





One of the victims of a wave of arrests in early November 2015, Saharkhiz was sentenced by a Tehran revolutionary court in August 2016 to three years in prison on charges of anti-government propaganda and insulting Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. His lawyer reported at the time that two other charges against Saharkhiz - publishing false news and insulting the head of the judicial system - would be tried separately as political crimes before a court of assizes.





After the latest sentence was passed on 19 June, Alizadeh-Tabatabaie pointed out that the court had accepted that his client's criticism of the head of the judicial system had been personal in nature. It therefore could not be regarded as a political crime meriting a six-month jail sentence, he added, announcing that they planned to appeal.





Saharkhiz was released on 15 April after being deemed to have completed the first sentence. While held, he staged several hunger strikes in protest against his imprisonment and had been serving his sentence in a Tehran hospital since March 2016.

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26.06.2017 - Newspaper journalist freed provisionally

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has learned that, after payment of 300 million toman (270,000 euros) in bail, Borna News social affairs editor Tahereh Riahai was released provisionally on 24 June pending trial. Arrested by plainclothes intelligence officers on 27 December 2016, she had been kept in isolation in Section 209 of Tehran's Evin prison for months.

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23.06.2017 - Ahmadinejad's former press adviser arrested

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has learned that Abdol Reza Davari, former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's onetime press adviser, who also once ran the newspaper Shahrvand and the government news agency Irna, was arrested on 31 May in order to serve a three-year jail sentence.

Davari was convicted in September 2013 of "insulting" Supreme Leader AliKhamenei in three comments posted on Facebook and was given a six-year jail sentence that was reduced to three years on appeal. He was arrested two days after posting an open letter criticizing Ebrahim Raisi and Mostafa Pour Mohammadi, two members of a commission that passed death sentences in 1988 on thousands of political prisoners who refused to renounce their beliefs.

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01.06.2017 - Narges Mohammadi back in prison two days after operation

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is very concerned about the health of Narges Mohammadi, an imprisoned journalist and human rights defender who has been returned to prison just two days after undergoing an operation. Rushed to hospital with severe uterine bleeding on 28 May, Mohammadi was operated on the next day and was taken back to prison yesterday.

Held since May 2015, Mohammadi was deemed to have completed an initial six-year sentence on 17 March and immediately began a second, ten-year one. She has several ailments including muscular paralysis but is being denied the medical care she needs. Her health is in danger and she should not be in prison. We call for her immediate release.

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24.05.2017 - Magazine editor Morad Saghafi released on bail

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has learned that Morad Saghafi, the editor of the magazine Goft o Gu (Dialogue in Persian), was released on payment of bail on 20 May pending trial. He had been arrested at his Tehran home on 16 March.

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18.05.2017 - Hengameh Shahidi suspends hunger strike

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) was relieved to learn today that imprisoned

journalist Hengameh Shahidi decided to suspend her hunger strike after receiving a visit from her family in 16 May and a promise from the Tehran prosecutor's office that her appalling prison conditions will be improved and that she will be given complete medical examinations.

According to her family, she is suffering from several heart and respiratory ailments, along with other conditions. She had not been eating any food since 10 May.

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12.05.2017 - Journalist freed after ten years in prison

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is pleased to learn that Mohammad Sedegh Kabodvand, the editor of Payam-e mardom-e Kurdestan (a regional newspaper closed by the authorities in 2004), was granted a conditional release today on completing ten years in prison.





Held since July 2007 in Tehran's Evin prison, Kabodvand was sentenced to a total of 11 years in prison in connection with his journalistic activities and his creation of a human rights organization in Iranian Kurdistan, the northern region where he lived.





He has been freed provisionally pending a judicial decision on the application of article 134 for the new Islamic criminal code to the rest of his sentence. Under a 2013 amendment to the code, a person convicted on several charges should serve only the most important sentence. By this token, he should have been freed four years ago.

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27.04.2017 - Two journalists freed conditionally

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has learned that two imprisoned journalists, Kaivan Karimi and Issa Saharkhiz, have been released conditionally in the past week.





Karimi, a young documentary filmmaker, was freed on 20 April after completing half of the one-year sentence he received in November 2016 . Saharkhiz, the editor of several reformist newspapers was released on 25 April. His lawyer, Mahmoud Alizadeh-Tabatabaie, said he had completed his sentence.





One of the victims of a wave of arrests in early November 2015, Saharkhiz was sentenced by a Tehran revolutionary court in August 2016 to three years in prison on charges of anti-government propaganda and insulting Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. While held, he staged several hunger strikes in protest against his imprisonment and had been hospitalized since March 2016. The sentence was reduced last September.

Ranked 165th out of 180 countries in RSF's 2017 World Press

Freedom Index, Iran is one of the world's five biggest prisons for

media personnel, with a total of 28 journalists and citizen journalists

detained.



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19.04.2017 - Narges Mohammadi begins serving second jail term

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is outraged by the continuing persecution of journalist and leading human rights defender Narges Mohammadi, who has just started serving a ten-year prison sentence on completing a six-year one. She received the ten-year sentence a year after her most recent arrest, on 5 May 2015.





Mohammadi has a long history of persecution by the judicial authorities and has been arrested several times. During her spells out of prison, she has worked closely with Nobel peace laureate Shirin Ebadi at the Centre for Human Rights Defenders.





The six-year sentence followed her arrest at her home on the evening of 10 June 2010. She was convicted two months later on charges of "meeting and plotting against the Islamic Republic," "anti-government publicity:" and "collaborating with the Centre for Human Rights Defenders" and was given an 11-year jail term that was reduced to six years on appeal in March 2011.

Mohammadi suffered muscular paralysis as a consequence of the heavy-handed interrogation sessions to which she was subjected after her arrest in 2010. As a result, she was paroled in July 2012.

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17.03.2017 - More journalists arrested

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) yet again condemns the persecution of journalists in Iran after at least three more were arrested in the past week.





The latest victims include Morad Saghafi, the editor of the magazine Goft o Gu ("Dialogue" in Persian), who was arrested at his Tehran home yesterday and was taken to an unknown location. His lawyer, Hamed Zargar, said neither he nor Saghafi's family have been told why he was arrested.





Meanwhile, Ali Motahari, the deputy speaker of Iran's parliament, yesterday asked the minister of intelligence to explain why a military unit recently arrested 12 editors of pro-reform information pages on the instant messaging service Telegram.

Motahari also criticized the detention of Ehssan Mazandarani, the former editor of the newspaper Farhikhteghan, on 12 March (see RSF's 13 March release). His wife, Malieh Hossieni, a journalist with the newspaper Farhikhteghana, was fired the day after his arrest.





Although banned, apps and social networks such as Telegram, Facebook and Twitter nowadays play an important role in providing Iranians with news and information. Telegram says it has more than 15 million users in Iran.

According to the Kalameh news website, Ali Ahmadinia, the administrator of the Eslahat News (Reform News) channel on Telegram, was arrested on 14 March and was taken to an unknown location.





RSF is currently very concerned about the health of two journalists who have been on hunger strike since their arrest. One is Mazandarani, who was arrested on 12 March (see above). The other Henghameh Shahidi, who was arrested on 9 March.

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15.03.2017 - Former editor gets six-month jail term

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemns the six-month prison sentence that has been passed on Hossein Karoubi, the former editor of Etemad Meli (a newspaper closed since August 2009) for circulating the open letter that his father, Mehdi Karoubi, wrote to President Hassan Rohani.

In the April 2016 letter, published in mostly foreign-based media outlets and on social networks, Mehdi Karoubi asks to be tried before a public court "in order to present the evidence I possess about massive fraud during the 2005 and 2009 presidential elections and to show what has happened to young Iranians in the country's legal and illegal detention centres."





Etemad Melli's owner and a former parliamentary speaker, Mehdi Karoubi has been under house arrest since February 2011, a fate he has shared with former Prime Minister Mir Hossein Mousavi (the owner of the closed newspaper Kalameh Sabaz) and Mousavi's wife, the writer Zahra Rahnavard. Mousavi and Mehdi Karoubi, who are both former presidential candidates, are being held illegally and are being denied their rights. Their state of health is very worrying.





RSF has meanwhile learned that Samna Safari, a journalist with the monthly Andisher Poya, was released on 11 March after the authorities determined that he had served his two-year jail sentence. Detained along with three other journalists in a wave of arrests in November 2015, he was sentenced by a revolutionary court in March 2016 to five years in prison for "anti-government propaganda activities." This was reduced to two years on appeal.

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28.02.2017 - City of Qom suspends newspaper

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemns the decision by the city of Qom's public prosecutor to suspend the newspaper Shakheh Sabz on 26 February, a day after it ran a story criticizing the level of violence in one of its poorest districts, which it likened to a "jungle." The suspension was ordered after 136 parliamentarians supported a resolution accusing the daily of "insulting the population of the Holy City of Qom." The newspaper's name means "Green Branch."

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22.02.2017 - Ahmad Montazeri returned to prison

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) firmly condemns progressive cleric Ahmad Montazeri's arrest yesterday. The editor of the website of his late father, Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri, he was returned to prison after being summoned before a special court for clerics.

Tried behind closed doors and without a defence lawyer on 20 October, Montazeri was sentenced on 27 November to ten years in prison for endangering state security, ten years for publishing a "classified audio recording" and another year for anti-government "propaganda."

He was prosecuted for posting an old recording on the website on 9 August 2016 in which his father could be heard criticizing the wave of executions of political prisoners in the 1980s.

For more information: Ahmad Montazeri gets 21-year jail term as part of bid to suppress history





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17.02.2017 - Editor freed on completing jail term

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has learned that Ehssan Mazndarani - the editor of the newspaper Farhikhteghan and one of the victims of a wave of arrests in November 2015 - was released on 9 February. He had been given a seven-year jail sentence that was reduced to two years on appeal, His lawyer said he was freed as a result of a decision that he had completed his sentence. While in prison, he was hospitalized several times with heart and chest problems after a three-week hunger strike.

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10.01.2017 - Website reporter flogged for getting facts wrong

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is appalled to learn that Hossien Movahedi, a local news website reporter, was flogged last week in Najafabad, a city 450 km south of Tehran, for getting one of his facts wrong in a story about the confiscation of mopeds from female students at a technological secondary school in the city.





Movahedi reported on the Najafabad News website on 14 June 2016 that the police seized 35 mopeds when, according to the police, it was only eight. Although he apologized for his mistake and although the police were allowed to publish their version on the website, the police pressed charges against him and a Najafabad court sentenced him to 40 lashes for "publishing false information." This inhuman and medieval sentence was carried out on 4 January.





Iran has yet to ratify the Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment.

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06.01.2016 - Woman journalist freed on completing one-year jail term

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has learned that Rihaneh Tabatabai, a journalist who has worked for several reformist newspapers, was released yesterday on completing a one-year jail term on charges of endangering national security and anti-government publicity. She was arrested on 12 January 2016 to begin serving the sentence, which was originally imposed in November 2014 and was confirmed by a Tehran appeal court a year later. The sentence also includes two-year ban on political and journalistic activity in the media and online following her release. In all, Tabatabai has been jailed four times since 2010 in connection with her journalistic activities.





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Press freedom violations recounted in real time (January -December 2016)



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Press freedom violations recounted in real time (January -December 2015)

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Press freedom violations recounted in real time ( January-December 2014)

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Press freedom violations recounted in real time ( January-December 2013)

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Press freedom violations recounted in real time (January-December 2012)

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Press freedom violations recounted in real time (January-December 2011)

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Press freedom violations recounted in real time (July-December 2010)

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Press freedom violations recounted in real time (January-July 2010)

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Press freedom violations recounted in real time (June-December 2009)
Kenya: Police brutally assault University students

Publisher Article 19 Publication Date 3 October 2017 Cite as Article 19, Kenya: Police brutally assault University students, 3 October 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59d39df04.html [accessed 15 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

ARTICLE 19 condemns the brutal assault by police against University of Nairobi Students on 28 September 2017, after students engaged in a protest against the re-arrest of MP Paul Ongili (known as Babu Owino), a former student leader and MP for Embakasi East constituency. He was arrested and charged for insulting the President during a political rally on 24 September 2017.

The Police had claimed that the students had turned violent during the protest. However, pictures and videos of the incident shared online showed students being removed from their classes and dormitories after the protest had ended, then being frog marched and beaten by police officers. In a similar incident in April 2016, police assaulted University of Nairobi students following contested student union elections. The Independent Police Oversight Authority (IPOA) has stated it has opened an investigation into the incident.

We strongly condemn all brutality against Kenyan citizens, especially by police officers whose duty is to protect. We call upon the authorities to ensure the incident is investigated swiftly and effectively, and to hold those responsible for this brutal assault against students to account, said Henry Mania, Director of ARTICLE 19 Eastern Africa

Article 37 of the Constitution enshrines every Kenyans right to protest. Moreover, Articles 21 and 24 require the state to respect, protect, and promote all rights and fundamental freedoms in the Bill of Rights, including freedom of assembly.[1] The right to protest is also enshrined in international laws which Kenya is bound by.

This incident, coupled up with similar instances where police violently engage with protestors, including the recent post elections protests that began when the Presidential results were announced in August 2017, point to an alarming trend where excessive force is used by authorities to prevent anti-government protests. The state should not restrict or ban free expression, including protests, simply because it disagrees with the views of protesters.

The 6th Schedule of the National Police Service Act, the Independent Police Oversight Authority Act and the Public Order Management Act prescribe when and how force should be used and also require the Police to facilitate assemblies through dialogue. When force is used, it must be legal, necessary and as a last resort. This was clearly not the case in this most recent incident, where police officers were shown to beat a number of students, many of whom have since been detained.

ARTICLE 19 calls upon the National Police Service, the National Police Service Commission, the Independent Police Oversight Authority and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions to ensure that this incident is thoroughly investigated and that those responsible are held to account.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

For more information please contact: Henry Maina, ARTICLE 19 Eastern Africa by email on [email protected] or call +254 727 862230

[1] These obligations are also set out ARTICLE 19s December 2016 Principles on the protection of human rights in protest [EN] which elaborate a set of minimum standards for the respect, protection and fulfilment of the right to protest, while promoting a clear recognition of the limited scope of permissible restrictions.

Copyright notice: Copyright ARTICLE 19
TORRINGTON  Former Torrington Middle School Principal Valerie Bruneau, who was fired by the school district last week after less than 90 days on the job, said she was let go because she questioned and fought for the provision of a paraprofessional to address a students special education needs.

Bruneau was hired to become the principal of the city middle school before the current school year, coming to the city after a decade as a vice principal at Bailey Middle School in West Haven. She was attracted by the challenge and size of the district, and the people there  it felt like home from the start, she said.

The job had largely been a pleasure, she said  her fellow staff members and the students were great, there were positive initiatives completed and underway.

I loved the job. Everybody knew that, said Bruneau in an interview this week. I was very proud to be the leader of that building.

There was an outstanding issue, though  the school was out of compliance with a students Individualized Education Program, as it had not supplied a necessary paraprofessional. TMS students needed 25 in total, but had received 22, Bruneau said  an issue across the district.

She had been in regular contact with Superintendent Denise Clemons and Director of Student Services LeTanya Lawrence, urging that this be rectified, to be told first that they would consider the matter at a later date, and then that Lawrence would re-evaluate the need and get back to her.

On Friday, she said, she met with Clemons and was dismissed.

Bruneau said she was told this was done during her probationary period, the case would cost the district in compensatory education for this child, and that Clemons had spent a great deal of time on the matter. The case was raised specifically during her exit interview, she said.

Bruneau said she believed Clemons felt the need to hold someone accountable for the situation because legal counsel had been retained by the parents, and the child had missed the last five days of school.

Being fired was startling, Bruneau said Monday. The district had the right to dismiss her, since she had been working there for less than 90 days, but there was no warning that she was going to be fired, she said.

I was shocked, because I knew that I had been advocating for the child as well as for the other noncompliance issues that we were experiencing because of the shortage of paras, said Bruneau. I was very surprised, absolutely, because I had been very much, in my opinion, been doing my job and trying to make sure all the IEP needs were met.

There was no feeling of escalation or mounting pressure, Bruneau said. The district hadnt made a decision, but Bruneau thought their needs would be supported eventually. The concern was aberrant, though  IEPs are legal requirements, and are typically addressed.

I cant say that Ive ever experienced this. Its the law, said Bruneau. When a child has an IEP, thats a legal binding document, so its not really a choice for implement it or not implement it... this was a fact of somebody did not provide the resources that they were mandated to provide.

She said other concerns regarding the continuum of special education needs, resources and scheduling were being worked on, but necessary resources had not been provided. There were non-compliance issues at TMS, and further examination of the districts program and its adherence to policies and procedures should occur, she said.

Other than this particular issue, she said she was listened to  Clemons was consistently responsive to her phone calls and emails.

Up to this point, I certainly felt that it was a positive environment. I really have nothing negative to say about the experience up until that day, said Bruneau.

Clemons issued a statement Monday in response:

As a District, we do not and will not comment on the specific details of a personnel matter. Furthermore, we will not be drawn into a public spectacle regarding the same, Clemons wrote. However, I want to state unequivocally that as we had a legitimate and proper basis for doing so, the District stands by its action in terminating Ms. Bruneaus employment.

Further, as a result of the Federal laws regarding student confidentiality, I cannot comment on any individual student or case as we are obligated to maintain the confidentiality of all information regarding any particular student, said Clemons. However, the Torrington community members should be reassured that our teachers and staff are committed to the education and well-being of all our children and work tirelessly to meet their educational needs in full compliance with all legal obligations.

Clemons and Lawrence did not immediately respond to messages seeking further comment on the matter.

Bruneau said she had asked Clemons to reconsider her dismissal, but she had not done so. Now, she hopes another district will provide her an opportunity to resume her career as an educator, as she continues to advocate for students from beyond Torrington. Bruneau said she has raised her concerns in a Facebook post and in letters to area newspapers.

Bruneau worked for the city schools for 84 days. While she is disappointed at how things turned out, she said she is hoping for good things for Torrington students in the future.

I hope that, from here going forward, the needs of not only the special education students, but all of the students, are met. I hope that parents find a voice and that theyre heard, said Bruneau. I absolutely wish them the best of luck.

Reach Ben Lambert at william.lambert@hearst

mediact.com.
TORRINGTON  Local Republican leaders gathered Monday in Torrington to protest Gov. Dannel P. Malloys veto of the GOPs budget proposal and its potential ramifications.

We are here today to urge state lawmakers to come together and stand up to Gov. Malloys veto of the state budget that passed the legislature with bipartisan support, said state Sen. Kevin Witkos, R-Canton; state Sen. Craig Miner, R-Litchfield, state Rep. Jay Case, R-Winchester, state Rep. Brian Ohler, R-North Caanan; and state Rep. David Wilson, R-Litchfield in a joint statement. The governor vetoing this budget, and offering no alternative plan for our towns, cities and nonprofits but his executive order is a devastating event.

Under the executive order, Torrington would face a decrease of $22.6 million in funding, while New Hartford and Harwinton would lose $3.3 and $2.8 million respectively. New Hartford would receive $2,845 in state funding, while Harwinton would get nothing.

New Hartford First Selectman Daniel Jerram, Harwinton First Selectman Michael Criss and Torrington Mayor Elinor Carbone said a series of cost-saving measures, such as the delay of infrastructure projects, had been implemented as their municipalities grapple with this pending financial pressure.

Future options are more dramatic  among others, Jerram noted the possibility of layoffs, Criss, the closure of town buildings for a period and a harmful change to the school system and Carbone, the possibility of cuts to the school system, putting off pension payments, layoffs and other measures that affect the quality of life for residents.

These cuts will hurt, and that hurt will be long-lasting, Carbone said.

Under the executive order, it basically strips out almost everything that we possibly have done. Any good will that weve done over the years, any good hard work that weve done on the local level, Criss said. Just to indirectly bail out large cities, such as Hartford and New Haven and Bridgeport. ... this is basically trying to bail out bad management practices.

The impact is  people will leave this state. Businesses will not come here. Every small business person will be harmed, which is going to slow the growth of the area. Real estate values will stagnate, Jerram said. And at the end of the day, kids education wont get the money that it needs to get our kids on the path to success.

Malloy issued the latest version of the executive order in August. It represented a reallocation of resources to pay for basic services in the most challenged school districts, and would prompt difficult choices for local leaders, he said in a statement at the time.

This has never been my preferred path. I have proposed full balanced budgets and also short-term solutions that would alleviate some of this pain. It is incumbent upon state leaders to come together and reach an agreement on a biennial budget right away, Malloy said.

All three lawmakers said they wanted to see a budget adopted quickly.

We hope for bipartisanship, Jerramx said. We hope for people to put families first and to cross the aisle and start passing these budgets, and override the governors veto so that life can get back to normal and Connecticut can start on a path to success again.

The state legislators in attendance suggested lawmakers come together to override the veto.

(This) is a budget that not only avoids the governor's draconian executive order that would hurt schools in most towns and cities, it is also a budget that creates stability for our towns and cities over the next two years, and for many years to come, said the state legislators in their joint statement. While Gov. Malloy vetoed it, he does not have the final word. That is up to the legislature. And we are urging action.

Coming to a financial plan is crucial, Criss said. It would provide a chance to plan addressing the state's financial situation, as opposed to an immediate dramatic impact on towns.

The way the executive order is planned, no one will make out on it, Criss said. And at least this opportunity gives us a chance to actually work together, and try to weather the storm together over a period of time, instead of decimating us all at one time.

Reach Ben Lambert at william.lambert@hearst

mediact.com
TORRINGTON - Torrington officials, facing a potentially-dire financial crunch, will try to pry the city's prior level of education funding from the state through legal action.

The City Council voted this week to join a group lawsuit being planned by the Connecticut Education Association, a Hartford-based group representing retired teachers.

The suit will seek an injunction against the executive order issued by Gov. Dannel P. Malloy in August, according to Executive Director Donald E. Williams Jr. Under that financial plan, Torrington would see a $22.6 million drop in state funding, largely through a decrease of approximately $20 million in its Education Cost Sharing grant allocation.

Williams said the group would argue that the governor does not have the power to diminish ECS funding beyond last year's levels when the state is operating without a budget, as it was an expenditure set specifically by the legislature and cutting it would violate the law.

"Given the destruction that could occur, will occur, as these cuts roll out... with that destruction looming, we have to use every resource that we possibly can to protect the schoolchildren and the public schools of the state of Connecticut," said Williams.

The legal action will not require an expenditure from the city, Williams said.

Mayor Elinor Carbone said the city cannot handle such a loss of state funding.

There is no way possible for us to find $20 million dollars of expenses to cut from our budget, and there is no possible way our taxpayers can afford an increase in their taxes to cover the loss in revenue, said Carbone.

The city received its first ECS payment from the state government Monday, Carbone said. It totaled $1.2 million, down from the customary level of six to seven million.

When Mr. Williams called and we talked about the possibility of taking this action, I felt that it was critical for us to bring this to you for discussion, for debate, for deliberation, because we cannot roll over and accept these kinds of cuts as a distressed municipality, as a municipality whose school budget has always suffered," said Carbone. "The time is now for us to take action, if the Council is so inclined to do so.

City Council members applauded the potential suit Monday, as they vetoed to join the pending measure as a plaintiff.

Council member Paul Cavagnero said the potential cut would violate the social contract around public education.

Now, because of the ineptness of our leaders in Hartford, they decide that they are going to withhold the money that they promised us as part of that contract - to me, it's default of contract, it is bullying, and I completely support this proposal, said Cavagnero. If you withhold this money, then as far as I'm concerned, your regulations and your statutes are void, and that puts us into a whole other discussion about how we in Torrington manage our education system for our kids.

I thought by the time we got around to the school year being in, that would finally see some action and hopefully a budget, and we can move forward. A lot of my support of this is going to be because I don't see an end in sight, and I don't know how we're going to see a budget that's ultimately signed by the Governor, that's passed by the House and the Senate, any time soon, said council member Gregg Cogswell.

Board of Education member Ken Traub, in attendance Monday, also voiced his support for the idea.

The lawsuit has not yet been filed. Williams said it could be put forward with 10 to 14 days.

Torrington is the first community to be approached publicly about the idea, but the town of Brooklyn has also voted to join the injunction, according to Williams. Students and teachers may join the suit as well, he said.

Reach Ben Lambert at william.lambert@hearstmediact.com.
Eagan, MN -- (ReleaseWire) -- 10/03/2017 --Despite the need for regular dental care, there is a peculiar tendency among many people to neglect. While a great smile can enhance one's confidence, some people are afraid to smile just because they have a missing tooth. It does not just affect one's bite and speech but also eating and chewing habits. This is why proper treatment is necessary or else it might lead to more serious conditions such as pain in the jaws and headaches. At Dakota Valley Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery P.A., one can be assured of undergoing a great treatment that will replace one's missing tooth.



From temporary to long lasting solutions, one can have every dental care solution at Dakota Valley. The expert dentists are experienced and qualified to take care of the missing teeth by providing multiple options so that one can make the most informed decision concerning tooth replacement in Owatonna and Lakeville, Minnesota.



Using the most recent advances in dental implant technology, the expert surgeons can place single stage implants. These implants do not require a second procedure to uncover them but do require a minimum of six weeks of healing time before artificial teeth are placed.



At Dakota Valley, the expert staff takes time to explain the cost and answer any questions from the patients regarding their procedure. They truly understand what their patients go through and the staff has made the whole process run smoothly with kindness and compassion.



At Dakota Valley, the experts are well equipped working with advanced tools and medical device to perform the most professional dentistry. They are all certified and well trained and use the utmost care while dealing with the patients.



For more information on oral pathology in Eagan and Shakopee, Minnesota, visit http://www.dakotavalley-oms.com/procedures/oral-pathology/.



About Dakota Valley Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery P.A

Dakota Valley Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery P.A specializes in oral and maxillofacial surgery with an aim to keep the patient's teeth and gums healthy. They perform dental extraction, wisdom teeth removal, and oral maxillofacial surgery.
Eagan, MN -- (ReleaseWire) -- 10/03/2017 --Dakota Valley Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery P.A is one of the leading pathology groups in Eagan and Shakopee Minnesota, specializing exclusively in the area of oral and maxillofacial pathology.



Since its inception, the service has offered consultation and tissue diagnostic and reporting service to the medical and dental communities. Their affiliation with some of the top dental schools and pathology departments in the nation allows them to provide advanced oral pathology in Eagan and Shakopee, Minnesota.



The purpose of Dakota Valley is to ensure optimal care through accurate diagnosis or management of diseases and abnormalities of the oral and maxillofacial region and to promote oral and maxillofacial pathology as a specialty of dentistry and pathology. The dental care unit also encourages collaborations and interactions with other health care providers, laboratories, hospitals, and professional organizations.



Patients with dental problems have the confidence in accuracy and promptness of the consultative and diagnostic services provided by Dakota Valley Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery P.A.



The dental experts carefully examine the inside of the mouth which is normally lined with a special type of skin (mucosa), that is smooth and coral pink in color. An alteration in this appearance calls for pathological treatment. If delayed in healing, it could lead to a more serious condition including cancer. The expert dentists rightly advise the patients needing oral pathological process and explain and educate regarding other signs at the beginning of the pathological process or cancerous growth.



Considering the severe consequence of this dental condition, they recommend patients to undergo an oral cancer self-examination process monthly. The experts are all knowledgeable and experienced, and they strive to maintain a good relationship with their patients.



Empathy and care are essential aspects that are required during dental care, be it missing teeth or gum problems, one can be assured of quality treatment at Dakota Valley Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery P.A.



For more information on tooth replacement in Owatonna and Lakeville, Minnesota kindly visit http://www.dakotavalley-oms.com/procedures/replacing-missing-teeth/.



About Dakota Valley Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery P.A

Dakota Valley Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery P.A specializes in oral and maxillofacial surgery with an aim to keep their patient's teeth and gums healthy. They perform dental extraction, wisdom teeth removal, and oral maxillofacial surgery.
Melbourne, Victoria -- (ReleaseWire) -- 10/03/2017 --As widely reported in recent weeks, energy prices are set to jump significantly in the coming months. NSW residents can expect to see several hundred dollars a year added to their annual bill, and ACT residents can reportedly expect to pay up to $600 more per year. SA, and (to a lesser extent) QLD customers will also be impacted by increasing prices, while energy users in VIC will need to wait until December to find out what they'll be paying going forward.



In the wake of these announcements, Pricewise Insulation expects to see an increased demand for its roof insulation products. Paul van Oord is the director of this Melbourne insulation company. While Pricewise's head office is in Melbourne, they also have a Sydney office and warehouse, in addition to a solid network of partner suppliers throughout all the States. When asked what impact he expected to see on the insulation business, his reply was cautiously optimistic. "There are still a huge number of uninsulated homes in Australia's biggest cities. People living in these homes have already been paying through the roof for all the extra energy being wasted. So we expect that the increased prices will trigger increased action from many of these homeowners to at least get some insulation in their roof space, since the roof is by far where most of the heating and cooling is lost in winter and summer."



And what about homes that are already insulated? Then it comes down to the R value of the insulation which is in place. Mr van Oord explained: "The performance of insulation is measured by R-value, for example by how effective it is at restricting the transfer of heat. Generally, the thicker the insulation, the higher the R-value, though there are also other factors at play here, such as whether the insulation is lined with a reflective foil, and also how well it is installed."



While it's commonly known that insulation, especially in the roof space -helps to save energy, many consumers may not consider that the higher the cost of electricity, the more there is to be saved by increasing the R-value of the insulation in their home. This can be achieved by topping up the old insulation with an extra layer, or, if the old insulation had been there for many decades, it could be tempting to vacuum it all out and replace with a new and improved layer.



Mr Van Orrd said, we used to see a lot of homes being installed with as little as an R2.5 or R3.0 in the ceiling, but the trend is now moving towards R4.0 +. Some homeowners will install as high as an R6.0, and the way energy prices are going, this is definitely not overkill as he concludes.



About Pricewise Insulation

Pricewise Insulation sells thermal and acoustic insulation batts to all capital cities and many regional centres in Australia. Their key brands include Knauf Earthwool, Pink Batts, GreenStuf, Bradford Gold Batts and Kingspan's hi-performance insulation products.



Pricewise supplies ceiling insulation, wall insulation, underfloor insulation and reflective foil at wholesale prices to the commercial and home builder market.



In addition to their own insulation warehouses in Melbourne and Sydney, they also have an extensive network of partner suppliers throughout Australia.
Cambodian police man a barricade outside a prison in Trapaing Phlong in Tbong Khmum province, where opposition leader Kem Sokha is being held since his Sept. 3 arrest on treason charges, Sept. 11, 2017.

Senior Republican and Democratic U.S. Senators introduced a resolution on Tuesday urging Prime Minister Hun Sen to "end all harassment and intimidation of Cambodias opposition" ahead of 2018 general elections and release opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) leader Kem Sokha.

The resolution, co-written by Republican John McCain of Arizona and Democrat Dick Durbin of Illinois, condemns recent anti-democratic measures seen as aimed at hobbling the opposition ahead of July 2018 polls, as well as a lost list of abuses during Hun Sen's three decades in office, including five elections since 1991 that were "marked by fraud, intimidation, violence, and the governments misuse of legal mechanisms to weaken opposition candidates and parties."

Despite decades of U.S. and international attention to promote a pluralistic and democratic system, the situation in Cambodia remains dire, said McCain in a statement introducing the resolution.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has ruled the country with impunity for over three decades and throughout his rule, Hun Sen has resorted to any and all means to suppress the legitimate political opposition, harass civil society, restrain the media environment, and deny the democratic aspirations of the Cambodian people. This resolution is critical to seeking justice and protecting the basic human rights and freedoms of the Cambodian people.

The deliberate undermining of democracy being perpetrated by the Cambodian government must stop, said Senator Durbin. We call on Prime Minister Hun Sen and the governing party to respect the rule of law, human rights, and basic democratic norms. The world is watching.

The resolution urges the U.S. State and Treasury Departments to consider "placing all senior Cambodian government officials implicated in the abuses noted above" on a blacklist that prevents them from visiting the United States.

Among other demands, the resolution calls on Hun Sen's ruling Cambodian Peoples Party "to end all harassment and intimidation of Cambodias opposition and foster an environment where democracy can thrive and flourish" and "urges the Government of Cambodia to free Mr. Kem Sokha immediately and unconditionally."

The measure also "calls on the Government of Cambodia to respect freedom of the press and the rights of its citizens to freely assemble, protest, and speak out against the government."

CNRP leader Kem Sokha was arrested without a warrant in the capital Phnom Penh on Sept. 3 and accused of trying to topple the government with backing from Washington. He faces up to 30 years in prison if convicted.

Deputy president Mu Sochua escaped to Thailand on a flight from Phnom Penh on Tuesday ahead of warnings she would be arrested for conspiring with Kem Sokha to overthrow the Cambodian government.

Cambodias government has also expelled U.S.-funded NGO the National Democratic Institute (NDI), suspended some 20 radio stations that aired content by U.S. broadcasters Radio Free Asia and Voice of America, and targeted the English-language Cambodia Daily with a hefty tax bill, leading to the newspapers closure.

Speaking this week in Cambodias Siem Reap province, Hun Sen threatened further arrests of CNRP lawmakers and activists, saying the opposition partys treasonous activities reflect coordination among a wider group.

The McCain-Durbin resolution warned Hun Sen that if he "mains the current restrictive and intimidating political environment, the United States Government will have no choice but to determine that the 2018 elections were not conducted freely or fairly because the results could not be an expression of the democratic will of the Cambodian people.
Two outspoken Hong Kong political journals set up in the 1970s to counter communist propaganda in the then British colony have announced they will cease publication.



Cheng Ming, whose title translates as "Controversy" or "Contention," announced on Tuesday it would fold following four decades of publication, local media reported.



Its sister publication Trend will also cease publication.



"For the past 40 years, both journals have provided a platform for free speech calling for democracy, human rights, freedom, and criticism of dictatorship and decadence," Cheng Ming magazine said in a farewell message to its readers.



"Together, we have witnessed history," the message read.



The pro-democracy Apple Daily newspaper marked the closure of the two magazines as "the end of an era" in a city where freedom of speech, press, and association are being eroded under the political influence of the ruling Chinese Communist Party.



Cheng Ming was founded on Nov. 1, 1977 by Guangdong-born editor Wen Hui, with Trend following a year later.



The closure is believed to be linked to recent unconfirmed reports of Wen's death at the age of 96 in New York, and his family's unwillingness to continue publishing the loss-making journals, the Apple Daily and Oriental Daily reported.



In their heyday, the journals boasted millions of subscribers around the world, and were hugely popular in Hong Kong and among overseas Chinese.



Now, only the pro-democracy magazine Outpost remains on the city's newsstands, with Kaifang (Open) magazine migrating online.



Reasons for closing unclear



An employee who answered the phone at Cheng Ming's editorial offices on Tuesday said they didn't know the reason for the closure.



"I don't know, and there aren't any management here right now," the employee said. "There hasn't been any announcement [regarding Wen Hui's death]."



"I'm just here to answer the phone. My boss isn't here."



Hong Kong-based publisher Bao Pu, whose father Bao Tong was a top political aide to late ousted Chinese premier Zhao Ziyang, said he is unsure of the reason behind the magazines' closure.



"I haven't even managed to confirm whether or not Wen Hui has died," Bao said. "I don't think this has to do with the 19th Party Congress, because Cheng Ming was always [outspoken]."



"But one thing is certain; the era of print magazine publishing has been over for a long time."



Independent writer Zan Aizong, who has written for both journals in recent years, said he had been prevented from submitting articles to them for the past two years by mainland Chinese authorities.



"Open magazine has already ceased publication,, and now Cheng Ming and Trend are folding too," Zan said. "It's a real shame that they had to stop before we could get freedom of the press here on the Chinese mainland."



"It is a matter of great regret."



Loss of autonomy



The closure of the magazines comes after the cross-border detentions of five Hong Kong booksellers detained in 2015 by the Chinese authorities for selling "banned" political books to customers across the internal border in mainland China.



In February, authorities in China's eastern province of Zhejiang handed down prison sentences to two men for selling "banned" political books from Hong Kong, as the ruling Chinese Communist Party continues its campaign against any form of political dissent.



Dai Xuelin, social media editor at the Guangxi Normal University Press, was handed a five-year jail term by a court in Zhejiang's Ningbo city, while his business partner Zhang Xiaoxiong was jailed for three-and-a-half years, Hong Kong's South China Morning Post newspaper reported.



The cross-border detentions and interrogation of the five Causeway Bay booksellers has been cited by U.S. and European officials as evidence that Hong Kong is losing the "high degree of autonomy" and traditional freedoms guaranteed for 50 years under the terms of the 1997 handover from the U.K. to Chinese rule.



Reported by Hai Nan for RFA's Cantonese Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.




Authorities in China have launched a nationwide crackdown on thousands of people pursuing complaints against local officials, amid a massive "stability maintenance" operation in the run-up to a five-yearly congress of the ruling Chinese Communist Party later this month.



Activists estimate that as many as 10,000 people across China are being held under house arrest, in some form of detention, or round-the-clock surveillance.



Zhang Zhaohua, a Protestant minister in the eastern province of Jiangsu, has been under house arrest for more than a week, he told RFA on Tuesday.



"We estimate that thousands of people are under some form of restriction across the country," Zhang said. "Between 3,000 and 5,000 at the very least."



Petitioner Ding Hongfen from Jiangsu's Wuxi city said the total is likely "more than just a few thousand."



"Anyone with fairly big grievancespeople who have suffered persecutionis now under surveillance or house arrest," Ding said. "That includes me."



"The state security police are planning to pay me a visit at 2:00 p.m. today," she said. "I got a call from the village party secretary this morning, trying to get me to go over there, because the police wanted to talk to me."



"I told them I had nothing to fear, and that they could come to my house, so that's why they're coming over at 2:00 p.m."



Petitioners 'intercepted'



Wuhan petitioner Xu Chongyang, who is currently pursuing a complaint in Beijing, said many petitioners in the Chinese capital are being forcibly returned to their hometowns under escort by "interceptors" hired by local governments for the job.



"A lot of petitioners have been intercepted while petitioning in Beijing, and taken home," Xu said. "A very large number have been taken to the police stations, so many of them."



"A lot of petitioners are now facing restrictions on their liberty, including those who are renting places to live in Beijing," Xu said. "They are going after out-of-towners in particular; no sooner do they get here than they are detained."



"I know of several thousand who are under restriction as part of stability maintenance, but there are probably more."



In the eastern province of Zhejiang, petitioner Li Youfen said she is one of them.



"The police called me up and then I got a visit from the local police station," Li said. "They wanted me to make reports at the police station [of my whereabouts and plans]."



"They are afraid that I'll go on a trip to Beijing," she said. "There are police cars parked downstairs from my apartment, and people watching me night and day."



In the northern region of Inner Mongolia, Duolun petitioner Wang Fenghua said the authorities have installed a surveillance camera outside her home, and those of her relatives.



"Ever since they detained my sister, her husband and my father, the government has been secretly monitoring us," Wang said. "They have four or five surveillance cameras installed close to the homes of my mother and my brother."



Satirical video



Meanwhile, Beijing petitioner Li Xuehui has been detained on suspicion of "picking quarrels and stirring up trouble" after he uploaded a video ridiculing President Xi Jinping.



Beijing rights activist Zhou Xiaoshan said Li's video producer Wang Xiuying and her daughter Wang Fengxian have also missing, believed detained.



"This is a special time [ahead of the 19th Party Congress] and it's difficult to even get into Beijing right now," Zhou said.



He said the families are now too frightened to speak to anyone about the case, and don't appear to have found him a lawyer. Some of their relatives are too elderly to travel to the capital to try to find them.



"I don't think there's anything we can do about it ... Li Xuehui's mother is in her eighties now, and I have no way of contacting her, or it's very difficult."



"The brother doesn't want to work with us, either."



Rights lawyer Sui Muqing said Li Xuehui's detention is likely linked to a satirical video he posted about Xi Jinping.



"Li Xuehui and the others ... will have annoyed various officials over the years, for sure, added to which there's the insult to a national leader, which will give them an opportunity," Sui said.



"So they'll deal with them harshly, because they can justify it, and nobody will dare to get involved."



Authorities in China have stepped up nationwide "stability maintenance" measures targeting anyone with a critical opinion of the government, as President Xi Jinping looks set to reshuffle his leadership team and consolidate his personal grip on power at the 19th Party Congress on Oct. 18.



Reported by Wong Lok-to for RFA's Cantonese Service, and by Qiao Long for the Mandarin Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.
Kyaw Tint Swe, the head of Myanmars delegation (rear left), and members of his team meet Bangladeshi Foreign Minister A.H. Mahmood Ali (rear right) and other officials at the Padma State Guest house in Dhaka, Oct. 2, 2017.

Myanmar is willing to take back Rohingya refugees who fled to southeastern Bangladesh, the Bangladeshi foreign minister said Monday, after ending day-long talks with a trio of diplomats from Naypyidaw.

No timeframe was set for the repatriation process, nor did officials clarify how many of the 900,000 Rohingya refugees sheltering in Bangladesh would be able to participate.

Myanmar has proposed taking back the Rohingya refugees. For the supervision of overall repatriation process, the two sides have agreed to form a Joint Working Group, Foreign Minister A.H. Mahmood Ali told reporters at the Padma State Guest House in Dhaka, where the meeting took place under tight security.

Kyaw Tint Swe, the minister for the Office of the State Counsellor of Myanmar, led Naypyidaws delegation, but did not speak to reporters. The Myanmar delegation was due to return home early Tuesday, after arriving in Bangladesh early Monday.

Ali said the two sides had reached a consensus on the issue in their first high-level diplomatic encounter since violence in Myanmars Rakhine state beginning in late August drove half a million new refugees into Bangladesh, triggering a humanitarian crisis.

We, both the sides, want to resolve the problem in a peaceful way. And both the sides have reached a consensus, said Ali.

On multiple occasions in recent weeks, Bangladeshs foreign ministry summoned Myanmars ambassador to complain about incursions by Burmese military aircraft into Bangladeshi airspace as well as reports that Myanmar troops were planting land-mines along the frontier to prevent Rohingya from fleeing.

Neither of these issues was raised during Mondays talks, officials close to the negotiations told BenarNews, an RFA-affiliated online news service.

One meeting will not resolve all problems ... No timeframe has been set. But it [the Joint Working Group] will be formed very soon, Ali said, adding that he was very optimistic about future talks between the two neighboring countries.

Very fruitful talks took place. Bangladesh reiterated its zero tolerance on terrorism, he said, apparently referring to insurgents from the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) whose attacks on police outposts in Rakhine state on Aug. 25 resulted in a brutal military crackdown.

Our next immediate priority

In Geneva, meanwhile, Win Myat Aye, Myanmars union minister of social welfare, relief and resettlement, told the U.N. refugee agency on Monday that [o]ur next immediate priority is to bring back the refugees who have fled to Bangladesh.

The repatriation process can start any time for those who wish to return to Myanmar, the minister said, according to Agence France-Presse.

The verification of refugees will be based on the agreement between the Myanmar and Bangladesh governments in 1993, he said, adding, Those who have been verified as refugees from this country will be accepted without any problem and with full assurance of their security and their access to human dignity.

Last week, Myanmars government said it would build two repatriation camps in Rakhine state for Rohingya who had fled to Bangladesh.

Myanmars minister of labor, immigration and population told reporters on Thursday that the government would send forms to Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh to start the process, RFA's Myanmar Service reported.

Unimaginable

In Rakhine on Monday, three helicopters ferried some 50 foreign diplomats on a tour of areas of state that were hit by the recent violence, RFA reported.

Diplomats from Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, India, Pakistan, the United States, France, Denmark and the European Union took part in the visit to the villages of Khamaungsake, Nurular and Shwe Zar in Maungdaw Township where violent attacks had occurred, as well as Pantaw Pyin Muslim village, where no violence had been reported.

A statement issued by the U.N. office in Yangon expressed appreciation for the government-organized visit, in which three U.N. representatives took part.

The scale of human suffering is unimaginable and the U.N. extends its deepest condolences to all those affected, the statement said.

The U.N. advocates for the end to the cycle of violence and for establishing law and order and the rule of law; to allow unfettered access for humanitarian support; and to ensure the safe, voluntary, dignified and sustainable return of the refugees to their areas of origin.

It also urged Myanmar to grant the media and human rights advocates greater access to the area to assess the concerns and needs of all communities in affected areas.

Reported by BenarNews, an RFA-affiliated online news service.
Pham Doan Trang, author of 'Politics For All,' tells RFA's Vietnamese Service in an Oct. 3, 2017 interview that she aims to prove politics are not only for the elite and are relevant to everyday life in Vietnam.



RFA: Why did you name your book Politics For All?



Pham Doan Trang: I chose the words for all because I want many people to read this book. That is also why I used words that are easy to understand, made it less academic, and included fewer formulas and tables. I dont use words that are too complex or ancient language. I only used modern terms associated with current events in Vietnam  Almost 99 percent of the examples are about Vietnam.



Secondly, I wanted to erase the idea that politics are for a minority of people and the elite. Vietnamese people regularly say that everything will be taken care of by the [ruling Communist] Party and the state. I want people to understand that politics are everywhere in our liveseven connected to the food we eat and the clothes we wear.



RFA: How will you ensure that Vietnamese readers have access to the book, as the government will not allow it to be published in Vietnam?



Pham Doan Trang: I want to use everything possible, including online publication and e-books. I might even split the book into small sections to be published in newspapers, or allow it to be pirated. It is true that this year the government is exercising tight control over the large printing houses in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. I will try to disseminate it through all possible meansno method is preferred to any others.



RFA: Why did you decide to write a book about a topic considered sensitive in Vietnam?



Pham Doan Trang: The desire arose after I became involved in political activities in 2009. It was then that I realized I did not truly understand politics. I knew I was fighting for democracy, but I didnt know what democracy was. I realized that if I wanted to write about social and political issues, I had to first understand them. If you dont understand something, how can you guide others? I began to learn and realized that most people were like me.



In Vietnam, since [the end of the Vietnam War in] 1975, there have been few accessible political documents. [These days] there are only sporadic articles [about politics] on the internet, but they arent written systematically, and they cover issues that nobody ever talks about, such as social movements, propaganda, and why elections in Vietnam are considered undemocratic. Im lucky to have many friends living overseas and I also studied abroad. At that time I spent most of my money buying books about politics and I read all of them. Then I leaned on the knowledge I gained from those books and simplified it on my own.



Reported by RFAs Vietnamese Service. Translated by Emily Peyman.
Bumeryem Muhammeds husband, Muhetar Rouzi, has been missing since July 16, when he attempted to travel from Egypt to Istanbul, Turkey as Egyptian secret police rounded up some 200 Uyghur holders of Chinese passports in an operation activists say was requested by Beijing. The Uyghur couple from northwest Chinas Xinjiang region had lived in Egypt for years and were studying religion at Cairos Al-Azhar Islamic University when the crackdown began in early July. Muhammed, who arrived in Istanbul with her two children days before her husbands disappearance, told RFAs Uyghur Service she last heard from Rouzi as he waited to speak with Egyptian immigration officials, and said she believes his name was on a deportation list issued by Chinese authorities.



The worst is not being able to find out any information about my husband. The anxiety and the worry thinking about where he is or what has happened to him is increasing with the passing hours.



It was on July 16  That was the last contact we had, since then there has been no news about him. No one has seen or heard of him. He was travelling with three other students, but they were let go after they were questioned and their documents checked.



I assume it might be that my husbands name is on a wanted return list, which was issued by the Chinese authorities  I learned from internal information, and my lawyer also said, that it is possible my husbands name is on their list. I also heard from those who were released that they were freed because they werent on the return list.



One possibility is that he might have been placed in a detention center [in Egypt] where foreign students are held and forgotten about  My second guess is that the Chinese pressured Egypt to have him immediately returned to China. The most important point is that he has never done anything in violation of the Chinese constitution or broken international law, nor was he involved in any unusual activities in Egypt. So why would China want him back? Some people talk about Chinese agents working in Egypt, so it may have been because he became well known there.



'Those in need'



My husband and friends in his circle spared some money to help those who were in desperate situations. The money they gave was not much. As human being, it is difficult to watch others who are in need without helping them. All he did was collect some money and distribute it to those in need. Possibly [the Chinese] noticed that he is a man who has ability to support his own community. I only hope that he is being kept somewhere in Egypt, as my worst fear is that he has been taken back to China  We [Uyghurs studying in Egypt] were branded so-called Islamic extremists and terrorists [by the Chinese government] and I am fearful that [in China] he would be accused of crimes that he has never committed.



Having achieved degrees and developed careers, both of us wanted to improve our Islamic knowledge in the hope that we could serve our country and people better. Since the time I was at university, I dreamed of studying Islamic law. I thought that I could achieve a doctorate and become a researcher in international law.



My husband has never been involved in politics. If he is branded an extremist, I want people to know that it is a complete fabrication of the truth. Under Chinas constitution, he is an innocent man. The only reason for his arrest is that he is a Uyghur and a Muslim. Above all, Egypt is responsible for all the current tragedies. Regardless of the circumstances, Egypt has the duty to protect those who are legally residing in the country who have not broken the law.



Reported by Gulchehra Hoja for RFAs Uyghur Service. Translated by Alim Seytoff.
Petersburg City Council members who wanted their city pulled from the brink of insolvency and a forensic accounting of how it nearly imploded left Mondays council meeting half-satisfied, and with marching orders.

Although the financial house is no longer on fire, consultants hired last October to douse the flames warned city leaders that a cash infusion is still needed to lessen Petersburgs reliance on junk bonds and to grow.

We were able to stabilize the city but the city has a long road to go to become a high performer, said Nelsie Birch, a consultant who found only $75,000 in the citys checking account shortly after walking into City Hall last fall.

The briefing Monday capped nearly a year of work from Birch and others with the Washington, D.C.-based Robert Bobb Group, which took an opportunity to deliver the last word after winding down a second contract extension last month.

It also was the councils first public opportunity to grill workers with PBMares, an accounting and business consulting firm hired to perform a forensic audit of the citys books. Their findings prompted questions from council members who wanted names of transgressors to complement descriptions of systemic weaknesses.

I thought you were going to find out what happened, said Councilwoman Treska Wilson-Smith.

The dozens of city residents who attended the meeting Monday did not have an opportunity to weigh in or ask questions, as there was no scheduled public comment period.

A granular accounting of who collected undue overtime pay or filled their gas tank on the citys dime would cost more than Petersburg was able to pay, analysts said. And for now, its finances are stable.

Gone are dozens of filed and threatened lawsuits over unpaid bills, austerity measures that drove an exodus of public safety workers to surrounding counties and a chronically unbalanced budget.

But hard truths remain. The culture of city government exposed Petersburg taxpayers to a severe risk of public resources being misused, the auditors reported to the City Council last week in a 115-page analysis of city finances.

Among the findings: Employees had an opportunity to steal and defraud due to absent or weakened internal controls; workers could rationalize misconduct because of an overall absence of a strong ethical tone and historical instances and allegations of waste, fraud and abuse; and the motivation to transgress was high, due to the general state of the economy. The auditors findings have prompted multiple complaints to the FBI in the past year.

Weve been running this (city) like its a storefront and this is actually a corporation, said Councilman John Hart. We need to work in accordance to make sure we right the ship.

The auditors allege that Kevin A. Brown, the citys treasurer who is not running for re-election next month, admitted taking $2,371.44 in petty cash.

The findings also include incidents of Brown waiving tax penalties, interest and, occasionally, principal debt, which left the city open to a situation in which he could have taken portions of cash payments without creating a paper trail. There is no evidence Brown did so.

He has not returned multiple interview requests but previously denied wrongdoing after Mayor Samuel Parham called for his resignation from the steps of City Hall after word of the findings trickled out this summer.

The money that auditors said Brown took is crumbs compared with costs the city avoided by hiring the Bobb Group, according to firm founder Robert Bobb, a former Richmond city manager who in 2009 served as emergency financial manager of Detroit Public Schools.

Bobb provided an accounting of $10 million the firm helped save or bring in, through state money it pursued, savings achieved by restructuring debt and the sale of city assets, among other actions.

Petersburg ended the 2016 fiscal year $18.8 million in arrears and began the next $12.5 million over budget. The budget since has been balanced, for the first time in nearly a decade.

We cleared the hurdles that threatened insolvency, Bobb said. In 2016, the city would look like a city that was on its way to a Chapter 9 bankruptcy because it couldnt pay its bills. We have cleared that hurdle, and we feel very proud of the fact that Petersburg is not as stressed today as it was.

He and Birch each warned the council against complacency.

Some prevailing trends have not gone Petersburgs way. More than 4 in 10 Petersburg children live below the federal poverty line, which is $24,600 in annual income for a family of four. The citys public school system is underfunded and none of its schools is fully accredited by the Virginia Department of Education. Property values have stagnated for the past five years, according to an assessment from the credit rating agency Standard & Poors.

The city will have to work to increase economic opportunity and maximize its potential, which is considerable, Bobb said.

(Our firm) fell in love with the community, Bobb said. It has truly been a blessed assignment for us and weve taken it seriously every day weve been here.
A 38-year-old Army veteran found dead in his wheelchair last spring after leaving behind trails of blood in the Goochland County apartment complex where he lived accidentally overdosed on Xanax, authorities said.

A Richmond Times-Dispatch newspaper carrier found the body of Paul Chisholm between 4:30 and 4:45 a.m. April 17 in the parking lot of the Retreat at West Creek, located on Wilkes Ridge Parkway just west of the Short Pump area.

Goochland sheriffs investigators found a lengthy blood trail on the sidewalks and roads caused by Chisholms feet being dragged as he wheeled himself to different areas within the complex. His toes had been worn to the bone, authorities said.

Chisholm was paralyzed from the upper chest down following a 2012 car crash after he had returned from a tour of duty in Afghanistan.

The state medical examiner determined Chisholm died of alprazolam toxicity, using the generic term for an anti-anxiety drug commonly sold as Xanax.

There was a toxic level of Xanax in his blood, Goochland Sheriff James Agnew said. The overdose, in conjunction with self-neglect from a decubitus ulcer (bed sore) in the small of his back and a possible bone infection, were the cause of his injury and death.

He had a very serious injury that was the result of an automobile accident some time back, and it wasnt being properly treated and caused a bone infection, Agnew said. And he apparently was resistant to help from family and friends. It was a very unusual and sad way to go.

The newspaper carrier who found Chisholm initially suspected that he had been hit by a vehicle. But upon further examination, the carrier saw blood in other locations including on a sidewalk where a vehicle would have been unlikely to have hit the man.

There was quite a lengthy blood trail as he was wheeling his wheelchair around the apartment complex, Agnew said. And there were several places where he had stopped and pounded on doors, where the blood had pooled.

Agnew said he suspects that Chisholm realized how bad off he was medically, in terms of his substance abuse, and that he began knocking on neighbors doors in the middle of the night.

Perhaps this was his own way of looking for help, the sheriff said. Thats the only thing I can figure.

Chisholms mother, Alice Farley, said previously that her son served with the 101st Airborne Division in Afghanistan and that her son had suffered greatly with post-traumatic stress disorder.

He served from April 2007 to June 2008 and was deployed to Afghanistan for most of 2008, according to his obituary. He received six awards, including the Army Commendation Medal, during his service. He received a medical discharge after being injured in Afghanistan.

This guy was an Army veteran and, by all accounts, a pretty decent guy, Agnew said.
A Richmond City Council committee on Monday endorsed a proposal asking the Virginia General Assembly to amend the City Charter and limit the mayors access to the councils closed meetings.

The proposal, put forth by councilwomen Kimberly Gray and Kristen Larson, would remove from the charter a provision that permits Mayor Levar Stoney or his designee to sit in on the councils closed meetings, held in accordance with the Virginia Freedom of Information Act.

The councilwomen lobbied colleagues to back the proposal Monday, calling it a structural flaw with the charter that puts at risk the privacy of council-appointed employees information discussed in its closed meetings.

Gray, the 2nd District representative, said if the provision is left intact, the mayor or his designee could potentially abuse information it gleans in a future closed session for its own ends.

That could impact that (employees) reputation, it could impact their authority, and it could allow information about that individual that could potentially be damaging to them to be held over them by someone from the administration, especially with our auditor, Gray said.

The council has held seven closed sessions this year. Stoney has not personally attended any of them, but he has sent his chief of staff, Lincoln Saunders, to several, including the one preceding the resignation of City Auditor Umesh Dalal, a council appointee.

Jim Nolan, a Stoney spokesman, has said the mayor thinks the charter provision promotes coordination and accountability between the mayors office and the council. He did not immediately provide a response to Grays comments Monday night.

As currently written, the provision entitles the mayor or his representative to sit in on all closed council sessions. Removing it would not preclude the council from inviting the mayor to closed meetings if it desires his presence.

Larson, the 4th District representative, pointed to her term on the city School Board. The body routinely held closed meetings without the superintendent when it was not necessary for him to be present for the matter at hand, she said.

Its really unusual to have someone in the room who is not a part of the board thats conducting the meeting and who we havent invited to be there, Larson said.

Three council members  Chris Hilbert, Cynthia Newbille and Michael Jones  did not cast votes to recommend the proposal for approval.

Hilbert, the council president, cast the lone vote in opposition. Newbille and Jones abstained.

Hilbert said he was hesitant to remove the provision in its entirety, and preferred a more tightly worded change specifying that meetings about council hires were off-limits for the mayor, but nothing else.

Dashing the provision may publicly appear as though the council is at odds with the mayor, Hilbert said.

I just dont want another issue to be in the paper about where council or the mayor have another scrap about something, Hilbert said. Thats getting a little old for me, and I hope my colleagues will see that as well.

Newbille, the councils vice president and the 7th District representative, advocated for the council to compile a complete list of issues it has with the charter instead of asking the General Assembly to look at a single issue.

An opportunity to really take a look, in addition to this item, would be my preference as opposed to just a single, one-off (item), Newbille said.

Jones, the 9th District representative, said shutting the mayor out before the council took steps to limit leaks from its own members wasnt the best approach.

As much as we may or may not want the mayor or his staff there, theyre not the issue: Council is the issue, Jones said.

If the council signs off on the proposal, it will be included in the citys legislative package for the 2018 Virginia General Assembly session. A member of the Richmond delegation will have to carry a bill requesting the change and state lawmakers will have a chance to make amendments to it.

Along with a slew of other charter-related changes, the council asked the General Assembly to bar the mayor from its closed meetings during the 2006 session. The state legislature ultimately amended the provision to its current form.

The council will weigh the proposal at its meeting on Monday, Oct. 9.
With the possibility of a budget surplus from the previous fiscal year totaling in the millions, Richmond City Council is making arrangements to stash a portion of the money away for one-time bonuses for city employees.

The councils Organizational Development Committee on Monday endorsed creating an employee bonus reserve and directing to it funds left over from the fiscal year that ended June 30.

The reserve will be used to pay a one-time, 2.5 percent bonus to general city employees at a future date, an expenditure that would cost about $2.7 million, according to a City Council staff report.

The proposal does not authorize the actual payment of the bonuses; that would require a separate council vote.

Its not what we want; we want a salary increase for our employees, said Ellen Robertson, the 6th district councilwoman who proposed creating the fund.

Employees of the Richmond Police and Richmond Fire departments would not be eligible for the bonuses. Nor would Richmond Public Schools employees.

In May, the council approved $5 million to fund salary increases for police and fire employees, as well as $6.1 million to pay for cost-of-living increases for RPS employees. General employees received no raises in the budget.

City Council has signed off on cost-of-living salary increases for general city employees in two of the past seven fiscal years, according to a council staff report included with Robertsons proposal.

Additionally, the city has paid three bonuses to general employees in the past six fiscal years: a flat bonus of $1,000 for full-time employees and $500 for part-time employees during the 2012 fiscal year; a 2 percent bonus for general employees in the 2015 fiscal year; and a flat bonus of $500 for full-time employees and $250 for part-time employees in December.

The council did not sign off on the bonuses in December.

Outgoing Mayor Dwight C. Jones approved them out as an end-of-term thank you to city employees before the holidays. As it turned out, the charter did not grant Jones the authority to unilaterally approve the bonuses, City Attorney Allen Jackson said at the time.

The action roiled sitting and then-incoming council members, but left them little room for recourse, save for asking workers to pay the money back.

Five other council members  Chris Hilbert, Cynthia Newbille, Reva Trammell, Michael Jones and Andreas Addison  have signed on as co-patrons for Robertsons proposal, meaning it has enough support to win approval from the full council at its meeting next Monday.

In May, the council approved allocating the first $2 million of the surplus to pay down the unfunded pension liability in the citys retirement system.

Robertsons proposal would set aside what remains after the retirement system allocation is satisfied, unless no money remains or council members chooses to designate an additional portion of the surplus for another purpose.

Kristen Larson, the 4th district representative, said she plans to introduce a separate proposal Monday that would dedicate some of the funds to pay for citywide infrastructure improvements like repaving roads and building and repairing sidewalks.

Road maintenance in particular is underfunded in the city budget, she said, citing conversations with the Department of Public Works.

This isnt the answer because we need more of a long-term plan, but it could help, Larson said.

Exactly how much money the city has left over from the previous fiscal year, and by extension how much is available for council members to work with, is still to be determined.

In discussion on Monday, council members referenced a $7.4 million estimate that appeared in a quarterly report its members received from the administration in mid-August.

John Wack, the citys director of finance, told them the surplus would be presented with the citys Comprehensive Annual Financial Report at the councils Nov. 13 meeting.
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A suit to prevent the sale of the Foxfield racecourse and surrounding land will move forward, after an Albemarle County Circuit Court judge indicated that the former owner intended in her will for the property to be used for equestrian activities in perpetuity.

She could not have made her language any stronger, said Judge Cheryl V. Higgins just before denying a request from the Foxfield Racing Association to dismiss a case filed last December to prevent any sale of the racecourse and surrounding land.
UPDATE:

CHARLOTTESVILLE  White nationalist rally organizer Jason Kessler has been released on bond after being arrested on a felony perjury charge earlier this week.

An Albemarle County court clerk confirmed that Kessler was released Tuesday after being served a capias earlier in the day. Kessler has not responded to a request for comment on the matter, nor has the county prosecutors office commented on his indictment, which was handed down by a grand jury on Monday.

A staffer at the Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail said Kessler was booked at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday and released just over an hour later on a $5,000 secured bond.

The charge stems from a statement Kessler made in January related to an incident that took place on Charlottesvilles Downtown Mall. At the time, Kessler swore before a county magistrate that he had been assaulted by a Charlottesville man, who in turn accused Kessler of punching him in the face.

It was not clear as of press time why Kessler went to an Albemarle magistrate for an incident that occurred in the city.

The case against the city man was dropped when prosecutors found video evidence disproving Kesslers claim. Kessler then pleaded guilty to assaulting the man, and was sentenced to perform 50 hours of community service.

Kesslers affiliations with various pro-white and white nationalist groups in the past year have made him a household name in Charlottesville.

Kesslers next hearing on the perjury charge is scheduled for Dec. 4.

ORIGINAL:

CHARLOTTESVILLE  The organizer of the deadly Aug. 12 white nationalist rally in Charlottesville has been indicted on a felony perjury charge related to a January incident that landed him a misdemeanor assault conviction.

Court documents show that a grand jury in Albemarle County issued an indictment on Monday for Jason Kessler, the blogger known first for his failed attempt to oust Charlottesville City Councilor Wes Bellamy and later for organizing the Unite the Right rally that resulted in one death and dozens of injuries.

As of 3 p.m. Tuesday, a capias was issued for Kesslers arrest. Police had not confirmed whether Kessler had been arrested.

The perjury charge lists Jan. 23 as its offense date, the same day Kessler made a statement to a county magistrate alleging that he had been assaulted by James Justin Taylor, a Charlottesville man, while petitioning on the Downtown Mall for Bellamys ouster.

At the time, Kessler told The Daily Progress that while petitioning, he was approached by two men, including Taylor, who grabbed his arm and the petition and violently shook his arm. The 34-year-old said he then punched Taylor in self-defense; Taylor also levied a misdemeanor assault charge against Kessler.

At that point, Id been assaulted again and felt endangered by two men ganging up on me, so I punched the attacker in self-defense, Kessler said in January.

Kessler eventually pleaded guilty to an assault charge after video surveillance of the incident disproved his claim.

Prosecutors immediately dropped the case against Taylor. Taylor said if the video was ever released, the video footage would tell a different story from the one Kessler had originally given the court.

Kessler was sentenced in May to 30 days in jail, with all of that time suspended. The court ordered Kessler to perform 50 hours of community service and pay $89 in court fees.

When he pleaded guilty, Kessler told reporters that the assault was out of character for him, and that in the heat of the exchange he had felt threatened by Taylor, whom he later derided for having run to the cops rather than accepting his apology.

Ill admit that what I did was not legal, Kessler said in April. I was having a bad day. Ive never done anything like this before and it will never happen again.

Filed in February, Kesslers petition to remove Bellamy was unsuccessful. On March 8, a special prosecutor from Lynchburg determined that the petition did not have enough signatures, prompting the court to dismiss it.

In the months that followed, Kessler became closely associated with the opposition movements countering the City Councils decision to have the statue of Robert E. Lee removed from Emancipation Park, then known as Lee Park.

He participated in a torch-lit rally in the park in May, led by white nationalist Richard Spencer, and later focused his efforts into a planned rally at the park that was eventually dubbed Unite the Right, in an attempt to draw together the various splintered factions of the white nationalist movement.

The rally drew thousands to downtown on Aug. 12, but was declared an unlawful assembly by local and state police before it began when fights and scuffles broke out between white nationalist and anti-racist protesters.

The aggression and violence reached a tipping point that afternoon, when a car plowed into a crowd of anti-racist protesters. One woman died and several others were injured. James Fields, 20, of Ohio, has been charged with second-degree murder and a slew of other charges in the attack.

The following day, Kessler attempted to hold a news conference outside of City Hall to blame the city for the violence. He was drowned out by a sea of livid residents who claimed his efforts led to the violence. He was chased away from the scene by angry members of the crowd, two of whom have since been charged with assault and battery.
When a car runs a red light and plows into a crowd of pedestrians, demanding more red lights is not a solution. But that seems to be the reaction among many after the Las Vegas massacre.

The slaughter Stephen Paddock carried out Sunday night has elicited voluminous demands for more gun control, and it would take a heart of stone not to agree with the impulse. The trouble is that most of the proposed solutions either had no effect, or would have had no effect. Some others, however, might have.

Background checks? Federal law already requires them. But Paddock had no criminal record and had never been adjudicated mentally deficient, so he passed the necessary background checks easily.

Waiting periods? Paddock bought weapons over the course of several months, and probably several years.

A machine gun ban? For all practical purposes, the civilian purchase of fully automatic rifles is already banned by extensive federal laws that have been on the books for decades.

An assault weapons ban? The federal government tried that, from 1994 to 2004. Then Congress let the ban lapse, because it had a vanishingly small effect on gun-related crime.

Other proposals have more merit. Paddock reportedly used a bump stock, which speeds up the process of pulling the trigger, turning a semi-automatic rifle into an automatic one, or nearly so. He also conceivably might have used a Gatling crank, a trigger modification that increases the firing rate of a semi-automatic (although the rate of fire in Las Vegas seems far too rapid for a trigger crank).

Bump stocks are legal, but just barely so, and the legality of Gatling cranks varies. Banning such devices, which exist solely to circumvent prohibitions against automatic-fire weapons, makes sense  and Congress should enact such legislation. It also should make a felony out of modifying a semi-automatic weapon for the purpose of turning it into an automatic.

Granted, more sweeping gun-control measures not only could have stopped or impeded Paddock, they also could reduce other kinds of gun violence. Forbidding the possession of semi-automatic firearms outright, including semi-automatic pistols, probably would reduce the death toll from gun violence substantially. (It also would require a huge gun confiscation program; AR-style rifles are the most popular in the U.S., and as the 4th Circuit Court has noted, in 2012, the number of AR- and AK-style weapons manufactured and imported into the United States was more than double the number of Ford F-150 trucks sold, the most commonly sold vehicle in the United States.)

Yet even strict regulation offers no ironclad guarantee against killing sprees. Consider Norway, which outlaws several types of guns, including high-powered pistols. It also licenses gun owners, requires reasonable grounds for gun possession, and heavily regulates both the storage and transportation of those firearms that are permitted. Nevertheless, in 2011 Anders Breivik, a far-right extremist, shot 69 people to death at a youth-league summer camp. German laws are even more stringent. But in 2009, Tim Kretschmer killed 17 people, including several students attending classes at a secondary school, in Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany. There have been many other such incidents. It is not true, as some have recently claimed, that American spree shootings are unique.
Caire said Wednesday he has been advised to not provide details about any legal action he may be pursuing. Asked whether he would pursue action against the city or Gonzalez personally, Caire said he plans to "pursue whatever is possible."
A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind.
The attorney hired by the city of Charlottesville to evaluate its handling of white nationalist and Ku Klux Klan rallies this spring and summer said on Monday that he will produce an objective report by the end of the year.

In a report to Charlottesville City Council, Tim Heaphy, the former U.S. attorney for the Western District of Virginia, stressed that he wants to depersonalize his involvement in the investigation into how the city prepared and managed the controversial events.

Heaphy has faced scrutiny and questions about his ability to be objective in this case since he was hired earlier this month.

While weve been retained by the city, the direction Ive received  is to get the facts, wherever those facts lead, he said at Mondays council meeting. This is not a whitewash to affirm decisions that were made or meant to point a finger at any individuals. Rather, its an attempt to objectively assess what occurred.

In addition to his ties to local law enforcement officials and organizations, critics have questioned his contributions to Democratic campaigns, including Mayor Mike Signers 2015 council campaign.

Last month, Signer said he was planning to return Heaphys $200 donation. City Manager Maurice Jones said Monday that he trusts Heaphy for his career experience and his critical eye.

Heaphy and a team of attorneys from Hunton & Williams, the law firm at which he is a partner, have interviewed witnesses and community members, reviewed submitted and open-source materials and hundreds of documents, some of which have been acquired by Freedom of Information Act requests, he said.

The report, which Heaphy hopes to have ready by Thanksgiving, will include recommendations for how the city can prevent future violent protests.

After Councilman Wes Bellamy asked whether he could address specific questions in the interim, such as the allegations that law enforcement officers on Aug. 12 were ordered to stand down, Heaphy said he will wait until the end of the investigation to provide answers to complicated questions.

Theres a question of what was the direction to police, what did police hear and understand, whether or not orders were understood or interpreted. Those are contextual issues, and theyre so significant, Mr. Bellamy, that I feel like rather than answering one-off questions, my strong preference is to give you a comprehensive answer, he said.

Also Monday, the council decided that Fourth Street between Market and Water streets in Charlottesville will be given an honorary designation recognizing Heather Heyer.

A Charlottesville-area resident, Heyer, 32, died after a car plowed into a crowd at the intersection of 4th Street and Water Street. James A. Fields Jr., 20, of Ohio, has been charged with second-degree murder and several other charges for the incident, which injured at least 35 people.

Moments after the start of Mondays meeting, Heyers mother, Susan Bro, thanked the city for recognizing her daughter.

I deeply appreciate the honor, she said.

While some had suggested that the city could name a park for Heyer, close Fourth Street or help build a statue to honor her, Bro said she prefers a more modest memorial to her daughter.

It was my idea not to put a park associated with her name for a number of reasons, she said. And absolutely no statues  I thought thats a little bit much. And Heather, frankly, hated statues, for a number of reasons.

Bro asked that the city also consider new memorials for African-American leaders who have made an impact. She suggested the city could honor Laura Robinson, a longtime educator who died this summer at 103.
The U.S. Supreme Court is set to question attorneys in Wisconsin's partisan gerrymandering case Tuesday. Ahead of oral arguments, the Cap Times interviewed Misha Tseytlin, Wisconsin's solicitor general and lead attorney for the defense, and Ruth Greenwood, a member of the legal team for the plaintiffs and senior legal counsel for the Campaign Legal Center.
Its taken 60 years and billions of dollars, but mass transit is finally coming to Dulles International Airport outside the nations capital. The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority is ready to open the second and final phase of its Silver Line Metrorail extension on Nov. 15. The six new stations will for the first time connect the airport and the outer suburbs of Loudoun County to the regions flagship mass transit system. But the Silver Line extension comes at a time when ridership on Metro remains at roughly half of what it was before the COVID-19 pandemic. Metro officials say the long-term vision of those who pushed for the line will be vindicated as riders return.
U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan, shown here speaking with reporters in August, is working with other members of Congress to try to end America's massive support for Saudi Arabias brutal military campaign in Yemen. PHOTO BY JESSIE OPOIEN
For ticket information about the Virginia Tech Theatre Departments production of Distracted, call 231-5615. The phone number was incorrect in Thursdays Weekend Planner. One of the candidates running for Salem sheriff works for Roanoke County sheriff. Another works for the Roanoke sheriff. Dan Caseys Tuesday column was incorrect on those points.

Dan Browns Origin starts topping charts NEW YORK  Dan Browns new novel is out Tuesday and its already a chart-topper on Amazon.com. Origin is a familiar blend of travelogue, history, conspiracies and whodunit, with asides on everything from the poetry of William Blake to the rise and fall of fascism in Spain. Brown protagonist Robert Langdon, a Harvard symbologist, is in Spain and back in danger. A former student has been assassinated just as hes ready to unveil a scientific-technological breakthrough that he promises will bring about the downfall of Western religion and revolutionize how people think about life and death. In a recent interview, Brown said the book was a chance to explore his longtime skepticism about religion and his optimism about technology.

Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler is refuting rumors about his health after an early end to the bands tour, saying he certainly did not have a heart attack or seizure.

The 69-year-old Tyler says in a statement posted on the bands website that hes sorry for cutting the tour short, but he had to have a medical procedure that only his doctor in the United States could perform.

Aerosmith announced last week that it was canceling the tours final four shows in Brazil, Chile, Argentina and Mexico. Tyler said in that announcement that his condition wasnt life threatening, but it was something he needed to deal with immediately.
COMMUTERS face further disruption this morning as rail workers walk out on strike.

Rail services will only run between 7am and 7pm today (Tuesday) as members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union walk out on strike.

Services from Rotherham Central to Meadowhall and Sheffield and to Doncaster and Hull are among those affected.

For more information visit www.northernrailway.co.uk.
AMRCs Ruby Hughes creating a digital twin of high-tech equipment at Factory 2050

DIGITAL and tech companies learned how to access a 25 million cash fund at a briefing hosted by the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre.

They heard how the public money is available to focus on robots, cyber security and satellite data, among other innovations.

The Emerging and Enabling Technologies briefing was led by Innovate UK and the Knowledge Transfer Network, two Government agencies tasked with driving new tech in post-Brexit Britain.

Innovate digital lead Matt Sansam said: Competition for funding is fierce, so it is important for people to get to these briefings if they want to improve their chances of success.

The projects have to show they will add real value to the productivity and growth of small and medium-sized enterprises and provide value for money for the taxpayer.

Peter Hopton, founder of Rotherham tech firm Iceotope, which has won three million euros in EU funding, said: Sheffield City Region-based companies have some of the best technologies in the world.

Its wonderful to network and present to assist in the securing of additional funding to develop and promote their technologies.

Michael Faulks, technical director of Sheffield cyber security specialists Ioetec, said the event on September 19 gave him valuable insights in how best to access funding.

He added: We are very successful in the intelligence sector, but we are also looking at innovative ways we can work with advanced manufacturers to ensure that cyber security is built into their systems and processes right from the start.
RAYMOND  A Burlington man is facing charges after allegedly threatening a former employer by showing up to his home and sending and posting lewd messages.

Kai R. Stauersbol, 30, of the 200 block of Chapel Terrace, was charged Monday with a misdemeanor count of sending a threatening/obscene computer message.

According to the criminal complaint:

At about 6:55 p.m. Sunday, sheriffs deputies were dispatched to the 4600 block of 108th Street in Raymond after a caller reported they could smell marijuana coming from a neighbors property and feared the property owner was making meth in a pole barn on his property.

Dispatchers told responding deputies the homeowner at the property in question had called 911 because items on his property had been messed with and he wanted to speak to a deputy.

When deputies told the homeowner why they were there, the homeowner laughed and invited the officers to search his shed. They found no signs of narcotics or any drugs on his property.

The homeowner said he had fired an employee, Stauersbol, on Friday and had been having issues since then. Stauersbol allegedly accused his former boss of not paying him, sent him threatening messages and allegedly posted lewd images and messages on the social media site for his former boss business.

While deputies were on scene, a vehicle drove up and Stauersbol and his girlfriend were inside. Stauersbol said his ex-employer owed him money and he wanted to talk to him. Deputies suggested that Stauersbol take his former boss to Small Claims Court to try to settle the matter, but told him to leave and not contact his former employer again.

While still at the scene, the former employer said Stauersbols mother had contacted him and said her son was threatening to come back to the property, hurt an officer and kill his former boss and his family. Stauersbol also allegedly continued sending texts to his former boss while deputies were on scene investigating. Stauersbol was then arrested.

Stauersbol remained in custody as of Monday evening, online records show. A pre-trial conference is scheduled for Nov. 2 at the Law Enforcement Center, 717 Wisconsin Ave.
A WOMAN was injured in a crash between a van and a car in Brinsworth.

A white Volkswagen van and a silver Toyota Corolla were involved in a collision on Pavilion Lane, Brinsworth, at around 12.20pm on Monday.

Police said the driver of the Toyota, a 27-year-old woman suffered minor injuries in the incident.

A Yorkshire Air Ambulance spokeswoman confirmed its crews attended the scene of the crash and treated an injured woman but she was not airlifted to hopsital.

Pavilion Lane was closed at the junction with Bawtry Road but later reopened.
Sales at specialist jewelry stores in the US increased 4% year on year to $17.36 billion in the first seven months of 2017, according to data from the nations Census Bureau.

In July, sales jumped 11% to $2.47 billion, the data showed. Figures are all unadjusted for seasonal fluctuation.

Consumer confidence improved in July and August, according to the Conference Boards Consumer Confidence Index. However, the measure slipped 0.5% in September.

Confidence decreased significantly in Texas and Florida in September as they were the most affected by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, explained Lynn Franco, director of economic indicators at the Conference Board.

Despite the slight downtick in confidence, consumers assessment of current conditions remains quite favorable, and their expectations for the short term suggest the economy will continue expanding at its current pace, she added.




Richemont, the Swiss luxury goods group, announced the following appointments to its Senior Executive Committee.

Dr Jean-Jacques van Oosten was appointed to the newly created role of Chief Technology Officer and will join the Senior Executive Committee effective 1 January 2018.

Dr van Oostens twenty one-year career has been primarily in the retail and digital sectors.

Ms Sophie Guieysse was appointed Group Human Resources Director and will join the Senior Executive Committee effective 1 October 2017.

From 1997 until 2005, she held various human resources roles at LVMH. Since 2016, Ms Guieysse was advising Dior on the future of luxury in a connected world.



Alex Shishlo, Editor of the Rough&Polished European Bureau in Brussels




Firestone Diamonds has recovered a 134-carat gem-quality light yellow diamond, its largest diamond to date, from Liqhobong Mine, in Lesotho.

It said in a statement that the recovery of the stone, the second of over a hundred carats since production commenced, reinforced the potential for large stones at Liqhobong.

Firestone was currently in the early stages of commercial production at its 75 percent-owned mine.

Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished




(Agencia CMA Latam) - Colcap, the main index of the Colombian Stock Exchange, closed Monday's session stable, amid a low trading volume, in a day in which oil fell by more than 2%.

Camilo Silva, an analyst at Valora Inversiones, said that the Colcap recorded a mixed behavior among its constituents, while crude prices abroad fell because of the skepticism among market players that the United States could reduce its oil production.

Regarding local companies, the state-owned Colombian oil company Ecopetrol reported that it was included in the technical recovery group of the International Energy Agency (IEA), which includes world powers in the application of this of oil production.

Meanwhile, the Colombian government affirmed on Monday that if the Avianca's pilots do not appoint an arbitrator to its litigation against the air company, it will be selected by lottery.

The shares of Cemex (+1.91%), Preferencial Bancolombia (+0.59%), Cemargos (+0.34%), and Exito (+0.13%) rose, while Grupo Aval (-0.75%), Davivienda (-0.66%), Banco de Bogota (-0.64%), and Conconcreto (-0.49%) fell.

The locally traded U.S. dollar closed the day at 2,950.00 Colombian pesos, marking a 0.37% rise, as the euro weakened and oil fell abroad. Ramses Pestanapalmett, an analyst at Ultraserfinco, said that the euro is falling against its peers due to the political tensions in Catalonia, where people voted for separating the region from Spain.

by Agencia CMA Latam

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Economic News

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Campbell Soup Co. (CPB) is voluntarily recalling 398 mL cans of Wolfgang Puck Organic Creamy Butternut Squash soup distributed in Canada due to the possible presence of mustard, an ingredient listed as an allergen under Canadian food regulations. The mustard ingredient is not declared on the product label. People with an allergy to mustard should not consume the recalled product. This recall does not affect any Wolfgang Puck soups distributed in the United States, including the Organic Creamy Butternut Squash soup variety. No other soups or Campbell products are affected.

This recall affects 4,584 cases of product distributed in Canada. The affected product has the UPC 8 58328 76448 3. All code dates are being recalled.

There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business News
WASHINGTON  In a case that could reshape American politics, the Supreme Court appeared split Tuesday on whether Wisconsin Republicans gave themselves an unfair advantage when they drew political maps to last a decade.

If Justice Anthony Kennedy, whose vote almost certainly controls the outcome, is prepared to join his liberal colleagues, the court could rule for the first time that districting plans that entrench one partys control of a legislature or congressional delegation can violate the constitutional rights of the other partys voters. That could lead to changes in political maps across the country.

While both parties seek maximum partisan advantage when they can, Republicans controlled more state governments after the 2010 Census and aggressively used redistricting to lock in electoral advantages to last for the next 10 years.

Kennedy suggested, as he did in another redistricting case 13 years ago, that courts perhaps could be involved in placing limits on extremely partisan electoral maps.

But he did not tip his hand about whether the Wisconsin map that favors Republicans crossed a constitutional line.

Throughout the session, the justices and lawyers alike appeared to cast their questions and remarks with the hope of attracting Kennedy. He wrote in 2004 that he would be open to ruling for the challengers if the court could be shown a good way to measure and manage excessively partisan districts.

Paul Smith, the same lawyer who failed to get Kennedys vote and thus a majority 13 years ago, said technology and data analysis had so improved since then that there are good ways to measure when one party gives itself an unfair edge in creating districts.

Without the courts intervention, Smith said on behalf of the Democratic voters, the next round of redistricting after the 2020 Census will see far more extreme partisan maps.

You are the only institution in the United States that can solve this problem just as democracy is about to get worse, Smith said.

You paint a very dire picture, Justice Samuel Alito replied dryly. He seemed unpersuaded.

The conservative justices were skeptical about striking down the states map or even involving courts in the inherently political process of redistricting.

Chief Justice John Roberts worried about involving the Supreme Court in a glut of partisan redistricting claims that would follow if the Wisconsin Democrats prevail.

Well have to decide in every case whether the Democrats win or the Republicans win, Roberts said, a scenario that he said would damage the courts credibility.

The liberal justices appeared to favor the Democratic voters who challenged the Wisconsin plan. Republicans who controlled the legislature and the governors office adopted electoral maps that have given themselves a significant advantage in the state Assembly in a state that is otherwise roughly divided between the parties.

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg said a decision upholding the Republican-drawn districts in Wisconsin would encourage one partys lawmakers to stack the deck against their opponents when they control the process and reduce the number of legitimately contested elections.

What becomes of the precious right to vote? she asked.

Representing Wisconsin, Misha Tseytlin urged the court not to succumb to the other sides scare tactics about what will happen next.

The packed house included former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, among a handful of prominent Republicans who want the court to rein in partisan redistricting.

The Supreme Court has never thrown out a political map because it is too partisan. Courts have struck down districts as racially biased for decades, and other partisan districting lawsuits are moving through the courts in Maryland and North Carolina.

In Wisconsin, a lower court sifted through evidence showing that Republicans packed Democrats into some districts and spread them out across others to maximize gains for the GOP. In one analysis, Democrats captured far fewer state Assembly seats even when they won roughly the same percentage of the statewide vote as Republicans.

The lower court concluded that the districting plans were drawn to discriminate against Democrats, the Republicans advantage would endure even in the face of a strong Democratic showing at the polls and the plans could not be explained by other, non-partisan reasons.

The state is arguing the justices should put an end to courts consideration of partisanship in districting plans and cautioning that far from being manageable, a ruling for the Democratic voters would open the door to a flood of lawsuits that would be based on cherry-picked evidence and hard for judges to manage.

Justice Neil Gorsuch, the newest member of the court, likened the courts task in finding a way to measure partisanship with his preparations for grilling steak. I like my turmeric and other spices, but Im not going to tell you how much. Whats this court supposed to do, a pinch of this, a pinch of that? Gorsuch asked.

A decision in Gill v. Whitford, 16-1161, is expected by spring.
The New Zealand dollar weakened against other major currencies in the Asian session on Tuesday.

The NZ dollar fell to nearly a 1-month low of 0.7154 against the U.S. dollar and a 5-day low of 1.0895 against the Australian dollar, from yesterday's closing quotes of 0.7195 and 1.0874, respectively.

Against the euro and the yen, the kiwi dropped to 1.6355 and 80.97 from yesterday's closing quotes of 1.6304 and 81.11, respectively.

If the kiwi extends its downtrend, it is likely to find support around 0.70 against the greenback, 1.10 against the aussie, 1.66 against the euro and 79.00 against the yen.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Forex News
Ferguson plc reported statutory profit before tax of 1.18 billion pounds for the year ended 31 July 2017 compared to 675 million pounds, previous year. Profit from continuing operations increased to 888 million pounds or 350.8 pence per share from 465 million pounds or 182.3 pence per share. Trading profit in the ongoing businesses was 1.03 billion pounds compared to 827 million pounds, 8.7% ahead of last year at constant exchange rates. Headline earnings per share was 288.9 pence compared to 234.7 pence.

Fiscal year revenue from continuing operations was 15.22 billion pounds compared to 12.55 billion pounds, a year ago. Revenue in the ongoing businesses was 14.88 billion pounds, 8.6% ahead of last year at constant exchange rates. Revenue in the ongoing businesses was 6.0% ahead on a like-for-like basis with a further 2.1% of growth from acquisitions, 0.4% from one additional trading day and 0.1% from new branches.

The Board of Ferguson plc recommended a final dividend of 73.33 pence per share, to be paid on 1 December 2017 to shareholders on the register at 27 October 2017. This will bring the total dividend for the year to 110 pence per share representing a year-on-year increase of 10.0 percent.

John Martin, Group Chief Executive, said: "US continue to be favourable, in particular residential and commercial markets where we generate the majority of our revenue. Organic revenue growth in the new financial year has been about 6%. Our is performing well, we have a strong balance sheet to support our plans and the Board continues to look to the medium-term with confidence."

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business News
French shares eked out modest gains on Tuesday as a sell-off in Spanish eased and upbeat U.S. economic data bolstered investor optimism about global economic growth.

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy on Monday said the government will seek a joint response with other political parties to the "pro-independence challenge" in Catalonia.

The benchmark CAC 40 was up 10 points or 0.18 percent at 5,360 in late opening deals after gaining 0.4 percent the previous day.

Banks were broadly higher, with BNP Paribas and Credit Agricole rising about half a percent each. Industrial gas maker Air Liquide gained over 1 percent and fashion conglomerate Kering advanced 2 percent.

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Market Analysis
(Agencia CMA Latam) - The Brazilian Ministry of Planning approved a new appropriation release amounting to R$ 9.802 billion (US$ 3.1 billion), according to an ordinance published Tuesday in the local Official Gazette.

On September 29, the Brazilian government had already disbursed R$ 12.660 billion from discretionary Executive Power expenditures.

In a statement, the ministry said that "this increase is due to the need to meet various administrative and final expenses of the official entities involved, including the Growth Acceleration Program," known as PAC.

by Agencia CMA Latam

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Economic News

What parts of the world are seeing the best (and worst) economic performances lately? Click here to check out our Econ Scorecard and find out! See up-to-the-moment rankings for the best and worst performers in GDP, unemployment rate, inflation and much more.
Japan will on Wednesday see September figures for the services and composite PMIs from Nikkei, headlining a modest day for Asia-Pacific economic activity. In August, the services PMI had a score of 51.6, while the composite came in at 51.9.

Australia will release September numbers for the Performance of Service Index from AiG; in August, the index score was 53.0.

New Zealand will provide September data for commodity prices; in August, prices fell 0.8 percent.

Singapore will see September results for the private sector PMI from Nikkei; in August, the index score was 53.2.

The Philippines will release September data for consumer and producer prices. Consumer prices climbed 0.3 percent on month and 3.1 percent on year in August, while core CPI gained 0.3 percent on month and 3.0 percent on year. Producer prices fell 0.1 percent on month and 1.0 percent on year in August.

Finally, the in South Korea and China remain closed all week for the Harvest Festival and National Day, respectively. Taiwan is also shuttered on Wednesday for the Med-Autumn Festival.

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Economic News

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(Agencia CMA Latam) - The Brazilian Minister of Mines and Energy, Fernando Coelho Filho, affirmed Monday that the government could privatize the state-owned oil company Petrobras, as has been done in the electric sector, with Eletrobras.

"I think this is going to happen, it's a way, but we can not move ahead all the agendas at the same time," said the minister during an interview in Roda Viva television show.

According to him, the prioritization of Eletrobras was due to the "economic situation of the company, which came to have a debt twice as big as cash generation when we took over," he said.

by Agencia CMA Latam

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Economic News

What parts of the world are seeing the best (and worst) economic performances lately? Click here to check out our Econ Scorecard and find out! See up-to-the-moment rankings for the best and worst performers in GDP, unemployment rate, inflation and much more.
The U.S. Supreme Court is set to hear oral arguments in Wisconsin's partisan gerrymandering case on Tuesday. Attorneys defending Wisconsin's 2011 Assembly map and attorneys aiming to see it thrown out will field questions from the justices in person after months of back-and-forth written arguments in the case.

The Cap Times interviewed Ruth Greenwood, a member of the legal team for the plaintiffs and senior legal counsel for the Campaign Legal Center, a D.C.-based nonprofit, and Misha Tseytlin, Wisconsin's solicitor general and lead attorney for the defense.

Here is a breakdown of some of the key arguments they will deliver Tuesday.

How are you preparing for oral arguments?

Greenwood: We have written out hundreds of questions. We need to be able to answer very succinctly and on the spot. We had a moot court in Chicago, that went really well. We spent a few hours combing over areas, thinking about what questions would come up and some that may not come up just in case. We had a moot court in D.C., too. Were generally preparing for questions and challenges that were raised in the states brief.

Tseytlin: Its a little bit different than when you write a brief. You're (instead) taking a realistic picture of what justices are on your side. I think there are more justices open (to our argument) here than the popular opinion would suggest. In terms of preparing for oral arguments, you want to keep in mind and you want to be preparing for the justices that ask the most questions and the way they ask the questions. So when youre thinking about answering a question or preparing stock answers you think, "Thats the kind of question Justice (Stephen) Breyer would ask me," or "Thats the kind of question Justice (Ruth Bader) Ginsberg would ask me. So even if a particular justice is on your side given past votes, if theyre the more frequent questioners, you have to think about how youre going to answer their type of question in a way that makes it more likely youll win overall.

What do you make of the focus on Justice Kennedy in this case, given his past writing on this issue?

Greenwood: We need to get to five votes. We make our arguments to the full court. The reason for the focus on Kennedy was that Kennedy was merely the voice for the five votes in Vieth (v. Jubelirer) in that case (a challenge to redistricting in Pennsylvania in 2004). All of the justices are important and we hope we can convince them all. I think this is important that both sides view this as a nonpartisan issue. We may be representing Democrats in Wisconsin but both sides gerrymander. We need to put a stop to this regardless of who is doing the gerrymander.

Tseytlin: One of the best things about Justice Kennedy is he doesn't hide the ball... he really tells you what he thinks of an area. Some justices, and Justice (Antonin) Scalia was famous for this, he would ask questions in a way to convince his fellow justices. You don't have to wonder what Kennedy thinks is important. The fact of the matter is that there are four justices who have expressed a view on this. Justice (Clarence) Thomas thinks (partisan gerrymandering) is not justiciable. Justice Ginsburg joined in Souter's dissenting opinion in Vieth (v. Jubelirer). For each of the justices I have some point of reference, it's not just Justice Kennedy.

It is in dispute whether there is constitutional basis for partisan gerrymandering to be reviewed by the Supreme Court. What say you?

Greenwood: We base law on precedent and the reigning precedent comes from the Vieth case where Justice Kennedy authored an opinion on partisan gerrymandering. He found the claim to be justiciable but is looking for a standard by which to test whether a map has become so partisan that it has become unconstitutional. To say theres no basis, that is just not consistent with the case law in terms of standing. The standing should be derivative of the claim itself. The claim itself is that Democrats are harmed. We have plenty of examples of our plaintiffs being packed and cracked.

Tseytlin: What Justice Kennedy has said is you need a neutral historically based principle, the deviation from which would be unconstitutional. A good example is the "one person, one vote" cases from the 1950s and 60s. A lot of states were mal-proportioned. So whether you have an efficiency gap or something else, both of those are nonstarters until you figure out what you're testing for, what the constitutional principle is. So one of the things they say is you can have a large number of plans and see how far each plan deviates from a baseline, but if you don't know what you're deviating from, what is your national baseline then? You want a neutral thing, a "one person, one vote." In this context, they haven't identified the thing, so the rest of it is just noise. Even if partisan symmetry is like "one person, one vote" ...you still need a test that works and won't be politically biased that Legislatures will be able to comply with it.

(To Tseytlin) You say that the plaintiff's solution to partisan gerrymandering is a "hodgepodge" of social science theories. Can you explain what you mean by that?

Tseytlin: At the trial court they said, Were going to have that be the efficiency gap and then we proved a lot of problems with the efficiency gap so when it went up on appeal, they said, "Were no longer relying on efficiency gap." You can do efficiency gap, you can do mean, median difference, you can do sensitivity testing or you can do something else. That is what we call social science hodgepodge. Social science hodgepodge is their attempt to throw every social science metric in the hopper and say each court can pick one.

(To Greenwood) How do your respond to the criticism that your solution is just a hodgepodge of social science theories, as the state has said?

Greenwood: This is an evidentiary issue. The court looked at a plan and decided that it had extreme partisan effect. We offered evidence of an efficiency gap. If you look at the mean, median, difference, they all suggest that Wisconsin is a partisan gerrymander. The court could say that you have to use a particular test. Wed like the court to say whether a particular map is a partisan gerrymander. We think the efficiency gap improves on partisan bias, but again the point is that social scientists can use multiple metrics to determine if a partys gerrymandering large and can endure.

We hope the Supreme Court would affirm that the court ruled correctly and this is exactly the kind of evidence that can be used in future cases. We hope they adopt the three part test: intent, effect and justification. Were not trying to tie the hands of future courts and future experts. An example of how this could work was shown in the recent North Carolina (racial) redistricting ruling. They had to redraw their state and the lines were struck down as a racial gerrymander.

The state maintains that if the court rules in favor of the plaintiffs in this case, that it would give folks an open door to say some voting maps are illegal partisan gerrymandering when they might be racial. What say you?

Greenwood: I think that is a bizarre argument. I think theyre wrong. I think rather than having a problem we would be clearing a lane. If your claim is that the district is a partisan gerrymander then we think the remedy should follow from the harm, that the district line be redrawn, not the whole state map. We would be establishing what is a partisan gerrymander and what is not in this case.

Tseytlin: I think it is not too much of an exaggeration (to say) that every single plan drawn by a single party-controlled Legislature would be immediately be called into court as too partisan.

If you now had a rule where you had statewide challenges in the political gerrymandering context ... you'd have an unthinkable result which is that you'd have plaintiffs arguing, "No, no, no it isn't race, it was politics" so you have access to a more powerful claim. That would, in effect, privilege this new political cause of action over more traditional racial gerrymandering. It would in effect make it worse for a state to engage in political gerrymandering than racial gerrymandering. That's pretty unthinkable.

In (many) states, race and politics are correlated. Under the plaintiff's proposed approach, it would be more advantageous for plaintiffs to show political gerrymandering than racial gerrymandering as a natural matter of litigation because of course the holy grail of a plaintiff's is to get the whole map struck down and not just a district. It creates a very powerful incentive and creates a very perverse situation where suddenly engaging in political gerrymandering is worse than racial gerrymandering, which it just can't be. That is the opposite of what the Supreme Court has said in comparing race and politics.
Gov. Scott Walker and the other Republicans who control state government say they want to help businesses struggling to find people to fill open positions.

Theyve had a funny way of showing it when it comes to boosting the number of hours put in by people who have children or who want to, and by people who were born in other countries.

The Department of Health Services reports that Wisconsins birth rate has declined since 2007, and that doesnt bode well for the size of the future labor pool. Given what state government hasnt done in recent years, its hard to blame those of procreating age for procreating less.

For one thing, frozen or reduced payment rates for child care through the state-subsidized child care program have been accompanied by enrollment declines greater than the drop in birth rate. Its hard for parents who cant find decent, affordable child care to leave their children to go look for work. And knowing you will have difficulty finding decent, affordable child care is no incentive to have more children.

Working parenthood also gets harder when working parents cant be assured of paid sick days and are subject to just-in-time scheduling.

The market  if they want to keep workers  should push employers to do better for them on scheduling, said UW-Madison economist Tim Smeeding, but some governments can and have enacted policies to allow for more family-friendly scheduling.

By contrast, Walker signed a bill in 2011 to stop local ordinances that require companies to provide workers with paid sick leave.

Wisconsin Republicans have also shown no interest in doing what 29 other states have done  raise the minimum wage above the $7.25 federal minimum.

A higher minimum wage, sick time and predictable scheduling, and greater access to child care would probably be of most help to workers (and their children/future workers) at the lower end of the socioeconomic scale, Smeeding said.

But he noted in a 2014 article that providing government-subsidized child care and government-mandated time off to care for children can also boost the birth rate overall.

Sweden and France now have birth rates above those in the United States, he wrote. Both nations provide subsidized day care for children on a sliding scale based on family income. Paid parental leave and flexible work schedules also help support and nurture family growth.

Immigration is another key factor in labor force growth, and while only about 5 percent of Wisconsins population is foreign-born, thats apparently too much for lawmakers who have proposed bills to outlaw so-called sanctuary cities.

Its easy enough to say the only good immigrants are the ones who arrive legally, but as long as Congress has no interest in what some call reform and others call amnesty, there will continue to be lots of jobs that wouldnt get done but for people who entered this country without the proper documentation.

So far, boosting job training has been Republicans answer to increasing the size of the workforce.

But at the end of the day, if you dont have the bodies to do the work, all the job training in the world isnt going to matter.
A woman who grew up in Johnson Creek allegedly was murdered by her Army lawyer husband in September, with the husband claiming she slipped and fell.

Sherri Mae Ponsati died Sept. 7 at home in Gilbert, Arizona, with husband Mark-Eric Ponsati calling 911 to say she slipped in the bathroom and hit her head.

However, police started getting phone calls from relatives of Sherri Mae, saying the marriage was not in good shape, and relatives told police he had threatened to kill her.

An autopsy determined she had multiple fractures and blunt force injuries and other injuries.

Mark-Eric Ponsati was arrested Sept. 14 and held on $1 million bond.

Sherri Mae Ponsati, nee Springhuth, graduated from Johnson Creek High School in 2003. She worked at Bethesda Lutheran Group Home.

A memorial service is planned for late November in Johnson Creek.
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SACI Instagram: Statement on Diversity and Inclusion e South African Chemical Institute The South African Chemical Institute is committed to diversity and inclusivity in chemical sciences. The Institute opposes discriminatory acts or threats based on race, ethnicity, citizenship, culture, language, disability, age, religious or spiritual beliefs, political opinion, gender, sexual identity, sexual orientation and economic class. The Institute is dedicated (i) to endorsing excellence and scientific credibility across chemical sciences conducted in academic, industrial, and governmental institutions, and (ii) to nurturing the values of diversity, inclusivity, and equity in the chemical sciences in South Africa. Hence, SACI will continue to play a leading role in assuring the professional competence and integrity of chemists and fostering international collaboration whilst upholding inclusivity and diversity. Statement on Sexual Harassment e South African Chemical Institute The South African Chemical Institute will not permit any kind of sexual harassment (physical, verbal or non-verbal conduct) in the Institute or at events organised by or related to the Institute. The Institute is committed to and fully supports environments that are free of any form of unfair discrimination and harassment, including gender-based violence. Allegations of any form of sexual harassment will be dealt with seriously, expeditiously, sensitively and confidentially. Statement from SACI Council on tertiary training in chemistry as a result of disruptions to the 2020 academic year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As the professional body representing the interests of all chemists in South Africa, we recognise the challenges that the current COVID-19 crisis presents to all our members in academia, research and industry. We also acknowledge the challenges the current situation presents to our tertiary institutions and specifically the challenges presented by moving to online teaching. We applaud the efforts of all our members who work at tertiary institutions who have adapted and innovated to ensure that we can continue as far as possible with our teaching and learning of chemistry even when on campus face-to-face contact is not possible. Our tertiary institutions play a critical role in not only training the next generation of chemists, but they are also tasked with the important responsibility of ensuring that many people from other professions and disciplines are trained in the fundamental principles of chemistry. We reaffirm our belief that this training is essential, as chemistry is one of the central sciences. Key to this training is the practical component and laboratory based skills development. While we accept that this critical component of our training is not possible under the current situation, we strongly urge that plans be put in place to preserve this component of training as part of the curriculum as far as possible. In some cases, virtual laboratory tools can facilitate learning, but we believe that in laboratory practical training particularly for senior level courses should be preserved. SACI strongly recommends that at least a critical minimum practical experience should form part of the plans to complete the 2020 academic year at our tertiary institutions. We believe that this is essential to preserve the validity and integrity of the academic training programmes in chemistry. Latest Updates: Pay your SACI membership fees with SnapScan SACI Ties, Scarfs and T-shirts Periodic table ties and ladies scarfs R130 each. Periodic table T Shirt Short sleeve R180, Long sleeve R200 Please contact head office to place orders. There is also a courier charge of R150 per order for delivery.


A proposed 2018 operating budget for Dane County that includes funding for an expensive new jail and a renewed focus on mental illness showcases how the county meets the needs of its diverse population and makes it a special place to live, Dane County Executive Joe Parisi said.

A new jail with a $76 million price tag  the most expensive project in county history  is the biggest-ticket item of the $538 million budget that would increase taxes of the average Madison home (valued at $269,377) by $54.74 or 6.9 percent, according to Parisi. He said he gave his OK to the project after he was promised the project would address several issues, including improving conditions for the mentally ill.

Parisi, who introduced the budget Monday afternoon from the new day resource center for the homeless, known as The Beacon, on the Near East Side, expressed pride in the budget, saying it accelerated efforts to clean up lakes, improved roads and continued to invest in quality-of-life projects like bike trails.

People from outside Dane County often like to criticize us and talk down about us. But we lead the state in every quality-of-life indicator like job creators or recreational opportunities, Parisi said. I try to do what the people I represent would do in my position, and I believe helping people with mental illness and the other initiatives in the budget are a reflection of what the county wants me to be doing.

The next step for the proposed budget is a review by the County Board, which will vote whether to approve it. Board Chairwoman Sharon Corrigan offered her support of it at Mondays press conference. I really like the way he approached the jail funding, Corrigan said.

The plan for the new jail would combine the countys three aging jails at the City-County Building, the Ferris Huber Center and the Public Safety Building into one facility that Parisi said would be more efficient and safer for staff and inmates.

Parisi said he OKd the jail plan, which reduces the number of jail beds by nearly 100, on the condition that the county do everything possible on the front end  and also on re-entry  to provide for rehabilitation and reintegration into society for inmates, including those who are mentally ill.

Thats part of the countys effort to examine its entire mental health system and make sure all services available in the county are accessible to those who need them, according to Parisi. Some counties address mental health issues with their residents by sending them to the Winnebago Mental Health Institute near Oshkosh, which Parisi called a warehousing system because of the lack of facilities in the state to help the mentally ill.

Its not a good environment for people experiencing a mental health crisis, he said. We are investing locally to make sure fewer people in Dane County find themselves in that situation.

The proposed budget would allocate just over $1 million to help fund two mental health providers at schools so children as young as the middle-school level who are in crisis  or on the edge of a crisis  can get help connecting with the services they need, Parisi said. The program, which receives additional funding from the participating schools and Catholic Charities, has grown to include 20 mental health professionals who worked with at least 260 students last year in nine different school districts.

The budget also allocates money to explore the costs and potential of a new crisis restoration center and keep alive a Porchlight program called Safe Haven that provides transitional housing and other resources to stabilize living situations for people with mental illness, Parisi said.

Other highlights of the proposed budget include:

Contributing $4 million to the expansion of Highway M linking the Far West Side of Madison to Verona, and $2 million to improve Fish Hatchery Road south of the Beltline to Highway PD.

Spending $2.5 million for sediment removal from creeks, rivers and streams that feed into the countys lakes and $45,000 for a new grant program looking at strategies to reduce carbon emissions.

Spending $1.9 million for off-road bike and pedestrian trails.

Adding four Medical Lead Investigator positions at the Medical Examiners Office. There have been four on staff for 13 years and the average number of daily calls for Dane County deaths has nearly doubled during that period, according to Parisi. The office also coordinates death investigations for several other counties.

Implementing a new 10-week paid parental leave benefit for birth or adoptive mothers and fathers who work for the county.
A Pacific Perspective: Careerforces 2017 Pasifika Trainee of the Year Christina Taefu shares her thoughts on workplace training challenges and opportunities for New Zealands Pacific Communities.

A new research report, Pacific Learner Success in Workplace Settings, shows that a little help from their friends, coupled with a supportive employer and a good relationship with their training facilitator, goes a long way to ensuring successful learning outcomes for Pacific trainees.

Careerforce has formed a consortium with ServiceIQ, Competenz and Skills to run a series of training pilot programmes and present our research and recommendations on what works best for Pacific learners.

We sat down with our Careerforce 2017 Pasifika Trainee of the Year, Christina Taefu, to get her thoughts on the report findings and what more needs to be done to support Pacific people through their workplace training journeys.

A mental health worker with Auckland-based organisation Framework Trust, Christina was one of the first ever graduates from Careerforces New Zealand Apprenticeship in Mental Health and Addiction Support, former Miss Samoa and the 2016 Hero of Got a Trade? Got it Made week, which raises awareness of career pathways for young people in the trades and services industries.

1. Can you tell us a bit about your training journey and how you heard about Careerforce and some of the biggest challenges you faced during your training?

I heard about Careerforce and the Mental Health and Addiction Support Apprenticeship through our HR/training manager as they talk about training in our staff team meetings as well as send emails out regularly around training. Because of the nature of the online training, I didnt feel as though I had many barriers and I could manage my other commitments.





2. Do you agree Pacific learners need to prioritise learning, work and family  and can you share with me some examples of how you did this throughout your training journey?

As with many other people in training in NZ, Pacific learners need to balance the pressures of learning, work and family. Im only one Pacific person so its unfair for me to speak to the pressures of my community. However, in my own experience I have had to juggle meeting requirements of the course in conjunction with working full-time, renovating a house and planning a wedding.

3. Our research has also shown that many Pacific learners have low confidence and self-perception  they think theyre not smart enough to complete these qualifications because perhaps they had a bad experience at school and/or have English as a second language. Would you agree?

What I have learned from my fiance Brian Davy who is doing a PhD in the relationship between language, education and identity is that low confidence and self-perception among Pacifica learners often stems from a limited value attributed to our languages and cultural education. These limits are institution and can be removed through engaging with the Pacifica community themselves.

4. Youve recently been crowned Careerforces Pasifika Trainee of the Year (congratulations!) What advice would you give to other Pacific people who want to engage in workplace training?

Dont be afraid to try, seek support and give it your best. I believe that every Pacifica person can reach their potential.

5.Would you agree that Pacific workers are often unaware of the range of opportunities available for learning, such as workplace-based (ITO-facilitated) learning?

To be honest I do not agree completely, as this hasnt been my experience with the Pacifica people I work with. A lot of them are incredibly confident, intelligent and take great initiative. Many of them have completed work place training as well as received prestigious scholarships, a lot of them hold degree level qualifications as well. However, I would say that we could extend the awareness of work based learning, such as by talking with the Pacifica community in their own communities and in their own languages. Forums such as the churches, sporting clubs and other community organisations are meeting points for Pacifica people in which we can discuss these issues together. My colleagues are not all the Pacific community and Im aware that there are other members of the Pacific community who have different needs.

6. Research shows the importance of a supportive employer to create motivating learning environments. Tell us about your experience and what motivates/demotivated you?

I work for Framework Trust, an incredibly supportive organization with bosses who give me a great amount of support. They have invested in me by paying for my training, thus removing any financial barrier, they have allowed me time to study at work, they have shown an interest in my training and have given me ongoing encouragement. I am very fortunate to work where I do.

7. Research also shows small learner support groups work really well for Pacific learners  why do you think this is and did you have a study group when you were doing your Apprenticeship? If you didnt do you think it would have helped you to have had access to a peer support group? Why/why not?

Well, I was one of the first in my organisation to do the new mental health and addictions apprenticeship so unfortunately, I did most of the work alone, but occasionally sought support from my colleagues who had done a similar qualification in the past. I do however think that peer support does work really well for Pacific learners and I think it would be good if these groups were facilitated in both English and the trainees first languages. For example, a mature student or someone recently settled in New Zealand student with limited language skills who is in the workforce may feel more comfortable in a study group facilitated in their first language.

8. Tell us about your vision for Pacific learning success  where would you like to see Pacific learners achievement go to? And what do you see as some of the key areas that can be improved to make this a reality?

I would like to see Pacifica learner achievement and success become equal to or greater than the wider population, so that we are no longer recognised as lacking in confidence and self-perception and able to complete qualifications as proficiently as anyone else.




Dear Editor

Joe Hollywood, your comparison of Samoa to NZ is one of the stupidest ideas Ive heard.

Samoa is not NZ, and NZ is not Samoa.

NZ raised their user pay fees to pay for services offer to the public, in return, the N Zealanders were/are provided with these services. In order words, the NZ govt spent this money back on to the public.

For Samoa, these taxes as you called user pay fees are taxes levied on us the public to pay Stui govt debt that now is getting up there to $2 Billions, yes, we are talking abount the B letter now.

Samoa is not NZ, because if Luiga was in NZ, his ass would be in prison with all the corrupted spending under his watch as a minster.

Samoa is not NZ, because NZ would not allowed the PM son in law to be the Chief Auditor for the country. It is corrupted no matter what way you look at.

Samoa is not NZ because the NZ govt would referendum out how to select their Head of State. NZ citizens would have a say on how to select their Head of State. In Samoa, it is selected by the one almighty man, the Stui man. (I know NZ does not have a HOS)

Samoa is not NZ, because in NZ, when a senior minister cabinet is accused of corruption and falsification, that senior minister would resigned from parliament all together. In Samoa, that is not the case, its business as usual.

Samoa is not NZ, because the NZ PM is very polite, compare to Samoa, Mr Stui is the only big lauia and called everyone else avaava.

I can go on and on, ...so Samoa is not NZ, and NZ is not Samoa.

Ola Fia
Supreme Court Justice, Leiataualesa Darryl Clarke, has dismissed a manslaughter charge against Chinese man, Keiji Li, whose vehicle exploded when it slammed into a bus killing an elderly man.

The ruling by Justice Leiataualesa follows a weeklong trial.

Li is represented by Leota Raymond Schuster while Prosecuting is Leone Sua-Mailo of the Attorney Generals Office.

Police had charged Keiji Li with manslaughter and negligent driving causing death.

However during the course of closing submissions, Leota applied for leave to vacate Keiji Lis not guilty plea to the charge of negligent driving causing death. He pleaded guilty instead.

The only charge left to be determined then was one of manslaughter.

According to Justice Leiataualesas ruling, in order to prove the charge of manslaughter against the accused, the prosecution must prove the following ingredients of the offence beyond reasonable doubt.

That the accused was in charge of or had under his control or operates anything whatever which in the absence of precaution or care may endanger human life; and

That the accused had a legal duty to take reasonable precautions against and to use reasonable care to avoid the danger; and

That the accused breached that legal duty in that the breach by omission or neglect is a major departure from the standard of care expected of a reasonable person to whom that legal duty applies in those circumstances; and

The omission or neglect caused the death of the deceased.

THE EVIDENCE

According to Justice Leiataulesa, it is not disputed that on the afternoon of the 11th March 2017 at approximately 2.00pm, the accused was the driver of a Toyota Estima Minivan registration number R 719 on the West Coast Road.

The collision between the minivan and the bus caused damage to the right front and side of the bus.

He said the evidence was that the exterior metal side of the bus had been jutting out following the accident.

When the exterior right side of the bus was ripped open, the deceased fell from the bus together with the baby that he was holding.

From the deceaseds fall from the bus, he was seriously injured and from those injuries, he subsequently died.

According to Leiataualesa the question for determination is whether the prosecution has proven beyond a reasonable doubt that the driving of the minivan by the accused was a major departure from the standard of care expected of a reasonable person.

SPEEDING

Wolfgang Haist was an expert witness called by prosecution. He is a New Zealand crash investigations expert with 16 years Police experience and his qualifications include traffic crash investigations for trucks, motorcycles and vehicles.

Mr Haist assessed the speed of the bus at the time of collision as approximately 28 mph, equating to 12.5 metres per second.

He opined in his report that given the location of the fluid spill and the measured track width of the bus, the left wheels of the bus would have been travelling off the sealed roadway and on the gravel/grass shoulder.

On the available information, he could not determine the speed of the minivan.

He described the collision as a relatively low speed offset impact in terms of the bus.

DISCUSSION

According to Leiataualesa the eye witnesses on the bus called by the prosecution said that the minivan was speeding.

However the bus driver Samuelu Teevao described the minivan speed in far less dramatic terms.

I do not accept at all that the accused was driving at 80, 90 or 100 kilometres per hour. It is simply not supported by the evidence.

Justice Leiataualesa pointed out he does not find that the prosecution has proven that the speed the accused driving constituted a major departure from the standard of care expected of a reasonable person to whom that legal duty applies in those circumstances.

He said the accused minivan was behind 10 or more other vehicles which were in front of him.

Accordingly, the speed the accused could travel was no more than those cars in front of him.

Furthermore, if the accused was speeding or driving at a speed that was a major departure from the standard of care expected of a reasonable person.

Justice Leiataualesa noted that motor vehicle manslaughter is reserved for very bad cases or the worst cases with a high level of culpability.

The major departure test was expressly adopted with the view to avoid circumstances where, for example, a motorist who kills a pedestrian crossing the road while the motorist's attention is diverted for a few seconds by an advertising hoarding...

He said based on the evidence of Constable Ioapo, it appeared that the accused was looking for something between him and the door.

He was looking downwards, left hand on the steering wheel and right hand searching.

The minivan crossed into the bus lane and then collided with the bus.

The collision occurred about a second after Constable Ioapo stopped his motor bike.

Based on the evidence, I am left in real doubt that the accused crossing into the west bound lane constituted a major departure from the standard of care expected of a reasonable person to whom that legal duty applies in those circumstances.

 Based on the evidence, the accused crossing of the centreline was apparently the result of momentary inattention, perhaps over a few seconds, as he drove along the Westcoast road.

Tragically, it resulted in the death of the deceased.

The evidence in this case in my respectful view falls well short of establishing manslaughter and is the type of case in which the New Zealand equivalent of section 83 was expressly legislated to avoid, said Leiataualesa.

For the reasons that I have set out, Prosecution has failed to prove the charge beyond a reasonable doubt.

Accordingly, the charge of manslaughter is dismissed.

The accused has pleaded guilty to the charge of negligent driving causing death.

That plea was appropriately entered by the accused as the evidence satisfies me that this charge was proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

Sentencing has been scheduled on October 18, 2017.
Members of Parliament have been urged to use Parliamentary privileges appropriately to advance democracy in Samoa.

The message comes from a former Speaker of Australias Parliament, Anna Burke, who said Parliamentary Privileges is not an opportunity to attack and abuse people.

She was speaking during the 3rd Australia-Samoa Parliamentary Partnership Seminar Series at Taumeasina Island Resort yesterday.

The meeting was attended by Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi and Members of Parliament.

One of the issues on the agenda was Parliamentary Privileges.

Privileges, she said, are quite often misunderstood.

We are given Parliamentary privileges and we need to use that wisely, she said.

We need to ensure that Parliament is the robust debating Chamber where things can be said that are important to the nation. So people and Parliament should be protected when they are in the Parliament.

Ms. Burke added that such privileges should allow a Member of Parliament to speak freely and ensure that the voice of their constituency is heard.

It is also ensuring that you do voice what you believe and what your constituencies believe in a manner that is free and fair and people inside parliament should have the ability to know that what they are saying is free from any influence outside, she said.

But as I said before, you shouldnt use Parliament to attack people or to defame, to insult or ridicule other people.

So its a two way street. Youve got this wonderful thing call privilege and you cant be defamed for something that you said in Parliament and that you should respect it and also have the right to speak freely in Parliament.

Ms. Burke added that it seems simple yet it is quite complex and complicated.

But she is confident the gathering yesterday would help Members of Parliament to understand their role more and use Parliamentary privileges to advance the cause of democracy and justice.

Samoa has a stable government and system of democracy so this is just enhancing what you have already got here, she said.

The two-day seminar on Parliamentary Privilege and Ethics is being facilitated by former Members of Parliament and Staff from the House of Representatives of Australia.

The series is part of an ongoing partnership between the Parliament of Samoa and the Australian Federal Parliament to improve the knowledge base for Parliamentarians.
The Minister of Health, Tuitama Dr. Leao Tuitama, has reassured about the governments strong support for Pinktober.

And Tuitama, who is also the Patron of the Samoa Cancer Society, has re-emphasised the need for early diagnosis as the key to maximizing chances for surviving cancer.

Speaking at the launch of Pinktober, he noted that the World Health Organisation recognizes that at the global level a major problem is that many cancer cases are diagnosed too late.

Even in countries with optimal health systems and services, many cancer cases are diagnosed at an advanced stage, when they are harder to treat successfully, he continued. It is therefore important for us all to remember that early diagnosis is the key to maximizing chances for surviving cancer.

To that extend, the Health Minister is urging local residents to get screening tests regularly whenever and wherever possible to ensure early diagnosis of breast, cervical, colorectal and prostate cancers and other forms of cancer.

As a Medical Practitioner I encourage self- examination for breast cancer and that every woman needs to learn about the signs and symptoms in order to keep alert to any possible breast cancer.

Mothers I urge you to encourage your daughters from within the home environment on the importance of screening and self-examination for breast cancer.

Cancer as you may all be aware is the uncontrolled growth and spread of cells. It can affect almost any part of the body. The growths often invade surrounding tissue and can metastasize to distant sites. This is one of the main reasons why early diagnosis and treatment is so essential to improving chances of survival.

I wish to emphasise that breast cancer is becoming more and more common in Samoa and every girl and woman is encouraged to keep vigilant. Early detection can mean surviving breast cancer. A significant proportion of cancers including breast can be cured, by surgery, radiotherapy or chemotherapy if they are detected early.
IRBIL, Iraq (AP)  Jalal Talabani, the Kurdish guerrilla leader who became Iraq's president after the U.S. toppled Saddam Hussein, and who embodied hopes for a unified, peaceful future through years of strife, has died at the age of 83, Kurdish officials said Tuesday.

Talabani was often seen as a unifying elder statesman who could soothe tempers among Iraq's Shiites, Sunnis and Kurds. But the country's centrifugal forces have only accelerated since he was hospitalized nearly five years ago, as it has battled the Sunni extremists of the Islamic State group and faced growing demands for Kurdish independence.

Talabani suffered a stroke in 2012 and was moved to a German hospital later that year for treatment. He died Tuesday after his condition rapidly deteriorated, according to Marwan Talabani, a relative and senior official in the office of Talabani's son.

His death came days after the Kurds voted for independence, essentially rejecting the vision of a unified, multi-ethnic Iraq that he had championed in the chaotic years after the U.S.-led invasion.

The vote, which was led by his longtime Kurdish rival, regional President Masoud Barzani, is not expected to lead to Kurdish state anytime soon and has further isolated the small land-locked region. Iraq and its neighbors have rejected the vote, and Baghdad has banned international flights and threatened to take control of the autonomous Kurdish region's borders.

Talabani came from a generation of Kurdish leaders who spent decades fighting for self-rule and whose people were often brutally repressed by the central government.

Born in a tiny village north of the city of Irbil on Nov. 12, 1933, Talabani was in his early teens when he first joined the Kurdistan Democratic Party, at the time the main Kurdish political force trying to carve out an autonomous homeland for Iraq's Kurds.

In the 1960s, he joined the Kurdish uprising against the Iraqi government. When the revolt collapsed in 1975, Talabani broke off from the Barzani-headed KDP to form the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan. To this day Kurdish politics in Iraq remain dominated by two families: The Barzanis in Irbil and the Talabanis in Sulaimaniyah.

A year later Talabani again took up arms against the central government and eventually joined forces with Iran in the Iran-Iraq war. In the late 1980s, Saddam launched the Anfal Campaign, in which more than 50,000 Kurds were killed, many by poison gas attacks.

Iraq's Kurds took their first steps toward autonomy in the early 1990s under the protection of a U.S.-enforced no-fly-zone aimed at halting Saddam's killings. But the Kurds quickly fell into infighting. Pitched battles between forces loyal to Barzani and those who sided with Talabani killed thousands and only subsided when Barzani called on Saddam's army to help him push back Talabani's men.

As the U.S. prepared to oust Saddam in the 2003 invasion, the PUK worked with the CIA. After Saddam's fall, Talabani and Barzani came together to govern their autonomous region, but ultimately Talabani's high-profile appointments took him to Baghdad.

He was chosen by parliament as interim president in April 2005. A year later, parliament made him full president under the new constitution, re-electing him to a second four-year term in 2010.

His ascension left Barzani to preside over the Kurdish government alone, an irony that Talabani wryly noted in February 2005.

"He personally prefers that I be in Baghdad and he be in Kurdistan," Talabani said.

Before becoming president, Talabani made clear to his fellow Kurds that his role had changed. "I am casting off my Kurdish clothes and wearing Iraqi ones instead," he said. "You must accept that."

In Baghdad, Talabani established himself as the voice of the Kurds and was a skilled player in Iraq's sometimes bloody power politics.

Sunni Arabs remained suspicious of Talabani, pointing to his Iranian ties. And Talabani angered many Iraqis in 2011 when he described Kirkuk, a multi-ethnic city claimed by the Kurds and the central government, as a Kurdish Jerusalem.

But the rotund, walrus-mustached Talabani sought to cast himself as being above the fray, using the largely ceremonial powers of his post to try to take the edge off conflicts that flared among the country's factions.

"Contrary to all Iraqi politicians, Talabani believes that making concessions to other groups in order to save his country does not represent a humiliation to his personal dignity,'" said analyst Hadi Jalo.

Long overweight and afflicted by heart problems, Talabani suffered a stroke in December 2012 and was taken to Germany for treatment.

With his departure from political life, Iraq lost one of its few brakes on the divisions among its rival factions and Masoud Barzani began dealing with Baghdad directly on behalf of Iraq's Kurds.

Disagreements between Baghdad and the Kurdish region over the sharing of oil wealth and the fate of Kirkuk and other disputed areas simmered for years. But those disputes were largely set aside as Iraqi and Kurdish forces battled the IS group after it swept across the country in the summer of 2014.

Barzani, who had already capitalized on a split in Talabani's political party years earlier, saw his power grow as the U.S.-led coalition rushed military aid to his forces to help them battle the extremists. He later spearheaded the independence referendum, which many of his critics saw as a bid to extend his rule.

Talabani never expressed an opinion about the referendum, and his supporters were divided on it.

His absence left a "political vacuum," said Falah Mustafa, the head of the Kurdish region's foreign relations department. But he said Talabani's "legacy for the Kurdish cause will remain a source of inspiration among the people of Kurdistan and beyond."

Talabani is survived by his wife, Hiro Ibrahim Ahmed, and his two sons. One of them is Qubad Talabani, the deputy prime minister of the Kurdish region.
Ebola drug developer Mapp Biopharmaceutical has received a federal contract of about $46 million to hasten bringing the drug to market.

The San Diego biotechs five-year contract for the drug, ZMapp, could bring in an additional $297 million, the company said last week. It includes options to buy the drug for the federal governments Strategic National Stockpile.

ZMapp was used under emergency authorization during the 2014 Ebola outbreak in West Africa, which reached the United States. The outbreak suddenly thrust Mapp, then a tiny company of just nine employees, into the international spotlight.

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A number of high-profile patients who received the drug, such as missionaries Kent Brantly and Nancy Writebol, recovered. But they also received other treatments, so it has not been proven that the drug was responsible.

Privately held Mapp has also been awarded a separate contract of $1.9 million for research on drugs for Sudan virus and pan-Marbug virus. That contract has an option for an additional $6.6 million, the company said.

Both contracts were awarded by the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, part of the Department of Health and Human Services.

All three viruses cause highly dangerous hemorrhagic fever diseases. Ebola and Sudan belong to the same group of viruses, Marburg to a different group.

ZMapp was developed in collaboration with the Public Health Agency of Canada. Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute led by Ebola specialist Erica Ollman Saphire performed structural analysis of the drug, a cocktail of three monoclonal antibodies that neutralize the virus.

The two other drugs are also monoclonal antibody products, and Scripps Research continues to work with Mapp.

The company has struggled to complete clinical testing because of a lack of patients after the outbreak ended. In October, Mapp announced that the drug showed some evidence of helping Ebola patients. But because of the lack of patients, the clinical study fell short of statistical significance.

Further testing will be conducted in healthy volunteers to get ZMapp ready for approval, said Kenneth Payie, Mapps chief operating officer.

We will evaluate safety, and also look at ZMapp levels in blood, he said.

The company also needs to get approval for its manufacturing process, Payie said.

Mapp originally produced the drug in tobacco plants given the genes to make the antibodies. But that process couldnt make the quantities needed for the outbreak. So Mapp shifted to mammalian cell production.

Payie said mammalian cell production is better documented, so there are fewer questions that need to be answered compared to the plant platform. This means the route to licensure is more straightforward.

But first, Mapp must choose a manufacturer. Then, that manufacturer must demonstrate quality of production comparable to that already achieved in plants.

We also need to do this at some scale, Payie said. It wont be fast. We still have about four to five years worth of work ahead of us, until manufacturing licensure.

If another Ebola outbreak occurs before then, enough material remains from the tobacco plant manufacturing that more of ZMapp can be prepared, he said.

On the whole, he said, Mapp is in a good position because it has experience in these two very different means of production. Requirements for making drugs are demanding, and must follow what is called Good Manufacturing Practice.

We wouldnt be where we are had it not been for the plant system, Payie said. It was rapid; we were able to generate GMP material much faster than we can out of mammalian (cells). But there was a concern around the scale  We couldnt generate enough material that would satisfy a government stockpile for an outbreak.

Mapp still uses the plant manufacturing method in early-stage research. Its reliable and quick, allowing the company to easily make small quantities of product, Payie said.

As its work has progressed, Mapp itself has grown. That tiny company of nine now employs 45 people, he said.

For further reading

Will we be ready when Ebola returns?

ZMapp appears to fight Ebola, development to continue

Human tests begin for ZMapp Ebola drug

Ebola struggle reaches milestone with vaccine

Feds to spend $42M on Ebola drug

A Scientists life: 10 Things Erica Ollmann Saphire Has Done

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bradley.fikes@sduniontribune.com

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Craft beer fans with $200 or more to spare can own a piece of San Diegos Mission Brewery thanks to an unusual investment opportunity.

Monday evening, the 10-year-old brewery, whose home-base is a 26,000 square-foot facility near Petco Park, will begin soliciting $1 million in funds from the general public through the crowdfunding site Wefunder. Each contributor will receive an equity stake in the company.

For the record: An earlier version of this story included the incorrect spelling of SDSU Professor Mujtaba Ahsan lasts name. The Union-Tribune regrets the error.

Were expecting hundreds of investors in San Diego, said Dan Selis, founder and CEO of Mission Brewery. In bringing in this group, we will have a whole new group of investors who can help support the brand and be a part of it.

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Someone who doesnt make a ton of money can put $200 in, get a stock certificate in the mail and become a co-owner of the brewery, Selis added.

Would-be investors can contribute as little as $200 to the campaign, but those putting in $500 or more will receive perks, including an engraved founders plank that will be displayed in the brewery. A $1,000 investment comes with a round of beers for up to 10 guests.

With shares valued at $4.32 a piece, Mission Brewery is raising funds at a $17 million, pre-money valuation. The valuation is roughly based on $1,000 for every barrel the brewery expects to produce this year, or 18,000. Thats about half the per-barrel value craft breweries have received when being acquired, Selis said, citing MillerCoors 2015 deal to buy Saint Archer and Anheuser-Buschs 2015 purchase of Golden Road.

The $1 million cash infusion will be used to open as many as six additional taprooms, with Mission Brewery determining locations based on where its investors live, Selis said.

The investment opportunity, different from crowdfunding campaigns offered by Kickstarter or Indiegogo, is whats considered an equity crowdfunding campaign, or a relatively new type of fundraising mechanism made possible by Title III of the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act (JOBS Act). The regulation allows small businesses to raise money from everyday citizens.

Prior to May 16, 2016, when Title III went into effect, private companies could only take money from accredited investors, or wealthy people with a minimum net worth of $1 million or income of more than $200,000 per year.

The equity crowdfunding free-for-all is meant to democratize investment in startups, which is typically limited to insiders or the ultra rich. The previous accreditation requirement, however, was designed to protect the average person unfamiliar with the risks associated with startup investments.

Not many people in the general public are aware of equity crowdfunding, said Mujtaba Ahsan, a management professor at SDSU.

A lot of people dont ... understand the risks. They dont understand what the competition looks like, what the growth rates are. And they dont understand the financials of the company, he said. Its very challenging for laymen to make such a decision.

Mission Brewery is required by law to disclose certain figures to help people evaluate the private-market share offering.

During its most recent fiscal year, which ended Oct. 31, 2016, Mission Brewery lost $2.2 million on $4.5 million in revenue. That compares to the previous years loss of $685,000 on revenue of $4.6 million. The company also disclosed that its operating expenses grew to $2.5 million in 2016, up from $1.45 million in the year prior.

The first thing that stands out to me is that their long-term debt has increased significantly from 2015 to 2016, while their revenues appear to be stagnant, Ahsan said after reviewing Mission Brewerys numbers.

Their cost of goods sold also rose slightly. It appears that they made some investments to increase bottling capacity and are also looking to expand facilities. This might pay off in the future but nothing is a guarantee in the business world. The company has not made any profit in either 2015 or 2016, and it is unclear how they plan to pay off their long-term debt when it becomes due.

Beyond that, Ahsan said he would have preferred the brewery to release more than two years of revenue and loss data, as well as provide guidance on fiscal 2017.

Its kind of a vulnerable thing to do, Selis said of disclosing his brewerys financial performance through the equity crowdfunding campaign. Were opening ourselves up to the public.

He cautioned interested persons to read every inch of the available information. He also defended Mission Brewerys financial well-being, noting that the company has been investing heavily in equipment and expects to return to cash-flow positive status by May 2018. Revenue grew for the four years prior to fiscal 2016, with last years revenue impacted by a slow down in sales of hard root beer.

As it stands, Mission Brewery has an average burn rate of more than $147,000 per month, based on the last three months. The companys cash on hand was nearly $113,000, as of September.

Of course, Missions biggest fans may overlook red flags  and thats not necessarily a bad thing.

If an investor has an affinity for and love of the business  or in this case the beer  and would be satisfied with the potential of nothing more than a complimentary round of beers, then expectations would have been met regardless of what the larger outcome for the business might be, said Gary Benitt, a general partner with Social Leverage, an early-stage investment fund.

In other words, for some super fans, free beers and direct access to management is all the return theyll need to make the investment a valuable one.

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jennifer.vangrove@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-1840 Twitter: @jbruin
On Oct. 14, Glenn and Claudia Sinkule will join the hundreds of San Diegans participating in this years Walk a Mile in Her Shoes, the annual fundraiser for the YWCA of San Diego and its Beckys House domestic-violence programs.

The Oceanside couple will be walking to honor the memory of their daughter Nicole, who was killed by her boyfriend in 2005. And as they do throughout the year, they will be talking on behalf of women everywhere.

Its just about bringing awareness, Glenn, 66, said of the speaking engagements, fundraising and activism that became the focus of their lives after Nicoles death. Instead of crying in our beer, we want to be proactive and help keep other women from getting the treatment our daughter received.

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The Sinkules took on the issue out of necessity born of tragedy. On Oct. 16, 2005, Nicole was killed in her Oceanside apartment by her boyfriend, Eric Nathaniel Marum. In 2004, a judge had issued a protective order requiring Marum to stay away from Nicole. In June of 2005, Nicole asked the judge to lift the order, saying she and Marum had worked through their problems.

Four months later, the Sinkules 24-year-old daughter was dead. In 2007, Marum pleaded guilty to second-degree murder. He was sentenced to 16 years to life in prison.

We had just moved here, and we didnt know that all of this had started and that it was already escalating, Claudia, 63, said. If I would have known, I would never have left her alone that night. I would have talked to her more. But we didnt know.

Like many women struggling with an abusive partner, Nicole tried to keep the couples problems to herself. After her death, Claudia and Glenn have found comfort and relief in speaking out.

In late 2005, the Sinkules started the Nicole Sinkule Foundation to raise awareness about domestic violence and to provide victims and friends and family members with resources and support.

The groups website (nicolesinkule.org) features a guide to the general characteristics of an abusive relationship, vital safety information, and tips on how to prevent an abuser from stalking you. There is also a guide for friends and family members and phone numbers for domestic-violence hot lines and North County domestic-violence shelters.

And on the organizations Facebook page, Claudia augments her many posts about domestic-violence resources and awareness with inspiring quotes and photos that emphasize empowerment, empathy and community support.

There is help out there, and we want people to know that. And we want to raise awareness about what domestic violence is, Claudia said.

Most abuse starts with verbal abuse. So the most important thing is for girls to start to build self-esteen, because they can get broken down. Nicole was kind of innocent, and she was always looking for the best in everybody, and (Marum) exploited that.

In the years since their daughters death, the Sinkules have completed 40 hours of domestic violence counselor training. They also share Nicoles story with womens groups, churches, schools and nonprofit organizations.

And they have been big supporters of the YWCA of San Diego County, Beckys House and Walk a Mile in Her Shoes. Their insights are hard-won, but the Sinkules share them easily. People may not be ready to listen, but they are always ready to talk.

I know their willingness to talk about it can surprise people, said Gavon Morris, director of development and marketing for the YWCA of San Diego County. I dont know how you cope with something as traumatic as a childs death. That is just mind-blowing to me. But they dont seem to have any qualms about that. It is such a beautiful way to honor her passing.

There are times when the Sinkules arent sure how they do it, but they know that talking about domestic violence has to be done.

Its unnatural to watch your child die before you do. Its a lonely club, Glenn said. But every time we share it, it helps. I can see peoples minds working. I can see good things in their eyes.

So they will be appearing at Saturdays Domestic Violence Awareness Month kickoff event at the Womens Resource Center in Oceanside. They will be marking the anniversary of Nicoles death on Oct. 16 by asking people to light a cyber candle on the foundations Facebook page.

And on Oct. 14, they will be walking for the YWCA, for Beckys House and for all of the daughters, wives, sisters and friends who need help finding their paths to safety.

Everyone at the walk is having a good time. The cloud is not there when you are walking your mile, Claudia said. We want Nicole to stand for goodness, and we are carrying her legacy.

Walk a Mile in Her Shoes

When: Oct. 14, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Where: MLK Promenade Park, Fourth Avenue and K Street, downtown San Diego

Cost: $50 for adults, $30 for children

Information: ywcasandiego.org

Twitter: @karla_peterson

karla.peterson@sduniontribune.com
When Mariah Klenke decided that she wanted to become a Marine amphibious assault officer, she had no idea that she was going to be the first woman to even try.

I had a thought, but I wasnt for sure, said Klenke, 24, of St. Rose, Illinois, a farming community about 35 miles east of St Louis. A couple of people had said something about me, possibly, being the first person. But then when I finally got my (military occupational specialty), my captain at the time told me, Youre going to be an 1803. Youre going to be the first female to go there.

Second Lt. Klenke graduated Tuesday morning from amphibious assault school, the first woman to start the course since the Pentagon in late 2015 nixed its ban on female troops in combat roles.

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A graduate of the University of Tennessee at Martin, Klenke went to the Marines Officer Candidate School in mid-2016, only months after the Department of Defense opened up all military specialties to women.

When I first got to the class, I was a little nervous about it, Klenke said. But as time went on, it didnt seem to be an issue after that.

Klenke becomes the latest female first in the Marine Corps. Over the past six months, 2nd Lt. Lillian Polatchek became the first Marine woman tank officer and fellow lieutenants Virginia Brodie and Katherine Boy graduated the artillery officer course.

On Sept. 25, the corps announced that an unnamed woman had completed the grueling Infantry Officer Course and that she would be assigned to Camp Pendleton. That made the amphibious course the last to graduate a female officer.

Two female amphibious assault vehicle operators have graduated the enlisted Marines course, plus a woman who became a mechanic.

Col. Dan Yaroslaski, 47, told The San Diego Union-Tribune that the Marines can now stop talking about integration and just keep doing it.

Its just who we are now, said Yaroslaski, who credited fitness tests designed to mimic the chores Marines would do in combat as ensuring officers meet tough standards, regardless of gender.

Weve actually screened out lots of males because the events that have to be done are specific to the types of things you have to do in the Marine Corps, he said. One of the events is that you have to take a Mk-19 (grenade launcher) and hold it above your heard. Very realistic, right? Youll have to hold a Mk-19 above your head to hand it up to the turret.

Yaroslaski said that the Marines have to watch out for your pioneers but he believes Klenke will find the officers and senior non-commissioned officers to advise and mentor her, without letting her gender define her.

The demanding 12-week amphibious assault officer course is designed to produce platoon leaders who command assault amphibious vehicle crews. Klenke learned gunnery marksmanship, water survival skills and offensive and defensive operations, both on shore and deep inland. More than a third of the course took place in the Marine Corps Air-Ground Combat Center 29 Palms in southern San Bernardino County.

Klenke said that her toughest challenge came during amphibious operations training, when she completed up to four missions daily.

We operated pretty much all day. We got a couple of hours of sleep and then went back to operating the next day, she said.

Klenke has been assigned to Camp Pendletons 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion.

Im just excited to get to my platoon and finally get to lead Marines, she said.

As for women thinking about a career in the corps, Klenke said anything is possible.

If you think you can do it, you can do it, she said. There were hard times in the class, but hey, I got through them. Im nothing special. I just did my job and if you work hard you can get through it.

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cprine@sduniontribune.com
Immigrants detained by authorities must be offered affordable bond for their release, a federal appeals court decided Monday.

A three-judge panel of the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals said immigration judges should consider a non-citizens ability to pay when setting a bond.

The governments discretion to incarcerate non-citizens is always constrained by the requirements of due process, Judge Stephen Reinhardt wrote for the panel. No person may be imprisoned merely on account of his poverty.

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The decision upheld a district judges ruling in a class action lawsuit filed by the ACLU on behalf of immigrants, including asylum seekers, arrested in Southern and Central California because of unauthorized entry to the U.S.

The immigrants were determined to be neither dangerous nor enough of a flight risk to make them ineligible for bonds, the 9th Circuit noted.

But they remained in detention, sometimes for years, because they could not afford to pay the bond amounts set by immigration officials.

Mondays ruling upheld a preliminary injunction requiring immigration officials to consider both an immigrants financial ability and alternative forms of release, such as the use of ankle monitors.

The decision requires the government to hold new bond hearings within 45 days for those who are detained and to consult with the immigrants lawyers about establishing new guidelines for release.

maura.dolan@latimes.com

Twitter: @mauradolan
The former head of South Koreas earthquake research center was sentenced Monday to 14 months behind bars for laundering more than $1 million in bribes from two seismological companies, including one based in Pasadena, that paid him in exchange for insider information.

Heon-Cheol Chi, a 59-year-old resident of South Korea, was also ordered to pay a fine of $15,000 and serve a year of supervised release after he gets out of prison.

Prosecutors had asked U.S. District Judge John F. Walter to impose a five-year prison term, while the defense argued for a six-month sentence that would include time served.

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Defense attorney Marilyn E. Bednarski said Chi would return to South Korea upon release from custody.

The sentence reflected the judges view of how to balance the seriousness of the offense with Mr. Chis extraordinary characteristics, she said outside court.

Chi was convicted in July of one federal count of transacting in criminally derived property. The jury in downtown Los Angeles failed to reach a unanimous verdict on five other counts of money laundering.

This is precisely the kind of corruption and abuse of the U.S. banking system that the U.S. money laundering statutes seek to prohibit and prevent, federal prosecutors wrote in sentencing papers.

Chi headed the Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources Earthquake Research Center, where he tested seismological equipment, offered technical certifications for equipment used in government-funded projects and developed an early-warning earthquake system.

According to evidence presented at trial, Chi laundered funds that were the proceeds of bribes he accepted in violation of South Korea law.

The American financial system is not to be used as a storehouse for the proceeds of corrupt activity, acting U.S. Attorney Sandra R. Brown said following the trial.

This defendant used a bank account here in Southern California to conceal over $1 million in bribe money obtained through the abuse of his public position. This conviction sends a message that should be heard around the world.

According to the U.S. Attorneys Office, Chi abused his senior position at the earthquake center from at least 2009 through 2015, demanding more than $1 million in bribes from Pasadena-based Kinemetrics and United Kingdom-based Guralp Systems Ltd., which both produce seismic equipment. In exchange for the bribes, Chi gave the companies inside information on open contracts and advocated for the earthquake center and others to buy their equipment.

In addition to his use of cash payments and the U.S. banking system, evidence showed that Chi took a number of steps to conceal his bribery scheme, including instructing representatives of the companies to delete or not respond to his emails, requesting that company representatives not inform his colleagues at the center of his illegal arrangements with those companies, and by sending fictitious invoices listing a false address in New Jersey.

doug.smith@latimes.com

@LATDoug
Following outcry of the militarization of police, many local law enforcement agencies returned the surplus military gear they had gathered through the Department of Defenses 1033 program.

But, in August, Attorney General Jeff Sessions removed limits on the program, allowing agencies to begin requesting weapons again.

In San Diego County, a majority of the supplies the agencies had gathered over the years still remains  most is clothing and gym equipment. Out of the 513 requests for 11,788 items received, only 218 weapons remain in the county, and more than half of them are bayonets.

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Much of the supplies are tied to border security, like barbed wire and clothing for harsh environments. Lots of items are mundane: Customs and Border Patrol, Chula Vista has 90 pairs of pants, seven bench presses and 10 dinner plates.

Of note, San Diego Police have two Packbots, robots that can be used to defuse bombs or enter places where officers cant safely, and Customs and Border Patrol Chula Vista has a ground sensor to monitor border crossings.

Learn more about the program 

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Reach the writer at: daniel.wheaton@sduniontribune.com or @theheroofthyme
Maybe the premiums for the plan youre in this year are increasing. Perhaps the company you work for is switching up its offerings for 2018. It could be that youre not happy with the services youve received under your current coverage. For many reasons, millions across the nation and thousands across San Diego County will find themselves shopping around this open enrollment season, looking for the right mix of benefits and affordable costs that often seem as elusive as a Comic-Con ticket in July.

As with any complicated and potentially tedious task, it helps to have a road map to guide you on your way, and we have asked experts for their advice on taking you through the open-enrollment process step-by-step. Weve worked with two consumer focused experts with decades of health insurance experience to make sure our advice is accurate and comprehensive.

They are: Robert Krughoff, president of Consumers Checkbook, a nonprofit that has published health insurance purchasing information in a range of forms since 1979. And Betsy Imholz, special projects director, Consumers Union. This organization is the advocacy arm of product-testing publication, Consumer Reports, and has recently been very active in a range of health-care-related legislative efforts in California.

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Step One

Refresh your memory on these five key health insurance terms:

Premium -- monthly health insurance payment.

Deductible -- amount you must pay before your health insurance company starts writing checks.

Co-pay -- small payment you make before each office visit or prescription fill.

Co-insurance -- percentage of your medical bills you pay after your deductible has been satisfied.

Out-of-pocket maximum -- maximum amount you can pay in any policy year.

Krughoff: Please tell them not to just look at the premium. You would be surprised how many people only look at that one number. All of these numbers affect what youre going to pay when you actually try to use your health insurance.



Step Two

Lets see if you truly understand how these concepts work.

Lets say you racked up $5,000 in medical bills after fainting in line at Comic-Con and needing 10 office visits to recover. How much would you pay if your policy had a $1,000 deductible, 10 percent co-insurance, $10 co-pays and a $3,000 out-of-pocket maximum amount? Answer: $1,490.

Now lets unpack that: You would first pay $100 in co-pays (10 visits at $10 each) plus the first $1,000 of your medical expenses to satisfy your deductible (co-pays usually dont count toward deductibles). That leaves another $3,900 in bills ($5,000 in total bills minus the $1,100 you already paid). At 10 percent co-insurance, you would pay $390 ($3,900 x 0.1) of that amount for a total of $1,490.

Bonus question: How big of a bill would you need to get to hit your $3,000 out-of-pocket maximum? Answer: $30,000. If you think about it, $3,000 is 10 percent of $30,000. All you need to do is multiply the co-insurance amount and the out-of-pocket maximum amount (0.1 x $3,000 = $30,000)

Krughoff: You have to know that out-of-pocket maximum. Thats your worst-case scenario.

Step Three

You also need to know the basics of the different types of health insurance:

Health Management Organizations (HMOs) assign you to a primary care doctor who must refer you to specialists. They usually dont pay for services outside their contracted health care providers.

Preferred Provider Organizations (PPOs) have a network of contracted doctors, hospitals, labs and other services. Your costs will be lower if you stay in-network, though these plans still pay some costs for out-of-network services.

Exclusive Provider Organizations (EPOs) are like PPOs but offer no coverage for out-of-network providers. High-deductible plans, also sometimes called catastrophic coverage are often promoted in conjunction with these plans.

Imholz: It is extremely important to know what kind of coverage youre buying. There are some short-term bare-bones plans out there, and you need to be really careful if you see a super-low premium.

Step Four

Now that youve done your homework, you can start looking at specific offerings from different health insurance companies whether youre in the individual market and buying coverage on your own, choosing among several different options offered by your employer, or trying to decide whether you want to switch Medicare plans in 2018.

While you might be tempted to start with premiums and other pricing details, our experts think youd do better to start with doctors. If you have a family doctor who youd like to stay with, its a good idea to find out which insurance plans he or she will accept in 2018. And in California, its the law that each plan must list its full doctor directory on its website. Find that plan and get a feel for how many doctors, hospitals and other resources the plan covers. After looking at a few different doctor directories, it should be clear which plans have the most robust networks of resources.

Krughoff: Its important to remember that youre not just looking to see if your doctor is listed. Youre also making sure that the plan has a sizable number of providers across all of the different specialties that you might end up needing.

Step Five

Armed with knowledge about the networks that back up the plans available to you, its time to put it all together, looking at all the cost variables. Lucky for you, its easier than ever before to make apples-to-apples comparisons. The Affordable Care Act forces insurers to offer plans on the individual market within four specific metal tiers: bronze, silver, gold and platinum. Each tier pays a larger percentage of a policyholders costs. Requiring everyone to work within these categories ensures that when youre looking a silver plan from company A and another from company B, the plans have comparable attributes. The ACA also requires employer-sponsored plans to provide standardized information on each plan they offer their employees.

Imholz: Thats called a summary of benefits and coverage. Though many employers arent giving it out, theyre required to provide it if you ask for it. These summaries make comparing plans much, much easier than it was in the past.

Get help

Does health insurance have you stumped? Youre not alone. Millions turn to professional help every year when they find they dont understand the often-confusing nuances and options involved in choosing the right plan. Lucky for you, there are several places to turn for free help:

Brokers: Though many dont realize it, health insurance companies actually pay health insurance brokers to compare the pros and cons of different plans for free. You can find brokers in your area by typing your ZIP code into an online database maintained by the National Association of Health Underwriters at nahu.org.

Though many dont realize it, health insurance companies actually pay health insurance brokers to compare the pros and cons of different plans for free. You can find brokers in your area by typing your ZIP code into an online database maintained by the National Association of Health Underwriters at nahu.org. Enrollment workers: Covered California, the states health insurance exchange, has a large team of certified enrollers in pretty much every city across the state. They also operate enrollment centers throughout the region and have a large bank of counselors operating a phone bank available to answer questions on demand. Find a searchable database at coveredca.com or call (800) 300-1506.

Covered California, the states health insurance exchange, has a large team of certified enrollers in pretty much every city across the state. They also operate enrollment centers throughout the region and have a large bank of counselors operating a phone bank available to answer questions on demand. Find a searchable database at coveredca.com or call (800) 300-1506. Medicare: The Health Insurance Counseling & Advocacy Program provides free and independent consulting for Medicare beneficiaries. This resource can be reached at (858) 565-8772.

Common health insurance mistakes

Looking only at the premium. Ignoring factors such as deductibles and out-of-pocket costs can be disastrous if you actually need to use your insurance.

Ignoring factors such as deductibles and out-of-pocket costs can be disastrous if you actually need to use your insurance. Ignoring provider availability. Its important to make sure the plan you buy offers a wide range of doctors, hospitals and other services you may need in the coming year.

Its important to make sure the plan you buy offers a wide range of doctors, hospitals and other services you may need in the coming year. Focusing too much on the deductible. Plans also have out-of-pocket limits which allow them to keep charging you even after youve met your deductible.

Plans also have out-of-pocket limits which allow them to keep charging you even after youve met your deductible. Health expense tunnel vision. Just because youve never needed certain services in the past doesnt mean you wont next year. Check to make sure your plan covers not just what youve needed in previous years, but also a broad range of resources from doctors and hospitals to labs and medical imaging.

Just because youve never needed certain services in the past doesnt mean you wont next year. Check to make sure your plan covers not just what youve needed in previous years, but also a broad range of resources from doctors and hospitals to labs and medical imaging. Underestimating risk. Choosing a plan with a higher deductible and higher out-of-pocket costs comes with a very real financial worst-case scenario. Dont make a decision until you know what that number is and how you will pay it.

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paul.sisson@sduniontribune.com

(619) 293-1850

Twitter: @paulsisson
In a rare display of bipartisan unity, New Yorks entire congressional delegation is pressing Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to banish a former Nazi guard who is living in Queens.

Jakiw Palij, 94, who worked as a Nazi guard, should be deported from the U.S., urges a letter signed by New Yorks 29-member delegation  18 Democrats and 9 Republicans in the House and two Democrats in the Senate.

Removing Mr. Palij from American soil will send a message not only to the citizens of New York, but to the entire world, the letter to Tillerson says.

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Jakiw Palij, 94, worked as a Nazi guard at the Trawniki concentration camp in German-occupied Poland.

Palij served as a guard at the Trawniki concentration and SS training camp in German-occupied Poland. The effort to boot the former Nazi has languished for years.

In 2004, a federal judge yanked Palijs U.S. citizenship after the Department of Justice made the request. Palij claimed he was a farmer during World War II when he filled out paperwork in 1949, records show.

An immigration judge ruled he should be shipped to Germany, Poland or Ukraine. But those countries have scoffed at accepting him.

It has been 13 years since Mr. Palij lost his right to remain here, and it has taken far too long for these court orders to be carried out, the letter states.

In August, 21 members of the New Yorks House delegation wrote a similar letter to Tillerson, asking him to boot the old Nazi.

Justice is pursuing high-level engagement on this issue with the three governments, urging them to accept Palij, Charles Faulkner of the bureaus legislative affairs responded on Sept. 18.

That effort includes U.S. diplomats reaching out to embassy officials in Ukraine. Palij can become a Ukrainian citizen but needs to apply in person at the Ukrainian embassy or consulate, the letter said.

Even if Ukraine or one of the other two countries were to accept Palij, it is not clear whether they would be in a position to prosecute him for his wartime activities, Faulkner wrote.

Still, the new letter from New York elected officials urges Tillerson to personally step in to settle this long-standing injustice to make sure Palij no longer lives here.
A garbage truck driver died of injuries he suffered when the truck rolled forward and pinned him against a wall in an alley in La Jolla Monday, San Diego police said.

The 30-year-old mans name was not released.

San Diego police said he was positioning a dumpster in an alley west of Herschel Avenue near Torrey Pines Road just before 11 a.m. when the runaway truck struck him and trapped him against a wall.

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Paramedics took him to a hospital, where he died.

The state Division of Occupational Safety and Health, or Cal/OSHA, is investigating the incident, police said.

Breaking News

Email: david.hernandez@sduniontribune.com

Phone: (619) 293-1876

Twitter: @D4VIDHernandez
An off-duty San Diego firefighter was one of hundreds injured in a mass shooting that claimed the lives of at least 59 people at a Las Vegas country music festival Sunday night, a fire official confirmed.

No details were released about the firefighters injury, except that it was minor.

San Diego Fire-Rescue Department spokeswoman Monica Munoz said seven off-duty firefighters were in Las Vegas when the shooting occurred, but she did not specify whether they were all at the Route 91 Harvest Festival.

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(The department) sends our condolences and prayers to all those affected by this horrific and tragic shooting, fire Chief Brian Fennessy said in a statement.

A number of officers, deputies and firefighters from the San Diego region were at the festival when a gunman identified as Stephen Paddock opened fire from the 32nd floor of the nearby Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino.

San Diego Police Chief Shelley Zimmerman said Monday afternoon that 16 off-duty San Diego officers who were at the concert were unharmed and accounted for. Some of them helped give victims first aid and waive down vehicles, she said.

Here theyre just out having a great time on their days off, and they heard gunshots, Zimmerman said. Were now hearing stories of how they transitioned from concert-goer back to first responder. We heard stories about how some of our officers rendered aid and helped with tourniquets and did everything they could to save lives last night.

One San Diego officer  Tom McGrath  described the mayhem that erupted to a television station in Grand Rapids, Mich.

Like many in the crowd, McGrath didnt initially realize the pop-pop-pop he was hearing was gunfire. Then he heard screaming.

When he and his wife turned around, they saw a person who took a bullet to the chest fall to the ground, McGrath said. The couple was trying to help the victim when a second barrage of gunfire began.

The three things I know are run, fight, hide, he told the station. I cant fight because I dont have a gun on me so the best thing I could do was run or hide because we were out in the open.

He shielded his wifes body and when there was another lull in the shooting, they dove behind a sound booth that was positioned nearby. The couple got separated soon after, and McGrath left the venue alone.

Soon after entering a nearby parking lot he found two victims, a man who had been shot in the neck and a woman who had been shot in the knee.

After tying a tourniquet around the womans leg, he found someone with a truck and took the victims to a police command post a couple miles away where paramedics were waiting.

Soon after arriving, though, the man who had been shot in the neck died, McGrath said.

Despite the chaos, the officer said he saw many people doing their best to help each other.

I think you saw the best in people in terms of trying to do what they can whether it made the difference or it didnt, he said.

Two off-duty sheriffs deputies were also at the concert, and were uninjured.

Zimmerman said after news of the shooting broke last night, police increased their visibility in the city to help people feel safe.

I want to be clear, we have no specific threat to San Diego, the chief said. We did increase our presence last night in areas where people frequent and were going to continue that today and to the foreseeable future.

...We know for so many people from San Diego, this hit really close to home. A lot of people from San Diego go to Las Vegas. And so we want to make sure our community knows that we are there for them.

Staff writer Morgan Cook contributed to this story.

Twitter: @LAWinkley

(619) 293-1546

lyndsay.winkley@sduniontribune.com
Surrounded by carnage, one thought became crystal clear to Taylor Winston. He needed a truck, and he needed it now.

The 29-year-old from Ocean Beach was in the crowd at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival when a man opened fire from the nearby Mandalay Bay Hotel Resort and Casino on Sunday night.

At least 59 people were killed, including San Diego attorney Jennifer T. Irvine, and hundreds more were injured.

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People were bleeding everywhere, Winston said. Gunshot wounds were everywhere. Legs, torsos, necks, chests, arms  just dozens of people.

The former Marine knew victims needed to get to a hospital right away. He spotted a nearby parking lot and started running toward it. He knew that festival employees often left keys in work vehicles and he was hopeful. He got lucky.

The first one we opened had keys inside, Winston said.

Over the next 40 minutes or so, Winston and a friend, Jenn Lewis, would transport between 20 and 30 critically injured people to a hospital in the commandeered truck.

It was a lot of chaos, but within the chaos there was a lot of good being done and a lot of people rising to the occasion and helping others, he said.

Just a couple of days removed from Sundays mass shooting, more stories from survivors, including local residents, are emerging.

Jeffrey Koishor of San Diego said in an online post it wasnt until singer Jason Aldean ran off the stage that people realized they werent hearing fireworks, but gunshots.

Collective panic set in and people in the crowd around him dropped to the ground. Koishor threw himself over a friend, and, moments later, a piercing pain shot through his leg.

Despite being wounded, Koishor still managed to run to a nearby bar where his leg finally gave out. He was again shielding his friend when he was shot a second time. He said the left side of his body wasnt working so he ran another 50 yards to cover, hopping on his right leg.

I have never ran so fast on one leg in my life, he wrote on Facebook.

Two strangers helped him get to a hospital.

I was able to get ahold of my mother, he wrote. Trying to explain what happened, I just broke down crying so hard. I was so worried and (in) so much pain.

Doctors told Koishor that one of the bullets had shattered his fibula and the other had fragmented when it hit his hip. Neither the bullet nor the fragments could be removed for fear of damaging surrounding nerve tissue.

A close friend started a GoFundMe account to help support Koishor as he continues to recover.

Obviously Im in pain, but I will take the pain tenfold knowing how lucky I am to be alive, he wrote.

Another San Diegan, 27-year-old Tina Frost, underwent surgery to remove a bullet that lodged in her right eye, her family said on Facebook. On Tuesday, she remained in a coma  in critical but stable condition  at a Las Vegas hospital.

Doctors had not determined the extent of the brain damage, her family said on a GoFundMe page.

Becky Frost, 20, told The Baltimore Sun her older sister is an accountant at Ernst & Young and that she attended the Las Vegas music festival with her boyfriend.

Keep the prayers coming, we have faith that good things will come, but they keep warning us that brains are unpredictable and this is more of a marathon than a sprint, her father, Rich Frost, wrote on Facebook from Las Vegas on Tuesday. Tina is a great runner and very strong!

Other local residents injured in the shooting include George Sanchez, 54, of San Diego, who was shot in his left arm, as well as Del Mar Deputy Fire Chief Jon Blumeyer and an unknown San Diego firefighter, both of whom had injuries that were not life threatening.

Zack Mesker, 22, of San Marcos was shot in his pelvis as he ran from the concert venue and is being treated at a Las Vegas hospitals intensive care unit. A GoFundMe account has been set up to help support his recovery.

Winston, the former Marine, said he and his friends were to the right of the stage when the shooting began. People were being hit by bullets all around them as they ran to a nearby fence. They started throwing people over the other side, eventually climbing over themselves.

Winston and Lewis appropriated the truck soon after.

With gunfire continuing in the background, they hopped into the truck and started driving around, picking up injured people.

Victims were everywhere.

He soon spotted a group of his friends who had set up a makeshift medical area. Strangers were dragging victims there and others were providing emergency first aid.

He pulled up and started loading the most seriously injured into the truck.

I think the hardest part was seeing so many people who desperately needed help and only being able to take a handful of them at a time, Winston said.

It took about ten minutes to get the people they had picked up to a hospital. Once the victims were in the hands of medical professionals, Winston looked at his friend and said, Were going back for round two.

Plenty of people still needed to be taken to the hospital when they returned, so they loaded a second group.

We were looking for the most critically injured, he said. It was hard to gauge, but we tried to make decisions as quickly as possible to hopefully save as many people as possible.

By the time they went back for a third trip, there were several ambulances in the area.

He said he doesnt know if all the people they assisted survived. A couple of them were limp and unconscious by the time they got to the hospital. He said he might be reunited with some of the people he transported later this week.

I just know Im super fortunate, he said. I just wanted to help as much as possible and, in life, nothing gets done by losing your cool.

Winston decided to stay in Las Vegas for a little while longer, to continue to try and help.

I could have easily gone back to San Diego in my safe little area with everyone I know and forget this all happened, but Id rather be here and help out the best I can and not run from it, he said.

As for the truck he commandeered, he parked it sometime later and it ended up being towed. Winston and the owner were connected via social media, and they got together Monday night so Winston could return the keys.

He said they had a heart-to-heart, and the owner didnt mind at all that Winston had borrowed the truck.

Staff writer David Hernandez contributed to this report.

Twitter: @LAWinkley

(619) 293-1546

lyndsay.winkley@sduniontribune.com

UPDATES:

5 p.m.: This article was updated with additional details.
He was 64 years old and, to those who knew him, showed no signs of mental illness, extreme political views or an unhealthy interest in guns. He liked to gamble, and had bounced around over the years, living in Southern California, Texas and Nevada. But he seemed to have plenty of money, and had held steady jobs as a mail carrier, accountant, auditor and apartment manager.

Stephen Paddocks last stop was here, in Mesquite, Nev., a modest desert oasis 80 miles northeast of Las Vegas, where he lived in a retirement community with his female partner and kept a low profile, conversing little and maintaining no Facebook or Twitter accounts.

In an era when social media invites full-throated expression of even the most minor annoyance, Paddock gave away no hint of whatever it was that drove him to commit mass murder on the Las Vegas Strip, killing 59 people in an assault on a country music festival late Sunday night.

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Belongings are scattered and left behind Tuesday at the site of the mass shooting at the Route 91 Harvest Festival in Las Vegas. (Drew Angerer / Getty Images )

We are completely dumbfounded, said a younger brother, Eric Paddock, who broke into tears in front of his suburban Orlando, Fla., home. We cant understand what happened.

He was always normal, said Donald Judy, a former next-door neighbor who said he was struggling to reconcile the friendly conversations about real estate and family with carnage carried out from a hotel room on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino.

Almost every week, Paddock and his girlfriend, Marilou Danley, would go to Peggy Sues bar and diner in Mesquite, where they would have a few drinks and she would sing karaoke, other patrons and the bartender said.

She really could sing  great set of pipes, Bob Hemley said. Him? He didnt affect me. Didnt stand out.

Everyone seated at the U-shaped bar Monday evening remembered Danley in particular. Bartender Monique Ortega said that when she learned Paddock was the shooter, she called her boss immediately.

Now [that] I know that it was him, he seemed kind of creepy, she said.

Paddock, described by the local sheriff as a lone wolf attacker, killed himself inside the luxury suite at the Mandalay as SWAT officers closed in. On Monday, authorities searched his light-orange, single-story stucco house in Mesquite and a second home in northern Nevada and questioned relatives and associates but acknowledged that they had uncovered no explanation yet.

Paddock gambled frequently, and two law enforcement sources said he had made chip purchases in Nevada casinos in the last year that were in excess of $10,000 a day, the amount required to be reported to the government.

But relatives and acquaintances said he was a successful real estate investor who showed no sign of financial problems.

Asked if authorities had a working motive at a news conference Monday afternoon, Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo replied, No, we dont.

Investigators have all but dismissed a claim by Islamic State that Paddock was a recent convert to Islam acting at the groups direction. Law enforcement authorities seized computer hard drives from Paddocks Mesquite home and are examining dozens of weapons taken from the hotel suite and the home along with explosive material found in his vehicle and residence.

U.S. Rep. Ruben Kihuen (D-Nev.), who received a briefing from the multiagency anti-terrorism center, said no new clues have emerged so far.

Law enforcement were looking through his computer. They couldnt find a motive. As of a couple of hours ago, there was no motive. Thats all we know, he said late Monday afternoon.

Before Monday, Paddock had been a nonentity to local police. We didnt have prior run-ins with him, we didnt have any traffic stops, we didnt have any arrests of any kind, Mesquite Police Officer Quinn Averett said. Its a newer home, a newer subdivision, a nice clean home, nothing out of the ordinary.

Agents hope they may learn more from Danley, 62. Police were initially searching for her in Nevada as a person of interest in the shooting, but later learned she was out of the country.

Lombardo said she was currently in Tokyo, and investigators are arranging an interview.

Paddock grew up in Arizona, the son of a notorious bank robber. Benjamin Hoskins Paddock, who went by the aliases Chromedome and Big Daddy, robbed a bank in Tucson in 1960, when Stephen was 7 years old.

When authorities cornered the elder Paddock in Las Vegas, he attempted to run down an FBI agent with his car, according to press clippings. He escaped from federal prison in Texas, where he was serving a 20-year sentence, on New Years Eve 1968. Wanted posters described him as psychotic, armed and very dangerous, and an avid bridge player and gambler. He was removed from the list in 1977, according to the FBI website.

He was captured the following year in Oregon and died in 1998.

Stephen Paddock, who was divorced twice, spent much of his adult life in the Los Angeles area. He and his wives lived or owned property in Panorama City, Cerritos, North Hollywood and other areas from the 1970s to early 2000s.

Paddocks former brother-in-law, Scott Brunoehler, recalled the gunman in the 1970s and 1980s as a smart, fun-loving person who enjoyed entertaining on his boat at Castaic Lake and Buena Vista Lake in Kern County.

He seemed like a normal, good guy. I dont remember anything bad back then at all, said Brunoehler, whose sister, Sharon, married Paddock in 1977. Im still in shock.

Paddock listed his occupation as postal carrier at the time of their marriage. He worked for a predecessor to Lockheed Martin for three years in the late 1980s, according to a company statement. His brother-in-law said he was an accountant; public records describe him as an internal auditor.

He also owned rental properties across the country. In Los Angeles, Paddock co-owned two run-down apartment buildings in a working-class neighborhood of Hawthorne.

For nearly a decade, he owned an apartment complex in the Dallas suburb of Mesquite. Tenant Richard Gehring said Paddock improved the Texas property by checking applicants credit and quickly evicting those who didnt pay.

Some of the rougher people left, said Gehring, a roadway engineer.

As he watched television coverage Monday, Gehring said it seemed impossible that the gunman was his mild mannered landlord.

He was just a nice guy, and that was it, Gehring said. Theres nothing really that sets him out from anybody else.

Paddock sold the complex in 2012.

Paddock had lived near his mother and brother in Florida for several years but decided to move to Nevada a few years ago to escape the humidity and play high-level poker, Eric Paddock said.

Donald Judys wife, Sharon, who lived next door to Paddock in Florida, said he described himself as a world traveler and professional gambler by trade and said he once showed her a picture of himself winning a $20,000 slot-machine jackpot.

He was friendly all the time, she said.

Paddock liked to gamble in Strip hotels. He sued the swanky Cosmopolitan in 2012, claiming he fell and was injured on the hotel property and sustained substantial injuries. He sought damages of more than $10,000. The suit was dismissed by agreement between the parties in 2014, according to the Las Vegas Review Journal. His attorney declined to comment.

Speaking outside his home in Waterford Lakes, Eric Paddock said his brother was never violent and had no history of mental illness or known ties to extremist groups. His brother had some guns but never a machine gun or an automatic weapon, Eric Paddock said.

Hes never even drawn his gun before, he said. Hes just a guy.

Authorities said they found a total of 42 guns in the hotel room and Paddocks house. At least one had been modified to make it tantamount to an automatic weapon.

Paddock and Danley moved to a house on Babbling Brook Court in a new 55-plus community called Sunset Mesquite in 2015. Residents of their subdivision had little information for police, according to Lombardo, the sheriff.

He was reclusive, Lombardo said.

One neighbor, who declined to give his name, described Paddock to a reporter as a real loner.

If he saw you a few time hed finally say, hi, the man said.

A sign posted on the front door of a next-door neighbor read, We do not have anything to provide relating to the actions of our neighbor or insight into his behavior. We did not know him.

Vives reported from Mesquite, Nev., and Serna and Ryan from Los Angeles. Times staff writers David Montero in Mesquite; Richard Winton, Adam Elmahrek, Joel Rubin, Victoria Kim, Brittny Mejia and Paul Pringle in Los Angeles; Joseph Tanfani in Washington; and Orlando Sentinel reporters David Harris and Michael Williams in Florida contributed to this report.

ALSO

As initial shock fades, the Las Vegas massacre revives debate on gun control

A photographers account: When a festival assignment turned deadly

California woman recounts her harrowing fight for survival: Bodies were literally being tossed on top of us

Las Vegas gunman caused mass carnage despite security measures at concert

UPDATES:

8:35 p.m.: This article has been updated throughout with latest figures, background and details.

11:45 a.m.: Updated with information about Texas ties and Lockheed statement.

This article was originally published at 11:16 a.m.
Regarding What do people want in San Diegos next police chief? (Sept. 23): As a participant in one of the San Diego police chief search community forums, I appreciate the limited opportunity to provide input during this selection process.

We cannot, however, mistake this public relations outreach as a replacement for true, meaningful citizen input.

The mayor and City Council should commit to making the entire selection process open, starting with revealing members of the selection panel and the criteria they will be using.

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Our elected officials need to demonstrate to the next police chief how to be open and transparent by doing this now. Otherwise, the next chief will get the message loud and clear  appearances mean more than real engagement.

Kristina Heinz

North Park

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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.

Follow @UTLetters on Twitter and UTOpinion on Facebook.
The music world is reeling after that the deadliest mass shooting in modern American history took place Sunday night at a country music festival in Las Vegas, leaving at least 58 dead and more than 500 other fans injured.

The shooting at the Route 91 Harvest Festival is the third major attack on a big music event in the past three years. As of Monday, authorities had not yet identified a motive for the attack.

But the shooting comes just more than four months after a bombing killed 22 people at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester, England on May 22. It also follows a shooting at the Le Bataclan venue in Paris in 2015 where 130 people were killed at an Eagles of Death Metal concert.

A community which has so recently taken on the responsibility of raising funds for hurricane relief and promoting unity after the deadly white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, is in mourning again.

It hurts my heart that this would happen to anyone who was just coming out to enjoy what should have been a fun night, said Jason Aldean, who was on stage when the shooting started.

The sold out festival had a lineup that included country stars like Eric Church, Sam Hunt, Maren Morris and Big & Rich. Josh Abbott, Chris Young and Jake Owen described what it was like to be there during the shooting.

Brothers Osborne, who were also part of the festival, and others in the music world voiced frustration at the targeting of the sort of event that is meant to be a happy, carefree celebration of life.

So much love. So much joy. So much pure happiness floating thru the air. I know it might be hard but dont lose those feelings, said a tweet from brothers T.J. and John Osborne.

Rock and Roll should be a place free from this madness, tweeted Ryan Adams.

Grande, who returned to Manchester to play in a unity and fund-raising concert after the attack on her own concert, was one of many musicians who called for stronger gun control laws on Monday.

Caleb Keeter, who plays guitar for the Josh Abbott Band, said on Twitter that the shooting changed his mind about gun rights.

Ive been a proponent of the Second Amendment my entire life, he wrote. Until the events of last night.

Others from across the industry shared their condolences or pledged  like rapper Nicki Minaj after the Manchester attack  to continue as performers without fear.

I think its our duty as entertainers out here in the world to stand up [to] this sort of thing, Owens told CBS News. They cant keep us down... because I think part of being entertainers is bringing happiness to people.

Dozens of musicians took to social media to send messages of support to fans and victims of the Vegas attack, including Manchesters own Liam Gallagher.

For ongoing updates from Las Vegas, check out the Los Angeles Times live blog here.

Email: abby.hamblin@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @abbyhamblin

ALSO

Las Vegas shooting: Gunman's brother says, 'We don't understand.... This is like he shot us.'

Las Vegas shooting: Democrats demand gun legislation, Republicans praise first responders

President Donald Trump calls Las Vegas shooting 'act of pure evil'
President Donald Trump arrived in Puerto Rico on Tuesday to see firsthand what hes been tweeting about from afar for days as the island and its people have begun a massive recovery effort after Hurricane Maria.

Days after San Juan Mayor Yulin Cruz said, Mr. Trump, I am begging you to take charge and save lives and accused a vague you of killing us with the inefficiency, the president met with military and government officials at Muniz Air National Guard Base in Carolina, Puerto Rico, for an update on the relief efforts.

RELATED: Puerto Rican mayor: 'We are dying, you are killing us with the inefficiency'

Trump had this exchange with Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rosello.

Trump: Every death is a horror, but if you look at a real catastrophe, like Katrina, and you look at the tremendous, hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of people that died, and you look at what happened here with really a storm that was just totally overpowering, nobody's sever seen anything like this. And what's your death count as of this moment? 17?

Gov. Ricardo: 16

Trump:   16 people versus in the thousands. You can be very proud.

On Sunday, in one example of the criticism the president has faced for his comments to date, Gen. Marty Dempsey, who served under President Barack Obama as the 18th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 2011 to 2015, tweeted that great leaders are motivated by results not reviews, accomplishments not accolades, humility not hubris.

But Trump took the moment on Tuesday to tout his administrations work.

"I've never seen people working so hard in my life, Trump said of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and other first responders.

You can read the White Houses transcript of his comments in Puerto Rico here.

He asked Jenniffer Gonzalez-Colon, who represents Puerto Rico in Congress, to give her own assessment at the National Guard base.

We got the federal government by our side, doing the job of the people here, like you in the military, doing all that has been asked, she said. All the questions and requests that the governor did, the president and his Cabinet accomplished it and send more people, and has continued to send in more people  trucks, drivers, and resources.

On Saturday, over the span of 11 hours, Trump tweeted 18 times about Puerto Rico, defending his administrations work and coordination with Puerto Rico and accusing news outlets and Cruz of misprepresenting the government response.

The island has made some progress since the Category 4 storm made land fall on Sept. 20, but struggled substantially in other areas. As of Tuesday, 74 percent of Puerto Ricos gas stations were back up and running, 65 percent of its supermarkets were back in action and telecommunication service had been re-established for 40 percent of the island.

But cell phone service was still spotty and more than 9,000 people are being considered refugees by Puerto Ricos local government. Flights to and from the island are also limited.

Gov. Ricardo says he fears millions of Puerto Ricans will be leaving the island for the U.S. mainland for good if sufficient aid doesnt arrive soon.

Youre going to get millions, creating a devastating demographic shift for us here in Puerto Rico, a brain drain, he said on Tuesday.

Trump said that the needed response funding has thrown our budget a little out of whack but that its fine.

Trump was immediately criticized by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York, for his comment about the budget.

Mr. President, enough. Stop blaming Puerto Rico for the storm that devastated their shore and roll up your sleeves and get the recovery on track. Thats your job as president.

Reporters on the ground noted that Cruz was in attendance, but was not acknowledged by Trump in his speech. He did shake her hand though.

Later, the president toured the island and meet with locals.

"Your governor and your mayor have done really a fantastic job," Trump said, according to Axios. "We're going to help you out. Have a good time."

He was also seen handing out, and throwing, supplies to people.

Check back for updates on more of what Trumps visit to Puerto Rico looked and sounded like.

Email: abby.hamblin@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @abbyhamblin
An offbeat character study of a newlywed actor who is ready to buckle down and climb the business ladder despite panic and anxiety.

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Though largely forgotten, Jeff Browns 1960s fiction in the Post employs dark humor and psychology in puzzling stories of human interaction. Incident on the Tenth Floor is his 1966 story about a former actor facing the alienating business world amidst pressures from his wifes wealthy parents. Jeff Browns short character study is representative of postmodern fiction of the 60s in its depiction of a stark corporate atmosphere at odds with a persons humanity. From a decade of Post stories from writers like Thomas Pynchon and Joyce Carol Oates, Incident on the Tenth Floor is an overlooked souvenir of an exciting time in fiction.

The lobby ceiling was made up of tricky lighting panels  one moment blue and orange, the next gold and red  and Arthur, waiting for an elevator, said to the pretty starter, I wish that ceiling would make up its mind. The girl smiled. A good omen, he thought. Small, but good.

On the tenth floor, in the reception room of Hugh T. Loeffler, Inc., a hawk-faced lady with no lips said that Mr. Loeffler would be free in a moment, please come this way. She led him down a long corridor and left him in a big office with windows that looked out over Fifth Avenue.

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He tried a cream-leather sofa, then moved to an armchair in front of the desk. The desk was a slab of white marble on wrought iron legs, bare except for a pipe rack, an onyx pen stand, a telephone with four buttons, and an intercom box. The walls werent very informative about Loeffler either  a few modern pictures, bold splashes of color on sheets of unframed glass; photo graphs of housing developments, shopping centers, and skyscrapers in various stages of completion. It was a cold room, Arthur thought, but there was no denying the sense of power and importance in the air. Gods office would be like this if He had lost interest in everything except commercial real estate.

Fifteen minutes went by, and he wished Loeffler would come and give him a job or not give him a job, just get it over with, either way. Then it struck him that he had been headed toward this interview for several years, ever since hed met Grace Dangerfield at Ann Tenneys cocktail party in the Village; it was silly to fret about a few more minutes now.

Come on, help me, Ann Tenney said. Please! Shes not having any fun at all! In a corner of the room, looking very out of place among the sweater-and-blue-jean types, stood a plump, well-dressed girl wearing heavy horn-rim glasses. Grace, this is Arthur! Ann shouted before she darted off. Hes an actor, or at least he would be if anybodyd give him a chance. Arthur, this is Grace. I went to school with her.

He did his best to make conversation, but the party was noisy and Grace offered only uneasy smiles and nods. He had begun to wonder if she was not quite bright, when she said suddenly, I guess Ann didnt tell you I was deaf. I have hearing aids, but they dont help much in crowds. You cant tune out what you dont want to hear, the way you can with ears. She said it not angrily, but with resignation, as if she were used to having to explain herself; he was touched by her manner, and charmed as well. When the party broke up, they had dinner together at a little Armenian restaurant down the street.

For several months his days had been particularly long and dull  making the rounds of agents and casting offices, from midafternoon till ten at night clerking in a bookstore on Eighth Street, after that sitting sleepily in a tiny hall bedroom trying to write  and it was comforting to be with someone who seemed interested in all his grievances and hopes. For almost an hour he explained them; then, over the baklava and coffee, he made her talk about herself.

She had been hard-of-hearing from birth. There had been three operations, two in New York when she was very young, another in Switzerland four years ago; that one had helped a little, but she still needed hearing aids  miniature batteries and transistors built into her glasses; that was why they had such heavy frames. She had had one job since she finished college a year ago, doing research for a news magazine, but it had lasted only a few months; working in a room with four other girls, she had not been able to hear well enough.

They went to a movie after dinner, and halfway through it, without turning toward him, she put her hand in his. Grace lived with her family in Connecticut; he saw her off from Grand Central after the movie. At the last minute, remembering that they had not arranged to meet again, he ran along the platform shouting, Whats your phone number? above the clatter of the train. She could not have heard him  no one could have heard him  but through the window he saw her pantomime dialing, then the searching of a heavy book. The telephone directory, he realized, and it pleased him enormously  though he was not sure why  that she had been able to read his lips.

Two months later, after he had seen Grace a dozen times, he met her parents. They had asked about him, she said, and wanted him to come to Stamford for dinner. Arthur knew by then that her father was a corporation lawyer and the senior partner in his firm, but the reality of Mr. Dangerfields success did not fully dawn on him until he saw the chauffeured limousine waiting at the Stamford station and, fifteen minutes later, the handsome house and grounds of the Dangerfield estate.

Mr. Dangerfield was tall, bald, and stern. Mrs. Dangerfield was slim and chic; she spoke with a throaty drawl, her lips scarcely moving, and several times, over dinner, Grace was forced to say, Im sorry. What? Whenever she did, her parents looked annoyed, and Arthur realized how very vulnerable Grace was; it was her habit to watch peoples lips, so she was bound to notice when their faces showed impatience or that they were saying things they did not mean.

Mr. Dangerfield took him into the library after dinner, lighted a cigar, and asked Arthur to talk about himself, about what he did, about his prospects. He listened quietly to an explanation of the difficulties of making a career as an actor, but when Arthur mentioned his interest in writing and his hopes for the play he had outlined in his mind and was almost ready to begin, Mr. Dangerfield said, Interesting. Thank you. Good Lord, its ten oclock! You must be anxious to get back to town.

Grace and her mother were waiting in the living room. Grace looked as if she were about to cry, and Mrs. Dangerfield looked embarrassed, but only goodnights were spoken. The chauffeur drove Arthur back to the station.

Early the next morning Grace telephoned.

They dont want me to see you anymore, she said. Id hate that, wouldnt you? He certainly would hate that, he said. Then she said, Do you love me, Arthur? I love you very much and I want to know, and he knew suddenly that he loved her more than he had ever loved anyone or anything in his whole life. Marveling, he said so into the telephone. Lets get married then, Grace said. Right away.

She picked him up in her car that afternoon, and they drove to Maryland.

A big man with a tanned, healthy face strode into the office. Hugh Loeffler. Sorry to keep you waiting, son.

Thats all right, Arthur said as they shook hands. How do you do, sir. Grace asked to be remembered to you.

Loeffler sat down behind the white marble desk, took a pipe from the rack and began to fill it, chuckling. Im not likely to forget Grace. Tyler Dangerfield and I got drunk together the night she was born  did you know that?

I knew you were old friends, Arthur said. But I didnt know that. Loeffler wore a gray suit, a pale-blue shirt, and a maroon tie. Face, suit, shirt, tie, pipe  they all went together, he thought. People like Loeffler were probably born at Abercrombie & Fitch and went back there to die.

Well, now, Loeffler said. Lets get to know each other a little, and then Ill try to figure out where a fellow like you might fit into a business like mine. Youve been an actor, Tyler tells me. Howd you get into that?

It was sort of a family thing, Arthur said. I dont really remember my father  he died when I was five  but he was a director, in radio. And my mother was  Oh, she was an actress, I guess youd say.

You guess?

She could do all kinds of tricks with her voice, and in radio she played kids mostly, or babies crying  things like that. In television, the only real break she had was a weekend show for children. She wore a clown outfit  you know, white makeup and all  and told stories. The Queen Koko Show. It lasted four years.

Never heard of it. Is she still  uh performing?

Arthur watched a puff of pipe smoke sail across the desk and spike itself on the fountain pen. Loefflers tone annoyed him; so did the little smile, and he decided to wipe the smile off.

Shes dead, he said. She killed herself. Thats all I can tell you about my family. I have some cousins in Ohio, but I havent seen them since I was a kid.

Loeffler blinked. I see. Well, Im sorry to have  Lets fill in some other parts of the picture, shall we? When did you   The intercom box said, Mr. Reeder, sir, and he pressed a button on his telephone and picked it up.

Dave? Those Cleveland half-wits are stalling, and Farnums on his way up here now! What are your latest figures? Listening, he made notes.

Part of a picture, Arthur thought. He wondered how hard Loeffler would have blinked if that first part had really been filled in.

There had always been some drinking, but it wasnt out of control until the last years of the Queen Koko show. Success should have steadied her, people said, not made her weak. They didnt know, as he did, that television terrified her as radio never had, that she hated to be seen, that she was embarrassed by the ludicrous makeup, by the lisping fairy tales she told. The last year, the year he started college at Columbia, she was almost always drunk. He had done what he could  cooked their meals, cleaned the apartment, put her to bed at night, escorted her to rehearsals and shows  but there was a limit to the protection he could give. One morning, on camera, with children clustered before her little throne, Queen Koko began to snore; when a child tugged at her clown costume, she rose, swayed, and struck the child in the face.

Old friends tried to help. She was called for a few bit parts that next year, but she was rarely sober, and at last every casting office in town had scratched her name.

She stayed home then, and hung on to him. Her Arthur. Her Arthur who would go on taking care of her, wouldnt he? Her baby who wouldnt leave her, whod stay with her always, wasnt that right, honey, please? For more than a year hed taken it, knowing that he was cutting too many classes and that the Army would get him if Columbia flunked him out, knowing too that at least the Army would be an excuse to get away. Then it happened, but even after he had been given a reporting date he did not tell her; each day, the telling was more than he could face. The night before he was to report he made no effort to keep the bottle away from her; when she passed out, he left a note under the empty bottle and went downtown to the terminal to wait for the Fort Dix bus.

Three weeks later he was summoned from an Oklahoma drill field into a chaplains office, and the chaplain told him what she had done. Arthur had seen it very clearly in his mind  the frowzy woman shuffling out into the little kitchen, sealing up the door and window cracks, turning on the stove; he had imagined even the faint, sickening smell of gas and the sound of weeping. The worst of it was that he pictured her dressed as Queen Koko, the chalk-white makeup and the floppy suit, and the weeping was the kind he remembered hearing when he was a kid, listening to her on the radio; he heard, not a grown woman, but a baby whimpering for someone to come.

. . . hell with that! Loeffler said. Tell him to knock off five percent or we dont go along. Let me know, Dave.

He hung up and lighted his pipe again. Lets see . . . You were talking about being an actor, I think.

I didnt actually decide on it until I got back to New York after my Army training, Arthur said. I didnt want to go back to college; I kept wondering what it would make sense to do. Then I thought: I still have some contacts in show business. Why not have a go at that?

Seems like a damn careless way to choose a career, Loeffler said.

I dont think most people really choose their careers, Arthur said. Things happen that they cant control; they get influenced by other people without realizing it. It gets decided for them, if you know what I mean.

Thats one way of looking at it, Loeffler said.

Well, anyhow, I got a few bit parts in television and some extra work in movies that were being made in New York, but that didnt bring in enough to live on, so I had all kinds of other jobs on the side. And in my spare time I tried to write. Ive always

What kind of writing?

There was a play I worked on for a long time, but I never finished it. And I wrote some poetry.

Loeffler frowned briefly. Probably, Arthur thought, he was the type who thought only fairies wrote poetry.

These on the side jobs, Loeffler said. What were they?

He wondered what difference it made. Night clerk at a West Side hotel for elderly Jewish couples, cashier at the Village Diner, clerking at an art supplies-and-prints shop on Lexington Avenue, all the other dreary short term occupations . . . It wasnt the jobs themselves that mattered; it was the feel of those years  the sense of being wasted, the fear that his whole life was going to be lived in cheap rooming houses, that tomorrow would always be a word without hope in it. But that feeling, he thought, wasnt something you could explain easily to Hugh T. Loeffler, Inc.

He ran down the list of jobs, simply naming them in the order they had come, and became aware that Loeffler was leaning back in his chair, studying him.

A moment passed, and he began to count all the things Loeffler did with his pipe: puffing, chewing the stem, tapping his teeth with it, rubbing the bowl with his thumb. Blow bubbles, he thought. Surprise me.

It must be a tough way to make a living, acting, Loeffler said. Even with all this crazy off-Broadway stuff they go in for now. My wife dragged me downtown a few weeks ago, some place up over an Italian restaurant; you could cut the cheese smell with a knife. The show was supposed to be artistic, according to the newspapers, but it was just two old colored ladies and a white man talking about race problems, and using words I didnt know you could say in public without getting arrested. You ever been in one of those off-Broadway things?

I had a small part in one, a flop, not long after Grace and I got married, Arthur said. It was a comedy, though. No race problems.

Not earning money  that must have been quite a worry after you got married?

Grace has a small income, he said. Added to whatever I bring in, its enough for us to squeak by. So  

I know about Graces money, Loeffler said.

You mean, did it bother me to have to depend on that? Arthur made himself smile. Its never been a problem. Not for us. We dont worry about what other people think.

I see, Loeffler said. So moneys not your problem. He knocked out his pipe, took another from the rack and began to fill it. Then what brings you here, son? What made you decide to go looking for a job in a business you dont know anything about? Think about that for a minute.

The marriage had begun well.

There was the sunny little apartment; there was the happiness of being with Grace; there was even, surprisingly soon, the comfort of knowing that he no longer stood between her and her parents. It seemed to dawn on the Dangerfields, after a few months, that he truly loved their daughter; a truce was arranged and they began, the four of them, to meet for dinner at least once a week. And there had been the off-Broadway play; flop or not, he had spoken lines on a New York stage. He had not been afraid, that first year, to look ahead.

It was all downhill after that. He made the rounds faithfully, but there were no parts, only a few auditions and one week as an extra in a television show. The months wore on; at last he quit making rounds and took a series of meaningless jobs again, anything to help fill the days  selling neckties at Bloomingdales during the Christmas season, answering telephones at a part time-maid agency, clerking again at the bookstore on Eighth Street, the one where he had been working when he first met Grace. On the days between jobs he took long walks up and down the East River Drive, watching the barges on the river, the children playing in the little concrete parks, trying not to let himself think about anything at all.

The dinners with Graces parents were more difficult to get through now. Mr. Dangerfield, though he meant well, would drone relentlessly on: The time had come for Arthur to be realistic, to accept responsibilities; there were people who might be helpful, and he had only to say the word Arthur would sit with his hands clenched, wanting to throw food, knives, forks in Mr. Dangerfields face; later, at home with Grace, he would wait eagerly for her to say it didnt matter, that she still had faith in him, that he need not be concerned for her.

But there were days when she would go for hours without wearing the glasses with the hearing aids, and not bothering to look at people when they spoke; it was as if she were trying to hide somehow within herself. And he knew that he too was changing, that his strength was crumbling steadily, bit by bit. One afternoon, walking by the river, he began to tremble suddenly and then to cry. Frightened, wondering what had made it happen, he stood looking out over the greasy water, averting his face from passersby until he could control himself.

It happened again a few days later, and this time he was in a restaurant with Grace, and there were people at the little tables all about them. When the trembling began he bolted for the washroom, but they had noticed; he could feel their eyes on him when he came out.

Later that night, unable to sleep, he was sitting by the bedroom window when a shapeless figure in a long overcoat went by in the silent street below. The man seemed real only as he passed through the little circles of light the street lamps made; in the darkness between the lamps he was just a blur, and when he rounded the corner it was hard to believe that he had ever been. I am not real either. There is nothing to show where I have been From the bed, as if the thought had reached her, Grace said softly, What can we do? Turning, he said, What? I thought you were asleep, and she said again, What can we do? She could not hear him, he realized, not without the hearing aids, and then he knew that she did not want to hear him, that she was lying there in the darkness wanting only to tell him that she was afraid. Please, she said. I dont know what to do

In the morning he telephoned Mr. Dangerfield. He was through being a fool, he said; he was ready now to look for a real job and would appreciate whatever Mr. Dangerfield could do.

You all right, son? There was impatience in Loefflers voice, and the puffs of pipe smoke were coming fast. He tried to think. What brought me here? I was about to flip, frankly. Pretty soon theyd have had to take me away in a net.

Im here, he said carefully, because Ive made a mess of my life, and I need a fresh start. I admit that.

Let me give you some advice, Loeffler said. Never crawl. Nobody likes a crawler.

Arthur made himself look at the tip of his right shoe, and keep looking at it. Ill give it to you straight. When your father-in-law and I had lunch the other day, he said he wasnt sure youd be any use to me at all. But he asked me anyhow, as an old friend, to take you on here.

It was just your lucky day, I guess. Loeffler drummed his fingers on the white-marble desk. It might interest you to know, he said slowly, that when Tyler Dangerfield talked to me about you and Grace, he cried. Ive known that man for forty years, but Ive never seen him do that before. Does that mean anything to you? Or do you want to be funny again?

Im sorry, Arthur said. I really am.

All right. Now let me give you a picture of just what this company does. The basis of our . . .

He felt slightly numb; it seemed impossible, ludicrous, that Mr. Dangerfield should have cried. Loeffler went on talking about the real-estate business, and he realized suddenly that very possibly Loeffler was going to offer him a job. He tried to listen, but the unfamiliar phrases  site appraisal, cooperative financing, lease-backs, syndication  muddled confusingly in his mind.

The intercom said, Mr. Farnum is here, Mr. Loeffler. In Mr. Hales office.

On my way, Loeffler said into the box, and stood up. At the door he turned. Back in ten minutes. If youre sure that you really want to buckle down, well find something for you to do.

The numbness was still there, but after a moment Arthur got up and began to wander aimlessly about the room. There was a little brass model of a skyscraper on a shelf in the corner; he examined that, and then the pipe Loeffler had left on the desk. Dunhill, not Abercrombie & Fitch. He went to the window, from which he could see down Fifth Avenue all the way to Forty-second Street, and up as far as the tangle of traffic before the Plaza Hotel. Well find something for you to do. . . I could empty ashtrays, he thought, and maybe polish the little skyscraper every day. The absurdity of it made him smile. The cars darted about in front of the Plaza, and he wondered why everybody didnt bump into everybody else. Turning from the window, he noticed a smudge on his hand and guessed that it had come from picking up Loeffiers pipe. He wiped it away, thinking about Mr. Dangerfield and Loeffler having lunch together, arranging Graces life and his. It was no use talking to people like them, no use at all.

A siren wailed suddenly in the street below, and the room seemed very quiet when the wailing died.

He took all the pipes out of the rack and snapped the stems, one after another. They each broke the same way; the little shaft on the end of the stem would break off and remain stuck in the bowl part with a few jagged points protruding. When he was through, he laid the stems out on the white-marble desk, and the bowls in another row above them. Then he left the office and walked down the corridor and through the reception room to the elevators.

There were four elevators, but none stopped and the wait seemed very long. He began to feel sorry for Loeffler, who probably had wanted to help somehow, and then he felt a rush of pity for Mr. Dangerfield, weeping in a restaurant out of concern for Grace. But it was Grace, he thought suddenly, that he should be worrying about now. She would be frightened when they told her. . .

An elevator arrived. Riding down, he decided that it would be better if he told her himself about what had happened this afternoon. He would begin by putting his arms around her and saying, I love you and I need you, not sounding the words, but shaping them so that she could read them on his lips. It might not help much, but it was all he could think of now to do.
Arlington, TX -- (SBWIRE) -- 10/03/2017 -- Murder Mystery Texas, a company known for putting on murder mystery productions, has announced that it will be holding one of its signature murder mystery dinners in San Antonio. The company stated that the event will be held on September 22, 2017, between the hours of 6:30 and 9:30 p.m. The event will take place at the Magianno's restaurant, located at 17603 I-H10, West San Antonio, TX, 78257.



Murder Mystery Texas went on to describe the dinner. The company stated that this event is being billed as "Murder, Meatballs, and Mystery." They explained that the cuisine will be Italian, and that ticket packages will include appetizers and a three-course, family style dinner, as well as gratuity. The company also said that this location offers a beautiful and accommodating space for murder mystery performances.



Murder Mystery Texas went on to describe a standard itinerary for a murder mystery dinner. The company stated that guests will arrive at the restaurant, meet their murder mystery host, and check in. They included details, saying that guests will receive a name tag, which they can fill in with a fake name, if they so choose. Murder Mystery Texas pointed out that, after check-in, guests are no longer required to tell the truth.



Murder Mystery Texas explains that, following check-in, guests will receive a letter with a series of instructions, as well as humorous ice-breakers for interrogating other guests. The company went on to state that the dining tables will be populated with suspicious guests and possible imposters. Murder Mystery Texas announced that, during the first course, a murder will take place, with more to follow as additional courses are brought out. It is up to the guests to figure out who committed the crimes, and guests will fill out answer forms with their best guess. Prizes are awarded to guests with the most accurate, or the funniest, answer forms.



https://www.facebook.com/mmysterytexas/



Murder Mystery Texas closed its announcement by providing some company information. Murder Mystery Texas performs murder mysteries in cities all over Texas, including Dallas, Fort Worth, Plano, Houston, Austin, and San Antonio.



Reviews can be read at https://www.google.com/maps/place/Keith+and+Margos+Murder+Mystery+Texas/@32.7795035,-96.8332172,12z/data=!4m17!1m11!4m10!1m3!2m2!1d-96.7642093!2d32.7793592!1m5!1m1!1s0x864e9896dc32894f:0xf8bcc6880cfead53!2m2!1d-96.763177!2d32.779523!3m4!1s0x864e9896dc32894f:0xf8bcc6880cfead53!8m2!3d32.779523!4d-96.763177.



Murder Mystery Texas also hosts a variety of other events, including public dinners, private parties, and even weekend getaways.



More information and posts can be seen at https://plus.google.com/114296662154229035113.



Contact:

Company: Murder Mystery Texas

Address: 6304 Innsbrooke Drive, Arlington, TX 76016

Phone: 972-263-5178

Website: www.murdermysterytexas.com
Damsin, a natural compound isolated from the South American medicinal plant Ambrosia arborescens, has been found to inhibit the growth of cancer stem cells, according to new research.

Cancer stem cells can be considered as the most dangerous type of cancer cells, as they appear to have an inherent resistance to the chemotherapeutic drugs used today, said Lund University Professor Stina Oredsson, corresponding author of the study, published in the journal PLoS ONE.

Our results can contribute to the development of new drugs against cancer stem cells but, unfortunately, it takes a long time to get from basic research to usable drugs.

Professor Oredsson and her colleagues from Lund University in Sweden and the University Major of San Andres in Bolivia studied the effect of damsin and its synthetic derivative called ambrosin on cancer stem cells in three different breast cancer cell lines.

Both damsin and ambrosin inhibit the growth and spread of cancer stem cells in breast cancer cell lines, Professor Oredsson said.

This is the first time that it has been successfully proven by research.

Even at low concentrations, the two substances inhibit the division and mobility of the cancer cells. This means that the tumor becomes smaller as cell proliferation decreases.

In the present study, we show that the actual number of cancer stem cells decreases, Professor Oredsson said.

This is basic research and the results are based on lab experiments involving cell cultures.

However, the results are a breakthrough in cancer research as it may be the first step towards effective treatment of cancer stem cells, i.e. the cells believed to cause metastases.

_____

W.S. Sotillo et al. 2017. Anti-cancer stem cell activity of a sesquiterpene lactone isolated from Ambrosia arborescens and of a synthetic derivative. PLoS ONE 12 (9): e0184304; doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0184304
WASHINGTON

We will never know why. We already know how, but we don't care about that. And we know, beyond the slightest doubt, that it will happen again.

There can be no rational motive for mass murder, which means that asking why Stephen Paddock turned the Las Vegas Strip into a killing zone is ultimately a futile exercise. He may have had nominal or imagined reasons for his homicidal anger. But nothing can really explain the decision to spray thousands of concert-goers with automatic weapons fire, killing at least 58 and injuring hundreds more.

The attack wasn't terrorism, authorities quickly said, as if this assessment somehow lessened the horror. Would someone please explain to me how that works? Are friends and family members of the dead supposed to feel one way if the murderer yells "God is great" in Arabic, and another way if he doesn't? What if the killer were to say those same words in English?

Investigators and reporters will now sift through Paddock's life for signs of chronic mental illness or sudden psychological deterioration. But what will that search tell us except the obvious? Of course Paddock was disturbed. Who in his right mind mows down innocent strangers at a country music festival?

But of the many people who are not in their right minds, which ones are violent enough to commit such a heinous act? There is no reliable way to tell. An announcement like "I'm about to explode" is hardly ever followed by actual detonation.

What we do know about Paddock, 64, is that he lived in the nearby town of Mesquite and often went to the Strip to gamble and attend country music shows. We also know, according to Clark County Sheriff Joseph Lombardo, that Paddock took more than 10 firearms to his room on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino.

So the "how" of this tragedy is simple: Our nation is flooded with guns, and the constitutionally protected right to "keep and bear arms"  established in the age of single-shot blunderbusses and muskets  has been deemed to include military-style semiautomatic rifles and other high-powered weapons.

Sound from cellphone videos taken during the Las Vegas massacre clearly indicates that Paddock was using a fully automatic rifle  meaning that squeezing and holding the trigger unleashed a long, continuous burst of gunfire. Such machine guns were supposedly outlawed in 1986, but there are two huge loopholes: In some states, it is legal to buy and sell machine guns that were made before 1986; and internet merchants sell kits that convert semiautomatic rifles into fully automatic killing machines.

No deer hunter or target-shooting enthusiast needs a weapon intended for war zones  a weapon designed and optimized for use by soldiers against enemy combatants. But if the Newtown, Connecticut, massacre of 6-year-olds and 7-year-olds didn't even lead to universal background checks for gun purchasers, let alone a ban on assault weapons, I don't see why anyone should believe things will be different this time around.

The Supreme Court has stated explicitly that reasonable gun-control measures are permissible under the Constitution. But can you imagine this Congress and this president doing the right thing? Neither can I. We'll need a different Congress and a different president to make progress.

But even if I could snap my fingers and change the law, there would still be an estimated 300 million guns in the United States  roughly one per person. Which means that the quotidian carnage would continue.

Assume Sunday was an average day. If the Las Vegas killings had not happened, nearly 100 people around the country would have been killed by firearms. About two-thirds of those deaths would have been suicides; nearly all the rest, homicides  about 12,000 a year. We have become emotionally and intellectually numb to this appalling toll.

A mass shooting or a terrorist rampage, on the other hand, rivets the nation. Television networks shift into continuous "breaking news" coverage. Newspapers rush to profile the shooter, then the victims. The president makes a statement expressing the nation's grief. Gun-rights advocates pre-emptively declare that this is not the time to talk about gun control, accusing anyone who does of politicizing tragedy. Gun-control proponents ask: If not now, then when? Everyone agrees we should do something about mental health, but we end up doing nothing. A long series of sad funerals ends the ritual.

We go back to our routines as if there won't be a next time. But there will. And we all know it.
. To do so, first type the original number into the text box. Then click on the "Scientific Notation" option located at the top of the floating window. Finally, click on the "Standard" button found beneath the text box to display your result. This program is useful for scientists and engineers working with decimal-based numbers. It provides easy access to those who need to convert those numbers into more compact forms without having to do heavy math calculations first.

Scientific notation is a way to express very large or very small numbers. It is used in physics, chemistry and other fields where large numbers are common. Those numbers are written as a power of 10 followed by a number with an exponent. For example, 1,000,000 (one million) is written as 1  103. The exponent shows how many zeros are after the first digit. For example, 1,000,001 is written as 1  102. Scientific notation is a useful tool for making calculations easier. You can use it to write down very big or very small numbers in one step instead of writing out both the large and small numbers separately. You can also use it to express large or small numbers in terms of other units like centimeters or millimeters.

Scientific notation solver is an online tool that can be used to convert any number into scientific notation. Simply enter any number to the left of the decimal point and it will automatically convert it into a scientific notation equivalent. This web tool can be very helpful when you need to convert a large number into scientific notation. However, please note that this online tool can only convert numbers that are in scientific format. For example, it cannot convert a non-scientific number like "1,085" into a scientific notation equivalent. It is also important to keep in mind that this web tool only works when converting numbers from one particular format to another. For example, if you want to change a non-scientific number like "1,085" into standard format, then you will have to use another online tool like NumberFormatting.com.
CHICAGO - While Illinois Republican Governor Bruce Rauner heads in the direction of making abortions easier to obtain and cost little or nothing for low income women in Illinois, President Donald Trump and the U.S. House is heading in the opposite direction.

Governor Rauner and Illinois Democrats passed into law legislation requiring state taxpayers to fund abortions with no restrictions as to how far the pregnancy is along or any other reason.

The U.S. House is moving along H.R. 36, the "Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act."

Monday, President Trump congratulated the U.S. House for pushing forward legislation the will ban abortions on unborn babies 20 or more weeks along.
Issued Friday, the warning states that over the past several months, 'numerous US Embassy Havana employees have been targeted in specific attacks,' with these employees suffering 'significant injuries' that include 'ear complaints and hearing loss, dizziness, headache, fatigue, cognitive issues and difficulty sleeping.'

Numerous investigations, including by the FBI, have been unable to determine the cause or the perpetrator. Today, an Associated Press report claimed the attacks were made on the United States' spy network in Cuba but gave no indication who's behind them.

Meanwhile, Carnival Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean International and Norwegian Cruise Line all said their Havana sailings are going ahead.

'The safety and security of our guests and crew is always our first priority,' Norwegian said in a statement that added: 'There have been no reported incidents involving tourists or other cruise ship passengers. Reported incidents have been isolated to diplomats and government officials residing on the island. Our shore excursions and tour locations have been thoroughly evaluated and none are military-owned or operated. The visa-issuing process for our guests remains unchanged.'

A Royal Caribbean statement said: 'Since the warning is due to the events that occurred in US diplomatic residences and hotels frequented by US citizens, we do not feel they pose a risk to our cruise passengers. Our guests explore Havana on escorted tours and do not [stay in] hotels. We will continue to monitor the situation and will review any additional information that may be released.'

Carnival took a similar stance, adding: 'None of the more than 475,000 other Americans visiting Cuba this year have reported similar health issues related to their visits. We are closely monitoring and are in touch with US, as well as Cuban authorities, and will act accordingly if anything warrants a change in our plans.'

The so-called 'health attacks' appear aimed at driving a wedge between the US and Cuba, according to an expert on US-Cuba relations who still believes it's safe for Americans to visit the island.

'We have no ideal what is happening, never mind who is doing it or why,' said Collin Laverty, founder and president of Cuba Educational Travel. 'There's a lot of confusion. There's a lot of fear. In a place like Cuba that was involved in the Cold War, it's the perfect combination of confusing and scaring people because of the mystery and the history.'

Laverty said the facts show 'it's very, very clear they're isolated incidents only happening to small numbers of people, US and Canadian diplomats.' Up to 25 incidents were reported over a year and it's not certain everyone had symptoms pointing to a 'health attack,' he added.

Last year more than 4m travelers, including 625,000 Americans, visited Cuba with no reports of issues like those affecting the US officials. Laverty maintained even members of the diplomatic community see 'zero risk' to regular travelers.

'It's pretty clear this travel advisory is political. It's not based on fact,' Laverty said, adding: 'Unfortunately, Cuba things are very political.'

The warning doesn't specify where incidents occurred, however news reports have identified one location as Havana's Hotel Capri.

Since there's an ongoing investigation, Laverty understands why places haven't been specified but noted that tens of thousands of Americans had stayed at that hotel, without problems, in the past year.

Cruise lines indicated they haven't received a substantial number of inquiries from passengers or travel agents about the Cuba warning so far.

Laverty's own company, Cuba Educational Travel, is hearing two types of comments: Some people have 'looked at the facts and realized [the warning] is political ... and have reached out to say they're more excited than ever to go because somebody's trying to mess up relations between the US and Cuba.'

Others seek clarification. With the US Embassy in Havana going to half staffing, some people have asked if their Cuban travel visas will be impacted. They aren't because those, of course, are issued by Cuba.

'Our team has done a good job of communicating,' Laverty said. 'We haven't had any cancellations.'

Laverty, who also consults cruise lines on market assessment, entry and operations, said operators are concerned about the implications of the travel warning though they 'continue to understand Cuba is incredibly safe.'

He predicts enough members of Congress and companies doing business with Cuba will press the administration to rescind the warning, 'hopefully within a matter of weeks or months.'

Laverty thinks it unlikely Cuba is behind the 'health attacks.'

'The Cuban government has publicly and privately been pushing to resolve this matter as soon as possible. We have no idea who's doing this, but there's zero upside for the Cuban people to be involved. Moreover, US officials have stated the technology used for this is beyond the capabilities of Cuba's government,' he said.
They were accompanied by delegates of the 172 Member States, representatives from various sectors of the international maritime industry, Ministers and Maritime Authorities of Asia, Africa, Europe and America.

It was a two-fold event, celebrating the World Maritime Day and the 100th anniversary of Panamas Ship Registry.

It was an academic and informative event in which the IMO and the first Ship Registry in the world, through prominent internationally renowned exhibitors develop important themes on international standards related to safety, maritime and marine protection, navigation and certification of seafarers.

The IMO assigns this distinction to countries with high potential and strongly committed to the implementation of international standards related to maritime safety and security, protection of the marine environment, navigation and certification of seafarers.

Panamas Minister of Maritime Affairs Jorge Barakat emphasised that Panama, as an IMO strategic ally, recognised the importance of maritime transport in achieving "free trade flow" and that the international decisions and regulations issued in this matter, have a direct impact on how much of the goods are distributed throughout the world, through ships, for the benefit of the final recipients, people; being loaded and unloaded precisely in the ports, so the synergy between these three elements is of utmost importance.

All the threats that affect the industry represent a danger for the very subsistence of humanity; therefore, Panama pays attention to problems such as pollution of the marine environment, climate change, global warming, acidification of the oceans and increasing its level, which must be treated with priority, said Barakat.

The World Maritime Day was established by the IMO Governing Council at its thirty-eighth session in 1978. Each year, through a different theme, it provides an opportunity to focus attention on the importance of global shipping and in other aspects that the organization wishes to highlight. Since 2005, an official Parallel Event has also been organized in a Member State.

The IMO is committed to helping achieve the goals of the Sustainable Development Goals. Maritime transport and ports can play an important role in helping to create conditions for increasing prosperity and stability through the promotion of maritime trade, reiterated secretary-general Lim.

Our motto of this year  Connecting Ships, Ports and People, emphasizes that the port and maritime sectors can be wealth creators both on land and at sea. For that trade to flow effectively, connections between ports, ships and people must be secure.

"Optimum and efficient port infrastructure, the development and strengthening of intermodal connections and nation-wide connections can boost and support the growing economy by promoting the maritime service. Here in Panama, I see that they are especially aware of this, of the benefits that investment in maritime infrastructure can bring to a country," concluded Lim.

The secretary general of the Latin American Agreement of Vina del Mar, Luis Alberto Arroz, added that the Vina del Mar Agreement will also hold the XXIV Meeting of the Committee and IX Meeting of Administrators of Information Centres and Technical Working Groups, for this we have the presence of Member States, who collaborate with the different Maritime Authorities, in order to coordinate effective supervision of foreign vessels visiting the ports of the region, in compliance with the current international agreements on safety and the environment.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia at the 10th Cooperative Forum in East Malaysia this week. The survey will also be supported by the Malacca Straits Council of Japan.

Continuing from phase one of the survey the second phase will cover areas of the Traffic Separation Scheme in the Straits that are lower than 30 m in depth. The data will be used to create large scale, up-to-date navigational charts of the Straits.

"The Joint Hydrographic Survey for the SOMS will allow navigational charts to be updated with the latest nautical information and help improve navigational safety in one of the world's most well-used waterways, said Andrew Tan, chief executive of the MPA.

One of the worlds busiest waterways the SOMS saw close to 84,000 vessel transits in 2016.
The local media reported that more than 700 people attended the meeting, including creditors and their representatives, management and staff of the shipyard, the legal and audit team, and the bankruptcy administrators.

In July, Dayang Shipbuilding applied to the local court to restructure its debts with the court approving its case and appointing an official assignee to administer the bankruptcy affairs.

The privately-owned shipyard has since ceased all operations but struggled to pay up the salaries owed to the yard workers.

Dayang Shipbuilding was once well-known for its inhouse proprietary design series, namely the Crown58 59,000-dwt supramax, Crown65 63,500-dwt ultramax, Crown121 121,000-dwt mini-capesize, and Crown MHI82 82,000-dwt bulk carrier jointly designed by Sinopacific and Japans Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI).

Apart from Dayang Shipbuilding, Sinopacific also shut down its Shanghai ship design department early last year.

Sinopacifics two other subsidiaries, Sinopacific Offshore & Engineering (SOE) and Zhejiang Shipyard, have also declared bankrupt and are undergoing restructuring.
Press Release

October 3, 2017 Sen. Leila M. de Lima's Statement on Sec. Aguirre's Filing of Case Against Sen. Hontiveros

Dispatch from Crame No. 173 Aguirre filing a personal case against Sen. Hontiveros with an office under his direct control and supervision shows the extent of the perversion of the justice system under the Duterte regime. The public prosecutor as hearing officer in the preliminary investigation of the criminal complaint is under the direct control and supervision of Aguirre as Secretary of Justice. In a true sense, Aguirre will be the judge of his own accusation against Sen. Hontiveros. This is justice now in the Philippines, Aguirre-style. In the first place, it was Aguirre who was caught - in plain public view during a televised Senate hearing no less - plotting against the Senator. Against all laws on anti-graft, ethics, and moral standards for public officers, Aguirre instructed former Cong. Paras to file trumped-up charges against the Senator, again, with his office. Even setting aside ethical standards, Aguirre's texted instruction to Paras was a blatant violation of R.A. No. 3019, or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, because Aguirre gave unwarranted advantage and preference to Paras, a private party, in the discharge of his official functions through manifest partiality and evident bad faith. Aguirre should be criminally charged before the Ombudsman, and this offense added to the list of criminal acts he is already accused of in the complaint I filed with the Ombudsman. Aguirre decries that his privacy was violated. The right to privacy does not extend to the cover-up of criminal conduct. Even if the text message displayed in large font on his cellphone in a public hall full of media cameras was private, its display in plain view in a public place does not make it inadmissible evidence. Definitely it is not covered under the Anti-Wiretapping Law, because conversations overheard without the use of devices but merely out of the carelessness and stupidity of the conversing parties, is not wiretapping. More so, criminal conduct that is overheard, or witnessed in plain view, as what Aguirre exhibited in the middle of a public hearing, must be reported so that the criminal conduct may be prosecuted, as Aguirre should now be proceeded against before the Ombudsman as a matter of course. Aguirre is not the victim here. He is the willing participant in a criminal enterprise. He is the principal by direct participation in the malicious persecution of Sen. Hontiveros by using all the power and influence of his official position as the Secretary of Justice. (Sounds familiar?) It is a blatant misuse and abuse of the powers of his office. This is the Secretary of Justice plotting the filing of trumped-up charges against a Senator, charges that he himself will pass upon by virtue of his official duties. And he was caught doing it in plain view of the public. This is no different from someone sniffing shabu inside his car in a parking lot and getting caught by the security guard. The shabu-sniffer cannot claim that his right to privacy was violated. Under this government, people get shot in the head for such public displays of criminal conduct. But that kind of justice is only for the powerless. For the powerful like Aguirre, they don't get a bullet in the head, and a cardboard saying "Abusadong Opisyal, Huwag Tularan".
Press Release

October 3, 2017 POE ENDORSES PASSAGE OF WHISTLEBLOWER'S PROTECTION ACT Sen. Grace Poe endorsed the immediate passage of the proposed Whistleblower's Protection Act to encourage more people to come out undeterred in the light of reports that cops involved in drug slays are seeking protection from the Church. "We encourage everyone to come out but we also have to have something in place to guarantee their safety. Napakahirap maging whistleblower dito at hindi pa nga natin naipapasa ang Whistleblowers Act," Poe told reporters in a chance interview on Tuesday, Oct. 3. Several measures are pending in the Senate seeking to protect whistleblowers by setting up a system of rewards and security to them and their families. Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas, president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, said there were police officers who want to turn whistleblowers asked protection from the Catholic Church. "I hope that the Whistleblowers Act will finally hurdle Congress para talagang may funding for witness protection at mayroon talagang proseso kung paano mapoprotektahan ang mga lalabas," Poe added. Poe said these cops cannot be blamed since they might be afraid to come out in the open and expose alleged irregularities and bear the brunt of retaliation of their superiors. "Di mo rin sila masisisi na hindi sila lumabas kasi natatakot [sila]," she said. She said claims of the policemen should first be validated. "It depends on what their testimony will be and if it can be proven na mayroon talaga kasi kahit sino pwedeng lumabas at magsabi na 'Hindi, inutusan kami.' Kailangan mapatunayan kung totoo nga yon na hindi naman sila nagde-destabilize lang. Yung mga pulis hindi naman iyan lalabas at isusugal ang kanilang kaligtasan at hanapbuhay kung hindi sila talagang nababagabag," said Poe. Poe earlier welcomed the "willingness" of policemen to speak out about their actual involvement in drug war campaign and lauded the Church in "opening its arms wide to provide sanctuary for them." She said she is looking forward that the initiative of the police will finally ferret out the truth and serve justice to the victims and their families.
Just after a barrage of shots were fired during Jason Aldeans headline concert at the Route 91 Harvest Festival in Las Vegas, an off-duty San Francisco police officer rushed to help victims  and in doing so, lost his wife.

Officer Vinnie Etcheber, who a police spokeswoman confirmed was at the show, was attending the country-western music festival with his wife, Stacee Rodrigues Etcheber, 50. The couple have been married for 13 years and have two young children. They will celebrate their wedding anniversary this month.
As a reeling nation raced to gather information on the worst mass shooting in modern U.S. history Sunday, false reports and hoaxes masquerading as reliable information quickly rose to fill the void.

The false stories that followed the attack on a country music festival in Las Vegas brought into stark focus how easily systems meant to combat online lies can still be fooled.

The falsehoods crept into prominent Google search results and Facebooks Crisis Response page  among them a post on anonymous message board 4chan that accused an innocent man of being a leftist militant and the mass murderer.

Police later named Stephen Paddock, 64, who was found dead in a hotel room at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, as the lone gunman responsible for shooting hundreds of concertgoers.

Google and Facebook removed stories and links naming the wrong man, but more false reports continued to be shared on social media.

Fake victims. Fake shooters. Fake grief. Fake facts.

Internet rumors and hoaxes have become a fixture of high-profile tragedies and disasters, but by allowing them, at least for a while, to stand alongside legitimate news stories, Facebook and Google granted them implicit credibility.

The companies on Monday blamed the results on algorithmic miscalculations  the result of relying on machines artificial intelligence.

Our Global Security Operations Center spotted these posts this morning and we have removed them, a Facebook spokesman wrote in an email. However, their removal was delayed, allowing them to be screen captured and circulated online. We are working to fix the issue that allowed this to happen in the first place and deeply regret the confusion this caused.

Facebook eliminated the jobs of human moderators dedicated to screening trending news stories last year. It has recently hired thousands of people to moderate video content and political ads.

Google said the 4chan allegations did not appear in search results when users typed general inquiries about the Las Vegas shooting but, rather, showed up in its Top Stories section when users searched the wrongly accused mans name.

Because the misidentified man had minimal search results associated with his name prior to the 4chan accusations, Googles algorithms took the sudden uptick in interest as a breaking story, triggering Googles Top Stories feature, which uses a mix of verified news stories and Internet posts.

Unfortunately, early this morning we were briefly surfacing an inaccurate 4chan website in our search results for a small number of queries, a Google spokeswoman wrote in an emailed statement. Within hours, the 4chan story was algorithmically replaced by relevant results. This should not have appeared for any queries, and well continue to make improvements to prevent this from happening in the future.

On Facebook and Twitter, where tweets claiming to be urgent messages about missing loved ones ran rampant, fake information can be even more difficult to discern as the posts mirror legitimate cries for help.

A Twitter spokeswoman on Monday pointed to a June blog post from Colin Crowell, Twitters vice president of public policy, government and philanthropy, when asked about the false tweets cropping up on the social network. In the post, Crowell passed the buck to journalists, experts and engaged citizens, who, he said, should be the ones to correct falsities.

Twitters open and real-time nature is a powerful antidote to the spreading of all types of false information. This is important because we cannot distinguish whether every single tweet from every person is truthful or not, Crowell wrote. We, as a company, should not be the arbiter of truth.

The Twitter spokeswoman added that the company was reviewing and removing content that violates our rules  both proactively and through (user) reports.

Facebook, Google, Twitter and other tech giants have for nearly a year resisted taking responsibility for the proliferation of false information online, in part, experts have speculated, to dodge regulation and government oversight.

Tech companies have instead announced moves to cut the flow of advertising dollars to fake-news websites, partnered with journalists and professional fact-checkers to check on trending stories and topics, and created features meant to help users discern what information is true and what is not.

It remains unclear what impact any of these efforts have had.

In April, Google released a report that stated 0.25 percent of its daily traffic returns have offensive or clearly misleading content, which is not what people are looking for.

Marissa Lang is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mlang@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Marissa_Jae
Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., offered this stark warning to Wells Fargo CEO Timothy Sloan on Tuesday during a hearing in Washington about the companys latest breaches of the public trust.

If were here again six months from now, it will not be good, he said.

Allow me to take it one step further. If the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs once again drags Sloan in to testify about why the San Francisco bank has found yet more scandal and fraud, then one of two things needs to happens: The company should fire Sloan, or the company should break itself up.

Maybe both. Because the status quo is not acceptable. About one year ago, then-CEO John Stumpf went before the same committee to apologize for the banks disclosure that employees created up to 2 million fraudulent accounts in the names of real people. His performance was widely panned, and Wells Fargo soon forced him to resign.

Tuesdays hearing had an air of deja vu. This time Sloan was reciting the mea culpas, but for new transgressions. As it turned out, employees actually created up to 3.5 million bad accounts, and sold auto insurance to consumers who didnt want or need the policies.

Fixing Wells Fargos scandals is like playing whack-a-mole: smack one down and another pops up. But that prompts us to ask whos most at fault: the leader or the company?

Lets start with the former.

The board should never have hired Sloan as CEO in the first place. In order to re-establish its credibility, Wells Fargo needed to hire an outsider with no baggage.

Sloan has plenty of baggage. The company pinned its problems on Stumpf, but Sloan was riding shotgun, having served as both chief financial officer and chief operating officer. To say Stumpf was responsible for the scandals but not Sloan demonstrates a corporate delusion.

You have been there for 30 years, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., said to Sloan at the hearing. The problem starts with leadership. These people should not be left in charge of the business.

In his year as CEO, Sloan has matched Stumpf in tone-deafness.

He continues to insist that the board conducted an independent investigation. But as I noted many times before, the law firm the board hired to assist in the investigation is the same law firm thats defending directors from a shareholder lawsuit. How can you possibly call that independent?

The company should fire the board of directors for failing to properly oversee the bank, said Richard Bove, a banking analyst with Vertical Group. But Sloan continues to refuse to assign any blame to the board, of which he is a member.

At the hearing, senators asked Sloan why Wells Fargo didnt take action as soon as the Los Angeles Times published a story detailing the account fraud in 2013. Sloan said the newspaper hadnt given him any documents or information.

Why is the media responsible for doing Sloans job? If Sloan wanted information, why not ask his own people?

At best, you were incompetent, Warren told Sloan. At worst, you were complicit. You need to be fired. Wells Fargo is not going to change with you around.

But Bove doubts that firing Sloan will make any difference. If Wells Fargo continues to confront scandals in the months ahead, then the problem is beyond any one person, he said.

No one can manage it, Bove said.

In other words, Wells Fargo has gotten too big, and should be broken up  not because of regulatory risk, the concern in the wake of the Great Recession, but because of ethical risk. Wells Fargo is proving too big to police.

During one exchange at the hearing, Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, asked Sloan why the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency should not revoke its national charter. Sloans instinctive answer was revealing: Because Wells Fargo serves 1 out of 3 people in America, he said.

Presumably, Sloan meant the bank helps a lot of people. But that also means when Wells Fargo screws up, it hurts a lot of people.

Wells Fargo cant have it both ways: an insider CEO in charge of a megabank mired in perpetual scandal.

Something has to give.

Thomas Lee is a San Francisco Chronicle columnist. Email: tlee@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ByTomLee
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Jury selection began Monday in the trial stemming from the killing of Kate Steinle on San Franciscos Pier 14, as prosecutors prepare to argue the shooting was murder and defense attorneys aim to prove it was an accident.

Steinles death at age 32 on July 1, 2105, ignited a national debate over immigration policies and sanctuary cities. The alleged shooter, Mexican citizen Jose Ines Garcia Zarate, was freed from San Francisco jail 2 months before the killing, even though federal immigration agents had sought to take custody of him and deport him for a sixth time.

But jurors will be focused on Zarates actions on the pier, not on the 54-year-old defendants immigration history or the citys sanctuary policies.

With at least 1,000 potential jurors summoned to San Francisco Superior Court, the focus Monday was on narrowing the field to those who could sit through a lengthy trial  not who could best decide the fate of Zarate, also known as Juan Francisco Lopez-Sanchez.

Potential jurors filled out questionnaires to identify any conflicts, logistical or moral. But voir dire, the process in which attorneys question people in the jury pool, is not expected to begin until Oct. 16.

Few San Francisco criminal trials have been as politically controversial as the Pier 14 case, which became a lightning rod for anti-immigrant rhetoric that helped President Trump win the election.

One challenge is finding jurors who can see past, or set aside, the immigration issues, and decide the case purely based on the law and on what happened on the waterfront.

Zarate had been on track for a sixth deportation when the shooting occurred, after serving 46 months in prison for felony re-entry into the country. He admitted to handling the gun that fired the round that struck Steinle in the back and pierced her heart as she strolled along the Embarcadero with her arm around her father.

The gun had been stolen from a U.S. Bureau of Land Management rangers car four days earlier in the city; Zarate, who was homeless, said he found the weapon wrapped in a T-shirt under a bench. The burglary remains unsolved.

Defense attorneys say the shooting was an accident, with the bullet ricocheting off the ground before striking Steinle. But prosecutors say he committed murder because he either aimed the gun at Steinle or recklessly fired the weapon in a crowded area.

Under the citys sanctuary policies, Zarate was released from the San Francisco jail before the shooting rather than being turned over to immigration agents. The case sparked a push against the policies that enabled his release, and in June, the House of Representatives passed Kates Law, legislation that would significantly boost punishment for people who repeatedly enter the U.S. illegally.

San Francisco has fought efforts to punish cities with sanctuary policies, saying the law makes the community safer and more equitable because immigrants feel comfortable taking part in society and working with authorities, including as witnesses to crimes.

Vivian Ho is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: vho@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @VivianHo
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Fans attending the free Hardly Strictly Bluegrass music festival in San Franciscos Golden Gate Park, as well as taking part in Fleet Week activities in the Marina this weekend can expect tighter security measures following the deadly attack at an outdoor country music festival in Las Vegas on Sunday night.

The San Francisco Police Department said the public can expect a more visible police presence  including officers on foot, motorcycle, horseback and in patrol cars  as a precaution.

As the city begins a week of special events, we want to reassure the public that we are working with our local and federal partners to provide a safe environment for everyone, SFPD said in a statement.

That proclamation came Monday afternoon following the Las Vegas festival shooting deemed the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history, with at least 59 people dead and more than 500 injured.

Now Playing: 59 dead, 400+ hospitalized in attack at Vegas music fest Video: San Antonio Express-News

The attack was reportedly carried out by Stephen Craig Paddock, a 64-year-old retiree from Mesquite, Nev. He was on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino when he rained heavy fire on a crowd of more 22,000 festivalgoers watching country music star Jason Aldean perform at the Route 91 Harvest Festival.

Aldean had recently performed at another Live Nation show at Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View on Saturday.

Mary Tilson, a stage host at this years Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, will be introducing bands to crowds during the three-day festival and said any performer taking a stage any time in the near future will likely have the horrifying event on their mind.

Ive been sitting here at work today, convincing myself that the probability (of another shooting) is low, said the Berkeley resident. The other thing I think about is, Wow, what if something happens? What do you do? I dont think theres any one of us who isnt thinking about this today.

Organizers of Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, which expects more than 500,000 attendees at the outdoor event featuring Randy Newman, Brandi Carlile and festival regular Emmylou Harris, among others, said safety of attendees is their top priority.

They did not release details about how and whether security plans are being changed, but the festivals technical director, Sheri Sternberg, emphasized that they are working closely with the city and county of San Francisco to make sure the most up-to-date protocols and procedures are in place.

Mayor Ed Lee urged a see something, say something approach to the weekend, adding that there are no known threats to San Francisco.

No one can ever guarantee zero risk, said Mark Herrera, director of education at the International Association of Venue Managers, a Texas-based firm that provides venue operators with innovative safety and security guidelines. With outdoor events, its a very unique environment.

Chronicle reporter Peter Hartlaub contributed to this story.

Aidin Vaziri is The San Francisco Chronicles pop music critic. Email: avaziri@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @MusicSF
Why has Charlie Chaplins final film, the graceful 1967 ship romance A Countess From Hong Kong, been so reviled?

For years, the obvious flaws and backstage drama of Countess, showing Sunday, Oct. 8, at Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive, have upstaged its sublimity. The negative opinions of Chaplin scholars like Eric L. Flom are typical: In his words, this featherweight comedy is supposedly about nothing and has little significance in discussion of Chaplin and his films. Their evidence is Chaplins overbaked dialogue and fake sets and an undeniably stiff Marlon Brando performance. As recently as this year, film historian Mark Harris conceded to general wisdom that Countess is indeed awful.

But Countess, which pushes its artifice like no other Chaplin film before it, actually provides a moving glimpse into the workings of Chaplins radically romantic mind. Here Chaplin moves beyond the goals of The Kid, City Lights, and even Monsieur Verdoux beautifully crafted films early in his career that aimed for aesthetic harmony. At this late stage in Chaplins life, Countess cannot be seen as a series of stagnant jokes. Like Jean Renoirs last film Le Petit Theatre (1970), Countess is like the artists deeply personal confessions in a diary, revealing Chaplins death wish: waltzing the night away.

Countess was the only time Chaplin directed established stars in lead roles. Brando, the face of the Hollywood Method, is both out of his element and perfect as an American ambassador who, while on a boat from Hong Kong to Hawaii, discovers a Russian royal stowaway and refugee (Sophia Loren) in his bedroom closet.

You could consider it a perverse, old-mans folly that Chaplin, then in his late 70s, declared Countess the best thing Ive done. But those willing to look deep into the glitches will find frighteningly sophisticated grace. Watching Countess, warts and all, with interested eyes will inspire the strange sensations Chaplin outlined in the opening questions of the films theme This is My Song: Why is my heart so light? Why are the stars so bright?

In Countess, Chaplins id runs rampant, replaying moments from across his career. Loren and Brando are female and male extensions of Chaplin: a reviled immigrant without a home, and a hounded, self-serving star for peace. Easygoing Loren (who got along with Chaplin more than Brando did) acts at a wider angle than the acute Brando, who, like his character, is sullen, self-important, disinterested in the scene. He is starchy and overworked, she more relaxed, their Russian-dolls postures along a proscenium arch recalling the zany stock types of Chaplins 1910s slapsticks.

Bodily functions such as Brandos burping fits are finally acknowledged in Chaplins mannered cinema, but politeness is never far behind. A soft, honest moment: When Brando needs to relieve himself in his bedroom toilet, he turns up the volume on Lorens bedside radio so that she doesnt have to hear the noise.

Just because Chaplin goes uber-sentimental doesnt mean he loses the political edge of Monsieur Verdoux (1947) or Modern Times (1936). Rather, his politics are subsumed into the romance of Loren and Brando; their unlikely, perhaps fleeting success is the worlds. Loren plays a countess, but she is also, crucially, a refugee, a displaced wanderer. A prostitute, a princess, a fake royal wife (to Brandos butler and lawyer, but not Brando), a showboater and freeloader, Loren struggles to be herself until the very end. What some may view as repetitious and unfunny (the hunted countess always scrambling to return to the closet when she hears a harsh buzzing doorbell) is a stunningly subtle way of showing the Loren immigrants wantedness, her inability to live without threat of deportation from the boat.

Everyone in Countess just wants to dance. Its not an obvious film to call a meditation on death, but the final tango seems the kind of haunting scene a director could only earn at the end of her life. Countess, like its characters, like life, is variable: light, airy, serious, sometimes comic, sometimes not, and devastatingly precarious in its depiction of security.

Chaplins Countess is not a film meant to be viewed in 100 minutes, but across 100 years  more or less, the length of a life. The best thing Ive done. Sound perverse? Maybe in the future, it wont.

Carlos Valladares is a Bay Area freelance writer. Follow him on Twitter (@cvalladares0896) and Letterboxd (cvall96).

A Countess From Hong Kong: In 35mm. 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 8. $7-$12. Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive, 2155 Center St., Berkeley. (510) 642-0808. www.bampfa.org
The Mountain Between Us is the story of a man and woman stranded in the snowy mountains following a plane crash. Its freezing out there and looks it. Theres panic and boredom and a sense of hopelessness, and you can almost feel all of it. Watching this movie is practically like being there.

So thats the achievement of The Mountain Between Us. Its also the problem. Do you want to be stuck in the freezing cold, without much hope of rescue? Probably not. But how does the prospect sound of watching fictional characters in the same predicament? OK, well, that might have possibilities, so long as the situation were exciting, not just agonizing and bleak; and if the interaction of the characters were so compelling that the movie began to seem more like a story about these particular individuals and not just their situation.

Ultimately, The Mountain Between Us tries to pull the audiences interest in a relationship direction. Its a difficult task, despite two charismatic leads, Idris Elba and Kate Winslet. Winslet is Alex, a photojournalist on the way home from a photo shoot, and Elba is Ben, a neurosurgeon traveling across the country to perform an operation. Both need to get to Denver, but their commercial flights have been delayed, and so Alex approaches Ben  to this point a stranger  and asks him to go half with her in chartering a small plane.

The charter pilot, played by Beau Bridges, turns out to be a breezy, confident older fellow, so breezy he doesnt bother to register a flight plan, and so old that . . . well, put it this way: If the Academy had a category for best simulated stroke while flying a small plane, Bridges would be a shoo-in for the Oscar.

The plane crash interrupts the characters projected story lines, which are agreeable, albeit separate. So that when Alex and Ben find themselves stranded in the snow, its not just disappointing for them, but for the audience as well. They know they have an ordeal ahead, but we know something, too, and thats that virtually nothing can happen for the rest of the movie until theyre rescued. We also know, with a certain grim inevitability, that in this type of movie, rescues take a long time to arrive.

From then on, its just a story about two people trying to stay alive, although the movie would have us experience The Mountain Between Us as something else, as a story about two people getting to know each other  and coming into a deeper understanding of themselves  as a result of this crisis. The only problem with that is that the audience doesnt quite receive the events of the movie as a crisis, but rather as a calamity, which shoves aside all other considerations besides survival.

In pushing for emotional effects, the film ends up flirting with sentimentality. Thats not good in itself; but even worse, it provides something of a sappy frame for the scenes of physical hardship, such that some moments that are supposed to seem harrowing actually end up unintentionally funny  kind of like a piano falling on Oliver Hardy.

Still, this is Idris Elba and Kate Winslet, and if you give them something, anything, to work with, theyll come back with something human, fleshed out and worthwhile. In the case of The Mountain Between Us, we end up liking the characters very much, and caring about them, even if we simultaneously are not remotely in love with the movie. Its also worth noting that, unlike most films, The Mountain Between Us finishes strong, with the films best stretch coming in the last 20 minutes.

Mick LaSalle is The San Francisco Chronicles movie critic. Email: mlasalle@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @MickLaSalle

The Mountain Between Us

Drama. Starring Idris Elba and Kate Winslet. Directed by Hany Abu-Assad. (PG-13. 103 minutes.)
One of the questions I get asked the most about The Chronicle and journalism in general is how we find stories.

Theres a simple answer. Our sources.

Without knowledgeable people pointing our reporters in the right direction, we wouldnt have begun our investigation into how vulnerable children are criminalized in foster care shelters around the state. We wouldnt have been able to report about the sinking Millennium Tower or break the news that the private street of some very rich San Francisco residents was sold to a South Bay couple because of unpaid taxes .

BART would probably still have fake and nonfunctioning security cameras had a source not told us about them. We wouldnt have been able to tell the world about the Trump administrations numerous efforts to limit work visas, particularly those prized by Bay Area tech companies.

Sources are key to making sure the truth comes out of hiding. Government bureaucracies are vast places that can swallow vital information without people willing to bring it to light.

Lately, a national debate has swirled around leakers. Some politicians and longtime bureaucrats would have you believe these people are un-American and disloyal, even if the information they share is not classified and otherwise available to the public. Last month, the Associated Press reported that U.S. Environmental Protection Agency employees  very few of whom ever come close to classified information  were forced to undergo anti-leak training classes. How do we know that? Well, someone leaked it.

It should disturb all of us that a growing obsession with controlling the publics access to information has extended to those who might point journalists to public, but not widely shared, documents.

So The Chronicle, like many other news outlets, has responded with more sophisticated methods of newsgathering. We need to keep these lines of communication open and also safe for potential sources who would like to share what they know about how our government is behaving.

The Chronicle is now participating in SecureDrop, an open-source whistle-blower submission system managed by the Freedom of the Press Foundation. SecureDrop can be accessed only through Tor, a special Internet browser that routes traffic through various servers, making it difficult to trace a users activity. This isnt for everyone, but for those sources who want to communicate with us this way, now they can. Sources can also reach The Chronicle using encrypted email or Signal, a free app that lets users send encrypted text messages and make encrypted voice calls. Postal mail is popular, too, and there are also safe ways to use that.

None of these new tools erases our journalistic duty to make sure the information we report is accurate and newsworthy. At The Chronicle, we have long experience dealing with sources  practices that have been refined over decades. Also in our favor are several laws that provide extensive protections for journalists who promise to keep the confidentiality of sources, if and when we choose to grant such anonymity.

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.

Our journalists know how to get to the truth. But we need your help.

For more information on how to contact us, go to https://projects.sfchronicle.com/newstips/.

Audrey Cooper is editor in chief of The San Francisco Chronicle. Email: acooper@sfchronicle.com @audreycoopersf
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My phone rang the other day, and the caller had a real man-bites-dog story  the unusual event journalists relish.

You said in your column you wanted to know if there was anybody living in San Francisco who supports President Trump, said a womans voice. Well I am, and I do. What do you want to know?

I like bluntness, and I immediately liked Vicky Berol, a Cow Hollow resident who when asked her age, said past maturity. The retired insurance broker and I got to talking, and she had many reasons for supporting the president whom I despise.

I like that he is not a politician  thats No. 1, she said. I like that he is a successful businessman. I like that he is more of a bulldog than a pussycat, which appealed to me because I knew he would be taken through the wringer.

She likes his stances on curbing illegal immigration, renegotiating trade agreements and invigorating the coal industry. And she adores his lovely family. I disagreed with a lot of what she said. (Lovely is one of the last adjectives Id use to describe Donald Trump Jr. or Jared Kushner.) But unlike Trump, Berol sounded well-spoken, clever and like shed be fun to pass time with over a glass of wine.

In far-left San Francisco, we tend to assume all of our neighbors think like we do, vote like we do and hate Trump like we do. But even in this liberal land of political correctness and rainbow flags, 37,688 city residents voted for Trump in November  thats 9.23 percent of all those who cast a vote. And many of them dont regret it.

A few weeks ago, I had a line in a column about immigration that read, Who in San Francisco isnt against President Trump? (If you live in the city and support him, I want to know. Really.) It was the kind of snarky, throw-away line loyal readers know I enjoy, and I didnt think much of it.

But readers sure did. A couple dozen called or e-mailed to say they live here and support Trump. Though many liberals are quick to dismiss Trump supporters as racist, sexist buffoons not worthy of actually engaging in a dialogue, I figured it couldnt hurt to actually hear them out. Especially those with whom we share our beloved city.

A map using precinct-level data from the Department of Elections shows that Trump voters reside in every district, though theyre concentrated in the Marina, the Financial District, Sea Cliff, the Richmond, the Sunset, St. Francis Wood and the Lake Merced area.

Many Trump supporters didnt want their names attached, as if they were copping to committing some kind of crime.

The name has to stay out of it, said a man in hushed tones on my voice mail. Its very necessary as I am applying for a job.

Another man wouldnt go on the record, he said, because whenever hes had conservative-leaning letters to the editor printed in The Chronicle, he has gotten nasty phone calls.

They call me racist, an hole, say why am I living here, get out of here, I know your address, he said.

A woman named Bev said on my voice mail, I am for him 100 percent, and there are a lot of people like me in San Francisco. Were not all over-the-top, lockstep liberals.

According to my totally unscientific, very small sampling, Trump supporters in San Francisco appear to be older, mostly white and natives of the city, or at least old-timers who lived here long before the city became associated with Burning Man, electric vehicles and avocado toast.

The small sampling also showed theyre not wild about Trumps bullying or poor Twitter behavior, but theyre even less wild about Hillary Clinton, the Democratic Party and, yes, the news media. And they blame the latter two for pounding away at Trump for every perceived misstep.

I think theyre showing their ignorance. Theyre acting like spoiled 5-year-olds who just had a toy taken away from them, screaming, said Howard Epstein, 70, a Trump supporter who lives in the Richmond, of liberals post-election.

Epstein, a retired small-business owner, is the spokesman for the San Francisco Republican Party. Yes, there is such a thing. Epstein has lived in the city since he was born, and he said its not easy being a Republican here.

Shortly after the election, he was in line for coffee and overheard two women in front of him chatting about politics. One woman asked the other, Why do you think anybody would vote for Donald Trump?

Epstein said he couldnt help but interject, Because hell do a better job. (Mansplaining in a coffee line  gotta love it.) He said the woman then countered, Youre a white man and went on to inform him that he has a particular piece of anatomy that she doesnt so he wouldnt understand.

In situations like that, now I kind of shut up, he said. The last decade, decade and a half, the city has made a very, very hard left turn. And its not working out. You look at the housing prices, you look at the city budget, you look at all kinds of things, and its not working well.

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I agree a lot in San Francisco isnt working well, but its functioning a whole lot better than Washington, D.C.

Mike McNulty, 56, is a registered Libertarian who lives in Ingleside Terraces and voted for Trump. He said government, from the local level to the national, isnt working, and pointed as an example to the citys homeless problem not getting any better despite $305 million in annual spending.

I think theres a troubling aspect to the status quo, and some of us just said, Well, maybe something different would be good. Maybe we need to shake things up a bit. Theres a certain corruption built into the system, and Trumps tipping it on its head a little bit, he said.

As for Vicky Berol, she said she and her husband are proud to be Republicans and proud to be Trump supporters. And she wont stay quiet about it  not even in San Francisco.

Theres no reason for me to keep my mouth shut, she said. I havent committed a crime.

Most of her friends here, naturally, are Democrats who voted for Clinton. She talks to some of them about politics, but avoids it with others. She said she endured eight years of President Obama just fine, and Democrats fretting over Trump should get some perspective.

Were over 200 years old, she said of the country. Four years is nothing.

Sure seems like an eternity, though. Doesnt it?

San Francisco Chronicle columnist Heather Knight appears Sundays and Tuesdays. Email: hknight@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @hknightsf
President Donald Trump arrived in Puerto Rico on Tuesday as the territory struggled to recover from Hurricane Maria, which has left nearly all the island without power and most residents without water nearly two weeks later.

But Trump's focus was on the "unbelievable" and "incredible" job that his administration has done so far. He repeatedly played down the destruction to the island, telling local officials they should feel "very proud" they haven't lost hundreds of lives like in "a real catastrophe" like Hurricane Katrina along the Gulf Coast in 2005. But he also complained that the small territory's disaster threw the nation's budget "a little out of whack."

At one brief stop at a church, Trump told the gathering that they no longer needed flashlights, and he tossed rolls of paper towels into the crowd as if they were basketballs. He took a helicopter tour, visited a ship, posed for selfies - and then left an hour earlier than scheduled.

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The whirlwind, four-hour visit came amid accusations that the Trump administration did not act quickly enough to help Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands after Maria - and that the president paid less attention to the territories than to Texas after Hurricane Harvey and Florida after Hurricane Irma. Trump and his aides have responded by attacking critics and seeking to discount news coverage of Maria's desperate aftermath.

In an interview with Fox News later Tuesday, Trump said that Puerto Rico's large debt - the island territory filed for bankruptcy earlier this year and facing $72 billion in debt - will need to be wiped away.

"They owe a lot of money to your friends on Wall Street, and we're going to have to wipe that out," the president said. "You're going to say goodbye to that. I don't know if it's Goldman Sachs but whoever it is you can wave goodbye to that."

Trump was upbeat and, at times, playful during the visit, often sounding more like an athletic coach congratulating his team after a winning season than a president addressing American citizens at a moment of crisis.

Soon after arriving, he turned what was supposed to be a private briefing on relief efforts into a televised pep talk, praising members of his administration and the military for their long hours responding to several hurricanes over the past 43 days. He uttered "great" 10 times and used "incredible" and "amazing" seven times each.

At one point, Trump asked the island's representative to Congress, Jenniffer Gonzalez-Colon, to repeat some of the "nice things" she had said in televised interviews.

"It's not about me, it's about these incredible people," the president said. "I've never seen people working so hard in my life."

Gonzalez-Colon, a Republican, responded with compliments. "All the questions and requests that the governor did, the president and his Cabinet accomplished it and sent more people," she said. "Thank you, Mr. President, for all you've been doing for the island."

Trump smiled and said: "Well, I want to thank you because you were really generous. And I saw those comments, and everybody saw those comments, and we really appreciate it."

Although the administration took a flurry of actions after Maria first hit Sept. 20, the president and his top aides then effectively went dark for four days as he decamped for a long weekend at his private club in Bedminster, New Jersey. After San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz pleaded last week for the federal government to "save us from dying," Trump accused her on Twitter of having "poor leadership ability." In another tweet, he said the island's residents "want everything to be done for them when it should be a community effort."

As Trump left the White House on Tuesday morning, he suggested that Cruz had "come back a long way" from her criticism and that "it's now acknowledged what a great job we've done."

Hours later, Cruz was among the local officials to attend a briefing with Trump in San Juan. The two briefly spoke, but Trump did not mention her in his remarks. She did not join the crowd in applauding him, instead keeping her hands clasped.

"I've been to Puerto Rico many times . . . and I've always loved it," he said in his opening remarks. "And your weather is second to none, but every once in a while you get hit. And you really got hit - there's no question about it."

Trump gave shout-outs to "all of my people" in the room and to Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rossello, who Trump said has been "appreciating what we did."

"Right from the beginning, this governor did not play politics," Trump said. "He didn't play it at all. He was saying it like it was, and he was giving us the highest grades."

Soon Trump was back to recognizing members of his administration who came along on the trip.

"And Mick Mulvaney is here - right there - and Mick is in charge of a thing called 'budget,' " the president said, referring to the Office of Management and Budget. "Now, I hate to tell you, Puerto Rico, but you've thrown our budget a little out of whack because we've spent a lot of money on Puerto Rico, and that's fine. We've saved a lot of lives."

The president continued: "Every death is a horror. But if you look at a real catastrophe like Katrina, and you look at the tremendous hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of people that died, and you look at what happened here with, really, a storm that was just totally overpowering - nobody has ever seen anything like this. What is your death count, as of this moment - 17?"

Rossello responded: "Sixteen certified."

"Sixteen people certified," Trump said. "Sixteen people versus in the thousands. You can be very proud of all of your people, all of our people working together. Sixteen versus literally thousands of people. You can be very proud."

After Trump left, the governor announced that the official death toll had more than doubled, to 34.

The Katrina comments immediately struck many as callous.

"A president should never minimize a single human life," said Douglas Brinkley, a presidential historian and professor at Rice University who wrote a book about Hurricane Katrina, whose death toll was about 1,800. "It is never good to make that sort of historical comparison when you're talking about people."

Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., also said the president never complained about the costs imposed by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. "Stop blaming Puerto Rico for the storm that devastated their shores," he said.

Kathleen Blanco, a Democrat who was governor of Louisiana during Katrina, said Trump should have taken a more sympathetic approach in visiting the island soon after the hurricane.

"When people are in pain because of a disaster, leaders need to acknowledge that pain," she said. "Don't take it personally. It's not personal, it's pain. Acknowledge the pain, but try to get the resources there. Enough with the insults, on both sides."

Cruz, meanwhile, appeared on MSNBC after the president had left, lambasting him for "throwing paper towels and throwing provisions at people."

"He was insulting to the people of Puerto Rico," she said. "He's sort of like miscommunication in chief. You don't go to another place when people are in peril and are suffering and you just kind of hover around in a helicopter without having some kind words to say."

But Jason Miller, a former campaign official who worked on the president's transition team, commended Trump's approach to the visit.

"I think there's something to be said for a commander in chief who can both connect with people emotionally when they need support, and who also knows when folks are looking for encouragement and upbeat positivity, when so many of the images around them are so difficult," Miller said. "For a trip like today it's important . . . to be both the proverbial shoulder for people to lean on but also to give that sense of optimism that the rest of the country is going to be there to help Puerto Rico rebuild the island."

Trump spent most of his time in and near San Juan, Puerto Rico's capital and largest city, where recovery is much further along. As his motorcade sped toward the municipality of Guaynabo, he passed broken highway dividers, hundreds of downed trees and small pockets of locals taking photos, including one woman who held a sign that read: "You are a bad hombre."

The area is among the wealthiest and safest places that Trump could have visited and suffered less damage than poorer communities nearby. As Trump and his wife walked through one neighborhood, several families asked to have their photos taken with the couple. As he finished talking with one family, he told them: "Have a good time."

Trump stopped by an evangelical church popular with mainland Americans who have moved to Puerto Rico or who have pro-Republican leanings. The group that gathered there shouted that they loved him and held signs that read: "Proud Americans," "Let's Make Puerto Rico Great Again" and "God bless You, Mr. President."

Trump stood behind a table filled with relief supplies, including flashlights, rice and paper towels. He threw rolls into the crowd and, glancing at a pile of solar-powered flashlights, said: "Flashlights, you don't need 'em anymore." An estimated 95 percent of the island remains without electricity.

Trump then hopped in a helicopter for a quick ride to the USS Kearsarge, where he had a private briefing with military officers and the governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Soon, Trump and his entourage were back on Air Force One, more than an hour ahead of schedule. At one point during the flight, Trump ventured back to the press cabin and deemed it "a great, great visit, really lovely."

When asked if he had heard any criticism, Trump replied: "Honestly, I heard none. They were so thankful for what we have done. I think it has been a great day. We only heard thank-yous from the people of Puerto Rico. They are great people, and it was really something that I enjoyed very much."

- - -

The Washington Post's Arelis R. Hernandez in Puerto Rico and Ed O'Keefe in Washington contributed to this report.

- - -

Video: President Trump defended his administration's response to the devastation in Puerto Rico as he prepared to leave for the island on Oct. 3. "She's come back a long way," President Trump said of his feud with San Jose Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz. (The Washington Post)

URL: http://wapo.st/2xQfZHp

Embed code:
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The last thing Sonny Melton did was also the greatest: He grabbed his wife, Bay Area native Heather Melton, and shielded her body with his.

When a gunman fired Sunday night from the 32nd floor of a Las Vegas hotel into a crowd of nearly 22,000 people, at least one bullet struck Sonny Meltons back, killing him. But Heather  the soul mate he once said he never should have met  lived.

Sonny Melton was among the dozens of victims killed at a country-western music festival, the worst mass shooting in modern U.S. history. He worked at the Henry County Medical Center in Paris, Tenn., with his wife. He was a registered nurse. She is an orthopedic surgeon.

The thoughts and prayers of the entire HCMC family are with Sonny and Heathers families, the center's CEO, Thomas Gee, said in a statement.

Now Playing: 59 dead, 400+ hospitalized in attack at Vegas music fest Video: San Antonio Express-News

They lived in the nearby town of Big Sandy, but Heather Gulish Melton grew up in Sebastopol and attended Analy High School. They married in June 2016. On their profile on The Knot, a wedding website, the couple thanked God for bringing them together.

"We have shared amazing times together and nearly unbearable heartaches but through it all we have grown stronger in our love for each other and our families, they wrote.

They loved country music. In one Facebook photo, the couple wore matching Eric Church T-shirts illustrated with a guitar spearing a skull. Theyre smiling with their arms wrapped around each other.

On Aug. 18, Sonny Melton posted a George Straight YouTube video online.

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Can now say Ive been to Marina Del Rey with the love of my life, he said, with a string of exclamation points to the post.

The couple attended the music festival to celebrate their one-year anniversary, one friend said.

Lizzie Johnson is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: ljohnson@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @LizzieJohnsonnn
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The U.S. Supreme Court said Monday it will not take up a conservative groups challenge to UC Regents decisions that allow undocumented immigrants in California to pay in-state tuition fees and to receive financial aid.

In-state residents now pay $12,630 a year in tuition and fees to attend the University of California, compared with $40,644 for out-of-state residents.

State lawmakers voted in 2001 to grant in-state tuition to all students, regardless of immigration status, at Californias public colleges and universities. But the legislation directly affected only California State University and community colleges, because the state Constitution grants independent status to UC under the governance of the Board of Regents.

The regents then voted to make the lower fees available at UC campuses to students who had attended high school in California and had applied to legalize their immigration status. They took the same steps after legislators passed laws in 2011 and 2014 making unauthorized immigrants eligible for state financial aid and loans.

According to a legislative staff report, fewer than 1 percent of the students at Californias public colleges are unauthorized immigrants eligible for lower costs.

A taxpayer represented by the conservative nonprofit Judicial Watch challenged the regents actions. The suit relied on a 1996 federal law that made undocumented immigrants ineligible for state and local benefits unless those benefits were expressly allowed by a future state law. Because the regents are not state legislators, Judicial Watch argued, they have no power to enact state laws.

But a state appeals court ruled in December that the Legislature had authorized the lower fees, in the laws passed in 2001, 2011 and 2014, allowing the regents to take the final step.

The 1996 federal law required only that state laws make undocumented immigrants eligible for public benefits in order to receive them, and the Legislature removed the federal barrier and cleared the way for the regents action, Justice John Segal said in a 3-0 ruling of the Second District Court of Appeal in Los Angeles.

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The state Supreme Court unanimously denied review of the case in February, and the nations high court rejected a final appeal by Judicial Watch on Monday. The organizations president, Tom Fitton, said the action was disappointing but should not be considered an endorsement of Californias policy.

The losers here are taxpayers and the rule of law, he said.

The case is De Vries vs. Board of Regents, 16-1405.

Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter:@egelko
A good friend and business associate came into my office last week, armed with videos and pictures of 1,374 immigrants from 95 countries taking the oath to become citizens of the United States.

The ceremony was held at the Paramount Theater in Oakland, and one of the oath takers was her sister, who is Filipina. She came to the U.S. on a work-sponsored visa and eventually got her green card. Only after the last presidential election did she decide to apply for citizenship.

I was scared for the future, she told me when I called her and asked what prompted her to apply. Anti-immigrant sentiment has awakened. What will happen next year? The fear factor was very important in my decision.

She said she was comfortable with her green card and never saw an immediate need to take the next step. She could do anything, except vote. Now she wants to vote and make a difference.

This is my home, she said. My loyalty is to the United States. I feel safe now.

Safe. Lucky her. Lucky me. Lucky us.

I thought about a couple of other people I know. Theyre in their early 20s and have been in the United States since they were children. Theyre the Dreamers, and they have no path to citizenship. Needless to say, theyre scared to death.

My friends sister feared that the current administration would take away some, if not all, of her green-card rights. Imagine the fear of those who have no rights.

I looked at the pictures and watched the video of the ceremony. I listened as a speaker announced each of the 95 countries represented by the immigrants. I listened to the oath of citizenship, where the applicants vowed to support and defend the Constitution of the United States.

It was inspiring to see the diversity of the men and women who were celebrating their adopted country. When I watched the video of the song God Bless America, with accompanying pictures of our American heritage, I started to tear up. And I wasnt even there.

The next video, though, was of President Trump welcoming the immigrants as new citizens of our country. As soon as his face was on the screen, a scattering of boos filled the auditorium. It certainly didnt take long for a few of our new citizens to understand the concept of free speech.

He came across as angry and scary, my friends sister said, who was not one who booed and thought it was extremely disrespectful. It was as though he was reprimanding us because we were new citizens. It was not inspiring at all.

I watched the video, and didnt see it that way. Im no fan of the president, but as long as hes reading off a teleprompter, he can sometimes be tolerable. This was one of those times.

So why did my friends sister, and those few that booed and shouted fake news feel the way they did? Because of the divisiveness this president has fostered over the issue of immigration, along with numerous other issues.

Very few of us want to see open borders. Most of us are in favor of border protection, short of building a wall. The immigration laws, and the path to citizenship, are complicated issues that probably wont be resolved anytime soon.

The only thing Im suggesting is to not blame the immigrants. They have goals and dreams just like all of us. Most of them desperately want to sit in that auditorium and take the oath that will allow them to become a citizen of the United States.

We are, as has been said many times, a nation of immigrants. Ninety-five countries were represented at this one oath-taking venue, from Mexico to Ghana to Pakistan. Ninety-five heritages. Ninety-five nations that lost some good people in order to make our country stronger.

We need to embrace immigration as an idea, not vilify it. We need to understand that immigration is a positive, not a negative. We cant be anti-immigrant. This incredibly inspiring and joyful ceremony should be required viewing for anyone who thinks immigration should be stifled.

Once we understand that immigration and diversity not only built this country, but continues to make it the greatest country on Earth, the fair and just laws will come.

Nick Hoppes column appears Tuesdays in Datebook. Email: nickhoppe61@gmail.com
Hugh Hefner, who died last week, has been heralded as the leader of the sexual revolution by friend, foe and a legion of headline writers and pundits alike. But the real credit belongs elsewhere. Women put the revolution in the sexual revolution. And its not over.

Hefner was an accidental revolutionary, albeit one who enthusiastically and profitably embraced the title. He did have a feel for the zeitgeist of Cold War America and true entrepreneurial acumen, but mostly, he had the luck of good timing.

In 1960, Hefner opened the first Playboy Club. Another milestone that year would do far more to usher in the sexual revolution: the first birth control pill went on the market.

Efforts to control fertility are as old as civilization itself. The Pill, however, was the first form of contraception in world history that was exclusively controlled by a woman. Convenient, affordable, and always on, the pill required neither the consent, participation or knowledge of a womans partner.

Before the Pill, nine out of 10 people viewed a person who chose not to marry as sick, neurotic or immoral and believed premarital sex was wrong. Some states outlawed birth control  even for married couples. Sex out of wedlock was extremely risky for women, because accidental pregnancy imposed heavy costs on them. Single women who found themselves pregnant were offered the respectable choice of a shotgun wedding or giving their child up for adoption. Abortion was illegal and extremely dangerous. A child born to a single woman went through life with a birth certificate stamped illegitimate.

After the introduction of the Pill, the speed of change demonstrates just how much cultural coercion had kept women in their sexual place:

Within five years, 6 million American women were using the Pill.

The median age of first marriage rose, and the average number of children per family plummeted.

Womens educational attainment increased dramatically, according to research by Harvard economists Claudia Goldin and Lawrence Katz. A virtually foolproof, easy-to-use, and female-controlled contraceptive does appear to have been important in promoting real change in the economic status of women, they concluded.

When laws blocked women from obtaining contraception, Planned Parenthood and other reproductive-rights advocates challenged them in court, overturning the bans and gaining constitutional protection of the right to control ones own body. These intertwined medical, educational, economic and legal innovations were fueled by and, in turn, fed a mass womens movement.

What made the sexual revolution of the 60s and 70s an enduring social transformation was the change in womens identity and behavior. Feminists revived dormant ideas about gender equality and won over majority popular opinion to the principle that women have a right to control their own bodies. By the time girls born during the sexual revolution came of age, only 2 in 10 would be virgins at marriage.

The Pill, not Playboy, made it all possible. (After all, the double standard had facilitated mens sexual adventurism passably well for decades before Playboy appeared on the newsstands.) But for womens determination to control their own destiny while fully embracing their sexuality, Hefner would be going down in history as little more than a footnote.

What then is Hefners legacy?

Despite Hefners claims to be a cultural liberator of men and women alike, Playboy models and bunnies were paid to be objects of mens desire, not full subjects in their own right. (Playboys female writers on the other hand, I can attest, were treated with equality and respect.) Playboys ideal of beauty was unattainable for most women. Hefners lifestyle, especially in his later years, was at best icky.

Still, Hefner deserves credit for launching a frontal assault against the soul-crushing repression of the 1950s, and more profoundly, the puritanical mores undergirding it. Hefner understood that sexual freedom is an intrinsic component of human freedom and human rights. He embraced his role as evangelist for sexual liberty with the zeal of a convert; he was the child of strict, emotionally distant, conservative Methodists and a descendant of the Puritan governor of Plymouth Colony. Asked by the New York times 25 years ago what he was most proud of, Hefner answered, That I changed attitudes toward sex. That nice people can live together now. That I decontaminated the notion of premarital sex.

It was a worthy battle, and one that continues.

Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch has ruled that an employers religious beliefs take precedence over womens rights to control their own bodies.

Alabama Republicans have nominated a U.S. Senate candidate who said that homosexual conduct should be illegal.

Vice President Mike Pence refuses to dine alone with a woman other than his wife.

The Trump administration has been hard at work undermining equal-pay protections and reproductive health services, antidiscrimination protections for LGBT Americans, and trying to expel transgender troops from the armed services.

The enemy of American values of tolerance, equality and freedom is a politically resurgent religious right against, which Hefner fought passionately  and imperfectly  his whole life.

Nancy L. Cohen is a historian and the author of Delirium: The Politics of Sex in America. Twitter: @nancylcohen
As a fiction writer, Ive been asked about the Vietnam War at nearly every reading or panel Ive ever attended. I am not a historian, nor was I alive during the war. I was born in America two years after the war to refugees who wouldnt speak of their losses and trauma for years.

But people ask because I write about the war, or, rather, its consequences, particularly those experienced by the nearly 2 million Vietnamese people who left the country afterward, among them, my family. The only way I have learned to understand my familys history is by writing about it.

I am not a Vietnam War expert, and the people who approach me after readings know that. But they are desperate to talk to someone, and my face appears familiar. They dont really want to hear what I think; instead, they want me to affirm their understanding of what happened, to reiterate that same narrative weve been hearing for years, the one that Ken Burns new 18-hour documentary reconfirms, with little new information, insight or perspective.

When Burns and his collaborators announced plans to make a documentary on the Vietnam War, I felt wary. Surely, the nationally beloved documentarian knew his audience, and the film would focus on the American military experience. Yet we heard that Burns treatment would be different, that producers had taken great efforts to interview people from multiple sides of the war  including South Vietnamese and North Vietnamese military and civilians. They even solicited Yo-Yo Ma and other Asian musicians to accompany that 60s soundtrack we already knew by heart.

But when the first episode began with American military vet Karl Marlantes, my heart sank. I knew where we were going, and yet I couldnt get off the ride.

For two weeks, I committed hours every night to rehashing and reliving the experience through the increasingly narrowed lens of the filmmakers. As each new episode started, my partner and I would ask aloud if wed already seen it, because the images, words and music all felt so familiar. Though there were some excellent and, at times devastating, interviews with Vietnamese soldiers on both sides, and African American soldiers, the narrative always veered back to its shiny center: the white American soldier and his complex feelings of fear, hatred, guilt and remorse.

The little coverage these other voices receive does little to right the balance. Like nearly every movie or book about the war, Vietnamese lives remain in the background, no matter that it is their land, homes and people the war is destroying. American prisoners of war receive significant airtime, while the aftermath of the war and the refugee experience are hardly acknowledged. Little respect is paid to the Vietnamese voices, which are diverse and complicated, and communicate as much pain and regret as the Americans.

Perhaps this documentary would have been better received 20 years ago. But in 2017, we deserve better. Indeed, recent documentaries on the war continue to be directed by white American filmmakers. Along with Rory Kennedys Oscar-nominated 2014 documentary, Last Days in Vietnam, Ken Burns version perpetuates the story of white American saviors failing to rescue poor, incompetent South Vietnamese from the ruthless, wily North Vietnamese; conventionalizing problematic assumptions, not only for people who survived the war, but also for younger generations watching it on PBS for the first time,

Critics have lauded the documentary as a masterpiece, and this universal praise will likely cement it as a leading resource on the Vietnam War. This is demoralizing, but not surprising. Most of these critics, and the millions of viewers who watched on television, crave the echo chamber provided by Hollywoods Vietnam War movies. But for those viewers who are not satisfied, this can be a wake-up call: If we Americans will ever be able to look beyond our own experiences and desires, this dangerous style of self-centered storytelling must be disrupted.

In a recent NPR interview, Ta-Nehesi Coates remarked that Americans love a bedtime story, and the feeling that everything is going to be OK. Perhaps these periodic revisits and confirmations of American significance in the Vietnam War are our national attempt to assuage our nightmares, but it also makes us oblivious to the biases that doomed us before.

This isnt a bedtime story, and none of this is going to be OK. Perhaps once that is said aloud, more room can be made for all of our voices to count.

Aimee Phan is the author of two books of fiction: The Reeducation of Cherry Truong and We Should Never Meet, (St. Martins Press). She teaches writing and literature at California College of the Arts in Oakland and San Francisco.
By my count, this is the sixth time Ive written a version of this column.

I wrote it for the first time in 2012 after James Holmes shot and killed 12 people at a screening of The Dark Knight Rises in Aurora, Colo. Until today, Id actually forgotten that Id written it a second time in 2015 when John Russell Houser carried out a similar, though less deadly, attack at a showing of the romantic comedy Trainwreck, which tells you how terrifyingly often I have had to conjure up these same sentiments. I wrote this column for the third time later that year when terrorists affiliated with the Islamic State murdered 130 people, 89 of them at a concert at the Bataclan theater, in Paris. In disgust and despair, I wrote, but didnt publish, another lament in this vein after Omar Mateen killed 49 people at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando. And I wrote the fifth iteration of these sentiments in May after an Ariana Grande concert was bombed in the United Kingdom.

Im sickened that, once again, I have to write about an act of mass murder perpetrated at a cultural event: This time, the deadliest mass shooting in modern American history, carried out at a country music festival in Las Vegas. But I cant stop, not least because I never want us to accept these shootings as routine. Every time this happens, I believe it is vital to articulate the nature of the crime. A mass shooting at the movies or a bombing at a concert isnt just a deadly offense against the people who are killed and wounded. Its an attempted murder of our collective cultural experiences.

There are many things that make cultural events such powerfully tempting targets. The lights are low. The crowd is dense. No ones watching for trouble. And by killing a dozen people, or two dozen, or 58, you can make countless more afraid to surrender themselves in the same way.

Like anyone who came of age in the post-9/11 world, Im sharply aware of just how easy and cheap it is to suggest that the normal business of living life is some sort of blow against terrorism. When President George W. Bush told Americans less than two weeks after the 2001 attacks that I ask your continued participation and confidence in the American economy, his request  if a reasonable attempt to head off an economic panic  felt bizarrely removed from the specific and spectacular nature of the strikes.

But when people launch deadly attacks on cultural spaces and cultural events, the message is many steps clearer, and the response is, too. If Mateen wanted his attack on Pulse to make lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people afraid to congregate and celebrate together, the only possible response is unity and solidarity. If the Islamic State attacks Grande in part to send a message about the women who make music and the girls who enjoy it in public, its vital to make sure that its possible for women to continue performing and for their young female fans to continue seeing them in safety. And if lone, violent men want to make it seem more dangerous to go anywhere with strangers, we can only reply by reaffirming our trust in one another. Anything else gives in to their deadly logic.

All mass violence makes us shy away from one another. Mass violence aimed at cultural events is particularly pernicious, because it targets spaces where we can often put aside the elements of our identities that divide us and have an experience that reminds us what we have in common. If we give up on that, were giving up on something larger, too: the idea that there are some things that are better to do together, in a crowd, rather than in the isolation of our living rooms and the specialization of an increasingly fragmented media environment.

No matter how badly I wish it were true, I dont expect that Las Vegas will be the last time I write this column. All I can hope is that this time doesnt make us more fearful and more alone.

 2017, Washington Post

Alyssa Rosenberg blogs about pop culture for the Washington Posts Opinions section.

Aurora, Colo.

July 20, 2012

James Eagan Holmes killed 12, injured 70 with an assault rifle.

Lafayette, La.

July 23, 2015

John Russell Houser killed 2, injured 9 with a handgun.

Paris

Nov. 13, 2015

Three terrorist groups killed 130, injured 413 in a shooting-bombing spree.

Orlando

June 12, 2016

Omar Mateen killed 49, wounded 58 with assault rifle, pistol.

Manchester, ENGLAND

May 22

Suicide bomber Salman Ramadan Abedi killed 22, injured 250.

Las Vegas

Oct. 1

Stephen Craig Paddock killed 59, wounded at least 527 with numerous firearms. According to the nonprofit Gun Violence Archive, there were 383 mass shootings in the United States in 2016, 333 in 2015 and 274 in 2014. This year, there have been 273 mass shootings.
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The Shoreline. The Greek. The Cow Palace. Oracle Arena. The Pavilion. Tom Petty played them all.

When news broke that the legendary rocker had died after suffering a cardiac arrest at his Southern California home on Sunday, gasps could be heard across the newsroom. Shocked by the news, I headed to The Chronicles archive in search of classic concert shots from Pettys Bay Area stops from the 1970s to this year.

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers played all the big venues around the region over the years, and The Chronicle has shots from many of the memorable shows. In 1977, Petty performed at Winterland twice and hit small clubs like the Keystone in Berkeley, Old Waldorf in San Francisco and the Catalyst in Santa Cruz.

One of Pettys most unusual Bay Area gigs was in 1997, when he and the Heartbreakers did 20 consecutive sold-out shows at the Fillmore.

Talking with former Chronicle critic Joel Selvin afterward, Petty admitted he arrived nervous for opening night: I was just off an airplane, and we hadnt played in front of people in a long time.

Selvin wrote that Petty and the band, freed from the demands of entertaining a coliseum-size audience, were able to explore the deeper cuts of their songbook. I want them to see and hear whats making the noise, Petty said.

This past May, the group headlined the BottleRock Napa festival before returning to the area for a three-night stand in August at the Greek Theatre in Berkeley, followed by a show at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento. Fans at those shows saw the final Northern California performances for a rocker beloved in the region and beyond.

Bill Van Niekerken is the library director of The San Francisco Chronicle, where he has worked since 1985. In his weekly column, From the Archive, he explores the depths of The Chronicles vast photography archive in search of interesting historical tales related to the city by the bay.
Three off-duty firefighters from the Alameda County Fire Department were at the Route 91 Harvest Festival concert in Las Vegas Sunday night when a sniper opened fire on the crowd of country-music fans, shooting indiscriminately from nearby hotel window.

All three firefighters were uninjured in shooting and immediately did what they are trained to do: helped save lives of those injured, the department said in a statement.
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San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera has sued the owners of a Richmond District massage parlor, accusing them of operating a brothel.

The lawsuit, filed Tuesday in San Francisco Superior Court, was announced at the same time as a $295,000 settlement the city reached with another alleged brothel on the edge of the Financial District, ending legal action that Herrera brought in February.

The new suit accuses Paradise Health Center at 242 Balboa St. of soliciting prostitution since at least October 2012 though advertisements in places notorious for soliciting erotic services, according to a statement by the city attorneys office. The ads, featuring scantily clad women in provocative poses, had been posted as recently as Sept. 29 on Backpage.com, the city attorneys office contends.

Paradise Health has been in trouble with the city before. San Franciscos Department of Public Health has issued numerous health code violations related to massage therapy practices, including several instances of massage practitioners not being fully clothed while working.

A representative from Paradise Health could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

In May 2016, police and public health inspectors observed one Paradise Health worker engaging in a sexual act with a customer. That incident led the health department to suspend Paradise Healths business license for 60 days in March.

The city attorneys office said Paradise Health continued its prostitution solicitation, however. On Sept. 15, San Francisco police conducted an undercover operation, during which a massage practitioner allegedly solicited an undercover officer for sex.

Paradise Health, which is across the street from Peters Place Nursery School on Balboa Street, has for years been the subject of complaints from neighbors and school parents, the city attorneys office said. When the spa attempted to appeal its 60-day business license suspension, several school administrators and board members asked the city to uphold the suspension. Many urged city officials to revoke Paradise Healths permit altogether.

It is completely unacceptable to have a brothel across the street from a preschool, Herrera said. With this lawsuit I aim to shutter (Paradise Health) once and for all, and to hold this business and this landlord responsible.

In addition to asking the court to close the business for a year, Herreras suit also seeks to prohibit the property from being used as a massage parlor. The city attorney is also seeking to bar Paradise Healths owners, Tian Yi Zhao and Chiu Hung Paul Tam, from operating a massage parlor in the future, in addition to monetary penalties.

Lisa Tang, who oversees the family trust that owns the building, is also named in the suit. The citys suit seeks $25,000 for allowing prostitution to occur on the premises, $2,500 for each unlawful business act and $200 for each day of city health and planning code violations.

On Tuesday, Herrera also announced his office had settled a similar suit with the landlord and business owner of the now-shuttered Queens Health Center at 325 Kearny St., which the city sued in February, accusing it of being a covert brothel.

Under the terms of the agreement, Queens Health owner Jie Qin Zhou is prohibited from managing, investing in or operating a massage parlor or other personal-service business in San Francisco for 10 years, and outside of the city for five years. Frank Iavarone, who owns the building, is also barred from leasing space to a massage parlor for 10 years.

The city accused Queens Health of running a brothel since at least April 2010, despite numerous investigations and administrative penalties. The business closed within a month of the citys suit being filed.

After Queens Health Center thumbed its nose at authorities for years, we were finally able to put an end to their rampant violations of the law, Herrera said. Im pleased that we reached a settlement that not only shuts their doors for good, but recoups some of the citys enforcement costs.

Dominic Fracassa is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: dfracassa@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @dominicfracassa
The last time Vinnie Etcheber saw his wife, he told her to run.

As bullets rained down on the 22,000 people attending the Route 91 Harvest festival in Las Vegas, Stacee Rodrigues Etcheber disappeared into the panicked crowd and her husband, a San Francisco police officer, rushed to save those whod been shot.

Vinnie Etcheber doesnt know when his wife died or where. After a 24-hour search, he finally found her in the Clark County morgue.

On Tuesday, family members remembered Stacee Etcheber, who was among the 59 people killed in the deadliest mass shooting in the countrys modern history, a bloodbath that also left more than 520 injured.

She was tough, her family said, someone who knew how to pull horse trailers with a truck, a real cowgirl as well as a devoted soccer mom. She was a hairstylist who took care of her husbands aging parents and someone the grocery store clerk remembered as funny and kind, even after seeing her just a few times.

Stacee Etcheber was, her family said, fiery, vivacious and tough as nails.

They believe the 50-year-old mother of two died helping victims at the Las Vegas concert Sunday night, unwilling to run when someone needed help, just like her husband of 13 years.

Were angry, devastated, frustrated, said her brother-in-law, Al Etcheber, at a Tuesday news conference in Novato where the family lives. To think that the devastating part is that its the largest mass shooting in history and to think our family is a part of it. ... You just never think its going to happen to you.

San Francisco Police Chief William Scott said the department is grieving her death.

With heavy hearts, the San Francisco Police Department today mourns the passing of Stacee Etcheber, Scott said in a statement Tuesday. Stacee was taken in a senseless act of violence as her husband, SFPD Officer Vinnie Etcheber, heroically rushed to aid shooting victims in Las Vegas on Sunday.

When the gunfire broke out Sunday night, Officer Etcheber didnt run, but immediately went into a public safety mind-set and helped those who were shot near him, his brother said.

He told his wife to run. The couple became separated as the throngs of revelers at the country music festival ran for the exits or dived for cover.

The family still doesnt know if she died at the scene or was first transported to a hospital, Al Etcheber said.

We really dont have any details of what happened, he said.

What he did know is that his brother would have put his life on the line to help people.

Im sure my brother didnt hesitate for a minute once he saw that gunshot victim, Al Etcheber said. He put himself in harms way. Thats just the way my brother is.

Officer Etcheber helped get victims to the hospital and when he returned, the entire concert area was cordoned off and he was unable to find his wife, who didnt have identification or her cell phone with her.

From that point on, it was an excruciating 24 hours of not knowing where she was, Al Etcheber said, adding his brother is devastated.

Does he have some guilt right now? Is he questioning himself? Probably, he added. I know he did the right thing. I want him to know that.

On Monday, Al Etcheber and a few of his brothers colleagues from the San Francisco Police Department went to Las Vegas to help search hospitals for the missing hairstylist, hoping she survived the barrage of bullets fired on the crowd from the 32nd floor of the nearby Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino.

Stacee Etcheber leaves behind a 10-year-old daughter and 13-year-old son.

Her career as a hairstylist spanned more than 20 years. She worked at Ciao Bella hair salon in Novato and previously at Andre Salon in Mill Valley.

Bob Sewall, an accountant whose office is directly below the Ciao Bella salon, said he only knew Etcheber in passing, but one encounter is etched in his mind.

He was riding his bicycle on Indian Valley Road last November when he came across an elderly woman lying on the road bleeding. She had tripped and fallen outside her house while getting her mail. Sewall ran inside her house and retrieved a face cloth from the injured womans disabled husband. When he came back, Etcheber was there attending to the woman.

She had been driving by and was just being a Good Samaritan, Sewall said. It just shows she had compassion.

The two of them waited with the woman until paramedics arrived.

Its shocking that something happens so far away and yet its so close to home, Sewall said of Etchebers death, shaking his head.

On Tuesday morning, her family said the tragedy still felt surreal.

We want to be able to carry on her legacy through her children, Al Etcheber said, and make sure shes not forgotten.

Jenna Lyons, Peter Fimrite and Jill Tucker are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: jlyons@sfchronicle.com, jtucker@sfchronicle.com and pfimrite@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JennaJourno, @jilltucker and @pfimrite
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The sleepily lit hallways of a South Park office floor on a recent weeknight belied the commotion within. A collection of 40 or so writers within the San Francisco Writers Grotto gathered in the dim light to toast the releases of six new books from authors within the community.

The name Grotto I always found very confusing, writer Laurie Ann Doyle said to fellow Grotto members and authors Constance Hale and Bridget Quinn. Like, what is it  a cave?

Doyle, whose book of short stories, World Gone Missing, was among the books in celebration, traded definitions of the Writers Grotto early in the evening with Hale and Quinn. Its not a commune, nor a collective, nor a co-working space  though those labels might all be close. Community, it seemed, might be the best word.

For nearly 25 years, the Grotto has been home to the forefront of Bay Area writers. Award-winning journalists and seasoned authors apply for membership, and upon acceptance can rent space within their floor of offices to work. Now totaling 125 members from a variety of backgrounds and writing forms, Grotto writers freely trade advice and champion each others work. Members also teach various writing courses open to the public at the Grotto.

At the entrance of the office floor, framed portraits of books written by Grotto members decorate the walls. Small desk carrels, available for cheaper rent for Grotto writers, are scattered to the side. A chair sits inside a small broom closet  a makeshift phone booth for freelance journalists to conduct interviews. In the main room where writers were enjoying a potluck of libations and snacks, a wall bears signatures of writers who have visited, from Gay Talese to Dave Eggers.

The 32 writing offices, most of them shared between two Grotto writers, line the circular hallways. Inside, work spaces are cozily furnished according to their writers design. Desks hold stacks of papers, pockmarked with edits and scribbles.

Theyre all messy, but that means were geniuses, right? said Susan Ito, author of The Mouse Room.

As the six authors took turns presenting their books atop a small table, they each credited the Grottos presence in their works, such as the usefulness of the publicity group, where members garner insider wisdom on promotion.

Manhattan has its own writing culture. It feels a little bit more isolated. Theres community, but its not as cohesive, said Lee Daniel Kravetz, who recently published his second book, Social Contagion, a nonfiction work inspired by Kravetzs interest in a string of teenage suicides in Palo Alto. Kravetz became a writer at the Grotto after working in marketing in New York for Penguin Books. Here, for some reason, theres this spirit of sharing thats just different.

There are, of course, the typical issues of a cohabited work area. Earlier that morning, Hale says, a kitchen shaming email was sent around about dirty dishes left in the communal kitchen.

The night even briefly turned into a good-natured roast, as the events emcee, Todd Oppenheimer, a longtime Grotto author and National Magazine Award winner, threw some digs at acclaimed poet Matthew Zapruder before introducing him and his new book Why Poetry.

Our next writer is unusual for the Grotto, Oppenheimer said with a smirk. Hes a poet.

The Grotto crowd lightheartedly protested Oppenheimer, who remarked that Zapruder was rare simply as a poet who had found success.

Youre digging a hole, said writer Vanessa Hua, a Chronicle columnist.

In eighth grade, I was a poet, Oppenheimer again jabbed cheekily to further uproar and laughter.

Zapruder, for his part, acknowledged himself as the pet of the Grotto, being one of the only poets in the community. I would really have semi-nervous breakdowns and come into their offices. Im not exaggerating, Zapruder said, referencing the help of certain Grotto members in writing his latest book, a challenging and new turn toward prose. Theyd calm me down and tell me, Oh, you got to do it this way, got to do it that way. And Id, of course, ignore it and do it my way.

Julie Lythcott-Haims, author of a new memoir, Real American, reserved special credit to Natalie Baszile, a Grotto member and author of the novel (and now television show) Queen Sugar. Baszile was the first to support Lythcott-Haims first book, the best-seller How to Raise an Adult.

After the six authors finished speaking, members scattered throughout the office floor, mingling and laughing in groups.

Writers support writers, said Kaitlin Solimine, whose new novel, Empire of Glass, was shortlisted for the Center for Fictions 2017 First Novel Prize.

You should get a sticker, author Louise Nayer (Poised for Retirement) told Solimine, referencing the honor. Nayer, whose 2010 memoir, Burned, was named an Oprah Magazine Great Read, began advising Solimine on sticker logistics.

Solimine turned from Nayer and apologized for the Grotto shoptalk.

Nuts and bolts, said Nayer.

Brandon Yu is a Bay Area freelance writer.
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Google on Wednesday is expected to unveil its next generation of Pixel smartphones that will use the companys search capabilities and data across its popular apps.

The new phone may not match some of the bells and whistles of Apples new iPhone X, such as a way to unlock the phone through facial mapping and an edge-to-edge display, several analysts said. But the phone is expected to come in below the $999 price tag of the X.
When bright flashes lit up the sky "brighter than daylight" in Cole Valley Friday night, people took to social media looking for an explanation.

Was it lightning? Aliens?

One Cole Valley resident told Hoodline that the flashes and sparks seemed to be centered at the intersection of Cole and Carl streets, and suspected it may have something to do with the N Judah Muni train that is routed through the area.

Muni spokesperson Paul Rose confirmed the cause Monday, saying, "The bright lights occurred during the de-energization process during the N-Line shutdown."

The line was being shut down for the weekend so crews could do work on the Inner Sunset Streetscape Improvement Project, meant to "enhance the beauty and walkability of the neighborhoods along the N Judah Line from Cole Valley to 19th Avenue."

The location where the sparking occurred is on the border of two different electrical circuits that power the overhead Muni lines. When they shut down one of the circuits, it created an electrical arc between the charged section and the section that had just been shut off, according to Muni.

The result looked like an intense lightning storm that lasted for about 30 seconds, as seen in the video at the top of this story.

Customers at the Burgermeister restaurant near the intersection ran out when they saw the flashes and heard popping noises.

"It was kinda scary, I guess, because you have no idea of what's going on," a restaurant employee told Hoodline. "I've never seen anything like it."

San Francisco firefighters reportedly saw the flashes and headed to the scene without waiting for a call from dispatch.

It doesn't appear anyone was injured.

"There was no impact to the work and the scheduled cable testing and track survey work was completed without issue," Rose said.

Read Alix Martichoux's latest stories and send her news tips at amartichoux@sfchronicle.com.
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LAS VEGAS  Rob Ledbetters battlefield instincts kicked in quickly as bullets rained overhead.

The 42-year-old U.S. Army veteran who served as a sniper in Iraq immediately began tending to the wounded, one of several heroes to emerge from the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history. Amid the massacre in Las Vegas, which left 59 victims dead and more than 500 injured, there were acts of compassion and countless heroics that officials say saved scores of lives.

There was a man one survivor knows only as Zach who herded people to a safe place. There was a registered nurse from Tennessee who died shielding his wife.

Like many people in the crowd of some 22,000 country music fans Sunday night, Ledbetter heard the pop-pop-popping noise and figured it was fireworks. Then he saw people dropping to the ground. When more booms echoed in the night air, he recognized the sound of automatic weapon fire.

The gunman, identified as Stephen Paddock, a 64-year-old retired accountant from Mesquite, Nev., created his own snipers perch inside the 32nd floor room at the Mandalay Bay casino hotel, across from the concert grounds.

The echo, it sounded like it was coming from everywhere and you didnt know which way to run, said Ledbetter, who was at the concert with seven people including his brother, who was shot and injured, and his wife. They found cover in a VIP area of the concert. Once out of harms way, he turned to injured strangers.

Thanks to a man who took the flannel shirt off his back, Ledbetter says he put a makeshift tourniquet on a wounded teenage girl, whose face was covered with blood.

Some random guy, I said, I need your shirt, said Ledbetter, who is now a mortgage broker and a resident of Las Vegas. He just gave me the flannel off his back.

He worries that those unfamiliar with battlefields will suffer what they have survived.

Everybody there is going to have emotional problems. I know that. There was blood everywhere I went: Excalibur, Luxor, on the Strip, on the street, Ledbetter said. All these people are going to have PTSD. I feel bad for all of them.

Another concertgoer, Anna Kupchyan, credits a man she knows only as Zach for saving her life and about nine others when he herded them into an outdoor trailer serving as a restroom.

Kupchyan, a 27-year-old law student from Los Angeles, said bullets were raining down on the crowd as she and a horde of others began running in search of a way out of the outdoor venue.

The man, Zach, opened a door and ordered people inside and then joined them and shut the door, Kupchyan said.

They stayed inside as the shooting continued, everyone paralyzed in fear, she said.

Then security came and they shouted for us to get out, to run, she recalled. Outside the trailer, dead bodies were sprawled on the ground, including a man who had been shot in the head, she said.

She and her best friend Leslie Aguilar, a 26-year-old therapist, eventually jumped in a cab that was driving by and befriended two other women survivors who let them stay in their hotel room until the danger subsided.

Not all of Sunday nights heroes survived.

Sonny Melton, a registered nurse, died in the shooting, according to the Henry County Medical Center in Paris, Tenn., where he worked.

His wife, Dr. Heather Melton, an orthopedic surgeon who was with him when shots were fired, survived.

She told WZTV in Nashville, Tenn., that her husband saved my life and lost his. She said her husband was the most kindhearted, loving man she ever met.

Amanda Lee Myers and Jocelyn Gecker are Associated Press writers.
TOM BRENNER/NYT

WASHINGTON  The Supreme Court heard arguments on Tuesday in a case that could reshape American democracy by considering whether extreme partisan gerrymandering  the drawing of voting districts to give lopsided advantages to the party in power  violates the Constitution.

There was something like consensus that voting maps warped by politics are an unattractive feature of American democracy. But the justices appeared split about whether the court could find a standard for determining when the practice had crossed a constitutional line.
1 Abortion bill: Most late-term abortions would be outlawed under legislation Republicans pushed through the House on Tuesday, a major priority of the GOP and conservative groups that wont reach an eager President Trump because it faces certain Senate defeat. The House approved the measure by a near party-line 237-189 vote. Though the bills fate is sealed, the push for abortion restrictions remains a touchstone issue for most Republicans, even as the party splinters between traditionalist conservatives and antiestablishment voters looking to roil Washington. Trump was ready to sign the measure, and White House officials sent lawmakers a letter saying the measure would help to facilitate the culture of life to which our nation aspires.

2 Flight probe: The Treasury Departments office of the inspector general said Tuesday it is looking into a trip a top Treasury official took on a plane owned by a wealthy hedge fund operator. Eli Miller, chief of staff for Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, flew with Nelson Peltz, a founding partner in Trian Fund Management, on a trip to Palm Beach, Fla., earlier this year. Treasury confirmed the trip but said that Miller had gotten clearance to take the flight. Rich Delmar, counsel to the departments inspector general, said that the IGs office was looking into the travel. The investigation was the latest development in an ongoing controversy over the use of government and private planes by top Trump aides.
The Supreme Courts liberal justices dominated discussion Tuesday about the prolonged detention of immigrants facing deportation, expressing concern about the government holding noncitizens indefinitely without a hearing.

At issue for the court is whether immigrants slated for deportation have the right to a bail hearing and possible release after six months if they are not a flight risk and pose no danger to the public.

The conservative justices were less vocal but expressed skepticism about whether the court should be setting firm deadlines for hearings in immigration cases.

A lawyer for the Trump administration told the high court that noncitizens  whether documented or undocumented immigrants  have no constitutional right to be in the United States.

The justices were taking a second look at the issue after an evenly divided court could not reach a decision last term and scheduled the case for reargument. With Justice Neil Gorsuch joining the bench since then, he could cast the deciding vote.

The case reached the high court after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled that immigrants fighting deportation are entitled to bond hearings if they have been held for more than six months. A lawyer for the American Civil Liberties Union, representing a group of noncitizens held for more than a year without a hearing, told the Supreme Court that the outcome of the case will affect thousands of people held in jail-like detention centers.

The outcome takes on heightened significance as President Trump has vowed to broadly increase immigration enforcement across the United States. Immigration arrests are up sharply since he took office in January, but deportations are down this year, in part because of a significant drop in illegal crossings on the southern border with Mexico.

The Supreme Court has previously held that undocumented immigrants are entitled to some form of due process when contesting their detention but also that brief detentions were allowed. Courts have interpreted those rulings in different ways, with the San Francisco-based Ninth Circuit, for instance, requiring more procedural safeguards for those who would be held for months or even years.

The courts liberals on Tuesday pressed Deputy Solicitor General Malcolm Stewart about why immigrants in detention centers are treated differently than criminal defendants, who automatically receive hearings to determine whether they remain locked up pending trial.

Justice Stephen Breyer noted that even a criminal suspect accused of triple ax murders is entitled to a bail hearing. That to me is a little odd, Breyer said, his voice rising.

Ann E. Marimow is a Washington Post writer.
BALTIMORE  A coalition of Muslim and Iranian American advocates and a nonpartisan legal institute filed the first lawsuits against the Trump administrations new travel restrictions for citizens of eight countries, including Iran, that were announced late last month.

The lawsuits were filed Monday in federal courts in New York and Maryland.

The Trump administration in September announced the most recent restrictions, which affect citizens of Chad, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Syria and Yemen  and some Venezuelan government officials and their families. They are to go into effect Oct. 18.

One lawsuit, filed Monday night in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Maryland on behalf of the Iranian Alliance Across Borders and six individuals, argues that restricting travel for citizens of predominantly Muslim countries violates the U.S. Constitution.

A second suit, filed hours earlier in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York on behalf of the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University, seeks to compel the State Department to comply with a Freedom of Information Act request and turn over documents submitted to the White House by the Department of Homeland Security detailing the information-sharing practices of foreign countries and justifying the decision to exclude travelers from select countries.

The U.S. Department of Justice did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday. The White House referred questions to the State Department, which declined to comment on ongoing litigation.

President Trump on Sept. 24 issued a proclamation outlining the new travel restrictions. Administration officials said the latest version is the result of a lengthy process, based on an objective assessment of each countrys security situation and willingness to share information with the U.S.

It was the administrations third measure to limit travel after a broad ban that sparked chaos at U.S. airports in January and numerous challenges in courts across the country. The administration later issued a temporary order after suffering legal setbacks on the earlier attempt at restrictions.

Juliet Linderman is an Associated Press writer.
WASHINGTON  President Trump on Monday called for the nation to find unity and peace in the aftermath of one of the deadliest mass shootings in U.S. history.

Our unity cannot be shattered by evil; our bonds cannot be broken by violence, he declared.

Speaking somberly from the Diplomatic Reception Room of the White House, Trump condemned the shooting as an act of pure evil. He said he would travel to Las Vegas on Wednesday to meet with families of the victims, law enforcement officials and others who responded to the fusillade of gunfire that rained down on a country music festival late Sunday.

The president said nothing about the gunman or the circumstances of the attack. He instead saluted the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, expressed condolences to the victims and offered prayers for the recovery of the hundreds wounded.

We pray for the day when evil is banished, and the innocent are safe from hatred and from fear, Trump said, speaking from a teleprompter.

Acknowledging the senselessness of the act, the president said the nation was understandably groping for meaning. But he urged people not to give in to despair. Even the most terrible despair can be illuminated by a single ray of hope, he said.

It was a rigorously muted performance from a president who, as a political candidate, sometimes seized on mass shootings to warn of the threat of Islamic terrorism and to justify banning people from predominantly Muslim countries.

After the terrorist attack in San Bernardino in December 2015, Trump first proposed his travel ban  a hard-line stance that set him apart from a crowded Republican field during the primaries and proved popular with party voters.

The following June, after the attack on a gay club in Orlando by the son of an Afghan immigrant, Trump said it was further evidence of the need for a travel ban. He attacked Hillary Clinton for what he claimed was her desire to dramatically increase admissions from the Middle East.

But Sundays shooting was fundamentally different from those in Orlando and San Bernardino: The assailant was an older white man, not a Muslim immigrant. Federal officials said there was no sign of a connection between the attack and foreign terrorist organizations.

What the three killings share are perpetrators who got their hands on an arsenal of high-powered weaponry and ammunition. Trump has the political support of the National Rifle Association and has steadfastly championed gun rights. However, in his morning statement, the president steered clear of the political issues surrounding gun violence, sticking to a message of unity.

Mark Landler and Eileen Sullivan are New York Times writers.
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The judge overseeing Waymos high-stakes lawsuit against Uber over self-driving car technology reluctantly agreed Tuesday to delay the trial until December, giving Waymos attorneys more time to examine newly obtained documents.

The trial, which could have big implications for the race to perfect autonomous cars, had been scheduled to begin Oct. 10. Waymo, however, sought a delay, saying Uber had only recently produced an avalanche of documents that required careful review.

Judge William Alsup granted Waymos request, although with a timeline that he indicated would not change again. Jury selection is now scheduled for Nov. 29, while opening arguments will be heard Dec. 4.

Alsup cautioned Waymo, the new name given to Googles self-driving car project last year, that the extra time may not help the companys case.

Waymo, now a separate unit of Alphabet, filed the suit in February, arguing that Uber and one of Google s former star engineers concocted an elaborate scheme to give Uber a boost in the competition to develop autonomous vehicles.

The engineer, Anthony Levandowski, left Google in January 2016 and founded his own self-driving truck company, Otto, which Uber bought for $680 million later that year. Waymo accused Levandowski of downloading thousands of confidential documents before leaving and accused Uber of stealing its trade secrets. Uber insisted that any proprietary Google information Levandowski had in his possession after he left never made it to Uber.

On Tuesday, Alsup noted that the newly disclosed documents Waymo wants time to examine all relate to the period before Uber bought Otto. It is therefore unlikely, he said, that Waymo would find evidence that Uber used Waymos intellectual property.

I cant say never, but its hard to believe that youre going to find anything in there that shows that Uber was using the trade secrets, Alsup, with the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, told Waymo attorneys during a hearing Tuesday. I think if you had been finding smoking guns after having 96 people, or however many it is you got working on this case, you would have brought it to me today.

Waymo welcomed the ruling.

Since filing this case, Waymo has confirmed that Uber acquired Anthony Levandowskis company while knowing he had taken and retained massive amounts of confidential Waymo information, and we have uncovered significant evidence that Uber is in fact using Waymo trade secrets in its technology, a Waymo spokeswoman said in an email.

The Court has made clear that Waymos case is not what they hoped, and that more time will not change the hard fact that their trade secrets never came to Uber, an Uber spokeswoman said in an emailed statement. Were ready to go to trial now, and will be ready after this very brief continuance.

The recently disclosed documents include one report  made public late Monday  that the two sides had fought over for months.

Before Uber bought Otto, the ride-hailing giants lawyers commissioned a due diligence report from a forensics firm, examining whether Levandowski and other former Google engineers who left to form Otto had violated their employment agreements with Google.

In addition to noncompetition agreements, the forensics team from Stroz Friedberg looked at whether any of the engineers had taken proprietary Google information. Stroz investigators interviewed Levandowski in March 2016. (Levandowski, however, has refused to testify in the lawsuit.)

According to the report, Levandowski met repeatedly with Uber executives in the six months before he left Google. Those discussions, which included former Uber CEO Travis Kalanick, began with Uber expressing interest in becoming a customer for Googles self-driving technology. But by December 2015, Uber was discussing buying Levandowskis planned startup, Stroz found.

Levandowski, while still employed at Google, also actively recruited more than 20 of his colleagues to join him in his new venture, according to the report.

As for the internal documents, Levandowski told Stroz that in March 2016, he found proprietary Google information  including source code, design files, engineering documents and software related to self-driving vehicles  on five disks of a data storage device in his home. He notified both his lawyer and Uber. In a meeting, Kalanick said he wanted nothing to do with the disks and told Levandowski to do what he needed to do, according to the report.

Levandowski told Stroz that he took the disks to Shred Works in Oakland to have them destroyed. But he kept no receipt, and Stroz investigators who spoke with Shred Works employees could not confirm he ever went there.

Although the report shows Levandowski and his colleagues taking steps to erase files and messages among themselves  with Levandowski at one point emptying the trash bin of his MacBook Pro while he was at the Stroz offices  it does not show him transferring any Google data to anyone else.

While Levandowski retained, and in some cases, accessed Google confidential information after his departure from Google, Stroz Friedberg discovered no evidence indicating that he transferred any of that data to (Otto) or other third parties, the report reads.

Both companies seized on the report Tuesday to bolster their cases.

Waymo said it showed that Uber knew Levandowski had confidential Google data before it agreed to buy Otto. Uber, meanwhile, stressed that the report did not find any of the confidential information making its way to Otto or Uber.

In the end, the jury will see that Google's trade secrets are not and never were at Uber, a company spokeswoman said, in an emailed statement.

David R. Baker is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: dbaker@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @DavidBakerSF

Courtroom closure opposed

The San Francisco Chronicle joined with nine other news organizations and a First Amendment group Monday to urge that most of the trial between Waymo and Uber over self-driving car technology remain open to the public and press.

Waymo last week asked Judge William Alsup to close portions of the trial, arguing that the courtroom be closed for any in-depth discussion of the companys trade secrets and Ubers alleged use of them, as well as Waymos internal financial details, business plans, partnerships with other companies, and employee salaries and bonuses.

In a motion to intervene filed Monday, an attorney representing the coalition of media organizations, which includes The Chronicles parent company, Hearst, argued that Waymos request is far too broad.

The Chronicle and Hearst were joined in the motion by the Associated Press, Bloomberg, BuzzFeed, MediaNews Group, Dow Jones, the First Amendment Coalition, Gizmodo Media Group, the New York Times Co., Reuters and Vox Media.

A Waymo spokeswoman said Monday that the company only wanted the courtroom closed in a limited number of circumstances.

Waymo welcomes a public trial and we will work with all parties to minimize closed courtroom time, the company said.
WASHINGTON  A U.S. senator wants to know how well the countrys top six voting machine manufacturers protect themselves against cyberattacks, a move that comes just weeks after federal authorities notified 21 states that they had been targeted by Russian government hackers during the 2016 presidential election.

In a letter Tuesday to the CEOs of top election technology firms, Sen. Ron Wyden writes that public faith in American election infrastructure is more important than ever before.

Ensuring that Americans can trust that election systems and infrastructure are secure is necessary to protecting confidence in our electoral process and democratic government, writes Wyden, an Oregon Democrat.

An assessment by the Department of Homeland Security found that Russian hackers targeted state election systems. Some states have since disputed that claim.

A representative for Election System & Software said the company had not yet received Wydens letter. Steven Sockwell, a spokesman for Austin, Texas-based Hart InterCivic, which has provided vote tabulation devices, software and other voting services in 18 states, said he wasnt aware of any cyberattacks on the company or its products.

Company representatives at Dominion Voting Systems, Unisyn Voting Solutions, MicroVote and Five Cedars Group did not respond to requests for comment.

DHS officials said in June congressional testimony that Russian hackers didnt target U.S. elections infrastructure involved in vote tallying, but said a state board of elections website had been compromised, among other cyber activity. Officials have yet to release a detailed account of attempted and successful breaches in those states.

A top-secret National Security Agency report leaked to the online news site the Intercept this summer detailed a Russian military-orchestrated hacking campaign in August 2016 that targeted a Florida-based software vendor with fake, phishing emails. That vendor manages voter registration and voter rolls in eight states, though the document said it was unknown to what extent the cyberattack compromised local election systems.

A top federal cyber official has likened most of the Russian cyber attempts on state election systems in 2016 to somebody walking down the street and looking to see if you are home.

In his letter, Wyden asks the companies to detail their internal security protocols.

Mary Clare Jalonick and Jake Pearson are Associated Press writers.
BERKELEY (BCN)

A sexual harassment lawsuit filed Thursday by a student at the University of California at Berkeley against a former university employee the student saw in 2016 for therapy is just another example of a "pattern" of sexual harassment at the university, according to the student's lawyer.

The suit, filed in Alameda County Superior Court, names Eric Samuels as a defendant in the case along with the Regents of the University of California.

At the time of the alleged offenses Samuels was a post-doctoral fellow at the Tang Center's Counseling and Psychological Services on the UC Berkeley campus. Samuels allegedly had started providing counseling to the student, according to the complaint.

The complaint was filed on behalf of Justina Roe, whose real name is not listed in the suit.

According to Roe's attorney John Winer, Samuels allegedly videotaped Roe at least once during one of the therapy sessions he had with her and may have used it for his personal gratification.

Now Playing: A student at U.C. Berkeley is recovering Sunday after he was knocked unconscious by three men he claims he didn't know on campus. Police said it happened outside Unit 3 near a residence hall after midnight. Video: KTVU

According to the complaint, the camera should have been pointed at Samuels in order to preserve confidentiality, which a counseling and psychological services director told Roe after the videotaping.

According to the complaint, Samuels allegedly pointed the camera at Roe during their third therapy session and began by asking her questions about boys and her sexual experience, which made Roe uncomfortable.

"We believe very strongly this therapist was taking video to take home and masturbate," Winer said.

From the beginning Roe was uncomfortable with Samuels, according to the complaint. He made extended eye contact with her and had an almost glazed look in his eyes when he greeted her for the first time, the complaint said.

In their first therapy session, Samuels allegedly asked Roe whether she had been sexually abused.

During the second therapy session, he allegedly asked her a question about sex that made her "extremely uncomfortable." The complaint said afterwards she tried to convince herself that the question came from "a professional place."

Roe started therapy to deal with anxiety and stress when she went to CPS, according to the complaint.

Winer said Samuels is no longer at the university. According to Winer, Samuels was scheduled to leave at the end of the 2016 and he was allegedly suspended from the university for only a day.

"She doesn't trust the university," Winer said of Roe.

Roe now has to deal with the alleged harassment before she can get help for the stress and anxiety she went to get help for, Winer said.

According to Winer, "There appears to be a pattern" of sexual harassment at the university, citing a handful of recent sexual misconduct allegations involving university staff.

University spokeswoman Janet Gilmore said the university has not been served with the suit so it's premature to comment on it.
By PTI: Bhubaneswar, Oct 3 (PTI) With 114 of Odishas 314 blocks getting scanty rainfall this monsoon, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today asked district collectors across the state to submit their report on deficient rain and crop loss by October 15.

Patnaik issued the instruction to district authorities while chairing a high level meeting on prevailing situation created due to less rainfall.

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He also asked officials to energise and repair all the lift irrigation points in deficient rainfall areas so that the standing crops could be saved.

The chief minister directed officials to provide sufficient jobs under MGNREGA to the people living in rain deficit areas. He also asked officials of water resources department to properly manage irrigation by supplying water in different canals.

As per a report of the state agriculture department while the average rainfall in Odisha is 1144.3 mm by September end only 1028.3 mm rainfall has been recorded till date this year. The rainfall deficit was 10.1 per cent less than normal between June and September.

While only one of the 30 districts of Odisha has received rainfall more than the normal rainfall, 20 others have got normal rainfall and nine districts got rainfall less than the normal downpour, official sources said.

Though the state govenrment had set a target to undertake cultivation in 61.525 lakh hectare during the kharif season, agricultural activities have been reported from 59.809 hectare of land by September end, they said. PTI AAM KK KK KKB

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Honeypreet had escaped after escorting Ram Rahim to jail following the latter's conviction.

By India Today Web Desk: Though Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim's "adopted daughter" Honeypreet Insan has been arrested, she may finally be acquitted of her charges.

Honeypreet is primarily accused of inciting violence in the wake of Ram Rahim's conviction by a special court in Panchkula. The violence had left 41 people dead.

Honeypreet had escaped after escorting Ram Rahim to jail following the latter's conviction. She was at large for 38 days before being arrested today by the Haryana Police.

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But Honeypreet is likely to be acquitted if the police charge her with inciting violence.

Here are the reasons:

ABSENCE FROM SCENE OF VIOLENCE

It may be difficult for the prosecution to prove Honeypreet's culpability because of her absence from the scene of violence. She had constantly accompanied Ram Rahim after the court had pronounced its judgment. From the court, she even went along with Ram Rahim to the jail.

In today's interview to India Today TV, Honeypreet has emphasised this point.

Refuting reports of role in the violence, she said, "I cannot believe that I am being dubbed a traitor. We have been making films on patriotism and they are calling us traitors. The allegations are not true. They accuse me of being involved in riots, but do they have any evidence against me. I don't know why my name has been brought into this. I was in the chopper with papa (Ram Rahim) when he was being taken to jail. We were not even aware of any unrest. My movement was being monitored, how could I have instigated riots?"

She further said, "How are they making me an accused. I was there with my Papa (Ram Rahim) and discharging my duty as a daughter (on August 25)... Every daughter remains with her father, I went with him. Have you heard me saying a word where I instigate people? I had gone there (to CBI court in Panchkula) with a hope that my father will return by evening, but when he was held guilty, I went into depression, how could I think about anything else, I was totally devastated," she said.

GROUP CONVICTION

Honeypreet tops the list of 43 people "wanted" by the Haryana Police in connection with the incidents of violence killing 41 people and injuring many.

It is quite difficult to convict the accused involved in mob violence. Be it 1984 anti-Sikh riots, 1992 Babri Masjid demolition or 2002 Gujarat riots, conviction has been rare, difficult and sparse.

The case of violence after Ram Rahim's conviction may also meet the same fate.

RAMPAL'S CASE

Self-styled godman Rampal was acquitted in similar cases by a local court in Hisar on August 29.

Rampal was held not guilty of the wrongful confinement, unlawful assembly and disobedience to an order promulgated by a public servant.

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The controversial godman was arrested by police in November 2014 following a 30-hour standoff wherein Rampal's militia allegedly tried to stop paramilitary forces from entering the Satlok ashram. Subsequently, sedition charge was slapped on him and some of his followers.

WATCH VIDEO | India Today finds Honeypreet: I'm living in fear, papa is innocent, says Gurmeet's favourite angel

--- ENDS ---
By PTI: (Eds: Correcting a word in headline)

Bengaluru, Oct 3 (PTI) Craze for a selfie-with-moving- train cost three Bengaluru teenagers their lives as they were run down by a train.

The three youths, aged 16-18 years, who were allegedly in an inebriated state, were run over by the train when they were clicking selfie-with-moving-train near Bidadi, about 30 km from here, police said.

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While two were pre-university students in National College here, one was a school dropout, they said.

"The teenagers had planned to go to Wonder La, a fun parkon the outskirts of Bengaluru. Some people saw them taking pictures," Ramanagar Superintendent of Police Ramesh Bhanot said.

The victims had bought clothes for the water park and then visited a bar, the police said.

The three friends then went to therailway track nearby for clicking pictures, they said, adding, their bodies were mutilated beyond recognition. PTI GMS RABN DIP DIP

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Honeypreet Insan told India Today that she does not want to talk about her former husband Vishwas Gupta.

By India Today Web Desk: In an exclusive interview, fugitive Honeypreet Insan, close aide and self-proclaimed daughter of jailed Dera Sacha Sauda sect chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, today told India Today that she does not want to talk about her former husband Vishwas Gupta.

When asked by India Today about her reactions to some people in her camp, including Gupta, blaming her for Panchkula violence, Honeypreet, who is in her mid-30s, said, "Who are these people in the community? Are they important? I do not want to talk about them."

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Honeypreet married Gupta in 1999 and filed for a divorce in 2011. Gupta has claimed she was in a sexual relationship with Ram Rahim, an allegation denied by her in her interview to India Today.

Gupta has also filed a police complaint alleging threat to his life from Dera followers following his revelation that Honeypreet and Ram Rahim were having illicit relations and that their father-daughter relationship was a sham to fool followers.

Addressing a news conference in Chandigarh last month, Gupta had expressed apprehension that that he might be killed for speaking against the Dera head.

In the last 40 days that Honeypreet has been absconding, the Haryana police has unsuccessfully raided multiple locations in Delhi, Nepal, Rajasthan, Bihar, and Haryana.

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By PTI: New Delhi, Oct 3 (PTI) Aam Aadmi Party lawmakers today urged the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation to refrain from increasing the travel fare, saying do so would violate the law as the DMRC cannot hike the tariff twice within six months.

A delegation of AAP legislators met DMRC Managing Director Mangu Singh and said the corporation should find other means to increase its revenue.

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The party threatened to stage protests if the DMRC went ahead with its decision to hike the fare.

According to the 2002 Delhi Metro Railway Act, recommendations made by the fare fixation committee have to be binding on the metro administration.

The Delhi government on June 30 conveyed its opposition to the proposed fare increase to the fare fixation committee.

The legislators said the proposed hike in fare was being considered without taking into account the views of the elected government of Delhi and the elected representatives.

"What is disturbing is that the DMRC is violating the law by which it was set up in 2002, through its wrong decision of hiking fare twice within six months," they said in a memorandum to the DMRC.

If the proposed hike comes into effect, the fare will go up by a maximum of Rs 10.

The existing structure is: for travel up to 2 kilometres the DMRC would charge Rs 10. Two-five kilometres costs Rs 15.

Five-12 kilometres costs Rs 20, 12-21 kilometres - Rs 30, 21-32 kilometres - Rs 40 and beyond 32 kms Rs 50 is charged.

From October 10, the charge for travelling up to two kilometres would remain the same. But the tariff structure for travel beyond that distance would change.

For travel between two and five kilometres, the tariff would increase by Rs 5, and it will cost Rs 20.

The subsequent slabs would go up by Rs 10 each, meaning the maximum fare will be Rs 60.

The AAP delegation comprised Sanjeev Jha MLA from Burari, Jarnail Singh from Tilak Nagar, and Manoj Kumar from Kondli. PTI PR ABH

--- ENDS ---
By PTI: (Eds: Updating with details)

Kochi, Oct 3 (PTI) In a relief for Malayalam actor Dileep, behind bars for 85 days in connection with the abduction and sexual assault of a South Indian actress, the Kerala High court today granted him bail but with stringent conditions.

Justice Sunil Thomas said he should not tamper with evidence.

Dileep should surrender his passport, deposit a bail bond of Rs one lakh and two solvent sureties for the like amount besides appear before investigating officers as and when required, the court said.

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This was the fifth time that Dileep approached a court for bail.

The court also said he should not influence or threaten the victim or witness by any means including words expressed through print and electronic media.

Since the investigation against Dileep was in the final stages, his further custody was not necessary, the court held.

Four bail pleas filed by Dileep were earlier rejected -- twice each in a magistrate court at Angamaly and the high court.

Dileep has been lodged in the Aluva sub-jail after being arrested in the case on July 10.

The police have claimed that a conspiracy to abduct and assault the actress in a moving car and film the act was hatched by Dileep.

During his 85-day incarceration, he was permitted to come out of the jail only for few hours on September 6 to enable him to perform certain rituals in connection with his fathers death anniversary.

Dileeps actress-wife Kavya Madhavan had also been questioned by investigating officers and fearing arrest she had moved the high court for anticipatory bail, last month.

However, after police gave assurance in the court that she will not be arrested, it was dismissed.

Dileeps friend and director Nadirshah had also been extensively questioned by investigating officers.

His anticipatory bail plea is coming up before the high court tomorrow.

Six persons, including key accused Pulsar Suni, were arrested in connection with the actress abduction case.

The actress, who has worked in Tamil and Telugu films, was abducted and allegedly molested inside her car for two hours by the accused, who had forced their way into the vehicle on February 17 night and later escaped in a busy area.

On hearing about the bail, Dileeps fans collected in front of the Aluva sub-jail and distributed sweets.

The fans said they would take out a procession. They also garlanded a huge cut-out of the actor, who is expected to be released later in the day.

Ernakulam Rural SP A V George said the actor will be released immediately.

Following his imprisonment, the release of Dileeps film "Ram Leela" had been held up several times, but it hit theatres last Friday and is running to packed houses across the state. PTI CORR UD BN ZMN

--- ENDS ---

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He wasn't, apparently, a sociopath. He did not, to anyone who knew him, show any signs of mental illness, was not a fringe radical or a nutjob.

All initial indications are that Stephen Paddock, who just massacred as many as 59 people and seriously injured hundreds more, had no record of mental health problems, nothing to cause him to come unhinged or to snap. He apparently wasn't attacking a particular group, or race, or religion. According to his brother, he had no major affiliations at all, be they political, religious or otherwise.

The story might change and there are many unanswered questions, but right now it appears Paddock was just an older, retired, seemingly normal white guy who lived a quiet life in Nevada, playing slots, watching concerts, hanging out. He had no criminal record.

In other words, he was yet another "average" white American male who had easy access to all the powerful guns he wanted, pre-planning a massive stash of military-grade death machines found in his Mandalay Bay hotel room, all easily obtained by just about anyone who wants them, with minimal background checks and increasingly lax, idiotic ownership laws (and Nevada has some of the most lax in the nation)  including ownership by the mentally ill, because the NRA is a morbid cult of terrified white males, and Trump is anything if not obeisant to his hateful base.

You disagree? You think only a true sociopath could do something like this? That Paddock must have been crazy, mentally unstable, a nut, regardless of any medical diagnosis? You think no normal person could ever do something like this?

You are wrong. The mental illness argument is convenient lie, a myth foisted by the NRA and beloved by hardcore gun nuts everywhere.

Fact is, normal people commit vicious atrocities every single day, to the tune of tens of thousands of gun attacks in America every year: murders, suicides, spousal killing, mass shootings, revenge attacks, dead wives and girlfriend and children, church-goers and UPS workers and nightclub patrons. There has been, on average, a mass shooting nearly every day in America since the Sandy Hook massacre in December of 2012, totaling nearly 1,400, and counting. And the vast majority of such shootings are at the hand of  you guessed it  white American males. We must repeat it every single time: No other industrialized nation has this problem, and surely they have as many sociopaths, per capita, as America.

Put another way: Even if it turns out Paddock suffered from depression or some strain of mental illness, mass shootings and gun violence in America are not, by and large, mental health issues.

Translation: Its the guns. Its the guns. Its the guns. Its the NRA and their vicious hate campaigns, their lies about protecting your family and shooting for fun and if only more people had guns this would never happen, which is not only exactly the inverse of true, it's one of the most sinister, devastating lies ever forced down the throat of a nation. It's their nasty appeal to white males, training them to fear, well, everything and anything: the government, blacks, terrorists, women, Obama, liberals, free speech, human rights.

Heres the obvious, albeit tragic prediction: Nothing will change. Also, this will happen again. Officially, the Vegas massacre is now the worst of its kind in recent American history, the most horrific mass shooting since, well, the last one, gun violence ever remaining the ugliest and most shameful aspect of American life. And the gun lobby, to put it bluntly, could not be happier.

Despite it all, despite all the calls for new gun control laws and the wails of the mourning families, nothing will change. Not because it can't, not because guns are too entrenched (they're not; nothing is), but because no one on Congress has the nerve, or the moral compass, to make real change happen. As famously tweeted once before, the gun control debate in America ended after Sandy Hook. Once Americans deemed it OK to massacre children, it was over.

This is doubly true today, under the violence-loving Trump regime and a GOP that takes in millions of dollars in donations/handouts from the NRA ($32 million in campaign donations to Trump/Pence in 2016 alone  a record  along with nearly another million spread among dozens of GOP congressmen). We also have a thuggish ogre of a president, one who stops just short of endorsing outright violence against those who oppose, or even just disagree, with him  women, blacks, immigrants, the poor, smart people, liberals, scientists, journalists, humanity itself.

Shall we pause for a moment to imagine if Paddock had been black, or Latino, or Muslim? The racist screams from the Right? How Trump would be calling for everyone to buy even more guns, ban all immigrants forever, give police more power and less oversight, allow open carry in kindergarten? The fact Paddock was an average white male  very much the typical profile for a shooter in America, by the way  points to the darker, ongoing truth, one that speaks to white privilege, the lie of the "lone wolf" shooter, and the easy scapegoat of calling such acts "evil," when brutal shootings are, in fact, everyday occurrences in America.

Let us be as clear as possible: Guns and gun culture remain the most shameful, destructive aspects of America, and the NRA is Americas truest terrorist organization, akin to a death cult, one fueled by  and openly promoting  only the most fearful aspects of the human psyche. It's a calculated message, it's intentional, and it's destroying us from within.

In other words: There is no light here. There is no hope, love, kindness or inclusiveness anywhere in the rabid push for more guns in America. Guns offer nothing of true value or moral good to a society. They bring only pain and rage. They bring only death.

Guns have, after all, but a single destiny. They are designed, manufactured and sold for one perfectly bleak, ruinous purpose: the annihilation of life.

As I wrote in a previous, post mass-shooting column:

Guns are unparalleled, really; they are small masterpieces of precision engineering, one of humanity's most deliberate, perfectly designed tools. There is simply no denying a gun's intention, no possible misunderstanding of its reason for existing. Unlike cars, knives, drugs, alcohol or any other freely available, potentially deadly items which can (and do) kill lots of people, guns are the only commercially available instrument in the world that we designed specifically for the purpose of the eradication of life. A gun's nature is, as they say in the tech world, baked in to the hardware. It understands nothing else. Which is to say: Guns are death made physical, palpable in the hand. They are our basest, least sacred energies  hate, fear, paranoia  compressed into metal and explosives. No one holds or fires a gun without some fundamental understanding of this fact  that he could, if he so desired, kill anything he wanted, right now, in an instant  and that's essentially all you're supposed do with it.

The equation, then, is simple enough: the more guns we numbly pump into the culture  more than 300 million, at latest estimate, far more than any other developed nation on Earth, by many orders of magnitude  the more that grim destiny will continue to be fulfilled.
A sculpture of an American Indian man sitting beneath a Spanish missionary and a vaquero might be chopped from the Pioneer Monument in San Franciscos Civic Center, after the citys Arts Commission voted unanimously to review the statue and consider removing it.

Opponents of Early Days  which juts out of the eastern side of the 800-ton Pioneer Monument between the Main Library and the Asian Art Museum  packed a meeting of the Arts Commission on Monday to criticize the statue, calling it San Franciscos version of a Confederate memorial.

Monuments are supposed to commemorate victory, but its time to recognize that acts of genocide do not make a country victorious, said Barbara Mumby, an arts commission staff member who took a personal day off to argue for the statues removal. She was among dozens who spoke, many of them descendants of the American Indians who were subjugated by Spanish missionaries.

Some fought back tears and one woman sobbed at the lectern, comparing the sculpture to someone coming into your home, killing your family and then putting up a monument to commemorate it.

San Francisco Poet Laureate Kim Shuck, who is part Cherokee, described Early Days as the cake topper for a wedding between racialized violence and inaccurate history.

The commission does not have the final say over the fate of the sculpture, however. It will now be reviewed by the citys Historic Preservation Commission, which can authorize its removal. But Mondays vote added significant momentum to a campaign that now has support from Mayor Ed Lee and Supervisor Jane Kim.

If the Historic Preservation Commission agrees, then Early Days would be extracted from the larger installation of granite and bronze figures depicting the settlement of California. Built in 1894, the elaborate Pioneer Monument is topped by a goddess holding a spear in her right hand and a shield in her left, with a grizzly bear standing beside her.

The commission also voted unanimously to put a sign in front of Early Days during the review process, informing anyone who walks by about the controversy.

Although the majority of people who spoke Monday pressed for the statues removal, two speakers defended the artwork, saying it represented a critical piece of Californias history.

James Haas, who sits on the City Hall Preservation Advisory Commission, a three-member body that exists solely to maintain the City Hall building and promote its history, suggested that city officials build a box over the controversial statue, instead of spending an estimated $200,000 to remove it.

Rachel Swan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: rswan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @rachelswan
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip  A new round of Palestinian reconciliation talks experienced its first sign of trouble on Tuesday as the Hamas militant group said it would not give up its vast weapons arsenal, putting it at odds with both the rival Fatah movement and Israel.

The tough comments by Hamas supreme leader, Ismail Haniyeh, provided a reminder of the long road that lies ahead after this weeks launch of talks with President Mahmoud Abbas Fatah movement.

Abbas prime minister, Rami Hamdallah, is in Gaza, where he has received a warm welcome in what is by far the most ambitious attempt by the Palestinian rivals to end a 10-year rift. But Hamdallahs visit is largely symbolic, and the negotiations on key sticking points, including the future of Hamas military force, only start next week in Egypt.

In a TV interview, Haniyeh said his group, which has fought three wars with Israel, would never give up its armed struggle against the Jewish state.

As long as there is occupation on the ground, our people have the right to possess weapons and resist the occupation with all forms of resistance, he told the private On TV station.

In a gesture to Abbas, he said Hamas will not go back to war against Israel unilaterally.

We are ready to negotiate with the Palestinian factions and Fatah on unifying the decision of peace and war, he said.

Such concessions are unlikely to satisfy Abbas, who issued his own tough statement late Monday saying everything must be in the hands of the Palestinian Authority.

He said specifically he would not agree to reproduce the Hezbollah model of Lebanon, where the armed militant group acts freely under the watch of a weak central government.

Fares Akram is an Associated Press writer.
The New Zealand dollar rose against the pound as the British Conservative Party conference gets underway with deep divisions over Brexit and after weaker-than-expected manufacturing data.

The kiwi gained to 54.22 British pence as at 8am in Wellington from 53.81 pence late yesterday. It increased to 72.02 US cents from 71.96 cents yesterday.

The UK's Markit PMI for manufacturing printed at 55.9 in September, missing estimates for 56.2 contributing to a slide in the pound. At the Conservative Party conference Prime Minister Theresa May is reportedly fighting for her survival amid reports Foreign Minister Boris Johnson is ambitious for the top job, having criticised May's Brexit strategy. In the US, the ISM manufacturing survey was stronger than expected.

"For currencies, it appears that political developments have dominated. The worst performing currency is GBP," said Jason Wong, currency strategist at Bank of New Zealand, in a note. "GBP was well down even before the softer PMI data were released."

The New Zealand dollar rose to 61.33 euro cents from 61.09 cents yesterday after an independence vote in Spains Catalonia over the weekend, which the national government has declared illegal.

Traders will be watching for the quarterly survey of business opinion in New Zealand today, while across the Tasman, Australia has building approvals for August and the Reserve Bank reviews the cash rate, although no change is expected.

Tonight, the latest GlobalDairyTrade auction will show what's happening to demand and prices for dairy products.

With the kiwi hovering around 72 US cents, Wong said it "looks a little cheap" against his short-term fair value model "against the backdrop of risk appetite reaching its highest level this year" and rising New Zealand commodity prices. "But it is finding it difficult to make headway against the broadly-based USD recovery."

The kiwi traded at 81.12 yen from 81.19 yen yesterday when data showed Japans big manufacturers were the most confident about the business outlook in a decade in the last quarter. The local currency was at 91.91 Australian cents from 91.96 cents and traded at 4.7917 yuan from 4.7877 yuan.

The trade-weighted index was at 76.09 from 76.

(BusinessDesk)

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The BJP president was in the state to inaugurate the party's Jana Raksha Yatra in Payyannur. Tomorrow, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is expected to lead the yatra.

By Jeemon Jacob: BJP president Amit Shah today directly attacked the Pinarayi Vijayan government and the Left saying that political killings were common in both Kerala and Tripura. He said that whenever the Left Front came to power in Kerala it set off a cycle of violence.

Shah added that over 120 BJP and RSS workers have been killed in Kerala and over 80 of them were killed in Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's constituency. Shah also said that the CM should answer the public.

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The BJP president was in the state to inaugurate the party's Jana Raksha Yatra in Payyannur. Shah offered prayers at Rajarajeswara Tample in Taliparamba.

On Wednesday, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is expected to join the BJP's Jana Raksha Yatra in Kerala. Adityanath will join the yatra from Kecherry near Kannur district.

TOP NAMES IN BJP TO TAKE PART IN YATRA

Shah was accompanied by state BJP leaders and was received by several authorities. He offered a golden pot to the presiding deity there.

After offering prayers, Shah proceeded to Payyannur to launch the 15-day march in the state against the alleged red terrorism unleashed by the Left party against BJP and Sangh Parivar workers.

The Jan Raksha Yatra (peoples protection march) from Payyannur will travel through the state before culminating in Thiruvananthapuram on October 17.

Several Union ministers will also participate in the march under the theme of "All have to live!! Against Jihadi-Red Terror."

As many as 120 BJP workers, 84 in Kannur alone, have been killed in the state since 2001 with 14 of them in the chief ministers home town since he took over the reins last year, the BJP has alleged.

The CPI(M) has, in turn, accused the BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) of resorting to violence and denied the involvement of its government and leadership in political killings.

BJP HAS NO LIFE IN KERALA

"It's a vanity they (BJP leaders) have been dreaming for long. They have no life in Kerala. With mounting corruption within the party ranks, they need something to divert the attention of the people and the media. Their walkathon is a farce. If they are pro people, they should protest against Modi and stage their Yatra against his anti-people reforms," Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, CPIM state Secretary of CPIM told INDIA TODAY.

"It's good he ( Amit Shah) walks in Kerala streets and enjoy his walk. Let him understand how different is Kerala from Gujarat where he may not be able to walk freely for long as people confront with his false promises," Kodiyeri commented.

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BJP is planning high voltage campaign for the Yatra and scheming nation wide campaign against CPIM ruled Kerala. CPIM leadership is watching closely about the "misinformation plank BJP is pitching its campaign".

P.Jayarajan, CPIM district Secretary in Kannur welcomed Amit Shah to Kannur for different reasons.

"As far as CPIM is concerned we welcome every leader to Kannur to enjoy our hospitality. We are not the people who are engineering political murders.It's BJP and RSS criminals are promoting political killings in Kerala. He may be walking in Kerala for his personal reasons. I will be happy if he reduces his weight during the misinformation campaign against CPIM. Let him live more with good healthy indicators. If Kannur provided him such opportunity, I'm happy," P. Jayarajan commented on the Jana Raksha Yatra and BJP's effort to paint Kerala as a land of Red terror.

--- ENDS ---
In Odisha, an infant died after nurses at a hospital tried to deliver a baby 3 Idiots style, that is, by coordinating with a doctor over phone.

By Manogya Loiwal : In what could be called a failed attempt to recreate a Bollywood scene in real life, nurses at a hospital in Odisha tried to deliver a baby while coordinating with the doctor over phone. Aamir Khan and his friends tasted success doing this in the 2009 blockbuster 3 Idiots, but these nurses did not.

The incident happened in Sai Hospital, a private hospital in Kendrapada district of Odisha.

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Aarti Samal was admitted there and her husband Kalpatru Samal was present.

Dr Rashmikant Patra, who was supposed to attend Aarti's case, was not present in the hospital and the nurses attempted a caesarean operation on the woman after coordinating with the doctor over phone. The outcome was tragic as the baby died.

Samal lost her child and even her uterus damaged after the operation conducted by these nurses.

Aarti's husband Kalpatru took the body of his baby to the Kendrapada Town police station and filed an FIR against the doctor.

He said, "When we contacted Dr Rashmikant Patra, he asked us to get her admitted in the hospital. He informed us that he is not present in the hospital but will coordinate with the nurses for proper care once we get her admitted in the hospital. He did not arrive even when the condition of my wife got critical. I don't know who did it but my wife was operated upon and we lost our first baby. My wife's uterus is also damaged. The nurses said that they had coordinated with the doctor over the phone and had given their 100 per cent. It is only because of their negligence of the hospital authority."

Police is investigating the matter and a case of negligence has been filed against the doctor.

"We will ask a team of doctors to see the damage caused and the actual reason of the baby's death," said IIC Bijay Kumar Disi, from Town Thana, Kendrapada.

(With inputs from Mohammad Suffian in Bhubaneshwar)

--- ENDS ---
A 30-member high-level business delegation from the FICCI is also accompanying the finance minister of India.

By Sahidul Hasan Khokon: Bangladesh will sign a $4.5 billion third Line of Credit (LoC) agreement with India on Wednesday. The agreement will be signed in the presence of Indian Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and his Bangladesh counterpart Abul Mal Abdul Muhith.

A press release from Bangladesh government official said, Economic Relations Division (ERD), Secretary and Managing Director of Indian EXIM Bank, will ink the agreement on behalf of their respective sides at the Finance Ministry in Dhaka.

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It was during the visit of Bangladeshi PM Sheikh Hasina's visit to India in April 2017, the Indian Line of Credit of US $4.5 billion was announced for Bangladesh.

This will bring the total quantum of credit lines extended by India to Bangladesh over the last six years to $8 billion. Signing of the Third Dollar Credit Line Agreement will enable the implementation of a number of key infrastructure priority projects of Bangladesh.

Later, the Joint Interpretive Notes on the agreement between the two countries will also be signed at the ministry to promote and protect investments.

JAITLEY TO HAVE A BUSY SCHEDULE

Indian Finance Minister Arun Jaitley arrived in Dhaka, Wednesday noon on a three-day official visit. A special aircraft carrying the Jaitley-led Indian delegation landed at Bangladesh Air Force Base at around 2 pm. He was received by Bangladeshi Finance Minister Muhtih.

Bangladesh finance ministry official told that, Jaitley is being accompanied by Subhash Chandra Garg, secretary of Department of Economic Affairs under the Indian Ministry of Finance and other senior officials of Indian government.

A 30-member high-level business delegation from the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) is also accompanying the finance and corporate affairs minister of India.

On Wednesday, Jaitley will also join a meeting with the delegation of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) at Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel in Dhaka.

President of FICCI Pankaj Patel, FBCCI President Shafiul Islam Mohiuddin and director Shahed Reza, among others, addressed the meeting.

He will also hold bilateral meeting with his Bangladesh counterpart AMA Muhith. Jaitley will also attend an event to be organised by the Policy Research Institute of Bangladesh and the High Commission of India, on the subject of 'Macroeconomic Initiatives of the Government of India'.

A media statement of the Indian High Commision said, as India and Bangladesh have witnessed deepening of bilateral economic cooperation in recent years, particularly in terms of increasing volumes of trade and investment. The two ministers are expected to review the status of economic cooperation and initiatives taken during the visits of Modi and Hasina in 2015 and 2017, respectively.

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Jaitley and Muhith will jointly inaugurate a new scheme for cashless transactions in visa services run by the State Bank of India on behalf of the High Commission of India. The two ministers will also inaugurate the Dhaka representative office of the EXIM Bank of India.

BANGLADESH SEEKS MORE INDIAN INVESTMENTS

Bangladeshi Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed seeked more Indian investments in Bangladesh to reduce trade gap.

Ahmed said, in order to increase trade between India and Bangladesh we should focus on removing non-tariff and para-tariff barriers, improving the physical facilities, mutual recognition of certificates and standards and better connectivity needs to be ensured.

Ahmed was speaking at 'Bangladesh India Business Meeting' organized by FBCCI at a city hotel today.

Jaitely said, India has a large population and it has concentrated on skill development and India can extend cooperation to Bangladesh in this area through exchange programs.

Also Watch : BJP had 3 years to fix economy, can't blame Congress anymore: Yashwant Singh

--- ENDS ---
By PTI: Bhubaneswar, Oct 3 (PTI) Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan today dubbed the BJD government in Odisha as "arrogant" for remaining in power for a long time.

"Its quite natural that a person becomes arrogant after remaining in power for a long time. It is not an exception in case of Naveen Babu, too," he told reporters here.

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Pradhans statement comes a day after BJD president and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik accused Opposition parties of making "false propaganda" against his government.

The Union minister alleged that BJD is "neck deep" in corruption and that PC (percentage commission) is a regular affair in the state.

Stating that Patnaik himself has stressed on complete abolition of percentage commission, Pradhan said that such practices have become more prevalent in PWD and Irrigation Departments, which are under the chief minister.

"If opposition rakes up the same issue, he (Patnaik) calls it false propaganda," he said.

Pradhan wondered whether raising incidents of bridge collapses and findings of a recent CAG report on Anganwadi centres were also false propaganda.

The ruling BJD, however, countered Pradhans remarks.

Senior party leader and minister Damodar Rout alleged that Pradhan was elevated to Cabinet rank by persuading with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"Not Mati (country), but party comes first for him. He is utilising government money for his own interests unlike us. His party had got 36 seats when they were with us, the number of seats came down to six after they snapped ties with us," Rout said.

BJP spokesperson Prashant Nanda said the people of Odisha know Patnaik very well as they have kept him in power for 17 years.

"The BJP-led NDA government is hijacking state schemes like Mamata Yojana and many more. People have rejected them for last several years," he added. PTI AAM RBT KKB

--- ENDS ---
By PTI: Coimbatore, Oct 3 (PTI) A branch of Panama-based Dr A P J Abdul Kalam University was launched here today.

The varsity was founded by a group of eminent educationists from India and abroad and the branch in the city will be a tribute to the missile man, late Kalam, its chancellor Subramanian said.

Puducherry minister for revenue, transport and industries, MOHF Shahjahan was the chief guest at the function.

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Elaborating on the university activities, Subramanian said it aimed to lead the world in research, as it was committed to disciplinary excellence across the sciences.

The university offers a wide range of courses including journalism and mass communication to choose from, he said. PTI NVM BN RBS

--- ENDS ---
Three Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists attempted storming a BSF camp in Srinagar in suicide attack that is being compared to the 2016 strike at the Pathankot airbase in Punjab.

Security forces take positions during the attack on a BSF camp in Srinagar. REUTERS/Danish Ismail

By Kamaljit Kaur Sandhu: In an audacious attack reminiscent of last year's raid on the Pathankot airbase in Punjab, three terrorists today attempted storming into a Border Security Force base in Srinagar.

All three militants, who were on a suicide mission and were disguised in CRPF uniform, were neutralised in a joint operation of the Central Reserve Police Force, the Jammu and Kashmir Police and the BSF before they could cause significant casualities.

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One BSF trooper was killed in the attack, while three other jawans were injured. The toll, however, could have been much higher if the terrorists, who were from the Jaish-e-Mohammed group, had not be eliminated so quickly.

One of the three Jaish terrorists was killed minutes after the three attempted laying siege to the headquarters of the BSF's 182 battalion in Humhama, Srinagar.

At around 4:10 am today, the three terrorists targeted the BSF camp with indiscriminate automatic gunfire and grenades. Three BSF jawans were injured while an assistant sub-inspector of the force was killed in this initial volley of gunfire and grenades.

Some images of destruction at BSF Hq Humhama, Srinagar. 3 Pak terrorists were neutralised in Ops mounted by BSF, CRPF & JKP along with RR pic.twitter.com/1vVXRtVVqZ- GAURAV C SAWANT (@gauravcsawant) October 3, 2017

The initial attack also allowed to three militants to enter the BSF camp.

As the three terrorists entered the camp, alert BSF sentries managed to gun gunned down one of the Jaish men, forcing the other two to hide in nearby buildings.

Undeterred, the two surviving militants launched a fresh attack, firing at the BSF camp. In the mean time, a Quick Action Teams of the Central Reserve Police Force, headed by an inspector general-level officer, arrived at the scene of the attack.

Considering the vastness of the BSF camp in Srinagar, senior officers decided to launch an operation that included men from the BSF, the CRPF and the J&K Police.

The teams, led by the CRPF, cordoned off all buildings and fanned out in search for the terrorists, conducting room-to-room intervention.

One of the teams located one of the terrorists, who was hiding behind the BSF camp's mess. The terrorist was eliminated on the spot.

J&K Police, CRPF and BSF joint press conference after Srinagar attack https://t.co/nSaf6aFvv4- ANI (@ANI) October 3, 2017

The third Jaish man was cornered inside a two-storey building. Security forces initially asked the militant to surrender. But the man refused to raise the proverbial white flag, leading to the troops firing a missile at the building in order to create room to enter the structure.

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A team led by a CRPF officer entered the building and shot down the third terrorist, bringing to an end an hours-long operation that averted significant casualties.

The attack took place near the high-security Srinagar airport, causing flight operations to be suspended for the duration of the operation. Authorities later revealed that three Jaish terrorists were on a suicide mission.

(With inputs from agencies)

--- ENDS ---
By Pankaj Srivastava: In a late night incident, Bahujan Samaj Party leader Rajesh Yadav was shot dead at the Allahabad University's Tara Chandra Hostel.

Immediately after Yadav's murder, the university students as well as BSP workers took to the streets to protest the murder.

In the ensuing melee, the protesters also blocked the road and burned roadways buses.

The police was forced to resort to lathicharging the protesters after the the situation spiraled out of control and the protesters began pelting stones at the security forces.

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Family members revealed Yadav had left home late in the evening with his doctor friend Mukul. Soon after Rajesh Yadav was shot, Mukul, believing him to be injured, rushed Yadav to his hospital where he was declared dead.

Soon after shooting Yadav, the assailants even resorted to damaging the BSP leader's Toyota Fortuner.So far the police have not been able to ascertain the reason behind Yadav's murder and are looking for the assailants.

--- ENDS ---
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Speaking directly to potential voters, Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis sat down with the Advance for a 30-minute Facebook Live interview Monday evening, answering questions from viewers on transportation, housing, drug addiction, education and more.

The Republican mayoral hopeful is running against Mayor Bill de Blasio, and has blasted his proposal to open 90 homeless shelters throughout the city. He has said Staten Island's shelters should increase by more than 1,000 percent.

Malliotakis has criticized that plan, as well as the current policy of placing homeless in hotels, supporting instead supportive housing for homeless, which includes offering more vocational training to help people get jobs, and giving those with mental illness treatment.

"I'm obviously going to have some homeless shelters and there are those that already exist, I'm opposed to the mayor's plan to add additional 90 shelters. I think that this administration has not been proactive enough or aggressive enough in transitioning people out of the shelter system into more permanent housing," she said.

She proposed utilizing buildings that the city has seized due to tax liens and refurbishing them for supportive housing.

She opposed the mayor's idea to use taxpayer dollars to pay rent for homeless who are willing to relocate outside New York City.

Asked what she would do to address the drug epidemic, Malliotakis noted the bill she has sponsored -- it hasn't gotten out of committee -- that would keep felons out of drug rehabs and instead force them to serve jail time for new drug crimes.

Pushed to say what she would do for addicts, the assemblywoman said while Albany "has done a great job" at allocating resources to addiction treatment, they have been "reactive," and she would be "proactive" by getting dealers off the street before they get the addicts.

The city should also utilize hospital beds for addiction treatment, she said, since procedures historically done in hospitals are now out-patient procedures that free up space.

Asked how she would improve the city's education, Malliotakis criticized how money is allocated and spent.

"I think there's a lot of bureaucracy and a lot of administration at the top," she said. She would eliminate some. "We're spending hundreds of millions of dollars on contracts with vendors and consultants that have been added ... there's little accountability."

She noted a 2014 audit from Comptroller Scott Stringer that found computers and tablets that were paid for by the Department of Education were nowhere to be found

"There's a lot of money being wasted at the top and we need that to trickle down to the classroom," she said.

After the deadly stabbing in a Bronx high school that left one student dead and another injured, Malliotakis called for plain clothes police officers to patrol troubled schools, as well as adding metal detectors.

Asked what she would do to maintain existing affordable housing and create more, Malliotakis said she would focus on capping property taxes.

In the Assembly, she has cosponsored a bill that would add New York City to the statewide cap on property tax increases, something de Blasio has opposed.

"That comes down to the mayor's ability to control spending," she said. "This mayor has increased spending by $15 billion."

Asked how she would help renters -- who don't directly pay property taxes but who pay a portion of the building owner's taxes -- the assemblywoman said the city should partner with nonprofit organizations that can build and maintain housing for seniors, veterans and low income New Yorkers.

Malliotakis said the mayor should respond to Gov. Andrew Cuomo's challenge to invest city dollars in the MTA's subways and pull from its reserves. She also proposed saving money by putting a hiring freeze on non-emergency jobs.

Asked whether that would put the city in a bad situation by promising city dollars for a state-run entity, the assemblywoman scoffed.

"The city absolutely has a responsibility to invest in its public transportation system," she said. "No one can excuse the mayor from being responsible for the public transportation system, the New York City transit that is encompassed wholly in his city. That is the mayor's job."

She also said she supports adding a South Shore fast ferry to the mayor's plan that has been called a citywide plan but omits Staten Island.

The mayor has been invited to a Facebook Live interview as well, but his campaign has not yet arranged for such a meeting.

De Blasio campaign spokesman Dan Levitan said, "Under Mayor de Blasio, New York City is making a record contribution to fixing and upgrading subways and buses, affordable housing is being built at a record rate, and graduation rates and test scores continue to rise. That is the mayor's record, and one that New Yorkers are rallying behind."
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Students met their new comfort dog, a Boston terrier mix named Ollie, that will help them build life skills and improve their social-emotional learning.

The Michael J. Petrides School in Sunnyside hosted a Puppy Reveal Celebration on the school's quad on Tuesday.

Ollie -- who is three months old -- will be undergoing comfort dog training with the Department of Education (DOE) over the next few weeks. Meanwhile, the school is training the kids to be dog-walkers.

Administrators wanted a meaningful name for the school's dog, so they named Ollie in honor of Petrides alumnus Staff Sgt. Michael H. Ollis -- who heroically gave his life to save another service member while stationed in Afghanistan in 2013.

"I think it's going to bring a lot of joy and comfort to the kids," said Principal Joanne Buckheit. "The research shows that having a dog as part of a school community raises student achievement. Students can read to the dog and it teaches students responsibility. There's a therapeutic aspect to it too."

The DOE works with schools to adopt a rescue animal that has been evaluated by North Shore Animal League America.

Under the program, schools can receive training in the "Mutt-i-Grees" curriculum that includes lesson plans and strategies to engage students and incorporate the dog in a variety of ways including at-risk and mandated counseling.

The dog becomes an integral part of a school's crisis intervention protocols and supports de-escalation and bereavement counseling.

The other schools on Staten Island that are part of the program include: PS 22, in Graniteville; Staten Island Technical High School, in New Dorp; the Staten Island School of Civic Leadership, in Graniteville; Bernstein Intermediate School (I.S. 7), in Huguenot; PS 1, in Tottenville.
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -- On the ground in Puerto Rico nearly two weeks after a hurricane ravaged the island, President Donald Trump heaped praise Tuesday on his administration's relief workers and, more selectively, Puerto Rican officials after earlier dismissing critics of the federal response as "politically motivated ingrates."

Trump told officials and relief workers assembled in an airplane hangar that the low death toll from Hurricane Maria -- he was told 16 or 17 -- was a tribute to the relief efforts. "We've saved a lot of lives," he said, and singled out Gov. Ricardo Rossello for "giving us the highest praise."

The help didn't come cheap, he said: "I hate to tell you, Puerto Rico, but you've thrown our budget a little out of whack."

"But that's fine," he said, "because we've saved a lot of lives."

The most prominent critic, San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz, attended the first event, in an airport hangar, shaking Trump's hand as he went around a table greeting officials before sitting in in the shadow of a hulking, gray military plane.

"How are you?" he asked. Her response could not be heard. He thanked her. Days earlier, Cruz said the Trump administration was "killing us with the inefficiency," pleading for more effective federal leadership in the crisis.

Air Force One brought the president, first lady Melania Trump and aides to Puerto Rico in late morning. They were expected to spend more than five hours on the ground, meeting first responders, local officials and some of the 3.4 million people whose lives have been upended by a hurricane that, in the president's words, left the island U.S. territory "flattened."

The plane descended over a landscape marked by mangled palm trees, metal debris strewn near homes and patches of stripped trees, yet with less devastation evident than farther from San Juan.

At least in his first moments on the island, Trump remained focused primarily on the reviews his administration is getting. "He didn't play politics at all," he said of the governor, making clear that he considers those who have criticized him to be politically driven. Trump misstated Maria as a Category 5 hurricane; it was Category 4 when it hit Puerto Rico.

"I appreciate your support and I know you appreciate ours," he said. "Our country has really gone all out. It's not only dangerous, it's expensive. But I consider it a great honor."

Before leaving Washington, he said Puerto Ricans who have called the federal response insufficient "have to give us more help."

Large-scale protests against Trump, talked about in advance, failed to materialize by early afternoon, with only a few handfuls of people gathering around San Juan to decry his criticism of local politicians.

As he headed out from the White House to visit the island, Trump told reporters that "it's now acknowledged what a great job we've done."

The trip is Trump's fourth areas battered by storms during an unusually violent hurricane season that has also seen parts of Texas, Florida, Louisiana and the U.S. Virgin Islands inundated by floodwaters and hit by high winds.

Nearly two weeks after the Puerto Rico storm, 95 percent of electricity customers remain without power, including some hospitals. And much of the countryside is still struggling to access such basic necessities as food, fresh water and cash.

Trump's visit follows a weekend in which he aggressively pushed back against critics, including Cruz. Trump responded angrily on Twitter, deriding the "poor leadership ability by the Mayor of San Juan, and others in Puerto Rico, who are not able to get their workers to help."

"They want everything to be done for them when it should be a community effort," he added, scoffing at "politically motivated ingrates" who had criticized the federal work, and insisting that "tremendous progress" was being made.

Cruz had begged the administration to "make sure somebody is in charge that is up to the task of saving lives."

Trump and his wife were to meet Navy and Marine Corps personnel on the flight deck of the USS Kearsarge as well as the governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Even before the storm hit on Sept. 20, Puerto Rico was in dire condition thanks to a decade-long economic recession that had left its infrastructure, including the island's power lines, in a sorry state. Maria was the most powerful hurricane to hit the island in nearly a century and unleashed floods and mudslides that knocked out the island's entire electrical grid and telecommunications, along with many roads.

Trump and other administration officials have worked in recent days to reassure Americans that recovery efforts are going well and combat a perception that the president failed to fully grasp the magnitude of the storm's destruction in its immediate aftermath.

While early response efforts were hampered by logistical challenges, officials say that conditions, especially in the capital, have improved.

According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, there are now more than 10,000 federal officials on the ground on the island, and 45 percent of customers now have access to drinking water. Businesses are also beginning to re-open, with 60 percent of retail gas stations now up and running.

The Health and Human Services Department says federal medical teams with their own equipment and supplies have been sent to help provide care at Centro Medico, a major trauma center in San Juan. Additional teams have been sent to five hospitals in other parts of the island.

The department has also placed a liaison in each hospital that's open, to make sure the facilities can get timely shipments of fuel needed to keep generators running, as well as medical supplies.

For many, however, Washington's response isn't enough. On Monday, the nonprofit relief group Oxfam announced that it would be taking the rare step of intervening in an American disaster, citing its outrage over what it called a "slow and inadequate response."
Deer barges into New Dorp Lane dress shop

On Oct. 2, 2017, an injured deer, believed to been struck by car on Hylan Boulevard, barged into In Phase Fashions dress boutique on New Dorp Lane and became trapped inside the store.

The animal, bleeding heavily, slammed into walls and mirrors and ran throughout the aisles, frightening employees and customers.

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Ponies wander streets of Staten Island during snowstorm

On March 14, 2017, in the middle of Winter Storm Stella's icy wrath, two ponies hoofed their way out of a stable in Eltingville -- and into viral video status on the internet.

With the help of the NYPD, the miniature ponies -- aka Blondi and Jewels -- were returned to their rightful owner: Film producer Julius R. Nasso.

"The wind in the middle of the night was so strong that it opened up the barn doors, and at around 7:30 a.m. the horses got loose," Nasso said.

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Video: Runaway zebra, pony are spotted trotting on Staten Island

A black-and-white striped zebra and a pony were spotted running through a shopping center parking lot on Victory Boulevard in Travis in November 2012.

Zachary Osher, owner of Metropolitan Drape & Blind, spotted the bizarre scene and shared his video with the Advance and SILive.com.

"I was sitting at my desk at about 9:20 when I saw a zebra and pony run back and forth across the street, almost getting hit by a car," he told us.

But it gets even crazier: "About 30 seconds later, I saw two men in dark black suits carrying lassoes running across the street."

Turned out the zebra named Razzi and his sidekick, Casper the pony, escaped from the Travis yard of owner Giovanni Schirripa when the gate was left open.

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Deer breaks into T.J. Maxx, greets employee opening store

A deer broke through the glass front window of a T.J. Maxx store in Port Richmond and was caught red-hoofed inside the store just after 8 a.m. on a Saturday in October, 2014.

An employee opening the store noticed that the window had been shattered and spotted a deer running around inside when she arrived for work at the Forest Avenue department store.

The NYPD's Emergency Service Unit and members of the Department of Environmental Conservation responded, and the DEC removed the deer. Deer blood was later seen on the floor of the store.

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Staten Island homeowner awakens to snake slithering in toilet bowl

Talk about a morning wake up call! Allen Shepard answered nature's summons in his Graniteville apartment in March 2012 then stepped to the vanity to brush his teeth. Granted, it's all a bit fuzzy at 6:30 a.m., but Shepard swore he saw something slithering in the toilet bowl.

"What the hell is that?" he yelled.

It wasn't his imagination: It was a four-foot-long California Kingsnake.

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Irving Silverstein

Chickens fall from truck, 'fowl' traffic on Hylan Boulevard in Grasmere

Live chickens "fowled" traffic when they fell off a truck on Hylan Boulevard in Grasmere during the Wednesday morning rush hour on March 11, 2015.

About 30 crates of live chickens tumbled from a truck and landed on the road and the sidewalk at Steuben Street and Hylan Boulevard about 7:15 a.m.

Most of the chickens remained secure in their crates, but some escaped and were walking around and at least one lay injured on the sidewalk.

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Maura Grunlund | grunlund@siadvance.com

Alligator found by NYPD at home in Mariners Harbor

Officers in the 121st Precinct found an alligator in a home in Mariners Harbor while responding to a report of a burglary on Tuesday, Aug. 23, 2016.

The officers were called at about 7:30 p.m. to what turned out to be an abandoned home on Bush Avenue. The back door to the residence was open. During a search of the house, officers found the alligator in a bathtub, a police spokesman said.

The Emergency Service Unit assisted in the reptilian rescue and the alligator was taken to city Animal Care and Control for an evaluation, according to the 121 Precinct Twitter feed.

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Deer cause delays and temporary closure of Verrazano-Narrows Bridge

Deer that leaped down about 20 feet onto an entrance ramp leading to the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge caused delays on the Staten Island Expressway and a brief closure of the span at about 9 a.m. a weekday morning in May 2014.

The two deer jumped down about 20 feet from Narrows Road South onto an on-bound ramp that was under construction and closed to traffic near Lilly Pond Avenue headed toward the span. One deer died in the fall. The other suffered a broken leg.

The city Police Department Emergency Service Unit responded and an officer with a dart gun could be seen taking aim.

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Maura Grunlund | grunlund@siadvance.com

No tiger in the tank, but a kitty under the hood on Staten Island

Victoria Feldman of New Springville knew it was trouble when she heard something more than the engine purring under the hood of her car at the College of Staten Island.

Ms. Feldman was driving into the back entrance of the campus on the morning of May 17, 2012, when she heard a familiar yet unexpected sound inside her car.

"As I was arriving at the college campus, I heard a terrible bloodcurdling meowing coming from under the hood of my car," the registered nurse said.

She pulled her car into lot 3. Fortunately, she saw a public safety officer, Gregory Rodriguez, patrolling the lot and asked him for assistance.

"I looked in the engine compartment and there was a dirty little tiny kitten looking up at us and meowing for help," Rodriguez said.

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Maura Grunlund | grunlund@siadvance.com

Large feline fosters Facebook scare: Fuzzy friend or bobcat?

There was a very large cat roaming Staten Island in October 2014 and many in the community wondered if it is a predatory breed of feline, or simply an extremely large domestic cat.

Frank Malara believed it was a mountain lion -- or at least a bobcat.

After he was able to grab a photo, he started an Islandwide buzz by posting the image and a warning on his Facebook page.

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Rob Bailey | bailey@siadvance.com

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  Don't let all those "oh, god, another pizza story? Yaawwwwwn" comments on my cheesy "calling for Best of S.I. Pizza nominations" story fool you.

This borough still loves its pie. (That post racked up more than 120,000  and counting  page views in one week to prove it.)

We received hundreds of reader nominations in six top categories: Best Grandma, Best Sicilian, Best Gourmet/Artisan, Best Breakfast, Best Clam and Best Thin Crust. The finalists are tallied and now its time to vote for the 2017 Best of Staten Island Pizza winners.

WHAT'S NEXT? You have one week  through midnight Thursday, Oct. 5 (technically Friday)  to vote for your favorites in each category. Only one vote per hour counts  so your dedication matters. Winners will be declared within a week of the polls' closing. I'm sure my Pizza Pulitzer Prize, a award for which some helpful commenters nominated me, will be announced soon after.

Keeping scrolling for the polls:

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<a href="http://polldaddy.com/poll/9839105/">VOTE: Best Grandma Pizza on Staten Island 2017</a>

Rob Bailey | bailey@siadvance.com

GRANDMA PIE: A square or rectangular pizza baked in an olive oil-coated pan. It's typically covered in a thin layer of mozzarella cheese, and in uncooked canned or fresh tomatoes. When it comes out of the oven, the thick crust is a little crispy.

Full disclosure: I always thought Grandma slices were the same as Sicilian slices. Not so, says SILive Food Guru Pamela Silvestri: "No, they are not. Grandma is thin on the bottom and stripe-y on the top. Sicilian is thick, one step away from focaccia."

PICTURED ABOVE: A fresh Grandma pizza out of the oven at Brother's Pizza. (Staten Island Advance Photo)

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Rob Bailey | bailey@siadvance.com

Come on, feast your eyes on that tasty topography: Grandma Pie at Pronto Pizza in West Brighton (Staten Island Advance/Pamela Silvestri)

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<a href="http://polldaddy.com/poll/9839111/">VOTE: Best Sicilian Pizza on Staten Island 2017</a>

Rob Bailey | bailey@siadvance.com

THE SICILIAN: For those of you who are still convinced Grandma is the same as Sicilian, Bon Appetit further explains the critical difference: "The dough in Sicilian pizza is left to rise a little between the time that it's stretched on the pan and put in the oven. This waiting time makes for a softer, fluffier final product. Grandma pie, on the other hand, is tossed in the oven quickly or immediately after it's been stretched onto the pan, which gives it a slightly denser and crispier crust."

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A pizza-maker ladles red sauce on top of a Sicilian pie. The sauce, by the way, is fixed daily by two chefs who go from store to store with a secret recipe, a tradition built for consistency among Pronto Restaurants around Staten Island. (Staten Island Advance/Pamela Silvestri)

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Bill Lyons

Pier 76 serves upside down Sicilian squares in St. George. (Staten Island Advance/Bill Lyons)

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Rob Bailey | bailey@siadvance.com

OK, with a name like "Nonna's," you know this Great Kills pizzeria's Grandma Pie is on point.

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Rob Bailey | bailey@siadvance.com

Nunzio's is known for the crunch-chew ratio of its Sicilian. (Staten Island Advance photos)

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&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://polldaddy.com/poll/9839058/"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;VOTE: Best Thin Crust Pizza on Staten Island 2017&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;

Rob Bailey | bailey@siadvance.com

THIN CRUST: From Joe & Pat's (pictured above) to Pier 76 to Lee's Tavern  this borough was on top of the delicate crust, explosive flavor trend waaaay before the other boroughs.

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&amp;lt;a href="http://polldaddy.com/poll/9839131/"&amp;gt;VOTE: Best Clam Pizza on Staten Island 2017&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;

Rob Bailey | bailey@siadvance.com

CLAM PIE: According to popular foodie blog GrubStreet.com, "If there is an epicenter of clam pizza in New York, a place to rival New Haven, then it is Staten Island."

We know this borough has at least three iconic clam pies  but we'll let you be the judge of that in the comments section.

Meanwhile, Grub Street's Chris Crowley says, "The key to a great clam pizza is to not overcomplicate it. Tomato sauce can be okay, but it's usually unnecessary; cheese is good but shouldn't smother the crust; and there shouldn't be an excess of toppings competing with the clams  nothing like, say, burnt kale. Garlic is pretty much mandatory, but otherwise there aren't any strict rules: maybe some chiles, surely an herb like basil or parsley."

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The famous clam pie in Lee's Tavern, Dongan Hills. (Staten Island Advance/Carol Ann Benanti)

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Rob Bailey | bailey@siadvance.com

The clam pie made with fresh shucked clams at Noto's Casa Cucina in Great Kills. (Staten Island Advance/Pamela Silvestri)

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Rob Bailey | bailey@siadvance.com

The legendary Clam Pie at The Roadhouse in Sunnyside. (Staten Island Advance/Hilton Flores)

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&amp;amp;lt;a href="http://polldaddy.com/poll/9839116/"&amp;amp;gt;VOTE: Best Gourmet/Artisan Pizza on Staten Island 2017&amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;gt;

Rob Bailey | bailey@siadvance.com

GOURMET/ARTISAN PIES: Yes, we are getting a bit precious with our pie fandom here. Manhattan gets heaps of hipster love for its Motorino, as do Greenpoint's Paulie Gee's and Roberta's of Bushwick.

But Staten Island's gourmet pie scene is not to be slept on, folks. Have you tried Dough by Licastri, Campania or Pizzeria Giove? Shout out your most indulgent, decadent or just plain upscale pies in the comments section.

PICTURED ABOVE: Dough by Licastri's "Bianca's October Sky," with roasted butternut squash, gorgonzola cheese, finely chopped rosemary, dollops of Stracciatella cheese and fine lines of orange blossom honey to offset the slight heat from blistered jalapenos.

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Rob Bailey | bailey@siadvance.com

Pizzeria Giove's award-winning zucchini, prosciutto and cheese pizza. (Staten Island Advance Photo by Jan Somma-Hammel)

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Rob Bailey | bailey@siadvance.com

And now for something completely different but absolutely gourmet: Sushi Pizza at Fushimi in Grant City and Tottenville, featuring tuna sashimi, jalapeno guacamole, grilled fajita, spicy aioli and balsamic glaze.

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&amp;amp;lt;a href="http://polldaddy.com/poll/9839119/"&amp;amp;gt;VOTE: Best Breakfast Pizza on Staten Island 2017&amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;gt;

Rob Bailey | bailey@siadvance.com

BREAKFAST PIZZA: OK, pie purists, come for me. I know this is a controversial category  but its popularity is on the rise so I don't think it's going anywhere. Let's embrace the cheese and eggs.

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Rob Bailey | bailey@siadvance.com

A fresh batch of brunch pies hits the oven at Giovanni's in Eltingville. (Courtesy of Giovanni's)

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Rob Bailey | bailey@siadvance.com

Breakfast pizza with bacon and eggs for brunch at Mario's in Dongan Hills. (Courtesy of Mario Gentile)

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Rob Bailey | bailey@siadvance.com

HOW THE BEST OF STATEN ISLAND AWARDS WORK

It's (deliciously) cheesy but true: Of all topics that fire up Staten Islanders, superior pie provokes some of the liveliest debates. Come on, we can opine over the best brick-oven crusts and artisan toppings until the organic cow's milk mozzarella comes home. From gloriously greasy buck slices to wholesome grandma pies to figgy gourmet splurges, New York City's most legendary pizza lives here.

Yep, it's that time of year again: Last week (Sept. 20-Sept. 27) we solicited your expertise to nominate finalists in the 2017 Best of Staten Island Awards: Pizza.

One big change for this third annual edition: On your advice, we broke it down into the six top pizza styles featured in the polls above.

Above: Pizzeria Giove in action. (Staten Island Advance Photo/Carol Ann Benanti)
"Options are like toys: the one with the most wins." Psychology major Drew Fidler '08 still recalls social-work professor Peter McCarthy saying that in class one day. "I had been raised to be aware of the world around me and grateful for what I had, but I don't know that I had ever thought of it in that way: that options are resources, and they are finite." For her, that meant "when you have them, you have a responsibility to help create them for others." After earning a master's in social work from New York University, Fidler joined the Baltimore Child Abuse Center as a forensic interviewer-a job she says is "more than getting a child's story to ensure a successful investigation. It's about helping the child and the community to find their voice and get their options back."



Ivy Asamoah '19 Ivy Asamoah '19

For Ivy Asamoah '19, an international affairs major who spent her summer with the International Rescue Committee in the New York City area, "To know I will never experience the hardships some of my clients faced was eye-opening." As she worked with landlords and refugees to secure "safe, affordable and humane housing" for the newcomers and their families, she says, "I realized how privileged I am." And, just as with Fidler, that awareness "fueled my passion to work for a nonprofit, to bridge the global gap, increase understanding and attend to those in need."



Fidler and Asamoah make a powerful pair, and it was Skidmore philanthropy that brought them together. Active in social causes and educational access, Fidler and parents Josh and Genine have endowed a scholarship for a Skidmore opportunity-program student, and last year they established an endowed fund to widen access to out-of-classroom opportunities that help students integrate their studies with their career goals. (Such integration is a key item in Skidmore's strategic plan, and broadening its availability was a promise made by President Philip Glotzbach at a White House education summit in 2014.) Through Skidmore's Summer Educational Experiences Beyond Campus, along with other funded internships and training, students who might otherwise need to take a summer job can afford to engage in academically relevant and resume-building experiences. The Fidlers' endowed fund provides a SEE-Beyond stipend each year expressly for a first-generation college student in the field of social and human services.



Drew Fidler '08, left, Josh Fidler, and Genine Fidler Drew Fidler '08, left, Josh Fidler, and Genine Fidler

Josh Fidler says, "A degree is simply not sufficient background for today's job market, and work experience is as important in the social service and creative professions as in business or science-which are more likely to offer summer work or paid internships. By cultivating mentors and honing their workstyles, interns can go on to contribute meaningfully to a job very early in their careers." Through their gift, the Fidlers hope "that more undergraduates will be able to experience the real world during college." Their first SEE-Beyond stipend went to Asamoah, who used it for some of her living costs and for her extensive transportation in apartment-hunting for clients.



And what did she learn from her summer? She enjoyed speaking some French with Haitian clients and watching them "combine their new lives in America with their Haitian culture." She even met a client from her father's home area near the Ghana and Ivory Coast border. In general, she reflects, "The hardest thing for me to come to terms with was that not everyone is welcoming. When clients are still traumatized by their many hardships and already struggling with their new reality of starting afresh in America, it's hard to see them having to deal with negative rhetoric. All I could do was assure them that there are people who care about them." She developed her patience and empathy, as well as a better understanding of her own opportunities and her growing ability to "lend a helping hand. I am a humanitarian at heart, and I hope to turn that into a career."



Drew Fidler, whose career has advanced to expert consulting on child-abuse policies and best practices, has some realizations too. "My Skidmore education opened numerous doors and opportunities," she says. In return, "I give because every person deserves options. I give because every person should be able to dream, explore interests, and pursue a fulfilling and enlightening career." By connecting first-generation college students with the professional social-services world, she says, her family's SEE-Beyond gift is all about "building networks of people who are giving of their time and their talent to help pay it forward."
By PTI: torch bus

(Eds: Repeating after dropping words in para 4)

Allahabad, Oct 3 (PTI) BSP leader Rajesh Yadav was shot dead outside an Allahabad University hostel, prompting an angry reaction from his supporters who torched a state roadways bus, the police said today.

Yadav, along with his friend Mukul Singh, had gone to meet someone outside the Allahabad Universitys Tara Chand hostel when the incident took place early this morning, they said.

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Yadav was BSPs candidate from Gyanpur in the last UP state elections.

"It was around 2.30 AM when Yadav had an altercation with someone outside the hostel and he was attacked. The bullet hit his stomach," Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Vineet Jaiswal said.

Jaiswal said the 40-year-old BSP leader succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment at a hospital.

Yadavs body was then sent for post-mortem, he said.

An FIR has been lodged after the victims wife filed a complaint in which Singh has been named as an accused, the police said.

Jaiswal said a case has also been registered against other unidentified persons.

Angry BSP supporters gathered at Indian Press chowk after hearing about Yadavs death and torched a roadways bus, they said. PTI CORR MG ASK SC ASK

--- ENDS ---
Here's why Sikh politician Jagmeet Singh's victory in Canada, and his rise as the country's prime minister, could be problematic for the Indian government.

By India Today Web Desk: Jagmeet Singh, a Sikh politician from Canada has been elected as the leader of the New Democratic Party (NDP) in Canada. The 38-year-old Politician went viral after he was heckled by a racist woman during an event titled 'Jagmeet and Greet' when he was standing as a candidate a month ago.

Jagmeet Singh, a provincial lawmaker, is the first non-white person ever to head a major party in the Canada.

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Singh was elected on the first ballot to lead the party into the 2019 election against Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberals. Jagmeet Singh triumphed competing against three candidates with 53.6 per cent votes.

He thanked his supporters on Twitter saying, "Thank you, New Democrats. The run for Prime Minister begins now," after the election.

Jagmeet Singh officially announced the launch of his campaign to be the next prime minister of Canada.

Thats why today, Im officially launching my campaign to be the next Prime Minister of Canada. #LoveAndCourage- Jagmeet Singh (@theJagmeetSingh) October 1, 2017

Singh has also been observed to be a strong political rival of Justin Trudeau, the prime minister of Canada. Singh plans to stand against Trudeau in the 2019 elections. It will be a challenge for him to turn things around for his party as they lost 59 seats in the 2015 elections.

Jagmeet Singh focuses on climate change, reconciliation, electoral reform and to remove children from no-fly list of Canada. He goes by the motto of 'Love and Courage' and even repeated it in front of the racist woman who heckled him while giving a speech as an NDP candidate.

The New Democratic Party is currently at the third place in Canada's Parliament with 44 of 338 seats. The party has never held power.

During his leadership campaign, he raised money for the welfare of the people and was way too much as compared to his competitors.

Why Jagmeet Singh could mean bad news for the Indian government

Jagmeet Singh, who will be competing against Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in two years, was denied the Indian visa by the UPA government in 2013.

Jagmeet Singh, a member of the provincial parliament (MPP) in Ontario was barred from travelling to India. According to a report by HT, he was the first ever sitting member of Western Legislature who was not allowed to travel India.

Singh was denied visa because he was considered 'persona non grata' by the Indian government.

Jagmeet Singh has been actively involved in criticising Indian government and has talked about the issues related to the 1984 Sikh riots. In 2016, he called the 1984 riots, "genocide".

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In an official statement on the occasion of Operation Blue Star's anniversary, he said, "The government of India initiated a genocidal campaign against the Sikh minority".

"The Indian military killed thousands of innocent people in just one day. This genocide continued for the next twenty years. Across Punjab, Sikh youth disappeared, torture was rampant, and Sikhs endured relentless state-sanctioned terrorism."

He even called it an "attempt to extinguish the Sikh community".

Singh is said to have an influence on people due to his personality and sense of style too.

Jagmeet vs. Indian government

Jagmeet Singh accused the Indian government of sabotaging his NDP campaign. He also accused Indian government of trying to use their influence to prevent members of the community from contributing to his campaign or backing him.

Before entering politics, Singh was working as defence lawyer in the Greater Toronto area. Despite of the odds, Singh's victory proves that even though Sikhs have a percentage of 1.4 in Canada when it comes to population, the minority communities have owned their own place in the country.

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By PTI: Nawada (Bihar), Oct 3 (PTI) A clash broke out between two communities after a group of people returning from a religious procession was attacked by members of another community in the district, the police said today.

Five persons were arrested in connection with the clash that erupted at Akbarpur Bazar locality late last night in which one person was injured, Superintendent of Police Vikas Burman said.

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The trouble began when one group of people belonging to a particular community was attacked with stones by members of another.

Members of the first group then retaliated leaving one person seriously injured, Burman said.

Senior police and administrative officials brought the situation under control.

Five persons were arrested for fomenting trouble in the area, the SP said and added that the situation is now tense but under control. PTI CORR NAC NN DV

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The GJM chief wants to select a team of handpicked members for the upcoming meeting with the Centre and wants to set an agenda for them too.

By Arindam De: Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) chief Bimal Gurung, who is still at large, is keen on convening a central committee meet of the party soon. He is likely to convene a meeting on October 7, over a month after his proposed meeting in Sikkim's Namchi was interrupted by a police raid.

The tripartite talk indicated by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh may also be convened on October 9 or thereabouts. The GJM chief wants to finalise the line the morcha will take during these negotiations in consultation with the central committee of GJM.

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But Gurung has multiple arrest warrants pending against him, including one under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and another for violence in Bhanu Bhawan. As news of Gurung's possible plans spread, the police were in a heightened state of alert and so were and the rival faction headed by Binay Tamang and Anit Thapa.

On Gurung's part the modus operandi is not new. During the GNLF-led Gorkha National Liberation Front agitations Gurung has chaired such meetings while being underground. When police received a tip off of him being in Darjeeling's Teesta Bazar, he managed to give them the slip. The police are aware of such possibilities this time around too. Sources in the Gurung camp agree that the day and place of the meeting may change abruptly.

Gurung is keen on a central committee meet mainly because he, in all probability, will not be able to attend a meeting with the Centre because of the pending arrest warrant. His representatives will represent him in the talks. The GJM chief wants to select a team of handpicked members for the upcoming meeting with the Centre and wants to set an agenda for them too.

The chosen representatives will pursue Delhi to include the GJM chief in any tripartite dialogue to find a solution for the Gorkhaland issue. In the meanwhile, GJM is consulting legal experts to approach the higher courts for anticipatory bail for Bimal Gurung.

ALSO WATCH | Darjeeling: GJM supporters set ablaze GTA office, ransack panchayat office

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There was brief chaos at the Azadpur station on the Delhi Metro last night after a CISF guard fired in the air to bring a frenzied crowd under control.

By India Today Web Desk: A rowdy crowd. A cop man-handled. The sound of a bullet. And chaos.

The Azadpur station on the Delhi Metro's Yellow line was briefly in disarray after a CISF guard opened fire last night. Why? To control a frenzied mob that had gathered after a routine argument between two men.

The incident took place last night after two men got into an argument at the Azadpur station's ticket counter, PTI reported CISF officials as saying.

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In an attempt to bring the situation under control, Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel deployed at the station brought the men, one of them a 17-year-old youngster, to the station's control room.

There, the CISF personnel asked the men to pay a fine for creating trouble. However, the 17-year-old, whom PTI identified as a resident of Wazirpur industrial area, instead called a bunch of his associates to the station.

Soon, nearly 20 people reached the Azadpur station and roughed up a Delhi Police constable, M L Meena, who was taking the two men to the Kashmere Gate police station.

The situation escalated when the nearly 20-strong crowd grabbed the collar of CISF Assistant Sub- Inspector Mohammed Umar. ASI Umar then had to fire in the air to bring the crowd under control.

There was brief chaos at the station during the incident, but metro rail services were not interrupted, officials said, according to PTI.

Following the commotion, Delhi Police detained a few people. Senior officials of the CISF and the Delhi Police were also examining CCTV video of the incident and were considering the next course of action, PTI reported.

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About a year ago Trevor Wurtele raced the Cervelo P5X in Kona shortly after it came out. He has since lowered his position on that bike and we took a closer look at it.



His P5X is set up with ENVE 7.8 Tubeless wheels with Schwalbe Pro One 25mm tubeless tires. He uses Power Tap P1 Pedals, and Rotor Flow cranks with Rotor QXL 54/41 front rings. He also has CeramicSpeed bottom bracket and pulley wheels, a COBB SHC saddle plus a rear facing XLAB Torpedo bottle between his arms.



Wurtele however constantly refines and alters his setup based on the course he races and also based on what he learns.

His Cervelo P5X looks clean and ready for action.

Wurtele zip tied the XLab Gorilla cage behind the Cobb SHC saddle to get it in the position he desired. The XLab BTA bottle is mounted backwards to allow space for a computer mount,

"One 4mm bolt easily adjusts the height of the entire aero bar. You can also flip the base bar down if you'd rather. It folds in half for travel, while the 'stem' pops out like a seat post," said Wurtele.

Wurtele waxes the chain himself. This way he can also get it done when he needs it. As we mentioned earlier, he rides Power Tap P1 Pedals and Rotor Flow cranks and Rotor QXL 54/41 rings.

The pulley system is a standard CeramicSpeed one. Wurtele likes the OSPS one, but it is a tight fit on his bike with the 28 big cog he likes to have.

The disc brakes are cable actuated but Wurtele is hopeful to soon have fully hydraulic ones in his hands.

The storage space is used well and fully appreciated by the owner.

25mm Schwalbe Pro One Tubeless tires on ENVE 7.8 disc brake rims. During training sessions Wurtele mount a bottle cage on top of the speed case, and in cold races such as Challenge Iceland he carries a spare vest inside that case.

There is a second level in that bento box - a basement of sorts. But Wurtele does not use that space and thus it is covered.

According to Wurtele a First Endurance Liquid Shot flask fits in perfectly into that bento box.

This was Trevor Wurtele in action in Kona in 2016.

And here is Trevor Wurtele as he is positioned on his Cervelo P5X now.
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According to Delhi Police data, as many as 11,700 complaints have been made to the vigilance department till August, of which enquiry was ordered in only 186 cases.

Staff crunch in vigilance department has led to pendency of such cases.

By Chayyanika Nigam: Due to staff crunch in the vigilance department, over 1,000 cases of investigation against the Delhi Police personnel are lying under the table.

According to the Delhi Police data, as many as 11,700 complaints have been made to the vigilance department till August, out of which enquiry was ordered in only 186 cases.

Sources told Mail Today, "Only few complaints get converted into FIR and once the case is registered, the alleged accused cop is suspended so that he cannot hamper the investigation. The cop is then sent to the district lines till the investigation is carried out."

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The 'district lines' is a term used in the Delhi Police whereby the police personnel, against whom complaints are made, is temporarily suspended from carrying out his official duties.

As the vigilance department has handful number of officials and the number of complaints received is higher, the investigation gets delayed, sources added.

Till date, over 1, 000 investigations are pending, source said. A senior official, requesting anonymity said: "Each case with the vigilance department is equally important and the investigation has to be fairly probed. On an average, the investigation takes a minimum of six months and maximum of oneand-a-half years to reach its conclusion."

Figures revealed that since 2014, on an average, two Delhi Policemen are being suspended by the department itself for various reasons, including misconduct, corruption, involvement in crime, indiscipline etc. while being on duty.

The data also revealed that from January 2014 to August 31, 2017, as many as 2,206 policemen have been suspended by the vigilance department of Delhi Police.

--- ENDS ---
If you look at any interior design television show/magazine/Pinterest board these days, there's no question that indoor plants are in. But are they good for more than just making your space Insta-worthy?

Yes, according to Renee Douros, founder of new Canberra indoor plant delivery service, Planted.

Planted is the new indoor plant delivery service from Renee Douros, who also runs The Floral Society and The Sugar Deli. Credit:Sitthixay Ditthavong

Douros, who is an interior architect by trade, said adding some greenery to your space is scientifically proven to increase your wellbeing.

"There are all these proven psychological and physiological benefits. There's the main one that everyone knows, which is air purifying," she said.
A key witness to circumstances around the death of a helicopter pilot in Antarctica will be prevented by law from answering questions about his own investigation into the death, an inquest has heard.

William de Bruyn was in charge at Davis station during the rescue and medical treatment of Captain David Wood, who fell into a crevasse on January 11, 2016.

Photographs of the site where David Wood fell into a crevasse from January 11, 2016.

Before Mr de Bruyn took the job, the government had appointed him deputy coroner and special constable. When the pilot later died of hypothermia, Mr de Bruyn was asked to prepare a preliminary report.

The difficulty arose on Tuesday when Mr de Bruyn was called to give evidence at the inquest into Mr Wood's death.
Families shut out of respite care in Canberra have been granted a last-minute reprieve after a deal was struck between Marymead and the National Disability Insurance Agency over the weekend.

But the ACT government and advocates have warned the solution is only temporary, described by families as a "bandaid" fix, and further work is needed to address national funding shortfalls in overnight care for young people with disabilities.

Logan, pictured with his therapy dog Simi, has autism and requires one-on-one care at Marymead's respite service. Credit:Jamila Toderas

Last month, The Canberra Times reported that clients with high needs would be shut out of Marymead's respite service from October 26, as the provider announced it could no longer afford to run the service under NDIS funding.

Respite at Marymead was to be radically reduced from seven nights a week to four and about 70 per cent of the 120 families using the service locked out.
A walk in the bush searching for rare fauna is all part of a day's work for Canberra ecologist Robert Speirs.

On Tuesday, Mr Speirs, who is principle ecologist of Capital Ecology, gave residents and reptile enthusiasts the opportunity to see what his work entails.

Students and residents had the chance to get close to the pink-tailed worm-lizard. Credit:Sitthixay Ditthavong

Mr Speirs and his team look after the ecological assessment in the Googong area. They are monitoring the pink-tailed worm-lizard, also know as the aprasia parapulchella which is classified as a vulnerable species.

He said the day was to push for greater awareness of the species and to educate locals about them.
The Greens have called for the establishment of a national large-scale energy storage scheme, managed by the Australian Energy Market Operator and the Clean Energy Regulator, and supported by $2.2 billion in funding over a four-year period to build energy storage at grid level.

Launched in Adelaide today by Greens deputy leader Adam Bandt and senator for South Australia Sarah Hanson-Young, the policy called for a legislated national target of 20 gigawatts of energy storage technology such as large battery installations.

Greens deputy leader Adam Bandt in front of the Liddell and Bayswater coal-fired power stations.

Such a system could deliver between 400 and 450-gigawatt hours of storage, which has the potential to power more than 100,000 homes for eight hours.

"South Australia is already leading the world in renewable energy generation and installing grid level battery storage, but there is much more to do," Ms Hanson-Young said.
In an Australian first, a feasibility study into a seawater-pumped hydro project in South Australia's Spencer Gulf has found it could generate up to 225 megawatts of renewable energy, with a storage capacity of 1770 megawatt hours - more than 13 times the capacity of Tesla's South Australian battery system, 200 kilometres away.

Pumped hydro is being touted as the nation's most viable and powerful potential renewable energy source, with more than 22,000 possible pump storage sites already identified.

The Spencer Gulf coastline, where the Seawater Pumped Hydro project has been trialled. Credit:V.Menkov

As this potential becomes increasingly apparent the focus is shifting from freshwater sources to utilising Australia's coastline for power.

However, costs are higher compared to freshwater pumped hydro systems, with estimated capital costs forecast at about $2.1 million per megawatt of installed capacity., with operating costs of between $11 million and $12 million per year. Initial estimates forecast the power plant at Cultana in the Spencer Gulf would cost $477 million to build, and have a potential operational life of up to 30 years.
Brisbane-based Queensland Investment Corporation has expanded its international presence with a $US3.17 billion ($4 billion) deal with its joint-venture partner, Forest City Enterprises (FCE), in 10 US regional shopping malls on behalf of a client.

The group declined to comment on the identity of the client, but in 2015, QIC paid $1.1 billion for a 25 per cent stake in the Ala Moana Centre in Hawaii, on behalf of AustralianSuper. Separately, QIC entered the US real estate market by forming a $US2.05 billion joint venture with Forest City in 2013.

Ala Moana shopping centre in Honolulu, which is 25 per cent owned by AustralianSuper. Credit:Joe Armao

Under the latest deal, QIC Global Real Estate, which has a worldwide property portfolio worth $16.5 billion, will take over full ownership and management of the 10 malls, which are located in New York state, Florida and California.

Steve Leigh, managing director of Global Real Estate for QIC, said the group is "extremely pleased to expand our operations in the US and will continue to invest in these quality assets".
By PTI: (Eds: Updating with actors release)

Kochi, Oct 3 (PTI) The Kerala High Court today granted bail to Malayalam actor Dileep, behind bars for 85 days in connection with the abduction and sexual assault of a South Indian actress.

A few hours later, he walked out of the Aluva sub-jail, waving and blowing kisses to his fans, who had gathered in large numbers.

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Justice Sunil Thomas imposed stringent conditions while granting bail to 49-year-old Dileep and said he should not tamper with evidence.

Dileep should surrender his passport, deposit a bail bond of Rs one lakh and two solvent sureties for the like amount besides appear before investigating officers as and when required, the court said.

It also said he should not influence or threaten the victim or witness by any means including words expressed through print and electronic media.

In the event of Dileep violating any of the conditions of his bail, the court said it shall be open to the magistrate to take steps in that regard, including cancellation of bail after notice.

Police had a tough time controlling the crowd which had thronged the premises since afternoon soon after hearing about the high court granting him bail.

The fans distributed sweets and flowers and garlanded a huge cut-out of the actor near the sub-jail.

This was the fifth time that Dileep has approached a court for bail.

Four bail pleas filed by Dileep were earlier rejected --twice each in a magistrate court at Angamaly and the high court.

Since the investigation against Dileep was in the final stages, his further custody was not necessary, the court held.

The police have claimed that a conspiracy to abduct and assault the actress in a moving car and film the act was hatched by Dileep.

During his 85-day incarceration, he was permitted to come out of the jail only for few hours on September 6 to enable him to perform certain rituals in connection with his fathers death anniversary.

Dileeps actress-wife Kavya Madhavan had also been questioned by investigating officers and fearing arrest she had moved the high court for anticipatory bail, last month.

However, after police gave assurance in the court that she will not be arrested, it was dismissed.

Dileeps friend and director Nadirshah had also been extensively questioned by investigating officers.

His anticipatory bail plea is coming up before the high court tomorrow.

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Six persons, including key accused Pulsar Suni, were arrested in connection with the actress abduction case.

The actress, who has worked in Tamil and Telugu films, was abducted and allegedly molested inside her car for two hours by the accused, who had forced their way into the vehicle on February 17 night and later escaped in a busy area.

Following his imprisonment, the release of Dileeps multi-crore film "Ram Leela" had been held up several times, but it hit theatres last Friday and is running to packed houses across the state.

Dileep was given a warm welcome by his mother, wife Kavya, daughter Meenkashi and other members of his family when he reached home.

Many members of the Malayalam film fraternity expressed happiness at the actor being granted bail. PTI CORR UD BN ZMN

--- ENDS ---
House hunters are steering away from Sydney and Melbourne and turning their attention to Brisbane, according to property data group CoreLogic.

Investors are being turned off by affordability constraints in Sydney and Melbourne, and the sentiment that both markets are currently at their peak, CoreLogic head of research Tim Lawless says.

More investors and prospective buyers are now looking at Brisbane, as recent migration growth and improving job prospects make it more attractive, he said.

Queensland's unemployment rate has tumbled in recent months, falling from 6.5 per cent in June to an 18 month low of 5.7 per cent in August, according to the latest data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
Australian unions have signed a landmark agreement with Naval Group Australia to build 12 new submarines on-time and on-budget and to protect Australian workers.

The Australian Council of Trade Unions, the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union, the Australian Workers Union, the Communications, Electrical and Plumbing Union, and Professionals Australia signed the Memorandum of Understanding with Naval Group Australia in Sydney on Tuesday.

Head of the ACTU, Sally McManus, with Adam Simpson, Jordan Waddell and Darren Gray, in Sydney after the MoU between unions and the Naval Group was signed Credit:Janie Barrett

Brent Clark, Naval Group Australia's interim chief executive said the submarine program was the largest defence capital investment program in Australia's history and would be critical to national security and sovereignty for decades.

"Naval Group is committed to establishing an enduring, productive and globally competitive workplace relations framework that will form the basis for our future submarine operations in Australia," he said.
The sad truth is America's latest shooting horror, which saw at least 59 people killed and hundreds wounded in Las Vegas, will likely do little or nothing to end that country's love affair with the gun.

If the cold blooded murder of 20 children aged between six and seven and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012 wasn't enough to persuade legislators to beef up the gun controls then nothing ever will.

It appears the reverse could even be the case.

Even as the surviving victims of the latest horror are being treated in hospitals across Nevada, the US House of Representatives is apparently only weeks away from passing a National Rifle Association backed bill that will legalise armour piercing bullets for public sale and relax restrictions on the use of silencers.
The population-per-seat in federal parliament varies widely between the states. Credit:Nicole Emanuel Of course, the authors of the constitution created an electoral skew in order to "protect" the smaller states. The constitution stipulates that each "original" state must have an equal number of senators, regardless of population. The current quota is twelve senators per state and two senators for each of the territories. The constitution also dictates that each state will have "five members at least" in the House of Representatives. Those protections for smaller states were part of the deal that transformed Australia's six colonies into a Commonwealth back in 1901.

But since then patterns of population growth have been very uneven. In 1901, Tasmania accounted for nearly 5 per cent of the national population. But the latest population estimates, based on last year's national census, show that share has now shrunk to just 2.1 per cent. When Australia's very first census was taken soon after federation, the most populous state, NSW, had eight times more people than Tasmania. But that multiple has now blown out to 15 times. A population comparison between Victoria and Tasmania since federation tells a similar story. On current trends, the population gap between Australia's biggest and smallest states will keep growing, making the state-based disparity in voting power even more pronounced.

Tasmania will soon be home to less than one in 50 Australians but it will continue to return almost one in six Australian senators. And Tasmania is not the only state with a shrinking population share. Since federation, South Australia's proportion of the national population has fallen from almost 10 per cent to just over 7 per cent. NSW's share of national population has also declined from 36 per cent of the national total to about 32 per cent since 1901. But it still has the least favourable federal-seat-to-population ratio due to its sheer size. A comparison of the federal representation enjoyed by a Tasmanian voter to that of a voter living in the outer suburbs of Sydney or Melbourne illustrates the arbitrary distribution of national voting power. Two neighbouring council areas in Sydney's west - Blacktown and Fairfield - together have a bigger population than the whole of Tasmania.

Likewise, in Melbourne's east the neighbouring council areas of Casey, Knox and Greater Dandenong together have a bigger population than Tasmania. But unlike their Tasmanian counterparts, those outer suburban voters in Melbourne and Sydney don't have 12 senators to represent them. The relative size of lower house electorates also contributes to the inferior population-to-federal-seat ratio in large states. Federal seats in the suburbs of Sydney and Melbourne typically have about 110,000 voters. But each Tasmanian electorate only has about 74,000 voters. The difference is due to that constitutional rule giving each state a minimum five lower house seats. At the last election the federal electorate of Canberra in the ACT had over 143,000 voters  almost double the number of electors for the seat of Braddon in north western Tasmania.

Rawnsley, who is a regional economics expert with consultancy SGS Economics & Planning, predicts that over the next 20 years "the NSW and Victoria population will continue to grow, but their impact on the federal parliament will continue to weaken". He reckons the rules that gradually reduce the potency of votes in big states are as obsolete as the citizenship provisions in section 44 of the constitution that triggered the dual nationality crisis that has embroiled a bevy of MPs including deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce. "Sure section 44 is out of date but maybe first we should look at why a voter in Tasmania has 4.25 times more power than a NSW voter," he says. "As smaller states have a greater impact on the parliament you might see regional issues coming into conflict with the national good." But reform would require a constitutional referendum that wins majority support in every state. And voters in smaller states are very unlikely to agree to any change that crimped their political influence. So far, Australia's biggest states have quietly accepted their deteriorating share of federal representation.
As debate about marriage equality escalates in light of the postal survey, there is much discussion about religious freedom and the potential effect on organised religion. But what exactly would change for Christian churches should the federal government revise the definition of marriage?

In short, nothing. Religious organisations have freedom under Australian law to practice their own doctrines and marriage rituals for weddings held in their buildings and by their celebrants.

Religious celebrants are authorised to marry through their churches or religious organisations, and can only do so according to those organisations' respective policies.

This is a separate process to the accreditation of civil celebrants. For example, I, as an ordained Uniting Church minister, will not be able to marry same-sex couples even if the civil law changes, unless my church also chooses to change its policy, which it has no compulsion to do.
By my count, this is the sixth time I've written a version of this column. I wrote it for the first time in 2012 after James Holmes shot and killed 12 people at a screening of "The Dark Knight Rises" in Aurora, Colorado. Until today, I'd actually forgotten that I'd written it for the second time in 2015 when John Russell Houser carried out a similar, though less deadly, attack at a showing of the romantic comedy "Trainwreck", which tells you how terrifyingly often I have had to conjure up these same sentiments.

I wrote this column for the third time later that year when terrorists affiliated with the Islamic State murdered 130 people, 89 of them at a concert at the Bataclan theatre, in Paris. In disgust and despair, I wrote, but didn't publish, another lament in this vein after Omar Mateen killed 49 people at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida. And I wrote the fifth iteration of these sentiments in May after an Ariana Grande concert was bombed in the United Kingdom.

I'm sickened that, once again, I have to write about an act of mass murder perpetrated at a cultural event: this time, the deadliest mass shooting in modern American history, carried out at a country music festival in Las Vegas. But I can't stop, not least because I never want us to accept these shootings as routine. Every time this happens, I believe it is vital to articulate the nature of the crime. A mass shooting at the movies or a bombing at a concert isn't just a deadly offence against the people who are killed and wounded. It's an attempted murder of our collective cultural experiences.

Like anyone who came of age in the post-9/11 world, I'm sharply aware of just how easy and cheap it is to suggest that the normal business of living life is some sort of blow against terrorism.
After the horrific mass shooting in Las Vegas, the impulse of politicians will be to lower flags, offer moments of silence and lead a national mourning. Yet what we need most of all isn't mourning, but action to lower the toll of guns in America.

We don't need to simply acquiesce to this kind of slaughter. When Australia suffered a mass shooting in 1996, the country united behind tougher laws on firearms. As a result, the gun homicide rate was almost halved, and the gun suicide rate dropped by half, according to the Journal of Public Health Policy.

Skeptics will say that there are no magic wands and that laws can't make the carnage go away. To some extent, they're right. Some criminals will always be able to obtain guns, especially in a country like America that is awash with 300 million firearms. We are always likely to have higher gun death rates than Europe.

But the scale is staggering. Since 1970, more Americans have died from guns (including suicides, murders and accidents) than the sum total of all the Americans who died in all the wars in American history, back to the American Revolution. Every day, some 92 Americans die from guns, and American kids are 14 times as likely to die from guns as children in other developed countries, according to David Hemenway of Harvard.
During her time at the hospital Joyce's expertise in this specialist field was unrivalled in the state of Victoria. She received referrals and enquiries from speech pathologists from around Victoria and interstate, seeking her expert opinion. Her willingness and ability to share her knowledge and to encourage critical thinking was invaluable in the education of not only speech pathology students but also plastic surgeons, otolaryngologists, dentists and other related professionals. In 1995 Joyce was pivotal in setting up the Melbourne Cleft Lip and Palate Clinic, ensuring coordinated management for children with cleft lip and palate, and providing children with coordinated access to all members of the cleft management team on the one day. For the first five years of its operation Joyce coordinated the clinic in her own time. This was a mammoth task which Joyce took on willingly because of her commitment to her patients. Joyce constantly acknowledged the importance of family in the care of the child with cleft lip and palate, and the need for excellent communication between the parents and professionals. Since its inception, she had a close relationship with CleftPals, the organisation for parents of children with clefts. She regularly spoke at their meetings and was always available to provide information and personal support. Her rooms were full of photos, cards and notes from hundreds of grateful patients. The members of CleftPals greatly appreciated her involvement and in 2000 presented her with an award to recognise and acknowledge the integral role she played in the early years, as a health professional who could communicate with parents and who was instrumental in gaining the support of medical professionals, which was initially not forthcoming.

In addition to her work at the hospital, Joyce began a private practice at a time when there were very few speech pathology private practitioners, and she continued to see patients privately until her recent illness. Joyce was a founding member of Speech Pathology Australia and a member of the organisation for more than 60 years. In 2003 she received the Order of Australia Medal for her services to children with cleft lip and palate. This was a well-deserved community recognition of her remarkable service and enduring legacy. Joyce was committed to fairness and equality and made sure that no one was left behind. In her private practice she turned no one away, often asking that families pay only what they could afford. She did not discriminate in her work and gave equally of her time, care and expertise. Joyce treated her patients and her colleagues with nothing less than respect and dignity, and her rooms were full of photos, cards and notes from hundreds of grateful patients who appreciated that she listened, stayed with them for the "long haul" which in some cases was months, years and even generations and worked tirelessly to understand and improve their situation. Joyce demonstrated courage time and time again, and this set her apart. She focused on doing her best, trying new things and speaking up for what was right without fear or favour. At times this courage meant that Joyce rubbed the establishment up the wrong way. If she considered something unfair or wrong, especially to do with the children in her care, she would do whatever it took to set it right.
Rosemary Balmford moved through many professional barriers for women. She was the first woman to lecture in law at the University of Melbourne. She heard the first sex discrimination in employment case brought before the Equal Opportunity Board. She was the first woman appointed a judge of the Supreme Court of Victoria. She was also the first woman to preside over a murder trial in Victoria.

Rosemary Anne Balmford AM was born in Melbourne on September 15, 1933. Her parents were John and Ada Norris. Her father, Sir John, returned from serving as lieutenant-colonel in the AIF during World War II, resuming his law practice in 1945. He became a barrister and then a judge appointed to the County Court and later the Supreme Court. Her mother, Dame Ada, held the honour in her own right for her extensive charity work.

Justice Rosemary Balmford at the 2008 unveiling of her court portrait by Yvette Coppersmith. Credit:Andrew De La Rue

Rosemary grew up in Camberwell with her younger sister Jane and attended Melbourne Girls' Grammar, where she had an inspirational headmistress, Dorothy Ross. She finished her law degree at the University of Melbourne in 1954, winning the Supreme Court Prize.

In 1957, Rosemary was appointed the first female lecturer to the university's law school. In her memoir, A Funny Course for a Woman, Rosemary wrote about the students at her first lecture whistling etc. as she entered the lecture theatre. But she was prepared for them. In her typical "no fuss, on with business" attitude she quieted the room by telling them what would be in the exam.
It was 1971 and Joan Hume was a carefree 23-year-old teacher of English and History at Lurnea High School. She finished supervising students swimming and accepted a lift with a colleague back to school. The car was in a road accident throwing her onto the metal window winder, which broke her neck. She was paralysed and quadriplegic. After rehabilitation at Royal North Shore spinal unit, she returned home early as her father, a doctor, could attend her medical needs. With the support of her family and friends she picked up the threads of her former life.

Her decision to buy a home and live independently did not surprise anyone who knew Hume. She was strong-willed, determined and resilient, strengths that supported her in many future battles. She wanted to return to classroom teaching and was appointed to the correspondence school, but was shocked when the headmaster refused to provide parking or an accessible toilet and told her bluntly "you can't come here". When the principal of Beverley Hills High School accepted her as a member of the English History staff she was overjoyed.

Joan Hume was a lifelong campaigner for disability rights.

Hume's outstanding intellect, knowledge and love of literature, archaeology and ancient history were essential resources for the cut and thrust of classroom teaching. She was afraid that students would not accept her but this changed when she intercepted a note that read, "Isn't Ms Hume a bitch?" Now she was accepted, she belonged with fellow women teachers who held this dubious title and was delighted.

The tough but honest inner-city kids of Cleveland St presented a different challenge. They greeted her, "Who the f--- are you?" When she explained she had no feeling in her legs cheeky boys in the front row began poking her legs with pens, pencils and rulers. She'd won their respect and laughed as she told this story. She used role play, dressing kids as dummies to understand the Egyptian rite of burial and they loved it. She was the first woman in a wheelchair to teach in a classroom. When people told her she was inspirational, it drove her absolutely bonkers. She'd say, "I am just doing what I was trained to do".
By PTI: (Eds: Updating with fresh quotes)

By Sajjad Hussain

Islamabad, Oct 3 (PTI) Nawaz Sharif was today re-elected as the president of the ruling PML-N, allowing the ousted Pakistan prime minister to stage a political comeback with "full force".

Sharif soon after his re-election as the chief of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) demanded that those who disqualified him should respect the peoples mandate and democracy.

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Sharif, 67, had to step down as PML-N chief after he was disqualified as the prime minister by the Supreme Court on July 28 in the Panama Papers scandal.

Addressing a gathering of party members at the Convention Centre here, Sharif said his supporters kept reelecting him to power despite his ousters from the office.

He said the party members knew the reasons behind his disqualification as prime minister.

The PML-N yesterday took full advantage of its position as the ruling party as President Mamnoon Hussain signed the controversial Election Act 2017 into law hours after it was bulldozed through the National Assembly amid pandemonium on the opposition benches, the Dawn reported.

Under The Representation of Peoples Act 1976, a disqualified person could not hold office of a party.

The law was passed to allow the party to re-elect Sharif as its head, on the eve of a party convention called for the express purpose of electing Sharif to the post.

Sharif in his address to his supporters, thanked the people for repealing the law which barred disqualified politicians from holding office in a party.

He said former president Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf had reinstated this law after Ayub khan first introduced it.

"I would like to thank the people for throwing this law back at their faces," he said.

Sharif said he had been disqualified for "not receiving salary from his son", but the violation of the Constitution by four dictators during the countrys history was declared legal.

"When no justification was found for their unconstitutional steps, the Doctrine of Necessity was invented," he said, adding that he wishes a doctrine of necessity was also created for respect of peoples mandate and democracy.

"I am warning you today, if we do not try to change the situation, Pakistan will not forgive us."

Sharif applauded the political parties for adopting the Election Reforms bills.

"I congratulate that you?re bringing Nawaz Sharif back with full force," he said.

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Sharif said he has proposed a grand national dialogue to focus on restoring the peoples mandate as "only those should govern who the people vote for."

"The people will decide through their vote [in general elections of 2018] who is qualified and who is unqualified," he said.

Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi termed Sharifs return as party president a "historic day".

The premier said he is proud to be among the few people who witnessed the moment Sharif took his place as the party chairman for the first time.

Earlier, PML-N leader Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry submitted Sharifs papers for party president in the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) while no one other candidate from the party contested the election.

Minister of State Talal Chaudhry told the media that Sharif will remain chief of PML-N. "He will also become Prime Minister of the country. Sharif cannot be removed from politics through conspiracies,? he said.

The election of party president is a requirement by Election Commission of Pakistan that already last month issued notice to PML-N for failing to choose permanent successor of Sharif.

Sharif?s election has temporarily healed the rifts within the party which appeared on the verge of defections after his ouster.

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But Sharif?s fate as party president still hangs in balance as Pakistan Awami Tehreek party has challenged the new law in the Lahore High Court, while Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and other parties have announced to challenge it in the Supreme Court.

Opposition parties allege that the new law was "Sharif- specific" to allow him to return to politics. They also content that the law is against the spirit of the Constitution. PTI SH PMS AKJ NSA

--- ENDS ---
On average, there is a mass shooting, defined as an incident where four or more people are killed or wounded, every day in the US. Since the Sandy Hook Elementary School killings of 2012, when a gunman slaughtered 20 children and six adults, there have been more than 1500 such acts.

There is no way to fully understand what tipped this man, by all accounts a prosperous and stable member of the community with no history of violence, over the line into homicidal barbarity. Whether it was evil, ideology or illness or some combination of the three, he was in no way normal. But nor was he unique.

This time, we are forced to comprehend how a man can legally assemble a large arsenal of high-powered weapons without raising the slightest alarm. How he can transport them to a hotel room unremarked, and then, in about the time it takes to boil a kettle and make a cup of tea, end the lives of scores of people and wound, maim and traumatise hundreds more.

Once again, we are numb with horror. Once again, we are pierced by grief for the United States, a country to which we are bound by ties of culture, history, language, family, friendship. A country in some ways so much like our own, but in its love affair with the gun so utterly alien.

It is incomprehensible to us, as Australians, that a country so proud and great can allow itself to be savaged again and again by its own citizens. We cannot understand how the long years of senseless murder, the Sandy Hooks and Orlandos and Columbines, have not proved to Americans that the gun is not a precious symbol of freedom, but a deadly cancer on their society.

We point over and over to our own success with gun control in the wake of the Port Arthur massacre, that Australia has not seen a mass shooting since and that we are still a free and open society. We have not bought our security at the price of liberty; we have instead consented to a social contract that states lives are precious, and not to be casually ended by lone madmen. But it is a message that means nothing to those whose ideology is impervious to evidence.

You might think, from a distance, that this slaughter would at least dispel the myth that carrying a gun brings personal security. Even had every concert goer been armed, it would not have saved them from a killer 32 floors above them in a room full of military weapons. But history tells us Americans will learn no such lesson.

Even before the full scale of Sunday's slaughter was known, the US gun lobby was swinging into action, framing this as an event akin to a natural disaster, random and ultimately unpreventable. Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin was one of the first, tweeting "To all those political opportunists who are seizing on the tragedy in Las Vegas to call for more gun regs ... you can't regulate evil ..."

And he's right. You can't regulate evil. But you can disarm it. Once again we pray that the US will come to its senses and do just that. And once again, we are dreadfully sure it won't.
The acting United States ambassador has praised former prime minister John Howard for tightening Australia's gun laws, and pointed out their effectiveness in reducing mass shootings, in the wake of Monday night's carnage in Las Vegas.

Speaking in Sydney on Tuesday morning, Charges d'affaires Jim Carouso said the murder of at least 59 people  the US's worst mass shooting  would kickstart another round of debate about US firearm control but pointedly drew a contrast with Australia's success in stopping gun violence.

Police officers tell people to take cover near the scene of a shooting near the Mandalay Bay resort and casino on the Las Vegas Strip. Credit:AP

"When Prime Minister Howard after the Port Arthur massacre made the political decision that this must not stand, he took incredible flak. He had to wear body armour is my understanding, for months after that. But he carried it through," Mr Carouso said.

He said the US was "still having that debate", including about the meaning of the Second Amendment, which protects the right to keep and bear arms but dates back to 1791 and is premised on the fact that a "well-regulated militia" is needed to secure a free state.
Terrorism suspects could be interrogated for up to 14 days before being charged under a major shake up of Australia's terrorism laws being proposed by the Turnbull government.

And it would be an offence to possess "instructional terrorist material" and to make terrorism hoaxes under two new laws that will be considered by state and federal leaders at a special terrorism-focused Council of Australian Governments meeting in Canberra on Thursday.

The proposal to hold suspects for 14 days without charge and the two new offences are the three key proposals that will be examined at the special meeting, but a broad range of other counter-terrorism issues will be discussed.

The Turnbull government believes the recently foiled plot to blow up a plane in Sydney serves as the best example for the shift to a nationally consistent 14 days detention regime.
Malcolm Roberts' hopes of replacing himself in the Senate appear doomed after Queensland publican Fraser Anning  the next candidate on One Nation's ticket  successfully avoided bankruptcy.

Creditors have officially withdrawn their bankruptcy petition against Mr Anning and his wife Fiona, Fairfax Media can reveal.

The move comes after Mr Anning struck a confidential settlement agreement with ABL Nominees  a subsidiary of the Bendigo and Adelaide Bank  which launched the bankruptcy case over debts associated with a failed agribusiness scheme.

The deal means there should now be no barrier preventing Mr Anning taking up the seat, likely to be left vacant by Senator Roberts in the coming weeks. The High Court is widely expected to disqualify Senator Roberts from Parliament for failing to renounce his British citizenship before last year's election.
The man charged with selling Australia's tough gun laws to regional Australia, former deputy prime minister Tim Fischer, says US President Donald Trump needs to "get real" about the country's gun problem.

"The White House will produce slick statements saying now is not the time to enter any conversation on gun control," Mr Fischer said on Tuesday.

"When is the time? After another Orlando, after another Las Vegas? Get real President Trump."

Mr Fischer said he could not rule out any future Australian massacre after the death of at least 59 people in a shooting massacre in Las Vegas on Monday.
A Canberra public servant and "yes" advocate is taking legal action against the official "no" campaign vehicle, the Coalition for Marriage, alleging it defamed her by depicting her as an "extremist".

Jill Moran claims the use of her photograph in a media release denouncing "the extremists of the 'yes' campaign" falsely portrays her as a bully, a violent protester and a political extremist.

Left-wing law firm Slater and Gordon, which is representing Ms Moran pro bono, sent the Coalition for Marriage a cease and desist letter and now a letter of demand threatening a defamation suit.

But the Coalition for Marriage is standing firm, arguing Ms Moran is a seasoned political activist and that it is fighting for "freedom of political communication".
Around the world, people are aghast at the latest atrocity in the US, involving military-grade weapons, easily acquired, often lawfully owned.

Flummoxed at how such unspeakable brutalities are allowed to occur, and then simply occur again.

The Las Vegas mass shooting is "the worst in US history" but so what? This is mere headline. Nobody pretends it will be the last.

The unknowns about next time are not if but where, when, and how many?
The dream of working for yourself, flexible hours and living the high life was at odds with the 60-70 hours a week she was spending working, the grind of staying afloat and the long periods of time away from her family. What she associated with the entrepreneur life  success, flexibility, strength  were replaced with a sense of defeat. "I was becoming more of a slave to growing a small business," says Faulkner, who has two degrees and a background in corporate consultancy. Eventually, she couldn't will herself to put on a brave face and stopped going into the office altogether. "A bad day became a bad week became a bad month and the bad month became chronic," she says. "At the worst I ever felt, I had some very, very dark thoughts and I just really wanted to hang in there for my family and I was starting to get quite scared." She made the decision to seek help after not gelling with the first two therapists ("It's OK to say, this connection is not there, I need to find someone else"), she found one who she felt understood her and could help.

"I was diagnosed with situational depression triggered from my work conditions," Faulkner explains. "It took me a bit of time to get up the courage to go and talk with someone. In my head it was, 'if I actually go and do that then I'm really admitting that I can't cope'." After three months away from the office, Faulkner returned to work before making the decision to sell the business in early 2012. The untold stories Faulkner teaches a small business development course at the University of Newcastle. Earlier this year, she asked her students to list as many entrepreneurs they could think of. Elon Musk and Shark Tank entrepreneurs were common on the lists along with six or seven local high profile small business owners.

"There's about 2.2 million small business owners in Australia  we're missing 2.19 million other small business people and that kind of highlights the problem  we don't always get a clear truth about the realities," Faulkner says. "I think that can compound a mental health issue in small business." In Australia, small businesses account for nearly 98 per cent of all companies. We don't tend to hear the stories about the 80 per cent that fail within the first 18 months nor about the unique set of pressures that small business owners face, the lack of support or the mental health problems that over one third of people are reluctant to reveal. Research is in progress to understand prevalence and the specific mental health issues facing small business owners in Australia, but "the majority of current workplace mental health programs" are not designed or suitable for small business. "One of the symptoms of depression was insomnia and I certainly had that. I would sit at my computer late at night and put in 'entrepreneur and depression, small business and anxiety' and see what resources were out there," says Faulkner. "There was not really anything for small businesses."

Breakthrough Faulkner now works as a mental health advocate for small business owners. Many small business owners tell her they can't tell their staff what's going on, that they don't want them to worry them and that they feel they have to appear invincible all the time. "I think it's a major issue  we just don't talk about it enough," says Faulkner, who "invests" in her mental health by exercising five days a week, practicing self-compassion and seeing a professional when she feels she is not treating herself well mentally. "When things were tough at Billie Goat, it just increased the feeling of not being good enough and not being worthy in myself," she says. "Nowadays, I still get stressed and anxious at times, but I understand I have to come first in that process. In the past, when things were hectic at work, I didn't have time to exercise, work was always more important ... I'm much more selective with what I do and don't do these days." She believes she is living proof that the tough times are survivable and says "it's absolutely normal" for small business owners to go through times of feeling overwhelmed and disillusioned by the reality.
The latest annual report on 'fat cat' superannuation and managed funds by online investment platform, Stockspot, shows an 18 per cent fall in the number of poor-value funds from last year.

However, funds owned by the big banks and AMP continue to dominate the ranks of the fat cats with high fees and poor performance; though NAB has fallen out of the top-five owners of the worst-value funds this year.

Founder of Stockspot, Chris Brycki, says despite improvements, the banks and AMP could do more to migrate their customers to their lower- fee super funds Credit:Christopher Pearce

A candidate fat cat fund is one that underperforms it peers over the past one, three and five years to June 30, 2017.

To qualify as a fat cat, it has to also underperform its peers by more than 10 percentage points over five years.
Far from giving teenagers some motivation to get moving, the use of Fitbits and other activity trackers in schools has been linked to poor self-esteem and negative feelings of alienation and inadequacy.

A study into the use of the wearable technology devices in children also shows students' physical activity declined over time with the introduction of activity trackers, leading to speculation that the devices demotivate children.

Madi, 6, and her sister Taylah, 10, love their fitness trackers. Credit:Jason South

Schools around the world  including primary schools in Melbourne  have adopted the fitness gadgets as a way to encourage students to get moving and compete against classmates by counting their steps.

The health monitor tracks steps, distance travelled, kilojoules burned and active minutes.
In Kanpur, at least 12 people were injured and six vehicles were set on fire after Hindus and Muslims clashed in Parampurwa and Ravatpur area.

Clashes reported from various parts of the state on Sunday during Muharram and Durga Puja processions. (Photo: PTI)

By Shashank Shekhar: Uttar Pradesh has become a communal tinderbox as over two dozen people got injured and many vehicles were set on fire in separate cases of violence in several cities during the festive season. Learning from their past experience, cops are keeping a check on misuse of videos and pictures related to the clash, which are now circulating on the internet.

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Several communal clashes were reported from various parts of Uttar Pradesh on Sunday when Muharram and the last day of Durga Puja were observed on the same day.

With central monitoring in Lucknow, district police has been asked to check communal content on the web. Police suspects that anti-social elements may attempt to misuse the situation. There is a possibility to morph videos to spark violence as communal clashes broke out during Muharram processions and Dussehra celebrations in which several people were injured.

According to the police, worst clash was reported from Kanpur district, Ballia, Pilibhit, Gonda, Ambedkar Nagar, Sambhal, Allahabad, Kaushambi and Kushinagar were also affected.

In Kanpur, at least 12 people were injured and six vehicles - four motorcycles and two cars - were set on fire after Hindus and Muslims clashed in Parampurwa and Ravatpur area. A dozen people, including several policemen, were injured at both these places.

Pictures and videos of communal violence immediately went viral on the internet. UP Police claims that they have brought the situation under control, but on the virtual world they are maintaining a strict vigil on rumour mongering.

Already people have started tagging senior leaders of the ruling BJP in the state and blamed them for the violence. Post violence, some anonymous users also started using foul language by tagging senior ministers.

According to police, a dedicated team in Lucknow is monitoring and deleting defamatory content along with videos, images and messages, which can further spark the violence. Team is also keeping a track on computers and location used to upload such content.

"In previous incidents we have seen anti-social elements morphing videos and adding background information to instigate a particular group of people. We are deleting any content which are derogatory," said a senior police officer.

Violence was also reported in the Kalyanpur area of Rawatpur, the situation went out of control after a religious poster was torn by the miscreants, which led to heavy stone pelting in the area.

Police resorted to lathicharge to bring the situation under control.

A communal clash was also reported at Ballia's Sikanderpur area over another Tazia procession. Here, six people were injured. Police fired tear gas shells to control the situation, but were unable to stop miscreants from arson.

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In Jogi Nawada area of Bareilly, clashes were reported as the route of the procession was changed. More than half a dozen people were injured in stone pelting.

Similarly in Pilibhit, people protested over Tazias procession being allowed to take different routes.

ALSO WATCH | Calcutta High Court revokes Mamata's Durga idol immersion order

--- ENDS ---
The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners has abandoned its neutral position on same-sex marriage in support of the 'yes' vote after suffering heavy criticism from its members and the wider community.

The RACGP published a new position statement on Monday night strongly endorsing marriage equality days after it was lambasted online and by its own membership for not backing the move as other medical organisations and individual GPs have done.

On Friday, the College confirmed to Australian Doctor that it had not taken a unified stance on the issue despite its own curriculum emphasising GPs had an "important role in advocating to reduce discrimination" against LGBTIQ patients.

"RACGP council discussed the issue of marriage equality at the August council meeting. Council acknowledged that the organisation has a diverse membership of more than 35,000 GPs with a range of views. Council believes that for this matter members should consider the issues involved carefully for themselves," college president Bastian Seidel told the publication.
The NSW Supreme Court has thrown out a defamation case launched against Opposition Leader Luke Foley over his claims that former Auburn mayor Ronney Oueik represented "self-interest, not community interest".

NSW Opposition Leader Luke Foley. Credit:Daniel Munoz

Mr Oueik, a property developer who was an ally of former deputy mayor Salim Mehajer on the now-defunct Auburn Council, sued Mr Foley for defamation after he made the comments to a Channel Seven reporter in February last year.

He complained the Labor leader's comments suggested he was "dishonest" and a "hypocrite" who "sought to be elected to public office, not for the purpose of serving community interest but for the purpose of furthering his own self-interest".
Gay Williams says she knew within a week of her daughter's death that the 18-year-old's husband was responsible.

After a 20-year wait for justice, on Tuesday Ms Williams felt relief after a NSW Supreme Court jury found Steve Frank Fesus guilty of her daughter Jodie Fesus' murder.

The 46-year-old had pleaded not guilty to murdering his teenage wife in August 1997 at their Shellharbour home on the NSW south coast, before burying her body in a shallow grave at Seven Mile Beach, near Gerroa.

He didn't react when the 11-person jury found him guilty on Tuesday afternoon after less than a day of deliberations. But members of his wife's family gasped and cried.
Sydney health authorities are on high alert after two people were diagnosed with measles after visiting multiple public spaces in the city's north and south.

Melbourne is in the grip of an outbreak of the highly infectious condition, with 11 cases recorded in the past fortnight after infectious people visited a number of crowded areas including the MCG, central business district and Melbourne Airport.

The Northern Sydney Local Health District on Tuesday issued an alert after diagnosing a patient who had returned from Melbourne.

The patient, while infectious, spent time in Warringah, Brookvale and Parramatta late last month.
Two minor parties have thrown their hats in the ring to contest the next state election, one promising an app to bypass politicians and the other a review of firearm laws.

Flux Party Queensland and Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party have applied to register their parties with the Electoral Commission of Queensland, with notices published in the latest government gazette.

Two minor parties have applied to register ahead of the coming state election, and they have very different priorities. Credit:Paul Harris

Flux proposes a direct democracy model, where Queenslanders would use an app to vote on every bill in Parliament, with MPs casting their vote based on the result in their electorate.

Flux Party Queensland committee member Aaron Whittaker said the platform would give the people the chance to voice their opinion.
The fire ban has been lifted in south-east Queensland thanks to a record-breaking weekend downpour that brought down trees, destroyed roofs and left a trampoline wrapped around a power pole in one city.

While the clean-up in Bundaberg continued on Tuesday, the Queensland Fire and Emergency Service revoked the fire ban and restrictions on fire permits.

The recent rainfall has allowed us to lift the fire bans and has eased conditions throughout much of the south-east, rural operations director James Haig said.

While this rain has reduced the bushfire risk, we still need the community to be vigilant as conditions can change quickly, particularly following such a prolonged dry period.

We have seen increased fire activity over the last month and there is a long way to go before the bushfire season is over."
"We knew Perth's own Birds of Tokyo would create a lot of excitement but we were amazed at how quickly we reached capacity."

"The City of Wanneroo Presents: Birds of Tokyo ticket release was hugely popular, with 12,000 tickets snapped up by our residents in just over an hour," Wanneroo mayor Tracey Roberts said.

Birds of Tokyo are all set to rock the Wanneroo Showgrounds.

Scores of fans hoping to see WA rockers Birds of Tokyo at the Wanneroo Showgrounds next month were left disappointed after tickets for the free event sold out in record time.

First dibs for tickets for the free concert went to Wanneroo residents, who had to prove their local status before being allocated admission, which requires a City of Wanneroo ID to be presented at the event's entry gate.

Considering Wanneroo has more than 200,000 people living in its boundaries, locals had to be quick to get their hands on a freebie for one of WA's most popular modern acts.

Tickets were to be opened to the general public if the concert didn't 'sell out' but the overwhelming response from locals meant those outside Wanneroo missed out.

Residents were disappointed at the record exhaustion of tickets, with many venting their frustration on the City's Facebook.

"I pay nearly $2000 a year in rates!! I'm not impressed at all!!!" said one resident, with another saying "seems like COW needs to find a bigger venue considering the size of the whole shire".
A Melbourne pensioner who paid more than $3000 to release an indigenous Western Australian mother from prison felt "white-hot fury" reading about her unpaid fines.

The mother-of-five had called police for help during a family violence incident but they instead ran a background check on her.

Western Australia's Attorney-General John Quigley says the government is working to address the over-representation of indigenous people in jail.

They found an outstanding warrant for $3900 in unpaid fines, relating to an unregistered dog in 2012, so she was jailed because she could not afford to pay them.

Peter Clark, 69, says he felt "white-hot fury" after reading about the Noongar woman's story online.
On Sunday night, Toni Mullan drove 170 km/h on side streets from home to get back to University Medical Centre of Southern Nevada, where she had just worked a 12-hour shift as a clinical supervisor in the trauma resuscitation department. Her car was smoking as she pulled into a three-hour parking spot close to the trauma centre. Mullan, 54, left her hazard lights blinking as she shut the car door and raced inside.

Around a dozen patients had already arrived from the shooting scene at a music festival on the Las Vegas Strip. Two were dead and two had been "black tagged" - fully assessed and found to have injuries that were not survivable. Mullan's daughter, Antoinette Cannon, 29, a trauma nurse who also works at the hospital, was standing out front with a physician assistant, taking injured patients out of vehicles as they drove up to the hospital and quickly assessing whose conditions were the most precarious.

"The minute I got there, I looked at the situation and said, 'How am I going to utilise my resources?'" Mullan, a registered nurse, said in a telephone interview Monday. By daybreak, 104 patients had arrived.

University Medical Centre is the only level-one trauma centre in Nevada and one of only a few free-standing trauma units in the nation. That means it is fully staffed with surgeons and trauma nurses day and night to handle injuries and mass casualties, from vehicle crashes that bring in 10 patients at a time to a 2015 episode in which a woman drove onto the Las Vegas Strip, sending 17 patients to the medical centre. Last week, there had been 15 trauma cases in one night.
The Eiffel Tower went dark to pay homage to the victims of two tragedies - the weekend knife attack in the French port city of Marseille and the mass shooting in Las Vegas.

By AP: The Eiffel Tower went dark to pay homage to the victims of two tragedies: the weekend knife attack in the French port city of Marseille and the mass shooting in Las Vegas.

Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo tweeted Monday that "Tonight we turn off the lights of the Eiffel Tower at midnight" (2200 GMT) to honour the victims of the two attacks, continuing a practice of bowing in respect to victims of horror by darkening the glittering monument that crowns the City of Light.

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The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the stabbing deaths Sunday of two women in their early 20s at Marseille's train station, and the killing of 58 at a Las Vegas concert. In each case, authorities are searching for links between the killers and the organization.

KNIFE ATTACK

A man with a knife stabbed two women to death at the main train station in the southern French city of Marseille as he reportedly shouted "Allahu akbar!" - an attack the Islamic State group claimed was the work of one its "soldiers".

French soldiers shot the man to death after the attacks and authorities were working to determine if he had links to Islamic extremism.

The IS-linked Aamaq news agency said in a statement Sunday night that the assailant was acting in response to IS calls to target countries in the US-led coalition fighting IS extremists in Syria and Iraq.

The statement did not provide details or evidence of a direct link to the attacker. France has been part of the anti-IS coalition since 2014 and has been repeatedly targeted by IS attacks.

LAS VEGAS CONCERT ATTACK

Nearly 60 people died and over 500 people were injured after a shooter opened fire at the crowds assembled to enjoy a concert organised at the Mandalay Bay casino as part of the Las Vegas Music Festival. The police neutralised the shooter soon after the attack.

The shooter literally rained fire on his targets - a group of concert goers in Las Vegas, the town known for its vibrant nightlife and 24x7 casinos. The shooter, identified as 64-year-old resident of Nevada Stephen Paddock, was perched on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

The death toll, which has crossed 50, is the worst for a mass shooting in modern US history.

--- ENDS ---
While once Mr Trump supported a ban on assault weapons, his views have changed significantly over the past decade, and it's unlikely he'd support stricter US gun laws now. In the first weeks of his administration, he approved a controversial bill to reverse an Obama-era ban on gun ownership by people ruled mentally "defective" by the Social Security system. Unlike many challenges facing the Trump administration, his offerings to the American public in the wake of mass shootings are likely to be limited to words of sorrow and "warmest condolences," which was his initial response, said professor Robert Spitzer, author of The Politics of Gun Control. Guns are "the only policy area where the conditioned response is that the law doesn't matter, it's bad people doing bad things," said Mr Spitzer. "That leads to a policy dead end." Further, the National Rifle Association was the first major, deep-pocketed industry group to endorse Trump as a GOP candidate. "The NRA has doubled down with Trump, who was a long shot back when they first endorsed him," said Spitzer. "Turns out they placed a bet on the winner" and "he's really thrown his chips with them," he said. Like Trump, Barack Obama's response to the first mass shooting under his leadership  at Fort Hood in 2009  was focused mainly on those grieving. Yet his two terms included at least 14 public responses to mass shootings, and over time and with the number of incidents compounding, Obama's frustration with the relative ease with which Americans can purchase high-capacity firearms became pronounced.

That was particularly true after the 2012 slaughter of 20 children in Newtown, Connecticut. After that tragedy, Obama repeatedly called for tighter laws, including requiring background checks for online purchase of guns and closing the so-called "gun show loophole" that allows sales between private individuals without a background check. In a Monday White House briefing, press secretary Sarah Sanders said Trump remains a strong supporter of the Second Amendment while dismissing questions about policy: "There's a time and place for a political debate, but now is a time to unite as a country," she said. "It would be premature for us to discuss policy when we don't fully know all the facts," said Sanders. Mike Hammond, legislative counsel to the pro-gun Gun Owners of America, said trying to change gun laws in response to the tragedy is "nothing but a political ploy." While it's unknown exactly what type of a weapon Paddock used, it appears to have been an automatic firearm, which federal laws tightly restrict. "Given it's illegal to have the gun he had, illegal to have it in the hotel and certainly illegal to kill 58 people, it's not clear what sort of new illegalisation is going to make any difference," Hammond said. Even so, the state of Nevada allows the private purchase of some machine guns. If Trump offers any remedy, based on previous remarks, it may be to suggest more guns. After a mass shooting at an Oregon community college in 2015, Trump said that fewer people would have died if more of the victims had their own guns. He made the same argument after Orlando, saying it would have minimised the death count if others "had guns strapped to their waists or strapped to their ankle." After two journalists were shot to death on live television, Trump said "this isn't a gun problem, this is a mental problem".

Trump has changed his position on access to guns over time. In a 2000 book, he said Republicans "refuse even limited restrictions," saying they "walk the NRA line." He expressed support for the assault weapons ban and longer waiting periods to purchase guns. More than a decade later, Trump began to argue that gun background checks "accomplished very little" and declared himself "a very big Second Amendment person". In a 2015 interview on MSNBC's Morning Joe, Trump said mass shootings are a fact of life. "It's the same old story. But what are you going to do? There are many people like that and what are you going to do? Institutionalise everybody? So you're going to have difficulties," he said. The president's attitude shift corresponds with a cultural shift in the entire Republican Party. In 1994, Congress approved a 10-year ban on 19 types of military-style assault weapons, including with the votes of many Republicans, like former Indiana senator Dan Coats, now Trump's director of national intelligence. Former president Ronald Reagan also supported the ban, writing a joint letter with Jimmy Carter and Gerald Ford in 1994 for Congress to heed the pleas of the law enforcement community.

Yet, in the ensuing decades, the NRA and gun manufacturers have made opposition to the assault weapons ban a litmus test for Republicans running for office. The NRA has argued that any changes to US gun laws will create a slippery slope to law-abiding owners losing their rights. The volume of US mass shootings corresponds with a shift towards high-capacity firearms  originally conceived for use on the battlefield  marketed by gun manufacturers. In 1980, semi-automatic pistols accounted for only 32 per cent of the handguns produced in America. By 1991, this proportion had jumped to 74 per cent, according to the Violence Policy Centre. In the meantime, with Republicans in control of both Congress and the White House, federal laws appear to be moving in the direction of looser regulation. For instance, House Republicans are on track to advance legislation easing firearms rules, including a package of bills backed by the NRA that would make it easier to purchase silencers. Manny Gomez, a retired FBI agent, said the nation's laws are moving inversely to increasing gun violence. "Are we going to legalise grenades next?" said Gomez. "It seems to me we're heading in the wrong direction."
Manchester: People caught repeatedly looking up terrorist content online will be jailed for up to 15 years, the British Home Secretary Amber Rudd has announced.

The same jail term will apply to anyone who publishes information about police or armed forces as part of preparing a terrorist attack, in what the government said was a "tightening" of the country's counter-terror laws.

Britain's Home Secretary, Amber Rudd, speaks at the Conservative party conference. Credit:AP

Speaking to the Tory party conference underway in Manchester, a city she said was "shrouded in grief" following the deaths of 22 people in the bombing of Manchester Arena earlier this year, Ms Rudd says the British had been through a testing year with five attacks across the country. She repeated the revelation made last week by the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan that police had foiled a further seven plots intended for London this year.

"The toll of the those who have been victims of such violence this year is grim," said Ms Rudd.
Manchester: Britain will limit sales of sulphuric acid and outlaw the sale of such corrosive substances to children after a spate of assaults and its possible use to make bombs, interior minister Amber Rudd says.

Much to public alarm, the number of incidents where assailants have used acid has risen sharply, with police figures suggesting there had been more than 400 corrosive substance attacks in the six months to April this year.

Isobella Fraser and her sister, Prue, suffered burns in an acid attack at a London nightclub. Credit:Isobella Fraser

Many victims were left with serious, life-changing injuries as a result.

The proposed new laws will make it illegal to sell the most harmful corrosive substances to those under 18 while the carrying of acid in public without good reason will be banned.
Barcelona: Spain's King Felipe VI says Catalan authorities have deliberately bent the law with "irresponsible conduct" and the Spanish state needs to ensure constitutional order and the rule of law in Catalonia.

Delivering an address to the nation by television on Tuesday, the king said the bid by authorities in the northeastern region to push ahead with independence has "undermined coexistence" in Catalonia.

Spain's King Felipe said that Catalan authorities have deliberately bent the law with "irresponsible conduct". Credit:AP

"Today, Catalan society is fractured and confronted," Felipe said, referring to the political crisis as "very serious moments for our democratic life".

The state needs to ensure Spain's constitutional order and the correct functioning of Catalan institutions and rule of law, he said.
It's worth pointing out that self harm is actually the number one category of gun-related deaths, in both the US and Australia. So the total figure of gun deaths is much higher.
Las Vegas: High-powered guns lie on the carpet among piles of bullets. Another firearm sits in the hallway on a bipod, used for stability when firing at targets.

Photos and footage emerged on Wednesday offering a glimpse inside the hotel room that unleashed the deadliest shooting in modern US history.

Retired accountant and multi-millionaire gambler Stephen Paddock, 64, checked into Room 32135 at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino on Thursday. It was a hotel that both he and his girlfriend, Australian-Filipino grandmother Marilou Danley, had stayed in before on their regular trips to the famous Strip.

Footage obtained by the New York Post show double doors to the suite blown off their hinges and a bullet-riddled couch pressed up against the door. Yellow crime scene tape remains criss-crossed across the door.
This 1979 photo shows Benjamin Hoskins Paddock, the father of Stephen Paddock Credit:AP "She really could sing  great set of pipes," Bob Hemley said. "Him? He didn't affect me. Didn't stand out." His neighbours in Mesquite say he drew little attention, unless it was for his extreme propensity to keep to himself. He displayed no strong religious or political views, his relatives said, and was not known for angry outbursts. This undated photo provided by Eric Paddock shows his brother, Las Vegas gunman Stephen Paddock. But he was the son of a bank robber who escaped from prison and spent most of the 1970s on the FBI's most wanted list. His girlfriend, sought for questioning by law enforcement officials after the shooting, had passed through Tokyo, officials said.

Details about Paddock's career and livelihood were sparse, aside from observations that he routinely gambled large amounts of money. "He was a gambler, that was his job," his brother, Eric Paddock, told reporters Monday at his home in Orlando, Florida. "He was a wealthy guy, playing video poker, who went cruising all the time and lived in a hotel room." In the weeks before the massacre, Paddock filled out several required federal financial reports signalling that he either had won more than $US10,000 in a single gaming day or laid out a sum larger than that at the casino, said the federal law enforcement official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation is confidential. NBC News, which first reported on Paddock's large transactions, said some of the Currency Transaction Reports, or CTR, recorded movements of funds exceeding $20,000 and even $30,000. Asked if authorities had a working motive at a news conference Monday afternoon, Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo replied, "No, we don't."

Investigators have all but dismissed a claim by Islamic State that Paddock was a recent convert to Islam acting at the group's direction. Law enforcement authorities seized computer hard drives from Paddocks' Mesquite home and are examining dozens of weapons taken from the hotel suite and the home along with explosive material found in his vehicle and residence. US Representative Ruben Kihuen, who received a briefing from the multiagency anti-terrorism centre, said no new clues have emerged so far. Stephen Paddock and his three brothers were raised by their mother, who told the children that their father had died when in fact he was in prison, Eric Paddock said. Paddock's father was convicted in 1961 of committing a series of bank robberies, and was sentenced to 20 years, but escaped from La Tuna federal prison in Texas in 1968 and then became a used-car dealer and bingo parlour operator in Oregon. A "Wanted" poster warned that the elder Paddock was "diagnosed as psychopathic,"reportedly has suicidal tendencies" and "should be considered armed and very dangerous." The children's mother was left to raise the family on her own. They moved around the country, from Iowa to Tucson, Arizona, to Southern California, another brother, Patrick Paddock II, of Tucson, said. Stephen Paddock's behaviour did not offer any indication of violent tendencies, the brother said.

"He was the least violent in the family during my childhood. So, it's kind of like, 'Who?'" Comparing himself to his brother, he said, "I have much more anger." Stephen Paddock attended college, his family said, and worked for a predecessor company to Lockheed Martin, the aerospace contracting company, from 1985-1988. Lockheed Martin confirmed his employment but did not identify the company for which Paddock worked. Paddock once owned and managed an apartment complex in the Dallas suburb of Mesquite, Texas, records show. A resident, Priscilla McBride, told The Dallas Morning News that Paddock often roamed the apartment property, casually talking to residents. He moved away several years ago, she said, and they had not seen each other since. "I thought, it couldn't be," she said of the mass shooting. "You would have never thought he would be killing people. You just never know."

Paddock bought three guns  a handgun and two rifles  at a shop in Mesquite, Guns & Guitars, within the past year, said Christopher Sullivan, the general manager. All the purchases were legal and cleared routine federal screening, Sullivan said. "The man does not have a criminal history," Sullivan said. Two of the gunman's three brothers said they were not close, and the third could not be located. Patrick Paddock said he and his brother had not been in contact for as long as 20 years, and he did not initially recognise the face that flashed on television. He wondered aloud about the motive behind the crime, and expressed profound distress for the victims. "My anxiety is not a drop in the ocean compared to how I feel about the people who got killed," he said. Eric Paddock broke down in tears during an interview. "There's nothing I can say. My brother did this. It's like he shot us. I couldn't be more dumbfounded," he said. He said he last communicated with his brother when Stephen inquired about how the family had fared during Hurricane Irma.

"He texted me to ask about my mum after the hurricane," Eric Paddock told reporters. "He sent her a walker." He said the situation has been very difficult for their 89-year-old mother, who "had to deal with her husband who was a bank robber, and now this." Eric Paddock said that his brother gambled largely for fun. The two brothers had shared a real estate business for decades, refurbishing properties, the sale of which had left his brother with what he estimated was $2 million. "He's a multimillionaire," he said. "He helped me become affluent, he made me wealthy." Stephen Paddock, 64, lived with his current girlfriend, Marilou Danley, 62. She worked as "high-limit hostess" at the Atlantis Casino in Reno, Nevada, from 2010-2013, according to her LinkedIn account. On Monday, the casino said that she left the company several years ago.

Paddock seemed to have no criminal history, according to records searches in places where he was known to have lived. The Mesquite, Nevada Police Department said they had no interactions with the couple, including traffic stops. Sheriff Joseph Lombardo of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department described Paddock as "lone wolf" whose intentions had gone unnoticed by hotel staff members who had gone in and out of his room without detecting the trove of weapons. "I can't get into the mind of a psychopath at this point," Lombardo said. Eric Paddock said he and his family were "shocked, horrified" by the news, saying he was "not an avid gun guy." The brother told CBS News that he knew Stephen Paddock had handguns, but that as far as he knew, did not own machine guns. "Where the hell did he get automatic weapons? He has no military background or anything like that," the brother said. "When you find out about him, like I said, he's a guy who lived in a house in Mesquite and drove down and gambled in Las Vegas."

Eric Paddock told reporters in Florida that his brother "had nothing to do with any political organisation, religious organisation, no white supremacist, nothing, as far as I know. And I've only known him for 57 years." Stephen Paddock had a private pilot's license, according to Federal Aviation Administration, and had two small planes registered in his name. One of Paddock's ex-wives, who now lives near Los Angeles, told Los Angeles police that they had divorced 27 years ago after being married six years. They had no children. He owned several homes and properties across the country, according to public records. Loading
The extended step family of the former Gold Coast woman linked to the Las Vegas gunman has called out internet trolls who have made death threats since the shooting massacre on Sunday.

Marilou Danley, 62, lived alongside the now dead Stephen Paddock, but was visiting the Philippines when Paddock opened fire on a crowd of thousands at a Las Vegas music festival late on Sunday evening, local time.

On Wednesday, two of her sisters told Channel Seven that Paddock put her on a plane two weeks ago, saying he had found a cheap ticket for her to go visit her family and friends.

"He sent her away so that he can plan what he is planning without interruptions," the sister, who didn't identify herself, said. "He has done this solely himself."
PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Tourism and Economic Affairs Mellissa Arrindell-Doncher has announced a special commercial and repatriation WINAIR flight to service the St. Maarten-Curacao and Curacao-St. Maarten routes two times this week and once next week.

The once-a-day, round-trip flights will take place on Thursday, October 5, Saturday, October 7 and Tuesday, October 10. The maximum number of passengers on the SXM-CUR route will be 130 and CUR-SXM will be 145. WINAIR will utilize PAWA Dominicana aircraft via its wet lease agreement with that company.

The Minister stressed that the flights are designated as special commercial flights, so there will be a nominal fee that the passenger will have to pay. The flights are primarily meant to repatriate St. Maarten residents who hold a Dutch passport or valid residence permits. French nationals and/or French residents with valid documentation can also travel from Curacao to St. Maarten.

The Minister expressed her thanks to WINAIR for working with government to get the flights done for this week. She explained that the flights will be for one week only and revisited after the final flight next Tuesday.

She also said persons stuck in the US, for example, can book and to make their way to Curacao if they can to make their way home. We realize that some may not be able to do so because of possible financial impediments, but until our airport is ready to accept full commercial flights, this is what we can do for now to get some of our folks home, the Minister explained.

The Minister said WINAIR will be releasing information about booking on the three flights. Interested passengers should contact WINAIR.

Press Release from the Ministry of TEATT
PHILIPSBURG:--- Very soon after the passage of hurricanes "Irma" and "Maria the enforcement of criminal law in Sint Maarten was restored. This in close cooperation with all involved in the justice chain. The police force of Sint Maarten (KPSM) has given great attention to the maintenance of public order with the support of the National Police, the marines and the Volunteer Corps of Saint Maarten (VKSM). But in addition, the arrest of looters was immediately taken upon the chain. Many criminal cases have been registered against residents who did not adhere to the curfew announced by the government.

The Public Prosecutor's Office (OM) Sint Maarten at the Emmaplein was severely damaged, but many other services are even in a worse situation. Amongst them the building of the parole board (Reassering) which is completely unusable. The Parole Board has therefore moved temporarily and joined in the offices at the Public Prosecutor's Office. Every morning the OM meets with the Judges of the Court of First Instance, the Parole Board, the Guardianship and criminal lawyers. Due to the situation, a very specific form of 'Security House' (Veiligheidshuis) has been established.

Unfortunately, since "Irma" there have been two murders committed on Sint Maarten; a deadly shooting in a house where looted goods have also been found. The perpetrator in this case has not been arrested as yet. The other case concerns a stabbing-case where the victim has been killed by a mentally confused person. This suspect has also been arrested and placed in temporary detention. His mother was arrested because looted goods were also found with her.

During the last three weeks, until September 26, 85 criminal cases have been registered on Sint Maarten. 41 Cases are violators of the curfew. In addition, 16 cases have been registered for healing (heling), 21 cases for theft/robbery and 7 cases for possession of firearms or other prohibited items. In 48 cases, the suspects for the violation of the curfew had a duty-sentence of 40 hours. If there was also drug possession, this was increased to 60 hours. Minors receive half of the number of hours. The other 37 cases will be settled by a summons and the majority of them are in temporary detention.

The task sentences are implemented in good cooperation with the Parole Board directly in the form of helping to clean affected schools or other vital buildings. In this way, the suspects can do something back for society.

In the morning the violators of the curfew report at the Parole Board in the building of the Public Prosecutor's Office of Sint Maarten. Then, under the supervision and guidance of the Volunteers Corps of Saint Maarten (VKS), they execute the duty-sentence.

At the moment there were 23 invasions on premises executed by the police. At the addresses it was suspected of the presence of looted goods. At 17 of these addresses stolen goods were actually found. Another 40 actions are currently being prepared. Many valuable goods are found during these raids, such as a range of refrigerators, many televisions, stereos, watches, computers, air conditioners, various electronics, lots of drinks, expensive sunglasses, clothes and handbags, often still in their original packaging.

The suspects arrested for looting and/or healing are in custody and are or have been presented to the Investigative Judge (RC) for the custody. Among the detained persons for robbery are also persons without a valid residence permit for Sint Maarten. These persons will be transferred to the Immigration Service after being sentenced and have done the time. The border hospital will be cleaned by those with a job punishment so that it can be re-used again as a detention center.

In consultation with the judges and lawyers, a courtcase has been planned for October 18 in the case against looters. This will be a special court-session on short-term to prosecute the suspects.

In the recent period sessions were held in Point Blanche prison. This to avoid that the suspects have to be transported. The court restored with a decision ex art 413 Sv (Code of Criminal Procedure) the time limits that occurred in the first days after "Irma". Two legal hearings (pro-forma) have also taken place. These also took place in prison Point Blanche. The pro forma sessions were specifically in the investigations "Mars" and "Broccoli". The decision was taken by the Court to treat these cases at a later date.

Press Release from Public Prosecutor's Office
By PTI: By Shirish B Pradhan

Kathmandu, Oct 3 (PTI) The European Union (EU) has announced a 800,000 euro financial assistance to the Nepal which is hit by the worst floods in 15 years that claimed over 160 lives.

The EU is providing 800,000 euro (equivalent to Nepalese rupees 98.5 million) in emergency relief funding to assist the most affected populations, a press release issued by the EUs resident mission in Nepal today.

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This allocation is part of a larger regional allocation of 2 million euro in response to floods in South Asia.

"The countries in South Asia are facing some of their worst floods in decades, which are resulting in a large-scale humanitarian situation affecting millions.

"It is especially in these hard times that the EU solidarity makes a difference: our support will reach those most in need and help them recover from the devastating losses they have suffered," said Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management Christos Stylianides.

He said that the EUs support will provide life-saving assistance, prioritising shelter, food assistance, water and sanitation, health and protection to those affected by the floods, while restoring the safety and dignity of the most vulnerable populations.

"The funding will be channelled through the European Commissions European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations department (ECHO)," the release said.

About two million people in Nepal have been hit by the worst floods in 15 years. Around 20,900 families have been temporarily displaced and over 200,000 houses damaged or completely destroyed. PTI SBP SMJ

--- ENDS ---
POND ISLAND:--- Yesterday the Board of the USM sent a letter to the Honourable Minister of Education Culture Youth & Sports, Ms. Silveria Jacobs, informing her that if the government of Sint Maarten does not finally take up its responsibility to provide the USM with an increase of the annual subsidy of 3Million Antillean Guilders, the institution will have to close its doors as of the end of November! Its a do or die scenario. The 850.000 Antillean Guilders that the institution currently receives, which boils down to less than 1% of the countrys annual budget allocated to education, will not suffice given post-Irma conditions.

The USM depends heavily on tuition from primarily students who either work in the tourist industry and its service-related spinoffs, or whose parents do. This is the group, the bulk of the St. Martiners in fact, who have suffered major losses. Many of their homes were damaged; many are staying with families and friends or accommodating family and friends. And to make matters worse they have been laid off (or fear that they will have to accept a salary reduction). In such a situation they are rightfully asking for relief or a grace period from the USM. The institution would gladly do so, but without a hard guarantee of the government of an increase in the annual subsidy of 3 Million Guilder, the USM cannot do so.

In fact, the 850.000 Antillean Guilders that USM currently receives from government is not enough to keep the doors of the institution open.

This is not related to Irma per se as it was actually never enough, even in the days when Sint Maarten flourished. It is a known fact the Board stated that for many years the USM has been struggling financially. The Ministry of Education has known for quite some time that a yearly subsidy increase of ANG 3 million was needed to keep the institution afloat. The many petitions made to the government fell on deaf ears, supposedly because the USM was not accredited and did enjoy international renown.

In 2014 after a reorganization orchestrated by the President of the Board, Mrs. Valerie Giterson-Pantophlet, a new management team was put in place whose task was to professionalize the institution.

The strategy would only work if a silent donor of the private sector, who wishes to remain anonymous, agreed to continue financially supporting the USM. Without his support, the USM would have had to close shop many years ago.

The Boards investment in a new management team paid off. The USM secured several international level 5 accreditations for its Associate Degree programs in 3 years time, as well as being able to offer North American accredited Bachelor and Master Degrees via the UVI@USM partnership with the University of the Virgin Islands (UVI). For the first time after obtaining their Associate degree on Sint Maarten, USM students could study in the Netherlands and the rest of Europe. This was highly appreciated by parents who understood that their children should gain some college and life experience before traveling to a big country. Besides the accreditations, the USM also received international recognition due to the publications of its staff in international academic journals and edited volumes. As a result of these and other positive developments, the USMs student population registered a steady increase. St. Martins societys confidence in the institution rose leading the Board to take the bold step of announcing the construction of dorms and the overall expansion of the USM. A drive was planned to raise funds for the expansion. Again the silent donor was instrumental. He did, however, place as a non-negotiable condition for his continued financial support, namely, that the government of Sint Maarten would finally keep its promise. Without the government owning up to its responsibility to grant the USM its much needed annual subsidy of 3 Million Antillean Guilders he would not continue to silently subsidize the university.

All this was to no avail. The government still did not make any concrete moves to properly fund the USM. In a press conference held on the 23rd of August 2017, the Minister of Education announced that they did not have the funds to raise the subsidy of USM and that they were still working on the Law of Tertiary Education.

Then came Hurricane Irma and the USM was once again expected to continue surviving without adequate government funding. It is the straw that has broken the camels back. The silent donor will not continue to do what the government of Sint Maarten should have been doing from day one, namely taking care of improving the educational and social resourcefulness of its population. The Board and Management understand the decision, given that our donors and the entire business community too have suffered significant financial losses. The President of the USM, Dr. Francio Guadeloupe stated,

This is a sad day. It did not have to come to this. In fact, it still does not have to come to this. The USM is an institution founded in the golden days of St. Martin, the time of the Mullet Bay, by Dr. Claude Wathey and Ambassador Husang Ansari. They recognized that the island had arrived at a stage in its development that it needed a university to take care of those who could and did not want to travel abroad to enjoy a tertiary education: Level 5 Associate and eventually Bachelor and Master degrees. Scholarships abroad was one thing, making sure you had a university for those at home that would cater to the tourist industry and the islands direct needs was another. It was the task of the government whom the hardworking people of Sint Maarten had put into office to make sure that those who could go abroad and those who stayed at home enjoyed a sound education. Education, especially tertiary education that produces a competent and morally grounded citizen, is after all the motor of any development progress. This is known throughout the Caribbean.

The USM came into existence and produced figures of renowned locally such as Mrs. Beulah Jonis, director of the St. Maarten Cable TV, Mr. Perry Wilson, successful banker at the FCIBC Bank, Ms. Irma Gumbs of the Windward Island Bank, Mr. Jeffrey de La Combe of Tropical Shipping, and successful entrepreneurs like Mr. Kenrick Housen of the Carls and Sons Enterprise, to name but a few. The USM has also produced persons who went on to gain their PhDs in Canada and the USA like Dr. Royette Tavernier of Wesleyan University and Ms. Rolinda Carter of the University of British Columbia (who will be finishing up within a few months). And we are witnessing a new batch with dynamic youngsters like Ralph Cantave, Rochana Richardson, Ms. Parina Lotlikar, Ms. Whitney Murray, who chose to study at the USM. In every field of work, one encounters the products of the USM. All this was done, and continues to be done, without proper government funding. If Education matters, if tradition matters, if national pride matters, if the legacy of the late Dr. Claude Wathey and the late Commissioner Edgar Lynch who also supported the USM matters, then one can expect the government to do the right thing. They will fully support the USM with the increase in subsidy, which is supporting the people and the children of those persons who built and will rebuild St. Martin.

The Board of the USM laments the adverse effects the closing will have on both its staff and student population. It is now in the hands of government, as it always should have been, whether they will do their duty and take care of the educational needs of St. Maarteners. The USM awaits the reply of government as should every concerned St Maartener who believes that this island should have its own university.

USM Press Release
PHILIPSBURG:--- The House of Parliament will sit in a plenary public session on October 4, 2017. The Prime Minister and Minister of General Affairs will be present for the session.

The plenary public meeting which was scheduled to continue on October 2, 2017, will be reconvened on Wednesday, October 4, 2017, at 14.00 hrs in the General Assembly Chamber of the House at Wilhelminastraat #1 in Philipsburg.

The agenda point is State of preparedness hurricane season, Disaster management hurricane Irma, Reconstruction following the devastation by hurricane Irma.

Members of the public are invited to the House of Parliament to attend parliamentary deliberations.

The House of Parliament is located across from the Court House in Philipsburg.

The parliamentary session will be carried live on St. Maarten Cable TV Channel 120, via Pearl Radio FM 98.1, the audio via the Internet www.pearlfmradio.sx and via www.sxmparliament.org.
Raise Production Inc. Announces Patent Award for the Russian Federation

CALGARY, ALBERTA  (Marketwired)  10/02/17  Raise Production Inc. (TSX VENTURE: RPC) (Raise or the Company) announces award of Russian Federation Patent.

Horizontal Artificial Recovery Technology (HART)

The Company is pleased to announce that it has received the system and method patent from the Russian Federation for its Horizontal Artificial Recovery Technology (HART). The Company has referred to the HART system in previous press releases as the Horizontal Wellbore Production System or the System.

The Russian Federation patent is in addition to the Canadian and Australian patents previously awarded. This is the second international patent award in addition to the Canadian patent for the HART. The award of these international patents is validation of the uniqueness of the HART in respect to the method of multiple pumps deployed into horizontal wellbores. The Company expects the remaining seven international patent applications including the United States to be approved in due course.

About Raise Production Inc.

The Company is an innovative oilfield service company that focuses its efforts on the production service sector, utilizing its proprietary products to enhance and increase ultimate production in both conventional and unconventional horizontal oil and gas wells.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

This news release contains certain forward-looking statements. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from these anticipated in such statements.

Contacts:

Eric Laing

President and Chief Executive Officer

Susan Scullion

Chief Financial Officer

Raise Production Inc.

2620-58th Avenue S.E.

Calgary, Alberta T2C 1G5

(403) 699-7675
Get Full Service Chicago IT Solutions For Your Local Business With Computer Repair Cloud Management From This Company

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The site explains that anyone working hard to succeed in todays environment, looking for a team for Chicago IT support, can get in touch with Chicago Technology Group to get the job done. Their expert team of staff values their clients journey and works hard to meet and exceed their expectations when it comes to full services IT options in the Chicago area.

The founder of Chicago Technology Group has been providing Chicago IT support for small businesses since the age of sixteen. He has always appreciated working with like minded people and empowering other entrepreneurs to reach their goals.

His company has grown to be a team of IT experts handling everything from managing Windows networks to building engaging, SEO friendly websites and running network cables. The company strives to ensure that if their clients have any IT needs, they can trust Chicago Technology Group to achieve their goals.

A range of fixed investment maintenance services are provided to help maximize each clients ROI. There is a server care option for $149 per month, which includes 24/7 monitoring and is priced per server. In addition to this, there is a desktop care option, and a help desk option for businesses looking for peace of mind with their IT solutions.

The company serves most Chicago neighborhoods, from Albany Park to West Loop, North Park and Wrigleyville. It offers a full range of IT solutions for businesses, and can help to manage their cloud services, or consult with clients to ensure that they make the right decisions for both the short and long term.

Full details of the benefits of working with the company can be found on the URL above, where interested parties can get in touch using the contact details provided.


The Ohio Innocence Project, based at the University of Cincinnati College of Law, marked International Wrongful Conviction Day on Oct. 2 with a week of events across the state.



The expansion of programming comes on the heels of an announcement that Ohio Representative Bill Seitz introduced legislation to provide compensation to individuals wrongly convicted due to prosecutors withholding evidence.



This will have a tremendous impact on the lives of some of our exonerees who were released from prison with nothing and with no hope for compensation for the several years of their lives lost to wrongful imprisonment, says Rashida Manuel, outreach manager.



Among the nearly 70 organizations that make up the Innocence Network, which is a collective of projects around the country working to exonerate wrongfully convicted men and women, OIP is unique for several programs.



While many projects use law students to help investigate their cases, OIPs one-year fellowship allows students to have a more in-depth view of innocence work and gain substantial hands-on experience, Manuel says.



OIP is also the only program in the country to work with undergraduate students.



We introduced OIP-u, a program for undergraduate students, two years ago, says Manuel. A core group of students from six universities in Ohio  UC, Xavier, the University of Dayton, OSU, OU and John Carrol University  work closely with us to host events on their campuses aimed at raising awareness about wrongful conviction.



One of the UC events is the annual Dash and Bash and Freedom Walk. The race raises awareness of wrongful convictions, with exonerees participating in the Freedom Walk, as well as funds for OIPs work.



Although focused on overturning wrongful convictions in Ohio, OIP works with organizations in Europe and Asia to start their own innocence projects through its Center for the Global Study of Wrongful Conviction and the European Innocence Network conference.



In September, OIP director Mark Godsey released a book, Blind Injustice, about his transition from prosecutor to innocence attorney and the causes of wrongful convictions. The Mercantile Library will host Godsey and several OIP exonerees for a reading and talk on Nov. 8.



A central tenet of our mission is to inform the public of criminal justice system flaws, and our hope is that as communities become more educated on wrongful conviction, substantial change can be made, Manuel says.



As OIP approaches its 15th anniversary next year, it is celebrating its work in freeing 25 Ohioans who were wrongfully convicted, and anticipate more exonerees in the future.




According to a report from the Bureau of Economic Analysis, Cincinnati was home to the 28th largest metropolitan economy in the U.S. in 2016. This growth makes Cincy the largest economy in the state of Ohio.



It's also one of the fastest-growing economies in the Midwest.



Among the 382 metropolitan areas included in the report, Cincinnatis growth rate of 2.5 percent makes it the 106th fastest-growing in the country. Among the top 100 Metropolitan Statistical Areas by population, Cincinnati was the 37th fastest-growing in 2016.



Growth in non-durable goods manufacturing contributed to Cincinnatis GDP growth the most, with construction, trade and information technology coming in close. Governments contribution to Cincinnatis economy declined.



To read the entire report, click here.


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While looking for friends within the saffron party, Mukul Roy is also reaching out to Trinamool Congress workers and leaders at the grass roots.

By Romita Datta Sengupta: A week after Mukul Roy announced that he is resigning from the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and was subsequently expelled from the party for six years, the Rajya Sabha MP is yet to reveal his future plans.

With the central leadership of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) yet to declare their position on the expelled Trinamool Congress MP, who was allegedly involved in the Saradha and Narada scam, Mukul Roy is bidding time to make his future plans public. Roy is batting for the BJP and meeting central leaders as well as RSS leaders. Roy has sought an appointment with RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, who is in town today to address a seminar on Sister Nivedita's birth centenary.

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While looking for friends in the saffron party, Mukul Roy is also reaching out to TMC workers and leaders at the grass roots. Roy, known for excellent PR skills, knows each and every worker by name. He has nurtured the relationship with TMC block and district leaders beyond election seasons. Further, a large number of Trinamool Congress MLAs, whose candidature was ensured by Roy, can also be tapped.

DIDI KEEPS A CLOSE WATCH

Roy is holding court at Nizam Palace and meeting loyalists. Although prominent Trinamool Congress faces are conspicuous by their absence, at least in public, word is out that many are meeting him in private or are in touch with him. According to sources, the Trinamool Congress chief, Mamata Banerjee, has reportedly engaged the state IB to keep a close watch on who are visiting Mukul Roy and were seen at the Durga Puja at his Kanchrapara house.

There is an apprehension of a split in the party, no matter how small it may be. Roy, however, is expected to soon start re-establishing his connection with the districts in a new avatar and possibly donning a new political colour.

MAMATA TO VISIT JANGALMAHAL

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is not sitting idle either. If sources are to be believed, she has asked her nephew, Abhishek Banerjee, to meet the district leaders and party workers, who would be dropping in at Kalighat to touch Didi's feet and exchange Bijaya greetings. Abhishek, a greenhorn in PR skills, is being tutored to make up for the loss of Mukul Roy in the party. He has been instructed to tour the districts to reach out to party workers and fill the political vacuum left by Mukul Roy.

According to sources, Mamata Banerjee will be visiting the Jangalmahal area next week to access the impact of Mukul's exit from the party. It was Roy who monitored the area since the Maoist movement in 2009-10 and took the Maoists into confidence to bring an end to the Left Front rule. After the death of the Maoist leader, Koteswar Rao, Mukul Roy figured on the hit-list of the Maoists and was given Z-plus security.

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Mamata Banerjee is determined to spread out her resources across West Bengal to ensure her party does not take a hit due to Mukul Roy's exit while isolating him.

Roy is likely to surrender his Rajya Sabha membership on October 7 or October 8 following which he may announce his future political plans. Till then, he is busy searching new friends.

ALSO WATCH: TMC MP Mukul Roy says he'll resign from party after Durga Puja

--- ENDS ---
By India Today Web Desk: Rajkummar Rao is on a roll these days. Just a few days after his latest release Newton was declared as India's official entry to Oscars this year, the 33-year-old actor has begun shooting for his next with Anil Kapoor. Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's Fanney Khan has been in news ever since the makers got the Taal jodi - Anil and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan on board for the musical.

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And now Rao has joined the two for the film. It is for the first time that Rao will romance Aishwarya on the big screen. And finally the Newton actor has begun shooting for the film.

Rao took to Twitter to make the announcement and wrote, "Day 1 on the sets of #FanneyKhan with wonderful @AnilKapoor sir. Brilliant energy on set."

Day 1 on the sets of #FanneyKhan with wonderful @AnilKapoor sir. Brilliant energy on set. pic.twitter.com/HhDXqBO31X- Rajkummar Rao (@RajkummarRao) October 3, 2017

Fanney Khan is the Hindi adaptation of the 2000 Dutch release, Everybody's Famous! However, the makers have given their own twist to the plot.

ALSO WATCH: Rajkummar Rao's Newton is India's official entry to Oscars

--- ENDS ---
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By PTI: (EDS: Correcting typo in intro)

Washington, Oct 3 (PTI) Scientists have used a gene editing tool to disrupt a mutation responsible for some forms of glaucoma, an advance that could help prevent one of the most common causes of irreversible blindness in humans.

A team led by researchers from the University of Iowa in the US eliminated mutated myocilin protein from a mouse model of human glaucoma and cultured human cells through the use of CRISPR-Cas9, which can alter DNA sequences and gene function.

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Mutations in myocilin are implicated in juvenile- and adult-onset primary open-angle glaucoma.

The research, published in the the journal PNAS, found that removing the mutated protein by disrupting the mutant myociln results in lowered intraocular pressure, which in turn prevents glaucomatous damage to the eye.

"As scientists we dont want to just discover a diseased gene, we want to understand what the gene does and, in this case, have a better understanding of glaucoma so that it can be more effectively treated," said Val Sheffield, from the University of Iowa.

"No one knows what this gene does, except that its mutant form causes glaucoma," Sheffield said.

Glaucoma is a common vision and neurodegenerative disorder affecting three to five per cent of people over the age of 40.

An early precursor to the most common form of this disease known as primary open-angle glaucoma is high intraocular pressure - fluid pressure inside the eye - that damages retinal ganglion axons at the optic nerve and leads to death of retinal ganglion cells that carry the visual signals to the brain, which can cause blindness.

Myocilin is a protein found in the trabecular meshwork - a part of the eye that regulates intraocular pressure.

A mutation in the myocilin gene can cause high intraocular pressure.

Scientists found that genome editing using CRISPR-Cas9 to disrupt the mutant myocilin gene prevented production of the mutant protein, which prevented elevated intraocular pressure in mouse eyes, thus totally preventing this human form of glaucoma in mice.

In addition, this same genome editing technology eliminated myocilin expression in perfusion cultured human eyes, that will translate into a unique new therapy to treat myocilin glaucoma in humans. PTI MHN MHN

--- ENDS ---
US presses for more Iran nuclear inspections







United Nations, United States (AFP) Sept 28, 2017





The United States pressed Thursday for the International Atomic Energy Agency to carry out more nuclear inspections in Iran, warning that failure to do so would make the nuclear deal with Tehran "an empty promise." US Ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, said that some countries were trying to shield Iran from more inspections by the IAEA, which is charged with verifying Tehran's compliance with the 2015 nuclear accord. "Without inspections, the Iran deal is an empty promise," she said ... read more
Thinking the unthinkable in China: Abandoning North Korea







Beijing (AFP) Oct 1, 2017





North Korea's nuclear antics have rattled its alliance with China to the point that Beijing is allowing the previously unthinkable to be discussed: Is it time to prepare for the renegade regime's collapse? While China's official goal is to bring Washington and Pyongyang to the negotiating table, it is also permitting once taboo debate on contingencies in case war breaks out in the isolated nation across its northeast border. Observers say the public debate might be a tactic to try and coerce Py ... read more
In the time that she was absconding, she had managed to escape the police drag net six times before finally being caught today morning.

By India Today Web Desk: After a month-long search for Gurmeet Ram Rahim's "adopted" daughter Honeypreet Insan, Haryana Police today arrested her. The woman, who is in her mid-30s and is often referred to as "papa's favourite angel" was wanted in rioting cases related to Panchkula violence among others.

Honeypreet will now be produced in court tomorrow, confirms Panchkula Police Commissioner, AS Chawla.

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Honeypreet Insan had been on the run for the past 38 days since her self-proclaimed foster father Gurmeet Ram Rahim's conviction in two rape cases on August 25. He is currently serving 20 years in Rohtak jail.

Earlier today, in an exclusive interview with the India Today Group, Honeypreet had hinted at the possibility of her surrender . Following the airing of the interview, the Haryana police formed a new team to arrest her and other top Dera aides.

The development comes after the state police was accused of helping Honeypreet Insan and other Dera aides, who have been on the run for more than a month, even after lookout notices and non-bailable arrest warrants were issued against them by a Panchkula Court.

In the time that she was absconding, she had managed to escape the police drag net six times before finally being caught today morning.

Today morning, Haryana Police had set up barricades across the state to arrest Honeypreet.

MOST WANTED DAUGHTER

Honeypreet Insan was one among 43 most-wanted people who the police was looking for following the rioting in Panchkula on August 25 after Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh's sentencing.

Honeypreet had disappeared soon after the Dera Sacha Sauda chief was lodged in the Rohtak Jail. For 38 days, she had played hide and seek with the police with reports suggesting that she had fled to Nepal and other reports saying that she had been spotted in Delhi.

'I WAS DEPRESSED'

In the mega exclusive interview with India Today, an inconsolable fugitive Honeypreet Insan while speaking about her ordeal after Gurmeet Ram Rahim was convicted said that she will soon approach Haryana and Punjab High Court .

When she was asked about why she hadn't gone to the police yet, Honeypreet said, "You have to understand my condition... I was taught to be a patriot. My father (Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh) and I used to make patriotic movies and now I stand accused of treason? I was taught to live and die for my country, my father instilled such loyalty towards my country in me, and now I'm being branded as a traitor."

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"I went into depression on learning about such allegations. Everything finished when papa was sent into jail. I was feeling very helpless, did not know where to go. I don't know much about the judicial procedure. I didn't run away. I just needed time to get back to my senses... so much had happened in such less time."

"I've come to fear the media and the media reports after seeing how I have been portrayed. I cannot describe my present mental state."

WHERE WAS HONEYPREET?

Following Ram Rahim's conviction and subsequent chopper ride, on which Honeypreet had accompanied him to the Rohtak jail where he was lodged, Honeypreet had stayed at a guest house in Rohtak on the night of August 25. The next day, August 26, she reached the Dera headquarters in Sirsa where she met chairperson Vipassana Insan. She stayed at the Dera that night and left the premises the next morning without informing anyone.

From August 27 till date, here are all the places which she had gone to before finally being apprehended:

Honeypreet visited her brother's in-laws in Hanumangarh and stayed there for August 27 and August 28.

She left Hanumangarh just before police reached there looking for her on August 29.

On August 30, she stayed at a Dera follower's house in Rajasthan's Sangaria.

She was spotted at a shopping mall in Udaipur on September 2. By the time police reached the spot, they could only find a Dera caretaker.

News of Honeypreet being spotted in Nepal started doing the rounds and a search was launched.

Unable to find Honeypreet in Nepal, police tracked her to Ram Rahim's native village Gurusar Modia. Yet again, Honeypreet gave police the slip.

Honeypreet met her lawyer in Delhi's Lajpat Nagar on September 25. She stayed there for two hours but police reached the spot two days later after scanning the CCTV footage of the area.

Police searched a flat and some other locations in Gurgaon but Honeypreet managed to stay a step ahead of them.

On October 3, Honeypreet revealed to India Today where all she went in the last month.

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Also watch: India Today finds Honeypreet: I'm living in fear, papa is innocent, says Gurmeet's favourite angel

--- ENDS ---
New York, October 03, 2017 (SPS) - The Ambassador, Alternate Permanent Representative of Nicaragua to the United Nations, Jaime Hermida Castillo said that his country regrets that in four decades the process of decolonization in Western Sahara has not yet been completed and its people still have no access to their right to self-determination .

In the Debate on Decolonization of the seventy-second session of the General Assembly held on Monday in New York, the Representative of Nicaragua reiterated his country's commitment and solidarity with the national liberation struggle of the Saharawi people for their self-determination and independence.

He expressed his hope that the process of negotiation between the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic and the Kingdom of Morocco would be resumed. He emphasized the need to "identify all efforts to ensure a peaceful solution in Western Sahara, a resumption of hostilities would be a catastrophe. It is imperative that the Saharawi people have the opportunity to freely choose their destiny through the desired referendum. SPS

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STAMFORD  When Kris Bria was growing up in western Pennsylvania, many people had already defined her career path.

What are you going to teach? theyd ask.

Her parents, Telford and Mary Helen Blough, were public school educators.

Despite some initial hesitation, Kris Bria, 70, eventually followed the same path for the past four decades as a teacher and now an administrator.

Bria has been the head of school at Long Ridge School for 29 years and will be honored Thursday with the Connecticut Association of Independent Schools 2017 Distinguished Leader Award.

Im totally amazed and surprised, but Im honored for both myself and the school, she said.

Bria, who will retire at the end of this school year, credits her son, Dan Klein, with her long career. She described it as closing the loop, since she discovered Long Ridge when she was searching for a preschool for her son when he was 3 years old.

But it wasnt the life she had planned.

Bria studied journalism at Carnegie Mellon University and wrote stories during the summers for the Johnstown Tribune-Democrat. However, the Tribune-Democrat was the only paper to offer her a job after college and she didnt want to move back home.

Her interest in children led her to pursue a masters degree in early childhood education at Teachers College Columbia University. She then taught elementary students for three years in Harlem, N.Y.

After discovering Long Ridge School, Bria eventually became a preschool teacher there for 10 years before being promoted to the administration.

Bria plans to remain connected to education and the community after retirement and hopes to become a consultant for other independent schools.

Looking back, Bria said she wouldnt change a thing.

I find it fascinating to learn about how people learn from a very young age, she said. I used to think of education as subject-based. But learning how how much children are capable of at a young age and what the appropriate expectations are was fascinating to me. Their social, emotional and cognitive development at a young age interested me.

tclark@hearstmediact.com; 203-964-2265; @travclark2
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STAMFORD  A soldiers struggles at first moved his neighbor to act, and now a city.

The Army veteran  who shared with his neighbor, Daniel Karger, his difficulties coping with violence witnessed during two decades with the special forces  has opened a door for others.

Karger was struck by the soldiers effort to face his demons alone, and had an idea for an event he hopes will help veterans see they have support.

Now LZ for Vets  the initials stand for landing zone  is planned for 10 a.m. Saturday at Cove Island Park. Its happening because citizens want veterans to know they are with them, Karger said.

After a story about his idea was published in the Stamford Advocate, people just called me out of nowhere to help, Karger said. I didnt have to sell this at all. It was almost like people were waiting for an opportunity to help veterans.

People have donated food and door prizes for LZ for Vets. They will teach tai chi and yoga classes. There will be games and other activities that Karger didnt think possible when he tried to launch the event last October.

I needed credibility badly, because I couldnt pull it off last year, he said.

He decided to try again this year, and a few months ago approached a man he saw walking downtown wearing a Vietnam war insignia.

It turned out to be Jimmy Sparrow, a Marine who served in Vietnam and afterward helped lead a grassroots effort to sue the chemical companies that made Agent Orange, which the U.S. military used to clear jungles and caused cancer and other serious health problems for those exposed.

The group won a $240 million class-action lawsuit, then for years battled with the government to win treatment for veterans.

Sparrow said hed retired from veterans advocacy but stepped back in after meeting Karger.

I said I was never going to get involved in things again, but he has such enthusiasm for this, and its genuine, Sparrow said.

Karger has said that, after he heard his neighbors story of the horrors he saw and endured, he realized the soldier is one of the people who have been there protecting me my whole life, without my even knowing it.

Sparrow brought the credibility he needed to pull off the event, Karger said. Then the phone started ringing.

He heard from a city attorney, Amy LiVolsi, whose father, Frank LiVolsi, is a Vietnam veteran. Amy LiVolsi will teach classes Saturday in a type of yoga designed to help veterans.

Business owners from Di Mare Bakery, Camp Avenue Car Wash, The Village Table and Peter Suchy Jewelers offered gift certificates and prizes. A Stamford resident donated the nearly $300 needed to buy liability insurance for the event and another donated $500 for food. An event planner is helping out and a guitarist will provide music.

Almost everybody I talked to teared up while discussing this, Karger said. People seemed moved by what were doing.

One was Patricia Parry, mother of decorated Navy SEAL Brian Bill, who was killed in 2011 when his teams Chinook helicopter was shot down during a daring nighttime mission in Wardak Province, Afghanistan.

Parry said she reached out to Karger because he wanted to do something wonderful to give back to veterans, and I want to support him in any way I can.

Parry said not enough people have direct contact with veterans.

All veterans come home with some wounds  all veterans  and I think we need to be aware of it, she said. The thing families and friends of veterans always say, no matter the conflict World War II, Korea, Vietnam  is that when they come home, they dont want to talk about it.

Anything that allows them a venue to get together, to try tai chi and yoga  wonderful modalities used by a lot of people  is a great thing, Parry said. This gives veterans a chance to get together and people a chance to recognize what theyve done.

Karger said its heartbreaking that military personnel return home to battle Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder alone.

The hope, Sparrow said, is that Cove Island will be a safe place to land.

A lot of vets will say they dont have PTSD, even if they do, so we are not emphasizing that for the event, Sparrow said. I think guys will want to come because of Pat Parry, a Gold Star mother. I told Dan, What you have to remember is that we are giving our time to do this event, but she gave her son. And she is still willing to give.

The group plans to form a 501(c)(3) and make LZ for Vets an annual event, Sparrow said.

We honor the dead by serving the living, he said. Remembrance is the cornerstone of civilization.

acarella@stamfordadvocate.com.
STAMFORD  Americares, the Stamford-based disaster relief and global health organization, has delivered a planeload of medical aid to San Juan, Puerto Rico, where the nonprofit has stationed emergency response teams in the wake of Hurricane Maria.

The nonprofit delivered more than 3 tons of medicine and supplies from its Stamford distribution center. Its working with the islands department of health to distribute supplies to hospitals and clinics. Puerto Rico has been without power and water since the hurricane made landfall Sept. 20.
Under fire for high petrol and diesel prices the government said it is reducing the basic excise duty on the two petroleum products by Rs 2 per litre. The reduction takes effect today.

By India Today Web Desk: You can look forward to cheaper petrol and diesel from today with government on Tuesday announcing its decision to reduce excise duty on the two petroleum products by Rs 2 per litre.

The reduction in the duty, which will have a direct impact on the prices of petrol and diesel, takes effect today.

In a series of tweets, the Finance Ministry said that the decision has been taken to protect the "interest of the common man" while saying that the decision to reduce the basic excise duty on petrol and diesel will cause loses to the exchequer.

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"Revenue loss on a/c (account) of these reductions in excise duty is about Rs.26,000 crore in full year (and) Rs13,000 crore in remaining part of Current FY," the Arun Jaitley-headed Ministry of Finance tweeted.

The the ministry also claimed that the basic excise duty on petrol and diesel has been reduced in order to "cushion the impact of rising international prices of crude petroleum oil & petrol & diesel on their Retail Sale Prices."

This has been done to cushion the impact of rising international prices of crude petroleum oil & petrol & diesel on their Retail Sale Prices- Ministry of Finance (@FinMinIndia) October 3, 2017

Today's decision by the Centre to indirectly lower petrol and diesel prices comes after the Narendra Modi government came under a barrage of criticism for high fuel prices in India.

Fuel prices in India had been shooting upward ever since daily revision of rates was introduced seemingly at odds with global trends.

The government was criticised for levying high taxes on petrol and diesel and for not bringing them under the Goods and Services Tax regime. Critics argued that because of the high taxes, a fall in the price of global crude had not translated into lower petrol and diesel prices in India.

Notably, global crude prices rose in the last few weeks due to hurricanes in the United States - this rise in crude rates is probably what the Ministry of Finance was referring to when it said that the reduction in excise duty has been affected to "cushion the impact of rising international prices of crude petroleum oil".

The larger question of when petrol and diesel will be brought under the GST regime remains up in the air. Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had previously indicated that the Centre was working on a viable mechanism to bring the petrol and diesel under the GST.

In an interview with India Today TV's Rajdeep Sardesai, Pradhan had also admitted that the time had come to bring petrol and diesel under the GST regime. A previous IndiaToday.in analysis had found that bringing petrol and diesel under GST would significantly reduce their prices in most states.

--- ENDS ---

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Late one night in 2010, at a drinking hole in his Michigan hometown, Lansing, David Fedewa remembers, he was staring at the bartender filling up pitchers of beer when the thought dawned on him: He's doing that all wrong.

Related: The 7 Steps of Effective Product Development

Why didn't the pitcher have a slat down its side? Fedewa recalls wondering. Wouldn't that prevent foam and free the bartender from having to hold the pitcher at an angle while he was filling it? Popular bars, after all, tap dozens of kegs a night. They'd be making a lot more money if their staff didn't have to stand there, Fedewa reasoned.

At the time, this Michigander -- a former student of mine -- was himself a bartender, but one with a different spin. He'd always had ideas for products -- which, until that moment, he hadn't taken action on. What did he know about bringing a product to market? Still, the idea of spending the rest of his life bartending filled him with dread.

For the next couple of months, Fedewa kept thinking about his idea but failed to do anything about it. He assumed he would need to build a prototype first, which he didn't know how to do.

"I thought I needed to pick up a set of new skills to bring my idea to life, like CAD and 3D printing," Fedewa told me. "In fact, I really did not." That's how Fedewa became my student -- to fill in those information gaps. And that's how I came to advise him how to create a rough prototype, by making use of existing materials.

So, as a test, he inserted into a pitcher a cheap plastic folder that you can purchase at any office supply store -- and filled the pitcher. The test was enough to validate his initial concept. His theory proved true: A pitcher with a slanted wall does not foam when filled.

But when Fedewa, sell sheet in hand, began showing his concept to companies, he failed to get a single response.

"I thought it was so obvious: This is a beer pitcher that doesn't foam!" Fedewa said. Yet, there was a problem: When he showed his sell sheet to a friend, the friend replied, "What is this?" Clearly, the inventor needed to convey the benefit of his concept much more clearly. These days, the solution is often video: Many of my students use videos to license their ideas for new products. So, Fedewa used his cell phone to film a soundless grainy video that compared a regular pitcher being filled with one being filled his way. And sure enough, that's what did the trick.

"To be honest, the quality was crap, but it conveyed the point and got people excited. That was the biggest turning point," Fedewa said. The very next day, he let the companies he had previously contacted know he had improved his product and asked them to please take another look.

This time around, six of the 10 companies he emailed sent a positive reply within 24 hours.

Related: 5 Tips for Outsourcing Product Development

Having so many companies get back to him in a single day was hugely reassuring. Now I get it, he thought. Not that his work was done -- far from it. Sure, he had interest. But at the time, he didn't know how to use it to secure a deal. (Fedewa has since licensed five other products and negotiated countless licensing agreements on behalf of InventRight students.)

What he learned

"Inventors tend to put blinders on and see things one way," Fedewa told me of his experience. "The truth is, if you know the right questions to ask, you can break a discussion loose and get it moving again."

Eventually, Fedewa got his pitcher idea in front of the food service industry products manufacturer San Jamar, which loved it. Together, the company and Fedewa developed several iterations of the product, and in August 2014, signed a deal. This past spring, Fedewa was delighted to receive his first royalty check. His invention exists in restaurants and bars throughout the country today.

"We loved David's idea right away because the advantages it offers are easily measurable and apparent," explained Jeff Lee, an associate product manager. "Use this product, save money. It is simple, but its simplicity is what draws users to it in terms of innovation."

Because San Jamar focuses on helping operations maximize profitability and efficiency, and the Perfect Pitcher does both, it was a "seamless fit," Lee said.

And Fedewa? The fact that he can go on vacation and still be earning income thrills this inventor, who now has his own YouTube channel about product development and licensing. "It's made me less worried about my finances," he's admitted. "The passive aspect in particular... I just love it. And the fact that there's no ceiling to how much I can earn: That's the really exciting part."

Tips for the would-be inventors out there

Maybe you're working a job you hate, or maybe it's just that you want to use your creativity more. Either way, opportunities to innovate abound, Fedewa insists.

"Put your arms out and spin! There are so many different products being used on a daily basis that are not friendly or efficient," he told me. In his own words, he recommended the following steps to begin turning your day job into passive income:

1. Get started today. This is the first step to breaking through the barrier of actually doing something about your ideas. If you decide you are going to do something, take action now . . . because if you keep thinking tomorrow, that day will never actually come. Buy a book, call a company, obtain supplies for the prototype you've been dreaming about in your head -- just start.

2. Find someone who has brought a product to market before to help you and show you the path. This will save you years of frustration and thousands of dollars. There is a road map for everything, including proposing and licensing your ideas.

Related: To Sell Products to Millennials, First Invite Them To Help Develop It

3. Commit to a small action every day. Product development takes time, but, like everything else, you must take it a step at a time. The more you do, the more you will learn. The good news is, you do not have to take on a lot of risk to bring your ideas to market. You also don't need to be an expert in engineering or design.

Related:

From Bartender to Inventor: How to Turn Your Day Job Into Passive Income

#8 Tips for a Successful Business in Wellness Industry

Why Lisn Lost: It Got the Design Right, But It Didn't Get the Right Design.



Copyright 2017 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved



This article originally appeared on entrepreneur.com


She is also accused of hatching a plan for Ram Rahim's escape though she did not succeed in implementing it.

By India Today Web Desk: Will Honeypreet Insan prove to be a headache for her 'Papa' and Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim? There are chances that Ram Rahim's "adopted" daughter Honeypreet Insan, who has was arrested earlier today after remaining on the run for 38 days, may spill the beans against Ram Rahim.

Honeypreet was wanted by the police in connection with the violence that broke out in Panchkula after a special court held Ram Rahim guilty of rape charges . The police added her name in FIR number 345 as an accused in connection with violence which left 41 people dead.

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She is also accused of hatching a plan for Ram Rahim's escape though she did not succeed in implementing it.

The police would try question her regarding the escape plan and also the riots that took place after Ram Rahim's conviction.

Ram Rahim has been sentenced for 20 years in prison in two separate cases of rape. A murder case against him is also in its final stages. There are reports of skeleton being found in Dera Sacha Sauda's headquarters in Sirsa, Haryana.

Honeypreet may spill the beans about the alleged skeletons by turning an approver. However, Ram Rahim's adopted daughter has denied that any skeleton existed in the Dera Sacha Sauda headquarters.

"Did anyone find skeletons? As regards what is being said about my Papa, he is innocent and in times to come you will see this," she told India Today TV in an exclusive interview.

However, Ram Rahim would be in deep trouble if Honeypreet decided to turn an approver and spill the beans. This would further harm Ram Rahim's interests. His jail term may be extended or he may even be sentenced to death if the alleged crime is of a very serious nature.

Or, it may also be possible that Honeypreet may choose defend Ram Rahim to the hilt. In that case, her 'Papa' would not have much to lose.

ALSO WATCH | No VIP treatment for Gurmeet Ram Rahim, says former jail inmate

--- ENDS ---
Eritrean Orthodox Tewahdo Church Hosts WCC Delegation

Contact: Media Office, World Council of Churches, +41 79 507 6363



GENEVE, Oct. 3, 2017 /Standard Newswire/ -- A delegation from the World Council of Churches (WCC) concluded a solidarity visit to the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahdo Church, one of Africas oldest Christian churches dating back to the year AD 329.



Photo:  Peter Kenny/WCC

It was the first such visit in more than 10 years and the WCC left with a pledge to pray and work for peace between Eritrea and its neighbor Ethiopia as they attempt to resolve a border dispute.

The visit took place from 22-28 September and the group met the governing body of the Eritrean church at its offices on 24-25 September.

Leaders from the local Evangelical Lutheran and Roman Catholic churches also attended the meeting, to which local Muslim representatives also sent greetings.

WCC programme executive and convener for Africa, Dr Nigussu Legesse, and Fr Dr Daniel Buda, programme executive and coordinator for Church and Ecumenical Relations were part of the WCC delegation.

The group was met at the Asmara International Airport after midnight on 22 September by Abune Lukas, general secretary of the Holy Synod of the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahdo Church, and Abune Basilios, head of the church administration.

There, Buda conveyed to the members of the holy synod the greetings of WCC general secretary Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit.

Buda said: "We are very thankful to God and to you, the leadership of the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahdo Church for making this visit possible."

'Great expectations'

"We came here with great expectations and we are looking forward to having constructive dialogue and encounters with the Eritrean Orthodox Church which is our WCC member church here in Eritrea and with other churches, religious communities and state authorities," said Legesse during the synod meeting.

"This is a historic visit aimed at reviewing the situation within the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahdo Church and strengthening the relationship that has been loosened over the past several years."

He thanked the church leadership for facilitating entry visas for all members of the delegation and the reception accorded to the delegation by the archbishops on arrival at the airport in Asmara.

The WCC delegation included members of the All Africa Conference of Churches (AACC), Bread for the World, Church of Sweden, and Norwegian Church Aid, ACT Alliance, and the Nairobi-based Fellowship of Christian Councils and Churches in the Great Lakes and Horn of Africa (FECCLAHA).

After Sunday Mass at St Mary's Cathedral on 24 September the delegation visited the newly-built Holy Trinity Theological College.

The Eritrean church hosts accompanied the WCC delegation to ancient monasteries and archeological excavation sites that have unraveled Christian building sites dating back 1,700 years.

Archeologists told the visitors that these are vibrant proof that Christianity's ancient roots were in Africa long before evangelizers arrived from the ranks of European colonizers in the second millennium.

The Eritrean Orthodox Tewahdo Church, an Oriental Orthodox church with its headquarters in Asmara, joined the WCC in 2003. It is also a member of the AACC and FECCLAHA.

Oriental Orthodox Churches

Oriental Orthodox Churches played a strong missionary role during Christianity's early stages, and have had a leading role in the history of Christianity in Egypt and the northern part of Africa.

The autocephaly of the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahdo Church was recognized by Pope Shenouda III of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria after Eritrea gained its independence in 1993.

The WCC delegation visited churches around Asmara, the capital, Keren to the north west, and Massawa down at the coast on the Red Sea.

On their way to Keren, the country's third largest urban area, the WCC delegation detoured to Debra Sina, a monastery in the highlands of Eritrea in the Anseba Region.

Debra Sina, which means Mt Sinai in English, was founded in the 4th century, so it is the oldest monastery in Eritrea and one of the oldest in Africa too.

It is the site of a pilgrimage by Eritrean Orthodox believers each year in June.

The group also visited Adulis, an archeological site in the Northern Red Sea area of Eritrea, situated about 50 kilometers (30 miles) south of the Red Sea port of Massawa in the Gulf of Zula as guests of local Abune Yohannes, the archbishop of the Northern and Southern Red Sea Diocese.

The Eritrean Orthodox Tewahdo Church is the biggest church in the country and has some 2,500,000 members and 15,000 priests worldwide including diaspora churches in North America and Europe. The church has eight dioceses in Eritrea and two in the Diaspora.

WCC member churches in Eritrea


For the last 38 days, police has been on a lookout for Dera Sacha Sauda chief Ram Rahim Singh's 'adopted' daughter and part-time masseuse Honeypreet Insan. She has been finally arrested today. Here's all that happened during this time.

By India Today Web Desk: Honeypreet Insan , Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh's angel aide and now a controversy queen, has been arrested by Haryana Police and has been handed over to Panchkula Police.

The arrest came after Honeypreet gave an exclusive, explosive interview to India Today. In the interview, she broke her silence on a lot of issues including her questioned relationship with rapist Gurmeet Singh who she calls 'papaji'.

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In the exclusive interview, Honeypreet claimed she had no role to play in the violence that broke in different parts of Haryana and Punjab after her 'papaji' was convicted for raping two women followers in 2002, and said that she is innocent.

When asked about being involved in inciting violence, she said "I want to ask, how can a girl go alone without appropriate permission in the middle of the force? Later, they all said that I was wrong. I just need to say that all the evidence is there for the world to see. They accuse me of being involved in riots, but do they have any evidence against me ? I am innocent. Have you seen me anywhere inciting riots? I was not present there at all".

WATCH THE EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW HERE:

But on August 25 after Gurmeet Ram Rahim's conviction in twin rape cases, mobs rampaged across Haryana leaving 30 people dead and more than 350 injured in clashes with the police forces.

Supporters attacked railway stations, petrol pumps, buses and television vans as the Army was called to restore order. And soon, Honeypreet was named among 43 most-wanted by the Haryana police.

Honeypreet came to the limelight, of course, after her roles in Gurmeet Singh's Bollywood outings, for being present with Ram Rahim as he was flown from Panchkula to a Rohtak prison, in a chopper. As the news of Ram Rahim's plea of letting Honeypreet stay with him in the jail came out, rumours of the 'father and daughter' being involved in an alleged sexual relationship became the talk of the town.

After Ram Rahim was convicted, Ram Rahim and Honeypreet requested the court to allow them to stay together in the prison. Honeypreet moved an application through her lawyer while her 'papaji' filed a petition. The court, however, rejected the requests.

Honeypreet Insan, alias Priyanka Taneja, got married in 1999 to Vishwas Gupta, grandson of former Gharaunda MLA Rulia Ram Gupta. She was introduced to the dera and Gurmeet Ram Rahim after her marriage. But 10 years after her marriage, Honeypreet (who was given this name by Ram Rahim himself) came to Dera Sacha Sauda complaining about harassment by Vishwas Gupta.

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However, Vishwas Gupta has claimed that she was in a sexual relationship with Ram Rahim.

Dismissing these rumours, Honeypreet said that her relation with her papaji was pure. "A father-daughter relationship is so pure, I don't understand why it is being questioned. The main reason for my main fear was that how has Honeypreet been presented. I want to ask can't a father touch her daughter? What evidence do they have to raise such questions".

When asked about what she had to say about being portrayed as a villain and a conspirator , Honeypreet denied being a part of any such thing. "I am not guilty, I was fulfilling the duty of a daughter. I went inside the court with my father but I did not speak. Where have you seen me talking or inciting riots".

"On the day of the verdict, we went to the court, believing that everything would be fine and that we would be back in the evening. But after hearing the verdict, our brains stopped working. In such a way, do we create a conspiracy against anyone?", she said.

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When asked by India Today about her reactions to some people in her camp, including Gupta, blaming her for Panchkula violence, Honeypreet, who is in her mid-30s, said, "Who are these people in the community? Are they important? I do not want to talk about them ."

Honeypreet's journey from Sirsa from August 27 TO October 3

Claiming that she had become helpless after her father's conviction and departure to jail, she said that she was unaware of the legal procedure and suffering from depression. She said she did what people guided her to do.

While she was absconding, she visited her brother's in-laws in Hanumangarh and stayed there for two days. She left before police reached there looking for her on August 29. Then she stayed at a Dera follower's house in Rajasthan's Sangaria, after which she was spotted at a shopping mall in Udaipur.

Honeypreet became an expert at giving police the slip. After news of Honeypreet being spotted in Nepal came out, police tried tracking her but could not. She then evaded police in Ram Rahim's native village Gurusar Modia too and fled to Delhi to meet her lawyer.

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She revealed all these locations to India Today in an exclusive interview.

--- ENDS ---
Haryana Police has now formed a new team to arrest Honeypreet Insan, among other Dera aides. Honeypreet has been evading arrest for over a month.

By Manjeet Sehgal: Having failed to arrest top Dera aides including Honeypreet Insan, the Haryana Police has now formed a new team to nab them. Meanwhile, the close Gurmeet Ram Rahim aide may move anticipatory bail plea today, which if rejected, may result in her surrendering before the cops.

The development comes after the state police was accused of helping Honeypreet Insan and other Dera aides, who have been on the run for more than a month, even after lookout notices and non-bailable arrest warrants were issued against them by a Panchkula Court.

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Haryana Police is also hesitating to share the information about raids after making failed attempts at about two dozen places.

It is worth mentioning here that Honeypreet narrowly escaped being caught by the police more than six times.

Police officials now believe that they will either arrest Honeypreet or she will surrender before the court herself.

Haryana Police has already installed barricades across the state in a bid to arrest Honeypreet. The police is also searching vehicles to ensure that Honeypreet does not escape in disguise. Ever since the Honeypreet exclusive interview on India Today and Aak Tak was telecast, the Haryana Police has swung into action.

Police teams have also been sent to Hamirpur and Chopal areas of Himachal Pradesh, besides Malout in Punjab, Ghaziabad, New Delhi and in Rajasthan.

HONEYPREET MAY MOVE AN ANTICIPATORY BAIL APPLICATION IN COURT TODAY

According to sources, fugitive Honeypreet Insan can move an anticipatory bail application in the court today which opens after a gap of four days.

In case her bail application is rejected by the court, the last resort before her is to surrender either before the court or to the police. It is still not known where Honeypreet is currently hiding.

Sources said Honeypreet and other fugitive Dera aides are using WhatsApp chat applications to communicate.

POLICE IGNORE DERA MANAGEMENT FUNCTIONARIES

As the disappearance of Honeypreet Insan and two other top Dera aides is being hotly debated nationwide, the focus of Haryana Police now is largely on 43 most wanted fugitive Dera aides.

Top functionaries of Dera Management Committee are roaming free. The police had earlier said that it had asked 45 members of Data Management Committee to join the investigation but only Vipassana Insan and Dr P R Nain have been questioned.

Both had failed to satisfy the SIT members by not answering all the questions.

ALSO WATCH VIDEO | India Today finds Honeypreet: I'm living in fear, papa is innocent, says Gurmeet's favourite angel

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Travis Buhr first thought fireworks were going off. But then Buhr, whos a hunter, recognized the sound.

Boom, boom, boom, he said. We knew.

Buhr, his wife, Kelly, and their twin 14-year-old daughters were on the edge of the crowd when a gunman unleashed a barrage of bullets at concertgoers in Las Vegas on Sunday night.

Buhr, of Adams, Nebraska, said their spot made it easier to escape.

Buhr said he and his family linked hands and began dashing through a maze of vendor booths. He said his family would crouch and take cover when the gunman was firing, then run when he paused.

They were unharmed.

Country music star Jason Aldean was performing at the end of the three-day Route 91 Harvest Festival in front of more than 22,000 people when the gunman opened fire from inside the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino across the street.

The gunman killed at least 59 people, officials said Monday. More than 525 other victims were taken to the hospital, authorities said.

Buhr said it was a chaotic scene. Some people fell or got knocked over as they tried to escape.

He said a lot of people didnt know what direction the bullets were coming from, so some ran toward the shooter without knowing it.

His family finally made it back to their hotel, about a mile from where the shooting occurred.

The family was planning to fly back to Nebraska Monday.

Were grateful we made it out, Buhr said.

Lisa Weborg, owner of the Weborg 21 Centre in Gering and other businesses, said she and staff members, Jasmin Santos, Vanessa Villafranca and Rob Druckenmiller, are in Vegas attending a Wedding MBA Conference.

The group was not near the scene of the shooting, as they were down the strip, at the Bellagio, viewing the popular fountains. They did witness the aftermath as they returned to their hotel.

We did not know what was going on when we saw fire trucks, police vehicles, all heading toward Mandala Bay, Weborg said. ...We had just made it to our hotel when police and hotel security were yelling to clear the streets and not allowing anyone out of the casinos.

Some of the group gathered video as helicopters flew low over hotels and of police yelling and people running. Weborg said she was in the lobby watching what she described as hysteria as security guards were at the lobby doors.

Don Wanek, of Crete, Nebraska, was stepping off a bus at his Las Vegas hotel Sunday night when he heard the noise.

We just heard pop, pop, pop, he said. Were like, thats gunfire. There were cop cars going by us left and right.

Wanek is in Las Vegas for a travel agent convention and is staying at a hotel two doors down from the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino, where the mass shooting occurred.

He said he and his group of other travel agents dashed inside their hotel and gathered in one of their rooms to listen to a police scanner as the tragedy continued to unfold.

It was scary, said Wanek, who flew back to Nebraska Monday. We were feeling thankful we were upstairs and safe.

Today, Weborg said, the mood is very solemn in Las Vegas.

We are all sick to our stomachs and have all cried this morning, realizing how lucky we were, she said.

Its sickening and devastating, Weborg said, saying that her group remembered television coverage of other shooting events and terrorist attacks. She said they watched news coverage Monday morning.

Weborg said first phone calls went to her husband and family, she said, to assure them she was OK. She said she has also received text messages and calls from family and friends. She sent out prayers to those who have been affected by the shooting.

Maunette Loeks, Star-Herald, and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
"The Honeypreet which has been shown, she is not like that. Honeypreet has been presented in such a way that even I am scared of that Honeypreet. I cannot describe my present mental state. I have been called a traitor, which is absolutely wrong."

"A daughter went inside the court with her father. I could go inside the court only because I got the permission. Court granted me permission to accompany my father".

"If there is one girl, how can she go without permission. I went in the same government vehicle. For security reasons there was a chopper present there. We did know about the chopper at all. They only made me sit there but after reaching there, they told me that it was wrong on my part to come. But I was not wrong".

"Have you seen me anywhere to incite riots? I was not present there. The followers who were present there were checked by the police."

"I am not guilty, I was fulfilling the duty of a daughter. I went inside the court with my father but I did not speak. Where have you seen me talking or inciting riots."

"I happily went to court so that we could be back in the evening. But the verdict came against our father. Our brain stopped working only. In such a way, do we create a conspiracy against anyone?"

"A father-daughter relationship is so pure, I don't understand why it is being tossed. The main reason for my main fear was that how has Honeypreet been presented. I want to ask can't a father touch her daughter? What evidence do they have to raise such questions."

"You try to understand my condition. The girl who talked patriotism with her father went to jail. I was accused of treason so I went into depression. I did know about the law procedure. After my father's departure, I became helpless. I did the same as I guided people. "I will go to the Haryana-Punjab High Court also. But it takes a little time to handle the mental situation."

"Did anyone find any human skeletons? Where are the girls who were molested? My father is not guilty and truth will come out in the future. We will appeal to the higher court and it will be found that my father is innocent. Those two girls did not come in front but no one will listen to those thousands of girls. How can all this has happen on the basis of a single letter".
University of Nebraska President Hank Bounds wouldnt consider accepting a raise during this period of financial challenges, the chairman of the NU regents said Monday.

He wouldnt even begin to listen to any kind of raise for himself, said Regents Chairman Bob Whitehouse of Papillion. It was his decision not to even go there or discuss anything at this point.

Bounds is paid $530,400, including $20,000 in private money.

The regents are expected to extend Bounds contract Thursday by a year, from June 30, 2020, to June 30, 2021.

The regents meet at 12:45 p.m. at Varner Hall, 3835 Holdrege St. in Lincoln.

Before the official meeting, the board will hear a noon discussion on retention and graduation rates.

Besides Bounds contract extension, the board will consider several new degree programs and renovation of the Nebraska East Union in Lincoln and Arts and Sciences Hall at the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

Bounds, the NU systems president since 2015, has struggled with a $49 million budget hole over the next couple of years, the product of declining state money and rising costs.

He has assembled efficiency teams and whacked away at the deficit.

Layoffs are expected, although attrition is expected to account for some decrease in positions.

Whitehouse said the regents appreciate Bounds financial planning and organization. They wanted to show their appreciation monetarily, he said.

We would like to have, but he wouldnt hear of it, Whitehouse said.
By MARK EVANS mevans@stegenherald.com Westover and Smith roads, on the far western edge of the county, will get paving priority for 2023. Country commissioners and Scott Schmieder, county road and bridge foreman, decided at last Thursdays commission meeting to go ahead and seal up that corner of the county. That way, graders will not have
Underworld don Dawood Ibrahim's brother Iqbal Kaskar is in trouble again as the Thane anti-extortion cell on Tuesday registered a third case against him for extorting Rs 3 crore from a builder based in Mumbai.

By Divyesh Singh: Underworld don Dawood Ibrahim's brother Iqbal Kaskar is in trouble again as the Thane anti-extortion cell on Tuesday registered a third case against him for extorting Rs 3 crore from a builder based in Mumbai.

The builder entered into a land deal in Gorai in Borivali and had paid the amount to the seller. Later, the seller demanded more money and a middleman was roped in to resolve the issue who then contacted Kaskar.

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Kaskar and his men threatened the builder and took away Rs 1 crore as extortion money to spare his life and move out of the deal. Kaskar also took Rs 2 crore from the seller and the builder lost Rs 3 crore.

The complainant had bought a 38 acre plot in 2015, but due to some personal issues couldn't execute the deal. As time passed, the land seller demanded more money as prices of the plot had appreciated. The complainant refused to give any more money to the seller as he had closed the deal and paid Rs 2 crore for the deal in 2015. This led to a dispute between the two and the complainant eventually contacted a estate agent to settle the issue.

The estate agent, who was roped in by the complainant told him that he would get the issue settled, but double crossed him and contacted Iqbal Kaskar.

Kaskar and his men then contacted the complainant and said that the land would be sold by the buyer to them and if he cared about his own safety he should get pay Rs 1 crore as extortion money. Kaskar and his men also took the Rs 2 crore paid by the complainant from the seller and this way the complainant lost Rs 3 crore in the deal.

DCP Abhishek Trimukhe from Thane crime branch said, "We have registered a case under sections of extortion threatening and various others against Kaskar and further investigations are on in the case."

Meanwhile, Kaskar's lawyer Shyam Keswani said, "Thane Police knows everything, but are registering cases in installments against Kaskar so that they could get his custody again and again. They do not have any solid case, so they are just increasing the number of cases to keep him in custody."

With the third case against Kaskar, it seems the custody remand of Kaskar will not end soon as after this the MCOCA proceedings will be initiated in which the investigation agency might get custody for a very long time.

Kaskar and his gang members may not get bail also for a few years due to the cases. If sources are to be believed, some more cases will very soon be registered against Kaskar.

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Prime Minister Mihai Tudose on Tuesday said in Varna that he is positive that within a year both Romania and Bulgaria will join the Schengen area. In a joint news conference with his Bulgarian counterpart, Boiko Borisov, PM Tudose added that their next meeting will be in November, in Romania.

"We wish and we agreed that such meetings become something normal, for us to meet monthly at the level of prime ministers," said Mihai Tudose.

Agerpres.
According to police sources the attackers entered the 182 battalion camp in Humhama area around 4.30 am. Firing is still on in the area.

By Kamaljit Kaur Sandhu: Three terrorists and an assistant sub inspector were killed in an encounter following a terror attack on a Border Security Force (BSF) camp near Srinagar airport early on Tuesday.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has been apprised of the encounter carried out by three heavily armed Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists.

The home ministry has been keeping an eye on this encounter since morning. Speaking to India Today, Rajnath said, "I have spoken to DG BSF and DG CRPF. It is a good operation (carried out by security forces). Terrorist will be neutralised soon." Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba has been in regular touch with the security forces, particularly the BSF.

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According to police sources, the attackers entered the 182 battalion camp in Humhama area around 4.30 am. Firing is still on in the area.

A security operation including Army para commandos, BSF , CRPF, and state police personnel followed the attack to flush out the remaining terrorists. Four injured BSF personnel have been hospitalised, sources said.

A terrorist is still holed up in the administrative block of the camp. A BSP constable has been rescued from the camp premises. Sources in the BSF said that the last surviving terrorist was injured and would be neutralised soon.

AFZAL GURU SQUAD CLAIMS RESPONSBILITY

Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed's "Afzal Guru squad" has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Vehicular traffic has been suspended in the area. The security forces said that they sealed all possible escape routes. Authorities have, however, allowed passengers into the airport. But so far, no flight has either landed at the airport or taken off.

#WATCH Heavy firing at BSF 182 battalion camp, operation underway. (Visuals deferred by unspecified time) #SrinagarTerrorAttack pic.twitter.com/MwhIeHdzhg- ANI (@ANI) October 3, 2017

A specific intelligence was sounded a week ago, where security forces were alerted of a suicide attack by the terrorist group. Sources in BSF said that terrorists entered through a side gate of the campus. They were immediately spotted and fired upon.

JEM terrorist have repeatedly targeted military installations, the last being the August 26 terror attack on district police line in Pulwama. However, the situation was different at that time as the security forces could take only limited action since families of Jammu and Kashmir police personnel were trapped inside and had to be rescued.

KASHMIR IGP ADDRESSES MEDIA

Addressing a press conference, IGP Kashmir Munir Khan said, "There is no doubt that the terrorists were from the Jaish-e-Mohammed. I request the media to be reasonable before running the news as such attacks will continue to happen as long as Pakistan is our neigbour."

Khan added, "I don't know how some sections of the media are saying it is a setback, it is not. Attack was repulsed successfully. We are looking for 6 to 7 terrorists and we need to neutralise them very fast."

WATCH VIDEO | Terror attack on BSF camp near Srinagar airport, flight operations suspended

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A new public-private alliance wants to raise as much as $1.5 million to study the feasibility of building a pioneering transportation system aimed at moving people and freight from St. Louis to Kansas City in less than 25 minutes.

The formation of the Missouri Hyperloop Coalition, announced Tuesday, spurred Hyperloop One to add the Missouri route to the companys list of top candidates for the transportation investment.

The Missouri Department of Transportation and the University of Missouri system are teaming with the St. Louis Regional Chamber, KC Tech Council and Columbia-based Missouri Innovative Center in the effort.

The hyperloop system would use electric propulsion to move travelers in pods through a low-pressure tube. Magnetic levitation is used to lift the pod above the track, gliding at airline speeds because of low aerodynamic drag in the tube.

The company last month had unveiled its list of 10 prime candidates, including four in the United States. Hyperloop One officials said Tuesday that Missouri fell just short of being included on that list but that the creation of the new state coalition had changed that.

They were on the edge in that competition, said Dan Katz, director of global public policy for the company. Now, he said, they are as competitive as any on the initial list.

The Missouri coalition will seek to raise money for the feasibility study from private sources. MoDOT, which first proposed the Missouri route to Hyperloop One two years ago, will use its technical expertise to oversee the selection of a company to do the study.

Andrew Smith, a vice president with the St. Louis Regional Chamber, said the state has the most favorable regulatory and cost environment of any site on the companys list.

He said the routes access to two major metro areas and a major research university also are advantages.

MoDOT said the feasibility studys cost is estimated at $1 million to $1.5 million. MoDOT spokesman Bob Brendel said the department hasnt put a potential price tag on building the hyperloop system itself.

But officials in Colorado have said its proposed 360-mile system, also on Hyperloop Ones list of finalists, would cost about $24 billion to build, The Associated Press reported.

Other U.S. routes on the list link Chicago to Pittsburgh, Miami to Orlando and Dallas to Houston. Also in the running are proposed routes in Canada (Toronto to Montreal), Mexico (Mexico City to Guadalajara) and two each in Britain and India.
EAST ST. LOUIS  A man was shot dead in the backyard of a home here Monday afternoon.

The shooting happened shortly before 2:45 p.m., when police responded to a call for a person down behind a home in the 700 block of North 84th Street, Illinois State Police Sgt. Mark Doiron said. Area residents heard gunshots and called police.

Arriving officers found a 28-year-old man with multiple gunshot wounds in the backyard of single-family home, Doiron said. He was pronounced dead at the scene by the St. Clair County Coroner's Office.

The man did not live at the home or on the block but had acquaintances in the area, Doiron said. Detectives had no indication as to what the man was doing in the block at the time of the shooting, he said.

No one had been taken in custody in connection the shooting Monday, Doiron said. Detectives were interviewing potential witnesses, he said.

Doiron said he could not disclose further details because the shooting remains under investigation.
Two terrorists have been killed in the gunfight at a Border Security Force (BSF) camp in Srinagar's Humhuma area near the airport. Flight operations have been suspended till security clearance, the CRPF has said.

By India Today Web Desk: Terrorists attacked a Border Security Force (BSF) camp in Srinagar's Humhuma area in the wee hours of Tuesday. Two terrorists have been killed in the ongoing gunfight while three BSF personnel have sustained injuries.

Suspected militants entered the 182 battalion of the BSF camp near the Srinagar Airport outside the Airforce station at Gogo Humhama around 4.30 am.The body of the second terrorist is yet to be retrieved.

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Three Fidayeen attackers are believed to have entered the BSF camp. According to sources, two of the terrorists are inside the administrative block. Troops of CRPF, 53 RR, BSF and SOG zonal have cordoned off the building where terrorists are holed up.

While the routes leading to the airport have been sealed, all morning flights have been suspended. Intermittent firing is on. Senior officials are present on the spot.

The BSF camp is situated close to the Srinagar Civil and Technical airport. The BSF is guarding one side of the airport's outer ring.

#Visuals from the vicinity of Srinagar Airport; passengers stranded as way to the airport has been closed after attack on BSF camp nearby. pic.twitter.com/95hK6SsHAb- ANI (@ANI) October 3, 2017

SRINAGAR AIRPORT SHUT DUE TO ENCOUNTER: CRPF

The CRPF has said that the Srinagar Airport has been shut due to the ongoing encounter. There will be no flight operation till security clearance.

In the wake of this attack, Kashmir Valley School, which is in vicinity of the area, will remain closed.

The injured are being evacuated, terrorists have been isolated. flush out drills in progress with precision, the BSF has said.

IG Kashmir has said that there is no confirmation yet about the outfit which these militants belong to. He said, "One terrorist has been killed, while two more were spotted. Three BSF jawans have been injured."

There is no information yet about these terrorists getting any help from locals. That possibility is being investigated, the IG Kashmir added.

Meanwhile, to avoid inconvenience, passengers are being let in at the Srinagar airport after checking. The way towards airport was closed earlier after the attack. Operations of air traffic have not started yet.

Following this attack near the Srinagar airport, airports in metro cities have been put on high alert.

(With inputs from Ashraf Wani and Shuja-ul-Haq)

ALSO WATCH VIDEO | Tunnel of terror detected in J-K's Arnia sector: Is this possible without the support of Pakistan's Rangers?

--- ENDS ---
HILLSBORO  A man who killed six people in Illinois nine years ago is expected to plead guilty Wednesday to murdering an Arkansas couple who were staying at a hotel in Festus.

Relatives of the couple are unhappy about the plea because it would remove the possibility of the death penalty in the case.

Tom and Jill Estes, both 54, of Sherwood, Ark., were staying at the Comfort Inn in Festus in June 2008 because it allowed dogs. They were in town for a graduation party in St. Louis. The Jennings High School sweethearts were the last of Nicholas Sheleys victims  eight in all, police said.

Sheley had already killed a 93-year-old man in his hometown of Sterling, Ill.; four people including a 2-year-old in Rock Falls, Ill.; and a 65-year-old man in Galesburg, Ill., when he happened upon the couple at the Festus hotel.

After beating the Esteses to death, police say Sheley loaded their bodies into a pickup belonging to his Galesburg victim and dumped the couple behind a gas station a short distance away. Hotel guests called police after finding the couples dogs covered in blood and roaming the parking lot. Deputies followed a 1.5-mile trail of blood to the gas station.

Sheley is serving life sentences for the six slayings in Illinois. Illinois prosecutors dropped their pursuit of the death penalty for Sheley after former Gov. Pat Quinn signed legislation abolishing the death penalty in 2011.

Prosecutors in Jefferson County filed notice on June 8, 2015, of their intent to press for Sheleys execution if he was convicted of murdering the Esteses.

Assistant Jefferson County Prosecutor Steve Jerrell declined to comment Monday about why prosecutors had offered Sheley a plea, saying he could not comment until after Wednesdays hearing.

The move angered Patrick Steed, whose wife, Jaime Steed, 39, is the Esteses daughter.

Steed said his family has not spoken to the media about the murders, because they did not want any attention. But he said he felt compelled to speak out this week to let the public know his family and those of the Illinois victims are disappointed that Missouri prosecutors are no longer seeking the death penalty against Sheley.

Relatives of the Illinois victims could not be reached for comment Monday.

All of the families wanted to see the death penalty, Steed said. We feel like our voice wasnt really considered. We feel marginalized.

Steed said prosecutors told him about three weeks ago that the death penalty was off the table because prosecutors feared technicalities related to Sheleys extradition to Missouri from Illinois, as well as a child pornography conviction of a former deputy who handled evidence at the murder scene, could jeopardize the case.

Steed said his family would not have cared if those issues derailed the case. They know Sheley is going to spend the rest of his life in prison even if he gets away with the murders of Tom and Jill Estes.

Wed rather risk a not-guilty verdict and know we tried rather than, Were not going to try and theres nothing you can do to change our minds about it, Steed said. How can you get closure knowing this guy is still alive? Theres no remorse, no regret, no feeling of punishment. His life is probably better now than it was on the outside.

I dont want to go to my grave with the thought that hes still alive living off my tax dollars. Were paying to feed this guy so he can bulk up, have better health care, dental, free meals. Why? There is no justice in that situation for us.

Prosecutors say the string of drug- and alcohol-induced killings began June 26, 2008, in Sheleys hometown of Sterling, Ill., where the body of farmer Russell Reed, 93, was found in the trunk of his car.

Four days later, the bodies of Tom and Jill Estes were found behind a gas station in Festus. Less than two hours later, the body of Ronald Randall of Galesburg, Ill., was found behind a grocery there.

Also that day, the bodies of Kenneth Ulve, 25, Brock Branson, 29, Bransons fiancee Kilynna Blake, 20, and her 2-year-old son, Dayan Blake, were found inside a Rock Falls apartment in northwestern Illinois. They had all been bludgeoned to death with a hammer.

After a nationwide manhunt, Sheley was arrested July 1, 2008, outside Bindys bar on Nameoki Road in Granite City. Patrons recognized him from the media coverage.

In April 2009, Sheley attacked jail guards at the Knox County jail in Galesburg, and was sentenced to seven years in prison for the attack.

Prosecutors in Illinois alleged in 2013 that Sheleys rampage was prompted by his belief that one of his victims, Brock Branson, was having an affair with his wife. Another witness told police Sheley and Branson had argued about drugs. Police believe the Esteses and Randall were random victims. Sheleys wife later testified that Reed once let her and her husband take scrap metal from his property to use toward paying for their wedding, according to the Quad City Times.

Sheley has been awaiting trial at the Jefferson County Jail in Hillsboro since February 2015.
ST. LOUIS  Putting limits on when police officers can use chemical agents or order crowds to disperse would help protect demonstrators First Amendment rights, supporters of a bill filed this week argue.

The plan, filed by 15th Ward Alderman Megan Green, would repeal St. Louis existing ordinance on unlawful assemblies, which she argues is too vague and gives officers a wide berth to declare a demonstration unlawful.

It has become an issue in recent weeks because of protests over the Jason Stockley verdict, and Green said the changes would help protect participants in future demonstrations.

One of the issues right now is, how do you hold police accountable to an unlawful assembly ordinance where no one really understands what it means? Green said in an interview Tuesday.

Greens bill says people and groups in the city have the right to participate in assemblies on the streets, sidewalks, and other public ways, and in the parks in the city, and to engage in assemblies near the object of their protest so they may be seen and heard, subject to reasonable restrictions designed to protect public safety, persons, and property, and to accommodate the interest of persons not participating in the assemblies to use the streets, sidewalks, and other public ways.

Green said she drafted the language with the ACLU of Missouri, which is suing the city over the police response during the first week of protests against the Stockley verdict.

St. Louis needs to establish clear guidelines to protect people as they call for change in the region, said Sara Baker, legislative and policy director at the ACLU of Missouri. Without establishing clear guidelines for law enforcement, we risk creating a chilling atmosphere during a critical time where the voices of the people must be heard.

The proposal reflects a number of grievances voiced by demonstrators protesting the acquittal of Stockley, a former police officer who is white, for the 2011 fatal shooting of Anthony Lamar Smith, a black drug suspect. The verdict has spurred protests throughout the city and complaints of excessive force being used by law enforcement tasked with containing the unrest.

The bill requires officers to the extent reasonably possible arrest specific individuals who are responding with violence, rather than issuing general orders to disperse.

Under the measure, the St. Louis Police Department can issue orders to disperse only if a significant number or percentage of the assembly participants fail to adhere to certain restrictions, engage in violence or destroy property, or if the mayor declares a public safety emergency.

It also requires police to issue at least one order to disperse  and multiple orders if possible  using an amplification system reaching 40 feet away, giving participants reasonable and adequate time to disperse and a safe and clear route for dispersal. At least one order would also be required before deploying chemical agents.

Officers would not be able to use chemical agents on protesters or groups who fail to disperse, only on individuals who have caused or attempted to cause serious physical injury to another person. Pepper spray and other agents could not be used on individuals who are already restrained.

Additionally, the bill would require all officers to have their name tags visible at all times and mandate that the department promptly process and release anyone who was arrested during an event.

Green says her bill would make it easier for residents to hold police accountable if their constitutional rights are violated.

Once we get these laws in place, it would make it easier for a lawsuit to be waged against the city if theyre broken, Green said.

St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson and Interim Police Chief Lawrence OToole recently called for an independent investigation into how city police have responded to demonstrations in the days following the verdict.

Particularly controversial is the officers recent use of a technique called kettling, which was used to box in 100 people  including a Post-Dispatch reporter, an Air Force lieutenant who wasnt participating and an undercover cop  at a busy downtown intersection and arrest them for failing to disperse.

Policy say they are reviewing that incident.

Even if the measure is passed, Green said, more criminal justice reforms will still be needed.

This is just a starting point of getting an actual First Amendment policy in place for the city of St. Louis, Green said, adding that she and the ACLU used a similar ordinance in Washington, D.C., as a guide. But we can at least start to implement some of that, and make a commitment as a city to respect the rights of protester in the streets.
JEFFERSON CITY  Planned Parenthood's legal fight to expand abortion access in Missouri has taken another turn, this time in Planned Parenthood's favor.

And, a follower of a group called the Satanic Temple has won a key ruling in a separate abortion case moving through the state's court system.

Planned Parenthood is trying to offer abortions in Columbia, Joplin and Springfield, and has been wrangling in the courts for the ability to do so.

Its tug of war with the state and abortion foes centers on regulations Planned Parenthood argues are on par with tough rules implemented in Texas, which the U.S. Supreme Court tossed last year.

Missouri's regulations require physicians to have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals and strictly regulate physical requirements at clinics.

In April, citing the Supreme Court, a U.S. district judge issued a preliminary injunction against Missouri's abortion rules, blocking the state from enforcing the regulations.

Last month, Attorney General Josh Hawley asked the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to stay the preliminary injunction. The court eventually did so.

On Monday afternoon, however, the court issued a one-sentence order denying the stay, essentially reversing itself.

After that news, Planned Parenthood said it withdrew a Sept. 22 request for the Supreme Court to overrule the 8th Circuit's previous decision, saying Monday's order made the request moot.

Planned Parenthood says the 8th Circuit's unexplained move will allow the group to continue seeking licenses in Columbia, Springfield and Joplin while the group and the state seek final word on the legality of Missouri's regulations.

I am extremely disappointed in the 8th Circuit's decision," Hawley said in a statement released by his office. "My office will continue to fight for common sense regulations that protect the health and well-being of Missouri women."

Meantime, in the Satanic Temple case, the Missouri Court of Appeals Western District said plaintiff Mary Doe of Springfield raised enough constitutional questions in her arguments for her appeal of state abortion laws to be referred directly to the seven-member Missouri Supreme Court.

At issue is Does attempt to use a religious waiver to exempt herself from a portion of Missouris abortion laws.

Under the law, patients are required to wait 72 hours between an initial consultation with a doctor and the actual appointment to have an abortion. Other provisions call for patients to look at a booklet about abortion and be offered the opportunity to listen to the fetus heartbeat.

Doe argues that violates her religious belief. Her claim was rejected at the circuit court level, but the appeals court said it is an issue that needs to be examined.

Neither the Missouri Supreme Court nor the U.S. Supreme Court has considered whether a booklet of this nature, an ultrasound, an audible heartbeat offer, and a seventy-two-hour waiting period violate the religion clause rights of pregnant women, the ruling noted.

James MacNaughton, a New Jersey attorney who represented Doe, said his client disagrees with the central tenet of the Missouri law.

The concept of saying that human life begins at conception is a religious belief,MacNaughton told the Post-Dispatch Tuesday.

He said Doe is an adherent to the Satanic Temple, a political activist group that promotes science and social justice.
JEFFERSON CITY  Hoping to keep the states turtle population afloat, Missouri officials are taking steps to ban the commercial hunting of snapping and softshell turtles.

Although records show fewer than 1,000 turtles are typically harvested from the Mississippi and Missouri rivers each year, the Missouri Department of Conservation is calling for the prohibition based on models showing that the population cannot sustain any level of commercial hunting.

The proposed rule change, which was filed this month, drew praise from environmental groups that had petitioned the agency for the ban.

Im so glad Missouri is poised to do the right thing for its turtles, said Collette Adkins, a biologist and senior attorney at the Minnesota-based Center for Biological Diversity. The science shows for-profit trapping is putting the states turtles at risk. If its finalized, this ban would protect the states turtles from trappers seeking to make a quick buck.

Under current regulations in Missouri, holders of a commercial fishing permit may take unlimited numbers of common snappers, spiny softshells and smooth softshells from portions of the Missouri and Mississippi rivers with no closed season. According to the Department, 1,100 river miles are open to commercial turtle collection.

According to projections based on the 2015 harvest, five commercial anglers stand to lose between $3,759 and $4,924 in sales once the ban goes into effect.

In a June 2017 presentation, Conservation Department herpetologist Jeff Briggler told agency officials that turtles are extremely vulnerable to overharvest.

By the time a turtle reproduces for the first time, a white-tailed deer has already produced 912 offspring, he told members of the commission that oversees the agency.

They cannot rebound quickly, Briggler said.

In 2015, no snapping turtles were reported as being taken out of the Mississippi River, while 309 were harvested out of the Missouri River. Totals show only 108 snappers and softshells have been harvested out of the St. Francis River since 2003.

In 2007, records show there were 13 commercial fishermen who harvested turtles, compared to four in 2015.

In the United States, turtles are commonly eaten in the form of turtle soup. Wild-caught turtles also are exported to Asia for food and medicinal purposes.

Most of the turtles in the U.S. are being shipped overseas, Briggler said.

Adkins said banning turtle hunting has become a national trend. Iowa took steps to limit the harvest earlier this year. Currently, Arkansas is the only state bordering Missouri that allows unlimited commercial collection of turtles.
By PTI: (Eds: Updates with fresh quotes from MLA)

New Delhi, Oct 3 (PTI) The National Investigation Agency (NIA) today questioned independent MLA from Jammu and Kashmir Sheikh Abdul Rashid, popularly known as Rashid Engineer, in a case related to the funding of terror activities in the Valley, officials said.

Rashid, who represents the Langate assembly seat from north Kashmir, was questioned for nearly six hours and has been asked to appear again tomorrow, the officials said.

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Coming out of the NIA headquarters, Rashid did not take any questions from the waiting media persons saying, "I do not wish to comment on an ongoing investigation.

"Thank you for waiting but it will be inappropriate on my part to talk about the probe," Rashid, who is the first mainstream politician to have been summoned by the NIA in the case, said.

Earlier, before entering the NIA headquarters, Rashid said that he had nothing to hide.

"After trial in the media started about my name, I had approached the speaker of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly to initiate a probe and find out the truth," he had said earlier in the day.

The MLA said he had full faith in the justice system.

Rashids name had cropped up during the interrogation of businessman Zahoor Watali, who was arrested by the NIA for allegedly supplying money to terror groups and separatists in the Valley.

The NIA had registered a case on May 30 against separatist and secessionist leaders, including unknown members of the Hurriyat Conference, who have been acting in connivance with active militants of proscribed terrorist organisations Hizbul Mujahideen, Dukhtaran-e-Millat, Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and other outfits and gangs, officials said.

The case was registered for raising, receiving and collecting funds through various illegal means, including hawala, for funding separatist and terrorist activities in Jammu and Kashmir and for causing disruption in the Valley by pelting the security forces with stones, burning schools, damaging public property and waging war against India, the probe agency said in the FIR.

Hafiz Saeed, the Pakistan-based chief of the Jamaat-ud- Dawa, the front of the Lashker-e-Taiba, has been named in the FIR as an accused.

The NIA has arrested 10 people so far in connection with alleged funding of terror activities case which includes pro-Pakistan separatist Syed Ali Shah Geelanis son-in-law Altaf Ahmed Shah and Watali.

Geelanis close aides Ayaz Akbar, who is also spokesperson of the hardline separatist organisation Tehreek- e-Hurriyat, and Peer Saifullah have been also been arrested.

Others in the list are Shahid-ul-Islam, spokesperson of the moderate Hurriyat Conference, Mehrajuddin Kalwal, Nayeem Khan, Farooq Ahmed Dar alias Bitta Karate, photo-journalist Kamran Yusuf and Javed Ahmed Bhat. PTI SKL ASK ASK

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Karnataka Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy has said the government has got "some clues" on the killers.

By India Today Web Desk: The Karnataka government today said it has identified the killers of senior journalist Gauri Lankesh . It added that more evidence is being collected to prove the guilt.

Karnataka Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy has said the government has got "some clues" on the killers and knows who is behind it, but is waiting to gather more concrete evidence.

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"The Special Investigation Team (SIT) got some clues on the killers of Lankesh. It's gathering evidence. We know about them (killers) but can't go public without evidence," Reddy told reporters at Chikkaballapura town, about 60 km from Bengaluru.

Lankesh, 55, was found dead on September 5 night in front of her home in the city's south-west suburb after she was shot from close range by unidentified assailants who fled from the spot on a motorbike within minutes.

"We need hard evidence against the suspects to file even a charge-sheet against them in a court. Otherwise, the case will not stand for trial," asserted Reddy on the margins of a Gandhi Jayanti function.

In an attempt to nab the killers, the state government had constituted the SIT and announced Rs 10 lakh reward to anyone giving information leading to their arrest.

The 150-member SIT is headed by Inspector General of Police (IGP-Intelligence) B.K. Singh with Deputy Commissioner of Police (West) M.N. Anucheth as its main Investigation Officer (IO).

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Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif said on Tuesday that the people should have been told that there was nothing against him in the Panama Papers, and thus the Iqama excuse was used to disqualify him.

He was addressing a meeting of the party's general council which elected him the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz president for four years earlier.

He said there is anger in his heart too to say so otherwise would be hypocrisy.

Referring to the amendment and passing of the Electoral Reforms Bill 2017, Nawaz said they have repealed the 'dictator's law'.

You know the reason for my disqualification," said Nawaz, adding that PML-N is still the country's biggest political party.

The former premier thanked workers for greeting him during his GT Road Rally in August.

"Respected general council members, history shows the struggle of the Muslim League," Nawaz said further.

If there was nothing in the Panama [Papers] then people should have been told this. They should have informed the people of the truth, that Nawaz Sharif did not misuse any public funds, he said.

This has been happening for the last 70 years, said Nawaz, adding that we need to think about what led to the breakup of the country [in 1971].

All countries in the world keep changing their policies with time, and those who ignore changing dynamics and stick to the old practice time passes them by.

He said it is tragic that 'we' continue to do the same things that led to the breakup of the country.

"Despite being elected by the people thrice, I was disqualified. Not because of any corruption or malpractice but for not taking a salary from my son," said the ousted premier.

Nawaz reiterated that the 12 questions he posed at the lawyers' convention in Lahore on August 25 have yet to be answered.

Talking about cases against democratic leaders, he said the case that led to his disqualification is similar to the one which led to the hanging of an elected prime minister, referring to Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto.

However, "[the cases of those] who violated the Constitution remained honest and truthful", claimed Nawaz.

I'm warning you, if we don't try to change things then even Pakistan will not forgive us." God helps those who help themselves, he added.

The former prime minister narrated his democracy-friendly actions of the past, such as not disrupting the previous Pakistan Peoples Party government in Azad Jammu and Kashmir and letting Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf form a government in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa after the 2013 elections.

Nawaz said he is hopeful that party will fare even better in the 2018 elections, adding that the people will give their decision regarding [his] 'eligibility' then.
Before his foray into active militancy, he was an Over Ground Worker (OGW) for terror module.

By Kamaljit Kaur Sandhu: While 3 heavily armed Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist stormed into a BSF camp near the high-security Srinagar airport on Tuesday, details have emerged of a well-orchestrated attack carried out by the terror group.

Sources in the intelligence point out a Jaish operative identified as Noora Trali, who has allegedly introduced a suicide squad in the region. Trali was arrested by Delhi police and then sent to Central Jail. He was on parole when he went missing two months ago.

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Intelligence indicated he joined hands with Jaish, soon becoming their key man in South Kashmir. He seems to be also a "local" link behind another JEM attack on District Police Lines on August 26, in which 8 security personnel were martyred, a senior police officer told India Today.

Before his foray into active militancy, he was an Over Ground Worker (OGW) for terror module.

While 3 terrorists were gunned down after a 10 hour encounter, Muneer Khan, IG JKP said, "A group of overground workers have been exposed. Such type of attacks can be carried out by Jaish group only."

He further added, "The terrorist seemed to be part of the group which infiltrated between July-August. Among them 6-7 terrorists were still on the run".

Besides Trali, security forces feel there could be other local OGW's, who could have helped orchestrate the dastardly attack.

Assistant Sub-Inspector BK Yadav, was killed and three other BSF jawans were injured when the three terrorists entered the BSF battalion headquarters at Gogoland, adjacent to the airport.

WATCH VIDEO | Terror attack on BSF camp near Srinagar airport, flight operations suspended

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He walked 9 kms after garlanding the statue of Mahatma Gandhi in Payyannur, to reach Pilathara, where he addressed a public gathering.

By Poulomi Saha: BJP President Amit Shah, flagged off BJP's two-week long Jan Raksha Yatra, that will pass through 11 of the 14 districts of Kerala, with an aim to highlight the alleged CPM(I) violence and Muslim extremism.

"This is the chief minister's constituency. The kind of response I saw today, I am confident that the people of Kerala are tired of Communist violence and the latter will have to answer for it," said Amit Shah in an exclusive interview to India Today.

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Shah was flanked by leaders of the Bhartiya Janta Party, including Union Tourism Minister KJ Alphons Joseph Kannanthanam and state party president K Rajashekharan.

He walked 9 kms after garlanding the statue of Mahatma Gandhi in Payyannur, to reach Pilathara, where he addressed a public gathering.

"Whenever Communist governments come to power in Kerala, there are political killings. There is a direct link. The states that see maximum political violence in country - West Bengal, Kerala, Tripura - Communists have governed them from time to time," Shah told India Today.

Shah alleged that the Communist party had given birth to a culture of political violence, and violence and Communists are tied by umbilical cord.

Tomorrow, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will join the yatra for a day in Kannur.

Amit Shah will rejoin the campaign on October 5 again for a day before coming back for it's culmination on October 17 in capital, Thiruvananthapuram.

Shah says he is confident that BJP will sweep 8 of the 20 Lok Sabha seats in Kerala in 2019.

Meanwhile, the CPI(M) has accused BJP and RSS of fomenting terror in the state in the name of religion.

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Chronic Kidney Disease grips NCP as Dialysis prolongs the inevitable The seemingly incurable CKD's stranglehold on the NCP drives victims and their families into degenerative despair for want of an elusive Kidney. Chandani Kirinde reports from Padaviya View(s): View(s):

Four hours a day, three days a week, 60-year-old D. Gunatillake spends his time hooked onto a Dialysis machine at the Padaviya Base Hospital (PBH). Its been his weekly routine for the past six months, since he was detected with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD). Gunatillake and seven others fill the Haemodialysis Unit of the PBH to capacity each day except Sundays, to clean the machines. For Gunatillake and hundreds of others across the North Central Province (NPC) suffering from CKD, these machines are their only lifeline, with a kidney transplant as the only alternative.

I no longer have any strength in my body, but I still take a bus from my village which is about 8 km away, to get here three days a week. Sometimes when I get too tired, I only visit two days a week, Gunatillake said.

He was once a healthy farmer working more than three acres of paddy land. It was about 10 years ago, when two of his brothers and a sister were detected with CKD, and all died within a few years. He was first diagnosed with the disease two years ago, and was initially treated with medicine until his condition got acute, following which he was referred for Dialysis.

I can no longer work in the fields due to poor health, so my wife and I now live on Govt assistance given to CKD patients, said Gunatillake, as he waited his turn on the Dialysis machine.

His story, tragically, is also the story of hundreds of villagers in the NCP, and more so in Padviya and surrounding villages where the prevalence of CKD among the population has reached alarming proportions. Many of them also fall into the category of those suffering from CKD of unknown aiteology (CKDu), a condition, the cause of which still remains speculative, with medical personnel and researchers going to and fro guessing the cause of the high prevalence, particularly among the farming community in the NPC. While exposure to agrochemicals, drinking hard water with elevated fluoride levels and dehydration caused by long hours exposed to extremely hot temperatures, are cited as some of the causes, doctors at PBH are seeing that many of those suffering from CKD in the area, also suffer from hypertension, diabetes and other underlying causes which make them susceptible to CKD.

Most of the patients being farmers have been exposed to agrochemicals for years, but we are now seeing that many of those suffering from CKD also suffer from other medical conditions which affects their kidneys. There is also high consumption of alcohol and tobacco in these areas, while dehydration is also common due to inadequate consumption of water, said Padaviya District Medical Officer Dr Pubudu Ranaweera.

The PBH medical staff is far short of the required numbers, with doctors, nurses and other staff stretched to the limit, having to cater to the large number of patients who attend the Renal Care Unit. Since the Dialysis Unit was set up four years ago and the hospital upgraded, patients from Welioya, Kebethigollewa, Siripuara and Wahalkada also benefit from its added facilities. The Dialysis machines work three shifts a day and the 62 patients on its register at present, would have no chance of survival without regular Dialysis.

Earlier, all the patients had to travel for one-and-a-half to two hours to get to Anuradhapura General Hospital, the only one which treated patients with CKD. Now most come to PBH for treatment, which is a boon to these people, Dr Ranaweera said.

Acting Consultant Physician Dr Missaka Senanayaka has seen firsthand, the hardship CKD patients undergo.

They all come from low income families who get by on daily wages. For them, learning they suffer from even early stage CKD is like receiving a death sentence. There is an inherent fear among them, as they have seen many of their fellow villagers suffer and die, Dr Senanayake said.

Despite the available facilities, many who are referred for Dialysis are reluctant to undertake the treatment and instead, rely on medication. What these patients need now is counselling, as many of those detected with CKD or, even those in the earlier stages of the disease, tend to get depressed. There have been several instances of attempted suicide, he said.

Medical Officer-in-Charge of the Renal Care Unit, Dr Fazly Farook echoed similar sentiments. Recently, an elderly man came to the PBH with his son. I looked at his reports and told him he was suffering from kidney diseases. Initially, he would not accept it. It took a while for it to sink in and then, both the father and son broke down and cried, he said.

V.A. Sugathadasa (63) is one such person who feels helpless. His wife Somawathie is seriously ill and undergoing Dialysis, while he is in the early stages of the disease and on medication. For years I made a living by spraying pesticides and weedicides. I was paid Rs 1,000 per day for my work. I think the agrochemicals harmed us, he said.

Lacking the strength to work anymore, Sugathdasa and his wife get by on the Rs 5,000 Govt. handout to CKD victims. (See BOX story) My wife and I will not live much longer. We have no children so we are not a burden to anyone, he said.

B. Ukkumanika (58) a resident of Siri Pura in Padaviya, was diagnosed with CKD eight years ago. While on medication, Ukkumanika says she feels the disease slowly creeping upon her, making her body weak by the day. There are days I cannot even get up and lie in bed the whole day. I can see my end is coming, she said.

Her husband S. Chandrasekera (70) who was a vegetable farmer, is convinced that the exposure to agrochemicals made his wife and hundreds of other farmers seriously ill.

I used agrochemicals for years, to get a high yield from my crops. While spraying it, I could feel these were poisonous, but I still continued to do it, as I made a living by selling vegetables. It was against my conscience, but once we started using the chemical fertilizer, it was difficult to stop, he said in a confessional tone.

At the Sudharshanaramaya in Siri Pura, people gather every evening for the Bodhi Pooja, to invoke the blessings of the triple gem, and the topic of discussion often is the plight of those suffering from CKD. A 58-year-old incumbent monk at the Temple lies seriously ill, as the Dialysis has done little to improve his condition.

For Ven. Gnanawimala Thera, the chief incumbent at the Temple, visiting homes where people have died of CKD, is nothing special. I have lived here since 1969, but cannot recall people falling ill in this manner in the 70s and 80s. Being a border village, during the 1990s we were more concerned about the war, having to face regular attacks from the terrorists. So we may not have noticed people falling ill, but now, in almost every home there is at least one CKD victim, he said.

The sense of hopelessness among the villagers is also pushing them towards alternate medicine, with several hundred queuing up to consult an Ayurveda doctor who visits the village once in two weeks. People are desperate, so they will try anything, as long as they can get some relief, the Thera said.

But Health authorities in the area, opt for more scientific methods for early detection of CKD, to improve the chances of survival and quality of life.

Padaviya Medical Officer of Health Dr Madhava Dharmadasa is the person tasked with screening of all adults over 20 years. Of a population of a little over 25,000 in Padaviya, we have screened close to 70%. To make the programme more effective, we also conduct mobile clinics to collect blood and urine samples. This programme has helped detect around 900 new patients, many of them in the early stages, which would significantly improve their prognosis, Dr Dharmadasa said.

The screening programme also covers Non Communicable Diseases, the increase of which is seen as a major contributory factor towards CKDs.

While medical opinion is divided on what causes CKD, most patients are convinced that large scale use of agrochemicals, over the past four decades, has slowly poisoned the earth, thus polluting the water they drink, leading to this situation.

Irrigation and Water Management Ministry Resident Project Manager N. Wasantha is among those who are committed to weaning the farmers from their over dependence on chemical fertilizer, as well as other agrochemicals.

It is an uphill task, because farmers want a high yield, be it from paddy farming or from vegetables, and use of agrochemicals helps achieve their targets. But now, we see the harm this has done to the farming community, he said.

Wasantha, along with leaders of several farming societies in the area, have begun to propagate the use of local varieties of seeds more resistant to weeds and pests, and hence, grown with minimal use of agrochemicals.

The excessive use of agrochemicals is not only poisoning the farmers, but also the others who consume their produce, which is why there must be more State intervention to encourage traditional farming methods, and to boost local varieties of paddy, vegetables and fruits, he said.

However, while the Govt machinery is trying its utmost to mitigate a situation which already seems out of control, for Gunatillake, who makes the thrice-weekly hospital visit for Dialysis, there is little hope for the future.

I will have to spend the time I have left visiting this hospital for Dialysis. I cannot think of ever getting a kidney transplant, because I do not have sufficient money, and hence, will not find a donor. This is my karma, he said.

For Ven. Gnanawimala Thera, the issue is one that goes beyond the fate of individuals. We have overcome one war, but this is the bigger war that we have to fight now, he said.

Govt. financial aid mitigates circumstances somewhat Since June this year, the Ministry of Social Empowerment and Welfare has begun a monthly payment of Rs 5,000 as CKD assistance to those from low income groups. At present, there are 19,240 persons in nine Districts eligible for the grant.The allowance is granted on the recommendation of a consultant confirming the person is suffering from CKD and is taking regular treatment for the condition.In Padaviya, more than 2,200 people have signed up for such assistance, said Divisional Secretary G.M.K.R. Priyadharshana. Several other measures too have been taken to assist the needy people there. The National Housing Development Authority grants financial assistance to build houses for families with CKD patients. Those eligible will receive Rs 500,000 to build a new house, while Rs 150,000-200,000 will be given to renovate houses, Mr Priyadharshana said. Steps have also been taken to install Reverse Osmosis water filters in almost all the villages, so that, people have access to clean drinking water, he added.
A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra was hearing a plea by Shafin Jahan challenging the Kerala High Court order nullifying his marriage with Hadiya.

By Indo-Asian News Service: The Supreme Court today said that it will examine whether a High Court can annul a marriage while hearing a plea by the parents of a girl who had married a boy from a different religion.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra was hearing a plea by Shafin Jahan challenging the Kerala High Court order nullifying his marriage with Hadiya (the bride's name after conversion).

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The bench also wondered whether the 24-year-old woman could be forced to live in her father's custody.

The apex court said that it will examine the issues in the course of the hearing of an application by Jahan seeking the recall of an earlier order by which the court had entrusted the investigation into the entire matter to the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

Giving time to the NIA to respond, the Supreme Court scheduled further hearing on the matter on October 9.

Hadiya's marriage to Jahan was annulled by the Kerala High Court following a petition from her parents.

The apex court then intervened and asked the NIA to probe the marriage after doubts were raised as this was a case of "love jihad". Jahan has in turn pleaded with the Supreme Court to cancel the NIA probe.

According to sources, Hadiya, who was known as Akhila before conversion, is holed up at her house near Kottayam, forcibly by her parents.

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By PTI: Chandigarh, Oct 3 (PTI) Former Akali minister Sucha Singh Langah today moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court, seeking anticipatory bail in a rape case against him.

He was booked by the Gurdaspur Police on September 28 after a woman alleged that the Akali leader had been raping her repeatedly since 2009. The victim had also given a video clip in a pen drive to the police to support her accusations.

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Langahs counsel Harpreet Singh Brar today said, "A petition was today filed in the high court to seek transit bail for three days."

Yesterday, Chandigarh district court had rejected his application for surrender in connection with the case. Langah had appeared before the court of the duty magistrate here to surrender.

However, Judge Hirdejeet Singh had declined to accept his plea.

Langah had dubbed the rape case against him as "false" and had accused a Congress MLA of getting him booked.

"It is a false case and I have complete faith in the judicial system and I will bring out the truth pertaining to this case in the court," he had said.

He was booked on charges of rape, extortion, cheating and criminal intimidation. The Punjab Police was conducting raids to trace Langah who was on the run. PTI CHS VSD AAR

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Specialists are warning people who get eyeball tattoos they risk losing their sight.

Auckland ophthalmologist Zak Prime earlier this year treated the first patients in this country to have complications from the procedure.

"It definitely was a bit of a shock. Its definitely not something Ive ever seen before or anyone of the other doctors at the eye clinic had seen before.

"When somebody comes in with almost bright pink eyes, its definitely different."

The procedure involves injecting diluted tattoo ink under the layers of skin on the white of the eye.

Last week, Canadian model Catt Gallinger caused a media storm when she went public about the dangers of scleral tattooing after temporarily losing the sight in one eye.

She posted images on social media of the swollen, painful eye and posted updates about the leakage of ink in an attempt to "raise awareness and to educate".

The first of the Auckland patients Dr Prime treated was a 22-year-old woman whose eyes had begun to swell to the point where she couldnt close them after being injected with a shocking-pink tattoo ink.

In the same week, he saw a 27-year-old man with ink leakage and subconjunctival bleeding - when blood vessels haemorrhage under the clear surface of the eye.

Both patients were successfully treated.

Zak says hes not about to tell people what to do or not do with their bodies, but that they needed to be aware of the risks.

"At least do some research about it and some of the complications.

"This procedure is more common in America and Australia and there have been a number of cases where needles have gone into the eye inadvertently ... and people have lost their eyes as a result of it."

Disturbingly, Zak says, one of the patients was told not to go to hospital if they experienced any problems.

American body modification artist Luna Cobra invented scleral tattooing about 10 years ago.

His name was linked to the Auckland cases, but he says he has not been in New Zealand for years and it was probably someone leveraging off his reputation.

Catt Gallinger said her eye had been painful and her vision blurred Photo: Supplied / Catt Gallinger

He now wanted scleral tattooing banned and had contacted health authorities in Australia and New Zealand to tell them so.

"I explained everything about this. I sent them documents, I sent them photos - and they all tell me the same thing.

"That they really need someone to be very damaged or die before anything can happen with legislation."

Australian artist Brendan Russell, or Bslice, is active in New Zealand but says the Aucklanders were not his clients.

Brendan says he did not favour banning scleral tattooing outright, but agreed it needed more rigorous regulation.

Luna Cobra says cowboy practitioners were the biggest risk, rather than the cleanliness of the tattooing premises or the tools being used.

"Ive been doing eyeballs for just over 10 years but Ive been practising all these other various surgical body arts for over 20 years. Thats the difference.

"Most of the people operating now ... never attended a human anatomy course at a university or read a medical book or worked on a cadaver."

New Zealand Association of Optometrists spokesperson Andrew Sangster says the practice had a long list of potential side effects.

"Theres cases where people have had prolonged headaches afterwards, that they have significant light sensitivity, that theyre tears are discoloured because of the dye and there was one case I read about where they had to remove an eye because of intractable pain.

"I would probably caution people if they are thinking about getting it done to think again because you only get one set of eyes."

Auckland City Council says its current bylaw covering tattooing was not intended to include scleral tattooing, because it was unknown here in 2013.

Auckland District Health Board was unable to say whether an approach had been made to it about the practice, but said the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmology had issued a warning about scleral tattooing.

The college unsuccessfully lobbied for tighter regulation in New South Wales last year which would have only allowed registered medical practitioners to carry out the procedure.
Delta's promises to run the year-round direct flight between Malaga and New York in 2018 have been broken as the airline announced that the flight will only run in the summer.

In its transatlantic flight schedule for 2018, the airline revealed that the normal direct service to JFK airport will commence again from 25 May next year but will not be available to passengers all year. The airline also announced increased connections in other parts of Spain.

It will now be running a high-season service between Atlanta and Barcelona. Rafael Ruiz, Delta's director of sales in Spain and Southern Europe insisted that the changes will benefit Spanish people visiting the USA.

Via our hubs in Atlanta and New York, passengers can easily reach attractive destinations such as Hawaii and San Francisco, he said.
It remains a mystery how Catalonia could split from Spain, even if a yes vote is returned in this Sunday's incendiary referendum. Even so, the region's business community is becoming nervous about possible effects of the protracted battle being fought between Catalonia and Madrid. This is a battle that will only escalate if Catalonians vote for secession at the weekend, impossible to realise as their dream appears to be.

The region's two biggest banks - Caixabank and Banco Sabadell - have long been worried about the economic status of an independent Catalonia. In the run-up to the region's parliamentary elections in the autumn of 2015 - which resulted in victory for Artur Mas's pro-independence Together for Yes coalition, now led by his successor Carles Puigdemont - the two lenders gave their name to a statement spelling out the perils of secession. In the event of a divorce between Catalonia and Spain, the statement said that all banks with a presence in Catalonia would face serious problems of legal uncertainty.

The banks' concerns are apparently shared by other companies with a stake in Catalonia, among them the foreign behemoths of Volkswagen, Nestle and Airbnb. The Financial Times reported this week that some Spanish and international businesses have already prepared to leave Catalonia if a yes vote is returned (although it didn't mention which ones). According to insiders quoted by the paper, the prevailing concern is not necessarily that Catalonia will break from Spain; rather, it focuses on the aggressive standoff between Madrid and Barcelona, and the uncertainty this is causing over the wealthy region's immediate future. That uncertainty is likely to continue whatever the result of Sunday's plebiscite, although it will increase if independence is voted for.

Cue Donald Trump. As if to reassure fretting companies in Catalonia, the US president blundered onto the secessionist battlefield on Tuesday, during a joint press conference with Mariano Rajoy at the White House. Before pointing out that it was uncertain whether the vote would happen and that Rajoy didn't want it to, Trump declared: I bet if you had accurate numbers... you'd find that [Catalans] love Spain, and [that] they wouldn't want to leave. The weird phrasing here suggests that Trump has researched beyond the (apparently misleading) polls and knows what Catalans want, deep down.

The latest poll does in fact show that Catalans are against secession, with 49% opposing independence and 41% supporting it - although 70% are in favour of holding the referendum. Yet Madrid's military-state-style tactics - such as arresting Catalan ministers, banning pro-independence leaflets and posters and seizing ballot papers - are likely to inflame more moderate secessionists and might even induce fence-sitters to defy Rajoy by voting yes. And if Catalans ask for secession on Sunday, just one outcome can be predicted with certainty: the problems will only be beginning.
It's autumn already, and after one of the most magnificent summers for Spain, Andalucia and Malaga in history as far as tourism is concerned, the industry is already thinking about next year. Tourism doesn't just happen without a push; promotional campaigns have to be planned well in advance, thinking about results in the mid to long term.

So as the industry prepares for 2018, international tourism fairs are of great importance and many firms and institutions are currently finalising details for the World Travel Market in London, to be held this year between 6 and 8 November, at a very significant moment due to Britain's Brexit situation.

The thing is when it comes to organising their agenda for the London event, numerous professionals have asked the same question:

What's going on in Spain?

It's interesting that they ask this in a place where Scotland's independence was considered and ruled out at the stroke of a pen, but it's also true that the news that reaches them from Spain is somewhat scary. Note I say from Spain because there people have little idea of the distance between Torremolinos and Salou, for example, just as very few Spaniards will know how far it is from Bray on Thames to London, or from Manchester to Newcastle... Or, if we go to Germany, between Berlin and Hamburg...

It's the same for the majority of tourists who visit us. What's going on in Spain? Are there a lot of disturbances? Is something going to happen? And to make matters worse, along comes Guardiola, who everyone knows as Pep, and says in press conferences that the problem with Spain (note, Spain) is none other than there is no democracy; that here, more or less, they are suffocating the Catalonia led by the pro-independence politicians Puigdemont, Junqueras and Rufian, the great leaders of social triumphs.

The image we are sending out to the world is deplorable, and, I repeat, people abroad don't differentiate between regions or cities; there they simply know us as Spain.

It was the same with the terror attack in Las Ramblas; the majority of the British press talked of a terror attack in Spain, or perhaps in Barcelona, but not in Catalonia.

Because for someone from France, Britain or Germany, Catalonia is Spain, and the message they are receiving is that we are at a terrible moment of instability and insecurity, in other words, the worst scenario for tourism. The problem is that this won't just damage tourism in Catalonia, but in the whole of Spain.

But don't worry, that's a danger Puigdemont, Rufian and Guardiola couldn't care less about.
Did Stephen Paddock, the alleged Las Vegas shooter, use military tactics to execute the mass murder? Here is an explainer.

By Sandeep Unnithan : Stephen Paddock, the alleged perpetrator of the deadliest shooting in US history used assault rifles to kill 59 persons and wound over 500 others.

Without the use of the military-grade weapons firing in automatic mode i.e. discharging several bullets in quick succession, it is unlikely he could have killed the number of people that he did.

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But did he also use military style sniping tactics to maximise his death toll?

That would be possibly among the points of investigation among the other imponderables like how a 64-year-old accountant with no police history suddenly turn into a mass murderer. Or, how did he manage to stockpile 43 rifles, smuggling 23 of them with thousands of rounds, undetected into a hotel room?

The vantage point and the weapons Paddock chose now make it evident that the 'Las Vegas massacre' was not a spur of the moment action, but rather, a well planned carnage which must have taken weeks and months of planning.

SNIPING TACTICS

Take the location of the room on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Hotel. It is what the military calls the perfect 'sniper's perch' which the US army's field Manual 23-10 on Sniper Training outlines is "a steady, comfortable position with the best cover, concealment and visibility of the target area."

The open air venue where over 22,000 people gathered for a country music festival on October 2 was just 450 meters away from the hotel room, well within the lethal effective range of the 5.56 mm/.223 and 7.62 mm/.308 assault rifles Paddock used in the massacre.

See this animation for better understanding

Stephen Paddock's vantage point and his target

Spraying bullets from this vantage point at such a huge gathering ensured he would extract a deadly toll especially because assault rifles can discharge all the 30 bullets in their clips in a few seconds.

The 'room hide position' for sniping in an urban environment as detailed in the sniper manual recommends the use of an existing room (see illustration) where the sniper fires through a window or loophole". Weapon support may be achieved through the use of existing furniture, desks and tables.

"Screens (common screening material) are important since they allow the sniper teams maximum observation and deny observation by the enemy. They must not remove curtains, however they can open windows or remove panes of glass."

Drapes billow out of broken windows at the Mandalay Bay resort and casino Monday, October 2, 2017, on the Las Vegas Strip following a deadly shooting at a music festival in Las Vegas. Photo: AP Drapes billow out of broken windows at the Mandalay Bay resort and casino Monday, October 2, 2017, on the Las Vegas Strip following a deadly shooting at a music festival in Las Vegas. Photo: AP

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WHAT EXACTLY HAPPENED?

Paddock smashed two windows from his hotel suite. It is not known if he fired from both windows, several feet apart, but if he did, it would not be surprising. It is a military tactic called 'jockeying' where changing locations keeps the shooter's location uncertain and create the impression of there being multiple assailants.

Police who stormed the room soon after Paddock had fatally shot himself found at least two automatic rifles mounted on tripods with scopes attached to them.

Only a handful of the multiple mass shootings in the US have been from standoff ranges where the victims never saw their assailants.

At least two recent ones were carried out by former military personnel proficient in the use of assault rifles. Micah Xavier Johnson who shot and killed five white police officers on July 16, 2016 was a US army reservist.

In a shooting spree lasting over nine months in 2002, John Allen Muhammad aka the 'Beltway Sniper' shot and killed 17 civilians in the Washington DC area. The former recipient of the US Army's Expert Rifleman's Badge converted the boot of his Chevrolet Caprice into a sniper hideaway where he lay prone and fired his XM-15 Bushmaster 5.56 mm sniper rifle at his unsuspecting targets.

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Paddock had no link with the US military apart from a three-year stint with a US defence company in the early 1990s later taken over by Lockheed Martin.

Illustration from the US army field Manual 23-10 on Sniper Training

A popular saying among the US army's sniper community goes 'sniping is 10 percent shooting and 90 per cent everything else'. The 'everything else' includes the choice of the weapon, choose the ones which will best suit the scenario, zero, clean and maintain them. A shooter has to know what the weapon would do under different scenarios, just as a hunter would.

These sniper lessons were used by Paddock which caused devastating effects on October 1.

--- ENDS ---
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is expected to address the BJP's Jana Raksha Yatra in Kerala on Wednesday.

By India Today Web Desk: With Yogi Adityanath set to join the BJP's Jana Raksha Yatra in Kerala on Wednesday, the ruling CPM in the state has welcomed the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister with a sarcasm-laden tweet.

"We invite UP CM Yogi to visit Kerala Hospitals to learn how to run Hospitals effectively," the CPM tweeted from its verified handle @cpimspeak.

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Recently, at least 60 children died at the state-run BRD Hospital in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, due to alleged lack of oxygen supply. At another government hospital in Farrukhabad in Uttar Pradesh, as many as 49 children died between July 20 and August 21 due to alleged shortage of oxygen supply and lack of medicines.

Infant mortality rate in Kerala, as per the National Family Health Survey 2015-16, stands at 6 per 1000 live births while the under-5 mortality rate stands at 7 per 1000 as against national average of 41 and 50 respectively.

BJP KICKS OFF YATRA IN KERALA

While the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Amit Shah kicked off the 15-day Jana Raksha Yatra in Kerala today, the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister will take the stage on Wednesday in Kecherry near Kannur district.

Kannur has been the epicentre of the bitter political rivalry between the BJP/RSS and the CPM and has witnessed maximum political killings in the state.

Kannur is considered a stronghold of the CPM and Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan won the Assembly election from Dharmadom seat in the district.

The BJP chief today launched a scathing attack on the ruling Left government in the state and held Pinarayi Vijayan responsible for the political murders of BJP and RSS workers in Kerala.

"I am asking Chief Minister Vijayan who has killed BJP and RSS workers in Kerala. If he does not have answers, then I am saying CM Vijayan is responsible for it," Shah told a gathering in Kannur.

Amit Shah said that attacks against RSS and BJP workers have spiked whenever Communists assumed power in the state. "More than 120 BJP and RSS workers have been murdered in Kerala so far. CM Vijayan is directly responsible for it," Shah said.

Shah said the march was a non-violent protest against the political killings. "We are starting the march from Kannur because it is the Chief Minister's home district," he said.

ALSO WATCH: Amit Shah in Kerala: BJP president to kick start Jan Raksha Yatra from Kannur today

--- ENDS ---

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By PTI: New Delhi, Oct 3 (PTI) Auto major Mahindra and Mahindra today reported a 16 per cent increase in total sales at 53,663 units in September.

The company had sold 46,130 units in the same month last year, the company said in a statement.

In the domestic market, sales were up 19 per cent at 50,456 units last month compared to 42,545 in September 2016.

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Exports declined by 11 per cent to 3,207 units in September against 3,585 in the year-ago month.

Sales of passenger vehicles, including Scorpio, XUV500, Xylo, Bolero and Verito, were up 23 per cent at 25,327 units compared to 20,537 in the same month last year.

Commercial vehicle sales grew 19 per cent to 19,201 units in September against 16,081 in the year-ago period, M&M said.

M&M President Automotive Sector Rajan Wadhera said: "The auto industry witnessed a buoyant demand in September leading up to the festive season. This upsurge has been witnessed both in urban and rural markets." He further said, "We are particularly happy with the performance of our Scorpio brand, which had its highest monthly sales in September since inception." Going forward, he said, the company is confident of sustaining a growth momentum for the rest of the festive season. PTI RKL ARD

--- ENDS ---
The Samsung Galaxy S9 has been confirmed to come in two models by way of the company's progress on the line's firmware development.

Presumably, the two variants in question will be the standard Galaxy S9 and the Galaxy S9 Plus.

Galaxy S9 Firmware Underway

According to SamMobile, Samsung has begun developing two firmware, one for the Galaxy S9 and the other for the Galaxy S9 Plus.

This doesn't only confirm that two Galaxy S9 versions are coming but also the model numbers of the two, which are G960FXXU0AQI5 for the Galaxy S9 and G965FXXU0AQI5 for the "Plus" one.

Based on the info at hand, that means the Galaxy S9 will be known as SM-G960 and the Galaxy S9 Plus SM-G965, following the same coding scheme SM-G950 and SM-G955 of the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus respectively.

On an interesting note, SamMobile continues to say that Samsung kicked off the Galaxy S9 firmware development by about two weeks earlier than with the Galaxy S8 back in 2016.

Galaxy S9 Rumors

Now rumors surrounding the Galaxy S9 has been quite plenty.

First off, Samsung was reportedly in talks with Qualcomm to equip the upcoming flagship with a Snapdragon 845, possibly gunning for exclusivity on the chip, similar to what it did with the Galaxy S8 and Snapdragon 835. Aside from the processor, it could also house at least 4 GB of RAM and dual cameras like the Galaxy Note 8, come with a slimmer form factor, and run on Android 8.0 Oreo from the get-go.

Next up, the Galaxy S9 is said to sport the same-sized Infinity Display as the Galaxy S8. It could be considered as the company's way of focusing on other points for innovations rather than simply increasing the screen size, which has been a trend for smartphone makers since time immemorial.

Most notably, the Galaxy S9 is expected to boast one heck of a camera. A report claims that Samsung's new image sensor is capable of capturing videos at 1,000 frames per second.

To put that into perspective, the recently launched iPhone X is rated at 240 frames per second. The iPhone managed to dethrone the HTC U11 from the top spot in DxOMark's ranking, a system set out to determine which phone in the market has the best camera.

As for the potential release date, the Galaxy S9 is likely to roll out sometime in April 2018, with the unveiling in March. Put differently, it's a bit of a stretch to think the Galaxy S9 will launch earlier than Samsung's usual release dates for flagship phones, despite the comparatively earlier start for its firmware development.

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
A federal court ruled that the FBI can keep secret the details of the hacking tool that it used to unlock the iPhone 5C of one of the shooters in the San Bernardino tragedy of 2015.

The incident sparked one of the most intense debates on cybersecurity and privacy in modern history, and with the recent ruling, the battle is apparently still ongoing.

FBI vs. Apple

The FBI retrieved the iPhone 5C used by Syed Farook, one of the shooters in the San Bernardino terrorist attack in December 2015 that left 14 dead. In its attempt to acquire any information that might help with its investigation, the FBI requested Apple to develop a backdoor that will bypass the encryption of the iPhone.

Apple adamantly refused to create the iPhone backdoor, forcing the Justice Department to file a lawsuit against the company to try to force it to participate. The government, however, eventually withdrew the case, not because it had a change of heart, but because it was able to acquire an iPhone hacking tool from a third-party vendor.

Three news organizations, namely USA Today, Vice News, and the Associated Press, filed a lawsuit under the Freedom of Information Act in September last year to know more details about FBI's hacking tool. It was unclear what exactly the hacking tool is able to accomplish, and whether the FBI will be able to keep using it in the future.

San Bernardino iPhone Hacking Tool Will Remain A Secret

Federal judge Tanya Chutkan denied the request by the news organizations, which means that the FBI will not have to reveal the vendor behind the iPhone hacking tool, nor the price that was paid for it.

Chutkan said that revealing the name of the vendor would put it at risk, as it might not be as secure as the FBI in protecting itself against cyberattacks that would try to steal the iPhone hacking tool. Chutkan also allowed the cost to be kept secret, though it was previously revealed by former FBI director James Comey that the iPhone hack cost was over $1 million.

The ruling to keep the iPhone hacking tool a secret will protect it from being the target of hackers. However, with the FBI able to keep it under wraps, privacy advocates will be worried that the bureau might be abusing the iPhone hacking tool to bypass systems put in place to protect the privacy of citizens.

As with the case of whether or not Apple should create a backdoor through iPhone encryption, keeping the details of the iPhone hacking tool a secret also has arguments that go both ways.

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The Galaxy Note 8 and the iPhone X will go head-to-head in the cutthroat smartphone market once Apple launches the premium model of its 2017 iPhones, but Samsung can already be declared the winner of the rivalry.

Galaxy Note 8 preorders have shown that Samsung customers have already forgotten all about the Galaxy Note 7 fiasco, but the company apparently does not even need its latest flagship smartphone to beat the iPhone X to bounce back.

Samsung Already Wins In Galaxy Note 8 vs. iPhone X Battle

According to Counterpoint Technology, in a report by the Wall Street Journal, Samsung might be the top rival of Apple, but it is also hoping for the iPhone X to succeed.

This is because analysis by Counterpoint Technology revealed that Samsung is set to earn revenue that is higher by about $4 billion in manufacturing parts for the iPhone X, compared with the parts that it makes for its own Galaxy S8. The analysis is based on projection over the first 20 months of the lives of the smartphones, over which the majority of sales take place.

Counterpoint Technology expects Apple to sell 130 million units of the iPhone X, which will earn $110 for each unit sold or about $14 billion. Global sales for the Galaxy S8, meanwhile, are expected to reach 50 million units, with Samsung to earn $202 for each unit sold or about $10 billion.

As such, Samsung has already won the Galaxy Note 8 vs. iPhone X battle before it even started, as Apple will launch the $1,000 iPhone X on Nov. 3. If the Galaxy Note 8 sells more units than the iPhone X, it would have beaten its chief rival in the smartphone industry. If the iPhone X sells more units than the Galaxy Note 8, Samsung will earn a lot of money as Apple's supplier.

Apple And Samsung Supplier Relationship

The intriguing relationship between Apple and Samsung started over a decade ago when Lee Jae-yong, the grandson of the conglomerate's founder, personally held negotiations with late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs to supply flash memory for iPods. The partnership between the two companies has since continued, though at times suffering through hardships mostly with the patent infringement lawsuits launched by Apple and Samsung against each other.

Samsung has also remained a major supplier of Apple by necessity, as it is the only significant manufacturer of the OLED displays that are now found in the iPhone X. Apple has urged suppliers such as Japan Display and Sharp to ramp up OLED display production, but it will likely take a lot of time before Apple is able to reduce its dependence on Samsung for iPhone parts.

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
There's now a way for regular people to contribute to Google's Street View photo library, but it's going to cost a lot. Insta360, a Chinese camera maker, just announced that its Insta360 Pro camera has become the first "Street View Ready" certified camera.

That means the Insta360 Pro meets all the requirements needed for capturing independent Street View scenery.

Google Street View Photography

Google has four main classifications for third-party Street View cameras: auto, mobile, VR, and workflow. Insta360 Pro was rated for auto, meaning that it can be attached on top of a moving vehicle to take 360 pictures of its surroundings  these photos will then be added to Street View after being processed via a combination of the Street View app and Insta360's proprietary photo stitcher.

The images could eventually show up on Street View, Google Maps, and even Google Earth  and they'll be credited to the owner of the Insta360 Pro who took them.

Insta360 Pro

That sounds cool and all, but how much does the camera cost? Well, prepare to shell out $3,500 for it. That's a pretty steep price for a 360-degree camera, but to be fair, the Insta360 Pro is nothing short of a powerhouse. Not only does it capture 8K footage, but it also takes 360-degree plus 360-degree 3D images.

The camera even captures 120 fps slow motion video, has image stabilization built-in, and is Wi-Fi and 4G-enabled. This is truly a device for content creators, especially those who produce virtual reality content.

Google will allow Insta360 users to control the camera directly via the Street View app. It is getting the ability to shoot 8K 360-degree images at 5 fps via a software update, which is dedicated to capturing Street View images. Insta360 will also ship a USB accessory that attaches to the camera to add GPS details to captured images.

Despite the price, this certainly seems like a way for Google to let content creators contribute to Street View on their own terms, which is pretty cool and inclusive. This could result in Street View featuring more locales and areas that Google's own Street View car wouldn't otherwise travel to.

That is, of course, if users are willing to pay up thousands of dollars to get the camera. Right now, the Insta360 Pro is the only device certified for auto-based Street View photography, but at least three more cameras will be added to that list.

Going forward, Google plans on loaning it to qualified individuals and organizations who might not be able to afford it.

For more information, make sure to check out Google's Street View website.

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The Kerala High Court on Tuesday granted a bail to Dileep in the sensation Malayalam actress abduction and molestation case.

By India Today Web Desk: In a major development in the Malayalam actress abduction and assault case, Dileep has been granted a bail today by the Kerala High Court. He was given a conditional bail by executing a bond of Rs one lakh. This comes after the court recently extended his remand period till October 12.

Malayalam actress molestation and abduction case: Actor Dileep granted bail by Kerala High Court- ANI (@ANI) October 3, 2017

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Dileep's bail plea was rejected by the court for fives times after the prosecution argued that he might tamper evidence in the case. On the other hand, Dileep's family astrologer had predicted that he would be released after October 2. Dileep, who was arrested on the charges of criminal conspiracy earlier in July, has been lodged at a sub-jail for over 85 days now

Over the last few months, the assault case has seen several twists and turns. Prime accused Pulsar Suni has made some shocking revelations during the course of interrogation. Based on Suni's statements, filmmaker Nadir Shah was questioned for the second time by the SIT.

Recently, the court dismissed Dileep's wife Kavya Madhavan's anticipatory bail plea and assured that they have no intention to arrest her.

In February this year, a popular Malayalam actress was kidnapped and molested by a gang of six men, who reportedly took pictures of the actress to blackmail her. Following Pulsar Suni's confession that he knew Dileep and that it was his plan, the Kerala police arrested the latter.

Meanwhile, Dileep-starrer Ramaleela, which released on September 28, has opened to rave reviews in Kerala. According to sources close to Dileep, he would be released later today after fulfilling bail conditions. Dileep's fans are planning for a grand show of his Ramleela in Kochi. They also distributed sweets to celebrate his release from jail.

( With inputs from Gopi Krishnan Unnithan and Jeeman Jacob )

ALSO WATCH: Dileep's bail plea rejected by Kerala HC for the second time

--- ENDS ---
After restricting the timings for idol immersion following Durga Puja, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee allowed people taking part in a rally in Muharram in Malda district to carry weapons.

By Manogya Loiwal : Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's double standards regarding party politics and minority appeasement have been exposed as Muslims in West Bengal's Malda district observed Muharram by carrying weapons during their processions. Muharram coincided with the last day of Durga puja celebrations.

Malda's Mirjatpur area witnessed around 25,000 to 30,000 people in taziya processions carrying weapons of different shapes. Mamata's being soft on Muslims was evident by the fact that local police station officers, as well as the officer-in-charge (OC), were seen providing security to the procession, which continued till late in the night across the town.

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The TMC government's practising double standards can be gauged from the fact that a few days ago, it had restricted idol immersion till 10 pm on September 30 (Dussehra) and banned immersions the following day, citing Muharram processions across the state.

Faruque Hussain, one of the people carrying weapons, justified the move. "These are not proper arms. They are blunt weapons. We just used them for display. Here the rule is that there will be different groups of people and they will learn how to fight among themselves. Small children too take part in it. All weapons are made of stick or steel. Earlier, people used to fight with sword, but nowadays they don't go for it. Many of them keep roza (fast). All these rituals have been followed for years. We perform these acts to make people aware of what used to happen at that time. We are not fighting, so there is nothing to take permission for. Police know everything so they help us. The Superintendent of Police has also helped us. Police are present on all routes where we used to celebrate the festival. As it is our ritual, we have to follow it every year."

The Calcutta High Court had revoked the state government's decision restricting timings of idol immersion on the day of Dussehra by saying that the administration could not interfere with the people's faith.

However, very few applications were sent seeking permission for idol immersions on Sunday, making it another win for Mamata's Trinamool government .

A local TMC leader sought to clarify further.

Md Asif Hussain said, "The ritual of displaying swords and other weapons is a part of the festival. We don't use them, but just exhibit them as a part of a competition. Muharram is observed to pay homage to all our fighters who have sacrificed their lives during wars. Although we have informed the police regarding our procession, we don't have to take any permission as the weapons are never put to use and nobody is harmed."

ARMED PROCESSION DURING RAM NAVAMI CELEBRATIONS IN APRIL

Similarly in April during the Ram Navami celebrations, the BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) headed by state party president Dilip Ghosh had celebrated the festival with a procession of people carrying weapons for the first time in the state.

The RSS had called the move a part of 'upholding Hindutva' in Bengal.

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Criticising the show of strength, top Muslim clerics in the state had demanded a ban on the right-wing organisation at that time and a complaint had been filed against Ghosh for trying to stoke fear among residents.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had opposed this hardline nature of religion and criticised the BJP for fanning communalism in Bengal. The chief minister had alleged that the people who had used weapons during the rally had violated Bengal's culture, Hindu tradition and law and order as well.

But locals and leaders of the Muslim community have defended the show of weapons this time, calling it a harmless 'tradition' and not anything to cause communal discord or inspire fear among residents.

TRADITION GOING ON FOR DECADES: MUHARRAM COMMITTEE IN MALDA

Members of the Malda Athkoshi Muharram Committee said that the procession was conducted without any permission from officials as it had been a tradition for decades.

Even Trinamool Congress MPs are echoing the same.

TMC MP Idris Ali, "We did everything under the guidance of honorable Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. We accepted both Hindus and Muslims. We accepted idol immersion as well as Muharram. Secular Hindus and secular Muslims all want peace and our honorable Mamata Banerjee is a symbol of communal harmony. Everybody listens to her."

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The TMC-run state machinery justified the need to ensure police supervision. Block Development officer of Ratua block 2 in Malda district stated, "A minor incident took place last year. So this year, tight security arrangements have been made. We will examine the appropriate action that can be taken against those who came with arms and swords in the rally."

But BJP seems to be watching this closely and monitoring it too.

BJP's ARGUMENT

BJP's Malda District chief Subrata Kundu said, "Rituals are supposed to held in peace but we come across with many dangerous situations. There was a huge chaos due to this rally. In some places, even power supply was disrupted. These people didn't take any permission. When our state president took out a rally according to our tradition, a complaint was lodged. But as was seen, the same police allowed the rally. People were frightened seeing this. So we felt that when the government announced that there would be no rally like this, was she talking about an individual community only? We want to raise one question before the administration that is the ban only for the BJP party workers, and not for others. We will write a letter to the police administration that if there is a rule, it should be applied to everyone and not only to us."

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Banerjee's appeasement politics has always been out for all to see as the TMC chief had chosen to stay mum over the triple talaq issue when the Supreme Court had abolished the system in August. Now her double standards are evident as she banned Shastra Pujan but permitted the carrying of weapons in Muharram processions.

(WITH INPUTS FROM BHASKAR RAY IN MALDA)

WATCH VIDEO | Calcutta High Court revokes Mamata's Durga idol immersion order

--- ENDS ---
A day after TTV Dhinakaran was booked under sedition charges for slamming state and Central governments over NEET issue, DMK deputy chief MK Stalin today claimed that he too can be booked under sedition charge.

By Pramod Madhav: A day after TTV Dhinakaran was booked under sedition charges for slamming state and Central governments over NEET issue, DMK deputy chief MK Stalin today claimed that he too can be booked under sedition charges and he was ready to face it.

Dhinakaran was booked under 7 Sections including sedition (124 A).

Stalin claimed that he had been criticising the government for so long and asked if that makes him worthy of being booked for sedition. He has been calling EPS government a 'minority government' and a government saved by 'horse trading'.

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He also implied that cases should be booked against Health Minister Vijayabhaskar, Education Minister Sengottaiyan, Cooperatives Minister Sellur Raju, and even CM Edapadi K Palanisamy over the findings of a document of giving Rs 89 crore for vote in RK Nagar.

Daring that he'll face the sedition charges, Stalin stated that 'contempt of court' charges should also be filed against the State government for not adhering to the court's verdict on making school children attend MGR's birthday centenary celebrations.

--- ENDS ---
Funeral services will be held Friday for Cpl. Michael Middlebrook, the Lafayette police officer killed Sunday night while investigating a shooting at a convenience store.

The Lafayette Police Department said that services will be held at Our Savior's Church at 1201 E. Broussard Road. Visitation will be held at the same location earlier that day, starting at 9 a.m., as well as Thursday night from 5 p.m. until 9 p.m.

Chief Toby Aguillard spoke about Middlebrook before the City-Parish Council Tuesday, describing him as "an officer's officer, and one that was looked up to."

"He was also the cradle of compassion," he said. Aguillard also praised the officers who responded after Middlebrook was shot.

"What those officers did while their brother officer was lying there is some of the most courageous work Ive ever seen," he said.

The man accused of shooting Middlebrook made his first brief court appearance Tuesday and was told he would be held without bond on a count of first-degree murder. Ian Paul Howard, 28, appeared for just a few minutes by teleconference for a hearing before 15th Judicial District Court Commissioner Thomas Frederick.

Howard was booked early Monday morning into the Lafayette Parish Correctional Center after police apprehended him near the Big Boy Discount Zone convenience store, where police say Howard shot at civilians prior to Middlebrook's arrival.

The two civilian victims were treated for non-life-threatening injuries. Howard also faces counts of attempted murder of a police officer and attempted murder.

Howard told Frederick he can afford to hire a private lawyer.

On Monday, Howard's father said that his son suffers from mental illness. Howard does not have prior criminal convictions, according to an arrest affidavit.

Middlebrook, a married father of one daughter and two stepdaughters, was a nine-year veteran with the Lafayette department. Earlier this year he won a statewide award  the Heart of Law Enforcement Award  for collecting food that would be otherwise wasted and distributing it to people in need.

Louisiana State Police, which is handling the investigation, say Middlebrook and another officer responded to a call of an aggravated assault with a gun that minutes later was upgraded to a shooting. "Upon Lafayette PD's arrival, gunfire was exchanged with the subject," according to a state police statement, which added that Howard fled before being quickly apprehended nearby.

The arrest affidavit filed by State Police states that Howard did not cooperate during the arrest process. Howard's mugshot shows his head bandaged and his face marked with bruises and scrapes.

State Police spokesman Master Trooper Brooks David said that Howard "sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was transported to a local hospital for treatment before his incarceration."

The State Police investigation continued Tuesday at the crime scene, where the Big Boy store remained closed during the day. Investigators appeared to be discussing the store's surveillance system with an employee.
Several Baton Rouge residents testified Tuesday about the frightening and, in some cases, life-changing encounters they had with Andre Young on a Sunday morning in July 2014, when he is alleged to have robbed or attempted to rob at least 16 people in just over three hours.

Willie Harris Jr., a Marine Corps veteran, said he planned on going to his hunting camp that day. He never made it. Ellis Hughes was trying to get to a morning church service. He never got there. Jerry Thompson was preparing to go to work. He was shot and injured instead.

Young, 23, of Baton Rouge, is standing trial on 10 counts of armed robbery, six counts of attempted armed robbery, and two counts each of aggravated rape, second-degree kidnapping, attempted second-degree murder and simple burglary.

Harris and Hughes are two of Young's alleged armed robbery victims. Young is charged with the attempted murder of Thompson.

Harris testified Young robbed him of his hunting pistol and cash during a chilling encounter outside Harris' Huron Street home the morning of July 27, 2014. Harris said Young, then 19, even called him by name, addressing him as "Mr. Willie," before demanding that he "give it up."

Harris said he turned over his loaded hunting pistol and about $35 in cash to Young.

"He said, 'That's all you got? I ought to shoot you,'" Harris recalled in front of an East Baton Rouge Parish jury. "I said, 'Maybe so, that's all I got.'"

Harris said he identified Young as the person who robbed him at gunpoint after Young was arrested later that day.

"He had a gun pointed at my stomach," Harris noted.

Prosecutors say Young used the gun he stole from Harris to shoot Thompson man later that morning.

Thompson and Hughes live across the street from each other on Ontario Street.

Hughes told the jury he walked next door to Walter Polk's house to borrow his cellphone to call his sister for a ride to church when an armed Young approached, demanding the phone and threatening to kill him. After Young knocked Hughes to the ground, Hughes said, he crawled under a nearby trailer in an attempt to get away but Young started to drag him back.

"I thought, 'My God, I'm gonna die,'" Hughes said.

Hughes credits Thompson with saving his life by distracting Young. Hughes said Thompson called out to Hughes and Polk, who were yelling for help.

"He hollered, 'What's going on over there'?" Hughes said of Thompson. "The guy (Young) just left and ran toward him." Hughes said he ran and jumped over a fence, then heard a gunshot.

Thompson showed the jury where he was shot in the lower hip. After he was shot, he hid under a pickup truck.

"I thought he was going to shoot me again," Thompson said. But instead, he said, Young took some electronics from the truck and walked away to his car.

"All he took was half of my life," Thompson said, noting that he spent two weeks in the hospital after the shooting and then another week after infection set in.

Thompson said he said absolutely nothing to the shooter.

"He didn't give me a chance," Thompson said. "When I ran, I felt the bullet."

Polk said Young threatened to kill him. Young is charged with attempted armed robbery of Polk.

Young also is accused of abducting and raping two of his alleged armed robbery victims. The two women are sisters.

An aggravated rape conviction would put Young behind bars for the rest of his life.

The trial will resume Wednesday in state District Judge Richard Anderson's 19th Judicial District courtroom.
Operators of early childhood centers and the state Department of Education are embroiled in a battle on whether state officials should have access to cameras that help monitor the children.

The operators say no.

"This is what people need to know," Alan Young, legislative chairman for the influential Childcare Association of Louisiana, or CCAL, and the operator of a child care center in Shreveport said Monday.

"We put the systems in for us," Young said. "We didn't put them in for the parents. We didn't put them in for the state."

Gary Jones, president of the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, has a different view.

"I can say that, if a child is involved and there is video footage, the state is perfectly within its rights," said Jones, who lives in Alexandria.

Sydni Dunn, a spokeswoman for the department, made a similar comment.

"It is critical for the department to have access to all records related to incidents in order to keep kids safe," Dunn said Tuesday in an email response to questions.

The issue pits advocates of public access  in this case care for toddlers and others  against operators of private firms who contend the department is guilty of state government overreach.

"CCAL believes that this is a violation of our members' privacy rights," according to association documents.

State Sen. Beth Mizell, R-Franklinton, has asked for an attorney general's opinion on the dispute.

When such an opinion will be issued is unclear.

The state has around 1,500 licensed child care centers.

Louisiana seeks more time to implement new criminal background checks for child care workers State officials said Wednesday they expect to get an one-year extension in their overhaul of

The centers are not required to install cameras, and by one estimate only about 25 percent have them.

The dispute stems from a little noticed rules change approved by BESE in August. That modification, over the objections of child care operators, added recordings to the list of items available to state inspectors.

Cindy Bishop, executive director of the Childcare Association, said the August rule misses the point of the cameras.

Bishop said the cameras, in some cases, allow parents to see their children remotely.

In addition, she said, operators use them to help adjudicate disputes, including when a mom, dad or guardian levels accusations.

Budget trouble spells problems for Louisiana early education With little fanfare, state aid for Louisiana's youngest children was sliced by state policym

Bishop said the cameras have limitations, including the lack of sound.

"This should not be part of the licensing inspection," she said. "There is too much room for misinterpretation when there is a video feed with no audio."

Critics also contend that, since the early learning centers are private, they are not covered by the state's open records law.

Young operates a center that can house 331 children.

He recently had a $16,000, 64-camera electronic video system installed to monitor activities.

"I am not a public entity," Young said. "I am private. That is private information for me."

Said Jones, "They may be private but they are taking public money. When they take public money, there are some obligations that go with that."

Jones also cited a case in September when the state Department of Education revoked the license of an early learning center in Orleans Parish. The department did so after a 3-year-old girl left the facility and was found hiding in the center's parking lot near a large truck.

In that case, Jones said, video footage could shed light on how operators responded to the toddler's disappearance.

Young said his video system recycles every 12 hours, which he said overrides the previous material, and that operators of other centers will opt for similar systems.

"Even if the state wants to see my data they will never see it," he said.

In her request for an attorney general's opinion, Mizell said owners of early childhood centers buy cameras to protect themselves from liability or to allow parent portals.

"As the cameras do not provide a panoramic view of the classroom or all the activities in the classroom, the limited view provided could be misleading," she wrote.

Any opinion by state Attorney General Jeff Landry would be advisory and not have the effect of law.
By PTI: Bhind, Oct 3 (PTI) A 55-year-old head constable committed suicide on the premises of Roun police station in this district, allegedly after a spat with his senior officer over cleaning up the place under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (SBA) on Mahatma Gandhis birth anniversary yesterday, the police said today.

"Ramkumar Shukla killed himself by consuming some poisonous substance after he and police inspector SS Gaur had an altercation over cleaning the police station on Gandhi Jayanti under the SBA," superintendent of police Anil Singh Kushwah told PTI.

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Shukla was initially rushed to the district hospital and then to Gwalior, where he died last night.

Meanwhile, the head constables family members held a protest with his body near the City Kotwali police station demanding that Gaur and Kushwah be booked for murder.

The SP said he had already ordered a probe into the suicide and that Gaur has been "line attached" (taken off the field duty).

Shuklas family members alleged that the SP failed to act even though the head constable called him up and sought his intervention.

"In a bid to calm him (Shukla) down, I told him over phone to join the duty in police line if he was not adjusting with the inspector. What wrong did I do?" he asked.

However, the deceased head constables son Vikas alleged that Gaur had beaten up his father who was unwell, which he said prompted him to consume poison.

Further investigation is on. PTI LAL MAS NSK BAS

--- ENDS ---
LAS VEGAS (AP)  Rob Ledbetter's battlefield instincts kicked in quickly as bullets rained overhead.

The 42-year-old U.S. Army veteran who served as a sniper in Iraq immediately began tending to the wounded, one of several heroes to emerge from the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history. Amid the massacre in Las Vegas, which left 59 people dead and more than 500 injured, there were acts of compassion and countless heroics that officials say saved scores of lives.

Can't see video below? Click here.

There was a man one survivor knows only as Zach who herded people to a safe place. There was a registered nurse from Tennessee who died shielding his wife.

Like many people in the crowd of some 22,000 country music fans Sunday night, Ledbetter heard the pop-pop-popping noise and figured it was fireworks. Then he saw people dropping to the ground. When more booms echoed in the night air, he recognized the sound of automatic weapons fire.

The gunman, identified as Stephen Craig Paddock, a 64-year-old retired accountant from Mesquite, Nevada, created his own sniper's perch inside the 32nd floor room at the Mandalay Bay casino hotel, across from the concert grounds. He appeared to fire unhindered for more than 10 minutes, according to radio traffic, and then killed himself before officers stormed in and found 23 firearms.

"The echo, it sounded like it was coming from everywhere and you didn't know which way to run," said Ledbetter, who was at the concert with seven people including his brother, who was shot and injured, and his wife. They found cover in a VIP area of the concert. Once out of harm's way, he turned to injured strangers.

Thanks to a man who took the flannel shirt off his back, Ledbetter says he put a makeshift tourniquet on a wounded teenage girl, whose face was covered with blood.

"Some random guy, I said, 'I need your shirt,' "said Ledbetter, who is now a mortgage broker and a resident of Las Vegas. "He just gave me the flannel off his back."

Ledbetter said he compressed someone else's shoulder wound, and he fashioned a bandage for a man whose leg was shot through by a bullet.

"There was a guy that looked like he had a through and through on his leg, that we just put a T-shirt around and just did a bandanna tie," said Ledbetter, who was outside University Medical Center on Monday, where his brother was being treated for a gunshot that went through his arm and into his chest. He is expected to survive.

Ledbetter and others grabbed the injured man, carried him out to Las Vegas Boulevard, put him in the back of a utility truck with five to 10 other people that was headed to the hospital.

Ledbetter said he would have helped more people but couldn't clear the barrage of gunfire.

"I'm saving people, or trying to do my best. But it got to the point, I saw people all over, laying where we used to be standing ... just laying there and nobody getting to them and I couldn't get out there. The shots just kept coming in and bouncing. I would have been in harm's way," he said.

He worries that those unfamiliar with battlefields will suffer what they have survived.

"Everybody there is going to have emotional problems. I know that. There was blood everywhere I went: Excalibur, Luxor, on the Strip, on the street," Ledbetter said. "All these people are going to have PTSD. I feel bad for all of them."

Another concertgoer, Anna Kupchyan, credits a man she knows only as Zach for saving her life and about nine others when he herded them into an outdoor trailer serving as a restroom.

Kupchyan, a 27-year-old law student from Los Angeles, said bullets were raining down on the crowd as she and a horde of others began running in search of a way out of the outdoor venue.

The man, Zach, opened a door and ordered people inside and then joined them and shut the door, Kupchyan said.

They stayed inside as the shooting continued, everyone paralyzed in fear, she said.

"Then security came and they shouted for us to get out, to run," she recalled. Outside the trailer, dead bodies were sprawled on the ground, including a man who had been shot in the head, she said.

She and her best friend Leslie Aguilar, a 26-year-old therapist, eventually jumped in a cab that was driving by and befriended two other women survivors who let them stay in their hotel room until the danger subsided.

Not all of Sunday night's heroes survived.

Sonny Melton, a registered nurse, died in the shooting, according to The Henry County Medical Center in Paris, Tennessee, where he worked.

His wife, Dr. Heather Melton, an orthopedic surgeon who was with him when shots were fired, survived.

She told WZTV in Nashville, Tennessee, that her husband "saved my life and lost his." She said her husband was the most kind-hearted, loving man she ever met.

___

Associated Press Writers Jocelyn Gecker in San Francisco and Anita Snow in Las Vegas contributed to this report.
LAS VEGAS (AP)  The Las Vegas gunman's girlfriend, back in the United States after a weekslong trip abroad, will be at the center of the inve
The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday handed former Louisiana death row inmate Rogers LaCaze a major victory in his bid for a new trial over the most infamous New Orleans massacre in a generation  the 1995 triple slaying of a New Orleans police officer and two others inside the Kim Anh Restaurant.

In a one-paragraph ruling, the high court vacated a state Supreme Court decision last year that upheld LaCaze's conviction on three counts of first-degree murder.

The U.S. Supreme Court sent the case back to Louisiana with a finding that the state Supreme Court failed to properly review one of LaCaze's main arguments for a new trial: the fact that retired Criminal District Court Judge Frank Marullo, who presided over the case, failed to reveal that he was central to a police investigation into the release of the possible murder weapon to LaCaze's alleged accomplice, former New Orleans Police Officer Antoinette Frank, prior to the triple killing.

At the time, it wasn't unusual for judges to sign over weapons from unclaimed police evidence to officers for their personal use.

Marullo's signature appeared on a release order granting the weapon, a 9mm Beretta semi-automatic weapon, to Frank. Police questioned Marullo following the triple murder, and the judge denied he signed the order himself, claiming it was a forgery, though the officer accused of faking the signature was cleared of wrongdoing.

Investigators returned to question Marullo both during and after LaCaze's trial, but he declined to answer questions, citing his role in overseeing the case.

Lacaze's appellate lawyers have long argued that neither Marullo nor the state disclosed any of that information to the attorney who represented Lacaze at his trial, Willie Turk, and that the judge should have recused himself.

Only at Frank's trial months later was it revealed that the Beretta, which Frank had reported stolen before the murders, came from the NOPD's evidence and property room.

But the Louisiana Supreme Court dismissed LaCaze's argument about the gun investigation.

It found that even if Marullo had disclosed his possible connection to the murder weapon, "LaCaze has pointed to no evidence that the judge harbored any bias, prejudice or personal interest in the case, let alone to such an extent that it rendered him unable to conduct a fair trial."

That wasn't good enough for the U.S. Supreme Court, which directed the Louisiana Supreme Court to revisit the case in light of a recent ruling in which the high court found that recusal is required when "the risk of bias" on the part of a judge is "too high to be constitutionally tolerable."

+2 Appeals court overturns new trial for Rogers LaCaze in infamous 1995 triple murder A state appeals court panel has reversed a judges ruling last summer granting a new trial t

Amir Ali, an appellate lawyer with the MacArthur Justice Center who argued LaCaze's case, said that whether Marullo actually signed the order for the weapon didn't matter. It was his refusal to disclose his role as a witness in a related police investigation while presiding over LaCaze's trial that tainted the case, Ali said.

"We don't want a system where judges are both judge and witness, and the Constitution doesn't tolerate a system where judges have background information about a case that could be important to one of the parties and fail to disclose that information," Ali said.

The U.S. Supreme Court declined to reverse the state court outright, but Ali described it as a "strong message" that the high court "thinks there is a serious issue, and a serious constitutional violation here, and this is a way of having the Louisiana Supreme Court get it right."

The decision marks a stunning turn for LaCaze, who won a fleeting victory in January 2016 when an ad hoc state judge, Michael Kirby, granted him a new trial based on a different challenge.

Kirby, a former state 4th Circuit Court of Appeal jurist, was assigned to the case after Marullo recused himself from post-conviction proceedings.

In a lengthy ruling after a prolonged series of hearings, Kirby found the evidence of LaCazes guilt was overwhelming, and he dismissed a litany of claims filed by LaCaze's attorneys, including the issue involving Marullo and the gun.

Instead, Kirby granted a new trial based on the fact a juror at LaCaze's trial had failed to mention he was a state law enforcement officer. Such commissioned officers were legally barred from serving on juries at the time, though the law has since been changed.

An appeals court panel swiftly reversed Kirby's decision, however, in a terse ruling that offered little explanation.

LaCaze, now 41, appealed to the Louisiana Supreme Court, which unanimously upheld the appeals court in an 18-page ruling that seemed to deal a fatal blow to his shot at a new trial.

During the appeal process, District Attorney Leon Cannizzaro's office agreed to scrap LaCaze's death sentence. A spokesman for Cannizzaro's office said it would not immediately comment on Monday's ruling.

Frank, meanwhile, remains on Louisiana's death row, the last Orleans Parish murder convict to stay there.

Killed in the massacre were Frank's fellow officer, Ronald "Ronnie" Williams II, and siblings Ha Vu and Cuong Vu.

Both Williams' father, Ron, and the Vus' sister, Chau Vu, have said they fear a new trial and being forced to relive the slayings of their loved ones over days of testimony.

"There's no finality," Ron Williams has said about the appellate battle in the case. "I won't be relieved until it's really over."

Many consider the Kim Anh massacre the low point in image and morale for a New Orleans police force then plagued by endemic corruption and a murder rate that was more than twice as high as it is these days.

Officer Williams had worked a security detail at the restaurant with Frank, then 23, who dined there on the evening of the killings with LaCaze  thought to be her 18-year-old boyfriend.

Frank had brought Chau Vu to the rear of the restaurant when Williams was gunned down, according to trial testimony. Frank then rushed to the front of the restaurant, and Ha Vu and Cuong Vu were also killed.

Chau Vu hid in a walk-in cooler with two others, and Frank joined other NOPD officers as they responded to a 911 call reporting the massacre. She was arrested after survivors identified her as one of the attackers.

LaCaze was accused of using Williams' credit card to buy gas shortly after the slayings. But he maintained that he was at a pool hall during the carnage.

It is not known whether investigators ever found the pistol used in the triple slaying.

But, in the late 1990s, Frank's brother, Adam, was arrested in Rayville in northeastern Louisiana while living there under a pseudonym.

Adam Frank had allegedly bragged that he had killed a New Orleans police officer, and he had a pistol that matched the caliber, make and model of the Kim Anh restaurant murder weapon, according to court filings from LaCaze's attorneys.

The serial number on the gun had been rubbed off, but crime lab personnel recovered a portion of it, which matched the pistol that police believe Antoinette Frank had acquired from the NOPD's evidence room.

However, the recovered gun was destroyed before anyone could test it against bullets and casings found at the restaurant, according to statements at a court hearing years ago.
Power companies that cut electricity to people on life support, in breach of supply rules, have been handed fines of $20,000 for each incident.

The Australian Energy Regulator (AER) on Tuesday slapped Energex and TasNetworks with fines after they breached the National Energy Retail Rules, and potentially put lives at risk.

There have been numerous incidents of power supplies being cut to the homes of people on life support. Credit:Nicolas Walker

TasNetworks was fined $60,000 and Energex $40,000, after they both failed to give a minimum of four days notice to people registered as having life support equipment in their homes.

This is not the first time incidents such as these have occurred. Ausgrid alone has received more than $100,000 in fines for six breaches of its life support protection obligations over the last 12 months.
By PTI: ousting Virbhadra Singh

Bilaspur (HP), Oct 3 (PTI) Union minister J P Nadda today listed out the initiatives taken by the Centre for the upliftment of Himachal Pradesh and asked the people to vote out the "corrupt" Congress-led government in the state.

Hitting out at Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh over a slew of corruption charges against him, Nadda said the people should vote for an "honest, efficient and corruption-free government" in the coming elections.

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Addressing the Abhar rally here, the health minister said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given liberal financial aid and developmental projects to the state, and the only way to pay back was to oust the Congress government and install the BJP government in the state.

"The AIIMS coming up in the state at a cost of Rs 1,350 crore and spread over an area of 200 acres would revolutionise the economy of the state. The facility will have 30 specialties, medical and nursing colleges with intake of 100 MBBS and 50 nursing students, 750 bedded hospital, hostel accommodation for 1,400 students, researchers and doctors. It will also provide direct employment to 3,000 persons and indirect employment to thousands of others," he said.

It will bring revolution in Bilaspur area and cater to the needs of locals and tourists, he said.

The senior BJP leader said a steel processing plant set up at a cost of Rs 70 crore would ensure supply of cheap steel and reduce construction cost.

Similarly, the Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) in Una district would also usher in an era of digitisation and lay the foundation stone of modern Himachal, he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who launched the BJPs campaign in the poll-bound state today, inaugurated the Digital Nerve Centre (DiNC) set up by TATA Trusts and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to transform the health care system in Bilaspur. PTI PCL SRY

--- ENDS ---
David Grant Ballina The next few days will be very busy for the leading members of the NRA as they harass every member of Congress, warning them against any move to tighten gun controls in the US. Perhaps the head of the NRA will be able to explain the way a good guy with a gun could have protected anybody from this bad guy with a gun. Don Firth Wooli The NRA claims that the only way to stop a bad guy with a gun is having a good guy with a gun. Guess he in wasn't in Las Vegas at the time. Geoff Linn Mt Gilead

North Korean alarm By incorporating sea-to-air weapons in our next generation of frigates due to start building In 2020, what do we do in the meantime? ("Navy gets missile defence powers", October 3) Pyongyang is not going to wait; its ICBMs are launch-ready and its nukes get bigger by the day. Well before we are ready, the missiles could well have done their worst. Does the government not realise the real and present danger? The alarm bells are ringing, and we need land-based stop-gap measures long before the frigates hit the water or alien missiles their targets. Robin Hutcheon Randwick Foreign Minister Julie Bishop criticises Obama but praises Trump's policy on North Korea ("Trump's 'fire and fury' on North Korea plays dividends says Bishop", October 2). During the Obama administration there were 12 missile tests in eight years, five of those in 2016. In eight months of Trump's administration there have been 15 tests. Julie Bishop said that the Obama approach had not worked, but Trump's had "changed the debate". it certainly has. And tripled the launches by North Korea. Finbar O'Donoghue Telopea

Holding on strong: finding reasons to stay alive Unfortunately, just a few months ago I experienced exactly the same thoughts as Jeffrey Davitz ("I prepared to die, then kept on living", October 3). Living with peripheral neuropathy for the past few years along with the associated constant frozen feet and severe pain, and the sudden onslaught of atrial fibrillation in January this year, made me feel life was not tenable any more. These feelings were dire, indeed. The only hydraulic brake holding me back was the desire to see my young grandson grow. I struggled over several months to get used to "the new normal". When the going gets really tough, it is better to hold on strong seeking support from all the quarters, and take it, just, day by day. Muthukrishnan Srinivasan Lane Cove Jeffrey Davitz reports that immediately following his diagnosis of brain cancer he made plans to ask for assistance to die under California's new law but was unable to do so because of a delay in implementing the law. But at that time Davitz was not in the terminal stage of a terminal illness and was not experiencing unbearable pain and suffering. California law, and all the laws being contemplated in Australia, require fulfilment of these conditions, and he would not have qualified at that stage of his disease. It is wonderful that DavitzKravtiz had some remission in his disease, but his case does nothing to nullify the desirability of a properly regulated assisted dying regime in Australia. Liz Jacka Marrickville

If you need support contact: Lifeline 13 11 14 Puppets dancing at end of Adani string Exactly what evil is pulling the puppet strings of both the LNP and ALP, causing them to open the way for Adani in this country? ("Adani's record undesirable: ex-minister of the environment", October 3). Our venerable government is also wanting to lend them $1 billion to build the railway infrastructure to take the product to the murkily foreign-owned Abbot Point port at the Great Barrier Reef, through which it will then travel to reach its destinations, with all profits going offshore to tax havens. Meanwhile, Queensland's Labor government is granting Adani unlimited access to the water of the Great Artesian Basin for 60 years, justifying its attitude with the promise of thousands of jobs. Even if this were true, the damage that will be done to the land, the water, the reef and the climate, not to mention the Australian tourism industry, is immense and irreversible. Catherine Moore Braidwood The corrupt nature of Adani's financial empire, together with its failure rate in environmental remediation, has been on the record for some years. Australian banks have been canny enough to refuse funding, yet Malcolm Turnbull is content to ignore the colossal damage posed to farmlands, water table and reef; and Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk concocts absurd employment figures which ignore the robotic revolution. Even India's former environment minister, Jairam Ramesh, is appalled by Australia's approval of the Carmichael mine. Turnbull might justify his antiquated addiction to coal by pointing to the prospect of a healthy financial ledger. Yet Ramesh says that the cost associated with the Adani venture will make the export price prohibitive and well out the reach of Indian consumers.

Jenny Blain Pyrmont Adani's "promise" to "make good" any consequent water supply problems seems hollow in view of the environmental record alleged by Four Corners . How is the government going to be able to police hundreds of environmental conditions set down in allowing the mine to go ahead? Self-monitoring by the company is unlikely to "reveal" any breaches. Iris Bryce Felton Josh Frydenberg states that there are more than 300 strict conditions for Adani to comply with, and this will create thousands of jobs. Environmental laws have been ignored in India countless times by Adani, and if the fiasco of the Murray-Darling Basin that is overseen by this government is anything to go by, I would not trust either party.

Zuzu Burford Heathcote A message to Annastacia and Malcolm from a taxpayer and voter re Adani subsidies and support: "There are none so blind (or self-serving) as those who will not see." We, the voters, do see. As you will find out in due course. Kathryn Lai Engadine SSO disappointment It was disappointing to hear of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra's (SSO) change from neutrality regarding the same-sex survey ("SSO now supports 'yes' vote", October 2). It seems that many corporates like the SSO are encouraging a "yes" vote as they think it's all about "love" or "human rights". Marriage is about neither of these. Marriage is about procreation, parenting and the right of children to have, and to know, who their mother and father is. There's a right and wrong way of having children. A marriage between a man and a woman is the right way. Two men and two women can never marry in the proper sense of the word. They can have a commitment ceremony  call it what you like  but it's not marriage. I would feel let down by any change to the Marriage Act which in my view would undermine the sanctity of the marriage institution and erode the rights of children.

Alan Barron Grovedale Brian Hanley (Letters, October 3) reports that in the country, most people do not support the proposed change because they "feel that change is being foisted upon them". What rubbish. Can someone please get the message across to the doubters, ultra-conservatives and fence-sitters that all this is about is marriage equality  allowing those who choose to, to marry another of the same sex. And please remind them that the conflated issues that Abbott, Bernardi, Hanson and the various religious leaders are peddling are irrelevant. They are doing this because they know that they have no argument against the simple issue  addressing a discriminatory piece of legislation. John Whiteing Willoughby Owners' rights I am an owner in a small strata complex. At an annual general meeting several years ago, 100 per cent of the owners resolved to create a bylaw disallowing holiday lettings (Letters, October 2). This was democratically arrived at within a corporation 100 per cent owned by the unit holders. The recent decision of NCAT to overrule a democratic decision made within a private corporation seems to me to be a ruling against democracy itself. Any current owner or subsequent purchaser of a strata lot where there are similar bylaws in place should be accepting of these majority wishes and not have the right to challenge them. Airbnb, it is said, is the largest hotelier in the world, but does not own any property. Yet with the backing of NCAT it can take away control of our precious, hard-earned lifestyle.

Edward Watts Allambie Heights Just another form of murder It is ironic that Malcolm Turnbull spoke heartfelt sympathy from the nation to the US for the mass shootings in Las Vegas while speaking from the podium at the Pacific 2017: International Maritime Exposition and Sea Power Conference. Killing is killing. Scott Ramsay Strathdale Express travel

What a luxury  11 minutes extra travel for CBD peak period morning travellers (Revealed: Sydney's slowest commutes", October 3). Just as well you don't need to use the rail system to the Southern Highlands. We spent less than seven hours flying home from Singapore on Saturday  and then four hours from the airport (after clearing customs) before reaching home in Bowral. Owen Dally Burradoo A cup of tea for the road I mercifully dodged all the addictive genes: tobacco, alcohol, narcotics, hallucinogens and gambling. Decriminalise, regulate the lot and fully support the less fortunate with the modest tax revenue. Try taking tea and coffee away from grandma. A lifetime addiction. Steve Ruthven Gosford

Don't call us... At 6:45 pm today  middle of dinner  we received an automated survey described as being about "public transport" (Letters, October 2). First question was about who I would vote for at the next federal election. Since any surveys from callers who do not identify themselves and who they are surveying for are automatically disqualified, I hung up. Callers should remember this. Bob Liddelow Avalon Walkies You took your dog to the Botanic Gardens, did you Robyn Fitzroy? ("Letters, October 2) Is nowhere dog free in this city?
Once again, we are numb with horror. Once again, we are pierced by grief for the United States, a country to which we are bound by ties of culture, history, language, family, friendship. A country in some ways so much like our own, but in its love affair with the gun, so utterly alien. This time, we are forced to comprehend how a man can legally assemble a large arsenal of high-powered weapons without raising the slightest alarm. How he can transport them to a hotel room unremarked, and then, in about the time it takes to boil a kettle and make a cup of tea, end the lives of scores of people and wound, maim and traumatise hundreds more.

There is no way to fully understand what tipped this man, by all accounts a prosperous and stable member of the community with no history of violence, over the line into homicidal barbarity. Whether it was evil, ideology or illness or some combination of the three, he was in no way normal. But nor was he unique.

On average, there is a mass shooting, defined as an incident where four or more people are killed or wounded, every day in the US. Since the Sandy Hook Elementary School killings of 2012, when a gunman slaughtered 20 children and six adults, there have been more than 1500 such acts.

It is incomprehensible to us, as Australians, that a country so proud and great can allow itself to be savaged again and again by its own citizens. We cannot understand how the long years of senseless murder, the Sandy Hooks and Orlandos and Columbines, have not proved to Americans that the gun is not a precious symbol of freedom, but a deadly cancer on their society.
The Turnbull government has declared the postal survey will be an authoritative verdict on same-sex marriage, after the Australian Bureau of Statistics revealed nearly 60 per cent of eligible Australians have already voted.

The bureau said it had received 9.2 million survey forms - or 57.5 per cent of the 16 million total - as of Friday, with five weeks to go before the deadline for responses to be received.

Although lower than the estimate in two recent polls, the turnout is widely viewed as substantial and in line with expectations. It already eclipses the 47 per cent turnout in a 1998 postal ballot on delegates to a constitutional convention, and is close to exceeding the 60.5 per cent turnout at the 2015 Irish referendum on same-sex marriage.

Acting Special Minister of State Mathias Cormann, who has responsibility for the survey, said the preliminary figures showed Australians were "enthusiastically embracing the opportunity to have their say" on same-sex marriage.
An inquest has heard there is "no compelling evidence" to suggest Matthew Leveson was killed by his boyfriend Michael Atkins, despite Mr Atkins leading police to the 20-year-old's remains in an unmarked grave at the Royal National Park this year.

On Tuesday, NSW deputy state coroner Elaine Truscott heard final submissions into the death of Mr Leveson, who was last seen leaving ARQ nightclub in Sydney with Mr Atkins, 54, in the early hours of September 23, 2007.

Almost a decade later, in a police interview after being granted immunity, Mr Atkins said Mr Leveson died of an overdose after leaving the club, so he panicked and buried his body.

In a submission to the court on behalf of his family, Matthew's father Mark Leveson rejected that explanation, saying Mr Atkins was responsible.
A murder trial jury has been sent home early for a second time after hearing the delay was attributable to the defendants present state of mind.

Eunji Ban was found dead in Wickham Park on the morning of November 24, 2013.

Alex Reuben McEwan, 23, is accused of murdering Eunji Ban in Brisbane's CBD early in the morning of November 24, 2013, after going out looking to kill someone.

He has pleaded not guilty to murdering the 22-year-old. His barrister formally admitted he killed her but indicated he planned to run a defence of insanity.

On Tuesday morning, jurors were played just a few minutes of blunt confessions by McEwan to police, before they were sent out of the room.
The first council in the country to abandon Australia Day citizenship ceremonies has passed a motion putting pressure on the Turnbull government to "clear a pathway" to Australian citizenship for Rohingya asylum seekers because "leadership has to start somewhere".

On Monday night the City of Yarra Council, in Melbourne's inner-east, passed the motion which "calls on the Australian government to acknowledge the United Nation's concerns about the military-led 'ethnic cleansing' of the Rohingya in Myanmar".

City of Yarra Mayor Amanda Stone (right) introduced the motion which was passed on Monday night. Credit:Justin McManus

The motion, introduced by Greens mayor Amanda Stone, also called for Australia to end co-operation with Myanmar's military and sanction officials involved in the "atrocities".

However Institute of Public Affairs research fellow Daniel Wild said the City of Yarra Council motion was a "virtue signalling policy" that was an international matter, not one for local councils.
A paedophile who lured two children with icy-poles from a North Perth childcare centre before sexually assaulting them has been jailed for 10 years.

Vincenzo Mule, 54, was sentenced in the Perth District Court on Wednesday. His 10 year jail term means he will be eligible for parole after eight years.

CCTV footage showed the children being led away from the child care centre in April 2016.

Judge Simon Stone said Mule's crimes were brazen and abhorrent.

"You abducted two very young children... by enticing them to follow you. Your actions were brazen," he said.
WA police will be given extraordinary powers to shoot to kill suspected terrorists on the spot to save hostages in the "event of a violent extremist act".

The McGowan government is introducing the counter terrorism legislation to prevent a repeat of the Lindt Cafe siege where police waited too long in an attempt to rescue hostages from the gunman Man Haron Monis.

Pictures from the siege at Lindt Cafe in Martin Place on in Sydney, Australia. Credit:Daniel Munoz

NSW Coroner Michael Barnes' inquiry into the siege found that commanders relied on "flawed advice" from negotiators and a police psychiatrist that underplayed the risk Monis posed and overestimated their chances of a peaceful resolution, the coroner found.

Storming the cafe in a surprise assault to end the terrorist attack would have been safer.
Police are hunting for a man who dragged an elderly woman along the ground during a robbery in Perth's southern suburbs.

Rockingham Detectives are investigating the robbery on the 84-year-old woman in the Kwinana suburb of Calista on Monday.

The woman's handbag was taken during the robbery. Credit:Virginia Star

It happened at about 11.45am as the woman was walking along Bright Road.

Police say a man approached her before grabbing her handbag and attempted to pull it from her.
Strasbourg: Talks regarding Britain's exit from the European Union have failed to make enough progress to allow negotiations to proceed to discussing a future trade relationship, the EU's most senior leaders say.

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and EU chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier said despite four rounds of talks, there was a lack of progress on three key issues necessary to be solved before talks can proceed.

This will prevent the commission, which negotiates on behalf of the whole EU, from recommending that EU leaders approve moving on to talks about Britain's future relationship with the bloc.

"We have not yet made the sufficient progress needed," Juncker said. "I can't say that we are ready to enter the second phase of the negotiations."
By PTI: New Delhi, Oct 3 (PTI) Indian Navy Chief Admiral Sunil Lanba today began a five-day visit to Vietnam with an aim to further boost defence cooperation between the two countries.

Lanba, who is also chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee, will meet Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Defence Minister General Ngo Xuan Lich, Chief of General Staff and Vice Minister of National Defence Van Giang.

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He will also hold extensive talks with Rear Admiral Pham Hoai Nam, Commander-in-Chief of the Vietnam Navy, the Navy said.

Lanbas visit comes amid increasing assertiveness by China in the resource-rich South China Sea and the issue is likely to be discussed in his talks with Vietnamese leaders.

Chinas claims over the South China Sea are opposed by Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan. China has been also objecting to Indias oil exploration projects in the disputed waters.

India has been calling for resolving the maritime dispute peacefully in accordance with international law.

"The visit aims to consolidate cooperation between the Armed Forces of India and Vietnam and also to explore new avenues of defence cooperation," the Navy statement said.

Lanba will also visit the National Defence Academy of Vietnam, where he will interact with student officers and faculty members and deliver a talk on the Importance of Maritime Power.

Defence cooperation between India and Vietnam has been on an upswing with the primary focus being cooperation in the maritime domain.

India and Vietnam had signed a protocol on defence cooperation in 1994. The partnership was thereafter elevated to strategic level in 2007 and a pact on bilateral boosting defence cooperation was signed in 2009.

The strategic partnership was elevated to a comprehensive strategic partnership in September 2016.

The Indian Navy cooperates with the Vietnam Peoples Navy on many issues, which include operational interactions and training.

Warships from Indian Navy have been regularly visiting ports at Vietnam, with Indian Naval Ships Satpura and Kadmat recently making port call at Hai Phong from September 23 to 27.

The Vietnamese Navy ship Dinh Tien Hoang, a Gepoard Class Frigate, also visited Visakhapatnam in February 2016, for participation in the International Fleet Review - 2016. PTI MPB ZMN

--- ENDS ---
if the people of Biafra want Republic of Biafra, it will be a reality during my administration. ----Donald Trump Donald Trump I wi...
By PTI: (Eds: Updating with fresh inputs)

By Sajjad Hussain

Islamabad, Oct 2 (PTI) Nawaz Sharif is set to be re- elected as the president of Pakistans ruling PML-N tomorrow as Parliament today passed a controversial bill, paving the way for the ousted prime ministers return.

Sharif, 67, had to step down as the chief of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) after he was disqualified as the prime minister by the Supreme Court on July 28 in the Panama Papers scandal.

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The Election Reforms Bill 2017, whose copies were torn by the protesting opposition parties in the National Assembly (NA) -- the lower house of the Parliament -- has a clause that allows politicians disqualified from holding public office to head a political party.

The bill had already been passed by the NA and the Senate -- the upper house of the Parliament -- but was returned to the lower house for fresh votes on the Senates amendments.

According to PML-N sources, the new bill would be signed by the President tomorrow after which it would become a law and enable Sharif to be elected as the party chief.

Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insafs (PTI) senior leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that the Clause 203 was against the spirit of the Constitution and was incorporated to accommodate Sharif.

"Sharif has been disqualified under the Article 62 of the Constitution and cannot hold any office," Qureshi said and announced to challenge it in the Supreme Court.

Pakistan Peoples Party, Jamaat-i-Islami and Awami Muslim League also opposed the bill, which was introduced by Law Minister Zahid Hamid.

The protest, however, could not stop the government from getting the bill passed in the National Assembly where the ruling PML-N party enjoys a majority.

Earlier, the Central Working Committee of the PML-N passed a resolution reposing its confidence in the leadership of Sharif, Pakistani media reported.

The leaders also agreed to amend the partys Constitution so that any person could assume the presidency even if that person did not hold public office, Dawn newspaper reported.

PML-N chairman Raja Zafarul Haq presided over the CWC session, which was also attended by Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif, Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and interim president Senator Sardar Yaqub Nasir.

Earlier in the day, an informal advisory session was held after Nawaz returned to Punjab House after appearing before an accountability court.

Nawaz had appeared before the Accountability Court today after being summoned in connection with three graft cases prepared by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) against him and his family in the Panama Papers case.

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However, he was not formally charged with a crime as his lawyer argued that all of the accused in the case must be present in court before they could be indicted. The accused ? Nawaz; his children Hussain, Hassan, and Maryam; and son-in- law Mohammad Safdar ? are now expected to appear on October 9 to be formally indicted.

The court has issued non-bailable arrest warrants for the men and a bailable warrant for Maryam, likely keeping in mind that she may need to stay with her ailing mother in London.

The PML-N has also convened a meeting of its general council today and tomorrow to formally begin the process of re-electing Sharif as the partys president.

Earlier, there had been reports that the ousted prime minister would fly to London on Thursday to be with his wife, Kulsoom, who has been undergoing treatment for throat cancer at a private hospital in London. PTI SH/AKJ CPS

--- ENDS ---


Michael Heffernan, PhillipCapital

BUY RECOMMENDATIONS

REA Group (REA)



Chart: Share price over the year



A brilliant survivor from the internet boom era and now has a dominant position in web based property classified ads. Its been an impressive performer in the past year and offers attractive fundamentals.

Breville Group (BRG)



Chart: Share price over the year



A strong sharemarket performer in the past year. Revenue increased by 5.1 per cent to $605.7 million for the 12 months to June 30, 2017. EBIT rose 7.2 per cent to $79 million. It designs and delivers premium electrical appliances around the globe. It holds a significant presence.

HOLD RECOMMENDATIONS

Tabcorp (TAH)



Chart: Share price over the year



The proposed $11 billion mega merger with Tatts Group is uncertain and has been referred back to the Australian Competition Tribunal for consideration. Ultimately, I believe the merger will proceed in a modified form and generate valuable synergies over time. But, equally, investors should factor in the possibility the merger wont happen.

AGL Energy (AGL)



Chart: Share price over the year



This vertically integrated energy stock has been another solid performer in the past year. Federal Government intervention has created uncertainty regarding the future of its Liddell coal fired power station in the NSW Hunter Valley beyond its planned closing date in 2022. Investors should watch for opportunities if the share price retreats.

SELL RECOMMENDATIONS

JB Hi-Fi (JBH)



Chart: Share price over the year



The impending arrival of Amazon is already pressuring retailers, including JBH. While JBH has been an outstanding sharemarket performer for many years, the retail sector is generally out of favour with the market.

Cabcharge (CAB)



Chart: Share price over the year



Regulatory changes and increasing competition from Uber leaves CAB facing challenging times. Until the company can sustain long term earnings growth, investors should consider looking elsewhere.



Michael Wayne, Medallion Financial Group

BUY RECOMMENDATIONS

Ramsay Health Care (RHC)



Chart: Share price over the year



The share price of this private hospital operator had dived more than 25 per cent since August 2016. The domestic business continues to progress strongly, although the overseas operations, which generate almost 50 per cent of profits, have recently been weaker. However, weakness in this space may be offset by expansion into the pharmacy sector. The company now has 55 pharmacies (more than the expected 35), enabling the business to capitalise on an ageing population via chronic disease management rather than focusing only on acute treatment.

NextDC (NXT)



Chart: Share price over the year



The data centre operators recent share price decline offers investors an opportunity to take a position, in our view. The company will upgrade capacity and develop market leading energy efficient centres, giving the business a significant competitive advantage. Benefits from substantial investment in fiscal year 2018 should flow through from fiscal year 2019 once scale is achieved.

HOLD RECOMMENDATIONS

Orora (ORA)



Chart: Share price over the year



Heavy investment in recent years is generating stronger cash flow and improving returns. The US operations of this packaging giant generate 35 per cent of group revenue. As a small player in a highly fragmented market, the growth prospects in the US remain attractive, particularly when taking into account improving industry margins.

Platinum Asset Management (PTM)



Chart: Share price over the year



Momentum is starting to build as fund inflows accelerate. The flagship international fund continues to materially outperform its peers, which I believe will attract further fund inflows going forward. Relative to its peers, we feel PTM has superior business momentum and share price upside.

SELL RECOMMENDATIONS

Metcash (MTS)



Chart: Share price over the year



The companys supermarkets face fierce competition. Aldi already enjoys a 10 per cent market share in response to stiff price competition. Aldi and Costco are formidable competitors and may continue to pressure the profitability of MTS and the existing giants.

Flight Centre (FLT)



Chart: Share price over the year



The business delivered reasonable results and management has outlined several transformational targets that we believe are too ambitious. Business margins slipped in the face of stiff competition, as FLT strives to improve its blended online and physical models.



Simon Herrmann, wise-owl.com

BUY RECOMMENDATIONS

MNF Group (MNF)



Chart: Share price over the year



Following a period of sustained volatility MNF  formerly My Net Fone  has re-gained momentum and continues to outpace the S&P/ASX 200 telecommunications index (ASX:XTJ) and most investment opportunities in the telco space. We remain attracted to the companys track record, management team and unique position in a saturated market. We continue to rate this stock as a buy and believe MNF remains a suitable investment opportunity for those seeking exposure to the telecommunications space.

Kelly Partners Group Holdings (KPG)



Chart: Share price over the year



One of the stronger floats this year, the company remains well positioned to take advantage of industry dynamics. Kelly Partners is a network of independent operating accounting businesses, servicing small to medium sized enterprises, high net worth individuals and self managed super funds. Managements ability to successfully pursue a value added growth strategy is the key to long term value creation, while the dividend yield and capital structure are attractive qualities.

HOLD RECOMMENDATIONS

Adacel Technologies (ADA)



Chart: Share price over the year



Challenging conditions in the past 12 months resulted in earnings downgrades and volatile sales, but the strong order book and recent contract wins have helped reinvigorate market confidence. Focused on civil aviation and air defence technology, Adacels air traffic control systems are used in North America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia Pacific. Theres early signs that this financial year will be significantly better than fiscal year 2017.

ClearView Wealth (CVW)



Chart: Share price over the year



Offers services in life insurance, wealth management and financial advice. It offers robust earnings growth across the three business segments. Were attracted to ClearViews revenue growth trajectory, balance sheet strength and ability to scale up the business. This stock offers potential for capital growth and income.

SELL RECOMMENDATIONS

Carsales.com (CAR)



Chart: Share price over the year



This online classified leader is fundamentally a strong company and we have issued buy recommendations in the past. But economies, sectors and companies tend to go through cycles and we believe its a suitable time to capitalise on this investment while the stock was recently trading near an all time high. After a strong run for many years, we believe the balance of risk is no longer favourable, as Carsales is sensitive to increasing competition, weaker consumer sentiment and general economic risks.

CropLogic (CLI)



Chart: Share price over the year



New Zealand based CropLogic sells technology for collecting and analysing data on cropping and plant performance in the agriculture sector. The company has conducted more than 600 trials in the past six years, and we see growth potential after CLI secured its first clients in the US. But we would like to see results from the technologys commercial potential, as there arent many successful precedents in the industry. Good one to watch, but not the right time yet.

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Please note that TheBull.com.au simply publishes broker recommendations on this page. The publication of these recommendations does not in any way constitute a recommendation on the part of TheBull.com.au. You should seek professional advice before making any investment decisions.
An early decision faced by newcomers to the wonderful world of individual stock investing pits plodding dividend paying stocks against high-flying growth stocks.

Decades ago many investors saw dividend payments as a vital sign of corporate health. Overtime, more impatient investors looked for quicker returns from companies ploughing cash into expanding the company as opposed to dividend payments.

Dividend payers are returning to investor favor, with graphs like the following from the US Investment Firms Convergence Investment Partners and Wilshire Associates serving as a rationale.



The US Russell 1000 Index represents about 92% of all stocks trading in the US and is the index of preference of many investment managers. Note that low-yielding stocks underperform the market, on average, driving some retail investors to focus on high yields as the sole criterion for stock selection. The obvious challenge is how best to pick dividend payers that outperform? Eager investors find an abundance of advice on what to look for, which can be overwhelming and confusing. Some tip lists are rendered less than helpful by a comprehensive list of criteria few stocks can meet in total. Most include what seems to be advice in contradiction with other investing maxims. Notably, why is it we are told repeatedly that past history is no guarantee of future performance in stock picking, and then warned to look for dividend payers with a multi-year history of not only making dividend payments, but increasing them annually?

The rationale for history is the likelihood of continuing dividend payments in the future. However, a rigid application of this criterion excludes stocks just beginning dividend payments and those reducing dividends, sometimes because of conditions over which they have no control, like the GFC (Great Financial Crisis.)

The advice to look for high yielding stocks leaves the question how high is high, largely unanswered. Dividend yield is a function of stock price, so stocks with declining share prices have higher yields. However, declining stock prices with some evidence of potential for recovery can be ideal targets for bargain hunters.

One rarely stated bit of advice that passes the common sense test is to look for dividend payers in sectors notable for long term growth potential. Analysts appear universal in the opinion that the ASX Telecommunications sector no longer has the explosive growth potential it had prior to consolidation of providers. In contrast, no one doubts the long-term tailwinds propelling healthcare stocks. The implication is that dividend payers in healthcare are more likely to generate sufficient revenue and profit to initiate and grow dividend payments while dividends in the Telco sector are more likely to stagnate and decline.

Aging populations and advances in healthcare are the rising tides; but not all boats in the sector should be considered equal. Some offer products or services to a broader market than others. A revolutionary treatment for a disease affecting a tiny fraction of the global population is less likely to grow dividends and appreciate share price than a treatment impacting a vast market.

One bit of advice from some experts that appeals to common sense is the range of 5% to 10% for high yielding stocks. Yields above 10% are more likely to be a result of steep declines in share price, although researching a stock can uncover plausible explanations for why the decline might be temporary.

The following table lists the four healthcare stocks with yields above 5%.



In 2014 three new Aged Care operators came on to the ASX. Two have high yields and respectable dividend history  Regis Healthcare (REG) and Japara Healthcare (JHC.) The third, Estia Health (EHE) has a current yield of 2.5% and cut dividends from $0.242 in FY 2016 to $0.08 in FY 2017.

The growing number of Australian seniors eventually will no longer be able to live their daily lives without some form of assistance. Retirement Village operators are there for Seniors still able to function independently with only moderate, if any, assistance needed. Aged Care operators are there for those in need of personal maintenance, feeding help, and non-acute medical care.

Aged Care Operators receive government subsidies and pricing regulations with the inherent risk of funding cuts and pricing restrictions hovering over the share price. Both Regis and Japara have seen wild swings in share price since listing on the ASX.



With a market cap of $1.04 billion, Regis is the biggest stock in our table. The company now operates 57 Aged Care facilities, located primarily in urban areas. In its first full year of operation as a listed company Regis reported revenues of $124 million and net profit after tax (NPAT) of $58 million. Revenues rose in FY 2016 but NPAT dropped to $46 million. Investors may have been impressed with the 33% profit increase to $61 million in FY 2017, but management warnings of changes to government funding schemes in FY 2018 and FY 2019 sent the stock price plummeting to a 52-week low of $3.22. However, the company has seven new facilities under construction which will accommodate more than 1,300 residents.

The company has grown both organically and by acquisition, with the latest  Presbyterian Care Tasmania  completed in August of this year. Investors have been abandoning this relatively new ASX stock on regulatory concerns, with no signs of changing sentiment. Analysts, however, are bullish on the stock with a consensus OUTPEFERFORM rating on Regis, perhaps in recognition of the long-term potential. Investors should bear in mind despite the strength of the Healthcare Sector, Regis is one of only four high yielding stocks in the sector, with a fully franked dividend.

Japara Healthcare adds Retirement Villages  5  to its 47 Aged Care facilities with identical concerns over government regulations and funding. The company reported Full Year 2017 Financial Results a few days after rival Regis, showing a 10.7% increase in revenue but a decline in NPAT of 2.1%. Analysts are less enthusiastic about Japara, with a consensus HOLD rating. However, Japara has a Price to Book Ratio of 0.88, which translates to a book value per share of $2.02. The dividend is 70% franked. Payout ratios  percentage of earnings paid out in dividends  for both Japara and Regis are high at 100%. Japara is of particular concern since operating cash flows declined from $37 million in FY 206 to $32 million this year while Regis saw its operating cash flow rise from $134 million to $151 million. Although definitions of Payout Ratios universally state dividends come from earnings, they come out of operating cash flow.

Monash IVF Group Limited (MVF) is another 2014 entry to the ASX. The company provides assisted reproductive technologies (AVT), which began back in 1977 with the worlds first in vitro fertilization (IVF) in the UK. Today Monash provides a variety of ultrasound and other diagnostic obstetric and gynecological procedures and fertility treatments. Monash operates in Australia with an international operation located in Malaysia.

Full Year 2017 Financial Results showed a slight decline in revenue with a modest (2.9%) increase in NPAT. Reproductive services are expensive and prior to early 2017 Monash had only Virtus Health (VRT) as a competitor. In February of this year Primary Healthcare (PRY) entered the market, offering cut-rate services. This could impact Monash negatively, with an added concern arising in June when a key physician in the company resigned. The Monash CEO had resigned in May. The company warned the Doctors departure could have a financial impact on the company in 2019. A negative article in the Australian Financial Review claiming an ongoing problem between the company and its Doctors was refuted by Monash management in July. The share price has been in a steady decline since.



Despite these concerns, analysts still have a consensus OUTPERFORM rating on MVF.

Sigma Healthcare (SIG) is in the pharmacy business, with both retail and wholesale operations. The companys five pharmacy brands offer health products ranging from cold and flu remedies to diabetes and heart health products. Sigma also serves a network of independent pharmacies  more than 4,000  providing not only product from its 13 distribution centres  but also a range of management, financial advisory, and operational services.

Already facing stiff competition from Australian Pharmaceutical Industries (API), the company shocked investors with the news Sigma was beginning legal proceedings against one of its major wholesale customers for violation of a supply agreement. The news came on 24 May and the stock price, already in decline, collapsed.



Half Year Results reported on 7 September calmed jittery investors to a degree, with a 16.7% increase in NPAT along with a 6.1% decline in revenue. Management announced a continuation of its share buyback program and the acquisition of MPS, a provider of dose administration services to community pharmacies and the Aged Care sector.

Investors briefly drove up the stock price but analysts, who had a consensus UNDERPEFORM rating prior to the release, appear unconvinced. UBS maintained its SELL recommendation, keeping its target price at $0.70. On the upside, Sigma has a new distribution centre under construction and with its 20% market share, the MPS acquisition will add to earnings for FY 2018.

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RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar will be attending the 1000th birth anniversary celebrations of Ramanuj Swami Maharaj, a Vaishvanite saint at the Chandwa village in Ara district on Wednesday but at different times of the day.

By Rohit Kumar Singh: RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar will be attending the 1000th birth anniversary celebrations of Ramanuj Swami Maharaj, a Vaishvanite saint at the Chandwa village in Ara district on Wednesday. However, the itinerary for the event has been planned in a manner such that the two leaders don't get to face each other.

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Bhagwat, who will be reaching Patna airport on Wednesday morning, will straightaway leave for Ara, 60 kms from state capital Patna to attend the event. Bhagwat will be participating in the birth anniversary celebrations at 4 pm.

On the other hand, Nitish will be reaching Chandwa village at 11 am tomorrow and leave for Patna soon after. This means that both leaders, who have avoided a face-off in the past also, will once again not face each other despite the event.

BHAGWAT TO ATTEND SAINTS' MEET

On the sidelines of the event, Bhagwat will also attend the International Dharm Sansad where saints and seers from various parts of the country will be present. Bhagwat will be halting in Ara at night. On 5th October, he will be attending the ground-breaking ceremony of the new RSS office in Chandwa village in Ara. Thereafter, he will return to Patna and fly to Delhi.

It may be noted that Nitish was critical of the RSS chief ahead of the 2015 Bihar assembly elections when the latter had advocated reviewing the reservation policy in the country.

ALSO WATCH VIDEO | Mamata government-owned auditorium cancels Mohan Bhagwat event in Kolkata

--- ENDS ---
In the 1950s, Australia was actively involved in the space industry via collaboration with other space players, including the UK.

A stronger space industry would benefit Australias economy, generating more exports and creating more job opportunities. Australia is well placed to expand its industry, particularly with the announcement of a new national space agency.

The government should actually aim to establish a national space policy as part of this announcement. That way it can secure the future of this industry.

In the 1950s, Australia was actively involved in the space industry via collaboration with other space players, including the UK. However, this started to decline since the late 1960s because of the depression and huge cost of space programs.

According to the current IMF statistics, Australia now ranks the thirteenth in the world in terms of its GDP output, but still spends very little on developing its space industry. So its not surprising that the industry is now underdeveloped. Though the international space industry generates about US$400 billion a year, Australia contributes only 1% to this figure.

What a stronger space industry means to Australias economy

Australia could create more exports in the space industry by developing its own capability to launch satellites and taking more control of data and information acquired through satellites.

The data Australians use every day is now provided by international satellites and overseas corporations. Every year in order to collect information about earth from space, Australia pays about A$5.3 billion to the overseas satellite corporations.

Australias space industry currently employs up to 11,500 people. The plan to establish a national space agency could boost these numbers.

Beyond job opportunities for engineers and technicians in space launch services and satellite manufacturing, the industry also needs a great variety of specialists in other areas. For example, as a part of space industry supply chain, chemists are in demand to develop greener rocket fuel.

The space industry even requires lawyers. The international community has established an international treaty regime regulating space activities and as a part of this Australia has accepted various obligations. So the government and companies will need to access professional legal advice to ensure they arent violating Australias obligations under international space law.

There are more job opportunities than just astronauts, engineers and technicians in the space industry. NASAs Marshall Space Flight Center/Flckr, CC BY-SA

In the context of manned space programs, Australia could also develop medical professionals who could be recruited to research the space environments impact on human bodies, as NASA has done in the US.

Australias advantages for a stronger space economy

Australia has a geographical advantage when it comes to being a leader in space industry. From the perspective of physics, the closer the launch site is to the Equator, the heavier satellite the rocket can carry.. Thats why the US has its Kennedy Space Centre in Florida.

In terms of Australia, the Northern Territorys close proximity to the Equator makes it an ideal rocket launch site for space missions. Perhaps this is why the NT government has shown interest in developing a space industry in the state.

In fact, a few state governments have been part of the push to develop a stronger space industry. South Australia and ACT were lobbying for a national space agency earlier in 2017 and the NT recently joined this push. This could have inspired the federal government to do more to be a national leader in developing space industry.

Given the technology-intensive nature of space industry, talent is very important for sustainable success. A number of Australian universities have conducted either their own space research projects or with overseas partners. This sort of research has fostered a large team of space specialists.

In addition, state governments, have also discussed space technology collaboration with foreign governments. For example, the South Australia government held talks with the French government on developing more talent in preparation for a growing space industry.

Given Australias big size and its reliance on space technology and service, its important for the nation to establish its own stronger space industry to meet its needs. Australia has a few advantages in developing this and a national space agency will definitely be a boost to this aim.

>> BACK TO THE NEWSLETTER: Click here to read other articles from this weeks newsletter

Bin Li, lecturer, University of Newcastle. This article was originally published on The Conversation.
By PTI: Islamabad, Oct 3 (PTI) In a breach of diplomatic propriety, Pakistans Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif has branded Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a "terrorist", and said the Indian government was being run by a "a terrorist party".

Asif made the remarks in an appearance on Geo TVs Capital Talk show, in response to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swarajs UN General Assembly (UNGA) speech last month, in which she had accused Pakistan of "producing and exporting terrorism".

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"Pakistan Foreign Minister is a political pygmy in a powerless government kowtowing to the terror organisations. These pusillanimous comments reflect Pakistans frustration with Prime Minister Narendra Modis successful diplomacy in exposing the terror face of Pakistan to the world. That Pakistan is getting desperate is evident from these patently foolish and irresponsible comments," BJP spokesperson G V L Narasimha Rao told PTI.

Asif made the remarks while talking about Kashmiris who have been killed in Jammu and Kashmir and civilian casualties in cross-border firing along the Line of Control and the Working Boundary, the Dawn reported.

"A terrorist is their (Indias) prime minister at this time. One whose hands are stained with the blood of the Muslims of Gujarat," the report quoted him as saying.

"A terrorist party is ruling them (India) - the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) is ruling them. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is like its subsidiary organisation," he said.

"But Narendra Modi is an elected terrorist," Hamid Mir, the shows host, reminded Asif.

"The nation that elects a terrorist... what kind of nation is that?" the minister retorted.

Explaining his stance, Asif said, "Look at the language the Indian prime minister is using, the way Muslims are being killed over cow-related issues. And just recently, on Dussehra, they burnt the effigies of Rohingya Muslims four times," he claimed.

"In Dussehra, they burn the effigies of villains... They declared Rohingya Muslims terrorists," he stressed, adding that although India was quick to call others terrorists, "the biggest terrorist (is Modi). Muslims were raped and murdered under his supervision when he was chief minister (of Gujarat). The US had banned him," he said. PTI KUN PYK AKJ MRJ

--- ENDS ---
India has been raising concerns regarding the unrelenting violations by the Pakistani forces on a regular basis.

By Geeta Mohan: Pakistan's Deputy High Commissioner, Syed Haider Shah, was summoned on Tuesday by Join Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs, Deepak Mittal, over the continuous ceasefire violations by Pakistani forces.

A strong demarche was issued to the Pakistani diplomat for the unprovoked firing from across the border on October 2, causing death of three children.

A statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs said that the message was "conveyed" to the diplomat that "such deliberate targeting of civilians was not acceptable and was against humanitarian norms and practices."

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India has been raising concerns regarding the unrelenting violations by the Pakistani forces on a regular basis.

"Strong concern was also expressed at continued unprovoked firing by Pakistan forces across the Line of Control and the International Boundary in violation of the 2003 Ceasefire Understanding. 503 such violations have been carried out by Pakistan forces so far during 2017", the MEA statement said.

ALSO WATCH VIDEO | Tunnel of terror detected in J-K's Arnia sector: Is this possible without the support of Pakistan's Rangers?

--- ENDS ---
As long as she can remember, for the same two weeks every summer, 62-year-old Reenie Baker Sandsted has been in the same place: Baker's Chicken Coop at the New York State Fair.

"It has always been a part my life," Sandsted says, taking a break from behind the counter one day in late August to sit at one of the picnic tables and visit with me.

By "always," she means always.

Before she was even working at the stand, Sandsted and her five siblings were invested in the business. "Our parents made us partner when we were born," Sandsted says. "It helped put us through college."

The Chicken Coop is a state fair landmark, attracting governors, Cornell University presidents and even Bill and Hillary Clinton. That's because of the chicken recipe and cooking method developed by Sandsted's father, the late Robert Baker, called Cornell Chicken.

Broiler halves are basted with a vinegar and egg sauce as they're grilled over a charcoal fire. The chicken is turned frequently and sauced regularly, until it achieves a blackened, crispy skin and the juicy meat explodes with creamy, tart flavor.

Baker developed the recipe and technique for cooking it in the 1940s, while at Pennsylvania State University. "He created it for the governor, who was visiting the school," Sandsted says.

Later he moved to Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, where he joined the faculty as a professor of poultry and food sciences. In 1949, he set up Baker's Chicken Coop at the fair. The following year, the Cornell Cooperative Extension published his recipe and method, including highly detailed instructions for building a cinder-block pit (or "fireplace") and constructing metal turning racks. The resulting contribution to the annals of barbecue would be forever associated with Baker and the school.

Baker's goal was to help promote the poultry industry, which, at the time, lagged far behind beef and pork in sales. At first, Baker smoked the chickens in a hole in the ground, as at a pig roast. Before long, he decided it would be easier to cook aboveground, and he constructed metal racks to turn 25 half-chickens at a time.

The emulsion of vinegar, oil and eggs helps the chicken to crisp without burning as rapidly as it does with a red barbecue sauce, which, unlike the Cornell sauce, contains sugar. Equally important is the method. "No wood," says Travis Sandsted, 36, Reenie's son. "Charcoal. Wood gives it too much of a smoke flavor."

Travis, who oversees the cooking, started apprenticing with Baker, his grandfather, at the Chicken Coop when he was 19. He has been here ever since.

The pit is about 30 feet long, 4 feet wide and 2 feet deep. Travis dumps eight bags of Kingsford charcoal to start and adds five more bags every hour. The fire runs hot, about 1,000 degrees.

He puts unseasoned chicken halves skin side up in metal racks and turns them after a few minutes, when they begin to bronze. Using a long-handled barbecue mop, Travis then liberally sauces the birds. He flips them frequently to cook evenly, basting nearly every time to deepen the flavor. All the while, he tosses water on flare-ups. It takes about an hour for the chicken to finish.

Like his grandfather before him, Travis doesn't marinate. "We just brush it on," he says.

In its heyday in the 1950s and '60s, the Chicken Coop sold an average of 2,000 chicken halves a day. The fair has grown a lot since then, and visitors are tempted by countless options, so these days the Coop serves about 1,000 chicken halves a day.

Although the fair, which runs the last week of August and the first week of September, is over, Cornell Chicken can be sampled throughout Upstate New York, where it has become part of the culinary landscape. Schools, volunteer fire departments and civic organizations commonly make Cornell Chicken for fundraisers.

Barbecue joints throughout the undulating region sell it, too. One measure of the depth of the dish's reach is, paradoxically, the citizenry's offhand near-obliviousness to its origin. "Younger generations of Finger Lake residents don't even recognize this as a regional specialty so much as the default way to cook chicken outdoors," wrote Sarah Laskow for the website Atlas Obscura.

She's right. I ate at a number of barbecue places where the proprietor insisted that the recipe was handed down from family members.

"It probably has been," Reenie Baker Sandsted told me. "They probably grew up eating it at home and think it is something their dad or mom created."

To be sure, like any recipe, Cornell Chicken is modified slightly by its maker. One cook might add a touch more thyme, another more marjoram. But common to all is the vinegar, oil, egg emulsion.

It's easy to make at home. Travis, though, maintains that it won't turn out quite the same because the home cook doesn't have the wire-mesh rack for ease of turning the chicken, the same distance from the coals or the same level of heat. He's right. I've made it a few times. My version isn't quite as tangy and the skin isn't quite as crisp, but in the same way that my bucatini all'Amatriciana is pretty close to, but isn't a dead ringer for, Mario Batali's version - even using his recipe - I think my Cornell Chicken does its maker proud.

Baker is also credited with inventing chicken bologna, chicken hot dogs and, notably, chicken nuggets. But Cornell Chicken may be his most appreciated legacy, at least in Upstate New York.

He died in 2006, but the Chicken Coop remains a family affair. The operation is reaching into its fourth generation. Travis's 6-year-old son, Mason, helps make the sauce. "He already cracks eggs one-handed," Travis says proudly.

Sandsted's two sisters also work at the Chicken Coop. And her daughter, Sarah, returns each year from Haiti, where she works for an organization that makes shoes from rubber, to spend her two-week vacation at the business.

"The smell of the chicken is like time travel," Sarah says. "It reminds me of growing up in Upstate New York."

- - -

Cornell Chicken

4 to 8 servings

A staple at fundraising events by civic organizations and volunteer fire departments in the Finger Lakes area of New York as well as barbecue restaurants there, this chicken is a vinegar-based creation of a professor at Cornell University in the late 1940s. The basting sauce, mixed with eggs and cooking oil, creates a creamy texture and tangy flavor that mates beautifully with yard birds.

Here, the recipe is adapted for easy cooking, deploying the sauce as a marinade and using leg quarters for uniform cooking.

You'll need an instant-read thermometer.

MAKE AHEAD: The chicken needs to marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours and up to 8 hours.

From columnist Jim Shahin.

Ingredients

2 large eggs

1/2 cup canola oil (may substitute peanut oil)

2/3 cup apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup store-bought or homemade poultry seasoning blend (see NOTE)

1 tablespoon coarse kosher salt (optional)

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper (optional)

4 chicken leg quarters (drumstick plus thigh)

Steps

Beat the eggs in medium bowl until blended, then whisk in the oil in a slow, steady stream, to form a thickened mixture. Whisk in the vinegar, then the poultry seasoning; if you are using a store-bought seasoning blend, add the optional salt and pepper.

Pour into a gallon zip-top bag, then add the chicken quarters and seal, pressing out as much air as possible. Massage the pieces through the bag; refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to 8 hours.

Transfer the bag of chicken and marinade to the counter; let it sit at room temperature for about one hour before grilling.

Prepare the grill for indirect heat. If using a gas grill, turn the heat to high (450 to 500 degrees). Once the grill is preheated (about 10 minutes), reduce the heat to medium (375 to 400 degrees). Turn off the burners on one side.

If using a charcoal grill, light the charcoal or briquettes; when the coals are ready, distribute them to one side of the grill. For a medium-hot fire, you should be able to hold your hand 6 inches above the coals for 6 or 7 seconds. Have ready a spray water bottle for taming any flames.

Place the chicken quarters skin sides up on the indirect-heat side of the grill; discard the marinade. Close the grill lid and open its vents halfway. Cook for about 40 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 165 degrees, turning the chicken as needed. For crispy skin and a little char, move the chicken, skin side down, directly over the coals for the last 3 to 5 minutes before removing it from the grill.

Serve warm.

NOTE: To make 1/4 cup of your own poultry seasoning blend, stir together 2 tablespoons fine kosher salt, 1 tablespoon ground sage, 1 tablespoon dried marjoram, 1 tablespoon dried thyme, 1 teaspoon celery seed, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper and 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper in a small container.

Ingredients are too variable for a meaningful analysis.
A Bryan man accused of being involved in the slaying of a 19-year-old last month has posted bail, according to jail records.

Police arrested Saul Lee Suarez, 18, on Sept. 15, one week after Johnathon Albert Cordell Munoz died in Williamson Park after being shot in the right side of his chest. According to an arrest report, authorities found Suarez sitting in the driver's seat of a red 2009 Chevrolet truck.

Suarez had been held on $8,000 bail for a prohibited weapon charge and $100,000 bail for the murder charge. He bonded out of jail on Sept. 21 through a surety bond, meaning he did not pay the full $108,000 cost but instead put up a percentage of the cost through a bail bondsman.

Authorities also arrested a 16-year-old boy and 17-year-old Adrianna Garcia, both of whom also are charged with murder. Garcia remained in the Brazos County Jail on $100,000 bail. The status of the third youth wasn't released; juveniles are not issued bonds in Texas but instead are given conditions of release by judges. If the conditions are violated, juveniles can be returned to custody.
While reviewing updated renderings for College Station's future police headquarters, most members of the City Council agreed Monday that consistent design standards need to be created for new municipal buildings.

Councilman James Benham expressed frustration that the council was not allotted time during previous meetings to give feedback on the exterior design of the $28 million building but said it was "largely a failure of the council" to make its expectations clear to city staff.

Nearly all of the council members concurred with his proposal to bring back a future agenda item proposing the formation of an architectural design committee.

The latest design for the police station featured modern architecture with an off-centered entrance, as well as glass and steel design elements, contrasted with examples Benham brought to the council meeting that showed more traditional city buildings, including nearby Navasota.

About $300,000 already has been spent on the design -- mostly on interior programming needs -- and changing the exterior design to incorporate more traditional architectural elements like columns and a pitched roof would bring additional costs and affect the project timeline.

Those realities prompted Mayor Karl Mooney to direct the city staff to move forward with changes based on examples Benham presented, saying he didn't want to delay the project further by waiting to tweak the design until a committee can be formed.

"The last thing I want to hear is our police department is being compromised by delays," Mooney said. "And as we move forward, if we don't get this done, what's gonna be next? We shrink the size of the evidence room? Or something ends up having to give because of the budget."

Deputy City Manager Chuck Gilman said substantial reductions to the original design presented to the council in February already have been made to reduce costs. The first 85,650-square-foot design came in over budget at about $34.6 million. The retooled design for a 74,815-square-foot building brought the cost down to $27.94 million.

In addition to cosmetic changes like masonry and flooring selections, perimeter fencing material and simplifying the annex building and lobby, the biggest change was the removal of the on-site jail. The elimination of the jail will be a significant change to the department's operations, said Police Chief Scott McCollum.

Instead of being able to hold inmates at the department, all would have to be transported to the Brazos County Detention Center near downtown Bryan. McCollum said there would be a significant increase in processing time, and the department still is discussing how it would affect officers' time. There are "pros and cons on both sides," he said, but taking the jail was the most logical place to start with the first design draft that was significantly over budget.

The City Council first approved a $1.96 million design contract with Houston-based PGAL architects for the new building in February 2016 to resolve space needs at the current 28,949-square-foot police facility off Texas Avenue, where offices have been shuffled and reconfigured to make the most of the building's footprint. Even storage for evidence, weapons, ammunition and other important equipment has become an issue.

Last week the council approved a 2.5-cent tax increase to pay for the new building planned for 12 acres at the southeast corner of Krenek Tap Road and Dartmouth Street -- one of three city-owned properties on the Krenek Tap corridor purchased for future municipal uses.

Councilwoman Blanche Brick voted against that location and expressed concerns at multiple meetings about that land remaining available for an expansion of Stephen C. Beachy Central Park or being an option for a new City Hall or community center. Brick said the council needs to have more input earlier in the process for both site selection and design standards.

The station and a potential new City Hall -- the new fiscal year 2018 budget includes $2 million for the design of that building -- need to be the face of College Station, she said, which the city currently does not have.

"We've had a relationship with A&M, we're part of that, but now we're big enough as a city that we need to look very carefully at what we're saying now that we have this opportunity look at new buildings," Brick said.

Also at Monday's meeting, the council viewed final renderings for the Larry J. Ringer Library expansion. The council gave direction in August for the facade to match materials used in the city's gateway sign to allow for a more uniform appearance for city buildings.
A 43-year-old College Station man was sentenced to two years probation and 100 hours of community service after he pled guilty Monday to hitting his then-girlfriend and pushing her into a piece of furniture last year.

Bryan police arrested Patricio Lara-Gomez on Oct. 27, 2016 and charged him with assault family violence two or more times within 12 months, which is a third-degree felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

He was convicted of striking the woman in July 2016, again hitting and pushing her into furniture several months later. Lara-Gomez pleaded to a Class A misdemeanor and will spend two years on probation.

Lara-Gomez also will pay a $500 fine, perform 100 hours of community service and complete a batterers' intervention program. District Judge Travis Bryan III instructed Lara-Gomez not to contact his ex-girlfriend or her family.

"I believe I lost my head that day, and I should not have done this," Lara-Gomez said through a translator.

Speaking over the telephone from Mexico and through a translator, Lara-Gomez's ex-girlfriend said he had assaulted her several times.

"That left me with bruise marks, scratches and [torn] clothing from the pulling and pushes," she said, adding that Lara-Gomez told her "nobody would love me, and I was like a cow."

"He said he wishes he would have hit me harder, but if he did so he might risk having to take me to the hospital for broken bones," the woman said. The way he treated her, she said, was "worse than you would treat an animal."

"I feel I need psychological help," she said.

Assistant District Attorney Jessica Escue said Lara-Gomez is a Mexican national who is not a U.S. citizen, and his immigration status is up to U.S. Immigration Services. Jail records indicate Lara-Gomez posted bail the day after Bryan police arrested him. He had not been held on a U.S. Immigration hold.
Looking out over a crowd of hundreds of Texas A&M University students, writer Margot Lee Shetterly encouraged the largely freshman gathering to seek out and share the unknown stories which surround their daily lives.

Shetterly -- author of Hidden Figures: The Untold Story of the Black Women Who Helped Win the Space Race, which inspired the Oscar-nominated movie -- was the featured speaker Monday evening at the 2017 Common Ground Reading Initiative author event hosted by the College of Liberal Arts.

The initiative was started as a way for freshman students to engage in an effort to foster a better understanding of diversity through intellectually challenging discussions and a shared reading experience.

Pamela Matthews, dean of the College of Liberal Arts, said the stories told by Shetterly in her book encompass the mission of the Common Ground program -- "to be the place where we discover we share more than we don't and that we need to talk to each other more honestly and also more carefully," Matthews said -- and can serve as an inspiration for future dialogue and exploration.

Throughout the more than hour-long event -- which was held at Rudder Theater on the A&M campus -- Shetterly shared her thoughts on a number of topics surrounding the importance of inclusion, storytelling and the hidden stories of American history with the students in attendance.

She said of all the questions she has been asked over the last year about Hidden Figures, by far the most common has been: "Why haven't I heard this story before?"

"That is really the question I've been asking myself since the beginning of this," she said. " We could have turned [these women] into professional role models to pull generations of young people -- especially young women -- into science-driven careers."

Among the reasons Shetterly said the stories of women like NASA mathematician Katherine Johnson have so scarcely been told is that the significance of the work they did -- while fundamental -- often when unacknowledged.

"For much of NASA's history, the female mathematicians got about as much credit for their work as the mechanical desktop calculators," Shetterly said.

Shetterly said despite growing up in the same Hampton, Virginia, community as the women she wrote about, she too had been completely unaware of their stories until less than a decade ago.

Now a resident of Charlottesville, Virginia, Shetterly said she has been painfully aware of the conflict currently ongoing in America -- and what she sees as the increasing importance of stories like Hidden Figures.

Using the recent movement to remove statues of Confederate figures across the country as an example, Shetterly said she sees the conflict as two-fold. She said she believes the movement is driven not just by what the statues themselves represent, but also the absent representation of women and minority communities as well.

"It's the absence of fully-realized portraits of people who pushed our country to live up to its founding ideals not despite their history, but because of it," Shetterly said. " Hidden Figures is a black story, it's a Virginian story, it's a women's story and it's a mathematician's story. But because of -- not in spite of -- all of those things, it is most fundamentally an American story."

Shetterly said the stories of the women in Hidden Figures are just a few examples of amazing people throughout history whose contributions have not yet been recognized.

In addition to her work as an author Shetterly also founded the Human Computer Project, which honors the contributions of women who worked in the fields of mathematics and engineering for the space program over the last eight decades.

She said she believes for the "American story" to ever be fully realized, more storytellers will need to step up to shed light on the lives of more Americans whose stories have yet to be told.

"Knowledge of history is a prerequisite for being an informed and responsible citizen and its a precursor for social progress and change," she said. "Storytelling, which is the essence of history, determines both the meaning of our past and the trajectory of our future."
By PTI: New Delhi, Oct 3 (PTI) State-run Power Finance Corp (PFC) today said its board has approved the proposal for merger of its wholly-owned subsidiary PFC Green Energy with the company.

The board in its meeting on September 29 approved the merger scheme which is conditional upon and subject to the sanction by the corporate affairs ministry, PFC said in a BSE filing today.

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PFC is a leading power sector public financial institution and a non-banking financial company which provides fund and non-fund based support for the development of Indian power sector.

PFC Green Energy Ltd is also engaged in similar nature of business focusing on renewable and green energy.

PFC said that the amalgamation will help to consolidate similar nature of business at one place and effectively manage both firms as single entity.

There will no change in the shareholding pattern of the listed company (pre or post amalgamation), it said. PTI KKS MR

--- ENDS ---
President Donald Trumps budget deal with Democrats last month encouraged Americans looking for a sign that he can put aside personal political calculations for the good of his country. In the aftermath of the worst mass shooting in this nations history, that same common sense is needed to help reduce the frequency and carnage of such tragedies.

This is a Nixon-in-China moment for Trump. Richard Nixons stature as an anticommunist Republican made it more palatable to conservatives when he traveled to Beijing in 1972 to meet with Mao Zedong, who seized power in 1949. Trumps stature with the gun-rights activists who helped him win the presidency opens the door for him to argue for more gun control. But will he do it?

Trumps first comment after at least 58 people were shot to death Sunday night while attending a country music festival on the Las Vegas Strip came in the form of a rather benign tweet: My warmest condolences and sympathies to the victims and families of the terrible Las Vegas shooting. God bless you.

Later, reading from a teleprompter, the president called the attack an act of pure evil. He commiserated with families who lost loved ones in the massacre, saying: We cannot fathom their pain, we cannot imagine their loss. But he made no mention of the rapid-fire guns that made it possible for the shooter to claim so many victims. At least 500 were wounded or injured during the chaos.

How many more must die or be maimed before Congress grows a spine strong enough to resist the gun lobby, whose campaign donations apparently mean more than seeing two House members  Gabby Giffords and Steve Scalise  wounded in mass shootings?

That Congress did nothing after Giffords and Scalise were shot shouldnt have been surprising. After all, it did next to nothing in 2012 after 20 first-graders and six adults were shot to death at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. That sickening event led Trump to tweet his support for President Barack Obamas call for more gun control, saying Obama spoke for me and every American.

Now its time for Trump to speak. The National Rifle Association endorsed his presidential campaign, but that doesnt mean he must be the NRAs tool. In fact, Trumps 2000 book, The America We Deserve, called for a ban on assault weapons and a longer waiting period to buy a gun  positions he discarded on the campaign trail in 2016.

This president, who was born with all the accoutrements of wealth, prides himself on being able to connect with working-class, churchgoing Americans who also own guns. Many of them have bought the NRAs position that any further restrictions would become a slippery slope toward banning gun ownership. Trump has the stature to argue otherwise.

To do that, he must find the same will he showed in avoiding a government shutdown by reaching a budget deal with Democratic leaders Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi. His fellow Republicans didnt like it, but it was the right thing to do. Just as it is the right thing now to support measures backed by law enforcement to make it harder for mass murderers to kill so many.

 The Philadelphia Inquirer

Oct. 2




But are new reactors being made more resistant to weapons proliferation and are they reducing proliferation risks? In a word: No.





Fast neutron reactors have been used for weapons production in the past (e.g. by France) and will likely be used for weapons production in future (e.g. by India).





India plans to produce weapons-grade plutonium in fast breeder reactors for use as driver fuel in thorium reactors. Compared to conventional uranium reactors, India's plan is far worse on both proliferation and security grounds. To make matters worse, India refuses to place its fast breeder / thorium program under IAEA safeguards.





Dr Hansen claims that thorium-based fuel cycles are "inherently proliferation-resistant". But in fact, thorium has been used to produce fissile material (uranium-233) for nuclear weapons tests. Again, India's plans provide a striking real-world refutation of Hansen's claims.





Dr Hansen claims that integral fast reactors (IFR)  a non-existent variant of fast neutron reactors  "could be inherently free from the risk of proliferation". Unfortunately, that isn't true. Dr George Stanford, who worked on an IFR R&D program in the US, notes that proliferators "could do [with IFRs] what they could do with any other reactor  operate it on a special cycle to produce good quality weapons material."





Safeguards





Dr Hansen acknowledges that "nuclear does pose unique safety and proliferation concerns that must be addressed with strong and binding international standards and safeguards."





There's no doubting that the safeguards systems needs strengthening  even some nuclear advocates acknowledge the problem. Dr Hansen says he was converted to the cause of Generation IV nuclear technology by Tom Blees, whose 2008 book 'Prescription for the Planet' argues the case for IFRs.

But Dr Hansen doesn't seem to have paid much attention to those sections of the book where Blees argues for radically strengthened safeguards including the creation of an international strike-force on standby to attend promptly to any detected attempts to misuse or to divert nuclear materials.





Waste





Dr Hansen claims that "modern nuclear technology can ... solve the waste disposal problem by burning current waste and using fuel more efficiently" and he states that nuclear waste "is not waste, it is fuel for 4th generation reactors!"





But even if IFRs  Dr Hansen's favoured Generation IV concept  worked as hoped, they would still leave residual actinides, and long-lived fission products, and long-lived intermediate-level waste in the form of reactor and reprocessing components ... all of it requiring deep geological disposal.





UC Berkeley nuclear engineer Prof. Per Peterson states: "Even integral fast reactors (IFRs), which recycle most of their waste, leave behind materials that have been contaminated by transuranic elements and so cannot avoid the need to develop deep geologic disposal."





So if IFRs don't obviate the need for deep geological repositories, what problem do they solve? They don't solve the WMD proliferation problem associated with nuclear power. They would make more efficient use of uranium ... but uranium is plentiful.





In theory, IFRs would gobble up nuclear waste and convert it into low-carbon electricity. In practice, the EBR-II reactor in Idaho  an IFR prototype, shut down in 1994  has left a legacy of troublesome waste. This saga is detailed in a recent article and a longer report by the Union of Concerned Scientists' senior scientist Ed Lyman.





Dr Lyman states that attempts to treat IFR spent fuel with pyroprocessing have not made management and disposal of the spent fuel simpler and safer, they have "created an even bigger mess".





Dr Lyman concludes: "Everyone with an interest in pyroprocessing should reassess their views given the real-world problems experienced in implementing the technology over the last 20 years at [Idaho National Laboratory].

"They should also note that the variant of the process being used to treat the EBR-II spent fuel is less complex than the process that would be needed to extract plutonium and other actinides to produce fresh fuel for fast reactors. In other words, the technology is a long way from being demonstrated as a practical approach for electricity production."





Generation IV economics





Dr Hansen claimed in 2012 that IFRs could generate electricity "at a cost per kW less than coal." A complex, novel reactor coupled to a complex, novel reprocessing system will be cheaper than shovelling coal into a burner? Not likely.





The US Government Accountability Office's 2015 report noted that technical challenges facing SMRs and advanced reactors may result in higher-cost reactors than anticipated, making them less competitive with large light-water reactors or power plants using other fuels.





A 2015 report by the International Energy Agency (IEA) and the OECD's Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) said that "generation IV technologies aim to be at least as competitive as generation III technologies ... though the additional complexity of these designs, the need to develop a specific supply chain for these reactors and the development of the associated fuel cycles will make this a challenging task."





The late Michael Mariotte commented on the IEA/NEA report: "So, at best the Generation IV reactors are aiming to be as competitive as the current  and economically failing  Generation III reactors. And even realizing that inadequate goal will be "challenging." The report might as well have recommended to Generation IV developers not to bother."





The idea of reactors converting weapons material and nuclear waste into low-carbon power is attractive to even the most hardened nuclear critics. But unfortunately, the claims made by advocates of these Generation IV concepts simply don't stack up.





This Author





Dr Jim Green is the national nuclear campaigner with Friends of the Earth Australia and editor of the Nuclear Monitor newsletter, where a longer and fully referenced version of this article can be found.
Among the most influential is David Wall. Wall was at the time of the referendum on the academic advisory board of BfB. He was also the Director of Business Development for IM Group, which imports cars from Japan. According to its website its activities included the launch of 5th generation Subaru Legacy and Outback across all eight markets where IM Group sells Subaru.

The press release boasts: IM Group's longstanding relationship with Subaru has now spanned over 30 years, and its success continues to the benefit of both manufacturer and importer.

Markets and regulations experts

From the get-go, BfB attacked those European Union regulations designed to reduce carbon emissions - including from the auto industry.

The second briefing produced by the BfB campaign group attacked the light duty vehicle emission standards, the EU Climate and Energy Package, and the Motor Fuel (Road Vehicle and Mobile Machinery) Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reporting Regulations.

Wall is also a secretary of the Midlands Industrial Council (MIC), a major funder of the Conservative party, whose members also promised up to 5million to the Leave campaign. The MIC met with considerable controversy when it originally refused to name its financial supporters, allowing millionaires to bypass electoral commission rules on declaring political donations.

Other leading Brexiteers from BfB and VL who had vested interests in deregulation include Stuart Wheeler, who was a Vote Leave board member during the referendum campaign. A former donor to both the Taxpayers Alliance and the Conservative party, he was also UKIPs treasurer from 2011 to 2014.

A declaration of intent

Wheeler made his fortune founding the spread betting company IG Index (now IG Group), selling his remaining shares in 2003 for 34m. IG Group today facilitates trading in crude oil.

Jon Moynihan was on the boards of both BfB and VL. He retired as executive chairman of PA Consulting Group in 2013 and is now joint principal of Ipex Capital.

PA Consulting Group states on its website: Our global team of markets and regulation experts work with energy investors and utilities to develop investment thesis, craft growth strategies, and improve operations while navigating a world of policy, technology, economic, and environmental uncertainty.

Mr Moynihan said: I have not visited a PA office nor had a business discussion with PA in...four years. He went on to say of Ipex Capital: Our current investments focus primarily on a green (i.e. lowers pollution) nanotechnology, and a research company creating a device for investigating heart disease. I know of no proposed or contemplated deregulation post Brexit or otherwise that would be of any assistance to these companies.

Simon Stilwell was among the members of the advisory council of BfB who signed a letter - a declaration of war on the EU - published in The Telegraph in May 2014. He was at the time chief executive officer of Liberum Capital, but retired in February 2015 and is now director of Vintage Tack Room Ltd.

Liberum appears to have a relationship with Air France-KLM; APR Energy; BHP Billiton; BP; Deutsche Lufthansa; easyJet; Flybe Group and Genel Energy Plc to name but a few.

Dame Helena Morrissey CBE was a member of BfB during the leave campaign. She was at the same time CEO of Newton Investment Management. She stepped down last year, when the FT quoted her as saying Obviously my departure is not related to [BNY Mellons ban on Brexit campaigning].

One online investment update suggests Newton manages investments in oil and gas - namely Eversource Energy, Centrica and Royal Dutch Shell. It also appears to manage investments in tobacco companies, including Reynolds American, Philip Morris International, Imperial Tobacco.

Then there is Rhoddy Swire, another signatory to the statement of intent from the BFB advisory board in The Telegraph. He signed off the letter with his title founder of Pantheon Ventures and remains a senior partner. The company, among other things, boasts of advising clients to invest in manufacturing relating to shale gas revolution in the United States.

He told openDemocracy: I have no financial interest in Pantheon since 2004. The views I express are personal to me and are based on the primacy of democracy sovereignty both of which are significantly lacking in the EU, not to mention the waste, inefficiency and lack of accountability.

Irrevocably committed to the City of London

David Buik was and remains at Panmure Gordon & Co as a market commentator. He is deeply and irrevocably committed to the City of London. This seems to include investment in fossil fuels.

The firm stated on its website that it was delighted to announce that international oil and gas exploration company, Borders & Southern Petroleum plc has today appointed Panmure Gordon as its sole nominated adviser and joint broker with immediate effect.

There are many other members of the two Brexit campaign groups who are investors or work in investment, where the ultimate source of profits is not as easy to discover.

They need to change public opinion

Richard Patient was the London chairman of BfB. The website did not state his occupation. He is the founder of Thorncliffe, a public affairs consultancy - and something of a fan of the fracking industry.

Patient has been quoted as saying: "If the fracking industry learns anything from the refused application in Lancashire, it is that they need to change public opinion to what it was in 2013. They need to communicate that fracking is safe and desirable not just for the country, but the immediate community it will be taking place in.

Otherwise Frack Free groups will be formed across the UK and councillors will be deafened by the scale of the opposition and no amount of Government encouragement will help persuade councillors to approve applications.

Patient has also been at the centre of a public affairs disaster, it seems. His company was originally called Indigo. The Telegraph newspaper performed an undercover sting which uncovered poor practice, and conflicts of interest.

I wouldnt say dark arts

In March 2013 Greg Stone confirmed to undercover Telegraph reporters that many fellow employees at Indigo also worked as councillors or were involved in politics in some way, the right-wing broadsheet reported.

The paper recorded him on camera as saying 'that even if certain councillors would not talk to them about a planning application, there were certain tricks of the trade which offered a good way of, of getting round this.'

A bit of cunning is needed when youre dealing with some of these ones, [Stone] admitted. I wouldnt say dark arts but, but, there is, there is sort of tricks of the trade.

Indigo Public Affairs changed its name to Thorncliffe Communications Limitedon 18 Nov 2014, perhaps as an attempt to put the Telegraph controversy in the past before its director became a public supporter of BfB.

Mr Patient, when contacted by openDemocracy regarding this piece, said only: I am delighted to have been involved in possibly the most successful political campaign ever, and one that received more votes than voted for any political party or proposition at any election or referendum in British political history.

The investors, brokers and businessmen behind Dirty Brexit could have had any number of motives for supporting the campaign, other than their own financial interests. But is it not strange that when so many could potentially indirectly benefit from the removal of EU environmental regulations, that this was not a talking point during the campaign?

All those named in the piece were approached for a response, some declined to comment.

This Author

Brendan Montague is Acting Editor of The Ecologist. He is also a regular contributor to the Brexit Inc: the environment and corporate power in the new Britain series at openDemocracy, where this article first appeared. He tweets at @EcoMontague.
You have a character that goes through the scrutiny of being sexualised , and then an audience that does the same thing.
By PTI: (Eds: Adding a sentence in para 2)

Djibouti City, Oct 3 (PTI) President Ram Nath Kovind today arrived here on the first leg of his four-day visit to Djibouti and Ethiopia, his maiden trip abroad since taking office.

The president, who is the first Indian leader to visit Djibouti, was received by Djiboutian Prime Minister Kamil Mohamed at the airport here. He also garlanded Mahatma Gandhis bust.

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During his visit to the two African nations, the president is expected to sign agreements on institutionalisation of foreign office consultation and greater economic cooperation with Ethiopia, Neena Malhotra, Joint Secretary (East and Southern Africa) in the Ministry of External Affairs had said earlier.

Press Secretary to the President Ashok Malik has said that Djibouti is an important Indian Ocean partner country with whom Indias bilateral trade stands at USD 284 million in 2016-17.

"The president is looking forward to the visit. He recognises that the Africa and Indian Ocean region are central to Indian foreign policy. That is why this region was chosen as his first foreign visit," Malik said.

India has extended a line of credit of USD 49 million to Djibouti, mainly for constructing a cement plant. It is a strategically located country just off the Gulf of Aden.

Kovinds visit will be the first by an Indian president to Ethiopia after 45 years. The last visit was by President V V Giri in 1972.

Indias bilateral trade with Ethiopia in 2016 was nearly USD 1 billion. The country is among the top three foreign investors in Ethiopia with an approved investment of 4 billion dollars.

In both the countries the president will also interact with the members of the Indian community.

The presidents visit comes in the backdrop of Chinese PLA troops conducting their first live-fire military drills overseas on their base in strategically-vital Djibouti last month, in a major combat display. PTI PMS AKJ KUN NSA

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By PTI: New Delhi, Oct 3 (PTI) President Ram Nath Kovind today embarked on a four-day visit to Djibouti and Ethiopia, his first trip abroad since taking office.

During his visit to the two African nations, the president is expected to sign agreements on institutionalisation of foreign office consultation and greater economic cooperation with Ethiopia, Neena Malhotra, Joint Secretary (East and Southern Africa) in the Ministry of External Affairs had said earlier.

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Press Secretary to the President Ashok Malik has said that Djibouti is an important Indian Ocean partner country with whom Indias bilateral trade stands at USD 284 million in 2016-17.

"The president is looking forward to the visit. He recognises that the Africa and Indian ocean region are central to Indian foreign policy. That is why this region was chosen as his first foreign visit," Malik said.

India has extended a line of credit of USD 49 million to Djibouti, mainly for constructing a cement plant. It is a strategically located country just off the Gulf of Aden.

Kovinds visit will be the first by an Indian president to Ethiopia after 45 years. The last visit was by President V V Giri in 1972.

Indias bilateral trade with Ethiopia in 2016 was nearly USD 1 billion. The country is among the top three foreign investors in Ethiopia with an approved investment of 4 billion dollars.

In both the countries the president will also interact with the members of the Indian community. PTI PMS AKJ PMS

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No ones life span can be predicted, acknowledges Golden Retirement founder and CEO Jerry Golden, but that doesnt stop people from trying to plan their finances to last until the end, he says.

The Greenwich resident defines his decades-long career in financial services as a constant search to discover and implement the next new thing in business.

Ive always been interested in moving toward new things, Golden told Hearst Connecticut Media. Im an innovator, so Im always coming up with things to keep it fresh.

Thats led to him running divisions at several large financial institutions, including as president of the Income Management Strategies Division of MassMutual Financial Group, and patenting several retirement products.

Most recently, Golden has begun marketing his latest innovation that he calls the Income Power calculator.

The online tool allows those anticipating retirement to determine how much guaranteed lifetime income your savings will support.

Other types of retirement calculators look at things backwards, Golden said, because theyre set up to ultimately tell you the probability of your money lasting through retirement. And that leaves you with a million questions.

They calculate the amount of savings you need to meet a specified income goal for a fixed period, rather than measuring the income your savings can guarantee you for life, and thus leave you with longevity risk, he wrote about Income Power on his blog.

Years in the making, Golden said his new tool, which is free online, is a benchmark against which any retirement income plan can be measured.

In his view, Income Power will lead users to seek out his firms help in planning for retirement after using the calculator to conclude how ready they may or may not be.

In the coming months, personal financial news company Kiplinger plans to host Income Power on its website, which he anticipates will boost the number of users.

The concept for Income Power originated as most of Goldens innovations have, he said. Im always developing products for me as a consumer, Golden said.

Right now, the biggest single demographic in the U.S. is mass-affluent baby boomers, he said of those born between the 1940s and 1960s and have assets between $250,000 and $1 million.

Their biggest issue is running out of money in retirement, Golden said. They need their own set of solutions. We offer these people various solutions for how to convert savings to income.

Contact the writer at mbennett@greenwichtime.com; Twitter @Macaela_
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Tom Petty, the American rock icon whose laconic drawl and jangling guitars made him a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee and one of the best-selling musicians of all time, died Monday at a Santa Monica hospital after suffering cardiac arrest. He was 66.

His death was confirmed by Tony Dimitriades, longtime manager of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.

We are devastated to announced the untimely death of our father, husband, brother, leader and friend, Tom Petty, said Dimitriades in a statement tweeted from Pettys official Twitter account just after 9:30 p.m. Monday. He died peacefully at 8:40 PM PST, surrounded by family, his bandmates, and friends.

Now Playing: Singer Tom Petty died after suffering cardiac arrest Sunday night. He was 66 years old. Video: San Francisco Chronicle

Petty was reportedly found unconscious and not breathing in his Malibu home on Sunday. There was confusion over his status for hours, as multiple media outlets reported his death then retracted their stories, citing erroneous information from the Los Angeles Police Department.

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, which sold more than 80 million albums worldwide, had wrapped up its 40th anniversary tour with three sold-out concerts at the Hollywood Bowl last week.

In May, the group appeared as headliners at the BottleRock Napa Valley music festival and returned to Northern California for a three-night stand in August at the Greek Theatre in Berkeley, with an additional show Sept. 1 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento (the singer was forced to reschedule the latter dates due to laryngitis).

Mr. Petty had said that after four decades of touring, the trek was intended to be his final major outing.

Its very likely well keep playing, but will we take on 50 shows in one tour? I dont think so, he said in an interview with Rolling Stone before the launch of the tour in April. Id be lying if I didnt say I was thinking this might be the last big one. Were all on the backside of our 60s. I have a granddaughter now Id like to see as much as I can. I dont want to spend my life on the road. This tour will take me away for four months. With a little kid, thats a lot of time.

Intended to commemorate the release of the Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers self-titled 1976 debut, the tour found the group digging into deep pockets of its back catalog, dusting off rarities from each of its 13 albums and the singers three solo discs, alongside its more than 40 mainstream rock hits.

His finest songs  such as American Girl, Free Fallin and Runnin Down a Dream  invariably drew inspiration from rock n rolls glory years, when groups like the Byrds, the Zombies and Bob Dylan invented the brand of chiming guitar rock that Petty perfected.

Mr. Petty devoted most of his time leading up to the final tour to curating the playlist and conducting interviews with his personal heroes for a dedicated SiriusXM channel.

If there was a thread that ran through his work, from the rough-hewn radio staples from the early years (The Waiting, You Got Lucky) to his slickly produced hits of the 1980s and 1990s (I Wont Back Down, Learning to Fly), it was a quest for authenticity.

If youre phony, they will feel it in the farthest row of the arena, Mr. Petty said in an interview with Esquire in 2006. You have to really care. And you have to make yourself care time and time again.

Thomas Earl Petty was born in Gainesville, Fla., on Oct. 20, 1950. He grew up with an abusive father and dropped out of high school at age 17 to join the bar band Mudcrutch, whose members, guitarist Mike Campbell and keyboardist Benmont Tench, he continued to play with after the bands breakup.

Moving to Los Angeles in the early 1970s, they formed the Heartbreakers with bassist Ron Blair and drummer Stan Lynch. Their self-titled debut album (which featured Breakdown and American Girl) didnt initially make much of an impact when it was released, but following a tour of England the group began to get traction back home.

In a 1977 review of the bands performance at Keystone in Palo Alto, The Chronicles pop music critic, Joel Selvin, wrote, The band concentrates on concise songs, backed by powerful ensemble work that de-emphasized individual solos in favor of a total band sound.

By the time Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers released 1979s Damn the Torpedoes, the group had a string of hits including Dont Do Me Like That and Refugee, which Petty followed with Stop Draggin My Heart Around, a duet with Stevie Nicks that appeared on her Bella Donna LP.

In 1997, the band played 20 sold-out shows at San Franciscos 1,100-capacity Fillmore, during which, Selvin wrote, It was one of rock musics top outfits of the past 20 years relaxed and doing what it does best. This band is so unpretentious, so effortless, its almost easy to overlook how great it is. And when Pettys enormous catalog and consistent excellence are weighed, he has to be considered one of the greatest in the history of music.

The last show of the residency stretched to four hours.

We werent promoting anything, Petty would recall, speaking to The Chronicle two years later. We didnt have any agenda. And it was a very successful experiment for us. I think we enjoyed it more than anything weve ever done with the Heartbreakers.

Pettys most recent release, 2014s Hypnotic Eye, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200 album chart. In 2015, Petty earned a writing credit on Sam Smiths megahit Stay With Me for its similarities to his 1989 song I Wont Back Down.

He was also a member of the 1980s supergroup the Traveling Wilburys, with Dylan, George Harrison, Roy Orbison and Jeff Lynne, and recorded as a solo artist.

Its shocking, crushing news, Dylan said in a statement. I thought the world of Tom. He was great performer, full of the light, a friend, and Ill never forget him.

Petty is survived by his wife, Dana; two daughters, Adria and Annakim; Danas son, Dylan; and Pettys younger brother, Bruce. No services have been announced.

Aidin Vaziri is The San Francisco Chronicles pop music critic. Email: avaziri@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @MusicSF
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HARTFORD  School loyalty is not what it used to be  in Connecticut politics anyway.

At least a dozen Republican House and Senate members  and one Democratic senator  who graduated or earned advanced degrees at UConn voted for a GOP state budget the university says slashed $300 million from the school.

Click through the slideshow to see which Connecticut politicians with UConn ties voted 'yes'

This would simply decimate the university, UConn President Susan Herbst told the university in a message.

More News Malloy vetoes, Republicans vow override effort

So how do you defend voting to decimate your alma mater?

State Sen. Toni Boucher, a Wilton Republican who earned an MBA at UConn, said her vote was difficult, but stressed solving the states financial crisis overrode her concern.

It was not something I was happy about, Boucher said of the UConn cut, which Republicans say totals only $240 million  nearly a quarter of a billion dollars. But they have to share the pain too. We are in crisis.

Boucher noted she is a contributor to the UConn Foundation and as a legislator voted to pour money into the university.

We have added billions over the years, not just to UConn but the state university system, Boucher said. Im one of the most loyal legislators.

State Sen. Kevin Kelly, R-Stratford, said his UConn law degree had no influence on his vote.

We have to look at what is in front of us, Kelly said. We have a very dire fiscal situation and we cant be everything to everybody anymore.

UConn claims the Republican state budget, passed by the House and Senate with the help of eight Democrats, slashed more than $300 million  Republicans say $240 million  from the schools budget.

The cuts came as the school was recently ranked the 18th top public university by U.S. News & World Report.

The GOP budget became a moot point Thursday when Gov. Dannel P. Malloy vetoed the legislation.

But that left lawmakers on both sides of the isle back at square one, with no budget in place, a pressing urgency to find a compromise and the need to obtain big savings from state programs such as UConn.

Loyalty test

Hearst Connecticut Media looked at a small sample of the 77 House members who voted for the GOP plan, including five Democrats, and the 21 Senators who favored it, including three Democrats.

Only one Democrat, State Sen. Paul Doyle, D-Wethersfield, voted for the GOP budget and also has a UConn connection.

Doyle holds a B.A. in history from Colby College and received a J.D. from the University of Connecticut School of Law in Hartford.

In addition to the 12 Republican UConn alumni who voted for the budget, at least five other Republican legislators who voted to cut funding either once worked for the school or attended or taught classes. One serves as government representative.

State Rep. Mitch Bolinsky, R-Newtown, voted for the GOP budget. Although he is not a UConn graduate, Bolinskys House website notes that his 26-year-old daughter, Rachel, completed her undergrad work at UConn in 2012.

Bolinsky could not be reached for comment.

A spokeswoman for UConn, Stephanie Reitz, declined to discuss loyalty and college alumni who vote to cut their schools funding.

Asked if the university would consider revoking their degrees, Reitz said that would not happen.

Tug of emotion

The UConn alumni lawmakers said their votes were difficult and stressed there were many tough decisions to make.

Im sure there isnt anyone who didnt wince about something, said state Rep. Gail Lavielle, R-Wilton, who holds an MBA in finance from UConn.

Lavielle said she supports many of the programs and services targeted by the GOP budget, such as the Citizens Election Program, which was eliminated. The program provides public money for campaigns.

But you have to be cognizant about how bad the situation is, Lavielle said. There were a lot of decisions to make and it does not make anyone happy.

State Rep. Arthur ONeill, R-Southbury, and a UConn graduate, said the vote was difficult.

There was a tug of emotion as a graduate of UConn, ONeill said of his vote to cut funding. Ive supported putting a lot of money into UConn. Id love to shout Yes for UConn, but we have a responsibility to the rest of the state.

Not exactly a rallying tribute to the lyrics of the schools fight song heard at big games:

UConn Husky, symbol of might to the foe.

Fight, fight Connecticut, It's vict'ry, Let's go.

But ONeill said he believes the university can absorb reduced state funding without impacting students.

There are lots of places they can economize without impacting education, ONeill said. And there are lots of examples of inefficiencies at UConn.

Kelly said despite the UConn cut the Republican budget still sent $1 billion to the university.

Its not like we treated it like a red-headed stepchild, Kelly said. You have to make tough choices.

Boucher noted the Republican budget closed a $3.5 billion deficit, sent municipalities a fair share of revenue and would keep the state operating. You split the baby, she said, referring to the UConn cuts.

UConn President Herbst said the cuts could close UConn Health, eliminate majors and graduate programs and reduce scientific and medical research.

That level of cut is unprecedented and would be devastating for UConn, higher education in Connecticut, and the state as a whole, Herbst said.
Author Dave Eggers scared millions with The Circle, his tale of AI-driven surveillance that's since become a movie starring Tom Hanks and Emma Watson. And why not? Decades of science fiction have trained us to believe machines will eventually replace humans in everything -- even when it comes to marketing.

Related: 10 Ways to Use Chatbots for Marketing and Sales

There is some basis for this belief. Machines have already replaced some learnings to make marketing more efficient. For example, online algorithms like the ones used in Google ads have made it easier to determine purchase intent and predict when prospects are ready to buy. Machines are brilliant at processing data that represents purchase signals. But, what they miss is context about buyers' existing brand perceptions and the motivations behind their purchase decisions.

Context: The key to creating meaningful brand experiences

Anything that informs motivations is context. Let me give you a personal example. I may be searching for signs of a failing hard drive or for good deals on a lightweight PC. To Google, these searches will likely signal that I'm in the market for a computer. What sort of computer will it choose to show in an ad?

Maybe Google knows I'm in marketing, I work at a tech company and I live in a creative hub -- Austin, Texas -- all of which might increase the odds of me being in the market for a Mac. What kind of Mac, though? A check of my search history likely reveals I frequently hunt for good airfares when traveling for business, which leads Google to present me with travel-friendly laptop options.

A new, souped-up MacBook sounds great ... for just about anyone else but me. I've just never been an Apple guy; my brand loyalties lie elsewhere, which is crucial context when presenting me with an offer. Despite the purchase signals I was sending, my brand preferences were overlooked and the ad was essentially a waste of time. So, how can we expect AI technology to create and execute a full marketing campaign if today's algorithms aren't even equipped to display an effective ad?

Related: AI Is Taking the Art Out of Sales

The challenge for marketers: Injecting context, interpreting data

That doesn't mean machines that process data and interpret buying signals are unimportant. But, they still lack context about buyers' existing brand perceptions and whether or not those perceptions can be influenced. They also lack the ability to define what experiences should be created to reach buyers that are receptive to your message.

Sure, machines can provide data to help marketers find prospects that might be in the market for their product. They can also help inform micro-decisions to more efficiently run and promote campaigns. But, they're not equipped to create personalized brand experiences that can grab your attention.

To effectively reach and engage buyers, an understanding of their current perceptions and past experiences with your brand is required. That's why the creative exercise of developing impactful experiences that take prospects further down the funnel, from awareness to consideration, is still better informed by marketers than machines.

Related: Chatbots Can Help Your Team But They Can't Replace Your Team

Artificial intelligence for a data-driven future

But, if you think about it, context is just another layer of data so there could be a future where machines expand their algorithms to better understand how customers and prospects perceive brands and consume experiences.

For example, let's say you're launching a new brand campaign to reaffirm your commitment to customers. Using a model that examines certain behaviors, such as browsing history, Google searches, social media interests and more, AI technology might be able to tell you which customers are more likely to jump ship to a competitor and need a little more attention. But, what experiences should be created to effectively reach the customers at risk? That question should still be answered by a human being.

Plus, the privacy implications for harnessing this sort of data for AI are vast. Look at Facebook for example. What if my likes and dislikes, and the time and place I clicked on content that interests me, were made public? What if my friends that share my interests were made public as well? Suddenly, machines would be infused with an extra layer of context -- context provided by the personal elements of my life.

Related: Survey Finds Marketers Know All the Important Tech Trends But Aren't Prepared for Any of Them

But, I might not like that, and it may encourage me to share a manufactured or curated version of myself while hiding the parts I want to remain secret. Or, I may choose to stop sharing anything at all.

All of which brings us back to the human experience. Machines are capable of ingesting and processing and making some limited meaning out of more data today than ever before. That's good, but it may not get us as any closer to our customers.

Why? Because data and signals are nothing without context, and context is informed by our existing perceptions and motivations that can be easily hidden. Until AI can perfectly replicate the artful act of human engagement and then make educated decisions about tapping into those motivations, marketers will not be replaced. Today's machines can't do all that, and it'll likely to be years, or even decades, before they can.

Related Video: The Only Online Marketing Metric That Actually Matters

Related:

AI Still Can't Create the Perfect Marketing Campaign for You

Gear Up as These Skills Will Define Your Job Prospects in an Automated Future

#5 Vital Points for Creating a Banking Chatbot



Copyright 2017 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved



This article originally appeared on entrepreneur.com


NORWALK  A former Home Depot cashier was arrested on larceny charges Monday after police say he failed to scan more than $1,600 worth of items for people he knew.

James Garcia, 26, of Oak Street was charged with fourth-degree larceny after a months-long investigation by store loss prevention personnel.
By PTI: London, Oct 3 (PTI) A protein - found in egg whites, as well as tears, saliva and milk of mammals - can be used to generate electricity and power novel medical devices in the future, scientists say.

Researchers from the University of Limerick (UL) in Ireland observed that crystals of lysozyme, a model protein can generate electricity when pressed.

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The ability to generate electricity by applying pressure, known as direct piezoelectricity, is a property of materials such as quartz that can convert mechanical energy into electrical energy and vice versa.

Such materials are used in a variety of applications ranging from resonators and vibrators in mobile phones to deep ocean sonars to ultrasound imaging. Bone, tendon and wood are long known to possess piezoelectricity.

"While piezoelectricity is used all around us, the capacity to generate electricity from this particular protein had not been explored," said Aimee Stapleton from UL.

"The extent of the piezoelectricity in lysozyme crystals is significant. It is of the same order of magnitude found in quartz," said Stapleton, lead author of the study published in the journal Applied Physics Letters.

"However, because it is a biological material, it is non toxic so could have many innovative applications such as electroactive, anti-microbial coatings for medical implants," she said.

Crystals of lysozyme are easy to make from natural sources, researchers said.

The discovery may have wide reaching applications and could lead to further research in the area of energy harvesting and flexible electronics for biomedical devices.

Future applications of the discovery may include controlling the release of drugs in the body by using lysozyme as a physiologically mediated pump that scavenges energy from its surroundings.

Being naturally biocompatible and piezoelectric, lysozyme may present an alternative to conventional piezoelectric energy harvesters, many of which contain toxic elements such as lead. PTI MHN SAR MHN

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A select number of original artwork by Norman Rockwell and other founders of the Famous Artists School will be on view in the Norman Rockwell Museum in Massachusetts through November.

Magdalen Livesey and her late husband Robert donated a total of 30,000 items to the museum in 2014, after the late art historian Walt Reed took a look at the archives.

Just by the first glance, opening 10 drawers, we already realized there was a lot of valuable stuff here, Livesey, of Wilton, said. It wouldve been tragic to throw that stuff away. It was so much that there was no way you could store it.

The museums exhibition, Learning from the Masters: The Famous Artists School, explores the collection and creative methods of Americas most highly regarded illustrators.

Founded in 1948 in Westport, the Famous Artists School was Americas most popular art correspondence school during the post-war era  serving as many as 60,000 students at the time, according to the Norman Rockwell Museum.

The Liveseys acquired the Famous Artists School, along with the Famous Writers and Famous Photographers schools, in 1981 and consolidated its operations with their multimedia publishing company, Cortina Learning International, Inc., which specialized in instructional materials and educational programs.

This acquisition expanded Cortina Learning Internationals distance education curriculum, Livesey said, and also aligned with the vision of founder and Spanish-American linguist Rafael Diaz de la Cortina. He originated the recorded method of language learning at his academy in New York during the 1880s, using cylinders Thomas Edison developed for him.

My father-in-law bought the business from him in 1928, 1929, and my husband came into the business after the second World War, Livesey said. We moved the business out to Wilton in the late 70s. At the same time, my husband found out the Famous Schools were looking for a buyer.

But, over the years, the idea of a correspondence school  where art, writing or photography is sent back and forth to an instructor for personalized critique  is an idea that has gone away with time, Livesey said.

And the other thing of course is that we were sort of fighting an uphill battle against the fact that there are so many ways to do art via computer, Livesey added.

After the death of her husband in 2015, operations of both businesses ceased in June, and the office building at 9 Hollyhock Road was recently sold.

Were just gradually finishing up, Livesey said. But the lovely thing about the Famous Artists School archives was to find a home for all this stuff. ... Its such a happy ending because this way theyve got this wonderful stuff, we found a home.

The exhibition will remain on view through Nov. 19 at the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, Mass. Visitors can view original illustrations and studies by the 12 Famous Artists School founders: Norman Rockwell, Al Dorne, Harold von Schmidt, John Atherton, Al Parker, Fred Ludekens, Ben Stahl, Peter Helck, Stevan Dohanos, Jon Whitcomb, Austin Briggs and Robert Fawcett

Most of the work was also featured in a recently published book Livesey co-authored with the museums deputy director and chief curator, Stephanie Haboush Plunkett. The book, Drawing Lessons from the Famous Artists School: Classic Techniques and Expert Tips from the Golden Age of Illustration, was published in June.

skim@hearstmediact.com; 203-842-2568; @stephaniehnkim
Hall County may have a new appointed election commissioner named Tuesday afternoon.

The Hall County Board of Supervisors will interview four candidates for the Hall County election commissioner position beginning at 1:30 p.m.

According current Hall County Election Commissioner Dale Baker, the four finalists are:

- Tonya Baker, field appraiser in the Hall County Assessor/Register of Deeds office.

- Bailey Gibson, GIS analyst with the Hall County GIS Department.

- Susan Nickerson, senior living regional operations consultant at Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society.

- Tracy Overstreet, administrative assistant for the Regional Planning Department and a former Independent reporter.

Baker added there were 21 total applicants.

Board chairwoman Pam Lancaster said the elections committee, made up of Supervisors Scott Arnold, Doug Lanfear and Jane Richardson, met twice and selected the four finalists for the election commissioner position.

The three of them, I understand, have reviewed the applicants two different times  once in the first bunch and then there was a group that came in later, Lancaster said. They reviewed the first group that came in and then another group as the time neared the deadline.

The county board meeting agenda calls for the board to consider taking action on the election commissioner vacancy. However, Lancaster emphasized the board does reserve the right to have two interviews with the candidates, rather than just one.

But hopefully, the interviews will go such that there is a clear candidate we would like be the election commissioner for Hall County, she said. It is imperative that we get them in the office and get them training as soon as possible. There is a lot to learn.

Baker and Denice Kruse, assistant to the Hall Election Commissioner, plan to retire after 16 and 29 years, respectively, in the election commissioners office. The last day for Kruse will be Dec. 1.

Lancaster reiterated Baker will step into the position of assistant to the Hall County election commissioner, effective Jan. 1, to help the appointed election commissioner through her first election.

The Hall County board will also discuss and consider taking action on setting a reporting period for the Central Nebraska Humane Society.

Supervisor Doug Lanfear, who placed the item on Tuesdays meeting agenda, said Hall County and the Central Nebraska Humane Society entered into a contract for services last January. He added, per the contract, the Humane Society is to write the county board a report once a year on all activities it performs in Hall County.

Nowhere in there does it specify what time period it is, Lanfear said. Is it a calendar year? Does it run with our fiscal year? Basically we, as the board, need to decide what the time period is. This is something that got missed and we need to make a decision. I had talked to Tonya Hansen (president of the Central Nebraska Humane Societys Board of Directors) and she was the one who brought it up.

Lanfear added the report will include the number of trips the Humane Society takes and for what reason they were done.

In other action:

- Be introduced to new Hall County Court Clerk Magistrate Jen Myers.

- Discuss the installation of a water cooler for the veterans services office.

- Discuss and consider taking action on a Hall County attorney appointment,

- Hear a recommendation from the classification committee regarding the job description for a mental health care provider at the Hall County Jail.

The Hall County Board of Supervisors meets at 9 a.m. Tuesday at the Hall County Administration Building.
For Karen and Greg Melsen of Grand Island, it was going to be a fun weekend in Las Vegas, attending a three-day music concert with some of the biggest stars in country music before having to head back home on Monday.

But Sunday night the festivities of the concert turned into a horrific nightmare as Stephan Paddock killed 59 people and injured 527 others before taking his own life in the largest mass shooting spree in American history.

The Melsens had arrived in Las Vegas on Thursday, the same day that Paddock checked into his room on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, where the window of his suite overlooked the site, about 1,000 yards away, of the three-day Highway 91 Harvest Festival.

The Melsens flew out of Denver on Thursday and were going to fly back to Denver Monday morning.

Karen Melsen said she and her husband flew to Las Vegas specifically to attend the music festival.

A friend of mine told me about the concert, Melsen said.

Three days of music

They had attended the concerts on Friday and Saturday and returned at about 6 p.m. Sunday to the concert grounds, where they saw Big and Rich and Jake Owens perform before Jason Aldean took the stage to close out the three-day festival.

It was 10:08 p.m. and Aldean was on stage performing when the Melsens and others thought they heard firecrackers going off.

We were probably halfway back from the right side of the stage, Melsen said. It was very crowded. There were about 22,000 people there.

The couple was staying at Elara by Hilton, which is about two miles from the festival site. They had walked to the festival from their hotel room.

It sounded like firecrackers

Witnesses to the incident said that when the shooting started shortly after 10 p.m. it sounded like firecrackers going off.

That is exactly what it sounded like, Melsen said. There were three pops at first and my husband looked at us (they were attending the concert with a friend and her daughter) and said, Thats firecrackers, right?

We looked up in the sky and didnt see anything, she said. Im going to say that maybe about 10 seconds went by before we heard this spray of gunfire. But again we thought it was just firecrackers. Jason Aldean was still playing his music. Then all of a sudden this guy came running down and said, Theres a shooter, and then just a mass of people started running down toward us and we just grabbed each others hand and we ran and hid behind a shed. There were makeshift bars right down the middle and at the very end there was this Mali Gym metal vending stand that was closed and we just ducked behind that.

Melsen said that was where she and her husband stayed for about 10 minutes.

Looking for a safe haven

Then an off-duty cop came over and he was shielding us and several others and told us, Youre in the safest place, she said. Everyone thought that the shooter was on the ground. No one had any idea that the shooter was up in the building. So, we are thinking hes on the ground. But, as the shots were getting closer to us, (the off-duty police officer) said we needed to move around to the right and then the shots stopped and he said, Hes reloading and you guys need to run to that bar, which was about 35 yards away.

With the off-duty police officer was a military man who was helping to shield the Melsens and others once the shooting started.

You could hear those bullets getting closer and closer to you, Melsen said. We thought, Why isnt it stopping? We thought the shooter was on the ground and with 22,000 people you would think that someone would be able to tackle him ... get him ... and you could see those two men, the off-duty cop and the military man, scanning, trying to find him and they are talking to each other, trying to get a game plan. They couldnt find him and then (the military man) said, Im hit, Im hit.

Melsen said the military man said he was hit in the leg and he thought it was just shrapnel.

That panicked me tremendously, but I tried to remain calm, she said. That was when they said that they needed to move us to the right of the trailer because I think they knew that we were sitting ducks. When the shooter stopped for those few seconds and they told us that he was reloading and that we had to get to that bar and to run as fast as we can, we just took off. We didnt think. We just had to go.

Vendors were also along the periphery of the festival space. That was where the bar was that she and her husband ran to.

Safety at Hooters

It was called the Losers Bar, Melsen said. Now we know that (the shooter) was moving to the other window and probably picking up another gun, but the cop said he was reloading. He just said that we all must run to get to that bar. Thats what we did. We made it into that bar. They were directing us to the back and out the back door and people had knocked down fences and we were able to get out that fence into a back alleyway and onto a street. We were out. We just followed the mass of people. We figured that we would get someplace and we did. We ended up at Hooters Hotel.

That was a little after 10:30 p.m.

Hooters Casino Hotel is located on West Tropicana Boulevard across from the MGM Grand, not far from where the festival was taking place.

Melsen said she and her husband went to Hooters for a while and once we got our bearings, we headed back to the Strip (Las Vegas Blvd). We had a debate whether we should get on the Strip or go the back way to our hotel. We decided that the Strip would be busy with all the police cars and ambulances. We felt the safest there and we just took the Strip back to our hotel.

Learning what had happened

The Elara by Hilton is located on East Harmon Avenue across from the Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino.

The Melsens got back to their hotel at about 11:15. Once in their room, they turned the television on right away to see what was happening.

Melsen said once she and her husband got outside of the festival area where the shooting was taking place, ... there was mass confusion. People were screaming. People were helping people. We saw a lot of hurt people. It was just chaos, to be honest with you. Nobody was safe.

After getting out of the range of the shooter, they learned from others that the shots were coming from Mandalay Bay.

They had been at the concert with her friend and her daughter. Once back at their hotel they met up with their friends from whom they had been separated once the shooting began.

We told them that the shots were coming from Mandalay Bay, but they didnt believe us, she said. When we woke up the next morning, that was confirmed.

Back to Grand Island

They woke up Monday and made it to McCarran International Airport for their 8 a.m. flight to Denver and then the long drive home to Grand Island and back to work the next day.

Melsen said they didnt have a lot of time to process what had happened to them that night before they went to bed.

When we decided to shut the TV off, there were two people who were deceased and we woke up to 50. That was when it hit us, she said. We were very fortunate where we were standing.

While the Melsens made it back to their hotel room safely, the incident continued until 11:23 p.m. That was when law enforcement entered the shooters room and found that he had shot himself to death.

Melsen said Tuesday that it will take time before she and her husband can fully process the nightmare they experienced.

You cant imagine, she said.

Changed by the experience

The Melsens have visited Las Vegas many times before. Its a place where millions of people go each year from around the world to relax, see a show and gamble.

She said before the shooting, her biggest fear was whether the plane she was on was going to crash, but all of a sudden that has changed. You have to be aware of where you are at all times and where is the exit and how are you going to get out of here if something happens.

The incident hasnt stopped her from going back to Las Vegas again or believing in the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution that gives citizens the right to bear arms.

People must always be aware and if you are suspicious of something, maybe you should report it, Melsen said. If you are bothered by something, you must always report it to the authorities. You cant live in fear. You just have to be more aware.

She said her husband is doing all right as he also returned back to work on Tuesday.

We have a good support system, she said.

Melsen asks people to say a prayer for the victims of this tragedy and the ones who are recovering from their injuries and to always be thankful to the first responders.

They saved us, she said.
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) supporters led by MLA Jitendra Awhad staged a rail roko at the Kalwa station in Mumbai to protest against the Elphinstone station foot overbridge tragedy in which 23 people were killed.

By Divyesh Singh: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) supporters led by MLA Jitendra Awhad staged a rail roko at the Kalwa station in Mumbai to protest against the Elphinstone station foot overbridge tragedy in which 23 people were killed.

Although the protest was held only for a few minutes, Awhad claims it sent out a clear message to the government and railway officials as a railway survey team reached the Thane railway stsation this morning.

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The NCP had announced his decision to stage a rail roko a few days ago. As the protest was to be carried out during peak office hours, railway police, alongwith city police and Railway Protection Force had maintained adequate security arrangements.

Awhad arrived at the Kalwa station around 9 am and led his supporters inside. They sat down on the railway tracks near platform number 2 where a Mumbai-bound local had just arrived. The local was stopped for about 5 minutes after which they left the tracks. By 9:20 am, train services had resumed.

GOVT INSENSITIVE TOWARDS PEOPLE USING LOCAL TRAINS: NCP

Talking to India Today, Awhad said, "The government is spending Rs 1.20 lakh crores on bullet trains, but have been callous to people using local trains. Elphinstone stampede victims died because of government apathy. Daily, a large number of people die after falling off local trains. Former Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu had said Rs 45,000 crores will help boost the suburban railway network but did not do anything."

The NCP leader said, "Protests will continue at all stations on all lines. Between Thane and Diva railway stations, 4 people have died in the last week, while the toll throughout the year between these stations is 2,900. The toll across Mumbai due to train mishaps crosses the count of deaths in a terror attack or disaster. The purpose of our protest was to send out a message to the government as Prime Minister Narendra Modi is coming up with a bullet train, despite knowing no one is going to travel in it".

WATCH VIDEO | Mumbai: 22 dead, over 30 injured in stampede at Elphinstone station

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PLATTSMOUTH  Sheryl Ann Hanssen, 54, of Plattsmouth passed away at her home on Friday. Sept. 29, 2017, surrounded by family and friends.

Service and celebration of Sheryls life will be 10 a.m. Thursday at All Faiths Funeral Home in Grand Island. The Rev. James Jost will officiate. Burial will be in the Grand Island City Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.

Born March 6, 1963, in Grand Island, she was the daughter of Lowell and Rojean (Robinson) Rogers.

Sheryl attended Blessed Sacrament Grade School and graduated from Central Catholic High School in 1981. She attended Kearney State College, earning her Bachelor of Nursing degree in 1986. She then moved to Minnesota and worked for a nursing home.

Sheryl was engaged to Mark Hanssen and, upon completion of Chiropractic College, the couple returned to Grand Island where they were married Sept. 19, 1987. They then moved to Kearney and she was employed by Good Samaritan Hospital.

After a year they moved to LaVista to establish a chiropractic clinic and she began working at Methodist Hospital. She continued working for 10 years until the birth of their first son, Michael, in 1996. Their second son, Christopher, was born in 1998. During this time, Sheryl, was a stay-at-home mom, and also worked part time at the family chiropractic clinic.

She pursued many interests relating to her children, such as serving as PTO president, organizing school functions and supporting other families and children. Once her boys were out of high school, she regained her nursing license and returned to the University Medical Center, working in the ICU.

She was an active member of her church, Life Spring, volunteering many hours in the day to day operations including bookkeeping and assisting administratively.

She leaves behind her husband, Mark Hanssen; two sons, Michael and Christopher of Plattsmouth; her mother and stepfather, Rojean and Bryce Feldman of Grand Island; a brother, Martin Rogers of Boulder, Colo., and sister, Amy Jansson of Grand Island; a stepbrother and his wife, Brad and Alisha Feldman; her stepsisters and their husbands, Jody and Kevin Hines, Megan and Randy Marks, Jackie Richter and Amy and Brad Parker; two uncles, Richard Robinson and Randall Robinson; an aunt, Rita Peterson; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

She was preceded in death by her father, Lowell Rogers; her paternal grandparents, Clarence and Edna Rogers; her maternal grandparents, Raymond and Rose Robinson; an aunt, Elaine Robinson; and an uncle and aunt, Ronnie and Doris Robinson.

Memorial donations will be used to establish a nursing scholarship in Sheryls name. Online remembrances may be left at www.giallfaiths.com.
Live update: Eagles' undefeated season in jeopardy after brutal half

Several observations from the Eagles' Monday night game against the Washington Commanders.
Question: I read an article about a person being arrested after he was identified in a photo lineup. I have not heard of these before, but I guess it makes more sense to use photographs of possible suspects, rather than have live people actually present in a line. The article talked about the person pleading not guilty, and hiring an attorney. It occurred to me: can you have an attorney at a lineup, or at a photo lineup, for that matter?

For those readers who do not know, a line-up occurs when an eye-witness witnessed a crime. The police have several people stand side by side while holding numbers and an eye-witness selects the number of the person they saw perpetrate the crime they witnessed from the people standing before him. As is popularized on television, the eye-witness might be behind mirrored glass, so that he might remain anonymous. There is no requirement that the eye-witness selects any of the people standing up, and sometimes the eye-witness does not select anyone.

Whether a person is entitled to have an attorney present during a line-up will depend on whether or not that person has been charged with a crime. A person is entitled to an attorney after being charged, and that person is entitled to have an attorney present during events that might affect the case. For this reason, a person who is already charged with a crime is entitled to have an attorney present at a line-up. However, if the perpetrator of a crime has not been charged yet, that person has no right to an attorney or to have an attorney present at a line-up.

If a person charged with a crime has their attorney present at the line-up, that attorney cannot participate in it. The defendants attorney is allowed only to observe the line-up, and will be looking for aspects of the line-up that are suggestive in nature. The defendants attorney cannot insist the line-up be changed or help in setting it up.

There are two other ways that police can have a witness identify the perpetrator of a crime, one of which, a photo line-up, you already mentioned. The other is what is commonly referred to as a show-up. In police photo line-ups, the police arrange a number of numbered photographs, not less than six, and ask the eye-witness to identify the person they saw commit the crime. In police show-ups, the police take a suspected perpetrator to an eye-witness and ask the eye-witness to do the same thing  identify the person they saw committed the crime. A person, regardless of whether he has been charged with a crime or not, does not have a right to have an attorney present at a photo line-up or a show-up.

It is important to note that line-ups and photo line-ups are not designed to be suggestive in nature. For this reason, the people who are in a line-up or photo line-up will be similarly dressed and look similar in appearance. (If, for example, the witness described the perpetrator as having a mustache, all the people in the line-up will have a mustache.) So that they are not suggestive, the police tell the eye-witness that the person they described as having committed the crime may or may not be among the people the police show the eye-witness. Furthermore, the police only ask the person if they see the person they described as having committed the crime among all the people they show the witness, and the police will then ask the witness to say the number that corresponds to that person.

Question: Can a lawyer challenge a lineup? I ask because I had never heard of this before the other day when I read about a lineup being challenged. What would a lawyer have to prove to challenge a lineup?

Generally, in order to successfully win an attack on a line-up, the identification itself must have been unnecessarily suggestive. Furthermore, the line-up must have created a substantial likelihood of misidentification.

It is hard to attack any line-up, photo line-up, or show-up. Largely, any success in doing so will depend on the circumstances surrounding the identification. If, for example, the suspect is an African-American but the line-up consists of European-Americans and only one African-American, that would be undoubtedly suggestive so as to create a substantial likelihood of misidentification.

Police are generally very thorough when conducting a line-up, photo line-up, or show-up because, if improperly executed, the witness later identification of the defendant at trial might have been poisoned by the previous identification, which could create reasonable doubt that the man on trial was not, in fact, the perpetrator of the crime.

Have questions for Brendan Bukalski? E-mail him at askthelawyer@gmail.com, or write him, c/o The Edwardsville Intelligencer, 117 N. 2nd St., Edwardsville, IL 62025.

Editor's note  the answers provided in this column are general in nature, and should not be relied upon as legal advice or interpreted as creating an attorney-client relationship. As a general rule, all specific legal problems should be handled by an individual's personal attorney. Any submissions to the author are subject to being published and to being modified prior to publication.
Madison County Clerk Debbie Ming-Mendoza has had a few words for the 50 or so people who called her office recently worried that when next years primary and general elections roll around they wont have the option to vote early: We will have early voting.

The calls came after proposals were made in the first round of the Madison County proposed budget process that threatened to cut out funding for all election judges and reduce the election supplies budget by $27,000.

Its possible the cuts will be scaled back or rescinded altogether over the next month. In any case, early voting will continue as planned.

We will just have to go into the red at the end of the year, Ming-Mendoza said.

As the budget process moves forward, Ming-Mendoza will be arguing to have the nearly 30 percent cuts to her department restored.

But early voting is unlikely to be on the chopping block, Madison County Administrator Doug Hulme said Thursday. When administrators reviewed Ming-Mendozas budget request, they had questions that needed clarification, he said.

What we want her to do is to come to the Finance Committee and state the case for overtime and part-time pay, he said. We want it to be in a more public setting."

After last Novembers election, the county elected a Republican County Board Chairman and put Republicans firmly in the majority on the County Board. The Finance Committee changed as well, with Republican Lisa Ciampoli replacing Democrat Jack Minner as chairman, and leaving Gussie Glasper and Larry Trucano as the lone Democrats on the committee.

Finance Committee meetings this year have been lengthy affairs, with several lasting more than two hours. Department heads have been making their case before the committee lately and committee members have had a chance to question them.

Its actually been educational for the County Board, Hulme said.

Cuts or no cuts, early voting is mandated by Illinois law, and voters will have the opportunity to vote early in the primary and general elections. In Madison County, it begins 15 days prior to the election and continues through the day before Election Day.

Ming-Mendoza said she is concerned that the proposed budget would eliminate the line items that fund Election Day judges as well as all part-time help. Those are Democrats and Republicans who put the ballots together, proof the ballot, do all the machine testing . . . they completely eliminated that, she said.

Because the County Clerks office has two elections to prepare for in 2018, Ming-Mendoza made a request for an extra employee. That, she said, has been rejected in the first proposed budget. The budget also seeks to eliminate an employee in the County Clerks office, she said.

When she made her requests over the summer, Ming-Mendoza sought $57,000 for election supplies such as ink cartridges, ballot stock, Election Day supplies, voter registration card and copy machine paper. Instead, that part of her budget was reduced by $27,000.

Ming-Mendoza says she was not consulted prior to the first proposed budget and was given no reason for the reductions. I guess the County Clerks office will have to operate as the state has been doing for the last few years, she said, with no budget and still putting on statutorily-required events.

The Finance Committee has scheduled several more meetings for October and its members hope to have a budget ready by the end of the month, Hulme said. The Madison County Board will vote on the proposed budget at its Nov. 15 meeting. The new budget is scheduled to take effect in December.

I want to make sure that 180,000 people that are registered in this county will have a ballot available for them, will have a machine that has been tested and re-tested by independent judges, and that theyre given a ballot that works and one that has been looked over and tested by Republican and Democratic judges.

The County Clerks office has 18 employees. They all have responsibility for tax extensions, assumed names, delinquent taxes, and voter registration. The early voting sites need to be manned by election judges, not county clerk employees, she said.
The Gift of Voice begins a series of workshops soon that are aimed at people who offer recovery support in the community.

Anyone who is in the people business  those helping others and supporting them in their life journey  would probably get something out of this, says A.J. French, the groups founder.

The 90-minute classes will be held at Eden Church, at 903 Second St. in Edwardsville. There is no charge though past participants have often wound up donating to support the cause, French said.

The Recovery Support Series begins Monday, Oct. 9 at 3 p.m. Trenda Hedges, with the Illinois Mental Health Collaborative, will speak about Supporting Self Determination.

A second workshop, on Nov. 13, explores the topic of Integrating Healthcare. It will be presented in a panel discussion format involving Jennifer Roth, executive director of the Madison County Mental Health Board, Madison County Public Health Administrator Toni Corona and two other as-yet-unnamed participants.

That topic should be of particular interest because people with serious mental illness die, on average, 25 years earlier than the general population, according to a 2006 study published by the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors, out of Alexandria, Va.

The increase is due to largely preventable causes such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and respiratory disease, and the study notes that the problem can be mitigated by, among other things, improving access and integration with physical health care services.

But what the study leaves out is the factor of recovery support, the most helpful factor for someone with a mental health condition. Thats what the Recovery Support Series is all about, French said.

A recent study, published in September of 2017 in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, affirmed the 2006 study. Dr. Paul Kurdyak, with the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health and the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences, in Toronto, noted that the new study in addition to documenting astonishingly high mortality rates, also points to an equity issue -- that individuals with schizophrenia are not benefiting from public health and health care interventions to the same degree as individuals without schizophrenia.

A mentoring workshop is set for Dec. 11. Cindy Mayhew, with the Illinois Division of Mental Health, will speak on the topic of Teaching Life Skills.

The workshops continue into the spring of 2018, though the list of speakers wont be announced until December. The dates and topics include:

 Jan. 8  Assuring Cultural Diversity

 Jan. 29  Assessing and Responding to Risk Indicators

 Feb. 12  Focusing on Strengths

 Feb. 26  Accessing Services and Supports

 March 12 - Supporting Veterans in Transition

 March 26  Encouraging Healthy Responses

 April 30  Understanding the Judicial System

A date for Navigating Structured Systems has been scheduled for April though a date has not yet been announced.
By India Today Web Desk: If you thought Ranveer Singh could only pull off good-boy image on the big screen, you need to look at his menacing act in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's upcoming film Padmavati. The 32-year-old actor, who made women go weak in the knees with his roles in Bhansali's Ram Leela and Bajirao Mastani, is set to surprise you with Padmavati.

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It is no secret that Singh will essay the role of Alauddin Khilji in the period drama. And after the first look of Deepika Padukone and Shahid Kapoor from the film came out, Bollywood fans were eagerly awaiting Singh's look, and going by the new posters, Bhansali has definitely not disappointed movie buffs.

Ranveer took to Twitter to give his fans a glimpse of his character in the film.

Kohl eyes, long tresses and a scar under his eyes, Khilji looks everything dangerous.

Sanjay Leela Bhansali's period drama is based on the ruthless invader Alauddin Khilji, played by Ranveer Singh, and his attempt to capture the beautiful Rani Padmini of Chittor for himself.

The film was in rough waters recently. Earlier this year, the sets of the film were vandalised in Jaipur and the filmmaker was assaulted for allegedly distorting history. Now, the outfit behind the attack, the Shri Rajput Karni Sena, has burnt posters of Padmavati and is threatening to not allow the release of the film.

The film is slated to release on December 1.

ALSO WATCH: Sanjay Leela Bhansali attacked, Padmavati set vandalised in Rajasthan

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Linkedin EDITORIAL (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, October 3, 2017 07:55 1869 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a22f60d1 4 Editorial #Editorial,sugar-imports,sugar,sugar-factory,#sugar,import-quota,imports-liberalization Free

The recent decision by the Coordinating Economic Minister, Darmin Nasution, to postpone the trade ministers policy on the auction of raw sugar import quotas because of suspected rent-seeking practices, simply validated the perception that the restrictive, non-tariff measures (NTM) have been exploited for profit by officials, politicians and businesspeople.

A Constitutional Court justice and a political party chairman have been jailed for corruption related to beef imports. A former head of the state logistics agency was imprisoned in a criminal case related to rice imports. We believe there are many other scandals tied to manipulating the NTM on food commodity imports, but that they are difficult to prove.

Likewise, we have heard frequent rumors that the raw sugar import quota for domestic refining to be used by food and beverage companies has always been much larger than the users actual needs. The surplus could be sold on the local market with a very high profit margin, as the local price for sugar is twice as high as that in Thailand and Malaysia, which supply over 95 percent of Indonesias raw sugar imports. Raw sugar is subject to an import duty of only 5 percent.

The government has placed the NTM on basic food commodities such as rice, sugar, soybean, corn, shallots, chilies, garlic, onions and beef to protect local farmers who, because of gross inefficiency, cannot compete with those in neighboring countries.

The government allows raw sugar imports, but only for users in the food and beverage industry. Local white cane sugar, which ranges in production volume from 2 to 2.2 million tons a year, is allocated entirely for household consumption and is sold minimally at the governments reference price, which is usually more than double import prices. In reality, however, it is easy to obtain the white sugar processed from imported raw sugar through retailers.

The volume of annual raw sugar imports is based on recommendations from the Industry Ministry. The problem, though, is that the ministry lacks transparency in setting the import quota, and the Agriculture Ministry, which oversees local sugar production, does not have accurate data.

Trade Minister Enggartiasto Lukita tried to demonstrate a kind of transparency by introducing a public auction of the annual raw sugar import quotas, which range from 3.2 to 3.5 million tons. But since the public auction was designed to be managed by a private company allegedly connected to business groups notorious for rentseeking, industrial users have cried foul, afraid that they will have to pay rent on their import procurement.

It is highly imperative that while the trade ministers policy on the public auction is being reviewed, the government facilitates an independent, comprehensive audit of the entire import permit process and the setting of import quotas that involves the agriculture, trade and industry ministries and food and beverage industry representatives, which are the main users of imported raw sugar.
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Linkedin Rasman (The Jakarta Post) Yogyakarta  Tue, October 3, 2017 14:28 1868 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2308a2c 3 Opinion Bahasa-Indonesia,English,English-teacher,language,language-course,learning Free

It has been 89 years since the delegates to the second Youth Congress in Jakarta pledged to make Bahasa Indonesia the lingua franca among hundreds of spoken languages across the archipelago dubbed Nusantara. In selecting the new lingua franca, the young nationalists deliberately distanced themselves from Dutch, spoken by the colonial regime, and strategically bypassed Javanese, spoken by the ethnically dominant group, to better instill a sense of unity into the multi-ethnic society.

The success of adopting Indonesian as the national language was regarded by many scholars as the envy of the multilingual world. Imposing a new language, originally Malay, over diverse ethnic groups, was a nearly unrealistic ideal. The acquisition of Indonesian indeed progressed, though slowly. By 1971, 43 years after the Oct. 28, 1928 congress, only 40 percent out of the then population of 118 million had said they spoke Indonesian.

Today, globalization and technology advancement have exposed the younger generations to English. With the rise of multilinguals, we see young people often switching from one language to another when communicating.

As usual, some worry that more English speaking Indonesians signal declining nationalism, while others see English proficiency as a vital capital to gain previously-inaccessible knowledge and to actively participate in the increasingly competitive world. Indeed the Youth Pledge declared: One nation [], one motherland [], one language -- Indonesian, but surely it didnt mean anyone should limit their language skills.

As a teacher, I had asked my students to pinpoint the source of their hesitance in speaking English. One reason they cited was the difficulty of finding English speaking partners. Most were worried about stigma and mockery from friends, as in: Youre an Indonesian, why speak English?

Therefore the learning outcomes in class are no longer determined only by how well teachers provide the materials but also how deep they can understand the complexities of such students beliefs. Learning to speak English requires hours of practices beyond class hours. The ease of finding a community of practice outside the classroom is, therefore, a highly important predictor of students achievement in developing English proficiency.

A community of practice, as coined by the anthropologists Jean Lave and Etienne Wenger, is a group of people sharing the same concerns, passions, and interests and attempts to reach a particular goal through their interactions. Such a community is essential because learning a language is social.

A language is acquired through social interactions in a given sociocultural context, not just by reading a grammar book. Myriads of mistakes and feedbacks from peers are necessary to develop language proficiency especially when it comes to learning a foreign language like English.

Therefore, it is vital for us, not only language teachers, to building a more positive attitude towards the use of English, at least by not labeling anyone as less nationalistic when trying to speak English. Commenting people for their bad English might be less hurtful than questioning peoples central identity.

No doubt Indonesia is a language of unity that we should be proud of, but stigmatizing Indonesians who speak English doesnt help at all to strengthen that unity.

***

The writer lectures at the English Language Education Department and Language Instructor at The Centre for Language Development, Yogyakarta State University. He holds a master degree in Teaching English as a Foreign Language) from University of Birmingham, United Kingdom. The views are personal.

---------------

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Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post.
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Linkedin KEMENKO PMK (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta, Indonesia  Wed, October 4, 2017

The Coordinating Human Development and Culture Minister (Menko PMK) Puan Maharani has urged all relevant stakeholders to remain vigilant in anticipation of an eruption of Mount Agung in Bali.

Puan recently led a ministerial coordination meeting to discuss the possible impacts of a Mount Agung eruption. The increased volcanic activity of Mount Agung has seen an alert status declared since Sept. 22. It is, however, difficult to tell when the mountain will erupt.

Present during the meeting were Social Affairs Minister Khofifah Indar Parawansa, Public Works and Public Housing Minister Basuki Hadimuljono, National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) chairman Willem Rampangilei, Presidential Chief of Staff office head Teten Masduki, North Sumatra Deputy Governor Nurhajizah Marpaung, Karangasem Regent IGA Mas Sumatri as well as Karo Regent Terkelin Brahmana.

According to Puan, the Karangasem regency would be the region worst affected by a Mount Agung eruption. She added that the impacts from the eruption might very well disturb Balis tourism industry, thereby making it all the more urgent to mitigate its impacts.

The government, meanwhile, has prohibited any activities from being conducted in certain danger zones in Bali, including areas within a nine kilometer radius of Mount Agung. The government has also made preparations to disseminate masks to local residents, which they can use to protect their noses, eyes and mouths from volcanic ash.

Meanwhile, to minimize the adverse psychological impacts of the possible eruption, the central government has coordinated with several institutions and ministries to implement a number of programs and activities to mitigate the socio-economic burdens that would be felt by local people in the event of an eruption.

The Menko PMK said she hoped the general public would be willing to help victims by collecting donations, be they goods or money, which could be distributed via the Emergency Task Force for volcanic eruptions.

Handling M. Sinabung evacuees

During the same meeting, the minister also discussed the acceleration of handling processes of evacuees who had fled the eruption of Mount Sinabung in North Sumatra. While attention had been directed toward the possible imminent eruption of Mount Agung, Mount Sinabung erupted on Sept. 27 at 1:23 p.m. local time, spewing plumes of ash 2.5 km into the air.

Puan requested that related ministries and institutions focus on the procurement of alternative land for people displaced by the Mount Sinabung disaster. This is vital as many victims of the disaster still live in shelters. The evacuee handling program needs to be accelerated as its deadline on Dec. 31 is fast approaching.
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Linkedin KEMENKO PMK (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta, Indonesia  Wed, October 4, 2017

The Coordinating Human Development and Culture Minister Puan Maharani visited Padang, West Sumatra, recently, where she told residents to preserve their tradition of social solidarity.

During her trip on Sept. 27, the minister carried out a local tradition called manjalang induak bako, where a child paid a visit to the house where their fathers extended family lived.

The minister has Minangkabau blood. Her father was the late politician Taufiq Kiemas, whose mother came from the Tanah Datar regency in West Sumatra. Puans clan name was Sikumbang. Taufiq was awarded the title datuk basa batuah to honor him as a clan leader. His wife, Megawati Soekarnoputri, was also awarded an honorary title from the Minangkabau people in 2003.

Coming to Minangkabau land was like coming home for me, Puan said. She visited the traditional Minangkabau house rumah gadang in Batipuh to join the Datuak Kayo family for a communal lunch called bajamba, according to local tradition.

Upon her arrival, the minister was given a local woven fabric before being taken to the dining room. Bajamba is a local Minangkabau tradition embodying communal solidarity and the strength of social ties, where family and community members sit down together at a large table to eat lunch or dinner.

The communal dining tradition also emphasizes that all human beings are equal regardless of social status, by inviting people from all walks of life to join the feast.

After the lunch, Puan handed out Rp 10 million (UD$15 2543) in financial aid to help the Rumah Gadang Datuk Basabatuah communal house, as well as Rp 25 million to the Al Azhar mosque located near the Datuak Kayo familys house.

West Sumatra deputy governor Nasrul Abit, Tanah Datar regent Irdinansyah Tarmizi and members of the House of Representatives also joined the communal lunch.
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Linkedin Agus Dwi Hastutik (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, October 3, 2017 08:41 1869 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a22f8af9 4 Art & Culture national-gallery,exhibition,#exhibition,painting-exhibition,local-painters,Yos-Suprapto Free

Renowned Indonesian painter Yos Suprapto engages in an in-depth evaluation of the current state of Indonesian society in his solo exhibition at the National Gallery of Indonesia in Jakarta.

The exhibition, titled Arus Balik Cakrawala (The Reverse Flow of the Horizon), is the result of Yos deep contemplation; the yield of his thoughts gained through observation, research as well as his critical acumen on the nation.

Yos conducted long-term research in Banyuwangi in East Java and in other parts of eastern Indonesia, both in the mountains and along the coastal plains.

This research resulted in the discovery of a lost link between Indonesias past and present, brought about when the nations maritime culture faded after the great oceanic kingdoms of the past turned their backs on the sea because of the effects of colonization.

By turning its back to the sea, the archipelagic nation of Indonesia and its society has become somewhat lost.

Read also: How arts and sports can save the youth from extremism

It [the research] was inspired by a phone call from my old friend who conveyed to me his opinion that our nation was in a state of crisis and turmoil, Yos said at a press tour for his exhibition.

Matahari Kembar di Ibu Kota (Twin Suns above the Capital), 2017 (Indonesian National Gallery/File)

Yos added that the word cakrawala (horizon) represented the boundary between heaven and earth. Somewhere within this boundary, Yos said, there was hope.

If we dont have hope in life then it would be better for us to end this [Indonesian] civilization altogether, Yos said.

The current exhibition features 33 grand artworks painted by Yos since 2015.

Some paintings depict the nations most important figures, such as President Joko Jokowi Widodo, Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries Susi Pujiastuti and Indonesias most celebrated writer, Pramoedya Ananta Toer.

Menuju Cakrawala (Toward the Horizon), 2017 (Indonesian National Gallery/File)

Others depict Yos inner sentiments about his surroundings and his reflections on past experiences.

In Ketika Ombak Menunggu (When the Waves Wait), Yos visualizes himself in a self-portrait. Here, he depicts himself sitting on a beach, gazing straight ahead with crashing waves in the background. This painting, Yos said, conveyed how his life had always been filled with tumultuous waves, like the sea, but that he had never felt afraid of them.

In another work, Yos portrays people whom he considers to be massive influences on himself.

In Purnomo Diatas Lautan (Moon Above the Sea), he depicts a moon floating above the ocean. Inside the moon, Yos paints the face of Profesor Ernest Utrecht, his mentor during his stay in Australia.

This painting is one of my highlights because Professor Ernest was the first person to bring up the issue of global warming in our country but unfortunately, he was accused of being a communist. He was also one of Soekarnos closest friends Yos said.

Menangkap Predator (Catching a Predator), 2017 (Indonesian National Gallery/File)

Through this exhibition, Yos also seeks to illustrate the importance of having a two-way dialogue with society. Yos, who is also a sociologist, realized that if he only poured his thoughts into written forms, such as in journals or articles, then his narratives would not be able to reach a wide audience.

The number of Indonesians who like to read is still really small, Yos said.

The painter also said he intended to use his solo exhibition as a way to encourage more people to learn about and understand the real history of Indonesia.

Yos goal, eventually, is to create even more artworks that people can enjoy while, at the same time, educating them.

I hope to continue engaging in further visualized dialogues in the future, Yos said.

The Arus Balik Cakrawala exhibition runs from Sept. 14 to Oct. 3 and is open for public viewing.

***

The writer is an intern at The Jakarta Post
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Linkedin News Desk (Kyodo News) Serang, Banten  Tue, October 3, 2017 18:38 1868 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2313561 2 Food mentaiko,cod-roe,halal-food,food,#food,Japan Free

Japanese trading house Kanematsu Corp. has started selling halal "mentaiko" seasoned cod roe in Indonesia after obtaining certification from the Indonesian Ulema Council.

P.T. Kanemory Food Service, a local joint venture between Kanematsu, and retail and restaurant chains operator Cimory Group, has developed a halal version of the popular Japanese delicacy with the help of Yamaya Communications Inc., a major mentaiko producer in Japan.

The Ulema Council recently certified the product as the world's first halal mentaiko that is free of sake, a traditional ingredient. Kanemory Food uses frozen Alaska pollock from Russia and the United States and makes halal mentaiko at a factory in Serang regency in Banten province.

Read also: Three tips to help spot halal Korean instant noodles

The joint venture started selling the product at Japanese general merchandise stores in greater Jakarta in late September. It plans to expand sales of its spread to restaurants, convenience stores, bakeries and fast-food chains.

Kanemory Food President Hideki Kobayashi acknowledged that mentaiko is not widely known in Indonesia. But he said his firm plans to promote mentaiko spread initially because of expected demand from halal restaurants.

Yamaya executive officer Takefumi Hashimoto said he expects halal mentaiko to be used in popular local dishes such as nasi goreng (fried rice).
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, October 3, 2017 08:00 1869 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a22f6cef 1 City Jakarta-administration,Jakarta-council,income Free

Despite lauding the Jakarta administration for improving the city in the last five years, the City Legislative Council (DPRD) has also underscored that the government failed to reach half of its targeted income.

In the 2013-2017 RPJMD [mid-term regional development plan], the administration targeted to earn Rp 120 trillion [US$8.86 billion]. However, by the end of its tenure, the income was only Rp 59 trillion, councilor Meity Magdalena Ussu from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle said during a plenary meeting between city administration officials and city councilors on Monday, kompas.com reported.

She was referring to the official accountability report (LPJ) submitted by the city administration, which during a one-term governorship period from 2012 to 2017, was led by three governors, namely Joko Jokowi Widodo, Basuki Ahok Tjahaja Purnama and Djarot Saiful Hidayat.

She said that the council suggested the administration optimize income from taxes in various fields such as from vehicles, advertisement and cigarettes.

To target recalcitrant taxpayers, who own luxurious cars, the council suggested the administration cooperate with the city police to conduct a joint door-to-door operation.

The council also highlighted the administrations performance in eradicating poverty in the city, citing that the figure had remained high in the last five years. In 2016, there were still 385,840 people, or 3.75 percent of the capitals total population, living under poverty line. (fac)
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Linkedin Martin Parry (Agence France-Presse) Sydney, Australia  Tue, October 3, 2017 15:01 1868 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2309075 2 World US,Australia,shooting-incident,Las-Vegas Free

Australia offered to help the United States reform its gun laws Tuesday after a successful two-decade clampdown on firearms in the wake of its own worst mass shooting.

The US is reeling after at least 59 people were killed and more than 500 injured when retired accountant Stephen Paddock opened fire on thousands of concertgoers in Las Vegas before killing himself.

The shocking tragedy has sparked renewed calls for weapons control, a sensitive subject in a country where the pro-gun lobby -- the National Rifle Association -- is a powerful political force.

"What we can offer is our experience," Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said Tuesday, pointing to a 1996 gun buyback and ban on semi-automatic and automatic weapons.

"But at the end of the day it's going to be up to the United States legislators and lawmakers, and the United States public, to change the laws to ensure this type of incident doesn't happen again."

Australia was rocked in 1996 when gunman Martin Bryant went on the rampage armed with semi-automatic weapons at the historic Tasmanian colonial convict site of Port Arthur.

Thirty-five people died in the massacre, a turning point for a nation that traditionally had a high rate of gun ownership.

Then centre-right Liberal prime minister John Howard swiftly enacted tougher gun laws, including bans on certain weapons, a minimum ownership age, and licences.

More than 600,000 weapons were destroyed in the aftermath and while controversial at the time, gun control measures now have strong public support.

In the first national amnesty since then, which started in June and ended last weekend, more than 26,000 guns were surrendered.

While gun violence has not disappeared, there have been no further mass shootings, in contrast to the United States where they remain common.

A survey published in 2016, which examined intentional firearm death rates from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, found gun-related deaths and suicides had declined since 1997.
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Linkedin Andrew Beatty (AFP) Washington, United States  Tue, October 3, 2017 09:30 1869 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a22faa50 2 World Las-Vegas,Las-Vegas-shooting,massacre,mass-shooting,shooting,shooting-incident,DonaldTrump,Donald-Trump,gun-control Free

President Donald Trump condemned the massacre of 58 Las Vegas concert goers as an "act of pure evil" Monday, but refrained from addressing calls for gun control or the motives for the worst mass shooting in recent US history.

Delivering televised remarks from the White House, Trump tried to offer consolation and called for unity -- an act that has become a grim rite of passage for modern US presidents.

Barack Obama wept as he tried to soothe the nation after the 2012 Sandy Hook primary school shooting, George W. Bush told Americans that the "nation grieves" after a similar outrage at Virginia Tech university.

Such shootings are a fact of life in America and a political fact of life for US leaders.

There have already been over 270 mass shootings in the United States this year alone, according to www.massshootingtracker.org, although the exact definition is contested.

Trump, in a series of public displays of grief, ordered that flags be flown at half-staff until sunset Friday, offered prayers for the victims and announced he would visit Las Vegas on Wednesday.

Later, with bowed head, he led White House staff on the South Lawn for a moment of silence in respect for the dead.

"In moments of tragedy and horror, America comes together as one -- and it always has," Trump said.

Police have identified the gunman behind the Sunday night massacre -- which left more than 500 injured -- as a 64-year-old former accountant named Stephen Craig Paddock, who killed himself before a SWAT team breached his hotel room where they found at least eight rifles.

Officials have reacted cautiously to an Islamic State group claim that Paddock was a "soldier of the caliphate" but while his motive remained unclear, the shooting instantly rekindled the divisive national debate on gun control.

White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said that now was not the time for politics, a tactic frequently used by gun advocates to diffuse public outrage.

"There's a time and place for a political debate, but now is the time to unite as a country," said Sanders.

- 'Right to bear arms' -

Trump insisted, "our unity cannot be shattered by evil. Our bonds cannot be broken by violence."

But in the immediate aftermath of the shooting, that unity and those bonds were difficult to find.

Trump's vanquished election rival Hillary Clinton hit out at the gun manufacturers lobby -- the National Rifle Association -- which has backed a congressional push to make it easier to obtain a gun silencer.

"The crowd fled at the sound of gunshots. Imagine the deaths if the shooter had a silencer," tweeted Clinton, whose Democratic Party has tried in vain to introduce lasting gun control measures despite the national scourge of mass shootings.

"Our grief isn't enough. We can and must put politics aside, stand up to the NRA, and work together to try to stop this from happening again."

According to the latest Gallup poll, 55 percent of American voters would like to see stricter rules for buying guns.

But the issue of gun control is highly sensitive in the United States and Trump's own views on the issue have changed markedly over his years in public life.

After the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, where 20 six and seven-year old children and six adults were mowed down by a disturbed 20-year-old, Trump appeared to favor stricter rules.

Back then, his predecessor Obama -- who often called Sandy Hook the worst moment of his eight year presidency and recalls even his Secret Service detail being in tears -- called for the deadlock to be broken and for Congress to act.

At that time Trump tweeted: "President Obama spoke for me and every American in his remarks in #Newtown Connecticut."

But since then Trump -- whose White House bid was eagerly endorsed by the NRA -- has positioned himself as a staunch defender of the constitutional "right to keep and bear arms."

The NRA donated an estimated $30 million to Trump's campaign in 2016, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

US Senator Chris Murphy, who was the congressman for Sandy Hook, renewed a call for action in the wake of the Las Vegas attack.

"Nowhere but America do horrific large-scale mass shootings happen with this degree of regularity," he said.

"This must stop. It is positively infuriating that my colleagues in Congress are so afraid of the gun industry that they pretend there aren't public policy responses to this epidemic." (**)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, October 3, 2017 15:30 1868 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a230a105 1 City Anies-Baswedan-Sandiaga-Uno,inauguration Free

Jakarta governor-elect Anies Baswedan and his deputy Sandiaga Uno are set to be inaugurated on Oct.16, a minister said.

Home Affairs Minister Tjahjo Kumolo said he had submitted the inauguration schedule to the State Secretary.

The inauguration ceremony must be concluded before the tenure of [the previous governor] ends. If it is postponed for a day, we will appoint an acting governor, Tjahjo said on Monday, as quoted by tribunnews.com.

The current Jakarta Governor Djarot Saiful Hidayat will end his tenure on Oct. 15, four months after being inaugurated as the governor to replace Basuki Ahok Tjahaja Purnama, who was sentenced to two years in prison for blasphemy.

Meanwhile, Anies and Sandiaga were officially declared winners of the Jakarta gubernatorial election in April after competing with Ahok and Djarot in the runoff election. (wnd)
By India Today Web Desk: In a career spanning over seven years, Ranveer Singh has proved his versatility through innumerable on-screen characters. But the actor took things a notch higher with his upcoming period drama Padmavati. The first look of Ranveer as Alauddin Khilji is out, and we cannot get over his menacing act. It is almost hard to get over his intense look. Kohl eyes, long tresses and a scar under his eyes, everything about Khilji looks dangerous.

advertisement

And all thanks to Ranveer. The 32-year-old actor, who loves to get inside the skin of his character, didn't leave any stone unturned to play the baddie in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's film.

And this transformation wasn't an easy one. According to a report in Times of India, Ranveer used to sniff an intense ittar to get into the character of the ruthless Sultan. It is said that the actor is apparently a huge aficionado of perfumes, and was gifted a special ittar from Turkey by his friend.

The report suggests that before performing intense scenes as the anti-hero, Ranveer would apply the ittar to get into his character. In fact, during the shooting of the period drama, the bottle of ittar was misplaced. But Ranveer did not let this play as a spoiler. In fact, the thorough professional that Ranveer is, he reminded himself of the strong fragrance every time he began shooting for his part.

Sanjay Leela Bhansali's period drama is based on the ruthless invader Alauddin Khilji, played by Ranveer, and his attempt to capture the beautiful Rani Padmini of Chittor for himself.

The film, which also stars Deepika Padukone and Shahid Kapoor, is set to hit the screens on December 1.

ALSO WATCH: Sanjay Leela Bhansali attacked, Padmavati set vandalised in Rajasthan

--- ENDS ---
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Linkedin Aman Rochman (The Jakarta Post) Malang, East Java  Tue, October 3, 2017 16:50 1868 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a230e7bd 1 National Malang,East-Java,batik,National-Batik-Day,traditional-dance,tolerance,Diversity Free

Hundreds of students from across Indonesia, wearing traditional attires from various regions, attended the Batik World Tolerance event to celebrate Batik National Day at the Malang City Hall in East Java, on Monday.

The participants come from eight areas namely Banyuwangi in East Java, West Kalimantan, Bali, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), Surakarta in Central Java, Maluku and West Java.

They performed traditional dances such as Jonggan from West Kalimantan, Woleka from East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) as well as Gandrung and Paju Gandrung from Banyuwangi.

Read also: Klewer traders hold fashion show for Batik Day

A Dutch tourist, Steven, said that he stumbled on the event by accident. He said that through the event he came to know more about different Batik motifs in Indonesia.

I just realized that I wore a Batik trouser by coincidence to the celebration. I came to Malang with seven other people on a history and culture tour package, he added.

Hundreds of students wearing Batik attend the celebration of the National Batik Day at the Malang City Hall in East Java on Monday, Oct 2, 2017. The event was aimed at promoting Batik as a symbol of the nation's diversity and tolerance. (The Jakarta Post/Aman Rochman)

A 23-year-old student, Modesta Endang from West Kalimantan, wore a Batik costume with Mamuluki motif from Sumba, NTT.

I exchanged the Batik with a college mate from NTT," she said.

Another student from NTT, Rosalia, wore a Batik costume from Banyuwangi with an Oling elephant motif.

Malang Deputy Mayor Sutiaji said Malang was one of the main destinations for higher education students of various backgrounds and cultures.

Sutiaji said the event would help students learn tolerance and respect diversity through Batik. (bbs)
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Linkedin Winny Tang (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, October 3 2017

Stand-up comedian Kemal Palevi saw his income expand gradually along with his rising popularity. At the same time, however, his spending also surged uncontrollably.

The 28-year-old comedian, who won a comedy competition held by Kompas TV in 2012, realized at one point that he had to find a good balance between saving and spending.

For this reason, he has set up three businesses involved in camera rentals and clothing and shoe sales.

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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, October 3, 2017 18:26 1868 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2311f6a 1 City water-pollution,Bekasi,bogor Free

The waste coming from several factories located in Bogor regency has polluted Bekasi River in West Java, an official has said.

Bekasi Mayor Rahmat Effendi said on Monday that his administration had sent a letter to the Environment Agency of Bogor Regency but had yet to receive a response.

He added suspicion's arose because the factories were located near the Cileungsi River, which is directly adjacent to the Bekasi River.

"There are many factories located near the Cileungsi River. It's possible that they throw their waste into the river. We will ask them to create waste water treatment plants so that their waste will not contaminate the river," he said as quoted by kompas.com.

The pollutants in Bekasi River have been identified in the past few weeks. The color of the river has turned black and carries a strong smell.

Bekasi regional drinking water company (PDAM) relies on the river for raw water.

Bekasi Environment Agency, which evaluated the condition of the river, declared that the waters acidity level (pH) and dissolved oxygen level was below the expected standard. (rdi)
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Linkedin Theresia Sufa (The Jakarta Post) Bogor, West Java  Tue, October 3, 2017 14:22 1868 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2307df8 1 City interfaith,interfaith-and-intercultural-dialogue,interfaith-harmony,bogor,Youth,Harmony,religious-tolerance Free

Young leaders of different religious beliefs came together on Sunday for the 2017 Social Communication Festival (Festkom) to promote religious harmony.

Taking place in the front yard of the Bogor Cathedral and Catholic school Budi Mulia, the 2017 Festkom was organized to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Berita Umat (Congregation News) magazine issued by the cathedral parish.

Festkom organizing committee head Aloisius Johnsis said issues related to diversity and tolerance among religious followers always had a place in the heart of Indonesian people.

The festival, themed Rooted in Unity, Growing Amid Diversity, was held based on a common wish of the Bogor Cathedral and the people of the city to maintain harmony among all religious followers.

Bogor Bishop Mgr. Paskalis Bruno Syukur said in his sermon that Berita Umat was part of the church and played an important role in communicating good news to its congregation.

This is important because we believe in God who has communicated Himself to us and conveyed anything that becomes His wish. Our God is an excellent communicator. Our God is not a silent God, said Paskalis.

He called on young people to play a greater role to communicate peace.

Please use social media such as Facebook and Instagram as a communication tool to convey messages of peace and love to all. Dont use social media to spread fake news or hoaxes, said the bishop.

Bogor Deputy Mayor Usmar Hariman, chairperson of Nadhlatul Ulamas (NU) youth wing (GP Ansor) Rahmat Imran Hidayat, and police and military representatives attended the event. (dra/ebf)
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Linkedin Severianus Endi (The Jakarta Post) Pontianak, West Kalimantan  Tue, October 3, 2017 16:43 1868 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a230dc9b 1 National illegal-workers,Polair,West-Kalimantan,Chinese-citizens,undocumented-foreigners,undocumented-worker,China Free

A joint team comprising personnel of the West Kalimantan water police unit (Polair) and other security units has taken into custody 46 Chinese citizens suspected to have worked in a factory construction project the province without proper work permits.

They were found when the police personnel conducted a patrol on waters of Kapuas River in Wajok village, Siantan district, Mempawah regency, on Monday.

The police said cement maker PT CONCH was building a factory in the area and it was suspected the Chinese citizens had worked illegally in the company. Their inability to speak Indonesian language had roused police suspicions.

West Kalimantan Police spokesperson Adj.Sr.Comr. Cucu Safiudin said after a string of interrogation, the police handed over the 46 Chinese citizens to the Immigration Office of the Law and Human Rights Ministry (Kemenkumham) West Kalimantan at around 10 p.m. local time on Monday.

It turned out that only five out of the 46 Chinese citizens had complete Immigration documents. They have been released, said Cucu.

He further explained Immigration officers found in their investigation that 36 out of the remaining 41 Chinese citizens had valid stay permits and documents; however, they possessed only visit visas that could not be used to work in Indonesia.

The three others have stay permits and work permits as well but their work location is in Batam, not Kalimantan, said Cucu, adding the passports of the remaining two Chinese citizens were still in a renewal process in Jakarta. (dra/ebf)
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Linkedin Stefani Ribka (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, October 3, 2017 14:27 1868 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2307f34 1 Business rattan,supply,demand,trade-minister,Enggartiasto-Lukita Free

The government and other stakeholders in the rattan industry are working together to analyze the supply and demand in developing a new export regulation on the commodity, the Trade Minister has said.

Indonesia prohibits raw rattan exports, but allows the export of semi-processed rattan.

The ministry is discussing the issue with downstream and upstream businesses grouped in the Indonesian Rattan Businessmen Association (Apri) and the Indonesian Furniture and Craft Association (Himki).

"Apri is calculating the supply and Himki the demand. The data will be compiled by PPI," Trade Minister Enggartiasto Lukita said on Monday evening, referring to state-owned trading firm PT Perusahaan Perdagangan Indonesia.

"If there's a surplus, only PPI can export rattan in semi-processed form. But those who process [the rattan] can be any firm appointed by PPI," he added. (bbn)
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Linkedin Panca Nugraha (The Jakarta Post) Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara  Tue, October 3, 2017 21:14 1868 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2317cd0 1 National pneumonia,pneumococcal-conjugate-vaccine,vaccine,vaccines,vaccination,immunization,PCV,West-Nusa-Tenggara Free

The Health Ministry, together with the West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) administration, launched on Tuesday the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) program in East and West Lombok regencies.

Supported by the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF and the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), the PCV program will be replicated nationally to prevent pneumonia in babies and children under five years.

The Health Ministrys disease prevention and control director general Mohammad Subuh, NTB deputy governor Muhammad Amin and West Lombok Regent Fauzan Khalid attended the programs launch at Gunungsari Community Health Center (Puskesmas) in West Lombok on Tuesday.

The PCV immunization program in East and West Lombok kicked off today and we will evaluate the program over the next sixth months. The program will be later replicated in all areas across NTB and developed into a national program, said Subuh.

He said the PCV immunization program was conducted because the rate of pneumonia in Indonesia was quite large. Pneumonia is the second biggest cause of infant deaths in the country after diarrhoea.

Based on 2013 and 2017 Basic Health Research (Riskesdas) data, the prevalence of pneumonia in infants under three years in Indonesia stands at 21.7 percent.

"If, for example, the number of infants under three years in our country reached 10 million, there would be 2.1 million infants in that age group that suffered from pneumonia. If their pneumonia was serious, the possibility of death from the illness would be very high. We want to prevent this through the PCV immunization, Subuh said. (ebf)

Protecting health: Mothers bring their children to receive pneumococcal conjugate vaccines at Gunungsari Community Health Center in West Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, on Oct.3. (JP/Panca Nugraha)
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Linkedin Bagus Saragih (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, October 3, 2017 15:44 1868 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a230b461 1 National massacre,Las-Vegas,US,Jokowi,terror-attack,Indonesian-citizen,terrorism Free

President Joko Jokowi Widodo has condemned the mass shooting in Las Vegas, US, on Sunday night that killed 59 killed people and wounded 500.

We condemn such an act of terror that left so many people dead and wounded, said Jokowi in Cibubur, East Jakarta, on Tuesday, according to Antara.

The President also offered, on behalf of the state and the people of Indonesia, his deepest condolences.

I believe the government of the US is strong in the face of such a terror act Jokowi said.

Stephen Craig Paddock, a 64-year-old retired accountant, opened fire at a country music concert in Las Vegas from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino.

A man lays on top of a woman as others flee the Route 91 Harvest country music festival grounds after gunman opened fire on festival-goers (AFP/Getty Images/David Becker)

Las Vegas police said the gunman was found dead, allegedly of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, when a police SWAT team burst into his hotel room, AFP reported.

The FBI said they saw no connection between Paddock and international terror groups, leaving a stunned nation at a loss to understand the motive for the massacre.

Read also: After Las Vegas massacre, Trump silent on gun control

As of Tuesday, no Indonesians were reported among the casualties, said the Indonesian Foreign Ministry.

The Indonesian Consulate General in Los Angeles has continued to coordinate with Indonesians living in the US as well as local hospitals, the ministry added.

There are currently are 541 Indonesians living in Nevada.
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, October 3, 2017 17:24 1868 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2310118 1 National Jokowi,joko-widodo,drugs,BPOM,BimBim,Slank Free

President Joko Jokowi Widodo has launched the National Program on the Eradication of Illegal Drugs and Drug Abuse, which aims to combat the rampant distribution of illegal drugs and crimes related to it.

During the launch event of the program in Cibubur in East Jakarta on Tuesday, the President said the state had a responsibility to protect all citizens of the nation.

Education is important. Therefore, teachers at schools and Islamic boarding schools should explain to students the danger of illegal drugs, Jokowi said, as quoted by Antara.

He also invited members of legendary rock band Slank to help promote the cause.

I warn you against marring food and drug supervision by bribery. We must put an end to such [illicit activity] to prevent an increase in victims of drug abuse, the President said.

Read also: Police uncover drugs smuggled under stacks of oranges

Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM) head Penny Kusumastuti Lukito said the agency continued to strengthen coordination with other stakeholders in the protection of the people from illegal drugs and unsafe food.

We hope the law on drug and food supervision will be amended soon, she said.

During the event, representatives of 11 stakeholders signed a joint declaration to eradicate the distribution and abuse of illegal drugs. They are the Health Ministry, the BPOM, the Coordinating Human Development and Culture Ministry, the Home Ministry, the National Police, the Attorney General's Office, the Indonesian Doctors Association (IDI), the Indonesian Pharmacists Association (IAI) and the Indonesian Pharmaceutical Association (GPFI) as well as a student representative and Slank members. (dra/bbs)
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Linkedin Stefani Ribka (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, October 3, 2017 14:18 1868 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2307579 1 Business Kadin,National,meeting Free

Indonesias Chamber of Commerce and Industry's (Kadin) 2017 National Meeting kicked off on Tuesday, involving some 1,000 participants, including Trade Minister Enggartiasto Lukita.

Kadin is Indonesia's biggest business lobby group, whose establishment is acknowledged in the country's law.

Participants of the annual meeting include businesspeople dealing in various sectors, business associations and related ministries and officials.

"We'll gather strategic input from the business sectors to be synergized with government policies," Kadin chairman Rosan P. Roeslani said in a statement.

During the event, participants are grouped in 14 group discussions based on their respective sectors. Each group discussion is expected to come up with recommendations for the government based on the theme.

The group discussions cover all sectors, including energy and electricity; the finance industry; regional development; industry and trade; micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and cooperatives and startups; agriculture and agribusiness; logistics and transportations; tourism; state enterprises, social corporate responsibility and business competition; construction and infrastructure; education and health and manpower issues; property and economic zones; women empowerment and sports; as well as international relations. (bbn)

Topics : Kadin National meeting
By PTI: Hyderabad, Oct 3 (PTI) As many as 140 monsoon emergency teams and other personnel have been deployed to carry out relief and repair work following the heavy rains which pounded Hyderabad for several hours since yesterday, the Telangana government today said.

Three persons were killed in rain-related incidents in the city yesterday.

Municipal Administration Minister K T Rama Rao held a meeting with officials today and directed that steps be taken to drain out water and clear choked drainages. He also asked officials to take up repair of roads.

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The heavy rain yesterday led to flooding in several low-lying areas. Water entered houses in many places.

In some areas, the water flow was so strong that vehicles and shanties were swept away. Roads were damaged severely and traffic moved at a snails pace at some places this morning.

According to a report by the India Meteorological Department, Golconda area here received 13 cm of rain yesterday, followed by Palakurthi (12 cm) in Warangal district.

Hyderabad city, overall, received more than eight cm of rainfall, the IMD report said.

IMD officials, however, made it clear that it was not a record rainfall for the city.

The personnel of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) and other government bodies continued efforts to restore normalcy in the city.

An official release said the power utilities would provide ex-gratia of Rs four lakh to the family of a man who died of electrocution yesterday.

The GHMC would give Rs two lakh each to the families of two others who died in wall collapse, it said.

The minister directed the officials to attend to the complaints received at the GHMCs call centre and through the civic bodys mobile app.

The GHMC has set up a special emergency cell to deal with the rain fury. It was also providing food packets to those moved to safer places.

The city water board has said it would put up red flags and boards at manholes to warn people.

The GHMC advised citizens not to stay in dilapidated houses and to follow weather updates on the IMDs website.

In its weather warning, the IMD said thunderstorm associated with heavy rain is "very likely" to occur at isolated places in all the districts of Telangana tomorrow.

The GHMC also said it had demolished 1,140 out of the 2,182 dilapidated structures in the last six months, and issued notices to the owners and occupants of the remaining buildings. Caution notices have been pasted, asking occupants to vacate, on `most dangerous premises. PTI SJR KRK ZMN

--- ENDS ---

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Linkedin Ganug Nugroho Adi (The Jakarta Post) Surakarta, Central Java  Tue, October 3, 2017 07:34 1869 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a22f5042 1 National batik,Klewer-Market,surakarta,fashion Free

Dozens of batik traders at Klewer market in Surakarta, Central Java, held a fashion show on Monday to celebrate National Batik Day, which falls every Oct. 2.

Donning batik clothes by local designers, the traders walked like models at the markets gate, which was transformed into a catwalk.

I was so nervous. I wanted it to end as soon as possible so I walked really fast. Walking on a catwalk turned out to be difficult, 54-year-old batik trader Murdiyati told The Jakarta Post.

Klewer Market is known as the biggest batik wholesale market in Asia, with the circulation of money there reaching Rp 8 billion (US$590,929) a day before a fire ravaged the market in 2014.

The fashion show was met with enthusiasm from visitors who were mostly amused by how the traders tried to act like real models but ended up bumping into each other.

We are happy. This is not really serious. We make a living by selling batik. We cant just sit here not doing anything on Batik Day. Were hoping that we could turn this into an annual thing, another batik trader, Endang Winarni, 43, said.

On Oct. 2, 2009, UNESCO decided to add batik to its Intangible Cultural Heritage list. The government then decided to declare Oct. 2 National Batik Day to help preserve the traditional dyeing technique. (ary)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, October 3, 2017 22:23 1868 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2318d85 1 Politics #KPKInquiry,setya-novanto,Supreme-Court,e-ID,pretrial,corruption,anti-corruption Free

The Supreme Court has confirmed that the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has the authority to name House of Representatives Speaker and Golkar Party chairman Setya Novanto as a suspect in the high-profile e-ID card graft case, again.

Last Friday, the South Jakarta District Court ruled in favor of Setya's pretrial motion and declared the KPK's decision to name him suspect invalid.

Supreme Court spokesperson Abdullah said the authority was regulated under Article 2 paragraph 3 of Supreme Court Regulation No. 4/2016.

That pretrial ruling, which approved the plaintiff's motion, does not necessarily overrule the authority of investigators to name the plaintiff a suspect again, Abdullah said as quoted by kompas.com on Tuesday.

However, Abdullah said, investigators should use at least two new pieces of evidence other than those already used when Setya was first named a suspect.

He added that a pretrial only takes into account the formality of a case and does not make a judgement on the crime per se.

Read also: Setyas win fails to heal Golkar rift

Regarding the controversies surrounding Setya's victory, Abdullah said that the Supreme Court could not intervene into a judge's verdict.

The Supreme Court respects the verdict on Setyas pretrial, he said.

The KPK has asserted it has been considering naming Setya a suspect again. The plan has been strongly opposed by Setya's supporters. (dra/bbs)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, October 3, 2017 19:05 1868 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a23140da 1 Business Freeport-Indonesia,DarminNasution,divestment,IPO Free

Economic Coordinating Minister Darmin Nasution has stressed that the government could directly buy 51 percent of gold and copper miner PT Freeport Indonesia, a subsidiary of the United States Freeport McMoran, without passing through an initial public offering (IPO).

In the Contract of Work [CoW], the divestment is implemented not through an IPO, said Darmin on the sidelines of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) national meeting in Jakarta on Tuesday as reported by kompas.com.

Darmin referred to Article 24, paragraph 2 of Freeports CoW. He also said that under the CoW, the transfer of ownership of 51 percent of Freeports shares should have been completed in 2011.

The minister questioned the argument of Freeport McMoRan Inc. CEO Richard C. Adkerson, who rejected the divestment scheme offered by the government through his letter to the Finance Ministrys secretary general, a copy of which was also sent to Finance Minister Sri Mulyani.

In the letter dated on Sept. 28, Adkerson reportedly called on an immediate divestment through an IPO.

Darmin admitted the government had issued a regulation that allowed a divestment mechanism through an IPO, but this had already been revoked.

The government has set a target to complete the divestment process by next year.

The divestment of Freeports shares is related to its contractual extension. The company has also agreed to convert its CoW into a Special Mining License (IUPK), build a smelter within the next five years and increase its contribution to state revenues from its Grasberg mine in Papua. (bbn)
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Linkedin Arya Dipa (The Jakarta Post) Bandung  Tue, October 3, 2017 21:51 1868 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2318c46 1 Politics Buni-Yani,ahok,hate-speech,ITE-Law Free

Prosecutors at Bandung District Court want Buni Yani to be jailed for two years and fined Rp 100 million (US$7,384). He is currently on trial for allegedly spreading hate speech.

Buni allegedly edited a video in which former Jakarta Governor Basuki Ahok Tjahaja Purnama warned Thousand Islands regency residents about parties using Quranic verses for political gain. The video caused an uproar and resulted in Ahok, a strong contender for the 2017 Jakarta gubernatorial elections, being found guilty and sentenced to two years in prison on May 9 for defaming Islam.

Prosecutor Andi M. Taufik said Buni had violated Article 32 of the 2011 Information and Electronic Transactions Law or Cyber Law.

We demand that the judges find him guilty of violating the ITE Law for adding, reducing or eliminating other peoples electronic documents, Andi said on Tuesday.

Read also: Ahok will not testify in Buni Yani's trial

In response, Buni asked the judges, led by Presiding Judge M. Saptono, to give him two weeks to prepare his defense plea.

The demands are heavy, so in accordance with the demands, I wish to have two weeks for my defense plea, he said.

The panel of judges agreed to his request. (rin)
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Linkedin Djemi Amnifu (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, October 3, 2017 18:19 1868 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2311c3e 1 National NTT-governor,Frans-Lebu-Raya,Sarah-Wilhelmina-Lenggu,International-Day-of-the-Girl-Child,child-development,child-marriage,East-Nusa-Tenggara Free

This years International Day of the Girl Child has been celebrated in a unique fashion in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), where Sarah Wilhelmina Lenggu on Tuesday took over the position of Frans Lebu Raya as the provinces governor.

Serving as a one-day governor, Sarah led a meeting attended by implementing organizations within the NTT administration to discuss efforts to prevent child marriage, which remains a major problem in the province.

Sarah has been selected among several teenage girls across NTT to play a central role in the International Day of the Girl Child celebration jointly held by the provinces administration and Plan International Indonesia, an NGO concerned with needy children.

The event, entitled Becoming a one-day NTT governor, aims to convince Indonesias government, especially the NTT administration, to support our girl children to be willing to MAJU, said Plan International Indonesia communications manager Isni Ahmad in Kupang.

MAJU is an abbreviation of Mau belajar (Willing to study), Jadi pemimpin (Willing to become a leader), Ambi keputusan (Dare to take a decision) and Untuk berhasil (For a successful future).

Every Oct.11, the global community celebrates the International Day of the Girl Child, which is on the permanent agenda of the UN. This agenda is an opportunity to show commitment from all parties to protect and empower girls across the world, said Isni.

On Oct.11, Sarah and 21 other girls from across Indonesia will gather at the Womens Empowerment and Child Protection Ministry in Jakarta. They will act as minister and the ministrys staff members for one day. (mar/ebf)
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Linkedin Anton Hermansyah (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, October 3, 2017 19:17 1868 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2314e03 1 Business SCG,acquisition,packaging-companies Free

Thai owned PT Siam Cement Group (SCG) Indonesia plans to acquire more packaging companies in Indonesia next year to achieve higher growth amid tighter competition in the cement industry, the companys core business.

PT SCG Indonesia business support director Vikorn Phongsatorn said on Tuesday his company had targeted local companies, but he could not mention the number that would be acquired because it had to compete with other businesses to win the deal.

"We will target some particular companies but it is hard to say how many because merger and acquisition opportunities come and go," Vikorn said in Jakarta.

PT SCG Indonesia has three main businesses, cement and building material, chemical and packaging.

Packaging companies contributed 5 percent of the US$425 million revenue in 2016, cement and building material contributed 80 percent and chemical contributed 15 percent.

Vikorn said his company wanted to grow the packaging business as it had the potential to grow by 5 to 10 percent annually, while growth in the cement business was slower than expected because of tough competition.

"Packaging has a chance to grow as the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) business is expanding because of stable public spending. They buy a lot of packaging [food]. Meanwhile, the cement business is challenging despite massive infrastructure projects because foreign companies from Europe, China and elsewhere are entering the Indonesian market," he said. (bbn)
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Linkedin Stefani Ribka (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, October 3, 2017 11:37 1868 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2300cbf 4 Business Bulog,private-firms,sugar,distribution Free

More than 25 private and state trading firms have agreed to buy 412,000 tons of sugar stored at state logistics agency Bulogs warehouses and sell it to the public at a government-set price ceiling.

Indonesia Sugar Entrepreneurs Association (APGI) chairman Pieko Njoto Setiadi said the groups appointed members have agreed on the price of Rp 11,000 (81 US cents) per kilogram and sell to the public at Rp 12,500 per kilogram.

Bulog has 412,000 tons of sugar stored at its warehouses across the archipelago, 80,000 tons of which are still wet so they need to be reprocessed in the governments appointed refineries.

Weve been selling the sugar at mandated price and will continue to do so, he said after the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between 27 major sugar sellers and Bulog, witnessed by Trade Minister Enggartisto Lukita, on Monday evening.

The Trade Ministry introduced in April a sugar price ceiling of Rp 12,500 per kg, which led to a persistent downward trend in sugar price to around Rp 12,900 per kg recently from Rp 14,100 per kg in January.

Bulog, meanwhile, was appointed by the Office of the Coordinating Economic Minister in August to buy sugar at a reference price of Rp 9,700 per kilogram from farmers and factories to help stabilize sugar prices in the country. (bbn)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, October 3, 2017 20:45 1868 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2315e86 1 City Jakarta-police,collapse Free

A wall of the Jakarta Police building in South Jakarta collapsed on Tuesday afternoon, falling on 11 motorcycles.

The cause of the collapse remains unknown.

The collapsed wall of the headquarters is located near the parking lot next to the Capital Apartment and Artha Graha building, said Jakarta Police spokesperson Sr. Comr. Argo Yuwono on Tuesday, as quoted by kompas.com.

The wall was 40 meters long and police are still investigating the cause of the collapse. No fatalities were reported from the incident.

However, the wall fell on 11 police motorbikes parked in the parking lot, Argo added. (wnd)
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Linkedin Frankie Taggart (AFP) Las Vegas, United States  Tue, October 3, 2017 08:45 1869 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a22f9ac2 2 World Las-Vegas,shooting,shooting-incident,mass-shooting,Las-Vegas-shooting,deadly-shooting,US,Islamic-State Free

Police recovered a huge cache of guns and explosives Monday from the Las Vegas hotel room and home of the man accused of killing at least 59 people and injuring over 500 in the deadliest mass shooting in US history.

US officials reacted cautiously meanwhile to an Islamic State claim that Stephen Craig Paddock, 64, had carried out Sunday night's massacre on the Las Vegas Strip on behalf of the jihadist group.

Police said Paddock, a retired accountant with no criminal record, smashed windows in his 32nd floor hotel room shortly after 10:00 pm and trained bursts of automatic weapons fire on thousands of people attending a country music concert below.

Investigators recovered at least 16 guns, including assault rifles, from Paddock's room at the Mandalay Bay hotel, and another 18 firearms along with bomb-making materials at one of his two homes.

Country music star Jason Aldean rushed off stage when the shooting began, and concert-goers scattered in panic, frantically seeking cover as bullets rained down from above.

"We saw bodies down. We didn't know if they had fallen or had been shot," said Ralph Rodriguez, an IT consultant from the Pomona Valley, near Los Angeles, who was at the concert with a group of friends.

"People started grabbing their loved-ones and just strangers, and trying to help them get out of the way," Rodriguez said.

The Islamic State group claimed that Paddock was one of its "soldiers" but the FBI said it had found no such connection so far and the local sheriff described him as a lone "psychopath."

Police said Paddock killed himself before a SWAT team breached his room in the Mandalay Bay hotel overlooking the venue for the country music concert.

Sheriff Joseph Lombardo said a security guard was shot in the leg as officers stormed the hotel room where Paddock had been staying since September 28.

He said a search of Paddock's house in Mesquite, Nevada, 80 miles (130 kilometers) northeast of Las Vegas, recovered "in excess of 18 additional firearms, some explosives and several thousand rounds of ammo."

Lombardo said investigators had discovered several pounds of an explosive called tannerite in the Mesquite home, as well as ammonia nitrate, a type of fertilizer, in the gunman's car.

Lombardo said the death toll had risen to 59, while 527 people had been injured. The authorities appealed for blood donors.

-- 'Lone wolf' --

Lombardo said the authorities had not found any manifesto or anything else that could explain Paddock's actions.

"This individual is a lone wolf and I don't know how it could have been prevented," he said. "I can't get into the mind of a psychopath at this point."

President Donald Trump denounced what he called "an act of pure evil" and said he would visit Las Vegas on Wednesday.

But the White House said it would be "premature" to reopen the US debate on tighter gun controls in the wake of the shooting.

"A motive is yet to be determined and it would be premature for us to discuss policy when we don't fully know all of the facts or what took place last night," White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said.

Lombardo said Paddock had apparently used some kind of hammer to smash the window of his hotel room before opening fire on the concert crowd of some 22,000 people.

IS described Paddock as a "soldier of the caliphate," saying he converted to Islam several months ago and went by the nom de guerre Abu Abdel Bar al-Amriki -- "The American."

The group provided no evidence to back up its claims and the Federal Bureau of Investigation said it had found no such link so far.

"We have determined to this point no connection with an international terrorist group," FBI special agent Aaron Rouse said.

CIA spokesman Jonathan Liu said "the Intelligence Community is aware of the claim of responsibility by a foreign terrorist organization."

"We advise caution on jumping to conclusions before the facts are in," Liu said.

Paddock, according to his brother, was a high-stakes gambler and their bank-robber father was once on the FBI's 10 Most Wanted list.

But Eric Paddock stressed that his brother appeared to be completely normal, doting on their mother.

"He liked to play video poker. He went on cruises. He sent his mother cookies," he said.

"We're trying to understand what happened," his brother said. "We're lost."

-- 'Pretty much like a war scene' --

Paddock had "no religious affiliation, no political affiliation" and was "not an avid gun guy at all," his brother added.

Witnesses said Paddock opened fire with an initial long burst of gunfire, and appeared to reload as he continued his spree.

Robert Hayes, a firefighter from Los Angeles who was at the concert, said he first thought the shots were some kind of equipment malfunction.

Once he realized what was going on, he joined the first responders, donning one of their vests.

"It was pretty much like a war scene inside," Hayes said, as emergency crews used tables and metal guard railings as makeshift stretchers.

The Las Vegas attack is the deadliest shooting in recent US history, exceeding the toll of 49 dead in an attack on the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida in June 2016.

It was also the latest in a series of deadly attacks at concert venues.

Twenty-two people were killed after an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester, England in May when a suicide bomber detonated a nail bomb in the foyer.

Ninety people were killed in November 2015 at the Bataclan in Paris during a concert by US band the Eagles of Death Metal.

Pope Francis said he was "deeply saddened" by the "senseless tragedy" in Las Vegas while Britain's Queen Elizabeth II said her "thoughts and prayers" were with the victims.

Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed his condolences in a message to Trump.

"The crime that has taken the lives of tens of peaceful civilians is shocking in its cruelty," Putin said. (**)
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Linkedin Jennifer Epstein (Bloomberg) Washington, United States  Tue, October 3, 2017 10:28 1869 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a22fd81d 2 World trump,White-House,North-Korea,negotiation,Rex-Tillerson Free

The White House ruled out talks with North Korea over its nuclear arsenal just days after Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said the US was talking to North Korea directly, through our own channels.

Now is not the time to talk, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders told reporters Monday. She added that the US was interested solely in talks over freeing three US citizens held by the reclusive regime.

That was in contrast to Tillersons remarks over the weekend in Beijing, where he told reporters, We can talk to them, we do talk to them directly and that the US has a couple, three channels open to Pyongyang.

The White House statements were the latest sign that President Donald Trump and his top diplomat have different views on the best way to address North Koreas accelerating nuclear and ballistic missile programs. While Tillerson was heading back to the US from China on Sunday, Trump said on Twitter that hed told his wonderful secretary of state that he is wasting his time trying to negotiate with Little Rocket Man, a reference to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

Save your energy Rex, well do what has to be done! Trump added.

...Save your energy Rex, we'll do what has to be done!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 1, 2017

During his campaign for president, Trump said he could sit down to negotiate with Kim over a hamburger. But he seems to have abandoned that line. The president this weekend referred to diplomatic efforts by former Presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama, saying in a Twitter posting that being nice to Rocket Man hasnt worked in 25 years, why would it work now? Clinton failed, Bush failed, and Obama failed. I wont fail. Kim, 33, took over the leadership of North Korea in 2011 after the death of his father, Kim Jong Il.

Being nice to Rocket Man hasn't worked in 25 years, why would it work now? Clinton failed, Bush failed, and Obama failed. I won't fail.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 1, 2017

Kim responded to Trumps rocket man taunts in North Koreas state media by calling the US leader a dotard and promising the highest level of hard-line countermeasure in history. His foreign minister said the regimes options included testing a hydrogen bomb over the Pacific Ocean.
The Indian representative commended Bangladesh's role in extending humanitarian assistance to such a large influx of people from Rakhine state saying Bangladesh deserves both recognition and support by the international community.

By Sahidul Hasan Khokon: India on Monday asked Myanmar security forces to take necessary action to prevent further Rohingya exodus and encourage their safe and sustainable return from Bangladesh, reiterating its concern over the issue at the just concluded UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.

"India remains deeply concerned at the situation in Rakhine state of Myanmar. It is important for the Myanmar security forces to handle the situation with restraint, focusing on the welfare of the civilian population," an Indian High Commission statement quoted the Indian representative as telling the Council's 36th Session on Friday.

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The statement of Indian High Commission said, the Indian envoy said Myanmar security forces operations resulted in the exodus of a large number of people from Rakhine state, many of whom have sought shelter in neighboring Bangladesh.

The Indian representative commended Bangladesh's role in extending humanitarian assistance to such a large influx of people from Rakhine state saying Bangladesh deserves both recognition and support by the international community.

"As a neighbour, friend and partner of Bangladesh, India has responded promptly to support the Government of Bangladesh in meeting the relief requirements posed by this large influx," the message said.

India, he said, was convinced that the only lasting solution to the situation in the Rakhine state is the socio-economic and infrastructure development in the state and a resolution of underlying issues of citizenship and residence in line with the recommendations of the Kofi Annan Commission.

"All efforts must be made to restore normalcy in the state through a solution based on respect for peace, communal harmony, justice, dignity and democratic values," the Indian envoy said.

"Our effort within the framework of this body must be to help the Government of Myanmar meet its responsibilities towards its people, including all communities belonging to Rakhine state," he added.

The representative, however, welcomed Myanmar government's commitment to implementing the recommendations of the Kofi Annan Commission and assurance to take back people who had fled to Bangladesh from Rakhine state.

During the Human Rights Council meeting on September 29, India said, "The role being played by Bangladesh in extending humanitarian assistance to such a large influx of people from Rakhine state is commendable and deserves both recognition and support by the international community. As a neigbour, friend and partner of Bangladesh, India has responded promptly to support the Government of Bangladesh in meeting the relief requirements posed by this large influx."

The relief provided both by the air and sea supplied the basic necessities by way of 15 kg packs for each family of recently arrived displaced persons in Bangladesh. "Thus, we have supported 72,000 families to meet their essential needs in the relief camps," said the Indian High commission media release.

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ALSO WATCH | RSS chief Bhagwat on Rohingya: Humanitarian view at cost of one's security is not good

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Linkedin (Pesona Indonesia) Jakarta  Tue, October 3, 2017 16:09 1868 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a230b88d 2 News Tourism-Ministry-Pesona-Indonesia,tourism-ministry-wonderful-Indonesia,garut Free

Up to 10,000 people flocked to the Garut Intan Carnival Parade held at Jl. Ahmad Yani in Garut, West Java, on Oct. 1.

The town first held the event back in 2015.

The parade needs to have its own identity; since its being held in Garut that means the event needs to have attractions that showcase the culture of Garut, said Tourism Ministry's head of cultural promotion, Wawan Gunawan.

The event featured an exhibition of naval weapons defense system (Alutsista) from Garut Military Command (Kodim) 0611.

It also hosted an exhibition of clothing made of waste materials that were later paraded by students and locals. In total, up to 164 people from 80 groups took part in the activity.

The event committee also held a bazaar throughout Jl. Ahmad Yani, which featured 20 booths of food and beverages, handicraft and fashion products from Garut, Tasikmalaya and Bandung. (kes)
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Linkedin Bagus Saragih (The Jakarta Post) Gyeonggi, South Korea  Tue, October 3, 2017 08:52 1869 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a22f9e83 1 Destinations South-Korea,#SouthKorea,tourist-village,destination Free

When you are in the Korean Folk Village (Min Sok Chon) and feel like you have travelled back to the past, it is because most of the structures there are from an earlier era.

More than 270 traditional houses from the Joseon Dynasty, a reign that existed between the 1400s and the 1800s, were relocated from different places into the 245 acre site, according to an official tourist booklet.

Located in Yongin in the province of Gyeonggi, the Korean Folk Village is dubbed a living museum. One thing that is obviously different from the dynasty era is that thousands flock to the area with dozens of buses lining up neatly at the parking lot. The village was founded in 1974 and has since become a popular tourist destination in the country.

Yongin is a satellite city of Seoul with a close proximity to the capital, making the area a great option for tourists who want to escape from the modernity of the metropolitan area and get a firsthand feel of Korean lifestyles from a bygone period. There are several transportation options available from downtown Seoul, including trains and various bus services.

It was a warm early summer. The crowded area is quite dusty since most of the area is unpaved dirt.

Some looked a little disturbed but most of the tourists flocking to the area seemed just too busy enjoying demonstrations on embroidery, weaving, clay crafting and woodworking. At some spots, visitors are invited to join in different workshops by artisans such as coloring ceramics and pottery making.

Get into the feel: More than 270 traditional Korean structures have been relocated at the one location. (JP/Bagus BT Saragih)

By the entrance are ancient totem poles with Chinese characters. During the olden times, the Koreans built and worshipped such poles as their guardian deity to protect them from evil spirits. Totem poles were also traditionally placed at the edges of villages to mark village boundaries and scare away demons.

The traditional houses scattered across the massive village are said to represent different regions and social classes.

It may demand a closer look to note the differences in layout and design, especially if you are too lazy to read the descriptions (available in English) on sign posts put up on almost every structure.

Apart from private residences, there are other buildings that offer a window into life during the Joseon time, such as gwana (provincial government office), seowon and seodang (the educational institutions), hanyakbang (the medical institution), Buddhist temples and seonangdang (the religious buildings) and the fortune-tellers place.

Walk into the past: A couple in traditional Korean outfits walk through an ancient entrance gate. (JP/Bagus BT Saragih)

Although most of the buildings are presented as authentic, it is apparent that many of the ornaments and pieces of furniture inside are replicas. Some of the farming tools, for example, are restored from the historical era. They are all useful to help visitors encounter and understand how Koreans lived in the past.

There are human and animal dummies inside different buildings but some of the houses have real people wearing traditional Korean outfits doing what ancient Koreans did in their daily lives. The activities are various, based on the type of building they are in.

In the farmers house, for example, there was a woman who seemed to be a peasant making a hand woven cover for huge jars. Such jars are usually used for kimchi fermentation and storage. But small rope fences are put up to prevent visitors from getting to close to them.

To add flavor to the old village scene, there are also traditional farming areas that grow real plants, which mostly look like herbs, and horses that visitors can ride.

I absolutely love the trees. They make me feel like Ive travelled back in time, said Edi, a visitor from Indonesia.

The show begins: Visitors flock to a small amphitheater to enjoy a farmers dance. (JP/Bagus BT Saragih)

Visitors were greeted by a couple of smiling youths in traditional Korean attire who were wandering around the site.

If you are lucky, you will also catch people wearing other traditional costumes. They are said to be characters from the late Joseon Dynasty, such as Sato (the governors), Daejanggeum (a royal cook in the palace), Kumiho (a legendary fox with nine tails) and Geosang (a business magnate in Joseon dynasty).

Right in the center of the site is a performance area where dozens of young performers danced to some folk music. The arena can accommodate up to 500 spectators. Different types of performing arts and other traditional events are showcased daily, according to the Korean Folk Villages official website.

Traditional Korean wedding ceremonies are also regularly reenacted, but unfortunately not on the day I visited.

The Korean Folk Village is so large that one may want to spend the whole day there to get the most out of it. As it takes a lot of walking, using comfortable footwear is recommended.

River view: A small river divides the traditional village area and the small amusement park. (JP/Bagus BT Saragih)

On the other side of the river is a mini theme park suitable for children who may find it more interesting than the history of the site. A number of rides are available such as rollercoasters and bumper cars, merry-go-rounds.

There is a vibrant street market, also known as Jumak, so visitors can enjoy various Korean food offerings. The dishes are prepared in an authentic Korean home style. There are also stalls selling handicraft items for souvenirs, many of which are made on the premises.

There is also a museum and a pottery exhibition hall where cultural artifacts from the historical Joseon period are put on display.

The Korean Folk Village is also renowned as a major shooting location for many popular TV dramas and movies. Jewel in the Palace ( 2003 ), Sungkyungwan Scandal ( 2010 ), The Moon That Embraces the Sun ( 2012 ), A Man From Another Star ( 2014 ) are just some of them.

These films introduce traditional Korean architecture to the international audience and also entice K-drama and K-film lovers to visit the country.
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Linkedin (Pesona Indonesia) Jakarta  Tue, October 3, 2017 14:01 1868 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a23065e9 2 News Tourism-Ministry-Pesona-Indonesia,tourism-ministry-wonderful-Indonesia,Purworejo,festival Free

Bogowonto Festival 2017 in Purworejo showcased Gethek Emas Parade and Gunungan Clorot, also known as Grebeg Clorot, for the events finale on Oct. 1.

The parade was held in Jogoboyo village in Purwodadi district and attended by Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo.

Bogowonto River needs to be preserved and its tourism potential should be utilized. What can Indonesia rely on other than tourism? Oil will run out, so will gas and our forests have turned barren. Im happy to see tourism in Central Java can become the leading sector, said Ganjar.

Ganjar also praised the Tourism Ministry that always provides support for every tourism activities in Indonesia.

Ive been visiting village-owned enterprise [BUMD] areas in Central Java for a few days; the most interesting enterprise is tourism. Tourism also has a brainchild called creative economy; this is the one that will elevate other villages, he added.

Additionally, Ganjar suggested for Bogowonto Festival to increase its promotion in order to attract tourists to come to Purworejo.

Read also: Recipe to promoting Indonesian street food

Bogowonto Festival 2017 was initiated by Bogowonto Keepers Community Association (Jago) and supported by the ministry.

The festival featured culinary booths by 12 tourist villages in Purworejo.

They offered Purworejos traditional dishes such as sate kroco, geblek, yode and tempe benguk, as well as a beverage named legen made from a part of Asian palmyra palm tree, said the ministry's archipelago tourism marketing development deputy Esthy Reko Astuti.

The three-day culinary festival also hosted booth decoration competition, traditional cooking demo and competition.

Tourism Minister Arief said the Bogowonto Festival 2017 would help increase the locals' appreciation towards arts and culture.

Kulon Progo Airport will be ready in a few years as well as train access from the airport to Borobudur Temple. The location is very close to Purworejo hence the regency should prepare itself to attract tourists, said Arief. (kes)
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Linkedin (Pesona Indonesia) Jakarta  Tue, October 3, 2017 15:07 1868 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a230991d 2 News Tourism-Ministry-Pesona-Indonesia,tourism-ministry-wonderful-Indonesia,West-Java Free

To celebrate the World Tourism Day that falls on Sept. 27, NHI Bandung Institute of Tourism (STP NHI Bandung) recently held the International Tourism Jambore (ITJ) at Buru Masigit Kareumbi Park in West Java.

The event ran from Sept. 29 to Oct. 1 and was attended by 200 participants from 33 local and international tourism institutes, such as Cavite State University  Imus Philippines and Universiti Utara Malaysia.

Among the three main topics being discussed in the event were "Sustainable Tourism as a Tool of Development","The Spirit of 'Wonderful Tourism'" and "Digitalization and Connectivity."

National Tourism Profession Institution head I Gusti Putu Laksana as one of the event's speakers presented a topic titled "Readiness of Tourism Human Resources in Facing Global Competition (ASEAN).

He mentioned that there are three main issues in building a leadership spirit among the people who work in the tourism industry: International tourism, ASEAN Economic Community and ASEAN Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA).

In facing the ASEAN global competition there will be many opportunities and challenges that the professional workers will encounter, said Putu.

Read also: The spirit behind Bali's natural sea salt

Putu added that tourism professionals are expected to have the skills, knowledge and attitude needed to work in the industry, which can be learned through training, formal education and work experience.

He also explained about the five important points that can shape up someone to become a good leader in the hospitality industry: innovation, vision, inner values, inspiration and communication.

By the end of the event, ITJ 2017 managed to publish Wonderful Tourism Leader (WTL) Credo and Kareumbi Protocol.

The credo consists of understandings of sustainable tourism development principles that cover several points, such as love, empathy, awareness, dynamic, enthusiasm, responsiveness and solidarity.

Meanwhile, Kareumbi Protocol has four main points: contribute in peoples development, implement simple activities, utilize digitalization and create tourism leaders.

ITJ itself aims to facilitate information exchanges and becomes a platform that connects tourism universities and institutions in Indonesia and ASEAN regions and to promote Indonesian tourism.

Tthe Tourism Ministry has published No. 14/2016 regulation on the guidelines for sustainable tourist destinations in Indonesia.

The standard for sustainable tourist destinations that is being used by the ministry has been recognized by World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and adopted from the GTSC. It consists of four things: sustainable tourist destination management, economy utilization for the locals, cultural preservation for both local residents and visitors, and environmental conservation. (kes)
Residents of Steve Cromans many New York City buildings looked on in court this morning as the reviled landlord was sent away to Rikers Island to begin serving a one-year sentence.

Croman owns around 140 buildings, including some on the Lower East Side and in Chinatown. In June, he pleaded guilty to fraudulently refinancing loans and committing tax fraud. A deal with State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman required him to serve the prison sentence and pay a $5 million fine. The judge had agreed to let Croman remain free during the Jewish High Holidays.

Heres how the Daily News reported todays sentencing:

For years notorious Manhattan landlord Steve Croman has dodged accusations that he engaged in aggressive harassment campaigns to force rent-regulated tenants out so he could charge higher rents. Early Tuesday Croman finally faced the music Tenants have complained about Cromans heartless tactics for years, most recently tenants in gentrifying neighborhoods like the Lower East Side and East Harlem where landlords are hoping to charge exorbitant rents.

After years of tenant harassment complaints landlord Steve Croman gets 1 year at #rikers via @AGSchneiderman https://t.co/XhuKAyFkCv  GregBSmith (@NYDNGregSmith) October 3, 2017

Croman admitted to acquiring $45 million in loans for his properties by passing off rent-stabilized apartments as market rate units. More from The Real Deal:

At sentencing, Croman was dressed in black skinny jeans and black-and-white sneakers. When asked by Judge Jill Konviser if he would like to say any words in response to his sentence, Croman replied no thank you. I hope you spend those days thinking about those you harmed, Konviser said. She also asked him to reflect on the religious principles that helped delay his sentencing, as he was previously scheduled to come before the judge prior to Rosh Hashanah.

In a press release put out this morning, Schneiderman said:

Steven Croman thought he was above the law. But today, he begins a sentence in Rikers Island for perpetrating an elaborate scheme that was intended to push out rent-stabilized tenants The measures Mr. Croman took to boost his own bottom line  while blatantly disregarding the wellbeing of his tenants  are shocking. A booming real estate market is no excuse for criminal activity aimed at displacing New Yorkers already struggling with high rents. My office will continue to ensure that all landlords play by the rules  and pursue anyone who doesnt to the fullest extent of the law.

Cromans attorney, Ben Brafman told The Real Deal he expects his client to serve eight months in prison. The state AG has sued Croman in civil court. That case is still pending.
The Supreme Court said it will hear on October 13 the petition filed by Rohingya Muslims challenging the government's stand to deport them back to Myanmar.

By India Today Web Desk: The Supreme Court today said it would hear the various pleas regarding Rohingya Muslims only on the "points of law" and asked the parties - Centre and petitioners - to desist from advancing "emotional arguments" as the matter concerned "humanitarian cause and humanity", which required to be heard with "mutual respect".

"The concern for humanitarian cause and humanity should come with mutual respect," a bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra said as it asked the Centre and two Rohingya petitioners to compile all documents and international conventions for its assistance.

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The Supreme Court said it will hear on October 13 the petition filed by Rohingya Muslims challenging the government's stand to deport them back to Myanmar. The bench, also comprising Justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud, said it will hear in details various aspects arising out of the matter, including the government's stand that the petition was not justiciable in the court of law.

In its affidavit filed before the Supreme Court last month, the Centre has claimed that Rohingya refugees pose a "serious national security threat" and that their deportation was in the "larger interest" of the country. It also asked the court to "decline its interference" in the matter.

Senior advocate Fali S Nariman, appearing for the petitioner Rohingya refugees, opposed the government stand and said the petition under Article 32 was maintainable as the Constitution guaranteed individual rights.

Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta submitted that the government would not like the matter to be heard in a piecemeal manner as it has wide ramifications and added that it would prefer a day for detailed hearing.

ALSO WATCH | RSS chief Bhagwat on Rohingya: Humanitarian view at cost of one's security is not good

--- ENDS ---
We know Ms Trump thought she was doing a good thing by donating those books, and we're sure children's books could NEVER have racist undertones.... not. But since Melania seems to need a little help in this department, we've drawn up a reading list of books that deal with some of her husband's more unsavoury ideas and show her and others like her where they're categorically wrong.So here we go, Ms Trump, a reading list just for you:Maybe you've heard of this little *cough NYT Bestselling cough* book about racism and police violence towards African Americans. Then again, maybe not, you don't recognise it in your own country so why in a book? Give this one a whirl, you might even learn something.This story about an African American Nurse who is accused of killing a white couple's baby could teach you something about white privilege. Then again, I'm sure you think you don't have it, so maybe not.Since your husband seems to think that grabbing girls by the pussy is totally okay, this book might give you a little insight as to what happens to girls when those views are perpetuated.In case you thought all the achievements of NASA were achieved by men, you should read this amazing true story of the African-American mathematicians behind some of NASA's greatest achievements. Of course you could just see the movie, either one would probably annoy your husband. WOMEN ACHIEVING? BLACK WOMEN ACHIEVING? Oh the horror!Maybe you might get that racism is you know, a big deal, if you read a book where it's reversed in a dystopian future. Maybe.You know about this right? Wait what am I saying, of course you do. Might be nice though if you could you know... help other women who have to deal with this stuff all the time.Since you care so much about children's education, why not read about a girl who had to fight for one because her country wouldn't allow her to go to school? But since you can't be bothered to even learn which schools in your own country are in need, why would you care about other children's education?In case you need an idea of where your husband's presidency could go....I know you'd probably like to think that a tale of black women in the Southern US in the 1930's would have no relevance in a supposedly "post-racial" society, but it's more relevant now than ever.As someone who immigrated to the US yourself, surely you'd empathize with the experiences? No? Or is immigration only okay for white Europeans? Well read this book written by a Haitian immigrant about Haitian immigrants and see how you feel then. So there we go Melania, since you care about education so much, a list of books for you to read to educate yourself. Hopefully you learn something.
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Samantha took to her Instagram account to post a cute picture with boyfriend Naga Chaitanya.

By India Today Web Desk: With just three more days left for the grand wedding, an excited Samantha has been relentlessly posting updates on her Instagram account. Tollywood's most favourite couple --Naga Chaitanya and Samantha are all set to enter into wedlock on October 6 in a traditional Hindu ceremony in Goa, followed by a Christian wedding on October 7.

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The couple will host a very grand reception on October 9 and several eminent personalities from Tamil and Telugu industries are expected to attend the ceremony.

According to reports, the couple has spent a whopping amount of Rs 10 crore for their wedding. On Monday, Samantha took to Instagram to post a lovely picture with Naga Chaitanya from the film Ye Maya Chesave. In fact, it is reported that Chaitanya fell in love with Samantha on the sets of Ye Maya Chesave.

?? A post shared by Samantha Ruth Prabhu (@samantharuthprabhuoffl) on Oct 2, 2017 at 6:59am PDT

Smile , sparkle , shine #moodoftheweek??? A post shared by Samantha Ruth Prabhu (@samantharuthprabhuoffl) on Oct 1, 2017 at 8:23pm PDT

Was a Sunday well spent ?? #chaylove A post shared by Samantha Ruth Prabhu (@samantharuthprabhuoffl) on Oct 1, 2017 at 8:16pm PDT

Recently, Samantha gave us a glimpse of her possible wedding outfit. She looked like a goddesses in her wedding lehenga and the pictures went viral on social media.

On the work front, Samantha will soon be seen alongside superstar Nagarjuna in the horror-thriller Raju Gari Gadhi 2. Samantha plays the female lead in Vijay's Mersal and Vijay Sethupathi's Super Deluxe too.

ALSO WATCH: Naga Chaitanya and Samantha engaged

--- ENDS ---
The legal heirs of the Maharaja of Jamnagar have sent a cease and desist notice to the makers of the film.

By India Today Web Desk: After directing the revenge drama, Bhoomi, starring Sanjay Dutt, Omung Kumar was gearing up to helm a biopic on the late Maharaja of Jamnagar, Jam Sahib Digvijaysinhji Ranjitsinhji. Titled The Good Maharaja, it was announced with Dutt in the title role. However, this hasn't gone down well with the legal heirs of the Maharaja, Hershad Kumari and Himanshu Kumari, and they've sent a cease and desist notice to Kumar and co-producer Sandeep Singh.

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The film revolves around the ruler of Nawanagar, a princely state in British India, and how he provided shelter to hundreds of abandoned Polish children during World War II. Hershad Kumari and Himanshu Kumari's lawyer, Faranaaz Karbhari, the proprietor of a law firm that the heirs have hired, told Mumbai Mirror that the makers had not sought permission from his clients.

"We have learnt through print and social media that a film is being made based on the life and events concerning the late Maharaja Jam Sahib Digvijaysinhji Ranjitsinhji who is the father of my clients, specifically the incident related to the Polish refugees. The Maharaja was a public figure and if the facts are distorted, it will tarnish his image. Hence our clients have objection to the film, as no permission is sought from them," asserts Karbhari.

Singh admitted he had received the notice and was rather baffled by it. "Digvijaysinhji Ranjitsinhji's story is in the public domain. Even today they celebrate Maharaja Day in Poland. I didn't think we were required to take the rights from his heirs. But now that we have got this notice, Vikash Verma, our producer-partner who has an office in Poland, is looking into the matter. He is the one who is supposed to look into government permission while Omung and I are focused on the creative aspects of the film," he told Mumbai Mirror in an interview.

Singh doesn't seem to be intimidated, and said that he will continue working on the script. "It's an important story that the world should know," he added.

ALSO WATCH: Feeling of freedom still to sink in, says Sanjay Dutt

--- ENDS ---
India Today has accessed the document which clearly states the circumstances under which a prisoner can be release on emergency parole.

By Rohini Swamy: Jailed AIADMK leader VK Sasikala's parole application has been denied by the Karnataka jail authorities, as her application did not conform to the rules of the state's jail manual.

Sasikala had requested parole in order to meet her ailing husband. Prison authorities held that her parole plea was not backed by a legally approved health certificate stating that her husband was unwell. However, they were disappointed coming to know that the application will be scrutinised.

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Sasikala's legal team was quite upbeat when they filed the parole application on Tuesday morning and were expecting the jail authorities to clear her request immediately.

India Today has accessed the document which clearly states the circumstances under which a prisoner can be release on emergency parole.

A prisoner maybe released on emergency parole for a period not exceeding 15 days as the authority releasing him/her deems fit for attending the last rites in case of death or in the event of terminal illness of father/mother/husband/son/daughter/brother or sister of such prisoner or for attending the marriage of own son, daughter, sister or brother.

WHAT HAPPENED IN SASIKALA'S CASE?

Rule 1: His/Her conduct in prison has been satisfactory

Prison officials say that based on DIG D Roopa's report where it is alleged that Sasikala had the freedom to move in and out of prison was a violation of the jail manual and thus she does not qualify for emergency parole on this count.

Rule 2: The number of release allowed for visiting an ailing kin shall be limited to one in respect of the same person who the prisoner wishes to meet

If Sasikala is granted emergency parole now, she might not be granted the same later in case of any untoward incident

Rule 3: Every application shall be accompanied by a certificate issued by the Station House Officer of the concerned jurisdictional police station or the concerned village accountant/headmaster or teacher of the local government school or any elected representative of the gram panchayat confirming the death or terminal illness and the type of relationship with the prisoner.

It is on this clause that Sasikala's petition was rejected.

It seemed that VK Sasikala's legal council had not read the jail manual carefully which has now put them in a situation where not only has her application been rejected by they will also have to begin the process afresh. Sasikala's supporters who had gathered outside the Bengaluru Central Jail were left disappointed and said that they will seek legal recourse.

Watch: Sasikala applies for 15-day parole to attend to her ailing husband

--- ENDS ---
By PTI: (Eds: With additional details)

New Delhi, Oct 3 (PTI) The Supreme Court today said it would examine the question whether the Kerala High Court can exercise its power under writ jurisdiction to annul the marriage of a Muslim man with a Hindu woman who had converted to Islam before tying the nuptial knot.

The apex court was apparently not in agreement with the submission that the National Investigation Agency (NIA) was asked to probe whether there was any wider pattern, commonly referred to as love jihad, in the case and said that the question was can the High Court annul the marriage between two adults.

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"Pattern or no pattern, the question is, can the high court annul the marriage by exercising its powers under Article 226 of the Constitution," the bench comprising Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud said and fixed the plea of the Kerala man for hearing on October 9.

The bench also said that a father cannot be seen dictating the personal life of a 24-year-old daughter.

At the outset, senior advocate Dushyant Dave, appearing for Shafin Jahan who has sought recall of the order asking the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to probe the case, started his arguments on a high pitch, which led the bench to ask him not to shout.

"This NIA probe shakes the very foundation of this multi-religious country. The order for NIA investigation was not in consonance of the law," Dave said.

"Please do not shout," the bench said, adding that his high pitch made it impossible for the bench to understand the submissions.

"I will shout," Dave replied.

The senior lawyer questioned the apex court order asking the NIA to probe saying that neither the father, nor the state and neither the NIA was in appeal against the High Court order. Rather, it was the man who has challenged the annulment of his marriage.

"State is not in appeal, father is not in appeal, NIA is not in appeal. Your Lordships have gone beyond the jurisdiction and expanded the proceedings by ordering NIA probe," he said.

"This investigation shakes the foundation of this multi- religious country. Two high functionaries of BJP have married members of minority community. Will Your Lordships order NIA probe into it? This order sends terrible signals all over the world," he said.

The bench, which was apparently miffed with the way Dave addressed the court, said it would examine the validity of the High Court order.

"No shouting. Instead of questioning the legal foundation, you are straying here and there," it said.

Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for NIA, opposed the submission of Dave and said the probe agency was not a party but was asked by the court to probe the matter to ascertain wider pattern, if any, to the case.

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He said that the order asking NIA to probe was a consent order and senior advocate Kapil Sibal, the then counsel for Jahan, was present at the hearing.

Jahan had on September 20 approached the apex court seeking recall of its order directing the NIA to investigate the controversial case of conversion and marriage of a Hindu woman with him.

The Kerala High Court had annulled the marriage terming it as an instance of love jihad, following which he had approached the apex court.

The top court had on August 16 directed the NIA to probe the incident under the supervision of retired apex court judge, Justice R V Raveendran.

Jahan, who had married a Hindu woman in last December, had moved the apex court after the Kerala High Court annulled his marriage, saying it was an insult to the independence of women in the country.

The woman, a Hindu, had converted to Islam and later married Jahan. It was alleged that the woman was recruited by Islamic States mission in Syria and Jahan was only a stooge.

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Ashokan K M, the father of the woman, had alleged that there was a "well-oiled systematic mechanism" for conversion and Islamic radicalisation.

The high court, while declaring the marriage as "null and void", had described the case as an instance of love jihad and ordered the state police to conduct probe into such cases. PTI SJK ABA RKS ARC

--- ENDS ---
By PTI: By Jatin Takkar and T G Biju

(Eds: Recasts intro and the next two paras)

Payyanur (Kerala), Oct 3 (PTI) His tightly clenched fist raised amid chants of Bharat mata ki jai, BJP chief Amit Shah set off on a 15-day foot march today to protest the CPI-Ms alleged violence against workers of his party, which is trying to emerge as the main challenger to the Left in Kerala.

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On the first day of his three-day stay here, Shah launched Jan Raksha Yatra (peoples protection march) from Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayans home town in Kannur district.

He was later joined by a large numbers of supporters as he walked over nine kilometres, blaming the ruling CPI(M) for "political murders" of BJP and RSS workers.

"More than 84 BJP and RSS workers have been killed in the district alone. I want to ask Pinarayi Vijayan...Who has killed them? If he does not have answers, then I am saying that the chief minister is responsible for the killings," he said.

The BJP chief met the family members of RSS-BJP workers killed in the political violence in the state and also inaugurated an exhibition organised in their memory.

He also announced a padyatra over the issue in other state capitals from tomorrow.

Seeking to corner the ruling alliance and boost the BJPs standing among the masses, the party has asked its senior leaders, including Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanth and several Union ministers, to join the exercise. Adityanath is expected to be in the state tomorrow.

"Communists have destroyed a peaceful Kerala, more than 120 BJP and RSS karyakartas have been murdered in Kerala so far," Shah alleged.

"I want to tell CM Pinarayi Vijayan that the more they try to muddy the political environment, more the lotus will bloom in Kerala," the BJP president said.

The yatra is the beginning of the end of the CPI(M)s politics of violence, he said and appealed to the people to remove the Left party from power and bring in a BJP government for peace and prosperity.

Political violence and Left governments go together, he alleged, adding that wherever the Left rules, the state sees political violence.

Kerala is the land of great saints and social reformers such as Adi Shankara, Sreenarayana Guru and Chattambi Swamikal but it has been turned into a state of bloodshed with the rise of the Left, Shah alleged.

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He also accused human rights activists of maintaining silence over the violence against the BJP and RSS workers and asked them to ignore this perception that "red violence is not violence".

The silence of the activists over the killing of more than 120 BJP workers working on a "nationalist agenda" is a question mark on their allegiance, he said.

This Jan Raksha yatra is a satyagraha against the atrocities and the killings by the CPI(M), he said.

The Jan Raksha Yatra, held under the theme of All have to live! Against Jihadi-Red Terror, from Payyannur will travel through the state before ending in Thiruvananthapuram on October 17.

As many as 120 BJP workers have been killed in the state since 2001 with 14 of them in the chief ministers home town since he took over the reigns last year, the BJP has alleged.

The CPI(M) has, in turn, accused the BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) of resorting to violence and denied the involvement of its government and leadership in the political killings.

The BJP is working overtime to become a potent force in the state by 2019 Lok Sabha polls. It had garnered 10 per cent and 15 per cent votes respectively in 2014 Lok Sabha and 2016 assembly polls.

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With the Congress, the main opposition party in the state, and the Left, maintaining a coordination against the BJP in politics at the national lever, the saffron party believes that it can occupy the opposition space in Kerala and build on its gains to become a major force by the next Lok Sabha polls. PTI JTR/TGB KR PYK ASK SK

--- ENDS ---
He suggested that Maharashtra should not contribute finances equal to Gujarat for the project as the state will be lesser beneficial than its neighbour.

By Kiran Tare: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar on Tuesday held the Union government's inadequacy in implementing changes in economic policy for the country's slowed economic growth and increasing unemployment.

"The investment climate in the country is not good today and hence there are no fresh investors coming in," Pawar told reporters. "The Make in India slogan seemed to be very attractive initially but its hollowness has begun to show now," he said.

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He said the decisions of demonetisation and GST taken by PM Modi without adequate preparedness has taken a heavy toll on the economy. He referred to slowdown in textile industry and banking sector to underpin his point of economic slowdown.

The former Union Agriculture Minister claimed that the bullet train proposed between Mumbai and Ahmedabad was not financially viable. He asserted that technology and modernisation should be feasible.

"I think a bullet train is required between Mumbai and Delhi or Delhi and Kolkata or Mumbai and Chennai. Bullet train between Mumbai and Ahmedabad is impractical. I don't know what's the purpose behind this," Pawar said.

He suggested that Maharashtra should not contribute finances equal to Gujarat for the project as the state will be lesser beneficial than its neighbour. "Maharashtra has barely got four stations while maximum are in Gujarat. The bullet train will run in Maharashtra for only 35 minutes. But, Maharashtra has to contribute equally in the project. I am not against benefits to Gujarat but the project would not benefit Maharashtra.

Instead, the government should have taken steps to improve railway services in Mumbai and Maharashtra," he said.

Pawar displayed a video clip of Modi, in which the PM was seen saying that a bullet train is just to showcase the country's strength and that he knew nobody would travel in the bullet train.

In a sarcastic jibe at Railway Minister Piyush Goyal, Pawar said, "I thought he would have more knowledge over Mumbai's local train issues as he belongs to the city. Lal Bahadur Shastri had resigned after a train accident. I expected the same action from the Railway Minister but it did not happen."

Pawar also criticised the Centre over rising incidents of terrorism in Kashmir and said there are loopholes in its policies in the valley. He also refused to comment on RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat's statement regarding alleged Left-wing terrorism in Kerala where NCP has three MLAs. "I don't take his comments seriously."

Pawar announced that his party would take a call on an agitation over the Maharashtra government's announcement of loan waiver for farmers. "The Chief Minister has said that farmers will get loan waiver by Diwali. But, if that does not happen, we will start an agitation after November 5. We will announce a decision after a meeting in Aurangabad on that day," he said.

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Pawar indicated that the NCP will be a part of a proposed non-cooperation movement against the state government. He said he has received various proposals asking farmers not to pay taxes to the government. He claimed that the loan waiver amount would not go beyond Rs 12,000 crore because most farmers will not be eligible for the scheme because of government's impractical norms.

ALSO WATCH | Time to bring fuel prices under GST: Oil Minister Pradhan

--- ENDS ---
By PTI: By Gurdip Singh

Singapore, Oct 3 (PTI) Singapores newly elected President Halimah Yacob is moving out of her 30-year-old apartment, built under the public housing scheme, for security reasons, according to media reports.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has advised the president that "the security agencies face several challenges in ensuring her security and protection, if she continues to stay in her current home".

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"MHA has therefore strongly advised the president to consider moving to another place. This will enable the agencies to ensure her safety and security with greater assurance," it added in a statement.

After being declared President on September 13, Halimah, 63, had continued to live in the Yishun flat, making her Singapores first head of state to live in public housing while in office.

The sixth-floor apartment was the first property she and her husband, Mohamed Abdullah Alhabshee, 63, bought as newly- weds more than 30 years ago.

They later made it a jumbo flat by combining the four- room unit with a neighbouring five-room flat they bought on the resale market.

The president has described it as a "very nice, comfortable place" and lived there with her family.

She has two sons and three daughters, aged 26 to 36.

Singapores past presidents had lived in private housing or at the Istana (The Presidential Palace) within the Central Business District.

But Halimahs decision to stay in the apartment had raised questions about security arrangements, according to media reports today.

Ever since her election as the president, police have intensified security measures in the area.

An awning was put up at the foot of the apartment block of the Housing and Development Board (HDB) in the Yishun housing estate, catering to the security and police cars requirements.

More than 80 per cent of Singaporeans live in the state- built and subsidised apartments in HDB estates.

In 1992, the HDB received the United Nations World Habitat Award for Tampines New Town, a successful public housing project, and its contribution to "innovation and successful human settlements."

The award identifies new outstanding human settlement projects to serve as examples for others to follow. PTI GS AMS

--- ENDS ---
By PTI: Jammu, Oct 3 (PTI) Six persons were arrested after a large quantity of illicit liquor was allegedly recovered from their possession here, the police said today.

A police spokesman said one person was arrested during a raid at village Gurah Jagir in Akhnoor area following recovery of liquor.

?During questioning he revealed that the liquor was provided by a salesman of a wine shop at Gurah Jagir to earn illegitimate profit on dry day,? he said.

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Two more persons were arrested by a patrolling party at Ashok Nagar in Gandhi Nagar area after the search of their carry bags led to the recovery of 90 pouches of ?desi whisky?, the spokesman said.

In another raid at village Kotli Shah Doula in R S Pura, he said police arrested two persons selling liquor pouches openly.

As many as 45 pouches of liquor were recovered from them during the operation, he said.

He said another person was apprehended from B C Road near the bus stand along with 70 pouches of illicit liquor.PTI TAS DV

--- ENDS ---
In the last couple of years there has been a significant increase in Ireland amongst Indian students, both at undergraduate and postgraduate level. In fact, in the last few months alone there has been a jump of 25 per cent in the number of Indian students choosing Ireland as their study abroad destination. So, why Ireland? This is an English speaking country with a long tradition in education. International students will find a multicultural society with the highest of education standards and the warmest of welcomes.

In a recent independent study, Ireland was ranked first in the European Union for international student satisfaction, for the second year running. The survey found that Irish higher education institutions were appreciated for their community atmospheres, innovative programmes and support structures for students, as well as their multicultural mix and student life. The country with its euro currency offers good value for money compared with its neighbour, the UK. Since the 2016 Brexit vote, Irelands universities and colleges have reported a significant increase in applications from Indian students particularly at postgraduate level.

Irelands EU membership has been keen to developing its reputation for world class research and as a centre of excellence in higher education. All of these universities are ranked in the top five per cent globally and in many fields of research rank in the top one per cent. A key advantage of studying in Ireland is that students at postgraduate level can avail of a two-year stayback option after completing their course. Earlier this year, the Irish government announced an extension to its Third Level Graduate Scheme, for non-EU/EEA students at post graduate level. At a time when other countries are tightening their visa rules for international students and graduates, Ireland has taken the opposite approach.

Non-EU students in Ireland, after completing their studies can remain in the country for a further two year to seek suitable employment. As such, the place can be ideal for high performing students to kick start their careers.

Over 1,000 multinational corporations have situated their European headquarters in Ireland. Of course after Brexit, this country will be the only majority English speaking country in the European Union.

The Irish authorities are currently dealing with hundreds of enquiries from companies, particularly in the financial services sector, considering relocating from the UK to Ireland, after Brexit, in order to maintain access to the European market. This coming November 18 of Irelands top universities and colleges will participate in a recruitment road show across India. The road show, organised by the Irish government, is a series of Education in Ireland fairs in New Delhi, Pune, Mumbai, Chennai and Bangalore.

Academic staff, admissions officers and visa officers will meet with students and parents to discuss study options in Ireland both at undergraduate and postgraduate level.

The institutes under Education in Ireland offer multiple courses in neurology, business, medicine, art, engineering and many more along with scholarship schemes.

Institutions like Dublin Business School, Dublin City University, Maynooth University, National University of Ireland Galway, University College Dublin, University of Limerick, Trinity College Dublin and Trinity Business School are few names under this.

(The writer is senior education advisor, Education in Ireland)
Students should attempt to strengthen their profile with the goal of making themselves more attractive to admissions committees. Beginning a social service or academic project outside of curricular work will help in this regard. It is best to design such projects keeping in mind that the colleges are looking for initiative, leadership, social consciousness, temperament, local and global engagement, and perseverance.

As such these projects should aim to combine the students personal interests with issues of local importance that can be tied into global concerns. These projects should be developed over a multimonth timeline that demonstrates the ability to plan, execute, and carry out a complicated project. If required, they can work with others and demonstrate managerial ability. It is advantageous to ally student projects with student academic interests as this will show commitment and perseverance.

Students should not undertake walks, factfinding, or any social service project that is short-term (less than three months) as these appear to be obvious CV-stuffers to admissions deans. While doing an academic project, the student must remember that it will be judged by worldwide standards. It should be unique and require research and expertise of an advanced nature. It is best utilised to showcase ability to undertake advanced undergraduate work.

However, when applying to more selective colleges it is important to remember the huge advantage in resources available to American students throughout this process. For example, many of the students applying to colleges such as MIT and CalTech have won global programming competitions and undertaken very high level research internships with NASA, CERN, etc. For Indian students it would be preferable to use this opportunity to reflect on issues central to the Indian experience. One of the essential facts to remember when applying to the US colleges is that our student is offering their student body a fresh perspective.

Keeping this in mind will help us overcome the American students advantages in available resources. By focusing on the uniqueness offered to our student by living here, we will be able to best situate their project for positive feedback from US universities. It is essential that we convey the vast difference in admission rates for international students requiring and not requiring financial aid. International students not requiring aid are admitted at roughly the same rate as domestic students (with lower rates for top universities that have a limit on the number of admits from any nationality).

However, international students requiring aid are admitted at a maximum of two-three per cent (and that too in the few colleges which offer financial aid). The admission rate decreases with each dollar in funding required. Thus, it is important that the student and their parents sit down for an honest conversation about the aid required or not required. Parents should be advised of this discrepancy as early in the process as possible.

Once this information is understood, we may begin short listing universities which are a complicated and research-intensive process. If done right, it can maximise the students chances of finding their perfect fit.

Short listing of universities should be conducted keeping in mind the students academic, professional and personal interests, temperament and family finances. Balancing these five variables requires a significant amount of expertise, often unavailable to the student or their parents, and may be used as a selling point for our product.

(The writer is co-founder, Collegify)
The pain of being defeated in a battle like IIT-JEE is quite agonising. Every year lakh of students compete for a woefully inadequate number of seats. As a result, the dream of getting into an IIT remains a wish for a majority of engineering aspirants, making it the most competitive entrance exam.

The task of getting through one of such institutes is an uphill one. However, failure in the exam does not make one worthless. One should learn to take rejection as a motivation and regard it as the grist for the mill. Students should not get discouraged and brace themselves up for an alternative college. Instead of being stuck in a limbo, they should change gear and move on to the next level by looking for other possible options.

One can still attain success even without the tag of an IIT. What is of significance is how you follow your dream to pursue an engineering career. There are plenty of examples worth mentioning who are not IITians but still made big in life.

One such example is Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, better known as the Missile Man of India, who was not from any IITs but did his engineering from Madras Institute of Technology. Nonetheless, he became one of the finest engineers in the world inspiring many aspiring IITians. Famously known as the father of the Pentium chip, the legendary Vinod Dham was also not an IITian. It is, thus, a testament to the fact that even without the tag of an IIT  one can achieve great heights and prosperity with their skills, dedication and consistent hard work.

There are numerous institutes such as the IIITs, NITs and BITs Pilani along with a number of private and deemed universities that are renowned for delivering first-class engineering education. There are also a number of private and public sector colleges that have carved a niche for themselves. Hence, one should not lose all hope and see it as a chance to turn the tide. Zeroing in on a college is often a stressful experience.

While finalising a college, one should prefer recommended university over an affiliated college that enjoys autonomy in the curriculum. Besides that, they should map their aptitude for the types of courses available. It is also imperative to keep abreast with internships and placement record of the institute/college.

Students should also do an in depth analysis of the facilities provided, admission criteria, class size and apply wisely to the college that best meet their needs. At the same time, parents should also motivate to look for alternative colleges/institutes and keep a tab on their interest and aptitude for the course. Students should learn to devise an alternate plan so that they dont have to frantically explore for options after the results are out and compromise on their choice of course.

They should not develop a lax attitude and work on developing an understanding of their strengths and weaknesses. In the course of time, it will be your job knowledge and professional skills that would bear fruit for you. In other words, if you aspire to be successful in life, your determination, dedication, and strength to get past your failures and find alternatives, and the will to work hard matters the most.

(The writer is director, Aakash Institute)
Finally, after over a month, Honeypreet Insan, adopted daughter of jailed Dera Sacha Sauda (DSS) chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, was arrested by the Haryana police on Tuesday in connection with the violence erupted after the conviction of the sect head in the rape case on August 25.

According to the police, Honeypreet who was wanted for sedition, inciting violence and other charges, arrested from a highway near Zirakpur in Punjab.

She was evading arrest for nearly past 38 days in the said case.

Sources from police said that she would be produced before the court on Wednesday.

A close aide of Dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, who is serving 20-year imprisonment in a Rohtak jail for raping female followers, Honeypreet alias Priyanka Taneja tops the list of 43 people wanted by Haryana police in connection with the violence erupted in Panchkula and Sirsa in August, 2017.

It was August 25 when the Dera chief was convicted by the special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in Panchkula in the said case. The sects head conviction was followed by violence in many Haryana parts mainly in Panchkula and Sirsa leaving nearly 41 people dead and more than hundreds injured.

Following the violence, Haryana police booked several DSS officials and spokespersons for inciting violence and waging war against the state.

Later on, Honeypreet was also booked at Sector 5, police station in Panchkula. His name was added in FIR number 345 as an accused in connection with the violence took place on 25 August.

Notably, after the Dera chiefs conviction, Honeypreet accompanied Gurmeet Ram Rahim in the chopper when he was taken to Sunaria jail in Rohtak from where she was reportedly escorted by the police to an unknown destination in the city.

Nearly, a week ago, the Delhi High Court has also rejected the transit anticipatory bail plea filed by Honeypreet.

The police had to issue Lookout notice for Honeypreet and Dera associates on September 1. Later on, she was declared proclaimed offender, even international alert was issued and a search was conducted to find Honeypreet, however, hours before her arrest from Punjabs Zirakpur area, she appeared before the media refuting all allegations against her.

She also announced to surrender before the police.
The Mizoram government has asked central security forces to tighten vigil along Indias border with neighbouring Myanmar and Bangladesh to prevent influx of illegal immigrants, especially Rohingyas, a Minister said on Tuesday.

The mountainous, northeastern state of Mizoram has a 510-km border with Mynamar and 318 km with Bangladesh, guarded by Assam Rifles and the Border Security Force, respectively.

After a central government advisory, our government asked both forces to increase security along the Myanmar and Bangladesh borders. Accordingly, additional troopers have been deployed, Mizoram Home Minister R. Lalzirliana said.

The states own security personnel posted near border villages have also been directed to remain on high alert in view of refugee influx from Myanmar to Bangladesh.

The Minister said it was, however, unlikely that the Rohingyas would enter Mizoram since Rakhine province in Myanmar from where they have fled is quite far from the Indian state.

Around 170 refugees from Myanmars Arakan, who entered Mizoram last month and took shelter in Lawngtlai district in southern Mizoram, returned to their homes in early September.

These refugees had fled Arakan due to recent clashes between the Myanmar Army and the Arakan Liberation Army, a militant outfit.

A Mizoram Home Department official said Home Ministrys Special Secretary (Internal Security) Rina Mittal and Joint Secretary (North-East) Satyender Garg last month visited Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram, and Manipur.
A 45-year-old murder convict, lodged in a central jail here, allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself from a tree, the police said on Tuesday.

Kalyan, undergoing life sentence in the central jail here, hanged himself from a 45-feet-long tree yesterday inside the jail premises, they said.

Later, his body was brought down from the tree with the help of fire brigade, the police said.

Taking note of the incident, prison guard Rajiv Kumar Tiwari has been suspended and a probe has been ordered into the entire incident by the Deputy Inspector General (DIG), they said.

Kalyan had killed his sister-in-law and niece in his Harinagla village in Badaun in 2005 and was later arrested.

He was awarded life imprisonment by a Badaun court and was shifted to the central jail here in 2012.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday asked RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav and his son Tejashwi Yadav to appear before the agency on 5 and 6 October respectively over alleged irregularities in issuing contracts for two IRCTC hotels in 2006 to a private company.

CBI has now asked Lalu Yadav to appear for questioning on 5 October and Tejashwi on 6 October in alleged corruption case The RJD leaders seek more time to appear, said CBI sources.

The RJD chief and his son have earlier too skipped appearing before the CBI after being summoned by the premier investigative agency.

While Lalu was to be quizzed on 25 September, Tejashwi was asked to appear on 26 September. However, the duo sent their lawyers with a letter to the CBI seeking two weeks time to appear before the agency. It was the second time that the father-son duo skipped the quizzing.

Earlier, the CBI summoned the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief and his son, the former Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar, on 7 September to report at its headquarters in Lodhi Road area of south Delhi for questioning on 11 and 12 September.

The CBI had on July 5 filed a corruption case against Lalu Prasad, his wife Rabri Devi and Tejashwi for alleged irregularities when Lalu Prasad was the Railway Minister from 2004 to 2009.

The contracts for two Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) hotels at Ranchi and Puri were handed over to Sujata Hotels company owned by Vijay and Vinay Kochhar in lieu of an alleged bribe in the form of a plot of prime land in Bihar, the CBI said.

According to the CBI, Lalu Prasad allegedly granted illegal favours to Sujata Hotels.
Jammu and Kashmir independent legislator Engineer Rashid on Tuesday appeared before the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for questioning in the alleged terror funding case.

Engineer Rashid, who represents the north Kashmir Langate assembly constituency, reached the NIA office at around 11.40 am.

The agency is investigating an alleged terror funding case involving separatist leaders, some local businessmen and others.

It is for the first time that a MLA from the state has been summoned by the NIA.

So far, 10 people, including separatist leaders and a businessman, have been arrested by the NIA.

(With inputs from agencies)
President Ram Nath Kovind embarked on a four-day visit to Djibouti and Ethiopia, his first trip abroad since taking office.

During his visit to the two African nations, the president is expected to sign agreements on institutionalisation of foreign office consultation and greater economic cooperation with Ethiopia, Neena Malhotra, Joint Secretary (East and Southern Africa) in the Ministry of External Affairs had said earlier.

Press Secretary to the President Ashok Malik has said that Djibouti is an important Indian Ocean partner country with whom Indias bilateral trade stands at USD 284 million in 2016-17.

The president is looking forward to the visit. He recognises that the Africa and Indian ocean region are central to Indian foreign policy. That is why this region was chosen as his first foreign visit, Malik said.

India has extended a line of credit of USD 49 million to Djibouti, mainly for constructing a cement plant. It is a strategically located country just off the Gulf of Aden.

Kovinds visit will be the first by an Indian president to Ethiopia after 45 years. The last visit was by President V V Giri in 1972.

Indias bilateral trade with Ethiopia in 2016 was nearly USD 1 billion. The country is among the top three foreign investors in Ethiopia with an approved investment of 4 billion dollars.

In both the countries the president will also interact with the members of the Indian community.
By PTI: New Delhi, Oct 3 (PTI) SpiceJet today said it has launched daily flight services on Guwahati-Dibrugarh route, making it the 50th destination for the no-frills airline.

"With the new flights SpiceJet will now operate a total of 26 flights in and out of North East and a total of eight flights within the region," the airline said in a release.

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The direct flight from Guwahati to Dibrugarh would be operated daily with 78-seater Bombardier Q400 aircraft.

Now, SpiceJet flies to 50 destinations, including 43 domestic and 7 international places, according to the release.

"We thank SpiceJet and especially Ajay Singh for accepting our request and inducting Dibrugarh onto SpiceJets network with such priority. This means a fresh impetus to trade, tourism and connectivity between northeastern states and adjoining regions," Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal was quoted as saying in the release.

Ajay Singh is the Chairperson and Managing Director (CMD) of the airline.

SpiceJets Chief Marketing Officer Debojo Maharshi said the north eastern region has a distinctive connectivity constraint on account of its difficult terrain and hence SpiceJet has always remained committed to enhancing connectivity to this region. The budget airline operates an average of 384 daily flights, with a fleet of 35 Boeing 737NG and 20 Bombardier Q- 400 planes. PTI RAM SBT

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In a scathing attack on the ruling CPI-M-led Kerala government, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Amit Shah on Tuesday blamed Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan for the murder of 120 BJP and RSS workers in the state as he launched a padyatra against the violence.

More than 120 BJP and RSS workers have been murdered in Kerala so far. CM Vijayan is directly responsible for it, Shah said at a public rally in Kannur as the ideological battle between the Left and Right intensifies in the state.

Look at West Bengal and Tripuras situation. Communists ruled here long. Peaceful Kerala is turning violent, communist ideology spreading here, he said further while announcing to commence a three-day Jan Raksha Yatra against the killings of party workers in the state.

The state-wide yathra was launched by Shah from Payanur in Kannur district. He will walk for three days, and on 5 October, he will walk past the home of Vijayan at Pinarayi as a mark of protest against the political violence and also against growing jehadi terrorism.
Three terrorists who attacked the Border Security Force (BSF) camp near the Srinagar airport on early Tuesday have been gunned down while a trooper was martyred, police said.

The suicide attack at the 182 battalion camp took place at 4.30 am and left three BSF troopers injured. The operation ended with after the last terrorist was killed at around 10 am though, combing operations by security forces are still on.

The security operation was carried out by the Army Para commandos, BSF, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), and state police personnel.

Authorities have now allowed passengers into the airport. But so far, no flight has either landed or taken off.

Vehicular traffic has been suspended in the area. The security forces said that they sealed all possible escape routes.

The Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terror outfit has claimed responsibility of the attack in one of Srinagars most secured area.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has called for a high level security meeting in New Delhi later on Tuesday to discuss the overall security situation.

(With inputs from agencies)
The Supreme Court said that it would examine the question as to whether the Kerala High Court can annul the marriage of a Muslim man with a Hindu woman, who had converted to Islam before tying the nuptial knot, by exercising its power under the writ jurisdiction.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra said that it will hear on October 9 the fresh plea of Shafin Jahan, the Kerala man seeking recall of its earlier order by which the National Investigation Agency (NIA) was asked to probe whether there was a wider pattern of alleged love jihad in the case.

Senior Advocate Dushyant Dave, appearing for Jahan, argued that in a multi-religious society the apex court should not have ordered NIA investigation in the case and urged for an urgent hearing on the plea seeking recall of the order.

Pattern or no pattern, the question is, can the high court annul the marriage by exercising its powers under Article 226 of the Constitution, the bench which also comprises Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud said.

Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre sought an adjournment on the ground that another ASG Maninder Singh, who has been appearing in this case was out of station for personal purposes.

Jahan had on September 20 approached the apex court seeking recall of its order directing the NIA to investigate the controversial case of conversion and marriage of a Hindu woman with him.

The Kerala High Court had annulled the marriage terming it as an instance of love jihad, following which he had approached the apex court.

The top court had on August 16 directed the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to probe the incident under the supervision of retired apex court judge, Justice R V Raveendran.

Jahan has claimed in his plea that the Kerala human rights commission has received several complaints regarding the detention of the woman at her fathers house.

He has also claimed that the woman has made it clear that she had accepted Islam on her own free will and after the May 24 order of the high court, she has been detained against her will and her rights have been violated.

Jahan, who had married a Hindu woman in last December, had moved the apex court after the Kerala High Court annulled his marriage, saying it was an insult to the independence of women in the country.

The woman, a Hindu, had converted to Islam and later married Jahan. It was alleged that the woman was recruited by Islamic States mission in Syria and Jahan was only a stooge.

Ashokan K M, the father of the woman, had alleged that there was a well-oiled systematic mechanism for conversion and Islamic radicalisation.

The high court, while declaring the marriage as null and void, had described the case as an instance of love jihad and ordered the state police to conduct probe into such cases.
Fugitive liquor baron Vijay Mallya has been arrested in London in connection with a money laundering case, media reports said.

As per reports, his arrest is being seen as the first step in his extradition to India, where he is facing charges of money laundering. He also owes hundreds of crores to a consortium of banks.

Mallya, whose now-defunct Kingfisher Airlines owes more than Rs. 9,000 crore (including interest) to various banks, had fled India on 2 March 2016.

The CBI has two cases against him, one related to the IDBI Bank case and the other related to a loan default of over Rs. 6,000 crore, filed on the basis of a complaint from a State Bank of India-led consortium.
Spain bears witness to the muffling of the voice of democracy and the crisis since Sunday has overshadowed the referendum on the independence of Catalonia. The government of Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has muffled the sub-regional jingoism over self-determination, an emotive issue that has become increasingly contentious over time.

The scenes at the police stations were an antithesis of the democratic engagement ~ police in riot gear assaulting peaceful protesters with batons, dragging voters out by the hair or throwing them down the stairs, firing rubber bullets to disperse crowds  even striking at Catalan fire fighters and the regional police. In the net, it was a confrontation between the state authorities and the Catalans shrilling for self-rule.

By trampling the idea under foot as it were, even as the first vote was cast, the authorities have arguably strengthened the cause of the Catalans. By that token, the latter may have scored a moral victory though the outcome of the referendum, such as it was, will not be known for some time yet. Arguably once more, those who have been indifferent to the idea of secession may now lend mild support to the cause after the brutality perpetrated by the authorities in Madrid.

Hence the refrain on Sunday ~ who wants to be ruled by a state like this? The Prime Minister in his remarks, addressing the nation, asserted that there was no referendum per se as the police had acted with firmness and serenity. If the state offensive is testament to his perception of serenity, it is hard not to wonder whether Spain is paying for his determination to stop what he calls the illegal vote by the bluntest means and at all costs.

His stout denial of the referendum can only inflame passions further still. In a sense, Rajoys rule has played into the hands of Catalan nationalists. In league with Greece, Portugal and Italy, Spain has been one of the countries in Europe that has in recent years been plagued by the financial crisis. For Spain, the economic crisis has preceded the constitutional.

This is the way in which history has often worked. It has fuelled a surge in the independence movement; the grouse of many in the wealthy region was that they were paying more than their fair share of taxes. And the urge for self-determination was strengthened when the constitutional court turned down the charter increasing the regions powers and approved by the Spanish parliament. Clearly, the constitutional court had batted for the Prime Minister when the charter was challenged by the ruling Peoples Party.

Rajoys heavy-handed response has buttressed the cause of Catalans. And it shall not be easy to find a way out of this mess, exacerbated with the crackdown on the referendum. Spain is in crisis.
Bangladesh police have rescued 20 Rohingya after busting a gang which ferried the refugees from Myanmar but demanded thousands of dollars for the boat ride, an official said on Tuesday.

The Rapid Action Battalion raided a village near the border with Myanmar late Monday to free the Rohingya Muslims who had been held there for a day, said Major Ruhul Amin.

The RAB chief who led the operation at Sabrung near Coxs Bazar told AFP the 20 included seven women, five men and eight children.

They were held there by a gang of boat owners and crew who demanded 20,000 taka ($250) per person for a two-hour boat ride from Myanmar, he said.

A boat ride between Maungdaw and Bangladeshs main landing station at Shah Porir Dwip would cost no more than five dollars normally.

Amin said they arrested three members of the gang for profiteering.

The UN estimates that 507,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled Rakhine into Bangladesh since late August after the latest eru
Stephen Paddock, the shooter who killed 59 people and injured more than 500 at a music concert here, had stockpiled a total of 42 firearms in his 32nd floor hotel room and at his home, 130 km away from the site of the massacre, officials said.

Authorities found 19 weapons from his home in Mesquite, a small city in Nevada, and 23 in the Mandalay Bay Hotel room in Las Vegas from where Paddock opened fire on 22,000 people attending a concert at a country music festival on Sunday night, said Clark County Assistant Sheriff Todd Fasulo on Monday.

With hundreds of victims still hospitalized, officials said the death toll was likely to rise.

Paddock, 64, also had in his possession two other devices that could transform his semi-automatic weapons into automatic ones, Fasulo was quoted as saying by CNN.

Police found in the gunmans car several kilos of ammonium nitrate, a substance used in the manufacture of explosives.

The shooter spent his last moments firing desperately at the police through the door of his room at the hotel, said Clark County Sheriff Joseph Lombardo.

He also fired at a security guard and a SWAT team, comprising six agents, who were combing the floors of the hotel looking for him, and killed himself before he could be apprehended.

Police said they were still working to establish the motive behind the deadliest mass shooting in the US history. Investigators said the gunman had no terror link and never faced any notable criminal charges, despite a claim from the Islamic State for the attack.

FBI Special Agent Aaron Rouse told a news conference: We have determined at this point no connection to an international terrorist organisation.

Even the gunmans brother had no answers. Were still just completely befuddled. Dumbstruck, Eric Paddock told CNN.

Several vigils were held on Monday night to honour the victims of the shooting. Communities came out in Reno, Las Vegas and at the campus of University of Nevada.
While the state's new booklet does not feature this Wonder of the World, you should know these interesting facts about the iconic landmark.

By India Today Web Desk: It's one of the Seven Wonders of the World, an iconic heritage site, built exquisitely, and the pride of India. Yes, we're talking about the iconic Taj Mahal in Agra. While most Indian and foreign travellers have this landmark on their bucket list, a recent controversy has brought the Taj Mahal in focus by giving its mention a complete miss.

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The Uttar Pradesh government recently released a new booklet about the ongoing and future tourism projects in the state, and failed to mention the Taj Mahal at all.

The booklet, called Uttar Pradesh Paryatan: Apar Sambhavnayen (Uttar Pradesh Tourism: Its High Potential), was released last week by the state's tourism minister, Rita Bahuguna Joshi. Since the Taj's complete absence from the list was revealed, reactions from political circles across the country have criticised the Yogi Adityanath government for this oversight.

A view of the Taj Mahal. Photo: Reuters

But while the absence of the iconic landmark is worthy of criticism, it does not really take away any of its significance or contributions in India's rich culture and its growing tourism industry. Here is a list of everything you should know about this beautiful structure on the bank of River Yamuna.

Also Read: You will not be able to see the dome of Taj Mahal for a year; here's why

History:

1. The Taj Mahal was built by Shah Jahan, the Mughal Emperor, in the loving memory of his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal. Mumtaz, who died while giving birth to her 14th child, was a favourite of the Mughal Emperor, and he spared no expense to build the memorial for his wife. Both the Emperor and his wife were finally laid to rest in the Taj.

Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal. Picture courtesy: Pinterest/museyon.com

2. The construction of the Taj began in 1632, a year after Mumtaz' death, and was completed nearly 20 years later. It took 20,000 labourers, artisans and workmen to create the structure.

3. A fine example of Mughal architecture, the Taj is made of white marble. The large dome, the four minarets and the high platform are a few of the distinguishing features of the structure.

4. While portraits and idols are never represented on Indo-Islamic construction like the Taj, it does have beautiful and detailed carvings, as well as a fair amount of Persian calligraphy.

5. The two decorated tombs under the dome are fakes. The real tombs of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz are in a basement below, and they are completely bare, with not a bit of decoration on them.

Eid celebrations at the Taj Mahal. Photo: Reuters Eid celebrations at the Taj Mahal. Photo: Reuters

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Popular legends and myths:

1. The Taj Mahal is visible from a part of the Agra Fort, where Shah Jahan was kept a prisoner during the last days of his life by his successor, Aurangzeb. Shah Jahan was barred from visiting the Taj by his son, so he adored the memorial from the Agra Fort itself.

2. Most Indians have grown up with the story that all the artisans who worked on the Taj had their hands cut off on the Emperor's orders, so that they can't replicate such a feat again. This myth has been disproved since it was discovered by historians that the chief architect of the Taj, Ustad Ahmed Lahauri, was later commissioned to build other structures by the Mughal Emperor.

Actors Anil Kapoor and Tom Cruise at the Taj Mahal. Photo: Reuters

3. Another popular myth about the Taj is that Shah Jahan did not intend to be laid to rest with his wife there. The contemporary European traveller, Tavernier, mentions that the Emperor wanted to build a black Taj Mahal on the opposite bank of the Yamuna as his own mausoleum. He could not, however, go ahead with the plans because his son, Aurangzeb, overthrew him.

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4. During the Second World War, it was feared that India--still a British colony, and an involuntary participant in the war--and its heritage sites would be attacked by the Axis Powers, especially Japan. The Taj was protected during this period with extra scaffoldings built around the structure. Similar efforts were made during the 1965 and 1971 Indo-Pak wars.

5. Purushottam Nagesh Oak, a historical revisionist, claimed in his works that the Taj Mahal was actually a Hindu temple called Tejo Mahalaya, dedicated to Lord Shiva. Oak claimed that the Taj had been built by the Rajput kings in the 12th century, and taken over or desecrated by the Mughals. Oak also claimed that the Vatican in Italy and Westmeinster Abbey in Britain were Shiva temples. While most of Oak's ridiculous theories have been discredited, zealous Hindus still continue to file petitions to "restore" the Taj as Tejo temple.

Oprah Winfrey at the Taj Mahal. Photo: Reuters

Also Read: Think you know how beautiful the Taj Mahal is? This video will prove you wrong!

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Tourist attraction:

1. The Taj Mahal is a major tourist attraction, and has a heavy footfall throughout the year. In 2016, as the data revealed by the UP government shows, a total of 62 lakh tourists visited the iconic landmark.

2. Every major celebrity who has visited North India has taken a trip to Agra, just to visit the Taj Mahal. The list includes actors like Anil Kapoor, Tom Cruise and Oprah Winfrey.

Prince William and Kate Middleton at the Taj Mahal. Photo: Reuters

3. Heads of states, world leaders and European royals have also made a point of visiting the Taj Mahal. From Pervez Musharraf to Vladimir Putin, from the Clintons to Nicolas Sarkozy, they've all paid a visit to the Taj. This illustrious list also includes Princess Diana, who visited in 1992. Prince William and Kate Middleton also visited the Taj during their India tour in 2016.

The Taj Mahal, with romance at its core and beauty as its main defendant, has always captured the minds of Indians as well as non-Indians. People still flock to this heritage site, and want to experience the wonder that it is. So, whether a government booklet mentions it or not is immaterial--after all, information about the Taj Mahal is easier to find in Digital India, and one need not depend on a booklet at all.

As long as the Taj Mahal stands, those with wanderlust in their hearts and minds will seek out the adventure that this iconic landmark offers.

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By PTI: Lucknow, Oct 3 (PTI) Amid criticism for allegedly ignoring the Taj Mahal in its tourism plans, Uttar Pradesh tourism minister Rita Bahuguna Joshi today said the monument was "our cultural heritage".

Her comments came after reports in some sections of the media yesterday said that the Taj Mahal -- one of the seven wonders of the world -- had been excluded in the latest booklet issued by the state tourism department.

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"Taj Mahal is our cultural heritage and occupies a place among the worlds famous tourist places," the 68-year-old minister said.

In an official statement issued by the UP government, Joshi said, "Holistic development of the cultural heritage and that of infrastructural facilities is the priority of the state government."

She said that under the 370-crore World Bank-aided tourism scheme, in which the state and the bank will have a 30:70 funding share, there is a plan to "alleviate poverty and create employment" through tourism-related activities in Agra and Braj.

"UP government is working to launch metro rail in Agra and efforts are being made to develop the city under the Smart City Mission. These efforts will give it a new identity on the tourism map," she said

Joshi said the state government is exploring options of tapping the enormous tourism potential and develop the tourist spots in a "world-class manner". PTI NAV HMB AQS

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It was a deal that the Anil Ambani-owned Reliance Communications was pinning on to reduce large portion of its huge debt of about Rs 45,000 crore. But, the proposed merger of RCom's wireless telecom business with rival Aircel into a separate entity fell through amid regulatory uncertainties, sending its shares crashing more than 11 per cent per cent on Tuesday. The stock hit a record low of Rs 16.75 during the session.

The deal with Aircel, coupled with the funds it will receive from a separate agreement to sell 51 per cent in its telecom tower business to Canada's Brookfield Infrastructure, would have helped RCom cut its debt by more than half to around Rs 20,000 crore.

However, with the Aircel merger deal now in the bin, the younger of the Ambani brothers must look to other means to reduce its debt burden.

Key among the options would be to sell its prime real estate in Navi Mumbai, which houses the Dhirubhai Ambani Knowledge City. The DAKC is spread across 125 acres, with potential development rights of over 17 million square feet. The company also has prime property of about four acres in the capital New Delhi, near Connaught Place.

Indications of interest from leading developers and independent third party valuations have established significantly higher present value monetisation potential of Rs 10,000 crore for the DAKC complex alone, it claimed, adding development agreements could be finalised in the next few months.

RCom may also now look to optimise its mobile spectrum portfolio and adopt a 4G focussed mobile strategy. The company already offers 4G services through a spectrum sharing agreement with Reliance Jio.

Separately, the acquisition of the mobile business of Sistema Shyam Teleservices, expected to be completed this month, will give it additional spectrum in the 800-850 MHz band.

RCom said it has spectrum across 800/900/1800/2100 Mhz bands, valued at over Rs 19,000 crore for the balance of validity period, based on last auction pricing and will look to monetise the same, either via trading or sharing arrangements.

The company will also look to grow its B2B businesses, which include the global submarine cable network, enterprise and internet data centre.

RCom and Aircel had signed binding agreements in September last year for the merger of their mobile businesses into a separate entity, where a part of the debt of the two companies was to be transferred.

The merger would have made it the fourth largest telecom operator in the country.

However, legal and regulatory uncertainties, and various interventions by vested interests, have caused inordinate delays in receipt of relevant approvals for the proposed transaction, said RCom.

Without naming names, the Anil Ambani firm has for long blamed unprecedented competitive intensity in the telecom sector that hurt the industry as a whole. Elder brother Mukesh Ambani's aggressive foray into the sector last year with Reliance Jio, offering free voice calls and extremely cheap data plans, have made the incumbents also launching a price war, which have hit revenues and profits across the industry.

RCom also flagged off fresh policy directives adversely impacting bank financing for this sector for the industries woes.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, last month, cut interconnect usage charge (something companies charge for allowing domestic calls from rival telecom firms to terminate on their network) sharply to six paise per minute from 14 paise per minute from October 1 and it would be completely abolished from 2020, which experts have said will put further pressure on the stressed sector.

Analysts say calling off the merger deal was a setback to RCom's deleveraging plans.

Importantly, while the deal with Brookfield will still go through, its valuations will now have to be reviewed due to the Aircel merger being called off, said broking firm CLSA. It has a sell rating on the stock.

RCom was expected to receive about Rs 11,000 crore from the stake sale in the tower assets to Brookfield. However, that value may now reduce as it was based on the merged assets of RCom and Aircel.

The continued loss in market share also remains a risk, other analysts add.

Sector analysts as well as credit rating agencies have for long warned that consolidation had become key to the sector's financial sustainability. Already companies like Sistema Shyam and Telenor have exited the market. Tata Teleservices too has been looking to exit the business. It is expected that in the medium to long term, the industry will be left with about four large players. This would put further pressure on players like RCom and Aircel, now that they have called off plans to merge.
The Kerala High Court Tuesday granted bail to actor Dileep, who was arrested allegedly for plotting the February 17 actress attack. The actor was asked to surrender his passport and deposit Rs 1 lakh as surety in court and 2 personal sureties.

The arguments of the prosecution and defense on the fifth plea by the actor were completed last week, but the HC had reserved its orders. Four bail pleas filed by Dileep were earlier rejected - twice each in a magistrate court at Angamaly and the High Court.

Opposing the bail application, the prosecution reiterated their earlier contention that if bail was granted to Dileep, it would adversely affect the investigation.

However, the counsel for Dileep claimed that the actor was entitled to bail as no evidence was available against him. Dileep has been lodged in the Aluva sub jail ever since his arrest on July 10.

The police have claimed that the conspiracy to abduct and assault the actress in a moving car and videotape the act was hatched by Dileep. Six people, including prime accused Pulsar Suni, were arrested in connection with the actress abduction case.

The actress, who has worked in Tamil and Telugu films, was abducted and assaulted in her car for two hours by the accused, who had forced their way into the vehicle on the night of February 17 and later escaped in a busy area.

(With inputs from PTI)
The fresh terror attack on the BSF camp near Srinagar airport on Tuesday has once again exposed the glaring gaps existing along the India-Pakistan border which has been witnessing heightened terror activities over the last several months. Sniper firings on India's border guarding forces, pushing militants in the cover of cross-border firing and increasing terror bases have been going on unabated across the Line of Control.

Top security officials said New Delhi's options of retaliation are limited given that it has already exercised the option of launching a cross border surgical strike targeting terrorist launch pads. But infiltration has continued unabated.

A group of Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists are learnt to have Infiltrated from the Jammu Sector in the first week of August. The Jammu and Kashmir police suspect that the fidayeen attack on the BSF camp near Srinagar airport on Tuesday is the handiwork of this group which managed to enter undetected.

Despite multiple intelligence inputs and warnings of a spectacular strike, the terrorists managed to strike at the camp triggering panic and unrest again. During July 2017, 45 terrorists had attempted infiltration (Valley-39, Jammu-6), out of which seven were killed in the Valley, 33 returned (Valley-27, Jammu-6) and five succeeded in infiltrating to the Valley, latest data collated by the intelligence agencies reveals.

During June 2017, 45 terrorists had attempted infiltration (Valley-31, Jammu-14), out of which 32 returned (Valley-18, Jammu-14), 13 were killed and none succeeded in infiltrating.

On Tuesday, the joint action of security forces consisting of CRPF, BSF and JK police gunned down three terrorists but the worry is not over yet. Police sources maintain that another component of this group is still active and roaming freely probably scouting for more targets.

The intelligence agencies had noticed an increase in the movement of terrorists opposite LoC as compared to the previous months. The inputs shared with the central and state government indicated movement of 615 terrorists, whereas in June it was 598. Maximum movement of terrorists was indicated opposite Poonch sector.

Home minister Rajnath Singh, who was on his toes through the day speaking to the BSF DG K.K. Sharma and other top security officials, had already declared that the western border with Pakistan will be sealed by 2018.

The home minister's statement had come in the wake of rising India-Pakistan tension and the worst terror attack on September 18, 2016 on a military base in Uri killing 17 soldiers. Following the attack, the government had launched surgical strikes on terror launch pads across the line of control.

Now with increasing terrorist activity in the Valley and Pakistan sponsored terror groups remaining undeterred by strong retaliatory measures of the border guarding forces, the government may need to act fast and implement its promise of securing the border with technological solutions in riverine belts and areas where physical barriers can't be erected.
The Narmada Parikrama yatra by senior Congress leader and former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Digvijaya Singh and his wife Amrita Singh is getting a lukewarm response from public. He had declared that it is his "personal religious pilgrimage, and has nothing to do with politics".

The six-month, 3300 kilometres long religious journey started three days back on Dussera, September 30, from Barman Ghat on the bank of river Narmada. The Narmada Parikrama is undertaken by millions of Hindu pilgrims every year by walking the entire length of the river from Amarkantak Hills in Madhya Pradesh to Gulf of Khambat in Arabian Sea.

Digvijaya Singh, 70, accompanied by his wife, former journalist Amrita Singh, 46, started the journey after day long puja conducted by Shankaracharya Swaroopanand Saraswati of Dwarka Peeth. Shankaracharyas ashram is located in Narsinghpur district from where the yatra started.

On the first day of the yatra Congress leaders Suresh Pachouri and Vivek Tanka, along with 60 other companions, were present. But in the next two days, the number dwindled as the couple walked for around twenty kilometres in the rough stretch on the grassy and shrubs laden banks. Congress state president Arun Yadav and senior leader Kamalnath and Jyotiraditya Scindia were conspicuous in their absence on the inaugural day of the yatra.

Son of Digvijaya Singh, MLA from Raghogarh, briefly attended the religious function before puja and left. Lakshman Singh, brother of Digvijaya Singh, former member of parliament from Rajgarh, is yet to attend. Except for a group of few dozen people very close to the former chief minister, most of the Congressmen are keeping a distance from the yatra.

Digvijaya Singh had said that his yatra is purely personal and has nothing to do with politics. But his comments on "sand mafias presence across the banks of Narmada and village sarpanches angry over the expense from their funds for Namami Narmade Yatra has led to many to conclude that his objective is political. Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, had held a state sponsored Namami Narmade Yatra.

The yatra of Digvijaya Singh is likely to be completed by foot and on vehicles to complete it in the stipulated period of six months. They will reach Gujarat next month. Assembly polls are due in Gujarat in the coming days and the presence of Congress leader, though he is officially on leave from the AICC from post of general secretary, will sure make some noise.

CM Shivraj Singh, meanwhile, welcomed Digvijaya Singh's decision. This move is seen as a ploy to keep presenting Digvijaya Singh as a prominent leader of Congress in political circles.

Meanwhile, Congress is also worried that with the yatra it has suddenly brought back Digvijaya to focus in the state. Earlier, Digvijaya Singh had written a letter to the state government demanding mobile toilets so that the banks of the river are not polluted by the pilgrims walking along with him. A separate set of personal entourage, full of tents and other amenities, is moving with the former chief minister.
Sasikala will be able to file a fresh parole application tomorrow.

By India Today Web Desk: No parole for Saiskala, as jail authorities reject plea to meet ailing husband

Prison authorities in Karnataka rejected the parole appliation of AIADMK leader Sasikala, jailed after being convicted of in a disproportionate assets case.

Sasikala had requested parole in order to meet her ailing husband. Prison authorities held that her parole plea was not backed by a legally approved health certificate stating that her husband was unwell.

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Sasikala will be able to file a fresh parole application tomorrow.

AIADMK's disputed deputy general secretary TTV Dhinakaran said that a 15 days' parole has been applied for Sasikala so that she can meet her ailing husband.

VK Sasikala, who was convicted in a disproportionate asset case, is currently lodged in Parappana Agrahara prison in Bengaluru.

Her husband has been hospitaliSed for the last nine months due to kidney and liver ailments.

Watch: Sasikala applies for 15-day parole to attend to her ailing husband

--- ENDS ---
By PTI: Sonamura (Tripura), Oct 3 (PTI) Three persons have been arrested from a village near the Indo-Bangla border in connection with "trafficking" of Rohingyas, a police official said today.

Acting on a tip-off, sleuths of Assam and Tripura Police and BSF personnel raided the Nabadwip Chandra Nagar village last night and arrested Suman Chowdhury (35), Faruk Chowdhury (32) and Sahajahan Choudhury (38), SP, Sipahijala district, Sudipta Das told reporters.

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"On the basis of inputs of the Rohingya refugees, the Assam Police with help from Tripura Police and BSF arrested the three persons involved in trafficking," Das said.

He said six Rohingyas were arrested on August 19 at Karimganj in Assam, and during interrogation, they confessed to have migrated from Myanmars Rakhine state, and were staying in Bangladesh as refugees.

"They entered India with the help of a trafficking racket by using the sensitive corridor at Nabawip Chandra Nagar," Das said. PTI CORR JOY RBT

--- ENDS ---
On Friday, Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner approved House Bill 3488, the Dispositions of Remains Act, which will go into effect June 1, 2018. The law makes it easier for medical facilities and mortuaries to receive the remains of indigent decedents. It also contains an amendment with three critical components to address the concerns of the Orthodox Jewish community regarding the respectful treatment of human remains and ensuring that unclaimed Jewish decedents receive a traditional burial in accordance with Jewish law.

The first component is that the state must make a good faith effort to discover and verify identifying information regarding the decedent, including ethnicity, religious affiliation and former associations.

The second is a requirement that the state (Department of Public Health) maintain a publicly accessible registry that lists all unclaimed bodies their religious affiliation affiliation if known, along with additional information that could prove helpful to others in identifying religious.

The third component establishes religious organizations as a responsible party that can legally claim a body. In order of priority, a religious organization comes after relatives, but before the state. Thus, even if a body was already donated by the state to an anatomical society, a religious organization can reclaim it.

Currently, most unclaimed bodies of the indigent are cremated. The bill was initially introduced to address the shortage of available cadavers for scientific study and medical training, as well as to alleviate costs to mortuaries, funeral homes, and both state and local government. The bill, as introduced, directed state facilities, hospitals, morgues, to offer unclaimed bodies of indigent individuals to institutions of medical, mortuary, or other sciences. This presented a problem that some bodies would be treated in a way inconsistent with the beliefs of the deceased, and a violation of human dignity to observant Jews.

To ensure that most unclaimed indigent Jewish bodies receive a proper burial, an arrangement exists with Cook Countys medical examiners office. A weekly list of unclaimed cadavers is sent to religious organizations, and if a body is claimed, the decedent is treated in accordance with their religious beliefs while the county saves on the cost of cremating and disposal. Through Agudath Israel of Illinois Chesed Shel Emes program, which is staffed by volunteers and funded by private donors, if an individual on the list is identified as Jewish, the remains are claimed and the body receives a proper Jewish burial in a Jewish cemetery. The new law requires that all state facilities follow the new protocols. It will also be a significant improvement over the current arrangement, which is limited to Cook Countys Medical Examiner and is not required by law.

When the original bill was filed in 2016, Agudath Israel of Illinois publicly advocated against it during their annual mission to Springfield and the bill never advanced. This year, the bills sponsor, Deputy Republican Leader Dan Brady (R-Bloomington), reached out to Agudath Israel of Illinois director of government affairs, Rabbi Shlomo Soroka, to address the concerns of the Orthodox community. After much discussion and consultation with expert rabbinic authorities, Rabbi Soroka worked with Leader Brady to craft an amendment that would create a new and vastly improved statewide system.

Rabbi Soroka thanked Leader Brady and former Senate Representative William OConner of the Anatomical Gift Association of Illinois for their willingness to work with Agudath Israel and for their tireless efforts. The sensitivity and integrity they demonstrated throughout the process was most commendable, said Rabbi Soroka. Rabbi A.D. Motzen, Agudath Israels national director of state relations, and Rabbi Elchonon Zohn, President of National Association of Chevra Kadisha, reviewed the legislation and offered invaluable suggestions. Rabbi Zohn expressed his satisfaction with the final bill by saying, This is probably the best system Ive seen in the country, and should serve as a model for other states as well.

(YWN World Headquarters  NYC)
Speech plans? HSBC's soon-to-be departing boss Stuart Gulliver

HSBCs soon-to-be departing boss Stuart Gulliver is the subject of intriguing gossip at the Tory conference.

A senior political lobbyist claims a headhunter asked him for recommendations for a speechwriter for Gulliver, promising a managing director level salary.

An HSBC spokesman says she isnt aware of any such appointment, though I wonder if strutty little Gulliver, 58, has an eye fixed upon his legacy.

Relations between he and new chairman Mark Tucker, whos currently scouting for his successor, are said to be distinctly cool.

Re HSBC, outgoing chairman Douglas Flints farewell speech at Spencer House last week praised the banks resilience to the various financial catastrophes during his 22-year career, from 1997s East Asian debt crisis to the global meltdown in 2008.

Chunters a guest: Strangely, no mention of other crises to have befallen HSBC in that period  the money-laundering scandal, the Swiss tax-avoidance storm, Libor rigging

Invoke Capital boss Mike Lynch has named each room of the tech funds new Pall Mall offices after fictional spies.

Bald-as-a-coot Lynch, 52, is something of an espionage nut. Rooms at the Cambridge offices of his software firm Autonomy, which he sold to Hewlett Packard in 2011 for 11billion, were named after James Bond villains.

Bankers in Goldman Sachs New York offices were last week treated to a lunch made by Daniel Boulud, 62, the double Michelin-starred French chef who charges diners 200 a head to eat at his nearby restaurant.

Another ruse by the bank to keep workers from leaving the building? Goldman are so determined to squeeze the hours out of its London staff, their offices have an in-house dry cleaner.

Chasing up the Monarch Airlines collapse proved a nightmare for journalists when news of its impending doom first percolated around the City.

The airlines media handlers were Bell Pottinger, the PR firm which itself had just gone belly-up following its involvement in a political scandal in South Africa.
It's inconceivable Mark Carney hasn't been asked to feature on Desert Island Discs

Bank of England governor Mark Carney is curiously yet to feature on Radio 4's Desert Island Discs.

Considering the non-entities on each week, it's inconceivable Carney hasn't been asked.

One can only assume Bank of England wallahs have advised the governor against it for now, which I doubt he'll have liked.

The vain booby's probably itching to let us know which voguish tracks he's listening to on his iPod.

Lofty RBS chairman Sir Howard Davies, 71, informs readers of the Financial Times that while working in the Foreign Office he once chaperoned David Bowie and fellow rocker Iggy Pop across the East German border.

'I escorted them through Checkpoint Charlie, drank rather a lot of indifferent wine, and escorted them back safely to the West as dusk fell.

No one we encountered had the slightest idea who they were.' How many boardrooms do you reckon Sir Howard's bored with this humdinger?

Credit Suisse director Philip Bunce is not your run o' the mill faceless banker.

Primarily known around the bank's Canary Wharf offices as Phil, on some days he puts on a skirt and high heels, arrives as his alter ego 'Pippa' Bunce, who's married to a woman and has two grown up children, says his colleagues are 'entirely supportive' of this dual identity.

The IT bods have even made him a special security pass showing Phil/Pippa in both guises.

Lloyds' new ad, which shows the bank's famous black horse galloping across the British Isles, features a cover version of the song Praise You by DJ Fatboy Slim, aka Norman Cook.

Presumably Cook, 54, once a member of the staunchly socialist band The Housemartins, gave his permission.

He tried to stop Tony Blair from playing the tune at Labour conference, but then mere 'performance royalties' are considerably smaller than adverts.

We're barely in October and Boots has irritated traditionalists by releasing their Christmas sandwich range.

They include 'Turkey Bacon, Stuffing & Cranberry' or 'Parsnip fritter and butternut squash.' Utterly unacceptable flavours at any time of year if you ask me.
More than a million holidaymakers have suffered travel chaos this year.

First British Airwayss computer systems crashed causing thousands of passengers to miss flights. Then Ryanair announced it was cancelling 20,000 flights due to a shortage of pilots.

And now Monarch has collapsed, causing chaos for 860,000 passengers who had bookings.

Here we explain how you can protect your holiday against disaster.

Happiness cancelled: More than a million holidaymakers have suffered travel chaos this year

MAKE SURE YOUR HOLIDAY IS ATOL PROTECTED

ATOL stands for Air Travel Organisers Licence and is a government-backed scheme run by the aviation watchdog.

It means if the airline or travel company youve booked with goes bust you are guaranteed to get your money back or youll be offered an alternative trip. If youre abroad youll be able to finish your holiday and get home as planned.

In the case of Monarch, around half the 860,000 customers affected are covered by Atol, either under the airlines scheme or that of the travel company they booked through.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has committed to bringing all 110,000 abroad home regardless of whether they booked an Atol holiday, so no one will be stranded.

But there are a further 750,000 who have booked to travel with Monarch in the coming months and only those with Atol protected holidays are guaranteed their money back.

The remainder will have to try to claim their money back from their travel insurer or bank.

To check your holiday is protected, look for the Atol logo and a unique licence number four to five digits long. You can check the licence is legitimate on the CAA website.

As a rule of thumb, if you are booking a package holiday you should be covered automatically. You should also be covered if you book flights and board or flights and car hire with the same company.

Some direct flights are also covered by Atol. Monarch, for example, used to offer flight-only protection but withdrew from the scheme last year.

So anyone who booked direct flights on or before December 14, 2016, will be covered. Those who booked after will not.

If youre covered you should receive an Atol certificate by email or post as soon as you have paid. Always take this on holiday with you.

Passengers sleep on the floor in Heathrow airport in May this year after computer systems crashed causing thousands of passengers to miss flights

CHOOSE THE RIGHT TRAVEL INSURANCE

Even if your holiday is Atol protected you still need travel insurance. The Atol scheme will not pay out if you need medical care abroad or lose your luggage and it will not cover anything you book separately in advance such as excursions, transfers or car hire.

Beware that not all travel insurance policies will pay out in the event of an airline or travel company collapsing. You need something known as end supplier failure or travel abandonment cover.

Of the 938 single trip policies on sale, under half offer this as standard, with a further 10 per cent offering it as an add-on that customers can pay for, according to data analysts Defaqto. If your policy does have cover, check the terms and conditions carefully.

Some may only pay up to a certain amount, while others may refuse to cover consequential loss  meaning any pre-booked accommodation or excursions you paid for and can no longer use.

GET COVERED AS SOON AS YOUVE BOOKED

Just 15 per cent of single-trip travel insurance policies bought through comparison site GoCompare last year were purchased more than a month in advance.

More than a fifth were bought on the actual day of departure. Leaving it this late is a gamble.

As Monarch shows, anything can happen between booking your holiday and departing. Cancellation cover and airline failure cover starts on the day you buy your policy. This means the sooner you buy your policy the better protected you are should something happen.

Alternatively, consider an annual policy. If you go abroad regularly this can be cost effective  and means you can book in confidence.

Staff problems: Ryanair announced it was cancelling 20,000 flights due to a shortage of pilots

USE A CREDIT CARD TO PAY FOR HOLIDAYS

Under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act, if you pay for something by credit card that costs between 100 and 30,000 your bank is jointly liable. This means that if something goes wrong, such as your airline going bust, you can claim a refund.

You dont even need to pay for the whole bill by credit card to benefit. You can put just 1 on your credit card and pay the rest with cash.

The only catch is if you are booking through a third-party website such as a travel agent. In this instance the rules dont apply, you must have paid directly.

If this is the case, or if you paid by debit card, try to get your money back under a lesser-known rule called Chargeback. It is not legal protection like Section 75, but is part of Visa, Mastercard and American Express rules that banks must abide by.

In these cases your bank will try to reclaim the money from the companys bank, but there is no guarantee of success. You typically have 120 days from becoming aware of a breach of contract to claim.

CLAIM WHAT YOU ARE ENTITLED TO

If your flight is delayed or cancelled you may be entitled to compensation. Under EU law if your flight arrives more than three hours late you could claim up to 600 (533).

How much you get depends on how far you are travelling and how long the delay is. If your flight is cancelled you should be offered alternative travel or, if unsuitable, a refund.

You may also be entitled to up to 600 (533) compensation depending on how much notice you are given and the length of your journey.

If your flight is grounded as a result of an extrordinary circumstance such as bad weather your airline does not have to pay out.

Regardless of the cause you should also be entitled to refreshments and overnight accomodation where necessary. You may be given food vouchers, but if not keep receipts to make a claim when you get home.

For more information visit the CAA website or call 0330 022 1500.

If you are unhappy with how your claim is dealt with, complain to the ombudsman. This may be AviationADR (020 3540 8063) or the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR)(020 7536 6099), depending on the airline.

v.bischoff@dailymail.co.uk
India and US were among the 13 countries to vote against the passing of a UNHRC resolution to denounce death penalty for homosexuality.

By India Today Web Desk: A resolution to denounce death penalty for consensual same-sex relations was passed by the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) on September 29. 47 members of the UNHRC voted for the resolution in Geneva.

Out of the 47 members, 27 voted in favour of the resolution, 13 voted against and seven abstained from voting.

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And guess what India voted for?

India was among the 13 nations who voted against the resolution.

In simpler terms, India has no problem if death penalty is given to people for being a homosexual, indicating that freedom to choose who to love is still a far-fetched dream for Indians.

Good news: the UN #HRC36 just adopted resolution urging States to abolish death penalty for #apostasy & #blasphemy - significant progress pic.twitter.com/OxyCypWQKh- ARTICLE 19 UN (@article19UN) September 29, 2017

India along with Bangladesh, Botswana, Burundi, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iraq, Japan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE and the United States voted against the resolution.

The resolution has also asked countries where death penalty is not yet abolished to ensure that it is not "applied arbitrarily or in a discriminatory manner."

In a statement, Renato Sabbadini, the executive director of The International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA) said, "It is unconscionable to think that there are hundreds of millions of people living in States where somebody may be executed simply because of whom they love".

Currently, there are six countries where same-sex relations could result in a death penalty. In five other countries - Pakistan, Qatar, UAE, Mauritania and Afghanistan - same sex relationships permit death penalty due to Sharia law, but it is thought to not be invoked. Whereas in one country (Brunei Darussalam) same sex relationships are illegal but no criminal procedure has been laid down for the same.

In India, homosexuality is a criminal offence under Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code. In 2009, Section 377 was struck down by the apex court in India. Section 377 was not completely struck down, that is, it was still relevant in case of non-consensual non-vaginal intercourse or to intercourse with minors. But, in 2013 following an appeal, the Supreme Court of India, again upheld the constitutionality of Section 377.

--- ENDS ---
Hiring: Ford bosses want recruits with software, electronic and electrical skills

Ford dealers across the UK are hiring 1,000 technicians to support its push into self-driving cars, and electric and hybrid engines.

Bosses said they need new recruits with cutting-edge software, electronic and electrical skills.

Ford is among several car makers which are forging ahead to produce electric vehicles, as governments crack down on emissions and technology develops.

Andy Barratt, chairman and managing director of Ford Of Britain, said: 'Although we value traditional technical skills, we're looking for ambitious and flexible technicians who can join us on our journey to hybrids, battery electric vehicles, and autonomous technology  and beyond.'

Ford said the new posts were available for apprentices as well as trained technicians.
Squabbling mobile phone companies have been accused of holding back the UKs digital future as they fight a legal wrangle over faster networks.

Sharon White, chief executive of Ofcom, warned that a High Court battle with BT-owned EE and rival Three threatened to delay the rollout of faster internet services for smartphones.

They have challenged new rules which would limit how much of the airwaves any one company can own, dragging Ofcom into court.

BT-owned EE and rival Three are have challenged new rules which would limit how much of the airwaves any one company can own

BT argues the proposed cap of 37 per cent is too low, while Three says it is too high. The litigation is set to delay an auction of airwaves that Ofcom says could be used for 4G internet, as well as faster 5G networks in the coming years.

Taking aim at the telecoms firms, White said: Three and BT are taking legal action because they do not like the rules. We will defend our decision. The benefits for mobile users will inevitably be delayed.

We appreciate companies must look after their own positions, but commercial interests must not derail a golden opportunity for the UK to achieve leadership in 5G and be among the worlds best-connected nations.

WATCHDOG OFCOM ON BOARD Sharon White is joining the board of housebuilder Barratt Developments. The 50-year-old chief executive of telecoms regulator Ofcom will become a non-executive director of the FTSE 100 firm on January 1. She will join the companys audit, nomination and remuneration committees  putting her on the panel that sets pay. Barratt chairman John Allan said: Sharon brings a wealth of experience, which will be a valuable asset to the company. White is married to Robert Chote, the head of the Office for Budget Responsibility.

Three first threatened to launch High Court action against Ofcom after it revealed the proposed new rules in the summer.

However BT moved first, filing papers with the court before its smaller rival and claiming that its threats had forced bosses hands.

BT said that it was arguing for no cap at all but White dismissed this, saying that its claim went much further and seeks to challenge the auction on a whole new set of grounds.

A BT spokesman declined to comment yesterday.

A Three spokesman said last night: It is absolutely vital that the regulator gets this auction right for the long-term benefit of all consumers.

Larger players in the market are hoarding large amounts of spectrum, denying UK consumers the benefits of a finite national resource.
The owner of Monarch made desperate calls to rivals in a bid to sell the struggling business in the days before it collapsed.

EasyJet, British Airways and Norwegian were approached by owner Greybull and accountants KPMG last week and offered the chance to take control of the failing airline.

Budget rival Wizz Air, which specialises in routes to eastern Europe, was also approached.

The airlines were given the chance to snap up short-haul routes  and, crucially, Monarch's valuable runway slots  as management frantically tried to raise cash to boost the balance sheet.

Braced for impact: The owner of Monarch made desperate calls to its rivals to offload its struggling short-haul business in the days before the business collapsed

However, when talks failed the firm was left with no cash and it sank into administration yesterday morning.

Shares across the UK's largest airlines climbed when the news broke, on the expectation they would benefit from a boost in passenger numbers. EasyJet shares jumped 5.2 per cent, Ryanair rose 3.9 per cent and British Airways owner IAG increased 2.4 per cent.

There is now expected to be a bidding war for some parts of Monarch's business, particularly its coveted slots at Manchester and Gatwick airports.

An analysis of Monarch's recent accounts warned of a number of factors that affected its income and ultimately led to its demise.

These included the knock-on effects of terrorist attacks in Tunisia and Egypt, which saw holiday firms boycott the regions, and higher currency exchange costs because of the weak pound.

Between 2015 and 2016 its revenues dropped by 100million to 558million. Monarch's capacity fell, and the total number of booked passengers dropped by 7 per cent. It also flew more aircraft with empty seats.

In October 2016 it was forced to write-down 102.8million over aircraft leases, and a further 198million for unavoidable costs on leases.

Last week Greybull and KPMG are believed to have held discussions with EasyJet, Wizz Air, Norwegian and British Airways in a last-ditch move to force a sale of its embattled short-haul business.

Ryanair, which runs a Boeing-only fleet, is believed to be out of the running as Monarch used Airbus planes.

Robin Byde, transport analyst at Cantor Fitzgerald, said: 'Monarch assets may enable EasyJet to increase frequencies on common routes, gain more attractive year-round and seasonal slots, and generally take market share.

'On fleets, synergies could be attractive as Monarch currently operates 34 Airbus A320 family aircraft which are compatible with EasyJet's fleet.'

Monarch is the biggest UK airline to cease trading and around 860,000 customers are believed to be affected by the collapse  including 110,000 who have been stranded abroad.

Wizz Air yesterday announced 119 'rescue fares' for Monarch passengers stranded in Tel Aviv.

Monarch's collapse follows the demise of European airlines Alitalia and Air Berlin, which fell into administration earlier this year.

Alitalia filed to be put under special administration in April  for the second time in less than a decade  after workers rejected wage cuts linked to a 1.7billion rescue plan.

Air Berlin, which opted against a government bailout in favour of winding down is business, has received bids from Lufthansa, EasyJet and Condor.
Catch of the day: Angling Direct has snapped up rival Fosters Fishing

FISHY BUSINESS Fishing equipment retailer Angling Direct has snapped up rival Fosters Fishing, a superstore located on the outskirts of Birmingham, for 3m.

TASTY TREAT Ingredient manufacturer Treatt said its sales for the full year are expected to be 24 per cent up on last year.

KICKED OFF Companies which describe their products as both novel and useful when raising cash on crowdfunding website Kickstarter make a quarter less than rivals, according to research.

VOTE ADVERTS Social networking giant Facebook yesterday released details of more than 3,000 advertisements bought by Russians to interfere in the US election.

TROUBLE AHEAD The owners of troubled German lender Deutsche Bank are demanding that boss John Cryan speeds up turnaround efforts over the next two quarters.

GRAND TITLE A top accountant at PwC, Charles Bowman, 55, has been elected Lord Mayor of the City of London Corporation.

ADVICE LINE Spanish asset manager Alantra is joining forces with London business adviser Catalyst in a 30million tie-up.

FINANCE DEAL Corporate finance firm Centrus Advisors has bought transport financier MDT.

PROFIT WARNING Stock in Nex dropped 5 per cent yesterday after the broker warned of low profits in its key post-trade arm.

CREDIT CHECK Insurer Direct Line has taken a 15 per cent stake in tenant credit checker Canopy.

MOVING ON Dealmaker Marc St John, 59, who was behind the takeovers of Formula One and luxury watch firm Breitling, is leaving private equity house CVC Capital Partners after nearly two decades.

NAME CHANGE Danish energy company Dong Energy is changing its name to Orsted.

HIGHER POWER London-listed power converter firm XP Power has bought the US-based power supply manufacturer Comdel for 17million.

MORE ENERGY Independent energy supplier Utilita Group said its annual turnover has increased by 52 per cent from 271million to 411million.

NEW BOSS Packaging business Macfarlane has appointed Stuart Paterson, 59, as chairman.
Takeover target Revolution Bars has posted falling annual profits and blamed Septembers rainy days for a slowdown in sales this Autumn.

The cocktails bar chain, which has been courted by two rival nightclub groups recently, said trading had returned to normal during the summer after the terrorist incident in Manchester, but had slowed down last month.

It posted a 29 per cent decline in pre-tax profits to 3.6million for the 12 months to 1 July, but total revenues rose by 8.4 per cent to 130.5million, from 119.5million last year.

Revolution said trading in September was 'disappointing'

Like-for-like sale rose by 1.5 per cent but trading in September was disappointing, dragging down first quarter sales growth to 0.3 per cent. Shares fell 0.41 per cent, or 0.87p, to 210.63p

Shares fell 0.41 per cent, or 0.87p, to 210.63p in morning trading.

July and August returned to a more normal trading pattern following the terrorist incident in Manchester in May, whilst September trading, for the sector as whole, has been disappointing, largely due to this year's very wet and cool weather compared to record temperatures in September last year, the group said.

The Ashton-under-Lyne-based firm, which owns more than 60 Revolution and Revolucion de Cuba high street bars, also updated on the state of the takeover interest it received after issuing a profit warning in May.

It said that Deltic is still considering whether to make a cash offer for Revolution to rival Stonegate's bid of 203p a share. It must make its intentions clear by 5pm on October 10 under City takeover rules.

Keith Edelman, chairman of Revolution, said: Deltic is continuing to perform due diligence on the group, and the board is committed to ensuring that the interests of shareholders are best served.

He added: Given the recommended cash offer for the business from Stonegate, it is likely that the ownership of the company will change in the next few weeks.

However, such an event is not certain and, whatever the outcome of the potential transactions, the business is well placed to succeed.

Revolutions upmarket cocktail bars and Cuban-themed bars have struggled recently amid rising input and staff costs as a result of the living wage as well as soaring business rates.

The company, which floated on the London Stock Exchange in March 2015 at 200p, has issued a profit warning in May that sent shares tumbling.

In August it said it had accepted a takeover offer by Stonegate, the owner of Slug and Lettuce pubs, but shortly after rival Deltic Group said that it was also looking at a rival bid for the group.

Revolution rejected the approach from Deltic - one of Britain's biggest nightclub operators - to merge the two firms over significant concerns regarding both value and deliverability.
MONEY MAKING Fundraising website group Seedrs has raised 6million from more than 2,000 savers in just five days.

The so-called crowdfunding business  which allows ordinary people to invest directly in private companies  was also given 4million by fund manager Neil Woodford.

Consumer groups, however, have warned that backers risk losing their money by supporting firms they dont fully understand.

BOSS NAMED Wealth manager Tilney has appointed Chris Woodhouse, the former boss of motoring group RAC, as its chief executive.

The 56-year-old is succeeding Peter Hall, 53, who is joining investment firm Permira as an advisor.

CASHING IN A bitcoin trading desk could be launched at Goldman Sachs as the investment bank scrambles to cash in on the boom in internet money.

Bitcoin is up 341 per cent this year  but some experts fear investors are buying into a huge trading bubble which could eventually lead to massive losses.

AUDITOR PROBE An investigation into tainted accountant KPMGs work at businesses owned by the nations wealthy Gupta family, who are at the centre of huge corruption scandal, is being fast-tracked by South African regulators.

GEM FIND AIM-listed Firestone Diamonds has found a 134-carat gem at its Liqhobong diamond mine in Lesotho, the largest find to date by the miner founded and run by former De Beers finance chief Stuart Brown.

COLLEGE PLAN A consortium led by support services and construction group Interserve has been hired by Durham University to build two colleges in Durham City.

SOFA SALES Furnishing retailer SCS saw sales increase 4.9 per cent to 333million in the year to the end of July from 317.3million the year before, and profits soared 9.9 per cent to 12million, defying the sector slowdown.

NEW DIRECTOR Infrastructure products firm Hill & Smith Holdings has appointed Alan Giddins, a managing partner at 3i Group, as a non-executive director and senior independent director.

DEBT DEAL Global mobile network company Truphone has raised 255million in a funding round to pay off its debts and fuel its expansion plan worldwide.
By PTI: every 15 days

New Delhi, Oct 3 (PTI) Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri has decided to review the progress of various urban schemes, including the Clean India and Smart City Missions, once every 15 days to accelerate their implementation, a senior official said.

Puri, who was named the Housing and Urban Affairs minister a month ago in the Cabinet reshuffle, told senior officials of his ministry yesterday that a day-long review with them will be undertaken on every first and third Tuesday of a month, the official added.

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"Anything that can be measured can be changed. It implies that if we dont monitor and measure the outcomes, the intended change may not come through," he quoted Puri as saying.

The minister also prioritised the outcomes to be monitored under each mission like the number of Waste-to- Wealth projects made functional and toilets built during the fortnight under Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) against the targets.

Similarly, the number of water supply connections provided under Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), projects completed in each of the first batch of 20 smart cities, and affordable houses sanctioned and built under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) will be reviewed.

Puri stressed that the progress report should highlight the efforts made by the central and state governments to speed up execution, implementation hurdles resolved during the last fifteen days, and reasons for delay, if any, the official said.

The minister also stated that Rs 5 lakh crore investments has been approved so far under new urban missions.

He also directed finalisation of the National Rental Housing Policy and the Model Tenancy Act soon, besides highlighting the need for the DDA to immediately notify the Land Pooling Policy already cleared by the Ministry, the official said.

Puri referred to his first month in office as "quite eventful", he added. PTI MP BSA

--- ENDS ---
LOBAMBA  Reopen the Swaziland Christian University (SCU) on Wednesday (tomorrow).



This was the unanimous decision made by Members of Parliament (MP) yesterday as they knocked off late at night while debating the issue. The House was eventually adjourned at 10:15pm. The public gallery was filled to the brim with the students from the institution, whose operations were suspended by government almost a month ago.



Meanwhile, tempers flared as MPs and Cabinet ministers were involved in personality clashes. First to tackle the issue was Ludzeludze MP Bambumuti Sithole who called for the university to open as of yesterday. Theres taxpayers money for 400 students who were paid for by government and 516 who were paid for by the parents, said Sithole.



He was supported by Mkhiweni MP Gideon Dlamini, who said the students should be in class this morning while government sorted out the issues. Hosea MP Thulani Masuku said it was amazing that the SCU was opened by government. How did you open the institution when you allege that the lecturers are not qualified? asked Masuku.



He said some of the students were already in their fourth year. Masuku said presently, workers at the university had not been paid and others had rent to pay and food to buy for their children and families. Why is government so cruel that they can close down the school within an hour? the MP asked.



He said the ministry slept on the job and that the minister should immediately go to the radio and make an announcement reopening of the university.
LOBAMBA  A person whose contract has come to an end must go home.



These were the words of Minister of Information Communication and Technology (ICT) Dumisani Ndlangamandla when responding to questions from senators on what was happening regarding the contract of the managing director of the Swaziland Posts and Telecommunications Corporation (SPTC), Petros Dlamini.



This was during the debate of the ministrys portfolio committee for the first quarter of the current financial year. It was Senator Meninjeni Mahlalela who asked for an explanation on whether Dlaminis contract had been extended or not.



Mahlalela said he was asking because Dlamini had done a lot for the parastatal having taken over when it was going through challenges.

The minister first explained that such issues were between the employer and employee and highlighted that it was the board that was expected to act on the matter.



He mentioned that he recently enquired about the same issue as he did not understand how an individual who did not have a contract would wake up and go to work.



If an individual has no contract but continues going to work who does he expect to pay him? This means there is some irregularity somewhere because I dont get as to what instrument is being used to continue allowing such a person to be in office, he said.



Ndlangamandla then insisted that people whose contracts expire or come to an end should go home. Interestingly, Dlamini was also present during the debate and was sitting just a few metres from the minister.
MBABANE  Former Mhlatane High School head teacher Simeon Makhubu was on the brink of suicide after he discovered that he had been conned about E1.6 million by Temkitsi.



Makhubu yesterday told the court that he purchased weevil tablets when he realised that the money he believed to have been requested by an alleged inkhosikati was pocketed by Sijabu Temkitsi Dlamini.

Temkitsi is the woman who allegedly siphoned money from Makhubu after convincing him that the money was required by the inkhosikati, who would pay it back.



The former head teacher, who is facing more than 80 charges of fraud, said there was a meeting that was convened at Piggs Peak Police Station where he got to learn that Temkitsi had been conning him all along.



He said at the meeting were the alleged inkhosikatis brother and secretary of Liqoqo, Mandla Dlamini, Senior Superintendent Sam Mthembu, a man from Mshingishingini Royal Kraal, Piggs Peak station commander and Temkitsi. However, he said when he arrived Temkitsi was probably in a different room.



Makhubu said at that meeting he was asked by Mthembu if he had paid out money after being promised a job by royalty. He told the court that he agreed that he paid out some money but denied that he had been promised a job.

It was at this meeting that Makhubu said he discovered that he had been conned.



At that meeting, I was shocked such that I purchased weevil tablets. I took them to school and kept them there as I wanted to see how this matter proceeded since I was so shocked. It was hurting me, said Makhubu.

He alleged that from the money he gave to Temkitsi, with the belief that she remitted it the inkhosikati, he never benefitted a cent.

Nkhosi yenkantolo angitfolanga ngisho nasenti lonaphayinaphu, he emphasized.
MBABANE  The readiness of police for the LUCT strike went wrong after a stun grenade prematurely went off, injuring a police officer.



LUCT is an acronym for the Limkokwing University of Creative Technology. This happened during a protest action by students of that institution over unpaid allowances. The grenade left an officer from the Operational Support Service Unit (OSSU) with injured hands. There were fears that the officer might have had his hand chopped off, judging from the intensity of the blast. It went off as some students stood near the institutions gate while others were singing and chanting by Ka-Sonny Shopping Complex.



Those who were closer to the scene had a fright after they heard the loud sound similar to that of a gun going off inside a police vehicle and saw smoke escaping through the windows. The terrifying sound came from a Toyota Land Cruiser from OSSU, which was parked a few metres from the LUCT gate within the campus.



Some students walked away as they thought it was a gunshot directed at them; however, the more curious ones went closer to the institutions fence to see what had happened. Police officers who were nearby went to inspect before quickly driving out of the campus. Inside the OSSU vehicle was the driver and another officer who was presumed to be in the car when the terrifying sound was heard.



The injured officer was transferred to another police vehicle that was parked by the off-ramp by Sidwashini and rushed to hospital.

Chief Police Information and Communication Officer Superintendent Khulani Mamba, confirmed that an officer from OSSU was injured at the institution. Mamba clarified that it was not a gun that went off but a stun grenade.
By PTI: By Lalit K Jha

Washington, Oct 3 (PTI) US President Donald Trump and Thai junta leader chief Prayut Chan-O-Cha have reaffirmed theirshared commitment to maintaining peace and stability in the disputed South China Sea amidst flexing of muscles by China.

Underlining the importance of a peaceful and stable South China Sea, US President Donald Trump and Thai junta leader chief Prayut Chan-O-Cha have reaffirmedtheirshared commitment to peaceful resolution of the dispute.

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The two leaders, who held talks at the White House, in a joint statement, highlighted the importance of a peaceful and stable South China Sea, a vital waterway for global commerce, and freedom of navigation and overflight.

They reaffirmedtheirshared commitment to peaceful resolution of disputes,including full respect for legal and diplomatic processes,in accordance with universally recognised principles of international law and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Welcoming the adoption of the framework of Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC), they called for an early conclusion of the COC.

Trump and the Thai leader alsoconcurredon the need for a cooperative approach to ensuring a peaceful, stable and sustainable South China Sea.

Trump and Prayut also expressed grave concern about North Koreas unprecedented number of nuclear and ballistic missile testsover the last year.

They urged all parties concerned,to strictly implement all relevant UN Security Council resolutions with a view to realising a peaceful, stable and denuclearised Korean Peninsula.

They also discussed the current situation in Rakhine State of Myanmar.

Describing Prayuts visit as a "great honor," Trump offered a symbolic show of unity with the man behind a 2014 takeover that resulted in Washington cutting aid and cooling relations with one of its oldest alliances.

"We have a very strong relationship right now, as of this moment, and its getting stronger in the last nine months. Weve done a lot of things together, and it is a tremendous,? Trump said welcoming his guest to the Oval Office.

Prayut, the first Thai leader to visit the White House since 2005, said the two countries would work together to resolve regional issues of concerns.

"We work, of course, in hand on our security defense cooperation to help ensure that our citizens are safeguarded from terrorism and other threats. Of course, we will work closely in order we solve the regional issue of concern, of course,? he said. PTI LKJ PMS AKJ PMS

--- ENDS ---
The Trump administration on Tuesday ordered the expulsion of 15 Cuban diplomats after pulling more than half of its own embassy staff out of Havana last week, further escalating tensions between the United States and Cuba.

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said the latest decision was made due to Cubas failure to take appropriate steps to protect American personnel in Cuba who have been targeted in mysterious attacks that have damaged their health.

The steps taken by President Donald Trumps administration mark another blow to his predecessor Barack Obamas policy of rapprochement between Washington and Havana, former Cold War foes.

A State Department official said the number of expulsions ensured that the U.S. and Cuban embassies would have equitable staffing levels while investigations continue into the unexplained health attacks.

The U.S. decision was communicated to Cuban Ambassador Jose Ramon Cabanas on Tuesday, and the diplomats were given seven days to leave, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The United States announced on Friday that it was sharply reducing its diplomatic presence in Cuba, as it warned U.S. citizens not to visit the island because of attacks that have caused hearing loss, dizziness and fatigue in U.S. embassy personnel. The State Department had said the embassy was halting regular visa operations for Cubans seeking to visit the United States and would offer only emergency services to U.S. citizens.

Until the Government of Cuba can ensure the safety of our diplomats in Cuba, our embassy will be reduced to emergency personnel to minimize the number of diplomats at risk of exposure to harm, Tillerson said in a statement.

We continue to maintain diplomatic relations with Cuba, and will continue to cooperate with Cuba as we pursue the investigation into these attacks, he added.

The number of American diplomats confirmed to have suffered symptoms has increased to 22.

The official maintained that despite the U.S. moves, Washington was not assigning culpability to Cubas Communist government. Cuba has denied involvement in the attacks and is conducting its own investigation.

Several Cuban-American Republican lawmakers, including U.S Senator Marco Rubio and Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, had urged that Cuban diplomats be kicked out in retaliation for the Cuban governments failure to get to the bottom of the attacks.

I commend the U.S. State Department for expelling a number of Cuban operatives from the U.S.," Rubio, an influential voice on Trump\s Cuba policy, said in a statement. He called for a downgrading relations with Cuba.

But James Williams, president of Engage Cuba, a Washington-based pro-engagement lobbying group said: "This decision appears to be purely political, driven by the desire of a handful of individuals in Congress to halt progress between our two countries."

There was no immediate comment from the Cuban embassy, but Cuba\s Foreign Ministry Chief for U.S. Affairs Josefina Vidal said last week that the U.S. decision to reduce staff in Havana was hasty and would affect relations.

"It looks like we are returning the threats and tensions of the 1960s, said Maria Fernandez, a 45-year-old office worker in Havana. This is madness by Trump. It\s really sad, because we are so close, and yet so far away from a sincere rapprochement.

Cuba, the United States and Canada have investigated the attacks, but the probes have not yielded any answers about how they were carried out or who was responsible.

The case has brought simmering U.S.-Cuba tensions since Trump took office to a boil.

Trump, who in June vowed to partially roll back the detente with Cuba agreed by his Democratic predecessor Obama after five decades of hostility, called the Cuban government "corrupt and destabilizing" in his address to the United Nations last month. Cuba described his comments as "unacceptable and meddling."

In Havana, U.S. diplomats have been frantically selling off their belongings at garage sales and on social media. Many said they were disappointed to be ordered to leave.

In a message on Facebook, the embassy\s top official, career diplomat Scott Hamilton, said he would also be leaving. "I am an optimist and hope we will return one day, before too long," he wrote. "Hasta la proxima Cuba."

SOURCE: AFP
Did you vote in the midterm elections as if your countrys existence depended on it?
ALBANY  The federal tax dollar apparently doesn't stretch as far as it used to.

A new report from state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli shows that New Yorkers sent $40.9 billion more in tax payments to the federal government than the state received in federal spending in federal fiscal year 2016.

Put another way, New York contributed $12,914 per capita in tax revenue to the federal budget and received $10,844 in per capita federal spending.

That translates to an 84-cent return for every federal tax dollar the Empire State paid Washington.

The federal fiscal year runs Oct. 1 to Sept. 30.

Only New Jersey, North Dakota and Connecticut had worse per capita returns on investment, according to DiNapoli's office. Measured simply by total dollars, New York's $40.9 billion deficit is by far the heftiest.

In total, 13 states received less in federal spending than they paid in, while 37 got back more than they put into the federal coffers, DiNapoli's report shows. The national average return for every tax dollar sent to the federal government is $1.18.

The disparity between taxes paid and federal spending received in New York has risen in recent years. A previous DiNapoli analysis of federal fiscal year 2013 data showed that the state sent $19.9 billion more to the federal government than it received in spending at that time. In other words, for every federal tax dollar paid, the state got back 91 cents in spending.

Measured on a per capita basis, federal spending on New York ranked in the middle of the pack (26th) in fiscal year 2016. The Empire State ranked even lower when looking at per capita direct federal spending on individuals which includes everything from Social Security and Medicare (the two largest sources of spending) to food stamps  the largest chunk of the federal budget.

Still, while the state ranked 33rd overall in direct payments, when broken down by type of payment, disparities exist, the comptroller's analysis shows. For example, The $2,810 per capita payment for Social Security in New York put the state at 34th nationally, while $2,383 in per capita spending on Medicare put the state 12th in the country. Similarly, per capita spending on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (food stamps) in New York was the 12th highest in the nation ($250).

New York also ranks fourth highest in the nation for federal grant spending at $3,103 per capita. Grant spending on the Empire State, which was 53 percent higher than the national average, was driven largely by Medicaid and other safety net programs, according to DiNapoli's report.

The report comes as state-level elected officials have been sounding the alarm over multiple proposals in Congress they say could have negative financial impacts on New York. There are concerns about the elimination of the state and local tax deductions and cuts to federal health care funding.

Here's the ultimate question: Is the state receiving its fair share from the federal government?

"While New York may never get more money than we send, the fact that we seem to be getting less bang for the buck, quite literally, I think is a concern," DiNapoli told the Times Union in an interview.

The comptroller expressed concerns about federal proposals that could lead to less funding for the state. He pointed to safety net programs, such as Medicare and Medicaid, that often benefit those who are poorer. New York may fare better in terms of funding of those programs than other states, but cuts to those programs could be damaging.

"Because many of the cuts or redistribution would hurt poorer New Yorkers, that's where I think you get to that equity question," he said. "If they're cutting back on the Medicaid program because they're trying to repeal the Affordable Care Act or significantly change it, it's not the wealth in New York that are going to get hurt by that, it's going to be the poor in New York. That's where I think the question of equity is a most appropriate question."

mhamilton@timesunion.com  518-454-5449  @matt_hamilton10
ALBANY  There's a common refrain heard at rallies and protests: This is what democracy looks like.

But when it comes to the prospect of New York holding a constitutional convention, the line's meaning can become a bit muddled. As some of these ground-level political organizations come out on for or against calling a convention  a question that will appear on the November ballot  several are dealing with difficult internal divisions.

"It's ironic, but ... it's pathetic that I'm not in favor of the con-con," said Kathy Adorney, a member of the steering committee of Ulster Activists (U-Act), one of a host of progressive-leaning groups that formed in response to the 2016 election. "I feel sick to not be in favor of the con-con personally."

Adorney's inner debate seems to center on a point that has informed U-Act's trepidation about a convention: the prospect that "dark money" will allow the far right to hijack the delegate-selection process.

Watch: CapCon on the con-con At 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, visit timesunion.com to watch a panel discussion on the constitutional convention vote with Gerry Benjamin, director of the Benjamin Center at SUNY New Paltz; Arthur "Jerry" Kremer, founder and chairman of Empire Government Strategies; Donna Lieberman, executive director of the New York Civil Liberties Union; and Bill Samuels, founder and chairman of Effective New York. See More Collapse

Libby Post has the same concern.

"I get the counterintuitiveness of this  that this is democracy and in a theoretical world this is the best way for democracy to play out," said Post, a member of the Albany-area group Capital Women, which formed after last year's election. "Unfortunately, when money gets involved in democracy it gets a little more dicey."

Delegate selection for a convention is almost a chicken-or-the-egg scenario. The convention process would be triggered if voters say yes in November, but delegates wouldn't be picked until the 2018 general election, with the convention itself to follow in 2019. If the convention crafts any proposed amendments to the constitution, they would have to be put before statewide voters for final approval or rejection.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo seemed to support a convention in his 2016 State of the State address, but more recently expressed reservations that the delegates would be made up primarily of faces already common at the Capitol.

There are few prohibitions on who can serve as a convention delegate  Fulton County farmer or Suffolk County state senator  and no limitations on what can be brought up at a convention. Some opponents are fearful that a torrent of money could be poured into delegate elections by the likes of hedge fund tycoon Robert Mercer, a backer of Steve Bannon's conservative media empire.

Post fears that such monied interests could push for a constitutional amendment that bans abortion. Others note that a convention-backed amendment could alternately codify the U.S. Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision in the state constitution  as Cuomo has suggested. Others worry that union rights or environmental protections might be stripped away.

Supporters of the call for a convention say such fears are overblown.

"If I thought that the far right or even the conservative right was going to take over the convention, I would absolutely be opposed to it," said Evan Davis, manager of the Committee for a Constitutional Convention. "But in New York State, it just is so unlikely. You have to be realistic when you think about risk. Because otherwise if you say, 'Oh my goodness, the Mercers are going to come in and spend all this money and Steve Bannon is going to design this strategic attack on people,' and ... don't do what's needed because of that fear, then Steve Bannon has sort of won."

Davis and other supporters of a yes vote have some grassroots progressive support on their side, including Forward March NY, a group led by the New York organizers of the Women's March on Washington.

"That process is daunting, and the political gridlock that exists in Albany offers no comfort to any New York citizen," Forward March NY wrote to Cuomo in August. "In light of this, the only way to protect women's rights in this state is to put the power back into their hands."

Short of a convention, democratic involvement likely will continue look exactly as it does now: Those upset with the status quo will try to impact government through the annual election process.

"Let me get people elected the old-fashioned way, if I can, and then once I feel as though we have a basic democracy ... I would trust a democratic process a little more," Adorney said. "But I don't trust it right now. And I am working toward it because I want to work toward transparency, honesty and a level playing field where money does not buy elections."

mhamilton@timesunion.com  518-454-5449  @matt_hamilton10
By PTI: By Lalit K Jha

Washington, Oct 3 (PTI) The Trump Administration will "firmly" decide the role of Pakistan in Afghanistan so the country needs to hear NATOs demand and rein in terror groups, US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said today.

Mattis said US President Donald Trumps new strategy for Afghanistan and South Asia has been welcomed almost uniformly by leaders in the region as well as the 39 countries contributing troops to the NATO-led campaign.

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Trump, while announcing the new strategy for Afghanistan, had criticised Pakistan for providing safe havens to terror outfits.

"We will firmly address Pakistans role. NATO?s demands need to be heard and embraced in Islamabad," Mattis said in his appearance before the Senate Armed Services Committee during a Congressional hearing on South Asia.

Mattis, who just returned from his maiden trip to India, said, "We discussed ways to expand our collaboration to improve long-term regional stability and security."

His visit last week was, in part, to thank India for their continued, generous development support in Afghanistan.

He also travelled to the war-torn Afghanistan after India visit.

Mattis said hat the US is in Afghanistan to make America safer and ensure South Asia cannot be used to plot trans- national attacks against itself and its partners and allies.

"A political settlement in Afghanistan is only possible if the Taliban reject support or conduct of terrorism," he said. PTI LKJ NSA

--- ENDS ---
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"Its a stupid idea, said Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand during an appearance Monday at Colonie Central High School. "This is an example where gun manufacturers are putting greed before the health and well-being of American citizens.

Widespread use of silencers, also called suppressors, would make it more difficult for police to determine the direction from which shots are coming in an emergency, Gillibrand said.

"We have a lot of technology that helps us find when a weapons been fired, but if you use suppressors that technology wont work," Gillibrand said.

Staff writer Bethany Bump contributed reporting.
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Thirty years ago this week, a freak storm dubbed the "snowy crippler" unexpectedly socked the Capital Region, dumping half a foot or more of wet, heavy snow on the area and knocking out power to more than 200,000 electric customers, especially those in rural areas of Rensselaer and Columbia counties.

A punch no one saw coming  the National Weather Service had only been expecting a rain storm  the snow left thousands of local residents without power for a week or more, canceled school for several days and forced this newspaper to use the Troy Record's printing press to get out its combined Times Union and Knickerbocker News print editions.

Al Chieco was an assistant line supervisor for what was Niagara Mohawk at the time, just two years removed from college, when the storm hit overnight. He woke up early on the morning of Oct. 4, 1987, a Sunday, to the sound of tree limbs and branches buckling under the weight of the unexpected snow.

"I heard trees cracking that woke me up and then found a bunch of snow and tree damage," says Chieco, now a vice president with National Grid, which acquired Niagara Mohawk in 2002. "I had to go into work very early that Sunday morning."

The roads in the Capital Region were so bad from downed tree limbs and power lines that the normal route from Chieco's home in Clifton Park to Niagara Mohawk's headquarters on Broadway in Albany was nearly impossible to navigate.

Chieco was told instead to drive down Old Niskayuna Road in Colonie in his company-issued K-car to radio in which circuits had been damaged and which lines were down.

The storm that was supposed to be rain but turned into a massive snow storm was caused by a cold front that unexpectedly came down from Canada during a time that was peak foliage season. The combination of the snow on trees limbs that hadn't lost all of their leaves yet created the conditions that caused so many tree branches to break and fall.

Back then, that was how outages were predicted and damage was assessed. Employees would plot outages on a wall map by hand at the Broadway headquarters based on calls from customers and surveys from employees like Chieco who were out in the field.

"I spent the first hour of that day looking at the circuits around that area," Chieco said. "Anyone that can get you that type of information is useful."

After that, it was nonstop work on repairs, putting in 17 and 18 hour days, with enough time off to sleep. Although about half of Niagara Mohawk customers  about 100,000  got their service restored, some outages lasted more than a week. No one got a day off until all of the company's customers had the lights back on.

"There were no breaks," Chieco said.

Niagara Mohawk did have one thing in its favor. After the storm, temperatures returned to the 60s, which melted the snow away quickly.

"By the middle of the week, all that was left to indicate that a snowstorm had occurred was all the downed trees and power lines," Neil Stuart, a senior forecaster with the National Weather Service in Albany, wrote in a recently published historical account of the 1987 storm. Stuart was a University at Albany student at the time and says the storm was studied carefully to better predict future rain storms that suddenly change to snow.

"These studies are recognized internationally as important references for all forecasters that are being trained early in their careers to help them better forecast these types of events," Stuart wrote.

Thirty years removed from that strange yet destructive weather event, Chieco believes that National Grid and state utility regulators have made huge strides in preparing the electrical grid to be more resilient in storms and improve restoration times.

Chieco says that since that time, utility poles have been made larger and stronger, and the electric wires themselves have been made more weather-resistant.

More fuses have been installed to keep outages from becoming too widespread, and tree-trimming programs have been put on shorter cycles.

And perhaps just as importantly, National Grid has adopted a digital outage management software system that uses real-time data and other technologies to provide up-to-the-minute restoration estimates to customers and helps optimize how crews are dispatched to fix damage in the most efficient way possible.

"It takes the guessing game away," Chieco said. "We can see everything in front of us right away. It all fits together like a puzzle."

The look back to that October 1987 storm comes amid a turbulent hurricane season that has devastated parts of Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico and other Caribbean islands with successive storms.

At the same time, National Grid is asking state regulators to approve one of the largest rate increases in years.

National Grid wants to raise its upstate gas and electric rates by $331 million a year, which would increase the typical monthly residential gas and electric bill by $17.63 a month.

The state Public Service Commission, which regulates utilities in New York, is expected to vote on the proposal next spring.

The company has said the increase is needed to keep paying for new gas and electric grid infrastructure that helps cut down on the number of outages, including in the wake of storms when trees often become the biggest enemy of electric lines and utility poles.

National Grid's rate proposal includes $2.7 billion in capital investment over three years to address what it says is the increased frequency and severity of storms. The company says it spent $6 billion on such storm hardening and replacement programs over the past 10 years.

Chieco says those improvements  a lot of which were made in the wake of tropical storms Irene and Lee in 2011 and Superstorm Sandy in 2012  have made the upstate electric grid stronger. Some of the most expensive upgrades have included flood-mitigation measures such as moving electric substations to higher ground.

"I do think the grid is in better shape than it was 30 years ago," Cheico says. "But there's still a lot of other infrastructure out there (that needs replacing). We're in a way just keeping pace."

The administration of Gov. Andrew Cuomo, which has sought stringent new inspection and preparedness requirements for utilities in the wake of Irene, Lee and Sandy, has pointed to climate change for the seemingly higher frequency and severity of storms.

In 2013, Cuomo launched the the Moreland Commission on Utility Storm Preparation and Response to investigate the storm response by National Grid and other utilities. And the 2013-14 state budget gave the PSC stronger oversight powers over utilities and how they prep for storms and respond to major outages.

"Under Gov. Cuomo, the PSC's priority is to ensure that utilities prepare for extreme weather events  occurring more and more frequently  and for other significant events," John Rhodes, the chair of the PSC said. "We measure utilities on their response times and how quickly and effectively they restore service to customers. We review emergency operational plans, emphasize this as a management priority, and hold utilities accountable for performance."

Chieco says he doesn't know if major storms have gotten worse over his career. "We had a run of some really bad ones (in 2011 and 2012), but I'm not qualified to say," Chieco said. "I remember a lot of storms through the last 30 years. They're all different. This summer has been difficult because we had a lot of smaller storms."

He says one thing that hasn't ever changed has been the role of the National Weather Service in Albany, which was just as important and adept in 1987 as it is today.

"We as an organization really appreciate the National Weather Service," Chieco said. "We've always had a really good relationship with the National Weather Service."
ALBANY  In 2013, Oneil McKenzie was charged in the largest drug bust in Capital Region history.

At the start of his trial Monday, facing allegations he possessed $2.3 million worth of cocaine and marijuana planning to sell it, he decided he needed a better lawyer than himself.

The Jamaican national reputedly known as "Shower" delivered his own opening statement in U.S. District Court, then handed over the defense of his case to Thomas Melanson, an attorney assigned by the judge to assist him.

By that point, Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Hanlon had already walked the jury through a step-by-step account of the government's case. He said McKenzie possessed 106 kilos of marijuana worth up to $500,000, which was found in a Jeep Grand Cherokee that McKenzie was driving in Albany, as well as in a storage unit in Mabey's Moving and Storage in Rensselaer.

And he said McKenzie  using the alias of "Darrin Clark" -- stored 60 kilos of cocaine carrying a street value of $1.8 million in an apartment on Oak Hill Circle in North Greenbush. The prosecutor said McKenzie was further tied to the cocaine because he left his fingerprints on a plastic cup in the apartment.

McKenzie denied it.

"(Hanlon) said I possessed 60 kilograms of cocaine in an apartment complex. There is no where I can possess that stuff," the defendant said in his opening statement.

Hanlon said authorities initially received a tip that a man was using women to pick up drugs. He said on Oct. 3, 2013 investigators tailed one of the women to a UPS store in Troy, watched her take 11 packages into her vehicle and drive it to the storage unit. The investigators, in turn, set up a surveillance.

"Guess who showed up that morning?" the prosecutor told jurors. "This defendant, Oniel McKenzie."

He said investigators followed McKenzie, who was driving the Jeep, to the Oak Hill Circle apartment and then into Albany where he abandoned the vehicle. Police questioned McKenzie and another man, but McKenzie, who had not yet been tied to the drugs, got in another car and fled.

McKenzie, who was on the lam for months, was subsequently arrested in Brooklyn by the New York/New Jersey Regional Fugitive Task Force of the U.S. Marshals Service.

On Monday, Special Agent James Cryan of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration testified that in all the locations, the cocaine and the marijuana allegedly stored by McKenzie was found in white garbage bags inside buckets, which were inside boxes.

He said investigators also found what appeared to be a ledger kept by the defendant to track numbers and amounts owed.



During cross-examination, Melanson questioned Cryan about why investigators did not videotape or take photos of McKenzie at the storage facility but later photographed the facility.

The case continues Tuesday before U.S. District Court Judge Mae D'Agostino.
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Albany

Three innovative efforts by local law-enforcement agencies to keep drug users out of jail were the focus of a panel Monday afternoon toward the end of a two-day conference on addiction recovery.

Officials from the Albany County Sheriff's Heroin Addiction Recovery Program, the city of Albanys Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) and Chatham Cares 4 U in Columbia County described early successes with nontraditional responses to the ongoing epidemic of addiction. They spoke as the 2017 New York State Recovery Conference wrapped up at the Albany Capital Center.

About 300 people have gone through the SHARP program at the Albany County Jail since the program was launched two years ago, Sheriff Craig Apple said. A response to a growing population of inmates committing drug-related offenses, SHARP provides drug treatment to selected jail inmates, with the cooperation of the Addiction Cares Center of Albany.

Only about 15 of the inmates, or 5 percent, who have gone through the program have returned to jail, Apple said, rivaling recidivism rates that are typically three times as high.

Im the only guy as far as sheriffs go whos not looking for more cops, Apple said. Im looking for more CASACs, a reference to credentialed alcoholism and substance abuse counselors.

The citys LEAD program enables police to avoid jailing so-called frequent flyers in the first place, and to divert them to services that could help them abstain from drugs. Through the 17-month program, police officers have the option of calling a case manager instead for people with substance abuse problems, explained Keith Brown, director of health and harm reduction at Katal Center for Health, Equity, and Justice, which shepherded the launch of Albanys program.

Its about getting people as early in the process as possible," he said.

In the village of Chatham, Police Chief Peter Volkmann launched Chatham Cares 4 U a year ago. Supported by community volunteers and part-time police officers who give up their free time, the program promises to find a treatment bed for any person who walks into the police department and says they are ready to quit using drugs.

Volkmann described the struggles of learning about what he called the dysfunction of treatment center and health insurance rules, of the need to do things like sit with someone withdrawing from drugs for 20 hours, until a treatment program will accept them.

Chatham Cares 4 U has placed more than 150 people in treatment in the last year, surpassing Volkmanns expectations. He was not sure that people engaged in illegal drug use would feel comfortable admitting their problems to police.

If we cant stop the supply, lets try to lower the demand, he said to cheers at the recovery conference. Its Economics 101.
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Albany

If you want to understand the state of the opioid overdose epidemic in Albany County, you can check quarterly data from the state Health Department  current to September of last year.

Imagine what that kind of lag would mean for responding to another type of epidemic  one, say, involving a communicable disease like measles. It certainly wouldnt allow for immediate interventions or alerts to doctors.

To consider ways to get more timely data on heroin abuse and overdoses, the five-month-old Albany County Opioid Task Force heard Tuesday morning from an expert on a data strategy implemented five years ago in New York City, called RxStat. Dr. Daliah Heller of the City University of New York described ways in which multiple players in the city  hospitals, law enforcement, public health officials and others  shared information to detect patterns in drug abuse and overdoses.

As Heller explained it, it was as if each of these entities were touching some part of an elephant before the creation of RxStat. Sharing data gave players a picture of what the whole elephant looked like.

And it allowed them to see what she called overdose outbreaks, or hot spots in real time as they occurred in particular communities.

Assembled two rows deep around a long table in the Albany County Office Building Tuesday morning to hear Heller were dozens of professionals representing organizations on the task force  government leaders, health officials, law enforcement officials, harm reduction specialists, addiction treatment providers, a parent/advocate and a pastor.

There is currently no system in place for the various local organizations to report opioid overdoses to the Albany County Health Department, county Health Commissioner Dr. Elizabeth Whalen said in an interview after the meeting.

The state, whose efforts to collect and release opioid data have grown in recent years, gets the information not from the counties, but from hospitals, emergency medical services and others.

An effort to share real-time data across the county could aid emergency responders and community organizations that provide outreach services to drug users in addressing a localized flare-up of overdoses or targeting interventions to a particular community, Whalen said. A fuller picture of the countys opioid problem would also allow officials to determine where to aim additional services, she said.

Heller praised the task force for already taking the first big step  getting a variety of interested parties seated at the table.

Youre ready in a lot of ways, to take on this approach, she said.

Clarification: This story has been updated to correctly characterize the Albany County Health Department's role in receiving data about opioid overdoses.
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CLIFTON PARK - Town Supervisor Phil Barrett has proposed a 2.6 percent increase in the town's 2018 budget.

Totaling $17,281,200, the budget uptick makes up for the decrease in spending in 2017, Barrett said. The proposal also does not exceed the state tax cap nor does it use any of the available carryover funds from the previous year. The town still imposes no general property tax on residents.

"The 2018 budget continues our commitment to ensure Clifton Park remains one of the lowest taxed municipalities in New York State within our peer group," Barrett said. "Daily successful execution and ability to implement new efficiencies are strengths of our organization and necessary to thrive in today's challenging environment for private and public entities."

A portion of the budget increase can be attributed to a 1.7 percent boost to the highway fund. The propose 2018 budget sets aside $5,715,146 for roads. Residents will see an increase in its highway tax from 25 1/2 cents per $1,000 assessed value to 27 3/4 cents. For a home assessed at $145,000, the total highway tax would be $40.24 or an increase of $3.26 for 2018.

Though an increase, Barret points out that in 2000, the highway tax was 87 cents per $1,000 assessed value.

But Barrett emphasized the highway fund increase is a result of the town's continual investment in maintaining and improving road and infrastructure as well as the continual replacement of vehicles and equipment.

The EMS tax rate will go down. The tax rate will fall from about 26 cents per $1,000 assessed value to about 25 cents. For a home assessed at $145,000, the total tax will go down by $1.45.

Barrett attributes the decrease to a growing health care industry that is locating to Clifton Park. The facilities add revenue to the budget while saving costs on emergency services because of the close proximity to health services.

The budget also includes a raise for town employees. CSEA union members will see a 3 percent increase while non-members will see a 2 percent raise in their paychecks. Barrett noted the town has a number of long-term employees, thus salaries run higher than average. However, the town saved when two from the highway department retired in 2016.

"A reduction in the full-time workforce that last several years has improved efficiencies and increased expectation for all team members," Barrett said.

The town also assumed responsibility of the Clifton Park Senior Center in December 2016. Without the town takeover, the fiscally strapped center might have closed. To continue the programs at the center, the town had to hire a new director and two part-time employees.

Also included in the budget is funding for a free, curbside bulk or large waste pick-up for all residents in the spring of 2018. The 2018 budget includes $172,000 budgeted, but not spent in 2017.

"Clifton Park remains uniquely positioned to consider all opportunities and effectively respond to any eventuality, due to our strong fiscal position and low tax status," Barrett said. "The town board will continue to invest in the expansion of the town's recreational and trail network, infrastructure, family programs and all elements of our community that protect and enhance our quality of life."
ST. JOHNSVILLE  Although John Sapienza has not been seen for more than 20 years, troopers have not given up the hunt.

Sapienza was 62 years old when he was last seen on Feb. 24, 1997. The Montgomery County missing person case was highlighted Tuesday as part of an ongoing social media roundup of State Police cold cases.
SCHENECTADY -The new Department of Motor Vehicles office will soon be vacating its premises downtown and move a few miles up the road to Upper State Street in the Woodlawn neighborhood.

The 6,800 square-foot building with about 60 parking spaces at 2025 State St. with better lighting is scheduled to open on Oct. 24, according to County Attorney Chris Gardner.

More recently, the vacant land near the border with Niskayuna, housed a IHOP restaurant. The county bought the parcel for $600,000, according to Joe McQueen, a county spokesman who said they sold the structure downtown for $250,000.

He and Gardner explained Tuesday that though the county owned the current DMV site at 267 State Street, they were leasing the parking lot in the rear of the building.

The NYBizLab next door will expand its operations into the old DMV facility.

County Legislator Gary Hughes Hughes estimated that the opening of the new DMV office will bring about 1,000 more visitors per day to the Upper State Street business district.

"It's as convenient, or maybe more convenient than downtown, for a lot of folks," added Hughes, noting that the county clerk is responsible for DMV services even though the transactions are with the state.

Earlier this year, the county Board or Elections moved from Broadway in downtown Schenectady to 2696 Hamburg St., next door to the county's unified communications center in Rotterdam.

Gardner said the Board of Elections and DMV moves are in part designed to "spread out the whole revitalization" to other parts of the county.

"I think it just indicates that there's a lot of demand for office space in the downtown Schenectady area and there's a premium on parking so for some of the facilities, it's just supply and demand,"he added. " I just think it makes more sense for some of the services to be provided in the town and spread out a little bit."
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Fifty-three state troopers arrived in Puerto Rico Friday to assist local police as the U.S. territory recovers from the devastation of Hurricane Maria.

The group traveled to the island on a flight donated by Delta Airlines, two days after Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Wednesday authorized sending more resources to the hurricane-ravaged island.

The troopers join 120 New York National Guard Military Police, 60 National Guard members from an aviation regiment, 125 National Guard engineers, and 30 state Department of Transportation truck drivers already there as part of the state's ongoing aid mission.

Plans have not been finalized for when or how the next round of 47 state troopers will be sent to Puerto Rico, New York State Police spokeswoman Kristin Lowman said Monday.

All 100 troopers, who volunteered for the deployment, have been deputized by Puerto Rican Gov. Ricardo Rossello to carry out law enforcement activities on the island.

Roughly half of the troopers on the ground speak fluent Spanish, Lowman said. Four are from Troop G, which patrols the Capital Region.

Since their arrival, the 53 troopers have visited Puerto Rico State Police facilities and a U.S. National Guard command center, and started patrols near the capital of San Juan and 12 miles south in the city of Bayamon.

Photos released Monday by the New York State Police show troopers patrolling with local police, responding to a road rage incident, handing out medicine to residents and working in shelters.

None of those deployed are from specialized units, and troopers are carrying the same rifles and handguns they have on New York patrols, Lowman said.
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SCHENECTADY  Rob Cox knows all too well the devastating impact mass murder and gun violence can have on a community.

The Newtown, Conn., father and global editor with Thomson Reuters, visited Union College Tuesday to offer his views about the weekend massacre of 59 people in Las Vegas by a lone gunman shooting from a nearby high-rise hotel.

Cox, whose son attends Union, was part of group of Newtown residents and professionals who  in response to the December 2012 killings of students and staff at Sandy Hook Elementary School  formed the grassroots organization Sandy Hook Promise in a bid to understand what happened in the quiet suburb.

He is no longer involved with the nonprofit group but still lends his support, speaking about the scourge of gun violence in America.

Sandy Hook Promise takes a proactive stance against gun violence by educating and mobilizing youth and adults on mental health and wellness programs that identify, intervene and help at-risk people.

Cox, who said he owns guns and is a hunter, said he believes the Las Vegas massacre could bring about change in the country music industry and cause some artists to reflect more on gun-related lyrics.

"It would not shock me at all to see this change things in the culture particularly in Country and Western, which is a more rural, more white, it's that part of Trump America," added Cox. "When you start to see when you go into an unfettered culture where this kind of thing can happen, it will change minds."

Saying the gun industry is in trouble financially, Cox also took aim at them  chiefly the NRA and their highly effective lobbying efforts in Washington.

"We have a political system that has allowed for a hostile takeover of a public safety matter in the hands largely of a group funded by the industry itself," Cox said. "They've turned this issue into a constitutional freedom question. ... The extent of the money they are able to inject into the political system makes it difficult for congressmen to fight for the public safety issue over being dinged or getting a D- or F-rating from the NRA."

He urged people to remain active.

"Laws will only change if people demand change, and people have to think about the culture of violence, the culture of civil discourse, and then the culture of firearms," he said.
Liquor baron Vijay Mallya was arrested in London over a money laundering case for the second time since fleeing India. The owner of the now-defunct Kingfisher Airlines was immediately released on bail.

By Geeta Mohan: Liquor baron Vijay Mallya was arrested in London today in relation to the ongoing proceedings against him in the money laundering case being pursued by India, the United Kingdom's Crown Prosecution Service confirmed.

Mallya was immediately granted bail, under UK procedure. This was Mallya's second arrest in the UK since he fled India. Mallya was earlier arrested in April this year and was immediately released on bail then as well.

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Mallya fled to Britain in March 2016 after being pursued for recovery of Rs 9,091 crore owed to a consortium of 17 Indian banks by his now defunct Kingfisher Airlines. He was arrested and granted bail in London on April 18 by the Scotland Yard on an extradition warrant.

#VijayMallya was granted bail on 60,000 pound bond. He looked relaxed and amiable in Court, in London.- ANI (@ANI) October 3, 2017

Indian authorities have filed two separate charge-sheets in the UK over Mallya's alleged money laundering - one by the Central Bureau of Investigation and the other by the Enforcement Directorate. Mallya's April arrest was in connection with the CBI charge-sheet while today's arrest was in connection with the ED's application.

The Indian government had in February this year, handed over to British authorities a formal request for Mallya's extradition, saying it had a legitimate case against him on charges of financial irregularities and loan default.

According to UK's Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), that has been arguing this case on behalf of Government of India, said that there were some additional findings by India's Enforcement Directorate that was to be added to the case. "The Government of India laid further supplemental money laundering charges in India. The money laundering charge and the evidence in support has been joined to the original fraud charges," CPS told India Today.

During the hearing at the Westminster Magistrates' Court, new charges were added with evidence of money laundering that Mallya indulged in and reference was made to the Formula 1 team that he owned. CPS, in its statement, said, "The new charge is essentially showing where the money went to, for example, it is alleged that some of the funds ended up with the Force India racing team."

Chief Magistrate Emma Louise Arbuthnot, who has been hearing Mallya's extradition case, granted him bail on "the same bail conditions as before", which he must abide by. But, the judge agreed with the Defense against adding additional evidence and charges to the case since it could lead to further delays in deciding the case. "As the new charge of money laundering effectively joined up with the existing fraud charges, the legal process included re-certification of the extradition request by the Home Office and a re-arrest of Dr Mallya, which was done before a case management hearing today," the CPS statement read.

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As of now the date of hearing of the extradition case continues to remain December 4. "The existing timetable was adopted and Dr Mallya, who present in court today, was bailed. His extradition hearing is listed to begin at Westminster Magistrates' Court on December 4. It is estimated to last eight days and the judge may make a decision at the conclusion of the hearing," added CPS.

Mallya owes Indian banks Rs 6,963 crore (Rs Rs 9,091 crore with interest) and is wanted in India for cases relating to foreign exchange violation, debt recovery and embezzlement.

He fled India in March last year and was officially declared an absconder by a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act court in November last year.

The 61-year-old Mallya, known for leading a flamboyant lifestyle, has been fighting an extradition case in the UK.

In April this year, London's Scotland Yard, acting upon India's request, formally arrested Mallya on an extraction warrant. He was taken to a local court, which granted him bail.

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India has been pushing for Mallya's extradition, with even the Prime Minister's Office getting involved.

In November last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally explained to visiting British PM Theresa May why it was important that Mallya be returned to India.

The prime minister once again broached the topic, though without expressly naming Vijay Mallya, with Theresa May in July this year on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Germany.

MALLYA CASE: TIMELINE

August, 2014: CBI starts preliminary enquiry into the Rs 800 crore bad loan given by IDBI Bank to Kingfisher Airlines ignoring company's negative credit ratings.

July, 2015: IDBI Bank lodges complaint against Mallya accusing him of cheating and conspiracy to misuse bank's funds in connivance with public servants.

October, 2015: CBI conducts raids at Mallya's office.

December, 2015: CBI questions Mallya.

February, 2016: SBI-led consortium of banks moves debt recovery tribunal to attach Mallya's passport.

March, 2016: Mallya flees India.

June, 2016: CBI forms SIT to investigate case; Rakesh Asthana appointed to lead the team

June, 2016: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) attaches Mallya's assets worth Rs 1,411 crore

July, 2016: SBI lodges an FIR against Mallya following pressure from the SIT.

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August, 2016: The bank consortium urges the Supreme Court to act against Vijay Mallya for failing to turn up in court despite a contempt notice issued against him.

September, 2016: The ED attaches Rs 6,630 crore worth of properties belonging to Mallya.

November, 2016: Special PMLA court declares Mallya an absconder.

November 2016: PM Narendra Modi meets PM Theresa May in India, explains importance of getting Mallya back.

April 2017: Mallya formally arrested in England by Scotland Yard on an extradition warrant.

October 2017: Mallya arrested once again in the UK.

--- ENDS ---
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ALBANY - Albany District Attorney David Soares made the case for sealing the conviction records of people found guilty of some crimes.

Soares spoke as a new state law goes into effect that allows the sealing of many criminal convictions.
State Police photo

MALTA  A Wilton man was charged with drug possession and tampering with physical evidence after investigators stopped him Thursday, the State Police said Monday.

State Police investigators stopped 26-year-old Nicholas Larose for speeding on the Northway and allegedly found narcotics not prescribed to him and marijuana inside the car, troopers said.
Sandy Casey, a middle school special education teacher from California who grew up in Vermont, was killed in Sunday night's mass shooting in Las Vegas, the her school district said.

"This is unbelievably tragic and sad," Mike Matthews, superintendent of the Manhattan Beach School District, wrote in a Monday morning letter to the district. "This loss is impacting many of our staff members deeply."
[October 03, 2017] Derains & Gharavi : Press Release on Behalf of Caratube International Oil Company LLP And Mr. Devincci Hourani

The following is a statement from Derains & Gharavi, Caratube and Mr. Hourani's legal representatives: "On September 27, 2017, an ICSID Arbitral Tribunal, under auspices of the World Bank, composed of President Prof. Laurent Levy, Prof. Laurent Aynes and Prof. Jacques Sales, rendered the first Award ruling on the merits the Hourani family (including Messrs. Devincci Hourani, Issam Hourani (Khorani) and Kassem Omar)'s numerous claims against Kazakhstan, in favour of Caratube International Oil Company LLP ("Caratube") finding Kazakhstan liable under Kazakh and international law for unlawful expropriation and ordered it to pay Caratube USD 39.2 million in damages, plus USD 1,207,757.44, and well over 10 million USD in interest ("ICSID Award"). The Hourani family had its business empire expropriated by Kazakhstan in 2008 and has ever since been the target of acts of intimidation and defamation by Kazakhstan worldwide, based on what it has claimed ever since to be pretenses whereas the underlying reason is simply that it was caught in between a family and political dispute between President Nazarbayev and his then son in law, the late Mr. Rakhat Aliyev, to whom the Houranis are related by marriage. The Hourani family has since 2008 launched a number of arbitrations against Kazakhstan and has been preparing to seek compensation for the expropriation of their businesses. The ICSID Award is the very first Award ever that has ruled on the merits of any of these claims. It was in relation to a Contract for the Exploration and Production of Hydrocarbons dated May 27, 2002 entered into by Caratube with the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources. The Tribunal found by majority decison, at paragraph 905 of the Award, that the termination of the Contract by the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources was unlawful and in breach of Kazakh and international law as Caratube was not adequately notified of any alleged breaches of Contract before termination, and that there was in any event no evidence that Caratube had materially breached any of its obligations.



The Tribunal further added, at paragraphs 924, 926, 927 and 934 of the Award, that the termination of the Contract was made as a result of the interference of the General Prosecutor by means of correspondence to the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, which was acted on as an instruction to the Ministry to terminate Caratube's Contract. It found that this constituted a sovereign interference in a private contract in violation of Kazakh and international law. More, the Tribunal held, at paragraph 936 of the Award, that the real motivation behind the termination of the Contract was, as the Hourani family has been claiming since 2008 in relation to each and every one of their expropriated investments, not any allegedly deficient performance, but rather lied in the family and political context underlying the case, i.e. coinciding with the Hourani family's falling out of favor of Kazakhstan. As the Tribunal put it at the same paragraph: "It was the Respondent's sovereign act that caused [Caratube]'s loss of its existing rights under the Contract, rather than the latter's alleged breaches of the Contract. In particular, considering the troubling facts (especially the chronology of the facts taken as a whole) underlying this case and the evidence on the record, a majority of the Tribunal considers that the Claimants have convincingly established that the real motivation behind the termination of the Contract was not [Caratube]'s allegedly deficient performance of the Contract, but rather lies in the family and political context underlying the case. While [Caratube]'s deficient performance of its contractual obligations might not have been approved by the Respondent, it was tolerated without any material consequences attached thereto until the year 2007, thus coinciding with the Hourani family's falling out of favor with the Respondent."

The holding of the tribunal, the first to ever rule on the merits of any of the takings by Kazakhstan of the Hourani family's assets, is transposable to all of the takings that occurred under the same circumstances in violation of Kazakh and international law. Kazakhstan has similarly expropriated the Hourani family's airport, pharmaceutical company, poultry industry, media and many other assets, spent so far over USD 50,000,000 (including over 17,000,000 USD in the latest Caratube ruling only) in legal, expert and lobbying fees worldwide to justify the same via post facto allegations of the most errand kind that have aggravated the Hourani family's hardship. The Houranis, businessmen only without any involvement ever in politics, are friends of Kazakhstan and its citizens and hope that this first ever judgment on the merits by an international tribunal under the auspices of the World Bank ruling under Kazakh and international will allow prompt and fair compensation for the taking of all of their assets and the closure of all claims in the interest of all parties. The Award is publicly available at https://www.italaw.com/sites/default/files/case-documents/italaw9324.pdf. Further enquiries should be addressed to Caratube and Mr. Hourani's legal representative, Dr. Hamid G. Gharavi, of the law firm Derains & Gharavi (Paris), by email [email protected] or phone + 33 1 40 55 51 00." View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171003005914/en/

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[October 03, 2017] OurCrowd Expands Global Operations with New Office in Spain

OurCrowd, a leading equity crowdfunding platform has announced the launch of its Iberian operations through the establishment of a new office in Madrids financial district of the Paseo de la Castellana, bringing the company's offices to seven countries - Israel, the U.S., Canada, Australia, Singapore, with a planned expansion in the United Kingdom. OurCrowd has also formed a strategic partnership with Cardumen Capital, a Spanish-Israeli venture fund investing in "Deep Technologies." The fund will be managed by former head and founder of Samsung (News - Alert) Ventures Israel, Gonzalo Martinez de Azagra and former Head of Iberia at Hilco Capital, Igor de la Sota. The news was released at an exclusive event on the eve of one of Europe's largest tech conferences: The South Summit, providing select investors, corporate partners, and venture capitalists' insight into the successes and opportunities offered by the Startup Nation. OurCrowd's new Madrid based office will be chaired by David Hatchwell, Chairman of EXCEM, a Madrid based Family Group, and a leader of the Jewish community in Spain. The Hatchwells have been extremely active in the technology sector and are a significant component of the Spain-Israel commercial bilateral relationship. "I am thrilled to be joining the OurCrowd team as it continues its growth into Spain's thriving tech community," said David Hatchwell, Chairman of OurCrowd Iberia. "OurCrowd presents the Spanish market with a significant opportunity to taste what is happening in one of the most advanced markets in the world of tech: Israel, as well as offer other global startup investment opportunities. OurCrowd Spain will operate with strong local partners active in building significant companies, and as we consolidate, we will invest in Spanish tech companies seeking to bring additional leaders from the local ecosystem onto the OurCrowd platform." "We have chosen Iberia as one of our priority markets, as Madrid is in the heart of Europe and a gateway into South America," said OurCrowd Founder & CEO Jon Medved (News - Alert). "During the past 30 years the commercial relations between the two countries increased rapidly as both countries have experienced high growth rates. The Spanish capital is also home to an abundace of tech talent, including three first-rate business schools, IE, IESE and Esade. OurCrowd currently has over 20,000 investors from 112 countries participating on the platform and now is the right time to disrupt the world of innovation finance by expanding our base here."



Notes to Editors About OurCrowd: OurCrowd is the leading global equity crowdfunding platform for accredited investors. Managed by a team of seasoned investment professionals and led by serial entrepreneur Jon Medved, OurCrowd vets and selects opportunities, invests its own capital, and brings companies to its accredited membership of global investors. OurCrowd provides post-investment support to its portfolio companies, assigns industry experts as mentors, and takes board seats. The OurCrowd community of almost 20,000 investors from over 112 countries has invested over $450M into 120 portfolio companies and funds. To join OurCrowd as an accredited investor visit http://www.ourcrowd.com and click "Join." For Spanish language site: http://es.ourcrowd.com.

OurCrowd Management (UK) Limited is an Appointed Representative of Met Facilities LLP, which is authorized and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. OurCrowd Management (UK) Limited is registered in England. OurCrowd Iberia is a division of Management (UK) Limited, an Appointed Representative of Met Facilities LLP authorized and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (reference number 587084). OurCrowd Management (UK) Limited is registered in England (registration number 10522689). David Hatchwell Bio: David Hatchwell Altaras holds an MBA in International Business and Finance from New York University's Stern School of Business and is a graduate of the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University in Washington DC. He is President of EXCEM Group an investment and consultancy group of companies, as well as an international investor in several areas. Mr. Hatchwell worked in the Corporate Finance department at Goldman Sachs as well as in the Treasury Department at the Republic National Bank of New York, now HSBC. From 1992 to 2000 he lived in Beijing and he developed EXCEM Grupo's operations in China for the last 15 years with more than 20 projects achieved in various sectors (from purchasing cement for export purposes to distribution of telecom equipment). In 2003 he was responsible for bringing Real Madrid to China at a very critical moment, post SARS. That year he was named Honorary Citizen of the city of Kunming (Yunnan Province). He has been a founding member of the Executive Committee of the Spain-China Foundation since 2004. Mr. Hatchwell has been a founding member of the Spain-Israel Chamber of Commerce since 2006. He has been a member of YPO (Young Presidents Organisation) since 2005 and has been a member of its Spanish Executive Committee since 2006 and presiding the Madrid Chapter from January 2012 to June 2013. Since December 2011 Mr. Hatchwell is President of the Jewish Community of Madrid. Since July 2012 Mr. Hatchwell has been a member of the Juan Antonio Samaranch Foundation, whose main goal is to get a closer approach between Spain and China, as well as the organization of sport and training activities for young people. David Hatchwell is an investor and a member of the Advisory Board of OurCrowd, the leading equity crowdfunding platform in the world since 2016. In July 2016 Mr. Hatchwell was appointed member of the Board of the Universidad Politecnica de Madrid (UPM). Since September 2016 Mr. Hatchwell is the Chairman of the Real Estate Investment Trust Sociedad de Inversion Residencial (SIR), based in Spain and specialized in Student Housing. Mr. Hatchwell and his family have contributed to various philanthropic projects in Spain, Israel and China over the last 20 years. For press materials: http://blog.ourcrowd.com/spain View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171003005320/en/

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[October 03, 2017] Travel from the United States to Hispanic Countries is on the Rise

NEW YORK, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- CheapOair, a leading flight-focused hybrid travel agency, recently released analytics for travel from U.S. origins to Hispanic destinations. Just in time for National Hispanic Heritage Month, the online travel agency's findings indicate that travel to Latin America is booming, with traffic up by 57% since 2013*. Up-and-coming Central American countries saw a significant increase in traveler numbers. Honduras and Nicaragua have seen visitor numbers up over 75% since 2013, while El Salvador and Guatemala saw even greater increases with numbers up 88% and 95%, respectively*. The data shows that travelers to Latin America tend to take long trips, with an average stay of 19 days. The data also indicates that travelers to the southernmost countries of South America including Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Paraguay, and Bolivia had an even higher average stay of 24 days*. Hispanic culture can also be found throughout the United States as it's the second-fastest growing ethnic group in the United States behind people of Asian descent. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there are now eight states that have more than 1 million Hispanic residents  Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, New Jersey, and Texas.



Additionally, the CheapOair Miles Away blog has created a special page with content celebrating Hispanic culture. CheapOair is dedicated to creating an inclusive community and is proud to celebrate the diversity, culture, and history of people around the world. *The data referenced compared year over year passenger numbers on flights from all U.S origins to Latin American countries from 2013 - 2017.

About CheapOair CheapOair is a flight-focused hybrid travel agency that enables consumers to book online, on mobile apps for iOS and Android, by phone or live chat. CheapOair (https://www.cheapoair.com, 1-800-566-2345) bridges the gap between an online and traditional travel agency with certified travel agents available 24/7 to help find deals and offers to destinations worldwide on over 450 airlines, 150,000 hotels, and 100s of car rentals. Partner airlines benefit from access to CheapOair's broad customer base that books high yield international travel and add-on ancillaries at above the industry average. Follow CheapOair on Facebook and Twitter to learn how to travel the world for less. View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/travel-from-the-united-states-to-hispanic-countries-is-on-the-rise-300529597.html SOURCE CheapOair

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[October 02, 2017] Companies Look to the Future as Long-Running Federal Lawsuit Nears End

Altria Group, Inc. ("Altria") and Philip Morris USA, Inc. announced today that they and other companies have agreed on the timing of court-ordered communications about cigarettes and smoking on television and in newspapers. The communications, which will begin on November 26, 2017, stem from a 1999 lawsuit the federal government brought against the major domestic cigarette companies that focused on industry conduct dating back to the 1950s. The court's order requires the companies to publish five statements related to cigarette smoking across several communication channels, including newspaper and television ads, on the companies' websites and on cigarette packs for a year or more. "This industry has changed dramatically over the last twenty years, including becoming regulated by the FDA, which we supported," said Murray Garnick, Altria's Executive Vice President and General Counsel. "We're focused on the future and, with FDA in place, working to develop less risky tobacco products." Today, tobacco is one of the most regulated industries in the country. The way in which cigarettes are manufactured, marketed and sold has changed markedly since the lawsuit was filed. The 1998 tobacco settlement agreements with the state Attorneys General led to significant industry changes. For example, the settlement agreements banned cigarette billboards, stadium advertisements and brand-name merchandise. Restrictions became more extensive in 2009 when Congress gave the U.S. Food and Drug Administration broad regulatory authority over nearly every aspect of tobacco product manufacturing and marketing. "We remain committed to aligning our business practices with society's expetations of a responsible company. This includes communicating openly about the health effects of our products, continuing to support cessation efforts, helping reduce underage tobacco use and developing potentially reduced-risk products," added Garnick.



According to government data, underage cigarette smoking has declined to historical lows - falling from 28.3% in 1997 to 5.9 % in 2016. Background on the Federal Government Lawsuit

In 1999, the United States government filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia against various cigarette manufacturers and their parent companies asserting claims under various federal statutes. The lawsuit sought to recover billions of dollars in health care costs for tobacco-related illnesses. The government also sought disgorgement of company profits and an injunction prohibiting certain actions by defendants. The court eventually dismissed all of the government's claims but one, and rejected the monetary penalties the government sought. In August 2006, the court entered judgment in favor of the government on its remaining claim. The court issued findings related to the companies' conduct and a permanent injunction that is in place today. As part of the injunction, the court ordered the defendants to make certain "corrective statements" related to issues raised in the litigation. Since 2006, the parties have vigorously litigated aspects of the injunction, including the content of the corrective statements. Altria's Profile Altria's wholly-owned subsidiaries include Philip Morris USA Inc., U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company LLC, John Middleton Co., Sherman Group Holdings, LLC and its subsidiaries, Nu Mark LLC, Ste. Michelle Wine Estates Ltd. and Philip Morris Capital Corporation. Altria holds an equity investment in Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV. The brand portfolios of Altria's tobacco operating companies include Marlboro, Black & Mild, Copenhagen, Skoal, MarkTen and Green Smoke. Ste. Michelle produces and markets premium wines sold under various labels, including Chateau Ste. Michelle, Columbia Crest, 14 Hands and Stag's Leap Wine Cellars, and it imports and markets Antinori, Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte, Torres and Villa Maria Estate products in the United States. Trademarks and service marks related to Altria referenced in this release are the property of Altria or its subsidiaries or are used with permission. More information about Altria is available at altria.com and on the Altria Investor app. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171002006588/en/

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[October 03, 2017] EdgeX Foundry Announces Major Milestone with First "Barcelona" Release

BARCELONA, Spain and SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- EdgeX Foundry, an open source project building a common interoperability framework to facilitate an ecosystem for Internet of Things (IoT) edge computing, today announced that the first major code release, dubbed "Barcelona", will be available later this month. Barcelona is EdgeX Foundry's first code release since the project launched in April 2017 and represents a collaborative effort by more than 60 member organizations to build out and support an ecosystem for Industrial IoT (IIoT) solutions. It is part of an established roadmap for a product-quality open source foundation that enables interoperable commercial differentiation. EdgeX demonstrations will be on display at IoT Solutions World Congress this week. The complexity of the current IoT landscape and the wide variety of components available are creating paralysis among businesses looking to deploy IIoT solutions. EdgeX Foundry is a project of The Linux Foundation that is building an open interoperability framework hosted within a full hardware- and OS-agnostic reference software platform to enable an ecosystem of plug-and-play components that unifies the marketplace and accelerates the deployment of IoT solutions. "We believe that EdgeX will radically change how businesses develop and deploy IIoT solutions, and we are excited to see the community rally together to support it," said Philip DesAutels, senior director of IoT at The Linux Foundation. "Barcelona is a significant milestone that showcases the commercial viability of EdgeX and the impact that it will have on the global Industrial IoT landscape." Barcelona Features

The Barcelona code release represents the first major milestone on EdgeX Foundry's technical roadmap. Key features for this release include: Stabilization of key APIs

Better code quality, fit and finish

More than double the test coverage across EdgeX microservices

Addition of reference Device Services supporting BACNet, Modbus, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), MQTT, SNMP and Fischertechnik

Extra "north side" Export Service interfaces that provide connectors to Azure IoT Suite and Google IoT Core as well as support for connections via MQTTS and HTTPS

Progress towards the definition of unified APIs for security and system management Several EdgeX Foundry members have already started to provide commercial solutions based on EdgeX, with others folding it into their product roadmaps. Establishment of Bi-Annual Release Roadmap

The EdgeX Technical Steering Committee has established a bi-annual release roadmap that demonstrates a long-term strategy to provide a product-quality open source foundation for interoperable commercial differentiation. The project is also working towards improved performance, lower start-up times and a reduction in the overall footprint via alternative Go Lang and C-based implementations of key EdgeX microservices. A preview of a Go Lang implementation is targeted for early 2018 with initial testing promising an order of magnitude smaller footprint than the current Java baseline.



EdgeX Foundry's next major release, "California", is targeted for Spring 2018. California will be a key step in EdgeX Foundry's commitment to evolve the framework to support the requirements for deployment in business-critical IIoT applications. In addition to general improvements, planned features for the California release include baseline APIs and reference implementations for security and manageability value-add. Additional roadmap items include support for more protocols such as OPC-UA, an optional high-performance message bus for intercommunication between microservices and further extensions for fog computing.

IoT Solutions World Congress

Live demonstrations of the EdgeX platform will be on display at IoT Solutions World Congress taking place this week in Barcelona, Spain. The EdgeX Foundry booth (Booth E541) will be filled with innovative member solutions from Canonical, CloudPlugs, Cumulocity, Dell/RSA, ForgeRock, IOTech, Linaro, NetFoundry, Neustar, RFMicron, Vantiq and VMware. Other EdgeX Foundry members will also have EdgeX on display in their own booths, including Analog Devices, Bayshore Networks, Device Authority, EnOcean Alliance, FogHorn and Opto 22. Ecosystem Growth

EdgeX Foundry has made significant progress over the past six months with more than 150 people from around the world joining face-to-face meetings to align on project goals, develop working groups and identify project maintainers and committers across key functional areas. The growing EdgeX community broadly represents the IoT landscape with members providing products and services supporting analytics, visualization, sensors, security, and manageability, among others. Last month, Samsung joined as a Platinum member to expand the open source development of its IIoT edge platform, and today, EdgeX Foundry announces Thales eSecurity, a leader in advanced data security solutions and services, has joined as a Silver member. "The Industrial Internet of Things needs consistent and high quality security standards in order to thrive," said Jon Greater, chief technology officer at Thales eSecurity. "We are glad to be deepening our involvement with the Linux Foundation by joining EdgeX Foundry to work openly with industry partners to create a reliable and security-capable stack for IoT devices." For more information and to learn how to get involved, please visit the following EdgeX Foundry resources:

Website

Wiki page

Blog

Twitter

LinkedIN

Youtube About EdgeX Foundry

EdgeX Foundry is an open source project hosted by The Linux Foundation building a common open framework for IoT edge computing and an ecosystem of interoperable components that unifies the marketplace and accelerates the deployment of IoT solutions. Designed to run on any hardware or operating system and with any combination of application environments, EdgeX enables developers to quickly create flexible IoT edge solutions that can easily adapt to changing business needs. To learn more, visit: www.edgexfoundry.org. About The Linux Foundation

The Linux Foundation is the organization of choice for the world's top developers and companies to build ecosystems that accelerate open technology development and commercial adoption. Together with the worldwide open source community, it is solving the hardest technology problems by creating the largest shared technology investment in history. Founded in 2000, The Linux Foundation today provides tools, training and events to scale any open source project, which together deliver an economic impact not achievable by any one company. More information can be found at www.linuxfoundation.org. The Linux Foundation has registered trademarks and uses trademarks. For a list of trademarks of The Linux Foundation, please see its trademark usage page: https://www.linuxfoundation.org/trademark-usage. Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds. Media Inquiries:

Maemalynn Meanor

PR Manager, EdgeX Foundry

[email protected] View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/edgex-foundry-announces-major-milestone-with-first-barcelona-release-300529604.html SOURCE EdgeX Foundry

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India Today accessed visuals of Honeypreet Insan being interrogated by female police officers. She was arrested by Haryana Police after a 38-day hunt.

By Manjeet Sehgal: Honeypreet Insan, on the run for 38 days, was finally arrested by the Haryana Police today. The 'adopted daughter' of jailed Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh had left police puzzled and bewildered as she continued evading arrest despite cops raiding several locations and launching an across-states manhunt.

Today, however, just hours after India Today ran an exclusive interview with Honeypreet Insan, the Haryana Police finally nabbed Ram Rahim's "angel". Honeypreet, wanted in cases relating to sedition and inciting violence, was arrested in Panchkula, the very city that saw large-scale, deadly violence after Ram Rahim Singh was convicted and sentenced to jail on two counts of rape.

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Honeypreet spent the hours after her arrest in police custody being grilled by female officers at the Chandimander police station in connection with the charges of sedition and rioting that she faces. India Today TV was able to access video footage of Honeypreet being interrogated by the policewomen.

There is no audio accompanying the video clip, but Honeypreet is often seen gesturing fervently while conversing with the policewomen. The Panchkula police commissioner AS Chawla told media that Ram Rahim's foster daughter has not revealed much under interrogation and that she will be produced in court on Wednesday afternoon.

"Senior female police officers are interrogating Honeypreet. She is not speaking much. Interrogation will continue. We will also seek her police remand after producing in the court," Chawla said.

WHERE WAS HONEYPREET?

While Haryana Police has finally managed to arrest Honeypreet, it still isn't known how the Ram Rahim aide was able to evade the cops for so long.

Panchkula top cop AS Chawla, however, said that at least for the last few days, Honeypreet was hiding in Punjab's Bhatinda. There she had sought shelter at a Dera follower's home.

The follower, a woman named Sukhdeep, was with Honeypreet when the latter was arrested. Sukhdeep too was taken into custody.

"The arrested female accomplice (Sukhdeep) has told [us] that Honeypreet was with her from [sic] many days. Honeypreet was in Gursar Modia, Rajasthan till September 2... she was hiding in Bathinda after September 2," Chawla said.

'I AM INNOCENT'

In her interview with India Today's Satender Chauhan, Honeypreet claimed innocence, saying that she wasn't even in Panchkula when the post-Ram Rahim conviction riots happened.

"They accuse me of being involved in riots, but do they have any evidence against me? I am innocent. Have you seen me anywhere inciting riots? I was not present there at all," Honeypreet said.

#NEWSROOMThis is what Honeypreet has to say about his relationship with Ram Rahim LIVE https://t.co/4fqxBVUizL pic.twitter.com/LMxZxU7py1- India Today (@IndiaToday) October 3, 2017

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She also denied rumours and reports that she had a sexual relationship with Gurmeet Ram Rahim. "I do not understand how can someone question the holy relationship between a father and daughter... How can they (the media) malign a father and daughter's relationship? Can a father not keep his hands on his daughter? Can a daughter not love her father?" she questioned.

"Me and my father are innocent and the truth will come out soon. My relationship with my father is pure. Please don't trust these baseless allegations," she ended her interview.

Watch the full interview here.

--- ENDS ---
[October 03, 2017] Nokia unlocks value from telco data through new Analytics Services, expanded application of augmented intelligence

Press Release Analytics Services with Zero CAPEX analytics capabilities help operators unlock value from Telco data Augmented intelligence improves first time resolution of network issues by 20-40 percent

Crowd-sourced data and machine learning reduces dropped calls by up to 35 percent

3 October 2017 Espoo, Finland - Nokia expands its Analytics Services offering to unlock value from telco data, enabling improved network issue resolution and fewer dropped calls for operators. Powered by the Nokia AVA cognitive services platform, the expanding Analytics Services offering takes advantage of billions of crowd-sourced measurements, enriched through machine learning to provide forensic analysis of network performance and actionable outputs. The new services draw on Nokia Shannon Intelligence, which integrates augmented intelligence throughout the company's end-to-end portfolio. Nokia Analytics Services are multi-vendor capable, building on several key features: Zero CAPEX commercial model delivers analytics solutions via Nokia AVA cloud native platform, linking payment to results

delivers analytics solutions via Nokia AVA cloud native platform, linking payment to results DevOps approach ensures bi-weekly content development 'sprints' to address the fast pace of the IoT world

ensures bi-weekly content development 'sprints' to address the fast pace of the IoT world Use case factory combines pre-packaged global use cases together with locally developed content to create highly tailored solutions

combines pre-packaged global use cases together with locally developed content to create highly tailored solutions Nokia AVA Knowledge Library to re-use code and curate best practice based on the experience of more than 30,000 Nokia services experts around the world Nokia Analytics Services introduces six new use cases: More agile and advanced methods are required to address the requirements of increasingly dense, complex, and multi-layered networks on the path to 5G. Mobility Analysis and Optimization reduces dropped calls by up to 35 percent using crowd-sourced performance measurements and algorithms developed by Nokia Bell Labs. Spectral Performance Management uses a similar approach to enable more granular capacity planning. Operators are evolving towards future artificial intelligence-driven network operations. Cell Site Degradation Prediction can already predic service degradations on cell sites up to seven days in advance through machine learning. Similar Ticket Recognition uses deep-learning to find patterns in unstructured data, and the Nokia MIKA digital assistant to guide engineers to the best solutions to network issues, leading to a 20-40 percent improvement in first time resolution.



Operators want near real-time insight into the quality of experience (QoE) that subscribers receive. VoLTE Audio Gap Analysis boosts the experience for subscribers using VoLTE by using machine learning and can be further enhanced by Nokia's Wireless Network Guardian solution. Multiple sources of data are correlated to rapidly identify issues that impact QoE. Predictive Video Analytics provides insight on encrypted traffic and identifies bottlenecks that impact the delivery of video services. Furthermore, Nokia Bells Labs modeling is used to quantify the link between video QoE and underlying business drivers such as churn, and net promoter score. Sheryl Kingstone, research director, 451 Research: "The business potential of analytics is yet to be tapped fully by the telco industry. Telecom operators often require help to unlock the value of data, through targeted and actionable insights. Nokia is helping operators through the stormy waters with analytics expertise to improve customer experiences, reduce churn, and identify new revenue sources."

Dennis Lorenzin, head of Network Planning and Optimization, Global Services, Nokia said: "Our analytics services help to cope with the complexity of today's networks. We at Nokia provide insights to improve network availability and quality. We can augment human intelligence to improve efficiency and reduce the cost of operations. In addition, we can provide deeper insights to improve quality of experience based on subscriber, device and application usage patterns." Nokia Shannon Intelligence is the knowledge system infused in Nokia's next generation devices, machines and networks to extrapolate data trends that aid in machine and human decision making. This includes predictive and cognitive techniques across Nokia's analytics suite and extensive cloud technologies, combined with other technologies to enable complete digital transformation. Bell Labs, the renowned research and development engine of Nokia, is an expert in augmented intelligence. Resources Web page: Nokia analytics services offering

Web page: Nokia AVA cognitive services platform

Web page: Multi-purpose Intuitive Knowledge Assistant (MIKA) Connect with Nokia Subscribe to receive information on specific areas of interest

Website

Blog

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LinkedIn

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We create the technology to connect the world. Powered by the research and innovation of Nokia Bell Labs, we serve communications service providers, governments, large enterprises and consumers, with the industry's most complete, end-to-end portfolio of products, services and licensing.



From the enabling infrastructure for 5G and the Internet of Things, to emerging applications in virtual reality and digital health, we are shaping the future of technology to transform the human experience. nokia.com Media Inquiries

Nokia

Communications

Phone: +358 10 448 4900

Email: [email protected]

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[October 03, 2017] 3M Completes Sale of Its Electronic Monitoring Business

3M (News - Alert) announced today that it has completed the sale of its electronic monitoring business to funds advised by Apax Partners, a global private equity advisory firm, for approximately $200 million, net of cash sold and closing adjustments. The electronic monitoring business is a provider of electronic monitoring technologies, serving hundreds of correctional and law enforcement agencies around the world. Annual sales of the business are approximately $95 million. Approximately 265 3M employees who support the electronic monitoring business are expected to transfer in connection with the sale. 3M will record approximately a $0.12 per share benefit in the fourth quarter from this divestiture. Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking information about 3M's financial results and estimates and business prospects that involve substantial risks and uncertainties. You can identify these statements by the use of words such as "anticipate," "estimate," "expect," "aim," "project," "intend," "plan," "believe," "will," "should," "could," "target," "forecast" and other words and terms of similar meaning in connection with any discussion of future operating or financial performance or business plans or prospects. Among the factors that could cause actual results to differ materially are the following: (1) worldwide economic, political, and capital markets conditions and other factors beyond the Company's control, including natural and other disasters or climte change affecting the operations of the Company or its customers and suppliers; (2) the Company's credit ratings and its cost of capital; (3) competitive conditions and customer preferences; (4) foreign currency exchange rates and fluctuations in those rates; (5) the timing and market acceptance of new product offerings; (6) the availability and cost of purchased components, compounds, raw materials and energy (including oil and natural gas and their derivatives) due to shortages, increased demand or supply interruptions (including those caused by natural and other disasters and other events); (7) the impact of acquisitions, strategic alliances, divestitures, and other unusual events resulting from portfolio management actions and other evolving business strategies, and possible organizational restructuring; (8) generating fewer productivity improvements than estimated; (9) unanticipated problems or delays with the phased implementation of a global enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, or security breaches and other disruptions to the Company's information technology infrastructure; (10) financial market risks that may affect the Company's funding obligations under defined benefit pension and postretirement plans; and (11) legal proceedings, including significant developments that could occur in the legal and regulatory proceedings described in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended Dec. 31, 2016, and any subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q (the "Reports"). Changes in such assumptions or factors could produce significantly different results. A further description of these factors is located in the Reports under "Cautionary Note Concerning Factors That May Affect Future Results" and "Risk Factors" in Part I, Items 1 and 1A (Annual Report) and in Part I, Item 2 and Part II, Item 1A (Quarterly Reports). The information contained in this news release is as of the date indicated. The Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this news release as a result of new information or future events or developments.



About 3M

At 3M, we apply science in collaborative ways to improve lives daily. With $30 billion in sales, our 90,000 employees connect with customers all around the world. Learn more about 3M's creative solutions to the world's problems at www.3M.com or on Twitter (News - Alert) @3M or @3MNews.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171003005745/en/

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[October 03, 2017] HOT Mobile and Mobile Tornado Signed a Cooperation Agreement to Provide PTToC services to HOT Mobile Customers

HOT Mobile, the fastest growing cellular Company in Israel, and Mobile Tornado, a leading provider of carrier grade professional end-to-end Push-to-Talk solutions over any IP network, announced today that they have recently signed an agreement under which Mobile Tornado (News - Alert) will provide its advanced PTToC solutions to HOT Mobile customers in Israel. As part of the agreement, HOT Mobile will offer Mobile Tornado's Push-To-Talk over Cellular (PTToC) services to customers of its MIRS network as well as other customers with PTT needs. Mobile Tornado's carrier-grade PTT technology enables PTT over cellular networks and the Internet, enabling individual users as well as large user groups to use push-to-talk (PTT), push-to-locate (PTL), push-to-alert (PTA) and push-to-message (PTM) services. The PTT services are used by government agencies, security organizations, security companies, utilities and infrastructure companies, as well as manufacturing and service companies. Onboarding takes place via the MIRS 4G app, which is also available on Google (News - Alert) Play and in the App Store. The app can be installed on smart devices as well as a wide range of rugged devices. The screen will display a dedicated PTT button and as well as an SOS (News - Alert) emergency button. In addition to downloading the application, users should sign up for the service via the HOT Mobile business center. In addition to its PTT offering to HOT Mobile customers, Mobile Tornado also provides its Dispatcher that enables call center operators to track users in real time on a map. Users can send text messages, chat with large conference groups of hundres of users, chat with individual users, record calls and act in case of emergency after receiving a distress signal from a PTT user.



The main advantages of switching to PTT over Cellular (PTToC) is the use of one device for all customer needs, including fast Internet browsing and access to applications, while using advanced smartphones - all using HOT Mobile's advanced and fast 4G cellular network. PTToC enables customers to use the application even in places where there is only Wi-Fi (including abroad). "It is our goal to offer our customers a wide range of advanced and innovative solutions to always provide them with the best mobile experience," stated HOT Mobile. "That's why we are delighted to partner with Mobile Tornado, which enables us to offer our customers a range of advanced and high-quality PTToC services that our customers want and need."

"We are proud to be selected to be a PTToC provider for HOT Mobile customers," said Avi Tooba, CEO of Mobile Tornado. "Those customers will now be able to enjoy one of the most reliable and high-quality PTT over cellular (PTToC) solutions in the world. At Mobile Tornado, we are proud of our PTT solutions that are making their mark around the world," he added. Mobile Tornado's customers include leading cellular operators in various locations around the world, such as TELUS in Canada, Telcel in Mexico and Vodacom (News - Alert) in Africa. Mobile Tornado's solutions are known for their high availability and fast performance, and run on cellular as well as Wi-Fi networks. About HOT Mobile HOT Mobile is the fastest growing cellular Company in Israel with the most advanced network serving 1.5 million customers. For more information, visit www.hotmobile.co.il/hotmobile_en/pages/default.aspx About Mobile Tornado Mobile Tornado is a leading provider of PTT solutions for Tier1 Mobile Operators and Solution Providers. The Company is headquartered in Harrogate, UK with R&D facilities in the UK, Israel, India and the Ukraine. Mobile Tornado is listed on the London Stock Exchange (AIM:MBT). For more information, visit www.mobiletornado.com View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171003005763/en/

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[October 03, 2017] Veeam Appoints Kate Hutchison as Chief Marketing Officer

Veeam Software, the Availability for the Always-On Enterprise innovator, today announced that Kate Hutchison has been appointed Chief Marketing Officer (CMO). Hutchison will lead Veeam's global marketing organization and continue to strengthen the company's brand momentum as the No.1 Availability provider for any application, any data, across any cloud. Hutchison will report directly to Veeam Co-CEO and President, Peter McKay. "Kate's proven experience, particularly in leading marketing teams during periods of fast growth and transformation, will bring valuable strategic and industry insight to our team as we continue on our journey to $1 billion and beyond," said McKay. "Kate has accelerated market share and driven brand recognition at some of the most notable technology companies, and her credentials are second-to-none. As we maintain our mission to deliver 24.7.365 Availability solutions to companies across the globe, Kate will play a pivotal role in ensuring our brand evolves and expands, and I am thrilled that she is part of the team." "Veeam is an exciting company with outstanding fundamentals, a large and loyal installed base and an exciting vision for extending our lead in ensuring the Availability of data powering the digital economy," said Hutchison. "As enterprises continue to digitally transform, their need for robust Availability solutions will expand and Veeam will be right there to meet those needs as we have done for the last decade. This is a great time to join Veeam and I look forward to increasing our market share and expanding the awareness of our brand in the company's second decade of growth." Hutchison brings to Veeam more than 20 years of experience as CMO at a variety of software and hardware technology companies, including Riverbed, Polycom (News - Alert), VMware, Citrix and BEA. Most ecently, Hutchison was senior vice president and CMO of Riverbed, a private company that is a leader in the markets for application performance infrastructure and software-defined networking. Hutchison successfully led Riverbed (News - Alert) through a re-positioning and re-branding effort that took the company into a much larger - approximately 11x larger - market overall.



Prior to Riverbed, Hutchison was executive vice president and CMO at Polycom, a leader in business-grade conferencing communications solutions. She spearheaded the company's transformation from a hardware provider to a software-driven company and leader of unified communications and video/voice communications. She was also instrumental in helping employees understand the power of software to bring innovation to market faster, while differentiating Polycom from competitors. Preceding Polycom, Hutchison was CMO and vice president of marketing for VMware, where she expanded the company's position from a hypervisor vendor to a provider of virtualization solutions to help customers build private and public clouds. Prior to VMware, Hutchison helped Citrix (News - Alert) develop the strategy to double the company's revenue to $1B in revenue in three years, and emerge as the leader in application access and delivery. While at BEA (News - Alert) Systems, Hutchison built and led all aspects of marketing as the company grew from $300 million to $1 billion in three years - one of the fastest software companies to achieve $1 billion in annual revenue.

Hutchison received her master's degree from San Francisco State University and a bachelor's degree from Long Island University, Southampton College (now part of SUNY Stony Brook). In 2005, Hutchison received the Distinguished Alumni award from Long Island University, Southampton College. About Veeam Software Veeam recognizes the new challenges companies across the globe face in enabling the Always-On Enterprise, a business that must operate 24.7.365. To address this, Veeam has pioneered a new market of Availability for the Always-On Enterprise by helping organizations meet recovery time and point objectives (RTPO) of less than 15 minutes for all applications and data, through a fundamentally new kind of solution that delivers high-speed recovery, data loss avoidance, verified recoverability, leveraged data and complete visibility. Veeam Availability Suite, which includes Veeam Backup & Replication, leverages virtualization, storage, and cloud technologies that enable the modern data center to help organizations save time, mitigate risks, and dramatically reduce capital and operational costs, while always supporting the current and future business goals of Veeam customers. Founded in 2006, Veeam has 49,000+ ProPartners and 255,000+ customers with the highest customer satisfaction scores in the industry. Headquartered in Baar, Switzerland, Veeam has offices in more than 30 countries. To learn more, visit https://www.veeam.com or follow Veeam on Twitter (News - Alert) @veeam. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171003005773/en/

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[October 03, 2017] Arent Fox Strengthens Ability to Safeguard Critical Data with iManage Advanced Security Solutions

CHICAGO, Oct. 03, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- iManage, the company dedicated to transforming how professionals work, today announced that Arent Fox LLP  one of one of the most diverse general practice law firms in the country with approximately 400 attorneys  has selected iManage to strengthen its overall security profile, all in the iManage Cloud.

Arent Fox will migrate its existing iManage Work implementation to the iManage Cloud and add two iManage cloud-based applications to protect critical client data. With iManage Security Policy Manager, the firm gains a scalable way to manage ethical walls, segment data and implement a need-to-know security model. And iManage Threat Manager creates a unique electronic thumbprint from historical data for each user to detect internal and external threat actors with the highest level of accuracy. Our firm likes to take a proactive approach to security, said Ed Macnamara, Chief Technology Officer, Arent Fox. We saw our selection of iManage Security Policy Manager and iManage Threat Manageras a way for us to proactively address any potential vulnerabilities around our data. Implementing these products in the iManage Cloud gives us tremendous flexibility while enjoying the benefits of a robust security platform.



All applications will be deployed in the iManage Cloud providing the firm with comprehensive functionality delivered with rapid implementation and increased IT agility. Together, these products will enable Arent Fox to improve attorney productivity and take a holistic approach to defining & managing security policies and identifying malicious user behavior through an integrated solution. The firm expects to complete its implementation and go live within 60 days. Firms like Arent Fox recognize the importance of protecting against todays modern security challenges like phishing and insider threats and meeting increasing client demands for need-to-know security, said Dan Carmel, Chief Marketing Officer, iManage. By moving to the iManage Cloud, Arent Fox will gain business agility, scalability and the legal industrys best cloud uptime while meeting the security challenges of the current threat landscape head-on, with confidence and convenience.

Follow iManage via:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/imanageinc

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iManageinc/

Blog: https://imanage.com/blog/

Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/imanage

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/imanage About iManage

iManage transforms how professionals in legal, accounting and financial services get work done by combining the power of artificial intelligence with market leading document and email management. iManage automates routine cognitive tasks, provides powerful insights and streamlines how professionals work, while maintaining the highest level of security and governance over critical client and corporate data. Over one million professionals at over 3,000 organizations in over 65 countries  including more than 2,000 law firms and 500 corporate legal departments  rely on iManage to deliver great client work. Press Contact Information:

Manjul Gupta

Head of Corporate Communications

iManage

Phone: 669-777-3430

[email protected]

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[October 03, 2017] PSAV ACQUIRES HAWTHORN

Schiller Park, Ill., Oct. 03, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --



PSAV, a leading global provider of event technology services, and Hawthorn Theatrical, Ltd. (Hawthorn or Company), one of the largest live event production companies in the United Kingdom, announce the acquisition of Hawthorn by PSAV. The joining of companies delivers on PSAVs vision to connect and inspire people around the globe with impactful meeting and event experiences. Founded more than 30 years ago by its CEO, Martin Hawthorn, the Company is an award-winning creative technical event production company, recently recognized as Production, Rental and Staging Company of the Year at the prestigious AV Awards. Hawthorn offers a comprehensive suite of services, including creative design, production, lighting, audio, video, staging, power distribution and rigging services in the U.K. Working with long-term clients, Hawthorn is known for producing impressive events in a wide range of venues that connect technology with creativity. Hawthorn also has a strong and growing presence in the theater and concert touring market withn the U.K.





Hawthorn strengthens PSAVs presence in the U.K. with the addition of its highly talented creative team, technical resources and customer-focused delivery model. Martin and his team have built a remarkable business, and Im excited to welcome them all into the PSAV family. said Mike McIlwain, President and CEO for PSAV. I look forward to the opportunity to introduce their customers to the global reach of PSAV. The Company, now a wholly-owned subsidiary of PSAV, will continue to operate under the highly respected Hawthorn brand name. Martin Hawthorn and his senior team will remain in place and continue to execute on their growth plans. "Hawthorn and PSAV have very similar innovative and passionate cultures focused on delivering truly exceptional experiences for our customers, commented Martin Hawthorn. We are thrilled to be joining forces with the industry leader to be able to offer our clients more services in more places. About Hawthorn  Hawthorn is a leading U.K. production company founded more than 30 years ago. It is known for providing creative design combined with innovative audio, video, lighting, staging, scenic and power distribution services for small and large live events. Hawthorns clients consist of a broad range of corporate customers and agencies, along with concert and theater productions. Hawthorn serves its clients in both traditional and non-traditional venues such as stadiums, theaters and outdoor festivals, along with being the preferred provider of its services in several notable venues in the U.K. Visit us at www.hawthorn.biz. About PSAV  PSAV is a leading provider in the global event technology services industry delivering creative production, advanced technology and staging to help our customers deliver more dynamic and impactful experiences at their meetings, tradeshows and special events. As the provider of choice at nearly 1,500 leading hotels, resorts and convention centers throughout the U.S., Canada, the Caribbean, Mexico, Europe and the Middle East, PSAVs customers comprise event organizers, corporations, trade associations and meeting planners. Our customers choose PSAV for its innovative and comprehensive service offerings, as well as our exceptional customer service from more than 8,800 highly trained staff across a global platform. Visit us at www.psav.com. # # # Attachments: A photo accompanying this announcement is available at //www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/774ed35d-09be-4276-a74a-c1d02fd506f5 Bob Niersbach (Media) PSAV 847.385.3619 [email protected] Adam Kroll (Investor Relations) PSAV 847.354.4164 [email protected]

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[October 03, 2017] ARCOS Resource Assist software gives utilities clarity about availability of contract crews

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Oct. 03, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ARCOS has released a software solution called Resource Assist  a new addition to its Resource Management platform  that clarifies and automates the often manual process of determining the number of available contractors and equipment for restoring utility services and securing commitments for these resources, especially during major events.

Resource Assist replaces a utilitys myriad handmade spreadsheets, phone calls, texts and emails with real-time data including a contract crews make-up, location, availability and contact information. The solution automates requests for contract crews and the process by which contract crews become available within a utility companys ARCOS platform. On average a utility looks to about 20 contract companies for restoration assistance, says Matt Mikula, senior director of Product Management at ARCOS. When managers face an event, they begin an hours-long, manual and bulky process to reach contractors and verify who can assist with restoration. For events like Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, contractors and utility crews number in the tens of thousnds."



With Resource Assist, outreach and reporting literally happens with the click of a button from a laptop or mobile device; RA is a high value restoration assistance tool, adds Mikula. As a utility plans for a forecasted storm, managers can use Resource Assist to request the desired number of crew types and confirm their availability with a few keystrokes. Along the way, Resource Assist provides Notifications and Alerts to approved users, ensuring key information is waiting for them.

Contractors respond to utility requests via their own portal within Resource Assist. Once there, contractors can view where all their resources are, respond to utility requests, input information about their crews, pre-build their crews and even swap crew members in the event a worker with a particular skill is needed elsewhere or becomes sick. Since updating Resource Assist is an electronic process, any changes contractors make become immediate updates for any utility using the solution. For contractors not yet in Resource Assist, a utility can still use it to document phone or email requests, allowing utilities to standardize on one process and tool. Utilities can invite their contractors to participate directly, via an integrated connection request and invite system. Resource Assist captures all relevant request data along the way and identifies trends, crew status and data for reconciling invoices. When regional outages spawn mutual assist events, RMAG governance takes over and Resource Assist supports a utility in identifying crews to offer the RMAG via output in a Common Roster, adds Mikula. If supported, utilities can import the Common Roster to other tools the RMAG uses, or Resource Assist can integrate via web services. Resource Assist does not overlap with the RMAG process. About ARCOS LLC

ARCOS is the North American leader in delivering resource management SaaS solutions to the utility industry. ARCOS automates crew assembly and resource management daily and during emergencies, ultimately helping to restore energy faster, yet safely, to communities. The award-winning solution helps utilities save time and money, while improving customer satisfaction. Learn more about ARCOS resource management software at www.arcos-inc.com. ARCOS CallOut and ARCOS Crew Manager are registered trademarks of ARCOS LLC. Media contact:

Bill Perry

Mobile: 614-975-7538



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[October 03, 2017] Luxoft Appoints Tracy Krumme as Vice President of Investor Relations

Luxoft Holding, Inc (NYSE:LXFT), a leading provider of software development services and innovative IT solutions to a global client base, announced today the appointment of Tracy Krumme as Vice President of Investor Relations. Ms. Krumme is based in New York, and reports directly to Luxoft's CFO, Evgeny Fetisov. Tracy Krumme has more than 25 years of experience in investor relations, financial communications, investment banking, and equity research. She has led investor relations at four public companies prior to joining Luxoft, including NCR, a Fortune-500 technology company, in addition to CECO Environmental, Fuel Tech, and Hollinger International. Ms. Krumme has also held positions as an equity research analyst at Sandler O'Neill and Partners, an investment strategist at Prudential Securities, and an investment banker at Kidder, Peabody, and Co., in London. Ms. Krumme is a graduate of Denison University. Mr. Fetisov said, "We are delighted to welcome Tracy to Luxoft. We believe Tracy's established reputation among the investment community, along with her accomplished financial background, will enable her to communicate the Company's strategic vision effectively. Having achieved significant growth since the Company went public, we look forward to Tracy's contributions as we continue to execute our growth strategy." Ms. Krumme, Vice President of Investor Relations, stated, "I am thrilled to join Luxoft and be part of such a dynamic organization. I look forward to actively interacting with the global investment community to expand reltionships and communicate Luxoft's growth story."



About Luxoft Luxoft Holding, Inc. (NYSE:LXFT) is a leading provider of software development services and innovative IT solutions to a global client base consisting primarily of large, multinational corporations predominantly in Europe, North America and Asia Pacific. The Company's software development services consist of core and mission critical custom software development and support, product engineering, and technology consulting. Its bespoke solutions include technology architecture selection and other consulting, proprietary products and/or standard system software and platforms, as well as implementation and maintenance. Through its services and solutions, the Company helps its clients improve their competitive position by increasing efficiency, optimizing costs, and enabling changes through disruptive digital technologies that enhance end-user experience and shorten time-to-market. The Company develops its solutions and delivers its services from 37 dedicated delivery centers worldwide. It has more than 12,800 employees across 42 offices in 21 countries within five continents - North America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia. Luxoft is incorporated in Tortola, British Virgin Islands, has its operating headquarters office in Zug, Switzerland and is listed on the New York Stock Exchange. For more information, please visit http://www.luxoft.com.

Forward-Looking Statements This news release of Luxoft Holding, Inc ("Luxoft") contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These forward-looking statements include information about possible or assumed future results of our business and financial condition, as well as the results of operations, liquidity, plans and objectives. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as "believe," "may," "estimate," "continue," "anticipate," "intend," "should," "plan," "expect," "predict," "potential," or the negative of these terms or other similar expressions. These statements are subject to, without limitation, the risk factors discussed under the heading "Risk Factors" in Luxoft's Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended March 31, 2017 and other documents filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission by Luxoft. Except as required by law, Luxoft undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements for any reason after the date of this news release whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. All trademarks are recognized and are the property of their respective companies. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171003006049/en/

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[October 03, 2017] Oracle Announces 2017 Cloud Platform Innovation Award Recipients

SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Oracle OpenWorld -- Oracle today announced the recipients of its 2017 Oracle Cloud Platform Innovation Awards at an awards ceremony held at Oracle OpenWorld. This elite group of recipients includes customers and partners who are using Oracle Cloud Platform's PaaS and IaaS to accelerate innovation and drive business transformation by increasing agility, lowering costs, and reducing IT complexity. This year, 58 award recipients were selected from around the world, representing a wide range of customers from small and medium businesses to the largest enterprises, spanning a wide range of industries. Whether customers are evaluating starting their journey to the cloud or have already embraced cloud, Oracle Cloud Platform and Infrastructure deliver a comprehensive, open, integrated, performant, highly available, and secure suite to accelerate their journey to, and adoption of, cloud. Oracle's PaaS and IaaS services are being used by organizations on a number of journeys to the cloud, including moving on-premises and ISV applications to the cloud; integrating, extending and securing SaaS applications; modernizing application development with cloud native, API first, mobile-first digital innovation; optimizing IT operations and security; and gaining real-time insights from structured and unstructured data. With Oracle Cloud at Customer, some recipients leveraged the value of Oracle Cloud within their own datacenters since a public cloud could not be used due to data residency or compliance reasons. Recipients include: a.i solutions, Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Limited, AICPA, Anthem, Inc., ARRIS, AS ONE Corporation, AT&T, Atradius, Australian Finance Group, Bajaj Electrical, Betacom Incorporated, BrightSource Energy, Calypso Technology, CoreLogic, Darling Ingredients, Detroit Water and Sewerage Department, Exelon, FireEye, FORS, Gluon, GTA Travel, Hrvatska elektroprivreda, Hub Group Inc., iCabbi, ILDONG Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Immofinanz, Jefferies, L&T Finance Ltd., LinkedIn, Mythics, National Pharmacies, New Hope, NHS Business Services Authority, NSW Government - Department of Finance, NTT Communications, NY MTA, Ooyala, Radius Payment Solutions, Rakuten Card, Rent-A-Center, Ricoh Global, Ricoh USA, Rogers, Rumo, Ryder System, Inc., Santander, State of California Department of Conservation, State University of New York, Subaru of America, Inc., Swiss Post, Turning Point, UBI Banca, Veritas Technologies, Veritone, VHI Group Services Ltd., W. L. Gore & Associates, Woodford Investment Management, and Zenotech. "The Innovation Awards celebrate customers who are using Oracle's PaaS and IaaS in new and unique ways to drive significant transformation within short timeframes by leveraging cloud," said Amit Zavery, senior vice president product development, Oracle Cloud Platform. "These customers have delivered significant value to their organizations by accelerating their journey to the cloud, and freeing up budget for even more innovation. We look forward to our continued partnership and their continued success." Part of the Oracle Excellence Awards, the Oracle Cloud Platform Innovation Award, is an annual awards program that recognizes customers deploying revolutionary solutions. Recipients are selected based on the uniqueness of their business case, business impact from going live in the cloud, level of impact relative to the size of the organization, complexity and magnitude of the implementation, and the originality of the architecture.



Oracle Cloud Platform is a comprehensive, standards-based, fully integrated combination of Oracle and open source technologies to build, deploy, migrate and manage a variety of different application workloads in the cloud. It provides a portfolio of innovative and accessible cloud-based services to capitalize on key transformative technologies such as big data analytics, AI, and IoT. A few of the 2017 recipients are:

Moving Applications to the Cloud

"We don't need that much hardware all the time, so it would never have been cost-effective to purchase it all. When we started exploring Oracle's cloud, everything just worked  it was easy to get our JAVA 8 streaming API and Ubuntu environment up and running in minutes. We started in March, and by June we demonstrated the live solution running in real-time, displaying spacecraft trajectories to the audience, selecting and modifying them from a tablet," said Sean M. Phillips, Principal Software Engineer Integrating, Extending, and Securing SaaS Applications

"We are honored to be recognized as a 2017 Oracle Excellence Award winner. My focus is to continually improve experiences for our members in the fast-paced world of retail and health. Working with Oracle Cloud and our key partner Rubicon Red, provides a platform for sustained Innovation. Oracle Cloud Platform gives us the flexibility to connect and extend our core systems, and deliver innovative services via a range of user interfaceincluding website, mobile devices, or emerging Chatbot technology," said Ryan Klose, general manager, Corporate, National Pharmacies. Modernizing Application Development

"Speed of engine deployment enhances our client and partner satisfaction, particularly in markets like legal and compliance where fast integration of natural language processing engines can be important. For cognitive engine development, the Oracle Wercker solution allows us to deploy almost any engine as a containerized artifact from the more than 5,500 we currently track in as little as 48 hours," said Al Brown, senior vice president of engineering at Veritone. "Before we engaged Oracle, it could take as long as four weeks to deploy a cognitive engine." "AT&T will migrate thousands of existing Oracle Databases containing petabytes of data plus their associated applications workloads to Oracle Cloud. This collaboration accelerates our network transformation and migration to the cloud to expand efficiency, performance, and reduce cost while improving overall customer service," said Sorabh Saxena, CIO Network and Shared Solutions, AT&T. Optimizing IT Operations and Security

"The major benefit that we are looking at right now is mainly monitoring the infrastructure, the user experience, the usage of our capacity and the compute centrally from one location using Oracle Management Cloud. Earlier we used to have people monitoring from 13 locations and now we have a central team to monitor. It's the Oracle Management Cloud with its machine learning capabilities which is going to tell us proactively when there are any issues," said Pavan Tsunduru, CIO at Adani Ports. Gaining Valuable Business Insight

"We chose Oracle Analytics Cloud to help us leverage vast amounts of trip data for our customers around the world. Working with our Oracle Partner Vertice, we streamlined the project delivery and costs, deploying in just 12 weeks for overall project savings of 20 percent. The speed and ease of using Oracle Analytics Cloud means we can make operational and strategic improvements internally, as well as delivering on-demand analytics to transform taxi companies and other ground transportation businesses into more data-driven organizations," said Shane McDonnell, Marketing Director, iCabbi. Additional Resources Oracle Cloud Platform

Connect with Oracle Cloud on Facebook and Twitter About Oracle

The Oracle Cloud offers complete SaaS application suites for ERP, HCM and CX, plus best-in-class database Platform as a Service (PaaS) and Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) from data centers throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia. For more information about Oracle (NYSE:ORCL), please visit us at www.oracle.com. About Oracle OpenWorld

Oracle OpenWorld, the industry's most important business and technology conference for the past 20 years, hosts tens of thousands of in-person attendees as well as millions online. Dedicated to helping businesses leverage Cloud for their innovation and growth, the conference delivers deep insight into industry trends and breakthroughs driven by technology. Designed for attendees who want to connect, learn, explore and be inspired, Oracle OpenWorld offers more than 2,500 educational sessions led by more than 2,000 customers and partners sharing their experiences, first hand. With hundreds of demos and hands-on labs, plus exhibitions from more than 400 partners and customers from around the world, Oracle OpenWorld has become a showcase for leading cloud technologies, from Cloud Applications to Cloud Platform and Infrastructure. For more information; to register; or to watch Oracle OpenWorld keynotes, sessions, and more, visit www.oracle.com/openworld. Join the Oracle OpenWorld discussion on Twitter. Trademarks

Oracle and Java are registered trademarks of Oracle and/or its affiliates. Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners. View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/oracle-announces-2017-cloud-platform-innovation-award-recipients-300529756.html SOURCE Oracle

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[October 03, 2017] Stepes Integrates ABBYY Text Recognition for the World's Fastest Translation Services

BEIJING and SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Stepes (pronounced /'steps/), a leader in just-in-time translation services, has announced the integration of ABBYY text recognition for faster translation of scanned documents on demand. Stepes desktop and mobile translation solutions now use ABBYY Cloud Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology to automatically convert scanned documents and images into editable formats for agile translation services. Billed as the "Amazon" of translation services, Stepes online translation ecosystem automates many of the human touch points associated with traditional translation processes, significantly improving project turnaround and cost efficiency while achieving quality results. With the ABBYY integration, Stepes further streamlines its on-demand translation services by extracting translatable text from scanned PDF documents and pictures to provide customers with instant project estimates. Upon approval, the scanned documents are reviewed by a human project manager to ensure quality before sending out to translators for translation. ABBYY OCR solution performs fast and accurate text recognition on scanned PDF documents and images in over 190 languages including European, Asian and Arabic languages. "We are excited to expand our on-demand translation solutions to scanned documents," comments Stepes Visionary Carl Yao. "By automating extraction of translatable text from scanned PDF documents and images, Stepes further strengthens its leadership position in providing global businesses with fast language translation services that today's digital economy demands." In addition to text extraction, the integrated ABBYY Cloud OCR technoloy automatically converts translated contents to match the exact format and layout of the original scanned document. This automated desktop publishing (DTP) process eliminates the need to recreate the source document manually saving time and translation costs.



"ABBYY has a strong track record of providing intelligent capture solutions to businesses around the world. We are pleased that Stepes is now a valuable partner. We support the company's mission  to facilitate multilingual communications  and are happy to contribute to their success," comments Bruce Orcutt, Senior Vice President of Product Marketing at ABBYY. To learn more about the Stepes OCR translation solutions, please visit: www.stepes.com/scanned-document-translation/.

To learn more about ABBYY Coud OCR SDK, please visit: https://www.abbyy.com/en-us/cloud-ocr-sdk/ About Stepes Stepes is the world's first mobile translation platform powered by human translators and interpreters from around the world. Stepes disrupts the traditional translation process by providing on-demand, agile, and just-in-time translation services for the digital economy. Stepes breaks down language barriers between businesses and their customers, and among nations and people by seamlessly connecting businesses with professional translators and bilingual subject matter experts around the world. The word Stepes stands for Social Translation Experiment Project and Eco System. For more information, please visit www.stepes.com. About ABBYY ABBYY is a global leader in intelligent capture driving innovation in the areas of meaningful insights, data, and relationships to improve business outcomes. ABBYY offers a complete range of AI-based technologies and solutions transforming business documents and content into business value. By providing digital transformation solutions to financial services, insurance, transportation, healthcare and other industries, the company helps organizations achieve the next wave of growth by understanding customers and delivering responsive real-time intelligent systems. The flexibility of ABBYY AI solutions enables customers to utilize a diverse range of advanced technologies, platforms and solutions for classification, text analytics, data and entity extraction, and data validation via any communication channel and in any format. ABBYY technologies are used and licensed by some of the largest international enterprises and government organizations, as well as SMBs and individuals. The company maintains offices in Australia, Canada, Cyprus, France, Germany, Japan, Russia, Spain, Taiwan, UAE, the UK, Ukraine, and the United States. For more information, please visit www.abbyy.com/company. ABBYY and the ABBYY Logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of ABBYY Software Ltd. Other product names mentioned herein may be trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective owners and are hereby recognized. View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/stepes-integrates-abbyy-text-recognition-for-the-worlds-fastest-translation-services-300530145.html SOURCE Stepes

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By Manogya Loiwal : Gas leak incident at Asia's second largest fertilizer company located at Panagarh, Matrix Fertilizer and Chemicals, has sparked panic among the villagers and people residing in the nearby areas.

The fertilizer company was opened on test basis on Sunday after which report of gas leak namely "ammonia" created panic. Ammonia is a colourless gas with a pungent odour. Ammonia gas which is also produced in the human body and is commonly found in nature can be dangerous if the concentration of gas increases.

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Though the problem was treated seriously and the situation was handled immediately, a panic was created among the residents there.

Locals complained of headache, vomiting and uneasiness. The condition was observed mostly in children and elderly persons. Many of them were also rushed to the local hospital for primary treatment. Deterioration continued with most of the female and children falling ill.

"I was shivering and was feeling dizziness. I went to the hospital for checkup. I was unable to breath," said Tutul Baij. Elderly persons even complained of breathing trouble. Panic spread to such an extent that the villagers even shifted their children to safer places in the nearby villages.

ENTIRE VILLAGE AFFECTED

"There are 800 people residing in this village and everyone of them is suffering. Especially, the kids and females are facing breathing troubles, and the elderly people are also facing severe health issues," said Goutam Ghosh, a local resident.

"Everybody was in panic. No one came from the factory to visit or show some concern. They say that this will not be permanent but we will have to go through this," added Tutul.

The situation seems to have improved from Monday but villagers complained that the factory authority did not turn up in the village to take stock of the situation. Villagers also said that whenever they speak about the problem the factory authority responded saying that they will have to bear this for the sake of the factory.

Speaking on the issue ruling party TMC block president Ram Krishna Ghosh said, "the problem mostly on Sunday, but today the situation is under control. We have talked with the factory people and will be arranging an awareness camp in the village."

He added that the company assured to bring experts from Delhi to resolve the issue. Ghosh, who acknowledged the problems faced by the locals, has even announced to go on a movement if the issue was not resolved immediately.

Surrounding of the fertilizer factory. (Photo: Anil Giri)

The growth of chemical industries has led to an increase in the list of occurrence of incidents associated with hazardous chemical. Locals said that increased industrial activities here led to these types of industrial accidents. Such incidents are pronounced in terms of injuries, pain, suffering, loss of lives, and damage to environment.

Locals holding ammonia granules. (Photo: Anil Giri) Locals holding ammonia granules. (Photo: Anil Giri)

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It is worthwhile mentioning that this factory came up after many odds and land acquisition from the local villagers in the industrial belt of Panagarh. On Sunday, the factory was opened for the first time on test basis which lead to the gas leak problem wreaking havoc and leaving people ailing.

Medical report of one of the locals.

With inputs from Anil Giri, Burdwan

--- ENDS ---
[October 03, 2017]

TopDevz Continues to Build Momentum With Senior Technical Appointment

SACRAMENTO, Calif., Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- To further support the ongoing expansion of its business in North America, TopDevz today announces the addition of Eric Gilbert as Director of Engineering, responsible for the Information Technology and Software Engineering groups.

Eric Gilbert joins TopDevz bringing more than 20 years of experience in software development across a number of vertical sectors. Having worked on a variety of diverse projects and with all mainstream development languages and methodologies, Eric has consistently created value for every project he delivered. As an already accomplished software professional and a strong supporter of agile and lean development methodologies, he continues to develop his skills as a critical thinker and innovative problem solver.

Most recently, prior to joining TopDevz, Eric led the cybersecurity software engineering group at Masergy, a managed network and security service rovider. In addition, he has held senior leadership positions at Orthofix, a medical device company, and L3 Communications' Link Simulation and Training, where he led engineering teams creating high-fidelity flight simulators for federal government customers around the world.







Eric holds an MBA from Dallas Baptist University and a bachelor's in Computer Science from Oregon State University.

ABOUT TopDevz

TopDevz is a leading provider of expert, affordable onshore software development resources. With headquarters in Sacramento California and a regional headquarters office in Toronto, Ontario, the company serves the North American market delivering services to large global companies and mid-market enterprises. With previous experience of accelerating a consulting services company to $50M+, Ashkan Rajaee founded TopDevz on the principles that experience matters, that effective communication leads to higher quality results and that qualified onshore resources provide the greatest likelihood of achieving a successful project.

For more information and resources on topdevz.com, please visit www.topdevz.com

Related Links

TopDevz

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[October 03, 2017] Top New Baton Rouge Charter School Breaks Ground at Woman's Hospital Site

BATON ROUGE, La. and SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The new BASIS Baton Rouge charter school  set to open to 450 K-5 students next fall  hosts a groundbreaking ceremony this week on the site of the brand new campus. BASIS Baton Rouge, which is currently accepting applications for the 2018-2019 academic year, is the first school in Louisiana for the nationally-renowned network of BASIS Curriculum Schools. The open enrollment, tuition free charter came to Baton Rouge via a first-of-its-kind partnership with the East Baton Rouge School District and Woman's Hospital. The school will be located on the Woman's Hospital campus, where the groundbreaking will take place, at the northeast corner of Airline Highway and Stumberg Lane. The groundbreaking is particularly notable due to the high caliber speakers at the event, who include: Craig R. Barrett , Chairman of the BASIS Baton Rouge Board of Directors and former President and CEO of Intel;

, Chairman of the BASIS Baton Rouge Board of Directors and former President and CEO of Intel; Teri Fontenot , President and CEO of Woman's Hospital; and

, President and CEO of Woman's Hospital; and Warren Drake , Superintendent of East Baton Rouge Parish Schools. While he plan is for BASIS Baton Rouge to be K-5 school when it opens, with enough community interest, 6th graders may also be enrolled next fall. Eventually, BASIS Baton Rouge will serve K-12 students.



"This ceremony is a nice combination of something practical, and something symbolic for BASIS Baton Rouge," said BASIS.ed CEO Peter Bezanson. "Practically speaking, we're building a new schoolhouse from the ground up, and we are looking forward to starting that vital, tangible project. But the symbolism is important too. Breaking ground makes clear our stake in this city, signifies a literal and figurative foundation of something real and durable and useful here." BASIS Baton Rouge is the 25th charter school in the BASIS Curriculum Schools network, which now has a total of 32 schools in six states, the District of Columbia, and China. The network is highly-regarded for excellence by any measure  national rankings, Advanced Placement results, OECD/PISA testing, and college admissions, among other factors. It serves thousands of individual students with the world class BASIS Curriculum and consistently outstanding student outcomes.

About?BASIS Curriculum Schools

The BASIS Curriculum Schools network is among the best in the world, serving students from Preschool through Grade 12. The BASIS Curriculum  founded in 1998, and cultivating excellence every year since -- educates students at the highest international levels, preparing them to be participants, not spectators, in the 21st-century global workforce of commerce and innovation. There are currently twenty-four operating public charter schools in Arizona, Texas, and Washington, D.C., five independent schools in California, New York, and Virginia, and two international schools in Shenzhen and Guangzhou, China. For more information, please?visit BASISBatonRouge.com, BASISed.com, or vectors.BASISed.com. View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/top-new-baton-rouge-charter-school-breaks-ground-at-womans-hospital-site-300530317.html SOURCE BASIS.ed

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[October 03, 2017] Next International Space Station Crew Available for News Conference, Interviews

WASHINGTON, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- NASA astronaut Scott Tingle and crewmates Anton Shkaplerov of the Russian space agency Roscosmos and Norishege Kanai of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) will discuss their upcoming mission to the International Space Station in a news conference at 2 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, Oct. 11 at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. The news conference will be broadcast live on NASA Television and streamed on the agency's website, and the crew will be available for in-person or remote media interviews afterward. Tingle, Shkaplerov and Kanai will launch to the space station aboard the Soyuz MS-07 spacecraft on Dec. 17 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. They will join the station's Expedition 54 crew, and return to Earth in April 2018 as members of Expedition 55. This will be the first spaceflight for Tingle and Kanai, and the third for Shkaplerov. Reporters who wish to participate by telephone must call Johnson's newsroom at 281-483-5111 no later than 1:45 p.m. on Wednesdy, Oct. 11. To request credentials to participate in person or to schedule an interview, U.S. reporters must contact Johnson's newsroom by 5 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 10. Those following the briefing on social media may ask questions using the hashtag #askNASA.



During a planned four-month mission, the station crew members will take part in about 250 research investigations and technology demonstrations not possible on Earth in order to advance scientific knowledge of Earth, space, physical and biological sciences. Science conducted on the space station continues to yield benefits for humanity and will enable future long-duration human and robotic exploration into deep space, including missions past the Moon and Mars. A U.S. Navy captain, Tingle grew up in Randolph, Massachusetts, and earned a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering from Southeastern Massachusetts University in Dartmouth, now the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, and a Master of Science in mechanical engineering from Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. Following graduate school, Tingle spent three years with the Aerospace Corp., in El Segundo, California, as a technical staff member in its Propulsion Department. He was commissioned as a U.S. Navy officer in 1991, and accumulated more than 4,500 flight hours in 51 types of aircraft, 750 carrier arrestments and 54 combat missions. Tingle was selected in July 2009 as one of 14 members of the 20th NASA astronaut class. His training included scientific and technical briefings; intensive instruction in space station systems; spacewalks; robotics; physiological training; T-38 flight training; and water and wilderness survival training.

View Tingle's full biography at:

https://www.nasa.gov/astronauts/biographies/scott-d-tingle/biography Follow Tingle on Twitter at:

@Astro_Maker Follow Tingle on Instagram at:

@astro_maker Learn more about the International Space Station and its crews at:

http://www.nasa.gov/station View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/next-international-space-station-crew-available-for-news-conference-interviews-300530396.html SOURCE NASA

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[October 03, 2017] Ziyen Inc. Rebrands for the Markets

SAN DIEGO, Oct. 03, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ziyen Inc., a Scottish-American software company, has introduced a new corporate brand, logo and corporate website. The rebranding comes at a significant stage in the evolution of Ziyen, following the tech companys installation of a new division: Ziyen Energy.

The division has secured its first oil and gas contract in the Midwestern United States, orchestrated by Ziyens Oil Intelligence Director- Shane Fraser. Fraser is a highly experienced oilfield engineer with over 28 years experience. He has 21 years working for Royal Dutch Shell in the North Sea and Syria, before going on to deliver technically challenging brownfield and greenfield projects for several other multinational oil companies. The bold, new logo and corporate brand evoke a cleaner, more contemporary approach as the company looks to target and expand within the energy market of the U.S. The rebrand also reflects evolution within Ziyen Inc. their commitment to utilize the latest sustainable technological advances for energy production, software solutions, and content management. For the Ziyen Intelligence division, the new logo underscores the companys long-standing aim to develop streamlined technology and facilitate the process by which customers can access procurement information and contracts on a global scale. I am very excited about the new rebrand. It is a substantive change, and the fresh contemporary look aligns perfectly with the work going on here at Ziyen. It wonderfully supports the expanded direction the company is taking, as we continue to build up our software offering and introduce the new Ziyen Energy division. -David Rogers, Vice-President of Ziyen Inc. Board of Directors For more information visi http://www.ziyen.com



About Ziyen Inc. Founded in 2016, Ziyen Inc. is a Scottish-American company developing cutting edge procurement software to provide clients with industry specific government and private contracts via procurement portals. In 2017, Ziyen diversified, instating the Ziyen Energy Division, with intent to produce oil in the U.S. with advanced extraction methods and technology implemented and guided by career experts in the oil and gas industry. In June 2017, Ziyen acquired the mineral rights to its first oil field in Indiana. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) qualified Ziyen Inc. under Tier One of Regulation A+ in Oct, 2016. Ziyen plans to go public to the markets with an IPO targeted for early 2018.

About Granite PR Founded in 2008, Aberdeen-based Granite PR offers the full spectrum of PR services with an emphasis on the energy, technology, hospitality, food and drink, professional services and healthcare sectors. The company has developed strong links in domestic and overseas markets, particularly the US and Scandinavia, and these have been enhanced by Granite PRs Gateway series of business events which encourage trade between key locations. For more information visit www.granitepr.co.uk Forward Looking Statements: Certain statements in this press release including, but not limited to, statements related to anticipated commencement of commercial production, targeted pricing, performance goals, and statements that otherwise relate to future periods are forward-looking statements. These statements involve risks and uncertainties, which are described in more detail in the Company's periodic reports filed with the SEC- specifically the most recent reports which identify important risk factors that could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are made and based on information available to the company on the date of this press release. Ziyen Inc. assumes no obligation to update the information in this press release. Contact:

Brett Jackson

Managing Director

Granite PR

[email protected]

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Update, 10/3/17, 12:40pm PT: Added a statement from Eric Romo, CEO and co-founder of AltspaceVR.



Microsoft revealed the final details about the Windows Mixed Reality platform set to launch in two weeks. Among the announcements, the company made a surprise reveal: it's the one that stepped in to save AltspaceVR.

Over the summer, AltspaceVR met financial turmoil, and the stage was set to see the popular social VR platform shut down for good. In late July, AltspaceVR announced that it would shut down on August 3.Then, days before the closure, Eric Romo, the companys CEO, decided to keep the lights on a little longer. Just in case. After all, AltspaceVR developed several technologies that should be worthwhile to the VR industry, such as FrontRow, which enables unlimited audience sizes for live events, and VR Capture, which allowed AltspaceVR to rebroadcast VR events to accommodate people in other time zones.

Romos announcement suggested that the company may be in talks with an interested party, which somewhat fueled our speculation that Palmer Luckey could step in to buy AltspaceVR. Luckey himself suggested that he could be interested, and he certainly has the money on hand to make it happen. Today, our speculative (yet educated) guess that Luckey would be involved in saving AltspaceVR proved to be incorrect. Microsoft revealed that it was the hidden hand the kept AltspaceVRs lights on.

"When we announced our closing, a common sentiment was that we were pioneers, if not ahead of our time. People were sad that they wouldn't be able to see what we could have built together with our community," said Romo. "I'm grateful that we get a chance to follow through on the story we started five years ago and see how much farther we can take this technology."

Microsoft didnt discuss the details of the AltspaceVR deal; we dont know if the company purchased AltspaceVR outright or if it invested heavily into the company. Regardless, AltspaceVR is now under Microsofts umbrella and part of the Windows Mixed Reality platform. Microsoft sees AltspaceVR as one of the pioneers in immersive communication, and it intends to shape it into the worlds preeminent mixed reality community.

AltspaceVR is available on several VR platforms, including HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, Samsung Gear VR, and Google Daydream, and when Microsoft drops the Windows Mixed Reality platform on October 17, AltspaceVR will support that platform, too. AltspaceVR has always been free to access, and as far as we can tell, Microsoft intends to keep it that way.
Another challenger entered the Windows Mixed Reality ring today. Microsoft and Samsung revealed the Odyssey Mixed Reality headset during a presentation about Microsofts forthcoming immersive technology platform.

Last year, Microsoft announced that it would be bringing native immersive technology to the Windows operating system. The company revealed the Windows Mixed Reality platform, which would encompass the whole virtual reality to augmented reality spectrum, and combine them with the latest installment of Windows. At the time, Microsoft revealed that a handful of hardware partners would be building VR headsets to go along with the Windows MR platform.

Microsoft worked with several major players in the computer technology industry, including Acer, Asus, Dell, HP, and Lenovo to build Windows MR-compatible headsets. A little known Chinese company called 3Glasses also joined the Windows MR venture, but weve not heard from 3Glasses since Microsoft Build in May, and even then the company seemed to be treated as an also-ran, rather than part of the in the crowd.

Microsofts Windows Mixed Reality platform rolls out as part of the Windows 10 Fall Creators update in mid-October, and the five major players are ready to launch their hardware. Acer, Asus, Dell, HP, and Lenovo have already revealed the specs of their headsets, and they should begin shipping on October 17 (although Asus was absent from Microsoft's announcement today). Theres no word from 3Glasses about the availability of its headset, but Samsung is another major player stepping in to fill that gap.

Microsofts Windows MR platform covers a wide gamut of hardware specifications, which allows hardware manufactures to target individual price points and different market needs. Microsoft accepts headsets with resolutions of at least 1080x1200 per eye and refresh rates of at least 60Hz. Microsoft also laid out parameters for high-end Windows MR headsets, which include dual 1440x1440 displays that operate at 90Hz.

Despite defining an upper ceiling for hardware specifications, Microsoft isnt strict about adhering to the maximum. Samsungs Odyssey headset includes dual AMOLED displays with a combined resolution 2880 x 1600 pixels, which should provide a wider top-to-bottom field of view than other Windows MR HMDs. Samsungs Odyssey also offers a 110-degree left-to-right field of view, which exceeds that of the Oculus Rift and matches the maximum FOV that the HTC Vive can achieve.

When we began designing and engineering the Samsung HMD Odyssey with Microsoft, there was only one goal in mind, create a high performing headset thats easy to set up and can transport people to the incredible world of virtual reality, said Alanna Cotton, Vice President, and General Manager, Samsung Electronics America.

Samsung also said the Odyssey headset would include built-in spatial AKG headphones and a built-in dual array microphone to provide an audio experience that complements the visual experience.

The Samsung Odyssey headset is available for pre-order today from Microsofts webstore. The Samsung Odyssey headset bundled with motion controllers sells for $500. Pre-ordered hardware is expected to ship of November 6--which is later than Acer, HP, Dell, and Lenovo, which are shipping their gear on October 17.
Radeon RX 560 doesn't outperform its predecessor by as much as we expected. However, it's still a fairly cool, fairly quiet card that serves up modest frame rates at 1920x1080 in modern games, so long as you're willing to dial quality back to Medium presets.

Why you can trust Tom's Hardware Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test .

Today's best Asus ROG Strix Radeon RX 560 4GB OC deals (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab) No price information (opens in new tab) Check Amazon (opens in new tab)

AMD Radeon RX 560 4GB: Polaris 11 Rides Again

AMDs Radeon RX 500-series refresh was a quick blitz of mostly recycled GPUs and iterative nomenclature. But there were a couple of developments that made the 500-series notably more competitive than the Radeon RX 400s before them.

For instance, we got a first taste of Polaris 12, code-named Lexa, in our Radeon RX 550 2GB Review. That GPU was designed to fill a gap under $100 (120) where entry-level favorites like Radeon R7 260 and 360 once lived. It, along with Nvidias competing GeForce GT 1030, were welcome additions to a long-neglected segment.

Just above the RX 550 in its refreshed product stack, AMD unveiled a Radeon RX 560 that also piqued our interest. Last year, we identified the Radeon RX 460 as a clear step up from previous-gen Bonaire-based cards and Nvidias GeForce GTX 750 Ti. Radeon RX 560 takes the same Polaris 11 GPU, enables all of its shading/texturing resources, increases its clock rate, and (theoretically) lowers its price.

If the RX 460 was already a strong option for HD gaming, we couldnt wait to see how Radeon RX 560 improved upon it.

Meet Radeon RX 560: More Shaders; Higher Clocks

When Radeon RX 460 launched more than a year ago, we hadnt seen a new mainstream GPU from AMD in years. Until then, everything was repackaged first- and second-generation GCN designs. Naturally, though, the shift to 14nm FinFET inherently meant new processors, even if they shared a lot of architectural attributes with their predecessors. Now the company is massaging its first wave of Polaris GPUs to better situate them against a full portfolio of Pascal-based competition.

Compared to Polaris 10, composed of 5.7 billion transistors on a 232 mm die, Radeon RX 560s processor packs three billion transistors into 123 square millimeters of die space. Its similarly based on AMDs fourth-gen GCN architecture, but rebalanced for more power-sensitive applications.

A single Graphics Command Processor up front is still responsible for dispatching graphics queues to the Shader Engines. So too are the Asynchronous Compute Engines tasked with handling compute queues. As with Polaris 10, this chips command processing logic consists of four ACEs, with two Hardware Scheduler units in place for prioritized queues, temporal/spatial resource management, and offloading CPU kernel mode driver scheduling tasks. While many resources are trimmed moving from Polaris 10 to 11, this is not one of them.

Shader Engines, on the other hand, are halvedPolaris 11 gets two, compared to Polaris 10s four. But whereas the version of Polaris 11 that went into Radeon RX 460 featured seven active Compute Units per SE, Radeon RX 560 gets a completely uncut GPU sporting 16 total CUs. Given 64 Stream processors and four texture units per CU, the math for Radeon RX 560 adds up to 1024 shaders and 64 texture units across the GPUa ~14% increase.

Swipe to scroll horizontally AMD Radeon RX 560 Asus ROG Strix RX 560 O4GB Gaming Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 Ti GPU Polaris 11/Baffin Polaris 11/Baffin GP107 GP207 Shaders 1024 1024 640 768 Base Clock Frequency 1175 MHz 1221 MHz 1354 MHz 1290 MHz Boost Clock Frequency 1275 MHz 1326 MHz 1455 MHz 1392 MHz Memory Size & Type 4GB GDDR5 4GB GDDR5 2GB GDDR5 4GB GDDR5 Process Technology 14nm 14nm 14nm 14nm Transistors 3 Billion 3 Billion 3.3 Billion 3.3 Billion Texture Units 64 64 40 48 Texture Fillrate 81.6 GT/s 84.9 GT/s 58.2 GT/s 66.8 GT/s ROPs 16 16 32 32 Pixel Fillrate 20.4 GPix/s 21.2 GPix/s 46.6 GPix/s 44.5 GPix/s Memory Bus 128-bit 128-bit 128-bit 128-bit Memory Clock Frequency 3500 MHz 3500 MHz 3504 MHz 3504 MHz Memory Bandwidth 112 GB/s 112 GB/s 112.1 GB/s 112.1 GB/s TDP 80W 80W/100W 75W 75W

Two render back-ends per Shader Engine, each with four ROPs, total 16 pixels per clock, or, again, half of what you get from Radeon RX 580/570. Polaris 11s memory bus is also cut in half to 128 bits. AMD tries to compensate somewhat with 7 Gb/s GDDR5, but even then, youre only looking at 112 GB/s of bandwidth. This spec is unchanged from the Radeon RX 460.

There are higher GPU clock rates to talk about, though. AMD specifies a base frequency of 1175 MHz and a Boost ceiling of 1275 MHz. The company sent our U.S. and German labs Asus ROG Strix Radeon RX 560 O4GB Gaming OC Edition to test, which is overclocked to a 1326 MHz Boost frequency in Gaming mode.

Interestingly, while the Radeon RX 460 was officially rated under 75W, opening the door to implementations without auxiliary power, all of the boards we tested had six-pin connectors. For its higher-clocked Radeon RX 560, AMD cites a typical board power of 80W. And yet, weve already seen versions with no power connector and higher-than-reference clock rates. Our Asus cards do, however, come equipped with six-pin inputs.



MORE: Best Graphics Cards



MORE: Desktop GPU Performance Hierarchy Table



MORE: All Graphics Content
Brownback meets Israeli prime minister, and keeps it quiet - Kansas City Business Journal Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback took an oddly quiet trip to Israel to drum up business for the state - although a meeting with the Israeli prime minister included no one from the Kansas Department of Commerce, The Hutchinson News reports.

The description of this "oddly quiet" trip is accurate given that Kansas is exceptionally supportive of the only real U.S. ally in the middle-east. Read more:
LAWRENCE, Kan. -- Police scheduled a 2:45 p.m. news conference Monday to talk to the community about the weekend shooting at 11th and Massachusetts Streets that killed three young people. They said they do not believe the violence was random, but that it was related to a fight that occurred in the area near the northwest corner of the intersection.




Jackson County court records show the rape charge against Juan D. Contreras of Greeley, Colorado, was dismissed on Monday.





Michael Mansur, a spokesman for Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker, confirmed the charge had been dismissed and the case closed.





After we met with the victim and witnesses in the case, we concluded we would not be able to carry our burden of proof beyond a reasonable doubt, he said.

######3

On the other side of the spectrum, UMKC students raged against a so-called "rape culture" at the commuter college and worked to have administrators fired.





In retrospect, it turns out UMKC administrators were correct to refer to the rap as alleged.

A Kansas City college controversy now ends in anti-climax after rage from both students and local conservatives.The latest . . .Throughout Conservative media, the initial report of an alleged rape by an illegal alien set offSo far, according to prosecutors at least, the UMKC rape was neither a symptom of illegal immigration unfettered nor the hegemony ignoring violence against women . . . As far as the legal system is concerned, nothing happened that can be proven in a court of law.You decide . . .
Prairie Village Mayor Laura Wassmer is among the plaintiffs awarded more than $4 billion in damages by a Texas jury in a case involving her late father's estate. The Dallas Business Journal reports that the probate jury last week found JP Morgan Chase had breached its fiduciary duty in administering the estate of Max D.
The Kansas Supreme Court on Monday struck down the state's aid to schools as unconstitutionally low - and unfair to poor school districts in particular. In June, Kansas lawmakers passed a new school finance formula that included an infusion of nearly $300 million by 2019.
"Yet another community faced a horrific instance of gun violence, fear, and loss. Our thoughts are with all those families affected in Las Vegas. And were grateful for the brave work of the first responders."

However, his use of the phrases "yet another" and "gun violence" might trigger opponents of the 2nd Amendment to continue their crusade.

IS IT TIME FOR KANSAS CITY TO RETHINK TOUGHER GUN CONTROL TACTICS TO PREVENT LOCAL DEADLY MASS SHOOTINGS???

" The Kansas City Gun Experiment used intensive police patrols directed to an 80-block hotspot area where the homicide rate was 20 times the national average. Patrol officers seized guns by frisking individuals who were arrested and by making plain view sightings of firearms during routine traffic violation or safety stops. Traffic stops were most effective in locating illegal guns, with 1 gun found per 28 stops. Gun crimes, including drive-by shootings and homicides, declined significantly during the 29-week experimental period between July 1992 and January 1993. Drive-by shootings dropped from 7 to 1 in the target area . . ."

























A terseCheckit:On the face of it, his comment is generic and appropriate . . .Remember thatHowever . . .In Kansas City & beyond . . . Opponents of assault rifles, large capacity magazines and souped-up bullets are rallying to revitalize gun control efforts in the aftermath of the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history.And so, as always, we put it to our blog community . . .Prez Trump refuses to talk about gun control but there's local precedent for gun crackdowns that don't require new legislation.

The Kansas City Gun Experiment was a milestone in police action targeting illegal weapons in order to curb crime.Like it or not, this was one of the most groundbreaking law enforcement tactics Kansas City has seen in its history. Some anti-violence advocates encourage a second look at this controversial effort.In the meantime, the gun control debate rages and politicos seem more sympathetic to a fight over policy that has been a losing battle thus far:You decide . . .
The contract refers to a new dual fuel plant (natgas or fuel oil) with over 650MW capacity, to be constructed on a fast-track schedule (9 months upon commencement)

Mytilineos firm announced an agreement with the General Electricity Company of Libya (GECOL) to carry out an EPC contract for a new power plant in Tobruk.

The contract refers to a new dual fuel plant (natgas or fuel oil) with over 650MW capacity, to be constructed on a fast-track schedule (9 months upon commencement).

The contract value for Mytilineos is EUR400mn while it is subject to approval by relevant authorities in the country, and will only become effective upon opening of an irrevocable letter of credit confirmed by a 1st class international bank.

Read more here.

RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report

Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons Copyright: Orlovic License: CC-BY-SA

Source: capital.gr
Russia and Saudi Arabia will jointly set up a $1-billion energy fund as the worlds two biggest oil producers seek to cement a partnership that was bolstered by their brokering of a global oil output cut, reported Russia Today citing the country's energy minister.

The agreement is likely to be signed during King Salmans state visit to Russia this week, Alexander Novak told the Dubai-based Al Arabiya news channel.

In principle, the talk revolves around earmarking $1 billion just for energy projects and I as an energy minister am pleased by this because we are focusing on developing our cooperation not just within the framework of Opec or even outside Opec, but also developing cooperation in the fields of oil, gas, power and renewable energy, noted Novak.

The two countries are leading efforts to trim global oil production by 1.8 million barrels of oil per day through a six-month agreement that ended in June and which was extended to the end of next March to help prop up oil prices and reduce the glut in the market.

Saudi Arabia plans to generate 9.5 gigawatts of electricity from renewable sources, mainly solar and wind, by 2023 at a cost of up to $50 billion, according to RT.

The minister pointed out that a number of Russian companies were exploring various aspects of co-operation with Saudi Arabia.

Gazprom Neft, the oil arm of Russian gas giant Gazprom, and other companies are expected to sign agreements with their Saudi counterparts, he added.

Russian energy companies are also exploring the possibility of working with Saudi Aramco, the worlds biggest oil producer, in the oil services field in the kingdom. Also companies, in particular Rosneft, the countrys biggest oil producer, are interested in oil trading co-operation, said the RT report.

Novatek, Russias largest non-state gas producer, and Saudi Arabia are also discussing co-operation in gas production in Russia, it added.
Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company (Mumtalakat), the sovereign wealth fund of Bahrain, is set to distribute profits of BD20 million ($52.3 million) to the national budget for two consecutive years (distributed equally for 2017 and 2018) in addition to the pursuit of a number of investments, both in and outside the kingdom.



The announcement comes following a recent meeting of the Mumtalakat board of directors.



Commenting on the move, Shaikh Khalid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa, the Deputy Prime Minister and chairman of Mumtalakat, said: "Although we continue to finance ourselves independently and meet our debt obligations, which resulted from borrowings to cover the losses of some of our subsidiaries, our investment model remained resilient, leading to a net profit of BD68.9 million ($181 million) in 2016."



"We are pleased to be in a strong position to make a significant contribution to the national budget while also continuing to pursue our investment strategy," remarked Shaikh Khalid.



With a mandate to grow the wealth of Bahrain through long-term investments based on sound financial, strategic and governance principles, Mumtalakat holds stakes in over 50 commercial enterprises with a portfolio spanning a variety of sectors, including industrial manufacturing, financial services, telecommunications, real estate, logistics, consumer products, healthcare and education.



Since its inception in 2006, Mumtalakat has played an essential role in supporting the local economy by safeguarding and growing the Kingdoms strategic assets, a source of wealth and employment for generations to come, he noted.



In addition to stabilising and driving growth of its important national assets through financing of over BD600 million ($1.5 billion), Mumtalakat aggressively pursued new commercially sound and sustainable investment opportunities while minimising risk exposure across various industries and asset classes, he added.



CEO Mahmood Hashem Alkooheji lauded Shaikh Khalid and Mumtalakats board members for their support and guidance in overseeing the company.



As a product of Bahrains long-established diversification efforts, Mumtalakat was created with a mandate to manage and grow a portfolio of strategic and commercial state-owned companies, stated Alkooheji.



As such, it has played a central role over the years driving growth at its local assets while diligently building and diversifying its portfolio both locally and globally.



The decision has been made in accordance to Article 39 of Mumtalakats Article of Association which states that a percentage of the companys net profits shall be transferred to the National Budget, he noted.



In line with Mumtalakats role as an asset manager with a vested interest in Bahrains economic growth, Mumtalakat has played a pivotal role stabilising the financial position of some of the countrys key assets over the years.



Between 2006 and 2012, Mumtalakat financed the national airline, Gulf Air, with over BD475 million ($1.24 billion) and implemented restructuring initiatives to improve its operational efficiencies. This resulted in a reduction in Gulf Airs net losses by 86 per cent, said the statement from the sovereign wealth fund.



Other success stories include the enhancement of Albas production capacity through an efficiency programme implemented in 2014 and the launch of its line 6 expansion plan due to operate in 2019, making it the largest single site aluminium smelter in the world.



Once complete, the expansion will generate 600 new jobs in the industry.



Similarly, Mumtalakat has formed a number of important joint ventures with leading international players that will collectively create over 1000 new jobs in the Kingdom within the next three years.



As part of its downstream expansion plan, Mumtalakat said it had partnered with Mueller Industries and Cayan Ventures to establish the first regional copper tube manufacturing facility in the kingdom, Mueller Middle East.

Scheduled for operation in 2018, Mueller Middle East will further enhance Bahrains manufacturing exports, which currently accounts for 20 per cent of the Kingdoms GDP.



Since its inception, Mumtalakat has continued to play a prominent role in the Kingdoms wealth generation through its local investments. To date, the sovereign wealth fund has investments in approximately 30 companies in Bahrain, providing over 14,600 direct employment opportunities within its local portfolio.-TradeArabia News Service
Samsung Gulf has partnered with Marriott International Middle East & Africa and Cleartrip to offer Galaxy Note8 consumers exclusive rewards on the preloaded Samsung Members app for travel, UAE local activities, hotel stays, food and beverage and spa treatments.



At Samsung, we strive to meet our customers lifestyle needs and we want to enable them to do bigger things with their Galaxy Note8. Our partnership with Marriott International Middle East & Africa and Cleartrip means that our customers can travel to new destinations, discover new cuisine and indulge in a wonderful array of experiences at destinations across the world - enjoying life differently! said Tarek Sabbagh, head of IT and Mobile (IM) Division at Samsung Gulf Electronics.



Samsung Galaxy Note8 customers can benefit from the offers, not only through the pre-loaded Samsung Members app, but also the Galaxy VIP physical card that comes inside the box. This will provide Galaxy Note8 users with 20 per cent off the best available rates at participating Marriott International Hotels across the Middle East & Africa, in addition to 20 per cent off total bills at participating restaurants (for up to 8 people) and 20 per cent off spa treatments. This exclusive offer will be available from September 15, 2017 to April 30, 2018.



Participating Marriott International properties are located across the Middle East & Africa for Samsung customers to enjoy: UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, Lebanon, Morocco, Seychelles, Jordan, South Africa, Egypt, Tunisia Algeria, KSA, Mauritius, Nigeria, Rwanda, Djibouti, Gabon, Kenya, Uganda, Zambia, and Guinea.



We are pleased to be partnering with Samsung Gulf to deliver its new Galaxy Note8 customers wonderful and exciting experiences at participating hotels, restaurants, and spas across Marriott International portfolio of brands in the Middle East & Africa, said Neal Jones, chief sales and marketing officer Middle East & Africa, Marriott International.



Furthermore, Galaxy Note8 users can also save on flights, hotels and UAE local activities with exclusive Samsung Member discounts from Cleartrip, from September 15 to June 30, 2018. Special offers include up to Dh1,000 ($272.2)Flight Discount in Economy and up to Dh2,000 ($544.4) for Business Class, up to Dh1,000 ($272.2) Hotels Discount voucher, and discounts of up to Dh500 ($136.1) on an unlimited number of UAE local activities. There are no blackout periods for these offers, meaning they can be used during weekends and public holidays.



It is a great honour to be partnering with Samsung Gulf, we are the leading digital travel company and are looking forward to offering Galaxy Note8 users award winning travel experiences and exclusive discounts on their next travel adventure, said Stuart Crighton, founder and CEO, Cleartrip.



The Galaxy Note8 Members App is available to consumers who purchase the Galaxy Note8 in the UAE, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, and Bahrain. - TradeArabia News Service


Turquoise Announces Lit Auctions

Turquoise, a European MTF, announced that it plans to launch frequent transparent auctions to complement its existing lit and non-displayed trading mechanisms. Turquoise Lit Auctions, as they have been dubbed, will be a pre-trade transparent, MiFID II compliant, matching mechanism providing indicative price and quantity to the market. The auction mechanism has already obtained regulatory approval for Q4 2017 launch, ahead of MiFID II implementation in January 2018.

Robert Barnes, CEO of Turquoise, said: Turquoise is proud of its track record of innovating in partnership with our customers. As firms seek MiFID II compliance, Turquoise Lit Auctions is another example of an easy to implement solution offering quality execution in a regulated market environment.

Turquoise Lit Auctions will be triggered when Turquoise receives matching orders from its members. Members will then have a 50 millisecond window in which to submit any further orders to the auction before a further 50 millisecond randomized uncrossing period commences. Auction matching will happen within Primary Best Bid Offer (PBBO) Reference Price Collar and will support orders pegged to the PBBO midpoint and Limit Orders. Turquoise members will be able to participate in Turquoise Lit Auctions by using their existing technical interface to Turquoise and workflow into the new mechanism with Market Identifier Code (MIC) of TRQA.

The introduction of Turquoise Lit Auctions follows the success of Turquoise Plato Uncross, the non-displayed service that provides a series of periodic randomized auction-like uncrossings during European trading hours.

For more information on related topics, visit the following channels:
ON THE MOVE: UBS Lands Sheridan for Electronic Trading

Peter Sheridan, the former head of U.S. algorithmic trading, sales and coverage, has just been brought in by UBS to head up its electronic trading distribution team in the Americas. Sheridan worked at Goldman Sachs for over 12 and a half years, having joined from Morgan Stanley in 2005. Sheridans departure is the latest high profile move in electronic and algorithmic trading over the past few weeks. Bill Hillegrass, a managing director at Barclays in New York has just joined Bank of America as head of electronic client solutions (ECS) trading for the Americas. Meanwhile, Asita Anche, another Goldman Sachs managing director within its quantitative and algorithmic trading team, moved across to Barclays as its new head of systematic market making, risk centralization and data science.

If you have a new job or promotion to report, let me know at jdantona@marketsmedia.com

Robert Crane, formerly of KCG Holdings and Goldman Sachs, has joined HSBC as global head of cash execution. A spokeswoman said Crane will have a "dedicated focus to transform and enhance the electronic platforms at HSBC". Crane left KCG in July, when US market-maker Virtu Financial completed its $1.4bn takeover of the firm and made a series of cuts. Prior to joining KCG in 2015, Crane had been co-head of European electronic trading at Goldman Sachs.

The Investment Company Institute landed Sean Collins. Collins currently serves as senior director of industry and financial analysis, leading ICIs research on the structure of the mutual fund industry and its role in financial markets. Since joining ICI in 2000, Collins has been responsible for conducting and overseeing research on the flows, assets, and fees of mutual funds, exchange-traded funds, and other funds in the United States and globally, and has contributed significantly to ICIs research agenda in the post-financial crisis era. Before joining ICI, Collins was a staff economist at the Federal Reserve Board of Governors and at the Reserve Bank of New Zealand. He has a PhD in economics from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and a BA in economics from Claremont McKenna College.

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The SEC and the ICO

Some people are making real money investing in cryptocurrencies. Just this year, Bitcoin has gained 300%. Another cryptocurrency, Ethereum, is up more than 2,300%.

An increasingly common use of these currencies is the initial coin offering, or ICO. Companies are using ICOs to raise funds by offering investors the chance to buy into a new venture using a cryptocurrency in exchange for virtual tokens instead of stock in the company. The tokens grant investors access to a product or service to be offered by the token issuer. Sound confusing? Heres how Kevin Roose illustrated the process in a column in the New York Times:

Imagine that a friend is building a casino and asks you to invest. In exchange, you get chips that can be used at the casinos tables once its finished. Now imagine that the value of the chips isnt fixed, and will instead fluctuate depending on the popularity of the casino, the number of other gamblers and the regulatory environment for casinos. Oh, and instead of a friend, imagine its a stranger on the internet who might be using a fake name, who might not actually know how to build a casino, and whom you probably cant sue for fraud if he steals your money and uses it to buy a Porsche instead. Thats an ICO.



In recognition of the likelihood of abuse, Chinas Central Bank, the Peoples Bank of China, has recently put an end to ICOs there, claiming they are rife with fraud, pyramid schemes and other criminal activity. Chinese ICOs scheduled to launch this month have been put on hold.

The SEC, perhaps because it lacks the sweeping powers of Chinas Central Bank, has taken a more measured approach in warning potential ICO sponsors and online platforms that support trading of tokens that they might be subject to US securities laws, which they have pretty much ignored to date. The SEC picked on one particular ICO, which called itself The DAO, which stands for Decentralized Autonomous Organization, a term used to describe a virtual organization embodied in computer code and executed on a distributed ledger or block chain.

The concept of a DAO entity is memorialized in the document known as a White Paper. This one would use smart contracts to solve governance issues it described as inherent in traditional corporations. The DAOs website explained its intended purpose this way: To blaze a new path in business for the betterment of its members, existing simultaneously nowhere and everywhere and operating solely with the steadfast iron will of unstoppable code. (Seriously?)

The token issue sold out. However, before The DAO could commence funding projects, an attacker exploited a flaw in its code to steal approximately one-third of The DAOs assets.

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A Position of Responsibility

As the MiFID II implementation date draws closer, implications for US firms continue to emerge. One area raising questions in the listed derivatives space is around position reporting and commodity position limits. Under MiFID II, EU investment firms are required to submit position reports to the regulators. Position limits under MiFID II are applicable to a person which is, presumably, the end client.

However, in a recent Q & A that discussed position reporting, ESMA stated that while entity-by-entity reporting is encouraged, it recognized that an investment firm may not be able to disaggregate an end clients positions, and there is no obligation for a non-investment firm to provide disaggregated positions. For a non-investment firm such as a US FCM with a client omnibus account at an EU broker, if the positions are reported at the aggregated omnibus level, and exceed a position limit, will it be considered a substantive position limit violation? What steps will an FCM need to take to avoid a regulatory problem if confronted with this scenario?

We can only wait for additional guidance from the regulators regarding the interplay between position limits and position reporting to clarify the scope of responsibilities for non-investment firms impacted by MiFID ll.

Jeff Anderson is the Derivatives Compliance Product Manager at Fidessa

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Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 2

The Chandigarh Press Club today held a protest in the wake of killings and threats to journalists on a nationwide call of the Federation of Press Clubs of India.

As many as 42 journalists have sacrificed their lives across the country in 25 years in violence against the media, three of them in one month alone.

This startling, but disturbing, fact was highlighted during a protest against the recent attacks on journalists.

Over 100 journalists, covering Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh, both from the print and electronic media, participated in the protest to express solidarity with their fellow colleagues who sacrificed their lives while performing duty.

During the protest, journalists also formed a human chain. A wide array of issues ranging from the importance of the fourth pillar in a democratic country to the role of the government; both states and the Centre, in ensuring the safety of journalists were discussed.

Intolerance is the dominant theme today and its backed by empirical data. Hate mails and SMSes are a routine trend. We have gathered here to protect the democracy. It is time to take a stand and the Press must stay united, said veteran journalist Vipin Pubby.

Journalists have to be conscious of their own safety. Safety on duty is an important part of a journalists skill set; though there is no second thought that law and order has to be maintained by the government machineries, said Ashok Malik, former vice-president of the National Union of Journalists India.

Around two decades ago, a journalists voice was considered and weighed with great respect. But now we have an atmosphere where anything against anybody leads to attacks on the person. We need a new law to tackle such kind of situations, said Vinod Kohli, president, Chandigarh Punjab Journalists Union.

Often, journalists have to face court cases long after they have reported something, said Avtar Singh, president of the Chandigarh Journalist Association.

Chandigarh Press Club senior vice-president Saurabh Duggal, who moderated the session, said: It is unfortunate that the common man is jailed for liking Facebook posts that are critical of the government but the killers of journalists roam free.

Club president Jaswant Rana said it was important to ensure that journalists maintain unity and the club would always stand by them, who must never feel that they are alone.
Hasan Suroor

Hasan Suroor

IN Steven Spielbergs film, The Terminal, a man from a politically unstable East European country steps off the plane in New York only to be taken aside and given the bad news that he would not be allowed to enter or leave America because while he was in the air his country had fallen off the map. A civil war had broken out and the US no longer recognised it as a sovereign country, thus rendering him a stateless person. His situation, a legal non-entity stuck in a no-mans land, makes a fascinating study into the plight of stateless people. In the film, it all ends well eventually, but in real life of course its a different story.

The Rohingya crisis has revived the debate on the condition of stateless people with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees promising to end all statelessness by 2024, but it is not clear how. In the absence of any mandatory powers to force countries to accept them it can only appeal to them on moral grounds but when even the saintly Aung San Suu Kyi can cynically turn a deaf ear to such appeals theres little hope others will bother. If anything, her defiant stance will only embolden them.

Its estimated that there are more than 10 million stateless people globally. Like the Rohingya in Myanmar, many face persecution, xenophobia and discrimination in the countries where theyre settled. According to the UN, they are denied basic rights such as education, healthcare, employment and freedom of movement. Without these things, they can face a lifetime of obstacles and disappointment, it says.

But it is only in extreme cases that they are expelled as a matter of state policy, as in Myanmar. A comparable example was the expulsion of 70,000 blacks from Mauritania  a former French colony divided between Arab-Berber and black African ethnic groups  in 1989-1990. Although they have since been allowed to return, they are still struggling to gain nationality. The mass exodus of the Rohingya from Myanmars Rakhine state following a wave of attacks by the security forces and militant Buddhist nationalists has been called a textbook case of ethnic cleansing by a UN official in whats seen as a direct indictment of Suu Kyi, her countrys presumed moral conscience.

Bizarrely, she has responded to the mounting international pressure to intervene to stop the atrocities by dismissing the killings, rape and torture of some 1.5 million Muslims as fake news. Her claim that the Rohingya are leaving of their own accord is contradicted by independent witnesses, western intelligence agencies, and TV footage of burnt down villages and charred bodies. Myanmars refusal to agree to an independent international investigation speaks for itself: it doesnt want the world to know the truth.

It has not gone unnoticed that India is the only liberal democracy which has so unequivocally endorsed the Myanmar governments stand blaming the crisis entirely on Rohingya terrorists. During his visit to Myanmar last month, Narendra Modi told Suu Kyi, We share your concern about the extremist violence in the Rakhine state and especially the violence against the security forces and how innocent lives have been affected and killed.

His host, facing international isolation, was naturally ecstatic and profusely thanked him for his strong stance.

Suu Kyis cynical indifference to the suffering of thousands of innocent people has surprised many, but those who know her say she has always been extremely pragmatic, with a strong instinct for self-preservation. She dumped her ailing British husband Michael Aris, an Oxford historian, and her two sons when she had to choose between living in Myanmar and visiting Aris after he was diagnosed with cancer in the 1980s. She feared that the junta would not allow her to return if she left. He died in 1999. Rebecca Frayn, who made a film on her, has written that when she accepted his proposal (to marry him) she struck a deal: if her country should ever need her, she would have to go. And Michael readily agreed. She defended her decision in the name of her love for her people.

But, returning to the problem of stateless people, a distinction must be made between individuals, who may had their nationality revoked for a specific reason, and stateless ethnic groups such as Sri Lankan Tamils, the Ahmadiyyas, Uighurs, Kurds, Catalans, and the Rohingya. They are the most contentious category and at the heart of many serious ethnic conflicts. Palestinians are unique in that they had their homeland taken away from them to create a Jewish state. Some 70 years later, Palestinians are still fighting for justice. Today, they are the best-known ethnic group without a properly defined state. Israels own behaviour illustrates how even the once-oppressed people can themselves turn into oppressors when their circumstances change.

Meanwhile, theres a notion that all stateless people are innocent victims engaged in a just and righteous struggle, but the reality is that among them are a lot of dubious claimants wearing the halo of stateless martyrs. Often militant separatists on the run declare themselves stateless, go into exile abroad to carry on their propaganda. Its important, therefore, to distinguish between stateless people defined by the UN as those not considered as a national by any state under the operation of its law and other categories of refugees and asylum-seekers  all of whom are routinely lumped together by relief agencies and rights groups. They are a booming cottage industry with thousands of jobs at stake and bosses of some international charities earning eye-watering salaries. No wonder, they love a good crisis. The bigger a humanitarian crisis the more funding they hope to get; hence the temptation to exaggerate. This is not to play down the seriousness of the problem but there is need to understand its unique nature if the international community is serious about tackling it. Treating stateless people simply as refugees who only need temporary shelter and food is the wrong way to go about it. The problem has its roots in the concerned nations colonial histories, and must be tackled politically.

The UNs pledge to eradicate statelessness by 2024 is the sort of unrealistic target that has made the world body look such a failure. The Rohingya crisis is the latest addition to the long catalogue of its failures. Finally, Indias stand has dealt a serious blow to its reputation as a moral force in international politics. It stands enormously diminished in the eyes of the world.

The author is a London-based commentator
Toronto, October 2

Jagmeet Singh, an Ontario provincial lawmaker and practising Sikh, was elected on Sunday as leader of Canadas left-leaning New Democrats, becoming the first non-white politician to head a major Canadian political party.

The 38-year-old lawyer, whose penchant for colourful turbans and tailor-made three-piece suits made him a social media star, was elected on the first ballot to lead the New Democratic Party into the 2019 federal election against Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus Liberals.

EDIT: Visible minority leader

Thank you, New Democrats. The run for Prime Minister begins now, Singh tweeted. He secured 54 per cent of the vote to become the new head of the NDP, succeeding Thomas Mulcair.

The Toronto-area politician had been touted as someone who could bring new life to the party, which has struggled since the death of charismatic leader Jack Layton in 2011.

Singhs profile was boosted in early September after a video went viral showing him calmly responding with words of love to a heckler who interrupted a campaign event to accuse him of wanting to impose Islamic law.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

Born in Scarborough, Ontario, to immigrant parents from Punjab, Singh grew up in St Johns, Newfoundland and Labrador and Windsor. He obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in biology from the University of Western Ontario in 2001 and a Bachelor of Laws from York Universitys Osgoode Hall Law School in 2005. He worked as a criminal defence lawyer in the Greater Toronto Area before entering politics. Sikhs account for 1.4 per cent of Canadas population.

Trudeau congratulated his new political rival, saying: I look forward to speaking soon and working together for Canadians. Singh will now focus on rallying supporters and targeting centre-left voters who helped propel Trudeaus Liberals to a decisive victory in 2015.

Singh does not have a seat in the federal Parliament and will have to win one. He also needs to persuade voters that his party can form a government, although it has never held power federally.

There are also questions over whether he will have success in Quebec, the mainly French-speaking province, where overt signs of faith are frowned upon.  Agencies
ALONG with the benumbed Americans, the rest of the world received in shock and disbelief ghastly news of yet another mass shooting, this time in Las Vegas. A lone gunman  a 64-year-old white man  mowed down a mostly white crowd at a musical event in a recreational resort. The gunman, identified as Stephen Paddock, who killed himself rather than surrender to the police, was reported to have as many as 23 weapons in his possession in the hotel room, including rifles and pistols. Las Vegas is the poster town of American free spirit; it is located in Nevada which has one of the most lenient gun laws in America.

The sheer brutality of shooting down of 59 people is overwhelming, even more galling is the utter helplessness of the dysfunctional American political system in doing something about the free availability of guns that makes it a childs play for any deranged individual to kill fellow Americans. The outside world is unable to understand the American gun law laxity. The Second Amendment to the American Constitution confers on the citizens a right to bear arms and it has been one of the most fiercely divisive issues in American domestic politics in recent decades as violence, individual and collective, has overwhelmed institutions of social harmony and public trust. The National Rifle Association has emerged as the passionate defender of the Second Amendment; as many as 55 million Americans have firearms.

President Trump has been prompt to offer his condolences to the families of Las Vegas victims, without any hint of disapproval of the gun laws. That is no surprise; he received crucial support from the powerful gun lobby in his presidential bid. The figures are staggering: as many as 11,000 lives slain by guns in 2017 so far. A violent man is a challenge to guardians of law and order anywhere; but a mad man who can have very easy access to guns is a blot on any civilised society. That a sick mind in America can still have access to unlimited numbers of guns suggests a frightening breakdown in a social order.
Sushil Manav and Rajinder Nagarkoti



Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 3

Haryana Police on Tuesday arrested Honeypreet Insan, the adopted daughter of jailed Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, from near Zirakpur in Punjab.

Panchkula Commissioner of Police Arshinder Singh Chawla confirmed the arrest saying she would be produced before the court on Wednesday and the police would seek her remand. He said she was arrested around 3 pm from Zirakpur-Patiala road.

He said that the police would take action against those who had given shelter to her during the period she was on the run.

She will be questioned over her role in violence that followed Ram Rahims guilty verdict on August 25, and over suspicions that she planned a jailbreak for the Dera chief.

Chawla refused to comment on rumours that Honeypreet was arrested by Punjab Police and handed over to Haryana, but said police had already begun questioning her. He also dispelled rumours about her having turned herself in.

Read: HC asks dera heads ex-driver to file affidavit; matter listed for Oct 6

It wasnt a surrender; it was an arrest," Chawla said. He also said that the Burqa-clad woman in Delhi advocates office was not Honeypreet.

Women cops were present at the time of the arrest. The other woman who was arrested was driving the vehicle, Chawla said.

Earlier on Tuesday, Honeypreet, in an interview to a TV news channel, said she would surrender before a Panchkula court . In the interview, she said she would also file an application for bail in the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

She said all allegations levelled against her were baseless. She alleged that she was being shown in bad light by the media and others. She alleged that the government had wrongly implicated her in a sedition case.

She said she went with her father, Ram Rahim, to the court like any daughter would do, and that too, with the government's permission.

"Every daughter remains with her father, I went with him. Have you heard me saying a word where I instigate people. I had gone there (to CBI court in Panchkula) with a hope that my father will return by evening, but when he was held guilty, I went into depression, how could I think about anything else, I was totally devastated," she said.

When told that her ex-husband Vishwas Gupta and a few Dera followers had accused her of having illicit relations with Ram Rahim, she refuted the allegations.

Priyanka Taneja alias Honeypreet, who tops the list of 43 people 'wanted' by the Haryana Police in connection with the incidents of violence that left at least 41 people dead and several injured following Ram Rahim's conviction, said she was seeking legal opinion on her next step and was likely to move the Punjab and Haryana High Court here.

"Was I present with the arsonists (during the mayhem in Panchkula on August 25), how are they levelling such allegations," she said while sitting inside a car at an undisclosed location.

Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

Honeypreet has been on the run following the conviction of Ram Rahim in two rape cases. Haryana Police had issued a lookout notice for her.

Honeypreet has been accused of hatching the "escape plan" of Ram Rahim after his conviction.

Honeypreet, in her thirties, accompanied Ram Rahim when he was brought to the special CBI court in Panchkula for the pronouncement of the verdict in the 15-year-old rape case on August 25.

Honeypreet was last seen with the Dera chief outside the court and in a chopper, arranged to take Ram Rahim to Rohtak jail. She had appealed to the court that she might be granted permission to stay in the lock-up with the Dera chief as a helper, which was turned down.

Read: Loud interiors, pink wardrobes and a lift

Haryana minister withdraws Rs 51 lakh assistance to dera

Ex-minister for white paper on dera search

Followers fear losing houses in dera colonies
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 3

The SIT constituted by the UT police to probe the HCS (Judicial) paper leak case has recorded the statements of the three accused  Registrar (Recruitment) Balwinder Sharma and two beneficiaries Sunita and Sushila.

An FIR in the paper leak charge was registered on September 19 after the Punjab and Haryana High Court recommended scrapping of the HCS (Judicial) preliminary examination.

Sources said the three accused were called for questioning and their statements have been recorded.

Apart from the three accused, the SIT has also quizzed some other persons. The Chandigarh Police will submit their probe report in the Punjab and Haryana High Court on October 10.

A High Court committee looking into the case had recommended scrapping of the examination after prima facie finding that some candidates had access to the question paper. The committee had said at least two candidates, Sunita and Sushila, had the question paper and the possibility of other candidates having access to it could not be ruled out. The committee had also stated that Registrar (Recruitment) Balwinder Sharma unequivocally denied prior acquaintance with Sunita, the general category topper.

The call details furnished by the service provider, on the other hand, revealed that 760 calls and SMSs were exchanged between Sharma and Sunita over the past one year.
Tribune News Service

Rohtak, October 3

Patients were at the receiving end as junior resident doctors at Pt BD Sharma PGIMS here today launched an indefinite strike in protest against alleged misbehavior by the police with a woman resident doctor yesterday. She was summoned by the police for questioning in connection with a newborn going missing from the hospital within a few minutes after delivery on September 10. Ravinder Kumar, DSP, however, refuted the charges and alleged that the police was deliberately being blamed as doctors did not want to join investigation.

All scheduled surgeries were deferred today while hundreds of patients had to go without routine ultrasound tests due to the strike . Over 80 major surgeries and 500 ultrasound tests are carried out daily. However, emergency surgery and ultrasound tests were performed, said sources.

Some attendants accused the doctors of discharging their patients due to the strike but the PGIMS administration refuted the charges, stating senior doctors have been pressed into service to provide OPD and emergency services.

Jangbir Grewal, president of the Resident Doctors Association (RDA), said cops misbehaved with Dr Heena Fatima when she went to the PGIMS police station to join investigation. She had been under acute mental stress since the incident.

Though we immediately informed the PGIMS administration about the incident, it neither paid any heed nor assured us of taking steps against the police. Hence, they had to go on strike with immediate effect for getting justice, said Grewal.

Blaming the PGIMS administration for the newborn missing case, he said resident doctors were being made a scapegoat to hide the lapses on the part of the administration.

We are ready to cooperate with the police but the investigation should be made at the office of the PGIMS Medical Superintendent (MS) instead of the police station. Medico-legal expert should be provided to resident doctors, besides free legal service, said Grewal. They would not end their strike until the above demands were met, he added.

A special investigation team (SIT) is probing the case . The SIT has decided to conduct the lie-detector test on 12 hospital staff members, including doctors, nurses and security guards, who were on duty at the time of the incident.

Dr OP Kalra, Vice-Chancellor, Pt BD Sharma University of Health Sciences, said resident doctors should cooperate with the police in the investigation. All necessary arrangements had been made to provide all medical services, he added.
Ravinder Saini

Tribune News Service

Rohtak, October 3

Patients were at the receiving end as resident doctors at PGIMS here on Tuesday went on strike against the alleged misbehaviour by the police with a woman doctor.

The doctor had gone to the police station in connection with a missing newborn case.

PGIMS authorities roped in senior doctors to provide emergency services to the patients.

The protesting doctors said they had to go on strike as the authorities refused to take any step against the alleged misbehaviour by the police.

PGIMS authorities summoned an emergency meeting of its officers to deal with the situation.

The protesting doctors gathered outside the MS office to register their protest.
Shiv Kumar Sharma

Tribune News Service

Yamunanagar, October 2

Former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda today promised to complete the Dadupur-Nalvi canal and pay every penny of enhanced compensation to farmers against their land acquired for the project, if voted to power in the coming Assembly elections.

He was addressing farmers, who have been sitting on an indefinite dharna in front of the New Grain Market in Jagadhri for the past 42 days, demanding release of enhanced compensation. Now, they also want the denotificaion of the canal cancelled. We are with farmers in their struggle. We will force the state BJP government to revoke the decision of denotificaion of the canal and pay compensation to farmers, said Hooda.

He said if the BJP government did not take back this wrong decision, they would complete the canal project and pay every penny of enhanced compensation to farmers after coming to power in the state in 2019. The former CM said 70 per cent of the project had been completed and they would finish the remaining 30 per cent.

The Centre has declared this area a dark zone. Therefore, the canal shall prove a lifeline for this area and should not be closed, said Hooda.

He also said they would implement the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission on coming to power, adding that the government should fix the MSP of poplar and other crops.

Rohtak MP Deepender Hooda, former Assembly Speaker Kuldeep Sharma and formers state Congress president Phool Chand Mulana also addressed the protesters.
Arteev Sharma & Shyam Sood

Tribune News Service

Jammu/Rajouri, October 2

A nine-year-old boy and a teenage girl were killed while 14 others injured as Pakistani troops resorted to unprovoked firing and shelling at more than 10 villages and security posts along the Line of Control in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir today.

The deceased have been identified as Israr Ahmed of Qasba village and Yasmeen Akhta (16) of Digwar. Among the injured were two soldiers (Sepoys Santosh Gharti and Abhishek of the Gorkha Regiment) and 12 civilians, the condition of four of whom was stated to be critical, said an official.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

The Indian troops fired in retaliation and the exchange of fire continued till around 11 am. The Pakistan army started unprovoked and indiscriminate firing and lobbying of small arms, automatics and mortars at 7.15 am. The Indian Army retaliated effectively, said Col NN Joshi, defence spokesman.

Rajouri Deputy Commissioner Tariq Ahmad Zargar said four villages, including Qasba, Kirni and Digwar, were worst hit. Of the four critically injured, two were airlifted to Government Medical College and Hospital, Jammu, he said. Among the seriously injured was five-year-old Zabia Kousar of Digwar, who sustained splinter injuries in her abdomen and liver, said Dr Niaz Choudhry, Medical Superintendent, Poonch.

On September 29, the Pakistan Rangers had committed to uphold the ceasefire.
Arun Joshi

Tribune News Service

Is it a mere coincidence that the terror attacks have increased in the Valley when there has been a buzz about a dialogue to resolve the Kashmir issue? At a time when Delhis outreach has started gathering momentum, terrorists have renewed their violent campaign against security establishments and the state police. There is something more than what meets the eye.

Analysts would ascribe this to the typical security lapse theory  which may be true  but these attacks suggest a definite move by a desperate Pakistan to sabotage any move aimed at initiating Delhi-separatists talks. Islamabad is bent upon, as is its habit, rupturing the prospects for a dialogue. The fidayeen attack on the BSF camp in Humhama near the highly fortified Srinagar airport appears to have been aimed at filling the atmosphere with fear and making separatists run away from the talks table.

Pakistan is troubled by the fact that the world has censured it for its terror export machinery that is causing damage in India and Afghanistan apart from the western world.

Pakistan wants to achieve its foreign policy and strategic objectives through tools of terror. The fidayeen attack on the BSF camp early Tuesday morning or earlier at Police Lines in Pulwama are firm assaults on the security forces, which have achieved significant success in their anti-terror operations. The attacks also serve as a warning to separatists. Pakistan has been threatening them in this manner in the past too.

How is it a warning? Pakistani militants stage spectacular attacks to demonstrate that they are still there and no one should dare charter a course of dialogue with Delhi. This is a crude way of telling the pro-dialogue forces that they should shelve their plans to hold talks.

The second part is rather subtle. It does not want the separatists to feel that Pakistan has withdrawn its investment in the violence-perpetuating tools of terror. Terrorists would keep the relevance of separatists alive. It is this paradox that is at work.

Apart from that, the fact is that the political cult of Jammu and Kashmir is such that whenever such attacks take place, the tone and tenor of statements and writings smack of sadistic pleasure derived from the casualties of forces.

The message between the lines is that dont mess with militants. It is a fact that certain political sections and others have patronised militancy and saved militants from law-enforcing agencies. These sections are deeply unhappy with the anti-militancy operations and NIA raids. That is where their narrative converges with Pakistans because any fruitful dialogue between Delhi and separatists would deprive them of their relevance or whatever is left of that.
Srinagar, October 3

Security forces foiled an attempt by the Jaish-e-Mohammed to storm a BSF camp near the high-security Srinagar airport on Tuesday, killing all three militants in an operation that also claimed the life of an assistant sub-inspector of the force, police said.

State Director General of Police SP Vaid said the three terrorists who had sneaked into the BSF camp had been neutralized.

We are carrying out search operations inside the premises to rule out the possibility of planting of explosives, he said.

Officials in the know of developments said there was prior intelligence that a Jaish-e-Mohammed operative identified as Noora Trali had brought in a suicide squad into the city.

Briefing reporters later, Inspector General of Police (Kashmir range) Muneer Khan said the over-ground network of the terror group had been identified but did not divulge any further information.

Asked specifically whether Jaish-e-Mohammed was behind the attack, Khan said, Such attacks have been carried out only by this group.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

Assistant Sub-Inspector BK Yadav was killed and three BSF jawans injured when the three militants entered the BSF battalion headquarters at Gogoland, adjacent to the airport.

The old airfield, being manned by the Indian Air Force, is also located in the area.

Civilian air operations, which were suspended for nearly three hours in the morning, resumed at 10 am. I personally went to the airport and ensured that the public does not face any problem in catching the aircraft, Vaid said.

Piecing together the chain of events, police said militants entered the BSFs 182 battalion headquarters through a damaged perimeter wall and started firing in all directions.

Three BSF jawans were injured in the beginning of the attack and one militant killed in the retaliatory fire, a police official said. After this, the two remaining militants moved in different directions and took shelter in different buildings before being killed by security forces.

Yadavs body was recovered during the mopping-up operations.

Normal flight operations have resumed and passengers were boarding flights, said Sharad Kumar, director, Airports Authority of India, Srinagar.

The 182 Battalion is entrusted with the security of the runway of the Srinagar airport.

Jaish-e-Mohammad, the Pakistan-based militant outfit, has claimed responsibility for the attack.

A caller identifying himself as spokesman of the outfit told local news gathering agencies that Jaish militants had carried out the attack. PTI
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 3

Independent legislator Sheikh Abdul Rashid, popularly known as Rashid Engineer, today appeared before the National Investigation Agency for questioning in connection with a case related to the funding of terror activities in Kashmir, officials said.

Rashid, who is an Independent MLA from Langate Assembly seat in north Kashmir, is the first mainstream politician to have been summoned by the NIA in the case.

Rashid, who walked into the NIA headquarters with a file and documents, said he had nothing to hide.

After trial in the media started about my name, I had approached the Speaker of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly to initiate a probe and find out the truth, he told reporters before entering the NIA office. The MLA said he had full faith in the judicial system.

His name had cropped up during the interrogation of businessman Zahoor Watali, who was arrested by the NIA for allegedly supplying money to terror groups and separatists in the Valley.

The NIA had registered a case on May 30 against separatist and secessionist leaders, including unknown members of the Hurriyat Conference, who have been acting in connivance with active militants of proscribed terrorist organisations Hizbul Mujahideen, Dukhtaran-e-Millat, Lashkar-e-Toiba and other outfits and gangs, the officials said.

The case was registered for raising, receiving and collecting funds through various illegal means, including hawala, for funding separatist and terrorist activities in Jammu and Kashmir and for causing disruption in the Valley by way of throwing stones on the security forces, burning schools, damaging public property and waging war against India, the probe agency said in the FIR.

Hafiz Saeed, the Pakistan-based chief of the Jamaat-ud- Dawa, has been named in the FIR as an accused.

The FIR also names two factions of the Hurriyat, one led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani and the other by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq. The NIA has arrested 10 people so far in connection with the alleged funding of terror activities. The list includes Geelanis son-in-law Altaf Ahmed Shah and Watali.

Geelanis close aides Ayaz Akbar, who is also spokesperson of the hardline separatist organisation Tehreek- e-Hurriyat, and Peer Saifullah have also been arrested.
M Aamir Khan

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, October 3

The issue of withdrawal of security pickets from the Sikh-dominated areas of the Kashmir valley has unnerved the minority community members. Even as these pickets at several villages were reinstated after pleas, the Sikhs say a few other areas were still without these pickets and this had created a sense of insecurity among them.

First, these pickets were removed from several Sikh-dominated villages of south Kashmir. Later, after pleas from our sides, many were reinstated. However, the strength of personnel at some pickets has reduced while these have not been put back in place in other places. This has created fear in us, said Kashmira Singh, a resident of Palpora village in south Kashmir.

These pickets had been set up after the infamous Chattisinghpora massacre of 2000 in south Kashmir in which 35 Sikhs had been killed.

After 35 Sikhs got killed in the Chattisinghpora massacre, these security pickets were set up even though this was not our demand then. Now, they removed the same without consulting us and this has unnecessarily created suspicion. First you set them up and then you withdraw them.this is bound to create fear amongst us, said All Parties Sikh Coordination Committee (APSCC) chairman Jagmohan Singh Raina.

Sikhs did not ask for security after Chattisinghpora massacre but it was a government decision. After removal, these pickets were reinstated at several villages. However, in south Kashmir villages like Palpora and Kolghar near Achbal, pickets have not been put back. Also, three to six policemen were deployed earlier but now their strength has decreased at a few places like Chatrargam and Tral, Raina said.

Tehal Singh of Palpora said the government should refrain from further withdrawing of these pickets or reduction in the number of personnel guarding them.

Raina said they had raised the matter with Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and were hoping that the government would restore the confidence among the minority community.

We met the Chief Minister recently and raised these concerns before her. We hope that the government does not disappoint us and takes due steps so that the Sikh community can live in an atmosphere of peace, he said.
Swati Rai

Unless of course you have been living under a rock, youd know that apart from independent online portals, prestigious international universities have also started offering MOOCs (Massive, Online Open Course) for a greater reach. Welcome to a digital era of learning. Researchers predicted that Indias online education market size would reach $40 billion by 2017. If last years statistics shared by Coursera are to be believed, there were 13 lakh online learners from India out of the 180 lakh online learners on Coursera. There has been a 70 per cent jump over the past one year in the registrations of Indian users on the platform. These figures are indicative of the expected growth in the number of online learners in India. What has added to the attraction of these courses is that players in the higher education like Stanford, MIT, Wharton, Princeton and IITs of India have all contributed to the subject and development of MOOCs that are heavily subscribed to. Sometimes subscriptions run in millions of people across the world.

The question then arises of the sanctity of these courses, of career progression on the basis of these courses and their validity in the job market.

So you want to MOOC it?

An FAQs refresher is a good point to start from. These courses are intended for college-level students. Being aware of the differences between such a course and an Open Course Ware (OCW) portal is also essential. The latter may post course content however, it doesnt have a process of enrollments in a formal class. Tracking your own progress in a self-paced course can be most exacting especially when also engaged elsewhere professionally.

Keep in mind the time at hand, the platform you choose to do it from and most importantly how it will help in your career progression. The course should be chosen after a thorough study of the syllabus that helps build a substantial portfolio. A search of previous courses to see if the mentor or tutor has interactions with the students or not will be helpful. One should always go for a course that has the availability of a professor at least sometimes if not often.

Checking if the course is going to be helmed by Teaching Assistants should also be looked at. Avoiding fake websites and researching portals that are popular and widely subscribed to will also help!

Course credits

Most MOOCs are free to enroll in and pass out of with graded assignments, study material and online interface. However, since the retention rate of these courses is not phenomenal, some portals have also the option of either paying for the whole course or for paying extra for accredited degrees or certificates, college credits. This requires passing the exams and meeting deadlines.

Some platforms also allow one to continue with the course, get the assignments graded, access the material without fee which is only levied for a verified certificate that indicates a successful completion, The fee may vary from $30 to $150. There is, however, an option of doing the course for free and earning a digital badge exemplifying the skills learnt on the course. This could be highlighted on ones professional website or link as a mark of completion and learning. Take your Pick of the options!

Benefits

Ramya Srinivasan, Programme Manager, IIMBx shares, MOOCs have well-crafted learning experiences through a blend of videos, exercises, discussions and readings that offers a learner a more enriched learning experience. MOOCS also take advantage of OERs (Open Educational Resources) to offer learning nuggets from international experts that is not possible in a face-to-face delivery. It offers collaboration, as it facilitates virtual international limitless classroom where they can learn from and interact with students from diverse backgrounds and cultures.

MOOCs have democratised and made education accessible to all, though the reasons for opting for such a course may be varied. Avinash Bharwani, Vice-President, Jetking agrees, MOOC will give an opportunity to the less privileged students to learn new technologies, sciences, business management etc. This will create a skilled manpower in India and will create a massive workforce for future growth.

Choosing a course wisely and being informed of ones level of self discipline, is a good place to start from if one has to reap benefits of a MOOC.

Portals to check out

FutureLearn: One stop shop for popular online courses the subjects vary from Polity, Robotics to liberal arts. It also offers options for structured paid study courses and accredited degrees.

Udacity: Working in collaboration with companies like Facebook, Hootsuite, Hubspot and Google at Udacity, students learn social media marketing and SEO content strategizing among the many other varied topics

Coursera: Online courses some free the others paid, Coursera also offers certification in some courses along with specialization for those interested. From business specializations, life sciences to math and logic et al.

edX: A mix of popular free courses along with those that charge a fee, some of edX courses have instructors who are affiliated with Harvard, Berkeley, and other such prestigious institutions. The courses are self paced as in others too.

Harvard Open Courses: Wish to learn courses such as American Poetry directly from the class at Harvard? You could try this portal where there are videotaped lectures from actual classes at the university.
Amarjot Kaur

This may come as a little surprise to our brown babus, still suffering from colonial hangover, but the bible of Grammar Nazis  Oxford English Dictionary  has added as many as 45 colloquial Indian-origin words, from a total of 216, in its new words list released this September.

Talking about remunerations in a viral video, MP Shashi Tharoor had said the British looted India to the extent of taking loot to their dictionaries. This loot also included words like pyjamas, thug (yeah, those viral Thuglife videos you watch on YouTube is a Hindi word; thug that means a cheater or someone who steals), also guru, yoga, jungle, bangle, and avatar (rings a bell? Oscar-winning movie? Avatar?). Achcha bas, well come to the point. So, next time you hear a foreigner say achcha bachcha, just believe it means exactly what youre thinking of it in Hindi. Even bas for that matter.

By the very virtue of evolution, especially in cultural context, language must adapt, innovate, and incorporate new styles and even words. Post-truth was Oxford English Dictionarys Word of the Year, in 2016. It is an adjective defined as relating to or denoting circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief.

How possibly can any other word in English define jugaad thats so typical of Indias unique art of creating something out of anything by hook or by crook? We fix it; we deal with it, as would any other second-most populated country in this world.

In 2015, jugaad was added in Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary.

Heres a list of the Indian-origin words that make perfect sense in English

Anna: Elder brother

Bada din (also Burra Din): Christmas.

Bapu: A father (often as a form of address).

Bas: Stop.

Bhavan: A building used for a special purpose, such as meetings or concerts.

Bhindi: Okra.

Chacha: Uncle

Chakka jam: Deliberately creating a traffic jam as a form of protest

Chamcha: An obsequious person.

Chaudhuri: The headman of a region; a local chief.

Chhi-chhi: Used to express disgust.

Chup: Be quiet.

Dadagiri: Intimidating, coercive, or bullying behaviour.

Desh: A persons or a peoples native land.

Devi: The supreme goddess, often identified with Parvati and Sakti.

Didi: An older sister or older female cousin

Diya: A small cup-shaped oil lamp made of baked clay.

Dum: Cooked with steam.

Funda: A basic or fundamental principle underlying something.

Gosht: Red meat.

Gulab jamun: An Indian sweet consisting of a ball of deep-fried paneer boiled in sugar syrup.

Gully: An Indian alley

Haat: A market, especially one held on a regular basis in a rural area.

Jai: Victory.

Jhuggi: A slum dwelling typically made of mud and corrugated iron.

Ji: Used with names and titles to show respect

Jugaad: A flexible approach to problem-solving that uses limited resources in an innovative way.

Keema: Minced meat.

Kund: A tank or small reservoir in which rainwater is collected for drinking.

Maha: Very large or great.

Mirch: Chilli peppers or chilli powder.

Mirch masala: Elements providing interest or excitement.

Nagar: A town, city, or suburb.

Nai: A barber.

Namkeen: A small savoury snack or dish.

Natak: Drama or dramatic art.

Nivas: A place of residence; a house, block of flats, etc.

Qila: A fort or fortress.

Sevak: A male servant or attendant, especially a male attendant in a temple responsible for performing or assisting with the daily rituals of worship.

Sevika: A woman employed to advise and assist in matters of community welfare and development.

Tappa: A short folk song of northern Indian origin.

Timepass: The action or fact of passing the time, typically in an aimless or unproductive way.

Udyog: A company, especially one involved in manufacturing.

Vada: An Indian dish consisting of a ball made from ground pulses and deep-fried.
Tribune News Service

Lucknow, October 3

Violence erupted in Allahabad after BSP leader Rajesh Yadav was shot dead outside an Allahabad University hostel on Tuesday morning.

Enraged BSP workers torched two Roadways buses near the India Press chowk and damaged property of a private hospital, demanding the early arrest of the culprits.

Rajesh, along with his friend Mukul Singh, had gone to meet someone outside the universitys Tara Chand Hostel when the incident took place early this morning, the police said.

Eyewitnesses said the BSP leader and his friend had an altercation with some people who threw stones at their car and then shot Rajesh in his stomach. His friend drove him to a nearby hospital where the BSP leader succumbed to his injuries.

His attackers fled, but the police found two empty cartridges inside Rajeshs SUV.

The 45-year-old BSP leader had contested the Assembly elections from Bhadohi earlier this year. The victims wife filed a complaint against Mukul and others at the Colonelganj police station.

BSP chief Mayawati decried the rising political killings under the BJP regime. On March 20, another BSP leader Mohd Shami had been shot near his house in Allahabad.

Two slaughter cow in Gonda, held
Satya Prakash

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 3

The Supreme Court on Tuesday wondered if a high court could annul a marriage between two adults while hearing a writ petition under Article 226 of the Constitution.

A Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra posed the question during hearing of a petition filed by Shafin Jahan (27), the man who married Akhila, a Hindu girl, after she converted to Islam and became Hadia.

The Bench also sought to know if Akhila, an adult, could be kept in her fathers custody against her will.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

On a petition filed by Akhilas father KM Ashokan, the Kerala High Court had annulled the marriage and handed over her custody to him. Jahan has challenged the HCs verdict before the top court. Ashokan alleged it was a fraudulent conversion. Jahan is seeking recall of the order for an NIA probe.

On behalf of Jahan, senior counsel Dushyant Dave questioned the courts order for an NIA probe into the case. He said two senior BJP leaders were married to members of the minority community. Will Your Lordships order an NIA probe into these marriages too? Dave asked.

An NIA probe into Hadiyas marriage strikes at the very foundation of a multi-religious society, said Dave.

On behalf of the NIA, Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta opposed it, saying it was the court which ordered the NIA probe and there was a pattern to conversions and such marriages in Kerala.

Pattern or no pattern, the question is, can the high court annul the marriage by exercising its powers under Article 226 of the Constitution, the bench said.

The Bench posted the matter for further hearing on October 9 after Mehta sought adjournment on the grounds that ASG Maninder Singh who had been appearing in the case was not available.

The top court had on August 16 ordered an NIA investigation into conversion of Akhila, a Hindu girl, to Islam and her subsequent marriage to Jahan, a Muslim man in Kerala after the NIA hinted that those involved in these conversions and marriages had links with SIMI, a banned organisation.

The NIAs preliminary report submitted to the top court had hunted that it did not appear to be an isolated case and required further investigation.

A bench headed by the then CJI JS Khehar had referred to the Blue Whale Challenge, an online game that has driven many teens to commit suicide.

Like in the Blue Whale game, nowadays you can persuade people to do anything, the Bench had said.

When the Bench on August 10 asked the Kerala Police Crime Branch to hand over the case files to NIA for a preliminary assessment, Shafin opposed it, leaving the court to wonder why he was so opposed to the agency examining the case.

The Kerala Government which didnt oppose the NIA probe, now wants to file an affidavit in the case.

Referring to the NIA report, ASG Singh had on August 16 said, Role of one lady is under investigation. Prima facie it has been found that entities are common in these cases. This is the second case. There is a pattern. The girls first get converted and then they refuse to stay with their family members and subsequently their marriage is done. This matter requires further investigation.

The two outfits involved in this case perhaps were having links with SIMI, Singh had said.

The top court has already made it clear, Before forming any opinion or arriving at a conclusion, we would like to consider the NIAs probe report, inputs from Kerala Police and talk to the woman.
Smita Sharma

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 3

Liquor baron Vijay Mallya was arrested for the second time in London on Tuesday and granted bail shortly afterwards on previous bail conditions.

Mallya, who has been on the run from law and evading Indian investigative agencies, was arrested by the UK Metropolitan Police in relation to ongoing proceedings, the Crown Prosecution said, and was presented before the Westminster Magistrates Court for bail.

Speaking outside the Westminster Magistrates' Court, Mallya said that he has "done nothing wrong" and described the allegations against him as "fabricated".

#WATCH:Visuals of #VijayMallya leaving Westminster Magistrates' Court after being granted bail;was arrested on fresh money laundering charge pic.twitter.com/oODhQjUuGt  ANI (@ANI) October 3, 2017

According to official Indian sources: This arrest was pursuant to the extradition request made by the Government of India based on money laundering charges against him.

The once King of Good Times has been arrested under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act for defaulting banks to the tune of nearly Rs 9,000 crore, loaned by consortium of banks to the now defunct Kingfisher Airlines. He has now accused of diverting the money to tax havens.

Mallya had earlier been arrested on April 18 this year on separate charges of fraud based on an FIR by the Central Bureau of Investigation, but was released on bail thereafter.

Sources added that this was simply a technical arrest with money laundering added to the earlier charges of fraud, but with no change in bail conditions.

Mallya had managed to give the slip to agencies in India in March last year when he flew out to London on an indefinite leave to remain visa that allows him indefinite stay in UK, and has refused to appear before Indian courts and investigators.

The court will hear the case on December 4  the last hearing in the case.

The CBI and the Enforcement Directorate  another agency investigating him  have handed a dossier of some 2000 pages against him to investigation agencies in the United Kingdom. With PTI
Shiv Kumar

Tribune News Service

Mumbai, October 3

Citizens are resorting to Public Interest Litigation petitions against the Indian Railways following Fridays stampede at the Elphinstone Road railway station here which claimed 23 lives.

According to sources, at least three PILs have been filed so far with the first petition being placed before the courts hours after the tragedy.

One of the petitioners, Pradeep Bhalekar, a city resident, moved the Bombay High Court seeking the arrest of Railway officials on charges of negligence and culpable homicide following the stampede deaths.

According to Bhalekars advocate Nitin Satpute, the petition also wants a court supervised inquiry into the incident.

The petitioner stated that the issue of the narrow foot overbridge on Elphinstone Road railway station had been raised by citizens over the years, but no action was taken by either the Railways or the government.

A fresh petition filed today wanted the National Investigation Agency to probe whether the stampede was an act of soft terror.

The petition filed by two perfumes traders, Faisal Banaraswala and Abdul Qureshi, has been posted for urgent hearing on October 5, according to sources.

Banaraswala (47), who calls himself a social worker, said rumours of the bridge collapse and a short circuit which allegedly led to the stampede were employed for soft terror attacks.

His advocates mentioned the PIL before Justice Bhushan Gavai and sought an early hearing in the matter.

Banaraswala is said to have filed a complaint with the Mumbai police alleging that the stampede was a case of terrorism.

Meanwhile, sources in the Railways said 13 safety audit teams have fanned across the suburban train network in Mumbai to look into the problems of crowding and dispersal of commuters during peak hours.



These teams are shooting video footage at major railway stations and are expected to submit their report in the next fortnight, according to sources.




Satya Prakash

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 3

After senior advocate Fali Nariman questioned the government decision to identify and deport Rohingya immigrants terming it arbitrary, the Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the government to explain the issues of humanitarian concern raised by the noted jurist.

Nariman, who came to India as a refugee from Burma during the British rule, contested the Centres submission that the issue of Rohingya immigrants was non-justiciable and the court should leave it to the executive to decide.

He countered the governments argument that right to file a petition before the Supreme Court under Article 32 of the Constitution was not available to non-citizens. Terming the governments submission as absurd, Nariman asserted that Article 14 (guarantee against arbitrariness in State action), 21 (right to life and liberty) and 32 (right to move the Supreme Court) rights were available to all persons.

Appearing before a Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra on behalf of two Rohingyas who had challenged the Governments decision to deport them, Nariman said the obligation to grant asylum was universal.

Our Constitution is not based on Group Rights like the French Constitution, it is based on Individual Rights. Union of India has always tried to advance Refugee rights. It is making such an argument for the first time, the veteran lawyer said.

There are at least two other petitions  one each by former RSS ideologue KN Govindacharya and Chennai-based NGO  Indic Collective  demanding deportation of Rohingyas on the ground that they posed a serious security threat to India.

Alleging that Rohingyas had connections with ISI and the Islamic State, The Centre too described them as a security threat to the country. It said there were organized gangs involved in bringing them to India and helping them settle in various parts of the country, particularly Jammu.

During his arguments, Nariman questioned the governments attempt to paint all Rohingyas as terrorists. If the government had any specific information about any Rohingyas being terrorists, those persons could be excluded from the applicability of the Refugee Convention and dealt with separately by the agencies concerned, he said.

Nariman pointed out that though India was not a signatory to the Refugee Convention, 1951, it was a signatory to several other International Conventions, which prohibited involuntary deportation of refugees.

On behalf of the Centre, Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta asserted that the issue was non-justifiable and said he would like to argue on the question of maintainability of the petition. It should be left to the executive to decide, he said.

The CJI said it would be difficult to accept the lack of jurisdiction of the court in a matter concerning human rights, particularly on the plight of women and children. The court should be very slow in abdicating its jurisdiction, he added.

Directing the parties to compile a list of government notifications, treaties, conventions and relevant cases on refugee law in India, the Bench posted the matter for hearing on October 13.

Meanwhile, in a fresh affidavit filed in the top court, the Centre said: "As a sovereign State, India will always honour such obligations which are binding obligations. Having said that, it is reiterated that India is not a signatory to United Nation Convention of 1951 and the Protocol of 1967 issued thereunder.

"The said Convention/Protocol is, therefore, not binding upon India and no other Declaration/Resolution/Convention/ international treaty or instrument of any kind is in force which prohibits India, as a sovereign nation, to exercise its right of deporting illegal immigrants in accordance with laws of India and thereby protecting the fundamental rights of its own citizens more particularly in the interest of national security," the Centre said.
Mumbai, October 3

Voicing concern over economic slowdown and unemployment under the Modi regime, NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Tuesday said the current situation of the country was a result of taking steps like demonetisation and GST roll-out without adequate preparedness.

The investment climate in the country is not good today and hence, there are no fresh investments. The Make in India slogan seemed very attractive initially, but its hollowness has begun to show now, he said at a press conference here.

The decisions of demonetisation and GST taken by the prime minister without adequate preparedness has dealt a heavy blow on the countrys economy, he said.

The veteran leader also slammed the Centre over incidents of terrorism in Kashmir, and said there were loopholes in the policies adopted by the government in the Valley.

The government should have demonstrated its willingness to establish a dialogue and resolve issues, he said.

Also taking a dim view of the Ahmedabad-Mumbai bullet train project, Pawar said technology and modernisation should be feasible.

I think a bullet train is required between Mumbai and Delhi or Delhi and Kolkata or Mumbai and Chennai. A bullet train between Mumbai and Ahmedabad is impractical. I do not know what is the purpose behind this bullet train? Maharashtra has barely got 4 stations (to be touched by the bullet train), while the maximum stops are in Gujarat. But, Maharashtra has to contribute equal finance in the project, he said.

The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader, however, hastened to add that he was not against benefits to Gujarat, but only wanted to point out that the project would not benefit Maharashtra.

Instead, the government should have taken steps to improve railway services in Mumbai and Maharashtra, he said.

Taking a jibe at Railway Minister Piyush Goyal, Pawar said, I thought he would have more knowledge about Mumbais local trains issues as he belongs to the city. Lal Bahadur Shastri had resigned after a train accident. I expected the same action from the railway minister (Goyal) but it did not happen.

A video clip was also played at the press meet, in which Prime Minister Narendra Modi was seen saying that a bullet train is to showcase the countrys strength.

Commenting on the issues faced by Maharashtra, Pawar said his party would take a call on launching an agitation over the loan waiver for farmers.

The chief minister has said that farmers will get a loan waiver by Diwali. But, if that does not happen, we will start an agitation after November 5. There will be a meeting in Aurangabad on November 5 in this regard. We will take the final call at the meeting, he said.

The former chief minister of Maharashtra said he has received various suggestions pertaining to the proposed agitation on loan waiver.

It includes non-cooperation movement and whether or not farmers should pay taxes to the government, he said.

The NCP chief claimed that the total outgo due to the loan waiver announced by the government would not exceed Rs 12,000 crore because most farmers will not be eligible for the scheme due to the governments impractical norms.

Asked about former chief minister Narayan Ranes decision to launch a party, Pawar said, He (Rane) could not even induct his own son in his party. What can I say more about this?

Pawar declined to comment on RSS chief Mohan Bhagwats critical remarks against the LDF government in Kerala, in which the NCP is a partner.

I do not take his comments seriously, he added.  PTI
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 3

The father of a seven-year-old boy, who was killed in Ryan International School, Gurugram, on Tuesday moved the Supreme Court against a Punjab and Haryana High Court order granting interim anticipatory bail to three trustees of Ryan International Group.

Barun Chandra Thakur, father of class-2 boy Pradhuman Thakur, challenged the High Courts September 28 order staying the arrest of Ryan group CEO Ryan Pinto and his parents, Group's founding chairman Augustine Pinto and Managing Director Grace Pinto, terming it illegal and unconstitutional.

Contending that the order was passed without hearing either the CBI or the slain childs family, the petitioner said the order should be set aside.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court had on September 28 stayed the arrest of three Ryan International Group trustees who had sought anticipatory bail in connection with the killing of Pradyuman in the school.

Justice Surinder Gupta had granted stay on the arrest of group CEO, Ryan Pinto, and his parents, founding chairman Augustine Pinto and managing director Grace Pinto, who had approached the High Court seeking anticipatory bail on September 16.

Ryan Pinto and his parents had approached the High Court, seeking anticipatory bail in connection with the killing of class 2 student Pradhuman, who was found with his throat slit in the washroom of a school run by their group on September 8.

Schoolbus conductor Ashok Kumar was arrested in connection with the crime the same day. On September 25, the High Court had impleaded CBI as a respondent in the petition seeking bail for the three Ryan group trustees.

The Haryana government had recommended a CBI probe in the matter following massive outrage. The agency took over the probe on September 22.

The Pintos, who are based in Mumbai, had earlier approached the Bombay High Court as they apprehended arrest in the case after the school was accused of negligence in the death of the seven-year-old. But the Bombay High Court rejected the transit anticipatory bail applications of the three trustees but granted them interim protection from arrest for a day to enable them file appeal.
Shiv Kumar

Tribune News Service

Mumbai, October 3



Heckled by angry commuters who were getting late for work, activists of the Nationalist Congress Party quickly wound up their rail rook protest over the death of 23 people in a stampede at Mumbai's Elphinstone Road railway station last Friday.



The NCP had announced that its activists would prevent trains on both Western and Central suburban lines from running. Officials of both the Central and Western railways said they deployed contingents of the Railway Protection Force to prevent any disruption in services.



However, with NCP workers descending on the train tracks at Kalwa station on the Central Railway this morning, several trains were delayed leading to disruption in services. The RPF cleared the protestors in less than half an hour, but the few minutes delay has led to a cascading disruption in services, a CR official said.



NCP workers also tried to halt trains at Jogeshwari railway station on the Western line. However, they were chased away by RPF personnel.



At both the railway stations, the NCP tried to play on the demand for increased services. Commuters had in the past also protested poor connectivity from these two railway stations.



However, today's protest by the political party had little support from commuters who were going to work after the long weekend.



By mid-morning NCP leader Jitendra Awhad called off the protest saying the party had made its point.






Satya Prakash

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 3

The Supreme Court on Tuesday issued notices to the Centre and the Election Commission on a PIL demanding transparency in funding of political parties.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra asked the Centre and the poll panel to respond to the PIL filed by Association for Democratic Reforms (DAR) and Centre for Public Interest Litigation (CPIL) challenging the governments attempt to legalise anonymous donations and relax cap on corporate donations to political parties for election funds.

The petitioners questioned the validity of various amendments made through Finance Act, 2017 and Finance Act, 2016 in Companies Act, Income Tax Act, Representation of People Act, Reserve Bank of India Act and Foreign Contribution Regulations Act.

On behalf of the petitioners, advocate Prashant Bhushan told the bench that political parties must not be allowed to accept any cash donations. The amendments removed the cap that barred corporate entities from donating more than 7.5% of their average net profit to a political party, he pointed out.

Political funding has been a major concern as the system lacked transparency. Most political parties prefer not to disclose the names of their donors and have devised their own mechanism to circumvent existing laws that have proved to be inadequate to enforce transparency.

The Election Commission in its 255th Report submitted to the government in March 2015 recommended that political parties should fully and clearly disclose all the amounts received and the expenditure incurred by them. It also recommended that the EC should then upload these audited accounts online or keep them on file for public inspection on payment of fee. But the report has been hanging fire.

According to the petitioners, Finance Act, 2017 introduced the use of electoral bonds which is exempt from disclosure under the Representation of People Act, 1951.

Finance Act, 2016 amended the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) allowing foreign companies with subsidiaries in India to fund political parties. This exposed Indian politics and democracy to international lobbyists who might want to further their own agenda, the petitioners contended.

Introduced as a Money Bills in the Lok Sabha, the amendments were a mala fide attempt to bypass the Rajya Sabha, which held an important place in the Constitutional and democratic framework of law-making, the petitioners submitted.

These amendments made it possible for corporates to make unlimited donations to political parties without giving details of such donations, the petitioners said.

Further, the annual contribution reports of political parties to be furnished to the Election Commission need not mention names and addresses of those contributing by way of electoral bonds, the petitioner NGOs said, adding, This will have a major implication on transparency in political funding.
New Delhi, October 3

The Supreme Court on Tuesday sought responses from the Centre and the Election Commission of India on a PIL challenging the recent amendments made to the law related to political funding.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud issued the notice on a plea filed by NGO Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR).

Lawyer Prashant Bhushan, appearing for the NGO, said the amendment had removed the cap that barred corporates from donating more than 7.5 per cent of their average net profit to a political party.

He said political parties could now take donations in the form of election bonds without disclosing the source.

The Lok Sabha had in March approved a proposal by the government, as part of amendments to the Finance Bill, 2017, relaxing conditions for corporate funding to political parties. PTI
Amarjit Thind

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 3

The stage is set for a major confrontation between the state government and farmer outfits on the issue of stubble burning with both parties citing fiscal stress on this burning issue. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) will hear the case tomorrow.

Senior officials, requesting anonymity, said the state was in a bind as they did not have money to even provide incentive to farmers on its own. The same was true of other conservation agriculture (CA) measures suggested by farm experts, they said.

The directive of the NGT for penalising farmers by making a red entry (violation of a law/directive) in the land records of the defaulters might aggravate the situation. The indebted farmers would not take it kindly, they opined.

Punjab Pollution Control Board chairperson KS Pannu said they were on the job. He said he today interacted with scores of farmers in Amritsar district who had not been burning stubble. The sustained campaign exhorting farmers to desist from doing so was a success, he claimed.

We are taking the help from the National Remote Sensing Agency in locating villages and fields where stubble is being burnt. The directives of the government and the NGT will be followed in letter and spirit, he added.

BKU chief BS Rajewal, meanwhile, said farmers would burn stubble. In case they were stopped by the authorities or the police, they would gherao police stations and government offices, he warned.

On NGT directives, he said while the state was bent on penalising them, they were ignoring another direction that the small and marginal farmers be given happy seeders, rotavators and straw choppers free of cost.

The indebted farmers were in no position to pay Rs 6,000 per acre needed to dispose straw in an eco-friendly manner, he said, adding that the much-touted debt waiver assurance too had proved to be a mirage so far.

CM seeks Rs 2,000 cr for straw mgmt

New Delhi: Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh sought financial help from the Union Government at the rate of Rs 100 per quintal for paddy straw management to curb burning of the paddy residue by the farmers. During his meeting with Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh on Tuesday, he pitched for a total compensation of Rs 2,000 crore in this regard. He clarified that he had urged the minister to provide Rs 100 per quintal on the procurement of paddy as an incentive to dissuade farmers from burning stubble. TNS
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 3

The Punjab government has categorically rejected reports that Honeypreet Insan was in Punjab Police custody or was, in any way, being shielded by the state government.

Refuting reports on the social media to the contrary, a Punjab government spokesperson said the state was not involved in the case beyond supporting the Haryana police with intelligence and other relevant inputs.

There was no question of the Punjab Police taking Honeypreet into custody as there was no criminal case registered against her in the state, nor was she in any wanted list, said the spokesperson.

The Punjab government, particularly the police and intelligence departments, were merely providing inputs to the neighbouring state in the interest of justice and to maintain law & order in the region, according to the spokesperson.

Right from the outbreak of the dera crisis, the Punjab police had been sharing information on the activities of the followers of Ram Rahim, who was indicted and punished on rape charges. The Punjab government, said the spokesperson, had been extending all possible help to the neighbouring state, which it will continue to ensure that peace is maintained at all costs.

The Punjab government would not, at any cost, try to protect a fugitive criminal like Honeypreet, who had cases registered against her in Haryana, where she had been declared a wanted criminal after she reportedly absconding in the wake of the Dera violence sparked by Ram Rahims imprisonment, the spokesperson asserted.

The clarification came after a section of the media reported, citing sources, that the adopted daughter of the Dera chief was in the custody of Punjab Police and a BJP spokesperson was quoted saying that the Punjab government machinery was shielding Honeypreet, who was arrested by the Haryana police today.
Jupinderjit Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 3

Lack of coordination between the police of two districts as well as alleged lack of initiative by the police headquarters led rape accused Sucha Singh Langah go scot-free yesterday.

Former SAD minister Langah appeared before a Duty Magistrate and mediapersons yesterday, making his whereabouts known, but the Punjab Police failed to act in time to arrest him. It has been more than 72 hours since he was booked by the Gurdaspur police for allegedly raping a police constable.

Inquiries made by The Tribune have brought out that officials in Gurdaspur, Mohali and police headquarters knew about Langahs whereabouts, especially when he appeared on TV channels.

HS Bhullar, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Gurdaspur, said his team had learnt about the former ministers suspected movement in Chandigarh and its vicinity and informed the Mohali police.

It takes minimum three-and-a-half hours to reach Chandigarh from Gurdaspur. As soon as we learnt about Langahs possible location, we despatched a team immediately and informed the Mohali police, he said.

Mohali SSP Kuldeep Singh Chahal said, We received the information late. And by then, it was too late as the accused had slipped away.

The police headquarters was closed on Monday on account of Gandhi Jayanti. Even if it would have been open, it wouldnt have been made much of a difference as the headquarters doesnt have a team to make such arrests, sources said.

The Crime Branch or Vigilance Bureau also operates through police stations dedicated to them in Mohali.

Even today, the Punjab Police failed to arrest the high-profile accused. Sources said raiding teams from Gurdapsur district tried to trace him in Chandigarh and adjoining areas, but in vain.

Harsimrat calls for strict action

Bathinda: Union Food Processing Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal on Tuesday demanded strict action against the former minister. She, however, questioned the timing of the video leak in the case a few days before the Gurdaspur Lok Sabha byelection. TNS

Moles helped ex-minister evade police

Gurdaspur: Langah has managed to keep himself a step ahead of the cops allegedly because of moles within the Police Department. Sources said when Langah reached the Chandigarh court on Monday to surrender, his mole informed him that the Gurdaspur police had dispatched a team to arrest him. Once out of court, Langah swiftly did the disappearing act. TNS

He brought disrepute to Sikhs

Chandigarh: Sikh intellectuals from different organisations on Tuesday condemned Langah. The intellectuals, including Gurdarshan Singh Dhillon, Gurtej Singh, Rajinder Singh, Gurpreet Singh, Khushaal Singh and Kartar Singh Gill, in a statement, said Langah had disrespected the high ideals of Sikhism by his alleged act. TNS
Dehradun, October 3

The Central Water Commission (CWC) has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkie, to support dam safety and rehabilitation efforts of implementing agencies.

Union Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation has taken on board selected premier academic and research institutes for capacity building in the areas of dam safety through World Bank assisted Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project.  TNS
Las Vegas, October 3

Investigators worked feverishly on Tuesday to find out why a retired accountant gunned down at least 59 people and wounded over 500 others at an open-air concert in Las Vegas, raking the crowd with bullets from a 32nd-floor hotel room packed with weapons.

As America grappled with the deadliest mass shooting in its history, officials reacted cautiously to an Islamic State group claim that Stephen Craig Paddock, 64, had carried out Sunday nights massacre on behalf of the jihadist group.

Police said Paddock, who had no criminal record, smashed windows in his hotel room shortly after 10 pm on Sunday and trained bursts of automatic weapons fire on thousands of people attending a country music concert down below.

In footage of the massacre broadcast on CNN, the sustained rattle of gunfire is heard as people scream and bolt for cover with little idea of where the shots were coming from.

We saw bodies down. We didnt know if they had fallen or had been shot, said Ralph Rodriguez, an IT consultant from Pomona Valley near Los Angeles, who was at the concert with a group of friends.

People started grabbing their loved-ones and just strangers, and trying to help them get out of the way, he said.

In a statement online, IS claimed Paddock was one of its soldiers but the FBI said it had found no such connection so far with the local sheriff describing him as a lone psychopath.

Sheriff Joseph Lombardo said Paddock fired through the door of his hotel room and hit a security guard in the leg.

But when a SWAT team stormed the room where Paddock had been staying since September 28, they found he had killed himself.

Inside the room were 23 firearms, including automatic weapons, he said.

Investigators also found another 19 firearms along with explosives and several thousand rounds of ammo at Paddocks house in Mesquite, Nevada, some 130 km away.

Lombardo said they had discovered several pounds of an explosive called tannerite at the house as well as ammonium nitrate, a type of fertiliser, in his car.

He said the death toll had risen to 59, with another 527 people wounded.

But the gunmans motive remains unclear.

Were hunting down and tracing every single clue that we can get on his background, the sheriff said at a late-night briefing.

So far, investigators had found no manifesto or anything else to explain Paddocks actions, he said.

This individual is a lone wolf and I dont know how it could have been prevented, he said earlier.

I cant get into the mind of a psychopath at this point.

As the investigation continued, details started to emerge in the media about some of the victims  a kindergarten teacher from California who married her childhood sweetheart; a Tennessee nurse; a high school secretary from New Mexico and a cheerleader, also from California.

Last night, there were vigils of solidarity with the dead and the wounded.

The Empire State Building went dark, as did the Eiffel Tower  and much of the Las Vegas strip itself.

President Donald Trump denounced what he called an act of pure evil and said he would visit Las Vegas tomorrow.

But the White House pushed back at calls to reopen the US debate on tighter gun controls.

A motive is yet to be determined and it would be premature for us to discuss policy when we dont fully know all of the facts or what took place last night, Trumps spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said.

Lombardo said Paddock had apparently used some kind of hammer to smash the window of his hotel room before opening fire on the crowd of some 22,000 people.

IS, which provided no evidence for its claims, described him as a soldier of the caliphate saying he converted to Islam several months ago and went by the name Abu Abdel Bar al-Amriki  The American.

But the Federal Bureau of Investigation said it had found no such link so far. We have determined to this point no connection with an international terrorist group, FBI special agent Aaron Rouse said.

CIA spokesman Jonathan Liu said the intelligence community was aware of the claim but advised caution on jumping to conclusions before the facts are in.  AFP
Islamabad, October 3

Nawaz Sharif was today re-elected as the president of the ruling PML-N and the ousted Pakistan prime minister immediately demanded that those who disqualified him should respect the people's mandate and democracy.

Sharif, 67, had to step down as the chief of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) after he was disqualified as the PM by the Supreme Court on July 28 in the Panama Papers scandal.

Addressing a gathering of party members at the Convention Centre here, Sharif said his supporters kept reelecting him to power despite his ousters from the office. He said the party members knew the reasons behind his disqualification as PM.

The PML-N yesterday took full advantage of its position as the ruling party as President Mamnoon Hussain signed the controversial Election Act 2017 into law hours after it was bulldozed through the National Assembly amid pandemonium on the opposition benches, the Dawn reported.

Under The Representation of Peoples Act 1976, a disqualified person could not hold office of a party. The law was passed to allow the party to re-elect Sharif as its head, on the eve of a party convention called for the express purpose of electing Sharif to the post.

Sharif in his address to his supporters, thanked the people for repealing the law which barred disqualified politicians from holding office in a party.

Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi termed Sharif's return as party president a historic day.  PTI
Islamabad, October 3

Nawaz Sharif was on Tuesday re-elected as the president of Pakistan's ruling PML-N party after Parliament passed a controversial bill, paving the way for the ousted prime minister's return to politics.

Sharif, 67, had to step down as the chief of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) after he was disqualified as the prime minister by the Supreme Court on July 28 in the Panama Papers scandal.

Under The Representation of Peoples Act 1976, a disqualified person could not hold office of a party. However, the legal hurdle in his way to become party chief was cleared yesterday when the National Assembly passed a controversial Election Bill 2017 that allows politicians disqualified from holding public office to head a political party.

President Mamnoon Hussain signed the controversial Election Act 2017 into law hours after it was bulldozed through the parliament amid pandemonium on the opposition benches.

PML-N leader Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry submitted Sharif's papers for party president in the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) while no one other candidate from the party contested the election.

Minister of State Talal Chaudhry told media that Sharif will remain chief of PML-N. "He will also become Prime Minister of the country. Sharif cannot be removed from politics through conspiracies, he said.

The election of party president is a requirement by Election Commission of Pakistan that already last month issued notice to PML-N for failing to choose permanent successor of Sharif.

Sharif's election has temporarily healed the rifts within the party, which appeared on the verge of defections after his ouster.

But Sharif's fate as party president still hangs in balance as Pakistan Awami Tehreek party has challenged the new law in the Lahore High Court, while Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and other parties have announced to challenge it in the Supreme Court.

Opposition parties allege that the new law was "Sharif- specific" to allow him to return to politics. They also content that the law is against the spirit of the Constitution. PTI
Consumers can now book flights with Frontier Airlines, a Denver-based carrier that will be reintroduced to Tulsa International Airport in March, a spokeswoman said.

Frontier discontinued service in Tulsa in April 2010 when it offered flights only to Denver. Nonstop service to Denver (DEN) in 2018 will be available in March, with nonstop flights to San Diego (SAN) and Orlando (MCO) available starting in April, said Alexis Higgins, deputy airports director, marketing and communications.

They are in the market of the ultra-low cost carrier, Higgins said by telephone Monday. They are the type of company that is going to provide leisure travelers  people that perhaps wouldnt haven chosen to buy an airplane ticket  with the motivation to look at getting on an airplane and going out and exploring the country. Because of their fare structure, they make it extremely affordable for people who otherwise wouldnt have decided to fly.

Theyve always had lower fares but ever since theyve come out of this round of bankruptcy and reorganization, they have really mastered this new business model. Thats good, ultimately, for the consumer.

This past summer, the airline announced service to 21 new cities, increasing the number of destinations served by the low-fare carrier by 30 percent. Members with a subscription to Discount Den will have access to the carriers most inexpensive tickets.

Frontiers flights will increase from 19 to 21 the number of nonstop destinations served at TIA. Denver is the second most popular destination for Tulsa travelers, with about 420 passengers traveling between the cities each day, Higgins said.

Frontier officials are scheduled to visit TIA this month for a walk-through, she said. Already preparing the property for the new tenant, the airport has ordered a new boarding bridge for Gate B9, where Frontier flights could be stationed, Higgins said.

When we did the concourse renovations, we made sure to have plenty of gates structured within the reconstruction, but we did not order jet bridges for all those gates, she said. So we have ordered a jet bridge.

The airline also will need to brand itself at a ticket counter.

Over the years, as airlines have morphed or merged, their ticket counter spaces have merged, Higgins said. What thats done is given us a few options of where we could place Frontier.  Our desire is to meet their cost needs so their costs remain low in Tulsa and then also give them the visibility they need to be successful.
Some work weeks are harder to fully return to mentally. This is one of them.

This past weekend was tough, particularly for the Broken Arrow community with the tragic deaths of a high school junior suffering with depression and a middle school teacher killed in a shooting during a home invasion.

Then came yet another mass shooting, this one at a country music concert in Las Vegas. The numbers of dead and injured were still climbing while I wrote this piece.

Its numbing. Its exhausting. Its sad.

To process it all requires breaking it down. What leads to this? And, ultimately, what can be done to prevent tragedies like these?

If the answers were simple or easy, our communities wouldnt be grappling with problems like not having enough mental health services or crime prevention programs. We wouldnt be at a loud stalemate about how to reduce gun violence.

Rather than be polarizing, its time to reach out in empathy and find common ground to decrease this suffering.

Providing affordable mental health service options without stigma is part of the solution, but the accessibility of firearms to those who shouldnt have them is another part.

This week, Mental Health Association Oklahoma is hosting the national Zarrow Mental Health Symposium, which addresses policing, racism, domestic violence, childhood trauma, poverty, immigration and debt as they relate to mental health.

No doubt the recent events will be on the minds of those attending. Experts and practitioners from across the country will be discussing prevention and treatment methods to get at these individual and mass problems.

There needs to be a counterpart discussion  a real discussion  about firearms. What the country has in place is not working. It is not safe.

That doesnt necessarily mean the right solution is a ban or taking peoples guns away. It does mean its time to at least study the problem of mass shootings and be prepared to do something about it.

The country has done that with seat belts and car seats to significantly reduce auto deaths. With health care, updating medicines and technology is done continuously.

In the aftermath of tragedy, people are grieving. People also want answers. Eventually, people want action.

On the way to school, my 13-year-old son actually turned up the volume on the National Public Radio report  definitely a first. It was about Las Vegas. He had already heard about the Broken Arrow deaths.

This is crazy, he said. Why would anyone do this? Lots of bad news out there.

As parents, we try to reassure our children, love them and give them the guidance and tools they need to make sense of this world. Thats getting harder, too.

Rather than put aside the hard questions, lets embrace them  and be kind to one another in the process.
NORMAN  Jurors in a 2014 beheading case were instructed Monday to stay away from news accounts of a mass shooting.

Cleveland County District Judge Lori Walkley told jurors that she didnt want what happened in Las Vegas to have anything to do with your verdict in this case. She did not explain further.

The jurors convicted Muslim convert Alton Alexander Nolen, 33, of Moore last week and are in the sentencing stage now.

The judge cautioned the jurors after a defense attorney raised concerns that they might see news accounts that the extremist group Islamic State had claimed Monday that the Las Vegas gunman was a soldier from its ranks who had converted to Islam months ago.
OKLAHOMA CITY  House members are expected to return to the Capitol next week to resume a special session that ground to a halt Sept. 27.

In an email Tuesday to Republican House members, Majority Floor Leader Jon Echols, R-Oklahoma City, said to plan on being back in the chamber at 1 p.m. Monday.

If for any reasons you cannot be available that day, please email me today, the email says.

Gov. Mary Fallin called lawmakers into special session on Sept. 25 following an Oklahoma Supreme Court decision that tossed out a $1.50-a-pack cigarette fee, saying lawmakers violated the law in passing it.

The measure was expected to have generated $215 million to plug the state budget hole, with the bulk going to the Oklahoma Health Care Authority, the Oklahoma Department of Human Services, and the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services.

House Speaker Charles McCall, R-Atoka, recessed the House on Sept. 27, indicating that he wouldnt call the session back into order until legislative leaders and the governor had worked out a plan.

Coupled with a loss of federal matching dollars, the budget hole is about $500 million.

Lawmakers could attempt to pass the cigarette tax constitutionally and have a number of other considerations that could generate revenue, such as a hike in the gross production tax on oil and natural gas, an increase in income tax for high-wage earners and a sales tax on certain services. They also could vote to remove some sales tax exemptions. Another option is cuts to state agencies.

House Republican leaders met behind closed doors Tuesday for more than three hours.

At this time, we think there is a chance we could come back in Monday, McCall said. We are still working to get a plan agreed upon and hammered out. But we are targeting Monday as a potential day to be back in session.

Echols said the announcement that House Republicans should be in the chamber Monday is not the announcement of a deal, but we are close. It is a signal we are close.

Echols said he is not guaranteeing that lawmakers will actually be on the floor Monday but that he wanted to give legislators plenty of notice.

Senate Republicans met behind closed doors for three hours on Monday.

We continue to work, Senate Pro Tem Mike Schulz, R-Altus, said after the caucus. We continue to have discussions. We are continuing to look for those things that will get us out of this.

Schulz said he didnt know when senators would return to the floor to resume the session.

Senate Majority Floor Leader Sen. Greg Treat, R-Oklahoma City, said the Senate does not anticipate bringing members back to the floor Monday without a budget agreement.

McCall said he thinks House members have made progress.

We would love to come out with the Senate and just give you a very detailed plan and timeline, he said.

Rep. Casey Murdock, R-Felt, said the House is closer this week to an agreement than it was last week.

At the end of the day, we have to do our job, Murdock said. We will have an agreement.
Second District Congressman Markwayne Mullin will have a public constituent meeting in Tahlequah on Friday, his office announced Tuesday.

Mullin, a Republican, has been under fire from some quarters in the Tahlequah area after the last-minute cancellation of a similar meeting in April. At the time, Mullin said he was concerned about public safety.

Fridays meeting is scheduled for 10 a.m. at the First Baptist Church, 201 Commercial Road, on Tahlequahs east side. The news release announcing it says attendance is limited to residents of Oklahomas 2nd District.

Those planning to attend are asked to register at bit.ly/2hJrmx0 and to print and bring the ticket created at that website.

The meeting notice says no signs of any kind will be permitted at the event.

Signs seem to have played a part in cancellation of the April event, which was to have been at nearby Sequoyah High School. Cherokee Nation marshals, who were providing security, said they would not restrict use of blank red and green cards being used to signal agreement and disagreement with Mullin at earlier public meetings.

Two people who say they plan to compete for Mullins seat in 2018 have Tahlequah ties.

Brian Jackson, a professor at Northeastern State University, says hell challenge Mullin in the Republican primary, and Tahlequah Mayor Jason Nichols expects to be a Democratic candidate.

Mullin has returned to Tahlequah several times for private meetings and engagements since the canceled public meeting. He generally makes at least one public appearance a year in each 2nd District county.

A staunch defender of President Donald Trump, Mullin has come under criticism for renouncing his 2012 campaign promise to seek only three terms, but he remains a firm favorite to win re-election in 2018.
A Tulsa man has been sentenced to life plus 20 years in prison in the separate abductions and rapes of two women, including one he met on a dating website.

Evan Parrott, 28, entered blind guilty pleas Aug. 22 to five counts of first-degree rape, as well as two counts each of sodomy, kidnapping and possession of a firearm while committing a felony.

Court minutes indicate that District Judge James Caputo imposed concurrent life sentences on Thursday for each of the five rape counts, 20 years for each of the sodomy and kidnapping counts, and 10 years for the firearms-related charges.

The 10- and 20-year terms will be served concurrently with each other but consecutively to the life sentences.

Parrott was accused of raping the women on July 21 and Aug. 7, 2016, after forcing them into his vehicle.

The woman in the first attack told police that Parrott approached her near 62nd Street and Union Avenue and raped her after he compelled her to get into his vehicle while he held a knife to her back.

About 2 weeks later, Parrott abducted a woman in the 1100 block of East Pine Street and raped her after he took her to another location at gunpoint. The woman said she agreed earlier in the day to meet someone with whom she had been communicating on a dating website.
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Why am I seeing this 'Under Construction' page?
The farm bill is a large, multifaceted piece of legislation, renewed by Congress roughly every five years, that shapes federal food and agricultural policy.

The first version of the farm bill passed in 1933, during the Great Depression, and was mostly concerned with helping farmers stay in business when crop prices plummeted. But since then, the bill has grown far more complex and comprehensive, with sections addressing everything from international trade in farm products to the nutritional quality of school lunches to the management of our national forests.

Congress passed the last farm bill in December 2018. It included important wins on issues that UCS fought for, including protecting funding for food aid that keeps millions of US households from going hungry. However, there is much more that the next farm bill could do to make our food and farming system more healthy, sustainable, resilient, and fair.
The UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR today honoured Zannah Mustapha with the 2017 Nansen Refugee Award at a ceremony in Geneva for founding a school in Maiduguri, Nigeria, the epicentre of the Boko Haram insurgency.

The school has stayed open throughout the conflict with Boko Haram, which has seen some 20,000 killed across the Lake Chad region, and millions more displaced.

The school provides a free education, as well as free meals, uniforms and health care, to children affected and displaced by violence. Those orphaned by the conflict on both sides are welcomed into Mustaphas classrooms as a sign of the reconciliation he hopes to achieve in the region.

UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, presented the Nansen medal to the Mr Mustapha and paid tribute to him in an address:

Tonight we recognize, we celebrate the achievements of Zannah Mustapha, a man of courage and peace. said the UN refugee chief.

He had the courage to build a school. He had the courage to offer education to children affected by violence. I cannot think of any better choice for this years Nansen Award.''

In the decade since its inception, Mustaphas school has swelled from 36 students to 540. Desperate for an education, thousands more children have added their names to its waiting list. In 2016, Mustapha opened a second school just a few kilometres away from the first.

UNHCR Special Envoy Angelina Jolie also provided a video messages of congratulation for Mr. Mustapha. In her address she praised his work and its legacy.

The courage it takes to defend childrens rights to education in the face of Boko Haram is extraordinary, she said. Zannah Mustapha has brought light to a region that has been terrorised for years.

Mr Mustapha, you are an inspiration. I hope this award encourages you and others to continue this vital work.

In his speech Zannah Mustapha thanked all of the teachers and widows he has worked with and praised the students at his schools, I never thought in my wildest dreams that I would see these children progressing in such a traumatic period in their lives, he said. When I look at the childrens faces I see resilience and stability.

We are not in a journey to be the same but we are in a journey to understand our differences and overcome our adversity. That we can achieve with education, he continued.

There are so many children in conflict zones not able to go to school. We have shown what is possible.

Mustaphas work in the region also includes negotiating the release of Boko Haram hostages. When the 21 young women who had been held captive for more than two years were released, Mustapha was there. He had been instrumental in securing their freedom  as well as the release of 82 additional Chibok girls in May 2017.

For more than 60 years, UNHCRs Nansen Refugee Award has recognised those who have shown outstanding dedication to the refugee cause. The 2017 winner was honoured with a ceremony that featured renowned Afrobeat musician Tony Allen, an acoustic set by Japanese artist Miyavi and a classical violin piece from renowned soloist Mariela Shaker. The host for the evening was Anita Rani and the keynote address was given by Syrian refugee Nujeen Mustafa.

The Nansen Refugee Award alumnae include the famous as well as unsung heroes; Eleanor Roosevelt, Graca Machel and Luciano Pavarotti among its laureates, but a number of remarkable unsung heroes, such as Mr.Mustapha, who have dedicated themselves to fighting the injustices suffered by the forcibly displaced: unhcr.org/Nansen .

Notes to Editors

Media contacts

For media inquiries and to arrange interviews with the 2017 Nansen Award Winners please contact:

Photos and video of the 2017 UNHCR Nansen Refugee Award ceremony

Media materials about the 2017 UNHCR Nansen Refugee Winner including photos and video

About UNHCRs Nansen Refugee Award:

Few humanitarian honours possess the rich legacy of UNHCRs Nansen Refugee Award. Established in 1954, the award recognizes extraordinary humanitarian work on behalf of refugees, displaced, or stateless peoples. The award is named after Fridtjof Nansen, the Norwegian polar explorer and humanitarian who went on to serve in the 1920s as the first High Commissioner for Refugees for the League of Nations. Nansen was awarded the 1922 Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of his courageous and unfaltering work on behalf of World War I refugees. The Nansen Refugee Award, through its laureates, aims to showcase his values of perseverance and conviction in the face of adversity. The 2017 winner is a remarkable example of these attributes.

About UNHCR:

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), was established on December 14, 1950 by the United Nations General Assembly. UNHCR safeguards the rights and well-being of refugees and stateless people. In more than six decades, the agency has helped tens of millions of people restart their lives. UNHCR is on the front lines of the worlds major humanitarian crises, including Syria, Iraq, Central African Republic, Afghanistan, South Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and countless other emergencies.
The agreement was signed at the Palais des Nations in Geneva in a ceremony attended by Filippo Grandi, UN High Commissioner for Refugees, and H.E. Sheikh Hamad bin Nasser bin Jassim Al Thani, Chairman of Qatar Charity.  UNHCR/Jean-Marc Ferre

GENEVA  This morning, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and Qatar Charity (QC) signed a cooperation agreement aimed at supporting UNHCR protection and assistance activities for refugees and displaced persons globally.

The agreement was signed at the Palais des Nations in Geneva in a ceremony attended by Filippo Grandi, UN High Commissioner for Refugees, and H.E. Sheikh Hamad bin Nasser bin Jassim Al Thani, Chairman of Qatar Charity.

Spanning over a period of five years, the agreement formalizes a commitment by Qatar Charity to support and fund UNHCRs programmes, through a minimum annual contribution of USD 3 million.

UNHCR welcomes this commitment by Qatar Charity, whose support has proven invaluable. said Grandi.

With the number of forcibly displaced persons remaining at an unprecedented level, support from our partners is now needed more than ever. We look forward to building on this collaboration with Qatar Charity in addressing global humanitarian and displacement challenges, he added.

Through the support of Qatar Charity, UNHCR has delivered essential humanitarian assistance to more than 209,000 refugees and internally displaced persons in Myanmar, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Lebanon and Bangladesh.

"UNHCR and QCs strategic partnership is a long standing one, which spans over many years, through which Qatar Charity has continuously been supporting UNHCR's efforts to protect and serve refugees, and this gives us great pride to support their work, said Al Thani. Qatar Charity is committed to alleviating the plight of vulnerable populations and investing in programs that continuously safeguard their dignity, he continued.

Qatar Charity is a non-governmental organization, established in 1992, dedicated to carrying out humanitarian and development programs to fight global poverty by working in partnership with vulnerable communities.

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is a global organization dedicated to saving lives, protecting rights and building a better future for refugees, forcibly displaced communities and stateless people.



Media contacts:

Mohammed Abu Asaker, Public Information officer, [email protected], +971506213552

Ayat El-Dewary, Private Sector Partnerships Officer, [email protected], +971 50 642 2978
Rohingya mother Zulkhair, 27, holds her 10-month-old son Mohammad, at Kutupalong refugee camp. Mohammad is sick and requires medicine.  UNHCR/Paula Bronstein

With more than half a million Rohingya refugees now in Bangladesh, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, Bangladesh public health authorities and other partners are working on several fronts to treat patients and contain an outbreak of diarrhoeal disease.

A 20-bed diarrhoea treatment centre opened yesterday (Monday) in Kutupalong Refugee Camp in the southeast of the country, where the refugees who have been living there since 1992 have taken in thousands of newcomers. UNHCR has gathered national and international NGOs under the banner of the governments Refugee Health Unit to run the centres.

By the end of this week, we will have a total of 80 beds in diarrhoea treatment centres in three locations, and we plan to open two more centres next week. As of today, our staff, working with refugee volunteers, who will fan out into the Kutupalong Refugee Camp and nearby informal settlements to find people who might be sick but have not sought treatment.

UNHCR this week also plans to open medical consultation centres with attached oral rehydration corners throughout the huge (2,000-acre or 809-hectare) Kutupalong Extension Site where many of the estimated 507,000 refugees who have arrived since 25 August are now congregating to receive assistance. This is a move to bring medical care closer to those in need. At these smaller centres, refugees found to be suffering from moderate dehydration can be treated immediately, and those who require more intense therapy can be referred to the larger diarrhoea treatment centres.

UNHCR is also supporting an effort by the Ministry of Health to administer cholera vaccinations to refugees. Cholera is endemic in Bangladesh and can easily spread any time hundreds of thousands of people live in close proximity without proper sanitation.

There are as yet no firm statistics on cases of acute watery diarrhoea among the newly arrived refugees, and we are taking action to try to prevent severe illness and deaths. We have seen an increasing trend of diarrhoeal disease cases, including cases of diarrhoea with severe dehydration. So far, refugees with these conditions have been treated at clinics run by UNHCR and other agencies, and at local public health facilities.

Measures to prevent the spread of disease and cut the rate of severe illness and death also include installation of 32 shallow tube wells, and 250 latrines so far, which UNHCR accomplished with the help of partners. It is vital to provide clean water so that people do not drink from or bathe in contaminated ponds and streams.

In another move to speed up delivery of aid to refugees, UNHCR, working with Bangladeshs Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commission (RRRC), is beginning a family count to collect data on newly-arrived refugees and their needs. Some 100 freshly-recruited enumerators will begin going shelter-to-shelter on Wednesday to list each day some 1,000 families, which should include about 5,000 individuals.

Each family will receive a card bearing the RRRC logo. The process will enable the government, UNHCR and other agencies  that decide to participate  to target aid to the right people. The process will also give a first indication of refugees with special protection needs, such as pregnant women, breast-feeding mothers, people with disabilities, or elderly refugees on their own.

For more information on this topic, please contact:
At Nchelenge Transit Centre in Chiengi, Luapula Province, northern Zambia, Congolese refugees receive one of their three hot meals per day, provided by local authorities and UNHCR.  UNHCR/Pumla Rulashe

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is concerned about growing violence in parts of south-eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which has driven more than 3,360 refugees into northern Zambia since 30 August. This is the largest influx of Congolese refugees into Zambia in the past five years. UNHCR is worried that the insecurity in the DRC may lead to further displacement.

The refugees and asylum-seekers are escaping inter-ethnic clashes, as well as fighting between Congolese security forces and militia groups. Those arriving in Zambia report extreme brutality, with civilians being killed, women raped, property looted and houses set alight. They are mainly from the DRC provinces of Haut-Katanga and Tanganyika.

Many were already displaced internally before they crossed the border. The lack of roads and the long distances at the areas from where they are fleeing make it difficult to monitor the situation and provide them with assistance. With the rainy season approaching, UNHCR warns that the humanitarian needs of those displaced could intensify on both sides of the border.

Some 60 per cent of those arriving in Zambia are children. Many show signs of malnutrition. Malaria, respiratory problems, dysentery and skin infections are common among the refugees, who are in urgent need of protection and life-saving support. After they are registered by the Zambian authorities, most are relocated to the Kenani transit centre in Nchelenge district, about 90 kilometres from the border. Some of the new arrivals remain close to the border, waiting for their families to cross.

The Zambian government, UNHCR and the Zambian Red Cross are distributing hot meals and identifying those with specific needs, as well as providing psycho-social support for survivors of sexual and gender-based violence. The humanitarian response team is delivering basic items, including tents, plastic sheeting, mosquito nets, blankets, buckets, hygiene kits and soap. Temporary shelters are being erected, boreholes are being drilled for drinking water and temporary latrines are being constructed.

Because of overcrowding, UNHCR has started work on a second transit facility to receive the growing number of new arrivals. A more permanent settlement will also be developed, with a social infrastructure where new arrivals will be able to stay for longer and develop some self-sufficiency.

Since the beginning of 2017, about 5,761 Congolese have crossed the border into Zambia. In total, there are 27,338 Congolese refugees and asylum seekers in the country, among a population of 60,606 refugees and asylum seekers.

For more information on this topic, please contact:
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is becoming increasingly concerned over the funding situation for refugees and other displaced families in the Middle East, where currently only a quarter of families are likely to receive adequate support to prepare for the approaching winter.

There are nearly 15 million Syrian and Iraqi refugees and internally displaced people scattered across the region. We estimate that as many as four million are in the extreme risk category and need timely and substantial help to properly prepare for the forthcoming winter. Of these only one in four are likely to get the assistance they need.

The US$245 million Regional Winter Assistance Plan for 2017/2018 covers winter needs of Syrian and Iraqi refugees and internally displaced people in Syria, Iraq, Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan and Egypt. The plan, implemented with governments and partners, is currently only 26 per cent funded.

For many Syrian refugees this will be the seventh consecutive winter in displacement. Enduring the extreme cold, snow and heavy rains is has become an annual hardship and survival battle for millions of forcibly displaced living in tents and makeshift shelters in locations such as the Bekaa Valley in Lebanon, in tents or in destroyed homes in northern Iraq and in Syria.

The needs of refugees and the internally displaced are significantly higher during winter. Without proper help, many refugee families end up being pushed further into debt and come under increased pressure to resort to desperate steps to try to make ends meet. Women and children are especially affected.

Throughout this autumn UNHCR plans to provide cash assistance, distribute winter items and invest in preparation, insulation and repairs of shelters and improving drainage in the camps. In southern Syria for example, the winter assistance plan would support internally displaced people living in makeshift tented settlements with basic aid items including high thermal blankets, plastic tarpaulin, and winter clothing.

In Lebanon the plan aims to assist Syrian refugees living below the poverty line with a five-month winter assistance package from November 2017 to March 2018.

During the same period all Syrian refugees living in camps in Jordan will be provided with cash for gas and shelter repairs.

In Iraq, UNHCR would provide nearly a million Iraqi displaced people with winter assistance both in camps and urban areas targeting newly displaced people and returnees from Ninewa, Salah al-Din and Anbar governorates.

More than 50 per cent of the assistance package is scheduled to be delivered in cash which would allow refugees and the internally displaced to address their priorities and meet urgent needs.

For more information on this topic, please contact:
More than 1,000 undergraduate and graduate students will present their research at the conference.

(Oct. 3, 2017) -- The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) will transform into a student researchers paradise next week as UTSA hosts the College of Sciences Research Conference. More than 1,000 undergraduate and graduate students from UTSA, 10 other Texas institutions, and universities in California, New York and Mexico will present their research at the conference on Friday, Oct. 6 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the UTSA Main Campus.

The highlight of this years conference will be its poster presentations. More than 300 abstracts, the most in the conferences nine-year history, will bring their research to life. The students will fill the Convocation Center, showcasing their hard work in poster demonstrations. Abstract subjects range from cancer drug development and underwater communication to a project titled The Mighty Mouse Tooth.

The conference gives the students an opportunity to explain their research and get practice speaking about it, said Floyd Wormley, conference chair and UTSA professor and associate dean for Research and Graduate Studies. Its a valuable experience the student will use in the future when they present their research for funding. Its extremely important for their development as a student researcher.

The theme of this years conference is Advancing Science to Serve Humanity.

We dont just do science to do science. It has to have a purpose in society, to advance humanity and our everyday lives, Wormley said. It can be anything from a unique gizmo to clean the house or developing a new medicine for a disease.

Professors and science experts from the community will judge each presentation which are broken up into eight different categories: Chemistry and Biochemistry; Computer Science and Cyber Security; Infectious Diseases and Immunology; Mathematics and Statistics; Neurobiology; Physics & Astronomy and Nanotechnology; Regenerative and Molecular Medicine; and Water, Energy and Environment. Nineteen awards will be given out with the top students taking home a laptop computer.

In addition to the poster presentations, students will participate in oral presentations and attend information sessions to learn about graduate programs offered in the College of Sciences.

No one does it as big as we do it, said Wormley. Thats why other universities send their students to our conference. UTSA and our sponsors fund it, so students dont have to take on the cost to get the best training.

Wormley adds that the conference is also an opportunity to showcase UTSAs unique hands-on research experiences for its students.

The university and entire community sees the great research our students are conducting, said Wormley. Its also a valuable tool to help our students present their research, so when they go out into the world, they are prepared to well represent UTSA and San Antonio.

UTSA is recognized as one of the top five young universities in the nation by Times Higher Education.
People scramble for shelter at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after apparent gun fire was heard on Oct 1, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo: AFP / David Becker)

LAS VEGAS: A gunman killed at least 58 people and wounded up to 515 at a country music festival on the Las Vegas Strip on Sunday, raining down rapid fire from the 32nd floor of a hotel for several minutes before killing himself.

The death toll would make the attack the deadliest mass shooting in US history, eclipsing last year's massacre of 49 people at an Orlando night club.

The gunman, a 64-year-old local man named Stephen Paddock, opened fire from his hotel room on the 32nd floor at around 10.08pm on Sunday night, police said.

When authorities responded to the call and breached his hotel room, they found the suspect dead.

In a press conference on Monday morning, Las Vegas Metro Police Sheriff Joseph Lombardo said that Paddock killed himself before police officers raided his room.

We believe the individual killed himself prior to our entry, Lombardo said, adding that some 10 weapons were found in his room.

He added that Paddock had been in the hotel room since Sep 28.

"I have no idea whether he prevented the house keepers from entering the room or not. That is a matter for continued investigation," Lombardo said.

ISIS CLAIM RESPONSIBILITY

Islamic State issued a statement through its news agency Amaq claiming responsibility for the shooting, saying that the attacker had converted to Islam a few months ago.

However, two senior US officials have come forward to state that there was no evidence that the shooter, 64-year-old Stephen Paddock, was tied to any international militant group.

One of the officials discounted Islamic State's claim of responsibility and said that there was a reason to believe the shooter had a history of psychological problems.

NOTHING TO SUGGEST MOTIVE: POLICE

When asked why authorities did not regard the incident as domestic terrorism, Lombardo said police have found nothing to suggest a motive for Paddock's attack.

"We have to establish what his motivation is first. There are motivating factors associated with terrorism other than a distraught person just intending to cause mass casualty," Lombardo said.

Police earlier confirmed that Paddock's Asian female companion Marilou Danley, who was previously at large, was located. But later on Monday authorities said they no longer regarded her as related to the case, CNN and Fox News reported, citing police sources.

Video clips posted online showed what sounded like automatic weapons as panicked concertgoers fled while others dropped to the ground screaming.

One Twitter user posted that the hotel was on lockdown, while another, citing police scanners, posted there were two shooters on the 32nd floor of the hotel who had shot at a bodyguard and police.

'WE'RE HORRIFIED'

The suspected shooter's brother, Eric Paddock, said the family was stunned by the news.

"We have no idea. We're horrified. We're bewildered and our condolences go out to the victims," Eric Paddock said in a brief telephone interview, his voice trembling. "We have no idea in the world."

US President Donald Trump offered his condolences to the victims via a post on Twitter early Monday.

In a televised address to the nation, Trump described the mass shooting as "an act of pure evil."

"Last night a gunman opened fire on a large crowd at a country music concert in Las Vegas, Nevada. He brutally murdered more than 50 people and wounded hundreds more. It was an act of pure evil," he said.

Mr Trump added that he would be visiting Las Vegas on Wednesday to meet with law enforcement, first responders and the families of the victims.

"In moments of tragedy and horror, America comes together as one, and it always has," he said.

The concert venue was in an outdoor area known as Las Vegas Village, across the Strip from the Mandalay Bay and the Luxor hotels.

"Our thoughts & prayers are with the victims of last night's tragic events," the Mandalay Bay said on Twitter.
Illustration photo

Sticker warning of contents not suitable for children

Under Circular 09/2017/TT-BTTTT, dated June 23, 2017 of the Ministry of Information and Communications on content ratio, broadcasting time and broadcasting period intended for children and warning of contents not suitable for children in broadcasting newspapers, printed newspapers, online newspapers and publications, since October 1, all publications for children must clarify ages at the cover.

When using children images for illustration, in case of under seven-year-old children, publishing houses are required to get permissions from their parents or guardians.

Guidance on online issuance of work permit to foreign workers

Circular 23/2017/TT-BLDTBXH regulates that at least 20 days prior to the day employers plan to employ foreign workers, they must fill in the declaration form and submit a report explaining their demand for using foreign workers.

In case of any changes in the demand for using foreign workers, employers must submit an explanation report on the changes via the portal, at least 10 days ahead of the day they plan to employ foreign workers.

The Circular took effect from October 2, 2017.

Exchange management of the business of prize-winning electronic games for foreigners

Circular 11/2017/TT-NHNN dated August 30, 2017 shall come into force since October 15. Accordingly, the Circular guides the exchange management of the business of prize-winning electronic games for foreigners.

The content of this Circular focuses on amending regulations on transitional provisions, dossiers, processes and procedures for the issuance, reissuance, adjustment, renewal and revocation of the License for foreign currency receipts and expenditures (License) as well as other foreign exchange transactions in accordance with the transitional provisions of Decree No. 175/2016/ND-CP to simplify administrative procedures; with the major substances.

The Circular adds the composition of dossiers which are written documents from competent government agencies permitting the business of prize-winning electronic game for enterprises licensed to operate in prize-winning electronic games before the effective date of Decree No.86/2013 / ND-CP.

Enterprises are no longer required to submit Certificate of eligibility for business in prize-winning electronic game if they are licensed to operate in prize-winning electronic game before the effective date of Decree No.86/2013/ND-CP or do not have the need to convert the Certificate of eligibility for business.
Balenciga displayed these shoes - a platform version of the iconic Crocs - down the Paris catwalk. (Photo source: Twitter/ Balenciaga)

The luxury brand, which hit the headlines in April with its US$2,000 blue leather "IKEA" bags, has raised eyebrows again by sending out five pairs of the comfortable, indestructible but undeniably ugly sandals in its spring summer collection.

"I'm sorry am I hallucinating or did I just see platform Crocs from Balenciaga?" tweeted Tyler McCall of the Fashionista website.

Another Fashionista critic, Alyssa Vingan Klein, added, "There are platform Crocs at Balenciaga. This is not a drill."

Balenciaga's iconoclast designer Demna Gvasalia is known for seeing the beauty in the banal, with some critics accusing him of "poverty chic" - remaking the clothes of the poor for the rich.

But he has a formidable track record of making hugely hot clothes - and particularly shoes - that taste forgot.

His thigh-high Spandex boots have become a style sensation, worn and adored by celebrities and fashion mavens alike.

The wunderkind has, however, a job on his hands with Crocs, which as one joke goes, have holes in them "so your dignity can leak out".

"Ugly" shoes like Crocs and Birkenstocks have nonetheless been quietly coming up in the world.

Last year the Scottish designer Christopher Kane produced a US$590 line of fur-lined and crystal-encrusted Crocs.

While Vogue adored their comfort, critic Julia Hobbs said there was no getting over that "Crocs are ugly".

'UNRIVALLED ABILITY TO REPEL'

"They have nostril-like pores, and an upturned snout ... When worn by grown-ups they have an unrivalled ability to repel onlookers and induce sneers," Hobbs added.

Not content with attempting to rehabilitate Crocs, Gvasalia, the man behind the uber-cool Vetements label, also transformed fringed sun umbrellas into skirts and shop awnings into trousers in his Paris show.

This collection, however, was more slick than shocking, with very smart use of tartan in trousers, and tops and skirts often paired with chain straps taken from souvenir and duty free shops.

"The inherent possibilities" and the "exaggeration of everyday styles ... is the design impulse" behind the show, he wrote in his show notes.

Pants made from three different trousers spliced together made a reappearance, suggesting they are on their way to becoming a Gvasalia staple alongside thigh-high boots and buttoned-up charity shop shirts.

Alterability too was built into several garments, with parts of the pants interchangeable like modular tracksuits.

His new punky "super-spiked stilettoes" also seemed to go down well.

Other trousers printed with screensaver shots of the Alps may have been a nod to his new home in Zurich, whose hardcore unfashionableness he seems to relish.

But there were also small hints that Gvasalia's notoriety and the hilarity sparked by his IKEA tote - and another that closely resembled a cheap Thai shopping bag - might be hemming him in.

GIVENCHY'S NEW ELEGANCE

In one look, a sweater was tied around a newspaper print blouse like a straitjacket.

Yet the Georgian-born creator remains impossible to pin down and as full of surprises as ever.

The man who likes to borrow, tweak and hijack seemed to be paying backhanded homage this time to the print king Dries Van Noten in some of the rich palate of colours he used, which oozed a class befitting Balenciaga's aristocratic roots.

All eyes Sunday were also on the debut of designer Clare Waight Keller at Givenchy after her move from Chloe. In the end her transition was very much like the lady herself, low-key and classy.

"Seduction is key," she the British-born creator. "The most selective things are not seen, but merely imagined."

And that subtlety of thought made for a collection that seemed to give the brand back its quiet but assured elegance.

Fellow Brit Phoebe Philo at Celine, another designer whose lead others follow, came up with a trenchcoat that doubled as a cape under which you could keep your bag dry.
Frank Schoeninger, managing partner of SOPEC, shared with VIRs Thanh Van his insight into the market and how SOPEC can tap into its future growth.

How do you see the demand for your services among foreign and local companies in Vietnam?

We see a strong demand, and this is growing extensively due to the Vietnamese industrys transition from low-cost to sustainable, with a target of high-tech production. SOPEC aims to provide services for clients in manufacturing and especially the automotive industry across their value chains.

We divide our business into three pillars. First, we provide market entry research and support services for foreign companies who are eyeing the Vietnamese market, guiding them through their first steps of setting up their business in Vietnam.

The next stage of the value chain for manufacturing business would be building factories, installing a production line, and setting up the distribution network. This is where SOPEC comes in and offers our expertise in project management  which is based on the principles of the International Project Management Association and is Level B-certified. Effective project management is crucial for firms to save a significant amount of time, cost, and headache.

Last but not least, we support existing local and foreign firms to access or strengthen their positions in the global supply chain with stable and quality-driven processes based on the LEAN principle. The LEAN principle aims to eliminate all types of waste and focus on value-creating activities in a process. It also provides solid support for the company to become highly efficient and profitable.

Could you share some factors driving your business forward?

We see Vietnam as a rising tiger in the manufacturing field in general and in the automotive industry in particular. Foreign direct investment (FDI) into Vietnam soared to $19 billion in the first half of 2017, up 54.8 per cent compared to the same period last year. Manufacturing continues to be the field attracting the most investment.

Vietnam has participated in 12 free trade agreements, which link the country to a market of more than four billion consumers. This creates excellent conditions to facilitate trade and investment activities.

Recently, SOPEC was honoured to join the delegation of EuroCham on its trip to Brussels to meet with five commissioners from the European Parliament and finally Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the European Commission, to promote the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA). More than 15 meetings were conducted, all around the mutual goal of the EVFTA being enforced and becoming a success story for all involved parties.

Vietnam is also enhancing its competitiveness, which can be proven in a number of aspects. The nation has a golden age structure, with more than 60 per cent of the population at working age. Coupled with the fact that labour costs remain relatively low while the skill level of workers is increasing, this no doubt brings significant benefits to investors.

The ease of doing business in Vietnam is another favourable condition for investors, especially foreigners. For instance, in the manufacturing sector, there is no requirement for a foreign investor to set up a joint venture with a Vietnamese entity, which makes things a lot clearer for new market entrants.

These are a few factors that contribute to the competitiveness of Vietnam, which in turn lures investment, which is definitely a factor that will drive our business forward.

With Vietnam appearing to be one of the regions future automotive manufacturing frontiers, what is your plan to scale up your local presence?

SOPEC was founded based on my vision to capture the potentials of Vietnam. With more business opportunities to come in the near future, our team is expanding rapidly. With a view to having people from diverse backgrounds, we are currently hiring production, process, and project engineers. Once becoming ISO 9001-2015-certified  we will be the only consultancy in Vietnam with such a certification  our setup phase will be finished.

In the next development phase, we aim to open another office in Haiphong  a location we see as strategic for investors, especially in the automotive field, thanks to its modern infrastructure, intermodal connectivity, attractive tax incentives, and the presence of big players in the industry.

We already forecast this two years ago, and wrote a strategy paper with a solution approach on how to further develop the domestic supporting industry by inviting an international car producer, and creating mutual benefits for all stakeholders such as government, industry, and the people. With the latest announcement of Vinfast  which fits perfectly into our approach  Vietnam will be able to become a strategic automotive hub.
Those injured were attended to in the aftermath of the shooting at Las Vegas. (Photo: AFP)

An infographic on the worst mass shootings in the US and their corresponding death tolls. (Source: AFP)

Here are some of the deadliest mass shootings in the United States in the past 25 years.

- Florida club: 49 killed -

A heavily armed gunman opens fire inside a gay nightclub in the city of Orlando on June 12, 2016 and kills 49 people.

The attacker is killed in a shootout with police; he pledges allegiance to the Islamic State group, which later claims responsibility.

- Virginia Tech: 32 killed -

A 23-year-old student of Korean origin goes on a rampage at Virginia Tech University in the town of Blacksburg in April 2007. He kills 27 students and five teachers before committing suicide.

- Sandy Hook: 26 killed -

A disturbed 20-year-old man kills his mother in Newtown, Connecticut, in December 2012 before blasting his way into Sandy Hook Elementary School and shooting dead 20 six- and seven-year old children and six adults. He commits suicide.

- Texas restaurant: 22 dead -

In October 1991 a man shoots dead 22 people in a restaurant in the town of Killeen and then kills himself.

- California office party: 14 dead -

A newlywed radicalized Muslim couple storm an Christmas office party at a social services center in San Bernardino in December 2015 and gun down 14 people, wounding 22 others. They are shot dead by police.

- Fort Hood military base: 13 dead -

In November 2009 a US army psychiatrist opens fire at his military base in Killeen, killing 13 people and wounding 42, before being overpowered by police.

- New York immigrant center: 13 dead -

A Vietnamese immigrant shoots dead 13 people at a civic center in the New York state city of Binghamton in April 2009, before killing himself.

- Marines: 12 dead -

A troubled former serviceman shoots randomly at workers at the Washington Navy Yard headquarters in September 2013, killing 12 people before he is shot dead by officers.

- Denver cinema: 12 dead -

A young man wearing body armor storms a cinema showing a late-night premiere of a Batman film in Aurora in July 2012, opening fire and releasing tear gas. Twelve people and 70 wounded. He is sentenced to life in prison.

- Columbine High: 13 dead -

Two teenage boys shoot and kill 12 classmates and a teacher at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado, in April 1999, before killing themselves.
[October 03, 2017] Databricks Opens New European Headquarters to Capitalise on Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Market Opportunities

SAN FRANCISCO and LONDON, Oct. 03, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Databricks, provider of the leading Unified Analytics Platform and founded by the team who created Apache Spark, today announced the opening of its new EMEA headquarters in London to support the companys international growth. As part of this, Databricks has appointed David Wyatt, who built MuleSofts EMEA Business over the last four and a half years,as Vice President and General Manager of Databricks EMEA. With a strong history in leading cloud and open source businesses in the region, Wyatt will oversee the companys customer success programmes, recruitment, sales and business development efforts in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Companies are looking to artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning as technologies to support their strategies around reducing cost, improving customer experience and delivering better results back to the business. However, the lack of data science, machine learning and AI skills is holding back many organisations from investing in these areas today and it is often hard for data science and data engineering teams to collaborate closely with others in the lines of business. More than half the respondents to Gartner's 2017 AI development strategies survey indicated that the lack of necessary staff skills was the top challenge to adopting AI in their organisation.* Databricks Unified Analytics Platform provides a simplified approach for data science teams to collaborate with business teams to meet their needs around analytics and AI, bridging the gaps that exist around automating analysis of data and deploying this to suit the business. By reducing the issues around AI adoption and deployment, Databricks aims to make this technology suitable for all businesses. The companys cloud-based platform is powered by Spark, the most popular open source technology for Big Data processing and analytic workloads and an invention of the six co-founders of Databricks. Wyatt brings more than twenty years experience in building enterprise software companies to Databricks, covering market development, consulting and pre-sales operations. His experience includes developingnew market strategies and managing teams for cloud, open source and proprietary software companies including MuleSoft, PKWare, Oracle and IBM.



We are seeing huge and rapidly growing demand within enterprises for help with their machine learning and AI strategies and specifically their Spark deployments, commented Ali Ghodsi, CEO at Databricks. The demand is particularly strong in Europe and as such, it is our top priority for global expansion. With the opening of our London office, we will have a stronger springboard to drive growth and better serve our customers in EMEA. David brings a tremendous amount of relevant enterprise software and Cloud experience to spearhead our business and his appointment will help us scale up and fulfill our mission in Europe. "Databricks has demonstrated unmatched vision and leadership by building a high-growth global business around its Unified Analytics Platform, building off its roots and credibility as the team that created Apache Spark. Its cloud-based platform is making it more achievable for enterprises to adopt AI and derive value from their big data," said Wyatt. "I am thrilled to be joining the company and leading the company's EMEA business as there's a wealth of talent in London and an enormous opportunity for Databricks to solve problems facing data science and data engineering teams across the continent."

"Working with Databricks to unlock the power of big data insights across our business created operational efficiencies in our supply chain that resulted in immediate business value. The local office opening complements existing relationships we have with the company, and will help us in our own global growth using analytics to make better decisions, said Daniel Jeavons, General Manager  Advanced Analytics Centre of Excellence, at Shell. Deputy Mayor of London for Business, Rajesh Agrawal, said: We are delighted to welcome Databricks to London. Our city is a fertile breeding ground for companies developing the disruptive technologies which are changing the way we live and work  particularly in the field of artificial intelligence, for which London is a global hub. For an innovative company like Databricks to choose the capital as its European headquarters shows that London is open to talent and open to helping companies grow. This investment is yet more proof that London is the tech capital of Europe. As the company formed by the team responsible for creating Apache Spark, Databricks is leading the development of the AI, analytics and machine learning markets internationally. In an effort to accelerate global growth, the company recently raised $140 million from the likes of Andreessen Horowitz, New Enterprise Associates and Battery Ventures. As such, the new London office sets Databricks up for rapid expansion in EMEA. Visit databricks.com for more information.

Contact Databricks to get started: http://go.databricks.com/contact-databricks. *Gartner Press Release, Gartner Says AI Technologies Will Be in Almost Every New Software Product by 2020, July 18, 2017, http://www.gartner.com/newsroom/id/3763265 About Databricks

Databricks mission is to accelerate innovation for its customers by unifying Data Science, Engineering and Business. Founded by the team who created Apache Spark, Databricks provides a Unified Analytics Platform for data science teams to collaborate with data engineering and lines of business to build data products. Users achieve faster time-to-value with Databricks by creating analytic workflows that go from ETL and interactive exploration to production. The company also makes it easier for its users to focus on their data by providing a fully managed, scalable, and secure cloud infrastructure that reduces operational complexity and total cost of ownership. Databricks, venture-backed by Andreessen Horowitz, NEA and Battery Ventures, among others, has a global customer base that includes Salesforce, Viacom, Shell and HP. For more information, visit www.databricks.com.  Databricks 2017. All rights reserved. Apache, Apache Spark and Spark are trademarks of the Apache Software Foundation. Media Contact:

Stacey Collins Burbach

P: 415-310-9767

E: [email protected]

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AMC and Zoom made it possible for enterprise meetings to be held in some AMC theaters throughout the U.S. with Zoom Rooms.
[October 03, 2017] OurCrowd Forms Strategic Partnership with Cardumen Capital

OurCrowd, a leading equity crowdfunding platform today announces that it has formed a strategic partnership with Cardumen Capital, a Spanish-Israeli venture capital fund focused on Deep Tech startup investments. The fund, authorized by the Spanish Securities Market Commission (CNMV) is led by former head of Samsung Ventures Israel, Gonzalo Martinez de Azagra, known for such investments as PrimeSense (acq. by Apple), Replay Technologies (acq. by Intel (News - Alert)), and Corephotonics. "Spanish investors will now have the opportunity to focus on investing in Israeli companies, building ties between Israeli and Spanish technologies," said OurCrowd CEO Jon Medved (News - Alert). "We are excited for this new chapter in Spanish Israel relations," said Cardumen Co-Founder and Managing General Partner, Gonzalo Martinez de Azagra. "Together with OurCrowd, we are building a global community with an experienced team led by leading venture capitalists. Our bilateral fund will invest in pure high-tech companies, as we did at Samsung (News - Alert) Ventures, and give access to institutional and corporate investors to these unique opportunities." This partnership is part of a growing group of global alliances announced by OurCrowd recently, such as: United Overseas Bank Limited (UOB) in Singapore, The National Australia Bank (NAB) in Australia, The Shanghai Commercial & Savings Bank (SCSB) in Taiwan, Reliance Private Client in India and Innogy SE in Germany. Notes to Editors About OurCrowd: OurCrowd is the leading global equity crowdfunding platform for accredited investors. Managed by a team of seasoned investment professionals and led by serial entrepreneur Jn Medved, OurCrowd vets and selects opportunities, invests its own capital, and brings companies to its accredited membership of global investors. OurCrowd provides post-investment support to its portfolio companies, assigns industry experts as mentors, and takes board seats. The OurCrowd community of almost 20,000 investors from over 112 countries has invested over $450M into 120 portfolio companies and funds. To join OurCrowd as an accredited investor visit http://www.ourcrowd.com and click "Join." For Spanish language site: http://es.ourcrowd.com.



OurCrowd Management (UK) Limited is an Appointed Representative of Met Facilities LLP, which is authorized and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. OurCrowd Management (UK) Limited is registered in England. OurCrowd Iberia is a division of Management (UK) Limited, an Appointed Representative of Met Facilities LLP authorized and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (reference number 587084). OurCrowd Management (UK) Limited is registered in England (registration number 10522689). About Cardumen Capital: Cardumen Capital SGEIC, S.A. is a leading venture capital firm authorized by the Spanish Securities Market Commission (CNMV) that invests in companies with deep technologies in Israel and Spain. Managed by the former Head of Samsung Ventures Israel, Gonzalo Martinez de Azagra together with the former Head of Iberia at Hilco Capital, Igor de la Sota. With offices in Israel and Spain, Cardumen Capital focuses on areas such as Computer Vision, Artificial Inteligence, Cybersecurity or Big data among others. For more information please visit: www.cardumencapital.com / or email at: [email protected].

For press materials: http://blog.ourcrowd.com/spanishfund View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171003005340/en/

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Pursuing its Grand Strategy of extending the theatre of war [1], the Pentagon is at the same time preparing the instrumentation of the Kurds in the Greater Middle East, a civil war in Venezuela and a war of attrition in the Philippines. However, these conflicts will have to wait for the implementation of a fourth theatre of operations  namely Burma, Chinas next-door neighbour.

During the meeting of the UN Security Council on 28 September, the US ambassador and several of her allies accused Myanmars coalition government of  genocide  [2]. This loaded word  which, in European law, designates the massacre of a great number of people, but in US law applies to a method of killing, even if the criminal kills only one person - is enough for Washington to justify a war, with or without the backing of the Security Council, as we saw in Yugoslavia [3]. The meeting of the Security Council was held at the request of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

In order to make the facts correspond to their narrative, the United States, the United Kingdom and France, which had celebrated Aung San Suu Kyi and the Buddhist monks for their non-violent resistance to the dictatorship of the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) during the  Saffron revolution  in 2007 [4], simply redefined the Burmese army, Nobel Peace Prize-winner Aung San Suu Kyi [5], and all the Buddhists in the country [6] as the bad guys.

Burma has not known civil peace since the days of foreign domination, first British and then Japanese [7]. It has become easier to destabilise since the SLORC junta agreed to share power with the National League for Democracy (NLD), and together are trying to resolve the countrys many conflicts in a peaceful way.

By a geographical coincidence, Burma allows the passage across its territory of the pipe-line linking Chinese Yunnan to the Bay of Bengal, and houses the Chinese electronic surveillance posts for the naval routes which near its coasts. Making war in Burma is therefore more important for the Pentagon than blocking the two  Silk Roads  in the Middle East and Ukraine.

An inheritance of British colonisation, there are also, among the distinct Burmese population, 1.1 million descendants of the workers that London had displaced from Bengal to Burma  the Rohingyas [8]. It happens that this national  not ethnic  minority is Muslim, although the great majority of Burmese people is Buddhist. Finally, during the Second World War, the Rohingyas collaborated with India against Burmese nationalists.

In 2013, when the Pentagon and the CIA had deployed the jihadist hordes in Syria and maintained a war of position, Saudi Arabia created yet another terrorist organisation in Mecca, the Faith Movement (Harakah al-Yaqin). This group, which declared that it was an assembly for the Rohingyas, is in reality commanded by the Pakistani Ata Ullah, who fought the Soviets in Afghanistan [9]. The Saudi regime housed the largest community of male Rohingyas, after Burma and before Bangladesh, with 300,000 male workers without their families.

According to a report by the Benagli intelligence services, before the current crisis, the Faith Movement had been working for a year with a spin-off group of the Bengali Jamat-ul-Mujahideen around the slogan  Bengali Jihad in Baghdad . This tiny group pays allegiance to the Caliph of Daesh, Abou Bakr al-Baghdadi, and has gathered in the same coalition the Indian Mujahideen, Al-Jihad, Al-Ouma, the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and the Pakistani Harkat-ul Jihad-al Islami (HuJI). The group is financed by the foundation Revival of Islamic Heritage Society (RIHS) in Kuwait.

When, less than a year and a half ago, in March 2016, the SLORC accepted to share power with Aung San Suu Kyis party, the United States attempted to use the Nobel Peace Prize-winner against Chinese interests. Knowing that it would be difficult to manipulate the daughter of the father of Burmese independence, the communist Aung San, they encouraged the Faith Movement -  you never know  .

In September 2016, Aung San Suu Kyi represented her country at the UN General Assembly [10]. Naively, she explained the problems faced by her people and the means she was setting up to resolve these difficulties progressively, beginning with the question of the Rohingyas. Once back home, she realised that her former US supporters were in reality the enemies of her country. The Faith Movement launched a series of terrorist attacks, including the attack on the Maungdaw border police station, where 400 terrorists plundered the arsenal, killing 13 customs officers and soldiers.

Resolute, Aung San Suu Kyi pursued the implementation of an advisory committee tasked with analysing the Rohingya question, and ending the discrimination under which they suffered. This committee was composed of six Burmans and three foreigners  Dutch ambassador Laetitia van den Assum, Lebanese ex-Minister Ghassan Salame (in reality representing France), and ex-UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, acting as President of the committee.

The nine committee members began work of a rare quality, despite the Burmese obstacles. Political parties failed to have the committee dissolved by the National Assembly, but managed to force the adoption of a motion of no confidence against the committee by the local Assembly of Arakan (the state inhabited by the Rohingyas). Nevertheless, the committee members handed in their report on 25 August - it contained genuine recommendations which could actually be implemented with the true goal of improving the living conditions of all concerned [11].

The same day, the Saudi and US Secret Services gave the signal for the riposte - the Faith Movement, renamed by the British the  Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army  and divided into commandos, attacked army barracks and police stations, causing 71 deaths. For a week, Burmese troops waged an anti-terrorist operation against the jihadists. 400 members of their families fled to Bangladesh.

Three days later, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan began to telephone all the heads of state of the Muslim countries to alert them about the  genocide of the Rohingyas . On 1 September, the day of the most important Muslim holiday, the Aid al-Adha, acting as serving President of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, he gave a vibrant speech in Istanbul calling to save the Rohingyas and support their Salvation Army [12].

However, the jihadists have done nothing to defend the Rohingyas, but have systematically intervened to sabotage the attempts to improve their living conditions and end the discriminations under which they suffer.

On 5 September, the President of the Iranian Expediency Discernment Council, Mohsen Rezaei, proposed joining the forces of all Muslim states to create an Islamic army to save the  Rohingya brothers  [13]. A position which carries all the more weight since General Rezaei is an ex-Commander of the Revolutionary Guard.

While the Burmese army had ceased all activity against the terrorists, Rohingya villages were burned, and the Rakhine population of Arakan lynched Muslims, who in their eyes were all accomplices of the terrorists. According to the Rohingyas, it was the Burmese army who burned the villages, while according to the Burmese army, it was the jihadists. Progressively, all the Rohingyas from the North of Arakan took to the road seeking refuge in Bangladesh  but, curiously enough, not the Rohingyas from the South of the State.

On 6 September, an official Turkish delegation went to Bangladesh to distribute provisions to the refugees. It was led by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mevlut Cavusoglu, and by the wife and the son of President Erdogan, Bilal and Ermine.

In the Muslim countries, a vast campaign of disinformation claimed, with photo support, that the Buddhists were killing Muslims en masse. Of course, none of these photos had been taken in Burma, and the fake news reports were debunked one after the other. But in countries where the population is poorly educated, the photos were deemed authentic, while the denials were hardly mentioned. Only Bangladesh voiced reservations about the role of the jihadists, and assured Myanmar of its cooperation against the terrorists [14].

On 11 September, the serving President of the Islamic Conference Organisation (ICO), Recep Tayyip Erdogan, spoke before the Organisations scientific committee meeting at Astana (Kazakhstan) - which is not competent in the matter -  to save the Rohingyas .

On the following day, 12 September, the Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei took position. Very worried about General Rezaeis proposition, he was careful to delegitimise the religious war which was being prepared - the  clash of civilisations  - even if it meant blaming the presence of a woman at the head of a State. He was therefore careful to close the door on a military engagement by the Revolutionary Guard. He declared -  It is quite possible that religious fanaticism may have played a part in these events, but this is a completely political question, because its the government of Myanmar which is responsible. And at the head of this government, there is a cruel woman, a Nobel Peace Prize-winner. In reality, these events have signed the death notice of the Nobel Peace Prize  [15].

In Teheran, President Sheikh Hassan Rohani immediately called on the regular army to participate in the conflict which was being prepared. On 17 September, the Chiefs of Staff of the Iranian and Pakistani armies made contact in order to unite their forces in the crisis [16]. This is the first military initiative, but it concerns the Iranian army (which is already working with its Turkish and Pakistani counterparts to defend Qatar) and not the Revolutionary Guards (who are fighting alongside the Syrians against the jihadists). Iran is also providing massive aid to the refugees.

On 19 September, ignoring the explanations of Aung San Suu Kyi [17], and profiting from the UN General Assembly, Recep Tayyip Erdogan gathered the ICO contact group in order to request that all member States suspend all commerce with Myanmar, and to ask the UN Security Council to rule on the matter [18].

Finally appearing from the shadows, Saudi Arabia affirmed that they had been discreetly helping the Rohingyas for 70 years, and had already offered them 50 million dollars worth of aid during that time. King Salman also added a gift of 15 million dollars [19]. The Saudi ambassador to the UN in Geneva, Abdulaziz ben Mohammed Al-Wassil, mobilised the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC).

Forgetting the wars they have been waging against one another - in Iraq, Syria and Yemen - Turkey, Iran and Saudi Arabia, in other words the three main Muslim military powers, joined together by simple communitarian reflex [20] and took position alongside the Rohingyas. All three of them named their common enemy  the coalition government of the Burmese army and Aung San Suu Kyi.

This total about-face in the Middle East has already seen a precedent  namely the wars in Yugoslavia. In Bosnia-Herzegovina (1992-95) and in Kosovo (1998-99), the Muslim countries and NATO fought side by side against the Orthodox Christians linked with Russia.

In Bosnia-Herzegovina, President Alija Izetbegovic worked with US representative Richard Perle, who advised him on the diplomatic level and directed the Bosnian delegation during the Dayton Agreements. He also benefited, on the media level, from the advice of French representative Bernard-Henri Levy, according to Levy himself  and this has never been denied. Finally, on the military level, he relied on the advice of Saudi representative Oussama Ben Laden, who organised the Arab League on his behalf and received a Bosnian diplomatic passport. During the conflict, supported in secret by NATO, Izetbegovic publicly received the support of Turkey, Iran and Saudi Arabia [21].

The Kosovar conflict began with a terrorist campaign against Belgrade by the Kosovo Liberation Army (UCK). The combatants were trained by German Special Forces on a NATO base in Turkey [22]. The current head of Turkish Secret Services, Hakan Fidan, was the liaison officer for the terrorists within the NATO military staff. He is today the head of MIT, the Turkish Secret Services, and the number 2 of the regime. At the beginning of the war, in the space of three days, 290,000 Kosovars fled Serbia to seek refuge in Macedonia. Western TV channels showed numerous clips of the long lines of refugees walking along railway tracks. However, according to several million Macedonians who welcomed them, there was no objective reason for this migration, which was carefully supervised by NATO. Nonetheless, this displacement of the population was used to accuse President Slobodan Milosevic of disproportionally repressing the terrorist campaign affecting his country, and NATO declared war on him without the authorisation of the Security Council.

The dirty work currently in preparation will extend the theatre of operations towards the East. The Pentagon is unable to impose an alliance between Turkey, Iran and Saudi Arabia, but in fact, does not need one. In Yugoslavia, these three states were coordinated by NATO when they were not in direct contact.

However, the fact of fighting side by side in Burma will force them to find arrangements in Iraq, Syria and Yemen  perhaps even in Libya. Considering the devastation of the Middle East, and the tenacious resistance of the populations there, the Pentagon can leave the region to lick its wounds for a decade without fear of seeing the emergence of the slightest opposition to its policies.

The day after the Security Council meeting which laid the foundations for the future war against Burma, the State Secretariat informed President Barzani that the United States would not support the independence of an Iraqi Kurdistan. Of course, the Pentagon can not mobilise Turkey and Iran in South-East Asia while betraying them at their frontier. Consequently Massoud Barzani, who had engaged himself unequivocally for the referendum on independence, will soon have to retire from political life. Particularly since the display of Israeli flags at Erbil, massively relayed by the Arab, Persian and Turkish TV channels, has alienated every one of his neighbours.

If the Pentagons scenario continues to play out as we may anticipate, the war against Syria should soon end due to the lack of combatants, who will have gone overseas to serve the  American Empire  in a new theatre of operations.
The Norwegian government had granted the Israeli atomist technician, Mordehai Vanunu, the right to be reunited with his family in Norway.

Mordehai Vanunu, an Israeli citizen who had converted to Christianity, revealed to the Sunday Times in 1986, secrets relating to the reactor at Dimona and his countrys military nuclear programme. Shimon Peres then ordered for him to be kidnapped in Rome and transferred to Israel where he was sentenced to 18 years imprisonment.

Released in 2004, after serving the full term of his sentence (11 years of which was in solitary confinement), he is being placed under house arrest and barred from having any contact with the press. He has managed to get round this restriction about 20 times  once with Silvia Cattori for Voltaire Network [1] and has been punished each time.

No one knows if he will or will not be able to leave Israel for Norway.
Beiruts Military Tribunal had handed a death sentence to Sheikh Ahmad al-Assir, a Qatari agent who had stoked denominational conflicts in Lebanon during the war against Syria.

In 2011, Sheikh al-Assir (the man with the white turban in the photo) had his heavies impose their law on the city of Saida, before being ousted by the Lebanese army under the leadership of General Chamel Roukoz (who is also President Michel Aouns son-in-law). Capturing the mosque Bilal ben Rabah, where al-Assir chose to hideout, had cost the life of about twenty soldiers and almost 150 others had been wounded.

Sheikh Ahmad al-Assir has many people on his assassins radar and had tried to kill Serge Marchand, Secretary-General of Voltaire Net. The latter had been saved by the PSNS (the Syrian Nationalist Socialist Party) before the perpetrator of the attempted assassination was arrested by Hezbollah and handed over to the army.

Having slid into hiding, Sheikh Ahmad al-Assir had organized the final battle in the Lebanese city of Tripoli in 2014.

He had been arrested at Beirut airport just as he was trying to get away under a false identity and a new appearance (photo).

During the entire trial, Sheikh Ahmad al-Assir tried to provoke new tensions, whilst his supporters who had gathered outside the Court, were threatening the judges with revenge a la Sunni.

His arrest and sentence is proof that regional power relations have changed and he is no longer protected. Peace is slowly being re-established in Lebanon.
Poetry Competition

Gibraltar Cultural Services, on behalf of the Ministry of Culture and in conjunction with The Gibraltar Chronicle, wishes to remind the general public about the Poetry Competition to be held as part of the 2017 Autumn Cultural programme.

The competition is open to Gibraltarians and residents of Gibraltar who may submit two original works.

The overall winner will receive the Ministry of Culture prize of 300 and a trophy. Additionally, there will also be four categories based on school years or college equivalent as follows:

A. SchoolYears 4 to 5

B. School Years 6 to 7

C. SchoolYears 8 to 11

D. School Years 12 to 13

The winner in each school category will receive a 50 voucher and a pen kindly donated by the Gibraltar Chronicle, plus a Trophy from the Ministry of Culture. All the winning entries will be printed in the Gibraltar Chronicle.

Entry forms and full conditions are available from:

 Schools and Gibraltar College of Further Education

 The Department of Education, 23 Queensway

 Gibraltar Cultural Services, John Mackintosh Hall, 308 Main Street

 Mario Finlayson National Art Gallery, John Mackintosh Square

 or e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Entries must reach Gibraltar Cultural Services by Friday 13th October 2017.

For any further information please contact Gibraltar Cultural Services, 308 Main Street on 20067236 or email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Convent Christmas Fair 2017  Stalls

Application forms for stalls at this year's Convent Christmas Fair on the 30th November will be available for collection from Wednesday 4th October.

They should be collected from the Guard Post at the front entrance to the Convent, from 08.30  16.00

Stalls will cost 30 for charities and 40 for non-charitable organisations.

Applications should be returned to the Car Park Entrance of the Convent on Governor's Lane between 08.30  16.00 and should arrive no later than 16.30 on Friday 13th October.

Notification of successful applications will be made on 19th October and payments should be received by 27th October.
Embah, by Chris Ofili. Photo: EPW Studio/Maris Hutchinson/Chris Ofili. Courtesy David Zwirner, New York/London

Chris Ofili is still fearless after all these years. His current stunning gallery-filling exhibition Paradise Lost, at David Zwirner through October 21, consists of just four paintings. The visual range here is narrow, austere, systemized. Each canvas is rendered in black-and-white patterns of little shapes, some of which convert into recognizable forms. Words appearing three times. Each of the paintings is slightly larger than life-sized, flat, not messy, loosely abstract, and look like a graphic combination of stained glass, dish towels, mystic dotted Australian dream paintings, and nonrepresentational movie posters. All four paintings are hung inside a large square of floor-to-ceiling cyclone-fencing cage  facing inward. Meaning viewers must take up positions on the either side of the gallery and look through the fence to see the work at all. There are only a few feet between the fence and walls. Yet the gestalt of Paradise Lost exudes a metaphysical geography of philosophy and otherness.

The walls are decorated with a race of giant, ghostly, semi-naked exotic gods gazing at us from behind another painted cyclone fence. They dance, commune with one another or look at us with tenderness, all enveloped in some earthly paradise. We feel an ethos of compassion in this limbo between the paintings and the walls. I felt taken out of myself and into some trans-historical cloister where invisible forces manifest themselves. For me Paradise Lost is Ofili creating his own conceptual, eroticized, blacker, and less glowingly Buddhist Rothko Chapel.

Many will not share my transport. Its frustrating to not be able to get close to this work; more so because Ofilis touch is so detailed and sensual. Painters particularly will be irked because they love standing close to and studying the minutia of paintings. Theres also the heavy-handed grand theatricality of it all, not to mention Ofilis control-freak level of purposefulness.

I hope people table these reservations and enter Ofilis atmospherics. That theyll remember he always combines the profane  that is pop culture, black vixens, Funkadelic, blaxploitation and the like  with sacred, meaning religious and mythical figures, Satan, and beautiful would-be monkey gods holding chalices. You can see that blending perfectly as far back as Ofilis Painting With Shit on It, from 1993, which includes the sacred-profane material of elephant dung collected in Zimbabwe on his first trip to Africa in 1992, when the artist was 22. It is incorporated into patterning indigenous Zimbabwe cave paintings. Ofili is not only a painter of modern life; hes a Westerner who nevertheless successfully de-Westernizes painting itself. Maybe this is why some have found his work so transgressive.

Paradise Lost shows Ofili expanding a psychic space for painting to function in. I take the shows title to grant wide birth to my imagination and fancy this exhibition a visionary compass. Each painting represents a cardinal point. On the northern fence, facing south, is V  a tapestry of intertwining geometric shapes with a large letter V extending top to bottom. First its some large symbol, sign, or letter. A modern hieroglyphic  cryptic but emphatic. Thoughts that this might be an allusion to the female are confirmed by the painting facing it on the opposite fence. Libido is nonrepresentational and geometric except for a hovering black penis and testicles. Jasper Johns used a similar structure in his 1980 Tantric Detail, only with skull and testicles. In the Ofili, an apparitional male figure forms  like some genie in rut. Already Ofili is sexualizing this serious-looking space, providing universal allusions to primal forces, an idyllic ode to love or cosmic river crossing.

The painting on the west fence facing east is Embah. The words Emheyo and Bahabba are spelled out on either side of the canvas. Emheyo Bahabba was Ofilis late poet-painter Trinidad neighbor, the subject of a marvelous White Columns exhibition co-organized by Ofili and Peter Doig. Here Bahabba is a bearded columnar figure; from his torso juts an abstracted hand holding an amoeba-shaped painters palette. The painters other hand extends a large key into the checkerboard field. Whether its infinity, art, or just looking for passage, its an apt metaphor for creating systems to imagine worlds. These magical feelings are echoed in the painting directly across. Ellipsis pictures a Ghostbusters-like spirit with a face that counteracts, informs, and communicates with everything in this room  like some muse, spirit guide, or death.

The shows one-paragraph press release includes the final lines of Paradise Lost, the ones that depict Adam and Eve taking their final leave of the earthly paradise: The world was all before them  and Providence their guide: They hand in hand with wandering steps and slow, Through Eden took their solitary way. Notice that Miltons is not some mad admonitory expulsion, neither violent, nor filled with dread and darkness. Similarly, Ofilis Paradise Lost has intimations of mindfulness, Eros, loss, the gestalt of our first parents somehow already saved by using their free will to accept the consequences of their actions, assuming individual agency, not crying, prepared to plumb the mysteries of existence even with the awful foreknowledge of death, venturing resolutely upon a new vision of reality.

This made me plumb what I thought of as the moral dimension of Ofilis Paradise Lost. I was startled to end up in a strange personal place. I was raised in a family of all men, of a father and five brothers  no mother, aunts, grandmothers, or sisters; women werent just distant mysteries to me, they were magical elevated beings that contained multitudes. When I was very young I hated men and  with only a few years of Hebrew schooling before being expelled  surmised that women were more evolved because they ate more of the Tree of Knowledge. Indeed, Eve eats a first apple at the tree, alone with the snake. To me she was the hero of the story; the one who shared the magnificent gift of self-knowledge with Adam, and bore the brunt of the responsibility for the act. Unbidden, she bestows this gift on Adam and shares a second apple with him. He eats half; she the other half. Thus Eve ate three-quarters and Adam only one-quarter, I concluded. Somehow Ofili touched on this primitive place for me. His Paradise Lost is not hellfire, pain, and damnation; it is the beneficence and the acceptance of responsibility of what Jonathan Lear recently deemed radical hope.
Photo: Timothy Hiatt/Getty Images for SiriusXM

While the national conversation returns to gun control once again after yet another mass shooting, Josh Abbott Band guitarist Caleb Keeter now approaches the debate with a fresh perspective, having witnessed the horrific event that took place in Las Vegas last night. Josh Abbott Band had performed Sunday afternoon at Vegass Route 91 Harvest Festival, prior to the Sunday-night shooting that left 59 people dead and 500 injured. Keeter took to Twitter on Monday to offer his reflections on the gun-control debate, having experienced the havoc firearms can wreak. Ive been a proponent of the 2nd amendment my entire life. Until the events of last night, the musician wrote. I cannot express how wrong I was.

Keeter further explained, We actually have members of our crew with CHL licenses, and legal firearms on the bus. They were useless. We couldnt touch them for fear police might think that we were part of the massacre and shoot us. A small group (or one man) laid waste to a city with dedicated, fearless police officers desperately trying to help, because of access to an insane amount of fire power. He described fearing for his life, an experience that, in his mind, brought home the reality of gun control in a way he had failed to grasp before. These rounds were powerful enough that my crew guys just standing in a close proximity of a victim shot by this fucking coward received shrapnel wounds, he said. We need gun control RIGHT. NOW. When a follower lamented that stopping gun violence only became a worthwhile goal after the violence has occurred, Keeter replied, You are all absolutely correct. I saw this happening for years and did nothing. But Id like to do what I can now.

That being said, I'll not live in fear of anyone. We will regroup, we'll come back, and we'll rock your fucking faces off. Bet on it.  Caleb Keeter (@Calebkeeter) October 2, 2017
Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, Trevor Noah. Photo: NBC/ABC/CC

Stephen Colbert just wanted another nightly opportunity to make people laugh. Jimmy Kimmel wanted not to have to deliver another monologue through tears. Conan OBrien wanted to go back to a time when late-night hosts having to address a national tragedy wasnt regularly scheduled programming. Seth Meyers wanted the truth. Trevor Noah and James Corden wanted to know why America cant do better. Jimmy Fallon didnt want to talk about it at all. Each late-night host processed the news of the Las Vegas shooting, which left 59 people dead and hundreds injured after a gunman opened fire on a country music festival in the worst mass shooting in modern American history, with sympathy, sorrow, anger, and numbness. Collectively, though, they agreed: There needs to be change, and it starts with gun control.

Jimmy Kimmel

Second Amendment, I guess: Our forefathers wanted us to have AK-47s is the argument, I assume. Orlando, Newtown, Aurora, San Bernardino  every one of these shootings, the murderer used either automatic or semi-automatic rifles, which are not weapons you use for self-defense. Theyre weapons designed to kill large numbers of people in the shortest possible amount of time. This guy reportedly had ten of them in his room, apparently legally. Why is that allowed? I dont know why our so-called leaders continue to allow this to happen, he said, later IDing the congresspeople who voted against closing gun-law loopholes. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, House Speaker Paul Ryan, and a number of other lawmakers who wont do anything about this because the NRA has their balls in a money clip also sent their thoughts and their prayers today, which is good. They should be praying. They should be praying for God to forgive them for letting the gun lobby run this country.

Trevor Noah

When is the time [to talk about gun control]? If you say after a mass shooting is never the time, then youll never have the conversation in America because theres a mass shooting almost every single day, he said. To the people of Las Vegas, I cant give you thoughts and prayers. I can only say Im sorry that we live in a world where there are people who would put a gun over your lives.

Seth Meyers

To Congress, I would just like to say: Are there no steps we can take as a nation to prevent gun violence, or is this just how it is and how its going to continue to be? Because when you say, which you always say, now is not the time to talk about it, what you really mean is there is never a time to talk about it. And it would be so much more honest if you would just admit that your plan is to never talk about it and never take any action.

Stephen Colbert

Now, President Trump, youve said you wanted to be a transformative president who doesnt care about the way things have always been done in Washington, D.C. This is your chance to prove it. And I mean this sincerely: You do not owe the Republicans anything; you know the Republicans tried to stop you from being president. Well, screw em. You wanna make America great again? Do something the last two presidents havent been able to do: pass any kind of commonsense gun-control legislation that the vast majority of Americans want.

James Corden

Gun violence should not be a staple of American life, he said. Forgive me, because Im just a foreigner here, and some of you may feel I have no place to say this, but how does every other developed country do a better job at preventing these attacks?

Conan OBrien

Prior to his show, OBrien said he was asked by his head writer to refer back to previous remarks hed made after the shootings in Orlando and Sandy Hook for how to approach Las Vegas. That hes already had to do this so many times before struck a nerve with Conan: How could there be a file of mass shooting remarks for a late-night host? When did that become normal? When did this become a ritual? And what does it say about us that it has? I am not the most political of our comics  I never have been  but I will repeat what I said not long ago after Orlando: I dont think it should be so easy for one demented person to kill so many people so quickly. The sounds of those automatic weapons last night are grotesquely out of place in a civilized society.

Jimmy Fallon

In lieu of a monologue, Fallon opened his show with an odd pairing of a performance from Miley Cyrus and Adam Sandler doing an acoustic cover of Didos powerful No Freedom. Ladies and gentlemen, were here to entertain you tonight, and thats what were gonna do, Fallon explained of the choice.
Photo: Richard E. Aaron/Redferns

We forget it now, but when Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers first started recording, it wasnt clear exactly what genre they represented. (Such things mattered back then.) Its obvious now that the Heartbreakers are a typical American heartland rock band, though undoubtedly a lot better than most. But at the time, with crazy stuff happening with the Ramones, Elvis Costello, Graham Parker, and punk rock, and then New Wave, Petty & Co. were looped in as some species of this last power-pop division. And that, in turn, was treated with some wariness by the radio gatekeepers of the time.

The groups first, self-titled album came out in 1976, and it sat around for more than a year with little industry notice. But while no one was looking, its songs were sinking into the countrys collective rock consciousness. It took nearly 18 months for the song Breakdown to creep into the American Top 40.

To No. 40, for one week.

Still, it was clear that Tom Petty  who died today at 66, of cardiac arrest  had done what a real star needs to do: deliver the goods on his first album. Breakdown had a primal feel, built on a deceptively lazy guitar line and  apparent on any listen today, but somehow difficult to discern back then  a blistering vocal performance. Petty had also done something else: written an even better and more lasting song in American Girl. (More on that in a minute.)

Petty grew up, as his fans know, in Gainesville, Florida  a college town, his Southerness a step removed from the Deep South. His paternal grandfather married a Native American cook and may have had to skedaddle from Georgia and wound up in Florida. Petty has said that most of his relatives are dark-skinned and dark-haired, and hes the only fair-haired one.

When he was 11, his uncle had a bit part in an Elvis Presley movie being filmed in Ocala. (This was the deservedly forgotten Follow That Dream.) His aunt took him to the set. Petty later recalled that Presley came over and nodded to him. He was an immediate convert, and started singing as a kid, with what turned out to be a lifelong love for rockabilly records; he said that he never wanted to be anything other than a musician.

Petty was a tender, emotional kid, as he put it, and bedeviled by a father who had little use for such a son. He was a hard man, hard to be around, Petty told journalist Paul Zollo. He was really hard on me. He wanted me to be a lot more macho than I was.

Petty knew he wanted to be a music star, but didnt know how to do it. Seeing the Beatles on Ed Sullivan showed him how. He would have been 13 at the time. He started growing his hair long, and tried to write songs. He found a band to play in. This aggregation, called the Sundowners, learned four songs, which they played, and then played again, at a high-school dance. A local college kid said they could play his frat  if they learned more songs. They played there, and then a Moose lodge, and then Petty was a professional musician, at 14.

As time went on, his hair and dress grew wilder; for Florida, in the early- and mid-1960s, this wasnt normal. His dads displeasure grew to beatings.

By the 1970s, he had a band called Mudcrutch, which actually toured. Mudcrutch had a guy named Tom Leadon, who was the brother of Bernie Leadon, later of the Eagles. (Don Felder, also a future Eagle, was in Gainesville around the same time.) There was also guitarist Mike Campbell, and keyboardist Benmont Tench, who would both move forward with Petty into the Heartbreakers.

By the time the Heartbreakers tried to get a recording contract, Petty was 26 and a ten-year veteran of the business. His influences were Presley, the Beatles, and the Stones, true, but also Dylan, the Byrds (some would say too much so!), Aerosmith, and everything in between.

The band went to L.A. and started calling record companies, literally using a list of names and phone numbers Petty had happened to find in a phone booth. (He grasped that it was a sign that a lot of bands were looking for a label.) They actually found all sorts of interest, came to an agreement with London Records, and went back to Florida to pack up and move to L.A. Then they got a call from Leon Russells label, Shelter, in Oklahoma  would they stop by Tulsa on the drive out to L.A.?

They did and met producer Denny Cordell, who had displayed great sonic talent on classic 60s work by Procol Harum (including A Whiter Shade of Pale) and Joe Cocker (including Cockers innovative take on With a Little Help From My Friends). They canceled their London offer and decided to work with Cordell.

It wasnt all smooth. The Mudcrutch album was a flop, and the label decided it wanted Petty as a solo artist, without the band. Some chaos resulted, but in the end Petty emerged with the extremely valuable Tench and Campbell and a tough rhythm section of Stan Lynch on drums and Ron Blair on bass, in an aggregation rechristened the Heartbreakers. They put together Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. The band got some notice in the UK, but America just didnt seem interested. Finally, a New Wave station in L.A., the mighty KROQ, began to play the album.

The Heartbreakers second album was basically done before the first one broke. Youre Gonna Get It had a couple of power pop tunes that got some airplay, but didnt really go anywhere. Then Petty met up with Jimmy Iovine, who can certainly claim to have given the artist something. Damn the Torpedoes burst out of the radio. The singles were undeniable but also unconventional  Dont Do Me Like That (a song hed written in the Mudcrutch days) has a weird raggedly guitar line and irregular rhythms but its clever rhymes and jauntiness made it an instant hit. And Refugee was a new kind of rock single: Quiet to start, with a sneakily killer lead-up to the even-more-killer chorus, and some silky guitar lines that hearkened back to Breakdown. Two other tracks, Even the Losers and Here Comes My Girl got regular airplay.

Pettys voice sounded great and varied, too. Its actually a weak instrument, and can sound strangled and reedy. Recorded well, however, it is a striking part of his best songs. It was clear around here then, too, that the Heartbreakers were a formidable band  Tench was a full-bodied musician, and Campbell a fluid and articulate soloist  and the cowriter of some of Pettys best songs. Torpedoes went multiplatinum, and Tom Petty was a star. (And Pettys dad suddenly became a fan.)

Interestingly, Petty didnt adequately capitalize on Torpedoes. His succeeding albums had good songs, but none were commercial juggernauts. To his credit, he fought with his label when necessary. Leon Russells Shelter Records was bought out by MCA (now Universal); Petty quickly learned how vulnerable the contracts hed naively signed made him. Torpedoes was delayed for months while he fought with the label. That battle Petty basically won. But it reared its head again a year later. This was the age when the labels magically all decided to raise their prices at the same time, generally by using superstar product to get fans used to it. Petty threatened to rename his fourth album Hard Promises as $8.98, which would have contrasted starkly with MCAs proposed record-setting retail price of $9.98. He won.

He trundled through the 1980s, and eventually found himself by far the youngest member of the Traveling Wilburys, the weird geezer supergroup that included George Harrison, Bob Dylan, Jeff Lynne, and Roy Orbison.

With Lynne, the Electric Light Orchestra founder turned superproducer, he crafted a solo album without the Heartbreakers. (Petty and Lynne wrote most of the songs.) It was called Full Moon Fever and included the song Free Fallin.

This is a great song. As I read it, its a devastatingly simple construction. Theres a guy whos broken his girlfriends heart. He says, Im free, and then immediately realizes what free is going to mean: free fallin. The songs evocations of the San Fernando Valley give it an immediacy like few others of the era. And while Lynnes production overall is, I think, far too sterile and far too reliant on sound effects, whos going to argue with that six-note guitar line?

The album also contained the big radio hits Runnin Down a Dream and I Wont Back Down. A decade on from Torpedoes, with 5 million copies sold in the U.S. alone, this put Petty back into superstar realm.

In the years since, he was a rock elder, released this and that album that few paid attention to, and eased himself into the comfortable superduperstar stadium tour circuit, where nightly paydays reached into the millions. He let Peter Bogdanovich do a four(!)-hour documentary on his life and the band called Runnin Down a Dream.

While Pettys image was laid-back, almost hippielike, you dont get to be a star and stay one without some grit. His kids, he told Zollo, know the truth: They said, The world pictures you as this laid-back laconic person, but youre really the most intense, neurotic person weve ever met!

Some of Pettys stuff doesnt work for me. He was cranky about women in too many songs. I dont get Southern Accents. Too much of the 80s MTV stuff is fluff. But there will always be one song: American Girl. And not only that, there will always be one line in that one song: Raised on promises. The context is this:

She was an American girl

Raised on promises.

In that line resides the promise of America, and rock and roll, and the intercontinental railway, the interstate highway system, and Microsoft and Apple and Google and even Facebook. As I said, later Petty would sound pinched writing about women, and maybe he didnt understand what he was writing about them. But an American girl, raised on promises, is everything this country is about.

The story as it unfolds isnt entirely clear, but I read it like this: She had a guy, and he was either not enough, or, in the end, she realized it was going to be a relationship that was going to hold her back. So she left, she stood on a hotel balcony, and looked at a freeway.

Maybe the song is about something else, but that interpretation exists in it, and thats what its about for me. We could argue about it, but Id win, because on my side Id have the guitars that come in after those last lines, the steady one-chord jangle, the uplifting bass line, Tenchs swelling organ, then Campbells deceptively emotional guitar solo  all of that, until a flurry of guitar, faster and faster, onward and upward, takes our girl to where she needed to go.

The band played its last show Monday, concluding a three-show stand at the Hollywood Bowl  the last shows of the Heartbreakers 40th anniversary tour.
[October 03, 2017] Apstra, Cohesity, Darktrace, Javelin Networks, NetFoundry, OnDot and Prof. David Cheriton triumph at NetEvents 2017 Innovation Awards

The winners of the IoT, Cloud & Cybersecurity Innovation Awards 2017 were announced at the NetEvents Global Press & Analyst Summit in San Jose, California, USA. These prestigious awards celebrate the year's most significantly innovative start-ups and established companies in the fast-growing Internet of Things (IoT), Cloud/Datacenter and Cybersecurity arenas. Six company categories were awarded this year, plus one special award: The three "Hot Start Up awards" categories, judged by the Shark Tank panel of venture capitalists, included newcomers in Cybersecurity, IoT & Cloud/Datacenter. The three "Innovation Leader awards" included the same categories for established organizations and were judged by an independent panel of 40+ leading technology press and industry analysts representing 35+ countries across the globe. There was an additional special category - the "Innovation Idol Award" - presented for an individual who, in the judges' opinion, had made an outstanding and inspirational contributions to the industry. All money raised by this years' awards, including profits and donations from the gala dinner evening, is being shared between three charities: Prostate Cancer Research, STEM and UNICEF. This year's charitable contributions brought the total raised to-date to over $125,000. INNOVATION LEADERS The winner of the Innovation Leader - IoT Award - presented by Erin Dunne, Director of Research Services, Vertical Systems Group - was NetFoundry, which offers technology for building application-specific networks. The judges' opinion liked NetFoundry's approach to solving a set of problems in a practical way - over the top of the world's existing networks - with an on-demand, intent based network, secure, instant SDN creating virtual "slices" for a variety of applications/uses which gave it the edge over the other finalists: Cloudera, GE (General Electric), and Zebra Technologies (News - Alert) The Innovation Leader - Cloud/Datacentre Award - presented by Mike Sapien, Principal Analyst, Enterprise Services, Ovum (News - Alert) - went to Cohesity, which helps enterprises manage their growing secondary-storage challenges. The judges remarked that web-scale operations will be driven by storage. Cohesity (News - Alert) helps to optimize this task and enable customers to take better advantage of the mounds of data that they are collecting. With storage often being a "race to the bottom" on cost, these economic factors are important.' Cohesity faced strong copetition from the other finalists Apstra, Infinera, Ravello Systems (Oracle (News - Alert)), and Skuid.



The Innovation Leader - Cybersecurity Award - presented by Mike Spanbauer, VP of Research Strategy, NSS Labs - went to Darktrace who, in the judges' opinion had the ability to detect 'unknown' threats using unsupervised machine learning shines a secure light into previously shadowy parts of the network. Darktrace adds core security value through the use of innovative AI-based technology, while at the same time reducing security solutions complexity. Darktrace had faced strong competition from the other finalists: Palo Alto Networks, Vectra, and Ziften. HOT START-UPS

For the three Hot Start Up categories, the finalists were short-listed by the media judges and then required to give a short elevator pitch in 'Shark Tank' style at the NetEvents Global Press & Analyst Summit before an audience of technology leaders, press and analysts representing over 35+ countries around the world. The finalist judging panel included Silicon Valley VCs and business angels.

For the Hot Start-Up - Cloud/Datacenter - Apstra was chosen to receive the award presented by Rajesh Ghai, Research Director, Telecom Network Infrastructure, IDC. Janice Roberts, Partner, Benhamou Global Venture Partners commented, on behalf of the VC judging panel: "It is time that CIOs change the way they think about networks given universal digital transformation.... we like the fact that Apstra is a pioneer - intent- based networking ... It's a hard problem and they are relatively early, but they have an exceptional team...."

For the Hot Start-Up - IoT Award - presented by Robert Haim, Principal Analyst - Business Analysis & IoT, ACG Research - OnDot Systems was chosen as the winner. Janice Roberts, Partner, Benhamou Global Venture Partners commented, "OnDot was chosen as the winner of the Hot Start-Up IoT award as a company with a global market opportunity with clear value propositions in a 'mobile first' world for both financial institutions and individual customers. In addition to enabling increased customer engagement, the advantages of personalized management and control of payments is both compelling and essential."

For the Hot Start Up - Cybersecurity Award presented by Jason Bloomberg, President, Intellyx and Forbes contributor - Javelin Networks were chosen to receive the award. Hiro Rio Maeda, Managing Director, Draper Nexus commented, "We selected Javelin because of the root problem that they are solving. Most enterprises are still heavily dependent on Active Directory and once it's compromised none of the other solutions could prevent further attacks. We are hopeful that Javelin could solve this root problem by their next-gen deception technology around Active Directory. It's not complete but we believe their "innovative" approach has a great potential to evolve further." THE INNOVATION IDOL The special Innovation Idol Award - presented by Mark Fox, CEO of NetEvents - went to Professor David Cheriton, who commented: "David has made a tremendous contribution to the computer networking industry since arriving in Silicon Valley 36 years ago. David is a distributed systems and networking expert with keen insight into identifying big market opportunities and building the architectures needed to address these opportunities. David has inspired many of his Stanford University students to progress and achieve great success - perhaps the most notable are Sergey Brin and Larry Page who, with guidance and initial seed funding from David went on to form Google (News - Alert). David also met Mendel Rosenblum at Stanford who in turn introduced him to Diane Greene, and went on to become the first investor and an early advisor to VMWare. David has funded more than 20 companies. His latest venture is Apstra where he is developing an intent-based self-operating network for the Datacenter - his vision is gaining considerable attention from the international media community. As Innovation Idol, David joins an elite club of past winners which includes Ethernet inventor Bob Metcalfe, OpenFlow inventor Martin Casado, who can also be attributed with setting the industry down the SDN path, Silicon Valley entrepreneur Andy Bechtolsheim, plus last years winner Stuart McClure for his work in successfully leading the industry in applying Artificial Intelligence in security applications". The NetEvents Global press and Analyst Summit offers a stimulating and topical two-day conference program of hot debates, head-to-heads and presentations by visionaries and industry analysts. For vendors it provides an exceptional opportunity to meet these networking and communications industry gatekeepers and spend quality time together in an informal yet focused environment. For full details of the NetEvents program of events and awards visit: www.netevents.org IoT & Cloud Innovation Awards Press Materials inc award presentation photos:

http://www.netevents.org/portfolio/iot-cloud-innovation-awards-2017 View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171003006108/en/

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The women of Dallas have occupied Mexico. Apparently unbothered by the prospect of a surprise TSA screening, Brandi brought along a massive, dark-brown dildo, which she refers to as Sexual Chocolate. (Brandi.) She sees it as a litmus test to determine who among them is truly down to clown, and so she hides the rubber Excalibur in DAndras bag.

It isnt long before, at a taco and tequila tasting on the beach (more of a tequila drinking, really), DAndra discovers whats hiding in her purse. She takes its contents in stride. She pulls the dildo out, brandishing it in Brandis face. It has a pee hole and everything, exclaims Stephanie gleefully, forever the Tweedledee to Brandis Tweedledum. The blurred but nevertheless visibly jiggling dildo is truly an achievement on the part of the RHOD postproduction team.

Kameron, who is 10 percent human woman, 90 percent stick-up-butt, finds the sex toy unspeakably horrifying, despite the fact that  lets be real  it is a factory-fresh, brand-new product that has far fewer bacteria on it than anybodys iPhone. Naturally, Brandi chases Kam with the dildo, asking her, Are you sad that this isnt pink? (Raise your hand if you think that the Housewives are being twice as weird about the dildo than they otherwise would be because of some vague, penis-based racism.) The resort staff stands at attention a short distance away throughout all of this. I hope to God theyre getting enormous tips, and I do mean cash ones.

Kam refers to the dildo-based chaos as girls gone extra wild, which leads me to believe she does not fully comprehend the premise of Girls Gone Wild. Leeanne buries the dildo, which at this point qualifies as a Friend of the Housewives, in the sand. She and DAndra are on Kamerons side: Brandi should have dropped it, literally and figuratively. Personally, I would much rather vacation with Brandi and Stephanie, whether or not Sexual Chocolate is invited.

As theyre getting dressed up for the evening, LeeAnne finally tells DAndra that she and Rich are engaged. DAndra cries happy tears, explaining in a confession that facing the reality of dying alone has bonded her to LeeAnne, given that theyre both only children without kids of their own. Maybe dont write that in the wedding card, but sure! Dinner quickly devolves into The Dildo Argument 2: Electric Boogaloo, in which Brandi and Kameron return to the fundamental conflict between them: class. Kam looks down on Brandi for her disgusting manners and her less-than-prime zip code, or so Brandi believes (but I mean, yeah, Kameron definitely does). Do you not fart? Do you not burp? Brandi asks her blonde nemesis, sounding positively Shakespearean. After miming slitting her throat with a table knife (so one of the things in her hands is a knife!), LeeAnne takes this opportunity to announce to the rest of the group that she and Rich got engaged, showing off her ring. Everyone is thrilled and Sexual Chocolate is forgotten. At least, for now.

On day two of their Mexico trip (Im sorry, that was just 24 hours? I guess one day in human years is seven days in dildo years), LeeAnne complains to DAndra over breakfast that her frenemy slash possible future strangling victim Cary was too enthusiastic over her engagement. How dare she? Brandi joins Stephanie for Champagne in a massive bubble bath and nearly gets lost in the suds. (Yes, I also hope that housekeeping gets an absurdly large tip of their own.)

They all reunite to eat dinner in a cave (but like, a fancy cave), where the tequila shots just keep on coming. Brandi suggests they play two truths and a lie, a game Cary  who earlier told Brandi and Stephanie she heard that Rich has a small penis  immediately derails when her turn comes up. She reclaims her time, confronting LeeAnne right at the table in front of everyone about threatening to strangle her. LeeAnne calmly offers the best possible response: I wish you were the only person that I threatened to kill. Fair enough!

But then this weather system evolves ever so slightly, and what looked like a developing LeeAnne vs. Cary showdown for the ages shifts to an unexpected Brandi vs. Cary skirmish. As Brandi does her best to remain diplomatically neutral, Cary grows frustrated that she got her raring to fight with LeeAnne in the first place. As for what Brandi said to LeeAnne about Cary telling her that her own surgeon killed people on the operating table? Cary categorically denies it. I never said that, Brandi, ever in a fucking million years, she snaps. Wait, what? Why would Brandi make that up?

In a confessional, Cary suspiciously walks back her stance: Yes, Brandi called and asked for advice on her short list of ten surgeons. If Cary did say one of them killed somebody  well, she wouldnt have made that up! That whole speech reads to me as part non-denial, part post-lie damage control. Im #TeamBrandi on this one  and failing that, #TeamSexualChocolate.
Polanski. Photo: Andreas Rentz/Getty Images

A former German actress has accused Roman Polanski of raping her in 1972, when she was 15, according to the New York Times. Renate Langer, now 61, says she met Polanski, 84, when she worked for a modeling agency, and he was interested in casting her in a movie. When she visited him in the Swiss village Gstaad, she said he had sex with her in his home, despite her protests. About a month later, Langer told the Times, he called to apologize and offered her a small role in his 1972 movie Che? While on set of Che?, Langer says Polanski raped her a second time, despite her efforts to defend herself with a bottle of wine and a bottle of perfume. Langer has notified police in Switzerland  which has no statue of limitations on child sex-abuse cases  of the alleged crimes, and the police are determining whether she can pursue a criminal complaint. Langer said she did not come forward earlier because she didnt want to embarrass her parents, who died recently.

Langer is the fourth woman to publicly accuse Polanski of sexual assault. In 1977 he pleaded guilty to unlawful sex with 13-year-old Samantha Geimer, and fled the United States the following year before he could be sentenced. In August, a woman identified as Robin M. said Polanski sexually victimized her in 1973 when she was 16. In 2010, British actress Charlotte Lewis also said the director sexually abused her when she was 16. On Monday at the Zurich Film Festival, Polankski addressed the Geimer case, saying, As far as what I did: Its over. I pleaded guilty. I went to jail. I came back to the United States to do it, people forget about that, or dont even know. A lawyer for the director declined to comment to the Times on Langers accusations.
The Middle. Photo: Michael Ansell/ABC

This past summer, ABC announced that one of its longest-running comedies, The Middle, would end at the conclusion of its upcoming ninth season. Despite its consistently solid ratings, The Middle never seemed to garner the same amount of widespread interest or acclaim as other ABC sitcoms  as evidenced by those Emmy-loved families on Black-ish and Modern Family  and so, the cancellation news was met with a resounding meh. Sure, the premise of a working-class family in rural Indiana may not be the sexiest on paper, but what the show lacked in glitz it easily made up for in character and a whole lot of heart. (Yes, that heart was probably bought at the Frugal Hoosiers Eat It Today section.)

Ill miss the midwestern comfort of The Middle tremendously. Ahead of the shows ninth season premiere on Tuesday night, here are five reasons why you should give the Heck family a chance to charm you too.

The Humor Is Simple, But Effective

Theres something pleasantly refreshing about a five-member family that maintains a strong sense of humor despite the forces of the world constantly wreaking havoc on their financial and mental stability. The Middles comedy isnt derived from, say, the outlandish moments of a familys tween boy explaining his fondness for canapes and velvet smoking jackets, to take from another ABC sitcom. Instead, you get Frankie Heck (Patricia Heaton), a matriarch who wants nothing more than to obsess over The Bachelor finale on an old television that wont guarantee to turn on, as a means of ignoring the fact that she recently lost her job. (I have a lot to escape from, okay?) Or Mike Heck Jr. (Neil Flynn), a father who overcomes a silly crisis of manhood after falling down the stairs at his limestone quarry, nearly preventing his workers from receiving a coveted cupcake party thanks to the workplace incident. Even when the Hecks are faced with the most crippling of blows  Mike being forced to sell his on-the-rise diaper business to cover his daughters college tuition after she forgot to reapply for financial aid, for instance  they always manage to plop down on their fraying sofa with $1 cheeseburgers and banter about the day.

Two Words: Eden Sher

While Patricia Heaton and Neil Flynn are the shows most recognizable faces  Everybody Loves Raymond and Scrubs can do that  the breakout star has undoubtedly been Eden Sher, who portrays the relentlessly optimistic and zany Sue Heck. You see, Sue isnt really that popular of a girl. Shes constantly rejected from any club she wants to join, she doesnt have a long line of eligible bachelors knocking at her door, and, frankly, shes someone you probably went out of your way to ignore in high school and college. But does Sue care? Hell, no. Shes just going to consult kickinitteenstyle.com for the latest teen intel and smile the pain away, even when crippling disappointment seeps its way back home in the form of the dreaded middle-child syndrome. (Yeah, her parents forgot about her a bunch of times.) Watching Sher grow up on The Middle has been a delight to witness, and she deserved a lot more award recognition for Sues signature crazed smile alone.

The Hecks House

Give the set decorators their due, because the disorganized, oft-claustrophobic ranch house that the Hecks call their humble abode is unlike anything on network television. Gone is the crisp, chic minimalism often favored by TV families thats miraculously always clean. In its place, The Middle gives us chunks of torn wallpaper in the living room, mismatched furniture thats less eclectic and more cheap, a massive hole in a wall in Sues bedroom, kitchen sinks that cave into the ground, and a patio whose sole purpose seems to be hiding various household crap from visitors. (Also, the eldest son ends up living in a similarly cluttered Winnebago  which lost its roof  during his college years.) Its far from perfect. Its not aesthetically pleasing. But its real.

The Many Sights of Orson, Indiana

If I ever found myself road-trippin through the great corn state of Indiana, I sure hope I would end up in a town like Orson. Its popular supermarkets are called the Frugal Hoosier and Yesterdays Bounty. (Per Frankie: Theyve got everything! Backed-over bread. Pre-opened pasta. Generic Chinese cereal.) Smack dab in the center of town is the worlds largest polyurethane cow. All of the neighbors are chipper, minus Brooke Shieldss deranged single mother  did I mention that Brooke Shields plays a deranged single mother?  and partake in yearly lawn mower races. And despite its small size and modest per capita income, it somehow has the demand for an expansive escape-room facility. They had me at Frugal Hoosier.

Patricia Heatons Glorious Wig

You thought Julianna Marguliess Good Wife wig was great? Think again.
The Wailing Wall was located in a Paramount Studios parking lot. Photo: Jennifer Clasen/Amazon Video

Spoilers ahead for season four of Transparent.

Transparent creator Jill Soloway said she facetiously modeled the Pfeffermans pilgrimage to Israel on the The Brady Bunchs Hawaii episode. But unlike the 60s sitcom, which actually traveled to the Aloha State to film, the Transparent cast never set foot in the Middle East to shoot their new season. Soloway, the writers, and some of the creative team took a research trip to Israel before scripts were written, says production designer Cat Smith, who was later tasked with turning local Los Angeles locations into the Israeli sites she saw. We talked to Smith about the spiritual sleight of hand it took to create Holy Land hot spots in Southern California.



A Santa Clarita ranch became the goat farm in Ramallah.

After arriving at Ben Gurion Airport  in reality, a transformed Van Nuys flyaway terminal  Ali and her new activist friend Lyfe end up in the Palestinian city of Ramallah in episode three. The goat farm they visit was actually Sable Ranch, a popular Santa Clarita film location. It was a good substitute for the West Bank spot where Ali gets an education in Israeli-Palestinian politics due to a 2016 wildfire that made its dry landscape a good desert double.

An L.A. beach house subbed for Moshes seaside home in Caesarea.

He lives like a Malibu Jew, Ali says about Mauras long-lost father, Moshe, whom they track down in episode four. In fact, a house in the exclusive beach community did sub for one in Israels coastal town of Caesarea, where Mauras dad lives among the countrys rich and famous. Smith says finding the house was easy, thanks to sites where homeowners advertise their shoot availability. But locating a spot on the sand where Ali and Maura could sit after their first encounter with the cool guy air-conditioning mogul was trickier because of Malibus surrounding mountains.

A Compton cemetery stood in for the street of sorrow.

Josh may have said, I feel like were in Venice Beach right now, when the Pfeffermans checked out Jerusalems Old City market in episode six. But his words were actually uttered at the Angeles Abbey Memorial Park in Compton. The shots of stalls are B-roll for the most part, says Smith, who also added some of her own stands based on pictures she took during her trip. In addition to making a Via Dolorosa street sign, Smiths crew built a faux Jerusalem stone plaster front. The fake wall included the well-worn spot with Jesus handprint at which the Pfeffermans stop.

A Paramount Studios parking lot became home to the Wailing Wall.

Before shooting a frame of film for episode six, in which the Pfeffermans visit the sacred site, Smith says Soloway had a rabbi come in and give a prayer in front of a fabricated 60-foot plaster wall meant to mimic ancient limestone and crammed with hundreds of tiny pieces of paper  including script pages  into barely there crevices. The rabbi also invited everyone to write a note, and put it in the wall that had to match an establishing B-roll shot of the real temple wall. It was strangely moving, and people really did put prayers in that wall, Smith says. At the end of the day, the director of photography sent Smith a photo of someone praying at the wall after everyone had left.

A Southern California sand quarry posed as the desert.

The Bedouin village Moshe takes the Pfeffermans to in episode seven was actually a Simi Valley business that mines sand for glass. Smith brought in camels, goats, and even planted palm trees. When you look at the hill [in the scene], and see a cliff of sand, thats because its been bulldozed, Smith says. The fictional West Bank settlement of Tapuz that Sarah and Len visit in the same episode was based on the Har Homa and Maaleh Adumim settlements. The show used a Santa Clarita building for an exterior shot, and photos of real apartments on an Israeli real estate site gave Smith decorating ideas.

A movie studio water tank doubled for the Dead Sea.

After eating in a spa cafeteria thats really the empty eatery of the shuttered Robert F. Kennedy Medical Center in Hawthorne, the Pfeffermans (minus Ali) head to swim in the Dead Sea in episode nine. That one scene where theyre walking up to the beach, and theres the lifeguard tower, the sign, and the mountains and Masada in the background, thats the most impressive, Smith says. Thats because its green screen combined with a simulated seashore made of sand and white gravel that looks like salt, and an L.A.-built lifeguard tower  all located on a Universal Studios soundstage. As for the floating Pfeffermans, the actors were in a water tank wearing rubber panties that acted as flotation devices. The costume designer called them rubber diapers, Smith says.
Photo: Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images for iHeart Media

A few days before the Backstreet Boys played the final date of a select-city jaunt across North America  a reprieve from their nightly Las Vegas residency  I spoke with the seminal boy bands publicist on the phone. In the middle of a conversation about putting me on the guest list, he asked me a question I hadnt heard in years, save for when Id mentioned this story idea to my hairdresser, who laughed nostalgically and then asked the same thing: Which one was your favorite?

Answering this as a 31-year-old woman feels somehow perverse, despite the longstanding tradition of having a favorite Backstreet Boy. To love the Backstreet Boys in their heyday was to foster a sense of covetousness alongside ones unbridled fandom. It was obsessive, albeit innocent, unabashed, and devout. It was highly sexual, long before Id started having sex. This engineering of having a favorite was potentially domesticating. Perhaps it was the difference in age between the Backstreet Boys themselves and the majority of their fan base, but it was through the Backstreet Boys  who even then could not be considered boys  that I began to learn about heterosexual power dynamics. Music video after music video offered the same advice: Depending on the assumed preference of whichever Boy you had your eye on  Kevin, Brian, Nick, Howie, or AJ  you should be a woman so cold, unfeeling, and impenetrably mysterious that you remain emotionally untouchable, or go the simpler route and be servile, sweet, monogamous, and manageable.

Of course I had a favorite. (It was Kevin.) He was 27 when I was 12. Now, Im 31 and hes 46, and here we all are at Wrigley Field in Chicago. I was unaware, at the height of my own devotion, how deviant it must have appeared for children, not teenagers, but children, to pine so ardently for grown men. Its an age difference that wouldnt be remarkable (or illegal) now, but in hindsight I take pause over how ravenously I lusted for the oldest one. The widespread pageantry of longing for any chosen Backstreet Boy is inextricable to me from whatever moment a service bell rang in my head letting me know my sexuality was ready.

Precisely 20 years from the day that the Backstreet Boys self-titled debut was released in North America, Im watching them flit around the stage before an adoring sold-out audience that remembers every lyric. Wrigley, baby! yells AJ, the word baby reverberating in my conscience.

I go in skeptically, anticipating a spectacle of denial and aging. Everything must die, after all, even the charm and good looks of the Backstreet Boys. I worry that this is going to feel awful, and that I will leave the concert longing for innocence. In the 2015 Backstreet Boys documentary, Show Em What Youre Made Of, we see the group struggle to physically prepare for a comeback tour. As such I am nervous to watch the members keep up with choreography thats been redesigned to accommodate their eroding agility. The frivolous ruse of male ego is sad enough, worse when it unravels right in front of you.

In May, I beamed as Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds played for two-and-a-half consecutive hours. But even Nick Cave, 60, wisely spent part of that time in a chair. With age, he has become more reasonable about what his body is capable of. The Backstreet Boys, on the other hand, in their late-30s to mid-40s, cling to an image of immortal juvenility. Sure, they now wear wedding rings and, if one looks adroitly enough, their torsos can be seen jiggling beneath coordinated light grey T-shirts, but Brian still waves at the crowd like hes waving at thousands of children. Kevin still stoops down and waves at Nicks crotch. They make it not two verses into Larger Than Life before humping the air in unison. They do the chair-dance routine. Boyishness is, and has always been, their brand. If they admit theyve grown up, its over.

The couple ahead of me gropes each other and makes out to As Long As You Love Me. I avert my eyes to the Jumbotron, and see flickers of perspiration trotting down Nicks face like its a glass of La Croix. His mouth hovers perma-agape in a way that always made his short attention span seem charming, as though earning his focus would be a satisfying feat. I wonder how his breath smells, and whether Kevin takes Hairfinity.

Several women at the concert wear shirts that say, I still want to marry a Backstreet Boy. I cant stop imagining every member having sex, according to how they move, and frankly why shouldnt I ponder that, given the precision with which they were marketed to me just as I was learning what sex was? Im an adult now. The innuendo is no longer unclear. (In Show Em What Youre Made Of, Kevin recites a German sentence he picked up to meet girls on a European tour in the 90s: Willst du mir einen blasen? he says. Thats will you give me a blow job? Was the innuendo ever unclear to begin with?)

There are a lot of men in the audience. One of them, a 28-year-old guy named Mike, admits that  much like Kevin speaking one useful German phrase  knowing every Backstreet Boys song is an advantage when trying to meet women. Tactic notwithstanding, his fandom is genuine. I dont know one dude who doesnt know all their songs, he says. Everybody was a closeted Backstreet Boys fan. Now that were older nobody cares  I refuse to go to Wrigley Field for a Cubs game. I only went there because thats where the Backstreet Boys were gonna be.

After Weve Got It Goin On, Howie sagely reminds the crowd of the groups ongoing Vegas residency, now extended into 2018. (A new BSB album is also on the way, as is another sold-out cruise.) They bang out I Want It That Way and exit the stage.

That the members have aged 20 years and not outgrown their shtick is heartening, in a way. Its their cunningness that I struggle with, the lethality of the nice-guy archetype. The Backstreet Boys ongoing pursuit of tenderness is a little farcical given that theyre all taken men with families now, but I appreciate the enduring pledge toward obscuring the lines of masculinity before an audience that might learn from a little gradation. How many jokes about the Backstreet Boys are rooted in homophobia?

The following night, BSB still on my mind, I grab my phone mid-conversation in a bar and make note of the line every time I breathe I take you in, how it stuns, still. The harmony is soothing, but the lyrics leave me unsettled. So fatalistic, so possessive, borderline threatening  Drowning in Your Love?

I dont think it was the best-selling boy band of all times intention to subliminally plant a resistance to dependency within my young brain, but all those songs about romantic suffering, howled desperately in music videos where the gas station was on fire, left a mark on me. These songs were paternalistic and demanding, however gorgeously  truly, gorgeously  sung. (Isnt this is what Exile in Guyville is about?)

Theres profit to be gained from allowing peoples impractical desires to feel sane. So, too, is there joy in being able to rollick in whatever those desires may be.

Then and now, the Backstreet Boys portray love quixotically. Even as men they were the best and worst of boys  promising but ultimately poker-faced, so sincere-seeming yet making a killing off the frank affection of girls. In the fleeting, fantastical space of their live show, however, permanence and unconditional care seem like attainable goals everyone in attendance has a shot at.

Even just for one saccharine night at Wrigley, baby.
Photo: Jimmy Kimmel Live/ABC

Yesterday, less than 24 hours after the mass murder in Las Vegas, TVs late-night hosts went into crisis mode. They know how to do this now, just as cable news anchors know how to pack a go-bag and be ready to jump on a plane so they can report from the latest site of tragedy and horror. And we, the audience, now look for it; were no longer surprised or jarred by the suspension of comedy or by a talk show beginning with a performer looking ashen. We look to these hosts to speak to us  and sometimes for us. At the Emmys this year, there were joking grumbles from Stephen Colbert and James Corden about what an unfair advantage it is that this years winner in their category, John Oliver, only has to do one show a week. But the kind of breaking news that rivets the country to its TV sets is the one area in which the nightly guys can claim the advantage of immediacy.

On Monday, they did so in ways that were both respectful to the moment and true to who each of them are, all beginning their shows with remarks delivered as cold openings. Conan OBrien, a meta-master of the joke about the joke, went for the non-joke about the non-joke, noting that when he began this job in 1993, occasions like this were extremely rare  Today, when I came into work, my head writer was standing in my office with a sheet of paper, and said, Here are the remarks you made after the Sandy Hook shootings and the Pulse nightclub attack in Orlando  That struck me: How could there be a file of mass shooting remarks for a late-night host? When did that become normal? Corden, who is, of course, English, spoke as Americas bewildered ally  how could his currently adopted country be so defined by gun violence? I come from a place where we dont have shootings of this frequency so its hard for me to fathom, he said plaintively. It should be hard for everyone to fathom. Gun violence should not be a staple of American life. Stephen Colbert, who comes to politics more naturally, called for Congress to act, saying bluntly, Doing nothing is cowardice, and Seth Meyers, who tracks political hypocrisy and double-talk more savagely than any of his colleagues, aimed his remarks directly at Congress as well, saying, It would be so much more honest if you would just admit that your plan is to never talk about it and never take any action.

Related Stories How Jimmy Kimmel Found His Political Voice

All of these hosts spoke from the heart, appropriately and effectively. Their demeanor was somber and their words were thoughtful and well chosen. But for the second time in a month, the one we found ourselves wanting to watch  the one we let ourselves believe might share our feelings and actually make a difference  was Jimmy Kimmel, who has become televisions most unlikely spokesman for a nation baffled and frustrated by Trump and the Republican Congress in 2017.

The other hosts spoke calmly for two or three minutes each. Kimmel, shaky and intermittently crying, spoke for nine. This is the second major news story of the year to hit him where he lives; the first was the health crisis faced by his infant son Billy, born in April, which turned Kimmel into an impassioned advocate for universal health care and a guarantee of coverage for preexisting conditions, leading Republican senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana to coin the phrase the Kimmel test when explaining what a GOP ACA repeal bill would have to offer. When Cassidys own bill failed that test last month, Kimmel went from frightened father to infuriated scourge, using the platform of his show to call Cassidy out for dishonesty over four consecutive nights. His caustic, fact-packed monologues got reams of news coverage and emblematized the degree to which the political can become personal when its about your life, your family, your child. Cassidy tried to fight back, but to the extent that this became a national debate, Kimmel won.

Last night, it was personal again  Kimmel grew up in Las Vegas and reminded audiences thats not a dream palace but a real city filled with real people. And he got very specific about Congresss consistent failure to pass or even consider gun laws, saying bluntly of Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan that the NRA has their balls in a money clip. [They sent] their thoughts and prayers today  which is good. They should be praying. They should be praying for God to forgive them for letting the gun lobby run this country. This wasnt Kimmel chasing the studio-audience political approval known as clapter; his audience leaned in, absolutely silent for more than seven minutes before finally applauding at the line, No American needs an M16. Kimmel concluded his remarks, his voice continuing to break, by saying, Im sorry for getting emotional. Im not great with this kind of thing. But I think its important.

Being not great with this kind of thing is exactly why Kimmel is, right this minute, the most important host in late-night TV, a designation he would no doubt shun. In March, I wrote a critical piece that rounded up how various hosts were handling the Trump administration. I had a lot to say about many of them, and little to say about Kimmel other than that he doesnt seem to have an immense appetite for taking on the politics of the moment. I stand by that: He doesnt. And his reluctance  he didnt ask for this  is what makes him so essential. In politics, elected officials fear few things more that the swing voter, or the voter who goes from indifferent to galvanized. That does not describe Seth Meyers, who gets into politics with welcome precision and terrier avidity, or John Oliver, who makes a banquet of wonkish specifics. Kimmel doesnt  or didnt until this year. His awkwardness  his voice quavers when hes angry or upset, he can ramble, and every word isnt perfectly chosen  is the awkwardness of someone who is awakening to the fact that politics cant be walled off in an area thats separate from personal experience. Kimmel is why, in every State of the Union address and political stem-winder, elected officials trying to make a point resort to Like the story of Mary Smith, from Ames City, Iowa, who  In their clumsy, manipulative, PowerPoint-and-whiteboard way, theyre trying to teach you that politics matters when it happens to you.

Kimmel embodies that right now. Hes the guy who got hit in the gut because it was his family, his hometown, his life. And his response  to fill himself with information and to insist that what he is embracing is so steeped in either common sense or human decency that it cant even be consider a partisan position (though of course it is) feels both instinctive and remarkably shrewd. As I write, Kimmels remarks from last night have already been viewed on YouTube by three to five times as many people as those of his late-night colleagues. He is not the comedian I would have guessed would have become the avatar for a fed-up reaction to our political era  and I recoil from the word authentic, which has too many different meanings to too many different users to be of much value as a discussion point. But these days, Kimmel feels like the real thing  shaky, flummoxed at the way things are going, and increasingly insistent that our elected officials be better people. More than anyone in late night, he is speaking in a way that seems to invite if not insist upon consensus  his strategy, if it can be called that, is to say, We may not agree on much, but can we at least agree on this?

Gun control is a notoriously difficult issue on which to budge Congress. It is hard for me to disagree with all the people who have said that if 20 dead children in Connecticut didnt prick at the souls of elected officials enough for them to take action, nothing will. But if that is to change, it will probably take more voices like Kimmels to do it. I dont want to overstate his impact, but I will also note that in the era of Twitter, streaming, and TV coverage about TV, his words are reaching far more people than those few million who watch his show in real time every night. Far more than a few million is a number that can scare just about any elected official. And right now, Kimmel is scaring them better than anyone else on television.
[October 03, 2017] Mimo Monitors Joins Logitech Collaboration Program

CHICAGO, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Mimo Monitors, the experts in small touchscreen displays, are pleased to announce that they have joined the Logitech Collaboration Program as a Complementary Technology Integration Partner in delivering high-quality video collaboration experiences across customer environments. Through the Logitech Collaboration Program, Mimo Monitors augments the Logitech ConferenceCam Kits with Intel NUC to provide a more complete and enhanced user experience that is optimized for groups to collaborate anytime and anywhere. As their first venture in the partnership program, Mimo Monitors is also announcing that its newest product, the Mimo Vue Capture Capacitive Touch Display, will be included the Logitech ConferenceCam Kits as part of the Premium MeetUp and Group Kit offerings. The Logitech ConferenceCam Kits are designed to be a full conference room in a box, containing all the coponents needed for businesses of any size to have an integrated, seamless, and flexible, user experience. The Mimo Vue Capacitive Touch Display with HDMI Capture, included in the Premium MeetUp Kit and Group Kit, is a 10.1" touchscreen monitor specifically designed to be a conference room interface. The Mimo Capture Capacitive Touch Display enhances the ease and simplicity of setting up the conferences through thoughtful features such an integrated HDMI capture connection, touch-to-join meeting access and wired screen sharing.



"We are very pleased that Mimo Monitors has joined our collaboration program," said Scott Wharton, general manager of Logitech Video Collaboration. "Logitech and Mimo Monitors have joined forces to create innovative and flexible customer solutions. By closely collaborating, we believe we'll be able to offer an enhanced user experience to our joint customers." "We're excited to be part of the Logitech Collaboration program and to work in tandem with them to offer our customers a heightened user experience through our joint expertise. We look forward to a fruitful partnership ahead," said David Anderson, president and CEO of Mimo Monitors. "The Logitech Premium ConferenceCam Kits mark a great start to this collaboration by providing a full, and seamless conference room solution that we believe will solve many common problems in the conference room space."

You can learn more about the Logitech ConferenceCam Kits here: http://blog.logitech.com/?p=26184 About Mimo Monitors: Mimo Monitors was founded in 2008 to provide customers and partners with personalized customer service and the best quality small footprint small displays, touch screens, and tablets at the best value. Striving to provide customers with a technical partnership to develop customized solutions with leading edge technologies, Mimo Monitors has grown into a leading supplier of touch solutions for a wide variety of markets and Fortune 500 companies such as Google, Hertz, and VeriFone. From interactive POP digital signage, to desktop and mounted control panels, to point of sale systems, hands-on kiosks, and portable applications, our unique single USB connection allows for a myriad of innovative applications. View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mimo-monitors-joins-logitech-collaboration-program-300530096.html SOURCE Mimo Monitors

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A senior judge who presided over a hearing two years ago in which nine Twin Peaks defendants sought to remove McLennan Countys two primary felony court judges, was appointed Tuesday to preside over the case of former biker Matthew Clendennen.

A day after 54th State District Judge Matt Johnson agreed to step down from hearing Clendennens case, regional administrative Judge Billy Ray Stubblefield appointed Senior Judge Doug Shaver, of Houston, to hear Clendennens case.

A panel of 600 potential jurors has been summoned to report to court Oct. 27 in Clendennens case. The trial is set to start Nov. 6.

Johnsons decision to recuse himself came after Dallas attorney Clint Broden, who represents Clendennen, a former Scimitars motorcycle club member, filed a motion Monday seeking to recuse Johnson from further involvement in Clendennens case.

Judge recuses himself from Twin Peaks biker's trial Judge Matt Johnson, of Wacos 54th State District Court, who was set to preside over the tri

Johnson was formerly law partners with McLennan County District Attorney Abel Reyna. Brodens motion states that, according to the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure, a judge must recuse in any proceeding in which  the judge or a lawyer with whom the judge previously practiced law has been a material witness concerning the proceeding.

Reyna testified at a hearing last year in which Broden was seeking to disqualify Reyna from prosecuting Clendennens case.

Shaver, who is retired, has presided over dozens of capital murder and murder trials, including the infamous sleeping lawyer case in 1992 in which 72-year-old defense lawyer John E. Benn, literally slept through much of George McFarlands capital murder trial.

McFarland, convicted of robbing and killing a grocery store owner in Harris County, remains on death row.

Johnsons recusal comes a month after retired judges recused 19th State District Judge Ralph Strother from hearing the cases of Twin Peaks bikers Thomas Paul Landers, George Bergman, Rolando Reyes and Christopher Jacob Carrizal.

Twin Peaks jury panel readies for Carrizal trial The first trial of a biker arrested in the May 2015 skirmish between rival motorcycle groups

Johnson is scheduled to preside over Carrizals trial, with jury selection set to start Oct. 10. Carrizal is Dallas chapter president of the Bandidos group and is the first of the 154 bikers indicted in the Twin Peaks case set for trial.

Stubblefield appointed Shaver to preside over a June 4, 2015, hearing in Waco in which Austin attorney Adam Reposa, who at the time was representing nine bikers associated with the Bandidos, tried to recuse Johnson and Strother in those cases.

Shaver denied the motion.
AUSTIN  At least two people from Central Texas have been identified through social media as victims of the Las Vegas shooting attack Sunday night that killed more than 50 people and injured 500.

Seguin Police Deputy Chief Bruce Ure, who lives in Lakeway, and the father of Danae Dawn Gibbs of Cedar Park, posted to Facebook a few hours after the shooting.

I am ok too, Ure wrote. More than 200 people commented or reacted to the post by Monday afternoon, sending prayers and well wishes.

I caught a piece of bullet shrapnel on my hand but minor, he said in a comment. The shooter was 22 floors directly above our room. Rounds hitting the ground all around us. I am guessing 400-500 rounds. Maybe more. Sounded like a war zone.

A police spokesman said Ure is expected to be back in the office on Tuesday, but no additional details were available.

Gibbs, 23, who graduated from Texas Tech University earlier this year, said she was also hit by gunfire, family and friends said.

Her father, Darrell Gibbs, posted to Facebook just before 3 a.m. Monday asking for prayers for the victims .

Pray for the Las Vegas shooting victims. My daughter is one of them, he wrote. Shes in surgery and in need of prayers.

While some called for prayers on Facebook, others pitched in on a GoFundMe page established to help cover her medical expenses.

Late Monday morning, the pages creator said Gibbs was out of surgery and resting.
Immigrants, both documented and undocumented, are a crucial source of labor and it is well past time for immigration reform. Moreover, it needs to be framed in a way that addresses the reality of the situation rather than popular myths. Besides the important human aspect of the issue, there is also a clear economic incentive.

Change is coming for the U.S. workforce with the retiring of baby boomers and slower population growth and long-term prosperity hinges on the ability to tap into the global workforce.

Part of the current situation relates to visas, where there have been calls to reduce numbers and make them harder to obtain. In some cases, visas allow in workers who fill jobs where qualified employees are hard to come by. For example, the H-1B program allows U.S. companies to temporarily employ foreign workers in occupations requiring highly specialized knowledge and a bachelors degree or higher. Fields include sciences, engineering and information technology. However, the total numbers allowed under the program are relatively small.

There are also specialized visas for students, temporary visitors and many other categories of people visiting the United States for an extended time but not planning to remain here permanently. Reducing the availability of these visas curtails the potential for cultural exchange and improving relationships over time through greater understanding.

While the argument has been made that people utilizing visas (such as J-1) are taking jobs away from Americans, the reality is that most of the individuals holding these types of visas are here to study, not to work. According to the State Department, there were nearly 14,000 J-1 Visa participants in Texas last year. About 48 percent of those were either high school students, college students, interns, or trainees; another 20 percent are involved in summer work and travel programs; and hundreds more are just visiting. Those who are here to work (a few hundred physicians, au pairs, and camp counselors) are needed, and the numbers are again relatively small.

A larger issue involves persons who would prefer permanent residence or even citizenship. The process can be difficult to navigate, requiring time, financial resources and often legal assistance. For many persons who are undocumented, there is not a viable path to legal status. Immigration reform which provides a mechanism for undocumented immigrants to achieve legal status could provide substantial economic benefits ranging from a larger pool of potential workers to additional tax receipts.

The importance of the undocumented workforce illustrates the need for reform. In a recent study, we found that the number of undocumented workers in Texas is much larger than the total number of unemployed persons in the workforce. In other words, even if all currently unemployed persons filled jobs now held by undocumented workers (which is clearly impossible for numerous reasons), the state would be left with a glaring gap of hundreds of thousands of jobs if the undocumented workforce were no longer available.

We looked at the costs and benefits of the undocumented workforce (you can download the study at perrymangroup.com) and the results were clear. The net direct economic benefits of undocumented workers in Texas were found to include $144.7 billion in output (gross product) each year as well as 1.2 million jobs. There are multiplier (ripple) effects on top of the direct benefits, and when those are considered, total net economic benefits rise to an estimated $290.3 billion in output (gross product) each year and 3.3 million jobs.

Certain industries are particularly in need of workers and rely on undocumented individuals, including the agriculture, hospitality, and construction sectors. The current situation, with the Gulf Coast recovering from the devastation of Hurricane Harvey, illustrates the importance of the immigrant workforce.

Our analysis indicates that there are more than 250,000 undocumented construction workers in Texas, with roughly one-third of them in the Houston area. Many of these workers are highly skilled; they represent about 30 percent of the states construction labor force with no replacements readily available. Given that construction crews travel to needed areas, Houston and the Gulf Coast could easily face a shortage of between 100,000 and 150,000 or more workers for the efforts to rebuild homes, businesses and infrastructure without this pool.

As fears of deportation rise, it becomes increasingly difficult to access this critical resource. At a more macro level, the U.S. economy is essentially at full employment and we have a record level of job openings that employers are trying to fill. American workers are not being displaced.

The Trump Administrations recent decision to end Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, an immigration program allowing individuals who entered the United States as children to remain here for school or work, has added another layer of anxiety and uncertainty. Nearly 800,000 persons are enrolled in the program and approximately 124,300 of these Dreamers live in Texas (with a high concentration in Houston and the Gulf Coast region).

The administration allowed six months for congressional action to provide a replacement for DACA, which was the result of a 2012 presidential memorandum and was never intended to be a long-term solution (despite rhetoric to the contrary). If no action is taken, this group will be subject to deportation when work visas in place on March 5, 2018 expire. It looks like there could be a deal in the works and it would be a very good thing, though it only addresses part of the issue.

In recent years, the pace of immigration has slowed. While the Great Recession may have played a role, there are also factors such as post-9/11 regulations, efforts to secure borders and improved conditions in other nations (such as Mexico) in relation to the United States. Add to that the anxiety associated with political rhetoric and its not hard to see why immigration is slowing after a long period of increase.

Without a steady supply of immigrant workers, however, the United States may face significant labor force challenges. Congressional action is needed to fix the system, particularly given the decision to end DACA. In addition to the important social considerations, immigration reform that both protects borders and the integrity of the system and confronts economic reality is essential to long-term economic prosperity.
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Hands in pockets, shoulders hunched against the biting cold, three colleagues stand outside during a break on their last shift after two decades together.

"When I was going through that turnstile for the last time this morning ... ," says Matthew Kinson, trailing off, shaking his head. "Reality has kicked in today, that's for sure."

His co-workers nod and agree. "It's sunk in now," says Michael Spiteri, an employee of 23 years. "I couldn't sleep last night. I've been up since 4am."

Nearly four years have passed since auto giant Toyota told them it was shutting down the Altona production plant, the last car-making factory in Victoria. The closure, made official at 11.30am, puts 2600 staff out of well-paid work, and will trigger even more job losses in the wider economy.
In April 2015, at the age of 55, I was diagnosed with one of the most lethal and aggressive brain tumours, a brain stem glioblastoma multiforme in an advanced stage. The prognosis was grim and precise: Without treatment, I might have a few months; with treatment, I could last six months. If I beat overwhelming odds, I'd toast the new year one last time.

During the time my doctors were converging on my diagnosis, interest was building here in California for a law, called "aid in dying", that would allow physicians to help patients end their lives. The effort had received a significant boost from the publicity around Brittany Maynard, a 29-year-old woman who had a prognosis similar to mine. She ended her life in 2014, before any legislative action in California, by relocating to Oregon, establishing residency and taking advantage of the Death With Dignity law there. Perhaps affected by her powerful advocacy, the California legislature passed the aid-in-dying law and the governor signed it in October 2015, early in the window of my expected demise.

I did not spend any time navigating the five stages of grief. I decided on treatment, which would be followed by palliative care and, soon, hospice. I quickly knew  it could hardly be called a decision  that I would not allow the cancer to force an awful ending on my family and me. My big fear was that I would wait too long to be able to carry out my responsibility under the law. The terms are quite specific, saying the patient is the only one permitted to take any action leading to death. I'd have to endure the final suffering if I became paralysed or otherwise incapacitated.

I did not waver on my decision; I felt it was the only choice. My brother and I talked about contingency plans in case the bill did not pass. We assumed I would go through with it sometime in November or December, about seven months after my diagnosis. I was ready.
Los Angeles: In the aftermath of Sunday's massacre in Las Vegas, the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history, the House of Representatives will soon pass a bill that would make mass shootings easier. That's an unfair way to frame the issue, but it's not inaccurate.

The House is preparing to take up the Sportsmen Heritage and Recreational Enhancement Act, which not only loosens restrictions on hunting and shooting on public lands, but also includes two provisions that don't exactly seem essential to sport shooters. One would legalise the sale of armor-piercing bullets as long as the manufacturer declares that the ammunition is intended for sporting purposes. The other would loosen longstanding federal regulations on silencers.

There is little question that the bill, strongly supported by the National Rifle Association, will pass in the Republican-majority House. After that, the House will take up a separate bill that would allow people whose states permit them to carry concealed weapons to take their guns into other states, regardless of local regulations.

And that's where the US is on federal gun control legislation: not paralyzed, but worse. Congress is moving to make powerful weapons easier to obtain and easier to use as quickly as the NRA can find regulations to undo.
Australia's next fleet of navy frigates will be tailored to shoot down incoming missiles in a recognition of the growing threat posed by rogue regimes such as North Korea.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull will announce on Tuesday that the nine "future frigates", which the government wants to start building in 2020, will be equipped with an ambitious combination of the US-made Aegis combat system meshed with locally made SAAB Australia technology.

While the frigates are primarily meant for anti-submarine warfare, the inclusion of Aegis will tilt the purpose towards air and missile defence in a clear signal of the government's growing concern about the threat of missiles.

"Recent events in our region have proven that Australia's future frigates must be equipped to defend Australia from the threat of medium and long-range missile attacks," Mr Turnbull said in written comments provided in advance of the announcement.
Women consistently do more housework, even when employed full-time . They do more when they are married and after the birth of a child . Women also perform more of the least-pleasurable households tasks, like cleaning the bathroom.

The quality of womens relationships with their partner is diminished if they view their parenting division as unfair. Credit:Stocksy

Emerging research shows womens larger housework share deteriorates relationship satisfaction and leads to divorce. Our study shows inequality across the domestic sphere  housework and parenting  jeopardises relationship quality.

The quality of womens relationships with their partner is diminished if they view their parenting division as unfair or want to spend more time working, our new study of employed parents in Canada has found.

Although men have increased their housework time since the 1970s, they more typically perform the least-urgent chores, like changing lightbulbs or car maintenance.

Our study found working mothers assumed a larger parenting share, and this inequality deteriorated relationship quality  but only under certain conditions. It deteriorated when mothers perceived their parenting division as unfair, or when they felt trapped in their primary carer role.

Specifically, mothers who performed a larger parenting share and worked part-time had the lowest relationship quality. This pattern was also evident for mothers who preferred more time at work.

These paradoxical findings  mothers with part-time employment and preferences for more time at work reporting worse relations with their partners due to their larger parenting burden  suggests feeling trapped in the role of mother.

Mothers are expected to be fully available to the demands and whims of children around the clock. They are expected not only to provide primary care, but also to carry the mental load for the household. The mental load captures all of the planning work that is required to keep the household functioning, from organising after-school care to ensuring there is enough milk for breakfast.
This is what we know so far.

A lone shooter has opened fire at a country music festival in Las Vegas, carrying out the deadliest mass killing in US history.

At least 59 people have been shot dead and a further 527 are hurt. The death toll is almost certain to rise.

No Australians have been identified at this stage as being among the victims, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop says. "We know that a number of Australians were in the vicinity or are in the vicinity, but at this stage  and the situation is evolving  no Australians have been identified amongst the victims or those injured," she told Channel Nine.

A police officer takes cover behind a truck. Credit:John Locher

An off-duty Las Vegas police officer was among those killed during the shooting, according to Las Vegas police.

Festival-goer Sonny Melton, a 29-year-old nurse from West Tennessee, is the first victim to be identified. He was killed as he tried to shield his wife, Heather, from the gunfire.
He assumed it was fireworks connected to the concert, and figured he might as well catch a glimpse before turning in. Investigators load a body from the scene of a mass shooting at a music festival near the Mandalay Bay resort and casino on the Las Vegas Strip. Credit:AP He opened the curtains, but instead of lights in the sky, he heard more booms, closer together, from the hotel. "That's a machine gun," he thought, dropping to the floor. "An automatic rifle." The Mandalay Bay resort and casino after the shooting. Credit:AP

The booms were tightly grouped. Seven at a time. Five at a time. "It seemed like I was so close," he said. "I thought it was coming from the room next to me. I could hear the shots go off inside the hotel first, then echo outside." Las Vegas gunman Stephen Paddock. Stephen Paddock He made sure his door was locked, turned off the TV and crawled into the bathroom. There, inside whatever safety the tub provided, he looked at his phone and hit "send."

Now, both Sweeneys were worried, but neither knew what was going on - or what to do. A broken window is seen at the Mandalay Bay resort and casino. Credit:AP Sweeney sent his wife a picture of the ground below the hotel, but it was too far away to show any detail. Then he sent her an audio file, but she couldn't really hear it. His realisation came a few moments later: "Ya hun It's an active shooter I swear it's right in the room next to me."

"It's so loud and it echoes. It's a machine gun." Sweeney and his now-fully-awake wife cobbled together what was going on from Twitter and Facebook and news reports. A man opened fire from the 32nd floor of the hotel - two floors up and one room over from where Sweeney huddled in the bathtub. The shooter had almost the same view that Sweeney had, and he was firing indiscriminately into the crowd. At least 58 people were killed by gunfire, and more than 500 were wounded. The victims were attending the Route 91 Harvest festival.

But Sweeney was safe. He texted his parents, figuring they'd wake up, hear the news and worry. And he whispered to his wife on the phone. Occasionally, he crept over to the bed. Afraid that the TV would attract a shooter, he checked social media on his laptop for information. At one point, "all of a sudden I hear this loud explosion," he said. It was also from inside the hotel. Police in Las Vegas said their SWAT team used explosives to get into the room where the suspected shooter, Stephen Paddock, had fired from.

Paddock was an accountant with real estate investments around Orlando and "plenty of money to play with," a family member said. He killed himself as SWAT officers closed in. The investigation into what has been called the worst mass shooting in the modern era is ongoing. On Monday, police were working to identify the dead. Around 4:30am, Sweeney was awakened by officers at the front door who said they wanted to do a welfare check. He assented and they burst in, checking the closets and the bathroom with guns pointed, clearing the room. When they left, he heard similar shouts and commands as the officers moved on. By the time the sun came up, he said, the IT conference was an afterthought. He just wanted to be out of Las Vegas. He booked a flight to Newark. His wife was going to drive 90 miles (144 km) to pick him up.
Washington: The man suspected of the deadliest shooting spree in US history was described as a high roller, but authorities could not immediately determine if his gambling luck had gone way south.

Las Vegas casino records suggest that Stephen Paddock might have won tens of thousands of dollars in the weeks before he fired hundreds of rifle shots from a 32nd-story hotel window at a throng of country music fans below, a casino executive and a federal law enforcement official said Monday.

But he also might have suffered big losses during the same period. That's one reason the FBI was still stumped late Monday on what led him to sneak an arsenal of rifles and ammunition into his Mandalay Bay hotel room and unleash a murderous barrage of gunfire Sunday night, killing at least 59 people and wounding 527 more before taking his own life.

Paddock's brother was quoted as saying he was wealthy, liked to take cruises, gamble and go to shows in Vegas.
Washington: The Trump administration has ordered the expulsion of 15 Cuban diplomats from Washington as the diplomatic "sonar attacks mystery" drags on unresolved.

It comes after the US pulled more than half of its own embassy staff out of Havana last week, and drew an angry protest from the Cuban government.

With US-Cuba tensions escalating, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said the latest decision was made due to Cuba's "failure to take appropriate steps" to protect American personnel in Cuba who have been targeted in mysterious "health attacks" that have damaged their health.

The steps taken by President Donald Trump's administration mark another blow to his predecessor Barack Obama's policy of rapprochement between Washington and Havana, former Cold War foes.
Gaza: The West Bank-based Palestinian Prime Minister stepped onto the Gaza Strip on Monday for the most ambitious attempt yet to end the 10-year rift between rival Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas which has controlled the territory since seizing in a civil war.

At a welcome ceremony, Rami al-Hamdallah said his unity government would begin assuming control of Gaza's administrative affairs, as well as "security responsibilities and responsibility for crossings and borders".

Residents gather around the vehicles to welcome PM Rami Hamdallah, who is in Gaza for the latest attempt at reconciliation. Credit:AP

Islamist Hamas, considered a terrorist group by Israel and the West, made a dramatic step towards unity last month, disbanding its Gaza shadow government, after Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates imposed an economic boycott on its main donor, Qatar, over alleged support of terrorism.

Under previous understandings, some 3000 Fatah security personnel will be integrated gradually into a Gaza police force overseen by an Interior Ministry headed by Hamdallah.
The 8-year-old Kewaunee girl who asked for a wig on Facebook had her last fitting on Monday.

"I plan to do some pony tails for tomorrow," said Jimena.

Jimena Dias-Vazquez was diagnosed with a hair loss condition called Alopecia when she was five.

Since then she has had a few wigs, but some are too big, and others would be pulled off by kids on the bus.

Due to outpouring of support from the community and donations from Voga Wigs in Green Bay, Jimena walked out with her new wig on Monday, excited to wear it to school on Tuesday.

"I'm hoping this wig gives her the confidence she needs as a young individual; boost her ego, just makes her feel like a princess," said Lynn Drafz, manager of Voga Wigs.

Those at Voga Wigs say her new special wig can be treated like normal hair.

"We received a human hair wig and we sized it for her first of all, so it would fit perfectly to her head and then with human hair, we can cut it down to size and curl and style it according to how she styles it," said Keith Zimmerman, owner of Voga Wigs.
A stagnant farm economy that has slowed Nebraska and Iowa's income growth to the lowest levels in the nation is also contributing to state budget problems that could linger through next year, officials said.

Key lawmakers from both states said they're concerned the agricultural downturn will persist, ripping through other sectors and putting additional strain on their budgets.

Declining farm income was the leading cause of the slowdown in many states, including Iowa and Nebraska, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. The sluggish growth also hurt agricultural manufacturing, lending, land-rental income and other industries tied to farming, officials said.

"Our farmers have been hurting, and they've been hurting for some time now," said Nebraska State Tax Commissioner Tony Fulton. "The fact of the matter is it's a big deal in Nebraska."

Nebraska and Iowa posted the slowest income growth in the second quarter of 2017, according to the bureau report released last week. Incomes increased by just 0.1 percent in both states, compared to a 0.7 percent average nationally.

Farm incomes have fallen because of a glut of corn and soybeans that lowered commodity prices. Agriculture is the largest industry in both states.

Iowa showed strength in other areas of its economy, such as finance, insurance and non-durable manufacturing, but those gains were offset by the farm slowdown, said John Fuller, a spokesman for the Iowa Department of Revenue.

The nonpartisan Iowa Legislative Services Agency reported this summer that incoming revenue for the last budget year fell about $100 million short of projections, but cautioned that the number could fluctuate. Officials with Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds later announced the shortfall was closer to $14.6 million.

In Nebraska, lawmakers relied on a combination of cuts, spending delays and emergency funds to close what had been a projected $900 million budget shortfall. Senators cautioned, however, that the budget problems could persist into future years partly because of the farm economy and partly because of a series of tax cuts and exemptions for businesses approved in recent years.

Nebraska's individual income and sales taxes are the state's two largest revenue sources, and sluggish growth in either slows the flow of tax collections.

Many farmers padded their savings during the boom years to protect themselves, but aren't generating as much income that can be taxed, said Sen. John Stinner, the chairman of the Nebraska Legislature's Appropriations Committee.

"Obviously, our revenue is going to dictate what (bills) we prioritize," said Stinner, of Gering. The decline follows several boom years with high commodity prices and rising farm incomes, triggering a surge in production as more farmers scrambled to take advantage. High oil prices at the time also increased demand for ethanol, creating an even greater global desire for corn, said Dan Corrin, an economist for the Bureau of Economic Analysis.

"You had farmers planting more and more corn and more and more soybeans, and the supply became saturated," Corrin said. "Demand from other countries began to level off."

Both states may have to endure the situation for the next few years.

"I don't see any reason to expect a rapid recovery," said Iowa State University economist Alejandro Plastina, who specializes in agricultural economics. "There's strong demand for corn and soybeans, but worldwide there's just so much in stock that it keeps prices subdued."

Plastina said Iowa's revenue shortfall was driven by the agricultural downturn and its ripple effect on other businesses such as seed and machinery dealers and local banks.

Agriculture accounts for less than 10 percent of Iowa's overall economy, but when related industries such as equipment manufacturing and ag lending are included, it makes up nearly half of the state's economy, Plastina said.

Iowa state Sen. Charles Schneider, a West Des Moines Republican, said the slowdown in his state demonstrates the need to reduce spending. Democratic lawmakers said have corporate tax credits are partially to blame for the budget problems.

Fulton said Nebraska has seen sluggish revenue from capital gains as well, suggesting that some investors may be waiting to see what will happen with the Trump administration's proposed tax package. "There's a theory out there that folks are hanging onto their gains until they know how they're going to get taxed," he said.
Wells Fargo saw a sharp drop in deposits at its Nebraska banks over the past year, but the company said it had little to do with a fake accounts scandal.

According to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.'s annual Summary of Deposits, which was released Tuesday, deposits at Wells Fargo bank branches in Nebraska stood at $5.86 billion as of June 30. That was down more than 12 percent from the $6.7 billion in deposits the bank had in the state on June 30, 2016.

The decline in deposits dropped Wells Fargo's share of the Nebraska banking market from 10.6 percent in 2016 to 9.1 percent this year.

Wells Fargo spokeswoman Staci Schiller said the drop was mainly due to the transfer of a "significant" amount of non-retail funds from its main branch in Omaha.

"Other factors played a lesser role in the change, but apart from this transfer, our deposit base statewide would have grown slightly," Schiller said in an email.

Wells Fargo also saw a decline in the Lincoln market, although it was a much smaller one.

In the Lincoln Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes Lancaster and Seward counties, Wells Fargo's deposits dropped from about $1.34 billion in 2016 to just over $1.3 billion this year, a drop of less than 3 percent.

Its market share in the Lincoln area fell from 16.8 percent in 2016 to 15.9 percent.

Nationally, Wells Fargo grew its overall deposits grow slightly, from $1.15 trillion in 2016 to $1.24 trillion this year, according to the FDIC, and increased its U.S. market share from 10.1 percent to 10.4 percent.

Schiller did not say if the "other factors" affecting the Nebraska numbers included the fake accounts scandal.

The bank reveled in September 2016 that its employees had created more than two million fake accounts in an attempt to meet overly ambitious sales goals. It later amended that number to more than 3.5 million.

According to documents that were released later, it was estimated that more than 12,000 of those accounts were created for Nebraska customers, and Wells Fargo said it paid about $14,000 to customers in the state to reimburse them for fees they may have incurred as a result of the fake accounts.

As a result of the scandal, Wells Fargo paid $185 million in fines and settled a class-action lawsuit for $142 million. CEO John Stumpf and Carrie Tolstedt, the head of the bank's community banking unit, both lost their jobs.

A report Wells Fargo released earlier this year put much of the blame for the scandal on Tolstedt, a Kimball native and University of Nebraska-Lincoln graduate.

Another Nebraskan, former UNL business college Dean Cynthia Milligan, was on the bank's board of directors during the time the fake account scandal occurred.

Milligan, who is Wells Fargo's longest-serving board member, announced in August that she will step down at the end of the year.
At the invitation of the International Institute for Counter-Terrorism (ICT), the WCO Director of Compliance and Facilitation, Ana Hinojosa, delivered a presentation on Customs and its role in the fight against terrorism to representatives attending the 17th World Summit on Counter-Terrorism, which was held in Israel, in September 2017.

More than 1,200 top decision makers, security industry leaders and prominent scholars, as well as defence, intelligence and police officials from over 60 countries took part in this years event, held under the theme The Terrorism Maze, to analyse and discuss the factors, influences and trends that make up the web of terrorism and counter-terrorism.

In her presentation, Ms. Hinojosa introduced the activities of the WCO and recent progress being made in the following areas: the collection of data (including on passengers) and risk analysis; cooperation between Customs authorities and other borders agencies; and the fight against illicit trade, particularly dual use materials, and work related to small arms and light weapons as well as the trade in chemicals that could be diverted for use in the illegal manufacture of improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

During her visit to Israel, Ms. Hinojosa also met with Mr. Moshe Asher, the Director General of the Israel Tax Authority, and with Mr. Avraham Ben Ardete, the Head of the Customs Directorate. In addition, she attended the national Customs Directorates Senior Management Forum, where she delivered a presentation on the latest priorities in global trade from a WCO perspective, touching on topics such as e-commerce, global security, the SAFE Framework of Standards review cycle and the deployment of AEO programmes, as well as the implementation of the World Trade Organizations Trade Facilitation Agreement.
The European Commission has informed the Secretariat of the World Customs Organization (WCO) that the results of the assessment conducted to evaluate whether the WCO fulfils the necessary requirements pertaining to the European Union (EU) Financial Regulation are positive. This means that the WCO can now be entrusted with budget implementation of projects funded by the European Commission Directorate General for International Cooperation and Development (DG DEVCO).

This assessment follows contact made by the WCO Secretariat with the European Commission on the question of assisting in the global implementation of an EU-driven project on Trade Facilitation, which is one of the outcomes of the entry into force of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA), based on the Bali Package stemming from the Ninth WTO Ministerial Conference.

DG DEVCO is favourable to such co-operation. In order to meet the obligations and prerequisites of the European Institutions with regard to EU budget implementation by external partners, a Pillar Assessment by an independent external auditor was carried out in order to provide assurance to the European Commission that the WCO fulfils the requirements set out in Article 29.1 of the EU Financial Regulation applicable to the European Development Fund and Article 60.2 of the Financial Regulation applicable to the General Budget of the European Commission. The Assessment was carried out with respect to the following four pillars: Internal Control, Accounting, Independent External Audit, and Procurement.

As the results of the Assessment regarding the above four pillars proved positive, the European Commission can now entrust implementation (including budget) of donor funding tasks to the WCO.

The Secretariat is in contact with the EU Commission in order to advance projects with the aim of receiving funding, inter alia, for implementation of TFA segments of the EU projects for the benefit of WCO Members.

Note: The Directorate General for International Cooperation and Development (DEVCO) has a key role to play in the European Commissions external relations and development policies. Its main purpose is to implement most of the Commissions external assistance instruments. This vital task requires DEVCO to deliver the EUs aid budget in an open and accountable fashion.
Tom Petty was, to me, the classic rock n roller who led one of the great American bands, the Heartbreakers, a name made poignant with Pettys shocking passing Monday night.

Like Bruce Springsteen, with whom he was a contemporary and every bit his Southern equal, Petty drew on the '50s and '60s foundations that came before him -- his rock 'n'' roll shimmered and shook like the Byrds, attacked and swung like the Rolling Stones and was filled with melodies and hooks a la the Beatles.

Across it all, rockers fast and slow and ballads, was Pettys reedy, nasal voice with the twang of a native Floridian. He sang of lovers and losers, of an American Girl here, Free Fallin for one from Reseda there and defiantly proclaiming I Wont Back Down.

Petty was a classic in another way. An abused kid who met Elvis Presley when he was 11, Petty pursued music as his escape from Gainesville, putting together bands in high school, then moving to Los Angeles to make it, which he did -- despite a bumpy ride with record labels and royalty payments.

Those experiences made Petty one of the great commentators on the music biz with songs like Into The Great Wide Open, The Last DJ and, of course, his cover of the Byrds So You Wanna Be a Rock and Roll Star.

Thats just what Petty was -- but he was a star who was in it for the music, not necessarily the money -- and for the friendships that his success was able to create, like those with Bob Dylan, Roy Orbison, George Harrison and Jeff Lynne that created The Traveling Wilburys, a true, if unlikely, supergroup.

While he put out a few solo albums, its impossible to do an appreciation of Petty without talking about the Heartbreakers, and particularly keyboardist Benmont Tench and guitarist Mike Campbell, who were members of Mudcrutch, the Florida band that moved to California in the early '70s.

Campbell, essentially Pettys musical partner, was particularly key to the Petty sound, with his guitar, intertwining with that of Pettys, and his co-writing, arranging and producing.

Petty was a fixture on the charts, with hits in the 70s, 80s and early 90s. He saw the last album with the Heartbreakers, 2014s Hypnotic Eye, also hit No. 1. Petty rode the changes in the music industry with the coolness and style he brought to the music.

Im not sure how many times I saw Petty and the Heartbreakers live -- at least seven that I can recall. In part, thats because Petty always had great openers, like the Georgia Satellites and the Replacements. When they were with him, Id travel as far as Los Angeles to see them.

Regardless of where and when, Petty and the band were never less than stellar live, playing song after song without succumbing to the stretched noodling "concert versions" that infect classic rock bands -- that and the heavy blues influence being the difference, in my mind, between classic rock and Pettys more enduring classic rock n roll.

Among the most memorable shows I caught was in July 1986 at Red Rocks Amphitheatre near Denver, where Petty and the Heartbreakers were Bob Dylans backing band and created one of the best of the two dozen or so Dylan shows Ive seen.

More memories of Petty shows come from Omaha, both at the Civic Auditorium and what is now the CenturyLink Center. But Petty, in 40 years, never played Lincoln.

That was to change in 2014 when a Petty concert was announced for Pinnacle Bank Arena, then canceled three weeks later -- before tickets went on sale -- for scheduling issues. The Lincoln show and one set for Kansas City were moved to Red Rocks, one of Pettys best markets.

I didnt have to do much to listen to some Petty music Monday evening. My old Pack Up the Plantation: Live! record had been on the turntable this weekend and hadnt made it back to its place on my wall of albums.

So it was playing when the notifications that Petty had died came onto my phone. That deepened the sadness of his passing. But The Waiting, Breakdown and American Girl were somehow uplifting, a confirmation that Pettys classic rock n roll will always endure.
A phone call to a south Lincoln Union Bank branch 20 minutes before a robbery there Sept. 25 appears to have been the start of the robber's undoing, according to court records filed Monday.

Lincoln police say they tracked the blocked call to Roosevelt Q. Erving, 23, after one of the bank employees said the robber's voice sounded the same as a man who had called shortly before the robbery asking when the bank opened.

Investigators believe Erving, and his girlfriend, Danielle Lawson, went to Denver with their three children after the robbery to buy marijuana from a dispensary, according to a probable cause affidavit for the couple's arrest.

The Nebraska State Patrol arrested Erving and Lawson, 26, on Interstate 80 just west of Lincoln -- Erving on suspicion of robbery and Lawson on suspicion of aiding and abetting the crime.

They haven't yet been charged.

Police said they found cash inside the console and in a backpack, plus more than 10 ounces of marijuana and nearly 38 grams of THC wax in Lawson's Toyota 4Runner.

They said the same SUV was seen on surveillance video in the area of the bank branch at Southwood Drive and Nebraska 2 circling for an hour before a man came in, his face covered, screaming and demanding money.

Police said they unmasked the blocked number and learned Erving had called the bank, and that phone records put him in the area at the time of the robbery.

On Friday, police served a search warrant on an apartment at 2315 E St., where the couple live. In court records, they said they found clothes that matched what the robber wore and some of the cash believed to have been stolen in the robbery.

On Monday, Lincoln Police Chief Jeff Bliemeister called it good police work that led to the arrests. He said they worked with federal partners to track Erving and knew Friday he was headed back to Lincoln.

Now, Bliemeister said, they are working to determine if Erving or Lawson may be linked to any other bank robberies in Lincoln or elsewhere.

Bliemeister said the fact is that bank robbers get caught and will be held accountable.

Erving's father, Roosevelt Erving Jr., 42, was sentenced in 2005 to more than 40 years in prison for a string of 13 bank robberies in Lincoln between July 2000 and January 2005.
All taxi drivers, including people who drive for ride-share companies like Uber and Lyft, should be required to have background checks and undergo physicals, local taxi company owners told the City Council Monday.

The council is considering an ordinance that would eliminate city requirements for Uber and Lyft drivers, but continue the requirements for traditional cab drivers.

The city has not been enforcing the taxi driver licensing rule on ride-share drivers and the ordinance change would make city law match reality.

Owners of local cab companies opposed the proposed change at Mondays public hearing, and argued the local requirements are a good idea for everyone who offers ride services to the public.

The council will not take any action on the proposed ordinance change until its Oct. 16 meeting.

The city licensing requirements -- a background check conducted by Lincoln police, a test assuring drivers know Lincoln and a physical -- "are not a burden, said Mark Mitchell, president of Happy Cab and Yellow Cab.

But Mitchell thinks people who drive for ride-share services should have the same requirements.

In addition to city requirements, Mitchell said he checks his drivers' driving records monthly and requires they pass a federal commercial driving test.

This ordinance is an important tool, reinforcing the companys belief that public safety is paramount, said Andy Pollock, Lincoln attorney representing Happy Cab and Yellow Cab.

The president of Leisure Cab agreed.

I do not in any way want the citys requirements to go away, said Jim Joneson. That is a realm of professionalism, and I want it to remain.

The proposed city ordinance would remove any city regulations for ride-share drivers, but state law requires the parent company to do background checks. This information does not have to be reported to the Nebraska Public Service commission, though the PSC can audit companies.

Joneson said he has seen drivers more than once who have failed the background check done by LPD driving for Uber or Lyft.

He also pointed out state law does not require any markings on cars indicating they are being used for Uber or Lyft.

You have kids out there in mom and dads car, claiming to be Uber, and hawking rides for cabs," he said.

Uber and Lyft pulled out of Eugene, Oregon, and Austin, Texas, markets, after those cities required all drivers to be vetted by local police departments, Joneson said.

Austin got a grant and is operating its own ride-share program. They are doing it very professionally. They are competition to the cab driver, but they are a legitimate, honest competition, he said.

The owners and a taxi driver also pointed out the state regulates rates and services for traditional cab companies but not for Uber and Lyft drivers.

Cab drivers do not discriminate against people who dont have a credit card. They cant deny a ride to someone because they dont like their looks or where they are going, said Lincoln cab driver Bill Mulloy.

And they cant charge more because it is a busy time of the day, he said.

Mulloy said he's read that Uber and Lyft are cheap alternatives to cab service. But, he pointed out, that isnt always true.

It might cost $15 to get downtown on a Friday night and $50 to $60 to get home because the ride-share companies charge more during the busiest times, he said.

Mulloy said this price changing is called "surge pricing." Joneson called it "predatory pricing."

Police Chief Jeff Bliemeister supported ending city requirements for ride-share drivers, in part because of the extra work required for handling hundreds more background checks.

Checking a new driver requires about 45 minutes; a renewal takes about 15 minutes, he said.

But the two local cab company presidents told the council they would be willing to pay more for licensing if that were necessary.
By West Kentucky Star Staff Oct. 03, 2017 | 07:02 AM | MCCRACKEN COUNTY, KY

A traffic stop early Monday morning in McCracken County led to two drug arrests.

The McCracken County Sheriff's Office said deputies stopped a pickup truck for traffic violations on John Puryear Drive just after midnight. Deputies said the driver of the truck, 42-year-old James Kortz, of Paducah, was found to be driving on a suspended operator's license.

During a search of Kortz and his truck, deputies found methamphetamine, marijuana, oxycodone pills, drug paraphernalia and cash believed to be the proceeds from illicit drug sales. A passenger in the truck, 32-year-old Craig Hagley, of Paducah, was found in possession of meth, hydrocodone and oxycodone pills.

Both Kortz and Hagley were arrested, and transported to the McCracken County Regional Jail. Kortz faces charges of trafficking in methamphetamine, trafficking in marijuana, possession of controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Hagley is charged with possession of meth, possession of controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and prescription not in the proper container.
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By West Kentucky Star Staff

Oct. 02, 2017 | PADUCAH, KY

By West Kentucky Star Staff Oct. 02, 2017 | 06:51 PM | PADUCAH, KY

The Paducah Police Department has issued a statement following the deadly shootings at the Las Vegas concert.



On their Facebook page, the department said they were, "shocked and saddened by the recent shooting in Las Vegas. Our thoughts and prayers are with all those affected by this tragedy."



The department also shared their process for how large events are planned by their agency, in cooperation with others.



The statement said the permitting process for events allows all city departments to be aware of and plan appropriately. The department said for them, this process may involve:



(1) notifying the Kentucky Intelligence Fusion Center in Frankfort, and other law enforcement partners. This creates the communication avenue that allows us to assess any known concerns;



(2) creating a detailed operations plan that allows for better preparation and a smoother overall response to the event and anything that develops;



(3) continual training related to many areas pertaining to our duties, including responding to active shooter events;



(4) purchasing modern technology and equipment that ensures we can respond effectively.



In the statement, Paducah Police said they feel the processes that are in place allow the community to regularly enjoy special events in a safe and fun environment.



However, they also emphasized that community members must stay aware and report concerns and suspicious activity to local authorities. They urged everyone, "If you see something, say something."
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By West Kentucky Star Staff

Oct. 03, 2017 | PADUCAH, KY

By West Kentucky Star Staff Oct. 03, 2017 | 11:15 AM | PADUCAH, KY

Two men have been arrested on theft and other charges Sunday night.



According to Paducah Police, officers were dispatched to a home in the Canterbury Cove area because someone came home to find three people in his driveway. The caller said one person was trying to get into a parked car while the other two appeared to be lookouts.



When they were spotted, all three suspects fled the scene on bicycles, but the caller followed them until police arrived. Officers were able to catch two of the three suspects.



Police say when they approached a man identified as 18-year-old Jamar Crockett, he chose to lie down on the ground and attempted to hide a pistol. When he was arrested and searched, police say they found a marijuana grinder, and the gun was traced to reported theft from last month.



Police say when 18-year-old Jonte' N. Hensley was arrested and searched, he was found in posssession of marijuana and a metal throwing star.



Both men were taken to McCracken County Jail. Police say the investigation is continuing and more charges are pending.



Crockett is charged with receiving a stolen firearm, carrying a concealed deadly weapon, tampering with evidence, possession of drug paraphernalia and 2nd degree fleeing or evading police.



Hensley is charged with carrying a concealed deadly weapon, possession of marijuana and 2nd degree fleeing or evading police.



Paducah Police remind everyone to either remove valuables from their vehicles or secure them in the trunk. Since many reported thefts are from unlocked vehicles, police recommend locking vehicles, too. Police are continuing their Lock It or Lose It campaign to remind everyone to lock their vehicles and help prevent thefts.
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By The Associated Press Oct. 02, 2017 | 04:52 AM | LAS VEGAS, NV





A Las Vegas sheriff says 59 people have been killed and 527 injured in a shooting at a country music festival with multiple performers.Police said Monday afternoon the man who carried out the attack was a retiree with no criminal history in the Nevada county where he lived.The brother of 64-year-old Stephen Paddock said he's ``completely dumbfounded'' by the shooting at a country music concert Sunday night, which is the deadliest in modern U.S. history.Eric Paddock told the Orlando Sentinel newspaper that he can't understand what happened.Mesquite Police Chief Troy Tanner says Stephen Paddock owned a single-family home in Sun City Mesquite, a retirement community along the Nevada-Arizona border.He lived there with Marilou Danley, 62. Police say they don't believe she was involved.Heavily armed police searched the home early Monday.Clark County Sheriff Joseph Lombardo says at least two off-duty officers have died.Lombardo says the shooting suspect, Las Vegas resident, 64-year-old Stephen Paddock, is dead of an apparent self inflicted gunshot wound. Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the Las Vegas attack, but provided no evidence. The FBI released a statement Monday saying they don't believe the shooter had any ties to Islamic terrorism.President Trump orders flags across the country at half staff through Friday, October 6th , and will be visiting Las Vegas on Wednesday.A concert-goer says he heard what sounded like fireworks while he was watching Jason Aldean's performance at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival Sunday night.Thirty-six-year-old Kodiak Yazzie said the music stopped temporarily and started up again before another round of pops sent the performers ducking for cover and fleeing the stage.As the 40,000 fans in the crowd began to flee, Yazzie took cover and said he saw flashes of light coming from the Mandalay Bay hotel tower high above.The bursts of pops would start and stop for more than five minutes. He says he saw dozens of ambulances as he ran for safety.President Donald Trump is extending condolences to the victims of the shooting in Las Vegas and their families.In a tweet Monday, Trump offered ``My warmest condolences and sympathies to the victims and families of the terrible Las Vegas shooting. God bless you!''White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Trump was "briefed on the horrific tragedy in Las Vegas.''Sanders said that "we are monitoring the situation closely and offer our full support to state and local officials. All of those affected are in our thoughts and prayers.''LIVE COVERAGE from CBS News is below:LIVE COVERAGE from ABC News is below:
Ben Murphy aged one bounces back from year of surgeries and heartbreak as his mother is named Wexford Carer of the Year
Sen. Deb Fischer on Tuesday focused on more aggressive use of U.S. air power in Afghanistan during a hearing that featured testimony from Secretary of Defense James Mattis and Gen. Joseph Dunford Jr., chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Fischer was assured that is part of the new U.S. strategy in battling Taliban forces in Afghanistan that has been approved by President Donald Trump.

"Absolutely," Mattis told Fischer in answering questions during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing.

"That is embedded in the revised strategy," he said.

"Restrictions that did not allow us to employ air power fully have been removed," Mattis said.

However, he added, "we will never fight without doing everything possible to protect the innocent who the enemy purposely jeopardizes" while conducting the war.

In response to another question from Fischer, Dunford said there will be long-term transformation of responsibilities to the Afghan air force.

Fischer also asked Mattis whether there is a cap on the future number of U.S. troops that would be deployed to conduct the ongoing 16-year war against the Taliban that began after the 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States.

"The president gave me more flexibility to deal with this issue," Mattis said. "He has shown himself open to my recommendations.

"I think I have what I need to carry out the strategy," he said.

Fischer is a member of the committee and chairwoman of its subcommittee on strategic forces.
Although Congress did not meet last week's deadline to reauthorize federal funding for the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), more than 31,000 children in Nebraska continue to be provided those health care services.

"With no action, Medicaid anticipates CHIP funding to be exhausted for Nebraska in the spring of 2018," the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services said Tuesday.

However, Nebraska Medicaid "fully expects (CHIP) to be reauthorized by the U.S. Congress," according to a statement forwarded by Julie Naughton, public information officer for the Medicaid, long-term care, developmental disabilities and behavioral health programs in Nebraska.

"We continue to monitor (congressional action) and work with the governor's office on different funding scenarios," the department said.

HHS said it will keep the Legislature's Appropriations and Health and Human Services committees informed.

The monthly average number of children enrolled in CHIP in Nebraska is 31,499.

The Affordable Care Act requires a maintenance of effort to cover those children through 2019, which means they would continue to be covered through Medicaid if the CHIP program were allowed to expire before then.

Nationally, CHIP serves 9 million children.

The program was enacted in 1997 to provide health care coverage for children in families with low-to-moderate incomes along with pregnant women.

While Congress focused on unsuccessful efforts to repeal the ACA, the CHIP reauthorization deadline was allowed to expire Saturday without any congressional action.

Without reauthorization, some states and the District of Columbia are expected to run out of CHIP funding by the end of the year.
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ALBION  Eight decades had disappeared since blood spilled in the Sandhills, and the killers were surely lodged as deep in the earth as the lawmen they shot that day.

But that didn't matter to Bill Black, chief of investigators for the Nebraska Attorney General's Office.

The people of Boone County deserved to know who had shot their sheriff, Lawrence Smoyer, and constable, William Wathen, on a sweltering June day in 1937. The families of the two men  who still celebrate their lives and mourn their deaths  needed to know, too.

An unsolved homicide, you can't let it sit unsolved, Black said. If there's a lead, you pursue it.

For three years, Black helped chase fading memories and old investigative reports from Albion to Colorado to Wyoming to California. He drove to Boone County more than a half-dozen times, visiting the sandy pasture where the lawmen were fatally shot.

You've got to go to the crime scene. You can't investigate anything without going to the crime scene.

His pursuit of justice ended Tuesday outside the Boone County Courthouse, where Attorney General Doug Peterson stood at a monument honoring the officers and told 25 of their relatives that the state considered the case closed.

Black and Seward County Sheriff Joe Yocum had solved the case by gathering enough evidence that prosecutors could have convicted the prime suspects  a pair of sharp-dressed cons who had drifted in from Colorado  if they hadn't died decades ago.

We can't obviously go back and do the prosecution now, Peterson said. We wish we could because we have a solid case, we have solid evidence and we're convinced we could prove this case beyond a reasonable doubt.

This was Albion's second gathering outside the courthouse for Sheriff Smoyer and Constable Wathen this year. In June, hundreds of people  including descendants of the lawmen  dedicated the memorial in honor of the two on the 80th anniversary of their shootings.

So much time had passed, but it hadn't healed the scars in Boone County. Black understood that. His parents were from Albion.

This is folklore up there, he said last week. I've known about this case since I was a little boy.

THE CRIME

A false lead put Black on the cold trail of the killer.

He was working a homicide in northeast Nebraska when he heard about mob activities in the area in the 1930s. His parents had told him the Boone County murders were a mob hit, the killers wielding Thompson machine guns.

And I set out to find out if Thompsons were used, he said.

He asked Yocum in Seward, who for years had researched the shootings for the Nebraska Law Enforcement Memorial.

No, Yocum told him. The officers were shot with a .38.

Still, Black was intrigued. With the attorney general's blessing, he started digging alongside Yocum. I don't know how many bosses would authorize man hours to be spent on an 80-year-old cold case.

Black became immersed and well-versed in the case, and he can recite names, dates and details without looking at notes:

On June 17, 1937, Smoyer headed 25 miles west after ranchers reported trespassers in a cattle pasture. This was his third trip to search for the strangers, described as wearing suits and dress shoes, driving a new Ford and acting suspiciously  as if they were searching for something.

Smoyer, a father of six, was joined by Wathen, a father of two, and theyd just driven into the pasture when the Ford topped a rise.

The sheriff hit the siren and the two cars came to a stop, facing each other. The lawmen got out, ordering the strangers to raise their hands. The passenger drew a revolver.

He shot Wathen through his hips, paralyzing him. The next bullet struck Smoyers chest, killing the sheriff instantly.

From the ground, Wathen unloaded his own revolver at the Ford. But the strangers were able to flatten the sheriffs tires, take his keys and disappear.

The injured Wathen spent part of the day making notes  an account of the shootings, a description of the suspects, a farewell to his wife. He was discovered the next day and lived for three more months.

THE INVESTIGATION

The Ford, which had been stolen in Colorado, was found abandoned in Cheyenne, Wyoming, punctured by bullets from Wathens gun.

Investigators from all three states identified a pair of suspects, Charles Doody, 35, and Marion Cooley, 41, career criminals who were both wanted in Colorado.

Doody changed his name and disappeared, for a time, in California. In April 1938, Cooley turned himself in to police in Barstow, California, admitting to robbing a bank in Colorado in 1932.

Its not clear why he confessed, Black said. But if Cooley knew Nebraska wanted him for murder, he could dodge the electric chair by doing robbery time in Colorado.

But Colorado didnt want to pay to haul Cooley back, Black said, and he ended up in Cheyenne. By then, Nebraska investigators were building a case against him, and they crossed the border to question the suspect.

After Smoyer had been killed, his younger brother Scout had been appointed sheriff. The resemblance between the brothers rattled Cooley when the younger Smoyer got to Wyoming.

Cooleys eyes look up at him, and all color drains from his face, Black said. Hes visibly shaken. Hes seeing a ghost.

The case against Cooley grew stronger. Investigators matched the shoes he was wearing to footprints found in the pasture. Witnesses picked him out of a lineup.

Black read the 80-year-old reports with respect. I was stunned by the quality of the investigation. This is clearly a modern-day investigation.

Nebraska officials had enough evidence for a warrant to arrest Cooley on murder charges, but they would never get a chance to serve it: Colorado had decided it now wanted him for the old bank robbery. And once he was behind bars there, he couldnt stand trial in Boone County.

Back then, there was no law, no legal mechanism for Cooley to be brought to Nebraska, Black said.

When Cooley was released from Colorado in 1948, the new Boone County attorney decided not to pursue the charges, effectively ending the pursuit of justice for Smoyer and Wathen and planting a question mark that would linger for generations.

Too much time had passed.

The new prosecutor doesn't know anything about the case, he said. And all of the original investigators in the case are either dead or retired to parts unknown. He cannot bring this guy back and prosecute him.

Cooley moved to New Mexico after he was released, and then Las Vegas, where he died in 1965. Doody, who had hidden by changing his name, resurfaced when he was sent to prison in California for burglary. He was 93 when he died in 1995.

80 YEARS LATER

Black and Yocum had reviewed the old reports and added their own detective work.

Black tracked down the original case file  a fat, detail-filled folder believed to have been lost to the decades since the killings. Yocum began a series of conversations with Doody's son.

His dad never made a confession to him, his dad never confessed to his wife, he said. But they believed their dad was involved in the Albion murders. Theyre appreciative that we continue to work on this.

Black and Yocum were able to account for the whereabouts of Doody and Cooley just before and just after the killings. They don't know what they were looking for in the pasture, but they believe they were planning on robbing a bank in Spalding and the clothing store in Albion.

They knew they had a strong case. But how do you close a crime if you can't take anyone to court?

Black said Peterson and the attorney general's chief prosecutor agreed to a standard: If they reviewed the evidence and believed, by modern charging standards, they could convict the killers, they would consider the case cleared by exception.

And in mid-July, they agreed: Case closed.

But the state decided to wait until Tuesday to make the announcement -- exactly 80 years earlier, on Oct. 3, 1937, Wathen had succumbed to his wounds.

THE CEREMONY

Before the gathering outside the courthouse, Black and Yocum met privately with family members for more than two hours, going over the details of the case and what they knew about the suspects.

I hope most of all your questions were answered, the attorney general told the crowd afterward. But you know, in this particular case, 80 years ago, there may be some we may never be able to answer.

Peterson honored the officers who died in 1937. They gave their lives that day in the line of duty.

He thanked Black and Yocum for their work, for caring about the fallen officers, and he thanked the descendants for listening.

I hope this brings some degree of solace to you as a family.

It did.

Tony Kleibecker and his wife, Peggy Brown, traveled from Michigan. His mother was Smoyer's last living child, and she would have wanted to be here, to hear who had killed her father, he said.

The former police officer was surprised, and grateful, when he learned this summer investigators were still on the case.

I was blown away by the fact the state of Nebraska  the attorney general's office  would commit the resources to an 80-year-old case, Kleibecker said. It's incredible.

Dorald Robinson, Wathen's grandson, drove from Wisconsin in June to help dedicate the memorial. He hadn't expected to return to Albion so soon.

But this trip, this closure, was important to his family.

I think it's pretty good for us to get some ease of mind, he said. Some satisfaction.
History books overflow with Native tribes being wronged by federal and state governments. In ruling that Whiteclays beer stores must remain closed, the Nebraska Supreme Court has awarded a rare victory to the tribes residing on the Pine Ridge Reservation.

Barring an unforeseen legal development, the four beer stores in the Sheridan County hamlet that exported 3.5 million cans of beer, primarily to the adjacent reservation, will remain closed. That decision is the long-awaited victory for the tribes and activists who sought this outcome for decades.

A Native activist called the rulings impact for the Oglala Lakota people possibly the biggest for the tribe since Sitting Bull defeated George Custer at the Battle of Little Bighorn in 1876.

In 1904, when President Theodore Roosevelt all but eliminated a 50-square-mile buffer zone around the Pine Ridge that was designed to prevent alcohol sales, unscrupulous traders were more than happy to make a quick buck by hawking liquor to Native populations. Until this year, Nebraska had been the hub for selling alcohol to the officially dry reservation.

After the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission ordered the stores closed in April, vagrants were no longer passed out on Whiteclays sidewalks. Alcohol-fueled assaults and killings stopped. Last week's ruling reaffirming the state edict is both cause for celebration and a reminder of the long road ahead.

Closing down the nearest and most convenient beer stores wont solve the problems of widespread substance abuse  and the health crises it causes  on the reservation.

Bootlegging remains a problem, one Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson has accused the beer store owners of abetting. Still, people determined to purchase booze have showed theyre willing to drive to Rushville or Chadron to get their fix. Three fatal alcohol-related car crashes near the reservation have demonstrated as much.

But Nebraska fueled this problem for more than a century. Its our turn to begin undoing the legacy of harm peddled across the state line in South Dakota, where the reservation reports high rates of fetal alcohol syndrome and a life expectancy similar to a Third World country.

The courts ruling ends Nebraskas overt, direct contributions to the scourge of alcoholism at Pine Ridge. But it by no means absolves this state of responsibility in the community and family problems caused by Whiteclay. A victory in the courts is only the first step toward fixing the societal ills to which Nebraska contributed for years.

By essentially guaranteeing Whiteclay will remain dry, the Nebraska Supreme Court has blotted out the stain of beer sales. Now, Nebraska must help in the long, arduous process of restoring the fabric of the Pine Ridge reservation after years of worsening the Natives plight.
Winona is moving on improvements to Broadway after a narrow vote the second time the question became before the City Council.

The council voted 4-3 to apply for a grant that could pay for the majority of a project narrowing Broadway to three lanes and adding improved pedestrian crossings.

The entire project is estimated to be around $1.3 million. The city will be applying for a Federal Highway Administration grant that could pay up to $1 million of those costs.

According to the citys engineering department, the FHWA has found that reducing roads from four to three lanes can reduce the rate of accidents from 19 to 47 percent.

In 2015, a pedestrian safety and traffic study gave a number of options for slowing traffic and increasing crossing safety on Broadway, partially in response to a number of accidents over the previous years.

Stantec consultants and the citys engineering department presented a number of options ranging from a movable pedestrian-activated crossing with a flashing beacon to permanent structural changes to Broadway. Those changes included defined parking areas and a bike lane to both sides, and changing the structure of the road to include a dedicated left-turn lane.

The discussion resulted in the flashing pedestrian crossing area on Broadway as well as the relocatable speed warning signs.

When the grant became available, the citys engineering department brought the options back to council for consideration.

This time the potential funding availability and public interest seemed to push the council to move forward with applying.

Council member Gerry Krage, who did not support going forward with more intensive changes to Broadway previously, said that despite some concerns about higher than estimated costs the safety concerns outweighed them.

Im going to vote in favor of this, Krage said. But rather reluctantly so.

The increased safety numbers are something I just cannot argue with.

Others were unequivocally in support of applying for the grant, which both MnDOT and the FHWA believe the city has a good chance of receiving.

Council member Pam Eyden noted the support for the project, which gathered 141 signatures on a petition and filled the council chambers with supporters, and its connection to the walkable, improved downtown the city was working for.

I think its a proactive move and it favors all the development we have downtown, Eyden said.

Estimates from other areas of the U.S., including the Iowa Department of Transportation, showed that similar road reductions can reduce the speeds traveled while also increasing the numbers of bicycles and pedestrians.

Despite that, other council members advocated for less disruptive measures, like increased pedestrian crossing improvements and more monitoring for speeders.

Council member George Borzyskowski said that the road improvements wouldnt get to the root of the problem, which he felt was driving habits.

We can shrink this road down to all we want, said Borzyskowski, who voted against applying for the grant along with Al Thurley and Michelle Alexander. Speeding gets controlled one way, by our police department.

The grant does not have a set deadline for applying but it is hoped that doing so sooner increases the chances of getting the full amount of funding sought. The vote also approved the city dedicating $300,000 to pay its part of the project if it gets the grant.

Talking TIFS

The council also unanimously approved moving forward with two potential tax districts Monday to aid in the development of two large projects.

If they get final approval later this month, the Tax Increment Financing districts  or TIF districts  will leverage property taxes to assist in paying for development projects, in this case hotel redevelopment near Hwy. 61 and the refurbishment of a downtown building.

The plans will go to the citys Port Authority to work out the development agreement and return to the council Oct. 16.

The first district would aid in the extensive redevelopment of the building at 102 Walnut St.

The three-story, 34,000 square foot building previously housed InTech, which vacated after a fire in 2015.

The business assistance was requested by Latsch Development LLC, which previously refurbished the Latsch Building nearby.

Peter Shortridge, managing partner in Latsch Development, said that while the TIF funds would directly aid the development project, upwards of 30 percent of the funds would also be used to make public improvements in the area, including sidewalk improvements, handicap ramps and utility improvements.

Shortridge said that despite limitations on the site and hoops to jump through to bring it back to historical standards, it would go a long ways to uplifting the block.

We feel were going to have a good ripple effect, Shortridge said.

The building was built in 1870, and after its redevelopment is planned to be a mix of retail, commercial and residential, with about 70 percent going to the business uses.

Mayor Mark Peterson said it would be a huge asset downtown if its at the same level as the groups previous redevelopment of the Latsch Building on Second Street.

I think its a great project, personally, Peterson said.

The plans include demolishing the building at 163 E. Second St. and negotiating with the Port Authority further to establish off-street parking at 163 and 167 E. Second St.

The developers total cost estimate is $7.6 million, of which $800,000 seems eligible for reimbursement by TIF funds.

The second TIF district would help aid the redevelopment of a hotel off of Mankato Avenue.

The move would pay for about $500,000 of soil remediation costs for the hotel project at 950 Mankato Ave., the site of Perkins and the former Quality Inn.

The overall cost of putting in a new four-story, 96-room Fairfield Inn and Suites by Marriott Hotels is estimated to be $8.25 million, without the soil remediation.

The previous building was bought in 2013 for $1.1 million and torn down over 2014 and 2015.

The building is being developed by Rivers Hotel Group, which would also be managing the business. The Perkins Restaurant would be staying in place, and see improvements to the north side of the building and some of the connecting area.
Local officials say training and coordination is what will make the difference in terms of public safety if a mass casualty incident were to occur in our area.

Everyone says its not going to happen to me, Sauk County Emergency Management Director Jeff Jelinek said. Its going to happen in someplace like Las Vegas, but its not going to happen to me.

Thats the wrong attitude, Jelinek said. His agency works with private businesses, schools, hospitals, and the general public to teach people how to handle what he calls active ongoing violence.

At least 58 people were killed Sunday night during a mass shooting at a country music festival in Las Vegas. Hundreds more were injured.

Since October 2016, Jelinek said he has been involved in training more than 4,000 people to respond to shooting incidents. His agency has conducted simulated scenario exercises with about 200 people over the past three years.

Throughout the county, Jelinek coordinates training sessions involving a protocol known as ALICE, which stands for Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter and Evacuate. It was developed by a former Texas police officer and his wife, a school principal, following the 1999 mass shooting at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado.

The training teaches people how to respond to violent incidents. Strategies include barricading, evacuation, how to provide detailed information to authorities and how to confront an attacker face to face.

Is this training going to keep someone from trying to shoot or stab you? No, Jelinek said. But its going to help you learn how to respond if someone does that.

Jelinek said its important for people to build muscle memory so their response to such situations is automatic.

Emergency management officials also coordinate with local hospitals for what Jelinek calls mass casualty or mass injury incidents. Responders are trained to classify a person based on the severity of their condition, and send them to the appropriate facility.

At Divine Savior Healthcare in Portage, internal committees meet regularly to discuss trauma, emergency preparedness and safety. Team members attend conferences, lectures and webinars on topics such as shooting incidents and other disasters.

We hold regular drills to test our knowledge, capabilities, communication systems, equipment, staffing and ability to handle patient surges in the event of a mass casualty incident, said Divine Savior spokeswoman Hailey Gilman.

The hospital participates in group training and exercises with community partners and other local agencies so that their responses are coordinated in the event of a tragedy. It also participates in a Wisconsin Department of Health Services program known as WI-Trac, which helps hospitals communicate and share resources during emergencies.

Law enforcement agencies also coordinate to share resources. And that includes working with agencies outside the area.

Lake Delton Police Chief Daniel Hardman said his department has developed good working relationships with the FBI and the Wisconsin Department of Justices Division of Criminal Investigation. He said the agency also works with local businesses on whats known as target hardening.

Many businesses in the Wisconsin Dells area have areas in which people gather in dense crowds. Hardman said in some cases, items such as concrete planters can be repositioned to create barriers against those who might want to target crowds.

This county is exceptional in terms of how we collaborate with each other, Hardman said.
JUNEAU  A 34-year-old Friesland man was released on a $1,000 signature bond on Monday after making his initial appearance in court on charges of sexually assaulting a Fox Lake woman last summer.

James A. Webb III faces felony charges of second-degree sexual assault and false imprisonment. He could face up to 46 years in prison and $110,000 in fines if convicted.

Webb appeared before Dodge County Court Commissioner Steven Seim. As conditions of his bond, he may not have any direct or indirect contact or communications with the victims and he must maintain absolute sobriety.

According to the criminal complaint, the woman reported July 3, 2016, that Webb had assaulted her the previous night while the two were in an apartment above Old Rock Tavern, W11070 Highway 16/60.

The woman said she went bowling with a few people and one of the people received a call from Webb. Webb, who was in Cambria, was intoxicated and upset, and they drove to meet him. They arrived at the apartment above the tavern July 3 between 1 and 3 a.m.

According to the criminal complaint, the woman said they were drinking and she left to go to the bathroom. Webb followed her. She said he would not leave when she asked him to, and he would not allow her to leave the room. The woman said she struck Webb several times while he was sexually assaulting her. At one point, she was able to push him hard enough that he stumbled backward and she was able to free herself.

The woman told police that when she got out of the bathroom she told her friends that they were leaving. One of her friends began to fight with Webb, and the alleged victim was injured when she tried to break up the fight.

Webb was questioned and told officers that he had helped the woman after she told him that she was going to be sick and denied any sexual contact. Webb submitted to a DNA test. A report from the state crime lab said an enzyme was detected on vaginal swabs that indicated the presence of saliva. The report indicated a mixture of DNA from at least two male individuals and indicated that Webb could have been one of the contributors. Webb was contacted after the report was completed in May and was told about the results. He continued to deny assaulting the woman.

Webb has a preliminary hearing scheduled for Nov. 16.
JUNEAU  A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Nov. 16 for a 57-year-old Horicon man charged with illegally voting in Novembers presidential election.

Herbert E. York Jr. is charged with election fraud  voting by disqualified person. If convicted on the charge, he could face 3 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

York made his initial court appearance Monday before Dodge County Circuit Court Commissioner Steven Seim, who released him on a $1,000 signature bond.

According to the criminal complaint, York was still on supervision with parole and probation for a felony conviction when he voted in the Nov. 8 general election.

York was placed on probation for three years after a 2014 conviction for intentionally subjecting an individual at risk to abuse in Washington County.

According to the criminal complaint, Horicon police received a report from the Wisconsin Elections Commission on Aug. 1 about a person who was on supervision and voted in the presidential election. Yorks information matched a list of offenders who still were under supervision with the Wisconsin Department of Corrections.

Police met with York on Aug. 3, and began to tell him about the accusations when York allegedly interrupted them and said that they were there about him voting and that he was no longer on probation.

When the officer said he was on probation when he voted, York allegedly said, Yeah, but I thought I would get away with it.
A former Mauston social studies teacher was sentenced to 9 months in jail and four year probation Sept. 26 for charges stemming from sex with a former student of his.

Stewart Thompson, 25, was convicted of exposing genitals to a child, sex with a child 16 years or older and disorderly conduct. Charges of sex assault by school staff and child enticement were dismissed as part of a plea deal.

Thompson will lose his teaching license and must give a DNA sample.

According to the criminal complaint:

The Juneau County Sheriffs Office was notified of an inappropriate relationship between Thompson and a student. On Jan. 26, two detectives followed Thompson and the victim.

The victim parked her vehicle and entered Thompsons vehicle. Deputies followed as the two went to Quaker Stake and Lube in Middleton. Detectives observed the two having dinner at a restaurant and then driving back to Mauston.

As Thompsons vehicle approached Interstate 90 exit 69, detectives activated their cars emergency lights and pulled Thompson over. The detectives said they were conducting an investigation, and then took custody of both people and their cell phones.

In an interview with the victim, she said she met Thompson when she was a junior in high school and he was her history teacher. The two began messaging over text and Snapchat during the course of the second semester of her junior year. The messages included pictures of the victim in a bra and panties, and at least one occurrence of Thompson sending a picture of his genitals.

The victim said she did not have sex with Thompson until after her 17th birthday, but had spent time together at his apartment, including kissing, while she was 16. Thompson gave her a Victorias Secret gift card for her 17th birthday, and their sexual relationship started shortly after.

The victim said she had sex with Thompson at least 10 times.

The two met at Thompsons apartment until the fall of 2016, when Mauston High School received an anonymous letter about the relationship. After that point, the two would meet at Thompsons parents cabin in Warrens.

The victim said they would meet about one or two times a week. She said Thompson handed in his resignation Jan. 25 so it would be easier for the two of them to be together. She said the Middleton dinner date was their first official date, because Thompson was no longer a teacher.

Updated 10/3/2017: This article was changed to fix an error with the length of Thomspon's jail sentence.
DOVER  A motorcyclist told sheriffs deputies he was traveling well over 100 mph as he attempted to catch up to a group of riders returning from a funeral late Sunday afternoon via Highway 20.

The speed of the motorcycle and the loud sound of the bikes engine revving caught the attention of a Racine County Sheriffs Office deputy, who briefly engaged in a pursuit of the motorcycle before it pulled into a restaurant parking lot at highways 20 and 75 and the rider was taken into custody.

Shane R. Nichols, 31, of Beach Park, Ill., was charged on Monday with felony counts of attempting to flee or elude a traffic officer and recklessly endangering public safety. He was also charged with: operating while intoxicated third offense, a misdemeanor; two misdemeanor counts of bail jumping; and a misdemeanor count of operating a vehicle without a license.

According to the criminal complaint:

Just before 5 p.m. Sunday, sheriffs deputies observed a large group of about 20 motorcycle riders driving eastbound on Highway 20, east of Mealy Road. Shortly after the group of riders passed, Nichols and a passenger passed on a bike that was clearly going above the speed limit, the deputy reported.

With the deputy in pursuit, Nichols passed the larger group of motorcycle riders on the shoulder at speeds exceeding 80 mph, the deputy reported.

The bike was approaching the roundabout at highways 20 and 75 when the deputys supervisor ordered the pursuit terminated. The deputy said he was expecting the worst for Nichols and his passenger as they came up to the roundabout, which requires vehicles to slow down substantially. But the bike briefly stopped in the intersection without incident before pulling away again.

Nichols pulled into the Dover Inn just southeast of the roundabout. There the deputy approached Nichols and drew his weapon. Nichols had a large knife, which he tossed to the ground. A Town of Norway police officer arrived on scene to assist the deputy.

The arresting deputy reported smelling a strong odor of intoxicants coming from Nichols and reportedly found an opened 100-milliliter bottle of Fireball liquor in Nichols pocket. Nichols was reported to have said dead honest, I was dumb and it is what it is whatever.

Nichols claimed he and his passenger were part of a funeral ride that had started in the Town of Eagle in Waukesha County and he fell behind and he was trying to catch up.

Deputies took Nichols to Ascension All Saints Hospital and attempted to perform a field sobriety test but it couldnt be completed when Nichols allegedly refused to give a blood sample and comply with other orders. Nichols reportedly told deputies that a blood draw was against his religious beliefs as a Jew and then made sounds as if he was trying to speak in Hebrew or Arabic, the deputy reported.

A deputy eventually received a warrant for a forced blood draw.

Allegedly admits to excessive speed

As his arrest was being processed, Nichols allegedly told a deputy that he was going 120 mph when he passed the sheriffs car on Highway 20 and said that his speedometer only goes to 120 mph and he had the needle buried, meaning he was going as fast it could go.

At the Racine County Jail, deputies explained the charges Nichols would face and when they stated he was knowingly fleeing from authorities, Nichols reportedly stated oh, I took off.

Nichols also informed deputies that he started drinking four days ago and when asked when he stopped he replied, when you fun-busted it.

Nichols is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Oct. 11. If convicted, Nichols could face up to 10 years in prison. He remained in custody as of Monday night at the County Jail.
Here in Wisconsin, about 44 percent of the population reports it has German ancestry compared to 17 percent in the rest of the U.S., and on Tuesday, Oct. 10, the Dells Country Historical Society and the Kilbourn Public Library will host a program on Germans in Wisconsin.

By Zip Code, Lake Delton is 44 percent of German ancestry and Wisconsin Dells is 32.78 percent of German ancestry.

The speaker will be Mark Louden, a UW-Madison professor in the College of Letters and Science, Department of German. He will speak at 7 p.m. at the library. The meeting will be preceded by the historical societys annual meeting at 6 p.m.

Louden is a linguist who received his degrees in Germanic linguists from Cornell University. In addition to being a professor of German, he co-directs the Max Kade Institute for German-American Studies and is affiliated with the Center for Jewish Studies and the Mayrent Institute for Yiddish Culture. He also speaks Pennsylvania Dutch fluently and can talk about the Amish and Mennonites in Wisconsin. He also speaks other varieties of German and Yiddish.

The immigration of Germans to Wisconsin started in 1849. By 1853, a third of Wisconsin population had come from German-speaking lands and many continued to speak German after they settled in Wisconsin. In 1854, the Wisconsin Legislature passed a law requiring English be taught in schools, but since schools were controlled locally, the law was often ignored. It was not until the early 1900s that all schools switched to English.

His talk will be followed by a question and answer session.

The Friends of the Kilbourn Public Library will provide refreshments.

The historical societys annual meeting will include election of officers. The society needs a person willing to serve as secretary. Other officers to be elected are president, vice president and treasurer.
MOUNT PLEASANT  An investigation into a knocked-over mailbox has resulted in heroin possession charges for a Waterford man.

Charles William Ferguson, 39, whose listed address is a post office box in Waterford, was charged Monday with his fourth offense of operating while intoxicated, and possession of a controlled substance. Both are felony offenses.

According to the criminal complaint:

At 6:57 p.m. Friday, a Mount Pleasant police officer arrived at the 600 Block of South Fancher Road (Highway H) where a mailbox had been knocked over, presumably by a vehicle.

The officer soon noticed a vehicle stopped in traffic. The officer reported that the driver, identified as Ferguson, was lethargic and not responsive to questions. When the officer reached in to put Fergusons car into park, he noticed the smell of alcohol.

The officer reportedly found a scratch on Fergusons vehicle that matched the height of the damaged mailbox and a nearly full container of Pabst Blue Ribbon beer in the center console.

Ferguson failed to complete field sobriety tests and was placed under arrest. He was transported to Ascension All Saints Hospital to have his blood drawn and be tested for intoxicants.

As he was being arrested, officers reportedly found a piece of clear plastic containing a dark substance in Fergusons right pants pocket. The substance reportedly tested positive as being heroin, police said.

At Fergusons initial appearance in court Monday, his bond was set for $1,000. According to the Racine County Jails website, Ferguson was in custody as of Monday evening. His preliminary hearing is set for Oct. 11.

Fergusons prior OWI convictions were in 2005 in Waterford and 2008 and 2012 in Racine, according to court records. In 2014 in Racine, Ferguson was convicted of driving under a revoked license.
Wits appoints new CEO for Tshimologong

Lesley Williams will head up the tech precinct and help it to achieve its full potential.

Wits University today announced it has appointed Lesley Donna Williams, a consultant and entrepreneur, as the new CEO of the Wits Tshimologong Digital Innovation Precinct in Braamfontein, Johannesburg.

Williams, named in 2011 by the Mail&Guardian as one of its Top 200 Young South Africans, has for the past 17 years been actively engaged in setting up and running collaborative work spaces and associated programmes.

She joined Wits on Monday and describes herself as being enthusiastic about collaboration with particular passion for shaping the future of business that contributes to social innovation and enables participatory leadership.

Williams established the first Impact Hub in Africa, Impact Hub Johannesburg, in 2010 and today there are more than 100 Impact Hubs in major cities around the world. Impact Hub is a community of spaces, people and programming with an impact mission.

Professor Adam Habib, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of Wits University, welcomed Williams and said she has been mandated to ensure that the Tshimologong Precinct also achieves its full potential.

Through Tshimologong, Wits is enabling the development of a new generation of digital technology experts, innovators and entrepreneurs. The Precinct is providing space for our country's most creative young minds to develop the new digital technologies that are crucial to South Africas economic growth and international competitiveness, he says.

Professor Barry Dwolatzky, Head of Wits Universitys Joburg Centre for Software Engineering (JCSE) and founder of the Tshimologong Precinct says, Im really excited to welcome Lesley as our CEO. She brings a wealth of experience and boundless energy and enthusiasm to this important strategic initiative. Going forward my own role will be to support Lesley and her team in various ways with a particular focus on growing strategic relationships both locally and internationally.

ABOUT WITS UNIVERSITYS TSHIMOLOGONG DIGITAL INNOVATION PRECINCT

Setswana for new beginnings, Tshimologong is Johannesburgs new high-tech address in the vibrant inner-city district of Braamfontein, where the incubation of start-ups, the commercialisation of research and the development of high-level digital skills for students, working professionals and unemployed youths takes place. The Precinct was launched in September 2016 with support from major companies including Microsoft, Cisco, Datacentrix, Telkom, ACSA and MMI. Gauteng Province through its Department of E-Government and the City of Johannesburg has also provided significant support. The Precinct also houses the prestigious IBM Researchs Lab Africa  one of only 12 such facilities in the world. Website: www.tshimologong.joburg




China News on Women





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As a former Park H.S counselor for 32 years (40 in the district), I view the potential breakup of Unified to be unwise, reckless and socially irresponsible with many unanswered and unposed questions. The logistics are mind boggling.

Many in our weekly coffee group of about 10 retired Unified educators (including two directing principals) spent 30 to 40 years in the district. Racine Unified is our legacy. All of our children received great educations in it. Many have advanced degrees. They have done well in the job world and have good lives. They thrived in racially and socioeconomically diverse schools and are better for it. When we started in the '60s and '70s, Racine was viewed as a model urban school district and a leader in voluntary desegregation. Racine was able to recruit teachers from throughout the country. College admission counselors often told me how impressed they were with our students, often mentioning our minority students.

Our test scores are low and must be improved. The teachers are working hard toward that goal with teaching quality remaining high. Most students identified as gifted are more likely very well nurtured being introduced to reading, the alphabet, numbers etc., at a very early age igniting their love of learning. Increasing parental involvement is where much, if not most, of our efforts must go. Education needs to start early, be centered and promoted in the homes with plenty of community help. Let's give our students a great world education, one of diversity, not exclusion.

Bob McKee

Racine
Justin Maguire toasts the crowd with a mug of German beer Saturday during Oktoberfest, held at the German American Cultural Society of Rhode Island in Pawtucket.
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Cape Verde President Jorge Carlos Fonseca, facing, visited Pawtucket on Saturday, with Mayor Donald Grebien hosting a reception at 10 Rocks Restaurant, where a sign was unveiled on Main Street, renamed Cabo Verde Way. The President spoke to a packed crowd before talking with well-wishers and local dignitaries.
Nuclearelectrica clear to start Cernavoda 1 upgrade

03 October 2017

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Societatea Nationala Nuclearelectrica SA (SNN) has received shareholder approval to start upgrading unit 1 of the Cernavoda nuclear power plant, a 650 MWe Candu 6 reactor on which construction started in 1982. An extraordinary general meeting of the Romanian company's shareholders, of which the main one is the Romanian Ministry of Energy, Small and Medium Enterprises, and Business Environment, approved the plan on 28 September.

Cernavoda unit 1 (Image: Nuclearelectrica)

Located in Constanta County, Romania, the Cernavoda plant was initially planned as the site for five Candu 6 reactors. Units 1 and 2 started operations in 1996 and 2007, respectively. Phase I of the refurbishment project will include "activities necessary to ensure the operation of unit 1 for a period of 30 years, meaning the extension of the operating hours at nominal power in addition to the 210,000 hours initially estimated by the design", Nuclearelectrica said.

The company's CEO, Cosmin Ghita, added: "Based on studies and the international experience of other Candu 6 type nuclear power plants, and also on the inspections carried out by SNN and its results aimed at optimising the production of Cernavoda NPP unit 1, with observation of the same nuclear safety standards, the extension of the operating period beyond the initial estimated duration by design certifies first and foremost the quality of operations thus far and offers the premise for obtaining clear advantages for the project, the company and the contribution of a sustainable, reliable energy source in the national power system."

The "organisational and logistical modification activities" for the project will start early next year will be based on the completion of supporting documentation necessary for the preparation of a feasibility study, the company said.

The study, to be submitted for shareholder approval in 2021, will incorporate all the results of technical studies and safety analyses, "in such a manner as to allow the clear definition of the project, from the technical and financial point of view," it said. Most of these studies and technical and safety analyses can only be performed, objectively, by specialised engineering companies, it added. A series of studies is under way, to collate data regarding certain equipment, structures, systems and components that is only possible during planned outages at the unit.

Ghita said: "The approval by the shareholders of the first phase of the refurbishment project of unit 1 signifies the assurance of the continuation of the project for SNN, without delays, with the observation of the timeline for each stage and sub-stage."

He added: "This obviously signifies a major gain for SNN in terms of maintaining the energy production of unit 1 until 30 years of initial operation, the opportunity to accumulate additional funds necessary for the financing of the project, as well as for the national energy system in terms of the contribution to ensuring security and stability of supply."

The extension to 30 years of operation, based on the international experience and adapted to the unit's technical data, will determine that the refurbishment outage at the unit will take place during December 2026 and December 2028, the company said.

The refurbishment of unit 1 is the largest investment project of any energy company in Romania, but is less than half the cost of building a new Candu unit, Ghita noted.

Ghita was appointed to his role on 2 September for a provisional four months, following the completion by the company's previous CEO, Daniela Lulache, of his term in the position.

Romania and China signed a letter of intent in November 2013 during a visit to Bucharest by Chinese premier Li Keqiang. During his visit, the two countries signed numerous bilateral agreements, including an MOU on the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. Nuclearelectrica signed a memorandum of understanding with China General Nuclear Power (CGN) in November 2015 for the development, construction, operation and decommissioning of units 3 and 4 of the Cernavoda plant. The Romanian national nuclear company said a joint venture project company is to be established, with CGN owning at least 51% of the share capital. That company will oversee construction of the units, which will be 700 MWe Candu 6 reactors.

In January last year, the Romanian government said it had written to CGN expressing its support for the Cernavoda nuclear power plant project. CGN announced its receipt of the letter - which was presented by energy minister Victor Vlad Grigorescu and signed by prime minister Dacian Julien Ciolos. Units 3 and 4 will feature identical reactors of no less than 720 MWe each involving a total investment of about 7.2 billion ($7.8 billion), according to CGN.

Researched and written

by World Nuclear News

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Toshiba makes first guarantee payments to US companies

03 October 2017

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Toshiba has made its first payments to the owners of the VC Summer and Vogtle nuclear construction projects under its guarantee obligations as the parent company of Westinghouse Electric Company (WEC). The Japanese company also confirmed it is to acquire KazAtomProm's 10% stake in Westinghouse on 1 January.

Construction work continues at Vogtle 3's containment vessel and annex building (Image: Georgia Power)



Parental guarantee obligations were agreed by Toshiba and the owners of the two US AP1000 construction projects in 2008, when orders for the units were first placed with Westinghouse. Following Westinghouse's filing for chapter 11 bankruptcy with the US courts in March, Toshiba agreed in June to pay a maximum of $3.68 billion to the owners of Vogtle - Georgia Power (45.7%), Oglethorpe Power (30%), MEAG Power (22.7%) and Dalton city (1.6%) - with payments to be made in instalments from October 2017 to January 2021. In July, it reached an agreement with the owners of the Summer project - South Carolina Electric & Gas (SCE&G) (55%) and Santee Cooper (45%) - to pay a maximum of $2.168 billion.

Southern Company subsidiary Georgia Power said yesterday it had received its $137 million share of Toshiba's first payment of $300 million under the Vogtle agreement. The company said the payment was a "positive indication of Toshiba's commitment" to meeting its obligation under the guarantee. SCE&G parent Scana Corporation also confirmed to World Nuclear News that it received payment yesterday.

Construction is continuing at Vogtle, near Waynesboro. Project management and control at the site transitioned to Southern Nuclear after a services agreement between Westinghouse and Vogtle's co-owners became effective on 27 July, and in August Georgia Power contracted with Bechtel to manage daily construction efforts under the direction of Southern Nuclear. Georgia Power in August filed a recommendation with the Georgia Public Service Commission to complete construction of the two AP1000 units as the most economic choice for customers.

The owners of the Summer project decided in August to abandon the construction of the two AP1000s near Jenkinsville in South Carolina. SCE&G and Santee Cooper recently sold to Citibank NA the settlement payments to be made by Toshiba under its guarantee obligations for the project, with the exception of the $150 million first instalment due for payment on 1 October. The sale price of $1.847 billion is worth 91.5% of the full amount of the settlements.

KazAtomProm to sell



Toshiba said today it has received notice from KazAtomProm that it is exercising a 'put option' concerning its 10% share in the holding companies for WEC and its group entities. As a minority shareholder, the Kazakh state-owned company is entitled to sell its holding to Toshiba.

The share acquisition is planned to take place on 1 January 2018, at a price of about JPY59.0 billion ($522 million).

Toshiba said the exercise of KazAtomProm's put option will have a negative impact on its consolidated profit and loss stemming from a JPY15.3 billion impairment for the investment and a total negative impact of JPY64.6 billion on shareholders' equity in its consolidated balance sheet. The company has already made provision for these impacts in its forecast for fiscal 2017, it said.

The acquisition will see Toshiba take ownership of all of WEC's shares, although WEC is no longer under the control of Toshiba following its voluntary bankruptcy filing and has been deconsolidated from the Japanese company's results.

Researched and written

by World Nuclear News

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IAEA secures funding for new lab building

03 October 2017

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Contributions totalling 4.7 million ($5.5 million) from Germany, Japan, Norway and the USA will enable the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to complete construction of a new laboratory building at Seibersdorf, Austria. The Flexible Modular Laboratory (FML) will support global health and development.

The four countries announced their additional financial pledges after Director-General Yukiya Amano last month informed the IAEA board of governors that these extra-budgetary funds were urgently required to keep construction of the new building on schedule.

The USA and Germany pledged 3.1 million and 1 million, respectively, on 18 September. Norway pledged 100,000 on 29 September. Japan announced today that it would contribute 1 million, providing the remaining funds required to reach the 4.7 million target and ensuring full funding for construction of the FML building.

The enabling works and basic ground engineering work for FML were carried out at the end of last year, with excavation work starting in late April this year. The building will house laboratories working on food and environmental protection, as well as soil and water management and crop nutrition.

Construction of the FML - expected to be completed by the end of 2018 - is part of a wider project called ReNuAL and the follow-up ReNuAL+ to renovate and modernise all of the IAEA's eight laboratories in Seibersdorf, about 35 kilometres south-east of Vienna. These laboratories assist countries in using nuclear science and technology to achieve their development goals.

In total, the IAEA has raised almost 32 million in extra-budgetary funds from different donors, including 31 member states, for the nuclear application laboratories. After the latest pledges, the IAEA has raised enough to complete all new construction planned under the modernisation initiatives.

Amano said, "The modernisation of the nuclear applications laboratories is one of the most important projects ever undertaken by the Agency. The benefits will be felt by member states for decades to come, and I thank all donors who contributed to this important effort."

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Addressing uncertainties in decommissioning cost estimates

03 October 2017

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Historical experience of estimating decommissioning costs has not been particularly satisfactory. In response to this, the process of decommissioning cost estimation is evolving, writes Simon Carroll.

The general trend is towards showing greater levels of detail in estimates and more explicit representation of the uncertainties that may bear on project cost. In this context, the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have published new guidance on addressing uncertainties in nuclear decommissioning cost estimates.

The need for better estimates

The technical ability to decommission nuclear facilities shut down after normal operation is well demonstrated. Issues of current concern include the ability to accurately calculate and demonstrate the validity of decommissioning cost estimates and the development of tools for improving project delivery. Driving these developments is a need to give greater confidence that funding will be sufficient and to enhance managers' ability to control costs during decommissioning projects.

The International Structure for Decommissioning Costing (ISDC) was published in 2012 by the OECD NEA, the IAEA, and the European Commission (EC). The ISDC provides a useful common reporting format for decommissioning costing. Its approach builds up a deterministic Project Baseline Estimate starting from the scope and assumptions set out in a detailed basis of estimate (BoE).

Addressing uncertainties

The ISDC used the term 'contingency' to describe a provision for a number of uncertainties within the defined scope of the project. These are associated with conduct of work under other than the ideal (theoretical) conditions used to derive the project base cost. These uncertainties are likely to occur during the execution of a project such as equipment breakdown, inclement weather, logistical delays, etc. The ISDC assumes this provision will be fully spent during execution of the project.

However, the ISDC does not address the full range of uncertainties or explain how to incorporate these in estimates. A more comprehensive treatment of uncertainties in decommissioning cost estimation would aid comparison between estimates and enhance understanding of and confidence in the estimates themselves.

In 2014, the NEA and IAEA initiated a joint activity to incorporate uncertainties into nuclear decommissioning project cost estimates in an integrated manner, and as a complement to the existing ISDC approach. The results of this project are now published in the report Addressing Uncertainties in Cost Estimates for Decommissioning Nuclear Facilities. The report offers an approach to treating uncertainties reflecting current good practices in cost estimating. Specifically, it describes how uncertainties in decommissioning cost estimation can be addressed using standardised methods of estimating uncertainty and risk analysis. Its recommendations aim at enabling a consistent and comprehensive treatment of risk and uncertainty in the preparation of decommissioning cost estimates.

Developing and refining the Project Scope

The ISDC addressed the development of an estimate for a given, defined scope and did not fully consider issues relating to poorly defined or immature scope, and how these should be addressed in an estimate.

To address this, the new report describes an iterative process of scope refinement or optimising of the initial project scenario. It may take several iterations of scenario development to optimise the base scenario for the project, with an understanding of the potential impacts of alternative decommissioning strategies. This iterative development of the base scope can be undertaken progressively at any time in the cost assessment process. Where an initial assessment reveals potential events and outcomes that may be seen as intolerable or undesirable, these may be better dealt with by adding appropriate risk mitigation scope to the original Base Scope, rather than by being addressed separately as risks. The additional cost for the risk mitigation scope should then be estimated as part of a revised Base Cost for the project, and used to produce the Project Baseline Estimate.

Adjusting ISDC terminology



The new report remains consistent with the ISDC approach, and much of the terminology remains unchanged. However, it renamed the ISDC's 'contingency' provision 'estimating uncertainty'. This is because the new report considers a wider range of uncertainties than addressed in the ISDC. In particular, it includes threats and opportunities that may impact on project delivery and therefore on costs. These threats and opportunities are referred to as 'risk' in the new approach, and are explicitly addressed in the estimation process.

Thus, in the new report, the Project Baseline Estimate is the estimated cost of the base scope of the project as defined by the BoE, and including provision for the Estimating Uncertainty. The rationale for taking a wider range of uncertainties into consideration is to address the need for an additional provision for risk above the Project Baseline Estimate.

Adding risk elements to the ISDC

As we are dealing with a potential range of outcomes, it is logical to consider both deterministic and probabilistic means to derive a funding provision to risk. This entails a step-wise approach to the analysis of risk and how this can be used to derive a cost provision in the final cost estimate. The process involves risk identification, assessment and analysis to generate a set of outcomes for several different scenarios (and hence a range of cost provisions) that are directly tied to a probability of occurrence.

A determination also needs to be made as to which extent these risk elements are to be funded or not, as a funded risk provision and unfunded risk respectively. Where a decision is made not to fund certain risks, it is essential that the basis for this is made explicit in the estimate and the implications fully communicated.

The additional funded risk provision above the Project Baseline Estimate can now be included in the estimate to yield a Final Funded Cost. Putting all these elements together allows the production and presentation of a cost estimate that can integrate treatment of issues of scope maturity, estimating uncertainty within the defined project scope, and provision for risk.

Estimates are more than just numbers

The quality of the estimate and risk analyses are tied to the quality of the input data and the analysis of specific risks and impacts. To enhance understanding of the estimate and confidence in the results, the analyses and calculations underpinning these provisions need to be traceable, the processes understandable, and the estimate output needs to be able to be referenced to the input data. It is therefore important to consider aspects of quality assurance and how these are addressed in an estimate.

The report provides an overview of approaches used to enable better transparency and consistency in cost estimating. Sensitivity analysis can also be used to give greater insight into an estimate and the underlying calculation processes. By means of this analysis, insight is provided into how and to what extent changes in particular variables may influence the model outputs. Scenario analysis may also be used to explore the possible cost outcomes of alternative scenarios and options.

Better estimates?

Estimates will evolve as knowledge is accumulated and planning for the decommissioning project develops. Changes may occur for example as a result of modifications made to the defined project scope, increasing maturity of project scope, and developments in the definition and analysis of risks at different points in time. A systematic approach to addressing the impact of uncertainty and risk in financing of decommissioning projects is necessary. Ultimately funds will need to cover the Project Baseline Estimate, and include sufficient provisions for the uncertainties and risks assessed. By explicitly and comprehensively addressing project risk, there will be increased assurance that a cost estimate is complete and provides a credible picture of project cost.

OECD-NEA model for decommissioning cost estimates (Image: OECD-NEA)

The report is available here: https://www.oecd-nea.org/rwm/pubs/2017/7344-uncertainties-decom-cost.pdf

Comments? Please send them to editor@world-nuclear-news.org

Simon Carroll is an analyst at the Swedish Radiation Safety Authority (SSM) & Chair of the OECD Nuclear Energy Agencys Decommissioning Cost Estimation Group.

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The National Flag of Switzerland was officially adopted on December 12, 1889.

The National Flag of Switzerland is a red square flag with a bold, equilateral white cross in its center. The four arms of the cross are of equal length and do not extend to the edges of the flag. The design of the flag has been derived from an almost similar designed banner that was used by the Holy Roman Empire and therefore has strong Christian connotations. The red field with a centered white cross was adapted from the flag of Schwyz, one of the original three cantons (regions) of the country. The Swiss Constitution does not state the meaning of the colors and symbols of the national flag of Switzerland but several theories in the country attest to the meaning of these colors and symbols. One common explanation is that the Swiss Cross is used as a representation of Switzerlands characteristic neutrality during global conflicts and wars (the country has not participated in international wars for centuries). A historical explanation has it that the white cross was a representation of a Patenmedallie cast offered to Princess Claude of France in 1547 by Hans Jakob Stampfer as a baptismal gift. The flag has proportions of 1:1.

History of The Swiss National Flag

The history of the Swiss national flag goes back to the Middle Ages. Historians believe that the white cross on the flag had its origin during the Battle of Laupen of 1339 when it was used for the identification of troops of the Old Swiss Confederacy. The white stripes that formed crosses were used because it contrasts the flag of Habsburg Austria and that of Burgundy and Maximillian I and thus helped to distinguish the Swiss troops from their adversaries on the battlefield. The white flag was later adopted as the official identification of the Old Swiss Confederacy and was displayed during the Battle of Arbedo of 1422 as well as the Battle of Nancy of 1477. However, even before the Battle of Laupen, the Schwyz region of the Old Swiss Confederacy already had its official flag which was a solid red flag after the region was granted immediacy in 1240. Schwyz supported the conquest of King Rudolf of Habsburg against Burgundy, and in return, the King granted Schwyz permission to represent the cross on its flag, the first time in Swiss history. Napoleon Bonaparte had imposed a tricolor green flag containing the colors green, red, and yellow on the Helvetic Republic (1798-1803). This flag was abandoned immediately after the fall of Napoleons regime.
Featuring the Druk, which is the Thunder Dragon of Bhutanese and Tibetan mythology, Bhutans national flag is among the countrys national symbols. The Bhutanese flag was designed in 1947 by Mayum Choying Wangmo Dorji. During the signing of the Indo-Bhutan Treaty, in 1949, a version of the Bhutanese flag was displayed. In 1956, another version was introduced for the purpose of Druk Gyalpo Jigme Dorji Wangchuks visit to the eastern region of the country. The second version of the flag was based on pictures of the previous flag; it comprised of a white Druk instead of the original one which was green.

Eventually, the Bhutanese flag was redesigned to have the exact measurements as Indias flag which the people of Bhutan believed and flatter as better than Indias. The flag also went through a series of modifications including changing the color of the background from orange to red resulting to the current design which has been in use from 1969. Bhutans National Assembly tabulated and formalized the design of the flag in 1972 and also to set up protocol concerning the conditions for flying the flag and acceptable flag sizes.

Historical Background

Historically, the nation of Bhutan is known to have many names. However, locals call their country Druk in honor of the Bhutanese thunder dragon. It is a tradition dating back to 1189 after Tsangpa Gyare Yeshe Dorje claimed to have witnessed a glowing light and rainbow in the Namgyiphu valley while he was in Phoankar. According to a popular Bhutanese belief, Dorje had gone into the valley to select a site where a monastery would be constructed. It is here that, Dorje heard three peals of thunder which was the description of the sound produced by the dragon. In that same year, the monastery was constructed and named Druk Sewa Jangchubling, as Tsangpa Gyares teaching school was named Druk. Eventually, the Druk School was divided into three different lineages. Drukpa was one of the three lineages, it was established by Gyares spiritual heir and nephew known as Onrey Dharma Sengye; his lineage would later spread to the entire country. Another theory as to how the dragon ended up on the Bhutanese flag is that it had previously emerged from their neighboring country China. The rulers of Bhutan saw it fit to adopt it in the early 20th century as a symbol of royalty.

Design Of The National Flag Of Bhutan

The countrys current flag is diagonally divided from the lower hoist-side corner. While the top side of the triangle is yellow, the bottom one is red. A huge black and white dragon is centered along the dividing line facing the opposite side of the hoist. The dragon holds a jewel or Norbu in all four claws. The flags background colors which are orange and yellow are identified as Pantone 165 and 116 respectively. The white on the Druk and other shades are identified by different codes.

Symbols Of The National Flag Of Bhutan

As restated in the 2008 Bhutanese Constitution, the color yellow in the flag symbolizes temporal authority and local tradition as embodied in the Bhutans Dragon King also known as Druk Gyalpo. The Kings royal garb comprises of a yellow scarf known as kabney. The orange color on the flag symbolizes the Buddhist spiritual tradition especially the Nyingma and Drukpa Kagyu schools. The Druk signifies the spreading of equality over the perpendicular line between the yells and orange portions of the flag. The central placement of the Druk over the line separating orange and yellow symbolizes the importance of both monastic and civic traditions in the country.
Introduction

The US Congress passed the Kansas-Nebraska Act in 1854. President Franklin Pierce, together with the senator of Illinois Stephen Douglas, drafted this act. The Act led to the creation of the states of Kansas and Nebraska. The main aim of the Kansas-Nebraska Act was to encourage farming on the millions of acres of new farms. In addition, it made the Midwestern Transcontinental Railroad viable. However, the popular sovereignty clause of the act resulted in pro and anti-slavery people flowing into Kansas in large numbers. They intended to participate in the elections and vote slavery either up or down. Eventually, these two groups had a conflict which led to Bleeding Kansas. At the command of President Pierce, Federal stoops stopped the violence and dispersed the anti-slavery supporters. Ultimately, the war ended when the formation of a new constitution and the incorporation of the Kansas State into the Union as a free state in October 1861.

Reactions to the Passing of the Kansas-Nebraska Act

The Kansas-Nebraska Act divided the legislators into two groups. There were those were were outraged by the Act while others welcomed it as a win. Supporters of the act, such as Douglas, who had been its greatest opponent, were satisfied with allowing citizens to handle decisions regarding slavery. According to him, the time was ripe for removal of decision-making from the corridors of the Congress. On the other hand, the passing of the bill was a great disappointment to the proponents of the Missouri Compromise of 1820. The acts successful repeal of the Missouri Act divided the Whig Party into two: northern Whig (anti-bill) and Southern Whig (pro-bill). Soon afterward, the Southern Whig joined the Democrats Party in support of the bill. On the other hand, the Northern Whigs unified with other slavery opponents to form the Republican Party. The result was animosity between the North and South states.

The Controversy

In the early 1950s, settlers and entrepreneurs wanted to move to the area presently known as Nebraska but were hesitant because it had not become a territory. Subsequently, no one could legally own land. The Southern states representatives did not see any urgency in the matter as the location of the area was in an anti-slavery region by the action of the Missouri Compromise of 1820". The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 invalidated the Missouri Compromise of 1820. It allowed slavery into the territory north of the 36 30 latitude which had previously served as a boundary between the slave and free states. Furthermore, the act gave the residents of each state the power to make a decision on whether they wanted slavery to go on or not. The passing of the bill on May 30, 1854 led to violent conflict between the anti-slavery and pro-slavery settlers called bleeding Kansas. This conflict was a prelude to the Civil War. As such, one reason why the Kansas-Nebraska Act was controversial is that it restored the popular sovereignty to the residents of the territories. The second reason is that the Missouri Compromise did away with the autonomy of the government in making decisions revolving around slavery.
A United States Postal Service worker earned some money on the side by selling drugs, according to police in Indiana.

The Attica Police Department said that they have arrested 25-year-old Gabriel Anno, after being accused of selling drugs, possessing drugs and illegal gun possession.

Anno has been charged with dealing in marijuana, dealing in cocaine, dealing in a scheduled III controlled substance, dealing in a scheduled IV controlled substance, possession of cocaine, possession of a machine gun, possession scheduled III controlled substances, possession scheduled IV controlled substances, possession of marijuana, maintaining a common nuisance and official misconduct.

He was booked into the Fountain County Jail, and his bail has been set at $5,000.

According to the police investigation, Anno worked for the United States Postal Service in Attica, where he delivered mail.

Police received a tip that Anno was dealing drugs on the side.

Police obtained a search warrant, and raided Annos home, where they found 1.2 pounds of marijuana, 5 grams of cocaine, 14 ounces of codeine, 392 Xanax pills, a semiautomatic weapon, a machine gun, and $2,000.
The Nebraska Attorney Generals Office announced Tuesday a resolution to an 80 year old cold case.

The case involves the murders of Boone County Sheriff Lawrence Smoyer and Boone County Constable William Wathen, who were shot on June 17, 1937 in a field northwest of Albion.

Mike McKnight first reported on this mystery 25 years ago and now he reports the case is closed.

Phyllis Schroeder grew up with the stories of her grandfather a Sandhills Sheriff gunned down in the line of duty. Interviewed at her Omaha home, Schroeder said, "4,000 people at his funeral and that was the days of horse and buggies because not everybody had a car."

Eighty years to the day after Wathens death, the identity of the suspects is now officially confirmed.

Today brings clarity to these deaths and provides justice for these families, the Attorney General stated. These men died in the line of duty and we honor the memory of their service.

The officers were investigating a suspicious vehicle and trespassing complaint in a cattle pasture reported several days in a row by a local rancher. Both officers were shot by two well-dressed men driving a stolen black 1937 Ford Coupe with Colorado license plates. Sheriff Smoyer died instantly while Constable Wathen survived 108 days before succumbing to his wound on Sunday, October 3, 1937. It was Wathens detailed, written account that provided many clues that led to eventually solving the case.

The suspects responsible for the homicides were Charles Orville Doody and Marion Armstrong Cooley, who are tied to the crime scene by numerous articles of evidence.

Both of these men were named in a Colorado arrest warrant for the theft of the vehicle used in the commission of this crime. Additionally, both men were career criminals at the time of the murders, each having served two terms in the Colorado State Penitentiary System for crimes including in armed robbery, auto theft, business burglary, forgery and armed assault on officers, collectively.

Their identities were discovered by investigators within three days of the crimes but it would take just over a year to collect enough evidence to issue Marion Cooley an arrest warrant for first-degree murder. By this time, Cooley was serving his third term for armed robbery in Colorado and according to the laws at the time, Nebraska had to wait until he was paroled in 1948 before they could take him into custody. A warrant for Doody was not obtained by investigators because his whereabouts were unknown.

The original investigation into these murders would have resulted in the prosecution of these suspects 80 years ago if it were not for numerous circumstances, including the interference of World War II.

When Cooley was paroled in 1948, the original investigators who would have served as witnesses were retired to places unknown, had died or been killed, or were still in the military stationed at unknown posts.

Researching criminal records in other states black found the suspects lied about their whereabouts the day of the shootout and a shoe one of them wore in a Colorado bank robbery matched an in print at the murder scene. The technology to share that information didn't exist in 1937

Phyllis Schroeder said, "For us to be able to say that's who did it,we're happy with that its settled, its closed."

The original investigation of these crimes was outstanding, the Attorney General said. While world events slowed justice from immediately being carried out, today, our office as well as the Boone County and the Seward County Sheriffs' offices are grateful the facts can be revealed.
The strike at GMs CAMI assembly plant in Ingersoll, Ontarionow in its third weekis the first at any facility operated by the Detroit Three automakers in Canada in more than two decades.

The 2,800 CAMI workers are determined to put an end to years of speed-up, forced overtime, and contract concessions, including two-tier jobs with a 10-year grow in to regular wages and a decade-long wage freeze that has drastically eroded their purchasing power.

However, Unifor, the former Canadian Auto Workers (CAW), is refusing to raise, let alone wage a fight for, these just demands.

Instead, it has focused the strike entirely around its demand that GM name the CAMI plant the lead producer of its hot-selling Equinox SUV, so as to ensure that the brunt of any production cuts are borne by workers at GMs Mexican plants.

CAMI workers have every reason to be concerned about the future of their jobs. The automakers are utterly ruthless in their pursuit of profit, routinely closing plants and devastating entire communities to maximize shareholder value. Earlier this year, to pressure workers in the run-up to the September contract expiration, GM announced that it was transferring production of its Terrain model from CAMI to Mexico.

Moreover, southwestern Ontario, where CAMI and Ingersoll are located, has been devastated by plant closures for the past quarter century, turning a region long synonymous with manufacturing, especially auto production, into an industrial wasteland.

Unifors push for lead producer status for the CAMI plant has nothing to do with a genuine struggle to win job security. Rather it is a continuation of the ruinous nationalist-corporatist strategy that Unifor has pursued for decadesa strategy that has consisted of imposing round after round of concessions so as to maintain the automakers Canadian low-cost advantage and thereby entice them to locate production in Canada.

This strategy, the mirror image of what the UAW has pursued ostensibly in defence of American jobs, has pitted North American autoworkers against each other in a race to the bottom, whose only winner has been the automakers.

Unifor is suppressing the CAMI workers struggle to roll back decades of concessions, to ensure that GM continues making lavish profits off their sweat and toil.

As for the unions lead producer demand, Unifor has reportedly dropped it, or at least reformulated it, after GM ruled it out of hand. Giving voice to the arrogance of the auto bosses, GM has vowed it will accept no limits on its ownership rights to deploy its production facilities as it sees fit.

But even were GM to agree to give the CAMI plant lead producer designation, it would in no way represent a victory for workers. On the contrary, it would only further intensify the national divisions that the automakers, with the unions whole-hearted support, have used to whipsaw workers and drive down the wages and working conditions of all workers.

Secure and decent-paying jobs should be social rights guaranteed to all. But to win these rights workers in North America and around the world must mount a common struggle to end the subordination of all socioeconomic life to the profits of a tiny clique of billionaires and multi-millionaires.

Southwestern Ontario: a region devastated by plant closures

The high-paid bureaucrats who staff the Unifor apparatus, that of the United Steelworkers (USW), and the other unions, are utterly opposed to any challenge to capitalism.

They have not lifted a finger to oppose the wave of plant closures that have seen Ontarios manufacturing sector shrink by over 300,000 jobs since 2002 and large parts of southwestern Ontario de-industrialized.

In the London, Ontario region (of which Ingersoll is part), workers have witnessed the closure of the CAW-organized St. Thomas Daimler Truck plant in 2008 costing 1,400 jobs, and the Ford assembly and Lear Seating plants in 2011 with the loss of 1,400 jobs.

The shuttering of Caterpillars Electro-Motive Diesel plant in London in 2012 cost 450 jobs. Two years later, Kellogg closed its cereal plant, throwing 600 people out of work. In 2016, the London Free Press closed its printing facility, cashiering 135 workers, and Maple Leaf Foods followed suit with 400 layoffs at their now defunct Thamesford operation.

Among London area manufacturers, only the armaments industry anchored by General Dynamics has avoided layoffs in the wake of whopping increases in military budgets in Canada, the United States and the Middle East.

A report released by Statistics Canada showed that 22 percent of children in the London region live in low-income households, the third highest child poverty rate in Canada. Overall, some 35,000 area residents live in extreme poverty gauged by income levels of below $11,000 per year for individuals and $19,000 for a single parent with a child.

In the metropolitan area, which includes St. Thomas and Strathroy, the median household annual income was the second lowest among all Ontario cities at $64,700, representing a 2.1 percent drop over the past decade.

Windsorabout 190 kilometers from London and across the river from Detroithas suffered the countrys biggest median income drop, 6.4 percent, over the past decade. Median income now stands at $65,983, significantly below the Canadian average of $70,300.

Twenty years ago, Windsor had one of the highest per capita incomes in all of Canada. Like London, Windsor has been ravaged by a relentless series of plant closures. In what was formerly the center of Detroit Three production in Canada, only the Fiat-Chrysler assembly plant has added employees over the past decade, although about a third of the 6,000 workers at the Windsor assembly plant fall under the second-tier provisions of the contract and receive vastly inferior wages and benefits. General Motors, which at its high point employed over 9,000 workers in Windsor, has shuttered all its operations in the city. Ford, with two dwindling plants, continues to put a question mark over the long-term viability of its Engine factory that employs about 400 workers.

In Hamilton, formerly Canada's Steel City, little remains of the Stelco/US Steel/Bedrock operations. Only a few hundred workers remain at a plant that a generation ago employed over 14,000 steelworkers. Over the past 10 years, National Steel Car intermittently has laid off up to 1,500 workers due to volatile order books.

In an attempt to support themselves and their families many workers from Southwestern Ontario migrated to other parts of the country, particularly Alberta, until the collapse in oil prices in 2014 led to mass layoffs and wage cuts. Others are struggling to make ends meet by combining two or more low-paying service jobs.

Why has this endless roll call of devastation not provoked mass opposition and a working class counter-offensive?

Because the union bureaucracy has systematically suppressed the class struggle, opposing any challenge to capitalist property relations, while seeking to secure its privileges by integrating itself ever more completely into management and the state. Whenever workers have tried to fight back, the unions have ensured workers struggles remain isolated and confined within a reactionary nationalist orientation.

This is exemplified by the role played by the Canadian Auto Workers, one year before it merged with the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers to form Unifor, in the shuttering of Caterpillars London EMD plant. In January 2012, EMD locked out 465 workers at the facility after they refused to accept wage cuts of up to 55 percent and the destruction of their pension plan. A month later, Caterpillar announced the lockout was being transformed into a plant shutdown and that it was moving production to Muncie, Indiana where workers were paid a mere $12 an hour.

Throughout the struggle, the CAW did everything in its power to isolate the Caterpillar workers and prevent their struggle from challenging the highly profitable company. When Caterpillar revealed its closure plans, the CAW gave up without a fight and immediately began negotiating severance packages, i.e., the terms under which workers would be laid off and left to fend for themselves in a region where the manufacturing sector has been devastated.

The CAW, which emerged in a nationalist split from the United Auto Workers in 1985-86, also failed to make a single appeal to Caterpillar workers in the US, even though they faced similar concessions demands and brutal conditions of exploitation. As the World Socialist Web Site wrote at the time, For the CAW there was never any question of countering Caterpillars blackmail by seeking to mobilize US Caterpillar workers for a joint struggle. Its quick acceptance of the closure of the London plant underscores that it upholds the capitalists dictatorship over socioeconomic life and subordination of the most basic needs of working people to the profits of a few. (See: Fight Ontario Caterpillar plant closure! Unite North American workers against wage-cutting! )

The unions complicity in the decimation of Ontarios manufacturing sector demonstrates that CAMI workers and their co-workers throughout the auto industry require a new political perspective. They must reject the pro-capitalist and nationalist policies advanced by Unifor and fight to unite their struggles with autoworkers in the United States, Mexico and internationally on the basis of opposition to all concessions and the defence of all workers jobs. Only by waging their fight on the basis of a socialist and internationalist programme will autoworkers be able to win decent-paying, secure jobs, and reverse the decades of givebacks administered by the unions and their corporate cronies in one concessions-laden contract after another.
The US Congress missed a deadline to reauthorize the Childrens Health Insurance Program (CHIP) over the weekend. The failure to act threatens health insurance coverage for about 9 million children in lower-income families across the United States. Although the Senate released a five-year bill to reauthorize the program last week, a vote was not scheduled by the Republican Senate leadership.

States will begin to feel the effects of Congresss inaction as soon as the end of this year. Previously, when some states closed CHIP enrollment for limited periods in response to budget shortfalls, studies show that eligible individuals were left without access to coverage, causing negative effects on family health and finances.

Funding for CHIP expired on September 30. Although funds did not immediately dry up on October 1, the program faces imminent shutdown in a number of states. Joan Alker, executive director of Georgetown Universitys Center for Children and Families, told reporters earlier this month, This is ridiculous. Its already too late. We have never had a situation like this before.

CHIP was passed into law under the Clinton administration with bipartisan support, championed by then-first lady Hillary Clinton. The program provides low-cost health coverage to children in families that earn too much to qualify for Medicaid.

Although eligibility rules vary by state, in most states children age 18 and younger qualify for the program if their familys income falls below 200 percent of the federal poverty line, or just under $50,000 for a family of four. Some states offer coverage to children in families earning up to 300 percent over the federal poverty line, and 20 states also offer coverage to pregnant women.

CHIP provides low-cost insurance for a large range of benefits, varying by state, including routine checkups, immunizations, mental health services, prescriptions, inpatient and outpatient hospital care, x-rays and lab services. An analysis from the American Academy of Pediatrics found that families are much more likely to attend to preventive and primary care after enrolling their children in the program.

Average costs to families run about $150 per child annually, compared to insurance premiums of more than $850 per year per child in employer-sponsored insurance, according to a report from the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission released earlier this year.

About 9 million children are currently insured through CHIP. Since its enactment, the uninsured rate among children has fallen significantly, from 13.9 percent in 1997 to 4.5 percent in 2015, the Access Commission says. In 2016, more than 8.9 million children were enrolled, up from 8.44 million in 2015.

CHIP currently costs about $14 billion a year, with the federal government picking up about three-quarters of this cost. Some states provide CHIP as part of the expansion of Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), others operate a separate CHIP program, while some provide a combination of these approaches. Under expiration, states with CHIP-funded Medicaid expansion would be required to maintain this coverage, but with lowered federal funding. States with separate CHIP coverage would not be required to maintain it.

According to an analysis by the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF), 48 of 50 responding states, including the District of Columbia, assumed continued federal funding for CHIP in their fiscal year 2018 budgets. Thirty-four of 42 responding states also assumed they would receive the 23 percent match included as part of Obamacare. This means that the majority of states face a funding shortfall due to CHIPs expiration.

Ten statesConnecticut, Pennsylvania, Mississippi, Oregon, Idaho, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, California and Hawaiianticipate exhausting CHIP funding by the end of 2017. Most states must provide 30 days notice to enrollees that their coverage will be eliminated.

Previous state enrollment caps and freezes in CHIP benefits have had a disastrous effect on coverage and medical services. When North Carolina froze enrollment between January and October 2001, enrollment fell by nearly 30 percent, from about 72,000 to 51,300, according to KFF. Parents affected by the freeze said that almost all of their children experienced periods of being uninsured and reported difficulties obtaining prescriptions for them. They also reported obtaining care for their children required them to cut back on necessities, borrow money from family or friends, or accrue debt.

House Democratic Caucus Chairman Rep. Joe Crowley (New York), blamed Republicans for missing the CHIP reauthorization deadline. However, neither House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi nor Senate Minority leader Chuck Schumer has voiced loud protests over congressional inaction that threatens the health care of millions of US children.

The failure to reauthorize CHIP follows last weeks collapse of Senate Republicans latest Obamacare repeal effort, as Majority Leader Mitch McConnell pulled legislation sponsored by Sens. Lindsey Graham (South Carolina) and Bill Cassidy (Louisiana), when it became clear the measure did not have the votes to pass.

While committees in both the House and Senate said hours before Congress failed to reauthorize CHIP that they would take up the legislation for the childrens program again this week, such action is anything but assured. Joan Benso, president and CEO of advocacy group Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children, told the Morning Call, If we get to November and its not done, then well get pretty concerned.

In the wake of the latest failure to repeal the ACA, a bipartisan effort to fix Obamacare by Sens. Lamar Alexander, Republican of Tennessee, and Patty Murray, Democrat of Washington, is expected to continue. This effort is not aimed at extending coverage to the 28 million Americans who remain uninsured seven years after the passage of the ACA, but at stabilizing the insurance markets.

Such a bipartisan deal would retain the basic framework of Obamacare, which has broad support from the insurance companies and big business, bloating the profits of the insurers while at the same time increasing out-of-pocket health care costs for the vast majority of Americans.
Over the past weeks, Indian supporters of the International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI) have taken the campaign against Googles censorship of the World Socialist Web Site to workers in Chennai, and students at the citys Madras and Anna universities.

The Indian ICFI supporters group holds regular campaigns in the city, which is the capital of the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu. On August 27, the group held a successful meeting against the US-led imperialist war drive, attended by a broad cross-section of workers and youth and streamed live on Facebook.

Students and working people in Chennai have responded strongly to the ICFIs campaign opposing Googles censorship of the WSWS and other anti-war and progressive publications. Many have added their names to more than 4,500 signatures on the online petition, demanding that the tech-monopoly stop blocking the WSWS from search results.

WSWS reporters spoke to some of those who have signed the petition.

Ganesh, a 28-year-old government worker, said: I thought Google was a well-trusted organization. But this American institution is banning progressive thought through the censorship of leftist web sites, in league with the government. Blocking information is a dictatorial measure. Governments and big companies are trying to prevent us from finding critical information.

Ganesh was among tens of thousands of Tamil Nadu government workers who went on strike last month, demanding the abolition of a retrogressive pension scheme. The stoppage was ended on the eighth day, because the national and Tamil Nadu state governments joined together to suppress our struggle through a court order, he explained.

Speaking on the demands of the strike, Ganesh stated: Temporary workers receive only 3,000 rupees [$US45] a month. They should be made permanent and their salary must be increased. I am paid around 40,000 rupees [$US600] a month, but it is not enough to cope with high rent, medical expenses and education costs for my children.

Venkatesan, a 42-year-old government worker, said: Googles censorship stops information being distributed in an independent manner. It is a major attack on democratic rights. He agreed with WSWS campaigners, who noted that Google has a close relationship with the American government and intelligence agencies.

Venkatesan also expressed support for the call by the ICFI for an international anti-war movement based on socialist policies. He said that he was concerned that the explosive tensions revealed in a recent military standoff between India and China in the Himalayan ridge would resurface. We oppose war. We are for the international unity of workers, he said.

Ram, a worker at the MNC telecommunications company in Chennai, told WSWS reporters: No other party has informed us about the dangers of imperialist war. That is why your international campaign makes me happy. Your articles and documents give the working class rich political knowledge.

He added: The capitalist media and the ruling class cannot tolerate the reporting by the WSWS on the mounting social crisis in America. That is why they are trying to block the WSWS.

The Open Letter by the Editorial Chairman of the WSWS [David North], explains the real issues to the international working class, young people and intellectuals. That helps them to orient on the basis of a socialist perspective.

Lokesh, a second-year Master of Business Administration student at Madras University, previously signed the WSWS petition demanding the release of 13 Indian Maruti Suzuki workers sentenced to life in prison in Manesar, Haryana, this year on frame-up charges.

Asked about Googles censorship measures, Lokesh commented: This creates major obstacles for readers looking for important articles about the current situation. People have the right to read what they wish. I oppose Googles attacks on all left-wing web sites, particularly the WSWS, which gives a clear perspective for the working class.

Corporations like Google work for, and try to safeguard, the private property system, Lokesh said. But as you explained, if these social media and Internet corporations were taken over, under the democratic control of the working class, everyone could express their political views. The right to free speech would be upheld. Your campaign is very important, because no other parties have told us anything about these issues.

Lokesh spoke out against the Indian government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi: They said they would create 100 million jobs, but nothing is happening. Modi said he would abolish untaxed black money to give benefits to every citizen. But the tax program is oppressing farmers, small vendors and workers as whole. Modi is not for us.

Another student, Che Guevara, said: The censorship of the WSWS is anti-democratic. Google must stop it immediately. This is the first time Ive been introduced to material from the WSWS. People have the right to decide where they get their information and news from.

The student added that his father, a member of the Stalinist Communist Party of India (CPM), named him Che Guevara, because of his left-wing sentiments. The student asked about the ICFIs attitude to Cuba.

Campaigners explained that Guevaras petty-bourgeois politics, which substituted the actions of a handful of guerrillas for the political mobilisation of the working class, had nothing to do with Marxism. They said this was underscored by the nationalist program pursued by the Cuban regime, and the emergence of mounting social inequality.

Guevara replied: What you say is completely new to me, but it looks like you are correct. I have to read the WSWS.

Deepak also denounced Googles actions. He said he was a regular reader of the WSWS because of its daily Marxist analysis of international events, the deepening war drive, workers struggles and the history of the Russian revolution.

Deepak added, Your organization is working internationally. We can only fight capitalist policies in a globalized world in this way.
Paul and Sarah attended the Peoples Assembly protest from east London, along with around 40 other workers.

Paul said, We are newly qualified nurses. During our training over the last three years, we have been to various wards across London so we have seen the devastation that has occurred because of the cuts and privatisation.

We are here today because we want the Tories out. They want an American-style health system and what they cant privatise, theyll cut.

Paul had worked at Barts hospital, which has a huge Private Finance Initiative (PFI) debtits the most expensive hospital project in the history of PFI. To pay the increased debt they cut back on the nurses and its caused all sorts of problems. It means ultimately that our patients are in danger, their food is getting cold, and their medication is not getting to them on time. Its demoralising and so consequently its no wonder that we need so many nurses.

We are starting out on a new career, but all we see is constant heartache. We work with mental health patients and if anything they are suffering even more.

Paul agreed with WSWS reporters that the Labour Party was instrumental in pushing through privatisation in the health service when in power from 1997-2010. He said, During the Blair years, what [ex Tory Prime Minister John] Major started with the market in the health services and then with the PFIs, Blair and Brown continued.

Sarah said, What we are seeing with all the austerity measures is that peoples lives are not being valued. Look at Grenfell, the fact that fireproof cladding would have cost just a bit more money but they couldnt be bothered. Its what were seeing within all structures of society. In education, teachers cannot look after all the children. I inspected a school and it had no playground for a primary school.

People are dying under these austerity measures. From the nursing perspective, were seeing not enough nurses on our wards. This is ultimately leading to poor care and patients possibly deteriorating and dying. Ive seen instances such as when a nurse collapsed in the toilet from exhaustion. Weve had some night shifts where there are not enough nurses on the wards.

Brandon, from Manchester, pointed to the sign he was holding, explaining he was marching for the many disabled people, not the few millionaires.

Myself and my mother have suffered from the disability cuts of the Tory party. Its unacceptable to see the alarming number of deaths as a result of those cuts.

Brandon explained about a young man, David Clapson, who I learned about recently whose power was cut off, which meant the insulin in his fridge was spoiled and then his sister found him dead next to a pile of CVs.

He said, Reading about abhorrent things like that obviously strikes a chord because it could so easily happen to someone like me or anyone I know.

Brandons disability benefits were stopped completely for about a year. After about six months when I finally managed to stage an appeal, I finally won it back, but even then it was cut by 30 a week, which has considerable effect monthly and yearly.

The governments blanket reassessment of disability payments had denied income to thousands of people: Most people had their payments stopped and the people making the decisions arent actually qualified. Its healthcare professionals rather than doctors and nurses. They flat-out rejected most people because they worked on a points system.

A Kafkaesque appeals process followed: You have to apply for whats called a mandatory reconsideration, where the same people who made the decision in the first place just look over it again, and obviously reject it again. And its only after that you can make an appointment for an appeal where lawyers and nurses are involved. But that process takes about six months. So the time building up to that, even though about 70 percent of the appeals win, the actual time it takes is far too long and leaves people without any money.

Ria and Kate are students. Ria said, Labour councils are pushing through the cuts just as bad. In Liverpool, on the Wirral, social housing landlords Magenta Living are privately selling off their stock and the Labour council has approved this. A Liberal Democrat counsellor opposed this and he was put down by the pro-Corbyn Labour faction.

Kate said, The National Health Service is being privatized, students arent being listened to even though were the future of this country. They know weve got no power. Its not on. They want to make us pay for everything. Who put them in charge?

Ria noted, There wont be an NHS in the next ten to fifteen years time if this government continues. I feel really sorry for people who work for the public sector at the minute because theyre on a one percent pay rise. Its appalling what theyre doing to them. People working 16 hours only get paid for 12 hours. My mum recently took early retirement from the NHS because she was suffering health problems. It became all about numbers, getting patients in and out as quickly as possible rather than caring for them.

Kate added, In the last election Labour, for the first time, almost won. Jeremy Corbyn is changing things. Hes appealing to students who werent politically motivated before. Were heading the right directionwe need to get rid of the Tories, theyre ruining everything.

Asked what she thought about the role of Labour in the privatisation of the NHS and Corbyns record of capitulation to the right-wing since becoming leader, Kate said, I do believe thats wrong but hes making a start. He wants to scrap tuition fees and educate people more. Yes, there are still people involved in the Labour Party who started privatization but the Tories are making it a lot worse, rather than sorting it out.

Ria said, The rich and the wealthy have all the power in this country. Young people, ethnic minorities and poor people really dont have a voice. Its undemocratic. I think democracy is almost a lie. Its made to look like its a democracy but really this country is run by rich politicians that dont have a clue about normal working life, affordable housing, etc.

Kate added, We [the working class] were never supposed to succeedIts nearly impossible for us to get anywhere.

Peter McCabe was at the demonstration to highlight what he described as the asset stripping of Manchester City Council. He explained that as part of boundary changes associated with ongoing regeneration projects on the outskirts of the city centre, the council is seeking to relocate Whitworth Park, one of the few large parks in the city, and the adjoining Whitworth Art Gallerywhich is currently in the ward of Moss Sideinto the Ardwick ward.

I am here to oppose austerity and this is austerity. Its taking off the poor and its giving to the rich. They are converting old buildings in Ardwick into apartments which are well outside the rental ability of people outside of the professional classes. Its way out of the league of anyone that is in social housing, anyone that is on low pay, etc. How dare they take off us the only assets we have. These are public spaces. Its an art gallery and a museum. If it can happen to us, it can happen to anybody. This is a national issue.
With little warning, and only a few media hints that the company was even in trouble, British-based Monarch Airlines lost its Air Travel Organisers Licence (ATOL) and ceased trading at 4 a.m. Monday morning when none of its flights were in the air.

The collapse pitched the travel plans of up to 860,000 people into disarray. Some 110,000 travellers, mostly holiday makers, face days of chaos and uncertainty over their return flights, while 300,000 future bookings, which will include many family holidays, have immediately been cancelled. As late as yesterday, Monarch was tweeting to its customers that flights were operating as scheduled.

Thousands of customers have taken to social media to complain of the impact of the collapse on their wedding plans, anniversaries, sporting engagements, work assignments and long anticipated holidays. Others, stranded in airports across Europe, report no communication from the company at all.

Monarch employs around 2,750 workers, mostly in the UK, at its Luton Airport headquarters and at London Gatwick, Manchester, Birmingham and Leeds Bradford airports. According to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), which oversees and regulates civil aviation in the UK, Monarch is the biggest UK airline ever to cease trading. The failure testifies to the multiple and interacting forms of political and economic chaos impacting on the European airline industry.

Firstly, over the last few years, Monarchs holiday traffic to Egypt, Turkey and Tunisia has collapsed because of a spate of terrorist attacks on tourist resorts. These attacks are directly rooted in the quarter century of colonial wars visited by the US and its European allies on multiple countries in North Africa and the Middle East.

Secondly, there is huge oversupply in the European air traffic market. Monarch directed much of its traffic to Spain and Portugalroutes where the largest operators have increased competitionresulting in cheaper fares. As a result, according to Monarch administrator KPMG, over the last year the airline transported 14 percent more passengers yet earned 100 million less in revenue.

Monarch is the third major European airline to go under this year. In April, the former Italian national airline, Alitalia, entered administration, three years after 49 percent of the company was sold to Saudi-based Etihad. The airline, which employs 12,000 workers, was also undermined by the refusal of leading Italian banks, UniCredit and Intesa Sanpaolo, to back the company after workers rejected pay cuts and job losses agreed by the trade unions.

For the moment, the Italian government has propped up Alitalia with a 600 million bridging loan that will allow it to operate as far as next years general election.

In August, Air Berlin, Germanys second-biggest airline which employs 8,600 workers, filed for bankruptcy having lost 2 billion over six years in the face of growing competition from low cost carriers such as Ryanair and EasyJet. Air Berlin, also part owned by Etihad, has for the moment been kept afloat with a 150 million bailout by the German governmentpending a sale of sections of the business to Lufthansa.

Then there is Brexit, which has also impacted Monarch with the fall in the value of the pound increasing the companys fuel bill by some 50 million. Brexit has led to uncertainty over the terms on which British airlines will be able to operate to European Union (EU) countries.

Only last year, the company's majority owners, vulture fund Greybull Capitala London-based investment house owned by precisely four individualspumped 165 million into Monarch, confident that a six-year business plan proposed by the company could satisfy Greybulls investment requirements.

The collapse was not due to any lack of cooperation from the trade unions. In 2014, as part of Greybulls investment, workers were forced by the Unite and BALPA unions to accept a 30 percent pay cut and 900 jobs losses t o prop up the airline.

What has changed in Monarchs position since last year is not yet clear, but the manner of the collapse is a direct product of the British governments refusal to bail out the company in the manner of its German and Italian counterparts. Chris Grayling, the Conservative governments Transport Secretary claimed implausibly that the collapse only became apparent in the last very few hours and day.

Grayling nevertheless agreedunder conditions in which the Tory government are desperate to avoid acute embarrassment as they meet this week during their annual conference---that the CAA should put together the biggest peacetime operation of its kind to repatriate the 110,000 passengers stranded abroad.

The CAA intends to hire 30 jets, to create, according to CAA CEO Andrew Haines what is effectively one of the UKs largest airlines to manage this task. Acknowledging that this will be chaotic, Haines accepted that the scale and challenge of this operation means that some disruption is inevitable.

Monarch has outstanding orders for as many as 45 Boeing 737 aircraft. Thirty were ordered in 2014, the first were due to be delivered next year in a 3.2 billion deal, while as late as June this year another 15 of the aircraft were ordered at a cost of a further 1.7 billion. At the time, Monarch CEO Andrew Swaffield described the expanded order as illustration of confidence in Monarchs future success.

In these circumstances, the British governments refusal to support Monarch sends a message to the US administration of Donald Trump and manufacturer Boeing over its imposition of 219 percent tariffs on Bombardier C Series aircraft. Wings for the Bombardier C type are manufactured in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The minority British government is currently entirely dependent on continued support from Northern Irelands Democratic Unionist Party. Only last week, British Defence Secretary Michael Fallon warned that the tariffs could indeed jeopardise our future relationship with Boeing.

While Monarchs thousands of workers and hundreds of thousands of passengers face weeks and months of uncertainty over their jobs and disrupted travel plans, the companys competitors are likely to immediately benefit from the crash. Share prices of rival airlines and tour operators immediately shot up.

EasyJet rose 4 percent to 1258p. EasyJet is one of five airlines coming to dominate an increasingly consolidated European market. The others are Ryanair, Lufthansa, International Airlines and Air France-KLM, while market analysts report midsized operators are under increasing pressure.

A spokesman for EasyJet chair Sir Stelios Hajo-Ioannou hailed the Monarch crash because taking capacity out of the system will give operators greater freedom to set prices and increase shareholder value. Credit Suisse described the mayhem as helpful to improving profit margins.

Ryanair is likely to benefit in another way. The Irish-based budget carrier has been in the grip of a major crisis over pilot rostering.

With typical contemptuous high handedness, the company has responded to staff shortages over the last weeks by cancelling 18,000 flights on 34 routes over the next six months. The move impacts nearly 400,000 passengers on top of 2,000 flights already cancelled. Ryanair only conceded that passengers had a legal right to be offered flights on other airlines when faced with CAA action. Ryanair is expected to poach many of Monarchs 400 pilots. Its share price rebounded too.
According to a study published in September in the journal Health Affairs, nine percent of rural counties in the United States lost all access to hospital-based obstetric services from 2004-2014. As 45 percent of rural counties already lacked these services during the period in which the study was conducted, this means that more than half of rural counties have no access to this kind of medical care, despite being home to more than 28 million women of reproductive age.

This reduction in childbirth medical services has occurred parallel to an increase in US maternal mortality rates. Research published in 2016 in Obstetrics and Gynecology found that maternal mortality rates had increased from 18.8 per 100,000 live births in 2000 to 23.8 in 2014, a rise of 26.6 percent. By contrast, the World Health Organization reported in 2014 that 157 of 183 countries had seen a decrease in maternal mortality. The United States now ranks thirtieth among all OECD countries on this metric, ahead of only Mexico.

The decline in obstetric services has occurred over several decades. In 1985, 24 percent of non-metropolitan counties lacked hospital services while 50 percent of childbearing-aged women in these regions had access to obstetric services. By the early 2000s, more than 44 percent of these counties lacked hospital services, and only 20 percent of women of childbearing age living in the most rural counties had access to obstetric services.

According to the Health Affairs study, of the more than 28 million women of reproductive age who live in these areas, nearly a half million give birth each year. These rural facilities also serve a higher proportion of low and moderate-income families. Medicaid finances approximately half of all births in the US, with a greater proportion, 59 percent, in rural areas.

Counties are categorized as metropolitan (an urban core of more than 50,000 residents), micropolitan (an urban core of 10 to 50,000 residents) and noncore (all other rural counties). There are 1,984 rural US counties comprising 646 micropolitan and 1,338 noncore areas. For the year 2004, the Health Affairs study identified 1,249 rural hospitals located in 1,086 rural counties, of which 158 counties had multiple hospitals. Glaringly, 898 rural counties (45 percent) did not have hospitals.

According to the Office of Management and Budget, rural (micropolitan and noncore) areas account for 72 percent of the nations land area and are home to 46.2 million people, which is 15 percent of the total population. The median age of the rural population is 51, making these counties older by comparison to urban counties, whose median age is 45. Rural communities have higher poverty rates, and significant health disparities exist when compared to urban centers.

During the 2004-2014 period, 179 counties (9 percent) experienced the loss of all in-county hospitals providing hospital obstetric services. This affected 600,000 women of reproductive age, bringing the total number of women without access to these services from 1.8 million in 2004 to 2.4 million in 2014, an increase of 25 percent.

Noncore counties were more likely to not have obstetric services (58.6 percent) compared to micropolitan counties (17.6 percent), and were more likely to lose these services during the study period (n=150, 11.2 percent) in comparison to micropolitan counties (n=29, 4.5 percent). A full 59 percent of the most isolated noncore counties, those not adjacent to an urban area, had no obstetric services in 2004, a figure which increased to 69 percent in 2014.

While the study notes that almost all counties with full closures were adjacent to at least one county with continual services, the impact of these closures on maternal and neonatal outcomes is not addressed.

Childbirth-related hospitalizations totaled $27.6 billion in hospital costs in 2009, with 45 percent of these costs billed to Medicaid and 47 percent to private insurers. Medicaid pays hospitals about 50 percent less than private insurers for the same services, further straining hospital finances and contributing to closures in rural areas with higher proportions of Medicaid births.

Over the last decade, the US has seen severe maternal morbidity and postpartum hospitalization increase by 75 percent and 114 percent, respectively. The rates of blood transfusion, acute renal failure, shock and respiratory distress, as well as heart failure during deliveries, have doubled, while overall mortality has increased considerably. Currently, maternal mortality in large metropolitan areas is approximately 18.2 per 100,000 live births, while in rural areas it is as high as 29.4.

According to the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, women in rural areas of the United States have lower prenatal care initiation in the first trimester. Many cite distance as a major factor. Less than half of pregnant women in rural areas live within 30 minutes of a facility that offers obstetric services. They also experience higher rates of hospitalization due to pregnancy complications. Infant mortality rates in 1,041 (51 percent) rural counties exceeded the US rate. Some 128 rural counties had infant mortality rates that were twice the national rate.

Adding to these problems are the decreasing numbers of physicians practicing in rural settings. In 2008, only 6.4 percent of obstetricians practiced in rural settings, and in 2010, 49 percent of counties, home to 10.1 million women, lacked an obstetrician. However, according to the American Association of Medical Colleges, AAMC, demand for residency graduates is projected to account for only two percent of the projected demand.

The AAMC projects that by 2025 there will be a shortage of approximately 46,000 to 90,000 physicians. The shortfall for primary care physicians will be between 12,500 and 31,000, with shortages expected to persist under every scenario health care policymakers currently envision. With physician training taking a decade to complete, the shortfall is essentially already in effect and will become more apparent with each year.

Since the financial crisis of 2007-2008, critical access hospitals and other rural hospitals that have subsequently closed their doors have been closed primarily for financial reasons, and not due to declining demand for their services. The financial pressures show no sign of abating, leaving rural communities in continued distress.

Giving birth remains the most common reason for hospitalization, accounting for 10 percent of all hospital staysnearly four times higher than the next leading causes for admission, such as pneumonia, septicemia or congestive heart failure.

With the already inadequate health care system under constant bipartisan attack by the American ruling class, the only way to address the shortage of health services in rural counties is through the fight for socialism, which alone can guarantee the resources necessary to address these needs and ensure everyone the right to the highest quality health care.
Thousands protested in Manchester city centre on Sunday against the Conservative (Tory) government, which was holding its annual conference in the city.

Delegations included workers in the National Health Service, education, rail and the Royal Mail. Representatives of various anti-austerity campaigns attended along with delegations of young people opposing cuts in education. A delegation also attended from the Justice for Grenfell campaign.

So despised are the government that they are forced to assemble under a security lockdown. In the week leading up to the event, Greater Manchester Police (GMP) and the Labour Party-run Manchester City Council erected the now infamous ring of steel outside the entire conference centre area and adjacent Midland Hotel, sealing off a sizeable area of the city centre around Manchester Town Hall. There was a large police presence in the city centre, with GMP drafting in 1,000 extra officers in an operation costing 2 million.

Police snipers were positioned on prominent buildings overlooking the conference area. The snipers observed the passing demonstration and city centre through binoculars. Several people were arrested during the day, including disabled protesters in St Peters Square.

A small number of anarchist protesters were surrounded in a police kettling operation. The Salford Star reported that police told them they would only be able to leave if they gave their personal details. This was refused and, instead, all were handed exclusion notices that ban them from the town centre during the duration of the Tory Conference.

The demonstration was called by the Peoples Assembly (PA) group as part of a week of protest events at the Tory conference. The PA comprises the Stalinists of the Communist Party of Britain, a few Labour Party lefts, the Green Party and pseudo-left groups, including the Socialist Workers Party-splinter Counterfire.

The march was significantly smaller than the protest at the Tory conference in Manchester two years ago, which attracted up to 80,000. That protest was one of the few organised by the Trades Union Congress since the forcing though of mass austerity by successive Labour and Conservative governments began in 2008.

This year the TUC played no part in the demonstration, as its entire focus is on the election of a Labour government on a perspective that is acceptable to big business. The last thing the TUC wants is any expression of popular anger against austerity to be voiced. At the TUCs annual Congress held last month, nothing was proposed to fight continuing austerity, including a further 12 billion in welfare benefit cuts, with General Secretary Frances OGrady proposing only one protestin London on October 17 at 4pm, when many people are still at work, that will last a total of 90-minutes!

The Peoples Assembly protest was addressed by Mark Serwotka, the general secretary of the Public and Commercial Services union, and Mick Cash, the leader of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union. Other speakers included John Rees of Counterfire, Kate Hudson of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, and National Education Union leader Kevin Courtneya supporter of the Socialist Workers Party.

The thrust of their appeal was to corral the millions who want to fight back into the election of a Jeremy Corbyn-led Labour government.

Serwotka, who postures as a left, declared that he wanted to bring the Tories down, while emphasising that Jeremy Corbyn offers a radical Labour government. He combined this with news that his own union was organising a strike ballot over public sector pay and appeal to other unions to follow suit.

Cash rebuffed this statement, stressing that he too wanted to get rid of the Tories, but, The only way youre going to do that is through an election We need a general election to get rid of these Tories.

Cash is a right-winger who won the leadership of the RMT after the death of Bob Crow, a Stalinist and the official darling of the pseudo-left. For the last year, the RMT have isolated and sabotaged the struggle by conductors against the attempt by the private rail franchises and government to enforce Driver Only Operated trains, for which treachery Cash is paid a handsome 150,000 a year.

Corbyn is as opposed as the unions to any independent struggle by the working class. Asked ten times by the BBC during the TUC conference if he would support what would be illegal strike action under the anti-strike legislation in the Trade Union Act, Corbyn refused to answer. Corbyn left it to his right-wing deputy, Tom Watson, to confirm that Labour would not support such strikes, who declared, We dont support people breaking the law we are democrats.

The pseudo-left groups are desperate to conceal the fact that despite Corbyns public declarations in opposition to austerity, the many local authorities that Labour runs nationally have faithfully imposed austerity on behalf of the government for years.

None of this has changed one iota with Corbyns election. In November 2015, immediately following his election as party leader, Corbyn and Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell demanded that Labour councils continued to impose oppose austerity measures and not set illegal budgets.

The farcical character of the attempt to present Labour as an anti-austerity force was underscored when Pat Karney, one of the leaders of Labour-run Manchester City Council, spoke in opposition to austerity and all those who have suffered welfare cuts under the Tories. While he spoke, a banner was held up at the side of the platform stating that the council were nothing more than asset strippers.

Still, John Rees, the leader of Counterfire, said the Peoples Assembly would function as the praetorian guard of a Corbyn government.

Kate Hudson said that Labour would get rid of the pro-war, pro-nuclear Tory policy and that we are hearing now from the Labour Party that we will see an end to 30 years of neo-liberalism, that we will see an end to austerity.

Corbyn is the vice president of CND who will bring about a change in Labour Party policy, who will abandon those Tory nuclear policieswe will have a Labour government who will scrap Trident [nuclear weapons], that will say no to NATO and will end that wasteful expenditure.

This is an outright lie. From the moment Corbyn became leader, he has opposed any struggle against Labours pro-war Parliamentary Labour Party who have insisted that the party continues support for Trident and its commitment to NATO. Both these policies were in Corbyns June 2017 general election manifesto, even as Britain is currently engaged in various NATO-led operations around the world.
1 killed, 6 injured in Palpa jeep accident

A person died and six others were injured when a jeep they were travelling in met with an accident at Sildanda in Jyamire of Nimdi Rural Municipality-7, Palpa district on Monday.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - Las Vegas Police are calling for blood donations to the city.

American Red Cross capital area chapter says that people should go to their local blood bank if they want to donate. They say, at times like these, everyone wants to help and taking steps to give blood can end up saving a life.

Tallahassee's local blood donation site is one blood located on Riggins Road.

You can find out more about donating blood here.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - The FBI has agreed to give the City of Tallahassee more time to gather documents requested in a subpoena, that has a deadline of 9 a.m. Tuesday.

The city attorney has been in talks with the FBI and they will have further discussion by the end of the week as to when the documents will be handed over.

The subpoena is seeking emails from City Commissioner Scott Maddox, his aide Allie Merzer Fleming, Tallahassee Downtown Improvement Authority executive director Paige Carter Smith and political consultant Gary Yordan.

It was issued September 6.
LAS VEGAS (AP) - The Latest on the shooting in Las Vegas (all times local):

2:25 p.m.

Two officials familiar with the investigation say authorities found at least 17 guns in the hotel room of the Las Vegas shooter.

Stephen Paddock also had two devices that are attached to the stocks of semiautomatic guns to allow fully automatic gunfire. The bump-stock devices have attracted scrutiny in recent years from authorities.

The U.S. officials were briefed by law enforcement and spoke on the condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing.

Paddock killed 58 people and wounded hundreds more in the massacre that targeted a country music concert.

___

2:20 p.m.

The owner of a Utah gun store says the Las Vegas shooter visited the store several times this year and bought a shotgun after passing a federal gun background check.

Dixie GunWorx owner Chris Michel says Stephen Craig Paddock said that he was new to the area and was visiting local gun shops.

Paddock bought the shotgun in February and last visited the store in St. George, Utah, in the spring. It's a 40-minute drive from where Paddock lived in Mesquite, Nevada.

Michel says he chatted with Paddock to get to know him and make sure there were no signs that he should not be allowed to buy a gun.

Michel says: "There were no red flags."

He added: "I had no idea he would be capable of this."
11 injured in Nuwakot bus-container collision

At least eleven persons were injured in a bus-container collision at Majhitar in Bidur Municipality-5 of Nuwakot district on Tuesday.
GRANGER, Wash. -- A Granger Municipal Court judge on Monday is expected to hear several motions seeking to have convictions overturned because
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2 held over Chitwan acid attack case

Police on Monday arrested two persons on the charge of throwing acid at the engineer at the Ratnanagar Municipality in Chitwan district, Prakash Chandra Dhungana on September 17.
Some 15 activists of the disabled protests blocked the main entrance, as well as an additional entry point, into the port of Ashdod.

Some 100 trucks are waiting outside the port, unable to enter it.
WASHINGTON/SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico  President Donald Trump will fly to Puerto Rico on Tuesday to view the havoc wreaked by Hurricane Maria, giving him the chance to show solidarity with survivors and demonstrate how his government intends to help them recover.

Trump will have to navigate resentment from Puerto Ricans frustrated that they are still struggling with basic necessities two weeks after they were hit by the worst hurricane in 90 yearstensions that were exacerbated when Trump berated critics of his government's response.

Trump lashed out at San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz for "poor leadership" on the weekend after she criticized the federal response. He said some people on the island "want everything to be done for them."

The White House invited Cruz to participate in Trump's visit, though it was not immediately clear whether she had accepted.
Sheriff Joseph Lombardo of Clark County, to which Las Vegas belongs, announced Monday the death toll in the Las Vegas shooting rose to 59, with more than 527 people wounded in the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history.

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American law enforcement authorities are still trying to ascertain what motivated 64 year old Stephen Paddock to shoot concert goes attending a country music festival from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Hotel, and take his own life immediately thereafter.

Stephen Paddock, perpetrator of the Las Vegas massacre

Lombardo said the gunman smashed the windows from which he fired in the two-room hotel suite where he had been staying since Thursday. More than 10 suitcases were in the suite.

Asked about a possible motive, Sherriff Lombardo said, "I can't get into the mind of a psychopath at this point."

The FBI said it found nothing so far to suggest the attack was connected to international terrorism, despite a claim of responsibility from the Islamic State group, which said Paddock was a "soldier" who had recently converted to Islam.

The Mandalay Bay Hotel, from which Paddock carried out the shooting (Photo: Israel Bardugo)

In fact, nothing could prepare even Paddock's family to the heinous acts he committed. His brother, Eric, said Stephen was a multimillionaire and that they had business dealings and owned property together.

Speaking to reporters from his doorstep in Orlando, Florida, he described his brother as "a wealthy guy" who liked to play video poker and take cruises.

Asked to speculate on the motive as well, Paddock's bewildered brother told reporters Monday, "I can't even make something up. There's just nothing."

Mass shooter Stephen Paddock's brother Eric

Local authorities added Paddock had no criminal record and no known outstanding debts.

When raiding Paddock's home in Mesquite, about 90 miles (145 km) northeast of Las Vegas, another 19 firearms, some explosives and thousands of rounds of ammunition were discovered, along with "some electronic devices that we are evaluating at this time," Lombardo told reporters. Also, several pounds of ammonium nitrate, a fertilizer that can be turned into explosives such as those used in the 1995 Oklahoma bombing, were in his car, the sheriff said.

Police obtained a warrant to search a second house connected to Paddock in Reno, Nevada, more than 400 miles (644 km) northwest of Las Vegas, Assistant Sheriff Todd Fasulo later told reporters.

When police reached the shooter's hotel room, room 135 in the gold-colored glass skyscraper on the Las Vegas Strip, they found Paddock had 23 gunssome with scopes. They also found two gun stocks that allow the shooter to replicate fully automatic fire, and are investigating whether weapons used in the massacre had those modifications.

A nearly deserted Las Vegas Strip on the morning after the shooting (Photo: Reuters)

"He never gave any indication or reason to believe he was unstable or unfit at any time," Sullivan said. He did not say how many or the kinds of weapons Paddock purchased there.

President Trump, Vice President Pence and their wives observing a moment of silence for the victims of the deadly attack (Photo: AP)

Lombardo said investigators knew that a gun dealer had come forward to say that he had sold weapons to the suspect, but it was not clear if he was referring to Sullivan. He said police were aware of "some other individuals that were engaged in those transactions," including at least one in Arizona.

Public records also offered no hint of financial distress or criminal history, though multiple people who knew him said he was a big gambler.

Later, Eric Paddock also told The Associated Press that he had not talked to his brother in six months and last heard from him when Stephen checked in briefly by text message after Hurricane Irma.

Brothers Eric (L) and Stephen Paddock

"Our mother is simply in shock," Eric said.

While Stephen Paddock appeared to have no criminal history, his father was a notorious bank robber, Eric Paddock confirmed to The Orlando Sentinel. Benjamin Hoskins Paddock tried to run down an FBI agent with his car in Las Vegas in 1960 and wound up on the agency's most wanted list after escaping from a federal prison in Texas in 1968, when Stephen Paddock was a teen.

FBI wanted poster issued for Las Vegas shooter's father, Benjamin Paddock

An FBI poster issued after the escape said Benjamin Hoskins Paddock had been "diagnosed as psychopathic" and should be considered "armed and very dangerous." He'd been serving a 20-year sentence for a string of bank robberies in Phoenix.
GAZA  Prime Minister Rami al-Hamdallah on Tuesday chaired his first meeting of the Palestinian cabinet in Gaza in a move towards reconciliation between the mainstream Fatah party and Islamist group Hamas.

Hamas seized the coastal enclave in 2007 in fighting with Fatah forces loyal to President Mahmoud Abbas.

The reconciliation process, which is beginning with the cabinet session, was promoted by Egypt and other US-allied Arab countries.

Hamas, considered a terrorist group by Israel and the West, last month disbanded its Gaza shadow government, after Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates imposed an economic boycott on its main donor, Qatar.
Supreme Court Justice Noam Sohlberg, who lives in the West Bank settlement of Alon Shvut, privately attended with his family the ceremony last week commemorating the golden jubilee since Israel first began construction in the area.

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Chief Justice Miriam Naor was aware Sohlberg would attend the ceremony, despite the fact Naor announced the judiciary would not officially be sending a delegate to attend.

Justice Sohlberg, who resides in Alon Shvut, privately attended the Gush Etzion jubilee ceremony (Photo: Alex Kolomoisky)

Supreme Court Justice Neal Hendel was initially intending to attend the ceremony as the judiciary's representative to the Gush Etzion ceremony, but only days before Chief Justice Naor decided to pull out of participating altogether, claiming it was a political event. Her decision was widely panned by government ministers

Chief Justice Naor further elaborated on the decision Wednesday morning. "The event is a matter of public controversy. Therefore, and without the chief justice or any other justice expressing their opinion on the matter, Chief Justice Naor decided it would be inappropriate for the judiciary to participate," a statement from Naor's office said.

Chief Justice Naor pulled the judiciary from participating in the ceremony (Photo: Alex Kolomoisky)

It was further stated that ethics rules stipulate representatives of the judiciary will not participate in an event with political or party undertones. Naor's office added the judiciary will continue participating in state ceremonies, but abstain from controversial ones, especially a ceremony with "only one side receiving the platform."

The Courts Administration Authority responded Tuesday morning to Sohlberg's participation in the ceremony, saying, "The justice attended with his family as planned, privately and not as a judiciary representative. The chief justice was aware of his attendance and decided to not intervene."
The Egyptian government denied on Monday that a shipment of weapons from North Korea was destined for its military, as reported in The Washington Post.

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In a report published on Sunday, the US newspaper reported that the Egyptian military was the undisclosed buyer of $23 million worth of rocket-propelled grenades from North Korea in 2016.

The Post cited US officials and Western diplomats familiar with the findings who remained anonymous.

The North Korean regime of Kim Jong Un (L) uses arms trade to countries such as Egypt to sustain itself (Photo: AFP)

But the Egyptian foreign ministry denied the report on Monday. In a statement sent to AFP, spokesman Ahmed Abu Zeid "categorically denied what the (Washington Post) report mentioned regarding Egypt being the destination for the shipment.

"The sanctions committee report did not indicate that the shipment was destined for Egypt," he added, referring to a UN report mentioned in the Post story.

The United States had warned Egypt in August 2016 that a North Korean vessel named Jie Shun, under the Cambodian flag, was headed toward the Suez Canal.

The ship, the Post reported, was run by a North Korean crew and had "an unknown cargo shrouded by heavy tarps".

When it reached the Suez Canal, customs agents boarded the ship and found more than 24,000 North Korean rocket-propelled grenades, the newspaper reported. The report said a UN investigation found that Egypt was the original buyer of the shipment, which Egypt denies.

"The shipment that was confiscated was not destined for Egypt," said Abu Zeid.

"Egyptian authorities indeed intercepted a ship flying the Cambodian flag before it entered the southern entrance of the Suez Canal, following information that it was carrying anti-tank rockets from North Korea in violation of (UN Security Council) sanctions.

Egyptian President al-Sisi meets with President Trump (Photo: AP)

"Egyptian authorities indeed confiscated the shipment and destroyed it in the presence of a team of experts from the 1718 committee overseeing the UNSC sanctions on North Korea," said the foreign ministry spokesman.

Abu Zeid added that "the head of the UNSC North Korea sanctions committee has lauded Egypt's efforts."

The Post reported that the officials said the incident "was one of a series of clandestine deals" that led President Donald Trump's administration to freeze or delay about $300 million in military aid to Egypt this year.

The United States projected arms dealing is the last resort for the beleaguered regime of Kim Jong Un, struggling under the weight of the sanctions levied against his country.

North Korea is believed to be dealing weapons to pariah regimes in Iran, Myanmar, Cuba, Syria and Eritrea, as well as to terrorist organizations.

Arms dealing has turned out to be a steady source of income for the despotic regime, which uses flags of other nations to mask its shipments and covers the weapons underneath cargos of sugar or iron ore.
At least 59 killed in Las Vegas shooting

A retiree armed with multiple assault rifles strafed an outdoor country music festival in Las Vegas from a high-rise hotel window on Sunday, slaughtering at least 59 people before killing himself in the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history, according to Reuters.
Gazans waited with bated breath for visiting Palestinian Authority (PA) Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah to announce the removal of the sanctions imposed on the Gaza Strip by President Mahmoud Abbas, who resolved Hamas must disarm before any reconciliation may be achieved.

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Much to the Gazans' chagrin, and in spite of the positive airs surrounding the visit and the efforts Hamas has invested in ensuring its success, the sanctions remain firmly in place for now and the PA seems to be in no hurry to remove them.

The Fatah government's cabinet meeting in Gaza (Photo: AP)

Hamdallah arrived to the strip Tuesday morning heading a Palestinian West Bank delegation , visiting the isolated Hamas-ruled enclave for the first time since 2014 for a cabinet meeting symbolizing the PA's acceptance of civil sovereignty over Gaza. Security responsibility for the strip however, will be retained by Hamas.

The government meeting is a symbolic highpoint since the announcement of a thaw in the freeze between the rival factions and the arrival of the Palestinian government to Gaza from Ramallah Monday.

Fatah's assumption of responsibility for Gaza will be closely monitored by Egyptian intelligence chiefs, including General Intelligence Directorate head Khaled Fawzy who also arrived there, after first meeting with Abbas in Ramallah. Fawzy will be accompanied by Palestinian intelligence chief Majid Faraj.

The Palestinian Authority delegation arriving to Gaza (: )

X

The road to reconciliation will apparently nevertheless not be an easy one. In an interview with an Egyptian media outlet Monday, Abbas clarified he does not intend to accept the Lebanese Hezbollah model wherein Hamas's military armor any other Gaza faction for that matteris permitted to roam the area armed.

"If anyone belonging to Fatah carries illegal firearms in the West Bank they'll be arrested. And that should precisely be the situation in Gaza. It should have only one weapon and one force," the Palestinian president said.

Abbas did, nonetheless, insist that the PA is interested in achieving and implementing rapprochement with Hamas, and that this endeavor would only come to fruition by renewing the PA government's purview over the Gaza Strip.

"There can be no Palestinian state without completing reconciliation and unity. The government has returned to Gaza to carry out its duties. We have ideological differences with Hamas, but we can't deny the fact they're a part of the Palestinian people," Abbas said.

Gazans welcome the Ramallah delegation with photos of Abbas (Photo: AP)

"I personally am uninterested in running in the presidential elections, but if the people demand I do so, I'll comply with their wishes. I'm optimistic the day will come when we have an independent Palestinian state, but it won't be happening soon," he added, saying he was unsure when, if at all, he will visit Gaza himself.

Despite Abbas's optimism, his statements on the matter seem at odds with those made by senior Hamas officials, including Mousa Abu Marzook's claim from several days ago saying Hamas retaining the "weapons of the resistance" is non-negotiable.

After the various speeches and ceremonies, the more significant phase of the reconciliation will begin in earnest when Hamas and Fatah delegations sit down to hammer out the exact details of the agreement. Their discussions will not be held in Gaza or the West Bank, however, but in Cairo, far from the prying eyes of the media.
Environmental Protection Minister Zeev Elkin (Likud) criticized the US Trump administration Monday night on its policies regarding Israeli construction over the Green Line, accusing it of continuing policies pursued by his predecessor Barack Obama.

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This administration feels comfortable changing the obligations set out by the Obama administration in the climate agreement and with many other things, but for some reason on the issue which affects us, they are clutching at the same idea that building beyond the Green Line is a negative Israeli step, Elkin said during a conversation with Yedioth Ahronoth.

Zeev Elkin (Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg)

With Trumps entry into the White House at the beginning of 2017, elated right-wing party members welcomed the change, believing that it would usher in an era of unfettered or at least less restricted Israeli construction of settlements in the West Bank and eastern Jerusalem, a privilege never afforded by the Obama administration.

However, since January hopes on the Israeli Right have been dashed, with a number of instances in which Trump has put the brakes on Israeli construction, the most recent of which took place when Washington blocked 31 units from being built in Hebron.

Elkin, who is seeking to push forward with the plan, bemoaned Trumps failure to show greater flexibility by allowing for its implementation. Trump, he complained, appeared to have departed from every policy position of the Obama administration save the Israel-Palestinian conflict.

Nevertheless, Elkin emphasized that despite his objections to the current administration's position on that specific matter, cooperation between Israel and the US, even as it pertains to the Palestinian issue, is flourishing and is significantly better off than when Obama directed the White House.

President Trump and PM Netanyahu (Photo: Alex Kolomoisky)

This administration works and cooperates with us much better, Elkin noted, but for some reason, when it comes to building they are marching in the way of the Obama administration.

But the USs halting of the Hebron plan is not the first time pro-settler movements and officials have been disappointed.

Indeed, Trump administration officials allegedly issued a warning to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu against excessive building of settlements in the West Bank, telling him you can be a pig, but dont be a Hazer,a well-known Yiddish term for a gluttonous pig.
MOSCOW  The new US ambassador to Russia presented his diplomatic credentials to President Vladimir Putin at a ceremony in the Kremlin, a move that marks the formal start of Jon Huntsman's work in Russia.

Huntsman, who has twice served as a US ambassador, arrived in Moscow on Sunday to take over from John Tefft who left Russia two days earlier after serving in Russia for three years, a period that was marred by a deep and rapid deterioration of ties, unseen since the end of the Cold War. The relationship soured even further in recent months following a series of expulsions of diplomats and closures of diplomatic missions.

Huntsman, the former Utah governor who once called for Donald Trump to drop out of the presidential race, won easy confirmation as US ambassador last week. He was the nation's top diplomat to Singapore under President George H.W. Bush and ambassador to China under President Barack Obama before returning to the US to run for president in 2012.
Work on the construction of the Amichai settlement, intended for Amona evacuees and restarted just a month ago after being halted, stalled again due to the Ministry of the Interior's refusal to exempt the Binyamin Regional Council from a tender process, preventing them from paying the contractor performing the work.

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"First they stabbed us in the back, and now they're turning the knife. If (works stop agained), we'll all make a pilgrimage to Amichai on Sukkot," evacuees said.

The decision to halt construction was made following an instruction by the Chairman of the Binyamin Regional Council Avi Roeh, who ordered the contractor laying down the groundwork for Amichai to immediately desist until further notice.

Avi Roeh, head of the Binyamin Regional Council (Photo: Ben Kelmer)

The contractor won the bidding on a NIS 15 million tender to carry out various construction projects around the Binyamin council, but money ran out and the works stopped.

The council then contacted the Ministry of the Interior to continue working with him on the Amichai project without releasing an additional tender, but the ministry refused.

"After the refusal, we had no choice but to instruct the contractor to stop working," a council source said, who said Interior Ministry officials toured the site earlier this week and were made aware of the issue.

Work on Amichai once again ground to a halt

It is not the first time work on the settlement long promised to Amona evacuees has been brought to a halt. Two months ago, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced he'd instructed his bureau to personally handle the matter. Ministry of the Interior officials, including Interior Minister Aryeh Deri himself, also expressed their concern for the future settlement's residents, but work has nevertheless once again been halted.

"We simply refuse to believe this is happening again. If someone thinks they can give us the runaround, they don't know how wrong they are. We won't tolerate any more delays in the settlement's construction work. We've been wedgedsix, seven or eight people into one room in youth hostels, parents with children, for nine months," one Amona evacuee complained.

"Where's the prime minister? Where are the Likud ministers? Where's Bennett? How could they let this happen? We're sick and tired of all the talk and promises. In Sukkot we'll be going to Amichai and not leaving again," Amona evacuees declared.

Amona evacuees have resided in cramped quarters for nine months (Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg)

Speaking about the matter, the Ministry of the Interior said, "The tender for carrying out development work on the creation of the Amichai settlement are performed in full coordination and understanding between the ministry and the Binyamin Regional Council in charge of the work, with the aim of persistently pushing through a permanent solution for Amona evacuees."

"Having said that, there's no getting around the fact every action must be carried out in accordance with the law, including the provisions relating to local authority contract work. Considering the above, the Ministry of the Interior examined the required contractual obligations and a mechanism was created to carry them out, including exemptions for certain applicable cases conforming with the law," the ministry concluded.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged Tuesday to build 1,200 new housing units in the West Bank's biggest Jewish settlement of Ma'ale Adumim and incorporate it into a bill which will enable the government to annex it to Israel.

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Netanyahu's announcement came during a Likud delegation visit to Ma'ale Adumim, east of Jerusalem, where he promised to "enhanced development" of the settlement.

I declare an intensification in the momentum of development in Maale Adumim, Netanyahu said. We will build here thousands of units. We are adding industrial zones and the required expansion to enable accelerated development of this place.

Netanyahu in Ma'ale Adumim (Photo: Kobi Gideon/GPO)

This place will be part of the State of Israel. I support the Greater Jerusalem bill that will enable Jerusalem and its communities to develop in many different aspects, the prime minister continued. This is very big and important news.

The bill seeks to annex several local authorities in the West Bank that are attached to Jerusalem with the intention of creating a greater Jerusalem metropolitan area. However, it is important to note that the localities will not be politically annexed.

(Photo: Amit Shabi)

At the beginning of the Likud faction meeting, Netanyahu celebrated the developments made to the settlement over the last decades.

Twenty-five years ago, I was here with another young man. We both had black hair and we laid the cornerstones for this building. A museum housing the works of a great artist, Castel, along with his late wife, he began.

Here you see this big building. This building reflects what we are going to do. We declare reinvigorated construction. We have now added 1,200 housing units in the program and we intend to add more, he added, potentially giving hostage to fortune.

(Photo: Amit Shabi)

This expresses our commitment to this community which will always be a part of the State of Israel. I also welcome the idea of examining the possibility of including Maale Adumim, together with other communities as part of the Greater Jerusalem bill," he continued.

There are questions regarding infrastructure, employment and security. Well take care of them, he assured his listeners.
Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman said on Tuesday President Bashar al-Assad was winning Syria's civil war and urged the United States to weigh in as Damascus's Iranian and Hezbollah allies gain ground.

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Lieberman's comments marked a reversal for Israel, where top officials had from the outset of fighting in 2011 until mid-2015 regularly predicted Assad would lose control of his country and be toppled.

Avigdor Lieberman with IDF Chief Gadi Eisenkot (Photo: Defense Ministry)

"I see a long international queue lining up to woo Assad, include Western nations, including moderate Sunnis. Suddenly everyone wants to get close to Assad," Lieberman told Israeli media in an interview.

In late 2015, Russia helped Assad turn the tide with a military intervention that put Moscow's forces in the field alongside Israel's most potent foesIran and the Lebanese guerrilla group Hezbollahopposite Syrian rebels.

The United States has focused its Syria operations on fighting rebel jihadis like Islamic Statedismaying Israel, which has tried to persuade both Washington and Moscow that Iran's expanding clout is the greater threat.

In its decades under Assad family rule, Syria has been an enemy of Israel, with their armies clashing in 1948, 1967, 1973 and 1982. While largely keeping out of the Syrian civil war, Israel has tried to sway the world powers involved in the conflict and cautioned it could strike militarily to prevent Iran and Hezbollah entrenching further on its northern front.

Bashar Assad (Photo: Reuters)

"We hope the United States will be more active in the Syrian arena and the Middle East in general," Lieberman said. "We are faced with Russians, Iranians, and also the Turks and Hezbollah, and this is no simple matter to deal with, on a daily basis."

Lieberman did not elaborate on what actions he sought from the Donald Trump administration, which Israel has been lobbying for reassurances that Iranian and Hezbollah forces will not be allowed to deploy near its border or set up bases within Syria.

"The United States has quite a few challenges of its own, but as a trendthe more the United States will be active, the better it will be for the State of Israel," Lieberman said.
The Haifa Traffic Court sentenced Mekonen Beilin, 45, of Haifa to a year and two months in prison. Beilin was involved in the accident in the Carmel Tunnels 18 months that claimed the life of Or Elbaz, 17, also of Haifa, and wounded 54 people.

Beilin was also given an eight months suspended sentence and the court disqualified him from receiving a license for 10 years, and a license for heavy vehicles for 14 years.
In the wake of Monday's Las Vegas shooting attack, an interview given by Israeli medical professional, Prof. Avi Rivkind, has resurfaced, in which he warns that an attack on Las Vegas is "a matter of time."

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"With all the casinos and people coming here from all over the world, I think you should take a huge situation," said Rivkind while speaking to local news site Las Vegas Now in '14, right before he returned to Israel to offer medical assistance during Operation Protective Edge.

In his interview, Rivkind mentioned that five of the 9/11 Al-Qaeda hijackers met in Las Vegas three months before the attack, and that when an Al-Qaeda sleeper cell was busted 12 years ago, investigators found a videotape of a Las Vegas Strip resort.

Prof. Avi Rivkind (Photo: Amit Shabi)

The head of Hadassah Medical Center's trauma unit in Jerusalem, Rivkind has been called one of the leading trauma experts in the world. "I don't want to give anybody any ideas; however you should be well prepared. In my mind, it's a matter of time."





Crowd at music festival following the shooting (Photo: Reuters)

59 people have already died and close to 600 were injured after gunman Stephen Paddock opened fire from his hotel room on the 32nd floor on the crowd of a nearby country music festival. Monday's attack was the deadliest massacre on US soil in history.





The shooter, Stephen Paddock

Paddock, a 64-year-old grandfather with no prior criminal record, reportedly had several dozen guns and automatic weapons with him in the room. The motive for his actions remain unclear.

Upon reaching his room, police found Paddock already dead. It is believed he had killed himself immediately following the attack.





Mourners light candles following attack (Photo: EPA)

Medical professionals in the vicinity of the attack were called upon to offer their assistance. The sudden burden on medical centers was enormous: 104 of those injured, for example, sought treatment at the same South Nevada hospital, leaving the hospital staff stretched thin and forced to treat them in any available corner. Four of those seeking treatment there have died, while 12 remain in critical condition.





Photo: Reuters

"No one can say they've seen anything like this," Sunrise Hospital's Dr. Jeffrey Murawsky, the hospital's chief medical officer, said during an interview on NPR radio's All Things Considered on Monday.

"We have a relatively large emergency department. We were able to triage within our emergency department," he added. "We used the hallway space to see patients, so it's a lot fuller than it normally would be and it feels a lot more chaotic."





Photo: EPA

In light of the significant pressure facing local health centers, Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval declared a public health and medical disaster on Monday, which allowed licensed out-of-state healthcare professionals to offer their assistance to Nevada hospitals.

"This attack has created a public health and medical emergency," stated Sandoval, with Sunrise Hospital CEO Todd P. Sklamberg adding that "weve had people contact us from Florida, Ohio, Utah, California, ready to come and help us."
The Islamic State-linked news agency Aamaq has released a video purporting to show two Russian captives who say they have been taken prisoner by the extremists in eastern Syria.

In the video released on social media Tuesday, one of the captured men identifies himself. He says he and his colleague, who appears badly beaten, were captured near al-Shoula, a village outside of Deir el-Zour city, during a counteroffensive by IS in the area.

The speaker doesn't say when the two men were captured. They appear hand-cuffed and are wearing local garb.

The report first emerged last week. At the time, the Russian Defense Ministry denied it, saying no Russian servicemen have been taken prisoner in Deir el-Zour or anywhere in Syria.

The Russian military has been backing a Syrian government offensive in the area since September.
The United States has given Cuba a list of 15 of its diplomats that must leave the US within seven days.

A State Department official says the US is "expelling" the Cuban diplomats. But the US isn't declaring them "persona non grata," a designation that would prevent them from ever returning.

The official says the US isn't blaming Cuba for attacks on Americans in Havana and is maintaining diplomatic relations. But the official says the decision was taken because Cuba has failed to protect American diplomats on its soil.

The official also says that the American diplomats the US is withdrawing from its embassy in Havana will be out of Cuba by the end of this week. The official briefed reporters on a conference call on condition of anonymity.

This came after United States officials confirmed another victim of the mysterious attacks plaguing US personnel in Cuba, raising the total to 22 Americans.
Bhattarai to contest election with CPN-UMLs symbol

Coordinator of Naya Shakti Nepal Party Baburam Bhattarai has announced to contest in the upcoming elections with CPN-UMLs election symbol.
The first pictures of the weapons used by Stephen Paddock in Monday's mass shooting in Las Vegas and a video of the hotel room from which he fired were published on Tuesday.

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Paddock, a 64-year-old retired grandfather with no criminal record, smashed two windows in room 135 on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Hotel in Las Vegas where he had lodged Monday evening.

Through the broken windows of this vast room, he opened fire with an automatic rifle on about 22,000 people who gathered in a nearby park, some 450 meters from his room, to enjoy a country music festival.

Two of the guns used by Paddock

From Room 32-135, Paddock caused the worst shooting incident in American history, with at least 59 killed and 527 injured.

Following the shooting, a tourist from North Carolina named Jeff Bridges recognized the room where he and his wife Andrea had spent three days vacationing in Las Vegas last January. He then posted a video he had taken in the room.

"The most amazing thing about this room is the views (sic)," Bridges ironically said in the video, as the camera pans down to show the grounds where Monday's music festival was held.

Jeff Bridges' video tour of room 32-135

X

"It was eerie," Bridges said speaking to news site the Sun Online, as he recalled realizing that he had stayed in the same room from which Paddock carried out the massacre. "I just got a knot in the pit of my stomach, knowing that I was probably standing in the same spot, taking that video, as that lunatic was when he was shooting out his window."

The windows smashed by Paddock in the shooting (Photo: AFP)

The Boston 25 News channel posted two pictures showing two of the 23 rifles found in Paddock's hotel room.

As is always the case after a terrible mass-shooting such as this, the American public has delved into a heated debate about the ease with which US citizens can acquire and hold weapons.

House Republican leaders called for unity and prayer Tuesday after the deadly mass shooting in Las Vegas, but offered no new legislation to tighten gun laws and said a bill to ease regulations on gun silencers would be shelved indefinitely.

"We are all reeling from this horror in Las Vegas," Speaker Paul Ryan said at a news conference. "This is just awful."

The view on the park from a room adjacent to room 32-135

The Congress, dominated by Republicans, has recently promoted several measures to ease arms restrictions.

Ryan said there's no plan for the House to act soon on a National Rifle Association-backed bill to ease regulations on gun silencers. A House panel had backed the bill last month and lawmakers were expected to move ahead on the measure.

The bill is "not scheduled right now. I don't know when it will be scheduled," Ryan said.

Ryan's comments came as Democrats renewed calls for gun safety legislation.
House Republican leaders called for unity and prayer Tuesday after the deadly mass shooting in Las Vegas, but offered no new legislation to tighten gun laws and said a bill to ease regulations on gun silencers would be shelved indefinitely.

"We are all reeling from this horror in Las Vegas," Speaker Paul Ryan said at a news conference. "This is just awful."

Ryan said there's no plan for the House to act soon on a National Rifle Association-backed bill to ease regulations on gun silencers. A House panel had backed the bill last month and lawmakers were expected to move ahead on the measure.

The bill is "not scheduled right now. I don't know when it will be scheduled," Ryan said.

Instead, Ryan and other GOP leaders urged prayers to unify the country and said a positive way to respond to the shooting is to donate blood. Ryan said the actions of the gunman who killed at least 59 people and wounded hundreds more will not "define us as a country. It's not who we are."

Ryan's comments came as Democrats renewed calls for gun safety legislation.
Joint List Chairman Ayman Odehthe Arab and Ara-Jewish parties coalition in the Knessetcongratulated Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas Tuesday over the reconciliation meeting held between the two sides.

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"I spoke today with Palestinian President Abbas and with the head of the Hamas political bureau, Haniyeh, and congratulated them on their unity" Odeh said, declaring that "anyone who opposes an internal Palestinian reconciliation opposes peace."

Meanwhile, Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman said Tuesday evening that he views the Hamas-Fatah reconciliation attempts very cynically.

Odeh (L) and Lieberman (Photo: Motti Kimchi)

In a ceremony for the opening of the Kinneret preparatory course at Kibbutz Beit Zera, Lieberman said the reconciliation between Fatah and Hamas is an attempt by the two sides to blame each other for why their efforts to help the Palestinian people do not seem to work.

"This is not (theired) first attempt, and when I look and listen to the public announcements made by Abbas and the leaders of Hamas, (I ask myself), where is the common denominator?

"Abbas says: 'I am not willing to accept the Hezbollah model in Lebanon in which we will provide civilian service and Hamas will (be in charge of security).' On the other end, I hear Hamas leaders who say very simply: 'Our weapon, the military wing, is not up for discussion or negotiations.'

"So what is it? It's not reconciliation, it's not negotiation; It's a struggle for public opinion, a continuation of that struggle between Fatah and Hamas and nothing more."

Rami Hamdallah (L) and political leader of Hamas Ismail Haniyeh (R) shake hands as Hamas transfers administrative power to the PA (Photo: Reuters)

Lieberman then slammed the Joint List, calling the party "a senior representative of terrorist organizations in the Israeli Knesset."

"Unfortunately, the political leadership of Israeli Arabs, as represented in the Knesset by the joint list, has become a (literal) fifth column," Lieberman claimed.

"I call on the silent majority of the Arab citizens of Israel, who are mostly loyal to the state and responsible people, to establish an alternative political leadership that will make it clear that, despite the importance of the Palestinian issue, they are first and foremost citizens of the State of Israel," he concluded.

Elior Levy, Moran Azulay and Itay Blumenthal contributed to this article.
Spain's King Felipe VI says that Catalan authorities have deliberately bent the law with "irresponsible conduct" and that the Spanish state needs to ensure constitutional order and the rule of law in Catalonia.

Delivering an address to the nation by television, the king said that the bid by authorities in the northeastern region to push ahead with independence has "undermined coexistence" in Catalonia.

"Today, Catalan society is fractured and confronted," Felipe said, referring to the political crisis as "very serious moments for our democratic life."

He said that the state needs to ensure Spain's constitutional order and the correct functioning of Catalan institutions and rule of law.

Spain's conservative government has said it will respond with "all necessary measures" to counter the Catalan defiance, and is holding talks with national opposition leaders to find multi-partisan consensus on the response, which could include suspending the region's self-government.
Furious at government's perceived stalling of new settlement building in the West Bank, as well as money transfer for existing settlements' security, heads of the settlement movement are threatening wide scale pushback if things do not start moving.

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As such, Samaria Regional Council Head Yossi Dagan informed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Tuesday that "freezing the building and freezing roadwork in the West Bank will be met with unprecedented protests by the settlements against the government" after the High Holidays.

Dagan's statement comes days before the Israeli Civil Administration is slated to discuss continued building in the West Bank. Leaders of the settlement movement fear that certain development plans will not be up for discussion: namely, the northern West Bank settlement of Rehelim, which has been waiting for an urban building scheme for 25 years; the southern Hebron Hills settlement of Negohot, whose industrial zone development has supposedly been postponed due to US pressure; and the evacuees of the West Bank outpost of Migron, who have been made to understand that the new settlement promised to them will not be built at this time.

Settlement building in the West Bank (Photo: Reuters)

Additionally, some NIS 300 million that were promised for settlement and road security has not been transferred, despite its due date being September, 2017.

Dagan (Photo: Eli Mandelbaum)

"Talk doesnt build settlements and words don't pave roads," said Dagan. "The West Bank settlement project is still fighting against uprooting, 20 years after (the Oslo Accordsed) and the expulsion from Gush Katif and North Samaria. It's time the government builds the West Bank instead of talking about the West Bank."

Earlier Tuesday, Work on the construction of the Amichai settlement, intended for Amona evacuees and restarted just a month ago after being halted, stalled again due to the Ministry of the Interior's refusal to exempt the Binyamin Regional Council from a tender process, preventing them from paying the contractor performing the work.

"First they stabbed us in the back, and now they're turning the knife. If (works stop agained), we'll all make a pilgrimage to Amichai on Sukkot," evacuees said.

The decision to halt construction was made following an instruction by the Chairman of the Binyamin Regional Council Avi Roeh, who ordered the contractor laying down the groundwork for Amichai to immediately desist until further notice.

Despite acusations of stalling settlement development, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged Tuesday to build 1,200 new housing units in the West Bank's biggest Jewish settlement of Ma'ale Adumim and incorporate it into a bill which will enable the government to annex it to Israel.

Netanyahu's announcement came during a Likud delegation visit to Ma'ale Adumim, east of Jerusalem, where he promised to "enhanced development" of the settlement.

I declare an intensification in the momentum of development in Maale Adumim, Netanyahu said. We will build here thousands of units. We are adding industrial zones and the required expansion to enable accelerated development of this place.
Authorities say the gunman in the Las Vegas shooting set up cameras inside and outside the hotel room where he opened fire on the crowd at a country music concert.

Sheriff Joe Lombardo said at a news conference Tuesday that he believes shooter Stephen Craig Paddock set up the cameras to see if anyone was coming to take him into custody. He did not release further details.

The sheriff also said authorities had completed their investigation at the gunman's property in Reno, finding five handguns, two shotguns and a plethora of ammunition.

Authorities say Paddock killed 59 people and injured more than 500 others when he opened fire Sunday night on an outdoor country music concert from a 32nd floor hotel tower.

Hospital officials say 50 people remain in critical condition after being wounded.
Rena M. Lawson, 90, of Polk, walked into the arms of her Savior on Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2017 at her home in Polk.

Funeral services will be on Friday, Oct. 6, 2017 at 10:30 a.m. at the First Baptist Church in Polk with Pastor Myron Stafford officiating. Visitation will be on Thursday, Oct. 5, from 5-7 p.m. at the First Baptist Church in Polk. Interment will be at the Laclede Cemetery near Polk. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.soltwagnerfuneral.com.

Rena May Willits was born on Dec. 7, 1926 to Grant and Mildred Willits on the family farm near Polk. She spent her childhood in the Polk area attending Rural School District 46 and then High Prairie High. Rena graduated from high school in 1944 and then attended summer school at Kearney State Teachers College. She completed the teacher certification exams and became a rural school teacher. She taught South of Polk for two years before returning to school. From 1946-1948 she attended Bethel College in St Paul, Minn. She then taught in the York County Schools for three years. Rena received her B.A. in Education in 1952 from the University of Nebraska and then taught for seven years in Lincoln. In 1959 she started her masters degree at the University of Denver, and received her degree while teaching in the Denver Public Schools.

Rena met Eldon Bud Lawson while living in Denver and the two were united in marriage on Jan. 27, 1962 at Immanuel Baptist Church in Denver. The couple moved to Moses Lake, Wash., and then to Glendale, Ariz. Rena began teaching in the Cartwright School District as well as helping Bud farm and run their custom hay operation in the Glendale and West Phoenix Valley area. Following Buds death, Rena would spend part of her time near her daughter Melody, in Polk, as well as at her home in Peoria, Ariz.

Rena loved music. She was a faithful church organist and pianist most of her life. When she wasnt playing the organ she was singing in the choir or with her beloved Harmony Trio. Rena was a wonderful cook and enjoyed sewing. She was a faithful prayer warrior. She was a member of the First Baptist Church in Glendale, serving as a Sunday school teacher. When she moved to Polk, she then became a member of the First Baptist Church in Polk.In Polk, she loved substituting as organist and pianist, playing as recently as this Sunday for church services. She was an active member of the Arizona Farm Bureau, and chaired the Womens Committee for several years. She is an Honorary State FFA Degree Recipient and Honorary National FFA Degree Recipient. She loved participating in Bible Study Fellowship.

Those left to cherish her memory are; her daughter, Melody (Kevin) Sandell of Polk; her grandchildren, Chloe Brianne Sandell and Noah Loy Sandell of Polk; and her brother, Dale (Dulcie) Willits of Colorado Springs, Colo., along with many nieces nephews, dear friends and neighbors.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Eldon Bud Lawson; her brother, Robert Willits; and sister-in-law Alice Willits.
YORK  Two pleas of not guilty was entered by the court for Robert M. Lehr, 65, of York in a case where he is accused of driving under the influence and causing serious bodily injury (a Class 3F felony) and second degree assault (a Class 2A felony).

If convicted, he could be facing up to a maximum of 23 years in prison.

Lehr appeared in York County District Court this past week, with his attorney, Chad Wythers.

Wythers said his client would be standing mute, so the court then entered the not guilty pleas on his behalf.

A jury trial has been set for December.

This case stems from a collision that occurred June 24, 2016, at the intersection of Fourth Street and the Highway 81 bypass. According to the accident report, a 1998 Ford pickup driven by Lehr was eastbound on West Fourth Street approaching the bypass west of York.

The accident report alleges that Lehr did not stop at the stop sign and entered the intersection. His vehicle collided with a 1996 Ford van driven by Jay S. White, 52, of Hastings. The Lehr vehicle was struck at the drivers side door by the front end of the van. Upon impact, both vehicles spun to the southeast, according to investigators.

The Lehr vehicle overturned on its side and came to rest on its wheels in the southeast ditch. The White vehicle came to rest facing east in the southbound traffic lane.

Both men were injured, taken to York General Hospital and then transported to Lincoln.

Whites injuries were very serious and detailed in court documents. Due to medical privacy law, those details will not be published.

The York County Attorneys office obtained Lehrs blood test results which allegedly showed his blood alcohol content was .192, more than double the legal limit.

That blood testing came into question this past week during court proceedings.

In a motion to compel, Wythers told the court that the underlying facts of the case involve an accident with serious injury. He told the court that according to the reports, Mr. Lehrs blood was tested and those results indicated alcohol could be a contributing factor. I filed for and was approved by the court, to do independent testing of that sample. Shortly thereafter, the then-county attorney informed me that the blood sample at the hospital was no longer available for testing as medical personnel disposed of it or something. I called everyone I could and it was confirmed that there is no blood available for independent testing. The proper procedure in this case, because the court ordered they produce the blood and they cant . . . the next thing to do is a motion to suppress. Everyone agrees theres no blood sample left.

Judge James Stecker granted the motion to compel and Wythers said hed be making the motion to suppress.
YORK  Twice on the way down and two more times returning, Phil Martin kept NPPDs mission to restore power in hurricane-devastated Florida moving when it would otherwise have been stopped cold.

Martin, a13-year employee and now NPPD hydraulic fleet technician from Geneva, works out of the utilitys facility in York.

NPPD assembled 15 trucks and 21 people from its men and materiel across the state and sent the caravan racing to the Tampa, Florida, metro area where residents were powerless and in peril.

Twice when trucks broke down en route to Florida, Martin remained behind, tending to repairs and then catching up again. That freed up the rest of the vehicles and personnel to continue when they would otherwise have been brought up short, too.

The same scenario played out twice on the way home, Martin said.

The linemen, he said, were divided into three crews that averaged 15-18 hour workdays for two weeks.

Each group of Nebraskans worked with a specific ticket within a defined footprint on a grid of the sprawling metro.

NPPDs detachment worked on ground stuff to clear and restring damaged and downed power lines and treated it all as if it was hot, he said.

People were so appreciative, he said of the residents among whom the work was accomplished. They couldnt believe we would drive 1,500 miles to get strangers lights on and refrigerators humming again.

After a weeks work the detachments road home was opened by Tampa Power and Light which told them electricity was by then 99 percent restored.

In a Sunday meeting the decision was made: Migrate farther south in Florida and put in a second weeks work.

We decided to stay down and get some more (lines) going, Martin explained.

And so from Tampa the NPPD convoyed its way to the Naples area.

What the group found in Tampa, he said, was largely damage from pulverized trees. That was in contrast to Naples where widespread flooding was Public Enemy No. 1.

Power crews operated out of five lay-down sections or staging hubs located throughout the stricken area where fuel, hundreds of sleeping cots and up to 850 meals per day were provided to the workers.

We lucked out both places, said Martin, and got hotel rooms.

Children delivered cookies accompanied by their own notes of thanks to the lay-down areas, too.

We could walk by and read the notes, he said. In the Tampa region, he said, We worked with tree trimmers. If we needed trees cleared out they went in and did that.

By the time he returned home really tired to no surprise, Martin had added 4,300 miles to his service trucks odometer. The journey was two and a half days each way at 67 miles per hour average.

I only saw one snake, he said with a look that suggested even that one specimen, lying on a tree branch, was one too many. There were gators, too. You could see them in the road ditches.

Looking back after a couple days to rest, Martin said, I thought it was a great experience. I would do it again in a heartbeat. To help people restore their life to some kind of normal was just awesome. People were so appreciative.
York Police Department

 Friday at 7:29 a.m., report of a medical emergency on N. Lincoln Ave.

 Friday at 9:01 a.m. and 10:44 a.m., reports of traffic-related incidents on S. Lincoln Ave.

 Friday at 11:42 a.m., report of a dog running loose.

 Friday at 2:57 p.m., report of a dog running loose on Fairview Drive.

 Friday at 4:06 p.m., report of an accident.

 Friday at 5:33 p.m., report of a theft on S. Lincoln Ave.

 Friday at 6:38 p.m., report of a theft on N. Iowa Ave.

 Friday at 8:58 p.m., report of suspicious activity on N. Platte Ave.

 Friday at 9:14 p.m., report of a dog running loose on E. Fourth St.

 Friday at 9:15 p.m., report of a medical emergency on S. Lincoln Ave.

 Saturday at 12:21 a.m., report of suspicious activity on N. Grant Ave.

 Saturday at 4:38 a.m., report of criminal mischief on N. Blackburn Ave.

 Saturday at 7:16 a.m., report of a traffic-related incident on S. Lincoln Ave.

 Saturday at 8:53 a.m., report of a traffic-related incident just off S. Lincoln Ave.

 Saturday at 10:58 a.m., report that a dog was running loose on East Lawn Plaza.

 Saturday at 12:11 p.m., report of a traffic-related incident on S. Lincoln Ave.

 Saturday at 1:23 p.m., report of a dog running loose on Paradise Lane.

 Saturday at 3:07 p.m., report of littering on W. 25th St.

 Saturday at 6:58 p.m., report of a fire on N. East Ave.

 Saturday at 6:48 p.m., report of a medical emergency on N. Platte Ave.

 Saturday at 10:26 p.m., report of suspicious activity on Nobes Road.

 Sunday at 2:14 a.m., report of suspicious activity on Delaware Ave.

 Sunday at 2:38 a.m., report of a pedestrian who might need assistance on N. Lincoln Ave.

 Sunday at 7:09 a.m., a woman reported that someone was chasing her on W. 11th St.

 Sunday at 9:24 a.m., report that trash was all over an alley on W. Sixth St.

 Sunday at 10:51 a.m., report of a domestic dispute.

 Sunday at 1:14 p.m., report that a man had been trying to get into a vehicle for some time, on N. Nebraska Ave. Checked out to be fine.

 Sunday at 1:27 p.m., report that two small dogs were running loose on N. Florida Ave.

 Sunday at 3:39 p.m., assisted a motorist on S. Lincoln Ave.

 Sunday at 6:10 p.m., report that a snake was in a basement on Kennedy Drive.

 Sunday at 6:38 p.m., a severe thunderstorm watch was issued.

 Sunday at 8:20 p.m., report that a child was out of control.

 Sunday at 9:14 p.m., report that a group of men were walking through an alley on N. Nebraska Ave.

 Sunday at 10:03 p.m., report that a semi struck something while backing into a lot on S. Lincoln Ave.

 Sunday at 11:28 p.m., report that someone had medication that needed to be disposed of.

 Monday at 5:04 a.m., report that someone needed emergency medical care on S. Lincoln Ave.
CPN-UML, Maoist Centre, Naya Shakti announce electoral alliance, agree to unify

Two major leftist forcesCPN (UML) and CPN (Maoist Centre)and Baburam Bhattarai-led Naya Shakti Nepal on Tuesday announced to initiate the process to merge the parties immediately after the Parliamentary elections.
VILLANOVA, Pa.  Forbes announced its second annual list of Forbes Under 30 Scholars, selecting 1,000 students from the nations top schools and giving them free access to the publications Under 30 Summit, a gathering of the worlds top young entrepreneurs and game-changers. Twenty-eight Villanova University students were selected as Forbes Under 30 Scholars and invited to attend the 2017 Forbes Under 30 Summit Oct. 2-4 at City Hall Plaza in Boston.

Organizations are seeking individuals who are able to think critically and solve problems creatively, said Patrick G. Maggitti, PhD, University Provost. At Villanova, we seek to nurture these and a host of other highly sought-after skills in our students. The number of Villanova students honored by Forbes highlights the strength of our academic programs and our overall commitment to student success.

The Forbes Under 30 Scholars program was established last year and provided 774 students from 25 different schools exclusive free access to the 2016 Forbes Under 30 Summit. Villanova had 12 students selected as Forbes Under 30 Scholars in 2016. This year, 28 students hailing from the Villanova School of Business, College of Engineering, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and College of Nursing were recognized as Forbes Under 30 Scholars.

Across all of our academic disciplines, Villanova students excel in what the modern economy demands of its participants: critical thinking, creativity and the ability to execute, said Kevin Grubb, Assistant Vice Provost for Professional Development and Executive Director of the Villanova University Career Center. This recognition by Forbes is continued, demonstrable proof of our competitiveness on the national stage; only 1,000 students from the nations top higher education institutions were given the distinction of Under 30 Scholar. Forbes was looking for game-changers and they found many at Villanova.

The list of Villanova students named 2017 Forbes Under 30 Scholars, includes:

David Arroyo , College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (Communication, Honors Program), Junior

, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (Communication, Honors Program), Junior Kristen Aune , College of Engineering (Chemical Engineering), Junior

, College of Engineering (Chemical Engineering), Junior James Braun , Villanova School of Business (MBA), Graduate

, Villanova School of Business (MBA), Graduate Meridith Chung , College of Engineering (Chemical Engineering), Senior

, College of Engineering (Chemical Engineering), Senior Julia Dimmerling , College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (Mathematics), Junior

, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (Mathematics), Junior Zachary Ellenhorn , College of Engineering (Chemical Engineering), Senior

, College of Engineering (Chemical Engineering), Senior Brittany Enslin , Villanova School of Business (MBA), Graduate

, Villanova School of Business (MBA), Graduate Patrick Flynn , College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (Arab and Islamic Studies, Honors Program), Junior

, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (Arab and Islamic Studies, Honors Program), Junior Annette Frankowski , Villanova School of Business (Analytics), Graduate

, Villanova School of Business (Analytics), Graduate Jenna Gammer , Villanova School of Business (Finance, Business Analytics, Honors Program), Junior

, Villanova School of Business (Finance, Business Analytics, Honors Program), Junior Darius Guillory , Villanova School of Business (Analytics), Graduate

, Villanova School of Business (Analytics), Graduate Sarah Harris , College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (History, Communication, Honors Program), Junior

, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (History, Communication, Honors Program), Junior Josh Jones , Villanova School of Business (MBA), Graduate

, Villanova School of Business (MBA), Graduate Bryce F. Kaler , Villanova School of Business (MBA), Graduate

, Villanova School of Business (MBA), Graduate Claire Katchur , College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (Economics, Spanish), Senior

, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (Economics, Spanish), Senior Henry Lowe , Villanova School of Business (MBA), Graduate

, Villanova School of Business (MBA), Graduate Kayla Meagher , College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (Mathematics, Economics, Honors Program), Junior

, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (Mathematics, Economics, Honors Program), Junior Andrew Meluch , College of Engineering (Sustainable Engineering), Graduate

, College of Engineering (Sustainable Engineering), Graduate Kristina Moses , Villanova School of Business (MBA), Graduate

, Villanova School of Business (MBA), Graduate Josie Pittman , College of Nursing (Nursing), Senior



, College of Nursing (Nursing), Senior Melissa Polin , Villanova School of Business (Finance), Junior

, Villanova School of Business (Finance), Junior Meghan Scanlon , College of Nursing (Nursing), Junior

, College of Nursing (Nursing), Junior Katherine Shannon , College of Engineering (Chemical Engineering), Junior

, College of Engineering (Chemical Engineering), Junior Mishel Stearns , Villanova School of Business (MBA), Graduate

, Villanova School of Business (MBA), Graduate Zain Stedman , Villanova School of Business (Finance, Mathematics, Honors Program), Senior



, Villanova School of Business (Finance, Mathematics, Honors Program), Senior Dev Thaker , Villanova School of Business (MBA), Graduate

, Villanova School of Business (MBA), Graduate Henry Trinh , Villanova School of Business (MBA), Graduate

, Villanova School of Business (MBA), Graduate Sarrah Truong, College of Engineering (Computer Engineering), Senior

The Forbes Under 30 Scholars program offers those selected free access to the Forbes Under 30 Summit and accelerated networking opportunities. According to Forbes, students will have the ability to participate across four different content stages, and will have access to investors, entrepreneurs, celebrities, musicians, fashion designers, sport stars, cultural icons, world-renowned chefs, educators, political leaders and business icons who represent the entrepreneurial spirit of the Forbes 30 Under 30 list. The Summit takes place at different venues all over Boston, including Faneuil Hall, MIT Media Lab and University of Massachusetts Club. The Forbes Under 30 Scholars selected are granted access to the Opportunities Hub, a recruitment fair in Forbes Under 30 Village.

Sponsored by JPMorgan Chase, the Forbes Under 30 Scholars Program, is primarily focused on diversity and inclusion. The students chosen were juniors, seniors, and graduate students in tech and business from underrepresented backgrounds.

Click here to learn more about the Forbes Under 30 Scholars Program.
New Delhi: Auto major Mahindra and Mahindra on Tuesday reported a 16 per cent increase in total sales at 53,663 units in September.

The company had sold 46,130 units in the same month last year, the company said in a statement.

In the domestic market, sales were up 19 per cent at 50,456 units last month compared to 42,545 in September 2016.

Exports declined by 11 per cent to 3,207 units in September against 3,585 in the year-ago month.

Sales of passenger vehicles, including Scorpio, XUV500, Xylo, Bolero and Verito, were up 23 per cent at 25,327 units compared to 20,537 in the same month last year.

Commercial vehicle sales grew 19 per cent to 19,201 units in September against 16,081 in the year-ago period, M&M said.

M&M President Automotive Sector Rajan Wadhera said: "The auto industry witnessed a buoyant demand in September leading up to the festive season. This upsurge has been witnessed both in urban and rural markets."

He further said, "We are particularly happy with the performance of our Scorpio brand, which had its highest monthly sales in September since inception."

Going forward, he said, the company is confident of sustaining a growth momentum for the rest of the festive season.
New Delhi: Megastar Amitabh Bachchan is currently busy shooting for Yash Raj Films' Thugs Of Hindostan. The film is high on buzz word because of many reasons. This will bring Big B and Mr Perfectionist Aamir Khan together for the first time on silver screens.

Isn't it exciting? Also, recently Big B's look from the film got leaked online raising the curiosity levels. Pinkvilla.com reported that as per a leading daily Bachchan senior a small tiff with the filmmaker Vijay Krishna Acharya over a particular scene and finally Aamir Khan had to play the peacemaker between the two.

Soon, the news spread like wildfire. Now, according to Pinkvilla.com, the filmmaker has rubbished the report of Big B being upset as a total work of fiction. The report quotes the director as saying, "There is no truth to this. Mr Bachchan is a delight to work with and is extremely professional. We are having a great time while filming this project. We share a warm rapport, so, Im shocked at this disrespectful speculation."

Thugs of Hindostan also stars Fatima Sana Shaikh and Katrina Kaif. The YRF venture is reportedly being made on a large-scale and boasts of an interesting ensemble star cast. It is slated to hit the screen by next year.
Curfew continues in Lalpur area of Gulariya Municipality

The curfew that has been in place since Monday morning following a Hindu-Muslim clash in Lalpur area of Gulariya Municipality, Bardiya district continued on Tuesday as well.
New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED), investigating liquor baron Vijay Mallya's loan defaults to several banks amounting to nearly Rs 9,000-crore, is likely to club their cases in the London court, media reports said on Tuesday.

Notably, his financial dealings are being investigated separately by these two investigative agencies.

Mallya was today arrested in the UK over a money laundering case but was granted bail shortly afterwards. This is the second time that Mallya was arrested this year in London.

The flamboyant businessman, out on bail on an extradition warrant, is exempt from appearing for hearings before his trial is scheduled to start on December 4.

The extradition trial to bring Mallya to face court proceedings in India is scheduled for two weeks starting on December 4.

The businessman, who has been based in the UK since he left India in March last year, is wanted in India for his erstwhile Kingfisher Airlines' default on loans worth nearly Rs 9,000 crores.

He had been arrested by Scotland Yard on an extradition warrant on behalf of the Indian authorities on April 18.

He had attended a central London police station for his arrest and was released on conditional bail a few hours later after providing a bail bond worth 650,000 pounds, assuring the court of abiding by all conditions associated with extradition proceedings, such as the surrender of his passport and a ban on him possessing any travel documents.
New Delhi: India's largest e-commerce site is all set to bless its employees with a Diwali bonus. Flipkart's board has approved a plan to repurchase employee stock option in a move that would be beneficial for almost 6,000 current and former employees.

The share buyback plan marks the largest such programme in the history of Indian startup sector. The plan offers stakeholders the biggest opportunity. Reportedly, the amount reserved for buyback of shares from company's employees is more than $100 million.

This progression comes after the company successfully rasied about $4 billion in financing this year. The finance has been derived from the investors such as SoftBank Corporation and Chinese internet conglomerate Tencent.

Reportedly, employees of subsidiaries such as online fashion retailer Myntra and payments unit PhonePe will also be a part of the repurchase programme.

Under the programme, employees will be allowed to sell a particular quantity of their vested shares. Few senior former employees of Flipkart too could be benefitted by the plan.

Flipkart announced a new round of funding in April, which witnessed its valuation drop by about a third to $11.6 billion compared with $15.2 billion in 2015.

Flipkart had doubled the percentage of white-collar employees in 2016. Such employees were part of its ESOP programme to 35-40 percent.

Earlier the company had 15,000 white collar employees in 2015, which now stands at about 8,000.
New Delhi: Ola is getting USD 2 billion funding from a group of investors that includes SoftBank Group and Tencent Holdings, said industry sources.

The funding, part of which has already come in, will help Ola bolster its position against US-based rival Uber. The two are engaged in an intense battle for leadership in the Indian market and have pumped in millions of dollars in driver incentives and discounted rides for customers.

Multiple sources, who did not wish to be identified as the discussions are private, said the round is yet to be closed and the numbers could add up to about USD 2 billion when it happens.

An announcement could be made in the next few weeks, they added.

Ola and SoftBank declined to comment on the matter while Tencent was not immediately available.

ANI Technologies -- which runs Ola -- has already raised multiple rounds of funding this year. According to documents filed with regulatory authorities, it raised over Rs 231 crore from Tekne Private Ventures through issue of preference shares in June.

In March, the SoftBank-backed Ola had raised Rs 670 crore (USD 104.4 million) in funding from investors including UC-RNT Fund, a venture between the University of California and leading industrialist Ratan Tata.

ANI Technologies, which is not a publicly-traded company, counts among its investors names like SoftBank Group, Tiger Global, Sequoia India and Accel Partners US.

Its revenues registered a stellar growth at Rs 758.23 crore during 2015-16 compared to Rs 103.77 crore in the previous fiscal.

However, it posted a consolidated loss of over Rs 2,311 crore -- about Rs 6 crore a day -- during that fiscal on account of heavy advertising and promotional expenses and other costs.

Earlier this year, SoftBank and Tencent invested in India's largest e-commerce firm, Flipkart.

The USD 2.5-billion funding in Flipkart by SoftBank was made through SoftBank Vision Fund, the world's largest technology-focused fund.

It could not be ascertained if the investment in Ola would be made by SoftBank group or via SoftBank Vision Fund.
New Delhi: Reliance Industries Ltd , owner of the worlds biggest refining complex, has bought its first ever crude oil cargoes from the United States, drawn by the oil`s economics after the price spread between U.S. crude futures and Brent futures widened, three trade sources said on Tuesday.

Reliance bought 1 million barrels each of West Texas Intermediate (WTI) Midland and Eagle Ford crude which are expected to arrive in November, they said.
Chennai: A Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court on Tuesday said it would hear and frame charges against the Maran brothers in connection with illegal telephone exchange case on October 23.

The accused former Union Minister Dayanidhi Maran, V Gowthaman, former additional private secretary to Dayanidhi Maran, K S Ravi, and S Kannan appeared before XIV Special Judge for CBI cases, S Natarajan today.

Dayanidhi`s brother, Kalanithi Maran has filed a plea seeking to dispense with his personal appearance, and therefore, did not appear.

The matter pertains to a case of alleged misuse of 764 high-speed data lines of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) at Dayanidhi Maran`s residence during his tenure as the union telecom minister from 2004 to 2007.Maran is accused of utilising the facility for business transactions involving Sun Network, a channel run by his brother Kalanithi Maran.
New Delhi/London: Fugitive liquor baron Vijay Mallya was on Tuesday arrested in the UK over money laundering case but was granted bail shortly afterwards. This is the second time that Mallya was arrested this year in London.

As per media reports, the cases filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) are likely to be clubbed in the London court. Notably, Mallya's financial dealings are being investigated separately by these two investigative agencies.

The embattled tycoon is out on bail in another case in which he was arrested in April following India's extradition request.

The businessman, who has been based in the UK since he left India in March last year, is wanted in India for his erstwhile Kingfisher Airlines' default on loans worth nearly Rs 9,000 crores.

He had been arrested by Scotland Yard on an extradition warrant on behalf of the Indian authorities on April 18.

Mallya had attended a central London police station for his arrest and was released on conditional bail a few hours later after providing a bail bond worth 650,000 pounds, assuring the court of abiding by all conditions associated with extradition proceedings, such as the surrender of his passport and a ban on him possessing any travel documents.

The first hearing in the case took place on June 13, when December 4 had been pencilled in as a tentative final hearing date.
London: Beleaguered liquor baron Vijay Mallya was on Tuesday arrested in a money laundering case filed by the Enforcement Directorate, before being released on bail by Westminster Magistrates' Court.

The 61-year-old flamboyant businessman, already out on bail on an extradition warrant executed by the Metropolitan Police earlier this year, was released on the same bail conditions as before to appear for his trial on December 4.

Speaking to PTI outside the court room, Mallya said that has "done nothing wrong" and described the allegations against him as "fabricated".

"I deny all allegations that have been made and I will continue to deny them," he said.

"I have not eluded any court. If it is my lawful duty to be here, I'm happy to be here," he said, adding, "I've given enough evidence to prove my case."

The judge, Chief Magistrate Emma Louise Arbuthnot, said that Mallya has been freed on the "same bail conditions as before" which he must abide by.

Earlier, the UK's Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), which is arguing the case against Mallya on behalf of the Indian government, had confirmed the arrest.

"Vijay Mallya has been arrested on money laundering charges and will be appearing in court today," a CPS spokesperson said.

Sources in New Delhi said the arrest was pursuant to the extradition request made by the Indian government based on money laundering charges against Mallya.

The case is being probed by the ED and the central probe agency has already filed a charge sheet against him and others in a Mumbai court.

Arbuthnot has been hearing Mallya's extradition case at Westminster Magistrates' Court on his previous arrest warrant executed by Scotland Yard in April.

He had been arrested by Scotland Yard on an extradition warrant on behalf of the Indian authorities on April 18.

He had attended a central London police station for his arrest and was released on conditional bail a few hours later after providing a bail bond worth 650,000 pounds, assuring the court of abiding by all conditions associated with extradition proceedings, such as the surrender of his passport and a ban on him possessing any travel documents.

Mallya's trial in that case is scheduled for two weeks, starting December 4.

The embattled businessman, who has been based in the UK since he fled India in March last year, is wanted in India for his erstwhile Kingfisher Airlines' default on loans worth nearly Rs 9,000 crore.

It remains to be seen if both cases will be clubbed together, which may lead to a delay in the trial date.
New Delhi: Honeypreet Insan, who was on the list of 43 most wanted people issued by the Haryana Police last month following the Dera violence, was taken into custody on Tuesday.

Honeypreet, the stepdaughter of Dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim, went underground after 41 people were killed and scores of others injured in the violence after a CBI court convicted him in a rape case on August 25. The court sentenced him to 20 years in prison on August 28.

The spiralling violence had gripped several cities and towns in Punjab and Haryana, prompting the administration to issue non-bailable arrest warrants against several people, including Honeypreet.

Here is a timeline of Honeypreet's month-long run from the law officers.

On September 26, Honeypreet filed an anticipatory bail plea in the Delhi High Court, claiming a threat to her life from the drug mafia.

On September 25, Honeypreet moved Delhi HC, seeking a transit anticipatory bail.

On September 22, a relative claimed that Honeypreet stayed in their house on the day of Ram Rahim's sentencing.

On September 21, Nepal police announced she was not in their country amid rumours that she may have fled to the Himalayan nation.

On September 17, a key Dera functionary was arrested, raising expectations that Honeypreet may soon be in the police net.

On September 16, Honeypreet's driver was arrested in Rajasthan.

On September 1, Haryana police issued a lookout notice against Honeypreet for allegedly plotting Dera chief's dramatic escape.

On August 25, Honeypreet went underground after a special CBI court in Panchkula held the Dera chief guilty of sexually exploiting two sadhvis.
New Delhi: Honeypreet Singh, the controversial adopted daughter of Dera chief who was taken into custody on Tuesday after she remained underground for over a month, will be produced before a Panchkula court on Wednesday, the police said.

The Haryana Police had put her on its list of 43 most wanted people after the Dera supporters went on a rampage on August 25 following Ram Rahim's conviction by a CBI court in a rape case. He was given 20-year jail two days later.

The spiralling violence, which gripped several cities and towns in Punjab and Haryana after the conviction, left 41 people dead and scores of others injured, prompting the administration to issue non-bailable arrest warrants against several people, including Honeypreet, for inciting the mob.

Honeypreet, whose real name is Priyanka Taneja, was arrested from Zirakpur-Patiala road, hours after she appeared on two private television channels interacting with the reporters at some undisclosed location.

"We just want to go into the details of the violence that took place in Panchkula, and hence, will be interrogating her for the same. She will be produced before a court tomorrow," Police Commissioner A S Chawla said.

The police will also interrogate her about her whereabouts after the August 25 violence. "We will investigate about it soon, but it will take some time," he said.

Honeypreet will be produced before a court in Panchkula tomorrow where police will seek her remand, he added.

Chawla said another woman was accompanying Honeypreet at the time of her arrest.

"Honeypreet was travelling in an Innova SUV and was accompanied by another woman," the police commissioner said.

"Who supported whom, who did the wrong, which all places did she hide and who gave her shelter, all these things will come to the fore when we question her at length," he said.

The Haryana Police had been facing flak from several quarters for not being able to nab Honeypreet for over a month despite having launched a massive hunt to trace her.

The Haryana Police had on September 1 issued a lookout notice against Honeypreet Insan and another key aide Aditya Insan following apprehensions that they might try to "escape from the country".
Curfew lifted in Lalpur area of Gulariya Municipality

The curfew that has been in place since Monday morning following a Hindu-Muslim clash in Lalpur area of Gulariya Municipality, Bardiya district has been lifted from 9 am on Tuesday.
Amit Kapoor/IANS

New Delhi: In a respite to the Modi government, which has been facing the heat over dismal economic numbers, the World Economic Forum (WEF) study on global competitiveness for 2017 commended the improving quality of institutions in India, especially in terms of improved efficiency of public spending in the last few years. This was despite the fact that India slipped a place to rank 40 out of a total 137 countries in the Global Competitiveness Index 2017-18.

However, the WEF has clarified that it has changed its methodology this year and the rankings are not comparable with those of last year. Moreover, it also pointed out that this is India`s highest score ever with the new methodology (4.6 compared to 4.5 in the previous year). The country's score has improved across most indicators of competitiveness, especially infrastructure (66th, an improvement of two points over last year), higher education and training (75th, up six) and technological readiness (107, up two), which is a reflection of recent public investment in these areas.

India has also ranked the highest among all South Asian countries with the next highest being Bhutan and Sri Lanka ranked at 85. Among the BRICS nations, China (27) and Russia (38) rank above India while South Africa and Brazil are placed at 61 and 80. In a major hopeful boost to the dwindling India growth story, the report stated that among the emerging markets that were seen to have great potential in the early 2000s, Brazil and Turkey have lost much of what they had gained before 2013, while China, India and Indonesia continue to grow strong.

The report also gives some useful insights about the growth trends of the Indian economy. First, among the emerging economies, it finds that India and China are gradually developing into major centres of innovation. In a recent study of geographical clusters generating the most patents, three Indian cities appeared in the top 100 with Bengaluru at 43 (with patent activity focused on computer technology), Mumbai at 95 and Pune at 96 (with both registering among the most patents in organic chemistry). Due to such an improvement in the innovative environment within India, the WEF rankings place India at 29 on the innovation pillar for competitiveness.

Since innovation is a major determinant of the long-term growth trends of an economy, these figures bode well for India`s future prospects. However, the improvement comes with a caveat. It has been seen that emerging economies that are doing well in innovation are leaving large sections of the population behind since they are not technologically equipped.

The level of technological readiness of individuals and firms in countries like India and China are relatively low. This indicates that the innovative space in these countries is not quite inclusive in nature. Along with innovation, it is necessary to ensure that more people and firms have the required means to access and make use of the new technology. India fares poorly on that front. As mentioned, India ranks a lowly 107 in technological readiness. As long as there remains such a disconnect between technological strength and technological readiness, the gains from it cannot be shared across the wider economy and will only lead to an unequal society. So, India urgently needs to act upon technological readiness to make its economy competitive on a larger scale.

The second insight from the Global Competitiveness Index is the performance of the health and primary education pillar, in which India ranks at 91 -- second-worst only to technological readiness. It cannot be overstated how poor health and education outcomes can affect the competitiveness of a country and its citizens. India has always had a history of poor public investment in health and primary education and it pays a hefty cost for this in terms of its competitiveness. Such a continued trend in the long run will result in an unequal and mostly unproductive society where only the well-off, who manage to provide nutrition and education for their children, will thrive.

Thirdly, the WEF Executive Opinion Survey reveals that the private sector still considers corruption to be the most problematic factor for doing business in India. This finding puts a question mark over the effectiveness of the government`s attack on corruption over the last few years. Lack of access to financing and tax regulations also remain the prime problems for setting up a business in India. The former might gradually subside when the problems of non-performing assets (NPAs) with banks is remedied, while the latter might change once the economy adjusts to the newly-implemented Goods and Services Tax (GST). However, corruption will continue to remain an impediment to the country`s competitiveness and its long-term growth.

Therefore, India might be improving on the competitiveness index owing to high public investment in some crucial sectors, but large ailments within the economy still remain. Problems of corruption and a gross negligence of health and education sectors have always defined India`s competitiveness. A recent growth in innovative tendencies seemed to be a saving grace but as it turns out, there seem to be distributive issues. How India handles these concerns will determine its future.
Gujarat: Just a day after the nation celebrated 148th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, it has now come to light that the spectacles from his statue installed at Porbandar's Manek Chowk in Gujarat have gone missing.

According to ANI, the spectacles are missing from Mahatma Gandhi's statue for the last three days.

#Gujarat: Spectacles missing from Mahatma Gandhi's statue at Porbandar's Manek Chowk for the last three days. pic.twitter.com/cWkArjMV9K October 3, 2017

However, this is not the first time that spectacles from his statues have gone missing.

In 2011 too, Mahatma Gandhi's spectacles went missing from the Sevagram Ashram in Wardha.

The Gujarat government later ordered a probe into the incident.

Mahatma Gandhi came to Wardha, 75 km from Nagpur, in 1936 and settled at the ashram which receives around 300,000 visitors every year.
New Delhi: The father of murdered class 2 student Pradyuman Thakur on Tuesday moved the Supreme Court challenging the grant of anticipatory bail to Augustine Francis Pinto and two other officials of the Ryan International School at Gurugram.

Seeking stay of the grant of interim anticipatory bail to Pinto, Ryan Pinto and Grace Pinto, petitioner Barun Chandra Thakur has contended that the grant of anticipatory bail was "absolutely illegal, unwarranted, unconstitutional, erroneous..."

The Pintos were granted anticipatory bail by the Punjab and Haryana High Court on September 28.

Thakur argued that the anticipatory bail was granted to Pinto and others without hearing either the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or the complainant in the case.

Describing the grant of anticipatory bail as unfortunate, he, in his petition, said that the investigation by the CBI was at a preliminary stage and granting interim bail to Pintos at this stage "frustrates the criminal justice delivery system..."

The matter relates to the death of 7-year-old Pradhuman Thakur - a class two student of the school's Gurugram branch, who was found dead in the school toilet with his throat slit, within sometime of his father having dropped him.
Bilaspur: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Himachal Pradesh on Tuesday to lay the foundation stone for an AIIMS and an IIIT besides inaugurating a steel plant.

The 750-bed hospital is to be built at a cost of about Rs 1350 crore and will, in addition to healthcare, provide medical education at the under-graduate and post-graduate level, besides nursing, according to a PMO statement.

The PM will also lay the foundation stone for an Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) at Una.

He will also inaugurate a Steel Processing Unit of Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL), at Kandrori in Kangra.

The PM will later address a public meeting.

(With PTI inputs)
New Delhi: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) vice-president Amit Shah on Tuesday flagged off the Janaraksha Yatra in Kerala where he lashed out at the ruling CPM and blamed it for supporting political violence in the state.



"End of CPM will herald the end of political violence," Shah said.



"As many as 120 BJP and RSS workers had been murdered in Kerala since 2001," an aggressive Shah said asking the CPI-M-led LDF government to let the people know who was responsible for the killings.



"I am asking Chief Minister Vijayan, who has killed BJP and RSS workers in Kerala. If he does not have answers, then I am saying that Chief Minister Vijayan is himself responsible for the killings," he said.



He further asserted that communism was shrinking in India and across the world. "Wherever CPM ruled, be it Kerala, West Bengal or Tripura, political violence followed," he said.



He also called out to BJP workers to end the violence in the state.



The 'Janraksha Yatra' with the theme "All have to live! Against Jihadi-Red Terror" began from the Gandhi statue here this afternoon where Shah hit out at Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan over the "political killings".

Joining the rally, hundreds of BJP workers, mostly from Kannur and Kasargod districts, raised slogans against political violence under the CPI(M)-led LDF government.



Shah, on a three-day visit to the state, led the march after paying floral tributes at the statue of Mahatma Gandhi. The march will pass through several parts of Kerala before concluding in state capital Thiruvananthapuram on October 17.



Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will join the march on Wednesday from Keecheri to Kannur, Vijayan's hometown and the hub of the political violence.



Several Union ministers will join the march in different stages, party leaders said.
New Delhi: Honeypreet Insan, who claims to be the adopted daughter of rape accused Dera Sacha Sauda Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, was taken into custody by Haryana Police on Tuesday.

Honeypreet, along with another woman, was arrested from Zirakpur-Patiala road in Punjab, says Panchkula Police commissioner Chawla.

She will be produced in a trial court of Haryana`s Panchkula on Wednesday, police said.

Honeypreet, in her mid-30s, whose real name is Priyanka Taneja, tops the list of 43 most wanted people released by Haryana Police, in connection with Panchkula's Dera violence incident that left at least 41 people dead and over 250 injured, following Ram Rahim's rape conviction.

A court in Panchkula, adjoining Chandigarh, on September 25 issued arrest warrants against Honeypreet, Aditya Insan and Pawan Insan. The Haryana Police had sounded an international alert against all three.

Earlier today, Honeypreet hinted at surrendering before the court in a video interview.

"For me, when Papa went away (was jailed), my world came crashing down. I was devastated mentally. Then the way some guided me, I went to Delhi...Now, I will go to the Punjab and Haryana High Court," Honeypreet said.

She claimed to be "devastated" and depressed by allegations of inciting Panchkula violence.

"Was I present with the arsonists (during the mayhem in Panchkula on August 25), how are they levelling such allegations," she said while sitting inside a car at an undisclosed location.

"Papa is innocent," she further added.

Rejecting several allegations levelled by her former husband Vishwas Gupta on her 'relationship' with Ram Rahim, she said, "I cannot understand how anyone can point fingers at pious relations that are there between a father and his daughter. What proof have these people got to level such allegations? All those who are spreading such rumours, please do not believe them."
New Delhi: India on Tuesday summoned Pakistan Deputy High Commission Syed Haider Shah over deaths of three minor children in ceasefire violation by Pakistani forces along the Line of Control in Poonch sector in Jammu and Kashmir.

"A demarche was made at the death of three minor children by Pakistan forces in unprovoked firing by the Pakistan forces in the Poonch sector on October 2," the Ministry of External Affairs said.

"It was conveyed that such deliberate targeting of civilians was not acceptable and was against humanitarian norms and practices," the MEA said in a statement.

"A strong concern has been expressed at continued unprovoked firing by Pakistani forces across Line of Control and International boundary in violation of 2003 ceasefire understanding," it added further.

"503 such violations have been carried out by Pakistan forces so far during 2017," read the statement.
NEW DELHI: Hours before BJP chief Amit Shah's scheduled visit to Kerala, chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan lashed out at Human Resource Minister Prakash Javadekar for terming CPI(M) the Communist Party- Maoist.

In a series of tweets, Vija

Slammed the Rashtriya Svyayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the BJP for statements against constitutionally elected government, Vijayan posted a series of tweets:

Yesterday RSS; now Union Minister makes insulting statement against constitutionally elected Kerala Govt. Total disrespect of Federalism. pic.twitter.com/YokbfgEJQY  Pinarayi Vijayan (@vijayanpinarayi) October 2, 2017

He further added, It sounds nothing more than a cheap publicity stunt for upcoming BJP chief Amit Shah's rally in Kerala, Aren't you also Instigating Hatred?

On Monday, Pinarayi wrote a scathing Facebook post against RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat for alleging that the government supports anti-national elements. "Keralites do not need advice on patriotism from the RSS, he had said.

Defending the RSS, Javadekar shot back at the CPI(M) government saying, CPM has always indulged in murder politics in Kerala. It is desperate and on a killing spree. He then equated the M in CPM to Maoists and not Marxists.

The irresponsible statement by Javdekar equating democratically functioning CPI (Marxist) party with Maoists is highly condemnable, Vijayan wrote on twitter.

He referring Kannur as my native place is just a weak technique made to smokescreen the atrocities committed by RSS & his party followers. Mr Javdekar please advise Amit Shah to sincerely enquire into the outrageous mayhem created by the RSS and BJP followers in Kannur. Mr Shah will get to know, that these very followers defied all initiatives for peace including those in which RSS/BJP leaders took part. People of Kerala respect the constitution but also desire the Union Minister(s) to support Kerala govt's secular & peace initiatives, he added.

Shah will kick-off a 15-day Jan Raksha Yatra on Monday.
Dr KC submits 17-point memorandum to PM

Dr Govinda KC has submitted a 17-point memorandum to Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba that details major changes that Parliament should incorporate before endorsing the Health Profession Education Bill.
New Delhi: In the latest development in the Kerala 'love jihad' case, the Supreme Court on Tuesday said it will examine as to whether High Court can annul the marriage by exercising its writ powers.

The SC in August had ordered a NIA probe into the plea of a Muslim man Shafin Jahan whose marriage with a Hindu woman (Hadiya) was annulled by the Kerala High Court, which had termed it a "love jihad".

A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra decided to hear the plea of Kerala man opposing NIA probe into his marriage with Hindu woman who had converted to Islam on October 9.

Senior Advocate Dushyant Dave, appearing for Jahan, argued that in a multi-religious society the apex court should not have ordered NIA investigation in the case and urged for an urgent hearing on the plea seeking recall of the order.

A bench of former Chief Justice of India Jagdish Singh Khehar and Justice DY Chandrachud had ordered the premier probe agency to launch a probe into the conversion and marriage of the Kerala Hindu girl, who was known as Akhila but allegedly converted to Islam and changed her name to Hadiya, to a Muslim man, Shafin Jahan. The marriage had taken place in 2016.

Shafin on September 16 filed a plea requesting the top court to call off the NIA probe, alleging that the investigation agency "is not being fair".

Justice RV Ravindran, a retired judge of the apex court, is supervising the investigation.

The Kerala HC on May 25 had declared as "null and void," the marriage of 24-year-old Hadiya who was allegedly forced to convert to Islam after being abducted and wrongfully confined in Kerala's Malappuraman district. It had described the case as an instance of 'love jihad' and ordered the state police to conduct probe into such cases.

Shafin Jahan, has filed an another plea in SC challenging the HC order saying it was an "an insult to the independence of woman in India".

Jahan has claimed Hadiya, a homeopathy student in Kerala, converted to Islam of her own volition two years prior to their marriage and sought direction to Hadiya's father to present her in court.

However, Hadiya's father, has maintained that his daughter was a "helpless victim" trapped by a "well-oiled racket" which used "psychological measures" to indoctrinate people and convert them to Islam.

Hadiya's father plea says Hahan is a criminal and his daughter was trapped by a network with connections to Popular Front of India and even the Islamic State.

The woman, a Hindu, had converted to Islam and later married Jahan.

It was alleged that the woman was recruited by Islamic State's mission in Syria and Jahan was only a stooge.

Hadiya was a homeopathy student in Kerala when she converted to Islam and changed her name. Jahan had met her with his family in August 2016 in response to her posting on a marriage website and they got married in December 2016.

But in August 2016 itself, her father had approached high court with a habeas corpus petition, alleging his daughter had been radicalised by some organisations and they had also influenced her to marry a Muslim man so that she is out of the parents' custody forever.

He had also apprehended that there could be a plan to send her to Syria to work with extremist organisations such as IS since the man she married had been working in the Gulf.
New Delhi: Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav will likely appear before the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday in regard with the Railway hotel tender case.

While Lalu is scheduled to appear before CBI on October 3, his son and former Bihar deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav has been summoned on October 4.

It is alleged that Lalu as railway minister handed over maintenance of two Railway hotels BNR Ranchi and Puri to Sujata Hotel (a company owned by Vinay and Vijay Kochhar) after receiving a bribe in the form of prime land of three acres through a benami company.

In July, CBI had registered a case against the then railway minister Lalu, his wife Rabri Devi, Tejashwi, Sarla Gupta, wife of Prem Chand Gupta, Vijay Kochar and Vinay Kochar, both directors of Messer's Sujata Hotel Private Limited, Messer's Delight Marketing Private Limited, PK Goel, the then managing directors, IRCTC and unknown others under Section 120 B read with Section 420 of IPC and Section 13(2) read with Section 13(1)d prevention of corruption act 1988 in connection with the case.

The FIR alleged that Lalu as railway minister abused his official position for extending undue favours to Kochhars, acquired a "high value premium land" through a benami company Delight and as a quid pro quo, dishonestly and fraudulently managed award of leasing BNRs at Ranchi and Puri to the company of Kochhars.
United Nations: India has told the UN that use of terrorism as an instrument of state policy cannot be tolerated as it urged the world body that the war against terror has to be unrelenting and fought across all fronts.

"Use of terrorism as an instrument of State Policy cannot be tolerated. Those who have taken recourse to it have invariably suffered themselves proving the age old dictum that those who play with the sword, shall also perish by it," Yedla Umasankar, legal adviser and first secretary at the Permanent Mission of India to the UN said.

Addressing a UN committee on "Measures to Eliminate International Terrorism", Umasankar said that the fight against terrorism has to be unrelenting and fought across all fronts.

"The international community cannot afford selective approaches in dealing with terrorist groups or in dismantling the infrastructure of terrorism. We must step up our collective efforts with real time cooperation among member states to confront the scourge of terrorism squarely and decisively," the Indian diplomat said.

India also rued that several resolutions of the UN Security Council asking countries to take action to prevent and suppress terrorist acts and refrain from providing any form of support, to entities or persons involved in terrorist acts, including by suppressing recruitment of members of terrorist groups and eliminating the supply of weapons to terrorists are not be implemented.

India, remains deeply concerned about the issue of financing terrorism, officials said.

India strongly condemned direct or indirect financial assistance given to terrorist groups or individual members thereof by countries or its machineries, to pursue their activities, including in defending the criminal cases involving terrorist acts against them.

"We have been in the forefront of global counter- terrorism efforts and are part of all major global initiatives, including the Financial Action Task Force (FATF)," Umasankar said.

Amidst calls for the draft comprehensive convention to eliminate terrorism to be finalised, he pointed out that even though India had brought a proposal for a comprehensive convention against terrorism before the General Assembly in?1996, the UN had so far been unable to adopt it due to the issues of definition over who was a terrorist.

Narrow geopolitical interests continued to stand in the way of meaningful progress on discussions of that convention, he said.

Chinese delegate Shi Xiaobin insisted that counter- terrorism efforts must strictly comply with international law.

"In the fight against terrorism, we must uphold the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, respect the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of the countries concerned, and abide by the rules of international law regarding the use of force and crime punishment," he said.

China urged the General Assembly to accelerate its efforts to conclude and adopt the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism, in order to further improve the international legal framework in this regard.

China, which has been repeatedly blocking India's effort to designate Mumbai terrorist attack mastermind Hafeez Saeed, he said over the past year, has engaged in consultations and interactions with more than ten countries in the area of counter-terrorism and security.

It has also exchanged views with our interlocutors on issues such as international and regional counter-terrorism situation and bilateral counter-terrorism cooperation.

According to Xiaobin, China played an active part in the establishment of the BRICS Counter-Terrorism Working Group, attended its first meeting, and played host to its second meeting.

"The first China-Russia-India informal meeting on counter-terrorism was held in Beijing," he said.
New Delhi/London: Embattled business tycoon Vijay Mallya, who was arrested by UK police on Tuesday, is wanted in India for loan defaults and money laundering.

This is the second time the 61-year-old former chief of erstwhile Kingfisher airlines was arrested in the UK. He was out on bail since his first arrest in April.

Once called the 'King of Good Times' for his extravagant lifestyle, Mallya has been embroiled in financial scandals since 2012.

He is wanted for loan defaults worth nearly Rs 9,000 crores to the Kingfisher Airlines. A consortium of 17 Indian banks are trying to recover the money.

The ED has also filed a money-laundering case against him for allegedly syphoning some 900 cr abroad. The money was given to Kingfisher Airlines.

A Hyderabad court had also issued a non-bailable warrant against Mallya for his failure to appear before it in a 50 lakh cheating case involving the GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd.

Mallya, who has been in the UK since March 2016, also co-owns the Formula One team the Sahara Force India.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which is probing the Mallya's case, had earlier issued an international arrest warrant against him. He was arrested by the Scotland Yard on an extradition warrant on April 18.

India and the UK have an Extradition Treaty, signed in 1992.
SRINAGAR: One soldier has been killed and two injured after terrorists attacked a Border Security Force (BSF) camp in Srinagar in the early hours of Tuesday. Security forces have killed two terrorists so far, and are carrying out operations to neutralise a total of six or seven terrorists. The Srinagar airport was shut for hours as the camp that has been attacked is close by.

The Pakistan-backed Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorist outfit has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Jammu and Kashmir's Inpector General of Police Munir Khan has said security forces are continuing operations to flush out allthe remaining terrorists. "The two terrorists were killed, unfortunately we lost one ASI... We are looking for 6-7 terrorists and we need to neutralise them very fast," he said.

Intermittent firing has been going on at the camp since morning.

#WATCH Heavy firing at BSF 182 battalion camp, operation underway. (Visuals deferred by unspecified time) #SrinagarTerrorAttack pic.twitter.com/MwhIeHdzhg  ANI (@ANI) October 3, 2017

The attack on the camp, where BSFs 182 Battalion is stationed, began around 4 am. Security has been ramped up around the campus.

The 53 Rashtriya Rifles, a specialised counter-terrorism unit, has been moved in, along with troops of the CRPF, BSF and other forces.

The area has a cluster of security installations, including the technical airport used by Armed Forces and VIPs, the Gogo Humhama Air Force Station, and facilities of the BSF and CRPF.

The nearby Kashmir Valley School has been ordered shut.

The movement of people in the vicinity was curtailed. Employees and passengers headed towards the airport were allowed to proceed only after 8:30 am. Flight operations resumed around 10:30 am.
Hyderabad: The Karnataka Prisons department on Tuesday rejected the parole application of former AIADMK general secretary VK Sasikala.

The sidelined AIADMK leader, who is serving a four-year sentence at Parappana Agrahara jail in Bengaluru, had applied for a 15-day parole to visit her ailing husband M Natarajan.

Sasikala's (60) husband M Natarajan (74) is admitted in the liver intensive care unit of a corporate hospital since last month following a kidney and liver failure. He is awaiting a deceased donor liver transplantation and a kidney transplantation, according to doctors.

On Monday, Sasikala's nephew and sidelined AIADMK leader TTV Dhinakaran said that she had applied for a 15-day parole to meet her ailing husband.

"Yesterday, we received an application from Sasikala, urging us to release her on a 15-day parole. She has said that her husband is unwell and admitted in a hospital in Chennai. Our legal cell is considering the plea," Parappana Agrahara Prison Superintendent PS Ramesh said.

Sasikala is in jail here since February after the Supreme Court upheld her conviction by a special court in a disproportionate assets case. Along with Sasikala, her relatives Ilavarasi and V N Sudhakaran are also serving a four-year jail term.
Kannur: BJP president Amit Shah on Tuesday launched a scathing attack on the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) in Kerala, saying Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan was responsible for the political murders of BJP and RSS workers in the state.



Shah said as many as 120 BJP and RSS workers have been murdered in Kerala since 2001 and asked the CPI-M-led government to let the people know who was responsible for such killings.



"I am asking Chief Minister Vijayan who has killed BJP and RSS workers in Kerala. If he does not have answers, then I am saying CM Vijayan is responsible for it," Shah told a gathering in Kannur.



The BJP chief is in Kerala to inaugurate the party`s "Jana Raksha Yatra", or "March for People`s Protection", from Payyannur in Kannur district. The march is expected to travel through the state before culminating in Thiruvananthapuram on October 17.



He said attacks against RSS and BJP workers have spiked whenever Communists assumed power in the state.



At least 84 of the 120 political murders occurred in Kannur -- the Chief Minister`s home town, the BJP chief said.



Shah said the march was a non-violent protest against the political killings. "We are starting the march from Kannur because it is the Chief Minister`s home district."



As part of the `padyatra`, Shah will on October 5 walk past the home of Chief Minister Vijayan in Kannur, as a mark of protest against the ruling CPI-M`s "political violence" and also against growing jehadi terrorism.
New Delhi: Popular television actress Divyanka Tripathi is known for speaking her mind without mincing any words. Recently, she took to the micro-blogging site and blasted Jet Airways for a delayed flight.

The actress was reportedly returning from her Navratri celebrations tour along with her husband Vivek Dahiya and that's when the delay happened. She fumed over it on Twitter and urged the Airlines to not make any difference in treatment when dealing with common man and celebrities respectively.

Jet Airways replied to her tweets as well. Check the series of Twitter conversation here:

@JetAirways 100people waiting on set.Stranded w/o makeup,have to resume work and yr staff looks casual!

Expected prompt action.Respect lost! October 1, 2017

We got to know only after WE approached them after waiting for half hour like fools. No respect for passengers' time @JetAirways.  Divyanka T Dahiya (@Divyanka_T) October 1, 2017

Hi Divyanka, We've shared this with our team and they will get in touch with you soon.  Jet Airways (@jetairways) October 1, 2017

I wish this was done irrespective of passenger's social status. Must respect time. We all have a life far more important post deboarding. https://t.co/8Cz2hMzVwZ  Divyanka T Dahiya (@Divyanka_T) October 1, 2017

Divyanka is currently seen on famous daily soap Yeh Hai Mohabbatein along with actor-hubby Vivek.
Mumbai: The Hrithik Roshan Kangana Ranaut legal battle which began last year is getting murkier by the day. Just when we thought that the dust had settled and the infamous spat had ended for good, Kangana made shocking revelations about her turbulent past while promoting her film Simran a few weeks back.

The actress who hails from Himachal had made explosive statements against Hrithik Roshan and Aditya Pancholi during interviews while promoting her film. While Hrithik chose to maintain stoic silence, Pancholi hit back at Kangana. Reports even suggested that Pancholi and his wife had filed a defamation case against her.

And now theres a new twist to the tale involving Hrithik Roshan.

According to a report in dnaindia.com, originally attributed to Republic, a copy of the 29-page complaint filed by Roshans advocate Mahesh Jethmalani has surfaced.

The complaint alleges that Kangana was 'delusional' about her relationship with Hrithik and referred to him as her 'eternal lover'. It also alleged that Kangana had been 'trying to lure' Hrithik into 'emotional and physical relationship' saying that she had 'travelled millions of years for Hrithik'.

According to dnaindia.com report, Kangana's lawyer Mr Rizwaan Siddiqui has issued a statement to after a copy of Hrithik's complaint reportedly filed on April 8, 2017, was made public.

The statement reads: It is quite surprising to note that some electronic news channel is trying to create a media feeding frenzy, concerning an old police complaint which was filed by Mr. Hrithik Roshan sometime early in the year 2016, to miserably create a fresh story and get TRPs for their channel. Be as it may, I want to clarify to other electronic media channels and other print publications that the said old police complaint concerning an imposter, which was filed by Mr. Hrithik Roshan has been dealt with by my client, as per the legal procedure provided. Also, all others should not get confused by the random and out of context questions that may be miserably raised by the channel for obvious reasons. All answers to the questions are available on public platform since early 2016 and it is not prudent on the part of my client to repeat the same things all over again. If Mr. Hrithik really wants to clear his name then he has to simply answer the questions which were publicly put to him at that stage. The said unanswered questions are also available on public domain since April 2016.
New Delhi: Piramal Group firm Piramal Realty on Tuesday said it will acquire 3.2 acres of land in Mumbai from Nirmal Lifestyles for Rs 153 crore.

This land parcel is located next to its existing housing project 'Piramal Revanta' at Mulund in Mumbai, the company said in a statement.

Piramal group Executive Director Anand Piramal said: "At Piramal Realty, we are committed to enhancing the value proposition for our customers."

This strategic land acquisition would significantly benefit existing and potential customers, he added.

Piramal Realty will invest an estimated Rs 1,800 crore in the Piramal Revanta project.

The company has awarded the construction contract for the project to global construction major Eversendai.

Eversendai is best known for its work on Dubai's Burj Khalifa, Malaysia's Petronas Towers and Qatar's Olympic stadium, the statement said.

Piramal Realty is the real estate development arm of the Piramal Group.

Recently, Goldman Sachs and Warburg Pincus, two international equity partners, have invested about USD 434 million in the company at the entity level.

The Piramal Group has presence in many sectors like pharma, financial services, information management, glass packaging and real estate. It is founded by Ajay Piramal and has a market value in excess of USD 9.5 billion.

Nirmal Lifestyles Ltd is also engaged in real estate business and has projects in Mumbai.
Five dissent leaders of RJP-N join hands with UML

Five dissident leaders of the Rastriya Janata Party-Nepal (RJP-N) have quit the party to forge a political alliance with the CPN-UML.
New Delhi: The TTV Dhinakaran faction of the AIADMK on Tuesday petitioned the Election Commission seeking cross-examination of some of the rival faction leaders before it begins final hearing in the `Two Leaves` symbol dispute on Friday.



Counsel for the faction Raja Sendoorpandi, who filed some additional affidavits before the Commission on Tuesday, told reporters later that they expected the Commission to allow their plea as it was functioning as a tribunal in quasi-judicial proceedings.



The Commission, which is hearing the original petition filed by Madhusudhan, leader of the O Panneerselvam faction, against VK Sasikala, who was elected General Secretary following the death of J Jayalalithaa, will take up the case on October 6.



The case took a curious turn after the Panneerselvam faction and the faction headed by Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami merged early last month and decided to remove Sasikala and Dinakaran from the posts of General Secretary and Deputy General Secretary respectively.



Sendoorpandi said, in all, the faction has filed 2,140 documents before the Commission including 30 volumes on Tuesday that covered affidavits of office bearers and General Council members of the remaining 30 remaining party districts apart from those belonging to the Karnataka unit and some MPs.



Sendoorpandi refused to disclose details of those who filed the affidavits on the ground that they may come under compulsion or force from the rival camp if the names are made public.



He said they have told the Commission that there was need for cross-examining members of the rival side because they had given sworn statements earlier saying something, and now filed another set of documents saying something else.



"We are of the view that they may have filed the fresh documents under pressure, compulsion by cheating by the rival camp," the counsel contended.



He also said drew attention of the Commission to the hearing fixed on Wednesday by the Madras High Court on the petition filed by 18 MLAs owing allegiance to Dinakaran against their disqualification by the Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker. The court had asked the Commission not to hold by elections to those constituencies pending disposal of the case by it.
New Delhi: India has a talented workforce and access to all the tools to safeguard its systems against data breaches, yet the country is unprepared to handle a massive cyber attack like `WannaCrypt` or `Petya,` a top executive from global IT security firm Sophos has said.



"India has well-trained, well-educated and capable IT people. The country has got access to all the tools it needs to secure its systems. Yet, in the case of a big cyber attack, India is still unprepared," John Shier, Senior Security Expert at the Abingdon, UK-headquartered Sophos, told IANS in an interview.



"It is the time to look at the procedures and make sure they are implemented to secure the data. Firstly, it is needed to see that the things are done. Secondly, it needs to be checked if the things are done correctly and thirdly, test it repeatedly to makes sure what has been done is done right," Shier noted.



According to a recent IBM study conducted by Ponemon Institute, while the average cost of a data breach in 2017 saw a 10 per cent decline globally when compared to 2016, for the Indian enterprises, it grew 12.3 per cent from Rs 97.3 million in 2016 to Rs 110 million in 2017.



Malicious or criminal attacks were the cause of data breach for 41 per cent of companies surveyed. Nearly 33 per cent experienced a data breach as a result of system glitches and 26 per cent breaches involved employee or contractor negligence.



According to Shier, while you cannot entirely eliminate cyber risks, you can reduce it to a very low level if you have well-configured security measures to check the intrusion.



"The systems that are being compromised by cyber attackers are owing to the poor security of the system itself or the protections around it," he said.



The systems are generally protected by software and firewalls to restrict the intrusion.



"Companies have the necessary attack deterrents but they forget to configure them in certain ways to block the attack, resulting in improperly-secured devices," Shier explained.



He said that most companies are securing their data with security software and hardware in a correct manner but it is the human factor that, at times, makes cyber attacks a success.



"Sometimes, the criminals send an email to an employee who acts upon it. That gives the cyber attackers the first foothold in the company and from there, the criminals are able to move around the systems in the company," the executive pointed out.



Shier said that most of the times, humans are very carefully intertwined in a cyberattack.



"Since the unwanted entry is blocked, criminals steal authorised credentials of employees by sending them emails who act upon it. In this way, the criminal who was blocked from entering the system illegally, has legal access to a company`s system," he noted.



Our lackadaisical approach also makes us vulnerable to data hacking.



"In the WannaCrypt ransomware attack case, systems were compromised due to a missing patch. The patch was already available two months before the cyber attack happened," Shier said.



Hackers normally use the loopholes present in the security system.



"Cyber criminals find weak spot to get into the systems. It is not necessary that these criminals send an emaill; it might be a phone call or a physical visit to the company. They might visit the office for reconnaissance. They carry a ladder or a clipboard and pose as a worker," Shier told IANS.



Hackers build a "crack" around the protective measure and come up with new tactics to enter into systems but companies today are fairly well prepared for the attack.



"If we are well prepared for the attacks with fully functional and well-tuned security layers, then we can deflect a lot of attacks. Doing the basics right helps cybersecurity companies stay one step ahead of the criminals," Shier said.
San Francisco: Facebook-owned instant messaging platform WhatsApp has released a beta version of a new emoji set for Android OS that appears quite similar to Apple`s designs.



Apart from Apple, Facebook and Twitter have their own custom emoji set within the app.



"At a glance these could be confused for Apple`s own emojis. Side-by-side the differences are clear for some emojis, but others are very close to what Apple displays," a blog on post on Emojipedia said on Monday.



WhatsApp was first to implement the middle finger emoji and briefly added an emoji for the Olympic Rings.



The blog said that with this beta release, WhatsApp was ahead of iOS native emoji support. Since this is only a beta version, these emojis might change before public release or not even make a public release.



In July, WhatsApp announced that it has a billion users who send messages on it daily.



WhatsApp also said that users send 55 billion messages per day, 4.5 billion photos and 1 billion videos, has 1.3 billion monthly active users and 60 languages are supported on the platform.
Lucknow: Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday slammed Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for not including the iconic monument of love - Taj Mahal  in a new booklet released to mark the completion of his government's six months in power.

"Andher nagri, chaupat raja," the Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi tweeted while reacting to the development.

"Sooraj ko deepak na dikhane se uski chamak nahi ghatti! Aise hi raaj ke liye Bhartendu ne likha thha: 'Andher nagri, chaupat raja'', the Gandhi scion posted on Twitter today.

         !         , ' ,  '!https://t.co/4Mrq6Aevue  Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) October 3, 2017

The reactions from the young Congress leader came hours after the brochure was released by Tourism Minister Rita Bahuguna.

While the UP Government booklet catalogues tourist destinations like the temple in Gorakhpur, it has no mention of Taj Mahal  one of the seven wonders of the world.

The Tourism Department booklet also outlines plans for new attractions like a tour of monuments and locations central to the Ramayana.

However, in view of the controversy regarding the Taj Mahal, the UP State Tourism Ministry issued a press release detailing a number of projects it had initiated for the historical monument and areas around it.

An official release said that the UP Government had proposed a slew of tourism projects worth Rs 370 crore, around half of which is meant for the Taj Mahal and its surrounding areas.

"Tourism projects worth Rs 370 crore are proposed, under which schemes worth Rs 156 crore are meant for the Taj Mahal and its surrounding areas in Agra," the release read.

The proposal for the projects have been prepared in consultation with the World Bank and submitted to the Union government for approval, which is expected within the next three months, the release read.

(With PTI inputs)
Hong Kong: A 1,000-year-old bowl from China`s Song Dynasty sold at auction for $37.7 million on Tuesday, breaking the record for Chinese porcelain, auction house Sotheby`s said.

The small piece -- which dates from 960-1127 -- broke the previous record of $36.05 million set in 2014 for a Ming Dynasty wine cup which was sold to a Shanghai tycoon.

Bidding started at around $10.2 million and the auction lasted for 20 minutes before the winning offer came from a phone bidder.

The bowl -- originally designed to wash brushes -- is an example of extremely rare Chinese porcelain from the imperial court of the Northern Song Dynasty and one of only four pieces in private hands, according to Sotheby`s.

Measuring 13cm in diameter, the dish features a luminous blue glaze.

The sale broke the "world auction record for any Chinese ceramics", the auction house announced after the bidding.

It exceeded an earlier record made by a tiny white porcelain cup, decorated with a colour painting of a rooster and a hen tending to their chicks, created during the reign of the Chenghua Emperor between 1465 and 1487.

The cup sold in 2014 to taxi-driver-turned-financier Liu Yiqian, one of China`s wealthiest people and among a new class of Chinese super-rich scouring the globe for artwork.
Baghdad: Up to 78,000 people could be trapped in Islamic State-held Hawija in northern Iraq, the United Nations said on Tuesday, as security forces push to recapture the town.

Iraq started an offensive on Sept. 21 to seize Hawija, which fell to the hands of militants after the Iraqi army collapsed in 2014 in the face of the Islamic State offensive and remains the last militant-held town in the country's north.

U.N. humanitarian spokesman Jens Laerke said the number of people who have fled the fighting has increased from 7,000 people during the first week of the operation to some 12,500 people now. But up to 78,000 remain trapped, he said.

Iraqi security officials say the militants prevent some residents from leaving, while others are afraid of escaping towards government forces because of the explosives that might have been laid by Islamic State around the town.

"We remain concerned for the lives and well-being of these vulnerable civilians and remind those doing the fighting that civilians must be protected at all times and allowed to safely leave Hawija," Laerke said.

Laerke said more people were expected to flee the fighting in areas around Hawija in the next 24 to 48 hours as security forces push into more densely populated areas.

Hawija, north of Baghdad, and a stretch of land along the Syrian border, west of the Iraqi capital, are the last stretches of territory in Iraq still in the hands of Islamic State.
LAS VEGAS: President Donald Trump condemned the massacre of at least 59 Las Vegas concert goers as an "act of pure evil" Monday, but refrained from addressing calls for gun control or the motives for the worst mass shooting in recent US history.

Delivering televised remarks, Trump tried to offer consolation and called for unity -- an act that has become a grim rite of passage for modern US presidents.

Barack Obama wept as he tried to soothe the nation after the 2012 Sandy Hook primary school shooting, George W. Bush told Americans that the "nation grieves" after a similar outrage at Virginia Tech university.

Trump ordered that flags be flown at half-staff until sunset Friday, offered prayers for the victims and announced he would visit Las Vegas on Wednesday.

Later, he led White House staff on the South Lawn for a moment of silence.

"In moments of tragedy and horror, America comes together as one -- and it always has," Trump said.

Police have identified the gunman behind the Sunday night massacre -- which injured more than 500 people -- as a 64-year-old former accountant named Stephen Craig Paddock, who killed himself before a SWAT team breached his 32nd floor hotel room.

Investigators recovered at least 16 guns, including assault rifles, from Paddock`s room at the Mandalay Bay, and another 18 firearms along with bomb-making materials at one of his two homes.

Officials have reacted cautiously to an Islamic State group claim that Paddock was a "soldier of the caliphate" but while his motive remained unclear, the shooting instantly rekindled the divisive national debate on gun control.

White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said that now was not the time for politics, a tactic frequently used by gun advocates to diffuse public outrage.

"There`s a time and place for a political debate, but now is the time to unite as a country," said Sanders.

Trump insisted, "our unity cannot be shattered by evil. Our bonds cannot be broken by violence."

But in the immediate aftermath of the shooting, that unity was difficult to find.

Trump`s vanquished election rival Hillary Clinton hit out at the gun manufacturers lobby -- the National Rifle Association -- which has backed a congressional push to make it easier to obtain a gun silencer.

"The crowd fled at the sound of gunshots. Imagine the deaths if the shooter had a silencer," tweeted Clinton, whose Democratic Party has tried in vain to introduce lasting gun control measures.

"Our grief isn`t enough. We can and must put politics aside, stand up to the NRA, and work together to try to stop this from happening again."

There have already been over 270 mass shootings in the United States this year alone, according to www.massshootingtracker.org, although the exact definition is contested.

Gun violence accounts for more than 33,000 deaths each year in the United States, and according to the latest Gallup poll, 55 percent of American voters would like to see stricter rules for buying guns.

But the issue is highly sensitive and Trump`s own views have changed markedly over his years in public life.

After the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, where 20 six and seven-year old children and six adults were mowed down by a disturbed 20-year-old, Trump appeared to favor stricter rules.

Back then, his predecessor Obama -- who often called Sandy Hook the worst moment of his eight year presidency -- called for the deadlock to be broken and for Congress to act.

At that time Trump tweeted: "President Obama spoke for me and every American in his remarks in #Newtown Connecticut."

But since then Trump -- whose White House bid was endorsed by the NRA -- has positioned himself as a defender of the constitutional "right to keep and bear arms."

The NRA donated an estimated $30 million to Trump`s campaign in 2016, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

US Senator Chris Murphy, who was the congressman for Sandy Hook, renewed a call for action in the wake of the Las Vegas attack.

"This must stop. It is positively infuriating that my colleagues in Congress are so afraid of the gun industry that they pretend there aren`t public policy responses to this epidemic," he said.
Paris: French lawmakers will vote Tuesday on a tough new counter-terrorism law designed to end the country`s two-year state of emergency, though critics say it will expand police powers at a cost to civil liberties.

The vote follows a string of attacks in France since 2015 and comes just two days after more bloodshed, in the southern port city of Marseille when a suspected Islamist knifeman killed two women.

While Interior Minister Gerard Collomb has defended the bill as a "lasting response to a lasting threat", it has come under fire from the French left and human rights groups.

"What makes us angry is that it`s a state of emergency that would become permanent and roll back our freedoms," Christine Lazerges, the head of the National Consultative Committee on Human Rights, a state body, said last week.

The law, designed to replace the state of emergency that France has been under since attacks in Paris in November 2015, would come into force on November 1 if approved by both houses of parliament.

The lower house will vote Tuesday on the bill, which would give authorities the power to place people under house arrest, order house searches and ban public gatherings without the prior approval of a judge.

The state of emergency was meant to be temporary but has been extended six times in order to protect major sporting and cultural events, as well as this year`s presidential and general elections.

The vote comes after a knifeman stabbed two women to death on Sunday at the main train station in Marseille shouting "Allahu Akbar" ("God is greatest"). He was shot and killed by soldiers.

The stabbings bring to 241 the number of people killed in jihadist attacks in France since January 2015, while Collomb said last month that 12 planned attacks had been foiled so far this year.

In an environment of widespread fear about Islamist violence, extensions of the state of emergency have met with little public opposition, and surveys suggest most French people back the changes.About 57 percent of respondents to a recent Fiducial/Odoxa poll said they were in favour of the bill, with 89 percent saying it would improve security -- even though 62 percent said it would undermine their freedoms.

Critics of the new law have been limited largely to leftist politicians and human rights groups, though UN experts also raised objections in a letter to the French government last week.

"Gradually our public freedoms... are being eroded," said lawmaker Alexis Corbiere of the hard-left France Unbowed party last week.

But some lawmakers from the rightwing Republicans party as well as Marine Le Pen, leader of the far-right National Front, have said the bill does not go far enough.

Macron, whose centrist party has a comfortable parliamentary majority, has promised that the legislation, which was approved by the Senate in July, will be reviewed in 2020.
Gulariya under curfew after clash

A Hindu-Muslim clash at Lalpur area of Gulariya Municipality in Bardiya prompted the authorities to clamp a curfew on Monday.
LAS VEGAS: The death toll from the deadliest mass shooting in US history has risen to 59 as officials reacted cautiously to an Islamic State claim of responsibility for the massacre at a concert on the Las Vegas Strip.

527 people were also injured when a gunman opened fire on concert-goers Sunday night in Las Vegas.

Here`s what we know about the shooting so far:

1. A crowd of more than 22,000 people were listening to country music star Jason Aldean at the Route 91 Harvest Festival when bursts of automatic gunfire erupted around 10:08 pm (0508 GMT).

2. Police said the lone shooter opened fire with multiple weapons on concert-goers from his 32nd floor room at the Mandalay Bay hotel-casino across the street on the famed Las Vegas Strip.

3. The sole suspect in the shooting, the 64-year-old Stephen Paddock killed himself in his hotel room as a police SWAT team was about to break in.

4. Police recovered at least 16 rifles from his room, and later found a weapons cache including over 18 firearms, explosives and several thousand rounds of ammo at his home in Mesquite.

5. A former accountant and a licensed private pilot, police said Paddock had had no known brushes with the law. Eric Paddock, the gunman`s elder brother, told local media he could not fathom what motivated him. Paddock regularly played high-stakes video poker but was wealthy and had "no religious affiliation, no political affiliation," the brother said.

6. The Islamic State group, without providing evidence, claimed that Paddock was one of its "soldiers", who went by the nom de guerre Abu Abdel Bar al-Amriki - "The American". He converted to Islam several months ago, the group said.

7. The FBI said it had found no such connection so far, and the local sheriff described him as a lone "psychopath".

8. In a televised address, US President Trump described the massacre as an "act of pure evil" but said it would not shatter the nation`s "unity." However, Trump refrained from addressing the unproven IS claim of responsibility or calls for gun control and the White House said it would be "premature" to reopen the US debate on tighter gun restrictions.

9. Trump led White House staff and senior US officials in a moment of silence on the South Lawn of the White House, and announced he would visit Las Vegas on Wednesday.

10. The toll could yet rise but the Las Vegas Strip shooting is already the deadliest ever in the United States, exceeding the toll of 49 killed at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida in June 2016.

(With AFP inputs)
Nevada: Investigators were desperately trying to establish the motive of a retired accountant who killed at least 59 people and wounded more than 500 after amassing a weapons cache in a hotel room and opening fire on the Las Vegas strip.

As America grappled with the deadliest mass shooting in its history, officials reacted cautiously to an Islamic State claim that Stephen Craig Paddock, 64, had carried out Sunday night`s massacre on behalf of the jihadist group.

Police said Paddock, who had no criminal record, smashed windows in his 32nd floor hotel room shortly after 10:00 pm on Sunday and trained bursts of automatic weapons fire on thousands of people attending a country music concert below on the strip.

In video footage of the massacre broadcast on CNN, the rattle of long, sustained gunfire is heard as people scream and scurry for cover. At first they did not not know where the shots were coming from.

"We saw bodies down. We didn`t know if they had fallen or had been shot," said Ralph Rodriguez, an IT consultant from the Pomona Valley, near Los Angeles, who was at the concert with a group of friends.

"People started grabbing their loved-ones and just strangers, and trying to help them get out of the way," Rodriguez said.

The Islamic State group claimed that Paddock was one of its "soldiers" but the FBI said it had found no such connection so far and the local sheriff described him as a lone "psychopath."

Sheriff Joseph Lombardo said Paddock fired through the door of his hotel room and hit a security guard in the leg.

But when a SWAT team stormed the room where Paddock had been staying since September 28, they found he had killed himself.

A total of 23 firearms including automatic weapons were found in the hotel room, he said.

A search of Paddock`s house in Mesquite, Nevada, 80 miles (130 kilometers) northeast of Las Vegas, recovered 19 additional firearms, some explosives and several thousand rounds of ammo.

Lombardo said investigators had discovered several pounds of an explosive called tannerite in the Mesquite home, as well as ammonium nitrate, a type of fertilizer, in the gunman`s car.

He said the latest death toll was 59, while 527 people had been injured.The motive of the massacre was not yet known, he said.

"We`re hunting down and tracing down every single clue that we can get on his background," the sheriff said at a late-night briefing.

Lombardo said the authorities had found no manifesto or anything else to explain Paddock`s actions.

"This individual is a lone wolf and I don`t know how it could have been prevented," he said earlier in the day. "I can`t get into the mind of a psychopath at this point."

President Donald Trump denounced what he called "an act of pure evil" and said he would visit Las Vegas on Wednesday.

But the White House pushed back at calls to reopen the US debate on tighter gun controls.

"A motive is yet to be determined and it would be premature for us to discuss policy when we don`t fully know all of the facts or what took place last night," Trump`s spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said.

Lombardo said Paddock had apparently used some kind of hammer to smash the window of his hotel room before opening fire on the concert crowd of some 22,000 people.

IS described him as a "soldier of the caliphate," saying he converted to Islam several months ago and went by the nom de guerre Abu Abdel Bar al-Amriki -- "The American."

The group provided no evidence to back up its claims and the Federal Bureau of Investigation said it had found no such link so far.

"We have determined to this point no connection with an international terrorist group," FBI special agent Aaron Rouse said.

CIA spokesman Jonathan Liu said "the Intelligence Community is aware of the claim of responsibility by a foreign terrorist organization."

"We advise caution on jumping to conclusions before the facts are in," Liu said.

Paddock, according to his brother, was a high-stakes gambler and their bank-robber father was once on the FBI`s 10 Most Wanted list.

But Eric Paddock stressed that his brother led an otherwise normal life, doting on their mother.

"He liked to play video poker. He went on cruises. He sent his mother cookies," he said.

"We`re trying to understand what happened," his brother said. "We`re lost."

Paddock had "no religious affiliation, no political affiliation" and was "not an avid gun guy at all," his brother added.Witnesses said Paddock opened fire with an initial long burst of gunfire, and appeared to reload as he continued his spree.

Robert Hayes, a Los Angeles firefighter who was at the concert, said he first thought the shots were some kind of equipment malfunction.

Once he realized what was going on, he joined the first responders, donning one of their vests.

"It was pretty much like a war scene inside," Hayes said, as emergency crews used tables and metal guard railings as makeshift stretchers.

The Las Vegas attack is the deadliest shooting in modern US history, exceeding the toll of 49 dead in an attack on the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida in June 2016.

It was also the latest in a series of deadly attacks at concert venues.

Twenty-two people were killed after an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester, England in May when a suicide bomber detonated a nail bomb in the foyer.

Ninety people were killed in November 2015 at the Bataclan theater in Paris during a concert by US band the Eagles of Death Metal.

Pope Francis said he was "deeply saddened" by the "senseless tragedy" in Las Vegas, Britain`s Queen Elizabeth II offered her "thoughts and prayers" and Russian President Vladimir Putin wrote Trump to voice condolences over the "shocking" crime.
Police recovered a huge cache of guns and explosives Monday from the Las Vegas hotel room and home of the man accused of killing at least 59 people and injuring over 500 in the deadliest mass shooting in US history.

US officials reacted cautiously meanwhile to an Islamic State claim that Stephen Craig Paddock, 64, had carried out Sunday night`s massacre on the Las Vegas Strip on behalf of the jihadist group.

Police said Paddock, a retired accountant with no criminal record, smashed windows in his 32nd floor hotel room shortly after 10:00 pm and trained bursts of automatic weapons fire on thousands of people attending a country music concert below.

Investigators recovered at least 16 guns, including assault rifles, from Paddock`s room at the Mandalay Bay hotel, and another 18 firearms along with bomb-making materials at one of his two homes.

Country music star Jason Aldean rushed off stage when the shooting began, and concert-goers scattered in panic, frantically seeking cover as bullets rained down from above.

"We saw bodies down. We didn`t know if they had fallen or had been shot," said Ralph Rodriguez, an IT consultant from the Pomona Valley, near Los Angeles, who was at the concert with a group of friends.

"People started grabbing their loved-ones and just strangers, and trying to help them get out of the way," Rodriguez said.

The Islamic State group claimed that Paddock was one of its "soldiers" but the FBI said it had found no such connection so far and the local sheriff described him as a lone "psychopath."

Police said Paddock killed himself before a SWAT team breached his hotel room overlooking the country music venue.

Sheriff Joseph Lombardo said a security guard was shot in the leg as officers stormed the room where Paddock had been staying since September 28.

He said a search of Paddock`s house in Mesquite, Nevada, 80 miles (130 kilometers) northeast of Las Vegas, recovered "in excess of 18 additional firearms, some explosives and several thousand rounds of ammo."

Lombardo said investigators had discovered several pounds of an explosive called tannerite in the Mesquite home, as well as ammonium nitrate, a type of fertilizer, in the gunman`s car.

The sheriff said the death toll had risen to 59, while 527 people had been injured.Lombardo said the authorities had found no manifesto or anything else to explain Paddock`s actions.

"This individual is a lone wolf and I don`t know how it could have been prevented," he said. "I can`t get into the mind of a psychopath at this point."

President Donald Trump denounced what he called "an act of pure evil" and said he would visit Las Vegas on Wednesday.

But the White House pushed back at calls to reopen the US debate on tighter gun controls.

"A motive is yet to be determined and it would be premature for us to discuss policy when we don`t fully know all of the facts or what took place last night," Trump`s spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said.

Lombardo said Paddock had apparently used some kind of hammer to smash the window of his hotel room before opening fire on the concert crowd of some 22,000 people.

IS described him as a "soldier of the caliphate," saying he converted to Islam several months ago and went by the nom de guerre Abu Abdel Bar al-Amriki -- "The American."

The group provided no evidence to back up its claims and the Federal Bureau of Investigation said it had found no such link so far.

"We have determined to this point no connection with an international terrorist group," FBI special agent Aaron Rouse said.

CIA spokesman Jonathan Liu said "the Intelligence Community is aware of the claim of responsibility by a foreign terrorist organization."

"We advise caution on jumping to conclusions before the facts are in," Liu said.

Paddock, according to his brother, was a high-stakes gambler and their bank-robber father was once on the FBI`s 10 Most Wanted list.

But Eric Paddock stressed that his brother led an otherwise normal life, doting on their mother.

"He liked to play video poker. He went on cruises. He sent his mother cookies," he said.

"We`re trying to understand what happened," his brother said. "We`re lost."

Paddock had "no religious affiliation, no political affiliation" and was "not an avid gun guy at all," his brother added.

Paddock`s girlfriend, a 62-year-old Asian woman named Marilou Danley, was out of the country at the time of the shooting. Lombardo said she had been located in Tokyo, and would be questioned upon her return.Witnesses said Paddock opened fire with an initial long burst of gunfire, and appeared to reload as he continued his spree.

Robert Hayes, a Los Angeles firefighter who was at the concert, said he first thought the shots were some kind of equipment malfunction.

Once he realized what was going on, he joined the first responders, donning one of their vests.

"It was pretty much like a war scene inside," Hayes said, as emergency crews used tables and metal guard railings as makeshift stretchers.

The Las Vegas attack is the deadliest shooting in recent US history, exceeding the toll of 49 dead in an attack on the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida in June 2016.

It was also the latest in a series of deadly attacks at concert venues.

Twenty-two people were killed after an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester, England in May when a suicide bomber detonated a nail bomb in the foyer.

Ninety people were killed in November 2015 at the Bataclan in Paris during a concert by US band the Eagles of Death Metal.

Pope Francis said he was "deeply saddened" by the "senseless tragedy" in Las Vegas, Britain`s Queen Elizabeth II offered her "thoughts and prayers" and Russian President Vladimir Putin wrote Trump to voice condolences over the "shocking" crime.
SYDNEY: Australia`s Bureau of Statistics said on Tuesday 9.2 million people, or 57.5 percent of eligible voters, have cast their votes in a ballot on whether same-sex marriage should be legalised.

Australians began voting last month in the non-binding poll, conducted by post, to inform the government on whether voters wanted Australia to become the 25th nation to permit same-sex marriage. The results of the poll will be declared on Nov. 15.

The first official update suggests a high turnout is likely despite the ballot being non-compulsory.

Turnout levels will go a long way in determining whether Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull can finally resolve a topic that has dogged his tenure as leader and threatened to split his centre-right government along ideological grounds.

Low turnout would have seen the issue continue to dominate the political discourse whatever the result, underpinned by questions of legitimacy in a country used to compulsory voting.

The first official update on the progress of the same-sex marriage survey comes just a day after a Sky News ReachTel poll showed the `yes` vote on track for a comprehensive victory.

More than 64 percent of those surveyed have sent back their ballot and voted `yes`, the poll showed, with a further six percent planning to support same-sex marriage.

A widespread victory may do little, however, to heal a divided the nation of 24 million people, which has split along religious and generational lines and at times has threatened to turn nasty, prompting parliament to strengthen laws preventing hate-speech.
Islamabad: Nawaz Sharif was on Tuesday re-elected as the president of the ruling PML-N, allowing the ousted Pakistan prime minister to stage a political comeback with "full force".

Sharif soon after his re-election as the chief of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) demanded that those who disqualified him should respect the people's mandate and democracy.

Sharif, 67, had to step down as PML-N chief after he was disqualified as the prime minister by the Supreme Court on July 28 in the Panama Papers scandal.

Addressing a gathering of party members at the Convention Centre here, Sharif said his supporters kept re-electing him to power despite his ousters from the office.

He said the party members knew the reasons behind his disqualification as prime minister.

The PML-N yesterday took full advantage of its position as the ruling party as President Mamnoon Hussain signed the controversial Election Act 2017 into law hours after it was bulldozed through the National Assembly amid pandemonium on the opposition benches, the Dawn reported.

Under The Representation of Peoples Act 1976, a disqualified person could not hold office of a party.

The law was passed to allow the party to re-elect Sharif as its head, on the eve of a party convention called for the express purpose of electing Sharif to the post.

Sharif in his address to his supporters, thanked the people for repealing the law which barred disqualified politicians from holding office in a party.

He said former president Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf had reinstated this law after Ayub khan first introduced it.

"I would like to thank the people for throwing this law back at their faces," he said.

Sharif said he had been disqualified for "not receiving salary from his son", but the violation of the Constitution by four dictators during the country's history was declared legal.

"When no justification was found for their unconstitutional steps, the Doctrine of Necessity was invented," he said, adding that he wishes a doctrine of necessity was also created for respect of people's mandate and democracy.

"I am warning you today, if we do not try to change the situation, Pakistan will not forgive us."

Sharif applauded the political parties for adopting the Election Reforms bills.

"I congratulate that you?re bringing Nawaz Sharif back with full force," he said.

Sharif said he has proposed a grand national dialogue to focus on restoring the people's mandate as "only those should govern who the people vote for."

"The people will decide through their vote [in general elections of 2018] who is qualified and who is unqualified," he said.

Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi termed Sharif's return as party president a "historic day".

The premier said he is proud to be among the few people who witnessed the moment Sharif took his place as the party chairman for the first time.

Earlier, PML-N leader Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry submitted Sharif's papers for party president in the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) while no one other candidate from the party contested the election.

Minister of State Talal Chaudhry told the media that Sharif will remain chief of PML-N. "He will also become Prime Minister of the country. Sharif cannot be removed from politics through conspiracies,'' he said.

The election of party president is a requirement by Election Commission of Pakistan that already last month issued notice to PML-N for failing to choose permanent successor of Sharif.

Sharif's election has temporarily healed the rifts within the party which appeared on the verge of defections after his ouster.

But Sharif's fate as party president still hangs in balance as Pakistan Awami Tehreek party has challenged the new law in the Lahore High Court, while Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and other parties have announced to challenge it in the Supreme Court.

Opposition parties allege that the new law was "Sharif- specific" to allow him to return to politics.



They also content that the law is against the spirit of the Constitution.
Gaza: Palestinian Authority (PA) Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah has pledged to end a decade-long split between the Islamist Hamas Movement of Gaza and his West Bank-based government during a cabinet meeting in Gaza, which was held for the first time since 2014.

"We are here to turn the page on division, restore the national project to its correct direction and establish the Palestinian state," he said."We will undertake our responsibilities in administrating the affairs of all sectors of the southern provinces in consensus and complete partnership with the Palestinian factions and forces," Jerusalem Post quoted Hamdallah as saying during the cabinet meeting.

The latest development is a major step towards reconciliation with Hamas and simultaneously ending the territorial division between the West Bank and Gaza.

"I urge everyone without exception to embrace the leadership, reconciliation and national unity and to put our national interest above factional and party considerations and interests," he added.Hamdallah also called on Palestinians to unify around the Palestinian leadership and overcome factional differences.

He emphasized that reconciliation would encourage the international community to fund rebuilding Gaza as USD 5.4 billion has been pledged by the international community pledged to reconstruct the Strip in the aftermath of Operation Protective Edge in 2014.

The cabinet meeting was held at the official Gaza residence of Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas in the cabinet office.Hamas ousted the PA from Gaza after bloody street fighting in 2007, but finally agreed last month to its return, under pressure from the territory`s powerful neighbour Egypt.

Egyptian Intelligence Minister Khaled Fawzy will arrive in Gaza to meet with PA officials and Hamas leader Ismail Haniya on Thursday.Recently, Interpol, the international police organization, has voted to admit Palestine as a full member, thereby advancing the latter`s goal of statehood.

This development is a diplomatic blow to Israel, which has been opposing Palestine moves to join international bodies.About 75 countries voted in favour, with 24 voting against and 34 abstaining in a secret vote held during 86th Interpol General Assembly on Sept. 26-29 in Beijing.

"The State of Palestine and the Solomon Islands are now INTERPOL member countries," Interpol said on Twitter.

The Palestinian bid was part of a series of efforts to push for membership of international institutions and thereby advance the goal of statehood.
Paris: France`s interior minister said on Tuesday police had arrested a number of people after the discovery of an explosive device outside a residential building in Paris last weekend.

One of those arrested was "radicalised", he said, a likely reference to Islamist militancy.

Minister Gerard Collomb, speaking on public radio station France Inter, said the discovery of the device in the affluent 16th district of western Paris highlighted that France was as much as ever at risk of terrorist attacks.

"(Police) services are investigating," Collomb said. "What I can tell you is that among the people who were arrested, one was ... radicalised"

More than 230 people have been killed in attacks by Islamist militants over the past three years. The Islamic State militant group whose bases in Syria and Iraq are being bombed by French war planes has urged followers to attack France.

Soldiers shot a knifeman dead on Sunday after he killed two young women at a train station in the southern French port city of Marseille.

A judicial source said the explosive device found late last Friday night was made of four gas cannisters.

"We`ve foiled numerous attacks since the start of the year that would have involved many deaths," Collomb said. "We are still in a state of war."
COX`S BAZAR, Bangladesh (Reuters) - Rohingya Muslims in Bangladesh were sceptical on Tuesday about their chances of ever going home to Myanmar, even though the government there has given an assurance it would accept people verified as refugees.

More than half a million Rohingya have fled from a Myanmar military crackdown in Rakhine State launched in late August that has been denounced by the United Nations as ethnic cleansing and placed a huge burden on Bangladesh.

Myanmar denies ethnic cleansing, saying it is only fighting Rohingya terrorists who have claimed attacks on the security forces. The government has said anyone verified as a refugee from Myanmar will be allowed to return under a process agreed with Bangladesh in 1993.

Bangladesh and Myanmar agreed on Monday to work on a repatriation plan, and a Myanmar government spokesman confirmed it would go along with process, provided people could verify their status with paperwork.

But many refugees are scornful.

"Everything was burned, even people were burned," said a refugee who identified himself as Abdullah, dismissing the chances that people would have documents to prove a right to stay in Myanmar.

At the root of the problem is the refusal by Buddhist-majority Myanmar to grant citizenship to members of a Muslim minority seen by a mostly unsympathetic, if not hostile, society as interlopers from Bangladesh.

Though Myanmar has not granted Rohingya citizenship, under the 1993 procedure, it agreed to take back people who could prove they had been Myanmar residents.

But a day after Bangladesh and Myanmar announced apparent progress, a Bangladeshi foreign ministry official appeared resigned to a difficult process.

"This is still a long procedure," said the official, who declined to be identified as he was not authorised to speak to media.

There were already about 300,000 Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh before the latest exodus, but Myanmar had said it would only take back those who arrived after October 2016 - when a military offensive in response to Rohingya insurgent attacks sent 87,000 Rohingya fleeing to Bangladesh - "subject to verification", the official said.

"We said that many Rohingya refugees have no documents, so this process should be flexible. Myanmar said they will decide who will get involved in the verification," the official said, adding Bangladesh wanted international agencies to be involved.

Myanmar`s government spokesman said under the 1993 pact, even a hospital record was enough to prove residency, but it was only Myanmar, and not Bangladesh, that could verify citizenship.

"We have a policy for the repatriation process and we will go along with that policy," the spokesman, Zaw Htay, told Reuters.

`BREAK THEIR PROMISE`

But even if refugees had documents, many are wary about returning without an assurance of full citizenship, which they fear could leave them vulnerable to the persecution and curbs they have endured for years.

Amina Katu, 60, laughed at the thought of returning.

"If we go there, we`ll just have to come back here," she said. "If they give us our rights, we will go, but people did this before and they had to return."

Last month, Anwar Begum told Reuters she had now fled from Myanmar three times. The first time was to escape a 1978 crackdown, and she returned the following year. She fled again in 1991 and returned in 1994.

"I don`t want to go back," the 55-year-old added. "I don`t believe the government. Every time the government agrees we can go back, then we`re there and they break their promise."

Investigators appointed by Suu Kyi and led by former U.N. secretary-general Kofi Annan recommended in August that Myanmar review a 1982 law that links citizenship and ethnicity and leaves most Rohingya stateless.

Statelessness was at the root of the problem, U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi told a meeting in Geneva on Monday.

"Nowhere is the link between statelessness and displacement more evident than with the Rohingya community of Myanmar, for whom denial of citizenship is a key aspect of the discrimination and exclusion that have shaped their plight," he said.

Grandi also called for a two-track approach to tackle issues of citizenship and rights and inclusive development to stamp out poverty in Rakhine State.
Riyadh: Saudi Arabian King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud will visit Russia on Thursday at an invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Saudi Press Agency reported on Monday.



The two leaders will discuss bilateral relations and means to boost cooperation in various fields, in addition to reviewing regional as well as international issues of mutual interest.



The visit comes a month before members of the OPEC oil cartel, of which Saudi is the biggest producer, are due to meet with the other nations including Russia that have jointly cut crude output to extend the pact that has helped prop up prices.


CATALONIA: For or against independence, Catalans are reeling from police violence during an independence referendum banned by Madrid but far from locking horns with the Spanish government, they call for dialogue.

At the entrances to their offices, in front of press kiosks, in cafes and in queues at the market, the talk of the town in Barcelona is Sunday`s vote that was marred by police use of force.

Madrid was against the referendum and had long told Catalan separatist leaders they could not go ahead with it, but they did anyway.

Riot police moved in on polling stations in towns and cities across Catalonia to stop people from voting, in some cases baton-charging and firing rubber bullets to disperse crowds.Antoni Crespo, 85, chats to a friend at the University of Barcelona, where this retired shoemaker is studying for a masters in philosophy.

"I`m really pained, really sad, really anxious, really disillusioned, really concerned about what happened," Crespo, a supporter of independence, tells AFP.

Footage of police grabbing those who were preventing them from closing polling stations, dragging some by the hair or hitting them with batons have spread through the media and social networks.

According to regional authorities, close to 900 people received medical attention.

The interior ministry said close to 40 police agents also needed medical aid.

"This has hurt this country`s spirit, I don`t want to say it was a humiliation because that`s a very serious word... but we`re hurt, those in favour of the `yes` and those for the `no`," Crespo adds.

He was referring to the question of the referendum: "Do you want Catalonia to become an independent state in the form of a republic?"

"What happened yesterday has no name, it`s a disgrace," says Sergi Capell, 50, the boss of a design studio and communications agency, at the entrance to Barcelona`s Real Circulo Artistico, an arts institute where he is about to speak at a conference.

He was taking photos on the streets on Sunday, and while he says he isn`t for independence, he feels "indignation."

Some Catalans who weren`t thinking of voting in the referendum changed their mind when they saw how police acted.

It`s the case of Julia Mayayo, a 26-year-old nurse, who returned to Barcelona a week ago after three years working in Britain.

"I don`t believe in an independent Catalonia outside of the European Union," she says.

"Coming from England, from Brexit, it was like coming back and making the same mistake."

But on Sunday she saw her two sisters, 16 and 18, terrorised over the possibility that police could erupt into the polling stations where they were working as volunteers.

So she ended up going to vote.

Her friend Cristina Donate, a 26-year-old teacher, is pro-independence.

But she doesn`t think that what happened pits Catalans against other Spaniards, but against Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy`s executive.

"There have been lots of protests in the whole of Spain... many people support us," she says.

But "with these type of acts, (the Spanish government) shows that it doesn`t respect us, and doesn`t intend to," she adds as a helicopter hovered overhead, monitoring a nearby rally against the police violence.For Jordi Alberich, an economist, "it`s important to separate rejection of images of police acts... from what is a proposal for independence that impacts many generations."

"I think that more than ever, dialogue is very important."

Capell agrees.

"It would be very difficult for Europe to recognise a declaration of independence voted by two million people," he says, referring to the result of the referendum, in which regional authorities said 90 percent voted "yes" out of a turnout of just over 42 percent.

He adds that it would make things difficult for businessmen like himself.

"There must be mediation, the EU could be an option," he says.

Mayayo feels that Catalan President Carles Puigdemont needs to be "more clever than the others."

"Now that Europe is listening to him... he has to play his cards right."

As Crespo puts it -- "They have to talk, whether they like it or not," he says.

"Otherwise we will all lose. Them and us."
Hate unbound

The juggernaut of hatred in the name of faith is spreading. It is hounding the Rohingya Muslims as they flee Myanmar in various directions to escape ethnic cleansing.
The Supreme Court is set to examine Tuesday whether thousands of migrants subjected to lengthy detentions in immigration centers should have a right to a bond hearing.

The case already appeared in the US high court in November 2016, but the eight justices -- presumably deadlocked -- chose to defer hearing it until the current session, with the bench back at nine following the appointment of conservative Justice Neil Gorsuch.

Those challenging deportation after being arrested on the American border, or those arrested for a possibly deportable offense who choose to fight to stay, currently spend months or even years in detention.

It`s a situation considered unacceptable by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which supports a class action launched by Mexican Alejandro Rodriguez and other immigrants."It is amazing that for a citizen who is arrested for committing a crime gets a hearing within 48 hours, at which if, the government can`t demonstrate that this person affirmably poses a risk of flight or a danger to the community, he is out," said David Cole, ACLU National Legal Director.

"Yet for a foreigner, who has committed no crime, we detain them for six months without any hearing whatsoever."

Having arrived in the United States at a young age, Rodriguez was granted legal residence and worked as a dental assistant. But after he was arrested for driving a stolen vehicle and drug possession, authorities began deportation proceedings.

He spent over three years behind bars pending completion of removal proceedings, and was finally released after the ACLU filed a lawsuit. Rodriguez eventually won his fight to stay in the United States, according to the ACLU.

Asylum seekers face the same problem, among them Ahilan Nadarajah, who faced torture in his home country of Sri Lanka.

When he claimed asylum in 2001, authorities placed him in detention for four years and five months, his applications for release rejected time and time again. Eventually, he obtained

American citizenship.According to the ACLU, many people detained have strong arguments against deportation, and are not considered likely to disappear without a trace.

Judges seemed receptive to the ACLU`s arguments in November -- but doubtful about the prospect of introducing bond hearings for anyone who has been detained six months.

But for those involved, these prolonged detentions are no different from a prison sentence. Immigrants are made to wear prison clothes, subjected to the searches and surveillance expected of a prison, and can also be placed in isolation.

Meanwhile, family visits are limited to a conversation behind a scream or by video link.
Tata Motors announces a specially curated customer experience platform to introduce the new bold and sporty compact SUV, Nexon, named as Nexon Skill Arena (NSA), it will start from 7th to 8th October 2017 in Delhi. The Nexon Skill Arena, has been designed for experience of the power, versatility and other exceptional capabilities of the model and is an immersive product engagement experience for the Companys LEVEL NEX SUV  Nexon. The car has been scheduled to make its launch on 21st September and during the experience customers will also get the opportunity to book the bold and sporty SUV.

NSA will be held at Sector 29 Race Track, Gurgaon and will be attended by the companys existing and prospective customers. The arena comprises of four zones; Explore, Skills Arena, Fun and Test Drive. Each of these zones give customers an opportunity to get up-close with the Nexon and experience its capabilities.

Click here to read more about Tata Nexon!

Speaking on this, Mr Vivek Srivatsa, Head  Marketing, Passenger Vehicle Business Unit, Tata Motors said, Our 4th product on the companys Impact Design philosophy, the Tata Nexon brings global and contemporary design with best-in-class technology and features for the ones who would like to express themselves with a unique style of their own. With all class leading features under one hood, we are supremely confident about the performance and capabilities of the NEXON. And that is why, we have rolled out an exciting platform  NEXON Skill Arena to enable our customer to come and experience this dynamic SUV. Through such innovative formats, our focus is to help our customers touch, feel and experience the product which in turn would enhance the customer purchase experience and further strengthen the brand perception.

The Skill Arena will offer exciting obstacle courses like the alternate wheel balancing, slalom through traffic cones, parallel parking, driving on rumblers and tilted ramps. Each challenge has been designed to test the power, stability and the driving experience of the NEXON. This entire experience is gamified where customers get an opportunity to showcase their driving skills.

Under the hood, the Nexon compact SUV would be available in petrol as well as diesel guise. The petrol engine is a 1.2-litre 3-cylinder turbocharged petrol Revotron petrol engine that has the ability to churn out 108bhp of power and 170Nm of peak torque, while the diesel version of the car would get a 1.5-litre 4-cylinder turbocharged Revotorq engine, making 108bhp and 260Nm.
ATLANTAIn a "Dear Colleague" letter dated September 27, Dr. Eugene McCray, Director of the Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention for the National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, as well as Dr. Jonathan H. Mermin, Assistant Surgeon General, USPHS, both of the Centers for Disease Control, announced that "We ... have strong evidence of the prevention effectiveness of [antiretroviral therapy (ART)]. When ART results in viral suppression, defined as less than 200 copies/ml or undetectable levels, it prevents sexual HIV transmission."

"Across three different studies, including thousands of couples and many thousand acts of sex without a condom or pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), no HIV transmissions to an HIV-negative partner were observed when the HIV-positive person was virally suppressed," the letter continued. "This means that people who take ART daily as prescribed and achieve and maintain an undetectable viral load have effectively no risk of sexually transmitting the virus to an HIV-negative partner."

Although there has been not one single on-set HIV transmission among hetero adult performers over the past dozen-plus years, the possibility of such transmission remains worrisome to some performers, despite the industry's excellent STD/HIV testing program and the increasing use of the pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) drug Truvada. But the news of the untransmissibility of the virus if a person's viral load is less than 200 copies/ml should be a welcome relief, though it is unlikely to encourage performers to be willing to work with HIV-positive individuals no matter what their viral load, since that viral load may vary depending on how faithfully they follow their prescribed anti-retroviral treatmenta fact that an international consortium of physicians and treatment organizations made clear in a recent statement.

"People living with HIV on ART with an undetectable viral load in their blood have a negligible risk of sexual transmission of HIV," the group of eight physicians and 400 organizations from 58 countries stated. "Depending on the drugs employed it may take as long as six months for the viral load to become undetectable. Continued and reliable HIV suppression requires selection of appropriate agents and excellent adherence to treatment. HIV viral suppression should be monitored to assure both personal health and public health benefits."

The news caused widespread celebration across the HIV treatment community, as well as with many LGBT groups.

"This is the moment we have been waiting for," said Bruce Richman, executive director of the Prevention Access Campaign's Undetectable=Untransmittable initiative, in an interview with HIV Plus magazine. "The CDC agreed ... there is 'effectively no risk' of sexually transmitting HIV when on treatment and undetectable. The overwhelming data clearly shows that taking our medication daily protects our health and our partners."

"The implications of the CDC acknowledging that there is 'effectively no risk' are massive in terms of both politics and policy," noted Zack Ford of ThinkProgress.com. "As HIV Plus Magazine notes, nearly half of all HIV-positive people in the U.S. have brought their viral load to an undetectable level through treatment, so its significant to recognize that they are not contributing to the epidemic." However, the site also reported that, "Unfortunately, President Trump has proposed massive cuts to the funding that helps supply 11.5 million people worldwide with antiretroviral drugs, and the health care policies he supports also make it harder for people with HIV to afford the care they need."

But while an undetectable viral load means that unprotected sex will not transmit HIV, the website Avert.org has posted some warnings and recommendations, including, "Its recommended that you should be taking treatment for at least six months, and then have your viral load monitored every 2-4 months by a healthcare professional to know that you are undetectable." The site also notes that, "Not everyone living with HIV can achieve an undetectable viral load and this is usually down to factors out of someones control," and that, "If you arent able to get your viral load monitored regularly, its important not to assume that you are undetectable."

Just what this news will mean for the adult content production community remains to be seen, but it's damned good news for those already infected.
BATH, U.K.Halloween accessories are big business in adult boutiques, and heres a new twist from tokidoki x Lovehoney: spooky sex toys.

Skeletons, skulls and the Grim Reaper are just some of the images adorning the Series 3 collection of bullets from tokidoki x Lovehoney.

A dark side to the unicorns and rainbows that emblazoned the earlier releases in the tokidoki line, the Official Pleasure Collection Series 3 offers Dia de los Muertos-inspired vibes. The six bullet vibrators have been designed to cater for the Halloween and Day of the Dead festivities in October and Novemberthough the goth-friendly color palette will doubtlessly prove popular all year round.

There is also a supporting range of eye-catching point-of-sale displays designed to complement the collection. The pack consists of shelf wobblers, a header, footer, bus-stops and two shelving units for tester products

International Sales Manager Kate Hodgson-Egan comments, These quirky bullets are perfect for those retailers who have Halloween festivities in mind and the impressive range of POS that will increase sales and encourage footfall into stores. We have had a great reaction to the latest series of bullets. Everyone loves how different they look and how they are slightly darker compared to previous collections.

tokidoki X Lovehoney - The Official Pleasure Collection is a collaboration between the British sex toy retailer and manufacturer and the fashion-forward tokidoki brand established in Rome. The range features bullets, vibrators and male strokers emblazoned with cute kawaii characters, and it has proven especially popular with the 18-25 demographic.

For further information, email [email protected], or visit LovehoneyTrade.com.
LOS ANGELESJessa Rhodes has been one of the most searched for fantasies since the Fantasy Factory series launch on September 11th, according to the FuckingAwesome crew.

Entries such as Jessa Rhodes Sitting on My Face," "Eat Jessa Rhodes Pussy," "Smash Jessa Rhodes, "Clean Jessa Rhodes' Kitchen" and "Talking to Aliens through Jessa Rhodes' Vagina" were some of the early fantasies submitted on Fucking Awesomes page.

So the Fucking Awesome crew chose Rhodes to bring their second fantasy to life in the #FuckingAwesomeFantasyFactory series. While many porn stars were dreamt about among fans entries on the adult sites page, Jessa was by far and away one of the most asked for.

Rhodes' scene with Alex Legend is live on FuckingAwesome.com now. Click here to view it.



The Fantasy Factory is a portal designed to make fans dreams come true.

We all know what we like, and we all have different taste in almost every aspect of our existence," said Brad John, CMO of Fucking Awesome. "Why settle for Porn? We want to satisfy your needs. While we have awesome content on our site, we know that sometimes youre looking for something a little bit extra, catered to your needs. The Fantasy Factory takes you away from your everyday life problems and brings you into our #FuckingAwesome world.
Denbighshire family-run business Henllan Bakery has signed a contract with Morrisons to supply a number of its products to the retailer.

The contract will include supplying 12 Morrisons stores with four bread lines and a further 39 outlets with its five-strong cake slice range.

This is a great achievement for the whole company, seeing our craft baked products on Morrisons shelves, said Tom Moore (pictured above), production director at the bakery, which recently underwent a rebrand and launched new packaging across its entire range.

Seeing growth year on year for our craft products, baked the traditional way, is a huge success and something were all very proud of.

Andy Clegg, senior buying manager for bread and commodities at Morrisons, said the retailer was delighted to be with working with Henllan.

%%Quote_2%%

We are looking forward to growing the sales of local Welsh bakery products in our Welsh stores. Its especially satisfying that our customers in Denbigh can now buy bakery products, freshly delivered every day, from a local craft bakery business in the town.

Henllan Bakery has been run by the Moore family for five generations, after setting up in 1908. The company employs 80 people and exports its products to the US to promote its Welsh produce.
A Government of the People, By the People, For the People..... How it Really Works, According to Thomas Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson articulated the absolute right of a state to secede from the Union. He did so in 1798, in 1799, in 1816, and up until his death in 1826 (July 4, the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence). The right of self-determination was proclaimed in the Declaration as a founding principle and was never surrendered in the Constitution. In fact, Jefferson and Madison (1798 and 1800, in his written documents explaining the nature of the agreement known as the US Constitution) both agreed that such an inherent right can never be contracted away, although it should be reserved for extreme cases.



For Jefferson in 1816, the States had a clear right to leave the union. Government power, he reasoned, should never be concentrated at the top but rather at the bottom, closest to the people. If such were the case, there should never arise the level of tyranny that would warrant the drastic remedy of secession. The key, therefore, is to keep government closest to the people. Jefferson explained that the way to do this is to vest government only with those responsibilities that are absolutely necessary and those which people, in their individual capacity, cannot do or cannot be trusted to do and then to divide those responsibilities accordingly - with the governmental bodies closest to the people (localities) being responsible for the interests and affairs that touch on their lives most directly - their property, their livelihoods, their customs and communities, their education concerns, etc - and the government farthest away from them (Washington, DC) being responsible for the matters that are most external to their everyday lives, such as national security, international affairs and diplomacy, inter-state commerce, etc.



From Kevin Gutzman's exceptional book, THOMAS JEFFERSON, REVOLUTIONARY:



Explaining the subdivision of government power, into "ward republics," Jefferson wrote: "The way to have good and safe government is not to trust it all to one, but rather to divide it among the many, distributing to every one exactly the functions he is competent to. Let the National government be entrusted with the defense of the nation and its foreign and federal relations, the State governments with the civil rights, laws, police, and administration of what concerns the state generally, and the Counties with the local concerns of the counties; each Ward directs the interests within itself. It is by dividing and subdividing these republics from the great National one down through all its subordinations, until it ends in the administration of every man's farm and affairs by himself, by placing under everyone what his own eye may superintend, that all will be done for the best.... I do believe that if the Almighty has not decreed that Man shall never be free (and it is blasphemy to believe it) that the secret will be found to be in the making of himself the depository of the powers respecting himself, so far as he is competent to them, and delegating only what is beyond his competence by a synthetic process, to higher and higher orders of functionaries, so as to trust fewer and fewer powers, in proportion as the trustees become more and more oligarchical. The elementary republics of the Wards - the county republics, the State republics, and the republic of the Union - would form a gradation of authorities, standing each on the basis of law, holding every one of its delegated share of powers, and constituting truly a system of fundamental checks and balances for the government. Where every man is a sharer in the direction of his ward-republic, or of some of the higher ones, and feels that he is a participator in the government of affairs not merely at an election, one day in the year, but every day; when there shall not be a man in the state who will not be a member of one of its councils, great or small, he will let the heart be torn out of his body sooner than his power he wrenched from him by a Caesar or a Bonaparte."



The Roman Empire fell when its ruling authority in Rome presided over too large and diverse of a group to represent them and their interests properly in a concentrated government body. And the same is happening here in the United States. If we hope to make this country the one that it was originally destined to be, the country that Thomas Jefferson dreamed of and worked his life to guide, then we need to push for solutions that return power back to the people... In my favorite movie, GLADIATOR, Emperor Marcus Aurelius confides in his loyal general, Maximus, and conveys his dying wish: "There was once a dream that was Rome. You could only whisper it. Anything more than a whisper and it would vanish... it was so fragile. And I fear that it will not survive the winter........ There is one more duty that I ask of you before you go home. I want you to become the protector of Rome after I die. I will empower you to one end alone, to give power back to the people of Rome and end the corruption that has crippled it. It must be you. it must be you. You have not been corrupted by her politics."



We are Rome. We are a republic in name only, and have been for a very long time now. We must acknowledge that. Each congressman represents too large and diverse of a group of people (at least 700,000 individuals per congressional district) to act as a meaningful advocate in government, and each senator, representing each person in his or her state, has the same problem. And so, our elected representatives no longer work for us or our interests; they become agents for the interests and preservation of the federal government - a government that becomes more interested in "the common good" with each year of its existence. Republics are only successful when they are relatively small, when the ratio of elected representatives to the constituency remains workable. The solution to returning power to the people is to subdivide our one great republic into smaller republics (as Jefferson called them, "ward republics") - to subdivide government power with the greatest control over the individual and his or her everyday life vested in those government bodies most local and closest to the people.



A big government is not our friend, although it likes to portray itself as such. We've seen its violations against us over the years, including collecting our personal information, lying to the American people, refusing to punish those in office who have broken criminal laws (and have even skirted on treason), taxing us excessively (including to support terrorist regimes such as Iran and Pakistan), forcing people to purchase health insurance not because they need it but because others need it, opening our borders to leave our communities and jobs vulnerable, judicial activism from the courts, obstruction in our attempts to legitimize the election process, and most recently, wiretapping political a presidential candidate to undermine the success of a threatening political movement. Ask yourself one question: What power do We the People think really have over the governing of our states and our country? The key to the security of freedom is the control the people have in their government. James Madison once wrote: "I believe there are more instances of the abridgement of freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments by those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations."



The era of King George III is here. Americans have a history of how to respond to such tyranny.... Unless, of course, we have truly become Rome.



Edward Snowden, labeled both a patriot by many and a traitor by some, said: "Being a patriot doesn't mean prioritizing service to government above all else. Being a patriot means knowing when to protect your country, knowing when to protect your Constitution, knowing when to protect your countrymen, from the violations of and encroachments of adversaries. And those adversaries don't have to be foreign countries."



Reference: Kevin Gutzman, Thomas Jefferson - Revolutionary, St. Martin's Press, NY (2017).


The Democrat leadership has made constant, profound and incredible pronouncements that one's supportive vote for Republicans is tantamount to surrendering Democracy forever. Understanding their sincere thinking in their extreme position: How will you still vote on this election day?

Democrat; because the continuance of this Democracy from the existential threat of extreme Republicans is paramount.

Republican; the process of having a choice is the democratic method within what so called "Democracy" does exists.
Late last year, NC State University purchased two small office buildings on Oberlin Road, near the university's East campus, for the price of $3.1 million. Their location , situated between NC State's historic bell tower and the thriving private, mixed-use community at Cameron Village, has considerable commercial value. If State finds new tenants for the buildings or razes them for commercial redevelopment, it is likely to reanimate a decades-old debate about whether public universities should be allowed to compete with private business.For there is a law on the books that prohibits just such for-profit activity by North Carolina's public universities. As originally envisioned, the 1929 Umstead Act would have made the decision an easy one; only activities that were related to the mission of a public university would have been permitted. The Act, which, broadly speaking, regulates "government in business," is meant to keep the government-whose various entities do not pay state and local taxes-from competing with private individuals or businesses. North Carolina government agencies are specifically prohibited from leasing or subleasing space for the purpose of operating or providing businesses that engage in the sale of goods, the operation of restaurants, the rendering of services to the public, or the provision of transportation services in competition with private enterprise.Of course, there are exemptions. Universities may sell items that areand may also provideOver the years, controversy has broken out each time a university or student store has branched into the sale of new products. NC State's web page explaining the Umstead Act recounts But for the most part, university development of property for research and business campuses has been met with less resistance. NC State entered into this type of economic development when it created Centennial Campus in 1987. The leasing of property to private organizations, in direct competition with other local landlords, only became possible because of an exemption to the Umstead Act. The General Assembly created such an exemption expressly for Centennial Campus in 1997. By 2003, the university had worked with private partners to finance and build more than 480,000 square feet of space. Its star tenant at that time was software company Red Hat.Although Red Hat moved from Centennial Campus in 2012, the campus is now home to more than 70 corporate, government, and nonprofit entities as well 75 NC State research centers, institutes, laboratories, and academic departments. A good deal of the activity on Centennial Campus is strictly academic or at least incidental to the university's mission of teaching and research, but there are also many tenants that are private for-profit businesses. Major partners include ABB, the Eastman Innovation Center, the US Department of Agriculture, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and LexisNexis.Centennial Campus has proven so successful-in terms of attracting tenants-that the General Assembly added an exemption for the Horace Williams Campus at UNC-Chapel Hill (aka Carolina North), and a general exemption for "a millennial campus at a constituent institution." Such exempt research campuses now exist at NC A&T/UNC Greensboro, Appalachian State, UNC Charlotte, UNC Wilmington, Western Carolina, and, most recently, East Carolina.Many of these campuses play host to activities that have little to do with the academic mission of the UNC system. At ECU , for example, part of the Millennial campus exists in order to "revitalize the urban core" at a 19-acre "Uptown Area site" on the Tar River front in Greenville, NC.Seen from this perspective, it's clear that economic development is what's driving universities to engage in campus expansion and property management. As Jesse Saffron wrote in this article for the Martin Center , economic development was the express, stated purpose of the creation of ECU's Millennial Campus.In a discussion on the merits of adding a Millennial campus at ECU, UNC Board of Governors member Harry Smith said,Fellow member Henry Hinton echoed his point, saying,Yet, using public universities to develop regional economies appears to be "mission creep." To be sure, university students and faculty members occasionally make discoveries that turn into profitable businesses. But making money, starting businesses, and housing private companies seem to be outside the scope of universities' three-part mission of teaching, research, and service.Furthermore, the economic benefits to the overall state economy of tax-free, Umstead-exempt university research campuses are questionable, for, not only do such campuses compete with local landlords and reduce the real estate tax base, but the rest of the state is often taxed for at least part of the schools' expansion.And, as is often the case with governmental self-regulation, once a university receives an Umstead Act exemption, there is little to no oversight over business activities on campus. The official supervisory body for the Act, the Umstead Review Panel , is part of the UNC system, and three of its nine members are appointed by the UNC Board of Governors. The last report that UNC's General Administration made on " Activities undertaken under Exemptions to the Umstead Act " was published fourteen years ago, in 2003.North Carolina state representative Martin L. Nesbitt, who attempted to reign in-or at least clarify-universities' limits under the Umstead Act back in 2002, met with additional confusion. In response to his inquiries, the North Carolina Department of Justice issued an advisory opinion on NC State's proposed conference center. The opinion concluded:(The ultimate driver of such confusion is that North Carolina has failed to adequately define "public purpose," leaving the phrase up for considerable interpretation.)Going forward, legislators and members of the university community should think carefully about the central roles of public higher education and the reasons why the Umstead Act is necessary. North Carolina needs a clearer division between public and private activity and between education and business services. Without action, this mission creep will continue.
Houston, you have a problem

In April 1970, a Saturn V rocket dispatched the Apollo 13 mission towards the moon with astronauts James Lovell, Jack Swigert and Fred Haise.


Psychiatrist Vivek Anand, right, and research coordinator Janet Benjamin, left, are conducting a study analyzing the brains response to smoking imagery. Madison Neves is pictured wearing an EEG cap. (Photos by Cliff Hollis)

One study centers on the differing responses of peoples brains to images related to smoking.

Two years ago, East Carolina University psychiatrist Vivek Anand documented adolescent use of and opinions on electronic cigarettes. Now, he's pinpointing the mechanisms behind smoking behavior.Anand's 2015 findings showed 15.2 percent of survey respondents had tried e-cigarettes, and 7.4 percent had smoked one during the 30 days before the survey. Sixty percent of students surveyed thought e-cigarettes were completely safe or posed minimal health hazards.Anand said.The brochure includes some of the study's findings as well as facts and information about nicotine and e-cigarettes.Since then, Anand's interest in nicotine and tobacco use has continued.he said.To that end, two new studies have begun, each funded by a Brody Brothers grant. The endowment was created by Hyman and David Brody to fund innovative research at ECU's Brody School of Medicine.The first study is designed to pinpoint the correlation between how fast a person's body processes nicotine and how much they smoke and to study the higher prevalence of smoking in patients with a history of mental illness.Anand said.People who have struggled with depression or even have a family history of it, as well as patients with bipolar disorder or schizophrenia, are significantly more likely to be smokers than the general population, Anand said. The study will compare a group of test subjects with a history of mental illness to one without; both groups are smokers.For the study, researchers will collect demographic information and data about their smoking behaviors. Then hair and saliva samples will be processed to measure the byproducts of nicotine to determine how fast the patients process it. Several departments across campus will help with the study.Anand said, and the Department of Biostatistics will run statistical analysis. Chizimuzo Okoli of the University of Kentucky College of Nursing is also collaborating with Anand on both studies.Allison Danell, associate professor of chemistry, said several students at the undergraduate and graduate level are participating in the project under the direction of Kimberly Kew. They will use mass spectrometry equipment to analyze the samples.Anand said he hopes to determine whether some people smoke more and have a hard time quitting because their bodies process nicotine faster, leading them to crave another fix sooner. And if so, are patients with mental illness processing nicotine faster due to genetic predisposition, medications or some other biological process?The second study will look at the brain's responses to visual stimuli related to nicotine and smoking using an electroencephalogram (EEG).The hypothesis for this study, Anand said, is thatStudy participants will wear an EEG cap and be presented with images of cigarettes and similar objects, such as a drinking straw. The Department of Engineering will help measure the EEG waveforms to study how people's brains are responding to the target images versus the control images.Both studies will help further the understanding of the mechanisms of nicotine addiction, potentially leading to better treatments to help people stop smoking. For example, Anand said, the failure rate for nicotine patches and gums are fairly high, and that could be related to faster processing of nicotine.he said.It's important to help people stop smoking because of the health implications, Anand said, since people who smoke are at higher risk of dying from heart disease, lung disease and other systemic problems.Anand said.Current treatments such as patches, gums and counseling don't work for everyone.he said.By offering better treatments and learning how to move to more effective treatments earlier in the process, he hopes to save time and benefit more people.
Contact: Ford Porter

Ford Porter govpress@nc.gov

Raleigh: North Carolina highlights the economic importance of the state's manufacturing sector this week in a proclamation issued today by Governor Roy Cooper. The declaration of October 2-6 as 'North Carolina Manufacturing Week' brings attention to a business sector that employs 460,000 people in the state, represents 20 percent of the state's total economic output and offers young people a challenging and rewarding career path.said Governor Cooper.said North Carolina Commerce Secretary Anthony M. Copeland.North Carolina is home to the largest manufacturing workforce in the Southeast and the 10th largest in the United States - employing more than 460,000 workers,10.6% of the total workforce. The manufacturing sector makes significant contributions to the state's economy, accounting for 20 percent of North Carolina's gross state product, fifth-highest in the United States. Manufacturing is a major driver of exports for North Carolina. In 2016, North Carolina manufacturers exported $28.25 billion in manufactured goods.Governor Cooper and Secretary Copeland will participate in several events to recognize manufacturing this week, and many North Carolina manufacturers and supporting organizations will stage open house and other events leading up to the national Manufacturing Day celebration on Friday.Governor Cooper will visit Pfizer's manufacturing facility in Sanford on Wednesday, October 4 to participate in a Manufacturing Week event celebrating Pfizer's gene therapy plant in Lee County. Genetic research developed at the University of North Carolina plays a key role in the company's expansion plans and demonstrates the importance of universities and industry working together to transfer technologies developed in research labs to businesses for commercialization and manufacture.On Wednesday, Governor Cooper will also tour Montgomery County Community College for its Manufacturing Day. Montgomery County Community College will host several high schools, local manufacturers, and industry vendors for tours and on-campus demonstrations to highlight the school's manufacturing centered training programs.On Thursday, October 5, Governor Cooper will address members of the North Carolina Business Committee for Education (NCBCE) in Raleigh about how to help North Carolina students develop the knowledge and skills needed to compete for good jobs including in manufacturing. Also on Thursday, Secretary Copeland will offer remarks during the opening ceremony for GF Linamar's new manufacturing plant in Mills River. Secretary Copeland will also offer remarks at a ribbon cutting ceremony for Alamance Community College's new Advanced Applied Technology Center on Friday, October 6.The National Manufacturers Association, the country's largest trade organization for manufacturers, has published a database of manufacturing events being held in North Carolina this week. The database is available online here.Today's manufacturing jobs require specialized skills and training that community colleges can help workers attain. Last week, Gov. Cooper toured Forsyth Tech Community College's soon-to-open Center for Advanced Manufacturing in Winston-Salem. The new center will include state-of-the-art laboratory facilities to support three manufacturing programs where students will train for the jobs of the future.The North Carolina Community College System works closely with employers and offers more than 800 courses covering manufacturing skills in biotechnology, aviation and defense, pharmaceuticals, financial services, logistics, IT, and advanced manufacturing. Custom training programs offered through community colleges draw on the latest technology and advances in manufacturing production to ensure North Carolina's manufacturing workers stay a step ahead.In his budget, Gov. Cooper proposed the NC GROW (Getting Ready for Opportunities in the Workforce) Scholarship to help make North Carolina a Top 10 Educated state by 2025. Good students who graduated high school with a 2.0 GPA or higher would get free tuition to any NC community college through the NC GROW scholarship. NC GROW would cover last-dollar tuition and fees for students who have used up other financial aid options.Governor Cooper's entire proclamation for Manufacturing Week is available online


Scuba Diving magazine announced the winners of its underwater photography contest and the results are an awe-inspiring glimpse of another world that exists within our own. Above, Kevin Richter's magnificent photo of an octopus in Lembeh Strait, Indonesia, took first place in the compact camera category. Below: Rodney Bursiel took first prize in the wide angle category for this shot of a whale calf breaching in Tavarua, Fiji; Eduardo Acevedo's image of this ribbon eel in Lembeh Strait, Indonesia won second place for macro photography.



See the rest at Scuba Diving Magazine.










Carmen Yulin Cruz is the outspoken mayor of San Juan, the capital of Puerto Rico, who was publicly denounced by Donald Trump for pointing out the federal government's inaction during the worst humanitarian disaster in modern US history. Trump went on to characterize Puerto Ricans  chest deep in sewage raw sewage with no fresh water, no homes, no power and no gasoline  as "wanting everything done for them."



Trump's White House convened an extremely belated conference call to discuss disaster relief for the US territory, chaired by presidential Homeland Security advisor Tom Bossert. The administration trumpeted this as evidence of its engagement with the island's leadership. But when Ms Cruz joined the call, she was informed that she was invited in a "listening capacity only," and forbidden from speaking.



She said she expected to be overseeing the distribution of emergency food packages for at least three months. The arena where we met was half filled with large piles of packages, some from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA. She voiced disappointment that each box only contained one meal for one adult, which included apple sauce and Rice Krispie bars. She asked not to be photographed with a little leaflet contained in each of each them. "These Meals are Sent to You by Your Fellow Americans," the postcard said, with an image of the American flag. "May they Provide Comfort and Nourishment. Be Safe and Know You are in our Thoughts".

Puerto Rico mayor invited to take part in White House conference call on hurricane disaster effort  but told she could not speak

[David Usborne/The Independent]





(Image: CNN)
The Intercept's Sharon Lerner is the best journalist on Trumpian science appointees going, and her piece on Michael Dourson, whom Trump wants confirmed as the EPA's second most powerful executive as Director of the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention is a scorcher.



Even by Trumpian standards, Dourson is a piece of shit work. He currently runs the high-profile greenwashing consultancy Toxicology Excellence for Risk Assessment (TERA) whose clients are a rogue's gallery of the country's most lethal polluters: Dow Chemical, CropLife America, the American Chemistry Council, the American Petroleum Institute, Koch Industries and more.





TERA's stock in trade is manufactured sciencey numbers showing that pollution isn't harmful. In that regard, TERA excels, routinely asserting the harmlessness of industrial waste products that every independent researcher considers dangerous and/or deadly.





For example, Dourson asserted that the pesticide chlorpyrifos was safe at concentrations 5,000 times higher than the EPA recommended dose, despite well-documented causal links between the substance and "memory, intelligence, attention, and motor problems in children." Dourson also asserted that children over six months old are less susceptible to toxic chemicals, despite the widespread, experimentally verified consensus that children are more susceptible  something that has been verified through ghastly industrial accidents through the ages.

Dourson's rap sheet goes on for pages (you should read Lerner's piece), but here's the kicker: in his new job, he'll be in charge of deciding which industrial pollutants are safe, and at which concentrations. He is not a fox in the henhouse, he's a serial killer in the nursery.

In these dark Trumpian times, it's easy to get inured to the callous disregard for evidence, decency, safety, and humanity on display in Washington, but Trump's ability to find extremely vicious gators to fill the DC swamp with always manages to shock.

After reversing the proposed ban, EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt recently delayed the evaluation of both chlorpyrifos and other organophosphates, the chemical class to which it belongs, which had been scheduled to begin in 2017. Dourson would have input on the timing of those evaluations, as well as the research considered in them. About two dozen organophosphate pesticides are commercially available, all of which are neurotoxins. Environmental scientists have long recognized that children are especially vulnerable to chemicals, including organophosphates, throughout their development. But in a 2002 paper paid for by the American Chemistry Council and the pesticide industry group CropLife America, Dourson suggested that after six months, most children are no more sensitive to chemical toxicity than adults and that in some cases, they are even less sensitive. This idea places him well outside the scientific mainstream and suggests how he might approach not just these pesticides but all chemicals affecting children.



TRUMP'S PICK FOR EPA SAFETY CHIEF ARGUED KIDS ARE LESS SENSITIVE TO TOXINS [Sharon Lerner/The Intercept]





(Image: Trumps Hair)
Yesterday, the Supreme Court heard the re-argument of Sessions v. Dimaya, a case that asks whether the administration can treat lawful immigrants to the USA (including Green Card holders like me) as though we have no Constitutional rights.

The case relates to a deportation order from the era in which Obama was deporting more people than any other president in the history of the USA, against convicted burglar and Green Card holder Garcia Dimaya. The law provides for deportations of permanent residents who are convicted of "crimes of violence," which burglary isn't, unless you're an Obama administration official trying to deport millions of people, in which case you just wave a wand and declare it to be.

Thanks to the Obama administration's politically convenient, flexible view of "violence," we now have the Supreme Court ruling on whether immigrants get any rights at all, if the President decides to take them away. Just as with Obama's amazing, perfectly tuned, self-perpetuating surveillance apparatus and drone-assassination program, 44 bequeathed powerful weapons to 45.

The case was heard before the Republicans stole a Supreme Court vote and gave it to Neil Gorsuch, and resulted in a split, 4-4 vote (Scalia probably would have voted to check the Executive's power, Gorsuch is much more of a bootlicking authoritarian racist shitbag in this domain, so we'll have to see).

Dimaya's challenge comes at a crucial time: while the executive traditionally has broad authority on immigration concerns, having some minimal legal protections for legal residents would seem like a critical check against this executive branch. It is frightening to imagine what President Trump and Attorney General Jeff Sessions might do to legal permanent residents if they are not even constrained by due process concerns.

Does The Constitution Apply To Immigrants? Supreme Court Will Start To Sort That Out.

[Elie Mystal/Above the Law]

(via Naked Capitalism)

(Image: Lion Multimedia Production U.S.A., CC-BY; Trump's Hair)
The attacks in Edmonton which left five people injured over the weekend have the president of the Islamic Association of Saskatchewan feeling "torn and devastated."

Faisal Khan said the Muslim community in Regina is remaining vigilant and working to maintain a feeling of unity within the community and the rest of the population.

"It is indeed a very tragic event but we need to remain defiant and we need to remain steadfast against this ideology which uses my religion to propagate its objectives," Khan said on Monday.

"It is as if we are being taken to task, to certain degrees  some people do feel that," Khan said of Muslim organizations in Canada having to publicly condemn attacks after they happen.

"This ideology of Islamic State, the biggest victim of this particular ideology are Muslims themselves," Khan said, noting I.S. presence in Muslim-majority countries like Iraq and Syria.

No known threats to Sask.

Police say there is no current threat to Saskatchewan after a weekend attack in Edmonton left five people injured.

On Monday, the Regina Police Service said it had been in contact with the RCMP's national security unit about the country's security threat, which remains unchanged at medium.

The RPS said there was "no known threat" to Regina or the province. The RCMP said it was unaware of any potential Saskatchewan-specific threat and that they continue to "exercise increased vigilance."

Abdulahi Hasan Sharif, 30, has been charged with five counts of attempted murder, five counts of criminal flight causing bodily harm, dangerous driving and possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, RCMP said Monday.

Khan said the RCMP called him Monday morning, describing the call as a show of solidarity and respect.

'Senseless and barbaric'

In a statement, the Prairie Somali Canadian Community Centre condemned the attack, calling it a "senseless and barbaric act of violence."

Story continues

"Violence and hate have no place in our society and we should all work together as one Canadian family to eliminate it from the face of Earth," the organization said.

"Our thoughts are with the victims and their families and we pray for their speedy recovery."

Edmonton attacks

Const. Mike Chernyk, 48, of the Edmonton Police Service was injured Saturday night after a car drove into a barricade and struck him, sending him flying through the air.

The driver of the car then began attacking the downed officer but the officer fended off his attacker, sustaining multiple stab wounds during the incident.

The driver of the car then ran off.

A short time later, police pulled over a U-Haul van at a checkstop on the city's north side and noticed the driver's name was similar to the registered owner of the car that had struck the officer earlier.

The driver of the vehicle drove off with police in pursuit, and struck four pedestrians along Edmonton's Jasper Avenue before the vehicle flipped on its side.

Three of the injured, including the officer, have been released from hospital. Another two remain in hospital, one in serious condition.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during his first address to the UN General Assembly. Photo from Jason Szenes/EPA via CP.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is expected to put the spotlight on Canada in his speech to the UN General Assembly.

The Liberal leader will address Canadas relationship with First Nations and the path toward reconciliation, a senior government source tells CBC News. This will include an acknowledgement of past failures on that front and the governments willingness to address issues that continue to plague Indigenous groups.

The highly-anticipated New York City speech will also be an opportunity for Trudeau to make his case for Canada to be considered for a rotating UN Security Council seat in 2021. CBC News reports the prime minister has already met with the leaders of Panama, Costa Rica, the Netherlands and Uganda. The meetings appear to be part of Trudeaus strategy for whipping up support for Canadas UN agenda.

Part of Canadas plan will likely include ways it can spearhead change around the world, primarily through peacekeeping missions. While the country has already pledged to take part in a UN peacekeeping program, the details remain unclear.

In May, Trudeau said the federal government is taking the the appropriate amount of time to decide where to send hundreds of Canadian troops.

We have to make sure that its the right approach, that its the right mission, that they have the right training and equipment, Trudeau said.

The French appear eager to have Canada join the peacekeeping mission in Mali. A spokesman for the French embassy recently told the Toronto Star that Canada would be an asset for French forces, due to the fact some Canadians speak French and the two countries have worked together before.

We are used to working with the Canadian military and we know their expertise, and we know how good you are, Eric Navel told the Star.

When pressed this week on where 600 Canadian soldiers and 150 police officers would be sent for the UN mission, Trudeau still couldnt provide transparency.

While the Canadian position hasnt been decided, the desire for a temporary spot on the Security Council has been. The UN election takes place in 2020 and if election, a two-year term would begin in 2021.
Indian PM Modi likely to visit Nepal this month

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to visit Nepal in October this year. Although preparations are underway to welcome Modi in October, the exact date of his visit has not been finalised yet.
TUESDAY, Oct. 3, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- New research finds the number of American women who've lost their lives to breast cancer has fallen precipitously in the past 25 years, with more than 322,000 lives saved in that time.

Overall, advances in care have led to a 39 percent drop in breast cancer deaths of between 1989 and 2015, according to new research from the American Cancer Society (ACS).

One specialist who works with breast cancer patients daily was heartened by the news.

"Early screening and better treatments are finally starting to pay off with better outcomes," said Dr. Stephanie Bernik, chief of surgical oncology at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.

However, the ACS was quick to point out that not every segment of Americans benefited equally. Despite some closure of the racial "gap" in breast cancer survival, black women are still more likely to die of the disease than their white peers, the study found.

Even though the rate of breast cancer diagnosis was slightly lower among black women than whites between 2010 and 2014, over about the same time period, black breast cancer patients were still 42 percent more likely to die of the disease than their white peers.

According to breast cancer specialist Dr. Cynara Coomer, that's probably due to a combination of factors. Black patients are more prone to be affected by aggressive, tough-to-treat breast tumors, she noted. But they also often lack access to the targeted treatments that can best fight these tumors.

So, when it comes to surviving breast cancer, "there remains a disparity between black women and white women across the country," said Coomer, who directs the Florina Rusi-Marke Comprehensive Breast Center at Staten Island University Hospital in New York City.

The vast majority of breast cancers are diagnosed among women aged 50 and older, the ACS found, and older women account for most deaths from the disease as well.

Still, race seemed to play a role here, as well. The median age of diagnosis for women overall in the United States is 62, but the disease tends to strike black women at a younger age, the report showed.

The median age for breast cancer deaths is 68, but black patients died younger -- at 62, on average.

All of this means that, overall, breast cancer kills more black women than white women in the United States.

There was reason to hope, however, because this health disparity may be stabilizing in some parts of the country, the ACS said. For example, breast cancer death rates among black women ranged from 22 percent in Nevada to 66 percent in Louisiana, the report found.

But in seven states the researchers saw no significant difference in death rates between black and white patients -- showing that the racial gap can be closed.

While genetics and differences in overall health play a big role in the survival gap between blacks and whites, so do "social and structural factors," said Carol DeSantis, of the ACS's surveillance and health services research branch.

"Increasing access to health care to low-income populations" might shrink this racial gap even further across the country, she explained.

Coomer agreed, saying that black women with aggressive tumors, in particular, "would be better served with health care teams or centers that provide comprehensive breast treatment."

According to Bernik, progress is being made.

"The fact that we are finally seeing a close in the gap between our excellent outcomes between black and white women is also encouraging," she said, "especially since black women are more likely to be diagnosed with the more aggressive triple-negative breast cancers."

Excluding skin cancers, breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death among American women, trailing only lung cancer. It's estimated that 252,710 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2017 and 40,610 will die from the disease.

The research was published Oct. 3 in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians and Breast Cancer Facts & Figures.

More information

The U.S. National Cancer Institute provides more information on breast cancer.
TUESDAY, Oct. 3, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Blood-thinning drugs can save your life by preventing a heart attack or stroke caused by artery-blocking blood clots.

But these are powerful drugs, and a pair of new studies detail side effects people need to understand before taking them.

The effectiveness of a class of blood thinners called nonvitamin K oral anticoagulants (NOACs) can be significantly altered through interaction with other drugs, the first study reveals.

In some cases, these drug interactions increase a person's risk of life-threatening bleeding in locations such as the brain and gastrointestinal tract. In other cases, the NOACs' effectiveness is reduced, robbing patients of some protection against stroke and heart attack.

"NOACs alone do not pose a significant risk of bleeding, but the concurrent use of NOACs with certain drugs that share the same metabolic pathways may cause increased risk of major bleeding," said study lead researcher Dr. Shang-Hung Chang, an associate professor of cardiology with Chang Gung Memorial Hospital in Taoyuan, Taiwan.

Meanwhile, a second study found that blood thinners can greatly increase a person's risk of finding blood in their urine.

As a result, patients might unnecessarily wind up in the hospital or emergency room, or undergo an unneeded invasive procedure, said senior researcher Dr. Robert Nam. He is a professor of surgery and head of genitourinary oncology with Sunnybrook Health Sciences Center in Toronto.

"Patients and physicians need to discuss this, to try and prevent patients having to be hospitalized or come to the emergency room in the middle of the night," Nam said.

The first study looked at the bleeding risk associated with NOAC drugs dabigatran (Pradaxa), rivaroxaban (Xarelto) and apixaban (Eliquis).

These drugs are primarily used to prevent risk of stroke in people with atrial fibrillation, an abnormal heart rhythm that can cause blood to pool and clot inside the heart, said Dr. Deepak Bhatt. A spokesman for the American Heart Association, he is also executive director of interventional cardiovascular programs at Brigham and Women's Hospital's Heart & Vascular Center in Boston.

NOACs are being used more frequently because they're easier to use and produce fewer side effects than warfarin, an older anticoagulant that has many food and drug interactions, said Bhatt.

Chang and his colleagues also decided to investigate whether NOACs might have previously unknown interactions with other commonly used medications. The team analyzed health data on 91,330 Taiwanese patients with atrial fibrillation who were prescribed an NOAC.

The investigators found that bleeding risk increased significantly when NOACs were used in combination with amiodarone, fluconazole, rifampin and phenytoin -- four drugs that treat widely different conditions.

The researchers also found that other drugs dampened the effectiveness of NOACs, including atorvastatin, digoxin, and erythromycin or clarithromycin.

Bhatt said he's particularly concerned about the effect of atorvastatin (Lipitor) on NOACs' effectiveness.

"That's a very commonly prescribed cholesterol-lowering drug, especially now that it's generic," Bhatt said. In fact, the researchers found that atorvastatin was the drug most commonly prescribed alongside an NOAC.

"That's a big deal because that means all those patients on both drugs have a lower risk of bleeding, but on the flip side then would have a higher risk of stroke," Bhatt said.

The second study found that people are much more likely to go to the hospital for blood in their urine if they're taking blood thinners.

Nam and his colleagues examined medical data on 2.5 million Ontario residents, including nearly 809,000 who had been prescribed a blood thinner.

During an average follow-up period of 7 years, people on blood thinners were six to 10 times more likely to wind up hospitalized or in the ER complaining of blood in their urine compared with others not taking the drugs, Nam said.

Although blood in urine is alarming and requires investigation, Nam said the side effect is not immediately dangerous. Patients should be informed of the potential for blood in the urine, and counseled what to do if it occurs.

"The result of these findings should not affect the decision to treat with these drugs," Nam said. "The benefits outweigh the risks. These are not life-threatening complications. Patients should not stop taking these drugs because of the potential side effect."

In at least one way, this side effect can be welcome, said Dr. Vincent Bufalino, an AHA spokesman and cardiologist in Naperville, Ill.

"Blood thinners can be an advantage because when they cause bleeding in someone on a normal dose, usually there's a medical issue," Bufalino said. "It actually helps you uncover a problem."

The researchers found that rates of bladder cancer detection were twice as high in people taking blood thinners compared to the general population. The drugs made the tumor produce more blood, Nam said.

"Because it bled, they went in, looked, and found the bladder cancer and were able to get it earlier than would have happened waiting for a patient to develop symptoms on their own," Bufalino said. "In many of these circumstances, the cancers would have been missed until they were more advanced because the patient wouldn't have known there was a problem."

The two studies were published in the Oct. 3 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

More information

To learn more about blood thinners, visit the American Heart Association.
TUESDAY, Oct. 3, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Career couch potatoes, take heart: Just one hour a week of any kind of exercise may lower your long-term risk for depression, new research suggests.

The finding comes from a fresh analysis of a Norwegian survey that tracked exercise habits, along with depression and anxiety risk, among nearly 34,000 adults.

After a closer look at the data, a team of British, Australian and Norwegian analysts determined that people who engage in just an hour of exercise per week -- regardless of intensity level -- face a 44 percent lower risk for developing depression over the course of a decade than those who never exercise at all.

"The key finding from this study is that doing even a small amount of regular exercise seems to protect adults against future depression," said study author Samuel Harvey.

"This was not a case of more is better; the vast majority of the mental health benefits of exercise was realized when individuals moved from doing no regular activity to 1 or 2 hours per week," Harvey explained.

"Also, the mental health benefits were there regardless of the intensity of the physical activity," he added. "There is great evidence that there are many physical health benefits to more regular exercise, but the mental health benefits leveled out after 2 hours."

Harvey is an associate professor with the School of Psychiatry at the University of New South Wales, in Sydney, Australia. "The important point here is that any type of physical activity -- even just walking -- had similar levels of mental health benefits," he concluded.

The original survey was launched between 1984 and 1986. In that timeframe, participants (who were about 45 years old, on average) underwent physical exams, and filled out lifestyle and medical questionnaires. Mental health assessments were also completed.

The Norwegian pollsters conducted a follow-up survey between 1995 and 1997 among roughly two-thirds of the original participants.

About 7 percent of those tracked through 1997 had developed depression, while about 9 percent had developed clinical levels of anxiety, the findings showed.

Exercise did not appear to have any impact on anxiety risk. But investigators found that, regardless of gender or activity intensity, regular exercise lasting at least an hour per week was linked to a lower risk for developing depression over time.

The study authors calculated that roughly 12 percent of the depression cases might have been prevented if those who had become depressed had previously routinely engaged in one hour of low-intensity activity a week.

Exercising more than one hour per week did not, however, appear to substantially decrease depression risk even further; the lion's share of the protective impact appeared to max out at the one-hour mark.

But as to how and why such a minimal amount of regular exercise might help stave off depression, the study team wrote that "the bulk of the observed protective effect remains unexplained." And the study did not prove a cause-and-effect relationship between exercise and lower risk of depression.

Harvey and his colleagues reported their observations in the Oct. 3 issue of the American Journal of Psychiatry.

Simon Rego, chief psychologist at Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City, said that "there are probably many mechanisms at play that could explain how this works. But it doesn't have the same effect on anxiety, so we just don't know yet exactly what's happening."

However, Rego added, "What we do know is that what they've identified is a very low bar of entry. We're talking about just an hour of activity a week. And it doesn't have to be vigorous or intense. You don't need to go out to a spin class or sign up for a running club. This could just be getting people who aren't moving much to just increase their daily walking habit. That's all."

So, he explained, "while we don't have all the definitive answers yet, this is a very promising finding because this is something many people may find easy to do."

More information

There's more on depression at the U.S. National Institute of Mental Health.
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His Excellency Judge Mohamed Said al-Sharaideh

Attorney Generals Office

Suleiman Al Nabulsi Street, Abdali Area

Amman

The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan

Via Fax: +96205622248

Dear Mr. al-Sharaideh,

We at the Committee to Protect Journalists, an independent, international press freedom organization, are writing to urge you to drop an investigation into the regional press freedom group, the Center for Defending Freedom of Journalists (CDFJ), and its founder and head Nidal Mansour.

On September 10, 2017, the head of a Jordanian trade regulatory body, Ramsi Nozha, publicly accused the Center for Defending Freedom of Journalists of failing to properly register as a nonprofit organization. As part of these accusations, Nozha said the center should stop receiving all funding due to the alleged registration discrepancy, and threatened to cancel the centers legal status if the group violates this order.

Nozha then referred the case to you, Your Excellency, a formality that allows you to begin legal processes against the group that could result in interrogation, arrest, or trial. The media watchdog has denied the accusations. We ask that you dismiss the case on the grounds that the charges against the Center for Defending Freedom of Journalists are in retaliation for the organizations advocacy work.

The Center for Defending Freedom of Journalists has published six reports that chronicle a rise in government censorship in Jordan and criticized the government for failing to deliver on their 2013 pledges, under the United Nations Human Rights Councils Universal Periodical Review, to uphold press freedom, in particular with regard to online publications.

Dropping the investigation against the Center for Defending Freedom of Journalists and Mansour would be a sign of your countrys commitment to press freedom.

Thank you in advance to your attention to this urgent matter.

Sincerely,

Courtney Radsch

Advocacy Director
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Beirut, October 2, 2017Kurdish regional authorities in northern Iraq should immediately allow Al-Ahad TV correspondent Saif Rida to safely return to Kirkuk province and resume his work as a journalist, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

Kurdish military groups on September 30 threatened to arrest Rida for reporting critically on the September 25 Kurdish independence referendum and then ordered him to leave Kirkuk, according to the local press freedom group Press Freedom Advocacy Association in Iraq and Ridas employer, which is affiliated with the Iran-backed Shia militia Asaib Ahl al-Haq.

The administrative director of Al-Ahad TV Abu Tayeba told CPJ that the order for Rida to leave came after the channel aired reports opposing the Kurdish independence referendum. Rida left Kirkuk province with his family for Baghdad on the same day he was threatened.

Kurdish authorities in northern Iraq should practice the democracy they preach and allow journalists to cover all opinions, even those with which they disagree, CPJ Middle East and North Africa Program Coordinator Sherif Mansour said from Washington, D.C. We call on Kurdish authorities to allow Saif Rida to return to his work in Kirkuk province without fear of reprisal.

Last month, Rida reported on the deteriorating security situation for Arabs and the Turkmen minority in the oil-rich disputed area of Kirkuk, a multi-ethnic city under Kurdish control that has long been contested between the central Iraqi government and Kurdish regional authorities. Rida also worked on a story published in April about the increasingly strained relations between the central Iraqi government and the Kurdish authorities in northern Iraq over the status of Kirkuk.

The Kurdish authorities didnt immediately reply to CPJs request for comment. Ridas expulsion comes as tensions are high between Kurdish authorities and the governments of Iraq, Iran, and Turkey in the wake of the independence referendum.

On August 30, 2017, the Kurdish authorities blocked the local broadcast signal of regional broadcaster NRT (Nalia Radio and Television) for one week for trying to air a program about the No for Now campaign, which called to delay the Kurdish independence vote, CPJ documented.
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New York, October 3, 2017The Committee to Protect Journalists today called on Zimbabwean authorities to immediately release NewsDay journalist Kenneth Nyangani and drop all charges against him. Nyangani was arrested yesterday and charged with criminal nuisance for reporting that First Lady Grace Mugabe had donated used underwear to supporters of the countrys ruling ZANU-PF party, his lawyer, Passmore Nyakureba, told CPJ.

Police first indicated they would charge the journalist with criminal defamation, which has been declared unconstitutional by the countrys court, Nyakureba was quoted as saying by Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights. Nyangani will appear in court tomorrow.

Zimbabwean authorities should stop harassing Kenneth Nyangani and release him immediately without charge, said CPJ Africa Program Coordinator Angela Quintal. The fact that police had to fish for a new charge because their first accusation was unconstitutional shows that this arrest is aimed squarely at intimidating Zimbabwean journalists into self-censorship.
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Turkish court banned coverage of alleged police beating incident

A local Turkish court yesterday moved to ban news coverage of a story about two policemen allegedly beating a woman on the street in the southern coastal city of Alanya, the online newspaper Diken reported.

Photographs published in Diken and said to be from the scene show two men in uniform standing over a woman lying on the pavement.

Prior to the news coverage ban, a court arrested one of the officers involved in the incident, and released the other on probation, according to reports.

Journalists lawyer: 13 clients tortured in prison

Defense attorney Tugay Bek yesterday filed a criminal complaint to a local prosecutors office against the staff of a Turkish prison alleging they beat and tortured his clients, among them two media workers, the online newspaper Duvar reported.

According to news reports that cite Beks complaint, staff at the Tarsus Prison in the southern port city of Mersin stripped, beat, and otherwise tortured the prisoners including Erdogan Alayumat, a reporter for the shuttered, pro-Kurdish Dicle News Agency, and Serkan Erdogan, an employee of the pro-Kurdish daily Ozgurlukcu Demokrasi.

A court in July jailed Erdogan Alayumat pending trial on espionage charges, CPJ documented.

In a separate case that CPJ also documented, a court jailed Serkan Erdogan pending his trial on terrorism charges.

Pro-Kurdish journalist convicted; likely to be released pending appeal

Turkish authorities today convicted journalist Mehmet Sddk Damar, and then said they plan to release him from Mardin prison in southeastern Turkey pending the end of his appeal process, the online newspaper Gazete Karnca reported.

According to Gazete Karnca, a local court convicted Damar, who previously worked as a reporter for the shuttered, pro-Kurdish Dicle News Agency (DIHA), on charges of propagandizing for a terrorist organization.

[October 6, 2017]

Murdered Syrian journalists aunt suspects Islamic State in the crime

The aunt of Syrian journalist Halla Barakat said today that she suspects Islamic State militants in her niece and sisters September double murder, the daily Haberturk reported.

Maen Barakat told the Haberturk that her sister and Halla Barakats mother, Ouroba Barakat, had received death threats after participating in protests relating to the ongoing conflict in Syria.

Ouroba Barakat also received threats relating to content she frequently shared on social media sites that expressed views against both Syrian President Bashar Assads government and the Islamic State group, Maen Barakat told Haberturk.

Four or five months ago, someone claiming to be a member of the Islamic State group phoned Ouroba Barakat, and made threats in Arabic with a Moroccan or Tunisian accent, Maen Barakat told Haberturk.

My sister was threatened again on Facebook 10 days before the murder: Shut your mouth, we will kill you, [they wrote] Maen Barakat said, according to Haberturk.

Separately, Turkish police on September 30 detained a distant relative they suspect in the mother and daughters murder, CPJ documented yesterday. The suspect, Ahmet Barakat, is in police custody.

[October 3, 2017]

Turkish police: Suspect detained in Barakat murder

Turkish police on September 30 detained a man they suspect in the murder of a Syrian journalist and her mother, the daily Hurriyet reported.

According to the Hurriyet, police identified Ahmet Barakat on security camera footage as someone who was leaving the area around the Barakats Istanbul apartment around the time of the murder, and then went on to a bus station. They then found and detained Ahmet Barakat in the western province of Bursa, according to the Hurriyet report.

The suspect is a distant relative of the victims, Halla Barakat and Orouba Barakat, who Turkish police found dead on September 22 in the apartment they shared, according to media reports.

CPJ issued a statement after the Barakats murder calling on the Turkish authorities to find the perpetrator.

A Turkish prosecutor moves to add journalist in exile to Interpol

A Turkish prosecutor has sought an Interpol warrant for exiled journalist Can Dundar who has been living in exile in Germany, the Germany news agency Deutsche Welle reported.

The prosecutor in Turkeys southeastern Diyarbakir region on September 28 asked the government in Istanbul to issue a notice with Interpol, on the grounds that Dundar has praised the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which is labeled a terrorist organization in Turkey, according to media reports.

A Turkish court in May 2016 convicted Dundar, formerly the chief editor at the daily Cumhuriyet, of disclosing state secrets, CPJ documented at the time.

According a report from Deutsche Welles Turkish service, a spokesperson for the German foreign affairs ministry said he cannot imagine such an Interpol warrant would result in Dundars arrest in Germany.

Last year, CPJ honored Dundar with an International Press Freedom Award.

[October 2, 2017]

EDITORS NOTE: The October 2 entry has been corrected to accurately describe Can Dundar.
Madhes-based parties intensifies talks

After positive outcome in Province 2 local polls, Madhes-based parties are engaged in informal talks for a possible electoral alliance in the upcoming provincial and federal parliament elections.
Government unveils third National Wildlife Action Plan for 2017-2031

Published: October 3, 2017

The Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has unveiled third National Wildlife Action Plan for 2017-2031 to chalk out future road map for wildlife conservation.

The plan was unveiled by Environment Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan on inaugural day of Global Wildlife Programme (GWP) conference. It is third action plan after first released in 1983 to 2001 and second from 2002 to 2016, that had protected area-centric approach to wildlife conservation.

3rd National Wildlife Action Plan

The plan was initiated in February 2016 by MoEFCC. It was drafted by a 12-member committee chaired by JC Kala, a former secretary to the ministry. The key focus areas of this plan includes integration of climate change into wildlife planning, conservation of coastal and marine ecosystem, mitigation of human-wildlife conflict, focus on wildlife health among others.

Climate Change impact: It is first wildlife action plan to recognise concerns related to climate change impact on wildlife. It has stressed on integrating actions for its mitigation and adaptation into wildlife management planning processes.

It recommended assisted migration of wildlife and anticipatory planting along ecological gradients, as climate change may result in die-offs of certain tree species that are unable to adapt to newer environmental conditions.

Approach: It adopts landscape approach in conservation of all wildlife  uncultivated flora and fauna that have an ecological value to ecosystem and to mankind irrespective of where they occur. It gives special emphasis to recovery to threatened species of wildlife while conserving their habitats which include inland aquatic, coastal and marine ecosystems.

Human-animal conflict concerns: It addresses rising human-animal conflict owing to shrinkage, fragmentation and deterioration of habitats generating animosity against wild animals and protected areas.

Peoples support: It underscores increasing need for peoples support for conservation of wildlife. It recommends eco-development, education, innovation, training, extension, and conservation awareness and outreach programs.

Participation of private sector: It underlines increased role of private sector in wildlife conservation. It lays down that Government will ensure that adequate and sustained funding including Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds are made available for implementation of plan.

Month: Current Affairs - October, 2017

Topics: Climate change  Environment  National  National Wildlife Action Plan  Wildlife conservation

Latest E-Books
Pakistani 'drug trafficker' among 6 beheaded in Saudi Arabia





The Saudi Arabia government on Monday executed 6 people, including a Pakistani citizen, convicted of drug trafficking and homicide, the highest number of executions in a single day this year.





The Pakistani man was beheaded for drug trafficking and 5 Saudi nationals for homicide, the interior ministry said.





Monday's executions bring to 44 the number of convicts put to death this year, according to an AFP tally of government statements.





The oil-rich kingdom has one of the world's highest rates of execution, with suspects convicted of terrorism, homicide, homosexuality, rape, armed robbery and drug trafficking facing the death penalty.



'Since July 2017, the Saudi Arabian government has been on an execution spree with an average of five people put to death per week'





The Saudi Arabian authorities executed a man today, bringing the total number of people put to death so far in 2017 to 100, with 60 people executed in the past three months alone, said Amnesty International.





Since July 2017, the Saudi Arabian government has been on an execution spree with an average of five people put to death per week. This sets the country firmly on track to remain one of the most prolific executioners on the planet, said Lynn Maalouf, Director of Research for Amnesty International in the Middle-East.





If the Saudi authorities are truly intent on making reforms, they must immediately establish an official moratorium on executions as a first step towards abolishing the death penalty completely.





Forty percent of the executions carried out so far this year were related to drug-related offences, which do not fall into the category of "most serious crimes". The use of the death penalty for such offences violates international human rights law.





Unfair trials





Many people in Saudi Arabia sentenced to death and executed are charged guilty following seriously flawed court proceedings that routinely fall far short of international fair trial standards. They are often convicted solely on the basis of confessions obtained under torture and other ill-treatment, denied legal representation in trials which are held in secret, and are not kept informed of the progress of the legal proceedings in their case.





For example, on 13 September Said al-Saiari was executed in the city of Najran, in the southwest of Saudi Arabia. He was found guilty of the murder of another Saudi Arabian man, by the same court that concluded that there was not enough evidence to convict him.





Said al-Saiari was put to death in spite of the lack of evidence against him. This just shows how facile it is for the Saudi Arabian authorities to resort to this inhumane, and more crucially, irreversible punishment, said Lynn Maalouf.





Death penalty as a tool to crush dissent





The Saudi authorities have been using the death penalty as a tool to crush dissent and rein in minorities with callous disregard for human life. They should immediately quash these sentences and ensure that all trials meet international fair trial standards without recourse to the death penalty said Lynn Maalouf.





At least 33 members of Saudi Arabias Shia Muslim community currently face the death penalty. All were accused of activities deemed a risk to national security. Among them are Ali al-Nimr, Abdullah al-Zaher, Dawood al-Marhoon who were arrested for alleged offences committed when they were under 18 and who said that they were tortured in order to make them confess. Last month the family of another young man Abdulkareem al-Hawaj were informed by court officials that the Supreme Court had upheld his death sentence for offences related to his involvement in anti-government protests. Al-Hawaj was only 16 when he took part in the protests; he has exhausted all his appeals and can be executed as soon as the King ratifies his sentence. They are all at imminent risk of execution.





On 11 July, Yusuf al-Mushaikhass along with three other Shia men were executed in the countrys Eastern Province of Qatif for terror-related offences in connection with their participation in anti-government protests between 2011 and 2012. He was convicted following a grossly unfair trial which hinged largely on a confession obtained through torture.





The families of the 14 Shia men accused of protest-related crimes and whose death sentence was upheld by the Supreme Court on 24 July live in the fear of receiving at any time the horrific news of the execution of their relatives.





Background





Saudi Arabia uses the death penalty for a wide range of offences that are not accepted as the most serious crimes under international human rights law, which are limited to crimes involving intentional killings.





Saudi Arabia is one of the top executioners in the world, with more than 2,000 people executed between 1985 and 2016.





Amnesty International opposes the death penalty in all cases without exception regardless of the nature or circumstances of the crime; guilt, innocence or other characteristics of the individual; or the method used by the state to carry out the execution.

Saudi Arabia executes 100th person this year

Saudi Arabia has carried out its 100th execution this year, with almost 60 people killed in the last three months alone, marking a significant increase in the rate of executions during 2017. At current rates, the Kingdom could match the record rate of executions seen in 2016.





This total number of people executed since the start of 2014 stands at 499. A tenth of those were convicted of protest-related offences and more than a third were convicted of non-violent drug offences.





There are currently 17 young men facing imminent execution for protest-related offences in Saudi Arabia including Ali al-Nimr who was a child of just 17 years old when he was sentenced to death by beheading; Munir al-Adam who is half-deaf and partially blind and has been seriously tortured; and Mujtaba al-Sweikat who was at the airport on his way to study in the United States when he was arrested.





Maya Foa, Director of Reprieve, said: The Saudi regime, led by King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, have continued their appalling campaign of repression with peaceful protestors and innocent children being executed at a horrifying rate. Talk of reform and opening up to the world is a smokescreen to cover up these terrible human rights abuses that are being inflicted daily. Responsible leaders in Europe, the United States and around the world need to use their close ties to the Saudi Royal family to demand an end to this unacceptable brutality.

 | Report an error, an omission, a typo; suggest a story or a new angle to an existing story; submit a piece, a comment; recommend a resource; contact the webmaster, contact us: deathpenaltynews@gmail.com



Opposed to Capital Punishment? Help us keep this blog up and running! DONATE!





"One is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed,

but by the punishments that the good have inflicted." -- Oscar Wilde

Agence France-Presse, Amnesty International, October 3, 2017: Reprieve, October 3, 2017
The U.S. on Sept. 29 voted against a U.N. Human Rights Council resolution that condemns the death penalty for those found guilty of committing consensual same-sex sexual acts.





The resolution  which Belgium, Benin, Costa Rica, France, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia and Switzerland introduced  passed by a 27-13 vote margin.





Congo, Cote dIvoire, Ghana, Rwanda, South Africa, Togo, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Albania, Croatia, Georgia, Hungary, Latvia, Slovenia, Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, El Salvador, Panama, Paraguay, Venezuela, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, Portugal, Switzerland and the U.K. supported the resolution. Botswana, Burundi, Egypt, Ethiopia, Bangladesh, China, India, Iraq, Japan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates joined the U.S. in opposing it.





Kenya, Nigeria, Tunisia, Indonesia, the Philippines, South Korea and Cuba abstained.





The resolution specifically condemns the imposition of the death penalty as a sanction for specific forms of conduct, such as apostasy, blasphemy, adultery and consensual same-sex relations and expresses serious concern that the application of the death penalty for adultery is disproportionately imposed on women. It also notes poor and economically vulnerable persons and foreign nationals are disproportionately subjected to the death penalty, that laws carrying the death penalty are used against persons exercising their rights to freedom of expression, thought, conscience, religion, and peaceful assembly and association, and that persons belonging to religious or ethnic minorities are disproportionately represented among those sentenced to the death penalty.





ILGA in a press release noted Egypt, Russia and Saudi Arabia sought to amend the resolution and dilute its impact. These amendments failed, even though the U.S. supported two of them from Russia that stated the death penalty does not per se mean a (human rights) violation, but may lead to . . . (human rights) violations and in some cases the (death penalty) leads to torture, rather than that many states hold that the (death penalty) is a form of torture.





The U.S. also backed a proposed amendment from Egypt that stated a moratorium (on the death penalty) should be a decision after domestic debate. The U.S. abstained from voting on a proposed amendment from Saudi Arabia that said countries have the right to develop their own laws and penalties (in accordance with international law.)





Iran, Saudi Arabia, Mauritania and Sudan are among the handful of countries in which consensual same-sex sexual activity remains punishable by death. The so-called Islamic State has executed dozens of men in Iraq, Syria and Libya who were accused of committing sodomy.





It is unconscionable to think that there are hundreds of millions of people living in states where somebody may be executed simply because of whom they love said ILGA Executive Director Renato Sabbadini in a press release, referring to the resolution. This is a monumental moment where the international community has publicly highlighted that these horrific laws simply must end.





The vote took place nine days after Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, Costa Rican Vice President Ana Helena Chacon and other world leaders attended a U.N. LGBT Core Group event that coincided with the opening of the U.N. General Assembly.





Kelly Currie, the U.S. representative to the U.N. Economic and Social Council, attended the event but did not speak. Former Vice President Biden is among those who spoke at last years U.N. LGBT Core Group event.





U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley in April said the U.S. remains disturbed by the ongoing crackdown against gay men and lesbians in Chechnya. Caitlyn Jenner in July met with Haley at her office in New York.





President Trump traveled to Saudi Arabia in May. He made no mention that consensual same-sex sexual relations remain punishable by death in the kingdom in a speech he gave in the Saudi capital of Riyadh.





Trump has also not publicly commented on the ongoing crackdown against LGBT Chechens.





The U.S. and 24 other countries in 2014 voted for a resolution against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender the U.N. Human Rights Council adopted. The body in 2011 narrowly approved a resolution in support of LGBT rights that South Africa introduced.

Source: losangelesblade.com , Michael K. Lavers, October 3, 2017. Michael K. Lavers is the international news editor of the Washington Blade.

These 13 countries voted against UN ban of death penalty for being gay

You might be surprised by some of the Western countries who voted against





The United Nations Human Rights Council has voted to condemn countries who use the death penalty on gay people.





Although the resolution passed with 27 countries voting for the measure - 13 countries including the United States voted against.





Being gay is still punishable by death in 6 countries including Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Yemen.





Similarly, gay people are also being killed in so-called ISIS-held territories in Northern Iraq and Northern Syria.





Although not countrywide, there are also parts of Nigeria and Somalia where the death penalty is in use against LGBTI people too.





However, this resolution doesn't call for an end to death as punishment. It asks countries who have the death penalty to ensure they do not use it in a 'discriminatory manner.'





It calls for an end to using the death penalty for anyone:





with intellectual disabilities

below 18 years of age at the time of the crime

pregnant women

for apostasy

blasphemy

adultery

consensual same-sex relations





Responding to the vote, Renato Sabbadini, Executive Director of The International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA) says:





'It is unconscionable to think that there are hundreds of millions of people living in States where somebody may be executed simply because of whom they love.





'This is a monumental moment where the international community has publicly highlighted that these horrific laws simply must end.'





Who voted against the resolution?





This is not the 1st time the UN has made this kind of statement.





More than a decade ago, the now-disbanded UN Human Rights Commission passed a similar resolution. The United Nations General Assembly in New York also passes a resolution on 'extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions' every 2 years.





However, this resolution is the 1st by the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.





There were 6 attempts by Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Russia to change and dilute the resolution. Despite this, they all failed to allow the measure to pass.





These are the 13 countries that voted against the resolution:





Bangladesh





Botswana





Burundi





China





Egypt





Ethiopia





India





Iraq





Japan





Qatar





Saudia Arabia





The United Arab Emirates





United States





However, despite submitting several changes, Russia is not able to vote.





An extensive campaign by human rights groups opposing Russian membership was successful in 2016 when they were denied a place on the council in 2016. The groups took issue with the countries bombing of Syrian cities.





Andre du Plessis, Head of UN Programme and Advocacy at ILGA says:





'We are grateful for the leadership of the 8 countries that brought this resolution - Belgium, Benin, Costa Rica, France, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, and Switzerland.'





Above all adding, 'they stood firm on principle through a difficult negotiation and voting period.'

 | Report an error, an omission, a typo; suggest a story or a new angle to an existing story; submit a piece, a comment; recommend a resource; contact the webmaster, contact us: deathpenaltynews@gmail.com



Opposed to Capital Punishment? Help us keep this blog up and running! DONATE!





"One is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed,

but by the punishments that the good have inflicted." -- Oscar Wilde

: Gay Star News, October 4, 2017
Regimes that seek nuclear weapons in the name of enhanced security and prestige are dangerously misguided, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said at a recent UN Security Council meeting on the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. What the pursuit of nuclear weapons in fact represents, he emphasized, is a path to isolation and intense security scrutiny from the global community.

A better, proven way to enhance a nations security and prosperity is to deepen integration with the rest of the world and adhere to international standards and agreements.

Secretary Tillerson pointed to the Korean peninsula as a stark example of these differing paths:

While North Korea has shunned the international community and let its people starve while it relentlessly pursues nuclear weapons, South Korea has opted not to pursue nuclear weapons and is fully engaged with the international community. As a result, South Korea has grown into one of the worlds great economic powers, with a GDP over 100 times that of its neighbor to the north.

In contrast, North Koreas pursuit of nuclear weapons is leading to greater isolation, ignominy and deprivation, Secretary Tillerson declared. Continued threats against the United States and the global community will not create safety for the regime but will rather stiffen [the global communitys] resolve and...commitment to deterring North Korean aggression.

Mr. Tillerson said, There are also lessons here for Iran, which was on its own pathway to develop nuclear weapons  in violation of its Non-Proliferation Treaty and nuclear safeguards obligations and multiple, legally binding UN Security Council resolutions:

Iran seems keen to preserve for itself the option to resume such work in the future, even while sponsoring international terrorism, developing missile systems capabilities of delivering nuclear weapons, and destabilizing its neighbors in a dangerous quest of regional hegemony.

The collective responsibilities of meeting such proliferation challenges will require more from all of us, Secretary Tillerson said, beginning with upholding nonproliferation norms, including the full enforcement of relevant UN Security Council resolutions. But, he added, treaties and resolutions are not enough: Stopping nuclear proliferation also entails exercising other levers of power, whether diplomatic, economic, digital, moral, or if necessary, military.

Ultimately, said Secretary Tillerson, we each have a sovereign responsibility to ensure that we keep the world safe from nuclear warfare, the aftermath of which will transgress all borders.
At 1600 hours Universal Time on Tuesday, October 3rd, 2017, the United States will begin accepting applications for the 2019 Diversity Visa Program. Applications will be accepted until 1600 hours Universal Time on Tuesday, November 7th, 2017. Through this program, the United States Government makes available 50,000 permanent resident visas to citizens of countries that traditionally have a low rate of immigration to the United States.

The United States is a nation of immigrants. Throughout our history, immigrants from every corner of the world have contributed to life in the United States. Without this diversity, we would not be the nation that we are today.

Historically, though, not all nations and ethnic groups are well represented in our country. The Diversity Visa Program specifically permits entries from countries with a historically lower level of immigration to the United States. This year, citizens from the following countries are not eligible to participate in the program based on their historically higher level of immigrantion to the United States: Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, mainland China, Colombia, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Haiti, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, South Korea, United Kingdom (except for Northern Ireland) and its dependent territories, and Vietnam.

Those who are interested in entering the DV program should go to dvlottery.state.gov/

Entries for the Diversity Visa Program are accepted online only, no exceptions. Those who are interested in entering the DV program should go to dvlottery.state.gov/ and read the instructions, beginning with the qualification requirements. The entry process takes about 15 minutes to complete.

All winners are chosen by a random drawing. It is very important that entrants save their unique confirmation number. In May of next year, you can begin checking the status of your entry on the website  but you can only check using your confirmation number. Successful entrants are not notified by email of the status of their E-DV online entry. Any email claiming to notify entrants they have been selected for the DV program is not legitimate. Entrants can only access information on their application through the online Entrant Status Check at dvlottery.state.gov.

The law allows only one entry per person during the registration period. Entrants who submit more than one entry will be disqualified. Those selected in the DV program may apply for immigrant visas (IVs).

Entry into the DV program is free, so please keep in mind that anyone asking for money to better your chances of winning is running a scam.

Good luck!
The Russian meddling machine has intensified its efforts on social media to deepen divisiveness in the final hours before the Catalan independence referendum of Sunday. Pro-Kremlin Twitter accounts increased their mentions of the Catalan crisis by 2,000%, according to social conversation analysis tools. The attempt to hold an independence referendum has gotten star treatment not only in channels directly funded by the Russian government, but also from accounts that trade in conspiracy theories and helped Donald Trump become the US president.

The charts demonstrate increase in the use of the hashtag 'Catalan' on Twitter accounts identified as having a relationship to Russia. An increase of 2,000% in the mentions of that hashtag has been seen in the last 48 hours, in the chart on the left. The chart on the right shows the use of the hashtag tracked since September 24. securingdemocracy.org

One of the biggest cogs in the Trump machine is InfoWars, an empire led by Alex Jones, a known instigator of conspiracy theories. On Wednesday, broadcaster David Knight falsely claimed that 700 mayors had been arrested in Spain and that the government is preparing an invasion of Catalonia by sea. He then criticized Trump for not supporting secession because this country [the United States] was founded on the right of self-government and self-determination.

On Thursday, Knight was at it again, this time to comment on information published by EL PAIS on Russian interference in Catalonia: If the Russians control social media and if the Russians controlled Facebook, as we are being told now by the Democrats, Hillary Clinton and even the Spanish government then why are they banning Facebook? The InfoWars site, where these videos and podcasts are broadcast, has more than 6.5 million unique users per month, according to the company itself.

The Drudge Report, a tabloid website equally faithful to Trump, opened its evening edition with a photo from the Diada, or Catalan National Day, covered in independence flags and the generic title Fight for Catalonia. On September 20, the media think tank Media Matters referred to Matt Drudge, director of that portal, as a pipeline for Russian propaganda in the US. According to InterMarkets, The Drudge Report has 19 million unique users per month.

The idea of a disintegrating Spain is part of the anti-EU rhetoric that both Trump, and the nationalist groups that support him, have exhibited. One of those anonymous accounts, @WillyClicks, with 23,000 followers on Twitter, said on Thursday: Franco is dead. Spain is a failed state. Stop delaying its dissolution. Support Catalonia!

The 2,000% increase in Catalonia-related online activity in Russia detected by the tool Hamilton 68, not only involves anonymous accounts, but also a sudden interest in this crisis by famous social media users from the US, including Jack Posobiec, a far-right agitator who has been retweeted by Trump himself. These past couple of days Posobiec has shared links about the measures taken to prevent the vote in Catalonia.

The great provocateurs in Trumps America have thus joined media outlets that are directly subsidized by the Russian government, such as Sputnik or RT. The latter has notably intensified its production of content about the Catalan crisis on its networks, both in English and Spanish, with headlines such as "Echoes of Franco in Spains political repression of Catalonia. On Friday, RTs Spanish edition published 11 articles on the subject. In the past, this outlet has been involved in other controversies, particularly over its role in promoting Trump during the US campaign.

According to a US intelligence report released in January, RT is the Kremlins main international propaganda channel and directly staffs RT and closely supervises RT's coverage, recruiting people who can convey Russian strategic messaging because of their ideological beliefs. The RT editor-in-chief is Margarita Simonyan, who has close ties to top Russian Government officials, according to the US intelligence report. On Wednesday, Simonyan shared a video in Russian on Twitter (@M_Simonyan, 540,000 followers) criticizing EL PAIS information, adding the sarcastic message: In Catalonia, we have also hacked and manipulated, etcetera.

RT maintains a close collaboration with Julian Assange, as the US report highlights. These ties have been evident in the case of Catalonia. According to the same report, RTs editor-in-chief met the Wikileaks founder at the Ecuadorian embassy in London in 2013. Russian media subsequently announced that RT had become the only Russian media company to partner with WikiLeaks, according to the report.

Accordingly, Assange has intensified efforts to make the Catalan crisis a global trend on social networks, always from his particular point of view. On Friday, he accused Spain and Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy of having triggered the first world war through Internet censorship. His message was shared 14,000 times on Twitter. Before the Civil Guard took action to prevent an electronic vote tally, Assange himself also recommended via Twitter sending in the ballots via Telegram, an application developed by a company based in Russia.

Ecuador, which hosts Assange at its embassy in London, believes that taking sides in the Spanish crisis violates the terms of his political asylum. Ecuadorian President Lenin Moreno revealed on CNN Wednesday that he has asked Assange, in a cordial way, to stop commenting on the politics of Ecuador or its allies, because his condition does not allow it. Assange responded on Twitter on Thursday: If President Moreno wants to gag my reporting of human rights abuses in Spain he should say so explicitly--together with the legal basis.

The framework of Russian influence has not only provided support for independence in the form of propaganda. On Tuesday, EL PAIS, quoting sources in the Civil Guard, revealed that several Russian hackers have helped to maintain census websites active for the Catalan regional government. Such logistical assistance may be more necessary than ever, given that the Civil Guard shut down electronic vote-counting in the regional governments telecommunications center.

English version by Debora Almeida.
These are the responsibility of the editor and convey the newspaper's view on current affairs-both domestic and international

Members of the Catalan executive and Barcelona City Hall in Barcelona. Massimiliano Minocri (EL PAIS)

The Catalan executive, or Generalitat, has called for European mediation to resolve, in favor of independence for the region (with the excuses of the right to decide or police action on Sunday), its showdown with Spanish rule of law.

And soon the Generalitat will make the same request of other international organizations, hoping to achieve abroad  brandishing impressive and sad images  what it has failed to do at home, through political persuasion.

The petition to the EU is opportunistic in its formulation; it is clear that the plan is mere propaganda

It is an untimely call because this mediation doesnt fit within the framework of the European Unions Treaty of Lisbon, article four of which obliges all signatories to respect the territorial integrity and Constitution of all member states. And the call is cynical because the alliance that props up the Catalan government oscillates between indifference and hostility toward the EU.

The pro-independence Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC) party, one of the coalition partners in the Catalan government, carried out an aggressive campaign against the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe, which later became the Treaty of Lisbon, because it understood  correctly  that the document did not include the right to secession. Catalonias Convergencia party (now the Catalan European Democratic Party, or PDeCAT) came close to holding the same position, causing a considerable crisis among its most pro-European elements.

And the far-left CUP party has renounced Europe, which it sees as the ultimate expression of capitalist neoliberalism and whose flag it happily burns in the streets.

The alliance that props up the Catalan government oscillates between indifference and hostility toward the EU

The fraudulent character of the secessionist project is evidenced in the fact that it is asking for Europes help in a cause whose final aim is the fragmentation of the state  in other words, a goal that is completely contrary to the foundational philosophy of the EU, which postulates the overcoming of the demons that exclusionary nationalism have always brought to Europe.

The secessionists are also calling for this mediation so that they can have a dialogue that is in fact an ultimatum because they pose, as an inalienable prerequisite, the acceptance of a false right to vote on secession, or an immediate recognition of independence.

The petition to the EU is also opportunistic in its formulation. It is already clear that the plan is mere propaganda. It seeks to characterize Spanish democracy as a democratically nonviable state with the aim of creating an alibi for a remedial secession that would provide relief from the excesses of a (non-existent) dictatorship.

This wont be the case, as the European Commission repeated yesterday, because the EU is obliged to respect the territorial integrity of member states and their respective constitutions, and because, as a consequence, the solution to a dispute must always be found within the legal framework of Spain.

The mediation called for by the Generalitat doesnt fit within the framework of the European Unions Treaty of Lisbon

The government of Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy must now employ all of its efforts toward solving the dispute after having squandered all opportunities to oppose the machinery of secessionist propaganda. Its absence at the recent EU summit in Tallinn, where it should have explained its reasons in terms of Spanish rule of law, is the perfect symbol of its absence in general.

English version by George Mills.
While the images of the Spanish police charging at Catalan voters on Sunday are worthy of serious attention, they need to be put in context if we are to understand just what has happened in Spain and in the European Union over the past few days. Which is what I aim to do here as briefly as possible.

Police in Catalonia were not acting on the orders of the central government but of the judiciary

The first thing to take into account is that the police were not acting on the orders of the central government but of the judiciary. The police were preventing an independence referendum from taking place on the orders of a judge because it was decided that it violated the Constitution, which does not recognize the right of an autonomous region to take a unilateral decision to break away.

Its true that the words right to self-determination and right to decide sound reasonable in the kinds of modern democracy that exist in the US or Europe, but they have to be placed within each countrys legal framework.

The independence activists have been claiming the right to hold a referendum for years but the implications of such a measure have to be taken into account. The most serious one is that they would consider a yes vote binding and that would affect all Catalans, even those who feel Spanish. How many Catalans feel Spanish? In the last elections, the Catalan pro-independence parties (the Junts pel Si coalition and the radical CUP party) got 1,975,348 votes out of a census of 5,510,798. In other words, of all the Catalans with the right to vote in Catalonia, 35% opted for one pro-independence party or another.

On several occasions, the independence activists have tried to hold a negotiated referendum such as in Scotland and Quebec. However, the dominant political parties in Spain have said no. The center-right Popular Party, which is currently in power in the central government, argues that a referendum on self-determination is illegal, among other things because Catalonia already is almost totally self-governing as it is.

The Catalans already manage their own prison system, their police, education and health. As far as the treasury is concerned, they control tax collection while the redistribution of public funds is controlled by the central government. Generally speaking, Catalonia is one of the most autonomous regions in the whole of Europe.

The other main party in Spain, the opposition Socialist Party (PSOE), believes that a referendum should be held involving all Spaniards, not just the Catalans. In other words, it believes that Congress should agree to reform the 1978 Constitution in a way that would turn the Spanish regional system into a federation of states and that this should be voted on nationally. Up to now, the PP has resisted putting this option to the Catalan leaders.

If Catalonia declared independence, Spain as we know it would cease to exist

What is true is that if Catalonia declared independence, Spain as we know it would cease to exist, given that there are other regions such as the Basque Country and Galicia with powerful nationalist movements that would probably follow their lead.

Also to be taken into account is the systematic persecution of both major parties by the terrorist organization ETA that killed 829 people  including numerous teachers, politicians and policemen  in the name of Basque nationalism from 1958, when Franco was still in power, until 2010.

Catalonia has never been an independent state. It was part of the Kingdom of Aragon when Aragon joined the Kingdom of Castile in the 15th century. It shares a language and culture with other autonomous regions  Valencia and the Balearic Islands. Many pro-independence leaders propose that these other regions should join Catalonia to make the Paisos Catalans, something unlikely to happen given that these other regions feel strongly Spanish.

Faced with the refusal of PP and the Spanish Prime Minister, Mariano Rajoy, to entertain a referendum in Catalonia, in August the independence activists passed a law enabling them to hold the vote unilaterally and another in which the process of proclaiming a republic is laid out in detail. In this vote, the parties opposing independence, which hold 63 of the 135 seats, abstained from voting and the central government put the matter in the hands of the Constitutional Court, which ordered the police to prevent the referendum from going ahead.

Catalonias leaders left the referendum in the hands of the general population, who had to face the police response alone

The central government could have resorted to Article 155 in the Constitution, which allows it to assume the powers of the Catalan regional government in the event it is disobeyed. But it didnt.

Various warnings were issued in the run-up to the referendum appealing to the pro-independence leaders to call it off. They were called to order by the central government, the socialist opposition and even by US President Donald Trump as well as the president of the European Commission, Jean Claude Juncker. All the above expressed respect for the law and the Spanish Constitution.

Despite this, Catalan leaders decided to press on with their agenda. They said the vote would take place. They published the census on internet. They chose the schools that would act as polling stations. They allowed groups of volunteers to conceal the ballot boxes and organize the vote. Various pro-independence voters organized pajama parties with children in the schools in order to occupy them.

In short, Catalonias leaders left the referendum in the hands of the general population, who had to face the police response alone. What could be better for these pro independence leaders than images of unrest and policemen seizing ballot boxes by force, which is exactly what happened?

EL PAIS stands with the Constitution and proposes returning to the letter of the law to solve the current crisis

Catalonia has its own police force, the Mossos de Esquadra, which is now under investigation for disobedience. It was under the orders of the Constitutional Court to vacate the schools  to go to each school and make sure the vote didnt take place. The heads of the Mossos de Esquadra claimed they did that, but the footage from Sunday shows a different story. They turned up at the schools, handed over a piece of paper and left.

Which is why the National Police and Civil Guard were sent in, only to be met by human barricades, a number of which were broken up by force.

Armed with the resulting images, the pro-independence leaders have maintained that there were almost 900 injured and are requesting the EU and the UN to intervene against Spanish authoritarianism. According to Jordi Sanchez, President of the National Catalan Assembly (ANC): There hasnt been this number of injuries since the Second World War.

What actually happened was that the local health services tended to 893 people, most of whom had suffered a panic attack or a minor injury of some kind. So the figure was exaggerated. There was only one serious hospital case and that was due to a heart attack. Another was admitted to hospital with an eye injury. According to the Spanish government, 33 policemen were injured in the course of duty.

It is untrue, as the Catalan leaders claim, that this is the worst violence in Europe for decades. There are some very recent examples that are far worse, such as the crackdown on crowds protesting against the G20 summit in Hamburg last May when hundreds were injured by police using tear gas and water cannons. In France, 2005, three civilians died and almost a thousand were injured in clashes with the police; not to mention the repressive measures employed by various governments, such as the one in Hungary, acting against immigrants trying to cross their country to get to Germany.

Its important to add that the party that now leads the pro-independence coalition has been in power for decades in Catalonia and, according to recent findings, is guilty of setting up illegal funding systems via illegal commissions of 3% on public projects. Many of their leaders, including the former president, Jordi Pujol, are either under investigation or already in prison.

EL PAIS is a newspaper that emerged after the death of the dictator Franco. It spoke of the need to defend a constitutional democracy in Spain. During the attempted coup in 1981 while tanks were crawling up the streets and the military police in control of Congress, its front page read: EL PAIS stands with the Constitution. Now EL PAIS still stands with the Constitution and proposes returning to the letter of the law to solve the current crisis. Let the various political parties agree on an amendment to the constitution that is voted on by the country as a whole so that people have the right to decide in a free, equal and democratic manner.

English version by Heather Galloway.
Pedro Sanchez (l) and Mariano Rajoy at La Moncloa on Monday. Luca Piergiovanni (EFE)

More information Follow all our updates from Catalonia as they happen

Spains governing Popular Party (PP), the Socialist Party (PSOE) and center-right group Ciudadanos managed to stay united until October 1, presenting a common front against an independence referendum in Catalonia that had been ruled unconstitutional by the courts.

But there is no guarantee that this unity will survive beyond that date. This much has become evident following Monday meetings between Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy and the leaders of both opposition parties.

If anybody has a proposal, let them say so now, because theres 72 hours left before the Catalan government declares independence

Ciudadanos leader Albert Rivera

What emerged from the meetings is that Spains pro-Constitution parties have no common solution for addressing the next steps that will predictably be taken by Catalonias separatist government, which has announced a unilateral declaration of independence in the coming days.

Meanwhile, the anti-establishment Podemos is defending a legal referendum for the region and is openly hostile to Rajoy, making an agreement unlikely.

PSOE: lets talk

At their meeting, Socialist secretary general Pedro Sanchez asked Rajoy to open up an immediate political negotiation with Catalan authorities, and also to initiate talks with all of Spains parliamentary forces  including Podemos  to find a way out of the Catalan crisis.

The secretary general of the Socialists has told Rajoy to re-establish contact and open up immediate negotiations with the head of the Generalitat [Carles Puigdemont] to establish a dialogue that is more necessary than ever today, said the statement.

But constructive talks between the PP and Unidos Podemos, Spains third-largest presence in Congress, are unlikely. The latter has been highly critical of the conservative governments handling of the secessionist challenge, and its leader Pablo Iglesias has asked Sanchez to work with Podemos instead to create a government of change that will push Rajoy out of office.

Ciudadanos leader Albert Rivera after his meeting with Mariano Rajoy on Monday. Luca Piergiovanni (EFE)

Meanwhile, reform party Ciudadanos  which began life as a Catalan anti-independence party before making the jump to national politics and becoming the fourth-most-voted force in Spain  is asking Rajoy to invoke Section 155, a provision of the Spanish Constitution that could theoretically suspend home rule in Catalonia by forcing the region to comply with constitutional law.

If anybody has a proposal, let them say so now, because theres 72 hours left before [the Catalan government] declare independence, and thats something that cannot be stopped with a registered fax from the Constitutional Court, said Ciudadanos leader Albert Rivera, alluding to the fact that most action against the referendum has so far been left in the hands of the judiciary.

Rajoy: lets wait

The Spanish PM does not want to make any moves before knowing what Catalonias Puigdemont and his partners will do first. He did not tell Sanchez or Rivera about his plans, although he did concede to the latter that all options are on the table, including the possibility of invoking 155.

Rajoy wants to appear before Congress to explain what he intends to do to uphold the rule of law in Spain, something that is not likely to happen before next week.

Mafia-like behavior On Tuesday, Interior Minister Juan Ignacio Zoido held an emergency meeting with the heads of the National Police and Civil Guard to analyze possible measures against the intolerable harassment suffered by law enforcement officers at the hands of secessionist activists in Catalonia. The government is investigating reports that hotels in several locations were pressured by local authorities into throwing out law enforcement members who were staying at their establishments, or face closure. This is mafia-like behavior, and we will not tolerate mafia-like behavior from town halls in Catalonia, said Deputy Prime Minister Soraya Saenz de Santamaria on Tuesday.

English version by Susana Urra.
Naya Shakti to join UML-Maoist Centre alliance

Baburam Bhattarai-led Naya Shakti Nepal is set to join the leftist alliance of CPN-UML and CPN (Maoist Centre) for the upcoming elections.
For many days it was the best-kept secret in every town and neighborhood of Catalonia. As tensions grew leading up to the illegal independence referendum, small groups of people worked in secret to get the 10,000 ballot boxes and millions of ballots to the regional governments 2,315 designated polling stations. This was a complex logistical operation that, despite the efforts of thousands of police officers to shut it down, was completed with great precision.

A photo of ballots and ballot boxes seized by police. EFE

It was a colossal job, only possible thanks to thousands of anonymous people, says a person who participated in the preparations in Catalonias Tarragona province. Everyone knew what they had to do and preferred not to know about everything else. At first it was almost fun, but as the day drew near and everything became tense, you became a bundle of nerves. You couldnt share it with anyone, not even with your partner, the person added.

Ordering, receiving, and storing 10,000 ballot boxes was challenging. If we were caught, there was no plan B A Catalan mayor

The purchase of the ballot boxes was perhaps the most important part of the whole operation. With the ballots there was more wiggle room. They could be printed at multiple sites and on multiple dates. But ordering 10,000 ballot boxes, receiving them, storing them, and distributing them was more challenging. If we were caught, there was no plan B, says a mayor of a town on the Mediterranean coast near the city of Girona. I myself have no idea, nor did I want to know, who took care of it. But it wasnt more than five or six people.

The boxes were bought from China Smart Dragon Ballot Expert, which sent them to the town of Elna, in French Catalonia near the border, according to Catalan news site Ara. From there, they were brought into Spain by van. The secrecy, and the small number of people who participated in this phase of the operation, prevented details of how they bought and distributed the items from spreading.

I did not know, nor wanted to know, anything about the ballot boxes, says a mayor from the Moianes area, north of Barcelona. We all knew there was a coordinator and we let that person do their job. The only thing I was told was to stay calm, that [the boxes] would arrive on time, he continued. People might have had their phones tapped, so no one spoke over the phone or sent messages. Everything was done in person.

The boxes passed from trunk to trunk until they reached the school A councilor from Bages

Another councilor from the neighboring district of Bages in central Catalonia explains that he did not know how the boxes would arrive until a meeting at 9pm on Saturday night. Later I found out [how it worked]. In the town we had three polling stations with 10 ballot boxes and each location had a point person, with a fourth person to coordinate, he explained.

It was the latter who received the call to go to a meeting point between 12 and 1am, the councilor said.

They asked him not to go with his car, but with a friends. There, they were given the ballot boxes and they were kept in the trunk all night. Then, between 5 and 7am, he met with those responsible for each polling stations. They were transported one by one in discreet places. The boxes were passed from trunk to trunk until they reached the school, he added.

In many other cases, the ballot boxes arrived in the municipalities days before the vote and were kept in all sorts of places: workshops, homes, cars, and churches. I received the ballot boxes last Wednesday. A person from the party called me and asked if I would be home that afternoon. It was the signal, explained the mayor of Emporda, in northern Catalonia. I took two to the attic and I kept another one in a room. The worst moment was when I saw my daughter, who is eight years old. I had to turn to the poor girl and say seriously, You didnt see anything.

Also in Emporda, another mayor had a scare when traveling in the van loaded with referendum material. Two Civil Guard officers approached his vehicle: It was the worst moment of his life, recalls a colleague. In the end, they just asked him how to get to another town and they did not even see what he was carrying. They were just lost and didnt know the area.

English version by Debora Almeida.
After declaring a blockade against the Iraq Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), Iran has been accused of a double standard by many Twitter users.

While Iran has repeatedly condemned international sanctions imposed on Tehran as inhumane, Twitter users maintained that putting the KRG under siege is inhumane, as well.

In a circular, the Iran Road Maintenance and Transportation Organization (IRMTO) declared, In regard to recent developments in the region, all companies in Iran are banned from transferring oil products into KRG or vice versa.

The new guideline was circulated at a time that a referendum for the KRGs independence was held the week before, on September 25, in which 92 percent of voters voted yes.

Hours after the guideline was circulated, a number of Twitter users noted the reactions to Western sanctions imposed on Iran.

Tehran has always insisted the sanctions imposed were inhumane and targeted the Iranian people.

A Twitter account holder, Amir Ebtehaj, wrote, Mr. Rouhani! During the presidential campaigns you used to say that you were against sanctions. Why have you kept mum on sanctions imposed on the KRG? Sanctions are bad, as far as they are imposed on us, otherwise they are good?

Along the same lines, Maytham Behravesh tweeted, American sanctions imposed on us are bad, but our sanctions against the KRG are good?

Another user, under the name Hannah Arendt B (without) Heidegger, remarked, Now, this means sanction and blockade, therefore, stop crying Gaza, Gaza.

However, some users voiced their support for the decision, arguing that the blockade will force KRG President Masoud Barzani to give in and retreat from his position.

Nevertheless, referring to the IRMTOs circular, Farshid Ghazanfarpour commented, Does it mean that we are imposing sanctions on the KRG? Sanctions? The same calamity that the West forced on us? Solely for holding a plebiscite?

Another user named Admiral maintained, Its very bad if Israel blockades Gaza, yet, its absolutely right if we blockade the KRG and punish it for the crime of holding a referendum!

Tacitly referring to Irans military presence in Syria, a journalist, Arash Bahmani, wrote, These (Tehrans) are good sanctions, the same as our good military intervention and nothing bad about it. If they do the same with us, thats inhumane.

Ahmad has also insisted that the sanctions imposed by Iran are directly aimed at the people of Iraqi Kurdistan.

Have those who were insisting theres no such thing as smart sanctions and any sanction imposed on a country directly hurt its people, any comments now? Saeid Goudarzi has asked.

Reacting to the referendum, Iranian and international airliners have declared that, based on the Iraqi central governments request, they have canceled flights to Erbil airport.

Iranian officials have repeatedly branded the KRGs referendum as a U.S.-Israel conspiracy, whereas Washington has explicitly said it does not recognize the plebiscite.
The head of Israels spy organization, Mossad expressed deep concern about Irans actions and intentions in the region and against Israel, declaring that the Islamic Republic is at the top of Mossads list for operations.

In an event set to become an annual tradition, Yossi Cohen said that through its proxies, Iran is operating closer than ever before to Israels borders.

Cohens remarks were delivered during a speech at the Mossad headquarters, in the presence of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has initiated a special annual ceremony to hand out citations to six Mossad teams for their accomplishments.

According to Cohen, the Israeli intelligence service carries out hundreds, thousands of activities every year  some of them complicated and deep within the heart of enemy countries.

Highlighting the potential danger from Iran, Cohen said that Tehran not only arms proxy militias, but it also continues with its vision of [achieving] significant nuclear capabilities, which is meant to lead it to a military nuclear capability.

Apparently, Cohen chose his words carefully, not accusing Iran of violating the 2015 nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA.

The Times of Israel says that his speech is a rarity, since the spy chief seldom speaks in public events.

But he made it clear that Mossad will undertake measures to counteract Islamic Republics policies in the region.

According to the Jerusalem Post, Cohen said Mossad undertakes hundreds and thousands of actions every year, some of which are complex and bold, in the heart of enemy states  the target countries, with aunique ability to work in the very heart of the target, to penetrate into the most guarded and dangerous places, and to return with a decisive achievement.

Since its very inception, the Islamic Republic has repeatedly threatened to destroy Israel.

In October 2015, Iran unveiled what it claimed to be underground ballistic missile "cities". Missiles were shown with "Israel must be wiped out" in Hebrew written on them.

With Reporting by Jerusalem Post and The Times of Israel
Russian air strikes in eastern Syria have killed more than 300 Islamic State militants and wounded 170 over the past two days, Russia's Defense Ministry said on October 3.

Those killed included Abu Islam al-Qazaqi, a field commander from the Central Asian country of Kazakhstan, and about 40 militants who came from southern Russia, ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said in an emailed statement.

Moscow has repeatedly voiced concerns about citizens of former Soviet republics such as Kazakhstan fighting for Islamist extremist groups in Syria and Iraq.

This week's air strikes were conducted on the eastern bank of the Euphrates River, the statement said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said earlier this year that as many as 10,000 fighters from the former Soviet Union may have joined Islamic State.



Syria is embroiled in a six-year civil war that has killed more than 330,000 people and forced an estimated 5 million more to flee across borders to become refugees.

Russia and Iran support the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, while the United States and Turkey back rebel groups.

Also on October 3, Islamic State claimed responsibility for a pair of suicide bombings in the Syrian capital, Damascus, that killed 17 civilians and security forces the previous day.



Based on reporting by dpa, AP, Interfax, and TASS
(Reuters) - An air strike carried out by an unidentified warplane killed seven Hezbollah fighters in eastern Syria, three sources familiar with the incident told Reuters on Monday.

The identity of the warplane was not confirmed, but the sources did not rule out the possibility that it was Russian "friendly fire". The sources did not say when the air strike happened.

The air strike struck a Hezbollah position in eastern Homs province, where the Iran-backed Lebanese group is fighting Islamic State alongside the Syrian and Russian militaries.

Asked about a report that a U.S. drone carried out the strike, the spokesman of the U.S.-led Coalition said the location was outside its area of operations.

The coalition is also conducting air strikes in Syria against Islamic State in support of the Syrian Democratic Forces, an alliance of Arab and Kurdish militias.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 3

By Elmira Tariverdiyeva  Trend:

European separatism, a terrible phenomenon corroding Europe, has received a new momentum, after the so-called referendum on independence of the Spanish region of Catalonia. The measures that were taken by the central government to prevent this referendum were unprecedented.

In the week preceding the voting, the central government sent two huge ferries to Catalonia, on board of which there were about 10,000 employees of the Civil Guard. Their main duty was to suppress riots and fight extremism.

A few weeks before this event, arrests all those who, in the central governments opinion, had contributed to the development of separatism ideas in general and the referendum in particular began in Catalonia.

A few days before the event, the Spanish guardsmen eliminated more than half of 2,315 polling stations, withdrawing urns and ballots from there. Polling stations access to the electronic vote counting system was denied, after which this referendum was named by the media as the first Internet war. The Catalonia province itself was flooded with several thousand employees of the Spanish Civil Guard.

However, the Catalans were adamant in wanting to hold a referendum, which resulted in mass clashes with the guardsmen. Meanwhile, it is an important fact that the Spanish Civil Guard used rubber bullets and tear gas, batons against the protesters, as well as arrested hundreds of protesters. Doctors said that only in Barcelona about 1,000 people, suffered from the guardsmens actions, were treated on October 1.

Now, none of the European leaders even thought to condemn rather harsh actions of the authorities against the Catalans, who are promoting separatism right in the center of Europe.

If authorities of any non-European state acted as decisively as the government of Spain in a similar case, global media outlets would have started showing indignation over what was happening, hysterically accusing the states leader of dictatorship and all the mortal sins. However, in this case even the ardent activists from the Human Rights Watch were very sluggish, and quite late to condemn the actions of the Spanish Civil Guard.

The reason why European leaders preferred to silently support Madrids actions is quite obvious: next time, similar situation may happen in Germany, Italy, the UK and several other European countries, each of which has a source of separatism, constrained by the most severe methods.

Here we again witness ugly show of double standards of European democracies and biased European media outlets, which hypocritically call, for example, Nagorno-Karabakh, as unrecognized disputed region of the South Caucasus or portray Bakus inclemency in absolutely legitimate actions in the territories occupied by Armenia.

May one say now that Baku was too soft to separatists in Azerbaijan and should have urged all the forces of the region to suppress this hotbed of separatism, which today is precedent for many small European nations?

May one hope that the EU, if faced with the threat of civil war in its territory, will react more strictly to Armenias aggression against Azerbaijan?

Unfortunately, no one knows this, since the double standards of the West have perfectly been working for several decades, allowing Western countries to maneuver among their own conscience, toughness toward their own separatists and friends from the Armenian lobby.

---

Elmira Tariverdiyeva is the head of Trend Agencys Russian news service
Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 3

Trend:

Co-chairmen of the OSCE Minsk Group will arrive in Azerbaijan on Oct. 7, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov said Oct. 3.

Mammadyarov said that before their visit to Azerbaijan, the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen will arrive in Yerevan, Armenia.

The co-chairmen will arrive to discuss the agenda of an upcoming meeting of Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents, Mammadyarov said. Following the presidents meeting, the mediators want to achieve logical results and break the stalemate in the conflict settlement.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 3

By Leman Zeynalova  Trend:

Germany supports the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict through negotiations, Michael Kindsgrab, ambassador of Germany to Azerbaijan, said at a press conference in Baku Oct. 3.

"Germany supports Azerbaijans territorial integrity and would like the negotiations on the conflict settlement to continue, the diplomat said.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 3

Trend:

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev sent a congratulatory letter to President of the Federal Republic of Germany Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

On behalf of the people of Azerbaijan and on my own behalf, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to you and the people of your country on the occasion of the national holiday of the Federal Republic of Germany - German Unity Day, said President Aliyev in his letter.

The current level of Azerbaijani-German relations is satisfactory. Based on mutual understanding and constructive dialogue, our political relations are accompanied by a broad and fruitful cooperation in the economic and humanitarian fields, noted the head of state.

I hope that we will continue our joint efforts to strengthen relations between our states and deepen our cooperation in a multilateral format, added the president. On this remarkable day, I extend my best wishes to you, and wish the friendly people of Germany everlasting peace and prosperity.
Nepal and India to conduct joint tiger census

Nepal and India are going to conduct a joint census of tigers in national parks, forests and sanctuaries.
Details added (first version posted on 11:39)

Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 3

Trend:

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has today received a delegation led by Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Pavlo Klimkin.

The head of state hailed Azerbaijan-Ukraine bilateral relations, saying the visit of the Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko to Azerbaijan played an important role in strengthening these ties. President Ilham Aliyev noted that this visit gave an impetus to the expansion of bilateral relations and cooperation between the two countries relevant authorities, particularly in economic, trade and investment spheres.

The head of state pointed out that the key tasks are to increase bilateral trade, expand export-import operations, and determine possible investment projects using the capabilities of the two countries.

Underlining the existence of friendly relations between Azerbaijan and Ukraine, President Ilham Aliyev also praised the two countries active cooperation in international organizations.

The head of state hailed the importance of cooperation in the field of transport, saying that today a part of the cargo shipped from Ukraine to Asia passes through Azerbaijan.

He noted that railway authorities are actively cooperating in international format.

Ukrainian FM Pavlo Klimkin extended greetings and best wishes of President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko to President Ilham Aliyev.

Pointing out the economic cooperation between the two countries, Pavlo Klimkin underlined a significant increase in bilateral trade in the past six months. The Ukrainian FM noted the importance of high-level meetings in terms of expanding bilateral relations between the two countries.

Klimkin said that his country is looking forward to President Ilham Aliyevs visit to Ukraine.

The head of state thanked for the greetings of Petro Poroshenko and asked the minister to extend his greetings to the Ukrainian president.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 3

Trend:

Meeting of foreign ministers of GUAM member countries will be held in Georgias Tbilisi on October 8, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov said at a press conference following the meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart Pavlo Klimkin in Baku Oct. 3.

According to Mammadyarov, the meeting is dedicated to the 20th anniversary of creation of GUAM.

Azerbaijan is interested in development of the organization, said the Azerbaijani minister.

Today, my Ukrainian counterpart and I discussed issues of transit through GUAM territory, which will benefit all member countries of the organization, he noted.

Klimkin, for his part, said that GUAM countries face similar political challenges.

We can implement a number of joint economic projects. I believe that we have a unique model of cooperation that unites the countries of the Black and Caspian Seas, said Klimkin.

This meeting will create conditions for the development of political and economic relations with other countries, added the official.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 3

Trend:

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev sent a congratulatory letter to President of the Republic of Korea Moon Jae-in.

On behalf of the people of Azerbaijan and on my own behalf, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to you and the people of your country on the occasion of the national holiday of the Republic of Korea  National Foundation Day, said President Aliyev in his letter.

Relations between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Korea are on the path of dynamic and comprehensive development. I am confident that friendly ties and mutually fruitful cooperation between the two countries will continue developing and expanding in the best interests of our peoples, noted the head of state.

On this remarkable day, I extend my best wishes to you, and wish the friendly people of your country everlasting peace and prosperity, added President Aliyev.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 3

Trend:

Azerbaijani Navy's G-122 and G-124 patrol ships have departed for Iran on a friendly visit in line with an agreement on military cooperation between the two countries, Azerbaijans Defense Ministry said.

During the visit, which will last until Oct. 7, Azerbaijani Navy's personnel will hold a meeting with Irans Caspian Sea naval command, visit the Bandar Anzali Naval Base, and participate in a number of other events.
Details added (first version posted on 19:34)

Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 3

Trend:

A regular meeting of Germany-Azerbaijan working group will take place in Berlin, Michael Kindsgrab, ambassador of Germany to Azerbaijan, said Oct. 3 at a press conference in Baku.

The ambassador said that further projects between the countries will be discussed at the meeting.

Kindsgrab added that a business forum will be held between Germany and Azerbaijan with participation of numerous German companies in 2017.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 3

By Leman Zeynalova  Trend:

Azerbaijan and the EU will hold negotiations on an EU-Azerbaijan Common Aviation Area Agreement Oct. 23-24, Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister Mahmud Mammad-Guliyev told reporters in Baku Oct. 3.

The second round of negotiations on the agreement was held July 4-5 in Brussels, Belgium. During the talks, both sides expressed readiness to sign relevant agreements.

Remarks and proposals by the Azerbaijani side were discussed, and a number of issues were clarified. A protocol was signed following the meeting. It was decided to hold the third round of negotiations on the EU-Azerbaijan Common Aviation Area Agreement in Baku. Until then, the EU and its member countries will receive prompt feedback from other ministries and committees of Azerbaijan. It is expected that the final version of the agreement will be prepared at the meeting in Baku.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 3

By Leman Zeynalova  Trend:

The next stage of negotiations on a new agreement on a strategic partnership between the EU and Azerbaijan will be held in late October, Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister Mahmud Mammad-Guliyev told reporters in Baku.

According to the Deputy Minister, political security will also be discussed during this meeting.

The European Council adopted a mandate for the European Commission and the high representative for foreign affairs and security policy to negotiate, on behalf of the EU and its member states, a comprehensive agreement with Azerbaijan in November 2016.

The new agreement should replace the 1996 partnership and cooperation agreement and should better take account of the shared objectives and challenges the EU and Azerbaijan face today.

The agreement will follow the principles endorsed in the 2015 review of the European Neighborhood Policy and offer a renewed basis for political dialogue and mutually beneficial cooperation between the EU and Azerbaijan.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 3

Trend:

Baku Expo Center will host the 11th Azerbaijan International Education Exhibition (Education 2017) on Oct. 6-8.

The exhibition is organized with the support of Azerbaijans Ministry of Education.

Fourteen Azerbaijani universities, including Baku State University, Azerbaijan State University of Oil and Industry, Azerbaijan State University of Economics, Azerbaijan State Pedagogical University, Azerbaijan Technical University, Azerbaijan Technological University, Baku Engineering University, National Aviation Academy, Azerbaijani-French University (UFAZ) and others, will be represented at the exhibition.

Meanwhile, Austria, Belarus, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Russia, Singapore, Slovakia and many other countries will present their universities, schools, colleges, training centers and courses.

This year the Education exhibition is distinguished by its extensive business program, which includes B2B meetings, a seminar entitled My future profession and the path leading to it.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 3

Trend:

At 06:48 (UTC +4) on October 3, Long Range Identification and Tracking National Centre of the State Maritime Administration of Azerbaijan received a request from the 911 Emergency Communications Center of the United States of America about foreign citizens in two Nissan Patrol cars who need help in a mountainous area in Azerbaijans Shamakhi district.

According to the press service of the State Maritime Administration, information about the persons who need help and their coordinates were immediately transferred to 112 Call Center of the Ministry of Emergency Situations.

A search operation is currently underway using all the means.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 3

Trend:

The whereabouts of two foreigners, who are in a helpless condition in the mountainous area of Azerbaijans Shamakhi district, has been determined, the Center for Crisis Management of the Ministry of Emergency Situations told Trend Oct. 3.

Foreign citizens are in a snow-covered mountainous area  26 km from Shamakhi and 4 km from the village of Pirbayli  in two Nissan Patrol cars. There are no injured people. They asked for a chain for car tires that prevent slipping, said the Center.

Rescuers and aircraft of the Ministry of Emergency Situations have been sent to the site, according to the Center.

At 06:48 (UTC +4) on October 3, Long Range Identification and Tracking National Centre of the State Maritime Administration of Azerbaijan received a request from the 911 Emergency Communications Center of the United States of America about foreign citizens in two Nissan Patrol cars who need help in a mountainous area in Azerbaijans Shamakhi district.

According to the press service of the State Maritime Administration, information about the persons who need help and their coordinates were immediately transferred to 112 Call Center of the Ministry of Emergency Situations.
Nepal expresses sorrow on loss of lives in mass shooting in Las Vegas

The government of Nepal has expressed deep sorrow on the heavy loss of lives in the mass shooting in Las Vegas of the United States of America on Sunday.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 3

Trend:

Azerbaijans Emergency Situations Ministry has involved a Ka-32 helicopter in an operation to rescue foreigners trapped in a mountainous area in Shamakhi.

The ministry told Trend Oct. 3 that measures are underway to rescue the foreigners and additional information will be provided later.

At 06:48 (UTC +4) on October 3, Long Range Identification and Tracking National Centre of the State Maritime Administration of Azerbaijan received a request from the 911 Emergency Communications Center of the United States of America about foreign citizens in two Nissan Patrol cars who need help in a mountainous area in Azerbaijans Shamakhi district.

According to the press service of the State Maritime Administration, information about the persons who need help and their coordinates were immediately transferred to 112 Call Center of the Ministry of Emergency Situations.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 4

Trend:

The "Postcards" program of Euronews TV channel presented a report devoted to the ancient Azerbaijani city of Lahic. The material posted on the website of the TV channel noted that "Postcards" continues to acquaint spectators with Azerbaijan.

"Lahic, one of Azerbaijans oldest villages, was once the countrys copper mining capital, producing copperware that was exported across the Middle East.

Its always been isolated by its mountainous setting, and hardly anyone visits in the harsh Caucasian winter when its rugged paths become impassable.

In summer however its now drawing tourists attracted by a quality of craftsmanship that has almost died out in the rest of Europe.

Centuries ago, the mountainous terrain around the village ruled out farming so, to eke out a living, the locals turned to the abundant copper deposits in the mountains.

And as the generations passed many families became not only greatly accomplished coppersmiths, but also carpet weavers and leather workers.

The Aliyev family has been beating and inscribing its copperware for seven generations with each craftsman inscribing their work with their name.

What I like most (in my work) is that my name is there. In 150 or 200 years later someone will look for me on the internet and see who I was, Kableyi Aliev, told Euronews before going back to his work fashioning intricate patterns into a copper plate.

Alievs workshop is only one of five still working. Just over a century ago the village had more than a hundred; its a way of life that is fast disappearing as the young migrate to bigger towns and cities", report says.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 3

By Anvar Mammadov  Trend:

Azerbaijans Akkord Industry Construction Investment Corporation OJSC will start exporting plastic windows and doors to Georgia and Russia, corporations production manager Murad Hajimammadov told Trend.

According to him, this will be possible thanks to the commissioning of a plant for production of plastic windows and doors of Accopen company, which is a part of Akkord OJSC.

Speaking about the plant, Hajimammadov noted that Accopens plant will be commissioned in two stages.

At the first stage, we will produce plastic profiles and at the second stage, we will produce finished windows and doors, said the production manager.

Mainly, the products will be sold on the domestic market, but in the future, it will be exported as well, he said.

In the future, the implementation of the SOCAR Polymer project will provide us with more than 70 percent of the raw materials used in the production of profiles, which will reduce the cost of our products and lead to the expansion of our exports, he noted. I think that the target markets for our exports will be Georgia and regions of Russia that are neighboring with Azerbaijan.

The construction of the Accopen plant started in November 2015. Production capacity of the plant is 2,500 tons of PVC profiles per year.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 3

By Azad Hasanli  Trend:

A mission of the Cooperation of Azerbaijan and Arab Countries Public Association plans to visit several Arab countries in October-November 2017, the Associations Chairman Elshan Rahimov said in an interview with Trend.

Our delegation will include representatives of big companies. We plan to visit Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The UAE is not a new market for us, but we have a visa-free regime with Kuwait. However, the rest of the countries are relatively new for us, noted Rahimov.

The list of companies, representatives of which will be included in the Azerbaijani mission, include those operating in the fields of agriculture, trade and IT, but this list will be further expanded, he said.

In general, local companies show great interest in establishing ties with the Arab world, including small and medium-sized companies and IT start-ups.

Our goal is to establish a strong connection between the entrepreneurs of Azerbaijan and the Arab countries, to contribute to the increase in the volume of mutual investments, to increase the number of mutual business visits and, of course, to stimulate the development of trade relations, added the Associations chairman.

According to Azerbaijans State Customs Committee, trade turnover with Arab countries amounted to about $280 million in January-August 2017, including $240 million accounted for the export to Arab countries.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 3

By Anvar Mammadov  Trend:

The European Union (EU) has allocated technical assistance in the amount of 582 million euros to Azerbaijan until today, said Azerbaijans Economy Minister Shahin Mustafayev.

He made the remarks at a meeting with newly appointed Head of EU Delegation to Azerbaijan Kestutis Jankauskas, the Azerbaijani Economy Ministry said in a message Oct. 3.

According to the message, Mustafayev noted that the EU is one of main trade partners of Azerbaijan.

The share of the EU in Azerbaijans trade turnover is 35 percent. Over the past 10 years, the EU share in total volume of investments in the countrys fixed capital was 46 percent, and in the volume of direct investments in non-oil sector  35 percent. More than 1,300 companies from EU countries operate in Azerbaijan, noted the minister.

Jankauskas, for his part, said that currently, active work is underway on an agreement between the EU and Azerbaijan.

According to Azerbaijans State Customs Committee, trade turnover with the EU amounted to $4.33 billion in January-August 2017, some $3.18 billion out of which accounted for the export to EU countries.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 3

By Azad Hasanli  Trend:

The Cooperation of Azerbaijan and Arab Countries Public Association is ready to support the development of activities of companies with Arab capital, said Associations Chairman Elshan Rahimov in an interview with Trend.

According to him, Azerbaijan is frequently visited by business tourists from the Arab world, and they come to Baku and decide to register here the representative offices of their companies.

Representatives of these companies sometimes have problems while operating in Azerbaijan. Difficulties can be connected both with local legislation, and with the search for partners or other issues, said Rahimov. We, for our part, are trying to help these companies solve the emerging problems.

The Ministry of Economy significantly supports the Association, he noted.

The Association is not a commercial organization, therefore, it can not provide paid services, said the chairman adding that in such cases, the Association advises trusted consulting firms to companies.

Our task is to establish close ties between Arab investors and local entrepreneurs, and from this point of view, it is very important to help foreign entrepreneurs in solving their problems, added Rahimov.

According to Azerbaijans State Customs Committee, trade turnover with Arab countries amounted to about $280 million in January-August 2017, including $240 million accounted for the export to Arab countries.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 3

By Leman Zeynalova  Trend:

Businessmen of Uzbekistan and Turkey reached prospective agreements during a business forum held in Tashkent on September 30.

The event organized by Uzbekistans State Committee on Investments and Chamber of Commerce of Istanbul brought together ministers, heads of state and government agencies, companies and corporations of the two countries involved in the spheres of economy, investments, trade, industry, tourism, construction, energy, agriculture, food industry, chemical, metallurgical, textile and light industries, pharmaceutics and production of construction materials.

Uzbekistan called on the Turkish businessmen to do business at free economic zones established throughout the country at the initiative of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, and benefit the tax and customs privileges offered here. It was noted that Law on foreign investments serves as a reliable warranty for the development of the bilateral relations.

Turkish businessmen got familiar prospect of investment flow in the country, opportunities for production and refinery, textile and light industry, as well as tourism.



At present over 440 enterprises operate in Uzbekistan with the participation of Turkish investments. Trade turnover between the two countries reached $1.2 billion in 2016, with roughly 710 million accounting for the share of export of domestic products.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept.25

By Leman Zeynalova  Trend:

The compliance level of OPEC and non-OPEC countries participating in the oil output cut deal is expected to go down in coming months, according to the US JP Morgan analysis.

"OPEC held a ministerial meeting of its OPEC-non-OPEC joint monitoring committee. No decision was reached on the need to propose either an extension or deepening of the agreed cuts. Realistically, we think it likely that the earliest a decision could be made on a further extension of the deal is in November," said the analysis obtained by Trend.

Even so, there will be a further four months of the existing agreement to run at that point, so another deferral on a decision is the most likely outcome, the analysts believe.

"Furthermore, with the peak domestic demand period for many of the Middle Eastern members of OPEC now behind us, we expect to see compliance levels start to ebb away in the coming months. In particular, Saudi Arabian crude burn will likely slip in the coming months, freeing up an incremental 300-400 kbd of crude for export from August levels," said JP Morgan.

OPEC and participating non-OPEC producing countries recorded the highest conformity ever with their voluntary adjustments in production, achieving a level of 116 percent as of August 2017.

On May 25, OPEC member countries and non-OPEC parties, Azerbaijan, Kingdom of Bahrain, Brunei Darussalam, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mexico, Sultanate of Oman, the Russian Federation, Republic of Sudan, and the Republic of South Sudan agreed to extend the production adjustments for a further period of nine months, with effect from July 1, 2017.

The reductions will be on the same terms as those agreed in November.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn
Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct.3

By Leman Zeynalova- Trend:

Russia has invited Turkmenistan to join the OPEC oil output cut deal, Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak told reporters.

Novak said that Turkmenistan has also been invited to take part in the gas exporting countries forum (GECF), RIA Novosti reported.

Turkmenistan is not going to officially join the deal, but is ready to be an observer and take part in discussions on the current market situation, he added.

On May 25, OPEC member countries and non-OPEC parties, Azerbaijan, Kingdom of Bahrain, Brunei Darussalam, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mexico, Sultanate of Oman, the Russian Federation, Republic of Sudan, and the Republic of South Sudan agreed to extend the production adjustments for a further period of nine months, with effect from July 1, 2017.

The reductions will be on the same terms as those agreed in November.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn
Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct.3

By Leman Zeynalova- Trend:

The Turkish Ministry of Environment and Urbanization announced the final approval of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the offshore section of the TurkStream Offshore Gas Pipeline.

A thorough consultation process resulted in the final EIA.

After publishing the draft EIA on 21 June, the Turkish government established a Review and Evaluation Commission (REC), consisting of 23 relevant institutions and authorities.

On 4 July, the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization organized a meeting with the REC members in order to ask questions and provide feedback on the draft EIA.

Subsequently, the REC members submitted their opinions on the draft EIA in writing. The EIA has been amended in line with these opinions. All REC members have now provided a positive opinion on the EIA to the Turkish Ministry of Environment and Urbanization.

The EIA consists of information on the potential environmental and social impacts of the offshore section of the TurkStream project. It also includes recommendations for the mitigation of the potential adverse impacts and enhancement of the beneficial ones.

In preparation of the EIA, field surveys were conducted to identify, assess and document potential environmental and social impacts of project activities. As part of the assessment, various Turkish stakeholders, including government experts, local community representatives and fishing groups, were consulted.

The EIA was prepared and submitted by ELC Group Inc. on behalf of South Stream Transport B.V., the project owner of the offshore section of the TurkStream Project.

TurkStream project envisages construction of two branches of the main gas pipeline under the Black Sea, the capacity of each branch being 15.75 billion cubic meters of gas.



One branch is meant to supply gas directly to the Turkish market and the other for the supply of gas by transit through Turkey to Europe. The intergovernmental agreement between Russia and Turkey also stipulates that these two offshore branches should be built by December 2019.

On Dec.8, 2016, South Stream Transport B.V., 100-percent subsidiary of Gazprom, signed a contract with Swiss Allseas Group on constructing the first line of the TurkStream gas pipelines offshore segment.

Later in February 2017, the two companies inked an agreement on constructing the second line of the pipelines offshore section.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn
Nepali edition of Gandhis autobiography launched

Gandhi Jayanti was celebrated amid a function at the Nepal-Bharat Library in the Capitla on Monday.
An Antonov An-28 plane fell near Almaty, Ruslan Imankulov, a spokesman of the Emergency Situations Committee of Kazakhstans Ministry of Internal Affairs, told RIA Novosti.

All the people on board the aircraft died.

Earlier, the Civil Aviation Committee of the Ministry for Investments and Development of Kazakhstan said that the Antonov An-28 plane of the East Wing airline, which was carrying out a flight on the Almaty-Shymkent route, disappeared from radars at 18:47 (GMT + 6) 28 kilometers from Almaty. Five people were on board the plane.
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Oct. 3

By Huseyn Hasanov  Trend:

Turkmenistans President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov expressed hope that the convention on the status of the Caspian Sea will be signed at the next summit of Caspian littoral states, which will be held in Kazakhstan, the Turkmen Dovlet Habarlary state news agency reported.

The joint work on convention on the status of the Caspian Sea will be completed soon, said Berdimuhamedov during his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who arrived in Ashgabat for an official visit.

The latest meeting of the Ad Hoc Working Group for the development of a Convention on the Caspian Seas legal status was held at the level of deputy foreign ministers in Ashgabat on June 1-2.

During the meeting, delegations discussed the remaining provisions of the draft Convention that had not been agreed upon. As a result of the negotiations, a number of provisions of the draft Convention were agreed upon. The delegations positively assessed the outcome of the talks.

Russia and Kazakhstan signed an agreement on the delimitation of the northern part of the Caspian Sea in order to exercise sovereign rights for subsoil use in July 1998. The two countries signed a protocol to the agreement in May 2002.

Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan signed an agreement on the delimitation of the Caspian Sea and a protocol to it on Nov. 29, 2001 and Feb. 27, 2003, respectively.

Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Russia signed an agreement on the delimitation of adjacent sections of the Caspian Sea on May 14, 2003.

The Caspian littoral states  Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Russia, Turkmenistan and Iran  signed the Framework Convention for Protection of the Marine Environment of the Caspian Sea in November of 2003.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 3



By Ali Mustafayev  Trend:



The law "On ratification of the Agreement between the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Kyrgyz Republic on the Uzbek-Kyrgyz State Border" will be considered during the 12th plenary meeting of the Senate of the Uzbek Parliament on October 4.



The law was previously examined by a working group under the Senate Committee on International Relations, Foreign Economic Relations, Foreign Investments and Tourism with participation of scientists and experts, the Uzbek Parliament said in a message.



The legal act was comprehensively discussed in the Legislative Chamber of the Uzbek Parliament and the fractions of political parties and was adopted by the Lower House of Parliament on September 28, 2017.



The agreement was signed during the state visit of the President of Uzbekistan to Kyrgyzstan on September 5-6, 2017.



The Senate will also consider the law "On Amendments and Additions to Certain Legislative Acts of the Republic of Uzbekistan", the issue of ensuring guaranteed labor rights of citizens in accordance with the legislation of Uzbekistan and international labor standards.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 2

By Khalid Kazimov  Trend:

US President Donald Trump is apparently attempting to prevent the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and other international institutions from allocating loans to Iran, a move aimed at isolating the Islamic Republic from the international financial system.

Trumps administration has ordered US executive directors at the IMF and other multilateral development banks to vote against extending loans and funds to Iran.

The move comes amid the White Houses attempts to undermine a nuclear deal Iran and world powers, including the US, reached in 2015.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif earlier called on the European signatories of the nuclear deal to defy US sanctions if the Trump administration torpedoes the international nuclear agreement with Tehran.

While the Europeans appear reluctant to weaken the nuclear deal, the recent decision by Trump seems as a symbolic move to demonstrate his determination to keep Iran isolated.

Many believe the US has a considerable leverage over such institutions, in particular the IMF, but it is not enough to turn down Irans efforts to expand cooperation with the international financial community.

On the other hand, Iran has, so far, declined to show a serious interest in receiving loans from such organizations.

The Islamic Republic mostly prefers to gain financial support through direct loans from export credit agencies for specific projects.

Iran has already secured several deals to lure foreign investments and loans from the world since last January, when the nuclear deal was implemented.

In this period, Export-Import Bank of Korea has agreed to allocate eight billion euros in loan to Iran. Several Chinese banks have also concluded a $35 billion financial deal with Iran. Austrias Oberbank was also the first European bank to sign an investment deal with Iran worth of one billion euros.

Followed by the repeated allegations against Tehran, Irans alleged failure to crack down on human trafficking is among the latest wild accusations flying around. The US government through a report in June termed Iran as a source, transit site and destination country for men, women and children subjected to human trafficking.

Tehran officially responded to the accusations, describing them as "baseless".

Now the question is whether the IMF and other financial organizations will turn into a tool for the US to step up financial pressure on Iran or they will choose to become a symbol of independence.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct.3

By Azer Ahmadbayli  Trend:

Pakistan has been a cherished market for Iranian gas since 1990, when Iran-Pakistan (IP) pipeline concept was put on the table for the first time. Iran had good grounds to believe that IP project would be successfully and timely implemented.

However, despite great efforts Iran has made within almost nine years to move the project ahead, it still remains anchored.

It is worth noting that natural gas is necessary for Pakistans economy as much as the air one breathes. It happens that for a long time Pakistan has lived amid continuous deficit of energy resources which strongly affects economic development. Around half of those resources fall on natural gas.

In 2016, the country produced 41.5 bcm of natural gas, whereas consumption made 45.5 bcm, according to BP Statistical Review of World Energy 2017. The difference, i.e. 4 bcm was imported in the form of LNG from several countries, but mainly from Qatar. By the end of 2016 annual deficit of gas supply amounted to 20.6 bcm, according to Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, the former oil minister of the state.

Secondly, the IP pipeline is the most easy-to-implement option to deliver gas to Pakistan. It is enough to look at the map and see that the pipeline concept makes sense even in terms of the most thorough critic. Iran completed his 900 km part of the pipeline in 2014, while Pakistan has remained undecided on the issue.

If you surf the net, you will find that there have been three ideas experts put forward as a motive of the projects non-performance.

- The first is that Pakistan has no money to construct its part of the pipeline.

- The second is linked to oil/gas-related sanctions that were imposed on Iran.

- The third is associated with political pressure on Pakistan by USA to reject or at least suspend the project.

They used to have been voiced separately or altogether.

All of the ideas looked plausible until the events that began to take place in 2015.

In 2015 China and Pakistan came to a government to government (G2G) agreement to construct a 711 km-long Nawabshah-Gwadar gas pipeline on the territory of Pakistan. This pipeline, if constructed, could become a core segment of the IranPakistan gas pipeline. The most important here is that the Chinese side undertook commitment to finance 85 % of the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract. At the beginning the construction of the pipeline was appraised at the cost of $2 billion, but later it was finalized at $1.325 billion. Also, building the missing 80 km of IP pipeline from Gwadar to Pakistani-Iranian border was considered not a big deal.

It comes out from the above shown figures that Pakistan would bear minimal financial burden within the project. However, in June this year Pakistan took an unexpected decision to drop the highly competitive project.

As Pakistani media noticed, ironically, this project has been shelved on the pretext of its higher cost despite the fact that earlier Executive Committee of National Economic Council had approved the project after detailed cost examination and given it the go ahead.

I do not state it for certain, but the money issue can likely be excluded.

Again, in 2015 the six leading states entered into agreement, known as JCPOA, with Iran, to curb its nuclear activities. The deal resulted in drop of majority of sanctions including those in oil and gas sphere. For the moment, Iran successfully sells its oil to Europe and signs contracts to develop its gas fields with major international oil and gas companies. So, the second option (Iran sanctions) may also be excluded.

Supposedly we have found out that to a greater degree it may be political pressure that the US exerts on Pakistan to limit Irans influence on its South-Eastern neighbors.

But, what if its just an economic rivalry? Qatar has already taken priority in gas supplies to Pakistan, having signed a multibillion-dollar contract with Islamabad for LNG export. Major US oil and gas companies have partnered with Qatar in this business.

On a large scale, it is not so important what is dominant here - politics or economics, because these two are tightly linked with each other and serve one certain purpose that was clearly described by Arthur Schopenhauer: Ultimately, an organized world, for all the relative compliance of its order with the conditions of existence, is condemned to the fierce struggle taking place between individuals and groups for the possession of material values, which is the source of the greatest suffering.

And finally there is a detail need to be noted. According to Pakistani media, Iran has been utterly annoyed with another delay of the IP project for the umpteenth time.

Then it is just the right time to remind about Irans position over the implementation of Transcaspian gas pipeline project to export Turkmen gas to Europe.

Isnt it similar to how the US is dealing with the IP project?
Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 3



By Khalid Kazimov  Trend:



Iranian security forces have arrested three individuals on the charge of plotting terrorist attacks in the southern province of Fars, local authorities said.



A provincial official has said that the suspects affiliated with the IS terrorist group (ISIS/ISIL, Daesh) had planned to plant bombs in several religious sites in Darab county during a recent mourning event remarking the death of third Shia imam, ILNA news agency reported.



According to the report, police arrested two suspects and the intelligence services captured the third man.


Tehran, Iran, Oct. 3

By Mehdi Sepahvand, Khalid Kazimov  Trend:

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogans upcoming visit to Iran would deepen bilateral ties between the two neighboring countries and pave the way for maintaining security in the region, a Tehran-based expert told Trend.

Both Iran and Turkey are regional powers and cooperation between Tehran and Ankara can help establish peace and security in the region, Iranian political analyst Sadegh Maleki said.

He added that improvement in Tehran-Ankara ties would leave positive impact on regional issues and benefit regional countries.

The expert believes that Tehran seeks strengthening regional cooperation rather than strengthening its influence in the region.

Maleki also suggested that Tehran and Ankara share common interests in various spheres, including economic and energy issues, therefore such visits are capable of widening economic ties.

Iranian government spokesperson, Mohammad Bagher Nobakht, on the same day said that Erdogans visit to Tehran targets expanding bilateral ties and cooperation in fight against terrorism.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan is expected to arrive in Tehran on Wednesday. The visit is taking place following recent developments in northern Iraq. Iran and Turkey both have expressed support for the territorial integrity of the Arab country.
South Sudan army (SPLA) Monday said it had killed 91 rebels and wounded several others in the wake of renewed fighting in the Waat area of Bieh state, north of the capital, Xinxua reported.

SPLA spokesman Lul Ruai Koang said the violence broke out on Sunday, and more casualties are expected as fighting resumed on Monday.

"Yesterday a combined force of rebel fighters supported by Lou-Nuer youth launched an attack on our position from 5:30 p.m until 8 a.m. We lost four soldiers and killed 91 rebels," Koang said in Juba.

He said they repulsed the SPLA-in opposition rebels allied to former First Vice President Riek Machar in the wake of fresh attacks on Monday that lasted one hour.

Koang disclosed that there were no serious civilian casualties besides members of Lou-Nuer ethnicity who largely comprise the white army militia.

"The timing of the attack coincides with the peace high-level revitalization process by the regional leaders, and the rebels are trying to use this to blackmail the international community because they want to gain more territory," he added.

In June, regional leaders under Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) launched the peace deal revival process in the wake of renewed July clash last year seeking to include all armed groups.

South Sudan descended into violence in December 2013 after political dispute between President Salva Kiir and his former deputy Machar led to fighting that pitted mostly Dinka ethnic soldiers loyal to President Salva 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.

The conflict has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced millions others.
An Ecuadorean court issued an arrest warrant for countrys Vice President Jorge Glas, who is suspected of corruption in relation to the scandal around Brazilian construction firm Odebrecht, the Prosecutor General's Office said, Sputnik reported.

Taking into account the arguments provided by the prosecutor  judge Miguel Jurado decided to sentence Jorge Glas and Ricardo Rivera to pre-trial detention, the Public Prosecutor General wrote on its Twitter page on Monday.

Earlier, Ecuador Prosecutor General's Office has demanded pre-trial arrest of the Vice President.

The General Prosecutor's Office demands the court to rule an arrest of the suspect due to "risk of his escape", the statement said. The authority has also demanded to arrest vice president's uncle Ricardo Rivera, who had been under home arrest previously.

Glas said he was going to prove his innocence in the court.

"I will submit to this dishonorable arbitrary decision but I still believe that the justice will prevail and I will prove my innocence," the vice president wrote on his Twitter page.

He also said that the accusations of corruption were unfounded and based on the fabricated evidence. Glas added that he would seek protection in both national and international bodies.

In early August, Ecuadorian President Lenin Moreno issued an order suspending Glas from his duties.

Glas is suspected of receiving bribes from Odebrecht. According to the Prosecutor General's Office, there are many evidence of his guilt, including a voice record of Ecuadorian official's conversation with the Odebrecht representative, during which they discussed the demands for bribes made by Glas.

The probe into Odebrecht has become the biggest corruption scandal in Latin America. The company is accused of paying millions in bribes to politicians to secure lucrative contracts.
Online petition drive in support of tenant farmers

An online petition campaign has been launched, urging the government to provide compensation to tenant farmers who suffered the loss of crop in August floods.
KYODO NEWS - Oct 3, 2017 - 17:30 | All

The new political party led by Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike unveiled Tuesday its first batch of candidates for the Oct. 22 lower house election, aiming to ultimately mount an attempt to take power from the ruling coalition led by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

The Party of Hope named a total of 192 candidates, 191 of whom will run in single-seat electoral districts in the 465-seat House of Representatives. They will all run on proportional representation lists, giving the 191 a chance to get seats even if they lose in their districts.

Voters get two ballots and must write in the name of a party on their proportional representation ballot and the name of a candidate on their electoral district ballot.

The party plans to announce two more batches of candidates for the election before official campaigning begins on Oct. 10 for a total of at least 233 candidates, just over half the number of seats in the house.

"In total, I think (the number) will be more than 233, making it quite possible for us to aim for a change of government," said Masaru Wakasa, seeking reelection for the lower house, said after announcing the list Tuesday.

"I want us to all go in the same direction while each preparing to fight where we can," Koike later told reporters in Tokyo.

Candidates include Koike's close aide Wakasa and Goshi Hosono, a former environment minister who left the Democratic Party, as well as 26 participants in a political academy hosted by Wakasa.

But Koike herself is not on the list and appeared to rule out any prospect of an immediate return to national politics on Tuesday when she told reporters, "I'm 100 percent not running in the election."

Koike's establishment of the Party of Hope, whose official English name was confirmed by Wakasa's office on Tuesday, has fueled speculation that the former LDP lower house member may resign as Tokyo governor to make a comeback in national politics.

The list announced Tuesday is missing names for two of the capital's 25 single-seat districts, but Wakasa dismissed suggestions that Koike might later slide into either of those spots.

He also said Tuesday that the first candidate list includes 110 members from the main opposition Democratic Party, which has split.

Koichiro Gemba of the Democratic Party, whose name was not on the list, sat alongside Wakasa and Hosono during the announcement. He later told reporters the Democratic Party had "shifted too far to the left" to have a hope of taking power from the ruling coalition.

The party released Tuesday a list of conditions to which it has required its candidates to agree, including a pledge to support a controversial amendment to the Constitution and freezing a consumption tax increase planned for October 2019.

The upcoming election will likely be a three-way battle between the ruling coalition, the Party of Hope and a new pro-Constitution group launched Monday by Yukio Edano, former chief Cabinet secretary when the Democratic Party's predecessor was in power.

Edano's Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan formally registered with election authorities on Tuesday. It has been set up as a home for Democratic Party members unlikely to be accepted by Koike's party due to differing political beliefs on national security and an amendment to the pacifist Constitution.

Edano signaled Tuesday his party will not put up a challenge in districts where Democratic Party deserters will run with the Party of Hope.

"We don't plan to stand competing candidates in electoral districts where our friends who were in the same party as us on Sept. 28 are standing," he told reporters in Tokyo. Abe dissolved the lower house on Sept. 28, the same day the Democratic Party effectively disbanded.

Akira Nagatsuma, former welfare minister, told reporters that he, Edano and four other lower house lawmakers are the founding members of the new party.

In addition, former Prime Minister Naoto Kan and Hirotaka Akamatsu, former vice speaker of the lower house, are among those expected to join the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan.

Several Democratic Party lawmakers, including leader Seiji Maehara, plan to run as independents.

The Democratic Party's long-time primary backer, the Japanese Trade Union Confederation or Rengo, the nation's largest labor organization, said Tuesday that it plans to continue backing individual candidates it had already pledged to support in electoral districts, regardless of their affiliation.

Rengo head Rikio Kozu said the confederation "will not decide to fully back any party."

"The Party of Hope and the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan have both just come into existence, and it's not clear how they might be able to share an awareness with us," Kozu told reporters.

Regarding candidates on proportional representation lists, Kozu indicated that each regional and industry branch of the confederation will be allowed to decide which party to back.
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Nearly 10 million Americans saw ads on that have since been linked to Russia and its alleged plot to influence the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

The statistic, revealed by Facebook on Monday, comes as the company takes fire for the role its automated advertising platform played in spreading the online ads.

Facebook said Sunday that it would deliver to U.S. lawmakers copies of the roughly 3,000 Russian-linked ads. In a blog post on Monday Facebook vice president of policy and communications Elliot Schrage explained some of the kinds of Russian-bought ads it was handing over to Congress.

Schrage said that the ads contained "divisive social and political messages across the ideological spectrum" and focused on "topics from LGBT matters to race issues to immigration to gun rights." Schrage did not cite specific ads, of which 44% were seen prior to the U.S. presidential election on Nov. 8, with the remainder appearing after.

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Schrage defended Facebook's automated advertising service, writing that it was "designed to show people ads they might find useful, instead of showing everyone ads that they might find irrelevant or annoying." However, he acknowledged that Facebook now recognizes the potential to misuse the ad-targeting system and he reiterated Facebook's earlier statement that it would hire an additional 1,000 people to review online ads and determine if they violate the company's policies.

Schrage also said that Facebook is working with , Twitter , and other unspecified technology companies to combat the spread of misleading online ads, although he didn't reveal any specifics of their efforts. U.S. lawmakers have called on Google, Facebook, and Twitter to testify before Congress on the possible role their services played in distributing fake and deceptive information.

Facebook also "would have caught these malicious actors faster and prevented more improper ads from running" if it knew then what it knows now about how people can misuse the service. He also spoke about how the companys improved tools to identify bogus ads would have helped.

Story continues

"The ad transparency tool we're building will be accessible to anyone, including industry and political watchdog groups," Schrage said. "And our improved enforcement and more restrictive content standards for ads would have rejected more of the ads when submitted."

See original article on Fortune.com

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christopher roybal

Christopher Roybal, one of the 59 people who died in the horrific shooting on the Las Vegas Strip on Sunday night, posted a harrowing message on his Facebook account, months before his death.

The public Facebook post, dated July 18, began with the ominous question that many war-time veterans dread: "'What's it like being shot at?'"

"A question people ask because it's something that less that 1% of our American population will ever experience," Roybal's post said. "Especially one on a daily basis. My response has always been the same, not one filled with a sense of pride or ego, but an answer filled with truth and genuine fear/anger."

Based on photos, the 28-year-old US Navy veteran appeared to have served in Kandahar, Afghanistan, with the 25th Infantry Division, a US Army division that has seen heavy fighting in both Iraq and Afghanistan.

Roybal then goes on describing his first firefight and the lingering effects that appeared to resonate  long after his return home:

"Finishing up what was supposed to be a quick 4-hour foot patrol, I remember placing my hand on the [armored vehicle] and telling ["Bella"] how well she did. Hearing the most distinct sounds of a whip cracking and pinging of metal off of the vehicle I just had my hand resting on is something that most see in movies. I remember that first day, not sure how to feel. It was never fear, to be honest, mass confusion. Sensory overload...followed by the most amount of natural adrenaline that could never be duplicated through a needle. I was excited, angry and manic. Ready to take on what became normal everyday life in the months to follow. Taking on the fight head on, grabbing the figurative "Bull by the horns". Unfortunately, as the fights continue and as they as increase in numbers and violence, that excitement fades and the anger is all that's left. The anger stays, long after your friends have died, the lives you've taken are buried and your boots are placed neatly in a box in some storage unit. Still covered in the dirt you've refused to wash off for fear of forgetting the most raw emotions you as a human being will ever feel again."

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So far, his post has received nearly 900 likes.

"What's it like to be shot at? It's a nightmare no amount of drugs, no amount of therapy and no amount of drunk talks with your war veteran buddies will ever be able to escape," Roybal's post said. "Cheers boys."

Roybal was at the country music festival celebrating his birthday with his mother, Debby Allen, when he was shot in the chest. The two were separated amid the chaos, according to KABC.

Although a fireman was present after Roybal was shot, he was unable to revive him due to the sustained rate of fire from the shooter, Allen said.

"He saw Christopher take his last breath," Allen said.

"Today is the saddest day of my life," Allen wrote in a Facebook post. "My son Christopher Roybal was murdered last night in Las Vegas. My heart is broken in a billion pieces."

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By Lamine Chikhi

ALGIERS, Oct 3 (Reuters) - Algeria plans to amend its energy law before the end of the year as the OPEC producer tries to attract more foreign investors, a senior source at state energy firm Sonatrach told Reuters.

Algeria, a major gas supplier to Europe, wants to boost oil and gas revenues which were hit by a fall in global prices.

But oil companies have mostly stayed away, saying the legal framework is too tough, the bureaucracy stifling and terms leave little profit even in times of high oil prices.

The new law is expected to facilitate foreign oil and gas exploration, including untapped shale production and provide more tax incentives, the Sonatrach source said.

"The sooner the better, the law will be amended before the end of this year," the Sonatrach source, who has knowledge of discussions, said.

Debate over such reforms in Algeria is often slowed by competing ideas inside a government with a history of state planning and where the ruling old guard remains wary of rapid change after several failed reform campaigns.

The new law also will encourage local investors to enter the oil and gas industry, the source said.

Reda Kouninef and Ali Haddad, two prominent Algerian businessmen, have expressed interest in investing in the energy market in recent years.

"A BEGINNING"

Following a fall in global oil prices, Algeria has been looking for ways to improve its energy output and a new hydrocarbons law, which would be a major development for the North African country.

Government officials were not immediately available for comment on its plans.

The country has already taken a more flexible approach with foreign oil investors by entering into bilateral deals with companies like France's Total.

Algeria, which has lost more than half of its energy earnings since 2014, has struggled in the past to increase oil and gas output without major foreign investment.

Prime Minister Ahmed Ouyahia said this week it was necessary to amend the energy law, following a suggestion by Sonatrach's CEO Abdelmoumen Ould Kaddour. He gave no more details.

Story continues

A windfall tax introduced in 2006 was seen by foreign companies as a major disincentive.

"International energy companies will be especially encouraged by changes of the windfall tax and by opportunities to develop Algeria's abundant shale gas reserves," Geoff Porter, president of North Africa Risk Consulting, said.

If approved, the new law will be the fourth in twelve years, but it could face resistance from hardliners who see the law protecting Algerias natural resources.

"Algeria amending its energy law is a positive signal to the international community," economy analyst and owner of Algerian based consultancy firm Arslan Chikhaoui told Reuters.

"This is a beginning." (Reporting by Lamine Chikhi; Editing by Ulf Laessing and Alexander Smith)
Its probably safe to say that most people would be pretty interested in humanity making contact with intelligent alien life, but few of us actually dedicate our lives to the search for it. Seth Shostak from the SETI (Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence) Institute does just that, and he firmly believes were incredibly close to answering the question of whether or not were alone in the universe. In fact, hes willing to bet that were just a couple of decades away from proving that aliens exist.

Speaking with Futurism at a recent event in New York City, Shostak was incredibly bold in his predictions, noting that hell bet everybody a cup of coffee that well find intelligent life within 20 years.

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Humans have explored much of our Solar System, sending probes to Mars, Saturn, Jupiter, Venus, and soon the Sun, but weve yet to discover evidence that life in any form exists elsewhere. At the moment, the most promising possibility is that well discover some kind of microbial life, even invisible to the naked eye, but thats not really what SETI has its sights set on.

Shostak is quick to point out that while he believes well discover indisputable proof of intelligent life elsewhere in the universe within 20 years, that might not mean well actually meet or even communicate with an alien civilization.

I dont know about contact, Shostak explained. I mean if theyre 500 light years away, youll hear a signal thatll be 500 years old, and if you broadcast back Hi were the Earthlings, howre you doing? itll be 1,000 years before you hear back from them. If you ever hear back from them. So, its not exactly contact, but at least you know theyre there.

Its certainly within the realm of possibility, and scientists are always listening for signals in the noise, but its proved fruitless thus far. But if we do discover intelligent life within the next 20 years, perhaps we can ask them to save us from ourselves.

Story continues

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See the original version of this article on BGR.com
Google does a lot to infuriate traditional media companies, but one of its most controversial policies has for years been First Click Free, in which it demanded that publishers have to give a certain number of articles to readers for free in order for those articles to appear high up in Googles search results.

Publishers are increasingly moving their articles behind subscription paywalls, rather than relying on digital advertising for their revenue, so this policy has become increasingly troublesome. For example, when The Wall Street Journal stopped giving free tasters of its content earlier this year, its traffic from Google users plunged by 44%. As Google has a global search engine market share of over 90%, that level of control matters for any publisher.

Something had to give, and on Monday it did. In a blog post, Google News chief Richard Gingras announced that First Click Free was being replaced by a new policy called Flexible Sampling. Instead of being forced to serve up three free articles per day, publishers will instead be able to set their own number of free monthly samplesGoogle recommends 10 a month.

Publishers generally recognize that giving people access to some free content is the way to persuade people to buy their product, Gingras wrote.

Google also promised to work with publishers on making it easier for people to subscribe to their articles. Judging from Mondays announcement, it appears Google wants to ensure that its services become central to that process.

As a first step were taking advantage of our existing identity and payment technologies to help people subscribe on a publications website with a single click, and then seamlessly access that content anywherewhether its on that publisher site or mobile app, or on Google Newsstand, Google Search or Google News, Gingras said.

The Wall Street Journal quoted News Corp CEO Robert Thomson as saying the move was an important first step in recognizing the value of legitimate journalism.

Google and Facebook pretty much own the digital advertising market between them and, if subscription models become the norm, they will be vying for control of that mechanism too. Like Google, Facebook is also working on support for paywalled articles within its social network.
The shooter identified in the mass shooting at a Las Vegas music festival late Sunday likely used an automatic assault weapon in his attack. These fully automatic weapons, or machine guns, are actually legal to own in Nevada and throughout the United States.

Automatic weapons are designed to continuously fire ammunition with just one push of the trigger. Several recordings taken during the shooting capture the sounds of rapid gunfire indicative of such weapons.

Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Sheriff Joseph Lombardo told reporters early Monday that a cache of weapons  including 10 rifles  were found in the hotel room of the gunman, identified by authorities as 64-year-old Stephen Paddock. More than 50 people have been killed in the shooting, which took place during a country music festival Sunday night, police say.

Although restrictions do exist on buying, selling, and owning fully automatic weapons  also commonly referred to as machine guns  these firearms are technically still legal. Some advocates of gun rights, however, have claimed the opposite in arguments.

We of course dont want to have automatic weapons, and thats already illegal in this country to have automatic weapons, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney said in a 2012 debate.

That claim wasnt accurate then, nor is it true five years later.

The Hughes Amendment, passed in 1986, prohibited the manufacture of any new machine guns from then on. However, automatic guns owned before then are legal as long as theyre registered and approved by the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

AR-15 rifles on sale in Virginia in 2016.

Gun advocates have argued that even those restrictions make automatic weapons illegal. But around a half million machine weapons still exist as of February 2016, according to the federal ATF registry. Additionally, a federal law banning semi-automatic guns and large capacity ammunition magazines was signed in 1994 under President Bill Clinton. But this Federal Assault Weapons Ban expired back in 2004 and has yet to be reinstated.

Story continues

Individual states are allowed to regulate their gun laws even further. But Nevada, the site of Sundays attack, the new deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history, has some of the most lax laws.

Gun owners  those both with handguns and bigger rifles and shotguns  do not need a license to buy and own their firearms, and dont need to register their guns with the state, according to the National Rifle Association. The state does not have any restrictions on machine guns and assault weapons, or on background checks for gun owners.

Under federal law, anyone looking to purchase a gun must submit fingerprints and photographs to the ATF and submit to an FBI background check. However, Nevadas attorney general said he would not enforce or implement the requirement for universal background checks. This essentially cancels out the federal effort to restrict automatic weapons and allows for gun sales to take place freely between private citizens.

Automatic weapons were also used in the attacks at Orlandos Pulse nightclub in 2016, the Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012, the movie theater in Aurora, Colorado, in 2012, and Columbine High School in 1999, according to a report from anti-gun group Everytown for Gun Safety.

Assault weapons are designed to maximize lethality; they are intended to kill as many humans as possible as quickly as possible, says the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence on its website. It should come as no surprise that perpetrators of mass shootings often use these types of weapons.

Photos via Getty Images / Alex Wong, Getty Images / David Becker

Photos via Getty Images / Alex Wong, Getty Images / David Becker

Written by Paige Leskin

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About a year ago we reported that Bumble would soon launch BumbleBizz - a swipe-based networking tool that is designed to help people make professional connections.

And now the feature is finally rolling out today to users in the US, UK, Germany, France and Canada.

Essentially BumbleBizz will use the same types of parameters that regular Bumble does - your location, network, etc - and curate a group of professionals for you to swipe through. A two-way match will start a conversation, which will ideally lead to professional opportunities like jobs, mentors or just meeting new people who work in your industry. It builds on BumbleBFF, which was the company's first expansion beyond dating and lets you find new friends.

With BumbleBizz woman still need to make the first move - which the company hopes will lead to the same uptick positive behavior and reduced abuse rates that they've seen result from having woman make the first move on their dating platform.

Besides being woman-led, it also will be the first major professional networking platform to be swipe-focused. This will lead to a lot more connections than on a platform like LinkedIn, where the need to request then approve a "connection" is a higher psychological barrier that just swiping right.

It's also a big deal because for many people this feature means their social life and professional life may now be combined in one app. To assuage these fears Bumble will let you create two different profiles - so your party pics are only seen by dates and your headshots and resume are only seen by professional connections.

The company also shared some new growth stats. The two-year old app boasts 20 million registered users who have sent over three billion messages.
A couple from Muncie, Ind. swindled Amazon out of more than $1.2 million in electronics.

Erin Finan, 38, and Leah Finan, 37, used a classic scambuying items and then reporting them missing or damaged. Thats how they scored the GoPro digital cameras, Microsoft Xboxes, Samsung smartwatches, and Microsoft Surface tablets that they sold to accomplice Danijel Glumac, 28, who then sold the merchandise to an unnamed New York entity, according to authorities.

For Amazon, its often cheaper to replace items when these claims are filed than to investigate. But after using hundreds of fake online identities to grift the online retail giant, the husband and wife team face up to 20 years behind bars for fraud and money laundering.

Per their plea agreement, the couple waived their right to appeal the decision if theyre sentenced to fewer than seven years and three months in prison, and they must repay Amazon $1,218,504.

The Finans only made $725,000 off the scheme, according to authorities. Judge Tanya Watt Pratt set the sentencing for Nov. 9.
Some Democrats quickly put a spotlight on gun laws Monday following the deadliest mass shooting in American history. On Sunday night, a gunman perched high in a Las Vegas hotel opened fire on a music festival. The massacre left at least 58 people dead and more than 500 injured . Following the shooting, some top Democrats  often proponents of tighter restrictions on guns  urged the Republican-controlled Congress to take action to prevent similar mass shootings."This must stop. It is positively infuriating that my colleagues in Congress are so afraid of the gun industry that they pretend there aren't public policy responses to this epidemic," said Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., in a statement. "There are, and the thoughts and prayers of politicians are cruelly hollow if they are paired with continued legislative indifference. It's time for Congress to get off its a-- and do something."Murphy represents Newtown, Connecticut, where a gunman opened fire at an elementary school there in 2012, killing 27 people, including 20 schoolchildren.The Newtown killings and other deadly mass shootings have prompted national discussions about gun control, mental health and the possible legislative efforts to prevent future massacres. Changes sought by some Democrats, including universal background checks and bans on high-capacity magazines, have not gained traction in the GOP-controlled Congress in recent years.As the circumstances of the Las Vegas shooting were still emerging, it was unclear what legislative changes, specifically, could have limited the carnage. Prominent Republicans, including President Donald Trump , have called previous pushes for stricter gun laws an effort to restrict Second Amendment rights. On Monday, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said it was too early to talk about gun policy, something the administration could talk about "in the coming days." She did not say whether Trump would be open to action on gun policy.Murphy and other Democrats on Monday decried both what they called a lack of action by Congress and an outsize influence on policy by the gun industry and powerful National Rifle Association.In a tweet, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said "we can and must put politics aside, stand up to the NRA, and work together to try to stop this from happening again." She criticized an NRA-backed bill that includes a provision making it easier to buy silencers, which the House could move to vote on soon.Clinton tweet: Our grief isn't enough. We can and must put politics aside, stand up to the NRA, and work together to try to stop this from happening again.Former Vice President Joe Biden said Congress and the White House "should act now to save lives," adding, "there's no excuse for inaction."Biden tweet: How long do we let gun violence tear families apart? Enough. Congress & the WH should act now to save lives. There's no excuse for inaction.In a statement, Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal, also of Connecticut, said Congress "refuses to act" in response to mass shootings. He added: "I am more than frustrated, I am furious."Shares of gun stocks rose Monday as traders apparently bet on a pickup in arms sales ahead of potentially tighter restrictions following the shooting. Some Democrats quickly put a spotlight on gun laws Monday following the deadliest mass shooting in American history. On Sunday night, a gunman perched high in a Las Vegas hotel opened fire on a music festival. The massacre left at least 58 people dead and more than 500 injured . Following the shooting, some top Democrats  often proponents of tighter restrictions on guns  urged the Republican-controlled Congress to take action to prevent similar mass shootings. "This must stop. It is positively infuriating that my colleagues in Congress are so afraid of the gun industry that they pretend there aren't public policy responses to this epidemic," said Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., in a statement. "There are, and the thoughts and prayers of politicians are cruelly hollow if they are paired with continued legislative indifference. It's time for Congress to get off its a-- and do something." Murphy represents Newtown, Connecticut, where a gunman opened fire at an elementary school there in 2012, killing 27 people, including 20 schoolchildren. The Newtown killings and other deadly mass shootings have prompted national discussions about gun control, mental health and the possible legislative efforts to prevent future massacres. Changes sought by some Democrats, including universal background checks and bans on high-capacity magazines, have not gained traction in the GOP-controlled Congress in recent years. As the circumstances of the Las Vegas shooting were still emerging, it was unclear what legislative changes, specifically, could have limited the carnage. Prominent Republicans, including President Donald Trump , have called previous pushes for stricter gun laws an effort to restrict Second Amendment rights. On Monday, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said it was too early to talk about gun policy, something the administration could talk about "in the coming days." She did not say whether Trump would be open to action on gun policy. Murphy and other Democrats on Monday decried both what they called a lack of action by Congress and an outsize influence on policy by the gun industry and powerful National Rifle Association. In a tweet, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said "we can and must put politics aside, stand up to the NRA, and work together to try to stop this from happening again." She criticized an NRA-backed bill that includes a provision making it easier to buy silencers, which the House could move to vote on soon. Clinton tweet: Our grief isn't enough. We can and must put politics aside, stand up to the NRA, and work together to try to stop this from happening again. Former Vice President Joe Biden said Congress and the White House "should act now to save lives," adding, "there's no excuse for inaction." Biden tweet: How long do we let gun violence tear families apart? Enough. Congress & the WH should act now to save lives. There's no excuse for inaction. In a statement, Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal, also of Connecticut, said Congress "refuses to act" in response to mass shootings. He added: "I am more than frustrated, I am furious." Shares of gun stocks rose Monday as traders apparently bet on a pickup in arms sales ahead of potentially tighter restrictions following the shooting.



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Disney (DIS) CEO Bob Iger acknowledged on Tuesday that the company considered Twitter (TWTR) as an acquisition target but instead decided to buy a company called BAMTech.

We were looking for a variety of different opportunities to be distributors, to have a direct relationship with customers. We looked at a few different platforms, including Twitter, as a means of taking some of the product that I just described direct to the consumer, Iger said at the Vanity Fair New Establishment Summit.

We thought Twitter had global reach, a pretty interesting user interface and a compelling way that we might be able to present and sell the content that our company makes to the consumer, Iger added. But we decided ultimately not to go in that direction.

When Vanity Fairs Nick Bilton asked Iger whether he would have let President Donald Trump stay on the platform, Iger smiled and did not provide an answer.

The rumors of the possible Twitter acquisition emerged last fall, when Bloomberg reported that Disney was working with a financial adviser on a possible bid for the social media site. Yahoo Finances Daniel Roberts wrote at the time that Disney should buy Twitter for video streaming possibilities. Other suitors reportedly included Google parent Alphabet (GOOG, GOOGL) and Salesforce (CRM).

Since the Twitter rumors died down, some have suggested other acquisitions that might benefit Disney. Last month, Yahoo Finance Editor-in-Chief Andy Serwer wrote that Disney should purchase Netflix (NFLX), which, among other things, could serve as a platform for Disneys sports/ESPN service.

Disney buying Netflix and bringing along CEO Reed Hastings would get Disney out its box and might well be the greatest acqui-hire of all time, Serwer wrote.

Erin Fuchs is deputy managing editor at Yahoo Finance.

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Last night, a gunman opened fire at Las Vegas Route 91 Harvest Festival, killing more than 50 people and potentially injuring over 400 people. The shooting took place in a crowd of roughly 22,000 and has been named the deadliest in American history. In a press conference early this morning, Las Vegas Metro Police Sheriff Joseph Lombardo confirmed that the

By Jeremy Gordon

Last night, a gunman opened fire at Las Vegas Route 91 Harvest Festival, killing more than 50 people and potentially injuring over 400 people. The shooting took place in a crowd of roughly 22,000 and has been named the deadliest in American history. In a press conference early this morning, Las Vegas Metro Police Sheriff Joseph Lombardo confirmed that the suspect in the shooting was 64-year-old Stephen Craig Paddock, a white male.

This morning, President Trump spoke about the shooting from the White House. It was an act of pure evil, he said. He thanked the local police, and noted that the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security are assisting the investigation. His comments were notably restrained, compared with the fiery persona often shown on social media. We cannot fathom their pain, we cannot imagine their loss, he said. To the families of the victims, we are praying for you.

Most notably, he didnt talk about guns, past single mentions of the shooter and a gunman. One imagines that had 50 people been killed by any other meansbe it stabbing or chemical attackit would have been specified. (After the 2016 shooting at Orlandos Pulse Nightclub, President Obama delivered similar remarks, noting that the killer had been armed with handgun and assault rifle, and that it had been the deadliest American shooting to date.) But the Republican party has come to power by latching its electoral fortunes to the Second Amendment debate, and the National Rifle Association has spent millions of dollars to ensure the gun control debate is off the table.

In this context, and after reports showed the devastating numbers of people dead and injured, Trumps words lacked pointed blame or concern. At one point he tried to offer some spiritual wisdomScripture teaches us the Lord is close to the broken-hearted and saves those who are crushed in theory. We seek comfort in those words, for we know God lives in the hearts of those who breathe. (The remarks were hollow given that we all know Trump is not a paragon of religious fortitude.) He also offered this sentiment: Our unity cannot be shattered by evil; our bonds cannot be broken by violence. And though we feel such great anger at the senseless murder of our fellow citizens, it is our love that defines us today, and always will, forever.

Story continues

Here are some relevant things about gun control we will share in addition: Nevada does not prohibit the possession or display of assault weapons. Open carry is legal without a permit. Last year, Nevada passed legislation meant to strengthen background checks, which was immediately ruled unenforceable. The NRA spent millions of dollars to elect Trump. The stocks of gun-makers immediately went up after the shooting, because people who purchase large quantities of guns are paranoid and selfish.

This is the country we live in, and the president refusing to acknowledge the weapon that played a part in this event is extremely frustrating. That we might have predicted his response makes it no less depressing.

CORRECTION: A previous version of this story failed to acknowledge Trumps references to the shooter and the gunman.

This post Donald Trump Fails to Mention Guns Once in Speech on Las Vegas Shooting first appeared on SPIN.
A potentially pivotal document in the legal fight between Uber and Waymo, the self-driving car company that was originally part of Google, has been released. It is a report (embedded at the bottom of this post) commissioned by Uber from cybersecurity firm Stroz Friedberg last year as part of its due diligence before acquiring Otto, a self-driving truck startup founded by former Google employees. Stroz was asked to investigate whether or not Otto co-founder Anthony Levandowski, a former Google engineer who worked on Waymo, and other Otto employees took confidential information from Google or breached their non-compete clauses.

Waymo, which filed a lawsuit against Uber in February, has fought for the document's release, arguing that it likely contains information relevant to its allegations that Levandowski stole thousands of files from Google and brought them to Uber. It also said it may answer some of the questions Levandowski has refused to answer by exercising his Fifth Amendment rights. Uber, which fired Levandowski in May, declined to provide it, claiming that the document contains confidential information between attorneys and clients.

After a federal circuit judge ruled last month that Uber must hand over the report, Waymo said it needs more time to review it and asked for the trial, which is scheduled to start in a week, to be postponed. A hearing will take place tomorrow on whether or not to grant Waymos request.

Stroz investigators reviewed over 100,000 documents, 74,000 pictures and 176,000 source code files for the report. It shows that Levandowski accessed Google files, including ones related to the design of driverless cars, even after he left the company, but it doesnt conclude what he did with them.

Among other revelations, Levandowski told Stroz that he found five discs containing Google information in a closet while searching his house for devices to give the investigators, but had them destroyed at a commercial shredding factory called Shred Works in Oakland. Levandowski told Stroz that they contained proprietary information, including source code and design files related to Google self-driving cars.

Story continues

Levandowski also said that he informed Uber employees, including chief executive officer Travis Kalanick, about the existence of the discs in March 2016. He says Kalanick said he wanted nothing to do with the discs and told Levandowski to do what he needed to do. After that, Levandowski says he took them to Shred Works and watched as they were destroyed.

Stroz followed up during its investigation by visiting Shred Works, but couldnt confirm if the documents were indeed ordered destroyed by Levandowski. While a Shred Works facility manager found a receipt that indicated it had received cash to destroy five discs around the time Levandowski told Uber about them, the signature on the receipt was illegible and no one at the faciility recognized Levandowski from a photo Stroz showed them.

Stroz also said it found 50,000 work emails from Levandowskis time at Google on his personal computer. Levandowski claimed that he did not remember when he last looked at the emails and seemed surprised at how many of them were on his laptop. But because ten of those emails were accessed between September 2015 and January 2016, when Levandowski left Google, Stroz investigators wrote that it was difficult to believe that Levandowski was not, prior to his interview, fully aware of the extent of the data that he had retained.

Stroz found that Levandowski had accessed Google files even after he left the company and then deleted them, including source code and electronic design files related to driverless cars. He also asked an unknown recipient to delete iMessages from him during the investigation and even attempted to empty the trash on his Macbook Pro while he was at Strozs office, but investigators found no files contained in his trash at the time he tried to empty it.

Investigators wrote that even though Levandowski may have deleted those files in good faith to comply with Googles requirements, he shouldn't have after he knew the investigation was going to take place:

Many of these deletions may have been good faith attempts by Levandowski to purge retained Google material from his devices in accordance with his obligation not to retain confidential Google data. However, by March 2016, Levandowski was aware that Stroz Friedberg was going to implement a process to preserve, identify and potentially remediate retained Google material from his devices. At that point, the better course would have been to let that process control. In addition, there was an effort by Levandowski and his Ottomotto colleagues to delete texts in real time.

In a press statement, an Uber spokesperson said:

"Before Uber acquired Otto, we hired an independent forensics firm to conduct due diligence because we wanted to prevent any Google IP from coming to Uber. Their report, which we are pleased is finally public, helps explain whyeven after 60 hours of inspection of our facilities, source code, documents and computersno Google material has been found at Uber. Waymo is now attempting to distract from that hard fact, even attempting to hide its core trade secrets case from the public and the press by closing the courtroom. In the end, the jury will see that Google's trade secrets are not and never were at Uber."

As expected, Waymo has a different take. Here is its statement about the release of the report:

The Stroz Report unequivocally shows that, before it acquired his company, Uber knew Anthony Levandowski had a massive trove of confidential Waymo source code, design files, technical plans and other materials after leaving Google; that he stole information deliberately, and repeatedly accessed it after leaving Waymo; and that he tried to destroy the evidence of what he had done. In addition, Mr. Levandowski used his smartphone to take thousands of covert photographs of computer screens displaying Google confidential files. Knowing all of this, Uber paid $680 million for Mr. Levandowskis company, protected him from legal action, and installed him as the head of their self-driving vehicle program. This report raises significant questions and justifies careful review.

The full document is embedded below:

View this document on Scribd
Embraer SA ERJ recently won a firm order from SkyWest Inc. SKYW, the holding company of SkyWest Airlines and ExpressJet Airlines, for delivering 20 E175 jets.



Order Details



At current list prices, the order is estimated to be valued at $914 million, which will be added to Embraers third-quarter 2017 backlog.



The order includes 15 E175 SC (Special Configuration) aircraft in a 70-seat configuration. The E175 SC aircraft has an E175 airframe that can be retrofitted to 76 seats going forward. Additionally, it comprises order for five E175s, in a 76-seat configuration similar to the aircraft that SkyWest had ordered earlier.



The transaction will take the total number of E175 jets booked by SkyWest in 2017 to 45. Notably the airliner had ordered 25 new jets from Embraer in September. The payment for all 45 aircraft will be made using $161 million in cash and the balance in debt. While delivery of the E175s is expected in between September and early 2018, the E175 SCs are expected to be delivered in the next year.



Markedly, SkyWest Airlines will operate the E175s for Alaska Air Group, Inc. ALK and the E175-SCs for Delta Air Lines, Inc. DAL.



A Brief Note on E175 Jets



The E175 jets have a 76-seat dual class pattern, including 12 First Class seats, 16 Economy Plus seats and 48 Economy seats.



The E175 jet also features a wingtip for enhanced aerodynamic performance. Moreover, this new fleet of the model is 6.4% more fuel efficient than the first-generation E175s. Over the last few years, Embraer has been able to grab the lions share of 80% of orders for airplanes in its class from airline companies in the United States.



Our View



We note that Embraer is the only company that manufactures a family of four airplanes for the 70-to-130 seat segment. While the program was launched in 1999, the first E-Jet entered into revenue service in 2004.



Commercial Aviation revenues represented 61.5% of the companys total revenue in the second quarter, reflecting substantial improvement from 27% last year. Notably, the company delivered 35 commercial aircraft in the same quarter, up from 26 jets on the year-ago quarter.



Furthermore, the company has a series of healthy contracts and tie-ups with other companies for its jets. As a result, Embraer continued to witness strong demand for its E-jets, thereby booking several orders in the second quarter.



Moreover, armed with 3,500 flights and a fleet of 678 jets, SkyWest offers commercial air service in various cities across the United States, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean as well. SkyWest Airlines also has partnerships with United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, US Airways, American Airlines and Alaska Airlines. Therefore, such strong tie ups with this airlines will surely benefit Embraers profit margin in days ahead.



Price Movement



Shares of Embraer have declined 30.2% in the last year, as against the industry's gain of 49.3%. This underperformance may have been caused by the weakening Brazilian real against the U.S. dollar. Additionally, the softness observed in the companys Defense and Security business remains a concern.

Story continues





Zacks Rank



Embraer carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.



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Richard Smith, the former CEO of credit reporting firm Equifax, will testify in front of Congress Tuesday about the massive data breach that resulted in the exposure of personal information of more than 143 million Americans.

In advance of his testimony, Smithwho resigned from his position as CEO of the company last week released a transcript of his prepared remarks, which include his account of how the breach occurred.

The ousted CEO begins his statement prepared for House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing by taking full responsibility for the breach and apologizing to the hundreds of millions of consumers affected by the incident.

Let me say clearly: As CEO I was ultimately responsible for what happened on my watch. Equifax was entrusted with Americans private data and we let them down, Smith wrote.

To each and every person affected by this breach, I am deeply sorry that this occurred. Whether your personal identifying information was compromised, or you have had to deal with the uncertainty of determining whether or not your personal data may have been compromised, I sincerely apologize. The company failed to prevent sensitive information from falling into the hands of wrongdoers.

Smith said the breach was the result of both human error and technology failures, and confirmed the hackers gained unauthorized access to the companys servers by exploiting a vulnerability in the popular web application framework Apache Struts.

According to a timeline laid out by Smith, Equifax learned of the vulnerability after the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Computer Emergency Readiness Team (CERT) issued a notice about an available patch for the framework. That notification was received on March 8 and circulated inside the company on March 9.

While the company requires patches to be applied within 48 hours of availability, Equifax failed to apply the fix to Apache Struts. A scan completed by the company on March 15 did not identify any systems vulnerable to the security flaw, Smith said.

Story continues

The former CEO said the hackers first gained access to Equifaxs servers on May 13 and continued to have unfettered access through the Apache Struts vulnerability until July 30, when the companys security team noticed suspicious network traffic associated with the Equifax dispute website that consumers could use to contest issues with their credit report.

Smith said he was informed of the breach the next day, and Equifax started taking action in response to the breach on Aug. 2. That action included retaining a third-party cybersecurity group to investigate the breach and contacting the FBI.

Between the revelation that the breach occurred and the decision to inform the public on Sept. 7, Smith noted the rapid development of events related to the breach as investigators learned how much public information was exposed.

The former CEO said the company attempted to prepare best it could to accommodate users following the public acknowledgement of the breach, but noted those efforts fell well short of expectations.

We were disappointed with the rollout of our website and call centers, which in many cases added to the frustration of American consumers, Smith wrote.

He said the company had to build a new website from scratch to help consumers learn if they were affected and shortcuts in that process led to additional issues, including the accidental inclusion of a mandatory arbitration clause that said no consumer who took advantage of Equifaxs free credit monitoring service offered in the wake of the breach could take part in legal action against the company.

Smith said that provision was never intended to apply in the first place and was the result of copying and pasting the terms of services from another Equifax product and included in the offering to breach victims.

The company also set up a number of call centers to handle customer service requests but was forced to shut down its largest centers as they were located in Florida and were in the path of Hurricane Irma.

Despite the failures in the rollout after the breach, Smith said the customer support website received more than 420 million hits since its launch and more than 7.5 million activation emails were sent to consumers who registered for the free credit monitoring service provided by Equifax.

Related Articles
Equifax has revised its estimate for the number of people potentially affected by its recent massive data breach to a total of 145.5 million people, 2.5 million more than it initially reported.

One of three main credit reporting agencies in the U.S. next to Experian and TransUnion, Equifax efx stores a trove of highly sensitive personal and financial details about consumers. From mid-May through July, an as yet unidentified hacker group gained access to a large swathe of this dataincluding names, birthdates, street addresses, credit card numbers, and Social Security numbersthe company disclosed last month.

Equifax released the new estimate on Monday, a day after Mandiant, the computer forensics division of the cybersecurity firm FireEye feye that Equifax hired, completed its full review of the damage. Despite the higher figure, Equifax said that Mandiant did not identify any evidence of additional or new attacker activity or any access to new databases or tables.

Equifax said Mandiant also found no evidence of unauthorized activity on databases located outside of the United States.

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I want to apologize again to all impacted consumers, Paulino do Rego Barros, Jr., Equifaxs newly appointed interim CEO, said in a statement. As this important phase of our work is now completed, we continue to take numerous steps to review and enhance our cybersecurity practices. We also continue to work closely with our internal team and outside advisors to implement and accelerate long-term security improvements.

Equifax said that while it initially warned that data on about 100,000 Canadians may have been exposed, it has now revised that number down to 8,000 potential Canadian victims. The company said it would notify them through the mail.

Read more: You Should Have Control Over Your DataNot Sloppy Companies Like Equifax by Elizabeth Warren

Equifax said it was still determining the extent of the breach for U.K. consumers.

Story continues

In the weeks since Sept. 7, when Equifax first disclosed the compromise, a number of key leaders have left the company. Former CEO Richard Smith retired (banking as much as a $90 million payday), as did its chief information officer and chief security officer.

Equifaxs board said it is investigating other members of its executive team, including its chief financial officer and general counsel, for selling stock after the breachs discovery, but before its public disclosure. A number of lawsuits have been filed against the company for allegedly mishandling peoples data.

Equifax has recommended that consumers enter some identifying details into a website it set up in the aftermath of the hack to determine whether they were affected. The company said it would update the database with the names of the additional millions of potentially affected consumers by Oct. 8.

Security pros have recommended that victims implement a credit freeze, which locks down credit records with a special PIN.
By Victoria Bryan

BERLIN (Reuters) - First Alitalia, then Air Berlin and now Monarch Airlines: Europe's struggling carriers are falling like dominoes and the region's biggest airlines are set to chalk up bigger profits.

The collapse of airlines gives rivals a chance to snap up planes, prized airport slots and much-needed pilots. It takes airplane seats out of the market, allowing airlines still flying to nudge prices higher and lift some of the pressure on yields that has plagued the industry for several years.

The shake-out this year is also seen as the start of more far-reaching industry consolidation that is expected to whittle the number of European airlines down to numbers more on a par with North America - putting the survivors in a position to boost profitability to levels seen across the Atlantic.

"The rationalisation of financially inefficient capacity is good for the industry as a whole," Liberum analyst Gerald Khoo said.

Expectations that the challenging environment for large, traditional European airlines is starting to ease has helped their shares outperform rivals and other sectors.

So far in 2017, shares in Germany's Lufthansa shares are up 98 percent, Air France-KLM has surged 163 percent and British Airways parent IAG is 38 percent higher.

Those airlines have started to talk about a turnaround in ticket price trends as fewer seats are added to the market, and the collapse of a third carrier this year is likely to help even more.

HSBC analyst Andrew Lobbenberg said the European short-haul market would grow just 3.2 percent this winter after stripping out Monarch, Air Berlin, Alitalia and Ryanair's cancelled flights. Previously, growth had been expected to be 7.3 percent.

"The present circumstances will be trying for Monarch staff, management and passengers, let alone former shareholders. Yet its exit will be supportive for industry unit revenues," Lobbenberg wrote in a note.

MARKET SHARE

Despite efforts by Brussels to liberalise Europe's airline industry 25 years ago it has lagged North America in terms of consolidation, where nine major airlines became five in the decade to 2015.

Story continues

While Lufthansa and IAG have driven some consolidation, the top four airlines in Europe only account for 49 percent of the short-haul market whereas the top four in North America control 70 percent.

The different market dynamic is reflected in profitability. North American carriers are expected to post a net profit margin of 7.2 percent this year compared with 3.7 percent in Europe, industry body IATA said in June.

European rules restricting non-EU investors to owning less than 50 percent of carriers have limited the pool of investors willing to take part in consolidation. Lower oil prices since the collapse in crude in 2014 have also helped shield some financially weaker airlines in Europe.

Still, Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary predicts there will only be only four or five airline groups in Europe in five years - Ryanair, Lufthansa, Air France-KLM, IAG, and possibly easyJet.

"Europe will consolidate in the same way as the North American market has. That's partly what the whole Air Berlin thing is," he told Reuters after the German carrier filed for insolvency in August.

Even before Monarch collapsed, ratings agency Moody's predicted that the removal of Air Berlin and Alitalia would be positive for the credit of Europe's five largest airlines - Lufthansa, IAG, Air France-KLM, Ryanair and easyJet.

Europe's traditional carriers have also been given some relief by problems at long-haul rivals in the Gulf, where Emirates and Etihad are grappling with lower demand at home because of low oil prices.

Etihad's new CEO also faces the task of deciding what to do with its investments in other airlines, including Air Serbia in Europe, having already pulled out of Alitalia and Air Berlin.

ASSETS UP FOR GRABS

In the short term, Monarch's collapse benefits airlines flying from the United Kingdom to tourist destinations - carriers such as easyJet, Ryanair and Jet2.com, said Liberum's Khoo.

Like Air Berlin, Monarch suffered from increased competition on routes to Spain and Portugal as rivals shifted flights from Turkey, Egypt and Tunisia when security concerns prompted tourists to take holidays closer to home.

Europe's larger carriers are now moving in on the assets left by their toppled rivals. Lufthansa is bidding for the lion's share of Air Berlin's assets, hoping to shore up its position in the German market.

EasyJet is bidding for up to 30 Air Berlin planes, including their crews and airport slots mainly at Berlin's Tegel airport.

While Ryanair did not take part in the Air Berlin sale and has dropped a bid for Alitalia, Goodbody analysts say it may want the Boeing 737 MAX jets Monarch had on order.

Along with its planes and crew, Monarch's slots at British airports such as Gatwick, Luton, Birmingham will also be of interest to others, with IAG, Wizz and Norwegian reportedly interested before Monarch collapsed.

"Longer term, and not withstanding the current Ryanair pilot shortage, the winners will be Ryanair, easyJet and perhaps (IAG's) Vueling who may see this as a chance to expand their UK operations to Spain from a few regional markets," said John Grant of JG Aviation Consultants.

(Reporting by Victoria Bryan; additional reporting by Alistair Smout in London; editing by David Clarke)
Nearly one year ago, Google declared that it was getting serious about designing its own gadgets by launching the Google Pixel and Google Home. This week, well finally see what the next generation of those devices looks like.

The search giant is holding an event on October 4 where it will presumably unveil a new version of the Pixel, another voice-activated smart speaker, and other product updates. Heres a rundown of what to expect.

New Google Pixel Phones

This will likely be the biggest announcement Google makes on October 4. Google is reportedly planning to announce two new Pixel phones, one of which may come with a 5-inch screen and another with a larger 6-inch display, according to a post on developer forum XDA. The biggest change, however, may not be the screen itself, but the area around it.

The new phones are also expected to come with a new function that makes it possible to launch the Google Assistant by squeezing the devices edges. The strongest evidence of this was found in Googles own code, which references an unreleased feature called Active Edge as blog 9to5Google noticed. Otherwise, the two new Pixels are rumored to include a new design with smaller bezels around the screen, a camera that performs better in low light, and a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor  the same chipset that powers phones like the OnePlus 5 and Essential Phone.

Google Home Mini

Google may release a smaller, cheaper version of its Google Home smart speaker to compete with Amazons Echo Dot. The device, which Android Police first reported, will reportedly cost $49 and will be available in chalk, charcoal, and coral colors, according to a leak published by Droid Life. Whereas the current Google Home resembles a cross between a short vase and an air freshener, the mini looks more like a tiny pod.

Google Home Max

Judging by the latest rumors, Google may be looking to turn its Home speaker into a whole family of products, similar to what Amazon has done with its Echo. The company is reportedly developing a larger version of the Home with stereo speakers called the Google Home Max, according to 9to5Google.

Story continues

The report didnt mention a specific price, but did describe the Home Max as a premium product, hinting that it could be more expensive than the $129 Home. There are no hints about the release date, either, but 9to5Google says theres a possibility Google will announce it at its upcoming event.

New Google Chromebook Pixel

A revamped version of Googles Pixel laptop could also make an appearance on Oct. 4, reports Android Police. Details are slim, but the report speculates that this laptop could be related to a previously rumored project that Google codenamed Bison. The Bison laptop was intended to be a rival to Apples MacBook Air and Microsofts Surface Pro with a 12.3-inch screen and support for a stylus that would have been sold separately. Its unclear, however, if the new Pixel laptop is a new version of the same device.

Google Assistant Updates

Google has made several announcements about its virtual assistant over the past several weeks, and theres a chance well hear more details on October 4. Google recently announced that its voice assistant will be coming to Android TV, a specific model of Bose headphones, and several new appliances and speakers. Google could use its event as an opportunity to reveal more devices that will work with the Google Assistant in the near future, especially on the heels of Amazons recent Echo and Alexa announcements.
By Norihiko Shirouzu and Joseph White BEIJING/DETROIT (Reuters) - U.S. automaker Ford Motor Co is overhauling its China plans as its global "One Ford" strategy is holding it back in the world's biggest auto market, two high-ranking company insiders told Reuters. The review of its China operations, part of a broader strategy re-think under new CEO Jim Hackett, will likely see Ford focus on electric commercial vans, which China is encouraging in its polluted and congested city centres, as well as electric cars. A shift to e-vans and e-trucks in China would also fit with Ford's reckoning that a best play globally for electrification and autonomous driving might be in commercial and delivery vehicles - a part of the market where it is already strong in the United States and Europe. The "One Ford" strategy - which helped the automaker's turnaround under former CEO Alan Mulally - doesn't fit all situations, the two insiders said, particularly in China and India, two crucial markets where Ford's sales have slowed. "That's why nobody internally talks about "One Ford" (in those markets) anymore," said one of the insiders, who are familiar with Ford's Chinese strategy. Neither wanted to be named as they are not authorized to speak with reporters. In a sign that Ford is turning away from what is essentially a global push of its Ford and Lincoln brands, the Dearborn, Michigan automaker wants to drive its truck-making China partner Jiangling Motors Corp (JMC) more towards electric commercial vans. Such a move is "potentially lucrative" as China's big cities effectively ban gas and diesel trucks and vans, and "none of the foreign automakers has made any major investment or strategic move in this emerging electric commercial vehicle segment," said Yale Zhang, head of Shanghai-based consultancy Automotive Foresight. Sherif Marakby, Ford's vice president of autonomous vehicles and electrification, told Reuters he couldn't comment on specific partnerships that haven't been announced. "But we are absolutely open to (EV) partnerships in different markets, and we continue to talk to other companies and Tier One suppliers. Don't be surprised to see more partnerships in electric vehicles in different markets," he said. Hackett was scheduled to give a presentation to analysts in New York later on Tuesday. In India, Ford and local automaker Mahindra and Mahindra said last month they will launch a strategic alliance in a market shifting to vehicle electrification. CHINA-SPECIFIC In August, Ford said it was considering a joint venture with Anhui Zotye Automobile Co to build electric vehicles in China under a new brand, tapping Zotye's low-cost electric-vehicle (EV) technology. One of the insiders said Ford was seeking Chinese regulatory approval for this. It has also brought in Jason Luo, a Chinese-born American, from U.S.-based air bag maker Key Safety Systems to run its China operations. He has been tasked, one of the insiders said, with building closer ties with local partners including JMC and Changan Automobile Co, working more effectively with regulators, and responding faster to changing consumer tastes. "One big issue at Ford China is our decision-making process is too slow," one of the knowledgeable insiders said. "We try to manage everything, all aspects of the business under "One Ford"," and that hobbled the company's ability to move quickly, costing market share. Ford's China sales are forecast to decline 4.6 percent this year, according to LMC Automotive, a far cry from double-digit growth just five years ago. SLOW LANE Ford has no affordable electric plug-in cars for the Chinese market, despite it being little secret that Beijing planned new quotas for all-electric battery cars and heavily electrified plug-in hybrid vehicles. Those quotas were announced late last month. Nor does Ford have a high-volume brand of affordable entry cars for China - such as the Baojun cars sold by rival General Motors Co and its China partner SAIC Motor Corp. Launched in 2010, Baojun sold more than 2 million vehicles last year. With JMC, its nearly one-third-owned venture with JMC Group, Ford was slow to expand the light commercial vehicle maker into low-cost entry passenger cars - a market that has now become saturated with Chinese-branded cars and foreign-operated China-only brands like Baojun and Nissan Motor Co's Venucia. Ford's missteps in China were partly through a rigid adherence to the "One Ford" mantra and a lack of local knowledge, one of the insiders said, noting company executives sent into China often lacked the cultural ties to work with Chinese regulators, policymakers and partners. Also, China's market, consumer tastes and government policies shift rapidly, the person said. "Ford is having difficulty keeping up with 'China speed'. Everything here moves so fast." (Reporting by Norihiko Shirouzu and Joseph White, with additional reporting by Paul Lienert; Editing by Ian Geoghegan)
Per Facebook Inc FB, about 10 million users have watched the Russian backed ads, allegedly aimed at influencing the 2016 Presidential elections outcome. The revelation was made a few hours after the social media giant furnished extensive details about 3K plus Russian backed ads (not made public yet) on its platform to the Congress.

In the blog post, Facebooks vice president of Policy and Communications, Elliot Schrage stated that these ads were mostly targeted at divisions on grounds of politics and social norms and often touched upon on sensitive topics like immigration and racial issues, gun rights as well as LGBT matters.

Schrage also said that nearly 44% of the total ad impressions were before the U.S. election whereas the same spiked to 56% post elections.

Also, notably, the company said that there are chances that nearly 25% of the ads were never seen by anyone because the advertising auctions are designed to "reach people based on relevance."

Facebook, Inc. Price

Facebook, Inc. Price | Facebook, Inc. Quote

The company also added that there could be more such undetected ads. Were still looking for abuse and bad actors on our platform  our internal investigation continues. We hope that by cooperating with Congress, the Special Counsel and our industry partners, we will help keep bad actors off our platform stated Facebook.

Nonetheless, Schrage in his blog post has underscored that We understand more about how our service was abused and we will continue to investigate to learn all we can. We know that our experience is only a small piece of a much larger puzzle. Congress and the Special Counsel are best placed to put these pieces together because they have much broader investigative power to obtain information from other sources.

Facebook is in the eye of the storm ever since it revealed to the Congress that it has identified Russian accounts spending nearly $100,000 in ads (over 3K), which coincided with the U.S. election (from June 2015 to May 2017). This has caused a massive uproar.

Story continues

The recent disclosures are now particularly concerning as it reflects that the Russian meddling continued after the elections as well. With an investment of just $100,000, the alleged Russian factors could reach an audience this huge, adds CNN.

However, Schrage added that Facebook is now upping it ante to ward off such incidents in the future. Facebook will employ about 1000 people to review ads. Plus, it will authenticate the background of advertisers and make ad details more transparent.

Since the elections, social media companies, especially Facebook and Twitter TWTR, have been under fire for dissemination of fake news that allegedly influenced elections. Twitter recently revealed that it had found over 200 accounts related to Russian factors/bot network.

These companies are battling extensive PR damage. Moreover, pressure from governments of various countries including France, Germany (which goes into election a few days from now) and Britain to curb the spread of fake ads/news and extremist activities on their platform is mounting.

In the past few months, Facebook has been tightening control over what is displayed on its platform by enabling third party verification. Facebook said it will also scrutinize ads that promote bogus stories for monetary gains. The company said that it will work with the entire news industry to improve its fact checking systems. Facebook made the Trending feature more automated to minimize human intervention. The company has done away with the need to write description for trending topics that required news curators to do the job. It has also deployed artificial intelligence to tackle terrorism.

Zacks Rank and Share Price Movement

Facebook carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Notably, the company has outperformed the industry in the past year. Shares of Facebook have surged 31.6% compared with the industrys 17.7% increase.

Stocks to Consider

Better-ranked stocks in the broader technology sector include Applied Materials AMAT, and Activision Blizzard ATVI. Both sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Long-term earnings growth rate for Applied Materials and Activision is currently projected to be 17.1% and 13.6% respectively.

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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.

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Facebook will release over 3,000 ads bought by a Russian entity to interfere in U.S. politics and the 2016 presidential election with congressional investigators tomorrow morning at 8am Pacific, a Facebook spokesperson confirmed to TechCrunch. Facebook's disclosure to the House and Senate Intelligence Committees and the Senate Judiciary Committee will include information on the ads' content and targeting, as well as the accounts that paid approximately $100,000 for them to run between 2015 and 2017 in the U.S. It previously announced these ads were tied to 470 accounts and Pages "associated with a Russian entity known as the Internet Research Agency."

Facebook believes that congressional investigators for the three comittees are best placed to review the ads and make determinations on them based on their access to classified intelligence and information from all relevant companies and industries, beyond Facebook own internal investigation, according to a spokesperson. Facebook does not plan to release the ad data publicly.

Congressional investigators could combine Facebook's data with that which Twitter has pledged to provide. This includes data on 201 accounts suspected of having engaged in misinformation campaigns on Twitter, and $274,100 in spend on U.S. ads in 2016 by Russian government-linked news outlet Russia.

Google, Facebook, and Twitter have been invited to testify to the Senate Intelligence Committee on November 1st about the Russian probe. However, Senator Mark Warner said Twitter's initial briefing to the Senate Intelligence Committee was "inadequate". A Facebook spokesperson confirmed Facebook had received the invitation but didn't have more to share on whether Facebook will in fact testify.

Facebook already shared this information with special counsel Robert Mueller around September 15th the Wall Street Journal first reported, likely because it received a search warrant, but initially withheld them from congress to avoid violating federal privacy laws or disrupting the Mueller probe. On September 21st Facebook announced that it planned to share these ads with congress, and is now confirming that tomorrow morning will be when that happens. Facebook also plans a long list of changes to its political ad buying systems which could be seen a sufficient self-regulation to deter the need for official government regulation.

Story continues

Facebook says the goal is to provide the relevant information necessary for congressional investigators to understand and contextualize the ads. These ads are believed to have been a purposeful attempt by Russian operatives to influence the U.S. presidential election.

Who Is The Internet Research Agency?

A falsified CNN screenshot depicting a fictitious ISIS attack on the Columbian Chemicals Company in 2014 that was tied to the Internet Research Agency

The Internet Research Agency has been described by the New York Times as "an army of well-paid 'trolls'" based in St. Petersburg, Russia that have tried to spread misinformation through coordinated Internet campaigns to interfere with U.S. foreign policy and boost Russian president Vladimir Putin.

The company was tied to the 2014 #ColumbianChemicals hoax where trolls used a falsified CNN screenshot, YouTube video, and Wikipedia page to convince people that a fictional chemical processing plant in Louisiana had been blown up by ISIS, with accounts urging the US to bomb Iraq in response. Russian newspapers had at one point reported that the Internet Research Agency had 400 employees and a $400,000 per month budget. They had also written that the Internet Research Agency is funded by Evgeny Prigozhin, a restaurant owner and oligarch with big Russian government contracts and close ties to Putin.

The investigation of Facebook's data could strengthen the known connections between the Internet Research Agency, political misinformation campaigns, and the Kremlin.

Facebook's Ongoing Plan To Thwart Election Interference

Two weeks ago Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced a 9-point plan to curb election interference, help people and investigators understand what happened, increase ad transparency, and improve election integrity. Tomorrow we may learn more about how Facebook will implement those plans, which are:

Providing Russian-bought ads to Congress Continuing Facebooks own investigation Enhancing Political ad transparency Implementing stronger political ad reviews Hiring 250 more election integrity workers Expanding partnerships with election commissions Collaborating with other tech companies Protecting political discourse from intimidation Monitoring the German election

The first plan will be fulfilled tomorrow. The last plan was carried out successfully in an election that saw German chancellor Angela Merkel secure a fourth term, but with reduced authority as radical right-wing party AfD joined parliament as the third-largest party.

Facebook took actions including deleting tens of thousands of suspicious account, fighting fake news in clickbait, providing ways for politicians to share their stances, and working with the German election commission. Facebook's VP of Public Policy for EMEA Richard Allan wrote that "These actions did not eliminate misinformation entirely in this election  but they did make it harder to spread, and less likely to appear in peoples News Feeds.

Image: Bryce Durbin/TechCrunch

Facebook's forthcoming changes could further reduce the potential for misuse of its platform to sway elections, and provide tactical assistance to other tech giants trying to do the same. Facebook may need to make it harder for organizations to buy election ads, which could reduce the revenue it receives from this business.

But that's a small price it seems willing to pay in order to prevent the voice it gives everyone being misappropriated to spread lies and propaganda. I've called on Facebook to more proactively anticipate the worst-case scenarios for how its platform can be employed, rather than assuming people will utilize it only in good faith or that problems are just low-scale edge cases. With enough technology, human moderation, and cooperation with governments and peers, it could put the safeguards in place to steeply reduce the chances that this foul play ever reaches the News Feed again.
Trade secret and patent laws both provide intellectual property protection but have conflicting requirements that can impose challenges for a company seeking to maximize its protection under each right.

Consider this typical scenario:

An inventor has developed a reduced footprint circuit design and a method of operating the circuit that reduces power consumption compared to similar products in the market. The inventor s company would like to file a patent application on the invention so the inventor provides diagrams and documentation detailing the invention.

As part of the supporting documentation, the inventor also provides confidential detailed assembly diagrams and flow charts for the current process of manufacturing the circuit design. The company s current manufacturing process has proven over the years to not only eliminate quality issues, but also to be much less costly and time consuming than the previous manufacturing process. There are significant advantages provided by the current manufacturing process, but it is not immediately clear whether it contributes to the reduced footprint circuit design or the method of operation to be patented.

Can the company write a comprehensive patent application that complies with the patent law while keeping the manufacturing process a trade secret?

Trade secret and patent laws both provide intellectual property protection but have conflicting requirements that can impose challenges for a company seeking to maximize its protection under each right. Trade secret law requires a company to keep information secret and out of the public domain to maintain trade secret protection of that information. On the other hand, patent law requires publication of information to obtain patent protection. Losing trade secret protection by disclosing confidential information in a patent application can be a fatal pitfall of patent drafting. However, a company can maintain confidential information as a trade secret when it is not required for the desired scope of patent protection by a company. In-house counsel and outside counsel preparing patent applications should work closely together to evaluate an invention and related product information to determine what information to disclose.

Story continues

During the patent drafting stage, outside counsel typically extracts invention implementation details from inventors for inclusion in patent applications. There are many reasons that make it desirable to include as much invention and related product details in a patent application as possible.

First, patent law requires that an application include sufficient information to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to make and use a claimed invention without undue experimentation, referred to as the enablement requirement. Failure to comply with the enablement requirement can invalidate a patent. In addition, the application must demonstrate that the applicant had possession of the claimed subject matter at the time of filing.

Patent law also requires disclosure of the best mode of carrying out the invention contemplated by the inventor. Best mode is a separate and distinct requirement from enablement. The America Invents Act (AIA) of September 16, 2011 changed the best mode requirement. While the AIA formally retained the best mode requirement, it removed unenforceability or invalidation of patent claims as a recourse for failure to disclose the best mode. The removal of the enforcement provisions, however, does not necessarily mean that applicants should include fewer details about practicing an invention in a patent application. Notably, even if a patent cannot be invalidated for failure to comply with the best mode requirement per se, the AIA does not prevent an accused infringer from arguing the equitable doctrine of unclean hands as a defense to patent infringement. In particular, the unclean hands doctrine has historically been used to bar issuance of an injunction. Describing a variety of embodiments in an application can be beneficial not only to satisfy the disclosure requirements but also because an applicant may desire to change certain claims substantially over the course of prosecution with the Patent Office. Occasionally, these changes are to the point where certain invention features that were not initially considered to be important, have become important to claim in a patent application. The ability to make such changes is hampered if those details were not originally described in the patent application. In addition, an applicant may later wish to draft claims directed to its or a competitor s subsequently developed products. With the benefit of hindsight, the applicant may have desired to describe features of such subsequently developed products so that they could be later claimed.

Given the above hypothetical as an example, if the details of the manufacturing process are not pertinent to what will be claimed in the patent application, those details can be left out of the patent application to be maintained as a trade secret. As a guideline (subject to exceptions), details related to the product that may appear in a datasheet or are readily discernable through inspection, testing, and reverse engineering may not be well suited for trade secret protection. Therefore, those details may be considered for inclusion in the patent application to comply with the enablement, written description, or best mode requirements. Such details may also serve as a basis for claims in the prosecution of the patent application or continuation applications.

Indeed, inventors that are focused on their company s product implementation often provide detailed product or manufacturing documentation. Outside counsel, seeking to obtain a strong patent, may be motivated to include such details as a basis to claim such subject matter, but may be unaware of a company s desire to maintain such information as a trade secret. Keeping the above in mind, it is important to think through whether material should be disclosed in a patent application or maintained as a trade secret. Often times, inventors may not have the knowledge or experience to help make such a determination. It is important to tap in to in-house counsel s access to the company s product development and intellectual property strategies to ensure that trade secrets are not inadvertently disclosed in patent applications. In-house and outside counsel should endeavor to work together to ensure that certain information is not disclosed when not necessary for desired patent coverage in order to continue to maintain trade secret protection for such information.
Consumer Reports has no financial relationship with advertisers on this site.

General Motors said Monday that it plans to electrify its entire lineup, bringing at least 20 models to the U.S. market by 2023, including two electric vehicles within the next 18 months.

This latest announcement shows how car companies are responding to the evolving worldwide market. GM is the largest of a handful of automakers over the past few months revealing big electrification plans. The future lineup from the Detroit-based automaker will include hybrids, pure electric, and hydrogen-fuel-cell technologies.

General Motors believes the future is all electric, said Mark Reuss, GMs executive vice president of global product development, purchasing, and supply chain. Our electric solution cannot be one-size-fits-all. We believe you need two different flavors of electrification, battery electric and fuel-cell electric."

Reuss said that GM has already prototyped a fuel-cell electric vehicle in testing.

The two all-electric vehicles coming within 18 months will be based on GMs learnings from the Chevy Bolt EV, the automaker announced Monday. (Read CR's complete Chevrolet Bolt road test.)



The Move to Electrification

Volvo and Jaguar Land Rover recently announced plans to make their lineups electrified by 2025; Mazda has vowed to do the same by 2035. Volkswagen and Audi, which share corporate ownership, say theyre out of the diesel market in the U.S. and are focusing instead on electrified technologies.

Why are so many automakers joining the charge?

A few things are driving electrification, says Dave Sullivan, an analyst for AutoPacific, a car-industry research firm. The first is the decreased cost for battery cells. The next would be regulation. Electrification, broadly speaking, is the one option that seems to appease regulators around the world.

Whats Killing Diesel?

Diesel was once seen as a more efficient alternative to gasoline-powered cars. But two years ago Volkswagen revealed that many of its diesel-powered models were cheating on emissions. Now, for the 2018 model year, U.S. car shoppers will find only 14 diesel cars or SUVs offered for their consideration. Thats slightly more than half of the 24 diesel models offered for the 2015 model year, before VWs diesel scandal.

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Experts say diesel cars and SUVs arent dead in the U.S. yet, but their vital signs are waning.

Pressure against diesel emissionsincluding stringent emission regulations coming in the U.S.is leading automakers worldwide to reconsider whether to continue with that technology. The main reason, says Lindsay, of IHS Markit, is because of the push by these places toward lower emissions. Its not just getting better fuel economy.

There is a messy catch to diesel engines: Their emissions are dirty and smog-creating, and can aggravate any number of upper respiratory illnesses. A study published in the scientific journal Nature in May 2017 says that 38,000 people worldwide are killed prematurely each year because of diesel vehicles that dont meet official emission limits while driving under real-world operating conditions.

Beyond the health concerns, Consumer Reports data shows that improvements in the fuel economy of gasoline engines has increased substantially, removing much of the appeal of diesel technology, CRs Fisher notes. He says that diesel engines are noisy and that diesel fuel costs more than gasoline and produces more carbon dioxide per gallon than gasoline. And though diesels have a reputation for longevity, CRs reliability data show that the complexity of diesel emission systems tend to create problems down the road.



Gas and Diesel Are Here for Years to Come

Despite what the proclamations of China and others might suggest, conventional gas-powered cars are not going away anytime soon, says Gabe Shenhar, associate director of the auto test program for Consumer Reports. In fact, automakers including Nissan and Mazda are working on new gasoline engine technologies that offer the promise of even greater efficiency. While automakers talk about electrification, in the near term, that really reflects expanding hybrid technology rather than turning to all-electric drivetrains. And automakers are continuing to innovate around gasoline-powered engines as well.

Automakers are also still trying to sell new diesels in the U.S. Mazda and Jaguar Land Rover are bringing their first diesel vehicles to the U.S. next year.

Sullivan says that for them, diesels stronger efficiency is a stopgap measure to meet fuel-economy requirements. Mazda and Jaguar Land Rover are two great examples of this, he said. Its not a long-term solution but buys them some time until their new electrification powertrains are ready.

In fact, neither Jaguar Land Rover nor Mazda has any hybrids or EVs on sale in the U.S. today.

Greg Gardner contributed to this report.





More from Consumer Reports:

Top pick tires for 2016

Best used cars for $25,000 and less

7 best mattresses for couples



Consumer Reports is an independent, nonprofit organization that works side by side with consumers to create a fairer, safer, and healthier world. CR does not endorse products or services, and does not accept advertising. Copyright  2017, Consumer Reports, Inc.
The GM logo is seen at the General Motors Warren Transmission Operations Plant in Warren, Michigan October 26, 2015. REUTERS/Rebecca Cook/Files

DETROIT (Reuters) - General Motors Co's Cruise Automation unit is making "rapid progress" toward deploying self-driving cars that don't require a human driver, the head of Cruise Automation said on Tuesday.

Kyle Vogt did not say when he expects Cruise Automation's software will be ready to deploy commercially in a ride services business.

His comments followed a statement by GM's chief executive officer on Tuesday that it could deploy self-driving cars without a human driver "in the coming months."

GM shares have risen sharply in recent days in part on investor enthusiasm for its self-driving car efforts. The stock was up nearly 3 percent on Tuesday as it reported higher U.S. sales in September.

Vogt, in a call with reporters and in a blog post, said Cruise's decision to test its technology on the congested streets of San Francisco is helping to speed development.

Vogt did not say when he expects Cruise Automation's software to be ready to deploy commercially in a ride services business.

GM Chief Executive Officer Mary Barra, in a blog post released Tuesday, wrote, "In the coming months, well take the next bold steps in testing our autonomous technology as we lead the way to fully self-driving vehicles without any human driver as a backup."

GM Cruise vehicles, for example, must maneuver past double-parked cars on narrow San Francisco streets 24.3 times more often than vehicles in suburban environments, Vogt said.

One of Cruise's rivals in the race to deploy self-driving cars, Alphabet Inc's Waymo, tests vehicles mainly on the suburban streets around Palo Alto in Silicon Valley.

"There's almost no comparison between driving in an urban environment and a suburban" environment, Vogt said.

(Reporting by Joe White; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)
FILE PHOTO: A sign is displayed in the reception of the Sydney offices of Goldman Sachs in Australia, May 18, 2016. REUTERS/David Gray/File Photo

LONDON (Reuters) - Goldman Sachs Asset Management said on Monday it would pay for external research used by its European investment managers under new European Union rules due to go into force in January 2018.

The fund arm of Goldman Sachs (GS.N), which manages more than $1 trillion in assets, is the latest asset manager to say it will absorb costs for clients covered by the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive II, which start on Jan. 3.

Under the rules, asset managers must agree a fee for research provided by brokers and either pay for it themselves or pass the costs on to investors, after years when the cost was bundled together with other services including trade execution.

Most major asset managers that have set out their plans for Mifid II have said they will absorb costs.

(Reporting by Simon Jessop; Editing by Rachel Armstrong)
U.S. President Donald Trump reacts as he arrives at the White House from Indianapolis, in Washington D.C., U.S. September 27, 2017. REUTERS/Carlos Barria

While Goldman Sachs analysts believe there is a 65% probability that tax legislation will be enacted by 2018, they nevertheless see major hurdles for President Trumps tax reform push.

The framework released by Trump and Big Six tax negotiators on Wednesday proposed the largest tax cuts in our countrys history. On Friday, the Senate Budget Committee unveiled a budget blueprint that would allow for $1.5 trillion in tax cuts over 10 years.

Goldmans first potential issue involved that $1.5 trillion number, which was called a ceiling as opposed to a floor by Bill Hoagland, senior vice president at the Bipartisan Policy Center and a longtime Senate budget staffer.

First, the revenue target has not yet been finalized, and it is becoming increasingly clear that the Senates $1.5 trillion tax cut instruction is at the high end of the potential range of outcomes, Goldman wrote in a note to clients. It is possible that tax legislation that reduces revenues that much might still face opposition from some Republican centrists.

Furthermore, despite the preliminary consensus on a framework, there are major details that remain unknown, particularly which tax preferences would be curbed to help offset the cost of the tax cuts, Goldman stated.

Some of the details, or lack thereof, are already contentious. On Monday, Republican Senator Rand Paul criticized the nine-page plan released last week.

This is a GOP tax plan? Possibly 30% of middle class gets a tax hike? I hope the final details are better than this, Paul tweeted with a link to an analysis by the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center.

President Donald Trump stops to greet Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., center, and Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb. during a luncheon with GOP leadership, Wednesday, July 19, 2017. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

[S]ome of the tax increases that have been proposed to offset the cost are likely to be very difficult to achieve, such as repeal of the state and local tax deduction, Goldman analysts said.

The Trump administration has floated the idea of removing a deduction for state and local taxes, known as the SALT deduction, that costs Washington roughly $100 billion per year in foregone revenue. However, that deduction will be very difficult to kill given the politics of ending a popular tax break.

Story continues

After Trump economic advisor Gary Cohn said that the elimination of the SALT deduction was negotiable, Republican Senator Bob Corker accused the administration of softness and questioned the GOPs intestinal fortitude on tax reform.

Despite the early complaints, the initiative is making progress. This week the Senate Budget Committee will likely vote on a tentative budget agreement, and the House is also looking at passing a budget resolution.

However, given the complexity of tax policy, managing the process to the end will be a challenge for a Trump administration that failed spectacularly on health care.

This is going to make health care look like a simple thing to do, Corker told Bloomberg.

A potential timeline for tax reform, according to Goldman Sachs.

READ MORE:

The giant flaw in Trumps tax plan

The hidden tax hikes in Trumps tax cut plan

Trump is overpromising on tax cuts
In times of crisis, can you trust an algorithm to deliver the most accurate and up-to-date news you're craving to get?

SEE ALSO: A troll explains why he tweeted a fake 'missing dad' picture from the Las Vegas shooting

In the aftermath of the Las Vegas shooting that left more than 50 dead and 200 injured, the answer seems to be a big fat no.

This is the Google search result when you look up the name of "Geary Danley," who is currently at the center of a 4chan-inspired conspiracy theory that wrongly identifies him as the gunman:

Image: google news/screengrab

Two out of four results are 4chan threads from the online lair of the alt-right, /pol/, which is infamous for trolling and spreading misinformation and fake news (another is Iranian state-funded Press TV).

That Google News algorithm would put 4chan threads on top of search is crazy enough, but it gets even more nonsensical when you consider the whole conspiracy at the core of it.

It all started after police named Marilou Danley as a "person of interest" following the mass shooting. She was later located and identified as companion of the dead suspected gunman, 64-year-old Stephen Paddock.

But before that, 4chan /pol/ was abuzz with people doxxing the woman and trying to find links that could direct them to the suspect. They found this guy, Geary Danley, who they alleged was married to Marilou and who liked several anti-Trump, left-wing pages.

That makes him the perfect target for some alt-right trolls, who immediately posted threads on 4chan /pol/ claiming he was identified as the suspect:

Image: 4chan/pol/screengrab

Image: 4CHAN/POL/SCREENGRAB

Image: 4CHAN/POL/SCREENGRAB

Some 4chan threads have now been deleted in the light of police finally naming the suspect. But it's worth reiterating: The dead gunman's name is Stephen Paddock, according to police.

UPDATE Oct. 2 10:20 a.m. PT:

Google released a short statement promising it would continue to make "algorithmic improvements".

Story continues

Google statement on how a 4chan thread identifying the wrong man as LV shooter showed up "in the news" pic.twitter.com/9dOTvQ5Qgt  Daisuke Wakabayashi (@daiwaka) October 2, 2017

It also appears the problem hasn't been limited to Google. Reporters and users online noticed Monday that Facebook's trending topics page was surfacing results from Kremlin-sponsored media outlet Sputnik News.

Facebook later said its Global Security Operations Center noticed the posts but their removal was delayed and the company "deeply regrets" the confusion caused.

Right now, FB's trending topic page for the Las Vegas shooting features two (2) posts from a Russian propaganda outlet. pic.twitter.com/jDR1V0zzPy  Kevin Roose (@kevinroose) October 2, 2017

Another reporter, meanwhile, pointed out what happens when you head to YouTube.

facebook and google news are a mess, but as usual theyve got nothing on first page of (logged out, incognito) youtube results pic.twitter.com/FEPFwZKt7e  John Herrman (@jwherrman) October 2, 2017
newspapers

Google is going to stop punishing news sites that put their articles completely behind a paywall  a major shake-up that scraps a policy that was hated by many in the news business.

For the past decade, the Californian search engine operated a policy called "First Click Free" (FCF), that required sites that had paywalls to allow users to click through to a certain number of free articles a day via search.

If they didn't, their content would be demoted  as was the case with The Wall Street Journal, which apparently saw a 38% reduction in traffic after pulling out of FCF.

Instead, Google is introducing a "Flexible Sampling" model which will allow subscription-based publishers to decide who many (if any at all) free articles they would like to provide. (It recommends 10 per month.)

Google is clearly still keen to have some free articles available via search. From its perspective, users will have a far better experience if they click through on a search result to a full article rather than a newspaper paywall that requires a paid subscription to unlock. And it argues that if publishers offer some free articles as a "try before you buy" it could persuade people to sign up for a paid account.

But it has also been a source of tension for publishers, some of whom are reluctant to give their content away for free and see Google as profiting off their work.

Google is also trying to streamline the subscription experience, VP of news Richard Gingras wrote in a blog post announcing the change. "Were taking advantage of our existing identity and payment technologies to help people subscribe on a publications website with a single click, and then seamlessly access that content anywhere whether its on that publisher site or mobile app, or on Google Newsstand, Google Search or Google News."

He added: "And since news products and subscription models vary widely, were collaborating with publishers around the world on how to build a subscription mechanism that can meet the needs of a diverse array of approachesto the benefit of the news industry and consumers alike."

Story continues

NOW WATCH: How to take a screenshot on a Mac  and 15 other useful keyboard shortcuts





More From Business Insider


By Paresh Dave

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Google announced on Sunday that subscription news websites would no longer have to provide users three free articles per day or face less prominence in search results, relaxing its rules following complaints from media giants like News Corp that their sales were suffering.

For the last decade, Google's "first click free" policy helped ensure that non-subscribers wouldn't be stifled by paywalls when they clicked on news articles from searches.

Google, the largest component of Alphabet Inc, had contended that free samples would lead to increased subscriptions.

But apart from a few publications, online subscriptions haven't taken off as intended, and media companies such as Wall Street Journal parent News Corp. increasingly complained that freeloading users were cutting into sales.

This year, the Wall Street Journal stopped abiding by Google's policy, corresponding to a drop in search rankings but an increase in subscriptions.

"Over the last year, we got clear indications that, yes, it was going to be important for publishers to grow subscription revenues," said Richard Gingras, Google's vice president for news.

He said the number of news outlets with paywalls had reached a critical mass in the last year, to the point that it made sense for Google to start developing tools for them.

Google is now counting on the relaxed rules and subscription software that is under development to stop the Wall Street Journal and other publishers from holding back valuable content.

From hereon, publishers will be able to choose how many, if any, free articles they want to offer to Google searchers.

Google also plans to launch free software in the coming months for publishers that enables users to pay for content with credit card information that they've previously supplied to the search giant.

The goal is to facilitate fast purchases that could take as little as a single click, Gingras said. Customers' names and emails would be shared with the publishers.

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A separate tool would give publishers data on how to maximize sign ups with personalized offers. Gingras said Google hasn't determined whether it may charge a fee to recoup costs of that program.

"Google search is valuable because there's a rich ecosystem out there," Gingras said. "To the extent the web is healthy, that's very good for our core business. Our objective is not for this to be a new line of business."

Facebook, Alphabet's top rival in online advertising, is working on similar subscriber registration tools. Apple released support for subscriptions within its News app last year.

(Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore)
After nearly seven years at Google, Susan Molinari is stepping aside as the internet giants VP of public policy for the Americas and head of its Washington, D.C., office. She will remain with Google in an advisory role. The move comes after Google this summer named Karan Bhatia, formerly GEs president of government affairs and []

Googles powerful search business is eliminating its default first click free program for subscription-based websites  giving publishers more flexibility in how they surface free content.

Under the Google first click free policy, publishers have been required to provide a minimum of three free articles per day via Google Search and Google News before people were displayed a paywall (and the opportunity to subscribe). Starting this week, Google is implementing a flexible sampling model, under which premium publishers  like the Wall Street Journal, New York Times and Financial Times  will be able to choose how many (if any) free articles they surface through search.

Googles first-click-free program has long been a thorn in the side of Robert Thomson, CEO of Rupert Murdochs News Corp, owner of the Wall Street Journal (which operates a subscription-based model). If publishers opted-out of first-click-free, their content has been demoted in search rankings  and, according to the WSJ, it suffered a 38% drop in traffic from Google Search in August 2017 after it stopped participating in program.

In a statement, Thomson called Googles termination of the first-click-free program an important first step in recognizing the value of legitimate journalism and provenance on the internet.

I think [Google CEO] Sundar Pichai deserves a lot of credit for taking a different approach, Thomson said. Theres a lot more to negotiate, theres a long way to go, but their willingness to end First Click Free should be celebrated by all publishers.

Longer term, Google is building a suite of products and services to help news publishers reach new audiences, drive subscriptions and grow revenue, Google VP of news Richard Gingras wrote in a blog post Monday.

Google said it dropped the first-click-free policy in search based on several months of trials with the New York Times and Financial Times. As part of the change, the internet giant is exploring ways to simplify the subscription signup process and make it easy for Google users to get the full value of their subscriptions across Googles platforms, Gingras added. Our goal is to make subscriptions work seamlessly everywhere, for everyone.

Story continues

That will include using Googles existing identity and payment technologies to help users subscribe on a publications website with a single click to then be able to access the content on the publishers site or mobile app or on Google Newsstand, Google Search or Google News.

Rather setting a daily limit of pre-determined free stories before a paywall kicks in, Google recommends a monthly cap of 10 free articles per month as a good starting point, according to Gingras.

Reps from the New York Times and Financial Times issued statements of support for Googles new policy.

The Financial Times is welcoming of Googles input and actions to help this critical sector of the media industry, and weve worked very closely with Google to aid understanding of the needs that publishers have and how Google can help, Jon Slade, FTs chief commercial officer, said in a statement. It is important that we now build and accelerate on the discussions and actions to date.

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NAIROBI, Oct 3 (Reuters) - Hyatt Hotels & Resorts will open six new hotels in Africa by 2020, the company said in a news release on Tuesday, underscoring the growth of business and international travel on the continent.

The company will open its first hotels in Algeria, Cameroon, Ethiopia, and Senegal and open new hotels in two countries where it already has a presence: Morocco and Tanzania. The hotels will create approximately 2,100 jobs, Hyatt said.

Hyatt is looking for more opportunities to expand in East Africa, it said, citing continued government investment in infrastructure, an expanding middle class and a growing international recognition of the regions stability.

The new hotels will double Hyatt's presence in Africa. Potential countries for further expansion could include Rwanda, Kenya, Uganda, Mozambique, Ghana and Ivory Coast, Hyatt said.

There was 11 percent growth in Sub-Saharan African tourism in the past year, the company said, citing the UN World Tourism Organisation.

The first half of 2017 saw a 14 percent year-on-year increase in international arrivals in East Africa. (Reporting by Katharine Houreld; editing by Jason Neely)
Ireland's High Court ruled that the Court of Justice of the European Union must decide the rules on the transfer of data from European Facebook users to the US "to ensure consistency" (AFP Photo/LOIC VENANCE) (AFP/File)

Dublin (AFP) - Ireland's High Court on Tuesday asked the EU's Court of Justice of the European Union to decide on rules on the transfer of data from Europe to the US in a case with far-reaching implications for industry.

Judge Caroline Costello said that "only a decision of CJEU can resolve the potential for inconsistent applications" of the mechanism used by giants such as Facebook to transfer European users' data to the US.

"I therefore have decided to ask the Court of Justice for a preliminary ruling," she concluded.

The legal action follows a complaint by Austrian privacy lawyer Max Schrems to Ireland's Data Protection Commissioner (DPC) about Facebook's use of so-called standard contractual clauses (SCCs) to transfer personal data from Europe to the US, via its European headquarters in Dublin.

SCCs are now widely used by data exporters and are intended to allow for the legal transfer of data from EU citizens as long as "adequate protection" is in place.

In an emailed statement, Facebook said it was "essential the CJEU now considers the extensive evidence demonstrating the robust protections in place under Standard Contractual Clauses and US law, before it makes any decision that may endanger the transfer of data across the Atlantic and around the globe."

SCCs "are essential to companies of all sizes, and upholding them is critical to ensuring the economy can continue to grow without disruption," the statement said.

Schrems argues that the SCCs offer no redress for European citizens in the US in the event of their data being accessed by a third party, such as US intelligence services, or compromised in some other way.

His legal team claimed that the Irish watchdog already had the power to stop data transfers from Facebook and should use it.

Following the ruling, Schrems told AFP that he did not want to "strike down international data transfers, because 90 percent of the cases are not a problem," and was instead focussed on companies "which are involved in mass surveillance".

Story continues

"I suspect that she (Judge Costello) wanted to kick up the case and not deal with it too much," he said.

"Right now we can just raise the issue over and over again by kicking up the courts, but fundamentally this is a political decision," Schrems said.

- Data flow vital to EU economy -

Facebook argues there is nothing wrong with the current system and that there is no need for a referral.

Mason Hayes & Curran, the Dublin-based legal team acting for Facebook, has pointed to estimates that if services and cross-border data flows were to be disrupted, the European Union's gross domestic product (GDP) could be hit by as much as 1.3 percentage points.

Facebook was forced to switch to SCCs last year after the European Court of Justice ruled in 2015 that the Safe Harbour framework, which had governed the EU-US flow of personal data, contravened EU law because the privacy of European citizens could not be guaranteed in the US.

The SCCs are considered as something of a stopgap measure designed to allow the transfer of data, pending agreement on a more comprehensive regime.

The Data Protection Commissioner issued a statement saying it welcomed the judgment.

"The High Court has confirmed it shares the Commissioners concerns about the protection of those rights (protection of data privacy)."

"It invites the CJEU to consider whether, under EU law, SCCs in their present form can and should be retained as a basis for the transfer of personal data from the EU to the US."
Marilou Danley las vegas shooting

Marilou Danley, the girlfriend of the gunman who killed 58 people during a music festival in Las Vegas, has returned to the US, The New York Times and several other media outlets reported late Tuesday night.

Danley was in the Philippines when Stephen Paddock opened fire on a crowd of thousands from his Mandalay Bay hotel room Sunday night.

Authorities said Paddock, used identification of Danley's at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, prompting authorities to track her down. Since then, more details have emerged about Danley's past.

Clark County Sheriff Joseph Lombardo said Tuesday that Danley, 62, remains a person of interest in the investigation.

NBC News reported Paddock had wired $100,000 to the Philippines the week before the shooting.

An unidentified acquaintance of Danley who was contacted by the Reno Gazette-Journal said: "She had nothing to do with this psycho. This poor lady, she was in the Philippines visiting family."

Danley is a citizen of Australia and still has family there, Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said.

Danley called herself a "proud mom and grandma who lives life to the fullest" on a personal Facebook page that had been deactivated, the Daily Mail reported. A LinkedIn page connected to Danley that had also been taken down said she worked as a "gambling and casino professional" in Reno from 2010 to 2013, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Danley had been married for 25 years before jointly filing for divorce with her husband, Geary Danley, in 2015, the Reno Gazette-Journal reported, citing interviews with friends of Danley. A neighbor, Susan Page, told the newspaper that Paddock and Danley were "closet people" and that she "never saw them."





More From Business Insider


The largest mass shooting in U.S. history happened in Las Vegas last night, and this is what we know

Facts are still pouring in about Sunday nights mass shooting in Las Vegas  the deadliest mass shooting in United States history. As of right now, 50 people are confirmed dead and over 400 have suffered injuries from the attack. The gunman has been identified as Stephen Paddock, a 64-year-old retired man from Mesquite, Nevada.

The shooting took place during Jason Aldeans performance at the Route 91 Harvest Festival. Aldean was immediately taken offstage as people realized something was wrong. Then, witnesses shared that concert goers hit the floor and the gunfire seemingly lasted forever.

According to NBC News, Paddock acted alone. He did so from the 32nd floor of Las Vegas Mandalay Bay hotel.

Officers found Paddock dead in his hotel room, and Las Vegas Police Undersheriff Kevin McMahill told CNN that officers found at least eight weapons in Paddocks possession.

WATCH: Witness video shows 22,000-person concert as gunman opens fire from 32nd floor of Las Vegas hotel. https://t.co/OMMlwif54N pic.twitter.com/PhKnK8fMdM  NBC Nightly News (@NBCNightlyNews) October 2, 2017

At least one responding police officer was killed and several other officers were injured during their raid on Paddock.

Couple uses their truck as a makeshift ambulance to carry victims of the Las Vegas shooting to the hospital. https://t.co/BZcrV0KCzL pic.twitter.com/JDMW9sTpRR  Good Morning America (@GMA) October 2, 2017

Sheriff Joseph Lombardo said during a press conference that officials are currently attempting to figure out Paddocks motive. The Washington Post reports that police have located Paddocks traveling companion, Marilou Danley, and currently have her in questioning.

Story continues

Updated: Las Vegas death toll rises to 50, making it the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history https://t.co/fqX3roJBk4 pic.twitter.com/SenlIwjPss  Hollywood Reporter (@THR) October 2, 2017

Local hospitals are full of injured victims, and the death toll is expected to rise. If youre in the Las Vegas area, check out your local clinics here to donate blood to victims who need it.

Were sending our prayers and thoughts to every single person affected by this immense, unnecessary tragedy, and holding our loved ones close today.
A convention attendee looks at rifles displayed at the Rock River Arms booth at the 2016 SHOT Show in Las Vegas: Ethan Miller/Getty Images

A mass shooting in Las Vegas has become the deadliest in US history, and some say the states gun laws are to blame, with New York's Police Commissioner Brill Bratton calling them "a reflection of insanity".

A lone gunman recently opened fire on a concert in a Las Vegas casino, killing 50 and injuring more than 400. Police say the gunman, 64-year-old Stephen Paddock, had at least 10 weapons inside his room at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. Witnesses say the gun used in the shooting sounded like an automatic, possibly military-grade, assault rifle.

Nevada capitalises heavily on machine gun tourism, and was ranked the 22nd-best state for gun owners by Guns & Ammo magazine. Below is an overview of the states gun control laws.

Who can buy guns in Nevada?

Nevada law does not require gun owners to have a permit to purchase or carry rifles and shotguns, according to the National Rifle Association. Carrying a handgun, however, does require a permit.

The state of Nevada does not require weapons to be licenced, although Clark County, in which Las Vegas is located, does.

The state requires background checks through a licenced dealer for all gun sales, including those completed privately and online. Convicted felons, drug users, people deemed mentally ill, and those convicted of domestic abuse are prohibited from buying guns.

Where can you buy guns in Nevada?

Nevada residents can buy guns from a dealer, a private citizen, or website. There is no mandated waiting period for sales.

Where can you carry guns in Nevada?

Nevada is an open-carry state, meaning residents are allowed to carry firearms openly in public. It is legal to carry a gun into a bar, restaurant, or casino  even while consuming alcohol. Many casinos have no gun policies, but these do not carry the weight of law.

It is illegal to openly carry weapons into a government building, airport, school, or childcare facility.

Is there a limit on what kind of guns you can buy?

Fully automatic weapons are illegal across the US, unless they were purchased and registered prior to 1986. Semi-automatic weapons, however, are legal in Nevada. Automatic weapons fire until the ammunition is used up; semi-automatic weapons require the trigger to be pulled for each shot.

Story continues

There is no limit on magazine capacity, or the number of bullets a gun can hold, in Nevada.

Police and medical workers on Las Vegas Boulevard South after the shooting (REUTERS)

Is there a limit on how many guns you can buy?

No.

Why are Nevada's gun laws so permissive?

Semi-automatic weapons and large-capacity magazines were banned across the US in 1994. But that law expired in 2004, and attempts to renew it have failed. Congress introduced more than 100 gun control proposals between 2011 and 2016, according to CBS News. All of them failed.

In Nevada, attempts to restrict gun sales have been similarly ineffective. The state passed a law last year requiring background checks for all gun sales, including those completed privately or online. But the state attorney general ruled that the law is unenforceable, since it requires the FBI to run the checks  and the FBI refuses to do so.
The deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history took place in Las Vegas on Oct 1, 2017.

The massacre at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino reportedly claimed 59 lives apart from injuring many. The shooter, identified as Stephen Paddock from Nevada, opened fire from the 32nd floor at the audience of the music concert.

Initial reports suggest that the Las Vegas gunman, who is also dead, did not bear allegiance to any terrorist organization and acted alone. However, the indiscriminate shooting, is an act of terror according to laws in the state of Nevada.

Airlines Swing Into Action

Following the gruesome incident, flights to and from Las Vegas McCarran International Airport were temporarily halted. However, services have been resumed and the airlines that have exposure to the McCarran International Airport have swung into action.

Allegiant Airlines, owned by Allegiant Travel Company ALGT, was offering free flights to victims and their families. Shares of the company, which offers flights connecting Minot and Las Vegas, naturally took a hit and declined 1.3% on Oct 3. Currently, Allegiant Travel carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

The likes of United Continental Holdings UAL, American Airlines Group AAL, Alaska Air Groups ALK Virgin America and JetBlue Airways Corporation JBLU reportedly allowed waivers (with conditions attached) on travel charges for those intending to delay and rebook Las Vegas trips.

Whats in Store for Airlines?

It is a well-documented fact that acts of terrorism have the potential to ground airline stocks due to the possibility of waning travel demand due to security fears. In this regard, travel to Las Vegas is likely to be hurt in the next few days, thus impacting tourism as Las Vegas is a favorite tourist spot. As a result, travel-focused stocks, which include airlines, are likely to be on the back foot.

Story continues

Unfortunately, acts of violence are on the rise and airline stocks were badly hurt previously. The Orlando mass shooting in June 2016 led to airline stocks crashing. Other acts of terror across the globe like 2015 Paris attacks and the 2016 Brussels attacks also spelt doom for airlines.

Against this backdrop, we expect U.S. airline stocks to shed value due to waning travel demand to Las Vegas, at least in the short term. This will result in decline in top line. However, only time will tell the extent to which revenues are actually hurt. Therefore, we expect investor focus to remain on the issue, going forward.

Airlines Already Reeling Under Multiple Headwinds

Whatever the final outcome, the timing of the mass shooting could not have been worse as airline stocks are already struggling due to various other factors. Evidently, back-to-back natural calamities (Harvey and Irma) disrupted airline operations significantly. Rising fuel costs are also hurting airlines. The headwinds are likely to adversely impact the third-quarter results of carriers.

In fact, many U.S. carriers including the likes of American Airlines, United Continental, Spirit Airlines SAVE and Southwest Airlines LUV have already trimmed their unit revenue views for the third quarter owing to the headwinds.

Zacks Industry Rank Highlights the Drab Scenario

The Zacks Industry Rank of 233 (out of 250 plus groups) carried by the Zacks Airline industry further highlights the plight of the airlines. This unfavorable rank places the companies in the bottom 9% of the Zacks industries.

We classify our entire 250-plus industries into two groups: the top half (i.e. industries with the best average Zacks Rank) and the bottom half (the industries with the worst average Zacks Rank).

Over a decade, using a weeks rebalance, the top half beat the bottom half by a factor of more than 2 to 1.

Click here to know more: About Zacks Industry Rank

Price Performance

The dim outlook of the airlines is evident from the fact that the Zacks Airline Industry has underperformed the broader market in the last three months. The industry has declined 4.7% against the S&P 500's gain of 3.7%

With stocks in the airline space already struggling, the Las Vegas shooting incident might hamper the travel plans to one of the most attractive tourist spots, which is a matter of concern for the sector participants.

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



Southwest Airlines Company (LUV) : Free Stock Analysis Report



JetBlue Airways Corporation (JBLU) : Free Stock Analysis Report



United Continental Holdings, Inc. (UAL) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Spirit Airlines, Inc. (SAVE) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Allegiant Travel Company (ALGT) : Free Stock Analysis Report



American Airlines Group, Inc. (AAL) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Alaska Air Group, Inc. (ALK) : Free Stock Analysis Report



To read this article on Zacks.com click here.



Zacks Investment Research
Police run to cover at the scene of a shooting near the Mandalay Bay resort and casino on the Las Vegas Strip, Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017, in Las Vegas. Multiple victims were being transported to hospitals after a shooting late Sunday at a music festival on the Las Vegas Strip.

Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman joined FOX Business on Tuesday following the deadliest mass shooting in the history of the United States.

A gunman opened fire at the Route 91 Harvest Festival in Las Vegas, Nevada on Sunday night, killing at least 59 people and wounding more than 500 others.

Goodman condemned the acts of the shooter and assured that Las Vegas is a safe place.

Its been a very challenging time, Goodman told Maria Bartiromo on Mornings with Maria. We are not dwelling on this sick demented human being who did this and took 59 innocent lives and now we have 527 that are hospitalized fighting through itits one sick, sick human being.

Goodman said Las Vegas has been overwhelmed by support from around the country and world and puts the onus on authorities to search for the gunmans motives.

Its up to the research and law enforcement and authorities to look into him. I will never dignify even by remembering his name because its about the people weve losteach of whom was so innocent and coming here for a grand time that we know how to do here in Las Vegas, she said.

Las Vegas law enforcement said Tuesday they found 23 firearms inside the Mandalay Bay hotel room of gunman Stephen Paddock. While its up to the hotel ownership to determine how to surveil baggage and equipment brought into venues, Goodman suggested hotel personnel use a wand to wave over luggage in hotel rooms and at the front desk.

Truly what we need to get out of this is not to handcuff societywe need to remain free and be able to enjoy our day to day lives and be productive, caring, embracing people Why do we punish everyone for the sickness of one or two people? It is beyond meits crippled the world, she said.

Related Articles
Las Vegas shooting suspect believed to be local resident as police search for Marilou Danley

Update: police have identified the gunman as 64-year-old Stephen Paddock

The gunman who opened fire at a music festival next to Mandalay Bay casino in Las Vegas was a local man, police have said.

They said they knew the identity of the suspect, who they shot dead, but would not yet name him.

According to unverified reports by NBC news, the suspect was 64-year-old Stephen Paddock, of Mesquite, Nevada.

At least 50 were killed and more than 200 injured at the country music event.

A police hunt was underway for a 62-year-old female companion of the shooter called Marilou Danley, who officials said lived with him.

They said she was around 4"11 (125cm), weighed 111 pounds (50kg) and was of Asian appearance.

Yet Sheriff Joseph Lombardo told a news conference the shooter was a "lone wolf type".

"Right now we believe he is the sole aggressor at this point and the scene is static," he said.

Authorities do not believe the gunman was connected to any militant groups and the motives of the shooter are unknown.

The suspect was believed to have been shooting down at crowds of concert-goers from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel.

Witnesses described seeing flashes of light high up in the tower.

A Swot team used a controlled explosion to enter the hotel room, where the shot the suspect dead.

Police were also looking for two vehicles in connection with the incident.
A mother of two who was gunned down during Sunday night's mass shooting at a Las Vegas concert died in the arms of her husband of more than 30 years.

Denise Burditus, of West Virginia, was attending the Route 91 Harvest Festival in Las Vegas Village with her husband, Tony, when gunman Stephen Paddock opened fire on the crowd, killing at least 58 and injuring more than 500 concertgoers.

Denise, 50, was struck by gunfire and tragically succumbed to her injuries.

"It saddens me to say that I lost my wife of 32 years, a mother of two, soon to be grandmother of five this evening in the Las Vegas shooting," Tony Burditus wrote on Facebook. "Denise passed in my arms."

Denise had taken to her own Facebook account just hours before the attack to share a photo of her smiling with her husband at the concert venue. The two were reportedly high school sweethearts.

According to WSAZ, the couple had been eagerly anticipating the concert for months.

Sunday's massacre left at least 58 dead and more than 500 injured, which makes it the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history, surpassing the 2016 Pulse Night Club shooting in Orlando, Florida, which left 49 dead.

These are the victims of the Las Vegas shooting:

Other victims of the attack who have been identified include Sonny Melton, a Tennesee man who was attending the Route 91 Harvest Festival with his wife on Sunday night, and Quinton Robbins, a 20-year-old student at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas.

Two Canadian victims, Jessica Klymchuk and Jordan McIldoon, also died during Sunday night's massacre, according to Alberta Premier Rachel Notley.

An off-duty Las Vegas police officer, whose name has not yet been released, was also confirmed dead.

RELATED: Politicians respond to the attack:
Defense prime Lockheed Martin Corp.s LMT Space Systems business unit secured a modification contract for new procurement of Trident II (D5) missile production, D5 life extension production and D5 deployed systems support. Work related to this deal is expected to be over by Sep 30, 2022.



Details of the Deal



Valued at $418.7 million, the contract has been awarded by the Strategic Systems Programs, Washington, D.C. It includes base items and all option items, which if exercised, will enhance the total value of the modification to $1.1 billion.



Per the terms of the agreement, majority of the work will be executed in Sunnyvale, CA and Cape Canaveral, FL. The remaining part will be carried out at different other regions of the United States.



Fiscal 2017 weapons procurement (Navy) and United Kingdom funds will be utilized to complete the task.



A Brief Note on Trident II (D5)



Trident II (D5) is the latest generation of submarine-launched fleet ballistic missiles, developed and produced by Lockheed Martin. It was first deployed in 1990 and is currently aboard the OHIO-class and British VANGUARD-class submarines.



Markedly, these missiles are equipped with multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicles (MIRV) and thermonuclear warheads.



Whats Favoring Lockheed?



Lockheed Martins Space Systems unit is the prime contractor of the Navy's Trident missile. The company supplies technical and logistical support at sites where the missiles are deployed.



In September 2016, the Navy launched an unarmed Trident II D5 Fleet Ballistic Missile, following which Lockheed Martin announced that it is building on a 60-year partnership with the Navy. The declaration was made to ensure that the missile system remains capable for decades through the companys shared robust flight test plan.



Going forward, we expect the latest contract to substantially boost the companys growth trajectory. Also, the defense prime remains confident of winning more of such contracts in the near term, given that Trident II (D5) is one of the most advanced U.S. Navys missile system.



Price Movement



Lockheed Martins stock has returned 29.4% in the last one year, underperforming the 50.5% rally of the industry it belongs to. This may have been caused by the companys F-35 program, which despite being a prime project of the U.S. government has been repeatedly criticised for being overtly expensive.

Story continues





Zacks Rank & Stocks to Consider



Lockheed Martin carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Better-ranked stocks in the aerospace and defense sector include Engility Holdings, Inc. EGL, Leidos Holdings, Inc. LDOS and Northrop Grumman Corp. NOC. While Engility Holdings and Leidos Holdings sport a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), Northrop Grumman holds a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.



Engility delivered an average positive earnings surprise of 23.50% in the last four quarters. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for current-year earnings moved up 2.3% in the last 60 days.



Leidos Holdings delivered an average positive earnings surprise of 18.01% in the last four quarters. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for current-year earnings climbed 1.1% in the last 30 days.



Northrop Grumman pulled off an average positive earnings surprise of 12.60% in the last four quarters. Its 2017 earnings estimates inched up 0.2% in the last 30 days.



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



Northrop Grumman Corporation (NOC) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMT) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Engility Holdings, Inc. (EGL) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Leidos Holdings, Inc. (LDOS) : Free Stock Analysis Report



To read this article on Zacks.com click here.



Zacks Investment Research
Oracle (NYSE: ORCL) CEO Mark Hurd said he's not worried "so much" about Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) Web Services, the leading public cloud provider, in an interview with CNBC's Jon Fortt on "Squawk Alley" on Monday. "You know, to be honest with you, they have salespeople out there, but I don't really worry so much about them, to be very blunt with you," said Hurd, whose company is currently holding its annual OpenWorld conference in San Francisco. "We need to worry about ourselves. We're in a great position."Oracle trailed Amazon, Microsoft, Alphabet and IBM in the cloud infrastructure services market  including cloud infrastructure, platform as a service and hosted private cloud  in the second quarter, according toSynergy Research. Larry Ellison, Oracle's chief technology officer and board chairman, on Sunday evening, boasted that Oracle's cloud infrastructure could do certain computations faster and more cheaply than the market-leading Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) Web Services public cloud. In addition to pushing its cloud infrastructure, the company is also emphasizing the importance of its cloud-based applications, and it recently chose to only give certain compensation to its top executives if it met goals around cloud growth. "I think in the end we have different competitors in different parts of our business," Hurd said. "Amazon has been a competitor mostly on the infrastructure layer." Both provide infrastructure for hosting applications, but AWS also has cloud-based database software that competes with Oracle's. Last month Oracle reported better-than-expected earnings for the quarter that ended on Aug. 31, but the stock fell after the company disclosed its guidance for the next quarter. Hurd alsotalked up the importance of the latest version of the company's database software. The Oracle Database 18c software handles the job of managing itself and expanding itself to more server infrastructure, so humans don't need to do that. The database also automatically does the work of updating itself with patches, which can prevent outsiders from exploiting security vulnerabilities. "I'd argue this announcement you just described, which is autonomous database, is perhaps the biggest announcement ever in the database market -- certainly the biggest announcement we've made in -- perhaps ever, certainly in years ," Hurd said. Oracle (NYSE: ORCL) CEO Mark Hurd said he's not worried "so much" about Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) Web Services, the leading public cloud provider, in an interview with CNBC's Jon Fortt on "Squawk Alley" on Monday. "You know, to be honest with you, they have salespeople out there, but I don't really worry so much about them, to be very blunt with you," said Hurd, whose company is currently holding its annual OpenWorld conference in San Francisco. "We need to worry about ourselves. We're in a great position." Oracle trailed Amazon, Microsoft, Alphabet and IBM in the cloud infrastructure services market  including cloud infrastructure, platform as a service and hosted private cloud  in the second quarter, according to Synergy Research . Larry Ellison, Oracle's chief technology officer and board chairman, on Sunday evening, boasted that Oracle's cloud infrastructure could do certain computations faster and more cheaply than the market-leading Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) Web Services public cloud. In addition to pushing its cloud infrastructure, the company is also emphasizing the importance of its cloud-based applications, and it recently chose to only give certain compensation to its top executives if it met goals around cloud growth. "I think in the end we have different competitors in different parts of our business," Hurd said. "Amazon has been a competitor mostly on the infrastructure layer." Both provide infrastructure for hosting applications, but AWS also has cloud-based database software that competes with Oracle's. Last month Oracle reported better-than-expected earnings for the quarter that ended on Aug. 31, but the stock fell after the company disclosed its guidance for the next quarter. Hurd also talked up the importance of the latest version of the company's database software . The Oracle Database 18c software handles the job of managing itself and expanding itself to more server infrastructure, so humans don't need to do that. The database also automatically does the work of updating itself with patches, which can prevent outsiders from exploiting security vulnerabilities. "I'd argue this announcement you just described, which is autonomous database, is perhaps the biggest announcement ever in the database market -- certainly the biggest announcement we've made in -- perhaps ever, certainly in years ," Hurd said.



More From CNBC


Screens display cancelled Monarch flights after the airline ceased trading (REUTERS/Mary Turner)

In the biggest-ever failure of a British airline Monarch has gone bust after it lost its licence to sell holidays. We run through everything customers need to know.

What has happened to Monarch?

Monarchs demise comes as the airline was just about to celebrate its 50th anniversary.

The company, which had 2,100 workers, fell victim to a price war over flights to the Mediterranean. Mounting costs saw it suffer a period of sustained losses until collapsing early on Monday morning.

The firms finances deteriorated in 2016, after security concerns deterred travel to Tunisia, Turkey and Egypt and brought increased capacity for routes to Iberia. The decline in the value of the pound, following the UKs momentous decision to leave the EU, has also compounded its problems.

The airline was bailed out by its owner Greybull Capital a year ago.

All future flights with the firm from Monday 2 October have been cancelled.

MONARCH AIRLINES COLLAPSE  MORE ANALYSIS FROM YAHOO FINANCE UK

Monarch Airlines has collapsed: Heres everything you need to know

Couple flying to Gran Canaria with family for 15,000 wedding left stranded by Monarch collapse

The Monarch Airlines collapse will result in the biggest British peacetime repatriation ever

Monarch boss says terror attacks are the root cause of airlines collapse

Why Monarch is the latest airline to go under  and how more could follow

How many people are affected?

More than 100,000 people are currently overseas on a Monarch trip. Meanwhile around 750,000 people have 300,000 bookings with the firm, which will not now be honoured.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said it had been asked by the government to charter more than 30 aircraft to bring the passengers home, with transport secretary Chris Grayling calling it the biggest peacetime repatriation effort.

(PA)

A plane carrying 165 passengers from Ibiza was the first to arrive, landing at Gatwick on Monday morning, hours after the airlines board called in administrators KPMG.

Story continues

Who can I contact if Im affected?

See below, but if you are affected by the collapse of Monarch airlines you should check the advice on www.monarch.caa.co.uk. The Civil Aviation Authority also has a 24-hour helpline: 0300 303 2800 from the UK and Ireland and +44 1753 330330 from overseas.

Monarch airlines customer service and ticket sale shut down at Manchester (SWNS.com)

Im on a Monarch trip. How will I get home?

The government has told Monarch customers to continue their holidays and has organised for an emergency fleet of 30 airplanes have been chartered to get all holidaymakers home safely, at no extra cost. Thats been arranged under the travel industrys Atol scheme, which refunds passengers if a travel firm collapses and makes sure no travellers are stranded overseas.

At least 48 hours before you are due to return home you should visit monarch.caa.co.uk, call the helpline on 0300 303 2800 if calling from the UK or +44 1753 330330 if calling from overseas to confirm your new flight details. Repatriation flights are for all passengers who purchased tickets with Monarch irrespective of their nationality.

MORE: Ryanair attempts to win back customers with 5 flights to France and Germany

The Civil Aviation Authority says: All customers already overseas and due to travel back to the UK on or before 15 October 2017 will have a new flight home arranged at no extra cost to you, as close as possible to your original return date and time.

How do I find out about my rearranged flight?

Visit Monarchs website to get confirmation of your new flights. Details of your return flight should be available a minimum of 48 hours before your original Monarch flight time.

(SWNS.com)

What happens if I havent yet flown?

You wont be flying with Monarch. If you have separate accommodation booked then you need to try and find alternative flights. Sadly prices are already rising and you wont find many cheap deals, particularly if your flight was in the next few weeks.

Can I get my money back for my cancelled flights?

While UK travel companies which sell air holidays have to hold an Atol licence, which protects consumers if they go bust, Monarch only had a licence for package holidays. That means customers who only booked flights are unlikely to get any money back from Monarch.

(PA)

MORE: Ryanair boss says UK could become a no-fly zone after Brexit

However, if you used a credit card to buy flights worth more than 100 you can seek a refund from your card company under section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974. It says the credit card provider has a joint legal liability with the retailer for the goods or services you buy so you can claim the full cost back from your plastic card company.

How do I get a refund from my credit card company?

Contact your company as soon as possible and explain your position. You wont be the only person getting in touch about Monarch flights so your credit card firm should be ready for your call. Your case will be sent to the disputes department which should respond within seven working days. They will try and get the money back from Monarchs liquidators but once theyve tried that, should refund you as long as your booking was for more than 100.

What if I used a debit card?

You may well be able to get your money back through what is known as chargeback. It effectively gives you the same rights as section 75. Ask your card provider about chargeback for your Monarch flights and it should try and get your money back from Monarch or its administrators. While its not a legal protection like Section 75, this is a core protection in Visa, Mastercard and American Express rules and it can swiftly help people get their money back, said Martin Lewis of Moneysavingexpert.com.

Can I claim on my travel insurance for my cancelled flights?

Thats unlikely unless the travel insurance policy you bought includes rare travel abandonment cover. Its worth checking your terms and conditions for this but very few policies include it, and its definitely not part of budget plans.
Snapchat plans to launch a new augmented reality art platform featuring pop artist Jeff Koons and others. It will allow art to be pinned to specific locations in augmented reality so users can see it when they hold up their phones in the right spot. Snapchat will solicit sign-ups from artists who want their art added to the platform.

Snapchat plans to roll out the feature with Koons's art around the world as seen in these photos from Las Vegas, Sydney and Paris. A source tells TechCrunch the feature is based on technology from Cimagine, an Israeli AR startup Snapchat acquired in December. Similar tech powers its World Lens, like the dancing hot dog that got more than 1.5 billion views on Snapchat, plus its new Sponsored World Lens ads.

How Snapchat leaked its own launch

Today a strange "art.snapchat.com" URL appeared, featuring a countdown to 3PM eastern time Tuesday over a photo of Central Park and New York's skyline. When TechCrunch asked Snapchat about it, a company spokesperson told us " we're excited to share more soon."

But our savvy readers discovered that using a time hack, you could trick the site to show what will be launched, ruining Snapchat's big countdown. Now Snapchat has apparently disabled the hack method, but we've collected all the details. The countdown expiration and launched are timed with Snap CEO Evan Spiegel's talk at Vanity Fair's New Establishment Summit.

TechCrunch reader Paul Stamatiou sent us this video rip via Jonah Grant that depicts a now-removed YouTube video detailing a Snapchat partnership with Jeff Koons that puts one of his iconic blow-up animal balloon pop-art sculptures in Central Park. Unfortunately the video is silent, but you can get the gist of it.

Essentially, when users are nearby a piece of Snapchat ART, they'll see a special Lens available. An indicator will direct them which direction to look until the location marker is in frame, at which point they'll see the AR art on their phone. Perhaps users will be able to find Snapchat ART on the app's SnapMap, though we can't confirm that yet.

Story continues

Koons, famous for his giant balloon animal sculptures, is the featured artist for the launch. "Discover Koons's innovative digital installations scattered across the world to experience them for yourself, and learn a little more about them," Snapchat wrote on the leaked launch site. Digital installations from Koons will be available in New York, Chicago, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Toronto, Sydney, London, Paris and Rio de Janeiro.

But Koons won't be alone. The sign-up form below will allow artists to submit their art to be added to Snap's platform.

Facebook announced in April its plans to pin augmented reality art to real-world locations. But its preview of art by Heather Day akin to a graffiti mural was much smaller than the massive installation art pieces shown off in Snapchat's photos and video shown above. Snapchat seems to have beaten Facebook to the punch.

The ART launch could help reinvigorate Snapchat; as user growth has slowed, revenue expectations were missed, and competition from Facebook and Instagram Stories remains fierce. At least its share price has perked up a bit since hitting a low in August after botched earnings.

AR can hide content on a digital plane within the real world, thereby making you curious of what could be lingering around you if you just held up your phone. That could be an appealing reason to whip out Snapchat wherever you go. Snapchat has already used this feature with its stylized geofilters, goading users to swipe after Snapping to see if a cool filter is available for their location.

If the launch goes well, it could get people flocking to physical locations in mobs reminiscent of Pokemon GO. As people hold up their phones in glee, passersby are sure to ask what they're doing, and potentially download or re-open Snapchat to join in the fun.

The question will be whether Snapchat's platform approach to ART can fill the vast physical world with AR such that not just users in top cities can play along. As I wrote in April, Snapchat would need help from outside developers or artists in order to make AR scale. To really move the needle, Snapchat needs ART everywhere.

[Update: When we first spotted the countdown site, I originally speculated that "If I had to guess based on zero information, I'd say that Snapchat will launch a feature that lets you pin augmented reality art you create at real-life locations that other users can then view when nearby." Now we know that was pretty close. This article has been heavily edited to reflect the leaked details.]
While the Trump administration continues to tout its deregulation initiatives, the CEO of the second-largest payroll processor in the US, Paychex (PAYX), said he is seeing signs of increased regulations at local levels.

The real interesting point thats going on from a regulation and compliance standpoint is that the states are changing more regulations themselves than the federal government, Paychex CEO Marty Mucci told Yahoo Finance.

Mucci explained that individual states are setting their own overtime legislation, minimum wage rates and family leave policies.

We are seeing increased demand for HR compliance, Mucci said. For a small business that is in three different states, different regulations in different states have become complicated.

In its first-quarter report, Paychex saw a 7% increase in revenue for human resources services.

These increased regulations are coming with wage growth across Paychexs small business clients, Mucci said, which often leads the way for employment trends.

Were seeing consistently that the wage increase year-over-year across the country on average has been very close to 3% up from 2%, Mucci said. Were getting closer to full employment, so youre seeing a scarcity of resources. Plus youre seeing minimum wage increases take effect. And then I think with a bit more optimism that seems to be out there from consumers, businesses are able to take more price. If they can increase price, they can increase wages.

Overall, Mucci said that he sees the labor market as healthy, despite temporary disruption from Hurricanes Irma and Maria.

We saw a dramatic drop in hours worked in Florida and the Houston area  which we expected  and now well have to see this month how well they bounce back, Mucci said. Overall we see the job market as healthy with steady growth on the top line and an uptick in wages.

Nicole Sinclair is markets correspondent at Yahoo Finance

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Fed balance sheet reduction wont hurt the economy


A national conversation on U.S. gun laws soon re-emerged on Monday after a Las Vegas gunman left 58 dead and over 500 wounded in the largest mass shooting in U.S. history.

Former Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton was one of the first to criticize the NRA in the wake of the deadly shooting, saying the "grief wasn't enough."

Women's March co-founder Bob Bland took the NRA to task with punchier language, though, posting on Facebook a message that reads, "NRA = American ISIS."

RELATED: Progressive responses to deadly Las Vegas shooting



Nevada is one of 45 American states with open carry gun laws, and many Twitter users quickly pointed to the state's more lose gun restrictions as part of the harmful context in which gunman Stephen Paddock operated on Sunday night. Paddock reportedly had 18 to 20 guns in his hotel room from which he fired off rounds -- some of those guns fully automatic weapons.

"The NRA wants to pass a bill allowing the legal purchase of silencers," Heather Whaley wrote. "People ducked and ran in Las Vegas because of the sound of gunfire."

The NRA wants to pass a bill allowing the legal purchase of silencers. People ducked and ran in Las Vegas because of the sound of gunfire.  Heather Bucha Whaley (@HeatherWhaley) October 2, 2017

Sen. Chris Murphy was quick to criticize his Capitol Hill colleagues who feel "afraid" of the gun industry's lobbying power in the wake of the Las Vegas shooting, saying it's time for Congress to "get off its ass."

President Trump and congressional leaders held moments of silence for the victims of the Las Vegas shooting on Monday, and some were little impressed with that show of solidarity.

"Your campaign took $30 million from the NRA last year," Molly Knight said of Vice President Mike Pence. "Save your prayers for something else."
The Southern Company SO recently received additional federal loan guarantee of $3.7 billion for Vogtle Project, emphasizing the governments faith in the future of nuclear energy in the nation. Georgia Power, subsidiary of Southern Company, is the chief owner of the project with a 45.7% interest. The other co-owners include Oglethorpe Power, MEAG Power and Dalton Utilities.

The Department of Energy (DOE) guaranteed $1.67 billion to Georgia Power for the project. Oglethorpe Power Corporation and three subsidiaries of Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia will also receive loan guarantees of $1.6 billion and $415 million, respectively. These additional loan guarantees extend the $8.3 million loan guarantees already issued for the project. The DOE had already granted loan guarantees of $6.5 billion to Georgia Power and Oglethorpe Power in 2014 and an additional support of $1.8 billion in 2015.

The Vogtle nuclear reactors have been grappling with cost overruns and scheduling delays since the commencement of the construction of the project. Further, bankruptcy of Westinghouse, the major construction contractor of the two nuclear reactors of the plant, aggravated costs and led to additional delays. Since then a cloud of uncertainty has been hovering over the beleaguered plant. The project is already running three years behind schedule and is over budget by more than $10 billion which can go up to $20 billion by 2022.

In June, Westinghouses parent company Toshiba Corporation agreed to provide a financial assistance of $3.68 billion for the development of two nuclear reactors. Moreover, the loan guarantees by the DOE is also likely to provide substantial support and encouragement in the completion of the construction of the nuclear reactors. The U.S. Secretary of Energy believes that such nuclear energy projects are important in promoting economic growth and strengthening the countrys energy and national security.

The DOE believes that the plant will make the United States nuclear competitive, helping the nation catch up with the likes of Russia and China. Many nuclear proponents have also supported the companys commitment toward nuclear power with zero emissions, finding it more reliable than solar and wind energy. With the decision to continue with the project, Vogtle plant in Georgia will be the only project which is under construction in the United States.

The Georgia Public Service Commission is soon to complete the review process and take a final call regarding the expansion of the Vogtle project in February.

Zacks Rank and Stocks to Consider

Southern Company is one of the largest and best-managed electric utility holding companies in the United States. The firm dominates the power business across the southeastern region. Southern Company has lost 0.10% of its value year to date against 7.3% growth of its industry.

However, the company delivered an average positive earnings surprise of 0.86% in the trailing four quarters.

Southern Company currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

Some better-ranked players within the same industry are Algonquin Power & Utilities Corp. AQN, CenterPoint Energy, Inc. CNP and Consolidated Edison, Inc. ED. All three companies carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks (Strong Buy) here.

Algonquin Power & Utilities posted average positive earnings surprise of 34.22% in the trailing four quarters.

CenterPoint delivered average positive earnings surprise of 10.34% in the trailing four quarters.

Consolidated Edison reported average positive earnings surprise of 1.37% in the trailing four quarters.

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It's hard to believe, even for us at Zacks. But while the market gained +18.8% from 2016 - Q1 2017, our top stock-picking screens have returned +157.0%, +128.0%, +97.8%, +94.7%, and +90.2% respectively.

And this outperformance has not just been a recent phenomenon. Over the years it has been remarkably consistent. From 2000 - Q1 2017, the composite yearly average gain for these strategies has beaten the market more than 11X over. Maybe even more remarkable is the fact that we're willing to share their latest stocks with you without cost or obligation.

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To read this article on Zacks.com click here.
The first photo of a man believed to be Stephen Paddock - the Las Vegas gunman who killed at least 50 people in the worst shooting in US history - has been released.

Paddock reportedly arrived in Las Vegas from his home in Mesquite Thursday, when he checked into a hotel room in the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino. He stayed there until Sunday, when he broke his 32nd floor window, and open fired on a crowd at an outdoor country music festival across the street. At least 58 people have been reported dead, and another 515 have been taken to the hospital.

Police did not immediately provide possible motives for why Paddock decided to open fire on concert goers. Paddock's body was found alongside at least eight rifles, which were not noticed by anyone working at the hotel in the days before the attack. House keeping had reportedly entered his room several times, but did not notice anything worrisome. It's not clear if he had the weapons in the room in the days leading up to the attack, or if he had moved them into his room Sunday before the shooting.

In an interview in Florida, Paddock's brother said that he had no idea why is brother would have been pushed to become the worst mass shooter in modern American history. He noted that he had helped his brother to move to Nevada several years ago and that he wasn't aware of his brother owning any assault rifles during that time. He said he was "dumbfounded" by the news that his brother had orchestrated the attack.

"There is no reason we can imagine why Stephen would do something like this," Eric Paddock said. "We have no idea how this happened. It's like an asteroid just fell on top of our family."

Paddock reportedly had a pilot licence, and had worked as an accountant before retiring. People in his 55-plus community in Mesquite appeared to not have a close relationship with Paddock, according to reporters on the ground in Mesquite. He lived there with a live-in girlfriend.

Mr Paddock, the brother, told reporters that their father had at one point made the FBI's 10 most wanted list for robbing banks. He did not note any other significant issues he was aware of that may have motivated his brother to attack.
A man points to broken out windows at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino Monday where police say accused shooter Stephen Paddock took deadly aim at concertgoers. (Photo: Holly Bailey/Yahoo News)

LAS VEGAS  Some said it sounded like fireworks  a rapid pop-pop, pop-pop-pop that suddenly interrupted country star Jason Aldean during his set at the Route 91 Harvest Festival here along the southern end of the Las Vegas Strip. But near the back of the crowd on Sunday night, Kevin, a veteran police officer from Southern California, recognized the sound almost instantly.

Someone was shooting, he recalled. I couldnt see who it was or where it was coming from. But I knew that sound.

Kevin, who declined to give his last name, grabbed his wifes hand and began to rush her toward a back exit, and as he did, the popping stopped. A few feet away, he heard another concertgoer suggest the sound was just a malfunctioning amp. I yelled No, its not! Run! And just as I gotten the words out, you could hear the bullets start to ricochet again, he said.

As the gunfire continued, Kevin and his wife ran north, joining a stampede of others at the show fleeing for their lives. They ultimately ended up taking cover in a parking lot adjacent to the Hooters Casino, a few blocks away. Aside from a few scratches, the couple was mostly unscathed. But others he knew werent so lucky. A fellow cop had been at the show with his brother, who had been hit in the arm by gunfire.

Right next to him, hes hit, Kevin recalled Monday. He going to be OK, but it was a close call.

As Kevin spoke, he stood on a ramp outside the Luxor Casino, which offered a prime view of the Mandalay Bay Casino and Resort, where police say accused shooter Stephen Paddock, acting alone, rained bullets down on an estimated 22,000 concertgoers, killing at least 58 and injuring more than 500 in the most deadly shooting in modern U.S. history.

Though he and his wife were staying at another casino down the Strip, Kevin had returned to see for himself the spot where police say Paddock busted out two windows of his 32nd floor suite and began firing on people more than a thousand feet away.

Story continues

According to the Las Vegas Police Department, Paddock, who was 64, shot and killed himself when law enforcement stormed his room after the shooting. They found an arsenal of 23 weapons in the suite, including high-powered rifles, according to the LVPD, and police recovered another 19 at his home in Mesquite, Nev., about an hour away.

What they didnt find, so far, is a motive. Aiming his phone toward the shattered windows of Paddocks Mandalay Bay suite, Kevin took a photo and then stared across the street to the concert venue he had escaped. He shook his head. Were OK. Everythings going to be OK, he said, his voice wavering a bit. But you wonder why. Why would someone do it?

And that was the question for many Monday as they made the journey to the south side of the Las Vegas Strip, which on any other day is busy at all hours. But along Las Vegas Boulevard near Mandalay Bay, it was eerily still and quiet, the street still closed as investigators removed bodies and combed the scene for clues.

A man kneels on the driveway of the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino Monday in Las Vegas, Nev., a day after a deadly mass shooting. (Photo: Holly Bailey/Yahoo News)

Many walked to Mandalay Bay, or within blocks of it, to peer up at the 32nd floor, where as darkness fell, the shadows of investigators could be seen moving around Paddocks hotel suite. Hundreds of feet below, the curious stood quietly and stared up, some taking photos. One man, after looking up, turned and dropped to his knees on the Mandalay Bay driveway, which was cordoned off by crime scene tape. He kneeled for several minutes before walking away.

But there were aspects of the surreal. On the driveway, where people appeared to have abandoned their cars in the middle of the road and walked away, speakers pumped out the casinos usual soundtrack of loud, energetic pop music, including Beyonce and Lady Gaga. The casino had reopened earlier Monday and it grew increasingly busy inside as gamblers slowly returned to the slots and card tables.

Attendees of a technology conference in the hotels convention area brushed passed law enforcement wearing FBI hats and shirts on the ground floor to pack the casinos bars and restaurants, where loud music blared and all the televisions played sports. The scene gave no hint of the historic killing spree that had originated in a hotel room 32 stories above in the same building.

The only indication of something amiss was a large sign that eventually popped up in the casino, pointing guests to where they could receive counseling services if they needed them.

A message seen on a television inside a room at the Tropicana Hotel and Casino Monday. The casino, adjacent to the concert site, gave shelter to those fleeing the shooting. (Photo: Holly Bailey/Yahoo News)

Still, small groups continued to gather in the driveway to look up at the northeast corner of the building to stare at the windows where police say Paddock rained down terror on unsuspecting concertgoers. Some quietly debated his motives. One woman whispered that she would never really feel safe again.

I am scared to death of ISIS and people like that coming here, she told the group. But what if its someone in your own backyard?

_____

Read more from Yahoo News:
I've written these words too many times since this column was established a year and a half ago: Today we wake up to reports of a deadly mass shooting event.

Last night, a gunman, "a lone wolf", a retired white man with a pilot's license, an accountant, a person "known to police," opened fire from the 32nd floor of a hotel in Las Vegas, into a large crowd gathered for a country music festival. The death toll is now more than 50 people.

We currently know nothing about his motive or what clues the above descriptors reveal about his deadly rampage. Online trolls have been working overtime, spreading disinformation, identifying wrong assailants, making unsubstantiated claims, and amplifying the horror.

Its a terrible day for Las Vegas. Its also a terrible day for any innocent person who fears being targeted for sharing characteristics with the shooter, both real and invented, regardless of how tenuous.

Difficult conversations are ahead: About guns, violence, the definition of terrorism, why "deadliest mass shooting" modifiers tend to erase communities of color, and the consequences of white male resentment. About politics. About desperation.

We'll also need to talk about how to talk about these things, a leadership imperative that seems to have been lost, at least on the public stage.

But I've learned one thing in the time we've been working together. In private, these conversations are happening. I know, because you've shared some of them with me - along with the hard work that goes into creating the space that allows them to happen at all.

This work has involved re-configuring how you survey and listen to employees, along with considering what "psychological safety" means in your workplaces. "It's going to mean different things to different employees. Does it mean I can say whatever I want without being challenged?" Dnika J. Travis, the vice president, Women of Color Research & Center Leader, Catalyst Research Center for Corporate Practice tells Fortune. "Or do we need to put real language around what and how we talk about traumatic events?"

Story continues

It has also involved ensuring that front-line managers have the training and support they need to handle painful issues when they arise in meetings, or in one-on-ones.

I had a long talk with Alison Davis-Blake, professor of business and the former dean at the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan, following the police shootings of July 2016. "This isn't a natural disaster, where everyone is aligned right away," she said, in a now poignant marker of a simpler time. "This is difficult stuff to process." That part is still true.

"But a compassionate organization cultivates a sense of empathy for those who are suffering," she says. "And the first thing is for leaders to be present, talking, listening, and acknowledging that something specific has happened and that some people may have concerns."

The University of Michigan's Center for Positive Organizations was created after the attacks of September 11th, specifically to help organizations respond to challenge and pain in more inclusive ways.

I will leave you with the best advice I've collected working the inclusion beat. It was from David Kyuman Kim, professor of religious studies and American studies at Connecticut College whose work focuses on race, religion, moral theory, and public life.

As tempting as it is to want to look away from a crisis, Kim has found that the opposite is actually the way forward. It requires a profound humility to give people the courage to talk about their lives. "We have a responsibility to draw our attention to co-workers, to community members and ask a simple question - 'how are you doing?'" he says. "And then listen, really listen, as if you don't already know the answer."

Let us know how youre doing.

See original article on Fortune.com

More from Fortune.com
Tesla misses Model 3 production target

Tesla (TSLA) falls short of expectations for production of its Model 3. The electric car maker produced just 260 of those vehicles during the quarter, far below its 1,500 target. Tesla blamed production bottlenecks for the miss, but tried to reassure Wall Street by saying there are no fundamental issues with the Model 3 production or supply chain. Goldman analyst David Tamberrino reaffirmed his sell rating on Tesla following the production miss, writing in a note to clients that the company continues to maintain our more cautious Model 3 ramp, which is far below company targets.

Toyota, General Motors and Ford gain on strong US sales

General Motors (GM), Ford (F) and Toyota (TM) each reported strong U.S. sales in September as Americans started to replace vehicles destroyed by Hurricane Harvey. Toyota led the way with a 14.9% increase in sales during the month from a year ago, followed by General Motors 11.9% jump. Fords sales also rose during September, climbing 8.7% to 221,643 vehicles. Demand for pickup trucks, SUVs and crossovers drove the better-than-expected results.

Former Equifax CEO testifies on Capitol Hill

Former Equifax (EFX) chief executive Richard Smith kicked off three days of testimony on Capitol Hill by apologizing to the American people and saying that he was ultimately responsible for the companys massive security breach. Smith is testifying in front of a subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee today, the Senate Banking Committee Wednesday and the House Financial Services Committee Thursday. The testimony comes just one day after Equifax said the attack affected 2.5 million more Americans, bringing the total to 145.5 million. Equifax shares were trading up 0.5% as of 11:15 a.m. ET Tuesday.
Here are four stocks with buy rank and strong income characteristics for investors to consider today, October 2nd:

PennantPark Floating Rate Capital Ltd. (PFLT): This business development company has witnessed the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings advancing 4.6% over the last 60 days.

PennantPark Floating Rate Capital Ltd. Price and Consensus

PennantPark Floating Rate Capital Ltd. price-consensus-chart | PennantPark Floating Rate Capital Ltd. Quote

This Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) company has a dividend yield of 7.87%, compared with the industry average of 2.89%. Its five-year average dividend yield is 8.22%.

PennantPark Floating Rate Capital Ltd. Dividend Yield (TTM)

PennantPark Floating Rate Capital Ltd. dividend-yield-ttm | PennantPark Floating Rate Capital Ltd. Quote

Owens & Minor, Inc. (OMI): This healthcare services company has witnessed the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings increasing 0.5% over the last 60 days.

Owens & Minor, Inc. Price and Consensus

Owens & Minor, Inc. price-consensus-chart | Owens & Minor, Inc. Quote

This Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) company has a dividend yield of 3.53%, compared with the industry average of 0.00%. Its five-year average dividend yield is 2.9%.

Owens & Minor, Inc. Dividend Yield (TTM)

Owens & Minor, Inc. dividend-yield-ttm | Owens & Minor, Inc. Quote

Potlatch Corporation (PCH): This real estate investment trust has witnessed the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings advancing 3% over the last 60 days.

Potlatch Corporation Price and Consensus

Potlatch Corporation price-consensus-chart | Potlatch Corporation Quote

This Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) company has a dividend yield of 2.94%, compared with the industry average of 0.00%. Its five-year average dividend yield is 3.68%.

Potlatch Corporation Dividend Yield (TTM)

Potlatch Corporation dividend-yield-ttm | Potlatch Corporation Quote

DSW Inc. (DSW): This branded footwear and accessories retailer has witnessed the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings increasing 2.7% over the last 60 days.

Story continues

DSW Inc. Price and Consensus

DSW Inc. price-consensus-chart | DSW Inc. Quote

This Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) company has a dividend yield of 3.72%, compared with the industry average of 0.00%. Its five-year average dividend yield is 2.37%.

DSW Inc. Dividend Yield (TTM)

DSW Inc. dividend-yield-ttm | DSW Inc. Quote

See the full list of top ranked stocks here.

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It's hard to believe, even for us at Zacks. But while the market gained +18.8% from 2016 - Q1 2017, our top stock-picking screens have returned +157.0%, +128.0%, +97.8%, +94.7%, and +90.2% respectively.

And this outperformance has not just been a recent phenomenon. Over the years it has been remarkably consistent. From 2000 - Q1 2017, the composite yearly average gain for these strategies has beaten the market more than 11X over. Maybe even more remarkable is the fact that we're willing to share their latest stocks with you without cost or obligation.

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Potlatch Corporation (PCH) : Free Stock Analysis Report



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To read this article on Zacks.com click here.



Zacks Investment Research
By Dan Levine SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - A U.S. judge on Tuesday said he would delay a trade secrets trial over self-driving car technology between Alphabet Inc's Waymo unit and ride provider Uber Technologies Inc [UBER.UL] until December. At a hearing in San Francisco federal court, U.S. District Judge William Alsup said he was skeptical Waymo could ultimately prove that Uber's self-driving car program used Waymo trade secrets. So far, Waymo had not uncovered convincing evidence that Uber copied its technology, he said. "It is not the home run they were expecting to find," Alsup said. However, Alsup said he would grant Waymo's request for more time to investigate documents and e-mails that Uber only recently disclosed. The trial had been scheduled to begin next week. The case pits two companies battling to dominate the fast-growing field of self-driving cars. Waymo claimed in a lawsuit earlier this year that former engineer Anthony Levandowski downloaded more than 14,000 confidential files before leaving to set up a self-driving truck company, which Uber acquired soon after. Uber has denied using any of Waymo's trade secrets. In court on Tuesday, Alsup said Waymo had solid evidence against Levandowski. However, Waymo decided to bring separate legal claims against Levandowski in private arbitration, and did not include him as a defendant in the lawsuit before Alsup. Levandowski has asserted his constitutional rights against self-incrimination and refused to answer questions about the allegations. "I think when Waymo got into this, they thought they would open (Uber's) files and find exact duplicates of Waymo," Alsup said. "As it turns out, the product is dissimilar," he added. Yet Alsup chided Uber lawyers for only recently disclosing to Waymo thousands of Levandowski emails, just before trial was set to begin. "He's the most important witness in the case, and somehow his own files got overlooked?" Alsup said. "Very suspicious." (Reporting By Dan Levine, writing by Peter Henderson; Editing by Steve Orlofsky and David Gregorio)
An employee using his mobile phone walks past the logo of Samsung Electronics at its office building in Seoul, South Korea, August 25, 2017. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji

By Andrew Chung

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday refused to consider a bid by Samsung Electronics Co Ltd to force customers who have filed proposed class-action lawsuits against the company to arbitrate their claims instead of bringing them to court.

The justices left intact a lower court's ruling that purchasers of certain Galaxy smartphones made by the South Korean electronics company were not bound by a warranty provision that compelled arbitration of customer complaints.

Warranties with arbitration clauses have become common in consumer electronics and other industries. Courts and regulatory agencies increasingly are scrutinizing arbitration agreements that seek to limit options for resolution of future disputes.

The Samsung case involves two smartphone buyers from California who separately filed proposed class-action lawsuits in 2014 over concerns about the products' performance and resale value.

Neither Daniel Norcia, who owned an Galaxy S4 device, nor Hoai Dang, who owned an SIII, saw the arbitration provisions when they bought the phone because the language was placed deep inside the warranty booklet and not mentioned on the box, according to their legal papers.

The agreement states that all disputes must be resolved through arbitration, and specifically rules out class actions.

Samsung tried to force the customers to arbitrate their claims, but a unanimous three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco denied the request in January. The court said Samsung did not provide proper notice of the arbitration provision and neither customer had expressly consented to be bound by it.

Appealing to the Supreme Court, Samsung noted that the 9th Circuit decided that the warranty was valid except for the arbitration provision. Samsung argued that the 9th Circuit ruling violated a U.S. law called the Federal Arbitration Act that requires arbitration agreements to be treated equally with other contracts.

(Reporting by Andrew Chung; Editing by Will Dunham)
By Paresh Dave

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Uber Technologies Inc's [UBER.UL] board added two new directors nominated by co-founder Travis Kalanick, two sources familiar with the matter said on Monday, giving the former chief executive new allies as the board considers measures that would decrease his influence.

The board is considering measures that would cut Kalanick's voting power, and directors are divided over whether Kalanick has the right to name board members. The move could still be subject to legal challenge, but the confirmation allows the two new directors to vote at a board meeting scheduled for Tuesday, the people said.

Kalanick's appointments, former Xerox Chief Executive Officer Ursula Burns and former Merrill Lynch Chief Executive Officer John Thain, take up two previously unfilled seats on Uber's now 11-person board of directors. He named the two on Friday.

The company's board is due to meet on Tuesday, and the new directors will be in place for that session.

On the agenda are proposals by new Chief Executive Officer Dara Khosrowshahi to change requirements for board seats and to overhaul the shareholder voting structure. The group also is expected to discuss a potential investment from SoftBank Group Corp, one of the people said.

Khosrowshahi's plan, which included input from investment bank and Uber investor Goldman Sachs, would shift control of one of the two board seats just filled by Kalanick to the new CEO.

(Reporting By Paresh Dave, editing by Peter Henderson and Cynthia Osterman)
Louisiana-based CenturyLink, the third-largest US provider of wireline telecoms services after Verizon and AT&T, announced the cash and stock transaction to buy Level 3 a year ago (AFP Photo/BERTRAND LANGLOIS) (AFP/File)

Washington (AFP) - The US Department of Justice said Tuesday that Level 3 Communications will have to sell networks in three American cities ahead of its planned acquisition by telecoms giant CenturyLink.

To preserve competition in US telecoms markets, the department will also require both companies to offer leased access to unused, or "dark," fiber-optic cable along 30 intercity routes before they can proceed with CenturyLink's $34 billion purchase of Level 3.

"These divestitures will ensure that consumers of such services in the affected metropolitan areas and consumers of dark fiber between the city pairs in question will continue to enjoy the benefits of competition," Assistant Attorney General Makan Delrahim, head of the department's anti-trust division, said.

On Monday, the department filed a lawsuit in the District of Columbia blocking the planned acquisition along with a proposed settlement which would allow it to proceed.

The settlement would require Level 3 to sell all assets supporting telecoms services in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Boise, Idaho and Tucson, Arizona to buyers approved by the Justice Department.

The companies will also be required to enter into 25-year leases on 24 separate strands of dark fiber on 30 routes. Dark fiber is fiber-optic cable not currently attached to electronics.

Louisiana-based CenturyLink, the third-largest US provider of wireline telecoms services after Verizon and AT&T, announced the cash and stock transaction to buy Level 3 a year ago.

Headquartered in Colorado, Level 3 is also a global communications provider offering hosting, cloud and IT services.

The transaction is also subject to review by the Federal Communications Commission.
Broadly stronger greenback remains supported vs. loonie

Investing.com - The U.S. dollar was hovering near a four-week high against its Canadian counterpart on Monday, as expectations for a U.S. rate hike and tax overhaul before the end of the year continued to support the greenback, while declining oil prices weighed on the Canadian currency.

USD/CAD was up 0.29% at 1.2502 by 9:30 a.m. ET (13:30 GMT).

The U.S. dollar remained supported after Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen indicated last week that the central bank was sticking to plans for a third rate hike this year.

The greenback received an additional boost from fresh hopes for U.S. tax reform after the Trump administration outlined plans for a sweeping overhaul of the U.S. tax code last Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the commodity-related Canadian dollar was affecter by retreating oil prices on Monday, as recent optimism over an apparent re-balancing of the market seemed to subside.

The loonie was higher against the euro, with EUR/CAD shedding 0.22% to 1.4698.

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Last year, Yahoo revealed that some 1.5 billion accountsrepresenting about 1 billion usershad been compromised by a data breach going back years. Now that Yahoo's new parent company Verizon has had a chance to investigate it turns out that the number of accounts compromised by the hack was . . . well, every single one of them.

Verizon disclosed the results of its internal investigation into the breach, which began in Aug. 2013, this afternoon in a filing [PDF] with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

According to the filing, Verizon now has reason to believe that the number of compromised accounts includes "all Yahoo user accounts." That would put the total number of affected accounts at around 3 billionabout 40% of the world's population.





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Consumer Reports is an independent, nonprofit organization that works side by side with consumers to create a fairer, safer, and healthier world. CR does not endorse products or services, and does not accept advertising. Copyright  2017, Consumer Reports, Inc.
It seems that Wal-Mart Stores Inc. WMT is leaving no stone unturned to make its presence felt in the delivery space. In this regard, Walmart recently acquired a delivery startup Parcel, Inc. for an undisclosed sum. New York-based Parcel is a last-mile 24/7 delivery service which specializes in same-day delivery for perishable and non-perishable products. This will thus aid the retail giant to compete with e-commerce biggie Amazon.com, Inc. AMZN in delivering everyday items as well as food and groceries from Walmart and Jet.com. Post the acquisition, Parcel will continue to operate from New York headquarters and deliver to its current as well as new clients. With Walmarts wide scale of operations, Parcel is also expected to gain new customers.

Walmarts Acquisition Spree in E-Commerce

Walmart has undertaken many acquisitions to grow its e-commerce business. Since Jet.com acquisition in September 2016, the company acquired four e-commerce businesses  Bonobos, ShoeBuy, Moosejaw, ModCloth. Recently, the company plans to invest in online cosmetics startup Birchbox. If the deal materializes, it will become the fifth e-commerce acquisition, since the Jet.com buyout.

The acquisition of Parcel is expected to help the company in a significant way, given the rising popularity of online grocery shopping and delivery. Notably, this booming industry is worth $10.9 billion in the United States, and Walmart is aggressively trying to get a share of the pie. This Bentonville, AR-based retailer has already partnered with ride hailing services Uber and Lyft for speedy online grocery deliveries and is also seeking drones for delivery and for use in warehouses, following the footsteps of Amazon. Recently, the retailer is testing a delivery service in partnership with San Francisco-based smart-lock maker August Home and Menlo Park-based same-day delivery startup Deliv, wherein customers can get groceries delivered to their fridge directly.

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise | Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. Quote

Other Initiatives to Take on Amazon

The battle between Walmart and Amazon is not only limited to online grocery delivery and pick up services it has also been extended to gaining share of lower-priced private label brands. Walmart, through its online arm Jet.com, has recently announced plans to launch its own private-label brand, Uniquely J, targeting young urban adults. The move came after Amazon gained access of Whole Foods 365 brands after its acquisition in August. In the same month, the giant retailer also teamed up with Alphabet Inc.'s GOOGL Google to enter the budding voice-shopping market, following the footsteps of Amazon.

If we look into the year-to-date performance, we note that Walmarts shares have rallied 13.5%, higher than the industry, which grew around 6.0%.

Zacks Ranks & Key Pick

Walmart currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

A better-ranked stock in the retail space is Canada Goose Holdings Inc. GOOS, carrying a Zacks Rank #2. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Canada Goose has an expected earnings growth of 34.1%, for the next three to five years.

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



Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Alphabet Inc. (GOOGL) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Canada Goose Holdings Inc. (GOOS) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (WMT) : Free Stock Analysis Report



To read this article on Zacks.com click here.



Zacks Investment Research
RTR2DC3R

Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway purchased a stake in Pilot Travel Centers, which owns the Pilot Flying J chain of truck stops.



The billionaire investor's conglomerate said it will acquire 38.6% of Pilot Flying J, and plans to become its biggest shareholder over six years, it said in a release on Tuesday.



The stake adds to Berkshire Hathaway's bet on the U.S. economy. Buffett already owns stakes in U.S. airlines and Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corp., one of America's largest railroads, which would also benefit from an increase in trade and economic activity.



"Whenever I hear people talk pessimistically about this country, I think they're out of their mind," Buffett said at an event last month.



Pilot Flying J is the largest operator of travel centers in North America, with more than 27,000 employees, 750 locations across the US and Canada, and more than $20 billion in annual revenue.

For the time being, Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam's family will remain as the majority shareholder, while Haslam will stay as CEO. Additionally, the Maggelet family will keep 11.3% ownership until 2023, at which point Berkshire will take over the majority stake.

"Pilot Flying J is built on a longstanding tradition of excellence and an unrivaled commitment to serving North America's drivers," Buffett, the chairman, president, and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, said in the release. "Jimmy Haslam and his team have created an industry leader and a key enabler of the nation's economy. The company has a smart growth strategy in place, and we look forward to a partnership that supports the trucking industry for years to come."

BDT & Company advised Pilot Flying J, and as part of the deal, BDT Capital Partners exited its minority investment in it.

"Given the impeccable reputation of Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway, and our shared vision and values, we decided this was an ideal opportunity," Haslam said in a public statement. "As a family business that has evolved and prospered over the last six decades, we knew that any potential partner would need to share our commitment and have a proven track record as a long-term investor."

Story continues

It has been a slow year on the acquisition front by Buffett's standards, though he has done some deals, including the extension of a $1.5 billion line of credit to the Canadian lender Home Capital Group. Buffett's firm also sunk $377 million into the real-estate investment trust Store Capital. In June, Berkshire became Bank of America's biggest shareholder after exercising warrants to buy 700 million common shares.

Buffett has run into a few roadblocks this year, getting outbid for the energy company Oncor in August. In February, the Buffett-backed conglomerate Kraft Heinz called off plans to merge with Unilever, a deal valued at $143 billion.

NOW WATCH: Warren Buffett lives in a modest house that's worth .001% of his total wealth  here's what it looks like





More From Business Insider


Amid mounting litigation issues, the U.S. lender  Wells Fargo & Company WFC  has once again come under regulators eyes. Per Reuters, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) might charge the bank with new penalties for issues related to car insurance and mortgage loans.



Wells Fargo is under OCCs investigation for improperly charging customers for car insurance and mortgage loans, disclosed this year. Therefore, if the inquiry reveals violation of agreement, known as a Matter Requiring Attention to finish off unfair and deceptive business malpractices, the bank will be charged with new penalties. Moreover, issues related to previous consumer lending continues for this U.S. lender as well.



This week, the banks chief executive  Tim Sloan  will be answering the Senate Banking Committees questions related to scandal over the banks sales practices since the past year. Thus, the new penalties of the OCC will depend to an extent on Sloans assurance to lawmakers.



It has been almost a year since the news of Wells Fargos alleged involvement in unfair sales practices hit headlines. Apart from being penalized by the regulators with a fine of about $185 million, the bank had to go through a lot of restructuring. The recent disclosures by Wells Fargo revealed to have identified an additional 1.4 million fake accounts apart from the 2.1 million accounts reported last September.



Spokesperson of Wells Fargo refrained from comments on regulatory matters.



Currently, the banking giant is caught in a horde of litigations over several malpractices which have come into the spotlight. It is going to be a long and expensive journey for the bank till it gets all the dust settled.



The banks performance so far this year reflects investors disappointment. Shares of Wells Fargo have gained just around 1%, significantly underperforming the industrys rally of 9.9%.

Story continues





Wells Fargo currently carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell).



You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.



Stocks to Consider



Better-ranked stocks in the same space are BancFirst Corporation BANF, sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), while M&T Bank Corporation MTB and Wintrust Financial Corporation WTFC carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).



BancFirst Corporations earnings estimates have been revised 1.1% upward for 2017, in the past 60 days. Also, its share price has soared 61.4% over the last year.



M&T Banks earnings estimates for 2017 have been revised slightly upward, over the last 30 days. Further, in a years time, the companys shares have jumped 38.9%.



Wintrust Financials earnings estimates have been revised 5.1% upward for 2017, in 90 days time. Also, its share price surged 43.3% over the past year.



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



M&T Bank Corporation (MTB) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Wells Fargo & Company (WFC) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Wintrust Financial Corporation (WTFC) : Free Stock Analysis Report



BancFirst Corporation (BANF) : Free Stock Analysis Report



To read this article on Zacks.com click here.



Zacks Investment Research
Verizon Communications, Yahoos parent company, announced Tuesday the massive data breach to the internet service provider in 2013 was actually three times bigger than previously thought.

Originally pegged at having affected 1 billion people, the hack was already the largest in history in terms of the number of users it affect, but now appears it affected all three billion accounts. This makes it the largest data breach in history.

Yahoo first disclosed its now infamous string of cyber attacks in September of 2016 after being acquired by Verizon. Initially, they announced that a cyber attack in 2014 had affected 500 million Yahoo accounts, compromising names, email addresses, passwords, dates of birth and telephone numbers. Then, towards the end of 2016, the company revealed yet another attack had happened around August of 2013. At the time, Yahoo had said it had affected 1 billion users  now its actually 3 billion.

A spokesman for Oath, Yahoos new umbrella company under Verizon, was quoted by The Wall Street Journal as saying that the 2013 attack didnt technically affect 3 billion individuals, because the number applies to any account across Yahoos various sites. Those include Yahoo email, Tumblr and Flickr. But its still every single account that Yahoo provided at that time, which is staggering.

The spokesman said that Oath discovered the full severity of the break-in last week, after receiving new information from outside the company. He did not provide a source.

Written by Grace Lisa Scott

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1. Yes. The ordinance goes against state law and is not in the best interest of the cities.

2. Yes. At the very least, it should be amended to give police officers some discretion.

3. No. Voters approved the ordinance by large majorities; the councils cant ignore that fact.

4. No. The petition process has to be given a chance to work. Leave the ordinance alone.

5. Unsure. Its hard to say how the cities should move forward regarding the ordinance.

Vote

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Polygamy in Africa has been a popular topic for social research over the past four decades; it has been analyzed by many distinguished minds and in various well-publicized works. In 1961, when Remi Clignet published his book "Many Wives, Many Powers," he was not alone in sharing the view that in Africa co-wives may be perceived as direct and indirect sources of increased income and prestige.



By the 1970s, such arguments had become crystallized and popular. Many other African scholars who wrote on the subject became the new champions of this philosophy. For example, in 1983, John Mbiti proclaimed that polygamy is an accepted and respectable institution serving many useful social purposes. Similarly, G.K. Nukunya, in his paper "Polygamy as a Symbol of Status," reiterated Mbiti's idea that a plurality of wives is a sign of affluence and power in the African society.



However, the colonial missionary voice provided consistent opposition to polygamy by viewing the practice as unethical and destructive of family life. While they propagated this view with the authority of the Bible, they were convinced that Africans had to be coerced into partaking in the vision of monogamy understood by the Western culture. The missionary viewpoint even included, in some instances, dictating immediate divorce in the case of newly converted men who had already contracted polygamous marriages. Unfortunately, both the missionary voice and the scholarly voice did not consider the views of African women on the matter important. Although there was some awareness that women regarded polygamy as both a curse and a blessing, the distanced, albeit scientific, perspective of an outside observer predominated both on the pulpit and in scholarly writings.



Contemporary research in the social sciences has begun to focus on the protagonist's voice in the study of culture, recognizing that the views and experiences of those who take part in a given reality ought to receive close examination. This privileging of the protagonist seems appropriate, particularly given that women in Africa have often used literary productions to comment on marriage, family and gender relations.



Show Spoiler E

1. Which of the following best describes the main purpose of the passage above?



(A) to discuss scholarly works that view polygamy as a sign of prestige, respect, and affluence in the African society

(B) to trace the origins of the missionary opposition to African polygamy

(C) to argue for imposing restrictions on polygamy in the African society

(D) to explore the reasons for womens acceptance of polygamy

(E) to discuss multiple perspectives on African polygamy and contrast them with contemporary research





Show Spoiler D

2. The third paragraph of the passage plays which of the following roles?



(A) discusses the rationale for viewing polygamy as an indication of prestige and affluence in the African society

(B) supports the authors view that polygamy is unethical and destructive of family life

(C) contrasts the views of the colonial missionary with the position of the most recent contemporary research

(D) describes the views on polygamy held by the colonial missionary and indicates a flaw in this vision

(E) demonstrates that the colonial missionary was ignorant of the scholarly research on monogamy





Show Spoiler C

3. The passage provides each of the following, EXCEPT



(A) the year of publication of Remi Clignets book Many Wives, Many Powers

(B) the year in which John Mbiti made a claim that polygamy is an accepted institution

(C) examples of African womens literary productions devoted to family relations

(D) reasons for missionary opposition to polygamy

(E) current research perspectives on polygamy





Show Spoiler B

4. According to the passage, the colonial missionary and the early scholarly research shared which of the following traits in their views on polygamy?



(A) both considered polygamy a sign of social status and success

(B) neither accounted for the views of local women

(C) both attempted to limit the prevalence of polygamy

(D) both pointed out polygamys destructive effects on family life

(E) both exhibited a somewhat negative attitude towards polygamy





Show Spoiler A

5. Which of the following statements can most properly be inferred from the passage?



(A) Nukunyas paper Polygamy as a Symbol of Status was not written in 1981.

(B) John Mbiti adjusted his initial view on polygamy, recognizing that the experiences of African women should receive closer attention.

(C) Remi Clignets book Many Wives, Many Powers was the first well-known scholarly work to proclaim that polygamy can be viewed as a symbol of prestige and wealth.

(D) Under the influence of the missionary opposition, polygamy was proclaimed illegal in Africa as a practice unethical and destructive of family life.

(E) A large proportion of the scholars writing on polygamy in the 1970s and 1980s were of African descent. (A) to discuss scholarly works that view polygamy as a sign of prestige, respect, and affluence in the African society(B) to trace the origins of the missionary opposition to African polygamy(C) to argue for imposing restrictions on polygamy in the African society(D) to explore the reasons for womens acceptance of polygamy(E) to discuss multiple perspectives on African polygamy and contrast them with contemporary research(A) discusses the rationale for viewing polygamy as an indication of prestige and affluence in the African society(B) supports the authors view that polygamy is unethical and destructive of family life(C) contrasts the views of the colonial missionary with the position of the most recent contemporary research(D) describes the views on polygamy held by the colonial missionary and indicates a flaw in this vision(E) demonstrates that the colonial missionary was ignorant of the scholarly research on monogamy(A) the year of publication of Remi Clignets book Many Wives, Many Powers(B) the year in which John Mbiti made a claim that polygamy is an accepted institution(C) examples of African womens literary productions devoted to family relations(D) reasons for missionary opposition to polygamy(E) current research perspectives on polygamywhich of the following traits in their views on polygamy?(A) both considered polygamy a sign of social status and success(B) neither accounted for the views of local women(C) both attempted to limit the prevalence of polygamy(D) both pointed out polygamys destructive effects on family life(E) both exhibited a somewhat negative attitude towards polygamy(A) Nukunyas paper Polygamy as a Symbol of Status was not written in 1981.(B) John Mbiti adjusted his initial view on polygamy, recognizing that the experiences of African women should receive closer attention.(C) Remi Clignets book Many Wives, Many Powers was the first well-known scholarly work to proclaim that polygamy can be viewed as a symbol of prestige and wealth.(D) Under the influence of the missionary opposition, polygamy was proclaimed illegal in Africa as a practice unethical and destructive of family life.(E) A large proportion of the scholars writing on polygamy in the 1970s and 1980s were of African descent.
shivamkumar07 wrote:

Hi Jeffreyadcom,



Specific reason for Canada is, its 3 year work permit and PR Policies its friendly Immigration polices. and also the low cost tution fees compared to US.

I want to settle down in Canada after my MBA.





Thanks

per firm

Hi shivamkumar07,From what I've seen the top Canadian programs are Desautels, Ivey, Queen's, and Rotman. D and R are two year programs. I would check those four out. For PE/VC I've read, anecdotally, that Ivey and Q are good options (Many Canadian PE/VC firms don't provide internships: due to size of funds(?)). Rotman's two year format and Toronto location are positive attributes for anyone seeking a job which requires an internship (BB banks, I'd guess). Toronto, by the way, is Canada's main financial center.Language considerations:Many employers place emphasis on language skills for front office employees (representing the firm). This means a highly refined command of English. You should get to a native level by, say, halfway through your MBA, at the latest. If you additionally have studied French before; Desautels' Quebec location provides a great opportunity to improve your French while attending the program.Desautels' recent stats say 50% Montreal and 28% Toronto--with the rest placing internationally. That's a super strong point about Desautels; All Canadian placements were in Montreal or Toronto. ALL of them in two cities. I mean, wow. That's serious placement power.For any of these programs, you probably want to heavily network from the start of the program (or earlier). I would guess you will be competing with Canadians who studied in the US and are coming back. Also, the small size of the Canadian economy means there are fewer jobs in Canada. I am not sure how much competition there is for those positions, but would put networking number one on my list of priorities if attending any one of these programs. With this networking time frame in mind, you really want to get your English to a native level as soon as you possibly can. That way you can start forming an impression in front-office recruiters' minds of someone (you) who will convince clients theirs is a refined financial firm.On the GMAT, you will be competing with other Indians, and those guys tend to score higher than others, so you probably want to get a score at the 75th percentile of the typical class score for these programs to be on the safe side. I'm guessing that's at least 720.There is a lot to like about Canada, so good luck!
A Nigerian lady has made her country proud as she was highly honoured at a University in the United Kingdom.

The lady who was identified as Cordelia Ihekerenma Oti bagged student of the year award 2017, Chattered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT), University of Northampton, Northamptonshere, United Kingdom (UK).

Legit.ng gathered that the award was the first of its kind to be given by institution to any student in the University of Northampton, making her the first ever to receive the award.

Cordelia Ihekerenma Oti with the rest of her classmates

READ ALSO: Church members in Ibadan allegedly lock out pastor over embezzlement of funds (photo)

The award was based on hard work and balanced achievement between academic and non-academic activities.

Oti is said to have hailed from Nkpa, Bende local government area of Abia state. She was sponsored by a philanthropic couple, Mr and Mrs Patrick Nwajiaku to do her Masters in International Logistics in the UK.

PAY ATTENTION: Get the Latest Nigerian News Anywhere 24/7. Spend less on the Internet!

Cordelia Ihekerenma Oti with her award

Congratulations!

Nigerian comedian Oluwakaponeski speaks on why he joined the US Marines - on Legit.ng TV.

Source: Legit.ng
As of August 26th, 2021 Yahoo India will no longer be publishing content. Your Yahoo Account Mail and Search experiences will not be affected in any way and will operate as usual. We thank you for your support and readership. For more information on Yahoo India, please visit the FAQ
In previous reporting on this situation, Iran News Update described Tehrans declarations of solidarity with Baghdad and Ankara as an outlet for longstanding Iranian imperialist ambitions, which have escalated in recent years as the Iranian regime participated directly in civil wars in Syria and Yemen, as well as building upon foreign proxy forces in these and other countries.

This expansion of Iranian influence in the broader Middle East has contributed to a range of human rights issues. One of these  the use of child soldiers  was given renewed attention on Sunday in a New York Times report detailing recent findings from Human Rights Watch. The non-government organization was able to confirm eight cases of teenagers dying the Syria after being recruited from the Afghan refugee community in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Iran has used propaganda aimed at Shiite Muslim militants in order to drive recruitment for the Syrian Civil War, where Iranian forces ostensibly defend Shiite shrines. But in the case of recruitment of Afghanis and some other ethnic minorities, the main driving force seems to be promises of legal residency and working papers in Iran, where life can be very difficult for refugees and citizenship is exceptionally difficult to obtain. This exploitation of poverty has contributed to the recruitment of Afghans as young as 14, and also to countless casualties from among those communities more broadly.

Insofar as this situation reflects the Iranian regimes relationship with ethnic minorities, it has substantial bearing upon the issue of Kurdish independence. Numerous protests have taken place in the Kurdish region of Iran over examples of governmental neglect, discriminatory law enforcement activities, and even outright violence against the largely Sunni ethnic minority. Mass protests emerged last month after it was reported that two cross-border porters had been killed by security agents. And in 2015, riots erupted in the Iranian Kurdish capital of Mahabad after it was claimed that a member of the Iranian Intelligence Ministry was responsible for the death of a Kurdish hotel chambermaid.

These and other incidents no doubt fuel the separatist movement in Iran as well as in the other countries with prominent Kurdish minorities. But Tehrans domestic response to this has often been violent, as in the case of the suppression of the 2015 protests, numerous clashes with Kurdish political groups, and instance of missile launches into Kurdish territory. The recent escalations on the Turkish and Iraqi borders only reflect the expansion of this existing strategy, which predates any recent, broad-based push for independence.

And the Kurds are not the only ethnic group with which Tehran has strained relations both at home and abroad. Ethnic Arabs inside the Islamic Republic are among the groups that reportedly face legal discrimination, especially when their Arab identity overlaps with the practice of Sunni Islam, a minority sect in the Shiite theocracy. At the same time, Iran maintains a well-known rivalry with many of its Arab neighbors, chiefly the Sunni-led Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Of course, the close relationship between Tehran and Baghdad is representative of Iranian efforts to expand influence over Arab regions, both before and during the Kurdish crisis. Now, the Islamic Republic is evidently expanding its efforts to exploit another crisis  this one resulting more directly from Irans policies  in order to gain a deeper foothold nearby Saudi Arabia.

On Monday, Al Jazeera reported that Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif had departed from a trip to Oman, with plans to visit Qatar as well. Oman, a notably impoverished kingdom on the Arabian Peninsula, has long maintained uncommonly friendly relations with the Islamic Republic. Meanwhile, Qatar has only recently begun to gravitate in that direction, but this has sparked a major crisis among Arab nations while Saudi Arabia and its closest allies are working to contain Iranian imperialism.

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, and Bahrain all cut ties with Qatar in June after it was reported that Qatari officials had spoken out against the policy of containment and had instead urged engagement with Iran as a fellow Islamic power. The Saudis and others have cut off the supply of food and other goods and have issued ultimatums demanding, among other things, the closure of Qatari media outlets. But Al Jazeera notes that critics of this response have seen it as pushing Qatar further into the orbit of Iran, which has made compensatory food deliveries while expressing public support for the small Arab nation.

This is, however, the first visit that Zarif has made to Qatar since the crisis has begun. At the same time, much of his focus has been occupied with the 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and six world powers. The controversy over that deal can also be viewed as a crisis that Tehran is striving to support in order to broaden its influence among relatively neutral powers, in hopes of exerting leverage over traditional enemies.

The BBC reports that Zarifs latest commentary on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action includes the prediction that US President Donald Trump will decertify Irans compliance when he is required to update Congress on the status of the deal in mid-October. But Zarif went on to urge the European signatories of the deal  Britain, France, and Germany  to preserve it regardless of American actions.

Although the Europeans have stood by the agreement up to this point, they have also followed the Trump administration in criticizing the Islamic Republic for its broader activities in the region. These criticisms are likely to grow as Iranian military activities expand against the Kurds and others. Furthermore, Iranian officials have undermined their own claims of innocence regarding the JCPOA, both by continuing to spread militarist rhetoric and by specifically claiming, as Zarif did in his comments to the British press, that the countrys nuclear research and development has continued to the point that Iran is now able to walk away from the nuclear deal with better technology.
The elite Revolutionary Guards arrested her in April 2016 while she and her two-year-old daughter, Gabriella, were about to return to the UK after a family visit to Iran.

She was accused of attempting to orchestrate a soft overthrow of the Islamic Republic. She was tried and found guilty on unspecified charges relating to national security in September.

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, is missing out on her daughter growing up, her family say. She has decorated her cell with pictures from her infant daughter.

While Nazanin is in prison, Gabriella, now three, is living with Nazanins parents in Iran which means that she has not seen her mother or her father Richard, who remains in the UK, for half of her life.

Rebecca Jones, Nazanins sister-in-law, lives in Cardiff. She said, Gabriella is three now and she has grown up so quickly without her mother and father. Rebecca added, Half of her life Gabriella has been away from her mum and dad. Shes started school without them, has been potty trained without them, and she now speaks Farsi and speaks little English.

According to Rebecca, as a result of her imprisonment and separation from her family, Nazanin has been struggling with her mental health.

Referring to her brother and sister-in-laws devastating situation regarding their daughter, Rebecca said, Neither her mum or dad are her primary care givers, its her grandparents, and theyre both really struggling with that.

Rebecca who is a Cwmbran based GP, said of Nazanin, Physically shes feeling better, her shoulder pain has eased off but now its more the depression. The longer this goes on for the worse it gets. Shes struggling quite a lot every time a new anniversary comes up in the calendar, it hits home that she is missing out on Gabriella and Richards lives.

Nazanins husband, Richard, travelled to the United Nations last week, to attempt a meeting with the Iranian delegation and press his application for a visa so that he can visit Iran. His application has been processing for a number of months, preventing him from seeing his wife and daughter for 18 months.

Nazanin now sees Gabriella twice a week and also has regular phone calls with Richard so were in a much better place than last year, but were still 18 months down the line and it doesnt seem like its any closer to her freedom, Rebecca said. Its hard for her to keep positive and to keep her hopes up.
Islamic Republic Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif put this proposal to the Omanis during a working visit to Oman for talks with his Omani counterpart Youssef bin Alawi bin Abdullah.

US President Trump has claimed that Iran violated the spirit of the deal and is reportedly planning to refer the whole issue of the nuclear deal to the US Congress, ending the suspension of sanctions against Iran.

One of Trumps objections to the deal is that the it includes sunset clauses that end sanctions on Iran in periods of between 10 to 30 years. In the new Iranian formula, the sunset clause will link the lifting of sanctions to certified performance by Iran.

Trumps second objection is that Tehran has refused to ratify the Additional Protocols to the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT), which keeps options open for a full resumption of the military aspects of its nuclear project. Zarif is offering to fast-track additional protocols through the Islamic Majlis, the Iranian parliament, before March 2018 when Iran and the P5+1 foreign ministers are due to hold a revision conference to assess mutual performance.

Another Trump objection is the exclusion of Irans missile development project from the deal, which ignores resolutions passed by the United Nations Security Council. To compromise, Iran will provide for arbitration on the issue, allowing Iran to continue its project, but offering guarantees that the missiles it develops will not be designed to carry nuclear warheads.

Zarif said that if the US wants stringent inspection of Iranian nuclear sites to continue, it must continue to abide by the terms of the nuclear deal. He said the US could be sure Iran would ratify the Additional Protocols.

He also renewed Irans offer of cooperation in the fight against ISIS and suggested that Irans regional policies be separated from the nuclear issue.

Zarif said that despite Irans overtures, chances of the US remaining committed to the nuclear deal were 50-50, and added that Tehran already had contingency plans to deal with any outcome.

Trumps deadline for notifying Congress is October 15, so there is only a narrow window of opportunity for any mediation by the Omanis.

Iran and Oman have signed a security accord and demarcated their continental shelf in the Gulf of Oman. According to Amir Taheri, former executive editor-in-chief of the daily Kayhan, in his article for Asharq Al-Awsat, Oman has also offered mooring rights to the Iranian Navy, enabling it to expand its active presence right down to the Gulf of Hauf and the Gulf of Aden. Tehran now wants the accord deepened to include joint operations against terrorist threats, piracy and human-trafficking in the region. The establishment of a daily direct shipping line between the Iranian port of Chahbahar and the Omani capital Muscat is expected to facilitate security and trade cooperation.

Sources in Tehran say that Zarifs next visit is to Qatar, where he is expected to propose the creation of joint organs in a number of areas, including environmental protection, as well as combating drug trafficking and smuggling.

In recent weeks, both Zarif and President Hassan Rouhani have attempted to ease tension with their Gulf neighbors. However, it is not clear whether if Islamic Republics stance is endorsed by the Supreme Guide Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has the final word on all issues.
On Friday, state media quoted a top Iranian military official as saying Tehran wont be pressured by U.S. threats to pull out of the nuclear deal and would be better off without it anyway.

October 15th is the deadline for Trump to notify Congress of Irans compliance with the nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which is the 2015 international agreement that includes the U.S. and five other world powers: Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany.

My assumption and guess is that he will not certify and then will allow Congress to take the decision, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said, and added, If Europe and Japan and Russia and China decided to go along with the U.S., then I think that will be the end of the deal. Europe should lead.

When he spoke to the United Nations General Assembly on September 20th, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani took a more hardline stance. He said that Iran will not be the first country to violate the agreement, but it will respond decisively and resolutely to its violation by any party.

Although Trump has certified Irans compliance twice, experts say he may reject it this time. Legally, the administration is required to notify Congress of Irans compliance every 90 days.

Trump has been critical of Irans ballistic missile program and is concerned that Tehran is working with nuclear-armed North Korea.

According to state-run Fars news agency, Hossein Salam, Irans Revolutionary Guards deputy chief commander declared this week, If you intend to abort the deal, youd better know that we pray God for this, because we would make better progress without the JCPOA. The Iranian commander added, The nuclear deal might be your only option, but it is no option for us at all.

Some have urged the Trump administration to redo certain aspects of the nuclear deal, such as inspection issues or so-called sunset clauses, including Michael Rubin, a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, a Washington public policy think tank, who said, Whats been in short supply is, renegotiate or not, how are the United States and the outside world are going to deal with Iran once the sunset clauses come into impact. Its happening faster than people realize.

The sunset provisions of Irans nuclear program restrictions start to expire in 2025, and some have suggested that lengthening the deal should be part of any renegotiation.

However, Tehran opposes a renegotiation.
Mohammad Asif Seddiqi, deputy head of the Senate said that the government, should seriously pursue this matter to compel Iran to not use Afghans as a tool and send them for war in other countries.

MP Abdul Hafeez Mansoor told the news media, Weve only condemned it and done nothing to stop it. The government needs to act, and added that the government should create jobs so people dont flee and become tools for others.

He claimed that MPs are concerned that Iranian recruitment will worsen sectarian and tribal conflict in Afghanistan, and provoke revenge attacks on Afghan Shiites by militants groups such as the Taliban, Al-Qaeda and Daesh.

President of the Association for Afghanistans Lawmakers, Ajmal Hodmand said that Irans recruitment of Afghan refugees, especially teenagers, is contrary to international conventions. He blamed the Afghan government for its inaction, as well. He said, Among the governments responsibilities is to protect and defend its nationals at home and abroad, and to stop any country or organization from using its nationals, especially children, as soldiers.

He said that the government needs to engage in serious talks with Iran to stop its recruitment, and if Tehran does not, Kabul must raise the matter with international institutions such as the UN.

Unofficial accounts suggest that Iran has recruited thousands of Afghan refugees to fight for the Syrian regime, using incentives including citizenship, accommodation and money.

On Sunday, Human Rights Watch (HRW) accused Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of recruiting Afghan children as young as 14. Recruitment of children under the age of 15 for combat is a war crime under international law. Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director at HRW, said, Iran should immediately end the recruitment of child soldiers and bring back any Afghan children it has sent to fight in Syria.

Ahmad Shekib Mustaghni, chief Foreign Ministry spokesman, said on Monday that the Afghan government confirms that unfortunately some Afghan refugees are encouraged (by host countries, including Iran) to take part in activities that are against international principles. He added that Kabul had raised its concern with Tehran, but was told that the refugees are voluntarily going to fight.
Two women accused of killing the half-brother of North Koreas leader have gone on trial in Malaysia.

Siti Aisyah of Indonesia and Doan Thi Huong of Vietnam told the court they are not guilty.

They are accused of spreading a poison on Kim Jong Nams face to kill him. The incident took place February 13 at Kuala Lumpurs main airport.

Kim Jong Nam is the half-brother of Kim Jong Un, North Koreas leader.

The women told the court that they thought they were taking part in a television prank show that used hidden cameras. They say they believed at the time that the action was harmless.

Four witnesses spoke to the court Monday. They told about their interactions with Kim shortly after he started complaining of health problems at the airport.

Several North Koreans suspected of involvement in Kims death left Malaysia soon after the incident.

Three other suspects who were at North Koreas embassy were permitted to leave the country after reaching an agreement with Malaysia.

The killing led to weeks of tensions between Malaysia and North Korea.

Government lawyers are expected to take two months to present evidence. After that, a judge will decide if there is enough evidence to require the defendants to present a defense, said the lawyer for Huong.

The two women could face a death sentence if found guilty.

Efforts to pressure North Korea continue

The trial of the two women begins as diplomatic efforts to persuade North Korea to end its banned weapons programs continue.

In Beijing Saturday, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said the U.S. was communicating with North Korea. He suggested the country had shown interest in talks.

However, a State Department spokeswoman later suggested that North Korea had shown no such interest.

In a tweet on the social media network Twitter, the president suggested that Tillerson was wasting his time in trying to negotiate with the North Korean leader.

Trump also suggested in other tweets that 25 years of policy toward North Korea had failed. Clinton failed, Bush failed, Obama failed. I wont fail, he wrote.

Trump is to visit China, Japan and South Korea on a major trip to Asia in November. The issue of North Koreas weapons programs is expected to be an important subject of discussion during meetings with Asian leaders.

Im Mario Ritter.

Mario Ritter adapted this story for VOA Learning English from an Associated Press report. Caty Weaver was the editor.

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.

_______________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

prank n. a trick done to someone as a joke

indication n. a sign that shows something

channels n. ways or paths of communication
Three American scientists have won the 2017 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.

The three were recognized for their work on the bodys daily rhythms -- the biological processes that our bodies repeat over and over again. These actions affect the way a person feels.

The Nobel committee says the scientists work has opened up new areas of research and increased understanding about the importance of getting enough sleep.

Jeffrey C. Hall, Michael Rosbash and Michael W. Young won the $1.1 million prize for finding genetic processes that control circadian rhythms.

Circadian rhythms adapt the workings of the body to different times of the day. They can influence sleep, behavior, body temperature and the natural processes for breaking down food and making energy.

The scientists were able to see inside our biological clock and explain its inner workings, the Nobel statement said.

A Nobel report said that our well being is affected when the circadian rhythms are not in balance. One example is jet lag  a condition many people experience after a long flight.

Your biological clock is off when you fly great distances, passing over many time zones. When you reach your final stop, it takes time to adjust to the new time. If ones circadian rhythm is off, the person can develop disorders like insomnia, depression and even heart disease, over time.

The scientists studied insects, fruit flies, as model organisms for their work.

I am very pleased for the fruit fly, said Michael Rosbash, a professor at Brandeis University in the eastern state of Massachusetts. Rosbach said he got a telephone call about the award just after 5 in the morning, local time. He said that when the phone rings at that time, normally it is because someone died.

Rosbach told the Associated Press Im still a little overwhelmed, adding I stand on the shoulders of giants. This is a very humbling award.

Michael Young is at Rockefeller University in New York City; Jeffrey Hall was a visiting professor at the University of Maine, but said his prize work was done at Brandeis.

Hall, who is 72 years old, said that he was already awake when the call informing him of the prize came around 5 a.m. Hall said he was awake because age-related changes in his own circadian rhythms mean he gets up early in the morning.

Michael Hastings is a scientist at Britains Medical Research Council. He said the discoveries had opened up a whole new field of study for biology and medicine.

Until then, the body clock was viewed as a sort of black box, Hastings told the AP. We knew nothing about its operation. But what they did was get the genes that made the body clock, and once youve got the genes, you can take the field wherever you want to.

Its a field that has exploded massively, he told the AP. And, he said, is because of the work of these researchers.

Their work goes back to 1984 when the three men were able to separate out the period gene in fruit flies. Hall and Rosbash found that a protein encoded by the gene increased during the night and weakened during the day. Then 10 years later, Young reported the discovery of another clock gene.

Today scientists are looking for new treatments based on the circadian cycles. They include establishing the best times to take medicines as well as increased attention on the importance of a good nights sleep.

Im Anne Ball.





The Associated Press and Reuters news agency reported on this story. Anne Ball adapted their reports for VOA 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

rhythm  n. a regular, repeated pattern of events, changes, activities, etc.

circadian  adj. relating to the regular changes in a person or thing that happen in 24-hour periods

adapt  v. to change your behavior so that it is easier to live in a particular place or situation

clock  n. a device that shows what time it is and that is usually placed in a room or attached to a wall

jet lag  n. a tired and unpleasant feeling that you sometimes get when you travel by airplane to a place that is far away

time zone  n. any one of the world's 24 divisions that has its own time

giant  n. a legendary creature usually thought of as being an extremely large and powerful person

humbling  adj. feeling less important, less proud
Spectrum Brands Holdings, Inc. operates as a branded consumer products company worldwide. It operates through three segments: Home and Personal Care; Global Pet Care; and Home and Garden. The Home and Personal Care segment provides home appliances under the Black & Decker, Russell Hobbs, George Foreman, Toastmaster, Juiceman, Farberware, and Breadman brands; and personal care products under the Remington and LumaBella brands. The Global Pet Care segment provides rawhide chewing, dog and cat clean-up and food, training, health and grooming, small animal food and care, and rawhide-free products under the 8IN1 (8-in-1), Dingo, Nature's Miracle, Wild Harvest, Littermaid, Jungle, Excel, FURminator, IAMS, Eukanuba, Healthy-Hide, DreamBone, SmartBones, ProSense, Perfect Coat, eCOTRITION, Birdola, Good Boy, Meowee!, Wildbird, and Wafcol brands. This segment also offers aquarium kits, stand-alone tanks, and aquatics equipment and consumables under the Tetra, Marineland, Whisper, Instant Ocean, GloFish, OmegaOne, and OmegaSea brands. The Home and Garden segment provides outdoor insect and weed control solutions, and animal repellents under the Spectracide, Garden Safe, Liquid Fence, and EcoLogic brands; household pest control solutions under the Hot Shot, Black Flag, Real-Kill, Ultra Kill, The Ant Trap, and Rid-A-Bug brand names; household surface cleaning, maintenance, and restoration products, including bottled liquids, mops, wipes, and markers under the Rejuvenate brand name; and personal-use pesticides and insect repellent products under the Cutter and Repel brands. The company sells its products through retailers, e-commerce and online retailers, wholesalers, and distributors. Spectrum Brands Holdings, Inc. was incorporated in 2009 and is headquartered in Middleton, Wisconsin.
PetroChina Company Limited, together with its subsidiaries, engages in a range of petroleum related products, services, and activities in Mainland China and internationally. It operates through Exploration and Production, Refining and Chemicals, Marketing, and Natural Gas and Pipeline segments. The Exploration and Production segment engages in the exploration, development, production, and marketing of crude oil and natural gas. The Refining and Chemicals segment refines crude oil and petroleum products; and produces and markets primary petrochemical products, derivative petrochemical products, and other chemical products. The Marketing segment is involved in marketing of refined products and trading business. The Natural Gas and Pipeline segment engages in the transmission of natural gas, crude oil, and refined products; and sale of natural gas. As of December 31, 2021, the company had a total length of 26,076 km, including 17,329 km of natural gas pipelines, 7,340 km of crude oil pipelines, and 1,407 km of refined product pipelines. The company is also involved in the exploration, development, and production of oil sands and coalbed methane; trading of crude oil and petrochemical products; storage, chemical engineering, storage facilities, service station, and transportation facilities and related businesses; and production and sales of basic and derivative chemical, and other chemical products. The company was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in Beijing, the People's Republic of China. PetroChina Company Limited is a subsidiary of China National Petroleum Corporation.
Society, Art & Conservation

This Fall semester, the department is piloting a new class concept for GRG 336 National Parks & Protected Areas. From Human wildlife conflicts to the role of woman in conservation, Dr. T Meyer features topics and problems from Botswana while students assess how these issues play out in the United States and other parts of the world. By the use of online lectures, self-recorded videos and life Q&A sessions, we try to bring the world to our campus. This last section was all about the role of science in conservation and it's connection to species conservation in particular. There was a lot to discuss with Dr S. Bourquin, from Crocodiles to what we should be focusing on in conservation, the role of keystone species in the context of ecosystem functioning and last but not least some advice for students. Tsamaya sentle, Good bye, auf Wiedersehen.....Thanks to my students for being such an engaged audience.

Previous videos:

Dr. Meyer talks to Mr. Ona Basimane about his views on tourism in Botswana

Chatting about producing food in challenging environments

Indigenous people and conservation

Women and natural resource conservation

Dr. Meyer and Valentin Gruener on human-wildlife conflict

Dr. Meyer and Thabo Kgatlwane chatting about the connections between art and conservation
People carry a person at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after apparent gun fire was heard in Las Vegas, Nevada on Oct. 1, 2017.(David Becker/Getty Images)

Las Vegas Shooter Likely Used Illegal Automatic Weapon, Says Former FBI Agent

Stephen Paddock fired on people attending an outdoor country music festival from a 32nd-floor hotel room in the Las Vegas Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino late on Oct. 1, killing at least 58 people and injuring more than 500. Videos show the chaos as people run and seek cover. Bursts of gunfire can be heard.

Details on the attack are still emerging, but according to Marc Ruskin, former FBI agent and author of The Pretender: My Life Undercover for the FBI, the sound of the gunfire strongly suggests Paddock was using an illegal weapon.

Ruskin said that going by the sounds in the recordings, its unquestionable that Paddock was using a fully automatic weapon.

A full auto is very illegal, and to be in possession of one without a special federal license, its a major crime, he said, adding that such licenses are very difficult to get, are given in very limited circumstances, and I would be willing to bet big money he did not have a permit for that.

Ruskin added that while details are still emerging, the sound of gunfire also suggests that Paddock wasnt picking people off like a sniper. It was too rapid for that.

Police allegedly found 10 rifles in the hotel room where Paddock eventually killed himself. Several more weapons were found when police searched the killers home in Mesquite, which is about 82 miles northeast of Las Vegas.

Having a full auto firearm without a license is a federal crime, Ruskin said. Adding new laws to whats already a big crime is not gonna be a solution.

The tragedy is now being politicized by groups that already had agendas regarding firearms. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton stated on Twitter, The crowd fled at the sound of gunshots. Imagine the deaths if the shooter had a silencer, which the NRA wants to make easier to get.

The crowd fled at the sound of gunshots. Imagine the deaths if the shooter had a silencer, which the NRA wants to make easier to get.  Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) October 2, 2017

Clinton was criticized for her comments. Talk show host and NRA spokeswoman Dana Loesch noted that Suppressors only reduce by a few decibels, still same decibel level as a jackhammer.

Alexander Muse, a conservative contributor at Fox and Bloomberg, said Clintons base claim also wasnt true. He noted that had the shooter placed a suppressor on an automatic weapon, If anything it would have slowed [him] down. He published a video link showing an automatic weapon melt its suppressor and damage the guns barrel.

Furthermore, what you're claiming isn't true. If anything it would have slowed the shooter down. https://t.co/zjmUiipfJk  Alexander Muse (@amuse) October 2, 2017

Ruskin said its common for tragedies to be exploited for politics, but noted, politicizing in my view is an exploitation. In my view, its an almost unconscionable exploitation of a genuine mass tragedy.

Im for punishing people who have illegal guns severely, but we already have laws in this regard, he said.

According to Ruskin, gun laws do have their problems, but the main issue is that laws are often not properly enforced.

Ruskin said when he was working as a district attorney in Brooklyn, he frequently saw that judges wouldnt fully punish gun crimes.

Under U.S. law, the punishments for such crimes are consecutive. A burglary, for example, could be a 10-year sentence, and if the criminal used a gun, it would add another 10-year sentence, adding up to 20 years. The structure of the sentencing is made to force criminals to think twice about using a gun to commit a crime.

But judges often dont give consecutive sentences when it comes to gun crimes. Instead, according to Ruskin, they often make sentences run concurrently, where judges bundle the two 10-year sentences into a single sentencethe gun crime technically goes unpunished.

The effect is it nullifies the law if theyre not going to be penalized for using the gun, Ruskin said. These laws already exist, theyre just not enforced.

He said rather than trying to use tragedies as political platforms, it would be more constructive to look at practical safeguardschanges that could mitigate such tragedies, or mitigate the damage if something does take place.

Ruskin noted, for example, that in the case of the Las Vegas shooter, this guy had a ton of equipment in his hotel room, and if the hotels had security officers trained in active shooter operations, they would have likely noticed this.

He would have had to make several trips from his car to his room, carrying big nylon bags filled with military equipment, Ruskin said. Casinos have very sophisticated video equipment. If they see a guy going back and forth carrying a big duffel bag, coming back empty-handed, then coming back again with another one, it should be enough for them to knock at the door.

He added that had they witnessed the suspicious activity, they could have also called the police to investigate or called the FBI to take a look with discreet surveillance. That could have been a tip-off if they were appropriately trained and looking out for things like that.

Ruskin said, had they been properly trained, they could have taken a more proactive stance, and had someone on their security detail been a bit sharper, there could have been 58 people who were still alive today.
Pictures of the Jie Shun included in a February United Nations report reveal how it attempted to hide its cargo under iron ore. (United Nations Security Council)

US Ally Egypt Caught Sneaking $23 Million Weapons Purchase From North Korea

Egypts effort to sneak in over $20 million worth of North Korean military hardware in violation of United Nations Security Council-backed sanctions has strained relations with one of its most crucial alliesthe United States.

A United Nations report from late February describes in detail the shipment of rocket-propelled grenades that has spurred an international incident but the report leaves out a crucial fact now uncovered by The Washington Post.

At the center of the controversy is the Jie Shun, a ship owned and operated by people with a dubious history of skirting U.N. sanctions.

The ships journey began at Haeju port, North Korea on July 23, 2016, and ended 20 days later when it was intercepted by Egyptian authorities on Aug. 11.

Besides originating in North Korea during a time of unprecedented trade restrictions, the ship also aroused suspicion during its journey by trying to hide itself from detection.

The vessels automatic identification system was off for the majority of the voyage, except in busy sea lanes where such behavior could be noticed and assessed as a safety threat, notes the U.N. report.

When it was finally seized and inspected, the Egyptians quickly discovered that underneath a layer of iron ore that appeared to fill the ships cargo hold, were tarps covering 79 crates containing 24,384 disassembled PG-7 rocket-propelled grenades and materials for 4,616 more.

The weapons were made in North Korea, states the report.

The shipper used a variety of other ways to hide the shipment, including a bill of lading claiming the crates contained assembly parts for the underwater pump that were loaded in Nanjing China.

But the shipper also tried to trick its intended buyer, notes the report.

The markings on the weapons indicated they were made in February 2016 but on-site analysis revealed that they were not of recent production but rather had been stockpiled for some time.

The shipper, listed as Dalian Haoda Petroleum Chemical Co., also tried to hide information written on the crates themselves by covering them with large canvas patches.

The Washington Post revealed in a report Sunday that the name of an Egyptian company was stenciled on the crates.

The U.N. report made no mention of the intended recipient of the weapons but did note: The destination and end user of the equipment was investigated by the Egyptian general prosecutor.

The irony of the situation and its real political dimenions was captured by Andrea Berger, a North Korea specialist who cites Kings College London as her employer on Twitter, but is often quoted as a senior research associate at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey, California.

Egypt interdicted its own consignment of illicit North Korean weapons, and looked like the good guys for a year. Because that was better than letting Egypt keep those weapons. North Korea policy is a world of least-bad options.

Egypt interdicted its own consignment of illicit North Korean weapons, and looked like the good guys for a year. Because that was better than letting Egypt keep those weapons. North Korea policy is a world of least-bad options.https://t.co/BxCrRz4fjT  Andrea Berger (@AndreaRBerger) October 2, 2017

The Washington Post said that the shipment is behind recent tensions between the United States and Egypt.

According to officials who spoke to The Washington Post on condition of anonymity, the Jie Shun incident is one of many secretive deals behind the Trump administrations decision over the summer to freeze nearly $300 million in military aid to Egypt.

The post said it is unknown whether North Korea was ever paid for the rocket ship, worth approximately $23 million.

For its part, Egypt claims to be cooperating with U.N. officals in finding and destroying the weapons. A statement the Egyptian Embassy in Washington gave the Post claims it is following all the rules.

Egypt will continue to abide by all Security Council resolutions and will always be in conformity with these resolutions as they restrain military purchases from North Korea, the statement said.
Use of blood-thinning medications among older adults was significantly associated with higher rates of hematuria (the presence of blood in urine)-related complications, including emergency department visits, hospitalizations and urologic procedures to manage visible hematuria, according to a study published by JAMA.

Antithrombotic (reduces the formation of blood clots) medications, such as warfarin and aspirin, are among the most commonly prescribed and also among the medications most commonly associated with adverse events. While hematuria represents a less life-threatening adverse event than intracranial or gastrointestinal bleeding, it is common and involves diagnostic evaluation including abdominal imaging and invasive testing and management. The prevalence, severity, and risk factors for hematuria associated with the use of anti-thrombotic agents are largely unknown.

Robert K. Nam, M.D., M.Sc., of Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto, and colleagues conducted a study that included citizens of Ontario, Canada, ages 66 years and older, and examined rates of hematuria-related complications among patients taking antithrombotic medications.

Among 2,518,064 patients, 808,897 (average age, 72 years) received at least one prescription for an antithrombotic agent over the study period (2002-2014). Over a median follow-up of 7.3 years, the rates of hematuria-related complications (defined as emergency department visit, hospitalization, or a urologic procedure to investigate or manage gross hematuria [blood in the urine that can be seen with the naked eye]) were 124 events per 1,000 person-years among patients actively exposed to antithrombotic agents vs 80 events among patients not exposed to these drugs.

While there was variation between medications, this association was present for all medications examined. Readily identifiable factors, including patient age, male sex, comorbidity, and preexistent urologic disease, were significantly associated with rates of gross hematuria.

The study notes some limitations, including that owing to funding eligibility for prescription medications in Ontario, the cohort was restricted to patients ages 66 years and older. Given the interaction between age and the association of antithrombotic therapies with hematuria-related complications, these results are not directly applicable to younger patients.
Transmission electron microscope image of negative-stained, Fortaleza-strain Zika virus (red), isolated from a microcephaly case in Brazil. The virus is associated with cellular membranes in the center. Credit: NIAID

With Zika waning in the Caribbean and South America, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced on Friday that the federal agency was deactivating the command center for monitoring and coordinating emergency response to the virus.

The CDC's Emergency Operations Center for Zika response was activated in January 2016 in response to the public health threat as the virus spread rapidly through South America and the Caribbean.

But now, the federal agency said, it will handle the response to Zika as a "routine, long-term activity," noting that the virus still poses a danger because it can cause birth defects and neurological problems in children born to women infected during pregnancy.

CDC officials also emphasized that the closure of the Zika emergency response center did not lessen the threat of Zika, nor does it mean that local spread of the virus will not recur in Florida or elsewhere.

Zika is primarily spread through the bite of an infected Aedes aegypti mosquito, but the virus can be difficult to detect because only one in five people infected show symptoms, which include a rash, fever, muscle and joint pain, and red eyes. There is no vaccine or treatment for the virus, which can also spread through sexual contact.

The first outbreak of Zika in the continental United States occurred in Miami's Wynwood neighborhood in summer 2016, and spread north to Miami's Little River neighborhood and across Biscayne Bay into Miami Beach. The South Florida outbreak lasted through the first week of December, when state officials declared that mosquitoes were no longer spreading Zika in South Beach.

This year, Florida health officials have reported no local outbreaks of Zika. The Florida Department of Health has reported a total of 187 Zika cases, including 103 pregnant women, as of Friday. All but one of the Florida cases were found in people who had traveled to one of the 75 countries where the World Health Organization says mosquitoes are spreading the virus.

The last confirmed case of Zika spread by mosquitoes in Florida was reported in December. Only one state, Texas, has reported a mosquito-borne infection this year.

2017 Miami Herald

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has uncovered more evidence pointing to the need for people who spend their days roasting, grinding and packaging coffee at commercial plants or corner cafes to pay close attention to their health.

Researchers with the agency found workers at a mid-size coffee roastery in Wisconsin had wheezing in their chests at four times the rate expected when compared to the U.S. population with similar demographic characteristics, according to a new report.

Calling the findings statistically significant, the authors wrote, "We recommend a medical monitoring program to identify any employees who may be developing lung disease."

The warning applies to all production workers involved with tasks such as roasting, opening bins and scooping beans, grinding, weighing and packaging coffee. It does not speak to those who grind and brew a cup or two of coffee at home each morning.

Workers told researchers they also experienced sinus and other mucous membrane symptoms that they suspected were in reaction to green coffee dust, chaff and roasted coffee dust.

In addition, more than a third of the 16 workers screened had abnormal breathing tests, according to the study, published last month.

"Our findings of upper respiratory symptoms with a work-related pattern in many employees, four-fold excess of wheeze and abnormalities on lung function testing in about a third of participants suggest a burden of respiratory problems in this workforce," authors of the study wrote.

The report reveals for the first time the government's medical surveillance results from employees in a coffee production facility that does not add flavors to its coffees.

Previous studies have linked added flavorings to serious lung disease. The suspected culprits? Two volatile organic compounds: diacetyl and 2,3-pentanedione.

Diacetyl was blamed in hundreds of injuries and at least a handful of deaths in the microwave popcorn industry in the early 2000s. It is created synthetically to instill a buttery flavor to all kinds of foods and beverages, including flavored coffee. And while the federal Food and Drug Administration has approved its use for ingestion in trace amounts, inhalation of the chemical is known to destroy lungs.

But what many in the coffee industry didn't know until recently - following a 2015 investigation by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - was that diacetyl also occurs naturally from roasting coffee. And it's released in greater quantities during the grinding process.

The National Institutes of Safety and Health, the research arm of the CDC, recommends workers not be exposed to more than 5 parts per billion of diacetyl as a time-weighted average over an eight-hour work day. That includes both synthetic and naturally occurring diacetyl.

The agency's recommendation is calculated to limit the risk so that no more than one in 1,000 workers would be expected to have reduced lung function at those exposure levels over a 45-year work life.

The CDC's study found 10 of 49 air samples collected from the personal breathing zones of the employees at the Wisconsin roastery exceeded the recommended diacetyl level. In one case, a worker weighing and packaging coffee was exposed to 8.4 parts per billion.

Matt Earley, co-founder of Just Coffee Cooperative in Madison, where the research was done, said the cooperative has already implemented some engineering controls and taken other measures to help mitigate the risk since the agency was there in March 2016.

Just Coffee was one of two coffee processors that in 2015 allowed the Journal Sentinel to test the air for diacetyl and its molecular cousin 2,3-pentandione, which is thought to be equally as toxic. After the Journal Sentinel's results found elevated levels, Earley and his business partner decided to have the CDC's team come in to verify and help the company make improvements.

"What a great investment, to give employees peace of mind knowing they are in a safe work environment," Earley said.

The CDC recommended Just Coffee use a vacuum instead of sweeping, which stirs up dust; provide mask and respirators for workers doing specific tasks; improve ventilation by installing local exhaust over the grinders, blenders and packagers; and that they keep the large overhead exhaust fan operating continuously, among other things.

Earley said they've already taken some of those steps and, in addition, automated the blending process so the workers can do other tasks instead of blending beans by hand - a task that exposed workers to some of the higher levels of diacetyl. He estimated Just Coffee would spend between $10,000 and $20,000 on safety measures.

"It's not going to break people," he said. "If it does, it's worth it. Everybody has a responsibility to protect the people who come to work there every day."

Earley anticipates the engineering and administrative controls aimed at worker safety will be standard in the industry within a few years. He said specialty coffee roasters from around the country have contacted him to inquire about working with the CDC's researchers and about how to protect their workers.

The Just Coffee production facility is located in a large, 16,000-square-foot building that was formerly a skating rink. Open and airy seeming, with two roasting ovens, the dangers of diacetyl and 2,3 pentandione were not obvious.

And while the CDC's findings suggested workers' upper respiratory symptoms were work-related, determining whether the lower symptoms such as wheezing were a result of the workplace environment is more difficult.

Workers did not perceive their symptoms were tied to the coffee plant because they did not subside when they went home. And some employees had respiratory diagnoses that proceeded employment at Just Coffee.

In order to protect the privacy of the employees because the sample size was small, researchers could not provide more detailed results that might shed light on possible work-relatedness, such as health measures by job title or task, the authors said in the report.

The lower respiratory symptoms "could be related to workplace exposures or other factors," researchers wrote.

Some of the workers may have worked in other coffee companies previously and one important detail makes detecting lung disease from exposure to diacetyl in the workplace especially difficult.

The damage from diacetyl can cause permanent scarring of the airways. That means workers do not feel better when they go home. This could explain why workers didn't suspect their wheezing was linked to their jobs.

The CDC is in the process of completing additional research at about 18 other coffee facilities around the country. Results from some of those studies are due in coming months.

2017 Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
People living near a mass shooting in the United States of America are more likely to support stricter gun controls, new research has found.

Researchers from the Sheffield Methods Institute at the University of Sheffield and the University of California, Riverside, merged data from more than 200 mass public shootings (defined as three or more people injured or killed) between 1966 to 2010 with survey data on the gun control preferences of more than 50,000 people using the 2010 Cooperative Congressional Election Study (CCES).

The CCES study includes measures of respondents' preferences toward government regulation of firearms and geolocation information (zip codes) for all those who took part. Researchers were then able to measure the distance in miles between a respondent and the exact location of the nearest mass shooting.

To separate out the effect of distance, researchers took into account the number of murders per capita, the number of firearms per person, the Republican vote in a respondent's county of residence and a range of other control variables.

The study found that regardless of these variables an increase in proximity to a shooting was associated with a significant increase in support for stricter gun control laws. Those living in an area where a mass shooting occurred had a 20 per cent increase in the probability of supporting stricter gun control compared to those living furthest away.

Dr Todd Hartman, Lecturer in Quantitative Methods at the University of Sheffield's Methods Institute and co-author of the study, said: "Surprisingly, there has been little research investigating whether mass shootings affect individual opinion toward gun control policy.

"Our study suggests a clear link between those that live in an area where a mass shooting has taken place and a desire for stricter gun regulation."

In much of the Western world, mass shootings have been swiftly followed by legislation to tighten controls around firearms. In the UK, the 1996 Dunblane school shooting of 16 British school children and a teacher led to to the two firearms acts and a permanent ban on private handgun ownership.

Similarly, Australia outlawed automatic and semi-automatic weapons, as well as pump-action shotguns, in the aftermath of the 1996 Port Arthur Massacre in Tasmania which left 35 dead and 23 wounded. However, despite the U.S. regularly seeing seeing similar tragedies these have not led to any significant changes in gun policy.

"The U.S. is unusual compared to other Western nations in that despite its high number of mass shootings, we have not seen a major change in firearm legislation like we have in the UK and Australia.

"Our research suggests that there is a clear demand for stricter gun control for those most at risk of random acts of extreme gun violence," Dr Hartman said.

The study also found that variables related to local gun culture had the most powerful effects on attitudes toward firearms.

Areas with a high number of firearm stores were associated with significant decreases in support for gun control, while densely populated areas, with well-educated, politically liberal and racially diverse residents, were associated with an increased support for tighter restrictions on firearms.

Dr Hartman added: "Our findings place gun violence and gun control on par with policy-feedback loops similar to other issues such as environmental regulation, disaster preparedness, and regulation of speculative financial trading, where the breaking of opinion inertia and status quo policy requires significant shocks that inflict pain on the nation."
CRISPR-Gold is composed of 15 nanometer gold nanoparticles that are conjugated to thiol-modified oligonucleotides (DNA-Thiol), which are hybridized with single-stranded donor DNA and subsequently complexed with Cas9 and encapsulated by a polymer that disrupts the endosome of the cell. Credit: Murthy/Conboy/Nature Biomedical Engineering

Scientists at the University of California, Berkeley, have engineered a new way to deliver CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing technology inside cells and have demonstrated in mice that the technology can repair the mutation that causes Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a severe muscle-wasting disease. A new study shows that a single injection of CRISPR-Gold, as the new delivery system is called, into mice with Duchenne muscular dystrophy led to an 18-times-higher correction rate and a two-fold increase in a strength and agility test compared to control groups.

Since 2012, when study co-author Jennifer Doudna, a professor of molecular and cell biology and of chemistry at UC Berkeley, and colleague Emmanuelle Charpentier, of the Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, repurposed the Cas9 protein to create a cheap, precise and easy-to-use gene editor, researchers have hoped that therapies based on CRISPR-Cas9 would one day revolutionize the treatment of genetic diseases. Yet developing treatments for genetic diseases remains a big challenge in medicine. This is because most genetic diseases can be cured only if the disease-causing gene mutation is corrected back to the normal sequence, and this is impossible to do with conventional therapeutics.

CRISPR/Cas9, however, can correct gene mutations by cutting the mutated DNA and triggering homology-directed DNA repair. However, strategies for safely delivering the necessary components (Cas9, guide RNA that directs Cas9 to a specific gene, and donor DNA) into cells need to be developed before the potential of CRISPR-Cas9-based therapeutics can be realized. A common technique to deliver CRISPR-Cas9 into cells employs viruses, but that technique has a number of complications. CRISPR-Gold does not need viruses.

In the new study, research lead by the laboratories of Berkeley bioengineering professors Niren Murthy and Irina Conboy demonstrated that their novel approach, called CRISPR-Gold because gold nanoparticles are a key component, can deliver Cas9 - the protein that binds and cuts DNA - along with guide RNA and donor DNA into the cells of a living organism to fix a gene mutation.

"CRISPR-Gold is the first example of a delivery vehicle that can deliver all of the CRISPR components needed to correct gene mutations, without the use of viruses," Murthy said.

The study was published Oct. 2 in the journal Nature Biomedical Engineering.

CRISPR-Gold repairs DNA mutations through a process called homology-directed repair. Scientists have struggled to develop homology-directed repair-based therapeutics because they require activity at the same place and time as Cas9 protein, an RNA guide that recognizes the mutation and donor DNA to correct the mutation.

To overcome these challenges, the Berkeley scientists invented a delivery vessel that binds all of these components together, and then releases them when the vessel is inside a wide variety of cell types, triggering homology directed repair. CRISPR-Gold's gold nanoparticles coat the donor DNA and also bind Cas9. When injected into mice, their cells recognize a marker in CRISPR-Gold and then import the delivery vessel. Then, through a series of cellular mechanisms, CRISPR-Gold is released into the cells' cytoplasm and breaks apart, rapidly releasing Cas9 and donor DNA.

CRISPR-Gold's method of action. Credit: Murthy/Conboy/Nature Biomedical Engineering

A single injection of CRISPR-Gold into muscle tissue of mice that model Duchenne muscular dystrophy restored 5.4 percent of the dystrophin gene, which causes the disease, to the wild- type, or normal, sequence. This correction rate was approximately 18 times higher than in mice treated with Cas9 and donor DNA by themselves, which experienced only a 0.3 percent correction rate.

Importantly, the study authors note, CRISPR-Gold faithfully restored the normal sequence of dystrophin, which is a significant improvement over previously published approaches that only removed the faulty part of the gene, making it shorter and converting one disease into another, milder disease.

CRISPR-Gold was also able to reduce tissue fibrosis - the hallmark of diseases where muscles do not function properly - and enhanced strength and agility in mice with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. CRISPR-Gold-treated mice showed a two-fold increase in hanging time in a common test for mouse strength and agility, compared to mice injected with a control.

"These experiments suggest that it will be possible to develop non-viral CRISPR therapeutics that can safely correct gene mutations, via the process of homology-directed repair, by simply developing nanoparticles that can simultaneously encapsulate all of the CRISPR components," Murthy said.

The study found that CRISPR-Gold's approach to Cas9 protein delivery is safer than viral delivery of CRISPR, which, in addition to toxicity, amplifies the side effects of Cas9 through continuous expression of this DNA-cutting enzyme. When the research team tested CRISPR-Gold's gene-editing capability in mice, they found that CRISPR-Gold efficiently corrected the DNA mutation that causes Duchenne muscular dystrophy, with minimal collateral DNA damage.

The researchers quantified CRISPR-Gold's off-target DNA damage and found damage levels similar to that of a typical DNA sequencing error in a typical cell that was not exposed to CRISPR (0.005 - 0.2 percent). To test for possible immunogenicity, the blood stream cytokine profiles of mice were analyzed 24 hours and two weeks after the CRISPR-Gold injection. CRISPR-Gold did not cause an acute up-regulation of inflammatory cytokines in plasma, after multiple injections, or weight loss, suggesting that CRISPR-Gold can be used multiple times safely, and that it has a high therapeutic window for gene editing in muscle tissue.

"CRISPR-Gold and, more broadly, CRISPR-nanoparticles open a new way for safer, accurately controlled delivery of gene-editing tools," Conboy said. "Ultimately, these techniques could be developed into a new medicine for Duchenne muscular dystrophy and a number of other genetic diseases."

A clinical trial will be needed to discern whether CRISPR-Gold is an effective treatment for genetic diseases in humans. Study co-authors Kunwoo Lee and Hyo Min Park have formed a start-up company, GenEdit (Murthy has an ownership stake in GenEdit), which is focused on translating the CRISPR-Gold technology into humans. The labs of Murthy and Conboy are also working on the next generation of particles that can deliver CRISPR into tissues from the blood stream and would preferentially target adult stem cells, which are considered the best targets for gene correction because stem and progenitor cells are capable of gene editing, self-renewal and differentiation.

"Genetic diseases cause devastating levels of mortality and morbidity, and new strategies for treating them are greatly needed," Murthy said. "CRISPR-Gold was able to correct disease-causing gene mutations in vivo, via the non-viral delivery of Cas9 protein, guide RNA and donor DNA, and therefore has the potential to develop into a therapeutic for treating genetic diseases."

More information: Kunwoo Lee et al, Nanoparticle delivery of Cas9 ribonucleoprotein and donor DNA in vivo induces homology-directed DNA repair, Nature Biomedical Engineering (2017). Journal information: Nature Biomedical Engineering Kunwoo Lee et al, Nanoparticle delivery of Cas9 ribonucleoprotein and donor DNA in vivo induces homology-directed DNA repair,(2017). DOI: 10.1038/s41551-017-0137-2
Credit: Duke Research Blog

Houston, Miami, San JuanCategory 5 hurricanes, the most destructive storm systems, have made a record-breaking 6 landfalls this year. This represents a quarter of the total category 5 hurricane landfalls that the Atlantic has seen since 1851.

With statistics like these, disaster relief plans are becoming more important than ever. But do these plans do enough for marginalized groups, specifically the mentally ill?

Allan K. Chrisman, M.D., believes more can be done. As a career psychiatrist who has been deployed by the Red Cross in the aftermath of storms like Katrina and Matthew, Chrisman has seen and experienced the importance of including the mentally ill in disaster relief plans.

At his talk to physicians in Duke's Hospital on Sept. 28, Chrisman, an emeritus professor at Duke, highlighted specific aspects of disaster relief that are not doing enough for the one in four U.S. adults suffering from mental illness each year.

According to Chrisman, this part of the population is often less prepared for impending storms. When storms do hit, existing symptoms can be exacerbated, or new symptoms can appear. Disruption of routine, inconsistency of taking medication and the overall stress that comes with emergencies all contribute to this exacerbation of mental illness.

While the Red Cross has an "everyone is welcome," policy for their shelters, not being able to identify the needs of the mentally ill seeking sanctuary limits the organization's ability to help. As a deployed psychiatrist, Chrisman worked with displaced mentally ill people to ensure they continued to get the care they needed even during the stress of a weather emergency.

One tool used by Chrisman and his colleagues to help these groups is the C-MIST framework. This system categorizes "functional-based needs" based on communication, maintaining health, independence, service and support, and transportation. It seeks to ensure not only that individuals are being given an option for a safe space in the wake of emergencies, but also that these spaces offer them the specific services they require.

Chrisman emphasized the need "to provide round-the-clock access to qualified mental health resources."

He said that by following these inclusive protocols, disaster relief programs can do even more to protect the most vulnerable parts of the population.
Adam S. Cheifetz, MD, Director of the Center for Inflammatory Bowel Disease who is also an Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. Credit: BIDMC

In patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), the body attacks the lining of the digestive tract. Up to half of patients who benefit from the first-line anti-inflammatory drug infliximab eventually stop responding to it. When that happens, doctors may begin to monitor patients' blood serum concentrations of the drug.

Now, a team led by gastroenterologists at the Center for Inflammatory Bowel Diseases at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) and University of Pennsylvania, has shown that monitoring patients treated with infliximab prior to loss of patient response to the drug is associated with better long-term outcomes than monitoring the drug only after it loses efficacy. The team's retrospective study could set the stage for a change in the standard clinical approach to IBD. Their data were published in the October issue of the journal Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.

"IBD can lead to serious complications and a high rate of surgery despite medical therapy," said Adam S. Cheifetz, MD, Director of the Center for Inflammatory Bowel Disease who is also an Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. "We demonstrated that proactive drug monitoring is associated with better clinical outcomes, including less treatment failure, serious infusion reactions, and less need for IBD-related surgery or hospitalization, when compared to reactive drug monitoring."

A chronic, life-long condition that can manifest as severe pain, diarrhea, lack of energy, rectal bleeding and weight loss, IBD - which includes Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis - affects over 1.5 million Americans. Infliximab reduces symptoms and inflammation by targeting one of the proteins - called tumor necrosis factor (TNF) - that leads to inflammation in IBD.

Eventually, about half the patients who take the drug stop responding to it but not all for the same reasons. Some patients eventually develop antibodies against infliximab and need to switch medications. Previous research by Cheifetz and others suggested that monitoring drug levels prior to loss of efficacy could improve treatment outcomes.

For this multicenter retrospective study, Cheifetz and colleagues analyzed the long-term outcomes of 264 patients with IBD on infliximab maintenance at either BIDMC or University of Pennsylvania hospitals, just under half of whom were monitored proactively. Of those, only 13 percent of patients experienced a treatment failure - defined as loss of response to infliximab or need for IBD-related surgery. In contrast, two-thirds - a full 66 percent - of the 134 patients undergoing reactive drug monitoring experienced treatment failure.

In addition, the probability and length of a hospital stay was much lower among patients being proactively monitored. Just seven percent of these patients had IBD-related hospitalizations, compared to a quarter of patients undergoing reactive monitoring. The total hospital stay was also much shorter among the proactively monitored patients; 37 days compared to 189 days for the reactive group.

"Prolonging infliximab's efficacy and avoiding surgery and hospitalization is very important for patients with IBD," said Cheifetz. "Proactive monitoring is the standard of care in my practice and that of [co-senior author] Mark Osterman, MD, and I think it would benefit the vast majority of patients on infliximab and similar biologic medications."

To follow up, Cheifetz and his colleagues will conduct a similar analysis comparing outcomes for reactive versus proactive monitoring of another drug used in the treatment of IBD, adalimumab.

"Large, prospective studies are needed to confirm these results," he said.
Its hard to test therapies for rare cancers because there are too few people to study. Credit: www.shutterstock.com.au

Rare cancers are just that: rare. This means research into each of these particular types of rare cancers is limited, and so are the treatment options. As a consequence, patients diagnosed with rare cancers face significant challenges.

In November 2016, the Australian Senate established a select committee to examine funding for research into cancers with low survival rates. More recently, the health minister announced A$13 million from the Medical Research Future Fund will be used for clinical trials to help achieve better health outcomes for people with rare or uncommon cancers.

The minister also commissioned new work on evaluating cancer medicines that treat multiple tumours and have a specific genetic feature (biological marker). This could improve access to therapies that might benefit some patients with rare cancers.

These recent steps are in recognition of the significant challenges associated with undertaking research into rare cancers. By their nature, rare cancers include small and variable patient populations making gold-standard randomised trials challenging or even impossible.

The lack of evidence resulting from few or no randomised trials creates challenges for registering and reimbursing new medicines. This ultimately leads to a lack of subsidised medicines for these patients. As a result, the improvements seen in patient outcomes related to new therapies for more common cancers like lung cancer, melanoma and bowel cancer over the last two decades do not extend to rare or less common cancers.

What is a rare cancer?

The definition of a rare cancer is debatable. The RARECARE collaboration in Europe uses an operational definition of fewer than six cases per year per 100,000 population. In Australia, the medicines regulator, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), has recently updated the eligibility criteria for medicines treating rare diseases to fewer than five cases of the disease in a population of 10,000 people.

Historically cancers were categorised by the anatomical location, such as the breast or kidney. But with the discovery of new biological markers, common cancers can be grouped into smaller, more homogeneous and genetically similar subsets. So the number of rare cancers will continue to grow as medical technology advances.

Why don't they have many available medications?

The lack of government-approved and subsidised medicines to treat rare cancers primarily stems from the lack of evidence supporting their use. Submissions to the current inquiry also cited problems such as a lack of research funding; the need for international collaboration; lack of investment by industry; attracting sufficient interest of researchers and recruiting sufficient patients.

Even if patients can be identified and recruited to a trial, it's difficult to generate meaningful data from so few patients.

The lack of evidence presents challenges for new medicines trying to meet registration and reimbursement criteria in Australia. To be registered through the TGA, a new medicine must have demonstrated efficacy and safety.

In order for new medicines to be listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS), it must have a demonstrated benefit over standard treatment, as well as being considered an efficient use of tax payer dollars.

New medicines for rare cancers are often expensive, especially when randomised trials are not possible.

What can we do to improve this situation?

With the changing nature of medicine and research, new opportunities are emerging to address the current inequity. The shift to treating patients based on the genetic profile of their tumour rather than the location of the cancer has increased treatment options for rare cancer patients.

To harness the benefits, changes are required with input from multiple stakeholders, including government, industry, clinicians, researchers and patients.

Better access to new medicines ultimately starts with better research. To achieve this, experts have called for additional targeted funding, innovative trial designs, and better partnerships between industry and researchers.

There is also the opportunity to collect better "real world" data via platforms such as the My Health Record, which could supplement existing research and allow performance monitoring of recently approved new medicines.

Organisations such as Rare Cancers Australia and the Cancer Drugs Alliance are liaising with government regarding changes that could improve access to novel medicines for patients with rare cancers. This includes greater input from patients and more flexibility in the way we evaluate medicines for public reimbursement.

It should also be recognised the problems faced in providing innovative treatments to patients with rare cancer extends to rare diseases in general. With modern medicine providing the potential to improve outcomes for patients with rare cancers as well as other serious chronic diseases, we need to have a broader conversation about what we can afford and what we are willing to pay for new medicines.

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.
Lisa Caplan had bounced in and out of mental health facilities, moving back home with her 71-year-old mother after her latest psychiatric stay ended in May. Neighbors say Caplan behaved strangely, carrying a shovel around the neighborhood and knocking on doors at odd hours.

Last week, according to police, she detoured into deadly violence.

Caplan picked up a crossbow, shot her mother twice and went to bed, a police affidavit said. Authorities were called to the home for a welfare check two days later and found Sandra Barndt's body under a blanket, an arrow protruding from her head and neck area.

Caplan's lawyer, Jon Ostroff, blames a "failed mental health system" for what he called a preventable death. He said Caplan has lived with schizophrenia for two decades.

"The tragedy is that she was able to be released against her family's wishes repeatedly," Ostroff, who was hired by one of Caplan's children, told The Associated Press.

Caplan, 51, was charged with homicide. She remains locked up in Carbon County, about 80 miles (129 kilometers) north of Philadelphia.

Chad Steskal, Barndt's son, had wanted his mother to move to Florida so he could care for her. He said she had spent her life caring for others, including Caplan.

"I wanted her to free herself of the burden of looking after my sister," Steskal said. "But she couldn't abandon her daughter."

It's yet to be determined whether, or how, Caplan's mental health played a role in the killing. Experts say people with mental illness, absent other risk factors like substance abuse, are no more violent than the rest of the population.

Ostroff demanded a psychiatric evaluation. He accused officials of dragging their feet.

"Given the nature of mental illness and the way it ebbs and flows, if she's not given an immediate psychiatric assessment while she's in the custody of the prison, for every hour they wait, they're threatening her constitutional right to a defense," he said.

Officials at the county jail declined to comment. District Attorney Jean Engler declined comment on the specifics of the case, citing ethical constraints, but said Caplan "will be afforded all the protections of the legal system." Ostroff, who is representing Caplan temporarily until a public defender can be appointed, said Tuesday that Engler told him the public defender will need to petition the court.

Police were familiar with Caplan. She had convictions for identity theft and for lying to authorities in a gun case. Ostroff said Caplan had a history of violent behavior, and police had previously committed her to psychiatric facilities.

"The police have played an active role in having her institutionalized," he said. "Why she was released is a mystery other than it is a symptom of the problem."

Caplan told state police she had been arguing with her mother last Wednesday at their home in Palmerton, went upstairs to get the crossbow, loaded it, returned to the living room and shot Barndt in the neck as the older woman sat on the couch, according to the affidavit. Caplan said she went back upstairs, reloaded and shot Barndt in the face, the affidavit said.

Ostroff questioned whether Caplan was capable of waiving her right against self-incrimination, given questions about her mental state.

Steskal, Barndt's son, said Barndt had "concerns" about her daughter, but didn't appear to be afraid.

"I don't believe my mom was afraid my sister would hurt her. She never expressed to me that she thought my sister was a danger to her, physically," Steskal said.

Yet Barndt, who had managed group homes before her retirement a year ago, was apparently contemplating a change. Steskal said she was supposed to meet with a real estate agent on Friday, the day police discovered her body.

"She's giving to a fault," Steskal, his voice breaking, said of his mother. "So giving that she sacrificed everything for her children and, ultimately, her own life."

 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Relief agencies on Tuesday fought to contain a diarrhoea outbreak around camps in Bangladesh where more than 500,000 Rohingya have taken shelter in the past five weeks.

The United Nations said meanwhile it would seek $430 million to increase operations in the camps along the Bangladesh-Myanmar border. The Rohingya Muslims have poured across the frontier to escape a military crackdown in Buddhist-majority Myanmar.

A 20-bed treatment clinic was opened at Kutupalong refugee camp Monday to treat diarrhoea victims and another 60-bed facility would be set up this week, a UN spokesman said.

UN staff and volunteers were touring Kutupalong and nearby makeshift camps to identify those who have not sought treatment, UN refugee agency spokesman Andrej Mahecic said.

"We have seen an increasing trend of diarrhoeal disease cases, including cases of diarrhoea with severe dehydration," he said.

Bangladesh authorities were not aware of diarrhoea-related deaths in the camps, but the health department said more than 10,500 Rohingya had been treated since the influx began on August 25.

Last week the World Health Organisation warned of a growing cholera risk in the makeshift camps as they lacked safe drinking and hygiene facilities. The Doctors Without Borders (MSF) group also said the camps were on the brink of a public health disaster.

The camps face dire shortages of food and medicine in what has become one of the world's largest refugee settlements.

The overwhelmed camps around the border town of Cox's Bazar already had 300,000 people who fled earlier violence in Myanmar's Rakhine state.

Mark Lowcock, a UN under secretary general for humanitarian affairs, said the world body would be seeking "something like $430 million to enable us to scale up the relief operation."

"Conditions in the camps at the moment are terrible," Lowcock told reporters in Cox's Bazar.

The UN has already given an extra $12 million from its emergency response fund.

"What we want to do is to make sure that the tragedy of the Rohingya is not magnified and amplified by a human catastrophe and health catastrophe," the UN official declared.

 2017 AFP
Parents of children with ADHD can feel desperate for resources or treatments to help their children who struggle with inattention, distractibility and impulsiveness affecting school and home. Researchers at Lehigh University have discovered that brief online or in-person behavioral therapy for parents is equally effective in improving children's behavior and parental knowledge - a potential game changer for parents strapped for time and access.

They report these findings in a new paper published in The Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology, "Face-to-Face vs. Online Behavioral Parent Training for Young Children At-Risk for ADHD: Treatment Engagement and Outcomes."

Few Use Behavior Therapy, Despite Recommendations

While the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends behavior therapy support as the first line of treatment for preschool-age children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), limited availability of clinicians, cost and challenges in transportation and child careas well as reliance on pharmacological drugsmean few families access such therapy for themselves and their children. A 2016 report from the Centers for Disease Control found that about 75 percent of young children with ADHD received medicine as treatment and only about 50 percent of young children with ADHD with Medicaid and 40 percent with employer-sponsored insurance got psychological services, which may include behavior therapy. ADHD occurs in 2 to 15 percent of young children, with 11 percent of children in the U.S. receiving an ADHD diagnosis at some point in their lives.

The research by George DuPaul, professor of school psychology, and Lee Kern, professor of special education, at Lehigh University is the first to look at online ADHD behavior therapies in this age group (3-5 years old). It was conducted with a $1.2 million grant from the Institute of Education Sciences, the research arm of the U.S. Department of Education.

"Parents learned effective ways to anticipate and prevent child behavior problems, teach their children better ways to communicate their needs, and how to best reinforce their children's positive behaviors with about 15 hours of parent education that can be delivered equally successfully in a typical face-to-face format or online," DuPaul said of the findings. "The fact that parents can learn these strategies on their own schedule via an online platform has the potential to significantly improve current practice and present savings in terms of time and cost to families for whom access is an issue."

Training Benefits Parents and Children

For the study, researchers created a program of parent education and support that was shorter in duration than most similar trainings. They recruited 47 families in the Lehigh Valley region of Pennsylvania who had 3- to 5-year-old children who met diagnostic criteria for ADHD. Families were randomly assigned to one of three groups (face-to-face parent education, online parent education or a wait-list control group), with parents taking part in 10 weekly education sessions.

"We collected parent questionnaires, tested parent knowledge and observed parent-child interactions in family homes before and after parent education was delivered to evaluate whether our program made a difference relative to families who did not receive parent education," DuPaul said.

In addition to finding online training was similarly effective to face-to-face training, researchers found parents participating in the streamlined 10-week format were more likely to be engaged and to complete training than those participating in longer formats. Both in-person and online training formats had high attendance and significantly improved parent knowledge of interventions and adherence to treatment protocols.

In addition, children in the study were better able to regulate their behavior, demonstrating reduced restlessness and impulsivity and improved self-control, affect and mood compared to the control group.

Though behavioral parent training is known to have positive results for children with ADHD, fewer parents and mental health and medical practitioners know about it than medication prescribed for ADHD, which can come with side effects and is not recommended as a first-line treatment for preschool-age children, DuPaul said.

Thus the study provides options both relative to medication and among behavioral therapy in terms of the effectiveness of both in-person and electronically delivered formats.

"I hope these findings add to the existing evidence that behavioral parent training is an effective approach for young kids with ADHD even when applied over a relatively short time, and show that both in-person and online formats can be effective in parent and child behavior change," said DuPaul, who hopes the research also spurs more development of alternative ways of delivering interventions to parents.

"The implications are substantial given barriers that many families experience with face-to-face behavioral parent training," the study states.

In addition to parents, the findings will be useful for others who interact with young children at risk for ADHD, from mental health practitioners and pediatricians to preschool teachers and early childhood education professionals, DuPaul said.

More information: George J. DuPaul et al, Face-to-Face Versus Online Behavioral Parent Training for Young Children at Risk for ADHD: Treatment Engagement and Outcomes, Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology (2017). George J. DuPaul et al, Face-to-Face Versus Online Behavioral Parent Training for Young Children at Risk for ADHD: Treatment Engagement and Outcomes,(2017). DOI: 10.1080/15374416.2017.1342544
(HealthDay)A vascular surgeon and primary care physician agree that an asymptomatic patient with cardiovascular risk and stenosis of 50 percent on screening carotid ultrasonography should not undergo carotid artery stenosis (CAS) screening, according to an article published online Oct. 2 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Noting that the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force guidelines recommend against screening for asymptomatic CAS, Gerald W. Smetana, M.D., from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, moderated a discussion with a vascular surgeon and primary care physician about the case of a 74-year-old man with risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

According to the vascular surgeon, surgery is not generally entertained until stenosis is >70 percent. The patient had a predicted likelihood of having >50 percent stenosis of between 5 and 20 percent. According to the primary care physician, age is the most important risk factor for CAS and risk factor-based clinical prediction models perform poorly. In addition, the positive predictive value of carotid ultrasound is poor. Both the vascular surgeon and primary care physician recommend against carotid endarterectomy for this patient and agree that he should participate in a trial.

"In this article, two discussants address the risks and benefits of screening for carotid artery disease as well as how to apply the guideline to an individual patient who is deciding whether to be screened," the authors write.

One author disclosed financial ties to the pharmaceutical and health care industries.

Copyright  2017 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Credit: University of Auckland

An increasingly popular hormonal "treatment" for pregnant women with a history of preterm birth does not work, a major new international study shows.

A total of 789 women from 39 Australian, New Zealand, and Canadian maternity hospitals took part in the PROGRESS study, led by Professor Caroline Crowther at the University of Auckland-based Liggins Institute. Half were randomised to give themselves progesterone pessaries for 14 weeks starting at mid-pregnancy; the other half used the matching placebos.

Researchers then assessed the health of the babies and their mothers. The rate of health problems in the babies, including respiratory distress syndrome, where the baby struggles to breathe, was not significantly different between the two treatment groups. The mother's health and side effects of treatment were also overwhelmingly similar.

Progesterone pessaries are sometimes prescribed to pregnant women who have previously given birth before 37 weeks, who have more than double the risk of another preterm birth. Based on earlier evidence, it was thought that the treatment could delay birth, reducing the risk and severity of complications affecting babies born too early, and improve mothers' health.

Babies born preterm carry a heightened risk of breathing problems due to immature lungs and other serious health problems.

"Progesterone plays an important role during pregnancy, and concentrations of this hormone fall away just before labour begins, which is one rationale for the treatment," says Professor Crowther.

"But there have been mixed findings from recent studies  some show the use of vaginal progesterone reduces the risk of preterm birth, while others don't and there has been uncertainty about the health benefits. Without a consensus, treatment practices vary widely across hospitals and countries."

So the researchers designed a large, double-blind randomised trial to see exactly what, if any, beneficial effect the treatment has, and if there are any side effects.

"We now have a clear answer we can believe: vaginal progesterone does not improve the baby's health when given to women who have had a history of a previous preterm birth," says Professor Crowther.

"This is good for pregnant women and health practitioners to know, so they won't waste time and resources on an ineffective treatment."

The PROGRESS findings, published in high-ranking journal PLOS Medicine, match those from two other recent large, randomised studies. Commenting in the same journal, Jane Norman from the University of Edinburgh and Phillip Bennet from the Imperial College London argue this growing body of evidence justifies a thorough review of all progesterone studies, and exploring other alternatives for preventing premature birth.

More information: Caroline A. Crowther et al. Vaginal progesterone pessaries for pregnant women with a previous preterm birth to prevent neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (the PROGRESS Study): A multicentre, randomised, placebo-controlled trial, PLOS Medicine (2017). Journal information: PLoS Medicine Caroline A. Crowther et al. Vaginal progesterone pessaries for pregnant women with a previous preterm birth to prevent neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (the PROGRESS Study): A multicentre, randomised, placebo-controlled trial,(2017). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1002390
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

In the past year, Cody Rector has seen most of the regular customers at his smoke shop near Loyola University disappear.

He said he's had to adjust his marketing to appeal to an older crowd after Chicago hiked the minimum age to buy tobacco products from 18 to 21 last year. Rector, general manager at All in One Smoke Shop in Edgewater, said he consistently turns away 18- to 20-year-olds, informing them of the law.

"We used to service all of the population (at Loyola)," Rector said. "We lost a significant amount of business."

The city's move, which went into effect in July 2016, is part of a growing trend by municipalities in the Chicago area and across the country to discourage teen smoking. Earlier this month, Lake County became the first county in Illinois to raise the minimum buying age to 21, which will take effect next year. Five states have passed similar statewide measures.

Public health advocates and city officials say the changes lead to a healthier population, pointing to studies that show smoking is a habit formed young and longtime smokers are less likely to quit. But critics question the effectiveness of hodgepodge laws, saying teens will just hop a town over to get tobacco products or turn to a budding black market. And given an overall decline in smoking nationwide, some wonder if increasing the age to buy tobacco is necessary.

But city officials say the new law is working. Revenue from tobacco taxes is projected to be down about 7 percent this year, signaling fewer people are buying the product, according to officials. And the city's tobacco enforcement team has issued hundreds of citations to businesses that sell to minors. In more than 2,500 stings at city retailers since the minimum age was raised, the team found about 12 percent to be in violation, officials said.

"To get people to quit is much more difficult, so anything we can do to prevent an individual from starting is so important," said Dr. Julie Morita, commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health. With the older age requirement, teens "can no longer get their friends ... to purchase products for them," she added. "In a school setting, a 21-year-old in their social networks just doesn't happen."

Morita awaits data on youth smoking in the city since the buying age increased but said she's confident she'll see a decline. That would mirror the trend nationwide, where smoking continues to decrease among both teens and adults.

Nationally, about 8 percent of high schoolers smoked cigarettes last year, down from nearly twice that in 2011 and down significantly from more than 30 percent for most of the 1990s, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In Chicago in 2013, the most recent data available, about 10 percent of high schoolers smoked, Morita said. CDC records also show that in 2016, about 20 percent of high school students had tried any kind of tobacco product, including e-cigarettes used for vaping, down from 46 percent three years earlier.

Adult cigarette smokers nationwide decreased from about 21 percent in 2005 to about 15 percent in 2015, according to CDC data, continuing a downward trend since the 1960s, when more than 40 percent of adults smoked.

Morita, pointing to the city's goal of a "tobacco-free generation," said she expects the teen smoking rate to continue to fall due to a number of initiatives, not only increasing the minimum age. She also noted Chicago's laws that restrict the sale of tobacco near schools, along with tax increases on cigarettes and e-cigarettes used for vaping, a practice that appeals to a younger smoker.

Morita and other supporters say they're encouraged by the increase in laws that raise the tobacco-buying age, and point to a 2015 study by the Institute of Medicine, now called the National Academy of Medicine, that sparked the movement. That research said most smokers start when they're teenagers and predicts a national movement to increase the tobacco buying age to 21 would cause a 12 percent decrease in tobacco use among today's teenagers by the time they become adults.

Dr. Rob Crane, president of nonprofit Tobacco 21, which lobbies for local and statewide tobacco buying-age increases, said it's important to focus on teenagers to "prevent addiction before it starts."

Because the movement is still new, there's not a lot of data available to assess its effectiveness, Crane said, but he believes increasing the buying age is part of a solution. Such laws should be coupled with strong enforcement and other deterrent methods, like taxation, he said.

Retailers say the age increase hurts business at a time when they're already dealing with a drop in tobacco sales from compounding tax increases. With city, county and state tobacco taxes, Chicago is home to the highest price for a pack of cigarettes in the country, with customers paying $7.17 in taxes per pack.

Tanya Triche Dawood, VP and general counsel of the Illinois Retail Merchants Association, said the buying-age increases are simply pushing sales to bordering jurisdictions and hurting retailers.

"Those sales are still going to occur, they're just going to occur elsewhere," she said. She also noted the growth of a tobacco black market with illegal sales of cheaper cigarettes, smuggled in from states with lower taxes.

The retail merchants have been part of a successful campaign to block a statewide buying-age increase to 21, most recently earlier this year. Dawood said legislators were sensitive to the border-sale issues and the loss of revenue. "That hurts everybody."

Because smoking rates are already down, creating unnecessary restrictions can have unintended consequences, said Mike Males, a researcher for the California-based Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice, and author of books on youth and risk behaviors.

In this case, Males said he worries about the employment of 18- to 21-year-olds. In some places, the buying-age increases also come with restrictions on the age of employees conducting tobacco sales. Even without those, Males said employers could be hesitant to hire underage employees for fear of liability.

"Eighteen- to 21-year-olds don't have a problem with smoking, but they do have a problem with unemployment," he said. "I think it's time for the public health movement to back off. Normally when things are going this well ... you'd leave it alone."

2017 Chicago Tribune

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
A 38-year-old man developed serious liver damage after taking epsom salts to treat gallstones, reveal doctors in the journal BMJ Case Reports.

The man had lost his appetite and was jaundiced. He was tested for a range of common liver diseases, all of which were negative. But a biopsy specimen showed that he had signs of liver damage.

It emerged that he had been taking three tablespoons of Epsom salts in lukewarm water for 15 days. He had been advised by a naturopath that this would dissolve his gallstones.

Taking too much Epsom salts can cause diarrhoea, abnormal heart rhythm, and kidney damage.

In this case, the man took a large quantity of salts over two weeks, which prompted rapid worsening of fibrosis (tissue scarring).

And the doctors caution that certain conditions might heighten the risk of liver damage when combined with Epsom salts.

The man was advised to stop taking the salts, to drink plenty of fluids, and was given medication to prevent further liver damage. And after around six weeks, his liver function had returned to normal.
Kim Dotcom and his former associates at Megaupload have lost their appeal in the US Supreme Court to have millions in seized assets and cash returned, reported TorrentFreak.

US and New Zealand authorities seized the assets following a raid on Megaupload in 2012, alleging they were obtained through copyright infringement and money laundering.

Dotcoms options in the US have now been exhausted, but his legal team will approach courts in New Zealand and Hong Kong.

Most of the funds are being held outside the US, and the lawyers said they are cautiously optimistic they will find favour in New Zealand and Hong Kong courts.
During the Syrian campaign the flotilla demonstrated it is an instrument of long-range engagement outside the Caspian region due to the Kalibr cruise missiles on corvettes (small missile boats) of project 21631. However better infrastructure is necessary to properly play the trump card.



Expert Sergei Mikheyev explained enhanced Russian military capabilities in the region by several economic and geopolitical reasons. "The region is of growing interest for third countries. It is rich in oil and gas. Besides, an alternative corridor from Central Asia to the West via post-Soviet Transcaucasia can go through it. The idea is promoted by the Americans and the Europeans but Russia and Iran are against it," he said.



Mikheyev also said the Caspian Sea is a valuable asset for the Russian military as it is located close to the Middle East and directly borders on Central Asia. "The Syrian operation showed that the Caspian Sea is a safe launching pad for cruise missiles. It can accommodate our warships armed with high-precision weapons. The sea is out of reach for potential adversaries and third country navies," he said.



At present the Caspian flotilla includes missile warships of the latest projects. It operates the Tatarstan and the Dagestan missile ships of project 11661K, the Grad Sviyazhsk, the Uglich, the Veliky Ustyug corvettes of project 21631 and the Stupinets missile boat of project 12411, the Izvestia said.



 Copyright 2017 TASS. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


The situation is calm after the referendum on independence that was conducted on September 25, in Iraqi Kurdistan.

Father Artun Khalatian, the Armenian pastor of Erbil, told the abovementioned to Armenian News-NEWS.am.

The situation is calm; there is nothing unusual in the city, he said. Nothing unusual happened to this day, and in that sense, we have no problem in connection with the safety of [local] Armenians.

In Fr. Khalatians words, majority of the more than 600 Armenians living in Iraqi Kurdistan and having the right to vote has said yes in this referendum.

Armenians mainly have a neutral position on this matter, he noted. But Armenians also participated in the referendum and voted for [the independence of Iraqi Kurdistan].
Steve Jobs' sandals sold for more than $200,000

Armenian PM accuses Azerbaijani leader of terrorizing Armenian civilians

Azerbaijan shells Armenian positions on border again

OPEC downgrades its forecast for global oil demand growth in 2022

White House: Biden and Xi Jinping agree on Blinken's visit to China

CNN: CIA chief Burns meets with SVR director Naryshkin in Ankara

Turkish FM Cavusoglu thanks Ararat Mirzoyan for condolences

Putin signs decree allowing stateless persons to serve in Russian army

Airbus CEO: There is no question of them breaking off trade ties

Armen Grigoryan receives Igor Khovayev

Britain and France sign agreement on strengthening cooperation on illegal migration

US updates its sanctions list for Russia: Milur Electronics LLC, an Armenian company listed

Potatoes prices grow by 20%: expert claims agriculture collapse in Armenia

Peskov says Russian-American talks in Ankara initiated by Washington

Morgan Stanley: UK and euro zone economies are likely to face recession

Xi Jinping hopes for comprehensive dialogue between NATO, the EU and the US and Russia

Japan proposes to deploy Australian nuclear submarines

Biden calls talks with Xi Jinping at G20 summit frank

WB: Debt levels among low- and middle-income countries soared in 2021

Xi Jinping: China does not intend to challenge the U.S.

Scholz: Adopting a joint G20 summit statement is a tough task

Biden and Xi Jinping oppose use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine

Nikol Pashinyan receives Russian co-chair of OSCE Minsk Group

IMF head warns of risks for world economy because of rivalry between China and US

Irakli Garibashvili: Georgia is ready to promote in every possible way the dialogue between Armenia and Azerbaijan

Red Wings airline launches direct flights from Makhachkala to Yerevan

Olaf Scholz: EU should expand its cooperation with Southeast Asian countries

Global Leadership Foundation will visit Armenia

Kurdistan Workers' Party denies its involvement in Istanbul terrorist attack

NATO Secretary General says they must not make mistake of underestimating Russia

IRGC resumes strikes on Iraqi Kurdistan

French and German central bank heads call for speeding up EU capital markets union

Control of U.S. House of Representatives depends on several tight races

Artsakh FM speaks with his Transnistria counterpart

Italy, Greece, Malta and Cyprus say they cannot accept migrants

Cavusoglu thanks Mirzoyan for condolences on terrorist attack in Istanbul

Xi Jinping and Joe Biden begin first face-to-face meeting in Bali

Zelenskyy arrives in Kherson

Armenian Defense Minister: After expiration of contract service 5 million drams will be provided to servicemen

Turkey refuses to accept U.S. condolences after terrorist attack in Istanbul

Defense Ministers of Georgia and Azerbaijan sign military cooperation plan for 2023

Russian Foreign Ministry denies reports about Lavrov's hospitalization in Bali

Yellen hopes Biden and Jinping meeting leads to engagement on macroeconomic issues

Russian Defense Ministry confirms violation of ceasefire in Artsakh by Azerbaijani Armed Forces

Artsakh MOD denies accusations of Azerbaijani MOD

Azerbaijani Defense Minister holds talks in Georgia

Armenian MOD denies another lie of Azerbaijani MOD

Germany warns its delegation about Egyptian spies at COP27

NSS of Armenia reveals channel of illegal migration

Azerbaijani State Security Service announces disclosure of 'Iranian spy network'

Politico: Indonesia, hosting G20, lobbies West to soften criticism of Russia in final communique

Ararat Mirzoyan expresses condolences to Mevlut Cavusoglu over Istanbul explosion

Iranian lawmakers sharply criticize Aliyev

Ambassador-at-Large: Azerbaijan's attacks on Armenia are a terrorist attack

Germany needs to diversify its business interests in Asia to reduce dependence on China

Head of U.S. Treasury Department says sanctions against Russia should remain in force even after war in Ukraine

Natasa Pirc Musar to become Slovenia's first woman president

IMF: World economic outlook even bleaker than predicted

Pashinyan: Azerbaijan calls Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh 'our citizens' and at the same time shoots at them

Turkish Interior Minister announces arrest of suspect in attack on Istiklal Avenue in Istanbul

Alpine to make 3 electric crossovers

Number of injured in Istanbul blast rises to 81

Paul McCartney sells guitar for $77,000 to support Ukraine

Erdogan says preliminary findings after Istanbul bombing point to terrorist attack

Erdogan says number of victims of Istanbul bombing rises to six

Authorities forbid TV channels to broadcast from Istanbul bombing site

Istanbul blast: Governor reports 4 dead and 38 wounded

Media: Terrorist attack considered as one of versions of bombing in Istanbul

Blast in Istanbul: victims reported

Reuters: National Bank of Ukraine prepares banking system for power outages

Explosion hits pedestrian street in Istanbul

Former Pentagon official Michael Rubin calls for Turkey to be recognized as sponsor of terrorism

Bloomberg columnist says Japan may be preparing for war with China

Reuters: U.S. to demand EU colleagues to continue aid to Kyiv at G20

Washington Post: U.S. intelligence believes UAE tried to interfere in U.S. politics

Yeni Safak: Turkey increases sales of winter products, blankets in EU by almost third since beginning of year

Fox News: Trump has been silent on social media for over 24 hours amid Republican failures

Lebanon extradites to Iraq relative of Saddam Hussein

Financial Times: Kyiv plans to nationalize more private companies

U.S. Senate declares 'death' of Republican Party after congressional elections
YEREVAN.  The speeches of the presidents of the conflicting countries show that, just as before, the parties are not ready for compromise, in which case solely a soft settlement of the conflict can be expected.

Analyst Neil MacFarlane told about the aforesaid to168 Zham (Hour) newspaper of Armenia, as he reflected on the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process.

As per the paper, MacFarlane recalled that, speaking from the podium of the UN General Assembly, both the Armenian and the Azerbaijani presidents talked about the matters which they need, but not about the total package of settlement. In his view, it is clear to everyone as to what should be done to resolve the Karabakh conflict, but this is not acceptable for them, the parties.

MacFarlane noted that the long-term uncertainty is maintained in a pacific settlement of this conflict, and added he does not see any new respective process and development.

The analyst noted, however, that the president of Armenia, speaking from the podium of the UN General Assembly, was able to constructively present the issues that are perceived as beneficial for the Armenian side. But MacFarlane added that he observed desperate ups and downs in the Azerbaijani presidents address. According to the analyst, the Azerbaijani side no longer hopes for the return of some territories, and therefore it pins hopes on a solution to this problem through war, which is an unwanted scenario not solely for Armenia and the mediators, but for Azerbaijan itself, which is apparent; and Neil MacFarlane stressed that this is why he is saying desperate.
Armenians were not affected in the shooting that occurred in Las Vegas. Father Sassoon Zumrookhdian, pastor of the St. Geragos Armenian Apostolic Church in the city, on Tuesday told the above-said to Armenian News-NEWS.am.

He noted that there no Armenians on the victims list, which the police have provided.

In his words, the killing occurred in front of Mandalay Bay hotel, which is nearby the said Armenian church.

Fr. Zumrookhdian noted that the Armenian community of Las Vegas is in shock over what has occurred.

No one could imagine that something like that could have happened, he said. Everyone is shocked, but vigilant.

The shooting occurred during the Route 91 Harvest country music festival in Las Vegas.

Subsequently, the gunman, Stephen Paddock, 64, killed himself.

According to the latest data, the death toll in the shooting has risen to 59, and 527 people are reported injured.
Georgian authorities wish to submit the Armenian church in Kumurdo (Gumburdo) village to UNESCO as a historical and cultural treasure, and therefore the installation of an Armenian cross-stone will get in the way of this plan.

Father Tatev Marukyan, pastor of the Holy Cross Armenian Church in Akhalkalaki town in Georgia, told about the aforementioned to Armenian News-NEWS.am.

In his words, the Georgian side claims that the bonesof the deceased local Armenianswere buried on land level, whereas this level will be lowered during construction work, and therefore this may result in having the cross-stone removed. That is, this cross-stone can be installed solely after these bones are buried at a deeper level.

Now, a working group is expected to be set up to discuss these matters and resolve them.

On September 30, clashes occurred between the Armenian residents of Kumurdo and Georgian police in Javakheti, which is a predominantly-Armenian-populated part of Georgias southeastern Samtskhe-Javakheti Province.

The Armenians wished to place an Armenian cross-stone in the courtyard of the said Armenian church, since the bones of their forebears are buried there. Georgian police, however, did not let them inside the church saying that they have a respective order.

The situation became tenser, and special forces arrived at the scene. Police fire shots in the air, and they beat the local Armenians with clubs.
Kh. T., 33, a resident of Avshar village in the Ararat Province of Armenia, has been detained.

According to shamshyan.com, he is suspected of raping Chinese citizen Yu Lun Chun, 30.

It was found out that on October 1, and under the pretext of taking her to capital city Yerevan, Kh. T. drove Yu Lun Chun from Khor Virap monastery in Pokr Vedi village in the said province to the area of the Wildlife Rescue Center in Urtsadzor village in the said province, where he attempted to forcibly have sex with this Chinese woman.

The Chinese citizen on Monday applied to a hospital in Yerevan, and told doctors that she was raped.

A forensic medical examination has been commissioned into this incident.
YEREVAN.  Armenian Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan chaired a meeting to discuss implementation of Doing Business plan for 2017 targeted at improvement of business environment in Armenia.

Twenty-two events out of 49 have been implemented, while the rest 27 are underway.

According to the rapporteurs, it is expected that as a result of the implementation of activities for 2017, Armenia will improve its positions in the annual World Bank report on several points.

Last year Armenia improved its positions by 5 points and was ranked the 38th. These measures are implemented to simplify the administrative procedures necessary to start and develop business, protect investors, obtain construction permits, access loans, register property, and improve infrastructure.

Karapetyan demanded from responsible persons to actively work with representatives of the World Bank to assess the effectiveness of activities, as well as to maintain contact with the business community to discuss issues of concern.

PM instructed to establish a regular commission for periodic discussion of the improvement of business environment with the participation of all interested parties.
None of the conflicts in the Middle East has a military solution, Irans Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif reiterated, calling on regional states to stay in touch to find negotiated solutions and give priority to regional initiatives for peace and security, Tasnim News Agency reported.

Iran favors perfect relations with all of its neighbors, and believes that all parties should give priority to regional initiatives for collective stability and security, Zarif said in a meeting with Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani in Doha on Tuesday.

Warning against the detrimental effects of violent conflicts on the region, the Iranian diplomat underscored that the crises have no military solution and that all sides should stick to negotiation and peaceful approaches.

On the bilateral ties with Qatar, Zarif expressed the hope for closer relations between the two nations, strong cooperation between the private sectors, and enhancement of trade and economic interaction.

The Qatari emir, for his part, hailed Irans view about the necessity for peaceful solutions to the ongoing crises.

Constant consultation with regional countries, including Iran, is inevitable, he added.
As someone who was raised catholic I'm always surprised by how many people experience that but I guess you had to buy into the religion at one point and I just could never get into it.

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my mother was jewish but raised catholic but my sister and I weren't raised to be religious or have faith or anything, but we still had the catholic guilt (with jewish guilt on top) to deal with, although it has lessened with time.

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meh as a raised catholic and that went to nun schools that they all were gone or dead. I will be the creep out of there...

USA Christian are damn crazy tho even catholic think this. I never understand the catholic guilt unless u were from a very very very catholic family, my parents are catholic and they still go to curch but they never raised us or the nuns or catholic teachers (at least when i was a kid) with guilt...but dunno cos every catholic is different



I will not be in that place at night...



Edited at 2017-03-18 04:57 pm (UTC)

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DAMN! Those nuns were living it up! That place is amazing!

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seriously i never knew the lives of nuns had this many perks?!?!?! maybe i should consider a career change tbh

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Sis I'm broke af in a temp job and if I am out of a livelihood I'll have to go back to my family who will marry me off so I'm thinking of converting to Catholicism and becoming a nun lmao. Sad that my sect doesn't really have space for nuns!

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mte damn

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Haha I once went to a convent to visit this sister who was friends with my nanna and wanted to give me a book and it was like a tiny house on a shitty suburban lane way and the rooms were SO SMALL and smelled so bad and old and musty and I felt ashamed that they had to live like that. It was so bare and gross and I was like "why don't these poor old ladies have enough money?" I was like 8 but still. It was sad and gross.





These nuns have TWO POOLS WHAT THE FUCK HOOK ME UP JESUS

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They even have a fucking pool! I wonder what a nun swims in..

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I'm sure the nightlife developer was super wholesome though.

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right? this was my first thought lol

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mte

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He was apparently trying to pay double but Katy already had a deal in place with the archdiocese. The nuns wanted to cash out, they apparently get a cut of the sale.

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My first thought. They probably think someone like Trump is a Christian.

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lmao seriously, the amount of sex and debauchery that would have happened there if he got it and made it a club or hotel... i kind of wish he had gotten it.

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LOL was my first thought. The nuns think Katy worships the devil but wanted to sell the place to someone promoting the nightlife lifestyle?

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Lol mte

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Hypocrisy from certain nuns never ends. Hating on Katy because she has a tatt on her ass and went to check out Salem? They really act like it's 1620 and no one should ever learn about different ideas or explore the world. Keep than narrow mind closed to anything other than doctrine.



Just chant, light candles, burn incense, worship idols and do rituals with wine and wafers. Sounds like witchcraft to me, but what do I know?



Nuns have a lot of good property in L.A. I used to work next door to one of their estates and had occasion to interact with them once in a while and they were the biggest bitches I've ever had to deal with. So entitled and dismissive.

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WHOA @ those pics

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Wow the ignorance is real from those nuns holy shit

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lol fuck off nuns. Your god is not here sisters.

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clubbing 4 jesus!

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that place would be poppin if that happened lmao

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That view! But it looks like an accident waiting to happen.

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Why would you want to live in that? It's so big yet not enough yard space? Californians don't like backyards? I don't get it.

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She would legit have no privacy unless she plants like bushes all around. That's scary for a celeb considering they attract stalkers and paparazzi. I like the convent but it does not look good as a residential home. The amount of money she's going to spend renovating it hopefully ends up being worth it.

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Privacy looks like something a good renovation can take care of tbh.

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the serial killer dork in me recognized that street name right away Lol

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Los Feliz started getting hot about 10 years ago when Brad and Angelina bought several homes and created a compound there. Natalie Portman and a bunch of other celebs followed suit, and they have a gated community there, too, which is desirable in L.A.





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californians don't care about yards we have beaches, mountains, etc. to go to instead why would i wanna hang out in a yard? also yards are terrible for the environment.

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the disrespect



i feel many in los angeles dont have very much yards due to how many houses there are esp newer houses BUT that is not all of us!!



as a californian i have a very nice big backyard! grass on one side and a pool on the other



i get to soak up those california rays by my pool with a margarita on those hot summer days 

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That nun is a hypocritical cunt.

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Katy I get you. I also want to have that.

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Yeah I'm sure a nightlife developer would be better for Jesus.

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did the sisters use that pool tho

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That's what I was thinking?

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you bet they did, the nuns at my school built a pool. They tried so hard to convince us that it was a gift from an ex-student and not paid by our school fees



Edited at 2017-03-18 05:51 pm (UTC)

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They use it for washing away their sins.

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lmfao

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lmaooo

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Rosavel, I agree!

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Caption: #workingforyoupuertorico We got a 4th plane headed to PR and working on a 5th! I'm bringing $25k in Costco gift cards, $25k in cash gift cards and approximately 15k lbs of food, water and medical supplies. With the planes return we will be able to transport PR citizens stateside to get medical attention. #Bstrong -Bethenny has been using her charity Bstrong to get as much help to Puerto Rico as possible.-Thus far she has chartered four planes full of water, canned goods, diapers, baby food, medical supplies, and more. #THISISACRISIS Puerto Rican's saw our truck and are lining up in droves hoping to get basic essentials. We are the first relief efforts they have seen since #HurricaneMaria hit a week and a half ago! These people need your help. Please donate at www.bstrongdeliveringgood.org #BStrong Here we are at our headquarters organizing and loading the truck for the planes heading to PR from Miami, Fort Lauderdale and NYC. Filling 3 planes with supplies, suitcases full of cash cards, pediatric supplies, insulin, hygiene products, medics, non perishable food, Rescue Warrior nurses, EMTs, combat medics. We will return these planes full of PR cancer patients, diabetics and people that are dying. Please donate to bstrongdelivergood.org to help me with these efforts.Source: 1
Jimmy Kimmel's monologue gave me chills.

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we are seeing the real human Jimmy here and I love it.

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He's surpassing Colbert for my favorite late-nite host. I've always liked him, but he's really coming out on top for me.

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Seeing him choked up like that made me want to cry. We need more socially conscious comedians like him.

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Im bawling

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Same. It reminded me of Dave's response to 9/11 and Craig's response to Britney's meltdown, because it's a very raw, human moment. Kimmel was just another late night host to me, but these past few weeks he's really gained my respect. I just wanted to give him a hug when I watched this and tell him it's okay to be emotional, don't apologize for it.

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Added to my calendar with the memo: VOTE FOR SANE PEOPLE

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not the entire Congress, but the entire House of Representatives, plus some Senators.

the House has 2-year terms, the Senate has 6-year.

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It's not so easy if they keep up voter suppression and working with the Russians...

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The Senate will be hard (more D's up than Republicans but boyyyy are some of those R seats up for grabs- dirty fucking dean heller im talking to you) but we can win the House! We need 2006 level turnout and rebuke of this congress and administration. We NEED to take back the gavel from Paul Ryan



Edited at 2017-10-03 06:07 am (UTC)

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there's almost no chance of democrats flipping it even if they do an amazing campaign. and considering they are the democrats and thus unable to have a great campaign.... prepare to be disappointed.



let's hope for the best though. it'd be a dream come true if paul ryan lost his seat.

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"Almost no chance" Just stop it. Democrats only need about 30 seats to take majority. This negativity might have been in vogue during last year's election. It will not be tolerated in 2018. There is no reason to "dream", go canvas. Anything but spout bs online.



Edited at 2017-10-03 12:10 pm (UTC)

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oh ffs...there's a chance.

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I wish it were the entire senate--I'd boot Cory Gardner's useless ass out.

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Yaaaass!!! That's three days before my 30th birthday so 2018 BEST DELIVERT and we/y'all better get together!!!! Fix this ASAP. That's my birthday wish I am doubling on my 29th birthday next month, mkay! Let's go!

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I wasn't at the event itself but on The Strip and it was still an extremely scary thing.

My family are locals and know people who have died and were shot so it's the most real attack for me.



It's so upsetting. Many of the casinos had their signs dedicated to the tragedy with numbers to call if missing loved ones or for people looking to donate blood. So many people showed up that all the appointments for the day were filled, so that's good news.

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All the love, bb. 

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wow jimmy's monologue made me really emotional

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same here

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My mom's friends nephew was suppose to go with a group but ended up giving his ticket to a friend. The friend was shot through his throat. I can't imagine.



Jimmy's monologue was so touching. He had been such a powerful voice lately.

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OMG :(

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Holy shit. :(

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Omg. No =(

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holy shit 

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That reminds me of my friend who had a ticket for the Bataclan concert but her dad was dying so she didn't go, but she didn't make a decision until the last minute so she didn't sell her ticket. Her friend she was going to meet was killed.

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Oh my god :(

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James Corden: "Gun violence should not be a staple of American life." pic.twitter.com/VVGk6hwVuj  Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) October 3, 2017



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Kimmel's monologue moved me to tears, his raw open emotions were almost hard to watch. But I do feel that we will probably never have meaningful gun control legislation. Gun lobbyists love mass shootings, the talk of gun control comes up, their value skyrockets, it lingers for awhile and then just goes away. They have too much control and too much money to allow anything that would hurt their sales and mass shootings only bolster them.

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so I just watched the video of jason aldean running off stage in mid performance, I'm seeing a lot of people criticizing him for leaving the stage without warning the audience. just curious ONTD, what's your opinion on his reaction?





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I think theres no right way to handle it. The man was wearing in ears so he truly couldnt hear anything. IF he heard anything, Im sure he thought it was his heavily pyrotechnic show. He was like any normal human, scared for his life and probably only thinking of himself and his family.

On the flip side, if he yelled, RUN! to the crowd, he couldve incited an even bigger riot and rush to exits.

Im not going to shame him for being scared.



Edited at 2017-10-03 04:55 am (UTC)

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I would have been scared shitless and taken off running too. In that situation I don't blame anyone for not having the presence of mind to do something like give instructions to a crowd.

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It's a human reaction, I can't fault him.

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Even had he warned the audience, there is no telling if the audience would have even responded. It sounded like mass confusion and could have made it worse. I don't fault him for his reaction and I'm sure he is likely going to blame himself for not warning people.

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I can't blame him, who knows what you'd do until you're in the situation. Someone from his team said his pregnant wife was backstage and they rushed to get her to safety.

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It was his flight response. He did what he had to do to survive.

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It was a natural reaction. He was scared. And if he did yell something, it could have caused an even bigger panic. :(

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it was a damned if you do damned if you dont situation. he quickly thought about himself. im sure people in the crowd who were clueless wouldve wanted to know what was happening but at the same time it could have created another dangerous situation of people stepping on each other to get out.



who knows what the right reaction should have been. it is what it is.

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ia and honestly there was nothing he could've done

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Yeah, I can't imagine what kind of mass panic the crowd could have been sent into if they were told.

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This summer I was out bar hopping in my hometown and witnessed a man stop his truck in the middle of the street and pull a gun on some dude bros who were already in an altercation.



I'm super into true crime and like to think I'm moderately aware of my surroundingsand would be a good witness, but I can hardly remember any details and didn't even think to take down the license plate number. I absolutely froze and in that moment all I could think to do was hide against a wall and not involve myself in the incident in any way. Fear is a crazy thing and can absolutely stun you.



Edited at 2017-10-03 05:07 am (UTC)

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People at work were talking about this today. Even if you knew every detail that we know now I'm not sure what he could have said that would have helped. Without knowing anything it's even worse. What if you tell everyone to run, then there's a stampede and people are killed and it was some sort of hoax? What if you tell everyone to stay and there are also explosives that are going to go off where they are? I don't blame him at all, and I'm sure he'll be second guessing himself for a long time.

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I can't really say I blame him. Scared, and sort of isolated up on the stage... Probably no really good way to handle it.

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I think anyone would've done the same thing.

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There's absolutely no fault there. Someone's shooting, you run.

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its heartless to criticize someone on a stage in a moment of panic. what if he was wrong? and he just caused mass panic that would have led to severe injuries because he was wrong or someone off stage told him something was happening that was wrong?



leave the dude alone. (not you, I mean in response to the question).

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1) it wouldn't have helped significantly for him to warn to crowd 2) it's not unrealistic for a performer to assume they are the target/a bigger target in a situation like this

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Flight or fight response knows no logic.

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Those criticisms are absurd. No one knows how they'd respond in that kind of scenario until it happens to them.

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I can't really fault him for it. He was probably in a state of panic and that was his reaction. There's a chance he might think back on it and regret not saying something.

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There's really no way to know how one would even react in that situation until you're IN that situation. So I can't fault him.

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Fight or flight is human nature he may have just instinctually run.

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i feel like people who are criticizing don't understand how humans work

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There is nothing to criticize.

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I would have ran too.





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Those people are idiots. What could he have warned them about? They were as aware of what was happening as he was. Risking his life to point out the obvious would have been a dumb and pointless move.

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He's a human being who found himself in a horrific situation that no one could possibly have prepared him for, and as others have said, with thousands of people confused and scared anyway, it is totally possible that any attempt to warn the audience to leave would have caused mass panic and even more injury and death. Bolting is a completely understandable and human reaction to danger and I don't fault him for just getting the hell out, especially when he probably wasn't even making his decisions consciously.

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Although I get the public's reaction begin negative, what was he going to tell them to do? I'm not sure he even knew what was going on and no one knew where they were shooting from. What kind of directives do you give people in that case?

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I honestly can't blame him.

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they literally tell you to run in pretty much all civilian training on the issue. it's like airplane mask, you put your shit on first.

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Really unfair-- you hear gunshots, and you're out there on stage in front of thousands of people, wouldn't you maybe think they're shooting at YOU? So you run? It's the natural and proper response and anyone saying otherwise is just a jerk :(

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why the fuck would anyone criticize him for that

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Our late talk show hosts are now de facto activists, not because they want to, but because it would be incomprehensible to not be  Mindy Kaling (@mindykaling) October 3, 2017

The US is such a crazy place.

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lol no

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how the fuck are theatre-kid Corden and fuck nut Colbert consider activists? seriously...

Kimmel is connecting with audiences better than b4 I'll give him that and Meyers pulls off a good English 101 persuasive argument every week but other than that.. not activists.



this tweet is tone-deaf as fuck and if you replaced "late talk shows hosts" with celebrities and and "de facto activists" with politicians in that tweet, you can see how fucking out of touch Mindy is. idk I'm just sick of celebs being quick to laud other celebs as beacons of hope rather than use their voice to elevate people within the movement who truly need visibility.



Edited at 2017-10-03 09:38 am (UTC)

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The reason that they came off as English 101 is because they are aware they are hosting a late night talk show and are therefore limited as a platform? They are doing the most they can with what they have and that in itself is a form of activism. And I say this as someone who loathes Corden. Like you cannot imagine how much I hate the guy lol

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Well Kimmel has been very vocal about other issues as well. Healthcare for one. I mean, an activist is a person who campaigns to bring about political or social change. I feel like by him bringing awareness/attention to a mass audience hes definitely campaigning for change.

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colbert has always been an activist in his own way



yes he fucked up with spicer, but he's been caucusing, participating in protests and giving ppl a voice for a really long time

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Poor Jimmy. :(

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Poor, poor Jimmy. I hope he can somehow push through this ordeal, against all odds... I see a sliver of hope for him.

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Nnnn

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lmaaaooo

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"It feels like someone opened a window into hell."



Just now? Many have been feeling that warm breeze of injustice & chaos.

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I think he's talking about this Tr*mp era. It's like suddenly evil was given a green light... the racism in this country is a constant problem but *right now* it feels like we are reaching a new level of hate with the kkk endorsing Agent Orange and the nazis marching in the south. Things are fucked up.

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Why are gun enthusiasts so opposed to proper control? Do they really want dereanged people like this man representing them? They should be the ones pushing hardest. Its so incredibly frustrating

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I've had this debate with my father for years, while he is for some gun control laws, closing loopholes and such, he doesn't want to see things time assault style weapons banned. We always seem to come back to the argument of cars being used as weapons or knives. And no matter how many times I argue that cars and knives are not the same thing as a weapon designed specifically to kill, it goes nowhere.



But he also doesn't want to be lumped in with crazies like that so I dunno. Its a worthless argument most times.

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Has he given you a reason as to why civilians would need assault rifles?

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When a 64 year old white man kills 58 and wounds 500 in fifteen minutes from 1200 feet with a knife, I will absolutely call for knife control. Until then, you've made the world's shittiest point.  Timothy Simons (@timothycsimons) October 2, 2017

Cars and knives aren't killing dozens and injuring hundreds in minutes, so tired of that lame argument.

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Who cares if Kim Jong-un gets a nuke? Nukes dont kill people, PEOPLE kill people.



... see how fucking stupid that sounds? #GunControl  Bob Cunningham  (@BCunningham215) October 2, 2017

that line of thinking omg.

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When most Americans want gun reform, It's incredibly disturbing to hear the outliers like your dad who don't give a damn about children being murdered.

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its all about stubbornness

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I think it's out of selfishness, apart of the American way. Our country was built on white men being told that they could do what every they want. And damn the rights of others.

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The most common thing I see is "banning them wouldn't stop anyone!"



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I always see the "banning guns won't stop criminals from acquiring them" and I'm just like "So the solution is to make it even easier?" I just don't understand gun logic.

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They all have fucked up action movie fantasies of being the hero in these situations and pulling out their gun and shooting the bad guys. Statistically, panic makes people do stupid things and it would only make things worse, but they don't see it that way.



Even women are like this. My ex co-worker started working at a gun shop, became obsessed with guns from it, and guess what she's doing now? She's a cop and a Trump supporter. She used to be a fucking theater geek.

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They love their toys.

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"Guns don't kill people, people kill people!!!!!" 111!!!1

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They all have the same tired arguments: Criminals would still access them, they would be unable to protect themselves against armed criminals, etc. My dad sort of came around once I got it through his head that regulation is not equivalent to banning all firearms (I think everyone knows this culture is too far gone for that to ever be feasible), but it's a waste of time to argue with many gun owners.

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The usual "guns don't kill people, people kill people" that yeah it is true but it is a flawed pro-gun logic because giving guns to people it's just going to make way easier for them to kill other people, also the argument of "if the victims would have had guns this wouldn't have happened" another flawed argument because we don't live in a videogame or in an action movie, a bunch of scared people with guns is never a good idea, but gringos don't understand logic, just feelings.



Edited at 2017-10-03 03:09 pm (UTC)

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it's too much already

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I feel so bad for Jimmy. He's had to do way too many of these sorts of monologues. I still remember the one he did after the movie theater shooting a couple of years ago.

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he is really good at expressing what a lot of people are thinking in an eloquent and relatable way

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Edited at 2017-10-03 03:06 pm (UTC)

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lol

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Lol Taylor is totally Tahani but not as gorgeous.

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omg yes

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That's really sweet.

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I wonder if this will be read as a political act, sending flowers to a police officer.

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If the only comment on their instagram post of the flowers is any indication, then maybe

"samanthastarrhayes So happy to no she backs the blue!"

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Well there you go. Things are so different now.

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Know does not = No, Samantha.

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Gross of that lady to make that assumption but shes probably not wrong. I have a lot of law enforcement relatives and I dont back blue



Edited at 2017-10-03 07:41 pm (UTC)

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that's what i was thinking lmao

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That's how I read it. Sending flowers to a cop seems pretty pointed.

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That made me sit up. Like it reads weird.

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She probably donated a bunch of money, she's pretty consistently charitable.

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She is very public about donating money though so if she did donate we will hear about it sooner than later

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I wish I could do nice small gestures like this for people

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Small gestures don't have to be expensive I'm sure you could figure something out.

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You're so right. I remember Taylor once said she keeps little birthday cards in her bag so if she runs into someone on their birthday, she could write them a quick little note. Thought that was a cute idea.

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k

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the cop works for the LAPD and was in Vegas for the concert.

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yeah that's a clever was to promote a blue lives matter/cop-friendly image without drawing the heavy politics of into it. bravo.

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Well Taylor didn't share this to her socials, she did it privately and they chose to make it public.

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duh

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that's how these things have always worked lol

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this isnt really a blue lives matter situation because this cop was there as a civilian and this wasnt a police brutality situation



cop friendly though, absolutely

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That's such a weird gesture.

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well...that's nice....



hmmT 

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i don't think they're unwarranted considering it took her a week to acknowledge orlando

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I get that Orlando has special significance for a lot of people because it was a hate crime, but I legit don't understand people placing importance on celebs posting generic "thoughts and prayers" messages on social media, especially for celebs that don't tweet 20 times a day. There are a ton of horrible tragedies that happen outside of the US/Western countries that most American celebrities NEVER acknowledge, but that doesn't necessarily mean they don't give a shit

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Has she acknowledged PR? Havent seen ha hmmmmt

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is she sending flowers to all the victims or just the ones who are cops? I'm curious

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lmao

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It was so baffled by the comments then I remembered how much ONTD hates her.

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Same

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MTE

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mte

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mhmmm

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yup lol

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mfte. she knows damn well these people were gonna post this on insta or facebook

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She's daddy's little girl (by that I mean perpetually 15 mentally)

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Yep

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Lmao yup.

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Mhmm

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hmmmm... exactly

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very good.



she's good.very good.

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Seriously I was gonna include a gif with my original comment but yeah hmmmmmmT:

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yep

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lol mte...

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bloop

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LOL this thread.

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pretty much

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Yup lol

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You know it

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mmhhmm

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What Im sayin

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Yup

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lmao this thread

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Lmaooo tell em sis! My exact reaction too.

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I would find it so strange to get flowers from a celebrity, no matter the circumstance but like as long as the recipient enjoys it whatever.

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I'm going to guess that since she's someone who spends significant time in LA, she's probably relied on the LAPD for extra security in the past and wanted to do something nice.

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nah it's bc she's trying to dog whistle to ha neo nazi peers sis!

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An Unkindness of Ghosts - Rivers SolomonSynopsis: An Unkindness of Ghosts takes place on the HSS Matilda  space ship organized like the antebellum South, on a mission to take the last of humanity to the "Promised Land." Aster is a dark-skinned sharecropper, enslaved by the upper classes. As she retraces the circumstances of her mother's suicide, she discovers secrets that may change everything. This book thoughtfully explores race, gender, and much more, while delivering a story that you won't be able to put down.Dogs at the Perimeter - Madeleine ThienSynopsis: As a child living in Cambodia, Janie lost her family in the violent genocide brought on by the Khmer Rouge regime. Decades later, she's living in Montreal, and attempting to come to terms with the trauma as she investigates the disappearance of a friend.The Floating World - C. Morgan BabstSynopsis: The book follows the Boisdores family, whose eldest daughter, Cora, refuses to evacuate, forcing them to leave her behind. When Cora's sister, Del, returns to New Orleans from New York, she finds her hometown and her family in ruins.Uncommon Type (Some Stories) - Tom HankSynopsis: A collection of short stories. A gentle Eastern European immigrant arrives in New York City after his family and his life have been torn apart by his country's civil war. A man who loves to bowl rolls a perfect game--and then another and then another and then many more in a row until he winds up ESPN's newest celebrity, and he must decide if the combination of perfection and celebrity has ruined the thing he loves. An eccentric billionaire and his faithful executive assistant venture into America looking for acquisitions and discover a down and out motel, romance, and a bit of real life.In the Midst of Winter - Isabel AllendeSynopsis: Richard Bowmastera 60-year-old human rights scholarhits the car of Evelyn Ortegaa young, undocumented immigrant from Guatemalain the middle of a snowstorm in Brooklyn. What at first seems just a small inconvenience takes an unforeseen and far more serious turn when Evelyn turns up at the professors house seeking help. At a loss, the professor asks his tenant Lucia Maraza 62-year-old lecturer from Chilefor her advice. These three very different people are brought together in a mesmerizing story that moves from present-day Brooklyn to Guatemala in the recent past to 1970s Chile and Brazil, sparking the beginning of a long overdue love story between Richard and Lucia.
Phyllis Schlafly was a real piece of work.



Actually, let me not be polite: she was a piece of shit.

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i had never heard of her so i googled her and..."By getting married, the woman has consented to sex, and I don't think you can call it rape."...i guess i have to agree with you on that binch.

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In addition to being basically a mens rights activist, she was also a terrible homophobe who rallied against LGBTQ rights

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Syphilis Schlafly

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yM1OJ_9s2mE I wrote a thesis in college that include info on the ERA and Phyllis. The woman is insane.

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I was never really taught anything about it in high school. We learned about women's suffrage and Susan B Anthony but nothing more recent than that. Maybe it was glossed over to avoid bringing politics into the classroom and upsetting parents.

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it has never been given the credit it rightly deserved, not even at its height.

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FUCK PHYLLIS SCHLAFLY



now that that's out of the way, I'm looking forward to this and lesbian rural Get Out

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I could see Marianne Jean-Baptiste as Flo too.

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White michelle williams as phylis? Or renee zelweger.



Obviously we need the larger names for financing.

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Excellent.



I hope she does the horror project with Jason Blum next 

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I forgot about the Blumhouse thing. I hope so too

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Blumhouse is overated millennial horror.



I SAID IT!!

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Careful, better cast someone before Emma Watson and Lena Dunham get their hands on it.

Also fuck Phyllis Schaferly

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oh dear god no LOL

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Emma already had her agent insert her name for Flo. You happy??

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Stealing that poc crown from Emma #1

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rumoured to be working on an original script described as a lesbian rural Get Out



hmmm....i'm cautiously intrigued

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Could this be the lesbian farmer takeover that Rush Limbaugh warned us about?

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we can only hope!

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i'm writing a research paper on the ERA and it's a really fascinating topic. i'll keep my eye out on casting news.

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What a beautiful photo. I like her a lot, so good to see a black lesbian getting these projects. The Joan Didion and rural lesbian thriller films sound the most exciting to me

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just 2 more states

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hope it drags phyllis to filth

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Just be sure not to sell this one to Netflix, a.k.a., where prestige releases go to not get Oscar nominations.

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Give me all the lesbians.



This Steinem/Kennedy movie sounds interest. Phyllis Schlafly was flat out evil and anything about tearing her apart is good.

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Nice to see her career on the uptick again.

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New Warning Out on Bulk Bauxite Shipping

According to IMO, around 100 million tonnes of bauxite, one of the world's major sources of aluminum, are moved annually by sea. In 2015, the 10-year-old Bahamas flag Supramax bulk carrier Bulk Jupiter sank with the loss of 18 seafarers, a sinking referenced in the IMO circular.

The International Maritime Organization recently issued a new warning that bauxite may become unstable when carried in bulk on a ship, potentially causing the vessel to capsize. IMO's announcement said research presented to it found that certain forms of bauxite with a large proportion of smaller particles could be subject to a newly identified phenomenon of "dynamic separation" when there is excess moisture in the cargo.

Carrying a date of Sept. 20, 2017, the warning circular took effect immediately, ahead of the scheduled 2019 adoption of new test methods and relevant schedules for bauxite cargoes during the routine scheduled updating of the International Maritime Solid Bulk Cargoes (IMSBC) Code. This code is the industry rulebook on how to deal with bulk cargoes.

The CCC.1 circular updates a previous circular on carriage of bauxite and asks governments to note that some bauxite cargoes (specifically those with a larger proportion of smaller particles) present a risk caused by moisture and should be treated as Group A cargoes. Excess moisture in such cargoes can lead to a free surface slurry that can cause wobbling of the ship -- atypical motion that can produce cargo instability.

According to IMO, around 100 million tonnes of bauxite, one of the world's major sources of aluminum, are moved annually by sea. In 2015, the 10-year-old Bahamas flag Supramax bulk carrier Bulk Jupiter sank with the loss of 18 seafarers, a sinking referenced in the circular.

IMO's Sub-Committee on Carriage of Cargoes and Containers (CCC 4, which met Sept. 11-15 in London at IMO headquarters) raised awareness on the potential risks posed by moisture and provided new guidance on carriage of bauxite in the circular, which is aimed at shippers, terminal operators, shipowners, ship operators, charterers, shipmasters, and all other entities concerned.

The organization notes there is "a long history of safely shipping bauxites over many decades and problems and accidents resulting from carrying bauxite cargoes are extremely rare." It says, however, that after the loss of the Bulk Jupiter, the global bauxite industry was requested by IMO to undertake research into the behavior of bauxites during ocean transportation and responded by forming the Global Bauxite Working Group to conduct research.
Harvard biologist Jonathan Losos, pictured handling an American Crocodile skull at the MCZ, talks about his new book, Improbable Destinies: Fate, Chance, and the Future of Evolution. Credit: Kris Snibbe/Harvard Staff Photographer

Three years ago, when Harvard biologist Jonathan Losos settled in at the Geological Lecture Hall for a talk by fellow scientist Richard Lenski, he was toying with the idea of writing a book on evolution. When the lecture was over, he was done toying.

Losos, an evolutionary biologist and the Monique and Philip Lehner Professor for the Study of Latin America, said the work described by Michigan State's Lenski filled in a picture partly painted by experiments Losos already knew aboutsome of which he had conducted himself, with lizards from the genus Anolis, commonly called anoles, on islands in the Caribbean.

Lenski's research approximated what the late Harvard paleontologist Stephen Jay Gould, who wrote extensively about evolution, might have described as "replaying the tape of life," Losos said.

"Gould had suggested that if we could somehow replay the tapestart evolution over again from the same starting point, then we get a very different outcome," Losos said. But Gould also knew that the project he was describing was impossible, strictly "a thought experiment," as Losos put it.

"But Lenski showed that you can replay the tape, at least in the lab using microorganisms," he said. "By starting 12 populations of E. coli that were initially identical and subjecting them all to the same natural selection pressures, he was actually replaying the tape, not going back in time, but letting the tape replay side by side in his 12 experimental replicates.

"Moreover, I realized that the same approach was being taken not just in the lab by Lenski and the many, many investigators he has inspired, but similar evolution experiments were also taking place in natural settings, trading the hyper-controlled environment of the lab for the natural realism of field studies. In fact, I had done some of those studies myself."

In a Gazette Q&A, Losos discussed the book the Lenski lecture helped set in motion, "Improbable Destinies: Fate, Chance, and the Future of Evolution."

GAZETTE: The evolution you talk about in "Improbable Destinies" is not the slow evolution described by Charles Darwin. Instead, it's fast enough that we can observe it in real time. How is this fast evolution possible?

LOSOS: Darwin was quite remarkable in his insights. We know him for his studies on evolution by natural selection, but he actually studied all kinds of phenomena and was right almost all the time. It turned out, though, that he didn't get it right about the pace of evolution. He thought evolution occurred extremely slowly, at a glacial pace, so much so that you couldn't possibly expect to see it except over many, many thousands of years. We know now that's not correct. When natural selection is strong, evolution can occur very quickly.

GAZETTE: You also talk a great deal about convergent evolution, once thought a rare development. What is convergent evolution and how does it fit into the broader picture of evolution?

LOSOS: Convergent evolution is the phenomenon when two species, or even populations of the same species, independently evolve to be similar. Most often it is the result of those species being in similar circumstances and natural selection sculpts the same adaptive solution. This is an idea that was mentioned by Darwin in "On the Origin of Species," and we've known about it since.

But we didn't think it was common. It was routinely trotted out by evolutionary biologists as a great example of the power of natural selection to come up with the same answer to problems posed by the environment. [But] when biologists discovered convergent evolution, they'd use words like "striking," "exceptional," "unexpected," emphasizing that this is not the norm. We now know that convergent evolution occurs quite commonly.

One of the reasons is that we've been using DNA sequencing to build evolutionary trees. These treescalled phylogeniesindicate that species that we used to think were closely related because they are similar in appearance, or anatomy, or whatever, are not. Their similarity is not the result of recent shared ancestry, as we thought, but of convergent evolution.

One example from the book is a sea snake in the seas around Australia, India, and elsewhere in Asia. Scientists thought it was one species, with a remarkably broad geographic distribution. When scientists finally sequenced its DNA they found that populations in different places were not closely related to each other. Instead, each was more closely related to other snake species in their own area and so their incredibly close similarity to other sea snakes was the result of convergence.

GAZETTE: Talking about evolution that's fast and convergent leads to your own work. Tell us about the lizards of the Caribbean, and what your studies found.

LOSOS: For my Ph.D., many years ago, I studied Anolis lizards. Many people would be familiar with them because they're very common in Florida, elsewhere in the southeastern United States, and on the islands of the Caribbean. They have a flap of skin underneath their neck that the males stick out when they're courting females or fighting with other males. There are 400 different species in this group spread throughout the tropics of the New World, so they're a great evolutionary success story.

One aspect on which I've focused much of my career is that the lizards on each of the big islands of the CaribbeanCuba, Puerto Rico, Hispaniola, and Jamaicahave for the most part evolved independently. And, from one or a few ancestral species, they've diversified into many descendant species. But evolution has taken a very similar course.

On Puerto Rico, if you walked into the rain forest and sat quietly, after a few minutes the lizards would forget you were there and you'd see that there are species living in different parts of the forest and that these species have different anatomical features. For example, species near the ground have very long legs to run and jump on the ground. A species high in the canopy is green for camouflage and has big toe pads to hang on. Another species lives on twigs and has very short legs to maneuver carefully on irregular surfaces. So these species have diversified to adapt to the different parts of the habitat that they use.

What is remarkable is that when you go to other islands, you see these same habitat specialists. So, for example, each of the islands has a twig anolean elongated species with short legs, very camouflagedand the species on the different islands look similar enough that you'd say they're probably the same species. But they're not. They have independently evolved these characteristics. And each island has each of the types of habitat specialist.

It's a great example of convergence, but on steroids, if you will. Not just convergence of one type, but of an entire ensemble of species adapted to different parts of their similar environments.

GAZETTE: And you used this insight later in your career to actually engineer evolution and to watch it happen?

LOSOS: These lizards, I should point out, have evolved over millions of years. But they suggest that using different parts of the habitatbroad tree trunks, leaves up in the canopy, narrow surfaceshas selected for them to evolve different anatomical features. And that suggests that an ideal experiment would be to expose a lizard species to new conditions, a new habitat, and we would have clear predictions about how they would adapt to that habitat.

So that's exactly what we did. Working in the Bahamas, we were able to take a species that lives on broad tree trunks near the ground and move it to tiny little islands where there were no big trees, there were only scraggly little bushes. So they had to use narrow little surfaces to sit on. Our prediction was very clear from our studies on the big islandthat they should adapt by evolving shorter legs. And that's exactly what they did and over a relatively short period of time.

GAZETTE: What comes through in the book is a real enthusiasm and excitement for the work. The ability to actually study evolution and conduct experiments on it in real time seems to have energized the field. What's it like being able to study these fundamental questions?

LOSOS: It's spectacular. Evolutionary biology, for the first century of its existence, was thought of as a non-experimental science, one with more similarity to history than laboratory sciences. The idea was: You can't go back in time and see what happened, so you just have to try to figure it out.

But the ability to do experiments changes all that. We can now not only formulate hypotheses, but also test them using the gold standard of science: manipulative experiments. People have been doing laboratory experiments for decades, but to do experiments out in the field, under natural conditions, is something that is only really taking off right now. It allows us to formulate ideas about how evolution has worked based on our observations of diversity today and in the past, and then to investigate these hypotheses with mechanistic studies, experimentally testing how evolution occurs in response to presumed selective agents.

GAZETTE: Your book talks a lot about convergent evolution and the predictability of evolution under certain circumstances, but you also conduct a thought experiment about whether humansor something humanlikewould have evolved if mammals weren't around. And in this case, despite ample evidence of convergence, it seems you're saying that randomness hasn't gone away, and if you start at very different starting points, you'll end up at very different end points, even under similar natural selection pressures.

LOSOS: One of the great questions transcending evolutionary biology is: How destined was the world to be as it is today? If events had transpired differently in the past, would the world be very different?

Historians ask this all the time. What if Churchill had been run over by a car in New York City in 1931, as almost happened? What if Kennedy hadn't been assassinated? How different would the world be today? And evolutionary biologists ask the very same question. If you look at the plants and animals in the world around us, are they the inevitable result of evolutionary processes of natural selection, or just the result of the particular events in Earth's history that sent evolution down one road and not another?

This debate was catalyzed by Gould, who wrote a book in 1989 titled "Wonderful Life: The Burgess Shale and the Nature of History." In it, Gould argued that evolution was not destined to produce particular outcomes. He said if we could somehow go back in time and start again from the same starting point, the outcome would differ every time. Any sort of minor change that might seem inconsequential at the time could lead one individual to survive and not another, cause one mutation to become common and not another, and evolution would go down a very different road. Replay the tape a million times, he said, and something like humans would never evolve again.

This was a very influential viewpoint but it was based on no data. There was nobody doing these sorts of experiments. However, the idea really excited a lot of people, so there's been a lot of attention to the question over the last 30 years. And the reason I wrote the book is that I realized we do have a lot of empirical data now addressing the question of how repeatable, or how predictable, evolution is.

One school of research that has arisen has focused on the phenomenon of convergent evolution, of the same evolutionary outcome occurring multiple times. A number of people argue that convergent evolution demonstrates that Gould was wrong. The environment poses similar questions to species living in many different places and there are optimal solutions that natural selection finds. As a result, you can predict, almost, what sort of outcome you'd get in a particular evolutionary circumstance, and that solution evolves time and time again. Contrary to what Gould argued, these other scientists argued that particular outcomes are inevitable. And that is how convergent evolution has been used by some scientists to contest the idea of the haphazardness, or the flukiness, of evolution.

GAZETTE: And your own conclusion is somewhere in the middle, right?

LOSOS: Yes, and the reason is that these scientists are absolutely correct that convergent evolution is much more common than we used to appreciate. It does show the power of natural selection and there are some outcomes that do occur repeatedly. So there is truth to that.

But the argument basically comes down to a long list of examples of convergent evolution and you could make a similar long list of examples of failure to converge, of species exquisitely adapted to their environment but with no parallel anywhere else in the world.

My favorite example is the duck-billed platypus. Here's a species that comes in for all kinds of ridicule as being a comical, ridiculous animal, but that's really not fair. They're actually extremely well adapted to the environment in which they occur, the streams in Australia. They have a suite of featureslush fur, webbed feet, powerful tailthat make them very well-adapted.

The most important feature they have is their bill, which looks like the bill of a duck, but which is very different from that of a duck. It is covered with sensors that detect both tactile informationthe slight ripple of water as a fish swims byand the electrical discharges that any animal gives off as it moves. Using those two senses, they can find their food underwater even though their eyes are closed and their ears and noses are closed. So, they're actually remarkably well adapted to the streams in which they live. But those streams are nothing special. We have similar streams all around the world, and yet there's no duck-billed platypus in any of them. It evolved once in Australia, without a parallel.

There are many examples of thiselephants, kiwis, giraffes. These are species very well adapted to where they live, environments that occur all around the world, and yet there's no convergent evolution.

You could make a very long list of examples of nonconvergence. The debate so far has been people arguing that convergence is more common or nonconvergence is more common. And that debate has gotten quite stale, because, in fact, they're both quite common. It doesn't really matter whose list is longer. The real question we now have is: What circumstances lead some species to evolve convergently, evolve convergent solutions, and in which cases do they follow different evolutionary courses, finding different adaptations to the same selection pressures? And that's the sort of work that's going on in many places around the world, including some labs here at Harvard.

This story is published courtesy of the Harvard Gazette, Harvard University's official newspaper. For additional university news, visit Harvard.edu.
MphR biosensor binding to its target DNA sequence. Credit: Edward Kalkreuter

Researchers from North Carolina State University have engineered designer biosensors that can detect antibiotic molecules of interest. The biosensors are a first step toward creating antibiotic-producing "factories" within microbes such as E. coli.

Macrolides are a group of naturally occurring small molecules that can have antibiotic, antifungal or anticancer effects. The antibiotic erythromycin is one example - it is a macrolide produced by soil-dwelling bacteria. Researchers are interested in using these natural antibiotics and the microbes that produce them in order to develop new antibiotics; however, microbes that produce antibiotic macrolides only make small amounts of a limited variety of antibiotics.

"Our ultimate goal is to engineer microbes to make new versions of these antibiotics for our use, which will drastically reduce the amount of time and money necessary for new drug testing and development," says Gavin Williams, associate professor of bio-organic chemistry at NC State and corresponding author of a paper describing the research. "In order to do that, we first need to be able to detect the antibiotic molecules of interest produced by the microbes."

Williams and his team used a naturally occurring molecular switch - a protein called MphR - as their biosensor. In E. coli, MphR can detect the presence of macrolide antibiotics being secreted by microbes that are attacking E. coli. When MphR senses the antibiotic, it turns on a resistance mechanism to negate the antibiotic's effects.

The researchers created a large library of MphR protein variants and screened them for the ability to switch on production of a fluorescent green protein when they were in the presence of a desired macrolide. They tested the variants against erythromycin, which MphR already recognizes, and found that some of the MphR variants improved their detection ability tenfold. They also successfully tested the variants against macrolides that were not closely related to erythromycin, such as tylosin.

"Essentially we have co-opted and evolved the MphR sensor system, increasing its sensitivity in recognizing the molecules that we're interested in," says Williams. "We know that we can tailor this biosensor and that it will detect the molecules we're interested in, which will enable us to screen millions of different strains quickly. This is the first step toward high-throughput engineering of antibiotics, where we create vast libraries of genetically modified strains and variants of microbes in order to find the few strains and variants that produce the desired molecule in the desired yield."

The research appears in ACS Synthetic Biology, and was funded by the National Institutes of Health (grant GM104258) and the NC State Chancellor's Innovation Fund. Graduate student Yiwei Li, former graduate student Christian Kasey, former undergraduate student Mounir Zerrad, and T. Ashton Cropp, professor of chemistry at Virginia Commonwealth University, contributed to the work.

More information: Christian Kasey et al, Development of transcription factor-based designer macrolide biosensors for metabolic engineering and synthetic biology, ACS Synthetic Biology (2017). DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.7b00287 Journal information: ACS Synthetic Biology
Yeast cells without protein aggregates (left) and those with (bright luminous spots): In times of starvation, the clumps serve as temporary storage for proteins. Credit: Matthias Peter / ETH Zurich

Researchers at ETH have discovered that the formation of protein aggregates in yeast cells is reversible. This casts new light on human diseases that can be attributed to certain protein aggregates.

Protein aggregates have a bad reputation. A number of human diseases, especially those of the nervous system, such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), are due to the clumping of degenerate proteins in nerve cells, creating aggregates that the cells cannot dissolve. This causes the cells to die.

Now, researchers led by ETH Professor Matthias Peter and Reinhard Dechant have shed new light on protein aggregates in a study involving yeast cells. The corresponding paper has just been published in the journal Nature Cell Biology. In it, the ETH scientists show that protein clumps form in yeast cells in response to stress factors such as nutrient starvation or heat. If the cells survive the stress, they can dissolve the aggregates again, quickly recycle the individual components, and use them for cellular metabolism.

Clumps form in response to stress

The researchers' discovery of the enzyme Cdc19 is an example of a protein that clumps together under stress. The enzyme supplies energy to the cells. The researchers discovered that Cdc19 breaks down into four identical subunits upon glucose starvation. These subunits then change their original shape and clump together with other molecules, such as ribonucleic acids or other enzymes, to form aggregates. The researchers refer to these clumps as stress granules. Once incorporated into an aggregate of this kind, Cdc19 becomes inactive and is no longer able to produce fuel for the cell. During this time, the cell can neither grow nor multiply.

However, the process is reversible. As soon as the stress has passed, the stress granules dissolve, and the four subunits of Cdc19 assemble together so that the enzyme can resume its role in glucose metabolism.

The clumps have a clear purpose, says Matthias Peter: "The yeast cell uses aggregates as a sort of warehouse for important enzymes, so that these are protected from breakdown in stress situations and can be reactivated immediately after the cell survives the stress." The aggregates, he says, protect these molecules from being broken down by the cell's own disposal mechanisms. If the cell had to synthesise these compounds again after each stress situation, it would cost the cell a lot of time and energy.

A simple sequence is sufficient for clumping

The researchers also clarified how and why Cdc19 is able to form clumps. In the structure of a Cdc19 subunit, they identified a short, unfolded subsection with a simple composition. In technical terms, these sections are known as "low complexity regions" (LCRs), and the researchers say they also occur in other aggregate-forming proteins in other organisms, including humans.

"The LCRs are exposed due to the breakdown of the enzyme complex and trigger the aggregation process," says Peter. "It was therefore important for us to find a sequence of this kind in Cdc19. This confirms that there is a general mechanism." In the yeast's normal state, the LCR of Cdc19 is concealed, or has several phosphate groups that the LCR "deactivates". It is only in the event of nutrient stress that the LCR emerges and the phosphate groups are removed  and only then can aggregates form.

An important finding

"Our research has created a sense of a new awakening in the scientific community," says Reinhard Dechant, a group leader at the Institute of Biochemistry, who led the study together with Matthias Peter. Until now, he says, aggregates were primarily seen as pathogenic particles, because the only thing visible in patients is the result of the process  that is, insoluble protein plaques that cause a disease. "Our paper also examines the start of aggregation and how it progresses," says Dechant, explaining that protein clumps will not form simply because of a disease, but rather because the cell needs them in order to survive a stress situation. "For the first time, we were able to show that both the formation and the breakdown of aggregates is an important mechanism in cells."

Other ETH Zurich research groups examining aggregates in yeast cells have made similar discoveries in the past. Accordingly, other ETH scientists were able to demonstrate that clumps of degenerate proteins work, among other things, like a memory and help the cells to store past (negative) experiences (as reported in ETH News). It therefore appears that the functional aggregation of certain proteins is a widespread regulatory mechanism.

More information: Shady Saad et al. Reversible protein aggregation is a protective mechanism to ensure cell cycle restart after stress, Nature Cell Biology (2017). DOI: 10.1038/ncb3600 Journal information: Nature Cell Biology
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Do you believe emailing gets in the way of more important tasks at work  or that checking your inbox only a few times a day is the most efficient approach?

New research by a Kingston University email expert from London is challenging some of the commonly-held beliefs around the best way to manage  and use  emails in the workplace.

Dr Emma Russell, Head of the Well-being at Work Research Group at Kingston Business School in London, conducted an extensive review of the literature regarding strategies people use to manage their work email. Emerging themes were then sense-checked in interviews with a group of working adults to find out how these approaches work in practice.

Commissioned by UK workplace experts Acas, the findings of the study are now being used to provide impartial information and guidance to employers and employees. As well as leading to the development of a series of top tips for employees, the research also called into question the effectiveness of popular perceptions around email use.

One such example was the belief that email was a time-wasting distraction from real, important work  when in actual fact, only a very small proportion of emails sent and received at work is non-work critical, Dr Russell said.

"People use email to help them get their jobs done," the occupational psychology expert explained. "Most people say they couldn't imagine being able to do their work effectively without it, and very few send non-work critical email during their working day."

Another myth challenged by the research was that emailing gets in the way of developing strong working relationships between colleagues  whereas in actual fact, it only reflects the existing culture within the workplace, Dr Russell added.

"The way emails are used tends to mirror the culture of an organisation  for example, email users will display poor email etiquette, and copy people into messages to hold others accountable, if a blame culture exists. When the culture of trust is good, email is used to forge new and rewarding relationships."

Meanwhile, the idea that people should only check their email a few times a day was another common practice found to be counter-productive. Instead, checking and processing emails regularly through the day allows workers to prioritise and control their workload effectively  and avoids the negative implications of a build-up of tasks in the inbox, Dr Russell said. "The key here is not to allow email to interrupt your work, but to choose when those checks are made," she added.

The research led to her identifying three key themes that strategies relate to  the culture of email in which a user operates, the shaping of behaviours as technology has developed over time, and individual differences relating to person characteristics and perceptions.

The research findings have now allowed Dr Russell to compile a series of top tips for effectively managing email at work. "It is clear there is no one-size-fits-all set of strategies that will universally improve our productivity and wellbeing at work," she said. "But using just some of these tips could significantly improve the way we manage our email, and help us to feel more in control. The pointers are sufficiently grounded in research to provide some useful advice."

Acas Senior Research Manager Rachel Pinto  who commissioned the research  said that email was an integral part of many people's working lives, so developing strategies to deal with it effectively was vital. "The research suggests employers and employees may benefit from reviewing their email behaviours and practices to help manage inboxes and to ensure that emails do not become a source of stress," she said. "Going forward, Acas will be using this research to help inform and develop our guidance to help workplaces develop positive working environments and relationships."

Dr Russell's top tips for managing email at work:

Deal with and clear email whenever you check it. Don't just read it, but act on it  file it, flag it, delete it. By reducing inbox clutter, people report feeling less overloaded.

Switch off email alerts. Interruptions can have a negative impact on our efficiency, but make sure that you are still logging on regularly  once every 45 minutes or so  to stay on top of email and new work priorities.

Use the 'delay send' function when sending email out of hours, so that recipients only receive their email during normal working hours. This means that while you are taking advantage of the flexibility of email, you aren't imposing this on the recipient.

Review your personal email strategies  are they purposeful and efficient or are they habitual and reactionary? Many people are engaged in automatic, reactive use of email that can prevent more strategic decision making and thought.

Dr Russell has been studying email behaviour in the workplace and its impact on public well-being for more than 12 years and has previously conducted research into how the email practices of diligent workers make them unhappy and less effective.
Credit: NASA

In a drying time, Mars may have been kept warm enough for liquid water to remain stable on the surface thanks to explosive bursts of methane gas, a new study finds.

The simulations, described in the journal Nature Geoscience, could explain how Mars managed to sustain a series of lakes in a climate that at first glance seems too cold and arid to have done so.

Since landing on the Red Planet in August 2012, NASA's rover Curiosity has discovered that 96-mile-wide Gale Crater held a series of lakes around 3.5 billion years ago. The rocks it has drilled and X-rayed and lasered have also revealed environments that would have been potentially habitable for Earth-like life.

Keep in mind, however, that Mars' wettest period was likely the first billion years of its 4.6 billion-year life, the Noachian period, when it had a thicker atmosphere that would have been better able to keep liquid water stable on the planet's surface.

"Although the climate was relatively cold compared to Earth, there is evidence that liquid water flowed in streams and rivers, formed alluvial fans and deltas, and ponded in big lakes and possibly seas," Alberto Fairen of the Centro de Astrobiologia in Spain and Cornell University, who was not involved in the paper, wrote in a commentary.

Then came the 600 million-year Hesperian period, when the Red Planet began to transform from a cold, wet world to a cold, icy one, as the protective atmosphere thinned and the planet's interior cooled. The next 3 billion years until now are known as the Amazonian period, during which Mars solidified its reputation as the cold, dry planet we see today.

So here's the thing that's puzzled planetary scientists: Gale Crater's rocks bear evidence of liquid water on Mars during the Hesperian period, including lakes (perhaps protected by a layer of surface ice) and deltas. But that means these lakes and deltas persisted during a period that was markedly drier, with a thinner atmosphere less capable of sustaining liquid water. How do these two facts square up?

"Previous hypotheses have struggled to explain lake-forming climates that are both rare and long-lasting," Fairen wrote. "For example, volcanism and impacts can produce episodes of climate warming, but not of sufficiently long duration."

Now, lead author Edwin Kite, a planetary scientist the University of Chicago, and his colleagues say that after running climate models they've come up with an explanation: explosive bursts of methane.

Here's how it works. The Red Planet's obliquity, or tilt on its axis, can vary far more dramatically than Earth's does. The researchers think that occasional dramatic shifts in that tilt (perhaps around 10 to 20 degrees) would have exposed ice-covered parts of the Martian surface to the sun, causing that cover to shrink fairly quickly. The ice's retreat would have exposed clathrates filled with pockets of methane, allowing the methane to burst out of the ground and into the atmosphere.

Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas - about 25 times as powerful as carbon dioxide. So if enough of it were to emerge from the ground at the same time, it could actually result in a significant amount of warming, the thinking goes.

Now, eventually, methane gets broken down by sunlight. But in the meantime, Kite and his colleagues found that it could lead to warming lasting hundreds of thousands of years - long enough to explain the extended presence of liquid water during this otherwise dry time in Martian history, scientists say.

What does this mean for the possibility that life could have emerged on Mars? Kite was quick to point out that if any microbes ever lived on the Red Planet, they would likely have done so during its earliest days, when water was far more abundant.

"If life ever established itself on Mars, then it would have probably done so before the relatively young (less than 3.6 billion years ago) features modeled in our paper," Kite wrote in an email.

Regardless, the study reveals an increasingly complex portrait of a planet in transition, scientists said.

"The methane burst scenario proposed by Kite et al. contributes to an emerging view that the existence of liquid water on early Mars arose from a combination of diverse astronomical, geochemical and geological factors," Fairen wrote. "Although it seems unlikely that a single mechanism can explain not only the presence of liquid water, but its recurrence and persistence, the methane burst hypothesis provides a means to episodically tip the Hesperian climate over the edge."

More information: Methane bursts as a trigger for intermittent lake-forming climates on post-Noachian Mars, Nature Geoscience (2017). nature.com/articles/doi:10.1038/ngeo3033 Journal information: Nature Geoscience

2017 Los Angeles Times

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
One man and his dog. Credit: Pierre Malou, Author provided

The relationship between people and their dogs can be a lasting and loving bond if the match is right. But when acquiring a dog, how do you know if that match will be a good one?

Research shows there is a difference in the way some dogs react to men and women, and it can also matter if the dog is a he or a she.

The challenge lies in understanding the interactions of dogs with humans. And part of that challenge can be influenced by gender stereotypes of both humans and dogs.

This shows why matching dogs to people is far more complicated than we might predict.

Humans and dogs: a long history

Humans have been co-evolving with dogs for thousands of years. We owe them a lot, including (perhaps surprisingly) the ways in which we experience and express gender via animals.

This often happens in negative ways, such as when women are referred to as bitches, cows, pigs, birds, chicks and men as wolves, pigs, rats. None of these animal metaphors have much to do with the animals themselves but more to do with how we use categories of animals to categorise humans.

So unpacking and challenging gender stereotypes might just also improve the lives of animals too.

A 2006 landmark analysis of gender and dog ownership revealed that owners use their dogs as props to display their own gender identities.

Dogs extend their innate social skills to humans. Credit: Paul McGreevy, Author provided

Participants in this study considered female dogs to be less aggressive but more moody than apparently more playful male dogs. They used gender stereotypes not only to select dogs, but also to describe and predict their dog's behaviour and personality.

The potential ramifications of this are important because such flawed predictions about dog behaviour can lead to a person giving up on their dog, which is then surrendered to a shelter.

Once surrendered, an aggressive bitch or uncooperative dog faces a grim future, with most dogs who fail a behavioural assessment being killed, adding to the troubling euthanasia rates in Australia.

That said, the predictive power of behaviour assessment in shelters is being questioned. Some say the ability of such assessments to reliably predict problematic behaviours in future adoptive homes is "vanishingly unlikely". Moreover, the assessments are likely to be informed by the gendered expectations and behaviours of the humans who assess, surrender or adopt.

A small study in the UK in 1999 observed 30 dogs in shelters when approached by unfamiliar men and women. It found that the female dogs spent less time looking towards all the humans than the male dogs did.

All the dogs barked at and looked towards the women less than the men, which the researchers suggest shows that gender of the potential adopter plays a role in determining what a good match might look like, as well as the likelihood of adoption.

Even the bond that dogs share with their primary care-giver may have gender differences. For example, in a 2008 Australian study (led by one of us, Paul), dog owners reported that male dogs showed elevated levels of separation-related distress compared to female dogs. They also reported that separation-related distress and food-related aggression increased with the number of human adult females in the household.

Desexing, which is more than justified by the animal welfare benefits of population control, also complicates cultural beliefs about appropriate dog gender and may even influence a dog's problem-solving behaviour. A recent study published this year suggests that desexing may have a more negative effect on female than male dogs when it comes to aspects of cognition.

Dogs and bitches may have different motivations. Credit: Paul McGreevy, Author provided

A study (co-authored by one of us, Paul) published last month, that focused solely on working sheepdogs and their handlers (and so may have limited relevance to domestic companion dogs), is the first report of behavioural differences related to gender difference in both dogs and humans.

Gender stereotypes

These studies underline just how much the lives of dogs depend upon how they conform to gender expectations. In other words, it's not just how we humans interact with dogs that matters, it's how our genders interact as well.

While we know how damaging stereotypes can be for humans, dog owners may not consider just how their conceptual baggage of gender stereotypes affects the animals they live with.

More research can help to shed light on the role that gender plays when it comes to making a good match between humans and their dogs; and by good match, we mean one that will result in a decrease in the likelihood of the dog being surrendered to a shelter or treated badly.

The take-home message from these studies is that, to be truly successful mutual companions, dogs don't need just any human, they need a complementary human who is open to reflecting critically on gender stereotypes.

Thanks partly to an uncritical adoption of gender stereotypes, the matching of dog and human is currently rudimentary at best. So we should not be surprised if dogs often fail to meet our expectations.

When relationships go wrong, it's catastrophic for dogs, because it contributes to euthanasia rates in shelters. These deaths need to be better understood as a broader failure of human understanding about how their own beliefs and behaviour affect the dogs in their lives.

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.
Protesters in Brazil in 2015 demand protection for indigenous people's rights

Indigenous peoples could soon regain some control of their native forests with the creation of a new global institution dedicated to securing their land rights.

The International Land and Forest Tenure Facility, formally launched in Stockholm on Tuesday, aims to help communities protect their land resources as well as combat climate change.

Funded by Sweden, Norway and the Ford Foundation, a US charity, the Tenure Facility has already provided grants and guidance for pilot projects in Peru, Mali, Indonesia and three other nations.

Disputes over resources can prove deadly. According to non-governmental organisation Global Witness, more than 200 environmental campaigners were murdered in 2016 alonenearly half from indigenous tribes.

A 2014 survey by US-based think tank World Resources Institute found restoring control of forests to original inhabitants can tackle global warming.

In Brazil, deforestation in indigenous community forests from 2000 to 2012 was less than one percent, compared to seven percent outside those areas.

'Unrelenting conflicts'

Depleted tropical forests and emissions from agriculture and livestock have accounted for more than a fifth of global greenhouse gas emissions in recent decades.

Ford Foundation president Darren Walker told AFP that climate change and inequality are "existential threats" on a global scale.

"Creating mechanisms that allow indigenous peoples and local communities to gain tenure over their land or forests is a way to tackle both these problems."

The Ford Foundation has pledged $5 million (4.2 million euros), and Norway announced Tuesday a grant of $20 million over the coming years. Sweden pitched in $10 million during the pilot phase and will fund future projects. Walker said he expects donations rise to $100 million overall within a year.

The project aims to boost forestland properly titled to indigenous peoples by 40 million hectares, an area twice the size of Spain, within a decade.

Such efforts, they calculate, would prevent deforestation of one million hectares and the release of 500 million tonnes of CO2, more than the annual emissions of Britain or Brazil.

Corruption and abuses

More than two billion people live on and manage half the world's land in customary or traditional systems, yet indigenous communities have formal legal ownership of just 10 percent.

And even where they do have title, corruption and abuses have led to protracted conflicts with local and national governments, companies and migrant workers.

Native populations can even run afoul of major green initiatives to fight climate change or stem biodiversity loss.

A controversial UN-backed programme known as REDD+Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradationcreates incentives to keep forests intact, paid for by rich nations or companies seeking to offset pollution under carbon trading schemes.

But critics say the projects REDD+ finances can push aside the needs and rights of indigenous peoples who are often most directly affected by the changes.

A peer-reviewed 2013 study concluded that less than half of some 50 projects in Africa, Latin America and Asia did anything to alleviate the poverty of forest-dependent peoples, though many did enhance their land rights.

 2017 AFP
Ireland's High Court ruled that the Court of Justice of the European Union must decide the rules on the transfer of data from European Facebook users to the US "to ensure consistency"

Ireland's High Court on Tuesday asked the EU's Court of Justice of the European Union to decide on rules on the transfer of data from Europe to the US in a case with far-reaching implications for industry.

Judge Caroline Costello said that "only a decision of CJEU can resolve the potential for inconsistent applications" of the mechanism used by giants such as Facebook to transfer European users' data to the US.

"I therefore have decided to ask the Court of Justice for a preliminary ruling," she concluded.

The legal action follows a complaint by Austrian privacy lawyer Max Schrems to Ireland's Data Protection Commissioner (DPC) about Facebook's use of so-called standard contractual clauses (SCCs) to transfer personal data from Europe to the US, via its European headquarters in Dublin.

SCCs are now widely used by data exporters and are intended to allow for the legal transfer of data from EU citizens as long as "adequate protection" is in place.

In an emailed statement, Facebook said it was "essential the CJEU now considers the extensive evidence demonstrating the robust protections in place under Standard Contractual Clauses and US law, before it makes any decision that may endanger the transfer of data across the Atlantic and around the globe."

SCCs "are essential to companies of all sizes, and upholding them is critical to ensuring the economy can continue to grow without disruption," the statement said.

Schrems argues that the SCCs offer no redress for European citizens in the US in the event of their data being accessed by a third party, such as US intelligence services, or compromised in some other way.

His legal team claimed that the Irish watchdog already had the power to stop data transfers from Facebook and should use it.

Following the ruling, Schrems told AFP that he did not want to "strike down international data transfers, because 90 percent of the cases are not a problem," and was instead focussed on companies "which are involved in mass surveillance".

"I suspect that she (Judge Costello) wanted to kick up the case and not deal with it too much," he said.

"Right now we can just raise the issue over and over again by kicking up the courts, but fundamentally this is a political decision," Schrems said.

Data flow vital to EU economy

Facebook argues there is nothing wrong with the current system and that there is no need for a referral.

Mason Hayes & Curran, the Dublin-based legal team acting for Facebook, has pointed to estimates that if services and cross-border data flows were to be disrupted, the European Union's gross domestic product (GDP) could be hit by as much as 1.3 percentage points.

Facebook was forced to switch to SCCs last year after the European Court of Justice ruled in 2015 that the Safe Harbour framework, which had governed the EU-US flow of personal data, contravened EU law because the privacy of European citizens could not be guaranteed in the US.

The SCCs are considered as something of a stopgap measure designed to allow the transfer of data, pending agreement on a more comprehensive regime.

The Data Protection Commissioner issued a statement saying it welcomed the judgment.

"The High Court has confirmed it shares the Commissioner's concerns about the protection of those rights (protection of data privacy)."

"It invites the CJEU to consider whether, under EU law, SCCs in their present form can and should be retained as a basis for the transfer of personal data from the EU to the US."

 2017 AFP
Former chairman and CEO of Equifax Richard F. Smith testifies before the Digital Commerce and Consumer Protection Subcommittee of the House Commerce Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2017. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

House Republicans and Democrats on Tuesday grilled Equifax's former chief executive over the massive data hack of the personal information of 145 million Americans, calling the company's response inadequate as consumers struggle to deal with the breach.

Former Equifax CEO Richard Smith apologized for the compromise of such information as names, addresses, birth dates and Social Security numbers. Smith was the lone witness at the first of several Capitol Hill hearings this week. No current Equifax official testified.

"The criminal hack happened on my watch, and as CEO, I am ultimately responsible, and I take full responsibility," Smith said. "I am here today to say to each and every person affected by this breach, I am truly and deeply sorry for what happened."

Democrats favor legislation that they say would establish strong data security standards and prompt notification and relief for consumers when their information is hacked. But Republicans tamped down expectations for any congressional action as this year the GOP-led Congress has rolled back several Obama-era rules affecting businesses and the financial sector.

"Equifax deserves to be shamed in this hearing, but we should also ask what Congress has done, or failed to do, to stop data breaches from occurring," said Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill.

Former chairman and CEO of Equifax Richard F. Smith, talks with former Sen. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., as he takes his seat to testify before the Digital Commerce and Consumer Protection Subcommittee of the House Commerce Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2017. AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Rep. Bob Latta, R-Ohio, the chairman of the subcommittee examining the breach, said there are already laws on the books that require companies to secure sensitive consumer data. He said that hearings before four House and Senate panels this week should run their course before lawmakers make a decision about what to do next.

"The big thing we heard today is it was a very human error on their part" Latta said.

Smith offered a timeline of what went wrong, saying the Department of Homeland Security warned the company on March 8 about the need to patch a particular vulnerability in software used by Equifax and other businesses. The company disseminated that warning by email the next day and requested that applicable personnel install the upgrade. The company's policy requires the upgrade to occur within 48 hours, but that did not occur. The company's information security department also ran scans on March 15 that did not pick up the vulnerability.

In late July, data security officials noticed suspicious activity on a website, which Smith said "happens routinely around our business." He said an internal investigation ensued and he was alerted the next day, but he had no knowledge at that time that consumers' personal information had been accessed.

Richard F. Smith, former chairman and CEO of Equifax, testifies during a hearing before the Digital Commerce and Consumer Protection Subcommittee of the House Commerce Committee on Capitol Hill, Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2017, in Washington. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Lawmakers pressed Smith about company executives selling stock in the company after the suspicious activity had been detected. On Aug. 1 and 2, Equifax Chief Financial Officer John Gamble and two other executives, Rodolfo Ploder and Joseph Loughran, sold a combined $1.8 million in stock.

Smith described the executives as "honorable men, men of integrity." He said at that point in time the company was unaware that consumer data had been accessed.

Schakowsky said "for a lot of Americans, that just doesn't pass the smell test."

Smith said the full extent of what occurred emerged during a meeting he had with cybersecurity experts and outside counsel on August 17. The board was alerted the following week and the public on Sept. 7, after the company had made plans for how it would try to help consumers respond.

Former chairman and CEO of Equifax Richard F. Smith pauses as he testifies before the Digital Commerce and Consumer Protection Subcommittee of the House Commerce Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2017. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

The timeline laid out by Smith didn't satisfy many lawmakers, who accused the company of being too slow.

"I worry that your job today is about damage control. You put a happy face on your firm's disgraceful actions, and then depart with a golden parachute," said Ben Ray Lujan, D-N.M. "Unfortunately, if fraudsters destroy my constituent's savings and financial futures, there's no golden parachute awaiting them."

Lawmakers said that at one point Equifax tweeted the wrong link for consumers to check to learn if they were part of the breach.

"Talk about ham-handed responses, this is simply unacceptable," said Rep. Greg Walden, R-Ore.

Former chairman and CEO of Equifax, Richard F. Smith, testifies before the Digital Commerce and Consumer Protection Subcommittee of the House Commerce Committee on Capitol Hill, Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2017 in Washington. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Smith said he was disappointed in the rollout of call centers and a website designed to help the people affected by the breach. He said the company has increased its number of customer service representatives and the website has been improved. He said more than 400 million consumers contacted the company in the weeks following the announcement of the breach. He said the company wasn't prepared for that kind of volume.

Lawmakers said they're getting scores of calls from constituents concerned that their information was stolen and the potential ramifications in the years ahead. Rep. Ryan Costello, R-Pa., said hundreds of constituents have contacted his office about the company's response.

"The slow rollout and how poorly it was done. To me, it was just inexcusable," Costello said.

 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Three U.S.-based scientists won the Nobel Physics Prize on Tuesday for detecting faint ripples flying through the universethe gravitational waves predicted a century ago by Albert Einstein that provide a new understanding of the universe.

Rainer Weiss of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Barry Barish and Kip Thorne of the California Institute of Technology won the 2017 prize for a combination of highly advanced theory and ingenious equipment design, Sweden's Royal Academy of Sciences announced.

The scientists were key to the first observation of gravitational waves in September 2015. When the discovery was announced several months later, it was a sensation not only among scientists but the general public.

"It's a win for the human race as a whole. These gravitational waves will be powerful ways for the human race to explore the universe," said Thorne, speaking by phone with The Associated Press from California.

"I view this more as a thing that recognizes the work of a thousand people," Weiss told reporters at the announcement news conference.

The prize is "a win for Einstein, and a very big one," Barish told the AP.

The German-born Weiss was awarded half of the 9-million-kronor ($1.1 million) prize amount and Thorne and Barish will split the other half.

In this Feb. 11, 2016 file photo, Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) Co-Founder Rainer Weiss, left, and Kip Thorne, right, hug on stage accompanied by Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) Exectutive Director David Reitze, bottom, during a news conference at the National Press Club in Washington, USA. The Nobel Physics Prize 2017 is announced Monday Oct. 3, 2017, is awarded to three scientists Rainer Weiss of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Barry Barish and Kip Thorne of the California Institute of Technology. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File)

Gravitational waves are extremely faint ripples in the fabric of space and time, generated by some of the most violent events in the universe. The waves detected by the laureates came from the collision of two black holes some 1.3 billion light-years away. A light-year is about 5.88 trillion miles.

Ariel Goobar of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said the winners' work meant "we can study processes which were completely impossible, out of reach to us in the past."

"The best comparison is when Galileo discovered the telescope, which allowed us to see that Jupiter had moons. And all of a sudden, we discovered that the universe was much vaster than we used to think about," Goobar said.

With the technology that the three developed "we may even see entirely new objects that we haven't even imagined yet," said Patrick Sutton, an astronomer at Cardiff University in Wales.

The waves were predicted by Einstein a century ago as part of his theory of general relativity. General relativity says that gravity is caused by heavy objects bending space-time, which itself is the four-dimensional way that astronomers see the universe.

Weiss in the 1970s designed a laser-based device that would detect gravitational waves. He, Thorne and Barish "ensured that four decades of effort led to gravitational waves finally being observed," the Nobel announcement said.

The laser device, called an interferometer, must be both exquisitely precise and extremely stable. "The beam must hit the mirrors precisely. They should hardly shake at all, not even when leaves fall from nearby trees," according to a Nobel background paper.

The first detection of gravity waves involved two of the devices about 3,000 kilometers (1,900 miles) apartin Hanford, Washington, and Livingston, Louisiana. The wave first passed the Livingston facility and 7 milliseconds later at Hanford, consistent with the speed of light.

The announcement said Einstein was convinced that gravitational waves could never be measured. The laureates used laser devices "to measure a change thousands of times smaller than an atomic nucleus."

In a moment of poetry aimed at making the distant and infinitesimal phenomenon understandable to non-experts, the academy announcement said gravitational waves "are always created when a mass accelerates, like when an ice-skater pirouettes or a pair of black holes rotate around each other."

How to catch a gravitational wave. The worlds first captured gravitational waves were created in a violent collision between two black holes, 1.3 billion lightyears away. When these waves passed the Earth, 1.3 billion years later, they had weakened considerably: the disturbance in spacetime that LIGO measured was thousands of times smaller than an atomic nucleus. Credit: LIGO

Professor Alberto Vecchio, from the University of Birmingham's Institute of Gravitational Wave Astronomy, said this discovery will produce results for decades to come.

"They have taken me, as well as hundreds of my colleagues, through such an intellectually rewarding and recently adrenaline-packed journey that we could not have even remotely imagined," he said. "The best part is that this is just the beginning of a new roller-coaster exploration of the universe."

For the past 25 years, the Nobel physics prize has been shared among multiple winners.

Last year's prize went to three British-born researchers who applied the mathematical discipline of topology to help understand the workings of exotic matter such as superconductors and superfluids.

The 2017 Nobel prizes kicked off Monday with the medicine prize being awarded to three Americans studying circadian rhythmsbetter known as body clocks: Jeffrey C. Hall, Michael Rosbash and Michael W. Young.

The 2017 Nobel Prize winners in Physics, seen on a projection and are from left, Rainer Weiss, Barry C. Barrish and Kip S. Thorne, at the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in Stockholm Tuesday Oct. 3, 2017. (Jessica Gow /TT via AP)

The chemistry prize will be announced Wednesday, the Nobel literature prize on Thursday and the peace prize on Friday. The economics prize, which is not technically a Nobel, will be awarded on Monday.

***

The Nobel Prize in Physics 2017

Gravitational waves finally captured

On 14 September 2015, the universe's gravitational waves were observed for the very first time. The waves, which were predicted by Albert Einstein a hundred years ago, came from a collision between two black holes. It took 1.3 billion years for the waves to arrive at the LIGO detector in the USA.

Goran K Hansson, centre, Secretary General of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, announces the 2017 Nobel Prize winners in Physics, from top left, Rainer Weiss, Barry C. Barrish and Kip S. Thorne Tuesday Oct. 3, 2017, at the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in Stockholm. (Jessica Gow /TT via AP)

The signal was extremely weak when it reached Earth, but is already promising a revolution in astrophysics. Gravitational waves are an entirely new way of observing the most violent events in space and testing the limits of our knowledge.

LIGO, the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory, is a collaborative project with over one thousand researchers from more than twenty countries. Together, they have realised a vision that is almost fifty years old. The 2017 Nobel Laureates have, with their enthusiasm and determination, each been invaluable to the success of LIGO. Pioneers Rainer Weiss and Kip S. Thorne, together with Barry C. Barish, the scientist and leader who brought the project to completion, ensured that four decades of effort led to gravitational waves finally being observed.

In the mid-1970s, Rainer Weiss had already analysed possible sources of background noise that would disturb measurements, and had also designed a detector, a laser-based interferometer, which would overcome this noise. Early on, both Kip Thorne and Rainer Weiss were firmly convinced that gravitational waves could be detected and bring about a revolution in our knowledge of the universe.

In this file photo dated Friday, April 17, 2015, a national library employee shows the gold Nobel Prize medal awarded to the late novelist Gabriel Garcia Marquez, in Bogota, Colombia. The Nobel prize has greater personal impact than merely receiving the monetary award, as it marks the recipient in terms of esteem and global recognition. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara, FILE)

Gravitational waves spread at the speed of light, filling the universe, as Albert Einstein described in his general theory of relativity. They are always created when a mass accelerates, like when an ice-skater pirouettes or a pair of black holes rotate around each other. Einstein was convinced it would never be possible to measure them. The LIGO project's achievement was using a pair of gigantic laser interferometers to measure a change thousands of times smaller than an atomic nucleus, as the gravitational wave passed the Earth.

So far all sorts of electromagnetic radiation and particles, such as cosmic rays or neutrinos, have been used to explore the universe. However, gravitational waves are direct testimony to disruptions in spacetime itself. This is something completely new and different, opening up unseen worlds. A wealth of discoveries awaits those who succeed in capturing the waves and interpreting their message.

In this file photo dated Thursday, Feb. 11, 2016, Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) Co-Founder Rainer Weiss speaks during a news conference at the National Press Club in Washington, as it is announced that scientists have finally detected gravitational waves. The Nobel Physics Prize 2017 is announced Monday Oct. 3, 2017, awarded jointly to three scientists Rainer Weiss of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Barry Barish and Kip Thorne of the California Institute of Technology. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, FILE)

In this file photo dated Thursday, Feb. 11, 2016, Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) Co-Founder Rainer Weiss speaks during a news conference at the National Press Club in Washington, as it is announced that scientists have finally detected gravitational waves. The Nobel Physics Prize 2017 is announced Monday Oct. 3, 2017, awarded jointly to three scientists Rainer Weiss of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Barry Barish and Kip Thorne of the California Institute of Technology. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, FILE)

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, announces the 2017 Nobel Prize winners in Physics, seen on a projection are from left, Rainer Weiss, Barry C. Barrish and Kip S. Thorne at the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in Stockholm Tuesday Oct. 3, 2017. (Jessica Gow /TT via AP)

Goran K Hansson, centre, Secretary General of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, announces the 2017 Nobel Prize winners in Physics, from top left, Rainer Weiss, Barry C. Barrish and Kip S. Thorne Tuesday Oct. 3, 2017, at the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in Stockholm. (Jessica Gow /TT via AP)

In this file photo dated Thursday, Feb. 11, 2016, Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) Co-Founder Kip Thorne speaks during a news conference at the National Press Club in Washington, USA, to announce that scientists have finally detected gravitational waves. The Nobel Physics Prize 2017 is announced Monday Oct. 3, 2017, awarded to 3 scientists including Kip Thorne, for discoveries in gravitational waves. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, FILE)

Goran K Hansson, centre, Secretary General of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, announces the 2017 Nobel Prize winners in Physics, from top left, Rainer Weiss, Barry C. Barrish and Kip S. Thorne Tuesday Oct. 3, 2017, at the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in Stockholm. (Jessica Gow /TT via AP)

 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
The Ecstasy of St Theresa, by Gianlorenzo Bernini in Santa Maria della Vittoria, Rome. Credit: Dnalor 01, CC BY-SA

A lot of arguments about religion treat it like going to school: a religion is a set of lessons to be learned, tests to pass and rules to follow, all watched over by the great headmaster in the sky. That assumption shapes the sorts of questions we ask of religions and religious people: are your teachers telling the truth? Have they trained you to behave properly? And why do you think it's a good idea to go to school anyway?

But there's an increasing body of evidence to suggest that we need to think about religion in a different way: not as a process of training or indoctrination, but as arising from some deep-seated instincts, hardwired into our brains and then shaped by our cultures. This is more like the way we think about sex, emotions and relationships.

The shift in thinking arises from a field of study known as the cognitive science of religion, where cognitive psychologists and evolutionary theorists have joined forces to address a puzzling question. In the words of Jeffrey Schloss:

"Why, despite a century of presumed secularisation, does religion persist in the western world, and why does it seem easier for human beings to be religious than to be secular?"

The answer they propose is that our brains are hardwired with cognitive biases that have evolved in order to help us to survive, but which have the side-effect of making it natural to develop religious belief. For example, we are cognitively predisposed to imagine that every rustle in the bushes is a creature watching our every move: this hyperactive agency detection device was of real benefit to early humans alone in the jungle. It might have caused our early ancestors to run away from a few imaginary tigers, but they also will have escaped one that might otherwise have eaten them. The side effect, however, is that we see unseen watchers everywhere. From this point, it is a relatively easy leap to believe in gods that watch over us, unseen.

According to this model, we did not evolve to be religious, but ended up with religion as a spandrel, an unintended by-product of the main evolutionary process. Nevertheless, unintended consequence or not, it is now part of our mental architecture and culturally infused throughout our societies  and this is why religious behaviour proves so durable and persistent.

The hyperactive agency detection device and other mechanisms become incorporated into our social and cultural life. They help keep us honest with each other, help us to care for each other and fight our common enemies, and they become codified into the religions that survive and evolve alongside human societies. It is in this sense that religion is more like sex than like school  we might choose to ignore it or decide to have nothing more to do with it, but it will keep returning to haunt us in some form or another.

A new perspective

This evolutionary account of the existence and persistence of religion in most, if not all, human societies (it depends a lot on how you define it) is hotly debated and open to criticism from a number of angles. Opponents point out that the move from identifying in-built biases in human cognition to a theory of why we create entire religious universes that structure societies looks suspiciously like a "just-so story"  one that is highly speculative and requires us to make some assumptions for which there is little or no evidence. The cognitive science of religion gives us an interesting account of why we have religious intuitions, but tells us nothing about how these are translated into particular religious beliefs and practices.

Nevertheless, its description of religion as driven by deep-seated desires rather than rival accounts of reality opens up an intriguing set of questions and possibilities.

Whatever floats your boat. We no longer believe that everybody's sexual life has to be the same. Some people choose to give up sex altogether, others have multiple partners. There is a whole range of LGBTQI+ preferences now recognised alongside "vanilla" heterosexual monogamy. Perhaps our religious desires and impulses should be allowed the same diversity and recognition? You mean the whole world to me but  I do not expect everybody else to see how absolutely wonderful and perfect my partner is. What is absolutely true to me, religiously, may not make any sense to you. And that's OK. Truth claims do not belong in affairs of the heart, or in affairs of the spirit. Arguments about whose religion is true similarly miss the point. Don't shut me out. Although the religious drive is nothing like as powerful or fundamental as the sex drive for most people, it would be unwise to attempt to repress it completely. Perhaps the rise of extremism religion is partly to do with the "return of the repressed", the violence with which an aspect of our character may reassert itself when it has been pushed down and ignored for too long. I love you  I just don't like you. We have ambiguous relationships with our partners, sometimes adoring them and sometimes hardly able to be in the same room as them. Sexual attraction is part habit, part mystery, part madness. Most religious people, if pushed, might say something similar about how their spiritual involvement or commitment fluctuates and varies over time. It's much more complicated than can be captured by simple questions like "What do you believe?" or "Are you religious?"

This sort of approach to religion has the potential to upset devoutly religious people but also the "devout atheists" who can see no place for it. It provides an explanation of religion which can sit alongside, but does not require, appeals to the call of god or the truth of religious claims. It also stands as a warning to the devout atheists that religion will never go away, and that attacks on religious people as irrational will not make any real difference. At the same time, it opens up a new and intriguing set of possibilities for thinking differently about how religion fits into our world, and how we might learn to express our religious instincts in a diverse society without blind dogmatism or violence.

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.
Riyadh has set a target of 9.5 gigawatts of renewable energy by 2023, partly made up of a 300-megawatt solar project, like these solar panels seen in India

Saudi Arabia invited bids on Tuesday for a "utility-scale" 300-megawatt solar project, a first for the world's top oil exporter.

"Today's bid opening represents a significant milestone for the National Renewable Energy Programme, and an important step on the way to diversifying Saudi Arabia's domestic energy mix and building a cutting edge domestic renewable energy sector," Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said.

Bidders for the Sakaka solar energy projectto be located in the country's northern Al-Jouf regionwill be shortlisted on November 28, a government press release said.

The renewable energy programme also envisions a 400-megawatt wind power facility in Al-Jouf.

The kingdom has already shortlisted 25 companiesincluding GE, Siemens and EDF Energies Nouvelles, a subsidiary of the French public energy companyfor that project, with bidding set to close in January 2018.

Saudi Arabia and other Gulf monarchies have been examining ways to cut their energy bills and diversify their power sources away from oil, their main export commodity.

Riyadh has set a target of 9.5 gigawatts of renewable energy by 2023.

Virtually all of Saudi Arabia's power currently comes from crude or refined oil or natural gas.

Its renewable energy programme is estimated to be worth up to $50 billion.

 2017 AFP
Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/Univ. of Victoria/S.Ellison et al. & NASA/CXC/George Mason Univ./S.Satyapal et al.; Optical: SDSS

Astronomers have identified a bumper crop of dual supermassive black holes in the centers of galaxies. This discovery could help astronomers better understand how giant black holes grow and how they may produce the strongest gravitational wave signals in the Universe.

The new evidence reveals five pairs of supermassive black holes, each containing millions of times the mass of the Sun. These black hole couples formed when two galaxies collided and merged with each other, forcing their supermassive black holes close together.

The black hole pairs were uncovered by combining data from a suite of different observatories including NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory, the Wide-Field Infrared Sky Explorer Survey (WISE), and the ground-based Large Binocular Telescope in Arizona.

"Astronomers find single supermassive black holes all over the universe," said Shobita Satyapal, from George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, who led one of two papers describing these results. "But even though we've predicted they grow rapidly when they are interacting, growing dual supermassive black holes have been difficult to find."

Before this study fewer than ten confirmed pairs of growing black holes were known from X-ray studies, based mostly on chance detections. To carry out a systematic search, the team had to carefully sift through data from telescopes that detect different wavelengths of light.

Starting with the Galaxy Zoo project, researchers used optical data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) to identify galaxies where it appeared that a merger between two smaller galaxies was underway. From this set, they selected objects where the separation between the centers of the two galaxies in the SDSS data is less than 30,000 light years, and the infrared colors from WISE data match those predicted for a rapidly growing supermassive black hole.

Seven merging systems containing at least one supermassive black hole were found with this technique. Because strong X-ray emission is a hallmark of growing supermassive black holes, Satyapal and her colleagues then observed these systems with Chandra. Closely-separated pairs of X-ray sources were found in five systems, providing compelling evidence that they contain two growing (or feeding) supermassive black holes.

Both the X-ray data from Chandra and the infrared observations suggest that the supermassive black holes are buried in large amounts of dust and gas.

"Our work shows that combining the infrared selection with X-ray follow-up is a very effective way to find these black hole pairs," said Sara Ellison of the University of Victoria in Canada, who led the other paper describing these results. "X-rays and infrared radiation are able to penetrate the obscuring clouds of gas and dust surrounding these black hole pairs, and Chandra's sharp vision is needed to separate them".

The paper led by Ellison used additional optical data from the Mapping Nearby Galaxies at Apache Point Observatory (MaNGA) survey to pinpoint one of the new black hole pairs. One member of this black hole pair is particularly powerful, having the highest X-ray luminosity in a black hole pair observed by Chandra to date.

This work has implications for the burgeoning field of gravitational wave astrophysics. While scientists using the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) and the VIRGO interferometer have detected the signals of merging black holes, these black holes have been of the smaller variety weighing between about eight and 36 times the mass of the Sun.

The merging black holes in the centers of galaxies are much larger. When these supermassive black holes draw even closer together, they should start producing gravitational waves. The eventual merger of the dual supermassive black holes in hundreds of millions of years would forge an even bigger black hole. This process would produce an astonishing amount of energy when some of the mass is converted into gravitational waves.

"It is important to understand how common supermassive black hole pairs are, to help in predicting the signals for gravitational wave observatories," said Satyapal. "With experiments already in place and future ones coming online, this is an exciting time to be researching merging black holes. We are in the early stages of a new era in exploring the universe."

LIGO/VIRGO is not able to detect gravitational waves from supermassive black hole pairs. Instead, pulsar timing arrays such as the North American Nanohertz Observatory for Gravitational Waves (NANOGrav) are currently performing this search. In the future, the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) project could also search for these gravitational waves.

Four of the dual black hole candidates were reported in a paper by Satyapal et al. that was recently accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal, and appears online. The other dual black hole candidate was reported in a paper by Ellison et al., which was published in the September 2017 issue of the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society and appears online.
HIV infecting a human cell. Credit: NIH

HIV's pernicious persistence in human populationsdespite more than 25 years of heroic HIV research efforts owes in part to its particular abilities to exploit its human hosts, constantly adapting and mutating to enhance its infectiousness and virulence.

Using a population of HIV-1 infected individuals (the 2014 Swiss HIV Cohort Study data), an international research team of 17 institutions, led by ETH Zurich's Roland Regoes of the Institute of Integrative Biology, has now examined all aspects of HIV virulence, with a particular focus on how it ravages the human immune system.

The study investigated the heritability of three different aspects of HIV virulence: set point viral load (SPVL; which measures the virus' ability to exploit the host by measuring the amount of HIV circulating in the blood), CD4+ T cell decline (which measures the damage caused by the virus), and CD4+ T cell decline relative to set point viral load (which measures the damage for a given level of exploitation, also called 'per pathogen pathogenicity' or PPP). Per-pathogen pathogenicity captures how virulent a viral strain is irrespective of its load in the infected individual.

They investigated if HIV virulence, measured by the rate of decline in CD4+ T cells, and PPP are heritable from donor to recipient and therefore not solely dependent on the environment of the virus population (i.e. the human host).

Using the Swiss Cohort donor-recipient pairs, and phylogenetic methods, they suggest that HIV virulence and its effect on the human immune system is heritable.

They found that the heritability of the decline of CD4+ T cells and per-pathogen pathogenicity is 17 percent.

"Our analysis shows that the viral genotype affects virulence mainly by modulating the per-parasite pathogenicity, while the indirect effect via the set-point viral load is minor," said lead author Roland Regoes.

With the results, Regoes, study first author Frederic Bertels et al. have brought important new insights into the role of HIV genotype in infection severity.

With a new understanding of the different facets of HIV virulence, the study will stimulate further research on HIV and other pathogens.

More information: Dissecting HIV Virulence: Heritability of Setpoint Viral Load, CD4+ T Cell Decline and Per-Parasite Pathogenicity Molecular Biology And Evolution (2017). DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msx246 Journal information: Molecular Biology and Evolution
Geographic locations of the sampling sites along a north-south transect (~ 3700 km) of eastern China. Credit: Yakov Kuzyakov

Scientists from RUDN University have classified the distribution of soil microorganisms at different latitudes from tropical to temperate forests. The results of the study were published in Functional Ecology.

Billions of species of microorganisms are found in soil. Therefore, a complete match of microbial composition in different soils is impossible. At the same time, similar groups of microorganisms can be found in very remote soils, where the climate and vegetation differ completely. It is obvious that the microorganisms themselves could not "walk" thousands of kilometers, and the transfer via animals and plants is unlikely. Therefore, the principles of distribution of microorganisms in soils at large distances are practically unknown.

Scientists investigated ecological question: How the distribution of microorganisms in soils depends on the habitat properties, vegetation and their interactions.

"We have described the distribution of microorganisms in soils at different latitudes at a distance of up to 3,700 km and the factors affecting the distribution. We selected soil samples in forests in various climatic zones in China, have identified the microorganisms, mainly bacteria, and compared the composition of microbial groups in various soils depending on climatic, soil and vegetation conditions," said Yakov Kuzyakov, one of the authors of the paper from RUDN University.

Scientists collected soil samples in forests, where plant communities have been stable for decades and centuries. Groups of microorganisms were identified by their DNA in the topsoil. In parallel, the scientists have investigated three large groups of environmental factors: (1) climate-related (average temperature and precipitation), (2) related soil properties (acidity, stable and easily accessible carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus) and (3) related factors of plant communities (the amount and composition of plant residues).

After studying the distribution of large DNA groups, the scientists determined the most important factors for distribution of microbial groups from completely different soils.

"We have identified the predictorsthe main factors by which we can determine the microorganisms present in different soils. The distribution of microorganisms is mostly affected by soil properties, less by climate, and much less by plants. We can explain more than 80 percent of the variation in the composition of microorganisms based on these factors and their interactions," the scientist added.

Microorganisms perform various functions: detoxication of pollutants, nutrient mineralization for plants, symbiosis with plants, decomposing plant residues, release of greenhouse gases, nitrogen fixation from the atmosphere, stimulating root growth and many others. These functions affect both the productivity and stability of natural and agricultural ecosystems.

"In the near future, we will try to apply the approaches and the results we got in this study to agricultural and urban soils. The composition and the groups of microorganisms, as well as the human influences affecting agricultural and urban soils, certainly differ. Human factors and land use can play a significantly greater role than, for example, the climatic factor for natural soils. If we know the natural and anthropogenic factors of microbial distribution in soils, we can influence their functionsand thus the productivity and sustainability of natural and agricultural ecosystems," the scientist concluded.
Scotland's government said it would be banning fracking, extending the current moratorium "indefinitely" following a consultation that found widespread opposition to shale gas extraction.

Fracking will be banned in Scotland following a widespread public backlash against onshore drilling, the government said on Tuesday.

The government said "fracking cannot and will not take place in Scotland" after a scientific review and a comprehensive public consultation.

Over 60,000 people responded to the consultation, the second largest response to any consultation in Scotland, and 99 percent were in favour of a ban.

Scottish Energy Minister Paul Wheelhouse said the health impacts of fracking were unclear, insisted fracking would detract from Scotland's climate change targets, and would add just 0.1 percent to GDP.

But Conservative Party opponents said the ruling Scottish National Party had disregarded the potential jobs and economic benefits fracking could deliver.

The semi-autonomous government does not currently have the power to issue or revoke fracking licenses, but it can prevent fracking through the planning permission system.

The Scottish Government has now written to local authorities informing them that any applications for fracking in Scotland will be opposed by ministers.

Wheelhouse said: "This action is sufficient to effectively ban the development of unconventional oil and gas extraction in Scotland".

The decision is expected to be approved by the Scottish Parliament with the support of Labour, the Liberal Democrats and the Scottish Greens, but the centre-right Conservatives insist it is "a short-sighted and economically damaging decision" designed to appease nationalists in the environmental lobby.

Murdo Fraser, Scottish Conservative finance spokesman, said: "There's also a huge hypocrisy from the SNP here. It's happy to receive shale from the US to refine at Grangemoutha major industry in itself - yet doesn't want to have that technology here."

Gary Smith, the GMB union's Scotland secretary, also accused the Scottish Government of being "dishonest" by banning fracking while "importing a huge amount of shale gas from Trump's America".

Friends of the Earth Scotland said the decision was "a victory for the environment and for local communities fighting fracking".

 2017 AFP
When disadvantaged youth engage in social activism, they tend to have high-status occupations in adulthood, according to Clemson University and University of Michigan researchers. The findings also suggest there's a place for more discussion of social issues in our educational systems.

"We have strong evidence that directly addressing and challenginginstead of avoidinginequality is good for historically marginalized youth. This implies that when educators provide a space for students to reflect, discuss and challenge inequalities, those students engage and learn more," said Luke Rapa, an assistant professor of adolescent development at Clemson, who co-authored the study.

The research published in the journal Developmental Psychology used data from the Maryland Adolescent Development in Context Study, a long-term research project that has followed a sample of children from 23 public middle schools in Maryland since 1991. Rapa, along with paper co-authors Matthew Diemer and Josefina Banales of the University of Michigan, studied a subsample of these students from ages 17 to 29 that was made up of poor and working-class African-Americans.

Examples of social action, for the study's purposes, ranged from a donation of time or money to political action groups, participation in women's rights groups and even protests. These are all examples of action arising from critical consciousness and awareness of social inequalities.

"Youth in the sample we studied who were engaged in social action had higher expectations for their own career trajectories," Rapa said. "This suggests that students who engage in social action take the time to reflect critically on their surroundings. That critical thinking motivates them and that same sense of motivation may be what pays off for them in whatever career they choose."

Diemer originally became interested in questions of critical consciousness from his time in classrooms with children struggling to make sense of inequalities in their day-to-day lives. It's in settings like this that Diemer hopes the real impact of the research will be felt; the study's results strongly imply that educators should meet topics related to social justice head on in classroom settings instead of shying away from them.

Diemer said time for reflection and discussion helps schools achieve their mission and often helps students attain jobs that are more prestigious and higher paying as adults. He said teachers should take the opportunity to tackle all issues related to social inequalities whether they appear large or small on the surface.

Diemer said teachers may be reluctant to do so because of concern they will discourage students, fear of becoming too political in the classroom and a feeling they are not adequately prepared to broach such topics. The researchers hope their findings might help ease some of those fears, both for teachers and administrators.

"It's meaningful to see that by broaching these topics and supporting the development of critical consciousness in students, educators are actually opening the door for marginalized youth to better navigate the structures that marginalized them in the first place," Rapa said.
Risk map for Phragmites australis near Collingwood, ON. Areas in red show a higher probability for Phragmites. Credit: NASA

Located on the southern shore of Georgian Bay in Ontario, the idyllic Great Lakes town of Collingwood has been battling a growing probleman invasive wetland reed called Phragmites australis. And the town is not alone in its fight.

"Phragmites are a very serious problem in the Great Lakes Basin," said David Ullrich, Executive Director of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative (GLSLCI). Phragmites, a nonnative subspecies of a natural Great Lakes reed, can quickly take over a location, crowding out native plants and animals with dense stands of stalks that grow more than 5 meters tall.

"They turn wetlands into monocultures that are much less attractive to fish and wildlife," Ullrich added. "They also reduce the natural value of wetlands to cleanse water and help reduce flooding." Using NASA's eyes in the sky, a DEVELOP project helped guide Collingwood's battle from above.

Tracking a Tenacious Threat

In partnership with the Michigan Tech Research Institute (MTRI) and GLSLCI, a DEVELOP team led a project that built on earlier MTRI research on Phragmites in the region. The goal of this project was two-fold. The first was to create a current risk map based on habitat suitability for Phragmites throughout the basin.

"We focused our study within 10 kilometers of the U.S. and Canadian coastline, based on in situ data previously collected and the number of communities impacted by Phragmites," said team member Sean McCartney.

Credit: NASA

The second goal was to create a future risk map for the entire basin through the year 2020. "Forecasting results help local governments enact policies to plan for and mitigate the spread of Phragmites," McCartney added.

To do this, the project tapped into precipitation data from NASA's TRMM and GPM satellites, used Earth observations from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission, and modeled variables such as soil drainage and topography. The current and predicted Phragmites risk maps gave guidance to the project partners' on-going monitoring and mitigation efforts.

And, at GLSLCI's 2016 annual meeting in Niagara Falls, New York, the DEVELOP team shared its findings. Here, Great Lakes mayors and local officials from the U.S. and Canada were able to see the threat they faced from this noxious nuisance.

Armed With Information

For Collingwood, which is in the second year of its "Fight the Phrag!" program, the data is now helping inform officials where to focus both control and eradication efforts around its marshes and shorelines.

"The Earth observations to map and model Phragmites makes it easier because in one image, a person can see the scope of the problem," Ullrich explained. "If all of this information had to be gathered from groundlevel observations, it would take much longer, be much more labor intensive, and be much more costly."

And that means Collingwood's Phrag fighters can save their time and resources for combat.

Provided by NASA
Sixty years ago, the Soviet Union launched the first artificial satellite known as Sputnik, a tiny silver sphere with four spider leg-like antennae

When the Soviet Union launched the first artificial satellite 60 years ago, it marked both the beginning of space exploration and the start of a race between Moscow and Washington.

Sputnik, the tiny silver sphere with four spider leg-like antennae, showed off Soviet technological prowess.

But German scientistswho had worked on Adolf Hitler's rocket projects and had been brought to the USSR after the warwere the ones who stood at the forefront of space achievement.

The founder of the Soviet space programme, Sergei Korolyov, worked with German scientists and fragments of the German FAU rocket to develop a new military missile, said Nikolai Shiganov, one of the scientists behind Soviet rocket R-7 which put Sputnik into orbit.

"The Korolyov bureau had to create an intercontinental rocket capable of carrying a hydrogen bomb to any point on the planet," Shiganov, now aged 97, told AFP in an interview.

As he worked for the military, Korolyovwho spent six years in the Gulagdreamt of space conquest. But time was running out: one of the principal German engineers, Wernher von Braun, was already working for the Americans.

After three years of work and three rocket accidents, the fourth R-7 with a dummy warhead successfully hit its target in Kamchatka, in the Far East, in August 1957. The test was hailed as successful although the rocket head disintegrated in flight.

Creating a new rocket head would take six months, much too long as the Soviets wanted to pre-empt the launch of a US satellite in 1958. So Korolyov suggested creating a simple satellite made of two hemispheres containing sensors, a radio and a battery pack.

In just two months, the apparatus measuring 58 centimetres (22 inches) in diameter and weighing 83.6 kilogrammes (184.3 pounds) was ready, remembered Shiganov, whose lab created the aluminium alloy and came up with a new welding technique used to make the Sputnik and the R-7.

'A tiny dot'

Though the satellite captured imaginations, with radio amateurs tuning in around the world to hear its simple calls, Sputnik was secondary to its inventors, Shiganov said.

Sputnik was in orbit for 92 days, making 1,440 circles around Earth, before losing speed and burning up in the atmosphere

"The most important thing was that it proved the effectiveness of the R-7 rocket."

The secrecy around the project meant Shiganov didn't learn of the actual launch until he heard on the radio that the first Earth satellite was put in orbit on October 4, 1957 from a testing range in Kazakhstan, the future Baikonur cosmodrome.

On a sunny October Sunday, Shiganov was able to see the glint of Sputnik with his naked eye.

"It was a tiny dot which shone in the sun because of its glossy surface," he said.

Sputnik was in orbit for 92 days, making 1,440 circles around Earth, before losing speed and burning up in the atmosphere. Several replicas are now on show in museums.

Shiganov's colleague Eduard Bolotov, 84, actually saw Sputnik as a young rocket trajectory engineer of 24, even gaining access to the depot where the rocket stood during final preparations.

The miniscule satellite sat atop the rocket and Bolotov, with other young specialists, patted the rocket's side and signed his name on the inside of the nozzle.

"I watched the actual launch through a gap from my post," Bolotov said.

Although workers were summoned to the launchpad with secret letters, crowds of people also turned up, he said. "Their relatives had told them about the launch."

"Only at 3 am we found out that Sputnik was in orbit, and radios all over the world started to register its beeps."

"Then we went back to our dorms and drank pure alcohol for victory of our rocket," he said.

 2017 AFP
Paris Retail Week 2017 Welcomes 25,000+ Professionals

The 3rd edition of Paris Retail Week ended on 21 September after three days dedicated to Live Retail. Punctuated by conferences and the Paris Retail Awards ceremony, trade and e-commerce professionals who attended the show shared their experiences and viewpoints on future retail trends.

The dynamic exhibitors, the prestigious speakers, the innovative companies which were rewarded and the innovations displayed make Paris Retail Week a key event. On the strength of this 3rd edition, we intend to maintain our momentum and continue to make Paris Retail Week the not-to-miss event of the autumn for retail professionals, stressed Sophie Lubet, Director of the Retail Division at Comexposium.

Key figures:

 attendance of 25,497 professionals and nearly 500 participating companies

 around 300 speakers

 interventions from major players, such as FEVAD, Amazon, Google France, Facebook, Twitter, Costco, LeBonCoin, Zalando, FNAC Darty, Jumia, Gemmyo, etc.

 nearly 12,000 participants at the conferences over the 3 days

 2 Paris Retail Tours to the capitals innovative points of sale

 11 prizes awarded  of which 7 Paris Retail Awards, 1 Paris Retail Golden Award, 1 Jurys Favourite, 1 French Initiative Prize and 1 Rookie Of The Year start-up prize

 823 business meetings organised between exhibitors and qualified visitors

 over 18.8K mentions of the event on social media and news sites

 the hashtag #ParisRetailWeek in trending topics the day before and on the first day of the event

Live Retail, the main theme of the 2017 edition

This 3rd edition of Paris Retail Week brought together players from physical and online retail on the subject of Live Retail. It spotlighted how new technologies and data, notably thanks to AI, virtual reality and augmented reality, have become central in the retail sector while continuing to provide the authentic, human and experience-based service that customers want.

At plenary conferences and keynotes, company directors, digital technology managers, brand strategy and supply chain directors explained retail trends and the challenges faced by professionals, along with the innovations which are allowing them to meet the demands of an increasingly informed and connected clientele.

A few trends from Paris Retail Week 2017

The fully connected era and the key place of emotions are real revolutions in the retail world. Consumers want instant access to information, on all devices; access to the items of their choice at any time, in store or for delivery; they expect to be able to pay using the method they want, etc. Retailers rely on data and on artificial intelligence to meet these expectations. Data collection and security are among their main concerns. In addition, incorporating messaging in customer relations refines knowledge of the consumer, gives retail a human face and is a way of fine-tuning the offer. Conversational marketing creates involvement and helps retailers offer customers the personalised service they are looking for. As a result of this demand for exchange, advice and circulation of information, the retailer is becoming a brand ambassador as their role is redefined.

Consequently, logistics is also shaken up by this transformation of consumption patterns. It has to be adjusted to deliver to the customer where they want and when they want. The growth in ship from store is the direct consequence because it provides new-found flexibility in stock management and aims to put an end to product unavailability. To optimise customer satisfaction, it is now coupled with customer relations, which takes into account the availability and preferences of each consumer, at every step of the purchasing act, both in the point of sale and online.

These speakers shared their strategic vision of retail: Olivier de Mendez, General Manager of Starbucks France, Nicolas Bertrand, Managing Director of Micromania Group, Thierry Tallet, Managing Director at Ixina France, Soumia Hadjali, VP Digital Operations of Accor, Martin Sauer, Group Digital & Retail Director of Manutan, Mathieu Bellamy, Vice President Brand Strategy Director of Citroen, Mathieu Cervety, Deputy Head of SMB Marketing of Google France and Antoine Jouteau, Managing Director of LeBonCoin.

Retail trends from near and far

All over the world, retailers are faced with the obligation of proposing several payment methods to satisfy each user. For marketplaces, bringing very diverse products together on the same platform and collecting data on the quality of retailers services is a major lever for proposing the right offer to each customer. But that offer has to be identified and targeted. This is why information is central to consumption and the development of e-commerce depends on this data to create customised retail where satisfaction is the key word.

With this in mind, the shop is no longer a shop. It is a living space, which no longer focuses on the product but on the customers well-being at the point of sale. Enjoyment and service are the bases of retailtainment, the customer experience proposed in these shops, which have become experience laboratories. By immersing the visitor in its universe or even by offering shops in which you cant actually buy anything, the brand takes on a human face by focusing on emotion and experience.

Among well-known international personalities, the following shared their experiences: Patrick Labarre, Director of Amazon France and Edouard Chabrol, Head of France, Italy and Spain Amazon Pay, Gary Swindells, Managing Director of Costco France, Juliet Anammah, CEO of Jumia and Charif Debs, co-founder of Gemmyo. The challenges of the supply chain, logistics and transport were analysed by Christophe Poutier, Supply Chain Director of Bazarchic, Mourad Bensadik, Director of Logistics and Transport Operations of FNAC Darty and Jonathan Trepo, Managing Director France of Zalando.

The Paris Retail Awards, celebrating innovation

Spotlighting innovation in the world of retail, the Paris Retail Awards offer a showcase of tomorrows assets and give them the opportunity to forge potentially strong contacts with the professionals at the event.

During this ceremony, chaired by Sebastien Badault, Managing Director of Alibaba Group France, the jury of the Paris Retail Awards rewarded Temelio, Relais Colis, Mister Pasha, Facelift, Kendu In-store, Daxium, Octipas, Oyst, Bmobile and Admo.tv.

This new edition of the Paris Retail Awards, which I have had the honour to chair, has given us an insight into the retail of tomorrow. We have seen inspiring and promising start-ups with solutions which will revolutionise our sector. The awards celebrate the complementarity of on- and offline retail, which is not a trend, but the new norm. This momentum is at the centre of our thinking at Alibaba, around what we call New Retail, stated Sebastien Badault, Managing Director of Alibaba Group France.

The overall prize, called the Paris Retail Golden Award, was awarded to Octipas, in the Digitisation of the point of sale category, for its Sales Staff Tablets. It provides sales staff in shops a real digital assistant.

Nicolas Passalacqua, CEO of Octipas, explains: Octipas being announced winner of the Digitisation of the point of sale category was truly a great surprise. Behind the Octipas solution is a great team dedicated to our customers. This Award also partly belongs to our customers who, thanks to their confidence, recommend us and this accelerates our growth. Paris Retail Week is the flagship event in retail, and in addition, this year was focused on digitisation of the point of sale. We could not have dreamed of more than to win the Golden! Thank you again to the exceptional jury for choosing us!

The Jurys favourite went to Oyst for its Oyst 1-click solution, the button that allows you to buy in just a click on any online shop without entering a login or password, delivery information or bank details, and pre-enters the consumers preferences.

1-Click with Oyst has had a remarkable reception since it was launched, and this prize is like a consecration! Since winning this award, we have noticed a lot of interest in Oyst on social media in particular. We are delighted! A big thank you to the jury for naming Oyst as its favourite!

For the second time, a French Initiative prize was awarded. This prize honours companies which promote France internationally. This prize was awarded to Bmobile for its SaaS Dartagnan service for creating high-performance responsive emails on all devices.

Lastly, the Rookie Of The Year prize, which rewards a start-up for its innovative and promising concept, rewarded the TV & RADIO Analytics platform by Admo.tv. The winner was decided by a vote by the audience present at the ceremony after each short-listed company presented their offer.

We would like to thank the jury and the audience for this prize which endorses our leadership on the TV analytics market. Our purpose has always been to shape tomorrows TV and to be a forerunner. The jury of Rookie of The Year confirms this need to change the market: its the key to creating increasingly more value for TV, but especially for advertisers. With the recent opening of our office in London, things are extremely dynamic for us at the moment and we should be recruiting around ten new people in 2018. Pierre Figeat, CEO of Admo.tv

The enthusiasm stimulated by the Paris Retail Awards is shared by Alexandra Bouthelier, General Delegate of the Federation du Commerce Cooperatif et Associe (FCA): Experiences, AI, live retail, omnichannel retail, dramatization of the point of sale, etc.: retail actors are overflowing with ideas and are constantly re-inventing themselves. That is their greatest strength. This year again, Paris Retail Week has been the opportunity to analyse todays retail in order to anticipate tomorrows. Bring on the 2018 edition!

Paris Retail Week, the backdrop for retail innovation

Paris Retail Week put on its own show to demonstrate the novelties of retail to consumers.

For the first time, visitors were able to use Gustave, the shows chatbot, in partnership with the start-up BotSpell. Gustave uses artificial intelligence to answer over 200 questions and guide visitors around the show.

In terms of experience, the Retail Tech in Live stand, organised by Keyveo, allowed visitors to experience virtual reality and augmented reality.

Paris, capital of connected retail

Paris Retail Week ventured out of the site of Paris Expo Porte de Versailles during two Paris Retail Tours which highlighted innovations at points of sale. Participants were able to discover the strategies and creativity of brands used to attract, seduce and build the loyalty of their customers at the point of sale in the following boutiques: Birchbox, Printemps de la Beaute, Orange, Adidas Foot, E-polette.com, K-Way, Lulu dans ma rue, Comptoir des recettes, Le Comptoir Major, PSA Experience Store, Maison Sonos and My Little Paris.

Over three days of intense discussions, Paris Retail Week brought together players from the retail world, from newcomers in the Start-up Village to international giants. It reflected on the markets transformations and revealed the innovations which offer consumers human, authentic and experiential retail.

Marc Lolivier, General Delegate of FEVAD, adds: Consumers continue to buy, but their habits are changing considerably. They get their information differently, and purchase processes and expectations in terms of delivery are changing too. Retailers are constantly innovating to keep up with this. This is what Paris Retail Week has spotlighted over these three days. It is essential for retail players, like FEVAD, to continue to get together at this large exhibition of connected retail to reveal the trends of tomorrow and ensure that the energy of this effervescent sector lasts.

In addition to the exhibiting companies and well-known speakers, this third edition of Paris Retail Week attracted many visitors, including Adidas, Alinea, American Express, Camaieu, Casino, Chanel, Etam, Ebay, Go Sport, Ikea, Intermarche, les Laboratoires Bioderma, Leclerc, LOreal, Monoprix, Nespresso, Nocibe, Nuxe, Picard, SFR, Yves Rocher, etc.

See the videos of Paris Retail Week now, as well as the press kit and visuals on the dedicated Digital Pressroom.

Note:

The next edition of Paris Retail Week will be held from 10 to 12 September 2018.

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Travelling is super fun and something almost everyone enjoys. Thankfully, the Singapore dollar is strong enough for us to travel without feeling too much of a pinch (sorry, Malaysians!). But that doesnt mean we dont also drive a hard bargain when we travel.

Here are 5 of the cheapest cities in the world to visit (after buying the plane tickets which cant be helped!), according to Price of Travels Backpackers Index 2017:

1. Pokhara, Nepal





Source: Nepalnow.org

Breakaway from the monotony of travelling to overly crowded and touristy places and put Pokhara on your next holiday destination. Pokhara is located in central Nepal and is a city on Phewa Lake known as a gateway to the Annapurna Circuit, a popular trail in the Himalayas. So if youre an outdoorsy person, this might just be one of the best places for you to visit. You could stay in a hostel for as low as $4 a night while food will probably cost you less than $7 a meal on a budget. Even the taxi ride from the airport to the city centre wont cost you more than $4!

2. Hanoi, Vietnam





Source: Pixabay

Now this will definitely be a budget trip for you. With return flights from only $200+ and hostels for only $10 a night, you could potentially spend less than $500 for a weeks trip to Hanoi. You can easily get foot long banh mi sandwiches for $3 and that could last you up to two meals. It is also relatively easy to get around Hanoi by taxi or by foot around the Old Quarter with plenty to explore. Vietnam is one of the most underrated holiday destinations in Southeast Asia, which includes the city of Hanoi.

3. Chiang Mai, Thailand





Source: Pixabay

With its rolling rice terraces, beautiful Loy Krathong festival when lanterns light up the night sky, stunning temples and delicious street food, Chiang Mai is one of those places that should be on anyones bucket list. Chiang Mai is also surprisingly cheap compared to its other Thai tourist spots like Bangkok, Ko Samui or Phuket. You could get accommodation from $10 a night, enjoy street food from $1 and grab an Uber from the airport to the city centre for $7. A little traveller insider tip: If youre worried about an upset tummy from street food, try their local offerings from a 7-Eleven. It is just as delicious, clean and affordable!

Story continues

4. Vientiane, Laos





Source: Pixabay

Laos is yet another underrated destination within Southeast Asia. Though AirAsia flights have easily connected the whole ASEAN to each other, many have yet to explore Laos. Though not as cheap as Chiang Mai or Hanoi, Vientiane, Laos national capital should be one of the top places to visit for its budget-friendly accomodation (also from $10 a night). You get to experience the mix of French-colonial architecture with Buddhist temples such as the golden, 16th-century Pha That Luang, a national symbol in Laos. Enjoy breakfast from $2, lunch from $4 and dinner from $8. A taxi from the airport to the city centre will only cost you about $10.

5. Goa, India





Source: Pixabay

Goa is actually a really quaint coastal state in India that attracts quite a number of tourists. Compared to the rest of India, it may not be that cheap since it does command high traffic in tourist numbers. But compared to the rest of the world, it is a bargain that budget travellers will love. If you enjoy sitting around on the beach all day, or going to bars and clubs at night, then this will be your paradise. Or if you love getting in touch with nature, try going for a vegan yoga retreat here too. Accommodation at a hostel will set you back up to $12 a night while taxis from the airport to the beaches will charge you almost $30. However, meals are cheap from only $1.50 to $9.

(By Natalie Tan)

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US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis warned Tuesday that an American withdrawal from Afghanistan would be "to our ultimate peril," as he briefed Congress on plans to increase US troop levels. "Based on intelligence community analysis and my own evaluation, I am convinced we would absent ourselves from this region at our peril," he said, testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee. The administration of President Donald Trump recently announced plans to send an additional 3,000 troops to Afghanistan to train and advise the country's security forces. There are already 11,000 US troops there. Mattis visited Afghanistan last week with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg to reaffirm US commitment as government forces struggle to beat back the Taliban, which has been on the offensive since US-led combat forces withdrew at the end of 2014. General John Nicholson, the top US commander in Afghanistan, "is holding the line," Mattis assured the senators. "We must always remember we are in Afghanistan to make America safer and to ensure South Asia cannot be used to plot transnational attacks against the US homeland or our partners and allies," he said. The September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States was set in motion from Taliban-ruled Afghanistan by Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.
The Egyptian government denied on Monday that a shipment of weapons from North Korea was destined for its military, as reported in The Washington Post. In a report published on Sunday, the US newspaper reported that the Egyptian military was the undisclosed buyer of $23 million worth of rocket-propelled grenades from North Korea in 2016. The Post cited US officials and Western diplomats familiar with the findings who remained anonymous. But the Egyptian foreign ministry denied the report on Monday. In a statement sent to AFP, spokesman Ahmed Abu Zeid "categorically denied what the (Washington Post) report mentioned regarding Egypt being the destination for the shipment. "The sanctions committee report did not indicate that the shipment was destined for Egypt," he added, referring to a UN report mentioned in the Post story. The United States had warned Egypt in August 2016 that a North Korean vessel named Jie Shun, under the Cambodian flag, was headed toward the Suez Canal. The ship, the Post reported, was run by a North Korean crew and had "an unknown cargo shrouded by heavy tarps". When it reached the Suez Canal, customs agents boarded the ship and found more than 24,000 North Korean rocket-propelled grenades, the newspaper reported. The report said a UN investigation found that Egypt was the original buyer of the shipment, which Egypt denies. "The shipment that was confiscated was not destined for Egypt," said Abu Zeid. "Egyptian authorities indeed intercepted a ship flying the Cambodian flag before it entered the southern entrance of the Suez Canal, following information that it was carrying anti-tank rockets from North Korea in violation of (UN Security Council) sanctions. "Egyptian authorities indeed confiscated the shipment and destroyed it in the presence of a team of experts from the 1718 committee overseeing the UNSC sanctions on North Korea" said the foreign ministry spokesman. Abu Zeid added that "the head of the UNSC North Korea sanctions committee has lauded Egypt's efforts." The Post reported that the officials said the incident "was one of a series of clandestine deals" that led US President Donald Trump's administration to freeze or delay about $300 million in military aid to Egypt this year.
REUTERS - At least 50 people died and more than 400 others were wounded when a gunman opened fire on a country music festival on the Las Vegas Strip on Sunday night. The gunman, Stephen Paddock, 64, later killed himself, police said. If the death toll is not revised lower, it would be the worst mass shooting in the United States and is among a series of such incidents dating back to at least the mid-1990s. Below are some of the bloodiest episodes in recent years, ranked by the number of dead: ORLANDO, June 12, 2016 - A gunman fatally shoots 49 people at gay nightclub Pulse before he is shot dead by police. At the time it was the worst mass shooting in recent U.S. history. VIRGINIA TECH, April 16, 2007 - A gunman slaughters 32 people and kills himself at Virginia Tech, a university in Blacksburg, Virginia. SANDY HOOK, Dec. 14, 2012 - A man shoots dead his mother, then kills 20 children, six adults and himself at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. SAN BERNARDINO, Dec. 2, 2015 - A husband and wife kill 14 people at a workplace holiday party in San Bernardino in Southern California before dying in a shootout with police. COLUMBINE, April 20, 1999 - Two teenagers rampage through Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado, shooting dead 12 students and a teacher and wounding more than 20 others before killing themselves. BINGHAMTON, April 3, 2009 - A Vietnamese immigrant opens fire at an immigrant services center in Binghamton, New York, killing 13 people and wounding four. He then kills himself. FORT HOOD, Nov. 5, 2009 - An army major and psychiatrist opens fire at Fort Hood, a U.S. Army base in Texas, killing 13 people. He is sentenced to death. WASHINGTON, D.C., Sept. 16, 2013 - A former Navy reservist working as a government contractor kills 12 people at the Washington Navy Yard. He is shot dead by police. COLORADO, July 20, 2012 - A masked gunman kills 12 people and wounds 70 when he opens fire at a midnight premiere of Batman film "The Dark Knight Rises" in Aurora, Denver. He receives a life sentence. WASHINGTON, D.C., October 2002 - Two men ambush 13 people, killing 10 of them, in sniper-style shootings that terrorize the Washington area for three weeks. One sniper was executed and the other was sentenced to life in prison. OREGON, Oct. 1, 2015 - A man opens fire on the Umpqua Community College campus in southwest Oregon, killing nine people before he is shot dead by police. CHARLESTON, June 17, 2015 - A white supremacist kills nine black churchgoers at a historic, predominantly black church in Charleston, South Carolina. WACO, May 17, 2015 - Rival motorcycle gangs kill nine at a restaurant in Waco, Texas. More than 170 people are arrested. WISCONSIN, Aug. 5, 2012 - A white supremacist kills six worshippers in a Sikh temple in Oak Creek, Wisconsin. The gunman kills himself. TUCSON, Jan. 8, 2011 - Then-U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords is the target of an assassination attempt by a gunman in Tucson, Arizona. Six people are killed and 13, including Giffords, are wounded. AMISH school, Oct. 2, 2006 - A gunman kills five girls in a one-room Amish schoolhouse in Nickel Mines, Pennsylvania, before killing himself. (Compiled by Jeff Benkoe and Jonathan Oatis; Editing by Susan Thomas)
Indigenous peoples could soon regain some control of their native forests with the creation of a new global institution dedicated to securing their land rights. The International Land and Forest Tenure Facility, formally launched in Stockholm on Tuesday, aims to help communities protect their land resources as well as combat climate change. Funded by Sweden, Norway and the Ford Foundation, a US charity, the Tenure Facility has already provided grants and guidance for pilot projects in Peru, Mali, Indonesia and three other nations. Disputes over resources can prove deadly. According to non-governmental organisation Global Witness, more than 200 environmental campaigners were murdered in 2016 alone -- nearly half from indigenous tribes. A 2014 survey by US-based think tank World Resources Institute found restoring control of forests to original inhabitants can tackle global warming. In Brazil, deforestation in indigenous community forests from 2000 to 2012 was less than one percent, compared to seven percent outside those areas. - 'Unrelenting conflicts' - Depleted tropical forests and emissions from agriculture and livestock have accounted for more than a fifth of global greenhouse gas emissions in recent decades. Ford Foundation president Darren Walker told AFP that climate change and inequality are "existential threats" on a global scale. "Creating mechanisms that allow indigenous peoples and local communities to gain tenure over their land or forests is a way to tackle both these problems." The Ford Foundation has pledged $5 million (4.2 million euros), and Norway announced Tuesday a grant of $20 million over the coming years. Sweden pitched in $10 million during the pilot phase and will fund future projects. Walker said he expects donations rise to $100 million overall within a year. The project aims to boost forestland properly titled to indigenous peoples by 40 million hectares, an area twice the size of Spain, within a decade. Such efforts, they calculate, would prevent deforestation of one million hectares and the release of 500 million tonnes of CO2, more than the annual emissions of Britain or Brazil. - Corruption and abuses - More than two billion people live on and manage half the world's land in customary or traditional systems, yet indigenous communities have formal legal ownership of just 10 percent. And even where they do have title, corruption and abuses have led to protracted conflicts with local and national governments, companies and migrant workers. Native populations can even run afoul of major green initiatives to fight climate change or stem biodiversity loss. A controversial UN-backed programme known as REDD+ -- Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation -- creates incentives to keep forests intact, paid for by rich nations or companies seeking to offset pollution under carbon trading schemes. But critics say the projects REDD+ finances can push aside the needs and rights of indigenous peoples who are often most directly affected by the changes. A peer-reviewed 2013 study concluded that less than half of some 50 projects in Africa, Latin America and Asia did anything to alleviate the poverty of forest-dependent peoples, though many did enhance their land rights.
BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq's Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi on Tuesday called for a "joint administration" of Kirkuk and other areas claimed by both his government and the autonomous Kurdish region, provided that Baghdad has ultimate authority in such an arrangement. Abadi's proposal, made at a news conference in Baghdad according to state TV, aims mainly at settling the dispute over the multi-ethnic, oil-rich region of Kirkuk. Kurdish Peshmerga fighters took control of Kirkuk in 2014, when Iraqi forces collapsed in the face of Islamic State's advance across northern Iraq. (Reporting by Maher Chmaytelli; Editing by Gareth Jones)
Conflicts, violence and persecution in Myanmar, South Sudan, Syria and elsewhere have forced more than two million people to flee as refugees this year, the UN refugee chief said Monday. At the end of 2016, a record 65.6 million people had been uprooted from their homes worldwide, with 22.5 million of them registered as refugees. "The despair of millions of men, women and children driven from their homes, cast adrift into a life of uncertainty, is a stain on our collective conscience," Filippo Grandi told UNHCR's annual Executive Committee meeting in Geneva. Calling for more international cooperation and support to address the crisis, he pointed to the dire needs of the more than half a million Rohingya Muslims who crossed into Bangladesh from Myanmar since August 25. During the same period, 50,000 refugees had flooded out of South Sudan and another 18,000 had fled clashes in the Central African Republic, he said. War-ravaged Syria continues to account for the world's largest number of forcibly displaced people, with civilians there still bearing the brunt of clashes. Grandi warned that refugee rights and protection were eroding worldwide, including in Europe and the United States, "driven by confused, sometimes frightened public opinions often stirred up by irresponsible politicians." "Border closures,... restrictive asylum procedures, indefinite detention in appalling conditions, offshore processing, pressure for premature returns all have regrettably proliferated," he said. He said resettlement was vital to addressing the growing refugee problem and decried that countries were dragging their feet. "Close to 1.2 million refugees need resettling globally," he said, voicing "major concern that fewer than 100,000 resettlement places are expected to be available this year, a drop of 43 percent from 2016." Grandi also warned that his organisation was facing a dramatic funding shortage and was increasingly being "faced with impossible choices", which in some cases was leaving refugees without protection and host communities without support. In 2016, UNHCR had $4.4 billion available funds, but still ended the year with a 41-percent shortfall. And this year, the agency expects to receive less, with $4.2 billion available, leaving nearly half of the needs unmet, Grandi warned.
IMAGE_UNTV_NEWS_100217_AKSYON AGAD

Manila, Philippines  The program Pulis @ Ur Serbis, Aksyon Agad! is the newest public service radio program of the Philippine National Police which aims to address complaints of the public that needs police assistance.

The program hosted by policemen, will receive live phone calls and walk-in complaints.

It will even receive complaints concerning high-ranking officers.

Anyone can air their complaint wherever they may be as the program airs nationwide.

This will be faster because it is direct from them and they can easy mobilize, this will be fair to all regardless of what complaint they will receive, even if it is a complaint to some police officials, BMPI-UNTV CEO Dr. Daniel Razon said.

PNP Chief Ronald Bato dela Rosa is also one of the hosts of the program which also serves as an extension of the PNPs job as public servants.

Dela Rosa said the purpose of the program will help them expand their scope of public services.

Despite the efforts, the PNP chief admits it is inevitable for policemen to think the public is not pleased with what they are doing, thats why the program will be a big help in regaining public trust.

Because of this activity, many stakeholders have signed the agreement to manifest their support in the police. This will erase the idea that the public does not appreciate what we are doing, said Dela Rosa.

The Police Community Relations Group headed by PS/Supt. Rhodel Sermonia will lead the program

Pulis @ Ur Serbis Aksyon Agad is aired through radio La Verdad 1350 every Monday from 3 to 4 in the afternoon.  Mon Jocson | UNTV News & Rescue

The post Newest PNP program Pulis @ Ur Serbis, Aksyon Agad! airs on Radio La Verdad 1350 appeared first on UNTV News.
BELGRADE (Reuters) - Serbia' foreign minister accused world powers on Tuesday of using double standards by refusing to accept the Catalan independence referendum while largely welcoming a separate Kosovo. Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008 - an announcement accepted by Washington and most EU states but rejected by Belgrade and its allies. Almost a decade later on Sunday, voters in Catalonia backed independence from Spain in a referendum declared unconstitutional by the Madrid government. A day later Germany called the vote worrying, as other states fretted about their own separatist-minded communities. "I am bothered by the double standards of the international community," foreign minister Ivica Dacic told the RTS public broadcaster. "The EU will never say it made an error with the recognition of Kosovo, but that decision will backfire. The Pandora's box was opened," Dacic said. Serbia's position on Kosovo has been one of the main stumbling blocks in its own bid to join the European Union. Brussels has said it needs to improve relations with the authorities in Pristina and stop trying to block their efforts to join international bodies. On Monday, Serbia's President Aleksandar Vucic called senior ministers and security chiefs for talks after European Commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas said comparisons between Spain and Serbia could not be made as Kosovo had happened in "a very specific context". "How it can be that the referendum is invalid in Catalonia and in Kosovo it (independence) could be done without one," Vucic said on Monday after meeting Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos in Belgrade. Kosovo seceded almost a decade after NATO intervened with air strikes to drive out Serbian forces and halt the killing and expulsion of ethnic Albanian civilians during a two-year counter-insurgency war. (Reporting by Aleksandar Vasovic; Editing by Ivana Sekularac and Andrew Heavens)
Singapore will go cashless in 6 months, and this is how things will happen

Going cashless makes business operations simpler and easier, allowing business owners to save precious time and money

Editors note: e27 publishes relevant guest contributions from the community. Share your honest opinions and expert knowledge by submitting your content here.

In his latest National Day Rally speech, Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong contrasted Singaporeans highly connected lifestyle and digital literacy with their slowness in adopting digital payment. The concept of making transactions with your mobile phone has been around for many years and has been successfully implemented in countries much larger than Singapore.

Mr. Lee pointed out that the country has a natural advantage in that it is compact and highly connected. With the highest smartphone penetration rate in the world, why is Singapore still lagging behind?

Cash may be considered king, but there is a cost to handling it  from the time taken to count it, to store it securely, and then finally banking it. Going cashless makes business operations simpler and easier, allowing business owners to save precious time and money.

Without being able to make payments to merchants, users cannot go completely mobile. Having to switch between mobile and cash for different kinds of payments means users still have to carry around their wallets anyway. This incomplete ecosystem makes it really inconvenient for users to make the switch to mobile payments.

Mobile payments are already wildly successful in China

Denizens of most major Chinese cities have already been paying with digital wallets for more than three years.

Also read: A shift toward a cashless society goes beyond fintech, and it requires behavioural change

In 2014 for Chinese New Year, WeChat introduced a feature for distributing virtual red envelopes, modeled after the Chinese tradition of exchanging packets of money among friends and family members during holidays. A month after its launch, WeChat Pays user base expanded from 30 million to 100 million users.

Story continues

Right after the introduction of the red envelope on WeChat, both WeChat and Alipay invested millions to expand the usage of mobile wallets across the nation. On 8th Aug 2015, Tencent initiated the historic 8.8 Cashless Day, with the participation of more than 100,000 merchants across China. In 2016, the event grew exponentially to include more than 700,000 merchants.

To replicate Chinas success requires investment from both regulators and private companies

In the private sector, two IT giants, Alibaba and Tencent, invested millions of dollars to promote their mobile wallet solutions. At the same time, China also saw a huge demand for mobile wallets from business owners. Although China is known for its huge population, labor costs were increasing rapidly. As a result, business owners in China have adopted new technologies to deal with this reality, and payments are an important piece of the puzzle. Furthermore, because of the ease and ubiquity of mobile payments, the biggest beneficiaries have been small businesses, the hawkers, vendors and street food peddlers, not just the established restaurants, hotels and banks

Finally, smartphone penetration has reached 80% in Chinas major cities. Compared to credit cards, mobile wallets are more accessible to customers, and wide adoption from merchants of all sizes made it the obvious choice for a large majority of the population.

In the public sector, Peoples Bank of China (PBC), the regulator of monetary policy in China, has the control over all financial institutions, including WeChat Pay and Alipay. The PBCs establishment of a clearinghouse for mobile payment service providers made it convenient and enabled its widespread adoption.

Also read: The rise of Chinas cashless society: Mobile payments trends in 2017

The Chinese government has been efficient in promoting new technologies, but so too is the Singapore government. Although Singapore is a smaller market, it still has many of the conditions that make it favorable for a mobile payments revolution.

The Singapore government is finally building the regulatory infrastructure, and MAS will make it happen by years end

Recognizing that having too many different payment schemes and systems in Singapore is impeding progress and confusing consumers, PM Lee said that the industry should simplify and integrate during his 2017 national day rally.

Within a month, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) established the SGQR (Singapore QR) Taskforce, aiming to have a standardized solution to accept both domestic and international payments in place by the end of 2017. This will bring about many impactful changes in financial institutions and with merchants within the next 6 months.

Before 2017 is over, Singapore will have a common QR code, allowing consumers to pay electronically anywhere by scanning a QR code with their smartphones. After that, as long as they have the right services, it is only a matter of time before Singaporeans form a new habit of making mobile payments.

Instead of having so many e-payment players, it is far better to shoot for compatibility of these systems

Since 2015, FOMO Pay has been working to build online/offline QR code payment partnerships with merchants in Singapore, and FOLAH is striving to be the app that will condense that work into a seamless mobile payment experience for Singaporeans. FOLAH combines different payment methods into a single QR Code that the merchant can display in physical stores. To make payment, customers scan a QR code and enter the amount due to the merchant.

With more than 1,000 merchant partners in Singapore and many brands already using their mobile payment services, FOMO Pays FOLAH wants Singaporeans to finally be able to leave their wallets at home. Currently, FOMO Pay provides payment channels for Visa, Mastercard, UnionPay, and an array of other Chinese e-wallets.

FOMO Pay has established itself as one of the most promising fintech startups of the year. Its been selected as one of the top 100 Asian Companies by publications such as E27 and Red Herring Asia, and named one of the Top 8 startups under DBS FinTech Accelerator Program.

PayNow, Singapores only other mobile payment system so far, will face difficulties integrating merchant transactions because of the need to get participating banks to agree on terms for settlement. FOLAH will simply integrate PayNow as one of FOLAHs payment method so that users can have the complete experience they need. With the knowledge & technical expertise to replicate Chinas success with mobile payments, FOLAH promises to bring more convenience to both consumer and merchants to Singapore and the region.

As smartphone penetration continues to increase, the adoption of mobile payments is inevitable, in Singapore as well as the rest of Southeast Asia.

-

The post Singapore will go cashless in 6 months, and this is how things will happen appeared first on e27.
People sit along Marina Bay in Singapore September 21, 2017. REUTERS/Edgar Su

Singapore is set to be the third most-popular destination for outbound Chinese tourists during the Golden Week from 1-8 October.

Some six million Chinese tourists will venture abroad during the nationwide one-week holiday, according to a joint report from Ctrip, Chinas largest travel site, and the countrys Tourism Academy.

The 2017 China National Holiday and Moon Festival Travel Trend Report and Popular Tourists Sites Ranking is based on information collected from Ctrips 300 million active users and millions of orders from its travel agency partners.

Graphic: Ctrip

Chinese tourists will visit 1,155 cities in 88 countries and regions during this trip, according to the report released on Tuesday (3 October).

Asian countries are the most popular destinations: more than 70 per cent of out-bound Chinese tourists will choose to travel in Asia, and more 45 per cent of whom will go to Southeast Asian countries.

Thailand is the number one destination, followed by Japan and Singapore. The average expenditure per outbound tourist is estimated to be 9,800 yuan (S$2012).

The report also says that a staggering 710 million Chinese tourists will also travel domestically, 10 per cent more than in the same period in 2016.
By Michelle Nichols UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - A top Myanmar official appealed on Monday for democracy in the country to be given "a chance to survive" amid international anger over a military campaign against Rohingya Muslims that the United Nations has described as ethnic cleansing. Some 507,000 Rohingya Muslim have fled to Bangladesh since insurgents attacked security posts near the border on Aug. 25, triggering fierce Myanmar military retaliation. Myanmar says more than 500 people have been killed, most of them insurgents. National Security Adviser Thaung Tun told Reuters that he has spoken with his U.S. counterpart, H.R. McMaster, on the phone and visited members of the U.S. Congress in Washington last week. He said sanctions were not specifically discussed. The United States called last week on countries to suspend providing weapons to Myanmar's military, but it stopped short of threatening to reimpose U.S. sanctions, which were suspended under the Obama administration. "We need to ensure that democracy has a chance to survive in Myanmar. This is a young democracy," Thaung Tun told Reuters in an interview at the United Nations, noting that government leader and Nobel peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi has only been in office for 18 months. Suu Kyi assumed power following a landslide election win after former military leaders initiated a political transition. For years, the United States and others imposed sanctions on Myanmar in support of Suu Kyi's campaign for democracy. "We have a lot of challenges and these challenges cannot be overcome in a day. Rome wasn't built in a day. So we can't undo 50 years of challenges," said Thaung Tun, adding that he hoped to meet in person with McMaster, President Donald Trump's national security adviser, to brief him on the current situation. "NOBODY ABOVE THE LAW" A Trump administration official said last month the violence made it harder for the United States and Myanmar to build warmer ties, and there would likely be some "easing" in the short term, but he did not expect a return to sanctions. Thaung Tun said he had not met privately with U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley but had spoken to her briefly on the sidelines of other meetings in New York. The U.N. Security Council met publicly last week on Myanmar for the first time since 2009. Haley said the Myanmar authorities appeared to be carrying out "a brutal, sustained campaign to cleanse the country of an ethnic minority." She said countries should stop supplying weapons to Myanmar until the military has sufficient accountability measures. Thaung Tun said "action has been taken against a number of policemen who exceeded their bounds in dealing with detainees." "We have very strict instructions for the security forces to carry out their duties within the bounds of the code of conduct," he said. "Nobody is above the law." He said that ethnic cleansing or genocide was not happening in Myanmar. The Myanmar government has said that there have no military operations since Sept. 5. But Thaung Tun said that since then security forces have responded when attacked. "Under the cover of night there have been some sporadic attacks and the police and the security people have been required to respond in self-defense," he said. The Rohingya are denied citizenship and classified as illegal immigrants, despite claiming roots in Myanmar that go back centuries, with communities marginalized and subjected to bouts of communal violence over the years. Bangladesh and Myanmar agreed on Monday to set up a "working group" to plan the repatriation of those who had fled. (Reporting by Michelle Nichols; Editing by Leslie Adler)
A US-led coalition air strike killed at least 18 civilians on Tuesday in the Islamic State group's former stronghold of Raqa, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said. "International coalition planes targeted water wells where a group of civilians were gathered in the north of Raqa city, killing at least 18 civilians," Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman said. The Britain-based group said four children were among the dead. The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, an alliance of Kurdish and Arab fighters, broke into Raqa in June and has since wrested 90 percent of the city from IS. But activists say coalition strikes in support of the operation have killed hundreds of civilians and caused enormous damage. The coalition says it takes "extraordinary care" to avoid civilian casualties in its strikes and that it investigates credible claims of civilian deaths. In late September, the coalition acknowledged the deaths of 735 civilians in its strikes on Syria and Iraq since 2014. But activists say the toll is much higher. Raqa has faced water shortages for months because of damage to pipelines caused by suspected coalition strikes. Even in the early days of the Raqa assault, residents said they feared being caught in air strikes or shelling when they ventured to wells or the Euphrates River that runs south of the city to draw water.
When baby-faced Huynh Thi Thai Muoi left her home in rural Vietnam to begin a life in South Korea with a man she barely knew, she feared it was a gamble. She didn't speak the language, her new husband was nearly twice her age, and she knew little about her new home, but the 23-year-old high school dropout was looking for love -- and a fresh start. "I want a new life, I want to challenge myself and see whether I can thrive or not," said Muoi, whose chubby, acne-marked cheeks make her look younger than she is. Muoi was introduced to 43-year-old bachelor Kim Kyeong-Bok through her cousin, who is also married to a Korean, and the couple wed within days of meeting. She is one of some 40,000 Vietnamese brides in South Korea, a top destination for women looking for love and a ticket out of poverty. Many know little about the country beyond K-pop bands or Korean movies and end up marrying virtual strangers. But for Muoi, her new life in the city of Gwangju -- and her new husband -- have, so far, surpassed her hopes. "My husband really loves me, more than I expected," she gushed. Despite the language barrier, Kim is teaching her to shop and cook, and hopes she will make friends at a nearby community centre for foreign brides. "When I first met her, I thought to myself, 'this is the woman who will become my wife'. I was very happy," explained Kim, who had rejected the first Vietnamese girl presented to him as a bride option. - Marriage gap - But Muoi is one of the lucky ones. Many other Vietnamese women have found their new lives are not what they dreamed: thousands have returned home divorced and unhappy. "The women don't have enough information about either their husbands or what migrating and living in Korea would be like," said Youn Sim Kim, director of the Korea Center for United Nations Human Rights Policy (KOCUN), an NGO in southern Can Tho province where many of the brides come from. One in five Vietnamese-Korean couples filed for divorce in 2015, according to the latest data from Statistics Korea. "I thought life would be okay like it was in Vietnam, maybe the only difference would be the food," said Le Thi The, a divorcee now living in Can Tho. The honeymoon period abruptly ended days after she arrived and discovered her husband was not the man she thought he would be. "I asked him to come home and he got mad at me, he threw all my stuff out of the house," The said. Most Vietnamese brides usually settle in rural areas in South Korea, a prospect that has become less attractive to eligible Korean women who have streamed into fast-growing cities to climb the career ladder. An increasing number say that marriage isn't a must. "In some of those areas there's a gender imbalance, whereby a lot of the South Korean women who are from the rural areas are migrating to urban centres, leaving a shortage," said Paul Priest, acting chief of mission at the International Organization for Migration in Vietnam. The bulk of women filling the marriage gap come from Vietnam's Mekong Delta or rural China, largely drawn to South Korea's dizzying pace of development of the past half century. Its annual per capita GDP is more than $27,000, some 12 times that of Vietnam, and comfortably above China's $8,000, according to World Bank data. - Lost everything - The headache continues for returnees to Vietnam since their divorces aren't legally recognised and their Korean-born children aren't immediately eligible to attend local schools. Mother-of-two Nguyen Thi Kim Han married a Korean man in 2007 to help her poor family. But he turned out to be a closeted gambling addict who emptied the family's bank account -- twice. "At first he was nice with a gentle manner, we didn't have that much money but it wasn't that important," she told AFP, sobbing. But she later discovered he lost all their money in poor trades on the stock market. "Not a single penny left... I was in shock," Han said. After he did it a second time, she took the girls back to Vietnam, but struggled to get them into school, eventually managing with KOCUN's help. Established in 2011, the centre prepares brides-to-be for life in Korea, teaching them about climate and culture, language and local food, and also supports returnees. Most couples meet through illegal marriage brokers in Vietnam, notorious for arranging bride-viewing sessions for Korean men in seedy backrooms. But police in Vietnam have cracked down on the brokers, and the South Korean government has tightened visa rules, so such foreign marriages are starting to decline. Muoi is optimistic about her new relationship, but concedes her life in South Korea can be very lonely. Some days to alleviate the boredom she joins her husband at the office, sitting quietly as he works. Muoi talks to her family daily on the smartphone Kim bought them, but is still desperately homesick. "Every time I think about them, I always cry," she said.
A huge debate was sparked between Indonesia and Malaysia when the national costume for Miss Grand Malaysia was revealed to be Kuda Warisan (a.k.a. Kuda Kepang), which is also known as the Kuda Lumping by the Javanese community.



The reveal of the costume has somehow angered many Indonesians who claimed that the traditional culture belongs to them, and that it shouldn't be used to represent Malaysian culture in a national competition.



The costume which was designed by Hana Yaakob had beaten more than 50 entries and will be worn by Miss Grand Malaysia 2017, Sanjeda John, at the annual Miss Grand International pageant to be held in Vietnam from 5 to 25 October 2017.

"We took this bold step to portray our country's unique and diverse culture and heritage due to its historical landscape. It is all about celebrating diversity and educating resemblance due to the unique history we share especially in this region," said Jude Benjamin Lisa, National Director, Miss Grand Malaysia Organization.



When the costume decision was made official, many Indonesians expressed their dissatisfaction on the social media accounts of Miss Grand Malaysia and Sanjeda John.



While the beauty pageant body acknowledged that the costume is indeed inspired by the Javanese community residing in the northern state of Johor, Malaysia, the Indonesians are not convinced as to why their culture was chosen to represent another country.



"Even though the Indonesians migrated to Malaysia, it doesn't mean that their culture has also moved into the country. You can learn our culture, but you shouldn't claim it as your own," said a user.



(Photo source: topindonesiaholidays.com)

Some questioned why the Chinese or Indian culture is not chosen to represent Malaysia since the two races are also part of the nation's majority, while the Javanese community is only a small percentage of it.



There are also Malaysians who defended the costume by saying that the culture is shared by the places within the Nusantara (archipelago) which include Jakarta, Sabah, Sarawak, Brunei and East Timor, thus it only make sense that Sabahan beauty queen Sanjeda be a part of it.



The kerfuffle still seems to go on endlessly, but this isn't the first time that the two nations have argued over cultural belongings.



The past debates have included traditional food like rendang and satay, the tor-tor folk dance, Gordang Sambilan drum performance, batik, and more. (Sometimes, even Singaporeans will be included into the debate due to similar cultures.)

Story continues

The Kuda Warisan national costume will be up against 80 other national costumes from all over the world vying for the Best in National Costume which includes an Award and USD1,000 cash from the Miss Grand International Organization.



The grand finale of Miss Grand International 2017 will be held on 25 October at Vinpearl Resort in Phu Quoc Island, Vietnam, where the winner will be walking away with USD40,000 and reside in Bangkok, Thailand during her reign to further promote "Stop the War and Violence? campaign with the Miss Grand International Organization.
Are your employees afraid of you? Of course not, you scoff. All right, maybe they dont cower in fear when you enter a roombut are they comfortable coming to you with questions or problems? In other words, are you approachable?

Are You Approachable at Work?

Its becoming less common for the boss at a small company to be sealed off in the corner office  or even in an office at all. But even if you arent hidden away on the executive floor or behind an office door, you may come across as intimidating to your team.

When employees find you intimidating, it causes many problems.

Theyre afraid to come to you with questions about their work, which leads to errors, unsatisfied customers and costly waste.

Theyre reluctant to come to you with problems or tell you bad news. As a result, small issues spiral out of control.

They dont feel they can make suggestions or share their ideas. That means a lot of potentially profitable ideas are never acted on.

It boils down to this: When youre unapproachable, you miss out on a lot of important information that can help your business. And even if you personally are approachable, you may have some managers who arent, which can cause the same problems.

Signs You Might Be Unapproachable

You can try asking key managers if they think youre intimidating. However, while they may find you approachable, they may not realize lower-level employees dont feel the same way. And if they dont find you approachable, they may be afraid to admit it.

Ask yourself:

Do you frequently feel blindsided by problems in your business?

Do employees go quiet when you approach?

Do you become irritable or angry when employees tell you something negative or have problems understanding directions?

Do you sometimes feel like others know more about your business than you do?

These are all signs you might be intimidating your employees.

How to Be More Approachable

If youre worried you are unapproachable  or if you know that one of your managers has this problem  here are some steps to make employees feel more comfortable.

1. Smile and make eye contact. It sounds obvious, but when youre occupied with your business and all the things you have to do every day, it can be easy to spend the day with a frown on your face. Maybe it just means youre concentrating, but your employees see it as threatening.

2. Watch your body language. Are your words saying one thing to your employees, and your body saying another? You can tell your employees, Come talk to me any time!, but if you fold your arms across your chest, jiggle your leg impatiently, or sigh while theyre talking to you, theyll get a completely different message. Keep your posture open and relaxed when you talk to employees.

3. Be a good listener. Everyone is busy, and as a small business owner, youre busier than most. However, when you check your email, scroll through your phone or glance at your watch while an employee is speaking, youre telling them you cant be bothered to listen. Employees who feel devalued in this way eventually stop trying to communicate with you. Focus on the other person and really listen to what theyre saying instead of thinking about your to-do list or what youre going to say next.

4. Make the first move. Lets face it: Simply being the boss is enough to make you intimidating to many employees. Break the ice by reaching out to your employees on a regular basis. Get out of your office and walk around. Be the one to say hello or ask employees about their weekend. Learn about their interests, hobbies and families. You dont have to be BFFs, and you shouldnt play favorites. But you should show your interest in the people who work for you. The more they get to know you, the less intimidating youll be.
Thumbtack, an online service matching customers with local professionals, has unveiled a new automated feature called Instant Match that connects local service professionals and customers across the U.S in real time. The feature automatically matches a customer with a specific need to a qualified pro for the job within seconds, enabling your small service-based business to effectively market and scale.

Thumbtack Instant Match Helps Local Services Business Scale

Instant Match is the first critical step toward making it as easy to shop for local services as it is to buy anything else online, writes Marco Zappacosta, co-founder and CEO of Thumbtack in a release. Were creating the tools and infrastructure needed to help these local professionals grow their business at the speed and scale of the web and compete in todays mobile and ecommerce landscape.

Thumbtack already serves over 250,000 service-based small businesses each quarter across the U.S. by connecting them to customers who have a job they need done. However, until now, that required service pros to manually review and respond to each job request, a time-consuming process.

Instant Match removes this challenge by gathering a comprehensive set of details and preferences from the service pros, including skills, pricing, budget and availability, and automatically sending these details instantly to the customer in need of the professionals specific talent, while they work on other jobs.

Frees Time to Work on Other Jobs

With Instant Match, your small business can automatically respond to customer needs immediately. Even for non-service small businesses that need to hire a service pro or contractor for a variety of reasons, the feature can instantly connect you with providers in your area who are available to work. This can be the secret to your businesss continued success in todays competitive, on-demand world.

The growth Thumbtack has afforded me has been just amazing, says Joel Scott, a DJ and photo booth operator in New Jersey, quoted in the Thumbstack release. Now I feel like I have an assistant working on this for me, which frees my time to work on things that will help me actually close jobs. Its like I have an admin taking care of the quoting for me.
The story in Germany, as it is in most places including Slovakia, is that voters are increasingly shunning traditional mass political parties of all types.

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There is an old saying that says generals are always fighting the last war, and you might say something similar of political journalism  that journalists are always overemphasizing the last election.

Following the Brexit vote in June 2016 and after Trump was elected last November a panic that an unstoppable tide of populism was about to overwhelm Europe. Instead, a Green party candidate was elected president of Austria, far right populist Geert Wilders lost in the Netherlands, centrist Emmanuel Macron beat Marine Le Pen by 33 percentage points in the French presidential election and this week Angela Merkel was reelected as chancellor of Germany.

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Along with the right wing AfD reaching parliament, much of the post-election discussion about Germany has focused on how Merkel's CDU-CSU party received a lower share of the vote than last time, the conclusion being that she is politically weaker than she has been. This is not true. While Ms. Merkels 33 percent of the vote was down from the 41 percent the got in 2013, 33 percent is exactly the same share of the vote the party received in the 2009 election and just 2 percent less than they won in 2005. In short, Ms. Merkels party is as about popular now as they were 12 years ago.
2017 will probably the most successful year for number of visitors in the region of Saris, while domestic tourism is the clear main reason behind it.

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More information about travelling in Slovakia

Please see our Please see our Spectacular Slovakia travel guide

The town of Bardejov, its picturesque spa, as well as the World War II monument at Dukla are tourist favourites, the regional newspaper Korzar Presov wrote.

In the first half of 2017, the regional tourism organisation Saris-Bardejov marked an increased number of tourists compared to the first half of 2017, compared to the same period previous years.

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video //www.youtube.com/embed/sRmQLJAwOYA

The most attractive destinations of the region are the Bardejov spa, Bardejov, and this year Svidnik and Duklou. The first half suggests that all of 2017 will be the most successful regarding the visitor rate, while Bardejov and its vicinity is an easily accessible area for spending leisure time. Cyclists, runners and hikers can all enjoy the area.

The length of four tracks, interconnected since last year, comprise a total of seven kilometres. There are two healing single-tracks  Napoleon and Ceresenka, Kyslikova cesta (Oxygen Road) Mihalov  Bardejov and the Kyslikova draha /Oxygen Track in the Bardejov Spa.

Gem of a Slovak town

Notable sights in Bardejov spa include the Astoria Hotel. In the town fo Bardejov, they include a life-sized bronze statue of an executioner in Radnicne Namestie Square. The square is picturesque, with its gothic burgher houses, the Basilica Minor of St Aegid / St Giles, and the former town hall, the first Renaissance construction on Slovak territory which now houses the Saris Museum exhibition.

Bardejov is a historical town inscribed on the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage List. It repeatedly rightly wins the Most Beautiful Town of Slovakia competition.

Dukla

Part of discovering north-eastern Slovakia is also the town of Svidnik. The Military Museum can be attractive for tourists. It consists of authentic photographs from battles, personal items, various guns and findings from the fierce World War II battles to liberate the Dukla Pass. In the nearby park, there is the external military equipment exhibition.

There is another museum in Svidnik: the Ukrainian Culture Museum of the Slovak National Museum. Part of it is also the open-air folk architecture museum with a precious wooden temple and the Dezider Milly Gallery.

One of the most visited sites in this part of the country is Dukla.

It commemorates the Carpathian-Dukla Military Operation from autumn 1944, in which more than 60,000 Soviet and Czechoslovak soldiers were killed in battles against Germans.
The opposition candidate, Martin Klus, stepped down following the results of preference polls, and gave his support to one of his rivals.

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Opposition candidate for the post of Banska Bystrica Regions governor, Martin Klus, officially withdrew from the fight on October 3 in favour of his rival, businessman Jan Lunter.

He made the decision following the preference polls carried out by the AKO and Median agencies. Since he was supported by several opposition parties, he said he had consulted about the matter with them and has their support.

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Read also:

Read also: Poll: Lunter would replace extremist Kotleba Read more

I give up my candidacy in favour of Jan Lunter today as it is necessary to drive intolerance and incompetence out of our region and the whole of Slovakia, Klus said, as quoted by the TASR newswire.

15 candidates still remain

A political analyst and MP for Freedom and Solidarity (SaS), he referred to the polls that showed the clear favourite for the governors post. He did not publicise the specific results, though, claiming there was no agreement about this among the other candidates who had ordered them.

Klus, however, said that the results were similar to those from the September Focus poll, which suggested that Lunter would receive 30.9 percent of the vote, while the current governor, extremist Marian Kotleba, would receive only 22.2 percent.

Our polls clearly showed that, with the current number of candidates, the risk of the current governors victory is huge, Klus said, as quoted by TASR. As a political analyst, I know that in the case of a one-round election, low turnout and hidden voters supporting the current governor, we cannot afford such a gamble.

Read also:

Read also: Voters dont understand self-governing regions Read more

Apart from Klus, another 15 candidates are running for the post.

Politicians welcome the decision

Klus in fact fulfilled the promise made by some candidates in the region, who said they would withdraw from the fight if the polls showed one clear winner, in order not to divide the votes and to defeat Kotleba. The polls were ordered by Stanislav Micev, Igor Kasper, Pavel Greksa and Viliam Banak as well as Klus himself. They learned the results on October 2, TASR wrote.

At the press conference, Lunter thanked him for the support, saying he considers it a commitment.

Meanwhile, several politicians responded to Klus withdrawal. The decision was welcomed by Deputy Prime Minister for Investments and Informatisation Peter Pellegrini (Smer), according to whom Klus has confirmed that his word can be trusted, as reported by TASR.

Read also:

Read also: FAQ: How can foreigners vote in regional elections in Slovakia? Read more

Also Justice Minister Lucia Zitnanska (Most-Hid) appreciated the step, pointing to the earlier reports about extremists from the Peoples Party  Our Slovakia (LSNS) organising shooting training with Polish extremists, as she wrote on her Facebook page.

Klus voters may not automatically vote for Lunter

The fact that Klus gave up his candidacy does not automatically mean that his voters will opt for Lunter, sociologist Martin Slosiarik, head of Focus, told Sme. In any election, some voters do not follow the recommendations of their candidates to support the others.

The relevant part of Klus voters, however, would support Lunter, Slosiarik told Sme. The voters for Klus and, for example, Micev are not willing to support Kotleba and the joint candidate against Kotleba is an alternative for them.
Jaromir Ciznar enters the dispute between the president and the prime minister concerning tax problems.

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General Prosecutor Jaromir Ciznar entered the current dispute between President Andrej Kiska and Prime Minister Robert Fico that concerns the tax problems of the presidents company KTAG.

He organised a press conference on October 3, responding to the recent statements of both Kiska and Fico. He denied Ficos claim that at a meeting back in 2016 the president talked about KTAGs problems and tried to influence the investigation.

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The meeting was held in 2015 and we discussed several issues that were topical at the time, Ciznar said, as quoted by the Sme daily. During this discussion, President Kiska said he had some problems, that his and his brothers company was under investigation in connection with tax crimes, and said that he was concerned that the investigation would not be unbiased.

The general prosecutor thus confirmed Kiskas previous claims concerning the discussion, about which Fico had claimed that the president had tried to influence the investigation.

I assured him that he didnt have to be afraid and that I would guarantee the unbiased approach of the prosecutors office, Ciznar told the press, as quoted by Sme. I hadnt noticed any attempts to influence it.

Read also:

Read also: Kiska regrets tax discrepancies, Fico accuses him of influencing police Read more

The ruling Smer party responded that the general prosecutors claims only prove that Fico was telling the truth.

[Ciznar] admitted that the president asked him three times about the state of the investigation in his private scandal, which is unacceptable considering his function, Smer wrote in a statement, as quoted by Sme.

Ciznar, however, stressed several times that he does not consider Kiskas questions an attempt to influence the investigation, according to the daily.

The president said earlier this week that Fico was lying about the meeting. He confessed meeting Fico, Ciznar and the then head of the Slovak Information Service (SIS) intelligence agency two years ago. During that meeting, he mentioned the investigation of his and his brothers firm, Sme wrote.

I said I was afraid that it might be used to discredit me, nothing more, Kiska said on October 2, as quoted by Sme.
An airplane of a Slovak company is among more than 30 planes of various airlines which helped to transport clients of the bust air company Monarch Airlines.

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Several hours after Monarch Airlines announced bankruptcy proceedings and ceased flying, planes from various airlines helped to ease the situation which had caused havoc among holidaymakers visiting the UK. More than 30 planes were involved including an aircraft of the Slovak company, Go2Sky, the Etrend.sk website wrote on October 3.

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Its plane, a Boeing 737-800 with 189 seats, flew to Barcelona on the morning of October 2, and in the evening, it brought the first passengers to Leeds Bradford airport. The next day, it flew to Faro in Portugal and back, and in the afternoon, the schedule took it from Leeds Bradford to Dubrovnik, and from there, to London Gatwick airport.

Nine return flights are scheduled: to Spain, Portugal, Croatia and Italy, to four airports in the UK until October 8, co-owner of Go2Sky Daniel Ferjancek told etrend.

The curious thing about this situation is that the Boeing which was rented from Go2Sky by the British Titan Airlines company has a sign on its fuselage that says Travel Service Slovakia; the airline which flies Slovak holidaymakers all summer long.
A study by a job-procuring website found that Slovaks beat their neighbours in knowledge of English.

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Slovaks in general have a better knowledge of English than Czechs and Hungarians, with a larger number of Slovaks reaching the B1 proficiency level, a joint study of TrackTest.eu and Profesia.sk has revealed.

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Around 30,000 job applicants from three countries  Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Hungary  who stated in their CVs that they had a knowledge of English participated in the tests carried out between 2015-2017, Nikola Richterova from the Profesia.sk website told the TASR newswire.

Almost one third of job applicants in Slovakia who stated in their CVs that they knew English emerged at the B1 level, she added, as quoted by TASR. Such candidates should master most situations involving the need to speak and understand during daily contact.

Meanwhile, employers seeking people with a knowledge of English most frequently demanded the B2 level. Nonetheless, most applicants did not meet these expectations, TASR wrote on October 3.

Around 34 percent of people were at B2 level, i.e. medium-advanced," said TrackTest.eu project manager Branislav Pokrivcak, as quoted by TASR.

The testing involved three parts  grammar, reading & understanding and listening & understanding. Slovaks on average proved their best skills were in reading & understanding, with the worst results in grammar.

The results of the testing showed that Slovak and Czech job applicants tend to make similar mistakes, Richterova said, as quoted by TASR. They scored similarly in 15 out of 17 grammar categories, a fact that is most probably due to the closeness of their languages. They were significantly better at adjectives, comparing adjectives and vocabulary than Hungarian applicants.

Richterova added that more than 42 percent of jobs advertised on Profesia.sk require a knowledge of English.
BorgWarner Inc. provides solutions for combustion, hybrid, and electric vehicles worldwide. The company operates through four segments: Air Management, E-Propulsion & Drivetrain, Fuel Injection, and Aftermarket. The Air Management segment offers turbochargers, eBoosters, eTurbos, timing systems, emissions systems, thermal systems, gasoline ignition technology, smart remote actuators, powertrain sensors, canisters, cabin heaters, battery modules and systems, battery packs, battery heaters, and battery charging. The E-Propulsion & Drivetrain segment provides rotating electrical components, power electronics, control modules, software, friction, and mechanical products for automatic transmissions and torque-management products. The Fuel Injection segment develops and manufactures gasoline and diesel fuel injection components and systems. The Aftermarket segment sells products and services to independent aftermarket customers and original equipment service customers. This segment provides a range of solutions, including fuel injection, electronics and engine management, maintenance, and test equipment and vehicle diagnostics. The company sells its products to original equipment manufacturers of light vehicles, which comprise passenger cars, sport-utility vehicles, vans, and light trucks; commercial vehicles, including medium-duty and heavy-duty trucks, and buses; and off-highway vehicles, such as agricultural and construction machinery, and marine applications, as well as to tier one vehicle systems suppliers and the aftermarket for light, commercial, and off-highway vehicles. The company was formerly known as Borg-Warner Automotive, Inc. BorgWarner Inc. was incorporated in 1987 and is headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan.
The brush washer fetched HK$294.3 million (28 million) at the auction, setting a new world record price for Chinese ceramics. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

An innocuous blue-green dish that wouldnt look out of place in a student bedsit has sold for a world record 28 MILLION.

The ceramic bowl is about 1,000 years old and dates to the days of imperial China. It has been described as virtually unobtainable and captured the imagination of bidders in Hong Kong.

It was made by Ru guanyao, which is one of the most revered of the Five Great Kilns used by the imperial court during the Song dynasty.

MORE: It took 6,725 hours to restore this 1954 Jaguar  and its so rare experts wont speculate on its value

The dish, which has a diameter of 13cm and would have been used to clean brushes, has a glowing, intense blue-green glaze and ice crackle pattern.

A frantic bidding war saw the bowl go to an anonymous bidder for 28 million (Sothebys/SWNS.com)

It was offered by Sothebys with a guide price of 10 million, but there was a fierce 20-minute bidding war and it sold to an anonymous bidder for 28 million (HK$294.3million).

While seemingly small and unobtrusive, these understated aesthetics reflect the calibre and meticulousness of its craftsmanship, a quiet metaphor of Chinese philosophy celebrated by erudite connoisseurs and scholars throughout time, said Sothebys.

MORE: Iconic Rolex to sell for over 1 million

MORE: These are the most expensive and collectable handbags in the world

It is most likely the dish was made between 1086 and 1106 and it is extraordinarily rare for a Ru vessel to be sold at auction.

There are thought to be just 87 pieces of Ru ware in existence and only six have been sold publicly since 1940.

Ru is a hugely important part of Chinas culture, with the small pieces considered the epitome of the Chinese potters craft.

MORE: Worlds most expensive diamond earrings are up for sale at 55 MILLION

This latest piece created a world record for a Chinese ceramics piece, beating the HK$281.24 million paid in April 2014 for a Meiyintang Chenghua Chicken Cup.

The last brush washer to be sold publicly was in 2012 when a dish was auctioned by Sothebys, selling for 16.8m  10m above its estimate.
By Samuel Ssebuliba

The Parliamentary Forum on Constitutional Supremacy is demanding an apology from the Speaker of Parliament Rt Hon Rebecca Kadaga for inviting strangers in parliament last week.

This follows the suspension of 24 opposition legislators amid chaos that ensued before Igara West Member of Parliament Raphael Magyezi was granted leave to table a motion for a private members bill on age limit.

Speaking to the media on Tuesday, Aswa County Member of Parliament also the forum chairman Reagan Okumu said allowing security operatives into parliament undermined the sovereignty of the legislative arm of government.

The Speaker has however vowed to defend what she calls sanity in parliament, describing the behavior of members as unbecoming.

On Wednesday last week, parliament turned into a battle field after the Speaker ordered security operatives to throw out 24 opposition members who had been suspended for alleged breach of parliamentary rules of procedure.

The three-sitting suspension ends on Wednesday and the legilators will be expected back in the House on Thursday this week.
(Adds "Global", paragraph 4, adds Singapore, paragraph 9)

By Ahmad Ghaddar and Libby George

LONDON, Oct (Shenzhen: 000069.SZ - news) 3 (Reuters) - Commodities broker OTC Europe has agreed to purchase rival Oil Brokerage in the latest consolidation in a sector squeezed by rising competition and smaller margins.

OTC Europe, a subsidiary of OTC Global Holdings, said it concluded its purchase of Oil Brokerage, a 29-year-old, London-based firm with some 70 staff, on Tuesday in an effort to expand its global footprint.

"They're very big in areas we simply just weren't in yet, very big in areas that (are) growing geographically such as London and Singapore," OTC Global's President and co-CEO Joseph Kelly said of Oil Brokerage in an interview with Reuters.

Kelly declined to disclose the value of the deal. OTC Global Holdings, established a decade ago in the United States, is the world's largest independent institutional commodities broker.

The acquisition advances OTC's goal of becoming a one-stop shop for clients who want to take part in evolving and increasingly global commodities markets, Kelly said.

He pointed specifically to rising U.S. exports of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and diesel to Europe, U.S. fuel oil exports globally and the physical European light end and fuel oil markets as areas for expansion.

"The idea at the end of the day is that we will be this one place where you can do anything you need in commodities ... whether it's moving a physical cargo, hedging, trading futures," Kelly said.

Prior to this, OTC's London operations included crude oil products and derivatives, refined products and derivatives including middle distillates, gasoline cracks, biofuels and physical and financial LPG and natural gas liquids.

OTC also has offices in Chicago, Geneva, Houston, New (KOSDAQ: 160550.KQ - news) Jersey, Louisville, New York and Singapore.

Oil Brokerage was founded in 1988 as a broker of physical gasoline in Europe, and later expanded to include physical and paper biofuels, naphtha and fuel oil.

Story continues

OTC now has a global portfolio of 20 companies, a network that could make the group more competitive in a market that has seen increasing consolidation amid the crude oil price rout and the popularity of electronic trading.

Oil Brokerage itself closed its physical distillates desk in 2014, as did rival Marex Spectron. [http://reut.rs/2fDZAO9 ]

Rival brokerage Tullet Prebon acquired London-based oil PVM Oil Associates in a $160 million deal in 2014, and cut its own staff shortly afterwards. Last year, it finalised a 1.11 billion pound ($1.47 billion) deal to buy bigger rival ICAP Plc (Frankfurt: A0BKYB - news) 's global hybrid voice broking and information business. [http://reut.rs/2g4lrir] ($1 = 0.7539 pounds) (Editing by David Evans)
VIENNA (Reuters) - Austrian Chancellor Christian Kern's Social Democrats asked Facebook to disclose the identities of those behind sites which they say are spreading libel in an attempt to clean up a smear campaign scandal ahead of an election on Oct. 15. Kern has pledged to get to the bottom of his party's links to Facebook pages which have made unsubstantiated allegations against Sebastian Kurz, the head of the main opposition People's Party, who is leading in polls for the forthcoming parliamentary vote. The scandal has already cost Kern's campaign manager his job. The Social Democrats' lawyers wrote to Facebook in Ireland on Tuesday saying the group must, according to EU rules, hand over details about users who operate sites showing potentially libellous content about Kern and Kurz. "We ... ask you to give us all information you have about the persons behind these ... pages, especially names, email-addresses, IP-addresses or other contact details," Vienna-based law firm Freimueller/Obereder/Pilz said. "Due to the urgency of the matter we ask for your answer within four days," the lawyers said in the letter obtained by Reuters. Facebook had no immediate comment. The Social Democrats have denied having any connection with two websites making unsubstantiated allegations against 31-year-old Foreign Minister Kurz. But Austrian media reported on Saturday that a former adviser to the Social Democrats who was dismissed this summer was originally behind the sites and that they had been kept in operation. The Social Democrats also sued the as of yet unknown operators of the Facebook pages for libel and for failing to comply with Austria's media law which forbids anonymous publishing. ($1 = 0.8505 euros) (Reporting By Shadia Nasralla, additional reporting by Julia Fioretti in Brussels; Editing by Richard Balmforth)
BEIRUT (Reuters) - Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif made an appeal for greater regional cooperation on Tuesday after returning to Tehran from a two-day visit to Oman and Qatar. Zarif's visit came with Qatar in the midst of a row with fellow Gulf Cooperation Council members Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates. Together with Egypt, they accuse Qatar of supporting terrorism, a charge it denies. "We have repeatedly suggested a system of dialogue in the Persian Gulf, but unfortunately this has not been acknowledged by some countries, who see their future through tension, pressure and imposing on neighbours," Zarif said, according to state media. Qatar calls the economic boycott a "siege" aimed at neutering an independent foreign policy it says promotes peaceful regional reform and fighting terrorism. Another point of contention between Qatar and its fellow GCC members is its relationship with the Islamic Republic. Zarif said on Tuesday that the economic pressure regional neighbours have put on Qatar in recent months has brought about closer economic ties between Doha and Tehran, state media reported. Zarif's discussions in Oman and Qatar also focussed on ending the conflict in Yemen as well as the situation in Iraq and Syria, where Iran is supporting the government of president Bashar al-Assad while Qatar has funded some armed opposition groups. "With attention to the situation in Syria and that in the past, we had differences with Qatar; we need to have more dialogue," Zarif said, according to state media. "But the political will exists to have a broader dialogue with all countries about ending the suffering of the Syrian people." The Qatari government announced it is restoring diplomatic ties with Tehran in August. Qatar recalled its ambassador to Tehran in January last year after Saudi Arabia cut ties with the Islamic republic, accusing it of failing to protect its embassy in Tehran and consulate in Mashhad against demonstrators who had ransacked them. The demonstrators were protesting Saudi Arabias execution of a prominent Shi'ite Muslim cleric convicted on terrorism charges. (Reporting By Babak Dehghanpisheh, editing by Larry King)
By Moses Kyeyune

The Parliament of Uganda has this afternoon paid tribute to the innocent souls that perished in Las Vegas, US on Sunday night.

The incident which left over 50 people dead and over 500 injured at the Jason Aldean concert also comes just 10 days ahead of the commemoration of the September 11, attack on USA.

The Speaker of Parliament Rt Hon.Rebecca Kadaga has asked government to act fast, and strengthen the regulation of fire arms and small weapons to avoid similar incidents in Uganda.

The Speakers concern also comes as many high profile Ugandans including religious leaders continue to lose their lives under unclear circumstances, with assailants, escaping unnoticed.

Meanwhile US pesident Donald Trump has described the gunman as a sick and demented man.

Speaking at the White House, he said he would look at gun laws as times goes by but did not elaborate.

64 year old Stephen Paddock, the suspected attackers opened fire on an open-air concert from the 32nd floor of the nearby Mandalay Bay Hotel.

Police found 23 guns in his room and firearms and explosives at his home. The motive of the shooting is yet to be established.
BOSSASO, Somalia (Reuters) - A policeman shot dead on Monday the chief of security at an airport in Somalia's semi-autonomous Puntland region and also his bodyguard, police said. The assailant's motive for killing Colonel Abdisalan Sanyare Owke and his bodyguard at the airport in Galkayo, a city in Puntland, was not immediately clear. Police detained the assailant and have begun an investigation of the incident, said Mohamed Jama, another police officer working at the airport. Somalia has been mired in conflict since 1991, but Puntland has been spared most of the violence. It has a dispute with the neighbouring semi-autonomous region of Galmudug that has in the past resulted in fighting. Al-Shabaab, the militant group that aims to topple Somalia's Western-backed government and impose its strict version of Islam on the Horn of Africa state, has become more active in Puntland after being pushed out of its stronghold further south by African Union peacekeepers and the Somali army, officials say. (Reporting By Abdiqani Hassan; Editing by Gareth Jones)
By Michelle Nichols UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - A top Myanmar official appealed on Monday for democracy in the country to be given "a chance to survive" amid international anger over a military campaign against Rohingya Muslims that the United Nations has described as ethnic cleansing. Some 507,000 Rohingya Muslim have fled to Bangladesh since insurgents attacked security posts near the border on Aug. 25, triggering fierce Myanmar military retaliation. Myanmar says more than 500 people have been killed, most of them insurgents. National Security Adviser Thaung Tun told Reuters that he has spoken with his U.S. counterpart, H.R. McMaster, on the phone and visited members of the U.S. Congress in Washington last week. He said sanctions were not specifically discussed. The United States called last week on countries to suspend providing weapons to Myanmar's military, but it stopped short of threatening to reimpose U.S. sanctions, which were suspended under the Obama administration. "We need to ensure that democracy has a chance to survive in Myanmar. This is a young democracy," Tun told Reuters in an interview at the United Nations, noting that government leader and Nobel peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi has only been in office for 18 months. Suu Kyi assumed power following a landslide election win after former military leaders initiated a political transition. For years, the United States and others imposed sanctions on Myanmar in support of Suu Kyi's campaign for democracy. "We have a lot of challenges and these challenges cannot be overcome in a day. Rome wasn't built in a day. So we can't undo 50 years of challenges," said Tun, adding that he hoped to meet in person with McMaster, President Donald Trump's national security adviser, to brief him on the current situation. "NOBODY ABOVE THE LAW" A Trump administration official said last month the violence made it harder for the United States and Myanmar to build warmer ties, and there would likely be some "easing" in the short term, but he did not expect a return to sanctions. Tun said he had not met privately with U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley but had spoken to her briefly on the sidelines of other meetings in New York. The U.N. Security Council met publicly last week on Myanmar for the first time since 2009. Haley said the Myanmar authorities appeared to be carrying out "a brutal, sustained campaign to cleanse the country of an ethnic minority." She said countries should stop supplying weapons to Myanmar until the military has sufficient accountability measures. Tun said "action has been taken against a number of policemen who exceeded their bounds in dealing with detainees." "We have very strict instructions for the security forces to carry out their duties within the bounds of the code of conduct," he said. "Nobody is above the law." He said that ethnic cleansing or genocide was not happening in Myanmar The Myanmar government has said that there have no military operations since Sept. 5. But Tun said that since then security forces have responded when attacked. "Under the cover of night there have been some sporadic attacks and the police and the security people have been required to respond in self-defence," he said. The Rohingya are denied citizenship and classified as illegal immigrants, despite claiming roots in Myanmar that go back centuries, with communities marginalized and subjected to bouts of communal violence over the years. Bangladesh and Myanmar agreed on Monday to set up a "working group" to plan the repatriation of those who had fled. (Reporting by Michelle Nichols; Editing by Leslie Adler)
Sky News

Dua Lipa has denied reports she will be performing at the World Cup opening ceremony, saying she will only visit host nation Qatar when it improves its record on human rights. The 27-year-old pop singer made a statement on Instagram stories after she had been linked to a performance at the opening ceremony next week. "I will be cheering England on from afar and I look forward to visiting Qatar when it has fulfilled all the human rights pledges it made when it won the right to host the World Cup."
Millions of people every year across the globe are afflicted with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including Crohns disease and ulcerative colitis, creating a $9.2 billion per year pharmaceutical market that is expected to grow 25 percent annually.

Now, Landos Biopharma Inc., a company founded by Josep Bassaganya-Riera, of the Biocomplexity Institute of Virginia Tech, has received $10 million in Series A funding through life sciences management firm Perceptive Advisors LLC to advance its lead therapeutic asset for IBD toward Phase 1 clinical testing in the second half of 2018.

Landos will develop orally active, locally acting treatments for Crohns disease and ulcerative colitis that could bring relief to the approximately 1.6 million American and 4 million global sufferers of IBD.

Current treatments for autoimmune diseases are painful, expensive, and often come with many side effects, including cancer, infection, and death, according to Bassaganya-Riera.

We have a committed leadership team with industry experience focused on developing treatments that address an unmet clinical need of patients looking for safer, more effective oral therapeutics. Most importantly, we believe we can improve the lives of millions of patients living with these diseases, said Bassaganya-Riera, Landos chairman, president, and CEO.

Bassaganya-Riera is the director of the Nutritional Immunology and Molecular Medicine Laboratory, a leading laboratory at the Biocomplexity Institute. He has received more than $55 million in competitive R&D grants and contracts, published more than 150 peer-reviewed publications, and founded three startup companies. He was named 2017 Innovator of the Year by the Roanoke-Blacksburg Technology Council.

I congratulate Landos on receiving funding for this promising work, which has the potential to bring relief for those suffering from painful autoimmune diseases, said U.S. Rep. Morgan Griffith of Virginia in a Landos Biopharma press release.

Partnering operational and strategic efforts with the Boston-based life sciences accelerator Xontongeny LLC, Landos works to find safe, effective therapies for Crohns disease and ulcerative colitis.

Landos lead clinical candidate, BT-11, activates the lanthionine synthetase C-like 2 (LANCL2) pathway and intercepts IBD by reducing the inflammatory response and increasing anti-inflammatory activity in the gut.

I am pleased that Landos Biopharma Inc. has announced it is raising $10 million for the development of a treatment for Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, said Virginia State Sen. John Edwards in the press release. Landos is an emerging biopharma company focusing on developing oral therapies for autoimmune diseases. I have visited their facility at the Corporate Research Center in Blacksburg, and I am delighted at the progress they are making in this field.

Bassaganya-Riera and his companies have been active members of a statewide group that supports the planning behind the Governors 2015 Virginia Bioscience Initiative, which calls for Virginia to be in the top three pharmaceutical regions by 2023. He is also a prominent member of the Blacksburg community and was a featured presenter at the Governors Forum on Bio and Big Data in Northern Virginia in 2015.

For more information on Landos Biopharma Inc., contact info@landosbiopharma.com
Bugs, bugs, and more bugs! If youd like to see hundreds of spiders, bees, cockroaches, and other small creatures all in one place, come to the seventh annual Hokie BugFest on Oct. 14, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Inn at Virginia Tech.

Hokie BugFest, one of Virginia Techs largest science literacy events, promotes the science of entomology through learning, discovery, and engagement. This STEM-inspired event is free and open to the public with free parking at the inn and in surrounding lots.

New attractions this year include a bug-eating contest for adults (18 and over), a live butterfly exhibit, and a walk-in beehive. Onstage you will find Tony Gustin, the bug whisperer; the Alberti Flea Circus; Bug Bingo games; and a bee waggle dance contest. Tonys educational super shows have wowed children all over the U.S. Jim Albertis famous performing fleas are a piece of vaudeville history not to be missed.

Look for the cascade of bug-shaped balloon sculptures created by Brandon the Balloon Guy. Visit the pollinator exhibits and discover how honey bees and other important pollinators help make agriculture possible. Learn about apiculture and find out how you can help native pollinators in your own backyard.

The heart of the Hokie BugFest is the live Bug Zoo. The zoos residents include beetles, scorpions, cockroaches, centipedes, vinegaroons, and many others. They hail from around the world and from your own backyard. A featured exhibit of the Bug Zoo is the spooky Spiders Lair, showcasing hundreds of tarantulas and other spiders (including a black widow spider and a giant bird-eater tarantula).

Arts and crafts are always a central theme of the Hokie BugFest with activities for kids and adults. Join a drawing class with Jane Blevins of College Art and learn to sketch bugs, or stop by the BugArt Studio, where kids can make all sorts of bug-inspired crafts.

Visit exhibits from the Virginia Museum of Natural History and the Schiele Museum. Come talk with Virginia Tech police about forensic entomology (using arthropods to solve crimes). Ask a veterinary student about common pests of companion animals.

Kids can participate in a 4-H insect collection contest, earn a junior entomologist certificate, and test their knowledge with Bug Jeopardy. They can also buy a copy of Kellie Worrells new childrens book, "The Collectors," which tells the story of two young entomologists and their award-winning insect collection.

For more details, go to hokiebugfest.org or check out our Facebook page. This is a SAFE (Supporting Autism-Friendly Environments) event. At 9 a.m., before the event opens to the public, we will host several activities for autistic children and their families in collaboration with VTs Center for Autism Research. Please call 540-231-6543 if you wish to attend.

If you are a person with a disability and desire an accommodation, please contact Rachel Parson at 540-231-6543 or email rparson@vt.edu or TDD 800-828-1120 during regular business hours at least 10 business days before the event.
Efforts to address a backlog of thousands of untested rape kits taken during sexual assault investigations in Albuquerque got a boost on Monday.

City officials announced Albuquerque received two grants to address the problem.

Mayor Richard Berry said the city received a $2.5 million through a Department of Justice program called the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative, or a SAKI grant. He said the city also received a separate $250,000 grant.

Albuquerque Police Department as recently as last year had a backlog of 3,800 rape kits that were collected during sexual assault investigations dating back to 1988, Berry said. The city accounted for most of the 5,300 untested rape kits throughout the state, according to a December 2016 report by the state auditor.

Everybody that has been a victim of sexual assault in our city deserves an answer, Berry said. They deserve  to know what happened to their kits.

A rape kit is a collection of swabs taken from a victims body after an attack with hopes of identifying the rapist by DNA, said Cmdr. Jeff McDonald, who oversees scientific evidence for the police department. He said forensic scientists will try to find male DNA in the kits and then compare that to a database of DNA from convicted felons, called CODIS.

Law enforcement officials have offered several theories about how such a backlog happened. Sometimes the kits werent tested because suspects pleaded guilty or because victims refused to cooperate with the investigation. Turnover by lab analysts and detectives have also been cited as a possible factors.

McDonald said with the grant money, the police plan to increase the number of people who are working on untested rape kits from six to nine.

I believe today that we have in place the people, the plans and now the resources to get through the majority of testing required to get through the backlog of rape kits in the city of Albuquerque, Berry said at a news conference. We want (sexual assault victims) to know that we care deeply about this issue.

McDonald said there is a seven year statute of limitations in sexual assault cases, but if there is DNA evidence that clock wont start until after it is tested.
Copyright  2017 Albuquerque Journal

An Albuquerque judge postponed a hearing Monday for a former client of Ayudando Guardians after two Journal reporters tried to attend his guardianship hearing at the clients invitation.

In a related development, the former Ayudando client, Peter Grotte-Higley, said he moved on Friday to a new senior living facility near the University of New Mexico that he called 1,000 percent better than his former residence in a Northeast Heights boardinghouse where, Grotte-Higley said, he had been dismayed by his living conditions.

Its a different life, Grotte-Higley, 81, said of his new home. I had a full-course meal for breakfast. And the people there are nice, too.

District Judge Denise Barela-Shepherd had scheduled a guardianship hearing for Grotte-Higley on Monday after the indictment in July of his court-appointed guardian and conservator, Ayudando Guardians. The July 19 federal indictment alleges the firms two principals and their relatives used client funds, including client monthly benefit payments, to support a lavish personal lifestyle.

The hearing Monday was scheduled to appoint a new corporate guardianship company for Grotte-Higley  Decades LLC  to replace Ayudando Guardians. Ayudando offices were closed by the U.S. Marshals Service in late August because of the federal indictment.

Grotte-Higley, a Holocaust survivor, was profiled in a Journal story published Aug. 9 in which he lamented what he described as poor living conditions and a sudden lack of spending money from Ayudando. He said he felt like a prisoner after he was barred from leaving the house with two Journal reporters to go to Ayudando offices in Albuquerque to find out about his guardianship case.

Minutes before Mondays hearing, one of the reporters who wrote the initial story asked Grotte-Higley in a courthouse hallway if he was willing to allow reporters to attend the hearing.

Definitely, he responded. Why not? The reporters then followed him into Barela-Shepherds courtroom at 2nd Judicial District courthouse in downtown Albuquerque.

But before the hearing began, Barela-Shepherd asked the two Journal reporters to identify themselves.

She then adjourned the proceedings, saying she wanted to research the issue further.

I cant unsequester this proceeding, because I dont have enough information, the judge said.  Im not opposed to unsequestering it, but by statute I dont know that I can.

Barela-Shepherd asked Decades and Grotte-Higleys court-appointed guardian ad litem, Ellen Leitzer, to submit briefs setting out their positions and announced her intention to reschedule the hearing. A new hearing date wasnt immediately scheduled, but she added, I want this matter resolved immediately.

Guardianship hearings in New Mexico typically are closed to the public.

But New Mexico law says that the appointment of a guardian for an incapacitated person shall be determined by the court at a closed hearing unless the alleged incapacitated person requests otherwise.

State law covering substitution or replacement of a guardian says that generally the court shall follow the same procedures to safeguard the rights of the incapacitated person as those that apply to a petition for appointment of a guardian.

Grotte-Higley, a Jewish native of what is now the Czech Republic, hid from Nazi occupiers as a boy during World War II and later escaped with his mother from captivity in a camp run by the Soviet Union. After the war, he found refuge in Great Britain, where he pursued a career in advertising.

He moved to the United States after his retirement and eventually settled in Albuquerque and married. His late wife of 17 years died in July 2015.

A court docket sheet, the only public record available, shows that Barela-Shepherd appointed Ayudando as Grotte-Higleys guardian and conservator in February 2016. The judge made the decision after receiving reports, including from a physician, that Grotte-Higley was in need of a guardian to handle decisions about his daily living and a conservator to handle his finances.

At some point last year, Grotte-Higley was placed in a four-man boardinghouse in Northeast Albuquerque where he shared a room with another man.

Its still unclear whether Grotte-Higley was among the clients who lost money in the alleged embezzlement scheme at Ayudando.

Nancy Oriola, CEO of the Decades Group, a provider of elder care management services is Grotte-Higleys temporary guardian pending a permanent appointment. She confirmed that Grotte-Higley moved on Friday to The Albuquerque Grand Senior Living, 1501 Tijeras NE. The firm worked hard to find suitable housing for Grotte-Higley, she said.

Grotte-Higley on Monday cheered his new life at The Albuquerque Grand Senior Living as a major improvement over his former housing.

Its nice, he said. I have my own room.

He is still waiting for word on the status of certain cherished belongings he says are missing, as well as his pension and other funds Ayudando was managing.
MENLO PARK, Calif.  False news that erroneously named a suspect in the deadly Las Vegas mass shooting on Sunday spread on Google and Facebook before the services removed the posts in question, the two companies acknowledged Monday.

Erroneous posts on both services  one highlighted by Googles Top Stories search results, the other circulated by Facebook users  falsely identified the shooter as an apparently uninvolved person.

Las Vegas police say Stephen Craig Paddock, of Mesquite, Nevada, fired down on concertgoers from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay casino hotel, killing at least 59 people and wounding more than 500 in the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history. Paddock killed himself as authorities closed in.

But a story by the pro-Trump political website The Gateway Pundit named a different person as the shooter, citing a Facebook page to claim the individual was a far left loon and a Democrat who liked (MSNBC host) Rachel Maddow. Posters on the anonymous, anarchic 4chan.org forum likewise trumpeted supposed findings that the same individual was both the shooter and a social democrat. BuzzFeed saved screenshots of the stories, which no longer turn up on either Gateway Pundit or 4chan.

Google said in a statement that it highlighted 4chans Politically Incorrect message board, where the incorrect posts appeared, for several hours before its search algorithm replaced it with more relevant results. The 4chan result only appeared if users entered the erroneous name as a query, Google said. The listing did not appear in Google News.

This should not have appeared for any queries, a Google spokesperson said, adding that the company would aim to prevent it from happening again.

Facebook said its security team removed Gateway Pundit results and other similar posts from its social network, some within minutes. But because that removal was delayed, the company said, images of the incorrect story were captured and circulated online.

We are working to fix the issue that allowed this to happen in the first place and deeply regret the confusion this caused, a Facebook spokesman said in a statement.

Both companies are under fire from lawmakers for promoting false stories in the lead-up to last years election, and have been invited to testify at a congressional investigation into Russian meddling in the race.

___

AP technology writer Barbara Ortutay contributed to this report.
Kendallville, IN (46755)

Today

Cloudy. Flurries or snow showers possible late. Low 28F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Cloudy. Flurries or snow showers possible late. Low 28F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph.
One person was transported to the hospital Monday night after being shot in northeast Albuquerque, according to police.

Albuquerque police officer Mike Schroeder, a police spokesman, said police were called to the 1200 block of Skyline NE at about 7:30 p.m. for a reported shooting.

A person was injured and had multiple wounds. The person was transported to a hospital and is expected to survive, Schroeder said.

He said police are not sure is there are one or multiple suspects.
SANTA FE  A proposal for Santa Fe city government to donate five acres of land near the geographic center of town to a developer for the purpose of increasing the stock of affordable rental housing passed the City Councils Finance Committee on a 4-1 vote Monday.

City Councilor Mike Harris was the only member of the committee to vote no, but he wasnt alone in expressing concern about the resolution being rushed. The full City Council will consider approval at its meeting on Oct. 11.

This is being rushed, for whatever reason, he said. I dont see a reason to push it forward.

If approved by the council, the measure would make way for an apartment development consisting of about 100 residential units at the northeast corner of Yucca Street and West Zia Road, across from Ragle Park.

The land would be donated to a qualified grantee, as defined by the New Mexico Affordable Housing Act, and with a proven record of LIHTC (Low Income Housing Tax Credits) development and administration of federal rental assistance in Santa Fe.

City Councilor Peter Ives, a sponsor of the proposal and a candidate for mayor in next Marchs municipal election, said the purpose of the resolution was to address the citys housing shortage. As noted in the resolution, the citys most recent housing needs analysis showed a shortage of 2,400 rental housing units available as affordable for families earning below 80 percent of the area median income level.

City Asset Development Manager Matt OReilly said another reason the proposal was coming up now was because any developer interested in taking on the project would have to apply for the LIHTC program with the states Mortgage Finance Authority by an annual deadline in January.

The proposal calls on city staff to do three things:

 Survey and record the necessary plat to establish a legal lot for future transfer of the property.

 Prepare for presentation to the Planning Commission and City Council applications to change the zoning designation of the site from parks to residential and allow for up to 21 units per acre.

 Identify a qualified developer and assist them with the necessary paperwork to apply for the tax credits.
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico  Touring a small slice of Hurricane Marias devastation, President Donald Trump congratulated Puerto Rico on Tuesday for escaping the higher death toll of a real catastrophe like Katrina and heaped praise on the relief efforts of his administration without mentioning the sharp criticism the federal response has drawn.

Really nothing short of a miracle, he said of the recovery, an assessment at odds with the despair of many still struggling to find water and food outside the capital city in wide swaths of an island where only 5 percent of electricity customers have power back. The governor of Puerto Rico said late Tuesday that the official death toll has been increased to 34 from 16.

In the heart of San Juan, in fact, a few miles from the air base where Trump gave his thumbs-up report on progress, people stacked sewage-fouled clothes and mattresses outside houses and businesses lacking electricity nearly two weeks after the storm. Nobodys come, said Ray Negron, 38, collecting debris in the Playita neighborhood.

Trump pledged an all-out effort to help the island while adding, somewhat lightly: Now I hate to tell you, Puerto Rico, but youve thrown our budget a little out of whack because weve spent a lot of money on Puerto Rico. And thats fine. Weve saved a lot of lives.

Known deaths from Maria in the U.S. territory stand at 34. But local officials caution that any accounting of death and destruction is far from complete as people suffer secondary effects from thirst, hunger and extreme heat without air conditioning. As for Katrina, as many as 1,800 people died in 2005 when levees protecting New Orleans broke, a toll in lives and property that took years to understand.

The visit offered fresh evidence of the unconventional path Trump has taken in responding to the one-two-three punch from hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria. His effusive praise for federal relief efforts has overshadowed his displays of empathy for those who are suffering. And in Puerto Rico, in particular, his criticism of local people for not doing more to help themselves has struck an off note during a time of crisis.

Trump said his visit was not about me but then praised local officials for offering kind words about his administrations recovery effort and invited one to repeat the nice things shed said earlier. Trump also singled out Gov. Ricardo Rossello for giving us the highest praise.

Every death is a horror, he said, but if you look at a real catastrophe like Katrina and you look at the tremendous, hundreds of and hundreds and hundreds of people that died, and you look at what happened here with, really, a storm that was just totally overpowering, nobody has ever seen anything like this. He told local officials you can be very proud of all your people, all of our people working together.

Trumps most prominent critic in Puerto Rico, San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz, joined other officials at the air base for a briefing with him, shook the presidents hand and said afterward she hoped he now understood the gravity of the situation. But his comment implying Maria was not a Katrina-level event left her unsure.

Sometimes his style of communication gets in the way, she told CNN. I would hope that the president of the United States stops spouting out comments that really hurt the people of Puerto Rico.

On a more positive note, Cruz said: I saw a real connection between the reality and the White House staff. I think they finally understood.

Air Force One brought the president, first lady Melania Trump and aides to Puerto Rico for a tour stretching through the afternoon. At least parts of the itinerary seemed drawn to ensure a friendly reception: Trump visited with selected families waiting on their laws on a street lined with debris, including tree limbs and corrugated metal siding. Trump posed for photos, asked the residents what it was like during the storm and pledged his assistance.

Thank you for being here, its so good to see you, one man said in Spanish.

Up the road in the upscale Guaynabo neighborhood, one of the fastest to recover, around 200 people cheered Trumps visit to a local church being used to distribute supplies. Many crowded around him for cellphone photos as he handed out flashlights and tossed rolls of paper towels into the friendly crowd.

Theres a lot of love in this room, a lot of love, Trump said. Great people.

Asked by the AP what he has to say to people still without power, food and water, he spoke of the generators brought to the island and said the electrical grid is being fixed.

Again, the job thats been done here is really nothing short of a miracle, he said.

Earlier, on approach to the airport, Air Force One descended over a landscape marked by mangled palm trees, metal debris strewn near homes and patches of stripped trees, yet with less devastation evident than farther from San Juan.

For much of his tour, Trump remained focused primarily on drawing praise.

I appreciate your support and I know you appreciate ours, Trump said. Our country has really gone all out. Its not only dangerous, its expensive. But I consider it a great honor.

Large-scale protests against Trump, talked about in advance, failed to materialize by early afternoon, with only a few knots of people gathering around San Juan.

As he headed out from the White House to visit the island, Trump told reporters its now acknowledged what a great job weve done.

The trip is Trumps fourth to areas battered by storms during an unusually violent hurricane season that has also seen parts of Texas, Florida, Louisiana and the U.S. Virgin Islands inundated by floodwaters and hit by high winds.

Trumps visit follows a weekend in which he had aggressively pushed back against critics, including Cruz. He had responded angrily on Twitter, deriding the poor leadership ability by the Mayor of San Juan, and others in Puerto Rico, who are not able to get their workers to help.

They want everything to be done for them when it should be a community effort, he added, scoffing at politically motivated ingrates who had criticized the federal work, and insisting that tremendous progress was being made.

Cruz had begged the administration to make sure somebody is in charge that is up to the task of saving lives and said federal inefficiency was killing people.

Trump and his wife also visited Navy and Marine Corps personnel on the flight deck of the USS Kearsarge, landing on the deck in Marine One.

On the flight back to Washington, Trump told reporters hed heard no criticism while on the ground. No, we only heard thank yous from the people of Puerto Rico, he said, adding, I think it meant a lot to the people of Puerto Rico that I was there.

Even before the storm hit on Sept. 20, Puerto Rico was in dire condition thanks to a decade-long economic recession that had left its infrastructure, including the islands power lines, in a sorry state. Maria was the most powerful hurricane to hit the island in nearly a century and unleashed floods and mudslides that knocked out the islands entire electrical grid and telecommunications, along with many roads.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency said more than 12,000 federal officials are now on the ground on the island, and 45 percent of customers now have access to drinking water. Businesses are also beginning to re-open, with 70 percent of retail gas stations now up and running.

___

Woodward reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Danica Coto and Michael Weissenstein in San Juan and Catherine Lucey and Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar in Washington contributed to this report.

___

Follow Colvin on Twitter at https://twitter.com/colvinj
Cecilia Y.M. Cervantes, a former college president in at schools in California and Minnesota, on Tuesday was selected as interim president at Santa Fe Community College.

Cervantes will fill the position being vacated by President Randy Grissom, who is retiring effective Oct. 31.

We are thrilled to offer the position to Dr. Cervantes, said Linda Siegle, president of the SFCC Governing Board, which made the selection during a meeting Tuesday morning. She has the experience to build on the progress the college has made in increasing graduation rates and fostering student success. She has a strong background in collaborating with community partners, business and industry to provide greater opportunities to students.

Cervantes served as president of Hennepin Technical College, which had an enrollment of about 9,500 stuudents in credit classes and 10,000 students engaged in customized training and continuing education courses, from 2008 to 2015. Prior to that, she was president of the College of Alameda, in Alameda, Calif., from 2002 to 2008. She previously held high-level positions at El Paso Community College; the Community College of Denver; Dona Ana Community College, in Las Cruces; and Western New Mexico University, in Silver City.

She earned a bachelors degree in Spanish and Chicano Studies from the University of Texas at El Paso, a masters degree in education and reading from the same school, and a Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction and bilingual multicultural education from the University of Colorado.
Polls have now closed in Albuquerque, although anyone in line as of 7 p.m. will be allowed to vote.

Lines were out the door and stretched across several store fronts earlier today as people waited to vote at the Daskalos Plaza voting site on Menaul east of San Mateo Tuesday. Over on the West Side at Petroglyph Plaza near Paseo Del Norte and Golf Course Road, there were no lines, but a constant stream of voters flowed in and out.

Both sites attracted an abundance of people eager to share their opinions on what issues were most important to them and how they voted.

You cant bitch if you dont vote, said Kym Halliday-Clear. I live in one of those top-five crime areas in the city. Its so bad, neighbors dont even bother to call the police anymore because the police cant do anything about the petty crime.

For this reason, the mayors race was important to her, and she was looking for a candidate who listens and has a plan, she said.

I voted for Tim Keller because he posted a very detailed plan that ties in the police, the District Attorneys Office and the courts. If all those things arent working together, nothing will change.

Halliday-Clear also voted against the proposed Healthy Workforce Ordinance. While saying that workers ought to have sick leave, this particular ordinance was not crafted in a balanced manner and would ultimately hurt small employers.

By 4 p.m., nearly 31,500 people had cast a ballot at the 53 voting centers. Thats on top of the 40,890 who early voted, said City Clerk Natalie Howard. Daskalos Plaza was the busiest voting site in the city, while the second busiest was the University of New Mexico Student Union Building, a gratifying indication that more young people were participating in the process, she said.

No major problems were reported at any of the voting centers, Howard added.

For a complete list of voting sites and how long lines are, people can go to cabq.gov and click on view voting locations, and then click on where2vote.

Voter Katherine Shelden supported the sick leave ordinance but wasnt hopeful it would pass. I dont know if Albuquerque is ready for it, but its a great humanitarian effort on behalf of part-time workers. If it doesnt pass, as she suspects, I hope they will revisit it soon and tweak it so its acceptable to employers and employees.

Shelden said she supported Keller in the mayoral race because he presented the most comprehensive plans for moving forward in Albuquerque, and she trusts his background in finances because of his experience as the state auditor.

Describing himself as a progressive, voter Jeff Dempsey said he cast his ballot for Keller and city councilor Diane Gibson, though I wish they were a bit more progressive.

He also supported the sick leave ordinance as well as the bond issues, though confessing he was perpetually disgusted with the descriptions of what the bond money will be used for. Theyre always too open ended, to broad with respect to where the money can go.

Voter Jim Clements was dead set against the sick leave ordinance because there are too many laid-back people who will take advantage of it, he said.

He then offered a stream-of-consciousness meditation: And yes, I supported Donald Trump and I hope he cleans out things in Washington, and Im a life member of the NRA. Guns didnt kill anybody in Las Vegas  it was some wacko. And I supported Dan Lewis because he was endorsed by the NRA. Theres a real spiritual battle going on, you know. The forces of light and darkness, Satan against the believers.

Kelly Hunt said she voted for the bond issues, and was particularly supportive of putting more money into libraries.

I was in a library in Taos recently, in the middle of the day, and the place was packed, she said. I cant think of the last time I saw a library in Albuquerque that busy.

She was also in favor of the sick leave ordinance. I have many friends who own businesses and say they cant afford to give their employees sick leave. So those employees go to work sick, make others sick, and wait until theyre really ill and have to go to the emergency room. They wind up missing more work anyway.

Hunt voted for Keller in the mayoral race, but was torn between him, Lewis and (Brian) Colon. They can all do a budget and understand issues related to crime, schools and the connection between schools and jobs, but Keller seemed less political and divisive.

To Jeff Brown, the issue in this election is crime, and crime again. He supported Dan Lewis because he spoke out the most against crime. Brown supported most of the bond questions because Albuquerque needs to fix streets, schools, libraries and community centers.

He voted against the sick leave ordinance, which he said was a nightmare to read on the ballot, and was clearly written by and for lawyers who would benefit greatly from its enactment and the lawsuits that followed.
Albuquerque-based Skorpios Technologies Inc. has acquired Texas-based wafer manufacturer Novati Technologies LLC for an undisclosed price, giving Skorpios full control over the fabrication process for its proprietary, silicon-based optics chips.

Skorpios, which launched in Albuquerque in 2009, has developed a process for merging silicon with traditional materials used in optical communications  a fundamental breakthrough that other industry giants have previously failed to achieve.

Using silicon in optics networking equipment can radically reduce production costs by up to 60 percent or 70 percent compared to todays technologies, which rely on expensive materials to make optics wafers. That potentially makes Skorpios a big player in the rapidly-growing optoelectronics industry, which is struggling to cut costs for managing the high-speed data transfer that provides instant access for consumers when using everything from smartphones and computers to high-definition TV.

But while Skorpios developed its proprietary process in Albuquerque, where it remains headquartered, the company has been relying on Novati to actually manufacture its optics wafers. That company operates a 100,000-square-foot fabrication facility in Austin, where it employs 100 people.

By acquiring Novati, Skorpios now has in-house control over the full production process for its chips, said Skorpios founder, President and CEO Stephen Krasulick.

Its the next step in the evolution of our company, Krasulick told the Journal. So much of who we are as a company is based on silicon wafer processing and manufacturing and the intellectual property related to that. Its important for us to control the fabrication process that makes our wafers to control the IP.

The acquisition also gives Skorpios control over its supply chain and speed the development and marketing of new products, Krasulick added.

It will allow us to ramp up much faster from making prototype quantities of our product to production-scale quantities, he said.

Skorpios is shipping prototype batches for customers like data centers to sample. Potential customers must still finish the full qualification process to integrate those wafers into its systems, but once thats concluded, Skorpios will have a significant pipeline of customers, said David Blivin, managing director for Cottonwood Technology, an investor in Skorpios.

Skorpios is still not a big enough company to get the special attention they need from fabrication facilities, so they often have to pay expediting fees to get the production schedules they need to respond to customers, Blivin said. Theyll now be in much better control of the production schedule.

Skorpios, a venture-backed company, currently employs 100 at a 50,000-square-foot facility in Journal Center. With the Novati acquisition, the company now employs 200 people. All employees will remain in their current positions, Krasulick said.
The University of New Mexicos governing board officially quelled a faculty effort to halt the schools presidential search during what became a contentions meeting Tuesday  and then immediately began selecting finalists for UNMs top job.

The Board of Regents could name the top five contenders by weeks end, board president Rob Doughty told the Journal. The regents are on pace to choose the schools 22nd president by November, filling a job Bob Frank left last year.

The search  initiated last fall  has not slowed since Faculty Senate President Pamela Pyle in August began urging regents to delay hiring UNMs 22nd president. The faculty senate wanted the regents to keep interim Chaouki Abdallah at the helm an extra year to lend stability to a budget-crunched institution amid rapid leadership turnover and a pending accreditation process.

A presidential search committee made up of 22 members from inside and outside the university  including regents Doughty, Marron Lee and Tom Clifford  wanted to move forward, Doughty said. It conducted interviews two weeks ago.

The regents on Tuesday held a special session to address the faculty senates resolution to delay the search. But when none of the seven members moved to adopt the resolution, Regent Marron Lee made a new motion to take the next steps in the search. It passed 6-1, with Brad Hosmer voting no. Regents thanked faculty for their feedback. Those on the search committee said UNM has a strong presidential pool.

The way I see it, that new president  whenever they come in  is really going to add to our bandwidth, and I think we need that extra bandwidth, Clifford said.

But Pyle said it seemed the board deliberately avoided voting on the facultys resolution, prompting a terse exchange with the board and a explanation of how Roberts Rules of Order applied.

Yours is a positive vote on something rather than a negative vote for what we asked for, and theres a difference in appearance, Pyle said.

Lee said the failure to advance a motion equals a denial under the rules. University counsel Elsa Cole agreed, saying the regents action was the equivalent of a no vote.

Doughty attempted to re-introduce the resolution to address Pyles concern, but Lee resisted. She ultimately motioned to move the meeting into closed session, during which regents were set to pick the presidential finalists. Doughty told the Journal the search firm needed to contact the regents chosen finalists before publicly announcing them, which could happen later this week.

Both Doughty and Pyle said in interviews after the meeting no rift exists between the faculty and regents.

We clearly addressed their concern and listened to them, Doughty said, saying the two groups have been working hand in hand.

Pyle said she appreciated that the regents considered the resolution but said we have not established a common language for the perception of trust and open dialogue.
The U.S.-China Business Matchmaking Summit has kicked off with a bang.

The weeklong summit, which began in Albuquerque on Monday, has led to a memorandum of understanding between local aviation training school Vertical Limit and Chinese company TTFly in a deal that will see Chinese pilots-in-training coming to New Mexico for training programs.

We hope this is the beginning of being the Chinese solution for aviation schools, said Deborah Burns, CEO and director of investUS and co-chair of the summit.

And that was only one of several deals made so far during the summit that features meetings, seminars and networking activities for dozens of participants from New Mexican and Chinese businesses.

There is nothing like looking someone in the eye and talking about mutual interests, said Burns.

Burns and partner Jian Zhu set up the event at the Albuquerque Convention Center with the aim of fostering trade and business relations.

The pair brought together speakers from around the state, including Gov. Susana Martinez, Mayor Richard Berry and Garrey Carruthers, chancellor and president of New Mexico State University, among others. About 120 bilingual translators and volunteers were also brought in to help with the weeklong event.

We are trying to partner (the Chinese) with some of the best business opportunities in New Mexico to create win-wins for New Mexico and the Chinese, said Burns.

Kevin Yearout, principal of Yearout Companies, came to the summit to promote his newest business, Monarch Waste Technologies. After the summits first day, Yearout said he had three tours of his facility lined up for Thursday.

We are realistic on expectations, but that is three opportunities I didnt have yesterday, he said.

The Chinese have incentives to do business in New Mexico, said Burns, because we have everything the Chinese want, and in many ways they have everything we want.

According to Burns, the Chinese delegations are impressed by the friendliness of the people, the low cost of living, the lack of crowds and the similarities in business style.

Hu Jiebao, director of China Song Zhiang Art Alliance agreed. On Tuesday, he signed a memorandum of understanding between the Art Alliance, based in Bejing, and Albuquerques Sister City program. He said it was a a very important document for building a bridge with New Mexico.

Burns said she and Jian Zhu plan to hold the U.S.-China Business Matchmaking Summit annually for the next three years at a minimum.
Troops learn early on to call peers by their last name. But for Pfc. Gabrielle Babbitt, she was drawn to a fellow soldier she just calls Alex, the guy with a silly Texas accent.

She met Spc. Alexander Missildine while training in summer 2015, with her coming from Fairport Harbor, Ohio, and he from Tyler in east Texas. Both were learning to become Army truck drivers.

Babbitt went to the Ohio National Guard, with Missildine heading to Fort Polk, Louisiana, to serve in the 10th Mountain Division, most of which is based in New York.

Missildine volunteered to go with the unit to Iraq, Babbitt told The Washington Post, to relieve elements of the 82nd Airborne Division, which led the mission to advise and assist Iraqi forces during the bloody fight to retake Mosul from the Islamic State. They sustained some causalities, including 1st Lt. Weston Lee, who was killed by a roadside bomb blast in April.

I didnt want him to be the next person I see on Facebook who lost their life over there, Babbitt said.

Her worries were realized Sunday when Missildine, about two weeks into his deployment, was killed after his vehicle was struck by an improvised explosive, raising to at least 13 the number of U.S. troops killed while fighting the Islamic State there and in neighboring Syria. He was 20.

He was killed in Salah ad-Din Province northwest of Baghdad, a region that includes the key cities Tikrit and Samarra. Another soldier, whose name has not been released, was wounded during the incident.

I told him, you have to promise me youll come back. I had a feeling something was wrong because normally hed send a message throughout the day just to say hi, said Babbitt, also 20, and I didnt hear from him at all.

It is unclear what Missildine was doing when the attack occurred. Key highways linking Syria and Iraq wind through Salah ad-Din. ISIS militants captured large swaths of territory there starting in 2014.

Since January, at least five U.S. troops have been killed in action as part of the Pentagons operation to oust the Islamic State from its main strongholds, according to Defense Department data. Another 25 have been wounded by hostile action.

Sundays attack comes one week after a French special operations soldier was killed battling the militant group, marking that nations first combat fatality in Iraq and Syria  though officials did not specify where it occurred.

After defeating the Islamic State in Mosul and then Tal Afar, U.S.-backed Iraqi forces have turned their attention to Hawijah, a densely populated city north of Baghdad. Another operation is underway in Ramadi, the capital of Anbar province, where the Islamic State was ousted in February 2016.

Missildine was awarded the Bronze Star, Purple Heart and a Combat Action Badge, the first two of which were likely awarded posthumously, officials said.

Babbitt said her heart was shattered over the news.

We were counting down the days until he got back, she said. And now Im buying a plane ticket to go and bury him.

  

The Washington Posts Andrew deGrandpre contributed to this report.
On the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti this year, Dentsu Webchutney partnered with Arture to create a way where Bapu can be experienced in both the cash and the cashless world. For the record, Dentsu Webchutney is the digital agency from Dentsu Aegis Network, while Arture is a vegan lifestyle and accessories brand headquartered in Chennai.

The film, which showcases the creation of Bapu Wallets as a tribute to Mahatma Gandhi, also features Artures two co-founders, Shivani Patel and Keshsa Vasant.

Over the last year, ever since demonetisation, more and more urban and semi-urban Indians have been steadily shifting from physical cash to card, mobile wallet and netbanking payments. While we can all agree that our new cashless money is way more convenient and transparent, it doesnt carry the symbol millions of Indians associate with cash in the first place: the face of Mahatma Gandhi.

Speaking about the new initiative, PG Aditya, Senior Creative Director, Dentsu Webchutney, said, This is a small tribute to Bapu, in a way we and Arture found ideal. However, will Bapu be part of our cashless economy overall? Thats something that larger financial institutions driving the cashless economy can help answer at a scalable, impactful level.

Commenting on the campaign, Shivani Patel, Co-founder, Arture, said, The idea to find a second home for Bapu in our cashless world appealed to us immensely. Arture, at a brand level itself, has incorporated Bapus teachings of ahimsa and compassion into the way our products are built  100 per cent vegan and sustainable. This is our little way of ensuring the baton of Bapus values is passed on to our customers who are going cashless as well.

The brand has partnered with Vishwa Manav Sewa Ashram in Bihar, an NGO founded in 1997, to launch the campaign. A part of the proceeds earned through the Bapu Wallets will also be donated to this NGO, which propagates the principles of Mahatma Gandhi through their work in the state.
The European Union will move forward with its efforts related to a major tech tax reform and is planning to propose such legislation by December, President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker said on Friday. The official proposal should subsequently transition to a draft law at some point next year, the EU chief said, without elaborating on the matter. Mr. Juncker on Friday reiterated some previous statements on the matter made by other officials of the political bloc, stating that the EU is seeking to revamp its tax system in an effort to create an equal playing field for all companies, regardless of whether the majority of their businesses are conducted online or offline.

Many top-level politicians on the Old Continent have been pushing for a large tax reform in recent times with the goal of compelling digital giants like Google, Facebook, and Amazon to pay more taxes. Their largest argument for doing so are some aggressive tax avoidance techniques that are currently employed by various Internet companies in Europe which are consistently shifting their profits to EU member states with low corporate tax rates like Ireland and Luxembourg despite the fact that the majority of their incomes were generated from sales made in other countries. Some EU officials are now seeking to put an end to that practice by taxing internet giants based on their revenues instead of profits which would effectively eliminate their presently utilized tax avoidance methods. Not all member states are on board with the proposal and could veto it moving forward, which is why the Commission has reportedly been considering some more unconventional legislative initiatives, including taking away member states veto rights on matters related to market distortions based on one of the EUs existing treaties.

The effort itself still isnt supported on a global level which is what some EU member states are currently pushing for, though political leaders of France, Germany, and several other economically strong countries have already signaled that theyre adamant to move forward with the reform even without international support. Such a move could possibly generate some tensions between the United States and the EU which is a scenario that certain European countries are seeking to avoid.
The stock card that shows up in Google Search whenever you search for basic financial information on a publicly traded company received a major redesign, with Alphabets subsidiary revamping the majority of its interface in an effort to streamline it and make it more accessible to users. The most notable change compared to the old version of the service is the inclusion of tabs which allow you to quickly browse through several basic types of information. The Overview interface is relatively similar to the previous one, save for the fact that icons denoting historical data are now rounded when tapped, the graph itself is green instead of blue, and some fonts are slightly darker, though theyre still gray and not black.

The News section is largely self-explanatory and seemingly presents you with an excerpt from Google News that you would get if you searched for the same company using Googles news aggregator, with Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP) being featured more prominently than other types of content thats slower to load. The next tab is essentially a comparison service which allows you to easily contrast the stock you searched for against shares of companies operating in the same industry. Tapping the Compare button once will simply present you with a list of such firms from which youll be able to select which entities you want to compare to the original stock. The final tab is called Financials and provides you with a succinct summary of the company you inquired about, including its age, founders, top executives, and address(es).

The Overview interface also presents a carousel of smaller cards which can be used for comparing any stock to similar shares situated beneath the graph denoting historical stock value, with the service itself looking like a more limited version of the Compare tab. Google has been experimenting with the new design since at least mid-September but the look is now rolling out more widely and has been confirmed to be live in parts of Europe and the United States on Android devices. No sightings of a similar redesign of the desktop version of Google Search have been recorded as of this writing. The Mountain View, California-based internet giant has yet to announce the change in an official capacity and may do so once the revamped service is available in all parts of the world.
BigCommerce has today confirmed that, in partnership with Instagram, it will be enabling support for sales through the social media platform. Instagrams shopping feature has been in testing for nearly a year now, with the company initially launching the feature in November of last year, albeit to a limited number of companies. Now, though, it appears the social network is hoping to cash in on the features potential by opening it up to one of the leading e-commerce platforms.

The sales platform caters to thousands of different businesses, both big and small, who will now be some of the first companies to have access to Instagrams feature. As part of it, brands will be able to tag products within posts with information such as pricing, availability, and descriptions. Users, on the other hand, will be able to discover, browse and shop any products without needing to leave the app. If a user chooses to make a purchase, the Instagram app will then redirect the user to the businesss BigCommerce store through the in-app browser. Considering Instagram has over 800 million users as of last month, of which 80 percent are estimated to follow at least one business account, the audience that BigCommerce businesses will now have access to is certainly huge and could prove to be a key factor in growing their brands. In terms of how Instagram itself benefits from the platform, it appears the company will not charge a commission for products purchased through its app and will instead focus on charging businesses for displaying their products and posts to users who are yet to follow them, be it in the form of a traditional post or an Instagram Story.

The benefits of Instagrams shopping feature, alongside the detailed statistics that a business account offers, is sure to attract a number of users. After all, not only can companies track how best to spend their money on advertising, but now they can also sell their products through the platform by simply tagging them. Recently it was reported that the number of business users that used its platform had doubled since March to over 2 million, but by opening itself up to such a large e-commerce platform, the number of business users could easily skyrocket over the course of the next year, something that would please parent company Facebook. For now, though, it remains to be seen how the next generation of businesses takes to Instagrams new offerings.
NordVPN has released an extension for the Google Chrome browser and it can now be downloaded from the Chrome Web Store. NordVPN offers improved security and privacy against possible instances of data theft or espionage by encrypting internet traffic using military-grade encryption and hiding their IP addresses through the use of numerous remote proxy servers. The browsers of people who use the service will be assigned with the IP address of the servers of the VPN, masking the users real one. The servers IP address is shared with more than a hundred people at the same time, which makes it even harder to trace the online activity of a specific user. Meanwhile, the DNS Leak and Kill Switch technologies protect the users data in occasions that the person suddenly disconnects from the network. In addition, WebRTC leak, which often shows the real IP address of the person even if they are using a VPN, is prevented by disabling the default protocol used by the search giants browser. People may use the VPN to secure private data especially when connected to a public Wi-Fi network, unblock geospecific content, or bypass surveillance and espionage.

The users of the NordVPN are also protected from a variety of cyber threats through its CyberSec feature. This feature automatically blocks suspicious websites by scanning it against a blacklist of sites that perform phishing activities and distribute malware. NordVPN also prevents the device from participating in a remotely controlled botnet and perform distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks.

Once the NordVPN extension is downloaded and installed, users may select the server that will handle their internet traffic although they could also choose the Auto Connect option, so that the services algorithm will choose which server will utilize. Consumers may choose among three plans, with the 1-month plan costing $11.95, the annual plan which is priced at $69 per year or $5.75 monthly, and the 6-month plan, which costs $7 per month. For the price, users may access to 1000 servers across the globe, connect as many as 6 different devices to the VPN, and contact the customer support that is available 24/7. Aside from the Google Chrome extension, a full version of the VPN is available for devices running Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS operating systems.

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Ring, a home automation company, has just announced its newest product, called Ring Protect. It is a security kit that provides homes with smart security at just a fraction of the cost, according to the company. The launch of Ring Protect allows Ring to compete directly with Nest (a popular home security company), specifically, the recently announced Nest Secure alarm system. Ring Protect will initially launch in the US and Canada and may expand to the UK in the future.

Ring was founded in 2012 by James Siminoff with the goal of providing neighborhoods with convenient devices to drastically reduce crime (mainly burglaries) and improve safety through innovative household security technologies. The companys first products were smart doorbells that could connect to ones smartphone running on iOS or Android. Since then, Ring has expanded to make various other home security products, such as Stick Up Cam (a smart and convenient video security camera). However, in addition to making purely smart security products, Ring recently worked on making a device that can seamlessly integrate all their current and future products. This is exactly what Ring Protect seeks to achieve for consumers.

With Protect, Ring hopes to potentially challenge Nest, the leader in the increasingly competitive market of home security products. Indeed, Ring Protect was announced just over a week after Nest Secure was made available to consumers. Nest Secure is the Nests newest addition that comprises of an all-in-one security setup that includes different devices (such as smart alarms and doorbells) and combines them all into one simple and hassle-free system. The downside of the new security system is its cost: the Nest Secure starts at a staggering $499, a hefty price tag that many are not willing to spend on a relatively new technology. Luckily, Ring Protect provides a nearly identical system starting at only $199, which is less than half the price of the Nest Secure. According to Ring, the base package includes a keypad, base station, door/window sensor, passive infrared sensor and Z-wave extender. Ring is also providing the option of paying just $10/month or $100/year for unlimited camera storage and professional monitoring for people buying the Ring Protect. On a side note, the company promises that its products come with no contracts nor hidden fees. Ring has already started accepting pre-orders for the Ring Protect via its website.
Samsung has been granted several design patents by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for a wide variety of projects, ranging from oddly shaped foldable smartphones and a smart steering wheel equipped with displays to a scrollable TV and what appears to be a smart wallet. The design patents dont include many details in regards to what the products would have to offer in terms of specifications and materials, as is usually the case with such applications which are primarily focused on aesthetics.

One of the design patents acquired by Samsung was filed in September 2016 and published only recently by the USPTO, describing a steering wheel equipped with three displays, each residing in an empty area between three spokes. The design seems to leave enough room for the drivers thumbs to comfortably grip around the steering wheel, but the exact purpose of these panels is unclear so whether or not this concept would be viable in practice is unknown, especially since it appears to include non-stationary, revolving displays. Another design patent granted to Samsung is the scrollable TV/monitor, which was previously seen in a patent application dating back to November 2016. In short, the patent showcases a scrollable display in two forms  folded and unfolded  but doesnt reveal much else. Either way, such a product would require a fairly large foldable OLED panel and this type of technology has yet to be seen in a consumer-grade device.

There are three additional design patents revolving around foldable technology, one of which seems to be a smart wallet that could be somehow used in conjunction with the companys mobile payment solution Samsung Pay. Last but not least, two additional design patents briefly showcase a couple of foldable smartphone concepts that seem to be nearly identical with the exception of the hinge, which could be oriented either vertically or horizontally. This is not the first foldable smartphone/tablet concept to be entertained by the South Korean tech giant, and might not be the last either. However whether these concepts will become a reality is unknown and rather unlikely in this exact form revealed by the patents, but nonetheless, its always interesting to see how todays tech giants like Samsung envision some of their potential products of the future.
Samsung is winning big right now in terms of revenue but, as it turns out, a substantial amount of that revenue is being generated thanks to deals with the companys long-time rival, Apple. Thats because the iPhone manufacturer uses many of Samsungs components in its iOS devices, according to a recent study conducted by Counterpoint Technology Research at the request of The Wall Street Journal. In fact, the trend is hardly new since as much as 35 percent of Samsungs revenue over the course of the last year actually came from Apples product sales. With that said, that trend also looks as though it will continue, as no company has yet found a viable solution to the ongoing problem of component and component resource shortages.

As to the numbers backing that up, Apple is expected to sell 130 million iPhone X devices through much of 2019. Samsung, meanwhile, provides OLED display technology for those devices at around $70 per display. However, the company is also supplying enough secondary components that the actual revenue generated for Samsung with each iPhone X allegedly adds up to around $110 per device sold. That means Samsung could effectively see an income of around $14.6 billion from iPhone Sales alone. If Samsung only moves the expected 50 million of its own Galaxy S8 devices for that same time frame, the handset maker would actually accumulate around $4 billion less from its own devices  with considering only for the revenue created by the components.

Its important to mention here that those figures do not, of course, include income from Samsungs other devices  such as the newly released Galaxy Note 8. They also dont account for the total income generated by the Samsung Galaxy S8 sales since the study focused summarily on the revenue created by component sales. The chipset side of Samsungs business, in the meantime, arguably represents a far more important portion of its overall survival strategy since it accounts for the vast majority of the companys growth and revenue. That part of Samsungs overall business is also likely to continue growing as the company dedicates more of its resources into new chips for mobile. Bearing that in mind, it may be a bit surprising for some to learn that the company makes so much money from the very rival it finally managed to surpass earlier this year in terms of profitability.
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai has been confirmed for a second time by a Senate majority vote and will be serving until 2020. The incumbent chairman will continue to serve alongside Donald Trump, the President who appointed him, for his entire first term as the President of the United States. Pais reinstatement and continued servitude comes amid record opposition comprised of 41 votes against him, notably all from Democratic Senators. The majority of the Senate rallied behind Pai despite widespread protests to his style of administration and some of the things he has done and plans on doing.

Chairman Pai released a statement on the matter of his confirmation for a second term, saying that he was deeply grateful for the chance to continue serving. He stated that the FCC under his administration has been dedicated to fostering innovation, helping consumers, and increasing transparency within the organization, and vowed that such practices will continue. The Chairmans statement contains fine print saying that it does not constitute an official declaration on the matter, but rather that a statement from the organization at large, being the release of the full text of the order reinstating Chairman Pai, would be considered official action. That does not necesarily mean that there is a chance to reverse the reinstatement, only that it is not on the books quite yet.

Ajit Pai was originally nominated for office by President Donald Trump as one of the initial members of his internal, hand-picked cabinet. Pais history includes a stint as an executive at Verizon, leaving him open to criticism that his administration will place corporate interests above those of the people. Thus far, his decision to move toward mass deregulation have made him one of the more divisive chairmen in the agencys history, though his ideas arent unprecedented. One of his first acts in office, for example, was to begin working toward reversing the Title II Net Neutrality rules imposed by former Chairman Tom Wheeler during the Obama era. According to Pai, telecom and related industries need to be given more room to innovate, and consideration for the customer will come naturally as a result.
Uber on Monday publicized the so-called Stroz report, a due diligence report on startup Otto conducted by digital forensics firm Stroz Friedberg in the summer of 2016, shortly before the ride-hailing giant acquired the self-driving truck company founded by its former engineer Anthony Levandowski for $680 million. The documents released at the request of Waymo as part of the firms lawsuit against Uber suggests that former Chief Executive Officer Travis Kalanick knew that Mr. Levandowski possessed some documentation related to the self-driving technologies developed while he was still working at Google but said he didnt want to have anything to do with them.

The technologies Alphabets subsidiary claims were stolen from it while Mr. Levandowski was still working for the tech giant were supposedly stored on five discs which the engineer claims were destroyed at Shred Works, a commercial facility for destroying physical and digital documentation. Stroz Friedberg followed up on that claim and managed to find a receipt from Shred Works for the destruction of five disks around the time Mr. Levandowski claims he got rid of them but the signature on the bill itself appeared to be ineligible and none of the employees who were at the facility around that time recognized Uber and Googles former engineer from the photos they were shown.

Uber claims the document it previously fought to keep private due to claims it contains other trade secrets or is protected by the attorney-client privilege proves that none of Googles trade secrets ever made their way to the San Francisco, California-based firm. Waymo has a different view of the documentation, arguing that it proves Uber was aware Mr. Levandowski was in possession of some protected intellectual property and still decided to purchase his company and shield him from further litigation after he actively sought to destroy evidence of his wrongdoings. The legal protection argument has yet to be clarified by the plaintiff who purposefully didnt name Mr. Levandowski as one of the defendants in its lawsuit against Uber, though its former employee was later called to testify and refused, citing his constitutional rights against self-incrimination. Mr. Levandowski was fired by Uber in late May after repeatedly refusing to appear as a witness in the high-profile case that may shape the future of the self-driving industry in the United States.
T-Mobiles claims that it has the nations fastest LTE networks have been criticized by the National Advertising Division in the wake of Verizon calling the data behind them into question, and T-Mobile has in turn agreed to cease claiming that it has the fastest LTE network in the US based on the data in question. The data is Ookla and Open Signal speed tests conducted by users of both networks, which Verizon claims have been affected by recent network changes in a way that could unfairly favor T-Mobile. The carrier agreed to cease claims using that data, but is still claiming to have the fastest LTE network based on more recent data, which is theoretically unaffected by Verizons claim.

Verizon is claiming that because it rolled out unlimited networks with deprioritization only recently, users who may not know what to expect and are using apps from Open Signal and Ookla to try to figure out what their network speeds are and why could represent a disproportionately large swath of Verizon users on the two apps for the period just after the unveiling. The National Advertising Division may have stood with Verizon in regards to that particular subset of data, but T-Mobiles insistence that it can continue to claim having the fastest LTE network at present because of newer test data has yet to draw comment from either Verizon, the National Advertising Department, or any other carriers.

It is worth noting that T-Mobile came in last place among the four US carriers in a recent RootMetrics network testing round. The round represented data that was a few months old as of the end of last year, and was meant to show data for each of the carriers that consumers could use to make an informed decision in regards to carrier shopping around that time. Those tests are conducted by having employees drive around the country with devices on each network, and measure them in various categories from area to area. This means that, unlike with something like an Ookla Speedtest that may only be conducted by users who are more concerned with network speeds, areas with demographics that are not terribly technically inclined or have a low population are represented just as strongly as any other parts of the country. T-Mobile has long struggled with rural coverage, and plans to correct this with its rollout of 600MHz long-range LTE, as well as its ongoing 5G rollout, which is currently in its infancy. It is also worth noting that T-Mobile CEO John Legere has made his disdain for RootMetrics testing methods well-known in the past.

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T-Mobiles SVP of Corporate Communications, Janice V. Kapner, has issued a statement regarding the NAD request for modifying its Fastest Network claim and Verizons issues with the initial data that was used, stating that it Looks like Verizons cherry picking what was actually covered in the NAD decision. Lets break it down: NAD ruled on one claim that we dont even use anymore. Next. Verizon tried to refute our claim that we cover 99.7% as many people as they do. We substantiated it and NAD agreed. Win for T-Mobile. On the fastest LTE network challenge, NAD ruled that the one month of crowd-sourced data we submitted (when Verizon launched their unlimited plan) could not be used. NAD previously recognized third-party crowd-sourced data as a way to look at network performance, so we looked at the latest results, and verified what we already knew! T-Mobile is still the fastest LTE network and well continue to let consumers know that! Another win for T-Mobile and our customers!
The Angola Marching Hornets took first place in Class C Saturday at a meet at Homestead High School, also earning accolades for best general effect. This years show, The Voyage to Overcome, features a large wooden bridge that is broken on the field then repaired throughout the show. In this photo, the bridge is bring brought back together. Garth Snow
Halloween Hookups

If You're Hoping To Get Lucky On Halloween, Read This

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Halloween might just be the best holiday there is. Unlike St. Patricks Day, youre not restricted to a color code. Unlike Christmas and Thanksgiving, you dont have to see your family. Unlike Valentines Day, you dont have to feel lonely or be pressured into buying ridiculous romantic nonsense. Unlike the Fourth of July, no one dies in tragic illegal fireworks mishaps. Theres a spike in candy consumption and a spike in alcohol consumption and you can dress up as whatever you want. You can even dress up as your favorite Transformer, if you so choose.

That being said, in the anything-goes atmosphere of Halloween, its easy to get caught up in the moment and do something you regret  and the last thing you want to do is live up to your super-convincing Freddy Krueger costume by ruining someone else's night. So before you wake up November 1 with the Ghost of Halloweens Past haunting your still-drunk self, lets review what is and isnt a Hallow-WIN on Halloween (or any other Halloween-themed nights in late October, if youre a real go-getter):

1. Hallow-WIN: Getting Your Flirt On, Costume-Style

Halloween is typically a fun time to meet all kinds of new people  witches, ghosts, priests, policemen, aliens, celebrities, the front half of a horse, you name it. And, lets be honest, a bodacious babes cool costume can be a great icebreaker, especially if youre at one of those awesome parties with dry ice, and shes dressed as Thor and wielding a hammer.

2. Hallow-FAIL: Using Her Costume As An Excuse For Harassment

But, overwrought icebreaker puns aside, lots of guys go too far when it comes to womens costumes on Halloween. Just because shes dressed up sexy doesnt mean she wants you to touch her, tell her shes a slutty kitty cat or spend the whole night staring at her because you havent seen a woman in Daisy Dukes since August. Women dress up for the same reason we do  to have fun being someone else for a night (even their favorite Transformers) and to be noticed. But just like literally every other situation ever, just because shes wearing less than a full snuggie (and even if shes wearing a snuggie) doesnt mean she wants you to touch her or get all up in her personal space. If she does, shell let you know. Otherwise, just imagine youre dressed up as Cool Hand Luke and play it cool.

3. Hallow-WIN: Hooking Up With Sexy Ghosts, Witches, Etc.

Meet someone hot at the party/club/watering hole/haunted house? See someone you already knew in a whole new light because of the incredibly detailed Zombie Anne Frank costume she was wearing? No judgment. Human attraction is an art, not a science, man. Anyway, if shes into it, then make it happen, Capn. (I assume whats what youre dressed as.) Its 2019, and our social mores have progressed to a point where that kind of thing is totally chill.

4. Hallow-FAIL: Failing To Use Sexy Ghost/Witch Protection

Unless youre dressed as the Incredible Naked Guy (and dont dont do that), chances are your costume has enough hiding places to stash some condoms. Gun slinger? Put em in your holster. Your favorite Transformer? Put em in one of the boxes you covered your arms with. Progressive sexual health advocate? Just bring along a giant tub full of condoms to distribute. Having condoms on you could mean the difference between the awesomest Halloween youve ever had and the worst. You dont want your bad decisions to come back and, uh, haunt you right?

5. Hallow-WIN: Imbibing Potions, Brews And Slimes

Whether youre a mummy, a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle, Edgar Allen Poe, one half of a Mario/Luigi tag-team combo, or Zeus, alcohol is a great way to loosen up and enjoy yourself. There, we said it. Fall beers? Great. Wine? Classy. Jaegerbombs? Wouldnt be our first choice, but you do you, back half of that horse.

6. Hallow-FAIL: Getting Smashed On Potions, Brews And Slimes

Pace yourself! Waking up in your own vomit is not a good look, man  unless you came to the party dressed as a guy caked in his own vomit, we suppose. Getting too drunk can lead to all kinds of bad news, whether you're trying to hit on people, drive home, or just keep the food you ingested inside your digestive system, rather than outside.

7. Hallow-WIN: Engaging In Candy-Eating Behavior

None of us eat healthy all year long. Good, sustainable healthy eating involves letting yourself cheat. So consider Halloween one big, long cheat day  but brush and floss when you get home (or... when you wake up, at least) and kick November off with, like, a salad or something. Your body will appreciate it.

8. Hallow-FAIL: Engaging In Evil Behavior

Tempted to ruin people's decorations? Leave the pumpkin-smashing to Billy Corgan. Feeling hungry when you see some dweeby kids walking by with candy? Don't you dare take that candy, even if they're dressed up as a giant baby. See a pretty girl dressed as a sexy nurse and want her to notice you? Whatever you do, don't jump out at her from behind a bush. That's a bad move 365 days a year  Halloween is no exception. October 31 is about fear and terror  but in a fun, healthy, consensual way.

9. Hallow-WIN: Using Hookup Sites & Apps To Find Your Hookup

Sure, you could spend Halloween night stumbling around a graveyard or similarly spooky venue, chatting up all the ghosts that float past. But you might have better luck finding someone you're compatible with under all that zombie makeup in the spookiest place of all... the internet. (Just don't, ahem, ghost on them afterward.)

XMatch

If you're looking for a hookup  truly no strings attached XMatch might just be your best bet. Stocked with horny singles who signed up specifically to avoid having to weed through people looking for long-term relationships on other dating apps, its high quality interface and smooth user experience make it a strong hookup choice.

Check out XMatch

FriendFinder-X

Another good option if you're seeking out plain old hookups rather than anything serious, FriendFinder-X will deliver that and more. It also comes with cam shows, sex chatrooms and a sex ed feature in case there's anything you're not 100 percent on that you'd like to learn more about.

Check out FriendFinder-X

Bumble

You may have heard Bumble described as the "feminist Tinder" and shied away, but think of it instead as a dating app where for once, the pressure is 100 percent off you to send that all-important first message. (Mostly because you literally can't.) Ever dreamt of beautiful women sending you flirtatious one-liners? This is the spot for it

Check out Bumble

Tinder

Yes, Tinder may be the best-known hookup option, but it can also be pretty infuriating to use, and it's of absolutely no use if you're looking to meet up with someone who's into the same freaky stuff as you. That being said, if you want quantity over quality, you really can't beat it.

Check out Tinder

Adult Friend Finder

Do you have a specific kind of kink you want to explore? Want to role-play vampire/victim? Or get all tied up by a mummy? AFF is a great option for people looking to try out specific things, thanks to its ability to filter users by what they're into.

Check out AdultFriendFinder

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Global legal financing and advisory firm Burford Capital is opening a new office in Singapore as it aims to drive its business in the Australian and Asian markets.The new office will be headed by Quentin Pak, former head of commodities (Asia) at Commonwealth Bank of Australia in Singapore. His 20 years of experience in finance and law includes practising law with Allen & Overy in London and Singapore.Burford sees significant potential in the Asia-Pacific market following the passage this year of new laws in the region, including Singapore, that support our business, commented Burford CEO Christopher Bogart. With the addition of a Singapore office and with Quentins on-the-ground leadership and vision, were enthusiastic about meeting the increased demand for third-party capital with smart and cost-effective solutions.Earlier this year the firm announced that it had financed its first Singaporean arbitration matter which it believes was the first Singapore-seated arbitration funded by a third-party finance provider.The Honourable George Landis MP will give the keynote speech at the opening of the International Bar Association annual conference this weekend.Australias Attorney General will focus on the role and responsibility of lawyers as custodians of the rule of law when he addresses attendees at the ICC Sydney on Sunday.The conference will bring together more than 4,000 legal professionals from around 110 jurisdictions.Dentons keeps on growing and has announced this week that it has further strengthened its presence in Latin America with a merger and an alliance.The merger is with Gallo Barrios Pickmann in Peru while the strategic alliance is with Brazils Vella Pugliese Buosi Guidoni (VPBG).These announcements follow the launch earlier this year of Dentons Munoz in Central America, and the launch last year of Dentons Lopez Velarde in Mexico and Dentons Cardenas & Cardenas in Colombia.Latin America and the Caribbean is key to our growth strategy, there is a huge opportunity for us to be the leading global firm serving this important region, said Joe Andrew, Global Chairman of Dentons.
Facing down a critical shortage of pilots, the Air Force is turning to its retirees to pick up the slack. Under the Voluntary Retired Return to Active Duty (VRRAD) program, the Air Force plans to put retirees back in uniform to serve in roles that require aviation experience, but dont involve actual flying. The goal is to reduce staff demands on current aviators to keep them in the cockpit. We will match VRRAD participants primarily to stateside rated staffs that dont require requalification in a weapon system, with emphasis on larger organizations like major command staffs, said VRRAD Rated Liaison Maj. Elizabeth Jarding. Theyll fill critical billets that would otherwise remain vacant due to the shortage of active-duty officers available to move out of operational flying assignments. The Air Force has reported that the service is 1,500 pilots short of the number of pilots they need with numbers getting worse every year. The Air Force expects to need 1,600 new pilots per year and is currently able to train only 1,100.

Pilot candidates for the VRAAD program must have retired within the last five years in the rank of captain, major or lieutenant colonel, be under 60 years old, able to pass a Class II flight medical and have either been qualified in an Air Force aircraft in the last five years or served in a rated staff position in the last ten years. Participation in the program will be limited, for now, to 25 retired pilots with an active-duty tour lengths of 12 months.
After more than three years of searching and $160 million spent on the effort, the Australian government has ended the active search for Malaysian Flight 370, declaring the outcome unacceptable.

MH370 disappeared on a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on March 8, 2014. It dropped out of radar and radio contact while transitioning into Vietnamese airspace and was never heard from again. The Boeing 777 had 239 passenger and crew aboard. The disappearance touched off the largest search effort in the history of the aviation industry, eventually covering 661 areas of interest and more than 700,000 square miles of ocean. Debris from the 777 were found in East Africa, but these didnt reveal a plausible location of the aircraft itself. China and Australia agreed to terminate the active search for MH370 last January. Malaysia said it would continue searching on a reduced basis.

In a report released this week, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau said, It is almost inconceivable and certainly societally unacceptable in the modern aviation era with 10 million passengers boarding commercial aircraft every day, for a large commercial aircraft to be missing and for the world not to know with certainty what became of the aircraft and those on board.

Numerous theories were offered to explain the fate of MH370. Its generally thought that it flew on for hours, eventually crashing into the Southern Indian Ocean west of the Australian coast.
A two-seat autonomous aircraft with 16 electric rotors flew for the first time in May, and carried passengers on board for several flights in early September, the company recently announced. The PassengerDrone aircraft, built in Switzerland, looks similar to a Volocopter, but with its rotors placed along two straight booms instead of Volocopters circular rotor array. The cockpit features just a joystick and a touch-screen graphic display with custom avionics, and can be flown either remotely or by a pilot on board. The company says the vehicle has the potential to change the traditional means of commuter transportation. It flies at about 40 to 45 knots, the company said, and features a quadruple redundant stability system.

The company said its mission is to make self-flying manned drones available to everyone, at any time, from anywhere, and turn this new and exciting aircraft into a mainstream way of transportation. In an email sent to AVweb, a company spokesman said the aircraft will sell for $200,000 or less. He added that the company will continue with flight testing and certification efforts. According to Engadget, the company plans to build five more prototypes for a test program and start commercial production next year. On-demand aviation and manned drones have the potential to radically transform how we get from place to place, offering lower cost and improved flexibility, the company said.

Volocopter, based in Germany, recently demonstrated their autonomous aircraft for officials in Dubai who are planning to develop a municipal taxi system using the vehicles. The PassengerDrone spokesman said they havent yet shown their aircraft publicly but hope to introduce it soon in Germany, Dubai and perhaps the U.S. They plan to add a ballistic parachute, according to news reports.
Investigators load bodies from the scene of a mass shooting at a music festival near the Mandalay Bay resort and casino on the Las Vegas Strip. Photo: Chris Carlson / AP

In a moment of such jarring tragedy, three sad but indisputable realities of America 2017 were exposed  and then amplified  within minutes of the shooting:

1. Our gun manufacturers are heavily incentivized by market demand and lax laws in most states, and by the federal government, to allow mad men to accumulate all the firepower they crave for mass killings. This didn't change after Columbine or Sandy Hook. And won't now.

2. President Trump and congressional Republican have every incentive to protect the status quo. Read and reflect on this chilling text from Steve Bannon to Axios last night. when asked if Trump will revert to his earlier support of gun control:

"Impossible: will be the end of everything," Bannon told Jonathan Swan.

will be the end of everything," Bannon told Jonathan Swan. When asked whether Trump's base would react worse to this than if he supported an immigration amnesty bill, Bannon replied: "as hard as it is to believe actually worse."

whether Trump's base would react worse to this than if he supported an immigration amnesty bill, Bannon replied: "as hard as it is to believe actually worse." Go deeper: Why Trump is unlikely to do a Chuck-and-Nancy deal on gun control.

3. Yesterday, the same platforms the Russians used to manipulate voters were the middle men for B.S. conspiracy theories about Vegas.

Google results amplified an online claim that the shooter was "a Democrat who liked Rachel Maddow, MoveOn.org, and associated with the anti-Trump army," per CNN's Oliver Darcy.

amplified an online claim that the shooter was "a Democrat who liked Rachel Maddow, MoveOn.org, and associated with the anti-Trump army," per CNN's Oliver Darcy. "Facebook promoted several dubious websites on its Crisis Response page."

Be smart: Trump's election showed the capacity for an unconventional politician to beat the system. But the dynamics post-shooting are the same  and we would argue getting worse, because heartless people can use social media to spread lies and fear with such ease and precision.
Data: Nielsen 2017 Commercial & Advertising Update; Chart: Andrew Witherspoon

Commercials of non-traditional lengths have been increasing. Almost 6% of all commercials aren't 10-, 15-, 30-, or 60-seconds long during the first half of 2017, according to Nielsen's 2017 Commercial & Advertising Update.

Avg. primetime commercial on broadcast last season: 14:37 minutes

Avg. primetime commercial on cable last season: 16:08 minutes

On TV, Fox debuted the first six-second ads earlier this year at the Teen Choice Awards for reportedly $75,000 each. Online, social giants like Facebook and Snapchat are commissioning research that touts the effectiveness of ads in the first two seconds.

TV commercials struggle to reach millennials: Per Adobe's latest Media Habits Survey provided exclusively to Axios, between 34% and 49% of viewers constantly use another screen when commercials are on TV and 79% of millennials are distracted by other devices during commercial breaks either "most of the time" or "all of the time."
The opposition Yelk alliance forced the Armenian parliament on Tuesday to debate its calls for Armenia to leave the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) which are opposed by the three other political groups represented in the National Assembly.

The 90-minute debate came just days after the parliament committee on foreign relations rejected a Yelk proposal to set up an ad hoc commission that would look into consequences of the countrys membership in the Russian-led bloc. The pro-Western bloc responded by taking the matter to the parliament floor.

Earlier in September Yelk drafted a parliamentary declaration saying that the Armenian authorities must embark on a process of invalidating their accession treaty with the EEU. It said that EEU membership, effective from January 2015, has hurt the countrys economy and security. Yelks leaders decided to postpone parliamentary discussions on the document for now and focus instead on the idea of the special commission.

One of them, Nikol Pashinian, said during Tuesdays debate that the proposed parliamentary inquiry is aimed at protecting Armenias sovereignty which has been dealt very serious blows by the EEU. Armenia must not only leave the EEU but also seek an Association Agreement with the European Union, he said.

Parliamentary leaders of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) again dismissed the initiative. One of them, deputy speaker Eduard Sharmazanov, insisted that most Armenian parties and ordinary citizens oppose an exit from the EEU.

This is one of the few issues on which both the authorities and the majority of the opposition agree, Sharmazanov told fellow lawmakers. Secondly  what we should discuss first is not the question of what the EEU has given us but the damage that would occur in case of our exit.

Another senior HHK figure, Armen Ashotian, said that it is the Armenian government, rather than the EEU, that is primarily responsible for the countrys economic woes. Why arent you demanding the governments resignation and are seeking an exit from the EEU instead? he said.

Representatives of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun), the HHKs junior coalition partner, and businessman Gagik Tsarukians bloc, which claims to be in opposition to the government, also made clear that they will vote against the Yelk motion.

Yelk holds 9 seats in the 105-member parliament.
3 October 2017 11:46 (UTC+04:00)

By Rashid Shirinov

The Armenian economy has long been heading towards the default and the process intensified recently, but the government lacks a tool to fix the issue.

Couple of weeks ago, the countrys government organized Armenia-Diaspora Forum in Yerevan, where officials and representatives of the ruling party talked a lot about the great business environment in Armenia and conditions allegedly created for entrepreneurs from the Diaspora.

However, the businessmen have a different opinion.

Unfortunately, the rules do not change, Armenian businesswoman Silva Hambartsumyan has told Lragir news agency, answering the question whether she agrees that Armenia has no attractive investment conditions.

Hambartsumyan added that she does not believe in economic growth in Armenia: Is it possible to talk about growth while selling fruits and vegetables?

Many members of the Diaspora, who began to invest in this country when it gained independence, very soon realized that they were wrong in trusting their money to the criminals in the Armenian government. In this regard, the aid of the Diaspora dropped dramatically in the 2000s, and has almost completely disappeared in recent years.

They should deal not with show, but with economy. There are a lot of investors, but many are afraid to invest in Armenia. Also, there are many of those who invested and lost money, Hambartsumyan noted. The entrepreneur added that favorable investment conditions in Armenia are created for individual people, for example, brother of Armenian Premier Minister Samvel Karapetyan.

Today, many entrepreneurs of Armenia emphasize that it is impossible to build a developed economy and foreign trade based on fruits and vegetables. But a worse problem is that even the agricultural opportunities get limited in Armenia day by day. Rates in this sphere drop uncontrollably, and given this and the agricultural monopoly existing in Armenia, one can expect further decline in this sphere, as well as in the whole economy of the country.

---

Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
3 October 2017 10:37 (UTC+04:00)

By Sara Israfilbayova

Azerbaijans products will be demonstrated at the international Anuga Food Fair in Cologne, Germany, on October 7-11.

Juices, various kinds of wines, mineral waters, hazelnuts, fruits, canned products, confectionery, tea, dried fruits and other products of 21 Azerbaijani companies will be showcased at the exhibition, according to Azerbaijans Economy Ministry.

Under a presidential decree, dated Oct. 5, 2016, which envisages the promotion of the Made in Azerbaijan brand in foreign markets, products of Azerbaijan were exhibited at the International Food Exhibition in Dubai (Gulfood 2017), international wine fair in Dusseldorf (ProWein 2017) and international food exhibition WorldFood Moscow 2017, and eight export missions were sent to foreign countries.

Since early 2017, Azerbaijan has already sent export missions to Qatar, Kazakhstan, Germany, Afghanistan and Pakistan.

The export missions play an important role in expanding non-oil exports and promoting the Made in Azerbaijan brand.

As of today, 92 trademarks of Azerbaijan are protected under the Made in Azerbaijan brand, while the countrys total outputs nears 250 kinds of products in food, light, heavy and construction industries. The brand is highly successful in regional and world markets, and Azerbaijans local output meets all the necessary standards.

Azerbaijan increased non-oil exports by 30 percent in January-August 2017 compared to the same period of 2016.

Export of agricultural products increased by 37 percent, while export of industrial products increased by 25.4 percent.

Along with rising exports, the range of products delivered abroad is expanding  during the year, this figure rose by 16.6 percent.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
3 October 2017 13:40 (UTC+04:00)

By Sara Israfilbayova

The National Fund for Entrepreneurship Support (NFES) under the Economy Ministry of Azerbaijan has begun accepting investment projects on priority development areas of the Lankaran region.

The NFES will accept entrepreneurs' proposals for financing investment projects on creation of rice growing farms, citrus growing, tea growing and livestock breeding farms, as well as rice and tea processing enterprises and a logistics center for storing citrus fruits.

Within the framework of the latest business forum held in Lankaran, entrepreneurs received preferential loans in the amount of 460,000 manats ($270,500).

The implementation of these projects will open about 50 new work places.

To date, 10.7 million manats ($6.3 million) have been allocated to 14 entrepreneurs for the development of tea growing, and 1.7 million manats ($1 million) - up to 40 entrepreneurs to create citrus orchards in the region.

Entrepreneurs can apply to the Fund through authorized banks and non-bank lenders, in accordance with the rules for using the funds of the NFES. Small projects can be fully financed through concessional loans.

About 150 million manats ($88 million) will be issued for granting preferential loans to entrepreneurs in 2017.

During January-September 2017, 1,154 entrepreneurs received soft loans in the amount of 90.4 million manats ($53.18 million).

The main goal of the Fund, which was established in 1992, is to provide preferential loans from the state budget for small and medium business, in order to develop entrepreneurship in the Republic of Azerbaijan.

Allocation of funds by NFES is aimed at the minimizing of the impact of global economic crisis to the national economy and mitigation of its dependence on the oil sector.

Encouraging business doing in the country is one of the priorities for the Azerbaijani government, which supports entrepreneurs through creating necessary conditions for the development of a healthy business environment in the country.

Lankaran is a port city located on the shore of the Caspian Sea, on the border with Iran.

Lankaran is magnificently beautiful and has its peculiar architecture, historical buildings of the 8th-19th centuries and rich cultural heritage.

Dominating spheres in Lankaran economy are vegetable-growing, tea-growing, paddy cultivating, cattle-breeding, citrus plants, beekeeping, fishing, and grain farming. Favorable humid subtropical climate, availability of good arable land, water and sufficient labour resources of city provides a good basis for agricultural activities as well as development of agro-processing enterprises.

The city is also home of Azerbaijan's first tea plant, built in 1937.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
3 October 2017 16:49 (UTC+04:00)

By Sara Israfilbayova

The State Committee on Property Issues of Azerbaijan held next auction on privatization of state property, following which nine objects were sold.

Four of the privatized objects are non-residential areas and 5-vehicles.

Three non-residential areas and 5 vehicles were privatized in Baku, one non-residential area-in other city of the country.

The privatized enterprises contribute to the economic efficiency in the country, while auctions allow citizens to create their own business by privatizing small objects at affordable prices.

The privatization process creates conditions for expansion of the activities of enterprises, increasing production volumes, opening new work places.

About 300 state properties and enterprises are planned to be privatized until the end of 2017.

Earlier, Chairman of the State Committee on Property Issues Karam Hasanov said that revenues from the privatization of state property to the state budget of Azerbaijan will exceed 100 million manats ($58.82 million) until the end of 2017.

He added that to date, over 1,100 state objects and enterprises have been put up for privatization, as a result of privatization more than 93 million manats ($54.705 million) have been directed to the state budget.

Information about the auction is posted on the official website of the Committee, on the website privatization.az and on the facebook page.

The portal for privatization, launched in July 2016, reflects all necessary information about the facilities, their addresses, location, and even initial cost and aims at facilitation of the process. The website is available in two languages - Azerbaijani and English. Why Azerbaijan is special section available on the website explains the reasons and advantages of investing in the country.

The privatization process is designed to attract both foreign and local investors, as well as develop the business environment of Azerbaijan.

Moreover, the State Committee on Property Issues organizes electronic auction.

The "electronic auction" service, which is available on the website privatization.az, combines the privatization procedure of vehicles and equipment. In the future, it will be possible to privatize small state enterprises and facilities, joint-stock companies through electronic auction. Now, the corresponding work in programming is being implemented.

Next auction on privatization of state property will be held on October 10.

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Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
3 October 2017 14:25 (UTC+04:00)

By Laman Ismayilova

Azerbaijan, India, France, Egypt, Kenya, Senegal, South Africa, Cote DIvoire, Ghana, Turkey, Morocco, Nigeria and other countries showcased their rich culture through the unique dressing, cuisine and music at this years Banana Island Cultural Festival.

Each country represented at the event was assigned a booth to display their, traditional attires, artwork, cuisine and other items.

The gorgeous dressed designed by Gulnara Khalilova, the head of the Center of Azerbaijan National Costumes caused great interest among guests of the event.

The festival participants also tried samples of national cuisine, including dolma, gutab, pilaf and pakhklava, Trend Life reported.

Besides, the national dance composition "Qavalla rqs" was performed at the event and was greeted with ovations.

The Azerbaijani pavilion also featured literature, souvenirs, and other items.

The Banana Island Cultural Festival represents a celebration of the diverse nature of the Banana Community.

The event brings the residents of Banana Island together in celebration of cultural diversity by showcasing the traditional food, drinks, attire, dance, music and exhibition of historical artifacts.

Ambassadors and politicians of different countries, the culture minister of Nigeria and other officials, attended the festival in Lagos, Nigeria.

--

Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
3 October 2017 13:24 (UTC+04:00)

By Laman Ismayilova

The Altyn Saka Animation Film Festival of the Turkic World took place in Kazakhstan in late September.

The festival was organized in cooperation with TURKSOY to celebrate Turkistan, the Cultural Capital of the Turkic World 2017, and aimed to strengthen the ties of friendship and brotherhood, foster solidarity and cultural interaction.

The festival held in the Cultural Center on the campus of the Akhmet Yassawi University in Turkistan gathered nearly 20 animators from Azerbaijan, Turkey, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Bashkortostan, Yakutia and Altai, turksoy.org reported.

The jury of the festival included the Coordinator for Children's programmes of the TRT Channel Bekir Yldzc (Turkey), the editor of the Kazakfilm Animation Films Company Saltanat Dungenbaeva (Kazakhstan), the Art Director Ibrahimov Kudaybergenovish (Kyrgyzstan) and the Director of the Shymkent SAK Film Studio Nuriddin Pattev (Kazakhstan).

Prior to the Festival, a press conference was held, where members of the jury delivered a speech in which they stressed the importance of the fact that the festival took place in the Cultural Capital of the Turkic World 2017.

They also expressed their gratitude to TURKSOY for its valuable support and wished success to the competitors.

Following the event, the official opening ceremony of the festival took place in the presence of animators from Turkey, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Bashkortostan, Yakutia and Altai along with jury members, officials of TURKSOY and young spectators.

Later, animation films were presented to jury members and the audience. At the closing ceremony of the festival, members of the jury announced their decision.

During the closing ceremony, prizes were handed over to their winners.

Upon joint decision of the jury members The Grand Prix went to Abay Abilde (Kazakhstan-Almaty) for the animation film Those Who Were Made of Fire".

The First Prize went to Dmitriy Vlasov from the Uzbekfilm Animation Studio (Uzbekistan) for the animation film Goncar.

The Second Prize went to Arif Osmanoglu from Turkey for the animation filkm Pirates of the Sea.

The Third Prize went to Kuat Konirkuljaev from Kazakhstan for the animation film The Praising Girl".

The Best Screenwriter award went to Sofiya Cmuldin (Kazakhstan-Shymkent) for Mamut Searching for his Mother".

The Best Scenario Award went to Sthe Art Director of Kazakfilm AK Selimgali Myrzashev (Kazakhstan) for the animation film Baykonur

Finally, The Best TV Scenario Award went to Nurullah Yenihan (Turkey) for his animation film Nasreddin Khoja.

---

Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
3 October 2017 11:08 (UTC+04:00)

By Rashid Shirinov

The illegal visit of a group of Turkish citizens to the occupied Azerbaijani lands does not meet the strategic cooperation, friendly and brotherly relations existing between Azerbaijan and Turkey, said Elman Nasirov.

The Azerbaijani MP told Trend that this casts a shadow on the Azerbaijani-Turkish relations.

This also causes confusion in the Azerbaijani society. Today the relations between Azerbaijan and Turkey are an example for all countries of the world, Nasirov said. However, such actions of a group of individuals, calling themselves the Turkish intellectuals, caused fair discontent in the Azerbaijani society.

The MP added that Turkey always supports Azerbaijan and Azerbaijan supports Turkey, noting that the main reason for the closure of Turkey's border with Armenia was the Armenian occupation of Azerbaijani territories.

In this case, the illegal visit of Turkish citizens to Nagorno-Karabakh is unclear and it is a crime. The Prosecutor's Office of Azerbaijan has rightly opened a criminal case on this fact, these individuals should be prosecuted, said Nasirov.

Without documents and consent from relevant executive authorities, four Turks Ufuk Uras, Ali Bayramoglu, Said Cekinoglu and Erol Katircioglu crossed the internationally recognized borders of Azerbaijan avoiding checkpoints on September 22. The Grave Crimes Investigation Department of Azerbaijans Prosecutor General's Office filed a criminal case under Criminal Codes Article 318.2 (illegally crossing Azerbaijans state borders) against them.

That is, they deliberately traveled from territory of Armenia and illegally arrived in occupied Khankendi and other settlements of the occupied territories of Azerbaijan. They have been declared in the international wanted list. Azerbaijan also sent an appeal to the Turkish law enforcement agencies in order to detain the four citizens.

Unauthorized visits to Nagorno-Karabakh and other regions of Azerbaijan occupied by Armenia are considered illegal, and any individuals paying such visits are included in the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry's list of undesirable persons. Baku continues the work to prevent such illegal actions, and the foreign citizens should keep their eyes peeled in order not to be deceived by Armenian occupiers.

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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
3 October 2017 13:10 (UTC+04:00)

By Rashid Shirinov

National self-determination, the principle that US President Woodrow Wilson put on the international agenda in 1918, is generally defined as the right of a people to form its own state.

Following the end of Cold War, self-determination became an acute issue, while some tried to use the rhetoric of national self-determination as a convenient pretext for separatism.

Earlier Kurds in Iraq voted overwhelmingly in favor of independence for the countrys Kurdistan Region. This week in Spain, some 7.5 million Catalans have raised the same question.

Certain circles and forces in the world support separatism, Azerbaijani MP Bakhtiyar Aliyev said, commenting on the illegal referendum in Catalonia.

Naming this step as a thoughtful scenario, Aliyev said this is aimed at changing direction of the processes going on in the world.

There are certain circles and forces who, by supporting separatism, are trying to redraw the world map and use it for their advantage, he told Trend.

Aliyev added that this is the result of the double standards policy of international structures  the UN, OSCE, EU, PACE - which led to the fact that we are witnessing separatism in Europe.

These processes can lead to very sad consequences in the future. These processes must be urgently stopped, separatists must be sanctioned and put under pressure, said the MP.

Many experts believe that the illegal referendum in Catalonia may lead to insecurity in Europe and result in dismemberment of a number of European countries.

Azerbaijan for many years suffers from separatism, as Armenians living in the countrys Nagorno-Karabakh region, stirred up by interested circles in neighboring Armenia, held an illegal referendum on the region's secession from Azerbaijan in early 1990s. This was followed by the most brutal battles of the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh war.

Today, 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding regions are still under Armenian occupation and the occupier rejects implementing four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding districts.

---

Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov

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3 October 2017 14:24 (UTC+04:00)

By Rashid Shirinov

The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group will arrive in Azerbaijan on October 7.

Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov added that they will visit Yerevan before coming to Baku.

"The co-chairs will come to discuss the agenda for the forthcoming meeting of Presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia," Mammadyarov said on October 3.

The minister stressed that the mediators want to achieve logical results and to move the settlement process from the dead point after the presidents' meeting takes place.

The OSCE Minsk Group is tasked with mediation of the peace talks over the Armenian-Azerbaijani long-standing Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Last time, the Minsk Group co-chairs  Igor Popov of Russia, Stephane Visconti of France, and former U.S. co-chair Richard Hoagland  visited the region on June 10-19. The mediators got acquainted with the real situation on the ground and mulled the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict resolution with the two conflicting countries' leadership.

The Azerbaijani and Armenian foreign ministers last met in New York on September 23. The parties discussed the current situation in the conflict zone and exchanged views on the settlement of the protracted conflict. They also mulled the organization of a meeting of Azerbaijani and Armenian Presidents in the near future.

Azerbaijan and Armenia fought a lengthy war that ended with signing of a fragile ceasefire in 1994. Since the war, Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan's territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and over 1 million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities.

Armenia ignores four UN Security Council resolutions on immediate withdrawal from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan, thus keeping tension high in the region.

---

Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov

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3 October 2017 09:33 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

Azerbaijans Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov received newly appointed Ambassador of Greece Nikolaos Kanellos, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry said in a message on October 2.

Ambassador Kanellos presented a copy of his credentials to Foreign Minister Mammadyarov.



Mammadyarov congratulated Ambassador Nikolaos Kanellos on his appointment and wished him every success in his future activities.

Ambassador Kanellos noted that he would spare no efforts to contribute to further enhancement of bilateral relations between the two countries during his diplomatic mission.

At the meeting, views were also exchanged on development of cooperation between Azerbaijan and Greece in energy, transport, tourism, culture and other spheres.

---

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3 October 2017 10:07 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev offered his condolences to President of the United States of America Donald J. Trump.

I was deeply saddened by the news of heavy casualties and injuries as a result of a brutal shooting at a music festival in Las Vegas, said President Aliyev in his letter to President Trump.

On the occasion of this tragic event, on behalf of the people of Azerbaijan and on my own behalf, I extend my deepest condolences to you, families and loved ones of those who died and all the people of the United States, and wish those injured recovery, added the head of state.

---

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3 October 2017 11:19 (UTC+04:00)

By Laman Ismayilova

Just few days ago Azerbaijan was bathing in beautiful sunshine following the hottest late September on record.

But the weather in the country has taken quite a turn on weekend with daytime temperatures cut in half, and torrential downpours set to sweep across the country, bringing an abrupt end to clear blue skies.

Temperatures have dropped from about 35C to 15C in some areas, and there could even be a touch of frost in the northern regions in the week.

Since 1881, there has been no sharp drop in air temperature in Baku and Absheron peninsula. The temperature dropped from 35 C degrees to 20 C degrees, said Maharram Hasanov.

The deputy director of the Institute of Geography of ANAS, Doctor of Philosophy in Geography told Trend that the hydrometeorological station was built in Baku in 1881.

There has never been such a sharp change of weather in September since that time," he said. Such weather is a rarity. Similar weather conditions were observed in Baku only in 1996 and 2003.

Unstable weather conditions are expected to continue in the country with heavy rains and even snow in several areas.

On October 2, snow fell on high mountainous areas - Khinalig, Giriz, Shahdagh. The snow depth reached 17 cm in Khinalig, 7sm - in Giriz and 3sm in Leze.

The amount of precipitation hit 3-39 mm in Baku and Absheron peninsula, 9-110 in Lankaran-Astara region, 9-70 in the Greater Caucasus, 8-56 in Central Lowland regions, 22-35 in the Lesser Caucasus, 8-25 in Gazakh-Ganja zone and 2-10 in Nakhchivan AR.

---

Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova

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WASHINGTON (TNS)  The Supreme Court heard a strong argument Tuesday for reining in partisan gerrymandering  at least if its extreme enough to allow one partys politicians to keep themselves in power for a decade.

Better yet for the groups challenging gerrymanders, Justice Anthony M. Kennedy, who likely holds the swing vote on the issue, seemed open to ruling that extreme gerrymanders are unconstitutional.

Politicians are never going to fix gerrymandering. You are the only institution in the United States that can solve this problem, Paul Smith, an attorney for Wisconsin Democrats, who brought the current case, told the justices. And this is your last opportunity to act before the next round of redistricting following the census of 2020.

Kennedy asked a lawyer for Wisconsins Republicans whether it would be constitutional for the state to adopt a law that the election map will be drawn to favor party X over party Y.

Attorney Erin Murphy hesitated, noting that in this case, Republicans did not publicly proclaim that they were drawing a statewide map to ensure the GOP would maintain a solid majority, even though that was the effect of the district lines they created.

Kennedy was undeterred. Id like an answer to my question, he said.

By the time the hourlong argument ended, it was clear that Kennedy believes the Constitution would prevent one party from writing a law designed to keep itself in power for a decade. What was unclear is whether he was convinced that the Republicans in Wisconsin had in effect done that when they went behind closed doors and drew legislative boundaries after the last Census.

The district lines the Republican-controlled legislature adopted ensured that the GOP would have a 60-vote supermajority in the states Assembly, the lower house of its Legislature, even if a majority of voters statewide voted for Democrats, as they did in subsequent elections.

By contrast to Kennedy, Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. made clear he was opposed to the court taking on the issue of partisan gerrymandering based on what he called sociological gobbledygook. He was referring to statistical studies that characterize the Wisconsin electoral map as highly unusual.

If the court declares the Wisconsin map unconstitutional, the justices in years to come will have to decide on a series of highly political disputes, he said.

Smith tried to assure the justices that only the most extreme partisan gerrymanders should be struck down.

The case heard Tuesday, Gill v. Whitford, is a once-in-a-decade challenge to partisan gerrymandering, a process that since 2010 has allowed Republicans to control power in at least half a dozen states where the voters are closely divided.

Wisconsin provides a textbook example. The GOP redistricting plan succeeded in preserving Republican control of the legislature despite their losing a majority of voters statewide. Federal judges ruled that the Wisconsin Republicans had gone too far and had unfairly entrenched themselves in power.

The high court, however, has never before struck down a states election districts simply because they were unfairly partisan.

If Kennedy and four other justices say Wisconsin went too far, the outcome could reach far beyond that state to potentially reshape the U.S. House of Representatives.

Pennsylvania, Michigan, Ohio and North Carolina together send 61 representatives to the House. Thanks in part to skilled line-drawing, 44 of them are Republicans and only 17 are Democrats despite voters in those states being closely divided between the two parties.

Legislative and congressional district lines in the U.S. get redrawn every 10 years, after each census. The last redistricting came after the 2010 census. In most states, elected legislators get to draw the lines, although some states, such as California, have given that power to nonpartisan commissions.

The 2010 timing was lucky for the Republicans because the elections that year were especially good for them. As a result, when the time came for redistricting, Republicans had sole control over the electoral maps in many key states. They were able to draw lines that concentrated Democrats in a handful of districts, helping to give Republicans a continuing majority.

Democrats have also used the redistricting process to help themselves, but theyve had fewer opportunities. In Maryland, for example, seven of the eight congressional districts were drawn to favor Democrats.

The justices will hand down a decision in the case later in the courts term.

The district lines the Republican-controlled legislature adopted ensured that the GOP would have a 60-vote supermajority in the states Assembly even if a majority of voters statewide voted for Democrats, as they did in subsequent elections.
3 October 2017 14:42 (UTC+04:00)

By Amina Nazarli

The European Union has allocated technical assistance in the amount of 582 million euros to Azerbaijan so far, said Shahin Mustafayev.

Azerbaijans Economy Minister made the remarks at a meeting with the newly-appointed Head of EU Delegation to Azerbaijan, Kestutis Jankauskas, on October 3.



Mustafayev reminded that the EU is one of main trade partners of Azerbaijan.

The share of the EU in Azerbaijans trade turnover is 35 percent. Over the past 10 years, the EU share in total volume of investments in the countrys fixed capital was 46 percent, and in the volume of direct investments in non-oil sector  35 percent. More than 1,300 companies from EU countries operate in Azerbaijan, noted the minister.

Economic relations between Azerbaijan and EU are successfully continued, the minister said, adding that Azerbaijan is interested in further expanding cooperation with the structure in non-oil sector, which is one of the priority directions.

The meeting also hailed the cooperation of Azerbaijan with EU in transport and energy fields, as well as the significance of the Southern Gas Corridor project and possibilities of using Azerbaijan's great transit potential.

Jankauskas, for his part, said that currently, active work is underway on a strategic partnership agreement between the EU and Azerbaijan.

Underlining effective cooperation between the two in the field of energy, Jankauskas emphasized wide export opportunities of Azerbaijan.

Trade turnover with the EU amounted to $4.33 billion in January-August 2017, some $3.18 billion out of which accounted for the export to EU countries, according to Azerbaijans State Customs Committee.

The two also exchanged views on the new EU-Azerbaijan Agreement.

On November 14, 2016, the European Council issued a mandate to the European Commission and the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy to negotiate a comprehensive agreement with Azerbaijan on behalf of the EU and its member states.

The new agreement must replace the partnership and cooperation agreement signed in 1996 and must more take into account the common goals and challenges facing the EU and Azerbaijan today.

--

Amina Nazarli is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @amina_nazarli

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3 October 2017 16:59 (UTC+04:00)

By Amina Nazarli

Baku and Kiev have exchanged views on a number of issues of mutual interest, including the economic cooperation, as Foreign Minister of Ukraine Pavlo Klimkin visited Baku on October 3.

Klimkins visit is aimed at preparing for events at the level of the heads of state and discussing promising directions of the Azerbaijani-Ukrainian cooperation.

Relations between Azerbaijan and Ukraine are of strategic nature, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov said as he spoke at a joint briefing with his counterpart.

Our political positions coincide at international venues as well, Mammadyarov said.

The FM later informed about the upcoming meeting of the Azerbaijani-Ukrainian intergovernmental commission scheduled for next year.

In turn, Klimkin noted that the two countries have achieved tangible results in the economy.

In the first nine months of this year we achieved a greater trade turnover than in the whole 2016, he said. The growth was 66 percent. In addition, there is also a five-fold increase in the transportation of goods through Azerbaijan.

Speaking about the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the Ukrainian minister noted that Ukraine understands its Azerbaijani friends well, as Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is an aggression.

The FM stressed that Ukraine will continue to support Azerbaijans territorial integrity.

The conflict began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan, as a result occupying 20 percent of Azerbaijan lands, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding regions. 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.

At a press conference following the meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart, Mammadyarov said that meeting of FMs of GUAM member countries will be held in Georgias Tbilisi on October 8 and will be dedicated to the 20th anniversary of creation of the organization.

Azerbaijan is interested in development of the organization, said Mammadyarov.

Today, my Ukrainian counterpart and I discussed issues of transit through GUAM territory, which will benefit all member countries of the organization, he noted.

Klimkin, for his part, said that GUAM countries face similar political challenges.

We can implement a number of joint economic projects. I believe that we have a unique model of cooperation that unites the countries of the Black and Caspian Seas, he said.

This meeting will create conditions for the development of political and economic relations with other countries, added the top diplomat.

In Baku, the Ukrainian minister was also received by President Ilham Aliyev.

--

Amina Nazarli is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @amina_nazarli

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3 October 2017 16:38 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

Azerbaijans Emergency Situations Ministry has involved a Ka-32 helicopter in an operation to rescue foreigners trapped in a mountainous area in Shamakhi.

The ministry told Trend that measures are underway to rescue the foreigners and additional information will be provided later.

Previously, the Center for Crisis Management of the Emergency Situations Ministry reported that the whereabouts of two foreigners has been determined.

Foreign citizens are in a snow-covered mountainous area  26 km from Shamakhi and 4 km from the village of Pirbayli  in two Nissan Patrol cars. There are no injured people. They asked for a chain for car tires to prevent slipping, said the Center.

At 06:48 (UTC +4) on October 3, Long Range Identification and Tracking National Centre of the State Maritime Administration of Azerbaijan received a request from the 911 Emergency Communications Center of the United States of America about foreign citizens in two Nissan Patrol cars who need help in a mountainous area in Azerbaijans Shamakhi region.

The State Maritime Administration transferred the information about the persons who need help and their coordinates were immediately to 112 Call Center of the Ministry of Emergency Situations.

---

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3 October 2017 17:28 (UTC+04:00)

By Rashid Shirinov

G-122 and G-124 patrol ships of the Azerbaijani Naval Forces departed for Iran on a friendly visit on October 3, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry reported.

In Iran, Azerbaijani navy personnel will meet with Iran's naval command in the Caspian Sea zone, visit the naval base in Enzeli and participate in a number of other events until October 7.

The visit is organized in accordance with the agreement on military cooperation between the governments of Azerbaijan and Iran.

The Azerbaijani Army, which today is considered the most modern army in the Caucasus, consists of Air Force and Air Defense Forces, the Navy, and the Land Forces.

The skills and combat readiness of the Azerbaijani army are growing year by year, as the countrys Armed Forces regularly conduct military exercises. The Azerbaijani army is supplied with modern weapons and technical equipment for maintaining a high level of combat capability.

---

Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov

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3 October 2017 12:23 (UTC+04:00)

By Sara Israfilbayova

Azerbaijan submitted the daily oil production data for September 2017 to the OPEC Joint Technical Committee (JTC) as part of implementation of the Vienna agreement to cut oil output.

Azerbaijan, one of oil-producing nations that struck a deal to cut output along with OPEC states, keeps meeting commitment under the deal.

The Energy Ministry said that daily oil production in the country amounted to 785,700 barrels in past month, 733,000 barrels of which were crude oil and 52,700 barrels-condensate.

Azerbaijans participation in joint oil production cuts is defined at 35,000 barrels per day.

The Energy Ministry also said 627,600 barrels of oil, 52,700 barrels of condensate and 19,300 barrels of petroleum products were exported daily in August.

The country was producing 793,900 barrels of oil per day in January, 776,400 barrels per day in February, 733,300 barrels per day in March, 781,100 barrels per day in April and 785,300 barrels per day in May, 793,700 barrels of oil per day in June, 796,700 barrels of oil per day in July and 734,800 barrels in August.

The Joint Technical Committee was created on January 22 under the OPEC Monitoring Committee, designed to monitor the implementation of countries obligations to cut oil production.

In December 2016 in Vienna, 11 non-OPEC countries, including Azerbaijan, agreed to curtail oil output jointly by 558,000 barrels per day. The agreement was signed for the first half of 2017 and on May 25, 2017, it was extended by late 1Q2018.

In August 2017, OPEC and participating non-OPEC producing countries recorded the highest conformity ever with their voluntary adjustments in production, achieving a level of 116 percent.

The next JMMC meeting is scheduled for the day prior to the full ministerial meeting on November 30 in Vienna.

--

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3 October 2017 09:47 (UTC+04:00)

By Kamila Aliyeva

Attraction of foreign investment for the construction of the Rogun Hydropower Plant (HPP), the world's tallest dam, remains the key issue that hinders and pulls back the projects implementation.



The government of Tajikistan, which has suffered from electricity shortages for years, makes all possible efforts to complete the construction of dam that will solve the countrys energy problem.



By implementing the project, Tajikistan will be able to generate about 13 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually. This will not only help the country to meet its domestic needs but also turn Tajikistan into a major exporter of electricity.



Approximately $4 billion is needed to complete the major energy project. About 2 billion somoni ($227,2 million) have been allocated from the state budget for the completion of the hydroelectric power station this year.



Therefore, the Tajik authorities decided to issue securities worth $1 billion for the completion of the Rogun HPP. At the first stage, bonds worth $500 million were put up for sale on the world markets.



Selling bonds internationally worth $500 million is an economic activity not sufficient enough to construct a giant dam like Rogun, Dr. Aftab Kazi, Senior Fellow at Central Asia-Caucasus Institute & Silk Road Studies Program in SAIS, Johns Hopkins University, told Azernews newspaper.



Before Rogun could be constructed, all five Central Asian nations need to sit down together to reach a consensus about the distribution of water ratios between themselves. Ex-President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov was totally against it but Shavkat Mirziyoyev is more interested in Central Asian regional integration, he said.



The dam should form a large Rogun reservoir with a total volume of 13.3 cubic meters. The project is criticized because of the location in the zone of high seismicity, landslide and mudflow processes, and the presence of a tectonic fault filled with rock salt under the base of the dam.



Uzbekistan has previously openly opposed the project. The Rogun HPP will dam the Vakhsh river, which is a major tributary to the Amu Darya river, one of the region's two major water courses. The neighboring countries cautioned water could be diverted from their cotton and wheat fields. Uzbekistan claimed that water flows would be seriously decreased in case the dam is built. But a World Bank assessment gave the go-ahead to the major project.



Currently, Uzbekistans position has also changed and become more tolerant. Thus, atmosphere for a water distribution accord appear is suitable now, according to the expert.



Tajikistan could construct that dam from its quota, but that could also take years. Rogun is a part of CASA 1000 proposed by the U.S. around 2005/6 or so together with a dam on Darin River in Kyrgyzstan. Water levels in Darin fluctuate. Since 2007, water levels were so low that even Bishkek had to face electricity load shedding, he said.



CASA1000 has lost its importance and that now remains only on paper, as Afghanistan is no more interested in the electricity project and has withdrawn, Kazi noted.



As long as the Afghanistan stalemate continues, I doubt if Tajikistan could attract international investments other than from China, he added.



CASA-1000 is an interregional electricity transmission project in Central and South Asia to connect four countries - Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. It is presupposed that the project will create opportunities for the export of electricity surplus in summer period from Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan to Afghanistan and Pakistan.



Groundbreaking for the project took place on May 12, 2016 in Tajikistan in a ceremony attended by the Kyrgyz, Tajik, and Pakistani Prime Ministers, and is expected to be completed by the end of 2018.



The project initially also included transfer of electricity to Afghanistan, however the country abandoned its share of electricity due to dearth of demand, hence Pakistan will receive 1,300 megawatts of electricity.

---

Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva

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3 October 2017 10:31 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

Iran has launched joint war games with the neighboring Iraq along its western and northwestern borders.

The commander of the ground forces of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), Brigadier General Mohammad Pakpour has said that the armor units alongside with artillery, drones, and helicopters have joined the drills, Tasnim news agency reported.

The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) and the regular army of Iran earlier on Sept. 25 conducted two separated war games along the countrys western borders with Iraq.

The developments came following reports on holding a referendum on independence in northern Iraq.

Iran and Turkey are among the countries, which have urged for protecting Iraqs territorial integrity.

---

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3 October 2017 14:43 (UTC+04:00)

By Kamila Aliyeva

The Russian Federation and the United States continue to reduce their strategic nuclear weapons.

This assessment was provided by the State Department, which released on Monday a certificate on compliance by the two countries with their obligations under the Treaty on Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms also known as the New START Treaty, TASS reported.

Russia declared 1,561 deployed warheads, 501 deployed launchers, and 790 total launchers as of September 1, 2017. In March 2017 the numbers were 1765, 523, and 816 respectively.

The U.S. numbers for September 2017 were 1,393 warheads, 660 deployed and 800 total launchers (1411, 673, and 820 in March 2017).

When the Soviet Union officially dissolved in 1991, the newly-independent states of Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Ukraine inherited more than 3,000 strategic nuclear weapons, as well as at least 3,000 tactical or battlefield nuclear weapons.

The United States and Russia reached a solution to this complex problem by engaging Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Ukraine in a series of talks that led to the Lisbon Protocol. That agreement made all five states party to the 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START), which required Washington and Moscow to each cut their deployed strategic nuclear forces from approximately 10,000 warheads apiece to down below 6,000 warheads on no more than 1,600 ICBMs, submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBM), and long-range bombers.

The new START treaty signed in 2010 replaced the 1991 START I treaty and superseded the 2002 Strategic Offensive Reductions Treaty (SORT), which terminated when New START entered into force.

Recently, U.S. President Donald Trump has called New START one-sided and a bad deal, and has even suggested the U.S. might withdraw from it.

In late September, the worlds first legally-binding treaty prohibiting nuclear weapons was signed at United Nations Headquarters in New York

The treaty was approved on July 7 at the talks that major nuclear powers (Russia, the United Kingdom, the United States, China and France) skipped. Under the treaty, the parties will be obliged "never under any circumstances to develop, test, produce, manufacture, otherwise acquire, possess or stockpile nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices." Non-nuclear signatory states are prohibited to deploy in their national territories the nuclear weapons of third countries.

The document will come into force 90 days after at least 50 states ratify it.

The UK, U.S. and France released a joint statement vowing they would never become party to the treaty. Meanwhile, the Russian Foreign Ministry said that Moscow would not ratify the deal as it runs counter to the countrys national interests.

Russia and the United States are also parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), which required them to destroy their stockpiles by 2007 with a potential extension until 2012.

Both rivals received the extension but failed to meet the 2012 deadline. In 2010, Moscow set a 2015 target date for eliminating its chemical stockpile and later extended it to 2020. The current U.S. target date is 2023.

--

Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva

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3 October 2017 13:49 (UTC+04:00)

By Kamila Aliyeva

Ashgabat hosted high-level talks between Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.

Following the October 2 talks, the sides signed 14 bilateral documents, including on cooperation in culture, tourism, agriculture, humanitarian spheres and other areas, the Turkmen government reported.

The presidents have put their signatures to a bilateral treaty on strategic partnership, TASS reported.

During the talks, Turkmen leader expressed hope that the Caspian Seas status will be resolved soon. A convention on the legal status of the Caspian Sea may be finally coordinated at a next summit of the regions states which will be held in Kazakhstan, he said.

"We hope that the issue of finishing joint work on a convention on the Caspian status may be considered already at the fifth summit of the Caspian Sea states. This issue is of strategic importance for us, and I think that all of us, the Caspian Sea countries, will come out in favor of settling it," Berdimuhamedov said.

The sides also voiced aim to improve trade and business relations between two countries.

A plan of actions and projects for the implementation of the Program of Economic Cooperation between the Governments of Turkmenistan and Russia for 2017-2019 was agreed during the meeting. This is a kind of road map of interaction for a three-year period.

The quality and volumes of bilateral trade and economic cooperation can and should be significantly increased, brought into line with objective opportunities and the available potential, the Turkmen President said at the meeting in expanded format.

Putin, in turn, said that the countries put much emphasis on trade-economic cooperation.

"Unfortunately, last year our trade saw a certain decline for different reasons, I think first of all for objective reasons - currency exchange rate fluctuations, unfavorable world situation and some other factors," the president said.

He reiterated that Moscow and Ashgabat have created a system of cooperation mechanisms in different sectors, and the key role in this belongs to the intergovernmental commission.

Besides, the president said, the program of economic cooperation until 2018 is aimed at improving the structure of trade. It includes 80 events and projects.

"The implementation of this document will help to expand investment cooperation, which in my opinion is very important," the president said.

The Turkmen leader, in turn, noted that it is necessary to implement specific projects, use the geographical and infrastructural advantages of both countries and seek new directions. First of all - in strategic spheres such as industry, transport and communications, energy, agro-industrial complex and new technologies.

We highly appreciate and welcome the work of large Russian companies on the Turkmen market, in particular, in such areas as automotive, aircraft building, shipbuilding, Berdimuhamedov said.

Cooperation in the field of logistics also came to the forefront. The use of the port infrastructure of the two countries on the Caspian Sea - in the cities of Turkmenbashi and Astrakhan and the ferry between them  appears to be promising.

The most important part of such cooperation is the creation of a Turkmen trade and logistics center on the territory of the Astrakhan region.

As for the partnership in the agro-industrial complex and the textile industry, Turkmenistan also confirmed readiness for its further development, increase of supplies of Turkmen agricultural products and textiles to Russia.

Turkmenistan is also ready to establish mutually beneficial cooperation in the supply of oil, gas and chemical products, consumer goods to Russia.

Stressing the interest of the Turkmen side in raising the level and quality of interaction with Russia in the sphere of high technologies, the Turkmen leader expressed his belief in the need to give the bilateral economic partnership a clearly expressed innovative, high-tech character.

The priority areas of trade and economic cooperation also include the banking and financial sector, support for export-import operations and joint foreign economic projects.

Both countries cooperate effectively in a wide range of areas, including the trade and economic sphere, energy and transport and communication sectors as well as the agro-industrial complex.

Russia holds a leading position in the ranking of Turkmenistans biggest foreign trade partners. In recent years, cooperation at the regional level has intensified, including with Tatarstan, St. Petersburg, Astrakhan, Sverdlovsk regions of Russia.

More than 190 enterprises with the participation of Russian capital are registered in the Turkmen market, and they execute more than 240 investment projects.

Gas supply was one of the strategic areas of partnership between Turkmenistan and Russia until recently. But in 2016, Russia - a traditional buyer - has stopped the purchase of Turkmen gas.

In 2015 bilateral trade volume between two countries decreased by 21 percent to $0.97 billion compared to $1.23 billion in 2014. Turkmen exports to Russia fell to $0.07 billion (by 20 percent) while imports fell to $0.90 billion (by 21 percent).

---

Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva

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3 October 2017 12:46 (UTC+04:00)

By Kamila Aliyeva

Kyrgyzstan is negotiating the deployment of a Russian military base on the border with Tajikistan.

This was announced by Kyrgyz Prime Minister Sapar Isakov in an interview with the Russias RIA Novosti on October 2.

"Consultations on the issue of the deployment of another Russian base in Kyrgyzstan have been held at the level of the relevant ministries. Kyrgyzstan believes that it is necessary to deploy a military base in the south in order to ensure security not only inside the country, but also in the region as a whole. But so far we do not have a final decision on both sides. Negotiations are still underway on this matter," he said answering the question about the possibility of placing another Russian base on the Kyrgyz-Tajik border.

In addition, Isakov added that effective cooperation with terrorism requires deep cooperation within the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) framework.

"The presence of a military unified base is an important argument that holds back the situation on the border of Afghanistan with Tajikistan. And effective interaction of special services also does," the prime minister said.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has previously informed that the combat readiness of Russian military bases in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan is being increased. He also noted that it is equipped with modern weapons to prevent the transfer of terrorist activity from Afghanistan to the Central Asia. He went on to add that Russia regularly holds joint military drills with the Central Asian countries

During the meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Kyrgyz counterpart Almazbek Atambayev held in Bishkek on February 28 the sides discussed military issues.

Russian leader noted that the Russian military presence in Central Asia is crucial for regional stability. But Moscow is ready to leave at the first request after it helps to strengthen the Kyrgyzstan army to be capable of maintaining security on its own, he added.

The Russian military came to Kyrgyzstan at the beginning of the 2000s following an urgent request from the countrys authorities, who faced an international terrorism threat from militants infiltrating the country from Afghanistan.

The main Russian military facility in the country is the Kant Air Base, housing Su-25 ground attack planes and Mi-8 military transport helicopters. The air force at the base is a part of the Collective Rapid Reaction Force, the joint task force of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO).

---

Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
ACT results for the graduating class of 2017 show good marks for local schools. Several schools had average composite scores in the mid-20s, including Aquinas High School and Onalaska Luther High School, and many districts beat the state average of 20.5.

The ACT consists of questions in four subjects  English, reading, mathematics and science  with test takers receiving a score in each subject and an overall composite score out of 36 points.

Some scholarships use ACT scores to help determine who qualifies for awards, and some colleges allow students college credit for having a high enough ACT score in a specific subject. Colleges and universities also take ACT results into consideration for admission, with the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse admitting students with an ACT composite score between 23 and 27, Winona State University between 20 and 25 and Viterbo University between 20 and 24, according to the ACT website.

Nearly all of Aquinas 68 seniors took the ACT exam, with an average composite score of 25.2. English and reading were Aquinas students best subjects with scores around 25; the average mathematics score was 23.6.

Aquinas High School Principal Denise Ring said she was proud of the students accomplishments and all the hard work they and their teachers put into their studies.

Our students, in general, are well-prepared for college, she said.

While all Wisconsin public school juniors take the ACT exam as part of state testing, students can retake the test, and the highest score is used to calculate 2017 graduate results. Onalaska High Schools 2017 graduates averaged a composite score of 22.0 with a 99 percent participation rate.

The districts goal is to have all students who will attend a four-year college earn a composite score of 23 or better, and, according to the district, almost three-fourths of university-bound students reached that goal last year, with 82 percent getting a 22 or higher. A second goal the district has is for 90 percent of all graduates to score a 19 or higher; more than three-quarters of the students met that benchmark.

Both of these goals reflect a greater probability for students to have access to higher education without the need for remedial coursework, an announcement from the district stated.

La Crosses seniors reported an average composite score of 20.1, and Holmen graduates earned an average composite score of 20.6. More than 85 percent of La Crescents students take the ACT exam each year, and the 2017 class averaged 22.8, higher than the Minnesota average of 21.5 and up from 22.3 a year ago.

More than 93 percent of Luthers graduates took the ACT test, guidance counselor Mark Loersch said, with an average composite score of 24.3. Math and reading were the students strongest subject areas, and the schools results were similar to last years 24.4 average.

According to Loersch, 94 percent of those graduates went on to college, and 76 percent of 2017 Luther graduates went on to a four-year school. ACT scores are one of the things colleges look at, and he was happy with how many graduates went on to further their education.

I am happy with our scores, he said. A 24 average will get our graduates into most four-year schools.
3 October 2017 14:04 (UTC+04:00)

By Kamila Aliyeva

Turkish citizens are showing less support for the countrys entry into the European Union  Ankaras long-lasting goal.

Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu announced that the number of supporters of the country's accession to the EU among Turkish citizens has fallen significantly.

"The support of the Turkish people for the idea of joining the EU has seriously dropped. We are against double standards in Europe towards us. We have our own security tasks that we will carry out. There were six demands from the EU - we fulfilled all of them. But now the EU suddenly started talking quite different things," he said in an interview with Anadolu Agency on October 3.

He added that Turkey is ready to work on joining the EU, but the EU should take a step forward.

Previously, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan informed the Parliament that the country doesnt need EU membership anymore.

Still, the Turkish leader has not completely ruled out the idea of membership. He said Turkey is willing to become an EU member but only as a proper constitution of the union.

The future of Turkeys EU membership talks has become a hot topic for discussion amid rising tensions between Ankara and Brussels.

Turkeys accession negotiations started in 2005, but until Turkey agrees to apply the Additional Protocol of the Ankara Association Agreement to Cyprus, eight negotiation chapters will not be opened and no chapter will be provisionally closed. The talks have reached a deadlock in 2007 as Turkey was not ready to change its position on Cyprus while German and French governments also opposed the countrys full EU membership.

Turkeys ties with the EU have worsened last July after a failed coup attempt. Ankara also criticized Germany, Belgium and several other European countries for turning a blind eye to outlawed groups and terrorist organizations hostile to Turkey.

European officials have repeatedly questioned widespread investigations by the Turkish authorities into the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), which Ankara accuses of having organized the defeated military coup attempt.

However, Ankara insists it is acting to maintain security in the country, which has seen hundreds of its citizens killed in terrorist attacks by different groups over the past years.

Relations further deteriorated following an April referendum which expanded the powers of the president. The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe's (PACE) recent decision to reopen a political monitoring process against Turkey also negatively affected Ankara-Brussels ties.

---

Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
3 October 2017 15:09 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

The upcoming visit of the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to Iranian capital Tehran targets expanding bilateral ties and cooperation in fight against terrorism.

Iranian government spokesperson, Mohammadbaqer Nowbakht has said that the Turkish president during his visit to Tehran will discuss implementation of deals earlier reached between the two countries, IRNA news agency reported.

He added that Iran and Turkey are cooperating in war against terrorism in Syria and Iraq.

He further described ties between the two countries as brotherly, saying that economic ties as well as regional developments will be discussed during the visit.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan is expected to arrive in Tehran on Wednesday. The visit is taking place following recent developments in northern Iraq. Iran and Turkey both have expressed support for the territorial integrity of the Arab country.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
3 October 2017 18:34 (UTC+04:00)

By Kamila Aliyeva

Russian-Turkish joint energy project  Turkish Stream pipeline  is gaining a clearer outline as Ankara has approved the final version of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).

Turkeys Ministry of Environment and Urbanization has approved the EIA for the offshore section of the TurkStream Offshore Gas Pipeline.

The draft EIA was prepared by ELC Group Inc. on behalf of South Stream Transport B.V., the project owner, and published on June 21.

The document was later reviewed by Review and Evaluation Commission (REC), consisting of 23 relevant institutions and authorities.

The REC members submitted their opinions on the draft EIA in writing. The EIA has been amended in line with these opinions. All REC members have now provided a positive opinion on the EIA to the Turkish Ministry of Environment and Urbanization.

The EIA consists of information on the potential environmental and social impacts of the offshore section of the TurkStream project. It also includes recommendations for the mitigation of the potential adverse impacts and enhancement of the beneficial ones.

The Turkish Stream envisages the construction of a gas pipeline along the seabed of the Black Sea to Turkeys European part and further on to the border with Greece. Russia and Turkey signed an intergovernmental agreement on the implementation of the Turkish Stream project in October 2016.

The first stretch will be intended for the Turkish market and the second will supply natural gas to countries of South and Southeast Europe. Each stretch will have a capacity of 15.75 billion cubic meters of natural gas annually. The pipeline is expected to annually pump 31.5 billion cubic meters of natural gas.

Gazprom launched the construction of the Turkish Stream gas pipelines offshore section near the Russian coast of the Black Sea on May 7. The company has already built around 300 kilometers of the Black Sea segment of the TurkStream gas pipeline. The first line is scheduled for completion in March 2018 and the second in 2019.

Turkey is the second largest market for Gazprom as it imports about 60 percent of its gas from Russia.

Meanwhile, Russias Gazprom announced that it increased gas supplies to Turkey by 24 percent in January-September 2017 compared to the same period last year.

In addition, gas supplies to Serbia in January-September were increased by 31.7 percent, to Hungary - by 26.9 percent, to Bulgaria - by 9.9 percent and to Greece - by 16.5 percent.

The exports of Russian gas to non-CIS countries raised by 11.3 percent to 141.2 billion cubic meters in January-September 2017.

In 2016, Gazproms gas supplies to non-CIS countries went up to more than 179.3 billion cubic meters (by 12.5 percent), which was a historic maximum.

In early September, Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller said that the company in 2017 expects an absolute record for the export of gas to distant countries - about 190 billion cubic meters.

---

Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
The first step was to arrange for an MRI for Andersonnot a simple task in one of the poorest places on the planet. Now back in the U.S., Cullinan and Anne Zlevor, a family nurse practitioner and BC alumna who was part of the CSON-Haiti team, paid for the MRI from their own funds and contributions from family and friends. Watson Drouillard, a local engineering student who has a longstanding relationship as a translator for the CSON-Haiti team, volunteered to escort Judith and Anderson to Port-au-Prince for the MRI.

Once Andersons diagnosis was determined, Cullinan and Zlevor knew he would not be able to be treated in Haiti. He would need to come to the United States.

Cullinan and Zlevor reached out to the medical community and finally connected with Calvin Babcock, chairman of the board of Baptist Hospital of Miami and CFO of Living Hope Haiti Christian Mission, a nonprofit organization that serves people in northern Haiti. Babcock made the connection to Dr. Vitaly Siomin, a neurosurgeon and medical director of the Brain Tumor Program at Baptist Health Neuroscience Center, who agreed to take the case pro bono.



Cullinan and Zlevor worked with Drouillard to obtain passports and visas for Judith and Anderson and arranged for the flight to Miami.

Dr. Siomin and his team from Baptist Heath South Florida removed Andersons facial defect in a life-saving surgery on June 26. In July, they installed a shunt, a permanent device to drain fluids from the affected area. Cullinan and Zlevor were in constant contact with the medical team and Judith.

According to Cullinan, Anderson will need plastic surgery and follow-up care but should go on to lead a normal life. He certainly would have died without the surgery, she said.

I feel like it was a miracle, she added. He really touched my heart.

Judith is extremely grateful for all the care her son has received. In an interview with a TV station in Florida, she tearfully recalled how she had been told to abandon her baby.

I am full of joy, she said. I always believed my baby would be saved.

Judith and Anderson are now back in Haiti, reunited with Andersons father Makeson Destine and big sister Judiemarlie. Cullinan is arranging for Anderson to be seen by a neurologist in Haiti so he can have a baseline established. She is looking forward to reuniting with Anderson and the Destine family when the CSON-Haiti group returns in January.
Privacy incidents at government departments, hospitals and other healthcare organizations captured public attention last month.

While media outlets reported on the following breaches in September, healthcare organizations experienced breaches as early as November 2011.

Here are 14 incidents covered by Becker's Hospital Review.

Note: The incidents are presented in order of number of patients affected.

1. The protected health information of nearly 66,000 patients at Eden, N.C.-based Morehead Memorial Hospital was potentially exposed when two employees fell victim to a phishing attack July 21.

2. Arkansas Department of Human Services officials notified 26,044 Medicare beneficiaries of an incident in which multiple spreadsheets of personal and health information were emailed to a former employee in March.

3. Aurora-based Children's Hospital Colorado notified almost 3,400 patient families of a privacy incident discovered in July that possibly exposed their protected health information.

4. Spokane, Wash.-based Mann-Grandstaff Veterans Affairs Medical Center notified 3,275 veterans their protected health information was potentially compromised after it discovered a vendor-issued laptop had been missing from one of its labs since May 2016.

5. Vancouver, Wash.-based PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center notified 1,969 patients after it discovered an employee accessed protected health information without authorization between November 2011 and July 2017.

6. Ridgeview Community Network, an ACO that includes Waconia, Minn.-based Ridgeview Medical Center, exposed 1,074 members' email addresses July 10 and July 11 when it sent a general survey request via email but neglected to blind-copy the email addresses.

7. The University of Wisconsin-Madison notified 1,000 patients when a quality improvement survey, which included references to prescription medications and family planning service, was mailed via postcard in July.

8. Ventura, Calif.-based Community Memorial Health System notified 959 patients after discovering a June 22 phishing scam possibly exposed their personal information.

9. Monroeville, Pa.-based Premier Medical Associates discovered a data breach affecting 900 visitors to its website, in which a technical error made information individuals submitted through the "Contact us" form accessible to other website visitors.

10. Two computers at the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services' Office of Children's Services were infected with a Trojan horse virus July 5 and July 8, potentially compromising the personal information of more than 500 individuals.

11. Prince Albert Parkland Health Region, a Canadian hospital, fired an employee after she was caught inappropriately accessing the medical records of 14 patients, including several of her family members and herself, an audit and investigation found.

12. A former employee at Deer Park (N.Y.) PTDC, a physical therapy office, has been accused of stealing three elderly patients' identities to help pay for $15,000 worth of cosmetic surgery at Huntington, N.Y.-based Romanelli Cosmetic Surgery.

13. Augusta (Ga.) University Medical Center disclosed a potential breach, which impacted fewer than 1 percent of its patients, after two employee email accounts fell victim to a phishing attack April 20 and April 21.

14. The Ohio Department of Health cautioned residents about a recent phone scheme in which scammers pose as state health department staff.

More articles on cybersecurity:

Hospital leaders should be weary of accidental insider mistakes, better prepare employees

Equifax CEO resigns after massive breach: 5 things to know

SEC Chairman: Extent of SEC breach remains unknown
A U.S. jury reevaluated the $940 million in damages Tata Consultancy Services, a software services exporter, was ordered to pay Epic after the Mumbai, India-based company was found guilty of stealing trade secrets, according to Reuters.

Here are four things to know about the verdict.

1. Epic initially sued Tata in 2014, accusing the consultancy of stealing trade secrets to support Med Mantra, a competing healthcare software provider, according to a separate Reuters report. The lawsuit alleged Tata inappropriately downloaded information related to software it was hired to help install at Oakland, Calif.-based Kaiser Foundation Hospitals. Epic amended its complaint in 2015.

2. A jury in Wisconsin found Tata guilty of illegally accessing Epic information in April 2016. The jury awarded Epic $940 million in damages based on the trade secret lawsuit, which included seven claims such as breach of contract and misappropriation of trade secrets. The $940 million in damages comprised $240 million in compensatory damages and $700 million in punitive damages.

3. However, in an appeal to the decision, a U.S. jury reduced the damages by more than 50 percent, Tata announced Oct. 1, according to Reuters. The jury awarded Epic $420 million in damages.

4. Tata continues to deny any wrongdoing and plans to continue its appeal, according to Reuters.

"The company has received legal advice to the effect that the order and the reduced damages awarded are not supported by evidence presented during the trial and a strong appeal can be made to superior court to fully set aside the jury verdict," the Tata said in a statement.
Tulare (Calif.) Regional Medical Center, a 112-bed hospital managed by Tulare-based HealthCare Conglomerate Associates, filed for Chapter 9 bankruptcy Saturday.

The hospital filed for bankruptcy a few days after HCCA, which is paid by the local hospital district, said it was done footing the hospital's bills. "HCCA provided substantial revolving funding to the hospital over the years, to a cumulative total of $14 million," Benny Benzeevi, MD, chairman and CEO of HCCA, said at a board meeting Sept. 28, according to the Valley Voice. "But in light of the current destructive political environment, HCCA will not continue to do so."

Tensions have flared between HCCA and the hospital district's board since last year, and that battle is partially to blame for a recent credit rating downgrade by Fitch Ratings.

On Sept. 29, less than 24 hours after Dr. Benzeevi declared HCCA would no longer provide financial support for the hospital, several nurses and other staff walked off the job after not being paid. HCCA said a cash shortage by the hospital district was the reason it was unable to fund the entire payroll.

Tulare Regional Medical Center's bankruptcy petition revealed the hospital has zero cash in its bank accounts. The cash shortage poses a risk to public health and safety, as the hospital does not have the funds to purchase adequate medical supplies and "critical vendors" have discontinued service to the hospital due to lack of payment, according to bankruptcy documents.

Chapter 9 bankruptcy is a bankruptcy proceeding that offers distressed municipalities protection from creditors while a repayment plan is negotiated.

More articles on healthcare finance:

Dana-Farber's earnings dragged down by Epic EMR billing problems

Tennessee hospital closes after falling 94% short of GoFundMe goal

4 financial, strategic and revenue cycle issues health systems are facing
NYC Health + Hospitals is in a dire financial situation, and the system's outgoing CEO Stan Brezenoff is accusing Gov. Andrew Cuomo of withholding hundreds of millions in disproportionate share hospital payments, according to Politico.

"It is mystifying that approximately $380 million of DSH funds  the majority of which we expected to receive months ago  is languishing, awaiting action by the State Department of Health and the Division of Budget," Mr. Brezenoff wrote in a letter to New York Health Commissioner Howard Zucker. Mr. Brezenoff said the $380 million is for services provided to about 1.2 million patients.

In a statement issued Friday, the governor said New York City should provide assistance to the struggling hospital system, which only has 18 days cash on hand.

"New York City with a $4 billion surplus needs to help H + H," Mr. Cuomo said, according to The New York Times. "The first source of financial assistance for these hospitals must be their associated local governments and [State University of New York]."

A spokeswoman for New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio told The New York Times the city has already given $1.8 billion to the public hospital system this fiscal year. "We have always said our reserves are for a rainy day," the spokeswoman said, "not for when Governor Cuomo refuses to give our public hospitals what they're owed for caring for New Yorkers."

Adding further stress to New York City's public hospitals, federal cuts to DSH payments kicked in on Sunday.

The ACA calls for aggregate reductions to DSH payments annually from fiscal year 2014 through fiscal year 2020. Subsequent legislation delayed the start of the reductions until fiscal year 2018, which began Oct. 1, and pushed the end date back to fiscal year 2025. DSH payments would be gradually reduced by a total of $43 billion over the eight-year period.

Lawmakers are working on a solution to the funding issue. On Monday, Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., told The New York Times he was "cautiously optimistic that we can forge a common-sense, bipartisan agreement to preserve DSH"

More articles on healthcare finance:

Dana-Farber's earnings dragged down by Epic EMR billing problems

Tennessee hospital closes after falling 94% short of GoFundMe goal

4 financial, strategic and revenue cycle issues health systems are facing
Here are the top five most-read health IT stories from September, beginning with the most popular.

1. Wisconsin health system blames Cerner software for $16M in losses

Fond Du Lac, Wis.-based Agnesian Healthcare sued Cerner Sept. 15 claiming issues with its revenue cycle management software caused the system to lose $16 million.

2. 10 of 2016's bizarre, yet common ICD-10 codes

Amino, a San Francisco-based healthcare data company, set out to see how many of the most unlikely ICD-10 codes were actually used in 2016.

3. 16 cities fighting for Amazon's new HQ2

After Amazon announced plans to build a second North American headquarters, dubbed HQ2, a number of cities expressed interest in submitting bid proposals.

4. 7 thoughts on bringing 'heart' into IT from Cleveland Clinic CIO Edward Marx

Edward Marx, CIO of Cleveland Clinic, kicked off the Becker's Hospital Review 3rd Annual Health IT + Revenue Cycle Conference in Chicago with a keynote address emphasizing the importance of empathy.

5. Survey: 5 healthcare technologies ranked by patient use, interest

Almost one-third of patients have used text message appointment reminders in the past year, according to a survey out of Tempe, Ariz.-based University of Phoenix College of Health Professions.
The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments Monday on a set of cases involving individual employee arbitration.

Verona, Wis.-based health IT provider Epic consolidated with Chicago-based Ernst & Young and El Dorado, Ark.-based Murphy Oil USA in arguing their companies' individual arbitration contracts do not violate the National Labor Relations Act of 1935 and are legal under the Federal Arbitration Act.

Here are six highlights from the oral arguments.

1. Paul Clement, who argued on behalf of Epic, pushed the Supreme Court to lean on precedent  as earlier cases provide a "well-trod path" to resolve, he said. Under the FAA, arbitration agreements should be enforced unless Congress demands otherwise. In this case, it does not.

2. The four liberal-leaning justices  Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Elena Kagan, Sonia Sotomayor and Stephen Breyer  grilled Mr. Clement on how Epic's position could be argued under the NLRA. He said the NLRA only protects collective action in the workplace and provides a forum for employees to raise their grievances with employers.

3. Jeffrey Wall, arguing on behalf of the U.S., originally filed a brief with the National Labor Relations Board but then sided with the employers at the turn of the presidential administration. According to Mr. Wall, the case is at the "heartland of the" FAA but at the "periphery of the" NLRA. Mr. Wall added that the court's prior cases would not lead to answers and that "historical premise is just wrong."

4. According to Daniel Ortiz, who also argued on behalf of the U.S., an employer cannot "coerce" employees into a forum that would ban collective action.

5. Justices Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch, PhD, remained silent during arguments.

6. Mr. Clement is not likely to get votes from the four liberal-leaning justices, according to Amy Howe in a SCOTUSblog post. However, Ms. Howe added that Mr. Clement likely won over the three conservative-leaning justices  Chief John Roberts, Samuel Alito and Anthony Kennedy.

More articles on health IT:

14 healthcare privacy incidents reported in September

Dr. Price resigns as HHS secretary: 3 health IT implications

Epic goes to court: 5 things to know
Property taxes could go up for residents in the School District of La Crosse.

The La Crosse school board approved the proposed 2017-18 budget at Mondays meeting as well as setting an Oct. 16 date for the public hearing on the proposal. The property tax levy is projected to increase 2.24 percent, according to the districts budget book with the tax rate projected to increase 2.2 percent to around $12.18 per $1,000 of property value.

According to the budget, state aid is projected to decrease by about $450,000 for the district, while the property tax levy is projected to increase by nearly $1.1 million to $49.85 million. The total revenue limit for the district, which is a combination of state aid and local property taxes, is expected to increase slightly to $77.2 million.

Whatever the revenue limit is, the state money is part of it, La Crosse Director of Business Services Patricia Sprang said. The balance goes to the taxpayers.

Budget details can still change as enrollment numbers are verified and local property values are finalized. Sprang said she had just gotten updated property valuation numbers for the district and that information would be updated before the final budget is approved.

Also outstanding are the number of voucher students Aquinas Catholic Schools has this. The Wisconsin Parental Choice Program provides public dollars for students meeting income eligibility guidelines to attend a private school, but that money flows through the school district, influencing the final budget numbers.

The public will get a chance to weigh in on the budget at the public hearing, which is set for 6 p.m. Oct. 16 in the Hogan Administrative Building auditorium. The board is expected to give its final approval to the budget at its Oct. 30 meeting.

It is always piecemeal information we receive on the budget, Sprang said. We wont know the final details until after Oct. 15.
Fort Wayne, Ind.-based Lutheran Health Network appointed Paula Autry CEO of Lutheran Hospital in Fort Wayne.

Ms. Autry most recently served as CEO of Detroit Medical Center's Sinai-Grace Hospital in Detroit. During her tenure, the hospital became a Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Blue Distinction Center for Cardiac Care and received a Governor's Award of Excellence. Previously, she held leadership roles at hospitals in Mobile, Ala.; Chattanooga, Tenn.; Richmond, Va.; and Columbus, Ohio.

She served on the American College of Healthcare Executives' board of governors as well the American Hospital Association's policy board.

Ms. Autry takes over from Mike Poore, who is president and CEO of Lutheran Health Network. Mr. Poore served as interim leader of Lutheran Hospital since Brian Bauer was fired in June.

Lutheran Health Network has been in a state of conflict with parent company Franklin, Tenn.-based Community Health Systems since earlier this year. CHS rejected a buyout offer from a group of LHN physicians in May, after which, CHS fired Lutheran Health Network CEO Brian Bauer and CMO Geoff Randolph, MD.

Numerous executives and advisory board members stepped down since. CHS and LHN used to have a good working relationship, but the physicians claim that changed when CHS' debt load increased, according to a recent op-ed by physician advocates in The Journal Gazette.
Many are speculating about who President Donald Trump will choose to permanently fill the post of HHS Secretary, left open by Tom Price, MD, who resigned following criticisms for his use of tax-payer funded private jets.

Though no official comment is yet available from the White House, two anonymous advisers told The New York Times Scott Gottlieb, MD, commissioner of the FDA, and Seema Verma, CMS administrator, were likely candidates. The Times also noted VA Secretary David Shulkin and former Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal are potential candidates for the role.

Politico reported a handful of additional potentials for the role, including former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, R, Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson, MD, Rep. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., Florida Gov. Rick Scott, R, former Sen. Judd Gregg, R-N.H., talk show host Mehmet Oz, MD, Rep. Fred Upton, R-Mich., and former Rep. Dave Camp, R-Mich.

In the meantime, President Trump has appointed Don Wright, MD, to fill the role in the interim. Dr. Wright was serving as HHS' acting assistant secretary before the appointment.

More articles on leadership and management:

US withdraws 60% of Cuban embassy staff after unknown 'health attacks'

Price resigns from HHS amid scandal over use of private jets

Graham-Cassidy sponsors believe bill can pass with proper process
In 2008, Christopher Dawes, president and CEO of Palo Alto, Calif.-based Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford, proposed a new vision for the hospital's future  costing upwards of $1.2 billion, a 520,000-square-foot medical facility that aims to be the most technologically-advanced hospital for children and expectant mothers. However, it was no typical capital hospital project. Not only did Lucile Packard Children's tap architects to design the new medical buildings, but it also had children, families, employees and medical staff weigh in to create an environment conducive to safe and effective care.

The new hospital, which has taken five years to complete, is scheduled to open in December 2017.

Here Mr. Dawes expands on how he was able to establish an environment in which staff is excited to work by including staff in the design process and using a warehouse to simulate medical rooms.

He invites you to steal his idea.

Note: The following responses were edited for length and clarity.

Question: What is one pioneering idea youve implemented at your hospital?

Christopher Dawes: One of the biggest contributions we've made to the community is the addition of our new hospital, which will open in December 2017. But something that sets us apart is how we involved our patients, families, staff and doctors in the design of the new hospital. With the help of the two architects we hired, Perkins + Will and HGA Architects and Engineers, we created mockups in a warehouse of what a critical care unit room, nursing station, regular acute care patient room, operating room and imaging suite would look like under the proposed design. We had over 500 staff members, ranging from nurses to physicians to housekeeping, visit that warehouse. Staff had the opportunity to decide what would go in the rooms and where things would go. Through this effort there were a lot of changes made to the design to meet the needs of our staff members.

Q: Can you provide an example of a design change that arose through the warehouse mockups?

CD: The new facility will include medication alcoves in the patient care units to prevent interruption and distraction while pulling medications from the automated dispensaries. When a nurse is getting medication, a red light will go on above the alcove, which signals to everyone else not to interrupt them at that moment. It will allow nurses to operate more safely.

Q: What inspired the idea to involve the staff?

CD: Any hospital, in particular a childrens hospital, is very labor intensive. When you mainly serve acutely ill patients, it puts a lot of pressure on the medical staff. It causes stress. We wanted to produce a hospital that will function in a way to relieve some of those pressures in order to meet our patients' needs as well as our medical staff and employee's needs.

Q: How has this changed your organization?

CD: Right now we are in the process of recruiting nearly 400 new staff members. Due to [our staff's] input, it is easier for us to recruit and retain people. Communicating to these potential hires how the new facility was designed and tested by staff is a selling point. The facility was designed to be very effective for medical staff to do their jobs. It is a place that, by design, is a supportive environment.

Q: What were some of the biggest challenges?

CD: One of the biggest challenges is about two-thirds of staff will be moving to the new building and a third will remain in the current building. While there are upgrades planned in the existing facility, which will eventually become our mother-baby center, it is a challenge to have some staff move while others stay. Those that are staying in the current building are anxiously awaiting the renovations.
Jeffrey Murawsky, MD, CMO of Las Vegas-based Sunrise Hospital & Medical Center, spoke to NPR about how the hospital operated in the 24 hours after a gunman opened fire during a country music festival Sunday evening, leaving at least 59 individuals dead and 500-plus people injured.

As the closest trauma center to the Las Vegas Strip, SH&MC treated at least 180 patients who were injured during the incident, 14 of whom had died at the time of publication. While no one can anticipate such an ordeal, Dr. Murawsky said the facility was able to handle the influx of patients and provide the best possible care despite the "difficult and chaotic" situation.

"We have a relatively large emergency department, so we were able to triage the patients as they presented by ambulance from the scene. So [we] received about 30 at a time and were able to move them off to our operating rooms if they needed to go emergently or stabilize them in those bays and then move them upstairs into beds in the hospital," Dr. Murawsky said.

Approximately 124 of the 180 patients had gunshot wounds. Many others were injured as a result of the chaos at the scene. Dr. Murawsky said administrators were able to call in physicians, nurses and staff to help mitigate the crisis. Local hospitals and SH&MC's parent company, Las Vegas-based Sunrise Health, were also able to successfully coordinate and share information.

"We've seen events that brought us 30 patients at once, but no one's seen anything of this magnitude before," he said.

Dr. Murawsky told NPR administration plans to bring in counselors to help physicians and staff affected by the incident and "will give the staff the time they need to heal."

To read a transcript of Dr. Murawsky's interview, click here.
A nurse from Tennessee was among the first victims identified after a gunman opened fire during a music festival in Las Vegas Oct. 1, killing at least 58 people, according to ABC News.

Sonny Melton, an RN at Paris, Tenn.-based Henry County Medical Center, was killed Sunday evening after Stephen Paddock, 64, fired at a crowd of 22,000-plus people attending the Route 91 Harvest Festival. The gunman fired from his room on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel in Las Vegas.

Mr. Melton reportedly died while protecting his wife, Heather Melton, MD, an orthopedic surgeon at HCMC, who survived the incident.

"[Mr. Melton] saved my life. He grabbed me and started running when I felt him get shot in the back," Dr. Melton told WSMV-4 News. "I want everyone to know what a kind-hearted, loving man he was, but at this point, I can barely breathe."

HCMC CEO Thomas Gee said in a statement, "The thoughts and prayers of the entire HCMC family are with Sonny and Heather's families."

Police also released the identity of a second victim, Sandy Casey, a special education teacher from Manhattan Beach, Calif., according to ABC News. At least 515 people were injured during the shooting.

Authorities said Mr. Paddock's motive for the shooting is unclear. Officials said Oct. 2 they have not discovered a connection between the shooting and any international terrorist group, according to ABC News.
Louisville, Ky.-based Kindred Healthcare closed on the sale of a portion of its skilled nursing facility business to BM Eagle Holdings for $108 million Oct. 2.

The transaction is part of a larger deal to sell its entire skilled nursing business to BM Eagle Holdings for $700 million. BM Eagle Holdings is a joint venture led by affiliates of BlueMountain Capital Management. Kindred's skilled nursing business portfolio includes 89 nursing centers and seven assisted living facilities in 18 states.

The $108 million transaction includes 12 skilled nursing facilities and four assisted living facilities.

To date, Kindred has sold 66 skilled nursing facilities and four assisted living facilities to BlueMountain and affiliated buyers for $627 million.

Thirty-six of the 89 skilled nursing facilities in Kindred's portfolio were or continue to be leased from Chicago-based healthcare real estate investment firm Ventas. Kindred executed its option to acquire the real estate of the Ventas properties for $700 million and convey the purchased real estate to BlueMountain or another designee. To date, Kindred has paid Ventas $571 million for the properties.

Seven Ventas properties were included in the $108 million sale. Kindred paid Ventas $82.5 million for those properties.

Kindred signed a definitive agreement to divest its skilled nursing business to BlueMountain in July.

In addition to partially closing the BlueMountain sale, Kindred also transferred its interest in two skilled nursing centers to parties unrelated to BlueMountain for $400,000.
Becker's Hospital Review reported on the following events related to hospital-union relationships  including rallies, strikes, elections and contracts  since Sept. 18.

1. University of Rochester reaches tentative labor deal with unions

The University of Rochester (N.Y.) has reached a tentative labor deal with two Service Employees International Union groups that represent healthcare service workers.

2. Judge rules against Berkshire Medical Center in court battle over planned nurse strike

Pittsfield, Mass.-based Berkshire Medical Center lost its court battle to avert a planned Oct. 3 nurse strike.

3. Brigham and Women's mandatory flu shot policy prompts nursing suit: 7 things to know

A union representing nurses at Boston-based Brigham and Women's Hospital is standing up against the facility's new policy mandating flu vaccines for employees.

4. UPHS-Marquette nurses plan October strike

Nurses at Upper Peninsula Health System-Marquette (Mich.) plan to strike Oct. 5-6.

5. Teamsters union members to rally in Fairmont over Mayo's planned nursing home closure

Teamsters union members at Mayo Clinic Health System in Fairmont, Minn., announced plans to rally over Mayo's plans to close Lutz Wing, its 40-bed skilled nursing home in Fairmont.

6. Mercy Home Care workers decide to unionize

Forty-seven registered nurses and healthcare professionals at West Springfield, Mass.-based Mercy Home Care voted to join the Massachusetts Nurses Association.

7. Nurses protest at more than 20 Kaiser locations over staffing

Registered nurses and nurse practitioners protested at more than 20 Oakland, Calif.-based Kaiser Permanente medical centers across the state over what they deem as inadequate staffing.

8. Tufts nurses delay scheduled negotiating session to evaluate latest contract offer

The Massachusetts Nurses Association and Boston-based Tufts Medical Center agreed to reschedule negotiations for Oct. 4 and Oct. 5 so the union can further evaluate the hospital's latest contract offer.

9. PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center workers ratify first labor deal

Healthcare workers at Vancouver, Wash.-based PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center nearly unanimously ratified their first contract agreement following months of negotiations.

10. Penn Highlands DuBois nurses vote against unionizing

Nurses at Penn Highlands DuBois (Pa.) voted against joining the Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals.
Pittsfield, Mass.-based Berkshire Medical Center lost its court battle to avert a planned Oct. 3 nurse strike, according to a report on iBerkshires.com.

The 298-bed community hospital filed a legal request for an injunction to avert the planned strike last month. However, U.S. District Judge Mark Mastroianni in Springfield, Mass., denied Berkshire Medical Center's request Friday, meaning the 24-hour walkout is still scheduled, according to the report.

In response to the judge's ruling, the Massachusetts Nurses Association, which represents nearly 800 Berkshire Medical Center nurses, told Becker's via email: "If the hospital was really serious about doing anything to stop the strike, they would negotiate in good faith over the patient care conditions nurses are seeking. As [the] federal judge's ruling shows, nurses have a legally protected right to advocate for themselves and their patients. BMC nurses are prepared to strike for 24 hours, but still hope that management does this right thing, returns to the bargaining table and seeks a fair agreement."

Berkshire Medical Center expressed disappointment in the judge's ruling.

"This strike does not serve anyone's best interests  not the nurses, not the hospital's and not the community's, and can only serve to harm all three," the hospital said in an emailed statement to Becker's. "We are fully prepared to provide uninterrupted care throughout the five-day period and have been preparing for this eventuality for several months. The fact that this is the third such strike by the MNA since June makes it evident that this is a tactic the union is using to promote its statewide political agenda."

Both sides have been negotiating for about a year, with key sticking points including staffing and health insurance. The 24-hour strike is scheduled to begin at 7 a.m. Oct. 3 and last until 7 a.m. Oct. 4. At that point, hospital officials have said nurses won't be able to return to work for another four days because Berkshire Medical Center hired replacement workers for a minimum five-day contract. The MNA has also scheduled a "patient safety vigil" Oct. 2 prior to the planned strike.
Hospital and union officials confirmed nearly 800 nurses at Pittsfield, Mass.-based Berkshire Medical Center began a 24-hour strike Tuesday.

The Boston Globe reports the nurses, who are represented by the Massachusetts Nurses Association, are protesting what they deem as inadequate staffing.

"We're just trying to work really hard to fight for patient safety," Mark Brodeur, a nurse and member of the bargaining team for the MNA, told the publication. "We're doing a more public action to make sure everyone is aware of what's happening. It's our only chance to make sure we're heard."

The strike is scheduled to last until 7 a.m. Wednesday. But hospital officials have said nurses won't be able to return to work for an additional four days because Berkshire Medical Center hired replacement workers for a minimum five-day contract.

Meanwhile, the hospital is operating as usual.

"We are surprised that the union representing registered nurses at BMC has chosen to go on strike against the hospital in order to support their statewide political agenda, but today we are entirely focused on providing uninterrupted care for our patients and our community. All services are being provided at all of our campuses," Berkshire Medical Center said in an emailed statement to Becker's.

Both sides have been negotiating for about a year. This week's strike marks the first nurses strike at Berkshire Medical Center since 1981, according to the report.
A biology lecturer at New York City-based Medgar Evers College was arrested for teaching unauthorized healthcare certification courses and selling students fake completion certificates, according to The New York Times.

The full-time tenured lecturer, Mamdough Abdel-Sayed, allegedly offered certification classes on medical techniques that he was not authorized to teach, such as CPR, phlebotomy and EKG training. Further, the lecturer pocketed the fees he received from charging students anywhere from $25 to over $1,000 for the fraudulent classes and certificates.

Investigators claim Mr. Abdel-Sayed printed certificates on college letterhead from his computer and encouraged students to present the certificates when applying for jobs. Between 2014 and 2017, he purchased enough office supplies to print 7,000 fraudulent certificates.

He created "his own fraudulent trade school," Catherine Leahy Scott, New York State's inspector general, told The New York Times.

Mr. Abdel-Sayed now faces five criminal counts relating to fraud, corruption and obstruction of justice.
People who know Misty Lown will tell you shes all about the kids, and in announcing a major new project this week, the Mistys Dance Unlimited owner once again demonstrated that.

Lowns friends, family, business associates, dancers and media representatives gathered at midday Tuesday at a vacant two-acre lot across the street from Mistys Dance Unlimited where she kicked off construction of an international performing arts training campus that will be ready to roll by next June.

The people gathered werent the first to get details on the project, though. On Monday night, Lown gathered the 120 students taking classes that evening and danced her way to the big reveal. You know how this sprung floor is losing its spring, she asked the students. And you know how we dont have a space dedicated to the boys studying dance here (they make up 50 of MDUs 700 students)? And you know how your parents sometimes cant find a place to park?

With each question, Lown said, the students got more and more excited, and when she started describing the new building she planned to put up across the street they erupted in applause with each new detail  even for elements that had little to do with their dance classes.

The announcement about the new 21,000-square-foot building comes about 20 years after she first opened Mistys Dance Unlimited with about 200 students and eight years after she first started thinking about building a new home for the studio.

But the building will be much more than a bigger space for MDU to train dancers. This building will be home to our 700 students and a training campus for studio owners, managers and teachers from around the globe who will come here to learn best practices, curriculum, management and community giving, Lown said.

The building will provide space where Lown and others can offer training for the 199 dance studios in the United States, Canada, Aruba and the United Arab Emirates that are affiliates through Lowns More Than Just Great Dance organization.

Lown started the organization five years ago and has traveled extensively to help dance studio owners be more effective both at running their businesses and at focusing their efforts on using dance to help mold great kids. Were just trying to raise the bar for studio owners and teachers, she said.

Lown already has started conducting some of the training for More Than Just Great Dance, and the new building will bring a lot more of the training here. We started with something amazing here, we took it to the world, and now were bringing the world back home to the Onalaska community, Lown said. The intent with this new center is to shift all that economic impact back to the place where it all began, and thats here in Onalaska.

The building, designed by architectural firm ISG, will be built by Borton Construction and owned by Ironside Properties, a business Lown runs with her husband, Mitch. It will house Mistys Dance Unlimited, Ballet La Crosse, Everything Dance (a dancewear retail store) and a 1,500-square-foot cafe with a drive-thru window. There also will be space to house additional performance arts training programs, such as voice lessons or instrumental music classes.

The design for the new building includes a reception area, four private offices, a recording studio/private office for training, a conference room, public gathering spaces, dressing rooms, a workroom, a food-staging area, a birthday party zone, outdoor seating, a childrens play area, bike racks, benches, costume shop, locker rooms for men, women and children, and seven instructional rooms  three of which convert to one large group training and performance area, including a stage.

The performance area, which has space for about 300 spectators, has potential as an arts performance space beyond dance, hosting events such as theater productions, music recitals and concerts.

Judson Steinback will create a distinctive landscape for the campus, using a sustainable, environmentally friendly approach called food ecology environmental design, featuring fruit bearing trees and berry bushes.

The existing Mistys Dance Unlimited building will be remodeled to house Childrens Tree House, an Onalaska day care center that has a long waiting list. The move will increase capacity for Childrens Tree House from 90 to 145 children.

Onalaska Mayor Joe Chilsen was excited about the Lowns project, saying it will help kids while aligning perfectly with Onalaskas objective to become a place making city.

The new campus will serve as a gathering place for events and cultural activities while also fitting in with our vision to attract businesses catering to creative types and to revitalize and beautify our city, Chilsen said. This will be another ornament on the tree.
Las Vegas hospitals are seeing the effects of Sunday's mass shooting as they treat an array of traumas, including gunshot wounds and car injuries, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Authorities have reported more than 50 deaths and more than 500 injured from the shooting, which occurred at a country music festival near the Las Vegas strip's Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino.

Las Vegas-based University Medical Center of Southern Nevada is among the organizations that have cared for shooting victims. The Wall Street Journal reports the medical center, which brought in additional staff and military medical personnel, had 50 physicians treating more than 100 injured patients. Some of those patients had gunshot wounds, including "devastating brain injuries" as well as chest, abdomen and bowel wounds, among others, Deborah Kuhls, MD, a surgeon and director of UMC's trauma intensive care unit, told the publication.

The hospital also treated pediatric patients as well as patients who experienced trauma when they were hit by cars when trying to get away from the shooting scene, according to the report.

Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center in Las Vegas is another healthcare organization that has treated shooting victims. The Level II trauma center said via statement Monday it had treated 180 patients from the shooting; 14 of those patients did not make it.

"Our Trauma Center physicians and hospital staff have done an amazing job. So far, we have performed approximately 30 surgeries. This has been an unprecedented response to an unprecedented tragedy. Our trauma team and all supporting nursing units, critical care areas and ancillary services are all at work this morning in the aftermath of this tragedy  and most stayed throughout the night  to help the victims and to assist their loved ones," said Todd Sklamberg, CEO of Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center.

Read the full report here.
Becker's Hospital Review reported these 10 contract resolutions and dissolutions between payers and providers in September, beginning with the most recent.

1. Hendrick Health System, BCBS in contract spat

Abilene, Texas-based Hendrick Health System is disputing its contract with BlueCross BlueShield of Texas in Richardson.

2. Vanderbilt Health, Aetna launch ACO health plan

Vanderbilt Health Affiliated Network, a Nashville, Tenn.-based organization of physicians, health systems and employers, rolled out an accountable care product with Hartford, Conn.-based Aetna.



3. Lovelace medical group to drop Presbyterian Health Plan

Albuquerque, N.M.-based Lovelace Medical Group/Southwest Medical Associates will end its evergreen contract with Presbyterian Health Plan, also in Albuquerque, Jan. 1.



4. Mission Health president does not expect a BCBS agreement in 2017

President and CEO of Asheville, N.C.-based Mission Health System Ron Paulus, MD, told Citizen-Times negotiations between the health system and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina in Durham are nonexistent.



5. Highmark adds 450 Pennsylvania physicians to value-based network

Medical Group of Pennsylvaniain Harrisburg will participate in Camp Hill, Pa.-based Highmark Blue Shield's value-based reimbursement model.



6. Mayo Clinic joins Security Health Plan's provider network, partners for employer product

Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic Health System providers in Wisconsin and Minnesota are now considered in-network for Marshfield, Wis.-based Security Health Plan's policyholders.



7. Ochsner Health System, BCBS of Louisiana to offer joint health plan

New Orleans-based Ochsner Health System and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana partnered to provide a joint health plan.



8. Northwest Health, UnitedHealthcare rate negotiations stall

Between 100 and 200 Springdale, Ark.-based Northwest Health physicians went out-of-network with UnitedHealthcare Aug. 1 following a contract dispute that could affect the network status of the system's hospitals if unresolved.



9. CarePoint Health, Horizon BCBS resolve $76M billing dispute

Jersey City, N.J.-based CarePoint Health and Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield resolved a more than 2-year-old contract dispute and $76 million lawsuit over billing.

10. Mission Health joins WellCare's provider network

Managed care company WellCare of North Carolina, a subsidiary of Tampa, Fla.-based WellCare Health Plans, added Asheville, N.C.-based Mission Health System to its provider network Aug. 28.
As healthcare providers continue to build alternative payment models and transition to value-based care, government and commercial payers are more often requiring providers to assume greater levels of risk.

"Medicare is a driving force in the national movement toward two-sided risk, but now state Medicaid programs, commercial health plans and even major employers are adopting the model," says Joe Damore, vice president of population health management at Charlotte, N.C.-based Premier Inc., a healthcare improvement company. "Providers participating in these models are industry leaders in delivering value-based care. They recognize that success will come from improved outcomes, organizational efficiencies and integrated clinical processes across the continuum."

This article is sponsored by Premier Inc.

CMS implemented the Medicare Shared Savings Program in 2012 to encourage physician coordination, enhance quality and satisfaction, and reduce costs through the creation of accountable care organizations. As of 2017, there are more than 562 Medicare ACOs and 121 of them are participating in a risk-bearing track, according to a January CMS report. However, Shared Savings Program ACOs participating in the no downside track since the program's inception are about to hit their six-year limit for participation. These organizations must either move to two-sided risk or drop from the program and risk losing a portion of their investment or build a new ACO with a different set of participating providers.

In addition, more than 359,000 clinicians are participating in an alternative payment model (APM), as the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act also incentivizes providers to take on two-sided risk by offering clinicians who participate in advanced APMs the opportunity to earn lump sum bonuses of 5 percent on their Medicare payments if at least 25 percent of their Part B payments and 20 percent of all Medicare patients are from an advanced APM in 2019.

While Medicare is an early leader in value-based, two-sided risk models, major commercial payers, such as United Health Group, Aetna, Cigna, Humana and Anthem, are starting to make up the bulk of the covered lives. They are also introducing two-sided risk by forming direct partnerships with integrated health systems and clinically integrated networks, according to Mr. Damore. Major employers, such as The Boeing Corp., have adopted two-sided risk models to control healthcare costs by removing intermediaries, and aligning incentives and sharing savings between employees, providers and the company. More than half of all Americans receive insurance through an employer-sponsored plan, according to 2015 data from the Kaiser Family Foundation. The overwhelming majority of employer sponsored health plans are self-funded arrangements.

"This is just the start of what we think is a major trend toward two-sided risk models," says Mr. Damore. He estimates that along with the 20 percent of Medicare ACO program participants in risk-bearing models, another 15 percent to 20 percent of commercial value-based contracts are also two-sided risk models, though many significantly limit the amount of downside risk.

How hospitals can prepare for two-sided risk

"Now is the ideal time for healthcare providers to begin preparing for two-sided risk, as there are numerous market incentives available, including MACRA and the potential savings from reduced hospital and skilled nursing facility admissions due to improved chronic disease care," according to Brent Hardaway, vice president of population health management advisory services at Premier. But providers must take a calculated and prudent approach when adopting additional risk. Here are four strategies healthcare providers should use to prepare for two-sided risk models.

1. Assess core capabilities. Healthcare providers should first assess their business and clinical performance strengths and identify where they need to make improvements to be successful with two-sided risk. "Healthcare providers should look at factors like the maturity of their care management program; the size and distribution of their primary, specialty and post-acute care networks; the metrics they're using; the effectiveness of their information technology tools; and whether they can measure clinical and financial performance across the care continuum," says Mr. Hardaway. Focusing on these core capabilities is crucial for healthcare providers to effectively take advantage of opportunities associated with two-sided risk and value-based payment.

2. Develop a committed provider network. As healthcare providers move to two-sided risk, they must ensure they have a committed and quality provider network that understands the performance metrics the healthcare provider is being held accountable to meet by the payer.

"Many of the healthcare organizations Premier works with are creating a preferred post-acute care network based on performance measurements such as readmission rates, length of stay and CMS' Star Quality Rating System for skilled nursing facilities," says Mr. Hardaway. "Creating a high-performing network of healthcare affiliates across the care continuum helps providers ensure patients receive the high quality care while meeting the financial and quality incentives under two-sided risk models. Compensation to providers must be aligned with the quality, utilization and financial metrics required in the two-sided risk arrangements to ensure the provider's incentives are aligned."

3. Scale up value-based payments. "Healthcare providers need scale to change processes and behavior," says Mr. Hardaway. "At least 25 percent to 30 percent of an organization's revenue should come from value-based payment models before it embeds value-based care throughout the entire organization. This is the tipping point to shift to value-based payment models, when per capita costs often decrease or flatten out, creating a greater opportunity to generate shared savings," according to Mr. Hardaway.

4. Methodically phase in additional risk. Healthcare providers that lack experience in value-based payment should first enact a one-sided risk model to build their core capabilities and to learn how to manage a population. For those still eligible to do so, participation in a no-downside Medicare APM is a perfect opportunity to learn how to manage care and to use unblinded claims data as an important tool for success while becoming comfortable with risk. Organizations can then implement what Mr. Hardaway calls "two-sided risk with guard rails." This model places limitations on an organization's downside risk. For example, an organization with a 5 percent cap on downside risk and a per capita expenditure of $10,000 per beneficiary could lose a maximum of $500 per beneficiary if they exceed the targeted spend.

Mr. Damore cautions healthcare providers from taking on significant risk too soon. Instead, organizations should phase in risk over time. Healthcare providers should determine how much risk to take on according to their core capabilities, market situation and market potential, and their organizational and financial status, among other factors.

"Implementing two-sided risk models is like investing," says Mr. Damore. "It's all about risk and reward. If you're going to be taking greater risk, you need to make sure you're thoughtful about your own capabilities, how much risk you can afford and how much risk you're willing to take to obtain a larger reward."

The benefits of two-sided risk

When implemented effectively, two-sided risk models can benefit payers, providers and patients.

Unlike fee-for-service models, which incent clinicians toward volume, value-based payment models encourage clinicians to provide better quality care at a lower cost by rewarding value. Under the latter model, healthcare providers are motivated to improve outcomes and quality measures, especially for populations with costly chronic diseases like diabetes. By better managing these patient populations and their conditions by preventing complications, healthcare providers can dramatically decrease per capita costs.

Two-sided risk models take value-based payment to the next level, creating a win-win-win scenario as patients achieve better health outcomes, physicians and other providers earn even larger financial incentives, and insurers, the government and employers save money from covering fewer healthcare complications.

Healthcare providers and payers in high-use, high-cost markets stand to gain the most under two-sided risk models, says Mr. Damore.

Consider the south Florida market. Here, annual Medicare per capita annual costs range between $16,000 and $17,000 per Medicare beneficiary, compared to the national average of about $9,700 per beneficiary, per year. As healthcare providers better manage this population's health, per capita dollar amounts are beginning to drop significantly primarily due to utilization reductions, according to Mr. Damore.

While Medicare and other value-based payment policies are moving both providers and clinicians toward two-sided risk, venture capital companies are taking advantage of these market dynamics and entering high use and high cost marketplaces, organizing primary care physicians into independent practice associations, CINs or APMs and contracting directly with payers to capitalize on shared savings opportunities.

"They're building APMs without hospitals and simply viewing hospitals as a cost center," Mr. Damore says. "If hospitals wait to join in shared savings, they will need to work fast and consider the competitive risks of a venture capital-backed physician network entering the market. Private insurance companies, competitors and government payers will take the full benefit of the per capita cost reductions available due to the market changes we're seeing today. Providers need to build their core capabilities and enter risk arrangements before the per capita costs decline and the opportunity for savings disappears in their market."

Phoenix-based Banner Health exemplifies how providers can excel under shared risk models. The health system has consistently generated more shared savings than any other U.S. organization in CMS' Pioneer ACO program since 2012, according to Mr. Damore.

Premier works with organizations  including Banner Health  that have mature two-sided risk programs in place. Premier uses the lessons learned and experiences from these mature programs to help other organizations develop their own models. The Premier team works with providers to implement or strengthen core capabilities to ensure they're prepared for two-sided risk. Once these core capabilities are in place, Premier also helps members evaluate how much risk to take on and what method they should use to phase in additional risk and return. To promote continued success under two-sided risk, Premier brings together national payers and health systems on a regular basis to discuss potential changes or improvements.

"It's a really exciting and challenging time to be in this field and help organizations create these new second generation value-based payment models in a way that helps build success for payers and healthcare providers, as well as better outcomes for patients," says Mr. Damore. "This is a massive change in the healthcare system, and it won't occur overnight. However, we've already seen significant progress and it's only going to grow."

Conclusion

The healthcare industry is just at the beginning of the curve when it comes to adopting two-sided risk. As the model becomes more prevalent, healthcare providers must ensure they are prepared for the risks in order to attain the rewards. Clinicians and providers that don't take on two-sided risk may miss out on valuable opportunities to save money as a result of lower per capita costs, better outcomes and more satisfied patients. Ultimately, healthcare providers that strengthen their own performance and processes, assess market conditions and proactively and prudently proceed into well-calculated, two-sided risk arrangements will be most successful under value-based medicine.
State health officials recently issued five citations against Penn State Health's Milton S. Hershey (Pa.) Medical Center over delayed care for three patients, two of which later died, according to a report from Lebanon Daily News.

Here are six things to know.

1. The citations and subsequent corrective actions stemmed from an unannounced special monitoring survey conducted by the Pennsylvania Department of Health from July 3 to July 21.

2. The investigative survey found the hospital was noncompliant with several state requirements and regulations. The hospital failed to implement emergency procedures in a timely manner after a pediatric patient was assessed as having an elevated heart rate and high temperature. The child went into septic shock and was moved to the intensive care unit. Several days later, the child met criteria for brain death. The state found the rapid response team should have been called in to care for the patient around noon the day of incident. The team was called at 3:30 p.m. according to the Lebanon Daily News.

3. In a second case, the state found the hospital failed to initiate a "brain attack protocol" in a timely manner on June 11. The protocol is meant to be initiated when a patient has had or is having a stroke. Hospital staff observed the patient was "not making sense, slow to follow commands/had difficulty following commands" at 9:56 p.m. At 12:15 a.m., a nurse documented a discussion of the "need to call emergency department brain attack at this time. Awaiting further orders."

4. On July 22, an injured patient who fell was admitted to the hospital from the emergency department. The staff ordered medication to treat blood clotting issues at 5:47 a.m. It was confirmed by the pharmacy at 6:49 a.m., but not administered to the patient until 8:36 a.m. The patient later died from a subdural hemorrhage. After conducting employee interviews, investigators determined part of the delay was caused by nurses waiting for a shift change before administering the medicine, according to the Lebanon Daily News.

5. The hospital will take several corrective actions in the wake of the citations, including educating staff about the rapid response team process, medication turn-around times and brain attack protocols.

"Instances such as this are inconsistent with the high-quality care our community has come to expect from us  and which we expect from ourselves," said the hospital in a statement obtained by Lebanon Daily News. "We deeply regret when we fall short of those expectations. We realize the importance of our ongoing efforts to evaluate and improve our patient care practices; to ensure staff have the knowledge they need to consistently meet the highest standards of care; and to reinforce expectations for employees to elevate concerns they may have, particularly where patient care is involved."

6. The hospital has come under fire for patient safety issues in recent months. In August, state health officials cited the hospital in the death of a 6-year-old boy who was admitted to the emergency room Jan. 10 with low body temperature. The boy was subsequently wrapped in a heated blanket overnight and found dead the next morning.

More articles on quality:

CMS postpones October hospital star ratings update: 5 things to know

National Quality Forum's new roadmap aims to minimize healthcare disparities

4 DC hospitals with top nurse-patient communication scores
Is AMR Modern-day FRANKENSTEINS MONSTER?

Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) continues to pose a significant public health problem in terms of mortality and economic loss. The rising AMR is a matter of huge concern that needs to be tactfully handled and health authorities of several countries, including India, have formulated action plans for its containment. Significant efforts by the government, an active involvement of startups and diagnostic players is a good start. The question remains, whether this will be enough.

For Feedback, please email us at: communications@mmactiv.com
In her new role, Dr Swaminathan will look over all operations of WHO, including monitoring of communicable and non-communicable diseases except for emergencies.

Director general of Indian Council of Medical Research, Dr Soumya Swaminathan, is likely to take over as the deputy director general of World Health Organization (WHO). As Deputy DG, she will hold office in Geneva.

WHO is yet to make an official announcement about her posting. Dr Swaminathan also holds the post of Secretary, Health Research in MoHFW. The 58-year-old is a paediatrician and a clinical scientist. She is known for her research on Tuberculosis. She is the daughter of MS Swaminathan (92), the acclaimed Indian geneticist and father of green revolution.

In her new role, Dr Swaminathan will look over all operations of WHO, including monitoring of communicable and non-communicable diseases except for emergencies, and hold the number two position in WHO after the DG.

Dr Swaminathan has been serving as DG ICMR for over two years now. ICMR is the apex body in India for biomedical research. A repository on clinical research and public health, Dr Swaminathan's earlier stint in WHO was as Co-ordinator, Research in Neglected Priorities, TDR (Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases) from 2009 to 2011.
Republicans in the Wisconsin Legislature want to eliminate state protections for wetlands and air quality except when mandated by the federal government, saying they are costly for businesses.

About a million acres of wetlands could be left vulnerable and as many as 300 hazardous air pollutants could become unregulated under a pair of proposals circulating among lawmakers.

The proposals come as President Donald Trumps administration moves to reduce federal environmental protections it says are unduly burdensome.

The Wisconsin Wetlands Association said Monday the risk of flooding and polluted ground water would increase under a Wisconsin legislative proposal to remove state authority to force developers to avoid or minimize damage to important wetlands.

The proposals backers point out that it would preserve the current legal requirement that developers who pave over wetlands pay a fee that is used to create or restore wetlands elsewhere.

Wisconsin is one of just a small handful of states that recognizes a class of wetlands beyond what is defined by the federal government, state Sen. Roger Roth said through a spokeswoman. It is with this smaller portion of total wetlands where our bill seeks to strike a balance.

The wetland associations Erin OBrien called it a pay to pave plan.

They are eliminating a permit system in favor of just writing a check for permission to fill in a wetland, OBrien said.

The federal government requires protection of wetlands adjacent to navigable waters, while states may regulate more isolated wetlands. There are 5.3 million acres of wetlands in the state, about half of what was present before European settlers arrived, the state Department of Natural Resources has estimated. About 20 percent of the remaining acreage is regulated by the state.

OBrien said replacement wetlands are created artificially or restored after decades as farmland, and too often they fail to provide the same protection against flooding and water pollution in part because they are in different places from where the natural ones occurred, she said.

In addition to providing wildlife habitat, wetlands are important for slowing the flow of rain water and snow melt to reduce flooding and to filter impurities so that ground water is cleaner. Wisconsin has regulated wetlands that arent protected by federal agencies since 2001. State law was relaxed in 2012, and filling of wetlands accelerated for several years while a DNR replacement program lagged.

Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce issued a statement Monday urging lawmakers to support Roths proposal.

The proposed legislation would bring Wisconsin back into the mainstream nationally, the business organization said in a statement. The group also cited a provision that would force the DNR to move more quickly on spending funds it collects as part of a new program aimed at offsetting or mitigating problems caused by wetland destruction.

OBrien said quicker replacement action could be desirable, but only if projects are examined carefully to ensure they will be effective. The current pace is dictated by requirements for federal approval.

Roth, of Appleton, Assembly Majority Leader Jim Steineke, of Kaukauna, and Rep. Rob Stafsholt, of New Richmond, asked other lawmakers to co-sponsor their proposal in an email dated Friday.

Air pollution bill

Meanwhile, Republicans Rep. Jesse Kremer of Kewaskum, Rep. Cody Horlacher of Mukwonago and Sen. Duey Stroebel of Saukville were seeking co-sponsors for a bill to require the DNR to repeal state rules limiting pollutants not regulated under federal law.

Currently, the DNR regulates nearly 300 more hazardous air pollutants than what is required by federal law, and of those regulated less than a third are actually emitted, the three lawmakers said in a Sept. 20 email asking colleagues to co-sponsor their air pollution proposal. This creates an undue burden on Wisconsin businesses, forcing them to arbitrarily test for pollutants that arent being emitted and otherwise are unregulated by other states and the EPA.

States regulate pollutants that may not be problems nationwide, but can harm health or the environment regionally, such as ammonia from food processing and chlorine dioxide from paper mills in Wisconsin, said Tyson Cook of Clean Wisconsin, which mapped pollution sources that would no longer be regulated under the proposal.

Kremer, Horlacher and Stroebel are also seeking support for a bill to stop DNR monitoring of air quality in Kohler-Andrae State Park in Sheboygan County, and to seek an EPA waiver of penalties. Republicans and the DNR say some of the ozone pollution there comes from Illinois and Indiana.

Cook said several states, including Michigan, have related pollution problems and all are expected to do their part to reduce harmful emissions. The Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters said the proposals needlessly undercut protections for public health.

The lawmakers extended last weeks deadline for co-sponsors because of how busy lawmakers have been with the budget and Foxconn, said Kremers research director, Nik Rettinger III.

However, all the bills have been receiving solid support among southeastern Wisconsin legislators (whose) constituents and job creators are directly affected by these burdensome policies, as well as legislators from throughout the state who believe these common sense reforms are important to take up to help everyday folks do business in Wisconsin, Rettinger said.

Air quality problems in southeastern Wisconsin have led to monitoring and alerts when pollutants reach unhealthy levels.
US President Donald Trump described it as "draining the swamp", a political promise he made to rid business and politics of deep-seated bribery and corruption.

It could equally be applied to Australia, which has had its fair share of scandals and political capture in the past few years.

Western Australia and Queensland have been flagged as having key weaknesses in the mining approval and infrastructure project process, which is making them susceptible to corruption. Credit:Brendon Thorne

But understanding where the risks lie can be a useful first step in tackling the problem.

Following a string of mining scandals, Australia's biggest mining states Western Australia and Queensland  which together mine more than $100 billion of minerals a year - have been flagged as having key weaknesses in the mining approval and infrastructure project process, which is making them susceptible to corruption.
Investors have bought $67 million worth of office assets in key Sydney and Melbourne locations in the past week, as they get a foothold into the booming leasing markets.

An offshore investor has paid $25 million for the heritage-listed office tower at 332 Kent Street, Sydney, while the Hong Kong conglomerate, Glorious Sun, has paid $42 million for an eight-storey tower at 324 St Kilda Road, Melbourne.

An offshore private investor has bought the heritage-listed 332 Kent Street office building for $25 million.

Tim Grosmann and Graeme Russell of Savills Australia sold the Kent Street property, on behalf of Yachtsman Warwick Sherman and another private investor. The building sold on a 3.99 per cent yield, and a rate of nearly $16,000 per square metre.

According to agents, competition among private buyers and institutions is very strong, given office vacancy along the eastern seaboard is at record low levels.
Temperature records are being broken frequently in Australia, with hot records 12 times more likely to be set than cold ones since 2000, Drs Lewis and King reported in a 2015 paper. Temperatures in the shade can be hot, but those in the sun, such as Bondi Beach in November 2015, weren't far off 60 degrees, according to heat cameras. Credit:Nick Moir A heatwave last month smashed many records across eastern Australia with more than half the NSW stations with more than 20 years of data registering their hottest September day, the Bureau of Meteorology said. Under a high carbon emissions scenario, 50-degree days could arrive "as early as the 2040s", Dr Lewis said, adding that even with a concerted reduction in pollution, those temperatures could be reached by about 2060. Dr King said hospitals, electricity systems and infrastructure would all struggle during such heat spikes.

"For summer heat extremes in the future, there probably aren't any winners," Dr King said. Reefs at risk Along with other Australian regions which could see 50-degree days, the researchers also examined the temperature increases in the Coral Sea. Even with less variability than land, oceans are also seeing significant warming. For temperature-sensitive coral reefs, the past few years of ocean heatwaves has triggered mass bleaching including on the Great Barrier Reef. The researchers estimated autumn extremes of 0.3-0.8 degrees above the devastating 2016 record in the Coral Sea with the lower target of the Paris accord. At the 2 degrees warming goal, the Coral Sea will warm 0.6-1.2 degrees above the 2016 extreme.

Dr Lewis said the recent bleaching had "really smashed the reef", killing as much as half the Great Barrier Reef corals. "If that's occurring now and we have additional warming on top of that - which will lead to an increase in seasonal temperatures - then that's a real worry for whether we'll have a reef at all, she said. 'Startling speed' Dr King was also a co-author of a separate paper out recently in Environmental Research Letters that examined the impact on Europe if global temperatures reached that 2-degree upper limit agreed at Paris. The paper found a heatwave of the scale of 2003 which killed 70,000 Europeans rapidly becomes more likely as the planet warms.

"What is startling is the speed of the change," Dr King said. "At 2 degrees, events like the 2003 heatwave could become so commonplace that they occur every second year." While trends in regional seasonal rainfall levels are less clear, a warming world is likely to make single-day extreme rainfall events more likely. In Britain's case, a repeat of the July 2007 severe flooding would be 70 per cent more likely at 2-degrees warming compared with current conditions, he said. Heatwaves by degrees In a third recent paper by Australian-based researchers, published last week in Scientific Reports, Sarah Perkins-Kirkpatrick found the number of additional heatwave days will rise significantly depending on whether global warming is contained to 1.5 or 2 degrees, or beyond.

The research indicated heatwave days  based on a sequence of at least three consecutive days in the warmest 10 per cent for that date  will jump by an extra 14.8-28.2 per year for each degree of warming. The heatwaves themselves will be 3.4-17.5 days longer per degree of global warming, with peak intensity of 1.2 to 1.9 degrees. In the worst affected regions, such as parts of the tropics, summers will become a season-long heatwave, with large impacts on human health, productivity and ecosystems  even if warming can be kept to a global average of 2 degrees. 'Really awful' Dr Perkins-Kirkpatrick, who is a research fellow at the Climate Change Research Centre at the University of NSW, said some of the biggest increases in heatwaves will occur in poor nations who burn relatively little fossil fuels.
A Canberra detainee who set fire to his court cell with a cigarette lighter he stashed in his buttocks told officers who strip searched him: "What goes in the safe, stays in the safe."

Footage shows Rhys Liam Brown, 26, fishing the cigarette lighter out of his pants and dancing beneath the Civic court complex before he held the lighter to the padded walls and later scorched the screen of a CCTV camera.

Rhys Liam Brown, 26, dances in his cell before he singed the screen of a CCTV camera.

Brown pleaded guilty to arson and property damage. He was sentenced in the ACT Supreme Court to one year and eight months imprisonment last month.
Work has started on the removal of dangerous loose-fill asbestos from Edgar's Inn building at the Ainslie shops.

The cafe and pub will close for the next fortnight as the 10-day remediation takes place. Other shops will remain open.

Mr Fluffy asbestos removal in progress at Ainslie Shops. Credit:Jamila Toderas

Ainslie Newsagency owner Niki Kats said she welcomed the removal of the Fluffy asbestos but believed her business would be affected.

"I think it will have an impact on us with customers not coming around the area," she said.
Federal prosecutors say ice with an estimated street value of about $10 million, which a Nigerian-born man imported to Canberra in ornate golden fish statues, could have had "calamitous consequences" if sold in the community.

Lawyers for Jackson Igwebuike, 34, agreed he acted as "more than just a mere courier" when he accepted delivery of about 8.47 grams of pure ice before he attempted to board a Murrays bus to Sydney with the drugs in his bag.

Jackson Igwebuike, 34, was found guilty of importing a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug. Credit:Facebook

An ACT Supreme Court jury found him guilty of importing a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug in August.

Igwebuike was caught in a police sting after Australian Border Force officers intercepted packages destined for Canberra in October 2015.
An ESA spokesman said the woman was suffering a suspected broken ankle and had been taken to Canberra Hospital in a stable condition.

ACT Policing search and rescue teams found the woman in bushland west of Canberra late on Monday.

On Tuesday morning, the Southcare Toll rescue helicopter was at last able to winch the bushwalker to safety, after fog hampered efforts overnight.

A local woman injured while bushwalking on Monday afternoon at Tidbinbilla nature reserve has been rescued.

Steep terrain coupled with fog overnight made it impossible to winch the woman out of the reserve by chopper on Monday night.

"She was in an awkward spot so crews had to move her a short way to somewhere flatter so the chopper could get her out, but all's worked out, she's been rescued.

"Now off to the pub for a coffee! It was a hell of a night apparently."

Police said the woman took a tumble while out walking on Monday afternoon. She had tried to take the shortest route back to the Mountain Creek carpark, but eventually stopped due to the pain of the injury.

"Fortunately, she had signal on her phone and she was able to call triple zero," an ACT Policing spokesman said.
A federal judge has reduced a jury award to Epic Systems Corp. from $940 million to $420 million in a case against an Indian company that allegedly stole trade secrets to develop software.

Verona-based Epic won the $940 million award in April 2016 after it claimed Tata Consultancy Services inappropriately downloaded more than 6,000 documents, including proprietary software and databases, from Epics computer network.

In June 2016, Epic asked the court to reduce the award to $720 million by decreasing punitive damages from $700 million to $480 million. That is because a state statute caps punitive damages at twice that of compensatory damages, for which the jury awarded $240 million.

In an order Friday, Judge William Conley of U.S District Court in Madison went a step further. He dropped $100 million of the compensatory damages, which the jury awarded for Tatas use of other information to improve its competing software.

Given that Tata didnt end up developing that software and is prohibited by the court from using information it took from Epic, the $100 million strikes the court as both excessive and without sufficient mooring in the facts of record, Conley wrote.

With the compensatory damages set at $140 million, Conley allowed $280 million in punitive damages, for a total of $420 million.

In a statement, Tata said the reduced damages are not supported by evidence presented during the trial and a strong appeal can be made to superior court to fully set aside the jury verdict.

Epic spokeswoman Meghan Roh said the company had no comment about Conleys order, reported Tuesday by Wisconsin Health News.

Epic, founded in 1979, has about 9,600 employees and had $2.5 billion in 2016 revenue.

In an unrelated case, Epic appeared before the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday to argue that it could make workers sign an agreement to arbitrate wage disputes individually rather than as a group. The case involves a dispute about overtime pay for technical writers who worked at Epic as of April 2014.

A federal appeals court ruled last year that the wage arbitration rule violated federal law. In oral arguments Monday, the courts liberals appeared to side with Epic workers, while conservatives on the court led by Chief Justice John Roberts feared that a ruling for workers could invalidate contracts for 25 million employees who have contracts that have individual arbitration clauses.

The case was heard with two others that have similar issues.
Universities are being urged to block websites that sell essays, identify cheating "hot spots" and consider publishing data on breaches of academic integrity.

As universities grapple with a rise in contract cheating  which involves students outsourcing assessments  Australia's higher education watchdog has unveiled new guidelines to tackle the issue.

Cheating at university is becoming increasingly sophisticated. Credit:Louise Kennerley

"Breaches of academic integrity have broad implications," Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency chief executive Anthony McClaran said.

He said cheating put the reputation of Australia's higher education system at risk, and could endanger employers and the integrity of qualifications.
Federal Court staff have heaped pressure on their bosses with a bid to enlist the public's support for their cause in a lengthy bargaining dispute.

People using the court system will be handed an open letter making the case for staff who have gone without a pay rise for four years and overwhelmingly rejected their employers' last offer with a 90 per cent 'no' vote in June.

CPSU deputy secretary Melissa Donnelly.

"We work for the courts because we want to help you and make a valuable contribution to our communities. This is getting harder every day," the letter said.

It said delays in resolving court matters were causing problems and blamed a lack of investment in front line staff.
The colourful career of society shrink Dr Robert Hampshire appears to be all but over after he was caught sending lewd late-night texts to a client following a day of drinking.

On Friday the psychiatrist lost his appeal to be allowed to continue practising while he waits a full hearing of the matter.

Robert Hampshire and Sally Hampshire in 2015 Credit:Virginia Star

In refusing to lift his suspension, Acting Judge Frank Marks of the Civil and Administrative Tribunal found that Dr Hampshire represented "a risk to the health and safety of the public".

Judge Marks said that, given his prior troubled history with the Medical Council, Dr Hampshire "does not have good prospects of succeeding on his appeal".
Former state Labor MP for Melbourne Jennifer Kanis is trying to recapture the seat she lost to the Greens in the 2014 election.

Ms Kanis announced to local party members on Monday that she was seeking pre-selection to contest the seat taken by the Greens' Ellen Sandell three years ago in a historic breakthrough for the minor party.

Former state MP for Melbourne Jennifer Kanis wants her old seat back from the Greens. Credit:AAP

Ms Sandell managed a 3.95 per cent swing against her Labor opponent, despite being preferenced last by the Liberals, but the Greens still only hold Melbourne by a thin 2.4 per cent margin.

Ms Kanis, who now works at law firm Maurice Blackburn, told pre-selectors she believed the Greens had failed to make an impression, despite the gains they made in 2014.
A funny thing happened when I went to work in the Canberra press gallery: I became friends with a politician.

As a rule, this isn't something I'd encourage. The job of the journalist, after all, is to ferret out uncomfortable facts and scrutinise the decisions of the powerful. Getting too close to the people you write about risks undermining your first allegiance: to your readers.

Aware they could be burnt if they give too much of themselves away, politicians are always wary of journalists. Credit:Trevor Collens

Aware they could be burnt if they give away too much of themselves, politicians are just as wary of us. As American journalist Joan Didion put it: "Writers are always selling somebody out." The New Yorker magazine staffer Janet Malcolm, even less kindly, described the journalist as "a kind of confidence man, preying on people's vanity, ignorance, or loneliness, gaining their trust and betraying them without remorse".



Luckily, it's not difficult to avoid genuine friendships across the reporter-politician divide. Parliament House runs on self-interest, meaning the relationships between politicians, political staffers and journalists tend to be transactional and superficial. They want to get a message out, we want to break stories, and that's where our interests collide. When a politician stops being useful to a reporter, or vice versa, interactions tend to dry up quickly.

And yet we're human beings too. Away from the heated theatrics of question time and adversarial television interviews, reporters occasionally get a glimpse of the real person behind the political persona. You see doubt, kindness, vulnerability. And on rare occasions, a friendship blooms.
Queenslanders should "chill out" on election speculation, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says.

The Queensland Parliament is due to sit next week - October 10 to 12 - but if Ms Palaszczuk goes to see Governor Paul de Jersey before then, the election campaign would begin instead.

Credit:AAP/ Dave Hunt

Repeating comments she made on Monday, Ms Palaszczuk said there was still a lot of work the government wanted to do.

Asked if Parliament would sit next week, she said "I hope so", despite being the very person with the power to call it off.
Around 13 million Italians - about a quarter of the adult population - regularly visit astrologers, fortune-tellers and tarot card readers, three million more than in 2001.

The number of faith healers and fortune-tellers has risen fivefold since the global economic crisis began a decade ago, according to Codacons, Italy's national consumer organisation.

With high unemployment and a largely moribund economy, more and more people are seeking solace from the esoteric and the occult.

Rome: Italy's grinding economic crisis has created a boom time for the country's soothsayers, tarot card readers and fortune-tellers, a report has revealed.

The sector is now worth an estimated eight billion euros a year, with the vast majority of the country's 155,000 practitioners demanding cash in hand and not declaring their earnings to the tax authorities. While most practitioners ask for money for their services, others are demanding sexual favours from their most vulnerable clients.

"The main factor driving the increase is, without doubt, the economic crisis," Codacons said in a report.

The Italian economy remains stubbornly in the doldrums, with an overall unemployment rate of 11 per cent. The jobless rate for young people is much worse, at around 35 per cent.

"Deep uncertainty about the future, the difficult in finding work, economic problems and the hope of resolving personal situations has driven a growing number of Italians to look for answers in tarot card reading, paid-for horoscopes and magic," the report said.

"They end up in the hands of unscrupulous people who profit from their fragility and their difficulties."
Concertgoers scramble to safety outside the Mandalay Bay Casino. Credit:Twitter: @IAMJUSTINAARON Mr Turnbull praised former prime minister John Howard for bringing in some of the strictest gun laws in the world in the wake of the Port Arthur massacre, which left 35 dead in Tasmania in 1996. "And we remain ever vigilant to maintain them," he said. Foreign Minister Julie Bishop. Credit:AP "Another national gun amnesty has just concluded, and in the first two months, over 25,000 weapons were handed in."

Mr Turnbull said he would be convening a special summit of state and territory leaders this week to discuss how to further strengthen and harmonise against the threat of terrorism. Australian man Brian Hodge ran for his life as a gunman began shooting in Las Vegas. Credit:Facebook/BrianHodge "Again, I offer my thoughts and prayers to the people of the United States," he said. "We grieve with the families of the victims." Opposition leader Bill Shorten said Labor would work with the government on national security. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull Credit:Mick Tsikas

"We mourn for the losses of [the American people], we pray for their survivors and the best thing that we can do is fight to keep our gun laws as strong as they possibly can be," he said. Ms Bishop said she had been in touch with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to extend Australia's condolences. She confirmed US authorities had been in contact with the Department of Foreign Affairs regarding an Australian woman being treated by US authorities as a person of interest, 62-year-old Marilou Danley. Ms Danley is believed to be the companion of 64-year-old gunman Stephen Paddock. She was reportedly travelling in the Philippines at the times of the shooting that left 58 people dead and 515 injured in the deadliest mass shooting in US history.

"There are reports that her ID was used to book the hotel but investigations are ongoing," Ms Bishop said. The Foreign Minister said her department had not had direct contact with Ms Danley. "The US authorities were in contact with us about Marilou and I understand they have ruled her out as a person of interest as she was not in the US when this horrific incident occurred." In an update on Tuesday morning, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Sheriff Joe Lombardo said the gunman's female companion was still a "person of interest" and she would be interviewed when she returned to the US. A NSW family caught up in the tragedy said they experienced the "scariest night of our life" and had to walk with their hands up across an empty casino.

Kevin Comerford, Nicole Shipman and her daughter Maddy Aspinall, 14, from Grafton in NSW, were in Las Vegas for one night only after a dance academy tour in the US had finished. "This was supposed to be a one night special stop because we'd never been to Las Vegas before ... we were planning to live it up for one night and we've had probably the scariest night of our life," Mr Comerford told AAP on the phone. Australian man Brian Hodge said he was staying in room 32134 of the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Paddock was in room 32135 as he fired at people at the music festival. Mr Hodge, 36, said he was walking back to his room from a dinner out with his staff when bullets started raining down. "It was hardcore, like it was full machineguns for 20 seconds and then it stopped for five seconds then it just went again it," he told Fairfax Media.

"There were so many shots fired, I couldn't tell you how many. A woman came right up to my face and she said 'you've got to turn back there is a shooter' and we all just started running." Mr Hodge said he and his team of about 20 staff fled to a nearby lift and piled in with other terrified hotel patrons. "When we got to the ground floor of the casino it was just utter chaos," he said. Channel Seven journalist Ashlee Mullany said the noise "sounded too loud to be a gun". "I felt sick to my stomach knowing that those hundreds of rounds that I heard were bullets raining down on those people that were just there enjoying a music festival," she told Sunrise.

It's not know whether any Australians were hurt in the attack. "If you have any concerns for the welfare of family and friends in the Las Vegas area, you should attempt to contact them directly," a Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokeswoman told AAP. People unable to make contact with loved ones should phone the DFAT emergency hotline: 1300 555 135, or +61 2 6261 3305. Loading Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman described the city as a "safe place" for tourists and called Paddock "a crazed lunatic full of hate".
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Its the end of an era  and the beginning of a new one!

This weeks episode of Brooklyn Paper Radio was the first without former co-host Gersh Kuntzman, who had his last show for the last time last month, and after a two-week hiatus, Brooklyn Paper editor-in-chief Vince DiMiceli took the reigns solo thanking his partner for a job well done, and wishing him the best in his time of need.

By now, weve all seen it on the news and read it in the papers, and we all know what happened the Gersh, DiMiceli said. But I want everyone to know I love my partner, and I love his family.

At press time, it was unclear what happened to Gersh, but it was clear that, with the exception of some sound bytes played in the background by producer Johnny Jimmy Kunen, he was not on the show.

Instead, DiMiceli introduced senior Brooklyn Paper reporter Lauren Gill to talk about her earth-shattering story about a small town in Iowa that has many of the same street names as her beloved Brooklyn Heights.

DiMiceli and Gill were then joined by the mayor of Dunlap, Iowa, Jason Knickman, who took time away from his double-duties as the small citys highest ranking elected official  and deputy sheriff  to discuss the strange coincidence regarding the streets.

And while he didnt have any answers to the riddle as to why the streets had the same names, he did say hes looking forward to some day visiting Brooklyn and walking the streets of his town  although he doesnt intend to hop over the Brooklyn Bridge.

Im a pretty big guy, Hizzoner said. You dont want to see me hopping over anything.

So take a listen to another scintillating edition of Brooklyn Paper Radio  the first of the post-Gersh era, right now.
It was announced this week that a residential development which was to comprise 492 apartments across three 14 storey residential blocks has had its planning appeal refused.



Following the decision of Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council to refuse permission for a 492-unit residential scheme by IRES at Rockbrook, the REIT undertook an appeal to Irelands planning appeals board.

A decision was due at the end of August, but due to staffing shortages at the board the decision was delayed until yesterday. In a frustrating move for IRES, the board has refused permission for the proposed multi-family development.



In addition to the residential blocks, IRES were to provide a range of community facilities including retail and cafe units, creche and childrens playground as well as the completion of a civic boulevard/plaza space. Based on the latest CSO occupancy statistics, the Rockbrook scheme would have provided housing for up to 1,300 people if built as planned.



Gooodbody Stockbrokers have today warned that the refusal comes badly timed not only for REIT but also for the residential market in Dublin. Supply of residential lettings is highly constrained, with rents well above that of the 2007 peak.

According to Daft.ie, there are only 20 residential properties available to rent in the Sandyford area as of 2nd October, at an average rent of 2,455 per month.



In a report today, Goodbody Stockbrokers noted, "The refusal of this 492-unit scheme exacerbates further the delay in the development of desperately needed housing in Dublin. The decision appears to be inconsistent with the Council approved Local Area Development Plan for Sandyford and appears in direct conflict with recently articulated Government views. For IRES, a new application is likely to mean a delay of at least six months for this project, which we forecasted as adding over 9m in rent and c.9c to NAV."

They added, "However, the real losers here are the 492 households who would have been accommodated in these units in a market starved of essential apartment supply. This was highlighted yesterday in Goodbodys new Irish Housebuilding Tracker."

Source: www.businessworld.ie
British transport minister Chris Grayling said on Monday he had spoken to other airlines about hiring those employees who are losing their jobs after Monarch Airlines went into administration overnight.

Describing it as a very difficult day for employees, Grayling told BBC television that he had "already spoken to other airlines who think they are a first rate team of people working for Monarch and are looking to try and hire some of them."

"This is a really difficult day for all those people (customers). My heart goes out to all those who are going to be disappointed this morning. This is obviously something that is beyond the control of government, we are doing our best to make sure that those people who are stranded and can't get back otherwise will be able to do so." (Reuters)

Source: www.businessworld.ie
CRH said to be closing in on Suwanee America acquisition

03 October 2017

CRH Plc is nearing an agreement to acquire Florida-based cement company Suwannee American Cement LLC from Votorantim Cimentos SA and Anderson Columbia Co, according to Bloomberg.



The companies could announce an agreement this week, acording to the news seervice cources. The deal may value Suwannee at about US$750m. While talks are advanced, they could still be delayed or fall apart and the valuation could change.



The planned acquisition follows a string of deals for CRH, which last month agreed to buy family-controlled Ash Grove Cement Co, also based in the US, in a US$3.5bn deal. The Irish building materials company announced in August the disposal of an interior building-products division for US$2.63 bn to Beacon Roofing Supply Inc.



The purchase of Suwannee will further focus CRH on growth in North America, where it already bills itself as the regions largest building-materials company.

Published under
Prudential Investment Managers advise against AfriSam merger with PPC

03 October 2017

Prudential Investment Managers, one of the top three shareholders in PPC, says it opposes a proposed merger between South Africa's largest cement group and its unlisted South African rival AfriSam.



Prudential, which holds 13-14 per cent of PPC, said it wanted "other shareholders to think twice" about such a transaction. It said AfriSams recent revised offer, which had the backing of Canadas Fairfax Africa Investments, undervalued the group. It believed PPCs share price would double in the next three to four years with the ramp-up of its rest of Africa operations including those it owns in Ethiopia, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.



"The shareholders have been asked to back a short-term gain," Chris Wood, Prudential's head of equity, said on Monday. "From this point forward, there will be a material improvement in [PPC's] cash flow."



Fairfax was using PPC's earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation in the year to March 2017 as a basis of reported profits. This was not a fair representation of the group's earnings, Wood said. However, the Public Investment Corporation, which holds a 15 per cent share in PPC, has supported the latest AfriSam conditional partial offer.



Fairfax has undertaken to buy ZAR2bn of ordinary shares in PPC at ZAR5.75 a share (US$0.42/sahre). The proposed merger ratio is based on a share exchange of 58 PPC shares for 42 AfriSam shares.



The company also received a nonbinding "communication of interest" from Nigerias Dangote Cement to buy its entire share capital. PPCs board earlier advised of indicative proposals from two other bidders.



The group said it would cut capex between 16 and 35 per cent until 2019, and would focus on bringing its other investments in the rest of Africa into operation, including in Zimbabwe. These new operations would raise group cement production capacity, from 8Mta in 2015, to 12.4Mta by 2018.





Published under
Dangote Cement's Bouasnsa plant is almost complete

03 October 2017

The US$300m Dangote cement grinding plant situated at Bouansa, Congo will start-up this month, Dangote Cement Plc has announced.



Dangote cement's CEO, Onne van der Weijde, said: "The Congo Cement plant is now 99 per cent complete and set to commence operations."

Dangote cement plant at Bouansa, Congo, expected to contribute at least 1.5Mta capacity, is a positive step steering the company towards the total yearly manufacturing capacity of about 32Mta across Africa. Dangote Cement Congo aims to become a major exporter of cement in the entire African continent.

Ganapathy Balasubramanian, plant Director for Dangote Cement Congo Operations explained that the Congo factory cost the company CFA133bn (US$300m). Expected to strengthen Congos economy, the factory sits on 80ha of land. When the plant commences operations, it will create about 1600 direct and indirect jobs. It will also increase local cement production in Congo, which will help to satisfy general construction demands, and save foreign currency expenditure.

According to Balasubramanian, the company will deploy automatic robot laboratory for quality testing. This, he said, will aid consistency and ensure cement produced by the plant will meet its obligations to customers.

Dangote Group also announced of building new plants in two Nigerian communities of Okpella, Edo State, and Itori, Ogun State respectively. The new plants, expected to be completed in three years will boost the companys Nigerian output from 31.5Mta to about 41.5Mta.



Devakumar Edwin, Dangote Group executive director of projects and portfolio management, explained that the two new plants will support the companys drive to reduce transportation cost components of its operations, lower overall cost of production, cause a reduction in the price of cement and create jobs for Nigerian youths.

Meanwhile, construction of a new 3Mta capacity cement grinding plant for Dangote Cement is ongoing in Cote d'Ivorie.

Published under
The United States evacuated families and all nonessential personnel from Cuba this week, following a string of apparent attacks against U.S. diplomats. Neither the U.S. nor Cuba knows who is behind it, although some theories do exist.

According to CNN, 21 U.S. diplomats and their families became ill after attacks that initially appear sonic in nature. Sufferers reported a range of symptoms and experiences, and U.S. investigators have not found a concrete cause yet. The American Embassy will continue to operate with a 60% reduced staff. It will also not issue visas, effective immediately. Embassy staff will remain available for American citizens in Cuba.

None of this has a reasonable explanation, said Fulton Armstrong, a former CIA official. According to the AP, Armstrong served in Havana long before America re-opened an embassy there. Its just mystery after mystery after mystery.

Travel warning issued for Americans

Secretary of State Rich Tillerson issued a travel warning for Americans, since the country cannot guarantee U.S. citizens safety. No tourists reported falling ill, but the attacks took place at hotels where Americans stay. The U.S. travel warning said, Because our personnels safety is at risk, and we are unable to identify the source of the attacks, we believe U.S. citizens may also be at risk and warn them not to travel to Cuba.

President Donald Trump said that in Cuba, They did some very bad things. He did not specify who he might mean by they. In a meeting with Tillerson, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez denied that Cuba was involved in attacks and accused the U.S. of politicizing the incidents. He said his government would continue to investigate together with with U.S. authorities. Cuba did welcome FBI agents into their country to get to the bottom of it. Heres what they found.

FBI looks into source of illnesses

U.S. officials told CNN someone has targeted American diplomats in Havana with a sophisticated device they have never seen deployed before again U.S. citizens. Canadian diplomats also reported symptoms. Sufferers reported a wide range of symptoms, including dizziness, nausea, difficulty sleeping and recalling common words, and hearing loss.

According to the AP, some diplomats reported hearing loud noises or feeling vibrations when the incidents occurred. Others heard and felt nothing yet reported symptoms later. In some instances, victims could walk in and out of blaring noises audible in only certain rooms or parts of rooms. At least 50 instances occurred, starting in November and continuing until at least late August.

We thought we had corralled this, and then the two cases in August took place, a senior U.S. official said. It is not as if the attacks address individual personnel officers. Our personnel is broadly at risk. So we have to consider next steps because we need to protect our people.

Diplomats reported experiences that sound like something out of a sci-fi novel.



Strange noises and even stranger feelings, diplomats report

As CNN first reported in August, diplomats awoke late at night in their homes feeling unwell and hearing sounds reminiscent of insects or metal dragging across the floor. Officials have never found devices that created the noises. Because symptoms varied so greatly, doctors consulted in the United States could not pinpoint the cause. U.S. government technical experts also called it baffling.

Following instructions from the top level of the Cuban government, a priority investigation was opened  and additional measures were adopted to protect the U.S. diplomats and their relatives, the Cuban Foreign Ministry said, in a statement. Cubas foreign minister said his government has taken into account the data contributed by the U.S. authorities and so far has found no evidence whatsoever that could confirm the causes or the origin of the health disorders referred to by U.S. diplomats and their relatives.

While sound-based activity remains the most credible theory, experts have still not pinpointed what might be going on.

The crazy devices that someone can use to destroy your hearing

Attackers can harness and direct ultrasonic frequencies, and some experts say even amateurs can do it.

Tim Leighton, professor of ultrasonics and underwater acoustics at the University of Southampton, explained it to the Guardian. If you want to produce a tight beam of energy that you can point at someone, ultrasound is the one to go for. Prolonged exposure to ultrasonic sound can result in hearing loss and human tissue damage. Even a device the size of a matchbox could do so at close range, but it would have to be larger to affect victims at more than a few feet away.

You can buy transducers on the Internet that emit these frequencies, Robin Cleveland, a professor of engineering science at the University of Oxford, told the Guardian. Anybody with a bit of engineering background could put one together.

The brain damage issue, though, calls the sonic wave theory into question. The sound would have to enter the brain tissue itself, but if youve ever had an ultrasound scan youll know they put gel on, Cleveland said. If theres even a tiny bit of air between the sound and your body, it doesnt get through.

Brain damage and concussions, its not possible, psychoacoustics expert Joseph Pompei told the AP. Somebody would have to submerge their head into a pool lined with very powerful ultrasound transducers.

The next theory would explain why only select diplomats experienced the issue.

Poison could cause some of the diplomats symptoms

Chemicals like mercury, lead, and some industrial cleaning supplies can cause hearing loss, according to The Washington Post. Director of Medicine at the American Council on Science and Health Jamie Wells and microbiologist Alex Berezow wrote an article in USA Today explaining how.

If the diplomats share meals together, it is a distinct possibility that somebody poisoned their food, they wrote. That would even explain those noises some victims heard. Chemical solvents can cause nerve damage, which can manifest in different ways. With auditory nerve damage, some people might experience ringing [tinnitus], and others might find certain noise frequencies excruciatingly intolerable while others barely notice.

While experts puzzle over the cause of the illnesses, diplomats try to figure out how their departure will affect Cuban relations.

Whose hands are we playing into?

Despite the harassment, some diplomats told CNN they did not want to leave. Some said the staffing reduction will play into the hands of whoever is behind the attacks. It will also leave the embassy understaffed during a period in which they expect Raul Castro to step down as president of Cuba. The AP reported that the Trump administration still hasnt identified a culprit or a device to explain the attacks.

The investigation into all of this is still under way. It is an aggressive investigation, State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said. We will continue doing this until we find out who or what is responsible for this.

Investigators suspect culprits from rogue Cuban operatives, a Russian faction, or even Venezuela. Mark Feierstein oversaw the Cuba detente on President Barack Obamas National Security Council. He told the AP that Cuban authorities have uncharacteristically cooperated with the investigation. Feierstein also expected the U.S. to shutter its newly opened embassy, if Trump really suspected Cubas involvement.

Had they thought the Cuban government was deliberately attacking American diplomats, that would have had a much more negative effect, Feierstein said. We havent seen that yet.

Regardless, withdrawing diplomats and their families will affect U.S.-Cuban relations.

Sending diplomats home may upset Cuba

Over the last few years, relations have improved between the U.S. and Cuba. The State Department removed it from its list of countries that support state terrorism. Even though he had looked into opening hotels on the island, Trump took a harder stance. During the 2016 campaign, then-candidate Donald Trump said he would close the embassy if Cuba didnt agree to a better deal with the U.S. In his speech before the U.N. General Assembly, he took a similar line.

The United States has stood against the corrupt and destabilizing regime in Cuba and embraced the enduring dream of the Cuban people to live in freedom, he said. My administration recently announced that we will not lift sanctions on the Cuban government until it makes fundamental reforms.

Some officials believe the attacks could not happen without Cubas knowledge. Many of the diplomats houses stand in highly secure neighborhoods, the same one as Castros.

It is increasingly apparent the Cubans are involved in some way, a senior U.S. official told CNN. If it was a few attacks, you could say that maybe it was the Russians or Iranians screwing with us. But when it happens so many times, especially in the same hotel, it is hard for us believe someone can get close enough to our people  Unless these are beams from outer space.

In typical Trump fashion, making accusations and blanket statements will not help keep the tenuous friendship between Cuba and the U.S. alive. However, withdrawing diplomats and their families and instituting the travel ban will at least keep them alive, which is a start.
After the Las Vegas shootings, what is the point of prayer?

In the wake of the Las Vegas shooting, social media feeds have been filled to the brim with 'thoughts and prayers' for the victims and their families, coming from world leaders, religious figures, people of faith, and people following convention.

It feels like we have been here before. We have prayed for London, for Paris, for Marseilles, for Brussels, for Berlin, for Orlando, for everywhere struck by a terrorist attack. But still they continue. So, what's the point?

When we inform the world on social media that we are praying for victims of a terrorist attack, are we simply virtue signalling? Does tweeting a prayer represent time actually spent petitioning God or is it chiefly a way of expressing sympathy while also gesturing towards one's own character as someone engaged and compassionate? Jesus was highly critical of this sort of behaviour. He said: 'And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you' (Matthew 6:5).

A prayer penned on social media for the sake of likes, retweets and admiration is one upon which God seemingly does not look kindly. Like the 'pics or it didn't happen' meme, there may be a risk of believing that a prayer is only meaningful if it is seen and amen'd by other Twitter users.

There does seem to be something of a crowd mentality when it comes to prayers broadcast on social media. For it is not quite true that everywhere affected by terrorism receives the same public outpouring of prayer. A story map of terrorist attacks listening them all by date 1018 in this year alone makes clear that most attacks never enter public consciousness in the West. Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakhistan, Syria  these countries are affected on a near daily basis, but we in Europe and the US remain largely ignorant. It is too chronic, too continuous, to receive media coverage. The places that perhaps most need divine intervention, then, are overlooked when our prayer-life follows the rhythm set by the news cycle.

If tweeted prayers for Las Vegas are more about ego and a sense of belonging for the person praying, it is perhaps unsurprising that activists and victims are demanding action, not prayer.

Nevertheless, prayer remains a valid response to tragedies like the Las Vegas shooting. Here are four reasons why.

First, for the Christian, the distinction between prayer and action is a false dichotomy. The Bible teaches that prayer can help bring about God's will on earth as it is in heaven. Jesus instructed his followers to ask God for things, promising us that they would be given (Matthew 7:7; John 14:13-16). No matter how powerless we feel when faced with situations so deeply entrenched and complex or forces so powerful that we feel they are insurmountable, the promise concerning prayer is that we are never helpless. We are always able to plead with a God whose power is ministered in love.

As theologian Greg Boyd puts it: 'The biblical narrative is significantly woven around God moving in response to prayer. From Cain's plea for leniency (Genesis 4:13-15) to the Israelites' cry for freedom (Exodus 2: 2325; 3: 710; Acts 7:34); from Moses' cry for help at the Red Sea and against the Amalakites (Exodus 14:1516; 17: 814) to Hezekiah's prayer for an extension of life (2 Kings 20: 17); and from Abraham's prayer for a son (Genesis 15:2ff) to the leper's prayer to Jesus for healing (Matthew 8:2-3), the biblical narrative is woven together by examples of God moving in extraordinary ways in response to the prayers of his people.'

It may not feel like our prayers are being answered  Jesus recognised as much in his parables about perseverance in prayer (Luke 11: 5-10; Luke 18: 1-8). But prayer is an act of faith in which we must persist, trusting that God does work for the good in all things, even when from our finite, human perspective, it does not look that way.

Second, prayer is a means of waging spiritual warfare. With many condemning terrorists as 'pure evil', it can be easy to forget what Paul wrote to the Ephesians: 'Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms' (Ephesians 6:12). The Bible is clear that our world is not just composed of the material, but that it is a site of spiritual battle. It follows, then, that our preeminent means of defeating evil is not through material weapons but spiritual power, namely prayer.

Third, prayer also involves listening to God. It should be more like a conversation than leaving an answerphone message. In a time of silence, the Holy Spirit may show us ways in which we can be at least a partial response to our own prayer  through giving money, time or championing a cause more directly, for example  or ways in which we are complicit with the issue we are protesting against. God uses prayer as a means of our own sanctification, even when we are only asking for others to be changed.

Fourth, we are commanded to pray for our enemies. This may feel offensively inclusive, but it is what differentiates prayer from kindly thoughts. Praying for those responsible for terrorism as well as those harmed by it is a reminder of the astounding, undeserved nature of grace and that God longs for the redemption of all people, however far they have strayed. The subversive potential of prayer is that it may change our hearts to, like God's, yearn for those considered irredeemable by worldly standards to be transformed by the love of God.

So yes, it is right to pray in the wake of atrocities like the Las Vegas attack, and to pray for countries which are facing too much ongoing violence to be counted newsworthy. But when it comes to praying via social media, perhaps we need to be more cautious, ensuring that we are seeking to be heard by our Father in heaven, rather than our followers. We can ask for the source of all comfort to draw close to those who need it most, and trust that our prayer will be heard, not because it is retweeted, but because of who God is.
Asia Bibi nominated for Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought

Asia Bibi, a Pakistani Christian woman sentenced to death in 2010 under Pakistan's blasphemy law, has been nominated for the European Parliament's Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought.

The prize is awarded to those who make exceptional contributions to the fight for human rights, or those who bring attention to human rights violations.

Bibi has been on a death row for almost seven years. She has had her appeal to Pakistan's Supreme Court postponed to an undetermined date.

Bibi, her husband and their five children were the only Christians in their village in Punjab, where she was repeatedly urged to convert to Islam. She was convicted and sentenced to hang after an argument with a Muslim woman which began when she told Bibi that she could not drink from the same cup as she was an 'unclean' Christian.

According to Bibi, when the woman derided Christianity, she responded 'I believe in my religion and in Jesus Christ, who died on the cross for the sins of mankind. What did your Prophet Muhammad ever do to save mankind?' This led to her being accused of insulting Muhammad, and her arrest. In 2010, she was found guilty and sentenced to death by hanging.

She became the first Pakistani woman condemned to death for blasphemy.

Peter Van Dalen, a member of the European Conservatives and Reformists Group in the European Parliament, nominated Bibi for the prize.

'Asia Bibi's case is of symbolic importance for others who have endured simply for expressing freedom of religion,' he said.

In her we see the situation of the whole Christian community,' Kaleem Dean, a Pakistani analyst, told Fides news agency. Her case is tragically indicative of the insecurity faced by all minorities when it comes to their fundamental human rights.'

According to Dean, charges of blasphemy are "an instrument of what has become state oppression against minorities. Governors should have the courage and vision to reform the blasphemy law.'

Bibi is among six nominees for the Sakharov Prize. The others nominees are Guatemalan human rights defender Aura Lolita Chavez Ixcaquic; co-chairs of a pro-Kurdish party in Turkey, Selahattin Demirtas and Figen Yuksekdag; the Swedish-Eritrean prisoner of conscience Dawit Isaak; a group of people representing the Venezuelan opposition; and Pierre Claver Mbonimpa, a Burundian human rights defender.

The winner of the prize will be announced on October 26 and the award ceremony will take place at the parliament in Strasbourg in December.
Coptic Christian mother charged with murdering her newborn baby claims she is innocent

Egyptian police have charged a Coptic mother with murdering her newborn baby, though she claims her baby was killed by intruders.

Azza Gamal, 27, told World Watch Monitor that she was home alone with her three children, including baby daughter Mohrael, on the evening of September 7when she opened the door to three masked men wearing galabiyas (full-length gowns) and a woman in a black abya (a robe-like dress) and niqab (a face-veil covering all but the eyes). The took the baby from her, beat her while shouting 'kafirs' (infidels') and fled with the newborn.

Azza's husband, Nour Bakhit Khalil, says he ran home from his sister's when he heard his wife screaming. 'I immediately went to the police station to report the kidnapping of my daughter,' he told World Watch Monitor. 'They asked me to fetch my wife and our ID cards and then to come back to file a report. None of them went back with me to investigate the matter or search for my daughter.'

The news soon came that Mohrael had been found with her throat cut, dumped just 10 metres from their home.

At first, the police seemed supportive. However, four days later, on September 11, the couple's home was raided by police.

According to Nour, his wife was slapped by police officers and arrested. 'They alleged that my wife suffers from psychological problems because of her desire to have a male rather than a female child, as she [already] has two girls. Allegedly she [also] killed Mohrael because I dislike having girls and wanted a boy instead of this girl.'

Nour claims that this could not be further from the truth. 'My wife is a very good woman. She is a religious person who has a strong relationship with God and could not do something like killing her daughter,' he said. 'Azza stayed up every night to take care of her, playing with and nursing her. How then could she kill her?

'As for me, I wasn't angry because my wife had a girl. On the contrary I love the girls and I was very happy when my wife gave birth to Mohrael. Saint Mary was a girl. Boys and girls are gifts from God and none can object [to] this gift.'

While the Gamals say they have no enemies in the village, the priest of their church, Philemon Abdallah Mashreqi, told World Watch Monitor that this is not the first time Coptic Christians there have been targeted.

'They are being targeted and there isn't any protection from the police,' he said.

Copts in the village have experienced burglaries and kidnappings, but claim to receive little support from the police. For instance, a Christian man, Awny Mousa, was kidnapped last month. Acccording to Mashreqi, 'his kidnappers contacted his family demanding ransom for his return. His family then headed to the police station, asking the police to help them, but the police didn't do anything for them and they had to pay the required amount to see the release of Awny'.

'The police's indifference, inaction and complicity gives an opportunity for these criminals to continue with their aggressive acts against us. As long as no legal action is taken, these attacks will not end but increase over time. We see that we have no rights here and that the law does not apply'.
First 'Sailor Moon' permanent store opens in Japan

All things "Sailor Moon" can finally be found in one place. The anime recently celebrated its 25th anniversary. Alongside the celebration, the world's first permanent store for "Sailor Moon" merchandise has opened in Tokyo's popular fashion hub, Harajuku district.

The "Sailor Moon" shop can be found in the Laforet building and sells a myriad of goods ranging from key chains and smartphone cases to coloring books, clothes and accessories.

Speaking to the Japan Times, a spokesperson for Toei Animation Co., the animation company that distributes "Sailor Moon" and also manages the mortar-and-brick store, said that they also have several merchandise lined up to be sold exclusively at the store.

The permanent store will be the first of its kind, though there are other "Sailor Moon" pop-up stores in the area and around Japan.

"'Sailor Moon' received a boost when the animated TV series marked its 20th anniversary in 2012, and new goods have been added to the lineup since then. Because more goods have been released since the 20th anniversary many fans were requesting a permanent store," the spokeswoman added.

Almost 200 people lined up along Meiji Dori Avenue for the store's grand opening. One of the fans waiting outside said she has loved "Sailor Moon" ever since she was young and felt lucky to be standing outside the store. Other fans expressed how having a permanent store is a big deal for them as it was difficult to find "Sailor Moon" merchandise outside of Japan.

"Sailor Moon" is manga series illustrated and written by Naoko Takeuchi. It follows the life of teenager Usagi Tsukino as she transforms into the title character in search of a magical artifact called the Legendary Silver Crystal. It was adapted into anime and produced by Toei Animation. The manga and anime series has garnered positive reviews and has become one of the most popular titles worldwide.
Man who survived Las Vegas shooting says he's a 'firm believer in God now'

One man who managed to escape the Las Vegas mass shooting alive will never be the same again.

Taylor Benge was at the Route 91 country music festival in the city last night when a gunman opened fire on the crowd from a room on the 32nd room of the Mandalay Bay hotel.

At least 58 people were killed and over 500 injured in what is being described as America's deadliest mass shooting.

Benge told CNN news anchor Rick Berman that he and his sister got caught up in the chaos when the gunman started unloading rounds from an automatic gun, sending the crowds scrambling for cover.

He described seeing bodies lying on the ground and confusion as they didn't know where the shooting was coming from or how many shooters there were.

His sister jumped on him to shield him from any bullets but thankfully they all missed the pair and they were able to escape unharmed.

Now the terrifying experience has made him reconsider his beliefs about God as he told Berman he was agnostic up until Sunday night's shooting.

'It's a kind of fight or flight situation ... you've just got to take it to God and hope that you make it,' he said.

'I know I can't speak for everyone, but for me... I was agnostic going into that concert, and I'm a firm believer in God now, 'cause there's no way that... all that happened, and that I made it, and I was blessed enough to still be here alive talking to you today.'
'Real Housewives of Atlanta' season 10 release date news: Eva Marcille joins, Kenya Moore to get the boot?

"The Real Housewives of Atlanta" is coming back for season 10. Along with the usual drama that the reality show will bring, a new housewife will also be added into the mix.

Bravo has confirmed that "America's Next Top Model" Cycle 3 winner Eva Marcille will be joining the 10th season. However, the model will only be a part-time addition to the show.

According to theJasmineBrand, Marcille will be taking home almost $100,000 per episode. Since this seems like a lot of money for a part-time Housewife, some are wondering why isn't a full-time cast member.

BET noted that Marcille's husband, Michael Sterling, is running for mayor of Atlanta. As such, the campaign is his wife's main focus and they are trying not to be distracted by the show.

The producers of "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" are still hoping that Marcille will be a full-time member of the cast in season 11.

Meanwhile, as one Housewife joins the show, another maybe leaving it.

Reports have surfaced that Kenya Moore has quit "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" after she did not join the rest of the cast when they went to Barcelona, Spain.

TamaraTattles revealed that the issue started when the other Housewives banded together and applied some pressure on the producers of the reality show to include Kim Zolciak on their Spanish vacation and asked that Moore be left behind.

Moore, a former Miss USA, butted heads with Zolciak this year. Zolciak, a mother of six, has been claiming that Moore's marriage to Marc Daly is fake.

A production source told Us Weekly that Moore has not been fired nor quit the show. The source added that the last-minute change in the trip's lineup was a move made by the show's network, Bravo, in the hopes of getting Moore's new husband, who is an investment banker.

The source also said that Moore is respecting the wishes of her new husband to not be part of the reality show.

"The Real Housewives of Atlanta" returns to Bravo on Sunday, Nov. 5, 8 p.m. EDT.
Samsung Galaxy S9 specs leak, release date news: Speculated to arrive ahead of schedule

It would appear that Samsung is upping the ante with their next line of mobile devices. Multiple sources have leaked some major details of the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S9, particularly, its specs.

According to The Inquirer, the Galaxy S9 will be featuring a display of 5.8 inches for the S9, and 6.2 inches for the S9 plus, similar to the dimensions of the S8 and S8 Plus. The screen will have a Quad High Definition (QHD) display, and an Android 8.0 O. Like its predecessor, the S9 is also rumored to run on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, so the difference in processing power will not be seeing a significant change.

However, the S9 will be supporting high download speeds by way of LTE, which is estimated to clock at around 1.2 Gigabytes per second. It is notable to mention that Samsung plans to start producing the new phones as early as this year, despite having only released the phones in April of 2017. This means that the S9 could hit stores before April, 2018, and could even be available as early as January.

It would be fair to assume that Samsung gearing towards a big move, given how the events are unfolding so far.

According to Value Walk, Samsung is already working on the codes that correspond to the firmware that is being developed. At this point, this could mean that the S9 is definitely on the brink of being just about ready to be tested. Additionally, Samsung is also looking to improve the Bixby system tremendously, since the Bixby at this point is still no match to Apple's Siri when it comes to responsiveness.

According to Blasting News, the storage of the S9 will not be seeing drastic changes. When it comes to the camera, the S9 will feature a dual rear camera setup with two 18 megapixel capacity sensors, and a 13 megapixel front camera. Overall, the upcoming S9 seems to not have a staggering difference between the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus.
Scottish Anglicans defiant as they face 'consequences' for passing gay marriage: 'Love means love'

Scottish Anglicans remain defiant in their decision to permit same-sex marriage, insisting 'love means love' after the Archbishop of Canterbury confirmed they would face 'consequences' for the move.

The Primus of Scottish Episcopal Church, Mark Strange, said he recognised the vote in June to permit clerics who wanted to conduct gay weddings to do so had caused 'some hurt and anger' among fellow Anglicans around the world.

He accepted the 'consequences'  which Lambeth Palace officials insisted did not amount to sanctions  would restrict the SEC's involvement in the worldwide Anglican Communion.

But in a strong rebuttal to his conservative opponents he added: 'We will continue to play our part in the Anglican Communion we helped to establish, and I will do all I can to rebuild relationships, but that will be done from the position our Church has now reached in accordance with its synodical processes and in the belief that Love means Love.'

Justin Welby said he felt 'very sad' at the decision to enforce the consequences, which was made unanimously and without a vote at a meeting of 34 primates from around the Communion in Canterbury on Tuesday.

'People were disappointed, they were angry,' he said, describing tense discussion earlier on Tuesday. 'But it was more of a family that is having to face the fact something has happened that is causing grief than a club that doesn't like one of its members.'

Clearly frustrated at the ongoing divisions, he insisted the week-long conference would not be dominated by friction over sexuality.

'We are not as fixated as we used to be on this,' he said,

The watered down restrictions imposed on Scottish Anglicans mean they cannot sit on bodies representing the Communion and cannot vote on decisions relating to policy or teaching. However at least one Scottish delegate cannot be removed from his position on a key Anglican body because of British charity law and there are questions over how strictly the same measures were imposed when applied to US Anglicans at the last primates meeting in January 2016.

The 'consequences' are well short of those demanded by conservative leaders in the Communion and there is a question whether traditionalist primates will see them as too weak.

A spokesman for the conservative grouping GAFCON, which largely includes African primates, insisted the Scottish Episcopal Church as well as the US Episcopal Church, which has legalised gay marriage, and the Anglican Church in Canada, which blesses gay relationships, must 'repent'.

Hinting some traditionalist may walk out of the meeting in light of the decision, he told journalist earlier on Tuesday: 'Only repentance can lead to a seat at the table.'
World Anglican leaders pray for US after Las Vegas shooting

Anglican leaders gathered round the head of the American Episcopal Church last night in a show of solidarity for the victims of the Las Vegas shooting.

Michael Curry led prayers in Canterbury Cathedral ahead of talks between the 34 primates gathered from around the worldwide Anglican Communion. The show of unity comes before discussions today will focus on deep divides on sexuality.

In a message ahead of their talks to the Bishop of Nevada, Dan Edwards, the primates said they were 'greatly distressed' after the worst shooting in modern American history struck Las Vegas on Sunday night, killing 59 people and injuring more than 500.

'The scale of the loss of life and the numbers of injured is truly shocking,' they said. 'We are sending our deepest condolences to you and to the people of your diocese  in particular, the people of Las Vegas.

'We are praying for the families and friends of those who have died and for the many people who have been wounded. We remember, too, everyone else caught up in this tragedy  including the emergency services (first responders). We pray that the peace of the Lord Jesus Christ will be with the people of Las Vegas as they endure this trauma.'

You can watch Curry's prayer at the service on Monday evening below:

The Scottish Episcopal Church is expected to face 'consequences' for their decision to permit gay marriage in June but attempts from conservatives to hand out harsher punishments are likely to be resisted.

Instead Mark Strange, the Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church, is thought to face the same consequences Michael Curry's US Episcopal Church faced at the last primates meeting in January 2016. This will mean Scottish delegates will be barred from voting on decision-making relating to teaching or policy and prevented from representing the 80 million-strong Anglican Communion on ecumenical bodies.
World Churches express 'shocked disbelief' at Las Vegas shooting, call for gun control

Churches worldwide have expressed their 'shocked disbelief' at the Las Vegas shooting in which 59 people died and 527 were injured.

In a joint statement, the World Council of Churches and the National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA said they grieve with the families of those who lost their lives in the mass shooting that took place in Nevada.

And they added their voice to those calling for a ban on assault weapons and high capacity magazines.

In the statement, the Church leaders said: 'We pray for those whose lives have been shattered by this senseless act and lift up those who will be recovering years to come.

'We find ourselves again in shocked disbelief that so many people have been killed and injured by a lone gunman with an array of powerful weapons, with 59 people killed and more than 500 injured in Sunday night's attack on a crowd of concert-goers.'

Just fifteen months ago, the Orlando Pulse Nightclub shooting was referred to as 'the worst mass shooting in our nation's history'.

The Church leaders said: 'Today's news of an act that brings an even higher death toll is indeed devastating.'

Jim Winkler, general secretary of the National Council of Churches, said: 'I have been watching the news out of Las Vegas and have been praying for the victims and their families. I cannot imagine why anyone would carry out such an act nor why it would be legal for ordinary citizens to own such lethal weapons. May we unite as a nation to ensure such terrible acts do not take place again.'

Rev Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, general secretary of the World Council of Churches, said: 'We are again shocked and saddened by this latest act of brutal violence. Any violence destroys human lives, but nobody is born to be violent.

'This tragedy calls for empathy and prayers, but also more efforts to build quality of relations of justice and peace, so that we may have life and life in abundance. As churches, we have a shared responsibility to work for a culture of nonviolence in all societies.

'We do not believe the presence of more weapons will prevent future tragedies like this one in Las Vegas and others in Newtown, Orlando, and countless other places, from taking place. We call upon the US Congress to enact common-sense legislation banning assault weapons and high capacity magazines. We recommit ourselves to working for a society in which acts of violence like these are unheard of, and that people can live, work, and enjoy restorative time without fear.'
Its hardly a secret that many teachers take advantage of the allowable sick days that are part of a typical union collective bargaining agreement (CBA). All teachers use sick days legitimately at some point, but many (including yours truly, on occasion) have been known to call in sick when perfectly healthy. My middle school was typical, where teachers invariably got sick much more often on Mondays and Fridays. And some would come down with a bad case of the flu at strategic timeslike the three days before the four-day Thanksgiving weekend, giving them a ten-day vacation with pay.

But now, using data from the U.S. Department of Educations Office for Civil Rights, a Fordham Institute study released in September demonstrates the full extent of the absentee problem. On average, teachers miss about eight school days a year due to sick and personal leave, while the average U.S. worker takes only about three and a half sick days per annum. Worse, the study shows that 28.3 percent of teachers in traditional public schools are chronically absentdefined as missing more than 10 days of school per year because of illness or personal reasons. In charter schoolsmost of which are not unionizedthe corresponding rate is just 10.3 percent. But even within the charter sector, the study reveals a glaring disparity: teachers in unionized charters are almost twice as likely to be chronically absent as their colleagues in non-unionized charters17.9 percent to 9.1 percent.

More important, the studys author, David Griffith, suggests a direct link between teacher attendance and student achievement. He writes, There are roughly 100,000 public schools in the United States, with over 3 million public school teachers and at least 50 million students. So every year, at least 800,000 teachers in the U.S. are chronically absent, meaning they miss about 9 million days of school between them, resulting in roughly 1 billion instances in which a kid comes to class to find that his or her time is, more often than not, being wasted.

Of course, when the regular teacher calls in sick, the schools arrange for a substitute. Some subs are excellent, but theyre in high demand, and the chances are slim that one of them will get assigned to your childs classroom. All too often, a sub cant be found or doesnt show up. If they do make it to the classroom, they often cant control the class, or they have their own agenda for the day.

This study is yet another in a growing list that shows CBAs are harmful to students. In 2015, researchers Michael Lovenheim and Alexander Willen found that laws requiring school districts to engage in the collective bargaining process with teachers unions lead students to be less successful in life. In 2009, Stanford researcher Caroline Hoxby detailed in practical terms how CBAs stifle flexibility in determining the best slot for a teacher at a given school and deny the opportunity to get rid of underperformersrigidity being the hallmark of labor contracts. In 2007, Stanford researcher Terry Moe found that CBAs appear to have a strongly negative impact in larger school districts, but seem to have no effect in smaller ones, except possibly for African-American studentswhich is important indeed if true.

Some observers have disputed the impact that CBAs have on chronic teacher absences. National Council on Teacher Quality president Kate Walsh claims that school culture explains the disparity. She points to discrepancies in teacher-absence rates between cities. For example, more than 30 percent of traditional public school teachers miss more than 10 days in unionized Chicago, while in San Francisco, also unionized, only 10 percent hit that mark. Walsh claims, The difference is theres a cultural expectation you show up. School culture may have the power to trump CBAs, but the much more common phenomenon is that CBAs set the culture of the schools.

Not surprisingly, union leaders are damning the report and its origins. Doug Pratt, spokesman for the Michigan Education Association, questions the findings because of Fordhams support of charter schools, reminding us to Consider the source. Mark Jewell, president of the N.C. Association of Educators suggests that Fordham is a biased organization that is driven by an anti-student agenda with anti-public education funders. American Federation of Teachers president Randi Weingarten groused, The reality is that charter schools need better (teacher) leave policies, not worse ones, a fact ignored by Fordham. She then pooh-poohed the data, suggesting that the study should have examined the root causes of absenteeism. Teachers, most of whom are women, face unique stressors, including caring for families and working beyond the school day, she said, though she did not address the fact that women who teach in charters seem to manage their unique stressors considerably better than their counterparts in traditional public schools.

When kids are absent too much, their parents can expect a knock on the door from a truant officer, or, as they are now euphemistically called, Pupil Services and Attendance Counselors. The government worker will try to find out why the child is not in school. But when teachers have excessive absences, parents and kids cant go knocking on their door. Teachers still receive full pay and benefits for the days that they miss. Unlike parents and children, teachers have a CBA to fall back on.

Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images
Cancer Research UK has announced that its chief executive, Sir Harpal Kumar, is planning to step down from the charity in the spring of 2018, after more than 10 years in the role.

In a statement made yesterday, CRUK confirmed that Kumar has made the decision to step down from the charity after more than a decade in the top role. Kumar, who has worked for the charity for more than 15 years in total, was awarded a knighthood in the 2016 New Years Honours for his work with the charity.

Kumar joined CRUK in 2004 as its chief operating officer, and was appointed as chief executive in April 2007. Prior to working at CRUK, Kumar was the chief executive of Cancer Research Technology Limited and also chief executive of disability charity The Papworth Trust.

In his time as chief executive of CRUK, Kumar has seen the organisation's total annual income grow by more than 200m, and helped oversee the charity's major contribution to the Francis Crick Institute. Kumar also led the Independent NHS Cancer Taskforce for England during his tenure at the charity.

According to CRUK, Kumar has agreed to stay on until the spring to help ensure a smooth transfer to his successor. Sir Leszek Borysiewicz, chair of CRUK, said the search for Kumars replacement has already begun.

I would like to thank Harpal for his tremendous contribution to the charity over the last 15 years. Cancer Research UK is a truly remarkable organisation and even more so because of Harpal's inspirational leadership," he said.

I am delighted that Harpal has agreed to stay on until the spring and we have commenced a search for his replacement. We anticipate being able to make an appointment to coincide with Harpal's departure and plan for a smooth transfer.

Kumar said: My passion and excitement for Cancer Research UKs work is as high as it has ever been. But I have always believed that organisations benefit from refreshed leadership every so often and Cancer Research UK is no exception. Our progress is accelerating, and patients and the public are realising the benefit of our work in ever greater numbers.

I am deeply grateful to every volunteer, scientist, member of staff and supporter for the outstanding contributions they have made since Ive been chief executive. I look forward to using my remaining time with the organisation to continue to advance our critically important mission.
NCVOs director of public policy and volunteering has questioned the value of a government initiative to make it easier for young people to volunteer full time.

Karl Wilding was speaking at a panel discussion about full-time social action organised by the Centre for Social Justice, when he said that there were still some big questions to be answered by advocates of full-time volunteering and suggested government resource might be better used elsewhere.

Volunteering is absolutely integral to British society - 14 million people volunteer for clubs, societies, charities or public sector bodies, he said.

But he said the evidence is that the way people choose to volunteer is shifting from longer hours to shorter, more episodic and disjointed bits of time.

So is this going against the grain? he asked.

Could hinder social mobility

Wilding said he was concerned that the full-time volunteering opportunities would only be available to those with the resource to volunteer for six months to a year, which might be making social mobility worse.

He added that by supporting, or encouraging, more full-time volunteers charities could open ourselves up to the charge that they are exploiting volunteers.

Government could be doing other things

Wilding also stressed that there are currently only 1,000 full-time volunteers and suggesting that there were other things the government could usefully do to make it easier to volunteer.

The Office for Civil Society has appointed a panel to carry out a review of full-time social action and is expected to report back to the minister for civil society by the end of the year.

But Wilding asked whether the time might be spent doing something about the other barriers.

He suggested the government should make it easier for people claiming job seeker's allowance to be able to volunteer.

We have also got to talk just as much about the demand for volunteers, Wilding added, giving the example that some NHS trusts were still reluctant to involve more volunteers.

He also highlighted that there are already a lot of volunteering schemes and said it is questionable whether it has to be full time.

For this review to work I think we need to answer those questions, he said.

Voluntary sector lacks imagination

In response James Probert, director of impact & design at City Year UK, which has been piloting full-time volunteering programmes and campaigning for a new legal status for full-time volunteers, said that the reason there were so few at the moment was because it is really difficult to volunteer full-time in the UK.

He highlighted that other developed countries, such as Germany, France and the United States already offer it as a wider offer for young people and that they preferred the term service and that there is demand from people who have completed National Citizen Service, a four-week programme, for something longer.

He also said that there was evidence that it adds extra capacity in the voluntary sector.

We dont have a legal status - that is a real issue, he said. As it means young people are classed as NEET (not in education employment or training) if they volunteer and are also not eligible for national insurance contributions.

The constraints make it very difficult, he said.

He said the review was a once in a lifetime opportunity and was concerned about a lack of imagination in the non-profit sector.

Atika Sundus, who had taken part in the City Year programme, was also on the panel and said that by being classified as NEET she felt it discredits what she was doing.

She also said that by being full-time in a school she was able to build a strong relationship with young people because she wasnt just dipping in and out.
Journalism is years behind other professions in how it deals with trauma. So this week, coinciding with Mental Illness Awareness Week, CJR is publishing a series of stories from members of the journalism community whove dealt with mental health, illness, or treatment. We asked each journalist the same two questions: 1) What has been the toll of the profession on your mental health, and how do you manage it? and 2) How can the industry work to better address the stigma still surrounding mental illness within the journalism community?

The second dispatch, from freelance journalist Philip Eil, is below. Its been edited for length and clarity. Eil has contributed to the Providence Phoenix, the Atlantic, Salon, Vice, and CJR, among other outlets. This August, Eil wrote about how being a journalist is terrible for your mental health. Well be publishing more firsthand accounts throughout the week. Special thanks to our friends at BuzzFeed who inspired this series.

On his personal experiences:

The effect this work (journalism) has had on my mental health has been significant. There are so many different things Ive dealt with which in hindsight I now see as significant mental health moments, from working for 18 months non-stop at an alt-weekly (the Providence Phoenix) as an editor and staff writer and then watching the paper close, to as a freelancer having two prolonged battles with clients who didnt pay me promptly, which was enormously distressing and upsetting, to a years-long FOIA stonewalling situation that turned into ongoing litigation which involved suing the federal government, to simply being on Twitter every day absorbing what can feel like an endless flow of bad news and upsetting and depressing information.

RELATED: Mac McClelland on the stigma surrounding mental health

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It isnt just a one-way street: Journalism has been one of the greatest gifts for my mental health I could ever imagine. It is the ultimate privilege and joy and thrill to be able to practice this profession, which is intellectually stimulating and exciting and emotionally gratifying and feels like the thing I was put on the planet to do.

Some of the experts Ive talked to who studied PTSD, and Im paraphrasing, basically said a key factor for resilience when it comes to PTSD, and perhaps other mental health stressors, is sense of purpose in what youre doing. I have an enormous sense of purpose in what Im doing, and I think journalists in general do. The experts I interviewed for my mental health piece basically said that as a group, journalists are actually a resilient bunch, but they are up against difficult circumstances a lot of the time, and that can outweigh that resilience.

On fighting the stigma in journalism:

One is simply talking about it, and I cant really stress that enough. When I wrote my piece, I was totally overwhelmed and delighted by the response it got. Im certainly not the only journalist who has wrestled with mental health problems. I didnt feel like there were many people talking about it. The other thing I would say is we are not machines. We journalists, editors, photographers, videographers, whoever we are, we deal with intense, disturbing material, depending on [our] beat, on a regular basis. It is only natural that these things would have an effect on us, and its important between journalists and with ourselves to be truthful about that, and to think about what that means, and how we continue to do this work that so many of us love but in a way that remains healthy, or at least sustainable. That means having a conversation with yourself, but also if youre an editor and manager, being aware that the people you are working with are not machines. Theyre human beings, and they may be affected by what theyre covering. So checking in with them, being sympathetic to issues when they arise, making it seem like this is not a taboo.

I think everyone has a responsibility to do their own part to make this not stigmatized. We as journalists can be that colleague who asks a friend, when they know theyre working on a difficult story or having a difficult time generally, Hows it going? Is there anything I can do to help? Every journalist is strapped for time, and organizations are strapped for money. Its incredibly quick and costs nothing to simply ask someone how theyre holding up. The value it could have for the recipient of that question is immeasurable.

CJRs health care reporting is sponsored in part by a grant from the Commonwealth Fund.

TRENDING: The secret cost of pivoting to video

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Meg Dalton is a freelance journalist and audio producer based in Connecticut. She's reported and edited for CJR, PBS NewsHour, Energy News Network, Architectural Digest, MediaShift, Hearst Connecticut newspapers, and more. Follow her on Twitter: @megdalts. Find her on Twitter @megdalts.
The horror played out in an all-too-familiar pattern across news outlets. Cell phone video of people screaming and scrambling for safety, early reports identifying the shooter and a possible accomplice, somber voices of terrorism experts and law enforcement veterans. On Sunday evening, a country music festival in Las Vegas became the site of the deadliest mass shooting in modern American history, at least for now.

Just over a day after a man opened fire from his elevated perch on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, investigators are still trying to determine a motive. What is known is that 59 people are dead and more than 500 are injured. Police recovered 23 guns in the shooters hotel room and 19 more at his house in Mesquite, Nevada.

The front page of tomorrow's @washingtonpost, another front page dominated by horror, terror and death in America pic.twitter.com/VaD6H3thLO  Mark Berman (@markberman) October 3, 2017

In the hours after this uniquely American tragedy, gun control conversations start immediately. Reuterss Jeff Mason used the second question of the White House press briefing to ask Sarah Sanders whether this shooting had led President Trump to consider pursuing tighter gun laws. Reporters and television anchors referenced the issue throughout the days coverage. I wish I could tell you this is the last time Im ever going to report to you about the deadliest mass shooting in modern American history, Jake Tapper said on CNN. But I cannot tell you that. Writing in The New York Times, Democratic Congressman Steve Israel asked and answered, in the wake of the Las Vegas shooting, Will anything change? The simple answer is no.

ICYMI: The story behind a photo no one in the mainstream media wanted to publish

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While one thread of coverage centered on guns, another focused on the gunman. Early reports identified him as a 64-year-old Las Vegas resident, and the phrase lone wolf quickly appeared in stories. As Poynters Indira Lakshmanan notes, that fits a pattern. The unspoken implication is that if a white, non-Muslim person mows down innocent victims and terrorizes a community, it was a disturbed loner in a freak incident, she writes. Race also played into word choices describing the attack as the worst mass shooting in US history. Voxs German Lopez explains how that distinction overlooks race-based violence in the past.

As journalists scrambled to report out details of the shooting, identify the gunman, and tell the victims stories, fake news and conspiracy theories muddied the waters. At points yesterday, both Google and Facebook surfaced erroneous, conspiracy-driven stories among their top results on the shooting. BuzzFeeds Charlie Warzel writes that big tech platforms are still botching breaking news.

The stories of lives lost or forever altered will continue to be told. The search for a motive will go on. Judging coverage less than 36 hours after a horrendous attack is uncomfortable. But journalists and newsrooms should learn from the lessons of Las Vegas because, if one thing is sadly certain, its that this sort of thing will happen again. Below, more on the coverage of and reaction to Sundays events.

Other notable stories

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Pete Vernon is a former CJR staff writer. Follow him on Twitter @ByPeteVernon.
With cheaper and more accessible technology, the production of 3D content will soon become commonplace in newsrooms around the world. Immersive content will change how journalists tell stories, and how people consume news. A new study suggests that virtual reality offers an opportunity to engage readers more fully, but with costs.

Some colleagues and I at the Associated Press set out to measure the effects of immersive storytelling on the brain. In addition to interviewing over 50 experts in virtual reality journalism, the research team collaborated with neuroscientists at Multimer, an MIT Media Lab spinoff, to analyze overall levels of attention and relaxation. The study looks at biological feedback from motion-capture suits, EEG brainwave sensors, and heart-rate monitors to gather concrete evidence of how the brain and body react to VR journalism. You can read the full report here.

By connecting VR users to bio-sensors, the AP determined that engagement levels are at their highest when people consume fully immersive experiences in room-scale VR. This refers to a virtual environment in which people walk through scenes and touch 3D objects, as opposed to passively consuming multimedia content on devices without the ability to interact.

As with other nascent technologies, there are significant hurdles: cost, training, and profitability. Not only does immersive media require specialized editorial training for the journalists, it is also more demanding for sources, more challenging to distribute, and potentially emotionally taxing for consumers.

Emerging technologies can now produce vibrant 3D models that give us an even greater sense of visual richness. A technology called volumetric capture is enabling journalists to create stories where participants are able to touch objects and interact with others. We experience the world with our whole bodies, so why shouldnt we experience stories with our whole bodies? asks Nonny De La Pena, founder of Emblematic Group, an immersive journalism studio in Santa Monica, California.

Our research suggests that individuals had increased levels of open-mindednessbeing attracted to a topic, but not alarmedduring room-scale VR experiences, when compared to cardboards and regular VR headsets, which do not allow for movement or digital touch. High engagement was also driven by better image quality in a room-scale experience and the ability to freely move around the virtual space.

Audiences will be able to choose different story pathsa choose your own adventure version of journalism.

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When you include more interactivity by impacting someones senses as well as giving them six degrees of freedom [forward/backward, up/down, left/right], it means theres a stronger reaction, a stronger commitment, and ultimately a stronger memory of the experience, says Gabo Arora, documentary filmmaker and founder of the United Nationss VR unit.

More user immersion can also mean less editorial control. As the technology powering 3D models gets more advanced, journalists will be able to develop multiple storylines in a single environment. Audiences will no longer be guided in a linear progression, but will be able to choose different story paths as they freely explore the virtual spacea choose your own adventure version of journalism.

For example, a VR rendition of a protest on raising the minimum wage could allow a participant to choose to follow those marching in favor, or decide to stand with those against reform.

Like other interactive media, VR allows for non-linear exploration and peripheral engagement with news stories. Design permitting, people can explore the parts of a news story they find the most interesting, as well as jump between subject perspectives at different points in time, says Jonathan Albright, research director at the Tow Center at Columbia Journalism School.

This also means that news organizations relinquish a degree of control over the narrative. In traditional storytelling, journalists can steer the camera, decide where to focus, and even suggest where the audience should direct its attention. In virtual reality, participants can choose where to look when, and which questions they want answered, by inspecting the virtual environment at their own pace and from multiple perspectives.

With higher engagement, VR can also be used to elicit specific emotions. Data from the AP study suggests that war zone reporting in VR drives participant stimulation, while science and environment stories build open-mindedness. Metrics associated with power and intensityrelated to the lasting impact of the experiencewere also highest for stories about war and conflict when compared to other news types.

Journalists who want to use VR have significant challenges ahead, including understanding the psychological effect stories have on news consumers. But these concerns are familiar territory for journalism. As Shaza Nessa, global head of visuals at The Wall Street Journal, says, A great story told well is a great story, no matter what the format. With VR, lots of perennial questions have reemerged, as they do with all new frontiers  around journalism ethics and standards, newsroom workflows, technology, skills, and user adoption.

Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today

Francesco Marconi and Taylor Nakagawa are the authors of this article. Francesco Marconi is the manager of strategic planning and development at the Associated Press and an innovation fellow at the Tow Center for Digital Journalism at Columbia University. Taylor Nakagawa is an immersive media fellow at the Associated Press, a masters candidate at the Missouri School of Journalism, and a recipient of the Scripps Howard Foundation Scholarship.
Houston officials said Saturday that theyre already thinking about how to build and fund projects that will lessen the blow of the next storm, even as the nations fourth-largest city continues to recover from Harveys devastating floodwaters.

Leaders with the U.S. Conference of Mayors gathered in Houston to meet with Mayor Sylvester Turner. They discussed how Houston is working to rebuild and what other communities can learn from its experience.

Turner has said his top two priorities in Houstons recovery are removing the 8 million cubic yards of debris that Harvey left behind and finding permanent housing for the hundreds of Houston-area residents who remain in shelters. Harvey made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane on Aug. 25 and dumped more than 50 inches of rain in some areas around the city after weakening to a tropical storm.

But Turner said Saturday that trying to move forward with various flood mitigation projects  such as widening some of the areas bayous and building detention basins  will also be part of the recovery efforts.

 People are wanting to know, Do we rebuild where we are? Are things going to be different? he said. One thing we know is there will be another storm.

New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu, the president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, said officials reviewed building codes following his citys massive flooding in 2005 during Hurricane Katrina. The U.S. Conference of Mayors is a nonpartisan organization of cities with populations of 30,000 or more that works on developing national urban policies.

Every one of these storms should force anybody whos been a victim of them to rethink where they are, where they live and how they respond to natural disasters that continue to come and come with more frequency, Landrieu said. If you spend money on the front end on mitigation projects, youll save a lot of money and potential loss of life on the back end.

In the Southeast Texas city of Beaumont, about 2,000 homes were flooded. But the citys mayor, Becky Ames, said that figure would have likely been much higher if not for a $65 million drainage project that runs through the center of town. The project was one of several the city built after Hurricane Ike in 2008.

All of those homes through that whole area would have flooded without a doubt before we did that project. I think that helped immensely, Ames told The Associated Press in an interview on Thursday.

Landrieu said Houston continues to have New Orleans undying gratitude for helping shelter thousands of the Louisiana citys residents who evacuated after Katrina.

I just want the people of Houston to know, as hard as it is, its going to be OK. There is a pathway out of it, Landrieu said.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
A Coast Guard report released Sunday says the primary cause of the 2015 sinking of the cargo ship El Faro, which killed all 33 aboard, was the captain underestimating the strength of a hurricane and overestimating the ships strength.

The report said Capt. Michael Davidson should have changed the El Faros route between Jacksonville, Florida, and San Juan, Puerto Rico, to avoid Hurricane Joaquins 150 mph (240 kph) winds and when the 790-foot (240-meter) vessel got stuck he should have taken more aggressive measures to save it.

Speaking at a news conference in Jacksonville, Florida, Capt. Jason Neubauer also said the Coast Guard would have sought to revoke Davidsons license if he had survived.

Davidson was ultimately responsible for the vessel, the crew and its safe navigation, said Neubauer, who chaired the investigation.

He said Davidson misjudged the path of Hurricane Joaquin and overestimated the vessels heavy weather survivability while also failing to take adequate precautions to monitor and prepare for heavy weather. During critical periods of navigation  he failed to understand the severity of the situation, even when the watch standards warned him the hurricane was intensifying.

The report also says the ships owner, TOTE Maritime Inc., had not replaced a safety officer, spreading out those duties among other managers, and had violated regulations regarding crew rest periods and working hours. The Coast Guard said it will seek civil actions against TOTE but no criminal penalties as there was no criminal intent.

TOTE Maritime released a statement Sunday saying the report is another piece of this sacred obligation that everyone who works upon the sea must study and embrace. The report details industry practices which need change.

The El Faro went down on Oct. 1, 2015, sinking in 15,000 feet (4,570 meters) of water to the sea floor near the Bahamas. No bodies were ever recovered. It was the worst maritime disaster for a U.S.-flagged vessel since 1983.

Voice recordings recovered from the ship show an increasingly panicked and stressed crew fighting to save the ship after it lost propulsion as they battled wind, shifting cargo and waves.

Davidson ordered the ship abandoned shortly before it sank but its open air lifeboats likely would have provided insufficient protection, the Coast Guard said. The agency said it would recommend that all ships now be equipped with modern enclosed lifeboats.

El Faro was one of two ships owned by TOTE Maritime Inc. that navigated in constant rotation on shipping runs between Jacksonville, Florida, and San Juan, Puerto Rico. It brought everything from milk to Mercedes Benzes to the island.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Architect Kobi Karp has a vision for affordable housing in the Florida Keys: residences set at coconut-tree height to keep them dry, atop concrete columns holding them in place.

Key West clients sought out his designs before Hurricane Irma struck the island chain this month, and he thinks the two projects will continue despite Irmas damage and debris. Its a more cost-efficient way of life, the Miami-based architect said.

Such modern, planned development hasnt always appealed to the independent spirits living in the Keys  but Irma may force the laid-back landscape to change.

A handwritten sign of encouragement to the Florida Keys community sits on the side of Overseas Highway in Marathon, Florida after Hurricane Irma. Sunday, September 17, 2017. PHOTO BY J.T. BLATTY / FEMA

Mobile homes and recreational vehicles didnt survive the storms 130 mph winds and storm surge. The losses hit people crucial to Keys tourism: service industry and blue collar workers priced out of expensive Key West homes or newer structures meeting Floridas stringent building codes.

Local officials are racing to find those workers housing to keep them in the Keys but still free up hotel rooms by Oct. 20, the opening day of the decadent Fantasy Fest and one of the biggest events on the Key West tourism calendar.

The housing crunch affects all sectors of the community: About 50 city employees may need to relocate, Key West city spokeswoman Alyson Crean said. Keys firefighters who lost everything have moved into fire stations or the homes of friends and relatives. On Duval Street, bar and tour company owners said some shell-shocked employees just quit because of the damage.

When housing is eliminated, as it was in this storm, theres literally no place for these people to move to. Theres no suburbs, theres no driving for an hour and a half to find someplace to live. Thats just not possible here, said Ed Swift, president of Key West-based Historic Tours of America, where at least a handful of employees have decided not to rebuild their lives here.

The Keys dont function like other places: Theres only one narrow road in and out, and the isolation fosters a small-town, mom-and-pop atmosphere that has persevered amid booming numbers of tourists seeking Mardi Gras-style revelry and luxury accommodations.

As Key West rents rose over the last 20 years to $2,000 a month or more for two-bedroom units, Swift and other business owners started building housing, including dormitory-style accommodations, to keep local employees. Low-cost trailers and RVs helped fill housing gaps, but theres already talk about replacing them altogether.

That worries people like U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., who sounded wistful on the Senate floor last week about a paradise potentially lost.

This storm threatens to fundamentally alter the character of Monroe County if we do not help the Florida Keys, because those trailer parks are on valuable land, and the owners of that land are going to be tempted to build on them  not mobile homes again, but build on them structures designed for visitors or people that can pay more money, Rubio said. That means youre going to lose your housing stock, but it ultimately means youre going to lose the character of the place.

Irma destroyed or severely damaged up to 15,000 residential units, including vacation homes  amounting to more than a quarter of the 55,000 total homes in the Keys, according to Monroe County estimates.

That also includes nearly all the 7,500 mobile homes outside Key West, said Christine Hurley, assistant county administrator.

The county has asked the Federal Emergency Management Agency for 7,500 temporary mobile homes, as well as at least 1,700 travel trailers to park outside individual homes being repaired or rebuilt. It could be months before those units reach everyone who needs them, because of low inventory after Hurricane Harvey in Texas and other disasters, county and FEMA officials say.

About two dozen families have been approved so far for temporary trailers from vendors, FEMA Federal Coordinating Officer Willie Nunn said in a county statement released Monday.

Local officials also have asked FEMA to allow vacation homes typically listed on home-sharing websites to be used as temporary housing, Hurley said. Federal officials also are exploring ways to repair or improve existing multi-family homes for temporary housing.

The county also is asking mobile home park owners to allow FEMA to set up temporary housing on their properties, once cleared of debris and reconnected to power and water lines. Those mobiles homes would eventually need permanent replacements. It would be safer to build houses or apartment buildings, but that would change the lifestyle that appeals to many Keys residents, Hurley said.

Nine of Hurleys employees were made homeless by Irma, but even those who faced significant financial challenges before the hurricane are making their way home, she said.

I havent heard yet of people that dont want to come back, she said.

At Sunshine Key RV Resort and Marina on Big Pine Key, Richard Lessig said he wouldnt mind new neighbors, even in government-issued trailers. He currently doesnt have any, not since Irma flipped or crushed all the other trailers in the park.

Lessigs own trailer home isnt quite level, its air conditioning runs off a rumbling generator, and there was still no running water last week.

Hes gotten by in the Keys for nine months each year with his benefits and whatever money he makes in seasonal jobs as a boat captain and a magician for childrens birthday parties. He applied for disaster aid, wondering if he would have to spend more time living with his sister in New Jersey than in the Keys. He worried some friends wont return for the potluck lunches and happy hours that made the park a vibrant community.

Hopefully most of them will come back, but Im sure theres some that wont, Lessig said. I figured, worst case, Id have to borrow money and buy another trailer, because this is where I want to be.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Rock falls that killed a British tourist and injured two other people in Yosemite National Park arent stopping climbers intent on scaling the sheer walls of El Capitan and a park geologist says theres no more danger than usual.

If we felt any area was unsafe we wouldnt be allowing people in there, Greg Stock said Friday. He and a U.S. Geological Service geologist were studying El Capitan after immense slabs of granite  one about the size of a 36-story building  successively broke loose from the formation and plunged down in huge, flinty clouds that swept through the valley floor.

The park typically sees about 80 rock falls each year.

Stock said its impossible to predict when and where a rock fall will strike and detecting shifts in rocks could be a sign that one will break loose days or maybe years later.

The elite climbers who flock to the park using ropes and their fingertips to defy death as they scale sheer cliff faces know the risk but also know its rare to get hit and killed by the rocks.

Its a lot like a lightning strike, said Alex Honnold, who made history June 3 for being the first to climb El Capitan alone and without ropes. Sometimes geology just happens.

Hayden Jamieson, 24, of Mammoth Lakes, California, prepared Friday to head up El Capitan early Saturday.

Its kind of an inherently dangerous sport but Jamieson said he felt more at risk of being struck by a car on the street than from a falling slab of granite in the wilderness.

The slide of a building-sized slab of granite on Wednesday killed Andrew Foster, 32, of Wales, who was hiking with his wife, Lucy, at the bottom of El Capitan. She was seriously injured and remained hospitalized.

A British newspaper is reporting that Foster died while trying to shield his wife. The Times says Lucy Foster told her husbands aunt that he jumped to cover her as tons of rock came cascading down.

Gillian Stephens, in an interview with the Times published Saturday, says Lucy Foster told her: Andrew saved my life. He dived on top of me as soon as he could see what was going to happen. He saved my life.

The massive slab of granite that fell Thursday was larger than Wednesdays. It weighed 30,500 tons (27,669 metric tonnes), geologists estimate.

That fall injured Jim Evans, who was driving out of the national park when rubble broke through the sunroof of his SUV, hitting the resident of Naples, Florida, in the head, said his wife.

(Associated Press writers Olga R. Rodriguez and Juliet Williams in San Francisco contributed to this story.)

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Passing a tax cut should be easy with a Republican Congress.

After all, lower taxes are one of the pillars of the GOP faith, one of the few core principles holding the fractious party together. And the tax cut President Trump just unveiled, in his words, is giant, beautiful, massive  the biggest ever in our country. Whats not to like?

Plenty, it turns out. Trumps tax proposal is already running into trouble  largely because hes making the same mistakes as in his long, failed effort to repeal President Obamas health-care law.

Once again, our promoter-president has oversold his product. On health care, Trump promised better health insurance at a far lower cost; when he couldnt deliver, public support for GOP bills evaporated. Now Trump is selling a tax plan he said would boost the middle class, not the wealthy  and thats turning out to be mostly snake oil too.

My plan is for the working people, the president said. Theres very little benefit for people of wealth. Including, emphatically, himself: I dont benefit. I dont benefit.

If you complain about winter to anyone not living in SoCal, youre sure to be met with eye rolls and the worlds tiniest violin. But youre among friends here, so well share a little secret.

Except he does. Trump and his family would benefit in at least four ways from his plan. The top tax rate on any regular income they earned would drop from 39.6 percent to 35 percent. The top rate on the profits of the Trump Organization, their family firm, would drop to an even lower 25 percent. They no longer would have to worry about the Alternative Minimum Tax, which cost Trump $31 million in 2005. And the presidents heirs no longer would face the estate tax, which could have cost them as much as $1.1 billion, according to the New York Times.

Other billionaires would benefit from those provisions too, and other breaks as well. So much for the wealthy getting very little.

For middle-class taxpayers, the impact has been harder to figure out because the details havent been settled yet. For most, it appears, there would be a tax cut somewhere between modest and negligible.

Not everybody would win. Tax experts said upper middle-class families with lots of itemized deductions could easily see their taxes increase.

Changes in the tax law almost inevitably create losers as well as winners, of course. But Trump and his aides have spent months pretending the inevitable wont happen.

And just as in the fight over health care, the potential losers instantly formed lobbying groups to argue that they are being unfairly targeted.

It didnt take long to find the most obvious losers: taxpayers in high-tax states like California, New York, New Jersey and Illinois, who would lose the deduction for state and local taxes. All those states went for Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election, making them easy targets for the Trump administration. But it turns out high-tax states have Republican members in Congress too  many of them from affluent districts where people pay, and deduct, income and property tax bills.

Im going to fight this out, promised Rep. Tom MacArthur, a New Jersey Republican. Its not fair to give the entire country a tax break on the backs of citizens of these six or seven states.

Others including Reps. Peter King of New York and Peter Roskam of Illinois promised to push back too. (No public objections so far from California Republicans, several of whom face tough races but want fundraising help from party leaders.)

On Friday, Gary Cohn, the White Houses chief economic adviser, said the administration would consider negotiating. State and local taxes are not a red line, he told Bloomberg television.

But if the administration retreats, that could open a new problem. Eliminating the deduction for state and local taxes was intended to pay for the proposals big tax cuts, so they didnt simply add to the federal deficit. Until now, the self-proclaimed deficit hawks in the House Freedom Caucus have supported the tax plan, even though it could add as much as $2 trillion to the deficit over the next 10 years. Its not clear whether they will accept even more red ink.

Just as in the case of health care, Republican leaders decided to try to pass this legislation through the process known as budget reconciliation  meaning they would need only 50 votes in the Senate instead of the usual 60. Instead of trying to negotiate a bipartisan bill through House and Senate committees, they chose, once again, to move forward with only GOP votes.

As a result, any determined opposition within their own party  from blue staters or the Freedom Caucus in the House, or any three Republicans in the Senate  can block the bill from moving forward. Furious, dramatic negotiations lie ahead.

Some kind of tax cut still appears likely to pass, for the simple reason that many Republicans believe their political survival depends on it.

Its the difference between succeeding as a party and failing, Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina said last week. Its the difference between having a majority in 2018 or losing it. Its the difference between one term and two.

But wait. Didnt he say that during the health care fight, too?
The Wisconsin State Senate Scholar Program is accepting applications from high school students aged 16 to 18.

The Senate Scholar Program is a week-long educational program offered by the Wisconsin State Senate that provides high school students with a hands-on, up-close view of the Legislatures role in our democracy. Senate Scholars gain experience in such diverse areas as policy development, constituent relations, and processing legislation by working with senators, legislative staff and University of Wisconsin faculty.

In recent years, the Coulee Region has had students participate, and state Sen. Jennifer Shilling, D-La Crosse, is encouraging local students, schools, and teachers to learn more about this valuable program, which includes students from all 33 state senate districts.

Students in classrooms across our state today will go on to be the leaders of the future, Shilling said. Encouraging students and young adults to learn more about our government and get involved at an early age has always been a goal of mine. This program is a great way for students to see how our government functions and gain valuable hands-on experience. I would encourage anyone who is interested in this program to call or go online to learn more.

Information about this program can be found online at senatescholar.com or by calling 608-261-0533. All applications for the 2018 Senate Scholar program are due by Nov. 22. Students can apply at any time and have their application considered for future programs if they arent immediately accepted.
Affluent savers may soon lose a big chunk of a strategy that allows them to pass on large individual retirement account balances to their children and grandchildren. The change is part of proposed legislation called the Retirement Enhancement and Savings Act of 2016, which easily passed the Senate Finance Committee in September. The rule change still has to pass the Senate and the House, and then be signed by the president. Nevertheless, if it becomes law, the bill would require balances in most inherited IRAs and 401(k) plans to be distributed within five years of a saver's death. One factor behind the bill's appeal is that it will generate an estimated $3.18 billion in revenue from 2017 to 2026. Currently, heirs who inherit these accounts can take distributions over the course of their own lifetimes, meaning the balances can grow tax-deferred or even tax-free, in many cases, for decades.

watch now

There is a provision in the bill that allows beneficiaries to exclude up to $450,000 from the five-year rule, meaning that amounts in excess of that threshold would be subject to the quicker payout  and possible taxes on the distributions.

The proposed legislation pokes a big hole in these so-called "stretch IRA" strategies. "With a stretch IRA, you give a young beneficiary the gift of long-term tax deferral," said Jeffrey Levine, chief retirement strategist at Ed Slott and Co. in Rockville Centre, New York.



Different this time

This isn't the first time the stretch IRA has been on the endangered list. Last year, President Barack Obama proposed a similar measure in his 2016 budget. The change didn't happen. Tax experts are a little more uncertain this time, with a Republican Congress and Donald Trump in the White House next year. "I think Republicans have been more apt to leave the stretch IRA rules in place, but this could be used as a bargaining chip [in budget discussions]," said Levine.

For instance, in late 2015, Congress passed its Bipartisan Budget Act  along with sweeping changes to Social Security that largely did away with "file and suspend" and "restricted application" strategies. The overhaul to the government's retirement income program was tacked onto the budget bill at the last minute and was subject to little debate. That can very well happen again. "I could see something similar happening here, where it isn't a priority item on the agenda for the legislature and the president-elect," said Levine. "But if it's a bargaining chip, it might sweeten the pot a little for the other side." A five-year payout of inherited IRA balances could also help fill the federal coffers if "it's used as a revenue tool," said Stephen Bigge, partner with Keebler & Associates in Green Bay, Wisconsin. "If they want to drop tax rates under the new Congress and president, they have to find some way to fund it," he said. "By cutting the stretch and making it a five-year payout, you accelerate tax revenues." Don't despair if you lose access to your stretch IRA, though. There are alternatives.

Wealth transfer tips

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If you'd like to pass a large IRA to a nonspouse beneficiary, consider setting up a testamentary charitable remainder trust. At your death, your IRA will pass to this irrevocable trust. In turn, the trust will distribute income to a beneficiary either over a stated period of time or for that person's life. Your favorite charity will receive whatever is left over, but this amount must be equal to at least 10 percent of the initial market value of the assets. If you do this, be sure to name the trust as the beneficiary of your IRA, said Bigge. A charitable remainder trust isn't cheap to set up: It can cost $2,000 to $3,000, depending on the attorneys doing the work. The trust will also need to file a special tax form every year and is subject to compliance rules. Depending on the complexity, that can run an additional $750 to $2,000 a year, said Bigge. "You would think the tax savings supersedes the cost, otherwise you wouldn't do it," he said.

With a stretch IRA, you give a young beneficiary the gift of long-term tax deferral. Jeffrey Levine Chief retirement strategist, Ed Slott and Co.

Another option is to purchase life insurance with the IRA money. In this case, you would be buying permanent life insurance  which doesn't expire after a stated period  and committing more of your premium dollars toward the death benefit for your heirs, rather than building cash value, said Levine. In this case, rather than making a large upfront purchase of coverage, you're making incremental premium payments. The good news is that your beneficiaries would receive the death benefit payout free of federal income taxes. The bad news is that you may not be insurable when you adopt this strategy. You could very well be in your 70s, and coverage may be hard or very expensive to purchase.

Finally, there's the Roth IRA. The owner can do small conversions from a traditional IRA to a Roth, particularly if he or she is in a lower bracket and can absorb the immediate income tax hit on the converted dollars. Even if the beneficiary is subject to the proposed five-year rule, the income coming out will be tax-free, said Bigge. Be aware that you can only take tax-free and penalty-free distributions if five years have passed from the time when you made your first contribution to the Roth IRA. If you die before the five-year period is up, your beneficiaries can take, tax-free, any conversions or contributions you made to the Roth IRA up to that point, excluding any distributions you had taken during life. However, if your beneficiaries withdraw earnings before the five-year period is up, then they are taxable, said Levine.
In this handout provided by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), SpaceXs Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft lift off from Launch Complex 40 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station for their eighth official Commercial Resupply (CRS) mission on April 8, 2016 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. NASA | Getty Images

Whatever you think of life on Earth in 2016, it was a year of milestones for space. Space travel companies made technical leaps, NASA reached Jupiter, and great discoveries were made. There were also high-profile failures and sad moments, as great scientists and astronauts left Earth forever.

Here are a few of the highlights:

Gravitational waves detected...twice!

A black hole in the milky way. Universal History Archive | UIG | Getty Images

On Feb. 11, scientists announced they had detected gravitational waves rippling through space. Gravitational waves are echoes from the collision of two black holes billions of years ago. The discovery confirmed the existence of the phenomena articulated by Albert Einstein about 100 years earlier. Four months later, that same group of scientists detected the waves again. "Gravitational waves are a different kind of information, and it is a kind of information we have never had before, these two detections," Dave Reitze, a professor of physics at the University of Florida, and the executive director of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory, told CNBC in June. "This is a new kind of astronomy, this is a new frontier for high-energy astrophysics," he said. "It will let us look at these events in ways that nobody else can look at them."

Return from longest stay on the ISS

Russian cosmonauts Mikhail Kornienko, left, Sergey Volkov of Roscosmos, center, and Expedition 46 Commander Scott Kelly of NASA, rest in Bill Ingalls | NASA | Getty Images

American astronaut Scott Kelly and Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko returned from the One-Year Mission March 2, ending the longest stay on the International Space Station. The mission was designed to study the long-term effects of human habitation in space. Already, being in weightlessness for so long lengthened Kelly's body by 2 inches. Kelly's twin brother, Mark, who is also an astronaut, served as a control subject on Earth. The two are so close genetically, it will be easier for scientists to determine which changes to Scott's body may be the result of his time at the ISS.

SpaceX nails landing of a Falcon 9 on a drone ship

SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket stands after making its first successful upright landing on the 'Of Course I Still Love You' droneship on April 8, 2016 some 200 miles off shore in the Atlantic Ocean after launching from Cape Canaveral, Florida. NASA | Getty Images

After several failed attempts, SpaceX accomplished a major feat April 8: landing one of its reusable Falcon 9 rockets on a drone ship in the water. It was the first time the company landed a rocket on water, and the second time it landed one at all. SpaceX's four previous attempts to land on water had failed. SpaceX has built its business strategy, in part, around cleverly cutting costs. Perhaps the best example of this is its plan to reuse rockets, which could save millions of dollars per launch  though that requires landing them first. SpaceX already has plans to relaunch the rocket it landed.

A new kind of space habitat hooked onto ISS

Inflated BEAM module (balloon structure at top center) berthed to the Tranquility node of ISS. NASA

The successful water landing was not the only major accomplishment of SpaceX's April launch. It also ferried the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM) to the International Space Station, taking the concept of low-cost prefab housing to outer space. The BEAM represents a new approach to quickly building lightweight, easily transportable habitats and structures off planet. If successful, these structures could rapidly accelerate human space travel. BEAM foregoes the use of rigid (and often heavy) building materials for a collapsible manufactured structure that is expanded once in place. This saves a tremendous amount of weight and space in cargo holds. Once in place, the BEAM can be used either as a living or working area, and can be outfitted with whatever equipment astronauts need. Single pods can be strung together to make larger structures. The BEAM is currently undergoing testing at the International Space Station.

NASA's Juno mission reaches Jupiter

(From L) Geoff Yoder, acting administrator for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Diane Brown, NASA Juno program executive, Scott Bolton, Juno principal investigator, Juno Project manager Rick Nybakken, Guy Beutelschies,and Lockheed Martin director of space exploration, celebrate at a press conference after the Juno spacecraft was successfully placed into Jupiter's orbit, at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California on July 4, 2016. Robyn Beck | AFP | Getty Images

After five years of flying through space, NASA's unmanned Juno spacecraft in July finally reached its destination: Jupiter. Launched in 2011, Juno is the second craft launched as part of NASA's New Frontiers program. The mission's purpose, according to NASA, is to peer into Jupiter's atmosphere to measure water levels, temperature, and the movement of atmospheric clouds. It is also measuring the planet's massive magnetic field. "Juno is very special because it is one of those rare missions where it is entirely focused on looking inside Jupiter," Curt Niebur, lead program scientist for New Frontiers, told CNBC in July. Being covered with and largely composed of gaseous elements, Jupiter does not have the kind of same kind of rocky surface a planet like Mars or Earth has.

"With the instruments and techniques we are using, we can unzip the planet and really peer inside it and understand what its deepest internal structure is," Niebur said.

SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket explodes on launchpad

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SpaceX watched a Falcon rocket carrying a multimillion-dollar satellite go up in flames during a pre-launch test at Cape Canaveral, Fla., just days before it was set to launch at the beginning of September. The company spent the next two months attempting to tease out the cause of the fire, at one point investigating the possibility of sabotage. The rocket was supposed to carry a satellite commissioned by Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg's initiative to bring wireless internet to Africa. In an interview with CNBC, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said figuring out the cause of the explosion was "the toughest problem we have ever had to solve." "It was a really surprising problem," Musk said. "It's never been encountered before in the history of rocketry."

Musk said the explosion's cause "basically involves a combination of liquid helium, advanced carbon fiber composites, and solid oxygen, oxygen so cold it actually enters solid phase." SpaceX had to delay launches scheduled for the end of the year, but recently has been gearing up for another launch.

Elon Musk announces plan to colonize Mars

Elon Musk Brendan Hoffman | Bloomberg | Getty Images

Undaunted by the loss of the rocket, SpaceX's Musk took the stage at the International Astronautical Congress in Guadalajara, Mexico, on Sept. 27, to lay out the technical and financial details of how he plans to put human settlements on the Red Planet. The long-term goal is turning the human race into a "multi-planetary species," enabling humans to evade catastrophes on Earth. During his remarks, Musk said a crewed mission to Mars could happen in 10 years "if things go super well," and said funding the mission is the primary reason he is accumulating wealth.

ExoMars mission loses Schiaparelli lander

Mars as seen by the webcam on ESAs Mars Express orbiter on 16 October 2016, as another mission, ExoMars, is about to reach the Red Planet.

The European Space Agency lost its Schiaparelli lander Oct. 19, during its ExoMars mission to the Red Planet. But the Mars Express orbiter that deployed it will still be able to execute the major pieces of the mission's goals. The Schiaparelli probe was part of a larger mission to determine whether there could be life on Mars. Despite the setback, the Mars Express continues to orbit the planet, collecting data and delivering some stunning images.

Pioneering astronaut John Glenn dies

US astronaut and senator John Glenn waves as he leaves the Operations and Check out building at the Kennedy Space Center, FL, 29 October in route to board the US space shuttle Discovery. Roberto Schmidt | AFP | Getty Images

The first American astronaut to orbit the earth, John Glenn died at age 95 on Dec. 8. Glenn, a former Marine, had been hospitalized just before his death. The icon was most famous for flying around the earth in the the Friendship 7 space capsule back in 1962. The accomplishment allowed the United States to match Russia's accomplishment, in one of the earliest events in the ongoing "Space Race" between the Soviets and the United States. Glenn was later elected to the United States Senate, serving from 1974 until 1998. But he was perhaps always best known as an astronaut. While still serving in Senate, Glenn became a crew member of the Discovery space shuttle in 1998, making him the oldest person to fly in space.

Dark matter researcher Vera Rubin dies

World famous astronomer Vera Rubin, 82, in her office at Carnegie Institution of Washington in Washington, DC on January 14, 2010. Linda Davidson | The Washington Post | Getty Images
When a stock hits the new-high list, it is either because it is part of a bull market, it announced fantastic earnings or the sector has tremendous sales momentum.

These are stocks that hit a new high in trading for the day, especially on days when the market is in bad shape. If a stock hits a new high on a down day, then obviously it has something good going for it.

One of the easiest ways for the " Mad Money " host to identify the stocks that should be on his radar is to look at the new-high list.

You only buy stocks that have pulled back from the new-high list if you are confident they will make a comeback for substantive reasons not having to do with the market.

However, that doesn't mean Cramer recommends chasing after every stock on the new-high list. That would just be completely ridiculous.

The list is merely meant to serve as a jumping off point for stocks to start watching. Homework is still key to ensure that the fundamentals of the company are strong.



One thing to keep in mind is that there is often more continuity in the market than change. That means once the stock is purchased, things will pretty much keep going the way they were until a major shift happens.

Cramer likes to wait for a pullback before pulling the trigger to buy a stock. The key is to buy on weakness and sell into strength. He recommended waiting until a high-quality stock falls at least 5 percent, as that will give you a solid entry point.

"You only buy stocks that have pulled back from the new-high list if you are confident they will make a comeback for substantive reasons not having to do with the market," Cramer said.

The most important tip is to make sure you understand why a stock has pulled back. Make sure there isn't a really good reason why everyone is selling the stock and driving the price down, otherwise the stock could turn out to be a disaster.



Cramer looks at the fundamentals to tell the difference between a troubled stock that is momentarily damaged and a troubled company headed down the tubes. As long as the fundamentals of the company haven't changed, it is likely that it just pulled back for mechanical reasons.

"Some of my best picks have come out of this process, and hopefully some of yours can, too," Cramer said.
A former dishwasher at New York's iconic Carnegie Deli has made a $10 million bid to save the famous restaurant and become its owner. Sammy Musovic, whose first job after emigrating from what was then Yugoslavia three decades ago was washing dishes for $3 an hour at the deli, is offering $10 million to be its new owner and keep it open, Page Six reports.

Carnegie Deli is world-famous for its towering pastrami sandwiches, which have attracted celebrity customers since a young Woody Allen found solace in them. The September announcement of the deli's closing by current owner Marian Harper Levine saddened many, especially Musovic.

Since immigrating to the U.S., Musovic went from washing dishes at the Carnegie Deli to owning multiple Manhattan restaurants: Sojourn, Vero and Selena Rosa.

Musovic initially offered $5 million to buy the deli, which the Levine family rejected. Now he is doubling the offer to $10 million, according to reports. But the current owner, in a statement, says the deli is simply not for sale. "Marian Harper first and foremost wishes to thank all of the loyal patrons, the media, and even many first time customers who came in today, for the amazing send off for Carnegie Deli's original location on 7th Avenue," the statement reads. "Carnegie Deli is not for sale." "They are not considering any publicity inspired offers to buy the Carnegie Deli on 7th Avenue," it continues.

"Marian intends on keeping her father's legacy alive with the quality control through the family owned and operated meat processing plant and bakery in NJ that supplies the other Carnegie Deli locations in PA, Las Vegas, MSG and the US Open, as well as the sale of products direct to the customer and online."
European bourses finished the day on a slightly higher note on the last trading day of 2016 after opening in the red. Britain's FTSE 100 , which closed early for the New Year weekend, ended 2016 at a record high of 7142.83, registering a gain of more than 14 percent in 2016.

The German DAX rose 0.3 percent to close at 11,481.06 in a shortened trading day. For the year, the benchmark is up almost 7 percent. Wall Street was little changed at the start of the final trading day. The pan-European Euro Stoxx 600 closed 0.26 percent higher. Banking stocks were up by 0.44 percent. Data showed earlier on Friday an increase in corporate lending in the euro zone. Healthcare stocks were also among the worst performers. Johnson and Johnson is reportedly considering breaking up the Swiss technological firm Actelion if it acquires the company. Actelion shares were down by more more than 1 percent. Oil and gas stocks were slightly down as the starting date for the implementation of the lastest OPEC deal nears. However, oil prices are on track for their greatest yearly percentage gain since 2009. Both WTI and Brent were trading above $53 a barrel on Friday.

Spain reported an increase of 1.4 percent in consumer harmonised prices in December. These had gone up by only 0.5 percent in November, Reuters reported. Italy said Friday that producer prices dropped 0.1 percent month-on-month in November - a 0.3 percent fall compared to a year ago.


The Food and Drug Administration on Friday announced it is extending the feedback period for comments about use of the word "healthy" on food packaging.

The move gives the food industry and consumer groups more time to weigh in on whether the government should redefine the meaning of "healthy" on food labels.

But it also gives the incoming Trump administration more time to review the issue, and could ultimately lead to reforms in the way the government comes up with food and labeling guidelines.



Use of the term "healthy" to make certain nutrient claims has become controversial over the years, prompting the FDA to issue warnings to certain manufacturers.

Back in September, the FDA indicated it wanted to receive comments from the public by Jan. 26; it has now has extended that date to April 26.

"They are collecting endless comments," said Marion Nestle, a New York University professor specializing in nutrition, food studies and public health. "What this does is move all of this to the new administration, and who knows what they will do about these things."



The delay in the comment period comes as President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to reduce business regulations. In September, Trump made a speech lashing out at the cost of regulations; one area his campaign has targeted is the FDA.



"Mr. Trump is on record saying that the FDA is 'food police' and he doesn't like that," said NYU's Nestle. "Everything that the FDA is doing is up for grabs."

The FDA is part of the Department of Health and Human Services. Trump's choice for HHS secretary is Rep. Tom Price of Georgia, a six-term GOP lawmaker and a physician. In 2009, Price voted against a bill that would have expanded the FDA's authority to regulate food products.



In a statement Friday, the FDA told CNBC the agency "extended the comment period on the use of the term 'healthy' in the labeling of food products to April 26, 2017, in response to requests for additional time to submit comments. The FDA also intends to hold a public meeting to facilitate further dialogue on this topic."



Earlier this year, the Grocery Manufacturers Association  a trade group representing the large food and beverage brands as well as major grocers  asked the FDA to review the nutrition content claims and health claims regulations.



The FDA's current "guidance" to industry manufacturers is that foods can make the "healthy" claim if they "have a fat profile makeup of predominantly mono and polyunsaturated fats" or "contain at least 10 percent" of daily recommended potassium or vitamin D.



In the past, the FDA has issued warnings when it felt these guidelines were not being followed. One such company that received a "warning letter" in March 2015 was Kind, a New York-based snack company known for its fruit and nut bars.



Kind fought the agency's claims that it had wrongly made nutrient content claims. The FDA ended up reversing its position, and Kind issued a press release in May touting how it can once gain use "healthy" on its labels. Kind didn't return requests for comment at deadline.

While the FDA considers how to redefine the term "healthy," "food manufacturers can continue to use the term...on foods that meet the current regulatory definition," the agency's website states.
It seems clothes and haircuts aren't the only things that go out of style. The year was filled with food trends that will start to simmer come 2017, including rainbow bagels, quinoa and sushi burritos. But don't worry  there are some interesting food trends to keep you occupied in 2017. Here are six foods you'll likely be eating next year.

1. Poke

The yellowfin ahi tuna poke, with cucumber, snap peas, poke sauce, sesame, scallions, and wonton at the Blue Island Oyster Bar a new seafood addition to Denver restaurants on Thursday, November 12, 2015. Cyrus McCrimmon | The Denver Post | Getty Images

This Hawaiian specialty has cruised to the mainland and is quickly spreading across the U.S. Traditional poke, pronounced "po-kay," is cubed, fresh raw seafood (usually tuna or octopus) mixed with soy sauce, green onions and sesame oil and served over rice. "You will start to see more around the poke trend," Darren Tristano, president of Technomic, told CNBC, explaining that the specialty food will migrate from fine dining restaurants to niche restaurants and onto menus across the country. The National Restaurant Association named poke a hot trend for 2017 after surveying almost 1,300 professional chefs to determine menu trends for the coming year. Authentic ethnic cuisine and sustainable seafood were also among the top 20 anticipated food trends, according to the survey. So, expect to see more variations of traditional poke appearing in restaurants across the country.

"Menu trends today are beginning to shift from ingredient-based items to concept-based ideas, mirroring how consumers tend to adapt their activities to their overall lifestyle philosophies, such as environmental sustainability and nutrition," Hudson Riehle, senior vice president of research for the National Restaurant Association, said in a statement.



2. Pizza

Blaze Pizza employees making customized pizza for customers at the Build Your Own Pizza counter at Blaze Pizza. Vince Talotta | Toronto Star | Getty Images

There's nothing cheesy about the pizza sector's success in 2016. Both delivery and fast casual chains have seen massive sales growth that is expected to continue next year. Domino's saw revenue grow 16.9 percent in the third quarter versus the prior year, due in part to strong same-store sales growth. The company said domestic same-store sales rose 13 percent in the latest period, marking the 22nd consecutive quarter of positive U.S. growth.

On the other end of the spectrum, fast casual pizza "has been growing pretty rapidly," Mark Kalinowski, managing director of U.S. restaurant industry research for Nomura Instinet, told CNBC. Technomic's Tristano notes that Blaze Pizza and MOD Pizza are two chains to look out for in 2017. "In the United States pizza is the second-largest restaurant category," Scott Svenson, co-founder of MOD Pizza company, recently told CNBC. "And there is a lot of saturation, but we are doing it in a completely new way."



3. Chicken

Wendy's Grilled Chicken Sandwich Source: Wendy's

A lot of the new items on restaurant menus will have something in common in 2017: chicken. The top 250 restaurant chains added some 325 new chicken items during the 12 months ended June 30, according to research from Technomic. For comparison, only 73 new beef items were added in the same period.

Chicken's popularity is expected to grow in the New Year, reflecting consumer cravings for healthier, high-protein meat  not to mention a decade of high beef prices, which made chicken more appetizing for companies' bottom lines. And since chicken can be healthy or indulgent, it can please a wide spectrum of diners, Kalinowski said. Expect Chick-fil-A to continue its reign in the fast food sector as chains like Burger King jockey for position behind it. On the fast causal side, PDQ and Raising Cane's are restaurants to watch for menu innovations.

4. Value meals

Workers of McDonald's fast food restaurant. Peter Kovalev | TASS | Getty Images

The value wars will continue into 2017, as this year's popular "4 for $4" meals and "2 for $5" deals become more prevalent, Tristano said. A highly saturated market has contributed to low prices, as restaurants compete for share. Many consumers have been opting to eat at home, as prices at the grocery store remain depressed. Tristano cautioned, however, that prices eventually have to rise, so customers should expect to pay a bit more if they want to find quality meals.

5. Organic, antibiotic-free and hormone-free food

Organic produce is seen for sale, November 28, 2016 at a Ralph's Supermarket in Irvine, California. ' Robyn Beck | AFP | Getty Images

It's likely that Panera Bread won't be the only restaurant chain to adopt new practices for the welfare of its livestock raised for meat production. The chain, which has been ahead of the curve on transparency about its products, reported earlier this month that it will adhere to standards set forth by the Global Animal Partnership's Broiler Chicken Standard. The standard requires no cages or crates of crowding be used on farms, which is aimed at improving the living environment of the animals. Also, no physical alterations can be made to the bird, including beak trimming, de-spurring or toe trimming.

Organic, antibiotic-free and hormone-free foods "are subsets of a broader trend," Kalinowski said. "Consumers are educating themselves about what's going in their bodies and what's going into children's bodies." Restaurants like McDonald's, Starbucks and Subway, among others, have begun to make changes to how they source their meat, eggs and other ingredients. This trend will continue into 2017.

6. Cold-brew coffee

Coffee director at the Coffee Bar on S St. NW demonstrates the process for cold-brew coffee concentrate for a photograph on Thursday September 01, 2016 in Washington, DC. Matt McClain | The Washington Post | Getty Images
President Barack Obama took an important step when he imposed sanctions on those who he believes were involved in alleged Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election, former U.S. Ambassador to Russia Thomas Pickering told CNBC on Friday.



Pickering also believes Russian President Vladimir Putin is not to be trusted.

"[Obama] did what he had to do in order to send the signal and hopefully deter more fooling around, if you could call it that way, in cyberattacks or cybermisuse to influence U.S. elections and perhaps other elements of U.S. internal politics," he said in an interview with "Closing Bell."

"I would expect that the president-elect one way or another ought to be concerned about that."
Oil pump oil rig energy industrial machine for petroleum. Getty Images

The OPEC and non-OPEC landmark deal to cut production by 1.8 million barrels a day in 2017 enters into force this Sunday. The first month of implementation will be key to understand whether everyone will respect the deal, but according to analysts full compliance is very unlikely. January will be "the first big test," Alex Dryden, global market strategist at JP Morgan, told CNBC over the phone. Dryden doesn't expect 100 percent compliance among OPEC members, but a broad compliance of about 80 percent. Furthermore, risks related with non-OPEC members, shale gas production, and a stronger dollar could compromise the success of the deal even further.

Participants attend the opening session of the 15th International Energy Forum in Algiers on September 27, 2016. Ryad Kramidi | AFP | Getty Images

In late November, OPEC members pledged to cut production by 1.2 million barrels per day  for the first time in eight years. In early December, some non-OPEC countries, such as Russia, joined their efforts and promised to cut output by 600,000 barrels per day. Their aim is to lift oil prices. "OPEC production cuts will help alleviate the current oversupply, allowing recent price gains to be sustained, and possibly providing momentum for even higher prices," Thomas Watters, global ratings credit analyst at Standard and Poor's, said last week in a note. "But, as higher prices kick in, shale production would likely quickly ramp up, effectively capping oil prices above $60," he added. So far, Venezuela, an OPEC-member, has already confirmed that it will cut production by 95 000 barrels a day as of January 1. Given its economic struggles, implementing the deal is in its interest. But according to Dryden from JP Morgan, the U.S. dollar is likely to strengthen in 2017 which could force countries, like Venezuela to keep production at present levels. "A stronger dollar puts pressure (on financial balance sheets for some countries, like Venezuela)," Dryden said. A stronger dollar means that some countries will be more indebted and thus forced to produce more oil to offset the impact on their balance sheets.

Russia seen as a question mark

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Timing is everything. And President Obama has made a timing mistake that threatens to damage his legacy for many years to come.

This has already been the busiest and most tumultuous transition period in modern American history. Donald Trump has been uncharacteristically active for a President-elect, making deals with individual companies to keep jobs in the U.S., making several highly controversial cabinet choices, and continuing to tweet and speak out with brash regularity.

Of course, President Obama has been uncharacteristically active for an outgoing president too. He's breaking records for the sheer number of pardons and commuted sentences he's ordered, especially for Americans still imprisoned for non-violent drug crimes. He's moving to block oil and other energy exploration in a massive swath of U.S. lands and waters. And now, the White House is announcing new sanctions and booting many Russian diplomats out of the country to retaliate against Moscow's alleged interference in the presidential election. Russia has already promised to respond with measures of its own.

This could get ugly, but each of the above actions are political positives for President Obama. They're all popular with most of the American public. As an added bonus for the Obama team and his fellow Democrats, the Russia story weakens Trump. That was clear even in the case of the usually unfiltered and sharp spoken President-elect Trump.

When asked Wednesday night about the Russian hacking and the impending Obama administration retaliation, Trump uncharacteristically couldn't say anything definitive and he almost mumbled limp responses like, "America should move on," and "Computers have complicated lives." Huh?

But here's the problem for President Obama: None of the above is going to really matter. Because none of these political point-scoring moves will stir up as much media attention, controversy, and brew such new animosity against President Obama and his administration as his decision to punish Israel at the United Nations when it allowed the Security Council to adopt a resolution condemning Israeli settlements. In short, President Obama is blowing a chance to go out of office on a popularity high.
President Barack Obama's decision to expel 35 Russian diplomats and impose new sanctions on Moscow was necessary, given President-elect Donald Trump's "dismissive" comments about hacking reports, a former U.S. ambassador to Russia said Friday.

"I think most importantly what the Obama administration did yesterday was to assign direct attribution with overwhelming evidence with who interfered in our election process," Michael McFaul said on CNBC's "Squawk Box."

Obama announced the sanctions on Thursday, citing Russia's alleged involvement in hacking political groups in the 2016 presidential election. In a statement, Trump said, "It's time for our country to move on to bigger and better things."

"I thought it was necessary," McFaul said, referring to Obama's actions. "Especially given that the next president, President-elect Trump, has been so dismissive of the intelligence."

Trump did say Thursday he plans to meet with intelligence leaders next week for an update in the situation.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday ruled out expelling anyone in retaliation for now to see what Trump does after he takes office on Jan. 20.

McFaul, who served as U.S. ambassador to Russia from 2012 to 2014, said Putin's response was unusual.



"Usually in one of these instances, there's a tit-for-tat response," he said. "And even Foreign Minister [Sergey] Lavrov already had put together the names of diplomats to expel. But obviously President Putin has decided he's going to wait and deal with the next guy."

Olga Oliker, senior adviser and director of the Russia and Eurasia Program at CSIS, said a "tit-for-tat" response is usually how major governments behave in such situations. She said Obama's decision makes it clear how the U.S. will respond to future allegations of election hacking.



"The new executive order provides a good bit of leeway there," Oliker said on "Squawk Box."

McFaul said Washington's action are not enough, and that more should be done about the alleged hacking.



"I still have 100 different questions about what happened and how the Obama administration responded to the intelligence that they received in real time during the election," McFaul said. "We can't just think of this as a bump in the road and move on."

One key challenge the Trump administration will face in 2017 is making the nation's systems more secure from cyber attacks, Former Assistant Attorney General John Carlin told CNBC on Friday.



"I think as we move towards this new approach of figuring out who did it, making it public and imposing consequences that we have to get faster at it," he said.

"What we're seeing is not just governments being target and not just companies  large, small, medium sized  by crooks, terrorist and spies, but we're seeing everyday users. Just because it happens through cyber enabled means doesn't mean you get away with a free pass," he said.
Donald Trump threw more praise to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday, a day after the Obama administration announced sanctions on people and organizations it believes were involved in suspected Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election.

The president-elect applauded Putin for holding off on retaliating to the U.S. actions, which included sanctions on nine entities and individuals and the expulsion of 35 Russian diplomats. Trump, breaking with many members of his Republican party, has so far downplayed the White House's actions and bipartisan concerns about possible Russian meddling, seeing them as attempts to delegitimize his election.

In a tweet, Trump called it a "great move" for Putin to wait before retaliating, adding that "I always knew he was very smart!" Giving it more exposure, he also pinned the tweet to his account, meaning more recent tweets will not appear above it as they normally would.

Trump tweet: Great move on delay (by V. Putin) - I always knew he was very smart!



On Friday, Putin called the measures "provocative" and "aimed at further weakening the Russia-U.S. relationship." But he said Russia would not expel any U.S. diplomats in response, after Russia's foreign minister earlier indicated that Moscow could. The move was interpreted as waiting to see if Trump will adopt a more conciliatory approach when he takes office next month.

The White House's actions were seen as putting Trump in a difficult spot, as top congressional Republicans called the sanctions "overdue" and more hawkish GOP senators said they would seek tougher measures against Russia. Trump's lauding of Putin comes after a statement Thursday night in which he said "it's time for our country to move on to bigger and better things" than concerns about Russia. He also said he will talk to the intelligence community next week about the "facts" that led to the sanctions.

Trump has received bipartisan criticism for appearing too warm with Putin. Trump has not yet said if he will keep Obama's sanctions, seek harsher actions or even roll back other existing measures.

In a statement Thursday, President Barack Obama said that "actions intended to interfere with the U.S. election process ... could only have been directed by the highest levels of the Russian government." U.S. officials told NBC News earlier this month that they believe with a "high level" of confidence that Putin became personally involved in the suspected electoral meddling.

Trump's tweet Friday took a decidedly different tone from responses House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell gave to the sanctions Thursday. Ryan said in a statement that Russia has "consistently sought to undermine" America's interests and called Obama's actions "overdue."

McConnell, meanwhile, said that "the Russians are not our friends" and called the sanctions "a good initial step." He urged an "overwhelming response" to cyberattacks against the U.S.

Sen. John McCain, a hawk on policy toward Russia, has set a hearing on foreign cyberattacks against the U.S. for next week.

Trump's quote about Putin was also distributed more widely Friday on his Instagram account.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's relationship with its traditional ally, the U.S., took a rocky turn earlier this month following the passing of a UN Resolution which demanded an end to Israel's settlement building on Palestinian territory.

The U.S. abstained from its vote at the UN Security Council rather than vetoing the motion, and in the furore that followed Secretary of State John Kerry criticized Netanyahu's coalition as "the most right-wing in Israeli history."

But, while 14 out of the 15 UN Security Council members voted in favor of the resolution on December 23, Netanyahu's position may not be as isolated as it initially seemed.

Though Britain voted for the resolution, a spokesman for U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May said in a statement Thursday afternoon that, "we do not believe that it is appropriate to attack the composition of the democratically-elected government of an ally."

He added that, "the (U.K.) Government believes that negotiations (between Israelis and Palestinians) will only succeed when they are conducted between the two parties, supported by the international community." The spokesman also said that peace would not be established "by focusing on only one issue, in this case the construction of settlements," considering that the conflict was "so deeply complex."
The question that politicians should be discussing now is what kind of education is needed to stay ahead of automation, or more likely, to complement technology. Previous changes in the nature of work all required massive policy shifts in education. Universal high school started at the beginning of the 19th Century in the move from the farm to the factory. The move from the factory to the office in the 1960s and 1970s required education after high school and began the universal college movement. But higher education attainment in the U.S. has essentially leveled off during the past few decades. Even as more students have attempted college, not all are finishing. What's needed from the major presidential candidates is not just promises of making college more affordable, but a menu of policies that better align higher education with the workforce of the 21st Century.

A strategy to fill 'middle-skills jobs'

First, a strategy is needed to fill so-called "middle-skills jobs." These are positions that in previous generations would have been filled by high-school graduates, but today require more than a high-school diploma but less than a four-year degree. They include jobs in advanced manufacturing, health care, and information technology. Nearly half of the American workforce has these jobs today, but many of them are filled by aging Baby Boomers who soon will be retiring. It's expected that as many as 25 million new job openings in the next decade will be for middle-skills jobs. In a 2014 survey, Accenture found that 69 percent of human-resources executives said that middle-skill talent shortages "regularly affect their performance."

Unfortunately, too many high-school students who could take these jobs are discouraged from pursuing apprenticeships or community college degrees. Instead, parents and counselors encourage them to follow the well-plotted and well-trod course to a four-year college. But only about half of students who start at a four-year institution finish with a bachelor's degree. There are 12.5 million adults who leave college short of a degree, according to the National Student Clearinghouse.



Education for fifth job, not just first Another key reform to make higher education relevant for the 21st century workforce is to ensure that colleges and universities are not just training students, but educating them. Many colleges are chasing the latest and hottest career fields by creating new majors and programs narrowly tailored to get students a job right out of college. But in doing so, they are often paring back the liberal arts that supply students with the problem-solving abilities and communication skills critical to the workforce of the future.

Instead, our entire education system from primary school through college seems so focused on teaching skills that will be automated in the future. The jobs that are growing the most are those that require high social skills as well as analytical skills, according to David Deming, an associate professor of education and economics at Harvard University.

When high-school and college were first deemed necessary to succeed in the American economy, a one-size-fits-all approach to preparing for the workforce seemed adequate. But today, in a global, information economy, we need an education system with multiple pathways and approaches to ensure employment opportunities for workers at all skill levels and with varied backgrounds.
Some experts say there could be a temporary jump of 20 percent or more in the national average at some point in the spring when driving season picks up. Demand is softer in the winter months, but prices could get a bit higher through January and February.

Prices should be up in the new year, in large part because of higher oil prices but also because of the growing export market for U.S.-refined gasoline. Last week, the U.S. exported a record 1.1 million barrels a day, most likely to Mexico and South America.

After a year of relatively cheap driving, gasoline prices are creeping higher and consumers could even see a price spike by mid-2017.

Gasoline has already begun its climb. After holding below $2.30 per gallon of unleaded for 200 straight days, the national average for gasoline crossed that level Thursday. It was at $2.31 per gallon Friday, according to AAA. Gasoline futures, meanwhile, have risen in 9 of the last 11 sessions.

"There will be a spike and everyone will be talking about it and it will probably be between Easter and Memorial Day," said Tom Kloza, global head of energy analysis at Oil Price Information Service.

That spike could take the price at the pump temporarily to a national average of $2.75 to $2.85 per gallon, he said. Gasoline prices averaged about $2.12 per gallon this year, and the 2017 national average could range between $2.399 and $2.519 for unleaded, Kloza said.

Gas prices were about $2.40 in 2015, but higher for several years before that with the average $3.34 in 2014. There were some super low prices in the U.S. in 2016, with some drivers paying around $1.60 per gallon, but there were also price spikes, including in the Southeast when the Colonial pipe line was temporarily shut down.



"It's going to be front-end loaded. We're going to see a spike and then we'll see prices ease from that spike," Kloza said of 2017 pump prices. Some places, like Connecticut, California and Pennsylvania could temporarily see prices over $3 per gallon.

"That forecast depends on no hurricane and no border tax. The border tax is a new wild card that I just don't think is going to get passed," he said. The border tax is a congressional proposal to tax goods and services coming into the U.S. but not tax exports. The refining industry is opposed to it as it could be applied to oil imports.

"Part of the national average is being driven higher by the New Jersey gas tax and other taxes that will kick in starting New Year's," said John Kilduff of Again Capital. He said a handful of states are raising taxes on gasoline, including Pennsylvania and Michigan.

Kilduff said he sees gasoline prices trending higher just because of the rise in crude prices, up 45 percent in 2016 and 20 percent just since the election. The most recent runup is credited to a production deal between OPEC and non-OPEC producers, like Russia.

Whether gasoline will spike, however, is not clear, he said. "It has the potential, given all the exports," said Kilduff. "That's been the change, especially the sales to Mexico. What's going to happen to Venezuela is anybody's guess and they have refinery capacity that would be a problem if it's lost for any period of time."

Kloza said supply will also be impacted when refineries take capacity offline for maintenance ahead of the switch to summer fuels. About 30 percent of capacity will be affected by the turnaround, he said.

The exports should also support prices, he said. "It's a double-edged sword. It is the big difference maker going into 2017, compared to 2016," said Kloza.

The U.S. produces between 9 million and 10 million barrels of gasoline a day. Last week, U.S. consumers used about 9.3 million barrels a day of gasoline, while refiners also exported a record 1.1 million barrels a day.



The U.S. also imports gasoline to the East Coast from Europe, the Caribbean and Venezuela. That amounted to 434,000 barrels a day last week, down by about half of what was imported last year at the same time.



Kloza said the exports helped with a glut of gasoline in the U.S. "In the summertime, we got to where we made more than 10 million barrels a day of gasoline and manufactured more than 5 million barrels a day of distillates. That was a big deal. ... We thought you'd have 9 [million] and 4 [million] for domestic demand. If it weren't for gasoline exports  and the highest months can be December and January  we'd be looking at matching that big inventory buildup we had last January," he said.

Gasoline supplies surged in early 2016, to a record 258 million barrels.

Kloza said Mexico and South America are the key destinations for U.S. gasoline and diesel fuel. He expects Mexico is now importing about 500,000 barrels a day of U.S. gasoline. Mexico also exports about 500,000 barrels of oil per day to the U.S. In September, government data show Mexico imported 390,000 barrels a day. Detailed December data will be available in several months.

"We're the bread basket and the refiner to the world," said Kilduff. The U.S. also exported 1.4 million barrels a day of diesel fuel last week.

Kilduff said it's more difficult than usual to predict where oil and gasoline prices are heading in 2017.

"There's wild cards out there. Does the OPEC production deal hold together? Do the frackers come back in a big way? This is a tough year to call. In my opinion, it's the hardest one to call in a while because of all the policy uncertainty," he said. "The only thing that's supportive is we don't have an aggressive Saudi posture any longer. That's a big change."

Oil prices cratered in February 2016, after 14 months of a new Saudi Arabia-driven OPEC policy to let the market set prices. That policy led to a giant crude surplus which ultimately became a refined product glut as well.

As for gasoline, Kilduff said if margins improve, refiners will go full tilt. "They'll ramp up productive capacity. It's going to be a very up-and-down year," he said.
Islamist terrorism is the biggest test facing Germany, Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Saturday in a New Year's address to the nation, and she vowed to introduce laws that improve security after a deadly attack before Christmas in Berlin.

Describing 2016 as a year that gave many the impression that the world had "turned upside down," Merkel urged Germans to forsake populism and said Germany had an interest in taking a leading role in addressing the many challenges facing the European Union.

"Many attach to 2016 the feeling that the world had turned upside down or that what for long had been held as an achievement is now being questioned. The European Union for example," Merkel said.

"Or equally parliamentary democracy, which allegedly is not caring for the interests of the citizens but is only serving the interests of a few. What a distortion," she said in a veiled reference to claims by the far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD) that is stealing votes from her conservatives.

Liberals across the Atlantic have hailed Merkel as an anchor of stability and reason in a year that saw the Donald Trump elected as U.S. president, Britain vote to leave the EU and U.S-Russia relations deteriorate to Cold War levels.

She compared Brexit to a "deep incision" and said that even though the EU was "slow and arduous", its member states should focus on common interests that transcend national benefits.

"And, yes, Europe should focus on what can really be better than the national state," Merkel said. "But we Germans should never be led to believe that each could have a better future by going it alone."
Eating healthy can be pricey.



A 2015 study by Consumer Reports found that organic food was, on average, nearly 50 percent more expensive than non-organic options. Still, that hasn't deterred consumers from flocking to healthier foods, and those that sell them.

If shoppers are looking for food that is either organic, gluten-free, non-GMO and they're not in a major city, healthy options can be not only expensive, but also difficult to find.

One startup is trying to change that dynamic. Thrive Market, which sells non-perishable healthy foods at comparatively reasonable prices, will ship customer orders within two days to 85 percent of the country.

"Our idea is to make healthy living affordable and accessible for anyone," Thrive Market co-CEO Nick Green told CNBC's "On The Money" in an interview.

Conceived as a kind of online-only Whole Foods combined with a Costco-like warehouse club model, Green and fellow co-founder Gunnar Lovelace created the organic delivery company just two years ago.

"We offer natural and organic products, shelf-stable products you put in your pantrythat are 25 to 50 percent off what you find in a conventional retail store," Green told CNBC.

Thrive Market charges $60 for an annual membership and Green said there are "more than 350,000 paid members on the site." He said the cost savings are achieved because of the membership model, and the fact they buy direct from supplierseliminating the middleman.




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Washington has praised the world's second-largest economy for making progress in enforcing sanctions imposed on North Korea. But China's current measures may just be a temporary move for its own gain. Since Pyongyang's first nuclear test in 2006, China has adopted the United Nations' multiple resolutions against the rogue state. Doubts about enforcement have persisted, however, amid data revealing strong Sino-North Korean economic ties. For instance, trade between the two countries reportedly rose 10.5 percent on-year to $2.55 billion in the first half of 2017. President Xi Jinping's team attributed the increase to sectors excluded from sanctions.

An anti-U.S. rally at Kim Il Sung Square is seen in this September 23, 2017 photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) in Pyongyang on September 24, 2017. KCNA | Reuters

But the Asian superpower's recent penalties appeared to be significant. Last month, Beijing said it would ban textile and seafood imports in addition to exports of certain petroleum products, iron ore and coal in compliance with the UN's latest resolution  moves that are increasingly weighing on the North Korean economy. It's unclear, however, just how long Xi's government will maintain those stinging policies. "China usually enforces sanctions only for temporary periods of time, when global attention is focused on North Korea, and reverts to normal trade with the country when tensions have blown over," Benjamin Katzeff Silberstein, associate scholar at the Philadelphia-based Foreign Policy Research Institute, said in a recent note. The mainland essentially wants to ensure Pyongyang's survival in the long run, he added, referring to fears over a North Korean refugee crisis in the case of regime collapse. Beijing is also worried about any unification on the Korean Peninsula, which would likely result in greater U.S. influence in the region. 'Concessions for Trump' Current penalties against North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's regime are mostly just a show to appease President Donald Trump, said Jeffrey Kingston, director of Asian studies at Tokyo-based Temple University. "Xi seeks improved relations with the U.S. to such an extent that he's making a huge concession here to pave way for a successful Trump visit to Asia next month." The White House has long criticized the mainland for failing to sufficiently coerce Pyongyang, but it's since changed its tune. After Chinese lenders were ordered to halt dealings with North Korean clients, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross told CNBC the news was "a gigantic step," describing it as "very important pressure."

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"I applaud China for breaking off all banking relationships with North Korea, something that people would have thought unthinkable even two months ago," Trump said last week. Chinese banks have long been a key conduit for money flowing in and out of the pariah nation. If current sanctions don't have any lasting impact on the ongoing U.S.-China political stalemate, Beijing could revert back to old ways, according to Kingston. Searching for stability The Chinese Communist Party's upcoming Congress, a major political gathering that decides future leadership, is also a factor in Beijing's sanctions compliance. China will be looking for continued stability in its domestic and international affairs in the lead up to and after the Congress, said Chin-Hao Huang, head of studies for global affairs and assistant professor at Singapore's Yale-NUS College. The tightening of sanctions is meant to reduce tensions on the Korean Peninsula, he explained. "Any disruption to the Party Congress' deliberation would be an unwelcome development, including unilateral provocations by North Korea."

WATCH: North Korea and the US are on a collision course: Analyst
come to realize that behavioral coaching of clients is as important

One of Warren Buffett's most quoted axioms urges investors to "be fearful when others are greedy and greedy when others are fearful." Buffett's observation highlights the role emotions play in many investment decisions, as well as the way an unemotional investor can profit. But there's more to emotion in investing than fear and greed.

There are more than 100 behavioral biases that can undercut effective investment decision-making AfricaImages | Getty Images

Researchers have identified more than 100 behavioral biases that can undercut effective investment decision-making, according to Michael Pompian, founder and partner at Sunpointe Investments and author of "Behavioral Finance and Wealth Management: How to Build Optimal Portfolios That Account for Investor Biases." In a course taught for the CFA Institute, Pompian identifies seven biases as the most common emotional influences on investment decisions. Pompian says "loss aversion," for one, crops up when an investor is reluctant to sell a poorly performing investment and redeploy assets into a more promising opportunity. "You're waiting in a bad investment because you can't face the fact that you're having to take the loss," he said. "The more rational approach is to take your loss, record the tax loss and move on to something that has better prospects." Another emotion-driven hangup is called "anchoring." This can occur when an investor uses the price paid for a stock, exchange-traded fund or mutual fund as a reference point for decisions, Pompian said. More from Investor Toolkit:

Are Roth IRAs the best thing since sliced bread?

Five risks to retirement nest eggs

A 'back door' Roth IRA strategy that benefits high earners A more rational investor would use an unemotional measure, such as price-earnings ratio. "The proper reference point is the proper valuation for the security, not what you paid for it," he said. In advancing markets, overconfidence can become a problem emotion. "That's when the market is doing so well you're not paying attention to the underlying risk," Pompian said. "It's essentially unwarranted faith in your own abilities."

The challenge of emotion

Emotional influences on investment decisions can be hard to counter. Pompian said, for instance, that loss aversion is driven by a fear of negative outcomes that is twice as powerful as the lure of positive outcomes. Yet financial advisors say emotion-driven decisions are generally undesirable when it comes to investing. "When we act based on our emotions, we tend to make bad decisions," said Jim Sandager, a certified financial planner with Wealth Enhancement Group. "Investors are better served by managing behavior and investing in a methodical way."

Sandager says that, from the financial advisor perspective, it's not enough to simply inform clients of techniques of successful investing. "I've come to realize that the behavioral coaching part of this job is as important if not more important than the technical job," he said. "Helping people understand themselves and doing a good job of coaching them is really a primary role for me."

The role of technology

Unfortunately, the built-in nature of emotional biases means that it's difficult for many investors to recognize when investment decisions are being driven by emotion. However, recently, facial analysis technology has been applied to help investors recognize their own hard-to-spot emotional responses. Cetera Financial Group of Los Angeles recently began a pilot program using facial analysis to augment the usual questionnaires administered to determine emotion-connected variables, such as a client's risk tolerance. Clients respond to questions about scenarios, such as market declines, in front of camera-equipped laptops and tablets. Software analyzes their facial expressions and provides insight into emotional reactions.

Discipline is the key to successful investing. Behavioral biases get in the way of following a disciplined plan. Michael Pompian founder and partner at Sunpointe Investments

The technology, called Decipher, helps identify emotions that clients may not be aware they are experiencing or may feel pressure to disavow when filling out conventional written questionnaires, says Robert Moore, Cetera's chief executive officer. In addition to improving accuracy and client experience, Decipher and other technology advancements boost efficiency, allowing advisors to support up to three times as many clients, Moore says. "Where before they could have 200 clients, now they could have 600 or 700," he said. After concluding the pilot in late 2017, Cetera expects to gradually roll it out to all of its 8,000 financial advisors.

Responding to emotions
First daughter Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner have used at least three separate personal e-mail accounts for White House business, according to Politico.

Reports emerged last month that both senior aides had previously used their respective personal accounts for official information, but on Monday, Politico reported of a third and previously unreported address.

Shared by the Kushner family, that third account received hundreds of emails from White House addresses, including non-public travel documents, internal schedules and official White House materials, Politico said, citing unnamed sources.

It's now being examined by White House officials, the outlet added, as the Trump administration launches a probe into private e-mail use by senior aides, including Kushner and his wife.

During last year's U.S. presidential election, Donald Trump repeatedly criticized Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton's use of private email during her tenure as Secretary of State.

A Kushner family representative told Politico that Ivanka Trump has been careful about keeping her personal life apart from official business, the outlet said. The representative added that her emails have been preserved: "The extent of this coordination illustrates both full transparency and a desired separation between her work and personal functions," Politico reported the person as saying.

According to the report, Kushner's lawyer said his client "uses his White House email address to conduct White House business" and that use of the private account was in most cases initiated by someone else.

A White House spokesman told CNBC that staff are instructed to "fully comply with the Presidential Records Act and applicable guidelines for work-related communications," adding that "in light of recent congressional inquiries, we have briefed staff on the need to preserve records and working to ensure compliance."

For more on the Kushner family's third account, see Politico's full report
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Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has seen a political rival creating a stir ahead of the country's October snap elections: The newly formed "Party of Hope," led by Tokyo's popular governor, is challenging the current power structures. Yet lost in the intrigue of political competition is a important characteristic of the new party, according to one analyst: It has an "extreme rightist" slant. "I think what we have is a battle between a rightist movement and an extreme rightist, and the extreme rightist is, of course, [Tokyo Governor Yuriko] Koike. I think that the western media has pictured her as if, because she's a woman, she must be in some way liberal. Well, she's not," Tokyo-based Nicholas Smith, Japan strategist at brokerage and investment group CLSA, told CNBC's "Squawkbox." "A couple of ... the most senior people in her party are supporters of Satoru Mizushima, who was the maker of the film 'Truth about Nanking' that says that the Nanking Massacre never happened," Smith said. The film is also known as "The Truth about Nanjing," depending on different transliteration standards.

Yuriko Koike, governor of Tokyo and head of the Party of Hope, during a news conference in Tokyo, Japan, on Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2017. Akio Kon | Bloomberg | Getty Images

The massacre, which the vast majority of historians say happened to some degree, has long been a highly contested issue in relations between China and Japan. Earlier this year, Beijing's tourism authority called for a boycott of APA Group, a Tokyo-based hotel chain, after the group denied the 1937 massacre. According to official Chinese accounts, Japanese troops massacred 300,000 residents in Nanjing city during the invasion of China. But death toll estimates have ranged from the tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands. A post-war Allied tribunal put the death toll at over 200,000. It is worth noting, however, that some members of Abe's Liberal Democratic Party and its longtime rival, the now-dissolved Democratic Party, were reported to have been listed as supporters of the film.

Two right-wing parties: Who will win?

To be sure, Koike's Party of Hope has not explicitly committed to policy stances mirroring those of far-right movements that have recently gained momentum in other parts of the world. German populist party Alternative for Germany, for example, saw a surge in voter support in recent elections last month after campaigning on nationalistic, anti-immigration and anti-European Union goals. But some are already labeling the current Tokyo governor a populist, which is often a euphemism for a far-right politician. Koike has garnered significant public support by promising to move away from nuclear power and to halt consumer tax hikes. Japan's Democratic Party, main opposition to Abe's Liberal Democratic Party, disbanded and joined with the Party of Hope last week. Some commentators have said the toughened opposition could pose a stronger challenge to Abe's bloc in the upcoming Oct. 22 snap elections, even if the incumbent prime minister is unlikely to be beaten.

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The chairman and CEO of Warren Buffett said Tuesday that passive investing works in any market environment and so he'd be willing to wager again against active investing for the next 10 years.

A decade ago, the billionaire investor made a million dollar bet that the S&P 500 will beat a basket of fund of hedge funds over the next 10 years, ending this year. He will likely win that bet by a large margin.

The S&P 500 "will absolutely kill every one of the fund of funds," Buffett said on CNBC's "Squawk Box." "Passive investment in aggregate is going to beat active investment because of fees."

The investor explained if you don't pay 2 percent or 3 percent of fees to financial advisers, the your payoff for investing in the broad market will be "very good" over time.

When asked if he just got lucky with the timing of the bet, the Buffett said "the date of the start has nothing to do with it."

He said is willing to do another bet on active versus passive as long as anybody wants to put up "a significant percentage of their net worth" on the wager.



Buffett joined CNBC from Omaha, Nebraska  home of Berkshire and where Purpose Built Communities was holding its annual conference.
Shares of the largest U.S. airlines soared Tuesday, led by No. 2 U.S. carrier, Delta .

Delta shares rose close to 7%, their biggest one-day gain since January 2015.

The airline told investors earlier Tuesday that Hurricane Irma, which struck its Atlanta hub and important Florida airports, would cost it $120 million in the third quarter. The carrier canceled 2,200 flights in the southern U.S. and the Caribbean because of the storm.

Delta said including the impact from Hurricane Irma, its passenger unit revenue, which measures how much money the airline is making for each seat flown a mile, likely rose 2 percent in the three months ended in September.

Shares of other airlines also rallied. United and American each added around 6 percent, and JetBlue and Spirit both closed more than 7% percent higher. Southwest rose 4.5 percent.

Delta is scheduled to report third-quarter earnings in the middle of the month.

Despite the gains, airline stock performance has been mixed this year as carriers grapple with higher fuel prices and a fare war, pitting large international airlines against low-cost airlines.

Delta's stock surge on Tuesday pulled it back into positive territory for the year with a 4 percent gain.
As a fifth U.S. senator and four congressmen piled on criticisms of Allergan's patent deal with a Native American tribe, the drugmaker responded by urging the Senate Judiciary Committee to review the patent challenge system it's been accused of thwarting.

Allergan raised eyebrows last month when it said it had transferred the patents for its blockbuster eye drug Restasis to the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe in a deal designed to dismiss a certain brand of patent challenge from generic drugmakers.

Analysts said the deal could be emulated by other pharmaceutical companies if it's successful. But Allergan's move, initially heralded as creative and buoying the $69 billion drugmaker's stock price, has since drawn intense scrutiny and shined a light on a dual system of patent challenges in the U.S. Allergan's stock is down 6 percent since the announcement.

Now it's responding to what it calls misperceptions by four senators in a letter they wrote to the Senate Judiciary Committee last week, requesting it open an investigation into the deal.

"The Senators'  letter is incorrect when it asserts that there has been an 'attempt to shield [the Restasis patents] from review,'" CEO Brent Saunders wrote in his own letter Tuesday to committee leaders Sens. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., obtained by CNBC. "The opposite is true."

The four senators, led by Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., called Allergan's arrangement with the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe a "blatantly anti-competitive attempt to shield its patents from review and keep drug prices high."

Monday night, Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., also weighed in, calling the arrangement a "brazen loophole" that should be illegal. And Tuesday afternoon, four congressmen from the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, including Chairman Trey Gowdy, R-S.C., sent a letter to Saunders suggesting the patent transfer may "impair competition across the pharmaceutical industry and ultimately dissuade companies from pursuing less-costly generic alternatives to brand drugs."

Here's how the agreement came about: Allergan was facing patent challenges from generic drugmakers in both federal court and through a relatively new system called inter partes review, or IPR. Native American tribes, it turns out, like state universities, possess sovereign immunity from challenges under the IPR system.

So Allergan transferred the rights to Restasis to the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe, which licensed them back to Allergan. The tribe then sought to dismiss the IPR challenges. In return, Allergan is paying the tribe $13.75 million, and $15 million in additional potential annual royalties.

"It appears that Allergan's deal with the Tribe exploits the law to thwart review of the Restasis patents, protecting Allergan's market monopoly  and its profits  at the expense of patients who need the drug," wrote the group of four senators, which also included Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio; Bob Casey, D-Pa.; and Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn.

But Saunders argues Allergan is still facing patent challenges for Restasis, pointing out it just completed a trial over the drug's patents in federal district court in Texas, with a ruling "anticipated in the near future."

If Allergan loses that case, and the Food and Drug Administration approves a generic version of Restasis, that product could enter the market "many years in advance of the listed patent expiry dates," Saunders explained in his letter.

"Allergan's recent agreement with the [Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe] has no impact on that case," Saunders wrote.

He used the bulk of his letter to urge the committee to review the IPR process, which he said "has created unintended and negative consequences," including undermining the traditional patent challenge process created in 1984 through the Drug Price Competition and Patent Term Restoration Act, also known as Hatch-Waxman.

Saunders also argued the IPR system, created through the America Invents Act in 2011, "creates an unnecessary and unfair burden on innovators of branded medicines by opening up patents to parallel and often inconsistently adjudicated challenges before both federal courts and the Patent Trial and Appeal Board"  a "double jeopardy" Saunders said last month that Allergan was seeking to avoid.

The Supreme Court is due to hear a case on the constitutionality of the IPR process this fall, Saunders pointed out. He said Allergan, drugmakers AbbVie and Celgene , and industry groups PhRMA and BIO are among parties filing supporting amicus briefs.

In its response to the letter from the House Oversight Committee, Allergan doubled down on its insistence that the IPR process, not its deal with the tribe, should be in the government's crosshairs.

"While we fully recognize their need for information, the Committee's focus should not be on Allergan, the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe and our agreement which does not shield Restasis patents currently being litigated in federal district court," an Allergan spokesman said in a statement. "The focus should be on the IPR process and its negative impact on life science innovation."

The congressmen asked for a response to their request for information by Oct. 17. Allergan said it intends to comply.

Here is a copy of Allergan's letter:
Online giant Amazon is on the prowl for approximately 15 store locations in France, especially in Paris, in the next two years, according to the newspaper Le Monde.

The French publication also said that the U.S. company has "approached French distributors to forge partnerships or make an acquisition in France." The overall goal in mind for Amazon is "to get closer to a retailer to take advantage of its buying capacity that they do not have at the moment," Le Monde said.

The newspaper said Amazon was in discussions with two independent food distribution companies in France.

"They have approached everyone but have not received any positive feedback," said a distributor quoted by the paper.

According to the report, one of those approached was major French retail chain Monoprix, whose parent company is Groupe Casino. But it indicated that Casino said it "does not intend to sell Monoprix."

Amazon declined to comment in response to a request from CNBC.

The new stores in France could be used to perhaps expand the company's Amazon Go grab-and-go concept. The idea is currently in a private beta test with only Amazon employees and located around the corner from the company's headquarters in Seattle.

Similarly, the French paper said Amazon is looking for partnerships in Britain and already approached the Morrisons grocery chain.

In February, the U.K.'s Sunday Times newspaper carried a report that Amazon was looking for store locations in central London to launch Amazon Go. At the time, the Times said "the move suggests it is stepping up plans to bring futuristic convenience stores to Britain."

Amazon Go features a high-tech platform that allows consumers to purchase items without ever waiting in lines. The checkout process is done automatically through the customer's smartphone.

The Amazon Go store now in beta test is smaller then regular supermarkets. It was launched before Amazon purchased Whole Foods Market, the organic and natural food products chain.

Meantime, Amazon still gets the bulk of its sales from the North American market but has been aggressively expanding its operations overseas. The company already has more than 30 fulfillment centers in the European Union and last year announced plans to expand its workforce in Europe above 41,000 people.

Besides online services, Amazon also has a dozen research and development facilities in Europe, including teams to develop its Alex personal assistant and drone delivery service.

Read the full story in the Le Monde newspaper.
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Bitcoin could rally nearly 40 percent to hit $6,000 before the end of the year but investors should brace for more volatility, according to industry experts. The cryptocurrency was trading around $4,333 on Tuesday. The third quarter has been one of the most eventful in bitcoin's history. It is up over 74 percent in the September quarter, with a shifting landscape in regulation and developments in the underlying technology taking place in the last three months. Here's what has happened so far and what experts think is coming next.

Infighting and split

Bitcoin faced record-high transaction times due to congestion on the network. To solve that, the amount of data that could be processed in one transaction needed to increase. But the community was divided on how to solve this. This resulted in a "fork" earlier this year that split bitcoin in two. Bitcoin remained, but a new crytocurrency called bitcoin cash was created. On the core bitcoin network, an upgrade known as SegWit2X was implemented, which would help increase the transaction speed. The full back story can be read here. Bitcoin's market cap is about 10 times that of bitcoin cash. Since it started trading at the beginning of August, bitcoin cash has risen to nearly $900 before falling to current levels of around $402, according to Coinmarketcap.com.

Shift of power to Japan

China was once the dominant driver of the bitcoin price. But regulators in the country have been cracking down on the cryptocurrency, banning so-called initial coin offerings (ICOs) where companies raise money through cryptocurrencies. China's major bitcoin exchanges OKCoin, Huobi and BTCChina have halted trading for customers on the mainland. At the start of the quarter, Chinese yuan accounted for around 17 percent of bitcoin trade globally, according to industry website CryptoCompare. By the end of the quarter, it was less than 3 percent. Meanwhile, Japan has been more open to cryptocurrencies. Regulators there legalized bitcoin and major retailers have begun accepting it as payments. And last week, Japan's Financial Services Agency (FSA) officially recognized 11 companies as registered cryptocurrency exchange operators. CNBC reported that major Japanese banks are looking into creating their own digital currency called the J-Coin, with backing from major institutions.

Record high

The third quarter also saw bitcoin hit an all-time high of $5,013.91, according to data from CoinDesk. Regulatory support in some markets, as well as rising interest from institutional investors, has helped boost the value.

$6,000 bitcoin in sight?

"Throughout the year we've been predicting the bitcoin price will surpass $5,000 and creep closer to $6,000 by year's end. That prediction is looking more in line with market sentiment these days," Thomas Glucksmann, head of APAC business development at Gatecoin, a cryptocurrency exchange, told CNBC by email. But he warned investors to get ready for more volatility in November. This is because some in the bitcoin community might move to reject SegWit2X. This could create another split in bitcoin, and potentially create another cryptocurrency. Charles Hayter, CEO of industry website CryptoCompare, said that bitcoin could hit $5,000 by the end of the year. This will be supported by increased regulation to cryptocurrencies and ICOs. "Bitcoin's biggest price catalyst is regulation. Japan has breathed life into the price and as the fog of uncertainty clears in other jurisdictions, clarity on regulation will release a break on the price," Hayter told CNBC by email.

WATCH: Bitcoin mining can land you in jail in this country
Larry Fink, the head of the world's largest money manager, said Tuesday he thinks the rise of digital currencies reflects how much money laundering is going on.

"Most importantly, when I think about most of the cryptocurrencies, it just identifies how much money laundering is being done in the world," Fink, founder, chairman and CEO of BlackRock , said in a Bloomberg TV interview.

"It's much more of a speculative platform for Asia and it's heavily used for money laundering," Fink said.

South Korean, Japanese and, until last month, Chinese investors, are major traders of the largest digital currencies by market cap, bitcoin and ethereum.

Tuesday breakdown of bitcoin trading volume by currency

Source: CryptoCompare

U.S. authorities have repeatedly shut down online marketplaces in the part of the internet known as the dark web, where illegal goods are sold and money laundering often occurs. Transactions on those websites often occur in bitcoin or other digital currencies in an attempt to preserve anonymity.

Just this summer, the U.S. Justice Department and Europol announced the closure of AlphaBay and Hansa, the two largest dark web marketplaces at the time. A grand jury in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California also charged Russian national Alexander Vinnik and the digital currency exchange he allegedly operated, BTC-e, with money laundering and related crimes.

Fink joins a number of major Wall Street executives who have spoken on digital currencies in the last several weeks.

JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon called bitcoin a "fraud" and warned that if digital currencies grow too large, governments will close them down. On the other hand, Morgan Stanley CEO James Gorman said cryptocurrencies are "certainly something more than just a fad" and authorities may actually need to adapt to the growth of the digital currencies.

Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein put a message on Twitter Tuesday, "Still thinking about #Bitcoin. No conclusion - not endorsing/rejecting. Know that folks also were skeptical when paper money displaced gold."

Tweet

On Monday, Goldman said it is exploring digital currencies services for clients.

BlackRock is the world's largest money manager, according to Investment & Pensions Europe. The company had $5.7 trillion in assets at the end of the second quarter.

"I'm a big believer in the potential of what a cryptocurrency can do. You see huge opportunities in it," Fink said. "But what we're talking about today, it's really much more [that] ... people are speculating on it."

Bitcoin briefly multiplied five times in price this year and traded near $4,300 Tuesday, up more than four times in value for the year. Ethereum traded near $300, up more than 3,000 percent for the year.
Warren Buffett said Tuesday he is very concerned over the threat from nuclear weapons.

"Weapons of mass destruction are another story. That is the threat to the world," the chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway said during a panel discussion in Omaha, Nebraska.

"We have increased the ability of perhaps even an individual, perhaps a group, perhaps a nation ... to kill millions, millions, millions of people in a single stroke. If you were a psychotic back in the cave man age, you threw a rock at the guy in the next cave. That was about the damage you could do."

The billionaire investor said he is not just concerned about nuclear, but chemical, biological and cyberwarfare too. He cited the latest tensions between the U.S. and North Korea.

"We got a fellow in North Korea [with a] very poor country, spending a way disproportionate amount of its GDP working on missiles that can hit California. That's crazy," he said. "Wish I had a solution for it, but I don't."



Buffett was speaking at the Purpose Built Communities annual conference.
Police: Las Vegas shooter had 23 guns at hotel, 19 at home 7:08 AM ET Tue, 3 Oct 2017 | 02:41

On Sunday night, a gunman in a Las Vegas hotel opened fire on a music festival before shooting himself to death. Police had said they found nearly two dozen firearms in his hotel room.

The shooting prompted some Democrats to urge the Republican-controlled Congress to take action to prevent similar mass shootings.

"This must stop. It is positively infuriating that my colleagues in Congress are so afraid of the gun industry that they pretend there aren't public policy responses to this epidemic," said Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., in a statement. "There are, and the thoughts and prayers of politicians are cruelly hollow if they are paired with continued legislative indifference. It's time for Congress to get off its a-- and do something."

Murphy represents Newtown, Connecticut, where a gunman opened fire at an elementary school there in 2012, killing 27 people, including 20 schoolchildren. The Newtown killings spurred Connecticut to tighten its gun laws in 2016.

But Connecticut's response to gun violence highlights the challenges faced by gun control advocates in preventing future mass shootings that involve automatic rifles.

In 2015, a study found that Connecticut's 1995 law imposing restrictions on handguns cut firearm homicide rates by 40 percent over the following decade.

But more than two decades after those state-level handgun restrictions were enacted, Connecticut has the highest number of federal machine gun licenses in the country, according to the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms. (The data do not include state licenses for handguns or revolvers.)

On a per capita basis, only New Hampshire is more heavily armed with machine guns, according to the ATF data.
Wells Fargo CEO Tim Sloan faces grilling before the Senate Banking Committee as Wells Fargo continues to try to put its fake account scandal in the past.

Fargo outlined a string of reforms the bank has put into place since the issue came to light in September 2016.

However, committee members are likely to continue to hammer on the bank for its conduct.

"The changes Mr. Sloan and his team have made are not sufficient to reform a corporate culture that is willing to abuse its customers and employees in an effort to pad its numbers and increase executive compensation," Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) said at the start of the hearing.

Investigators and the bank have revealed that some 3.5 million accounts were affected by conduct in which employees enrolled customers into accounts without their knowledge. The cross-selling was done to meet aggressive sales goals that since have been terminated.

The bank has shelled out more than $300 million in fines as well as settlement costs associated with a class-action suit. In addition, it has ended its relationship with several senior executives including former CEO John Stumpf.
Congress already blew one deadline for reauthorizing the federal Children's Health Insurance Program. Now it's trying to not blow through another looming one.

Two committees  one in the Senate, the other in the House  are set Wednesday to begin marking up bills that would continue funding for CHIP.

The House bill would, among other things, help pay for the extension of CHIP funding by charging senior citizens who earn more than $500,000 annually higher premiums than lower-earning people for Medicare.

The meetings come after Congress failed by last Saturday's deadline to reauthorize spending for CHIP, which provides health coverage to kids whose families earn too much to qualify for Medicaid coverage.

Although that deadline passed, individual states have enough money in reserves from CHIP to continue providing coverage for nearly 9 million or so children  at least for a short while.

"On November 1, we're going to start seeing some very serious consequences for a number of states," said Joan Alker, executive director of the Center for Children and Families at Georgetown University.

"They really have to get this done within the next few weeks."

Ten states, primarily in the western United States, are projected to run out of CHIP funds in the next two months, according to CCF and the Kaiser Family Foundation.
People embrace during a vigil on the Las Vegas strip for the victims of the Route 91 Harvest country music festival shootings on October 2, 2017, in Las Vegas.

Kris Daniels had just finished singing along to "A Little More Summertime," one of her favorite songs from country star Jason Aldean, on Sunday night when gunfire overwhelmed the crowd at the Route 91 Harvest festival on the Las Vegas Strip.

"Everyone just went crazy," said the 40-year-old Daniels, a country music radio host for more than two decades. "You saw people laying on the ground. You just see blood." As she ran, Daniels called her children. "You didn't know if it's going to be your last time."

The mass shooting Sunday night sent shock waves through the genre's tight-knight community of musicians, fans and journalists, provoking horror, pain  and signs of division over gun control in the United States.

Daniels said she is disturbed that the largest mass shooting in modern U.S. history happened at a festival for people who love songs such as Aldean's "My Kinda Party" and "Dirt Road Anthem."

"This doesn't define country music," she said. "Everyone was there to just forget the problems of the world."

Still, the massacre struck at the heart of country music and its culture.

Billy Dukes, a senior writer for leading country music news outlet Taste of Country, usually spends his days writing celebrity Q&As and album reviews. But on Monday morning he awoke to missed calls and messages from his editor. The country music community had just suffered an attack, and it was time to start putting all the pieces together.

"We first tried to see how many were dead," Dukes said. "All the artists checked in to say they were all right." The event reminded him of the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. "Readers are responding with prayers and grieving."

Yet Dukes also thinks that the massacre will lead to divisions within the community, particularly when it comes to the politics of gun control.

"Some fans are angry, and the gun control debate is popping up quickly," Dukes said. "The majority are pro-gun."

There are indeed strong cultural connections between the world of country music and proponents of gun-ownership rights. In 2010, for instance, the National Rifle Association, the leading lobbying group for the gun industry, launched a partnership with the Nashville music scene, called NRA Country. According to its website, the partnership has featured genre luminaries such as Hank Williams Jr., the band Florida Georgia Line and Trace Adkins.

There's evidence that some minds are changing, however, in the aftermath of the Las Vegas shooting. Caleb Keeter, who performed at the Route 91 Harvest festival over the weekend, wrote in a post he tweeted Monday that he had a change of heart.

"I've been a proponent of the 2nd amendment my entire life," he wrote Monday. "Until the events of last night. I cannot express how wrong I was." Later in the note, he wrote: "We need gun control RIGHT. NOW."

@calebkeeter tweet

Other important figures in the country music world have turned their attention to security needs for the other festivals that happen throughout the year. Leah Ross, executive director of the Birthplace of Country Music in Virginia and Tennessee, which hosts the Bristol Rhythm & Roots musical festival, said security is now front and center in her mind. The festival draws some 40,000 attendees each year.

"What happened in Las Vegas will cause us to reexamine all of our safety measures and procedures," Ross said, "while also maintaining the joyous spirit of our musical festivals so our country can heal."
Josh Umbehr, a Kansas-based family physician and entrepreneur, is on a mission to bring down the price of health care, starting with prescription drugs.

So for years, he's been regularly emailing the one person that he believes can make a difference.

And that's Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos.

"Amazon could work with small pharmacies across the country to provide a huge value to Prime customers, on a regular basis (with) short delivery times, not to mention the effect it would have on competition that over charges immensely," one of Umbehr's emails to Bezos suggests.

Umbehr says he has contacted Bezos about every other week for several years, and forwarded about half-a-dozen of these emails on request.

"I love Jeff," he said. "I would s--- a brick if he ever got back to me."

While Bezos has never personally responded, Umbehr's hopes soared when an Amazon employee got back to him encouraging him to submit a business proposal.

Amazon also wrote that he would hear from the company if his ideas "contributed to Amazon's business goals."

But in January 2017, Umbehr received his most detailed response informing him that his email had been forwarded along to Amazon's business development team. "Jeff has empowered talented people on this team to work closely with and make strategic decisions about these issues," the email reads.
Amazon will be hit with a fine for unpaid back taxes on Wednesday, the Financial Times said Tuesday.

The European Union is contending that Amazon used Luxembourg as a tax haven and that it had established unfair partnerships with the country in an effort to skirt European taxes on 3 billion euros ($3.5 billion) in royalties. Such moves were seen as unfair by rivals, the FT said. The level of the fine was not reported.

An Amazon spokesperson was not immediately available for comment.

The news follows on the heels of a new EU tax plan that would prevent American companies such as Amazon, Apple and others from using certain tax loopholes. One reason these have been used, however, is that companies feel the taxes on repatriating money earned overseas back to the U.S. is taxed at too high of a rate.

The European Union has been chasing down American companies. In June, the EU fined Google 2.4 billion euros for unfairly dominating the search and advertising market. It also fined Apple 13 billion euros plus back taxes after the EU argued that Ireland granted tax benefits to Apple.

Read the full story at the Financial Times.
European stocks posted slight gains by the close on Tuesday as political concerns eased and investors digested new data releases. The pan-European Stoxx 600 fluctuated throughout trade, before closing up 0.15 percent; as most sectors reversed losses to trade up in later trade. The U.K.'s FTSE 100 closed up 0.39 percent, while France's CAC 40 popped 0.32 percent. Germany's stock exchanges, however, were closed Tuesday, for a national holiday.

European markets



Looking to peripheral bourses, the Spanish IBEX was one of the few indexes to see continued pressure throughout trade, closing just 0.02 percent up at the close, as political uncertainty in Catalonia lingered. Concerns eased slightly after the government in Madrid said that it wants to work with other parties to resolve the issue of Catalan independence. However, the region, which accounts for about 19 percent of Spain's growth, is a massive political challenge for the country, Fitch said. In the U.K., disappointing data had weighed on stocks in early trade, however a rise in London-listed basic resources and retail stocks allowed the FTSE to recover. The purchasing managers' index for the construction sector dropped to 48.1 from 51.1 the previous month, the first decline in activity in more than a year. Meanwhile, minutes from the Bank of England's last financial policy committee meeting revealed concerns over Brexit. The decision to leave the European Union increases risks for British companies borrowing from European banks, they showed.

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Looking across the European benchmark, British firm Ferguson closed up 4 percent. This comes after it announced a 500 million ($663 million) share buyback due to higher profits. Meanwhile, shares of Electrocomponents jumped 5.4 percent, after it issued a trading update on Tuesday, which stated that the company's "good start" in the first quarter, had "continued into Q2". Siemens Gamesa rose 5.18 percent after it landed a new contract for the supply of 13 turbines in China. Multinational advertising and PR firm WPP however fell some 2 percent. This comes after Morgan Stanley sold 22.5 million shares in an accelerated bookbuild offering, according to Reuters. Ericsson , Iberdrola and BAE Systems all fell deep into the red as well, after receiving rating downgrades.
Snap Inc. founder and CEO Evan Spiegel was not the best high school student. Even though he didn't rank at the top of his class, college admissions expert Danny Ruderman made him apply to Stanford, one of the most selective colleges in the country. Notably, Stanford accepts only five percent of applicants and the average SAT score of an accepted student is between 1390 and 1540. "One of my students was Evan Spiegel, the founder of Snapchat," Ruderman tells CNBC Make It. "He didn't want to apply to Stanford because he didn't think he would get in and I made him apply."

Even though Spiegel didn't think he would be able to get into the highly-selective school, Ruderman thought Spiegel would be the perfect fit. It also probably didn't hurt that Spiegel's father had also attended Stanford. "The reason I made him apply is because he had three to four years of graphic design work and a really incredible portfolio. Stanford has a really good product design program. Based on everything about him, it's not surprising. His essay, his portfolio was a perfect match for that program," he explains. "They were looking for kids who think outside the box and who had design work." "It wasn't that he was the absolute best student in his school, it was that he had a set of qualities and interests that matched something that Stanford wanted," says Ruderman. Fortunately, Stanford felt the same way as Ruderman. "Of course he got in, and that's where he went, and that's where found his partner Bobby, and that's where they founded Snapchat," he says. Even though Spiegel never actually graduated from Stanford (he dropped out just a few credits short of earning a degree), he feels fortunate to have attended. At a Stanford Women in Business conference, he said, "I am a young, white, educated male who 'got really, really lucky."

Evan Spiegel and Bobby Murphy J. Emilio Flores/Corbis | Getty Images
People stand behind police barrier tape outside the Luxor hotel Obelisk and the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, following a mass shooting at the Route 91 Festival in Las Vegas, Nevada, October 2, 2017.

Facebook and Google are facing fresh criticism for failing to hold back the tide of fake news online, as the aftermath of the mass shooting in Las Vegas once again revealed shortcomings in their algorithms.

Early on Monday the two leading online media companies helped showcase inaccurate reports that wrongly identified a man with strong leftwing leanings as being connected to the killings. The reports circulated on rightwing news sites before slipping through the automated filters used by Facebook and Google.

Both companies said the problems were short-lived and they were working to fix the failures but not before exposing themselves to a new round of criticism for not doing enough to prevent the spread of false and damaging information.

Theres a way  the fact is, they dont have the will, said Scott Galloway, a professor of marketing at New York University and author of The Four, a new book about Amazon , Apple , Facebook and Google. He said the recent hiring of more staff to identify and remove false information was too limited to have an effect: Its pi**ing in the ocean  its a series of half measures.

For Facebook, already under intense political pressure over the use of its network by Russian operatives during the US election, the latest slip has come at a difficult time. The misinformation, spread by a site called Alt-Right, appeared on Facebooks Safety Check page, which people use to make sure their friends and family are safe after a crisis.

Facebook said the offending post was spotted by its global security operations centre but that its removal was delayed by a few minutes. In that time, it added, the post was screen-captured and circulated online.

The social networking company did not explain how its algorithms had allowed the fake information to be posted. We are working to fix the issue that allowed this to happen in the first place and deeply regret the confusion this caused, it said.

In Googles case, a search for the name of the man wrongly accused of the shootings brought up a page of search results topped by three prominent boxes labelled Top Stories. One of these was a post from 4Chan, a site known for its online hoaxes and misinformation, which contained the false claim.

Googles Top Stories are drawn both from its News service, which has some degree of curation, and from a general web search. The 4Chan result was drawn from the web.

While Facebook manually removed its post, Google said the 4Chan post was algorithmically replaced, and that this had taken hours from the time it first appeared. To protect itself from accusations of subjectively favouring some search results over others, Google relies on the weight of good information to drive out the bad from its results, or making changes to its algorithms that affect all searches equally.

This should not have appeared for any queries and well continue to make algorithmic improvements to prevent this from happening in the future, Google said.

Meanwhile, Twitter also came under fire on Monday after a user posted a screenshot of a search that returned a result from Infowars, a site frequently criticised for peddling conspiracy theories, as the top result. The post reported a claim from militant Islamist group Isis that it was behind the Las Vegas shootings.

Though Isis had made the claim, reporting its statement without pointing out that it was unsubstantiated was seriously misleading for readers, said Dan Gillmor, a digital media expert who teaches at Arizona State University. If a responsible news organisation is going to mention it, it should be in context, he said.

Twitter was unable to say how many users saw the search result, but said the personalisation in its system meant that people who searched for the same thing often saw different results.

More from the Financial Times:

Brussels wants Airbus-style consortium to lead battery revolution

Uber's UK boss quits the company

EU to hit Amazon with bill for Luxembourg back taxes
Former chairman and CEO of Procter & Gamble A.G. Lafley has come to the vocal defense of the consumer packaged goods giant as it gears up for the largest proxy vote in history.

Lafley's former employer is embroiled in a battle with Nelson Peltz, whose fund Trian Partners has taken a $3.5 billion stake in P&G and is seeking a board seat. The battle is set to come to a head on Oct. 10, when the company holds its annual meeting.

In the letter, Lafley has some harsh words for both Peltz and Clayton Daley, who was Lafley's CFO for a time and was hired by Trian to run the fight.

Lafley has not been in touch with Daley since he joined Peltz's campaign, he confirmed in an interview with CNBC. He spoke highly of Daley's tenure as CFO, though suggested Daley suffered memory lapses when critiquing P&G's sale of its beauty business and corporate structure.

"Mr. Peltz (and Mr. Daley) are clearly out for number one," Lafley wrote in a letter on Tuesday, "They certainly don't represent me, a long-term shareholder."

The letter was titled, "This is too important I'm taking the gloves off."

Peltz delivered a 94-page white paper in September arguing that P&G's company structure is too complex, innovation too slow and financial planning too conservative. All three proxy solicitors  Egan-Jones, Glass Lewis and ISS  are recommending putting Peltz on the board of P&G.

Lafley worked as CEO of P&G from 2000 to 2010 and again in 2013 to 2015. He oversaw some of the company's most sweeping changes, including the sale of its pet food brands to Mars for $2.9 billion, Duracell batteries unit to Berkshire Hathaway for $4.7 billion and beauty business to Coty for roughly $11.4 billion.

His second tenure at the company came after the then P&G CEO stepped down following a battle with activist Bill Ackman.

Peltz started his campaign at a very different time than Ackman, said Lafley, noting Peltz is launching his fight as P&G's stock is at a high and the company has already slimmed its portfolio and improved its margins, in efforts largely overseen by Lafley himself.

P&G's share price was roughly $62 when Ackman unveiled a stake in the company in 2012 and was roughly $88 a share when Peltz unveiled his position earlier this year. On Tuesday, P&G stock was trading just under $92.

Pushing Back

Lafley pushed back on Peltz's boldest call  for P&G to simplify its matrix structure by reorganizing from 10 business units into three. He called the move a "big step backwards," reiterating P&G's claim it will lead to more costs and more bureaucracy than its current set-up. The structure, said Lafley, allows the company agility to more strongly negotiate with its retailers and give proper attention to all its brands.

He further defended the Gillette-owner against Peltz's critique the company has lost out on innovation, as upstarts like Dollar Shave Club or millenial-focused skincare lines have come into the fray. He noted brand innovation takes years of investment and took aim at Peltz's experience in the food industry  which has had its own fair share of challenges with jumping ahead of trends. Peltz's Trian had taken positions at Mondelez and Kraft and Heinz before the latter two companies merged.

"[Peltz's] only experience is in the packaged food and beverage business," he said. "In those categories, there has been virtually no real product innovation that has resulted in consumer preference."

Lafley alluded to accusations the company focuses on its legacy brands at the expense of launching new ones, saying the company has offered equal support to both large and small brands.

"Roughly half its current 65-brand portfolio is small, local brands," he offered. "Most are leaders in their category; half were created by the company, half acquired; and includes a handful of new brands introduced in the past 10 to 15 years."

P&G launched "Always Discreet" in 2014, a new category for adults suffering incontinence, which has more than $200 million in sales and is growing 40 percent a year. The Tide pods business, which P&G launched in 2012, has $1.5 billion in sales.

Lafley also took the opportunity to get personal.

In countering criticism of P&G's fiscal conservatism, he noted that under Daley, P&G struggled to achieve an aggressive growth strategy that had planned for sales growth of 7 percent to 8 percent

"This resulted in a CEO change," he said. "Many shareholders wondered why there wasn't also a change in CFO."

Here is the full text of Lafley's letter:
Scotland's energy minister has said that fracking "cannot and will not take place in Scotland."

Paul Wheelhouse said Tuesday that the Scottish government had a "moral responsibility to tackle climate change and an economic responsibility to prepare Scotland for new low carbon opportunities."

Speaking in the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh, Wheelhouse's statement that the Scottish National Party (SNP) would "not support the development of unconventional oil and gas in Scotland" sparked applause from some members of the parliament.

"Taking full account of the available evidence and strength of public opinion today, my judgment is that Scotland should say no to fracking," he said. This position would be reflected in the SNP's finalized energy strategy, which would be published in December, he said.

The decision drew praise from environmental groups. "It's excellent news the Scottish government has listened to the thousands of people, campaigners and politicians across the country who have been calling for a permanent ban to fracking," Sam Gardner, acting director of WWF Scotland, said in a statement.

Ken Cronin, the chief executive of U.K. Onshore Oil and Gas, said the decision was a poor one which ignored "Scotland's rich heritage and expertize in oil and gas."
A coalition of 40 Catholic institutions on Tuesday announced a decision to pull their money from  or block future investment in  fossil fuels. The Global Catholic Climate Movement called it the biggest collective announcement of divestment by Catholic organizations ever.

The group comes from all over the world  they include financial institutions such as Germany's Bank fur Kirche und Caritas eG, and the Episcopal Conference of Belgium, which is the policy arm of the Catholic church in that country. Groups from the U.K., the United States, Australia and Italy were also among those divesting.

The Movement said that the Bank fur Kirche und Caritas eG  which translates as Bank for the Church and Caritas  was one of the first Catholic banks to turn its back on fossil fuels. That entity, which has a balance sheet of 4.5 billion euros ($5.3 billion), was severing links with coal, tar sands crude, and oil shale.

"As a Catholic Church bank, we feel strongly responsible to participate in tackling the issue of climate change," Tommy Piemonte, the bank's sustainability research officer, said in a statement.



Piemonte added that the "integrity of creation and climate protection" is an issue the bank has been committed to since long before Pope Francis' 2015 encyclical Laudato Si. In that encyclical, the Pope described climate change as a "global problem with grave implications."



The announcement was welcomed by Christiana Figueres, the former executive secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. "I hope we'll see more leaders like these 40 Catholic institutions commit, because while this decision makes smart financial sense, acting collectively to deliver a better future for everybody is also our moral imperative," she said.
Bank of America Merrill Lynch's research team shared its top e-commerce stock ideas in a note to clients Tuesday. "We view global eCommerce as a strong secular growth theme that still has five to ten years to play out," analyst Justin Post wrote in the report. The analyst gave his five key reasons why e-commerce will continue to gain retail market share: "Consumer acceptance of eCommerce in more categories (apparel, grocery)." "Improving convenience for the shopper, including better selection." "Faster and more reliable delivery." "Use of big data and improving shopping experiences." "Offline retailer focus and new business models targeting under-penetrated segments." As a result, the analyst predicts online global retail sales will rise 20 percent this year to $2.08 trillion. Post also forecasts 18 percent e-commerce sales growth in 2018. Here are three buy-rated companies recommended by Bank of America Merrill Lynch to ride the e-commerce trend, along with the firm's current price targets. 1) Amazon (AMZN) The firm has a $1,175 price target for Amazon shares, which is 23 percent higher than Monday's close. "We think investors will continue to favor Amazon's ambitious drive to go after big market opportunities, with a focus on sustainable topline growth over medium-term margins. We see several opportunities for disruptive growth for Amazon including B2B, groceries, logistics, India and auto parts. Amazon is still finding new categories to target, which have large scale and have potential competitive advantages for Amazon from its distribution infrastructure." 2) Alibaba (BABA) Bank of America Merrill Lynch has a $193 price target for Alibaba shares, representing 11 percent upside from Monday's close. "We expect Alibaba to remain the leading eCommerce company. Its leadership position enables it to benefit from industry growth and economies of scale. Alibaba has industry-leading investment in R & D to facilitate cross-selling and targeting. Hence there should be room for marketing revenue growth. It also runs industry leading B2B and cloud services, and has option value in Ant Financial due to a contractual agreement (currently not owned by Alibaba Group)." 3) Yandex (YNDX) The firm has a $38 price target for Yandex shares, representing 15 percent upside to Monday's close. Yandex is the "only stock globally that provides such a significant exposure to a market leading car-hailing App Yandex Taxi  Yandex's JV with Sberbank that could accelerate Russian e-commerce penetration by solving payments and delivery related headwinds."

Employees work at an Alibaba Group warehouse, Hangzhou, China. Carlos Barria | Reuters
On Tuesday, Wells Fargo CEO Timothy Sloan appeared before the Senate Banking Committee on Capitol Hill regarding the bank's creation of unauthorized accounts.

What follows is a full transcript of the exchange between Senator Elizabeth Warren and Sloan during Tuesday's hearing.

Senator Elizabeth Warren: I want to take a look at your time at Wells Fargo. From 2011 to 2014, at the height of when Wells Fargo was cheating customers by opening false accounts, you served as the chief financial officer. As CFO, you spoke to potential Wells Fargo investors a lot. On those calls, you aggressively promoted Wells Fargo ability to open up new accounts, didn't you?

Tim Sloan: No. I didn't.

Warren: No, you didn't?

Sloan: No.

Warren: Well, here are the transcripts from all of the investors' earnings calls that you participated in from 2011 to 2014. I've read through them and on these calls no one, not even John Stumpf who was the CEO at the time, bragged more about Wells Fargo's ability and commitment to open new accounts for existing customers. In the April, 2011, call for example, I think I've marked that one, you said, 'I can't wait to get a credit card in every one of our credit worthy customer's wallets.' Nothing about whether your customers wanted or needed a Wells Fargo credit card. All that mattered was opening new accounts. So while you were bragging to investors, about opening new accounts on these calls, from 2011 to 2014, you also personally owned roughly 2 million shares of Wells-Fargo stocks. Is that right?

Sloan: Senator, I don't recall how much stock I owned in Wells Fargo. I'm a very proud shareholder.

Warren: Well, it's actually in your SEC filing.

Sloan: Sure! It's public. It's all out there.

Warren: So it looks like you had a really good thing going. Talk up Wells Fargo's ability to open new accounts, get investors excited, and hey, if the stock goes up by a dollar, you make a cool $2 million bucks. Then in December 2013, almost three years into your time as CFO, the LA Times published a large article on the relentless pressure Wells Fargo put on employees to open new accounts. The article was based on an internal review of Wells Fargo documents, court filings, interviews with more than 30 current and former Wells Fargo employees. The article specifically said that employees had opened fake accounts in response to this pressure. Now, you were interviewed for that piece, Mr. Sloan, and you said, 'I'm not aware of any overbearing sales culture.' Hmm, that is really interesting phrasing: 'I'm not aware.' So when the LA Times came to you with concrete evidence of a terrible problem with fake accounts at your bank, did you launch an investigation into the issue before brushing it off?

Sloan: Senator, as it relates to my comments in 2011, I'm proud of the credit card products that we have at Wells Fargo.

Warren: That's not the question I'm asking. I just asked  you brushed it off. You said, 'you're not aware of problem.' Did you open an investigation when someone laid out evidence of fake accounts?

Sloan: Senator, in that interview, to the best of my recollection with the LA Times, they didn't provide me with any information. It was soon after that 

Warren: So I take that as a no? You did not open an inquiry into it?

Sloan: Again, the LA Times did not provide me with any documents. It was a phone call

Warren: Did you read the article?

Sloan: I read the article, yes.

Warrem: And then you opened an investigation immediately?

Sloan: At the same time the article was coming out, that was the time when the community bank elevated this issue to the senior leadership team and that's the time that we began to take action.

Warren: So let's talk about that time. You didn't look into the fake accounts. But you went right back to pumping up the stock price by bragging about Wells Fargo's record number of new accounts on your very next investor call. Now let's fast forward to 2016, two months before the fake account scandal became public. You were then the Chief Operating Officer of Wells Fargo. An interviewer asked you whether you'd brought sales goals and cross-selling too far, and your answer was 'No. The fundamental strategy we have is not going to change.' In July 2016, just before this breaks open, according to Wells Fargo's own investigation, you knew that thousands of employees had been fired for opening fake accounts and other sales violations. You knew that aggressive cross-selling goals were to blame and still, you publicly said that the bank didn't have a problem. Right?

Sloan: Uh, Senator, that's incorrect, you --

Warren: --You didn't say this? That --

Sloan: Senator, could you read the entire quote and can we go through the entire presentation because I think in that presentation --

Warren: Your answer when asked if you pushed employees to far, your answer was 'no. The fundamental strategy we have is not going to change.' And that's a month before before this break was public.

Sloan: And I was referring to, I was referring to the vision of our company.

Warren: The vision, including the fake scandals you're being asking about?

Sloan: No, Senator. Every time I give a presentation to our team members, I start with our vision, which is the ground people and the culture of our company, which is that our job is to satisfy our customer's financial needs and help them succeed financially.

Warren: Mr. Sloan, I--

Sloan: --That's the context I made that statement. Since I've become CEO, I have made fundamental changes to address the issues that we're talking about today.

Warren: Mr. Sloan, you were asked about pressure on employees, which caused the fake accounts scandal. We all know that now -- it's public. You knew there was a problem, and when you were asked about it, you lied. This is about personal responsibility. Wells Fargo cheated millions of people for years. The Federal Reserve should remove all of the current board members who served during the fake account scandal. And Mr. Sloan, you say you've been making changes at Wells Fargo for 30 years, but you enabled this fake account scam, you got rich off it, and then you tried to cover it up. At best, you are incompetent. At worst, you are complicit. Either way, you should be fired. Wells Fargo needs to start over and that won't happen until the bank rids itself of people like you who led it into this crisis. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Sloan: Mr. Chairman, could I respond to that?

Chairman: Yes, you may.

Warren: I want an equal amount of time.

Sloan: Senator, I think a couple things. First -- and I'll get to your criticism of me in a moment -- but first let's talk about the board. I think the board has taken very important steps in terms of a thorough, independent investigation that's been made public, that's number one. Number two, the board has taken very strong action in terms of executive accountability. That is, unfortunately, some of the highest in corporate American history. Again, unfortunate. So I don't believe that your criticism of the board are accurate. As it relates to me, again, I think the reason that I'm the right person to run this company today, notwithstanding your criticism, is because I have been making changes at this company for 30 years. I have made mistakes, I certainly haven't been perfect, but I think having that knowledge of the company, having the ability to make the change, the actions that I've taken since I've become CEO 11 months ago, have made fundamental change at this company. So I'm not afraid to make hard decisions when it's needed, and I have the support of 247,000 people. That's why I think I'm the right person.

Warren: [to Chairman] Can I just make a short comment on this? I know we're, I know we're over [time], but I really want to say, [to Sloan] are you kidding? You know, look. You've been there for 30 years and every one of my colleagues, on both the Republican side and the Democratic side, who have spoken so far have talked about a broken culture at Wells Fargo, have talked about the fact that the problem starts with leadership. The people who were there and leaving Wells Fargo during the time of a years long scam, and multiple scams as our Chairman pointed out, those people should not be left in charge of this business. And when you promote it, exactly what was wrong with this bank, over and over and over -- you went to the stock market, and you bragged about it. You made money personally off it. When you were asked about it, you did not tell the truth, and you tried to cover it up. Wells Fargo is not going to change with you in charge.
The following is an excerpt from "The Four: The Hidden DNA of Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Google" (Oct. 3, 2017, Portfolio) by Scott Galloway:

Firms try to build higher and higher walls to keep enemies (upstarts and competitors) from invasion. Business theorists call these structures "barriers to entry."

They are nice in theory, but increasingly traditional walls are showing cracks, even crumbling  especially in tech. The plummeting price of processing power (Moore's Law again), coupled with an increase in bandwidth and a new generation of leadership that has digital in their DNA, has produced bigger ladders than anyone ever expected. ESPN, J.Crew, and Jeb Bush . . . all unassailable, no? No. Digital ladders (over-the-top video, fast fashion, and @therealdonaldtrump) can vault almost any wall.

So, what's a ridiculously successful firm to do? Malcolm Gladwell, the Jesus of business books, highlights the parable of David & Goliath to make the key point: don't fight on other people's terms. In other words, once you've made the jump to light speed as a tech firm, you need to immunize yourself from the same conquering weapons your own army levied on the befuddled prey. There are several obvious examples: network effects (everyone is on Facebook because . . . everyone's on Facebook); IP protection (every firm in tech over $10 billion is suing, and being sued by, every other $10 billion tech firm), and developing an industry standardmonopolyecosystem (typing this on Word because I have no choice).

However, I'd argue that digging deeper moats is the real key to long-term success.

The iPhone will not be the best phone for long. Too many firms are struggling to catch up. However, there is a key asset of Apple Inc. that has a stronger immune system: its 492 retail stores in 19 countries. Wait, a marauder could just put up an online store, no? No. HP.com vs. the Apple Regent Street Store in London is like bringing a (butter) knife to a gunfight. And even if Samsung decides to allocate the capital, nine women can't have a baby in a month and the Korean giant would need a decade (at least) to present a similar offering.

Brick and mortar's troubles have been laid at the feet of digital disruption. There is some truth to that. However, digital sales are still only 1012 percent of retail. It's not stores that are dying, but the middle class, and the stores serving them. Most that are located in, or serving, middle-class households are struggling. By comparison, stores in affluent neighborhoods are holding strong. The middle class used to be 61 percent of Americans, now they are the minority, representing less than half the population . . . the rest being lower or upper income.
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Ahead of President Donald Trump's arrival in Puerto Rico on Tuesday, CNBC reporter Contessa Brewer and her team ventured deep into the devastated island's countryside over the weekend to get a first-person view of how its citizens are faring. Here's her eye-opening account:

Clogging the supply chain

I knew my photographer was worried. His sister lives alone, in their childhood home, outside Caguas. He had heard nothing from her since before Hurricane Maria hit. But when we landed in San Juan, Puerto Rico, our team's immediate focus was on a broken supply chain that was prolonging the life-or-death crisis for families across this island of 3.4 million people. Jose "Pache" Ayala, Crowley Maritime's vice president in Puerto Rico, gazed out over the container and liner shipping services' terminal and described thousands of cargo containers clogging the yard. It was over capacity, and the terminal was running out of space to place containers  at the same time more ships were in line waiting to unload. Though government officials quibbled about the number of containers stuck in the terminal, Ayala insisted the Federal Emergency Management Agency was not factoring in the thousands of commercial containers with nonessential cargo that were blocking the supply chain.

Source: CNBC

Begging for food and water

Inside the Nestle Toll House Cafe, I met Mario Salazar, the CEO of the tech company Blockfinity/Databay, based in New York City. He'd flown down to check on his family, loading his rental vehicle with supplies. When he reached his sister, she embraced him and said, "I want to talk to you, but I'm so hungry." Mario gave her food and water and watched tears roll down her face as she gulped it down. Mario, a former Marine, told me, "We are a family with resources. If my sister is going through this, what about others?" He described pregnant women and children chasing his car, believing he was with FEMA, begging for food and water. Detroit firefighter Hector Martinez flew down with supplies for his family. Once they were taken care of, he drove back to San Juan, bought more supplies at Walgreen's and planned his return trip to distribute more in areas where no one had seen any FEMA personnel 10 days after the storm. Martinez texted me, "I met a couple paramedics. They say Rincon hasn't seen any relief and people are dying."

'Worried about our employees'

Victor Calderin  my photographer and a native Puerto Rican  quietly worried. The stories we heard from those who'd traveled the island greatly concerned him. Our team strategized about the logistics of driving the island  how we could refuel and still cover more ground. Could we lay out a trip that took us to his sister's town? On Saturday we left our hotel at 6:30 a.m. local time to be at the Trailer Bridge terminal at the port when it opened at 7 a.m. I hopped in with a trucker named Melvin who went to pick up a cargo container inside  we drove by rows of containers, with no luck spotting it. Melvin said, "It's a normal route for him. ... He knew where it was supposed to be." Melvin headed back to the office to try to figure out where to find the container. Turned out, in the post-hurricane confusion, the container was located at another terminal. What was supposed to be a 10-minute pickup and delivery to Plaza Provision, which distributes food to Wal-Mart , Sam's Club, Costco , and many other stores, turned into a two-hour trip. Melvin's working long days. I noticed clean clothes and toiletries stashed in his cab. A messed-up mission makes it longer. Melvin shrugged and said: "Sometimes, it happens." Plaza Provision's warehouse is a hive of activity. They're working on generator power, with unreliable diesel deliveries. As soon as I began chatting with the company's CEO, Robert Cimino, he began crying and stepped behind a cargo container. I gently pressed him, and he said, "So many of our people are unaccounted for," he said. "We're focused on logistics and moving these supplies, but it's so hard to do it when we're worried about our employees." Pat Foley, CEO of Lufthansa Technik Puerto Rico, has similar concerns. He heads a group of nearly 400 employees. At the facility, there's no running water, bathrooms aren't operating, and the only power comes from a generator. And that's not enough to open the massive hangar door, so Lufthansa employees used combined muscle to push it out of the way. They need the space inside for the 80 tons of water, food, clothing and basic supplies Lufthansa sent from Frankfurt. As the plane pulled up, employees began cheering. Their relief was palpable. Foley told me he and his company have a clear priority: People first. After we left the airport, we stopped at a bakery selling freshly baked baguettes and croissants and hot coffee. The tiny dining area was packed. As we waited for our first hot breakfast on the island since the storm, I talked to Creighton Skeen, an agent with U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Skeen says they've been landing wherever they can, picking up patients with pre-existing conditions and flying them to hospitals in San Juan.

Putrid smell of rotting flesh

Near the southwestern town of Yauco, we saw fields of plantains entirely decimated. Mango groves bowled over by the wind and looming above us  those formerly lush tropical forests covering mountains, now brown, barren, stripped of signs of life. On the highway, utility trucks were parked on the shoulder or in the median, buckets raised high with workers tackling dangling electrical wires and cables. We saw mile after mile of sagging electrical lines and telephone poles snapped in half or leaning precariously over roadways and intersections. Near Ponce, my producer noticed a cell phone tower with its white rectangular transmitters drooping like a wilted flower. We pulled off the highway to take a picture and stretch our legs, joining other drivers with the same thought. The putrid smell of rotting flesh overwhelmed me. I couldn't see the source of the foul odor, but that scent occasionally would assault me along our drive throughout Puerto Rico. As we drove south from Aguadilla, we saw the ruins of the island's oldest lighthouse. As the ocean waves crashed and the breeze carried in the smell of salt, the only signs of visible damage from the storm were downed trees and the brown hillsides in the distance. I watched surfers unload their boards and head toward the water. I stopped in the dunes to pick a wildflower and immediately ants swarmed my feet and attacked. I carry a well-provisioned first aid kit with me to disaster zones, but the one thing I'm missing is Benadryl. We found a tiny drugstore, open, cash-only to buy the over-the-counter medication. The pharmacist offered me a stronger dose, but I declined.

A sign that reads in Spanish 'No Gas' is seen at a gas station in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, in Morovis, Puerto Rico, September 30, 2017. Riardo Arduengo | AFP | Getty Images

We turned off the perimeter highway, following Highway 52 through the mountains in the central part of Puerto Rico. A massive crowd of cars clustered around a highway intersection in Cayey  it was the first time I'd received an AT&T signal since leaving San Juan early in the morning. Claro, the Mexican carrier, is the most reliable signal islandwide, and Puerto Ricans debate whether they should buy a prepaid Claro phone or wait for their own cell phone service to stabilize. Along the way, horses graze  not only in pastoral settings but in public housing complexes, at bus stops, near driveways, and staked by short leads to a tiny bare patch of ground in crowded neighborhoods. My driver tells me it's normal; families like having horses. Near Yabucoa and San Lorenzo, just northwest of where Maria made landfall, people are living day-to-day with a crisis: Which lifesaving line should they stand in today? A line for medicine? A line for gas? A line for cash? A line for food and water? And where, they wonder, can they even find food and water?

People buckets filled with water after Hurricane Maria in Corozal, Puerto Rico, on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2017. John Taggart | Bloomberg | Getty Images

Signs of life returning to normal

We saw signs of life returning to normal: A man with a weed-trimmer, edging the line while giant downed trees surrounded the property. Along switchbacks, a two-lane mountain road was reduced to one lane by forests that clearly had been pushed by the hurricane onto the roadway and then cleared by a community armed with chainsaws. The driver of the only 18-wheeler we saw in this area continuously sounded his horn to warn other drivers to move out of the way. We stopped at a roadside open-air bar, with motorcycles bearing the Puerto Rican flag parked in front. Victor stopped to ask about the road to his childhood home. With street signs missing and the landscape so starkly altered, he'd lost his bearings. A motorcyclist offered to show us the way. We passed home after home, with roofs intact and families sitting in the shade  their homes a fortress in a storm. So much of Puerto Rico's housing stock is constructed of concrete, and unlike the damage I saw in Houston with Hurricane Harvey or the Florida Keys with Hurricane Irma, many people were able to stay in their homes here, though they don't have running water or electricity.

Safe and sound

As we rounded a corner, Victor began excitedly shouting. "There it is. I see it!" He waved his hands. We pulled into the top of a driveway, blocked by a rusty white iron gate. "Suchie!" he called, using his nickname for his sister Jenny. And he waited. The brief moment of silence was filled with so much tension, so much worry and hope. He shouted again. "Suchie, I'm here," he said. And then we heard her. "I'm coming," she shouted. "Oh my God!" Victor turned to hug me, so relieved by the confirmation. His crying sister walked up the hill from her home. "I survived," she said. "Look at my house." "I see, I see," Victor said. "Open the gate, c'mon!" Jenny started describing the damage before even reaching him. "Oh my God, Junior. I have three letters for you. Three," she said, "Saying: Send me help. Help. Help." Her burly brother wrapped her in his arms and cried. "Oh my God, Junior. It was terrible," she said. Jenny described watching a twister tear through, landslides chopping away at her property. She survived the storm completely alone, with only her dog, a female pit bull, to keep her company. She's had absolutely no communications, no way to reach her family in the United States. Surviving on water her town took from a mountain spring and with food running out, she apologized to her unexpected guests. "I only have rice." Victor said, "No, we brought food for you." She told him, "I was so depressed. I just kept praying to God for a sign."

WATCH: Trump tells Puerto Rico it's thrown the US budget out of whack
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Consumers have to shell out a collective $4.1 billion to freeze their credit reports and prevent fraudsters from using personal information possibly exposed in the massive data breach at Equifax , according to new research from advocacy group U.S. PIRG. The data show that with only eight U.S. states requiring that credit freezes  which prevent lenders from accessing your credit report  be offered free of charge, about 158 million consumers between ages 18 and 65 would face a hefty tab. "Consumers can't control access to their own credit reports without paying a fee, which is outrageous," said Mike Litt, consumer advocate for U.S. PIRG. "We're not customers" of the credit-reporting firms, he added. "We don't get to choose them collecting and selling our information  and, in the case of Equifax, losing it  and we have to pay a fee to protect it?" (Click on the interactive map below to check fees in your state.)

Source: U.S. PIRG The data come as a round of congressional hearings start Tuesday to grill former Equifax CEO Richard Smith  who retired last week  about the company's massive data breach, which potentially put the personal data of as many as 145 million consumers in the hands of criminals. Also making the rounds on Capitol Hill are several bills that would make credit freezes free in all states, although it's unclear at this point whether they will gain any momentum with only Democratic backers in a Republican-controlled Congress. Data exposed in the breach, which Equifax said was discovered July 29, include names, birth dates, Social Security numbers, addresses and some driver's license numbers. The cyberattack occurred from mid-May through July and was revealed by the company in early September.

Richard Smith, former chairman and CEO of Equifax Inc., testifies before House Energy and Commerce hearing on "Oversight of the Equifax Data Breach: Answers for Consumers" on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., October 3, 2017. Kevin Lamarque | Reuters

Experts say all consumers should assume their information was compromised. Just yesterday, the number of consumers potentially affected in the breach was revised upward. The basic benefit of freezing your credit report is that if a scammer attempts to take out a loan or establish credit using your personal information, the lender will be unable to check your credit score or history and generally won't approve the application. Yet to do so costs anywhere from $2 to $10 in the states where freeze fees are charged. In some states, you'll also pay a fee to unfreeze your report when you need a lender to approve a valid application. Also, some states waive the fees for certain consumers, such as seniors or active-duty military members.

Consumers can't control access to their own credit reports without paying a fee, which is outrageous. Mike Litt consumer advocate at U.S. PIRG
The term for current chair, Janet Yellen, expires in February. Wall Street believes there's still a chance Trump may pick her to continue and that she possibly would accept. Gundlach isn't buying that.

Kashkari is the president of the Minneapolis Fed and happened to say Monday that the central bank is making a mistake by continuing to raise rates , comments Gundlach referenced as helping him possibly get the job.

"I actually have a very non-consensus point of view. I think it's going to be Neel Kashkari," the the CEO of DoubleLine Capital told the Vanity Fair New Establishment Summit on Tuesday in Los Angeles. "He happens to be the most easy money guy that's in the Federal Reserve system today and that's why he may win."

"Bond King" Jeffrey Gundlach has an unusual pick for who President Donald Trump will choose to be the next Federal Reserve chief.

"I think there is no chance that she wants to be chairwoman, nor do I think the president wants her to be," said the manager of $109 billion.

Gundlach said that Trump needs someone who will keep rates low in order to keep his populist reputation and help his base voters and that's why he'll pick Kashkari.

"A stronger dollar is not good for achieving that agenda," he said.

Despite this enthusiastic endorsement from Gundlach, an administration source told CNBC's Steve Liesman on Wednesday that Kashkari was not being considered for Fed chair.

The current betting favorite on Wall Street for Fed chief is one-time Fed governor Kevin Warsh, but Gundlach says he doesn't believe it's going to be him. He also said there's no way the president's chief economic advisor Gary Cohn gets the job because of his close connections to Goldman Sachs, where he was the No. 2 executive. Last month, Trump interviewed them both for the job and current Fed governor Jerome Powell.

"I think I'm the only guy on God's green earth that believes it will be Neel Kashkari," said Gundlach.

The money manager believes next year will bring a tough time for "risk markets" like stocks as central banks around the world start to see the error of their ways in keeping rates so artificially low.

"I think we've been in an artificially inflated market," he told interviewer Bethany McLean, contributing editor of Vanity Fair. " We're looking at a much tougher environment as we move into 2018."

Surprisingly Gundlach doesn't really like bonds either.

But, he said, "I'm stuck with it."
Defense Secretary James Mattis was pressed Tuesday to explain President Donald Trump's recent spate of tweets that appeared to reject a diplomatic solution on North Korea.

It followed the Defense secretary's opening remarks to a Senate panel that the Pentagon "supports fully" Secretary of State Rex Tillerson's ongoing "efforts to find a diplomatic solution [to the North Korean threat] but remains focused on defense of the United States and our allies."

Rhode Island Democratic Sen. Jack Reed, ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said Mattis' comments about the DOD supporting diplomatic efforts toward Pyongyang "does not seem to be translated to the president." Reed said Trump "has in several tweets suggested that Secretary Tillerson's opening of [diplomatic] channels and preparing to discuss issues, directly and indirectly, is essentially a waste of time."

Reed asked Mattis, "How do you respond to those types of [tweets]. On one hand, you strongly support him (Tillerson), and on the other hand ... the president is telling him to knock it off."

Mattis responded that the president's guidance to both him and Tillerson "has been very clearly that we would pursue the diplomatic effort," which the retired Marine Corps four-star general said includes various initiatives with China along with economic sanctions aimed at the rogue regime in Pyongyang

Mattis termed the current approach to nuclear-armed North Korea "a dynamic balance as we try to go forward with a solution." Yet he also said the U.S. needs to "ensure we have military options."

The Defense secretary said he believes Tillerson accurately stated that the U.S. "is probing for opportunities to talk with the North. All we're doing is probing; we're not talking with them."

According to Mattis, that approach to North Korea is "consistent with the president's dismay about not talking with them before the time is right." He then quickly added, "before they are willing to talk."

"So I do not see the divergence as strongly as some have interpreted it," said Mattis.

Trump tweeted Sunday, "I told Rex Tillerson, our wonderful Secretary of State, that he is wasting his time trying to negotiate with Little Rocket Man."

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/914497877543735296

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/914497947517227008

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/914565910798782465

Last month, Trump referred to North Korea's leader as "Rocket Man on a suicide mission." Those comments were made during the president's first speech to the United Nations General Assembly.

Speaking to the Senate panel Tuesday, Mattis termed the current approach to North Korea "a dynamic balance as we try to go forward with a solution." Yet he said the U.S. needs to "ensure we have military options."

Trump "has a responsibility to ensure that we go into this with our eyes wide open," said Mattis. He noted that there's been both Republican and Democratic administrations in the past that have been disappointed in the end with diplomatic initiatives to Pyongyang.

Earlier this year, Tillerson said the U.S. under prior administrations had given more than $1.3 billion in assistance to North Korea but had little to show for it. The U.S. has been putting pressure on China, North Korea's longtime ally, to get the regime to change its behavior.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un recently conducted the regime's sixth nuclear test and is aggressively pushing ahead with its ballistic missile development program, including test-firing intercontinental ballistic missiles some U.S. experts believe can reach at least half of the continental United States.

Also, North Korea has threatened to fire missiles toward the U.S. territory of Guam and has more recently threatened to launch a nuclear test in the open Pacific.

Tuesday's hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee was scheduled to focus on the administration's new Afghanistan strategy but a few of the questions were about North Korea and Iran. Also speaking at the hearing was Gen. Joseph Dunford Jr., chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Regarding Iran, Mattis told the Senate panel he believes it's best for the U.S. to stay in the Iran nuclear deal although insisted he's still supportive of efforts to review the Obama-era agreement. "If we can confirm that Iran is living by the agreement, if we can determine that this is in our best interest, then clearly we should stay with it," Mattis said Tuesday.



Meanwhile, Dunford also weighed in on Iran and said it is "not in material breach" of the international nuclear deal.



The Trump administration is facing an Oct. 15 deadline to notify Congress of Iran's compliance with the nuclear deal, the 2015 international agreement that includes the U.S. and five other world powers: Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany.



The Trump administration has certified Iran's compliance twice, but recent comments from the president suggest he may reject it this time.
Mnuchin's chief of staff, Eli Miller, flew to Palm Beach "several months ago" on the Trian Fund Management chief executive's jet, according to The Washington Post , which first reported the flight. Miller was appointed to the position in February.

The revelation, which the Treasury inspector general's office is reviewing, comes as multiple Trump Cabinet officials face questions about the ethics of using private air travel. News of the flight also came amid the Treasury's work on a tax-reform plan, which could heavily affect hedge-fund managers like Peltz.

The department gave this statement to CNBC:

"The Treasury ethics office advised Mr. Miller that he was permitted to accept a seat on a plane from a friend with whom he has a pre-existing relationship under federal ethics law."

Trian declined to comment to CNBC.

Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price resigned last week following revelations that he took private and military jets that cost taxpayers more than $1 million in total, sometimes when cheaper commercial travel was available.

The Treasury's inspector general is already looking into Mnuchin's travel, after he and his wife took a government jet to Kentucky. He also requested to use a government plane for his honeymoon in Europe.

The inspector general's office said its review of the flight to Louisville so far shows that it was not timed to coincide with the solar eclipse in August. The watchdog is expected to complete its review this week.

Following President Donald Trump's election last year, Peltz told CNBC that Trump's tax proposals would be a boon for American companies.
Many blockchain-focused startups see initial coin offerings as an easier and cheaper way to raise money than going through traditional means such as finding venture capital. Global investors have poured the equivalent of $2.3 billion, into initial coin offerings, mostly in the last six months, according to CoinDesk.

Four of the five largest token sales on record are from Swiss-based companies, according to the release.

Even in Switzerland, where financial authorities approved a private bank for bitcoin asset management , the Crypto Valley Association distributed Tuesday a paper by local lawyers to define three categories of tokens and four kinds of associated risks.

Along with Juan Benet and Jesse Clayburgh of blockchain developer Protocol Labs, Santori released a whitepaper on Monday that lays out how certain initial coin offerings can avoid falling the designation of "security."

"We are starting to see the self-regulation of this market, I think the taming of the Wild West," said Marco Santori, head of fintech practice at Cooley and an advisor to the International Monetary Fund, told CNBC.

The digital coin industry is increasingly trying to find ways to curry favor with regulators on fundraisers known as initial coin offerings.

The rush of money into what are often very early-stage, failure-prone projects has prompted regulatory concern.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission indicated in late July that national securities laws may apply to sales of new digital coins and warned investors of the risks of participating in the token sales. Many of those token sales are officially off-limits to U.S. residents out of fear that U.S. regulators will come after the founders in case the project fails.

However, not all tokens are strictly coins like bitcoin that can be speculated upon. Instead, some tokens are meant to be used to access or interact with a new system, such as a decentralized cloud storage system.

The paper Santori co-authored attempts to emphasize the distinction between utility and security tokens.

The paper describes how a "simple agreement for future tokens," or "Saft," serves as an initial investment contract between a startup and accredited investors. That way, by the time the token launches publicly, the token is a usable part of a new system  clearly not an investment security.

The SEC declined to comment to CNBC.

All-time cumulative funding raised in initial coin offerings

Source: CoinDesk

Others are working on a legal way to support digital coins that are meant to become securities.

Last week, Overstock.com announced its majority-owned subsidiary tZero, along with financial services companies RenGen and Argon, are forming a joint venture to launch an SEC-compliant alternative trading system for trading digital coins issued in initial coin offerings. Overstock has a license for an alternative trading system through its acquisition of Pro Securities two years ago.

"The SEC needs to give more guidance ... because businesses crave more certainty and I think investors crave more certainty as well as protection," said Jonathan Johnson, a board member of Overstock.com and president of its blockchain-focused subsidiary Medici Ventures.

That said, both the alternative trading system and "Saft" whitepaper emphasize the role of accredited investors and appear to contradict the coin offerings' goal of giving all investors early access.

Typically, initial coin offerings give anyone with bitcoin, ethereum or whichever digital currency the fundraiser accepts the access to what may be the next bitcoin or internet system.

But the little-regulated token sale process as it stands provides little protection for investors in case of fraud or loss.

"On the one side you are eliminating the people who are going to be users of the token," said Erik Syvertsen, general counsel at AngelList, and a consultant on the "Saft" project. On the other hand, "people who have the income or net worth are better able to bear the risk."

The SEC on Friday alleged a businessman and his two companies were selling unregistered securities and charged them with defrauding investors in two initial coin offerings supposedly backed by real estate and diamonds.

The U.S. is not the only country scrutinizing the token sales. China banned the initial coin offerings last month, sending bitcoin's price tumbling. South Korea also announced a ban on the token sales last week. Bitcoin mostly shrugged off the news and recovered Tuesday to around $4,300, according to CoinDesk.
With one week left until shareholders vote whether to add activist investor Nelson Peltz to Procter & Gamble 's board, the company sought to assure shareholders it was already on the right path.

Procter & Gamble CEO David Taylor, CFO Jon Moeller and board member Meg Whitman addressed shareholders' questions about Trian Fund's campaign to get CEO and founding partner Nelson Peltz a seat on P&G's board. Investors were asked to email questions before the webcast on Tuesday.

Peltz's hedge fund Trian Partners disclosed a $3.5 billion stake in P&G in February. It nominated Peltz to P&G's board in July. Taylor has argued P&G is already transforming itself.

The executives reiterated their case that adding Peltz to the board would derail progress. Taylor disputed the idea that some have floated of why not add Peltz, since he would only have one board seat.

"To have him come in and say, 'Because I've taken a position in your company, this is my business model,' we don't think that ought to be the right criteria," Taylor said. "And we don't think 'why not' is the right governance standard. We'll listen to him, I respect him, but I also believe it's not the right time, and he's not the right person for P&G's board today."

Trian did not immediately respond to CNBC's request for comment.

Peltz has said his experience with food companies such as Mondelez and Heinz qualify him to work with P&G, a consumer giant that produces such products as Pampers diapers, Gillette razors and Tide laundry detergent. P&G has argued food is different from household goods.

Whitman, CEO of Hewlett Packard Enterprise , told shareholders P&G is not anti-activist investor. She noted that some of P&G's board members have experience with activists, including herself.

"It's not about activists," she said. "It's about the right board member at the right time."

The webcast was P&G's latest attempt to persuade shareholders against adding billionaire investor Peltz to the board. Peltz and P&G's Taylor have fought a war of words for months ahead of the largest proxy vote in history.

Peltz has portrayed an aging company whose innovation has lagged and whose brands have fallen out of favor with consumers. Meanwhile, Taylor has countered that the company is on the right track to transforming itself.

All three proxy solicitors, Egan-Jones, Glass Lewis and Institutional Shareholder Services, have recommended adding Peltz to the board. Earlier Tuesday, former CEO A.G. Lafley defended his former employer in a letter titled, "This is too important...I'm taking the gloves off."

Peltz published a 94-page white paper last month highlighting that P&G's returns to shareholders have fallen short. The paper said P&G's "suffocating bureaucracy" drags on business and the company suffers from a lack of innovation.

Later that month, P&G countered, releasing a report claiming it was on the right track and adding Peltz to the board would derail the company. The presentation includes a section dedicated to analyzing Peltz's prior activist campaigns.

The fight will end next week when shareholders vote at P&G's annual meeting in Cincinnati.
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Police sought clues on Tuesday to explain why a retiree with a penchant for gambling but no criminal record set up a sniper's nest in a high-rise Las Vegas hotel and poured gunfire onto a concert below, slaying dozens of people before killing himself. The Sunday night shooting spree from a 32nd-floor window of the Mandalay Bay hotel, on the Las Vegas Strip, killed at least 59 people before the gunman turned a weapon on himself. More than 500 were injured, some trampled, in the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history. The gunman, identified as Stephen Paddock, 64, left no immediate hint of his motive for the arsenal of high-powered weaponry he amassed, including 34 guns, or the carnage he inflicted on a crowd of 22,000 attending an outdoor country music festival. Paddock was not known to have served in the military, or to have suffered from a history of mental illness or to have registered any inkling of social disaffection, political discontent or radical views on social media.

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"He was a sick man, a demented man," U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters. "Lot of problems, I guess, and we're looking into him very, very seriously, but we're dealing with a very, very sick individual." He declined to answer a question about whether he considered the attack an act of domestic terrorism. U.S. officials also discounted a claim of responsibility by the militant Islamic State group. "We have determined to this point no connection with an international terrorist group," Aaron Rouse, special agent in charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation field office in Las Vegas, told reporters on Monday.

A file photo of Stephen Paddock who was the confirmed shooter in Las Vegas.

Police said they believed Paddock acted alone but were at a loss to explain what might have precipitated it. "We have no idea what his belief system was," Clark County Sheriff Joseph Lombardo told reporters. "I can't get into the mind of a psychopath." Multiple senior law enforcement officials told NBC News that federal investigators are very interested in Paddock's finances. In the final week of September, he transferred $100,000 to an account in the Philippines. Officials told NBC that Paddock's girlfriend, Marilou Danley, is of Philippine descent and has family in the island country. She left the U.S. a week ago to visit the Philippines via Hong Kong and was originally slated to return to the U.S. on Wednesday. There's nothing to suggest Danley's plans have changed, but officials told NBC that they did not know which airport she would be arriving in. A source familiar with the investigation said Paddock was a frequent player "with the highest status" at Caesars Entertainment properties. Although police said they had no other suspects, Lombardo said investigators wanted to talk with Paddock's girlfriend and live-in companion, Marilou Danley, who he said was traveling abroad, possibly in Tokyo. Lombardo also said detectives were "aware of other individuals" who were involved in the sale of weapons Paddock acquired. Still, the closest Paddock appeared to have ever come to a brush with the law was for a traffic infraction, authorities said. As with previous mass shootings that have rocked the United States, the massacre in Las Vegas stirred the ongoing debate about gun ownership, which is protected by the Second Amendment to the Constitution, and about how much that right should be subject to controls. Democrats reiterated what is generally the party's stance, that legislative action is needed to reduce mass shootings. Republicans argue that restrictions on lawful gun ownership cannot deter criminal behavior. "We'll be talking about gun laws as time goes by," Trump said.

Itinerant existence

The death toll, which officials said could rise, surpassed last year's record massacre of 49 people at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, by a gunman who pledged allegiance to Islamic State. Paddock, however, seemed atypical of the overtly troubled, angry young men who experts said have come to embody the profile of most mass shooters. Public records point to an itinerant existence across the U.S. West and Southeast, including stints as an apartment manager and aerospace industry worker. But Paddock appeared to be settling in to a quiet life when he bought a home in a Nevada retirement community a few years ago, about an hour's drive from Las Vegas and the casinos he enjoyed. His brother, Eric, described Stephen Paddock as financially well-off and an avid enthusiast of video poker games and cruises. "We're bewildered, and our condolences go out to the victims," Eric Paddock said in a telephone interview from Orlando, Florida. "We have no idea in the world." Las Vegas's casinos, nightclubs and shopping draw more than 40 million visitors from around the world each year. The Strip was packed with visitors when the shooting started shortly after 10 p.m. local time on Sunday during the Route 91 Harvest music festival. The gunfire erupted during the Route 91 Harvest music festival as country music star Jason Aldean was performing. The musician ran off stage as the shooting progressed. Video of the attack showed throngs of people screaming in horror and cowering on the open ground as extended bursts of gunfire strafed the crowd from above, from a distance police estimated at more than 500 yards (460 meters). The bloodshed ended after police swarming the hotel closed in on the gunman, who shot and wounded a hotel security officer through the door of his two-room suite and then killed himself before police entered, authorities said. Police said 23 guns were found in Paddock's suite. Lombardo said a search of the suspect's car turned up a supply of ammonium nitrate, a fertilizer compound that can be formed into explosives and was used in the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing of a federal office building that killed 168 people. Police found another 19 firearms, some explosives and thousands of rounds of ammunition at Paddock's home in Mesquite, about 90 miles (145 km) northeast of Las Vegas.

Police cars parked in front of the house in the Sun City Mesquite community where suspected Las Vegas gunman Stephen Paddock lived, October 2, 2017 in Mesquite, Nevada. Getty Images
President Donald Trump just set a new standard in his search for flattery.



A few months ago, Trump held a Cabinet meeting like none in modern memory. He invited a tableful of his appointees to describe what then-Chief of Staff Reince Priebus called "the blessing to serve your agenda." With the TV cameras rolling, Trump went around the room, giving each Cabinet member a chance to praise the new administration's work.



Today, he staged a replay  but this time with hurricane victims. The president supplied much of the flattery himself.



It started at the White House as Trump prepared to depart for Puerto Rico to glimpse the devastation from Hurricane Maria. He told reporters that the mayor of San Juan, who had begged Washington for more help while blasting one federal official for calling relief efforts "a good news story," had "come back a long way" since then.



"I think it's now acknowledged what a great job we've done," Trump declared, noting praise for his administration's response to other storms. "In Texas and in Florida, we get an A+, and I'll tell you what: I think we've done just as good in Puerto Rico."



Chiding Puerto Ricans again, as he had over the weekend, the president added, "On a local level, they have to give us more help." But he thanked Puerto Rico's governor because "he has said we've done an incredible job."



After landing in the storm-ravaged American territory, Trump struck the same tone. Addressing a roomful of administration and Puerto Rican officials, he emphasized the successes of his team rather than the suffering on an island desperate to restore its electric power, drinking water and transportation system.



He serially lauded officials in his administration including Federal Emergency Management Agency Director Brock Long, repeating the "A+" evaluation from earlier in the day.



He praised the "fantastic general" he placed atop the relief effort, Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Buchanan, as someone who plays "no games."



He thanked Puerto Rico's non-voting representative in Congress, Jenniffer Gonzales Colon, for "saying such nice things" about the administration's response. He repeated his appreciation for Puerto Rico's governor, Ricardo Rossello, as someone who "did not play politics."



The evidence? "He was giving us the highest grades," the president said.



Unwilling to stop there, Trump celebrated the comparison between lives lost to Maria and those lost to "a real catastrophe"  Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The federal response to that earlier storm prompted fierce criticism of President George W. Bush.



"What's your death count?" Trump asked Rossello. Told the answer was 16, the president responded: "16 people versus in the thousands. You can be  very proud of what's taken place."



Last week, Trump and Republican leaders in Congress outlined their tax-cut plan, which the Tax Policy Center concluded will expand the federal budget deficit while delivering 80 percent of its benefits to the wealthiest 1 percent of Americans by 2027. Even so, the president couldn't resist teasing Puerto Rico for creating fiscal problems with its need for hurricane relief.



"I hate to tell you, Puerto Rico, you've thrown our budget a little out of whack," he said. "We've spent a lot of money on Puerto Rico."



He concluded on a note of forgiveness: "And that's fine. We're saving a lot of lives."



Soon Trump went outside to chat with ordinary Puerto Ricans affected by the storm. He opened an initial conversation by suggesting an image.



"Let's get a picture first," the president said. "Let's get a beauty."
Drapes billow out of broken windows at the Mandalay Bay resort and casino Monday, Oct. 2, 2017, on the Las Vegas Strip following a deadly shooting at a music festival in Las Vegas. A gunman was found dead inside a hotel room. John Locher | AP

The plane heading in to land at McCarran Airport on Monday morning at 6:45 a.m. was completely full. People were excited. Las Vegas does that to people. But off to the west, outside my window, the shiny golden windows of the Mandalay Bay resort and casino were marred by two dark holes. These were the windows broken out by Stephen Paddock to provide him with an uninterrupted view of the Strip and his targets.



I knew what I was looking at, even if most of the people on the plane did not. They didn't realize yet that hours earlier, Las Vegas had morphed from fun-loving Sin City into the site of the nation's worst mass shooting in modern history.



Las Vegas is a place most people don't think of as a community, but in the hours after the massacre, Americans learned about the other Vegas, the "real" Vegas. Residents lined up by the hundreds to donate blood, and hospitals were inundated with so many supplies they began redirecting them to other venues. At last look, a GoFundMe campaign started by a county leader to help victims and their families topped $3 million.

United Blood Services phlebotomist Sha-Na Hill (L) takes blood from Richard Williams of Nevada at a special United Blood Services drive at a University Medical Center facility to help victims of a mass shooting on October 2, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Getty Images

The vibe here is understandably weird. While every digital sign in the city expresses condolences for the dead and wounded, people continue to gamble, but the laughter and cheering are muted. Late in the day, when patrons could finally re-enter Mandalay Bay, the check-in line was Vegas-long  nothing different there. However, when it was my turn to check in, there was some confusion over what name my room had been reserved under. Suddenly I had to supply four different types of identification two media IDs, my driver's license and a credit card. Only after a discussion with a manager was I allowed to check in. That was new.



I went to the bank of elevators to head to my room on the 60th floor facing east (Paddock's suite was on the 32nd floor facing the same direction). Usually when you go to your room in these big Vegas hotels, a security guard by the elevators checks to make sure you have a room key. The first time I walked by the elevators Monday evening, there was no security guard, but she returned by the next time I walked by. When I came down for dinner: no guard. When I returned after dinner: a guard and two uniformed police officers. When I left my room at 1 a.m. Tuesday morning: three guards.

View from the 60th floor from the Mandalay Resort hotel of the concert grounds where 59 people where shot and killed and over 500 injured. Jane Wells | CNBC

Mandalay Bay was clearly trying to return to normal after being shut down as a crime scene. Not all of the restaurants were open Monday night, but most were. The waiter at Aureole told me a friend who worked on the top floor was forced to stay up there until 5 a.m. Monday morning, seven hours after the shooting. Another employee said he came to work at 3 a.m. Tuesday when he learned the parking garage was no longer locked down so he could retrieve his car. He added that it was so hard to get to work on Monday that they couldn't open the pool  they didn't have enough lifeguards.



Still, there is a strange business-as-usual feel. Five conventions  the mother's milk of Las Vegas  started on Tuesday, including the large Global Gaming Expo and, ironically, the American Red Cross Fall Finance meeting. People are walking around town with name badges draped around their necks. I asked travelers arriving at McCarran Airport if they had second thoughts about coming to Vegas. "Yes, we did," said Patricia Flores of Spokane, Washington, "but we decided to come anyway." Tuwana Milhouse said she wasn't bothered. "No. 1, he killed himself," she said of Paddock. "I just don't live in fear like that, I'm not gonna do it."

A woman lights candles at a vigil on the Las Vegas strip following a mass shooting at the Route 91 Harvest Country Music Festival in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S., October 2, 2017. Chris Wattie | Reuters
Commanders look out the cockpit windows during search operations for missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 in Southern Indian Ocean, near Australia.

Australia has ended its search for the missing MH370 Malaysia Airlines flight that disappeared three years ago carrying 239 people.

The country's civil aviation authority admitted in its final report that it was no closer to discovering what happened after the plane was lost during a scheduled flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.

Australian searchers said reasons for the loss of MH370 would never be known until the aircraft is found.

"It is almost inconceivable and certainly societally unacceptable in the modern aviation era with 10 million passengers boarding commercial aircraft every day, for a large commercial aircraft to be missing and for the world not to know with certainty what became of the aircraft and those on board," the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) said on Tuesday.

The report's summary ended with a message to families related to the missing people.

"The ATSB expresses our deepest sympathies to the families of the passengers and crew on board MH370. We share your profound and prolonged grief, and deeply regret that we have not been able to locate the aircraft, nor those 239 souls on board that remain missing," the report added.
Snap has sold about 150,000 of its camera glasses, called Spectacles, CEO Evan Spiegel said on Tuesday.

Spiegel spoke to author Walter Isaacson at Vanity Fair's fourth annual New Establishment Summit in Beverly Hills, California. But while Spiegel said the sales figure far exceeded internal expectations for the product, Isaacson argued it seemed like the device wasn't catching on.

Snap, which makes the ephemeral messaging app Snapchat, has rebranded itself as a "camera company." But at least as of May, it seemed like its much-hyped camera device wasn't making a mark on Snap's business, which is funded mostly by advertising on Snapchat.

In May, Snap said its $130 augmented reality and camera glasses generated a little more than $8 million in revenue during the quarter  out of total revenue of $150 million  which would have indicated sales of about 61,500 units of the Spectacles if they were sold at full price.

Spiegel's comments on Tuesday indicated that Spectacle unit sales are now higher  a figure he's proud of, given that Apple's iPod had about 143,000 net unit sales in its first full year, 2002. For Snap, the glasses are a way to build expertise in the hardware field, in anticipation of greater adoption in the next ten years  "so many things" are coming for Spectacles, he said.

But Spiegel conceded that he's had trouble selling parts of his long-term vision to investors, not just when it comes to Spectacles.

"One of the things I did underestimate was how much more important communication becomes," Spiegel said. "When you go public you really need to explain to a huge new investor base, right  instead of having 10 new investors, you have 10,000  you have to explain how your business works. And at the same time you need to do that, there are also all these new regulations about what you can and cannot say and how you can communicate. So I think one of the things we've been going through this year is how to communicate the Snap story."

Spiegel had an awkward exchange with Wall Street analysts in August, when a hot mic caught an analyst describing how it was difficult to understand Spiegel's answer to a question. While Snap's IPO saw big gains out of the gate, shares have fallen more than 34 percent over the past six months.

"I think investors are fearful, and fear is a powerful motivator  they're fearful we'll never be profitable, or they're fearful that competition will kill us or something like that," Spiegel said. "But I think those are kind of normal fears for any start-up  and the really successful companies just grow through that. And that's why we've just tried to stay focused on the business this year and execute and deliver results."

--Additional reporting by Leanne Miller
Khalid Bin Abdulaziz Al-Falih, Saudi Arabia's energy minister and president of OPEC, speaks as Alexander Novak, Russia's energy minister, left, listens during a news conference following the 172nd Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) meeting in Vienna, Austria, on Thursday, May 25, 2017. Akos Stiller | Bloomberg | Getty Images

The world's biggest oil producers, Russia and Saudi Arabia, have announced a $1 billion fund to invest in energy projects  marking another chapter in the blossoming economic and political partnership between the two countries. The latest deal will see Russia and Saudi Arabia strengthen their cooperation in oil, gas, electricity and renewable energy, Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak told Al Arabiya television Monday, Reuters reported. It signifies an increasingly close strategic partnership between the two oil-rich states. RBC Capital Markets' Global Head of Commodity Strategy Helima Croft told CNBC on Tuesday that the $1 billion deal was "just the tip of the iceberg" and that she expected a lot more cooperation and joint ventures on oil, energy, infrastructure and public investment projects. "It's remarkable what's going on with Russia and Saudi Arabia now. Back in 2015, Russia said it had no intention of cooperating with Saudi Arabia but look at it now  You just have to look at the last OPEC meeting in May and look at Saudi Arabia Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih and Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak's comments  it is like watching an OPEC 'bromance,'" Croft told CNBC, referring to the increasingly close economic and political relationship between the two nations, particularly in terms of oil.

'No courtesy call'

Leaders of the oil industry and energy ministers are heading to Russia this week for a meeting between OPEC and non-OPEC members, with all eyes on whether an extension to a deal restricting oil exports will be extended. In a sign of the meeting's significance, King Salman is also attending  marking the first ever state visit to Russia by a Saudi monarch. Croft said that King Salman's visit to Russia was "a total continuation of the trend that we discussed in this report. Russia has gone from saying in 2015 that it had absolutely no intention of cooperating with OPEC in 2015, to essentially playing the role of OPEC co-president." "For King Salman to make this visit to Russia now, with all the reports of his failing health and plans to hand over the reins to MBS (Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud), to me signifies how important this strategic partnership has become to both sides," she said.

The meeting in Moscow comes hot on the heels of a plan by Russia and Saudi Arabia, the de facto leader of OPEC, to set up a $1 billion fund to invest in energy projects, announced by Novak on Monday. The fund is expected to be finalized this week in Moscow and is designed to "extend cooperation" between the world's largest oil producers. Chris Weafer, senior partner at Macro-Advisory, told CNBC on Tuesday that King Salman's attendance at the meeting was "very significant." "King Salman doesn't do courtesy calls. The fact that he's visiting Moscow  marking the first ever visit of a ruling sovereign of Saudi Arabia to Russia  just underlines how much the relationship between Russia and Saudi Arabia has changed over the last few years and more so in the as 12 months," he told CNBC.

Making waves

Saudi Arabia and Russia made waves last year when they agreed (along with the rest of OPEC, albeit with some members more reluctant than others) to cut oil output by 1.8 million barrels a day in a bid to support and stabilize oil prices, which have declined since mid-2014 on the back of a glut in supply. In June 2017, the oil producers agreed to extend those cuts until March 2018.

Russia's Energy Minister Alexander Novak said the oil market is likely to move into balance by the first quarter of 2018. Sefa Karacan | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images
People embrace during a vigil on the Las Vegas strip for the victims of the Route 91 Harvest country music festival shootings on October 2, 2017, in Las Vegas. Denise Truscello | Getty Images

The morning after 64-year-old Stephen Paddock opened fire on 22,000 concertgoers at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival in Las Vegas, Mandalay Bay Resorts promptly opened a crisis center, asking certified trauma counselors to volunteer and go to "Circus Circus  Ballroom D," according to a tweet. The makeshift crisis center was open to all victims, family members and anyone else directly impacted by the events, including Mandalay Bay guests and employees. "Psychological first aid," or early mental health response, after the aftermath of horror and heartbreak is relatively new. In the first two weeks after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings on December 14, 2012, which left 29 people dead, more than 800 people visited the main crisis counseling center in Newtown, Connecticut. Within 24 hours after the June 12, 2016, nightclub shooting in Orlando, which claimed 49 lives, local counselors began circulating a spreadsheet, asking practitioners to sign up for shifts to offer therapy and support to victims, their families and community members. In a few days 650 practitioners signed up. The Las Vegas shooting on Sunday night turned out to be the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history, leaving 59 dead and 527 injured. For nearly 15 minutes shots rained down on the attendees, who had nowhere to escape. What was to be an evening of country music and celebration turned into a night of bloody terror, leaving those affected  whether directly or vicariously  at risk of severe post-traumatic stress disorder.

watch now

Seventy percent of adults in the United States have experienced some type of traumatic event at least once in their lives," says PTSD United, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing support and resources for sufferers of PTSD. This equates to approximately 223.4 million people. Up to 20 percent of these people go on to develop PTSD. Today there are approximately 44.7 million people who were or are struggling with PTSD. The annual cost to society of anxiety disorders? More than $42.3 billion, often due to misdiagnosis and undertreatment. Treatments for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Several types of medications, such as antidepressants and anti-anxiety drugs, can be used to treat symptoms of PTSD. In addition, psychotherapy, also called talk therapy, may be used to treat children and adults with PTSD. Some types of psychotherapy used in PTSD treatment include: Cognitive therapy. This type of talk therapy helps you recognize the ways of thinking (cognitive patterns) that are keeping you stuck  for example, negative beliefs about yourself and the risk of traumatic things happening again. For PTSD, cognitive therapy often is used along with exposure therapy. Exposure therapy. This behavioral therapy helps you safely face both situations and memories that you find frightening so that you can learn to cope with them effectively. Exposure therapy can be particularly helpful for flashbacks and nightmares. One approach uses virtual reality programs that allow you to re-enter the setting in which you experienced trauma. Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR). EMDR combines exposure therapy with a series of guided eye movements that help you process traumatic memories and change how you react to them. Source: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research According to Michele Hart, co-author of Mental Health Emergencies: A Guide to Recognizing and Handling Mental Health Crises, immediate help is essential. Hart, a licensed clinical social worker in Utah with more than 20 years' experience in the treatment of trauma and stressor-related disorders, said that after emotional trauma of this scale, it will take, on average, eight months for people to get back to a normal sleeping routine. More from Modern Medicine:

Breakthrough electronic glasses help the legally blind see

How a party drug could become the next blockbuster antidepression treatment The most common thing she sees after an event such as this is re-traumatization. "If anyone has been experiencing trauma of any kind, it is going to start resurfacing," Hart said. To treat PTSD, Hart suggest the following measures.

A place to feel safe

"The first step is safety. Give someone a safe place to be and just be," she said. "Right now the talking isn't the important part." Hart said the priority should be giving people a place where they can cry and express emotions and begin to process what has happened in a way that is safe and comfortable. She added that therapy is not going to help quite yet: They need to draw with crayons, to do something that will help them express their emotions without having to say anything. Referring to Mandalay Bay's crisis center, she said, "It should be open for a week," adding that they need to have one separately for their staff. "Most of the people will get to go home, but the staff has to keep coming back," she said.

Seventy percent of adults in the United States have experienced some type of traumatic event at least once in their lives. This equates to approximately 223.4 million people. PTSD United a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing support and resources for sufferers of PTSD

Dialing down the media

Viewing graphic footage and overexposing yourself to the tragedy will harm the recovery process. Hart recommends her clients listen to the news only long enough to know what is happening and then simply turn it off. Continuously experiencing the trauma unfolding even if you haven't been directly impacted can take its toll, she said, adding, "Vicarious trauma is very real."

Supportive leadership
A quick stop at the ATM can cost more than you think.

ATM fees hit a record for the 11th-straight year, according to Bankrate.com, which surveyed 247 banks in July and August. The average cost of an out-of-network withdrawal is now $4.69, up 2.6 percent from last year. Overall, ATM fees are up 55 percent over the past decade.

Consumers generally face two fees when using an out-of-network ATM: a charge by the ATM owner for being a noncustomer in addition to a fee from the account holder's own bank for using another company's ATM.

The average surcharge from the ATM owner also hit a record for the 13th year in a row, rising to $2.97 from $2.90 last year, Bankrate said. The average fee charged by a consumer's own bank for going outside the ATM network increased 3 percent to $1.72, another high.

"When it comes to ATM and overdraft fees, a little advance planning can go a long way," said Bankrate.com chief financial analyst Greg McBride. "Knowing where you can make free ATM withdrawals and monitoring your available balance to avoid overdrafts are as close as your smartphone."

Consumers in Pittsburgh have the highest average out-of-network ATM fee of the top 25 metro areas, at $5.19, while those in Dallas have the lowest at $4.07.
Professional poker player Robert Mizrachi lived in Las Vegas on and off for 11 years, but he was in Florida Sunday night when a gunman opened fire on a music festival near the Mandalay Bay hotel, killing 59 people and wounding more than 500 others. "It was just really sad that I wasn't there  I used to live there  to give blood, or help out any way I can," he said. "Everyone knows someone who was at the concert." Mizrachi's brother still lives in Las Vegas, and he had friends who were at the concert. Like many in the poker community, Mizrachi has a whole life in Las Vegas, returning to the city frequently to meet with friends and family and to compete. For poker players who live in Las Vegas and around the world, the mass shooting on the Las Vegas Strip struck a deep chord. In one video that was quickly circulated on a poker community subreddit, Dan Bilzerian, a poker player well-known for his Instagram personality, taped himself fleeing from the carnage at the music festival. "Saw a girl get shot in the face right next to me," Bilzerian said in the video, adding an expletive. Members of the poker community expressed shock and horror alongside the rest of the world Sunday night and Monday morning as details of the tragedy unfolded.

"Praying for Vegas, praying for humanity," Jason Mercier, once ranked as the top poker player in the world, posted to his Twitter account.



"Thinking of you, Las Vegas. Look after each other," Liv Boeree, the top-ranked female poker player in the U.K., posted to hers.



But in the aftermath of what's been called the deadliest mass shooting in modern American history, the world's top poker players are still planning on returning to the nation's gambling capital.



"When we change our lifestyles because of things like this, we are letting the terrorists win," Las Vegas-based poker champion Ryan Riess wrote in an email.



Mizrachi, for his part, said he is still planning to go to Las Vegas in December for the Five Diamond World Poker Classic at the Bellagio hotel. Mass shootings, he said, can happen anywhere.



And Boeree said the massacre will not keep her from returning to the city that she loves, saying that the chances of dying in a mass shooting are "still incredibly small."



Experts agree that the risk of dying or being injured in a mass shooting remains vanishingly small.



"People shouldn't avoid Las Vegas because this shooting happened there," Northeastern University criminology professor and mass shooting expert James Alan Fox said in an interview. "You're more likely to die on the way to a casino in a car accident."



Boeree said that instead of avoiding Las Vegas, she hopes that people will focus on the factors that cause mass shootings.



"Its also important to not give the lunatics what they want - they want to disrupt our lives, so let's not let them," she wrote. "By relentlessly spreading the most shocking videos, and plastering images and biographies of attackers everywhere, we are giving the terrorists what they want - fear, attention and infamy."



Mizrachi said he hoped the incident in Las Vegas spurred changes in security practices.



"I just feel like we should have all big venues indoors in the future, but obviously you can't prevent anything from happening," he said. "I don't live life in fear."
President Donald Trump said in Puerto Rico on Tuesday that responding to the devastation of Hurricane Maria had thrown the federal budget "out of whack," but he praised officials and first responders for preventing the storm from becoming a "real catastrophe" like Hurricane Katrina.

Trump visited the island two weeks after Maria destroyed the island's entire infrastructure system, leaving nearly 3.5 million residents without power, and tens of thousands without clean water.

"I hate to tell you, Puerto Rico, but you threw our budget a little out of whack. But that's fine," Trump said at a briefing shortly after he arrived on the island to assess the damage and recovery efforts.

The president's joke was met with stone-faced looks from the assembled officials. In the two weeks since the island was hit, Trump has repeatedly focused attention on Puerto Rico's long-term financial woes and criticized its officials in an attempt to deflect criticism of his administration's flat-footed response to the disaster.

At times, Trump seemed to approach the briefing as an opportunity to laud his administration's disaster response efforts.

"Your governor, who I didn't know, has been tremendously supportive" of the Trump administration's response, offering "the highest praise," Trump said.

"I just want to tell you, right from the beginning, this governor did not play politics. He didn't play it at all," Trump said of the U.S. territory's Democratic governor, Ricardo Rossello. The statement also came off as a shot at San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulin-Cruz, who has emerged as an outspoken critic of the federal government's response to the hurricane.

Yulin-Cruz attended the briefing after being invited by the White House, and she shook the president's hand.

'Every death is a horror'
President Donald Trump speaks to the media before boarding Marine One to depart from the White House, on October 3, 2017.

President Donald Trump on Tuesday said the rapid police response following Sunday's massacre in Las Vegas "in many ways a miracle."

"How quickly the police department was able to get in was really very much of a miracle," Trump told reporters on the South Lawn of the White House. "They've done an amazing job."

The shooting at the Mandalay Bay Hotel left at least 58 people dead and more than 500 injured, making in the deadliest peacetime shooting attack in modern American history.

The gunman, later identified as Stephen Paddock, took aim at a crowd of concertgoers from his room on the 32nd floor of the hotel. Approximately 90 minutes after the shooting began, police breached the door of Paddock's hotel room to find that he had committed suicide.

"What happened in Las Vegas is in many ways a miracle, the police department has done such an incredible job," Trump said.

Police who entered Paddock's hotel room discovered a cache of 17 firearms, but as of Tuesday morning, authorities had yet to identify a clear motive for the mass murder.

This did not stop Trump from weighing in. ""He's a sick man, a demented man. A lot of problems, I guess," the president said of Paddock. "We are looking into him very, very seriously. But we're dealing with a very, very sick individual."

In Washington, the shooting revived calls among Democrats for stricter gun safety laws, and prompted House Republicans to shelve legislation that would have loosened restrictions on gun silencers.

Trump deflected questions about gun laws on Tuesday, however.

"We'll be talking about gun laws as time goes by," he said. Asked specifically about the gun silencer legislation, the president said, "we'll talk about that later."

Trump is scheduled to travel to Las Vegas on Wednesday to meet with first responders and victims' families.
Secretary of Defense James Mattis testifies before a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on the "Political and Security Situation in Afghanistan" on Capitol Hill in Washington, October 3, 2017.

U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis on Tuesday said it would not be in the country's national security interest for President Donald Trump to abandon the Iran nuclear deal.

The secretary's assessment marks one of the strongest public defenses of the deal by an administration official in recent weeks. Trump has lately begun hinting that he may soon take steps to leave the landmark 2015 accord, which put limits on Iran's nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief.

The White House is approaching an Oct. 15 deadline, when Trump must either certify to Congress that Iran is complying with the deal or give lawmakers the choice to reimpose sanctions.

Mattis weighed in during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on Afghanistan after being prompted by Sen. Angus King, an independent from Maine.

"Do you believe it's in our national security interest at the present time to remain in the JCPOA?" King asked, referring to the deal's official title, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.

"Yes, Senator, I do," Mattis replied.
Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi is meeting London transport regulators on Tuesday after the ride hailing app lost its license to operate in the British capital.

The newly-appointed Uber boss will sit down with Mike Brown, the commissioner of Transport for London (TFL).

Neither TFL nor Uber released details of when or where the meeting will take place or if there will be a media statement released in the end.

Last month, TFL rejected an application by Uber to renew its operating license in London. TFL said that the U.S. firm was not "fit and proper" to operate. Uber's license expired on September 30. It can still operate until the appeals process, which has not yet begun, is exhausted.

Khosrowshahi wrote in a letter to staff at the time that Uber would appeal the decision, which was likely based on the company's past behavior.

"The truth is that there is a high cost to a bad reputation," he wrote. "It really matters what people think of us, especially in a global business like ours.
Starting a new job is never easy. This is true for anybody, even Dara Khosrowshahi, the new chief executive of Uber who has an unenviable task on his hands.

Just over a month into the job and Khosrowshahi is dealing with a regulatory headache in London, one of its biggest markets, and an episode of "Game of Thrones" within his own company.

On Tuesday, Khosrowshahi will meet with London's transport authority, Transport for London (TFL), to try and convince the organization to renew Uber's operating license in London which expired on September 30. It can continue to operate until the appeals process is exhausted.

Overturning the ban in London will be Khosrowshahi's biggest test to date. He will need to show Uber is a grown up, mature company, that can talk to authorities and adhere, or at least help shape regulation. Uber's traditional approach has been to come into a market, and deal with the regulation later. That is catching up with the company.

The way Khosrowshahi handles the London issue will give us an idea of the kind of the CEO he can be. Will he be confrontational or understanding of the market? Former CEO Travis Kalanick often proved to be abrasive in these situations. Khosrowshahi will need to show he is different because he is on a drive to clean up the corporate governance of the world's most valuable start-up.

But Khosrowshahi has a thorn in his side that just won't go away  Kalanick. The ex-CEO appointed two new people to Uber's board, a move that took Khosrowshahi by surprise and that he denounced as "disappointing" and "unusual." Kalanick did this because the board is set to vote on reforms that would limit his power. Two new board seats picked by him could give him some allies.

Just as Cersei Lannister in "Game of Thrones" went to the Iron Bank for help with her war, Kalanick has tried to get allies of his own to keep him in power. Khosrowshahi has a problem, because while he is dealing with the issues in London, Kalanick's moves at home threaten to derail his push to clean the company up.

What Uber doesn't need is a messy boardroom war, especially amid reports that SoftBank could invest several billion dollars in the ride hailing app. Having SoftBank on board would give Uber serious financial clout that could help it crush competitors. Also, an initial public offering in 2019, which could be on the cards if investor Goldman Sachs gets its way, could give early investors the liquidity they want.

Any potential power struggle or war in the boardroom could threaten all of this. Khosrowshahi's leadership is set to be tested. He will need to balance the needs of a number of conflicting parties while making sure he can continue to lead from the front.

For more insight from CNBC contributors, follow @CNBCopinion on Twitter.
The U.S. Department of Justice could have made at least ten times more than the $48 million it took in from the bitcoin holdings of dark web marketplace founder Ross William Ulbricht.

The U.S. government seized 144,336 bitcoins gained from Silk Road's illegal activities that were found on Ulbricht's laptop, Joon H. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced Friday.

Law enforcement authorities shut down Silk Road, which sold illegal drugs and other products, in 2013, and Ulbricht was found guilty in 2015. But the marketplace founder disputed the U.S. seizure of the bitcoins until last week, when he withdrew his claim.

"These Bitcoins were ultimately sold by the United States Marshals Service pursuant to Court order for $48,238,116," Friday's release said.

Bitcoin five-year performance

Source: CoinDesk

That means that when the U.S. authorities sold bitcoin in the wake of the 2013 Silk Road crackdown, the average selling price was $334 each.

If the government had held onto the digital coins, their total worth would be more than $600 million at Tuesday's price of around $4,300, according to CoinDesk.

The U.S. Marshals don't look for investment opportunities and there was no reason for them to hold onto the bitcoins, Justice Department spokeswoman Dawn Dearden told CNBC.

CNBC reported in late August that law enforcement is finding it easier to track criminal activity in bitcoin, causing some illegal activity to move into other digital currencies.
US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis arrives at Forward Operating Base Gamberi east of Kabul, Afghanistan, on an unannounced visit to the war-torn country on September 27, 2017.

Defense Secretary James Mattis on Tuesday insisted coalition forces have "blunted" enemy groups in Afghanistan in recent months but conceded violence remains an ongoing challenge.

"For the first time in this long fight, all six Afghan military corps have engaged in offensive operations," Mattis said Tuesday in testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee. "During these recent months, there have been fewer civilian casualties as a result of coalition operations."

The U.S. has been waging war in Afghanistan for 16 years. President Donald Trump last month announced a new strategy that includes additional troops in the country to win the conflict and beat terrorists.

"Violence and progress in Afghanistan continue to coexist," said Mattis. "But the uncertainty in the region about the NATO campaign has been replaced by certainty due to the implementation of President Trump's new South Asia strategy."

The U.S. has about 11,000 troops in Afghanistan alongside about 6,800 troops from NATO and coalition partners, Mattis disclosed Tuesday. And he said the more than 3,000 additional U.S. troops going there would "reinforce" the coalition's advisory role to Afghanistan forces.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph Dunford Jr., the nation's top military officer, also weighed in on the Afghanistan situation and told the Senate panel that U.S. military commanders conducted a failure analysis and came up with a "new operational approach to break the stalemate and bolster Afghan capabilities."

Dunford added that the new approach also "supports the president's broader strategy by expanding our advisory efforts to the tactical level."

SASC Chairman John McCain (R-Ariz.) has been a critic of the Trump administration for not having a strategy earlier on Afghanistan and the lawmaker even proposed his own Afghanistan plans. After Trump's new policy was announced, though, McCain applauded the president "for taking a big step in the right direction."

In opening remarks Tuesday, McCain said he was encouraged that Trump's Afghanistan plans "ended the foolish policy of arbitrary timetables for withdrawal and shifted to a conditional approach. At the same time, in the six weeks since the president made his announcement, this committee and the Congress more broadly still does not know many of the crucial details of this strategy. This is totally unacceptable."

"We must always remember, we are in Afghanistan to make America safer and ensure South Asia cannot be used to plot transnational attacks against the U.S. homeland or our partners and allies," said Mattis.

In Afghanistan, the U.S. is changing the role of American service members to provide more support for the Afghan national defense and security forces. There are now about 320,000 Afghan national security forces serving in the war-torn nation.

Even with about 11,000 troops in Afghanistan, that's still well below of the peak during the surge in August 2010 when there were about 100,000 service members in Afghanistan. The more than 3,000 additional U.S. troops going to Afghanistan will be focused primarily on providing training and advisory support to the Afghan security forces.

Mattis said Tuesday that those additional U.S. troops would be "arriving now and in the coming months."

"The fighting will continue to be carried out by our Afghan partners but our advisors will accompany tactical units to advise and assist and bring NATO fire support to bear when needed," Mattis said. "Make no mistake  this is combat duty. But the Afghan forces remain in the lead to do the fighting."

Last week, Mattis visited Afghanistan as part of a South Asia trip that included a stop in New Delhi. But he didn't visit Pakistan, a clear signal of the administration and NATO's displeasure with India's long-time rival.

Mattis referred to his trip in testimony Tuesday and said he discussed with Indian leaders "ways to expand our collaboration to improve long-term regional stability and security. We will firmly address Pakistan's role. NATO's demands need to be heard in Islamabad."

One result of the Trump administration's new strategy in South Asia has been the U.S. increasing its ties to India. The U.S. is looking for India to provide more economic and development assistance to Afghanistan.

In all, there are 20 U.S.-designated foreign terrorist organizations active today in Afghanistan and neighboring Pakistan, Trump said last month in unveiling his new South Asia strategy. Also, the president called out Pakistan as a "safe haven to agents of chaos, violence and terror."

Meantime, Mattis said the U.S. military leadership in Afghanistan and NATO partners "are holding the line" in Afghanistan." And he added that forecasts of a significant Taliban offensive by the militant organization "remain unfulfilled."

According to Mattis, the new strategy by the administration "has been welcomed almost uniformly by leaders in the South Asia region, as well as by the 39 countries contributing troops to the NATO-led campaign."

During his remarks, Mattis said there's been progress in reducing civilian and military casualties in Afghanistan and more effectiveness in the Asian country's security forces too.

Even so, Mattis said "high-profile attacks" by the Taliban on civilians continue to be a challenge.

Specifically, the Defense secretary said the Taliban militants continue to try to seize provincial or district centers but he insisted they have been generally forced into decentralized, small-scale ambushes and the use of IEDs, or improvised explosive devices.

At the same time, Mattis maintained there's "disarray among various enemy groups in Afghanistan" that has led to a situation where it's limited the Taliban's resources, movements and its ability to conduct major offenses.

The U.S. has spent well over $800 billion fighting in the Afghanistan conflict and there have been more than 2,000 U.S. military fatalities and in excess of 20,000 soldiers wounded.

The $700 billion National Defense Authorization Act passed Sept. 18 by the Senate includes $60 billion for the so-called Overseas Contingency Operations, a special fund for the wars including Afghanistan as well as Iraq, among others.

Mattis and Dunford also are scheduled to testify Tuesday afternoon to the House Armed Services Committee on the Trump administration's new Afghanistan and South Asia strategy.
Billionaire investor Warren Buffett said Tuesday that he still believes in the CEO of Wells Fargo after the fake accounts fallout at the bank.

"Tim Sloan has my faith," said Buffett, chairman and CEO of . "When you find a problem, you have to jump on it."

"Somebody messed up and the job is to find out who messed up," he added in an interview on CNBC's "Squawk Box."

Berkshire is Wells Fargo's largest shareholder, holding a 9.4 percent stake.

When asked whether he sold any shares of Wells Fargo, Buffett said "only enough to stay under 10 percent, which was something the Fed requires."

On Tuesday, Wells CEO Tim Sloan will appear before the Senate Banking Committee. In prepared testimony, Sloan apologized for the creation of unauthorized accounts and said the bank has hired back more than 1,000 workers who were wrongly fired or left under a cloud.

In late August, Wells admitted that as many as 3.5 million accounts were created for customers without their permission. That's nearly 70 percent more than originally thought. The scandal led to the departure of multiple executives, including former CEO John Stumpf.

Buffett told CNBC on Aug. 31, "There's never just one cockroach in the kitchen when you start looking around."

"You may very well find that it wasn't just the one who misbehaved that you find out about," he said.

While the practice had been going on for years at the bank, it only became public last year, when Wells agreed to pay a $185 million settlement with regulators.

Since then, it was revealed that the tactics extended to enrolling customers in auto insurance that they didn't need. Wells paid a $142 million class-action settlement and $2.8 million in refunds to affected customers.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., told CNBC last month that the Wells Fargo board should be removed by Federal Reserve regulators.

Buffett on Tuesday joined "Squawk Box" from Omaha, Nebraska  the home of Berkshire and where Purpose Built Communities was holding its annual conference. Buffett is co-founder of Purpose Built, along with the investor Julian Robertson. The nonprofit consulting firm helps communities revitalize neighborhoods.
Warren Buffett told CNBC on Tuesday the U.S. corporate tax rate is not hurting American businesses.

"Well if I haven't lost all my friends by now, I'll finish it off. We have a lot of businesses. ... I don't think any of them are noncompetitive in the world because of the corporate tax rate," the chairman and CEO of said in a wide-ranging interview.

"I do think some of the arguments, I think some people may find their nose growing a bit after they make them," he said on "Squawk Box."

Buffett said, however, he hopes the corporate tax rate is lowered. "I would like it in the sense that it would be good for a million shareholders of Berkshire in terms of their returns."

The billionaire investor said a tax decrease would increase earnings.

The GOP unveiled its tax reform blueprint last week, which would lower the corporate rate from 35 percent to 20 percent. It also would bring down the rate for so-called pass-through businesses to 25 percent; currently, they are taxed under the individual code.

President Donald Trump said the plan is aimed at helping American workers, creating jobs and making the tax code simpler and fairer. Still, the plan was met with some skepticism about how it would all be paid for.

Top White House economic advisor Gary Cohn told CNBC the proposed tax cuts will be paid for entirely through economic growth and would not increase the budget deficit.
A start-up called Fortem Tech has developed a drone-hunting drone to pull trespassers out of the sky with a net, while keeping onlookers safe below.

According to FAA forecasts, nearly 7 million drones will be sold in the U.S. by 2020.

Most people want to use unmanned aerial vehicles for good reasons, like gathering data or delivering life-saving medical supplies to people in need. But drones are also misused and abused.

For example, last month a civilian drone crashed into an Army helicopter above Staten Island. Drones have also crashed onto the White House lawn, into power lines (causing a major blackout), and through apartment windows and storefronts. FBI Director Christopher Wray recently predicted in congressional testimony that terrorists will try to use drones to attack people in the U.S.

Fortem's DroneHunter is adapted from a DJI octocopter, the kind typically used to hoist heavy cameras into the sky, and equipped with Fortem's lightweight radar units and net-shooting cannons. The radars are about the size of a paperback book and require only as much power as it takes to run a single LED lightbulb.

When the DroneHunter detects unauthorized drones or a possible crash, it flies after them and captures them in a net.

Bean confirmed that the DroneHunter is now used exclusively by the U.S. military and its partners to "protect fighters and bases at a safe stand-off distance with little collateral damage."

The company also sells its radar platform to other drone and security companies to enable autonomous flight and high-velocity object tracking, he said.

Investor Matt Ocko, a managing partner with Data Collective, told CNBC that his firm invested in Fortem because its tech has the potential to enable all the positive uses of drones while preventing the downsides, especially terrorist attacks. The start-up has raised $5.5 million in seed funding to date.
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Warren Buffett, the world's second-richest man, sits down with CNBC on Tuesday for a panel discussion at the Purpose Built Communities conference in Omaha, Nebraska.

In an interview with CNBC's Squawk Box earlier in the day, Buffett said Wells Fargo still has his "faith" after the fake accounts scandal. Buffett is the head of Berkshire Hathaway, Wells Fargo's largest shareholder with a 9.4-percent stake.

The CEO of Wells Fargo, Timothy Sloan, faced a grilling Tuesday morning before the Senate banking committee. In a heated exchange, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, widely considered a potential 2020 presidential candidate for the Democrats, called for Sloan to be fired.

"At best you were incompetent, at worst you were complicit," Warren said.
One Democratic senator isn't going as far as Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who called for the ouster of Wells Fargo CEO Tim Sloan on Tuesday.

Sloan faced a grilling on Capitol Hill about the bank's fake accounts scandal.

"Tim Sloan's trying to do the right thing," Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., said in an interview with CNBC's "Power Lunch."

That said, Tester said he's still fighting to make sure that wrongs are righted.

"They screwed up and they need to fix it. They need to fix this culture that's gone on in their banking system for far too long," he said.
Stocks in Europe still have room to push higher in the next few years despite a series of political pressures weighing on sentiment in the region, equity analysts told CNBC.

"Core Europe remains one of the preferred markets for us and one we believe offers attractive opportunities for investors over a multi-year time period," Jeff Donlon, managing director of global strategies at investment management firm Manning & Napier, told CNBC via email.

Improved fundamentals and attractive valuations for stocks are seen as key reasons why investors should continue to focus on the continent. This despite an uncertain outcome from the German elections, where Chancellor Angela Merkel saw her government weakened slightly, and despite constant fears over the outcome of Brexit.

"We sense that Brexit gas actually caused the EU to unify rather than pull apart," Donlon said. "We believe the narrative following the German election and what it means for further EU unity and integration has gotten a bit too bearish," he added.
Millennials contributed $514 billion to the housing market over the past year and became the largest group of U.S. homebuyers, real estate site Zillow reports. Still, they lag behind where previous generations were at their age. And it's not because they're lazy or unmotivated or self-indulgent. New data from Zillow show that young people's dreams of owning homes are blocked by two main factors: Affordability issues and other generations. Zillow surveyed more than 13,000 U.S. residents aged 18 to 75 about how they search, pay for and maintain their homes, as well as their overall frustrations with the housing market. Here's what it found.

Affordability

Houses and even apartments are too expensive for most young people, whose wages, until recently, weren't going up even as costs were. Now "there are no more low-priced homes," reports CNBC's Diana Olick. "Homeownership is simply out of reach for many Americans, including many families. In today's hot housing market, more Americans are renting than at any time in recent history," according to Zillow. "Today's buyers have a median age of 40, are married or living with a partner (70 percent), earn a median income of $87,500 annually and are overwhelmingly Caucasian/white (73 percent)." Zillow's data show that only 39 percent of millennials are able to make the standard, recommended down payment of 20 percent or more, and 21 percent put down the bare minimum in order to secure a home loan. "In many cities the housing market is extremely competitive, especially for first-time buyers who are looking to purchase a starter home," Svenja Gudell, chief economist at Zillow, says in the report. 62 percent of millennials say they shop for a rental while looking to buy a home, according to the survey, which indicates "they accept the fact that buying a home is not a sure thing."

About half of those who do buy get an assist. 29 percent of young people report getting financial help from family or friends to make a down payment, and 31 percent collect funds from multiple sources. Millennials are also likely to say they struggled to find a home in their price range and on their time frame, according to the report, and 37 percent say they went over budget, compared to 29 percent of all buyers.

Other generations

Another obstacle for millennial homebuyers: their fellow Americans, both older and younger. Generation Z is ready to enter the housing market, as they are "just as likely as those in older generations to say owning a home is key to the American Dream," reports Zillow. 57 percent say they considered buying a home when they looked for their last rental. More importantly, Baby Boomers are making it difficult for millennials to buy. Since more of them are staying put rather than down- or up-sizing, they're not freeing up much-needed inventory. According to a study from real-estate site Realtor, 85 percent of boomers say they aren't planning to sell their home in the next year.
The Missourians Opinion section is a public forum for the discussion of ideas. The views presented in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Missourian or the University of Missouri. If you would like to contribute to the Opinion page with a response or an original topic of your own, visit our submission form
Training

On this class one of the top experts in Windows Troubleshooting and Security, Sami Laiho, teaches you how to take full advantage of this toolkit! Sami was recommended by Mark Russinovich at Ignite 2016/Atlanta as "being the #1 guy for Sysinternals training".



You will learn deep knowledge about the most important tools like Process Explorer, Process Monitor and Sysmon, but also learn how to benefit from not that well known tools in the toolkit. This 2-day course teaches you how to sharpen your skills with the tools and save time and money in your day to day job.



You will also get a free copy of the brand new Troubleshooting with the Windows Sysinternals Tools (2nd Edition).


When it comes to modern technology, every second counts.

It may sound silly, but it's true: A second is the difference between an interaction on your phone feeling instantaneous and feeling just a touch too slow. And particularly with how frequently we tend to repeat common mobile tech tasks  switching apps, opening menus, firing up our cameras, and so on  all of those seconds can add up fast.

The good news: Android has no shortage of hidden shortcuts that can help you save time and get stuff done more efficiently. All you have to do is learn how to use 'em.

Ready?

1. Snap between apps

Cut out delays in toggling between apps by putting Android's semi-secret fast-snap function to use: If your device runs Android 10 and has gesture navigation enabled, flick your finger toward the right along the bottom edge of the screen to snap back to your most recently used app.

If you then decide you want to return to the app you came from, you can flick your finger to the left for about five seconds after that initial snap. Once more than five seconds have passed, you'll instead need to flick your finger to the right again to go back to that previous app (slightly confusing, I know).

JR Raphael/Computerworld With Android 10's gesture system, flicking your finger toward the right and left along the bottom edge of the screen will let you snap between recently used apps.

If your device runs an older version of Android  or simply doesn't have gesture navigation enabled  you can achieve a similar effect with Android's traditional three-button navigation system: Simply double-tap the Overview key (the square-shaped icon) to flip back and forth endlessly between your two most recently opened apps.

Both commands will work from your home screen, too, for a zippy return to whatever process you had open last.

[ Further reading: 8 ways to turn Android into a productivity powerhouse ]

2. Slide into Quick Settings

Android's Quick Settings panel is a shortcut in and of itself  a single place with one-tap toggles to some of your device's most commonly used functions, from Bluetooth to the flashlight and beyond.

Double your pleasure and get a little meta by using a shortcut to this shortcut mecca: Just swipe down from the top of your screen with two fingers (any two  swiper's choice!). That'll skip past the standard notification panel and take you directly to the fully expanded Quick Settings section.

3. Open menus like a pro

Not many folks know it, but there's a faster way to open those three-dot overflow menus in a lot of apps  including core Google titles like Messages, Chrome, Gmail, Drive, Contacts, and Phone (which is available only on select devices).

Rather than tapping the icon to load the menu and then tapping the item you want, simply swipe downward on the icon and move your finger directly to your item of choice  without ever lifting your paw from the screen. The menu will appear as you swipe, and whatever item your finger is touching when you let go will be activated.

JR Raphael/Computerworld You can skip the tap and instead swipe directly to the menu item you need in many Google apps.

The one downside: Once you get used to the speed and smoothness of that gesture, you'll start to resent apps that haven't adopted it.

4. Stop disturbances without the fuss

Sometimes you need to silence your phone quickly and discreetly. (You don't have to tell me the reason. In fact, I'd prefer it if you wouldn't.) Whenever that time comes, don't mess with on-screen menus and icons: Many phones, including Samsung's recent Galaxy devices and Google's current Pixel models, can simply be flipped face down on any flat surface to have all of their sounds silenced in a heartbeat.

On Galaxy phones, you can confirm that the setting for that function is on by searching for "Easy mute" in your system settings. On a Pixel device, you'll want to search your settings for "Flip to Shhh."

Other fast-muting shortcuts may also be available: On Pixel phones, for instance, you can press your power and volume-up buttons together, while the display is on, to silence everything quickly. Some phones, such as those made by OnePlus, feature a physical alert switch that lets you move to a silent mode by sliding a physical mechanism on the side of the device. And on any phone where no such options are available, you can always just activate the display and then press and hold the volume button until you see the silent setting at the bottom of the on-screen volume slider.

5. Snap a screenshot

See something on your screen you want to save or share? No problem: Press your phone's power and volume-down buttons at the same time. That'll cause the system to capture a screenshot, which you can then access and share via a notification that'll appear on your device or via the "Screenshots" folder within Google Photos (or any other gallery app or Android file manager app).

6. Refresh the web with ease

Say you're looking at a very important work-related web page in Chrome (because, obviously, that's the only kind of web page you ever view from your work-based mobile device  right?). For one reason or another, you realize you need to refresh the page. What do you do?

Sure, you could open the Chrome menu and then select the refresh icon. Or you could skip a step and just swipe downward from anywhere on the page. You'll see a circular refresh symbol appear at the top of the screen as you swipe. Make sure you pull down until the arrow within the symbol turns blue, then let go. (Once you get used to the gesture, you'll find that a quick downward flick is all it really takes.)

JR Raphael/IDG See the solid blue arrow above the "N" in "Android Intelligence"? Its presence is how you know it's OK to let go.

Now, isn't that refreshing?

7. Force a restart

No technology is foolproof. If your Samsung-made Android device ever isn't responding, press its power and volume-down buttons at the same time  even if the display is off  and hold them down together for 10 to 15 seconds. On Pixel phones, you can just press and hold the Power button by itself for that same period of time. And on most other Android devices, one of those two processes will work.

Unless something really disastrous is going on (or your battery's just dead), that'll force your phone to restart, regardless of what you were last doing.

8. Get to your camera in a flash

When a photogenic moment arises  be it your child checking out her first TPS report or your co-worker getting a little too crazy at the company retreat  two seconds can be the difference between an unforgettable snapshot and an after-the-fact image. So don't futz around with unlocking your phone and looking for the on-screen camera icon; instead, just double-tap the device's power button to jump straight into shooting, whether your display is on or not.

That shortcut works on many current Android devices, including both Pixel phones and Samsung's recent Galaxy gadgets (though on pre-2017 models, you'll need to use the physical Home button instead of the power button). If it doesn't work on your device, try searching your system settings for "gestures" to see if it or another similar option is available and perhaps just requires you to toggle it on before it'll function.

9. Put notifications on notice

Next time you get an annoying notification, don't scream out in frustration. Actually, you know what? Go ahead and scream if it helps. But when you're finished, press and hold the notification in question to hop over to some helpful advanced settings. They'll let you control exactly when and how that app is able to alert you.

JR Raphael/IDG The exact presentation will vary from one Android implementation to another, but pressing and holding a notification will always bring up some manner of advanced options for controlling how and when an app is able to alert you.

10. Wake your screen in a jiff

You might never realize it, but Google's Pixel phones and some other Android devices support a super-speedy way of waking the screen: Tap your finger anywhere on its surface twice. That's it!

Samsung's recent Galaxy phones have a slight variation on that same notion: With those devices, you can tap the screen (even just once) to show the Always On Display, which typically includes a clock and any pending notifications. You can make sure that option is enabled and configure exactly how it works by searching for "Always On Display" within your Galaxy phone's system settings.

11. Split your screen with a single press

Want to view two apps on-screen at the same time? If you're still using a phone with Android 7 or 8 and Google's own native split-screen implementation, you can just press and hold the Overview key from any app to get started. When you're finished, press and hold the same key to go back to the regular single-app view.

JR Raphael/IDG With Android 7 and 8, a long-press is all it takes to split your screen in half and open a second app.

With phones running Android 9 and higher, the split-screen command is no longer so easily accessible  but take heart: With the right app and a few minutes of configuration, you can create your own custom shortcut for pulling it up in practically any way you want.

12. Keep your assistant at your fingertips

Need a helping hand? On Android phones with the traditional three-button navigation system, you can press and hold your Home key to access the Google Assistant from anywhere. If you're using Android 10's gesture navigation, swipe up diagonally from the bottom-left or bottom-right corner of your screen to call Assistant up. Just don't call it Jeeves by mistake.

13. Access shortcuts from your home screen

With reasonably recent Android versions (2016's Android 7.1 and higher), you can jump straight to some of your apps' most useful functions without having to do any digging. Just press and hold an app's icon on your home screen or in your app drawer, and if the app supports Android's App Shortcuts system, you'll see a list of options appear.

With Google Keep, for instance, you'll get shortcuts for creating different types of notes, including lists and audio-based memos. Google Calendar gives you direct commands for creating new reminders or events. And the system Clock app has shortcuts for setting new alarms and timers, among other things.

JR Raphael/IDG Skip steps and go right where you want with Android's App Shortcuts system.

Plenty of third-party apps support the system, too  like Twitter, which offers direct commands for composing new tweets and direct messages, and Slack, which has shortcuts for snoozing notifications and jumping directly to any of your connected teams or conversations.

Not seeing anything, even for the apps mentioned above? Try a custom Android launcher, which'll override your phone's default home screen setup and allow you to access App Shortcuts (along with a host of other advanced options) on any device.

14. Control your cursor

Got Gboard? If you're using Google's keyboard app for your virtual typing  and there's a strong argument that you should be  slide your finger along the space bar to move your cursor left or right within any text field. (That's one of several useful shortcuts hidden within the Gboard app.)

15. Send a friendly rejection

Phone calls  pshaw! Who has time for 'em anymore? When you get a call you can't or maybe just don't want to answer, look toward the bottom of the screen for a message icon, a "Reply" tile, or a "Send message" option.

Either tap the icon or tile or slide your finger up from that area, and you'll be presented with a list of ready-made rejection messages you can send to the caller while simultaneously declining his call.

JR Raphael/IDG Reject a call politely and conveniently with a simple tap or swipe.

And a bonus tip: On most devices, you can customize those messages within the Phone app's settings.

16. End calls with ease

When you do talk on your phone, finding the on-screen button to end a call isn't always convenient. But Android actually has an easier way  if you know where to find it.

Open up the Accessibility section of your system settings, then activate the option labeled "Power button ends call." (On a Samsung phone, you'll first have to select "Interaction and dexterity" and then "Answering and ending calls" to find that option.)

Now, when you're ready to say farewell, just tap your phone's power button and bask in your shortcut-aided efficiency.

This story was originally published in October 2017 and most recently updated in March 2020.
Keine Experimente! With that admirably conservative slogan, Konrad Adenauer and his Christian Democrats swept in 1957 to their greatest ever election victory in West Germany, taking 50.2 per cent of the poll.

No Experiments! The slogan has not been pressed into service in Manchester in 2017, but would nevertheless serve as an accurate summary of the message of the Conservative Party Conference.

In particular, there must be no experiment with a Boris Johnson leadership. The party line, not articulated from the platform but strongly implied at every turn, is that making Johnson leader would be like lighting the blue touchpaper on a huge, homemade firework.

A spectacular explosion would result, and might well cause any amount of fun for those observing from a safe distance, while inflicting grievous injury on his party.

That is not, incidentally, my own view, which I shall perhaps offer on some other occasion. Johnson himself will speak this afternoon, when he will perhaps offer a more adventurous and enjoyable idea of conservatism than has generally been seen this week.

Meanwhile we had Amber Rudd, who articulated the Safety First theme in an admirably reassuring manner. Tone is very important in a Home Secretary, and hers is good.

She ran through the threats that face us, starting, quite rightly for a speech delivered in Manchester, with terrorism, and only coming at the end to the leadership question:

When the country is facing so many complex threats, I do not believe that our country would be safe in the hands of Jeremy Corbyn, John McDonnell and Diane Abbott.

She went on to praise the distinguished leadership of Theresa May. Here was a loyal speech, proposing that we carry on as we are.

Rudd was good on the struggle she has had to save her own seat, which she holds by 346 votes. She offered heartfelt thanks to the activists who turned out with her in the rain on Saturday mornings, and who scrabble on hands and knees to shove a leaflet through those irritating letter boxes located at the bottom of the door  my personal hate.

The Home Secretary managed to convey the precariousness of life, while also suggesting that by hard, unglamorous work, and personal competence, the Conservatives can win through.

Jeremy Hunt had earlier offered another fine version of Safety First, in his case describing how we can create the safest health service in the world.

He offered charts which illustrated all sorts of valuable conclusions, and also showed a Pathe News clip from 1944 of the Conservative Health Minister in 1944, Sir Henry Willink, announcing the setting up of the NHS.

As Hunt said, the NHS is not Labour or Conservative, it is national, and enjoys cross-party support.

No experiments, but an unexciting process of gradual reform, so sensible that everyone of good will can support it. That was the Hunt pitch, delivered to a hall with many empty seats, but those who were there gave him a standing ovation.
A new executive team and overarching strategy at SkySea Cruise Line is being led by industry veteran Ken Muskat, who was named CEO in early January. The Chinese brand is a joint venture with ownership by Royal Caribbean Cruises and Chinas largest online travel agency, Ctrip.

In August, an announcement rolled out full 2018 deployment, highlighted by new homeports, including a one-month stint for the New Golden Era sailing out of Taiwan.

We want to be a smart, contemporary brand with a key focus on food, service, theme cruises and also being the MICE leader, said Muskat.

We have five seasonal homeports next year and are getting ready for a big sales and marketing push in April out of Xiamen, he added.

Joining Shanghai and Xiamen are Taiwan (Keelung), Qingdao and Shenzhen. The smaller homeports will allow the one-ship brand to be competitive in a less crowded sourcing landscape.

There are advancements now in the second- and third-tier cities. Its a big opportunity because there is a lot less competition there. The travel agent community is focused on the newest and biggest, which does very well for some of our competitors," explained Muskat.

Xiamen was rotated into the deployment as a homeport this year and will expand for 2018, playing a bigger role on the voyage calendar.

The whole market has evolved a great deal, he explained. Weve moved away from charterers controlling the entire inventory.

SkySea is not only taking direct bookings, but working with smaller agents to sell small or large group lots. Also new is a revamped website as the Shanghai-based cruise line is now taking direct bookings on all departures as more guests turn into repeaters.

With a month-long deployment in Taiwan next October, the plan is to source Taiwanese passengers.

"The idea is to source from Taiwan, and we have more than a year to prepare for that, said Muskat.

The August 8 deployment announcement, the earliest the company has ever rolled out itineraries, plays into a maturing market and allows SkySea to educate the consumer and agent partners on the benefits of booking early.

Brand awareness is the key to future growth; the last two years were spent establishing the brand, Muskat continued. Now its focusing on growth, being successful, and we would like to add more capacity in the future."

Read the full interview with Ken Muskat in the upcoming edition of the Cruise Industry News Fall 2017 Quarterly Magazine.

---

For insight and in-depth analysis of the Chinese cruise market, download the 2018 China Market Report.
Dometic announced that is donating over $400,000 worth of products to Habitat for Humanity to assist victims and volunteers while homes are being rebuilt following Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria.

"Dometic will provide a variety of products that will be beneficial to Habitat for Humanitys on-site hurricane relief efforts. Including, 200 portable refrigerator/freezers, which will provide cold or frozen food and beverages for the victims and volunteers," the company said, in a prepared statement.

Dometic will also be donating 162 generators to provide power to the portable refrigerator/freezers in remote locations or areas without power.

In addition, Dometic will be providing over 8 million rolls of toilet paper.

Hurricane Irma hit close to home for Dometic. While headquartered in Indiana, the Marine division of the company is located in Pompano Beach, Florida. The South Florida facility experienced damage and loss of power; thankfully no one was harmed.

Scott Nelson, President of Dometic, said, We are saddened to hear the news of these recent natural disasters, and see the difficult images of the associated damage to the community and families. Dometic is committed to supporting Habitat for Humanity and its efforts to help the victims of the hurricanes and to start the rebuilding process.
Norwegian Cruise Line today announced that the Norwegian Breakaway will sail from New Orleans for the 2018-2019 winter cruise season, and the Norwegian Gem will take her previously announced deployment out of New York.

After returning from her summer 2018 season in the Baltic, the 4,000 passenger Norwegian Breakaway will reposition from the Big Apple to the Big Easy for her winter 2018/19 season and cruise to the Caribbean, visiting ports of call including Cozumel and Costa Maya, Mexico; Ocho Rios, Jamaica; George Town, Grand Cayman; Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras; and Harvest Caye, Belize, the company said.

Norwegian Breakaway will be the largest and newest ship from Norwegian to sail from New Orleans, and we are thrilled to bring our signature Breakaway-class ship to this important homeport, said Andy Stuart, president and CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line. We want to provide more opportunities for our guests across the country to explore beautiful destinations and enjoy all of the spectacular features of our newest ships, along with the freedom and flexibility that only a Norwegian cruise can offer.

The ship will undergo a two-week dry dock next spring, and will receive a full refresh in public spaces, including new flooring, updated furniture, new decor and new carpeting in staterooms. Norwegian Breakaway will arrive in her new homeport of New Orleans on November 11, 2018 and will sail a variety of cruises to the Caribbean through April 7, 2019.

The Port of New Orleans values our close partnership with Norwegian Cruise Line and appreciates the addition of Norwegian Breakaway to the cruise schedule next year. The passengers who begin and end their Norwegian Breakaway cruise from our historical city will experience Port NOLAs commitment to high level service and the Crescent Citys vibrant energy, said Brandy D. Christian, Port of New Orleans President and CEO. Our cruise business contributes significantly to the hospitality industrys regional economic impact and we are pleased to welcome the largest ship we have ever accommodated.

The recently refurbished Norwegian Gem will remain in New York City and sail a series of cruises to the Caribbean, Canada & New England and the Bahamas & Florida. She will share her Manhattan homeport with Norwegian Escape, which will reposition for summer 2018 for the first time since she was christened in 2015, sailing from New York City to Bermuda on seven-day cruises every Sunday beginning April 22, 2018.
The upper ranks of corporate security are seeing a high rate of change as companies try to adapt to the evolving threat landscape. Many companies are hiring a chief security officer (CSO) or chief information security officer (CISO) for the first time to support a deeper commitment to information security.

Follow this column to keep up with new appointments to senior-level security roles and perhaps gain a little insight into hiring trends. If you have an announcement of your own that you would like us to include here, contact Michael Nadeau, executive editor.

New CISO appointments, November 2022

Frank Kim is the new CISO-in-residence for YL Ventures

Mr. Kim will work with the venture capital firms portfolio companies and entrepreneurs to guide their ideation, value propositions, and customer relations. This includes working with entrepreneurs on the business impact of cybersecurity solutions. He has 15 years of experience as a CISO, and has served as chief information security and risk officer at the SANS Institute, where is is also a fellow.

New CISO appointments, October 2022

Todd Dekkinga joins Zluri as CISO

Mr Dekkinga will focus on establishing and implementing effective security practices for customers and partners of Zluri, which provides an SaaS management platform. He brings years of IT and security experience in areas such as cloud computing, AI, machine language, IoT, and blockchain. Most recently, Mr Dekkinga was CISO at Airgap Networks. He also serves on the advisory boards of several technology companies.

Andrew Smeaton appointed CISO at Afiniti

Mr Smeaton will be responsible for maintaining and maturing the infosecurity program at Afiniti, which provides an AI-based solution that matches customers with contact center agents. He has more than 20 years' experience in security and risk management and was most recently the CISO at DataRobot. Mr Smeaton has recently received the 2022 (ISC)2 Global Achievement Award for the (ISC)2 CEO Award for his contributions to the cybersecurity community.

New CISO appointments, September 2022

Max Shier joins Optiv as VP and CISO

Mr Shier will be responsible for leading a team to implement and monitor a strategic, comprehensive, enterprise information security and IT risk management program. He draws upon 27 years of security experience and previously held positions in the defense industry and the federal government. He is a 23-year Air Force veteran, serving overseas in several countries, including Japan, Korea, Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Iraq.

Richard Bird appointed CISO at Traceable

Mr. Bird will lead API security vendor Traceable's internal security efforts and work with the product team to help secure customers' APIs through the company's API Security Platform. He has nearly 30 years' experience in cybersecurity and IT operations and has previously served as global head of identity at JPMorgan Chase and chief customer information officer at Ping Identity.

Maarten Van Horenbeeck and Nubiaa Shabaka named CSO and chief privacy officer, respectively, at Adobe

Mr. Horenbeeck will be responsible for cybersecurity-related decisions across the company, enabling Adobe to further secure its systems, solutions, and networks, and protect its customer and company data. Ms Shabaka, who also will serve as Adobe's chief cybersecurity legal officer, will be responsible for privacy-related decisions across the company, leading a team focused on delivering a world-class privacy experience to Adobes customers.

George Jones joins Critical Start as CISO

Mr. Jones will lead the all security and compliance initiatives within the company and keep Critical Start accountable for achieving all goals and milestones. He has more than 20 years of experience with technology, infrastructure, compliance, and assessment in multiple roles across different business verticals. Most recently, he was head of information security and infrastructure at Catalyst Health Group.

Jason Lee appointed CISO at Splunk

Mr. Lee will oversee all facets of global security to protect Splunk employees and customers, including cloud and application security, operations, threat management, penetration testing, risk, and customer trust. He most recently served as CISO at Zoom and has held security roles at Salesforce and Microsoft.

New CISO appointments, August 2022

Mike Gibson hired as Flexera's CISO

Mr. Gibson comes to Flexera from Pluralsight, where he built a security organization for the company's online learning platform. At Flexera, he will be responsible for both internal security and ensuring that Flexera's SaaS-based IT management products are secure.

Matt Mullenix joins Bowman Consulting as executive vice president and CISO

Mr. Mullenix will oversee the people, processes and technologies within Bowman's IT organization to ensure that technology initiatives support the companys business goals, and will be responsible for developing and implementing an information security program to protect the company's systems and assets from internal and external threats. He has more than 20 years in leadership roles within the IT industry.

Justin DePalmo named CISO at General Dynamics Information Technology

Mr. DePalmo will be responsible for all cybersecurity including stategy, operations, compliance, implementation, and management. A 15-year cybersecurity veteran, he moves from his earlier role as CISO of General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems. Mr. DePalmo is also a member of the General Dynamics cyber council. (H/t General Dynamics)

Christine Whichard promoted to CISO at SmartBear

Ms. Whichard adds the CISO title to her current role as senior vice president of IT services and infrastructure at SmartBear, a provider of software development and visibility tools. Prior to SmartBear, Ms. Whichard was the senior vice president, client engagement and operations, at Videology. Earlier, she had been the senior director of the Technology Solutions Group at Merkle. (H/t SmartBear)

Tomer Gershoni appointed as ZoomInfo's first CSO

Mr. Gershoni will be responsible for both ZoomInfo's physical and digital security as well as its privacy efforts. He holds patents related to privacy by design and information security risk management. Mr. Gershoni has published or contributed to several academic papers. Previously, he as the chief products security officer at Hewlett Packard Enterprise's Software business unit, and most recently served as Imperva's senior director and head of its Security Engineering & Cyber Defense Center. (H/t ZoomInfo)

New CISO appointments, July 2022

Dr. Rebecca Wynn joins Spring Health as CISO

Prior to joining the mental health benefits platform provider Wynn was a global cybersecurity and strategy consultant at Click Solutions Group, and as held a number of lead security roles at companies such as [24]7.ai, Matrix Medical Network, LearnVest, and NCI, inc. Wynn has been named a Top 100 Women in Technology 2021  IBM; Top Inspirational Women in Technology 2021; Business Role Model of the Year 2018; Cybersecurity Professional of the Year 2017  Cybersecurity Excellence Awards; and is a podcast host and author. (H/t LinkedIn)

Alyssa Miller joins Epiq as CISO

Prior to joining Epiq, Miller directed the security strategy for S&P Global Ratings as Business Information Security Officer (BISO). She shares her message about evolving the way people think about and approach security, privacy and trust through speaking engagements at various conferences and other events. When not engaged in security research and advocacy, she is an accomplished soccer referee, guitarist and photographer. (H/t LinkedIn)

Anne Marie Zettlemoyer joins CyCognito as CSO

Ms. Zettlemoyer has over 20 years of experience in technical leadership and has served as a trusted advisor for Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, law enforcement, security vendors, and think tanks. She was most recently the Business Security Officer and VP of Security Engineering at Mastercard. She is also a Fellow at the National Security Institute, and has held a number of strategic and technical security leadership roles, including the Head of Security Architecture, Engineering, and Solutions at Freddie Mac, Director of the Cyber Think Tank at Capital One, Director of Business Analytics at Mandiant, and Special Advisor for the Director of the US Secret Service. She has served on the board of directors and advisors for several security companies and nonprofits, is a founding board member of Security Tinkerers, and advocated for security policies on Capitol Hill. (H/t Security Magazine)

Andrew Hollister promoted to CISO at LogRhythm

As CISO, Mr. Hollister will expand his role to develop and maintain the companys security governance model and risk strategies, as well as lead the strategy for the protection, confidentiality, integrity and availability of information assets. Hollister will also lead LogRhythm Labs, directing the mission and strategic vision for the LogRhythm Labs threat research, compliance research, and strategic integrations teams. Hollister has held a number of technology and security roles at LogRhythm since he joined the company in 2012. (H/t PRweb.com)

Tony Faria joins Point32Health as CISO

Mr. Faria has been successful in creating and maturing information security functions at a number of Fortune 500 financial services organizations. He is the co-inventor of patented, award-winning cyber assessment methodology leveraged by FM Global, where he was global CISO. Prior to that he was CISO and Security Strategist at Consortium Networks. He is a recognized industry leader and volunteers his time, expertise and resources to help the security industry and his local community. (H/t LinkedIn)

New CISO appointments, June 2022

Nada Noaman joins The Estee Lauder Companies Inc. as CISO

Ms. Noaman brings over two decades of strategic cybersecurity and management consulting experience in the private and public sectors to her new role. She has led security programs for clients ranging from those in technology, entertainment, media, communications, hospitality, aerospace and defense, retail and consumer, and financial services industries. She brings much of her cybersecurity expertise from over a decade of experience in the Intelligence Community (IC), Department of Defense (DoD), and international NGOs. (H/t LinkedIn)

Kenneth Townsend joins Ingredion Incorporated as CISO

Mr. Townsend is a proven IT and cybersecurity leader with a successful track record spanning over 20 years. He has been successful in a variety of industries and is a highly respected specialist in financial services, retail and healthcare. As an IT and infosec leader, Townsend has led global teams with a focus on establishing infosec programs that align to the business strategy and collaboratively executing IT and security projects. (H/t LinkedIn)

Meredith R. Harper joins Synchrony as SVP, CISO

Prior to joining Synchrony, Ms. Harper held VP, CISO positions at Eli Lilly and Company and Henry Ford Health Systems. Her success has been attributed to her ability to manage large-scale complex programs while advancing the skill sets and careers of her most important assets, her team members. Harper is an active member of the Health Care Compliance Association and holds dual certifications in healthcare compliance and privacy. She is certified as a HealthCare Information Security & Privacy Practitioner through the International Information System Security Certification Consortium, Inc. and a Certified Information Security Manager through the Information Systems Audit and Control Association. Harper is passionate about empowering women and minorities to embark upon careers in technology. Shes committed to transforming the industry by driving engaging and provocative discussions around diversity, equity and inclusion and the value it brings. Harper is an alumna of the University of Detroit Mercy where she received her Masters in Health Services Administration and her Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Systems. (H/t LinkedIn)

New CISO appointments, May 2022

Eric Galis steps into CISO role at Cengage

Prior to being named CISO, Mr. Galis he had been VP of Compliance and Security for over 4 years. He has over 17 years of experience in information security and risk & compliance. Galis has spent time at two other education software and publishing companies, also within the security function. He got his start in InfoSec at PricewaterhouseCoopers, focusing on the financial services industry. Becoming CISO has been his career goal for some time, he credits the passion and work of his team with helping him rise to the level of this role at Cengage. (H/t LinkedIn)

Angela C. Williams joins UL as VP, Global CISO

Prior to joining UL, Ms. Williams held a number of lead security positions at Hillrom, Blue Cross Blue Shield and Wayne County Michigan, among others. She is a results-oriented CISO with extensive experience leveraging technology to integrate best practice cybersecurity solutions. Williams is a people-oriented leader with a focus to attract, develop and retain the right talent to support a culture of belonging where people thrive. In her spare time, she serves on the Board of the Girls Scouts of Southeast Michigan and as an Advisor for the Henry Ford Community College Computer Information Assurance [CIA] program and University of Detroit Mercy Center for Cyber Security and Intelligence Studies. (H/t LinkedIn)
Google researchers disclosed seven serious flaws in an open-source DNS software package Dnsmasq, which is is commonly preinstalled on routers, servers, smartphones, IoT devices and operating systems such the Linux distributions Ubuntu and Debian. The most severe of the vulnerabilities could be remotely exploited to run malicious code and hijack the device.

The disclosed vulnerabilities include three that could lead to remote code execution, three that could result in denial of service and one information leak. A SHODAN search currently shows 1,096,599 instances worldwide.

According to the description provided by Dnsmasq:

Dnsmasq provides network infrastructure for small networks: DNS, DHCP, router advertisement and network boot. It is designed to be lightweight and have a small footprint, suitable for resource constrained routers and firewalls. It has also been widely used for tethering on smartphones and portable hotspots, and to support virtual networking in virtualisation frameworks. Supported platforms include Linux (with glibc and uclibc), Android, *BSD, and Mac OS X. Dnsmasq is included in most Linux distributions and the ports systems of FreeBSD, OpenBSD and NetBSD.

Yesterday on the Google Security Blog, researchers revealed they had discovered the vulnerabilities over the course of our regular internal security assessments. They privately reported the flaws to the Simon Kelley, the maintainer of the Dnsmasq project, and worked to create patches to mitigate the flaws.

'Prehistoric' yet previously undetected vulnerabilities

According to Kelley, Some of these, including the most serious, have been in Dnsmasq since prehistoric times, and have remained undetected through multiple previous security audits. The issues were resolved in the new stable release of Dnsmasq 2.78; Kelley said the update should be mandatory.

Google noted, Android partners have received this patch as well and it will be included in Android's monthly security update for October. Kubernetes versions 1.5.8, 1.6.11, 1.7.7, and 1.8.0 have been released with a patched DNS pod. Other affected Google services have been updated.

US-CERT list of vendors affected by the flaws

The researchers provided proof-of-concept code for six of the seven bugs, so people can check if they are affected by the issues. Vendors and other projects using Dnsmasq should apply the patches immediately. US-CERT published a vulnerability notice and compiled a list of 100 vendors that may be affected by the security flaws. You should take a look at that list because it features a large number of big name OS, security solution, IoT device, computer, smartphone and server vendors.

As Bleeping Computer pointed out about the published proof-of-concept code, Unfortunately, attackers can easily weaponize these PoC exploits to attack vulnerable devices/networks.

The 7 security flaws in Dnsmasq

The security vulnerabilities disclosed by Google include:

CVE-2017-14491, CVE-2017-14492 and CVE-2017-14493 are RCE flaws. CVE-2017-14491 is a DNS-based flaw that affects both directly exposed and internal network setups. CVE-2017-14492 works via a heap-based overflow against the DHCP vector. Google called CVE-2017-14493 a trivial-to-exploit DHCP-based, stack-based buffer overflow vulnerability.

CVE-2017-14494 is an information leak in the DHCP vector. Google noted that the RCE CVE-2017-14493 in combination with CVE-2017-14494 acting as an info leak, could allow an attacker to bypass ASLR and gain remote code execution.

CVE-2017-14495, CVE-2017-14496 and CVE-2017-13704 are denial-of-service flaws in the DNS vector. Google added, Android is affected by CVE-2017-14496 when the attacker is local or tethered directly to the device  the service itself is sandboxed, so the risk is reduced. Android partners received patches on 5 September 2017 and devices with a 2017-10-01 security patch level or later address this issue.
There comes a time in many organizations where employee enthusiasm takes a dip. It could be after a major milestone or achievement where staff feels content and comfortable. Or, it could be due to low office morale caused by a variety of potential factors. Before your staff hits a rough patch and excitement takes a plunge, take these three actions to prevent office disengagement.

Team transparency

Whether you lead a team of 5 or 25, keeping an open line of communication and transparency between you and your employees is critical. Ask your team for their feedback and touch base about whats working and whats not. Creating this transparency generates trust and helps staff members feel they not only have a voice, but also that what they communicate is valuable. When you are transparent and communicative, you are opening the door for employee action and enthusiasm by demonstrating your willingness to be approachable and receptive.

Employee empowerment

Every team member regardless of his or her role within the company should feel encouraged and inspired. To create this office culture, leaders must work with their team to create a vision for the company. Once this vision is established, communicate to your team the role each employee will play in making it a reality. When employees understand their value and that they are needed to meet the company goals, they will have a sense of pride that will drive them to succeed. Empowering your team to work together toward a common objective will lead to increased engagement and excitement.

Interesting incentives

You know your team has the potential for success and the tools necessary for strong job performance. So, dont lose your trust in their abilities. Sometimes when apathy appears, its time to take it to the next level and offer some real office perks. If your company cant afford to provide monetary incentives, find other ways to get them going. Hold office contests to encourage friendly competition where winners receive a coffee gift card or an afternoon off. Incentives not only promote a more fun work environment, but also demonstrate your desire to maintain a connected and ambitious team.
STORY LINK GBP CAD Slides as Construction in the UK Contracts

UK Construction Contracts for the First Time in Over a Year  GBP Devalued

GBP Stifled by Apparent Lack of Brexit Progress

GBP CAD Outlook Gloomy on Forecast of Poor UK Data

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The Pound Canadian Dollar exchange rate stumbled today as markets reacted to a disappointing UK Markit construction PMI and revelations from the current Conservative Party Conference in Manchester.Britains construction sector contracted for the first time in over a year in September - according to the latest Markit IHS report - falling from 51.1 in August to 48.1, far below the forecast of 51.With readings above 50 demonstrating growth, and readings below 50 demonstrating contraction, the 48.1 print marked the first decline within the construction sector in some 13 months and indeed the fastest contraction in output since July of 2016.Tim Moore from IHS Markit, shared his sentiment, stating:A shortfall of new work to replace completed projects has started to weigh heavily on the UK construction sector. Aside from the soft patch linked to spending delays around the EU referendum, construction companies have now experienced their longest period of falling workloads since early 2013.These disappointing results were primarily caused by a sustained drop in the number of new orders, (with civil engineering and commercial development both significantly sliding) and business optimism, which eased to lows not seen since 2013.This news quickly drove demand away from the Pound, with markets already reeling from yesterdays disappointing UK manufacturing print.Also contributing to todays poor Sterling performance were comments from EU Chief Brexit Negotiator Michael Barnier, who insisted that not enough progress has been made to begin discussing a future trade deal.This eventuality has been feared by investors for some time as, lacking sufficient progress to move onto the next phase of negotiations, the UK might be forced into a cliff-edge Brexit with no trade talks having taken place whatsoever.Now that UK Prime Minister Theresa May has asserted that there will be a transition period of two years after the deadline of 2019, however, this fear has been quelled somewhat, though not enough to prevent such news from hurting demand for the Pound.The outlook for GBP CAD has become somewhat gloomy this week with Canadian data prints, (like their Markit manufacturing PMI) proving robust and the UKs own proving weak.Tomorrow will feature the UKs Markit services and composite PMI releases, with the composite predicted to drop from 54 to 53.8 and the services figure forecast to remain stable at 53.2.Should these readings also disappoint then GBP CAD will likely continue to demonstrate losses into the week with, perhaps, a chance to claw back some losses on Thursday if the speeches from BoE Ian McCafferty or Andy Haldane prove hawkish.This week features a notable lack of Canadian data, though Friday will see the release of their employment figures.Canadas unemployment rate is predicted to remain steady at 6.2%, though a shift above this figure could provide GBP CAD the space it needs to regain some composure.

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Pa. Dems could flip the House of Reps. Here's what that might mean
Penske Automotive Group, Inc., a diversified transportation services company, operates automotive and commercial truck dealerships. The company operates through four segments: Retail Automotive, Retail Commercial Truck, Other, and Non-Automotive Investments. It operates dealerships under franchise agreements with various automotive manufacturers and distributors. The company engages in the sale of new and used motor vehicles, and related products and services comprise vehicle and collision repair services, as well as placement of finance and lease contracts, third-party insurance products, and other aftermarket products; and wholesale of parts. It also operates a heavy and medium duty truck dealership, which offers Freightliner and Western Star branded trucks, as well as a range of used trucks, and maintenance and repair services. In addition, it imports and distributes Western Star heavy-duty trucks, MAN heavy and medium duty trucks, buses, and Dennis Eagle refuse collection vehicles with associated parts in Australia, New Zealand, and portions of the Pacific. Further, the company distributes diesel and gas engines, and power systems. The company operates 320 retail automotive franchises, including 146 franchises located in the United States and 174 franchises located outside of the United States; 23 CarShop used vehicle dealerships in the United States and the United Kingdom; and 37 commercial truck dealerships in Texas, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Georgia, Utah, Idaho, Kansas, Missouri, and Oregon, as well as Canada. Penske Automotive Group, Inc. was incorporated in 1990 and is headquartered in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan.
Navistar International Corporation, through its subsidiaries, manufactures and sells commercial trucks, diesel engines, school and commercial buses, and service parts for trucks and diesel engines worldwide. The company operates through four segments: Truck, Parts, Global Operations, and Financial Services. It manufactures and distributes Class 4 through 8 trucks and buses in the common carrier, private carrier, government, leasing, construction, energy/petroleum, and student and commercial transportation markets under the International and IC brands; and designs, engineers, and produces sheet metal components, including truck cabs and engines. The company also provides customers with proprietary products needed to support the International commercial truck, IC bus, and engine lines, as well as other product lines; and a selection of other standard truck, trailer, and engine aftermarket parts. In addition, it manufactures and distributes mid-range diesel engines, as well as provides customers with additional engine offerings in the agriculture, marine, genset, and light truck markets; sells engines to original equipment manufacturers (OEM) for various on-and-off-road applications; and offers contract manufacturing services under the MWM brand to OEMs for the assembly of their engines. Further, the company provides retail, wholesale, and lease financing of products of its trucks and parts, as well as financing for wholesale and retail accounts receivable. Additionally, it exports trucks, buses, and engines. The company markets its commercial products through an independent dealer network, as well as through retail outlets; and its reconditioned used trucks to owner-operators and fleet buyers through its network of used truck dealers. It operates approximately 1,052 outlets in the United States and Canada, and 89 outlets in Mexico. Navistar International Corporation was founded in 1902 and is headquartered in Lisle, Illinois.
Eastman Chemical Company operates as a specialty materials company in the United States and internationally. The company's Additives & Functional Products segment offers hydrocarbon and rosin resins; organic acid-based solutions; amine derivative-based building blocks; metam-based soil fumigants, thiram and ziram based fungicides, and plant growth regulators; specialty coalescent, specialty and commodity solvents, paint additives, and specialty polymers; heat transfer and aviation fluids; insoluble sulfur and anti-degradant rubber additives; and performance resins. It serves transportation, personal care, wellness, food, feed, agriculture, building and construction, water treatment, energy, consumables, durables, and electronics markets. Its Advanced Materials segment provides copolyesters, cellulosic biopolymers, cellulose esters, polyvinyl butyral (PVB) sheets, and window and protective films, and aftermarket applied film products for value-added end uses in the transportation, durables, electronics, building and construction, medical and pharma, and consumables markets. The company's Chemical Intermediates segment offers methylamines and salts higher amines and solvents; Olefin and acetyl derivatives, ethylene, and commodity solvents; and primary non-phthalate and phthalate plasticizers, and niche non- phthalate plasticizers to the industrial chemicals and processing, building and construction, health and wellness, and agrochemicals. Its Fibers segment provides cellulose acetate tow, triacetin, cellulose acetate flake, acetic acid, and acetic anhydride for use in filtration media primarily cigarette filters; natural and solution dyed acetate yarns for use in consumables, and health and wellness markets; and wet-laid nonwoven media, specialty and engineered papers, and cellulose acetate fibers for transportation, industrial, agriculture and mining, and aerospace markets. Eastman Chemical Company was founded in 1920 and is headquartered in Kingsport, Tennessee.
Valener Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in the natural gas business in Canada and the United States. Its Energy Distribution segment engages in the natural gas distribution activities in Quebec and Vermont, as well as electricity distribution activities in Vermont to 205,000 customers through a pipeline network of approximately 11,000 kilometers in Quebec, as well as 50,000 customers in residential, commercial, and industrial markets through a network of 1,500 kilometers. This segment is also involved in the distribution, transportation, production, purchase, and sale of electricity to 265,000 customers through 16,300 kilometers of overhead distribution lines; 2,000 kilometers of underground distribution lines; and 2,700 kilometers of overhead transmission lines. It operates 2 wind farms with an installed capacity of 69 megawatts, as well as 21 solar farms with an installed capacity of 25 megawatts in Vermont; and 44 hydroelectric generating stations in New England. The company's Natural Gas Transportation segment operates 2 pipelines totaling 98 kilometers in northwest Quebec; 575- kilometers pipeline in Quebec; and 489- kilometers pipeline from the Quebec border to the suburbs of Boston. Its Electricity Production segment develops and owns solar power generation projects in the United States; and 3 wind farms with a total installed capacity of 340 megawatts on the private lands of Seigneurie de Beaupre. The company's Energy Services, Storage and Other segment engages in the sale of liquefied natural gas as a fuel or energy product; electric power generation and transmission from a thermal power plant, as well as the sale, leasing, and maintenance of natural gas appliances; and underground natural gas storage activities in Quebec. Valener Inc. was incorporated in 2010 and is based in Montreal, Canada.
The following companies are subsidiares of AON: 6824625 Canada Ltd., 7193599 Canada Inc., A.B. Insurances Limited, ADIS A/S, AIB Services Limited, AIS Affinity Insurance Agency Inc., AIS Insurance Agency Inc., AMXH LLC, ARM International Corp., ARM International Insurance Agency Corp., ARMRISK CORP., AS Holdings Inc., ASPN Insurance Agency LLC, Access Plans USA Inc., Acumen Credit Insurance Brokers Limited, Adm Administradora de Beneficios Ltda., Administradora Aon C.A., Admiseg SA, Admix, Admix - Administracao Consultoria Participacoes e Corretora de Seguros de Vida Ltda., Aeropeople Limited, Affinity Group Insurance Services Limited, Affinity Insurance Services Inc., Affinity Risk Partners (Brokers) Pty Ltd, Agenion N.V./SA, Agility Credit Insurance Brokers Limited, Alexander & Alexander Holding B.V., Alexander Clay, Alexander Insurance Managers (Netherlands Antilles) N.V., Alexander Reinsurance Intermediaries Inc., Allen Insurance Associates Inc., Alliance HealthCard Inc., Alliance HealthCard of Florida Inc., American Insurance Services Corp., American Special Risk Insurance Company, Anviti Insurance Brokers Private Limited, Aon (Bermuda) Ltd., Aon (CR) Insurance Agencies Company Limited, Aon (DIFC) Gulf Limited, Aon (Fiji) Ltd., Aon (Isle of Man) Limited, Aon (Thailand) Limited, Aon 180412 Limited (in liquidation), Aon ANZ Holdings Limited, Aon APAC Holdings B.V., Aon Acore Sarl, Aon Adjudication Services Limited, Aon Affinity Administradora de Beneficios Ltda., Aon Affinity Argentina S.A., Aon Affinity Chile Ltda., Aon Affinity Colombia Ltda. Agencia de Seguros, Aon Affinity Mexico Agente de Seguros y de Fianzas S.A. de C.V., Aon Affinity Mexico S.A. de C.V., Aon Affinity Servicos e Participacoes Ltda., Aon Affinity do Brasil Servicos e Corretora de Seguros Ltda., Aon Agencies Hong Kong Limited, Aon Americas Holdings BV, Aon Angola Corretores de Seguros Limitada, Aon Antillen N.V., Aon Aruba N.V., Aon Assurance Agencies Hong Kong Limited, Aon Australia Group Pty Ltd, Aon Australian Holdco 1 Pty Ltd, Aon Australian Holdco 2 Pty Ltd, Aon Australian Holdco 3 Pty Ltd, Aon Austria GmbH, Aon Bahrain W.L.L., Aon Belgium B.V.B.A., Aon Benefit Solutions Inc., Aon Benfield (Chile) Corredores de Reaseguros Ltda., Aon Benfield Argentina S.A., Aon Benfield Australia Limited, Aon Benfield Brasil Corretora de Resseguros Ltda., Aon Benfield Canada ULC, Aon Benfield China Limited, Aon Benfield Colombia Limitada Corredores de Reaseguros, Aon Benfield Fac Inc., Aon Benfield Global Inc., Aon Benfield Group Limited, Aon Benfield Inc., Aon Benfield Israel Limited, Aon Benfield Italia S.p.A., Aon Benfield Japan Ltd, Aon Benfield Latin America SA, Aon Benfield Limited, Aon Benfield Malaysia Limited, Aon Benfield Mexico Intermediario de Reaseguro SA de CV, Aon Benfield Middle East Limited, Aon Benfield New Zealand Limited, Aon Benfield Panama S.A., Aon Benfield Peru Corredores de Reaseguros SA, Aon Benfield Puerto Rico Inc., Aon Bermuda Holding Company Limited, Aon Bermuda QI Holdings Ltd., Aon Beteiligungsmanagement Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG, Aon Bolivia S.A. Corredores de Seguros, Aon Botswana (Pty) Ltd., Aon Brazil Holdings LLC, Aon Broking Services SA, Aon Broking Technology Limited, Aon CANZ Holdings B.V., Aon CANZ Holdings N.S. ULC, Aon Canada Holdings N.S. ULC, Aon Canada Inc., Aon Canada Intermediaries GP, Aon Captive Services Antilles N.V., Aon Captive Services Aruba N.V., Aon Cash Management B.V., Aon Central and Eastern Europe a.s., Aon Centre for Innovation and Analytics Ltd, Aon Charitable Foundation Pty Ltd, Aon Chile Holdings LLC, Aon Commercial Insurance Agencies Hong Kong Limited, Aon Commercial Services Ireland Limited, Aon Commercial Services and Operations Ireland Limited, Aon Consolidation Group Pty Ltd, Aon Consulting & Insurance Services, Aon Consulting (Chile) Limitada, Aon Consulting (Thailand) Limited, Aon Consulting Bolivia S.R.L., Aon Consulting Ecuador S.A., Aon Consulting Financial Services Limited, Aon Consulting Inc., Aon Consulting Kazakhstan LLP, Aon Consulting Limited, Aon Consulting Private Limited, Aon Consulting Romania SRL, Aon Corporate Services (Isle of Man) Limited, Aon Corporate Services Limited, Aon Corporation, Aon Corporation Australia Limited, Aon Corporation EMEA B.V., Aon Credit International Insurance Broker GmbH, Aon Cyprus Insurance Broker Company Limited, Aon DC Trustee Limited, Aon Danismanlik Hizmetleri AS, Aon Delta Bermuda Ltd., Aon Delta UK Limited, Aon Denmark A/S, Aon Deutschland Beteiligungs GmbH, Aon Direct Group Inc., Aon Edge Insurance Agency Inc., Aon Energy Caribbean Limited, Aon Enterprise Insurance Agencies Hong Kong Limited, Aon Finance Bermuda 1 Ltd., Aon Finance Bermuda 2 Ltd., Aon Finance Canada 1 Corp., Aon Finance Canada 2 Corp., Aon Finance International N.S. ULC, Aon Finance Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Aon Finance N.S. 1 ULC, Aon Finance N.S. 5 ULC, Aon Finance N.S. 8 ULC, Aon Finance US 1 LLC, Aon Finance US 2 LLC, Aon Financial & Insurance Solutions Inc., Aon Finland Oy, Aon France, Aon Global Holdings 1 Limited, Aon Global Holdings 2 Limited, Aon Global Holdings 3 Limited [In strike-off], Aon Global Holdings Limited, Aon Global Operations plc, Aon Global Risk Consulting B.V., Aon Global Risk Consulting Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Aon Global Risk Research Limited, Aon Grana Peru Corredores de Seguros SA, Aon Greece S.A., Aon Groep Nederland B.V., Aon Group (Bermuda) Ltd., Aon Group (Thailand) Limited, Aon Group Holdings International 1 B.V., Aon Group Holdings International 2 B.V., Aon Group Inc., Aon Group International N.V., Aon Group Pty Ltd, Aon Group Venezuela Corretaje de Reaseguros C.A., Aon Hewitt (Bermuda) Ltd., Aon Hewitt (Ireland) Limited, Aon Hewitt (PNG) Ltd., Aon Hewitt (Thailand) Ltd., Aon Hewitt Consulting (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Aon Hewitt Consulting Korea Inc., Aon Hewitt Financial Advice Limited, Aon Hewitt GmbH, Aon Hewitt Health Market Insurance Solutions Inc., Aon Hewitt Hong Kong Limited, Aon Hewitt Inc., Aon Hewitt Investment Consulting Inc., Aon Hewitt Investment Management Inc., Aon Hewitt Japan Ltd., Aon Hewitt Limited, Aon Hewitt Ltd., Aon Hewitt Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Aon Hewitt Management Company Limited, Aon Hewitt Middle East Limited, Aon Hewitt Risk & Consulting S.r.l., Aon Hewitt Risk & Financial Management B.V., Aon Hewitt Trust Solutions GmbH, Aon Hewitt US Holdings Limited, Aon Holding Deutschland GmbH, Aon Holdings (Isle of Man) Limited, Aon Holdings Antillen N.V., Aon Holdings Australia Pty Limited, Aon Holdings Austria GmbH, Aon Holdings B.V., Aon Holdings Botswana (Pty) Ltd, Aon Holdings Corretores de Seguros Ltda., Aon Holdings France SNC, Aon Holdings Hong Kong Limited, Aon Holdings International B.V., Aon Holdings Israel Ltd., Aon Holdings Japan Ltd, Aon Holdings Limited, Aon Holdings Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Aon Holdings Mid Europe B.V., Aon Holdings New Zealand, Aon Hong Kong Limited, Aon Hungary Insurance Brokers Risk and Human Consulting LLC, Aon Insurance Agencies (HK) Limited, Aon Insurance Agencies (Macau) Limited, Aon Insurance Brokers (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Aon Insurance Brokers (Pvt) Ltd., Aon Insurance Management Agencies (HK) Limited, Aon Insurance Managers (Antilles) N.V., Aon Insurance Managers (Barbados) Ltd., Aon Insurance Managers (Bermuda) Ltd, Aon Insurance Managers (Cayman) Ltd., Aon Insurance Managers (Dublin) Ltd., Aon Insurance Managers (Guernsey) Ltd., Aon Insurance Managers (Holdings) Ltd., Aon Insurance Managers (Isle of Man) Ltd., Aon Insurance Managers (Liechtenstein) AG, Aon Insurance Managers (Luxembourg) S.A., Aon Insurance Managers (Malta) PCC Limited, Aon Insurance Managers (Puerto Rico) Inc., Aon Insurance Managers (Shannon) Limited, Aon Insurance Managers (USA) Inc., Aon Insurance Managers (USVI) Inc., Aon Insurance Managers Gibraltar Ltd., Aon Insurance Micronesia (Guam) Inc, Aon Insurance Underwriting Agencies Hong Kong Limited, Aon Insurance and Reinsurance Brokers Philippines Inc., Aon International Cooperatief U.A., Aon International Energy Inc., Aon International Holdings Inc., Aon Investment Holdings Ireland Limited, Aon Israel Insurance Brokerage Ltd., Aon Italia S.r.l., Aon Japan Ltd, Aon Jauch & Hubener Gesellschaft m.b.H., Aon Korea Inc., Aon Latam Holdings N.V., Aon Lead QI B.V., Aon Life Agency of Texas Inc., Aon Life Agente de Seguros S.A. de C.V., Aon Life Insurance Company, Aon MacDonagh Boland Group Ltd, Aon Majan LLC, Aon Management Consulting Taiwan Ltd., Aon Mauritius Holdings, Aon Meeus Assurantien B.V., Aon Mexico Business Support SA de CV, Aon Mexico Holdings LLC, Aon Mexico Holdings S. de R.L. de C.V., Aon Middle East Co LLC, Aon Nederland C.V., Aon Netherlands Operations B.V., Aon Neudorf Finance S.a.r.l., Aon New Zealand, Aon New Zealand Group ULC, Aon Norway AS, Aon Overseas Holdings Limited, Aon PHI Acquisition Corporation of California, Aon PMI International Limited, Aon Parizeau Inc., Aon Pension Trustees Limited, Aon Pensions Insurance Brokers GmbH, Aon Polska Services Sp. z o.o., Aon Polska Sp. z o.o., Aon Portugal - Consultores Unipessoal Lda., Aon Portugal - Corretores de Seguros S.A., Aon Premium Finance LLC, Aon Private Risk Management Insurance Agency Inc., Aon Private Risk Management of California Insurance Agency Inc., Aon Product Design & Development Australia Pty Limited, Aon Product Design and Development New Zealand Limited, Aon Product Risk Services Hong Kong Limited, Aon Property Risk Consulting Inc., Aon Qatar LLC, Aon Re (Thailand) Limited, Aon Re Bertoldi - Corretagem de Resseguros S.A., Aon Re Bolivia S.A. Corredores de Reaseguros, Aon Re Canada Holdings SARL, Aon Real Estate B.V., Aon Realty Services Inc., Aon Reed Stenhouse Inc., Aon Retirement Plan Advisors LLC, Aon Retirement Solutions Limited, Aon Risiko & Unternehmensberatungs GmbH, Aon Risk & Asset Management Pty Ltd, Aon Risk Consultants Inc., Aon Risk Insurance Services West Inc., Aon Risk Management (Pty) Ltd, Aon Risk Services (Chile) Corredores de Seguros Limitada, Aon Risk Services (Holdings) of Latin America Inc., Aon Risk Services (Holdings) of the Americas Inc., Aon Risk Services (NI) Limited, Aon Risk Services (PNG) Ltd., Aon Risk Services (Thailand) Limited, Aon Risk Services Argentina S.A., Aon Risk Services Australia Limited, Aon Risk Services Canada Inc., Aon Risk Services Central Inc., Aon Risk Services Colombia SA Corredores de Seguros, Aon Risk Services Companies Inc., Aon Risk Services EMEA B.V., Aon Risk Services Ecuador S.A. Agencia Asesora Productora de Seguros, Aon Risk Services Holdings (Chile ) Ltda., Aon Risk Services Inc. of Florida, Aon Risk Services Inc. of Hawaii, Aon Risk Services Inc. of Maryland, Aon Risk Services Inc. of Washington D.C., Aon Risk Services Northeast Inc., Aon Risk Services South Inc., Aon Risk Services Southwest Inc., Aon Risk Services Venezuela Corretaje de Seguros C.A., Aon Risk Solutions (Cayman) Ltd., Aon Risk Solutions Agente de Seguros y de Fianzas SA de CV, Aon Risk Solutions of Puerto Rico Inc., Aon Riskminder A/S, Aon Romania Broker de Asigurare - Reasigurare SRL, Aon Rus Insurance Brokers LLC, Aon Rus LLC, Aon S.p.A. Insurance & Reinsurance Brokers, Aon Saver Limited, Aon Securities (Hong Kong) Limited, Aon Securities Investment Management Inc., Aon Securities LLC, Aon Securities Limited, Aon Service Corporation, Aon Services (Guernsey) Ltd, Aon Services (Malta) Ltd, Aon Services Group Inc., Aon Services Hong Kong Limited, Aon Services Pty Ltd., Aon Sigorta ve Reasurans Brokerligi ve A.S., Aon Soluciones S.A., Aon Soluciones S.A.C., Aon Southern Europe UK Limited, Aon Sp. z o.o., Aon Special Risk Resources Inc., Aon Superannuation (PNG) Limited, Aon Superannuation Pty Limited, Aon TC Holdings Inc., Aon Taiwan Ltd., Aon Treasury Ireland Limited, Aon Trust Company LLC, Aon Trust Corporation Limited, Aon Trust Services B.V., Aon UK Group Limited, Aon UK Holdings Intermediaries Limited, Aon UK Limited, Aon UK Trustees Limited, Aon US & International Holdings Limited, Aon US Holdings 2 Inc., Aon US Holdings Inc., Aon Ukraine LLC, Aon Underwriting Agencies (HK) Limited, Aon Underwriting Managers (Bermuda) Ltd., Aon Underwriting Managers Inc., Aon Versicherungsberatungs GmbH, Aon Versicherungsmakler Deutschland GmbH, Aon Vietnam Limited, Aon Ward Financial Corporation, Aon-COFCO Insurance Brokers Co. Ltd., Aon/Albert G. Ruben Insurance Services Inc., Asevasa Argentina S.A., Asevasa Caricam S.A., Asevasa Chile Peritaciones e Ingenieria de Riesgos S.A., Asevasa Mexico S.A. de C.V., Asevasa Panama S.A., Asian Reinsurance Underwriters Limited, Asscom Insurance Brokers S.r.l., Association of Rural and Small Town Americans, Associacao Instituto Aon, Assurance Licensing Services Inc., B E P International Corp., B.V. Assurantiekantoor Langeveldt-Schroder, BMS Insurance Agency L.L.C., Bacon & Woodrow Partnerships (Ireland) Limited, Bacon & Woodrow Partnerships Limited, Bain Hogg Group Limited (in liquidation), Baltolink UADBB, Bankassure Insurance Services Limited, Bayfair Insurance Centre Limited, Beaubien Finance Ireland Limited, Beaubien Finance Limited, Beaubien UK Finance Limited, Becketts (Trustees) Limited, Becketts Limited, Beech Hill Pension Trustees Ltd, Bekouw Mendes C.V., Benefit Marketing Solutions L.L.C., Benfield Advisory Inc., Benfield Corredores de Reaseguro Ltda., Benfield Finance (London) LLC, Benfield Group, Benfield Investment Holdings Limited, Benfield Juniperus Holdings Limited, Benfield do Brasil Participacoes Ltda. (dormant), Benton Finance Ireland Limited, Benton Finance Limited, Blanch Americas Inc., Bowes & Company Inc. of New York, CEREP III Secondary Manager LLC, CFSSG Real Estate Partners I LLC, CFSSG Real Estate Partners II LLC, CIF-H GP LLC, Cammack Health LLC, Cananwill Corporation, Cananwill Inc., Cardea Health Solutions Limited, Casablanca Intermediation Company Sarl, Celinvest Amsterdam B.V., Chapka Assurances SAS, Citadel Insurance Managers Inc., CoCubes, CoSec 2000 Limited, Coalition for Benefits Equality and Choice, Cocubes Technologies Private Limited, Coles Hewitt Partnership, Contingency Insurance Brokers Limited, Contractsure Limited, CoverWallet, Coverall S.r.l. Insurance and Reinsurance Underwriting Agency, Credit Insurance Brokers (Reynolds) Limited, Crion N.V., Custom Benefit Programs Inc., Cut-e, Cut-e (UK) Limited, Cut-e Assessment (Hong Kong) Limited, Cut-e Assessment Solutions Europe Limited, Cut-e Australia Pty Limited, Cut-e Consult DMCC, Cut-e Danmark A/S, Cut-e Finland Oy, Cut-e GmbH, Cut-e Ireland Limited, Cut-e Nordic AS, Cut-e Norge AS, Cytelligence, Delany Bacon & Woodrow Partnership, Dempsey Partners, Denney O'Hara (Life & Pensions) Limited, Doveland Services Limited, E. W. Blanch Holdings Limited, E. W. Blanch Investments Limited, E.W. Blanch Capital Risk Solutions Inc., E.W. Blanch International Inc., EW Blanch Limited, Elysium Digital IP Products LLC, Elysium Digital L.L.C., Ennis Knupp Secondary Market Services LLC, Essar Insurance Services Limited, Exploitatiemaatschappij Beukenlaan 68-72 B.V., Farmaseg - Solucoes Assistencia e Servicos Empresariais Ltda., Farmsure Limited [In strike-off], Finaccord Limited, Financial & Professional Risk Solutions Inc., Futurity Group Inc., GTCR/AAM Blocker Corp., Ge.f.it. S.r.l., Gefass S.r.l., Glenrand M I B (Mocambique) Corretores de Seguros Limitada, Global Safe Insurance Brokers S.r.l., Globe Events Management, Gotham Digital Science LLC, Gotham Digital Science Ltd., Grant Liddell Financial Advisor Services Pty Ltd, Grant Park Capital LLC, Groupe-Conseil Aon Inc., Grupo Innovac Sociedad de Correduria de Seguros SA, HIA Insurance Services Pty Ltd., Hall Rhodes Holdings Limited, Hall Rhodes Limited, Hamburger Gesellschaft zur Forderung des Versicherungswesens mbH, Harbourview West Lake Co-Invest (GP) LP, Health Index Advisors LLC, Healthy Paws Pet Insurance, Henderson Corporate Insurance Brokers Limited, Henderson Insurance Brokers Limited, Henderson Insurance Partnership Limited [In strike-off], Henderson Risk Management Limited, Hewitt Amalco 3 ULC, Hewitt Amalco 4 ULC, Hewitt Amalco 5 ULC, Hewitt Associates (a partnership), Hewitt Associates Administradora e Corretora de Seguros Ltda., Hewitt Associates Corp., Hewitt Associates Outsourcing Limited, Hewitt Associates Pty Ltd, Hewitt Associates S.C., Hewitt Associates SAS, Hewitt Associates Servicos de Recursos Humanos Ltda., Hewitt Beneficios Agente de Seguros y de Fianzas S.A. de C.V., Hewitt Holdings Canada Company, Hewitt Insurance Brokerage LLC, Hewitt Insurance Inc., Hewitt International Holdings LLC, Hewitt Management Ltd., Hewitt Risk Management Services Limited, Hewitt Western Management Amalco Inc., Hogg Group Limited, Hogg Robinson North America Inc., Huntington T. Block Insurance Agency Inc., I. Beck Insurance Agency (1994) Ltd., IAO Actuarial Consulting Services Canada Inc., INPOINT INC., IRM/GRC Holding Inc., Impact Forecasting L.L.C., Inspiring Benefits, Inspiring Benefits Portugal Unipessoal Lda, Insuractive Limited [In strike-off], Insurance Broker Aon Kazakhstan LLP, International Risk Management (Americas) Inc., International Risk Management Group Ltd, International Space Brokers Europe Limited, International Space Brokers France, International Space Brokers Inc., International Space Brokers Limited, Inversiones Benfield Chile Ltda., J H Minet Puerto Rico Inc., J. Allan Brown Consultants Inc., JDPT Manager LLC, Jenner Fenton Slade Limited, John Reynolds & Company (Credit Insurance) Limited, John Reynolds & Company (Insurances) Limited, John Reynolds & Company (Life & Pensions) Limited, Johnson Rooney Welch Inc., K & K Insurance Brokers Inc. Canada, K & K Insurance Group Inc., K & K Insurance Group of Florida Inc., K2 Technologies Inc., KVT GP LLC, Kloud S.a.r.l., Krumlin Hall Limited, Lake Erie Real Estate General Partner Limited, Lake Tahoe GP LLC, Lake Tahoe II GP LLC, Lake Tahoe III GP LLC, Lake Tahoe IV GP LLC, Lenzi Paolo Broker di Assicurazioni S.r.l., Lincolnshire Insurance Company PCC Limited, Linx Underwriting Solutions Inc., Lombard Trustee Company Limited, M.A. Shakeel Management Ltd. Amalco, MacDonagh Boland Crotty MacRedmond Ltd, Marinaro Dundas S.A., Marinaro Dundas SA, Mark Kelly Insurance and Financial Services PTY LTD, McLagan (Aon) Limited, McLagan Partners Asia Inc., McLagan Partners Inc., Membership Leasing Trust, Minet Consultancy Services Ltd, Minet Group, Minet Holdings Inc., Minet Inc., Minet Re North America Inc., Modern Survey Inc., Muirfield Underwriters Ltd., NBS Nominees Limited, National Insurance Office Ltd., Nauman Insurance Brokers Limited, Nexus Insurance Brokers Limited, One Underwriting Agency GmbH, One Underwriting B.V., One Underwriting Health B.V., One Underwriting Pty Ltd, Optica Agency A/S, Optimum Risk Solutions Limited, Ovatio Courtage SAS, P.G. Bradley & Co Limited, PGOF Manager 1 LLC, PRORUCK Ruckversicherungs Aktiengesellschaft, PT Aon Benfield Indonesia, PT Aon Hewitt Indonesia, PT Aon Indonesia, PWZ AG, Paragon Strategic Solutions Inc., PathWise Solutions LLC, Penn Square Manager 1 LLC, Penn Square Manager II LLC, Portus Consulting, Portus Consulting, Portus Consulting (Leamington) Limited, Portus Online LLP, Praesidium S.p.A. - Soluzioni Assicurative per il Management, Premier Auto Finance Inc., Private Client Trustees Ltd., Private Equity Partnership Structures I LLC, Probabilitas N.V./SA, Protective Marketing Enterprises Inc., Randolph Finance Unlimited Company, Rasini Vigano Limited, Redwoods Dental Underwriters Inc., Richard Kiddle (Insurance Brokers) Limited, Risk Laboratories LLC, Riskikonsultatsioonide OU, Ronnie Elementary Insurance Agency Ltd, SA Special Situations General Partner LLC, SG IFFOXX Assekuranzmaklergesellschaft mbH, SLE Worldwide Limited, SN Re S.A., Salud Riesgos y Recursos Humanos Consultores Ltda. (former Aon Corporte Advisors Ltda.), SchneiderGolling IFFOXX Assekuranzmakler AG, SchneiderGolling Industrie Assekuranzmaklergesellschaft mbH, Scritch Inc., Shanghai Kayi Information Technology Co. Ltd, Sheppard Netherlands B.V., Specialty Benefits Inc., Sports Insure Limited [In strike-off], Strategic Manager-III LLC, Stroz Friedberg (Asia) Limited, Stroz Friedberg Inc., Stroz Friedberg LLC, Stroz Friedberg Limited, Stroz Friedberg Risk Management Limited, Superannuation Management Nominees Limited, Suresport Limited [In strike-off], Swire Blanch MSTC II SA, Swire Blanch MSTC SA, TTG BRPTP GP LLC, TTG Cayuga Bavaria Intermediate 2 S.a.r.l, TTG Core Plus Investments LLC, TTG German Investments I LLC, TTG Investments II LLC, TTG Irish Investments I LLC, TTG Manager LLC, Tecsefin S.A. en liquidacion, The Aon Ireland Mastertrustee Limited, The Aon MasterTrustee Limited, The John Reynolds Company Limited, The Key West Saxon Group LLC, The Townsend Group Inc, The Townsend Group LLC, Townsend Alpha Manager I LLC, Townsend Alpha Manager II LLC, Townsend Alpha Manager III LLC, Townsend Group Asia Limited, Townsend Group Europe Ltd., Townsend HWL GP Ltd., Townsend Holdings LLC, Townsend Lake Constance GP Limited, Townsend REF GP LLC, Townsend Re Global GP Limited, Townsend SO Manager I LLC, Tyche, UAB One Underwriting, UADBB Aon Baltic, UK Credit Insurance Specialists Limited, UNIT Versicherungsmakler GmbH, US Underwriting Solutions S.r.l., USLP Underwriting Solutions LP, Underwriters Marine Services Inc., Unidelta AG, Unirobe Meeus Groep, UnitedPensions Deutschland AG, Univers Workplace Solutions, VERO Management AG, Ventiv Technology, WT Government Services LLC, WT Technologies LLC, Wannet Speciale Verzekeringen B.V., Wannet Sports Insurance GmbH, Ward Financial Group Inc., Welfare S.r.l, West Lake General Partner LLC, West Lake II GP LLC, Wexford Underwriting Managers Inc., White Rock Insurance (Americas) Ltd., White Rock Insurance (Europe) PCC Limited, White Rock Insurance (Gibraltar) PCC Ltd., White Rock Insurance (Guernsey) ICC Limited, White Rock Insurance (Netherlands) PCC Limited, White Rock Insurance (SAC) Ltd., White Rock Insurance Company PCC Ltd., White Rock Insurance PCC (Isle of Man) Limited, White Rock Services (Bermuda) Ltd., White Rock USA Ltd., Willis Towers Watson, Worldwide Integrated Services Company, Wrapid Specialty Inc., Zalba-Caldu Correduria de Seguros SA, and cut-e USA Inc..

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White Mountains Insurance Group, Ltd., through its subsidiaries, provides insurance and other financial services in the United States. The company operates through five segments: HG Global/BAM, Ark, NSM, Kudu, and Other Operations. The HG Global/BAM segment provides insurance on municipal bonds issued to finance public purposes, such as schools, utilities, and transportation facilities, as well as reinsurance protection services. The Ark segment writes a portfolio of reinsurance and insurance, including property, marine and energy, accident and health, casualty, and specialty products. The NSM segment operates as a managing general agent and program administrator for specialty property and casualty insurance to various sectors comprising specialty transportation, real estate, social services, and pet. The Kudu segment provides capital solutions to boutique asset and wealth managers for generational ownership transfers, management buyouts, acquisitions and growth finances, and legacy partner liquidity, as well as strategic assistance to investees. The Other Operations segment offers insurance solutions to travel industry through broker channel and on a direct-to-consumer basis; and manages separate accounts and pooled investment vehicles for insurance-linked securities sectors, including catastrophe bonds, collateralized reinsurance investments, and industry loss warranties of third-party clients. White Mountains Insurance Group, Ltd. was incorporated in 1980 and is headquartered in Hamilton, Bermuda.
American International Group, Inc. offers insurance products for commercial, institutional, and individual customers in North America and internationally. The company's General Insurance segment provides general liability, environmental, commercial automobile liability, workers' compensation, casualty, and crisis management insurance products; commercial, industrial, and energy-related property insurance; and aerospace, political risk, trade credit, portfolio solutions, crop, and marine insurance. It also provides professional liability insurance products for a range of businesses and risks, including directors and officers, mergers and acquisitions, fidelity, employment practices, fiduciary liability, cyber risk, kidnap and ransom, and errors and omissions insurance. In addition, this segment offers personal auto and property insurance, such as auto, homeowners, umbrella, yacht, fine art, and collections; voluntary and sponsor-paid personal accident; supplemental health products; extended warranty insurance products; and travel insurance products. Its Life and Retirement segment offers variable annuities, index and fixed annuities, and retail mutual funds; and financial planning and advisory services; record-keeping, plan administrative, and compliance services; and term life and universal life insurance. It also provides stable value wrap products, and structured settlement and pension risk transfer annuities; and corporate- and bank-owned life insurance and guaranteed investment contracts. This segment sells its products through independent marketing organizations, independent insurance agents, financial advisors, direct marketing, banks, and broker-dealers. The company was founded in 1919 and is headquartered in New York, New York.
The following companies are subsidiares of Novo Nordisk A/S: Aldaph SpA, Beijing Novo Nordisk Pharmaceuticals Science & Technology Co. Ltd., CS Solar Fund XIV LLC, Calibrium, Corvidia, Corvidia Therapeutics Inc., Dicerna Pharmaceuticals, Dicerna Pharmaceuticals Inc., Emisphere Technologies, Emisphere Technologies Inc., MB2 LLC, NNE A/S, Neotope Neuroscience Limited, Novo Nordisk, Novo Nordisk (China) Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd., Novo Nordisk (Pty) Limited, Novo Nordisk (Shanghai) Pharma Trading Co. Ltd., Novo Nordisk B.V., Novo Nordisk Canada Inc., Novo Nordisk Colombia SAS, Novo Nordisk Comercio Produtos Farmaceuticos Lda., Novo Nordisk Denmark A/S, Novo Nordisk Egypt LLC, Novo Nordisk Farma OY, Novo Nordisk Farma S.R.L., Novo Nordisk Farma dooel, Novo Nordisk Farmaceutica Limitada, Novo Nordisk Farmaceutica do Brasil Ltda., Novo Nordisk Finance (Netherlands) B.V., Novo Nordisk Health Care AG, Novo Nordisk Hellas Epe., Novo Nordisk Holding Limited, Novo Nordisk Hong Kong Limited, Novo Nordisk Hrvatska d.o.o., Novo Nordisk Hungaria Kft., Novo Nordisk Inc., Novo Nordisk India Holding Pte Ltd., Novo Nordisk India Private Limited, Novo Nordisk Kazakhstan LLP, Novo Nordisk Kenya Ltd., Novo Nordisk Lanka (PVT) Ltd, Novo Nordisk Limited, Novo Nordisk Limited Liability Company, Novo Nordisk Ltd, Novo Nordisk Mexico S.A. de C.V., Novo Nordisk North America Operations A/S, Novo Nordisk Norway AS, Novo Nordisk Panama S.A., Novo Nordisk Pars, Novo Nordisk Peru S.A.C., Novo Nordisk Pharma (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Novo Nordisk Pharma (Private) Limited, Novo Nordisk Pharma (Singapore) Pte Ltd., Novo Nordisk Pharma (Taiwan) Ltd., Novo Nordisk Pharma (Thailand) Ltd., Novo Nordisk Pharma AG, Novo Nordisk Pharma Argentina S.A., Novo Nordisk Pharma EAD, Novo Nordisk Pharma GmbH, Novo Nordisk Pharma Gulf FZE, Novo Nordisk Pharma Inc., Novo Nordisk Pharma Korea Ltd., Novo Nordisk Pharma Limited, Novo Nordisk Pharma Ltd., Novo Nordisk Pharma Operations (Business Area) Sdn Bhd, Novo Nordisk Pharma Operations A/S, Novo Nordisk Pharma S.A., Novo Nordisk Pharma SARL, Novo Nordisk Pharma SAS, Novo Nordisk Pharma Sp.z.o.o., Novo Nordisk Pharma d.o.o., Novo Nordisk Pharma d.o.o. Belgrade (Serbia), Novo Nordisk Pharmaceutical Industries LP, Novo Nordisk Pharmaceutical Services Sp. z o.o., Novo Nordisk Pharmaceuticals (Philippines) Inc., Novo Nordisk Pharmaceuticals A/S, Novo Nordisk Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Novo Nordisk Pharmaceuticals Pty. Ltd., Novo Nordisk Pharmatech A/S, Novo Nordisk Pharmatech US Inc., Novo Nordisk Production SAS, Novo Nordisk Production Support LLC, Novo Nordisk Producao Farmaceutica do Brasil Ltda., Novo Nordisk Region AAMEO and LATAM A/S, Novo Nordisk Region China A/S, Novo Nordisk Region Europe A/S, Novo Nordisk Region Japan & Korea A/S, Novo Nordisk Research Center Indianapolis Inc., Novo Nordisk Research Center Seattle Inc., Novo Nordisk S.P.A., Novo Nordisk Saglik Urunleri Tic. Ltd. Sti., Novo Nordisk Saudi for Trading, Novo Nordisk Scandinavia AB, Novo Nordisk Service Centre (India) Pvt. Ltd., Novo Nordisk Slovakia s.r.o., Novo Nordisk Tunisie SARL, Novo Nordisk US Bio Production Inc., Novo Nordisk US Commercial Holdings Inc., Novo Nordisk US Holdings Inc., Novo Nordisk Ukraine LLC, Novo Nordisk Venezuela Casa de Representacion C.A., Novo Nordisk d.o.o., Novo Nordisk s.r.o., PT. Novo Nordisk Indonesia, S.A. Novo Nordisk Pharma N.V., UAB Novo Nordisk Pharma, Xellia Pharmaceuticals, Ziylo, and Ziylo Limited.

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AXIS Capital Holdings Limited, through its subsidiaries, provides various specialty insurance and reinsurance products worldwide. It operates through two segments, Insurance and Reinsurance. The Insurance segment offers property insurance products for commercial buildings, residential premises, construction projects, and onshore energy installations; marine insurance products covering offshore energy, cargo, liability, recreational marine, fine art, specie, and hull war; and terrorism, aviation, credit and political risk, and liability insurance products. It also provides professional insurance products that cover directors' and officers' liability, errors and omissions liability, employment practices liability, fiduciary liability, crime, professional indemnity, cyber and privacy, medical malpractice, and other financial insurance related coverages for commercial enterprises, financial institutions, not-for-profit organizations, and other professional service providers. In addition, this segment offers accidental death, travel, and specialty health products for employer and affinity groups. The Reinsurance segment offers reinsurance products to insurance companies, including catastrophe reinsurance products; property reinsurance products covering property damage and related losses resulting from natural and man-made perils; professional lines; credit and surety; and motor liability products. This segment also provides agriculture reinsurance products; coverages for various types of construction risks and risks related to erection, testing, and commissioning of machinery and plants during the construction stage; marine and aviation reinsurance products; and personal accident, specialty health, accidental death, travel, life and disability reinsurance products. The company was founded in 2001 and is headquartered in Pembroke, Bermuda.
Benchmark Electronics, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides product design, engineering services, technology solutions, and manufacturing services in the Americas, Asia, and Europe. The company offers engineering services and technology solutions, including new product design, prototype, testing, and related engineering services; and custom testing and technology solutions, as well as automation equipment design and build services. It also provides electronics manufacturing and testing services, such as printed circuit board assembly and test solutions, assembly of subsystems, circuitry and functionality testing of printed assemblies, environmental and stress testing, and component reliability testing; component engineering services; manufacturing defect analysis, in-circuit testing, functional testing, and life cycle testing services, as well as environmental stress tests of assemblies of boards or systems; and failure analysis. In addition, the company offers precision machining and electromechanical assembly services; and subsystem and system integration services, including assembly, configuration, and testing for various industries. Further, it provides value-added support systems; supply chain management solutions; direct order fulfillment; and aftermarket non-warranty services, including repair, replacement, refurbishment, remanufacturing, exchange, systems upgrade, and spare parts manufacturing throughout a product's life cycle. The company serves original equipment manufacturers in the aerospace and defense, medical technologies, complex industrials, semiconductor capital equipment, telecommunications, and advanced computing industries. It markets its services and solutions primarily through a direct sales force. The company was formerly known as Electronics, Inc. Benchmark Electronics, Inc. was founded in 1979 and is headquartered in Tempe, Arizona.
Harley-Davidson, Inc. manufactures and sells motorcycles. The company operates in two segments, Motorcycles and Related Products and Financial Services. The Motorcycles and Related Products segment designs, manufactures, and sells Harley-Davidson motorcycles, including cruiser, touring, standard, sportbike, and dual models, as well as motorcycle parts, accessories, apparel, and related services. This segment sells its products to retail customers through a network of independent dealers, as well as e-commerce channels in the United States, Canada, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia-Pacific. The Financial Services segment provides wholesale financing services, such as floorplan and open account financing of motorcycles, and parts and accessories; and retail financing services, including installment lending for the purchase of new and used Harley-Davidson motorcycles, as well as point-of-sale protection products comprising motorcycle insurance, extended service contracts, and motorcycle maintenance protection. This segment also licenses third-party financial institutions that issue credit cards bearing the Harley-Davidson brand. Harley-Davidson, Inc. was founded in 1903 and is based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
The following companies are subsidiares of PepsiCo: Alimentos Quaker Oats y Compania Limitada, Alimentos del Istmo S.A., Amavale Agricola Ltda., Anderson Hill Insurance Limited, Asia Bottlers Limited, BAESA Capital Corporation Ltd., BFY Brands, BFY Brands LLC, BFY Brands Limited, BUG de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Balmoral Industries LLC, Bare Foods Co., Barrhead LLC, Be & Cheery, Beaman Bottling Company, Bebidas Sudamerica S.A., Beech Limited, Bell Taco Funding Syndicate, Bendler Investments II Ltd, Bendler Investments S.a r.l, Beverage Services Limited, Beverages Foods & Service Industries Inc., Bishkeksut OJSC, Blaue NC S. de R.L. de C.V., Blue Cloud Distribution Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Arizona Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Arkansas Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Colorado Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Florida Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Georgia Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Illinois Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Indiana Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Iowa Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Kentucky Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Louisiana Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Minnesota Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Mississippi Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Missouri Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Nebraska Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Nevada Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of North Carolina Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Ohio Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Oklahoma Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Pennsylvania Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of South Carolina Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Tennessee Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Texas Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Virginia Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Wisconsin Inc., Blue Ridge Sales LLC, Bluebird Foods Limited, Bluecan Holdings Unlimited Company, Bokomo Zambia Limited, Bolsherechensky Molkombinat JSC, Boquitas Fiestas LLC, Boquitas Fiestas S.R.L., Bottling Group Financing LLC, Bottling Group Holdings LLC, Bottling Group LLC, Bronte Industries Ltd, C & I Leasing Inc., CB Manufacturing Company Inc., CEME Holdings LLC, CMC Investment Company, Caroni Investments LLC, Centro-Mediterranea de Bebidas Carbonicas PepsiCo S.L., Ceres Fruit Juices Pty Ltd, ChampBev Inc., China Concentrate Holdings Hong Kong Limited, Chipsy International for Food Industries S.A.E., Chipsy for Food Industries S.A.E., Chitos Internacional y Cia Ltda, Cipa Industrial de Produtos Alimentares Ltda., Cipa Nordeste Industrial de Produtos Alimentares Ltda., Cocina Autentica Inc., Comercializadora CMC Investment y Compania Limitada, Comercializadora Nacional SAS Ltda., Comercializadora PepsiCo Mexico S de R.L. de C.V., Compania de Bebidas PepsiCo S.L., Concentrate Holding Uruguay Pte. Ltd., Concentrate Manufacturing Singapore Pte. Ltd., Confiteria Alegro S. de R.L. de C.V., Copella Fruit Juices Limited, Copper Beech International LLC, Corina Snacks Limited, Corporativo Internacional Mexicano S. de R.L. de C.V., CytoSport Holdings Inc., CytoSport Inc., Davlyn Realty Corporation, Defosto Holdings Limited, Desarrollo Inmobiliario Gamesa S. de R.L. de C.V., Dilexis S.A., Donon Holdings Limited, Drinkfinity USA Inc., Drinkstation Inc., Drinkstation Innovation Co. Ltd., Drinkstation Limited, Dutch Snacks Holding S.A. de C.V., Duyvis Production B.V., EPIC Enterprises Inc., Echo Bay Holdings Inc., Elaboradora Argentina de Cereales S.R.L., Enter Logistica LLC, Environ at Inverrary Partnership, Environ of Inverrary Inc., Eridanus Investments S.a r.l, Evercrisp Snack Productos de Chile S.A., FL Transportation Inc., FLI Andean LLC, FLI Colombia LLC, FLI Snacks Andean GP LLC, Fabrica PepsiCo Mexicali S. de R.L. de C.V., Fabrica de Productos Alimenticios Rene y Cia S.C.A., Fairlight International SRL, Far East Bottlers Hong Kong Limited, Food Concepts Pioneer Ltd., Forest Akers Nederland B.V., Forty-Six Peaks Holding Inc., Fovarosi Asvanyviz es Uditoipari Zartkoruen Mukodo Reszvenytarsasag, Freshwater International B.V., Frito Lay Gida Sanayi Ve Ticaret Anonim Sirketi, Frito Lay Poland Sp. z o.o., Frito Lay Sp. z o.o., Frito Lay de Guatemala y Compania Limitada, Frito-Lay Australia Holdings Pty Limited, Frito-Lay Dip Company Inc., Frito-Lay Dominicana S.A., Frito-Lay Global Investments B.V., Frito-Lay Inc., Frito-Lay Investments B.V., Frito-Lay Manufacturing LLC, Frito-Lay Netherlands Holding B.V., Frito-Lay North America Inc., Frito-Lay Sales Inc., Frito-Lay Trading Company Europe GmbH, Frito-Lay Trading Company GmbH, Frito-Lay Trading Company Poland GmbH, Frito-Lay Trinidad Unlimited, Fruko Mesrubat Sanayi Limited Sirketi, GB Czech LLC, GB International Inc., GB Russia LLC, GB Slovak LLC, GMP Manufacturing Inc., Gambrinus Investments Limited, Gamesa LLC, Gamesa S. de R.L. de C.V., Gas Natural de Merida S. A. de C. V., Gatorade Puerto Rico Company, General Bottlers of Hungary Inc., Golden Grain Company, Goveh S.R.L., Grayhawk Leasing LLC, Green Hemlock International LLC, Grupo Frito Lay y Compania Limitada, Grupo Gamesa S. de R.L. de C.V., Grupo Mabel, Grupo Sabritas S. de R.L. de C.V., Gulkevichskiy Maslozavod JSC, Hangzhou Baicaowei Corporate Management Consulting Co. Ltd., Hangzhou Haomusi Food Co, Hangzhou Haomusi Food Co. Ltd., Hangzhou Tao Dao Technology Co. Ltd., Health Warrior, Health Warrior Inc., Heathland LP, Helioscope Limited, Hillbrook Inc., Hillgrove Inc., Hillwood Bottling LLC, Hogganfield Limited Partnership, Holding Company "Opolie" JSC, Homefinding Company of Texas, Hudson Valley Insurance Company, IC Equities Inc., IZZE Beverage Co., Inmobiliaria Interamericana S.A. De C.V., Integrated Beverage Services Bangladesh Limited, Integrated Foods & Beverages Pvt. Ltd., International Bottlers Management Co. LLC, International KAS Aktiengesellschaft, Inversiones Borneo S.R.L., Inversiones PFI Chile Limitada, Inviting Foods Holdings Inc., Inviting Foods LLC, KAS Anorthosis S.a r.l, KAS S.L., KFC, Kevita Inc., Kinvara LLC, Kungursky Molkombinat JSC, Larragana S.L., Latin American Holdings Ltd., Latin American Snack Foods ApS, Latin Foods International LLC, Lebedyansky, Lebedyansky Holdings LLC, Lebedyansky LLC, Limited Liability Company "Sandora", Linkbay Limited, Lithuanian Snacks UAB, Mabel, Marbo Product d.o.o. Beograd, Marbo d.o.o. Laktasi, Matudis - Comercio de Produtos Alimentares Limitada, Matutano - Sociedade de Produtos Alimentares Lda., Mid-America Improvement Corporation, Mountainview Insurance Company Inc., Muscle Milk, NCJV LLC, New Bern Transport Corporation, New Century Beverage Company LLC, Noble Leasing LLC, Northeast Hot-Fill Co-op Inc., Office at Solyanka LLC, Onbiso Inversiones S.L., One World Enterprises LLC, One World Investors Inc., P-A Barbados Bottling Company LLC, P-A Bottlers Barbados SRL, P-Americas LLC, PAS Luxembourg S.a r.l, PAS Netherlands B.V., PBG Canada Holdings II LLC, PBG Canada Holdings Inc., PBG Cyprus Holdings Limited, PBG Investment Partnership, PBG Midwest Holdings S.a r.l, PBG Soda Can Holdings S.a r.l, PCBL LLC, PCNA Manufacturing Inc., PR Beverages Cyprus Holding Limited, PR Beverages Cyprus Russia Holding Limited, PRB Luxembourg S.a r.l, PRS Inc., PSAS Inversiones LLC, PSE Logistica S.R.L., PT Quaker Indonesia, Papas Chips S.A., Pei N.V., Pep Trade LLC, Pepsi B.V., Pepsi Beverages Holdings Inc., Pepsi Bottling Group Global Finance LLC, Pepsi Bottling Group GmbH, Pepsi Bottling Group Hoosiers B.V., Pepsi Bottling Holdings Inc., Pepsi Bugshan Investments S.A.E., Pepsi Cola Colombia Ltda, Pepsi Cola Egypt S.A.E., Pepsi Cola Panamericana S.R.L., Pepsi Cola Servis Ve Dagitim Limited Sirketi, Pepsi Cola Trading Ireland, Pepsi Logistics Company Inc., Pepsi Northwest Beverages LLC, Pepsi Overseas Investments Partnership, Pepsi Promotions Inc., Pepsi-Cola Advertising and Marketing Inc., Pepsi-Cola Bermuda Limited, Pepsi-Cola Bottlers Holding C.V., Pepsi-Cola Bottling Company Of St. Louis Inc., Pepsi-Cola Bottling Company of Ft. Lauderdale-Palm Beach LLC, Pepsi-Cola Company, Pepsi-Cola Ecuador Cia. Ltda., Pepsi-Cola Far East Trade Development Co. Inc., Pepsi-Cola Finance LLC, Pepsi-Cola General Bottlers Poland Sp. z o.o., Pepsi-Cola Industrial da Amazonia Ltda., Pepsi-Cola International Cork, Pepsi-Cola International LLC, Pepsi-Cola International Limited, Pepsi-Cola International Limited U.S.A., Pepsi-Cola International Private Limited, Pepsi-Cola Korea Co. Ltd., Pepsi-Cola Management and Administrative Services Inc., Pepsi-Cola Manufacturing Company Of Uruguay S.R.L., Pepsi-Cola Manufacturing International Limited, Pepsi-Cola Manufacturing Mediterranean Limited, Pepsi-Cola Marketing Corp. Of P.R. Inc., Pepsi-Cola Mediterranean Ltd., Pepsi-Cola Metropolitan Bottling Company Inc., Pepsi-Cola Mexicana Holdings LLC, Pepsi-Cola Mexicana S. de R.L. de C.V., Pepsi-Cola National Marketing LLC, Pepsi-Cola Operating Company Of Chesapeake And Indianapolis, Pepsi-Cola Sales and Distribution Inc., Pepsi-Cola Technical Operations Inc., Pepsi-Cola Thai Trading Co. Ltd., Pepsi-Cola de Honduras S.R.L., Pepsi-Cola of Corvallis Inc., PepsiAmericas Nemzetkozi Szolgaltato Korlatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag, PepsiCo ANZ Holdings Pty Ltd, PepsiCo Alimentos Antioquia Ltda., PepsiCo Alimentos Colombia Ltda., PepsiCo Alimentos Ecuador Cia. Ltda., PepsiCo Alimentos Z.F. Ltda., PepsiCo Alimentos de Bolivia S.R.L., PepsiCo Amacoco Bebidas Do Brasil Ltda., PepsiCo Asia Research & Development Center Company Limited, PepsiCo Australia Financing Cyprus Limited, PepsiCo Australia Financing Limited Partnership, PepsiCo Australia Financing Partner 1 LLC, PepsiCo Australia Financing Partner 2 LLC, PepsiCo Australia Financing Pty Ltd, PepsiCo Australia Holdings Pty Limited, PepsiCo Australia International, PepsiCo Austria Services GmbH, PepsiCo Azerbaijan Limited Liability Company, PepsiCo BeLux BV, PepsiCo Beverage Sales LLC, PepsiCo Beverage Singapore Pty Ltd, PepsiCo Beverages Bermuda Limited, PepsiCo Beverages Hong Kong Limited, PepsiCo Beverages International Limited, PepsiCo Beverages Italia Societa' A Responsabilita' Limitata, PepsiCo Canada Finance LLC, PepsiCo Canada Holdings ULC, PepsiCo Canada Investment ULC, PepsiCo Canada ULC, PepsiCo Captive Holdings Inc., PepsiCo Caribbean Inc., PepsiCo China Limited, PepsiCo Consulting Polska Sp. z o.o., PepsiCo De Bolivia S.R.L., PepsiCo Del Paraguay S.R.L., PepsiCo Deutschland GmbH, PepsiCo Eesti AS, PepsiCo Euro Bermuda Limited, PepsiCo Euro Finance Antilles B.V., PepsiCo Europe Support Center S.L., PepsiCo Finance Americas Company, PepsiCo Finance Antilles A N.V., PepsiCo Finance Antilles B N.V., PepsiCo Finance South Africa Proprietary Limited, PepsiCo Financial Shared Services Inc., PepsiCo Food & Beverage Holdings Hong Kong Limited, PepsiCo Foods A.I.E., PepsiCo Foods China Company Limited, PepsiCo Foods Group Pty Ltd, PepsiCo Foods Guangdong Co. Ltd., PepsiCo Foods Nigeria Limited, PepsiCo Foods Private Limited, PepsiCo Foods Sichuan Co. Ltd., PepsiCo Foods Taiwan Co. Ltd., PepsiCo Foods Vietnam Company, PepsiCo France SAS, PepsiCo Global Business Services India LLP, PepsiCo Global Business Services Poland Sp. z o.o., PepsiCo Global Holdings Limited, PepsiCo Global Investments B.V., PepsiCo Global Investments S.a r.l, PepsiCo Global Mobility LLC, PepsiCo Global Real Estate Inc., PepsiCo Global Trading Solutions Unlimited Company, PepsiCo Golden Holdings Inc., PepsiCo Group Finance International B.V., PepsiCo Group Holdings International B.V., PepsiCo Group Spotswood Holdings S.a r.l, PepsiCo Gulf International FZE, PepsiCo Hellas Single Member Industrial and Commercial Societe Anonyme, PepsiCo Holding de Espana S.L., PepsiCo Holdings, PepsiCo Holdings LLC, PepsiCo Holdings Toshkent LLC, PepsiCo Hong Kong LLC, PepsiCo Iberia Servicios Centrales S.L., PepsiCo India Holdings Private Limited, PepsiCo India Sales Private Limited, PepsiCo Internacional Mexico S. de R. L. de C. V., PepsiCo International Hong Kong Limited, PepsiCo International Limited, PepsiCo International Pte Ltd., PepsiCo Investments Europe I B.V., PepsiCo Investments Ltd., PepsiCo Ireland Food & Beverages Unlimited Company, PepsiCo Japan Co. Ltd., PepsiCo Light B.V., PepsiCo Logistyka Sp. z o.o., PepsiCo Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., PepsiCo Management Services SAS, PepsiCo Manufacturing A.I.E., PepsiCo Max B.V., PepsiCo Mexico Holdings S. de R.L. de C.V., PepsiCo Nederland B.V., PepsiCo Nordic Denmark ApS, PepsiCo Nordic Finland Oy, PepsiCo Nordic Norway AS, PepsiCo Nutrition Trading DMCC, PepsiCo One B.V., PepsiCo Overseas Corporation, PepsiCo Overseas Financing Partnership, PepsiCo Panimex Inc, PepsiCo Products B.V., PepsiCo Products FLLC, PepsiCo Puerto Rico Inc., PepsiCo Sales Inc., PepsiCo Sales LLC, PepsiCo Services Asia Ltd., PepsiCo Services CZ s.r.o., PepsiCo Services LLC, PepsiCo Twist B.V., PepsiCo UK Pension Plan Trustee Limited, PepsiCo Ventures B.V., PepsiCo Wave Holdings LLC, PepsiCo World Trading Company Inc., PepsiCo Y LLC, PepsiCo de Argentina S.R.L., PepsiCo de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., PepsiCo do Brasil Industria e Comercio de Alimentos Ltda., PepsiCo do Brasil Ltda., PepsiCola Interamericana de Guatemala S.A., Pet Iberia S.L., Pete & Johnny Limited, Pine International LLC, Pine International Limited, Pinstripe Leasing LLC, Pioneer Food Group Pty Ltd, Pioneer Foods Groceries Pty Ltd, Pioneer Foods Group Ltd., Pioneer Foods Holdings Pty Ltd, Pioneer Foods Pty Ltd, Pioneer Foods UK Ltd, Pioneer Foods Wellingtons Pty Ltd, Pipers Crisps Limited, PlayCo Inc., Pop corners, PopCorners Holdings Inc., Portfolio Concentrate Solutions Unlimited Company, Premier Nutrition Trading L.L.C., Prestwick LLC, Prev PepsiCo Sociedade Previdenciaria, Productos Alimenticios Rene LLC, Productos S.A.S. C.V., Productos SAS Management B.V., Punch N.V., Punica Getranke GmbH, Q O Puerto Rico Inc., QFL OHQ Sdn. Bhd., QTG Development Inc., QTG Services Inc., Quadrant - Amroq Beverages S.R.L., Quaker Development B.V., Quaker European Beverages LLC, Quaker European Investments B.V., Quaker Foods, Quaker Global Investments B.V., Quaker Holdings UK Limited, Quaker Manufacturing LLC, Quaker Oats Asia Inc., Quaker Oats Australia Pty Ltd, Quaker Oats B.V., Quaker Oats Capital Corporation, Quaker Oats Europe Inc., Quaker Oats Europe LLC, Quaker Oats Limited, Quaker Sales & Distribution Inc, Raptas Finance S.a r.l., Rare Fare Foods LLC, Rare Fare Holdings Inc., Reading Industries Ltd, Real Estate Holdings LLC, Rockstar Energy Drink, Rolling Frito-Lay Sales LP, S & T of Mississippi Inc., SIH International LLC, SVC Logistics Inc., SVC Manufacturing Inc., SVE Russia Holdings GmbH, Sabritas LLC, Sabritas S. de R.L. de C.V., Sabritas Snacks America Latina de Nicaragua y Cia Ltda, Sabritas de Costa Rica S. de R.L., Sabritas y Cia. S en C de C.V., Sakata Rice Snacks Australia Pty Ltd, Sandora Holdings B.V., Saudi Snack Foods Company Limited, Sea Eagle International SRL, Seepoint Holdings Ltd., Senselet Food Processing PLC, Senselet Holding B.V., Servicios GBF Sociedad de Responsabilidad Limitada, Servicios GFLG y Compania Limitada, Servicios Gamesa Puerto Rico L.L.C., Servicios SYC S. de R.L. de C.V., Seven-Up Asia Inc., Seven-Up Light B.V., Seven-Up Nederland B.V., Shanghai PepsiCo Snack Company Limited, Shanghai YuHo Agricultural Development Co. Ltd, Shoebill LLC, Simba (Proprietary) Limited, Simba Proprietary Limited, Sitka Spruce, Smartfoods Inc., Smiles and Bites Holdings S.de R.L. de C.V., Smiths Crisps Limited, Snack Food Investments GmbH, Snack Food Investments II GmbH, Snack Food Investments Limited, Snack Food-Beverage Asia Products Limited, Snacks America Latina S.R.L., Snacks Guatemala Ltd., So Spark Ltd., Soda-Club CO2 Atlantic GmbH, Soda-Club CO2 GmbH, Soda-Club CO2 Ltd., Soda-Club Switzerland GmbH, Soda-Club Worldwide B.V., SodaStream, SodaStream Australia Pty Ltd, SodaStream CO2 SA, SodaStream Canada Ltd., SodaStream Enterprises N.V., SodaStream France SAS, SodaStream GmbH, SodaStream Iberia S.L., SodaStream Industries Ltd., SodaStream International B.V., SodaStream International Ltd., SodaStream Israel Ltd., SodaStream K.K., SodaStream New Zealand Ltd., SodaStream Nordics AB, SodaStream Poland Sp. z o.o., SodaStream SA Pty Ltd., SodaStream Switzerland GmbH, SodaStream USA Inc., SodaStream Osterreich GmbH, South Beach Beverage Company Inc., South Properties Inc., Spitz International Inc., Sportmex Internacional S.A. de C.V., Springboig Industries Ltd, Spruce Limited, Stacy's Pita Chip Company Incorporated, Star Foods E.M. S.R.L., Stokely-Van Camp Inc., Stratosphere Communications Pty Ltd, Stratosphere Holdings 2018 Limited, Streamfoods Ltd, TFL Holdings LLC, Tasman Finance S.a r.l, The Gatorade Company, The Good Carb Food Company Ltd., The Pepsi Bottling Group Canada ULC, The Quaker Oats Company, The Smith's Snackfood Company Pty Limited, Thomond Group Holdings Limited, Tobago Snack Holdings LLC, Tropicana Alvalle S.L., Tropicana Beverages Limited, Tropicana Europe N.V., Tropicana United Kingdom Limited, Troya-Ultra LLC, United Foods Companies Restaurantes S.A., V-Water, VentureCo Israel Ltd, Veurne Snack Foods BV, Vitamin Brands Ltd., Walkers Crisps Limited, Walkers Group Limited, Walkers Snack Foods Limited, Walkers Snacks Distribution Limited, Walkers Snacks Limited, Whitman Corporation, Whitman Insurance Co. Ltd., Wimm-Bill-Dann Beverages JSC, Wimm-Bill-Dann Brands Co. Ltd., Wimm-Bill-Dann Central Asia-Almaty LLP, Wimm-Bill-Dann Foods LLC, Wimm-Bill-Dann Georgia Ltd., Wimm-Bill-Dann JSC, and Wimm-Bill-Dann Ukraine PJSC.

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Cenovus Energy Inc., together with its subsidiaries, develops, produces, and markets crude oil, natural gas liquids, and natural gas in Canada, the United States, and the Asia Pacific region. The company operates through Oil Sands, Conventional, Offshore, Canadian Manufacturing, U.S. Manufacturing, and Retail segments. The Oil Sands segment develops and produces bitumen and heavy oil in northern Alberta and Saskatchewan. This segments Foster Creek, Christina Lake, Sunrise, and Tucker oil sands projects, as well as Lloydminster thermal and conventional heavy oil assets The Conventional segment holds assets primarily located in Elmworth-Wapiti, Kaybob-Edson, Clearwater, and Rainbow Lake operating in Alberta and British Columbia, as well as interests in various natural gas processing facilities. The offshore segment engages in the exploration and development activities. The Canadian Manufacturing segment includes the owned and operated Lloydminster upgrading and asphalt refining complex, which upgrades heavy oil and bitumen into synthetic crude oil, diesel fuel, asphalt, and other ancillary products, as well as owns and operates the Bruderheim crude-by-rail terminal and two ethanol plants. The U.S. Manufacturing segment comprises the refining of crude oil to produce diesel, gasoline, jet fuel, asphalt, and other products. The Retail segment consists of marketing of its own and third-party refined petroleum products through retail, commercial, and bulk petroleum outlets, as well as wholesale channels. Cenovus Energy Inc. was founded in 2009 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada.
PLDT Inc. provides telecommunications and digital services in the Philippines. It operates through three segments: Wireless, Fixed Line, and Others. The company offers cellular mobile, Internet broadband distribution, operations support, software development, and satellite information and messaging services; and sells Wi-Fi access equipment. It also provides fixed line telecommunications services; business infrastructure and solutions; intelligent data processing and implementation, and data analytics insight generation services; and information and communications infrastructure for Internet-based services, e-commerce, customer relationship management, and information technology (IT) related services. In addition, the company offers managed IT outsourcing, Internet-based purchasing, IT consulting and professional, bills printing and other related value-added, and air transportation services; distributes Filipino channels and content services; and provides full-services customer rewards and loyalty programs. Further, it engages in the sale of mobile handsets, broadband data routers, tablets, and accessories, as well as provides domestic leased lines and alternative messaging solutions, such as over-the-top services, social media, and messenger application. As of December 31, 2021, it had 71,221,952 mobile broadband subscribers; 3,619,372 fixed line subscribers; and 2.8 million broadband subscribers. The company was formerly known as Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company and changed its name to PLDT Inc. in July 2016. PLDT Inc. was incorporated in 1928 and is headquartered in Makati City, the Philippines.
October 2, 2017 - Tamara Williams

New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas (Class of 2001) and four other former students who were either low-income and/or first in their family to attend college were recently honored for remarkable contributions to their professions.

Awarded by the Council for Opportunity in Education, the 2017 National TRIO Achievers is named for the federal TRIO college access and support programs that have been helping low-income, first-generation students and students with disabilities succeed in college against all odds for more than 50 years.



These former TRIO program participants have distinguished themselves and are making remarkable contributions in their chosen professions, said Maureen Hoyler, president, Council for Opportunity in Education. It is an honor to congratulate them on their accomplishments and acknowledge how TRIO has helped make a difference in their lives.

The Council for Opportunity in Education published a press release with the following quote from Balderas:

I was raised by a single mother in the rural village of Wagon Mound, New Mexico. Growing up on food stamps in public housing, I learned the importance of compassion and respect. I also developed a deep conviction that everyone deserves the same opportunities to succeed, regardless of background. Growing up in a forgotten community, I experienced firsthand the dearth of opportunity and the lack of support for children and families who live in these areas. The importance of school and believing in yourself are difficult to communicate in an environment that is neglected, where examples of achievement simply do not exist. This paradigm has to change, and programs like TRIO are so vital in creating that shift.

While I grew up in a forgotten community, I became the exception to the rule. Because of the TRIO programs, I went on to earn degrees from New Mexico Highlands University and the University of New Mexico School of Lawbecoming the first person from my hometown to become an attorney. I would not have accomplished these things without the mentorship and guidance of the TRIO programs. Attorneys General are not supposed to come from Wagon Mound, New Mexico. Yet here I am, and I can directly attribute that to you. The TRIO programs gave me the building blocks to eventually realize that my struggles, and where I am from, are ultimately my strongest attributes.

I am eternally grateful for the opportunity that the TRIO programs gave to me, and every day I serve the people of New Mexico with the lasting impression of their impact. My single goal is to make our communities safer and more prosperous so that kids can grow up and realize their potential. To that end, I can confidently say that I carry the values your program instilled in me every day.
General Mills, Inc. manufactures and markets branded consumer foods worldwide. The company operates in five segments: North America Retail; Convenience Stores & Foodservice; Europe & Australia; Asia & Latin America; and Pet. It offers ready-to-eat cereals, refrigerated yogurt, soup, meal kits, refrigerated and frozen dough products, dessert and baking mixes, bakery flour, frozen pizza and pizza snacks, snack bars, fruit and salty snacks, ice cream, nutrition bars, wellness beverages, and savory and grain snacks, as well as various organic products, including frozen and shelf-stable vegetables. It also supplies branded and unbranded food products to the North American foodservice and commercial baking industries; and manufactures and markets pet food products, including dog and cat food. The company markets its products under the Annie's, Betty Crocker, Bisquick, Blue Buffalo, Blue Basics, Blue Freedom, Bugles, Cascadian Farm, Cheerios, Chex, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Cocoa Puffs, Cookie Crisp, EPIC, Fiber One, Food Should Taste Good, Fruit by the Foot, Fruit Gushers, Fruit Roll-Ups, Gardetto's, Go-Gurt, Gold Medal, Golden Grahams, Haagen-Dazs, Helpers, Jus-Rol, Kitano, Kix, Larabar, Latina, Liberte, Lucky Charms, Muir Glen, Nature Valley, Oatmeal Crisp, Old El Paso, Oui, Pillsbury, Progresso, Raisin Nut Bran, Total, Totino's, Trix, Wanchai Ferry, Wheaties, Wilderness, Yoki, and Yoplait trademarks. It sells its products directly, as well as through broker and distribution arrangements to grocery stores, mass merchandisers, membership stores, natural food chains, e-commerce retailers, commercial and noncommercial foodservice distributors and operators, restaurants, convenience stores, and pet specialty stores, as well as drug, dollar, and discount chains. The company operates 466 leased and 392 franchise ice cream parlors. General Mills, Inc. was founded in 1866 and is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
The following companies are subsidiares of Illinois Tool Works: A V Co 1 Limited, A V Co 2 Limited, A V Co 3 Limited, ACCU-LUBE Manufacturing GmbH - Schmiermittel und -gerate -, AIP/BI Holdings Inc., Accessories Marketing Holding Corp., Advanced Molding Company Inc., Allen France SAS, Alpine Engineered Products, Alpine Systems Corporation, Anaerobicos S.r.l., AppliChem GmbH, Avery Berkel France, Avery India Limited, Avery Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Avery Weigh Tronix, Avery Weigh-Tronix Finance Limited, Avery Weigh-Tronix International Limited, Avery Weigh-Tronix LLC, Avery Weigh-Tronix Limited, Avery Weigh-Tronix Properties Limited, Avery Weigh-Tronix Suzhou Weighing Technology Co. Ltd., Azon Limited, B.C. Immo, Beijing Miller Electric Manufacturing Co. Ltd., Berkel Ireland Limited, Berrington UK, Brapenta Eletronica Ltda., Brooks Instrument B.V., Brooks Instrument GmbH, Brooks Instrument KFT, Brooks Instrument Korea Ltd., Brooks Instrument LLC, Brooks Instrument Shanghai Co. Ltd, Buell Industries Inc., CCI Realty Company, CFC Europe GmbH, CS Australia Pty Limited, CS Mexico Holding Company S DE RL DE CV, Calvia Spolka z Ograniczona Odpowiedzialnosci, Capital Ventures Australasia S.a r.l, Capmax Logistica S.A. de C.V., Celeste Industries Corporation, Coeur, Coeur Asia Limited, Coeur Holding Company, Coeur Inc., Coeur Shanghai Medical Appliance Trading Co. Ltd, Compagnie Hobart, Compagnie de Materiel et d'Equipements Techniques-Comet, Constructions Isothermiques Bontami C.I.B., Crane Carrier Company, Denison Mayes Group Limited, Despatch Industries, Diagraph Corporation Sdn. Bhd, Diagraph ITW Mexico S. de R.L. De C.V., Diagraph Mexico S.A. DE C.V., Dongguan Ark-Les Electric Components Co. Ltd., Dongguan CK Branding Co. Ltd., Duo Fast de Espana S.A.U., Duo-Fast Korea Co. Ltd., Duo-Fast LLC, E.C.S. d.o.o., E2M Production B.V.., E2M Technologies B.V.., E2M Technologies Inc.., ECS Cable Protection Sp. Zoo, ELRO Grosskuchen GmbH, ELRO Holding AG, ELRO-WERKE AG, Elro Group, Eltex-Elektrostatik-Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, Envases Multipac S.A. de C.V., Eurotec Srl, Exhibit 21, FEG Investments L.L.C., Filtertek De Mexico Holding Inc., Filtertek De Mexico S.A. de C.V., Filtertek SAS, GC Financement SA, Gamko B.V., Gun Hwa Platech Taicang Co. Ltd., HOBART Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, Hartness International, Hobart Andina S.A.S., Hobart Belgium B.V., Hobart Brothers International Chile Limitada, Hobart Brothers LLC, Hobart Dayton Mexicana S. de R.L. de C.V., Hobart Food Equipment Co. Ltd., Hobart International Singapore Pte. Ltd., Hobart Japan K.K., Hobart Korea LLC, Hobart LLC, Hobart Nederland B.V., Hobart Sales & Service Inc., Hobart Scandinavia ApS, Hobart Techniek B.V., Horis, ILC Investments Holdings Inc., ITW AEP LLC, ITW AOC LLC, ITW Aircraft Investments Inc., ITW Ampang Industries Philippines Inc., ITW Appliance Components EOOD, ITW Appliance Components S.A. de C.V., ITW Appliance Components S.r.l.a, ITW Appliance Components d.o.o., ITW Australia Holdings Pty Ltd, ITW Australia Property Holdings Pty Ltd., ITW Australia Pty Ltd, ITW Automotive Components Chongqing Co. Ltd., ITW Automotive Components Langfang Co. Ltd., ITW Automotive Japan K.K., ITW Automotive Korea LLC, ITW Automotive Parts Shanghai Co. Ltd, ITW Automotive Products GmbH, ITW Automotive Products Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., ITW Bailly Comte, ITW Befestigungssysteme GmbH, ITW Belgium B.V., ITW Brazilian Nominee L.L.C., ITW Building Components Group Inc., ITW CER, ITW CP Distribution Center Holland BV, ITW CS UK Ltd., ITW Canada Inc., ITW Celeste Inc., ITW Chemical Products Ltda, ITW Chemical Products Scandinavia ApS, ITW China Investment Company Limited, ITW Colombia S.A.S., ITW Construction Products AB, ITW Construction Products AS, ITW Construction Products ApS, ITW Construction Products CZ s.r.o., ITW Construction Products Italy Srl, ITW Construction Products OU, ITW Construction Products OY, ITW Construction Products Shanghai Co. Ltd., ITW Construction Products Singapore Pte. Ltd., ITW Construction Services Manila Inc., ITW Contamination Control B.V., ITW Contamination Control Wujiang Co. Ltd., ITW Covid Security Group Inc., ITW DS Investments Inc., ITW DelFast do Brasil Ltda., ITW Denmark ApS, ITW Deutschland GmbH, ITW Diagraph GmbH, ITW Dynatec, ITW Dynatec Adhesive Equipment Suzhou Co. Ltd., ITW Dynatec GmbH, ITW Dynatec Kabushiki Kaisha, ITW EAE B.V., ITW EAE Mexico S de RL de CV, ITW EF&C France SAS, ITW EF&C Selb GmbH, ITW EU Holdings Ltd., ITW Electronic Business Asia Co. Limited, ITW Electronic Components/Products Shanghai Co. Ltd., ITW Electronics Suzhou Co. Ltd., ITW Epsilon Sarl, ITW Espana S.L., ITW European Finance Co. Ltd., ITW European Finance II Co. Ltd., ITW European Finance III Co. Ltd., ITW FEG Hong Kong Limited, ITW FEG do Brasil Industria e Comercio Ltda., ITW Fastener Products GmbH, ITW Fluids and Hygiene Solutions Ltda., ITW Food Equipment Group LLC, ITW GH LLC, ITW GSE ApS, ITW GSE Inc., ITW Gamma Sarl, ITW German Management LLC, ITW Global Investments Holdings LLC, ITW Global Investments Holdings Y Compania Sociedad en Comandita por Acciones, ITW Global Investments Inc., ITW Global Tire Repair Europe GmbH, ITW Global Tire Repair Inc., ITW Global Tire Repair Japan K.K., ITW Graphics Asia Limited, ITW Graphics Thailand Ltd., ITW Great Britain Investment & Licensing Holding Company, ITW Group France Luxembourg S.ar.l., ITW HLP Thailand Co. Ltd., ITW Holding Quimica B.C. S.L. Sole Shareholder Company, ITW Holdings Australia L.P., ITW Holdings I Limited, ITW Holdings II Limited, ITW Holdings III Limited, ITW Holdings IV Limited, ITW Holdings IX Limited, ITW Holdings Inc., ITW Holdings V Limited, ITW Holdings VI Limited, ITW Holdings VII Limited, ITW Holdings VIII Limited, ITW Holdings X Limited, ITW Holdings XI Limited, ITW ILC Holdings I Inc., ITW IPG Investments LLC, ITW Imaden Industria e Comercio Ltda., ITW India Private Limited, ITW International Holdings LLC, ITW Invest Holding GmbH, ITW Ireland Holdings Unlimited Company, ITW Ireland Unlimited Company, ITW Italy Holding Srl, ITW Japan Ltd., ITW Korea LLC, ITW LLC & Co. KG, ITW Limited, ITW Lys Fusion S.r.l., ITW Materials Technology Shanghai Co. Ltd., ITW Meritex Sdn. Bhd., ITW Metal Fasteners S.L., ITW Mexico Holding Company S. De R.L. de C.V., ITW Mexico Holdings LLC, ITW Morlock GmbH, ITW Mortgage Investments II Inc., ITW Mortgage Investments III Inc., ITW Mortgage Investments IV Inc., ITW Netherlands Administration BV, ITW Netherlands Beta B.V., ITW Netherlands Finance Alpha BV, ITW New Universal LLC, ITW New Zealand, ITW Ningbo Components & Fastenings Systems Co. Ltd., ITW Novadan Sp. Z.o.o., ITW PPF Brasil Adesivos Ltda., ITW Packaging Technology China Co. Ltd., ITW Participations S.a r.l., ITW Pension Funds Trustee Company, ITW Performance Polymers & Fluids Japan Co. Ltd., ITW Performance Polymers & Fluids Korea Limited, ITW Performance Polymers & Fluids OOO, ITW Performance Polymers ApS, ITW Performance Polymers Wujiang Co. Ltd., ITW Performance Polymers and Fluids Group FZE, ITW Peru S.A.C., ITW Poly Mex S. de R.L. de C.V., ITW Polymers Sealants North America Inc., ITW Pronovia s.r.o., ITW Pte. Ltd., ITW Qufu Automotive Cooling Systems Co. Ltd., ITW Real Estate Germany GmbH, ITW Residuals III L.L.C., ITW Residuals IV L.L.C., ITW Rivex, ITW SMPI, ITW SPG Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., ITW Simco-Ion Shenzhen Co. Ltd., ITW Slovakia s.r.o., ITW Spain Holdings S.L., ITW Specialty Film LLC, ITW Specialty Films France, ITW Specialty Materials Suzhou Co. Ltd., ITW Sverige AB, ITW Sweden Holding AB, ITW Test & Measurement Equipment Shanghai Co. Ltd, ITW Test & Measurement GmbH, ITW Test and Measurement Italia Srl, ITW Test and Measurement Services Industry and Trade Ltd., ITW Texwipe Philippines Inc., ITW Thermal Films Shanghai Co. Ltd., ITW UK, ITW UK Finance Beta Limited, ITW UK Finance Delta Limited, ITW UK Finance Gamma Limited, ITW UK Finance Limited, ITW UK Finance Zeta Ltd., ITW UK II Limited, ITW Universal II LLC, ITW Welding, ITW Welding AB, ITW Welding GmbH, ITW Welding Products B.V., ITW Welding Products Group FZE, ITW Welding Products Group S. DE R.L. De C.V., ITW Welding Products Italy Srl, ITW Welding Products Limited Liability Company, ITW Welding Produtos Para Solgdagem Ltda., ITW Welding Singapore Pte. Ltd., ITW de France, ITW do Brasil Industrial e Comercial Ltda., Illinois Tool Works Chile Limitada, Illinois Tool Works ITW Nederland B.V., Illinois Tool Works Inc., Impar Comercio E Representacoes Ltda., Industrie Plastic Elsasser GmbH, Inmobiliaria Cit. S.A. de C.F., Innova Temperlite Servicios S.A. de C.V., Innovacion y Transformacion Automotriz S.A. de C.V., Instron Brasil Equipamentos Cientificos Ltda., Instron Foreign Sales Corp. Limited, Instron France S.A.S., Instron GmbH, Instron Japan Company Ltd., Instron Korea LLC, Instron Shanghai Ltd., Instron Thailand Limited, International Leasing Company LLC, Isolenge - ITW Sistemas de Isolamento Termico Ltda., Itw Spraytec, KCPL Mauritius Holdings, Kester, Kleinmann GmbH, Krafft S.L., Loma Systems, Loma Systems BV, Loma Systems Canada Inc., Loma Systems sro, Lombard Pressings Limited, Lumex Inc., Lys Fusion Poland Sp. z.o.o., M&C Specialties Co., MAGNAFLUX GmbH, MEHB Holdings Limited, MGHG Property LLC, MTS 2 LLC., MTS 3 LLC., MTS China Holdings LLC, MTS Europe Holdings LLC, MTS Holdings France S.a.r.l., MTS Japan Ltd.., MTS Korea Inc.., MTS Systems China Co. Ltd., MTS Systems Corporation, MTS Systems Danmark ApS., MTS Systems Europe B.V., MTS Systems Finance C.V.., MTS Systems Germany GmbH, MTS Systems Holding B.V.., MTS Systems Hong Kong Incorporated, MTS Systems Limited, MTS Systems Norden Aktiebolag, MTS Systems S.r.l, MTS Systems., MTS Systems.., MTS Sytems Do Brazil, MTS Testing Solutions India Private Limited., MTS Testing Systems Canada Ltd., Manufacturing Avancee S.A., Meritex Technology Suzhou Co. Ltd., Meurer Verpackungssysteme GmbH, Miller Electric Mfg. LLC, Miller Insurance Ltd., NDT Holding LLC, NOVADAN APS, North Star Imaging Inc., Nova Chimica S.r.l., Orbitalum Tools GmbH, PENTA-91 OOO, PR. A. I. Srl, PT ITW Construction Products Indonesia, Pacific Concept Industries Limited Enping, Panreac Quimica S.L., Paslode Fasteners Shanghai Co. Ltd., Peerless Machinery Corp., Polyrey, Premark FEG L.L.C., Premark HII Holdings LLC, Premark International, Premark International LLC, Prolex Sociedad Anonima, QSA Global Inc., Quimica Industrial Mediterranea S.L., R&D Engineering A/S., R&D Prague s.r.o., R&D Steel ApS., R&D Test Systems A/S., R&D Tools and Structures A/S., RDGDK Engineering Private Limited, Ramset Fasteners Hong Kong Ltd., Rapid Cook LLC, Refrigeration France, S.E.E. Sistemas Industria E Comercio Ltda., ST Mexico Holdings LLC, Sealant Systems International Inc., Sentinel Asia Yuhan Hoesa, Shanghai ITW Plastic & Metal Co. Ltd, Simco Japan Inc., Simco Nederland B.V., Societe de Prospection et dInventions Techniques  SPIT, Speedline Holdings I Inc., Speedline Holdings I LLC, Speedline Technologies GmbH, Speedline Technologies Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Speedline Technologies Mexico Services S. de R.L. de C.V., Stokvis Celix Portugal Unipessoal LDA, Stokvis Danmark ApS, Stokvis Holdings S.A.R.L., Stokvis Promi s.r.o, Stokvis Prostick Tapes Private Limited, Stokvis Tapes B.V., Stokvis Tapes Benelux B.V., Stokvis Tapes Deutschland GmbH, Stokvis Tapes France, Stokvis Tapes Hong Kong Co. Limited, Stokvis Tapes Italia s.r.l., Stokvis Tapes Limited, Stokvis Tapes Limited Liability Company, Stokvis Tapes Norge AS, Stokvis Tapes Oy, Stokvis Tapes Polska Sp Z.O.O., Stokvis Tapes Shanghai Co. Ltd., Stokvis Tapes Sverige AB, Stokvis Tapes Taiwan Co. Ltd., Stokvis Tapes Tianjin Co. Ltd., Stolvis Holdings II S.A.R.L., Subsidiaries, Technopack Industria Comercio Consultoria e Representacoes Ltda., Teknek China Limited, Teknek Japan Limited, Teksaleco Ltd., The Miller Group Ltd, Thirode Grandes Cuisines Poligny, Tien Tai Electrode Co. Ltd., Tien Tai Electrode Kunshan Co. Ltd., Unichemicals Industria e Comercio Ltda., VR-Leasing Sarita GmbH & Co. Immobilien KG, VS European Holdco BV, Valeron Strength Films B.V., Veneta Decalcogomme S.r.l., Versachem Chile S.A., Vesta, Vesta Global Limited, Vesta Guangzhou Catering Equipment Co. Ltd, Viltronics Soltec, Vitronics Soltec B.V., Wachs Canada Ltd., Wachs Subsea LLC, Weigh-Tronix Canada ULC, Weigh-Tronix UK Limited, Wilsonart International Holdings LLC, Wynn Oil South Africa Pty Ltd., Wynn's Automotive France, Wynn's Belgium BVBA, Wynn's Italia Srl, Wynn's Mekuba India Pvt Ltd, and Zip-Pak International B.V..

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Healthcare Trust of America, Inc. (NYSE: HTA) is the largest dedicated owner and operator of MOBs in the United States, comprising approximately 25.1 million square feet of GLA, with $7.4 billion invested primarily in MOBs. HTA provides real estate infrastructure for the integrated delivery of healthcare services in highly-desirable locations. Investments are targeted to build critical mass in 20 to 25 leading gateway markets that generally have leading university and medical institutions, which translates to superior demographics, high-quality graduates, intellectual talent and job growth. The strategic markets HTA invests in support a strong, long-term demand for quality medical office space. HTA utilizes an integrated asset management platform consisting of on-site leasing, property management, engineering and building services, and development capabilities to create complete, state of the art facilities in each market. This drives efficiencies, strong tenant and health system relationships, and strategic partnerships that result in high levels of tenant retention, rental growth and long-term value creation. Headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona, HTA has developed a national brand with dedicated relationships at the local level. Founded in 2006 and listed on the New York Stock Exchange in 2012, HTA has produced attractive returns for its stockholders that have outperformed the US REIT index.
The following companies are subsidiares of Ingersoll Rand: 13125882 Canada Inc., 211 E. Russell Road LLC, 4458664 Canada Inc., ACCUDYNE INDUSTRIES ASIA PTE. LTD., ACCUDYNE INDUSTRIES BORROWER S.C.A., ACCUDYNE INDUSTRIES INDIA PRIVATE LIMITED, ACCUDYNE INDUSTRIES LLC, ACCUDYNE INDUSTRIES MIDDLE EAST FZE, ACCUDYNE INDUSTRIES SERVICES LIMITED, ASTRUM IT GmbH, Accudyne Industries Acquisition S.A r.l, Accudyne Industries Canada Inc., Accudyne Industries S.A r.l., Air Dimensions, Air Dimensions Inc., Albin Pump SAS, BOC Edwards Global Low pressure Air business, CISA S.p.A., Cameron-Centrifugal Compression, Comercial Ingersoll-Rand (Chile) Limitada, Comingersoll-Comercio E Industria De Equipamentos S.A., CompAir, CompAir (Hankook) Korea Co. Ltd., CompAir Acquisition (No. 2) Ltd., CompAir Acquisition Ltd., CompAir BroomWade Ltd., CompAir Finance Ltd., CompAir GmbH, CompAir Holdings Limited, CompAir International Trading (Shanghai) Co Ltd, CompAir Korea Ltd, CompAir South Africa (SA) (Pty) Ltd., Consolidated Distribution Holdings Ltd., DV Systems Inc., Dosatron International SAS, Emco Wheaton Gmbh, Emco Wheaton USA Inc, Enza Air Proprietary Limited, FlexEnergy Holdings LLC, Frigoblock Grosskopf Gmbh, GD Aria Holdings Limited, GD Aria Holdings Limited, GD Aria Investments Limited, GD First (UK) Ltd, GD German Holdings GmbH, GD German Holdings I Gmbh, GD German Holdings II GmbH, GD German Investments GmbH, GD Global Holdings II Inc., GD Global Holdings Inc., GD Global Holdings UK II Ltd., GD Global Ventures I B.V., GD Global Ventures II B.V., GD Global Ventures III B.V., GD Industrial Products Malaysia SDN. BHD., GD Investment KY, GD UK Finance Ltd., GPS Industries, Gardner Denver (Thailand) Co. Ltd., Gardner Denver Austria GmbH, Gardner Denver Bad Neustadt Real Estate GmbH & Co KG, Gardner Denver Belgium NV, Gardner Denver Brasil Industria E Comercio de Maquinas Ltda., Gardner Denver CZ + SK sro, Gardner Denver Canada Corp (Canada), Gardner Denver Cyprus Investments II Limited, Gardner Denver Cyprus Investments Limited, Gardner Denver Deutschland GmbH, Gardner Denver Engineered Products India Private Limited, Gardner Denver FZE, Gardner Denver Finance II LLC, Gardner Denver Finance Inc & Co KG, Gardner Denver France SAS, Gardner Denver Group Svcs Ltd, Gardner Denver Holdings Limited, Gardner Denver Hong Kong Investments Limited, Gardner Denver Hong Kong Ltd, Gardner Denver Iberica SL, Gardner Denver Inc., Gardner Denver Industries Ltd., Gardner Denver Industries Pty Ltd., Gardner Denver International Inc., Gardner Denver International Ltd., Gardner Denver Investments Inc., Gardner Denver Italy Holdings S.r.L., Gardner Denver Japan Ltd., Gardner Denver Kirchhain Real Estate GmbH & Co KG, Gardner Denver Korea Ltd., Gardner Denver Ltd., Gardner Denver Machinery (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Gardner Denver Nash Brasil Industria E Comercio De Bombas Ltda, Gardner Denver Nash LLC, Gardner Denver Nash Machinery Ltd., Gardner Denver Nederland BV, Gardner Denver Nederland Investments B.V., Gardner Denver Oy, Gardner Denver Polska Sp z.o.o., Gardner Denver Pte. Ltd., Gardner Denver S.r.l., Gardner Denver Schopfheim GmbH, Gardner Denver Schopfheim Real Estate GmbH & Co KG, Gardner Denver Schweiz AG, Gardner Denver Slovakia s.r.o., Gardner Denver Sweden AB, Gardner Denver Taiwan Ltd., Gardner Denver Thomas GmbH (f/k/a ILMVAC GmbH), Gardner Denver Thomas Inc., Gardner Denver Thomas Pneumatic Systems (Wuxi) Co. Ltd., Gardner Denver Thomas Real Estate GmbH & Co KG, Garo Dott. Ing. Roberto Gabbioneta S.r.l., Ghh-Rand Schraubenkompressoren Gmbh, HASKEL EUROPE LTD., HASKEL HOLDINGS UK LIMITED, HASKEL INTERNATIONAL LLC, Hamworthy Belliss & Morcom, Haskel France SAS, Haskel Sistemas de Fluidos Espana S.R.L., Hibon Inc., Highspeed Newco LLC, Hingerose Limited, ILMVAC (UK) Ltd., ILS Innovative Labor Systeme, ILS Inovative Laborsysteme GmbH, INGERSOLL RAND ITS JAPAN LTD., INGERSOLL-RAND (CHANG ZHOU) TOOLS CO. LTD., INGERSOLL-RAND (CHINA) INDUSTRIAL EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURING CO. LTD., INGERSOLL-RAND CHINA LLC, INGERSOLL-RAND COMERCIO E SERVICOS DE MAQUINAS E EQUIPAMENTOS INDUSTRIAIS LTDA., INGERSOLL-RAND DE PUERTO RICO INC., INGERSOLL-RAND INDUSTRIAL COMPANY B.V., INGERSOLL-RAND INDUSTRIAL SP. Z O.O., INGERSOLL-RAND INDUSTRIAL U.S. INC., INGERSOLL-RAND PHILIPPINES INC., INGERSOLL-RAND SPAIN S.A., INGERSOLL-RAND U.S. HOLDCO INC., IR HPS Holdco. Inc., ITO Emniyet, Ingersoll Rand Cyprus Investments Ltd., Ingersoll Rand Finance LLC, Ingersoll Rand Global Investments LLC, Ingersoll Rand Global Ventures LLC, Ingersoll Rand Hong Kong Investments Limited, Ingersoll Rand Inc., Ingersoll Rand Investments (SG) Pte. Ltd., Ingersoll Rand Investments B.V., Ingersoll Rand Schweiz Investments Gmbh, Ingersoll Rand Technology R&D (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Ingersoll-Rand (Australia) Ltd., Ingersoll-Rand (China) Investment Company Limited, Ingersoll-Rand (Guilin) Tools Company Limited, Ingersoll-Rand (Hong Kong) Holding Company Limited, Ingersoll-Rand (India) Limited, Ingersoll-Rand Ab, Ingersoll-Rand Air Solutions Hibon Sarl, Ingersoll-Rand Beteiligungs Und Grundstucksverwaltungs Gmbh, Ingersoll-Rand Colombia S.A.S., Ingersoll-Rand Company Limited (Uk), Ingersoll-Rand Company South Africa (Pty) Limited, Ingersoll-Rand Cz S.R.O., Ingersoll-Rand De Mexico S.A. De C.V., Ingersoll-Rand Equipements De Production S.A.S., Ingersoll-Rand Holdings Limited, Ingersoll-Rand Industrial Ireland Limited, Ingersoll-Rand International (India) Private Limited, Ingersoll-Rand International Holding Llc, Ingersoll-Rand Italia S.R.L., Ingersoll-Rand Italiana Manufacturing S.R.L., Ingersoll-Rand Korea Holding Llc, Ingersoll-Rand Korea Limited, Ingersoll-Rand Lux Investments II S.A R.I., Ingersoll-Rand Lux Investments S.A R.L., Ingersoll-Rand Luxembourg Industrial Company S.A R.L., Ingersoll-Rand Machinery (Shanghai) Company Limited, Ingersoll-Rand Malaysia Co. Sdn. Bhd., Ingersoll-Rand S.A. De C.V., Ingersoll-Rand Services And Trading Limited Liability Company, Ingersoll-Rand Services Company, Ingersoll-Rand Services Limited, Ingersoll-Rand Singapore Enterprises Pte. Ltd., Ingersoll-Rand South East Asia (Pte.) Ltd., Ingersoll-Rand Superay Holdings Limited, Ingersoll-Rand Technical And Services S.A.R.L., Ingersoll-Rand Technologies And Services Private Limited, Ingersoll-Rand Technology R&D (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Ingersoll-Rand Tool Holdings Limited, Ingersoll-Rand Trading Gmbh, Ingersoll-Rand Vietnam Company Limited, Instrum Rand JSC, Interflex Datensysteme, Ir Canada Holdings Ulc, Ir Canada Sales & Service Ulc, Ir France Sas, Kryptonite corp, Lawrence Factor Inc., LeROI, LeRoi International Inc, MILTON ROY (HONG KONG) LIMITED, MILTON ROY (UK) LIMITED, MILTON ROY EUROPA B.V., MILTON ROY EUROPE SAS, MILTON ROY INDUSTRIAL (SHANGHAI) CO. LTD., MILTON ROY LLC, MILTON ROY US PURCHASER INC., MP Pumps Inc., Maximum AG Technologies Inc., Maximus Solutions, Mb Air Systems Limited, Nash Elmo, Officina Meccaniche Industriali Srl, Oina VV, Oina VV Aktiebolag, Plurifilter D.O.O., Pt Ingersoll-Rand Indonesia, Robuschi, Runtech Systems, Runtech Systems (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Runtech Systems Inc., Runtech Systems OY, SEEPEX, Seepex (M) SDN, Seepex Australia Pty Ltd, Seepex Beteiligungs-Gesellschaft mit Beschrankter Haftung, Seepex France S.a.r.l., Seepex GmbH, Seepex Inc., Seepex India Private Ltd., Seepex Italia SRL, Seepex Japan Co. Ltd., Seepex Nordic A/S, Seepex OOO, Seepex Pumps (Shanghia) Co. Ltd., Seepex UK Ltd., Shanghai CompAir Compressors Co Ltd, Shanghai Compressors & Blowers Ltd., Shanghai Ingersoll-Rand Compressor Limited, Shenzhen Bocom System Engineering Co., Superay, Syltone, TIWR Real Estate GmbH & Co. KG, Tamrotor Marine Comp AS Norway, Tecno Matic Europe s.r.o., Thomas Industries Inc., Trane Technologies, Tri-Continent Scientific Inc., Vacuum and Blower Systems division, Welch Vacuum Equipment (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Zaxe Technologies Inc., Zeks Compressed Air Solutions Llc, Zinsser Analytic, Zinsser Analytik GmbH, Zinsser NA Inc., and crayon interface.

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Koppers Holdings Inc. provides treated wood products, wood preservation chemicals, and carbon compounds in the United States, Australasia, Europe, and internationally. The company operates through three segments: Railroad and Utility Products and Services (RUPS), Performance Chemicals (PC), and Carbon Materials and Chemicals (CMC). The RUPS segment procures and treats crossties, switch ties, and various types of lumber used for railroad bridges and crossings. It also provides rail joint bars to join rails together for railroads; transmission and distribution poles for electric and telephone utilities; and pilings. This segment also provides railroad services, such as engineering, design, repair, and inspection services for railroad bridges. The PC segment develops, manufactures, and markets copper-based wood preservatives, including micronized copper azole, micronized pigments, alkaline copper quaternary, amine copper azole, and chromated copper arsenate for decking, fencing, utility poles, construction lumber and timbers, and various agricultural uses; and supplies fire-retardant chemicals for pressure treatment of wood primarily in commercial construction. The CMC segment manufactures creosote for the treatment of wood or as a feedstock in the production of carbon black; carbon pitch, a raw material used in the production of aluminum and steel; naphthalene for use as a feedstock in the production of phthalic anhydride and as a surfactant in the production of concrete; phthalic anhydride for the production of plasticizers, polyester resins, and alkyd paints; and carbon black feedstock for use in the production of carbon black. The company serves the railroad, specialty chemical, utility, residential lumber, agriculture, aluminum, steel, rubber, and construction industries. Koppers Holdings Inc. was founded in 1988 and is headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Eagle Materials Inc., through its subsidiaries, produces and supplies heavy construction materials and light building materials in the United States. It operates through Cement, Concrete and Aggregates, Gypsum Wallboard, and Recycled Paperboard segments. The company engages in the mining of limestone for the manufacture, production, distribution, and sale of Portland cement; grinding and sale of slag; and mining of gypsum for the manufacture and sale of gypsum wallboards used to finish the interior walls and ceilings in residential, commercial, and industrial structures. It also manufactures and sells recycled paperboard to gypsum wallboard industry and other paperboard converters, as well as containerboard and lightweight packaging grades. In addition, the company engages in the sale of ready-mix concrete; and mining, extracting, production, and sale of aggregates, including crushed stones, sand, and gravel. Its products are used in commercial and residential construction; public construction projects; and projects to build, expand, and repair roads and highways. The company was formerly known as Centex Construction Products, Inc. and changed its name to Eagle Materials, Inc. in January 2004. Eagle Materials Inc. was founded in 1963 and is headquartered in Dallas, Texas.
CA, Inc., doing business as CA technologies, develops, markets, delivers, and licenses software products and services in the United States and internationally. It operates through three segments: Mainframe Solutions, Enterprise Solutions, and Services. The Mainframe Solutions segment offers solutions for the IBM z Systems platform, which runs various mission critical business applications. Its mainframe solutions enable customers enhance economics by increasing throughput and lowering cost per transaction; increasing business agility through DevOps tooling and processes; increasing reliability and availability of operations through machine intelligence and automation solutions; and protecting enterprise data with security and compliance. The Enterprise Solutions segment provides a range of software planning, development, and management tools for mobile, cloud, and distributed computing environments. It primarily provides customers secure application development, infrastructure management, automation, and identity-centric security solutions. The Services segment offers various services, such as consulting, implementation, application management, education, and support services to commercial and government customers for implementation and adoption of its software solutions. The company serves banks, insurance companies, other financial services providers, government agencies, information technology service providers, telecommunication providers, transportation companies, manufacturers, technology companies, retailers, educational organizations, and health care institutions. It sells its products through direct sales force, as well as through various partner channels comprising resellers, service providers, system integrators, managed service providers, and technology partners. The company was formerly known as Computer Associates International, Inc. and changed its name to CA, Inc. in 2006. CA, Inc. was founded in 1974 and is headquartered in New York, New York.
PVH Corp. operates as an apparel company worldwide. The company operates through six segments: Tommy Hilfiger North America, Tommy Hilfiger International, Calvin Klein North America, Calvin Klein International, Heritage Brands Wholesale, and Heritage Brands Retail. It designs, markets, and retails men's, women's, and children's apparel and accessories, including branded dress shirts, neckwear, sportswear, jeans wear, performance apparel, intimate apparel, underwear, swimwear, swim-related products, handbags, accessories, footwear, outerwear, home furnishings, luggage products, sleepwear, loungewear, hats, scarves, gloves, socks, watches and jewelry, eyeglasses and non-ophthalmic sunglasses, fragrance, home bed and bath furnishings, small leather goods, and other products. The company offers its products under its own brands, such as Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein, Van Heusen, IZOD, ARROW, Warner's, Olga, Geoffrey Beene, and True&Co., as well as various other owned, licensed, and private label brands. It also licenses its own brands over various products. The company distributes its products at wholesale in department, chain, and specialty stores, as well as through warehouse clubs, mass market, and off-price and independent retailers; and through company-operated full-price, outlet stores, and concession locations, as well as through digital commerce sites. It markets its products to approximately 40 countries. PVH Corp. was founded in 1881 and is based in New York, New York.
Dominion Energy, Inc. produces and distributes energy in the United States. The company operates through four segments: Dominion Energy Virginia, Gas Distribution, Dominion Energy South Carolina, and Contracted Assets. The Dominion Energy Virginia segment generates, transmits, and distributes regulated electricity to approximately 2.7 million residential, commercial, industrial, and governmental customers in Virginia and North Carolina. The Gas Distribution segment is involved in the regulated natural gas sales, transportation, gathering, storage, and distribution operations in Ohio, West Virginia, North Carolina, Utah, southwestern Wyoming, and southeastern Idaho that serve approximately 3.1 million residential, commercial and industrial customers. It also has nonregulated renewable natural gas facilities in operation. The Dominion Energy South Carolina segment generates, transmits, and distributes electricity to approximately 772,000 customers in the central, southern, and southwestern portions of South Carolina; and distributes natural gas to approximately 419,000 residential, commercial, and industrial customers in South Carolina. The Contracted Assets segment is involved in the nonregulated long-term contracted renewable electric generation and solar generation facility development operations; and gas transportation, LNG import, and storage operations, as well as in the liquefaction facility. As of December 31, 2021, the company's portfolio of assets included approximately 30.2 gigawatt of electric generating capacity; 10,700 miles of electric transmission lines; 78,000 miles of electric distribution lines; and 95,700 miles of gas distribution mains and related service facilities. The company was formerly known as Dominion Resources, Inc. Dominion Energy, Inc. was incorporated in 1983 and is headquartered in Richmond, Virginia.
Williams-Sonoma, Inc. operates as an omni-channel specialty retailer of various products for home. It offers cooking, dining, and entertaining products, such as cookware, tools, electrics, cutlery, tabletop and bar, outdoor, furniture, and a library of cookbooks under the Williams Sonoma Home brand, as well as home furnishings and decorative accessories under the Williams Sonoma lifestyle brand; and furniture, bedding, lighting, rugs, table essentials, and decorative accessories under the Pottery Barn brand. The company also provides home decor products under the West Elm brand; kids accessories under the Pottery Barn Kids brand; and an organic bedding to multi-purpose furniture under the Pottery Barn Teen brand. In addition, it offers made-to-order lighting, hardware, furniture, and home decors inspired by history under the Rejuvenation brand; and women's and men's accessories, travel, entertaining and bar, home decor, and seasonal items under the Mark and Graham brand, as well as operates a 3-D imaging and augmented reality platform for the home furnishings and decor industry. The company markets its products through e-commerce websites, direct-mail catalogs, and retail stores. It operates 544 stores comprising 502 stores in 41states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico; 20 stores in Canada; 19 stores in Australia; 3 stores in the United Kingdom; and 139 franchised stores, as well as e-commerce websites in various countries in the Middle East, the Philippines, Mexico, South Korea, and India. Williams-Sonoma, Inc. was founded in 1956 and is headquartered in San Francisco, California.
Biglari Holdings Inc., through its subsidiaries, primarily operates and franchises restaurants in the United States. It owns, operates, and franchises restaurants under the Steak n Shake and Western Sizzlin names. As of December 31, 2021, it operated 199 Steak n Shake company-operated restaurants, 159 franchise partner units, and 178 traditional franchise units, as well as 3 Western Sizzlin company-operated restaurants and 38 franchised units. The company also engages in underwriting commercial trucking insurance; selling physical damage and non-trucking liability insurance to truckers; and providing property and casualty insurance. In addition, it operates oil and natural gas properties in the Gulf of Mexico; and publishes and sells magazines and related publishing products under the MAXIM brand name. Further, it licenses media products and services; and engages in the investment activities. The company was formerly known as The Steak n Shake Company and changed its name to Biglari Holdings Inc. in April 2010. Biglari Holdings Inc. was founded in 1934 and is based in San Antonio, Texas.
The Travelers Companies, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides a range of commercial and personal property, and casualty insurance products and services to businesses, government units, associations, and individuals in the United states and internationally. The company operates through three segments: Business Insurance, Bond & Specialty Insurance, and Personal Insurance. The Business Insurance segment offers workers' compensation, commercial automobile and property, general liability, commercial multi-peril, employers' liability, public and product liability, professional indemnity, marine, aviation, onshore and offshore energy, construction, terrorism, personal accident, and kidnap and ransom insurance products. This segment operates through select accounts, which serve small businesses; commercial accounts that serve mid-sized businesses; national accounts, which serve large companies; and national property and other that serve large and mid-sized customers, commercial trucking industry, and agricultural businesses, as well as markets and distributes its products through brokers, wholesale agents, and program managers. The Bond & Specialty Insurance segment provides surety, fidelity, management and professional liability, and other property and casualty coverages and related risk management services through independent agencies and brokers. The Personal Insurance segment offers property and casualty insurance covering personal risks, primarily automobile and homeowners insurance to individuals through independent agencies and brokers. The Travelers Companies, Inc. was founded in 1853 and is based in New York, New York.
Tyson Foods, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates as a food company worldwide. It operates through four segments: Beef, Pork, Chicken, and Prepared Foods. The company processes live fed cattle and live market hogs; fabricates dressed beef and pork carcasses into primal and sub-primal meat cuts, as well as case ready beef and pork, and fully cooked meats; raises and processes chickens into fresh, frozen, and value-added chicken products; and supplies poultry breeding stock; sells specialty products, such as hides and meats. It also manufactures and markets frozen and refrigerated food products, including ready-to-eat sandwiches, flame-grilled hamburgers, Philly steaks, pepperoni, bacon, breakfast sausage, turkey, lunchmeat, hot dogs, flour and corn tortilla products, appetizers, snacks, prepared meals, ethnic foods, side dishes, meat dishes, breadsticks, and processed meats under the Jimmy Dean, Hillshire Farm, Ball Park, Wright, State Fair, Aidells, and Gallo Salame brands. The company also offers its products under Tyson and ibp brands. It sells its products through its sales staff to grocery retailers, grocery wholesalers, meat distributors, warehouse club stores, military commissaries, industrial food processing companies, chain restaurants or their distributors, live markets, international export companies, and domestic distributors who serve restaurants and food service operations, such as plant and school cafeterias, convenience stores, hospitals, and other vendors, as well as through independent brokers and trading companies. The company was founded in 1935 and is headquartered in Springdale, Arkansas.
Weatherford International plc, an oilfield service company, provides equipment and services for the drilling, evaluation, completion, production, and intervention of oil and natural gas wells worldwide. The company operates in two segments, Western Hemisphere and Eastern Hemisphere. It offers artificial lift systems, including reciprocating rod, progressing cavity pumping, gas, hydraulic, plunger, and hybrid lift systems, as well as related automation and control systems; pressure pumping and reservoir stimulation services, such as acidizing, fracturing and fluid systems, cementing, and coiled-tubing intervention; and drill stem test tools, and surface well testing and multiphase flow measurement services. The company also provides safety, downhole reservoir monitoring, flow control, and multistage fracturing systems, as well as sand-control technologies, and production and isolation packers; liner hangers to suspend a casing string in high-temperature and high-pressure wells; cementing products, including plugs, float and stage equipment, and torque-and-drag reduction technology for zonal isolation; and pre-job planning and installation services. In addition, it offers directional drilling services, and logging and measurement services while drilling; services related to rotary-steerable systems, high-temperature and high-pressure sensors, drilling reamers, and circulation subs; managed pressure drilling, conventional mud-logging, drilling instrumentation, gas analysis, wellsite consultancy, and open hole and cased-hole logging services; reservoir solutions and software products; and intervention and remediation services. Further, the company provides equipment and drilling tools; tubular handling, management, and connection services; equipment rental services; and onshore contract drilling and related services through a fleet of land drilling and workover rigs. Weatherford International plc was incorporated in 1972 and is headquartered in Baar, Switzerland.
Inside Secures leading certified cryptography and secure communication protocols coupled with Toshiba Information Systems (Japan) distribution wins business at multiple OEMs

Aix-en-Provence, France, and Tokyo, October 3, 2017  Inside Secure (Euronext Paris: INSD), at the heart of security solutions for mobile and connected devices, announces it is working closely with Toshiba Information Systems (Japan) Corporation, in the Japanese market to address the large and fast-growing demand for advanced security in cars, IoT devices and state-of-the-art printers.

Todays printers perform many functions that use or transmit confidential and sensitive information, making them very vulnerable to security hacks. As such, there are specific compliance requirements, such as NIAP initiative (National Information Assurance Partnership) for the US government that must be met in order to be sold to these customers. Within large multi-function printers, there are roughly 30 different applications that perform cryptographic operations. These include supporting IPsec to allow devices to send confidential documents to print over a secure connection and SSL/TLS for remote monitoring and management.

Inside Secure is a recognized leader of FIPS-certified cryptography (the U.S. government computer security standard, TLS and IPsec technology, with its industry-leading GuardTLS tookit and GuardIPSec toolkit for IPSec protocol. These proprietary solutions efficiently integrate cryptography and are feature-rich, which are ideal to meet the high security needs for advanced printers without open source constraints. In addition, Inside Secure has the broadest range of security tools across FIPS, SSL and IPSec, making the company an ideal partner for Toshiba Information Systems (Japan).

For small IoT devices such as garage door openers, light switches and medical sensors, low-cost microcontrollers are often used that require a very secure connection. Inside Secures GuardTLS_Tiny has the industrys smallest memory footprint, running on a very small processor with very little memory. Other solutions require more memory or a more powerful microcontroller.

We are excited to work with Toshiba Information Systems (Japan) to bring our advanced security technology to the Japanese market, said Simon Blake Wilson, chief operating officer of Inside Secure. We see a high demand to secure IoT and printer devices and are able to meet this demand with the strong relationships and knowledge of the market Toshiba Information Systems (Japan) brings. Weve already seen the benefits with key customer wins at major Japanese players.

We are pleased to cooperate closely with a partner such as Inside Secure, which has an extremely competitive security offering for our market, said Kazumasa Watanabe, vice president and director of Toshiba Information Systems (Japan). We look forward to growing the Japanese business together by being the best at meeting the security needs of OEM players.

https://www.insidesecure.com/Products/Data-Communication/Secure-Communication-Toolkits/GUARD-TLS-Tiny

https://www.tjsys.co.jp/embedded/encryption/index_j.htm

About Inside Secure

Inside Secure (Euronext Paris  INSD) is at the heart of security solutions for mobile and connected devices, providing software, silicon IP, tools and know-how needed to protect customers transactions, content, applications, and communications. With its deep security expertise and experience, the company delivers products having advanced and differentiated technical capabilities that span the entire range of security requirement levels to serve the demanding markets of network security, IoT security, content & application protection, mobile payment & banking. Inside Secures technology protects solutions for a broad range of customers including service providers, content distributors, security system integrators, device makers and semiconductor manufacturers. For more information, visit www.Insidesecure.com

About Toshiba Information Systems(Japan)

Focusing on there types of solution (Embedded System solutions, System LSI solutions and System Integration solutions), Toshiba Information Systems (Japan) will build up its core competence to Answer any customer's needs widely and attentively.

Toshiba Information Systems (Japan) has developed its businesses to answer a wide range of needs. For example, Toshiba Information Systems (Japan) builds systems for the microcomputer application system field of the mobile communication equipment, mobile information communications terminals and other devices, which symbolize our current information society, and the company's enterprise system such as ERP.

Toshiba Information Systems (Japan) also provides system integration, service solutions, products related to information systems, net services, consulting outsourcing and semiconductor system designs.

Customers' needs are becoming increasingly complicated and require more advanced technologies as our information society rapidly evolves.

To accurately grasp these needs, to always provide the optimal solution promptly and to deal with a wide variety of areas, Toshiba Information Systems (Japan) is mainly engaged in the three major solution areas of "Embedded System solutions", "System LSI solutions" and "System Integration solutions".

Specialists with advanced knowledge and technical capability in each area provide customers with the best solutions.

For more information, visit https://www.tjsys.co.jp/english/index.htm






Automotive technology has been progressing in leaps and bounds  that much has always been clear to us, who have followed this place with close inspection every day. Most of the launches in the field of automobiles involve more participation from technology giants now, than ever before. Were talking about connecting our cars over billions of bits via cloud networks, installing computers that can control a cars movements, presenting higher resolution displays, fancier maps and premium audio equipment, all of which was once unheard of in the automobile space.

However, one particular bit that has remained surprisingly (and rather annoyingly) static in terms of innovation, is the car key. It has been decades now, since the car key has remained practically the same. Many mainstream vehicles have transitioned along to a keyless entry and driving status, but even they come with the crucial caveat of you having to carry a physical key fob along with you. Thats not truly keyless, is it?

How smart can keys be?

Or rather, how smart do they even need to be? Would innovating around the car key  the primary point of interaction, ingress and activation between a car and its owner, prove futile? After all, the billions of car owners around the globe is actually used to carrying the key around wherever they go, and it is essentially a conditioned reflex now. The present form of the key also seems to be quite non-intrusive in terms of the way it operates. Should, then, any form of innovation be even made?

Tesla certainly thinks there should be. The company, spearheaded by the mercurial Elon Musk, has presented the Model 3 electric sedan to the world. The Tesla Model 3 can easily be related to being the first glimpse at the car of our immediate future  all electric, semi-autonomous driving capabilities, minimalistic interior focused on comfort and peace of mind, and a powerful drivetrain make the Tesla Model 3 an alluring prospect. Adding to that, is the fact the the car does not have a key, at all.



The smartest car key around

This somewhat brings us back to the original question  how smart can keys be? They are, after all, only keys. Perhaps looking at the smart key fob of the BMW 7 Series gives a fair idea of exactly how smart can car keys be. The smart key fob has five physical buttons, and a pixel-dense, resistive, multi-colour touchscreen display that shows a plethora of options for the user to ponder upon. There are five windows  the first shows the locking status of the car, the second shows the power status of the windows and lights, the third shows the amount of fuel left and the total traveling range that the car still has, the fourth enables a remote pre-timer for the air conditioner, and the fifth (and the fanciest of em all) allows the owner to start the engine from outside and drive the car out of a tight spot, without even being inside it.

On the face of it, that is quite a smart key. You can simply tap on the locking screen once to ensure that the doors, bonnet and boot are all locked, the same applies for the lights, and having a remote mileage meter ensures that you can keep a tight check on any suspected fuel misuse. The air-conditioning pre-timer allows you to switch on the air conditioner of the car at a time of your choice, so that you enter the cooled (or heated) comfort of your car directly from the same comfort of your home. The last function is arguably the most useful. We often have to park our cars in tight spots. In case youve done that, and happen to be worried about scratching the precious paint on your limo, you can simply switch on the car from outside and ensure that it rolls out of the spot smoothly, without any hassle.

A smart car key, hence, makes quite a bit of sense from the usage point of view. But, there are downsides to this as well.

The cost of (in)convenience

Since this key has a display and connects over wireless networks, it also has a mobile power source, or a battery. That, in turn, gives your already overloaded gadget arsenal and ever-engaged power sockets yet another device to charge. You need to ensure that you either charge the key when youre at home, or remember to carry its cable (which still follows the universal microUSB standard) for charging it while travelling.

"More work to keep up with the 'smart'ness certainly appears to be counter-productive"

In case you do not remember to do so, and happen to have run out of charge on the smart key, you now have the standard, physical key. The cost of this (in)convenience is that you now have an additional device to charge, and also an additional object to carry around in your pockets. Seeing how the point of smart technology is to ease the load of our everyday lives, rid tedious habits and ease the entire process of mobility, having more work to keep up with the smartness certainly appears to be counter-productive.

Good riddance, keys!

It is, hence, Teslas grand strategy to swing the balance back to being productive, and completely get rid of the key. The Tesla Model 3 does not have a key of its own. Instead, it uses the one gadget that everyone who owns a car certainly owns  the smartphone. A mobile application is coded to use the phones Bluetooth connection, but over Bluetooth LE (Low Energy), to unlock the car. The apps use individual codes and industry grade encryption to ensure security, and also make sure that no one but you, and only you, can have access to the car via the unique code.



First notable completely keyless car - the Tesla Model 3

This makes the new mechanism as good as being a physical car key. Alongside, it provides a much smarter and familiar interface by utilising a mobile app. All the features that the BMW smart key fob comes with can be integrated into the app, and even more features can be added on the go via over-the-air updates. It also streamlines the usage of the number of devices, and you no longer need to carry additional car keys along with you. The connectivity itself is established with a Bluetooth receptor node installed in the car, and the low energy connectivity means you may even be able to unlock the car and start it up, when your phone battery is as low as 2%.

In the odd occasion where your phone is completely out of charge, Tesla has designed two backup NFC cards for each car. Tapping it on the car will unlock it and allow the user to start up the electric motors, following which one can charge up their phone sitting inside the air. These cards would presumably be much less intrusive to carry around in comparison to physical key fobs.

The smart key, hence, is essentially the smartphone, and a specially coded mobile app utilising Bluetooth (a standard wireless connection that we use everywhere, every day) solves the conundrum of evolving smart technology against convenience of usage.

Looking forward

While a number of companies have evaluated completely keyless cars at some point of time, it is the Tesla Model 3s keyless model that can truly begin the end of car keys. Going forward, our smartphone usage is going to increase manifold, and our always-connected lifestyles are bound to get even more connectivity thrown in. As a result, this smart key model stands the likeliest chance of seeing widespread adoption, particularly as the new crop of smart cars start rolling out of production queues, beginning 2020.

Sometimes, as we see with car keys at least, innovation does not need to be radical. Sometimes, just like this, hitting the sweet spot is all about striking the right balance between technology and convenience. It is this rationale that makes us strongly believe, that the end of the physical car key, after over a century of unprecedented application, is finally here.
It has been exactly one year since Google gave us the Pixel and Pixel XL smartphones, a calculated risk taken by the Mountain View giant which killed its own Nexus series to pave the way for two Google flagships with the companys own AI-powered voice assistant at the heart of the devices.

Last years Pixel and Pixel XL were also launched on October 4 and come November, the smartphones had managed to reportedly gain a 10 per cent share in Indias premium smartphone market. However, according to BayStreet Researchers, as of June 2017, eight months into the launch of the first Pixel and Pixel XL phones, Google only managed to sell 1.8 million units of the devices. The number is not even close to making a dent in Samsung, Apple or even Huaweis market share, but it is a positive one for Google nevertheless.

Now, a full year and multiple bug fixes later, Google is preparing to unveil the second generation Pixel smartphones which, thanks to nomenclature rules, are being called the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL.

The Google hardware event on October 4 will see a lot more than the second-gen Pixel smartphones though. While the spotlight might favour the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL, Google is also likely to launch a laptop/tablet hybrid in the form of the Pixelbook, a tiny button-shaped Google Home Mini speaker, a new Daydream VR headset and more.

Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL

Leaks have completely spoiled the party for the Pixel 2 and the Pixel 2 XL. Known leakster Evan Blass has given us our best look yet at the new Pixel smartphones, a day before they are officially launched at an event in San Francisco.

Right off the bat, the Pixel 2 is supposed to be an iterative update to its predecessor, much like the iPhone 8 is to the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus. Smaller of the two, the Pixel 2 will sport a 5-inch 1080p display with 16:9 aspect ratio, large top and bottom bezels, a redesigned home screen, dual front stereo speakers, Qualcomms Snapdragon 835 chipset, a 12MP rear camera, 4GB of RAM, 64GB/128GB storage.

On the other hand, the Pixel 2 XL might sport much smaller bezels, a bigger 6-inch display (the Pixel XL had a 5.5-inch display) with 18:9 aspect ratio, a single 12MP rear camera, dual front stereo speakers, Snapdragon 835 chipset, 4GB RAM, 64GB/128GB storage.

Both phones will of course house the AI-powered Google Assistant, and it is expected that the Pixel 2 XL will support a new Active Edge feature which will allow users to squeeze the device to bring up ther Assistant.

The Pixel 2 XL is also likely to include an E-SIM like the Apple Watch Series 3, which will allow the smartphone to connect to any network without the need to replace the SIM card. However, Indian carriers do not support E-SIMs so it is likely that the function will remain dormant in the country.

As per reports, the Pixel 2 is expected to arrive in Kinda Blue, Just Black and Clearly White colours, while the Pixel 2 XL will retail in the Just Black and Black and White colour options.

Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL India Launch

Sources tell us that the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL will launch in India before Diwali, October 19. Google wants to cash in on the festive season and we expect the Pixel 2, Pixel 2 XL to reach Indian shores soon after they are announced today.

Google Home Mini Speaker

Google and Amazon are locked in a head-on IoT speaker battle, which the latter is clearly winning right now. While neither the Amazon Echo, nor the Google Home were officially launched in India, the products have created a mark for themselves in the consumer IoT segment. There was talk of the Amazon Echo and Echo Dot launching in India sometime around Diwali, but we havent heard from the company just yet.

Nevertheless, it is Googles turn to show us what its got up its sleeve. If rumours and leaks are to be believed, there is a Google Home Mini launching today. The smaller button-shaped speaker with built-in Google Assistant is expected to go for as low as $49 (Rs 3,161 approx).

The Google Home Mini speaker is rumoured to be available in Chalk, Charcoal and Coral colours. Unlike the Google Home, the Home Mini might be a wired speaker instead of being wireless. The IoT speaker will help users set reminders, listen to news, control home IoT devices and more.

There was also talk of a Google tabletop smart screen last week, a possible challenger to the Amazon Echo Show. However, we dont expect the company to unveil it just yet.

Pixelbook

Google is likely to launch a high-performance Chromebook called the Google Pixelbook at a starting price of $1,199 (Rs 77,150). Pixelbook is expected to come in Silver, with 128GB ($1,199), 256GB ($1,399) and 512GB ($1,749) storage options, tech website Droid Life. Unlike earlier Chromebook Pixel units, the new Pixelbook reportedly folds into a tablet and comes with the official Pixelbook Pen which will be sold separately for $99 (Rs 6,370). The Pixebool Pen is pressure sensitive, with tilt support and supposedly no lag, the report added.

Google Daydream View 2 VR Headset

The Google Daydream VR headset was launched in India at Rs 6,499 and unlike the phones, it has not yet received a price cut. We are also not sure about how well the headset sold in India as Google almost never shares any sales figures. However, it had a dismal 0.1 percent market share worldwide by the end of 2016 as per Strategy Analytics.

Now, reports suggest that another redesigned Daydream View VR headset will make its entry into the struggling consumer VR market today. The headset is expected to get a new, clean look and arrive in Charcoal, Fog, and Coral colours.

According to 9to5Google, the headset will be made from a fabric-type material just like its predecessor. Google is expected to make improvements on the glaring light bleeding issue with the new Daydream VR headset which is expected to become pricier at $99 (Rs 6,489 approx), meaning that in India, it will be priced around Rs 8,000 approximately (If Google follows last years pricing strategy).

Livestream

Lastly, Google is expected to Livestream today's event on its YouTube channel starting 9:30PM India time. The link for the livestream is also embedded above and can be viewed from within this article. Those who have registered interest on Googles special event page can expect to receive launch information of the devices on their registered email IDs.

So in all, 2 new phones, one VR headset, a hybrid laptop, and a new AI-enabled speaker is what we expect Google to unveil at its hardware event today. Stay tuned to Digit.in for all the coverage on the Pixel 2, Pixel 2 XL and other Google products launching on October 4.
Bharti Airtel is countering Jio's Rs 149 plan that offers 2GB data and unlimited voice calls for 28 days. The company recently introduced Rs 399 tariff plan offering 1GB data per day and unlimited voice calls for 84 days.

Bharti Airtel, the largest telecom service provider in the country is now offering 1GB 4G data and unlimited voice calls with recharge of Rs 199. According to Telecom Talk, the new tariff plan is applicable only for existing Airtel customers while new customers can avail the same benefit with a recharge of Rs 178.

With the recharge of Rs 199, Airtel is offering its existing customers 1GB of 4G/3G/2G data and unlimited local and STD voice calls for 28 days. The move is to counter Reliance Jio's Rs 149 recharge pack which offers 2GB data and unlimited voice calls for a period of 28 days. The terms and conditions on Airtel's website suggest the unlimited calling is limited to 300 minutes per day and 1200 minutes per week. Reliance Jio is also reportedly limiting voice calls to 300 minutes per day for some users.

Since the launch of Reliance Jio's VoLTE services last year, Airtel has been trying to counter the company's offers and tariff plans from the very start. The company recently introduced a Rs 399 tariff plan offering 1GB data per day and unlimited voice calls for 84 days, which matches the tariff plan from Reliance Jio.

It has also introduced VoLTE services in Mumbai to stay competitive with Jio, which has been touting its 4G only network and VoLTE option as the major selling point. It plans to make VoLTE available pan-India by the end of March 2018. Reliance Jio has managed to gain significant traction among smartphone users but incumbent operators like Airtel are fighting back with their own offers matching the newcomer.
Copper exploration and development junior Asiamet Resources announced on Tuesday that it had found further high-grade base and precious metal rich mineralisation at its BKZ prospect in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia.

Asiamet said that while further drilling would still be required to determine the ultimate dimensions and continuity of the mineralised body, the initial results were "highly significant and provide confidence for a potential stand-alone high-grade polymetallic deposit".

The BKZ prospect was the first of multiple targets outside Asiamet's feasibility stage BKM copper project, located approximately 800m to the south of its previous testing and was currently being tested in the wider area.

To date, six holes had been drilled into a fairly closely grouped test zone, with returns of 3.2 metres at 1.15g per tonne of gold, 67.8g silver from 1.8 metres and seven metres at 3.7% zinc, 1.3% lead, 33 grams per tonne silver and 1% copper.

The firm also said it had hit 39 metres at 3.7% zinc in a second hole at a depth of 41 metres.

Chief executive Peter Bird said, "Asiamet is extremely pleased with the initial follow-up drill results from our BKZ prospect, the first of multiple targets to be drilled in the BK district over the coming months."

"The base and precious metals grades received to date are exceptional and of a similar tenor to those reported at some of the highest quality base metals mines globally," he added.

As of 1030 BST, shares were holding steady, up just 0.52% to 4.80p.
Firestone Diamonds announced on Tuesday the recovery of its 134 carat gem-quality, light yellow diamond from its Lesotho diamond mine, the largest stone the AIM-quoted miner has unearthed to date.

Its recovery, at a location emerging as one of Africa's significant new diamond producing areas, reinforced the potential for more large stones to be discovered at Liqhobong as the company continued early stage mining, the group said.

Liqhobong is owned 75% by Firestone and 25% by the government of Lesotho.

Lesotho has long been known as a source of large, high-quality diamonds from alluvial deposits and the Letseng-la-Terai deposit originally mined by De Beers between 1970 and 1981, but Firestone says most of the countrys potential diamond assets have to date remained unexploited.

Lesotho possesses 39 known kimberlite pipes and 366 kimberlite blows and dykes, of which 24 have been discovered to be diamondiferous.

The Firestone-controlled Liqhobong pipes are near to others considered significant such as the Kao, Lemphane and Mothae diamond pipes, all high in the Maluti mountains.
Durham-based Hargreaves Services said trading was in line with expectations at a group level, while confirming the arrival of a new finance director and departure of a commercial director ahead of its annual shareholder meeting.

Hargreaves, the haulage, waste transportation, mineral import, mining and processing group, said its property division, which was currently developing the Blindwells housing development in East Lothian, Scotland, had advanced sale processes for several other material properties but did note that "timing of such sales remains hard to forecast".

The board also used the update to confirm the recruitment of John Samuel as its new group finance director, joining the board on 2 January to succeed Iain Cockburn as he moves into a full-time role at Brockwell Energy, a newly-formed subsidiary of the group.

Chairman David Morgan said, "We are delighted to have hired a candidate of John's calibre. Over the past eleven years, John has worked successfully to grow and develop Renew Holdings. We look forward with excitement to the contribution that John will make to providing financial leadership at Hargreaves and in helping to develop and deliver the group's strategy."

Hargreaves also noted that Kevin Dougan would step down from the board and his role as group commercial director before leaving the group on 1 December. As part of the company's streamlining efforts, his position would not be replaced.

As of 0830 BST, shares had moved ahead 1.81% to 345.00p.
UK-based holding company Learning Technologies announced an "ambitious target" at its capital markets event on Tuesday.

When the AIM-listed firm entered the market in 2013 it sought to achieve run-rate revenues of 50m and EBITDA margins of 20% by the end of 2018, but Learning Technologies' 2017 interim results revealed that the company had hit targets twelve months ahead of schedule.

However, as part of Tuesday's event, the e-learning group outlined a plan focused on doubling run-rate revenues to 100m with an EBITDA in excess of 25m by the end of 2020.

Learning Technologies said it planned to achieve the new objectives through a combination of strong organic growth paired with strategic acquisitions that complemented its current business model.

The group also said it intended to expand further into the North American and European markets, taking some of its focus away from its UK business.

Jonathan Satchell, chief executive said, "We are delighted with the progress that LTG has made, growing a business with revenues of 7.5 million and a market capitalisation of less than 20 million in late 2013 to run-rate revenues of 50 million, strong EBIT margins, and a market capitalisation in excess of 300 million in only four years."

"The new strategic objectives announced today demonstrate our undiminished ambition and intent to become the global leader and disrupter in technology-driven workplace learning," he added.

As of 1500 BST, shares had gained 7.51% to 56.97p.
Energy storage technology company RedT Energy announced the sale of a 300kW 1MWh hybrid energy storage system for Monash University in Melbourne, Australia on Tuesday.

The AIM-traded firm said it would be the first time a vanadium flow / lithium hybrid energy storage system is deployed in Australia, and marks RedT's entry into the burgeoning Australian market for energy storage, which its board currently estimated to be worth between AUD 20bn and 30bn between now and 2030.

It said the system, which comprises 900kWh of RedT flow machines coupled with a 120kW C1-rated lithium battery, would be deployed as an active energy storage infrastructure asset at the university's new 11,400 square metre Biomedical Learning and Teaching building, which would house state-of-the-art biomedical research laboratories over four floors.

Coupled with on-site solar photovoltaic assets, the system would be used to maximise the university's utilisation of renewable energy to significantly reduce energy costs for campus buildings, RedTs board explained

That would generate significant savings for the site and also open up potential new revenue streams, in the form of both contracted and merchant grid services in the future.

The system would be used as a 'flexible platform', RedT said, and would become part of the so-called Monash microgrid in partnership with the Monash Energy Materials and Systems Institute (MEMSI).

RedT said that project aimed to integrate distributed renewables on Monash's campuses to increase reliability and stability within the local grid and in the future, allowing for innovative, market based peer-to-peer energy trading.

We are very proud to announce the sale of our first hybrid energy storage system as part of the operating infrastruce of a high energy use building, said RedT CEO Scott McGregor.

This project demonstrates energy storage Flow machines integrated with power storage lithium batteries to meet the full range of customer requirements.
A new flu vaccine aimed at being the first in the world to fight all forms of the virus is about to be tested by Vaccitech , a spin-out from Oxford University's Jenner Institute, on NHS patients.

The vaccine is being developed to try and combat the virus without yearly jabs.

As the 2016 flu vaccine was not as successful at protecting over-65s, English pensioners were being recruited by the NHS to participate in the trial.

Scientists said the new shot could last as many as five years as it targets the core common to all strains and stimulates the body into producing an elevated response to the flu.

NHS chief executive Simon Stevens this year has warned doctors and nurses to brace themselves for a busy winter as particularly virulent strains of the virus were on their way from Australia and New Zealand to Europe.

"The signs [] are that it has been a heavy flu season down there and many hospitals have struggled to cope," he said.

The Vaccitech vaccine study, led by the University of Oxford, will involve almost 500 patients from six different general practitioners surgeries, with Vaccitech's vaccine being administered alongside a programme of placebos and the old vaccine.

Sarah Gilbert, professor of vaccinology at Oxford University and Vaccitech's co-founder, said: "Every year, flu in older adults causes serious illness and sometimes death. We want to improve the situation but in order to do that we need volunteers to help us test a new vaccine."

The flu virus looks like a spherical cushion with a lot of pins sticking out, said Gilbert, with traditional vaccines using surface protein 'pins' on the outside of flu cells to stimulate the production of antibodies, but needing an update every year as different strains had different surface proteins.

The new vaccine, which had been safety-tested on 145 people so far, targets the core proteins of the virus inside the 'cushion' which are virtually the same in all influenza A viruses.
The EU is gearing up to hit ecommerce giant Amazon with a multi-million euro bill for unpaid taxes related to its operations in Luxembourg, The Financial Times reported on Tuesday.

The move from the European Commission would represent its latest attempt to crack down on the tax practices of major multinationals, having launched major action against the likes of Apple and Google in the last year.

Citing people familiar with the case, the FT said an investigation into the Seattle-based tech giant has concluded that it received favourable tax deals in the country, where its European operations are based.

In 2004, Amazon launched its goldcrest project, where it restructured its European operations to move its intellectual property into a non-taxable partnership in Luxembourg.

Competition commissioner Margrethe Vestager is the official leading the charge against the US giants.

The commission ruled last year that Ireland had given Apple an unfair tax rate in its dealings in the country, a decision which is facing appeal from both the state and the company.

The appeals process from Apple and Ireland is underway, and is likely to take several years to reach its conclusion. Last August the commission found a tax benefit of $13bn had been given to the iPhone maker from the Irish government.
The chief executive of controversial ride-hailing app Uber has arrived in London for crunch talks with Transport for London , which refused to renew the companys licence to operate in the capital.

Dara Khosrowshahi recently took over the reins from Travis Kalanick following a messy departure which led to a lawsuit from one of Ubers key investors against the former CEO.

Khosrowshahi is due to meet with TfL commissioner Mike Brown in order to discuss the removal of Ubers licence, which the body justified by saying it was not 'fit and proper' to operate in the city.

Uber has already apologised for some of its practices, and Khosrowshahi is reported to be willing to offer concessions if its licence were to be renewed.

The CEO has previously said that Uber has been punished for a bad reputation it earned in the last few years.

"The truth is that there is a high cost to a bad reputation," he wrote. "It really matters what people think of us, especially in a global business like ours.

On Monday Ubers UK head Jo Bertram stood down ahead of the meeting, with the company saying that her departure was not related to the non-renewal of the firms London licence.
A general strike will take place across Catalonia on Tuesday as citizens of the region respond to violent outbursts by security forces during Sundays independence referendum.

Officials in the region declared the right to secede from Spain after Sundays highly charged referendum, where a large majority voted for independence but the poll was marred by violence between the police and voters.

Almost 900 people were injured in the violence, and trade unions and other associations have called for the mass strike in reaction to protests by the police.

Flights and train services are expected to be adversely affected as a result of the strike, while several museums and public universities in Barcelona will be closed.

Two of Spains top unions said their regional leadership in Catalonia were encouraging participation in protests not in support of secession, but in response to the violence seen on Sunday.

"Our organizations in Catalonia are encouraging participation in protests against the excesses committed on October 1. In no way are we going to support positions that provide backing for the unilateral declaration of independence," said the CCOO and the UGT in a statement.

The Madrid government has dismissed Sundays vote as 'illegal', with prime minister Mariano Rajoy going so far as saying that 'there was no referendum' on Sunday.

The European Commission has sided with Rajoy in the fallout related to the tumultuous independence referendum, backing his claim that the vote was illegal but also calling for dialogue between Madrid and Barcelona.

European markets have mostly brushed off the ongoing tension in Catalonia, apart from the Ibex 35, which was down 1.21% on Monday. However, the Spanish index opened flat on Tuesday ahead of the strike.
The autonomous Kurdistan enclave in Northern Iraq plans to hold presidential and parliamentary elections on 1 November after Kurds vote for independence in last month's referendum.

The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) said on Tuesday that it had not yet declared independence and that the elections were intended for the parliament and presidency of the region, not for that of an independent state.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said his government would impose further sanctions on 'northern Iraq' as tensions build in the region and raise worries that the US-backed campaign against Daesh insurgents in the region could be compromised as a result.

We have made every effort to resolve the crisis in the region with facility, wisdom and compromise, and we will [continue]. For now, we are just content with embargoes in certain fields," Erdogan told Turkey's parliament, according to agency reports.

"If they do not come to their senses we will not hesitate to take further steps in accordance with the developments."

Renewed tension in the area has given a boost to oil prices, with the Kurdish region forecast to produce more than 600,000 barrels of crude per day in 2017, the bulk of which goes through Turkey.

Officials in both Ankara and Tehran, Iran voiced concerns that the referendum would embolden Kurdish separatists within their own borders.

After the referendum on 25 September, Baghdad banned all international flights from Kurdish airports, and Iran and Turkey held joint military drills with Iraqi troops on the Kurdistan border.

The Shi'ite Arab-led government of Iraq rejected KRG's offer to discuss independence and instead demanded Kurdish leaders void the referendum result or face further sanctions, international isolation and possible military intervention.

The White House, which had built a strong alliance with the Kurdish people during their cooperative efforts to defeat IS extremists in the area, said it was taking Baghdad's side in the crisis and refused to recognise the outcome of the referendum.

According to the KRG's calculations, the enclave holds reserves of around 45bn barrels of oil, more than Nigeria and representing close to 12% of Iraqs total supply.
David Davis plans to retire in 2019 and leave Boris Johnson to steer the UK through the transitional period. The Brexit secretary told friends that Michel Barnier, the EU's chief negotiator, "needs this to work more than I do" because he plans to step aside in June 2019 whereas Mr Barnier will still be in post. - Telegraph

Britains banks need to set aside another 116bn in debt that can be "bailed in" should they get into financial trouble in order to avoid a repeat of the costly bail-outs that occurred during the credit crunch in 2008. The Bank of England today unveiled detailed plans of how it would step in and stabilise failed banks to protect consumer deposits and avoid systemic risks to the financial system. - Telegraph

The government has denied that Monarch Airlines customers should have been warned of the carriers financial troubles in the runup to its collapse, as an operation began to repatriate 110,000 passengers. Asked whether travellers should have been notified about over the problems  flights were still on sale at the weekend  a Department for Transport spokesperson said: This was a decision made by the company and it is the job of directors and their advisers to decide when a business is no longer a going concern  It is the not the role of government to decide on the viability of a business. - Guardian

Truphone, a British telecoms start-up backed by Roman Abramovich, has raised 255m from a group of investors including the Chelsea owner. The company sells mobile plans that do not incur roaming fees when travelling abroad, and are aimed at corporate customers such as major banks. - Telegraph

A 15-hour riot at a prison cost the taxpayer and jail operator G4S more than 6m, the sentencing hearing of five instigators has been told. Luke Mansell, 24, and John Burton, 39, were last week found guilty of a mutiny at HMP Birmingham on 16 December last year during which more than 500 prisoners were let out of their cells after inmates seized keys. - Guardian

Google has dropped its first click free policy, which many publishers claimed made it difficult for them to attract paying subscribers. Under the policy, news websites had to offer readers free access to three free articles a day in order to appear high in the search engines listings. - The Times

Credit report company Equifax said overnight that an additional 2.5 million Americans may have been affected by the massive security breach of its systems, bringing the total to 145.5 million people who had their personal information accessed or stolen. Equifax said the company it hired to investigate the breach, Mandiant, has concluded its investigation and plans to release the results "promptly." - Telegraph

Production of Teslas first mass-market electric car is off to a much slower start than expected, with barely a fifth of the vehicles that had been predicted rolling off the production line. Only 260 Model 3s were built in the three months to September, the first quarter in which they were produced. The figure was well short of the 1,500 that Tesla had promised in August. - The Times

A flu vaccine that would be the first in the world to tackle all types of the virus and would not need to be given every winter is to be tested on NHS patients. Pensioners in England are being recruited for a trial that researchers hope will protect far more over-65s. Last years flu vaccine did not work for that age group. - The Times

Major high street retailers have joined forces to encourage people to recycle their used household batteries as a new poll revealed that more than half of respondents admitted they throw them in the bin. Asda, B&Q, Currys PC World, Marks & Spencer and Morrisons are all backing the drive to make it easier for consumers to recycle dead batteries and avoid millions ending up in landfill every year and wreaking environmental havoc. - Guardian
Businesses have been focusing on the Internet of Things as an enabler of growth and increased operational efficiency, as well as the means to provide a better experience to customers and partners, according to the State of the Market: Internet of Things 2017 report Verizon released this week.

Seventy-three percent of executives surveyed said they either were researching or currently deploying IoT, according to the report.

Few industry sectors, business people or ordinary people will not be impacted by this, as augmented intelligence and machine learning use the data from IoT to transform markets, Constellation Research Principal Analyst Andy Mulholland told the E-Commerce Times.

However, a variety of factors have dampened IoT momentum:

Long capital cycles;

Organizational inertia;

Lack of suitably skilled staff;

Lack of industry-wide IoT standards; and

Concerns about security, interoperability and cost.

Ready for the Enterprise

Despite those challenges, the IoT has become enterprise-grade, with the focus on B2B communications, according to the Verizon report.

For example, 70 percent of the Fortune 500 property and casualty insurance firms surveyed indicated they were tapping network-connected drones to perform inspections and other claims-related work.

The energy and construction industries have been using drones to perform inspections, maintenance and other high-cost tasks, while the pharmaceuticals industry has been using IoT solutions to track and trace medicines from production to patients.

The current business focus appears to be on simpler use cases  to track data and send status alerts, for example, which are easier to deploy but lack data analytics capabilities.

Those limitations will prevent these businesses from fully exploiting the IoT, Verizon suggested.

Factors Favorable to IoT Deployment

Falling technology prices, more secure platforms, and better connectivity options will help spur new use cases, the report suggests.

There will be more development around 5G networks, which are expected to be up to 100 times faster than existing networks, Verizon predicted.

Verizon earlier this year unveiled a plan to deliver 5G precommercial services to select customers in 11 markets throughout the United States.

AT&T already has tested 5G for business customers in Austin, where it plans to stream DirectTV Now over 5G connections.

T-Mobile late last year released a video teasing a 2020 launch of 5G services.

Other IoT Projects

Chick-fil-A has begun using IoT  it has installed sensors to monitor the temperatures of coolers and freezers, for example  ABI Research reported.

Axius has teamed with real estate developers to integrate its Axius Hub, which actively monitors every device in a house, into smart homes.

Axius also has partnered with A/V pros, custom electronics installers and IT experts to install connected devices such as thermostats, lighting, locks and cameras into more than 40 homes per month in communities being built by the top 25 U.S. builders and developers, said Axius CEO Colin Barceloux.

Were now live with three partners that operate broadly in New York, Los Angeles, Washington D.C., and San Francisco, he told the E-Commerce Times.

IoT Issues

An industry-wide standard is needed, because theres a myriad of kinds of sensors, they talk different languages, and there are really no standards for implementing IoT right now, said Michael Jude, a research manager at Stratecast/Frost & Sullivan.

More and more devices are becoming intelligent, but the fabrics that knit them together in terms of collecting data and processing arent there. If you just place sensors everywhere, it doesnt do any good  you need big data to manage IoT, he told the E-Commerce Times.

IoT is being deployed across many verticals and for use cases within those industries, such as energy, healthcare and fleet management, Verizon spokesperson Adria Tomaszewski pointed out.

The various issues holding back IoT deployment in general are resolved for the use cases being deployed, she told the E-Commerce Times.

That said, several malware attacks have been launched through compromised IoT devices.

Security is a big issue, remarked Frosts Jude. If you have all these intelligent devices watching you, the potential for security harm is exponentially greater.
Google on Monday announced that it was dropping its decade-old policy of requiring media and news publishers to provide a limited amount of free content. The so-called first click free policy meant that publishers had to make a certain amount of content available to users who conducted a search on Google, even if their stories, videos or images otherwise were behind a paywall.

Media publishers had been required to provide at least three free stories or similar content before those clicking on links via Google would have to subscribe, or otherwise pay, to access the content. Beginning this week, publishers will be allowed to decide how many free articles to offer through Google searches  if any  before requiring readers to pay.

Googles users seek high-quality content, the company said, and while its search engine is there to help users find that content, sometimes it is behind a paywall.

Users have become more accustomed to paying for news, and those payments are more important than ever for news publishers who view online subscriptions as key to a successful business model, said Richard Gingras, vice president of news for Google.

To replace the first click free policy, Google has introduced flexible sampling, which will let media and news content publishers determine what works best.

In addition, Google announced that it is building a suite of products and services designed to aid news publishers in reaching a greater audience, and to help drive subscriptions and grow revenue.

Moreover, Google will determine how it can simplify the purchase process, while making it easier for its users to get the full value from online subscriptions across the Google platform.

Business of Search

Google over the years has expanded its original focus to undertake everything from developing a mobile phone operating system to carrying out experimental projects, including development of autonomous vehicle technologies. Still, its core business always has been built around search  and of course, the advertising dollars that search can provide.

However, Googles strategies have not been welcomed by content publishers, which in essence were forced to give away potentially valuable content.

This latest switch in strategy suggests that Google has listened to publishers criticisms and now will allow them to determine for themselves what to offer in the way of potential loss leaders in order to attract a larger audience.

The New York Times already gives non-subscribers access to 10 articles per month, for example, Google noted.

Googles first click free policy in exchange for prominence in its search results was largely loathed by publishers who hated being forced to provide readers free content, said Charles King, principal analyst at Pund-IT.

That resistance is understandable on one level, but it also demonstrates the industrys short memory, he told the E-Commerce Times.

Before and after the dot-com boom, traditional publishers tried and mostly failed mightily to successfully get readers to buy access to their content, King recalled. Googles first click free policy may have been inflexible, but it also provided a useful framework for consumers to try out new content and determine whether or not to sign-up for paid services.

Subscription Model

The first click free policy undermined publishers attempts to enforce a paywall, or even to instill in readers the value of the content, critics maintained. From the publishers perspective, many readers became too comfortable with the belief that online content always should be free.

If those accessing the content from Google didnt have to pay for stories, it certainly lessened the need to subscribe.

Publishers were caught between a rock (lack of exposure if they did not adhere to Googles first click free requirement) and a hard place (not getting paid for content people desired), observed Roger Entner, principal analyst at Recon Analytics.

Google is certainly responding to the monetization and exposure concerns of the publishers, he told the E-Commerce Times.

Google appears sincere in its intent to help publishers drive more subscriptions, said Greg Sterling, vice president of strategy and insights at the Local Search Association.

The new policy gives publishers more freedom and control without hurting their rankings, and thats very positive, he told the E-Commerce Times.

The other aspects  using ad targeting tactics and other mechanisms to expose publisher content to the right audiences  wont roll out for a little while, so well have to wait and see how that will work, Sterling said.

Consumer Reaction

This strategy may help publishers, but those doing the clicking may become frustrated if paywall after paywall is all the results offer.

At this point, its hard to say how, or how positively, consumers will react to the new policy, said Pund-ITs King.

Publishers are likely to celebrate their new-found flexibility, but the fact that theyll have the options to present material any which way they choose is likely to result in considerable confusion among prospects and customers, he noted.

If the problem is significant or long-lasting, it wont be surprising to see at least some publishers shift back to a free content model similar to Googles, King added.

There may not be an immediate change due to the shift, though.

It will be a slow and gradual process where people will have to learn that quality content does not come for free, suggested Recon Analytics Entner. There will be resistance at first  but ultimately, you get what you pay for.
By Simon Roach

The Scottish government has said fracking is set to be permanently banned following overwhelming public support for outlawing the controversial process, it was announced Tuesday.

Unlike in England, fracking has been under a temporary halt in Scotland since 2015, and an extensive public consultation on its long-term future was carried out earlier this year.

Speaking to members of the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh, the Scottish Environment Minister Paul Wheelhouse said the ban should be extended indefinitely and that the Scottish government will not support the development of unconventional oil and gas in Scotland.

The proposed ban, which will make use of planning and environmental regulation powers devolved to Scotland from the UK government in London, will be put to the Scottish Parliament for a vote later this year. Campaigners expect the ban to successfully pass through this process.

In addition to a number of expert reports on the risks posed by fracking, the public consultation which closed in May found that around 99 percent of the 60,000 responses opposed fracking.

The views expressed through our consultation demonstrated that communities across Scotland, particularly in densely populated areas where developments could potentially take place, are not convinced there is a strong national economic argument when balanced against the risk and disruption they anticipate in areas, such as transport, pollution, crucially, their health and wellbeing, Wheelhouse said.

The announcement was welcomed by green groups including WWF and Friends of the Earth Scotland who said that the fracking industry must be banned to avoid potentially devastating impacts to peoples health, the climate and our natural environment.

But Friends of the Earth Scotland urged the Scottish government to commit to passing a specific law to ban fracking, which would go beyond the proposed use of planning measures.

This will only be possible, however, when a set of further legislative powers already passed over to Scotland from London have gone through a technical transferral process.

The proposed use of planning powers is the right interim approach, Friends of the Earth Scotland said in a statement, but legislating to ban fracking provides the strongest protection for communities and the environment, and sends a clear message about the need to leave fossil fuels in the ground in the fight against climate change.

Fracking in Scotland

The Scottish governments proposal to ban fracking permanently follows a drawn-out passage of research and exploration into the potential for unconventional fossil fuel extraction in Scotland, alongside burgeoning campaigns against it.

Both England and Scotland are estimated to have modest amounts of exploitable shale gasthough less than in the U.S., whose use of shale gas for its own energy security has often been touted as a model by pro-fracking voices.

In June 2014, the British Geological Survey estimated there was 80 trillion cubic feet of shale gas in central Scotland, which was less than in areas of dense shale rock in England.

The engineering company Ineos subsequently announced exploration plans for Scottish shale gas later that year. But following growing public opposition to fracking, the Scottish government announced a temporary ban using planning powers in January 2015.

The Scottish government has a track record for opposing unconventional fossil fuels. Last year it banned another controversial process of extracting onshore underground gas called underground coal gasification. Similar to fracking, this followed widespread public opposition and independent findings of serious environmental risks.

In June 2016 the Scottish Parliament voted in favor of extending the temporary ban, though this was non-legislative and the government insisted that proper research and consultation should be carried out before a final decision was taken.

The situation in England has been very different, with the UK government continuing to issue exploration and drilling licenses. The Conservatives are the only party to support fracking.

Shale gas company Cuadrilla is currently in conducting exploratory drilling in Lancashire in the face of staunch public opposition. The company was only able to begin its operations at Preston New Road, in between Blackpool and Preston, after the Communities Secretary overruled the local councils opposition to the activity.

Reposted with permission from our media associate DeSmogUk.
By Andy Rowell

Millions of Americans may be struggling to pay routine household bills, but still U.S. taxpayers are handing out a whopping $20 billion in fossil fuel subsidies a year.

This is the major finding of a new report Dirty Energy Dominance: Dependent on Denial published by Oil Change International Tuesday.

Subsidies are where the government gives financial incentives to artificially lower the cost of production or consumption of fossil fuels to encourage more drilling or oil, gas or coal use.

The report is published on the day that President Donald Trump is due to visit the island of Puerto Rico, which was recently devastated by Hurricane Maria. Millions of people on the island remain without power and basic sanitation.

Many leading climate scientists believe the recent destructive hurricane season is being driven by warmer waters fueled by our warming climate.

So there is something deeply ironic about the Trump administration subsidizing an industry with billions of dollars which is causing climate change which is costing billions to America and Caribbean nations from hurricane-related damage.

But the irony gets worse. There is something morally wrong with a billionaire-led administration handing out money to rich executives, when this money could help Americas poorest and most at need.

The cost of the subsidies to American taxpayers is equivalent to the projected 2018 budget cuts from Trumps proposals to slash 10 public programs and services, including supports for Americas most vulnerable children and families.

The report lays out a comprehensive analysis of federal and state subsidies supporting the production of oil, gas and coal. It concludes that:

The U.S. federal and state governments gave away $20.5 billion a year on average in 2015 and 2016 in production subsidies to the oil, gas and coal industries, including $14.7 billion in federal subsidies and $5.8 billion through state-level incentives. And this is likely to be a conservative estimate at the state level, due to limited data.

Repeated proposals by the Obama administration to remove some of the most damaging federal subsidies were thwarted in large part due to the cozy relationship between Congress and the fossil fuel industry. In the 2015-2016 election cycle, members of Congress received $350 million in campaign contributions and lobbying expenditures from the fossil fuel industrywhich equates to a 8,200 percent return on investment.

The U.S. spent on average $2.5 billion annually subsidizing the exploration of new fossil fuel resources in 2015 and 2016, even though the science clearly shows that fossil fuel expansion must stop immediately in order to meet internationally recognized climate goals.

Government giveaways in the form of permanent tax breaks to the fossil fuel industryone of which is over a century oldare seven times larger than those to the renewable energy sector.

Every taxpayer dollar wasted subsidizing this industry takes us further from a stable climate and protecting our families from disasters made worse by climate change, said Janet Redman, U.S. Policy Director of Oil Change International and principal author of the report. No tax plan that leaves in place a 20 billion-dollar transfer of wealth from American taxpayers to one of the countrys most profitable and polluting industries can be considered credible.

Redman added: While the rest of the world moves toward a renewable energy future, dirty energy defenders in the Trump administration are using our taxpayer dollars to promote dangerous new fossil fuel development. Until we separate oil and state, the dirty energy money cycle of fossil fuel contributions going into Congress and oil, gas and coal subsidies coming out will stymie our chances at transitioning the energy sector and staving off worsening climate disasters.
By Julia Conley

Public interest groups spoke out Monday about a White House event at which Vice President Mike Pence touted the Trump administrations deregulation efforts. President Donald Trump did not attend the Cut the Red Tape event due to the attack in Las Vegas, but the meeting went on as planned with the White House barring the press from the room.

The administration has demonstrated repeatedly since Trump took office in January that it aims to roll back safeguards put in place by the Obama administration in a number of areas. The president announced early in his term that he would offset any new regulation by scrapping two existing regulations. According to an analysis by Reuters, federal agencies have so far taken 25 deregulatory steps, affecting infrastructure projects, the environment and workers in a wide variety of sectors.

Regarding the climate, in addition to withdrawing from the Paris agreement on climate change, Trump has rolled back President Barack Obamas Clean Power Plan, scrapped his rules limiting water pollution from coal-fired power plants, and reversed a policy banning national parks from selling bottled water.

The Union of Concerned Scientists released a statement on the need for environmental protections like the one Trump has been eliminating. These critical safeguards were created based on the best available science and public input, but now theyre being quickly and carelessly deleted, said Andrew Rosenberg of the groups Center for Science and Democracy. Theyve ignored the evidence and put the interests of industry lobbyists over public health and safety. These changes will put Americans at risk, yet the president and vice president see this as an opportunity to take a victory lap.

Pointing to the recent example of a chemical plant explosion in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey in Texas, Rosenberg added, The rush to undo these rules has real, damaging consequences. Communities near chemical facilities will have less information about the risks they faceraising the danger to families and first responders in the case of accidents like the recent Arkema explosion in Houston  The vice president may tout it as an accomplishment that the administration has derailed so many public health and safety protections. For the rest of us, thoughparticularly for low-income neighborhoods and communities of colorthis is no victory. Its a willful failure by the administration to do its job protecting Americans.

The American Sustainable Business Council was among those pushing back against the familiar Republican argument that deregulating industries is somehow a cost-saving maneuver.

Over-regulation was not the problem that led to banks creating the mortgage crisis, that in turn resulted in the loss of 200,000 small businesses and 8.7 million jobs throughout the United States, pointed out Richard Eidlin, co-founder of the American Sustainable Business Council. The Trump administrations deregulation approach based on the arbitrary benchmark of eliminating two existing regulations for every one new regulation is ill-conceived and will not achieve meaningful regulatory reform. Placing focus solely on the costs of compliance instead of the benefits to society contradicts the goals of many of the laws that enable these regulations.

The government watchdog group Public Citizen called Trumps deregulation agenda a craven attempt at self-enrichment and payback to corporate donors, adding, in fact, robust regulation and enforcement are essential to economic prosperity.

Reposted with permission from our media associate Common Dreams.
Ellwood City-area homes for sale rise in price to $139,000

In Lawrence County, homes for sale had a median price of $86 per square foot, while Pennsylvania's was $169
Proactive monitoring of blood levels of the therapeutic drug infliximab was associated with improved outcomes including lower risk of surgery and hospitalization

BOSTON - In patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), the body attacks the lining of the digestive tract. Up to half of patients who benefit from the first-line anti-inflammatory drug infliximab eventually stop responding to it. When that happens, doctors may begin to monitor patients' blood serum concentrations of the drug.

Now, a team led by gastroenterologists at the Center for Inflammatory Bowel Diseases at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) and University of Pennsylvania, has shown that monitoring patients treated with infliximab prior to loss of patient response to the drug is associated with better long-term outcomes than monitoring the drug only after it loses efficacy. The team's retrospective study could set the stage for a change in the standard clinical approach to IBD. Their data were published in the October issue of the journal Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.

"IBD can lead to serious complications and a high rate of surgery despite medical therapy," said Adam S. Cheifetz, MD, Director of the Center for Inflammatory Bowel Disease who is also an Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. "We demonstrated that proactive drug monitoring is associated with better clinical outcomes, including less treatment failure, serious infusion reactions, and less need for IBD-related surgery or hospitalization, when compared to reactive drug monitoring."

A chronic, life-long condition that can manifest as severe pain, diarrhea, lack of energy, rectal bleeding and weight loss, IBD - which includes Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis - affects over 1.5 million Americans. Infliximab reduces symptoms and inflammation by targeting one of the proteins - called tumor necrosis factor (TNF) - that leads to inflammation in IBD.

Eventually, about half the patients who take the drug stop responding to it but not all for the same reasons. Some patients eventually develop antibodies against infliximab and need to switch medications. Previous research by Cheifetz and others suggested that monitoring drug levels prior to loss of efficacy could improve treatment outcomes.

For this multicenter retrospective study, Cheifetz and colleagues analyzed the long-term outcomes of 264 patients with IBD on infliximab maintenance at either BIDMC or University of Pennsylvania hospitals, just under half of whom were monitored proactively. Of those, only 13 percent of patients experienced a treatment failure - defined as loss of response to infliximab or need for IBD-related surgery. In contrast, two-thirds - a full 66 percent - of the 134 patients undergoing reactive drug monitoring experienced treatment failure.

In addition, the probability and length of a hospital stay was much lower among patients being proactively monitored. Just seven percent of these patients had IBD-related hospitalizations, compared to a quarter of patients undergoing reactive monitoring. The total hospital stay was also much shorter among the proactively monitored patients; 37 days compared to 189 days for the reactive group.

"Prolonging infliximab's efficacy and avoiding surgery and hospitalization is very important for patients with IBD," said Cheifetz. "Proactive monitoring is the standard of care in my practice and that of [co-senior author] Mark Osterman, MD, and I think it would benefit the vast majority of patients on infliximab and similar biologic medications."

To follow up, Cheifetz and his colleagues will conduct a similar analysis comparing outcomes for reactive versus proactive monitoring of another drug used in the treatment of IBD, adalimumab.

"Large, prospective studies are needed to confirm these results," he said.

###

In addition to Cheifetz, the study authors include BIDMC investigator Konstantinos Papamichael, MD, PhD; Karen A. Chacu, MD, PhD, of Duke University School of Medicine; Ravy Vajravelu, MD; Josephine Ni, MD; and Mark T. Osterman, MD, of the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania; and Byron P. Vaughn, MD, of the University of Minnesota.

One of the co-authors KP was supported by a Fellowship Grant from the Hellenic Group for the Study of IBD.

About Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center is a patient care, teaching and research affiliate of Harvard Medical School and consistently ranks as a national leader among independent hospitals in National Institutes of Health funding.

BIDMC is in the community with Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital-Milton, Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital-Needham, Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital-Plymouth, Anna Jaques Hospital, Cambridge Health Alliance, Lawrence General Hospital, MetroWest Medical Center, Signature Healthcare, Beth Israel Deaconess HealthCare, Community Care Alliance and Atrius Health. BIDMC is also clinically affiliated with the Joslin Diabetes Center and Hebrew Rehabilitation Center and is a research partner of Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center and the Jackson Laboratory. BIDMC is the official hospital of the Boston Red Sox. For more information, visit http://www.bidmc.org.
Bullying is a pervasive problem for U.S. kids. Recent studies show that between one in four to one in three children have been bullied at school. About one in 10 are victimized regularly.

Research suggests that this isn't just harmless "kids being kids" behavior, says Marissa Smith, Ph.D., a postdoctoral fellow in behavioral pain medicine at Children's National Health System. Bullied children have a greater risk of experiencing overall negative academic outcomes, such as greater school avoidance, decreased classroom engagement and lower academic achievement than children who aren't bullied. They also suffer emotionally, with more depression, anxiety and withdrawal, as well as suffering physically, reporting more headaches, stomachaches and sleep difficulties.

In response to these harmful consequences, researchers in Finland in 2009 developed the KiVa Anti-Bullying Program. This school-based program combats bullying through a series of teacher-led lessons provided to students throughout the academic year that aim to shift the entire school's ethos.

Research in Finland demonstrating the success of KiVa has encouraged school systems around the world to pilot and evaluate the KiVa program in their schools. However, Smith cautions, differing school cultures could lead to differing results.

"Compared with Finland, teachers in the United States juggle many more competing demands on their time and, at times, have fewer resources and less institutional support in fulfilling those demands," she explains. "Consequently, it's not clear whether a program like KiVa would be as realistic here."

To see how implementing KiVa might differ in an American setting, Smith and colleagues helped fourth- and fifth-grade teachers at nine elementary schools in one Delaware school district roll out the program to 1,409 students during the 2013 to 2014 school year. Each teacher completed a three-hour training course at the beginning of the year--already a drastic cut from the two full days of training that is standard in Finland--due to competing demands on American teachers' professional development time.

Delaware teachers also completed questionnaires at the start of the year about variables that might affect how well they would be able to implement the program, such as their level of professional burnout, perceived principal support, self-efficacy at teaching, and perceived feasibility and efficacy of KiVa. Students completed questionnaires at the beginning and end of the academic year that measured levels of victimization and bullying.

Once a month, teachers were to give their classes standard KiVa lessons. To track what they actually completed, teachers answered online questionnaires. They also met with a graduate student once monthly to learn tips about implementing the program.

Results published online Aug. 29, 2017 in Journal of School Psychology by Smith and co-authors showed that this program accomplished its goals of significantly reducing bullying and victimization by the end of the year. Precisely how successful these measures were hinged on what instructional "dose" of the program students received, Smith says. On average, teachers provided only half of the activities that were intended to be included in each lesson. They also gave an average of 7.8 KiVa lessons out of a possible total of 10.

When Smith and colleagues assessed which teacher variables correlated with a reduction in KiVa instruction, professional burnout had the highest impact. It's hard to say what leads teachers to experience burnout; however, Smith explains, it might be an overall symptom of U.S. teaching culture.

"Teachers are highly regarded in Finland--at the same level as doctors--but U.S. teachers are not afforded nearly the same levels of respect," she says. "Burnout here may speak to this lack of respect. Other factors that contributed to diminished KiVa instruction include lower levels of resources and institutional support, teachers' own degree of emotional investment in the school and teachers' perception they actually can accomplish the things they set out to do."

Each of these differences, Smith adds, could contribute to KiVa not being as effective in the United States as it is in Finland.

One way to improve the success of this program in the United States, the study notes, might be to distill KiVa's tenets to the bare minimum necessary to maintain positive outcomes, allowing more efficient lessons. Additionally, outsourcing lessons to guidance counselors or other school staff versed in social and emotional topics might ease teachers' workloads.

"Schools in the United States differ significantly from those in Finland, where this program started," she says. "Our results suggest that supporting U.S. teachers in ways that reduce burnout could lead to better implementation and less bullying--which could lead to real and lasting improvements to their students' lives."

###
The European robin and other birds know where to migrate by sensing the direction of the Earth's magnetic field. Researchers have recently attributed this ability to a chemical reaction that takes place within the eye and whose success depends on the field direction. However, University of Oxford researchers report October 3 in Biophysical Journal that the current form of this "radical-pair mechanism" is not sensitive enough to explain the disruption of the avian magnetic compass by certain radiofrequency magnetic fields, raising new questions about this popular example of quantum biology.

Under most reaction conditions with most molecules, the Earth's magnetic field is far too weak--roughly 200 times feebler than a refrigerator magnet--to have any impact on the amount of products produced. But under special reaction circumstances, a burst of energy, perhaps from a light source, creates two short-lived radicals--compounds with one unpaired electron each. These high-energy intermediates, and consequently the outcome of the reaction, are quite sensitive to even weak magnetic fields. In bird eyes, suitable radicals are believed to be generated within cryptochrome, a light-absorbing protein that produces an as-yet-unidentified signaling molecule in a quantity determined by the field direction, resulting in an avian magnetic compass.

"The radical-pair mechanism of magnetoreception is still just a hypothesis, and arguably the best evidence we have for it so far is the effect of time-dependent radiofrequency magnetic fields on the ability of migratory birds to detect the direction of the Earth's magnetic field," says senior author Peter Hore, an Oxford biophysical chemist specializing in magnetic influences on chemical reactions.

Experimental studies of avian magnetic-compass disruption have largely used two different kinds of field frequencies. One approach involves a field oscillating at a single frequency, whereas the other uses broadband noise spread over a range of frequencies. To date, experimental evidence has been unable to agree on which setups actually confuse avian navigation and to what extent.

Faced with the conflicting body of experimental work, the researchers took a computational approach to the problem and designed a new method to simulate the effects of broadband radio noise along the birds' routes. They applied this method and analogous preexisting methods for single-frequency radiation to three plausible radical pairs that might form within cryptochrome and respond to changes in magnetic intensity.

Although the simulations showed that identical radiofrequency conditions imposed different spin-sensitivity patterns for the different proposed radical pairs, the researchers determined that current experimental evidence is insufficient to identify one responsible radical pair from among the choices. "Even with generous assumptions about the properties of the radicals, we predict tiny effects of these radiofrequency fields, and the main conclusion that we come to is that the current understanding of the radical-pair model can't explain any of the reported behavioral results," says Hore.

This inability to explain the experimental performance of the avian magnetic compass raises a whole series of questions. These include the overall validity of the radical-pair mechanism, whether birds might have evolved to be able to detect minute magnetic changes and have thus become susceptible to human-produced radio noise as a side-effect, or even whether applied electromagnetic fields might be affecting a different behavior--such as motivation--altogether.

"It is possible that we're just barking up the wrong tree and there's a different mechanism entirely," Hore says. "I prefer to think that there is some aspect of the mechanism that we're completely missing that amplifies the effect of time-dependent magnetic fields on the radical pairs and makes them more sensitive to changes than our simulations predict."

To help elucidate the workings of the compass once and for all, the researchers propose a number of experimental conditions inspired by cases they analyzed with their computational methods. In particular, they identify bands of radiofrequency noise not yet studied in behavioral experiments and predict that these would substantially affect specific biologically plausible radicals.

"Those experiments will probably be quite challenging because of the high-frequency fields involved, but their outcome should finally tell us whether it is a radical-pair mechanism or not, and if it is, what the radicals are," Hore says.

###

This work was supported by the European Research Council, the US Air Force Office of Scientific Research, the German Research Foundation, and the Volkswagen Foundation.

Biophysical Journal, Hiscock et al.: "Disruption of magnetic compass orientation in birds by radiofrequency electromagnetic fields" http://www.cell.com/biophysj/fulltext/S0006-3495(17)30859-7

The Biophysical Journal (@BiophysJ), published by Cell Press for the Biophysical Society, is a bimonthly journal that publishes original research and reviews on the most important developments in modern biophysics-a broad and rapidly advancing field encompassing the study of biological structures and focusing on mechanisms at the molecular, cellular, and systems levels through the concepts and methods of physics, chemistry, mathematics, engineering, and computational science. Visit: http://www.cell.com/biophysj/home. To receive Cell Press media alerts, contact press@cell.com.
Earlier this year, LIGO added new members from CSU, who will provide critical coating technology to increase the sensitivity of the interferometers

When scientists announced last year that they'd detected gravitational waves from the distant collision of two black holes, they confirmed Albert Einstein's 100-year-old theory that gravity, packaged in waves, travels across space and time.

The 900-member global science team responsible for the discovery, honored with the Nobel Prize in Physics Oct. 3, is the Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory (LIGO) collaboration. Earlier this year, LIGO added new members from Colorado State University. The CSU team will provide critical coating technology to increase the sensitivity of LIGO, and to advance knowledge of coating architectures for future LIGO generations.

The CSU group of the LIGO Scientific Collaboration is led by University Distinguished Professor Carmen Menoni, professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. Her team is charged with improving key aspects of the observatory's hardware - in particular, coatings on the mirrors that reflect laser beams. Leading the development and testing of the coatings is Le Yang, a graduate student in the Department of Chemistry, where Menoni holds a dual affiliation; and postdoctoral researcher Mariana Fazio.

The LIGO experiment is conducted in two, identical facilities - one in Louisiana and the other in Washington - and each is an L-shaped, two-mile-long interferometer. The interferometer splits a laser beam in two, and the twin beams hit mirrors that bounce the beams back and forth. Changes in length of the interferometers' arms create dark-and-light patterns. Scientists model this "interference" pattern to determine whether a gravitational wave has passed through.

The scientists' ability to detect the waves is limited by many sources of noise, among them atomic vibrations in the thin-film coatings on the mirrors; the vibrations mask the waves and render them undetectable. Menoni's team is tasked with uncovering what's causing the vibrations, and to mitigate it. If they are successful, the LIGO interferometers should become sensitive to more gravitational signals originating further from Earth.

Menoni is a well-known expert in making multilayer oxide coatings with specific optical properties through a process called ion beam sputtering. Her CSU group will experiment with new kinds of coatings for the LIGO mirrors, which will be tested by partners at Caltech, MIT and Stanford. Their goal is to make coatings that reduce wave-masking vibrations for the present and future interferometers operating in the near infrared end of the spectrum.

"Right now, the sensitivity of LIGO interferometers is limited by the coatings in the test masses," Menoni said. "Our efforts will aim to increase the sensitivity of the detectors by a factor of 10. It's a very interesting problem from the physics and optics point of view. We have a great opportunity here to make a dent in a very difficult problem."

The original architects of LIGO, Rainer Weiss, Kip Thorne and Barry Barish, were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics Oct. 3 for their work in the discovery of gravitational waves.

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UPTON, NY -- Chemists at the U.S. Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory have designed a new catalyst that speeds up the rate of a key step in "artificial photosynthesis" -- an effort to mimic how plants, algae, and some bacteria harness sunlight to convert water and carbon dioxide into energy-rich fuels. This step -- called water oxidation -- releases protons and electrons from water molecules, producing oxygen as a byproduct.

This "single-site" catalyst -- meaning the entire reaction sequence takes place on a single catalytic site of one molecule -- is the first to match the efficiency of the catalytic sites that drive this reaction in nature. The single-site design and high efficiency greatly improve the potential for making efficient solar-to-fuel conversion devices.

"The end goal is to break out those molecular building blocks -- the protons and electrons -- to make fuels such as hydrogen," said David Shaffer, a Brookhaven research associate and lead author on a paper describing the work in the Journal of the American Chemical Society. "The more efficient the water oxidation cycle is, the more energy we can store."

But breaking apart water molecules isn't easy.

"Water is very stable," said Brookhaven chemist Javier Concepcion, who led the research team. "Water can undergo many boiling/condensing cycles and it stays as H2O. To get the protons and electrons out, we need to make the water molecules react with each other."

The catalyst acts as a chemical handler, shuffling around the water molecules' assets -- electrons, hydrogen ions (protons), and oxygen atoms -- to get the reaction to happen.

The new catalyst design builds on one the group developed last year, led by graduate student Yan Xie, which was also a single-site catalyst, with all the components needed for the reaction on a single molecule. This approach is attractive because the scientists can optimize how the various parts are arranged so that reacting molecules come together in just the right way. Such catalysts don't depend on the free diffusion of molecules in a solution to achieve reactions, so they tend to continue functioning even when fixed to a surface, as they would be in real-world devices.

"We used computer modeling to study the reactions at the theoretical level to help us design our molecules," Concepcion said. "From the calculations we have an idea of what will work or not, which saves time before we get into the lab."

In both Xie's design and the new improvement, there's a metal at the core of the molecule, surrounded by other components the scientists can choose to give the catalyst particular properties. The reaction starts by oxidizing the metal, which pulls electrons away from the oxygen on a water molecule. That leaves behind a "positively charged," or "activated," oxygen and two positively charged hydrogens (protons).

"Taking electrons away makes the protons easier to release. But you need those protons to go somewhere. And it's more efficient if you remove the electrons and protons at the same time to prevent the build-up of excess charges," Concepcion said. "So Xie added phosphonate groups as ligands on the metal to act as a base that would accept those protons," he explained. Those phosphonate groups also made it easier to oxidize the metal to remove the electrons in the first place.

But there was still a problem. In order to activate the H2O molecule, you first need it to bind to the metal atom at the center of the catalyst.

In the first design, the phosphonate groups were so strongly bound to the metal that they were preventing the water molecule from binding to the catalyst early enough to keep the process running smoothly. That slowed the catalytic cycle down.

So the team made a substitution. They kept one phosphonate group to act as the base, but swapped out the other for a less-tightly-bound carboxylate.

"The carboxylate group can more easily adjust its coordination to the metal center to allow the water molecule to come in and react at an earlier stage," Shaffer said.

"When we are trying to design better catalysts, we first try to figure out what is the slowest step. Then we redesign the catalyst to make that step faster," he said. "Yan's work made one step faster, and that made one of the other steps end up being the slowest step. So in the current work we accelerated that second step while keeping the first one fast."

The improvement transformed a catalyst that created two or three oxygen molecules per second to one that produces more than 100 per second -- with a corresponding increase in the production of protons and electrons that can be used to create hydrogen fuel.

"That's a rate that is comparable to the rate of this reaction in natural photosynthesis, per catalytic site," Concepcion said. "The natural photosynthesis catalyst has four metal centers and ours only has one," he explained. "But the natural system is very complex with thousands and thousands of atoms. It would be extremely hard to replicate something like that in the lab. This is a single molecule and it does the same function as that very complex system."

The next step is to test the new catalyst in devices incorporating electrodes and other components for converting the protons and electrons to hydrogen fuel -- and then later, with light-absorbing compounds to provide energy to drive the whole reaction.

"We have now systems that are working quite well, so we are very hopeful," Concepcion said.

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This work was supported by the DOE Office of Science.

Brookhaven National Laboratory is supported by the Office of Science of the U.S. Department of Energy. The Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States, and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, please visit science.energy.gov.

Follow @BrookhavenLab on Twitter or find us on Facebook.

One of ten national laboratories overseen and primarily funded by the Office of Science of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Brookhaven National Laboratory conducts research in the physical, biomedical, and environmental sciences, as well as in energy technologies and national security. Brookhaven Lab also builds and operates major scientific facilities available to university, industry and government researchers. Brookhaven is operated and managed for DOE's Office of Science by Brookhaven Science Associates, a limited-liability company founded by the Research Foundation for the State University of New York on behalf of Stony Brook University, the largest academic user of Laboratory facilities, and Battelle, a nonprofit applied science and technology organization.

Related Links

Scientific paper: "Lability and Basicity of Bipyridine-Carboxylate-Phosphonate Ligand Accelerate Single-Site Water Oxidation by Ruthenium-Based Molecular Catalysts"

Previous work: Speeding Up Key Oxygen-Oxygen Bond-Formation Step in Water Oxidation

An electronic version of this news release with related graphics can be found in Brookhaven Lab's online newsroom .

Media contacts: Karen McNulty Walsh, 631-344-8350, or Peter Genzer , 631-344-3174
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- A series of complicated experiments involving one of the least understood elements of the Periodic Table has turned some long-held tenets of the scientific world upside down.

Florida State University researchers found that the theory of quantum mechanics does not adequately explain how the heaviest and rarest elements found at the end of the table function. Instead, another well-known scientific theory -- Albert Einstein's famous Theory of Relativity -- helps govern the behavior of the last 21 elements of the Periodic Table.

This new research is published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.

Quantum mechanics are essentially the rules that govern how atoms behave and fully explain the chemical behavior of most of the elements on the table. But, Thomas Albrecht-Schmitt, the Gregory R. Choppin Professor of Chemistry at FSU, found that these rules are somewhat overridden by Einstein's Theory of Relativity when it comes to the heavier, lesser known elements of the Periodic Table.

"It's almost like being in an alternate universe because you're seeing chemistry you simply don't see in everyday elements," Albrecht-Schmitt said.

The study, which took more than three years to complete, involved the element berkelium, or Bk on the Periodic Table. Through experiments involving almost two dozen researchers across the FSU campus and the FSU-headquartered National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Albrecht-Schmitt made compounds out of berkelium that started exhibiting unusual chemistry.

They weren't following the normal rules of quantum mechanics.

Specifically, electrons were not arranging themselves around the berkelium atoms the way that they organize around lighter elements like oxygen, zinc or silver. Typically, scientists would expect to see electrons line up so that they all face the same direction. This controls how iron acts as a magnet, for instance.

However, these simple rules do not apply when it comes to elements from berkelium and beyond because some of the electrons line up opposite of the way scientists have long predicted.

Albrecht-Schmitt and his team realized that Einstein's Theory of Relativity actually explained what they saw in the berkelium compounds. Under the Theory of Relativity, the faster anything with mass moves, the heavier it gets.

Because the nucleus of these heavy atoms is highly charged, the electrons start to move at significant fractions of the speed of light. This causes them to become heavier than normal, and the rules that typically apply to electron behavior start to break down.

Albrecht-Schmitt said it was "exhilarating" when he and his team began to observe the chemistry.

"When you see this interesting phenomenon, you start asking yourself all these questions like how can you make it stronger or shut it down," Albrecht-Schmitt said. "A few years ago, no one even thought you could make a berkelium compound."

Berkelium has been mostly used to help scientists synthesize new elements such as element 117 Tennessine, which was added to the table last year. But little has been done to understand what the element -- or several of its neighbors on the tables -- alone can do and how it functions.

The Department of Energy gave Albrecht-Schmitt 13 milligrams of berkelium, roughly 1,000 times more than anyone else has used for major research studies. To do these experiments, he and his team had to move exceptionally fast. The element reduces to half the amount in 320 days, at which point it is not stable enough experiments.

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Other institutions contributing to the research are Rice University, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the University of Buffalo, Institut National des Sciences Appliquees in France and the Universidad Andres Bello in Chile. The work was funded by the Department of Energy.
WASHINGTON -- When combined with an already FDA-approved chemotherapy, a novel agent developed by researchers at Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, appears to halt the ability of Ewing sarcoma to grow and progress.

The finding, in cell lines and animal models, warrants clinical investigation to see if the combination would be an effective treatment as well as a less toxic alternative to current therapy for the rare bone cancer, the researchers say.

The study, published October 3 in the journal Science Signaling (Inhibition of the oncogenic fusion protein EWS-FLI1 causes G2-M cell cycle arrest and enhanced vincristine sensitivity in Ewing's sarcoma), tests a combination of YK-4-279, the compound developed at Georgetown, with vincristine in laboratory and mice studies. Vincristine is one of the chemotherapy drugs now used to treat Ewing sarcoma.

"Each of the two drugs impacts the cancer cell's ability to survive, but they do it in a way that magnifies their effectiveness compared to if they were used alone. It's like a left hook followed by an uppercut," says the study's senior investigator, Jeffrey Toretsky, MD, a pediatric oncologist and researcher at Georgetown Lombardi.

In the United States, about 500 children and young adults are diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma annually. Between 60 to 70 percent of patients survive more than five years, but with many late effects from treatment. Patients with Ewing sarcoma are currently treated with a combination of five different chemotherapy drugs, which often damages nerves and few treatments lead to a cure when the cancer progresses, Toretsky says.

Ewing sarcoma is caused by the exchange of DNA between two chromosomes. The resulting EWSR1-FLI1 gene produces a fusion protein, EWS-FLI1, responsible for cancer's growth. In 2006, Toretsky and his team discovered that the fusion protein binds to another protein, RNA helicase A (RHA), which is important for cancer progression.

YK-4-279 directly inhibits EWS-FLI1. Toretsky's work on YK-4-279 led to the eventual development of TK216, a first-in-class small molecule that is now being studied by Oncternal Therapeutics in a clinical trial in patients with relapsed or refractory Ewing sarcoma.

In this study, Toretsky led a team of researchers that tested 69 different anti-cancer drugs to find an agent that would work synergistically with YK-4-279. They discovered that together, the drugs produce a "microtubule catastrophe" in Ewing sarcoma cancer cells.

Microtubules are tube-like structures that help cells keep their shape and act like highways that transport cellular proteins. They also pull apart chromosomes when they divide, and it is this action that is particularly affected by the drug combo, Toretsky says.

"Cancer needs to grow, and to do that, the cells need to divide and multiply. This is the step both drugs target, but in different ways," he says.

According to Toretsky, Oncternal is planning to test the combination of TK216 and vincristine in patients.

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Co-authors include Georgetown researchers Stefan K. Zollnerm MD (the study lead author), Saravana P. Selvanathan, PhD, Garrett T. Graham, PhD, Ryan M. T. Commins, MD, Sung Hyeok Hong, DVM, PhD, research fellow Eric Moseley, college student Sydney Parks, medical student Jessica N. Haladyna, Hayriye V. Erkizan, PhD, and Aykut Uren, PhD; Uta Dirksen, MD, from the Essen University Hospital, Germany; and Michael D. Hogarty, MD, from the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

The Georgetown researchers are funded by the Children's Cancer Foundation, Nick Currey Fund, St. Baldrick's Foundation, Alan B. Slifka Foundation, CureSearch, Go4theGoal, Liddy Shiver Sarcoma Initiative, as well as a Burroughs Wellcome Clinical Scientist Award in Translational Research and the NIH (RC4CA156509, RO1CA133662, and R01CA138212).

Georgetown University owns the underlying YK-4-279 technology and related intellectual property invented by Toretsky, Uren, et al., and has licensed the technology to Oncternal for development as a potential therapeutic agent for cancer, including Ewing sarcoma. Toretsky is a paid scientific advisor to Oncternal.

About Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center

Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center is designated by the National Cancer Institute as a comprehensive cancer center -- the only cancer center of its kind in the Washington, DC area. A part of Georgetown University Medical Center and MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, Georgetown Lombardi seeks to improve the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of cancer through innovative basic and clinical research, patient care, community education and outreach, and the training of cancer specialists of the future. Connect with Georgetown Lombardi on Facebook(Facebook.com/GeorgetownLombardi) and Twitter (@LombardiCancer).

About Georgetown University Medical Center

Georgetown University Medical Center (GUMC is an internationally recognized academic medical center with a three-part mission of research, teaching and patient care (through MedStar Health). GUMC's mission is carried out with a strong emphasis on public service and a dedication to the Catholic, Jesuit principle of cura personalis -- or "care of the whole person." The Medical Center includes the School of Medicine and the School of Nursing & Health Studies, both nationally ranked; Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, designated as a comprehensive cancer center by the National Cancer Institute; and the Biomedical Graduate Research Organization, which accounts for the majority of externally funded research at GUMC including a Clinical and Translational Science Award from the National Institutes of Health. Connect with GUMC onFacebook (Facebook.com/GUMCUpdate), Twitter (@gumedcenter) and Instagram (@gumedcenter).
In an article in the latest issue of Plos Pathogens, INRS professor Simona Stager and her team show how the parasite Leishmania donovani uses a physiological response to low oxygen levels (hypoxia) to establish a chronic infection.

The parasite behind visceral leishmaniasis causes a chronic inflammation that enlarges the spleen and creates a hypoxic microenvironment. To compensate for the lack of oxygen and ensure their survival, cells adapt by inducing the expression of the transcription factor HIF-1, the master regulator of the cellular response to hypoxia.

Professor Stager and her team have demonstrated the effect of this key regulator on the function of monocytes and macrophages during viceral leishmaniasis, the most severe form of a tropical disease that affects millions of people around the world. These cells are the main targets of the parasite L. donovani

"Our lab work demonstrates that HIF-1 plays a key role in the establishment of chronic Leishmania infections by reducing the capacity of monocytes and macrophages to kill the parasite. We also found that HIF-1 gives these cells immunosuppressant properties," explains Professor Stager.

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About the publication

The results of this study are published in an article entitled "HIF-1 is a key regulator in potentiating suppressor activity and limiting the microbiocidal capacity of MDSC-like cells during visceral leishmaniasis," in Plos Pathogens. Akil Hammami, Belma Melda Abidin, Tania Charpentier, Aymeric Fabie, Annie-Pier Duguay, Krista M. Heinonen, and Simona Stager of INRS-Institut Armand-Frappier participated in this research, which was funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, Fonds de recherche du Quebec - Sante, and the Canada Foundation for Innovation. doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1006616

About INRS

Institut national de recherche scientifique (INRS) is a graduate-level research and training university and ranks first in Canada for research intensity (average funding per professor). INRS brings together some 150 professors and close to 800 students and postdoctoral fellows at its four centres in Montreal, Quebec City, Laval, and Varennes. Its basic research is essential to the advancement of science in Quebec and internationally, and its research teams play a key role in the development of concrete solutions to the problems faced by our society.
A postgraduate of the Faculty of Geology at Moscow State University working as a part of an international team has assessed the oxidative environment and its changes inside asteroids from the core to the surface. This gives the authors of the study a better understanding of how the planets were formed. The paper was published in Meteoritics and Planetary Science.

Asteroids were formed by accretion in the early stages of the Solar System development. Accretion is growth of a celestial object by the attachment of the material attracted to it by gravity. When sufficient mass was reached, the temperature and pressure in the center of the asteroids increased, which led to the formation of a protoplanet, an "embryo" of a planet. Further accretion of such celestial bodies led to planet formation. But this process was not always completed: there are more than 700,000 asteroids known in the Solar System at the moment. Some of them were called minor planets until recently.

The processes that were taking place in our planet at the formation stage can be studied through meteorites - the asteroids whose orbits have crossed ours - that ceased to develop as planets. The trace of these transformations on Earth has become obliterated long ago. About 87% of all meteorites found are ordinary chondrites mainly consisting of spherical formations, chondrules, made of silicon (Si), iron (Fe), aluminum (Al), magnesium (Mg) and manganese (Mn) silicates. Geologists have studied the meteorite samples of this subgroup provided by the Museum of Extraterrestrial Material of the Laboratory of Meteoritics of Vernadsky Institute of Geochemistry and Analytical Chemistry, RAS.

The substance exists in an oxidized state in the center of ordinary chondrites. This would not be surprising on Earth because of the high concentration of oxygen in the atmosphere, but in space, where there is no oxygen, this raises questions. According to a common model, the oxidized state of the substance appears due to the water contained in the meteorites, which is exuded when the temperature in the center of the body increases. The temperature is lower at the surface, so the substance is oxidized to a lesser extent. In order to build this model, other scientists studied the chemical composition of the main minerals in meteorites and conducted a thermodynamic calculation of the oxygen pressure based on these data. The disadvantage of this method is that such calculations are indirect and cannot take into account all the factors affecting the oxidation process.

"We conducted a direct measurement of the partial pressure (the pressure of an individual component of the gas mixture) of oxygen in a series of meteorites. It turned out that the variations in the initial composition of the asteroid, that is, its inhomogeneity, as well as its complex structure caused by the cracks due to collisions with other bodies and their accretion, have a large effect on the oxygen pressure," said one of the authors of the paper Valentin Osadchii, postgraduate at the Department of Geology at Moscow State University.

The studied chondrites belonged to different chemical groups and were metamorphosed (varied by temperature and pressure) to different degrees.

Scientists were able to make direct measurements of the partial pressure of oxygen in ordinary chondrites using the electromotive force (EMF) method with solid electrolyte. In this method two systems are taken in one of which the pressure of the test substance, oxygen in this case, is known.

The Earth atmosphere was used as a comparison system in this study, since the partial pressure of oxygen in it is known. Regarding this pressure, the authors measured the pressure in the second vessel - in an ampoule with an electrolyte containing a sample of a meteorite substance, whose main minerals are native iron, olivine, and pyroxene. Olivine and pyroxene contain magnesium in variable amounts - they are so-called solid solutions with a variable chemical composition. Depending on the amount of magnesium the partial pressure of oxygen changes.

The measurement is as follows: two vessels containing oxygen are separated by a substance called an electrolyte. Its works as a membrane: if the oxygen pressure on one side is greater than on the other, the oxygen tries to pass through the membrane. It can happen only if the O 2 molecule turns into two O 2 - ions. Only these ions can pass through the membrane. At the same time, an electron will pass through a wire connecting the two vessels. If we connect a voltmeter to this wire, we will know the EMF of the process, or how much the electrons "want" to run from one vessel to another. This value is directly related to the difference in pressure in both vessels.

"Before this study, all researchers looked at the composition of the mineral, made a lot of measurements, averaged them, and then wrote down the chemical reaction according to the composition to get the oxygen pressure in the system. This was somewhat problematic, because there are other impurities in these minerals besides magnesium. In order to perform all the calculations correctly, one must have a lot of thermodynamic data which is not available yet. The key difference of our study is that we directly measure the partial pressure of oxygen, with no need to know the real composition inside the meteorite, and we know what the oxygen pressure was at the moment when all processes in the meteorite stopped," the scientist explained.

The scientists found out that the composition of the substance was almost homogeneous, which did not correspond to many theories. By the spread of the oxygen partial pressure they accessed the homogeneousness of the substance at the accretion stage.

"We concluded that even if there was oxidation, it was insignificant. That is, we can judge the amount of water in these bodies. Of course, we cannot draw some global conclusion about the origin of the Earth, because it was a rather narrow study, but nevertheless, it allows us to understand the conditions under which the planets were formed. By studying the spread of the oxygen partial pressure, we can understand how homogeneous the substance was at the accretion stage. According to our data, the composition of the substance of asteroids and protoplanets was fairly homogeneous, although there were theories that the substance was quite inhomogeneous," Valentin Osadchii concluded.

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The study was carried out in collaboration with scientists from the Institute of Experimental Mineralogy RAS and the University of Pennsylvania, USA.
HIV's pernicious persistence in human populations -- despite more than 25 years of heroic HIV research efforts --owes in part to its particular abilities to exploit its human hosts, constantly adapting and mutating to enhance its infectiousness and virulence.

Using a population of HIV-1 infected individuals (the 2014 Swiss HIV Cohort Study data), an international research team of 17 institutions, led by ETH Zurich's Roland Regoes of the Institute of Integrative Biology, has now examined all aspects of HIV virulence, with a particular focus on how it ravages the human immune system.

The study investigated the heritability of three different aspects of HIV virulence: set point viral load (SPVL; which measures the virus' ability to exploit the host by measuring the amount of HIV circulating in the blood), CD4+ T cell decline (which measures the damage caused by the virus), and CD4+ T cell decline relative to set point viral load (which measures the damage for a given level of exploitation, also called 'per pathogen pathogenicity' or PPP). Per-pathogen pathogenicity captures how virulent a viral strain is irrespective of its load in the infected individual.

They investigated if HIV virulence, measured by the rate of decline in CD4+ T cells, and PPP are heritable from donor to recipient and therefore not solely dependent on the environment of the virus population (i.e. the human host).

Using the Swiss Cohort donor-recipient pairs, and phylogenetic methods, they suggest that HIV virulence and its effect on the human immune system is heritable.

They found that the heritability of the decline of CD4+ T cells and per-pathogen pathogenicity is 17 percent.

"Our analysis shows that the viral genotype affects virulence mainly by modulating the per-parasite pathogenicity, while the indirect effect via the set-point viral load is minor," said lead author Roland Regoes.

With the results, Regoes, study first author Frederic Bertels et al. have brought important new insights into the role of HIV genotype in infection severity.

With a new understanding of the different facets of HIV virulence, the study will stimulate further research on HIV and other pathogens.

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Three scientists who led the development of the National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) have won the 2017 Nobel Prize in Physics for their work detecting gravitational waves -- ripples in space and time created by the motion of massive objects in the universe.

The discovery was made using the sensitive instruments of LIGO, in which NSF invested $1.1 billion. The first detection occurred in September 2015, confirming one prediction of Einsteins theory of general relativity, which he published more than 100 years ago, and led to the identification of large black hole binary systems.

LIGOs discoveries have opened an unparalleled window into our universe and expanded the boundaries of science. The National Science Foundation has supported the goal of detecting gravitational waves for four decades, said NSF Director France Cordova. Gravitational waves contain information about their explosive origins and the nature of gravity that cannot be obtained from other astronomical signals. These observations have created the new field of gravitational wave astronomy.

LIGO was originally proposed in the 1980s as a means for detecting gravitational waves. The project was led by Rainer Weiss, now professor emeritus of physics at MIT; Kip Thorne, now professor emeritus of theoretical physics at Caltech; and Ron Drever, who passed away in March. Barry Barish, now professor emeritus of physics at Caltech, joined the project in 1994 and later became the LIGO director. The Nobel Assembly has awarded the 2017 Nobel Prize in Physics jointly to Weiss, Thorne and Barish.

We are eagerly anticipating what we will see and learn about next because of these researchers vision, Cordova said. Like the rest of the scientific world and beyond, we congratulate these researchers and the members of the LIGO Scientific Collaboration for such a monumental scientific milestone.

LIGO is an example of risky but potentially revolutionary science funded by NSF, as it was one of the largest experiments NSF has ever funded. Funding supported construction and operational costs for the instrument, and research awards to individual scientists studying data obtained by LIGO. The facilities were designed, built and are operated by the many dedicated staff at Caltech and MIT as well as at the LIGO stations in Hanford, Washington and Livingston, Louisiana. The project has been supported since its inception by the National Science Board.

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The Case for Resource Sensitivity: Why It Is Ethical to Provide Cheaper, Less Effective Treatments in Global Health

Govind C. Persad and Ezekiel J. Emanuel

When Dr. Hortense screens her patients in Chicago for cervical dysplasia and cancer, she conducts a pelvic exam, takes a sample of cervical cells, and sends them for Pap cytology and human papilloma virus DNA co-testing. But when she conducts cervical cancer screening in Botswana, she uses a simpler, and less costly, diagnostic strategy. The difference in care between Chicago and Botswana presents an ethical dilemma in global health: is it ethically acceptable to provide some patients cheaper treatments that are less effective or more toxic than the treatments other patients receive? The authors argue that the answer is yes--when doing so is the most effective way of promoting health and realizing the ethical values of utility, equality, and priority to the worst off. Persad is an assistant professor at Johns Hopkins University. Emanuel is the vice provost for Global Initiatives at the University of Pennsylvania and a Hastings Center Fellow.

Other Voices: Richard Marlink writes that merely providing cheaper, less effective interventions is not a comprehensive approach to global health. Recounting his experience during the late-1990s AIDS crisis in Botswana, he argues that as time passes, dynamics evolve, and so should the response to a global health problem. Paul Ndebele, director of the Medical Research Council of Zimbabwe, proposes that instead of asking whether it is ethical to provide low-cost and less effective treatments, global health practitioners should ask what needs to be done to ensure that poor countries have access to more effective interventions.

Physician-Assisted Death and Severe, Treatment-Resistant Depression

Bonnie Steinbock

Should people suffering from untreatable psychiatric conditions be eligible for physician-assisted death, even if they are not terminally ill? This is legal in rare circumstances in Belgium and the Netherlands. Steinbock argues that although there are reasons not to offer physician-assisted death to patients with severe, treatment-resistant depression, ultimately the concerns about these patients' unbearable and irremediable suffering and their right to make their own medical decisions are more compelling. However, better information is needed about the benefits and harms before a change in public policy is warranted. Steinbock is a professor emeritus of philosophy at the University at Albany/State University of New York and a Hastings Center Fellow.

Charlie Gard and the Limits of Parental Authority

Arthur Caplan and Kelly McBride Folkers

Charlie Gard, an infant in London who suffered from a rare and incurable condition, was the subject of legal and political battles over the last year. His parents fought and lost a court directive to allow him access to experimental therapy that they hoped might prolong his life, despite the opinion of his clinicians that the treatment would be futile and prolong his suffering. "The case was much in the news, but it has also been frequently misunderstood," write the authors, particularly with regard to the limits of parental authority. Caplan is the Drs. William F. and Virginia Connolly Mitty professor of bioethics at the NYU School of Medicine and a Hastings Center Fellow. Folkers is a research associate at the Division of Medical Ethics at NYU School of Medicine.

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Also in this issue:

Contact Susan Gilbert, director of communications

The Hastings Center

845-424-4040 x244

gilberts@thehastingscenter.org
Rare benign tumors known as insulinomas contain a complicated wiring diagram for regeneration of insulin-producing human beta cells, which may hold the key to diabetes drug development, researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai report.

The study, titled "Insights into Beta Cell Regeneration for Diabetes via Integration of Molecular Landscapes in Human Insulinomas," was published in an online study today in Nature Communications.

With the help of an international group of investigators, the Mount Sinai team collected 38 human insulinomas -- rare pancreatic tumors that secrete too much insulin -- and analyzed their genomics and expression patterns.

"For the first time, we have a genomic recipe -- an actual wiring diagram in molecular terms that demonstrates how beta cells replicate," said Andrew Stewart, MD, Director of the Diabetes, Obesity, and Metabolism Institute at the Icahn School of Medicine and lead author of the study. Approximately 30 million people living in the United States have diabetes and nearly 50 to 80 million are living with prediabetes. Diabetes occurs when there are not enough beta cells in the pancreas, or when those beta cells secrete too little insulin, the hormone required to keep blood sugar levels in the normal range. Diabetes can lead to major medical complications: heart attack, stroke, kidney failure, blindness, and limb amputation.

Loss of insulin-producing beta cells has long been recognized as a cause of type 1 diabetes, in which the immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys beta cells. In recent years, researchers have concluded that a deficiency of functioning beta cells also contributes importantly to type 2 diabetes--the primary type that occurs in adults. Thus, developing drugs that can increase the number of healthy beta cells is a major priority in diabetes research.

"When you think of tumor genomics, you're thinking of breast cancer or colon cancer, leukemia, et cetera. No one is thinking of doing genomics on tumors that don't really kill people," said Dr. Stewart. "So the real innovation here is that we collected benign tumors that don't metastasize and don't cause great harm, and we're trying to use these benign tumors that have beta cell regeneration going on in them, as the only reasonable source of genomic information on how to make beta cells regenerate."

Knowing where to look is one thing, but in the era of big data, knowing how to look is very important, said Carmen Argmann, PhD, Associate Professor of Genetics and Genomic Sciences at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and co-author of the paper. "In this case, we looked at millions of data points collected in rare human insulinomas to try and find an answer to a common disease, diabetes. We then computationally created two molecular pictures from that data, one from the insulinoma and one for the normal beta cell, and identified the critical differences that will hopefully lead to new ways to expand beta cell mass in diabetes patients. We plan to explore clinical applications of these new findings in close collaboration with the team at Sema4, a company specializing in big data analytics for diagnostic development."

In 2015, Dr. Stewart and his team published a paper in Nature Medicine showing that the drug harmine drove the sustained division and multiplication of adult human beta cells in culture, a feat that had eluded the field for years. In addition, they also learned that harmine treatment tripled the number of beta cells and led to better control of blood sugar in three groups of mice engineered to mimic human diabetes.

According to Dr. Stewart, the results of the harmine study provided a large body of evidence demonstrating that the harmine drug class can make human beta cells proliferate at levels that may be relevant for diabetes treatment. The new results confirm that harmine is one pathway to beta cell regeneration but also suggest a number of new pathways that can be treated with novel diabetes drugs. "We are excited and gratified by these remarkable results, which reveal an extraordinary array of new and validated pathways for diabetes drug development," said Dennis S. Charney, MD, Anne and Joel Ehrenkranz Dean, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. "In a very short time, we have made terrific progress, and it is really a credit to the remarkably diverse areas of strength in biomedical research at Mount Sinai. It is truly an exciting set of discoveries for the field of diabetes."

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This work was supported by NIDDK grants UC4 DK104211 and P-30 DK 0205241. It was also supported by the New Jersey based Foundation for Diabetes Research and by the National Institute of Health.

Also making key research contributions were Huan Wang, PhD; Aaron S. Bender BA; Peng Wang, PhD; Esra Karakose, PhD; William B. Inabnet, MD; Donald K. Scott, PhD; Gustavo Fernandez-Ranvier, MD; Bojan Losic, PhD; Rong Chen, PhD; Yevgeniy Antipin MS; Luca Lambertini, PhD, Milind Mahajan, PhD; Yayoi Kinoshita, DDS; Michael J. Donovan, PhD, MD; Andrew Uzilov, PhD; Boris Reva, PhD; and Eric E. Schadt, PhD, from the Icahn Institute of Genomics and Multiscale Biology; the Diabetes, Obesity, and Metabolism Institute; the Department of Surgery; and the Department of Pathology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and Sema4. Additional investigators from around the United States, Europe, and China were instrumental in supporting the study.

About the Mount Sinai Health System

The Mount Sinai Health System is New York City's largest integrated delivery system encompassing seven hospital campuses, a leading medical school, and a vast network of ambulatory practices throughout the greater New York region. Mount Sinai's vision is to produce the safest care, the highest quality, the highest satisfaction, the best access and the best value of any health system in the nation. The System includes approximately 7,100 primary and specialty care physicians; 10 joint-venture ambulatory surgery centers; more than 140 ambulatory practices throughout the five boroughs of New York City, Westchester, Long Island, and Florida; and 31 affiliated community health centers. Physicians are affiliated with the renowned Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, which is ranked among the highest in the nation in National Institutes of Health funding per investigator. The Mount Sinai Hospital is ranked No. 18 on U.S. News & World Report's "Honor Roll" of top U.S. hospitals; it is one of the nation's top 20 hospitals in Cardiology/Heart Surgery, Diabetes/Endocrinology, Gastroenterology/GI Surgery, Geriatrics, Nephrology, and Neurology/Neurosurgery, and in the top 50 in four other specialties in the 2017-2018 "Best Hospitals" issue. Mount Sinai's Kravis Children's Hospital also is ranked in six out of ten pediatric specialties by U.S. News & World Report. The New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai is ranked 12th nationally for Ophthalmology and 50th for Ear, Nose, and Throat, while Mount Sinai Beth Israel, Mount Sinai St. Luke's and Mount Sinai West are ranked regionally. For more information, visit http://www.mountsinai.org/, or find Mount Sinai on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

About Sema4

Sema4 is a next generation health information company, spun out of the Mount Sinai Health System, that provides advanced genomic testing and merges big data analytics with clinical diagnostics. Our team is creating practical tools that help patients, clinicians, and researchers better diagnose, treat, and prevent disease.

Sema4 is constructing a more comprehensive picture of health by combining a wealth of clinical experience that informs the answers that patients and providers are seeking, the world-class academic research that illuminates new directions, and the pioneering information science that puts all the pieces together.

For more information, please visit sema4genomics.com and connect with Sema4 on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
Scientists have found a way of mimicking our body's natural healing process, using cell derived nano-sized particles called vesicles, to repair damaged tissue.

The paper, published in Scientific Reports, describes a new approach to bone regeneration; stimulating cells to produce vesicles which can then be delivered to facilitate tissue regeneration.

The research team, led by the University of Birmingham, believe that the findings mark the first step in a new direction for tissue regeneration with the potential to help repair bone, teeth and cartilage.

Fracture numbers are expected to double by 2020, putting tremendous strain on healthcare-systems worldwide. Osteoporosis-fragility fractures alone represent a cost of 1.5 billion to the NHS, and for individuals it can have a detrimental impact on quality of life.

Current approaches have significant limitations; autologous grafts cannot meet demand and cause patient morbidity, allogeneic bone lacks bioactive factors, and growth factor-based approaches (e.g. BMP-2) may have serious side-effects and high costs.

Consequently, there is a considerable need to devise new methods for the generation of large volumes of bone without associated patient morbidity.

In recent years, attention has been focused on cell-based approaches. However, translation is frequently prevented by insurmountable regulatory, ethical and economic issues.

This novel solution delivers all the advantages of cell-based therapies but without using viable cells, by harnessing the regenerative capacity of nano-sized particles called extracellular vesicles that are naturally generated during bone formation.

Excitingly, the team have shown in-vitro that if extracellular vesicles are applied in combination with a simple phosphate the therapy outperforms the current gold standard, BMP-2.

Dr Sophie Cox, from the School of Chemical Engineering at the University of Birmingham, explained, "Though we can never fully mimic the complexity of vesicles produced by cells in nature, this work describes a new pathway harnessing natural developmental processes to facilitate hard tissue repair."

Dr Owen Davies, EPSRC E-TERM Landscape Fellow at the University of Birmingham and Loughborough University, added, "It is early days, but the potential is there for this to transform the way we approach tissue repair. We're now looking to produce these therapeutically valuable particles at scale and also examine their capacity to regenerate other tissues.".

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The team includes researchers from the University of Loughborough and University College Dublin, and was funded by an EPSRC E-TERM Landscape Fellowship (Dr Davies), MRC Confidence in Concept grant (Dr Davies and Dr Cox) and the School of Chemical Engineering at the University of Birmingham.
Scientists at the University of California, Berkeley, have engineered a new way to deliver CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing technology inside cells and have demonstrated in mice that the technology can repair the mutation that causes Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a severe muscle-wasting disease. A new study shows that a single injection of CRISPR-Gold, as the new delivery system is called, into mice with Duchenne muscular dystrophy led to an 18-times-higher correction rate and a two-fold increase in a strength and agility test compared to control groups.

Since 2012, when study co-author Jennifer Doudna, a professor of molecular and cell biology and of chemistry at UC Berkeley, and colleague Emmanuelle Charpentier, of the Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, repurposed the Cas9 protein to create a cheap, precise and easy-to-use gene editor, researchers have hoped that therapies based on CRISPR-Cas9 would one day revolutionize the treatment of genetic diseases. Yet developing treatments for genetic diseases remains a big challenge in medicine. This is because most genetic diseases can be cured only if the disease-causing gene mutation is corrected back to the normal sequence, and this is impossible to do with conventional therapeutics.

CRISPR/Cas9, however, can correct gene mutations by cutting the mutated DNA and triggering homology-directed DNA repair. However, strategies for safely delivering the necessary components (Cas9, guide RNA that directs Cas9 to a specific gene, and donor DNA) into cells need to be developed before the potential of CRISPR-Cas9-based therapeutics can be realized. A common technique to deliver CRISPR-Cas9 into cells employs viruses, but that technique has a number of complications. CRISPR-Gold does not need viruses.

In the new study, research lead by the laboratories of Berkeley bioengineering professors Niren Murthy and Irina Conboy demonstrated that their novel approach, called CRISPR-Gold because gold nanoparticles are a key component, can deliver Cas9 - the protein that binds and cuts DNA - along with guide RNA and donor DNA into the cells of a living organism to fix a gene mutation.

"CRISPR-Gold is the first example of a delivery vehicle that can deliver all of the CRISPR components needed to correct gene mutations, without the use of viruses," Murthy said.

The study was published Oct. 2 in the journal Nature Biomedical Engineering.

CRISPR-Gold repairs DNA mutations through a process called homology-directed repair. Scientists have struggled to develop homology-directed repair-based therapeutics because they require activity at the same place and time as Cas9 protein, an RNA guide that recognizes the mutation and donor DNA to correct the mutation.

To overcome these challenges, the Berkeley scientists invented a delivery vessel that binds all of these components together, and then releases them when the vessel is inside a wide variety of cell types, triggering homology directed repair. CRISPR-Gold's gold nanoparticles coat the donor DNA and also bind Cas9. When injected into mice, their cells recognize a marker in CRISPR-Gold and then import the delivery vessel. Then, through a series of cellular mechanisms, CRISPR-Gold is released into the cells' cytoplasm and breaks apart, rapidly releasing Cas9 and donor DNA.

A single injection of CRISPR-Gold into muscle tissue of mice that model Duchenne muscular dystrophy restored 5.4 percent of the dystrophin gene, which causes the disease, to the wild- type, or normal, sequence. This correction rate was approximately 18 times higher than in mice treated with Cas9 and donor DNA by themselves, which experienced only a 0.3 percent correction rate.

Importantly, the study authors note, CRISPR-Gold faithfully restored the normal sequence of dystrophin, which is a significant improvement over previously published approaches that only removed the faulty part of the gene, making it shorter and converting one disease into another, milder disease.

CRISPR-Gold was also able to reduce tissue fibrosis - the hallmark of diseases where muscles do not function properly - and enhanced strength and agility in mice with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. CRISPR-Gold-treated mice showed a two-fold increase in hanging time in a common test for mouse strength and agility, compared to mice injected with a control.

"These experiments suggest that it will be possible to develop non-viral CRISPR therapeutics that can safely correct gene mutations, via the process of homology-directed repair, by simply developing nanoparticles that can simultaneously encapsulate all of the CRISPR components," Murthy said.

The study found that CRISPR-Gold's approach to Cas9 protein delivery is safer than viral delivery of CRISPR, which, in addition to toxicity, amplifies the side effects of Cas9 through continuous expression of this DNA-cutting enzyme. When the research team tested CRISPR-Gold's gene-editing capability in mice, they found that CRISPR-Gold efficiently corrected the DNA mutation that causes Duchenne muscular dystrophy, with minimal collateral DNA damage.

The researchers quantified CRISPR-Gold's off-target DNA damage and found damage levels similar to that of a typical DNA sequencing error in a typical cell that was not exposed to CRISPR (0.005 - 0.2 percent). To test for possible immunogenicity, the blood stream cytokine profiles of mice were analyzed 24 hours and two weeks after the CRISPR-Gold injection. CRISPR-Gold did not cause an acute up-regulation of inflammatory cytokines in plasma, after multiple injections, or weight loss, suggesting that CRISPR-Gold can be used multiple times safely, and that it has a high therapeutic window for gene editing in muscle tissue.

"CRISPR-Gold and, more broadly, CRISPR-nanoparticles open a new way for safer, accurately controlled delivery of gene-editing tools," Conboy said. "Ultimately, these techniques could be developed into a new medicine for Duchenne muscular dystrophy and a number of other genetic diseases."

A clinical trial will be needed to discern whether CRISPR-Gold is an effective treatment for genetic diseases in humans. Study co-authors Kunwoo Lee and Hyo Min Park have formed a start-up company, GenEdit (Murthy has an ownership stake in GenEdit), which is focused on translating the CRISPR-Gold technology into humans. The labs of Murthy and Conboy are also working on the next generation of particles that can deliver CRISPR into tissues from the blood stream and would preferentially target adult stem cells, which are considered the best targets for gene correction because stem and progenitor cells are capable of gene editing, self-renewal and differentiation.

"Genetic diseases cause devastating levels of mortality and morbidity, and new strategies for treating them are greatly needed," Murthy said. "CRISPR-Gold was able to correct disease-causing gene mutations in vivo, via the non-viral delivery of Cas9 protein, guide RNA and donor DNA, and therefore has the potential to develop into a therapeutic for treating genetic diseases."

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The study was funded by the National Institutes of Health, the W.M. Keck Foundation, the Moore Foundation, the Li Ka Shing Foundation, Calico, Packer, Roger's and SENS, and the Center of Innovation (COI) Program of the Japan Science and Technology Agency.
URBANA, Ill. - When a field of soybeans is ready to harvest, speed is of the essence. But harvesting grinds to a halt every time the combine operator has to climb down out of the cab to manually check for quality -- whole, un-split beans without stray husk material. Researchers from Kyoto University and University of Illinois recently developed a machine to automate the process, evaluating bean quality on the fly, so harvesting can go on uninterrupted.

"The main objective was to develop an efficient, compact, on-board quality-monitoring system to evaluate soybeans as they are harvested, providing the combine operator with real-time grain quality information," says Md Abdul Momin, lead scientist on the project.

Momin explains that when the threshing speed is too high, the soybeans split or break as they are harvested. This is undesirable because whole beans are considered to be higher quality and bring a higher price.

"Without this machine, operators need to periodically stop threshing and manually check the tank to evaluate the quality and make adjustments," Momin says. "With this machine, operators can look at a screen and make adjustments as they go, without stopping."

The machine, which includes a high-speed camera, is mounted inside the tank of the harvester. It takes images of the beans as they pass by and a computer program analyzes the beans in real time. One key is that it is a double-imaging system. It uses a combination of both front and back lighting so the camera can see the complete shape of the beans, making it possible to identify those that are truly split.

Momin tested the system first in the laboratory and then in field conditions. The prototype is currently in the hands of a Japanese company that is working to develop a higher-speed camera and ultimately to produce the machine.

"The same system can be used in the processing industry with a $100 web camera, making it very affordable," Momin says. "Mounting it inside of the combine is more ambitious because it needs a super high-speed camera to evaluate the soybeans as they pass rapidly by."Momin says soybean growers in Japan are eager to use this new technology to evaluate beans during the harvest. They believe it will improve the process by doing much of the sorting and cleaning of the soybeans before they reach the processing plant.

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The study, "Machine vision based soybean quality evaluation," is published in Computers and Electronics in Agriculture. The research was conducted by Md Abdul Momin, Kazuya Yamamoto, Munenori Miyamoto, Naoshi Kondo, and Tony Grift.

Financial support and field experiment facilities were provided by the Yanmar Co. Ltd. in Okayama, Japan. A patent has been awarded as well.

Md Abdul Momin is a postdoctoral research associate in the Institute for Genomic Biology at U of I. Tony Grift is an associate professor in the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering in the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences at the University of Illinois.
MIAMI -- Authorities now have a new tool to find the likely source of heroin, potentially opening new avenues to disrupt the nation's opioid crisis.

In a collaborative effort, researchers at the FIU International Forensic Research Institute (IFRI) and the University of Miami (UM) Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science have zeroed in on a unique component of heroin that could help zero in on the locations of origin for individual batches.

"The DEA wanted to know specifically whether elemental analysis could determine where heroin was coming from," said Joshua DeBord, a chemistry Ph.D. student at FIU who is a co-author of the recent study validating the effectiveness of the new method. "It's helpful for them to develop intelligence from heroin that is seized."

Heroin is one part of the opioid epidemic gripping the nation, claiming almost 13,000 lives in 2015, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. There are four regions around the globe known for producing heroin - Mexico, South America, Southeast Asia, and Southwest Asia. If drug enforcement agents can determine where heroin entering the United States is manufactured, they can better target domestic and foreign law enforcement efforts.

Although the DEA has a signature program that is very advanced, the new work, conducted at IFRI and the UM Rosenstiel School provides an additional tool not previously available.

Examining heroin's chemical structure provides clues to the manufacturing process used to turn opium poppies to heroin, but if manufacturers from different regions adopt similar processes, it's harder to tell where a sample came from. What researchers needed was something unique in the heroin itself. Something the typical manufacturer wouldn't know to look for or care to mask. They zeroed in on the ratio of radiogenic strontium isotopes, which are naturally occurring in bedrock. Strontium isotopes can be found in different ratios among geographic regions depending upon the nature of geologic formation.

Using heroin samples of known geographic origin provided to them by the DEA, researchers were able to measure ratios of strontium isotopes in samples known to come from the four distinct regions where heroin is typically made.

"We developed robust analytical methods to measure trace elements in the heroin powder at very low levels as well as measure strontium ratios" said IFRI director Jose Almirall, the principal investigator of the study from FIU. "We demonstrated, for the first time, that strontium can be used as a chemical marker for geography and geology to differentiate heroin samples from different geographic regions."

"I am very excited to see the potential for a powerful new wrench in our toolbox for geochemical fingerprinting of heroin and other opioids," said Ali Pourmand, the principal investigator on the study from the UM Rosenstiel School, Department of Marine Geosciences. "Isotope geochemists traditionally use Strontium (Sr) isotopes to track the evolution of Earth's mantle and crustal rocks, and its oceans. In recent years, novel applications have emerged in the food and wine industries by using Sr isotopes to track the link between geology and what grows, is produced, and consumed above it. Our study pushes this new frontier to tracking the sources of heroin."

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The study titled "Profiling of heroin and assignment of provenance by 87Sr/86Sr isotope ratio analysis" was published online in the journal Inorganica Chimica Acta August 1, 2017. Funding for the study was provided by the Technical Support Working Group and Counter-Terrorism Technical Support Office [TSWG Task IS-FI-4174].

About the University of Miami's Rosenstiel School

The University of Miami is one of the largest private research institutions in the southeastern United States. The University's mission is to provide quality education, attract and retain outstanding students, support the faculty and their research, and build an endowment for University initiatives. Founded in the 1940's, the Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Science has grown into one of the world's premier marine and atmospheric research institutions. Offering dynamic interdisciplinary academics, the Rosenstiel School is dedicated to helping communities to better understand the planet, participating in the establishment of environmental policies, and aiding in the improvement of society and quality of life. For more information, visit: http://www.rsmas.miami.edu.
Tuesday October 3, 2017 - Oxford, United Kingdom: An international research collaboration has shed light on the impact that grass-fed animals have on climate change. Its new study adds clarity to the debate around livestock farming and meat and dairy consumption.

The newly published report dissects claims made by different stakeholders in the debate about so called 'grass-fed' beef, the greenhouse gases the animals emit, and the possibility that, through their grazing actions, they can help remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. It evaluates these claims and counterclaims against the best available science, providing an authoritative and evidence-based answer to the question: Is grass-fed beef good or bad for the climate?

"Grazed and Confused? Ruminating on cattle, grazing systems, methane, nitrous oxide, the soil carbon sequestration question - and what it all means for greenhouse gas emissions" is written by Dr Tara Garnett of the Food Climate Research Network at the University of Oxford, Cecile Godde at Australia's national science agency the CSIRO and a team of international experts. The report finds that while grazing of grass-fed animals can boost the sequestration of carbon in some locally specific circumstances, that effect is time-limited, reversible, and at the global level, substantially outweighed by the greenhouse gas emissions they generate.

Lead author Dr Tara Garnett explains the key takeaways from this report: "This report concludes that grass-fed livestock are not a climate solution. Grazing livestock are net contributors to the climate problem, as are all livestock. Rising animal production and consumption, whatever the farming system and animal type, is causing damaging greenhouse gas release and contributing to changes in land use. Ultimately, if high consuming individuals and countries want to do something positive for the climate, maintaining their current consumption levels but simply switching to grass-fed beef is not a solution. Eating less meat, of all types, is."

Published just ahead of the COP23 meeting in Bonn, the report places emphasis on the need to consider animal production and meat consumption, if we are to reach the climate goal of a 2-degree warming limit. More than laying out the bones of the grass-fed grazing dispute, the report also helps fill the knowledge gaps about emissions and sequestration, and aims to provide more nuance to the debate.

The report reflects two years of close collaboration between researchers at the Universities of Oxford, Aberdeen and Cambridge in the UK; Wageningen University & Research in the Netherlands; the Swedish Agricultural University; CSIRO in Australia and the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL) in Switzerland. It is aimed at policy makers, the food industry, civil society and all those concerned with the future of land use, climate change, and the role of livestock in a sustainable food future.

Lead author Cecile Godde explains the focus on climate and the significance of these questions for the overall debate on land use and environmental sustainability: "'The big question' that needs answering is whether farmed animals fit in a sustainable food system, and if so, which farming systems and species are to be preferred. Of course, there are many dimensions to sustainability and this report only considers one of them - the climate question. But the climate question alone is important to explore and in doing so, this report takes us a step further towards understanding what a sustainable food system looks like."

Dr Tara Garnett adds: "When thinking about different livestock production systems there are many important aspects to consider: people's livelihoods and jobs, animal welfare, biodiversity, nutrition and food security and more. Grazing systems and grass-fed beef may offer benefits in these respects, benefits that will vary by context. But when it comes to climate change, people shouldn't assume that their grass-fed steak is a climate change-free lunch. It isn't."

Background

By now, most people are aware that our consumption and production of meat and dairy is a major contributor to climate change. The livestock sector as a whole is responsible for 14.5% of global human-related GHG emissions, making our increasing demand for meat and dairy foods extremely problematic if we are to limit global warming to below the internationally agreed goal of 2-degrees. However, both consumers and policymakers have a much looser grasp on the differences in climate impact between different types of livestock. A major source of confusion and debate is about the impact of "grass-fed" beef relative to other types of meat. Is grass-fed beef a climate villain or could it in fact, as some argue, be a climate saviour?

While scientific studies generally find that cattle and other ruminants are a source of many of our environmental and climate woes, and that grass-fed livestock are worst in terms of meat or milk output per unit of GHG emitted, an increasingly vocal opposition to this view can be heard. These stakeholders argue that the while ruminants emit GHGs, the lands these animals graze on also contain large stores of carbon; and crucially, that animals' grazing actions help reduce carbon dioxide emissions through 'soil carbon sequestration'. Inspired by ideas about 'holistic grazing management' put forward by among others, Allan Savory, some advocates of grass-fed systems even argue that if you graze cattle right, this carbon sequestration can offset all other emissions from ruminants, and in doing so solve our climate problems.

Findings

1. The potential contribution of grazing ruminants to soil carbon sequestration is small, time-limited, reversible and substantially outweighed by the greenhouse gas emissions they generate. The ambitious claims made by advocates of grass-fed livestock about grazing as a significant mitigation opportunity are thus unfounded. While grazing livestock have a beneficial role to play in some contexts, and better management of grazing is a worthwhile objective, when it comes to climate mitigation, its potential contribution is minor. Ruminants (in both grazing and other production systems) contribute 80% of total livestock emissions - which itself totals 14.5% of human related GHGs.

Grazing management could potentially, and under very generous assumptions, offset between 20-60% of annual average emissions from the grass-fed only sector, 4-11% of total livestock emissions and between 0.6 and 1.6% of total annual human made emissions, to which of course grass-fed and other livestock contribute.

2. Rising animal production and consumption - of all kinds and in all systems - risks driving damaging changes in land use and associated GHG release. Grazing livestock produce only a fraction of global protein supply. Spread out across the globe, 1 g of protein/person/day comes from solely grass-fed animals, as compared to 32 g/person/day coming from all animal sources (Including fish), and 49 g/person/day from plant sources.

When it comes to land use, however, ruminants collectively use about a 1/4 of the earth's useable surface. Even if exaggerated claims about carbon sequestration were true, it is simply not possible to carry on eating as much meat and dairy as trends indicate and obtain it through grass-fed systems alone (even with the additional feeding of agricultural by-products and food waste) - without incurring devastating land use change. Increasing grass-fed ruminant numbers is therefore a self-defeating climate strategy, as any sequestration is offset by emissions. Looking at the maximum allowable emissions space from all sources in 2050, consistent with the 2-degree target laid out in the Paris Climate Agreement, it is clear that with unaltered demand projections for animal products, 1/3 of the total 'allowable' emissions space will be taken up by livestock.

So, if grass-fed livestock are not a solution to ruminant emissions - could switching global meat consumption from ruminants to other species, such as chickens and pigs, be? It turns out this is not a cost-free strategy either. Rapidly growing increases in primarily intensively produced pork, poultry meat and eggs, together with intensively produced beef and milk, is driving demand for new cropland to grow feed crops. This places pressure on existing land and drives the clearance of ecosystems for new farmland. Importantly, intensive animal production systems are associated with other concerns, such antibiotic resistance and animal welfare, not explored in this report.

3. The overall impact of grazing livestock on climate change depends on the net balance of all emissions and all removals. Efforts to sequester carbon, and also to reduce methane, carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide emissions may not always align. There will be trade-offs, often highly context specific. Leaving aside any scope for sequestration from grazing, we need to halt the ongoing degradation and conversion of grasslands to croplands, to avoid losing the huge carbon stocks already stored in grasslands worldwide.

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Notes to Editors:

Download the report: http://bit.ly/2xztwmt

Read the press-release: http://bit.ly/2xztwmt

Share your thoughts using #GrazedandConfused

* Food Climate Research Network: The FCRN is based at the University of Oxford and is part of the Environmental Change Institute's Food Systems Group and the Oxford Martin Programme on the Future of Food.

* Full citation: Garnett T, Godde C, Muller A, Roos E, Smith P, de Boer IJM, Ermgassen E, Herrero M, van Middelaar C, Schader C and van Zanten H (2017). Grazed and confused? Ruminating on cattle, grazing systems, methane, nitrous oxide, the soil carbon sequestration question. Food Climate Research Network, University of Oxford http://www.fcrn.org.uk

* Contact and interview request with lead author Dr Tara Garnett: Get in touch with Marie Persson, FCRN. Email: mariepersson@fcrn.org.uk Mob: +46730579099 Skype: Marie.Persson3

* Download the report, summary, co-author biographies, infographic, high resolution images and social media kit here. See a webinar explaining the main findings here. Twitter: @FCRNetwork #GrazedandConfused
Study with zebrafish finds that transmitted microbes will lead to similar microbiomes and a selection process for some microbes

EUGENE, Ore. -- Oct. 3, 2017 -- In a special experiment, zebrafish with defective immune systems swam and dined with counterparts with normal immune systems. In short order, their gut microbiomes became similar.

The experiment at the University of Oregon was designed to test, at a fundamental level, the impact of microbial dispersal among individuals with different microbiomes.

The eight-member team concluded "that inter-host dispersal can alter the diversity and composition of microbial communities and overwhelm the effects of the host's innate immune system." The findings, the team wrote, "suggest that dispersal is an important mechanism driving microbiome variation."

The study was published Oct. 2 in the online early edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

"We have long known that diseases can be caused by the movement of microbes between individuals, but the microbiome has rarely been approached this way," said microbiologist Brendan Bohannan, a professor of biology and member of the UO Institute of Ecology and Evolution. "We were curious if the transmission of microbes is enough to explain the variation that we see in the microbiome composition among individual fish."

The National Institutes of Health-supported research was done in the UO's META Center for Systems Biology. META refers to microbial ecology and theory of animals. The center studies how host-microbe systems work and how that knowledge may advance human health.

For the study, the researchers created a line of zebrafish with defective immune systems by inserting a mutation into a gene required for development of an important component of the immune system.

The fish were maintained under three conditions: individual fish housed alone with no exposure to others; fish cohoused in groups of either immune-compromised members or wild-type individuals; or mixed groups of fish with both immune-compromised and wild-type individuals together. After 21 days, researchers examined the microbial communities in each fish's intestines and those associated with their food and the surrounding water.

The team, led by doctoral student Adam R. Burns, now a postdoctoral researcher at Stanford University, compared what they found in the fish with predictions from computer modeling of microbial dynamics performed by co-author Elizabeth Miller of the META Center for Systems Biology.

Raised separately, Bohannan said, the immune-compromised and the wild-type fish had markedly different microbes in their guts.

"For those raised in a mixed community, their gut composition converged as their microbes were shared," he said. "Most surprisingly, the fish raised in groups of the same kind -- immune-defective or immune-competent -- also had gut communities similar to those raised in mixed groups. This result suggests that the movement of microbes does more than just mix microbes between different fish, but it also selects for particular microbes that are especially good at moving from fish to fish."

While the study looked only at the ability of fish to exchange microbes, it suggests that microbiome variation among different people might also be due to the movement of microbes, and that when people come together for a class or a meeting, for example, they may depart with a microbiome that is somewhat different than when they entered, Bohannan said.

Researchers at the UO and elsewhere had previously suggested that shared environmental spaces could lead to the sharing of microbes, he said. "Those studies, however, couldn't rule out other explanations for the similarities that emerged. For example, in our previous studies of the built environment, we never showed it worked as a means of transmission; it showed that there were enough human-related microbes to make it possible."

###

The paper's co-authors with Bohannan, Burns and Miller were: Meghna Agarwal, an undergraduate lab assistant in the UO Institute of Molecular Biology who graduated in 2016; former UO postdoctoral researcher Annah Rolig, now a research associate at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland; former UO postdoctoral researcher Kathryn Milligan-Myhre, now at the University of Alaska, Anchorage; Steve Seredick, a postdoctoral researcher in the UO Institute of Neuroscience; and Karen Guillemin, a professor of biology and director of the UO META Center for Systems Biology.

NIH grants GM095385, GM098911 and HD22486 supported the project.

Source: Brendan Bohannan, professor of biology and environmental studies, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, 541-346-4883, bohannan@uoregon.edu

Note: The UO is equipped with an on-campus television studio with a point-of-origin Vyvx connection, which provides broadcast-quality video to networks worldwide via fiber optic network. There also is video access to satellite uplink and audio access to an ISDN codec for broadcast-quality radio interviews.

Links:

Paper: http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2017/09/27/1702511114.abstract

About Bohannan: http://pages.uoregon.edu/bohannanlab/

UO Department of Biology: https://biology.uoregon.edu/

UO Institute of Ecology and Evolution: https://ie2.uoregon.edu/

META Center for Systems Biology: http://meta.uoregon.edu/
An international research team, including astronomers from the University of Portsmouth, has revealed evidence of dynamical dark energy.

The discovery, recently published in the journal Nature Astronomy, found that the nature of dark energy may not be the cosmological constant introduced by Albert Einstein 100 years ago, which is crucial for the study of dark energy.

Lead author of the study Professor Gong-Bo Zhao, from the Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation (ICG) at the University of Portsmouth and the National Astronomical Observatories of China (NAOC), said: "We are excited to see that current observations are able to probe the dynamics of dark energy at this level, and we hope that future observations will confirm what we see today."

Co-author Professor Bob Nichol, Director of the ICG, said: "Since its discovery at the end of last century, dark energy has been a riddle wrapped in an enigma. We are all desperate to gain some greater insight into its characteristics and origin. Such work helps us make progress in solving this 21st Century mystery."

Revealing the nature of dark energy is one of key goals of modern sciences. The physical property of dark energy is represented by its Equation of State (EoS), which is the ratio of pressure and energy density of dark energy.

In the traditional Lambda-Cold Dark Matter (LCDM) model, dark energy is essentially the cosmological constant, i.e., the vacuum energy, with a constant EoS of -1. In this model, dark energy has no dynamical features.

In 2016, a team within the SDSS-III (BOSS) collaboration led by Professor Zhao performed a successful measurement of the Baryonic Acoustic Oscillations (BAO) at multiple cosmic epochs with a high precision.

Based on this measurement and a method developed by Professor Zhao for dark energy studies, the team found an evidence of dynamical dark energy at a significance level of 3.5 sigma. This suggests that the nature of dark energy may not be the vacuum energy, but some kind of dynamical field, especially for the quintom model of dark energy whose EoS varies with time and crosses the -1 boundary during evolution, according to NAOC.

The dynamics of dark energy needs to be confirmed by next-generation astronomical surveys. The team points to the upcoming Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) survey, which aims to begin creating a 3D cosmic map in 2018.

In the next five to ten years, the world largest galaxy surveys will provide observables which may be key to unveil the mystery of dark energy.

The new study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC), Chinese Academy of Sciences and a Royal Society Newton Advanced Fellowship.

Professor Nichol added: "This work is the culmination of many years of work in collaboration between scientists in China and the UK. Gong-Bo is one of our brightest stars holding a joint position between NAOC and here at the ICG."

###
Rate of emerging discoveries was outpacing the terms to describe them

To keep pace with the fast-evolving study of cellular plant science, an international team of researchers has created terminology and definitions likely to become everyday language in laboratories and university classrooms worldwide.

Directed by plant cell biologist Andrei Smertenko of Washington State University, the group of 22 scientists developed a glossary of terms that puts scientists -- ranging from plant biologists and botanists to biochemists -- on the same page.

In a current article published in the journal Trends in Cell Biology, the authors put forth a lexicon that identifies certain structures and processes associated with the last phase of cell division in plants, called cytokinesis.

The rate of emerging ideas and insights related to cytokinesis was outpacing the language to convey them, said Smertenko.

"Certain cytokenetic structures and processes were being referred to by different words and with slightly different definitions. This was generating confusion among experts and students alike," he said.

Cytokinesis occurs when the parent cell builds a wall that separates the two daughter cells. Until now, no uniform vocabulary existed for the phragmoplast stage, when a scaffold-like structure forms to support construction of that wall, known as the cell plate.

"To foster further research in the field and ensure that students are taught correctly, we came up with exact words to convey precise meanings," Smertenko explained.

One of those words is "disk phragmoplast," which scientists had been calling by at least three different terms, he said.

The paper's authors, from countries including the United States, the Czech Republic, Greece and Japan, reached a consensus on 34 terms and definitions by exchanging numerous emails and talking by phone.

"We had long discussions with some heated debates. When you work on something so closely and get used to calling it by a certain term, letting go can be hard," Smertenko said.

A deeper understanding of cytokinesis could accelerate the breeding process in trees for production of materials that would substitute oil and natural gas. This approach would also reduce mounting pressure on existing natural forests and reduce carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere.

###
"Intra-day pivot support lies at 0.8830/20, while over we remain biased for an extension towards 0.8950-0.9050. Further conviction comes from a break of the 0.8900 region. A slide back through 0.8820 would risk a re-test of the 0.8750-0.8690 key short-term support region. Medium term, we are back to mid-range (0.8250-0.9415) and in such regions price action usually becomes very choppy." Lloyds October, 4

After relinquishing some of Mondays gains overnight the Euro to pound exchange rate surged once again on Tuesday morning as currency investors reacted poorly to an unexpected decline in the UKs construction sector.

Pound (GBP) Weakened by Contraction in Construction Sector

Sterling plummeted again this morning as the UKs construction sector reported a sharp decline in activity last month.

According to data published by IHS Markit, the UKs construction PMI tumbled from 51.1 to 48.1 in September, falling well below expectations of a more modest decline to 51.0 and reaching its lowest levels in over a year.

Perhaps most significantly however was that the index fell below 50, the boundary which separates growth from contraction.

The accompanying report largely attributed the contraction to the growing political and economic uncertainty that surrounds Brexit, with fewer new construction projects as both consumers and businesses avoid making any major investments into the UK when its future relationship with the EU is still so unclear.

Richard Threlfall, head of infrastructure, building and construction at KPMG said, This reading is significantly worse than expected and shows that economic uncertainty continues to have a serious impact on the construction industry. Construction is an economic bellwether, so the concern will spread well beyond the sector.

With Septembers manufacturing PMI also underwhelming investors yesterday markets are likely to become increasingly concerned that a decline in economic activity last month will have hampered the UKs growth prospects in the third quarter.

Meanwhile also weakening Sterling sentiment today were concerns about a rift in the Conservatives as its members meets for the party conference this week.

The main fear amongst investors is that Theresa May position is being undermined by her own cabinet, with Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson in particular appearing to rock the boat by offering his own vision for Brexit, a move many suggest is in preparation of a leadership challenge against May.

Euro (EUR) Remains Unsettled by Catalonia Referendum

The Euro advance today have been tempered somewhat by ongoing concerns in the wake of Catalonias independence referendum over the weekend.

Investors have increasingly shunned the Euro in favour of other currencies this week as in an a vote marred by violence and declared illegal by both the Spanish government and the EU Catalonian authorities claim that 90% of voters were in favour of seceding from the rest of Spain.

Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont said, With this day of hope and suffering, the citizens of Catalonia have won the right to an independent state in the form of a republic.

The wealthy autonomous region has become increasingly vocal in recent years about separating from the rest of Spain and while only roughly 45% of the population were reportedly in favour of such a move, the aggressive reaction of police attempting to block the vote on Sunday has led to increased international support for the independence movement.

The European parliament will meet for a special debate on the subject on Wednesday however which may help to alleviate some market concerns.

EUR GBP Forecast: UKs Services PMI to also Fall in September

Looking ahead the EUR GBP exchange rate may continue to push high on Wednesday as the UK rounds off Septembers PMI data with the release of its services index.

While economists forecast that the PMI will have held at 53.2 last month the lacklustre manufacturing and construction has investors increasing worried that activity in the UKs single largest wealth generation sector will have slowed last month as well.

Meanwhile the potential for the Euro to advance may be aided by tomorrow by the publishing of the Eurozones latest retail sales figures as analysts predict that sales will have rebounded from a 0.3% contraction in August.
MALAYSIA The cause of the death of the estranged half brother of North Koreas leader dominated the second day of the trial of two women accused of killing him at a busy airport terminal in Malaysia. Siti Aisyah of Indonesia and Doan Thi Huong of Vietnam have pleaded not guilty to charges they smeared the nerve agent VX on Kims face.

PHILIPPINES Suspected communist rebels staged an attack on a police car in the central Philippines yesterday and two Swedish citizens and their driver in a passing van were wounded in the crossfire, police said.

THAILAND Police said yesterday they are seeking an international request for the arrest of former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, who is believed to be in England after fleeing to Dubai to evade a prison sentence.

MYANMAR A group of 20 foreign diplomats who visited Myanmars Rakhine state, where half a million ethnic Rohingya Muslims fled recent violence, have urged the government to allow access by humanitarian groups and by a United Nations fact-finding mission to investigate allegations of human rights violations.

NEPAL A 3-year-old girl has become Nepals new living goddess, revered by both Hindus and Buddhists in the Himalayan nation. Trishna Shakya was carried in a religious ceremony to a temple palace in the heart of the Nepalese capital where she is to live until just before puberty.

INDIA A group of rebels fighting Indian rule stormed a paramilitary camp near the airport in disputed Kashmir yesterday, in a brazen attack targeting one of the regions most strategic and well-guarded zones that left at least four dead. Police said the militants breached multiple layers of high security.

GREECE Police announced they have arrested eight migrant traffickers who reportedly smuggled 38 migrants through Greeces land border with Turkey. All the arrests were made in northern Greece, in four separate incidents.

SPAINs interior minister is accusing the pro-independence Catalan government of encouraging protests against Spanish police, saying they represent totalitarianism and hatred. He said Catalan regional president Carles Puigdemont is responsible for the protests after demanding police leave the region following their violent crackdown on his attempt to hold an independence referendum.

USA President Donald Trump came face to face with hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico yesterday after denouncing critics of the federal relief effort as politically motivated ingrates who need to step up their own response to the crisis.
Tuesday, October 3, 2017

1. Dont innovate for innovations sake. All efforts at innovation should be in pursuit of a compelling reason. Further, that compelling reason should align with a foundations mission and vision. While funding a new app may sound fun, if the new app doesnt directly impact an audience or issue youve targeted, leave it to someone else.

2. Innovation doesnt have to be a big deal. Effective innovations can be small but brilliant internal changes. For example, redefining a grant process with the grantee in mind instead of staff. It can also be as simple as an effort to shift perspective and look at your work from the outside in.

3. Innovation doesnt happen in a vacuum. Funders who innovate almost always do so with at least one other partner, whether it be another funder, a private sector partner, a grantee or group of grantees, or, especially, representatives from the population(s) they wish to serve.

4. Innovate within. While it can be tempting for foundations to dip their proverbial toe into the innovation waters by funding grantees, truly embracing the idea of innovation means being internally focused as well. As grantees are working to find new and remarkable ways to provide health care access, what can your foundation do to provide better access for your health care grantees?

5. Innovative approaches can work better together. Quite often, funders interweave one kind of innovative approach with another  such as fostering design thinking through the use of an innovation hub in order to help create a culture of ongoing innovation. In doing so, they can leverage the benefits of each in a seamless way that moves them further along in reaching their goals.

Innovation may sound and seem complicated, but it doesnt have to be. The ways in which funders can support innovation in their fields of interest are limitless  and the minimum investment required is simply the willingness to think creatively. There is, however, one warning to consider: Innovation is contagious. If you start to think innovatively and fund innovation, others are likely to follow!

For more ways to approach innovation, download the white paper Fostering Innovation in Philanthropy.

 2017 Kris Putnam-Walkerly. All rights reserved. Permission granted to excerpt or reprint with attribution.

______________________________________________________________________

Kris Putnam-Walkerly, MSW, has helped to transform the impact of top global philanthropies for over 18 years. A member of the Million Dollar Consultant Hall of Fameand named one of Americas Top 25 Philanthropy Speakers. Author of the award-winning book Confident Giving: Sage Advice for Funders, which was named one of The 10 Best Corporate Social Responsibility Books. For more ways to improve your giving, visitPutnam Consulting Group.

______________________________________________________________________

Trusted Philanthropic Advisor

Kris Putnam-Walkerly serves as a trusted advisor to foundation leaders and high-wealth donors across the globe. As an advisor, Kris transfers learning to leaders and their teams so they have the ability to build their own internal capacity to be successful in their work. Kriss clients report immediate and dramatic improvement in both personal performance and philanthropic impact.

Whether you are the CEO of a larger foundation, the sole staff member charged with decision-making, or a high-net worth donor, the questions Kris can address cover a broad spectrum of professional and personal issues. As an advising client, youll have unlimited access to Kris during regular business hours by phone, Skype, email and, when desired, face to face. With over 18 years of experience working with top global philanthropies, Kris understands how to build an impactful organization that integrates your philanthropic passions and the challenges that must be overcome to get there.

Learn more about this and other services offered or contact Kris today to begin a trusted advisor relationship.

Upcoming Speaking Events

Looking for a provocative yet practical speaker at your next event? Kris Putnam-Walkerly was named one of Americas Top 25 Philanthropy Speakers in 2016 and 2017. Learn more or book Kris today for your next conference or event.

October 16, 2017  CONNECT Conference, Exponent Philanthropy, Denver

Out of Your Bubble and Into Your Community

October 19, 2017  National Forum on Family Philanthropy

Achieving EquityHow Exactly?

November 2, 2017  The Michael Chatman Giving Show

http://www.unity.fm/program/TheMichaelChatmanGivingShow

November 10, 2017  Forefront Webinar

Poverty, Abundance, and Delusional Altruism

November 14, 2017  Southeastern Council on Foundations Annual Conference, Trustees-Only Luncheon, Orlando, FL

How Will Trustees Lead Into the Future?

Book Kris for your next conference or event!
From: MicroTech's CEO Tony Jimenez - Largest Hispanic-Owned IT Integrator in US Tysons Corner , VA Tuesday, October 3, 2017

Tony Jimenez, MicroTech's Founder, President and CEO, has accepted the honor of serving as a Fellow at the World Summit on Innovation in New York City on October 2-3, 2017. Founded in 2006 in partnership with the United Nations and several multinationals, the Summit is the world's premier experience on the "Future of Intelligence". As a Fellow, Mr. Jimenez will help shape the future agenda of Councils of the World Innovation Organization (WIO). The WIO is a Man x Machine Living Lab that draws inspiration from the physical, digital, natural, and social spheres to spread intelligent designs and solutions that improve the innovation state of government, business, and society. Over the years, the Summit has appealed to some of the world's most riveting people. Distinguished guests have included President of Finland and Crown Prince of Norway; Chairmen of Microsoft, Emirates Airlines, and IBM; Scientists Stephan Hawking and Neil DeGrasse Tyson; Architects Ma Yansong and Emilio Ambasz; to name a few. It is an incredible honor for Mr. Jimenez to receive this distinction. As a trailblazer and an emerging technology leader, MicroTech is known for providing creative and innovative solutions in the highly-competitive Cloud Computing, Managed Services and Cybersecurity space. "As an inventor and innovator, I am thrilled to participate in the World Summit and to have the opportunity to share my unique perspective as an Entrepreneur, former Government employee, CEO, and avid technologist" said Mr. Jimenez. About MicroTech: MicroTech, a certified and verified Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) and a Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) certified by the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC), has had noteworthy success since its inception in 2004. Under Tony Jimenezs leadership, the privately-owned company has experienced exponential growth over the years and is repeatedly recognized as a small business success story. Described as the hottest Hispanic business in the nation, MicroTech was ranked as the #1 Fastest Growing Hispanic Company in the Nation for three consecutive years by Hispanic Business Magazine. MicroTech was also named one of the Top 10 Fastest Growing Hispanic-Owned Companies in the Nation for five consecutive years and has been repeatedly listed on Washington Technologys annual list of the Top 100 Government Contractors. MicroTech provides Cloud Computing, Technology Services, Cyber Security Solutions, Products & Managed Service Solutions, Network Systems Integration, Big Data Management, Telecom Solutions & Integration and Financial Services to the public sector, as well as commercial enterprises -- managing more than a quarter of a million technology users daily. A prime contractor of more than 100 Federal projects and more than 25 procurement vehicles, MicroTech offers access to 2,500 vendors and a million technology products and services across the Federal Government. About Tony Jimenez: Tony is the award-winning Founder, President, and CEO of MicroTech, a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB). He is an active member of the technology industry and an advocate for the Veteran, Hispanic and Small Business communities. As a respected business owner, successful entrepreneur, and award-winning small business advocate, Jimenez is always willing to go that extra mile! To learn more, visit www.microtech.net/meet-ceo Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook Connect with us on LinkedIn


Tuesday, October 3, 2017

The Martin Agency in Richmond released its latest Its Not Surprising TV spot for Geico. Called Triangle, the spot premiered during the Primetime Emmy Awards. According to Richmond BizSense, the agency also launched a new campaign for the Warner Bros. video game Middle-earth: Shadow of War. The campaign includes a website with an interactive live-action battle film, as well as two TV spots: Eat It Jerry and Not Today Brian. The agency also announced the promotion of Michael Chapman to executive vice president, chief strategy officer. He succeeds Earl Cox, who retired after 31 years as CSO. Chapman was previously managing director of strategic planning. He has also served as senior vice president and group planning director and worked at Martins sister agency, McCann London. A VCU Brandcenter and UVA Darden School of Business grad, Chapman started at Martin in 2000 as a strategic planner.

Cvent Inc., in Tysons, Va, announced the hiring of a new chief marketing officer, as well as two vice presidents in the companys marketing department. Patrick Smith joins Cvent as Chief Marketing Officer. Most recently, Smith served as CMO at Deltek, a $500+ million enterprise software company that was recently acquired for $2.8 billion. Brad Gillespie is Cvents new Vice President of Marketing. Gillespie was most recently the CMO at Octiv, and, prior to that, was the Global VP of Marketing for SiriusDecisions. Chris McAndrews has been hired as Cvents Vice President of Hospitality Marketing. Most recently, McAndrews was SVP of Marketing at global corporate travel agency consortium Radius Travel. Prior to Radius, McAndrews was an SVP at Travelocity and was also the president of digital media at National Geographic.

David Weiss joined D S Simon Media as VP, Client Services. The position was created after promotions to two senior members of the D S Simon Media client service team: Eric Wright was named Executive Vice President and Sarah Katz was promoted to Senior Vice President. In addition, Elizabeth Rosenberger now is Account Manager. David brings a unique understanding of how to effectively use video to achieve brand goals combined with outstanding customer service. Our clients will love working with him, said company CEO Doug Simon. D S Simon Media has a unique approach to influencer marketing that builds brand authenticity instead of challenging it, said Weiss, its great to be backed by such a strong team that understands cross-platform communications.
Going Bad

Right from his unmanageable tresses to his kohl-lined eyes, Ranveer spells terror in the poster. This one features him in his bath, his tresses loose and his chest gloriously unwaxed.

He's Killing The Intense Look

The deadly scar below the right eye adds more drama to his fierce look. He is seen here wearing a crown and looking at his reflection in the mirror.

Is He Playing A Bisexual Character?

Rumors suggest that Bhansali also plans to explore Khilji's fascination and attraction to his slave-general Malik Kafur. Further, speculations are rife that Jim Sarbh would be playing the role of Kafur.

His Unbelievable Transformation

One even heard that to play the cruel anti-hero Alauddin Khilji, Ranveer explored such hidden depths of negativity that he actually had to see a shrink to get back to his normal' self.

'It Was A Very Difficult Character To Play'

Earlier, when asked about his role in the movie, Ranveer had told a leading tabloid, "It was a very difficult character to play. I am a people pleaser, admittedly. I like to spread cheer and laughter. I like to keep the atmosphere light - even if it means making stupid jokes and acting silly and crass. But, when I became Alauddin Khilji for the movie, there's no trace of that person. Some actors are that way, where the external starts to affect the internal.

At some point during filming, everybody realized that at one point in the morning you'll have Ranveer and the rest of the day will be Khilji. My whole energy changed. Which is good, because at least I know I'm doing an honest job in the film. But, yeah, I'm almost done now and I have to say what I told myself holds true to some extent. All the darkness has been lived out, it's been addressed. It's almost like therapy."

When Ranveer Got Slapped 24 Times

The actor was filming a scene in Padmavati which required him to be slapped by senior actor Raza Murad. Sanjay Leela Bhansali kept asking for retake after retake, not completely satisfied with the way the shots turned out. It was only after the 24th attempt that he okayed the take, much to Ranveer's relief. Phew, now that's what we call dedication!
Vijay Mallya

Vijay Mallya was a star all by himself back in the day and Bollywood actresses wanted to be a part of his events!

Babe Magnet

He was always surrounded by the most beautiful women from the modelling and film industry.

Shilpa Shetty

Shilpa Shetty was a regular face at various Kingfisher parties and events.

IPL Team Owners

Both Shilpa Shetty and Vijay Mallya owned an IPL team respectively.

Preity Zinta

While Preity Zinta owned Kings XI Punjab, Vijay Mallya owned Royal Challengers Bangalore.

Mangaloreans

Both Vijay Mallya and Shilpa Shetty hail from Mangalore city.

Deepika Padukone

Deepika Padukone was also a part of Vijay Mallya's Kingfisher Calendar.

Brand Ambassador

Vijay Mallya made Deepika Padukone the brand ambassador for RCB team in 2009.

King Of Good Times

Say what may, but Vijay Mallya is truly the King of Good Times.

Hugh Hefner Of India

He can even be called as the Hugh Hefner of India.

Siddharth Mallya

Even his son Siddharth Mallya is no less when it comes to his wild ways!

Mallya-Shilpa

Shilpa Shetty and Vijay Mallya look so cool in the picture, right?

Amazing Parties

His parties were the talk of the town and everyone wanted to be a part of it.

Kingfisher Derby

From Kingfisher Derby to Kingfisher Calendar, he's done it all!
Dileep, the 'janapriyanayakan' of Malayalam cinema, who was arrested in connection with the actress abduction case, has been finally granted bail. The Kerala High Court granted bail to Dileep on October 3, Tuesday, under some strict conditions.

This was the actor's fifth bail plea, and the third one with the High Court of Kerala. Dileep has got the bail after spending 85 days in the judicial custody, in Aluva sub-jail. The fans and well-wishers gave a warm welcome to the actor, who finally returned home after three months.

Interestingly, the actor paved a visit to his brother's residence in Aluva Paravoor Kavala, before leaving to his house. Dileep was welcomed by mother Sarojam, wife Kavya Madhavan, and daughter Meenakshi at his house.

Scroll down to know how Dileep spend his first evening after receiving bail, and what is in store for the actor....
Villain's Release Date

The much awaited film of the year is finally all set to hit the theatres. The makers of the Mohanlal starrer Villain have officially announced the release date of the movie. Reportedly, the film will hit the theatres on October 27, 2017.

Malayalam Remake Of Queen Gets A Title

Popular Bollywood movie Queen is all set to get a remake in Malayalam. Reportedly, the film has been titled as Zam Zam and will feature Manjima Mohan in the lead role. The film, which will be directed by Telugu film-maker Neelakanta was officially launched recently.

Special Training For The Actors Of Kayamkulam Kochunni

The shoot of Kayamkulam Kochunni has already begun. Before the commencement of the shoot, the actors of the film including Nivin Pauly, Sunny Wayne, Babu Antony etc., underwent a special training on Kalaripayattu.

Solo's Censoring Procedures Completed

Dulquer Salmaan's next big release is Solo, directed by Bejoy Nambiar. The film is all set to hit the theatres on October 5, 2017. Solo, will simultaneously release in Malayalam and Tamil.

The censoring formalities of the film have been completed. While the Malayalam version has received a clean U, the Tamil version has got a U/A certificate.

An Update On Pranav Mohanlal's Aadhi..!

The shoot of Pranav Mohanlal's debut acting venture Aadhi, directed by Jeethu Joseph is fast progressing. The film is expected to have some stunning action sequences and reportedly, the team has roped in a Hollywood stunt choreographer for the movie. Interestingly, Pranav Mohanlal will be seen playing an aspiring music director in the movie.

Ramesh Pisharody's Directorial Debut

Yes, it has been officially confirmed that Ramesh Pisharody will be making his debut as a film-maker. Ramesh Pisharody himself announced his debut project through his Facebook page.

The film, which has been titled as Panchavarnathatha will feature Jayaram and Kunchacko Boban in the lead roles. Anusree has been roped in to play the role of the leading lady in the film. Reportedly, the film will go on floors early next year.
Australian shipbuilder Austalhas announced it has won an $18 million sustainment contract for the Royal Australian Navy for its Cape-class patrol boats.The three-year contract will employ local contractors using Austals own facilities in the Cairns area.The sustainment work will be in addition to the work undertaken by Austal for the Australian Border Force.Austals 58-metre Cape-class patrol boats were designed and built specifically for the needs of border protection and maritime security for Australias Border Force and Navy.Austal CEO Dave Singleton said the contract will allow export opportunities for Australia by effectively showcasing the vessel with our navy.Shares in Austalare trading 1.29 per cent higher to $1.57.
ZTE starts conducting pre-5G trials with Indias top telcos News oi -Samden Sherpa ZTE has plans to "design and develop future technologies" in India.

We might soon see 5G technology become a reality and standard network in the telecom space. Apparently, ZTE has started conducting pre-5G trials in India.

According to Economic Times, the Chinese OEM is working with India's top telecom companies like Bharti Airtel, Vodafone India, and Reliance Jio to test the 5G infrastructure. The report further notes that ZTE has further plans to "design and develop future technologies" in India.

Fan Xiaobing, President of global marketing and solutions for ZTE told Economic Times that India provides a great opportunity around 5G technology. In his own words, "India is a very important market for us. Telecom industry is all about scale, and India offers scale. Indian telecom market will grow very fast...We are increasing our investments in India to support growth." He further told ET that "the current data growth driven by 4G LTE networks is significant, and the vendor is tapping the opportunity by working with telcos."

Moreover, Fan is of the view that in India the company's business will grow faster than other global markets. Besides, the company aims to bring telecom services and pieces of equipment "designed and customised for local needs."

In any case, ZTE is already at the forefront of setting up 5G infrastructure with state-run BSNL for network expansion in the north and the eastern parts of India. The company has also signed a deal with BSNL to provide network support and 5G gear for future network needs.

According to Peng Aiguang, Chief Executive Officer, ZTE India, it is the only company that is doing pre-5G trials with Airtel, Vodafone, BSNL and Reliance Jio. Currently, ZTE is in talks with the Indian telecom operators on 5G backhaul to basically develop a strong foundation for future 5G networks in India. "We expect to have new partnerships around 5G backhaul soon in India," Peng told ET.

Meanwhile, the Indian Government has been gearing up to achieve early deployment of 5G in India and be on a par with other countries. The Government has already constituted the high-level 5G committee with a mandate to lay down a roadmap for a rollout of the technology by 2020.

On the other hand, many studies have also come up stating the 5G will be rolled out much sooner than predicted and that many organizations are already willing to pay as well as leverage 5G technology when it arrives.

Best Mobiles in India

Facebook, To stay updated with latest technology news & gadget reviews, follow GizBot on Twitter YouTube and also subscribe to our notification. Allow Notifications
Officials Provide Details of Latest Strikes Against ISIS

From a Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve News Release

SOUTHWEST ASIA, Oct. 2, 2017  U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria over the weekend, conducting 69 strikes consisting of 88 engagements, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.

Officials reported details of the weekend's strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.

Sept. 30 Strikes in Syria

In Syria on Sept. 30, coalition military forces conducted 33 strikes consisting of 38 engagements against ISIS targets:

-- Near Abu Kamal, three strikes destroyed an ISIS wellhead and engaged two tactical units.

-- Near Dayr Az Zawr, a strike destroyed an ISIS tactical vehicle.

-- Near Raqqa, 29 strikes engaged seven ISIS tactical units, destroyed 20 fighting positions and a supply route, and suppressed 10 fighting positions.

Strikes Yesterday in Syria

In Syria yesterday, coalition military forces conducted 25 strikes consisting of 28 engagements against ISIS targets:

-- Near Abu Kamal, two strikes destroyed two ISIS wellheads and a fighting position.

-- Near Dayr Az Zawr, three strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed two headquarters.

-- Near Raqqa, 20 strikes engaged two ISIS tactical units and destroyed 16 fighting positions, 11 vehicles; and disrupted two supply routes.

Strikes in Iraq

In Iraq on Sept. 30, coalition military forces conducted 10 strikes consisting of 15 engagements against ISIS targets:

-- Near Beiji, five strikes engaged two ISIS tactical units and destroyed four weapons caches and two mortar systems.

-- Near Huwija, three strikes engaged two ISIS tactical units and destroyed 10 vehicles and two command-and-control nodes.

-- Near Rawah, a strike destroyed an ISIS vehicle-borne-bomb factory.

-- Near Tuz, a strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit.

Coalition military forces conducted one strike consisting of seven engagements against ISIS targets in Iraq yesterday. The strike, near Huwija, engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed two weapons caches, two command and control nodes, a vehicle-borne bomb factory and a vehicle-borne bomb and suppressed a tactical unit.

Previous Strikes

Officials also provided details today on 15 strikes consisting of 28 engagements conducted earlier for which the information was not previously available:

-- On Aug. 2 near Raqqa, two strikes destroyed two ISIS fighting positions and suppressed four fighting positions.

-- On Aug. 3 near Raqqa, five strikes suppressed 10 ISIS fighting positions.

-- On Aug. 4 near Raqqa, two strikes suppressed seven ISIS fighting positions.

-- On Sept. 29 near Beiji, two strikes destroyed three ISIS fighting positions, a vehicle and a generator.

-- On Sept. 29 near Raqqa, four strikes destroyed four ISIS supply routes and four communication networks.

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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Exercise KAMANDAG begins in the Philippines

US Marine Corps News

By Capt. Eric Flanagen | 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade | October 2, 2017

MANILA -- In collaboration with the Armed Forces of the Philippines, 3D Marine Expeditionary Brigade will participate in the inaugural Exercise KAMANDAG from Oct. 2-11, 2017, at multiple locations on the island of Luzon, Philippines.

The purpose of this Philippines-led military exercise is to conduct bilateral exchanges between Philippine and U.S. forces. Exercise training will enhance cooperation and interoperability between the Philippines and the U.S., consistent with the Mutual Defense Treaty and Visiting Forces Agreement, as we continue our commitment to share information and provide support to each other throughout a range of military operations.

KAMANDAG will enable military-to-military exchanges between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and U.S. forces, with a focus on enhancing counterterrorism capabilities, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief capabilities, and conducting humanitarian and civic assistance projects. Military service members from both countries will work together during combined events in order to develop improved techniques and procedures, enabling them to learn and grow both through tactics and personal relationships.

KAMANDAG is an acronym for the Filipino phrase "Kaagapay Ng Mga Mandirigma Ng Dagat," which translates to "Cooperation of Warriors of the Sea," highlighting the partnership between the Philippine and United States militaries. KAMANDAG will increase overall U.S. and Philippine readiness, improve combined responsiveness to crises in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region, and further reinforce our decades-long partnership.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines and U.S. forces began preparing for KAMANDAG with a groundbreaking ceremony for humanitarian and civic assistance projects in Casiguran, Aurora, Philippines Sept. 15, 2017.

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Spain's PM Rajoy says there was no Catalan independence referendum

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 09:34, October 02, 2017

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy on Sunday gave a televised speech defending government actions following violent clashes which left hundreds injured in a banned referendum.

The prime minister said "today there has not been a self-determination referendum" and that "our state maintains its strength and reacts and acts with all its resources against any kind of provocation."

Rajoy also defended the decision to send in police force to stop the voting, which was earlier deemed illegal by the Spanish Constitutional Court.

"My first obligation was to obey the law and to make sure it was obeyed," he said, adding that security forces had acted with "firmness and serenity" in stopping the Catalan referendum.

He said that the referendum had produced "attitudes that should be repugnant to anyone who believes in democracy," and blamed Catalan leaders for the violence.

"I want to make it clear that the only people who are responsible are those who have venerated the law," said Rajoy, who insisted his government had "done what we had to do."

"We are the government of Spain and I am the prime minister of Spain. We acted with the law and only with the law and showed our democratic state has the resources to react to this attack on our unity."

Online videos posted Sunday showed that police officers armed with batons clashed with voters at polling stations in Catalonia.

According to Catalan health authorities, more than 800 people received treatment at hospitals after being injured by police during Sunday's disputed referendum. Two people are in serious conditions.

Meanwhile, Spain's Interior Ministry said 33 police required treatment as a result of the clashes.

Local reports said more than 5.3 million people had been called to cast their vote in the referendum.

About 2.26 million people took part in the banned referendum, with 2.02 million voted for independence, Catalan government spokesman Jordi Turull said in a press briefing late Sunday.

Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont, speaking shortly after Rajoy's speech on TV, said Catalonia's citizens "have earned the right to have an independent state in the form of a republic."

The region, with a population of 7.5 million, accounts for about a fifth of Spain's economic output. Residents in the region mostly speak Catalan, a language that some believe is a dialect of Spanish but others argue to be a totally different one.

The region, discontent of the "disproportionate support" it has received from the Spanish government considering its contribution to the national economy, attempted to stage an independence referendum in November 2014, only suspending the move following stern gestures from the government and the Constitutional Court.

"My government, in the next few days will send the results of today's vote to the Catalan Parliament, where the sovereignty of our people lies, so that it can act in accordance with the law of the referendum," Puigdemont said.

The regional leader also urged the European Union to stop looking "the other way" as leaders of most EU members declined to take stance on the referendum, only saying it is Spain's internal affairs and political parties should resolve their differences via dialogue.

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Over two million fled as refugees this year, says UN

Iran Press TV

Mon Oct 2, 2017 06:07PM

UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi says conflicts, violence, and persecution across the world, including in Myanmar, South Sudan and Syria, have forced over two million people to flee as refugees this year.

Speaking at the UNHCR's annual Executive Committee meeting in the Swiss city of Geneva on Monday, Grandi called for more international cooperation and support to address the crisis.

"The despair of millions of men, women, and children driven from their homes, cast adrift into a life of uncertainty, is a stain on our collective conscience," he said.

The UN refugee chief also pointed to the dire needs of more than half a million persecuted Rohingya Muslims who have fled into Bangladesh from Myanmar's Rakhine state since August 25.

During the same period, 50,000 refugees had flooded out of South Sudan and another 18,000 had fled clashes in the Central African Republic, the UN official pointed out.

The ongoing foreign-backed militancy across Syria also continues to account for the world's largest number of forcibly displaced people.

The head of the UN refugee agency went on to say that resettlement was vital to addressing the growing refugee problem.

"Close to 1.2 million refugees need resettling globally," he said, voicing "major concern that fewer than 100,000 resettlement places are expected to be available this year, a drop of 43 percent from 2016."

Grandi regretted that countries were dragging their feet. He also warned that refugee rights were eroding worldwide, including in Europe and the United States, "driven by confused, sometimes frightened public opinions often stirred up by irresponsible politicians."

"Border closures, restrictive asylum procedures, indefinite detention in appalling conditions, offshore processing, pressure for premature returns all have regrettably proliferated," he said.

Elsewhere in his remarks, the UN official said that his agency was facing a dramatic funding shortage and was increasingly being "faced with impossible choices."

Last year, the UNHCR had $4.4 billion available funds but still ended the year with a 41-percent shortfall. And this year, the agency expects to receive less, with $4.2 billion available, leaving nearly half of the needs unmet.

The developments come as nearly 510,000 Rohingya Muslim refugees have crossed Myanmar's borders into Bangladesh, where they are staying at refugee camps in Cox's Bazar border district.

The influx broke out on August 25, when the Myanmar military unleashed a fresh crackdown campaign against Muslim villages in the western state of Rakhine following a series of armed attacks on army and police checkpoints there.

Europe, too, has been experiencing an influx of refugees over the past months. The asylum seekers flee conflict-ridden zones in North Africa and the Middle East, particularly Syria.

Many blame major European powers for the exodus, saying their policies have led to a surge in terrorism and war in violence-hit regions, forcing more people from their homes.

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US Army to install Israeli equipment on Abrams tanks

Iran Press TV

Mon Oct 2, 2017 04:44PM

The US Army will install Israel's Trophy active-protection system on its third-generation main battle tanks, M1A2 Abram, making it the first foreign army to use the system which is designed to detect and neutralize incoming projectiles.

The Pentagon said it made the approval following "an urgent material" request by the army, Israeli media reported on Monday.

The system has a total of four radar antennae and fire-control radars which track incoming projectiles such as anti-tank guided missiles and rocket-propelled grenades. The Trophy fires a shotgun-type blast to neutralize the threat once it is detected.

A Michigan-based company got the contract to install the system on an Armor Brigade Combat Team's M1A2 SEPv2 at a cost of close to $10 million. The process is expected to be completed by the end of March 2019.

The US army is likely to use the tanks equipped with Israeli active protection systems in the Middle Eastern countries such as Iraq and Syria where it has deployed thousands of troops purportedly to fight against Daesh terrorists.

The US and Israeli militaries have a close cooperation and often sell and supply weapons to each other.

During Israel's 2014 war of aggression on the Palestinians living in the Gaza Strip, the US military supplied the majority of military equipment to Israeli forces.

According to an Israeli rights group, 63 percent of the Palestinian fatalities caused in Israel's war on Gazans were civilians.

Washington has also been providing Israeli with $3.1 billion annually since a 2007 agreement with the former president George W. Bush's administration. From next year, the US is increasing this military assistance to Israel to around $3.8 billion annually.

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Saudi airstrike kills at least 5 people in southwestern Yemen

Iran Press TV

Mon Oct 2, 2017 04:33PM

At least five people have been killed as Saudi Arabia's warplanes conducted an airstrike on a road in Yemen's southwestern province of Ta'izz.

According to Yemen's official SABA news agency, the aerial aggression occurred on a road in the al-Barh area of the Maqbanah district on Monday, wounding four other people.

Other reports, however, said at least eight people sustained injuries in the airstrike.

This is not the first time Saudi fighter jets have raided the road. Last month, several other Yemeni people were killed or wounded as their vehicles were targeted by a number of airstrikes.

The report further said that the Saudi war machine had conducted nearly 30 other airstrikes against various localities in some other provinces of the impoverished nation earlier in the day, the possible casualties of which were not immediately clear.

The Monday airstrike came three days after the United Nations Human Rights Council adopted a last-minute compromise resolution by consensus after heavy lobbying by a Saudi-led group of Arab states with Western powers.

The resolution, which called for sending a group of "eminent experts" to war-torn Yemen, had initially sought the formation of an independent commission of inquiry into war crimes in Yemen after a proposal by the Netherlands and Canada. The adopted version, being softer, includes amendments presented by Saudi Arabia and other Arab states.

Saudi Arabia has been incessantly pounding Yemen since March 2015 in an attempt to crush the popular Houthi Ansarullah movement and reinstate Yemen's former President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, who is a staunch ally of the Riyadh regime.

More than 12,000 people have been killed since the onset of the campaign more than two and a half years ago. Much of the Arabian Peninsula country's infrastructure, including hospitals, schools and factories, has been reduced to rubble due to the war.

The Saudi war has also triggered a deadly cholera epidemic, which is believed to have affected 700,000 people since April, in Yemen. The military aggression has also left nearly 21 million people in need of humanitarian assistance.

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US, Philippines launch new counter-terrorism drills

Iran Press TV

Mon Oct 2, 2017 04:02PM

The Philippines has launched joint drills with the United States as it struggles to accomplish a costly, protracted battle against the Daesh terrorist group in the south of the country.

The new joint counter-terrorism exercises were launched Monday in different locations in the northern region of Luzon, including the former US military base of Clark. Some 900 US troops are involved in the drill, which will continue for seven days.

The Philippine military hailed the new counter-terror exercises with the US as vital in the country's ongoing fight against Daesh.

"(The operation) perpetuates a long and lasting partnership founded firmly on common heritage between freedom-loving countries," Philippine Marines spokeswoman Captain Maria Rowena Dalmacio said.

The Filipino military has refused to disclose the number of its troops.

Meanwhile, the US embassy in Manila also hailed the drills in a statement, saying they "will increase overall US and Philippine readiness, improve bilateral responsiveness to crises in the region, and further reinforce our illustrious decades-long alliance."

The drills apparently show a shift of policy by Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte in dealing with the US. Duterte ruffled feathers in the White House after he adopted adamant anti-US stances when he came to power last year. He even threatened to sever military ties with the US while calling joint military exercises a "humiliation."

During a visit to Beijing last October, Duterte, who was apparently seeking bonds with China and Russia, said his country had made a decision to separate from the US. He said he was specifically angry at then US president Barack Obama for criticizing his war on drugs.

Duterte has recently sought to allay concerns about his previous stances against the US.

In a recent statement, the Filipino leader thanked the US for helping his country in the fight against Daesh in the southern city of Marawi. Some 900 people have been killed in the city as the army struggles to purge Daesh from the neighborhoods the group occupied on May 23.

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Three Kashmiri civilians dead as Indian, Pakistani troops exchange fire

Iran Press TV

Mon Oct 2, 2017 08:16AM

Indian and Pakistani forces have engaged in another cross-border firing, reportedly leaving three civilians dead on the opposite sides of the disputed border which divides the Himalayan Kashmir region.

Indian police said in a statement that Pakistani fire killed a 10-year-old boy and a teenage girl in the Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir on Monday morning. Five civilians also sustained injuries during the exchange of fire, they added.

Military spokesman Col Nitin Joshi said Pakistani soldiers targeted several posts with "unprovoked" automatic gunfire and mortar shells.

Pakistani media also reported the incident, saying Indian forces had shelled border villages across the border, known as the Line of Control, in Azad Jammu and Kashmir's Haveli district.

The Pakistani Dawn News quoted Chaudhry Kashif Hussain, Haveli's deputy commissioner, as saying that New Delhi's forces "resorted to shelling at about 6 a.m. (local time) in Nezapir and Digwar sectors, using both small and heavy arms."

He described the fight as "intermittent but fierce," according to the daily's website.

Hussain added that shelling had left a 70-year-old man identified as Muhammad Deen dead in the village of Digwar. Five other people were also wounded in the incident, he added.

The official said soon after the beginning of shelling, he had ordered the closure of all education institutions in vulnerable areas to avert any casualties of students and teachers.

"Since there is no let up in shelling, exact details of losses cannot be ascertained immediately," Hussain said.

Residents said panic had gripped the areas along the LoC due to intense shelling from across the border.

There has been a new hike in border tensions between Pakistan and India in recent days.

Islamabad said over the weekend that two civilians and a soldier were killed as Indian forces fired on Pakistani positions Friday.

The disputed Kashmir region is divided between Pakistan and India, but claimed by both in its entirety. The two nuclear neighbors have fought three wars over control of the Himalaya region since their partition in 1947.

New Delhi regularly accuses Pakistan of arming and training militants and allowing them across the restive frontier in an attempt to launch attacks on Indian forces. Pakistan, however, strongly denies the allegation and accuses India of committing "war crimes" in Kashmir and "exporting terror" to Pakistan.

People in the Muslim-majority Kashmir have for years demanded independence or a merger with Pakistan. India has ignored the call and continues to police the region with a 500,000-strong military force. About 70,000 people have been killed in India's crackdown in Kashmir since 1989.

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Catalan Leader Says Not Seeking 'Traumatic' Split With Madrid

RFE/RL October 02, 2017

Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont has said that he is not pursuing a "traumatic" split from Spain but a "new understanding."

Puigdemont's statement came a day after hundreds of people were injured when police used force to try to disrupt a referendum on independence for Catalonia on October 1.

Puigdemont claimed that the vote, which attracted millions of voters despite being ruled illegal by Spain's Constitutional Court, was valid and binding. He said that the region in northeastern Spain had won the right to statehood.

"We have to apply it," Puidgemont said.

However, he told a news conference on October 2: "We don't want a traumatic break.... We want a new understanding with the Spanish state."

The Catalan leader said he had had no contact with the central Spanish government and called on Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy to say whether he was in favor of mediation in talks over the region's future, to be overseen by the European Union.

Rajoy said Catalans had been fooled into taking part in an illegal vote, and Spain's government sent thousands of police into the region to try to prevent the vote from taking place.

More than 2.2 million people were reported to have voted, according to Catalan authorities, out of 5.3 million registered voters in the region, which includes the city of Barcelona.

Just under 90 percent of those who voted backed independence, they said.

Riot police used rubber bullets and batons in a show of force that drew international condemnation. Regional authorities said nearly 900 people were injured.

Rajoy has the constitutional power to dismiss the regional government and put Catalonia under central control pending fresh elections.

However, that would raise tensions further in the prosperous region of 7.5 million people, which has a distinct language and culture.

With reporting by Reuters, AFP, AP, and BBC

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/spain-catalonia-puigdemont-not- seeking-traumatic-split/28769370.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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Violence, 'Hypocrisy' In Catalonia: Russia Reacts To Spanish Turmoil

Tom Balmforth October 02, 2017

MOSCOW -- Russian media have devoted extensive coverage to police violence that marred a referendum in the Spanish region of Catalonia, painting a picture of double standards in a European Union rattled by referendums and fighting for survival.

Calling it an "internal Spanish matter," the Kremlin, however, has declined to comment on the independence vote -- held on October 1 despite a ban by Spain's Constitutional Court -- or on the accompanying violence that saw hundreds injured as police used batons and tear gas against crowds of Catalans.

The Russian Foreign Ministry echoed that line on October 2, prompting the Spanish Embassy in Moscow to tweet its gratitude at Moscow's stance on the "illegal referendum."

Such official caution notwithstanding, several Russian lawmakers quickly accused Brussels of "hypocrisy" for not immediately condemning the police use of force.

The European Union noted the vote was "not legal" but urged "all relevant players to now move very swiftly from confrontation to dialogue." It added, "Violence can never be an instrument in politics."

Some Russian media compared the referendum to a vote Russia staged in occupied Crimea during its military annexation of the Ukrainian peninsula in 2014, while others speculated that Brussels "ordered" Madrid to carry out "repressive action" to nip the referendum in the bud.

Aleksei Martynov, a political commentator, argued in an opinion piece for the pro-Kremlin tabloid Izvestia that Brussels was rattled by the Brexit referendum and was now using "all possible means" to hold the bloc together.

"Emerging from the stupor of animal fear, the Euro-bureaucrats have cursed the very word 'referendum' and today are ready, having transcended their own rhetorical principles, to repressively defend the European Union in its current form through all possible means, but by the hands of national governments," Martynov wrote.

He concluded: "Today's events in Spanish Catalonia in any case mark the end of European political romanticism. Harsh, gray days lie ahead. Orwell lives."

'Hypocrisy'

Lawmaker Andrei Klimov accused the West of hypocrisy, contrasting its "silence" on the violence in Spain with reactions to events in Ukraine, where Western leaders called on Kyiv not to use force against protesters during the Euromaidan unrest that toppled Moscow-backed President Viktor Yanukovych in February 2014.

In comments to Russian state English-language broadcaster RT, Klimov said: "As far as I remember, they urged Yanukovych with all their might to avoid the use of force. They made him remove his Berkut [riot police] from the Maidan, remove the police, call back city forces. Now we see everything in reverse: the arrival of troops, the national guard, and the use of force."

Aleksei Pushkov, a pro-Kremlin lawmaker and chair of the Federation Council's committee on information policy, echoed that sentiment via Twitter: "In Catalonia the police [have] started beating the peacefully protesting people who are not making provocations. PACE and the PA OSCE will definitely not notice this. Democracy!"

The OSCE's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) told TASS on October 2 that it would not comment on the vote because it had no observers present. Earlier, the OSCE office's director called on Spanish authorities to "ensure that police use force only when necessary and in strict adherence to the principle of proportionality."

On October 2, RT ran a piece titled Respect For Democracy? that cited a tweet from Julian Assange, founder of WikiLeaks, who called on the European Commission to suspend Spain from the EU over the violence for its "clear violation of Article 2."

'Very Cautious'

Writing on Facebook, Sergei Markov, a pro-Kremlin political commentator and former lawmaker for the ruling United Russia party, said Moscow was taking a "very cautious" position for several reasons.

Markov said Moscow believed interfering would be "counterproductive" and also wanted to avoid allegations of interference, in part hoping such behavior would be noted by the European Union. He added: "The allegations in the U.S. are more than enough. Russia is literally being hounded," a reference to the fallout in the United States, where Russia has been accused of interfering in the 2016 presidential election that brought Donald Trump to power.

Nonetheless, Markov wrote, Moscow wanted to "underline that the European Union has no moral right to lecture Russia." He added that Russia also had no particular "compassion" for Madrid, which it sees as part of the front of Western powers pressuring Russia with sanctions. "So Russia for the moment is silent, and Russian television stations are focusing on the violence in Catalonia," Markov wrote.

Like Crimea

RT broadcast an interview given to Austrian television by Heinz-Christian Strache, leader of Austria's far-right Freedom Party, in which he compared the situation in Catalonia to that in Crimea. In the latter, Russia completed its annexation of the Ukrainian region with a referendum in March 2014 that was widely condemned by the international community.

"The referendum in Crimea, as in Catalonia, was held on the basis of the right to self-determination, and its outcome was very clear," RT paraphrased Strache's line of argument. "In order to overcome prolonged confrontation, the European Union should either recognize the results of the people's vote in Crimea or demand that it is conducted again under international control."

'Pandora's Box'

Pro-Kremlin lawmaker Pushkov said the referendum was ultimately the West's fault -- and a direct consequence of backing Kosovo when it declared independence from Serbia in 2008. "Let's remember how NATO supported the separation of Kosovo. Moscow warned: this will open Pandora's box in Europe. Catalonia is an effect of the open box."

Speaking on October 2 to state news agency RIA Novosti, Klimov drew the same comparison with Kosovo, although he drew a different conclusion. "The European Union and Spanish government will do everything to give the impression that nothing has happened. If necessary, as we've seen, harsh force will be used."

And, Klimov said, unlike Kosovo, Catalonia will never be given independence because "no one canceled double standards."

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-catalonia -referendum-reaction-violence-hypocris -crimea-kosovo/28769842.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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Shiny New Trophy: US Tanks to Be Equipped with Israeli Anti-Missile System

Sputnik News

22:13 02.10.2017(updated 23:36 02.10.2017)

The US military will be installing the Israeli-built Trophy Active Protection System (APS) meant to intercept and destroy incoming missiles or rockets on their M1A2 Abrams tanks. This will make the US military the only other besides the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to use the defensive system.

The Trophy system consists of a quartet of radar antennae and fire-control radars that detects incoming projectiles, such as anti-tank guided missiles and rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs), and then destroys them with a blast like that from a shotgun.

It is a "hard kill" system, meaning it protects the vehicle by destroying the projectile; this is opposed to a "soft kill" system that interferes with the missile's guidance and redirects it. Soft kill devices are useless against the simple RPGs popular with militant groups such as Daesh.

Jointly developed by two Israeli-owned state corporations, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd. and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), the Trophy is the only combat-proven APS in the world.

The Pentagon made this decision after an "urgent material" request, they said in a press release on Thursday. Each system costs an estimated $350,000, and it will be first deployed to one of the US Army's 14 Armor Brigade Combat Team's squadron of 28 M1A2 SEPv2 variants, a nearly $10 million contract. It may then be added to other squadrons later on if it impresses, the Pentagon said.

Anti-materiel weapons such as RPGs have been a perennial thorn in the side of the US military and its allies. A $2,000 RPG launcher firing a $500 grenade can destroy or disable a $9 million Abrams tank. Over the course of 2014, the Iraqi Army lost 100 of the 140 Abrams the Americans had sold them in the fight against Daesh.

But Israeli tank brigades, which have been equipped with Trophy systems since 2009, have met with more luck. During 2014's Operation Protective Edge, Gaza Strip militant groups were unable to destroy a single IDF Merkava Mark IV battle tank. The IDF reported that at least 15 RPGs were successfully intercepted over the seven weeks of ground operations without a single false alarm or misfire.

The US Army presently deploys almost 1,200 M1A2s. Should the Trophy system be added to every single one, this would come out to an expense of about $420 million.

A US company did develop their own APS system, Quick Kill, designed by defense contractor Raytheon in 2006. However, the Trophy proved the superior system of the 15 option analyzed by the Pentagon, and it "worked in every case," according to an anonymous Pentagon official speaking to NBC in 2007.

"The only anomaly was that in one test, the Trophy round hit the RPG's tail instead of its head. But according to our test criteria, the system was 30 for 30."

 Sputnik

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King of the Skies: Russia Starts Delivering MiG-29 Warplanes to Serbia

Sputnik News

13:57 02.10.2017(updated 18:22 02.10.2017)

On Monday, Russia has started the first delivery of six Mikoyan MiG-29 fighter jets to Serbia, a source in the sphere of military-technical cooperation told Sputnik.

The first An-124 military transport aircraft, loaded with disassembled Russian Mikoyan MiG-29 fighter jets, was scheduled to take off from Tretyakovo airport in the Moscow Region, which is operated by Russian Aircraft Corporation MiG, at noon on Monday.

All six fighter jets, which Russia is handing over to Serbia as military-technical assistance, should be delivered by October 6, the source specified.

At the end of December 2016, then-Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic and Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu agreed on the gratuitous delivery of six Mikoyan MiG-29 multipurpose fighter jets, 30 T-72s tanks and 30 BRDM-2 armored reconnaissance vehicles to the Serbian Defense Forces.

Since then, the two countries have issued different delivery timeframes, including by this year-end. The source has now told Sputnik that the aircraft are set to be first demonstrated on October 20, during a national military parade, which will mark the anniversary of the liberation of Belgrade in the Second World War.

The country's defense forces will then present Serbian Air and Air Defense Force military pilots who have undergone additional training in Russia. The source, however, has not specified the date of the first flight.

The assembling of the fighter jets will be done with the assistance of Russian experts.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has been invited to the parade. Russian aerobatic performance group Strizhi, the Swifts, may also take part in the celebrations.

 Sputnik

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World must step up protection for refugees, do more to solve conflict - UN agency chief

2 October 2017  The global community is letting down millions of refugees and internally displaced people, and needs to renew efforts to prevent and resolve conflicts, focusing on protection and solutions, the head of the United Nations refugee agency said today.

"Without the shared sense of purpose needed to prevent, stem and solve conflicts, the world will continue to face new refugee flows, and must reinforce its capacity to respond," said UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi in his opening address to the annual meeting of the Executive Committee of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

Drawing attention to crises from Bangladesh to Yemen, Mr. Grandi presented a bleak picture of record numbers of people worldwide forcibly driven from their homes  65.6 million at the end of 2016  and he pointed out that the situation is getting worse.

"So far in 2017, more than two million people have fled their countries as refugees [] They often arrive sick, traumatized and hungry, in remote border locations, in communities affected by poverty and underdevelopment," he continued.

UNHCR staff are working tirelessly to help them, often in circumstances where their own security is at risk, but the needs are immense.

"Many have urgent protection needs  children separated from their families, men, women, girls and boys exposed to sexual and gender-based violence, people with disabilities or facing other risks," he stated.

Mr. Grandi stressed that refugee protection and security walk hand in hand and need to be tackled together.

"This is not only a matter of principles and values, but also of building regional and global stability. Refugee protection and security are complementary goals, and must be pursued in tandem," he stressed.

Last week the UN refugee chief was in Bangladesh where he witnessed first-hand one of the fastest-growing humanitarian emergencies in living memory, noting that "in just five weeks, half a million Rohingya refugees have fled terrifying violence in Myanmar, their rights progressively eroded over decades."

Even more distressing was that while this was happening, a further 50,000 refugees had fled South Sudan, where the dreams which had accompanied independence lay shattered, and another 18,000 people had tried to escape fresh fighting in Central African Republic.

"Ongoing crises are deepening. And for many refugees, the search for safety and protection has become more dangerous," he declared.

Mr. Grandi praised what he termed as a groundswell of civil society solidarity with refugees, often reinforced through public figure leadership, including mayors. He welcomed the individual and collective acts of compassion as countering "widespread measures to deter and exclude."

"The international character of refugee protection has taken on new forms  through networks of cities, civil society organisations, private sector associations, sport entities and other forms of collaboration stretching across borders, he added.

In a wide-ranging address, the UN refugee agency chief praised the generosity of "major refugee-hosting countries  some of whose leaders have their own experience of flight and exile," but said it was time to take more action globally.

"Measures to shore up their efforts, strengthen protection, mitigate the impact of a large-scale refugee presence, and genuinely share responsibility remain essential. This is the fundamental challenge before us," he concluded.

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Amid 'critical' resource shortage, UN agency cuts food rations for refugees in Kenya

2 October 2017  For 420,000 refugees living in northern Kenya, insufficient funding has forced the United Nations food relief agency to cut rations by 30 per cent, as it appeals for nearly $30 million for assistance.

"We are facing a critical shortage of resources, which has compelled us to reduce the amount of food given to the refugees only six months after we resumed full rations," said World Food Programme (WFP) Representative and Country Director Annalisa Conte in a statement.

Overall, refugees living in Dadaab and Kakuma camps will receive a food ration equivalent to 70 per cent of their requirements.

"WFP urgently needs $28.5 million to adequately cover the food assistance needs for the refugees for the next six months," she added.

The UN agency provides sustenance assistance to refugees in Kenya as a combination of dry food  including cereals, vegetable oil and nutrient-enriched flour  as well as mobile phone cash transfers to buy fresh food from local traders.

However, while keeping cash transfers unchanged, starting this month, WFP will provide through health clinics fortified flour only for pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers instead of the general population, which may lead to a rise in malnutrition levels among the refugees.

"Working closely with UNHCR [Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees] and other partners, WFP strives to meet urgent food and nutrition needs of refugees and other vulnerable groups, and calls upon all parties to take all necessary steps to end conflicts and create conditions for refugees to safely return home," she continued.

In addition to the general food ration and cash transfers, WFP provides nutritious foods to young children, pregnant women and nursing mothers, to stave off malnutrition. Primary grade students receive porridge in school, which helps them concentrate on their classes and provides an incentive for families to send them to school. For the time being, WFP can maintain these critical safety nets for refugees.

"Cutting rations is a last resort and we hope that it is only a short-term measure as we continue to appeal to the international community to assist," said Ms. Conte.

If new funds are received immediately, WFP can quickly mobilize food stocks from within the region, and/or increase the amount of cash transfers to the refugees allowing them to buy adequate food from the local markets.

"An abrupt halt to food assistance would be devastating for the refugees, most of whom rely fully on WFP for their daily meals," she concluded.

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Movement Restricted After Deadly Unrest in Cameroon's Anglophone Regions

By Moki Edwin Kindzeka October 02, 2017

Movement in Cameroon's two English-speaking regions remains restricted following deadly unrest Sunday as activists took to the streets demanding independence. Local media report as many as a dozen people were gunned down by security forces.

An uneasy calm reigned Monday in Bamenda, a city of a half million in northwestern Cameroon.

Reverend Edward Njini said just a handful of people came to his morning service.

"A few people came for worship and then we read the communique from the governor. And so we just prayed with them, explained the thing and asked them to go home and stay and worship at home," Njini said.

The military was deployed to Bamenda and other towns to stop anglophone separatist groups from declaring independence on October 1st as threatened.

Under government restrictions, no one can enter or leave the northwest and southwest regions of the country. Within those regions, people cannot move outside in groups of more than three.

However on Sunday, tens of thousands of people across the two English-speaking zones defied the restrictions and came out to rally for independence.

Separatist groups did not declare independence, but their supporters hoisted the blue and white flag of their would-be nation, called Ambazonia, in road junctions and some public buildings.

They met stiff resistance from the military.

A woman shouted for help at Nanga junction, a neighborhood in Bamenda. She said the military was throwing tear gas and beating people indiscriminately.

She told VOA that after a teenage boy was beaten to death, the population blocked roads so military vehicles could not continue to enter their neighborhood. She said those who defied the order to stay at home were being arrested.

The government has acknowledged people were killed but did not give figures. The military says at least 40 people have been arrested.

In Bamenda Monday, soldiers continued sealing what they called suspected neighborhoods and arresting more people.

In the northwestern town of Kumbo, the government says three prisoners who attempted to escape were killed by the military. The government said the prison had been set on fire by prisoners.

Rights group worries

Amnesty International says the reports of protesters shot dead by security forces are "worrying" and urged the government to lift restrictions on freedom of movement and assembly.

John Fru Ndi, leader of Cameroon's main opposition political party, the SDF, has condemned the violence.

"I don't want bloodshed. I don't want destruction, I have never wanted it. For them to react in the way they are reacting is because they have been pushed to the wall," NDI said.

President Paul Biya responded to the unrest on Twitter and Facebook, saying he strongly condemned all acts of violence, "regardless of their sources and their perpetrators" and calling for "peaceful dialogue."

Back in the capital, Yaounde, and major towns in the French-speaking regions, rallies are being held to denounce separatist groups.

Lawmaker Tabe Tando from the English-speaking southwest read a declaration at a large rally in Yaounde Sunday.

"The members of parliament outrightly condemn any action aimed at destabilizing our beloved and beautiful country, reaffirm their attachment to a Cameroon which is one and indivisible as enshrined in the constitution, express their brotherly solidarity to the populations of the northwest and southwest regions, victims of the unscrupulous acts of enemies of the fatherland and peace," Tando said.

The separatist groups say the country's English-speaking minority has been marginalized by French-speakers.

President Biya has said he is not open to any negotiation on the form of the state, and that Cameroon is one and indivisible.

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EU Shies Away From Condemning Spain, to Dismay of Catalans

By Jamie Dettmer October 02, 2017

It took more than 24 hours before the European Commission spoke out about Sunday's violence during an independence referendum in Spain's northeast province of Catalonia, where a violent crackdown in a bludgeoning show of force, by Spain's national police and Civil Guard, left more than 800 people injured.

The statement Monday did not please Catalan separatists.

"We call on all relevant players to now move very swiftly from confrontation to dialogue," Europe's top body announced. "Violence can never be an instrument in politics," it said.

To the anger of secessionists, the commission added a supportive note for Spain's embattled center-right prime minister, Mariano Rajoy, saying it trusted him "to manage a difficult process, respecting both the Spanish Constitution and the rights of citizens."

'An internal matter'

Catalan separatists had hoped the police crackdown ordered by Madrid on those trying to vote in the unsanctioned poll would spur EU leaders to intervene directly in their escalating dispute with the national government in Madrid.

There are little signs Brussels wants to become ensnared in a crisis some fear might plunge into even greater violence, if Catalan separatists follow through on their pledge to announce independence for the restive province within 48 hours. In its statement Monday, the executive body said, "For the European Commission, as President [Jean-Claude] Juncker has reiterated repeatedly, this is an internal matter for Spain that has to be dealt with in line with the constitutional order of Spain."

Analysts say Sunday's violence has prompted alarm across the bloc with EU officials worrying the show of strength by Spain's national police and Civil Guard will have the effect of fueling radical separatism in other countries, too.

Other would-be secessionists

At the same time, EU leaders fear that intervening will encourage separatists elsewhere to look to Brussels for help and invite appeals from other would-be secessionists  Flemish in Belgium, Basques in Spain or a host of others in a complicated patchwork of ethnicities spread out across a continent that can ill afford the stitching being unpicked.

Before Sunday's independence poll, which Spain's government and constitutional court declared illegal, European officials privately expressed misgivings about the angry standoff between Madrid and the Catalan separatists. Senior figures in Brussels repeatedly criticized the Catalan independence bid publicly.

Behind the scenes, they worried Rajoy was misjudging the determination and fervor of the separatists. They hoped he would defuse the crisis, avoid the courts, and offer dialogue and concessions in a bid to sidestep a confrontation the secessionists appeared eager to engineer.

Many other challenges

Now, the European Union faces a serious constitutional and political crisis in its fifth largest member country at a time when it is already grappling with Brexit, immigration challenges from members Poland and Hungary, and Russian assertiveness on Europe's eastern borders.

EU member governments publicly are maintaining their support for Madrid or remaining conspicuously silent.

Only the prime ministers of Belgium and Slovenia have expressed clear public disapproval of Madrid's resorting to force. Charles Michel, Belgium's prime minister, tweeted Sunday, "Violence can never be the answer! We condemn all forms of violence and reaffirm our call for political dialogue."

Opposition leaders from Spain's European neighbors have felt less constrained and urged their national leaders to denounce Sunday's police actions, which Germany's Social Democrat leader Martin Schulz described as a "worrying" escalation.

Britain's Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, called for the British government to "appeal directly to Rajoy to end police violence in Catalonia and find a political solution to this constitutional crisis." Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, whose Scottish Nationalist Party sent observers to monitor the referendum, tweeted, "A true friend of Spain would tell them today's actions [are] wrong and damaging."

In the face of media criticism and condemnation by Europe's opposition politicians, the Spanish government has not wavered, asserting the referendum was illegal and it had been forced to take action by a separatist Catalan government it alleges was mounting a coup. And there are no signs Rajoy is planning to soften his stance. He has blamed the violence on "those who violated the law."

It doesn't look as if the Catalan separatists intend to let the European Union off the hook. Carles Puigdemont, the head of Catalonia's regional government, made it clear Monday he wants to involve the bloc in the standoff between Madrid and Barcelona.

Puigdemont said he would appeal to Brussels to look into alleged human rights violations during Sunday's vote. Puigdemont added he will also be looking to the European Union to assist in negotiations for Catalonia to transition to independence.

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Army initiates new network modernization plan to enhance cyber capabilities

By William Ackerly, Mission Command Center of ExcellenceOctober 2, 2017

WASHINGTON -- As the Army introduces concepts such as the multi-domain battle (MDB) into joint operations, it also examines how its current network requires modification in order to support warfighters from multiple services in varying areas of operations and with numerous network and cyber challenges.

America's adversaries are using technological advances to even the playing field with the Army and its joint and coalition partners. To face this current threat, the Army is capitalizing on innovative technologies that integrate communications at every echelon in order to fight wars in multiple domains. As part of moving MDB from concept to doctrine, the Army is preparing to facilitate how Soldiers "shoot, move and communicate" across the land, air, sea, space and cyberspace operational domains.

As technology changes daily, Soldiers across the globe are required to meet their commander's communications needs while keeping up with current technology. To meet this need, the Army is implementing the "Network Path Forward," a data strategy that provides solutions that are simple, intuitive, protected and sustainable. Additionally, these solutions have the added benefit of being installed, operated and maintained by Soldiers.

The Army Chief of Staff's Network Path Forward will be described during this year's Association of the United States Army symposium on Oct. 10 at 2:30 p.m. This way forward looks at short-term applications using industry solutions to rapidly upgrade network mission requirements. These solutions will apply to emerging network requirements from strategic command levels down to the tactical edge, enabling leaders to lead and fight their formations from anywhere in the world. It will also result in better protected and resilient network capabilities for the Army as it integrates joint and coalition partner solutions.

The principles, characteristics and requirements developed by the Army Chief of Staff in the Network Path Forward will guide the Army's future network towards protected, reliable and resilient communications, combining assets from each information system platform. The end result of the Network Path Forward is an agile, mobile, on-the-move communications capability that enables the U.S. military to fight and win wars.

Cyber electromagnetic activities (CEMA) is a key element to the MDB and the Network Path Forward. As changes in the network occur and near peer threats are identified, commanders use the network as a weapons system, applying the CEMA process to plan, integrate, and synchronize cyberspace, the electromagnetic spectrum, and electronic warfare capabilities and actions across domains and warfighting functions.

This network strategy will enable the Army network to move from its current state, improve its ability to "Fight tonight," and move to a future state that enables MDB. The Army will achieve this through a 'Find, Try, Adapt and Buy' approach, leveraging actions that are already underway.

There are four key areas the Army will focus on in order to arrive at this future state. Three of these areas include Institutional Reforms, Policies and Governance; Research & Development; and Science and Technologies. The fourth area of focus is the four modernization Lines of Effort, known as LOEs. These LOEs center on a converged mission network, common operating environments, network augmentation and extension, and an agile and mobile command post.

The Mission Command Network is a critical tool to the success of the Army and sister services. Creative solutions will progress the physical architecture, device implementation, and unifying transport and network capabilities. The Army will continue to look at the implementation of new technologies through the lens of industry innovation, joint service capabilities and coalition integration as it responds to MDB requirements. These efforts will drive the Army to the technological edge in support of the Soldier on the ground in any domain and against any peer.

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Trump: Government Has Brought 'Tremendous' Amount of Aid to Puerto Rico

By VOA News October 02, 2017

U.S. President Donald Trump says the government has brought a "tremendous" amount of food and supplies into storm-ravaged Puerto Rico, following criticism that his administration has been slow to respond to the disaster.

Trump told reporters at the White House Monday, "It's been amazing what's been done in a very short period of time on Puerto Rico."

The president said he will be traveling to the U.S. territory on Tuesday to meet with first responders, the military, "and frankly most importantly, we're going to be seeing the people of Puerto Rico."

Trump said Puerto Rico was devastated by Hurricane Maria, which hit nearly two weeks ago, and faces challenges from its poor infrastructure.

"There's never been a piece of land that we've known that was so devastated. The bridges are down. The telecommunications was nonexistent and it's in very, very bad shape. The electrical grid, as you know, is totally destroyed," he said.

Puerto Rico by the numbers

Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rossello told a news briefing in San Juan Monday that more than 720 of the island's 1,100 gas stations are now up and running and that he expects more fuel supplies in the coming days. Puerto Rico relies on fuel supplies shipped from the mainland United States.

Rossello said 47 percent of water and sewer services are up on the island and said federal and local authorities are working together to keep 50 hospitals operational. He said U.S. Navy hospital ship Comfort will arrive Tuesday or Wednesday.

Trump defends administration

Rossello has generally praised the response to the hurricane by the Trump administration despite criticism from some officials in Puerto Rico, including San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz.

Trump has defended his administration's handling of the disaster, tweeting on Sunday, "Outside of the Fake News or politically motivated ingrates  people are now starting to recognize the amazing work that has been done by FEMA and our great Military."

Trump has been critical of the mayor, saying on Saturday that she was told by Democrats, "you must be nasty to Trump."

Mayor living in shelter

Cruz, whose home was damaged in the storm, is living in a shelter with her family.

"There's only one goal and it's saving lives," Cruz said Sunday on ABC's This Week, when asked about Trump's comments about her. "Any dialogue that goes on just has to produce results. All I did last week or actually even this week is ask for help."

About half of the island's 3.4 million residents still lack access to clean drinking water, according to the Department of Defense, while 95 percent are without electricity.

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Egypt Seizes Massive Weapons Haul from North Korean Smugglers

Sputnik News

23:44 02.10.2017(updated 00:36 03.10.2017)

Egyptian port authorities seized a North Korean ship stuffed with rocket propelled grenades (RPGs) that was part of an illegal weapons smuggling scheme in August 2016, the Washington Post reported on Monday. The incident is the apparent root of tensions between Egypt and the US, allies who have been at odds in recent months for ambiguous reasons.

The North Korean ship, Jie Shun, was travelling through the Suez Canal flying Cambodian colors when Egyptian customs officials descended for a raid. The agents, reportedly acting on a secret tip from the United States, found 30,000 RPGs hidden aboard valued at roughly $23 million total.

The Jie Shun was en route to an unknown buyer. UN investigators say they suspect the buyer to be Egyptian businessmen who hoped to then sell the RPGs to the Egyptian military. It isn't clear if the North Koreans received payment for the goods or not.

The UN investigators added that the incident was the "largest seizure of ammunition in the history of sanctions against the Democratic People's Republic of Korea." As the case was part of an ongoing UN investigation, few details were available about the dramatic series of events before the Post story broke.

The incident caused friction between Washington and Cairo, according to the UN, after the Americans accused the Egyptians of secret cooperation with Pyongyang. American officials claimed that the US told Cairo about the incident to force them to take action  otherwise, Egypt would have been able plausibly deny the knew anything about the ship's cargo.

The Egyptian embassy in Washington issued a statement addressing the charges of prohibited collusion with the heavily-sanctioned Asian nation. "Egypt will continue to abide by all Security Council resolutions and will always be in conformity with these resolutions as they restrain military purchases from North Korea," the embassy said in their statement.

Several countries have been accused of buying conventional weapons from North Korea, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cuba, Eritrea, Iran, Myanmar, Syria and Uganda. However, all of those countries are sanctioned by the US, with Eritrea joining the club in September for buying North Korean weapons and not complying with US standards of human trafficking prevention.

Egypt, on the other hand, is one of the US' closest allies in the Middle East, although relations have stumbled over allegations of human rights abuses at Cairo's hands. "We are very much behind Egypt and the people of Egypt," said US President Donald Trump in April. Just a few months later, however, almost $300 million in planned US military aid to Egypt was frozen or delayed.

The Trump White House at the time claimed that Egypt's poor human rights records in recent years was the reason for the freeze, but now it's been unveiled that the accusations of cooperation with North Korea were the true cause of the schism.

"The recent cut in the US military aid to Egypt was a clear message to Cairo: You choose us or North Korea, you cannot have military relations with both of us," Egyptian political analyst Mohammed el-Menshawy said to the Associated Press. "Cairo got the message and it cut ties with North Korea."

Before Egypt entered the US bloc in the late 1970s, they had an alliance and military relationship with North Korea via their mutual ally the Soviet Union. DPRK pilots trained the Egyptian Air Force after Cairo's defeat in the 1973 Yom Kippur War against Israel, and the two nations have been known to buy and sell ballistic missiles from one another as recently as the 1990s.

 Sputnik

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North Korean Missiles Moved from Research Center Ahead of Likely New Launch

Sputnik News

22:00 02.10.2017(updated 23:36 02.10.2017)

North Korea's upcoming national holidays, combined with intelligence from South Korean and US sources that Pyongyang has recently moved missiles from a research and development facility, have experts warning that a new weapons test of some sort by the country may be imminent.

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has a history of testing weapons to mark major holidays, and one is coming up on Party Foundation Day, October 10, the 72nd anniversary of the founding of the ruling Worker's Party of Korea (WPK). According to the South Korean presidential residence, Cheong Wa Dae, the date may provide an opportunity for North Korea's ballistic missile and nuclear weapons developers to test the next iteration of an intercontinental ballistic missile, which has long been Pyongyang's stated goal.

US and South Korean intelligence sources told Seoul's Korean Broadcasting System on Friday that North Korean missiles were recently transported from a research and development site, a sign test preparations may be underway, they said.

Seven years ago, October 10 was also the day the young leader Kim Jong-un made his formal public debut, during what is widely believed to be one of the largest military parades the DPRK has ever put on.

South Korean spy agencies tell the Korea Times that the DPRK may conduct an intercontinental ballistic missile test "on a standard trajectory" toward the North Pacific on that date this year. July saw North Korea launch two ballistic missiles while on September 3 Pyongyang conducted its sixth nuclear weapons test.

Meanwhile, some key actors are struggling with the question of who even is the present leader in Pyongyang. US President Donald Trump proved he doesn't know the difference between Kim Jong-un, 33, and the late Kim Jong-il, Jong-un's father, who died in 2011, in a series of tweets Sunday.

Taking a swipe at Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in response to a September 30 New York Times story titled, "US in Direct Communication With North Korea, Says Tilllerson," the president tweeted, "I told Rex Tillerson, our wonderful Secretary of State, that he is wasting his time trying to negotiate with Little Rocket Man  Save your energy Rex, we'll do what has to be done!"

The New York Times had reported on Tillerson's comments in Beijing, which "marked the first sign that the Trump administration has been trying its own version of what the Obama administration did with Iran: using a series of backchannels, largely secret communications that, after years of negotiation, resulted in a nuclear accord."

Trump raised questions in observers' minds as to whether he knew the difference between father Kim Jong-il and son Kim Jong-un.

"Being nice to Rocket Man hasn't worked in 25 years, why would it work now? Clinton failed, Bush failed and Obama failed. I will not fail!" Trump tweeted early Sunday morning. Kim Jong-un, 33, would have been just eight years old when the negotiations Trump is supposedly referring to began. Kim Jong-un only came to power in late 2011 following the death of Kim Jong-il.

The Worker's Party of Korea states as one of its Ten Fundamental Principles that the "We must pass down the great achievement of the revolution by the Great Leader comrade Kim Il-sung from generation to generation, inheriting and completing it to the end," which observers have widely concluded serves as justification for the continued domination of the North Korean state by the Kim family.

October 4 marks another important day on the North Korean calendar, the Korea Times notes: the 10th anniversary of the second inter-Korean summit, during which the heads of the two states sat down for official discussions.

 Sputnik

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Iran's FM calls for Kurdish talks with Baghdad

Iran Press TV

Mon Oct 2, 2017 11:37AM

Iran says a recent controversial secession referendum in the northern Iraq runs counter to the Arab country's constitution, calling on Kurdish authorities to negotiate with Baghdad regardless of the outcome of the vote.

"The referendum in Kurdistan was against the Iraqi constitution, which not only does not help the people of Kurdistan, but also is not justifiable for Iraq's security," he told IRNA in New York at the end of a his 12-day stay.

Zarif, who stayed behind to attend UN General Assembly meetings after travelling to New York with President Hassan Rouhani, predicted that the referendum would have "a lot of risks for the security of Iraq and the region."

"Our expectation is that negotiations begin with respect to Iraq's Constitution, especially Article 1, which lays emphasis on Iraq's national unity and territorial integrity as irreplaceable principles, with recent happenings having no effect on negotiations or the future," Zarif said.

Article 1 asserts that "the Republic of Iraq is an independent, sovereign nation, and the system of rule in it is a democratic, federal, representative (parliamentary) republic."

Kurdish authorities went ahead with the referendum despite vociferous opposition voiced by the regional countries and the international community which are worried it could trigger a new conflict in the region.

Rouhani at UN General Assembly

Zarif also said Rouhani's presence at the UN General Assembly was "very successful," during which the Iranian president met with US thinkers and representatives of the media and American Muslims.

"In particular, his speech to the UN General Assembly which was a manifestation of moderation and the firm policy of the Islamic Republic, was welcomed by all participants who were comparing the speech with that by Mr. Tramp," he added.

In his address, Rouhani said Iran followed a policy of "constructive cooperation" with its neighbors in order to guarantee security and help their development. Iran, he said, is opposed to sectarianism and any attempt to inflame sectarian rifts.

Trump instead accused Iran of engaging in "destabilizing activities" in the region as he denounced a 2015 nuclear agreement with the Islamic Republic.

Zarif also touched on his own meetings with UN officials, his counterparts from a number of countries as well as intellectuals, media persons, and Muslim community representatives during his stay.

"Given a very toxic environment which has been formed against the Islamic Republic, and false interpretations followed with regard to the JCPOA and Iran's regional policies, especially during the presidency of Mr. Tramp in the United States, it was a great opportunity for enlightenment," he said.

The JCPOA is the acronym for the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action as the nuclear agreement is called.

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Iran, Iraq Hold Joint Drill Near Iraqi Kurdish Region

RFE/RL October 02, 2017

Iran says its military has held a joint military drill with the Iraqi armed forces amid tensions over a recent referendum on independence in Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region.

The Iranian military announced on its website on October 2 joint military exercises in the country's western border area with units of the Iraqi Army involving armor and artillery units as well as other air units.

In its report about the exercises, the semiofficial ISNA news agency quoted the commander of the ground forces of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), Mohammad Pakpour, as saying that "Iran and Iraq have common enemies and they need to ensure the security of their own borders against threats."

Meanwhile, an official in Iraq's Kurdish region said that Iraqi and Iranian units began exercises at 11 a.m. local time "only 250 meters from the border."

"Iraqi forces are dressed in black and there is a large number of Iranian forces," said Shwan Abu Bakr, the customs chief at the Bashmakh border post between Iraq's Kurdish region and Iran.

Election authorities in Iraq's Kurdish region say the September 25 nonbinding referendum on independence passed with 92.7 percent support and turnout of more than 72 percent.

Along with the Baghdad government, the United States and other Western powers and the United Nations opposed the vote, as did neighboring Turkey and Iran, which have large Kurdish populations.

On September 30, Iranian armed forces spokesman Masoud Jazayeri told reporters that the exercises would be held "in the coming days along the shared border."

Jazayeri said the decision to carry out the drills followed a high-level meeting of Iranian commanders where "the territorial integrity and unity of Iraq and the illegitimacy of the independence referendum in northern Iraq were stressed again."

Iraqi soldiers last week also took part in a Turkish military drill close to Iraq's frontier.

With reporting by AP and AFP

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/iraq-iran-kurdish-independence- vote-military-drills/28769884.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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Bangladesh, Myanmar to form 'working group' on refugee crisis

Iran Press TV

Mon Oct 2, 2017 10:26AM

Bangladesh and Myanmar have agreed to set up a "joint working group" tasked with paving the way for the return of hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees, who have fled a brutal military crackdown in Myanmar's Muslim-majority Rakhine State.

The agreement was reached on Monday following talks between Bangladeshi Foreign Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood and Myanmarese government official Kyaw Tint Swe in Dhaka.

"We are looking forward to a peaceful solution to the crisis," said the top Bangladeshi diplomat following the talks.

"The talks were held in a friendly atmosphere and Myanmar has made a proposal to take back the Rohingya refugees," the minister told reporters. "The two sides have agreed to a proposal to set up a joint working group to coordinate the repatriation process."

He did not give further details about the process.

Over the past weeks, nearly 510,000 Rohingya Muslim refugees have crossed Myanmar's borders into Bangladesh, where they are staying at refugee camps in the Cox's Bazar border district.

The influx broke out on August 25, when the Myanmar military unleashed a fresh crackdown campaign against Muslim villages in the western state of Rakhine following a series of armed attacks on army and police checkpoints there.

The UN has described the exodus as the world's fastest-developing refugee emergency, slamming Buddhist-majority Myanmar for engaging in ethnic cleansing against its Rohingya Muslim minority.

Prominent human rights groups have reported documented cases of systematic attacks by the Myanmar military and Buddhist extremists against Rakhine's Muslim population, including random shootings, rape and arson attacks. The government, however, blames the Rohingya for the violence, claiming the Muslims set fire to their own homes.

Prior to the Monday talks in Dhaka, Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had demanded an immediate end to violence and safe passage in Myanmar for the refugees to return to their ancestral homes.

She had also called for a United Nations fact-finding mission to be allowed to go to Rakhine, and for Myanmar to implement recommendations on resolving the crisis in Rakhine drawn up by an advisory commission led by former UN secretary-general, Kofi Annan.

Until now, Myanmar has not allowed the UN fact-finding mission to visit Rakhine, and the proposed solutions to end the Rohingya's plight recommended by Annan's team have been dismissed by Myanmar's leadership.

The advisory commission led by Annan had recommended that the government hold perpetrators of serious human rights violations against Muslims in Rakhine accountable and ensure the right to freedom of movement for all residents of Rakhine.

The team had also urged government investment in Rakhine infrastructure such as roads, electricity, water and internet access.

In Bangladesh, the uncontrollable flood of refugees has overwhelmed aid agencies.

Queues for food are continuing to swell in refugee camps in Cox's Bazar, as more Rohingya Muslims fleeing violence in neighboring Myanmar make the border crossing.

The World Food Program appealed on Sunday for 75 million dollars in emergency aid over the next six months to help provide food for the refugees, while the United Nations has sought 200 million dollars from donors to help tackle their other needs.

The United Nations has warned of a humanitarian "nightmare" in the camps, where Rohingya refugees are suffering from a lack of food and clean water.

Health experts have also voiced alarm that conditions in the grossly deficient camps are ripe for disease outbreaks such as cholera.

Controlled tour of Rakhine

Myanmar has come under international criticism for barring aid groups, journalists and other outsiders from independently traveling to the region to see the situation there.

On Monday, they took foreign diplomats and United Nations representatives on a controlled tour in Rakhine.

Three groups of diplomats were taken to three different areas on Monday, said Ye Htut, district administrator of Maungdaw in Rakhine.

Local officials in Rakhine said Monday's tour includes meetings with relatives of victims allegedly killed by Muslim militants during the violence against Mro and Daignets minority Hindu communities in Maungdaw township.

The diplomats were also taken to Anaut Pyin village of Rathedaung township, a community of Rohingya Muslims who have not fled, said local police officer Moe Zaw.

A previous controlled tour for diplomats scheduled for last week was abruptly canceled.

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Is Kremlin Struggling To Pick New Daghestan Leader?

Liz Fuller October 02, 2017

Five days after Ramazan Abdulatipov announced he would step down prematurely as Republic of Daghestan head, the Kremlin has still not named an acting successor.

That delay is all the more odd in that Russian President Vladimir Putin has already named temporary successors for four other federation-subject heads who resigned last week: Nikolai Merkushkin (Samara Oblast), Valery Shantsev (Nizhegorod Oblast), Igor Koshkin (Nenets Autonomous Okrug), and Viktor Tolokonsky (Krasnoyarsk Krai).

The most likely explanation for the continued uncertainty is that Abdulatipov went public with his announcement before Putin had selected a candidate to replace him. That is plausible insofar as the man whom most observers have identified as the most likely choice is rumored to have refused several times already to accept the job. Sergei Melikov, 52, made his career in the Interior Ministry Internal Forces, as did his father, who was a Lezgin (the fourth-largest ethnic group in Daghestan). In May 2014, Putin appointed Melikov presidential envoy to the North Caucasus Federal District; two years later, he named him a first deputy director of the newly created National Guard.

Two Daghestani analysts, Khanzhan Kurbanov and Gadzhimurad Sagitov, have stressed to the news portal Regnum the importance of selecting a candidate who is not connected with or vulnerable to pressure from any of the republic's powerful "clans" or economic interest groups.

Sagitov, who is chief editor of the independent newspaper Novoye Delo, advocated appointing "a young person not connected with the clans, a good manager and organizer...not necessarily from a business background, but it's important that he should maintain an equal distance from all the republic's interest groups." In that respect, Sagitov said, Melikov might be ideal. But the power and influence wielded by those various clans, some of them believed to be headed by senior government officials, is said to be the reason Melikov has rejected the job three times.

The new republic head should also, Sagitov continued, be capable of rejuvenating the leadership, galvanizing the economy, and attracting badly needed investment.

Qualifications

There are two possible obvious factors that could influence Putin's choice. The first is the unwritten rule that the post of Daghestan leader is held alternately by representatives of the republic's two largest ethnic groups: Avars and Dargins. Abdulatipov is an Avar; his predecessor, Magomedsalam Magomedov, is a Dargin.

Some analysts have therefore suggested Magomedov, who since 2012 has served as a deputy head of the Russian presidential administration, may return to Makhachkala to his former post. Other Dargin candidates tipped for the post are Federation Council Deputy Speaker Ilyas Umakhanov and businessman Mukhtar Medzhidov, who served as prime minister under Abdulatipov from February to late July 2014. All three men, however, are identified with specific interest groups.

But in light of Putin's apparent indifference to the complex issue of nationality relations (on which Abdulatipov has written widely), there has been speculation that the president will ignore the informal requirement that Abdulatipov's successor be a Dargin.

Among the various non-Dargins identified as possible candidates are two representatives of the security services: Interior Minister Lieutenant General Abdurashid Magomedov (a Lezgin) and Lieutenant General Shamsutdin Dagirov (a Kumyk), who heads the Federal Fire-Fighting Service Academy. According to journalist Milrad Fatullayev, Oleg Belaventsev, who replaced Melikov as presidential envoy to the North Caucasus, is actively lobbying for Dagirov. But in light of the demise of the North Caucasus insurgency over the past four to five years, Putin may consider the arguments for naming a "silovik" as republic head less compelling than the need for resolute measures to crack down on the large-scale corruption and embezzlement of budget funds for which the republic is seen by some as a byword.

If Putin's primary concern is indeed stopping the hemorrhaging of cash from Daghestan's budget, it arguably makes sense to name as republic head an outsider who is not vulnerable to pressure from the various clans. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandr Khloponin, who was Melikov's predecessor as presidential envoy to the North Caucasus and thus knows the region well, has been identified as a possible candidate, but the post would be a demotion for him and it is questionable whether he is ruthless enough.

Abdulatipov himself told Daghestan's parliament on September 28 that he suggested to Putin several potential successors. But Daghestani journalists have expressed doubt that Putin would be guided by Abdulatipov in making his choice. Fatullayev makes the point that "many of Putin's personnel appointments are totally unexpected and unpredictable, given that he makes decisions based on motives known only to himself."

Sagitov similarly told the news portal Caucasian Knot that without the benefit of inside information from a member of the Russian presidential administration, trying to predict whom Putin will name as Abdulatipov's successor is about as scientific as reading coffee grounds.

The views expressed in this blog post do not necessarily reflect those of RFE/RL

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/caucasus-report-daghestan- putin-choice/28769260.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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Syrian forces repel Daesh attack on army posts in Homs: SANA

Iran Press TV

Mon Oct 2, 2017 04:28PM

Syrian forces have thwarted a major attack by Daesh Takfiri terrorists against military positions in the Arab country's central province of Homs, killing a large number of the terrorists in the process.

According to Syria's official news agency, SANA, army forces tracked down a seven-car convoy belonging to Daesh terrorists as it was traveling along a road in al-Mokharram area southwest of al-Sukhnah town. Syrian troops, supported by Air Force fighter jets, then targeted the convoy, leaving scores of terrorists dead and injured.

Separately, Syrian military aircraft bombarded Daesh fortifications in the eastern town of al-Muhasan and city of Mayadin, located about 44 kilometers southeast of Dayr al-Zawr.

The terrorists' positions were also struck in two villages known as Lower Buqros and Tayyebat al-Shamiyah.

Additionally, Syrian jets targeted Daesh outposts in the village of Faidha bin Muwaina', situated 85 kilometers southwest of Dayr al-Zawr, killing a number of Daesh terrorists and destroying their armored vehicles as well as mortar launchers.

Daesh overran large parts of Dayr al-Zawr Province, including its many oil fields, in mid-2014 as it seized swathes of land in Syria and neighboring Iraq.

By early 2015, the Takfiri terrorists were in control of some parts of the city of Dayr al-Zawr and besieged the remaining parts, which were under government control. It is estimated that 100,000 people remain in the government-held parts of the city.

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Multiple terrorist bomb attacks kill 15 people in Damascus

Iran Press TV

Mon Oct 2, 2017 01:04PM

At least 15 people have been killed and scores injured after multiple terrorist explosions hit a southern neighborhood of Syria's capital Damascus, state media say.

The explosions occurred in al-Midan neighborhood in the city on Monday after a number of terrorists detonated their explosive vests in front of a police station in the area.

Russia's RIA news agency, citing its correspondent who was reporting from the scene, noted that the dead included five policemen and 10 civilians.

RIA also quoted a source in the Syrian security services as saying that the attacks had been carried out by four bombers.

Meanwhile, al-Mayadeen TV channel also reported that four militants had carried out the attack.

The Arabic-language al-Watan newspaper reported that the attacks took place near a police station in Midan neighborhood of the Syrian capital city.

Syrian Interior Minister Mohammad al-Shaar said in comments broadcast by the state television that armed militants carrying out the attack were targeting the police station and clashed with police officers there.

One attacker blew his explosives at the main entrance of the station and another one detonated his explosives on the first floor, the minister added.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the Damascus attacks, however, previous terrorist attacks in the Syrian capital were claimed by terrorists from Daesh and al-Nusra Front Takfiri groups.

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Iran, Turkey Agree to Boost Military Ties After Referendum in Iraqi Kurdistan

Sputnik News

19:52 02.10.2017(updated 22:02 02.10.2017)

Turkey and Iran have agreed to boost military ties following the referendum in the Iraqi Kurdistan where more than 90 percent of voters supported the idea of independence from Iraq.

MOSCOW (Sputnik)  Turkish and Iranian chiefs of staff of the armed forces held a meeting on Monday in Tehran and agreed to expand military cooperation between the two countries, local media reported.

According to Tasnim News Agency, the sides agreed to expand the cooperation in training, holding war games and the exchange of experience.

Ankara and Tehran also discussed possibilities of military cooperation to assist Muslims in Myanmar and other countries, the media outlet said citing Iranian Maj. Gen. Mohammad Hossein Baqeri.

"We held talks on the common threats to the two countries (Iran and Turkey), and also on the (independence) referendum in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region with an emphasis on the maintenance of Iraq's integrity and rejection of the referendum," Baqeri said.

Turkish Chief of Staff Gen. Hulusi Akar, on his part, said that Ankara and Tehran had reached agreements on the fight against terrorism and border security and noted the friendly character of bilateral relations.

The talks of the chiefs of staff took place a few days before Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's planned visit to Iran, where a joint response to the recent independence referendum in Iraqi Kurdistan will be discussed. On October 4, Erdogan is expected to hold talks with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei.

 Sputnik

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Growing Use of Turkish Military Stokes Fears of Foreign Policy Shift

By Dorian Jones October 02, 2017

Turkey's armed forces chief, General Hulusi Akar, is in Tehran for talks with Iran's political and military leadership, including President Hassan Rouhani. His visit precedes President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's visit, scheduled for Wednesday, and comes as analysts suggest the use and threat of and military force are increasingly becoming part of Turkish foreign policy.

Analysts point out preliminary talks before a presidential visit are traditionally carried out by the Turkish Foreign Ministry, but note Akar's agenda in Tehran had a strong military flavor.

Tehran and Ankara have issued thinly-veiled military threats to the Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government, following its independence referendum last month. It passed with 92 percent of the vote.

News agencies on Monday reported the Iranian military had moved up heavy artillery to the Iraqi Kurdish border. The deployment matches that of the Turkish armed forces already massed on Turkey's Iraqi Kurdish frontier, ostensibly for military drills.

"Turkey is now looking at a change in its foreign policy," noted former Turkish ambassador to Iraq Unal Cevikoz. "Turkey is considering the threat of the use of force and the use of force as a viable option for realizing its foreign policy objectives, and that is dangerous."

Cevikoz noted a possible increase in the Turkish military's influence over foreign policy. Possible evidence of a growing military role in diplomatic affairs included an August visit by Russian and Iranian armed forces chiefs to the Turkish capital, Ankara. The visits reportedly focused on the ongoing civil war in Syria, where all of these countries have their military forces deployed.

Historic military role

Such a scenario is not new to Turkey. Throughout the 1990s, the peak of fighting by the Kurdish insurgent group the PKK, the military held sway over much of Turkish foreign policy.

In the 2000s, as part of his policy to demilitarize Turkish society, then-Prime Minister Erdogan ended the military role in foreign policy.

"Turkey believed that if Turkey wants to have a peaceful and stable environment in the Middle East, this could be achieved not through security policies or use of military power, but through enhancing economic cooperation," noted Cevikoz, who now heads the Ankara Policy Center.

The 2015 collapse in Ankara's peace process with the PKK, and the Syrian civil war, are seen as the impetus for a recalibration in Turkish foreign policy.

"When Syria became a very important area where international terrorism is now finding a fertile ground and when the civil war expanded in Syria, I think that saw Turkey is shifting back to its security policies," Cevikoz said.

Some analysts see a more robust foreign policy backed up by force as a necessity.

"In such a turbulent and difficult region with a variety of security threats, Turkey needs hard power as part of a portfolio of instruments to influence regional developments," said Sinan Ulgen, a visiting scholar with the Carnegie Institute in Brussels. "In that sense, hard power in this region is necessary even if it's to advance a diplomatic objective."

Domestic policies

Domestic politics could also be a factor driving Ankara's more robust foreign policy approach, analysts note. In 2019, Turkey faces presidential and general elections; both are predicted to be close.

"President Erdogan increasingly has presidential elections in sight," said former senior Turkish diplomat Aydin Selcen, who is now a regional analyst.

Ankara has strained relations with several of its Western allies. And analysts warn there are questions over its future commitment to NATO as Erdogan's rapprochement with Moscow deepens. The Turkish President has described his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin as "a valuable friend."

Erdogan is also looking to improve ties as he heads to Tehran.

Cevikoz said if Turkey is "serious about the secularization of its foreign policy," then it will "have to coordinate with countries like Iran and Russia," which are not allies.

But that will not be a permanent alliance, he said, which "in a way will leave Turkey as a kind of lone wolf in the region."

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Ukrainian Army Lost More Shells in Ammo Depot Fire Than in 3 Year Civil War

Sputnik News

16:19 02.10.2017(updated 20:07 02.10.2017)

Officials have calculated that last week's massive fire at an ammunition depot in central Ukraine has caused $800 million in damage, destroying over a quarter more ammo than Kiev has used over the course of its three-year war with independence supporters in eastern Ukraine.

According to Ukrainian television network TSN, the fire, which ignited last Tuesday at the Kalinovka base in Vinnitsa region, resulted in the loss of about 32,000 metric tons of ammunition (about 25% more than the estimated 24,000 tons used so far in the Ukrainian military's operations in the Donbass), and forced authorities to close 50 km-worth of airspace around the base.

More importantly, the network explained that the vast arsenal at the base was one of many left behind by the Soviet army as it withdrew from Eastern Europe in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The vast arsenal there was placed in temporary storage facilities, often in areas not properly cleared for weapons storage.

The Kalinovka base is estimated to have contained about 200,000 tons of shells, mines, rockets and missiles, spread out over 150 buildings across 600 hectares of wooded area. TSN pointed out that the majority of these buildings not only lacked a roof, but even the special dirt walls meant to prevent a chain reaction of fires spreading to neighboring depots in the event of an explosion.

Over nearly three decades of storage, wooden crates containing shells rotted out. Moreover, the ammo depot, one of Ukraine's largest, was guarded and maintained by only 63 people, some of them pensioners.

At least two people have been injured in the fire and explosions. 30,000 more were evacuated. Luckily, no deaths or serious injuries have been reported. An army of over a thousand firefighters managed to contain the fire by Thursday.

Immediately after the explosion, Ukraine's government blamed saboteurs, President Petro Poroshenko calling for the military to "learn to defend" the country's strategic facilities from "sabotage groups." Interior Ministry advisor Zoryan Shkiryak pointed the finger at Russia, writing on Facebook that he was "convinced that this is a hostile Russian sabotage (sic)." One highly original theory was even proposed claiming that Russian grenade-dropping drones caused the blast.

However, chief military Prosecutor Amatolii Matios later denied the involvement of 'subversive groups' or drones, saying there was no evidence to confirm such claims.

This isn't the first time a Ukrainian ammunition depot has been struck by fire and explosions. In March, the Balakliya ammo depot in eastern Ukraine, containing about 138,000 tons of ammo, went up in flames, injuring two and prompting the evacuation of some 15,000 people. Two years earlier, in October 2015, an explosion at the Svatove, also in eastern Ukraine, blew up, causing damage to 1,700 nearby homes.

Diversion for Sketchy Schemes?

Speaking to Sputnik, political observer and Ukraine expert Stanislav Byshok said there was good reason to believe that this latest 'accident' may have been a scheme to write off the theft and illegal sale of vast amounts of ammo.

"The first version, immediately voiced by Ukrainian authorities (i.e. Russian sabotage) doesn't hold water," the analyst said. "But the other two, I think, are closer to the truth: these are negligence, and an attempt to cover up some sketchy schemes through which these weapons could be resold to other countries, to nations where hostilities are taking place and even to terrorist groups. It's obvious that when one arranges such an explosion, it becomes impossible to establish how many weapons there were at the time of the [fire]. In this way, it's possible to write off a vast amount of weaponry."

According to Byshok, the latest blast in a Ukrainian military depot will undoubtedly affect Ukraine's prestige in the West, with Kiev demonstrating itself as a country that either cannot or does not want to control its own weapons stocks.

 Sputnik

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Ask Matt ... who looks after roadside trees

Sierra Nevada arborists care for the redbuds on Ferncliff Park Drive.

Related Stories

Q. What is happening to the trees next to the Asheville Airport? Are they are dying?

The trees in question were planted this year along Ferncliff Park Drive in the shoulder just below the Asheville Airports new runway retaining wall. So whose trees are they? NCDOTs? Mills Rivers? The airports? Actually, none of the above. The landscaping was done by Sierra Nevada to beautify the entrance to the brewery. Stan Cooper, director of logistics at Sierra Nevada, said the brewery got a planting plan OKd which included the Forest Pansy Redbud trees. The brewerys arborist says that most of the plantings are doing well but there are many trees that are discolored.

Sierra Nevada will maintain the landscaping along the road. There are some challenges with extensive sunlight, poor soils and ability to properly water the trees but the redbuds should survive. If any do die they will be replaced in the fall. If you are not familiar with the redbud, when the foliage emerges in the spring it is a vibrant red or purple.

Q. What is happening on the site of the old IAM facility at the intersection of 3rd Ave. West and Ehringhaus Street in Hendersonville?

The Interfaith Assistance Ministry sold the 3.3-acre tract to the Iglesia de Dios - Tiempo de Restauracion (Church of God - Time of Restoration). The 120-member church is led by Antonio and Mayra Gonzalez. Church services, conducted in Spanish, are being held at their current location on Whitmire Street just off Haywood Road. Iglesia de Dios plans to move to the Ehringhaus Street location by mid-December. Renovations are being made to the interior of the building, particularly to the sanctuary.

Q. Whats the status of widening NC 191 in Mills River?

Well, its on the books. The current NCDOT transportation plan shows NC 191 (Haywood Road) marked for widening beginning at NC 280 in Mills River and ending at Mountain Road with construction beginning in 2023. This 4.4-mile section is actually just the first phase of a larger project to widen Haywood Road all the way into Hendersonville. The last 2.8-mile urban section is not in the funding cycle. With so many homes and businesses close to the road, it will surely be the most difficult. We may not see this happen until the next eclipse. The entire 7.2-mile project is estimated to cost $86 million. In just three years NCDOT is planning to begin right-of-way acquisition and utility relocation on the first phase.

* * * *

Send questions to askmattm@gmail.com.
Someone who bought a Powerball ticket in Southern California has won a record $2.04 billion Powerball jackpot. The winning numbers drawn Tuesday morning at the Florida Lottery draw studio in Tallahassee were: white balls 10, 33, 41, 47 and 56, and the red Powerball was 10. The jackpot ticket was sold at Joes Service Center in Altadena, northeast of Los Angeles. The business will receive a maximum Powerball bonus of $1 million. The Multi-State Lottery Association said Monday nights scheduled drawing was delayed by nearly 10 hours until Tuesday because a participating lottery had issues processing sales. The jackpot was by far the largest lottery jackpot ever won, topping the previous record $1.586 billion prize won by three Powerball ticketholders in 2016.
Comings & goings: Health bar, candle shop, fishing charter website

A health bar and candle-making shop will cut their ribbons in the next few weeks while a charter fishing company launches its website.
MCR, the seventh largest hotel owner-operator in the United States, announced the grand opening of the Residence Inn by Marriott Fort Lauderdale Pompano Beach Central, a 112-room hotel located in the Center Port Business Park in Pompano Beach, Florida. The $21 million extended-stay hotel is owned and operated by MCR.

Located at 2880 Center Port Circle, the hotel is conveniently situated between the Sample Road and Copans Road exits of Interstate 95, and is a short drive from the award-winning Pompano Beach, Boca Raton, and Fort Lauderdale beaches, the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, and the Port Everglades Cruise Port.

Known for its more than 3.5 miles of pristine white beach, Pompano Beach features numerous tourist attractions, including the only coral reef system in the continental United States. The City, which lies in the fundamentally strong Broward County, offers proximity to Interstate-95, Tri-Rail, the Brightline train service, the Pompano Beach Innovation District, three international airports and two major seaports. According to Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitor Bureau, Broward County welcomed 12.27 million domestic visitors in 2016, up four percent from 2015.

The hotel features studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom suites with fully-equipped kitchens and residential-sized appliances, a 24-hour onsite food and beverage market, dry cleaning services, a business library, an outdoor swimming pool, an exercise room, meeting space and complimentary high-speed Internet access and hot breakfast.

Hotel website
MCLEAN, Va.  Approximately 41 percent of Americans have a valid U.S. passport1, and it turns out, that's a good thing. Hilton Hotels & Resorts, the flagship brand of Hilton (NYSE: HLT), has uncovered that Americans with passports are more likely to be content with their lives than those who do not have passports. Based on this finding, Hilton Hotels & Resorts is launching the Hilton Passport Project to put more passports in the hands of Americans to help them realize the power of travel.

Uncovering Consumer Insights

A key component of the Hilton Passport Project is better understanding the mindset of Americans when it comes to international travel and putting their passports to use. To do this, Hilton conducted a study2 of 1,000 travelers to explore: could getting a passport be a key to happiness? What motivates people to get a passport? Are most passports being used? What does having a passport say about someone's personality?

Source: Hilton

The findings from the study revealed three key themes about American travelers today:

Turns out, having a passport is in fact good for you - More than half (53%) of Americans with passports are content with their lives versus just over a third (34%) of those who do not yet have passports.

More than half (53%) of Americans with passports are content with their lives versus just over a third (34%) of those who do not yet have passports. Passports could be used more, and there are now more opportunities to do so - Among respondents who have a passport (but haven't been abroad in the past 12 months), 18 percent have never used their passport.

Among respondents who have a passport (but haven't been abroad in the past 12 months), 18 percent have never used their passport. People are motivated to get out and unlock their world - Six in 10 Americans are motivated to travel abroad and 27 percent already have plans in place to use their passport.

In addition to these key themes, the findings allowed Hilton to create a "Passport Personality Index," which categorizes travelers into a series of personalities - Globetrotters, Future Explorers and "Maybe Later" International Travelers -distinguishable by key traits such as their motivation to travel, contentment with life, social media sharing habits and even desire to first see all America has to offer before heading abroad. The compelling findings from the study are outlined in a Hilton Blue Paper: The State of U.S. Passport Use, available online here.

"For nearly 100 years, we've witnessed the profound impact travel has on the lives of our guests," said Stuart Foster, vice president, global brand marketing. "With more than 570 hotels in the heart of the world's most incredible destinations, Hilton Hotels & Resorts makes travel within reach. The Hilton Passport Project is our way of helping more Americans unlock the power of travel and realize the benefits a passport can bring them - whether that's becoming more content with their lives or enjoying new experiences and opportunities."

Putting Passports in Hand

To bring the research to life and motivate travelers to pursue that next stamp in their passport, Hilton Hotels & Resorts is partnering with Zach Houghton, founder of Passion Passport. A core mission for Houghton - and the Passion Passport community - is to connect travelers and potential travelers who are seeking new experiences and perspectives. Houghton will team up with Hilton Hotels & Resorts to invite his followers to a live event in New York City this fall, which will guide people through the process of getting a passport, immerse them in cultures and destinations from across the world and give them a chance to win a once-in-a-lifetime trip to one of those destinations.

Beyond New York, Hilton will be facilitating the passport application process by setting up Passport Project activations at select hotels and locations later this year. Visitors will be able to take their passport photo and receive all the information and materials they need to apply for one - as well as engage with interactive experiences that will whet their appetite for global travel.

Additionally, highly immersive digital videos, billboard installations and terminal takeovers with creative from the brand's newest campaign, "The World Is Right Here," will continue to roll out at some of the country's busiest airports in cities including Chicago, Atlanta and Dallas. The campaign illustrates the value of travel and empowers consumers to travel more - passports in hand - and experience the world around them.

For additional information on the Hilton Passport Project and the Passport Personality Index, resources available to help consumers obtain passports and some destination inspiration, visit news.hilton.com/passportproject or follow along on social via Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/hilton), Instagram (@hiltonhotels) and Twitter (@hiltonhotels) using hashtag #PassportProject.

1 https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/passports/statistics.html

2 Hilton Hotels & Resorts commissioned a 15-minute, online survey among a nationally-representative sample of 1,000 U.S. adults ages 18+ that have traveled within and/or outside of the U.S. in the past 12 months. The margin of error for this sample is +/- 3.1% at the 95% confidence level. The survey was fielded by Edelman Intelligence between May 30 and June 6, 2017.

Jacqueline Toppings

Hilton Worldwide

+1 703 883 5381

Hilton
The team at EyeforTravel would like to extend their deepest condolences to the victims, their families, and all those affected by the senseless tragedy that took place in Las Vegas this week. Having held numerous past conferences in the city, EyeforTravel knows that its people and businesses are resilient and will recover.

Tim Gunstone, EyeforTravel MD says: "Our upcoming summit is to be held at the Mandalay Bay Hotel where this senseless act took place. As our hearts go out to all those affected, we as an industry are also acutely aware of how these random events can destroy travel businesses, like hotels and airlines, and the countless livelihoods that they support."

This week we also saw the demise of Monarch Airlines in Europe, which attributed much of its demise to terrorism and the closure of markets that have been affected like Turkey, Tunisia and Egypt.

Gunstone continues: "Of course, we completely understand that people may be reluctant to attend the Las Vegas Summit so soon after such a tragedy but as a business that stands with the travel industry, and one that has held numerous events over the years in the city, we have decided to show our solidarity by proceeding with our Summit this month."

Twenty percent of the value of all tickets sold between now and the event will be donated to the American Red Cross.

The EyeforTravel team would also like to thank the all the delegates and speakers who have shown support in confirming their attendance.

For questions, please email me directly at [email protected].

About Reuters Events

Reuters Events is a community where the worlds top online travel brands  from hotels to airlines, online travel agents, cruise, car hire firms and more  come to meet to drive forward growth and innovation in the industry.

We know that working in the turbulent online travel industry is as exciting as it is challenging. In this constantly evolving market place, we appreciate that keeping up with the pace of change can be tough, not to mention time consuming. You need the right information, contacts and strategic insight to succeed.

Established in 1997, by Tim Gunstone, we offer a diverse product portfolio including industry analysis, insights, research, webinars, reports and conferences to suit the needs of our clients.

Our clients read as a whos who of online travel. From major hotel brands to new startups, we help our 80,000 strong customer base make better decisions, build better brands, close the most lucrative deals and ultimately sell more of their product. After all, increasing travel brand profit margins in the cutthroat travel industry is the name of the game!

No other online travel intelligence provider has been charting the growth of online travel as long as we have. We were here at the inception of online travel and we know the industry inside out. Whats more, were a small, friendly team. Forget impersonal hierarchies, we like to get to know our customers and work towards their exact needs.

Meredith Pistulka
Thomas Emanuel, Director of Business Development at STR will join more than 150 industry leaders in Moscow next month to present a Hotel Performance Report at the upcoming Russia Hotel & Tourism Investment Conference. Ahead of the meeting STR gave an overview of the hotel market in Russia and the CIS.

Following the collapse of the Russian ruble in the second half of 2014, the hotel market suffered a significant fallout, reporting a 20.1% RevPAR drop for the full year. This result was mainly driven by occupancy levels, which fell 15.3%, coupled with a 5.7% drop in rate. Performance started recovering over the subsequent years, with 2016 seeing a 24.0% RevPAR uplift compared with 2014, bringing it just 0.6% below the country's year-end 2013 RevPAR level (the year before the collapse). Russia's performance has been strong so far for 2017, with RevPAR 9.3% higher than it was during the first seven months of 2013, indicating that the market has stabilized to pre-crisis levels.

Domestic tourism has been a driving force for Russia's hotel performance in recent years. This growth has been driven by the weakening ruble, along with restrictions on outbound travel to Egypt and Turkey, popular destinations for Russian tourists. This has benefited a number of Russian markets, including Moscow, St. Petersburg and Sochi.

TOP PERFORMING DESTINATIONS IN RUSSIA AND CIS

From January to July, hotels in all CIS countries that STR reports on recorded uplifts in revenue per available room (RevPAR) in their local currencies when compared with the first seven months of 2016. Ukraine (RevPAR +25.6%) and Kazakhstan (RevPAR +24.5%) reported the strongest growth during this period.

An increase in both business and leisure travel boosted performance in the Ukraine, as the country recovers from economic setbacks that have affected hotels since 2014. As a result of the country's currency devaluation, average daily rates (ADR) have risen quite significantly.

Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, hosted the 2017 World Expo from June to September. The government's expanded visa policy to draw more foreign tourists appears to be helping the nation's hotel industry, from both a performance and development standpoint.

Sochi is currently the top performing market in Russia in terms of RevPAR, up 28.2% as of July 2017. Yekaterinburg follows with an 11.8% RevPAR increase, and increases in both occupancy (6.5%) and ADR (5.0%).

On the flip side, Armenia saw the slowest performance growth in the region, with RevPAR up just 1.9%. The country recorded a 26.5% decline in RevPAR for the first seven months of 2016, so the moderate year-over-year increase is less significant when taken into context.

"It's always a bit of an anomaly when a country's hotel sector benefits from a currency devaluation," said Emanuel. "Although the weakened ruble is not necessarily a positive sign for Russia's economy, on the other hand domestic tourism has increased substantially as international travel has become less affordable. Now that performance seems to have recovered, it will be interesting to see how the market responds to incoming supply. As of August 2017, there are 44 hotel projects under construction, accounting for 8,350 rooms."

To listen to the full performance report, join us at Russia Hotel & Tourism Investment Conference, taking place 24 October at the Radisson Blu Belorusskaya.

About The Bench

The Benchhas established a legacy for delivering world-leading investment forums and conferences in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America. The key principle behind these platforms has remained "dealmaking'. Transforming the way business connect, Bench has developed a reputation for creating innovative and high-impact meeting spaces for the industry.

For over two decades - government leaders, tourism ministries, global travel & tourism associations, the world's most influential hospitality brands, hotel owners & investors, renowned restaurant groups, airlines & aviation authorities, destination developers, asset managers, financial groups and consultants  have been participating in The Bench's events for their respective objectives. These include AHIC, AHIF, GRIF, FHS, AHF, IDEEA, AviaDev and RENEW where industry players showcase their brands, position themselves as thought leaders or innovators, and connect with the right opportunities and knowledge.

Learn more on thebench.com

About MEED

Launched on International Women's Day 1957, the Middle East Economic Digest, MEED, is a well-known and trusted brand used by governments and businesses operating in the region.

Encompassing a business intelligence service, digital media, publications and events MEED provides exclusive daily news, data and analysis. We are responsible for keeping our audiences of subscribers, registered users and event attendees informed, helping to facilitate decision making and connections.

Our marketing solutions team provides clients with access to our audiences. We partner with local and international companies who need to reach our high-value communities. In consultation with our clients we utilise tried and tested methods to target and engage decision makers to announce and explain, lead and grow and to contact and convert business leaders into customers.

MEED is wholly owned by data and intelligence company GlobalData Plc which means that our marketing solutions clients are also able to access a network of over 13m digital users per month across 18 different sectors.

Learn more on meed.com

Future Hospitality Summit (FHS)

Date: 19-21 September 2022

Location: Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai, UAE

Sponsors

Host Sponsor: Jumeirah Hotels & Resorts

Platinum Sponsors: Accor, Dur Hospitality, Hilton, Marjan, Millennium Hotels & Resorts and Radisson Hotel Group

Emerald Sponsors: Emaar Hospitality Group, IHG Hotels & Resorts, Marriott International, NEOM, Rotana, Royal Commission for AlUla, SMIT Morocco and Taiba Investments.

Gold Sponsors: Aleph Hospitality, CBRE, Colliers, Compass Project Consulting, Dentons, ELAF Group, ENVI Lodges, GG&Grace International, Hospitality Management Holding, HVS, The Indian Hotels Company, Insignia, Interior360, Ishraq Hospitality, IT Hospitality Group, Knight Frank, Louvre Hotels Group, LXA, Mapal Group, Minor Hotels, OBMI, PwC Middle East, QUO, SSH, STR, Valor Hospitality Partners and Voltere by egis.

Silver Sponsors: Deutsche Hospitality and Katch.

Supporters: The Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management, Hospitality Asset Managers Association (HAMA), Sustainable Hospitality Challenge, and Women in Hospitality (WiH).

Jonathan Worsley

The Bench
Hotel Zico in Mountain View, CA, managed and owned by Concept Hotels

Concept Hotels, a prominent hotel management firm in California, has selected Tambourine to handle website and digital marketing efforts for its portfolio. Tambourine has launched services to all seven of Concepts properties, the latest being Santa Fe Sage Inn & Suites in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Concept makes data driven decisions. And it does not get more data driven than the kind of information were getting from Tambourine, said Tushar Patel, Director of Revenue Management, Sales & Marketing at Concept Hotels.

Together, we have gotten smarter, more creative, more purposeful and ultimately, more effective. We are excited about continuing, further strengthening and expanding on our partnership with Tambourine.

Tambourines services for Concept includes:

 Omni-channel traffic generation (search, PPC, email, social)

 Custom, responsive hotel website design and mobile sites

 Conversion rate optimization

 Reservation recovery

 Cross-channel ROI tracking

Its very validating to see our roster of West Coast clients growing, said Scott Quintal, Partner and Chief Revenue Officer at Tambourine. And to gain the confidence of deeply respected firms like Concept makes it even more rewarding.

About Concept Hotels

Targeting business and leisure guests who favor personality and individuality over cookie-cutter conformity, Concept Hotels boasts a portfolio of seven unique boutique hotels in major metropolitan centers in California and New Mexico. From Mountain View to Menlo Park, San Francisco to San Jose and also Santa Fe, our hotels deliver a feel-good Xperience thats anchored in service, style and great value.

At Concept Hotels, our hospitality know-how is anchored in the Xperience, that je ne sais quai that turns first-time guests into treasured friends. Here, its about creating experiences through fresh, fun and functional design, throwing in a generous dose of excitement and layering it with unbeatable value and personal service delivered with a smile. Whether the vibe is European, Mediterranean or an artful, magical mix that defies labeling, Concept Hotels are united in delivering an Xperience. And a distinctly great one at that.

About Tambourine

Tambourine is transforming hotel ecommerce.

The Firm has become an instrumental partner for elite hoteliers, hotel management and asset management firms seeking to outperform their compset, improve bottom line profitability and decrease OTA-dependence.

We deliver an all-inclusive managed service program that ensures maximum traffic and conversions across all digital channels. Our team utilizes our own best-in-class technology to empower your property giving you the confidence and ability to achieve your ownerships revenue goals.

The firm is celebrating its 33rd year in business. For more information about Tambourine, visit www.Tambourine.com
No matter how obvious it may seem, some people simply cant keep it in their pants. Now, high-end designer Gucci is finding themselves in some legal hot water, after a downtown Chicago store managers lewd behavior landed him a sexual harassment lawsuit. According to TMZ, ex-employee Chanel Falasco found herself on the receiving end of some unwanted advances from her manager, who allegedly followed her into a storage room where he proceeded to unsheathe the D, if you will. Seeing as Chanel did not consent to the real-life equivalent to an unwanted dick-pick, it was only a matter of time before legal action had to be taken.

In addition to the aforementioned incident, the manager allegedly bombarded Falasco with derogatory comments about her ass, which led to the unfortunate nickname of booty. TMZ managed to land some of the documents, which go deeper into detail about some of the managers misconduct. Apparently, Falasco claimed that the manager attempted to kiss her, groping her neck, waist, and ass without consent. She claims that in September 2015, the manager followed her into the storage room and whipped it out, encouraging her to engage in sexual activity with him.

Falasco reportedly complained to higher ups, who seemed to turn a blind eye, despite apparently being aware of the managers previous misbehavior with other employees. Shes suing for an undisclosed amount of damages, and the luxury brand has yet to issue a response. Its not a good look for Gucci, especially if the reports of prior knowledge are accurate. Sexual harassment is no joke, and if you have to resort to whipping your dick out for attention, you dont deserve to be in a position of power. Hopefully the brand can make things right, as reputation goes a long way in 2017.

Gucci
By now, everyone has heard about the mass shooting that took place in Las Vegas on Sunday night, with the terrifying images saturating news coverage on a round-the-clock basis. As has happened with other tragedies of this sort, even the hosts of late night comedy institutions were unable to ignore the gravity of the situation, addressing it in their own individual ways at the beginning of their respective shows.

Jimmy Kimmel, who has become perhaps the strongest activist voice among the main late night hosts, was in a solemn state as he addressed his studio audience Monday night. Here we are again, in the aftermath of a terrible, inexplicable, shocking and painful tragedy, he said off the top, remarking that Las Vegas is not only his hometown, but also the hometown of his band leader. This morning, we have children without parents, fathers without sons, mothers without daughters, we lost two police officers, we lost a nurse from Tennessee [] its the kind of thing that makes you want to throw up or give up. Its too much to even process. He later called on politicians and other influencers on Capitol Hill to get serious about having an open dialogue about gun control and background checks.

Stephen Colbert echoed similar thoughts during a brief opening to his show. He first sent his thoughts and prayers to those who have been affected by this unimaginable cruelty, before reiterating that the American people could not accept this type of tragedy as a new normal. This afternoon, the President called this an act of pure evil and I think hes right, said Colbert. So what, then, are we willing to do to combat pure evil? The answer cant be nothing, he added, before adamantly proclaiming that doing nothing would be an act of cowardice.

Seth Meyers also sent his condolences to the victims and also thanked first responders in his opening message during his show, before addressing members of Congress directly, asking if there was nothing that could be done to prevent gun violence. When you say, which you always say, that now is not the time to talk about it, what you really is mean is, there is never a time to talk about it.' Meyers added that it would be more honest of those involved with policy making to just come out and say that they never plan to do anything about it.

Conan OBrien called the news absolutely devastating and he echoed the sentiment felt by many in the general public that shootings like this one are becoming more and more frequent. When I began [in late night] in 1993, occasions like this were extremely rare, he said. For me or any TV comedy host, back then, to come out and need to address a mass shooting spree was practically unheard of. But, over the last decade, things have changed. He couldnt be more right.

James Corden also sent his thoughts to the victims and praised the stories of heroism that have come out in the news reports about the Las Vegas shooting, from first responders to resilient concert attendees and so on. He also added this horrifying statistic, to underscore the need for gun control in the United States: 11,660 people have died from gun violence in the last 275 days alone.

Finally, Jimmy Fallons Tonight Show preferred to use music over words to come to terms with the tragedy, offering up a beautiful duet from Miley Cyrus and Adam Sandler to help ease the pain. You can watch that below.

Las Vegas Shooting
Offset and Cardi B are fast becoming one of hip-hops most adorable romantic couples. Hes one of the members of the genres chart-topping trio Migos, and she recently became the first female rapper since Lauryn Hill to have an unassisted track go all the way to No. 1 on Billboards Hot 100 chart. Despite that level of success, it doesnt seem like theyre competitive with each other, which can only cement the closeness they feel towards one another. Chatting with the crew over at The Breakfast Club, Cardi went on record as saying that, he would want me to win, to be honest with you. Though she did refrain from using the L word, telling them that shes too gangsta to use those types of words, its clear that both she and Offset are head over heels for each other. Those feelings were only heightened by the Migos members newest purchase: matching watches for he and his queen.

In a video that he shared via social media, Offset staked his claim for the title of Boyfriend of the Year after copping a set of matching iced-out watches for himself and Cardi. Glittering from top to bottom, theres some serious diamond accumulation going on with these new pieces. Based on the latter half of the video, during which Offset showcases his collection of bejeweled time tellers, its clear hes no stranger to having some bling on his wrist. Now, he wants Cardi Bs accessory game to match his, and the result was her playfully turning her head away from the camera, perhaps stifling any blushing that she felt coming. Of course, after the success of Bodak Yellow, theres no real need for Cardi to have someone dote on her in order to wear the finer things in life, but when youre into someone, its a nice perk to be sure.

Elsewhere in the news is the update that Migos are supposedly working on a big screen venture, which will begin with a script that is to be penned by Quavo. Theres no indication of what exactly the project will consist of, but it will undoubtedly bring hoards of devoted fans into multiplexes whenever it gets released.

Offset
UFC President Dana White has announced the UFC will donate $1 million to the families of those affected by Sundays mass shooting on the Las Vegas Strip, according to ESPN.

White told ESPN,

At the end of the day, this is our city  we love this place, White told ESPN. The first thing when we got up this morning, everybody, personally, got it together and made sure anybody they know or love was OK. Then we came in here and made sure all of our employees are OK. Then you start thinking about this city, our hometown, and we felt we needed to do this. This is something we needed to do. Las Vegas has [billionaire businessmen] Sheldon Adelson and Steve Wynn. We have MGM Corporation and tons of other businesses that thrive in Las Vegas, White said. Well take care of our own. If anyone else out there wants to help Las Vegas right now, plan that next trip. Dont be afraid to come here. This city is safe. Tragedies are happening all over the world right now and its horrible, but dont let it make you afraid to live.

In addition to the $1 million donation, White says the UFC 216 pay-per-view event on Saturday, which will be held at the T-Mobile Arena, will be dedicated to the entire city of Las Vegas.

Following the horrific attack that left at least 59 people dead and over 500 injured, Clark County Commission Chair Steve Sisolak has set up a GoFundMe page in an effort to raise funds to assist the victims, and athletes, celebrities and citizens across the country have responded.

The Oakland Raiders, who hope to open their new home in Vegas in 2020, made a $50,000 donation, Los Angeles Rams offensive tackle Andrew Whitworth donated $25,000, while others like Mike Tyson, The Chainsmokers and Kid Rock pitched in $10,000 of their own money.

As of this writing, the Las Vegas Victims Fund has raised more than $3,185,000. Click here to donate.

Dana White
We work towards an equitable,

gender-just, self-reliant and

sustainable fisheries,

particularly in the small-scale,

artisanal sector

We work towards an equitable,

gender-just, self-reliant and

sustainable fisheries,

particularly in the small-scale,

artisanal sector

We work towards an equitable,

gender-just, self-reliant and

sustainable fisheries,

particularly in the small-scale,

artisanal sector

We work towards an equitable,

gender-just, self-reliant and

sustainable fisheries,

particularly in the small-scale,

artisanal sector
If youre looking to meet a special someone, you may turn to a dating app or website. Setting up a dating profile often requires a lot of personal information. Think about the small details you provide when talking about yourself, trying to impress a potential partner.

One popular dating app reportedly collects data that includes: name, Facebook likes, age preferences, romantic matches and conversations. Its important to know how this information is being secured. If you are on these sites, be sure to read the privacy policy to learn what they are doing to protect it. Keep in mind security measures are not fool-proof and be wary about the information you are sharing.

When it comes to dating apps, you never really know who is on the other end of the phone or computer. Catfishing is becoming more and more common as con artists create compelling backstories, and full-fledged identities, then trick you into falling for someone who doesnt even exist. What makes this even more heartbreaking is that scammers are taking advantage of the quest for love.

An Idaho woman recently reported that after establishing an online relationship with someone she met online, and after several weeks of texting conversations, the man she thought she was dating had an emergency trip to Dubai. A couple of weeks went by, and conversations continued, but then the man began asking for money. Luckily this woman investigated further and learned it was scam before it was too late.

Romance scams often start with photos and text stolen from real accounts. Usually, the person is across the country or overseas for one reason or another to explain why they cant meet you in person. Over a short period of time the relationship seems to grow, exchanging photos and romantic messages, even talking on the phone or through a webcam. Just when the relationship seems to be getting serious, your new sweetheart has an emergency and starts to request money. But once the money is sent, they will continue to ask for more, coming up with more excuses, or cut off all communication altogether.

BBB wants you to be wary of the information you put online and in dating apps. Take note if someone constantly has excuses to postpone meeting in person or if their photos and information dont seem to match up. Avoid requests for money, no matter how compelling the story may be. And if you do decide to meet up with someone you met online, consider meeting in a public place and letting a trusted friend know where youll be.
Image: Screengrab from YouTube

Srinagar, Oct 3 (IBNS): Suspected militants attacked the Border Security Force (BSF) camp near the Srinagar International Airport on Tuesday morning, injuring three jawans, media reports said.

However, in a retaliation, at least one militant was killed.

The airport has been cordoned off, resulting in the seizure of flight operations.

The militants targeted the 182nd Battalion camp of the BSF, which is entrusted with the safeguarding of the airport.

Meanwhile, following the attack, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh will chair a high-level meeting at 11:30 am.

Even though the body of the militant has been recovered from the BSF camp, his identity is yet to be ascertained.



image: Screengrab from YouTube
New Delhi, Oct 3 (IBNS): Breaking silence for the first time, Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh's adopted daughter, Honeypreet Insan, said she could not understand how some people raise questions about the holy relationship of father-daughter between her and the Dera chief, media reports said.

Honeypreet said this in an interview to India Today.

Speaking about her relationship with Ram Rahim, Honeypreet told the reporter: "I do not understand how can someone question the holy relationship of a father and daughter. My main concern was the way the media projected me. How can they malign a father and daughter's relationship. Can a father not keep his hands on his daughter? Can a daughter not love her father?"

Honeypreet, who is accused of stirring riots in Panchkula and Sirsa, Haryana, after Ram Rahim's conviction in a rape case that dates back to 2002, dismissed all the allegations and said: "I want to ask, how can a girl go alone without appropriate permission in the middle of the force? Later they all said that I was wrong. I just need to say that all evidence is there for the world to see. They accuse me of being involved in riots, but do they have any evidence against me."

Despite court conviction of Ram Rahim for raping two of his Sadhvis (female followers), Honeypreet, attempted to defend the Dera chief. She said in the interview: "One basis of one letter, how can anyone be held guilty? My father is innocent and his innocence will be proved. They have not considered the opinion of other women from dera."

Honeypreet said she will appeal to the higher courts to prove Ram Rahim innocent and also take legal actions after consulting the lawyers. She divulged that will go to Haryana and Chandigarh High Court, which was directed by the Delhi High Court, days ago.

On September 26, the Delhi High Court turned down the anticipatory bail plea of a suspected accomplice of arrested Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, Honeypreet Insan.

The court has directed Honeypreet's lawyer to ask his client to surrender before the Haryana and Chandigarh High court.

Honeypreet Insan aka Priyanka Taneja's lawyer has pleaded for a trasit anticipatory bail for three weeks before the court. Honeypreet was projected as the adopted daughter of Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh.

Honeypreet is accused of conspiring the violence which occurred in Panchkula and Sirsa, immediately after Gurmeet's conviction, that killed 30 odd people.

A lookout notice has been issued for Honeypreet Insan by Haryana Police on September 1.

Honeypreet is the "adopted daughter" of the convicted chief, who was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment after he was found guilty of raping two of his female followers.

The Dera chief also broke down during the verdict and urged the judge to lighten his sentence, but was eventually granted 20 years, 10 years each for sexually exploiting two females.

In addition, the judge also ordered the dera chief to pay Rs 15 lakh compensation each to both the victims.
Allahabad, Oct 3 (IBNS): Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh turned violent on Tuesday following the death of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader Rajesh Yadav, according to media reports.

Rajesh Yadav was shot dead outside Allahabad University's Tara Chand Hostel late on Monday, the media quoted the police as saying.

On Tuesday, a mob went on rampage and vandalised properties, media reported. The mob torched two buses and allegedly damaged a nursing home.

According to NDTV, the mob even attacked journalists.

The BSP leader was accompanied by his friend Dr Mukul Singh who later said to the police that some people attacked the BSP leader and opened fire at him at around 2.30am.

Yadav sustained a bullet injury on his stomach and was rushed to a private hospital by Dr Singh where he died while undergoing treatment, media reported.



Image: News18/Twitter
Image: www.YouTube.com

New Delhi, Oct 3 (IBNS) : After absconding for more than a month, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh's close aide and self-proclaimed aadopted daughtera Honeypreet Insan reportedly surrendered to Panchkula Police on Tuesday, media reports said.

Honeypreet, in her mid-30s, was on the run since August 25, the day Dera Sacha Sauda sect chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was convicted in two rape cases.

There had been reports that Honeypreet had fled to Nepal following Ram Rahim's sentencing.

Earlier in the day, In an interview to India Today, Honeypreet (real name Priyanka Taneja), claimed that she was innocent.

Dismissing reports questioning her relationship with Ram Rahim Singh, Honeypreet claimed it was "pure."

"I do not understand how can someone question the holy relationship of a father and daughter. My main concern was the way the media projected me. How can they malign a father and daughter's relationship. Can a father not keep his hands on his daughter? Can a daughter not love her father?, she said.

Honeypreet, who is accused of stirring riots in Panchkula and Sirsa, Haryana, after Ram Rahim's conviction in a rape case that dates back to 2002, dismissed all the allegations and said: "I want to ask, how can a girl go alone without appropriate permission in the middle of the force? Later they all said that I was wrong. I just need to say that all evidence is there for the world to see. They accuse me of being involved in riots, but do they have any evidence against me."

Despite court conviction of Ram Rahim for raping two of his Sadhvis (female followers), Honeypreet, attempted to defend the Dera chief. She said in the interview: "One basis of one letter, how can anyone be held guilty? My father is innocent and his innocence will be proved. They have not considered the opinion of other women from dera."

Honeypreet said she will appeal to the higher courts to prove Ram Rahim innocent and also take legal actions after consulting the lawyers. She divulged that will go to Haryana and Chandigarh High Court, which was directed by the Delhi High Court, days ago.

On September 26, the Delhi High Court turned down the anticipatory bail plea of a suspected accomplice of arrested Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, Honeypreet Insan.
Hyderabad, Oct 3 (IBNS): The local administration began relief operations in rain-struck Hyderabad on Tuesday, according to media reports.

The city of the Nizams got a fierce lashing on Monday from heavy rains on Monday evening, which threw life out of gear and flooded low-lying areas.

Three people died on Monday from rain-related incidents, local reports said.

Officials have termed it as a cloudburst over the city and said some areas witnessed seven to 12 centimeter of rainfall, media reported.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) was quoted by the media as saying that 82.6 mm of rain was recorded in Hyderabad from 8.30am on Monday to 8.30am on Tuesday.



Image: AIRNewsAlert/Twitter




Bilaspur, Oct 3 (IBNS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), at Bilaspur, Himahcal Pradesh, on Tuesday.

This 750 bed hospital will be built at a cost of approximately Rs 1,350 crore.

In addition to healthcare, it will also provide medical education at the under-graduate and post-graduate level, besides nursing.

According to a tweet by the BJP, the PM said, " I thank the people who have joined us today in large numbers. I am delighted to be in this Dev Bhumi and Vir Bhumi of Himachal Pradesh."

In another tweet, it quoted the PM as saying, "Tourists come here from far off places. If they get access to #AIIMS and get treated well, they will want to come here frequently."

The Prime Minister, on Tuesday, also unveiled a plaque to mark the launch of Digital Nerve Centres for primary healthcare.

The Prime Minister laid the foundation stone for the Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT), at Una.

Narendra Modi also inaugurated a Steel Processing Unit of Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL), at Kandrori, Kangra.

Earlier in the day, he was received at the Chandigarh airport by the Governor of Punjab and Administrator of U.T. Chandigarh, V.P. Singh Badnore and the Chief Minister of Haryana, Manohar Lal Khattar, on his arrival, prior to his visit to Himachal Pradesh.

Image: BJP Himachal Pradesh/Twitter
Srinagar, Oct 3 (IBNS): Suspected militants shot dead former sarpanch of ruling Peoples Democratic Party in Mattan area of south Kashmir's Anantnag district on Tuesday evening.

According to police, group of militants wearing masks opened fire upon a former PDP worker Ghulam Rasool Ganie who was at his shop in Mattan of Anantnag town.

Ganie received bullet wounds and was immediately shifted to Mattan hospital where doctors declared him brought dead on arrival, police said.

Soon after the attack, army, police and CRPF have launched searches to nab the assailants, he said.

Earlier in a day, suspected militants shot dead a civilian in Qazigund area of south Kashmir's Kulgam district.

The police said that the deceased was abducted from his house by Lashkar-e-Toiba militants on Oct 1.

On Monday late evening, militants shot dead a policeman in Awantipora area of south Kashmirs Pulwama district.

An official said that gunmen opened fire on Head Constable Ashiq Hussain and killed him on spot, who was Munshi at Awantipora police station, in Padgampora village.



(reporting by Saleem Iqbal Qadri)


Srinagar, Oct 3 (IBNS): An army soldier was killed in a sniper attack by Pakistani troops in Balakote sector of Poonch district in Jammu region on Tuesday.

According to defense sources, army jawan Mehandir of 7/11 GR regiment was critically injured when Pakistani troops fired at a forward post in Balakote sector along the Line of Control (LoC) .

The trooper, who was hit on the head, was immediately moved to nearby military hospital where doctors declared him brought dead.

The official said that the soldiers manning the fence also retaliated to the attack and when reports last came in, the intermittent exchange of fire was going on.

(Reporting by Saleem Iqbal Qadri)
YouTube

New Delhi, Oct 3 (IBNS): After being on run for over a month, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh's close aide and self-proclaimed aadopted daughtera Honeypreet Insan is finally in custody of Haryana police, media reports said.

She reportedly walked into the Mohali police station and surrendered.

Honeypreet will be produced in court on Wednesday.

She was brought to Panchkula for questioning.

Honeypreet, in her mid-30s, was on the run since August 25, the day Dera Sacha Sauda sect chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was convicted in two rape cases.

There had been reports that Honeypreet had fled to Nepal following Ram Rahim's sentencing.

Earlier in the day, in an interview to India Today, Honeypreet (real name Priyanka Taneja), claimed that she was innocent.

Dismissing reports questioning her relationship with Ram Rahim Singh, Honeypreet claimed it was "pure."

"I do not understand how can someone question the holy relationship of a father and daughter. My main concern was the way the media projected me. How can they malign a father and daughter's relationship. Can a father not keep his hands on his daughter? Can a daughter not love her father?" she said.

Honeypreet, who is accused of stirring riots in Panchkula and Sirsa, Haryana, after Ram Rahim's conviction in a rape case that dates back to 2002, dismissed all the allegations and said: "I want to ask, how can a girl go alone without appropriate permission in the middle of the force? Later they all said that I was wrong. I just need to say that all evidence is there for the world to see. They accuse me of being involved in riots, but do they have any evidence against me."

Despite court conviction of Ram Rahim for raping two of his Sadhvis (female followers), Honeypreet, attempted to defend the Dera chief.

She said in the interview: "One basis of one letter, how can anyone be held guilty? My father is innocent and his innocence will be proved. They have not considered the opinion of other women from dera."

Honeypreet said she will appeal to the higher courts to prove Ram Rahim innocent and also take legal actions after consulting the lawyers. She divulged that will go to Haryana and Chandigarh High Court, which was directed by the Delhi High Court, days ago.

On September 26, the Delhi High Court turned down the anticipatory bail plea of a suspected accomplice of arrested Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, Honeypreet Insan.
New York, Oct 2(Just Earth News): As 1.6 billion people on Monday live in inadequate housing, one billion of whom reside in slums and informal settlements, The United Nations is spotlighting affordable home on on Monday's World Habitat Day, which also marks the official start of Urban October a a month of worldwide celebrations and citizens' engagement in urban life worldwide.

While millions of people lack suitable homes, the stock of vacant houses is gradually increasing, said Dr. Joan Clos Executive Director of the UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) in a commemorating the Day under the 2017 theme 'Housing Policies: Affordable Homes.'

Ensuring housing affordability is therefore a complex issue of strategic importance for development, social peace and equality, he added.

This year's celebrations are noteworthy as they coincide with the first anniversary of the New Urban Agenda, adopted at the UN Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development, better known as Habitat III, in Quito, Ecuador, which enshrines urbanization as an indispensable for development and a prerequisite for prosperity and growth.

It is thanks to this paradigm shift that urbanization and development are indivisibly linked one to another, Dr. Clos said.

'Handing over housing to the market has proved a failure'

An analysis of housing affordability over the last 20 years reveals that despite increasing demand, housing  including rentals  has been largely unaffordable for the majority of the world population.

Handing over housing to the market has proved a failure in providing affordable and adequate housing for all, Dr. Clos continued.

We all remember well that housing was at the epicentre of the eruption of the global economic crisis of 2008, instead of being at the heart of the urban policy. On Monday, 1.6 billion people live in inadequate housing, of which one billion live in slums and informal settlements, he underscored.

Dr. Clos emphasized that addressing the housing needs of the poorest and most vulnerable, especially women, youth and those who live in slums, must be a priority in the development agendas.

Promoting sound housing policies is also crucial for climate change, resilience, mobility and energy consumption.

Which is why, the Executive Director said: we would like to remind on this Day the importance of locating housing at the physical  and holistic  centre of our cities.

For housing to contribute to national socio-economic development and achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the New Urban Agenda calls for placing housing policies at the centre of national urban policies along with strategies to fight poverty, improve health and employment, he stressed.

Each year, World Habitat Day takes on a new theme to promote sustainable development policies to ensure shelter for all  often promoting one of UN-Habitat's focal areas such as inclusive housing and social services; a safe and healthy living environment, with consideration for children, youth, women, elderly and disabled; affordable and sustainable transport and energy; and job creation.

As we strive to create cities for all, an urgent action for achieving affordable homes requires a global commitment to effective and inclusive housing policies, Dr. Clos concluded.

Photo: UN-HABITAT/Alejandro Montes

Source: www.justearthnews.com
New York, Oct 3(Just Earth News): The global community is letting down millions of refugees and internally displaced people, and needs to renew efforts to prevent and resolve conflicts, focusing on protection and solutions, the head of the United Nations refugee agency said on Monday.

Without the shared sense of purpose needed to prevent, stem and solve conflicts, the world will continue to face new refugee flows, and must reinforce its capacity to respond, said UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi in his opening address to the annual meeting of the Executive Committee of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

Drawing attention to crises from Bangladesh to Yemen, Grandi presented a bleak picture of record numbers of people worldwide forcibly driven from their homes  65.6 million at the end of 2016  and he pointed out that the situation is getting worse.

So far in 2017, more than two million people have fled their countries as refugees [] They often arrive sick, traumatized and hungry, in remote border locations, in communities affected by poverty and underdevelopment, he continued.

UNHCR staff are working tirelessly to help them, often in circumstances where their own security is at risk, but the needs are immense.

Many have urgent protection needs  children separated from their families, men, women, girls and boys exposed to sexual and gender-based violence, people with disabilities or facing other risks, he stated.

Grandi stressed that refugee protection and security walk hand in hand and need to be tackled together.

This is not only a matter of principles and values, but also of building regional and global stability. Refugee protection and security are complementary goals, and must be pursued in tandem, he stressed.

Last week the UN refugee chief was in Bangladesh where he witnessed first-hand one of the fastest-growing humanitarian emergencies in living memory, noting that in just five weeks, half a million Rohingya refugees have fled terrifying violence in Myanmar, their rights progressively eroded over decades.

Even more distressing was that while this was happening, a further 50,000 refugees had fled South Sudan, where the dreams which had accompanied independence lay shattered, and another 18,000 people had tried to escape fresh fighting in Central African Republic.

Ongoing crises are deepening. And for many refugees, the search for safety and protection has become more dangerous, he declared.

Grandi praised what he termed as a groundswell of civil society solidarity with refugees, often reinforced through public figure leadership, including mayors. He welcomed the individual and collective acts of compassion as countering widespread measures to deter and exclude.

The international character of refugee protection has taken on new forms  through networks of cities, civil society organisations, private sector associations, sport entities and other forms of collaboration stretching across borders, he added.

In a wide-ranging address, the UN refugee agency chief praised the generosity of major refugee-hosting countries  some of whose leaders have their own experience of flight and exile, but said it was time to take more action globally.

Measures to shore up their efforts, strengthen protection, mitigate the impact of a large-scale refugee presence, and genuinely share responsibility remain essential. This is the fundamental challenge before us, he concluded.

UN Photo/Mark Garten

Source: www.justearthnews.com
New York, Oct 3(Just Earth News): The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has called for putting children at the heart of public and private investment in reconstruction of the areas devastated by two major earthquakes in September.

The seven million children living in the worst affected areas of Chiapas, Mexico City, Morelos, Oaxaca and Puebla  especially the most vulnerable, who have lost their homes and schools  must be at the core of budgetary discussions in the country, said Christian Skoog, UNICEF Representative in Mexico, in a press release.

UNICEF said that budgetary decisions linked to the reconstruction of areas affected by the recent earthquakes must guarantee full respect for the rights of children in health, education and housing for their affected families, without neglecting other fundamental rights such as the right to be protected against violence, abuse or exploitation.

Mexico has ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and has special legislation protecting the rights of children and adolescents and, as such, the country has made formal commitments to undertake all necessary legal and financial measures to guarantee the realization of those rights.

The Mexican Constitution also states that all Government decisions affecting children in the country must seek to protect their best interests in all circumstances.

In a post-disaster situation, accelerating and not just adjusting investment for children must be a priority if a country is to reach its long-term objectives for economic growth and social wellbeing, UNICEF said.

Photo: UNICEF/UN0125939/Solis

Source: www.justearthnews.com
New York, Oct 3(Just Earth News): For 420,000 refugees living in northern Kenya, insufficient funding has forced the United Nations food relief agency to cut rations by 30 per cent, as it appeals for nearly $30 million for assistance.

We are facing a critical shortage of resources, which has compelled us to reduce the amount of food given to the refugees only six months after we resumed full rations, said World Food Programme (WFP) Representative and Country Director Annalisa Conte in a statement.

Overall, refugees living in Dadaab and Kakuma camps will receive a food ration equivalent to 70 per cent of their requirements.

WFP urgently needs $28.5 million to adequately cover the food assistance needs for the refugees for the next six months, she added.

The UN agency provides sustenance assistance to refugees in Kenya as a combination of dry food  including cereals, vegetable oil and nutrient-enriched flour  as well as mobile phone cash transfers to buy fresh food from local traders.

However, while keeping cash transfers unchanged, starting this month, WFP will provide through health clinics fortified flour only for pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers instead of the general population, which may lead to a rise in malnutrition levels among the refugees.

Working closely with UNHCR [Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees] and other partners, WFP strives to meet urgent food and nutrition needs of refugees and other vulnerable groups, and calls upon all parties to take all necessary steps to end conflicts and create conditions for refugees to safely return home, she continued.

In addition to the general food ration and cash transfers, WFP provides nutritious foods to young children, pregnant women and nursing mothers, to stave off malnutrition. Primary grade students receive porridge in school, which helps them concentrate on their classes and provides an incentive for families to send them to school. For the time being, WFP can maintain these critical safety nets for refugees.

Cutting rations is a last resort and we hope that it is only a short-term measure as we continue to appeal to the international community to assist, said Conte.

If new funds are received immediately, WFP can quickly mobilize food stocks from within the region, and/or increase the amount of cash transfers to the refugees allowing them to buy adequate food from the local markets.

An abrupt halt to food assistance would be devastating for the refugees, most of whom rely fully on WFP for their daily meals, she concluded.

Source: INTERNEWS/OCHA

Source: www.justearthnews.com
New York, Oct 3(Just Earth News): The number of those needing humanitarian assistance is at its highest since the end of the Second World War a some 145 million people. Several protracted crises in Africa and the Middle East are deteriorating and climate-induced emergencies, sometimes combined with violent conflict, continue to wreak havoc on vulnerable communities. Amid all this, United Nations-coordinated response plans remain severely underfunded.

It is against this backdrop that Mark Lowcock began his tenure as the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator. The British national brings to the position more than 30 years of experience leading and managing responses to humanitarian crises across the globe.

In his new role, Lowcock serves as the head of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), oversees efforts to bring together humanitarian actors to ensure a coherent response to emergencies. He has hit the ground running, traveling to the Lake Chad Region just days into the job, attending his very first UN General Assembly high-level session, and now preparing to see first-hand the plight of the half a million Rohingya refugees who have fled Myanmar and sought safety in Bangladesh.

Lowcock spoke to UN News about why he accepted the post of the UN humanitarian chief, his first weeks on the job, and what he hopes to accomplish during his tenure.

UN News: What is your overall assessment of the current humanitarian situation around the globe?

Mark Lowcock: Theres never been a larger need of humanitarian assistance in the world  145 million people right now. We are, through the appeals we are in the UN running this year, trying to reach 100 million of those people. What I can tell you is the global humanitarian system is an effective system. Every year we reach tens of millions of people and we save millions of lives, but we dont have all the resources we need and were facing some big challenges. So, the system needs to step up a bit more, and we need to get a bit more support for our work.

UN News: The Lake Chad Basin was your first visit, just a week after taking up the job. Why?

Mark Lowcock: At the end of last year when I was doing a different job, I was worried that there was a potential for four famines in the world in 2017, and one of them is in the Lake Chad Basin region, so I wanted to go and see what had happened. What I found is theres still 10 million people in that region just a step away from starvation. But, the international community, the UN, the NGOs, the Red Cross have rallied behind the governments of the region and have provided life-saving assistance to millions of those people. So I listened to the people whose lives have been affected by this crisis. I heard their stories, and I brought them back to the leaders of the world at the General Assembly last week. And one of the things that I really want to do as the Emergency Relief Coordinator is to be an advocate for those people, to listen to their stories and bring them to the wider world. So that was why I went there.

UN News: The Lake Chad Basin was also the subject of a high-level event here in New York. Did it get the global attention you wanted?

Mark Lowcock: We had a very good meeting actually. I was pleased on a number of levels. Firstly, that the governments of the region came and told a very compelling story about how they are taking the lead in managing the crisis. Secondly, a number of the donors generously pledged new resources. But thirdly, crucially, we were able to tell the stories of people whose lives were affected. We showed pictures and we told their stories. I recounted the words that people who I met sitting under a tree, or under an awning, told me and I think thats an important thing to do. We also were able to get beyond the immediate challenge. So we talked about root causes. We talked about addressing conflict. And we talked about the things that need to happen not just to deal with immediate need but to help people rebuild their lives and get some hope back into the future.

UN News: Lets talk about Myanmar. Daily reports indicate that the humanitarian situation of the Rohingya people, who have now fled into Bangladesh, remains dire. Is there an end in sight? And also, there are accusations of the UN not doing enough. Do they have any merit, and what needs to be done?

Mark Lowcock: Well the origins of the Myanmar crisis lie in Myanmar, and the solutions lie in Myanmar. But one thing we must do is make sure those 480,000 people who have fled, terrified for their lives, into Bangladesh are well looked after there. My very first weekend at this job in the beginning of September, we saw the flow starting to happen and that weekend, from the Central Emergency Response Fund, I allocated money to help the agencies scale up their response.

Since then, as you say, the problem has got even more difficult and even bigger, and were working on a further response at the moment. Im expecting to be in Bangladesh myself very, very soon to assess the situation, to make sure that the scale-up is going well. At the moment, we think were reaching, with some form of assistance, about 80 per cent of those whove come across into Bangladesh. But we need to do better.

And one thing we are going to need to do is seek further generous assistance from our donors, as this problem is significantly bigger than we thought it was going to be. And we need to do that in collaboration with the Government of Bangladesh. Bangladesh and its people have shown exceptional solidarity and generosity, and we need to help them tackle this problem which theyre taking the leadership on.

UN News: What made you accept this role as the UNs top humanitarian official?

Mark Lowcock: Well you know I spent the whole of my adult life working on these issues. My first job was working on the famine relief effort in Ethiopia in 1984-1985. Ive always loved doing this work. I like doing things which make a difference. But the real, specific thing on this job, which when the Secretary-General called me in April and asked me about it, that made it such an easy decision for me, is that I think the vision he has for the United Nations in the period ahead to deal with the problems the world faces, and to build a United Nations which is fit for purpose, is just an inspiring vision. So, it was an enormous honour for me to receive the request from him and it was not a difficult decision to come here and play a part with tens of thousands of other colleagues, to try to realize that inspiring vision.

UN News: What do you see as the biggest challenges ahead in your new role?

Mark Lowcock: Well there are three, big areas where I hope, when, however many years from now, I look back on the time I spent here and what weve been able to do, which weve made some progress on. The first relates to the way combatants, belligerents behave in conflict. Because the single biggest challenge we face relates to atrocities, conducted in conflict, and the enormous human suffering that they cause for unfortunately millions of people at the moment. So if we could make some progress on that, that will reduce a lot of suffering and thats a good way of spending some time.

Secondly, we need to extend the number of countries who cope better with protracted food crises. You know famines used to be ubiquitous, very common across the whole world. Now there are small numbers of countries which are at risk from time to time of famines. What we need to do is get that number down, essentially to zero, in the period ahead and that is a completely achievable objective. I told you that my first job was working on the famine in Ethiopia in the mid-1980s. Because Ethiopias developed and has good safety net systems, they deal with even worse droughts now than happened in 84, 85, better than they were able to. And theres no reason why other countries cant be supported to make similar progress.

Then the third big challenge I would like to help with is building a better business model, operating system, for dealing with refugees and displaced people. [UN High Commissioner for Refugees] Filippo Grandi has been doing amazing work helping the world develop a better system for that problem, and I would like to contribute to that work. Im not saying that we at OCHA are going to be providing the solution to all those problems; we are a service. Our job is to support, facilitate, listen, help other parts of the international humanitarian response system. But Im a person whos motivated by solutions and outcomes, so Im hoping that what we do in OCHA will help all the other agencies make progress on those outcomes.

UN News: And when the time comes for you to end your term as the top UN humanitarian official, what do you personally hope to be able to have achieved?

Mark Lowcock: Well some progress on those three things really: the better handling and reduction in the number of atrocities committed by belligerents in combat; this issue on protracted food security crises; and this refugees issue. I would also like to leave my organization as strong as possible. Ive been amazingly impressed by the brilliant people we have in OCHA. Were trying to improve and get better as an organization and were making a number of changes to do that. But what I would like to do is leave OCHA as an organization where our brilliant people can all do their best work, and we have the confidence and trust, both of those who finance us, because were mostly financed by voluntary contributions, and those were working with. So I dont know exactly when that moment in the future will be when Ill be looking back on this, but I would like to be able to look back on those things.

UN News: What did you hear from the world leaders that were here recently for the General Assembly in relation to the many competing humanitarian demands around the world?

Mark Lowcock: Ive never been to the General Assembly before. Ive been going to international meetings for more than 30 years, but this was the first time at the GA for me so I learned a lot and I met lots of people who I didnt know. I think the overriding thing that I heard from the leaders was a lot of engagement with humanitarian suffering and the desire to do something about humanitarian suffering. I heard that, I think, from everybody, from all perspectives  government, agencies, civil society  who I listened to and talked to. And I took a lot of encouragement from that because what I think it means is that there's a lot of support for the underlying work that we across the UN family and including in OCHA are doing in this area. And so we can engage all those people we need to work with because they are interested and because they care about the issues that we work on.

Photo: OCHA/Ivo Brandau

Source: www.justearthnews.com
New York, Oct 3(Just Earth News): Amid the deepening refugee crisis in Bangladesh and its attendant toll on children, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNCEF) launched on Monday an appeal for its emergency response to reach some 720,000 children a both in Rohingya refugee and host communities a with protection and assistance.

Desperate, traumatized children and their families are fleeing the violence in Myanmar every day. We are scaling up our response as fast as we can, but the magnitude of need is immense and we must be able to do more to help them, said Anthony Lake, the UNICEF Executive Director, who is visiting southern Bangladesh.

These children are being denied a childhood. They need our help now and they need our help to have a future, he added.

The UN agency's $76.1 million appeal, primarily focused on preventing outbreaks of water-borne diseases such as diarrhoea, covers expansion of safe water and sanitation services, as well as improvements in hygiene systems for Rohingya children, many of whom are living in harsh and unsanitary conditions in makeshift camps and settlements.

It will also provide nutritional support to at least 60 per cent of an estimated caseload of 7,500 children suffering from severe acute malnutrition and 70 per cent of children with micronutrient support, including Vitamin A.

Another key part of the response will be providing protection services, including psychosocial and recreational support to up to 180,000 children through structured activities at child friendly spaces and referrals for children who require specialized support. The UN agency will also expand the network of adolescent centres to provide life-skills training, recreational activities, and psychosocial support to an especially vulnerable group.

UNICEF will also initiate an oral cholera vaccination campaign, targeting all children over one, and 900,000 doses of the vaccine are expected to arrive in Bangladesh on 7 October, possibly earlier.

Refugee crisis a 'Level 3' emergency

In related news, the UN refugee agency also issued an supplementary appeal for its emergency response in for the Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh.

Declaring the crisis a 'Level 3 Emergency,' the Appeal issued by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) seeks $83.7 million in urgent additional requirements from September 2017 through to February 2018 and is built on the respective elements of the Preliminary Response Plan for the Influx into Cox's Bazar.

The Preliminary Response Plan was initially drawn, in early September, up by the Inter-Sector Coordination Group. It had appealed for $77 million for the response and is presently under revision.

The UNHCR requirements presented in this Supplementary Appeal will be reflected in, and aligned with, the respective components of that revised appeal, the UN agency said.

Photo: UNICEF/Brown

Source: www.justearthnews.com
Toronto, Oct 3 (I(BNS): An asylum seeker in Toronto has sued the federal government for compelling him to undergo a "humiliating" five years of imprisonment over immigration, media reports said.

Abdirahmaan Warssama (54) was held in two maximum detention facilities between 2010 and 2015, once in Toronto and later in Lindsay, Ontario.

He had undergone 70 detention reviews over a span of five years but every time he was sent back to jail with the suspicion that he would escape and not return for deportation to Somalia.

It was in the latest development, Warssama, has been released by a federal court judge, who has asked Ottawa to explore other ways to deport Warssama to Somalia.

Warssama's statement against the federal government reads: "The sole purpose of his detention was to facilitate his removal from Canada to Somalia. Yet for the totality of his detention, removal to Somalia was never attempted."

"Despite the fact (that) he suffered from mental health issues, his detention was solely administrative not punitive, and he was not considered a danger to the public, yet at all material times, Warssama was detained in a maximum-security prison, the statement added.

The Attorney General of Canada, who is the defendant in the case filed by Warssama, refused to make any comment since the matter is in the court.

Warssama, who came to Canada in 1989, was allowed to stay in the country on humanitarian grounds.

Warssama has alleged that during his imprisonment, he was heckled and had to bear humiliating experiences like strip search, denial of warm clothes and health care, and physical assaults.

His lawyer, Subodh Bharati, said as per the policies of Canada Border Services Agency, one can only be deported from Canada to Somalia when the person voluntarily agrees to.

"He is not the same person he used to. He is angry and upset . . . He still cant sleep properly. When he is outside, he feels people are following him, Bharati was quoted by the Star.

"The Immigration and Refugee Board ignored evidence and used detention as a means to punish the plaintiff for not signing what it knew or ought to have known was a false statutory declaration, the lawsuit said.

"The infringement of (Warssamas) liberty became arbitrary and contrary to the principle of fundamental justice that prohibits limitations that are not related to the legislations purpose," it added.



(Reporting by Suman Das)



Image: Youtube/Creative Commons
Las Vegas/Ottawa, Oct 3 (IBNS): Two Canadians have been identified as victims in the Las Vegas shooting, where a gunman opened fire on concert-goers opposite the Mandalay Bay hotel and resort on the Las Vegas Strip on Sunday night, killing at least 59 people and injuring over 500 others, media reports said.

Jordan Mclldoon (23), who was a Vancouver resident, has been identified as one of the two Canadian victims.

Jordan, who would have turned 24 on Friday, was in Vegas with his girlfriend since last Thursday, the victim's grandfather said.

Bob McIldoon, the victim's grandfather, told 680 News: "Its a terrible thing, terrible for everyone."

Apart from Jordan, an Alberta woman was also killed.

Jessica Klymchuk, a single mother of four, died in the attack during her visit to Vegas with her fiance. She was from Grande Prairie area of Alberta in Canada.

According to a latest report, at least 42 guns and several loaded high capacity magazines were recovered from the suspected Las Vegas shooter's hotel room and residence.

According to Las Vegas Police Department Assistant Sheriff Todd R. Fasulo, 23 guns and loaded magazines were found in the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino room, where the suspected shooter Stephen Paddock stayed and fired randomly into people.

Another 19 guns were found in his Mesquite, Nevada home.

Police said that among his armoury were some high powered guns, capable of penetrating the protective gears.

Law enforcement officers also added that the suspect may have committed suicide following the attack.

According to reports, the suspect has been identified as Stephen Paddock.

Paddock, 64, is from Mesquite, about 80 miles northeast of Las Vegas and had been known to local law enforcement.

The shooting is not believed to be connected to terrorism, NBC News has reported.

Right now we believe its a solo act, a lone wolf attacker, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Sheriff Joe Lombardo said.

We are pretty confident there is no longer a threat.

Authorities said the gunman appeared to have begun firing at 10:08 p.m. local time from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel toward the concert venue across the street.

The Los Anegeles Times quoted the Sheriff as saying that police are seeking to interview a woman, identified as Marilou Danley, who is described as the suspect's "companion."

She was described as an Asian woman, about 411 in height.

We have not located her at this time, and we are interested in talking to her for a follow-up, Lombardo said.

Two of the dead are said to be a pair of off-duty police officers who were attending the concert, Lombardo said.

Video posted on social media showed the open-air concert fully underway when bursts of automatic gunfire rang out.

Dozens of concertgoers dropped to the ground, screaming, while others ran for safety.

The shooting went on for about more than 30 seconds before the music stopped, and another burst was heard later.

The attack came during the last performances on the final night of the three-day country music festival on an 15-acre lot across Las Vegas Boulevard from Mandalay Bay.

Following the deadly incident, all planes were temporarily grounded at the Las Vegas airport. However, flights resumed after some time.

Parts of I-15 near the Strip were also shut down, and hotel guests across the strip were being ordered to shelter in place.

The freeway reopened later, but offramps near the strip remained closed through much of the night.

Condemning the incident, US President Donald J. Trump tweeted: "My warmest condolences and sympathies to the victims and families of the terrible Las Vegas shooting. God bless you!"

(Reporting by Souvik Ghosh)
Burma Bangladesh and Myanmar Agree To Treat ARSA As Common Enemy: State Counselors Office

Myanmar and Bangladesh to treat the ARSA as a common enemy. / Myanmar State Counselors Office.

YANGON  Bangladesh expressed its position during a visit of Myanmar delegations to regard the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) as a common enemy of Myanmar and Bangladesh, Myanmars State Counselors Office said on Tuesday.

Myanmar declared the ARSA an extremist terrorist group in accordance with the countrys Counter-Terrorism Law after violent attacks on security outposts on Aug. 25.

Myanmar State Counselors Office Minister U Kyaw Tint Swe visited Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, from Sunday through Tuesday and met with the Bangladeshi Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdul Hassan Mahmood Ali to draft plans for the repatriation of Muslim residents who had fled to Bangladesh escaping military clearance operation after the attack by the ARSA in northern Rakhine.

The United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the exodus of more than 500,000 Rohingya since late August has become the worlds fastest developing refugee emergency, a humanitarian and human rights nightmare at the UN Security Council meeting last week.

The Myanmar government claimed more than 500 people have been killed since Aug. 25, most of them insurgents, whom it has accused of attacking civilians in northern Rakhine State.

Minister U Kyaw Tint Swe was accompanied by permanent secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, U Kyaw Zeya.

Bangladesh also stressed its policy of zero tolerance against terrorism, according to a Tuesday statement issued by the Myanmar State Counselors Office on its official Facebook page.

Myanmar State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi said in an address to the nation and international communities last month that refugees from this country will be accepted without any problem under the 1993 agreement with Bangladesh.

According to Reuters report, the two countries had agreed on Monday to form a working group to commence plans for repatriation.

We are looking forward to a peaceful solution to the crisis, the Bangladeshi foreign affairs minister was quoted in the report.

Minister U Kyaw Tint Swe said during the meeting with Bangladeshi officials that Myanmar was ready to begin the verification and repatriation of refugees, according to the statement.

Myanmars State Counselors Office said a total of 236,495 people from 46,993 households had been repatriated from Bangladesh to Myanmar between September 1992 and July 2005 in accordance with the agreed criteria set out between the two countries on April 28, 1992.
Burma Hindu Organizations Condemn ARSA Attacks

Hindu villagers react as they identify the bodies of their relatives found by govt forces, that authorities suspect were killed by insurgents last month, in a mass grave near Maungdaw in the north of Myanmar's Rakhine State, Sept. 27, 2017 / Reuters

YANGON  Two of the largest Hindu organizations in Myanmar condemned Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) attacks that claimed the lives of residents in Rakhine State including Hindu people, and urged the community to maintain amity and avoid hatred of followers of other faiths.

The All Myanmar Hindu Central Council, an umbrella association of Hindu groups across the country, and Sanatan Dharma Swayamsevak Sangh, one of countrys prominent Hindu organizations, released a joint statement at a prayer ceremony for Hindu victims in Rakhine State held in Yangon on Sunday.

In the worst circumstance, many Hindu villagers, including children, were brutally murdered and mutilated. Some Hindu women were kidnapped to a neighboring country with the alleged purpose of deceiving the international community and forceful religious conversion. For such actions, we strongly condemned the ARSA, the statement read.

Hundreds from the Hindu community prayed for the victims and expressed condolence for the family members.

We view this incidence as an organized terrorist attack [by the ARSA] on innocent civilians, not as a religious conflict between the two religions and so we urge our followers to maintain amity and avoid hatred with followers of all the other faiths, the statement read.

The groups also objected to the term Rohingya Hindu used by some international media and asked for it not to be used.

The term never existed in the history of Hindus in Myanmar, U Hla Htun, a Hindu religious leader and the coordinator of Sanatan Dharma Swayamsevak Sangh, told The Irrawaddy.

Qatar-based Al Jazeera reported Rohingya Hindus now face uncertainty in Myanmar on September 21 and Bangladesh-based Dhaka Tribune reported Who really attacked the Rohingya Hindus in Rakhine? on October 1.

U Ragu Nay Myint of the central council said at the ceremony, We noticed the usage of the term in international media. We would let them know that there is no such in Myanmar Hindu community.

U Hla Htun told The Irrawaddy that the groups announced that they condemn the international organizations and international media who are making unbalanced reporting of the events and turning a blind eye to violent acts on local people by terrorists.

They are talking like only the Rohingya were attacked when actually, our Hindu people were also murdered and attacked, he said.

The All Myanmar Hindu Central Council and Sanatan Dharma Swayamsevak Sangh also called the government to restore law and order in the region urgently, saying they would collaborate with the government on any immediate or long-term rehabilitation works for the Hindus in Rakhine State.
Burma Illicit Drugs Seized from Myanmar Army Privates in Maungdaw

Entrance to Maungdaw Township. / The Irrawaddy

YANGON  Police seized more than three billion kyats (US$2.2 million) worth of yaba pills from two Myanmar Army soldiers in Rakhine States Maungdaw, according to the state government.

Combined forces of the Maungdaw Township police and drug enforcement squad seized more than 1.8 million yaba pills from two soldiers on Monday as they checked a suspicious Toyota Hilux which broke down near the entrance gate to Maungdaw. The two soldiers belong to No. 828 Supply and Transport Unit of Myanmar Army, according to the state government.

The two soldiers said they were from No. 828 Supply and Transport Unit based in Buthidaung. The drug squad has opened case against them. But according to law, they will be brought to military tribunal since they are soldiers, said U Min Aung, the municipal minister of Rakhine State.

The two are privates Lu Shae and Kyaw Sein Tun and charged with drug possession, according to U Min Aung.

The market price of the seizure is estimated to be around 3.7 billion kyats. The pink and yellow pills have WY logos and were carried in jute bags, he said.

Drug seizures have been frequent since last year in Maungdaw, Buthidaung and Rathedaung townships near the Myanmar-Bangladesh border. Last year, more than 50 million yaba pills were seized in two separate drug busts in Maungdaw.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.
Burma Two ANP Members Submit Party Resignation Letters

Arakan National Party headquarters in Sittwe, Rakhine State. / Min Aung Khaing / The Irrawaddy

Two members of Rakhine State Parliament who represent the Arakan National Party (ANP) requested resignation from the party this week.

U Than Maung Oo, a state lawmaker representing Ramree Township Constituency No. 2, submitted his resignation letter on Oct. 3. A day earlier, U Khin Maung Htay, a lawmaker representing Ann Township Constituency No. 2, submitted his resignation.

Three lawmakers have requested to leave the ANP this year, within a three month period. Upper house lawmaker Daw Htoot May sent her resignation letter to the ANP in late July to rejoin the newly re-registered Arakan League for Democracy (ALD) party.

The ANP was formed in June 2013 with the merger of two Rakhine political parties, the Rakhine Nationalities Development Party (RNDP) and the Arakan League for Democracy (ALD), to consolidate votes in the 2015 general election. The latter formed for the 1990 election and the former was established in 2010 and has contested in the elections since then.

Due to the friction within the ANP, the ALD decided to re-establish its party early this year.

In their resignation letters, U Than Maung Oo, 57, and U Khin Maung Htay, 33, said they resigned as members and central committee leaders of the ANP.

Regarding his decision, U Than Maung Oo told The Irrawaddy on Tuesday that even though they had merged the parties, the two partys political aims were opposing and they could no longer work together. He was one of the people who had initiated the party merger in 2013.

U Khin Maung Htay did not comment on his resignation.

ANP vice chairman U Khine Pyay Soe said the decision on the resignation letters would have to wait until the central committee leaders meeting, which will be held next week, either on Oct. 13 or Oct. 14.

As the central committee leaders are selected through the ANPs congress, the decision to approve the resignation letters will have to come from the central committee meeting, explained U Khine Pyay Soe.

The ANP is the third largest party in the country and it won 45 out of 1150 seats in November 2015, following the ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) party and the opposition Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP).

It contested 63 seats in Rakhine and Chin states, and Irrawaddy and Yangon regions; and won 10 seats in the Upper House, 12 in the Lower House, 22 in Rakhine State Parliament and one seat for the Rakhine ethnic affairs minister post in Yangon.

Despite its majority win in the state Parliament, the party did not get to lead the state government, as the heads [chief ministers] of the state and regional governments were appointed by the president, according to the military-drafted 2008 Constitution.

The ANP strictly imposed that its members abide by its regulations and those who did not follow party rules were expelled. There have been about seven ANP members, (who were strong ALD members) expelled from the party for violations of party regulations since 2016, according to U Tun Aung Kyaw, a general secretary of the ANP.

U Kyaw Lwin, the Rakhine State minister for agriculture, livestock, mining and forestry, and U Mya Than, the deputy state speaker, were among those expelled for collaborating with the National League for Democracy in the formation of the state cabinet and Parliament  as the ANP had a policy that it would not collaborate with the NLD.

U Aung Mya Kyaw, a secretary of the ANP, told The Irrawaddy, These latest two resignation letters will be the last to resign from the party, as those who wanted to leave the ANP were all strong ALD members.

But none of the three have officially left the ANP yet, he said, as they will have to deal with any issues related to them with the party before their resignations are accepted.

For instance, Ma Htoot May sent her resignation months ago, but she is still on the party list and she can leave only when she has dealt with the issues she needs to, said U Aung Mya Kyaw.

Chit Min Tun contributed to this report.
Tuesday, Oct 3rd, 2017 (4:49 pm) - Score 1,096

A new study from the Cambridge Judge Business School, which examined the cost, coverage and roll-out implications of future 5G networks in Britain, has forecast that the roll-out of ultrafast Mobile Broadband will reach 90% of the population by 2026. But 12bn of funding may be required for rural areas.

Admittedly creating such models is very difficult to do at a time when 5G is still in the R&D phase and wont be deployed commercially around the UK until 2020 onwards. On top of that we still dont know precisely which radio spectrum bands 5G will adopt, although Ofcom are preparing to auction several compatible bands and more will follow. Suffice to say that such models should be taken with a pinch of salt and the report agrees. On top of that the research seems to define 50Mbps as being ultrafast, although nearly everybody else sets the bar for that definition at 100Mbps+.

Nevertheless the results claim that policy makers need to be cautious regarding large headline speeds in rural areas. If these are desired politically, then it states that financial support (e.g. state aid subsidy) may be required and thus it may be more appropriate to focus on achieving near-ubiquitous coverage of a moderate level using spectrum resources to support the vertical industries that 5G will purportedly enable.

The economics of the 5G roll-out show that, for the business-as-usual scenario, some 90% of the population could be covered by 2026. However, 3.7% of the population would be left out of the 5G footprint by 2030, even if the same investment intensity is assumed for the last few years of the study period.

Sharing small cell infrastructure would improve the business case pushing towards near ubiquitous coverage by 2030. However the study says this is unlikely to occur because investing an additional 12 billion to cover the final 10%, while the first 90% may only require 6 billion, may not be an attractive prospect for industry or government. Instead it may be more appropriate to compromise on capacity in rural areas to achieve greater coverage of a lower speed target.

In other words, offering 50Mbps to urban/suburban areas and 10Mbps for rural areas does not exhibit exponentially increasing costs in reaching the final 10%, which is because the integration of new spectrum on existing macrocells is said to be sufficient to meet end-user demand of 10Mbps in rural areas due to low population density (note: spectrum costs are not included here).

The lack of a killer-app for 5G also suggests a high probability that market-based 5G ultrafast broadband infrastructure will mainly be the prerogative of urban and suburban areas, at least in the foreseeable future within Britain.

Report Conclusions These results suggest that policy makers need to be cautious regarding large headline speeds in rural areas. If these are desired politically, then financial support may be required. However, it may be more appropriate to focus on achieving near-ubiquitous coverage of a moderate level using spectrum resources to support the vertical industries that 5G will purportedly enable. Unless we see a new killer-app for this generation, there is a high probability that market-based 5G ultrafast broadband infrastructure will mainly be the prerogative of urban and suburban areas. At least in the foreseeable future within Britain. The timely rollout of 5G networks will become increasingly important to achieve the productivity benefits desired by industrial policy, as well as dealing with digital divide issues. The contribution of this research is the quantification of the cost, coverage and rollout implications of 5G based on different policy options. Indeed, as the rollout of telecommunications infrastructure is inherently spatial and temporal, this is a necessary exploit and one that is becoming increasingly valuable considering the geographical disparities in provision that have arisen in the rollout of previous generations. Further research needs to focus on refining the costs of both spectrum and infrastructure deployment (including exploring backhaul costs), calibration of investment levels against coverage obligations, and the rollout of 5G in relation to competition, pricing and take-up. Indeed, greater refinement and exploration of the time lag taken for rollout between different levels of capital expenditure would help decision-making processes involving both operators and government. Moreover, sensitivity analysis is one key tool that can help to identify the cost boundaries which have the largest impact on telecommunications coverage and capacity, and should be explored in future work. While the focus here was on network densification and additional spectrum, the increased spectral efficiency gains of 5G is an area of future uncertainty that requires analysis.

One aspect that seems to be overlooked here is that modern 4G networks are already starting to reach Gigabit (1Gbps) class levels of capability (albeit shared capacity), not least by harnessing some of the technological upgrades that future 5G networks will build upon. In keeping with that the potential to deliver speeds of 50Mbps already exists within current networks, without specifically needing 5G.

On the other hand the 50Mbps figure used in the above report for 5G represents an average end-user experience in a well-populated, well-shared (well-used) cell. Certainly you can get speeds of 50Mbps and above on todays 4G networks, although the real-world limits of the technology mean that many (especially at the edges of a network) often cannot achieve that. Mind you, 5G still has a lot to prove.

Most of the hype around 5G centres on its multi-Gigabit speeds (up to 20Gbps) but that is only likely to be achieved in urban areas where significantly higher frequencies and more spectrum can be used (e.g. 28GHz). Ofcom has already signalled that rural areas may be stuck with lower frequency bands in order to facilitate better mobile coverage at the potential cost of service speed (here).

NOTE: EE expects their 4G network to achieve 95% geographic coverage of the UK by the end of December 2020, although not all of that will be capable of stable 50Mbps+ speeds.
The Vocus Group has announced the appointment of a new chairman and deputy chairman ahead of its annual general meeting which is scheduled for 24 October.

In a statement this morning, the company, Australia's fourth biggest telco, said Vaughan Bowen had been appointed as non-executive chairman effective immediately.

This follows the announcement, made when the annual results were released, that current chairman David Spence would not stand for re-election.

Vocus also announced that Robert Mansfield had been appointed deputy chairman and lead independent director. The current deputy, Craig Farrow, is to remain on the board as a non-executive director, chairman of the remuneration committee and a member of the technology and transformation committee.

Bowen currently serves as executive director at Vocus, a role he has held since February 2016, following the merger between Vocus and the M2 Group.

He founded the M2 Group and served as its managing director and chief executive before becoming executive director in 2011.

Mansfield has previously served as chairman of Telstra, founding chief executive of Optus and chief executive of McDonald's Australia. He was appointed as a Vocus non-executive director in January 2017.

Bowen said: "Im privileged to be given the opportunity to serve as Vocus chairman and to play an important role in helping to steer the company back to a position where we recover the value and credibility lost over a disappointing last year.

"I want to assure all shareholders that restoring value is the Boards utmost priority and, as a sizeable Vocus shareholder, my interests are aligned with all shareholders.

"I recognise the time for delivering improved, sustainable performance is now and am confident in the talent and experience among the leadership team together with the outstanding infrastructure platform we have assembled.

"With these ingredients in place, meeting our earnings and broader performance targets will be the only acceptable outcomes.
Following Vodafones announcement this week of a successful Massive MIMO trial, Optus has announced what it claims is a world first pairing of Multiple Input Multiple Output and 3CC Carrier Aggregation technologies  3CC Massive MIMO  in a live trial.

While the Vodafone trial achieved a speed of 717 Mbps, the Optus trial, which was also conducted with technology partner Huawei on live traffic at Macquarie Park in June 2017, attained a speed of 818 Mbps.

Both Massive MIMO and multiple Carrier Aggregation technologies are considered key to enabling 5G technologies.

Optus claims to be the first in the world to complete a successful combined live network implementation of the massive MIMO and 3CC CA technologies together in the same equipment.

Dennis Wong, managing director of Optus Networks, said, Earlier this year, Optus launched a 4.5G network and completed Australias first field trial of Massive MIMO technology.

Were committed to leading Australia in terms of 5G development and testing, and this recently completed world-first 3CC Massive MIMO test is further testament to our commitment and developments we have been able to achieve in this space.

According to Optus, site capacity during the live testing was significantly improved by almost four times compared to that of legacy 4T4R MIMO base stations.

Massive MIMO is expected to be a key technology in 5G through the use of intelligent spatial diversity and 3D beam-forming features, allowing a theoretical improved spectral efficiency up to 6 times that of a traditional antenna system.

The Massive MIMO Integrated Antenna system used in the live site was supplied by Huawei and capable to deliver 64T64R MIMO, supporting up to 80MHz of all four carriers of Optus 2300MHz TDD band.

To complete the trial, Optus used Huaweis Massive MIMO AAU solution which has 16 beam-forming streams in a 128T128R configuration.

Were seeing a 75% year on year increase in data consumption. Massive MIMO is an important step along the journey to 5G as it allows us to immediately increase cell site capacity and spectrum efficiency," Wong added.

Optus plans to roll out Massive MIMO sites in selected capital cities starting from the end of 2017.

The company says its customers will be able to directly benefit from Massive MIMO, especially in high data traffic areas, and should expect improved download speeds in congested areas.
Oracles chief executive Mark Hurd has outlined his argument why companies must turn to the cloud to survive in todays challenging environments at Oracle Open World in San Francisco.

Opening with a finance lesson Hurd said, Macro economics is driving business and IT, explaining global gross domestic product, or GDP, has experienced five years of around 1.5-2.5% growth as measured by compound annual growth rate, or CAGR. 40% of this is one country, China, he said, meaning 60% is outside China, or less than one trillion dollars.

What this means in practical terms is business-to-business IT growth over five years has been a flat to 1% CAGR rate. GDP and CAGR are useful to business, Hurd explains, because you want to grow faster than just GDP.

Yet, with very little revenue growth, some companies are squeezing out profits by cutting expenses. Some are going out of business altogether  BlackBerry, BlockBuster, Borders, Kodak, Sears, Hurd said.

Using his own company as an example of success, Hurd stated Oracle has grown 7% but did not achieve this by simple economic growth when that growth is flat; it had to grow faster than GDP by taking other companys customers.

No matter who you work for, your company wants to grow revenue and gain share, spend less, and improve cash flow.

The key to this, Hurd says, is innovation - in business models, products, services and customer experience. You need to give a better service than your competitors.

This is easily said, but not so easily done. Companies face greater pressure today than before. CEO tenure is now averaging only 18 quarters, Hurd states, and in addition to growing revenue and running a company, CEOs need to manage risk. Risk is a serious problem with Equifaxs recent disaster being a sober example.

Technology innovation and consumer adoption is increasing faster than IT can keep up, Hurd states. Established companies average 20 year-old systems and applications with 80% of budget being spent on maintenance.

Hungry for your business, disruptors exist on the doorstep. Hurd cited numerous examples: Lyft is disrupting the auto industry and car ownership; Bloom energy is disrupting utilities and energy; Stripe is disrupting online payments, software and finance; Warby Parker is disrupting eyewear retailing and e-commerce; and House is disrupting home remodelling and contracting.

The challenge for business is to compete with disruptors with a diminishing innovation budget. If you need to cut costs, are you going to cut the order system or innovation? Hurd asks. If the board says we dont want to be hacked and the CIO says we need to spend more on security, it comes out of the innovation budget.

Yet, disruptors say Im just going to take on your market and not take on all the legacy. Now you have to compete with them with all this legacy. Its really hard work.

The next big challenge, Hurd says, is security. Companies must be ready. The next event could be bigger than you think, he said. The average patch takes about one year, on average, before it is integrated into systems. The Equifax patch was just a couple of months tardy. Readiness is going to be a bigger issue than ever, ever before.

Ironically, Hurd points to Silicon Valley as a large contributor to the problems business faces in competing with disruptors and managing security. Silicon Valley has fantastic engineers building pieces, then sold these pieces to customers and told them to put all the complexity together into what becomes systems, applications and infrastructure.

That complexity has driven to this very difficult environment to maintain, upgrade, and innovate. Silicon Valley hasnt made things easy; its said to the customer you put all this together.

Here is where the cloud comes in; this is the solution, Hurd says, listing his what and why of the cloud:

The cloud is scaled, optimised and secured stacks. Its built on standards. The burden is on industry, and not the customer. It offers significantly lower TCO, its innovative, more secure, and emerging technologies are engineered into applications.

The question is not if, but when, Hurd says.

You get innovation straight away from the industry. Theres very little incremental cost if any. The burden of patching is on the vendor, not the customer.

Importantly, Hurd says, its more secure. We deal with very mature, sophisticated hackers every day. In the end because of all the technology, all the capability, youre going to be more secure, not less secure.

Hurd lists artificial intelligence (AI) as an example of future innovation. You hear people talk about AI as a separate application, but youre going to see AI built directly into all these use cases, directly into the customer retention, as opposed to exporting data to an AI solution.

Hurd offered his predictions, that by 2025:

80% of production apps will be in the cloud Two SaaS suite providers will have 80% market share The number of corporate-owned data centres will have decreased by 80% 80% of IT budgets will be spent on cloud services 80% of IT budgets will be spent on business innovation, and only 20% on system maintenance All enterprise data will be stored in the cloud 100% of application development and testing will be in the cloud Enterprise clouds will be the most secure place for IT processing

This is why you need to move to the cloud, Hurd says. Its more secure, it allows you to innovate, it frees your people and budget to focus on innovation over maintenance, it delivers newer technology and really, its not if, its when, he says.

With this vision of the future in mind, Hurd stated Oracles cloud strategy is to build the applications, platform and infrastructure to enable any business to shift to, or start in, the cloud.

Oracle now has the most complete suite of SaaS applications, the most complete suite of PaaS services, and the next generation of IaaS, Hurd said.

Companies are moving quickly. Dont get left behind.

The writer is attending Oracle Open World 2017 as a guest of the company.
Australian supply chain management provider AMCAP has implemented the Dell Boomi integration platform as part of an IT transformation of applications and data.

Under the integration, the Boomi platform-as-a-service (iPaaS) will support all AMCAPs application integration processes, replacing a series of unique integration instances the organisation was using.

It will also provide data management and workflow automation capabilities that deliver outcomes claimed to be in a fraction of the time of legacy middleware technologies.

AMCAP provides third- and fourth-party logistics for a range of companies including Holden, Ford, Subaru, KTM, Suzuki, Volkswagen, Hyundai, Mitsubishi and Kia. Its 250 employees use various warehouse management (WMS) and enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems to manage the national operation  and the organisation required a means of integrating this IT environment to accelerate its supply chain from order to delivery.

Having recently migrated our warehouse operations from a traditional in-house mainframe to Manhattan SCALE, we are implementing Boomi to ensure that all the systems and data our staff relies on are seamlessly integrated with full visibility, said Karen Aisthorpe, national IT/IS Manager at AMCAP.

By substituting various in-house integrations with Boomi, staff will be able to operate through a single interface without compromising access to or accuracy of the data with which they are working.

Consequently, we will consolidate multiple inventories into one so that there is full transparency over the information from the customer systems, mainframe and WMS.

Michael Evans, managing director Asia-Pacific and Japan, Dell Boomi, says AMCAP operates in a time-sensitive industry that relies on to-the-minute accuracy in order to deliver to customer expectations.

By using Boomi to transform its IT and data from a traditional, on-premises model to a modern, powerful and flexible environment, AMCAP is able to ensure its systems are fully-integrated so that the supply chain is streamlined and customers receive products on time.
Under the Agreement, MGC Pharmaceuticals will supply its medicinal cannabis flower materials and pharmaceutical products to Lenis to sell into territories throughout Central and Eastern Europe.

The deal will see MGC (ASX:MXC) supply four of its cannabinoids rich medicinal cannabis flower products - MGC MX201, MGC MX21, MGC MX11 and MGC MX120 - to Lenis for wholesale distribution into countries including Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Macedonia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria and Poland at an agreed wholesale price.

The agreement will also see MGC and Lenis jointly market the products into Germany, Croatia, Greece and Italy.

The flower products will be available in pharmacies for the treatment or relief of symptoms for a variety of medical conditions, such as nausea, vomiting, pain, Tourette's syndrome, multiple sclerosis, uncontrollable severe epilepsy, inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis and post-traumatic stress disorder.

In addition, the agreement provides for the future supply of MGC Pharmaceuticals finished pharmaceutical products CannEpil for the treatment of refractory epilepsy, and its anti-inflammatory topical cream DermaPlus, once they have been registered in the European Union for sale.

Under the agreement  which runs for a period of 5 years with an automatic extension of 2 years - Lenis will be responsible for the marketing, sales, logistics, exporting, handling and pharmacovigilance (drug safety) for the products, with the agreement executed under a revenue sharing arrangement that varies depending on the product, minimum sales and product volume.

Roby Zomer, CEO and founder, MGC Pharmaceuticals said the deal follows the companys recently announced API deal with leading laboratory supplier, Mikro+Polo which was signed in June 2017, making it the companys second European deal.

Furthermore, it broadens the products we sell into Europe from APIs to now include flower materials and our future medications. It also gives us an immediate path to market for our anti-inflammatory topical cream DermaPlus.

Branko Huc, CEO and founder, Lenis, said: Specialty and niche pharmaceutical products have always formed a strong component of our sales mix. Our team, with their mix of technical and business skills and proven history in the pharmaceutical industry, are extremely excited to be working with MGC Pharmaceuticals and are looking forward to commencing sales to our customers across Europe in the near future.
A senior consultant at security firm IOActive Labs claims to have found vulnerabilities in the latest versions of 21 of the most used and well-known mobile trading apps on the Google Play Store and Apple's App Store.

Alejandro Hernandez said he had only tested the mobile apps; desktop and Web versions were not tested. He added that though he had found some vulnerabilities in the backend servers these were not listed in his findings.

The mobile apps were tested on iOS 10.3.3 (iPhone 6, not jailbroken) and Android 7.1.1 (using an emulator on a rooted device).

When Hernandez was contacted and asked why he did not list the apps so that consumers could be aware and avoid them, a spokesman for IOActive Labs told iTWire:

"IOActive takes responsible disclosure extremely seriously. In this case, IOActive disclosed all vulnerabilities to the firms affected prior to release of the blog post. To give them time to effectively resolve these issues, IOActive did not reveal the names of the specific firms or applications affected."

The spokesman added: "The blog post also informs the industry and wider public of common vulnerabilities in mobile trading applications and the consequences should they be exploited.

"Consequently, potential users will be more aware of the security risks involved in such apps, including the data that may be vulnerable and how. It may allow them to better assess the mobile trading apps and security features available to them, as well as prompting them to follow cyber security best practice, such as turning on all security features and not using these apps over public Wi-Fi hotspots."

Hernandez wrote: "I tested the following 14 security controls (graphic below), which represent just the tip of the iceberg when compared to an exhaustive list of security checks for mobile apps.

"This may give you a better picture of the current state of these apps security. It's worth noting that I could not test all of the controls in some of the apps either because a feature was not implemented (e.g. social chats) or it was not technically feasible (e.g. SSL pinning that wouldn't allow data manipulation), or simply because I could not open an account."

He said that the results he had obtained were much worse than when he had tested personal banking apps in 2013 and 2015.

The following were the issues he encountered:

Clear text passwords exposed in four apps which sent the user's password in clear text either to unencrypted XML configuration file or to the logging console. In two cases, in addition to the flaws cited, the username and passwords were authenticated through an unencrypted HTTP channel.

Trading and account information were exposed by 62% of the apps which sent sensitive data to log files. Sixty-seven percent of the apps stored the data without encrypting it, he said, adding that one needed physical access to the device to extract this data.

Insecure communication was noticed with two apps that used unencrypted HTTP channel to transmit and receive all data. Thirteen of 19 apps that used HTTPS did not check the authenticity of the remote endpoint by verifying its SSL certificate.

Authentication and session management were also badly implemented, Hernandez wrote, pointing out that only five apps did not implement fingerprint reading. But he pointed out that there was a downside to using the fingerprint database as the prints of all users on a device would have full access to the trading accounts (graphic on right).

Of the 21 apps, only one supported privacy mode, but even this was implemented badly, with columns of figures that were not supposed to be visible easily read.

Client-side data validation was haphazard, with the possibility of cross-site scripting attacks existing in 10 apps.

Additionally, 20 of the 21 apps did not check to see if they were running in a rooted environment. And while one did check, all it did was to show a warning screen and allow the user to continue using the app.

Hernandez also found hardcoded secrets in code and app obfuscation, with six of the Android installer filers easily reverse engineered. He said that only two of the firms he had notified between 6 and 8 September had responded to his emails by 26 September when he posted details of the flaws.

"Digging in some US regulators websites, I noticed that they are already aware of the cyber security threats that might negatively impact financial markets and stakeholders," he wrote.

"Nevertheless, I did not find any documentation related to the security risks of electronic trading nor any recommended guidance for secure software development to educate brokers and FinTech companies on how to create quality products."

Graphics: courtesy IOActive Labs
A court in the US has ensured that the public will never know whom the FBI contacted to gain access to data on an iPhone 5C belonging to a terrorist or how much the agency paid for the job.

The FBI announced in March 2016 that it had gained access to data on the phone. Six months later, the Associated Press, Vice Media and USA Today sued the agency, to find out how much had been paid and who had done the job.

In response, the FBI released a number of documents in January but redacted the name of the company which carried out the hack and the amount that was paid.

On Saturday, the US district court for the District of Columbia granted the FBI's request that the details of the company and the amount paid not be disclosed.

The phone in question was used by Syed Rizwan Farook, one of two terrorists involved in shootings in San Bernardino, California, in December 2015. The FBI demanded that Apple unlock the phone and, when the company refused, it attempted to get the courts to force Apple to do so.

However, before the case could come up for hearing, the FBI ended the stoush, announcing that it had been able to obtain the data it needed by using the services of a third party.

That third party was speculated to be the Israeli company Cellebrite and US Government records showed that the FBI had made payments of US$15,278.02 to the firm on 21 March 2016.

One additional detail available in the documents released in January was the fact that the FBI had signed a nondisclosure agreement with the company.

The other detail that emerged was that three companies had contacted the FBI to offer their services to obtain the data on the phone, but none could do it fast enough to satisfy the FBI's needs.

In Saturday's court judgement, it was mentioned that former FBI director James Comey gave interviews on 21 April last year, offering some detail about the amount paid, saying he was sure that it exceeded the amount he was due for the remainder of his tenure, which was about US$1.2 million.

Comey also offered up the information that the solution that had been devised would only work on an iPhone 5C. He added that the FBI needed a quick solution and had thus paid whatever was required to get the job done.
The source code of a Hewlett Packard Enterprise's software package known as ArcSight, that is used by the US military for its cyber defence, was made available for inspection to Russian defence agency Echelon, which has close ties to the military.

ArcSight alerts analysts when computer systems are attacked. It is also used in the private sector. It is now owned by British mainframe company Micro Focus which acquired HPE's software assets in a sale that was completed last month.

A Reuters report said the Russian review of the ArcSight source code was facilitated by HPE in order to obtain the certification needed to get orders for Russia's public sector.

Former US intelligence officials were quoted as saying that the review could help Russia find vulnerabilities in ArcSight.

The code review was said to have taken place last year, at a time when the US was accusing Russia of hacking American companies, politicians and government bodies.

Moscow has denied that it carried out any such attacks.

Echelon president and majority owner Alexey Markov told Reuters that if he and his team found any vulnerabilities, then they had to report them to the Russian government.

However, he added, that he would always alert the software maker of the problem first and obtain permission to release details to the Russian authorities.

Markov did not provide any details about the ArcSight source code because of a non-disclosure agreement with HPE.

HPE was quoted as saying that such reviews had taken place in Russia for years.

ArcSight is used by some state companies in Russia, including VTB Bank and the Rossiya Segodnya media company.
The Internet of Things (IoT) is beginning to have a profound effect on businesses and business models. From government, to utilities, to transport and logistics, IoT is changing industries. Here are organizations from five verticals undergoing transformation because of IoT technologies.

Government

The IoT is transforming municipal life through a number of smart city initiatives.

Cities and city leaders are thinking more holistically about different uses of technology that are integrated and bringing different aspects of the city together into a unified whole, says Tim Herbert, senior vice president, research and market intelligence, at nonprofit trade association CompTIA.

Improved decision-making made possible through new or better streams of data ranks as the highest perceived benefit, Herbert adds.

[ Learn how to develop an internet of things strategy and the 10 principles of a successful IoT strategy. | Get the latest insights by signing up for our CIO daily newsletter. ]

A few key examples of smart cities initiatives include the following:

Water management. The city of Houston was recently losing about 15 billion gallons of water per year (about 15 percent of its water) from leaky pipes. It embedded sensors and intelligent pump control systems, allowing it to better regulate the flow of water and identify issues. Similar smart cities solutions could include: water quality, irrigation, storm water runoff, flooding and household water management.

The city of Houston was recently losing about 15 billion gallons of water per year (about 15 percent of its water) from leaky pipes. It embedded sensors and intelligent pump control systems, allowing it to better regulate the flow of water and identify issues. Similar smart cities solutions could include: water quality, irrigation, storm water runoff, flooding and household water management. Energy conservation. The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) has announced its new Real Time Energy Management (RTEM) program, which uses sensors, smart meters and big data analytics to optimize the energy usage of commercial buildings. New York State and utilities in the region are also working to upgrade the power grid.

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) has announced its new Real Time Energy Management (RTEM) program, which uses sensors, smart meters and big data analytics to optimize the energy usage of commercial buildings. New York State and utilities in the region are also working to upgrade the power grid. Transportation. Columbus, Ohio, recent winner of the U.S. Department of Transportations Smart City Challenge, is using part of its $40 million prize to deploy electric self-driving shuttles operating in conjunction with a new rapid transit center. CompTIA says the system will enable better vehicle-to-vehicle data exchange and communication with traffic signals and other transportation infrastructure.

Columbus, Ohio, recent winner of the U.S. Department of Transportations Smart City Challenge, is using part of its $40 million prize to deploy electric self-driving shuttles operating in conjunction with a new rapid transit center. CompTIA says the system will enable better vehicle-to-vehicle data exchange and communication with traffic signals and other transportation infrastructure. Public safety. Copenhagen, Denmark, has replaced more than half its street lights with energy-efficient smart LED lights. Sensors and connectivity to the citys network enable auto-dimming based on time of day or the presence of a full moon, and the ability to increase brightness when they sense walkers or bikers. Related public safety smart cities projects could include video surveillance systems with advanced analytics, forest fire fighting drones and incident reporting and monitoring systems for citizens.

Copenhagen, Denmark, has replaced more than half its street lights with energy-efficient smart LED lights. Sensors and connectivity to the citys network enable auto-dimming based on time of day or the presence of a full moon, and the ability to increase brightness when they sense walkers or bikers. Related public safety smart cities projects could include video surveillance systems with advanced analytics, forest fire fighting drones and incident reporting and monitoring systems for citizens. Environment. CITISENSE, a consortium of 14 European nations, is deploying a network of citizen observatories to monitor air quality through wearable sensors. CompTIA notes similar crowdsourcing approaches are underway in Beijing and several other cities.

Energy

For decades, energy utilities in the U.S. have followed a common model: big, centralized power plants and high-voltage transmission lines that send power to substations which then distribute that power to homes and businesses. But the IoT may change the energy utility playbook.

Those big power plants and high-voltage transmission lines are still part of the equation, but so are community solar power, wind farms, microgrids, battery storage and more. Connecting these technologies to the existing grid  handling settlements in an enclosed market, linking up transactions between energy producers and buyers (perhaps via blockchain technology)  requires a serious IT overhaul.

Energy analytics. The New York State Power Authority (NYPA) is the largest state public power organization in the U.S. It operates 16 generating facilities (including two plants powered by Niagara Falls) and more than 1,400 circuit-miles of transmission lines. NYPA is responsible for 15 to 20 percent of New York States daily electricity output. The organization has connected its energy-producing machines to analytics software via sensors. The software, running in NYPAs central Smart Operations Center in White Plains, N.Y., provides operations leaders with predictive alerts that accurately forecast possible failures up to weeks before they occur.

NYPA has also opened the Albany, N.Y. -based New York Energy Manager (NYEM) network operations center, which will eventually be bi-directionally connected to 20,000 public buildings throughout the state. That will allow it to send controls to building management systems to actively drive energy savings by lowering heating or cooling requirements during periods of low use (like weekends, evenings, breaks in school schedules, etc.). In the future, it could be tied to building occupancy to match the requirements to the heat load associated with the number of people in a building.

Once the buildings are fully online, NYPA estimates NYEM will save taxpayers more than $100 million annually. Eventually, NYPA hopes to offer the services to its business and industrial customers.

It will take time for the majority of buildings to be connected bi-directionally, says Ken Lee, senior vice president and CIO of NYPA. We will start with a significant number, but it will take time to connect a large percentage since many of the buildings have legacy systems which dont have building management systems to connect to. This is a capability which were actively working to mature.

Performance monitoring. The IoT is also transforming electricity generation outside the U.S. RasGas, a liquefied natural gas (LNG) provider in Qatar, now operates seven LNG trains (an LNG plants liquefaction and purification facility). With help from GE, RasGas has equipped those trains with sensors that power analytics.

The trains were identical but werent performing identically. By monitoring performance with sensors all along the train, we were able to diagnose that the difference came down to some valve settings, says Derek Porter, general manager of Product Management at GE Digital. That saved them the equivalent of three days of energy production  around $8 million.

Agriculture

The agriculture industry is also introducing innovative projects centered on the IoT aimed at improving crop yields, among other goals. Boston, Mass.-based Freight Farms, for example, makes fully instrumented farms in a box built inside 40x8x9.5 shipping containers.

They take shipping containers and they build agricultural units growing leafy greens, says Ryan Lester, director of IoT at LogMeIns Xively IoT division, provider of the Xively Connected Product Management (CPM) platform used by Freight Farms. Theyre operationalizing farming so they can control lighting, watering, pH, so on schedule you can grow herbs and leafy greens and know exactly what the yield will be every week. Its moving farming from we hope it rains today or we hope its sunny to a fully automated environment that can optimize output.

Freight Farms is also helping users crowdsource recipes based on the data output of the units. For instance, Lester says, the data might show that turning up the humidity setting to a certain point and increasing pH by a certain amount increases the yield of a crop by 10 percent. That data can then help other users increase their yields.

Healthcare

The IoT is transforming business models in healthcare as well. Aerocrine is a Swedish medical device company that makes devices that help doctors diagnose and treat asthma. Aerocrines NIOX MINO and NIOX VERO are essentially like the breathalyzers police use to measure blood alcohol content, but these devices measure fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO), an important biomarker for airway inflammation. Not only can precise measurement of FeNO in a patients bloodstream help clinicians determine whether asthma is the cause of a patients symptoms, the measurement can also be used to determine the likelihood of steroid responsiveness.

Aerocrine is now using Microsoft Azure Cloud Services to gather telemetry data from computers connected to NIOX MINO devices and then transmit the data for analysis. It developed an application that transmits complex data like sensor and environmental data from each instruments sensor, the serial number of devices and sensors, and the number of airflow measurements remaining on each instrument. Azure Event Hubs ingest the data from the devices, while Azure Stream Analytics processes the data, which is presented to Aerocrines sales and customer service representatives via Microsoft Power BI for Office 365 dashboards.

Aerocrine is also cross-referencing the data with its Microsoft Dynamics NAV ERP system to give its sales team a clearer view of the devices.

We needed to analyze that data to manage the supply chain better, says Anders Murman, CTO at Aerocrine. For example, each device contains a sensor, which eventually reaches zero measurements as hospitals and clinics consume the tests. The facility then approaches us for a new device. But we wanted to be more proactive about this, so we would be able to know how and when to deploy resources in the field.

The data allows the company to determine whether devices are operating outside their normal parameters  in conditions with humidity levels that are too high or too low  and create alerts to send to the customer service team. The company is using insights from the data to better identify the trigger points that affect performance and use that information to deploy field resources for customer service and sales support.

Consumer packaged goods

The consumer packaged goods (CPG) sector has also experienced success implementing solutions based on the IoT. British beverage company Diageo, the company behind Johnnie Walker scotch whisky, has begun using smart bottles for its flagship Johnnie Walker Blue Label whisky.

The smart bottle features a printed sensor tag made with OpenSense technology from Thinfilm Electronics. It can detect the sealed and opened state of each bottle. OpenSense uses smartphones Near Field Communication (NFC) capabilities, allowing Diageo to send personalized communications to consumers who read the tags with their smartphones.

Venky Balakrishnan Iyer, global vice president of digital innovation at Diageo, says that while Diageo owns very traditional brands (many of them are 300 or 400 years old), theres a large amount of digital interaction happening with those brands.

These are people standing in stores or bars and wondering whether they buy the single malt or the blend, highland, or lowland, Balakrishnan says.

Diageo sees millions of searches about its brands occurring, and more than 50 percent happen via mobile within a few feet of the bottle on the shelf. The smart bottle is an attempt to facilitate and shape that interaction.

That interaction doesnt end once the bottle has been opened.

We know the bottle opening event has occurred, Balakrishnan says. Our communication can change from guiding the consumer on which bottle to buy to how to best enjoy this product.

The sensor tag also has an application in the supply chain. The tags allow tracking of products across the supply chain, in-store and to the point of consumption. The sensor tags remain readable even when the factory seal has been broken. This provides an additional layer of security to protect the authenticity of the product.

Related articles
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TeleSUR |  

The Las Vegas strip that comes under the jurisdiction of Clark County has declared a state of emergency in the area.

Several right-wing media outlets have spread rumors about the nature of the mass shooting in Las Vegas, claiming the person responsible was a left goon.

At least 59 people died and over 520 were injured when a shooter  identified as Stephen Paddock  opened fire at some 22,000 people at the Route 91 Harvest festival.

But the pro-Trump Gateway pundit website reported that a man named Geary Danley was to blame for the attacks.

Geary Danley, reportedly the murderer of at least 20 concertgoers in Las Vegas, from initial accounts, was a far left loon, Joe Hoft wrote for Gateway Pundit, Think Progress reported.

Danleys Facebook page which listed political pages like Thank You Obama and others against Trumps policies fueled accounts that the shooting was the work of a far left loon.

Danley appears to have become implicated as the police searched for Marilou Danley in connection to the shooting.

An anonymous user on one of the boards on the far.right website 4chan said Danley was a REGISTERED DEMOCRAT!

Las Vegas Shooter Reportedly a Democrat Who Liked Rachel Maddow, MoeOn.org and Associated with anti-Trump Army, the user reported.

The thread spread went viral, even leading to Everipedia entry where Danley was listed as a suspect in the shooting.

The entry claims, Geary opened fired (sic) on the 34th floor of the Mandalay Bay toward a concert happening across the street.

It has since rectified the false statement.

Social media networks, Facebook and Twitter have come under fire for feeding into the fake news frenzy.

Danley the left loon was nowhere near Las Vegas.

It was Paddock, a retiree and apartment manager who perched on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel and shot at country music festival goers..

The victims have suffered a wide range of injuries, including gunshot wounds, shrapnel wounds, bruises from fleeing the scene and from jumping over fences, officials have reported.

Apart from the 17 guns found at suspects hotel room, 18 additional guns, explosives and thousands of rounds of ammo were discovered at the gunmans home in Mesquite, Nevada, Las Vegas sheriff, Joe Lombardo, said in a statement.

Lombardo further added that the shooter who appears to be reclusive shot at the hotel security guard through a doorway. He also had several pounds of fertilizer and ammonium nitrate used to make explosives in his car parked at the casino.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives also released a statement saying that it is currently conducting an urgent trace on firearms recovered from the scene in Las Vegas.

Las Vegas strip that comes under the jurisdiction of Clark County has declared a state of emergency in the area.

Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman said at a press conference the first responders saved thousands of lives as people at the festival were unaware of what was happening.

Theyre thinking its fireworks or its part of the technology of the music being played. They were thinking its coming from different areas, Goodman said.

In the aftermath of the chilling tragedy, a go-fund-me page Las Vegas Victims Fund to help those impacted by the shooting set up by Steve Sisolak, Clark County Commission Chair has collected over US$1 million of its US$ 2 million goal.

Via TeleSur

-

Related video added by Juan Cole:

Wochit News: Right Wing Fake News Trends After Las Vegas Mass Shooting
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By Ian Berman* | (Informed Comment) |  

CIA Veteran Philip Giraldi kicked off a firestorm with his article, Americas Jews are Driving Americas Wars. A man of considerable experience with 20 years in anti-terrorism in Europe and the Middle East with the CIA and U.S. Army Intelligence, his opinion carries some weight. Since 1992 he continued working as a consultant and writer with many appearances on numerous TV news programs and 9 years at the American Conservative where he worked as a contributing editor.

It is from this vantage point that Giraldi blamed American Jews in high ranking positions in government, think tanks and media for Americas wars. He also noted the role of wealthy donors who help to stifle criticism of Israel by politicians and the American mainstream media. Clearly he knew he was touching a live wire, but didnt recognize the puddle of water under his feet as he exaggerated Jewish American influence while ignoring other factors in American Middle Eastern policy.

Giraldi acknowledged that the generals in the Administration, the Saudis and the Israelis all want war with Iran, yet he claimed what makes the war engine run is provided by American Jews who have taken upon themselves the onerous task of starting a war with a country that does not conceivably threaten the United States. In essence, the article implied that all of American Middle Eastern policy is the result of Jewish influence, essentially on behalf of Israel. His single-cause argument had a fatal flaw: he neglected to acknowledge that powerful non-Jews leading the American Empire developed and implemented these policies. Further, he does not explain why these leaders should have abandoned their own interests for those of the Israel lobbies.

It was not Giraldi who first suffered the backlash, but rather fellow CIA veteran Valerie Plame who retweeted the article. A modern day legend, Plame was outed as a covert agent and lost her career over her husband Joe Wilsons famous call that the Bush Administration lied about Iraqs attempt to obtain yellowcake uranium. At first Plame defended her tweet, noting the Jewish descent of many warmongering Neoconservatives and her own desire to avoid war with Iran. Eventually she repudiated the article, saying she had only skimmed it.

Then the American Conservative (TAC) fired Giraldi with a phone call on September 21 even though the article was published by another website. Ironically, Pat Buchanan had launched TAC with the article Whose War? alleging a push by Jews for the second Iraq War. Like Giraldi, Buchanan was denounced as an anti-Semite after that article too.

Most foreign policy observers would agree that U.S. support for Israel is virtually unconditional, yet that support is not due to Jews setting U.S. policy as Giraldis article suggests. The roles of the U.S. and Israel are global hegemony and regional client state. It is a beneficial relationship for both parties and everything you see happening serves mutual or non-conflicting interests. Where the interests are not mutual, it becomes a question of priorities. Accordingly, Israel can do as it pleases with the Palestinians, including a multitude of past and current Crimes against Humanity, so long as they dont interfere with U.S. goals. Paraphrasing Noam Chomsky, the Palestinians add nothing to the Empire, so they have no rights (in the eyes of the Empire). In fact they have negative rights since they are the enemy of Israel.

The U.S. and Israel share intelligence, an important strategic asset for the U.S. In addition, U.S. weapons manufacturers benefit from the aid provided to Israel as most of it is required to be spent on U.S. weapons or joint weapons programs. Further, that the weapons manufacturers can claim their products are battlefield tested is a huge benefit for the industry. Unfortunately for Palestinians, they are the cannon fodder.

Therefore it is safe to say both the American Empire and many non-Jews across government and the military industrial complex perceive themselves to benefit from supporting Israel.

Examining a wider scope, few would disagree the two men most responsible for the past 17 years of American Middle East policy were Dick Cheney and Don Rumsfeld. Their war against Afghanistan, rather than a police action to capture Bin Laden, and the war under false pretenses against Iraq set in motion the chaos that pervades the Middle East today. These two men are not Jewish.

Cheney and Rumsfeld had long careers in advancing American power. At the peak of their own power, it is highly doubtful these two driven and intelligent leaders would allow the many Jews that worked for them to succeed in pushing their own agenda ahead of U.S. interests. That the interests of the U.S. and Israel aligned could explain why they worked together though.

As Peace News notes in a review of Norman Finkelstiens work, Why the American Jewish Romance with Israel is Coming to an End, Finkelstein dismantle[d] the notion that it is the Israel lobby, rather than a hard-headed calculation of national interests by U.S. planners, that dictates U.S. policy in the region. . . . Finkelsteins analysis here is nuanced: he concedes that the Lobbys ruthless tactics in support of the Israeli occupation have subverted American policy on the secondary issue of the Israel-Palestine conflict, but rejects the far-fetched notion that it was the driving force behind the 2003 decision to invade Iraq. Many unflattering things might fairly be said of Cheney and Rumsfeld, he notes but gullible and naive are not among them.

Further, the person behind U.S. foreign policy in Libya is widely acknowledged as former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. It is not clear who the decision makers were behind the limited U.S. intervention in Syria, but the buck stops with President Obama. The same conclusion must be reached on U.S. complicity with Saudi Arabias decimation of Yemen too. Neither President Obama nor Clinton is Jewish, nor has any case been made that they work for the alleged Jewish interests identified by Giraldi.

Giraldi raised critically important issues that are essentially taboo in American discourse. Yet he left himself open to harsh criticism and the loss of his job by asserting a near exclusivity of Jewish interest in American Middle East policy.

     

Ian Berman is an entrepreneur and former corporate banker at leading global banks in New York City. He now focuses on renewable energy, financial advisory services and writing about representative government, equitable public policies and ending American militarism and Israels continuing colonization of Palestine. He is the Co-Founder of Palestine 365, the Ongoing Oppression and its predecessor, Palestine 365, on Facebook.

 2017. All rights reserved

*NB. This is a slightly revised version of the piece, which first appeared on Tuesday.



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Ring of Fire: Trump Is Pressuring Intelligence Officials To Find A Reason To Start A War With Iran
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Maan News Agency |  

BETHLEHEM (Maan)  Israeli authorities will completely seal off the occupied West Bank and besieged Gaza Strip for 11 consecutive days over the Jewish holiday of Sukkot, when only humanitarian, medical, and exceptional cases will be allowed to exit or enter the territories, according to Israeli media reports.

Israeli newspaper The Jerusalem Post reported Monday that the Israeli Defense Ministry confirmed that the closure would begin Wednesday, Oct. 4 and last until Wednesday, Oct. 14. However, an Israeli army spokesperson told Maan that she could not confirm the dates of the closure until Tuesday, a day before the lockdown is reportedly set to begin.

The Jerusalem Post noted that Israel regularly imposes closures on the West Bank and Gaza for Jewish holidays, but week-long festivals like Sukkot usually only have closures imposed at the end of the holiday, lasting a few days. The extended closure was reportedly approved by Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman as a result of a deadly shooting attack at an illegal Israeli settlement last week.

Nimr Jamal, a Palestinian from the occupied West Bank who had an Israeli permit to work in illegal settlements, killed an Israeli border police officer and two civilian security guards, and was also shot dead at the scene.

Nimrs home town Beit Surik and a cluster of neighboring West Bank villages northwest of Jerusalem have since been placed under a strict military siege that entered its seventh day on Monday, which was denounced as an act of collective punishment on some 40,000 innocent Palestinians by human rights group BTselem.

Disrupting the lives of tens of thousands of people, who have done nothing wrong and are not suspected of any wrong-doing in such a severe manner is completely unjustifiable. This violence against the population is an exploitation of the militarys power and authority in aid of wanton abuse of civilians without any accountability, the group said in a statement.

The Israeli army also closed off the West Bank and Gaza Strip for a week during the Passover holiday in April, on Friday and Saturday for Yom Kippur holiday, and for Rosh Hashana last week.

Severe restrictions on movement for Palestinians are typically implemented by Israeli authorities during Jewish holidays for alleged security purposes, accompanied by increased tensions around the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem.

The tensions around Al-Aqsa and the Old City were a main contributor to a wave of unrest that broke out in October 2015, after right-wing Israelis made frequent visits to the site during the Jewish high holiday season this time that year.

Such restrictions effects the livelihoods of the tens of thousands of Palestinians.

Debilitating poverty and lack of employment drive many workers in the occupied West Bank to enter Israel in search of work. Israels imposition of closures on the Palestinian territory has severely affected the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who depend on entering Israel, or its illegal settlements, for employment opportunities.

Meanwhile, the majority of the more than 2 million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip are sealed inside the coastal enclave due to a decade long military blockade imposed by Israel and upheld by Egypt on the southern border.
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Frederic Lemieux | (The Conversation) |  

America has experienced yet another mass shooting, this time at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino on the strip in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is reportedly the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history.

As a criminologist, I have reviewed recent research in hopes of debunking some of the common misconceptions I hear creeping into discussions that spring up whenever a mass shooting occurs. Heres some recent scholarship about mass shootings that should help you identify misinformation when you hear it.

#1: More guns dont make you safer

A study I conducted on mass shootings indicated that this phenomenon is not limited to the United States.

Mass shootings also took place in 25 other wealthy nations between 1983 and 2013, but the number of mass shootings in the United States far surpasses that of any other country included in the study during the same period of time.

The U.S. had 78 mass shootings during that 30-year period.

The highest number of mass shootings experienced outside the United States was in Germany  where seven shootings occurred.

In the other 24 industrialized countries taken together, 41 mass shootings took place.

In other words, the U.S. had nearly double the number of mass shootings than all other 24 countries combined in the same 30-year period.

Another significant finding is that mass shootings and gun ownership rates are highly correlated. The higher the gun ownership rate, the more a country is susceptible to experiencing mass shooting incidents. This association remains high even when the number of incidents from the United States is withdrawn from the analysis.

Similar results have been found by the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime, which states that countries with higher levels of firearm ownership also have higher firearm homicide rates.

My study also shows a strong correlation between mass shooting casualties and overall death by firearms rates. However, in this last analysis, the relation seems to be mainly driven by the very high number of deaths by firearms in the United States. The relation disappears when the United States is withdrawn from the analysis.

#2: Shootings are more frequent

A recent study published by the Harvard Injury Control Research Center shows that the frequency of mass shooting is increasing over time. The researchers measured the increase by calculating the time between the occurrence of mass shootings. According to the research, the days separating mass shooting occurrence went from on average 200 days during the period of 1983 to 2011 to 64 days since 2011.

What is most alarming with mass shootings is the fact that this increasing trend is moving in the opposite direction of overall intentional homicide rates in the U.S., which decreased by almost 50 percent since 1993 and in Europe where intentional homicides decreased by 40 percent between 2003 and 2013.

#3: Restricting sales works

Due to the Second Amendment, the United States has permissive gun licensing laws. This is in contrast to most developed countries, which have restrictive laws.

According to a seminal work by criminologists George Newton and Franklin Zimring, permissive gun licensing laws refer to a system in which all but specially prohibited groups of persons can purchase a firearm. In such a system, an individual does not have to justify purchasing a weapon; rather, the licensing authority has the burden of proof to deny gun acquisition.

By contrast, restrictive gun licensing laws refer to a system in which individuals who want to purchase firearms must demonstrate to a licensing authority that they have valid reasons to get a gun  like using it on a shooting range or going hunting  and that they demonstrate good character.

The type of gun law adopted has important impacts. Countries with more restrictive gun licensing laws show fewer deaths by firearms and a lower gun ownership rate.

#4: Background checks work

In most restrictive background checks performed in developed countries, citizens are required to train for gun handling, obtain a license for hunting or provide proof of membership to a shooting range.

Individuals must prove that they do not belong to any prohibited group, such as the mentally ill, criminals, children or those at high risk of committing violent crime, such as individuals with a police record of threatening the life of another.

Heres the bottom line. With these provisions, most U.S. active shooters would have been denied the purchase of a firearm.

#5: Not all mass shootings are terrorism

Journalists sometimes describe mass shooting as a form of domestic terrorism. This connection may be misleading.

There is no doubt that mass shootings are terrifying and terrorize the community where they have happened. However, not all active shooters involved in mass shooting have a political message or cause.

For example, the church shooting in Charleston, South Carolina in June 2015 was a hate crime but was not judged by the federal government to be a terrorist act.

The majority of active shooters are linked to mental health issues, bullying and disgruntled employees. Active shooters may be motivated by a variety of personal or political motivations, usually not aimed at weakening government legitimacy. Frequent motivations are revenge or a quest for power.

#6: Historical comparisons may be flawed

Beginning in 2008, the FBI used a narrow definition of mass shootings. They limited mass shootings to incidents where an individual  or in rare circumstances, more than one  kills four or more people in a single incident (not including the shooter), typically in a single location.

In 2013, the FBI changed its definition, moving away from mass shootings toward identifying an active shooter as an individual actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a confined and populated area. This change means the agency now includes incidents in which fewer than four people die, but in which several are injured, like this 2014 shooting in New Orleans.

This change in definition impacted directly the number of cases included in studies and affected the comparability of studies conducted before and after 2013.

Some researchers on mass shooting, like Northeastern University criminologist James Alan Fox, have even incorporated in their studies several types of multiple homicides that cannot be defined as mass shooting: for instance, familicide (a form of domestic violence) and gang murders.

In the case of familicide, victims are exclusively family members and not random bystanders.

Gang murders are usually crime for profit or a punishment for rival gangs or a member of the gang who is an informer. Such homicides dont belong in the analysis of mass shootings.

Editors note: this piece was updated on Oct. 2, 2017. It was originally published on Dec. 3, 2015.

Frederic Lemieux, Professor of the Practice and Faculty Director of the Masters in Applied Intelligence, Georgetown University

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.



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Why Mass Shootings Keep Happening In The U.S. | AJ+
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Oct. 02, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Velocity Minerals Ltd. (TSXV:VLC) (Velocity or the Company) announces that it has received laboratory results for three additional diamond drill holes at the Companys advanced Rozino gold project (Rozino or the Project), located within the Tintyava prospecting and exploration licence area in southeastern Bulgaria (Table 1).

All three boreholes intersected broad zones of gold mineralization which demonstrate excellent continuity and further support the potential for a near-surface, bulk tonnage, open pit development project. Drilling at Rozino is ongoing with eleven drill holes completed to date and mineralization remains open for expansion.

Figure 1. Drill Intersect from Velocity Hole RDD-006 at Rozino. Results for RDD-002 were released previously





Figure 2. Drill Intersect from Velocity Hole RDD-007 at Rozino





Figure 3. Location of Velocitys drill holes. Holes completed are shown in black. Results have been returned for holes 1 through 7. A total of eleven holes have been completed and drilling is ongoing



Holes RDD-005 and RDD-006 are 50m steps outs from holes previously released (see NR17-05 and -06 for details). RDD-005 (Figure 3) returned 3 intersects above 0.5 g/t gold for over 50m of cumulative mineralization, including 13.9m @ 2.32 g/t gold. Hole 6 returned 3 intersects above 0.5 g/t gold for over 80m of cumulative mineralization, including 41.0m @ 1.19 g/t gold (Figures 1 & 3).

RDD-007 collared approximately 200m to the northeast of the main Rozino target and was designed to test the potential depth extents of historic trench results. The hole intersected mineralized sediments grading 0.80 g/t gold over 22.4, before passing into faulted granites returning 2 additional intersects. These results are very encouraging and a program of trenching to better define the nature of the mineralization is underway prior to further drill testing of this target later this year.

Table 1: Drill Results from Velocity Drill Holes RDD-005, -006 & -007 at Rozino. Drillhole From (m) To (m) Thickness (m)^ Gold (g/t) RDD-005 28.8 39.3 10.5 0.52 and 55.1 81.9 26.8 0.68 and 118.9 132.8 13.9 2.32 RDD-006 62.0 94.0 32.0 0.69 and 109.0 117.0 8.0 0.93 and 124.0 165.0 41.0 1.19 including 122.0 136.0 14.0 2.58 RDD-007 25.3 47.7 22.4 0.80 and 67.7 75.7 8.0 0.62 and 80.7 89.7 9.0 0.57

^ The current exploration model has not had sufficient drill testing to be able to determine true thickness of mineralization.

Quality Assurance / Quality Control

The work program at Rozino was designed and is supervised by Stuart A. Mills, CGeol, the Company's Vice-President Exploration, who is responsible for all aspects of the work, including the quality control/quality assurance program. On-site personnel at the project rigorously collect and track samples which are then security sealed and shipped to ALS Global laboratory in Romania. Samples used for the results described herein are prepared and analyzed by fire assay using a 30-gram charge in compliance with industry standards. Field duplicate samples, blanks and independent controlled reference material (standards) are added to every batch. Drill intersections in this news release are calculated using a 0.2 g/t gold trigger, a minimum 0.5 g/t gold composite, and a maximum of 2 meters consecutive waste.

Qualified Person

The technical content of this release has been approved for disclosure by Stuart A. Mills, BSc, MSc, CGeol, a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 and the Companys Vice President Exploration. Mr. Mills is not independent of the Company.

About Velocity Minerals Ltd.

Velocity is a gold exploration and development company focussed on eastern Europe. The Companys management and board includes mining industry professionals with over 100 years of combined experience spanning Europe, Asia, and the Americas as employees of major mining companies as well as founders and senior executives of junior to mid-tier public companies. The team's experience includes all aspects of mineral exploration, resource definition, feasibility, finance, mine construction and mine operation as well as a track record in managing publicly listed companies.

The Companys portfolio of advanced gold exploration assets is currently in Bulgaria, which is a member of the European Union (2007) and an attractive destination for mining investment. The countrys mining law was established in 1999 and updated in 2011. Mining royalties are low and compare favourably with more established mining countries like Canada, Peru and Chile. Bulgaria also boasts a corporate tax rate of only 10% and the countrys education system has yielded a good availability of experienced mining professionals in a favourable cost environment. Foreign mining companies are successfully operating in Bulgaria.

Local knowledge and experience are essential components of mining investment in a foreign jurisdiction. Velocity Minerals has entered into a number of option agreements with Gorubso Kardzhali A.D. ("Gorubso'), an established and respected mining company in Bulgaria. Gorubso operates the underground Chala Gold Mine (2006) and the Kardzhali Carbon In Leach (CIL) processing plant (2011), which produces gold dore. Gorubso is the first and only company in Bulgaria to have secured a permit for cyanide-related processing of gold ores. Velocitys management has a long-standing relationship with Gorubso as well as significant previous experience in Bulgaria and elsewhere in the region.
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - Oct. 2, 2017) - Mundoro Capital Inc. (TSX VENTURE:MUN)(www.mundoro.com) ("Mundoro" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the Company has been notified by the Ministry of Energy that Bulgaria Alpha EOD, a 100% subsidiary of the Company, has won the tenders for the Svoboda permit ("Svoboda") and the Pesnopoy permit ("Pesnopoy") in Bulgaria.

Teo Dechev, CEO and President of Mundoro commented, "We are pleased to have been named the winner of the Svoboda and Pesnopoy tenders. Before exploration can begin on these two projects, further procedural steps are required before the exploration contracts are signed with the local government which we estimate may be completed by mid-2018. Part of capital to be raised through the Company's current C$1.5 million financing will be used to fund project acquisition and exploration of these projects."

Dechev adds "Mundoro continues to advance projects both through direct exploration and strategic partners in joint ventures. Mundoro completed Q2-2017 with C$3.1 million in cash and cash equivalents and short term investments and no debt. We are pleased to be working with our joint venture partner in Serbia, JOGMEC, who is funding the drilling at the Borsko and Zeleznik projects in H2/2017. As well, Mundoro has a portfolio of four projects covering 400 sq.km of the southern half of the Timok magmatic complex in Serbia and a growing package of exploration contracts in Bulgaria. "

1. Svoboda Project Overview

Svoboda is located in the Panagyurishte Region which is approximately 100 km south-east of Sofia, see Figure 1: Location Map of Projects. Svoboda covers 189 sq.km. (18,900 hectares) of the south-eastern portion of the Panagyurishte Metallogenic Zone ("Panagyurishte"). The Panagyurishte Belt is the most prospective belt for copper and gold porphyry and epithermal high sulphidation deposits in Bulgaria. It is part of the upper Cretaceous Banat-Timok-Srednogorie Belt which hosts a number of economically viable porphyry and epithermal copper and gold deposits such as the: Moldova Nova, Majdanpek, Bor and Chelopech.

Figure 1: Location Map of Projects





Within Svoboda, there are two identified prospects to date: the Radka high sulphidation copper and gold deposit ("Radka") and the Red Hill copper and gold prospect ("Red Hill").

Radka The Radka mine was in operation from 1928 to 1993 with total production of 6.4 million tonnes at 1.06% Cu and 3 g/t Au, according to historical records in the Bulgarian National Geological Fund. The Radka deposit is reported to host a historical mineral resource estimates, calculated under the Bulgarian classification system, consisting of 2.02 million tonnes at 0.60% Cu and 0.57 g/t gold (category 221) and 0.27 million tonnes at 0.60% Cu and 0.53 g/t Au (category 222).

Red Hill Red Hill is a high sulphidation gold-silver prospect with reported outcropping mineralisation of 2.98 g/t Au and 59 g/t Ag over 20 m hosted in a wider 61.5 m interval averaging 0.59 g/t Au and 10 g/t Ag. The Red Hill deposit is reported to host historical mineral resource estimates, calculated under the Bulgarian classification system, as follows: 50,000 tonnes at 1.42% Cu and 0.60 g/t Au (category 331) and 0.6 million tonnes at 0.76 % Cu and 4.5 g/t Au (category 333).



The historical mineral resource estimates at Radka and Red Hill are derived from prior data and reports prepared by the National Geological Survey and held in the Bulgarian National Geological Fund. The company is not currently able to confirm the dates of the estimates or the key assumptions, methods and parameters used to prepare them. At this time, Mundoro is not able to determine the reliability of the resource estimates with reference to the standards applicable to CIM-compliant resource estimates, although expects that additional exploration work will be required to enable Mundoro to report some or all of the mineralized material in conformity with CIM resource estimate categories. A Qualified Person has not done sufficient work to classify the historical estimates as current mineral resources or mineral reserves and the issuer is not treating the historical estimates as current mineral resources or mineral reserves.

Around Red Hill and Radka, there is pervasive argillic-phyllic altered andesite volcanics containing numerous other copper and gold mineral occurrences.

Figure 2: Svoboda Geology, Alteration and Occurrences





1.1 Location, Access and Infrastructure

Svoboda is easily accessible by a network of asphalt roads from various directions. It is approximately 110 km or 1.5 hours drive from Sofia, the capital city of Bulgaria. There are small towns in the immediate area where local labour could be readily obtained for general exploration activities, and there are relatively modern facilities available. Power could be supplied from the Bulgarian national transmission and distribution system which is close to site.

1.2 Historical Exploration and Exploration Targets

Svoboda is situated in the south-eastern part of Panagyurishte which is the most mineralised region of Bulgaria with much evidence of ancient and modern mining activity. The area was actively explored in Soviet style from the 1950's to 1990's.

More than 150 mineral occurrences have been documented in Panagyurishte, approximately 50 of which fall within Svoboda.

There are two exploited mines within the area: Radka, which is a high sulphidation copper and gold deposit and Tsar Assen copper porphyry deposit, which is not part of Svoboda.

The Red Hill prospect was explored in the past with 43 drill holes which intersected mineralization from 250 m to 375 m. None of the drill holes were assayed for gold.

In 1992-1993, exploration continued with trenching along profile lines at 100 m and 5 additional drill holes were drilled totaling 1,400 meters, which proved the gold potential at Red Hill.

Previous exploration activity includes ancient workings, excavation of trenches and exploratory adits, diamond drilling and bulk sampling.

The Red Hill prospect and the Radka deposit are the primary targets for exploration.

Red Hill The Red Hill prospect has prior trenching and drilling. Although a historical government drilling program did not assay for gold, later exploration proved the high grade gold, silver and copper content which now requires further systematic exploration with trenching and drilling to assess economic potential.

Radka The Radka high sulphidation copper and gold deposit has been exploited in the past however significant resources remain which need to be systematically explored to assess economic potential.

Other areas Additional around-mine and along-strike potential exists for discovery of new ore bodies of similar type to Radka. The large area of pervasive hydrothermal alteration between the known deposits containing numerous documented copper and gold occurrences adds significantly to the overall prospectivity of Svoboda.



1.3 District Geology

Svoboda is located within the south-eastern portion of Panagyurishte within the Apuseni-Banat-Timok-Srednogorie belt ("ABTS Belt"), Europe's most extensive belt of calc-alkaline magmatism and copper and gold mineralisation. The ABTS Belt is related to the subduction of the Tethys ocean beneath the European continental margin during the Late Cretaceous phase of the Alpine-Himalayan orogeny. To date, economic deposits appear to be restricted to certain segments along the belt, and all major porphyry-style and high-sulphidation ore deposits in Bulgaria are aligned on the Panagyurishte corridor, a narrow zone obliquely crossing the ABTS Belt (Albrecht von Quadt et al., 2005).

1.4 Property Geology

The geology of the property is dominated by Upper Cretaceous volcanic and intrusive rocks. The Upper cretaceous volcanics are predominantly represented by andesite-dacite and andesite-basalt lava flow, volcanic breccias and tuff, alternated with narrow siltstone beds. Diorite and granodiorite porphyry stocks are largely exposed in the southern portion of the property.

1.5 Mineralization and Alteration

High sulphidation epithermal copper-gold and gold-silver mineralisation is the most important style in the property. It is hosted in andesite-dacite volcanics which are intensely phyllic-argillic altered.

Radka The Radka deposit consists of lens-like massive sulphides and stockwork hosted copper and gold mineralisation made up of chalcopyrite, bornite, chalcocite, covellite and tennantite.

Red Hill Red Hill is hosted in a large zone of of advance argillic and phyllic alteration covering at least 3 square kilometers. This alteration zone is host to a number of small vuggy silica-enargite bodies and quartz-stockworks related to a large breccia body. The breccia is host of massive silica-barite replacement lenses up to 50 m x 15 m in size with reported grades up to 2.5 g/t Au and 59 g/t Ag from rock samples.



Porphyry copper-gold mineralization has been the primary target for historic exploration efforts. This resulted in the discovery and mining of the Tsar Assen copper porphyry deposit.

2. Pesnopoy Project Area

Pesnopoy is located in the Tertiary Eastern Rhodopean Metallogenic Region of Bulgaria and is approximately 200 km south-east of Sofia, see Figure 1: Location Map of Projects. The East Rhodopean Belt is host to at least 10 documented low sulphidation epithermal occurrences and deposits with Ada Tepe, Chala and Rosino being the most important and the most thoroughly investigated. The mining activity in the region dates back to prehistoric times.

Pesnopoy covers 35.95 sq.km (3595 hectares) of the north-western portion of the Tertiary East Rhodopean Belt. Within Pesnopoy there is one known gold occurrence, Rusalsko, which was partly explored by a local private company in the past.

2.1 Historical Exploration and Exploration Targets

Pesnopoy has not been actively explored in the past. Several state run mapping campaigns were carried out in the region.

The main target for initial exploration will be the Rusalsko gold occurrence on Pesnopoy.

The Rusalsko gold occurrence is located in the center of Pesnopoy and is described as epithermal low sulphidation. It covers a wide area of alteration more than 500 m long and 300 m wide, elongated in a NW direction. Central part of the altered zone is completely silicified and brecciated at some parts containing pyrite, arseno-pyrite and hematite. It reportedly contains up to 1 g/t Au in single rock samples.

West of Rusalsko is an area of advanced argillic alteration which is reported at 1000 m long and 400 m wide and related to brecciated latite volcanics.

2.2 Location, Access and Infrastructure

Pesnopoy is located 25 km from the town of Kardjali. Local labour could be readily obtained for general exploration activities, and there are relatively modern facilities available from which to conduct field programs. Local towns are connected with a network of asphalt roads and can be reached by highway from Sofia with approximately 3 hours driving.

2.3 Regional Geology

Pesnopoy region is part of the East Rhodopean Belt and consists of Tertiary volcanics superimposed on crystalline basement composed of Proterozoic metamorphics. Structurally it falls at the southern edge of the Borovitsa caldera which is a major regional structure with north-east trending axis extending for approximately 20 km.

Qualified Person

Technical information contained in this Press Release has been reviewed and approved by Mr. G. Magaranov, P. Geo., Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101.

About Mundoro Capital Inc.

Mundoro is a Canadian mineral exploration and development public company focused on building value for its shareholders through directly investing in mineral projects that have the ability to generate future returns for shareholders. The Company currently holds a diverse portfolio of projects in two European countries as well as an investment in a producing gold mine in Bulgaria and a feasibility stage gold project in China. The Company holds eight 100% owned projects in Serbia, the four Timok North Projects are in option to JOGMEC, and the four Timok South Projects are being advanced by Mundoro. Mundoro's common shares trade on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol "MUN".
TORONTO, Oct. 3, 2017 /CNW/ - Kennady Diamonds Inc. ("Kennady", the "Company") (TSX-V: KDI) is pleased to announce the completion of a maiden Mineral Resource estimate for the Faraday kimberlites located at the Company's 100 percent owned Kennady North Project, NWT, Canada. An Inferred Mineral Resource of 5.02 million carats of diamonds is contained in 3.27 million tonnes of kimberlite, with an overall grade of 1.54 carats per tonne and an average value of US$98 per carat. The resource has been calculated with a 1mm diamond bottom cutoff size, which is considered a reasonable cutoff for a commercial mining scenario. The resource was determined through the collective efforts of Aurora Geosciences Ltd., Mineral Services Canada Inc., and SRK Consulting Inc., who were engaged by the Company to participate in the exercise.

President and CEO of Kennady Diamonds Dr. Rory Moore stated: "The 5-million carat Faraday Inferred Resource builds upon our Kelvin Indicated Resource of 13.62 million carats, and represents another significant step in the advancement of our Kennady North Project. Continued upside potential exists for the Faraday Resource from the additional strike added to Faraday 2 during our successful summer 2017 program, which is not included in the current resource estimate. This additional tonnage, together with that from Faraday 1 and the high-grade sheets associated with the Faraday 1-3 Complex have potential to materially increase the overall Faraday resource, particularly in view of the robust modelled diamond values obtained for the small sample of Faraday 1 of US$108, US$164 and $267 per carat for the 'low', 'base case' and 'high' values respectively."

Faraday Inferred Mineral Resource

The Faraday kimberlites are located approximately 2.5 km to the north-east of the Kelvin kimberlite on the Kennady North Project. Originally defined as three individual pipes, drilling completed in the summer of 2017 has demonstrated that Faraday 1 and 3 are joined at depth and are now considered to be one body. Additional kimberlite sheets, some with significant thicknesses and high diamond grades, are also associated with the Faraday pipes.

Evaluation of the Faraday bodies has progressed to the point where a Mineral Resource can be declared for Faraday 2 and the Faraday 3 component of the Faraday 1-3 complex. The available data do not permit declaration of Mineral Resources for the Faraday 1 component of the Faraday 1-3 complex or for the additional sheets surrounding the pipes. These bodies are classified as Target for Further Exploration (TFFE) as explained below.

The Faraday Mineral Resource estimate is based on four main components:

A geological model that defines the boundaries of the deposit (external pipe shell) as well as the geologically distinct domains of which it is comprised;

Estimates of average bulk density for each domain which, in combination with volumes derived from the geological model, provide estimates of the tonnes of kimberlite present;

Estimates of average grade (carats per tonne) for each domain based on LDD grades corrected for recovery efficiency in a commercial-style process plant; and

Estimates of the average value of diamonds within each domain.

Geological models are based on data acquired up to the end of the Winter 2017 bulk sampling program and do not include the 2017 summer drilling results as the core recovered in this program is still being logged in Yellowknife.

The database that was used to evaluate the Faraday kimberlites included 34,511 meters of core drilling from 188 holes, microdiamond samples totaling 9.95 tonnes, and a total of 594.8 tonnes acquired by large (13") diameter reverse circulation drilling. The bulk sampling recovered 1,259.2 carats (+1 DTC sieve class) of diamonds for valuation. The bulk sample mass differs slightly from the masses reported in news releases of May 23, 2017 and June 19, 2017 due to refinements to the bulk density models on which the mass calculations are partly based.

Mineral Services Canada Inc. provided guidance on the evaluation program at Faraday and recently completed a comprehensive review of geological, microdiamond, bulk sampling, and valuation results in order to estimate an Inferred Mineral Resource for the Faraday kimberlites, as provided in Table 1.

Table 1: Inferred Mineral Resource Estimate for the Faraday Kimberlites

Kimberlite Tonnes1

(million tonnes) Grade2

(carats per tonne) Carats

(million carats) Value3

(US $/carat) Faraday 2 1.39 2.24 3.13 112 Faraday 3 1.87 1.01 1.90 75 Total Inferred 3.27 1.54 5.02 98

Notes: 1 - The estimates encompass the entire bodies as defined by the current geological models, extending from the base of overburden (~390 masl) in the south-east to similar depths of approximately 160 masl.; 2 - grades are expressed as recoverable diamonds above 1 mm bottom cut-off.; 3 - base average value is derived by applying a base case value distribution model (as determined by WWW during the valuation of Faraday diamonds reported in News Release dated 8 August 2017) to models of recoverable (+1 mm) diamond size frequency distribution for each geological domain". Some rounding error may occur in the values reported.

The NI 43-101 Standards and Canadian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy guidelines for Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves stipulate that a Mineral Resource needs to have a "reasonable prospect of economic extraction of the specified ore". Mineral Services concluded that the Faraday kimberlites have reasonable prospects for eventual economic extraction by virtue of their close proximity and similar overall diamond grade and value to Kelvin, for which such prospects have recently been demonstrated (see News Release of December 12, 2016). Inferred Mineral Resources are considered too speculative geologically to have the economic considerations applied to them that would enable them to be categorized as Mineral Reserves. Mineral Resources are not Mineral Reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability.

Faraday Target for Further Exploration (TFFE)

The volume, tonnes, grade and average diamond value for the Faraday 1 kimberlite and for two minor domains of Faraday 2 are not sufficiently well constrained by available data to define Mineral Resources. These deposits are defined as Target for Further Exploration (TFFE) and estimates of the potential ranges of volume, tonnes and grade (where possible) contained within these bodies are provided in Table 2 below.

Table 2: Target for Further Exploration Estimates within Faraday 1 and Faraday 2

Kimberlite Volume (Mm3) Tonnes (Mt) Grade (+1mm cpt) Low High Low High Low High Faraday 1 0.2 0.50 0.6 1.2 1.5 3.7 Faraday 2 0.01 0.02 0.01 0.04 -- --

Mm3 = million cubic metres, Mt = million tonnes, cpt = recoverable (+1 mm) carats per tonne, Mct = million carats

The estimate of TFFE is conceptual in nature as there has been insufficient exploration to define a Mineral Resource and it is uncertain if future exploration will result in the estimate being delineated as a Mineral Resource.

President and CEO of Kennady Diamonds Dr. Rory Moore further commented: "We are pleased to see that the consistency of grade seen at Kelvin continues to hold true for the Faradays while the stone value is increasing. The results to date indicate a strong positive upside for the project, supported in part by the recovery of large gem-quality stones in this most recent exercise. It is important to note that the inferred resource is based on modelled diamond values that are derived by statistical procedures that reduce the value impact of high value stones recovered in small bulk samples. Consequently, the modelled values have substantially more upside than downside potential. The 7.78 carat gem diamond from Faraday 3 has proven that larger stones exist in these kimberlites, and we would expect to recover more such stones in larger samples." Dr. Moore went on to conclude, "Based on these results we are planning our winter program with intent to further expand the resource potential of the project. In addition to further delineating the Faraday kimberlites, we intend to drill test a selection of the best untested geophysical targets within the Kelvin-Faraday corridor with the aim of discovering new high-potential kimberlites."

Kennady will be filing an updated National Instrument (NI) 43-101 Technical Report covering the Kelvin Indicated Resource and Faraday Inferred Resource within 45 days of this news release.

About Kennady Diamonds

Kennady Diamonds Inc. controls 100 percent of the Kennady North diamond project located in Canada's Northwest Territories. Kennady North is adjacent to the Gahcho Kue Diamond Mine, a joint venture between De Beers Canada (51%) and Mountain Province (49%), which declared commercial production in March 2017. Kennady is focused on expanding its high-grade diamond resources along the Kelvin  Faraday kimberlite corridor, as well as identifying new kimberlites outside of the corridor. To date an indicated resource of 13.62 million carats of diamonds contained in 8.50 million tonnes of kimberlite, with a grade of 1.60 carats per tonne and an average value of US$63 per carat has been defined for the Kelvin kimberlite and an inferred resource of 5.02 million carats contained in 3.27 million tonnes of kimberlite, with a grade of 1.54 carats per tonne and an average value of US$98 per carat has been defined for the Faraday kimberlites using a 1mm diamond bottom cutoff size. The Kelvin  Faraday corridor is also a target for further exploration.
New York City, NY, 10/03/2017 /SubmitPressRelease123/

According to the New York Times, there are something like 5,000 bicycle messengers in New York City  more than any other city in the world. These intrepid bicyclists deliver food, documents, groceries, and all manner of items  all while navigating thick traffic in one of the worlds largest cities. Occupational hazards include barreling trucks, barely visible potholes and taxi doors flinging open without warning.

If it sounds like a dangerous occupation, it is. If youve been injured as a bicycle messenger in New York City, you need the help and skill of an experienced bicycle accident lawyer. Here are a couple things to know.

Bicycle Messenger Accident? You Might Not Be Eligible for Workers Compensation

Workers compensation is not available to independent contractors or gig workers. Because many bicycle messengers are not employees, but are instead independent contractors, they are not entitled to receive workers compensation benefits.

This makes it extremely important for bicycle messengers to work with an experienced New York City bicycle accident lawyer. Just because you cant qualify for workers comp payments doesnt mean you cant pursue a personal injury claim. And when an accident causes injuries that impact your ability to earn a living, its important to get compensation for your physical injuries, mental anguish, pain and suffering, lost wages, and any other damages. This is where a knowledgeable bicycle accident lawyer can help.

Bicycle Accident Injuries Are Expensive

Not only are bicycle accidents on the rise in the United States, these injuries are generally quite costly. According to one study published in the journal Injury Prevention, the cost of treating bicycle injuries has risen steadily over the past two decades.

The study looked at bicycle accidents occurring between 1997 and 2013 and found that there were 3.8 million non-fatal injuries and 10,000 deaths from bicycle accidents. Furthermore, the total cost for the non-fatal injuries was a staggering $209 billion. The total cost for fatal bicycle accidents was $28 billion.

If youve been involved in a bicycle accident as a bike messenger, your injuries may be more severe and long-lasting than you realize. Dont miss your opportunity to get the compensation you need to cover the cost of your medical treatment.

NYC Bicycle Accident Lawyer Speaks out About Bike Messenger Injuries

New York City bicycle accident lawyer Jonathan C. Reiter states, Unfortunately, many motorists, and even some pedestrians, view bike messengers as a nuisance. Some motorists in the city feel like they shouldnt have to share the road with bike messengers. This attitude leads to people getting seriously hurt and sometimes killed.

If youve been injured in a bicycle crash as a bike messenger or just a regular cyclist, get in touch with an experienced New York City bicycle accident lawyer today. A knowledgeable bicycle accident attorney will explain your rights and help you explore the options in your case.

Media Contact:

Aviation Accident plaintiff attorney Jonathan C. Reiter.

T: 866-324-9211.

Attorney Advertising

Prior results cannot and do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome with respect to any future case. Recoveries always depend upon the facts and circumstances of each case, the injuries suffered, damages incurred, and the responsibility of those involved.

Sources:

source: https://injuryaccidentnews.jcreiterlaw.com/2017/09/27/accident-lawyer-discusses-bike-messenger-injuries/

Social Media Tags:Bicycle Accident Injuries, Bicycle Messenger Accident, Bike Messenger Injuries, Bike Messenger Injuries NYC Bicycle Accident Lawyer

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Dallas, Texas, 10/03/2017 /SubmitPressRelease123/

No matter what kind of case youre facing, being charged with a crime is a scary experience. Its normal to have a lot of questions, and to worry about the possible outcomes in your case. Will this affect your career? Will you have to worry about a permanent criminal record? How you will tell your family and neighbors? This is why its important to work with an experienced criminal defense lawyer.

Although no one can truly predict how a case will turn out, there are definite possible outcomes, and its important to be aware of them. A knowledgeable lawyer who has handled multiple cases like yours will be able to give you a good assessment of the likely outcomes in your particular case.

If the Charges Are Dropped  Its possible that the prosecutor will choose not to pursue a case against you. However, the arrest may remain on your record.

If You Plead Guilty  Talk to a lawyer before you decide to admit guilt. Although many prosecutors may try to bargain with you by offering reduced charges in exchange for a guilty plea, there are real consequences to an admission of guilt. Always discuss this decision with your lawyer.

If You Take a Plea Bargain  In many cases, prosecutors strike a deal with defendants by extending the chance to take a plea bargain. In most cases, you must waive your right to a trial if you decide to accept a plea bargain. According to a New York Times report, about 97 percent of federal cases and 94 percent of state cases end in a plea bargain.

If You Are Found Guilty  If you proceed with a trial, the judge or the jury must listen to both sides of the case and determine if youre guilty or innocent. If youre found guilty, you have an opportunity to appeal your case. However, just because you appeal does not mean your appeal will get accepted for a hearing. Furthermore, being found guilty means you could face prison time, a fine, probation, or a combination of consequences.

If You Are Found Not Guilty  Similarly, being found not guilty means the judge or the jury decides you are innocent of the charge brought against you.

If the Court Declares a Mistrial  In a mistrial situation, the prosecutor or the defense must ask the court to declare that an error has occurred and that the case cant go forward. In some cases, a mistrial happens because the jury is deadlocked and cant agree on a verdict. In other cases, mistrials occur due to a mistake during the case, such as a juror acting inappropriately. In these instances, the prosecution can typically ask for a new trial with a new jury, starting the whole process over again.

Contact a Texas Criminal Defense Lawyer About Your Case

If youve been charged with a crime, dont hesitate to speak to an experienced Texas criminal defense lawyer about your case.

Sources:

Dallas Criminal Defense Lawyer

Broden & Mickelsen, LLP

2600 State St Dallas, Texas 75204

Main Phone: (214) 720-9552

source: https://www.brodenmickelsen.com/blog/potential-outcomes-criminal-case/

Social Media Tags:Criminal Case Potential Outcomes, Potential Outcomes in My Criminal Case, Texas Criminal Defense Lawyer Criminal Case Potential Outcomes

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Interesting demographic projections from Stats NZ. The changes projected from 2013 to 2038 are:

New Zealand

European from 75% to 66%

Maori from 16% to 18%

Asian from 12% to 22%

Pasifika from 8% to 10%

Total Pop from 4.4 million to 5.8 million

Auckland

European from 59% to 48%

Maori from 11% to 12%

Asian from 23% to 38%

Pasifika from 15% to 17%

Total Pop from 1.5 million to 2.2 million

Wellington

European from 78% to 72%

Maori from 14% to 17%

Asian from 11% to 20%

Pasifika from 8% to 10%

Total Pop from 487,000 to 566,000

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You can now donate to Kiwiblog
Fern Clark of Jerome and Prudence Hemmings of Ketchum have unclaimed property. Its money in some form, and the state wants to give it back.

The Idaho Treasurers Office provided this sampling of 75 people with unclaimed property valued at more than $100 whose last known addresses are in southern Idaho. To check for your name, visit yourmoney.idaho.gov or call 877-388-2942 or 208-332-2942.
The plan was to deliver hope. Mother Nature wasn't cooperating.

"I'm really worried about the rain," Andrea Dunne-Sosa whispers to one of her Project Hope volunteers in Puerto Rico. "We're only going to be able to get to about 15 homes today. Let's just put together 15 food bags and 15 kits of meds. Just grab a bit of everything."

Dunne-Sosa is Project Hope's regional director for the Americas, as well as volunteer coordinator for all medical personnel the organization sends to disasters around the world.

"It's been a busy couple of weeks with five major disasters all in my region, all involving volunteers," she says with a tired shrug and a proud smile. "We're doing really good work right now."

Dunne-Sosa and a small team of volunteer doctors and nurses have just arrived at Concilio de Salud Integral de Loiza, a community health center about 30 minutes outside San Juan, Puerto Rico. The goal: help support the clinic with their team, as well as going out into the countryside to find those who are stranded and in need of help.

"From what we understand, we have families that are blind, disabled or otherwise unable to get out from their homes and are waiting on people to come," Dunne-Sosa tells assembled volunteers. "So we need to get out into the community to get to them."

The group quickly springs into coordinated action, most separating medical and food supplies into smaller deliveries, while a few split off to discuss logistics. It's Saturday, nearly two weeks since Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico, even longer since it felt Irma's wrath. Still, it's hard to get around the island, and careful planning is a necessity.

"Local knowledge is key. We have a couple of partners here, working in this community for 25 years, so we're going to be listening to them," Dunne-Sosa informs the team. "They're going to provide guidance to us as to where we need to go, where we shouldn't go and the right way to get there."

The scene on the street

Loaded and ready, two vans head off to Melilla, a nearby barrio in Loiza where local volunteers have heard stories of need. Arriving just as the rain begins, they must park and walk in.

It's all too clear why: Power poles are cracked and broken, many leaning onto roofs of nearby houses. People walk or bike underneath, staying clear of any loose lines. Horses, roaming free and without any obvious owners, amble down the streets.

Yet the streets and houses are tidy, debris gathered and piled by the side of the road. It's clear that the local people have done their best to put their lives back in order.

But there's something they can't escape: black water. Filled with waste from sewer breaks, standing water is everywhere, made worse by this falling rain. The stench permeates the air.

As the team turns a corner, there is a sudden chorus of loud voices. A domestic fight is underway: angry shouts, shrill screams, even some pushing as more and more family members join the fray.

"The hurricane causes a lot of stress. It's unfortunate," says 31-year-old medical student Oscar Soto Jr. "People late for work, trying to get gas, stress builds up, you know."

Born in Orocovis, Puerto Rico, Soto was on a medical mission in the mountains of the Dominican Republic when the hurricane swept across his homeland, taking out nearly all power. He didn't know for days whether his father was alive.

"I feel blessed that he's with life," Soto says with tears in his eyes. "The family is all right.

"It's so frustrating," he continues. "A lot of families are in the States, and they want to get to the family members. They want to help. They want to send items of aid, but it's difficult. No communication at all. No cell phones whatsoever, and that's a large amount of Puerto Rico."

A heartbreaking discovery

Reaching the first home, the team is in for a surprise. Word has gone out they are in the barrio, and neighbors have gathered in hopes they too can get medical care and supplies.

"There are four patients here," says Teresa Narvaez, a nurse with Project Hope for 27 years. "We came in, and everyone has an ailment. They reached out to their neighbors and said, 'there is a doctor; come on, come on.' "

"That's great," Dunne-Sosa replies. "We should be asking everywhere we go if they have any neighbors in need so we can help as many as possible."

Doctors and nurses busy themselves, taking blood pressures, checking pulses and listening for heart or breathing problems. One woman needs antibiotics due to a bladder infection. Another has an older injury on her legs. They are especially concerned about the home's resident, an elderly woman named Jobita Cumaquita, who is struggling with cancer and diabetes.

"I feel OK right now, thanks to God," Cumaquita tells Nicole Merrill, one of the volunteer nurses. "But I'm nervous about my family."

She points to her 22-year-old granddaughter, Estafani Ayala Osorio, just a few feet away. Osorio is sobbing in the arms of a cousin, who is visiting the family after the loss of Osorio's 50-year-old father. He was hospitalized just before the hurricane hit, nearly two weeks ago, and the family has just learned of his death.

"They just thought he had high blood sugar," Dunne-Sosa explains, wiping a tear from her eye as she pats Osorio's arm. "He was being cared for, and they were just able to go and visit, and they found out he had died."

"This is heartbreaking," Soto says of his conversation with the woman. "They couldn't even find out that he had passed away after the storm because there was no communication."

He breaks down as he walks away from the home. "I was really trying back there to be the tough guy, but there are no words."

The team moves on through the pouring rain. In another home, they find a 90-year-old woman with diabetes who slipped and sprained her ankle during the hurricane.

"She's bruised all up her legs, and she is limping on the right, which is causing the left leg to swell," says Neil Shocket, an emergency physician who is volunteering for Project Hope along with his physician wife, Lori. "Because she's taking blood thinners, this is going to be a worse problem. What we need to do is wrap these up better ..."

Shocket replaces her one existing ankle wrap with two new leg wraps and gives instructions on how to keep the swelling down. In the hallway, Soto is hugging the woman's elderly husband, who is crying.

"This is our family, too," Soto says. "That's the human factor, the human factor of love. We're trying to build up their spirit, build up their faith and take care of their health."

As they move on to the next home, Soto can't help but think back to the young woman who has just lost her father.

"I'm imagining she is saying, 'what am I going to do tomorrow? They are here today, but what am I going to do tomorrow?' "
An X-ray of the man's abdomen. The large white mass is the metal bezoar.

Surgeons removed more than 100 pieces of metal of various shapes and sizes from the stomach of a man in France, according to a new report of the man's case.

The 52-year-old had psychosis  meaning he had lost touch with reality  and despite receiving treatment for the condition, he had a tendency to intentionally swallow metal items. These items ranged from nails, knives and screws to spoon handles, nuts and coins, according to the case report, published Sept. 27 in the journal BMJ Case Reports.

Metal bezoars are one of the rarest forms of bezoar, according to the case report. Other types of bezoars include those formed by clumps of undigested milk (seen in infants), hair (in people who ingest hair, a condition known as trichophagia), plant material (from fruit and vegetable fibers) and pills.

In the man's case, he went to the emergency room five times over a five-year period, complaining of stomach pain, nausea and vomiting up blood. In four of these instances, doctors had to operate to remove a massive metal bezoar from his stomach. Surgery was necessary because removing the metals by endoscopy  a procedure in which a thin, flexible tube is inserted into the stomach from the mouth so that doctors can retrieve the swallowed object  didn't work, according to the case report.

It was surprising that the man needed surgery on four separate occasions to remove these objects, said Dr. Steven Moss, a gastroenterologist and professor of medicine at Warren Alpert School of Medicine of Brown University. Usually, when people swallow sharp metal objects, they can often be taken out safely by endoscopy, Moss said.

Moss was not involved in this man's case, but he has treated people who have swallowed massive amounts of metal, and was the co-author of a 2010 paper in the journal Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology on people who intentionally swallow objects not meant to be swallowed.

Moss said he wondered if some of the man's operations could have been prevented, because surgery to remove these items is not normally the treatment of choice.

Metal objects retrieved from the man's stomach after one of his visits to the hospital. (Image credit: The BMJ)

Intentionally swallowing objects

But there was one instance in the French man's case where surgery was necessary, Moss said.

During the man's most recent visit to the emergency room, in December 2016, scans of the man's abdomen revealed that the metal objects had made a hole in his stomach, according to the report.

This means that, essentially, the stomach has burst, and surgery is the only option to retrieve the swallowed objects, Moss told Live Science.

It may seem unusual that sharp items, such as a swallowed razor blade, could come into contact with the stomach and not cause holes all the time, Moss said. But the stomach has thick walls, and when cuts or scratches happen, the body can be amazingly resilient and heal, he said.

Although the sheer quantity of metal swallowed by the man in this case was "impressive" and "more than normal," Moss said he has retrieved metal objects ranging from bed springs and batteries to bits of CDs and hundreds of coins. [27 Oddest Medical Cases]

Another intriguing question is why people would deliberately and repeatedly swallow such large quantities of metals or other objects in the first place.

"No one really quite understands it," Moss said. This behavior is more commonly seen in people with psychiatric conditions and in prisoners who are seeking medical attention, he said.

There are two groups of psychiatric patients who may exhibit this strange behavior.

One group is people with psychosis, who may say they are hearing voices inside their head telling them to swallow these objects, Moss said. A bigger group is people who swallow these unusual items as a form of self-injury, as a way to relieve tension and an urge to harm themselves, he said.

Both groups can be very resistant to psychiatric treatment, Moss said. People who repeatedly swallow unusual objects will often do it again, even if these behaviors cause them pain and medical problems, and even if they are treated with the appropriate medications, he said.

Originally published on Live Science.
People take a bath in a canal following Hurricane Maria, in Toa Alta, Puerto Rico, on Oct.1, 2017. Less than half of Puerto Ricans have clean drinking water.

Two weeks after Hurricane Maria, only 5 percent of Puerto Ricans have electricity and less than half have clean drinking water, according to the territorial governor's office. But the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said residents of the island are safe from one potential threat: cholera.

New York Times columnist Paul Krugman tweeted on Saturday (Sept. 30) that cholera had been reported in the U.S. territory, but then walked back that claim. The CDC tweeted that same day that cholera is not a likely threat to the island, because there had been no reports of the bacterium that causes the disease before the hurricane.

"CDC does not anticipate cholera cases in Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands b/c of #Maria," the agency tweeted, continuing in a second tweet: "There was no evidence of cholera in Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands before Hurricane #Maria made landfall." [10 Bizarre Diseases You Can Get Outdoors]

Diarrheal disease

Cholera is a disease caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. It spreads mostly through water contaminated by the feces of someone who harbors the illness, according to the CDC. It can also be found in brackish coastal waters and can hitch a ride into the human digestive system on contaminated shellfish from these waters.

Once in the body, V. cholera feeds off a sugar in the intestines called sialic acid, researchers reported in 2011 in the journal Microbiology. It then excretes a toxin that opens channels in the cells that make up the intestine wall, disrupting the electrolyte balance of the intestines and forcing water from the cells.

For many people, the disease causes either no symptoms or mild to moderate diarrhea, but for people severely infected, the dehydration from the excessive water loss can kill within hours. Firm mortality rates are hard to come by, given that most deaths happen in remote areas and the cases aren't reported, but the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that cholera kills up to 143,000 people worldwide each year.

The disease can be treated with antibiotics and intravenous rehydration, and fatality rates are highest where medical help is hard to reach, according to the CDC.

Post-Maria Puerto Rico

As Puerto Rico struggles to recover from Hurricane Maria, sanitation is a concern. Fifty-five percent of the island lacks running water, according to the governor's office, and Bloomberg reported that residents are bathing and washing clothes in rivers. Many people are getting water from roadside springs, according to NPR, or hoping their hoarded supplies from before the storm don't run out before tap water is restored.

Even without cholera, if any of these ad hoc water sources become contaminated with feces, it could mean a major public health problem. According to the CDC, diseases such as hepatitis A can spread through contaminated drinking water. So can other diarrheal illnesses, including enteroviruses, Giardia and Campylobacter. Standing water after the hurricane may also become prime breeding ground for mosquitos. Zika virus, which causes mostly mild fever in adults but severe birth defects in developing fetuses, is already found in Puerto Rico and spreads via mosquito bites.

The aftermath of a natural disaster is a ripe time for epidemics. In 2010, 10 months after an earthquake devastated Haiti, the country experienced a massive cholera outbreak. By 2014, at least 8,534 people had died in Haiti from the disease. Like Puerto Rico, Haiti did not have endemic cholera bacteria before the quake; the disease arrived with Nepalese peacekeepers who came to the island as part of the United Nations' relief effort (cholera is endemic, or consistently present, in Nepal). Poor sanitation at the peacekeepers' camp sent the disease into waterways, while the widespread lack of clean water and sanitation after the earthquake transmitted the bacteria rapidly.

Original article on Live Science.
NAMPA  When Mary Mendiola and Myra May took a work trip together in 1992, they didnt know each other well.

But as the longtime child welfare social workers for the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare sat down to dinner together, they quickly found a commonality: both were eager to have children.

Soon after, they discovered theyd both gotten their wish. May was pregnant with her second son, while Mendiola was pregnant with her first.

Their children would be born three weeks apart.

We raised them together through the years, Mendiola said, and now theyre now 24.

Since then, theyve spent every Easter together, celebrated the marriages of their children together and worked through cancer diagnoses for both of their mothers.

In October 2012, May received a breast cancer diagnosis of her own after her first mammogram. Mendiola was with May when doctors called with Mays biopsy results.

May faced two lumpectomies  all while Mendiolas mother faced a mastectomy for breast cancer, too. That didnt stop Mendiola from being there for Mays surgeries and radiation treatments.

Shes a caretaker, so anything I needed, she saw to, May said. My husband was awesome, but hes a firefighter for Nampa and was working 48 hour shifts ... I had a lot on my plate, and Mary stepped in and took a lot of that.

Less than two years later, in July 2014, Mendiola was diagnosed with breast cancer herself. She said she never worried about her own lumpectomy, radiation and chemotherapy  which caused her to lose her hair  because she had a friend like May by her side.

They looked at each other and said, been there, done that.

I basically said to Myra, I dont care what they tell me, youre my nursemaid, Mendiola said. She knew every med I took. I still cant tell you what medications I was on, what I took, when I took them. She did that.

The friends recognize how lucky they are to have had family and each other through their treatments, but they dont take that for granted. Theyve become comfortable talking about their experience with the disease, and encourage other women  and men  to be proactive with their health.

Theyve arranged for a mobile mammogram bus to come to the Department of Health and Welfare where they work in Caldwell to convince their coworkers of the importance of screenings and early detection. Theyve also participated in Race for the Cure for the last four years.

Both encourage their friends and colleagues to listen to their bodies, do self exams and ask questions of their doctors, no matter how uncomfortable the topic may seem.

Mendiola said she doesnt shy away from her diagnosis out of fear, and has decided to get 3-D mammograms from here on out, even if theyre not covered by insurance.

Her breast cancer diagnosis also put into perspective her risk for other cancers, she said. In March 2015, Mendiola and her husband had a double date and got colonoscopies together  a process that likely saved her husbands life. He was diagnosed with colon cancer directly after that.

I say this and I mean it: Im glad I got breast cancer, she said. Without it, we would have never done that, and we would have never found his cancer.

People must be advocates for their own health, Mendiola said, because, unfortunately, no one else is going to do it for them.

Youve gotta keep asking those questions, Mendiola said. My experience with Myra and my mom, and of course myself, and what they went through, has shown me you keep going no matter what until you get your answer.

May agreed. Fear of the unknown can be a powerful deterrent, she said, but it should never stop you from taking control of your own health.

Cancer isnt something that is ever going to drag us down ... May said.

Mendiola was quick to finish her friends sentence, laughing and putting her hand over Mays shoulder.

Its just another thing weve done, and weve done together, she said.
Local News, Community, Charity & Cause, Arts & Culture, Seasonal & Current Events, Politics

By Legislator Anker's Office Published: October 03 2017

Suffolk County Legislators Sarah Anker and Rob Calarco, in conjunction with the Coram Civic Association and the Coram Fire Department, will host a community concert, which is scheduled for Saturday, October 21st at 1:00 PM.

Coram, NY - October 3, 2017 - Suffolk County Legislator Sarah Anker is pleased to announce a fall concert scheduled for Saturday, October 21st at 1:00 PM. The concert, hosted in conjunction with Legislator Rob Calarco, the Coram Civic Association and the Coram Fire Department, will be held at the Coram Fire Department Substation #2, located at the intersection of Pine Road and Route 112 in Coram, and will feature New Yorks premier Eagles tribute band, The Fast Lane. The concert will be in memory of the late Anthony Bocchimuzzo, who passed away this summer. Anthony was a longtime member of the fire department and a Suffolk County employee who served as a police civilian supervisor of 911 dispatchers.

This concert will provide a wonderful way for families and residents to enjoy a local musical performance, while also promoting our local shops and restaurants in Coram, said Legislator Anker. I encourage residents to join me with their lawn chairs and blankets at the concert to support our local community and to help those in need!

Concert Details:

When: Saturday, October 21st

Time: 1:00 PM  3:00 PM

Where: Coram Fire Department Substation #2 (intersection of Pine Road and Route 112 in Coram)
Local News, National & World News, Community, Charity & Cause, Politics

By Long Island News & PR Published: October 03 2017

New York State Is Home To 42,000 DACA Grantees; DACA Grantees Must Apply For Renewal By Oct 5.

New York, NY - October 3, 2017 - With the October 5 deadline for renewal applications approaching, Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman issued an alert today urging Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) grantees to protect themselves from scammers seeking to capitalize on the uncertainty created by President Trumps decision to rescind the program. Scammers could seek to take advantage of DACA grantees and their family, friends, and colleagues by misrepresenting the status of DACA or other immigration policies and offering fraudulent services. Last month, Attorney General Schneiderman With the October 5 deadline for renewal applications approaching, Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman issued an alert today urging Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) grantees to protect themselves from scammers seeking to capitalize on the uncertainty created by President Trumps decision to rescind the program. Scammers could seek to take advantage of DACA grantees and their family, friends, and colleagues by misrepresenting the status of DACA or other immigration policies and offering fraudulent services. Last month, Attorney General Schneiderman led a coalition of state Attorneys General in filing suit to protect DACA

"Scammers will often capitalize on fear and anxiety to take advantage of immigrants and their families, said Attorney General Schneiderman. DREAMers play by the rules, work hard, and pay taxes. For most, America is the only home theyve ever known, and they deserve to stay here and keep contributing to our state and our nation.

While I continue to defend DACA in court, I encourage all grantees to be vigilant and protect themselves from those seeking to take advantage of this uncertainty to make a quick buck.

If you think you've been the victim of an immigration services fraud scam, contact the Attorney General's Immigration Fraud Hotline at 1-866-390-2992 or civil.rights@ag.ny.gov . The Attorney Generals office will never inquire about your immigration status or share your information with anyone, including other government entities.

Before hiring an immigration service providers or submitting any paperwork to USCIS, DACA recipients should know that:

The Department of Homeland Security will no longer accept new DACA applications

DACA grantees with work permits expiring between September 5, 2017 and March 5, 2018 can apply for a renewal. Currently, all renewal applications must be submitted to DHS no later than October 5, 2017.

DACA grantees can no longer apply for advanced parole.

Individuals with deportation orders should seek legal advice from either a lawyer or an accredited representative as soon as possible.

To protect individuals from potential frauds, Attorney General Schneiderman issued the following tips:

Beware of offers via social media, phone calls, flyers or other forms of unsolicited DACA/immigration legal advices services.

Beware of phishing. Some scammers use websites that look like government or official institutions.

Never pay a fee for an expedited application. Individuals cannot expedite your request in exchange for money.

No one can guarantee you will get special treatment for deferred action. If someone makes such a guarantee, do not employ his or her services.

Only attorneys or Office of Legal Access Programs (OLAP) accredited representatives can give you advice on which forms to submit for each application.

Only you, an attorney, or OLAP accredited representative can represent you before USCIS and inquire about the status of your request.

An immigration service provider that does not employ attorneys may not give you legal advice, threaten to report you to immigration authorities, promise to obtain special favors from immigration authorities, instruct you to provide false information to immigration authorities, or charge you for a referral to someone qualified to assist you with immigration matters.

Although Notarios Publico are attorneys in Spanish-speaking countries, Notaries Public in the United States are not attorneys. Do not hire them for legal advice.

Remember, before you sign any immigration form, you must understand it and agree to the truth of it. If a form is not written in your language, and you don't understand it, do not sign it. Anything you sign that is not true and accurate may be considered fraudulent by USCIS, and this will have serious repercussions.

If you do go to an immigration service provider to have your paperwork filled out, the provider must do the following: give you a contract (which may be cancelled at any time) written in English and in a language you understand describing the services they will provide and the fees they will charge, post signs clearly indicating they are not attorneys and cannot give you legal advice, give you a copy of any documents filed with the government, return any original documents belonging to you, and give you a copy of your file on demand without a fee.

It's always safest to pay for any service you obtain by money order, check, or credit card. Do not pay with cash. Note, too, that USCIS filing fees must be paid by those methods.

For more information on the USCIS deferred action policy, including guidelines and forms, please visit: http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis

To find a licensed attorney in the State of New York, visit the New York State Bar Association www.nysba.org or the American Immigration Lawyers Association: www.aila.org

The 30,000 Dreamers in this city are New Yorkers through and through, and they're essential to our families, our communities, our schools and our economy, said Acting Commissioner of the Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs Bitta Mostofi. As we continue to fight for passage of the DREAM Act, it's critical for DACA recipients to have access to quality legal support in this time of uncertainty. Attempting to scam or defraud young people who only want to remain in their homes is unconscionable, and we are pleased that Attorney General Schneiderman is calling attention to this issue. Free, confidential immigrant legal help is available for all City residents by calling 311 and asking for ActionNYC.

Together with Immigrant ARC, our network of over 60 statewide legal services providers, the New York Immigration Coalition is working around the clock to make sure that DACAmented New Yorkers get the help they need. We're especially grateful to the Attorney General for staying vigilant against people who would try to profit off of other people's pain. This is our New York, and everyone is entitled to the basic protection of the rule of law, said Steve Choi, Executive Director of the New York Immigration Coalition.

AG Schneiderman has consistently been a champion for immigrants in New York State, and we at Northern Manhattan Coalition for Immigrant Rights commend him for taking the lead in protecting immigrants from scams that rob them both of their money and their dreams, said Angela Fernandez, Esq, Executive Director and Supervising Attorney of Northern Manhattan Coalition for Immigrants Rights.
Celebrate The 25th Hamptons International Film Festival and Ayn Rands Atlas Shruggeds 60th Anniv. on Tom Needhams The Sounds of Film

Music, Movies & Entertainment, Local News, Arts & Culture

By Long Island News & PR Published: October 03 2017

Tom Needham chats with the HIFFs Anne Chaisson and David Nugent, director Michael Paxton, and author Yaron Brook on The Sounds of Film.

Stony Brook, NY - October 3, 2017 - Tom Needham will be speaking with the Hamptons International Film Festivals Executive Director, Anne Chaisson, and Artistic Director, David Nugent, on Thursdays Atlas Shrugged with Academy Award Nominated director, Michael Paxton, and the executive chairman of the Ayn Rand Institute, Yaron Brook. Tom Needham will be speaking with the Hamptons International Film Festivals Executive Director, Anne Chaisson, and Artistic Director, David Nugent, on Thursdays Sounds of Film at 6 P.M. on WUSB . In addition, he will be celebrating the 60th anniversary of Ayn Randswith Academy Award Nominated director, Michael Paxton, and the executive chairman of the Ayn Rand Institute, Yaron Brook.

The 25th Anniversary Hamptons International Film Festival takes place October 5  9, Columbus Day Weekend, and features 65 features and 50 shorts representing a total of 40 countries across the globe. Some of the anticipated features include Joe Wrights Darkest Hour , Paul McGuigans Film Stars Dont Die In Liverpool , Noah Baumbauchs The Meyerowitz Stories , Allison Chernicks Itzhak and Todd Haynes Wonderstruck . Jamie Bell, Annette Bening, Josh Gad, Jordan Peele, Margot Robbie, Sam Rockwell and Allison Williams will all be making appearances at the festival. In addition, this years festival will honor Academy Award-winning actress Julie Andrews with a Lifetime Achievement Award.



Ayn Rand. Photo Credit: WUSB's the Sounds of Film

2017 also marks the 60th anniversary of the publication of Ayn Rands Atlas Shrugged . To discuss Rands monumental work, Tom Needham will be joined by Academy Award nominated director of Ayn Rand: A Sense of Life , Michael Paxton, and Yaron Brook, author of the new book, In Pursuit of Wealth: The Moral Case for Finance and host of the Yaron Brook Show .

About the Sounds of Film
Im doing these jobs to highlight the need to create five million $80,000 per year jobs in the United States by 2020. We hit several stops in and around Huntington and I have a new appreciation for the tough, physical work these folks do each day. These are good jobs at good wages and a pathway to the American Dream, so lets work together as Republicans and Democrats to create more of these good-paying jobs, said Congressman Suozzi.
Music, Movies & Entertainment, School & Education, Local News, Arts & Culture

By Long Island News & PR Published: October 03 2017

Each spring, thousands of high school students from across New York State compete for a limited number of positions available in the eight NYSSMA All-State ensembles.

Sarah Gross, Zachary Neikens, Elizabeth Scianno, Albert Wheeler, and Justin Wheeler will have the honor and opportunity to represent their district and perform with their peers and fellow top musicians from across New York State.

Mastic Beach, NY - October 3, 2017 - Five William Floyd High School student-musicians have been recognized by the New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA) for musical excellence and will represent William Floyd at the annual All-State Winter Conference held in Rochester, NY, from November 30  December 3, 2017. The students  Sarah Gross (treble chorus/symphonic band alternate), Zachary Neikens (symphonic orchestra), Elizabeth Scianno (mixed chorus), Albert Wheeler (mixed chorus) and Justin Wheeler (symphonic band/mixed chorus alternate)  will have the honor and opportunity to represent their district and perform with their peers and fellow top musicians from across New York State.

Being selected among the top high school musicians in New York State is a testament to their hard work and dedication, said George Ober, chairperson, William Floyd Music Department. Their performances at the NYSSMA Solo adjudication festival demonstrated an extremely high level of musicianship which resulted in All-State recognition  an accomplishment that we are extremely proud of here at William Floyd. Congratulations to the students, their teachers Michael Cordaro, Barbara DOrio and the William Floyd music staff who were instrumental in guiding them to be among the best student-musicians in New York State.
Local News, Community, Charity & Cause, Politics

By Long Island News & PR Published: October 03 2017

Plane of Medical Supplies Donated by New York Health Care Organizations, Unions, and Businesses Departing New York Today.

Albany, NY - October 3, 2017 - Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the deployment of emergency medical supplies to help ensure that Puerto Rican residents have access to critical medical care. In addition, at the request of Governor Ricardo Rossello, Governor Cuomo is readying teams of more than 100 medical personnel who are prepared to deploy to Puerto Rico. These efforts build upon the Governor's Empire State Relief and Recovery Effort for Puerto Rico, an initiative which has brought together civic, business, and industry partners to help the people of Puerto Rico recover and rebuild.

In addition, Governor Cuomo announced a partnership with UNICEF USA and UPS to deliver critically needed supplies to Puerto Rican communities. Today, UPS will deliver more than 100,000 bottles of water donated by New Yorkers from across the state. UNICEF USA will also be delivering emergency supply kits that will provide approximately 60,000 people with basic hygiene supplies, including water purification tablets, water buckets, soap, toothpaste, detergent, sanitary pads and more.

"New York has witnessed firsthand the devastation that Mother Nature is capable of leaving behind and in the wake of Hurricane Maria, we continue to offer assistance and supplies to our fellow citizens in Puerto Rico," Governor Cuomo said. "With this partnership, we ensure that our brothers and sisters on the island of Puerto Rico have access to adequate medical care as they work to recover and rebuild."

Today's shipment of medical supplies will be sent to specific hospitals and community health organizations in Puerto Rico, including the Administracion de Servicios Medicos de Puerto Rico, the largest provider on the island; the University Pediatric Hospital in San Juan at Centro Medico; the transplant center Hospital Auxilio Mutuo; and community health care providers from the Island of Culebra. Today's shipment includes thousands of vaccines and antibiotics, basic first aid supplies, emergency medical and surgical supplies such as oxygen masks, suturing equipment, alcohol pads, syringes, bandages, nebulizers, IV catheters and surgical blades. This mission was made possible by the generous efforts of the UJA-Federation of New York, Afya Foundation, Greater New York Hospital Association, SEIU 1199, New York State Nurses Association, and Golden Tree Asset Management.

Last Friday, GNYHA and Afya Foundation, a Yonkers-based non-profit, sent an initial round of supplies to Hospital Susana Centeno on the island of Vieques, and the University Pediatric Hospital in San Juan that included syringes, more than 5,000 doses of vaccines, medication for conditions like tetanus, infections, diabetes and pain relief, basic first aid, over-the-counter medication and suture kits. The state will dispatch additional missions in the coming weeks, totaling approximately $500,000 in critical supplies.

Additionally, Governor Cuomo, in partnership with the Greater New York Hospital Association, the Healthcare Association of New York State, and Community Health Care Association of New York State, has reached an agreement to prepare for the deployment of over 100 New York medical professionals to Puerto Rico at the request of Governor Ricardo Rossello.

Health response teams will include physicians, physician assistants, nurses and nurse practitioners and will provide general medical assistance at medical shelters and hospitals. Health liaison teams will work at hospitals and emergency operation centers to help coordinate the treatment needs and supplies for all care facilities. If deployed, all volunteers will be processed through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact, a mutual aid agreement between states and territories to share resources during natural and man-made disasters, and New York State will extend workers compensation benefits for those who volunteer.

The offer comes as Governor Rossello's team continues to assess their medical needs.

Health Department Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker said, "Our fellow Americans in Puerto Rico who are suffering under indescribable circumstances and without access to the most basic of needs, are experiencing a burgeoning public health crisis. At Governor Cuomo's direction, New York State is rushing vital medical supplies that people on the ground need now to survive. New York is proud to partner with our health care organizations and business community and stands ready to offer our assistance in any way that we can."

Greater New York Hospital Association president Kenneth E. Raske said, "The unfolding tragedy in Puerto Rico and other islands weighs heavily on all New Yorkers, and the health care community is committed to doing everything it can to assist affected friends and families. GNYHA is doing its part on several fronts, including providing desperately needed medical supplies and working with our member hospitals and systems to develop health care teams that will stand ready to be deployed and provide hands-on care. The entire hospital community is extremely grateful to Governor Cuomo and our colleagues at 1199SEIU and NYSNA for their decisive response to this humanitarian crisis. We're equally grateful to the Afya Foundation and UJA-Federation of New York for being such extraordinary partners in making these relief missions a reality."

Mark Medin, executive vice president, UJA-Federation of New York said, "We thank Governor Cuomo for his leadership and efforts from day one in helping to alleviate some of the suffering in Puerto Rico. We are also grateful to GNYHA and Afya for helping us deliver critical healthcare supplies to those in need, reflecting UJA-Federation's commitment to implementing Jewish values of helping by bringing resources and community together. We are proud to be working with the local Puerto Rican Jewish community to distribute these supplies on our behalf to those in most need in Puerto Rico."

Bea Grause, President of the Healthcare Association of New York State said, "New York's hospitals know firsthand the challenges of a major hurricane and are anxious to assist hospitals in Puerto Rico with their staffing needs. The doctors, nurses, and many other staff at hospitals who give tirelessly every day to save lives in New York are pleased to be able to do the same for their fellow citizens in Puerto Rico. HANYS is honored to help coordinate these relief efforts."

Rose Duhan, President and CEO of the Community Health Care Association of New York State said, "CHCANYS and New York's community health centers stand ready to provide assistance to the residents of Puerto Rico. New York community health centers' staff and patients are closely tied to Puerto Rico and our hearts go out to those who are suffering. CHCANYS is proud to participate in the relief efforts led by the Governor, side by side with members of New York's health care community."

Afya Foundation executive director Danielle Butin said, "We could not be prouder to partner with Governor Cuomo, Greater New York Hospital Association, and the UJA-Federation of New York to bring vital medical supplies to Puerto Rico's health care community in their time of need. We will continue to coordinate these missions for as long as they are needed."

Jill Furillo, NYSNA Executive Director, said, "Our hearts continue to break over the devastation in Puerto Rico. But throughout this tragedy, it has also been amazing to see New Yorkers, including our nurses, come together and step up to support our brothers and sisters in need. From donating goods, to contributing their time to package supplies, to even volunteering to go to Puerto Rico, New York's nurses have shown the same dedication and compassion during this crisis that they show in their jobs every day."

Maria Castaneda, Secretary-Treasurer, 1199 SEIU said, "The crisis afflicting our fellow Americans in Puerto Rico is heart-wrenching. It is our responsibility to care for one another in times of adversity - and it is this core belief that binds us together and that we share as 1199 members. We join in solidarity with Governor Cuomo and all New Yorkers who have prioritized relief and recovery efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, and have made it their duty to be of service. On behalf of 1199, we stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Puerto Rico, and we will do whatever is possible to help the island heal and come back stronger than before."

Caryl M. Stern, President and CEO at UNICEF USA said, "The devastation in Puerto Rico demands that we all play a role in responding, and UNICEF USA remains committed to its mission to put Children First - here and around the world. UNICEF USA is proud to join forces with our longstanding partner UPS and the Governor's team to deliver lifesaving supplies for the children and families in Puerto Rico who need it most."

Eduardo Martinez, president of The UPS Foundation and chief diversity and inclusion officer at UPS said, "With critical infrastructure damage in Puerto Rico and a complex recovery process, public-private partnerships like this create a critical foundation for getting aid and goods distributed as quickly as possible. We commend Governor Cuomo and UNICEF USA for their vision and fast action, and UPS is proud to deploy our air and ground resources to assist in the effort."

Puerto Rico Relief & Rebuilding Fund

Governor Cuomo has engaged the Partnership for New York City, the city's leading business organization, to establish the Puerto Rico Relief & Rebuilding Fund at New York Community Trust, a public foundation, that will make grants to local charitable organizations in Puerto Rico that are helping with recovery and rebuilding from the devastation of Hurricane Maria, focusing on the most needy households and communities. Funds and in-kind contributions are being solicited from the business community, with a minimum donation of $10,000.

To date, New York has deployed 107 National Guard Military Police, 60 National Guard soldiers, four Black Hawk helicopters, more than 70 Port Authority personnel, more than 50 State Troopers, 20 New York Power Authority experts and two Department of Environmental Conservation drone pilots. Additionally, New York has sent more than 25,000 bottles of water, 4,000 canned goods, 17,000 packages of baby wipes, 4,000 packages of diapers and 10 generators to the island to date.
Tech & Science, Local News, Crime, Business & Finance, National & World News, Politics

By Long Island News & PR Published: October 03 2017

Kaminsky: "False, misleading, and anonymous advertisements mislead voters and harm our democracy."

Rockville Centre, NY - October 3, 2017 - NYS Senator Todd Kaminsky was joined by Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, and Senators Michael Gianaris, John E. Brooks and Leroy Comrie today to announce legislation ( NYS Senator Todd Kaminsky was joined by Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, and Senators Michael Gianaris, John E. Brooks and Leroy Comrie today to announce legislation ( S.6896 ) to prevent anonymous and false political attack ads on social media.

Senator Kaminsky also released a letter he sent a letter to Mark Zuckerberg, Chairman and CEO of Facebook, explaining how the social media platform was used to deceive New York voters in his district, and warning him of future deceptive ads.

False, misleading, and anonymous advertisements mislead voters and harm our democracy--and it must end immediately, said Senator Todd Kaminsky. Not another political ad should run on social media without voters knowing exactly who paid for it. Its one thing to lie to a voter; its quite another to be able to do it anonymously, without any accountability. Political ads on television, in mail and new media platforms like Facebook should be transparent.

Senator Kaminskys legislation would require that all political ads seen on social media clearly state who paid for them. Once enacted into law, campaigns and those trying to influence elections will no longer be able to avoid taking responsibility for the content of their political communications. Right now in New York, many forms of political advertisements carry no disclosure requirement. This law would greatly expand the definition of a political advertisement and require ads to disclose on their face who has paid for them. Importantly, this would cover digital and mail political advertisements, the vast majority of which are unregulated in New York State.

Voter participation is at embarrassing lows because we make it too hard to participate in our democracy, and because dirty campaign tactics and fake news frustrate New Yorkers. Senator Todd Kaminskys legislation will help combat slanderous ads by making digital ads come under the same regulations as broadcast and print media. In this era of fake news and malicious campaign attacks, protecting the integrity of our campaign process really matters and I applaud Senator Kaminsky for his leadership on this issue, said Senate Democratic Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins.

Updating state laws to address modern campaign tactics is a good way to combat nasty online attacks and lies that currently hide behind anonymity. I applaud Senator Kaminsky for stepping up and leading this fight, said Senate Democratic Deputy Leader Mike Gianaris.

Often legislation must catch up with technological advancements so the essence of a laws intent doesnt evaporate into the ether of outdated legal language. This bill addresses just such a situation. We can no longer allow hidden political groups to use the bullhorn of social media and other outlets to broadcast falsehoods whilst hiding behind a screen of anonymity or false identification. This bill will provide transparency in a political arena that sorely lacks it, said Senator John E. Brooks.

As Ranking Member of the Senate Elections Committee, I have two hallmark priorities: robustly empowering voters and ensuring the integrity of entire electoral process itself." said Senator Leroy Comrie "Senator Kaminskys important and timely legislation will wisely modernize our election laws to ensure that political communications made through digital meanssuch as Facebookmust clearly disclose the identities of those who orchestrate them. I wholeheartedly support this rational proposal which represents a significant step that will empower and educate voters to resist and act against the agents of fake news and political subterfuge, said Senator Leroy Comrie.

Last month, Facebook disclosed to federal investigators that it sold $100,000 worth of advertising to a buyer connected with the Russian government in an attempt to influence the 2016 presidential election. Here in New York, Facebook sponsored ads by fake groups such as NYS Public Schools or Stop the Corruption in Albany Now have targeted voters to mislead them with attack ad campaigns.
Two men armed with handguns entered a residence on Walker Ave. at approximately 2:50 a.m. and shot a resident in his arm. The men fled without proceeds. The victim, James Toney, 29, was transported via South Country Ambulance to Brookhaven Memorial Hospital Medical Center in East Patchogue , New York for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.
Local News, Business & Finance, Community, Charity & Cause, Politics

By Long Island News & PR Published: October 03 2017

Bellone: "Suffolk County has developed a new tool that offers homeowners a more convent way to determine if they qualify for federal assistance."

Suffolk County, NY - October 3, 2017 - Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone today announced the launch of a new Suffolk County website to help residents better navigate the process to obtain financial assistance through the federal Down Payment Assistance Program. The website - Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone today announced the launch of a new Suffolk County website to help residents better navigate the process to obtain financial assistance through the federal Down Payment Assistance Program. The website - www.scdownpayment.com - will serve as a resource and application portal for interested and qualified first-time homebuyers. The website also contains a printable application form along with eligibility guidelines.

Bureaucracy can be time consuming, which is why Suffolk County has developed a new tool that offers homeowners a more convent way to determine if they qualify for federal assistance, said County Executive Bellone. Whether it is a first-time homebuyer or a veteran, we are doing our part to give them a chance in helping them obtain the dream of owning their own home.

Since its launch in 1993, more than 1,700 Suffolk County families have achieved home ownership through DPAP. The program provides eligible, first-time homebuyers with a conditional grant of up to $10,000 to use towards their down payment. The buyer is responsible for the balance of the down payment and all the closing costs. All perspective applicants are required to attend housing counseling prior to submitting an application, and a mortgage counseling certificate is required for applying to the DPAP. The first-time buyer qualification will be waived for U.S. military veterans who have a certificate of release or discharge from active duty (DD-214) verifying honorable discharge.

Eligibility Criteria

An applicant must be a first-time homebuyer, which is defined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) as a household that has not owned a home during the three-year period immediately prior to the purchase of a residence with HOME funding.

Prospective applicants must represent a low to moderate income household with an annual income not exceeding 80% of the area median income as determined by HUD, which includes an adjustment for family size; must have at least $3,000 banked at the time of application; and have a documented minimum income of at least $30,000 and be able to obtain a mortgage from a qualified lender.

The maximum appraised value of a single-family residence to be purchased within the Suffolk County Consortium HOME Selection Area cannot exceed $352,000 for existing housing or for new construction. The following kinds of housing are eligible: single family homes, condominiums, and cooperative apartments (co-ops).
TWIN FALLS  LunchboxWax is raising donations for Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria relief efforts. During October, the company will donate $1 for each guest eyebrow wax at any of its salons nationwide. Guests who choose to match the donation at checkout receive 25 percent off one of the salons signature products.
Its fashionable these days to say things are actually the opposite of what they seem in order to shock, titillate or just stir stuff up in the name of generating a dialogue. Bacon is actually good for you! The Star Wars prequels are misunderstood genius! Guinea pigs are not adorable furry eggplants with legs and ice water is not a cool, refreshing beverage.

In a similar vein, writing at The Outline, Joshua Topolsky says Apple is really bad at design. (Tip o the antlers to Peter, ugo, Daniel, paul, nullpixel, NeXTAlphas and 5cat.)

Is Apple perfect at design? No. Is Apple, however, good at design and, for the most part, better than its competitors? Yes.

The notch on the new iPhone X is not just strange, interesting, or even oddit is bad.

OK, the Macalope is not going to praise the notch, that much is certain. Hes not even going to try to excuse the notch. He thinks the notch, while maybe slightly better than the lone truck nut on the Essential phone, is still horrible.

It is a little ironic, however, that The Outline has the quote It is, put plainly, a visually disgusting element. pulled out and bordered by the constantly moving squiggly lines that are The Outlines own signature visually disgusting element.

The justification for the notch (the new Face ID tech, which lets you unlock the device just by looking at it) could have easily been accomplished with no visual break in the display.

The Macalope does not really understand why the company didnt do this, either. Bezel-lessness for the sake of bezel-lessness is not really the design goal, of course, its to pack larger screens onto smaller phones. We dont all agree, apparently, on the best way to get there.

Sometimes ridiculous goals lead you someplace great, it just takes a little while. The original MacBook Air was a compromised device, chasing thinness at the expense of cost and performance. Eventually, however, it led to to the 2010 13-inch and 11-inch Airs which are some of the best and most beloved laptops Apple ever built.

Maybe Apple will get someplace great with this. For the Macalopes money its not there yet with the iPhone X. Ben Bajarin is certainly correct in saying Realistically, whatever Apple chose would have been criticized. The Macalope suspects going notchless would probably have been criticized less, but the replies to this tweet about the Pixel make him wonder.

Now, let us stroll down Imaginary Lane and turn left on Fabrication Avenue as we reinvent a history where no one ever said anything bad about Apple design.

Once upon a time, Apple could do little wrong.

All was right with the Apple world and none spoke ill of the company! Kittens were plentiful and free and we all marched together, arms locked in OK, you get the idea.

Stretching perhaps from the introduction of the first iPod in 2001, through the release of the groundbreaking iPhone 4 (and subsequent refinement with the iPhone 5), Apple was regularly lauded as best-in-class

No one complained about the plastic iPhone 3G, the buttonless iPod Shuffle, the cheap iPhone 5c, brushed metal, pinstripes and stoplight colors in OS X, or the fat iPod nano and no one ever said that the groundbreaking iPhone 4 was ugly. (The Memory Hole is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for your memory-shoving needs.) Topolsky misremembers that people only started complaining when iOS 7 was released. iOS 7 certainly wasnt perfect, but it was a dramatic reset of the design of iOS, sometime most observers of the company agreed needed to happen. It was just another thing Apple did that people complained about. One that also evolved into something nice.

When you invent fictional histories, its very easy to think theres a strong disconnect between what was and what is now.

Its been a long time since Apple blew anyone away with its innovation

Have you talked to an owner of a pair of AirPods? They are not perfect, but when they work its so great they make you forget the times theyre not perfect.

Most of whats been released in the Cook era has been iterative of the Steve Jobs era

A lot of pundits also called the original iMac just an ugly, underpowered Mac without vital ports and a floppy drive.

Larger iPads. Smaller iPads. Bigger iPhones. Smaller iPhones.

Apple Watch. Apple Pay. Apple Music. AirPods. Pencil. ARKit. Soon, also the HomePod. Other than those, though, yeah, all just iterative.

Making any point is easy with this one weird trick. (Just ignore things that dont agree with your point.)

Most of Topolskys individual complaints are valid. iTunes has been a mess for years and charging the Pencil in the iPads Lightning port is awkward. But his overall narrative that Apples past was perfect and its present is all garbage does not hold much water.

Does Apple know whats coming next?

No, Apple is just a big, dumb baby that hasnt learned object permanence yet.

So, yeah, lets talk about ARKit again for a minute. For several years pundits were howling about how Apple was woefully behind in virtual and augmented reality. Samsung was miles ahead! Apple will never catch up! Then Apple releases ARKit at WWDC and, er, well, now everyones going nuts for ARKit so lets move on to the next way Apple must be screwing up because it apparently wasnt that.

Apples flaws are usually real but generally exaggerated and people tend to draw the wrong conclusions from them.
More than a hundred young revolutionaries attended the ninth annual Marxist Autumn School in Switzerland, organized by Der Funke/Letincelle, the Swiss section of the International Marxist Tendency. Comrades traveled to Biel from German and French-speaking parts of Switzerland, as well as from Austria.

Comrade Hamid Alizadeh delivered the first talk, about the the Middle East and the crisis of world capitalism. Hamids set the tone for the rest of the event, demonstrating that capitalism is at the core of conflicts in the region and explaining what we can do to fight it.

Participants could choose from eight different workshops over the two days. Subjects of discussion ranged from Greek Philosophy and its relevance to the origin of Marxist Philosophy; to the limitations of Anarchism and the necessity of a strong theoretical base and leadership for a victorious socialist revolution.

Current crises and social upheavals, like the one in Venezuela, were contextualized as the failure of reformism in the period of capitalist crisis. Attendees also discussed the misinterpretation of Antonio Gramscis ideas by different generations of European reformists.

Given the international character of the school, we of course discussed the connection between national oppression and capitalism and the Marxist position on this issue. All workshops were bilingual, translated from French to German and vice-versa, or even trilingual translated from English.

There was no doubt about the enthusiasm with which everyone participated. The discussions were not limited to the workshops but continued between and after them, in smaller groups. The workshop on Marxs Capital sparked an exchange so lively that it carried on over a shared lunch, with all attendees of the workshop present.

The weekend was not only intellectually nourishing: excellent food was served at the venue, kindly prepared by a politically sympathetic cook (solidarity is the best seasoning).

In the evening, participants attended a screening of a newly released documentary about Trotsky's life, followed by with folk-rock music performed by a local Basel band, Mondsucher and socialising continued into the early morning hours. Nevertheless, the mood on the following day was serious and pick up from where it left off on the Saturday.

Altogether the Autumn School was once again a great success, with about a third of the attendees being entirely new to revolutionary Marxism. A large amount of Marxist literature was sold, including dozens of copies of the newly released publication of Trotskys The History of the Russian Revolution to Brest-Litovsk. This just goes to show the great thirst for theory that permeated the school.

There has been a general uptick in awareness of the crisis of capitalism amongst the Swiss youth, many of whom are actively seeking to revolt against the system. The comrades of Der Funke are fast becoming a focal point for this layer of radicalised youth because of their serious attitude to theory and organisation. This autumn school was yet another step forward for the building of the forces of revolutionary Marxism.
This week, healthcare technology innovators, thought leaders, and business owners convene in Santa Clara, California for Health 2.0s 11th Annual Fall Conference. While this years event runs from October 2-4, Medgadget was able to participate in the Sunday pre-conference and the annual Startup Pitch Competition.

Evaluating eight Series A ready companies, organized into professional solution (B2B) and consumer solution (B2C) tracks, were six judges. The diverse panel of judges included:

Anya Schiess from Healthy Ventures

Caroline Arenz from Healthbox

Alexander Hoffman from Merck Ventures

Gwyn Ballentine from Texas Medical Center Innovation

Dennis Hillen from Humana

Enke Bashllari from Arkitekt Ventures

Starting with the professional solutions track, we first heard from Keona Health, Klara, Exovite, and YouScript.

Keona Health, a 2013 BluePrint health Graduate, is an integrated platform for phone triage and evisits focused on significantly reducing clinical practice call volume. When a patient calls into a practice call center, the call center team uses Keonas portal to see who is calling and access their medical history pulled from the electronic medical record. Scripts to guide the conversation and tools to schedule an appointment for the caller, which is then documented back within the providers scheduling system, are just two examples of how the Keona platform aids the call center team in efficiently taking action to improve and optimize efficiency.

Klara is a central messaging platform for healthcare. With communication limited to manual phone calls, unengaging patient portals, and non-collaborative channels (i.e. email), Klaras goal is to save practices time and money by moving patient communication to a single, asynchronous platform connecting all key stakeholders. In addition to centralizing communication, Klara allows clients to collaboratively coordinate with other clinics and hospitals as well as pharmacies and labs. Quantifying their current level of user engagement, Klara reports 70% WAU/MAU (weekly/monthly active users) for active staff.

Exovite is a Spanish company combining 3D printing and 3D scanning to offer customized, ergonomic splints. By personalizing each splint to the individual patient, Exovite ensures the right conditions for limb immobilization and rehabilitation while improving patient quality of life.

YouScripts goal is to be the leading self-learning precision medication management platform. The platform provides real-time dosing guidelines and alerts to ensure patients receive the right dose of the right drug at the right time. For clinical users, a polypharmacy management dashboard identifies and prioritizes patients who are both at risk for adverse drug events and that would benefit from genetic testing. These tools are designed to intelligently trigger and triage alerts to keep care in network and patients at home. In initial use cases, YouScript reports a 39% reduction in hospital visits and a 71% reduction in emergency department visits with even more successful outcomes in a follow-up randomized control trial.

After a quick break, we heard from the consumer solutions track companies including DotLab, DermaSensor, QMedic, and Mediktor.

DotLab is the worlds first diagnostic test for endometriosis. Today, endometriosis diagnosis requires invasive laparoscopic surgery. DotLab provides an easy to use saliva sample collection kit that a patient can receive through the mail. Using a panel of microRNAs, the saliva is used to diagnose and monitor disease progression, recurrence, and therapy response. Actionable results provide peace of mind, as patients are able to track progress with repeat testing over time. The technology is highly accurate with the ability to identify endometriosis with sensitivity and specificity of >95%.

DermaSensor is working to solve skin cancer. Over eight years of development, DermaSensor has secured two patents and today has three ongoing clinical studies. The product is a physical device that uses elastic scattering spectroscopy to evaluate multiple skin lesions for the three major types of skin cancer (basal cell carcinoma (BCC), squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), and melanoma) in less than a minute. Targeting multiple verticals, DermaSensor envisions its product as a solution not only for consumers but also for physicians and retail clinics who need access to quick tools for skin cancer assessment.

QMedic strives to be the Onstar for care management through a medical alert service that intelligently routes alerts to help care networks target the right services to the right resources. Innovating in a market of legacy players like LifeAlert, the product includes a wearable alert button as well as a base station with a speakerphone to enable two-way conversations between patients and clinical teams. Covered as administrative service under the medical loss ratio, QMedic is already seeing 6:1 cost savings by diverting patients away from the emergency room.

Mediktor is a natural language expert system for pre-diagnoses, triage, and clinical decision-making. The user tells the system what is happening in plain language. Based on what is said, Mediktor guides the user through a series of questions to further understand what needs to be done before providing direction and connection with a doctor. Mediktor aims to bring value to health insurance companies, hospitals, providers, and telemedicine platforms, which all benefit from structured data. Being able to document, in a normalized way, symptoms and other risk factors at the earliest stages of a patient issue is core to Mediktors value proposition.

Taking home the prizes for this years Health 2.0 Startup Pitch Competition were Klara in the professional solutions track and DermaSensor in the consumer solutions track. Congratulations to the winners!

This was a great way to kick off Health 2.0s Fall event and Medgadgets coverage of new and interesting technologies being debuted and discussed here this year. Stay tuned for more news from Health 2.0 as we begin the main event this week!

Link: Health 2.0 11th Annual Fall Conference
by Elizabeth Elfenbein , Columnist, October 3, 2017

Raising children is hard enough, and todays socially fueled world has added a whole new kind of complexity, one that is riddled with mental health issues. One could say that mental health has always been a challenge in society; however, if you do the research, the impact of a decade of social media on mental health is mind-blowing.

Just as social media manifests outwardly in the form of instantaneous acceptance (in the form of likes), it can also manifest inwardly in the form of low self-esteem. The Mental Health Foundation in the United Kingdom suggests that social media can lead a person to compare their life unfavorably with other peoples lives as well as use others posts to measure success and failure in their own life.

The impact of this can be catastrophic feelings of low self-esteem resulting in negative I am statements, such as I am never going to be able to be like that person or I am never going to be able to do that. Low self-esteem is not the only negative result of the high level of social media use. In a study that looked at how best to establish a healthy balance between real-time relationships and virtual connections, psychologist Paula Durlofsky demonstrated a correlation between social media use and depression.

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Building a community of esteem

When our children leave for college, they leave with a sense of independence, a newfound freedom, one that they will build on for the next four years in preparation of entering the real world and, ultimately, the work force. When we think about this life stage, is it possible for the social world to converge with the real world to help them build healthy independence?

We cant undo the damage to our childrens minds and their sense of self-worth that social media has done to date. We can, however, think differently about how to use it to activate something more positive: mental wellness.

If you cant beat social media, hack it

Maybe we need to hack social media to encourage a new kind of healthy behaviorone that follows and likes positive things; one that unites and builds empathy instead of just building followers; one that builds health esteem, both individually and collectively. This world of health esteem would be a world where kids and adults build self-acceptance and esteem, helping to break the stigmas surrounding mental health issues.

Build acceptance

I Am Acceptance is a powerful not-for-profit organization whose mission is to promote mental health and empower students to take control of their mental wellness. Its I Am Acceptance College Tour seeks to be a solution to the isolation that occurs when one suffers from mental health issues. I Am Acceptance recognizes that the transition period in college is rife with internal complexities so it has created an organization built around helping drive acceptance and openness about mental health issues so that students wont feel like they have to hide their condition, or feel the shame and stigma associated with suffering from a mental health illness.

Hear me. Understand me. Respect me. And accept me.

I Am Acceptance also recognizes that everyone deserves to be heard, understood, respected, and accepted. At the same time, it also understands that it cant undo all of the things that can affect mental health, such as social media. So instead of erasing social media, it decided to hack it to create a means of self-expression that would not only build self-acceptance, but would foster health esteem in the process.

Its new health esteem social initiative was launched on Instagram through its College Acceptance Ambassadors during back-to-school season at colleges across the country. Its goal is to leverage the ambassadors influence to drive paying mental wellness forward. @health_esteem is a place where college students can express themselves freely and feel heard and accepted. They can post their truth that other students can relate to. And they can build health esteem by connecting with others and by spreading mental wellness. This initiative will be year-round with the intent to activate a community of students who support this cause.

Paying positivity forward

Chances are you or someone you know has experienced or will experience a mental health concern. So be aware and show that you care. And remember: self-acceptance equals health esteem, and vice versa.
Feeling the heat from Congressional investigators and special counsel Robert Mueller, Facebook is opening up about its foreign agent infestation.

Regarding the roughly 3,000 ads bought by Russian operatives over the past two years, Facebook now estimates they were seen by about 10 million U.S. users.

Leaving open the possibility that the ad buys influenced our election process, a full 44% of related ad impressions occurred before the presidential election on November 8, 2016

It is also becoming increasingly clear that Russian agents sought to sow cultural divisions across the United States.

Most of the ads appear to focus on divisive social and political messages across the ideological spectrum, touching on topics from LGBT matters to race issues to immigration to gun rights, Elliot Schrage, vice president of policy and communications at the social giant, explains in a new blog post. A number of them appear to encourage people to follow Pages on these issues."

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As for cost, Facebook finds that less than $3 was spent to buy 50% of the ads in question, while less than $1,000 was spent to buy nearly all of them.

Also of note, Facebook says that about 25% of the ads were never shown to anyone. This is likely because its auction is designed so that ads only reach people based on relevance, and those ads just didnt make the cut.

Consistent with previous defenses, Facebook says it is simply too big to perfectly police. We review millions of ads each week, and about 8 million people report ads to us each day, according to Schrage.

Remarkably, however, Schrage is now admitting that some of the ads in question were paid for in Russian currency.

To improve its ad monitoring system, Facebook just announced plans to hire 1,000 more ad reviewers. Additionally, the tech titan recently said it would begin forcing Pages to disclose the source of funding behind political ads.

Facebook is also working with Congressional investigators and special counsel Robert Mueller, as part of their probes of Russia's interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

Over the next year, Facebook also plans to increase its investment in security and election integrity by adding more than 250 people across related teams, Zuckerberg recently said.

Till then, Facebook seems to be prepping public and government officials for news of additional breaches. Were still looking for abuse and bad actors on our platform, Schrage said. Our internal investigation continues.

Along with increasing pressure at home, foreign nations are pushing Facebook to clean up its platform. In addition to Twitter and other U.S. tech companies, EU regulators say Facebook has six months to curb hate speech and terrorist-related content on their platforms.
by Jess Nelson , October 3, 2017

Google will soon make it harder for cybercriminals to hack into your email account, as long as youre a high-enough target.

Alphabet Inc. will begin a new service this month dubbed the Advanced Protection Program, a new security system that replaces traditional passwords and two-factor authentication with a set of physical security keys.

The Advanced Protection Program consists of a series of security steps on Googles cloud-based applications, including email. In addition to blocking third-party applications from accessing user data, Googles Advanced Protection Program also includes a pair of USB keys that verify a users identity.

Theoretically, its a more secure solution because it would require a hacker to have physical access to the USB key.

As first reported by Bloomberg, Google appears to be reconfiguring its safety standards to better serve high-value targets that may be on the receiving end of politically motivated attacks.

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John Podesta, Hillary Clintons 2016 campaign chairman, notoriously had his Gmail account breached last year in a phishing attack linked to the Russian government. Thousands of Podestas emails were leaked to and published by WikiLeaks.

Seven members of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) also had their emails leaked to WikiLeaks last summer, prompting the resignation of DNC chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz.
by Jess Nelson , October 3, 2017

Would you have opened that deleted email this morning if it had contained a playlist of Tom Pettys greatest hits?

Email marketers can now incorporate Spotify albums and playlists into their campaigns, with the recent release of Spotify Email Widget by StoryPorts.

StoryPorts is a marketing automation platform that can pull content from more than 30 online content feeds such as Facebook or Twitter to populate interactive email campaigns. The company can now pull Spotify content into HTML email templates, and the company is compatible with any ESP or automation platform including HubSpot, Pardot, and MailChimp.

StoryPorts Spotify widget is easy to use and developed with a drag-and-drop design. The company claims that the widget is responsive, so album artwork and play buttons display in every email client or device.

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The playlist does not yet play in the email client. Instead, listeners who click on a track are then taken to the Spotify mobile application or desktop client to listen to the song selected.

Although StoryPorts widget is not yet fully integrated, its apparent why the companys musical clients requested such a feature. StoryPorts works with Warner Music Group, Sony Music Group, and Universal Music Group -- all labels looking to promote the music talents of their roster.

But its not just record labels that could benefit from adding music to their email campaigns. Music has been shown to influence shopping behaviors and pace, tempo and genre can all influence consumers emotions.

Its not just brick-and-mortar stores that can influence customers to shop with music -- email marketers would be smart to do the same.
Sleep spindles, a type of brain activity recorded during stage two of sleep, has repeatedly been associated with improving brain plasticity and consolidating memory. Scientists are now drawing closer to explaining the mechanism behind this effect. Share on Pinterest New research has started to unpick the mechanism that allows sleep to enhance memory consolidation. It is known that sleep is vital to our normal daily functioning, and that a lack of proper nightly sleep can seriously affect our cognition and general well-being. For instance, Medical News Today recently covered a study that linked disturbed sleep with dementia, and another that investigated the correlation between attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and sleeplessness. Yet many of the mechanisms underlying the impact of sleeping patterns on behavioral and cognitive disorders remain unknown. Sleep falls into two categories: non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. Scientists have also identified four different phases in which sleep occurs. Each of these is characterized by different brain activity types. Stage one NREM. This refers to the transition from a state of wakefulness to a state of sleep, during which normal brain activity slows down. It is a stage of light sleep, from which one can easily be awoken.

Stage two NREM. This is also a stage of light sleep, yet it is slightly deeper than the one before. This stage is also transitional  this time from the light initial sleep to a state of deep sleep. It is characterized by short bursts of electrical activity, some of which are known as sleep spindles.

Stage three NREM. This is a state of deep sleep during which brain activity slows even more. In this stage, the muscles fully relax, and heartbeat and breathing slow down. Immersion in this stage is associated with feeling refreshed the morning after.

REM. This is the stage of sleep during which dreaming happens. In this stage, brain activity patterns are mixed, with electrical brain waves sometimes peaking and sometimes slowing down.

Sleep spindles and adaptive brain changes Emerging research from the Humboldt and Charite Universities in Berlin, Germany, has looked at the mechanism that allows sleep spindles  a part of stage two NREM  to improve brain plasticity, or the brains ability to adapt and reorganize by forming fresh neural connections. It is becoming increasingly clear, explains lead study author Dr. Julie Seibt, from the University of Surrey in Guildford, United Kingdom, that sleep plays an important role in [the brains] adaptive changes. Our study tells us that a large proportion of these changes may occur during very short and repetitive brain waves called spindles, she adds. The researchers have recently published their findings in the journal Nature Communications.
A new study suggests that the use of statins may prevent the risk of a bloodstream infection with Staphylococcus aureus by almost a third. Share on Pinterest The use of this heart disease medication may also prevent staph infection. Staphylococcus aureus is a bacterium that is simultaneously part of our normal flora but that can also cause disease. In fact, S. aureus, which is also known as staph, is the leading cause of bacteremia (or infection of the bloodstream) and bacterial endocarditis (or infection of the heart). Once staph reaches the bloodstream, the infection can be fatal. Fortunately, however, new research suggests that taking statins  medication commonly used to prevent heart disease  may prevent the risk of a staph bacteremia by almost a third. The study was a collaboration between researchers at the University Hospitals in Aalborg and Aarhus, both in Denmark, and the University Hospital in Seville, Spain. The lead investigator for the research is Dr. Jesper Smit, of the Department of Clinical Microbiology at Aalborg University Hospital, and the findings were published in the journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings.

Staph infection risk lowered by 30 percent Dr. Smit and colleagues analyzed the medical records of almost 30,000 Danish statin users over a period of 12 years, between January 1, 2000 and December 31, 2011. Statin users were grouped under current users  who were then broken down further into new or long-term use  former users, and non-users. Long-term users were defined as such if they had received multiple prescriptions for statins for more than 90 days, while new users received their first prescription within 90 days prior to the study. Participants had been prescribed statins for various chronic conditions, including diabetes, kidney disease, and liver disease. During the 12-year follow-up period, the researchers found 2,638 cases of S. aureus bacteremia. These people were matched by 26,379 controls who did not develop the infection. Controls were matched by age, sex, and residence in Denmark over the follow-up period. Current statin users were 27 percent less likely to have a community-acquired staph infection, and long-term users had a 30 percent lower risk of developing such an infection. Additionally, the findings were dose-respondent, meaning that the more statins the users were taking, the less likely they were to acquire the infection.
BOISE  Mark Felt: The Man Who Brought Down the White House will be shown in Idaho after all.

The movie, a Sony Pictures Classics release, is scheduled to play Oct. 27 through Nov. 2 at The Flicks in Boise. Sony originally left Idaho off the schedule.

Felt, a Twin Falls native who became the FBIs second in command after Director J. Edgar Hoovers death in 1972, admitted in 2005 to being the G-man who tipped off Washington Post reporter Bob Woodward to the White Houses involvement in the Watergate scandal.

The movie has been called the other bookend to All the Presidents Men, the 1976 Oscar-winning movie starring Robert Redford as Woodward and Dustin Hoffman as Carl Bernstein that revealed previously murky details that led to President Richard Nixons downfall. The movie is rated PG-13. Depending on the popularity of the movie, its showing in Boise could be expanded week by week, said a theater spokeswoman. Visit theflicksboise.com more information.
Were excited to announce that metalbulletin.com is now part of fastmarkets.com.

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After selling off pieces at the 2016 non-waiver trade deadline, the Yankees have successfully returned to the postseason with a stacked core of young talent that looks to have them positioned for long-term success in the AL East. The composition of their roster varies significantly from their opponent in tonights AL Wild Card game, the Minnesota Twins, who developed the bulk of their roster via the draft and international free agency.

The Yankees have their share of homegrown talent  including the likely Rookie of the Year and possible AL MVP Aaron Judge  but theyve acquired nearly half of tonights active roster via trade. Just five of the Yankees current players came via free agency, only two of whom signed in the past calendar year, as the team has trended more and more toward stockpiling young talent to build a cost-controlled foundation and to serve as capital on the trade market. Heres how general manager Brian Cashman and his staff assembled one of the most talented teams in the American League

[Related: New York Yankees Depth Chart and Payroll Outlook]

Of the players currently on the roster, the only Yankees that could leave via free agency either this offseason or next are Gardner, Sabathia, Headley, Holliday, Robertson, Warren and Todd Frazier. With talent like Gleyber Torres, Chance Adams, Justus Sheffield, Estevan Florial and many others still on the horizon and plenty of money to spend on established big leaguers, the Yankees look dangerous for years to come.
The Banquet Hall of the State House in Accra came alive last Saturday September 30 as seasoned Ghanaian highlife musicians put up sterling performances at the sixth edition of the African Legends Night concert.

The much-hyped concert which was expected to be one of the biggest and finest shows in the capital this year lived up to the hype, as all the performers gave music fans classical live band music.

Music fans from Ghana, Togo, Ivory Coast and Nigerian who attended the event were happy to witness historic performances from all the performers on stage.

The event was hosted by award-winning radio personality, Kwame Sefa Kayi of Peace FM.

The much-anticipated show, organised by Global Media Alliance (GMA), in collaboration with Vodafone, was set in motion with performances from eShun, Akablay, among others.

eShun exhibited her talent and dynamism, despite being the show's youngest performer on the bill, before paving way for the highlife giants.

The event which also attracted a number of important personalities, including stakeholders in the music industry and some media personnel, also witnessed energetic performances from Abrantie Amakye Dede, Daddy Lumba and Kanda Bongo Man, the headline artiste from Congo.

Amakye Dede performed his evergreen tunes, and had everyone rushing to the dance floor.

The sound quality and great showmanship of Abrantie Amakye Dede and his Hi-Kings Band was simply extraordinary.

Daddy Lumba also turned the venue upside down with a fantastic performance from his hit songs like 'Doctor Panie', 'Yentie Obiaa', 'Menya Mpo' and others.

Kanda Bongo Man also delivered some of his popular songs from his celebrated albums of 'Amour Fou', 'Kwassa Kwassa', 'Monie', among others.
Saturday, September 30 was exactly 12 years since Ghanaian musician and producer, Waleed Helwani, unfortunately died after a motorbike accident in Kumasi in 2005.

He died about the same time Ghana lost its popular actress Suzzy Williams.

Yasmeen Helwani, a musician and sister of the late Waleed, took to social media on Saturday to celebrate the memory of her late brother, describing him as a special and nice person.

12 years ago today we lost someone truly special. My baby brother Waleed was not only handsome, wise, caring, kind and funny. He was also supernaturally talented and full of love. In just 20 short years of living on earth, he touched many souls and continues to live on in our hearts. Thank you Waleed for everything you have taught me and continue to teach me in spirit. Rest in Power. Waleed Faisal Helwani 1st July 1985  30th September 2005, she posted on Facebook.com.

Otherwise known as Wele, Waleed was 20 years old and full of life before his untimely death.The son of the late Faisal Helwani, renowned music producer, was a second year student of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi.

He denied barely one month after Suzzy Williams lost her life through a car crash at age 23. At about 1:00am Friday, September 30, 2005, Waleed was riding a Kawasaki motorbike with registration number AS 5346 V when he crashed into an embankment on the Ridge Road in Kumasi.

He was taken to the Okomfo Anokye Hospital soon after the accident, but he died shortly after arrival.